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PROCEEDINGS AT TH E
OF THE
NEW HAMPSHIRE,
^EPTEMBKR 1 2TH, 1867.

1868,

THE

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

TOWN OF CAMPTON, N. H.,

Seftembeb I3th, 1867.

CONCOED :
A. G. JONES, PEINTEK, - EXCHANGE BUILDING,
1868.

CAMPTON CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.

At the Annual Town Meeting, held in March, 1867, the town of Campton
passed the following vote :
" That a Committee of six he chosen to raate arrangements for cele
brating the One Hundredth Anniversary of the aettlemeut of the town."
In accordance with the above vote, the foUowing gentlemen were chosen
as said Committee :

Amos Flint,
David Baktlett,
Erastub Dole,

Stephen Aveet, Jr.,
Thomas S. Pulsipee,
John F. Morton.

The said Committee of Arrangements subsequently took measures to
carry into effect the wishes of the town, as follows :
The 12th of September, 1867, was selected as the day for the Cel
ebration. An invitation was extended to the Eev. Isaac Willet of Pembroke, a
native of the town, to deliver a Historical Address. Mr. Charles Cdt-
TER was requested to examine the town records, to aid in procuring ma
terial for such address.
The following gentlemen were chosen to act as officers on the occasion
of the celebration : PRESIDENT OP THE DAY.
TOLMAN WILIiEY, ESQ., of Boston.

VICE PRESIDENTS.

Hon. E. C. Baker, Boston,
JACOB Gidding, Esq., Portland,
Sylvester Marsh, Littleton,
Eev, Austin Willey, California,
B, r. Palmer, LL. D., Philadelphia,
Gen, Moses Cook, Laconia,
Moses Bartlett, Illinois,
Epheaim Cook, Wentworth,

John Cook, Campton,
Samuel Cook,
Jacob Avery,
David Bartlett,
Samuel Moulton, '
S4SIUEL Keniston, '
Enoch Taylor,
P, C, Blaisdell,

IV. CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
DiODATE Willey, Campton, Daniel Avery, Esq., Campton,
Moses Blaisdell, " Charles Stickney, "
Edmund Durgin, " James Bueeeck, "
John Pulsdfer, " Eobert Smith, "
Jacob Adams, " William Southmayd. "

To Bead Charter of the Town.— TS.^^nY W. Blair, Plymouth.
Toas^-Jlfasier.— Charles Cutter, Campton.
Chief MarsftaJ.— Joseph Cook, Campton.
The grounds adjoining the Town House were selected for the place of
the Celebration, and upon these were erected a stand and seats for the
speakers and audience upon the one side, and a spacious booth for the
dinner tables upon the other.
The citizens throughout the town were invited to furnish the tables with
a supply of provisions sufficient for the expected multitude.
The absent sons and daughters of Campton, far and near, were invited to
return home and participate in the exercises of the occasion.
The Plymouth Band was engaged to furnish music.

EXERCISES OF THE MORNING.

The twelfbh of September was ushered in by a bright and
beautiful morning, the commencement of an auspicious
day. At an early hour a large gathering of the people of
the town and others from abroad, assembled in the neigh
borhood of the Congregational Meeting House, and were
there formed into a procession by the Chief Marshal and
his Assistants.
After a series of marching and countermarching to the
music of the Band, the procession was led to the Town
House, and thereupon the officers of the day and speak
ers were invited to the stand and the audience seated be
fore them.
The Exercises were opened by an appropriate prayer by
the Rev. Daniel Pulsifer of Danbury.
Then followed an Address of Welcome to such of the
emigrant sons and daughters of Campton as had re
turned home for the occasion, by Rev. Quincy Blakely.
Original Hymn sung by the Choir.
Historical Address by Rev. Isaac Willey.
Original Hymn sung by the Choir.
These Exercises concluded, a recess of one hour was
declared and aU present were invited to repair to the ta
bles and share in the abundant collation with which the
good citizens of the town had loaded them to repletion.
There was no hesitation to comply with this invitation,
and ample justice was done to the hospitality which had
provided the feast. This interesting and satisfactory part
of the proceedings being over the seats were again occu
pied, and then commenced the

Centennial Celebration.
EXERCISES or THE AFTERNOON.

The President on resuming the chair entertained the
audience with an eloquent and extended address of more
than an hour, passing in review the character of the early
settlers of New England and enlarging upon what they
had accomplished, giving sketches of some of the promi
nent early residents of Campton, reminiscences of his
boyhood, anecdotes, &c. It is regreted that a sketch of
his remarks could not be furnished for publication.
Next in order came the toasts as given bj' the Toast-
master, intervals between which were enlivened with mu
sic by the Band.
1. The Clergymen of Campton.
Responded to by Rev. Daniel Pulsifee of Danbury.
2. The Common Schools of Campton.
Responded to by William C. Blaie, Esq., of Laconia.
3. The Sunday Schools of Campton.
Responded to by Rev. Walter Chase of Woodstock.
4. " How dear to my heart are the scenes ofmv child
hood." Responded to by Rev. French Smith of Thornton.
5. The Emigrant- Sons and Daughters of Campton.
Responded to by Davis Baker of Washington city.
This gentleman's remarks having been unpremeditated, a
sketch has not been obtained for publication.
6. The Soldiers of the Union.
Responded to by Henry W. Blair, Esq., of Plymouth
At this point the lateness of the hour precluded the
introduction of other exercises, and the meeting was
brought to a close, ''
Letters were received from the following gentlemen
natives or former residents of Campton : '
From the Rev. Dr. Stone of Concord.
From the Rev. Austin Willey of California.

Address of Welcome. 7
From Hon. E. C. Baker of Boston.
From B. Frank Palmer, LL. D., Philadelphia.
From S. D. Bakee, Esq.
Poem by B. Feank Palmer, LL. D., Philadelphia.
A specimen of old fashioned horseback riding was dis
played before the company. A couple came along riding
double, one upon the pillion, as our fathers and mothers
came through the woods to their home in this place.
Several articles of antiquity were exhibited! Among
them was a mortar in which, before mills were erect
ed, the corn was pounded for bread ; and there might
have been presented a powder-horn beautifully carved,
with appropriate inscriptions by Benjamin Bakee, when
in the Revolutionary army.

WELCOME.

BY EEV. QUINCY BLAKELY.

Absent Sons ajnd Daughters of Campton here retrtmed %
The Committee of Arrangements have assigned to me
the pleasing duty of welcoming you home on this occa.
sion. The aet of incorporation of this town dates back a hun-
6red years. You did well to accept the cordial invitation
of your brothers and sisters at the old homestead and
come home to-day to assist in the proper celebration of
this hundredth anniversary. It is well to pause, occa
sionally, — once in a century at least, — in the onward
march of events and erect a monument which shall per-

8 Address of Welcome.
petuate a knowledge of our deeds to future generations.
A hundred years ago our fathers settled in this wilderness
wild. The same sky is indeed over our heads, the same
soil is beneath our feet, but all else, how changed ! Our
Fathers, where are they? Not one remains. But a num
erous progeny are here, with pleasant memories of the
past, and grateful to those who have gone before for the
rich legacies they bequeathed to them ; and grateful ought
we to be to Almighty God for his providential care and
abounding goodness unto us.
Actuated, perhaps, bj' a desire to see more of the world
or to better your condition, you went out from us ; but,
as your presence here to-day plainly indicates, you have
not ceased to be interested in the welfare of your native
town. We who have remained by the dear old mother
have endeavored to do our work well. The forests have
given way before the woodman's axe, the hills and valleys
have been subdued and cultivated, as you might infer from
the appearance of yonder table ; the thump of the carpen
ter's tools, the ring of the anvil, and the rattle of the
loom and spindle are still heard within our borders. A
school-house is found in every district, and not a person
can be found in town, between the ages of fourteen and
twenty-one who cannot read and write. Churches have
been erected, within which may be found worshippers of
the one living and true God, and where may be heard the
" Glorious Gospel of the blessed God," from Sabbath to
Sabbath. We are on the whole a prosperous people. We
have married and given in marriage and unto us children
have been borh. When the natural increase of populatioil
has not been sufficient to fill the vacancies occasioned by
emigration and death, there has been found enterprise
sufficient to induce men and women from other places to
come and settle among us, and the adopted children are
not ashamed of the bom native.

Original Hymn. 9
This, to us, is a day of great rejoicing. If we should
seem to you a little too hilarious and jovial, remember it
is a high day, and a part of the exuberance of our joy
arises from the privilege of welcoming you home.
Without wearying you with the formalities of a wel
come, in the name and in behalf of the Committee of the
citizens of Campton, I bid you a hearty and cordial wel
come. Welcome to the festivities of this occasion. Wel
come to our homes and to all the enjoyments thereof.

ORIGINAL HYMN.

O God, to Thee our voices raise.
The song of glory and of praise,
Our fathers worshipped at Thy throne,
Their children bow to Thee alone.
We thank Thee for Thy goodness shown
In former years which long have flown,
In name of those who gave us birth
We thank the Lord of Heaven and earth.
Thy heart, so kind in days of yore
Still gives, as freely as before,
Where'er we live, where'er we roam
Thy hand protects our native home.
God of our Fathers, now to Thee
Let all the praise and glory be.
In Thee, we've found all good before,
In Thee, we'll trust forever more. 1*

10 Centennial Celebration.
THE EARLY HISTORY OP CAMPTON.

BY EEV. ISAAC WILLEY.

Fellow Town' s-people :
There is a sentiment in the human mind which readily
answers to such a call as you have extended to your ab
sent children, — a call to gather with you to the graves of
our fathers and recount, as far as we may be able, the
events of their lives. More than three generations have
owned and occupied the territory of this town. Here
they have passed their lives, — cultivated these farms, se
cured the means of living, and served their generation.
Here they have endured their trials, many and severe.
Here they worshipped and trusted the God of their
fathers, and from these dwellings have many gone up to
be joined with the ransomed of the Lord.
A goodly number from abroad whose bones and mus
cles grew to strength on these hills and who had here
their early training, have come home on this occasion.
Others would if they could. But from their distant dwell
ings in the South, in the West and on the shores of the
Pacific, they will to-day think of us and talk of us and
the exclamation will be heard in many a family, " How I
should like to be in old Campton to-day !"
We are all happy in meeting so many fathers and
mothers and children of the place. We thank the citi
zens of the town for the happy arrangements for this oc
casion. Whether or not departed spirits are conversant
with passing scenes among men, it is quite certain that
they are conscious beings, and they who have gone from
this place must remember the events which we this day
commemorate.

