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THE
MERRIMACK RIVER;
ITS
SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
EMBRACING
A HISTORY OF MANUFACTURES, AND OF THE TOWNS ALONG ITS COURSE;
THEIR GEOGRAPHY, TOPOGRAPHY, AND PRODUCTS, WITH A DE-
SCRIPTION OF THE MAGNIFICENT NATURAL SCENERY
ABOUT ITS UPPER WATERS.
BY
J. W. MEADER.
.....
BOSTON :
PUBLISHED BY B. B. RUSSELL, 55 CORNHILL.
1869.
:
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by
J. W. MEADER,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
......
1
ΤΟ
D. W. SMITH,
A SON OF THE MERRIMACK VALLEY,
THROUGH MANY YEARS,
A True and Faithful Friend,
THIS VOLUME
Is Affectionately Inscribed.
AND,
4
Ref.. St
this
7.31-43
48439
PREFACE.
NEW HAMPSHIRE and Massachusetts naturally entertain a com-
mendable and worthy pride in the joint possession of the magnificent
Merrimack River, and properly appreciate the wonderful beauty of
its scenery, its stupendous hydraulic power, and its incalculable val-
ue and importance, not alone to these two States, but to all New
England, the nation, and to the world. As a great natural feature the
Merrimack, it is believed, surpasses all others in the harmonious
blending of the useful and the beautiful, and the facts assembled on
these pages are confidently expected to warrant and justify this view.
The source of the Merrimack being more than six thousand feet above
the level of the sea, much higher than that of the Connecticut, while
it is only half the length of the latter stream, — it is, from its source
to its mouth, literally, a vast system of mill-privileges with excellent
water-power, material and conveniences for dams, and an ample and un-
failing supply of water. The amount of manufacturing along this
stream is not equalled by that of any other river in the world, while
even yet many of its best mill-sites are unimproved. Having been
for many years familiar with all the territory which supplies the Mer-
rimack and its branches, it has been a matter of surprise that some
competent person has not, long since, given the subject the attention
it merits. It was not, however, until eminent oculists prescribed
open-air exercise for a malady more frightful, inconvenient, and un-
comfortable than painful, when the atmospheric purity of this region
suggested it as a proper resort, that the idea occurred to collect some
facts and place them before the public myself. Accordingly, without
experience or pretension, the result is here presented; and while it
is believed some of the matter is new, it is hoped much of it will
prove interesting, and aid in extending a more thorough knowledge
of this important subject. No literary merit is claimed, and what-
ever is open to criticism the author trusts may be kindly considered.
Accuracy, both in the aggregate and detail, has been sought, and, if
not always attained, may be attributed to erroneous but conscien-
tious deductions, or to incorrect information. The hydraulic ca-
V
VI
PREFACE.
pacity of the Merrimack is only fully known to the most experienced
practical engineers, and though its source is theoretically known to
many, very few, through the great wild valley of the upper waters,
have penetrated to it and inspected it personally. Indeed, the num-
ber is so limited as to be, probably, more than told on the digits.
The great aorta and its branches have been traversed, and all its sec-
tions of especial interest received personal inspection; still it is to
be regretted that many letters have failed to produce a response,
which militates, to some extent, against individuals and interests as
well as the completeness of the work.
Historical and geographical sketches have been made (the latter
principally from personal observation) of towns on the river and its
tributaries, not, however, as complete as could be desired. Biogra-
phy has been only incidentally and briefly essayed; in all cases with-
out prejudice, in the light of facts and the spirit of truth.
The design and object of this work have been to give a more partic-
ular account and description of the Merrimack River and its branches,
together with the territory drained, of its capacity for manufacturing
and mechanical uses, the history, geography and topography, with
something of its matchless and unequalled natural scenery. It is
true the sketch of the route from Lake Winnipesaukee to Mount
Washington is not strictly a legitimate portion of the section under
consideration, but it is uniformly traversed by all tourists through
the valley of the Merrimack, therefore ignoring it, would be like
omitting the principal character of a play.
The different kinds of game which abound in the great forests
bordering the upper waters of the Merrimack and its northern afflu-
ents, the varieties of fish worthy the angler's consideration, the
various as well as best methods of taking them, have received consid-
erable attention. This feature, it is thought, may be of marked and
especial interest to a multitude of gentlemen, experts, amateurs, and
tyros, who yearly resort to this region to enjoy the scenery and
indulge in field sports.
To those at home or abroad who retain a natural and creditable
State pride; to those who have a present and prospective pecuniary
interest; to that numerous and valuable class who have contributed
most to the immense business upon the Merrimack, mechanics, arti-
sans, and operatives; to all who would know the beauties and the
resources of the territory of this marvellous and most resplendent
stream, this volume is offered, with the earnest desire that it may be
of some value and aid to them in the effort to obtain such infor-
mation.
1
|
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
New Hampshire. - Voyage of Columbus. - The Cabots.
-
—
Capt. John Smith. - Pierre
du Guast. De Champlain. - Discovery of the Merrimack. Mason and Gorges.
Laconia. The first Settlement of New Hampshire. — Wheelwright. — The Puri-
tans. Witchcraft. Rapid Settlement of New Hampshire
The Pemigewasset.
CHAPTER II.
- Mountains in Summer. — In Winter. -Source of the Merrimack.
Method of taking Salmon and Trout. Franconia Notch. -Echo Lake. — The
Flume. The "Old Man of the Mountain"
CHAPTER III.
PAGE
9
40
Franconia. Lincoln. Woodstock. Thornton. Game and Gunning. - Campton.
Holderness. Samuel Livermore. Plymouth. Rumney. Wentworth. —
The Moosilaukes. - Bridgewater. -Squam Lakes and River. - New Hampton.
Bristol. Newfound Lake and River. Hill. Smith's River.
dover. - Salisbury. — Daniel Webster. - Kearsarge.
Mag
Orange
An-
Boscawen. Franklin. • 65
•
CHAPTER IV.
The Forks. Winnipesaukee Lake and River. — Pickerel Fishing. - The Wiers.
Laconia. Capt. Lovewell. - Centre Harbor. Moultonborough. Red Hill.
Sandwich.
98
CHAPTER V.
<
Tamworth. Quakers. Albany. Chocorua. Madison. Mines.
The Notch. The Willey Family. — White Mountain Railroad.
Conway.
121
CHAPTER VI.
I
—
Gilford. Alton. Wolfboro'. Tuftonborough. Meredith. Sanbornton.
Northfield. Canterbury. - Shakers.
<
Pembroke. Suncook River. - Gilman-
- Contoocook River.
ton. Barnstead. - Pittsfield. Epsom. Allenstown.
Hillsboro'.- Gov. Pierce. -Henniker. - Washington, etc. - Hopkinton
147
•
VIII
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VII.
Concord. The Pennacooks. First Settlement. -State Institutions.
-
Pierce. Isaac Hill.Count Rumford. - Bow. - Hooksett.
CHAPTER VIII.
Ex-President
•
167
Amoskeag Falls. - Indians. Fisheries. - Manchester. — History of its Manufac-
tures. The Starks. City Institutions. - Samuel Blodgett.
CHAPTER IX.
185
-
Distin-
Cohas River. Massabesic. Londonderry. Scotch-Irish Settlement.
guished Men. - Derry. - Piscataquog River. Francestown. Weare. Goffs-
town. - Bedford. - Souhegan River and Towns along its Course. — Litchfield.
Reed's Island. -Hudson. - Nashua River and the Towns watered by it. - Dun-
stable. The Pequauket War. Nashua. Tyngsboro'. Chelmsford. Stony
Brook. Dracut. Beaver River. - John Nesmith
217
Pawtucket Falls.
CHAPTER X.
Indians. -Canada. - Lowell.
Merrimack. - The Concord River. Its History.
History of Manufactures on the
History of its Manufactures
242
•
CHAPTER XI.
Pentucket Navigation Company.
Nicholas G. Norcross. - Andover. - Methuen..
The Spicket. Lawrence. History of its Manufactures. - Bradford. — Little
River. - Haverhill. —The Pow-Pow. - Amesbury. - History of its Manufactures.
- Newbury.—Salisbury. — Newburyport. - Plum Island.—Seabrook. Conclu-
sion
•
284
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
CHAPTER I.
New Hampshire. - Voyage of Columbus.
Guast.
conia.
The Cabots. Capt. John Smith. — Pierre du
-
- Mason and Gorges. -La-
De Champlain. - Discovery of the Merrimack.
The First Settlement of New Hampshire. Wheelwright.
Witchcraft.
―
Rapid Settlement of New Hampshire.
The Puritans.
THE State of New Hampshire, limited in territorial dimensions
to a mere patch or speck on the map of the continent, with a climate
rigorous and inhospitable, a rugged, sterile, and comparatively un-
productive soil, possesses, notwithstanding, these physical disabili-
ties, and many others, a rare combination of those necessary and
peculiar elements which alone secure a nation's greatness, and ex-
hibit a community intelligent, prosperous, and happy.
The history of New Hampshire extends over a period of more
than two centuries, and though it embraces a broad and varied rec-
ord, it is still replete with patriotic works and fearless daring, and
noble achievements.. Planted in a wilderness, in the very midst of
wild and ferocious beasts, and still more intractable, implacable, and
savage men, her colonists had no other alternative but to push or be
pushed. With them it was to be a great success or a great failure.
With such men as the indomitable pioneers of New Hampshire, -
men, who in company with the early navigators, had led the van
along the trackless and hitherto unknown seas, or bared their
breasts to the pitiless pelting of the lead and iron hail of inter-
necine strife; or, better still, had wrung from mother earth a sus-
tenance, and a tribute to their industry and skill with the plough,
the spade, and the sickle, with such men as these there could be
2
9
10
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
4
no such word as fail; the result was inevitable, and with broad
shoulders, strong arms, stout hearts, and masculine intellects, they
have left a record to which their State, their country, and their race
may point with just and worthy pride.
To err is human; therefore perfection in any direction may not
be claimed; still the bright galaxy of names which adorn and em-
bellish each era of her history most clearly proves that her boast,
her pride, or her claim is certainly, to say the least, well founded.
Although, as it has been observed, the State is one of the smallest
in territory, in resources, and in natural advantages, still it is
claimed that she is unsurpassed, perhaps unequalled, by any of her
sister states, always excepting the Old Dominion, the mother of
states and of statesmen, in the number and character of her illus-
trious men. Her statesmen have been conspicuous; her jurists
learned, pure, dignified, and famous; her soldiers among the bravest
and foremost captains of every age; her mechanics displaying a
versatility and skill unsurpassed; the sturdy, undaunted, and perse-
vering tiller of the soil, by his genius, industry, and judgment, wrench-
ing a reputation as enduring as the granite base of the land he
cultivates. Even the women have displayed in a marked manner those
ennobling traits which recognize them as fit companions and educators
of such a race of men. The noble-hearted mothers, wives, sisters,
and daughters, affectionate, unselfish, devoted, and self-sacrificing,
softened down the rough angles so indigenous to the isolated pioneers,
especially such as the settlers of New Hampshire, who confronted a
primeval wilderness filled with wild beasts and untamed savages, and
had at the same time a covetous and encroaching neighbor in Massa-
chusetts, constantly putting forward unfounded claims to the terri-
tory to impose taxation and entire jurisdiction; and although these
claims, unjust and arrogant, were successfully resisted, still they
served to stir up and keep alive an unnecessary and annoying irrita-
tion, and bred in the minds of the weak colonists a natural and not
unavailing determination to realize, cost what it would, those inde-
scribable emotions that come of independence, which they felt they
were entitled to, and were determined to achieve.
Actuated by a spirit and resolution which showed what manner of
men they were, they pushed forward without any deflection, encoun-
tering and overcoming obstacles of such magnitude as would seem to
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
11
appall the stoutest heart, determined, regardless of expense, in trials,
privations, and hardships, to provide a sustenance, establish a home,
and erect a sovereign State. What these self-reliant and indepen-
dent Scotch-Irish, and English, and their descendants have achieved,
history and geography fully explain, for they have left their impress
on every page of the one and every parallel of the other.
It has been said in contempt or derision by some thoughtless,
envious, or malicious person, that New Hampshire was a good State
to emigrate from. This would-be aspersion is rather a credit than
otherwise, as it simply signifies that the starving Josephs of other
States less productive may confidently journey hither for a generous
supply of wholesome intellectual food. When a native of good ability
and intelligence, thoroughly imbued with the spirit of the State,
emigrates, carrying with him and adhering to those sound principles
which his State and his education have endowed him with, he will gen-
erally, in any sphere of life, ultimately achieve success, and in as far
as deserved fame and prosperity attend them, they will, of course,
reflect honor and credit on the mother State.
This as a rule is proved and demonstrated by the slur referred to.
Taking an observation across the continent, it will be seen that the
leading men of many States, men of mark and of note, justly claim
New Hampshire as their fatherland. Statesmen, lawgivers, orators,
journalists, merchants, conspicuous and successful, are seen on every
hand, an ornament and a blessing to the community of their adop-
tion, and a source of pride to those who have furnished a member who
is equally as necessary to them as ornamental.
Scarcely a town in the State but boasts of some famous native who
now occupies an exalted position in another State. Not unfrequently
many of these wandering sons, when the care and labor of the busy
outside world will allow, revisit their early homes to renew and
refresh their thirsty spirits, and drink in the old familiar scenes of
childhood, and live over again for a brief period those old affections
of by-gone times; cooling the heated brain and relaxing the over-
wrought nerves in the quiet retreat, fanned by the same refreshing
breezes, shaded by the same grand old trees; to take a draught from
the same old oaken bucket; and, looking through the wide rooms, stop
before the quaint old portraits of departed ancestors; or walk through
the silent aisles of that peaceful and quiet neighborhood where the
12
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
bones of an honored ancestry repose, to decipher again for the
twentieth time perhaps, with humid eyes, the hieroglyphics wrought
long years before by the hand of affection, which chronicle the deeds
and worth of the deceased; while the majestic elms afford a calm and
grateful shade, and the wild birds flit from branch to branch without
fear, or carol plaintive and joyous melodies as if to do homage to the
worth of the departed, and the modest little wild flower dots the ver-
nal spread upon their lowly bed, and offers the humble tribute of a
grateful fragrance to their memory.
Honored by the land of their adoption often with great and all-
important interests in their keeping, severely taxed to preserve the
trust reposed in them, the emigrant from this to other States still
finds time for an occasional pilgrimage to his native land.
Of all the countless numbers of those who have emigrated to other
States and mingled in other scenes, how few there are who have not
conferred honor upon the land of their nativity! Daniel Webster may
be cited as a conspicuous example of the honor reflected upon the
State by her absent sons. Nor has emigration depleted the moral and
intellectual wealth of the State, as is proved by the long line of great
men, past and present, illustrious in every sphere of life and useful-
ness.
Deservedly great as has been the fame of her public men, her
mechanics and artisans are equally celebrated; her monster brick
palaces, which cluster around each available waterfall, exhibit an
architectural ability equal to the best; her endless variety of imple-
ments and articles of wood manufacture display an ingenuity and
finish unsurpassed; her locomotive engines roll on every gauge across
the continent, bearing a precious freight of human souls to the fertile
prairies that stretch away to the Rocky Mountains, returning with
their monster trains of that indispensable merchandise which feeds
and moves the arm of the thousands of mechanics at the East; her
fire annihilator, the admiration of all, worked by the untiring and
enduring muscle of steam and iron, the most efficient guardian of life
and property, has raised its protecting ægis, not only in all the cities
throughout the Union, but has carried the same invaluable quality, as
well as the fame of our mechanics, across the Atlantic, and even to
those remote lands beyond the great, tranquil sea.
The machinery, of every kind and for every purpose, produced by
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
13
the industry and skill of her mechanics, is a marvel of perfection;
whether designed for great strength or extreme delicacy, its model,
its finish, its intricacy, its adjustment, its adaptation to and its effi-
ciency in the service for which it was intended, cannot be excelled.
The manufacture of every variety of cloth is known in the markets of
the world, and whatever fabric is required for necessity, convenience,
comfort, or ornament is produced.
From east to west, from north to south, the products of her fac-
tories are indispensable, and are turned out at prices so reasonable
as to be within the reach of all. The successful prosecution of this
great interest has not only been a benefit to our own land, but is a
substantial blessing to the human race. The enterprise which has pro-
duced these wares invades all lands, and barters them to the utter-
most ends of the earth, so that the naked and unsightly barbarian,
the Hindoo and the Hottentot, as well as the Christian, may make
a more presentable appearance in a full and not unbecoming costume
of Manchester matchless cotton fabrics.
Thus it will be seen that in intellect, patriotism, the mechanic
arts, and agriculture, in all the appliances which tend to human
progress, the people of this rock-ribbed commonwealth maintain un-
impaired the high character of their glorious ancestry. It may not
be disputed, nay, it cannot be denied, that all communities in all
time have had their faults and follies, and the State of New Hamp-
shire is certainly no exception; still it is confidently believed that
no community of equal numbers exhibits greater virtues or less
vices, greater capacity in the science of government, in the art of war,
or in the peaceful pursuits which adorn and dignify a people.• Nor
are the people alone the only object worthy of reference. Here nature
presents herself in one of her most romantic moods. The surface
of the State is undulating in all its length and breadth, while at the
north many huge mountains rise to a dizzy height and are piled up
in inextricable confusion, and lakes, rivers, and mountain torrents
diversify the entire surface. This section has often been called the
Switzerland of America, from its real or fancied resemblance to that
romantic land. However this may be, there is a peculiar grandeur
and sublimity about this region, as well as other distinguishing
'features, such as may be termed wonderful freaks of nature, which
destroy the parallel, and leave this territory pre-eminently and in-
14
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
.
comparably sublime. That this is not overdrawn is attested by the
thousands who annually visit here; and even the polished and schol-
arly Everett has touched it with the magic of his masterly eloquence.
Is it surprising, then, that a people reared amid such magnificent
surroundings, and familiar with nature in its noblest aspect, is it
strange that a people thus situated should carve out for themselves a
record which commands the attention and respect of mankind?
-
More than two hundred years ago the State of New Hampshire was
settled by several slender colonies; some by the authority of crown
patents, others under the king's grant, sometimes made as a reward
for discovery, or under a semblance of purchase from the Indians,
who, being the occupants, were, consequently, the unquestionable
proprietors. The colonies were few and feeble, and, from various
causes, this condition remained unchanged for many years. Owing
to the severity of the climate and the unmitigated hostility of the
Indians, the settlements maintained a sickly existence or dwindled
away, and, finally disheartened and discouraged, broke up, and either
joined their more fortunate neighbors, or returned to Europe with
some of the many exploring expeditions which were constantly vis-
iting the eastern coast. The progress of the colonies was slow; less
determined people would have succumbed to the almost insurmount-
able obstacles which they encountered. As it was, it seemed that
their holding was very precarious, and it was apparently doubtful if
they could maintain a foothold on the soil. But fail, as shown by
the result, was not in their vocabulary, and ere long the forest
began to melt away before their vigorous blows, and it soon became
apparent that it was only a question of time when the Indian and
his title should both be extinguished.
While the savages were much the most numerous, equally brave,
cunning, sagacious, and active, their training, habits, and imple-
ments of warfare were so much more primitive as left an immense
disparity between the belligerents. The red man's wants were few
and easily supplied, the field, the forest, and the flood affording all
his necessaries, comforts, and luxuries of life,—the former con-
tributing so little, however, as to be scarcely worth taking into ac-
count. His ability to prosecute a successful offensive warfare was
limited to an ambuscade, or an unexpected midnight attack, while his
defensive power was absolutely nothing; for, though the bow and ar-
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
15
row and tomahawk were really efficient in supplying food, the longer
range and more deadly musket, sending forth its lightning and thun-
der, cutting down the chief, the brave, the squaw, and the pappoose
indiscriminately, carried terror and dismay through their decimated
and demoralized ranks. His villages being unprotected became an
easy prey to the irresistible pale-face, and were plundered and
burned without pity, and his only safety was to place a respectful
distance between his habitation and his enemy.
Of the many voyagers to the Western or New World, as it was
called, Columbus appears to have been the most unfortunate, as well
as first and greatest. With a genius towering above all navigators
and explorers who had hitherto been renowned and rewarded, and
which was almost beyond the comprehension of princes, and an ambi-
tion lofty, unconquerable, irrepressible, and commendable, he bent his
great mind and untiring energies to the task of securing, organizing,
and fitting out an expedition which has, by universal consent, placed
his name in the highest niche reserved for the mighty travellers of
the sea in the temple of fame. Having prosecuted the most success-
ful experiment ever attempted, and brought the problem of a West-
ern World to a positive solution, and added at the same time its
boundless area and fabulous wealth of undeveloped resources to the
possessions of his ungrateful sovereign, he was permitted to languish
in obscurity, and died broken-hearted in his fifty-ninth year. His
patroness and only reliable friend, Isabella, having preceded him to
the tomb, his compeers and rivals, actuated by a spirit of unworthy
and ungenerous selfishness, which seems to have been connived at, or
at least not restrained, by the king, stripped him as far as they could
of the merit and the advantages resulting from the most magnificent
achievement which human genius had ever devised and brought to
successful issue. Thus Columbus proved to be no exception to the
general rule, that great discoverers and inventors, the very few who
possess originality of mind and genius, fail to realize the benefits of
their achievements, which are usually secured by seedy and needy
adventurers, soldiers of fortune, whose shrewdness and enterprise
is of that discreditable character which manages to appropriate the
products of other greater and better minds.
However, though Columbus was shorn of the immediate fruits of
his great enterprise by unbecoming envy, jealousy, malice, treachery,
16
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
and gross ingratitude, impartial history will render all the justice
possible to one of the most intrepid, ambitious, and enterprising
navigators.
When the success of Columbus became known at home the Te
Deum was sung, -the usual anthem for the most important of
Spanish discoveries, and the news was everywhere received with
the wildest demonstrations of joy. The brilliant success of Spain
inflamed the ambition and cupidity of England, and before the end
of the second year she had fitted out, organized, and equipped a
powerful expedition for exploration and discovery in the New World.
The command and management of this important expedition was
placed in the hands of John Cabot and his son Sebastian, gentlemen
reputed to be possessed of great maritime skill. Sailing from Bris-
tol, and pursuing a westward course, they discovered a large island
which the sailors called Newfoundland, or Prima Vista; continuing
their course they discovered other smaller islands, which they named,
and soon reached the coast of Labrador, being the first Europeans
who had ever actually seen the American continent.
Cabot explored the eastern coast as far south as Virginia, laying
claim to the continent in the name of his sovereign.
The same spirit of detraction and envy which had been aroused by
the success of Columbus, pursued the Cabots, and the consequence
of this expedition, successful in all respects, was little else than to
make their names historic to the extent of the improvement they had
made on the previous voyage of Columbus. From this time forth
expeditions were constantly sailing to the West for various purposes,
but generally for trade and fishing.
Henry VII., under whose auspices the Cabot expedition was insti-
tuted, fitted out several others, for the purpose of finding a shorter
route to the East Indies, which proved disastrous, and the attempt
was abandoned. But the fisheries were prosecuted extensively by
the maritime powers, as well as commerce with the natives of the
islands and the coast along the north and east of New Hampshire for
furs, and as far south as the Carolinas.
Though it is known that many vessels must have traded along the
coast of New Hampshire and Maine, it is a remarkable fact that
for a hundred years after the discovery of America no white man
stepped foot upon its shores, or even saw it.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
17
During the long intervening period between the discovery of
America by Columbus and the discovery of New Hampshire by Capt.
John Smith, the commerce of France, England, and Holland with
the New World was considerably increased and the area of their nav-
igation greatly enlarged. Many companies were formed in these
countries, composed of gentlemen of wealth, enterprising merchants,
and persons of a speculating turn of mind, who had in their employ
the most skilful and daring officers to be found in the merchant
marine. The ships of these companies visited the islands and ex-
plored the entire east coast of North America, bartering with the
natives for furs, peltries, fish, sassafras, gums, and a great variety of
other articles, for which they generally exacted knives and other
weapons and implements made of steel. Though these companies
generally failed to realize any remunerative gains for themselves,
they opened and established a trade so extensive and varied, that
ultimately, very much of the thrift and opulence of those countries
grew out of it, and actually depended upon it. At the same time
the American fisheries were prosecuted by these countries with great
energy and considerable profit, France alone having employed on
the Grand Banks (1575-80), as many as one hundred and fifty sail
of fishermen. While these countries were thus laying a firm founda-
tion for a healthy and steady, rather than spasmodic growth, prepar-
ing the way to transplant a vigorous and enterprising race to the
fertile lands of the New World who should compensate them by a
development of its boundless resources, Spain turned her attention
to the more genial climes of Mexico and South America. The his-
tory of her conquest of these countries is written in cruelty, cupidity,
rapacity, and blood. The tracks of Pizarro, Cortez, and Almagro
and their.compeers exhibited more of desolation to the effeminate
and terror-stricken natives than the hurricanes, roaring deluge, or
consuming fire. Mad with the passion for gold, they swept like a
whirlwind through half-civilized hordes of natives, and gathered their
booty amidst the ruins of cities. Their love of riches was only
equalled by their contempt for industry; they hurried the Indians in
crowds to the mountains and forced them with merciless rigor to the
fatal toil of the mines. Inflexible pride, determined valor, and de-
liberate atrocity marked their whole career of conquest and oppression.
It was a union of avarice, fanaticism, and chivalry.
3
18
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
The native emperors, incas, and people were involved in common
destruction; never were courage, fortitude, and valor devoted to more
sordid, unjust, and barbarous ends; never was genius more power-
fully employed to scourge mankind. "The paganism of the natives
had allured to the invasion a few of the old bigots of Spain, and it is
sadly instructive to mark these champions of the cross, trampling,
in the name of religion, upon the most sacred rights, and giving
glory to God amidst the destruction of life and the desolation of
empires."
The founding of colonies generally comprehends, or at least in-
volves, the expatriation if not extermination of the native inhabitants,
if there be any, and though rapacity and flagrant cruelty may have,
and undoubtedly did, mark the conduct of some of the early explor-
ers and colonists of this country, still, unlike the experience of the
Spaniard, the human havoc was not entirely one-sided; the native
population found here, by the Europeans, were physically hardy,
powerful, active, cunning, and warlike, and by their sagacious fore-
cast, the primitive weapons, which had even come to be fatally effi-
cient in their hands, had measurably given way to those which they
had obtained by way of trade with inadvertent speculators, and
which were much more convenient and effective for their protection,
and for general warfare. Hence the North American Indian was
under no compulsion to, and did not, remain passive until destroyed
or subjugated, but often met his antagonist in deadly conflict under
conditions regarded by himself as more than even, or, failing in this,
he retired to the inaccessible wilds, where, to say the least, as his
property was generally personal and portable, he was perfectly
secure in his person and effects.
Notwithstanding the fact that many navigators were familiar with
the north-east coast, and for many years trading and fishing had
been engaged in by the maritime nations of Europe, and the most
skilful, enterprising, and ambitious captains had been uniformly em-
ployed in this service, still there appears to be no record or even
tradition of any European having touched or ever observed the coast
of New Hampshire, until Capt. John Smith, sailing along the coast
from Penobscot to Cape Cod, discovered, entered, and explored the
fine harbor of Piscataqua, and caused a chart to be made of the ter-
ritory, as far as he was able to ascertain, of the coast of New Hamp-
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
19
shire and of the adjacent waters, which on his return he presented
to the prince.
Capt. John Smith appears to have been even from childhood one
of those erratic individuals who, moving without rudder or compass
that can be observed, without visible aim or purpose, yet succeed in
the accomplishment of some beneficent object by the very vicissitudes
of fortune. A rollicking, vigorous, and ungoverned recklessness re-
sulting in benefit to the world seems to prove these singular charac-
teristics to have been in his case but the eccentricity of a universal
genius.
At the very door of his teens, impatient of the slow process of
acquiring knowledge at school, and disgusted with his books, he
peddled them out, using the proceeds to secure some slender means
for the accomplishment of an idea he had in contemplation even
at that early age, a clandestine voyage to sea.
His subsequent career the world knows by heart, and as long as
the generous affection and unselfish devotion of Pocahontas shall be
recognized as a conspicuous exhibition of untutored and spontaneous
Christianity, it cannot be forgotten. Whether on an exploring ex-
pedition on the high seas, or planning the details of a colonial set-
tlement, the same vigorous ideas and the same activity in putting in
practice are everywhere apparent. He was the founder of colonies
and the father of States. Did anything occur to derange the ma-
chinery of government, or the material prosperity of the colony, it
appealed to Captain Smith as the only star of a last surviving hope
to rescue it from impending anarchy, starvation, or extermination at
the hands of a wily and ruthless savage foe. The story of his hair-
breadth escapes, his trials, and triumphs is not new; but it is good
and true; how he eluded the vigilance of the savages, successfully
accomplished his objects, and 'saved the colonists, and, when finally
made captive and sentenced to death, in his dire extremity, the fer-
tility of resource never leaving him, he presented his executioner
that was to be with a mariner's compass, pointing out to him the
marvellous adjustment of the needle, its invariable attraction toward
the north star; explained the vastness of the ocean, and the shape
of the earth and its motion. The murderous design was suspended,
and the superstitious Indians, overwhelmed by the magnitude of his
wisdom and the incomparable superiority of his acquirements,
20
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
granted him a reprieve until his case should be laid before Pow-
hatan, the king, and his fate definitely settled.
Although by this cunning stratagem, he had delayed the decision
of his fate, still he was not free; it is true he was held as an illus-
trious prisoner, and was regarded with superstitious veneration by
his captors, and it was believed he could act as mediator to appease
the wrath of the Great Spirit toward themselves.
Having several times escaped from the jaws of death, he lived to
return home, and carried with him such accounts of the country
he had explored as created the liveliest interest, and Charles com-
plimented the country by calling it New England. Of Captain
John Smith, one of his biographers says:-
"Whether we view him embarking for Italy with 'a rabble of
pilgrims,' mounting the deadly breach at Regal, fighting hand to
hand with the Turks in the armies of Austria, wandering in the
deserts of Circassia, conducted a prisoner in the country of the
Cambrian Tartars, passing over into Africa and visiting the court
of Morocco, or surveying the wild coast of New Hampshire,
he appears everywhere to be equally remarkable for his eccentric
genius and his strange fortune."
A grant was made of that portion of the territory which had been
christened New England, which was included between the fortieth and
forty-eighth parallel north latitude, to a company consisting of forty
distinguished gentlemen, some of whom had received the honor of
knighthood. The financial and governmental management and con-
trol of this territory were to be perpetual in the hands of this com-
pany, and a majority vote of the shareholders in the corporation
was to be a final and irrevocable decision on all subjects connected
with its prosperity and its progress.
Thus the charter of New England was the foundation on which
was based very many of the subsequent patents, grants, and charters
which were made, and by which New England became ultimately
settled. The views, plans, schemes, and ideas of these individuals
were no doubt multifarious and varied, perhaps visionary. However
that may be, the first influence that was felt, or which affected New
England, was corporate power,—a mighty power which, as experience
has proved, may be wielded with tremendous consequences for weal
But this corporation, like all irresponsible powers, at
or woe.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
21
•
length becoming an unendurable and odious monopoly, complaint
was made that it was a serious grievance, and the charter was
finally revoked.
Previous to the explorations of Captain Smith an expedition was
organized at Bristol, which was put under the command of Captain
Pring. It consisted of two small vessels, -the Speedwell and Dis-
coverer, and about fifty men, which sailed on the 10th of April,
1603, and sailed along the coast of Maine, as far as the Piscataqua
River, which, it is said, he explored. He, however, seems to have
confined his explorations principally to the coast of Maine, and thus
this expedition seems to have thrown little or no light on the dark and
unknown wilderness of New Hampshire, and contributed no informa-
tion or knowledge concerning its inhabitants, topography, resources,
or extent. The name of New England, which this territory has
retained, is by no means the only appellation which it has received;
among other names by which from time to time it has been known
are New Spain, New France, New Holland, Acadia, etc.
In 1603, Pierre du Guast, Sieur de Ments, obtained an exclusive
patent of the country called New France, from the fortieth to the
forty-sixth parallel, under the name of Acadia; De Ments having
been joined by De Champlain, a navigator of considerable ability,
who had already come out with an expedition which sailed up the
St. Lawrence, and selected Quebec as the site for a strong fortifica-
tion, and learned much of the disposition, character, and numbers of
the native population as well as something of the topography of the
country. The expedition sailed from Havre, March, 1604, con-
sisting of four vessels. Arriving in these waters the vessels parted
company for various destinations and purposes. Champlain with
others, in 1605, proceeded to explore the coast as far south as Cape
Cod, with a view to locating settlements; but the natives appeared
so numerous and unfriendly that they were deterred from complet-
ing this design.
De Champlain entered and surveyed the harbor at the mouth of
the Piscataqua, and when near the Isles of Shoals he discovered
some natives on the opposite shore. Wishing to obtain what infor-
mation he could, he proceeded toward them to seek an interview,
when they met him in a canoe; after making them presents of bread
and some implements, which they received with manifestations of
22
THE MERRIMACK RIVER ;
delight, he inquired of them concerning the lay of the land, the
direction of the coast, and other matters; in reply, they sketched a
rude diagram or chart of the coast, which proved to be extremely
accurate. In the chart which they traced, they informed him
there was a large bay to the westward, into which flowed a great and
beautiful river. The next day De Champlain weighed anchor and
sailed, determined to make the land he had seen far to the south-
ward, and which is now known as Cape Ann; proceeding, he dis-
covered Plum Island and the mouth of a magnificent river. This
he called "Riviere du Guast, which in my judgment rises in the di-
rection of the Iriquois, a nation which is at open war with the
mountaineers who are upon the great River St. Lawrence." De
Champlain, it appears, based his opinion concerning the course of the
river on what he was able to see of it, and his conjecture was
erroneous, as, instead of its course being westward, it is northward.
Thus was De Champlain the discoverer of the Merrimack River, al-
though its existence was previously known, even under its present.
name, by the coast Indians and Europeans far to the eastward.
Some accounts declare that De Champlain landed at the place of the
interview with the natives, which was undoubtedly what is now known
as Rye Beach. If this was the case, he was unquestionably the
first European who ever set foot on the soil of New Hampshire; but
the fact may be considered as still in doubt whether or not he
actually landed.
It will be seen that the fame of this river had extended hundreds
of leagues, and its distinguishing characteristics were chronicled by
the aborigines in the name they gave it.
"This river was called Merrimack by the northern Indians.
Merrimack means, doubtless, a place of strong current, from Merroh
(strong) and awke (a place), the "M" being thrown in for the sake
of sound. But by the Massachusetts Indians this river was called
Menomack, from mena (an island) and awke (a place), meaning the
island place, from the number of beautiful islands in this river."*
The Indians, it is said, in communications, messages, and conversa-
tion among themselves, used many descriptive expressions when
speaking of the Merrimack River, such as "the bright, rapid
water," "the beautiful river with the pebbly bottom," "the water
* Potter.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
23
!
that comes from the high place," etc. etc. They were certainly
great admirers of the grand and beautiful in nature, and the names
which they bestowed upon localities, mountains, lakes, and rivers,
exhibit incontestable proof of this, and in many instances even an
adoration of the Great Spirit, to whom they naturally attributed
the authorship of all things.
But these barbarians, like their more enlightened followers, looked
upon this river more with an eye to business than to beauty; to its
utility and capacity for augmenting their material prosperity than to
its merely ornamental qualities. Thus even the name of this river
had an unmistakable significance in it, as it described just such a
river as they well knew that the cream of all the migratory tribes
would most delight in, and where they were certain to crowd in count-
less myriads on their regular annual summer excursion from the great
water to the foaming cascade-ripples, dark pools, and shaded reaches,
where the numerous tributaries roll down from the mountains, and
meandering through long stretches of forests, afford those cool re-
treats to which they were accustomed to resort for summering and
spawning.
As the artisan, mechanic, manufacturer, and capitalist of modern
times learned the adaptation and capacity of this river as a motive
power, and congregated about its falls, constructing dams to catch
the water on its journey down, erecting monster mills with massive
six-story brick walls, building populous cities and beautiful villages,
fabricating unsurpassed cotton and woollen goods, machinery, and im-
plements, — so did the red man of primitive days learn the peculiar
fitness of this river for supplying his necessities and wants, equally
as pressing and urgent as those of his more civilized successors; and
here he also congregated around the same falls, constructing weirs to
catch his food, erecting his smoking-poles and drying-flakes, building
his little wigwam city, ornamenting his blankets and moccasins,
growing his scanty supply of maize, pompions, gourds, and other
varieties of squash, catching, curing and trafficking in salmon, shad,
eels, and ale-wives; so that the Lowell, Manchester, and Laconia of
the present day are but the Pawtucket, "Namoskeag" and Winni-
pesaukee of by-gone times, a little exaggerated, to be sure, and differ
ing somewhat in the kind, quantity, and value of their productions,
still the same busy marts, crowded as now with a community — which,
24
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
however, differed from that of the present day in every respect,
except the single one of being industrious-at the time of the
spring and fall migration. As has already been stated, the Merri-
mack River was widely known and famed among the Indians
long before its discovery by Europeans, and, further, it was known
everywhere among the natives by the name it still retains. It is true
its European discoverers made a futile attempt at rechristening, but
it is believed that even a legislative enactment changing its name
would be ineffectual and unpopular, and that any new name would
not survive the baptismal-day except in compulsory legal forms.
"The discovery of the Merrimack took place under the auspices
of Henry IV., commonly called Henry le Grande (the great), whose
reign forms one of the most brilliant eras in the annals of France.
In 1603 Pierre du Gaust, Sieur de Monts, one of the ablest of the
Huguenot chiefs, obtained a patent from this king creating him
lieutenant-general and vice-admiral, and vesting in him the
government of New France, which embraced all our eastern and
middle States together with the Dominion of Canada. On the
seventh of March, 1604, De Monts sailed from Havre with an expe-
dition for colonizing Acadia, as these new dominions were called.
He arrived on the sixth of April, and began at once the great work
of exploration and settlement. While talking with the Indians on
the banks of the River St. Lawrence, in the ensuing summer, he was
told by them that there was a beautiful river lying far to the south,
which they called the Merrimack.
"The following winter De Monts spent with his fellow-pioneers on
the Island of St. Croix, in Passamaquoddy Bay, amid hardships as
severe as those which sixteen years later beset the Pilgrims at Plym-
outh. On the eighteenth of June, 1605, in a bark of fifteen tons,
having with him the Sieur de Champlain and several other French
gentlemen, twenty sailors, and an Indian with his squaw, De Monts
sailed from St. Croix, and standing in to the south examined the
coast as far as Cape Cod. In the course of this cruise, on the
seventeenth of July, 1605, he entered the bay on which the city of
Newburyport now stands, and discovered the Merrimack at its mouth.'
The Sieur de Champlain, the faithful pilot of De Monts and chroni-
cler of his voyages, has left a notice of this discovery in a work
which ranks among the most romantic in the literature of the sea.
29
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
25
In closing this notice, Champlain says:-
Moreover, there is in this bay a river of considerable magnitude,
which we have called Gua's River. Thus De Monts named the
Merrimack from himself, but the compliment was not accepted. Re-
gardless of the name with which it was baptized by its discoverer,
the Merrimack clung, with poetic justice, to the name which it
received from the Indians long before the flag of the vice-admiral
floated over Newburyport Bay. The visit of Admiral De Monts,
like that of Capt. John Smith in 1614, was attended with no re-
sult. Other renowned names were yet to be inscribed on the list of
the visitors of the Merrimack; but its song was the song of Tenny-
son's brook:
'For men may come and men may go,
But I roll on forever.'"*
Among the members of the Plymouth Council there were two
men named John Mason and Ferdinand Gorges. These two men
had already red something of a reputation; but their history -
that of Maso.. especially — is rightfully the property of New Hamp-
shire. Equally enterprising, ambitious, and selfish, the minds of
both were inflamed by the marvellous and incredible stories of the
New World related by returned adventurers; and being thrown much
into each other's society, they conceived the idea and put in execu-
tion a project for together obtaining a grant and colonizing in the
New World. Capt. John Mason had been appointed governor of
Newfoundland, and being imbued to some extent, doubtless, with
the spirit of credulity, he had, from the island, cast a wishful and
longing eye toward the mainland, even down to the more favored
regions of New England, the recently discovered El Dorado, where
it was thought that untold wealth might reward those who sought it
there.
•
On his return to England, Capt. Mason obtained from the Coun-
cil a grant which comprised all the territory from Naumkeag † River,
* Relations des Jesuits.
+ This word Dr. Increase Mather declared to be of Hebrew origin. Ergo, the North
American Indian was a descendant of that ancient race. He first writes the word "Nahum-
keik," and then goes on to say that "Nahum" signifies consolation, and "keik" a bosom, or
heaven, - plainly intimating that those who settled at this place, and, of course, at others
bearing a similar name, were to be received into the bosom of consolation; but whether in
a temporal of spiritual sense, the doctor has not clearly indicated.
4
26
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
.
now Salem, round Cape Ann to the Merrimack River, and up to
the head of each of these, across from the head of one to the same
point on the other, and including the islands within three miles of
the coast. The name of Mariana District was given to the grant.
About this time Mason and Gorges determined to unite their for-
tunes, and jointly obtained a patent of the territory between the
mouth of the Merrimack River and the Sagadahoc, extending north-
ward to the great lakes and the St. Lawrence River. This terri-
tory was called the Province of Laconia. Having possessed them-
selves of that large tract of country, these two energetic men set to
work in earnest, hoping to realize, by developing its resources, some
of that wealth of which they had been dreaming, and which had
been the motor in driving them, with all their great energies, head-
long into this scheme. Early in 1623 they sent over from London
a colony which landed at the mouth of the Piscataqua, and called the
place Little Harbor. Proceeding up the river to the site of the present
city of Portsmouth, they named the place Strawberry Bank. In the
absence of any known reason for applying the name of this delicious
berry, historians infer that they must have found the blossom or the
fruit of the strawberry exceedingly plentiful.
The colonists divided into two companies,
the first establishing a
permanent settlement near the mouth of the Piscataqua; the other,
proceeding some miles further up, located at Dover. They were
commonly known as the upper and lower plantations, and were, in
most respects, separate communities, and subsequently lived under
distinct governments. Thus it will be seen that New Hampshire
was settled in less than three years after the landing of the Pilgrims
at Plymouth, in Massachusetts.
Very soon Mason and Gorges divided their possessions, Mason
relinquishing all right, title, and interest in the wild region east of
the Piscataqua to Gorges, which took the name of Maine. In consid-
eration of this, Gorges offset and confirmed to Mason all that portion
of the Laconia grant west of the Piscataqua, to which he, Mason,
having come from the County of Hampshire, in England, gave the
name of New Hampshire. So Capt. John Mason, whatever may
have been the motive that prompted his action, may be justly
regarded as the father of New Hampshire. Under his patronage,
and by his influence, efforts, and exertions, the first colony was
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
*27
founded, which, though feeble, was the germ of a sovereign State
that numbers a population of three hundred and fifty thousand en-
lightened people.
Ever since its discovery, America had been a land of romance;
the most incredible stories were told and believed; delusion seems to
have taken the place of reason in the minds of the people of Europe.
The islands, lakes, rivers, mountains, and forests were entirely dif-
ferent from those in the Old World; the very sands were said to be
mixed with the precious metal; the islands were represented as
elysian fields of perpetual loveliness, and fit abodes for fairies; the
rivers, crystal streams whose beds were pebbled with the richest
gems; the wonderful natural beauty of the great silver lakes was inde-
scribable, studded with emerald islands, some of them many leagues
in extent, abounding in game of the choicest varieties, while the
waters were filled with an inexhaustible abundance of the richest
fish; and in the great forests grew, in spontaneous profusion, the
most valuable wood, while shell-fruit, and many other delicious
varieties, loaded the branches, and game of every kind, great and
small, was so plentiful that the sportsman's occupation would be
gone, as it would kindly approach the habitation of the colonists to
be slaughtered at his convenience. This river was said to be "a
faire large river, well replenished with many fruitful islands; the
ayr thereof is pure and wholesome; the country pleasant, having
some high hills, full of goodly forest, and faire vallies, and plaines
fruitful in corn, vines, chestnuts, walnuts, and infinite sorts of other
fruits; large rivers well stored with fish, and environed with goodly
meadows full of timber-trees." In the great lakes were said to be
"faire islands, which are low and full of goodly woods and mead-
ows, having store of game for hunting, as stagges, fallow deer,
elkes, roebucks, beavers, and other sorts of beasts, which come from
the mainland to the said islands. The rivers which fall into the
lakes have in them good store of beavers, of the skins of which
beasts, as also of the elkes, the savages make their chiefest traffique;
the said islands have been inhabited heretofore by the savages, but
are now abandoned by reason of their late wars, one with another.
They contain twelve or fifteen leagues in length and are seated com-
modiously for habitation in the midst of the lake, which abounds
* The Merrimack.
28
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
with divers kinds of wholesome fish. From this lake run two rivers
southward, which fall into the eastern and southern sea-coast of New
England."
"6
It may not be wondered at that the people of Europe should en-
tertain extravagant ideas of the New World, when Gorges himself,
a man naturally endowed with a gorgeous fancy, should write such
descriptions for the information of the people at home, or that those
who sought the New World should do so with a reasonable expecta-
tion of obtaining wealth by exploring the land, rather than by the old-
fashioned slow and uncertain process of tilling it. Among those who
entertained the greatest expectations of this kind was Capt. Mason
himself; he knew that the Spanish expeditions to the western hemi-
sphere had returned to Europe heavily freighted with gems and
precious metals. The Spaniards had reported that gold was so
abundant that the natives, ignorant of its great value, freely used it
in the manufacture of the most ordinary ornaments and implements.
Why do you quarrel," said a young cazique to the Spaniards,
"about such a trifle as gold? I will conduct you to a region where
the meanest utensils are made of it." Mason had learned that gold
was obtained from the mountains. New Hampshire was full of
mountains; and, reasoning from analogy, bright visions of untold
wealth perpetually appeared before him. In his vivid imagination,
mines of incomputable riches reposed under the granite base of each
great hill, waiting only the magic touch of his masterly energy to
arouse it, when it would come forth and invest him with the title,
dignity, and prerogative of a feudal lord, while the inhabitants of his
extensive domain should merely be his vassals. Such was Laconia,
or, at least, the ideal Laconia. The real Laconia was yet to be de-
veloped by unwearied exertion, years of toil, patience, endurance,
and privation.
After ten years of hardship the disheartened colonists found their
condition and prospects no better than at the commencement. This,
instead of discouraging the proprietor, seemed to have the effect to
render him, if possible, still more sanguine; adversity might darken
his prospects, but it only served to strengthen his faith. Chimerical
as were his ideas he seems to have been restrained by a most cu-
rious mental organization from realizing it, nor does it appear, in all
his checkered colonial career, that he secured scarcely a penny's
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
29
worth of prosperity to a pound of adversity. He died in 1635, with
a firm reliance to the last moment, it appears, on the ultimate frui-
tion of his cherished hopes.
In 1629, Passaconaway, a great chief, sold the territory extending
from the Piscataqua to the Merrimack River, and from the line of
Massachusetts territory thirty miles into the country, to Rev. John
Wheelwright and his associates. The deed was signed by Passacon-
away, the Sagamon of Pennacook; Runnawit, the Chief of Paw-
tucket; Wahangnonawit, the Chief of Squamscot; and Rowls, the
Chief of Newichewannock, and properly witnessed.
Wheelwright was a very pious and able man, residing at Brain-
tree, in Massachusetts. Endowed with a generous liberality he
resolved to overthrow the priestly despotism over the mind and break
the strong shackles which bound men to the sway of bigotry. Im-
bued with this spirit and determination, he presently encountered
insurmountable obstacles.
"Forefather's-day" orators (of the spread-eagle genus)—those
interested and disinterested, informed, misinformed, and uninformed,
sometimes the wise, and oftentimes the otherwise- magnanimously
declare that the Puritans, moved by the genuine spirit of religious
toleration, fled from homes endeared to them by the associations of
a lifetime and sought the wilds of America, there to establish on an
enduring basis the great fundamental principle of freedom which
they so much loved and had sacrificed so much to maintain, the
principle of religious toleration.
The opinion seems to have obtained that the Puritans, pained and
disgusted with the blind spirit of intolerance of religious differences
in the Old World, sought the New, where, with the power in their
own hands, the corner-stone of the new government should be free-
dom of conscience, and this immutable principle thus preserved, the
Christian millennium should come in America, where the lions of
the established church and the lambs of dissenting faith should lie
down together, and only the little child of Truth should lead them.
This view of their disposition, judging by a careful and unbiased
examination of the records and history of the Puritans, would seem
to be entirely erroneous. It really appears that, instead of being
deprived of the privilege of conscientious worship, they left the old
country rather because they could not persuade or restrain their fel-
30
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
low-subjects to endorse and adopt their own peculiar religious tenets.
Thoroughly convinced and honestly believing, without doubt, that
theirs was the only true faith, it was sincerely offensive to them that
men should repudiate alike themselves and their creed; that, having
embraced a heresy, they should wilfully persist in being heretics in
spite of the luminous example, and the powerful, untiring, and con-
vincing moral suasion of the dissenters. But so it was, and in cast-
ing about for some consistent and efficient means to remedy the moral
obliquity of mankind, it would seem they determined to locate where
they would have the power to apply such needed and wholesome
restraints as the natural perversity and frailty of the human mind
required. They resolved to go where they could establish a miti-
gated or modified form of inquisition, — where, if heretics came, or
rose up among them, they could hurl the anathemas of the church;
should that not suffice, they could even subject them to such mild
legal discipline as whipping, banishing, cutting off ears, and hanging.
All of these punishments and many others have been inflicted and
endured for conscience' sake in New England. (0 Religion! what
cruelties have been inflicted in thy name! How many monsters and
how many martyrs have been seen in thy holy cause !)
Soon after the consummation of the Wheelwright purchase a fierce
and violent religious controversy broke out, creating a schism among
the Puritans of Boston, and leading to an open rupture in the State.
They were all dissenters, but the dissenting dissenters were called
Antinomians: the latter questioning the policy and disputing the
right to force men to the adoption of any particular religious belief
by legislative enactment, declaring that, as they were free in con-
science, they were bound in religion and in honor to maintain the
same right for others, whether inside or out of the close corporation
of Puritanism. The Originals, as they were called, in other words,
the primitive Puritans, while they declared for religious freedom and
toleration, practically controverted their own professions, as the An-
tinomians declared, by taking the ground and promulgating first the
infallibility of their own creed and the right of every man to embrace
the truth. Ergo, all who worship with them should and did en-
joy perfect religious freedom, while those who did not, deserved and
should receive condign punishment. Thus will be seen by their
own showing the sum of Puritan toleration.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
31
Meanwhile the contest waxed furious. Wheelwright and his
sister, Ann Hutchinson, famous for her great intellectual abilities
and persuasive eloquence, were among the foremost leaders of the
Antinomians in this memorable theological controversy, and all con-
ditions of people old enough to engage in disputation took sides pro
and con in the contest. The gubernatorial election was canvassed
with sleepless energy, and with all the acrimony common to zealots.
The standard-bearers were Winthrop and Vane, and after one of
those heated and embittered contests, unknown except where religion
is an element, Winthrop was elected. The legislature immediately
set to work to mete out merited punishment to the defeated and dis-
pirited Antinomians. Wheelwright was banished, and went, with
some of his followers, to the wilds of New Hampshire, where he
settled on his previous Indian purchase at Exeter.
Here this little band of exiles formed a church, and established a
government, which may be considered the first genuine democratic
form of government ever established in America. The rulers were
elected by the people, and the people were sworn to support them;
all laws were made by the people in popular assembly, and any prov-
ing a public evil were immediately repealed in the same manner.
Every man had a voice in the government under which he lived; the
source of all power was vested in the people and reserved to them.
"This little association of exiles I consider to be the first institution
of government in New Hampshire." *
The sword of persecution lopped off this most thrifty scion from
the parent stock, which, transplanted with care and nurtured by the
earnest efforts of great and good men, has grown to be a symmetrical
and majestic tree, affording a generous shade and protection to the
sovereign, intelligent, and progressive people of an independent
State.
"Thus the motives of the first settlers of Exeter were in har-
mony with democratic principles of government. They were exiles
'for conscience' sake.' They came to the wilderness for freedom;
they were tried in the school of misfortune; they were disciplined by
struggling with persecution. Such was the Exeter settlement.
Christianity presided at its birth and 'rocked its cradle."" "It grew
up; it put forth hands with increasing strength, and displayed in its
* Trumbull.
† Bancroft.
32
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
form the beauty of youth; it ripened to maturity; it became the
State of New Hampshire, a member of that union which binds
together a mighty confederate Republic."*
A union having afterwards been consummated of these settlements
with Massachusetts, and the latter having extended her jurisdiction
over them, Wheelwright was no longer secure; he fled from the
power of his persecutors, and located at Wells, Maine. In the
course of time he was graciously permitted to return, which he did,
to Hampton, where he resumed his ministry. He afterwards, when
Cromwell, who was his personal friend and school-fellow, was in
power, went to England and obtained an audience. Cromwell recog-
nized him as an old friend, and was greatly pleased with the inter-
view. Turning to the gentlemen about him the protector remarked,
"I remember the time when I have been more afraid of meeting
Wheelwright at foot-ball than of meeting any army since in the
field."
Wheelwright found himself in favor, and received a gratifying
appointment. After the restoration, he returned to New England,
and died in 1680, being upwards of eighty years of age.
Sometime about 1660 a frightful and fatal delusion broke out
among the New Hampshire and Massachusetts colonists, which was
known as witchcraft.
Persons, principally old women, it was believed, colluded with the
devil, by which the demoniac qualities and powers of his satanic
majesty were imparted to them, enabling them to appear in strange,
fantastic shapes to the terror-stricken community, such as flying
through the air astride of a broomstick; appearing unexpectedly in
unusual places in the form of a black cat or some other animal, also
in many unaccountable guises; possessing the power to disappear and
reappear at will through key-holes, knot-holes, and other impossible
apertures, as well as to afflict any person in the community at pleasure
with strange maladies, such as fits and painful contortions of the
body, burns, chills, callousness, choking sensations, in short, a thou-
sand and one maladies that flesh is not properly heir to, and which the
most scientific disciples of Galen could neither remedy nor relieve.
As an illustration of the senseless and unreasoning frenzy which per-
vaded all classes on this subject, one of the witch trials at Portsmouth
* Barstow.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
33
may be given, and it may also serve as a curious relic of an epoch of fa-
naticism in our history, for the contemplation of a more enlightened
posterity. Good-wife Walford was brought before the court, on the
accusation of Susannah Trimmings, who was the first witness, and
testified as follows:
"As I was going home on Sunday night, I heard a rustling in the
woods, which I supposed to be occasioned by swine, and presently
there appeared a woman, whom I apprehended to be old Good-wife
Walford; she asked me to lend her a pound of cotton; I told her I
had but two pounds in the house, and I would not spare any to my
mother; she said I had better have done it, for I was going a great
'journey, but should never come there.
"She then left me, and I was struck as with a clap of fire on the
back, and she vanished towards the water-side, in my apprehension in
the shape of a cat. She had on her head a white linen hood tied under
her chin, and her waistcoat and petticoat were red, with an old gown,
apron, and a black hat upon her head."
Her husband, Oliver Trimmings, was then called and said: "My
wife came home in a sad condition; she passed by me with her child
in her arms, laid the child on the bed, sat down on the chest, and
leaned upon her elbow. Three times I asked her how she did; she
could not speak. I took her in my arms and held her up, and repeated
the question; she forced breath, and something stopped in her throat
as if it would have stopped her breath. I unlaced her clothes, and
soon she spoke, and said, 'Lord, have mercy upon me; this wicked
woman will kill me;' I asked what woman; she said, 'Good-wife
Walford.' I tried to persuade her it was only her weakness; she told
me no, and related as above, that her back was a flame of fire, her
lower parts were, as it were, without feeling. I pinched her and she
felt not. She continued that night, and the day and night follow-
ing, very ill, and is still bad of her limbs, and complains still daily
of it."
Nicholas Rowe made oath as follows:
"Jane Walford, shortly after she was accused, came to the
deponent in bed in the evening, and put her hand upon his breast, so
that he could not speak, and was in great pain until the next day.
By the light of the fire in the next room it appeared to be Goody
5
34
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
Walford, but she did not speak; she repeated her visit about a week
after, and did as before, but said nothing."
Eliza Barton testified that she "saw Susannah Trimmings at the
time she was ill, and her face was colored and spotted with several
colors; she told the deponent the story, who replied, that it was
nothing but fantasy; her eyes looked as if they had been scald."
John Puddington, the next witness, made oath that "three years
since Good-wife Walford came to his mother's; she said that her own
husband called her an old witch; and when she came to her cattle, her
own husband would bid her begone, for she did overlook the cattle,
which is as much as to say in our country bewitching."
With respect to the character of the testimony that is given in this
case, it is believed to be in sense and pertinence above the average of
evidence given in those cases where persons were convicted of the
atrocious crime of witchcraft. Although no person suffered the
extreme penalty of the law in New Hampshire for it, still this
dismal episode in her history would arrest the attention of its student,
and furnish a most gloomy repast, only that the same era in the
history of a sister State exhibits a catalogue of judicial crimes which
totally eclipses the comparatively mild form of this nondescript malady
in Portsmouth and neighboring settlements.
In many places, Topsfield, Andover, and especially Salem,
in
Massachusetts, the virulence of this disease threatened to combine the
dire results of those unwelcome triple guests, war, pestilence, and
famine. Accusations were hurled against the youthful, the harmless,
and the unsuspecting; indictment and arraignment followed close
upon their track with the activity of a well-trained hound, and to be
accused was synonymous with conviction. As in the case of every
popular heresy, reason was deaf, and justice was deaf as well as blind.
No cross-examination and no defence were permitted; the bulwarks of
justice and protection seemed to have been carried away by the
violence of the popular tempest.
Ministers of the gospel precipitated the weight of their character
and influence into the seething caldron of unparalleled madness.
Judges on the bench permitted and united in the jeers, taunts,
epithets, and clamor of the spectators against the defenceless prisoner,
instead of restraining them. In some instances, the prisoner, appalled
by the terrible character of the charge preferred, knowing the power
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
35
of evidence which intimated much, though it proved nothing, and
feeling assured that certain conviction awaited him, whatever the
charge might be, pleaded guilty; and, however strong the evi-
dence and proof of witchcraft against the unfortunate prisoner, con-
trary to the rule founded on antiquity and common sense of convicting
the prisoner on his own free and voluntary admission of guilt in open
court, was invariably acquitted. Detectives were employed, whose
business it was to ferret out among the obscure, lowly, and unprotected
of the community cases of malignant and incipient witchcraft, whose
emoluments depended wholly or partially on conviction. That these
individuals would not be overscrupulous the experience acquired in
the employment of similar agents in the enforcement of obnoxious
modern legislation sufficiently demonstrates. There was no such
offence known as perjury; malice could do its worst with impunity;
no allowance was made for mistaken identity, in seeing, hearing, or
memory; the prisoner was considered guilty until proved innocent,
and all else failing to convict, the judges often sought to entrap
him into damaging admissions.
The community furnished victims, and the officers of the law,
instead of seeing that "equal and exact justice" was done, conspired
with them in the horrid sacrifice, and in Salem alone upwards of a
score of persons suffered execution for offences which reason declares
they never had the power to commit.
So it went on, without any
perceptible abatement of the disease or diminution of the number of
its victims, until accusations were made against persons of wealth,
standing, and influence; doubtless by some person who had the sagacity
to discover that this was the only feasible method of checking the
delirium. This had the desired effect, the spell was broken, the
disease abated, and was finally cured.
Such is a faint outline of witchcraft. Ignorance and superstition
were probably its corner-stone; mental and nervous affections were
undoubtedly superinduced, which inflamed and intensified the malady,
removing the bounds to its contagion and the limits to its fatality.
Witchcraft may, perhaps, be regarded as an appropriate interlude
between the great moral drama of "Puritanism rampant" and the
tragic after-piece of desolating Indian wars.
That it would be desirable to cover this period in the history of
our country and race with the pall of oblivion, no one will question;
36
THE MERRIMACK RIVER,
it is true they have the mitigating circumstance of ignorance to plead
in extenuation of their folly, and perhaps the future historian may
kindly veil their faults and shortcomings with the mantle of charity
when he contrasts the flimsy fanaticism of that dark age with more
expensive and fatal displays of this ungovernable element by a people
elevated and enlightened by the experience of two hundred years,
above the condition of their deluded and misguided ancestry.
Having briefly glanced at the character of the soil, climate, and
productions, also the aboriginal inhabitants, as well as the immigrant
settlers, and likewise having noticed the discovery of the American
continent and of New Hampshire, noting on the record of events the
discovery of the Merrimack River, referring only incidentally to subse-
quent events, it remains but to observe how each successive wave of
colonization rolled back farther and farther from the rock-bound coast;
how the steadily increasing population swarmed through the forests
and over the hill-tops, meeting and overcoming in their resolute
advance a frowning wilderness filled with hostile foes, and leaving
behind them, in their resistless and triumphant march, a reclaimed
and blooming territory, blessed with a government of laws and not
of men, nor even yet of mere brute force, until they reached the
eastern bank of this noble stream, forming an unbroken cordon of
this improved pattern of humanity, extending from its mouth along
the Merrimack far up among the mountains towards its source.
When the stalwart and hardy pioneers approached the Merrimack,
they found the giant forest-trees still casting their shadows upon
its bright waters as they had done for ages past; they found the
dusky barbarians flitting like birds of evil omen about the dark and
secluded dells and gloomy recesses of the woods, or shooting out noise-
lessly from obscure pools and eddies upon the broad bosom of this
stream in the primitive birch canoe, or vainly endeavoring to excel
their rival, the beaver, in skill and dexterity, in the construction of
dams, or "stopping-places" for securing fish. They found the
Merrimack rolling towards the sea as it had done for all time, and
will continue to do forever, and they found a prize. Here on this
river's brink, civilization and barbarism met, light and darkness,—
day and night struggling for the mastery; and who could doubt the
result? On the one hand was the rude, untutored child of nature,
with no higher aspirations than to follow withersoever she led, in all
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
37
respects only her simple child; while on the other, appeared her
stern and determined master, compelling her to yield of her generous
but yet unmeasured bounty a supply for all his wants and comforts.
Civilization found this beautiful river, with its expansive border
of timber and fuel trees only useless cumberers of the ground; the
broad, alluvial intervals untilled and unproductive except in malaria,
noxious weeds, and venomous reptiles; the numberless waterfalls
along its course and that of its many tributaries entirely unimproved;
the great and now famous places, such as Pawtucket and Namoskeag,
a desert waste, those unsurpassed water-powers being simply
Indian eel-pots, while the pellucid current of the river itself was
but a highway or thoroughfare for migratory tribes of fishes, and
roving, unsettled tribes of savages, -a kind of grand trunk road
connecting with the great principal trails at the grand junction, the
Winnipesaukee, leading from Maine and the provinces, down through
New Hampshire, to the confederate tribes located upon its lower
waters in Massachusetts.
They found this beautiful river stretching its magnificent propor-
tions from the convocation of towering, cloud-capped summits on the
north, directly through the centre of New Hampshire, dividing the
State into two nearly equal parts, pouring over the border and roll-
ing on through a considerable extent of the sister State of Massachu-
setts; there dropping the generous tribute of its collected waters into the
broad bosom of the mighty deep; and they recognized in the quality
of transparent and unsurpassed purity which it possessed the ele-
ments of health and beauty. In the majestic falls they discerned a
mine of wealth richer that Ophir, and as enduring and inexhaustible
as time itself. In the liberal volume of its current they saw there
was a mighty power, which, under efficient management and control,
was sufficient to force away the incubus which hung upon the water
and the land, and whirl the wheels of progress and prosperity with
busy, pleasant hum.
The first partial survey of the Merrimack River disclosing its
inestimable value and importance for manufacturing purposes, it may,
perhaps, be said, cast the die. From this time forth the red man
made his compulsory bow to the inexorable logic of events, .and facing
westward with steady advance, his speed frequently accelerated
by the uncomfortable and dangerous proximity of his exterminator,
1
38
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
B
his last remaining hope being to reach the land of sunset, he left
this river and this land, the home of his boyhood and his manhood,
his only patrimony, the sacred resting-place of ancestral dust, the
pleasant and endearing associations of time, places and events,
records and traditions, the old familiar haunts of his people; above
all of which, lacerating his obdurate heart and filling his benighted
soul with pangs before unfelt, was 'being forced and torn, as it were,
from these places which afforded him his chiefest pleasure and his
food, "The smile of the Great Spirit; " "The beautiful waters of
the high place;" "The crooked mountain waters; " and "The beauti-
ful island river with the bright, strong current and pebbly bottom."
But it was useless for him to struggle against the immutable
decree of fate, and so he left all of these; the sceptre of his wilder-
ness empire fell from his grasp, his crown crumbled, his ancient
power and hereditary rule and supreme kingly prerogative were
stripped from him, and he was sent forth a beggar, an outcast, and a
vagabond, to be a stranger in a strange land.
2
Thus departed the aboriginal proprietor, while the march of
intellect, enterprise, skill, industry, and progress amply supplied
his place. Solitude no longer reigned supreme, or brooded over
river, hill, and dale; the vigorous stroke of the woodman's axe
resounded through the forest; roads were made; the log-house and
the school-house sprang into existence almost together; the little
church reared its tapering spire as if pointing out to sinful man the
way to heaven, to God; the saw-mill creaked and grated in harsh,
unmusical cadence in many localities along the lesser tributaries of
the Merrimack; hamlets grew to be villages, and villages towns.
Skill, labor, and capital, that all-powerful triumvirate, united their
fortune and interest for the mutual benefit of all concerned, and,
with industry under intelligent direction for manager, pushed
steadily up the river, dispensing wealth on every hand, and building
cities, tilling and fertilizing the soil, reclaiming the rich, alluvial
intervals, while even the waste places of rocks and swamps and sand
were their most fruitful vineyards. Cities, and enterprises involving
the employment of millions of capital and multitudes of people,
sprung up, as if by magic. Every valley and hill within the radius of
this river's salutary influence produced its complement of beautiful
and noble women, as well as great, good, and brave men; and this
•
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
39
river gave to the manufacturers along its course an opulence of fame
for the unequalled variety, quality and value, which is the property
and just pride of the nation.
Let us endeavor, then, to realize something of the independence
and affluence of the people of New England, to which this river has
so generously contributed; observe and note the prosperity and ad-
vancement of these two States in intelligence and in all the elements
of material greatness, and inquire what portion of it has been con-
tributed by, or is due to, the unparalleled capacity and usefulness
of the Merrimack River, and how much of benefit these people may
confidently hope and expect to derive steadily and perpetually here-
after from its unstinted, unabated, and inexhaustible munificence.
40
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
CHAPTER II.
The Pemigewasset. — Mountains in Summer. In Winter. —Source of the Merrimack.
Method of taking Salmon and Trout. - Franconia Notch. -Echo Lake. - The Flume.
The "Old Man of the Mountain."
THE Pemigewasset is the name of the principal stream which, at
the forks in Franklin, takes the name of the Merrimack. This is a
corruption of the Indian word Pemegewasset, signifying "the crooked
mountain-pine place," from Pennaquis (crooked), wadchu (a moun-
tain), cooash (pine), and auke (a place). By the adoption of this
name the Merrimack was to that extent curtailed and shorn of its
fair proportions, for substantially it is the same river in every re-
spect. It seems, then, not only a geographical outrage, but really
a deliberate attempt to belittle this lovely river by requiring a large
section of it to bear another name; however, as "the rose by any
other name would smell as sweet," so the Merrimack, call it what
you please, is the same most important stream, the same beautiful
and transparent water, the same pride, and honor, and glory of the
State and of New England. It stands pre-eminent, and without a
parallel the greatest manufacturing river in the civilized world.
Not only does this stream attract the notice and attention of the
capitalist, the mechanic, the farmer, and the speculator, but its pic-
turesque and romantic beauty, the wonderful physical phenomena
spread out from its pellucid bosom, attract the attention of the man
of leisure, the tourist, the student and admirer of nature, and even
the true sportsman, who finds in this river and in the numberless
tributaries, large and small, and in the fields and the magnificent
forests stretching away for many miles, a great abundance and end-
less variety of fish and game, and, above all else, occasion and cause
to offer up a spontaneous tribute of admiration to the great Author
of all these wonders and beauties and blessings.
The Merrimack River cannot boast of the gigantic size of the
Amazon, the Mississippi, or the St. Lawrence, nor of the white
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
41
wings of commerce spread upon its bosom, nor is it a vast stream of
filthy fluid upon which thousands are transported daily by means
of high-pressure engines; but it is believed to be one of the most
conspicuous illustrations in the whole range of nature of a grand
and generous combination of the useful and ornamental. This river
is nearly two hundred and sixty miles long by its course, and is
peculiarly symmetrical in its entire extent; its waters are naturally
incomparably pure and transparent; and its whole career, from the
towering mountains where it takes its rise, to the boundless ocean, is
a continual succession of silver cascades, sparkling ripples, broad,
calm, mirror-like waters, or romantic, majestic, and useful water-
falls.
The principal value of this river is centred in its grand falls or
mill privileges, which in the main stream and very many of its tribu-
taries are quite numerous.
Although it has been said truly that these falls give the Merri-
mack its principal importance, still it by no means comprehends its
complete list of capabilities or usefulness; for, in addition to the
many and various other purposes for which it is used, nearly ten
million feet of round lumber are annually carried by this convenient
highway beyond the limits of the State, in addition to what is moved
from the timber section to intermediate places in the State, there to
be wrought and fashioned by the buzzing saw and keen-edged plane,
aided by busy and cunning hands, into every description of building
stock, and useful and ornamental wood-work of every conceivable
variety. Thus it may be said that this river presents that rare com-
bination of use and attractiveness along its whole course which ren-
ders it, par excellence, the most magnificent stream in the world.
Other rivers have their grand and remarkable features, famous falls,
sublime to look upon, even grand beyond description; but here the
record of their qualities terminates. Others receive the homage due
to their enormous size, and, though ships may spread their canvas
on their surface, still their waters are a sort of filthy mud gruel in
appearance and consistence, and are, besides, throughout their whole
extent an insatiate graveyard, -a paradise for alligators.
Of the great rivers of the world the St. Lawrence is unques-
tionably the purest, the most picturesque and romantic, and conveys,
perhaps, the largest tribute to the never-sated ocean; but here its
6
42
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
་
excellences end; for, aside from being an outlet for accumulated
waters, and a highway for an occasional shipload of immigrants from
the Old World, and a conveyance for lumber, it is entirely value-
less, and worse. It necessitates an outlay for protection from floods
and ice, expensive bridges, and the employment of a large number
of that unprofitable, unproductive, and expensive class known as
soldiers.
How different it is with the beautiful Merrimack! - rolling along
between its natural banks without encroachment, affording sites for
cities, factories, and shops, dispensing wealth on every hand, giving
employment, and, consequently, health, character, and happiness to
many thousands who are employed in the peaceful pursuits which
tend to carry a high civilization, comfort, and happiness to the re-
motest lands; and the high order of intelligence, skill, progress, and
prosperity attained by the thriving communities along the course of
this stream may be in part attributed to its unparalleled usefulness.
Nor is this its only merit. From the time when the first hardy
pioneer set his foot upon this rock-ribbed soil, and set a stern face
towards the unbroken wilderness and its inhabitants, this river is
commingled with its history as with the ocean itself, and has full
many of those daring deeds, and terrible slaughters, and fearful tor-
tures, and hair-breadth escapes, which entitle its contiguous territory
most emphatically to the distinctive appellation of the "Dark and
Bloody Ground."
As will be seen, history has had much dealing with this river, and
it has been celebrated in story and song; and, though much has
been said of it in so many ways by so many admiring people, still
its incomparable beauty and value are, if not unknown, certainly not
appreciated to the fullest extent even yet. It does not appear that
the Indians had any regular and permanent settlement at the head-
waters of the Merrimack, although it was in the direct thoroughfare
between the tribes of Massachusetts, the lower Merrimack, and
Canada.
The Pennacooks and confederate tribes traversed this region con-
stantly from Massachusetts to the St. Francis country, often
lounging about the head-waters of the Androscoggin and the
Connecticut, where it may be said they maintained permanent
settlements, and kept in this manner and in this direction a line
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
43
of retreat open, for such emergencies as frequently arose, down
towards the sea.
The upper waters of the Merrimack were, no doubt, a sort of caché,
or perhaps hotel, where, in the fastnesses of Franconia, in the almost
impenetrable seclusion of the mountains and the wilderness, they
could rest from the weary march, and from the Pemigewasset and
the forest procure such sustenance as they desired.
Having thus obtained a glimpse of the red man's Merrimack, let
us see what it is to the pale-face.
This river has its source high up among the mountains, in the
very heart of the most romantic country that human eyes ever feasted
on. Mountains are thrown together in promiscuous confusion, of all
shapes and sizes, exaggerated haystacks and gigantic pyramids.
Some of them remarkably symmetrical and clothed in luxuriant for-
ests, completely enveloped in a dense, rich foliage; others seamed
and scarred, displaying unquestioned proof of the ravages of time and
the elements; others still, rear their naked and bald summits far up
among the clouds, where their furrowed and jagged pinnacles exhibit
a poverty of vegetation, not a shrub or a blade of grass to redeem
it from total and utter desolation.
