Wayside jottings

Preface

The reason for the writing and publication of The Wayside Jottings may be told in a few words. I had been reading Charles W. Brewster's "Rambles About Portsmouth," published first in the Portsmouth Journal, of which he was the editor, and repubUshed in a book form. The thought occurred to me that a series of local sketches of Concord and its suburbs might be of interest. I had been a resident of Concord for about fifty years, and during that time had taken a good many rambles around the old town. I was also somewhat familiar with its history.

Accordingly I began this series of local sketches in the Concord Evening Monitor in the fall of 1907, and continued the writing of them till the spring of 1909. Some of the miscellaneous sketches were published in the Concord Daily Patriot, till thirty-five of them have appeared from time to time in these local newspapers. I have been interested in writing them and their publication in book form has been a labor of love, as whatever returns are received over and above the cost of publication will be devoted for the benefit of my three grandchildren, whose names appear in the dedication.

I am under especial obligations to some of the older residents of Concord for their appreciation of the "Jottings" and for their testimonials as to its vi Preface

merits, which were of material assistance in securing advance subscriptions enough to defray the cost of publication.

I am also indebted to Henry McFarland, the author of the interesting volume, "Sixty Years in Concord and Elsewhere," for advice, and who kindly offered to make any needed corrections in the copy. I got a good deal of historical information from Dr. Nathaniel Bouton 's ' ' History of Concord," and also from the "New History of Concord," compiled by the History Commission.

I hope that the readers of this volume will be interested in its perusal and will agree with the opinion of Arthur H. Chase, librarian of the state library, as given in his testimonial : ' ' The state library has subscribed for The Wayside Jottings because it believes the series of local sketches to be of important and reference value. ' '

HOWARD M. COOK.

NOTES

The author of these local sketches has endeavored to be accurate in all the statements in the book. But the reader may get the impression, in the reference to Count Rumford, that he founded the Rolfe and Rumford Asylum. It was founded by his daughter, the Countess of Rumford, though with the bequest left her by her father, and the accumulations of interest on it.

Since writing these sketches, Mr. Giles Wheeler has caused to be erected, on or near the site ot the mill or torge on the Iron Works Road, a suitable tablet to mark the spot. He states that parties came from Vermont to have a mill crank made, and it was carried this long distance, in those days, to its destination.

The author is greatly indebted to Henry H. Metcalf, Esq., for the use of some of the halftone illustrations in the Granite Monthly, for October, and also in his publication, " The City Beautiful." It is a gem in its way, as all who have read it will testify. Also to Hon. B. A. Kimball for some Illustrations in the History of Concord.

While the author launches his Httle craft on the literary sea, and expects it to receive its share of criticism, he hopes that its readers will

Be to its virtues very kind.

And to its faults a little blind.

Please take into consideration the object of its publication, which is for the benefit ot my three orphan grandchildren.

I

First ramble about Concord commences at the corner of South Main and Pleasant Streets. — Pleasant Street to South Street. — Through this street to Broadway and Rollins' Park.

Rollins' Park to Wheeler's Corner, through South Street to Bow Mills.— Turkey River.— Nathaniel H. Carter's tribute to it. — His poem, "To My Native Stream."

III

Bow Mills to "Portsmouth" bridge.— Whittier's tribute to the Merrimack in his poem, "Our River."— Through Hall Street to the old Rolfe mansion. — The home of Benjamin Thompson, afterwards known as Count Rumf ord.

IV

Butters' Tavern, an old-time hostlery. — Ramble along the west side of South Main Street. — The old residents on the line of this street of fifty or more years ago. — Arrival at the starting point of our first ramble.

V

Plan of Main Street as it appeared in 1827. — Main Street formally laid out in 1785. — Pleasant viii Contents

Street formerly known as the "Hopkinton Road." — The visit of George Thompson and John G. Whittier to town in 1835. — Their mobbing. — ''Pleasant View," the home at this time of Mary- Baker G. Eddy.

VI

Garrisons built in the town of Rumford in 1733- '46. — Number 4 garrison located on the line of Pleasant Street at Millville. — The sites of six other garrisons.

VII

The Rumford massacre on the "Hopkinton Road" in 1746. — The dedication of the Bradley monument in 1837. — St. Paul's School and the first rector, Dr. Henry E. Coit.

VIII

Changes in North Main Street in fifty years. — The conflagration of August, 1851. — The remodeled court house. — The site of the first log meeting house. — The North Church. — Dr. Nathaniel Bouton, its fourth pastor. — The destruction by fire of the "Old North" Church in 1870.

IX

The Old North Cemetery. — Site selected in 1730. — Blossom Hill Cemetery. — Consecrated July 13, 1870. — Exercises at the consecration.

X

East side of South Main Street. — The change in its appearance in fifty years. — Some of the old residents.

Contents ir

XI

The first religious service in Concord Sunday, May 15, 1726. — The battle between the Penacooks and Mohawks on "Sugar Ball" bluff.— The East Concord Congregational Church. — Sewall's Falls. — Great expectations of East Concord as a manufacturing center. — "Elmcroft" built in 1755.

Penacook. — The ' ' Burrough. ' ' — Joseph Walker the first settler. — The first woolen mill built by Richard Kimball and Jeremiah Abbott.

XV

Two hundred and fifty men enlisted in the Civil War from Penacook. — The death of Maj. William Brown at Fort Steadman, Va. — The Baptist Church dedicated in 1858. — The Penacook House built in 1787. — The Bonney brothers. — Dustin's Island. — Dedication of the monument to Hannah Dustin June 17, 1874.

X Contents

Bow, one of the hill towns of Merrimack County. —''Meeting-House Hill."— Wood Hill and the Old Home Day celebration held in Hammond's grove on its summit.

XXI

On the road to Dunbarton. — The Oliver Bailey farm. — The birthplace of Henry M. Putney. — Dunbarton Center, "a city set on a hill." — The old town house. — Some teachers in the old-time schools.

Contents xi

A trip to Manchester on the electrics. — Pembroke Street. — Pembroke granted to the heirs of the survivors of the Lovewell expedition. — The Blanchard Academy and the gymnasium.

XXXII

Rev. Abraham Burnham, an old-time minister of Pembroke. — Reminiscences of him by a student at Blanchard Academy. Hooksett and its odd name. — Bonney's tavern. — Down the turnpike to Manchester. — The new North End in the Queen City.

The "Plains." — Formerly a gi'eat place for forest fires. — The Merrimack Agricultural Society fair ground. — The "glacial epoch." — The campground of the State Guard.