Condition of the Country. — French War. 11
CONDmON OF THE COUNTRY WHEN THE TOWN BEGAN TO
BE SETTLED.
To-day our minds are thrown back upon the past. One
hundred years ago, and what was the condition of this
town, and the regions adjacent ? A continuous wilderness,
with the exception of some small openings. A few families
had come into this town, a few into Plymouth, Hebron,
Rumney, Sandwich, Holderness and Bridgewater. But to
the north no opening had been made for civilized men
this side of Canada, except for thi-ee families who had
gone fifty mUes into the wUderness to commence a settle
ment in what is now Lancaster, in Coos county. But in
the southern portion of the State, it is well known that
the towns were settled more than one hundred years ear
lier than in the interior and northern portions. The best
lands, the rich intervales, the most valuable timber re
mained untouched for more than one hundred years, while
the people in the lower towns secured but narrow means
of subsistence upon their worn out farms. This you may
take as an indication of want of enterprise. But we shall
soon see how their enterprise was developed under other
circumstances. THE FRENCH WAE.
You must know that during a large portion of our
colonial history, the wUdemess was ranged by powerful
tribes of Indians who were naturally inimical to those
who came to possess their lands, and who were known to
have been instigated to deeds of cruelty by the French
Jesuits in Canada. Until 1760, Canada was a province
of France. The French had also possessions in the South,
so had Spain, and the people were Roman Catholics.
There was a design, as there is reason to believe, on the
part of the people of that faith, to unite Canada and

12 Centennial Celebration.
Louisiana and other countries at the South by a chain of
fortiflcations along the Mississippi, the Ohio and the
great Lakes, so as to shut up the English possessions and
protestantism within narrow limits and secure the vast
regions beyond. TMs gave rise to the French war in
1755. A war in which the English Colonies took an ac
tive part, and the result of which disappointed all the
plans for the extensions of the power of France on this
continent. Little could have been seen at that time of
the vast consequences which were to result to the world
from the valor of Wolfe and of his army in the battle up
on the plains of Abraham. Not the city of Quebec only
but the province came into the possession of Great Brit
tain. Had that battle terminated differently, had there
been less valor in those soldiers, less heroism in their com
mander, what a different chain of events must have fol
lowed ! As it respects these colonies, the Indians had
then none to incite them to deeds of cruelty. They were
also impressed with the growing strength of the colonies,
and ceased their hostilities.
* EAELY SETTLEMENTS.
The people might now venture into the vast forests of New
England. In their various excursions against the Indians,
they had made themselves acquainted with the country
and knew where the best lands were to be found. The
governor of this State at that time was disposed to en
courage immigration, if for no other reason than the per
quisites which he received. In consideration of a large
ox, driven from Hampton to Governor Wentworth at
Portsmouth, we are told that the territory now making up
New Hampton and Center Harbor was granted. A
fact which shows the energy of the people of our State at
this time and relieves them from any just imputation of a

Clearing the Land. — Charter of the Town. 13
lack of it, is that in fully one-third of the towns of this
State, settlements were commenced within ten years after
the close of the French war.
In these openings which they had made in the forest,
you would have discovered a small new house and the be
ginning of a family of ten or twelve children. Roads
would be seen to be marked out, bridges and mills begin
ning to be buUt in places where in a few years there would
be a well regulated and comfortable community. When
John Mann and his wife came from Hebron in Connecti
cut, to Orford in this State, in October, 1765, there was
no road from Charlestown but a horse track, for fifty
miles. He said that at that time there were but two
openings in Claremont, one in Cornish, one in Plainfield,
three in Lebanon, one in Hanover, and three in Lyme.
CLEAEING THE LAND.
Could you have looked from the top of the hills, or
have been so elevated in a balloon as to have looked down
upon the territory making up our State, you would have
seen the men in more than seventy towns cutting into the
dense forests, felling each his acres of trees. At the dry
season he would put flre to them, and the smoke from a
thousand farms would be seen ascending to the skies.
The great logs which were left were cut up, drawn together
into piles to be burned in the night. These, if they had
been regarded as camp-flres, would have indicated an army
upon every man's plantation. In this way was used up
an amount of wood and lumber, which, could it have re
mained to this day, would have been a vast source of
wealth, exceeding in value the whole country at that time.
CHAETER OF THE TOWN.
The town was originally granted to Gen. Jabez Spen
cer of East Haddam, Connecticut, in 1761. But he, dy-

14 Centennial Celebration.
ing before the needful settlements were efifected, the title
became invalid. This accounts for the delay in the set
tlement of the town, a few families only being here for a
number of years. But the heirs of the first grantee and
others interested, secured a new charter in 1767.
EARLY settlers.
The early inhabitants were mainly from two sources.
From the State of Connecticut, near the mouth of the
River of that name, and from the State of Massachusetts,
in the vicinity of the mouth of the Merrimack River, in
cluding a number of towns in the lower part of this State.
The intervales upon the streams which flow through the
town had strong attractions to the early settlers.
THE GREAT RIVER.
For a long time there was much inconvenience in pass
ing over these streams. They were subject to sudden
and great rises of water, overflowing their banks and
carrying away bridges and mills. Many such occurrences
are within the recollection of the old people. One man
had his corn, while he was husking it, swept into his cel
lar and mingled with the mud. Families have been taken
from their houses in boats. One woman, as the water
rose, held her calf in the top of a tree. Property has
been destroyed and lives have been lost. Yet who would
be willing that this main bFanch of the Merrimack should
be dried up, or diverted in its course to other regions ?
In its onward flow from all its branches, it probably car
ries more machinery than any other river in the world.
Of it the late Judge William M. Richardson, in his early
days, wrote in the following stanzas :
Sweet Merrimack 1 Thy gentle stream
Is fit for better poet's theme;

Tlie First Inhabitants from Connecticut. 15
For rich thy waves and gentle too
As Rome's proud Tiber ever knew.
And thy current's placid swell
Would flow in classic song as well.
Yet on thy banks, so green, so sweet
Where wood nymphs, and naiads meet.
E'er since creation's earliest dawn
No son of song was ever bom ;
No muse's fairy feet e'er trod
Thy modest margin's verdant sod ;
And mid times silent, feathery flight
Like many a coy maiden, pure and light
Sequestered in some blest retreat ?
Far from the city and the great.
Thy virgin waves, the vales among
Have flowed neglected and unsung.
THE FIRST inhabitants FEOM CONNECTICUT.
The two men who came first to this town were Isaac
Fox and Winthrop Fox. They were from Connecticut.
As it is generaUy believed by the old, they came in the
Spring, 1762. It is reported that the people in Stephens-
town, now Franklin, regarded it as perilous for them to re
main in such a wilderness through the winter, and two men
came up upon snow-shoes to look to their wants and found
them tough and hearty, living upon flsh, wild meat, and
corn bread made from corn pounded in a mortar.
The following Spring came the wife of Isaac Fox, his
son Isaac, and Mr. Enoch Taylor. Isaac Fox, senior,
settled on the east side of the river, near where the
bridge now stands. Isaac Fox, Jr., settled near on the
opposite side, and Mr. Taylor some two miles above on
the west side. The traditions in regard to the time of
the settlement of the town are somewhat conflicting.
But all accounts agree that when the flrst settlers came
here there were no settlements between this place and
Stephenstown or Franklin, and we know that some seven
or eight families came to Plymouth, from Hollis in 1764.
Fox having been here one year before his family, would

16 Centennial Celebration.
fix the time of his coming, as before stated, in 1 762, and that
of his family in 1763. This accords with the traditions
of the oldest families in town. But it is generally be
lieved that Enoch Taylor was with Mr. Fox that flrst
winter. The flrst wedding in town is said to have been
solemnized under a tree in the open fleld. The flrst male,
child born in town was Benaijah, son of Isaac Fox, 2d,
January 20, 1769. A daughter of Hobart Spencer was
born the same year. The two sons of Gen. Spencer se
cured valuable intervale lands. Hobart upon the Pemi
gewasset, and Joseph upon Beebe's River. Among others
who had bought a right of land in town, was the widowed
mother of Abel Willey. He was seventeen years of age
when he came up with the Spencers in 1766. He cut
down trees upon a piece of land next above Hobart Spen
cer's, and returned in the Autumn to his distant home. In
the Spring he came up again, cleared his land, raised corn
and grain and again spent the winter at home in Connecti
cut. In the Spring of 1768, he came with his mother and
sisters, who had aided in the purchase of the right of
land. This, it has been reported, made the flfth family
in town. Hobart Spencer, with his family, came, probably,
at the same time. The sister of Abel Willey became the
wife of Benjamin Hoit and made the flrst family in Thorn
ton. Their first child was the flrst born in that town.
Joseph Spencer was among the earliest in town. The
next year after Abel, came Darius Willey with his family
of three chUdren, his wife being the sister of Abel. They
came upon two horses. The father and son upon one
horse, and the mother with a babe in her arms, and daugh
ter upon the other, and bringing with them articles for
house-keeping and for farming and subduing the wUder
ness. Their journey led them, as we have reason to be
lieve, in the most convenient route from the region of New
London, Connecticut, to Worcester, Massachusetts and to

First Inhabitants from Connecticut. 1 7
Nashua, New Hampshire, and then up the Merrimack
river and its principal branch, the Pemigewassett, to this
place, — the last forty miles being through a wilderness,
and no road or bridge over any stream. They reached
the town in the evening, much fatigued, and when upon
the hill, as they were approaching Abel WiUey's house,
standing near where it now does, to their great joy they
discovered through the trees the light of his flre. They
gave a shout which was heard and returned, and the echo
has not ceased in the ears of their posterity.
In October of 1769, Darius Willey was appointed one
of a committee of the proprietors of the town to lay out
the land and to give titles to it, to treat with adjoining
towns as to boundaries — to lay out roads and see that
work was done upon them. With him was associated
'William Hobart and Samuel Emerson, Esq. For their
services they were to receive fom* shUlings per day when
out sm-veying and three shillings for other services. In
this service, Mr. WUley continued ten or twelve years and
aided in laying out a large part of the town. He died in
1823, aged 91.
Jesse Willey was soon here. Ebenezer Taylor was
early in town, was the father of Oliver and Edward and
of several daughters.
Asa Spencer from East Haddam was here in 1770. He
went into the army in the Revolutionary war, and died
there. Israel Brainard from East Haddam, was here as early
as 1772.
Chiliab Brainard was here about the same time. They
were of the same family connection with Rev. David Brain
ard. Chiliab Brainard, an active, promising man with a
family upon his hands, become deranged and remained
so for many years and until his death.