In midsummer a tour among these everlasting hills is an inde-
scribable treat to any one; but to the lover of nature, to him who
worships in spirit and in truth in the majestic temple of the Almighty,
it is a pleasure whose depth and breadth cannot be gauged; for
here, spread out before him like a sermon, are the wonderful power,
the greatness, and the glory of God. Here is no costly edifice, with
a solemn, gray old man to wait on strangers; no tapestried pulpit,
with tinsel ornaments and tassels; and no grand organ, with a mas-
ter to move the keys. Here is the grand proscenium of the throne
of the Great Jehovah; the curtain is raised, and he who worships
here walks boldly in, unushered and unannounced save by his own
affinity. Here the sermon comes to all the senses from the emphatic,
comprehensive and persuasive tongue of nature. No salaried cler-
gyman shows off his college polish in rounded periods; but the
rocks, the rippling waters, the great forest-trees, all the surround-
ings, in short, everything proclaims the eloquent and impressive
sermon of God in words of undoubted definition; while the babbling
brooks, the rushing torrents, and the gentle gales, sweeping through
*
*
44
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
:
the wide-spreading branches of the trees, all combine to sing His
praise.
What a glorious place of worship is this for those whose limited
means exclude them from the fashionable churches!
Here there is no animadversion on dress, or ambiguous reference
to taste. The Divine Presence effectually excludes any and all un-
worthy feelings, preparing the mind properly to commune with the
Eternal.
Having stood in the midst of these sublime surroundings, under a
genial sun, when the whole face of nature presents its most beautiful
and inviting appearance; when the laughing waters sport in the
bright sunlight, and the boundless forests are dressed in their full
and lovely emerald foliage, and the health-giving and refreshing
breezes sweep down from the north, cooling the fevered brain and
quieting the overtaxed nerves, having seen and enjoyed all this, it
may not be uninteresting or unprofitable to reverse the picture.
Although the view in summer is so indescribably grand, it may be
truly said that whoever has not seen the mountains in midwinter will
surely fail to realize the awful grandeur of these great realms of
solitude.
Approaching the mountain regions, a superabundance of snow is
seen on every hand, the country, as far as the eye can reach, being
one vast, unsullied common, the snow being so deep that the top
rock on a wayside wall is, like an honest man, a rare sight. Near-
ing the mountains, the mind is forcibly struck, annoyed, and irri-
tated with the awful silence which now supremely reigns. Arrayed
in robes of spotless purity from crown to base, these unstained
mounds appear like whited sepulchres; no man nor living thing
invades their frigid quiet.
Standing in moody and solemn grandeur, these towering cones
glitter in the pure sunlight, and seem, by some indefinable fascination,
to allure unthoughtful mortals to their doom. Were the prince of
the powers of darkness enthroned on these inhospitable and glitter-
ing pinnacles, his empire could not be more secure from intrusion
than is that of the king of frost, aided by his most efficient ally, old
Boreas, whose cheeks, it would seem, must ultimately crack by
reason of continuous distension. Silence and desolation reign su-
preme throughout these empires of solitude; and it would seem as
·
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
45
if the Almighty had here erected an impassable barrier to the con-
taminating contact of man with this bright and beautiful land of
gloom. The fearful stillness of death broods over all. The very
view of this glittering but ghastly territory is frightful, and man
avoids it as he would the deadly shade of the poisonous Upas.
Even the wild beasts of the forests creep stealthily around the
frozen base of this polar Malakoff, not caring or daring to risk a
conflict with a foe so formidable and invincible; and the hardiest
wild bird shrinks away down into the thickest and best protected
forest, or plunges boldly under the snow to escape the marrow-chill-
ing breath of the dread monarch of this land of terror and lone-
liness.
High over all, at times, the cold, gray sky looks down without a
sign of relenting; while the atmosphere, misty with frosty distilla-
tions, or clear and rarefied, penetrates to the very vitals, biting like
a beaver and cutting like a Damascus blade. At other times, the
wild, angry clouds roll up in dense, dark masses, enveloping the
glistening summits in their angry folds, while the winds howl fiercely
and roar savagely through the deep and yawning chasms, as the
hurricane tears along the boundless waste of ocean. Then comes
the snow, fine and thick, sweeping in great waves along the moun-
tain-side, even far out upon the plain, penetrating every nook and
crevice, whirling high in air, then rolling down in thick masses
resembling a mighty avalanche, then, turning back, apparently as-
sumes a host of strange, fantastic shapes, reclimbs the rugged, dizzy
height, there again to be taken in the arms of a still more gigantic
blow, and hurled with lightning speed far away, and scattered over
the land. Thus is another spread placed on these sleeping giants.
The winds abate to a dismal moan, then sadly sigh through the
wide-spreading branches of leafless forests, and die away to silence,
while night and the cold, round, silver moon together roll upon the
scene, intensifying its frightful polar horror.
The Merrimack River has its extreme northern source in the
Willey Mountain, — so called in honor of the Willey family, which
was destroyed by the fearful slide that occurred on its eastern slope
in 1826.
This took place during the night. Hundreds of acres of the
almost perpendicular mountain-side, which had been loosened and
46
THE MÉRRIMACK RIVER;
undermined by long and heavy rains, came pouring down upon the
interval, bearing with it huge rocks and the entire forest which grew
upon and covered it, burying in its overwhelming rush every mem-
ber of this unfortunate family, father, mother, five children, and
two servants, all finding a common grave in the débris of this terribly
fatal slide. It is in this famous mountain that the true source of
the Merrimack is located. On the western slope of Mount Willey,
directly opposite the slide and near the base, is a pond called Ethan
Crawford's Pond, in honor of the old pioneer of the Notch. This
pond, located in an almost unexplored wilderness, but little known,
is generally believed to be the source of the Merrimack. This,
however, is a mistake, for up the mountain, to the north-east of
Ethan's Pond, at a considerable distance, and near the summit of
Mount Willey, is another pond, nearly the same size of the latter,
which is the true source of the Merrimack. The waters of this
pond escape in a southerly direction, and, swinging to the west,
after travelling several miles, unite with the outlet of the Ethan
Pond, to the west of the latter, and form the nucleus or starting-
point of this magnificent stream. Nor does it long remain the in-
significant rivulet we find it here; for, surrounded with lofty moun-
tain ranges on either side, it receives accessions at almost every step,
and a progress of but a few miles renders it a real river, respectable
in size, magnificent in its surroundings, lovely and romantic beyond
description.
Starting from the base of Mount Willey, this stream runs through
an unbroken wilderness for nearly forty miles. A country so wild
and grand few have ever witnessed. It is a singular if not impor-
tant fact, that within five miles of the source of this stream may be
found the sources of two others, each in its course following a cardi-
nal point of the compass, namely, the Merrimack, running south; the
Saco, east, and the wild Amonoosuck, west; while, but a few miles
away to the northward, is the Magalloway, otherwise known as the
Androscoggin.
Following down the Merrimack, or, as it is commonly called, the
east branch of the Pemigewasset, it will be found that a grand spur
of the White Hills shuts down within a few hundred yards of the
course of the stream, on its right bank; while, on the left, a similar
range closes in, leaving a broad and beautiful interval between.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
47
These two gigantic enclosures follow the river, at a somewhat irregu-
lar distance therefrom; and, as the stream starts on a due west
course, it maintains a regular trend to the southward, so, also, do
these mountains, until the Franconia range is met, which continues
in the same direction until the foot of the Franconia Notch is reached.
Thus, it will be seen that, throughout its wildest course, it is guarded
on either side by a huge wall of mountain ranges.
Passing down the stream some six miles from the confluence of
the waters of the two ponds, a large brook flows in from the right,
and is remarkable for its coldness, purity, and transparency, and
also for the immense number of trout which crowd its waters and
seem to regard it as a sort of fishy paradise. Leaving this brook-
which is something of a sacrifice, and reaching a point some ten
miles farther down, we arrive at the Grand Falls, beside which the
Amoskeag and the Pawtucket, except in volume of water, dwindle
into insignificance. Just below is another considerable tributary,
and still farther down the Hancock River adds its quota to the swell-
ing flood. All of these streams, large and small, abound in trout
and no other kind of fish. Previous to the erection of the Lawrence
dam, when every variety of migratory fish came up the Merrimack,
the salmon alone, of all the tribes of the sea, sought the cool, pure
waters, and the shaded and silent retreat at the head-waters of
this river. While on this subject, it may not be uninteresting to
observe the nature and habits of the salmon and the salmon trout.
These two noble fish appear to be of the same genus, having
substantially the same habits and the same general characteristics.
Both are migratory; both present the same general external appear-
ance, being beautifully spotted; and, like the lily of the valley,
Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." Both
are the richest, finest, most delicate-flavored, and the most athletic,
size considered, of all fish.
After the spawning season the salmon goes out to sea, while the
trout remain in the rivers and other deep fresh waters during the
winter; but there is one remarkable fact concerning the habits of
these fish, which is established beyond controversy, each fish invaria-
bly follows up the same stream to spawn where itself was incubated,
unless some insurmountable difficulty is placed across its way, such,
for instance, as the Lawrence dam.
48
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
The method of taking these magnificent prizes was at one time
well known, -nowhere better than along the Merrimack. When
the fish disappeared the practice was of course suspended; but now
that public-spirited legislators and gentlemen have taken hold in
earnest to remedy this great loss, and fishways have been constructed
to help them pass the dams, and salmon-breeding is come to be a
recreation and a profit, it seems likely that our cold mountain
streams may be restocked with this admirable fish, and it may not be
inappropriate to briefly refer to the various methods of taking them.
How the Indians took them it is not worth while to inquire or
explain; therefore we will see how expert and skilful fishermen of
the pale-faces secure them.
There seem to be but three principal methods of taking the salmon,
namely, the fly, the net, and the spear. The spear is tolerably effec-
tive, but it takes him at a disadvantage, and also lacerates his flesh, and
is in no sense the pastime for a true sportsman. The net is also used
by those who make it a vocation; it is circular, nearly two yards in
length, and about the size of a common bushel-basket at the opening,
which is round, and woven upon a hoop prepared for this purpose; a
handle the length of the net is attached by means of the hoop.
Any and all of these arrangements may be varied to suit the
necessities of the operator, who proceeds to the falls through which the
salmon have to pass, and in the narrow channels between the rocks
where the waters rush and foam and plunge, here is placed the net,
and soon the powerful beauty rushes in, and, of course, is easily
secured, being enveloped in a labyrinth of strong meshes.
For the man who has no object but to secure the salmon for his
market value, the spear and the net may answer all purposes, but
for the genuine sportsman, who would rather buy the fish, or even do
without it altogether, than engage in this tame pastime, the excite-
ment of the fly is the only really satisfactory method. Not only this,
but he acquits himself of any accusations of cruelty which his tender
conscience may prefer by claiming to display a sort of chivalry,
founded on the plea that the fish was entirely free to take the fly or
not, as he pleased, and that if he chooses he may test its quality,
or inquire what it is made of and take the chances, or if you please
the consequences, declaring that thus they only manifest the dispo-
sition of beings claiming to be of a much higher order, and endowed
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
49
with reason to teach them better, but who, nevertheless, often get
themselves into difficulties as inextricable as taking the fly.
In catching the salmon it is very necessary to have the experience
and skill of a practical fly-fisher; that is to say, with a rod and line
of sufficient length to be able to cast the fly into a six-inch ring at a
distance of twelve or fifteen yards, then take position in the bow of
the boat, while at the stern sits your skuller. Arrived on the
salmon ground the fly is carefully cast, and the skuller is on the
alert to back water, or handle the boat in any manner he may be
directed. As the fly gently touches the surface, it is taken, if at all,
and then is the beginning of a most exciting scene. Of course he
is hooked at once, and, discovering this, he gives an exhibition of his
unequalled agility and strength. Madly rushing up stream and
down-it being important to keep a taut line on him he is
reeled out and in as the exigency requires. Now is the real period
of enjoyment for the true sportsman. The excitement of having on
his line so rich a prize, the science required to handle the job prop-
erly, the danger of his breaking away, the plunging and floundering,
the fantastic gyrations, and the intense desire to land him safely, - all
conspire to render this sport attractive and exciting in the extreme.
It is always necessary to allow the salmon to become exhausted
before any attempt is made to secure him, as any effort to complete
the capture while he is in full possession of his unexampled muscular
power would undoubtedly prove disastrous to the success of the
party, and a hard struggle with a healthy thirty-pound salmon
might possibly involve more serious consequences.
As has been said, the trout is, to all intents, the salmon modified.
There are several varieties of trout, each distinguishable by shape,
color, or quality; either of these, and sometimes all combined, are
used to recognize one breed of trout from another. These variations.
from the high excellence of the salmon trout are by many attributed
to the water, or, more properly, to the country they inhabit. Thus
we have in all the high-land tributaries of the Merrimack, and, in
fact, all running water, except the inlets and outlets of ponds, the
genuine salmon trout in the highest state of perfection, and even a
superlative silver salmon trout; then there is in swampy streams
and muddy ponds the mackerel trout, a blue and less rich flavored
kind; there is also a variety of trout, very rare, and never found
7
50
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
only in small, clear ponds, located at a high altitude, some two thousand
feet and upward above the level of the sea. This trout, or at least
those examined, vary from one to two and a half pounds, and are pecu-
liarly rich, being declared by epicures to excel in all respects even the
salmon itself. Proper lake trout differ but little in quality, and but
for the esteemed name they bear would attract no more, perhaps less,
notice than the salt-water stand-by, which has given its name to the
sandy desert beyond the Plymouth Rock,-renowned Cape Cod.
The universal method of taking the trout seems to have settled
down to the rod and line, and if an occasional vandalism is perpe-
trated, such as liming a brook, or other kindred meanness, it is only
an exceptional case, right-minded people frowning down all such
doings, and approving the genuine disciple of Isaak Walton.
In pond-fishing, and in other open places, the fly is used at certain
seasons, as in salmon-fishing, with good success; in fact, it is some-
times indispensable, and in other localities the bait is caused to
ricochet along the surface precisely as for pickerel, this being the only
means of securing a "bite." These, however, are exceptional cases;
the great bulk of trout-fishing is the well-known system of baiting
the hook and dropping it in the water.
For bait, the universal India-rubber, mud or angle worm is first
and foremost; the yellow-headed white grub, or potato worm, the
grasshopper, and several other insects, and sometimes fishes' eyes
are used with good success. Many people avoid making a noise
when trouting, such as calling to each other, etc.
It may be ob-
served in this connection that it is believed trout hear no outside
sound, either from a physical disability, or from being in the water.
Whether this is or not a correct observation, experience has proved
that no mere sound alarms them in the least; but they are extremely
sensitive and keen-sighted; a shadow thrown across the brook alarms
them at once, or a step on the bank heavy enough to jar and
agitate the water affects them instantly, and away they dart
almost with the rapidity of lightning. The reason why better luck
is supposed to be assured on a rainy day is undoubtedly because the
duller the day the less liable is the fisherman to expose himself, and
thereby alarm the trout, and, further, the rain beats down flies, and
washes from the bank worms and insects. Instinct teaching them
that rainy days are their thanksgiving days, they are on the alert,
►
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
51
and as ready to take the fisherman's bait, providing he conforms
sufficiently to nature to prevent detection, as anything else. As
soon as the snow-water is cleared from the brooks, and migration
to the spawning grounds becomes general and rapid, the trouting
season may be said to have properly commenced; but the best period
for a guaranty of good success is regarded as having arrived when
the apple-trees are in full blossom, especially when favored by the
supposed additional advantage credited by tradition or experience to
the influence of the sign Virgo. The only sensible way to follow a
trout stream is to follow it down, not up. It is as natural for a trout
to head up stream as for mankind to head towards progression, it is
an invariable rule. Being prepared, then, in all particulars, for the
sport, seek the stream; if it is frequently fished, great caution must
be exercised, and care must be taken to keep out of range of keen
eyes, and also not to step heavily on the bank which agitates the
water, when the extreme sensitiveness of the trout takes alarm and
away he scuds, or secretes himself securely behind some friendly
shelter, and nothing can tempt him abroad until he is satisfied the
danger is past. If, on the other hand, the stream is comparatively
free from the visitations of fishermen, step boldly into the water,
allowing the hook to play among the ripples below. Armed with
approved bait, a straight, slender, pointed bamboo rod and a basket
on the side, one is the prince of fishermen securing the king of
all fish, and enjoying an undisputed nobility of sport.
TROUT AND SALMON FISHING.
"Now, when the first foul torrent of the brooks,
Swelled with the vernal rains, is ebbed away,
And, whitening, down their mossy-tinctured stream
Descends the billowy foam, now is the time,
While yet the dark-brown water aids the guile,
To tempt the trout. The well-dissembled fly,
The rod fine-tapering, with elastic spring,
Snatched from the hoary steed the floating line,
And all thy slender wat'ry stores prepare;
But let not on thy hook the tortured worm,
Convulsive twist in agonizing folds,
Which, by rapacious hunger swallowed deep,
Gives, as you tear it from the bleeding breast
Of the weak, helpless, uncomplaining wretch,
Harsh pain and horror to the tender hand.
52
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
When, with his lively ray, the potent sun
Has pierced the streams and roused the finny race,
Then, issuing cheerful, to thy sport repair;
Chief should the western breezes curling play,
And light o'er ether bear the shadowy clouds.
High, to their fount, this day amid the hills
And woodlands, warbling round, trace up the brooks;
The next, pursue their rocky-channelled maze
Down to the river, in whose ample wave
Their little Naiads love to sport at large.
Just in the dubious point, where, with the pool,
Is mixed the trembling stream, or where it boils
Around the stone, or, from the hollowed bank
Reverted, plays in undulating flow,
There throw, nice-judging, the delusive fly,
And, as you lead it round in artful curve,
With eye attentive, mark the springing game.
Straight, as above the surface of the flood
They wanton rise, or, urged by hunger, leap,
Then fix, with gentle twitch, the barbed hook;
Some lightly tossing to the grassy bank,
And to the shelving shore slow-dragging some,
With various hand proportioned to their force.
If yet too young, and easily deceived,
A worthless prey scarce bends your pliant rod,
Him, piteous of his youth, and the short space
He has enjoyed the vital light of heaven,
Soft disengage, and back into the stream
The speckled captive throw; but should you lure
From his dark haunt, beneath the tangled roots
Of pendent trees, the monarch of the brook,
Behooves you then to ply your finest art.
Long time he, following cautious, scans the fly,
And oft attempts to seize it, but as oft
The dimpled water speaks his jealous fear;
At last, while haply o'er the shaded sun
Passes a cloud, he, desperate, takes the death,
With sullen plunge; at once he darts along,
Deep-struck, and runs out all the lengthened line,
When seeks the farthest ooze, the sheltering weed,
The caverned bank, his old secure abode,
And flies aloft, and flounces round the pool
Indignant of the guile. With yielding hand
That feels him still, yet to his furioùs course
Gives way, you, now retiring, following now
Across the stream, exhaust his idle rage;
Till, floating broad upon his breathless side,
And to his fate abandoned, to the shore
You gayly drag your unresisting prey.”
THOMSON'S SEASONS.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
53
The source of the Merrimack River is more than six thousand
feet above the level of the sea, and thus it is not strange that
it has the quality of purity unexcelled, and its course, through
its first forty or fifty miles, is magnificently wild and grand;
the silvery, transparent river, meandering gently through the
sylvan forest shade, or dashing and roaring through the narrow
chasm, or leaping and tumbling in a milky volume over the rocky
falls, and then calming down like a mild and still May morning,
and settling into dark and quiet pools, where the noble salmon was
wont to lay, like a tiger in his lair, crouching, with a keen eye and
invincible prowess for the unwary prey. Here, the great blue
heron, tall as a well-grown youth, stalks majestically up and down,
with an eager eye on the unapproachable trout, more difficult to
obtain than the simple perch and shiner among the reeds and rushes
on the marshes of his usual fishing-ground; the sleek, sable mink
breeds in abundance and security; the great, clumsy, brown bear,
though unexpert, tries his skill at diving, trout being for him a rare
and savory delicacy; the fish-hawk and the fish-eagle perch above
the pure, transparent tide, and, with resistless swoop, bring up the
spotted captives. The wild deer comes down from the alpine sur-
roundings, not timid here, and cools and refreshes itself in thẹ
pellucid current. Numerous aquatic fowl here also congregate;
the little wood duck, the most singular specimen of ornithology, a
combination of water-fowl and land-fowl, at home equally on the
water, or perched on a forest tree. Silence and solitude brood over
all this lovely land, save when the wild beast calls to his mate, or
howls fiercely and defiantly along some almost inaccessible preci-
pice, or some bird shoots screaming across the magnificent valley.
Huge birds build their nests among the mountain fastnesses, and
flap their expansive wings lazily from crag to crag, or rest on a
trusty branch of some gigantic forest tree. Conspicuous here is
found primeval nature, and all her creatures here unerringly pro-
claim that man, the foremost of them all, as yet has not appeared,
except by proxy; that his cunning and rapacity, his cupidity and
cruelty are, happily, unknown in this secluded spot. The moun-
tains here, that range along the stream on either side, are covered
with a dense, unbroken wilderness, high up, and it is curious to
observe the line of demarcation between the deciduous and the ever-
51
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
green, regular as the waist-belt of a charming belle, it marks the
boundary of another climate, soil, and production, while the seared,
seamed, and scarred summits most clearly show that neither soil nor
vegetation there exist. The forests embrace almost every variety
of timber. The hemlock is an especial favorite, being browsed by
the deer and peeled by the "fretful porcupine."
Tall and stately spruces, straight as an arrow, symmetrical, sound,
and plentiful, await the woodman's axe. Game, especially of the
larger and less common varieties, abounds in this great forest. Why
should it not? Stretching far away to the north and east, it is
almost an unbroken wilderness to Maine and Canada. But a few
years since the sneaking wolf here prowled for prey. The moose
may still be found, and deer are plentiful. Bears are so common as
to be often troublesome to the sheepfolds beyond the borders of the
wood. Lynxes and yellow-cats are often seen, and not unfrequently
captured, and mountain sable are trapped extensively. The moun-
tain partridge is found in great abundance, and of a superior quality
and flavor, and there are seasons when the wild pigeons crowd the
woods, until the whole surrounding forests are literally alive and
swarming with them. There is probably no region of country so
extensive, so wild and diversified as this, in any of the older States,
certainly not in New England. It commences near Conway, and
runs north-easterly to the State of Maine, and north-west to Fran-
conia, bearing north-east again, until, reaching the great forest that
skirts the western base of the White Hills, it stretches away to the
north indefinitely. This territory is called ungranted land, as no
settlements have been made, and no town-lines traverse this grand
wilderness of wood, water, and gigantic granite walls. But of all
this vast extent of sublimity and grandeur, no section exceeds what
may be termed the Fairy Grotto, or the great wild valley of the
head-waters of the Merrimack. As an obscure and secluded retreat
how grateful, serene, and quiet; how much coveted by the man of
business in the great marts, whose brain whirls, and is almost ago-
nized by the tramp of many feet, and the ever-rushing human torrent
of countless thousands; for the student, whether of nature or books,
who will here receive inspiration, enlarging mind and thought to
a more comprehensive, possibly a more common-sense view of God,
and, consequently, of man, and his relations and duties to both!
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
55
The mechanic and the laboring man may here resort, and, stretched on
beds of savory hemlock, surrounded by an atmosphere, health-giving,
and pure as the breath of the Deity, relax from toil, refresh and
recuperate.
No one can travel hither without receiving benefit. The tourist,
the pleasure-seeker, the sportsman, the artist, even the Christian, or
he that professes to be a Christian, can here learn the ring of the
genuine metal, and, possibly, by contrast, learn the true measure
of the scrimped and contracted pattern which he boasts, and better
still adopt the other fashion. Here the misanthrope may repair,
and if his malady has come to be confirmed, the dismal character of
his surroundings may nourish his disease, and thus afford even him
a dubious consolation; or, if his disease should be of the mitigated
melancholy type, the bright and beautiful around him, fresh and
glorious from the hand of the Great First Cause, may wean him from
his unseemly, unnatural, and unprofitable despondency, and bring
him to a more just and correct view of his duties and responsibilities
as a rational and intelligent human being.
Approaching the splendid falls before referred to, one cannot fail
to be struck with their great power and wonderful natural beauty.
Except in the quantity of water discharged over them, these falls
surpass all others on the river, and standing here and gazing on
this great power now wasted, one may fancy he sees a prospective
Lowell, or an embryotic Manchester, with its monster mills, its
rattling machinery, its radiating streets, and its busy people. Al-
though this may long remain a wilderness, unknown to any but
daring explorers, it is certain that there is a splendid water-power,
and a cheap, easy, and convenient means at hand to secure and con-
trol it. The purity of this region is so proverbial, that health,
strength, and beauty would conspicuously mark such a community;
in fact, it may be supposed, only by waiting for a fatal accident,
could that peaceful neighborhood, called a graveyard, be com-
menced, and its narrow dwelling sites be taken up by actual settlers.
Most people are undoubtedly familiar with many of the physical
phenomena scattered about all this region; but as there are some
interesting localities which it is impossible for but few to see person-
ally, it may not be uninteresting to mention them. Nearly on the
summit of the left-bank range there is a small pond, containing not
56
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
more than five acres, stocked liberally with the finest variety of trout
of large average size; the specimens taken ranging from one to two and
a half pounds. This pond is fed by a very generous and pure spring,
located about one-fourth of a mile nearer the top of the range, and
is discharged over a smooth rock, very steep, for more than six
hundred feet, the bed of the stream being from six to eight feet wide,
the water, which is of an average depth of one half inch, running so
smoothly that it is difficult to discover that there is any water. This
is, of course, a fine trout brook; and finds its way to the river some
miles from the foot of Lafayette mountain. This pond is east of Mt.
Lafayette; south of it there is an extensive windfall, more than five
thousand acres of forest, all spruce, have been blown down, not a tree
remaining, and every one taken up at the root, peeling the soil
entirely from the bed rock. A not very abrupt ascent of half a
mile east brings one to the summit, where a remarkable view presents
itself. The eastern face of the range is apparently perpendicular
more than three thousand feet, while at that distance below your feet,
the country appears perfectly level as far as the eye can reach, — a
dozen or fifteen miles. This level country spreads to the north, east,
and south, and is covered with beech, maple, and other leaf-shedding
trees, without a single opening in this vast expanse, except where the
granite crops out above the surface. Through these breaks here and
there are seen glimpses of the sparkling waters of secluded lakes,
and the silvery cord of the meandering brook, while many miles
away to the south-east stands out against the horizon the grim and
barren peak of old Chocorua. Westward, seemingly so near you
fancy you could hurl a stone upon it, but in fact more than ten miles
away, is the naked and frowning Lafayette; to the north-west, the
great Haystack, lofty and superb, stands the central figure of a num-
ber of gross and ungainly knobs, while over all, some forty miles
away to the north, is seen the conspicuous crown of Washington.
Camping on one of these great elevations gives one an idea how much
earlier the jocund day stands tiptoe on the misty mountain-top "
than in the valley below. Standing here in the early dawn, look
down upon the silent valley robed in emphatic night, watch the
impenetrable gloom as it fades into an intangible shade, and then to
radiant day. As the earliest scintillations of rosy dawn touch the
highest summits, and the first beams of the morning sun gild and
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
57
illuminate first of all creation the highest pinnacles, so does the
bright sun of knowledge and of truth first illumine the highest
intellectual summits, and gradually but surely penetrate the lower
level of the valley of mediocrity, dispelling in like manner the mental
and moral darkness.
Franconia Notch, to the east of which, through the wild valley of
the Upper Merrimack flow the cool, bright, sparkling waters of the
principal branch of that stream, is on the west of this valley, with
the Lafayette or Franconia range between the river and the Notch
road, running parallel the whole distance from Plymouth to the top
or opening of the Notch. This wonderful phenomena of nature is
talked about so much by tourists, journalists, and others, is visited
by so many thousands, that were it not an extraordinary subject it
would have become long since exhausted; but the fact that every-
thing connected with it is listened to with marked attention and
eagerly sought for, proves that the subject is still fresh, and that the
unparalleled sublimity, grandeur, and romance of this great warehouse
of nature's wonders have attracted the liveliest interest among all
classes of people. No one sees this gigantic collection of impressive
curiosities without a striking and deep-seated impression of their
peculiar grandeur. Men may see a great ship, an immense building,
or any other interesting work of art, and view it with a kind of
admiration; still its salient features are skill, labor, and capital; but
here he sees the handiwork, nay, the visible presence of the ever-
living God. Here is his great temple, here His throne; here is open
to the poorest vision and the dullest comprehension, the majesty and
perfection of His works and laws. Many journey to these scenes year
after year, attracted by the indefinable emotions awakened in their
minds at each successive return.
"I had seen pictures only of this mountain scenery before.
Pictures? Mockeries! the best that artist ever sketched but as
faintly portrays their grandeur as dew-drops describe an ocean!
One exclamation of wonder hardly dies in reverberation ere the eye
falls on some new pleasure quite as delightful to behold. One
almost fancies that invisible spirits sit enthroned upon those giant
cliffs, and are ever preparing a gorgeous dioramic display for mortals'
contemplation! His must be a wretched philosophy and worse
8
الشام
58
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
religion, which fails to recognize the perfecting agency of the great
Jehovah in this grand master-piece of natural architecture!" *
Placed by itself, without this remarkable combination of grand
surroundings, the Echo Lake, the Flume, the Old Man of the Moun-
tain, or any of the great features of this locality, would stand out in
bolder relief than now, and consequently appear to the beholder more
awfully grand than as it does, surrounded by so many astonishing
and bewildering sights, notwithstanding they are each separately a
wonder, and an insoluble problem, and as a group, a marvel, unequalled
by any collection of natural objects in the world.
Nothing can produce a more happy or beneficent effect upon the
mind than a contemplation of the works of nature. No mind so
besotted or so fragile but it can draw inspiration to higher objects,
aims, and ends by approaching this pure fountain.
Standing here under heaven's great azure dome, if there be any
who know nothing of Him they may at least observe His works, which
are on the grandest scale, spread out with a benevolent and lavish
hand, and in the Divine Presence at least enjoy a more soul-inspiring,
healthful, and innocent recreation.
Come, then, ye frequenters of gilded and gas-illumined palaces,
who transpose the order of nature by turning night into day at the
expense of health and peace of mind, leave the cup of body and soul
destroying beverage; leave your pasteboard and human knaves, chips,
shells, spotted cubes, and miasmatic atmosphere, and hasten to the
pure fountains of sweet waters and bracing air fresh from the moun-
tain-tops and the fragrant forests, and here gather a loftier ambition,
and a more profitable and sensible view of the perfect original grand
design!
One of the greatest objects of interest is the Echo Lake, located
on the east side of the road near the northern entrance to the Notch.
This lake is deep, pure, and tranquil, and is a curiosity and a
wonder. Surrounded by lofty mountains and towering cliffs, the report
of fire-arms, the speaking-trumpet, or the voice reverberates from
crag to cliff in oft-repeated echoes, point after point repeating the
sound, returns more and still more indistinct until it has recoiled from
the entire circumference. Here people linger for hours listening to
this remarkable echo, tracing the gradual diminution of sound; if,
* Extract from letter of D. W. Smith, 1867.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
59
for instance, a question is asked, it will be distinctly repeated usually
several times; it then comes back a pleasant murmur, then an
indistinct and solemn muttering, murmurs softly, and whispers a
final farewell, and is lost in infinitesimal and expanding circles!
27
Nestled down at the very base of these gigantic surrounding Alps,
as if seeking and enjoying a calm repose, hemmed in and fringed with
a deep foliage, this lake mirrors the sky and the fleecy clouds, the
mountains and the forest, in its tranquil bosom. Its waters are
supplied with trout, and skiffs with fishing and pleasure parties skim
its placid surface. All sorts of appliances, cannon, speaking-
trumpets, etc., are furnished with which to procure every variety and
volume of echo, and a day's entertainment may be had here, free,
healthful, and interesting, if not profitable. Cannon Mountain has a
huge rock poised upon its summit, of such peculiar shape as to be a
very accurate likeness of an immense cannon. This monster gun
appears to be in position, pointing its black mouth directly across
the Notch road, as if prepared to belch forth flame and iron hail upon
any who should attempt a hostile invasion of this modern Thermopylæ.
Perhaps it is a simile of the "Union Gun, - a standing and en-
during menace to any who would trifle with that sacred compact.
The Flume is one of those works or freaks of nature that is viewed
with deepening amazement. The more it is seen and examined the
more intensified becomes this emotion, and the question at once arises,
How came it so? Conjecture, speculation, and theory are resorted.
to by each spectator as multifarious as the visitors; luminous but
unsatisfactory, for the great problem is still destitute of a definite
solution. Was it accidentally left so when America was upheaved
from the great world of watery waste in which it was submerged?
Was it a deep cicatrice on the plastic face of nature, torn by some
rough monster missile, hurled forward and impelled with impetuous
and resistless force from the overhanging summit? Was the granite
base of the everlasting hills riven by some convulsive throe or throb.
of the great heart which swells and pulsates in the bosom of mother
Nature? No one can tell; neither the man who understands all
science and all learning, nor the most inquisitive Yankee can trace the
cause; the effect alone is visible.
Nearly three quarters of a mile the solid rock is cleft and rent
asunder some twenty feet, the sides being perpendicular and as
A
60
THE MERRIMACK RIVER ;
smooth as the work of a machine, and about fifty feet deep. A
bright and noisy brook babbles along the pebbly bottom. Situated
in a romantic forest, spanned by several rustic bridges with seats
ranged on either side, and as it is completely surrounded and pro-
tected by a grateful shade, and a shivery draft of air constantly
circulates through its length, it affords a most admirable and desirable
retreat for sweltering and suffering mortals when Cancer, blazing
with Promethean flame, denotes the torrid solstice.
Notwithstanding the magnitude and sublimity of this remarkable
feature, as if upon inspection she was not quite satisfied with her work,
nature has prepared a compound wonder. From the summit of the
mountain which frowns dubiously upon the Flume, a huge granite
boulder has become detached, and, overcoming every obstacle that op-
opposed its progress, has rolled down and precipitated itself over the
brink of this chasm, and hangs suspended near the top by the points of
its greatest diameter, so that one passing under it is forcibly reminded
of the sword of Damocles, and involuntarily dodges. However, it is
not an improvised pile-driver, and there is no danger of being flattened
into a broad sheet of gold leaf by its sudden and unexpected descent.
How long it may have been poised and securely held in these
powerful clamps is mere conjecture. Perhaps the frosts and snows
of many centuries have fallen, lingered, and dissolved upon it; cer-
tain it is that nothing remains to mark its pathway hither. Huge
trees, that would have been overborne by its resistless weight and
force had they been standing, guard every avenue of approach to its
present resting-place, and all traces of its track are entirely obliter-
ated. Perhaps it was hurled through the realms of space by some
great Ajax of the Western World, which, dropping here, has left no
trace, or mark, or sign of its career !
The Old Man of the Mountain is another figure in this group of
wonders. This gigantic profile is said to be sixty feet from the fore-
head to the chin, and creates a powerful impression on the mind of
every beholder. It is located at the southern termination of this
range at its highest point, and stands out in bold relief, with features
as strongly marked and well defined as though fresh from the hands
of the sculptor. A front view of the locality simply demonstrates
the fact that the mountain shows nothing peculiar or noticeable, only
a precipitous and jagged bluff, with furrows and angles; but a side
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
61
view gives it shape and develops an immense and massive profile,
remarkably natural in outline, perfect in feature, and surprisingly
symmetrical in the detail and in the total of its entire arrangement.
The altitude of this profile is such that its enormous proportions are
requisite to give it life-size. Thus, in likeness, workmanship, and
perspective, it combines the skill of the master sculptor with the per-
fection of his art.
The throat is delicately and accurately chiselled, the neck is
perfect, the shoulders broad and heavy, the chest deep and massive.
This is the Monarch of the Mountains. There he has reigned undis-
turbed and unquestioned for long, long ages. The frosts of countless
centuries have rested and dissolved on his massive brow; still there
he sits serene and grim in his weather-beaten granite, and there
securely enthroned he will remain through numberless ages yet to
come, unless some terrible convulsion of nature shall shake the ever-
lasting hills to their very centre and overthrow his adamantine
throne! As it is with the Flume, the impression on first beholding
this grand spectacle is striking and impressive, and this impression
is deepened and intensified by a closer observation and more thor-
ough study, until at last, turning away with an indefinable awe, the
wonder is if nature, with her boundless resources, has ever excelled
this in any of her achievements.
Directly at the base of this mountain is a beautifully transparent
lake, which is known as Profile Lake, or the Old Man's Wash-bowl.
Like all the other waters of this region it is supplied with trout, and
is, on this account, and to see the Profile, a great resort for sojourners
in this region. The Profile has been so often inaccurately sketched
by pen and brush, -"the mirror," as it were, "held so poorly
up to nature," that it would seem impossible to do the subject
complete justice. It can only be truly appreciated by viewing its
gigantic and symmetrical proportions.
How great are all these wonders! In the pinching frost, in the
scorching sun, or in the grateful shade of old primeval trees, let no
vain, ungodly brawler say it was all accident and chance, for, by the
merest unsubstantial shadows of these majestic peaks, he stands con-
demned. The foaming cascade, leaping with headlong force from
steep to steep in sparkling, laughing, joyous, unrestrained freedom,
proclaims his folly, his simplicity, or his incomprehensible depravity!
62
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
He who has yet to learn that this is a conspicuous part of the great
original design has a lesson simple and easy, which, simple as it is,
may overtax and overwhelm his benighted faculties.
Perhaps the most frightfully grand and terrific of all the elemental
visitations is a thunder-storm among the mountains. Fleecy vapors,
borne on lively zephyrs, scud across the dome; the sun, rolling high,
pours a flood of scalding heat, and men and animals are fain to seek
the shade. Soon the atmosphere becomes thick, hazy, and oppres-
sive, and the sun looks dull and jaundiced: low, distant muttering,
long-continued and oft-repeated, is heard; the sun now appears in a
malignant fever; great thunder-heads, — clouds heaped on clouds, —
dark and dun, roll up from behind the mountains and shroud their
peaks in awful gloom.
cry
Thunder, heaven's great siege artillery, now belches forth in one
tumultuous crash, the winged lightnings leap from the angry clouds,
darting in fiery and eccentric chains, gyrating about the murky
mountain sides and dashing, remorselessly upon the devoted head
of some old forest patriarch, shivering it to fragments from tip to
root. Howling like a pack of famished wolves, or like Taurus when
he puts his muzzle to the earth and bellows defiance and the battle-
to his adversary, the wind, surging around the mountains, drives
the wild, angry clouds in furious eddies, and the dreary darkness of
despair invests the scene. As if the floodgates of heaven were
opened, the rain descends, and mighty torrents drench this little
world. Slowly the clouds retire, the main body wheeling round
some distant summit yet unvisited; the rear columns, following rap-
idly, keep up for a while a desultory pattering, and the sun, strug-
gling through the vapory veil, shows that nature can smile through
her tears! Rills and rivulets, foul with the débris of the forest, come
noisily tumbling down. The Notch is now a broad and rapid river,
the trees put on a brighter green, and all the scene looks smiling,
fresh, and gay. The atmosphere is purified, the burning and suffo-
cating heat is dispelled, and crowds issue forth to enjoy the refresh-
ing breeze that has kissed the cleansed and purified summits of so
many mountains, and fragrant with the odors of the great, still
dripping wilderness !
Large and commodious houses have been erected here for the ac-
commodation of the visitors at this place. As this is in no sense an
५
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
63
agricultural section, and everything, including provisions, has to be
brought here, and as transportation is both difficult and expensive,
the charges at these houses are necessarily high; but the most sen-
sible, as well as the most convenient, method of visiting these regions
is for a party to take a shelter tent, cooking apparatus, etc., and,
procuring supplies at the nearest possible point, camp out, and sup-
ply their table with trout and such game as is seasonable. Pitch the
tent on a gentle, grassy slope, under the generous shade of grand old
trees, arrange a comfortable bed of healthy, fragrant hemlock boughs,
and live like a king. Uniting the duties of purveyor and cook, with a
powerful and convenient appetite and plenty of fuel, anything that is
wholesome is relished keenly. Thus with a small outlay one may
see more and enjoy more, and be independent, going whithersoever
curiosity or inclination prompts, returning at pleasure.
In this manner the interval snatched from toil and business may
be profitably employed and heartily enjoyed. Exploring the sylvan
retreats, the cool, secluded glens, the mysterious caverns, the deep,
dark, trackless wood, scaling the slippery cliffs and towering
pinnacles, surveying the mysteries of this mysterious territory, or
exploring for others yet undiscovered, reading, refreshing and storing
the mind from this illustrated and interesting and instructive page of
the book of nature, is ample compensation for a year of toil. Mind
and body together recuperate, a new strength of the system and of
resolution is obtained, the heart is stouter, the courage stronger,
a renewed and increased faith displaces doubts and misgivings; in
short, a general regeneration or reconstruction (mental and physical)
rewards, in addition to a pleasant season of rational enjoyment, those
who try the experiment.
The Merrimack River has its source in the heart of the White
Mountain region. Its head-waters are known as the east, middle,
and west branches, which, uniting in the town of Woodstock, formerly
Peeling, form at once a beautiful and important river. The east
branch is much the most considerable, having its source some fifty
miles above the confluence of the triangular tributaries, and receiving
many accessions, it arrives here a splendid river of beautiful waters,
and is the grand central figure, throughout its whole extent, of the
great wild valley of the upper Merrimack, which comparatively few
people know anything definite about, and fewer still have yet had
64
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
the rare fortune to explore. The middle branch has its source in
the Profile Lake, at the base of the Old Man's eternal throne. The
western branch comes far up from the Moosilauke country in the
wilderness of timber, where wild beasts maintain as yet almost
undisputed sway, and all the tributaries of these three branches as
well as themselves, great and small, the capillaries of the Merrimack,
are all alive with trout.
Having descended from the great altitude where its source is
located, and traced the romantic career through the wild and secluded
valley until it has become a very considerable and beautiful river,
let us proceed along the course of this resplendent stream, depicting
its services and its value as it steadily moves forward on its journey
to the sea.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
65
CHAPTER III.
Thornton.
Game and Gunning.
Franconia.- Lincoln. - Woodstock.
Campton.
Holderness. Samuel Livermore. - Plymouth.
- Plymouth. → Rumney-Wentworth. - The Moosi-
laukes. — Bridgewater. -Squam Lakes and River. — New Hampton. - Bristol. -New-
found Lake and River.-Hill. -Smith's River. - Orange. - Andover. -Salisbury. -
Daniel Webster. — Kearsarge. — Boscawen. - Franklin.
FRANCONIA, which supplies many streams to swell the Pemige-
wasset, is in many respects the most remarkable town in the United
States, and for its great natural curiosities, its sublime scenery, its
high mountains, it is extensively famed; indeed, it is believed to be
in this country or any other, in this regard, without a rival.
"One of the greatest natural curiosities in the State is Profile
Mountain in this place, near the road leading to Plymouth. This
mountain rises very boldly a thousand feet high, and forms with its
front of bare solid rock a perfect likeness of a human face.” *
Formerly there was a large iron business done here, but it is now
suspended. The New Hampshire Iron Factory Company was incor-
porated in 1805. The ore which was mined in Lisbon, three miles
from the factory, yielded from fifty-six to sixty-three per cent. pure
iron, and was thought to be the richest mine in the United States,
and apparently inexhaustible. These works were actively operated for
many years, and more than six hundred tons of hollow ware,
stoves, etc., were turned out annually, requiring the consumption of
more than three hundred thousand bushels of charcoal.
The principal business of the town now is, next to agriculture, to
provide and care for the mountain visitors, who, it is estimated,
arrive here at the rate of more than one hundred per day, exclusive
of private conveyances, during the season of mountain travel.
Passengers reach here from New York, via Norwich, Worcester,
Nashua, Concord, and Littleton, or by stage from Plymouth, or
via Centre Harbor, Conway, and the Crawford House.
* Geography of New Hampshire.
9
66
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
As Franconia is the coolest locality in the United States in the
summer, so it is in the winter; and whenever a severe cold term
occurs, the telegraph invariably flashes the state of the thermometer
at Franconia all over the land. Holton and Marquette, on Lake
Superior, and St. Paul, Minnesota, often exhibit a great depression of
temperature; but when looking for forty degrees below, where the
temperature is of such intensity that the limbs of trees snap with a
continuous rattle like a fusilade of small fire-arms, while the earth,
and even the rocks, contract with reports resembling heavy siege
artillery, by the terrible, frigid severity of the atmosphere, then it
is that Franconia's bitter and appalling polar temperature figures
almost invariably a trifle lower than any other locality.
Lincoln is the next town following the river to Franconia, and is
very rough and mountainous. There being but a small portion of
tillage land, the town is sparsely settled. Directly under the shadow
of the great Franconia Peaks, it is subject to frosts late in spring and
early in the autumn; consequently the cultivation of such products
as are most affected by this cause is generally abandoned.
Kinsman's Mountain is so steep that it is seamed with slides which
have furrowed deep channels in its sides from summit to base. The
greater portion of the town is yet a wilderness, and bears, deer, and
other smaller game abound.
In Woodstock, formerly Peeling, is the junction of the three
branches of the Pemigewasset.
The general topographical appearance of this town is the same as
Lincoln.
There are four or five large ponds, the streams from which afford
numerous mill-privileges, and are generally used for saw-mills and
such purposes, and furnish excellent trouting.
The great lumber companies of the lower Merrimack, whose head-
quarters are at Lowell, have obtained an immense quantity of lumber
from this town, often employing in the timber forests as many as a
hundred and fifty men, who use this most useful and convenient
river for the conveyance of the lumber. Some ten million feet are
annually carried beyond the limits of the State.
There is a large cave here, sufficiently commodious to contain
several hundred people, which is called the Ice House, from the fact
that ice is obtained in it all through the summer. The walls of the
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
67
cave are solid granite, and it communicates with several subterra-
nean passages or apartments extending in various directions. The
Grafton Mineral Springs here are strongly impregnated with sulphur
and other minerals, and are resorted to by invalids who realize benefi-
cial results. Blue, Cushman's, and Black Mountains are the highest
elevations in the town.
On Moosilauke Brook there is a beautiful cascade, where the
water glides over a smooth surface, or tumbles in a milky foam two
hundred feet, remarkably picturesque and even sublime.
There is in Thornton, on Hill Brook, a magnificent waterfall.
For thirty feet before reaching the final falls the descent is one foot
in four, when it makes a perpendicular leap of forty-two feet. The
town was originally granted to the Thorntons, Mathew, James, and
Andrew; hence its name.
Mathew Thornton was born in Ireland, in 1714, and, like millions
of his countrymen, preferring liberty in a foreign land to the most
galling thraldom at home, however painful the struggle when com-
pelled to make a choice, he came to the United States, and settled
on the Merrimack, in Londonderry, as a practising physician. Bred
in the traditional animosity of his people towards Great Britain, their
oppressor, he espoused the cause of the colonies against the mother
country with a heartiness and ability which proved him a hater of
tyranny and England, and no mean foe for her to contend against.
He was in all the stirring times preceding and during the Revolu-
tionary struggle, a prominent actor; was with Sir William Pepperell
in his expedition against Louisburg, in 1745, and was president
of the first provincial convention, in 1775. In the following year he
took his seat in the Continental Congress, and had the fortune to
sign the roll which gave his name merited and imperishable renown,
the Declaration of Independence.
Thus Mathew Thornton was 66 one of the few immortal names
that were not born to die."
He died in 1803, after a long life of devotion to the cause of self-
government, full of honors, leaving an unstained character.
The north-eastern boundary of Thornton is the vast tract of
ungranted land which comprises the territory of the Franconia and
White Mountain region to the west and north, the Breton Woods,
Hart's and Sawyer's locations to the east, extending southward to old
68
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
Chocorua Peak. It is the very heart of this magnificent wild that
gives the Merrimack to the use and profit of man. In this great sol-
itude, which excels even the famous Adirondac country in the wild-
ness and grandeur of its natural scenery, in the beauty of its forests,
the number, form, and majestic proportions of its mountains, in the
solemn, oppressive silence which pervades its whole extent, in the num-
ber of its cool, pure, pellucid springs, brooks, and ponds, which is so
secure from the invasion of man that the sounds and sights of civili-
zation are completely shut out from its extensive recesses,
there are
game and fish worthy of the sportsman's attention, skill, and courage.
The east branch, and, in fact, the whole vast network of waters about
the source of the Merrimack, are bountifully stocked with trout, and
the places which once knew the superb salmon, it is hoped and be-
lieved, will soon know him again. Each cold, transparent spring
sends down the mountain-side its inimitably musical rill, which,
meandering through the shaded reaches of the forests, pours the
wealth of its generous flood into the cool, secluded pond, which, in
turn, disgorges through circuitous channels to the swelling bosom of
the Merrimack. Being a dense, luxuriant, unbroken forest, where
the woodman's axe has never yet been heard, many parts of which
the white man's foot has never traced, the fly can nowhere be used
except in the Pemigewasset itself, or on some portions of some of its
largest tributaries, and on the ponds. Here the fly, of a color best
suited to the season, may be advantageously employed, and the best
time to take the trout is from the moment there is a streak of day till
sunrise or after, and again when the sun declines below the forests
and the hills until dark. But the brooks may be successfully fol-
lowed any portion of the day, yielding an abundance. The trout in
all these waters are uniformly the best variety of salmon trout, vary-
ing in size of course; specimens being taken weighing from one-
fourth to two and a half pounds and upwards, the latter large
enough to create the most nervous excitement and anxiety while the
gorgeous prizes were being secured, and sufficiently large and lus-
cious to satisfy any reasonable ambition or palate.
-
The wealth and productive capacity of the vast network of the
upper waters of the Merrimack in the way of trout, invariably of
the finest variety, is astonishing. For many years thousands of
people have annually visited the White Mountain region; the gen-
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
69
tlemen indulge, many of them, daily, as also many of the ladies,
with a delicious enthusiasm, in the exciting and exhilarating sport
of trout-fishing. Added to this, parties of experts are constantly
arriving throughout the season from all parts of New England, and
still the supply seems unlimited. A gentleman, in July of the pres-
ent year, dropped his hook into one of the numerous slender tribu-
taries of the Merrimack, a mere brook in Thornton, and within an
hour had basketed nine of these princely fish, the string weighing
fifteen and a half pounds, an average of about one and three-fourths
pounds. This is by no means a solitary case.
Since the exodus of the salmon, fly-fishing has almost fallen into
disuse, and there are, probably, very few experts with the fly on
these waters; however, no one can learn this art except with the rod
in hand, as all the conditions differ at each season and fishing-ground.
A correspondent of the "American Union," of Sept. 5th, 1868,
a paper which not unfrequently contains useful and interesting in-
formation on the higher order of field-sports, — gives some valuable
practical hints, although he fully realizes and recognizes the total
impracticability of theoretical fly-fishing. He says:
"The art of throwing a long and light line can only be acquired
by practice. The only rule I can give is, to let it go its full length
out behind you before you switch it forward, and, of course, study
the wind. This grand fundamental point of skill being reached,
namely, eluding the eyesight of the trout, who all lie with their
heads up the stream, the next question the learner should ask of
his instructor is, on what spot of the water shall I allow my line to
light? It is only to be arrived at inch by inch, and only to be fully
mastered by years of practice and observation. The lure must light
true to an inch. Beginners fancy that trout are scattered in a ran-
dom way over the water, and that they are just as likely to encoun-
ter a trout in one place as in another. There is, perhaps, a prejudice
in favor of deep pools, which are generally the most-difficult places
in which to kill trouts, from the quantity of line which you must
expose in order to reach them. The strongest trout of the neighbor-
hood selects the best spot for feeding, and so soon grows bigger and
stronger still, while his poorer neighbors are struggling for the means
of bare existence, just as the rich man in this world, by strength
of funds, tends to grow rich, while the poor still remain poor.
70
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
"Now the question is, how to discover the spot which the poten-
tate will have chosen. He will have had an eye to the likeliest bit
for securing flies and worms as they come down the stream, or drop
off trees and bushes. He will have also given careful consideration
for his bodily ease, not liking, generally speaking, to be bored by a
strong current. But I could give the reader more insight into this
question in an hour at the river's side than by any amount of writing.
The still water at the neck of what fishers call the 'stream' that
is, the rough, rapid water as distinguished from the still, or pools-
is a favorite haunt. In summer, when the trout are feeding, the
edges of pools are favorite resorts. There the trout are often lying
in hundreds, digging with their snouts into the banks for worms.
"While there are certain casts that are nearly always good, the
general feeding-ground varies with the weather and season; hence
the great difficulty of arriving at a thorough comprehension of this
most important point. How important, any one may understand
when told that, when really feeding, the trout almost all fly to the
same character of water, and while the skilled angler is pulling
them out at every cast, the unskilled one is employed in vainly
thrashing water devoid of a single fin. The meal being finished, or
the shower of flies which induced it having left the water, the trout
then return to the deeps to ruminate and digest, and while this
process is going on he will be a cunning angler indeed who will
induce them to take his lure.
“In warm weather in summer, when the trout begin to feed, they
all leave the deep, and come into the shallowest water, often into
water so shallow that it hardly covers the backs of the large ones.
The reason of their doing this is, that in the summer flies hover
near the surface of the river, but seldom fall on to it, as they do in
spring, when they are weaker; so that to catch them by a leap the
trout must lie near them. At no time are good trout so little shy,
or so greedy, as when they are lying in water so shallow that none
but the skilful angler ever thinks of throwing a line into it.
"The next point to which I will advert is precision of aim. Sup-
pose you know, as the cunning angler does, almost to half an inch,
where the maw of his destined victim is placed during his feeding-
time, and that you understand how to elude his watchful eye, there
is still something, else to be done before you are successful in a
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
71
well-fished river. If your lure falls lightly, and, consequently,
naturally, within an inch or so of the trout, his instinct will lead
him instantly to snap at it. If the lure be a bait, he will proceed
to gorge after catching it, provided he does not feel the line tighten,
or see you, when he will instantly let go his hold if he can. An
artificial fly, however, he will reject the instant he touches it;
hence the importance of quick, natural, and well-trained eyesight, in
this branch of trout-angling, to enable you to strike the instant he
touches the hook, that is, before you have felt anything. If your
first intimation of the trout's attack in fly-fishing comes from
your sense of touch, as is the case with ninety-nine anglers out
of a hundred, you need not strike at all, — he has either hooked
himself, or else he is gone.
(6
Suppose, however, that you bungle your cast, and the lure falls
five or six inches from the trout, he will then most likely dart at it,
but the odds are a hundred to one that he will become suspicious,
and turn tail before reaching it. He will have had time to take
stock of the line, the shadow of the rod, and very likely of your-
self. I have, hundreds of times, on making a false throw, seen the
trout dart from his lair, with the view of seizing the lure, then
catch sight of the line, and wheel back, quick as lightning, to his
hiding-place. In fishing-pools, where the trout are digging in the
banks for worms, the most absolute precision of throw is requisite ;
because the water being still, and probably six or eight inches deep
about the edge, if deeper than this you will do nothing, the
line will certainly be seen; and if you give the trout a second for
reflection, he will infallibly say, 'No, thank you,' to your proffered
morsel.
"When the streams are low and clear, there is nothing more
important than fine tackle; the finest, roundest gut that can be
obtained to be used, and the joinings should be firmly and neatly
knotted. Never use loops. A loop is an abomination in the eyes
of a well-fed lowland trout. It is undoubtedly curious that when a
trout will confidently seize a minnow, or a worm, with two or three
hooks sticking through it, the sight of a bit of coarse or flat gut
will terrify him out of his wits, or, to speak more correctly, perhaps,
will terrify him into them. It is certainly true, however, that line,
and not hooks, is what he dreads. For this, and for another reason,
72
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
the less line you throw into the water the better. The other
reason is, that, as a general rule, the less line you have in the
water, the more natural will be the movement of your lure. Sup-
pose the stream, at the spot where it alights, to be running at three
miles an hour, and that the upper part of your line falls where it is
running at six miles an hour, it is plain that your hook will be
dragged down in an unnatural, and, therefore, suspicious manner."
66
Game, of the larger varieties, is plenty in this great wilderness,
but on account of the almost inaccessible mountains, the deep
gorges, and the secluded glens, is not so easily taken as in some
other parts of the country. Margins of lakes, ponds, and water-
courses are pathed by the deer, bear, and other animals. Deer,
being mild and harmless, have many enemies, not the least of which
is man. The natural defence of the deer against a world of foes is
fleetness of foot; but the deep snows of winter in these high, north-
ern latitudes sadly interfere with the rapidity of his locomotion, and
he falls a victim to the appetite of many voracious brutes. At this
season of the year the habit of the deer is to yard," as it is
called. Selecting, if possible, an extensive growth of low hemlock,
they assemble in small numbers, and, by moving about to browse
the branches, keep the snow trodden. If the depth of snow per-
mits, they move as soon as they have trimmed this yard closely, but
a deep snow and a hard, thick crust are fatal if their retreat is dis-
covered by man or hungry beasts; their weight and sharp hoofs
cutting through at every bound the soft, deep snow underneath,
leaving no solid basis to spring from. A man, living on the eastern
border of the ungranted land, showed the party where he captured
seven in this manner, early in the day, a mile only from his house,
the poor creatures being entirely helpless. Encamped in the soli-
tary depths of this wide wilderness, with a few choice spirits, near
some tumbling torrent of sweet waters, whose liquid music, more
delicious than a viol, harp, or grand piano, lulls one to repose, far
away from the bustle, din, and strife of the great city; or with a
raft of logs pleasant but primitive mode of navigation float on
the tranquil surface of the mountain pond, and see the blue sky and
fleecy clouds gaze down upon themselves in its clear depths, or the
bright stars, like glittering eyes of countless mermaids, flashing up
from the apparently unfathomable deep to snuff the sweet zephyrs
:
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
73
freighted with health and the fragrance of the forests, to seek recre-
ation, comfort, and sport in these grandly furnished apartments in
the great temple of nature, to feast on trout and mountain grouse,
concluding the day's enjoyment with a sweet and pleasant meer-
schaum, is a luxury fit for a king, or any other man.
As the shades of night approach, and the lengthening shadows
give admonition that the sun is sinking fast behind the western
hills, and night and darkness creep slowly on, one reflects that he
is almost helpless in this great wildwood, surrounded by fierce
beasts and an impenetrable gloom, and a kind of pleasant or not
disagreeable loneliness steals over the feelings. The city where,
in gilded palaces and gorgeous costume vice reigns triumphant now;
the interminable lines of brilliant gas-lights, where the struggle and
turmoil for the almighty dollar is now progressing; where the rush
for the bulletins and the news is so furious; where all the elements,
good and bad, of the human character are wrought to the highest
pitch and strained to the utmost tension for good or for evil, in
this regard almost a neutrality, comes rushing in a blaze of arti-
ficial glory to the view, and the mind involuntarily recoils, and the
feeling is, "I am safer here than there, and better, socially,
morally, and physically." The blazing camp-fire now throws out its
lurid glare, and the countless trunks of giant trees, stretching into
the darkness beyond the farthest scintilla of illumination, seem
columns in the giant's causeway of this wilderness, or pendent
stalactites in this mammoth cave of overarching foliage. Cries of
wild beasts are heard about the neighborhood, attracted hither, no
doubt, by the glaring fire, or the flavor of savory cooking; but they
are not dangerous, the most serious consequences of their proximity
being the electric shock experienced at their terrifying cries, the
wild bound of the heart, and then its pause, the awful terror that
thrills the soul, and the apparently intoxicated reeling of the trees.
Only a few years since a wildcat was killed near Thornton, which
was fierce and powerful.
The party around the camp-fire received a visit from one of the
buff, bobtailed species, whose weight was estimated at between thirty
and forty pounds; and less than ten years ago, one of the monster
brutes of this great wilderness, which had strayed away from his
10
74
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
haunt, was killed in Lee, a monster panther weighing one hundred
and ninety-eight pounds.
Mountain grouse are very plenty and delicious; sable and mink
are profitably trapped, and Canadian otter are frequently taken;
but the fox, that sly, cunning rascal, avoids these solitudes, and is
rarely found far from the habitations of men. Reynard has an
unconquerable appetite for poultry; consequently the rugged cliffs,
and bleak mountains, and desert wastes of this unsettled wilderness
have no charms for him; his tastes run in the direction of open and
cultivated places, where the gospel is preached and chickens are
raised. Thus, Sunday, under that patron of morality, the church,
while people assemble for worship, and under "that patroness of
rogues,” the moon, when people are at rest, this sly old reprobate
prowls for his prey.
The raccoon, or, as he is commonly called, the coon, abounds in
all the forests, especially the nut-bearing woods, which border the
Merrimack and its branches, and is an animal worthy of some atten-
tion. Except in one single particular, he is perfectly harmless, and
that is a decided taste for Indian corn, at no time, however, except
when it is in the "milk." His depredations are annoying to the
farmer, as his usual practice is to break down an ear, strip the husk
from one side, take a mouthful, and proceed to break down another.
Chestnut, walnut, and oak forests are his usual haunts, these nuts
being his favorite feed; he, however, loves frogs, like a Frenchman,
and the skilled coon-hunter directs his course to a stream passing
through nut-bearing woods, where the coon expects to luxuriate on
nuts and frogs' legs. He is never hunted in the daytime, being a
nocturnal rambler. The most favorable time for coon-hunting is
regarded by experts as during the October moon, as at that time
the young ones are well grown and fat. Proceeding to the vicinity
of a stream, the margin of which is the most "likely" place to
"pick up" a fresh track, giving time for the animal to wander
some distance from his den, in a ledge or hollow tree, the hunter
must have a stanch, well-trained coon dog, or nothing can be accom-
plished, as tracks of other animals bewilder an unreliable dog.
Towards nine o'clock the dogs are let out, and if there is a coon in the
vicinity he is soon treed. As many as three are frequently taken,
and sometimes five from a single tree. At this season he is uniformly
2
1
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
75
fat, and is excellent eating, making a superb fricassee, care being
taken, in dressing, to remove the "kernels" or fatty secretions
directly under the fore legs, which secures the meat from that strong
musky flavor, which otherwise renders it entirely unpalatable. In
1865, E. L. Chapman, Esq., proprietor of Chapman's Hotel, Epping.
N. H., shot a fine specimen, weighing thirty-three pounds. There
is a true nobility of sport in successful coon-hunting not realized or
appreciated except by those possessing a genuine taste for it, and
who are generally philosophers in some sense, naturalists in another,
and invariably splendid fellows.
The woodcock, in its annual migration northward, arrives in the
Merrimack Valley early in the spring, advancing with the season,
often before, or more rapidly than the tardy approach of mild
weather would seem to warrant. It breeds early, and its eggs are
sometimes seen deposited on some dry, protected spot, contempo-
raneous with surrounding patches of snow. It is, however, a hardy
bird, and these unfavorable conditions neither interfere with its
habits nor its regular semi-annual hegira. It is exclusively a ground
bird, — never alighting on trees, — and its favorite feeding-grounds
are dry alder-swamps, corn-fields, and such other localities as supply
food, and are easy to penetrate with its long, robust. beak. The
gunning season commences the first of August, at which time the
young are nearly full-grown, and the birds are uniformly in excellent
condition, and continues until the ground is closed by frost, when
the birds retire to winter-quarters in a more congenial clime. In
woodcock-shooting, as experienced sportsmen well understand, it is
policy for two to gun together, and, seeking the most approved feed-
ing grounds, with a pair of stanch and well-trained setter or pointer
dogs, the party not unfrequently bag from two to two and a half
dozens of these fine birds, besides generally a small assortment of
grouse, pigeons, plover, gray squirrels, etc., etc. Woodcock-shooting
is a most delightful and exciting sport, there being, perhaps,
nothing in New England, in the way of gunning (for birds), away
from the sea-shore, which can equal it. The flesh of this bird is
esteemed a rare delicacy; the sport is exciting and exhilarating, and
the taste and skill of those who most indulge in it designate them
as the true nobility of sportsmen. Another feature, attractive to
many, is that as these birds are eagerly sought in the market, at
76
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
five dollars and upwards per dozen, the skilful sportsman may make
it as profitable as pleasant.
Upland plover, a bird of fine flavor, is also frequently met with,
not, however, in such numbers as to make the sport, like that of
woodcock-shooting, a specialty.
Gray squirrels, and occasionally black, are numerous throughout
all the territory watered by the Merrimack and its tributaries. Their
especial haunts are precisely those of the raccoon, their food being
similar, acorns, nuts, and corn. Oak, walnut, and chestnut
woods and the borders of cultivated sections are the favorite resorts
of the gray squirrel. Successful gunning for this animal requires
experience and much prudence, as he is wary, active, and cunning.
There are two principal methods of squirrel-hunting, both practised
in turn by the knowing ones. The first is this: each individual
sportsman repairs alone to the nut-bearing forests before the frost has
nipped the leaves and thinned the foliage; reaching an approved
locality, the sportsman at once stations himself in a position to attract
the least attention, while he, at the same time, may obtain a good
view of the surrounding trees and overhanging branches. Having
secured an advantageous location, he maintains a stolid immobility
and silence; the unsuspecting victim approaches within range,
when the unerring "double-barrel" speaks sharp and quick, and he
comes down. Having bagged several in that vicinity, and spread
consternation by the repeated report of his piece, the sportsman
moves to some other locality, and operates in the same manner
as before. This method is known to sportsmen as the "still hunt. "
When autumn and frost have stripped the tall chestnuts and oaks of
their summer dress, the sportsman, with a trusty squirrel dog, again
repairs to the same forests. At this time much depends on the dog,
who is not only expected to "tree" the animal, but to indicate, un-
erringly, precisely what tree the squirrel is on. There is no section
even to its extreme
of the Merrimack Valley in New Hampshire,
head-waters, where gray squirrels are not plentiful, and there is no
season when the experienced sportsman may not enjoy a pleasant
and profitable day's gunning for this description of game. The flesh
of the squirrel is esteemed by many as a luxury, and is certainly a
savory delicacy, and its fur is also of some value. Hares, in large
numbers, abound in all except the mountain forests of the Merrimack
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
77
Valley. The gunning season commences about Christmas time, and
continues until "March Meeting;" it is prosecuted to the best
advantage in sheltered swamps, where, usually, as many as is
desirable may be obtained. They are "run" in the same manner
as the fox, describing, however, circles of less diameter, though, per-
haps, more eccentric. The best hare dog is a cross (half hound),
as it reduces the natural disposition to range, or leave the track for
that of the fox or larger game. The hare is harmless to the products
of the farm, changes his grayish-brown coat in the fall for a suit of
spotless white, and is hunted exclusively for his flesh, which is
regarded by most people as excellent food.
The territory which is now included in the towns of Campton and
Rumney was purchased by a party of actual settlers. While making
the necessary surveys and other arrangements for permanent occupa-
tion, they constructed and dwelt in a temporary camp; hence the
name. Mad River, one of the tributaries of the Pemigewasset, is a
rapid, and, at times of high water, a furious stream. Its source is in
the mountains, to the north-east in the ungranted territory, and
unites with the Pemigewasset in this town, and is well known to
sportsmen. Squam Mountain is in this town. The view from
Mt. Prospect is splendid; except, perhaps, from Red Hill in Moul-
tonborough, it is believed the view of Lake Winnipesaukee is the
finest to be obtained anywhere, and a large portion of the southern
part of the State may be surveyed from this fine mountain. It is
often visited by excursion parties, being less than five miles from the
Pemigewasset House in Plymouth. Mad and two other small
rivers fall into the Pemigewasset on the east or left bank. Plum-
bago is found in large quantities, and of a superior quality. Iron
and other minerals are also found.
Livermore's Falls are in the Pemigewasset in this town; they
exhibit evidence of volcanic formation, and considerable fragments of
lava have been found. In 1752, four men, namely, John and
William Stark, of Derryfield, now Manchester; David Stinson, of
Londonderry, and Amos Eastman, of Pennacook, were trapping on
Baker's River, in what is now Rumney, but was a portion of the
Campton grant of Captain Spencer; they were discovered by a party
of Indians, who resolved to capture them. Thinking they observed
Indian signs, the trappers determined to take up their traps and
78
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
leave, as they had nearly three thousand dollars' worth of furs and
other property to secure. Accordingly, on the 28th of April, while
in the act of taking up a trap, John Stark was captured. William
Stark made his escape, and, while attempting to do the same, David
Stinson was killed and scalped. Eastman was captured, and John
Stark and Eastman were taken as captives to St. Francis. As is
the custom with the Indians, the prisoners, on arriving, were com-
pelled to run the gauntlet, between two files of Indians. Eastman
went first, and was horribly bruised and kicked, they having pre-
viously been instructed to repeat a sentence in Indian, which signified
that they would beat all the young men of the tribe. Stark, instead
of repeating this, declared, in a loud voice, he would kiss all the
young women; and, being athletic, the few buffets he received were
returned with such earnestness and interest, that some were knocked
down, and others, alarmed at his boldness and prowess, were fain to
allow him a peaceable transit.
Stark became a great favorite with the Indians, and, both being
ransomed in the July following, they required double the price for
Stark that they did for Eastman. John Stark lived to be the hero
of the important battle of Bennington, and won unfading laurels.
Great and Little Squam Lakes are located principally in Holder-
ness. Squam River, which discharges the waters of these two lakes,
falls into the Pemigewasset near the south-west angle of the town, on
its east bank, immediately below Bridgewater Falls.
The great corporations along the lower Merrimack have provided
artificial means to draw the whole surface of these two lakes, reduc-
ing them several feet when the dry season affects the natural volume
of the river. Thus the Winnepesaukee and Squam are a treasury
of waters from which to draw a never-failing supply to keep the
wheels and spindles moving.
There are excellent mill privileges here and shops of various
kinds, saw and grain mills, paper-mills, and some cloth manufactur-
ing, shoe-peg factories, etc. The town was granted to John Shep-
ard and others, in 1751. Hon. Samuel Livermore settled in this
town in 1765, and became proprietor of a large part of its territory.
He was a leading and prominent man in this section, and for several
years was attorney-general for the crown. He was a judge, and for
eight years United States Senator, from 1793 to 1801.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
79
.
He was a man of good abilities, dignified, austere, and possessed
great self-esteem. When in Congress, like some of his successors,
he sometimes ventured into deep water, and was rescued by the exer-
tions of friends, or perhaps by the forbearance and magnanimity of
his antagonist.
Mr. William Shepard, a native. of Holderness, and a descendant
of John Shepard, the original settler, who died recently in London-
derry at an advanced age, and who accompanied Judge Livermore
during several sessions of Congress, related many anecdotes bearing
on this point.
Mr. Shepard at that time was above his majority, consequently
old enough to retain an accurate recollection of the personal appear-
ance of many of the principal men of that time, such as Generals
Washington, Hamilton, the elder Adams, Jefferson, Robert Goodlow
Harper, Judge Cooper, John Randolph, and others, as well as the
part which Judge Livermore took in the stirring political drama
which these historic actors were performing at that period. As Mr.
Shepard retained possession of his faculties in a remarkable degree
to his last days, the fund of reminiscence, incidents, and anecdotes
which came into his possession by personal observation was very
extensive and highly entertaining, and it may also be observed that
few ordinary men ever enjoyed the rare fortune of meeting with so
many illustrious men as fell to the lot of Mr. Shepard. Judge Liv-
ermore died in Holderness, where he had resided uninterruptedly for
nearly forty years, in 1803.
Judge Samuel Livermore was an educated, courteous, and high-
toned gentleman, but conceited, self-willed, and arbitrary. His
habitation was in the clouds, and he never descended to mix or
mingle with ordinary mortals. He was occasionally admired, gen-
erally respected, sometimes feared, but never loved. He possessed
but little sympathy with his kind, and, leaving no enduring monu-
ment of positive greatness, was soon forgotten when the grave closed
over him. In his day he was, undoubtedly, the great man of New
Hampshire, but his local pre-eminence or prominence was, perhaps,
due more to the scarcity of men above mediocrity in the State than
to his intrinsic merits in that direction, intellectually considered.
His natural force of character and self-will gave him a position in
the front rank of his contemporaries; still, when he had passed
80
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
R
away, the record of his career proved a meagre theme for history.
Though a strong, sagacious man, his bitter prejudices and arbitrary
spirit made him unreliable in party and public relations, and,
although respected and counselled with by such men as Hamil-
ton, and other of the foremost men of his time, yet he was of such
brittle material, and required such careful handling, that he was
probably not a coveted acquisition to any party, or in forwarding
any scheme. In his congressional career he was active, watchful,
and efficient in the practical details of legislation, but never grappled
with the great questions of national policy that divided men and par-
ties and brought out the herculean efforts of a race of giants; he
also had the prudence, generally, to avoid the contact in the forum
of the great men, as he did of important measures. As a judge,
he loved justice and administered it impartially, without either
prejudice or sympathy. He was not a great lawyer or great judge,
yet he was honest, impartial, and scrupulously faithful in the per-
formance of all his judicial duties.
Plymouth and Haverhill are the shires of Grafton County. Baker's
River, which rises in Moosilauke Mountain, effects a junction with
the Pemigewasset on its west or right bank in Plymouth. The river
is named in honor of Capt. Baker, of Haverhill, Mass., who attacked
the Indian settlement at its mouth, routed them, and captured con-
siderable booty, furs, etc.