18 Centennial Celebration.
FIRST INHABITANTS FEOM MASSACHUSETTS.
The settlers from Massachusetts were early in town.
Ebenezer Little, the elder, from Newburyport, was a
large proprietor in the town and encouraged its settle
ment. He did not settle here himself; his son Mo
ses came here and built mUls and opened a store as early
as 1768 or 1769, at the place where the late Judge Liver
more afterwards resided. The dwelling house was built
by him in the most substantial manner, and of such lum
ber as cannot now be obtained in the place. He died in
1813, leaving a property it was said, of $60,000. For
more than half a century the place of his residence,
though on the border of two towns, was a place of busi
ness for a large region around. For many years there
was neither store or mills above this place. But in the
changes of time, the importance of the place has greatly
diminished. Under the influence of this famUy, large
numbers came to the town from Newburj^ort and vicinity.
David Perkins from Hampton and his wife from New
buryport, came to the place and settled in the neighbor^
hood of Mr. Little, and had charge of the buildings which
he was then erecting. His name appears for twenty years
in the early records of the town. He afterwards removed
to Thornton, and was for many years a Deacon in the
Congregational church in that place.
Daniel Wyatt from Newburyport, came to the place
as early as 1769, and settled somewhat more than a
mUe above Mr. Little's, on the river. He became the mil
ler where the grain was ground for the families in aU the
region, and daily walked from his dweUing to the mUl for
more than forty years. He was as regular at his post,
whatever might be the weather, as the return of day.
What boy during the first half century of the town did
not know Deacon Wyatt ? Often has each one as he came

First Inhabitants from Massachusetts. 19
to the mill with his load upon the horse's back, received
from him a kind word, a useful suggestion or a solemn
appeal. He was a man of decidedly christian character.
His religious life commenced under the preaching of
Whitefield and was maintained with unusual integrity to
the last.
Joseph Pulsifer from Ipswich, and his wife from New
buryport, came here in 1769. She was then eighteen
years of age, and came on horse-back upon a pillion, rid
ing behind another person and never having been upon a
horse before starting on their journey into the wilderness.
They settled at flrst near and a little south of the church
as it now stands. He afterwards sold his dwelling house
to the^town for a place of worship, and removed to the
hill in the south part of the town. There in the midst
of difiiculties, common indeed to new settlers, but of which
we can at present form no adequate conception, they
brought up a family of ten children.
Jonathan Cone was among the early settlers, and was
an active citizen for some twenty years. He afterwards
spent his life in Thornton.
Nathaniel Tupper from Georgetown and his wife Han
nah Choat from Essex, came to town in 1770 and settled
on the plains where Deacon Clarke now lives. For a long
time he was called Deacon Tupper, though he never sus
tained this office, indicating the public sentiment that he
might weU have sustained it. The preaching of White-
field was blessed to his conversion in early life and had
an influence upon the character of many other of the flrst
settlers from the region of the scene of his labors near
the close of his life.
Joseph Palmer from Rowley, Massachusetts, was in
town as early as 1770 or 1771, and took an active part in
the transactions of the town. He settled on the west
side of the river and near to it. He had two sons and

20 Centennial Celebration.
several daughters who became the heads of large famiUes.
The first town meeting of which we have the record,
was held in 1772, and is as follows :
Moses Little, Esq., Moderator.
Col. Joseph Spencer, Town Clerk.
Capt. Geeshom Buebank, Moses Little, Esq., James
Harvel, Ebenezer Taylor, Benjamin Hickcox, Select
men. Jonathan Cone, Constable.
Samuel Cook, and Samuel Fuller, Tythingmen.
Nathaniel Tuppee, and Joseph Pulsifee, Fence View

ers.

David Peekins, and Darius Willey, Sealers of Leather.
William Hobaet, and Asa Spencee, Surveyors of High
ways. Joseph Palmer, and Joseph Pulsifer, Surveyors of
Lumber. Nathaniel Tupper, Surveyor of Brick.
Darius Willey, Isaac Fox, Benjamin Rug, Hogreaves.
Ebenezer Fowlee, Sealer of Weights and Measures.
Voted, That a notice of town meeting hereafter be
posted in two places.
notices of the EAELY SETTLEES.
In the town records of 1773, there appear for the first
time the names of Israel Brainard, Samuel Hoknes, Jonah
Chapman, Ebenezer Fowler, William Hobart. In 1 774,
John Southmayd, Hobart Spencer, Chiliab Brainard. In
1775, Thomas Bartlett, John Holmes, Edmond Elliot.
In 1776, Carr Chase, from Newburyport. In 1777, Elias
Cheney. In 1779, WiUiam Baker, and Moses Baker.
In 1780, Jabez Church, a successful school teacher for
many years.
Col. Joseph Spencer, son of Gen. Jabez Spencer, was
among the earliest in town, and settled on the fai-m after-

Notices of the Early Settlers. 21
w."irds occupied by Deacon William Baker, and now used
for the poor of the town.
Samuel Holmes, from Hadlime, Connecticut, was here
as early as 1771 or 1772. He bought lands of Joseph
Spencer on Beebe's River, a portion of intervale of great
productiveness when it was new. Young Holmes came
up in the spring with his axe upon his back, and went
into the woods, built him a camp, cut down trees and
cleared land. His purpose was to return to his distant
home in the Fall. But before he was ready to leave, the
weather became cold and he needed additional covering
for the night and means for cooking. He went to the
store of Mr. Little to purchase a blanket and a kettle for
present use, and asked to be trusted until he should come
up again in the Spring, This, Mr. Little decUned to do,
an incident to which Holmes, after he became one of the
wealthiest men in town, was sometimes disposed to call
the attention of Little. In the following Spring Mr.
Holmes came up with his wife, she bringing behind her
on horse-back, her feather-bed and her copper tea-kettle
rolled up within it. He made a table of a split log and
she dried her cheese upon the timbers of the new barn
frame. He soon became a man of consideration among
the people, and was appointed to the first offices in town.
He was a colonel in the militia, moderator of town meet
ings and was the flrst Representative of the town in the
Legislature of the State in 1810 and in 1811. He sought
the interests of the town, and often gave important aid
to young men in setting out in life. He sustained with a
strong hand the religious institutions of the town, and
was active in building the first meeting house which was
erected on the east side of the river. He gave land for
a parsonage, and aided in the erection of the necessary
buUdings. When in closing up the business it was found
that a debt stiU remained, he said to his neighbors that it

22 Centennial Celebration.
must be paid. " If you wiU pay one-half you may put
the rest to my account." Such men are scarce, but of
great value in any community. He died in 1823, at the
age of 73. " The memory of the just is blessed, but the
name of the wicked shaU rot."
John Southmayd, from Hadlime, Connecticut, was in
town as early as 1773. He is reported to have bronght
to the town $500, which was more money than any one
had brought who came before him. He settled on the in
tervale east of Samuel Holmes. He married for his first
wife, Prudence, the youngest sister of Abel Willey, in
1774. That wedding among the earliest in the place, was
joyous and memorable. It occurred the day after the set
tlement of the first minister. Rev. Mr. Church, and was
joUowed in less than two years by the death of the young
wife and mother. His second wife was the daughter of
Deacon Baker. By his superior education and mechani
cal skill. Esquire Southmayd was able to make himself
useful to his neighbors and townsmen. He was a justice
of the peace and town clerk for a long time. He was the
only surveyor and a good carpenter. He and his neigh
bor Holmes were from the same town in Connecticut. On
one occasion they visited there together and came back
with diflerent political bearings, the one inclining to the
FederaUst party and the other to the Democratic. When
the inquny was made " how this came about?" the answer
was " they attended diflerent schools." Esquire South
mayd was a leading politician. It is said of him that he
voted the Democratic ticket when no other man in town
voted with him.
Samuel Cook, from Newburyport, came to town in 1770.
He settled on the west side of the river where Mr Bick
ford now lives. He had a large family. His children,
who became heads of famUies, were Samuel, Moody Cut
ting, Charles, and Ephraim. One daughter became the

Notices of the Early Settlers. 23
»
wife of Edmond Elliot, afterward of Thornton, and the
other of Edmond March. Mr. Cook and his wife died so
near together in 1 790 that they were both buried in one
grave. Gershom Burbank, from Newburyport, was one of the
earliest in town. He settled on the east side of the river
in the north part of the town. He had previously been
in the French war and with the army at the taking of
Quebec. But not in the battle, for General Wolfe did
not allow the colonial troops to ascend with him to the
plains of Abraham. We afterwards find Mr. Burbank
ready, at the call of his country, at the invasion of Bur-
goyne in 1777. He was in the regiment of Colonel Chase,
was 1st Lieutenant in the Company of Captain Willough
by of Plymouth. Cutting Favor of New Chester, was
2d Lieutenant, He afterwards held a captain's commis
sion, and was known for a long time as Captain Burbank.
He was often one of the selectmen of the town, and in
other important offices.
WUUam Baker, from Epping, was in town in 1777 and
probably earUer. He was a man of mature years when
he came to the place, and was known as a christian man.
He was a delegate to the first convention for the forma
tion of a State Government, held at Concord, 1777. He
was early appointed Deacon of the Church, and continued
in this office whUe he lived. He died November 28, 1814,
about fifteen minutes before the great earthquake.
Col. Moses Baker, brother of WiUiam, came to the
town in 1778, from Candia, and was originally from Ep
ping. He had sustained many important offices, and was
able to make himself highly useful in this new town. He
had taken an active part in the interests of the country,
as the war drew on, and is known to have been in the
command of a company of six weeks' men, in Candia, in
1775, caUed out by the Committee of Safety. He was, as