The Pemigewasset House, in Plymouth, is one of the largest and
most famous hotels in the State. There is a court-house here, and
an excellent seminary, which is in a flourishing condition.
From this place there is a good stage road through the valley of
the Pemigewasset to Franconia Notch, a distance of about thirty
miles.
Rumney, north of Plymouth, on Baker's River, is a beautiful
village at the mouth of a large stream called Stinson's Brook, the
outlet of Stinson's Pond, so called in honor of David Stinson, of
Londonderry, who was killed here by the Indians. Stinson's Moun-
tain is also in this town.
Ellsworth through Doetown, so
Arriving at the summit, which
from the village, the most
From the village the road to
called, winds up a long, steep hill.
may be one and a half or two miles
delightful landscape bursts upon the view. Looking down the long,
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
81
wearying declivity just ascended, the neat village of white cottages
nestles on the broad green lawn which stretches away to the river,
meandering like a wavy belt of silver, with its picturesque, covered
bridge. Just beyond, and parallel with the river, the handsome
dwellings, built along the hill-side, terraced and hedged and orna-
mented with fruit and shade trees; to the left is the hill and dale
down to Plymouth and the Pemigewasset valley; a little farther left
the peaks of the grim and bare Sandwich, and the grand and densely
wooded Squam Mountains; to the right, Stinson's Pond, a long,
narrow stretch of water, with hills to shut it in from the west, while
turning to the north is seen a promiscuous assembly of mountains, .
rising high and still higher, -Moosilauke towering above his fel-
lows, Lafayette in the distance, and Mt. Washington in the rear
rank, looking cool and pure over all other heads.
There are grander views than this, more extensive, affording a
greater amount and variety of land and water scenery; but for un-
pretending loveliness, for a combination peculiar and rare, giving
the whole vista an indescribable charm, there are few places to equal
this, none to excel.
Still further up the river is Wentworth. There being a fall of
twenty feet, the river here affords good water-power.
Moosilauke Mountain is the highest elevation west of the White
and Franconia ranges. The north peak is four thousand seven
hundred feet high, and is a conspicuous object from all the country
round, far into Vermont. There are inexhaustible quarries of lime-
stone here, and along Baker's River and about the Moosilauke,
minerals in great variety abound. Plumbago, tin, galena, lead,
iron, tremolite, black blende, and crystallized epidote, are found.
The beautiful Pemigewasset, having received at Plymouth the
addition to its steadily increasing volume of Baker's River, sweeps
along the eastern boundary of Bridgewater, receiving, as it passes the
succeeding towns, the copious additions of Newfound and Smith's
Rivers, from the west or right bank, and Squam on the east or left.
Squam River has its source in Squam Lakes (Great and Little),
which extend into several towns to the east of the Pemigewasset and
near the unsettled territory.
Newfound River has its source in the large lake of the same
11
82
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
name, which extends into several towns to the west of the Pemige-
wasset, and is admirably adapted to manufacturing purposes. In-
deed, it is believed that Bristol will soon be a famous manufacturing
town.
There was an academical and theological institution established in
New Hampton nearly fifty years ago, under the patronage of the
Baptists; also a female seminary, justly famed for the completeness
of its instruction and the picturesque beauty of surrounding scenery.
These institutions were removed to Vermont some time since, but
there is an academy where mental and physical improvement may be
obtained.
There is a peculiar spring on a hill in this town which is never
affected by wet or dry weather, maintaining an even tenor and issu-
ing a stream sufficiently large to carry mills located along the course
of its waters. There is also a peculiarly formed hill, called the
"Cone," being remarkably conical, and noticeable from the sur-
rounding country many miles distant. The view from its summit is
most charming.
New Hampton village is nearly one mile in length, is very level,
parallel with, and about a mile from, the Pemigewasset. It is
pretty, pleasant, and quiet, and, only for the beautiful school-girls,
the stillness would be absolutely painful.
A very noticeable feature of the village is a row of nine large
trees, directly in front of the hotel, the middle one being the tallest,
and those on either side gradually and proportionately declining in
height, presenting the appearance of having been shaped by the de-
signing hand of man. This, however, is not the fact, it being the
result of natural growth; and, as the trees are very near together,
the branches interlace so closely that it appears only a single mon-
ster tree-top. This unique feature attracts the notice of strangers
perhaps as much as the fine school-buildings, or the extensive and
most fragrant flower-garden adjoining.
Directly at the bridge, on the highway from New Hampton to
Bristol, is the head of the Bristol Falls. From this point to the
mouth of the Newfound, some eight miles by the course of the
river, the fall is continuous, though not rapid, until within a short
distance of its foot. The topography of the adjacent land is very
favorable for canals and factories, the chance and the material for
•
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
83
constructing a dam is excellent, and the perpendicular fall is more
than thirty feet.
The population of Bristol is estimated at fully two thousand, hav-
ing doubled, both in population and resources, since the last general
census. Newfound River, the outlet of the lake of the same
name, passes directly through the entire length of the village, which
may be said to extend already nearly the whole course of the stream;
and the time is not far distant when the village will cluster along its
whole extent. This river is, perhaps, one of the most remarkable
streams in the State, being but two miles in its entire extent, and
the liveliest two miles of river to be found anywhere. The total fall
is upward of two hundred feet, one hundred of which is comprised
within fifty rods of its confluence with the Pemigewasset, the latter
stream sweeping the eastern boundary of the town. There is no
space of twenty rods on this stream but is an eligible and efficient
water-power, and the time cannot be far distant when the practical
manufacturer and mechanic will occupy and operate it. The power
already appropriated is as follows: Merrimack Hosiery, D. H. Rice,
agent, produces some twenty-five hundred dozen pairs per month,
taking the raw material and turning out the perfect article.
Crosby's bedstead manufactory turns out some two hundred bed-
steads per week, which are sent south and west, many finding their
way to the distant Pacific shore, California and Oregon taking a
large supply.
White's two tanneries, both on a very extensive scale; D. P.
Alexander & Co.'s machine shop, which turns out a considerable
quantity of machinery for various purposes; Lovejoy & Dow's car-
riage manufactory, where all kinds of vehicles are made, from the
light and pleasant sun-down to a six-horse stage-coach; Crawford &
Locke's flouring and grist mill, with a capacity of three hundred
barrels per week, besides grinding twenty thousand bushels of west-
ern corn per annum and an extensive accommodation business of a
local character. All who have the good fortune to patronize this
firm gainsay the old adage, "You cannot have your cake and eat it
too," and their patrons, to say the least, are extremely well-bre(a)d.
These mills are operated under the efficient supervision of George
T. Crawford, Esq., a gentleman whose qualifications and business
capabilities are demonstrated by the gratifying success which attends
84
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
the transactions of the firm; nor is his ability exhausted by the
business of which he has the managing control. His information is
varied, general, and extensive, and his affability and explicit way of
imparting information to those who apply to him is pleasant and re-
freshing. The business has been conducted by him for the past two
years on the tide of general success, and this firm prides itself on
supplying the New Hampshire market with the first new flour of the
season.
every variety of building
Musgrove's wool-pulling,
Jordan's planing-mill and job works,
material prepared for immediate use;
knit and flannel under-garments for gentlemen's wear; J. C. Dra-
per & Co., Plymouth gloves, one of the most extensive and flour-
ishing establishments of the kind in the State; D. Mason's straw-
board mill, which finds a ready market in Lynn and Haverhill;
Holden & Co.'s fancy flannel, employing some forty hands; B. F.
Perkins, straw-board mills; Dow & Co., coarse woollens; the Lake
Company's extensive lumber works, located directly at the foot of
the lake, owned and operated by the large companies on the lower
Merrimack.
In the village there are fourteen stores, two hotels, three churches,
Methodist, Baptist, and Congregationalist. The facilities for
education, as in most other enterprising communities, are excellent.
The Union school-house, completed in 1867, at a cost of twenty
thousand dollars,, is a fine structure, located on a beautiful eminence
overlooking the entire village. It is a graded school, and accommo-
dates the pupils in the district comprising the village proper.
Bristol is the natural and real business centre for the surround-
ing country, including the towns of Hebron, Groton, Bridgewater,
Alexandria, Hill, and New Hampton. In addition to the immense
water-power of the Newfound, a small portion of which is yet devel-
oped, the Bristol Falls, in the Pemigewasset, are available for an
immense manufacturing production. Excepting the diminished vol-
ume of water, it is believed the capacity is not inferior to some of
the largest places on the river, the fall being sufficient to allow of
using the water over, and the facility for damming very convenient.
Newfound Lake is a magnificent sheet of water to look upon, but
this by no means comprehends its value; indeed it is the smallest
portion of its great merit. It is nine miles in extreme length, and
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
85
about three in average breadth. The great land and water power com-
panies of the lower Merrimack control this power, and, as in the case
of Winnipesaukee and Squam, they have provided artificial means
to draw this extensive reservoir to the depth of six feet of its entire
surface, so that in the dryest seasons the stream affords a maximum
supply for all the mills and shops along the course of its outlet.
The little elegant steamer Pioneer, Capt. Geo. W. Dow, plies on
the lake, affording those delightful moonlight and daylight excursions
which the citizen and tourist enjoy so highly. The new and spacious
hotel of Mr. O. K. Bucklin is a marked and prominent feature of
this delightful village. It stands at the head of the square; is four
stories in height, and has all the modern improvements attainable in
this section.
The village is romantically located in a basin, surrounded by a
nearly circular wall of very high hills, whose peaks, some ten in num-
ber, rise like a line of silent sentinels to guard and protect the peace-
ful community, whose neat white houses resemble pieces of frosted
cake in a huge tureen.
Newfound River tumbles noisily through the centre of the town,
repeatedly leaping many feet at a single bound, and rushing in
foaming cascades and rapid current with headlong speed until it is
lost in the embrace of its larger brother. The resplendent Pemige-
wasset, washing the eastern shore of the village, diversifies the scenery
of the thrifty and quiet town of Bristol to suit the tastes of all.
Any one desiring to escape the heat, dust, and confusion of the
large cities will find this village accessible by the Concord and Bristol
Branch Railroads, the latter passing through a country affording
some of the most superb views. Through the deep-green luxuriant
foliage, the traveller constantly catches glimpses of the sparkling
waters of the Merrimack, with the long high range of heavily
wooded sombre hills behind, while the broad, fertile intervals, diver-
sified by fields of waving grass and grain, and the stately spires of
extensive and luxuriant cornfields, afford a remarkably picturesque
and charming view, diverting the unpleasant tedium of the usual
railroad experience, and making Bristol a pleasant excursion, and
Bucklin's Hotel just the place to stop at on arriving there.
A new and important enterprise which is destined to add largely
to the population, wealth, and consequence of this town is being
86
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
N
prosecuted, with a reasonable prospect of a successful consummation.
Reference is made to the new New Hampshire Central Railroad. Time
is money, and the surest method of saving money is to save time, and
to do this a direct line is the most rational and reasonable course to
pursue. In order to accomplish this desirable result it has been
found that the completion of a link in the great chain of travel from
west to east is necessary, from Portland, Me., to Danbury, N. H.,
a distance of ninety miles, a short break in the continuous chain
through the State of Vermont of forty-six miles. When this is
completed the distance from Portland to Chicago will be only one
thousand fifty-four miles, while by any other route or proposed route
it is one thousand one hundred and forty-six miles.
This route secures not only a very important diminution of the
distance, but must certainly prove of value to every town through
which it passes, as well as other towns within the reach of its
influence. This line proposes to pass directly through this village,
uniting with the Bristol branch, and effecting a junction with the
Northern at Danbury, nine miles west of Bristol, giving this town
the benefit of the local and through business alike.
There is in Bristol a flourishing lodge of the ancient brother-
hood of the mystic tie. Union Lodge, No. 79, composed of
about one hundred members, good men and true, embracing the
leading citizens of this and surrounding towns; Moses H. Merrow,
master.
Smith's River is the northern boundary of Hill, separating it from
Bristol and falling into the Pemigewasset. The town was settled
by people from Chester, Rockingham County, and was originally
called New Chester. It received its present name in 1837. Ragged
Mountain, whose altitude is but little inferior to Kearsarge, is in this
town.
The Blackwater, a considerable tributary of the Contoocook, runs
through the town parallel with the Merrimack, sometimes not more
than four or five miles from it, passing through several towns and
falling into the Contoocook at Hopkinton. In its course the Black-
water passes through the town of Andover, where repose the remains
of the celebrated magician Potter. This man was one of the first,
as he certainly was one of the most famous, of the practitioners of the
black art.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
87
1
Orange, where the source of Smith's River is located, is a small,
poor town, limited in its agricultural capacity, but remarkable
for the variety of its mineral productions, -iron and lead, yellow
ochre in large quantities, superior in quality to the imported article,
a conglomerate of chalk and magnesia, and from a pond is taken a
mineral paint resembling a spruce yellow.
On the height of land which sheds its waters into the Merrimack
on the east, and the Connecticut on the west, are a number of deep,
circular holes worn in the solid rock, the largest of which, from its
great depth and regularity of form, is called the "well." It is cleven
feet in its perpendicular depth, and the stones found in it were
rounded, smooth, and polished, indicating a powerful and long-con-
tinued action of water. The position of these wells is one thou-
sand feet above the waters of the Merrimack and Connecticut;
the rock is very hard, and in many places on its surface occur
the marks and scars and scratches spoken of as evidence of the
ancient drift epoch in the existence, or before the existence, of this
continent.
Smith's River has its source near what is called Poverty Ridge, a
ridge of sterile territory, extending north and south nearly the whole
extent of Grafton County, being the water-shed between the Connect-
icut and upper waters of the Merrimack.
Salisbury is a very ancient town. It was originally granted by
Massachusetts, and was called Bakerstown. It was regranted after-
wards by the Masonian proprietors, and was known by the name of
Stevenstown, this was in 1749. It was incorporated in 1765 by
New Hampshire under its present name. Until the formation of the
town of Franklin in 1828 it extended eastward to the Merrimack,
and its area was large.
In 1819, a huge mass of earth and rocks of many thousand tons
weight, became detached from the southern declivity of Bald Hill, and
was precipitated with overwhelming force into the valley below,
bearing down every obstacle in its resistless career for a distance of
nearly fifty rods, and four to five in breadth.
The Indians in their predatory incursions paid especial attention
to this town; the early settlers suffering severely from their depre-
dations and cruelty. In May, 1753, Nathaniel Maloon, his wife,
and three children were captured and taken to Montreal, where
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THE MERRIMACK RIVER ;
himself and wife were sold, the children being retained among the
Indians; one of them made his way home, arriving after an absence
of nine years. In August of the same year, Mrs. Call was killed,
and two men named Barber and Scribner made captives and taken to
Canada.
Salisbury was settled in the year 1750 by John and Ebenezer
Webster, and others. Ebenezer Webster, one of the earliest settlers,
was an ardent patriot of the Revolution. and held many offices of honor
and trust, but was most distinguished as being the father of Daniel
Webster, — a name to which any title is unbecoming and superfluous;
a familiar and honored name; in a long line of illustrious sons the
noblest Roman, the most majestic, the greatest genius of them all.
Daniel Webster was born in Salisbury, New Hampshire, 1782. Here
he first breathed the atmosphere, and rested his eyes on the beautiful
in nature spread out around his birthplace like a broad and magnificent
panorama, embracing every variety of scenery, from the frowning
mountain to the bright rolling river. Here he received his first im-
pressions, his early training, and laid the foundation, broad and deep, of
that magnificent and comprehensive intellect which made him in his
time the peerless Webster. Reared in the midst of natural scenes like
these, it may not be surprising that his youth was somewhat imagi-
native and poetical, nor is it more a wonder that his first efforts
developed a mind at once compact and masculine. He started into
manhood with an intellect, broad, fertile, and productive. Irrigated
by a steady, pure, genuine patriotism, his great mind grasped his
whole country, and his anxiety for the perpetuity of her institutions.
and his race was his noblest emotion. He despised fanatics with all
the ardor of a generous mind, while he profoundly pitied them, and •
from whatever quarter they came he never lost an opportunity to
give them a scathing and wholesome rebuke.
Ile graduated at Dartmouth College in the class of 1801, and
commenced at once the practice of law. In 1812, though only
thirty years of age, and as yet unknown to fame, he was elected to
Congress, and there stood among the foremost in ability and in
opposition to the war and the administration. He held all the high
offices in the government, except the presidency, and most distin-
guished himself in the highest and most responsible.
That his political views did not obtain in the country is no evidence
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
89
against his transcendent genius; on the contrary, the most dogmatical
of his opponents were amazed at the consummate ability with which
he sustained and urged what they considered a poor cause, declaring
that if his cause was just, and he was thereby thrice armed, he
would be invincible to any force of numbers or talent that should
oppose him.
Unlike Hamilton in many respects, he was, as Jefferson said
of Hamilton, a host in himself, and with a party or without, he was
formidable, and it required the utmost circumspection of his opponents
to guard the vulnerable points of their theory and practice against
his masterly assaults. Whatever might be thought or said of his
politics, the purity and fervency of his patriotism was never
questioned; he proved his love of country by devoting nearly the
entire period of his maturity and unsurpassed ability to her cause
and her welfare. Like a pure fountain of sweet waters, his love of
country, not in shallow, transparent, flimsy mouthings, was generous,
and all men, whatever their persuasion or policy, could imbibe freely
at this unfailing and refreshing spring, with profit to themselves
and advantage to the State. Among the many lessons learned
here from Nature's book he learned to be a disciple of Izaak
Walton, an exciting, healthful, and rational recreation, under
the proper restrictions of reasonable times and seasons, and
Daniel Webster the angler, if not as famous and historical, is as
familiar and interesting as Daniel Webster the foremost states-
man of the age. It was in the midst of one of these favorite
expeditions that he wrote the celebrated Hulsemann Letter, which
may be regarded as the keystone in the triumphal arch of his
diplomatic fame.
His lofty genius towered up like Kearsarge, under whose shadows
he sported in childhood, conspicuous among his fellows, and, like this
firm, immovable mountain, his head was bared to the pitiless, un-
reasoning, and incongruous elements; and, although Daniel Webster
the mortal has passed away, he "still lives" in the brightest pages
of his country's history, and in the affection of an enlightened peo-
ple, and Kearsarge shall, by some fearful convulsion, fall sooner
than the memory and fame of Daniel Webster!
He died Oct. 22d, 1852; and, as ten thousand bells pealed sol-
emnly the knell of his departure, a nation bowed in grief at the
12
90
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
portals of his tomb. Venerated he still lives in the example he has
furnished, and is commemorated by the proudest monument yet
reared to mortal, -the high esteem and deep affection of an intelli-
gent and enlightened people.
"After a warm contest the Federal tickets for electors of Presi-
dent and members of Congress were elected by an average majority
of not far from fifteen hundred votes.
"Daniel Webster was one of the congressional delegation at this
time chosen; a man who, though then young, soon ranked among
the ablest opponents of the administration and the war, and gained
that high reputation as a cool, powerful, and eloquent debater which
he has maintained during a service of twenty-five years, in one
branch or other of the American Congress. Thirty years before this
time he was born by the side of the Merrimack, the son of a
farmer. At school and in college he sometimes composed poetry,
and displayed in his prose compositions a gorgeous fancy; but his first
efforts at the bar were marked by a close, vigorous, and mature style,
which indicated a preponderance of the reasoning powers over the
imagination, and determined his character as a powerful logician,
kindling but occasionally with the fires of imagination. He rose
with a rapid flight, dazzling and astonishing, convincing and con-
quering.
"The bar acknowledged him as its head; the rival leaders of
his own party made way for him in the race for distinction, and he
was ushered forward at once to the first stations of responsibility and
honor which they had in their power to bestow. Most of his mature
years have been passed in the halls of legislation. He has discussed,
either for the purpose of opposition or support, most of the important
measures of government; and though his views have often failed to
go in the popular support, and the correctness of them has been
questioned by the ablest minds in the nation, yet he has left im-
pressed on the memory of many, and stamped upon the records of
public affairs, so many of those touches of genius, which in an age
of intelligence will be preserved from oblivion, that the name of
Webster, though he be consigned to the grave, cannot fall into for-
getfulness."*
Kearsarge Mountain, a corner-bound of this town as well as
* Barstow.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
91
many others by which it is surrounded, stands prominent. As if
too great a prize for one alone, it is divided among the following
towns, namely: Andover, Boscawen, New London, Salisbury, Sut-
ton, Warner, and Wilmot.
The geological composition of Kearsarge is said to be principally
mica slate, and is scarred and seamed by deep furrows, and much
striated, as geologists affirm, by the drift, gneiss, and mica slate, com-
bined with talc or isinglass, and limestone. Pyrope, regarded as
one of the varieties of garnets, is found in the gneiss; and in Warner
is a valuable talcose, or soapstone, quarry. Not only Kearsarge
Mountain, but, indeed, all the other mountains and hills, and num-
berless other localities throughout the State, are rich in the variety
and value of mineral products.
Whether the dream of the earliest settlers will ever be realized in
the discovery of a New Hampshire El Dorado or not, time and the
development of the, as yet, undiscovered and unknown resources of
the State alone can determine; and it is believed that a judicious
appropriation of a small amount for this purpose would in nowise
affect injuriously the prosperity of the State, and might result in
untold benefit. While the plough is the "mud-sill" of the super-
structure of prosperity and wealth, the pick, smelting-furnace, and
crucible are joists which give the edifice convenience, strength, and
beauty.
Kearsarge is sui generis. We never lost a good chance to climb
a mountain, but never saw one like this. Its rounded top, embracing
hundreds of acres, is a polished, undulating ledge. Some of these
undulations are abrupt, forming, as it were, separate peaks, and, if
the reader will pardon a slight exaggeration for the sake of a general
truth, we may say there is hardly vegetation enough to support a
squirrel, or loose rocks enough to drive him away. There are said
to be indubitable evidences, based on facts and analogies, that the for-
mation of this mountain-top is volcanic, — that great waves of lava
have been thrown out at successive periods to cool in strata, and that
this accounts for the wonderful regularity of the formation. There
are also many well-defined depressions in the ledge, all running in
the same direction, which geologists affirm were produced by drift-
ing glaciers from the Arctic regions, bearing boulders, perhaps, in
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THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
their icy grasp, in the time long agone when all this region was
the bottom of the sea. The crater of the old volcano is pointed
out.
""
Right here in the middle of the State, overlooking one-half of
its territory and three-fourths of its people, with nothing to obstruct
the vision, 'swinging round the circle,' stands Kearsarge. The view
lacks the grandeur of some others, but the world can scarcely pro-
duce one more beautiful. With a favorable atmosphere, nearly all
the mountains in this State and Vermont may be distinctly seen.
As it was, there were Ossipee, Chocorua, Carrigan, Whiteface, La-
fayette, Moosilauke, Cardigan, Ascutney, the Green Mountain range,
Monadnock, Uncanoonucs, and Wilson's Hill. Of lakes, we have
Winnipesaukee, Newfound, Sunapee, and about thirty large ponds
in the neighboring towns. Of villages, we have three or four in
Andover, two in Wilmot, as many in New London, Sutton, Warner,
and Salisbury, one in Henniker, Webster, and Boscawen, and two or
three in Canterbury, Sanbornton, etc. The agricultural aspect is
charming. We did not know our State was so attractive. Andover
was too near to seem quite a prairie, but Wilmot, New London, and
Sutton, on the north and west, and the other towns we have named,
on the south and east, appeared nearly level; and the traveller will
wonder where the hills are that he encountered in going to Kear-
sarge. Each public and private building in that populous section of
our State stands out in bold relief; and the whole region, with its
asperities softened by distance, seems a succession of beautiful and
productive farms.” *
Win-
The seasons as they roll afford, in turn, peculiar charms.
ter, with its wild and threatening aspect of clouds and frosty atmos-
phere, so sharp and penetrating that the trees and rocks are rent with
terrific sound; under the shelter and protection of a hospitable roof,
surrounded by congenial friends, and a generous warmth, it gives a
sense of added comfort to scratch the thickly frosted panes and look
out upon the fierce, wild storm; to hear the winds roar dismally and
cheerlessly; to see the snow whirled by a frenzy of fury over all the
land; to look across the broad and dreary waste of desolation, and
feel secure.
In summer, when the concentrated heat wilts down the robust
* J. M. Campbell.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
93
frame; when the very sweat of nature is evaporated from the oozy
pores, and leaves her products seasoned; when the loud thunders,
peal on peal, crash heavily, and bellow along the cliffs, and light-
ning darts in fiery forks and chains along the sky, and clouds roll
in heavy, dark masses, like trooping fiends, so angry, fierce, and
threatening; or the bright sun, rolling in unclouded splendor, a
scene like this is beautifully grand, but nothing can excel the
gorgeous loveliness of an autumnal landscape view.
From the elevated summit of Kearsarge, when those two match-
less artists, Autumn and Frost, have passed that way, and touched
the foliage with their magic brush and incomparably magnificent
coloring, the view cannot be excelled throughout the universe.
Nothing intervenes on either side to obstruct the range of vision
to the utmost limit of its power. Mountain, valley, hill, and dale,
all robed in scarlet, purple, and gold, while a flood of mellow sun-
light, pouring upon the scene, illuminates the forests with all the
hues and shades of the rainbow, delighting the eye-never sa-
tiated or tiring—with the magnificent spectacle of a more than
fairy land.
Creeping unobtrusively and unobserved through the valleys, up
along each acclivity, through the great forests, and over the hill-
tops, the unequalled painters have touched the brush to the trailing
vine as well as shrub and bush and giant trees; nothing escapes
their attention, and now, where everything was but yesterday so uni-
formly green, crimson and gold and all the intervening tints adorn
the landscape. Looking to the eastward, this brilliant scene of beauty
is diversified and enhanced by the broad Merrimack meandering gently
through the wide green valley far below, like a glistening baldric,
while nature everywhere seems dressed in her liveliest and loveliest
habiliments, and in the midst of all this lavish display of splendid
variegation of adornment stands the unchanging perennial, superbly
ornamental in its sombre panoply by contrast with its gaudy sur-
roundings. Sublime and enchanting as an autumnal scene like this
cannot fail to be, it is strange so many greet this season sorrow-
fully, indulging in mitigated lamentations, and discoursing solemnly
of the "sear and yellow leaf" and "gloomy days" which "chill
the spirits and turn the heart to loneliness and sadness." Not-
withstanding poets, orators, and scholars almost invariably affect
94
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
this emotion, there are those who fail to receive similar impressions,
but, on the contrary, witness the advent of this season with the
liveliest emotions of joy and pleasure.
As the time approaches for the termination of the brief period
of nature's life, and the whole earth seems an interminable para-
dise of beauty in its gaudy attire, it not inaptly symbolizes the
transition of the genuine Christian, the good man, the true man of
God. When his time of dissolution comes, he is, instead of being
overwhelmed with sorrow, fear, and remorse, cheerful, buoyant, and
happy. He grieves not to depart. The good deeds of his life illu-
minate the dark valley, and shed a halo around him, which, like
autumn leaves, robes him in brighter raiment as he falls into the
tomb.
As if rejoicing at the maturity and perfection of its beneficence,
having budded, bloomed, and ripened to the glory of God and the
good of mankind, the grand old tree appears in its most attractive
attire at the very moment of dissolution. So it is with the
spirit of the just; glowing with sublime effulgence in the conscious-
ness of duty done, and faith in the promise, and grateful for the
prospect of immediate and full fruition, the beautiful panoply of joy
and peace and righteousness adorns the closing scene. Nor is this
the complete similitude. The boundless wealth of coloring, which
is one of the crowning glories of the life and death of nature, points,
unerringly, to another life, a renewed existence, an opening spring-
time, where they shall bud and bloom again in pristine beauty and
glory.
Thus the tried and true spirit, undoubting and undismayed,
views, with the ecstasy of a hitherto unfamiliar joy, the sign of the
reopening of an unfading spring of perennial bloom, when rebud-
ding on the Tree of Everlasting Life, nevermore to know the " sear
and yellow leaf," or the "gloomy days," unchanging in the pure
raiment of unfading glory, proclaims through an eternity of bliss
the matchless charm of autumn leaves !
Boscawen lies on the west side of the Merrimack River, which is
its eastern boundary. It is a very handsome and interesting town,
its principal village being a broad avenue, about two miles in extent,
ornamented with fine old trees, which give a picturesque and pleas-
ant air to the place, and afford a welcome shade in the heat of the
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
95
:
summer months. The Blackwater, a tributary of the Contoocook,
has its course entirely through this town, parallel with, and about
four miles from the Merrimack, and, having falls, it affords many
mill privileges, which are well improved. The original settlers
erected a log fort, one hundred feet square and ten or twelve feet
high, to protect themselves against the savages, and for more than
twenty years this afforded them their only protection.
In 1746, Thomas Cook, a negro, was killed by the Indians, and
a man named Jones was carried to Canada, and there died. In
the year 1754, Nathaniel Maloon, and his entire family, consisting
of his wife and five children, were taken captives, and carried to
Canada, where they were held in servitude nearly four years. In
1756, Edward Emery and Ezekiel Flanders were killed while on
a hunting expedition, and there was no safety or security anywhere
except under the immediate protection of an armed guard.
The first bridge over the Merrimack, below the forks, in Frank-
lin, spans the river on the highway from Boscawen to Canterbury.
At the confluence of the Contoocook with the Merrimack, which
occurs near the southern boundary of the town, there is an island
belonging to Boscawen which will remain forever famous for the
heroic daring of a brave and determined woman. The terrible
tragedy which was enacted on this island one hundred and seventy
years ago, is unparalleled by the creation of the most fertile imag-
ination, and will live in the annals of New England as long as
heroism shall continue to be a virtue.
On the fifteenth of March, 1698, Mrs. Dustin, her infant, a week
old, and Mary Neff, her nurse, were taken captive by a party of
Indians, at Haverhill, Mass. Mrs. Dustin was driven from her bed,
and compelled to accompany her savage captors. After they had
proceeded a short distance, the child becoming a worthless burden
to them, one of the number put a period to the troubles and suffer-
ings of the innocent by dashing its brains out against a convenient
tree. Proceeding up the Merrimack with the nurse and the mother,
sick, exhausted, and overwhelmed with anguish at the sight of this
shocking cruelty, the party encamped on this island, which is known
as Dustin Island. The landing here was designed only as a tem-
porary rest for the savages, who intended to continue their journey
up the river to an Indian settlement, where they proposed, for the
. 96
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
amusement of themselves and confusion of the prisoners, that they
should perform the ceremony of running the gauntlet.
Aware of the cruelties practised upon their victims, Mrs. Dustin,
in her desperation, formed a determination to exterminate, if pos-
sible, the savages, and liberate herself and fellow-prisoners. Her
companions, the nurse, and a lad, Samuel Leonardson, who had
been previously captured by the same party near Worcester, were
informed of her intentions, and instructed, as well as possible,
in the details of the enterprise. The Indians, worn down with
fatigue by their long and rapid retreat up the river, after re-
freshing themselves, sank on the ground, and soon fell into a pro-
found slumber. Now was the favorable opportunity, and the heroic
woman, undaunted by the strength, skill, agility, and numerical
superiority of her captors, proceeded to execute her daring scheme.
By the aid of the nurse and lad, and the murderous implements of
the savages, she despatched ten of them. A woman of the party
escaped, and a boy was purposely left unharmed. Scalping the
slain, and freighting one of their best canoes with a few supplies,
arms, etc., this weak but resolute party headed their frail bark
down the Merrimack towards home, and arrived safely in Haverhill
to the infinite surprise and indescribable joy of their friends.
The self-sacrificing devotion of Mary Neff, in her determination
to remain with her mistress and share her dangers, rather than to
escape, which she could have easily done, thus leaving Mrs. Dustin
alone to her fate, appears not only to have been providential,
the terrible tragedy could not have been successfully enacted
without her assistance, but is worthy of the highest commen-
dation.
as
In the year 1828 a portion of each of the towns of Andover, Salis-
bury, Northfield, and Sanbornton was taken and erected into a
separate town called Franklin, which has, during its comparatively
brief existence, exhibited considerable enterprise, and is a flourishing
and progressive community.
For several years past, as well as at present, Franklin has advanced
in population and resources. A variety of mechanical works, hosiery-
mills, etc., are in operation. Aiken's famous knitting-machine was
invented and manufactured here, and has been a source of wealth to
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
97.
the inventor, as well as a great labor-saving machine and improve-
ment in the manufacture of knit over and under garments.
Franklin is the terminus of the Bristol Branch Railroad. The
Northern Railroad Concord to White River Junction passes
through the town, and, as the road is above the roofs of many of
the houses, the attention of the passenger is arrested in passing
through it, and in those who are constitutionally timid a slight ner-
vousness is liable to be superinduced.
Arriving at the forks of the Merrimack, the topography and con-
dition of the country present so marked a difference from that at its
source as to at once arrest attention. Broad intervals and gently
undulating uplands in a high state of cultivation, in richest ver-
dure clad, betoken an excellent soil and a thrifty and industrious
farming community. Thus pleasantly located is the enterprising
village of Franklin, about one-fourth of a mile from the forks of the
Merrimack.
Here at the forks the bony shad and the sinewy salmon, in the
palmy days of the migratory tribes, parted company; the former
taking the dark, tepid waters of the lake; the latter the cool, bright
current of the Pemigewasset, whose countless cascades and cataracts,
and rumbling, tumbling, foaming falls afforded this unequalled fish
the element he preferred, and the exercise in which he so much de-
lighted. Pitting his great strength and agility against the resisting
power of the rapid current, he headed towards its source among the
mountains, where, like other sensible beings, in the secluded retreat
of the pure, cold pools, darkened by the shadows of the great sur-
rounding mountains and forests, he passed the dog-star period in
security, comfort, and repose. Shooting with the velocity of an
arrow across the boiling, turbulent waters of the falls, he regained
his summer residence from year to year, until shut out from the
land or water of his nativity by the impassable barrier at Law-
rence.
13
98
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
CHAPTER IV.
The Forks. Winnipesaukee Lake and River. -Pickerel Fishing.—The Wiers. - La-
conia. Capt. Lovewell. - Centre Harbor.-Moultonborough. Red Hill. Sand-
wich.
-
HAVING arrived at the forks of the Merrimack in Franklin,
namely, the Pemigewasset and the Winnipesaukee, it will be proper
to turn attention to the latter stream and its great reservoir. It is
at the confluence of these two streams that the Merrimack takes its
name, a name, whenever and wherever heard, suggestive of bright
waters, industrious, prosperous, and happy communities, great fac-
tories filled with intricate and delicate machinery, and bright eyes
and nimble and cunning hands to guide its movements.
Lake Winnipesaukee, the source of the river of the same name,
is a large and magnificent sheet of water. It may be regarded as
the grand central plateau of New Hampshire waters. The name is
of Indian derivation, and has not unfrequently been erroneously
interpreted as signifying "The Smile of the Great Spirit." This,
however, is incorrect; it being rendered literally signifies the "beau-
tiful water of the high place." The lake is something more than
twenty miles in length, and affords a scene of unsurpassed loveliness.
Like the glimmer glass of Cooper it spreads away like a liquid sheet
of burnished silver in the bright sunlight, and forests rising high
along its emerald banks mirror and reproduce themselves deep in its
placid bosom. A calm serenity sits enthroned upon its polished
surface, except when moderate breezes stir it into dancing ripples, or
strong gales move it to gentle undulations.
On
This lake has many notable features. It is reputed to contain,
like other famous waters, the inevitable three hundred and sixty-five
islands. Whether this is so or not, the islands are numerous.
some of them are many farms of excellent and unusually productive
land; others are used solely for pasturing, and herds of cattle and
large numbers of sheep here find a splendid summer resort, securely.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
99
enclosed, no trouble to the owner or his neighbor, and at the same
time entirely self-sustaining; others are used solely for the gather-
ing of picnic and excursion parties which resort here from long dis-
tances as well as the immediate neighborhood of the lake; and
public-spirited or speculating individuals have erected permanent
buildings, furnished with all the modern conveniences for innocent
recreation for old and young, for religious societies as well as for
the world's people; and here, throughout the summer season, crowds
disembark from the steamers daily almost, having fled from the swel-
tering brick walls of pent-up cities, armed with all the needed sup-
plies and luxuries to enjoy a holiday of social and rational pleasure,
to indulge in the exciting and exhilarating sport of fishing and other
amusements, and to drink of the waters of the translucent fountains,
cool and refreshing from the mountains.
There are, also, many islands in this magnificent lake, luxuriant in
majestic forest-trees, wild in matted and tangled undergrowth, like
monster emeralds in a silver setting, or like an Oriental picture,
the permanent haunt of the rattlesnake, and the temporary resort of
the strong-lunged loon and other aquatic fowl. Considering the
great size of this lake, its water-shed is extremely limited, so much
so, that it is a great wonder how it maintains as steadily as it does
its maximum depth. The topography of the surrounding territory
would appear to the view well adapted to supply the feeders of this
great body of water, but no stream of any magnitude finds its way
into it. A narrow strip of territory skirting the lake shore sup-
plies the usual small brooks, and these comprise the sum-total of its
affluents. The extensive country stretching away to the north some
twenty or thirty miles to the Sandwich Mountains, whose inclina-
tion is to the southward, including the country some distance to the
east and west, would seem to be the natural supply for the lake; but
this is not so. The Bearcamp River rises among these mountains,
and, after approaching within a few miles of Winnipesaukee, trends
eastward and discharges its waters into the Ossipee Lake, from thence
disgorged through the Ossipee River into the Saco.
It will be seen that, while the Ossipee, an inconsiderable body of
water, only six or eight miles in its greatest length, receives the
waters of two rivers, -the Bearcamp and Pine, the Winnipesau-
kee, more than four times its size, is fed by no stream of any great
100
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
......
consequence, the outlet of Goose or Measley Pond, which falls into
the Winnipesaukee at Meredith Village, being one of its largest af-
fluents. Discharging an important river, and constantly maintaining
full banks, its poverty of resource, and the extensive surface pre-
sented to the depleting process of evaporation, this lake is a problem,
the solution of which can only be reached by the conclusion that it
is fed by invisible subterranean springs, very large and numerous.
Nearly all of the territory on the eastern side is drained by the
Cochecho, which has its source or sources in the immediate vicinity,
and it is well established that the lake can easily be turned and
drained into the Cochecho instead of its present channel, thus
making a vast difference in the power of the noble Merrimack; for,
without this important tributary, and more especially without this
indispensable reservoir, the supply would fall short. Experience
and a wise forecast combined have led the great companies along the
river to provide artificial means to reduce the whole extent of this
vast reservoir several feet, to meet the contingencies of hot weather
and dry seasons.
The lake abounds in fish of many varieties; the lake trout and the
pickerel being the most important and valuable. Cusk are much
prized by many, and perch and horned-pout may be taken at any
time, by the most inexperienced anglers, in quantities to suit. A
variety of salt-water fish were some years since placed in this lake
by experimenting parties; but as nothing was seen or known of them
afterwards, it was presumed they found their level either in a "wa-
tery grave" or through the channel of the Winnipesaukee and the
Merrimack in a more congenial clement, the briny deep.
Lake trout are taken, but not so plentiful or so large as formerly;
still an occasional laker of gratifying dimensions is hooked, varying
in size from three to thirty pounds. In June, 1868, one was
taken out weighing seventeen and a half pounds. The sportsman is
always liable to procure a coveted contest with at least one of these
stout and powerful fellows. Deep fishing is the only mode of taking
them; and, proceeding to the approved fishing-grounds in a skiff,
with an oarsman to assist, the sportsman takes the soundings, which
vary from sixty to eighty feet, then lowers the hook, attached to a
strong line, sufficiently near the bottom, and nervously awaits the
issue. Unmistakable demonstrations from the deep, warning him that
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
101
the prize is hooked, the sportsman now turns his attention and skill
to the work of securing the trout. Practice and prudence are now
required for a safe and successful issue of the contest. The fish, dis-
covering his condition, makes tremendous efforts to free himself, and
requires to be reeled in and run out with a firm hand and a taut
line until exhausted, or, as it is termed, "drowned," before he can
safely be secured.
But the pickerel is the most plentiful and the most valuable of the
lake fisheries. Summer and winter alike the business of catching
pickerel is prosecuted with great success. In winter, it is estimated
that five thousand lines are the average of the daily set, whenever
the weather will permit. Ice fishing may be described thus: —
A party of two proceed with axe and chisel and cut from thirty
to fifty holes in the ice, this being the number they can properly
attend to. They then proceed to sound the depth of water in each
hole successively, and set the hook. The depth of water is usually
from three to five yards, and the line is gauged a little short of the
depth required; a movable signal of colored cloth is attached to the
line; a live, red-finned shiner hooked directly under the dorsal fin
and lowered through the hole; the other end of the line is secured
firmly to some object, and the slack of the line near the signal is
attached to a slender twig a foot or more above the ice. All the
lines being set, the fishermen carefully watch the going down of the
signals, which occur when the pickerel takes the bait. In this man-
ner they often secure large fares, and have lively work to care for all
the lines properly. Many of the inhabitants about the lake have
shanties constructed on a sort of sled, provided with comforts and
accommodations for sleeping and cooking, and, when the ice is suf-
ficiently strong, oxen and horses are attached, and they are hauled
upon the lake to the fishing-grounds, and rented to parties, affording
a considerable revenue to the enterprising proprietors.
Summer fishing is, however, if not more profitable, much more
comfortable and exciting. At this season the numerous and exten-
sive estuaries and coves which indent the shore are all alive with
pickerel, prowling in quest of prey among the reeds and rushes along
the marshes, or watching for the little blue fly securely hidden under
the lily-pads, nuphar advena, that cover the surface with their
broad leaves to the very brink of deep water. Seated in the bow of
102
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
a boat, with a careful sculler in the stern, armed with a twenty-two-
foot rod and line to match, the boat pushes carefully along fifteen or
twenty yards outside the line of water-grass; the hook, baited with a
frog's leg peeled, is handled out and made to ricochet along the sur-
face. The pickerel whirls out from his hiding-place, and, with a
powerful muscular movement, rushes upon the prey; at this time, ap-
parently, in a completely inverted attitude. Experts differ as to the
best mode of proceeding from this point, —some contending that, as
he instinctively strikes his jaws together with great force to despatch
his prey before swallowing it, it is impossible to pull the hook away
from him; consequently he is sure to be fastened. . Others endorse the
theory that he never swallows the bait until satisfied that it is both
killed and palatable. Convinced that the frog's leg possesses the
latter quality, he is allowed to proceed with it in his own way. Hav-
ing got it in his mouth, he invariably retires to the vicinity of the
bottom, but a short distance, to test its quality. It is necessary to
keep a tolerably straight line on him during this time, as he always
moves the moment he swallows the bait, and this movement is a
signal to take him in. It is believed that the latter mode is much
the surest and safest, as it hooks him stronger and more certain,
although practice is required to land him safely in the boat. The
pickerel is an excellent pan-fish, second only in value and quality to
the trout, and is, like the latter, a most important item of New
Hampshire inland fishing; and, although he is not found in brooks,
or in the cold waters of the mountains, like the trout, he is indigenous
to all the other waters of the State, rivers as well as lakes and ponds.
One feature, not, however, peculiar to these waters, but which
adorns and beautifies them, is the starry magnificence of the milky
way of the great white water-lily of midsummer, which here flour-
ishes in more than Oriental luxuriance and splendor, and may prop-
erly be termed the queen of the New England flora. Gathered in
huge bunches, with long and leathery stems like coils of lacings,
and placed in capacious vases on parlor tables, they are regally grand
to look upon, and emit an incomparable delicacy and richness of
fragrance, an intoxicating perfume pervading the house; but here is
not the theatre of their greatest attraction. Floating buoyant and
graceful along the lake, they seem an endless city, a great London,
in miniature palaces of ivory and gold.
•
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
103
The Victoria Regia may be a superbly royal flower, the Egyptian
Lotus may be famed above all ordinary productions, but the water-
lily of New England can never be surpassed in grace and beauty, in
the untold wealth of its unequalled fragrance, or in the hearts of all
classes or sorts of people. The little barefoot hails them with no less
eagerness and delight than the lady of refined taste, or even the
grave and grizzled merchant prince. Shutting the gates to their
golden citadel at close of day, as if to avoid the darkness and gloom
and the contaminating miasma of night, and opening their bright
eyes with the opening day, they typify the pure and noble in human
life and character, and symbolize by their natural beauty and purity,
the genuine Christian heart, bestowing on all alike, the humble and
the high, their generous fragrance.
Several steamboats ply across the lake, bearing immense numbers of
tourists and pleasure-seekers towards their destination, the mountain
region, —and there can be no more perfect paradise on earth imagined
than the hurricane-deck of one of these floating palaces on a hot sum-
mer day, swiftly gliding over the lake; to see the gems of islands
dotting all the vast expanse of water, and the white water-lily gently
floating, securely anchored by its stem, or humbly dip its head be-
neath the resistless boat, then, rising, kindly waft its grateful fragrance
on the wings of gentle zephyrs over all the scene, while the bright
waters, the deep-green foliage of the shore, the shrill scream of the
loon in the distance, coming like a thrice-told echo to the ear, the
mountains rising in hazy grandeur, scarred with ghastly rifts and
seams, verdant meadows, cornfields, and green pastures of flocks and
herds, all these combined, make up a landscape view, a gorgeous
panorama, which may be seen and enjoyed, but not described.
The waters of this lake, although clear, pure, sparkling and
sweet, differ in color from the Pemigewasset or Merrimack, being
darker; the difference is so marked as to be readily told fifty miles
below where the great reservoir is tapped. New Hampshire is
justly proud of her inland waters, foremost of which are the Mer-
rimack and Winnipesaukee. In this feeling all the people of every
section cordially unite. Nor is she selfish in this matter; for she
pours out her boundless wealth of waters into the lap of her sister
State, the latter equally with herself enjoying the benefits of the
unrivalled Merrimack and all its tributaries. They are not only of
104
THE MERRIMACK RIVER ;
great importance and value at the present time, but are of great
historic interest. The extent and variety of manufacturing and
mechanical business carried on by the indispensable aid of these
waters is one of the principal sources of her thrift, and a main
avenue to that position of independence and wealth she now occu-
pies and enjoys, in spite of the adverse circumstances of high lati-
tude and ungenerous soil. Some of her noblest sons, best known to
fame, were raised along these waters, and some have found in this
beloved valley a final earthly resting-place; others, less known to
fame, yet no less worthy men, who, although perhaps untutored,
entertaining a just appreciation of liberty and independence, marched
bravely through from Bunker Hill to Yorktown, making a more
telling and conspicuous mark upon the enemy than on the muster-
roll.
It is no new thing that the lake should be the centre of attraction,
or a thoroughfare for a great number of people. It has been so for
hundreds of years, the only change being in the character and object
of those, who, in the rolling decades of time, have made their way
hither. Indians came here to collect and carry away their subsist-
ence, provided by the beneficent hand of nature; then followed
next his relentless and exterminating pursuer, and lo! the poor In-
dian was faced westward to the land of sunset, where the sun of his
race will presently set in darkness and in blood, to rise no more.
Then followed the woodman's axe, that mighty leveller, toil and
mechanism, enterprise, trade and pleasure-seekers; and, finally, they
came to take the very waters that bred the Indian's meat.
Winnipesaukee is an Indian name, and is derived from winne
(beautiful), nipe (water), and kees (high), and auke (a place); and
the Indian tribe that inhabited the territory adjacent to the lake took
the name, the Winnipesaukee, as well as the lake itself, "Beautiful
water of the high place." Nothing can exceed the native simplicity
of this descriptive title given by these untutored savages, showing
an appreciative and admirable taste for the grand and beautiful,
which may profitably be studied by some enlightened people whose
nobler natures seem to be swallowed up in the pursuit of lucre, and
who see no beauty in anything, unless it has a visible dollar in it.
Another interpretation has frequently been given to this word, which,
entirely inaccurate, is yet exquisitely beautiful, and has, no doubt,
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
105
been suggested by its eminent appropriateness: "The smile of the
Great Spirit." Emphatically a "smile," equally to the Indian and
the white man, of the Great Spirit, this lovely lake has been. To
the white man it has been a teeming and inexhaustible source of
pleasure and profit, and is literally a fountain of untold wealth to
him and his posterity. To the Indian it was a granary
was a granary and a treas-
ury, affording him the means of subsistence, material for all his
implements, primitive, yet indispensable to him, whether on the war-
path, the chase, or in the economy of his family and domestic
arrangements. It also afforded him the means of travel and com-
munication with his neighbors; and the alluvial bottoms, quite nu-
merous about the lake, cultivated by the squaws, served for his scanty
tillage, providing him with gourds, and also an opportunity to in-
dulge in that indispensable Indian institution, the green-corn dance.
Like all the tribes of the Merrimack valley, the Winnipesaukees
were tributaries and confederates of the powerful and warlike nation
of the Pennacooks, and it is said that the established or customary
holidays of the Indians were a sort of movable feasts of the Penna-
cook confederacy, alternating between the leading fishing-places,
such as Pawtucket, "Namoskeag" and Winnipesaukee, and the
prominent points where game was collected, and the agricultural
districts, although the latter, being few and very limited, were of
secondary and inconsiderable importance or consequence. The Win-
nipesaukees maintained a permanent fish-weir, or ahquedaukenash,*
as they called it, at the outlet of the lake where all the tribes were
cordially invited to assemble for the spring and fall catch, and all
who could, attended. One remarkable fact connected with the fish-
ing at this place was that nothing but shad were captured. Of all
the migratory tribes that left the sea in the spring for their spawn-
ing-ground, the shad alone reached the lake, the eel seeking the
congenial mud; the alewives, being small fry, took to the smaller
brooks and ponds, where the absence of large fish rendered it less
hazardous to their ova. Salmon and shad proceeded together, until,
reaching the forks of the Merrimack in the town of Franklin, they
parted company; the salmon heading up the Pemigewasset, which,
having its sources high up among the mountains, and its course
* The last syllable of this word ash — attached to an Indian noun, signifies the plural
number; applied to inanimate things.
—
14
106
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
through a long stretch of shady forests, afforded those cold waters,
ripples, plunging torrents, dark pools, and wild whirling eddies, in
which this magnificent fish so much delighted, and where they found
their favorite spawning-grounds. Shad, as peculiar and unanimous
in their tastes, preferring warmer and more quiet waters, took to the
Winnipesaukee, and through that river passed into the lake in
countless myriads, where there was ample room and favorable oppor-
tunities for the development of the millions of eggs that were re-
quired to supply the waste of the original stock, constantly depleted
by ravenous fish, and a still more insatiate enemy, the red-skin.
"Ahquedaukenash" signifies, literally, a dam, or stopping-place,
and was constructed in this wise: Large granite boulders were placed
in an irregular line across the river, the boulders representing the
angles of a crooked rail-fence, and at a proper distance below the
falls. Wherever it was practicable, strong sapling stakes were driven
into the bed of the river, and used for the same purpose, or took the
place of rocks; but at the outlet of the Winnipesaukee this was im-
practicable, owing to the solid character of the river-bed. Having
thus prepared the foundation, the rocks being some ten or twelve
feet apart, a netting was then woven of twigs and tough and pliable
bark, with meshes sufficiently close to prevent the fish escaping.
This was strung entirely across the river, above and against the
rocks, excepting a space between one or two of the rocks or stakes,
these being left open for the fish to pass through in their progress up
the river; through these openings the whole force of the fish must
and did pass.
As few of them scaled the falls until after repeated efforts, and the
rapidly advancing "school" crowded steadily through the opening, it
follows that the pen, or ahquedaukenash, was soon full. Now was the
time for the Indian shad-catcher. Expert fishermen, and such others
as were selected and appointed for the purpose, manned the canoes
and pushed boldly out among the pent-up prisoners, and with spear
and dip-net lost no time in filling the canoe, in this regard illustrat-
ing the old maxim, "Make hay while the sun shines." Returning
freighted heavily, they handed them to the squaws, who stood ready,
knife in hand, to split the fish, and hang them up to smoke for win-
ter on the centre-pole of the wigwam, or laid them out to dry in the
sun on improvised flakes.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTÁRIES.
107
Sports were indulged in, varying nearly from the sublime quite to
the ridiculous, serious, laughable, and grotesque; speech-making,
feasting, and frolicking. Generally the soft and tender emotions were
indulged in, and the young lover poured the tale of his long-cherished
affection in a deep, overcoming guttural into the willing ears of his
tan-colored charmer, and bent down a strong sapling to symbolize the
tenacity of his affection and how much it could yield without giving
way; or, perhaps, to insinuate how he would "double up" any
luckless wight who should have the temerity to offer to put a ring in
her nose.
Holidays and holiday-rites were frequent among the Indians,
the male portion of them, the squaw's first genuine holiday coming
generally when she died. While living she was a mere drudge; her
sphere was to do all the work of every description in doors and out.
She was first to recognize the unquestioned superiority of the status
of her lord and master, anticipate and provide for all his wants,
keep the wigwam in (Indian) shape, prepare the game and fish for
preservation, or for present use, care for the pappooses, cultivate the
gourd, the pompion, and the maize, and grind the latter for table
use, and then devote herself assiduously to ornamental needlework.
In this they were tasty, skilful, and active. Beside moccasins, belts,
and head-gear, they wrought broad blankets with beads, fancy feath-
ers, and bones of animals in fanciful and fantastic patterns, in many
cases showing a genius for combination and display artistic and mer-
itorious. It may seem strange, with all their other duties, arduous
and severe, toilsome and wearing, and in the face of the discouraging
fact that none of this finery was for their own adornment, but for
their imperious and idle lords, that they should have found either
time or inclination to prosecute the ornamental art to the extent they
did; but it must be remembered that tradition and custom made her
uncomplainingly and willingly subservient. Even this is less than
the fact; for she taxed her ingenuity and strength, but never her pa-
tience, to devise or invent some new surprise, some ornament more
beautiful and rare, with which to greet him on his return from the
war-path or the chase. That the Indian woman should differ so
widely from the white in this respect, in her sheer unselfishness in
abdicating regard for personal adornment in favor of her husband, in
>
108
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
her self-sacrificing devotion,
all this may not be strange, for was
she not a barbarian and a pagan ?
The tribes of the Merrimack valley, consisting of the Winnipe-
saukees, Pennacooks, Souhegans, Nashuas, Wamesits, and Agawams,
of which the Pennacooks were the acknowledged head, were united
in a powerful offensive and defensive confederacy, to which belonged,
in addition to those named, other Indians, both in New Hampshire
and Maine. All of these were undoubtedly entitled to indulge in
fishing, under Indian regulations, in any or all the waters of the ter-
ritory of the Pennacook nation. With hooks made of bone, dip-nets,
spears, and other rude devices, it was prosecuted from necessity, but
generally on a small scale and with indifferent success, except at the
ahquedaukenash, where the unfailing supply and the assembling of
the representatives of all the tribes made this a festival of great note
and consequence among the Indians.
The permanent ahquedauken at the foot of Lake Winnipesaukee
was of substantial construction, portions of it remaining long after
most of the emblems and monuments of aboriginal occupation had
gone to that oblivion to which the doomed projectors were ultimately
consigned; but though the Indian is gone, and the "stopping-place"
is gone, and the salmon and shad are gone, the name still remains,
and the fish-weir of the native, far away in the heart of an unknown
wilderness, is now familiar throughout the land as "The Weirs," a
crowded thoroughfare on the route of travel to the mountains, at the
foot of the lake. How changed the scene! Where the red man
grubbed for a few stalks of stinted corn, the ploughshare, bright
with use, turns up the teeming soil; the rude fish-weir has given
way to skilful artificial arrangements for taking the water from the
lake at will; the frail canoe has given place to the palatial steam-
boat, and the primitive and picturesque costume of a bearskin tied
about the waist became unbecoming and disappeared before the resist-
less march of fashion; and elegant fabrics from the Eastern World,
with length and breadth enough to gratify the most ardent admirer
of extravagant proportions, mark the difference between the eco-
nomical and scanty provisions of mother nature and the productions
of art and skill. In brief, the change of proprietors has wrought a
change in all else, and it may be truly said that countless ages rolled
away, and left it still a howling wilderness, while the lapse of two hun-
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
109
dred years under the beneficent influence of civilization has made it
blossom like the rose. Where the fearful war-whoop resounded from
crag to cliff, waking the echoes of the dismal forest, and the prowl-
ing wolf howled a dire homesickness to the benighted and solitary
forest ranger, and the splash of the paddle as the dexterous red man
"feathered his oar," or the plunge of the gigantic moose as he laved
his unwieldy bulk in the tranquil waters of the lake, or the loud scream
of the loon as it called to its mate across the tranquil bosom of its
waters, where sounds like these, and only such as these, were heard,
the iron horse now tears along, bearing his endless trains of humanity
and merchandise, the pleasant sounds of spindle, loom, and anvil are
heard through all the day; and on the very spot where stood the red
man's wigwam—a rude, uncomfortable hovel — are flourishing vil-
lages of comfortable and elegant dwellings, fine stores, large and con-
venient workshops, and an intelligent, industrious, enterprising, and
thrifty population. What has wrought this great change? Precisely
the same generous earth exists that grew the Indian's scanty vegetable
products; the same pellucid waters spread out like a broad mirror and
roll their never-ending tide down to the unsated ocean; the same
mountains, towering high, moody, and silent, stand guard and senti-
nel around; the same translucent atmosphere pervades all things and
places, and above all the same genial sun rolls on, as it has for num-
berless centuries, warming and fructifying; and the seasons come in
turn as they have always done. Then why this change? Has there
been a new dispensation of providential favors? No; it is the superior
organization, mental and physical, of the Caucasian race. Persever-
ance, native skill, untiring industry, handicraft, cunning, under intelli-
gent direction, and, above all, the genius of the white man's government,
liberty restrained by law that it may not degenerate into lawless-
ness and license,—these are the predominating and pre-eminent causes.
of the immeasurable difference between the red man and the white.
On leaving the lake, Lake Village, an enterprising and flourish-
ing village in the town of Guilford, is reached at a short distance
from the foot of the lake. Possibly this observation may be incor-
rect; for, although the outlet of the lake proper is a river most in-
disputably, having all the characteristics, a rapid and unchanging
current and a pebbly bottom, confined to a channel, and having, also,
the legal status of a river, yet a little further down it debouches
110
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
into a broad lake, and may not, perhaps, improperly be regarded as
an extension of the lake proper, especially as it maintains the char-
acter of a lake for ten or fifteen miles below the above-named village.
When the town of Meredith was divided, the southerly part, in-
cluding what was formerly known as Meredith Bridge, was set off
and incorporated as a separate town, under the name of Laconia.
This is a large and flourishing town. About a mile below Lake Vil-
lage is the principal village, on the opposite side of the river, and,
like Amesbury and Salisbury, in Massachusetts, it is difficult to de-
cide where one terminates and the other begins. Laconia was long
since the name by which all this region of country was known, and
it is presumed that this fact, together with the other, namely, the
town of Meredith being an unwieldy territory, was the reason why
the town was divided. In this village, as in the adjoining one, there
are extensive manufactories. The largest companies at the present
time are, the Belknap, capital $100,000; Guilford Hosiery Co.,
$50,000; Ranlet Co., $15,000. In Lake Village are situated the
repair-shops of the Boston, Concord, and Montreal Railroad; and,
scattered through both, are mechanical works varying from shoe-pegs
to locomotive engines.
Only on mature reflection can the incalculable benefit of these
manufactories located along the route of this river and its tributaries
be realized. Flourishing cities and beautiful villages have sprung
up from the very rocks and sands which were hitherto valueless ter-
ritory, and which, but for this river, might, perhaps, have remained
forever an unproductive waste. It has collected together a vast capi-
tal, inventive genius and talent, and created an immense number of
skilful artisans, mechanics and workmen, and a thrifty and industri-
ous population, thus making the capital, skill, and labor reciprocally
remunerative. These communities have afforded the neighboring
country a profitable and steady market wherein to buy, sell, or ex-
change; made cotton and woollen fabrics so abundant as to be afforded,
elegant and cheap, to distant and less favored people, and secured to
the United States a well-merited reputation in this branch of busi-
ness, equal in all respects-beauty, style, quality and finish, du-
rability and cheapness-to that of older and more experienced
countries. Indeed, the Merrimack River manufacturers enter confi-
dently into the expositions of the whole world, and bear away in
·
4
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
111
•
triumph the gold medal and other evidences of superiority over a
prodigious array of reputation, capital, organization, and skill long
established. Thus it is that the immense business created by this
fine river is not only a benefit at home, but has its beneficent ramifi-
cations throughout every channel of the country.
How long the Merrimack has maintained its present condition and
appearance it is impossible even to conjecture. Certain it is that at
some period, far in the dim, distant past, the river was one continuous
chain of lakes, whose barriers, being worn by water, ice, and drifting
wood, have successively given way until this whole system of collected
waters was drained and ultimately reduced to, and confined within,
the present banks. Extensive alluvial deposits indicate the former
character of these waters, and their location and dimensions can still
be distinctly traced, while far below the surface are found well-de-
fined vegetable deposits, logs, and other foreign matter brought here
and left, perhaps, for evidence of these facts, far away from the pres-
ent channel of the river. If more proof were needed, it is supplied
by the peculiar stratification of the soil, which is regarded by scien-
tific men and geologists as conclusive on this point.
The great bay, and even Lake Winnipesaukee itself, are cited as
still existing portions of the former condition; and who shall say
when the time will come that from the northern extremity of the
lake to the forks at Franklin nothing but a rapid and noisy river
shall mark the former existence of these invaluable and beautiful
waters. It has already been observed that the neighborhood of
Lake Winnipesaukee was a famous place for the Indians to con-
gregate. From here they went down to Cocheco, Dunstable, or
other places, to barter with the whites, or swept down upon the al-
most defenceless colonists in their most fearful raids, impelled by a
savage barbarity and a thirst for human blood. At that time the
whole of the vast region stretching away to the north, beyond
the head-quarters of the Pennacooks, now Concord, was unexplored
and entirely unknown, except the French settlements in Canada;
consequently the settlers along the Cocheco, the Piscataqua, and
the lower Merrimack were without even the ability to conjecture
the hordes of barbarians this wilderness was capable of producing
and pouring down at a moment when least expected upon the
defenceless settlers. This want of knowledge of the number and
112
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
condition of their adroit and implacable foes annoyed them exceed-
ingly, and caused them to become vigilant, active, and always on
the alert, and was the cause, even more than their numbers or
courage, of constantly frustrating the exterminating designs in-
dulged in by the savages.
Had the tribes proved as numerous, determined, and well pre-
pared as was feared, the progress of the colonies, not only in New
Hampshire but Massachusetts likewise, must have been greatly
impeded, if not altogether stopped. As it was, they would often
swoop down upon the scattered settlements as swift, sudden, and
unexpected as the hawk, and if they often met his fate they still
managed to inflict material injury upon the victims. While this
state of things existed, men were cut down in the forest, and in the
clearing. Everywhere they went armed, often throwing out pickets
to protect them while at work. Families awoke at dead of night to
hear the fearful war-whoop, to see their homes enveloped in flames,
and the deadly tomahawk and the dreaded scalping-knife gleam in
the light of the burning dwelling. Without succor, and with no
hope of escape, to be resigned and to die was all that was left for
them, unless it was desirable to have a little barbarous diversion in
the shape of torture. In the event of torture being determined
upon, savage ingenuity was taxed to devise or invent a refinement
of cruelty which would afford frightful and ferocious amusement.
Midnight massacre, and the little less preferable captivity, were
the ghosts of every household; and the man who had a family to
protect and provide for, could relax from his duties only to turn his
mind upon the terrible fate which possibly, nay, probably, awaited
himself and his. But this state of things was not to last forever.
It was only a question of time. The indomitable white man was
not to be exterminated by a race so untutored, nor his spirit sub-
dued, nor his enterprise long checked, nor his prospects for a glo-
rious career blighted. Not he. Facing a severe climate, fierce
wild beasts, an unsubdued wilderness, and ferocious and implacable
human foes, he went steadily forward. Slow at first, to be sure, but
still he went on, until, by his irresistible energy, he penetrated far-
ther and farther into the depths of the unexplored wilds, driving his
enemy before him, until at length his foot was so firmly planted
that his desperate and terrible foe, giving up the contest in dismay
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
113
:
and despair, retired beyond the reach of the invader, and left his
birthright and his soil in the undisputed possession of the pale-
face.
The wheel of fortune is ever rolling, and he who stands on its
topmost segment to-day may experience a revolution so sudden and
overwhelming, that he is crushed, as by the car of Juggernaut, into
the dust to-morrow. So it was with the doomed race.
With no
idea of retributive justice, with no thought of the possibility of re-
verse, or a change of the situation, the Indians were remorseless,
sparing neither age, sex, or condition; but the war-club, the knife,
tomahawk, and arrow, the conflagration, torture, and the dreaded
captivity, were meted out unsparingly whenever opportunity offered ;
but now the other side had the "innings," and laid themselves out
for a large score rather than for fancy playing. Having been
trained in his school to the perpetration of barbarities, cool and
deliberate, the white man tried his hand at articles hardly less
savage than their own. A price was set upon his toplock the same
as on the wolf, and other wild animals, only much higher, and the
more daring and venturesome among the population turned their
attention to the hunting and scalping of Indians.
Among the most famous of these was Capt. Lovewell, of Dun-
stable, who repeatedly followed them along the Merrimack as far as
this lake, and even penetrated to the country of the Pequaukets. He
freely roamed the country of the Winnipesaukees, and with his
valiant band traversed the entire circumference, and crossed and
recrossed the known territory of this tribe of the famous, once pow-
erful, and dreaded Pennacooks. Seeking indemnity for the past and
security for the future, they traversed the wilds of New Hampshire,
making this lake on each successive scout, as here was the most
probable place to pick up a fresh trail.
That Capt. Lovewell, who explored this lake country, was a
bold, energetic, and determined man, there can be no doubt, but
whether his skill and prudence as an Indian hunter warrants the
famous reputation which he seems to have left behind, is quite
another question. It is true he led his men to a great success in
the capture of a party of ten Indians in what is now the town of
Wakefield, annihilating the entire band; but this achievement was
not accomplished at any risk, for it was like shooting a wolf in
.
15
114
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
•
?
a trap. However, taking the scalps, stretching them on hoops, and
elevating them on poles, they 'marched proudly into Boston, and
received their reward in pounds and shillings.
The great success of this party inflamed the passion for adventure
and for gain. Many believed, after the result of this expedition be-
came known, that the Indians had lost their courage, their cunning,
and their caution, and supposed that it would be like shooting rabbits,
only more profitable; and reflecting that the bounty was, all things
considered, equal to the profits on an acre of corn, besides exchang-
ing labor for sport and recreation, they flocked to the standard of the
Indian-hunters in considerable numbers. On his second expedition,
Captain Lovewell seems to have met with very different success.
His bravery, and that of his men, proves that he could stand against
overwhelming odds; but it seems that he must have lacked the
essential elements of success in a contest with such a wary and
cunning adversary, - prudence and caution.
That he forfeited his life, and that of most of his men, does not
qualify his rashness, or want of reasonable prudence. All it proves
is, that, taking his life in his hand, and trusting to what he consid-
ered his qualifications, he was willing to take the responsibility of
the position. He risked all, and lost all. However, he taught the
Indians a wholesome lesson, for although they were not defeated and
routed, still they received a punishment so severe as to alarm them
for their security anywhere on this side of the St. Francis country.
Other and stronger motives to be sure actuated and influenced the
inhabitants in their exterminating warfare against the savages. Few
of them but had suffered in the interruption of the labors absolutely
necessary for the sustenance of the family, and very many had been
bereft of relatives and friends under the most atrocious circum-
stances, and, feeling as a man whose sheepfold had been invaded by
ferocious animals, only that the feeling was intensified by the differ-
ence between the loss of friends and property, they determined the
beast should be hunted down.
Knowing, by sad experience, something of the baser character-
istics of the savage, it may not be improper or untruthful to observe,
that the North American Indian possesses, and often displays, in his
nobler nature, those higher excellences and sublime qualities which
adorn and embellish the human character. Were it possible to re-
:
}
!
t
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
115
duce him to a homogeneous condition, and illuminate the dark
recesses of his soul with the genial and germinating rays of a
Christian light, no race could exhibit the elements and emotions
of such a condition more gratifying than he. But this can never
be accomplished. He can be hunted, pushed, exterminated, but
never civilized. It is repulsive to every element of his nature and
aspiration of his soul. Unlike the negro he can never be enslaved,
and, also, unlike that race, he displays a dignity and gravity in the
height of prosperity, or the extremity of adversity, truly refreshing
and worthy of imitation. If he is treacherous and cruel to his
enemies, he is true and kind to his friends. He is not of that school
who think that a good turn deserves another; but shows that he
appreciates it, and realizes that it merits a return; and his memory
is as equally retentive of a favor as an injury. Neither will be for-
gotten. But he can even be brought to overlook injuries when he
realizes that he has no power to resent them, which is a rule with
all men.
That he really possesses this trait in an eminent degree,
Wonnalancet, son and successor of Passaconaway, is a conspicuous
example. Having embraced the Christian religion under the teach-
ings of the Apostle Elliot, this noble son of the forest endured
abuse and ill-treatment from those whose faith he had adopted, that
might have led more considerate people than unlettered savages to
doubt the sincerity, value, or importance of such professions; still,
with his mind imbued with the true spirit of Christianity, never
wavering, he endured all, suffered all; and, though recently re-
deemed from paganism, his example was such as the enlightened
might profit by imitating.
Even in the darkness of barbarism, in the gloom of unmitigated
ignorance, the Indian recognized an overruling Providence; and
for success in the chase, on the war-path, or fishing, for bountiful
harvests of maize and vegetables, for all the good received, he never
failed to offer up to the Great Spirit his grateful acknowledgments:
perhaps too demonstrative to suit the tastes of delicate and polished
Christians, but it was his way, and who shall say it was not as
acceptable as the most studied and eloquent prayer? Having been
educated by his surroundings, he was entirely a child of nature, and
as such, his appreciation and enjoyment of the sublime and beauti-
ful, which was his gospel, would compare favorably with more for-
tunate mortals.
116
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
His favorite haunts were about the high towering mountains, by
the beautiful waterfall, along the bright rolling river, or the great
lake whose placid bosom mirrored the celestial hunting-ground of his
immortality.
Here, and from scenes like these, he drew his inspiration, and
the instinctive generosity and nobility of his impulses proves con-
clusively that he was susceptible to, and had profited by, the lessons
spread out before him on these pages of the great book of Nature.
Such was the natural Indian. True, he could never be a Caucas-
ian. Still, except for the demoralizing contact of civilization, for
the wrongs and crimes perpetrated upon him, for the bad examples
placed before him, and for unjustly seizing and occupying his terri-
tory, compelling him to quitclaim the land of his birth and the
graves of his fathers, or die in the attempt to maintain his right,
had it not been for practices such as these, the red man would not
have been the treacherous, cruel, revengeful fiend of our ideal Ind-
ian, but might have stood forth, a character, native and untrained,
displaying qualifications which it would have honored more pretend-
ing men to copy.
The great, numerous, and powerful Pennacooks, where are they?
Two hundred years have effaced every vestige of the race; they are
rubbed out like a chalk mark on a black-board; every trace of the
blood is obliterated; no scion remains; they have withered as the
grass beneath the pavement, and the places that knew them once
shall know them no more forever. The few fragile and broken
remnants of the race, dispirited, and dimly realizing their ultimate
doom, long since turned their backs on old familiar scenes, on the
conqueror, and their faces to the setting sun, where year by year
his domain is curtailed, and himself more closely environed, until,
at no very distant day, he will be totally and finally obliterated from
the face of this broad land, and become as much of a myth or tra-
dition, as the centaur, the mastodon, or the sphynx.
To the north and east of Lake Winnipesaukee the view is grand
beyond description. Almost from the lake shore the mountains
rise high and still higher, not in regular range or column, but scat-
tered promiscuously around, the picket of the main body of great
mountains behind them.
Centre Harbor at the head of the lake is the objective point of
}
* .
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
117
several lines of mountain travel, radiating from Boston and concen-
trating here, it being the starting-point for all the stages from the
lake to the mountain region.
During the summer the tide of mountain travel is at its flood on
this route, and it is estimated that from one thousand to twelve hun-
dred per week are carried both ways in stages.
Attracted by the famed and romantic beauty of the scenery along
this route, the tourist and comfort seeker, who possess a taste for the
grand and beautiful in nature, will not fail to either go or return by
this route, and thus feast their higher sense on the gorgeous pano-
rama that stretches from the foot of the lake to the summit of Mount
Washington. Though sometimes encompassed by heat, dust, and
discomfort, the compensation is ample, the satisfaction complete.
Centre Harbor is widely known as a summer resort. Travellers
reach this place, from New York, via Sound, Norwich, Worcester,
Nashua, Concord, and the Weirs. From this point, a short steam-
boat ride, unequalled for the variety and splendor of natural scenery,
and Centre Harbor is reached. From Boston, via Lowell, Law-
rence, Concord, and the Weirs, or Portsmouth, Dover, Cochecho
Railroad, to Alton Bay; thence, by steamboat, to Wolfboro' and
Centre Harbor. The stage road is wonderfully level a large share
of the way; still there are some sharp hills which tax the team and
tire the passengers, but cool, refreshing zephyrs fan the cheek, and
the mind is so engrossed with the wild and remarkable scenery, that
the journey is robbed of all toil, and is regarded as a delightful
excursion. The route lies through Moultonborough, around the
immediate base of Red Hill, so called, from its appearance at a
distance.
On the south side of Ossipee Mountain, which extends into this
town, there is a cool and copious spring, impregnated with sulphur
and iron. Near the summit of the mountain is a remarkable spring,
fifteen feet in diameter, which emits a dozen jets of water to the
height of two feet, containing small quantities of fine white sand,
and discharges a considerable brook; receiving many tributaries, it
becomes, in the course of a mile and a half, a foaming mountain
torrent. At that distance from the spring, and not far from Sulphur
Spring, it breaks into a broad and furious cascade for fifty feet, then
takes a perpendicular plunge of seventy feet.
Um
118
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
....
Ossipee Falls are magnificently grand of themselves, and pictur-
esque in all their surroundings, and it is believed that a summer hotel
would be accommodating and remunerating. Near these falls there
is a cave, where charred wood and other indications of its once having
been a resort for Indians have been found. In 1817, a huge skele-
ton of a man, supposed to be seven feet high, or more, was found
buried in the sand. In 1820, on a small island in the lake, a rusty
and ruined gun-barrel, of peculiar workmanship, was found em-
bedded in a pine-tree sixteen inches in diameter. The Ossipee Ind-
ians lived about this region, and there is, or was recently, a tree on
which was carved the records of the tribe.
"Red Hill, on the north-west side of the lake, is perhaps the
very best position from which to obtain a view of the lake and its
surroundings. This hill, situated near the lake, rises abruptly two
thousand feet, with nothing to obstruct the view.
"Scarcely a stone's throw from the summit is the little Lake
Squam, its waters clear as crystal, and sprinkled with green islands,
--some of them no wider than a small grass-plot, some spreading
out into fields and pastures, with hills that send forth many a rivu-
let into the bosom of the lake. Ascending towards the summit of
the mountain, the trees, unlike those on the White Mountains, which
are gnarled and stunted, appear slender and graceful, and seem to
stand for ornament amidst the blueberry and sweet fern, which bear
their fruit and fragrance almost to the mountain's top. For weeks,
the traveller may daily and hourly discover new attraction in these
sweet abodes of nature. To-day, a clear atmosphere presents every-
thing in the brightest hues and charms the mind with the distinct-
ness of every object. To-morrow, a change of atmosphere lends to
everything a change of hue, and flings over all a new enchantment.
"Nothing can exceed the splendor of sunrise on this mountain in
a calm summer's morning. The stillness of the place; the placid
serenity of the waters; the varying positions of objects, as the
morning mists rise, and change, and pass away before the sun, now
brooding low on the waters, now sailing slowly over the islands, and
wreathed in ever-varied forms around their green promontories,
these and other features present to the mind a landscape abounding
in that wild beauty which exists where art has not usurped dominion
over nature.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
119
"L
Here, some bright basin is seen to gleam. and anon the eye
catches some islet half veiled in mist, and reddening with the first
blush of morning. Sometimes, by a pleasing delusion, the clouds
become stationary, and the island itself appears to move, and to be
slowly receding from the veil of mist. The eye dwells with delight
on the villages of the wide country, and the hundreds of farms and
orchards which adorn the whole extent of the landscape.
"The fertile islands of the lake are scattered, as if to delight the
eye; and when clothed in the deep green of summer, or waving
with luxuriant harvests, they seem like floating gardens, immersed
in the water. The hills and woods, the shores and eddies, the coves
and green recesses, the farms and houses, sometimes retiring
from the waters, sometimes approaching to the margin of the lake,
all form a picture formed for the lover of nature to linger and
dwell upon with varied and ever new delight. The course of the
lake winds at last, and is lost among the distant mountains." *
It is no discredit to any author to observe that the sketch is in-
complete. He who has the deepest sense of the grand and the
beautiful in nature's wonderful perfection, must realize most sensibly
the inadequacy and imperfection of mere words to portray the
picture properly.
The true course is to visit, personally, this delightful region. Im-
proved health will compensate the cost, and a lavish and boundless
display of nature's wealth will delight the eye, and deeply interest
and charm the mind.
Sandwich
Sandwich, the next town, is very mountainous.
Mountains, a lofty range, beginning in Holderness, extend into
Waterville, thence south, Chocorua Peak, in Albany, being their
termination, forming two sides of a square.
Bearcamp River has its source in these mountains. Hon. John
Wentworth, familiarly known as "long John Wentworth," was a
native of Sandwich.
On the summit of a hill, only forty or fifty yards in height, and
about the same distance from the stage road, is a very noticeable
natural curiosity, which is known as the Lion Rock. This rock
attracts the notice of even the most careless observer, while those
who journey to the mountains for what they can see, and are sure
* Barstow.
•
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
120
+
to bestow attention on nearly everything that is visible, never fail to
greet this singular curiosity with exclamations of surprise. This
rock is so formed and poised that it presents a striking resemblance
to a lion, passive. The features, the large head, neck, heavy
shoulders, the natural curves and outlines of the body are readily
traced. Of the wonderful natural scenery of northern New Hamp-
shire, this rock is a marked feature, and is justly entitled to a place
in the famous group located in this region.
Ossipee Mountain, which towers high on the right, has given its
name to a powerful gunboat in the U. S. Navy.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
121
Tamworth.- Quakers.
CHAPTER V.
Albany.
Chocorua. Madison. Mines.
Notch. The Willey Family. - White Mountain Railroad.
Conway. - The
TAMWORTH is a most decidedly uneven township, surrounded by
high mountains. Its people are industrious, enterprising, and thrifty.
Apparently hemmed in by impassable barriers on all sides, the
traveller, on reaching here, composes himself for a period of quiet,
rational, and genuine enjoyment among the hospitable and intelligent
people with a certainty of success. Or, if he is so unfortunate as to
be destitute of taste for the wonders and beauties of nature, he
involuntarily casts about him to ascertain if there is any possibility
of escape from this "pent-up Utica."
This town was chartered in 1766, and settled in 1771, by four
families, David Philbrick, Jonathan Choate, Richard Jackman,
and William Eastman.
Tamworth Iron Works went into operation previous to 1800.
The enterprise was started by a Mr. Blaisdell. Bog-iron ore, taken
from Ossipee Lake, was used, and cut nails, anchors, and other heavy
articles were made. It is supposed the nails made here were the
first that were cut and headed by machinery in the country. These
works soon came into the hands of Mr. Nathaniel Weed, a man of
great ingenuity, and who, among other things, made a screw-auger,
which was said to have been the first implement of the kind ever
invented. Not realizing the vast wealth which he could have secured
by a patent, he was content with the perfection of his essay. When
the Piscataqua Bridge was built, Mr. Weed and many other artisans
were employed; taking with him his auger, he proved a very impor-
tant personage; the old fashioned pod-auger was dispensed with, and
relays of hands were appointed, whose business it was to keep the
Weed-auger in perpetual motion.
Iron manufacture was here long since abandoned, but mills for
16
122
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
various purposes still occupy the site which is on the outlet of
Chocorua Lake, a beautiful sheet of water at the base of the moun-
tain of the same name.
That the pure mountain air, homely fare, and regular habits are
conducive to longevity may be said to be demonstrated by the case
of a life-long resident of Tamworth, Mr. Stephen G. Philbrick, who
was born in Brentwood in 1771, and came to this town to reside the
following year. At that time there were but four families; the
country was a wilderness filled with catamounts, moose, deer, bears,
wolves, etc.
At twenty-three years of age Mr. Philbrick went to Exeter and
worked four years at five dollars per month, and one year at six
dollars per month. At twenty-seven he married Ruth Rowe, of
Kensington, who met with a fatal accident in 1850, being upwards of
eighty years of age. He has always lived under the shadow of Old
Chocorua, and has never been sick since childhood.
On visiting him, Oct. 11, 1868, he was found husking corn in his
barn, which he said he much preferred to idleness. His mind and
frame still continue to be wonderfully robust, and all of his faculties
are in an excellent state of preservation. He had walked a mile to
the neighbors that morning previous to commencing his day's work,
which was to husk eight or ten bushels of corn, as that amount, he
"reckoned," was "half a man's work."
On being interrogated as to the probable reason of his exemption
from sickness, he declared he.had never been ambitious to overwork
or overplay; that he had been a moderate and industrious rather than
a great or spasmodic worker.
Mr. Philbrick was present at the ordination of Mr. Hidden, being
at that time above his majority, and was also one of the last surviv-
ing four who were present at the erection of the monument on Ordi-
nation Rock, and is the last survivor of that venerable quartette.
He voted for General Washington for President, and has voted at
every presidential election since. His two youngest brothers died
in the war of 1812, and his youngest child is approaching the allotted
threescore years and ten.
Perhaps the most pleasant portion of the chronicle of this relic of
the past is his unswerving and inflexible honesty. Though never a
member of any church, his life has been a pattern of morality and
·
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
123
!
|
uprightness, and it is said that a search-warrant could not produce a
single dishonest act in the whole course of his life.
Col. David Gilman of Revolutionary fame was from Tamworth.
During the period of his service he was attached to the select military
family of Washington. He was a man of gigantic stature, over six
and a half feet high, of superior intellectual endowments, dignified
bearing, and thorough military air. Ihaving been selected by Wash-
ington as one of his most efficient and reliable officers, and despatched on
a hazardous and important mission, he met with a serious and painful
accident, which obliged him to quit the service. Washington wrote him
an autograph letter, accepting his resignation with deep regret, and as
a token of his high esteem for him as a "soldier, a man, and a gentle-
man," the commander-in-chief presented him with his own sword, a
fine weapon with solid silver hilt. Col. Gilman returned to Tam-
worth, and, recovering from his injuries, lived to a very advanced
age.
The larger kinds of wild animals, such as bears and deer, still
abound in Tamworth, some twenty or more of the former being taken
yearly. On the tenth of September last a huge bear was taken west
of the residence of Mr. Robert B. Felch, which weighed nearly five
hundred pounds, and the rough tallow yielded six gallons of rendered
bear's oil. Prior to 1840, wolves were plenty and troublesome, and
on one occasion the citizens turned out and killed five in a single
day, since which time they have not shown themselves until the
present autumn.
This town being mountainous, furnishes many fine trout brooks, the
most famous being widely known as Birch Interval Brook, an affluent
of the Bearcamp. Its source is three thousand feet above the river;
its length about fifteen miles, and it is estimated that one hundred
bushels of trout have been taken from it the present season.
This
brook is large, cold, and transparent, and has many fine waterfalls,
on one of which the village is located.
The Sandwich Mountains traverse the north and east border of the
town into the adjoining one of Albany, where they terminate in the
grim and sullen peak whose angular and rugged summit, destitute
alike of soil and vegetation, scarred and seamed by time and the
elements, is called Chocorua. This craggy and barren pinnacle, the
throne of the thunders, the play-ground of the whispering genii of
•
124
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
the winds, whose good spirits sigh mournfully through the firs and
spruces which grow so thick in sombre green around its base, or howl
and roar about the rocky caverns and naked angles above the line of
vegetation, where among the inacessible cliffs the great bald eagle
has his eyrie, rearing its rude crown above the storm-cloud, stands
forth conspicuous from the region round, a solitary realm of desola-
tion.
Inaccessible to even the most secret and retiring wild beasts which
shun the haunts of man for the unbroken solitude of the wilderness,
the eagle rears its young, maintaining unimpaired his "ancient soli-
tary reign."
Athletic men may climb Chocorua; still it requires dexterity and
daring, and a scramble to its summit involves danger and fatigue.
Reaching a shelving rock or projecting angle, and gaining by this
process a little higher footing, or seizing a slender, dwarfed, and
doubtful sapling more than liable to be uprooted, taking with it the
thin strata of soil upon its root, is no holiday task.
Leave the dogs at home; they cannot follow up, but must be passed
from hand to hand, or left behind.
The tribe of the Pequauket had their home about the base of old
Chocorua, — their hunting and fishing grounds being the unlimited
forest that stretched away to the north, and the Saco and its tribu-'
taries which meandered through it; standing, as it did, on the great
thoroughfare between the Pennacooks and the Amariscoggins, it was
a beacon and a guide visible from afar, even to that other trail
away to the west beyond the Pemigewasset which led to the head-
waters of the Connecticut and to the St. Francis. Wild and
solemn in its annals and aspects, it may not be strange that so
fitting a locality should be prolific of legends which still cluster
around it.
On an elevated and fertile ridge called "Stevenson Hill," in the
western part of the town, and some six hundred feet above the level
of the Bearcamp, stands the residence of John M. Stevenson, Esq.,
which is visible at a great distance. Mr. Stevenson is one of those
men who contribute most liberally to the character and prosperity
of a town, public spirited, liberal, and intelligent, carefully sur-
veying and securing its present wants, as well as its prospective in-
terests. His parents were the first couple married by the Rev. Mr.
•
1
+
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
125
Hidden, consequently his years, his sympathy, and his interests are
intimately connected with its welfare.
He is a living encyclopædia of local and general historic events;
and, being possessed of ample means, leisure, and refined tastes, his
house is thronged by the educated, and, indeed, all who are favored
with his acquaintance, and nothing gives him more pleasure than to
furnish conveyances and accompany his friends to all points of inter-
est in this section.
In this secluded, quiet town there is an excellent illustration of
the affection and veneration which communities have for good men
among them, and the unobtrusive posthumous respect paid to their
memory. The good, the wise, and the brave are not forgotten, and
in all parts of the State the hand of respect and gratitude for their
worthy deeds and lives raises the tablet, unobtrusive perhaps, to per-
petuate their memory.
Samuel Hidden was ordained here as a minister of the gospel Sep-
tember 12th, 1792. It being a new town, the people were few and
poor. The country was little less than a wilderness, and the people
were destitute of a church, or the means of erecting one. Under
these unpropitious circumstances Mr. Hidden's ardor was not cooled;
his courage was unabated, and his determination to prosecute the
good work unshaken.
He was ordained on a large rock seventeen feet high, with an area
sufficient to accommodate seventy persons on a level surface, which
was reached by a flight of seventeen stone steps. On this modern
St. Peter his church was built, a sure and firm foundation; Ordi-
nation Rock typifying the solid, substantial, and weighty measure of
his faith, and symbolizing the enduring character of his faithful,
efficient, and protracted labors. Desiring to secure a substantial
testimonial to his great worth, to obtain a visible memento of his
self-sacrificing devotion to the cause he labored so long and so ear-
nestly to advance, a voluntary subscription was raised, to which some
of those who had long sat under his faithful ministry were spared
to contribute, as well as others to whom his name and works were
household words, and a sum was raised sufficient to purchase the
land on which this rock stands.
On the 12th of September, 1862, a monument was erected upon
this rock, appropriately inscribed, by a grandson bearing his name.
126
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
The ceremony of erecting and dedicating the Hidden monument was
interesting and impressive. The address, which was eloquent and
appropriate, was delivered by E. E. Adams. Four of the residents
of the town participated in these ceremonies who had, seventy years
before, been present at the ordination of Mr. Hidden. The follow-
ing extract from a letter written by the Rev. Mr. Coe, of Durham,
who was present at the ordination of Mr. Hidden, is very interest-
ing:
*
"I will tell you about the ordination, and yet I know
not where to begin or what to say; it defies description. Mr. Hid-
den was ordained on a large rock, on which fifty men might stand.
His foundation must be secure and solid, for the rock will stand till
Gabriel shall divide it with the power of God. Early in the morn-
ing the people assembled around this rock, men, women, boys, and
girls, together with dogs and other domestic animals. It is an entire
forest about this place. The scenery is wild. On the north is a high
hill, and north of this is the mountain called Chocorua, which touches.
heaven. On the south and in all directions are mountains steep.
and rugged. I expected to have heard the howling of the wolf and
the screeching of the owl; but instead of these were heard the melt-.
ing notes of the robin, and the chirping of the sparrow and other
birds, that made the forest seem like paradise. The men looked
happy, rugged, and fearless; their trowsers came down about half
way between the knee and ankle; their coats were mostly short, and
of nameless shapes. Many wore slouched hats, and hundreds were
shoeless. The women looked ruddy, and as though they loved their
husbands. Their clothing was all of domestic manufacture. Every
woman had on a clean checkered linen apron, and carried a clean
linen handkerchief. Their bonnets! Well, I cannot describe them;
I leave them to your imagination. But think of the grandeur of
the scene! A great rock the pulpit, the whole town the floor of the
house, the canopy of heaven the roof, and the tall, sturdy trees the
walls! Who could help being devoted?
"This is the place nature has formed for pure worship. Long
shall this rock stand like the rock on which our fathers landed.
Long may this church make the wilderness and the solitary place
glad, and the desert bloom as the rose.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
127
"Father, thy hand
Hath reared these venerable columns; thou
Didst weave this verdant roof. Thou didst look down
Upon the naked earth, and forthwith rose
All these fair ranks of trees. They in thy sun
Budded and shook their green leaves in thy breeze
And shot towards heaven. They stand tall and dark,
Fit shrine for humble worshipper to hold
Communion with his Maker.'"
Scattered over Tamworth and the adjoining town of Sandwich are
considerable numbers of a peculiar and remarkable sect of Christians,
called Friends or Quakers, who have two meeting-houses, and main-
tain regular public religious worship. Among the earliest Friends
who settled in Tamworth was Mr. Parker Felch and family, who
came here in 1800, and whose descendants are still among the most
faithful and zealous of the Quaker sect, earnestly maintaining the
forms and the ancient faith, and proving by their daily walk and
conversation that its requirements and its natural tendency is to that
approved kind of genuine Christianity which is creditable to the pro-
fessor and advantageous to the community, and refreshing to con-
template in these degenerate days.
This peculiar and interesting denomination of Christians may be
entitled to a brief notice, as their practice seems an exemplification
of the moral law and the faith that is in them, as well as a sim-
plification, if not improvement, of the freedom, protection and
restraint sought to be accorded and secured by legal human gov-
ernment.
Quakers are sometimes liable to be confounded with Shakers,
whom they are totally unlike, except in the plainness and simplicity
of demeanor, language, and dress, and in the peaceable precepts of
their creed. Like most other sects they countenance, encourage, and
believe in the sacred character of the marriage and family relations, .
in peaceable, honest, and efficient civil government, trade, business,
accumulating and devising property, and all which a good citizen
may do without detriment to the State or injury to his fellow-man.
Persistent and unwavering in adhesion to their faith and practice,
they have clung to it with a tenacity which shows the depth of their
conviction. They have unflinchingly withstood the wild and furious
tempests of religious fanaticism and intolerance which have from
128
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
time to time swept over them, threatening to obliterate the Friend
and his faith together.
Stoutly maintaining the principle of religious liberty, and steadily
and boldly, without fear or favor, displaying those outward and visi-
ble emblems by which, if in no other manner, they may be known
and recognized of men; never propagandists, and singularly unat-
tractive and unfashionable in personal adornments, in their mode
and places of religious worship, and in the austerity of their moral
requirements, their theory has never been popular or their increase
rapid; their proselytes springing from the seed always sown by
persecution and violent and unreasoning denunciation rather than
from spontaneous attraction of the faith or the forms. Their theory
seems to be a combination of civil and religious government, a har-
monious blending of Church and State, practical, economical, and
efficient. They do not believe in a hireling ministry; logically con-
cluding, that if inspired with power they will also be with the duty,
as was the Saviour, to preach from the highways and byways and.
hill-tops without money and without price.
Litigation among the members meets with unqualified disapproba-
tion, it being engaged in on pain of excommunication. Thus it will
be seen that lawyers and ministers among the Quakers raise cattle
and potatoes, or engage in some other productive employment. Pe-
remptory regulations and provisions against the employment of paid
preachers they regard as not only a moral improvement, but a bril-
liant stroke of policy, obviating the necessity of harboring and
maintaining a big devil in their community, or employing persons at
large salaries to battle him.
"Our ancient testimony against an hireling ministry, or any con-
tributions to the maintenance and support thereof, being founded on
examples and precepts of our Lord and his primitive followers and
disciples; it is the sense of this meeting that friends be careful to
support the same, by a faithful testimony against contributing towards
their salaries by tax or otherwise, and against the building or repair-
ing their meeting-houses.
"Also this meeting doth advise that if any person professing the
truth among us and esteemed a Friend, shall refuse speedily to adjust
the difference, or refer it as before advised to (arbitration), complaint
be made of that person or persons unto the monthly meeting to which
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
129
they doth belong, and if after admonition he shall refuse so to refer
his case, that then the meeting do testify against such person, and
disown him to be of our society until he shall comply with the equal
methods and agreements of our society, and by such, his compliance
doth declare that he is for peace, and doth seek and desire it.
"We have, as a people, looked upon ourselves as well as the
primitive Christians to be included in the notable prophecy of Isaiah
ii. 4: 'They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their
spears into pruning-hooks, and learn to war no more.'"*
It will be seen that war or bearing arms for any purpose is repu-
diated and forbidden, and, as consistency is claimed to be one of
their brightest jewels, they object to the payment of taxes for any
such purpose, but suffer them to be collected, owing to their non-
resistant principles. Such as are not self-sustaining are provided for
by the society, all funds being raised by voluntary subscription;
consequently no poorhouses are maintained by them or among them,
and squalid poverty is even less frequent among them than immense
wealth, and both are rare. Government, temporal and spiritual,
so far as it does not conflict with the rightful authority and jurisdic-
tion of the common law, - is defined and administered by represen-
tatives, male and female, who assemble in conventions known as
monthly, quarterly, and yearly meetings, and public or Quaker
opinion is the sole official relied upon for the enforcement of the
decrees or recommendations of the law and gospel givers of the Quaker
sect. In their dealings they are said to be scrupulously exact; the
impression seems to be that Quaker measure is more than just, it is
generous. This is believed to be a serious mistake; it is more than
they claim; if they are square even to the last pennyweight, no
more, no less, it is not only creditable to their sense of justice and
fair dealing, but places them conspicuous, in this regard, for imita-
tion of seared and callous consciences, and the advantages of many
purchasers.
There are now about twenty meeting-houses in the State, and
though they do not increase in numbers and influence so rapidly as
some denominations, still they maintain the even tenor of their way,
and may in some respects serve as a profitable example to many
other of larger numbers, of more influence, and greater pretensions.
* Discipline.
17
130.
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
#
"While the magistrates of Portsmouth were busy with the witches,
religious intolerance broke out fiercely against the Quakers. During
the whole period of this persecution, New Hampshire was but an
appendage to Massachusetts, and the laws by which Quakers were
whipped and led through the streets of Dover tied to carts were laws
of Massachusetts. The stain of that vindictive persecution attaches
itself to New Hampshire, because she had a small representation in
the assembly of Massachusetts when those laws were enacted. The
civil authorities of Boston justified their proceedings with the specious
pretence of securing the peace and order of society. They declared
the 'vagabond Quakers' to be 'capital blasphemers,' seducers
from the glorious Trinity, open enemies to government, subverters
both of church and State. Accordingly, a law was published prohib-
iting the Quakers from coming to the colony on pain of the House
of Correction; notwithstanding which, by a back-door they found
entrance.
"The penalty was then increased to cutting off the ears of those who
offended the second time. This barbarous punishment was inflicted
in several instances, for which the public safety was the ready
apology. But even this proved ineffectual; and the offenders were
next banished upon pain of death for returning. But this availed
nothing; the Quakers returned, and sealed with their blood the
testimony of their faith. Of all the wrongs which man has inflicted
upon his fellow-man, is there one which has not been perpetrated in
the name of religion and for public good?
"On the 27th of October, 1659, Robinson and Stevenson were led
to execution, attended by two hundred armed men, besides many
horsemen. When they had come near the gallows, a coarse and
vulgar priest cried out tauntingly to Robinson, 'Shall such Jacks
as you come in before authority with hats on?' To which the
martyrs made a mild reply. The prisoners then tenderly embraced
each other, and ascended the ladder. When Robinson signified to
the spectators that he suffered not as an evil-doer,' the voice of the
priest was again heard, 'Hold thy tongue; be silent; thou art going
to die with a lie in thy mouth.' The sufferers were soon launched
off; their last words were silenced by the beating of drums. When
William Ledra was brought to the gallows, he made a speech which
'took so much with the people that it wrought a tenderness.'
.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
131
"C
Allen, an officious priest, was near, whose business it was to make
the martyr odious, and instantly interrupted him. 'People,' cried
Allen, I would not have you think it strange to see a man so
willing to die.'
(
"The hangman was commanded to make haste with Ledra, and
so he was turned off, and finished his days.' But his friends,
with solicitude, gathered around the foot of the gallows, caught the
body in their arms as it fell, bathed it with tears, and, having waited
until the hangman had stripped it of the clothes, laid it decently in
a coffin. Thus intolerance had another victim.
"When the news of this bloody work was carried to England, and
reached the king, an order was forthwith issued to Gov. Endicott
to suspend all executions, and send the Quakers to England for
trial, - a privilege which they claimed when brought before the
courts of Massachusetts.
"The next year, three women were publicly whipped in New
Hampshire in the depth of winter; the constables were ordered to
strip them and tie them to a cart; then to drive the cart, and whip
these three tender women through eleven towns, with ten stripes
apiece in each town. The route lay through Dover, Hampton, Salis-
bury, Newbury, Rowley, Ipswich, Wenham, Lynn, Boston, Roxbury,
and Dedham, a distance of near eighty miles. They were whipped
at Dover and Hampton, and then carried, 'through dirt and snow half
the leg deep,' in a very cold day, to Salisbury, and there whipped
again. They would probably have perished long before reaching the
end of the route, but at Salisbury they were happily released.
Walter Barefoot persuaded the constable to make him his deputy,
and having received the warrant set them at liberty, and they returned
to Dover." *
"The prosperity of Albany has been retarded by a remarkable
disease which almost entirely prevents the raising of neat stock. Its
peculiarities are a loss of appetite, costiveness, contraction of the
abdomen, followed in a few days by powerful evacuations, by which
the animals are rapidly reduced, and soon die.
"Superstition and tradition point to the curse of Chocorua as the
cause; but the better supposition is, doubtless, that it is owing to
certain properties contained in the water or in the soil. Science will,
* Barstow.
132
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
we trust, ere long point out the cause of the evil which so much
injures and afflicts man and beast.” *
Among the traditions still observed, and that which gave Chocorua
its name, is one possessed of considerable interest. Chocorua, a
great chief, wily and cruel, having been for a long time a terror and
scourge to the whites, it was determined at almost any sacrifice to.
destroy him. Accordingly a strong force of bold and daring men
assembled to hunt him down and exterminate him. Pursuit was at
once commenced; himself and his band discovered; attack and pursuit
alternated; the struggle was desperate and bloody, but not doubtful.
At length, worn down by fatigue, and fearfully decimated by the
unerring musket, and alarmed by the unshaken persistence of the
adversary, the remnant of his band scattered and fled in every direc-
tion.
Surprised and disappointed at this unexpected manœuvre, and
fearing the cunning and desperate chief would elude them and es-
cape, they singled him out, allowing the others to go at will, and
bent all their energies to his capture or destruction. Like blood-
hounds they followed his trail. Doubling, denning, and circling like
a fox in his dire extremity, adopting every stratagem to elude his
pursuers known to savage fertility, he was as surely unearthed and
headed off in every attempt to escape, until, at last, closely crowded,
he took to this mountain. Spreading out to avoid any possibility of
his escape in any direction, they commenced the toilsome ascent, and
gradually and steadily closed in upon the victim. High-spirited,
and hating the whites with unmitigated animosity, as well as fearing
and despising them, he scorned to ask quarter or any favor whatever,
but continued climbing up the rugged steep, nerved by the spirit of
desperation. Up, and still up he toiled, higher and to a still more
dizzy height; but his pursuers hung like hungry wolves about him;
he could gain nothing of them. At length he reached the highest
summit, the tip-top pinnacle, and finding he was securely cornered
and irretrievably lost, that his enemies were immovably posted
around him like a wall of death, he prepared for his doom. Direct-
ing his gaze towards the declining sun, with face upturned, he
raised his voice to the Great Spirit, and called down his curse upon
the land.
* New Hampshire As It Is.
·
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
133
What a picture! Standing on the highest point of this bleak
and barren mountain-top, a pagan savage in war-paint and aborigi-
nal trappings, lifting up his heart and voice in supplication to Him
who created and governs the universe, while surrounded by a cordon
of Christian men, eager for his life and thirsting for his blood (they
had previously killed his son), he prayed that the Great Spirit
would come down in his wrath and vengeance, and curse the people
and the soil, and above all that he would lay his curse upon the
horned cattle, so that they should not live and thrive in all this sec-
tion. Having concluded his prayer, Chocorua turned his eagle eye
upon the bright and beautiful world around him, as if to enjoy one
long, lingering, parting look at the scenes familiar and beloved; he
then turned his face to the foe, and with a defiant gesture and a hor-
rible yell of combined and concentrated rage and triumph, waking
the echoes, as if it afforded him a grim and ghastly satisfaction to
rob his relentless and vindictive pursuers of the prize they coveted,
he bounded high in the air, and cleared the brink of the frightful
precipice, down, down over the jagged rifts and projecting angles
of this rough and perpendicular bluff, for two thousand feet, landing ·
a shapeless mass of flesh, on which the eagle gorged her young.
Brave old Chocorua, determined and desperate, his courage availed
him nothing; and though the story of his death still survives, even
the fragments of his bones, bleached and decayed by time and the
elements, were long since reduced to dust and mingled with the very
soil he cursed. Superstitious people believe that this prayer was
heard and answered; for it is a fact that since then a very destructive
and fatal disease has constantly prevailed, exactly the same disease
from year to year, unknown elsewhere, destroying many dollars'
worth of cattle annually. Animals that are driven from this to
other sections never have it, and the disease is known in all the re-
gion round about as the "Albany ail." Tourists and strangers, who
have seen the disease, aver that it appears much less wholesome than
an article which goes by a similar name, that they have met with
elsewhere.
There are many Indian legends current among the inhabitants of
the territory about the base of old Chocorua; some, no doubt, founded
on fact; others, probably, inventions of the marvellously inclined.
Gray-haired men still recount the hairbreadth escape from, or the
134
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
miraculous frustration of the Pequaukets, or the merciless cruelties
of Chocorua, Paugus, and their compeers, to the more recent comers,
or knee-high youngsters around the cheerful log fire, who with
glistening eyes, and their hearts in their throats, imagine that every
sound betokens the approach of these monsters, every sigh of the
night-wind is a war-whoop that the neighbor who steps in to "look
at the paper a moment," or to "borrow a tallow-dip," is an Indian
in disguise; that one is secreted behind each tree; that the outside
door is a sally-port through which he momentarily expects to see
the plumed and painted braves rush in pell-mell, and involuntarily
feels for his scalp.
About twenty miles from Conway, by the course of the river, on
the Swift River interval, there is a settlement of some dozen produc-
tive and valuable farms, producing lumber, cattle, hay, cereals,
potatoes, etc., but no corn, the seasons being too short. One of the
farmers said they never had more than two months in the year with-
out frost, rarely ever more than one. These people, if they require
such luxuries, must travel twenty miles over an indictable road, for
the doctor, the post-office, the grocery, or the church, notwithstand-
ing which they are as moral, intelligent, healthy, and well-fed, as
more fortunate people. From this settlement, by the road, it is fifty
miles to the Willey House in the White Mountain Notch, three
miles south of or below the Crawford House, while an indescribably
beautiful and pleasant march of less than ten miles, by a blazed or
spotted line of trees, through a portion of Hart's and Sawyer's loca-
tions, toilsome and tiresome of course to those unaccustomed to forest
and mountain tramps, brings one to the same point; while, turning
in the other direction, a tramp of some seven miles across the Sand-
wich range, by no means a difficult undertaking, and Tamworth is
reached, the distance by the road being a round fifty miles.
From the summit of old Chocorua, a splendid view is obtained.
A number of villages, like clusters of bird-cages ranged upon
a green lawn, are distinctly seen. Mountains, huddled together in
inextricable confusion, resembling gigantic tumbles and winrows of
hay in an extensive meadow, many lakes and ponds, and several
rivers are seen through stretches of intervals and forest, like silver
threads in an emerald cloth, while the great forests of the deciduous
and the perennial in every direction stretch away interminably into
.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
135
the blue and misty distance. If the atmosphere is clear, it well
repays the time and toil; otherwise it is unmitigated wretchedness.
Clouds, thick and moist, roll far below the summit; the wind howls,
and a chilling torrent of rain descends. Nothing can be seen, and
nothing is to be gained except the friendly shelter of the place from
whence the excursionists set forth, which, if accomplished without
soiled and rent garments, or bruises, is a decided success, a masterly
retreat.
Along this range several peaks are named. Among these, Toad-
back, a singular-shaped and densely wooded mountain; Whiteface,
high and bald, and Mount Israel. Whiteface derives its cognomen
from the fact, that its south-western face, from the summit far down
the slope, is a vast bed, comprising hundreds of acres of crystallized
granite quartz. These crystals are uniformly hexagonal, and are
a study for the geologist.
From the tops of these mountains, especially Chocorua, a grand
view is obtained to the westward beyond the Pemigewasset country,
southward across the beautiful Winnipesaukee, while to the east is
the wild valley of the Upper Saco, and rolling rapidly at its very
base is that fork of the above-named river, which is so well
described by its name, the Swift Branch; uniting with the Pe-
quauket at Conway, it forms the Saco. The high and wild locality
of their source up in the heart of the White Hills, and the romantic
career of these forks of the Saco, can be traced for a long distance,
as well as the beautiful river itself, below their confluence. This
mountain has also given its name to a gunboat in the navy.
Madison was formerly included in the territory of Eaton, but the
town was divided, and this portion of it received the above name.
Madison Brook is familiar to experienced trout-catchers, and is a
great resort for this class of sportsmen.
In this town there is
a mine which was first discovered by the outcropping of the ore.
A company was organized, buildings erected, and the mine opened.
The company was incorporated as the Carroll County Silver Mining
Company; but the attempts to separate these ores proved ineffectual,
and the company failed. Recently, however, a new company has
control of it, at the head of which is Henry J. Banks, Esq., a man
of force and enterprise. Recent experiments seem to have demon-
strated the feasibility of separating the ores by specific gravity.
136
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
These minerals are found in a combination of granite, which, being
separated from the metals, yield seventy per cent. of crude ore, the
lead and zinc being also separated by the same process. The lead
yields one thousand four hundred pounds to the ton from the cruci-
ble of pure metal, and one hundred ounces of pure silver, and the
zinc gives an average of fifty-nine per cent.
The mine is believed to be inexhaustible, and rather increases in
purity than otherwise as the operations of the miners are extended.
This is, without doubt, the richest mine of argentiferous ore yet
opened in the State, it being not only remarkably rich, but appar-
ently inexhaustible, and should the experiments now being made
result in the discovery of a cheap, rapid, and efficient method of
separating the several valuable minerals from each other, this mine
will prove not only a source of wealth to its fortunate proprietors
(Messrs. Banks, French, and Butler), but an important item in the
products of New Hampshire. Mr. Banks is proprietor of the well-
known hotel at West Ossipee. This hotel is surpassed by few even
in our large cities for the convenience and comfort of its internal
arrangements. The rooms are supplied with pure cold water from a
mountain spring, and its location by the Bearcamp renders it cool,
pleasant, and comfortable for the permanent or transient sojourners ;
while the scenery in the immediate vicinity of the house is charming.
The distant view is peculiarly grand.
Conway seems to be the grand gateway to the White Mountain
region. Located on the territory of the Pequaukets, it is romantic
and delightful as a summer resort, and wealth and taste have been
united to enhance its natural advantages in this regard. It is a
lovely and important inland town. The Pequauket and Swift Rivers
unite here and form the Saco.
In 1765 Daniel Foster obtained a grant of the territory. The
conditions were that each grantee should pay an annual rent of one
ear of corn for ten years, if demanded.
On the south side of Pine Hill is a huge block of granite, be-
lieved to be the largest fragment of rock in the State. Magnesia
and fuller's earth are found here. The Saco, having sources among
the mountains, is subject to a very rapid rise, and has been known to
rise thirty feet in a single day. At the west end of Ossipee Lake
there is a mound of earth some fifty feet in diameter, and ten or twelve
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
137
feet high. It is artificial, and from it have been taken several en-
tire human skeletons, also tomahawks and other relics, supposed to
be of the Pequaukets, and it is believed this mound was one of the
principal burial-places of the tribe.
From Conway to the Crawford House the thoroughfare is, perhaps,
as well known and as much travelled as any section of road of its
length in the country. Throughout the journey new objects of at-
traction constantly burst upon the view. Kearsarge, in duplicate,
which should have been called Pequauket, is unquestionably the
most symmetrical mountain in the State. Rising two thousand seven
hundred feet above the plain at its base, its sides taper gradually to
the summit. The uncommon regularity of its outline could be
properly attributed to artificial causes.
The most famous gunboat in the American navy bears the name
of Kearsarge. It was this powerful ship which boldly grappled
with that famous scourge of the seas, the Alabama, and, by a well-
directed or lucky shot, ruined her future prospects.
Goodrich
Moat Mountain never fails to attract the notice of all.
Falls, picturesque and grand, are a great point of attraction, while,
the silver cascades elicit from every one exclamations of unbounded
admiration and delight.
A large rock by the wayside bears the name of an heroic but un-
fortunate girl who perished in the snow near it in an insane attempt
to follow her faithless lover; and, to this day, the superstitious who
pass this spot in the lonely hours of night imagine his perturbed
spirit hovers around and moans sadly, as if in perpetual torment.
The Willey House, where the great slide occurred, arrests the
attention and progress of all, and the scene of the catastrophe is sur-
veyed with mingled emotions of interest and pity for the sad fate of
the unfortunate Willey family.
"A few weeks after the day that I passed in this secluded valley
there was a violent storm of rain, which produced an avalanche, or,
according to the language of that region, a slide, and the family of
Mr. Willey, by whom I and my companions had been entertained
during our journey, - consisting of himself and wife, five children,
and two hired men, were buried beneath the rocks, trees, and earth
that were borne down by the freshet.
"It was supposed that they were alarmed by the noise, and left
18
138
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
the house in their flight, and thus met inevitable death. Just before
it reached the house, the avalanche divided into two parts, one pass-
ing each side of the house, leaving it untouched. Thus was stricken
from the face of the earth a group, which the virtuous and the happy
could not but admire, which the rich and the proud might envy.
No mortal eye was permitted to witness and survive the agonies of
that awful moment; no mortal ear caught the expiring groan of the
sufferers. The horrors of the catastrophe are imprinted on the mem-
ory of no child of earth; yet were the hairs of their heads all num-
bered; and who is there that would not admire the kindness of that
Providence which left no bruised reed standing amidst a scene of
bereavements; no parent to weep over the mangled and faded flower;
no infant bud cut from the parent stock to wither and die in the
blast?" *
very many,
The scene of this appalling calamity continues to be invested with
a deep and mournful interest. It has been visited, in person, by
more than one hundred thousand people. Every ac-
count of it is read with avidity, and no description of it is perhaps
more interesting than the simple, touching, and beautiful ballad,
The Willey House. A Ballad of the White Hills; by Dr. T. W.
Parsons, of Boston":-
"Come, children, put your baskets down,
And let the blushing berries be;
Sit here and wreathe a laurel crown,
And if I win it, give it me.
""Tis afternoon, - it is July,
The mountain shadows grow and grow;
Your time of rest and mine is nigh,
The moon was rising long ago.
"While yet on old Chocorua's top
The lingering sunlight says farewell,
Your purple-fingered labor stop,
And hear a tale I have to tell.
"You see that cottage in the glen,
Yon desolate, forsaken shed,
Whose mouldering threshold, now and then,
Only a few stray travellers tread.
* Extract from the " Boston Galaxy," 1826, Hon. Joseph T. Buckingham, Editor.
+
•
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
139
“No smoke is curling from its roof,
At eve no cattle gather round,
No neighbor now, with dint of hoof,
Prints his glad visit on the ground.
"A happy home it was of yore;
At morn the flocks went nibbling by,
And Farmer Willey, at his door,
Oft made their reckoning with his eye.
"Where yon rank alder-trees have sprung,
And birches cluster thick and tall,
Once the stout apple overhung
With his red gifts the orchard wall.
"Right fond and pleasant in their ways
The gentle Willey people were;
I knew them in those peaceful days,
And Mary - every one knew her.
"Two summers now had seared the hills,
Two years of little rain or dew;
High up the courses of the rills
The wild rose and the raspberry grew.
"The mountain-sides were cracked and dry,
And frequent fissures on the plain,
Like mouths, gaped open to the sky,
As though the parched earth prayed for rain.
"One sultry August afternoon,
Old Willey, looking towards the west,
Said, 'We shall hear the thunder soon;
Oh! if it bring us rain, 'tis blest.'
"And even with his word, a smell
Of sprinkled fields passed through the air,
And from a single cloud there fell
A few large drops, — the rain was there.
"Ere set of sun a thunder stroke
Gave signal to the floods to rise;
Then the great seal of heaven was broke;
Then burst the gates that barred the skies;
"While from the west the.clouds rolled on,
And from the nor'west gathered fast,
'We'll have enough of rain anon,'
Said Willey, if this deluge last.'
140
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
.
'For all these cliffs that stand sublime
Around, like solemn priests appeared,
Gray druids of the olden time,
Each with his white and streaming beard.
"Till in one sheet of seething foam
The mingling torrents joined their might;
But in the Willeys' quiet home
Was naught but silence and 'good-night.'
"For soon they went to their repose,
And in their beds, all safe and warm,
Saw not how fast the waters rose,
Heard not the growing of the storm.
"But just before the stroke of ten
Old Willey looked into the night,
And called upon his two hired men,
And woke his wife, who struck a light;
"Though her hand trembled, as she heard
The horses whinnying in the stall;
And 'Children' was the only word
That woman from her lips let fall.
"Mother' the frighted infants cried,
'What is it? has a whirlwind come?'
Wildly the weeping mother eyed
Each little darling, but was dumb.
"A sound! as though a mighty gale
Some forest from its hold had riven,
Mixed with a rattling noise like hail!
God! art thou raining rocks from heaven?
“A flash! O Christ! the lightning showed
The mountain moving from his seat!
Out, out into the slippery road,
Into the wet with naked feet! -
"No time for dress, for life! for life!
No time for any word but this;
The father grasped his boys; his wife
Snatched her young babe — but not to kiss.
"And Mary with the younger girl,
Barefoot and shivering in their smocks,
Sped forth amid that angry whirl
Of rushing waves and whelming rocks.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
141
"Far down the mountain's crumbling side,
Full half the mountain from on high
Came sinking, like the snows that slide
From the great Alps about July.
“And with it went the lordly ash,
And with it went the kingly pine,
Cedar and oak, amid the crash,
Dropped down like clippings of the vine.
"Two rivers rushed, the one that broke
His wonted bounds and drowned the land,
And one that streamed with dust and smoke,
A flood of earth, and stones, and sand.
"Then for a time the vale was dry,
The soil had swallowed up the wave;
Till one star looking from the sky,
A signal to the tempest gave.
"The clouds withdrew, the storm was o'er,
Bright Aldebaran burned again;
The buried river rose once more
And foamed along his gravelly glen.
"At morn the men of Conway felt
Some dreadful thing had chanced that night,
And some by Breton woods who dwelt
Observed the mountain's altered height.
"Old Crawford and the Fabyan lad
Came down from Ammonoosuc then,
And passed the Notch-oh! strange and sad
It was to see the ravaged glen.
"But having toiled for miles, in doubt,
With many a risk of limb and neck,
They saw, and hailed with joyful shout,
The Willey House amid the wreck.
"That avalanche of stones and sand,
Remembering mercy in its wrath,
Had parted, and on either hand
Pursued the ruin of its path.
"And there, upon its pleasant slope,
The cottage, like a sunny isle
That wakes the shipwrecked seaman's hope,
Amid the horror seemed to smile.
t
:
.
142
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
"And still upon the lawn before,
The peaceful sheep were nibbling nigh;
But Farmer Willey at his door
Stood not to count them with his eye.
"And in the dwelling — O despair!
The silent room, the vacant bed!
The children's little shoes were there,
But whither were the children fled?
"That day a woman's head, all gashed,
Its long hair streaming in the flow,
Went o'er the dam, and then was dashed
Among the whirlpools down below.
"And farther down, by Saco's side,
They found the mangled forms of four,
Held in an eddy of the tide ;
But Mary, she was seen no more.
"Yet never to this mournful vale
Shall any maid, in summer time,
Come, without thinking of the tale
I now have told you in my rhyme.
"And when the Willey House is gone,
And its last rafter is decayed,
Its history may yet live on
In this your ballad that I made.
The gateway of the Notch is twenty-two feet wide, and is for
miles a narrow gorge, scarcely wide enough for the road and the
Saco River, which foams through the Notch, a rapid torrent.
From the mountain-side comes tumbling a magnificent cascade,
more than eight hundred feet high, directly to the road and river.
Another, not so high, falls over three several precipices, over the
last of which it divides into three separate streams, uniting again at
the foot of the mountain.
Ascending the mountain, a plain is reached far up, which is the
base of the final pinnacle, towering fifteen hundred feet; still high-
er, a ragged, barren summit, where, in clear weather, the most ex-
tensive prospect opens, to be found east of the Rocky Mountains.
The vision extends from the deep blue of the broad Atlantic to the
deep green of the Vermont hills; from the Canadas on the north to
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
143
the old Bay State on the south, presenting a view, in extent and
variety, unequalled.
Long years before the white man set foot upon the soil of New
Hampshire, the red man had an unwritten history of all this moun-
tain region, founded on his superstitious veneration for all that is
sublime, beautiful, or grand in nature. The whole mountain region
of northern New Hampshire he called by the general name of Agi-
ochocook. They had a tradition that a deluge destroyed all the
people, except one Powow, the traditional Noah of the red man, -
and his squaw, who, fleeing before the rising waters, finally saved
themselves upon these heights, which were inaccessible to the floods,
and finally repeopled the earth.
"These awful summits they regarded with superstitious venera-
tion. The red man believed that a powerful genius presided on their
overhanging cliffs, and by their waterfalls. His imagination peopled
them with invisible beings. He saw the Great Spirit in the clouds
gathered around their tops; he heard his voice, speaking in the
revels of the storm, and calling aloud in the thunders that leaped
from cliff to cliff, and rumbled in the hollows of the mountains.
"A god resided in the stars, the lakes, and the recesses of the
grottos. He saw him in the clouds, and heard him in the winds
frowning in the wintry blast breathing in the zephyrs of spring
smiling in the first blush of morning, and the last hue of twilight
that lingers above the pines in the western sky.
"Influenced by fear, the Indians never ascended the White Moun-
tains. They supposed the invisible inhabitants would resent any
intrusion into their sacred precincts.
"But the emotions of the white man were very different. He,
especially if he is a Yankee, 'wants to know;' and more than two
hundred years ago he explored these solitudes, and his report, though
different from the tradition of the Indians, was quite as exaggerated.
But the Indian is known no more among these wild, romantic scenes;
the fearless and enthusiastic explorer of the early time has, also,
long since gone, and his reports, largely drawn from imagination,
conjecture and fancy, have long since, like the tradition of the red
man, been dispelled by a better knowledge of the region, by the light
of facts and science; and though the fleecy vapors still whirl about
these awful peaks, and the winds moan like uneasy spirits from
144
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
Pandemonium, and Jove still sits enthroned upon the lofty pinna-
cles, and milky torrents still roll down their sides, there is nothing
of mystery hovering about this section now, excepting the inexpli-
cable mystery of their creation.
"In 1642, Capt. Neal explored the White Mountain region, moved
to this enterprise, doubtless, by a passion for discovery and adven-
ture, and there could be no other place so well calculated to gratify a
disposition of that kind, as the unknown and mysterious region which
included these great mountains.
"Such an impression had they made upon the imagination of Neal,
that he set out on foot, attended by two companions, to reach them
through an unexplored forest. He described them, in the most exag-
gerated style, 'to be a ridge extending an hundred leagues, on which
snow lieth all the year, and inaccessible except by the gullies which
the dissolved snow hath made.' On one of these mountains the
travellers reported to have found a plain of a day's journey over,
whereon nothing grows but moss; and, at the further end of this
plain, a rude heap of mossy stones, piled upon one another a mile
high, on which one might ascend from stone to stone, like a pair of
winding stairs, to the top, where was another level of about an acre,
with a pond of clear water.' This summit was said to be far above
the clouds, and from hence they beheld a vapor like a vast pillar
drawn up by the sunbeams out of a great lake into the air, whence
it was formed into a cloud.
"The country beyond these mountains, northward, was said to be
'daunting terrible,' full of rocky hills, as thick as molehills in a
meadow, and clothed with infinite thick woods. They had great
expectations of finding precious stones; and something resembling
crystals being picked up was sufficient to give them the name of
'Crystal Hills.' From hence they continued their route in search
of a lake, and 'faire islands.' But their provisions were now well-
nigh spent, and the forests of Laconia yielded no supply. So they
were obliged to set their faces homeward, when the discovery
wanted one day's journey of being finished.'"*
"
Late in the year, depressed with that disappointment which ever
treads upon the heels of extravagant expectations, they returned
from their melancholy journey across the wilderness.
·
* Barstow.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
145
Extract from a letter of George B. Roberts, Esq., September,
1868:
"Here is the gateway between the Saco and Ammonoosuc valleys,
and we enter the latter, riding four miles to the Fabyan or Mount
Washington stand, where work has already commenced for the erec-
tion of one of the finest houses in the State. This is the starting-
point of a turnpike road, six miles in length, to the depot of the
Mount Washington Railroad, and taking us into a regular amphi-
theatre of hills, asking of us, it is true, a heavy toll, but amply
repaying, by keeping us in full view of the highest summits, and
grandest elevations of land this side of the Rocky Mountains, and
seems destined to be the great thoroughfare to 'Tip-top.' The
only other approach which equals this in beauty and sublimity is
from the Crawford House, the bridle-path over Mounts Clinton and
Pleasant; but I wish to say something of the Mount Washington
Railroad, which traverses the western side of the mountain of the
same name.
'This road, which is purely the invention of Mr. Marsh, of Little-
ton, and to which he has devoted several years of toil and much of
his private fortune, is not yet complete, is carrying passengers from
base to summit, and back, for two dollars each, the distance being
about two and one-half miles, and the elevation more than four
thousand feet. When the road is completed, the average grade will
be about five feet per rod. It has upon its track two engines of
forty horse-power each, and when not engaged in taking passengers,
are carrying lumber to the top of the mountain to finish the road.
The company have a saw-mill at the depot, which was first started
as a water-mill, using the 'Tyler wheel,' but the water was found
to be insufficient at some seasons of the year, and a steam engine
of thirty horse-power was substituted, which runs a fifty-inch circu-
lar saw, and is cutting lumber at the rate of ten thousand feet per
day. Much of the road is built on trestle work, requiring a large
amount of lumber. There is nothing about the running wheels of
the engine or cars, or the rails upon which they run, which is differ-
ent from the other roads, but the road has a centre rail, and each
engine and car two driving and holding wheels, the rail upon the
plan of the segment, the wheels on the plan of the gear, com-
pletely fitting the segment rail, and all fitted with powerful brakes,
19
146
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
i
any one of which will instantly stop an engine and two loaded
cars upon the steepest grade. This is easily done, as the cars move
only about two miles per hour, and the breaking of a wheel or axle
would result in no serious accident. The road has been partially in
operation for the last year, and fully meets the most sanguine ex-
pectations of its inventors and constructors. The train upon which
our party ascended, carried thirty gentlemen and ten ladies, and all
seemed highly delighted with the ride.
"This road, and its practical operation, of course settles the
question of the practicability of ascending mountains by steam, and
too much praise cannot be awarded Mr. Marsh, for overcoming ob-
stacles and surmounting difficulties which would have wrecked the
fortune of a less enterprising and persevering genius.
""
•
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
147
CHAPTER VI.
Gilford.
field.
· Alton.
Wolf boro'.
Tuftonborough.
Meredith. Sanbornton. - North-
Canterbury. Shakers. - Pembroke. Suncook River. - Gilmanton.
Barnstead. Pittsfield. - Epsom. Allenstown. — Contoocook River. - Hillsboro'. —
Gov. Pierce. Henniker. - Washington, etc. Hopkinton.
-
GILFORD, on the lake shore, is a flourishing town, enterprising
and lively. The principal village is on the falls of the Winnipesau-
kee River, and is largely engaged in manufacturing. The extensive
repair-shop of the Boston, Concord, and Montreal Railroad is located
here, giving profitable employment to a large amount of superior
mechanical skill. Besides this and mills, there are many factories.
and shops for various manufacturing and mechanical purposes.
Several large islands in the lake belong to Gilford. Gunstock
Mountains, a range of considerable elevation, rising in Gilmanton,
extend into this town almost to the lake. Gilford was originally a
part of Gilmanton, and was incorporated in 1812. It is one of the
most flourishing towns in the State. Two streams enter the lake
from this town, namely, Gunstock and Miles Rivers.
Alton, on the south side of the lake, was incorporated a little more
than seventy years since. It was formerly called New Durham
Gore, and received its present name from one of the settlers, — being
named for Alton in England. Merry Meeting or Alton Bay makes
out from the lake about seven miles into this town, and receives
Merry Meeting River. Mt. Major and Prospect Hill are the princi-
pal elevations; from the latter, the Atlantic is visible in clear
weather.
The Cochecho River has its source just north of here, almost on
the margin of the lake, and is a rapid and important stream; flowing
south-east it is caught at Dover, and bound for the use and benefit of
man. The Cochecho railroad has its terminus at Alton, and moun-
tain travel from Boston, via Boston and Maine Railroad to Dover
and the Cochecho to the lake, finds an easy and expeditious route to
148
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
·
the magnificent scenery of Lake Winnipesaukee and its borders,
as well as a short and convenient thoroughfare to the White and
Franconia Mountains.
Smith's Pond, a collection of water some six miles long, is the
source of a stream called Smith's River, which falls into the lake in
Wolfboro'. There is a fine village on this stream overlooking the
lake and surrounding mountains, affording a prospect grand in the
extreme.
Copple Crown Mountain also affords a remarkable view, the lake
and its gems of islands; about thirty other lakes and ponds in New
Hampshire and Maine; all the south-eastern part of the State; the
grand hill to the west far up into the Pemigewasset country; and to
the north the collection of hills as far as Mount Washington, whose
grizzled summit towers up and overlooks the heads of all his fellows.
All these combined are not excelled in picturesque and romantic
grandeur.
There is a mineral spring in the town said to be similar and equal
to the celebrated Saratoga, and is becoming a place of considerable
resort. There is an excellent high school, and many other features
important and attractive, and the trip among the beautiful and sub-
lime scenery of New Hampshire has come to be regarded as incom-
plete, unless it includes Wolfboro'; and the crowning loveliness of this
portion of the tour culminates in a moonlight excursion on the lake.
Tuftonborough, situated at the north-east extremity of the lake, was
originally granted to John Tufton, grandson of John Mason,
governor, who, in his will, made John and Robert Tufton heirs of
his estates in New Hampshire, in consideration that they should
assume the name of Mason; which requirement they complied with,
and the name of John Tufton Mason is still legible in the old burying-
ground near Christian Shore, in Portsmouth.
•
In several towns in this section of the State terms are used to
designate many localities, which, though they may not be euphonious,
are considered peculiarly appropriate and descriptive; for instance,
a certain locality is known as "Barvel Whang," others as "Mackerel
Corner," "Skunk's Misery," "Potatoborough," "Ossipee Pocket;"
another is “Grasshopper's Grief," where it is said the soil is so desti-
tute of vegetation that a pair of them would starve on a ten-acre
lot without cut feed and meal at least once a day.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
149
Fangs or lagoons of the lake extend into this town long distances
in various directions, which are a paradise for pickerel, making this
one of the best places for summer pickerel fishing in the State.
Splendid views are obtained from many points in Tuftonborough, of
scenery as wild, romantic and diversified as any in New Hampshire,
though less extensive. From many of the eminences the prospect
is charming; lagoons and estuaries of the great lake creeping quietly
through narrow channels, hidden by luxuriant foliage, now reappear
behind the intervening hills, and expand into broad sheets of water,
or, following the natural depressions of the surface, take strange, fan-
tastic shapes, presenting the appearance of an extensive system of
ponds, with the great lake in the background stretching away to the
south until lost to view among the numerous islands.
Meredith is on the west side of Lake Winnipesaukee. Meredith
Village is beautifully and pleasantly located on a brook, which is the
outlet of Goose or Measley Pond, which here falls into the lake.
The soil is excellent, and few towns in the State excel it in the
extent and variety of agricultural productions.
The road from Laconia to Centre Harbor runs principally through
the town, and is a delightful drive; throughout the whole distance it
follows the trend of the lake, which on the right stretches far away
among the green islands until it is shut out from view by the luxuriance
of their foliage; while on the other hand the neat farm-houses, the
broad fields of corn and waving grain, and mowing-fields, the flocks
and herds grazing on the green hill-sides, the great mountains
towering up in all the surrounding background, the graceful steamers
threading the mazy labyrinths among the isles, "walking the waters
like a thing of life," while the gentle zephyrs lightly ripple the
broad surface of the lake, all combined in one grand sweep of the
vision over the surrounding country, affords a scene which all can
enjoy, but none describe.
Just here is the famous ahquedauken, or weirs, where the Indians
took their food from the countless myriads of shad which crowded
annually to and from the lake, the outlet, the Winnipesaukee River.
Dudley Leavitt, the celebrated "Old Farmer's Almanac " maker,
lived and died in this town.
Sanbornton is a smart, thrifty town, situated on the Great Bay, or
large body of water which receives and discharges the Winnipesaukee,
150.
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
or perhaps may be called an enlargement of that river. It is noted
for the high character of its schools, for its general thrift, for its
mechanical and manufacturing resources, and for its natural curios-
ities.
One of these is a gulf broad and deep, extending nearly a mile
through hard, rocky earth. It is thirty-eight feet deep, and varies
from eighty to one hundred feet in width, the walls corresponding
so accurately as to present the appearance of having been rent asunder
by some convulsion of nature. A cavern is also pointed out, extend-
ing horizontally some twenty-five or thirty feet into the earth, and
is as likely a receptacle for Kidd's treasure or rattlesnakes as many
others mentioned.
Near the head of Little Bay, on the Winnipesaukee, are the almost
obliterated remains of an old fortress. It was evidently constructed
by the Indians, and is a very ancient affair; relics of the aboriginal
garrison have often been found in the vicinity.
It was believed that this was an important post on the great thor-
oughfare on the line of the trail from the Pennacook Confederacy
along the lower Merrimack to Lake Winnipesaukee, branching east-
ward to the Pequauket country and the Amariscoggin, and westward
by the head-waters of the Merrimack and the Connecticut to the St.
Francis.
At the time the Sanborns and others came here to settle, the walls
of this fortification were four or five feet high, and large forest-trees
were growing within the enclosure, which gives to the ruins an air
of antiquity. Pottery, tobacco, pipes, warlike and agricultural
implements are among the trophies obtained by the ploughshare and
the curiosity-seeker. This fortification is described as having con-
sisted of six walls, one extending along the river and across a point
of land into the bay, and the others at right angles, connected by a
circular wall in the rear. Who shall say what terrible sieges this
Malakoff of the wilderness has stood, what bombardments of arrows,
what terrific attacks by water of some primitive Drake with his fleet
of birch canoes, what heroic sorties with the death-dealing war-club
and tomahawk, or the unconditional surrender, and the torture!
Gone, all gone, the barbarian actors in these rude conflicts, and
records written in the sand or on the forest-tree, swept into the deep
and wide grave of oblivion together, the few scanty records preserved
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
151
having been rescued from the rubbish of uncertain tradition by the
untiring, earnest, and generous efforts of the learned and thought-
ful of another race of men, actuated perhaps more by a love of
knowledge than of the race whose career they chronicle!
Sometime about 1746 or 1747, Col. Atkinson's force, near the
outlet of the Winnipesaukee, built a strong fort for the protection
of the exposed settlements on the Merrimack, and in the eastern
part of the State. Some authorities have it that the fort at
the head of Little Bay, which was generally supposed to be an
undoubted relic of Indian engineering, skill, and labor, was con-
structed by this force while stationed there. The Winnipesaukee
River passes through Northfield, having in it falls that afford the
best of water-power, and are used for manufacturing, there being cot-
ton and woollen mills and shops on them used for various purposes.
The New Hampshire Conference Seminary, an extensive and
flourishing Methodist literary institution, is pleasantly located on
a slight elevation, a short distance from, and overlooking, the river,
and one eighth of a mile from Sanbornton Bridge. It possesses a
valuable and extensive chemical and philosophical apparatus, and its
collection of mineral specimens is large. This school is very pleas-
antly situated, its concomitants being a surrounding of charming
scenery, a desirable quiet, economy of living, and a profitable and
thorough system of instruction. Young gentlemen may here re-
ceive training of a high and enduring character.
The Winnipesaukee River, in its short career from the "weirs"
in Meredith to its confluence with the Pemigewasset, just below
Webster's Falls in Franklin, is an exceedingly ornamental stream,
and useful for many purposes not enumerated, but especially so in
its many mill privileges. The entire fall of this stream from the
"weirs" to Franklin is nearly two hundred and fifty feet, two hun-
dred of this being within four miles of its junction with the Pemige-
wasset in Franklin. When it is considered that the identity of the
river proper is lost, for ten miles of its course, in the great bay
lying between its source, the lake, and the forks of the Merrimack,
it will be seen that it has no mean capacity for manufacturing pur-
poses, and that this power is already quite extensively employed,
with a still greater chance remaining to be some day more exten-
sively operated.
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THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
Canterbury suffered severely from Indian depredations. So con-
stantly did the enemy lurk about the town that the fields were
cleared and tilled under the protection of a strong armed guard.
In the year 1738, two men, named Shepard and Blanchard, were
surprised by a party of seven Indians, who fired upon them, the first
time without effect, when the two returned the fire, and Shepard
escaped, but Blanchard was mortally wounded and captured, and
died in a few days. They also captured a lad named Jackson,
and a negro servant belonging to Thomas Clough, and carried them
to Canada, where they remained till the close of the French and
Indian war in 1749.
In 1752, two Indians, named Sabatis and Christi, came into the
town, and, behaving friendly, were kindly treated, but after staying
several weeks they suddenly left, taking with them, forcibly, two
negroes. One of these escaped; the other was taken to Crown
Point, and sold to an officer. The following year Sabatis returned
to Canterbury with a companion called Plausawa. The former, on
being remonstrated with for his past conduct, became exceedingly
insolent, and, probably on account of being intoxicated, displayed
a wild and threatening demeanor. They were followed and killed
by some persons heedless of the injunction, "Vengeance is mine.'
These persons were arrested, ironed, and committed to jail; but the
night previous to the trial a mob gathered, with crowbars, axes,
and bludgeons, rescued them, and "Lo, the poor Indian" got no
redress.
""
Shaker Village, built along the summit of a hill, is a compact,
tidy, quiet, methodical community. The Shakers are a sect first
known in this country just previous to the Revolution. It is
believed to have been founded by Ann Lee, who came from Eng-
land. The first society known in this country was established at
New Lebanon, in New York, about 1780; and this one was organ-
ized two or three years later through the labors of two elders named
Chauncy and Cooley.
The society occupy a large tract of land, nearly three thousand
acres, which is owned and the labor performed in common. The
buildings and the table are common. In short, most matters are
common with them, while in others they regard themselves as mar-
vellously proper. They consider that they are devoting their time,
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
153
their toil, and their accumulations to the service of the Lord. Their
work, farming, mechanical, and manufacturing, is always done in
the proper season and manner, thorough, but in no sense wasteful.
Their workshop and mills are models of neatness and convenience,
peculiarly adapted by arrangement and fixtures to the kind of busi-
ness carried on; their implements of the most improved pattern and
material. The consequence of this thoroughness is, the Shaker
products are sought at the highest prices. Agricultural imple-
ments, kitchen furniture, cloths, flannels, hose, herbs, and every-
thing they have to sell find a ready market.
The laundry and dairy are arranged so conveniently and comfort-
ably, that it seems as much pleasure to do the work as to see it
done. A stationary engine does all the work of lifting, lowering,
turning, washing, ironing, drying, churning, etc., and everything
may be said to be done literally like clock-work, as they design
each room shall be supplied with a clock, there being some hundred
in the various rooms in the village. There is also a large bell,
which calls the community to labor, meals, school, and devotion.
The Shaker barn is said to be the largest and best-arranged struc-
ture of the kind in the State. It holds from five to six hundred
tons of hay, besides grain and other produce; two stables, each
accommodating fifty cows, which are allowed to go in promiscuously,
each knowing its name and stall, and all tied and untied by a slight
and simple movement of a lever. There are also calf-pens, sheep-
pens, places for sick animals, and the live stock of the Shakers here
find a hotel and hospital combined. The barn is surmounted by
a cupola, from which a good view of all the surrounding country is
obtained.
They maintain a kitchen-garden of two or three acres, luxuriant
with almost every variety of fruit and vegetables known to this
latitude, with which their table in the season is bountifully supplied,
they selling only what they cannot consume; and strangers are often
supplied here with meals, always substantial and good, at a price
never exceeding prime cost.
They do not believe in, or practise marriage at all, and regard
Brigham Young with a feeling of abhorrence which language is
inadequate to express; still instances have occurred where a brother
and sister have come to an understanding, either by translating the
་
20
154
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
silent but unmistakable language of love, or by surreptitiously ob-
taining an interview, and eloped, leaving their undivided interest in
the society for their interest in each other.
The social theory and practice of the Shakers may be the correct
one. Probably no one ever expressed or entertained a desire to
interfere with their faith or practice; but there are those who regard
it as simply absurd; while it is thought there are still many others
who would remain unregenerated heathen, preferring to take their
chance both in this world and the world to come, than be born
again under the dispensation of Shaker Christianity without this
dogma being expunged.
The Shakers are plain in language, manner, and dress, indus-
trious, temperate, and healthy. Shaker Village seems a beehive
where all are busy. Some one has said, no doubt a slander,
that implements in the hands of the Shaker, whatever may be their
design, are used to kill time; that his life is aimless; that he has
no aspirations beyond his individual comfort; that he is destitute
of the incentive to energy, enterprise, and ambition; in brief, that
he is in the social order a nondescript; in religion a perpetual
penance-doer; and in community a nonentity; in conversation
"their yea is yea, and their nay nay.
and their nay nay." No one can dispute the
fact that they are excellent citizens, conforming to all the require-
ments of citizenship, except military drill, eschewing this as well
as marriage as a part of their religion; and, taken as a whole, they·
are utilitarians enough to do as little harm in the world as possible,
even though they may not do all the good they ought or might.
The surface of Pembroke is undulating. Its principal village,
parallel with the Merrimack River, is five miles from Concord on an
elevated ridge, and is between three and four miles long. Pembroke
Academy, which has long been famous as one of the foremost educa-
tional institutions in the State, is on this street. A large tract of
territory, embracing this town, was formerly known as Suncook, and
was granted, under this name, by Massachusetts, in 1727, to Captain
Lovewell and his band of Indian fighters, sixty in number, three-
fourths of whom accompanied him in his last fatal expedition against
Pequauket. On May 1st, 1748, James Carr, of this town, was
killed by the Indians. Pembroke was incorporated under its pres-
ent name in 1759.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
155
The Suncook River is an important though not large tributary of
the Merrimack. Its source is a pond on the summit of one of the
Suncook mountains, a chain of high hills located in Gilmanton, and
running north and south through that town. This pond is located
about one thousand feet above the base of the mountain, and its
outlet, on descending, falls into another pond; from thence into still
another, from which it emerges, and receives, in its course, many
tributaries. This river is very rapid, affording numerous fine mill
privileges along its whole course.
Gilmanton, where the source of the river is located, also gives
rise to the Suncook, and beside these is watered by the Winni-
pesaukee. This was formerly a very large township, extending
northward to the shores of the Winnipesaukee, but has, from time to
time, been shorn of its extensive proportions, the towns of Guilford
and Upper Gilmanton having been carved out of its original terri-
tory. Iron ore was at one time obtained in considerable quanti-
ties, and iron works were established.
Academy Village is a very beautiful and unusually pleasant
place. The soil is very fertile, and in a high state of cultivation;
the dwellings spacious and neat; the people enterprising, thrifty, and
intelligent, -the facilities afforded by the Gilmanton Academy being
ample.
66
Porcupine Hill is a remarkably abrupt precipice of granite,
gneiss, and mica slate rock, which form, by their overhanging strata
and deep ravines, a pleasant and favorite resort of the students of
Gilmanton Academy, an old and highly respectable institution of
learning. Below this steep precipice is a deep and shady dell, thickly
clad with a dark evergreen foliage of forest-trees, while the rocks
are wreathed in rich profusion by curious and beautiful lichens or
mosses. Wild plants are abundant and various.
"Gilmanton Academy was incorporated October 13, 1762." *
The town was granted, in 1727, to one hundred and seventy-six
persons, twenty-four of whom were named Gilman, but the settle-
ment was delayed for many years on account of the hostility of the
Indians. In 1761, Benjamin and John Mudgett, with their fami-
lies, settled here, and Dorothy Weed was the first white child born
* "New Hampshire As It Is."
י
156
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
in Gilmanton. Hon. William Badger,* formerly Governor of New
Hampshire, was a native and resident of this place.
The Suncook River takes a south-east course through Gilmanton
-Village, passing into Barnstead, which is a thriving town, almost
wholly engaged in agricultural pursuits. The township was granted,
in 1727, to Rev. Joseph Adams and others, but its settlement was
delayed nearly forty years. It lies in gentle, grand, and sometimes
abrupt undulations, and is dotted with several fine ponds, which
discharge their waters into the Suncook River. The largest of
these are the two Suncooks, near together, Half Moon and Brin-
dle.
•
The variety of minerals yet discovered is not extensive. Yellow
ochre, iron, plumbago, and specimens of basaltic trap-rock are
among the number.
Barnstead was incorporated in 1767. In 1807, a very useful insti-
tution was organized and incorporated, called the "Social Library,"
which is still in a flourishing condition, and is a source of great
benefit to the citizens, who are unusually intelligent and well-
informed. From this town, the Suncook, much increased in volume,
passes into Pittsfield, where it furnishes many excellent mill privi-
ileges.
Pittsfield, though not yet a century old, is a populous and flour-
ishing town, which is mainly due to the water-power of the Suncook,
the surface of the town being mountainous and broken. Pittsfield
Village is located in a deep valley, and is surrounded by high wooded
hills, -a
a picturesque and romantic scene. The village is large and
lively, surpassing most inland towns destitute of railroad facilities.
Activity and business are its concomitants, and when the railroad,
now in contemplation, is completed to Manchester, furnishing easy
and rapid communication with the outside world, Pittsfield will at
once become an important town. It has a cotton manufactory, em-
ploying nearly two hundred hands, with a capital of two hundred
thousand dollars.
Catamount Mountain is situated in Pittsfield, and is fifteen hun-
dred feet high. The view from its summit is extensive and grand;
* Gov. Badger's widow is still living. She resides in Upper Gilmanton, and, though
seventy-eight years of age, traces of those attractions of mind and person, which distin-
guished the noble dames of a past age, still exist.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
157
the broad Atlantic is plainly seen, as well as islands, headlands, and
the great circle of mountains, extending from Agamenticus in Maine,
to the White Hills on the north, and the high summits on the west,
including the grand Monadnock. There is a fine sheet of water on
the mountain, which is about one hundred and seventy-five rods long,
fed by springs. There are other ponds in the town, and from Wild
Goose Pond bog iron ore has been taken in large quantities. There
is also a mineral spring, the impregnation being a compound of sul-
phur and chalybeate. There are many peat meadows, some of
which have been reclaimed, and are remarkably productive. In
some parts of the town the magnetic needle shows considerable vari-
ation, which is attributed to the proximity of minerals in large
masses; black tourmaline and magnetic iron ore have been found in
several places. Tourmaline is usually found in hexagonal or triangu-
lar prisms, terminated by three-sided pyramids, black, but some-
times green, blue, red, and brown. It was formally known under
the name of schorl; and its crystals, when heated, are remarka-
ble for exhibiting electric polarity, - attracting and repelling the
needle.
There is a society of Friends in Pittsfield, who have a meeting-
house, and maintain regular public religious worship.
Epsom was granted, in 1727, to Theodore Atkinson and others,
and, like many other towns whose names are not of Indian
origin, was named for a place of the same name in England. The
town is well watered by great and little Suncook Rivers and many
smaller streams. There are also three ponds in the town.
McKoy is the highest elevation, and derives its name from Mrs.
McKoy, who was taken captive by the Indians in 1747, and did not
return till after the close of the French and Indian War.
The soil of Epsom contains several minerals, some of them rare;
brown oxide, sulphuret of iron (copperas), terra sienna, mineral
paint, - an alluvial deposit, — arsenical pyrites, silver mixed, or
argentiferous galena, and hydrated oxide of iron, mixed with crystal-
lized quartz.
On receiving the news of the battles of Lexington and Concord,
twelve hundred of the sturdy yeomanry of New Hampshire hastened
to Boston. Among them was Major McClary, of Epsom, who fell in
the battle of Bunker Hill, while gallantly fighting for his country.