24 Centennial Celebration.
is believed, in the army at the time, if not in the battle at
Bunker Hill, during the early part of the war. He was
the Representative of this town in the Convention at
Concord in 1781. He afterwards represented the three
towns of Campton, Thornton, and Holderness, in the
Legislature of the State for several years in succes
sion. An incident is related of him, showing the pleasant
intercourse which he had with the people of the town. He
became paralytic in his advanced years. One side of
him being disabled, — but a man of much dignity in his
personal appearance. With his wife behind him upon a
horse, as was the custom of riding in those days, he called
to spend an afternoon at a neighbor's, the late Deacon Da
vid Bartlet. The latter was engaged as he often was, in
making shoes. The Colonel would by no means interrupt
his work, but sat with him. Dea. Bartlet was anxious to
make some inquiries of him in regard to his spiritual in
terest. But as he was then a young man, he felt a diffi
culty in approaching a man of his years and standing in
the community. At length he frankly told him how he
felt in reference to speaking to him of his salvation. The
reply of Colonel Baker was, " It is for this purpose that
I have called upon you." " This," said Deacon Bartlett,
" was the happiest afternoon I ever spent." Colonel Bar
ker united with the christian church in 1802, and became
an earnest christian man. In reference to this change
which took place in his advanced years, he was accustom
ed to speak with admiring gratitude. " I have had many
warnings and trials in the loss of friends and of property,
but nothing has moved me to seek my salvation until God
appeared in my late trial and cut me in two and paralyzed
one half of me."
Benjamin Baker, brother of the above, was a patriot of
the Revolution. He was in the war at the commencement
of it, and sufi-ered much. He settled in this town on the

Centennial Celebration. 25
west side of the river, but died early from his exposure
in the army.

INCIDENTS OF THE EAELY SETTLEMENT.
The incidents connected with the removal of the early
inhabitants from their former homes to this remote wilder
ness town, are many, and would be of great interest did
we know them. Had our mothers and grandmothers
given us in writing the stories which they have so often
told us, we might have had a rich treat to-day. Some
general facts we gather from their descendants. The ear
ly settlers were almost aU young people, — the men from
eighteen or nineteen, to twenty-one or twenty-two, and
the women stiU younger.
What think you, young men of the present time, of
starting ofi" some hundreds of miles into the wilderness,
with your axe upon your back, to make a home for your
selves, — and such a wilderness as was found here !
What would the mothers of these times say to sending
their daughters out as our grandmothers went, taking with
them nothing but what could be carried on horse-back !
But bravely did our ancestors encounter the hardships
required of them, and we are enjoying the benefits of them.
For a few years after the first settlers came here, they were
obliged to go to Concord to mill, a distance of fifty miles
through the woods.
An incident is related of one of the Scotch people, who
were early settled above, upon this river, in the town of
Thornton. He had been to Concord, with his hand-sled,
to mill. On his return he spent the night in this town,
and chose to live on his own provisions. He made of his
corn-meal a thin pudding, and to his gratification, was
furnished with a little salt, which in those times it was
difficult to procure, and his remark was that he pitied no

26 Without a Doctor.
man who had Indian meal and salt. There were times
when crops failed, and then, as the settlers had no
other source of supply, the stock of provisions became
short. Two men were lately living who often related
that their father, in a time of scarcity, went across these
east mountains, to Sandwich, for meal, a distance of
a dozen miles at least, and brought it home upon
his back, and that their mother quickly made a johnny
cake and sent it into the field to them where they were
at work. Their united testimony was that no morsel they
ever afterwards ate was as good. But except in a few
such seasons, our fathers and their famUies had a supply
of healthful food, and our mothers clean and neat houses,
and no food was ever as good as that which they prepared
for their children. The game taken in these woods was
of great importance to the early settlers. The moose,
the deer, and the bear, to say nothing of other kinds,
were common, and our fathers were skilful hunters. Ho
bart Spencer, a man of great strength, on one occasion is
said to have gone up to the foot of Moosehillock, where
the moose was plentj'-, and brought home upon his back
his own weight in moose meat. Colonel Webster of Ply
mouth, is said to have had, at one time, fifteen barrels.
Fish were then abundant in these streams. The sahnon
was frequently taken in the Pemigewasset.
WITHOUT A DOCTOR.
You wiU be disposed to ask, perhaps, how the people
did, when sick, before any doctor came to town. I can
not say, but it is quite certain that they raised up large
famiUes, enjoyed better health and Uved longer than the
generations in our time. Not in aU cases, because they
had no doctor, but because their habits of life favored
health and longevity. In the times of their necessities

Articles of Food and Clothing. 27
they aided each other, and we fear that the kindnesses aud
hospitalities of those daj's are but little known among us.
One of the earliest women on the ground, a widow of
mature years, though not trained to the medical art, was
accustomed to go when called, by day or by night, be the
weather or the traveling what it might, on horse-back or
on a handsled, over snow-drifts and through woods, and
by her kind attentions, a large part of the flrst genera
tion in this and neighboring towns, were aided in flrst
breathing the vital aii- and seeing the light of day.
AETICLES OF FOOD AND CLOTHING.
The articles of food, as given in another town, are be
lieved to have been common in this. Bread was made of
rye, or rye and Indian meal. Wheat was raised to a limit
ed extent. Boiled pork and beef, broth, bean porridge,
Indian pudding, boiled potatoes and turnips. Potatoes,
however, were not largely raised. Three bushels being
regarded as a great supply. Milk was much used when
it could be had. For an exchange, sweetened cider with
toasted bread was taken. Tea and coffee were very little
used. For clothes, men who had attained their growth, had a
decent coat, vest, and small clothes or breeches, knee-
buckles, and shoe-buckles. Only old men wore great
coats and boots, which usually lasted for life They wore
thick leather shoes, woolen shirts in winter, and linen
or tow in summer, and a silk handkerchief for the neck,
which would usually last ten years. Shoes and stockings
were not usually worn by the young in summer. As for
boys, when they left off" their petticoats, they put on
breeches. This was the practice until pantaloons were
introduced, which were called tongs. Young men never
thought of great coats in those days.

28 Centennial Celebration.
As for the women, old and young, they wore flannel or
pressed cloth gowns in winter. They were generally con
tent with one calico dress. They wore checked aprons
of linen. They wore high heeled shoes with peaked toes
turned up at the point. As for bonnets, I can give no
information. They could not have been smaller than
those now worn. CARRIAGES.
There were no carriages for more than forty years, and
if there had been there were no roads or bridges for them.
Colonel Holmes procured the first chaise and drove it into
town on his return from the General Court in Concord iu
1811. Many of you can speak of the first waggon you
ever saw. They were not in use when I left town fifty
years ago. All rode on horse-back, if they rode at all in
summer. At every church and public place and at almost
every man's door, was the horse-block. A place prepared
especially for women from which to mount the horse. As
for railroad cars, who had ever thought of them? Warm,
comfortable rooms, carpeted and cushioned, and many
joined together, flUed with jolly folks, moving through
the country at the rate of twenty miles to the hour —
among rocks and stumps and trees, over hills and
through the valleys and drawn by a boiling teakettle. The
thought would have been ridiculous to them. But all this
is now realized, and many of you have taken stock in them.
As well might our fathers have conceived of a railroad to
the top of the White Mountains, or to the moon.
REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
The period of the revolutionary war was a season of
trial to the new settlers. They had but recently come and
?hf^'J,™^'?'^ Marsh, a native of this town, is the origmator and acent for
^tlS^aS^^iSo^^^^t^:^^ ">P o^ *^°-' Vash°ingTol Tn"e'hlTf

Bevolutionary Soldiers. — Bunker Hill. 29
gathered around them a few of the comforts and conven-
iencies of life. But many of them had not paid for their
land, and the taxes, incident to the war, fell heavily upon
them. One man, at least, with a growing family, pro
posed to Esquire Little to give up his land and his home.
But being a cabinet-maker, he was encouraged to work
the boards which were here, prepared from the birch and
the maple. In this way he relieved himself and became
useful to his townsmen. REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS.
This town is said to have furnished ten soldiers for the
war, besides those called at Burgoyne's invasion. Their
names so far as we have them were : John Cannon, John
Mayloy, Jeremiah Archibald, Silas Fox, Uriah Fox, Asa
Spencer, Edward Taylor, and Oliver Taylor. Of the ten
soldiers, flve are reported to have died in the service.
BUNKER HILL.
It is remarkable that, at the battle of Bunker Hill,
which aroused the whole country to the great conflict, the
cannon should have been heard so far as to this town.
But " it was distinctly heard, by applying the ear to the
ground," says Dr. Whiton, in his history of the State,
" at Hanover, at HaverhUl, and Plymouth," and I may
add, in this place. We have had such testimony, from
those then living here, as cannot be doubted.
burgoyne's INVASION.
In the progress of the war, the British commander in
Canada, General Burgoyne made an advance upon this
northern region which created great alarm. He came down
through New York, and was approaching Verlliont, when
Gen. Stark was sent out by the Legislature of New Hamp-