158
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
•
Allenstown, on the Suncook River, was granted in 1731. In
1748, as Mr. Buntin, his son, and James Carr were at work on the
west side of the Merrimack, opposite the mouth of the Suncook,
they were set upon by Indians, and Carr, attempting to escape, was
shot; Buntin and his son were made captives, taken to Canada,
and sold, but made their escape, and returned home in about a
year.
Allenstown was not incorporated until one hundred years after it
was granted. Bear Brook is a large stream, and furnishes many
mill sites, and is one of the most famous trout brooks in this section
of the State, furnishing good fishing-ground-with its tributaries—
some thirty miles in extent. Suncook River divides this town from
Pembroke, and has a splendid water-power at the village, which
takes the name of the river not far from its confluence with the
Merrimack. It seems to be a well-established fact, that clearing the
lands has diminished the size of the rivers, and that those in New
Hampshire are small now compared to what they were previous to
its settlement. A proof of this may be deduced from an extract of
the address of Gov. Wentworth to the Legislature in 1746.
66
After the mischief was done by the Indians at New Hopkin-
ton, the inhabitants of Canterbury were in the utmost distress, for
a great number of the inhabitants, then in the woods, which
occasioned an alarm in that quarter; and being apprehensive the
enemy had besieged that garrison, I ordered a detachment of Capt.
Odlin's and Capt. Hanson's horse to march out to their relief. For
want of a bridge on Suncook River, both detachments were obliged
to march more than double the distance, and as Canterbury is the
only magazine for provision on our frontiers, I hope you will think
it worth your consideration, that a bridge be built here as soon as
the weather will admit of it."
It will be seen that a century since, when the country of the
Suncook and its branches was an unbroken wilderness, cavalry
troops were forced to make a wide circuit towards its source to find
a fording-place. Now, however, there is scarcely a point in its
whole course where an athletic youth of fifteen could not ford it,
except at times of high freshets.
The mills on the Suncook, a short distance from its confluence
with the Merrimack, obtain their motive power from the former
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
159
stream.
The fall, at this place, is picturesque, romantic, and grand;
the height being ample; but in dry seasons the volume of water be-
comes much attenuated. There are three corporations at this place,
known as the Pembroke, capital five hundred thousand dollars;
Webster, capital five hundred thousand dollars; China, capital one
million dollars. Garvin's Falls, a short distance above Suncook, on
the Merrimack, are considered available for manufacturing purposes,
having a perpendicular fall of twenty-eight feet, fully equal to that
at Lawrence, and the time may come when a flourishing manufac-
turing city will cluster around this waterfall. Should this be the
case, and should Sewall's Falls, in the north part of Concord, be
improved, the result would be an unbroken city, stretching along
the Merrimack, on both sides, from Fisherville on the Contocook, to
the Suncook, a distance of fifteen miles, and even to Hooksett, a
smart manufacturing village two miles farther down the Merri-
mack.
The Contoocook River, a very considerable tributary of the
Merrimack, has its principal sources on the height of land between
the waters of the Connecticut and Merrimack Rivers in Rindge
and Jaffrey, Cheshire County. In the town of Dublin, which is
also located on this elevated ridge, one of the churches sheds
the rain on one side into the Ashuelot, and thence into the Connect-
icut, while the other side is drained through the Contoocook into the
Merrimack.
The Contoocook has its course through a portion of three coun-
ties, and is a very important stream, whether we consider the large
tract of territory watered by itself and numerous affluents, the great
amount of excellent farming lands which border it, or the many
mill privileges, some of them very superior ones, it furnishes along
the line of the main stream and its branches. It flows in a general
north-east direction, and, passing out of Hillsboro', enters Merrimack
County at Henniker, pursuing its way through several important
towns, and receiving the valuable accession of Warner and Black-
water rivers in Hopkinton. It now becomes a large stream, and
falls into the Merrimack at the south-east angle of the town of Bos-
cawen, being the division line between Concord and the above-named
town.
Hillsboro' has a very uneven surface; the soil, however, is gener-
160
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
་
ally strong and productive. It was originally settled, in 1741, by
James McCalley and others, and was called township number seven..
The wife of McCalley was the only woman in the settlement the
first year. Three years after this settlement was made, it was
abandoned on account of the French War, and was afterwards grant-
ed by the Masonian proprietors to Colonel John Hill, of Boston, who,
with others, settled it in 1757, and from him received its present
name, being incorporated in 1772. The principal pond, which is
not large, bears the name of one of the original settlers, and is
called Lyon's Pond.
This town is amply watered by Contoocook and Hillsboro' Rivers,
and many other smaller streams, furnishing mill-sites with good
power, which are improved, several kinds of mechanical works being
carried on, as well as manufacturing in a small way. The largest
is a cotton-mill, which has sometimes employed as many as twenty-
five or thirty persons. Veins of plumbago of remarkable purity
have been found and worked to a considerable extent. Hillsboro' is
in many respects a noted town. For intelligence, integrity, indus-
try, and sobriety it is believed to be unsurpassed, while thrift and
general content, certain to be evolved from this favorable condition
of society, are seen on every hand.
Hillsboro' was the adopted residence of Benjamin Pierce, who was
born in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, in 1757. He was the son of a
farmer, and lived in an age when education was not only not gener-
ally diffused, but was difficult to obtain anywhere; and in a land so
new and sparsely settled the facilities for learning were slender indeed.
The news of the battle of Lexington was conveyed to him, as it
was to others, "by the man on horseback;" and, without hesitation
or delay, he took his gun and started immediately on foot and alone
for Lexington. Finding the British troops retreating on Boston, he
fell in with the Provincials, and pursued them as far as Cambridge,
where he enlisted for the war, and was in the memorable battle of
Bunker Hill, and in active service until the close of the Revolutionary
War, having risen, by promotion for gallant and meritorious conduct,
from a private to a captaincy. On returning to peaceful pursuits,
after nine years of arduous service in his country's cause, he found the
Continental currency so depreciated that the total amount of his pay
was not sufficient to buy a farm; consequently he again took up the
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
161
line of march for a wilderness country where land was so cheap as
to be within the reach of his slender means, and located in Hills-
boro'.
Endowed by nature with superior intellectual abilities, he had, by
perseverance in watching and appropriating every opportunity, over-
come the imperfections of his education, and was at once recognized
as one of its ablest and most intelligent members by the community
in which he lived. He did not, however, retire from the military
service, but continued to serve in the militia for many years, being
at one time colonel of the famous regiment which furnished the gal-
lant McNeil and Miller for the war of 1812, and was a general in
the State militia at the time he retired from the service. He held
many civil offices, and in 1818 was elected sheriff of the county.
Finding several poor debtors in Amherst jail, one of them having
been incarcerated four years for no crime, save that he owed a debt
which he could not pay, kind-hearted and generous, he at once
paid their debts and liberated them. Addressing them briefly, he
said :
"I have a duty to perform. I must either be governed by the
law, and suffer you still to remain the devoted victims of unavoidable
misfortune and honest poverty, shut out from the genial light of
heaven and the vital air, God's equal gift to all, to endure, perhaps
perish under, the privation incident to your situation and the stern
ravages of approaching winter, forlorn and destitute, with no friend
to comfort, no society to cheer, no companion to console you; or I
must be directed by the powerful impulse of humanity, pay the debt
myself, and bid you leave this dreary and gloomy abode. My unfor-
tunate fellow-citizens, my duty to myself will not suffer longer to
remain here an old companion in arms, who fought for the liberty
of which he is deprived, for no crime but that of being poor..
"In this view, go; receive the uncontaminated air which is dif
fused abroad for the comfort of man; go to your families and friends,
if you have any. Be correct in your habits. Be industrious; and
if your tottering and emaciated frames are so far exhausted as to
prevent your getting comfortable support, apply to the good people
for relief. And may the best of Heaven's blessings accompany you
the remainder of your days."
General Pierce was elected to the principal offices in the State,
21
162
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
which he filled with credit to himself and advantage to the people.
He was governor in 1827, and again in 1829. Governor Pierce
was, even to his last years, remarkably social and genial, and was,
consequently, a companion for the grave and gay alike, his society
being sought by the youthful and vivacious as well as the sedate
and thoughtful.
This distinguished man, who possessed a lofty and resolute intel-
lectual, and rugged physical organization, was still further distin-
guished by being the father of one of the Presidents of the United
States.
"On the 26th of December, 1825, it being his sixty-seventh
birthday, Gen. Benjamin Pierce prepared a festival for his comrades
in arms, the survivors of the Revolution; eighteen of them, all inhab-
itants of Hillsboro', assembled at his house. The ages of these
veterans ranged from fifty-nine up to the patriarchal venerableness
of nearly ninety. They spent the day in festivity, in calling up
reminiscences of the great men whom they had known, and the great
deeds they had helped to do, and in reviving the old sentiments of the
era of seventy-six. At nightfall, after a manly and pathetic farewell
from their host, they separated, 'prepared,' as the old general ex-
pressed it, 'at the first tap of the shrouded drum, to move and join
their beloved Washington and the rest of their comrades who fought
and bled at their sides.'"? *
He died in 1839, at the mansion in Hillsboro', which had suc-
ceeded the log cabin, on the very spot, now blooming and adorned,
where, fifty years before, his sturdy blows first made a clearing.
The late Hon. Chandler E. Potter was for several years a resident
of Hillsboro'. Judge Potter was for many years justice of the Po-
lice Court of the city of Manchester, and was, perhaps, more thor-
oughly versed in Indian lore and history than any other man in New
England, if not in the country. His admirable" History of Man-
chester" exhibits a vast research in this, as well as in history proper,
and in his unexpected decease the community has been deprived of a
historical repository as extensive and varied as interesting and useful.
Henniker is an uneven but very excellent farming town. The
hilly lands are unusually productive in the way of cereals and graz-
ing facilities; the valleys, meadows, and intervals yielding well in
* Hawthorne.
!
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
163
hay, corn, and common vegetable products. The town was granted
by the Masonian proprietors, under the name of "Number Six," to
James and Robert Wallace and others, in 1752. The first house,
constructed of logs, was erected in 1761 by James Peters, who was
the original settler. It was incorporated in 1768, receiving its pres-
ent name from John Henniker, Esq., a London merchant, who was
a friend of Governor Wentworth and a member of Parliament.
The Contoocook River, which in its course through several towns
is so winding or crooked that it is said to "run more than three
times its length," passes through the centre of the town. Besides
machine shops there are mills where several kinds of woollen fabrics
are produced. Craney Hill is the highest elevation of land in the
town. On the summit of this hill is a large boulder, some fifteen
feet in diameter, an undoubted deposit of the ancient glacial drift,
released from its icy embrace by contact with the obtrusive crown of
this hill, at the time the earth was being evolved from a submarine
condition, by an application of the principle of hydrostatic engineer-
ing power which has never since been equalled. This boulder is so
poised, that, only for its having been riven (supposed by lightning)
and divided into two nearly equal parts, half a dozen men could
move it from its present position, and it could not stop until it had
rolled a distance of more than three miles. There are in the coun-
try several cases of the transplanting of hill-tops and mountain-
peaks,* and the subject is attracting much attention from scientific
men, as the "Testimony of the Rocks" is regarded as incontroverti-
ble. The Contoocook Valley Railroad, extending from Hillsboro' to
Concord, passes through Henniker, affording good facilities for freight
and travel.
Bradford, which is the northern boundary of Henniker, a little
* Prof. Gunning delivered a lecture in Hartford, Conn., recently, on the last glacial period,
during which he stated that he had seen in Stamford, Vt., a mountain of granite as peculiar
as that of Superior, but of different type. The crystals were foliated. Science can find that
The top has been
granite at home only in Stamford. The mountain is a truncated cone.
clipped off. North of the mountain there was not a single boulder of foliated granite.
South of the mountain there were multitudes of such boulders. Perched on the very top of
Hoosac Mountain the tourist may see a boulder about seventy feet in circumference and fifteen
feet high. If he looks at the boulder, then at the mountain, he will see that the boulder
a Ver-
has no kinship with the mountain. The boulder is that same Stamford granite,
mont "carpet-bagger" ensconced on one of the highest peaks of Massachusetts. The tourist
may look south-westward over Deerfield Valley, thirteen hundred feet deep, and see far in
the distance the outlines of Stamford Mountain, from whose top that boulder was torn.
J
164
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
to the west of the Contoocook, is equidistant from the Merrimack
and Connecticut Rivers, and contains a very singular natural curiosity.
Todd's Pond, which extends into Newbury, is the largest collection
of water in the town, and has several floating islands. Bradford
Pond, containing a large number of islands, and noted for its roman-
tic surroundings, is justly celebrated for its wild and picturesque
scenery. The waters discharged from these ponds find their way
into the Contoocook.
Bradford was settled in 1771 by Dea. William Presbury, and was
incorporated in 1787, including in its limits a portion of the terri-.
tory of the present town of Washington. Several years since a
stone quarry of good quality and great value was discovered here,
which has been extensively wrought.
Washington, the western boundary of Bradford, is one of the most.
remarkable towns, in some respects, in the State. It was originally
granted by the Masonian proprietors to Reuben Kidder, Esq., who
settled it in 1768, under the name of Camden. It was incorporated
Independence year (1776) by the distinguished and illustrious name
of the Father of his country. Washington is principally an agri-
cultural community, the exception being as timber is of superior
quality, plenty, and cheap — the manufacture of various kinds of
wooden ware. There are more than twenty ponds in the town, and,
of course, a very large number of brooks and small streams. These
waters are very pure and well stocked with the best kinds of fish.
Lovewell's Mountain, an elevation of historic interest, is situated
in Washington, and derives its name from Captain Lovewell, the
famous Indian hunter; from its summit an extensive view is ob-
tained of the surrounding country, and from this observatory he was
accustomed to scan the forest around, to ascertain if there were any
savages lurking near; if there were, the smoke of their wigwam
fires could be seen curling above the tree-tops. On one occasion, as
he was splitting logs near the summit, he was suddenly surrounded
by seven Indians. A resort to force, unarmed and defenceless as he
was, against seven stalwart savages, was entirely out of the question;
and, determined to escape, stratagem was his only alternative. Con-
senting to go with them into captivity without hesitation, he re-
quested them as a simple favor to assist him to split the log on which
he was at work when they interrupted him. They consented with-
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
165
out suspicion, and, ranging themselves on either side of the log, they
put their hands into the opening where it was partially riven by the
entering wedge, to assist with all their force in pulling it asunder,
when Lovewell suddenly striking out the wedge, the fissure closed
up, and they were all securely caught in this novel man-trap. Love-
well then despatched them at his leisure, scalped them scientifically,
and continued his labor.
Besides the liberal provision for common schools, Tubbs' Union
Academy, a flourishing educational institution, supplies its pupils
with a high order of instruction.
Warner is the next town west of Boscawen, and lies immediately
at the base of Kearsarge Mountain. It was granted by Massachu-
setts, to Deacon Thomas Stevens and sixty-two others, in 1735,
under the name of "Number One." It was afterwards called New
Amesbury, and was subsequently regranted by the Masonian pro-
prietors, but a controversy arose between the latter grantees and the
earlier claimants, which was not adjusted for several years, and the
town was not incorporated until 1774, when it assumed its present
name.
Warner was settled, in 1762, by David Annis and Reuben Kim-
ball. Warner River, a tributary of the Contoocook, rises in the
Sunapee Mountains, and passing through this town affords many
good privileges for mills and shops. Pleasant Pond, whose waters
are cold, pure, and deep, has no visible inlet or outlet, although it
maintains its maximum depth in the dryest season. The soil of
this town is very good; the minerals are gneiss and mica slate, the
latter containing beds of limestone and talcose rock, while in the
former are found very fine specimens of splendidly colored pyrope, a
garnet sometimes blood-red, but generally a modification of that
color, and frequently tinged with yellow. There is an extensive and
valuable soapstone quarry, and also a large and rich peat bog, which
is twenty-five to thirty feet in depth, from which beaver cuttings
have been exhumed, denoting that in the far-distant past it was the
site of an immense beaver dam.
Hopkinton joins Concord on the west, its principal village being
about seven miles from the State capital. It was granted by Massa-
chusetts, in 1735, to John Jones and others, and was called "Num-
ber Five," and was subsequently called New Hopkinton, from Hop-
166
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
kinton in Massachusetts. It was originally settled in 1740, but, on
account of the French and Indian war, the settlement was abandoned
until after its close. In 1746, the Indians surprised the garrison,
and captured eight persons and carried them away. In 1753, Abra-
ham Kimball, the first white male person born in the town, and
Samuel Putney, were captured by the Indians. Three days after-
ward the Indians were surprised and attacked in Boscawen, and Put-
ney was recaptured, while Kimball made his escape by the aid of a
sagacious dog, which ferociously attacked an Indian as he was about
to bury his tomahawk in Kimball's skull. In 1756, Henry Miller
and others received a grant of this township, which occasioned an
acrimonious controversy, lasting several years, which was finally ad-
justed and peace restored by an act of incorporation in 1765, under
the name of Hopkinton, the "New" having evidently been worn
off, or at least left off.
The Contoocook River meanders through Hopkinton, receiving in
its passage the Warner and Blackwater, and furnishes an excellent
water-power. Contoocookville, located at the junction of the Merri-
mack and Connecticut Rivers and Contoocook Valley railroads, is a
lively village, and a place of considerable business. In the village
are shops and mills, and large quantities of lumber are manufactured,
as well as in other parts of the town, and shipped to distant markets.
The intervals along the rivers are exceedingly fertile, while on the
undulations are seen many tracts of highly cultivated and productive
lands. The people are generally engaged in farming, to which the
land is mostly well adapted, and many varieties of delicious fruit are
grown, the soil being unusually good for that purpose, and more
than ordinary attention is paid to its culture.
:
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
167
Concord.
CHAPTER VII.
The Pennacooks. - First Settlement. State Institutions.
Pierce. Isaac Hill. -Count Rumford. - Bow. - Hooksett.
Ex-President
HAVING explored the head-waters of the Merrimack, and entered
the vast amphitheatre where it first appears to a very select audi-
ence, and where from tiers of high encircling benches the gods of
the mountains look down upon its opening career, its "leap for
life," its noisy tumbling from rock to rock in sheets of milky foam,
as it were, into real, tangible being; where they from their thrones
rich draped in fleecy clouds, and the invisible subjects who people
their dreary realms, almost "solitary and alone," look down upon
its slender proportions, listen to its liquid, soul-inspiring music, and
bid it God-speed on its journey of usefulness and toil; following it
on this journey along the route it has chosen to take, and traversing
the course of each of its principal branches for the purpose of obtain-
ing desirable and reliable information, matters of fact, of importance,
and of interest, and also to procure such information as will most
clearly disclose and exhibit a modicum of the importance and value
the Merrimack River already is, as well as the undeveloped power it
still possesses to the people of New Hampshire and New England,
and leaving the principal forks, a short and pleasant march of twenty
miles, and the beautiful city of Concord is reached.
Concord is the heart of the Commonwealth, the Merrimack River
the main artery, and its tributaries the veins and capillaries through
which its throbs and pulsations are felt in the most remote extremi-
ties of the State. The history of Concord, anterior to its occupa-
tion by the pale-face, as well as during its progress to its present
condition of importance in the way of wealth, population, power, and
influence, seems to have been intimately connected with that of the
fine river which has its course through the centre of the State, and
this, its capital city. It has been the fortune of Concord, whether
168
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
good or otherwise, to be the chosen seat of government of more than
one race of men. When the Pennacook nation of confederate tribes
was in the zenith of its power and glory, and its jurisdiction and
influence extended beyond the present limits of New Hampshire;
when the Pennacook made laws and made wars, and made peace by
conquest or treaty; fixed the legal standard of his shell circulating
medium; devised, like his more civilized successor, oppressive "in-
ternal revenue " laws; replenishing his depleted exchequer as occa-
sion required for the maintenance of the dignity and efficiency of
his government, by the collection of game, fish, implements, and
wampum, and did those things which a sovereign power may of right
do, — he also had the seat of his government, and the visible awe-
inspiring emblems of authority, and the head-quarters of his fore-
most sagamon at Concord.
"When the red man used this river, as the white man now does,
for important purposes in the economy of life, as a means of trans-
portation and communication, cultivating, after his rude and primitive
fashions, its fertile intervals for a meagre supply of maize and vines,
and procuring a material portion of his sustenance from its waters,
here at Concord was the recognized and legal seat and centre of his
dominion, and he called it Pennacook from pennaqui (crooked), and
auke (place), the river winding somewhat circuitously through
this section, and embracing the great intervals of Concord within its
folds; or, it may be from penak (a ground nut), and auke (a
place).'
""*
The Pennacooks were the most important and powerful tribe of
Indians on the Merrimack River, from the fact, no doubt, that their
location was far superior to that of any other tribe, a longer estab-
lished and more permanent resident, and above all, the extraordinary
ability and wisdom of their great sagamon, Passaconaway.
Their acknowledged superiority naturally placed them at the head
of the powerful confederacy of the Merrimack River tribes and the
Winnipesaukees. Amoskeag, Souhegan, and Nashuas acknowledged
their sway, and were tributary to them; the Wamesits, naturally
inferior in many respects, and being intermarried, were also tribu-
tary, and ultimately, the several tribes along the Merrimack ceased to
maintain an independent existence in name as well as in fact, and
* Potter.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
169
:
"
were absorbed by the Pennacooks. The names of the tribes so
merged were the Agawams, located in what is now Essex County,
Massachusetts, Wamesits, Nashua, Souhegan, Namoskeag, and
Winnipesaukee. Besides these, the following tribes, not on the Mer-
rimack, acknowledged fealty, were tributary to, and confederates of
the Pennacooks: the Wachusetts, Coosucks, Pequakuakes, Ossipee,
Squamscotts, Winnecowetts, Piscataquaukes, Newichewannocks,
Sacos, Amariscoggins. As it is interesting to know the derivation
and significance of the names by which these aboriginal communities
were known and distinguished, some of them are here given.
"The Winnipesaukees occupied the lands in the vicinity of the
lake of that name, one of their noted fishing-places being at the outlet
of the Winnipesaukee, now known as the weirs, having remained at
that place long after the advent of the whites. Winnipesaukee is
derived from winne (beautiful), nipe (water), kees (high), and auke
(a place), meaning literally the beautiful water of the high place.
Wachusetts from wadchu (a mountain), and auke (a place), near
Wachusetts Mountain in Massachusetts; the Coosucks, from cooash
(pines), upon the sources of the Connecticut River; the Pequaquaukes
from pequaquis (crooked), and auke (a place), upon the sources of
the Saco, in Carroll County, in New Hampshire, and Oxford County,
in Maine; the Ossipees from cooash (pines), and nipe (a river), upon
the Ossipee Lake, and river in Carroll County, New Hampshire,
and York County in Maine; the Squamscotts, from winne (beautiful),
asquam (water), and auke (a place), upon Exeter River, in
Exeter, and Stratham in Rockingham County; the Winnecowetts,
from winne (beautiful), cooash (pines), and auke (a place), in the
same county; the Piscataquaukes, from pos (great), attuck (a deer),
and auke (a place), upon the Piscataqua River, the boundary
between New Hampshire and Maine; the Newichewannocks, from
me (my), week (a contraction of weekwam, a house), and ouannocks
(come), upon one of the upper branches of the same river; the
Sacos, from sawa (burnt), coo (pine), and auke (a place), upon the
Saco River in York County, Maine; and the Amariscoggins, from
namaos (fish), kees (high), and auke (a place), upon the Amariscog-
gin River, having its source in New Hampshire, and emptying its
waters into the Kennebec." *
* Potter.
22
170
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
All the tribes of the interior were known to the Indians living
near the salt water, as Nipmucks, or fresh-water Indians, that being
the general name by which all were designated. "Nipmuck is
derived from nipe (still water), and auke (a place), with the letter
M thrown in for the sake of the euphony ;" and, true to their name,
the Nipmucks usually had their residences upon places of still water,
the ponds, lakes, and rivers.
This was the great Pennacook Confederacy; having its settlements
scattered over a vast extent of country, its communication kept open
by lines of fleet runners, it was powerful for mischief, and whether
its ire was aroused by its implacable enemy, the Mohawks, or sought
to wreak vengeance on the encroaching colonies, it concentrated its
forces, and moved suddenly and rapidly, creating alarm, terror, and
dread. Pennacook was fortified for the protection of habitations,
utensils, supplies, and non-combatants, as well as a safe retreat from
the war-path when a foe was encountered, whose force was either too
strong or unknown; and when the danger was past, or the alarm was
discovered to be false, he could easily replenish his exhausted stores
by following the Merrimack up or down, or the Contoocook on the
west, which, as also its tributaries, was stored with fish, and its forests
abounding in game, while on the east, the Soucook and the Suncook
were famous fishing-places, and deer and other game filled the woods;
the Dark Plains of Pennacook, Pembroke, and Chichester being a ren-
dezvous where he could assemble for the chase, secure and unobserved,
and without alarming the game, and range this famous deer country
to Catamount Mountain and to Deerfield, without danger of inter-
ruption until at least his present wants were amply provided for.
The Pennacook, doubtless, had the sagacity to see at an early
period after the advent of the pale-face, his ultimate and inevitable
doom, and being human, though an Indian, consequently possessed a
spirit not altogether praiseworthy, which was no doubt aggravated
by the vicious blood of his race, and it may not be wondered at that
he determined to leave the mark of his resentment and his vengeance
whenever and wherever he could. On the other hand, however laud-
able the motives by which he was actuated, the white man was the de-
spoiler of his home, his patrimony and his hopes, to him only an
interloper and a robber; he came upon the Indians' domain, the title
to which had remained unquestioned and undisputed for ages, and
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
171
while the intruder bore the Christian badge and banner, on which was
inscribed "Peace on earth, and good will to all men," and the golden
rule, he rudely thrust the simple child of Nature from the soil of his
nativity, and where he did not choose to "stand not on the order of
going, but go at once," but insisted with some show of reason on his
right to remain, the pious pilgrim was forced to kill him to get rid of
him, while at the same time he gave glory to God that he had received
the light, and was not a pagan savage.
Concord was first visited by white men as early as 1639, but for
half a century it remained too far beyond the frontier, and was con-
sequently too warm with Indian atrocities, actual or threatened, for
the prosperity, comfort or health of civilized people. In 1725, it
was granted to Benjamin Stevens, Ebenezer Stevens, and others, by
Massachusetts, which had usurped jurisdiction over a very large
portion of the territory of New Hampshire, under the name of Penna-
cook Plantation. The next year something more than a hundred build-
ing-lots were laid out along the Merrimack, and some fifty or sixty
people commenced building and farming operations. A house for
public worship on the Sabbath, and defensive works for the protec-
tion and security of the settlers were also commenced, but were not
completed until the following year. At the same time a house for
the Rev. Mr. Walker was erected, which is still standing, or was
quite recently, and is believed to be the oldest two-story house in the
State. Edward Abbott's house was built at the same time, and the
first two children, a girl and a boy, of the Caucasian race, were
born in this house. The former died in 1797, and the latter in 1801.
This building is still standing on Montgomery Street, but is now
used for a barn.
The first town-meeting of Pennacook Plantation was held January
11, 1732, and Captain Ebenezer Eastman was elected moderator;
and this was probably the last one also; for the next year the General
Court of Massachusetts passed an act of incorporation, and changed
its name to Rumford. Thirty years later, by order of the king in
council, Rumford was declared to be within the jurisdiction of New
Hampshire, and, in 1765, it was incorporated by the latter power
under its present name.
During all these years the Indians remained in unpleasant prox-
imity, and maintained a menacing and hostile attitude, making
172
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
frequent predatory incursions, rendering the settlers inscure in their
lives as well as effects. In 1739, for better securing themselves
against an apprehended attack of the Indians in strong force, a
garrison was erected. This fort was large, including the dwelling-
house of the Rev. Mr. Walker, and designed as a refuge for the
defenceless in.case of emergency.
In 1742, the wife of Jonathan Eastman was taken captive and
carried to Canada, but was subsequently ransomed and returned to
her friends. On Sunday, August 10th, 1746, a band of savages,
supposed to number one hundred or more, secreted themselves near
the meeting-house, intending, doubtless, to attack the people while at
worship; but fortunately a scouting party of between thirty and
forty men, under command of Captain Daniel Ladd, of Exeter,
opportunely arrived on that day; besides this, the men went to church
well armed, and thus the murderous designs of the enemy were frus-
trated, and, instead of finding the settlers an easy prey, and making
them their victims, they were attacked and driven away. Chagrined
at their discomfiture, the Indians secreted themselves in the woods,
about a mile from the village, and near the path which led to East-
man's Fort, in the west part of the town, for the purpose of intercept-
ing or ambuscading squads of soldiers, supposing no doubt that they
would pass to and from the settlement and fort. This scheme was
well considered, the position well chosen, and the success terribly
complete. In the morning, Lieut. Jonathan Bradley, of Capt. Ladd's
company, and seven men started for Eastman's Fort, and having
proceeded a mile and a half, were attacked by the Indians, and what
followed may be told by Abner Clough, of Nottingham, clerk of the
company, who kept a record of its doings:
"And when they had gone about a mile and a half, they were
shot upon by thirty or forty Indians, if not more, as it was
supposed, and killed down dead. Lieut. Jonathan Bradley and
Samuel Bradley, John Lufkin, and John Bean, and this Obadiah
Peters, these five men were killed down dead on the spot, and the
most of the men were stripped; two were stripped stark naked, and
were very much cut and stabbed and disfigured, and Sergeant Alex-
ander Robberts and William Stickney were taken captive, and have
never been heard of since. It was supposed there was an Indian killed
where they had the fight; for this Daniel Gilman, who made his
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
173
escape, saith that he was about sixty rods before these men when
they were shot upon, and he says the Indians shot three guns first.
He says that he thought our men shot at a deer; he says that he run
back about forty rods upon a hill, so that he could see over upon
the other hill, where the Indians lie, and shot upon the men,
and he says, as ever he came upon the hill so as to see over
upon the other hill, he heard Lieut. Jonathan Bradley speak
and say,
say, 'Lord, have mercy upon me; fight.' In a moment
his gun went off, and three more guns of our men's were shot, and
then the Indians rose up and shot a volley, and run out in the path,
and making all sorts of howling and yelling; and he did not stay
long to see it, he said. It was supposed that John Lufkin and
Peters were the first shot, as they were in the path about twelve or
fourteen rods apart, and they shot Samuel Bradley, as he was about
twelve feet before where this Obadiah Peters lay, and wounded him
so that the blood started every step he took. He went about five
rods right in the path, and then they shot him right through his
powder-horn as it hung by his side, and so through his body, and
there lay these three men lying in the path, and Lieut. Bradley run
out of the path about two rods, right in amongst the Indians. He
was shot through his waist; it was supposed he killed the Indian.
It was supposed that he fought (as he stood there in the spot where
he was killed) till the Indians cut his head almost to pieces, and
John Bean run about six rods out of the path on the other side of
the way, and then was shot right through his body, so that there was
none of these men that went one or two steps after they were shot,
excepting this Samuel Bradley, that was shot as above said, and there
seemed to be as much blood where the Indian was shot as there was
where any one of our men were killed. It was supposed the men lie
there about two hours after they were killed before anybody came
there. We did not go till there came a post down from the fort, about
three quarters of a mile beyond where the men lie, and were killed."
A granite monument has been erected on the spot, to commemorate
this bloody event, by Richard Bradley, Esq., a grandson of Samuel
Bradley, one of the slain.
In 1808, the capital of the State was established permanently at
Concord, and, in 1816, the erection of the State House was com-
menced, and was ready for occupation three years afterwards. The
174
THE MERRIMACK RIVER ;
State House grounds comprise two acres extending from Main to
State Street, substantially enclosed and ornamented with beautiful
shade-trees. The entire original cost of land and building was a
little more than eighty thousand dollars, but alterations, additions,
and improvements have been made, which will probably sum up a
total cost of not less than two hundred thousand dollars.
In 1823, the County of Merrimack was erected by taking a num-
ber of towns from Rockingham County on the east side of the river,
and from Hillsboro' on the west, in honor of the beautiful river pass-
ing through it. Concord being much the largest town, in population
as well as area, was selected at the same time as the county-seat,
and is provided with suitable county buildings. It contains an area
of forty-two thousand acres, one acre in every twenty being covered
with water. Much of the land is meadow, or interval, composed of
rich alluvial and vegetable deposit, which formerly afforded the Pen-
nacook ample breadth for his scanty husbandry, and where he could
produce material for his nasamp and succotash; and it is worthy of
note that the uninterrupted cultivation of these lands for two cen-
turies has scarcely impaired their fertility or diminished their pro-
ductiveness.
The county court-house, built in 1855, is a very fine building,
and took the place of an ancient structure which had in its time been
used as a State House, and for many other purposes.
The county jail is a fine, substantial building, erected a little
earlier than the court-house, and the grounds are adorned with fine
fruit and ornamental trees. Most of the State institutions are
located at Concord.
In 1812, the State Prison was built; but twenty years later it was
found necessary to enlarge the original building, and the north wing
was added. It contains about one hundred and twenty cells, some of
which, it is to be hoped, will still continue to be unoccupied for many
years. It contains the cook rooms, which are operated by steam, a
hospital, and a hall where religious services are held. There is also
a library of one thousand volumes belonging to the institution.
prison yard comprises two acres, and is securely enclosed with a sub-
stantial granite wall. The workshops are convenient, and the affairs
of the institution have generally been so well managed as to make it
self-sustaining.
The
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
175
The Insane Asylum is a fine building, properly arranged in apart-
ments suitable to the sexes, and to the degrees of insanity which
afflict the unfortunate patients. The best of medical aid and expe-
rience, careful nursing, and attention to comfort are provided as
well for incurables as for those whose cases are of a more hopeful
character; and it is pleasant to know that when reason is dethroned
by some unusual or extraordinary mental strain, the state of intel-
lectual chaos may not be perpetual or hopeless, but is often perma-
nently cured by the treatment received at this institution.
The common schools of Concord bear a favorable reputation; the
school-houses are commodious, and some of them costly structures.
The facilities for a thorough education in the common and some of
the higher branches are excellent. For many years past the whole
State of New Hampshire has been waking up to the importance of
providing the most liberal facilities for common-school education.
Concord, where the representative men of the State annually assem-
ble, and display the talent and learning which are so generally diffused,
has, perhaps, been more thoroughly aroused by this circumstance,
and has sought to place her common-school system on a high and
progressive basis. The schools are graded, as in most large towns,
for greater convenience and efficiency in the process of instruction,
which ranges from the elementary principles to the higher branches
of English education.
The prosperity of Concord has, undoubtedly, been much increased
and its growth accelerated by the completion of many railroad lines
which centre here, and the population is estimated at sixteen thousand.
The Concord Railroad was open for travel September 1st, 1842;
the Merrimack and Connecticut River Railroad was open for travel
September 20th, 1849; the Northern Railroad in 1846. The Boston,
Concord, and Montreal Railroad was opened May 10th, 1848, al-
though the line through was not completed until five years after.
There is also the Contoocook Valley, the Concord and Claremont, and
the Concord and Portsmouth. The enterprise which has constructed
and equipped so many railroads could not fail to manifest itself as it
has in the rapid advancement of Concord, nor could these roads fail
each in its way to add steadily to the wealth, business, and prosperity
of the city.
The immense travel over these roads, the frequent assembling
176
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
here of conventions and other large political bodies, as well as other
organizations, the assembling of the General Court and many stran-
gers on business connected with the State institutions, necessitates the
maintenance of large hotel accommodations, and there are some eight
or ten in the city, several of them first-class hotels in every respect.
There are fifteen churches and twenty-five clergymen in Concord;
still this large number by no means proves that tares grow rank and
plentiful in the moral wheat fields, as some of them are editors, pro-
fessors, and chaplains of the different State institutions.
There are about thirty lawyers; but this large proportionate num-
ber may not be taken to demonstrate that the community is greatly
given to litigation, as Concord is the head-quarters of the legal pro-
fession in the State, and perhaps the aid of some of them is required to
assist in mystifying legislative enactments. There are only some twelve
or fifteen physicians, representing, however, all of the various meth-
ods of practice; which is a favorable indication of the sobriety, regu-
larity, and superior sanitary condition of the population generally.
Seven or eight newspapers are published in Concord, representing
the different religious and political opinions, and most of them are
generously supported. The most extensive and famous carriage-
manufacturing business in the State has been carried on for many
years in this place by several companies. Every kind of vehicle is
turned out, and in the highest degree of perfection, combining style,
durability, and finish. These carriages find a ready market in all
the States and territories of the Union, Mexico, South America, Aus-
tralia, and many other places. There is also an extensive granite
quarry, and "Concord granite" is well known in many parts of the
country, as much of it is shipped to distant markets.
In the flourishing village of Fisherville, situated at the confluence
of the Contoocook and Merrimack Rivers, is an extensive cotton
manufactory with a capital of five hundred thousand dollars. There
are also woollen mills in Concord, employing altogether several hun-
dred hands.
Among the many able and distinguished men, native and resi-
dent, it may not be invidious to briefly mention a few: The Rev.
Timothy Walker settled in Concord, then Pennacook, in 1726, and
was pastor of the First Congregational Church, organized in the town,
for fifty-two years. He was strong and active in his efforts for the
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
177
good of the community, successful in his labors, a wise as well as a
good man. He lived to see the rejoicing over the surrender of Corn-
wallis at Yorktown, and the independence of his country acknowl-
edged, when he exclaimed, "It is enough! 'Lord, now lettest thou
thy servant depart in peace!""
Hon. Timothy Walker, his son, was also intellectually a strong
man. He graduated at Harvard College in the class of 1756; was
a member of the Committee of Safety in 1776; also of the Consti-
tutional Convention in 1784, and held many other offices of honor
and trust. He was an officer in the New Hampshire forces during
the Revolutionary struggle. After the formation of the State gov-
ernment he was for several years a member of the General Court,
and for a long period occupied the position of Chief Justice of the
Court of Common Pleas. He died in 1822, at the mature age of
eighty-five years.
Benjamin Thompson, long a resident of Concord, married a daugh-
ter of the Rev. and a sister of the Hon. Timothy Walker, and is
better known as Count Rumford. About 1775 he went to England,
where he was intrusted with the position of private secretary to a
distinguished nobleman, who, pleased with his intelligence, his supe-
rior capacity for business, and his fidelity to the trust reposed in him,
procured for him the commission of colonel in the British army,
where he served until 1784, when his scientific inquiries, investiga-
tions, and attainments attracted the attention of Europe, and he was
promoted to the position of lieutenant-general of dragoons in the ser-
vice of the Duke of Bavaria. He distinguished himself as a soldier
and philanthropist, and was honored by the duke with the title of
count, afterwards receiving from England the honor of knighthood.
He died in 1814. The Countess Rumford, at her death, made very
munificent bequests for charitable purposes in Concord.
Franklin Pierce was born in Hillsboro', New Hampshire, November
23d, 1804. He graduated at Bowdoin College in the class of 1824,
and, having decided on the profession of law, he entered the office of
Judge Levi Woodbury, at Portsmouth, and finished his preparatory
studies by two years in the office of Judge Parker and at the law
school in Northampton. In 1827, having been admitted to the bar,
he commenced the practice of his profession at Hillsboro', in a
dingy office which was finished off for the purpose in the end of a
23
178
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
shed; and thus, like most men who have acquired distinction and
renown in this country, the path had a humble beginning which led
him from obscurity, through long years of effort, toil, drudgery, and
trials, to reach it.
It seems to be a wise provision of Providence, that what is not
worth making an earnest effort to obtain is not worth having, even
though it is only daily bread; and the effort required to provide
either food or achieve a just fame properly qualifies an individual to
appreciate its benefits and realize and discharge its obligations and
duties. Thus, when a man enlists with a full determination to serve
faithfully and well, and rises from the humblest rank to the highest
command, for no other consideration than diligent and efficient ser-
vices, it would seem a self-evident proposition that he is a gallant
soldier and an excellent officer.
His first case was a failure, no doubt to him a mortifying one;
but it neither weakened his ambition nor relaxed his efforts to compel
success; on the contrary, it was a spur which goaded him to more
extensive preparations and a marshalling of hitherto undeveloped
faculties, and it is more than possible that a discomfiture in the out-
set aroused his latent energies and was a guaranty of ultimate tri-
umph. At the age of twenty-five he was chosen to represent his
native town in the Legislature, his father having been elected gov-
ernor the same year, and served four years in that body, the two
last being elected speaker by a majority of one hundred votes.
In 1833 he was elected to Congress, being the youngest, one of
the most industrious and useful members. It was said of him that
he never talked for Buncombe; but his sterling abilities as a watch-
ful and efficient legislator were practically recognized by the House
in placing him on some of the most important committees, as well as
by his constituents.
He was a disciple of Andrew Jackson, and the warmest personal
friendship and esteem existed between them. Here he served four
years, and the satisfaction which he gave in the discharge of the
duties of a representative may be inferred by the fact that he was
then promoted to the Senate, and took his seat in 1837, at the com-
mencement of the administration of Mr. Van Buren, and partici-
pated in the conflicts of the intellectual giants of that most brilliant
epoch of the United States Senate since the early days of the Re-
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
179
public. Starting in life with a commendable ambition, which was
rather to excel in every position he occupied than to gain others still
higher, in all respects his career had been one of unexampled success;
official station having sought him out and advanced him in every
instance at the earliest moment that age would allow him legally to
accept it; and now, having reached the goal of his ambition, and
having made an honorable record in that great arena of intellectual
gladiators, his ambition sated, he determined to resign and retire to
the pursuits of private life. Accordingly he resigned the office of
senator in 1842, and, returning to Concord, where he had established
himself in 1838, resolved to provide some pecuniary means by the
practice of his profession to serve his family in an emergency, as his
inflexible honesty had left him, at the voluntary termination of a long
and valuable public career, a poor man.
On the assumption of the presidential office by Mr. Polk he wrote
to Franklin Pierce, urging him to accept a position in the new cabi-
net. In his communication the president said: -
"In tendering to you the position in my cabinet I have been
governed by the high estimate which I place upon your character
and eminent qualifications to fill it."
The following is an extract from his reply declining the appoint-
ment:
"Although the early years of my manhood were devoted to public
life, it was never really suited to my taste. I longed, as I am sure
you must often have done, for the quiet and independence that be-
long only to the private citizen; and now at forty I feel that desire
stronger than ever. Coming so unexpectedly as the offer does, it
would be difficult, if not impossible, to arrange the business of an
extensive practice between this and the first of November in a man-
ner at all satisfactory to myself, or to those who have committed
their interest to my care, and who rely on my services..
"When I resigned my seat in the Senate, in 1842, I did it with
the fixed purpose never again to be voluntarily separated from my
family for any considerable length of time, except at the call of my
country in time of war.
"These are some of the considerations which have influenced my
decision. You will, I am sure, appreciate my motives. You will
not believe that I have weighed my personal convenience and ease
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against the public interest, especially as the office is one which, if
not sought, would be readily accepted by gentlemen who could bring
to your aid attainments and qualifications vastly superior to mine."
A few years after, the contingency unexpectedly occurred to which
he had referred in the above letter, by the breaking out of the Mexi-
can War, and the name of Franklin Pierce was the first enrolled as
a private in the first volunteer company raised in Concord for the
war, and in the preliminary drills he was punctually in the ranks
with his musket. He was appointed colonel of the New England
Regiment, and the same year (1847) was commissioned brigadier-
general, and was ordered with his command to Mexico, where he ar-
rived about the first of July, in the midst of the sickly season, when
the vomito was an efficient ally of the enemy. During the campaign
which terminated with the capture of the city of the Montezumas,
Gen. Pierce was conspicuous among the volunteer officers for prompt
and decisive action, regard for the comfort of his men, kindness and
personal attention to the sick and disabled, and his temerity and dis-
regard of consequences which might result to himself personally in
times of great peril.
In the fierce struggle of contending armies in the valley of Mexico
he was constantly under fire, and the many bullet-holes through his
clothing attested his hair-breadth escapes. On one occasion, at Con-
treras, August 19th, he met with a severe accident, his horse falling
on the battle-field and crushing him severely, leaving him exposed
and defenceless under a galling fire.
When Santa Anna proposed an armistice, with a view to peaceful
negotiation, Gen. Pierce was selected by the commander-in-chief as
one of the commissioners, and at the triumphant close of the war he
returned to Concord, where he at once resumed the practice of his
profession, determined henceforth to enjoy that independence which
he had known only as a private citizen.
Again, in 1852, a command reached him from a source which he
had never disregarded or disobeyed. The people called him to the
most exalted and responsible position on the face of the earth; and,
though his opponent was the most renowned military chieftain of the
age, and was held in affectionate regard by the American people for
his high character and distinguished services, Gen. Pierce was elected
with unprecedented unanimity, only four States declaring for his
}
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
181
opponent; and thus, before he had reached his forty-eighth year,
was president-elect of this great nation.
he
During the campaign which resulted in his elevation he encoun-
tered obloquy, vituperation, and even calumny, unsurpassed, perhaps,
by the fierce and heated canvasses of Jefferson and Jackson, while his
administration was assailed, as all administrations before and since
have been, with or without cause. Still it may be considered as
proof, as far as it goes, that this persistent and malignant opposition
was groundless, as retrospection and the lapse of time have softened
political asperities, and a land burdened with grief, taxation, debt,
and sectional animosity would rejoice at the return of those palmy
days of the Republic.
Gen. Pierce being remarkably urbane and courteous by nature, as
well as from a sense of duty, to all men, friend and opponent alike,
without regard to station or position, very properly, when it is his
legitimate and unquestioned right, exacts it for himself; and, recently,
when a person in high official station offered him a gross and premed-
itated indignity, it afforded even his opponents pleasure to see him
-only a private citizen-bring the official offender promptly and
humbly to his knees.
Ex-President Pierce has been a resident of Concord for the past
thirty years, and has been uniformly an active promoter of all its
interests. Generous to a fault, he dispenses his moderate means in
the most effective way to alleviate suffering and want, and sad hearts,
filled with gloom and dark despair, are illuminated by his sympathy
and gladdened by his material bounty.
Hon. Isaac Hill was a resident of Concord for more than forty
years. He commenced life as a journeyman printer, but rose to be
an editor, and wielded a powerful political influence in New Hamp-
shire for many years. Energetic, enterprising, and benevolent, most
decidedly democratic in all his notions, and possessed of good intel-
lectual abilities of the positive kind, he vaulted into popular favor
and was honored with many positions of trust and profit, among
which may be mentioned State and United States Senator and
Governor of New Hampshire. He died in 1850. Ex-Governor
Kent, of Maine, a gentleman of superior abilities, was also a native
of Concord.
That Concord is not a transient place is shown by the fact that the
$
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THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
descendants of the first settlers still constitute a considerable por-
tion of its inhabitants, such as the Bradleys, Stickneys, Eastmans,
Walkers, Rolfes, and others, many of them still occupying the same
estates, and recognized as among the most prominent of the citizens
of Concord.
In 1853 the town of Concord adopted a city charter, and Gen.
Joseph Low was the first mayor.
Several bridges span the Merrimack at Concord,—the first at
Fisherville, on the highway; the Boston, Concord, and Montreal
Railroad bridge; the upper free bridge, anciently known as the
"Federal" bridge; the lower free bridge, on the highway to Pem-
broke; and the Concord and Portsmouth Railroad bridge.
The Merrimack River is a broad, placid stream from Garvin's
Falls, four miles below Concord, to the foot of Webster's Falls, at the
forks in Franklin, with the exception of Sewall's Falls towards the
north part of Concord. A dam was constructed at Garvin's Falls a
few years since by the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company, more
particularly to avoid losing their charter, than with a view to com-
mencing manufacturing operations at present.
At the foot of Sewall's Falls is Sewall's Island, formerly known
as Pennacook Island. It was once a famous resort for the Indians,
and is said to have been the principal residence of the Sagamon or
Bashaba.
Many years ago, when manufacturing upon the Merrimack had
begun in earnest, surveys were made and measures taken to apply
the water-power at Sewall's Falls to such use. The track of the
canal was marked out, and some excavations made, which can still
be traced; but the fall being inferior to many others on the river,
and there being difficulties in the way of constructing a dam, the
project was ultimately abandoned.
Sometimes when the snows dissolve upon the mountains, and the
great spring floods come down, the river overflows its banks and
deluges the broad intervals, presenting the appearance of a vast lake,
and often doing great damage, but fertilizing the lands by irrigation
and the sediment which is deposited. The Soucook River, which rises
in Gilmanton, falls into the Merrimack at Concord on its east bank.
Much of the land bordering this stream is a light pinc plains soil;
hence, no doubt, its Indian name.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
183
Bow was granted, in 1727, to Jonathan Wiggin and others. Long
before the introduction of railroads into the State a canal was con-
structed around Garvin's Falls, called the Bow Canal, to facilitate the
navigation of the Merrimack. This canal is twenty-five feet in
perpendicular height, and about one hundred and twenty rods in
length, cut for the most part through solid granite, and was well
calculated for durability. Turkey River, the principal stream in
this town, empties into the Merrimack at Turkey Falls, a mile above
Garvin's. These falls have likewise been improved, making the
navigation less difficult.
Samuel Welch died in Bow, April 5, 1823, at the remarkable age
of one hundred and thirteen years. He was born in Kingston,
September 1st, 1710, but had been a resident of Bow for fifty years
previous to his decease. His life had been a quiet one; he was
temperate and industrious, and cultivated his farm until he was a
hundred years old.
Hooksett was originally called Harrytown, and was embraced in
several of the early grants. It was finally taken from the territory
of each of the towns of Chester, Goffstown, and Dunbarton, and
incorporated under its present name in 1822. Brick-making is
extensively carried on, the clay being peculiarly adapted to this pur-
pose, and several millions of brick are made annually. Among those,
early engaged in this business was Hon. R. H. Ayer, then a resident
of Hooksett, who was extensively and successfully engaged in making
brick for some years. Mr. Ayer was a gentleman of the old school,
a distinguished son of New Hampshire, and a warm personal friend
of Daniel Webster. He died about twelve years since at Manchester,
where he had resided many years, possessed of an ample fortune,
accumulated by a long life of enterprise and industry.
The "Pinnacle" is a high rock rising abruptly some two hundred
feet or more from its base, at which there is a beautiful pond, clear,
and of great depth; the indications are strong, and to some conclu-
sive, that by some violent convulsion of nature this rock was upheaved
from the place now occupied by the pond. From the Pinnacle is
obtained some of the finest specimens of crystallized granite quartz.
The Isles of Hooksett Falls, in the Merrimack, at Hooksett Village,
are romantic and abrupt, - a high rock standing in the centre, the fall
being sixteen feet in a few rods. There is an extensive cotton manu-
184
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
factory owned and operated by the Amoskeag Company of Man-
chester.
To facilitate the navigation of the Merrimack, a canal was con-
structed some forty years since around these falls; it was about eighty
rods long, and cost over six thousand dollars. Two bridges span the
river at Hooksett Village, one on the highway, the other on the
Concord Railroad.
Some years ago silver and lead ore were discovered, and as there
were indications of extensive mines, a company was formed to operate
them.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
185
CHAPTER VIII.
Amoskeag Falls. Indians. Fisheries. - Manchester.
The Starks. — City Institutions.
History of its Manufactures.
Samuel Blodget.
ON leaving Hooksett Falls, the back-set of the Manchester dam is
at once observed, and for the distance of eight miles before arriving
at the Amoskeag Falls, the river is broad, placid, and beautiful; not
a ripple ruffles its surface. It is bright, clear, and deep, and about
three hundred yards in breadth, its banks, either high and steep and
fringed with foliage, or broad, rich intervals, while the gentle swells
rolling back from the river, high and still higher, like emerald waves,
are dotted with neat farm-houses, orchards, and cultivated fields; the
great hills and the distant sombre forests all combine to give this
section of the Merrimack River and its surrounding territory an air
of pleasantness and thrift. A few years since a fine steamboat plied
between Amoskeag and Hooksett Falls for the accommodation of ex-
cursion and pleasure parties; but the admonitions of economy have
put out its fires. More recently, however, the Hon. E. A. Straw
has run a beautiful steam yacht on his own account.
Two hundred years! and how changed the scene! From a desert
wild over which the rude barbarians held despotic sway, where nature
enveloped in a primeval panoply of shade could not, nor was she
invited to, display the diversity and perfection of her features, or the
generosity of her bounty and good will to man, by a prospect like
this throughout the red man's vast domain. Two hundred years
have rolled the vicissitudes of time over New Hampshire, and marked
their decades as strongly and visibly in her physical change and
improvement, as in the march of intellect and the progress of civili-
zation. At that time interminable woods, clothed in luxuriant
foliage, shut out the germinating rays of a genial summer sun, and
condemned the soil to worthlessness and waste, while the vast water-
power of the Merrimack swept down over the magnificent falls of the
24
186
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
Namoskeag without molestation, and they who owned this land, now
so adorned and teeming with prosperity and wealth, lived upon it in
wigwams of squalid discomfort, and in vagrant idleness, arrayed, if
at all, in furs wrought in fantastic form, or in the picturesque
costume of a single ornamented blanket, paint and plume of fancy-
colored feathers, depending on the ashen bow, the rude spear, and the
ahquedauken for their sustenance, with no thought, or even an idea,
of progress or elevation above the wretchedness of this brutish and
vagabond life.
The indications of the great change which two centuries have made
are forcibly presented to the external senses in the substitution of
clear and cultivated fields, in binding and detaining the mighty
waters of the Merrimack, and applying its great power to the benefit
and comfort of mankind; in the beautiful city where industry and
thrift are companions; where pavements resound with the tumultuous
rush and rattle of busy strife in place of the stealthy trail of the lurk-
ing savage; where monster mills send forth the pleasant hum of in-
dustry to take the place of the war-whoop; and'whose neat, convenient
and comfortable dwellings have superseded the comfortless hovel of
the barbarian; while the iron horse, with almost interminable trains,
rushes along the river bank, -as much of an improvement on the
frail bark canoe as the electric telegraph now strung along the river
is on his line of fleetest runners.
Namoskeag was a famous resort for the Indians. Indeed, it was
the home of a tribe whose confederates assembled annually around
this great fishing-place, and were welcomed with feasting, revelry,
and savage sports. Here also came old "Papissecone wa" (the pap-
poose or child of the bear), the principal sagamon, the inferior chiefs,
prophets, medicine-men, and other dignitaries of the confederate
tribes, who watched the progress and success of the fishermen,
discussed and arranged the affairs of the confederacy, and indulged in
or witnessed the grotesque entertainments customary on such occasions
with stolid Indian gravity; and though perhaps not so demonstrative,
evidently enjoyed the entertainment provided, and the hospitalities
of their hosts, with as much freedom and gusto as the brave, and
squaw, or the enthusiastic and irrepressible youth.
"The Namaoskeags resided at the falls in the Merrimack known at
present by the name of Amoskeag in Manchester. This word, written
J.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
187
variously, Namaske, Namaoskeag, Naumkeag, and Nainkeak, means
fishing-place, from namaos (a fish) and auke (a place).”
Of the three great principal-fishing places on the Merrimack, Paw-
tucket, Namoskeag, and Winnipesaukee, Namoskeag was considered
the best, probably because of the greater facility of taking fish afforded
by the conformation of the falls. The water rushes furiously through
several narrow gorges or channels between the rocks, the least rapid
being on the west side, and falls into a large eddy, and to this they
most likely crowded, as the rush of water from above, and the fish
from below, prevented the ascent of large numbers, until after repeated
efforts they would fall back into the eddy below, and the Indians,
having a weir or kind of seine around the eddy (except a narrow
opening on the side next to the falls for their admission), could take
them at will.
At
In the fishing-season the Indians were engaged in taking the fish,
the squaws preparing them for the table, for preservation, and for
barter, while the night was passed in dancing and feasting.
these fishing-seasons lovers' vows were plighted, marriages were con-
summated, speeches made, and treaties formed. Particular periods
and important events were marked and celebrated among them with
great ceremony. Among the established institutions, or customs, may
be mentioned the Recruiting or Fire Brand Dance, when the declara-
tion of war had been announced by the chief.
"By the red sun's parting glance
They gathered for the warrior's dance;
First in a circle wide they stand,
Each with an arrow in his hand;
Then crouching, and with bended bow,
They step to measure light and slow;
Now quicker with a savage flurry,
They circle round and hurry, hurry;
Now the ring breaks, and leaping, yelling,
In one discordant chorus swelling;
Then tomahawks are brandished high;
Their shouts re-echo from the sky;
Their blood-stained nostrils opened wide;
Their foaming lips all dark and gory,
Make up the red man's scene of glory." - STARK.
"Brushwood, pitch-knots, clubs, and sticks were gathered in an
immense pile near the wigwam of the sagamon. He and his principal
188
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
C
chiefs formed a ring around this pile of brush, sitting cross-legged
upon the ground; next to these the warriors formed a second ring,
and back of these the old men, women, and children were mixed
without order or rank. The pile being fired in due time, the princi-
pal chief stepped into the ring, and dancing around flourished his
tomahawk and knife, naming his exploits, and the people with whom
he was at enmity. At the mention of every enemy he would strike
the fire with his hatchet, seize a brand, flourish it about in number-
less vibrations with his hands, and, contorting his body into every
conceivable shape, he would bury his hatchet deep in the ground and
leave the ring. Others would follow, and in the same manner dance
about the fire and fight it, closing with burying their hatchets in the
ground, till the whole of the warriors inclined to follow the war-path
had joined in the dance. Every man who joined in the dance was
considered as enlisted for the war." This ceremony was always
performed in the night; but when the exigencies of the case required
immediate action, a ceremony of the same signification was performed
in the daytime.
"Around a sapling in the grove, or one standing near the wig-
wam of the sagamon, after relating their adventures as they danced
about the ring, each warrior closed his dance by striking his toma-
hawk into the sapling; and every one who struck the sapling was
claimed as a volunteer upon the war-path. The chief then appointed
his rendezvous, and the warriors repaired to their wigwams to make
their slight preparations for their departure."
The Scalp Dance was performed by the braves on their return
home from the war-path when success had crowned their arms.
"Each Indian hung to his girdle the scalp locks he had taken in
other wars, if he had taken any, while the fresh scalps were held by
the hair between his teeth. The Indians, thus garnished with these
horrid trophies, took a stooping posture, so that the scalps suspended
from their teeth might not touch their bodies, and in such positions
commenced the most hideous cries and furious stamping, jumping,
and dancing about like mad men, ever and anon taking the scalps
from their teeth to recite the incidents connected with the killing of
the enemy, and then replacing them, to continue the frantic dance
with redoubled fury.
"These dances were truly horrible, and led Nathaniel Segar, who
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
189
witnessed one in 1781, on the sources of the Amariscoggin, as
performed by Tom Hegon and his party, to this quaint and
laconic description. Their actions are inconceivable. It would
seem that Bedlam had brooken loose, and that h-1 was in an
uproar.""
Sometimes a drum was improvised by taking a section of a hollow
log, and stretching a deer-skin over the end; this beaten lustily with
a stick, in connection with the chanting of singers, served for a
quadrille band.
The city of Manchester has been granted and regranted, in whole
or in part, many times, and under many different names. It was first
incorporated September 3d, 1751, under the name of Derryfield; but
its settlement was commenced as early as 1720 around the mouth of
Cohas Brook and Goffe's Falls, and in the neighborhood of Amoskeag
Falls. Some of these early settlers came from Massachusetts, while
others came from the Scotch-Irish settlements at Nutfield or Lon-
donderry. This last-mentioned colony was composed of resolute and
sturdy men, most of whom had descended from those stubborn Scotch
Protestants who had fled to the north of Ireland to escape persecu-
tion. In 1718, hearing of a land where religious toleration was the
rule, one hundred and twenty families, severing every tie that bound
them to the Old World, embarked on the trackless ocean in search
of it, and landed safely in New England. In the following year,
having procured a title to this tract in the "Chestnut country
from Mr. John Wheelwright, grandson of Rev. John Wheelwright,
to whom all this territory had formerly been deeded by Passacona-
way and his associates, sixteen families, under the lead of Parson
McGregor, settled in Nutfield, giving it the name of the county from
whence they had emigrated.
99
"They were Presbyterians. They lived in that age of enthusiasm
when the adherents of old and new creeds gloried in the name of
martyrs, and dissenters demanded (what they were seldom willing to
grant) unlimited freedom of religious opinion. These emigrants
were proud to enjoy and gloried in vindicating the Presbyterian
faith. They were descended from men by whom that doctrine had
been maintained with a spirit of independence unequalled in any
State in Europe, and hardly surpassed by the firmness and valor by
which their more remote ancestors, unawed by the terror of the Ro-
190
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
man name, defended their moors and marshes against the conquering
arms of Agricola.”
Many of those who composed this colony were men of mark and
note in Ireland, and became eminent historic characters in this
country. Among those were John McNiel, who settled near the
falls, after reaching Londonderry. He served in expeditions against
the Indians, and, being a man of great frame, six feet and a half in
his moccasins, well proportioned, athletic, and powerful, he was
feared and avoided by the red man and by the white who had in-
curred his displeasure. Gen. John McNiel, a distinguished officer
in the war of 1812, was his great-grandson, and his counterpart in
physique.
Gen. McNiel retired from the service in 1830, was appointed sur-
veyor of the port of Boston, and held the office until his death, which
-occurred at Washington, D. C., in 1850.
Archibald Stark also settled near the falls, and his second son,
John, was the victorious brigadier at Bennington, meeting and de-
feating a superior force of Burgoyne's army. Archibald Stark was
an educated man, and a prominent actor in the stirring events of that
period. He built a fort for the protection of the colony, near what
is now known as Nutt's Pond, near the residence of Rodnia Nutt,
Esq., father of "Commodore Nutt," a mile from the City Hall, which
was called Fort Stark. He died in 1758.
He was
John Goffe settled near the falls which bear his name.
a colonel in the service of the province, and a man of considerable
note. The house in which he resided was repaired the present year,
when it was found that the roof had been originally shingled with
birch bark.
The fisheries at Amoskeag were an important interest to the set-
tlers, as they had previously been to the Indians, and for many years
hundreds of men came together at the falls and drew largely from
them for the subsistence of their families, and though so many, there
were fish enough for all comers. One man had equal rights with an-
other; the rule which secured the rights of each being tacitly under-
stood and generally respected, any infringement being settled on the
spot by what was termed "Scotch argument."
"The view of the fishermen while on duty at the falls was a
scene of no small interest,—a hundred men in their torn and ragged
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
191
costumes; some half hid in the surrounding gloom, others conspicu-
ous on lofty rocks, which reflected the gleam of their watch-fires,
moving in every possible direction, and with every variety of motion,
throwing the 'scoop-net,' handling the 'squirming eels,' covered
with blood and slime, inseparable from their occupation; some fighting,
and all shouting at the top of their voices, formed a scene worthy
of Pandemonium itself. I suppose we have no idea of the immense
numbers of fish with which this river once abounded. My father has
seen the shad so thick as to crowd each other in their passage up the
falls to gain the smooth water above, so that you could not put in
your hand without touching some of them, and yet there were more
alewives than shad, and more eels than both. It is no wonder eels
were called 'Derryfield beef,' for I have heard those say who would
be good judges in the matter, that eels enough were salted down in a
There was
single year to be equal to three hundred head of cattle.
one great advantage about the 'lamprey eel.' It had no bones ex-
cept in the head, and, as that was never eaten, it made safe food for
the children." *
This was after the fishing was confined to the immediate vicinity of
the Falls, and long after the ancient "Namoskeag" had been reduced
from its original proportions to the falls and vicinity. It appears
that the Namoskeag of the Indians extended from, and included,
Goffe's Falls to Concord, thus being made up of Goffe's, Short's,
and Griffin's, Hooksett, Merrill's, Amoskeag, Garvin's, and Turkey
Falls; and their fame early extended even beyond the limits of our
own country, and a curious communication from Cotton Mather, re-
ferring to some of the natural curiosities still to be seen at the Falls,
was published in the "Philosophical Transactions," a scientific pub-
lication of London, which reads thus:-
"At a place called Ammuskeag, a little above the hideous falls
of Merrimack River, there is a huge rock in the midst of the stream,
on the top of which are a great number of pits, made exactly round
like barrels, or hogsheads of different capacities, some so large as to
hold several tons. The natives knew nothing of the time they were
made; but the neighboring Indians have been wont to hide their
provisions in them in the wars with the Maquas. God had cut
* Extract from remarks of William Stark, Esq., at Manchester Centennial Celebration,
October 22, 1851.
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THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
1
them out for that purpose for them. They seem plainly to be
artificial."
This is an illustration of the explosion of mere theories, showing
that the belief of saint and sinner alike, unsustained by evidence,
will certainly dissolve before the bright rays of the sun of knowledge
and of truth. Some idea of the importance of this place, and the
immense amount of fish taken, may be had from the fact that a cart
full could be had for a pint of "Old Medford;" shad, often for
hauling away, to make room for dressing salmon and eels. Some
slight idea may be had by the following item from the "New Hamp-
shire Gazette," May 23, 1760:-
"One day last week was drawn by a net, at one draught, two
thousand five hundred odd shad fish out of the River Merrimack.
Thought remarkable by some people."
As fish became less plentiful, certain points on and about the
Falls were the most desirable positions. These places were held for
the time being by the right of possession, and the claim was not
disputed.
Indian relics have been collected in the vicinity in endless num-
bers and great variety, several large collections being in the pos-
session of individuals, and there is also a small assortment at the
State Reform School. Mr. Samuel Kidder has a very extensive
assortment; and the collection of Ezra Huntington, Esq., a member
of the present and last Board of Aldermen of Manchester, though
not so extensive as some, is remarkably excellent in the perfection
of the specimens.
There are four bridges across the Merrimack at Manchester :
one directly across the Falls; another at the foot of Granite Street;
the New Hampshire Central Railroad Bridge, near the mouth of the
Piscataquog River; and the Concord Railroad Bridge, at Goffe's
Falls.
October 29th, 1727, a severe shock of an earthquake was felt
along the Merrimack Valley, probably the most severe of anything
that was ever experienced in this country. Chimneys were thrown
down, furniture and dishes were scattered about the rooms promis-
cuously, and the people filled with consternation, many supposing
that the end of all sublunary things had surely come, and "those now
prayed who never prayed before, and those who had prayed now
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
193
prayed the more.” Tradition has it that the alarm even spread
among the brutes; and cattle, terrified at the trembling and oscilla-
tion of the earth, ran bellowing about the fields.
About half a mile above Amoskeag Falls the Merrimack River
receives a stream known as Black Brook, from the peculiar inky
appearance of its waters. Its source is in Dunbarton, and it falls
into the Merrimack on its west bank, having a good water-power,
and several mills and shops a little distance from the river.
"The Merrimack River passes over Amoskeag Falls, which are
the highest on the whole course of the river. These Falls, being in
all about fifty-four feet perpendicular height, are justly regarded as
a very striking natural curiosity. The river here spreads out to
three times its usual width, and is divided into several channels by
rocks and small islands. The accumulated waters of the numerous
streams, which drain a large portion of the State, rush through the
various rough channels into which the river is divided with great
velocity, and with a noise that may be heard for many miles.
"Near the upper and greatest falls several circular holes, some
of them more than eight feet in diameter, have been worn to a con-
siderable depth perpendicularly into solid rock. It is supposed to have
been done by small stones put in motion by the force of the current.
In these holes the Indians who formerly inhabited the country around
the falls concealed their provisions in time of danger." *
The largest of the wells referred to have been found to measure
sixteen feet perpendicular depth. Just below the falls there is an
island, on which are several houses and a bleachery, where the cotton
goods made in Manchester are bleached.
The first manufacturing business known to have been done at these
falls was by the Amoskeag Cotton and Wool Factory, which commenced
operations some time about 1809, and appears to have been owned
and operated by Benjamin Pritchard; but, soon after, it seems, for
some reason, Pritchard made it a joint stock company, an extract
from the records reading as follows:
"At a legal meeting of the Directors of the Amoskeag Cotton and
Wool Factory, being duly notified and holden at the house of Robert
McGregor, Esq., in Goffstown, March 9th, 1810, present James
* Geography of New Hampshire.
25
194
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
Parker, Samuel P. Kidder, John Stark, Jr., David McQueston, and
Benjamin Pritchard."
There were several other directors, whose names appear at subse-
quent meetings; the name of Jotham Gillis being signed as clerk.
In 1813, Frederick G. Stark, Esq. (the late Judge Stark), was
appointed agent of this company, with a salary of one hundred and
eighty dollars per year.
The factory was nearly forty feet square and two stories high,
and was situated midway between the head and foot of the falls,
directly below the west end of Amoskeag Bridge.
The cotton used in this factory was parcelled out among the
families of the neighborhood to be ginned at four cents per pound,
and the yarn was woven by hand at the various houses where women
were the fortunate possessors of a loom.
"I have examined the accounts, kept in the beautiful round hand
of Judge Stark, for the month of October, 1813, for fifteen days in
succession. During that month, there were manufactured at Amos-
keag, three hundred and fifty-eight skeins per day of cotton yarn.
This was about the average amount; this three hundred and fifty-
eight skeins at factory price was worth twenty-nine dollars and
twenty-two cents." *
In 1826 the mill was enlarged, and the foundation was put in for
another, which was subsequently built, on the island. These mills
were both destroyed by fire, that on the island in 1840, and the
old Amoskeag mill was burned in 1848, and has not been rebuilt.
—
Operations in the manufacture of cotton at Amoskeag Falls having
been commenced in 1809, the business continued, though not re-
munerative, until about 1816, when work was stopped, probably for
want of sufficient encouragement. In 1822, Olney Robinson pur-
chased the property and resumed operations; but being inclined to
outside speculation rather than to his legitimate business, the
property soon fell into the hands of Larned Pitcher and Samuel
Slater, for liabilities incurred. In 1825, Willard Sayles and Ly-
man Tiffany, of the firm of Sayles, Tiffany & Hitchcock (now
Gardner Brewer & Co.), Dr. Oliver Dean and Ziba Gay, were
admitted to a partnership, and, under the new firm, business at once
revived. From this period dates the continued prosperity and in-
* Rev. C. W. Wallace, D. D.
:
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
195
crease in the production of textiles at Amoskeag Falls. Their suc-
cess suggested and encouraged an extension of the business, and
through the sagacity and enterprise of Dr. Dean the firm promptly
but quietly took measures for securing control of the water privilege
and adjacent lands. This was accomplished, the plan of a large
manufacturing city was matured, capitalists were induced to sub-
scribe liberally, and in 1831 the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company
was incorporated. The property of the firm was owned by the part-
ners in eighths, and was transferred, or merged in the new company
at a stipulated valuation, being exchanged for the new stock. The
Amoskeag Company also secured the privilege and the property at
Hooksett, which had a capital of two hundred thousand dollars; the
fall at that place is sixteen feet in perpendicular height, and is rated
at a capacity of one hundred thousand spindles. This concern was
operated by them until 1865, when the franchise and all the proper-
ty was sold and transferred by consent of the Legislature to a sepa-
rate company, and legislative permission was obtained by them to
increase the capital stock to one million dollars.
Too much credit cannot be awarded the founders of the Amoskeag
Company and of Manchester. Launching, as they did, on this voyage
over an almost unexplored and trackless region of enterprise, filled
with unseen and treacherous rocks and reefs and counter-currents,
and swept by adverse winds, the result has exhibited their
courage and sagacity, demonstrated their wisdom and ability, and
rewarded their faith and perseverance. Embarking their fortunes,
their best efforts, and their hopes in the scheme, they permitted no
obstacle to impede their progress, indulged neither fear nor doubt,
relaxed no effort, and were crowned with abundant success. Few
corporations, if any, stand higher, either in the celebrity of its prod-
ucts or financial soundness, than the Amoskeag Company, which is
of itself a proud monument to the wisdom of its founders, and the
integrity, liberality, and ability of those who have had the manage-
ment of its affairs. It was the good fortune of Manchester to be the
natural centre of a populous district, whose agricultural, and other
interests it has enhanced, and in turn derived great benefit there-
from. By this reciprocity, which has added largely to her indi-
vidual interests and enterprise, Manchester has a valuable auxiliary
to prosperity and growth independent of manufacturing, which has
196
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
heretofore been her chief reliance. Of the most eminent men who
originated, and were mainly instrumental in rearing what is now,
perhaps, in many respects, the finest manufacturing city in New
England, Judge Potter, in his very excellent history of Manchester,
has given the following brief but interesting sketches. The venera-
ble Dr. Dean is still president of the Amoskeag and Manchester
corporations.
"Oliver Dean was born in Franklin, County of Norfolk, Mass.,
Feb. 10, 1783. After getting a good academic education for the
times, he commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Mann, of
Wrentham, and finished his studies with Dr. Ingalls, of Boston,
graduating at the Medical College of Massachusetts in 1809. He
commenced the practice of his profession in Medway the same year;
where he continued about a year, moving into Boston in 1810.
While in Boston, he married Miss Caroline Francoeur, daughter of
John Francoeur, Esq., a gentleman of respectability and wealth,
who had fled from France during the French Revolution. Dr. Dean
tarried in Boston a year and a half, when, in consequence of the
stagnation of business incident to the war, he moved back to Med-
way, where he continued in the profitable practice of his profession
until 1817. In that year, in connection with his brother-in-law,
Willard Sayles, Esq., he commenced the business of manufacturing
in Medway. He continued in this business with success, until the
fall of 1825, when he, in connection with Lyman Tiffany and Wil-
lard Sayles, of Boston, and Larned Pitcher and Samuel Slater, of
Pawtucket, R. I., purchased the property of the Amoskeag Manu-
facturing Company at Amoskeag Village, in Goffstown. This
property had been purchased, in 1822, by Mr. Olney Robinson, of
Pawtucket, who had operated the mills, but to no advantage; and
they had mainly passed into the hands of Messrs. Pitcher and Slater,
to secure an indebtedness to them for money and machinery.
Robinson had made purchases of the large farms known as the
'McGregor farm,' and the 'Blodget farm,' and other real estate,
and thus, in connection with his other operations, had become very
much embarrassed.
"When the purchase was made of him he expected to have been
continued as agent, but it was soon found that he was entirely inade-
quate to the business, and Dr. Dean was induced, though reluct-
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
197
6
antly, to take the agency of the company. Accordingly, in the
spring of 1826, he moved to Amoskeag and entered upon his duties
as agent. This may be considered as the successful starting-point
of manufacturing at this place. Possessed of a competent knowledge
as a manufacturer, and a man of enterprise and energy, everything
about the premises soon began to assume a new aspect. The Bell
Mill had been built for a machine-shop, to be under the management
of Mr. Ira Gay, of Nashua; this was immediately enlarged and fitted
up with machinery for the manufacture of tickings, in which Dr.
Dean had excelled in Medway and Walpole. Soon the works
were extended, and the island mill was built, and fitted up for the
manufacture of tickings. The tickings manufactured here soon ac-
quired a reputation unequalled, which they retained under the name
of A. C. A. Tickings.' But Dr. Dean's time was not confined
exclusively to manufacturing, every other interest connected with
the prosperity of the town and village came in for his attention.
He was a pattern farmer, and the large farm below the falls, and
which had become impoverished and overgrown with brambles and
bushes, from bad husbandry, soon began to present a new face under
his intelligent care, and, from being one of the poorest, came to
be one of the best, in the town. The success attending manufactur-
ing under his charge soon attracted the attention of other capital-
ists, and the project was started of occupying the entire water-
power at this place for manufacturing purposes. It is needless to
remark that Dr. Dean was the soul of this enterprise. In June,
1831, the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company was chartered, Dr.
Dean being the first grantee; and at the organization of the company
under this charter, in July of the same year, he was chosen president
of the corporation. He was continued agent and treasurer of the
company until 1834, when he declined the agency, having deter-
mined to live a more quiet life, and retired upon a beautiful farm in
Framingham, Mass. He was still treasurer of the corporation, but
declined this office in 1836, and was succeeded by John A. Lowell,
Esq:, of Boston. He still continued on the board of direction, and,
in 1853, upon the death of Joseph Tilden, Esq., he was again
chosen president of the corporation, which office he retains at the
present time. In 1847, he was chosen president of the Manchester
Mills Corporation, and through its various changes has remained a
198
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
director of the same, and its president. In 1843, Dr. Dean moved
from Framingham to Boston, where he now resides. Dr. Dean may
be emphatically placed down as one of the Fathers of the City of
Manchester, as few men have done more for its existence and its
prosperity. Active, intelligent, and communicative; dignified yet
courteous; careful of his own interest, yet interested in the welfare
of others; in a word, acting upon the principle of 'live and let live,'
Dr. Oliver Dean's name stands prominent among the founders of
our city, and is ever retained in grateful remembrance.
"The gentlemen now having control of the company had a proper
estimate of the capacity of the hydraulic power at the falls, and the
ability to avail themselves of its advantages; they therefore very
quietly commenced the purchase of the lands in the neighborhood,
and were soon the owners of the adjacent lands upon the west side
of the Merrimack, that were likely to be needed for extensive manu-
facturing operations, or that would be enhanced in value, by the
building up of a manufacturing city. Gradually, some of the
largest capitalists of Boston and its vicinity became identified with
the enterprise, and it was determined to commence manufacturing
upon an extended scale. Accordingly, in 1831, the charter for
'The Amoskeag Manufacturing Company' was obtained, with a
capital of one million six hundred thousand dollars.
"The first meeting of the grantees was holden July 13, 1831,
when Oliver Dean was chosen president, and Ira Gay, clerk. The
act of incorporation was accepted; the stock of the old company
became merged in the new one, at an appraised value, and the re-
mainder of the stock was taken up in a short time. At the annual
meeting, July 12, 1832, Dr. Dean was chosen agent of the company.
They soon determined to enlarge their operations, and to take
means to have their water-power occupied. The plan of this com-
pany was to furnish other companies, disposed to locate here, with
sites for their mills, and run them upon their own account; and at
the same time to put their lands into market in lots for houses,
shops, and stores, and thus build up a manufacturing town, at the
same time that they greatly enhanced the value of their own prop-
erty. A reconnoissance by competent engineers developed the fact
that the east bank of the Merrimack was the most feasible for their
operations, both as a track for their canals, and a site for their
1
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
199
པ
mills; and, in 1835, they succeeded in securing the most of the
lands upon the east side of the Merrimack that by any possible
contingency might be necessary for them.
"Willard Sayles was born in the town of Franklin, County of
Norfolk, Mass., in April, 1792. While yet a child his father re-
moved to Wrentham. In 1821, Mr. Sayles moved to Boston, and
entered upon commercial pursuits in company with Lyman Tiffany,
Esq. They soon became extensively engaged in manufacturing.
His first investments in manufacturing were in Medway and Wal-
pole, Mass. At last, as his business extended, he became connected
with other establishments, and, among them, with the mills at
Amoskeag and at Hooksett. In the latter, he became the largest
owner; having, at the time of its being merged with the Amoskeag
Manufacturing Company in 1835, twenty-four out of seventy-two
shares in that corporation. From this time until the time of his
death, Mr. Sayles became largely identified with the operations of
the companies in this place. He was a director in the Amoskeag
Manufacturing Company, and one of the committee to purchase the
lands belonging to that company in this neighborhood. Shrewd in
management, and of great tact in driving a bargain, it is probable
that few persons could have done the business to better advantage
for the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company than he. Many anec-
dotes are told of his negotiating for the lands, that show his
shrewdness in bargaining, if they do not add to his reputation as a
man. His operations as manufacturer added to his business as a
merchant, and few houses in Boston did a more extensive business
in domestics than that of Sayles & Merriam, or to greater advan-
tage. Mr. Sayles died in 1847, at the age of fifty-five, leaving a
large property, gained by a life of energy and enterprise.
"William Amory was born April 15, 1804, in Boston. His
father, Thomas C. Amory, Esq., an eminent merchant of that city,
died in 1812, much lamented. William, his son, entered Harvard
University, in 1819, at the early age of fifteen years, and left at
the end of three years to finish his education in Europe. He was a
student at the University at Gottingen, in Germany, for a year and
a half, and at the University of Berlin, for nine months, pursuing
the study of the civil law and of general literature. He then
spent some two years and a half in travel, returning to Boston May
200
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
30th, 1828, after an absence of five years. In 1831, he entered
the bar of Suffolk County, without, however, any intention of
practising the profession of the law. The same year he was chosen
treasurer of the Jackson Manufacturing Company at Nashua, and en-
tered upon the business of a manufacturer. Young and inexperienced
in the business, yet he brought to the performance of his duties a
mind matured by his study, and a knowledge of men and things,
together with an energy and enterprise not often found in young men
nurtured in ease and affluence. With such qualifications he was
destined to succeed, and the Jackson Mills, for the eleven years they
were under the control of Mr. Amory, were eminently successful,
and did not fail to make certain and large dividends. In January,
1833, he married Miss Anna P. Sears, daughter of David Sears, Esq.,
an eminent merchant of Boston. In 1837, when the Amoskeag Manu-
facturing Company had decided upon building up the manufacturing
city of Manchester, they looked about for an efficient man to take the
responsible office of treasurer, and of course general manager of the
affairs of the company. Mr. Amory's success in the management of the
affairs of the Jackson Company very naturally directed their attention
to him, and, fortunately for them and our city, he was elected to that
office, and accepted it. He entered upon his duties at once, and for
nineteen years has been the controlling and directing spirit that has
fashioned the destinies of our city. Of just and enlarged views, he
has suffered no niggardly policy to mingle itself with the management
of the affairs of the company. And the directors have had the good
judgment to leave his action unrestricted. And to-day our citizens
who take pride in our public library, in our beautiful cemetery, in
our spacious streets, in our numerous and splendid public squares, so
justly considered as ornaments and sources of health to our city, may
attribute them in a great measure to the enlightened policy of Wil-
liam Amory, Esq.; while the corporation, whose business affairs he con-
trols, cannot but appreciate a policy that is fast building up a manufac-
turing city, unsurpassed in beauty, at the same time that it is creating
a stock that in dividends and surplus is the most desirable in the
market. Mr. Amory is a stockholder and director in most of the
other corporations of the city, and has had much to do with their
In fact, few men of his age can look back upon such a
record of success in manufacturing as the treasurer of the Amoskeag
success.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
201
Manufacturing Company. At the same time that he has been so
successful in his manufacturing operations, his urbane manner and
quiet and unostentatious courtesy have not failed to secure to him the
respect and regard of a host of friends in the cities where his arduous
duties have been performed.
"Col. Robert Read was born at Amherst, in October, 1786. His
grandfather, Robert Read, moved to Amherst from Litchfield at an
early date. His father, William Read, was a well-known and in-
fluential citizen of Amherst. Robert was apprenticed as clerk, with
Messrs. Haller and Read, merchants of Chelmsford. He afterwards
went into trade with his father, at Amherst, under the well-known
firm of William Read & Son. Subsequently, he formed a connec-
tion in business with Isaac Spaulding, Esq., which continued until
a dissolution precedent to the commencement of manufacturing in
Nashua, where Mr. Spaulding removed and went into business.
Few firms were more enterprising, or better known in our State, than
that of Read and Spaulding, of Amherst, and very few were more
successful. Mr. Read, active and enterprising, soon became a lead-
ing man in the town. He was elected town-clerk in 1815, and
was re-elected to the same office the twelve following years. He
was also representative of the town for three years; namely, in 1826,
1827, 1828. Prior to this time he had been in command of the
West Company of Infantry, in Amherst, one of the most efficient
companies in the State, he having served in all the intermediate
grades from private to commander. In 1828, Capt. Read was ap-
pointed aide-de-camp, by Governor John Bell, with the rank of
colonel. In 1835, Col. Read moved to Nashua. In 1837, he was
appointed agent of the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company, and
entered immediately upon his duties, succeeding Mr. Hartshorn in
that office. He continued to perform the arduous and responsible
duties of his office for fourteen years, until January 1st, 1852, when
he resigned and removed to Nashua, where he has since resided.
During the period of his agency, and under his general supervision,
a large portion of the operations of the Amoskeag Manufacturing
Company, in the way of buildings and real estate generally, were
completed. He performed his duties faithfully to the company by
which he was employed, as every one will testify who had business
to transact with him. Strictly a business man, he mingled very
C
26
202
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
little with other than business men, and hence was very little iden-
tified with interests disconnected with the corporations; yet no
measure connected with the progress of our city escaped his atten-
tion, and he most heartily coincided in all that liberal course of
policy, on the part of the treasurer and directors, that has added so
much of beauty and value to our city. Col. Read took very little
part in the politics of the day after he came to Manchester; still, in
1851, he was a member of the convention for the revision of the
Constitution. His first wife was Miss Rebecca French, daughter
of Frederic French, Esq., of Amherst. He married for his second
wife, Miss Jane Leland, of Saco, Me. His intercourse with his
fellow-citizens was marked with that courtesy of manner that ever
commands respect. Since his residence in Nashua, probably from
want of his usual active exercise, his general health has become
somewhat impaired, yet he still lives to take an interest in all the
stirring events of our growing city."
From the earliest ages the founders of cities have been regarded
as public benefactors, and have received the distinguished considera-
tion to which they have been justly entitled from their fellow-citi-
zens and posterity. Thus Peter the Great derives a due share of
his just historic renown from this circumstance, while the Emperor
Constantine has at least perpetuated his memory, and tall minarets
plainly denote to all men the precise locality of the city which bears
his name.
If, then, it is eminently proper to bestow credit on such
as have, to gratify, perhaps, a questionable ambition, merely by the
force of kingly prerogative established a site, how much greater is
the title to distinction and enduring gratitude of those who have laid
the foundation, broad and deep, of a city like Manchester, and at the
same time, by their sagacity, genius, and skill, created and estab-
lished an interest which should not only attract its population, but
also provide them amply with such various labor and business as
would ensure each and all a generous support! The founders of
Manchester, who have been previously mentioned, were able men in
the broadest sense of the term, as the great manufactories which they
devised and put in operation, and the fine city they originated,
which, though planted in a desert waste, was nurtured by their
genius to its present fair proportions, amply testify. But though
the city is an offspring of their genius and wonderful forecast, though
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
203
the result already reached was plainly foreshadowed, and it required
no prophetic vision to discern in the character of these men and their
comprehensive plan the certainty of ultimate and complete success;
still, to accomplish this purpose, to reach this consummation, the
services of efficient and skilful coadjutors were required to superin-
tend and carry into practice the important details of this vast and
complicated scheme. Without such co-operation they foresaw inevita-
ble failure, and at once cast about to secure the highest order of
talent, the most eminent engineers, artisans, and mechanics, men
of intelligence and character as executive officers of the various
branches of this great enterprise. The city of Manchester being
a recently collected community, in other words, being emphatically
a new settlement as well as a new city, exhibits unmistakably the
well-known characteristics of such a condition of things, as well as
other features remarkable and unusual in a young and heterogeneous
community. Depending as she has entirely on her manufacturing
interests for prosperity and growth; destitute of any and all of those
long-established interests or enterprises which move the slow prog-
ress of older places, her people having been brought there, rather
than born there, it would be only natural to presume that the city in
the aggregate and in detail; in its manufactures and its great edi-
fices for that purpose; in its numerous mills and shops, where every
variety of mechanical works are carried on; in the location, style, and
expense of churches and school-houses; in the arrangement, number,
and size of buildings for business purposes; in the architecture, con-
venience, and adornment of its dwellings, its broad and regular
streets, numerous public squares, and all other matters tending to
convenience, taste, skill, means, and enterprise of a people attracted
here by their inclinations, interest, or some other cause, and who had
each for himself marked out his home and surroundings. Observa-
tion and the reflection of thoughtful men will, of course, suggest the
utter impossibility of so much method, regularity, order, conven-
ience, comfort, and beauty, as the result of such anomalous collec-
tion, diversity and incongruity of taste, and will naturally cast
about for the invisible cause of all this wonderful system. The
skilful and careful perfection of the original city plan; the wise loca-
tion of the many public squares which beautify and adorn every
section of the city; the wisdom which has divided up and distributed
·
204
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
fifty acres of common in proper quantities through the city, instead
of locating the whole in one body in some inconvenient corner; the
care, attention, and cost which have been devoted to the planting of
ornamental shade-trees, adorning and beautifying the streets and
squares, one of the most agreeable and comfortable features of the
town, to its people, as it is one of the most attractive to strangers;
the proper equality in size of building sites; the remarkable absence
of the alternation of stores and dwellings seen in many cities; the
respectful and convenient distance maintained between the building
front and the street line, these and many other noticeable features
are certainly not an exhibition of uniformity of taste and means, nor
are they, either, the result of accident. Industry, study, skill,
science, genius, in competent hands and under intelligent direction,
has devised and accomplished all this. In the year 1838, Mr. E.
A. Straw, then a youth of eighteen, having just left school and en-
gaged as civil engineer in the construction of the Nashua and Lowell
Railroad, was sent by Mr. Boyden, consulting engineer of the
Amoskeag Company, to supply the place of Mr. T. J. Carter, the
regular engineer of that company, who was sick, and whose services
were needed at that time. Mr. Straw arrived on the 4th of July
of the year named, and immediately entered upon the active duties
of the position, expecting to remain but a week or so. His engage-
ment consequently antedates the erection of mills, and, indeed, the
commencement of all improvements, beyond the initiatory steps, in
the city of Manchester, and he may be said not only to be contem-
poraneous with, but the agent of, all these improvements. When
Mr. Straw came to Manchester there was but one principal thorough-
fare, running diagonally from north-west to south-east, from Amos-
keag village across the old bridge and the plain to the centre of the
town. Along this road there were some half-a-dozen houses, among
them the Kidder house near the river; another on the site of the
residence of William G. Perry, Esq.; one between these two near the
track of the Concord Railroad; and a few others. The dwelling on
what was then known as the "Young Farm," now known as the
"pest-house," having been built in 1834, appeared, externally,
much the same as now. Among the first duties devolving on Mr.
Straw in the line of his profession was to lay out, according to the
plan, for reclamation and putting into market, the lands of the com-
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
205
pop-
pany necessary to accommodate the anticipated rapid increase of
ulation as fast as it should be required for this purpose. Accord-
ingly it was decided to define the north line of Lowell, the east line
of Union, and the south line of Ilanover Streets, and that the
territory thus bounded should at once be brought into market. It
may seem
a little singular that this street of elegant public and
private buildings was, only thirty years ago, a dense wilderness;
that the Lowell Street of to-day-perhaps the finest in the city-
required, in its opening to Union, nearly a week, and an immense
amount of labor in cutting and removing the forest. The land thus
bounded was then cleared, burned over, laid out, and sold at auction,
October 24, 1838. Every lot was sold; and it may be interesting
to those who have subsequently bought land of the company, and
made themselves a home in Manchester, to know some of the prices
then obtained. The lot on the north-west corner of Elm and Han-
over Streets brought fifteen cents and a half per foot; corresponding
corner, Elm and Amherst, twenty-six and a half; Elm and Lowell,
The next
eighteen and a half; Chestnut and Amherst, nine cents.
sale, October 1839, the lot at the south-west corner of Elm and Han-
over sold for forty-two and a half cents per foot. The lot at the north-
west corner of Elm and Amherst was sold the present year (1868),
at four dollars per foot.
In three months thereafter (January, 1839) the first dwelling-house
was erected, it being the same now standing at the north-west corner
of Chestnut and Concord Streets. Having completed some of the mills,
together with boarding-houses for the accommodation of the oper-
atives, while at the same time the building of dwellings and stores.
in the public streets was rapidly progressing, and the manufacture of
cotton on an extensive scale was proving a decided success, the com-
pany turned their attention to the production of delaines, a
business hitherto unknown in this country. For this purpose they
commenced operations in the mill at Hooksett, where the new fabric
was made; and so far the experiment was a success; but the imperfect
knowledge of the art of printing and the totally inadequate machin-
ery for the purpose effectually hampered their progress. The best
method of printing worsted goods practised or known at that time
was the old system of block printing, and as this was imperfect and
slow, the goods were sold as they came from the loom to an enter-
206
THE MERRIMAČK RIVER;
•
prising firm in Taunton, Mass., who it was believed realized a
handsome profit by printing them for market on their own account.
The partial success of the company, however, in this experiment very
naturally encouraged a favorable view of this business, and deter-
mined them to commence operations as soon as possible on a large
scale, and the Print Works corporation was established. It now
became necessary to obtain a more extensive and practical knowledge
of the art of printing from Europe, and in canvassing for a suitable
person to fill this mission Mr. Straw was selected as a discreet, in-
telligent, and fit agent, and, in 1844, visited the great manufactories
abroad, where, under various pretexts and guises, he found entrance
to many of the close establishments which so jealously guarded this
then youthful and most important art. Having gathered much useful
and serviceable knowledge, and engaged some experienced and skilful
workmen, Mr. Straw returned the following year. Meantime the
parties interested, being substantially the stockholders of the works
already in operation at Manchester, had completed the Print Works,
and put No. 1 mill in operation, and the company is still heavily en-
gaged in the production of this kind of goods, of a style, quality, and
finish unsurpassed by the imported fabrics of older and more ex-
perienced foreign manufacturers. Diligent, faithful, and capable in
the line of his duties, Mr. Straw grew in the favor of his employers
as well as in the respect of his fellow-citizens, and, in 1852, he was
selected for the important position of agent of the Land and Water
Power Company. Prior and for some years subsequent to this time
the Amoskeag Company was divided into three separate depart-
ments, the Land and Water Power, the Machine Shops, and the
Mills, each under the exclusive management and control of its own
agent; but experience, if not wisdom, seems to have demonstrated
that the triumvirate system was not, and for obvious reasons could
not be, particularly advantageous to the proprietors, and as Mr. Straw
had discovered superior executive abilities in his position, it was
gradually abandoned, and the onerous and responsible duties of each
were in turn assumed by him. Of the able and satisfactory manner
in which he has discharged the duties of his position for many years
it is not necessary to speak more particularly; but it may be inferred
from the material marks of approbation bestowed on him, and the
high esteem entertained for him as a manager and a man, by the
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
207
—
company. While assiduously engaged in those duties which have
brought prosperity to the city of his adoption and profit to his em-
ployers, his fellow-citizens have not been unmindful of his course,
nor yet of his merits; but, never in any sense a politician, he has
steadily and persistently avoided, when possible, the honors and
duties of public life, and is an example - rare in these days of the
office seeking the man. Still, Hon. E. A. Straw has not been wholly
able to escape serving his fellow-citizens, he having been a member
of the Legislature seven or eight years, and once president of the
Senate. Few men have by their own exertions met with equal suc-
cess, or exhibit a fairer record, and it is gratifying to know that his
individual prosperity approximates that of the great corporation he
manages, and the city in which he resides. The managers of the
Amoskeag Company have been men of liberal minds and compre-
hensive views, and it has been the good fortune of Mr. Straw to pos-
sess their entire confidence; consequently the suggestions he has made
to them concerning improvements, generally including the present or
prospective welfare of the city, have been heartily endorsed by them
without heșitation, and thus his great regard for her is plainly traced
on every rood of her territory and every section of Manchester.
Mr. Straw, as agent of a company which contributes more than a
modicum of the city tax, has exercised a controlling influence, always
judicious and healthy, over public improvements, inciting and spur-
ring up, if necessary, any laxity of negligent officials, generally by
offers of valuable co-operation; and recently, through the paternal and
munificent liberality of the company, he has been the agent for pre-
senting the city with a valuable and eligible site for a public library,
and has reason to hope to receive contributions sufficient to defray one
half the estimated cost of erecting a suitable building for such an
institution. As an evidence of the high estimation in which he is
held as a practical manufacturer, it may be mentioned that there is an
association composed of the agents and treasurers of all the principal
establishments in the New England States, of which Hon. E. A.
Straw is president.. By reference to a publication bearing date of
January 15th, 1868, containing the transactions of this association,
it will be seen that it is called the "N. E. Cotton Manufacturers'
Association;" President, Hon. E. A. Straw, Manchester, N. H.;
Vice-Presidents, A. D. Lockwood, Lewiston, Me., Wm. A. Burke,
208
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
Lowell, Mass.; Directors, J. S. Davis, Holyoke, Mass., Charles
Nourse, Woonsocket, R. I., Phinehas Adams, Manchester, N. H.,
William P. Haines, Biddeford, Me., Thomas J. Borden, Fall River,
Mass., A. M. Wade, Lawrence, Mass.; Auditor, Benjamin Saun-
ders, Nashua, N. H.; Secretary and Treasurer, Ambrose Eastman,
Boston, Mass. This Association numbers upwards of one hundred
gentlemen, representatives of all the leading manufactories in New
England, its objects being the interchange of views and opinions by
the presentation of papers, by interrogatories, colloquial debate,
publications, and otherwise, for mutual improvement. In the
pamphlet referred to, containing the proceedings of the third annual
meeting, holden at Boston in January, 1868, is published a very in-
teresting paper read at that meeting by Mr. Straw, on "The principles
which should govern the use of drawing as a process in the manu-
facture of cotton yarns." It will be noticed that in the selection of
the officers of this association the great corporations upon the Mer-
rimack are very liberally represented, and no higher testimonial, it
would seem, to the distinguished ability of an individual, as a man-
ufacturer, could be desired than that bestowed on Mr. Straw by this
association of the most skilful, experienced, and practical man-
ufacturers; and certainly, if it is proper for any man to entertain a
just pride in the appreciation of his merits by competent judges, and
feel a gratification which perhaps no other circumstance' could
produce, that man is Mr. Straw.
In 1794, Samuel Blodget, Esq., who had conceived the idea, com-
menced operations on the Amoskeag Canal, about a mile in length
around the falls, to facilitate the navigation of the river. This
canal was a stupendous undertaking for that early period; indeed,
it was one of the earliest internal improvements of magnitude in the
country, and was completed in 1807, at a cost of about one hundred
and twenty five thousand dollars. Its projector died the same year,
aged eighty-three.
66
The remains of Samuel Blodget are interred in the beautiful
Valley Cemetery" at Manchester, the lot being surrounded by a
group of fine perennials, affording a grateful shade, and the inscrip-
tion on his monument is as follows:
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
209
To The Memory of The
HON. SAMUEL BLODGET,
Born at Woburn, Mass.
April 1, 1724,
Died at Manchester
(Then Derryfield),
Sept. 1, 1807.
The pioneer of in-
ternal improvements
in New Hampshire.
The projector
and builder of the
Amoskeag Canal.
Erected by
His great-grandson,
JOSEPH HENRY STICKNEY,
of Baltimore, Md.
1868.
Mr. Stickney-grandfather of the above-named gentleman —
was mainly instrumental in procuring the change in the name of the
town from Derryfield to Manchester.
The canal served a useful purpose for many years, but went to
ruin and decay after railroad facilities were introduced along the
Merrimack.
The old bridge across the Merrimack, at the foot of Bridge Street,
called from its builder "the McGregor Bridge," was said to have
been the first bridge ever built across, the Merrimack in New Hamp-
shire. It is related that when McGregor mentioned to General
Stark his plan of building a bridge, the general remarked that he
should have lived long enough, when a bridge across the Merrimack
River should be completed; and a gentleman who had crossed the
bridge, in 1810, related that he took the toll-gatherer along as a hos-
tage for his safety, and paid his toll after it was insured, at the op-
posite end. The bridge, or rather the ruins were washed away by a
great freshet in the winter of 1850.
Some distance below the site of the bridge there is a large rock
in the river exposed, except in times of high water. This rock is
known as "Old McNiel" and received the name from John McNiel,
who broke through the ice near it, and with remarkable presence of
mind and being a good swimmer, struck out for the shore, and hav-
ing reached a place where he could touch bottom with his feet, and
27
210
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
placing his broad shoulders against the ice, with almost superhuman
power broke through, and thus saved himself from death by his cool-
ness, presence of mind, and gigantic strength.
Having decided to commence active operations at Amoskeag Falls,
and having bought out the proprietors of the Garvin's Falls Water-
Power Company at Concord, the Amoskeag Land and Water Power
Company in 1836 commenced operations by constructing a substan-
tial dam at the falls with massive guard locks on the east side of
the river. From these locks a canal was dug seventy-five feet wide,
and narrowing down to forty-five feet, and ten feet deep. This
canal is five thousand feet long, and terminates a few rods north of
the
passenger station, on the Concord Railroad. This is called the
upper canal; the lower canal extends from a point near the Stark
Mills to the weir below Granite Street.
In 1845, the upper canal was extended to its present terminus, a
distance of five thousand feet from the basin. At the same time the
lower canal was extended south to the weirs below Granite Street,
and north over the track of the Blodget Canal to the Basin, its
whole length being seven thousand two hundred and fifty feet.
As the company had, in purchasing the Amoskeag Canal interest,
guaranteed to keep it open around the falls, locks were constructed
near the site of the McGregor Bridge, and thus communication was
still kept open between the canal and the river. The fall, from the
upper to the lower canal is twenty feet, and from the lower canal to
the river, thirty-four feet.
•
The Amoskeag Manufacturing Company was chartered in 1831,
with a capital of one million six hundred thousand dollars; the old
company, on the west side of the river, being the nucleus of the
new company. The capital of this company has been increased to
three million dollars. Hon. E. A. Straw is the agent.
The Stark Mills were incorporated in 1838; the capital of this
company is one million two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and
Phineas Adams, Esq., is the agent.
The Manchester Mills company was incorporated 1839, with a
capital of one million dollars. The stock was afterwards increased
to one million five hundred thousand dollars, and its name changed
to the "Merrimack Mills." In 1851, the name of the corporation
was changed to the "Manchester Printworks," and the following
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
211
year the capital was increased to one million eight hundred thousand
dollars. Waterman Smith, Esq., is the agent.
The Blodget Edge Tool Company, with a capital of one hundred
thousand dollars, was incorporated in 1853.
The Manchester Locomotive Works were incorporated 1854.
Capital, three hundred thousand dollars.
The Seamless Bag Mill has a capital of one hundred thousand
dollars. The Langdon Mills, five hundred thousand dollars.
There are five or six very extensive Hosiery Manufactories, and
an immense number of shops and mills for almost every conceivable
mechanical purpose.
More than half a century since, the people of this town began to
realize the immense hydraulic power capable of being applied to
machinery by means of the Amoskeag Falls. Many believed the
town would some time rival the great cotton city in Lancashire in
manufacturing importance, and effected a change of its name, from
Derryfield to Manchester, by legislative enactment, in 1810. In
June, 1845, an act was passed by the Legislature, incorporating the
city of Manchester, and on the first day of August following, a vote
of the town was taken on the question of acceptance of the charter.
The vote stood four hundred and eighty-five in the affirmative, and
one hundred and thirty-four in the negative.
On the nineteenth of August, 1846, the first election was held
for officers under the city charter, which resulted in no choice. A
month later, a new trial was had, which was successful, and the new
city government was inaugurated September 8th, of the same year.
The following-named gentlemen have held the office of Mayor of the
city of Manchester, since its organization.
1846, Hiram Brown; 1847-48, Jacob F. James; 1849, War-
ren L. Lane; 1850-51, Moses Fellows; 1852-54, Frederick
Smyth; 1855-56, Theodore T. Abbot; 1857, Jacob F. James;
1858, Alonzo Smith; 1859-60, Edward W. Harrington; 1861-
62, David A. Bunton; 1863, Theodore T. Abbot; 1864, Frederick
Smyth; 1865, Darwin J. Daniels, who died while in office, and
John Hosley was elected to fill the vacancy during the remainder of
the unexpired term of Mr. Daniels; 1866, John Hosley; 1867,
Joseph B. Clark. The Mayor for the current year is James A.
Weston, Esq., and the Board of Aldermen is composed of the fol-
212
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
lowing-named gentlemen: Ward one, William G. Perry; two, Ezra
Huntington; three, William P. Newell; four, Horace B. Putnam;
five, Daniel Connor; six, Joseph Rowley; seven, Chancey Favor;
eight, George Gerry. City Clerk, Joseph E. Bennett, Esq.; Treas-
urer and Collector, Henry R. Chamberlain; City Marshal, William
B. Patten.
a
As Manchester is a new place, having sprung up, as it were, in
day, it has neither colleges, or other richly endowed, long-estab-
lished, and celebrated institutions of learning; but, since the organ-
ization of the city government, it has devoted itself to the interest
of education with untiring zeal and energy, and the result is, that
Manchester is blessed with facilities for education inferior to those
of no other town in the State. The first school-house ever built
within the present limits of the city was near Amoskeag Falls in
1785, and nothing could exhibit the spirit of progress in a more
favorable light than contrasting its cabin-like, seven-by-nine propor-
tions, its inconvenience, its total destitution of comfort and of finish,
with the magnificent edifice, recently completed for High School
purposes.
Another school-house was built at what is called the Centre, soon
after the one at the falls, but this most important interest of any
community made little or no progress until Manchester became a
city; it is now, however, on the flood-tide of prosperity and suc-
cess.
Moody Currier is chairman of the Board of Education; Joseph
G. Edgerly, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and William
Little, Esq., Clerk.
The new High School house was completed in 1867, at an
expense of fifty thousand dollars, exclusive of the building site;
beside this there are about forty school-houses in this city, many of
them fine buildings. The number of pupils the past year, was four
thousand, employing seventy teachers.
There are eight wards in the city, with one hotel and two church-
es for (not in) each ward. The first church ever built in Manches-
ter was commenced in 1760, and finished, so far as to be fit for occu-
pation, in thirty years. This was at the Centre; but it was not
until 1840 that any clergyman was settled in town, which was over
the First Congregational Church at Amoskeag.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
213
No religious organization in Manchester exhibits more positive
indications of a thrifty and progressive condition than the Catholic.
The first church of this society was erected in 1849, the expense
of it being twenty-five thousand dollars; but the society increased
so rapidly that it was found necessary to build another, which is to
be completed the present year, and will probably be the largest and
most costly church in the State.
There is also a Convent of the order of the Sisters of Charity
and Mercy, and the visits of these ministering angels, among the
poor, the destitute, and the suffering, are not few or far between.
These benevolent and cultivated ladies, by devoting their lives, their
energies, and their best efforts to the relief of want, destitution, and
suffering, illustrate and exemplify the inestimable worth and beauty
of practical Christianity.
Connected with this is an educational institution of a high order,
"Mount St. Mary's Academy," - where all, without distinction
of creed, may obtain the higher branches of English education, as
well as in the fine and ornamental arts.
In addition to contributing their quota in the way of taxation
—
-to the support of common schools, the Catholics maintain several
large Sabbath and secular schools.
The citizens of Manchester are favored with all the advantages
and benefits of a free city library, which contains fifteen thousand
volumes. This library was established in 1844 by an association of
gentlemen; but the necessity of a more comprehensive institution
of this kind being apparent, it was, in 1854, transferred to the city
under the following obligations:
"The said city shall annually appropriate, and pay the trustees
of the said city library, a sum not less than one thousand dollars, to
be expended in the purchase and binding of books and periodicals,
not being newspapers; shall, by suitable appropriations, provide for
a room, lights, fuel, and other contingencies of the library, and for
the salary of a librarian; " and became the nucleus of the present
Public Library,* and under the present arrangement to a much
*This institution was fortunate in being surrounded by warm friends in its early days;
none more ardent and untiring than the late Judge Samuel D. Bell. Many gentlemen con-
tributed valuable additions to it in volumes, and otherwise; also, the Amoskeag Company
manifested a lively interest in its growth and efficiency; but Judge Bell, being an antiqua-
rian and a gentleman of erudition, was indefatigable in promoting its prosperity, and to
?
214
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
greater extent supplies the want of a population like that of Man-
chester. This is not the first library; indeed, it will be seen that
one was established in this town at an early period. In the course
of his remarks at the centennial celebration, Albert Jackson, Esq.,
said:
"In 1796 a social library society was organized, and in 1799 .
was, by special act of the Legislature, incorporated."
There are several periodicals, monthly and weekly newspapers,
and three dailies printed in Manchester, all well sustained; and thus
it would seem that this city has provided the means for moral and
intellectual culture, united with enterprise and industry, not sur-
passed by any similar community, and is believed to be one of the
fruitful causes of her numbering, at the age of twenty-one, a popula-
tion of scarcely less than thirty thousand souls.
Manchester is generously provided with public grounds, there
being six separate commons, or squares as they are called, on the
east side of Elm Street. These are known by the names of the
"Park," "Merrimack," "
"'"Hanover," " Concord," "Tremont," and
"Reservoir Squares; " the latter containing the companies' reservoir,
which is located a little more than two hundred feet above the river.
It is four hundred and eighty feet long, two hundred and thirty-four
feet wide, and eighteen feet deep, its capacity being eleven million
gallons. It is supplied by water forced up from the river, and
hydrants are conveniently arranged for using it in case of fire at the
mills and boarding-houses. The reservoir is terraced, and furnishes
a fine promenade, and the square, like all the others, is tastefully
adorned with shade trees. These squares contain six or eight acres
each, and were the munificent gift of the Amoskeag Manufacturing
Company to the city.
A fine brook comes down from Oak Hill and crosses the city
diagonally, passing through several of these squares, which are
thereby provided with beautiful ponds.
There are several other smaller squares on the west side of Elm
Street, which are yet the property of the company.
Manchester has some ten or twelve cemeteries and burying-
grounds. The "Valley Cemetery" containing twenty acres, a gift
him, more than to any other man, belongs the credit of providing a library which is now
established on a basis that insures its being, in a few years, one of the finest in the State.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
215
of the Amoskeag Company, is unsurpassed for its romantic beauty.
The "Pine Grove Cemetery" is well adapted for a silent city of the
dead. The Catholic Cemetery is on the west side of the river.
Among the oldest inscriptions on any of the tombstones are the
following:-
"Here lyes the body of
Mrs. Janet Riddel, wife to
Mr. Samuel Riddel. She Died Septr. 18,
1746. Aged 50 years."
Another reads thus:
"Here Lyes The Body of Mrs.
Chresten McNiel. She
Died September 17th, 1752.
Aged 66 years."
Here is still another:
•
"Here Lyes The Body of Mr.
Archibald Stark. He
Departed This Life June 25th,
1758. Aged 61 years."
:
The City Hall was erected in 1845, at a cost of thirty-five thou-
sand dollars. The State Reform School is also in Manchester; the
building is four stories high, convenient and roomy, and the lot on
which it is built contains one hundred and ten acres.
Manchester, like most manufacturing cities, is eminently a tran-
sient place; but many of the descendants of the first settlers still
occupy the old estates, and are counted among the most valuable
citizens; but, beyond all question, Gen. John Stark was the most
renowned of all her native citizens. He died in May, 1822, at the
advanced age of nearly Linety-four years, and was buried in a cem-
etery provided by himself for that purpose on his own farm, on a
commanding bluff just above Amoskeag Falls, whose rushing, rum-
bling cataract, like the roar of mighty battle, in which, from a stern
sense of duty, he engaged and won unfading laurels when living, is
his perpetual requiem. A plain granite shaft, bearing the inscrip-
tion "Maj. Gen. Stark," marks the final resting-place of the
patriot and hero.
216
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
Wednesday, the 22d day of October, 1851, the citizens of Man-
chester celebrated the centennial anniversary of the incorporation of
Derryfield. An address was delivered by the Rev. C. W. Wallace,
an original poem by William Stark, Esq., a a genuine descendant
of the "old stock," and several brief, pertinent addresses were
made by native and adopted citizens of Manchester. At the same
time Hon. Chandler E. Potter was' selected to prepare a history of
the town, which duty he has performed in a most able, thorough,
and satisfactory manner.
1
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
217
Cohas River.
Men.
ford.
Massabesic.
CHAPTER IX.
Londonderry. - Scotch-Irish Settlement.
Derry. Piscataquog River. - Francestown. Weare.
-Souhegan River and Towns along its Course. - Litchfield.
Hudson. Nashua River and the Towns watered by it. Dunstable.
War. Nashua. Tyngsboro'. Chelmsford. Stony Brook.
River. John Nesmith.
Distinguished
Goffstown. Bed-
Reed's Island. -
་ The Pèquauket
Dracut. Beaver
COHAS RIVER, which empties into the Merrimack on its east bank
at Goffe's Falls, is the outlet of Massabesic Lake, and is four miles
in length. On this stream there are extensive hosiery, lumber,
and other mills, the former located near its confluence with the
Merrimack. This stream was called Massabesic, and subsequently
Cohassack, from the Indian word Cooashauke, from cooash (pine)
and auke (a place). The fall in this stream between the lake and
river is one hundred and twenty feet, and a mill was built upon it
as early as 1740 by John McMurphy.
ter.
Massabesic Lake is one of the finest natural features of Manches-
Massabesic is derived from massa (much), nipe (water), and
auke (a place), "The place of much water," or the great pond
place. It is nearly twenty-five miles around this lake, though no-
where much more than three miles broad. It is reputed to contain
three hundred and sixty-five islands, and certainly does contain a
great many, the largest of which is a seventy-acre lot, and is known
as Brown's Island.
Indian names were always remarkably descriptive of a place, and
the name "Massabesic," even as applied to this lake alone, is so;
but it probably included and was applied to a section of territory ex-
tending northward, and including a pond beyond Rowe's Corner, so
called, in Hooksett. If this is a correct view, no name could be more
appropriate than "the place of much water." The Great Massabe-
sic, the Island Pond and Little Massabesic, Clark's Pond, Swago or
Swager's Pond, Tower Hill Pond, another at Rowe's Corner, and
28
218
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
still another beyond the last mentioned and south of Bear Hill, all
within a dozen miles, and most of them natural ponds. Taken to-
gether, this may be called by any man, red or white, most truly and
emphatically the great pond place.
The large stream, which has its source in the north part of Hook-
sett, and flows, through each of the ponds named, into the Massabesic,
is one of the feeders of that lake, and the time may come when, by
clearing the forests along the upper waters of the Merrimack and its
branches, it will become so diminished, that the great manufacturing
companies on the lower Merrimack will feel the necessity of securing
this great reservoir, and provide means to draw from it, as they have
Winnipesaukee, Squam, and Newfound, to replenish the Merrimack
when depleted by seasons of unusual drouth.
The Massabesic Lake extends into the town of Auburn, formerly
a part of Chester. Auburn was incorporated in 1845. The people
are generally engaged in agricultural pursuits and farming.
"Devil's Den Mountain" is an elevation near the eastern shore
of the lake. At the base of this mountain is a large cave, the mouth
or entrance being about three feet wide and six high. This subter-
ranean passage extends nearly or quite to the centre of the moun-
tain, opening into large apartments, several of which are fifteen feet
square, and vary in height from one to five yards. Through an aper-
ture too small to admit a person, other similar apartments are seen,
with openings which are supposed to lead into others still beyond.
The walls of this cave are of gneiss formation, and acrid to the taste.
This cave is called the "Devil's Den," and, though frequently
explored, its extent is unknown; but it appears to be divided into
several sections of apartments, and as his satanic majesty has not yet
been seen in the neighborhood, or discovered in the cave, it is pre-
sumed his revels are kept in a remote and impenetrable section.
In some respects Londonderry is one of the most remarkable
towns in New Hampshire, originally embracing a large territory
from which in whole or in part several towns have been organized.
It was incorporated in 1722, and has produced many eminent men.
The settlement of this town was in 1719, and Parson McGregor
preached the first sermon, from Isaiah xxxii. 2, under the shade of a
giant oak, on the day after the arrival of the colonists.
McGregor, besides being a Christian minister, was a great admirer
114
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
219
of the works of nature, and would go farther to see a curious tree,
pond, or precipice than any other man in the colony. He was the
first among them to visit Amoskeag Falls, having been attracted
through fifteen miles of wilderness, with nothing to mark his course,
by reports of their "hideous" grandeur.
Prior to this time the cultivation of the potato was unknown in
this part of the country. Besides the introduction of the potato,
this colony introduced the manufacture of linen.
Beaver River has its source in a pond of the same name in Lon-
donderry, and falls into the Merrimack at Lowell.
There was a company from this town, consisting of seventy-five
men, under the command of Capt. George Reid, in the battle of
Bunker Hill, and as many more in the battle of Bennington, com-
manded by Capt. David McClary, who was killed in that battle.
The celebrated Dr. Thornton, on his arrival from Ireland, settled
and practised medicine here.
Among the distinguished men born within the original limits of
Londonderry, may be mentioned Gen. Stark, Col. Reid, Generals
Miller and McNiel, -the two last distinguished officers in the last
war with Great Britain, J. McKean, first President of Bowdoin
College, Judges Livermore, Bell, and Steele, Chief Justice Jeremiah
Smith, and Attorney-General Prentice.
Derry, which was taken from Londonderry, is a wealthy town,
and was the scene of the famous Derry Fairs. To "buy, sell, and
exchange, and to indulge in sports, games, healthy and harmless
recreation," was the design of these fairs; but in the course of time
its doings becoming illegitimate they fell into disrepute and were
discontinued.
It is said a certain man went to the fair on one occasion and
called at a friend's house, hitching his horse at the gate. Finding
the company jovial and agreeable he remained. During his stay in
the house he received oft-repeated calls and invitations to "swap
horses," which he uniformly assented to, with a one-dollar proviso,
without leaving the house. When ready to return home, he was
surprised to find the identical horse he came with tied to the post,
while he had the snug little sum of thirty dollars in his pocket.
The Piscataquog River falls into the Merrimack on its west bank
at Manchester. The sources of this river are in several towns, and
220
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
the woods about its head-waters and branches supplied the Indians
with large quantities of venison; hence its name. Pos (great), at-
tuck (deer), auke (a place), meaning great deer place. The sources
of this stream are high, consequently it is filled with falls and rap-
ids. Mills were built upon it as early as 1775, at Piscataquog
Village.
Francestown, where one of the sources of this stream is located,
was named in honor of the wife of Gov. Wentworth. It was settled,
by John Carson, in 1760, and incorporated twelve years later. There
is a very valuable soapstone quarry here, the soapstone being used
for sizing-rollers, stoves, and other purposes.
Weare supplies a large branch of the Piscataquog, and was for-
merly called Halestown. It has two societies of Friends or Quakers.
The town was incorporated in 1764 under its present name, in honor
of Meshech Weare, who was for some time "President" of New
Hampshire.
Goffstown received its name in honor of the Goffe family. It was
granted by the Masonian proprietors to Rev. Thomas Parker and
others, of Dracut, Massachusetts, in 1748.
There are two mountains in this town very near together, bearing
a strong resemblance to each other, and were some years signal sta-
tions for the United States Coast Survey. These mountains are
called "Uncanoonucks," signifying the breasts of a woman.
"This
is a corruption of the Indian word Wunnunnuoogunash, the plural
of Wunnunnoogun (a breast), ash being added to the singular to
form the plural of inanimate names.”
Rock Rim-
Amoskeag Village, at the Falls of that name, formerly belonged
to Goffstown, but was annexed to Manchester in 1853.
mon, near the village, is a prominent object, visible at a considerable
distance. It is an outcropping of gneiss formation, being easily
accessible on the west, while the south-east face is a perpendicular
bluff some eighty feet high, its summit affording a splendid view of
the river, the city of Manchester, and surrounding scenery.
Bedford is located on the west side of the Merrimack River, next
Pis-
below Manchester, and was formerly called Souhegan East.
cataquog Village belonged to this town, but was annexed to Man-
chester in 1853. In this village is situated the residence of William
Stark, Esq., who is not a pensioner on his distinguished ancestors.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
221
He is a scholar, poet, and naturalist; and, being a gentleman of
leisure and possessed of ample means, his zoological gardens contain
the most extensive private collection to be found in New England,
if not in the United States.
Bowman's Brook, so called from Jonas B. Bowman, Esq., some
years deceased, has its course through the north-easterly portion of
this town, and has been generally known until within a few years as
the best trout brook in all this region.
John A. McGaw, Esq., a native of Bedford and a wealthy New
York merchant and importer, has a fine summer residence near this
stream, on the river road, one of the finest drives in the city of Man-
chester. Mr. McGaw's estate comprises about sixty acres of fertile
interval; his buildings are elegant, and surrounded with fruit and
ornamental trees. He has, also, one of the largest and best trout
ponds in the State. The splendid location and the tasteful improve-
ments give warrant to the expression, "altogether beautiful," as
often applied to this situation.
Pulpit Brook has a fall of two hundred feet, and is a very pictu-
resque cascade.
Bedford was granted, in 1733, to the officers and soldiers of the
Narraganset War. It was settled four years after by Robert and
James Walker, and, in 1738, Col. John Goffe, Matthew Patten, and
Capt. Samuel Patten settled in the town. The first white child
born here was Silas Barron.
On the bank of the river, near Goffe's Falls, an Indian burial-
place was discovered, and, in 1821, Dr. Woodbury exhumed several
skeletons, one of which was evidently buried in a sitting posture, and
had long hair like a female, which was in a very perfect state of
preservation.
Dr. Peter P. Woodbury, an eminent physician, practised medi-
cine in this town until his death, about ten years since. He was a
brother to the Hon. Levi Woodbury.
The Souhegan River, on which are located a number of mills and
shops, empties into the Merrimack on its left bank. The Souhegans
lived upon this river, occupying the rich intervals upon each bank
above and below its mouth. Souhegan is a contraction of Souhe-
ganash, an Indian name in the plural number, meaning worn out
lands. These Indians were often called Natacooks, or Nacook, from
222
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
their occupying ground that was free from trees, or cleared land,
netecook meaning a clearing.
Ashburnham, in Worcester County, Massachusetts, was granted
to Thomas Tileston and others, of Dorchester, in the year 1690, for
services rendered in an expedition against Canada, and was called
for many years "Dorchester Canada.” This town is located on an
elevated ridge, which is the water-shed between the Merrimack and
Connecticut Rivers, and contains several large ponds, which are the
sources of the Souhegan River.
Ashby, on the Souhegan River, is an enterprising and pleasant
town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, on the New Hampshire
line, and contains mills, shops, and various mechanical works.
New Ipswich was granted by the Masonian proprietors in 1750,
and was incorporated twelve years afterwards. It is one of the most
enterprising among the back towns in the State, containing an acad-
emy, which was incorporated as early as 1789, and several cotton
and other mills and shops. There were sixty-five men in the battle
of Bunker Hill from this place. The first manufacture of cotton
in New Hampshire was commenced here in 1803.
Milford, on the Souhegan River, was settled by John Burns and
others. It was incorporated in 1794, and is a large and enterpris-
ing town. There are three hundred thousand dollars invested in
cotton manufactures, the Souhegan Manufacturing Co. having been
incorporated in 1846, the Milford Co. in 1810, and the "Pine Val-
ley" Co. in 1867, capital one hundred thousand dollars. The Mil-
ford Plane Co., which produces the celebrated Eagle plane, is an
extensive establishment, and employs from fifty to seventy-five hands.
There are several other mechanical works in operation, and Milford
is a busy, lively, and thrifty village.
Amherst, on the Souhegan River, was for many years the shire
town of Hillsboro' County. It was first called Narragansett "Num-
ber Three," afterwards Souhegan West. The first settlement was in
1734, by Samuel Walton and Samuel Lampson. It was incorpor-
ated in 1760, under the name of Amherst. It is watered by Ba-
boosuck River, which flows through two ponds, Little and Great
Baboosuck, and, after leaving Amherst, passes through Merrimack,
and unites with the Souhegan near the confluence of that river with
the Merrimack.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
223
Amherst has produced a large number of eminent men, among
whom may be mentioned Hon. Moses Nichols, who was engaged in
the battle of Bennington, being a colonel under Stark. He also
held many important civil offices. Hon. Samuel Dana was a class-
mate of the elder Adams at old Harvard. He also held many posi-
tions of honor and trust. Hon. William Gordon was member of
Congress in 1796, and afterwards Attorney-General of the State.
Hon. Robert Means, a native of Ireland, settled in Amherst soon
after its incorporation, and was elected to many high official stations.
The Athertons-Joshua, Charles H., and Charles G.- were very
eminent and distinguished men. Hon. Charles G. Atherton was
Senator in Congress for several years, and was a prominent member
of that august body, while at the bar it has been said he had but few
equals. One of the most eminent members of the New Hampshire
bar said of him:
"In that gentleman are united many of the rarest qualifications
of an advocate. Of inimitable self-possession, with a coolness and
clearness of intellect which no sudden emergencies can disturb; with
that confidence in his resources which nothing but native strength,
aided by the most thorough training, can bestow; with a felicity and
fertility of illustration, the result alike of an exquisite natural taste
and a cultivation of those studies which refine, while they strengthen
the mind for forensic contests."
In 1853, Mr. Atherton was suddenly stricken in the court-house
at Manchester. He was taken to his hotel, where he expired in a
few days after the attack. His last words were: "I expected this,
but not so soon."
Horace Greeley, of the "New York Tribune," is a native of Am-
herst, and, as a journalist, has probably achieved as much wealth,
fame, and influence as any of its native citizens.
"Amherst jail," which was for so many years the terror of rogues,
has been discontinued, new and elegant county buildings having
been erected at Manchester.
"The Amherst Cabinet" was first issued in 1802, and, though
nearly threescore years and ten, is yet hale and vigorous.
Merrimack was formerly called "Souhegan East." It was settled
in 1733, and incorporated in 1746. It claims the credit of making
the first Leghorn bonnets, which often sold for forty or fifty dollars.
224
THE MERRIMACK RIVER ;
•
The Cromwell House, a trading-post, was erected here previous
to its settlement, by John Cromwell, an Englishman; but, after in-
dulging for some time in discreditable "tricks of trade," thereby
enormously defrauding the Indians, his irregularities were discovered
by them, and he fled precipitately, thus saving his scalp-lock, and
leaving them to redress their grievances by burning the post.
There is at the present time a flourishing military school in Mer-
rimack.
Litchfield, on the Merrimack, was formerly called Natticott. It
was set off from the territory of Dunstable, and incorporated by
Massachusetts in 1734, and was chartered by New Hampshire in
1749. This town contains only eight thousand five hundred acres,
much of it being valuable timber land. It formerly belonged to and
was occupied by the Souhegans, Naticook Island, in the Merrimack,
now known as Reed's Island, being their summer residence.
The soil of Hudson being generally good, and it having the ad-
vantages of proximity to a good market, the land is in an excellent
state of cultivation, and it is a thrifty farming town. The original
grant of Dunstable included Hudson, which was incorporated in
1746 under the name of Nottingham West, which it retained until
1830, when its name was changed to Hudson.
Dunstable was a great resort of the Merrimack Valley Indians,
and, after the settlement of Hudson, in 1710, they continued to
come for a long time on peaceful trading expeditions from the head-
waters of the Connecticut and the Merrimack. The fertile intervals
of Hudson were cultivated by the Indians, who derived from them
liberal supplies of maize, gourds, and beans. Here, as in Penna-
cook, they grew considerable quantities of corn, observing some regu-
larity in planting, and being obliged to watch it constantly to prevent
the crows-which they called "kawkont," from their peculiar
scream—from destroying it.
They generally erected one or more wigwams in the cornfield, in
which the children and others could remain and watch the field,
keeping away the crows, but not killing them, as they were held as
a kind of sacred bird. The Indians had a tradition that the crow
brought their first corn and beans to them from their "Great Manit,
Kautantonwits" field in the south-west.
The Nashua River, a beautiful tributary of the Merrimack, has
[
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
225
its source in the Wachusett Mountain, in Massachusetts, and empties
into the Merrimack, on its right bank, in the city of Nashua.
Like the Contoocook in New Hampshire, the fountain-heads which
contribute to the formation of the Nashua are numerous, and located
in several towns. Ashburnham, where the Souhegan takes its rise,
is also one of the sources of the Nashua, while others are in Prince-
ton, Holden, etc. The north and south branches unite in Lancaster,
the latter being called Still River.
The Wachusett Mountain is three thousand feet high, and derives
its name from a tribe of Indians inhabiting the territory about its
base, and which, like the Nashuas, acknowledged the sway of the
Pennacooks, and Passaconnaway as a sagamon or bashaba. Wachu-
sett is derived from Wadchu (a mountain), and auke (a place).
"Thus the Wachusetts, in Indian vernacular, were the mountain
place tribe. The Indians considered the country along the whole
course of the Nashua, from its head-waters to its confluence with the
Merrimack, as one of the most delightful sections of this country,
and, it is said, the early white settlers also regarded it as a pleasant
country and a most superb stream, fully realizing its picturesque
scenery before the demands of civilization and the hand of art had
marred its primitive and charming natural beauty.”
Wachusett Mountain and its vicinity continue to be a great resort
in the summer season for comfort and pleasure-seekers, and may be
sought by all admirers of nature and of charming natural scenery.
The Nashuas occupied the lands bordering that stream to its
mouth, and the intervals on either side of the Merrimack. The
tribe took its name from the river, and the latter derived its name
from the Indian word which signifies "the beautiful stream with a
pebbly bottom."
Lancaster, through which flows the Nashua River, is one of the
finest inland towns in New England. The eye of the stranger is
attracted and his attention arrested by the variety of its scenery and
the natural beauty and pleasantness of the place. For many years
it was on the frontier of civilization, and is one of the oldest towns
in this section, it having been settled as early as 1643, and incor-
porated ten years later, and for years after this period was exposed
to the predatory and hostile incursions of the Indians. In 1676, an
attack was made by a large body of them, some fifteen hundred in
29
226
THE MEKRIMACK RIVER;
number, upon the town. After a desperate resistance, many having
been slain on both sides, the village was destroyed, and several per-
sons taken captive, among whom was the celebrated Mrs. Mary
Rowlandson.
Lancaster contains a large number and variety of mechanical
shops, cotton and woollen mills, and others where hats, shoes, musi-
cal instruments, metallic and wooden utensils, and furniture are
made. Lancaster gingham is widely famed as a superior fabric.
Harvard, on the Nashua River, contains a community of the sect
called Shakers. This town was taken from Groton, Lancaster, and
Stow, and incorporated in 1732. There is a slate-stone quarry, from
which gravestones and monuments are manufactured in large num-
bers. The town also produces quantities of paper, shoes, and hats.
The Nashua River provides the town of Shirley with excellent
water-power, which is improved, there being several cotton and
woollen mills in operation. Shirley is an uneven township; but the
soil is generally strong and good, while the large tracts of interval
along the Nashua are fertile and productive.
Groton was incorporated 1665, and in 1676 was pillaged and de-
stroyed by the Indians, the inhabitants taking refuge in garrison-
houses provided for that purpose. Groton is a wealthy town. The
facilities for education are excellent, there being several institutions
of learning. But it is best known as the grand central point or
junction of several railroads, by which it has become a great thor-
oughfare of travel.
Pepperell was incorporated 1753. The Nashua River supplies
good mill privileges, and paper mills and shops for various mechani-
cal purposes are in operation. The town was named in honor of Sir
William Pepperell, who was chosen, in 1727, one of His Majesty's
Council, which office he retained until his death. He was com-
mander of the expedition against Louisburg, which was successful in
all respects, and was accompanied by Dr. Thornton, of Londonderry,
N. H., better known as Matthew Thornton, one of the signers of the
Declaration of Independence. For his brilliant success in this expe-
dition the king honored him with the dignity of baronet. He died in
Kittery, Maine, where he resided, July 6th, 1759, aged sixty-three
years.
William Buttrick, Esq., an enterprising and active business man,
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
227
who owned and conducted the paper mills at this place, contributed
much to the prosperity of the town. Mr. Buttrick died about twen-
ty-three years since.
Hollis was settled in 1731 by Peter Powers; and his son, also
named Peter, was the first white child born in the town. It was incor-
porated in 1746, and named in honor of Hollis, Duke of Newcastle.
It was formerly called Nisitissit, and was afterwards known as Dun-
stable West Parish. It is watered by the Nashua and Nisitissit,
one of its branches.
Nashua is historic ground. The scarcely tangible shadows of
uncertain tradition have blended and mingled with the substance of
her genuine, undoubted, and splendid records until the very truth-
fulness of details produces what may be properly styled the romance of
history. Too fearfully and painfully true, on the one hand, for mere
romance, while the romantic chivalry, wild adventure, and deeds of
daring, trials, sufferings, and successes, the sturdy and conspicuous
valor of her sons, who won unfading glory in fierce, yet most unequal
conflicts, give a meaning and a significance to, and illustrate the
adage that "truth is stranger than fiction."
Coming as they did to this spot by the beautiful river so beloved
by the Indians, to their hearthstones and tillage fields, it is not
strange the early settlers should have been pursued by them with
implacable and vindictive animosity, and the woods, rocks, and hills
concealed a lurking, deadly foe. Personal safety was never counted
on, and he who was obliged to go forth on business, or to his daily
labor, took his life in his hand, and went at its peril.
On one occasion two men, named Cross and Blanchard, were at
work in the woods, when they were suddenly set upon by a party of
Indians and captured. Not returning at night, suspicion of their prob-
able fate was aroused, and a party of ten resolute and well-armed men,
under the command of Ebenezer French, started in search of them.
On arriving at the place where they had been at work it was at once
discovered that Indians had been there and captured them; but the
party learned by signs purposely left by them that they were living,
and the indications were positive that the savages had but recently
fled. Under these circumstances immediate pursuit was, without
hesitation, determined upon. At this point of the proceedings, Jo-
siah Farwell, who was one of the party, suggested, as a precautionary
228
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
measure, that they should take a circuitous route and move warily;
but it appears that some difficulty existed between him and the
leader, French, when the latter, sneeringly, exclaimed, “I am going
to take the direct path; if any of you are not afraid, let him follow
me.”*
French led the party, as he declared he should, straight up
along the Merrimack, and, having reached the vicinity of the place
now known as Thornton's Ferry, they were fired upon and most of
them killed. All the others, except Farwell, soon met the same fate.
He alone escaped, and, collecting another strong force, returned and
secured the bodies of eight of the victims, and had them decently
buried. Their names were Lieut. Ebenezer French, Thomas Lund,
and Oliver Farwell, of Dunstable; Daniel Balding and John Bur-
bank, of Woburn; Mr. Johnson, of Plainfield; and one other not
known.
The following year, when Lovewell made his expedition against
the Pequaukets, he selected Josiah Farwell as his lieutenant, on
account of his well-known prudence and skill in Indian fighting.
When Lovewell's company had been recruited and organized by the
selection of himself, Farwell, and Robbins, these officers were re-
quested to petition the government for encouragement. Accord-
ingly the following petition was sent by them to the General Court
of Massachusetts:
"The humble memorial of John Lovewell, Josiah Farwell, Jonathan Robbins,
all of Dunstable, showeth :
"That your petitioners, with nearly forty or fifty others, are inclinable to
range and to keep out in the woods for several months together, in order to
kill and destroy their enemy, Indians, provided they can meet with encour-
agement suitable. And your petitioners are employed and desired by many
others, humbly to propose and submit to your Honors' considerations, that if
such soldiers may be allowed five shillings per day in case they kill an enemy
and possess their scalp, they will employ themselves in Indian hunting one
whole year; and, if within that time they do not kill any, they are content to
be allowed nothing for their wages, time, and trouble.
"JOHN LOVEWELL.
"JOSIAH FARWELL.
"JONATHAN ROBBINS."
"Dunstable, November, 1724."
In reply to the petition, the objects which it set forth were ap-
* Belknap.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
229
proved, and a bounty of one hundred pounds was voted for "each
Indian scalp taken by Lovewell's company.'
The terrible experience of the people of Dunstable was, however,
only a magnified transcript of the sufferings of other frontier settle-
ments, but the record of her trials and the history of her glorious
deeds cannot fail to bring to mind the turbulent days of unmitigated
hostility, and the incessant alarms of exterminating war, —
"What time the noble Lovewell came
With fifty men from Dunstable,
The cruel Pequot tribe to tame,
With arms and bloodshed terrible,"
and enrolls a long list of her brave and gallant sons for heroic and
self-sacrificing devotion among the bold, the strong, and the daring
of their countrymen who have in arms achieved enduring historical
renown and lasting gratitude.
The city of Nashua was formerly embraced within that large
tract of country which was chartered in 1673 under the name of
Dunstable. This tract of land included all the territory of the towns
of Dunstable, Tyngsboro', and portions of Townsend, Groton, Pepper-
ell, and others, in Massachusetts, and Hollis, Brookline, Milford,
Amherst, Merrimack, Hudson, Litchfield, and parts of the territory
of other towns in New Hampshire, and was under the jurisdiction
of Massachusetts until the State line was permanently established
in 1641. It was incorporated by New Hampshire, in 1746, under
the same name, which it retained for ninety years after.
""
In 1803, the first post-office was established at Nashua, the name
of the place was changed to Indian Head, and a scow was launched
with ceremony and christened "The Nashua," and the proceedings
were marked with great parade and display. At that time an "inn,'
a store, and three or four houses were the sum total of the present
large and flourishing city of Nashua. The population in 1820
numbered only one thousand one hundred and forty-two.
In 1842, there was a disagreement about the location of the town
house. It was located on the south side of the Nashua River, and
the people on both sides claimed it. A great deal of feeling was
manifested on both sides; the dispute waxed warm, and the town
was divided. The north side, and a small tract of the north-east
230
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
part of the south side, were incorporated by the name of Nashville.
This state of things existed until 1853, when a city charter was ob-
tained, under which the divided and estranged family was brought
together. The "House of Nashua" — divided against itself was
—
reunited, Nashville was mollified, the "fatted calf" was killed, and,
shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand, they have advanced through
these intervening fifteen years until now Nashua is one of the prin-
cipal cities in wealth, population, beauty, enterprise, and prosperity
of the old Granite State.
Cities, like animals, thrive and increase, fatten and flourish, on
the sustenance with which they are supplied. Thus, New York
gained rapidly on commerce; St. Louis made a healthy beginning
on buffalo robes, and peltries generally; New Bedford does well on
whales; Newport, on the folly of shoddy nabobs; Holton, on copper
mines; Pittsburg, on iron and coal; Gloucester, on fish; Chicago,
on wickedness; Bangor, on lumber; Lynn, on shoes; and Nashua
on manufactures; and her growth has been rapid and substantial.
In 1823, the water-power and adjacent lands were secured for the
purpose of improvement, and, before the end of three years, the
Nashua and the Jackson were in operation, and before the end of
twenty-five years the city numbered more thousands of population
than it did hundreds at the time these companies commenced opera-
tions.
"The Pennichuck Water Works were constructed in 1854. The
Pennichuck has its rise in a pond near the north-western boundary
of the city, and is fed by many never-failing springs of soft, pure
water, and falls into the Merrimack. The water is taken at a point
just above the Concord Railroad, from an artificial pond of twenty-
six acres, and forced by a turbine wheel of eighty horse-power into a
reservoir, half a mile north of the City Hall, one hundred and ten
feet above the street level at that point, and of a capacity of one
million two hundred and fifty thousand gallons."
The Nashua Manufacturing Company was incorporated in June,
1823, with a capital of one million dollars.
Salmon Brook, which rises in Groton, Massachusetts, passes
through Nashua, where mechanical shops are located along its
course. In fact, the city seems one extensive workshop, where
mechanics and artisans congregate and flourish, and where every va-
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
231
riety of machinery and implements is turned out, massive and
ponderous, delicate and curious, useful and ornamental, which, in
perfection, diversity, quality, and value, in detail and in the aggre-
gate, are claimed to be unsurpassed by few cities of its size in New
England.
There are three newspapers published here, and the facilities for
good common-school education are not inferior to any other wide-
awake place; a commendable public spirit, combined with experience,
having provided suitable buildings, teachers, and all the necessary ap-
pliances for the most approved and thorough system of public schools.
Living as they did in an era of stirring events, many of the first
settlers of Nashua became historic characters, and are still repre-
sented among the prominent and most influential of its citizens.
The tombstones in the old cemetery below the city (the oldest burial-
place west of Portsmouth and Hampton) present a long list of names
well known to fame; among them that of John Lovewell (father of
the hero of Pequauket), who died in 1754, aged one hundred and
twenty years. Among those who aided materially in bringing the
city of Nashua into existence, Gen. Noah Lovewell was the first
postmaster (1803); Daniel Abbot, Esq., was a prominent lawyer
and active business man, and B. F. French was, at one time, his
law-partner, afterwards agent of the Boott, at Lowell, and other
corporations; Israel Hunt was an officer in the battle of Bunker
Hill; his sons, Gen. Israel and John M. Hunt, Esq., are still among
the foremost men of Nashua. The Frenches, Benjamin and Thomas,
were also among the first families, having descended, on the mother's
side, from the celebrated Jonathan Blanchard. Col. Joseph Gree-
ley, another of the old stock, died but a few years since. Hon. Amos
Kendall, postmaster-general under Gen. Jackson, was also one of
the prominent men who originated in old Dunstable.
Among the foremost business men of Nashua is Gen. George
Stark, a descendant of the famous Stark family, of Derryfield, and
brother to William Stark, the poet. Gen. Stark is one of the lead-
ing railroad men of New England, and has been a candidate for
Governor of New Hampshire, a position he is eminently qualified to
adorn. Col. Thomas P. Pierce went to Manchester to reside in
1840; in 1847 he enlisted for the Mexican War, and was appointed
lieutenant in the regular army. He served through the war with
232
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
distinction, and was complimented for gallant and meritorious con-
duct. In 1853 he was appointed postmaster at Manchester by Pres-
ident Pierce, and again by President Buchanan, and the people of
that city endorsed his administration of the duties of his position for
eight years with entire unanimity, and, to this day, he is referred to
as the "model postmaster." In 1861 he was appointed colonel of
the 2d New Hampshire Regiment, but was, however, in consequence
of the derangement of his private business, compelled to resign before
taking the field. A few years since Col. Pierce removed to Nashua,
where he is counted among the foremost of the younger portion of
her active and enterprising business men.
In addition to the Nashua and Jackson Companies, the Iron Com-
pany has a capital of one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars;
the Nashua Lock Company, a capital of sixty thousand dollars; Un-
derhill Edge Tool Company, a capital of eighty thousand dollars;
and the Francêstown Soapstone Company, a capital of three hundred
thousand dollars.
The fine natural features of Nashua supply her with the elements
of a beautiful city. The pellucid Nashua meandering through its
very centre, her fine streets, splendid buildings, and grand old orna-
mental trees, public buildings, churches, factories, and workshops,
the hum of the spindle, the ring of the anvil, the constant rumble of
car-wheels, all combine to give the city an air of beauty, enterprise,
and thrift most attractive and agreeable.
Tyngsboro' was formerly a portion of the Dunstable charter, and
was incorporated, 1789, under its present name, which it received
in honor of the Tyngs, who were famous Indian fighters among the
celebrated names in old Dunstable.
In 1734 Massachusetts granted a tract of territory, bounded on
the west by the Merrimack, and on the east by a line three miles
from that river, extending from the north line of Litchfield to the
Suncook River, which included portions of what is now Londonderry,
Manchester, and Hooksett, to Col. William Tyng and others, as a
reward for their services in fighting the Indians. This service
consisted of raising a company of the daring and prudent men who
penetrated the enemy's country as far as the Winnipesaukee, on
snow-shoes, in the depth of winter, killing six Indians, and dispersing
all the bands with which they came in contact. This grant was
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
233
called Tyngstown, but, as Massachusetts had only the right of the
usurper to make this grant, it was, of course, void and of no effect.
On hearing of the disaster to Capt. Lovewell's forces at Pequau-
ket, Gov. Dummer forthwith despatched a company under Col. Elea-
zer Tyng to succor the living, if possible, and recover the dead. Col.
Tyng marched on the 17th of May, and on the following day wrote
Gov. Dummer: —
"MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HONOR:—
“This day I marched from Amoskeag, having fifty-five of my own men and
thirty-two of Capt. White's. The men are well, and proceeded with a great
deal of life and courage. Yesterday I was forced to lie still, by reason of the
rain. I would humbly offer something to your Honor in the behalf of our peo-
ple who are left destitute and naked, that you would be pleased to consider
their circumstances, and order what you shall think proper for their defence
till we return.
"I am your Honor's
"Most ob't servant,
"ELEAZER TYNG.
"Amoskeag, May 19th, 1725."
Gov. Dummer issued the following order :—
"TO COL. FLAGG:
"Sir,―These are to empower and direct you forthwith to detach or im-
press out of the regiment where you are lieut. col., a sergeant and twelve
effective, able-bodied men, well armed for his Majesty's service, for the se-
curity and reinforcement of Dunstable, until the return of Col. Tyng and his
company.
66
They must be posted at the garrisons of Joseph Bloghead, Nathaniel Hill,
John Taylour, and John Lovewell, and three sentinels in each garrison, and
the sergeant in that of the four that is nearest the centre.
The sergeant must be very careful to keep the men well upon their duty,
so as to be a good guard and protection to the people, and you must give
them directions in writing accordingly. Let the matter be effected with all
possible despatch.
"Boston, May 19th, 1725."
"WILLIAM DUMMER.
The force under Col. Tyng was successful in finding the battle-
ground, but discovered no Indians. They found and identified the
bodies of Capt. John Lovewell,* Ensign Jonathan Woods, Ensign
* "With footsteps slow shall travellers go,
Where Lovewell's pond shines clear and bright,
And mark the place where those are laid
Who fell in Lovewell's bloody fight."
This "poem," descriptive of Lovewell's famous fight, was published the year after the
battle, and republished in the N. H. Hist. Soc. Pub., Vol. III.
30
234
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
John Harwood, and Robert Usher, all of Dunstable; Jacob Ful-
lam, of Weston; Jacob Farrar and Josiah Davis, of Concord;
Thomas Woods, Daniel Woods, and John Jefts, of Groton; Ichabod
Johnson, of Woburn; Jonathan Kittredge, of Billerica."
Col. Tyng also found an Indian grave, which he opened. It con-
tained among other bodies that of the dreaded Paugus.*
The scene of this battle, where the intrepid Lovewell and nearly
all his force were slain, was in the "Pequaquauke country." These
Indians, made up of the remnants of the various tribes or bands of
the Pennacook confederacy, had located themselves upon the
branches of the Saco, where was an abundance of fish and game,
and, from the fact that their main village was upon the Saco, near
where that river makes a noted bend or circuit of some thirty-six
miles, principally in Fryeburg, Maine, returning within a mile or
two of the Indian village where it commenced its detour, were called
Pequaquaukes, or Indians at the crooked place, - Pequaquaukes
being derived from the adjective pequauquis (crooked) and auke (a
place).
This name, thus received, was applied to the Indians of all that
region of country, and has ever since been applied to the region of
country itself. The Pequaquaukes were under the control of two
powerful sagamons, Paugus (the oak) and Wahowah (the broad
shouldered).
The Tyng family of Dunstable appear to have been leading and
prominent people for many years among the illustrious names of
that distinguished settlement. Previous to 1700, when a small
grant was made to Wonnalancet, that mild and amiable chieftain
was placed under the charge of Mr. Jonathan Tyng, of Tyngsboro'.