30 Centennial Celebration.
shire, to oppose him. General Burgoyne had a powerful
army made up in part of Hessian soldiers from Germany.
He was confldent of success. He had the tories for scouts
and for spies, and an array of savages in his train. Gen
eral Stark had coUected his troops at Bennington, in Ver
mont, on the ninth of August, 1777, and soon ascertained
that a large detachment of Burgoyne's army was approach
ing in command of Colonel Baum. After receiving a
small reinforcement of Vermont mUitia, making his whole
force sixteen hundred, he made an attack upon them,
and after a short conflict compelled them to retreat.
Two hundred and thirty Hessians lay dead upon the fleld ;
more than seven hundred prisoners were taken and among
them Colonel Baum, who was mortally wounded. This,
as Mr. JeflTerson said in his letter to Genefal Stark, in af
ter, years, was the flrst link in the chain of successes which
led to the surrender of Burgoyne's army on the seven
teenth of October foUowing, and it may be added, was
the flrst guarantee of the flnal attainment of American
Independence. This event not only gave courage to the
country, but decided the French Court to acknowledge
our Indejiendence, and to aid us in the conflict. This con
flict brought Lafaj-ette to our shores. The approach of
Burgoyne's army occasioned a call for men from this
town. It reached here on Saturday and the men were to
march on Monday morning. One man, a careful observer
of the Sabbath, was compelled to si^end the day in mak
ing himself a pair of shoes. They went to Vermont, and
hearing of the victory, returned to their homes.
THE TORIES.
The tories, you know, were numerous in the early part
of the war. They were men who had been true to their
King and to their country, and could not so readily em
bark in the interests of this new Republic. They were

Politics of the Town. 31
found among all classes of the community, — ministers,
lawyers and statesmen. They became objects of hatred
and derision. Governor Wentworth fled from the State
and country rather than encounter the rising spirit of lib
erty. Among the Scotch people in Thornton, there were
two brothers, at one time, deliberating which side to join.
They are represented to have been honest and faithful
men. The one doubting the success of the colonies, went
to Canada and joined the British army. The other was
called out to meet Burgoyne. They met after his capture,
the one a prisoner of war, to be sent to England to be
exchanged ; the other a triumphant American, to return
to his famUy. Tories handcuflfed, tied together by a rope,
and that to a horse's tail, and marched oflT to the tune of
Yankee doodle. POLITICS OF THE TOWN.
Among the citizens of this town great harmony of politi
cal feeling and action prevaUed in their early history.
Washington was the spontaneous choice of the whole peo
ple of the country for their flrst chief magistrate. But
no other one was ever elevated to this office without op
position. Two parties were started in Washington's administra
tion, knowTi afterwards by the names of Federalist and
Republican. The one advocating a strong general gov
ernment, and the other a larger measure of liberty. The
one made up of the men of wealth, character and influence ;
the other of young men, mechanics and the poorer class,
and also of the planters of the South. Under different
names two parties have ever since continued. The vote
of this town was given for the Federal candidate, without
dissent, up to 1801.
About this time two of the leading men of the town
made a visit together to their native State, Connecticut,

32 Centennial Celetrration.
and came back advocates for different political systems.
The inquiry was made, why it was so? The answer was
" that they attended different political schools. Then the
minister of the town took an open stand in favor of the
Republican, or as it is now known, the Democratic party.
From this time a small but increasing portion of the votes
were cast for that ticket.
In 1802, the vote of the town stood 83 to 4. In 1803,
115 to 17. In 1812, 107 to 20. In 1818, 132 to 23.
In 1829, Jacob Giddings was Moderator ; Ebenezer Lit
tle, Representative. The vote for Govemor stood 124 for
Bell, and 62 for Pierce.
In 1830, Ebenezer Little was Representative. Vote for
Governor stood 114 for Upham, and 77 for Harvey.
In 1831, John Keniston, Representative. Vote for
Governor stood 100 for Dinsmore, and 106 for Bartlett.
INTEREST IN EDUCATION.
The education of the young has ever been an impor
tant object with the citizens of this town, as their appro
priations for this object from year to year will show. As
has been seen, the charter of the town secured lands for
the support of schools.
The flrst school taught by a man, was kept in the house
of Col. Baker, by Mr. Rawson, a young man from Con
necticut, not far from 1780. This was the only school
which many of the flrst generation of the town ever at
tended. Some short schools were afterwards attended in
other places. This deficiency in the means of education
was made up to the young by the fldelity of their parents,
particularly by the mothers. The mothers may be said to
have been the educators of the first generation in this
town. They required the word of God to be read to them,
chapter after chapter, daily, and when it was read through
it was begun ag^in. A book better adapted to the pur-

School Teachers. 33
poses of education never has been prepared. They w'ere
taught also to spell their mother tongue, as the records of
the town and other public documents will show. In after
time there were two school districts in town, one on each
side of the river. They have since been increased from
time to time, until we fear they have become injuriously
small. SCHOOL TEACHEES.
Many excellent teachers are remembered, and many
there were, doubtless, who are not remembered, whose
services have been worth more to the youth of this place
than the compensation which they have received.
Among the early female teachers was Miss Sally Chapin,
the daughter of Rev. Mr. Chapin. With her kind and
gentle spirit and her skill in teaching, she did much in
tbe formation of the intellectual and religious character
of her pupils. The speaker is indebted to her in this re
spect. She Uved to advanced years, and left some three
or four thousand dollars for the benefit of the Freewill
Baptist denomination.
Among the men who early taught here was Master
Church, as everybody called him ; for a long time a useful
citizen of this town, and afterwards of Thornton. Mas
ter Norris was a long time a teacher in this place. He
was a good reader, good in arithmetic and an unusually
good penman. He did much towards the education of the
young of his day, and left an impression, if not on their
minds, yet on their hands quite skin deep. The late
Deacon Allen, of Lebanon, taught in the village with
good success, — more than fifty years ago.
Col. Enoch Colby, when he gave himself to the work,
was a good teacher. Mr. Davis Baker did good service
in this respect. Peabody Rogers, Esq., a young man of
precocious intellect, taught in this town to great advan-

34 Centennial Celebration.
tage. A former citizen of tliis town, Jacob Giddings,
Esq., now of Portland, Maine, was for many years a suc
cessful teacher in this town. Many young men from
Dartmouth College, have taught here at diflferent times
and given elevation to the schools. Among them was the
Rev. Isaac Rogers, for forty years the pastor of the church
in Farmington, Maine. Rev. J. B. Richardson, D.D., a dis
tinguished minister and agent of the American Bible So
ciety in Central New York, taught the district school in the
centre of the town, and music at the same time. Many
other valuable men and many exceUent females, who have
at different times benefitted this town by their labors as
teachers, it would be pleasant to caU up before us, if we
had the needful information.

DARTMOUTH COLLEGE.
It is a fact of some interest that an eflTort was made by
the proprietors to secure the establishment of Dartmouth
College in this town. A committee was chosen in 1769
to visit Dr. Wheelock, and invite him to visit the place
which it is said he did, for the purpose of examining its
advantages forthe College.
holmes' PLYMOUTH ACADEMY.
It is well known that Colonel Holmes more than fifty
years ago gave $500 as the beginning of a fund for an
Academy in Plymouth. Such an institution, bearing his
name, had been established and was highly beneficial to
aU this part of the country. But we are not informed
that any addition to this was ever made, and we ask to
day where is Holmes' Plymouth Academy? and where are
its funds ?

Social Jbibrary. — rrospects of Toung Men. 35
THE SOCIAL library.
A social library was early established in this town. It
is well known that Dr. Belknap, the early historian of
our State, urged this object upon the attention of all the
new towns and that Dr. Emmons, who first preached the
gospel in this town, set forth its importance in a dis
course of great ability.
Rev. Mr. Church had an important agency in establish
ing the library in this town about the time of the close of"
his ministry here. It was increased from time to time by
a tax on its members, and contained at times three hun
dred volumes. It embraced few, beside substantial works.
It contained valuable histories, travels and biographies. A
large portion of the young people made themselves famil
iar with RolUn's Ancient History. It was well supplied
with the theology of New England, and with some of the
best foreign works. The young people of the town read
these books. It was common for them to have some one
volume on hand , which in due time was returned for another.
Not a few prided thems'elves in having read through the
library. Their leisure hours and their evenings were
given to such employments. It was a matter of deep
regret to the sons and daughters of this town abroad,
that this Ubrary should have been divided among
the proprietors. We venture to suggest the inquiry
whether many of these books cannot be called in again,
others added to them, and the library re-established.
PROSPECTS OF YOUNG MEN.
Fifty years ago and previously the young men of the
town, as they looked forward to a settlement in life, had
their eye upon some piece of new and uncultivated land
for a farm and a home. To secure this, after they were
of age, free, as they called it at twenty-one, they would

36 Centennial Celebration.
work for some man who wished to hire, for $100 a year to
secure the means of buying their land and of starting in
the world. Colonel Holmes and other leading men took
pleasure in aiding such enterprises. This continued the
order of things until the land was so far taken up as to
afford no encouragement of this kind. Other young men
sought employment in the lower towns and in our cities,
from whence they did not always return. The West has
opened to us a vast field of emigration and many have
left this town for those prairies. The name of your town
has been transferred to one of the towns in Illinois.
YOUNG WOMEN.
The factories have given at diflerent times employment
to a large number of young women of the town. It is
believed that there were at one time forty young women
from this town in Lowell.
INDUSTRY AND TEMPERANCE. ft
The people of the town, it hardly need be said, have
been an industrious people. They must have been, to
have lived, yet they have secured a large share of the
comforts of life for themselves and famUies. Many have
obtained independence and wealth. Poverty has hardly
been known here. The people of the town have generally
been temperate. This was eminently true of the early
settlers, and continued so long as the penalty for getting
drunk was to dig up a pine stump. But when taverns
were Ucensed to sell intoxicating drinks, one on each side
of the river, and when the stores kept them for the free
nse of the people, their habits suff-ered, valuable citizens
were mdanger and were saved only by the temperai

lfTJ^:.J^J^t^^lT' *^^' ^°* ^^^ been thorough and

Doctors of the Town. 37

DOCTOES OF THE TOWN.
We would not forget on this occasion to notice the
men of skill in medical science, who have attended to the
wants of the sick and the dying. Doctors Rogers and
Robins of Plymouth, and Nichols of Thornton, practised
in this place before any physician was established here.
Jeduthan Clough from Canterbury, was the flrst doctor
in the place. He settled here in 1802, and lived in the
village. Doctor Angier was the next, and he lived also
in the village. The third was Robert Morrison. He
came here in 1814, and died in 1819. He was a young
man of a genial spirit, of attractive manners and well
skilled in his profession. He secured in an unusual de
gree, the esteem and confldence of the people. He was
skUled in music and gathered the young people around
him in the cultivation of it. In the revival of 181.5, he
was among the number who took a stand for Christ and
was instrumental in leading others to the same decision.
His sudden death was the occasion of general mourning.
Succeeding him was Dr. John KimbaU. He had prac
tised in the north part of the State, had returned to
Hanover his native town in feeble health. Application
was made by a young man in college from this place to
Dr. Mussey, a leading professor in the Medical School,
for a man suited to take the place of Dr. Morrison. Him
self a decidedly religious man and having sympathy with
the people here, he at once recommended Dr. Kimball,
saying that he was one of the best read men who ever
went forth from that institution. Dr. Kimball had a long
and successful practice here, and will be remembered as
a good physician and a remarkably conscientious and
truly christian man. He removed to Beaver Dam, Wis
consin.