This town is situated on both sides of the Merrimack, which is
here a broad and beautiful river. Having pursued a general south-
erly course since leaving old Lafayette, the Merrimack commences a
grand detour at this place, maintaining a remarkably regular trend,
and in the course of fifteen miles heads due east, and continues in
the same direction to the sea.
* “'Twas Paugus led the Peqw'k't tribe;
As runs the fox, would Paugus run;
As howls the wild wolf, would he howl;
A huge bear-skin had Paugus on."
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
235
Chelmsford is a very ancient town, having been settled more than
two hundred years ago. For many years the product of manufac
tured articles has been in the aggregate large, consisting principally
of glass, iron, cotton, and wool fabrics.
Stony Brook, which rises in Groton, unites with the Merrimack
in this town. On this stream are many mills, and quite a large in-
vestment of capital in various kinds of manufacturing. Among the
largest of these may be mentioned the Abbott Worsted Company,
Graniteville, capital seventy-five thousand dollars; Nail Factory at
Forge Village, capital thirty thousand dollars; Eagle Mills, West
Chelmsford. At North Chelmsford are located the Swain Turbine.
Company, with a capital of fifty thousand dollars; the Baldwin
Company (worsted yarn), capital fifty-two thousand dollars;
Foundry Company, capital sixteen thousand dollars, and the Shel-
don Hosiery Company, with a capital of one hundred thousand dol-
lars.
Previous to the charter of Dunstable, Chelmsford was an outpost
of civilization, and subsequent to that time it appears that a garri-
son was maintained, and if cruelty was practised on occasions by the
Indians, it was also perpetrated on them in turn without cause, and
hardly less savage than their own.
Sometime about 1680 the barn of Lieut. James Richardson was
destroyed by fire, and its destruction was charged to the Indians,
and fourteen men, armed with guns loaded with buckshot, repaired
to wigwams of the Wamesits, called them out, and two of the men
discharged their pieces among them, killing one boy and wounding
five of the women and children. It is true that the men, Lorgin
and Robins, who had fired upon them, were tried; but of course, such
was the feeling against the Indians, they were acquitted, "to the
great grief and trouble generally of magistracy and ministry and
other wise and godly men."
This was in December, and in the February following the
Wamesits sent a petition to the governor and council, requesting to
be removed from Chelmsford, fearing that hostile Indians would
make reprisals for this cowardly act, alleging that in such an event
they would again suffer without cause; but the governor paid no at-
tention to their request, and they fled into the wilderness towards
Pennacook, leaving behind in one wigwam several sick, lame, and
236
RIVER;
THE MERRIMACK ERRIMACK
blind.
After they had retired, the people of Chelmsford assembled
and set fire to this wigwam, which, together with these poor Indians,
six in number, was destroyed.
At the time of the settlement of Chelmsford, the beautiful island
in the river here, which was called Wickasauke, was a spot of con-
siderable consequence, and no little interest. It appears that this
island belonged to the family of Passaconaway, and was an impor-
tant cornfield, and the occasional residence of his successor, Won-
nalancet. The elder brother of the latter, having become surety for
another Indian, was taken and lodged in jail in Boston. The kind-
hearted Wonnalancet set about providing means to release his unfor-
tunate brother, and all else failing he sent the following petition,
requesting to be allowed to sell the island that he might release
Nanamocomuck from prison. This petition received the following
answer:
—
"License for Indians to sell an Island. Whereas this Court is Informed yt
Peasconaway's soune now in prison as surety for ye payment of a debt of
forty-five pounds or thereabouts, and having nothing to pay but affirms that
several Indians now in possession of a smale island in Merrimack River
(about sixty acres), the half whereof is broken up, are willing after this next
yeares use of their sayd island to sell theire interest in ye sayd island to who-
ever will purchase it, and so redeem the sayd Peasconaway's soune out of
prison. The Magistrates are willing to allow the sayd Indians liberty to sell
ye sayd island to Ensigne Jno. Evered as they and he can agree for ye ends
aforesaid. If their brethren the deputys consent hereto. 8 Nov. 1659. The
deputys consent hereto provided the Indians have liberty to sell the said
island to him that will give most for it.
"Consented to by ye Magistrates.
“EEWD. RAWSON, Sec'y."
The island was sold. Ensign John Evered, or Webb as he was
sometimes called, being the purchaser, and Nanamocomuck was re-
leased from jail. Wonnalancet, however, received a grant, through
pity, of one hundred acres, which was located on a hill ten or twelve
miles west of Wickasauke. In 1665 another petition came from
him concerning the island: --
"To the Worshipful Richard Bellingham, Esq., Gov'r, and to the rest of
the Honord Generall Coart.
"The petition of us poore neibour Indians, whose names are hereunto sub-
scribed, humbly sheweth that whereas Indians several years since we yr
petit's out of pity and compassion to our pore brother and countryman to re-
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
237
deem him out of prison and bondage whose name was Nanamocomuck, the
elder son of Passaconewa, who was cast into prison for a debt of another
Indian unto John Tinker, for which he gave his word; the redemption of
whome did cost us our desirable posetions where we and oure had and did
hope to enjoy our livelihood for ourselves and posterity; namely, an island
on Merrimack River, called by the name of Wicosurke, which was purchased
by Mr. John Web, who hath curtiously given vs leaue to plant vpon ever
since he hath possessed the same, we doe not know wheather to goe, nor
where to place ourselves for our Lively hood in procuring vs bread; having
beine very solicitious wh Mr. Web to let vs enjoy our said posetions againe,
he did condescend to our motion provided we would repay him his charges,
but we are pore and canot so doe. Our request is Mr. Web may have a grant
of about 5 C acres of land in two places adjoyning his owne lands in the wil-
derness, which is our owne proper lands as the aforesaid island ever was.
"10; 8; 65. Nobhow in behalf of my wife and children,
"VNANUNQUOSETT.
"WANALANCETT.
"NONATOMENUT.
"If the court please to grant this then yr petitioner Wanalancett is willing
to surrender up ye hundred acres of land yt was granted him by the court."
The reply to this petition was favorable, and as follows:-
"In answer to this petition the Court grant Mr. Jno. Evered five hundred
acres of land, upon condition hee release his right in an island in Merimacke
River, called Wicosacke, which was purchased by him of the Indian peti-
tioners; also upon condition Wonalancett do release a former grant to him
of an hundred acres, and the court do grant said island to petitioner. John
Parker and Jonathan Danforth are appointed to lay out this grant of five
hundred acres to John Evered.
"14 October, 1665.”
"EDWARD RAWSON, Secretary.
"Consented to by the Deputies.
Wonnalancet and his friends continued to occupy and cultivate
this island for some years, under the supervision of Mr. Jonathan
Tyng, of Dunstable, and Mr. Robert Parris, his "bayl." Yet this
noble child of the forest, after his experience, having seen the prac-
tical workings of a faith, which he was importuned to adopt, in the
uncalled-for and inhuman slaughter of his defenceless people at
Chelmsford, distrustful, if not of Christianity, certainly and with
good reason of its professors, was himself a practical and genuine
Christian.* Having been crowded out of possession by the grasp-
* He was always friendly to the English, but unwilling to be importuned about adopting
their religion. When he had got to be very old, however, he submitted to their desires in
that respect. Upon that occasion he is reported to have said, I must acknowledge I have all
my days been used to pass in an old canoe, and now you exhort me to change and leave my old
238
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
ing and constantly encroaching English, he finally retired to the St.
Francis.
As a proof of his great but unobtrusive friendship towards the
English, it is related of him that he came to Chelmsford after an
absence of some years, and meeting the Rev. Mr. Fisk asked him
the news, and if Chelmsford had suffered during the Indian War.
"No," said Mr. Fisk, "it has not; thank God!" "Me next," re-
plied Wonnalancet, who had evidently interposed his personal,
friendly feeling, his influence, and his authority to shield Chelmsford
from the doom which perhaps otherwise impended over it. Another
instance of his unwavering friendship and Christian spirit may be
given. Wonnalancet informed Major Hinchman, commander of the
post at Chelmsford, that the Mohokes were in the valley of the
Merrimack, above Dunstable, and in the neighborhood of the mouth
of the Souhegan River. James Parker at once communicated this
information to the governor and council in these terms:
"From Mr. Henchman's farme ner Meremack, hast post hast.
"To the Honered Govner and Counsell. This may informe youer honores
that Sagamore Evanalanset (Wonnalancet) came this morning to informe me,
and then went to Mr. Tyng's to informe him, that his son being on ye outher
sid of Meremack River a hunting, and his dauter with him, up the river, over
against Souhegan, upon the 22d day of this instant, about ten of the clock in
the morning, he discovered 15 Indens on this sid of the river which he
soposed to be Mohokes by their speech, and he having a canow ther in the
river, he went to breck his canow that they might not have ani ues of it, in
the menetime thay shot about thirty guns at him, and he being much frighted,
fled and came home forthwith to Nahamcok, wher ther wigowemes now
stand.
"Not eles at present, but remain your servant to command,
"Rec'd 9 night 24 Mrh. 76–7.”
“JAMES PARKER.
As the rolling seasons each in turn present a charm peculiarly
its own, differing in degree less than in kind, each indiscriminately
attractive to those who properly realize and appreciate the wonder-
ful economy and perfection of nature; so likewise does this beautiful
canoe and embark in a new one, to which I have hitherto been unwilling, but now I yield up my-
self to your advice, and enter into a new canoe, and do engage to pray to God hereafter.—(Drake's
Book of the Indians.)
The Apostle John Eliot wrote to Hon. Robert Boyle, in England, 1677, as follows:
“We had a sachem of the greatest blood in the country submitted to pray to God a little
before the wars; his name is Wanalauncet."
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
239
and bright rolling river, ever varying, ever charming, dashing down
the mountain side in countless noisy rivulets, each directing its
course, not perhaps in a right line, but with ultimate certainty to
the same great channel, as the races of men, sweeping down from the
misty summits of antiquity and barbarism, are destined finally to
unite in one homogeneous mass, when brotherly love, "peace on
earth," and good will shall be the prevailing elements of the mighty
but tranquil current, then meandering through the secluded dells
beneath the shade of great woods whose shadows have danced for
long ages upon its buoyant ripples, or dashing in foam and fury over
interposing rocks and falls, narrowing to deep and quiet channels,
again expanding, as at Chelmsford, where it spreads to the dimension
of a broad and majestic river.
The Pawtucket dam has the effect to set the water back far above
Chelmsford, and to give the river a channel deep, wide, and still, and
for miles its placid and polished surface and its graceful curve are
very marked and noticeable features of the natural scenery of this
vicinity. When the great lumber "drive" from Woodstock and
the ungranted lands reaches here, and is shut into the river by the
Lowell boom, what can be more picturesque than to see ten million
feet of round lumber floating on its surface. This sight, though dif-
fering from the "hideous" falls and many other famous points in
the course of this river, is grand indeed. Logs and lumber, in all
forms, were originally "rafted" down this river in the following
manner: The lumber was ranged in convenient lengths, side by
side, until it reached a breadth to navigate handily, and then securely
fastened. The credit of introducing the "drive" system on this
river, which is more economical and rapid, and a decided improve-
ment in all respects, is due to Nicholas Norcross, Esq.
Dracut was incorporated in 1701. Beaver River, which rises in
Londonderry, New Hampshire, falls into the Merrimack on its left
bank in Dracut; and on this stream, about one mile from its mouth,
are extensive woollen manufactories, at a place which has long been
familiarly known as Dracut Navy Yard. This river, like most
other tributaries of the Merrimack, affords many mill privileges,
which are well employed, either for extensive manufactories, or for
the saw and grain mill and other works which accommodate the local
business and supply the needs of the people living along its course.
$
240
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
But a mile or so from its source there was, in Derry, on this
stream, a small mill, and in the village is a grain and saw mill and
mechanical works, also a clothing-mill; at Londonderry a grain-
mill was erected sixty-five years ago; a saw-mill and small factory,
also Butler's saw and grain mill; in Pelham there is a privilege
which was first operated sixty years ago; the Ames grist-mill and
saw-mill in Dracut, now owned by the Merrimack Woollen Mills
Company, and used as a woollen-mill; the Goodhue privilege, owned
and operated by Charles Richmond for making paper; at the "Navy
Yard," so called, is the Merrimack Woollen Mills Company. As
early as 1815 this privilege was owned by the Messrs. Stanley, who
manufactured cotton yarns. Since that time several parties have op-
erated this power for the manufacture of satinets, flannels, blankets,
etc., and about thirty years since a Mr. Aiken made patent saw sets
and awls in the old mill. The Merrimack Company erected, four
years since, a large brick mill, where they make fancy cassimeres;
capital five hundred thousand dollars.
Among the foremost of those men whose career is intimately con-
nected with the Merrimack River, and who have wrought for them-
selves an ample fortune and a well-merited fame, is John Nesmith,
Esq., a native of Londonderry, N. H., and for many years a resi-
dent and one of the leading citizens of Lowell, who is a large owner
in this company. There is scarcely an enterprise of any magnitude
along the Merrimack, from the great lake to tide water, but is due
for its success, often even its inception, to the sagacity of Mr.
Nesmith. It is more than probable that he is entitled to the
credit of founding the great manufacturing city of Lawrence. As
early as 1836, Mr. Nesmith, in company with Daniel Saunders,
Esq., had made purchases of the land adjacent to the falls on either
side of the river, and had secured a charter for damming.
financial revulsion of the following year, however, checked the
progress of this enterprise, and it was not until 1844 that the scheme
of Mr. Nesmith was consummated. About this time he secured a
renewal of his former charter, when the heavy capitalists of Boston
were induced to engage in business here, and the result is well
known. Mr. Nesmith formerly owned a mill at Hooksett, N. H.,
which he sold to the Amoskeag Company, and at the time of the
origin of the latter company and of Manchester, he was employed to
The
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
241
seasons.
purchase lands, and secured the first lot bought by them on the east
side of the river. To his view the "Moore Farm" was the key to
operations at Manchester; and this he secured, his judgment proving
of great importance to complete success. It was Mr. Nesmith who
first conceived the project of securing rights on Lake Winnipesaukee,
and the feasibility of providing artificial means to draw from it in dry
When he suggested the idea to the manufacturers along
the river, it met with so little attention that he, fully appreciating
the value of such a great reservoir, went on and bought the right to
control the lake on his own account, and it was only a short time
before the companies were anxious to purchase Mr. Nesmith's claim
at a handsome premium, when they completed the means of reducing
the lake several feet in the event of a short supply of water occur-
ring, which was exactly Mr. Nesmith's idea. In 1831, Mr. Nesmith
made Lowell his permanent residence, purchasing the Livermore
estate (about one hundred and thirty acres), which he laid out and
sold for building-lots, realizing thereon a gratifying advance. Mr.
Nesmith has never known, or sought to know, the sensations or emo-
tions of idleness, and for the past forty years has been constantly
and actively engaged in manufacturing operations, in cotton,
worsted, flax, printing cloths, etc., etc., nearly through the list of
textiles. For many years he has been an extensive owner of stock in
the Merrimack Company, as well as in other corporations in Lowell
and Lawrence, banks, shipping, etc. Mr. Nesmith has made valuable
contributions, both in money and intellect, to the perfecting of im-
provements in machinery, some of them of great importance, and has
also been ever prompt with his ample means in advancing any object
of interest that would tend to enhance the growth or prosperity of
the city of his adoption, — ready to contribute to all charitable and
worthy purposes the full and ample measure of his bounty. Al-
though an octogenarian, he is still clear-headed, vigorous, and mas-
culine in intellect, and retains a remarkable physical elasticity.
Never having had time for that purpose, he has kept aloof from ac-
tive politics, except when called by the voice of his fellow-citizens, to
which he has felt it his duty to respond. He has held many respon-
sible positions, among others the office of lieutenant-governor, and
is at the present time Collector of Internal Revenue for the Lowell
District.
31
242
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
Pawtucket Falls. - Indians.
CHAPTER X.
Canals. Lowell. - History of Manufactures on the Mer-
rimack. — The Concord River. — Its History. — History of its Manufactures.
"THE Indians in this neighborhood were sometimes called Paw-
tuckets, from the falls in the Merrimack of that name. Pawtucket
means the forks, being derived from the Indian word pohchatuk (a
branch). Pawtucket seems, however, to have been applied by the
English rather to all the Indians north of the Merrimack, than to
the particular tribe at the falls of that name."
When the constantly increasing tide of population had rolled back
from the original sea-girt colony, they found at the Pawtucket Falls,
in the town which was afterwards called Chelmsford, the head-quar-
ters of a tribe of the confederated Pennacooks, with Passaconnaway as
the sagamon. Then, as now, it contained a large community, was a
place of great note and importance, supplied the community with
sustenance; then, as now, derived its importance solely and entirely
from these falls. This was one of the three great principal fishing-
places on the Merrimack, belonging exclusively to the confederacy
which was under the rule of a wise and sagacious chief.
In 1660, Passaconnaway, having reached the venerable age of
more than fourscore years, appointed a day for the assembling of all
the subordinate chiefs and principal men of the tribes of the Penna-
cooks, or Pawtuckets, as they were generally called by the English,
for the purpose, voluntarily and deliberately formed, of abdicating
in favor of his son Wonnalancet, which he did in the following
speech, sometimes called his "dying speech;" but, as he was alive
some years after, it may be more properly called his "farewell
address" to his people: -
"Hearken,” said he, "to the words of your father. I am an old
oak that has withstood the storms of more than one hundred winters.
Leaves and branches have been stripped from me by winds and frosts;
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
243
my eyes are dim, my limbs totter, — I must soon fall! But when
young and sturdy; when my bow, no young man of the Pennacooks
could bend it, when my arrows would pierce a deer at a hundred
yards, and I could bury my hatchet in a sapling to the eye; no wig-
wam had so many furs, no pole so many scalp-locks as Passaconna-
way's! Then, I delighted in war. The whoop of the Pennacooks
was heard upon the Mohawk, and no voice so loud as Passaconna-
way's! The scalps upon the pole in my wigwam told the story of
Mohawk suffering! The English came; they seized our lands; I
sat me down at Pennacook. They followed upon my footsteps. I
made war upon them, but they fought with fire and thunder; my
young men were swept down before me when no one was near them.
I tried sorcery against them; but still they increased, and prevailed
over me and mine, and I gave place to them and retired to my beau-
tiful island of Natticook. I that can make the dry leaf turn green
and live again, I, that can take the rattlesnake in my palm as I
would a worm, without harm, I, who have had communication
with the Great Spirit, dreaming and awake,-I am powerless before
the pale-faces. The oak will soon break before the whirlwind; it
shivers and shakes even now; soon its trunk will be prostrate; the
ant and the worm will sport upon it! Then think, my children,
of what I say. I commune with the Great Spirit. He whispers
me now :
"Tell your people, peace, peace is the only hope of your race. I
have given fire and thunder to the pale-faces for weapons. I have
made them plentier than the leaves of the forest, and still shall they
increase! These meadows they shall turn with the plough; these
forests shall fall by the axe; the pale-faces shall live upon your
hunting-grounds, and make their villages upon your fishing-places.'
The Great Spirit says this, and it must be so! We are few and
The
powerless before them! We must bend before the storm!
wind blows hard! The old oak trembles!
Its sap is frozen! It bends! It falls!
white men, is the command of the Great Spirit, and the wish the
last wish of Passaconnaway."
Its branches are gone!
Peace, peace with the
Wonnalancet now assumed the chieftaincy, and, though he united
the wisdom of his father with the virtues of a Christian prince, and
uniformly displayed those higher and nobler traits of character
244
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
worthy of emulation, the doom of his people was even then foreshad-
owed; indeed, the "beginning of the end" was apparent. After a
sickly existence of a few years, meeting with unexpected cruelty and
ill-treatment from those whose superior enlightenment and Christian
pretensions he had been taught by the Apostle Eliot to respect and
confide in, and being broken and decimated in numbers and spirit,
Wonnalancet retired with the remnant of his tribes to the St. Fran-
cis, were merged with that people, and there ended his days.
"Wonnalancet" means literally "breathing pleasantly," wonne
or wunne (pleasant) and nangshonat (to breathe), and was the
name given him after he had come to manhood, when his character
was considered as formed, a name peculiarly appropriate as well
as beautiful, as his great wisdom and Christian virtues "breathed
pleasantly" on all with whom he came in contact, and over all by
whom he was surrounded.
The subjugation of the Indians generally signified not only their
reduction to submission, but banishment from the soil, and when this
was not the result, some worthless or out-of-the-way portion of their
own lands was kindly set off for their occupation and exclusive use.
The densely populated part of the present city of Lowell was thus
set off as an Indian reservation. Its boundary on one side was the
Merrimack River, and on the other a ditch extending from a point
some distance above the Pawtucket Falls to the foot of Hunt's
Falls.
When Chelmsford was first incorporated, this reservation was in
the eastern portion of the town, and after the departure of the In-
dians this territory was "squatted" upon by adventurous whites, who
were disfranchised and refused representation in the General Court.
Whereupon they retorted by politely but firmly refusing to pay
any taxes, which brought the matter to a solution by annexation to
Chelmsford by act of the Legislature.
It appears that the early settlers and their officials, misled by the
course pursued by the Merrimack for thirty or forty miles before
reaching the ocean, had adopted the erroneous conclusion that its
course was east and west; at least this is the natural inference de-
duced from documents of the time, official and unofficial. The claim
of Massachusetts was to a point three miles north of the most extreme
northerly point of the Merrimack River, and, to establish perma-
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
245
nently her boundary and extend her jurisdiction, a commission was
appointed to perambulate, define, and properly indicate the line to
which she laid claim. This commission consisted of Edward John-
son and Simon Willard, who, in the discharge of this duty, deter-
mined the outlet of Winnipesaukee Lake to be the point indicated
in the claim of Massachusetts. The Endicott Rock, at the Weirs,
was marked by the commission as follows:
EI
SW
WP IOHN
ENDICVT
GOV.
This extraordinary presumption on the part of Massachusetts pro-
duced a long and acrimonious controversy between the two States,
the absurd claim of Massachusetts being resisted with determination
and success.
"Charles I., in the fourth year of his reign, by letters patent,
confirmed a grant by the Council of Plymouth to certain persons of a
territory thus described, namely: 'All that part of New England, in
America, which lies and extends between a great river that is com-
monly called Monomack, alias Merrimack,' etc." *
"The Merrimack River was an important boundary in the early
times of New England; and it is accordingly frequently mentioned
in documents of the times. There seems, however, to have been no
uniformity in the spelling. Sometimes, we find several modes in the
same document. The modern form has good authority, being em-
phatically the 'King's English.' The following twenty modes of
spelling I have met with in a very limited search; no doubt many
others might be added: —
Malamake.
Merremeck.
Maremake.
Merrimac.
Meremack.
Merrimach.
Meremacke.
Merrimack.
Meremak.
Merrimak.
Merimacke.
Merrimeek.
Mermak.
Merramack.
Merramacke.
Merremacke.
* Belknap's History of New Hampshire, App.
Merrymacke.
Monnomacke.
Monomack.
Monumach. †
† James B. Francis, Esq.
246
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
The period extending from 1790 to 1825 may very properly be
called the era of canals. As there were no railroads in those days,
this was regarded as the most expeditious and economical mode of
transporting heavy merchandise, and canal schemes were as numer-
ous as railroad enterprises at a later day. Canals for manufacturing
purposes were constructed around many of the great water-powers,
and internal improvements were projected on a magnificent scale;
but the Middlesex Canal was the most important of any which were
completed, and, with the many others along the course of the Merri-
mack to facilitate its navigation, was of the greatest consequence to
the business interests from Concord to Boston. It may not, how-
ever, be generally known that a vast canal scheme, in connection
with this, was in contemplation at one time, and surveys were actually
made for a line extending westward. Lake Winnipesaukee was to be
the base, and, connecting there with the Merrimack River and Mid-
dlesex Canal to Boston, it was to extend west by an elaborate system
of locking, and ultimately intersect with the New York State canals.
But it is probable that the great project of the Manchester and Liv-
erpool Railway, chimerical as it might, and probably did, appear, had
the effect to suspend operations on this canal until the result of this
new-idea experiment of railroads and locomotive power had been
tested. Still the Merrimack, aided by the canals around its falls and
the Middlesex Canal, continued to do a heavy transportation business
until the railroad was demonstrated to be a success, when, like all
other obsolete or old fogy institutions, it gave way to the progress
of the age.
In the navigation of the river and auxiliary canals, the family of
Tylers bore an important and conspicuous part, and are historically
connected with the river and with Lowell. Mr. Nathan Tyler owned
nearly all the land from the head of the old Pawtucket, or Naviga-
tion Canal, to the Merrimack, and as far down as the mouth of the
Concord, the manufacturing companies making their first land pur-
chase of him. His sons, Jonathan, Silas, Nathan, and Ignatius,
were born near the foot of Pawtucket Falls, where their father re-
sided and carried on a saw and grist mill, which were swept away by
the great freshet. Mr. Joseph Warren was the first superintendent
of the Pawtucket Canal, and at his death Mr. Jonathan Tyler was
appointed, and had charge of it until it came into the possession of
*
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
247
the Land and Water Power Company. Mr. Silas Tyler followed the
Merrimack many years as pilot, and was connected with the Middlesex
Canal for twenty years, being for seven years captain of packet-boat
Gov. Sullivan, and at the opening of the Boston and Lowell Railroad
and the consequent abandonment of canal navigation, about 1835, of
course his connection with it terminated. Mr. Tyler was of opinion
that, with an enlargement of twenty feet in width and three in depth,
this canal could have successfully competed with the railroad, as one
horse could then haul sixty tons of freight from Lowell to Boston.
Mr. Ignatius Tyler has had an uninterrupted connection with the
Merrimack and canals from his youth to within a few years, and was
for a long time engaged in the lumber trade at Lowell, but for seven
or eight years past his operations have been confined to streams
whose sources are in the Provinces. When the steamboat enterprise
on the Merrimack was started by Messrs. Bradley, Stone, and oth-
ers, he was captain of the fine little freight and passenger steamer
that plied between Lowell and Nashua, and for some years managed
an immense carrying trade, via the river and Middlesex Canal, be-
tween Concord and all Northern New Hampshire and Boston. He
was, like his brother, long connected with the Middlesex Canal, and
his employment on the river gave him a familiarity with all the ca-
nals around the falls above Lowell. In 1814, the first packet-boat
passed through the canal from Boston to Concord, N. H., and in
1819 the first steamboat from Boston reached Concord; and a boat
of thirty tons has even gone as far up as the foot of Webster's Falls,
in Franklin, the forks of the Merrimack.
A prominent feature of the business of Lowell has been its im-
mense lumber trade. Previous to the construction of these canals,
the lumber coming down the river was landed and hauled around the
falls to the basin below, which was done by the splendid ox-teams
of neighboring farmers; conspicuous among these the old residents
do not forget those of Joel and Jonathan Spaulding. Beaver River
was also a convenient harbor, and in the season was filled with rafts
as far back as the "Navy Yard." Those going via canal to Boston
were also hauled by oxen, one pair hauling as many as sixty shooks
of rafts. After the Pawtucket Canal was made, this method of
shipment around the falls was dispensed with, but the lumber trade
was not, and for many years as many as ten million feet of lumber
248
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
have been brought down from northern New Hampshire by the cur-
rent of this beautiful river, and find a port of entry here. Besides
the lumbering carried on in the early days of Lowell, it was, like all
the other great falls along the Merrimack, an important fishing-
place. If the savages gathered at this spot for the annual fishing-
festival, to secure the food on which they mainly depended, the pale-
faces subsequently flocked here with no less eagerness, and the scenes
enacted by them would do no discredit to the barbaric orgies of a
prior date. The fishing was by law confined to three days each
week on the Merrimack and two on the Concord, and officials, known
as "fish-wards" were appointed to enforce the law. On the lawful
days scores of teams of every description, with drivers in picturesque
and ludicrous costumes, came pouring in from all directions, eager to
fill their carts for their own use, and for peddling about their neigh-
borhood. The old fish-house, in architecture unlike any other búild-
ing, with its strange surroundings, its antiquated odor of fish, and
an exhilarating effluvia of Old Medford, mingled with the fumes of
questionable tobacco, made it compare favorably with Coleridge's
description of the city of Cologne, while added to this was the
motley group of teams, the busy lumbermen, the excited fishermen
dressed for the occasion, cursing, fighting, and plying their vocation,
and crowds of spectators enjoying the fun intensely, made up a scene
which cannot be described or forgotten by those who witnessed it.
At the same time the tavern and the store were doing a thriving
business, and all classes of trade received a share of the profits of
the fisheries. The leading tavern was kept by Joseph Warren,
and
after him Jonathan Tyler, who with his wife still lives in Lowell in
the enjoyment of plenty and excellent health. This tavern was located
on the spot where the American House now stands. The principal
store was kept by Phineas Whiting, and was on the site of the ele-
gant residence of Frederick Ayer, Esq. It may not be supposed
that fishing was altogether confined to legitimate days; on the
contrary, though perhaps for the purpose of keeping the officials
busy and zealous in the discharge of their duties, attempts were con-
stantly made at surreptitious fishing and violation of law, which,
however, generally involved no more serious consequences than
bloody noses, and the engendering of irritation and ill-feeling be-
tween the officials and the fishermen. The fish clandestinely
•
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
249
obtained seemed to possess a peculiar flavor, or possibly the sport was
so attractive to many that legal restraint was impossible. On one
occasion, as the disciples of Walton were plying an unlawful business
on Long Island (opposite the Lawrence corporation), an obnoxious
and officious official from Haverhill (named Vincent), with his posse,
pounced upon them, and the scene that ensued may be imagined.
Donneybrook was outdone, the official and his party were repeatedly
fished out of the river, after unceremonious baptisms by the faithful,
and soon as possible beat a precipitate retreat without making any
arrests, but with a wholesome lesson in prudence to guide them in
the future enforcement of obnoxious laws. It may be thought that
these exciting and turbulent scenes were not exactly calculated to
cultivate the pillars of a future community; but it must be remem-
bered that the actors were more than half a century behind this en-
lightened era; that fishing, as practised then, is now unknown; and
above all, that every man knew his rights, "and knowing dared main-
tain "' them against all comers, standing more on this point than any
particular method or delicacy in the manner of their security.
Many of the oldest of the native population of Lowell, not only re-
tain a vivid recollection of these scenes, but were prominent actors
in them, and those who would bewail what they choose to term the
demoralizing tendency of these disorderly gatherings may see, in the
character of the old citizens of Lowell, men of mark and stern
virtue, strict integrity, great business capacity, position and influ-
ence, a very clear and conclusive refutation of their erroneous con-
clusions. The family of Tylers, as a sample of the men of Paw-
tucket anterior to the origin of Lowell, exhibit the quality of
humanity indigenous to the soil. For three generations the Tylers
of Lowell have been intimately connected with the Merrimack and
its canals; in their younger days, in the lively times of Earl Chelms-
ford, as fishermen, lumbermen, and boatmen; and in maturer years
in many high positions of responsibility and trust; and for moral
worth, they have had no superiors, and no native or adopted citizens
of Lowell have made a fairer record than they, in all the attributes
of an honorable and manly character.
The first canal constructed around Pawtucket Falls was to facili-
tate the navigation of the Merrimack. This was in the year 1792.
In 1793 the Middlesex Canal, connecting this river with Boston,
32
250
THE MERRIMACK RIVER ;
was commenced, and its completion rendered the stock of the Navi-
gation Canal valueless; but in the year 1822 it was enlarged for
manufacturing purposes. The Merrimack and Hamilton Canals
were commenced in the same year. The Western Canal was com-
menced early in 1828, and the Eastern Canal was built in 1835.
The Underground (or Moody Street) Canal-one-fourth of a mile
long was constructed in 1848. The Northern Canal was built
in 1846-7, and is one mile in length, one hundred feet wide, and
sixteen feet deep. This canal was designed to reduce the current,
which was found to be inconveniently strong in the other canals,
while at the same time it gave two feet more
""
"head to some of
the mills. The total united length of the Lowell canals is above
five miles. The dam at Pawtucket Falls a substantial stone struc-
ture - was built in 1825. The perpetual power at this point of
the river is ten thousand horse-power, while the great companies
along the lower Merrimack maintain a reserve of more than one hun-
dred miles of surface in the great reservoirs in Northern New
Hampshire, which they can reduce, by artificial arrangements, to the
depth of several feet, and thus increase the natural and enormous
power of the river at pleasure. The perpendicular fall is thirty-four
feet; that of Hunt's Falls-two miles below is ten feet, but is
not, at present, considered available for manufacturing purposes.
If aboriginal history and Indian customs give interest to this
river, with how much more does civilization and well-directed intel-
ligence invest it! Any one who reads the history of Lowell, espe-
cially its early history, must feel a glow of pride, if he reads with
attention the sketches of the character of its founders as a manufac-
turing city, which, to be complete, such a work must contain. That
the idea of applying the water of the Merrimack River, at this place,
to mechanical and manufacturing purposes to the extent and magni-
tude with which it was applied, and so successfully, too, shows un-
common foresight and judgment in those persons who conceived and
carried into execution the great plan. From the first moment of the
conception of the great scheme of building up a manufacturing city
at these falls no element of character seemed wanting to ensure suc-
cess. Patrick T. Jackson, Kirk Boott, Nathan Appleton, Francis
Cabot Lowell, and their coworkers were emphatically the founders
of Lowell. They were not merely builders, but designers. They
i
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
251
had no model either for mills, machinery, or organized system for
the practical and profitable application of capital and labor to manu-
facturing purposes. That men of good judgment, of great mechan-
ical genius and skill, have, from the first, controlled the operations
of this vast manufactory, the beautiful and substantial appearance of
the mills and dwellings, and the gratifying average rate of dividends
bear ample testimony. Perhaps as striking an instance of foresight,
or the application of knowledge to a good result, as can be named in
the history of Lowell, occurred in the management of the affairs of
the "Proprietors of the Locks and Canals," by James B. Francis,
Esq., the present chief engineer of this company, a gentleman who
has occupied this position for the past twenty-three years, and an
employé of the same company for the past thirty-four years!
When the old canal was enlarged for manufacturing purposes, and
the "guard locks" built, the engineer (Mr. Lewis), with P. T.
Jackson, Esq., and associates, concluded that the height at which
they established them was sufficient to guard against any rise of
water that should ever take place, (judging from data which they
obtained from old men living in the neighborhood, and from "water
marks" which remained of former floods). At the time of building
the new (or Northern) Canal (1847-8), it occurred to the agent
of the Water-Power Company (Mr. Francis), that as the height of
the locks was established to correspond with the water of the river
before the river-dam was built, they were no protection to a portion
of the city below them in case a freshet should occur as high as the
memorable one of 1785, which was the greatest ever known on the
Merrimack since the English settled on its borders. His reasoning
was, "what has happened, may happen again." Knowing only
what the former engineers and agents knew, but excelling them all
in the application of his knowledge, he caused an embankment to
be constructed, six feet in height, composed of masonry and earth,
and extending on either side, like a massive brace, to the high land,
some twenty rods to the rear of the gateway. Over the canal,
through which the boats and rafts must pass, he also caused a huge
gate to be suspended by an iron ring or clasp, and gave instructions
to the "keeper" of the locks, that if the water should ever rise
to a certain point to "send for him, and begin with hammer and
chisel to sever the clasp that held the gate." In 1853 occurred the
252
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
second memorable freshet, which proved the wisdom of his action:
the water rose to the point he had indicated; the "keeper" sent for
him as directed, and, with hammer and chisel, the gate was dropped
into position, thus averting a catastrophe to the city, the consequences
of which it is unpleasant to speculate upon. Many of the leading
citizens, headed by J. B. French, Esq., desiring to testify in some
tangible form their appreciation of his wise forecast, procured a testi-
monial, suitably inscribed, which they presented to Mr. Francis. In
making the necessary excavations for the canal at Lowell the most
indubitable evidence is said to have been presented of an important
change in the course of the river. Geological indications pointed
unmistakably to the fact that at some remote period in the past the
waters of the Merrimack were discharged into the ocean at a point
not ten miles below Boston; the peculiar stratification, the boulder
bed, and the many marks of attrition seemed conclusive proof of
this fact.
Nothing can prove more interesting to those who would obtain
correct information concerning the city of Lowell than the excel-
lent work of Hon. Nathan Appleton, entitled, "Introduction of the
Power Loom, and Origin of Lowell," extracts from which are here
presented :
"At the suggestion of Mr. Charles H. Atherton, of Amherst,
N. H., we met him at a fall of the Souhegan River, a few miles
from its entrance into the Merrimack, but the power was insufficient
for our purpose. This was in September, 1821. In returning we
passed the Nashua River, without being aware of the existence of
the fall, which has since been made the source of so much power by
the Nashua Company. We only saw a small grist-mill standing
near the road, in the meadow, with a dam of some six or seven feet.
Soon after our return I was at Waltham one day, when I was in-
formed that Mr. Moody had lately been at Salisbury, when Mr.
Ezra Worthen, his former partner, said to him, 'I hear Messrs.
Jackson & Appleton are looking out for water-power; why don't
they buy up the Pawtucket Canal? That would give them the
whole power of the Merrimack, with a fall of over thirty feet.' On
the strength of this, Mr. Moody had returned to Waltham by that
route, and was satisfied of the extent of the power which might be
thus obtained."
'Our first visit to the spot was in
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
253
the month of November, 1821, and a slight snow covered the ground.
The party consisted of Patrick T. Jackson, Kirk Boott, Warren
Dutton, Paul Moody, John W. Boott, and myself. We perambu-
lated the grounds, and scanned the capabilities of the place, and the
remark was made that some of us might live to see the place con-
tain twenty thousand inhabitants. At that time there were, I think,
less than a dozen houses on what now constitutes the city of Lowell,
or rather the thickly settled parts of it: that of Nathan Tyler,
near the corner of Merrimack and Bridge Streets; that of Josiah
Fletcher, near the Boott Mills; the house and store of Phineas
Whiting, near Pawtucket Bridge; the house of Mrs. Warren, near
what is now Warren Street; the house of Judge Livermore (Ed-
ward St. Low), east of Concord River, then called Belvidere, and a
few others. Formal articles of association were drawn up, bearing
date the 1st of December, 1821. They are recorded in the records
of the Merrimack Manufacturing Company."
"An
act of incorporation was granted 5th of February, 1822.”
"In December, 1822, Messrs. Jackson & Boott were
appointed a committee to build a suitable church; and in April,
1824, it was voted that it should be built of stone, not to exceed a
cost of nine thousand dollars. This was called St. Anne's Church,
in which Mr. Boott, being himself an Episcopalian, was desirous of
trying the experiment whether that service could be sustained. It
was dedicated by Bishop Griswold."
"The first wheel
of the Merrimack Company was set in motion on the 1st of Sep-
tember, 1823. In 1825, five hundred dollars were appropriated for
a library. Three additional mills were built. In 1829, one mill
was burnt down; in 1853, another. In 1825, Mr. Dutton, going
to Europe, Nathan Appleton was appointed president. The first
dividend of one hundred dollars per share was made in 1825. They
have been regularly continued, with few exceptions, averaging some-
thing over twelve per cent. per annum to the present time.”
"At the annual meeting at Chelmsford, May 21, 1823, the
directors were authorized to petition for an increase of capital to
one million two hundred thousand dollars; and, on the 19th of
October, 1824, a new subscription of six hundred shares was voted,
and a committee appointed to consider the expediency of organizing
the Canal Company, by selling them all the land and water power
254
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
not required by the Merrimack Manufacturing Company. This
committee reported on the 28th of February, 1825, in favor of the
measure, which was adopted; and at the same time a subscription
was opened, by which twelve hundred shares in the locks and canals
were allotted to the holders of that number of shares in the Merri-
mack Company, share for share. The locks and canals were thus
the owners of all the land and water power in Lowell.”
"The first sale was to the Hamilton Manufacturing Company, in
1825, with a capital of six hundred thousand dollars, afterwards in-
creased to one million two hundred thousand dollars. This company
secured the services of Mr. Samuel Batchelder of New Ipswich, who
had shown much skill in manufacturing industry. Under his man-
agement the power loom was applied to the weaving of twilled and
fancy goods with great success. The article of cotton drills, since
become so important a commodity in our foreign trade, was first
made in this establishment. The Appleton Company and the Lowell
Company followed in 1828."
"In 1829, a violent
commercial revulsion took place, both in Europe and this country."
"During this period of depression, Messrs. Amos and
Abbott Lawrence were induced, by some tempting reduction in the
terms made by the proprietors of the locks and canals, to enter
largely into the business; the consequence of which was the estab-
lishment of the Suffolk, Tremont, and Lawrence Companies, in
1830. The Boott followed in 1835; the Massachusetts in 1839.”
"In November, 1824, it was voted to petition the Leg-
islature to set off a part of Chelmsford as a separate township. The
town of Lowell was incorporated in 1826. It was a matter of some
difficulty to fix upon a name for it. I met Mr. Boott one day, when
he said to me that the committee of the Legislature were ready to
report the bill. It only remained to fill the blank with the name.
He said he considered the question narrowed down to two, - Lowell
or Derby. I said to him, 'then Lowell by all means,' and Lowell
it was.
There was a particular propriety in giving it that name,
not only from Mr. Francis C. Lowell, who established the system
which gave birth to the place, but also from the interest taken by
the family. His son, of the name, was for some time treasurer of
the Merrimack Company. Mr. John A. Lowell, his nephew, suc-
ceeded Mr. Jackson as treasurer of the Waltham Company, and was
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
255
for many years treasurer of the Boott and Massachusetts Mills;
was largely interested, and a director in several other companies.
"In 1836, the municipal government of Lowell was
changed to that of a city.”
"The Boston and Lowell
Railroad was among the first established in the United States. So
early as 1830, a committee was appointed on the subject, and a
bonus of one hundred thousand dollars was voted by the Locks and
Canals Company, payable on its completion."
"It
was opened for travel in June, 1835, earlier than any other rail-
road in Massachusetts, for its entire length, and, with the exception
of the Camden and Amboy, to Bordentown, in the United States."
"In 1830, Samuel Lawrence, William W. Stone, and
others, were incorporated as the Middlesex Company, with a capital
of five hundred thousand dollars, - afterwards increased to one
million dollars, but subsequently reduced to seven hundred and fifty
thousand dollars, — and engaged in the manufacture of broadcloths,
cassimeres," etc.
"The mismanagement of the
Middlesex Company's affairs, during many years, was astonishing.
The entire capital of the company was lost through the mistakes and
irregularities of Samuel Lawrence, William W. Stone, and their
associates. In 1858 the company was reorganized, with new man-
agers, and a new subscription of stock. Five hundred shares, of
the par value of one hundred dollars each, formed the capital with
which the Middlesex Company took their new departure' in the
voyage of life."*
Mistakes! and irregularities!! This last mild term, it has been
not inaptly observed, like charity, covers "a multitude of sins."
When an unfortunate individual, under the pressure of the sternest
necessity, appropriates or "confiscates" a loaf of bread, or a bun-
dle of fagots, the atrocious! crime is not only characterized in the
plainest and severest terms known to the "King's English," but the
culprit speedily receives a severe and "wholesome " judicial re-
buke; but let some financial Guy Fawkes "blow up" an institution
whose capital is represented in millions, leaving the deluded and
ruined shareholders buried in the débris, and especially if he has
plenty of the not exactly definable commodity, professionally or
technically termed "character," his nefarious "transactions" are
"Cowley's Lowell. "
256
THE MERRIMACK RIVER ;
•
""
gingerly characterized as "irregularities." A poor widow, from
dire necessity, purloins a chicken or other food for her famishing
children, and justice says, "Six months in the House of Correc-
tion" for expiation and reformation; but when some "respectable
speculator, or rather peculator, perpetrates a stupendous fraud or
gigantic swindle, regardless alike of duty and honor, bringing ruin
to confiding hundreds, justice, if never before, then exhibits her
proverbial blindness.
The following extracts are from "Statistics of Lowell Manufac-
tures, etc., annually compiled from authentic sources by Stone &
Huse, January, 1868:-
"MERRIMACK COMPANY. - Capital, two million five hundred dol-
lars; hands employed, two thousand two hundred and fifty; steam,
in addition to water power, twenty-two engines. HAMILTON.
Capital, one million two hundred thousand dollars; hands employed,
one thousand two hundred and seventy-five; two engines. APPLE-
TON. Capital, six hundred thousand dollars; hands employed,
seven hundred and seventy-two. LOWELL.- Capital, two million
dollars; hands employed, one thousand four hundred and fifty; two
engines. MIDDLESEX. Capital, seven hundred and fifty thousand
dollars; hands employed, seven hundred and seventy-two. SUF-
FOLK. Capital, six hundred thousand dollars; hands employed,
nine hundred; one engine. TREMONT. - Capital, six hundred thou-
sand dollars; hands employed, one thousand two hundred and sixty-
four. LAWRENCE. Capital, one million five hundred thousand
dollars; hands employed, one thousand seven hundred. BOOTT. —
Capital, one million two hundred thousand dollars; hands employed,
one thousand three hundred and ten; one engine. MASSACHUSETTS.
Capital, one million eight hundred thousand dollars; hands employed,
one thousand seven hundred; one engine. LOWELL BLEACHERY (in-
corporated, 1832). - Capital, three hundred thousand dollars; hands
employed, four hundred; two engines. MACHINE SHOP (incorporated,
1845). Capital, six hundred thousand dollars; hands employed, six
hundred. Total capital invested, thirteen million six hundred and fifty
thousand dollars; total number of hands employed, thirteen thousand
four hundred and ninety-seven; total steam-power, thirty-two engines.
The number of churches is twenty-two; school-houses, forty-five;
schools, fifty-seven; scholars seven thousand. There are seven banks,
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
257
(in addition to four savings banks), with an aggregate capital of two
million three hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The savings
banks have an aggregate deposit of about four million dollars."
To the existence of the splendid water-powers on the Merrimack is
largely due the early introduction of the power-loom, together with
the extensive and comprehensive system which has made the Merri-
mack valley and other portions of New England the manufac-
tory of the Western World. It is true that as early as 1787 the
power-loom was introduced in Massachusetts, and, subsequently, in a
few instances, it was used in Rhode Island and Connecticut; but
these cases were few, and the loom so crude and imperfect as to
amount to nothing more, either in the way of improved fabrics or
increased production, than an experiment; and it was not until sev-
eral gentlemen, with a determination to make manufacturing an
important branch of American industry, took hold of the matter in
earnest, and experimented for months, in a room on Broad Street, in
Boston, that the power-loom was brought to approach that degree of
perfection which it now exhibits. Having by these experiments
brought the imperfect power-loom, by improvement, practically to a
new invention and a grand success, they submitted it to a practical
test at Waltham, where they were incorporated with a capital of four
hundred thousand dollars, and proved the new machine to be a per-
fect success. From the incipient inquiries and investigations into the
theory and practice of this branch of business, which was industri-
ously prosecuted not only in this country but in Europe, these indi-
viduals manifested a sagacity, talent, and perseverance so peculiar
and great as to mark them pre-eminently as the men, probably the
only men, competent for the successful prosecution of this new and
extensive enterprise.
Starting on a comparatively new and unexplored field, in a busi-
ness so difficult, complicated, and vast; laying, as they did, the foun-
dation of what may not be improperly called a co-ordinate branch of
a nation's industrial interests and prosperity, it may not be too much
to say of them that they possessed the highest order of talent and
genius, and of either of them, that "his hand the rod of empire
might have swayed." Fully realizing the magnificent scheme they
had inaugurated in 1814 at Waltham, these sagacious men forthwith
turned their attention to the discovery of a motive power commen-
33
258
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
L
surate with their requirements, cheap, unfailing, and efficient. The
sagacity which had led to successful experiments, inventions, and
improvements, and which afterwards resulted equally profitable to
themselves and the country, turned their attention to the broad and
beautiful Merrimack, in whose great volume and splendid falls they
found the motor which possessed the requisite qualification, and
around the Falls of Pawtucket the first act of the domestic manufac-
turing drama of these great actors is seen in the fifty huge factories
and the forty thousand people of Lowell, the growth of only a gen-
eration. The individuals who were mainly instrumental in the in-
troduction and progress of manufacturing on the Merrimack were
Nathan Appleton, Francis Cabot Lowell (in honor of whom the
city of Lowell was named), Patrick Tracy Jackson, Kirk Boott,
Ezra Worthen, Paul Moody, and others. The two last named, hav-
ing previously had considerable experience in the business at Ames-
bury, were practical men and of great aid to the enterprise.
The system which they devised has had able coadjutors, and,
though they brought machinery to a marvellous state of perfection,
still improvements in minor details have constantly been made; the
power-loom, however, except in the substitution of the crank for the
cam motion and the increased rate of speed, remains substantially
the same. Previous to this time each branch, carding, spinning,
weaving, etc., was a separate business, and the transfer of the stock
from mill to mill in undergoing the successive processes in the rou-
tine of manufacturing, was unnecessarily slow, inconvenient, and
expensive, but these individuals perfected an organization of the
business which dispensed with these primitive methods by building
mills of sufficient size to consummate the whole process under one
roof beginning with the raw material and turning out the finished
fabric. From this grand beginning at Lowell manufacturing has
extended along the Merrimack, above and below, until the valley of
the Merrimack, excepting narrow intervening spaces, is one continu-
ous manufacturing community.
"The Wamesits lived at the forks of the Merrimack and Concord
Rivers, and upon both sides of the latter river.
"Wamesit is derived from wame (all, or whole), and auke (a
place), with the letter s thrown in betwixt the two syllables for the
sake of the sound. The Indian village at this place undoubtedly
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
259
received this name from the fact that it was a large village, — the
place where all the Indians collected together. This was literally
true in the spring and autumn, as the Pawtucket Falls near by were
one of the most noted fishing-places in New England, where the
Indians from far and near gathered together in April and May to
catch and dry their year's stock of shad and salmon.
"Wamesit was embraced nearly in the present limits of Lowell,
in Middlesex County, Mass."
The Concord River, which unites with the Merrimack at Lowell,
is an historical as well as an important stream. Its source is claimed
by two towns, and, as the claim of either seems to be well founded,
it is but fair to say that it has properly two principal sources. One
of the branches of its head-waters rises in a pond in Westboro', and
the other in Hopkinton. Uniting, they form an inconsiderable river,
which, having its course through a very level country, checks the
progress of its current, and thus maintaining full banks gives it
the appearance of supplying a much larger quota of water to swell
the already plethoric tide of the Merrimack than the fact will war-
rant.
The Concord is fifty miles in extreme length, and for most of its
career it has more the appearance and characteristics of a lake, ex-
tensive to be sure, in one direction. Its immobility is unparalleled
by any other tributary to the Merrimack; it is dark, sullen, and
sluggish, making out into considerable lagoons in places, producing
the plants, flowers, fish, and reptiles of the most stagnant and miry
ponds, and nothing more. Previous to the invasion and appropria-
tion of these thoroughfares by dams and locks, shad, alewives, and
eels, soft fish of the warm-water type, took naturally to this stream;
nobler varieties, such as the salmon, avoiding its turbid and uncon-
genial waters.
Before the advent of the pale-faces this stream was known to the
squatter sovereigns along its course by the name of Musketaquid, or
Meadow River; the eminent appropriateness of the original name
being more distinctly apparent as time rolls on.
In 1635, the town of Concord was settled by English, and the
river as well as the town thenceforward took the same name. The
year 1775 witnessed scenes here on the very margin of this stream
which illustrate the spirit of '76, and gave a direction and impetus
260
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
-
to Revolutionary events which disaster, privation, and vicissitudes
only accelerated. Called to immediate action, without preparation
or efficient implements, these men, on that memorable 20th of April,
not so much, perhaps, to oppose tyranny, for there was not much
tyranny to oppose, except in imagination, —but to demonstrate their
faith in self-government, and determination, come weal or woe, to
bring it to a practical test, — those men, all untrained and inefficiently
armed as they were, threw themselves into the "imminent deadly
breach" at the old north bridge, and by their valor, by indomitable
determination and pluck, forced the serried ranks of "perfidious" Al-
bion's veterans to waver, yield, and fly.
The abutments of the battle-ground bridge still remain almost the
sole surviving relics of this auspicious inauguration conflict.
The falls on the Concord River at Billerica have long been used
for mechanical and manufacturing purposes, and were an important
element in the prosperity of that section more than a century
before ground was broken for manufacturing purposes at Lowell.
As early as 1708 the town authorized the construction of a dam
at this place, which was undoubtedly the first ever built on this
stream. This dam was constructed for the indispensable saw and
grain mills of the early time, and was likewise, at various periods,
used for other purposes; there being at one time a comb factory and
some other mechanical works which obtained their motive power from
this fall.
In 1740, a mill was erected, of considerable consequence at that
early period, filled with machinery for finishing home-made cloth,
called the "Fulling Mill," and was operated for a number of years,
when it was purchased by Francis Faulkner, Esq. It was operated
several years by Messrs. Faulkner & Son, and has continued unin-
terruptedly under the control of the family to the present time, hav-
ing been since 1810 under the immediate management of J. R.
Faulkner, Esq., the present proprietor.
In 1836, the old mill was destroyed by fire, but was rebuilt imme-
diately, with four sets of machinery, and in 1865 the mill was en-
larged, and three sets additional, making seven sets altogether, were
put in operation. The average product of this mill is twenty-seven
hundred yards of flannel daily.
In 1835, there was an old shop at this place used for the prepara-
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
261
tion of dye-stuffs, which was, in 1839, leased by the Messrs. Talbot.
who continued the preparation of dye-woods, drugs, etc., on a small
scale at first, but with judicious management it steadily increased,
and grew to be an extensive and important branch of business.
In 1840, a carpet manufactory was established here by Messrs.
Lang & Lannagan, which being destroyed by fire was not rebuilt.
In 1851, Messrs. C. P. Talbot & Co. purchased a franchise of the
Middlesex Canal Co., and thus secured a priority of right to the
mill privilege, which is rated at two hundred horse-power, and, in
1857, erected a fine mill for the manufacture of flannels, which they
have since continued in successful operation, the average daily prod-
uct being three thousand yards. As has already been observed, the
Indian name of this stream, Musketaquid or Meadow River, was
peculiarly appropriate, and eminently descriptive of its characteris-
tics; the country through which it passes being so remarkably level
that its waters are sullen, sluggish, and slimy, making out through
the numerous depressions of the soil in extensive marshes and
lagoons, foul with rank water-grasses and filthy reptiles, the haunt
and fishing-ground of the majestic bittern, which, though a native of
Europe, is found plentiful in all the fresh-water marshes of New
England; the black tortoise, the spotted fresh-water terrapin, the
great water-adder, and the hordes of disgusting water-bred rep-
tiles common to stagnant pools; its redeeming features being the fine
farms and broad green fertile intervals which border it, and the
milky way" starred with the great white water-lily of midsum-
mer, which in unequalled beauty and fragrance floats gracefully upon
its tranquil surface.
66
The character of the Concord is entirely different from any other
tributary of the Merrimack; indeed, a gentleman who is something
of a naturalist, and a careful observer, previous to the building of
the dam at Lawrence, and when the tribes of the sea came up the
Merrimack, noticed the difference between the shad, alewives, etc.,
which passed into the tepid, stagnant waters of the Concord, and
those of the same variety, which, proceeding up the Merrimack,
sought its livelier affluents, the former being darker in color, softer,
poorer in flavor, and less palatable than the latter. This being the
natural condition of the river, it is not a matter of surprise that the
landed proprietors along its course, who had come many years sub-
262
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
sequent to the construction of the Billerica Dam, should naturally
attribute the stagnation and flowage to that, instead of natural causes.
Such was the fact, and the proprietors of interval lands in Sudbury,
Concord, and other towns on the river, honestly believed that the dam
was a positive and serious detriment to their lands along the margin
of the stream; and as early as 1810 a suit was brought against the
proprietors of the mill privilege for damage, and to restrain them
from the flowage of these lands.
This suit was decided in favor of the mill owners; but this decision
not being satisfactory, another suit was brought two years later for
the same purpose, which was also decided adversely to the parties.
claiming to be aggrieved by the maintenance of the dam at Billerica.
This put a quietus to the water controversy for many years, and
peace reigned on the Concord. In 1828 the old wooden dam was
replaced by a substantial stone dam, and the enterprising proprietors.
kept the wheels of their machinery steadily in motion. The feeling,
however, which had been entertained for many years that the back-
set of this dam was a nuisance and a serious damage, was not obliter-
ated by adverse judicial decisions, nor even abated; the belief pre-
vailed that it was a grievance which could not, and ought not to be
borne. Accordingly in 1862, the question was brought before the
Massachusetts Legislature, with a fixed purpose, on both sides, of giv-
ing the whole subject a thorough investigation, with a view to a final
adjustment. The land owners argued, that, if the mill owners had
bought the Middlesex Canal, it did not follow that they had a right
to flow the lands; in fact, they had no right, and could acquire no
right to damage their property, at least, without ample and satis-
factory compensation. On the other hand, it was proved that in
1798 an addition was made to the original charter of the Middlesex
Canal Company, granting them a right to use the water of the Concord
River for manufacturing or mechanical purposes, and when the fran-
chise of the Middlesex Canal was purchased by the Messrs. Talbot
& Co., the water-power right was included in the purchase. It was
contended that the dam did not cause the overflow of the lands in
question. The Legislature appointed commissioners, engineers, and
other gentlemen fully competent, to settle the question on its merits.
The commissioners, assuming the entire control of the water of the
river at and above the Billerica Dam for a period of thirty days,
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
263
every
made many thousand measurements of the water in or under
conceivable varying condition, and reaching far up the stream, open-
ing the sluices and reducing it to its natural current; in short, mak-
ing as thorough an investigation as scientific engineering skill could
possibly make, with a view to elucidate the facts. The board of
commissioners, having given the whole subject a most searching and
unbiased examination, reported in effect, as is understood, that the dam
at Billerica was not the cause of so much of the lands bordering on
the river being water-logged and ruined; that the cause of this
condition of the meadows was not owing to the maintenance of the
dam; that it was entirely independent of any artificial obstruction,
but was precisely the natural condition of the river, and the lands
adjacent, and nothing else; and the Legislature confirmed this re-
port by a vote to that effect. In the legislative decision of this
celebrated case, so important and interesting to all proprietors of
water-power in New England, after a full, patient, and careful inves-
tigation, all parties concerned, it is hoped and believed, finally and
fully acquiesced; the land owners having stood firm, with valor and
determination, for their rights until they were defined and established
by a competent tribunal; while the Messrs. Talbot and Faulkner de-
fended and maintained the rights of the proprietors, not only of this
water-power, but all other water-powers, at an enormous expense,
and with a zeal, energy, and determination which proved that they
fully realized the importance of the issue, and comprehended the dis-
astrous consequences not only to themselves, but to the entire manu-
facturing interests of New England, involved in an unfavorable result
of this great contest.
The torpid character, which has already been described, is main-
tained by the Concord, with the exception of the falls at Billerica,
until it arrives in the vicinity of that part of Lowell known as Whip-
ple's Mills. If it has been a marvel of idleness and stupidity for
the first fifty miles of its career, it makes an earnest effort to com-
pensate, as far as possible, by its great activity throughout the re-
mainder of its course of about two miles, to the Merrimack. From the
point indicated it is little else than a constant succession of rapids
and falls, which are generally improved by men of sagacity, enterprise,
and activity, and made to contribute largely to the wealth, industry,
importance, and growth of the young and flourishing city of Lowell.
264
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
As early as 1801, Mr. Moses Hale built and put in operation a
carding-mill a short distance from the Concord, on River Meadow,
or, as it has long been called, Hale's Brook, which falls into the
Concord at the foot of Whipple's Falls. In 1818, Mr. Hale estab-
lished works for the manufacture of gunpowder at these falls, and
took into his employ an athletic young man, whose name was Oliver
M. Whipple, who proved to be as robust in intellect, determination,
and self-reliance as he was physically, and the following year he was
made a partner; and, managing the business with great ability and
success for many years, he at length became sole proprietor, and con-
tinued this hazardous business with unabated success until the year
1855, when, in consequence of ill-health, he disposed of stock, fix-
tures, and machinery, which were removed to the State of Maine
and put in operation by another company. Mr. Whipple early saw
the importance and value of these falls for manufacturing and me-
chanical purposes, and at once adopted measures to secure these ad-
vantages. To accomplish this purpose, he constructed a canal from
the head of the falls, nearly parallel with, and a few rods distant from,
the left bank of the river to the foot of the falls, thence taking a
westerly course, discharging its waters, after being used into River
Meadow Brook. The total perpendicular fall at this place is twenty-
five feet, affording excellent mill sites, which are occupied by
Faulkner's Mill, flannel; Chase's Mill, fancy woollen; Charles A.
Stott's, flannel; American Boot Company; Belvidere Woollen Com-
pany, flannels; Shuttle Factory; American Bunting Company; Nay-
lor's Carpet Company; Grist Mill and Worsted Mill. This canal is
claimed to be the first of the kind ever constructed for such uses in this
country; and, so chimerical did this project appear to the partners
of Mr. Whipple, that the eminent engineer, Loami Baldwin, was called
here to give his opinion in regard to it. He at a glance saw its im-
portance and valuable arrangement to apply the water-power to proper
uses. Of course, having been examined and decided favorably by
Mr. Whipple's comprehensive mind, no other result could have been
reasonably anticipated; thus the only effect of this investigation was
to confirm the wisdom of Mr. Whipple's conclusions by testing them
with eminent engineering skill. In September, 1821, operations
were commenced for the construction of this canal, which was has-
tened to its completion; and it is not improbable, in fact, it is known,
·
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
265
that this small canal had a favorable influence on the men who, the
following year, examined the Pawtucket Falls with a view to estab-
lishing the immense business which pre-eminently entitles Lowell to
the distinctive name it bears, the City of Spindles. Thus, it
will be seen that Oliver M. Whipple is entitled, perhaps equally with
the other distinguished gentlemen whose names have already been
given, to the credit of founding, as he certainly is, in his individual
capacity, to the building up of a famous and flourishing city; and no
citizen of Lowell, or elsewhere, can fail to appreciate the conspicu-
ous part acted by him in forming the worthy character and estab-
lishing many of those successful enterprises which redound to the
prosperity and fame of the city of his adoption. While on the flood-
tide of prosperity in the manufacture of gunpowder, Mr. Whipple
found time to pay some attention to such improvements as would in
the future be of advantage not only to himself, but to individuals
and the community in which he lived. With these aims constantly
in view, and actuated by such motives, he turned his attention
steadily to securing such of the lands bordering on the river as were
necessary for securing the power and independent control of the mill-
sites which it furnishes. In this manner, and by degrees, he ob-
tained possession of much of the land, but it was not until after the
year 1834 that he secured the lands on the east side of the river, and
with them the entire control of this water-power. Mr. Whipple has al-
ready disposed of the right to six hundred horse-power to different indi-
viduals, while the capacity of the stream is not yet nearly exhausted.
Mr. Whipple deserves more than a passing notice, as he has always
been a very enterprising man, ready for any position in public life
to which the people of Lowell have called him, and efficient in every
position; public-spirited, generous, and coming from a stock that
bears the stamp of honesty, integrity, and uncontrollable activity,
he is a worthy representative of the name he bears, and of the race
to which he belongs.. He is now living in the enjoyment of good
health and a vigorous intellect, and takes great pleasure in reviewing
the stirring events of the last fifty years of his life, -events in which
himself has been one of the most prominent actors, which he can
review with gratification and the utmost self-satisfaction, as every-
thing of an important character in which he has been engaged bears
34
266
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
the flattering testimony of a wise forecast, an unusual prudence, and
skilful management in its beneficent and successful result.
On the 6th of April, 1854, the sons of Vermont, residing in
Lowell, held a pleasant reunion, and of this meeting Oliver M.
Whipple, Esq., was president. By referring to the columns of the
"Lowell Courier," in which the proceedings of the meeting were
published, it is seen that the chairman, Mr. Whipple, was born in
Weathersfield, Windsor County, Vt. From remarks made on that
occasion, it appears that, having reached his majority, with such edu-
cation as three months of annual common schooling afforded, a liberal
supply of good common sense, and fifteen dollars in cash as his stock
in trade, Mr. Whipple, in 1815, set off on foot, as light in heart as
in pocket, to seek his fortune, shaping his course for Boston, which
city he reached after a diligent and tedious journey of four days.
Arriving in Boston he was soon employed by parties, and proceeded
to Southboro', where he remained three years, and by industry,
economy, and frugality he was enabled, in 1818, to go to Lowell
with the snug little sum of six hundred dollars in his pocket. At
the time he commenced operations on the Concord River the place
was known as East Chelmsford, and contained but a few houses; he
has, therefore, a historical connection with the city of Lowell from
its origin to the present time, and is certainly, as a business man and
a citizen, one of its most important features. From this humble
beginning, in 1818, with a total cash capital of six hundred dollars,
some idea may be formed of his industry and enterprise, when it is
known that, in 1856, the assessors' book showed that his annual tax
was fifteen hundred dollars; and it must be a satisfaction to him to
reflect that he has earned his ample fortune, which is more than
some other prominent Lowellians are popularly credited with.
Although Mr. Whipple, by his ability and untiring energy, has
deserved and enjoyed a large measure of material prosperity, still no
efforts of his could ward off those chastening afflictions sent by a
mysterious hand, and which are the lot of a common humanity.
About 1852, under the long-continued pressure of his arduous du-
ties, his strong constitution gave way, and for several years his health
was so precarious that no one, except himself, regarded the prospect
of his recovery as hopeful. He, however, relying upon a naturally
robust physique, and regular, abstemious habits, seems to have been
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
267
the only one who never doubted a favorable final result. Unfortu-
nately, during this trying period there came a general stagnation in
his line of business, which would have involved men of smaller cali-
bre than Mr. Whipple in utter and irretrievable ruin. But that
remarkable sagacity which had been his passport to success remained
in sickness and adversity one of the chief elements of his character.
He saw that his best move was to render as much as possible of his
real property available, and for this purpose secured the valuable
services of E. B. Patch, Esq., for thirty-five years a resident of
Lowell, and who had been largely engaged in the commission and
real estate business, and who was known to Mr. Whipple to be a sa-
gacious and prudent manager. Mr. Patch, as agent for Mr. Whipple,
entered upon the active discharge of his duties, when the latter realized
sufficient from his advantageous transactions to set him financially
on his feet again; but, ill health continuing, Mr. Whipple found it
advisable to dispose of his powder works, and afterwards the balance
of his unoccupied water-power and other unproductive real estate.
In 1861, Mr. Patch secured a bond (for a deed) of all the unsold
water-power on the Concord River, and the lands below the Ceme-
tery Bridge, on both sides of that stream, to the confluence of Hale's
Brook, including the grove on both sides of Lawrence Street and
the land extending west to Central and Gorham Streets, — nearly
fifty acres in all, which he laid out in building and factory lots, by
which means he disposed of them and the unused water-powers, the
former for dwellings, the latter to A. H. Chase, the Lowell Bleach-
ery Company, N. R. Wood, S. W. Faulkner, Hosford E. Chase &
Co., for manufacturing purposes. In March, 1863, Mr. Patch took
a deed of the property remaining unsold, and for the next two years
devoted his time and his energies to the development of its resources.
During this period wonderful improvements were made on this neg-
lected territory; the canal was much enlarged, its capacity being
nearly doubled, its banks and gates were repaired, twelve additional
wheels were set in motion, buildings were altered and repaired and
new ones erected, machinery was overhauled and new and improved
patterns substituted, streets were laid out, bridges built, and the fa-
cilities for business generally were so increased that the rents advanced
from about three thousand dollars to nearly ten thousand dollars per
year. He also gave the city land and material for widening and
268
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
repairing Lawrence Street from the canal to the Cemetery Bridge,
making it a pleasant drive, and aș fine a piece of road as any in
Lowell.
In 1865, Mr. Patch disposed of the balance of his property to
General B. F. Butler, who organized a company at once, called the
Wamesit Water-Power Company. This brief synopsis of his trans-
actions shows what a man of energy, ability, and integrity, like Mr.
Patch, can accomplish, and the measure of his merits may be better
estimated when we consider how at that time the nation was in the
midst of a gigantic struggle; a terrible financial revulsion was im-
pending, and a general prostration of business prevailed, not only
in Lowell, but over all the land. Overcoming all these serious
obstacles, which would have appalled men of less activity and
determination, he pushed steadily forward until his purpose was
splendidly accomplished. Mr. Whipple, almost on the verge of the
grave, and totally incapable of managing his affairs, yet exhibited
his superior judgment in the selection of Mr. Patch as manager, and
he, in return, demonstrated the wisdom of the selection. Compara-
tively valueless property was brought to a productive condition,
many thousands of dollars were put in deserving pockets, and con-
sequently added to the taxable property of Lowell; and as a proof
of the strict and rare integrity of the parties interested it may be
said truly that no two gentlemen enjoy each other's respect and con-
fidence more fully than Mr. Whipple and Mr. Patch, and nothing
could be more fortunate or gratifying to both than the result of their
business connection. Mr. Whipple became fully restored to health,
and had the good fortune to find the crisis in his financial affairs
averted, and his ample fortune unimpaired; while Mr. Patch had
the great satisfaction of realizing that he had not only averted a sad
calamity to an old and valued friend, but at the same time, by his
talent and judgment, he had built up a business territory which is a
credit and a marked feature of this enterprising city, and at the
same time had secured for his toil and enterprise an ample, material
compensation.
There are few streams of its size, so romantically historical in its
records, traditions, and surroundings, and in its application to the
service of man and the promotion of useful arts, as the Concord.
For fifty years past the true character of this remarkable stream was
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
269
so little understood even by the land-owners along its borders that an
almost continuous and very acrimonious legal controversy was main-
tained, which resulted in establishing the fact, by an able Board of
Legislative Commissioners, that the river was a very different thing
from what they had, all their lives, supposed it to be. An inability to
understand its true character had always prevailed. It had been an
aggravating and expensive problem to some, and an insoluble mystery
to others. The first blood of the Revolution, the blood of the in-
trepid and invincible though untrained yeomanry, mingled with its
turbid waters at the Old North Bridge, and long years before it had
been the haunt of the wary and stealthy barbarian, who, swooping
down upon the exposed and defenceless settlers, enacted those atroc-
ities which marked the advancing borders of civilization in New
England, and makes the history of that epoch a yet existing terror.
It was then called the Musketaquid or Meadow River, and it is the
meadow river still, a strong proof that the appropriateness of
Indian designations need not be questioned, much less changed. If,
in some sense, a river is the type of human life, this particular
stream may be cited as symbolizing the actual career of many indi-
viduals known to those who may give the comparison a little reflec-
tion. How many there are who start off on the journey of life like
this stream, useless, idle, and aimless, instead of becoming a wheel,
a lever, an axle, a something in that complicated machine called
society! The topography of the country is such, and the aspect of
the stream so peculiar, as to warrant the supposition that it had re-
pudiated natural laws, ignored the attraction of gravitation, and had
taken its course over a gentle acclivity, which has the effect to get
itself repudiated in turn by those same laws, as it leaves its bank
through every depression, and ruins much of the adjacent soil by the
creation of swamps, marshes, and lagoons. Thus it is with individ-
ual idleness, disfiguring the course of life with waste places, while
the sedges, rank water-weeds, and ugly, filthy reptiles represent the
vices, little and great, the fungi bred by indolence, -a parasitic
growth.
On reaching Billerica, as if disgusted with its previous lack of
energy, the stream makes a daring though spasmodic attempt at ref-
ormation, but after this tolerably successful effort, is apparently
satisfied or exhausted and relapses into its former state of stupidity,
270
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
which it maintains until it arrives at maturity, and at Lowell, where,
like the man who awakes to a realizing sense of his duties, obliga-
tions, and responsibilities at the eleventh hour, throws off the lethargy
that has held it so long in chains, and, dashing over nearly two
miles of picturesque and powerful falls, seems to seek, and with
entire success, to compensate for its former vagrant life, and finally
throws itself with alacrity into the Merrimack, leaving no space
between the termination of its beneficent labors and its final doom;
typifying not only the necessity but the grandeur of a reformation
which, by earnest, vigorous works, testifies to an ultimate apprecia-
tion of the duties, objects, and obligations imposed by the very fact
of the creation of capacity and inherent power. The deep tinge of
romance surrounding this stream in its native condition has not
faded or diminished, but is, rather, intensified by the peculiarities of
the men and the circumstances connected with the inauguration and
prosecution of improvements around its splendid waterfalls.
Nearly one hundred years ago a man named Ezekiel Hale, who
resided at West Newbury, possessing a great and almost purely me-
chanical genius, left his home in search of a water-power available for
the development of a manufacturing scheme, a branch of industry
then in its infancy in this country, which his vigorous intellect had
long and anxiously studied; an enterprise crude and meagre, to be
sure, compared with the gigantic achievements of the present day, yet,
for that early time, a grand conception. Having, on his way, ex-
amined the capacity of Little River, in Haverhill, and concluding to
look farther, he finally set down on the lower falls of Beaver River,
in Dracut, where he laid the foundation for the extensive Merrimack
Woollen Mills, which now occupy the site where Mr. Hale begun.