38 Centennial Celebration.
RELIGIOUS HISTORY.
The flrst settlers of the town were generally young peo
ple, who had been reUgiously educated. The stem reali
ties of life were before them and an opportunity was to
be afforded for the development of their characters. They
were not generally professedly religious. But the wor
ship of God has been maintained in this town from the
beginning. The flrst preacher of the gospel here was
Rev. Nathaniel Emmons, afterwards Dr. Emmons of
Franklin, Massachusetts. In 1771, he received a unan
imous request from the inhabitants and from the proprie
tors of the town to become the settled pastor. That Mr.
Emmons should have sought another field of labor is not a
matter of surprise. The time of his being here was not
more than four years after there were but five families
in town, and there were not probably more than twenty
at this time. But in each succeeding year renewed efforts
were made to secure the preaching of the gospel, but with
little success until the spring of 1774.
FORMATION OF THE CHURCH AND SETTLEMENT OF A MINISTER.
At that time Rev. Selden Church, a graduate of Yale
College in 1765, came to the place and was, settled as pas
tor, June 2d, 1774. A Congregational church was organ
ized the day previous at the house of Nathaniel Tupper.
The early records of the church having been lost, we
know little of these important events. The persons who
constituted the church we have not the means of knowing.
But we know that Nathaniel Tupper, David Perkins and
Daniel Wyatt were reUgious men, and we may presume
that they were among the earliest members. How many
christian women of those days were united with them it
would be pleasant to know.

Ordination. 39

ORDINATION.

Some particulars in regard to the ordination are of in
terest to us as matters of history. At 10 o'clock on Mon
day, the tenth of October, there was a town meeting to
make the needful arrangements. Chiliab Brainard was
moderator. It was voted that the town make a general
entertainment on the occasion, and that the rum and
sweetening be at the " town's cost" ; that Darius Willey,
David Perkins, Ebenezer Taylor, be a committee to take
the oversight and see that all things were made ready at
the time and place. Such an entertainment was deemed
proper ip. those times.
Rum, the only intoxicating drink then used at all by
the people, was an expensive article. It was used spar
ingly, and only on important occasions. The provision
for it on this occasion, shows the importance of the occa
sion in their estimation. Could we know who were on
this counsel, who preached the sermon and who perform
ed the other parts of the services it would be a matter .of
interest to us.
The salary offered Mr. Church was fifty pounds lawful
money per year for six years, then to be advanced flve
pounds per year until it should reach to seventy pounds.
His settlement was one hundred and flve pounds in labor
and provisions. He was to have drawn thirty cords of
wood, eight feet in length, each year.
Mr. Church commenced his ministry when there were
not probably much beyond thirty families in town. But
they were united and all attended meeting, notwithstand
ing the bad roads, and want of carriages. Their worship
was held in a private house ; flrst in that of Col. Joseph
Spencer, and afterwards in that of Isaac Fox.

40 Centennial Celebration.

A HOUSE OP WOESHIP.
In 1779, the town chose Moses Baker, John Holmes,
and Daniel Wyatt a committee to agree with Joseph
Pulsifer for his dwelling house for a house of worship.
The purchase was made, and Samuel Holmes, and Wil
liam Baker were appointed a committee " to plan the
pew ground " and sell the same. The money raised in
this way was to be laid out in the repairs of the house.
This arrangement, it will be borne in mind, was made at
the time when the expenses of the revolutionary war
bore heavily upon the people. This house of worship
was used also for a town house. Here Rev. Mr. Church
preached some twelve or more years. In 1791, the town
voted that the meeting house be removed to the brow of
the hill near, and a little south of the place, where the
road descends to cross the river. A boat was also pre
pared to accommodate the people on the west side of the
river in attending meeting. In 1 796 the town voted to
build two meeting houses, one on each side of the River,
at such place as shall be most convenient — board and
shingle the same and allow the remainder to be done by
the pew holders. This vote was reconsidered and made
void in a following meeting. For many years meetings
were held on both sides of the river. Every third Sab
bath on the west side, for a time at least, at the house of
Mr. Samuel Cook. It was under these circumstances that
a portion of the people in the west part of the town be-
gan to attend worship at Plymouth, where some of our
most valuable citizens have ever since attended.
The dweUing house of Rev. Mr. Church was a large
gambrel roofed house where Dea. Brown's house now
stands.

The Ministry of Bev. Mr. Church. 41
THE MINISTEY OF EEV. ME. CHUECH.
From any view which we can take of his ministry it
will appear to have been arduous and difficult. He came
here when the town was new and the people poor. They
lived remote from each other and the roads were bad and
the stream often difiicult to cross. The people of the
town coming from different regions of the country did
not at once harmonize. Those from Connecticut were
generaUy a discreet, industrious and reliable people, and
strongly attached to religious institutions, but few of
them were professedly pious. They had been accustomed
to the half way covenant and partook to some extent of
the characteristics of the churches in their native State
at that period, as we learn from the complaints made in
regard to them, viz : " a want of a pungent application
of the truth in preaching, a neglect of the proper qualifi
cations in persons received into the church, and a want
of proper church discipline." They had heard of the
extravagances of Davenport and others and had little
sympathy with the " new lights.'' But the people from
Massachusetts came from under the preaching of White-
field, of Parsons and Spring of Newburyport, ancj of
Cleaveland pf Ipswich. But under the discreet ministry
of Mr. Chul^h, a good degree of harmony prevailed among
his people for sixteen or seventeen years. During the
latter part of his ministry there was an awakened relig
ious interest and a goodly number gathered into the
church. But having been aware of a growing disaffection
for some years, Mr. Church requested a dissolution of his
pastoral relation in 1792. He remained in town and con
tinued to preach and his salary was paid for a con
siderable time, and an effl'ort was made for his resettle
ment, and it was thought at one time that it would be
successful. But it was judged in the end to be inexpe
dient. The complaints of cavilers were that he was slow

42 Centennial Celebration.
in his delivery, — long in his sermons and that when the
people with their families went to meeting upon an ox-
sled they would not get home until after sunsetT But
that ministry must have been uncommonly pure, of which
we have heard in after years so little that was derogatory.
Those of us who came forward in the following generar
tion have been in the habit of hearing no man spoken of
with more respect than the Rev. Mr. Church. Whatever
might have been said of other ministers, we have heard
nothing evil of him. After a time he removed from the
town and was settled in Northumberland, in Coos county.
Here he spent the remainder of his life, both as a preacher
and a teacher. Men are found in the higher walks of life
who came forward under his instruction. It was a loss
to lose from the town such a man at such a time.
THE FOLLOWING PERIOD.
There followed a dark period in the religious history of
the iown. Without any one to call oflT the attention of the
people from their worldly interests, every one sought his
own, and the interests of the Saviour's kingdom, and the
welfare of the souls of men were neglected. It was at this
time that Dea. Evans of Hebron, an earnest christian
man of humble pretensions felt himself moved to come
and warn the people of their danger, and invite them to
Christ. His labors were blessed in arousing some of the
people to a conviction of their sins and a sense of their
danger, and a number of persons were hopefully led to
the Saviour. Among them was Dea. John Wooster,
Dea. Jonathan Burbank, Mr, Josiah BlaisdeU and a num-
ber of valuable women,NEW HOUSE OF WORSHIP.
In 1799 preparations were made for erecting a house
Of worship. It was to be done by the people on the east

Bev. Mr. Chapin. — Benewal of Covenant. 43
side of the river, for their own and the use of their fami
lies. It required a great effort on the part of individuals.
The people in the west part of the town generally at this
time found their home in the church at Plymouth, where
their aid was much needed in sustaining the institutions
of religion. The new house of worship was finished in
1802. It stood south of Mr. David Bartlett's and in
front of the old burying ground. It is remembered
by multitudes as the gate of heaven. No other place
on earth has the same interest to them. Some of
us now living, after forty years, can recall the occupant
of every pew in that house. It had high galleries, a high
pulpit, the sounding board above it, and the deacons sat
below it. There we heard and praised and prayed.
REV. MR. CHAPIN.
The flrst preacher in the new house was Rev. Peletiah
Chapin. He had labored occasionally in the place. In
1800 he proposed to the people that he would preach to
them for a time on condition that they would furnish
board for himself, wife and daughter. He was invited to
settle with them, but he declined, saying that he was like
his horse, sure to break away if tied. With some abate
ment on the score of eccentricity, Mr. Chapin labored
here successfully for about flve years.
RENEWAL OF COVENANT.
The third of April, 1800, the church renewed their
covenant, Rev. Noah Worcester being present and aiding
in the services. The names of those who signed it were
as follows : Nathaniel Tupper and wife ; Dea. Daniel
Wyatt ; Jonathan Burbank and wife ; David Bartlett ;
Josiah Blaisdell; Deborah WUley, the wife of Jesse
WUley ; Dea. Baker and wife. Afterwards, Rev. Peletiah
Chapin and Joshua Rogers. Twelve in all.

44 Centennial Celebration.
In 1802, the following persons became connected with
the church: viz,, Tristram Bartlett, Mary Willey, Moses
Baker and wife, Sarah Rogers, David Wooster, Ruth
Southmayd and Olive Durgin, making twenty members.
About three years after, in 1805, Rev. Mr. Chapin avowed
his- dissent from the Congregational church, and united
with a Baptist church in a neighboring town. About one
third of the church gradually came into sympathy with
him. Rev. Mr. Chapin was invited still to continue his minis
try in the parish. But he replied that a man would be a
fool to attempt to lead others right while he did not do
right himself. He sat up a separate meeting in town
which was attended by those in sympathy with him.
Many of these persons were owners in the new meeting
house, and claimed their share of it. A certain portion
of the time was assigned to them and the house was oc
cupied by them, while the Congregational church and
society worshipped in a school house. At length the
portion of the house owned by the Baptist people was
purchased by the Congregational society.
Mr. Chapin preached frequently in diflferent parts of
this town and in other towns, but as we are informed by
the Baptist people, was not active in the formation of the
Baptist church in the north part of the town, in 1811, and
was never its pastor. At one time he was called upon
for a tax of flfty cents, and he said it was more mouey
than he had received for preaching for ten years.
At the election of Mr. Jeff-erson as President of the
United States in 1801, Mr. Chapin took strong ground
in his favor. At one time while he acted as pastor Dr
John Rogers of Plymouth delivered a political address
in the meeting house on the fourth of July. Mr. Chapin
was invited to be present but refused. On the following
Sabbath he commenced his services by reading the hymn

Bev. Daniel Stanford. — John Webber. 45
commencing with the following lines, " I lift my banner
saith the Lord, where anti-Christ hath stood." He after
wards had a controversy with Dr. Rogers, which was car
ried on in poetry. He was a man of kind and generous
feelings. He once met a boy near his own home in a
cold day without a coat. He took off" his own and placed
it upon him. Mr. Chapin often preached impressively.
He lived to an advanced age, and expressed his thank
fulness that his different faculties failed alike, that he was
not wholly deprived of any one of them.
REV. DANIEL STANIFORD.
Rev. Daniel Staniford was employed to preach for
one year in 1806. He was a man of feeble health ; of a
clear and cultivated mind, and earnest in his work. He
did much to establish the minds of the people in the doc
trines of the gospel and in giving stability to the church.
JOHN WEBBER.
John Webber, a graduate of Dartmouth College and
brother of President Webber of Harvard College, was
settled here in the ministry in 1812. He was a man of
much information and would have done more for the peo
ple if his salary had met the wants of his family. For
their support he was obliged to labor upon the land. His
ministry was of only three or four years continuance and
was useful in enlarging the views of the people on many
of the principles of theology. He was of an active mind
and loved a joke. Riding with a young man of easy
morals, he remarked to him that he did not always see
him at church. The young man replied that there were
other places of worship of different denominations in the
vicinity and that he usually attended somewhere, and
added, " You know a change of pasture makes fat calves."
Said Mr. Webber, " I knew an instance where a calf was

46 Centennial Celebration.
permitted to suck two cows through the season." And
"what was the result," said the young man? The an
swer was, " A great calf." Mr. Webber was dismissed
in the early part of 1815, and removed to Ohio.
SPIRITUAL PROSPECTS.
To human view the prospect for the spiritual interests
of the place was never more unpromising than at this
time. The active members of the church were reduced
to a handful, not more than six in number. They were
persons advanced in years. The parish was unable to
support a minister, worldliness prevailed and the young,
a large number of whom were in town at this time, weie
given to their pleasures. The faith of the people of God
had no earthly supports, but rested upon the grace of
God and the promises of his word. Such was the time
which a merciful God chose to work like himself It was
afterwards remarked that the darkest time was just before
day. GREAT REVIVAL.
He first visited His people with judgments, one of which
was as follows : At the raising of a house near the pres
ent church and town house, after the broad side was
thrown up, the poles were unfastened and thrown down.
One of them struck upon the head of a young man and
caused his death. It was a terrible event and shocked the
whole community. The young man was one of the
sprightliest and most attractive in the town. They car
ried him to his grave. But the event was not forgotten.
The buUdmg remained unfinished for some years, a re
membrancer to aU passers by. At length an attempt was
made to gather the materials for finishing it. The father
of the young man being skiUed in the busmess, went into

Great Bevival. 47
the woods with others to prepare the shingles. After
felling a suitable tree, while setting upon it between two
other men, a limb which had been broken, aud was held
in the top of other trees, fell and instantly killed this
man whUe the other men remained uninjured. The
death of this young man, as it afterwards ap
peared, was the means of the awakening of many of the
young people to their immortal interests ; and the afflict
ed mother, a lovely member of the Baptist church, re
marked that this circumstance aided greatly in reconciling
her to the loss of her son.
Rev. Mr. Hardy preached to the people for a time in
the early part of this season, — a man wanting in elo
quence, but an able and godly man. Ttw providence of
God also preached, — the Spirit of God was present in
an unusual degree to convince us of sin. The people
generally were aroused from their stupidity and many
made the inquiry what they should do to be saved. A
young man who had been attending school at Haverhill,
where there had been an extensive revivaj^ returned and
commenced holding meetings for the young in the school
house, in the intermission of public worship. These
meetings were soon largely attended. The aged and ex
perienced members of the church were now in requisition
to guide the young to the Saviour. In the fall of this
year. Rev. Mr. McKeen preached for a time. Not a few
owe the life of their souls to his faithfulness. About the
beginning of the following year, Mr. Warren Day came
to the place. He had studied theology with Rev. Dr.
Shurtlief, was a young man of humble pretensions, not
distinguished for eloquence, but was evidently one whom
God had raised up in his Providence to labor in his vine
yard. He preached the truth of God from his heart and
God spoke through him to the people. They had also a
hearing ear and an understanding heart given to them

48 Centennial Celebration.
and received the truth in the love of it. Some of the
texts from which he preached that winter will be remem
bered by many while they live. One young man in after
years was able to recall every text which was preached
upon that winter and in the order in which they were
brought forward. Many families were largely blessed.
Parents and children were made the subjects of renewing
grace. There were a number who united with the church
on the flrst Sabbath in January, 1816. A larger number
on the flrst Sabbath in March. The whole number added
in the course of the year, as fruits of that revival, was
about seventy ; and others were added afterwards to the
number, in the whole of about one hundred.
REMARKS OF MR. MARSH.
The following are the remarks of Rev. Christopher
Marsh, at the ordination of Rev. Worcester Willey, a
missionary of the American Board of Commissioners for
Foreign Missions, in 1844 :
" Twenty-niae years ago at this time, I was inquiring
what I must do to be saved. The second Sabbath in Jan
uary, following, I was one of thirteen, who in this house
publicly professed Christ before the world. An interest
ing revival of religion was then in progress, which
brought a large number into the church. From all my
knowledge of that revival, its origin, its progress and re
sults, and from all the experience I have had in revivals
in other places from that time to this, I am in the habit
of thinking of the revival in this town in 1815-16, as
the most precious aud the freest from anything spurious
or exceptionable, of any revival which has fallen under
my observation. I ascribe this to the ever to be remem
bered fact, that the families connected with this church
and congregation so habitually observed the Sabbath and
attended public worship, and so generaUy read Baxter's,

Bev. Mr. Brown. — Parsoruxge. 49
Davies, and Emmons' sermons, Edwards' works and other
kindred books from the library of the town.
From this revival, six young men entered the ministry,
and another with the ministry in view, died while a mem
ber of College. Since that revival this church has ex
perienced other seasons of refreshing, and converts have
been multiplied. We can now say that not less than
eight, among the rocks and hiUs and everlasting moun
tains of this obscure town, have been counted worthy to
be put into the ministry. Other towns may be more beau
tiful for situation, may have more sons at the bar, on the
bench and in the councUs of the nation. But this town
wUl not be wanting in beauty so long as she raises up
from her sons, pastors and churches and missionaries to
the heathen. This town will not be wanting in fame so
long as she sends forth heralds to proclaim liberty to
the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that
are bound, and furnished men to lead onward and upward
the sacramental host of God's elect."
Rev. Mr. Hovey, a man advanced in life, preached for
a time after Rev. Mr. Day left, and faithfully instructed
those who had entered upon the christian's life. Rev. Mr.
Fairbank of Plymouth, aided much in this work.
REV. ME. BEOWN.
In the fall of the year, Mr. Amos P. Brown, who had
studied Theology with Rev. Dr. Wood of Boscawen, was
invited to labor here, and in January 1, 1817, was settled
as pastor of the church. A general prosperity attended
his ministry of five years. PAESONAGE.
During this time the land for the present parsonage
was given to the society by Col. Samuel Holmes. It con-

50 Centennial Celebration.
sisted of twelve or sixteen acres in an uncultivated state.
He gave also fifteen dollars towards the erection of a
dwelling house and also boarded the workmen whUe at
work upon it. The old men of the parish undertook to
build the house and the young men the barn. When the
whole was completed, it was found that there was a debt
of one hundred and fifty doUars. Colonel Holmes said
to the leading men of the parish, " You become obUgated
for one-half of it, and you may put the other half to my
account." It was done in a few minutes. Rev. Mr,
Brown was dismissed at his own request in June, 1822.
He removed into the western country and there spent a
useful ministry, mainly in the State of lUinois. There
succeeded a period of two years in which the church had
no settled pastor. But there was such ability in the
church, that when they had no preaching upon the Sab
bath, the worship of God was sustained with interest, and
also the meetings of the week.
EEV- ME. RANKIN.
During this time, Rev. Mr. Rankin for a season, preach
ed on alternate Sabbaths in this town and in Thornton.
Both parishes made advances towards securing him as
their minister. But the people of Thornton moved first,
and he became a useful minister there for a time.
NEW CHURCH ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE EIVEE.
In 1824, the people on the west side of the river, who
had been accustomed to attend worship at Plymouth,
united in forming a second Congregational Society in this
town. They built a house of worship not far from where
the road now crossing the river meets the road upon the
west side. Christian people there united with the church
on the east side and worship was maintained on both sides
of the river on alternate Sabbaths.