His sons, imbued with the same spirit as the father, now cast about
for a new and independent beginning, each for himself. Ezekiel re-
turned to Little River and established himself where E. J. M. Hale,
Esq., has continued the business for many years until recently,
being superseded by Mr. Stevens, a connection of the family, when
Mr. Hale engaged in the manufacturing business, more extensively,
at Groveland. Moses, another son of Ezekiel, senior, prospected for
himself. In his peregrinations he crossed the Merrimack and found
himself in the neighborhood of Whipple's Falls in the Concord
River, and exclaiming "Eureka!" with the enthusiasm of a dev-
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
271
otee, he pondered on this prodigal waste of power until the sun de-
scended behind a crimson drapery of clouds, the gorgeous, purple
twilight deepened into gloom and "left the world to darkness and
to" him. Thoroughly mechanical in his intellectual organization,
he could not fail to realize that here was an agency with the ca-
pacity to expand and mature his preconceived desire to found a
mechanical and manufacturing community himself. Composed of spec-
ulative as well as operative elements, his mind here recognized a har-
monious blending of those qualities for which he yearned, and was
quieted. This was his place. At the head of these falls stood a
beautiful perennial grove, its stately and venerable columns support-
ing a dense canopy of foliage, and whose gloomy, silent avenues,
secluded dells, and mysterious grottos might be peopled with the
genii of this romantic region. Who shall say, in his dream of those
grand results he scarcely dared anticipate, the working of the irre-
pressible principle of progression, but Vulcan stood upon the
border of this terrestrial paradise of shadows with bare and brawny
arm and ponderous hammer, ready to summon his corps d'industrie
to the furnace, and to forge the manacles which should securely bind
this hydraulic giant, and cast him, prone and pliant, at the feet of
this Divinity of Mechanism, whose name was Moses Hale? Who
can say but Venus, in obedience to the will of her lord, assembled
her fair daughters and explained to them the new path and the new
duties about to open to them; how nimble and cunning fingers must
manipulate the machinery, and in the production of fabrics only yet
foreseen, and, with an admonition to be faithful, gave them the ma-
ternal blessing? Perhaps this very circumstance was the foundation
for that display of these same daughters, unequalled in magnifi-
cence, which, many years later, in 1833, welcomed the Hero of the
Hermitage, on his memorable visit to the spot which had already
come to be known as "the City of Spindles." With his character-
istic gallantry, Gen. Jackson visited Lowell to pay his respects to
these beautiful operatives, the fair daughters of New England, who
had left their quiet country homes and come here to astonish the
land with the amazing growth of this new city and new branch of
industry and the large production of cotton fabrics reached in so
short a period of time. On the 26th of June, 1833, Andrew
Jackson, President of the United States, accompanied by the Vice-
•
272
THE MERRIMACK RIVER ;
President and several members of his cabinet, visited Lowell. His
desire to journey hither was quite natural, he, having some eighteen
years before felt the protecting power of cotton breastworks, doubt-
less had a great curiosity to see the material of his famous fortifica-
tions transformed into equally famous Merrimack prints and sheet-
ings by these intelligent girls. The distinguished party was received
and addressed by the town authorities, and the president responded.
Triumphal arches of evergreens, banners, and flowers had been
erected, and the escort was composed of "the selectmen, committee
of arrangements, Kirk Boott, chairman, a regiment of militia, a
cavalcade of two hundred citizens, six hundred school children, and
two thousand five hundred factory girls." As each girl was dressed
in holiday attire of unrelieved white, the vast procession of Lowell's
beauty and worth made a deep and enduring impression on all who
had the good fortune to witness it; and it is not a wonder that the
Hero of New Orleans, who had often met and overthrown a hostile
foe, should evince a willingness to surrender for the first time, with-
out any further hostile demonstration from this all-conquering array
than presenting arms. After the public ceremonies, a number of
the girls, still in gala dress, repaired to the Merrimack Mills and
initiated the president into the art and mystery of making cotton
cloth, — the process itself demonstrating the immeasurable difference
between the application of this staple in his hands to the necessities
of barbaric war, and in theirs applied to pleasant and profitable pur-
suits of peace. M. Chevalier, an intelligent French gentleman, was
of the president's party, and the splendid pageant made a deep and
lasting impression on his mind; and, as a high official of the French
government, he addressed one of the Massachusetts senators with a
view to securing the attendance of a group of those operatives, with
• the necessary machinery, at the recent Paris Exposition, where the
superb New England factory girl at her vocation, and the product
of her skill and industry, could be seen together by a world's admir-
ing representatives. Thus early in the history of manufacturing in
this country, and of Lowell, had these fair daughters acquired a
transatlantic fame, and no one doubted, however visionary and ideal
the scheme, and uncertain and doubtful the results of its founding, it
was now a well-established fact.
Mr. Hale, without a clear or well-outlined idea, perhaps, of what
·
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
273
was to be accomplished, though with a settled faith that his purpose,
still only faintly outlined in his own mind, would mature, and the
evidence of his creative genius become familiar to men by plain, out-
ward, and visible signs, while the advantages should be great, and
benefit the race located permanently here. Scarcely more than a
myth himself, and his project a kind of phantasy, he was yet, when
securely enthroned on this then solitary spot, the embodiment of
the Spirit of Progress, the wizard who should wield the enchant-
er's wand, and the waste places were to be occupied by a people
characterized as enterprising, skilful, industrious, and thrifty. It
was not long before his very eccentricity assumed a tangible and
practical shape, and, in 1795, he set a carding-mill in operation.
Soon after, expressing an intention to extend and increase his busi-
ness in the same direction, he was taken aside by a friend and gravely
advised to desist, as the capacity of the works already in operation
was sufficient to amply accommodate all Middlesex County, and such
a reckless investment would not only exhibit a stupid oversight, and
lack of judgment and sound discretion, but would involve him in
inextricable financial ruin. Nevertheless, he continued to increase
his business, and of course his income. Mr. Hale dug a canal in
Chelmsford, which was, considered as an individual enterprise, an
operation of considerable magnitude, and displayed his interest and
belief in internal improvements. It is said, also, that he conceived
and suggested the idea of constructing another canal, which was
acted upon some years after, the canal being now a "power in the
land." Shops and mills began to multiply about the Wamesit Falls,
dwellings followed the house of religious worship, and the court-
house and the cemetery have appeared, -emblems of a high civili-
zation. As Lowell rapidly increased, by the improvement of its
splendid water-power, in population and productiveness, it began to
attract the attention of economists at home and abroad, and, in
1834, an agent was sent to the United States by the "Citizen
King," to inspect the public works of this country. He visited
Lowell, its shops and factories, and, of the impressions there re-
ceived, M. Chevalier wrote to the Paris "Journal des Debats" as
follows:
"Unlike the cities of Europe, which were built by some demi-
god, son of Jupiter, or by some hero of the siege of Troy, or by an
35
274
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
•
inspiration of the genius of a Cæsar or an Alexander, or by the
assistance of some holy monk, attracting crowds by his miracles, or
by the caprice of some great king, like Louis XIV., or Frederick,
or by an edict of Peter the Great, it (Lowell) is neither a pious
foundation, a refuge of the persecuted, nor a military post. It is a
speculation of the merchants of Boston. The same spirit of enter-
prise which the last year suggested to them to send a cargo of ice to
Calcutta, that Lord William Bentwick and the nabobs of the India
Company might drink their wine cool, has led them to build a city,
wholly at their expense, with all the edifices required by an advanced
civilization, for the purpose of manufacturing cotton cloths and
printed calicoes. They have succeeded, as they usually do, in their
speculations. The inhabitants possess in the highest degree a genius
for mechanics. They are patient, skilful, full of invention; they
must increase in manufactures. It is, in fact, already done, and
Lowell is a little Manchester."
In the immediate vicinity of the head of the falls, on the Concord,
is situated the Lowell cemetery, -the beautiful City of the Dead,
-extensive in territorial area, romantic in its surroundings of riv-
er, hill, forest, and field, and also rich in ornamental trees, shrub-
bery, and flowers. Its avenues, aisles, and graves are covered with
the shadows of luxuriant foliage, and fringed with shrubs, plants,
and flowers; wild birds carol sweetest melody among the trees, in
careless, joyous, unrestrained freedom, "so clear, that men and
angels might delight to hear." The grounds are tastefully laid out
and adorned with luxuriant shrubbery, while the countless cultivated
annuals which fleck the surface, and the sweet, modest little wild
blossoms mingle their perfume and freight the air with delicious fra-
grance. The hand of affection has inscribed the record of the deeds
and worth of the departed on tablets of stone and monuments of
enduring marble; a deep stillness, an all-pervading quiet-save
the wind rustling the foliage, and the solemn sighing of sombre
perennials, a perpetual requiem-rests upon the place; a silence
such as might be gladly sought to lull one to eternal repose, enchant-
ing prelude to that final sleep that knows no dream, and knows no
earthly waking; a symbol of the solitude, though now adorned and
beautified, which covered all this realm around the fine. falls of the
Concord, when it was invaded by the all-subduing and all-conquering
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
275
Mr. Hale is
a most conven-
Divinity of Mechanism, in the time long agone. And though Mr.
Hale has departed, and many others have gone, and the populous
village of silence, of shadows, and of human ashes, have come of
their going, still the places they vacated have been filled again by
active, earnest, living souls, and his mantle has fallen upon the
shoulders of, and is gracefully worn by, his son and successor, B. S.
Hale. In him the character and genius, as well as the name, are
still preserved. The spirit which was once so potent here is still
believed to hover around and furnish inspiration.
largely engaged in the manufacture of laid cord,
ient means by which to bind the aims and ends, the objects and in-
terests of mankind together. There is the clock cord, which, moving
the finger on the dial, tells off the knell of time; the cord "to hold as
'twere the mirror up to nature;" the picture-cord, to hold the shadow
of the beloved and departed substance up to view; the chalk-line,
marking the right line of duty which every man should hew square
up to; the fish-line, suggesting how, with gilded lure, the evil one is
said to angle for the souls—and bodies—of those he has already set
his mark upon. Formerly the method of laying cord was by hand, and
many inventions have been devised to render the manufacture more
rapid, but the cord was laid irregular and uneven, and no permanent
success attended the invention of machinery for this purpose until
Mr. Hale perfected the machines now in operation at his mill, by
which the cord is laid more uniform than even by hand. Thus has
the Concord, when its course is nearly run, accomplished its redemp-
tion, and, as a man's life is often likened to a river, it may be well for
those who can, to redeem, as the Concord has, a vagabond character,
even at the eleventh hour, and thus maintain the parallel.
The Wameset Water-Power Company having purchased (February
7) the balance of the unimproved power at Whipple's Falls of E. B.
Patch, Esq., the company was organized May 20, 1865, as follows :
Hon. Tappan Wentworth, President; Gen. B. F. Butler, Treasurer;
D. C. G. Field, Agent; capital, one hundred and fifty thousand dol-
lars. The company set about utilizing the power with great activity,
and the genius of a master mind was seen on every hand. A sub-
stantial brick mill has been erected (four stories), occupied by the
United States Bunting Company and Wamesit Worsted Company;
a stone mill (two stories), by the United States Cartridge Company,
276
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
fixed ammunition; a stone mill (four stories), Worsted Company; a
wooden mill (two stories), carpets and dry house; also, a large
boarding-house. These mills are driven by two turbine wheels of
two hundred and thirty-one horse-power, with a reserve engine of one
hundred and fifty horse-power, to be used in the event of low water.
Two boilers, five feet in diameter and sixteen feet in length, each with
eighty tubes, supply the steam. A branch of the Boston and Lowell
Railroad affords easy transportation directly to and from the mills.
It has been found that much of the available power is lost by the
incapacity of the canal, and a saving enlargement is projected the
coming season, so that mechanics of all kinds can here find permanent
room and power to prosecute their business, which will ultimately
build up around these falls a large and important manufacturing
village.
The political and military history of Gen. B. F. Butler is well
known to the world, but of his extensive engagement in the pleas-
ant, peaceful pursuits which adorn, dignify, and enrich a community,
little, perhaps too little, is known to the general public. Upon the
reorganization of the defunct Middlesex Company, Gen. Butler be-
came a large purchaser of the new stock, and, with his characteristic
energy, devoted much time to the practical details of manufacturing.
When the Whipple Falls property was put in the market, Gen. But-
ler, seeing its real value and importance for manufacturing and me-
chanical purposes, lost no time in securing it on his own account,
and forthwith adopted measures for the founding of those enterprises
which have already added largely to the business and prosperity of
Lowell, and places Gen. Butler among the leading and successful
manufacturers of New England, while it presents him as a promoter
and patron of those arts which, while they give comfort, industry,
and thrift to a commnnity, afford additional stability and perpetuity
to its institutions. Men of great means are not always men of great
deeds, and it is certainly refreshing to contemplate a public-spirited
and liberal man whose means are equal to his disposition, and who,
in his investments, has the sagacity to discriminate in favor of such
substantial interests as will surely tend to the present and prospect-
ive advantage of the place and the people. The difference between a
comprehensive and a superficial mind is as marked as between the
generous and sordid, and is patent to all. While the one is satisfied
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
277
ments.
""
with a resort to temporary shifts and expedients, the other builds on
a solid foundation, which is not only a warrant for current profit, but
a bond for future premiums and dividends on such judicious invest-
The great hydraulic power of this fall was well known, but
the expenditures necessary to its productiveness, for mills, machinery,
appliances, and stock, before the dollar could return to their pockets
was too appalling for some gentlemen, who decided to cling to their
bonds and greenbacks, and it was not until Gen. Butler, on a brief
visit from the "tented field," learned it was in the market, when he
purchased it, and initiated measures which must not only advance
the growth and character of the city, but "put money in his purse'
for many years to come. He being the principal owner exercises a
controlling influence over the operations of the company, and, having
selected a gentleman of peculiar fitness for acting manager, in the
person of Mr. Field, this company is now on the road to prosperity,
and bids fair to become one of the most prosperous and noted compa-
nies along the Merrimack. In the brief history of this company,
here given, Gen. Butler is seen as a practical manufacturer, and,
however opinions may differ on other points, there will be a unanimity
in the recognition of the great credit which attaches to him for his
energy, comprehensive views, for his wise and liberal use of an ample
fortune, for his active public spirit, exhibited in building up the in-
dustrial interests of his adopted city, and his generous liberality in
the promotion of her general welfare.
The United States Bunting Company, one of the enterprises
originated since the Butler purchase, is deserving of special notice.
Previous to the establishment of its works the manufacture of Amer-
can flags from an American fabric did not exist in the United States,
all bunting having been previously imported. No American ship or
American soldier had ever fought a battle under a flag of American
manufacture. Many attempts had been made to produce it, but
without success. At the solicitation of several of the government
departments, and encouraged by the act of Congress of 1865, em-
powering heads of the several bureaus to purchase bunting of Ameri-
can manufacture at the same price as the imported article, several
gentlemen in Lowell associated for its manufacture. After many
experiments they succeeded in making an article of American bunt-
ing, which, after being put to the severest test, was certified by the
278
THE MERRIMACK RIVER ;
officers of the Navigation Bureau of the Navy Department to be
superior to the English manufacture in texture, material, color, and
durability. Since then the bunting of this company has been used
by all the government departments, to the exclusion of foreign manu-
factures. Stimulated by their success, this company has erected
large and permanent mills, and supplied themselves with requisite
machinery of sufficient capacity to supply the wants of the American
people.
During the progress of this manufacture this company has made
many improvements in the fabric and the machinery for its manu-
facture. One of the most prominent is the manufacture of bunting
with the requisite colors without sewing. Heretofore the stars of
the union have been cut from cotton cloth and sewed to bunting, and
the stripes cut from the wide bunting and stitched together. About
two years ago, at the suggestion of a gentleman occupying a position
at the head of one of the principal bureaus of the government, the
manager of this company undertook to manufacture a flag having the
stars and stripes fully and firmly shown without the aid of sewing.
After many attempts and failures, and stimulated by the encourage-
ment of many officers high in rank in both the army and navy, he
has succeeded in producing flags of great beauty, durability, and ex-
treme lightness. The manufacture of pendants, signals, and banners
is soon to be added. This company has been from the commence-
ment, and still is, under the management of Mr. D. W. C. Farring-
ton, who is also agent of the company; and to Lowell belongs the
honor of having inaugurated this patriotic and praiseworthy branch.
of industry in the United States. This company is also erecting
machinery for the purpose of developing the manufacture of damasks,
moreens, and other worsted fabrics.
In the same locality are also the works of the Wamesit Worsted
Company, which is engaged in the manufacture of fine worsted
yarns,
consuming about two hundred thousand pounds of wool annually;
also those of the United States Cartridge Company, which have
recently been established for the manufacture of all kinds of fixed
ammunition for breech-loading guns. These two last companies were
organized in 1868, and are under the management of Mr. D. W. C.
Farrington, who is the agent for all these works.
There is also an individual enterprise at this place entitled to par-
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
279
ticular notice. A stone shop has been erected and furnished with
the best machinery and very superior mechanical skill, devoted to
experiments in the improvement of fire-arms. This business is under
the supervision of Capt. J. V. Meigs, a Tennesseean, and one of the
most remarkable inventors of this prolific age. Heretofore it has
been the most difficult study and problem with inventors to accel-
erate mechanical motion so as to approximate to the rapidity of the
ignition of gunpowder, and with what success is well known. Capt.
Meigs has, however, adopted a different policy. He has first in-
creased the rapidity of ignition to the extreme bound of perfect safety
by delivering the blow at the point most likely to produce instanta-
neous and complete combustion of the whole charge, and then, by his
marvellous skill at mechanical combination, adjusted the speed of the
explosive motion of the lock properly to meet the demand for rapidity
of discharge, and its terribly fatal efficiency is exhibited by the pos-
sibility of the astonishing rapidity of fifty shots in nineteen seconds,
still preserving its strength, durability, cheapness, effectiveness, and
comfort in handling. Compared with this arm the famous needle
gun is but a cross-bow; and, paradoxical as it may appear, this
weapon of destruction must prove a life-preserver, as any struggle
of arms, after the adoption of this gun, must be short, sharp, and
decisive. Capt. Meigs has invented two guns, one new and the other
an alteration, both of which have received the approbation of military
committees and gentlemen, as well as gold medals and other awards
for superiority. In the perfection of this arm it was found that ordi-
nary ammunition was unsafe, improperly made, and inefficient; and
to remove this difficulty he invented new cartridges, which combine
every desirable quality; and for their manufacture, and all other
kinds of fixed ammunition, the United States Cartridge Company
was established. Charles K. Farmer, Esq., formerly of the Spring-
field (Mass.) Armory, is superintendent. Capt. Meigs has also
brought out other important inventions; indeed, the fertility of his
genius seems inexhaustible. Original minds, discoverers, and invent-
ors have always been honored and esteemed; and, while these dis-
tinctions await Capt. Meigs, it is but just to remark that his genial
qualities, his fund of generosity and humor, and all the elements of
a distinguished and high-toned gentleman, mark him as eminently
entitled to the consideration of his fellow-countrymen.
280
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
·
#
Some of the other enterprises around these falls are as follows:
American Bolt Company, S. Hope, R. H. Butcher, and J. Winter,
capital one hundred thousand dollars, consume two thousand tons iron
and produce five million bolts per year; employ one hundred hands.
Belvidere Woollen Company, capital one hundred thousand dollars,
plain and twilled and fancy goods, product seven hundred and fifty
thousand yards per year; employ eighty hands. S. W. Faulkner's
Mills, capital one hundred thousand dollars, produce two hundred
and forty thousand yards plain and twilled fancy goods and cassi-
meres, and fifty thousand yards fine Cashmeres, use two hundred
thousand pounds wool per year. John Walsh, fine worsted yarns,
one thousand spindles, use two hundred and forty pounds wool
daily; thirty hands. S. R. Brackett, fine worsted, two hundred
and sixty pounds wool daily, one thousand four hundred spindles;
thirty hands.
Many years since, Mr. Nathan Ames established business at Mas-
sic Falls, which was afterwards carried on by the firm of Ames &
Fisher. The sons of Mr. Ames have since become celebrated as
manufacturers of arms at Springfield. Mr. Artemas Young followed
Ames &. Fisher, and built a brick mill on the site of the old Ames
shop for manufacturing cloth; but failing in the completion of this
enterprise, Mr. P. O. Richmond obtained possession, and established
batting and paper mills, which he carried on successfully many years.
The brick mill is now operated by Mr. William Walker, who manu-
factures woollens. In 1834, a shop was built on the island near the
dam at Massic Falls. This building was occupied by George &
Ephraim Crosby, but, being destroyed by fire not long after its occu-
pation, it was not rebuilt. Previous to the year 1813 there was a
saw-mill, owned by one Mr. Tyler, on the site of the mill which was
erected in that year by Messrs. Phineas Whiting and Josiah Fletcher,
who also built the dam the same year at this place, which is known
as Wamesit Falls. Previous to this period that part of Belvidere
lying between Fayette Street and the Concord River was an island,
and there are those still living who have, floating in their light canoe,
circumnavigated this now busy territory. In 1818, Messrs. Whi-
ting & Fletcher sold and conveyed all their right, title, and interest
to and in the water-power and adjacent lands to an enterprising gen-
tleman from Charlestown, Mass., Mr. Thomas Hurd, who converted
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
281
this mill into a woollen factory, and produced the first satinet goods
which were woven by the power-loom in this country.
Mr. Hurd was one of those sagacious and scheming men who seek,
and whose keen sense discovers and appreciates an advantage, while
other men rub their eyes and listlessly wonder what he is doing.
Not satisfied with the control of this power, and seeing the advan-
tage of possessing the great power at the Pawtucket Falls, he pur-
chased lands on either side of the latter, and put a grindstone, or
some other simple machinery driven by a water-wheel, in motion, to
establish his right to the privilege, and in 1826 put up a mill at the
foot of the falls, apparently with the design to manufacture yarn or
cloth; but his woollen mill on the Concord River having been de-
stroyed by fire the same year, the mill just erected at the foot of
Pawtucket Falls was taken down and rebuilt on the site of the one
which was burned. A portion of the old foundation of this mill is
still standing (1868) at the foot of Pawtucket Falls, an interesting
relic of the enterprise of one of those men who have left an honorable
record in the history of Lowell. In the march of improvement this
mill in its turn gave way to a substantial brick mill, built by the
Middlesex Company on its site. Mr. Hurd also built and operated
a brick mill, obtaining power from the Concord River by means of a
canal, which followed the course of Warren Street, a little to the
right of it, but finding there was a scarcity of water in dry seasons
in the Concord River, a canal was dug from the foot of the Hamilton
Canal, crossing Central Street, and passing to the rear and south
side of Hurd Street, discharged its waters into the other canal be-
tween the two mills, thus securing a full supply of water at all sea-
sons. Eventually Mr. Hurd's interest in the water-power at the
Pawtucket Falls was disposed of to the Lock and Canal Corporation,
when this auxiliary canal, which drew from the Merrimack, was
discontinued and filled up. This latter canal will be remembered by
many old residents of Lowell as the means and place selected by a
Mr. Callender and Mr. Whipple voluntarily and most conven-
iently to "shuffle off this mortal coil." In 1821, Mr. Hurd sold the
land and a water privilege on the east side of Concord River, com-
prising what is now called Belvidere Village (the island), to Mr.
Winthrop Howe, who built a mill, and disposed of the surplus power
to other parties, and quite a little cluster of shops eventually started
36
282
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
up and are now in active operation in the vicinity. A flannel-mill,
belonging to the Belvidere Woollen Company, now occupies the site,
and is operated by the same power as the Howe mill, which was
destroyed by fire some years since.
Prior to the construction of the Lawrence dam, in the glorious
days when the salmon and shad had an unobstructed passage up the
Merrimack, there was famous shad fishing from the foot of Wamesit
Falls to the mouth of the river, a gentleman still living having seen
Capt. Whiting on one occasion make a miraculous haul. The seine
was hauled on the spot directly between where Nos. 2 and 3, Mid-
dlesex Mills, now stand, and the fare was so large that boat-loads
were taken from the net before it could be hauled in. A large raft
was then constructed and boarded up several feet high at the sides,
and the shad were placed in it and shipped for Newburyport; but,
alas for human calculations! the raft grounded on an obtrusive
boulder while running Hunt's Falls, and each individual item of the
large cargo returned to its native element. The territory adjoining
this fall, and in its immediate vicinity, mainly on the east side of the
Concord, extending along that river to its confluence with the Mer-
rimack and down the latter for a considerable distance, was the rec-
ognized home or head-quarters of the tribe whose name it still bears.
Around these falls, on the very spot where mills and mechanics'
shops now daily resound with the pleasant hum and din of industry,
once stood their villages. A feeble tribe, and not a cannon-shot dis-
tant from their Pawtucket neighbors, they yet lived in security and
peace. Under the immediate control of a subordinate chief, they
nevertheless depended upon the Pennacook confederacy, to which
they belonged, for protection, and leaned on the strong arm of Pas-
saconnaway, their Bashaba, for support, and after him Wonnalancet,
whom, after the shameless outrages perpetrated upon them by some
evil-disposed people of Chelmsford, and being reduced to a mere rem-
nant of a few dozen poor, forlorn Indians, they followed to the north
country, and thus finally and forever disappeared from the Concord
River. It is claimed by those who should be the best authority that
Passaconnaway lived to a very advanced age, many years after his
son assumed his duties and position. Gookin declares he saw him at
Pawtucket when he had reached the patriarchal age of one hundred
and twenty years; and, in "Tales of the Indians," he is repre-
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
283
sented, in 1682, as being at Agamenticus, in Maine, -identical with
Aspinquid, several years after Gookin wrote. Here it was that
Gookin, to further the ends of justice, in those primitive days held
his court, trying causes and meting out "equal and exact" justice
with dignity and gravity. Here, too, the pious Elliot, in his little
log chapel, preached "peace on earth and good-will to man," while
stalwart savages, steeped to the eyebrows in Paganism, listened with
unction, if not compunction, and stupid decorum, shrugging their
shoulders as they retired at the disparity of the preaching and prac-
tices of the pale-face.
The Merrimack River, at Lowell, is spanned by two bridges,
one at Pawtucket Falls, the other leading to Central Village, which
formerly belonged to the town of Dracut, but was annexed to Lowell
some twenty years since. This last bridge was rebuilt a few years
ago at a cost of about thirty-five thousand dollars.
284
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
CHAPTER XI.
Pentucket Navigation Company. - Nicholas G. Norcross.
Andover.
Methuen. - The
Spicket. Lawrence. -History of its Manufactures. — Bradford. - Little River. —
Haverhill. The Pow-Wow. — Amesbury. - History of its Manufactures.
bury. — Salisbury. — Newburyport. — Plum Island. — Seabrook. — Conclusion.
New-
THE improvements made in the channel of the Merrimack to fa-
cilitate its navigation have been extensive, but mostly accomplished
by individual enterprise. Many business men, who have required
the river as a means of transit for heavy freight, lumber, rafts, and
boats, have been obliged, at first, to make a heavy outlay for this
purpose. Many gentlemen, knowing the great importance of this
stream as a thoroughfare and means of transportation, have endeav-
ored to secure organized and systematic action with larger means;
but it was not until John Nesmith, Esq., of Lowell, who was born
by the side of the Merrimack, and who, during a long and successful
business career, has been intimately connected with it, — not until
he took hold of the project was much of real progress made. In
1867, John Nesmith and others petitioned the Legislature, and were
incorporated as the Pentucket Navigation Improvement Company.
The object of this company was to provide a cheap and convenient
outlet for accumulating freights of merchandise and perhaps to reduce
the burdensome monopoly enjoyed by the railroads. To accomplish
this purpose, or to guarantee any chance of success, it had been
found necessary to unite and put forth the efforts and means which
nothing less than a heavy corporation could furnish. The Legisla
ture granted a charter the year mentioned, but it was absurdly
hampered with such restrictions and limitations as had the effect to
render the possession of the charter of no use whatever. The United
States Government, it was confidently expected, would make appro-
priations for tide-water improvements, while from that point the
company should make the river navigable for light-draught boats to
the important city of Lowell, in the whole a distance of more than
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
285
thirty miles. The charter required that the company should push
its business so rapidly that vessels of twenty or more tons could
reach Hunt's Falls, near Lowell, at the ordinary stages of the water,
within three years. The company, foreseeing that it could not be
done, did not make the attempt, but has confined its efforts to secur-
ing the removal of these legislative restrictions. Should this, very
properly, be done, the company will then be in condition to accom-
plish a work of great value to all whose business is much with or on
the river. The current of the Merrimack is so rapid and strong as
to necessitate a continual and extensive outlay of labor and capital
to maintain an available ship channel. Added to this, much of the
business done on the river has the effect to increase its natural ten-
dency to obstruct or obliterate any artificial channel. Its annual,
often semi-annual, rise of twenty or more feet, the snags and drift-
wood brought down by these resistless floods, the constant fretting
of the banks, the washing in of vast deposits, the constant plying of
heavy boats, barges, and rafts, and the annual "drive" of many
millions feet of saw-logs, all conspire to affect the channel more or
less. Of this last great business, the lumber trade, a brief historical
sketch cannot fail to be interesting.
In 1844, Nicholas G. Norcross, who had already made himself
rich, and earned the title of "The New England Timber King," on
the Penobscot, came to Lowell and established himself permanently
on the Merrimack. Prior to that time timber had been brought
down in rafts, locking around the falls; altogether a slow and te-
dious process. Mr. Norcross prefaced his operations by the outlay
of more than one hundred thousand dollars in improving the channel
and adapting it to his purposes. He blasted rocks and removed ob-
structions, bought land and provided for the stringing of booms for
timber harbors, bought rights on some of the important falls, built
two dams on the Pemigewasset at Woodstock, and purchased the
Elkins grant of eighty thousand acres of heavy timber adjoining
the above-named town, Lincoln, and several others. He also bought
a tract of forty thousand acres in the ungranted lands of New Hamp-
shire, and several other tracts. Having prepared the river to receive
the logs and for the "drive," the mode of proceeding was to repair
to the timber forests with a force of choppers, some one hundred and
fifty or two hundred men, cut and haul the logs for the coming
286
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
66
"drive," which usually commenced about the middle of April; the
annual "drive" varied from eight to fourteen millions feet. A
store was opened by the manager, from which the commissary of the
force drew all supplies. Large, warm log barns were erected to
shelter the large number of oxen used, and hay and feed were pur-
chased of the farmers in the nearest settlements. The logs afloat,
and the woodsmen became amphibious and took to the river. As the
logs send off, the river becomes a scene of picturesque beauty, and as
it is with humanity so it is with these logs, they cannot all "head
the procession;" some strike a more rapid current than others, some
meet with obstructions by which their advance is retarded or sus-
pended, but the van moves steadily and rapidly on, and soon the
river surface is thickly dotted with logs for a distance of from thirty
to fifty miles. The force is divided into "gangs," or "teams," and,
under the lead of experienced river-men, proceed to the principal
falls and rapids, where the chief difficulties of the drift are generally
experienced, a small force following, as a rear-guard, to push off any
stragglers that may have been crowded ashore or grounded on some
unseen obstruction. Running the falls" is a wild, exciting, and
very interesting spectacle, lasting many days. Sweeping towards
the head of the falls like a vast host in solid column, or like an
Alpine avalanche, they plunge down the roaring, boiling, seething
rapids in furious, headlong haste; the narrow gorges between the
projecting ledges are choked with them; they are thrown over and
across each other, sometimes assuming a perpendicular attitude and
falling with a tremendous crash and plash. Sometimes a single log
gets arrested by the outcropping ledge, and, being securely held, be-
comes a literal stumbling-block to others, and soon a huge “jam” is
collected and tightly held, a thousand logs, more or less, piled up
without regard to system, as though prepared for a huge bonfire.
Now is the time when the skill and daring of the "drivers " become
conspicuous; with the agility of squirrels they cross the rapids on
the moving mass and gain the pile which has been crowded out to
cut it adrift. Experience points out the stick which holds them fast
and prevents the whole from moving on, and not unfrequently, by a
vigorous push with the levers or pike-poles in the right place, or a
few strokes of the axe, the "jam" breaks loose, again falls into line,
and moves rapidly on. Each man takes to a log, and navigates to a
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
287
place of safety, not hugging it after the manner of embracing a
friendly lamp-post, but standing erect, and, if the logs are rolled by
the undertow, they retain their position upon the highest exposed
tonvexity by moving their feet, and thus, while they easily maintain
a position on the exposed surface, offer no objection to its revolution.
The view of the men in active duty upon any of the great falls on
the river is picturesque and interesting. Moving actively about in a
uniform of gray and red, jumping from log to log, or boldly floating
through the turbulent waters on this narrow craft, the river every-
where filled with moving timber, running the falls is a picture worth
looking upon.
In 1845, Mr. Norcross built a large lumber-mill at Lowell, where,
with "gangs
" of saws, upright and circular, he wrought out much
of the lumber for the mills and the dwellings of the city. This mill
was twice destroyed by fire, but was soon rebuilt. He also built a
large mill at Lawrence, which was managed by his brother, J. W.
Norcross. Mr. Norcross died in 1860, since which time the busi-
ness has been conducted by I. W. Norcross, Charles W. Saunders,
and N. W. Norcross. While engaged in the lumber business a finan-
cial crisis, such as business men often experience, overtook Mr. Nor-
cross, and, with a view to the continued prosecution of the trade, a
company was formed, consisting of N. G. and I. W. Norcross, John
Nesmith, Abner Buttrick, H. Pillsbury, William Fiske, and others,
called the Merrimack River Lumber Company; but the management
of the lumber trade seems to have again reverted to the original
hands, and is now conducted by Norcross & Saunders.
Mr. Norcross was a remarkably energetic business man: Quick
to see, and prompt to decide and act, his years were crowded with
stirring events. In the prosecution of great enterprises like this on
the Merrimack, he had the sagacity to comprehend the situation,
and by a liberal investment of labor and capital laid a substantial
foundation for ultimate success, which is its surest guaranty.
With frequent high water, a strong and rapid current, the strong
force of pressure and displacement occasioned by the plying of river
craft, the conveyance of the immense lumber drives, and many
other causes, it would seem very clear that the Pentucket Company,
with the proper legislative encouragement, would be an untold ad-
vantage to the business of the Merrimack River.
•
288
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
Andover was settled in 1643, and incorporated five years later.
It is watered by the Shawsheen River, a tributary of the Merrimack,
having its confluence on the right bank at Lawrence, and there are
excellent facilities for manufacturing, which are extensively im-
proved. There is a celebrated Theological Institution, and other
institutions for educational purposes of a high character located
here.
Methuen is situated on the north bank of the Merrimack, and is
an extensive manufacturing and mechanical town. The Spicket
River, which has its source in Hampstead, N. H., passes through
this place, and having a splendid fall of thirty feet, furnishes a fine
water-power. Methuen was detached from Haverhill in 1725, and
has maintained a steady growth and prosperity, and takes high rank
among the flourishing towns of Essex County. The Spicket empties
into the Merrimack, on its left bank, at Lawrence.
Bradford was incorporated in 1675. It is a very pleasant town,
. the land rising gradually from the Merrimack, culminating in ele-
vated ridges and gentle hills, and as the neat dwellings are built
along the slopes, the appearance of the town from a distance, or
from some neighboring elevation, with the broad and placid Merri-
mack in the foreground, is picturesque and pleasant. The shoe bus-
iness is the principal interest of Bradford; in fact, it may be said it
is only a repetition of its larger neighbor on the opposite side of the
river. Besides the Boston & Maine Railroad Bridge there is what
is known as the Toll Bridge, which was made free in July, 1868, by
indemnifying the stockholders, and the Rock Bridge, so called,
further down the river.
"The Agawam tribe occupied the eastern part of what is now
Essex County, in Massachusetts, extending from tide-water upon the
Merrimack, round to Cape Ann. Their territory skirted upon two
sides by the Merrimack and Atlantic, indented by bays, intersected
by rivers, and interspersed with ponds, was appropriately called
Wonnesquamsauke, meaning, literally, "The Pleasant Water
Place;" the word being a compound from wonne (pleasant),
asquam (water), and auke (a place). This word was sometimes
contracted to Wonnesquam, often to Squamsaukee, and still oftener
to Squam or Asquam. The deep, guttural pronunciation of As-
quam by the Indians sounded to the English like Agawam, and
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
289
hence the word as applied to the Indians of that locality. Several
localities in Essex County are now known by names contracted and
derived from this Indian word, Wonnesquamsauke; as "Squam,"
the name of a pleasant harbor and village upon the north side of
Cape Ann, and 'Swamscott,' the name of a pleasant village in the
eastern part of Lynn.” *
The city of Lawrence, the ancient seat of the Agawams, is
another of those magnificent and forcible illustrations of the almost
incredible power and capacity of the Merrimack. For two centuries
the river and the land literally ran to waste; but sparsely settled,
in productiveness meagrely requiting the tiller's industry, it seemed
destined, like the other points of manufacturing interest along the
Merrimack, to a career of barrenness and comparative worthlessness,
until the splendid water-power caught the eye of the sagacious man-
ufacturer, when a change, rapid as wonderful, came over the scene:
the desert waste grew green, active, busy life dispelled the unpleas-
ant silence, and the solitary place forthwith resounded with the
cheerful rattle of machinery, the ring of the anvil, the vigorous
strokes of the artisan and mechanic, the whirl and bustle of trade,
and the constant rush of steadily augmenting throngs where once
the few hardy fishermen, along the falls, at the mouth of the Shaw-
sheen and the Spicket, captured the magnificent and delicious salmon,
the bony shad, and the slimy, squirming eel, a change is wrought,
sudden and complete. Monster factories, and a beautiful city of
elegant public buildings, handsome, convenient, and comfortable
dwellings, workshops, school-houses, and churches, a large, enter-
prising and industrious community, now adorn, enliven, and beautify
the place. As early as 1835, Hon. Josiah G. Abbott, and other
gentlemen interested in manufacturing, examined this water-power
with a view to the establishment of extensive works; but it was not
until ten years later that active and decisive steps were taken which
have resulted in the springing up, as if by a touch of the enchant-
er's wand, of this extensive manufacturing city.
About 1835, the enterprising people of Methuen discussed the
project of turning the Merrimack River into the Spicket, as there
was a fine fall of thirty feet on the latter stream, but an insuffi-
ciency of water for very extensive operations. Surveys were made
Potter's History of Manchester.
37
290
THE MERRIMACK RIVER ;
by Stephen Barker, and it was ascertained that the scheme was not
feasible. From that time, however, attention was directed to the
falls in the Merrimack, and in 1844, the proprietors of the land
and water power were incorporated as the Essex Company, capital,
one million dollars, and steps were at once taken for building up a
large manufacturing city. In 1845, the first boarding-house was
erected, and the construction of the dam begun the following year.
Same year the "Bay State," Atlantic, Cotton, and Union Mills,
also Bleachery and Dyeing Company. The total capital of these
corporations was four million five hundred thousand dollars. In
1852, the Pacific Mills Company was incorporated; capital, two
million five hundred thousand dollars. In 1853, the Lawrence
Duck; capital, one hundred and twenty thousand dollars; and
also, this year, the city of Lawrence was chartered, this name being
given it in compliment to Hon. Abbott Lawrence, who was heavily
engaged in manufacturing in New England, and who was for several
years envoy to England. In 1854, the Pemberton Mill was incor-
porated. This mill fell in 1859, and was rebuilt the same year;
capital, four hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Everett Mill, in-
corporated 1860; capital, eight hundred thousand dollars.
The name of the Bay State Company has been changed to Wash-
ington Mills; capital, one million six hundred and fifty thousand
dollars. The Arlington Woollen Mills Company was incorporated
in 1865; capital, two hundred thousand dollars. There are two
fine bridges at Lawrence, the railway and highway.
On the 10th of January, 1860, at a few minutes before five
o'clock, P. M., an appalling catastrophe occurred in this city. The
Pemberton Mill, in which were employed more than seven hundred
operatives, suddenly fell, burying all of them amid the wreck, and,
to add, if possible, to the consternation and horror of the scene, the
ruins took fire. About one hundred lost their lives, and it was esti-
mated that a majority of those in the mill were either killed, or
more or less severely injured, either by the fall or the fire. By the
census of 1865, the population of the city was twenty-one thousand
seven hundred and thirty-three. The fall at Lawrence is twenty-six
feet, and the fall in the river, from the dam to tide-water, eight
miles, is eight feet only.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
291
Around these falls the Agawams often congregated, and ranged
along the Merrimack to the sea. Fishing the numerous small
streams, which, rising in New Hampshire, sweep down through
Haverhill, Amesbury, Salisbury, and Seabrook, crowded with ale-
wives; then again, exploring the bays, inlets, and small rivers,
around the eastern shore, from Newburyport to Nahant; swarming
across the gentle hills and wooded plains, and swampy lowlands of
Essex, they lighted their camp-fires around interior ponds, well
stocked with pickerel. Here, with pomp, parade, and bright pros-
pects, went to reside the Princess of the House of Pennacook.
Winnepurket, often called George, Sachem of Saugus, sued for, and
received the hand of the daughter of Passaconnaway in marriage,
and soon after, on a nice point of barbarian punctilio, a fierce em-
broglio, involving the estrangement of the young couple, arose be-
tween father-in-law and son-in-law, which, only for the timely ad-
vent of the pale-faces, might have resulted in a rebellion, large
bounties, and an interminable firebrand or sapling dance.
"The
poet of the Merrimack" has chronicled this emeute in immortal
verse,* Winnepurket being characterized as "dog of the marshes,"
among other maledictions heaped upon his devoted head by his in-
censed and implacable father-in-law. Winnepurket married again,†
and at the close of Philip's war, he, together with several cargoes
of Indians, was sent to Barbadoes, and sold into slavery, a trans-
*"I bore her, as became a chieftain's daughter,
Up to her home beside the flowing water.
"If now, no more for her a mat is found,
Of all which line her father's wigwam round,
Let Pennacook call out his warrior train,
And send her back with wampum gifts again.
"Dog of the marsh!' cried Pennacook, 'no more
Shall child of mine sit on his wigwam floor.
Go! let him seek some meaner squaw to spread
The stolen bear-skin of his beggar's bed.
"Son of a fish hawk! let him dig his clams
For some vile daughter of the Agawams,
Or coward Nipmucks! May his scalp dry black
In Mohawk smoke, before I send her back.'”
+ This second wife bore the no doubt euphonious, but unpronounceable, name of Ahaway-
etsquaine.
292
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
•
action sternly rebuked by their more moral (?) descendants. He
finally returned, and died at the age of sixty-eight.
Soon after leaving Lawrence, the river shows the effect of tide-
water very distinctly, its current being less perceptible, moving as a
compact body rather than a collection of buoyant particles, sluggish
and darker than when rippling and bounding over its rocky and de-
scending bed. Notwithstanding the river has very nearly found its
final level, the banks are steep, almost to the ocean, and through
Haverhill and Bradford, which are separated by it, retire boldly to a
considerable height, affording building sites at once picturesque and
pleasant, rising one above another, like tiers of parquette boxes, giv-
ing to all an unobstructed view of the grand panorama of river and
landscape. Haverhill is thus laid out, a large, handsome, healthy
village. It was formerly called Pentucket, and was settled in the
year 1640, by William White, Samuel Gile, James Davis, Henry
Palmer, John Robinson, Christopher Massey, John Williams, Rich-
ard Littlehale, Abraham Tyler, Daniel Ladd, Joseph Merrie, and
Job Clement; the last four from Ipswich. It was the thirtieth town
settled within the present limits of Massachusetts, and was the forty-
ninth town settled in New England, and was the thirty-second incor-
porated town in the State.*
The deed of the town given by the Indians
the original instru-
ment is still in the possession of the town of Haverhill.
On the 5th of March, 1643, there was a severe shock of an earth-
quake experienced here, which alarmed all classes of people greatly,
but did no serious damage.
July 5th, of the same year, a very violent hurricane passed over
this section of country, prostrating multitudes of trees in this town,
and killing one Indian. In Newbury, it raised the church from its
foundation, and, though the people were assembled in it, no one, it
is believed, was injured.
Kenoza, or Pickerel Lake, is the largest body of water in Haver-
hill. Its area is three hundred acres, and its surface is one hundred
and fifty feet above the Merrimack. Great Hill, so called, is the
highest elevation of land in the town, and the second highest in
Essex County. It is situated a mile north of the above-named lake,
and is three hundred and forty feet above the sea.
* Palfrey.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
293
Little River, a lively but inconsiderable affluent of the Merrimack,
has its source in Plaistow, N. H., and effects a junction with the
Merrimack here. Hale's Flannel Mills are located on this stream,
as also numerous shops and mills of various kinds along the entire
course of the river and its tributaries.
Fishing River, so called from the quantities of alewives formerly
taken, is the principal tributary of Little River.
Meadow River, which also runs through Haverhill, rises in New-
ton, N. H., and drives many small mills, shops, etc.
There are two long bridges spanning the Merrimack, the Boston
and Maine Railroad bridge, and a toll bridge, which is the highway
between this town and Bradford.
Haverhill supports eleven churches, an excellent and flourishing
high school, and a very good library. Its town hall is a costly,
elegant, and convenient structure. There are nearly thirteen hun-
dred houses, and one hundred shoe manufactories, which is the prin-
cipal business of the place. The population is largely transient and
floating, varying as much as four thousand between high and low
tide of business.
"The view from Silver Hill is exceedingly beautiful. Before us,
and almost at our very feet, lies the pleasant village of Haverhill,
with its twelve hundred dwelling-houses, its one hundred shoe manu-
factories, and its eleven churches. Its natural situation is uncom-
monly fine. Built upon a gentle acclivity, the houses rise one above
another in such regular order that nearly every one can be counted.
The Merrimack, dotted here and there with a variety of craft, from
the light and trembling skiff to the heavy gondola, and the still more
imposing and majestic moving ocean craft, with their broad, white
sails and tall masts overshadowing the water, and, spanned with its
bridges, flows calmly at its base, not in straight, monotonous course,
but with a gentle meandering, of which the eye can never tire.
"Across the river are seen the smoothly rounded hills, the green
and fertile fields, and the pleasant villages of Bradford and Grove-
land. To the south rise the hills of Andover, with their wooded
slopes dotted here and there with neat, white farm-houses. A little
to the west, the tall spires, just peeping above the hills, point out the
whereabouts of the city which sprang into existence almost like Jo-
nah's gourd, — the city of Lawrence. A little farther still to the
•
294
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
west, and the same signs indicate the spot long ago settled by the
hardy sons of Haverhill, the village of Metheun. In the dim dis-
tance beyond, enveloped in misty blue, can be traced the outline of
Mount Wachusett. Still farther towards the west, as if it were not
well the eye should roam too far, the Scotland and West Meadow Hills
shut out the more distant view beyond, but not until we have caught
sight of the tall peak of the grand Monadnock. Sweeping towards
the north we have a view of the thrifty farms of the West Parish,
with the granite hills of New Hampshire in the background.
"To the north, the eye rests upon a fine succession of green fields
and wooded slopes, marking a section of the town which suffered the
most severely from the atrocities of the murderous savages. There
the brave and resolute Hannah Bradley was twice taken captive;
there the lion-hearted Hannah Dustin was captured, but not con-
quered, and there stands her monument; there the heroic Thomas
Dustin defied the murderous tomahawk to harm the humblest of his
little flock. There, too, upon that gentle slope, the brave Captain
Ayer and his little band boldly attacked the retreating foe upon the
memorable 29th of August, 1708. From this summit might have
been heard the warwhoop, and have been seen the gleaming toma-
hawk, in nearly every attack made upon the inhabitants of Haverhill
by the savages.
"The valley of the Little River, or Indian River as it was also
once called, of which the section just mentioned forms a part, is here
seen in all its beauty, as it stretches, with its charming succession of
hill and dale and meadow, from the Merrimack far back among the
granite hills of our sister State. This view alone is well worth a
visit to the broad summit of Silver Hill." *
Amesbury and Salisbury are so intimately and naturally connected,
so interwoven in business relations, that it is impossible to obtain ex-
actly and separately the business of each. They were originally one
town, and were settled by Simon Bradstreet, Daniel Dennison, and
others, to whom it was granted as a plantation, under the name of
Merrimack. The following year it was incorporated under the name
of Colchester, and in 1640, by direction of the General Court, it
took the name of Salisbury. In 1668, the town was divided by the
course of the Pow-Wow, the boundary between the towns, and the
*Chase's Haverhill.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
295
dissevered portion lying on the north side or left bank of the Merri-
mack took the name of Amesbury.
The Pow-Wow River, a considerable tributary of the Merrimack,
takes its rise in Kingston, N. H., and effects a junction with the
Merrimack in this town, and affords one of the best manufacturing
privileges to be found in the country. Like most other New England
streams, the first use made of this was for saw and grain mills, and
its usefulness was limited to these and kindred purposes. Nail and
iron works followed.
In the year 1812 the manufacture of cloth was begun, and the
first contract for clothing our troops in the war which began the
same year was filled by this mill. From that time to the present,
manufacturing has been steadily increasing, and it has reached a
magnitude not probably dreamed of by its original projectors.
Previous to the year 1854 there were two corporations, the Salis-
bury Mills and the Amesbury Flannel Mills. About that time these
were consolidated under the name of the Salisbury Manufacturing
Company. In 1856, the present company purchased all the prop-
erty and effects of this concern, and was incorporated by the name
of the Salisbury Mills Company, with a capital of seven hundred
and fifty thousand dollars, which has since been increased to one
million dollars.
This company has, at the present time, ten large woollen mills,
containing seventy-five sets of machinery, and two thousand cotton
spindles. These mills are located on the Pow-Wow, and obtain their ·
motive-power from a total aggregate fall of seventy-five feet, which
is wholly included within a distance of seventy rods. This company
own the entire privilege of this river, from its source in New Hamp-
shire to its confluence with the Merrimack, which occurs a half a
mile below the mills, and flows more than three thousand acres, af-
fording a never-failing reservoir. The water is used over five differ-
ent times, exclusive of the times which it is used in running three
saw and three grain mills, which the company own and operate.
Almost every variety and description of woollen fabrics are manu-
factured here, and the enormous quantity of more than seven and a
half miles in length of manufactured goods is produced daily,
business amounting to over three millions of dollars per annum.
There are five feet of tide-water, affording an easy, cheap, and con-
$
296
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
venient conveyance of heavy articles, such as machinery, coal, wool,
etc., to and from the mills. These mills use the almost fabulous
quantity of between four and five millions pounds of wool per annum.
Mr. Samuel H. Shepard, who has charge of the wool department,
met with a frightful accident and a very narrow escape from death,
in one of the large wool houses in Boston. He fell a distance, said
to be fifty-four feet, with no injury except a compound fracture of
one ankle.
John Gardner, Esq., is treasurer of this company, he having held
that position since 1856. The present agent, who has charge of
these extensive works, is M. D. F. Steere, who has occupied his
present position since the spring of 1858.
There is also a wool hat manufactory, with a capital of one hun-
dred and fifty thousand dollars, with three mills, each of which is a
complete factory of itself, taking the raw material and turning out
hats finished and trimmed, ready for retail. This company employs
two hundred and fifty hands, and the daily product is two hundred
and twenty-five dozen elegant hats. In addition to the foregoing,
there are other mills and works with a united capital of nearly two
hundred thousand dollars.
Carriage-making is carried on here to an extent exceeding any
other place in the State, in numbers and quality, and Amesbury ve-
hicles enjoy a high, extensive, and well-merited reputation. Ship-
building is also carried on, some half dozen, of various tonnage and
of superior material and model, being annually launched.
Pow-Wow Hill, an elevation of three hundred feet, is said to have
been the council-chamber of the aboriginal settlers, from whence
they could survey the surrounding country and gaze far out upon
the blue waste of waters.
In 1643, under a false construction of her boundary claim, Mas-
sachusetts seized upon Hampton, Exeter, Portsmouth, and Dover,
in New Hampshire, uniting with them the towns of Salisbury and
Haverhill, in Massachusetts, formed a new county, which was called
Norfolk, Salisbury being the shire town, which it continued to be
until 1679, when the boundary was readjusted, and the four towns
first named reverted to their original and rightful jurisdiction.
In August, 1737, commissioners appointed by the crown assembled
at Hampton Falls to settle the controversy. On this occasion, the
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
297
General Court of New Hampshire convened at Hampton, while Salis-
bury had the distinguished honor of being the place of meeting of
the great and General Court of Massachusetts.
As the Legislature of New Hampshire was to meet on the 4th
day of August at Hampton, that of Massachusetts adjourned at Bos-
ton to meet again on the 10th of the same month at Salisbury, the
adjoining town. Much preparation had been made in Boston for this
transient session of the portable "great and General Court," and
Gov. Belcher, in company with many dignitaries, rode in great pomp
and state, escorted by troopers and horsemen, to Newbury, from
whence he was. escorted by additional companies to the George Tav-
ern, at Hampton Falls, when, as it was long before the enlightened
age of Maine laws and State constables, it is very probable the gov-
ernor and his friend took something—to eat.
The governor and his cortége made up a brilliant pageant for that
age, much to the disgust of the admirers of official simplicity of man-
ners, and the show was lampooned severely. Here is a sample:
"Dear Paddy, you ne'er did behold such a sight,
As yesterday morning was seen before night.
You in all your born days saw, nor I didn't neither,
So many fine horses and men ride together.
At the head, the lower house rode two in a row,
Then all the higher house trotted after the low;
Then the governor's coach galloped on like the wind,
And the last that came foremost were troopers behind.
But I fear it means no good to your neck or mine,
For they say 'tis to fix a right place for the line.”
All this parade amounted to nothing, except it was to furnish a
"Court Record" item for the "Boston News Letter," thus:
"HAMPTON FALLS, in New Hampshire, Aug. 18.
"On Monday last, at eight o'clock in the morning, His Excellency, our Gov-
ernor, attended by several of His Majesty's Council and sundry other gentle-
men, set out for Londonderry, and on Monday night lodged at the house of
Robert Boyes, Esq., in that town. On Tuesday His Excellency went to
Amoskeag and returned in the evening to Mr. Boyes's, and yesterday came back
to this place in good health, having dined on his way hither with Mr. San-
born, of Kingston (the Representative from that town). His Excellency was
much pleased with the fine soil of Chester, the extraordinary improvements
at Derry, and the mighty falls at 'Skeag."
38
298
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
Salisbury beach is considered remarkably beautiful, and is much
frequented.
West Newbury was taken from the ancient town of Newbury in
1819. It is a good farming town on the south side of the Merrimack.
Marble and a variety of hornblende or amianthus, the finer varie-
ties of which have been manufactured into cloth which will not burn,
and a mineral sometimes called asbestos is quarried here. There are
also carriage manufactories, but the principal business is professional
farming, carried on by gentlemen of means, who realize twenty per
cent. of pleasure to one of profit. There is on the highway on the
Merrimack a bridge known as the "Chain Bridge."
"Ould Newberry," as it was anciently called, was settled in the
spring of 1635. It derives its name from Newbury, a town in
England; being so named by the wish of Rev. Thomas Parker, who
was the first minister, and who had formerly preached in Newbury,
England. The Indians called the place Quascacunquen, which sig-
nifies a "waterfall," — in this case the waterfall on Parker River.
There were ninety grantees of the town, most of whom, in a small
vessel, came round the coast, entered the Merrimack River, and
landed where the city of Newburyport now stands. The first white
child, Mary, daughter of Thomas Brown, was born in 1635. Joshua,
son of Edward Woodman, was born the same year. The first named
lived to the patriarchal age of eighty-one years.
In 1657, Thomas Macy was prosecuted for a violation of the law
against harboring or entertaining Quakers. It appears that, during
a violent shower of rain, several men sought shelter under his roof.
They were strangers to him, but two of them proved to be William
Robinson and Marmaduke Stephenson, who were afterwards hung in
Boston for the heinous crime of being Quakers. These gentlemen
inquired the way to Hampton, and in about three-fourths of an hour,
the storm abating, went their way. For this act of anti-Puritanic
hospitality, although he protested his entire ignorance of the persons
or their religious character, and offered a humble apology for the
grave (!) offence, Mr. Macy was fined thirty shillings. Being himself
a Christian gentleman of the practical type, he was disgusted with
the bigotry and intolerance exhibited, and, embarking his family and
effects in an open boat, "left the country," and went to the island
of Nantucket, where he passed the remainder of his days.
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
299
It may be gratifying to know that the statutes paid attention to
personal adornment, as well as the religious views of the community.
Thus, no person not possessed of the value of two hundred pounds
was permitted to wear silks, and many women were fined for a viola-
tion of this law. So the two-hundred pound ladies looked down
with commiseration, perhaps, on the poorer ones.
Newburyport, directly at the mouth of the Merrimack, is, proba-
bly, the smallest town in area in the United States, it being only
one mile square. It was formerly a part of Newbury, and was sep-
arated from that ancient town in 1764. Formerly the foreign trade
was extensively carried on, but has been impeded by the bar at the
mouth of the river. Still the town is extensively engaged in fish-
ing and freighting, besides some ship-building, cotton manufacturing,
and many other kinds of business.
Josiah Bartlett, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independ-
ence, born in Amesbury, died in this place May 19, 1795. George
Whitefield, one of the founders of Methodism, died in this town in
1770. He was born in Gloucester, England, December 16, 1714,
and the inscription on his cenotaph says: "In a ministry of thirty-
four years he preached more than eighteen thousand sermons, and
crossed the Atlantic thirteen times. As a soldier of the cross, hum-
ble, devout, ardent, he put on the whole armor of God, preferring
the honor of Christ to his own interest, repose, reputation, and life."
George was of humble and obscure origin, the first and the last, of
any note, who bore the name of Whitefield. He was a natural ora-
tor; and in him was concentrated that masterly and indefinable power
of eloquence which sways the emotions, directs and controls the
impulses, and captivates while it enlarges the mind and the heart.
Possessed of a gorgeous imagery, which afterwards made his sermons
so majestic, effective, and beautiful, he early looked to the stage,
which, however, was a sphere too limited for his masterly powers and
unbounded benevolence. His stage was to be the universe, his au-
dience a sinful world, his reward reclaiming and restoring fallen man
to Christ. He preached in New England to multitudes, who, spell-
bound, were moulded to his will by the irresistible power of persua-
sive and glowing eloquence. Whenever and wherever he preached,
shops were closed and secular business generally suspended; crowds
followed to listen with almost unseemly eagerness, and the masses,
300
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
enraptured by his fervid eloquence, were melted to tears by his sub-
lime pathos, or inspired with an ecstasy of hitherto unfelt and un-
known joy and peace and happiness, as he portrayed the munificence
of a Saviour's undying love. Like all illustrious and conspicuous
men, he had bitter and relentless enemies; such minds as prefer
lowering the angels to elevating or raising mortals up; but whether
eminent professors or others, the malignity of their enmity was in-
bred and not contagious, and the farthing rush they opposed to the
effulgence of this brilliant and blazing meteor was totally eclipsed
and consigned to oblivion by the inestimable superiority of his intel-
lectual power and Christian character; by the power and success
and magnitude of his religious efforts, and the unfading glory and
renown justly due and generously accorded to him, and his cherished
and revered memory, for the beneficent result of his sacrifices and
labors in the cause to which he devoted his matchless eloquence, his
best efforts, and even life itself.
Hon. Caleb Cushing was born at Salisbury, Mass., January 17,
1800; graduated at Harvard College in 1817; was elected to Con-
gress in 1835, where he served with distinguished honor for several
years. He was appointed to a seat in the cabinet of President Tyler,
but was rejected by the Senate, and in 1843 was appointed Commis-
sioner to China for the United States Government, being the first
minister sent to the Celestial Empire. He was brigadier-general in
the Mexican War, and was a member of President Pierce's cabinet,
discharging the duties of his position with consummate ability. On
entering the cabinet he resigned his position on the Supreme Bench.
As a debater he is considered to be without an equal in New Eng-
land. He is, personally, the most popular of men, and dispenses his
large means with a liberal hand.
There are many manufactories and mechanical works in Newbury-
port, some of them of considerable magnitude. Among these may
be mentioned the American Machine Company (paper collars), with
a capital of eighty-two thousand dollars; Globe Steam Mills (print
cloths), capital, two hundred thousand dollars; James Steam Mills
(sheeting and shirting), capital, two hundred and fifty thousand dol-
lars; Merrimack Arms Manufacturing Company (rifles, guns, and
pistols), capital, two hundred thousand dollars; Ocean Steam Mills
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
301
(print cloths and sheetings), capital, three hundred and sixty thou-
sand dollars; and various other establishments.
"Plum Island, at the mouth of this river (Merrimack), to whose
formation, perhaps, these very banks have sent their contribution, is
a similar desert of drifting sand, of various colors, blown into grace-
ful curves by the wind. It is a mere sand-bar exposed, stretching
nine miles parallel to the coast, and, exclusive of the marsh on the
inside, rarely more than half a mile wide. There are but half a
dozen houses on it, and it is almost without a tree or a sod, or any
green thing with which a countryman is familiar. The thin vegeta-
tion stands half buried in the sand as in drifting snow.
The only
shrub, the beach plum, which gives the island its name, grows but a
few feet high; but this is so abundant that parties of a hundred at
once come from the main land and down the Merrimack, in Septem-
ber, and pitch their tents, and gather the plums, which are good to
eat raw and to preserve. The graceful and delicate beach pea, too,
grows abundantly amid the sand; and several strange, moss-like,
and succulent plants. The island for its whole length is scalloped
into low hills, not more than twenty feet high, by the wind, and,
excepting a faint trail on the edge of the marsh, is as trackless as
Sahara. There are dreary bluffs of sand and valleys ploughed by the
wind, where you might expect to discover the bones of a caravan.
Schooners come from Boston to load with the sand for masons' uses,
and in a few hours the wind obliterates all traces of their work.
Yet you have only to dig a foot or two anywhere to come to fresh
water; and you are surprised to learn that woodchucks abound here,
and foxes are found, though you see not where they can burrow or
hide themselves. I have walked down the whole length of its broad
beach at low tide, at which time alone you can find a firm ground to
walk on, and probably Massachusetts does not furnish a more grand
and dreary walk. On the sea-side there are only a distant sail and
a few coots to break the grand monotony. A solitary stake stuck
up, or a sharper sand-hill than usual, is remarkable as a landmark for
miles, while for music you hear only the ceaseless sound of the surf,
and the dreary peep of the beach-birds.” *
It lies on
The settlement of Seabrook was commenced in 1638.
the north side of Newburyport Bay, opposite the mouth of the Mer-
*Thoreau's "Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers."
302
THE MERRIMACK RIVER ;
""
rimack River, in the extreme south-eastern angle of New Hampshire.
A portion of its present limits was formerly in Massachusetts, but
was restored to the rightful jurisdiction of New Hampshire by the
adjustment of the boundary line between the States, which occurred
in 1741. The former line, from the "Bound Rock" at the mouth
of the river,
-on which can still be traced the inscription, "A. D.,
1657, H. B., can yet be traced to a rock near the brick school-
house, marked "B. T." Seabrook was granted, June 3d, 1768, to
Jonathan Weare and others. The Weare family have been among
the most able and prominent of the early settlers of New Hampshire.
Nathaniel Weare was an agent for the colonies, and was in England
much of the time, urging attention to the complaints of the colonies
against Edward Cranfield, the royal Governor. Nathaniel Weare,
Jr., was much in public life, and was familiar with and skilled in the
transaction of public business. Meshech Weare, son of the latter,
was also a resident of this town, and was at one time President of
New Hampshire, and was a prominent character as well as one of the
ablest men of his time. Among the early settlers were the Felches,
Christopher Hersey, Joseph Dow, Thomas Philbrick, and the Goves.
These names are still familiar wherever there is a society of Friends
in New Hampshire. Edward Gove was always bitterly opposed to
the arbitrary and tyrannical policy of England. He was arrested,
tried, and convicted of high treason, and was a prisoner in the, tower
of London for three years, when he was released and returned to his
friends. The following is a copy of his pardon:
"JAMES R. Where as Edward Gove was neare three years since appre-
hended, tryed & condemned for High Treason in our Colony of New England
in America, and in June, 1683, was committed prisoner to the Tower of Lon-
don, we have thought fit hereby to signify our Will and Pleasure to you that
you cause him, the said Edward Gove, to be inserted in the next general
pardon that shall come out for the poor Convicts of Newgate without any
condition of transportation, he giving such security for his good behavior as
you will think requisite. And for so doing this shall be your warrant.
"Given at our Court at Windsor the 14th day of September, 1685, in the first
year of our reign. By his Mag. his command. Sunderland. To our trusty
and wellbeloved the Recorder of our Citty of London and all others whom it
may concern. Edward Gove to be inserted in ye General Pardon.”
There is a letter still extant, written to him at this period by his
daughter Hannah and her husband, Abraham Clements, the
super-
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
303
scription being as follows: "For my honored father Edward Gove.
In the tower or elsewhere I pray you deliver with care." The letter
bears date as follows: "From Hampton the 31 of ye first month,
1686." The Quaker sect was powerful both in the number and
character of its members, and a society was formed as early as 1701,
undoubtedly the pioneer of this creed in New Hampshire, as an or-
ganized and healthy society, and the descendants of the members of
it having emigrated to other towns became the nucleus or prominent
support of other societies, and their names reappear, as the Felches
of Tamworth, the Goves of Weare, etc. The first Presbyterian So-
ciety was organized in 1764. Seabrook was formed of the territory
reclaimed from Massachusetts and a portion of old Hampton, and
derived its name from having the sea on one side, into which it dis-
charges numerous large brooks. The building of whale and other
boats is more extensively carried on than in any other town in the
State. Dearborn Academy was founded in 1851, and a substantial
brick edifice was erected two years later. An endowment of fifteen
thousand dollars was made by the late Dr. Edward Dearborn, an
eminent physician and distinguished citizen. [He also left a fund of
four thousand dollars, the proceeds of which are "to be applied to the
support of the gospel forever in this place."] It has a pleasant and
salubrious situation in the village, commanding extensive views of
neighboring villages, distant mountains, and the "deep blue sea."
The early settlers of this, as most other towns, suffered much from
the depredations of Indians, and on one occasion a band, numbering
thirty-two, by the count of a Mr. Gove, who watched them as they
crawled on their hands and knees from the swamp, visited the town,
and first killed a widow Henry, beating out her brains with toma-
hawks. She was much lamented by the society of Friends, she being
one of their most effective preachers. An earthen vessel, she was
carrying at the time she was attacked and killed, is still in the pos-
session of Jonathan Gove. Thomas Lancaster, who was on his way
to mill, was the next person killed. Jonathan Green was next
killed, being bruised and beaten in a cruel and horrible manner. A
small child was next seized, and its head mangled by striking it
against a plough. They then entered the house of Nicholas Bond,
killed and scalped him, and, having perpetrated all the mischief
they could without too much exposure, made their escape.
•
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THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
Seabrook is considered a valuable farming town, is under a high
state of cultivation, has extensive salt marshes, large forests of pine
wood and timber, and the Eastern Railroad passes nearly through
the centre of the town, affording easy and rapid communication with
Boston, as well as the north and east. It joins Salisbury on the east,
and is a near neighbor to Newburyport.
It will be seen that the Merrimack River has its source in the
Willey and neighboring mountains of the majestic group of crystal
or white hills in the great ungranted territory of northern New
Hampshire, at an altitude of some six thousand feet above the
ocean, in the heart of a region so wild and extensive as to be but
little known; that it pursues a south-westerly course for the first
forty or fifty miles, then south, through the State, thence east to the
ocean; that it is some two hundred and sixty miles in length by its
course; that its tributaries number twenty-five respectable rivers,
and smaller streams innumerable; that all of these of any conse-
quence, except the Winnepesaukee and the Suncook, flow to it from
the west, north, or south-west, and all of them except the Concord
have their course, wholly or in part, through New Hampshire. It
will also be observed that the incorporated capital invested in manu-
facturing amounts in round numbers to forty million dollars, besides
an investment in mills and mechanical works, not incorporated, esti-
mated at one-half as much more, exclusive of the wealth collected and
accumulated, represented by property entirely disconnected with and
independent of these interests although to a great extent created by
them, the improvements, and the vastly increased value of every
species of property throughout its whole course; while almost
wholly by reason of the facilities afforded for manufacturing by the
unequalled water-power of the Merrimack, the population along the
river has increased from a few slender and scattered hamlets to more
than two hundred thousand souls. On the Merrimack River proper
there are five heavy, substantial, and expensive dams, and some twenty-
five railway and highway bridges. The figures already given will
exhibit something of the incredible amount of manufacturing busi-
ness done on the Merrimack and will, with what has been described
as its collateral or undeveloped capacity, give a more definite idea
of the hydraulic power of that stream than has heretofore been gen-
erally prevalent. More than three-fourths of the population and
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
305
wealth of the Merrimack is without doubt due solely to the many
unequalled water-powers along the course of that stream. The mag-
nitude, complication, and elaboration of the manufacturing business
on the Merrimack would astound and bewilder those unacquainted
with the production of textile fabrics on a large scale. The most
eminent hydraulic engineers in the land have disclosed the superi-
ority of mind over matter, in capturing the resistless current of this
magnificent river and impressing it at pleasure into the service of
civilization and the useful arts. The existence of the splendid
system of waterfalls, such as this alone, of all the streams in the
land, can boast, has cited around them 'mechanics, artisans, and
operatives of every degree of skill and ability, and the result is seen
in the steady and successful operation of more than one hundred
monster cotton and woollen mills, whose massive walls, towering on
the "air line" towards the clouds, enclose gems of humanity as
well as of intricate, delicate, and almost intelligent machinery; in
the numerous machanic shops the ring and pleasant hum of which is
the cheerful and melodious diapason of prosperity; in the springing
up with unparalleled rapidity of fine towns and beautiful cities
thronged with industrious and intelligent populations. Anterior to
the manufacturing epoch it has been seen that though the Merrimack
River was the same lovely stream of bright, sparkling water, and
contained the same noble falls, and was surrounded with a popula-
tion sturdy and indomitable, which, sparse and devoted to the pleasant
and profitable pursuits of peace as it was, yet contributed its full share
to the independence, intellect, and character of the nation. Looking
still further back, to the aboriginal period, the Merrimack and the
territory which it drains is replete with interest, different in kind to
be sure, but equal and in some respects surpassing that which invests
it now, and while we condemn the cruelties practised towards the red
man and by him, and the wrong and injustice perpetrated upon him
in the name of civilization and under the sometimes pliant banner
of Christianity, it may be proper even in the plentitude of intelli-
gence, enlightenment, and power, to bestow some thought on his
checkered history that we may profit by his example and if possible
avoid his follies, his misfortunes, and his deplorable fate. It has
been said that the result of the practical operation of what is not
inaptly called the philosophy of fate is in direct inverse ratio to
1
39
306
THE MERRIMACK RIVER;
rational probabilities; thus, a man may fail to obtain that which he
merits, while another may fail to merit that which he obtains; and
so also with a community, intelligence may be its corner-stone, good
government, the arts and sciences, industry and thrift may give the
structure strength, beauty, and durability, power may be the key-
stone, and apparent permanence one of its chief elements; but who
shall say when a race, mentally, morally, or physically superior
shall appear, and prostrating all these emblems of stability, might,
and perpetuity, effect a change as radical and complete, perhaps as
beneficent, as that which has occurred in the comparatively brief
period of two hundred years past. But though races of men may
flourish for a season and disappear, others more or less worthy assum-
ing their places in turn, the Merrimack River and its grand sur-
roundings can never be involved in these vicissitudes. The grand
convocation of majestic mountains which surround its source are the
fitting emblems of eternal duration and nothing but such terrific
convulsions of nature as would produce a universal chaos could
move them from their firm bases, or mar the unequalled natural
beauty of their scenery, or destroy the wonderful features which give
them a world-wide fame. The Merrimack itself, enduring as these
crystal hills which give it birth, will also, through all the changing
scenes of this world, still roll on, a feature of great beauty to the
land, and a source of perpetual and untold wealth, convenience, and
usefulness to the people. The Merrimack River will go on forever,
leaping from the great mountains, where it has its origin, in spark-
ling cascades, meandering through long, shaded avenues of perennial
forests, winding its tortuous course around the bases of eternal hills,
a robust, rapid river; fretting its banks through extensive sections
of cleared and cultivated fields, and rich alluvial intervals, tumbling
over grand falls with a mighty roar, and sweeping through the low-
lands until in the bosom of the great deep it finds repose. In ages
yet to come, when other hands shall direct its power in the artificial
channels of usefulness to mankind, other eyes shall see its marvellous
beauty, and other tongues relate its story. In another age new
and improved monuments may be reared, still testifying to its service
and its power, long after the chains which now bind it to the wheels
of monster cotton mills are rusted and decayed and become relics
of the past, or the antiquarian may rescue from the debris of its
ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
307
present glory vestiges of the history of its former, but fallen, gran-
deur.
"By thirty hills I hurry down,
Or slip between the ridges,
By twenty thorps, a little town
And half a hundred bridges -
-
and thus singing as it rolls along Tennyson's beautiful song of
the brook,- by the eventful history of this most historic place,
and the mystery which still surrounds an aboriginal and most
mysterious race, "now gone, all gone," - by the decline and fall of a
wilderness empire and its reoccupation by another race and color
which, under the ample folds of the broad, bright banner of civiliza-.
tion, has uprooted Paganism, and disseminated a progressive en-
lightened and Christian faith,—by the going and the coming of races
of men which it has witnessed, the Merrimack gives peculiar em-
phasis and force to the declaration,
"For men may come and men may go,
But I go on forever."



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THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
DATE DUE

NOV 11 19790
NOV 04137
SEP 2 1 1980

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