Bev. Mr. Hale. — A New Bridge. 51
REV. MR. HALE.
In the Spring of 1824, Rev. Jonathan L. Hale from
Connecticut, who had been laboring with much success in
Colebrook in Coos county, was invited to this place. His
services were highly acceptable to the people and he was
installed here June 23, 1824. The presence of God was
specially present with his people as they entered the new
house of worship. The men who had built it, the larger
portion of whom were young, had made great efforts for
the purpose, and a large number of them and their fami
lies embraced the offers of the gospel and yielded them
selves to the services of their Lord. Others on the east
side of the river were interested, and some thirty were
added to the church. There were still, as there always
had been, many difficulties experienced in crossing the
river to attend meeting. They could ford the river in
Summer, and pass over it in Winter upon the ice. But
there were seasons when to do this w'as dangerous.
A MAN IN THE RIVER.
On one occasion, as the people had begun their worship
in the new house, a man who was a little late, saw a man
break through the ice and sink in the water. He rushed
into the church and exclaimed that a man was drowning
n the river ! The house was soon emptied and the man
was found clinging to the breaking ice, as one piece after
another gave away. He was at length rescued in an ex
hausted state. He proved to be the beloved physician,
Dr. Kimball. He had attended meeting in the forenoon,
and was called away in the afternoon.
A NEW BRIDGE.
This and other like perUs, led the people to feel the
importance of a bridge across the river. A subscription

52 Centennial Celebration.
of one thousand dollars was raised for this purpose, of
which Rev. Mr. Hale gave one hundred dollars. The
bridge was built in 1829. Now the people wonder how
their fathers could ever have done without a bridge in
that place. PROSPERITY OF THE SOCIETY.
The Church and Society were now able to sustain their
own institutions and to aid the benevolent enterprises
abroad. Rev. Mr. Hale stated that his parish made up
of about forty families, promptly furnished him his salary
and contributed annually about four hundred dollars for
the various benevolent objects of the day.
CHUECH DIFFICULTIES.
After some six or seven years, from the settlement of
Rev. Mr. Hale, difficulties grew up in the church. Breth
ren became alienated from each other, and we fear were
not in a condition to receive a blessing ; and that in con
sequence that favored year of 1831, which brought such
large blessings to the churches of our land, faUed to se
cure to this church the good which it might otherwise
have received. A protracted meeting of three days was
blessed to the awakening of the people, and twelve be
came hopefully christians and united with the church.
MR. half's removal.
In 1832 Rev. Mr. Hale buried his wife, and afterwards
sought a release from his pastoral charge. He had three
chUdren who lived to years of maturity, two sous and
one daughter. The two sons went down to the grave
in early manhood, leaving cheering evidence of their pre
paredness for the kingdom of God above. The daughter
survives, — the wife of Rev. Lauren Armsby of Can
dia, — from whom we have the following facts :

Dr. Stone's Ministry. — Deacons' Meetings. 53

MES. AEMSBY S LETTER.
" My father, Rev. Jonathan Lee Hale, was the son of
Judge Nathan Hale of Goshen, Connecticut, and was
born May 31, 1790. He graduated at Middlebury Col
lege, in the year 1819. After completing the theological
course at Andover Seminary in 1822, he labored one
year in Colebrook, New Hampshire, under the auspices
of the Home Missionary Society. He was ordained in
Campton, June 23d, 1824; dismissed AprU 18th, 1832.
His second settlement was in Windham, Maine, in 1832.
In the summer of 1834 he took a violent cold, while
returning from an exchange with a brother minister. His
lungs became seriously affected and he was advised by
physicians to spend the ensuing winter at the South. In
October, 1834, he sailed for Savannah, Georgia, in com
pany with Rev. Mr. Pomeroy of Gorham, Maine.
The following notice of his death, I copy from a paper
published in Savannah, Georgia :
DEATH OF EEV. ME. HALE.
" Died January 15th, 1835, on the Island of Skidaway,
near Savannah, at the house of David E. Adams, Esq.,
Rev. Jonathan Lee Hale, aged 44. He had repaired, at too
late a period of a pulmonary complaint, to this salutary
climate for the beneflt of his health, and died in the bosom
of christian sympathy and kindness. His body was
brought to the church at White Bluff, and after an appro
priate sermon by the Rev. Willierd Preston of Savannah,
and fervent prayers for the far distant widow and three
orphan children, it was committed to the grave in the
church burial ground of White Bluff, seven miles south
of the city of Savannah."
Thus passed away from earth this beloved father

54 Centennial Celebration.
whose memory is still fresh, though I was but a child of
eight years at his death. Eliza Lee Aemsby."
DE. stone's MINISTEY.
The following year Rev. Benjamin P. Stone, D. D.,
was installed pastor of this church. He was settled for
the limited time of flve years. During this time the diffi
culties were removed, and the church enjoyed again har
mony and spiritual prosperity. About thirty were added
to the church. Had it not been for this unfortunate limi
tation, this order of things, so far as we can see, might
have continued, and a long pastorate been enjoyed ; — a
blessing of which this, church has never known, the long
est lieing that of Rev. Mr. Church, the first minister.
OTHEE MINISTEES.
The other ministers of this church who have served
them for a time, have been Rev. Thomas P. Beach, who
removed to Ohio and died there ; Rev. Charles Shedd,
now in active service in Minnesota.
deacons' meetings.
There have been times when this church has been with
out a minister for months, and for years together. Re
ligious services were conducted by the Deacons and other
leading members of the church. Deacons Baker, Wyatt,
Bartlett and Burbank have been long held in esteem for
the part they took in these services. It required much
care and labor to procure and select suitable discourses,
to read them and to perform the other services in the ap
propriate manner in which they were performed. This,
from his situation in the parish, and from his qualifica
tions, devolved much upon Dea. David Bartlett. To no

Without a Church. 55
other man has this church been so much indebted in all
its interests as to him, for more than forty years. Anoth
er fact of interest is that these services, upon the Sab
bath, were encouraged and attended habitually by the
principal famUies of the town, and their importance in its
past history can hardly be over-estimated.
THE privilege OF CHURCH MEMBERSHIP.
At the altar of this church have been made vows which
have been recorded in heaven, covenant engagements
which have not been violated, and by its mutual aids and
sympathies a goodly number in their pilgrimage of trials,
have been comforted, supported and nourished up to eter
nal life, and When God makes up his last account
Of natives in his holy mount,
"TwiU be an honor to appear
As one new bom and nourished there.
THE CHURCH A BLESSING.
The history of this church for a period of a little more
than sixty years, which has now been under review, shows
abundantly its earthly connections, its human infirmities
and also its heavenly origin and its spiritual life. No
impartial observer can fail to see that it has been connect
ed with all that has been good and valuable in this com
munity, — the inteUigence, the enterprise and the civility
which has characterized the people of the place from the
beginning, as well as with the religious and eternal inter
ests of men. WITHOUT A CHURCH.
Without the church there would have been no general
and proper observance of the christian Sabbath, — no re
ligious worship maintained either in the church or in

56 Centennial Celebration.
families, — there would have been no such successions of
pious men and women as there have been, and no such
peaceful and triumphant deaths as have been known here.
Without a church the christian ministry could not have
been sustained and there would have been no one to have
attended funerals. The whole town is, therefore, indebt
ed to the church for much more than we have ever sup
posed. With(>ut a church, a Sabbath and a christian peo
ple, God the Saviour would not have dwelt with this com
munity as he has for the two generations under review.
DIFFICULTY OF SUSTAINING IT.
It has required effort and sacriflces from the beginning
to sustain the interest of this church. Families in moder
ate circumstances have not known how to meet the expenses
which, from this cause, have come upon them. But in view
of the past we ask what money has been better appropriat
ed, what expenditure has tumed to better account ? Who
have been the prosperous and happy famiUes for a course
of years ? They who have neglected the house of God or
they who have come up fully to their proportion in sup
porting the institutions of religion ? We court examina
tion on this subject. May the present generation learn
wisdom from the past and as they would secure the good
order and prosperity of the community, the virtae and
inteUigence of famiUes, and the eternal welfare of aU,
let them cherish their pious people. Let them seek the
welfare of the churches ; let them sustain and attend up
on the preaching of the gospel, and bring their chUdren
to the Sabbath School.
THE EXPERIENCE OF THB PAST.
The experience of the past dictate this as the course
of wisdom. Let the following be the seutunent of each

Otlmr Churches. — Btiptist Church. 57
family in town, in reference to its own church : " If I for
get thee O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cun
ning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave
to the roof of my mouth, if I prefer not Jerusalem above
my chief joy." Then may we expect that God will have
a people here, that he vrill be with them and bless them
in generations to come. " Happy is that people that is in
such a case, yea, happy is that people whose God is the
Lord." NOTICE OF OTHER CHURCHES.
The early history of this ancient church has been some
what minutely given, because of its intimate connec
tion with the history of the town, and because the mate
rials were at hand, as they might not be again. Other
chm'ches of importance have since arisen, but their his
tory comes mainly within the modern history of the town
which it is not the present purpose to give.
BAPTIST CHURCH.
Of the Baptist church in the village in the north part of
the town, it should be said that it was formed in 1811 and
that worship has ever since been maintained there. Rev.
Mr. Tripp was the first pastor and continued nine years.
He was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Barron, Rev. Mr. Lovejoy,
Rev. Mr. Chamberlain, Bev. Mr. Huntley and others.
This church has embraced many valuable christian people,
whose infiuence has been felt for the benefit of the town.
Her ministers have done important services in town.
Several interesting revivals have been enjoyed there and
the church has been a blessing to the region arpund. It
has now a good house of worship and must be held re
sponsible for furnishing religious instruction to the peo
ple in that vicinity. May the presence of a common
Saviour be with thein.

58 Centennial Celebration.
FREEWILL BAPTIST CHURCH.
A Freewill Baptist church was formed in the west part
of the town in 1835, with seven members. Rev. Horace
Webber was the flrst pastor. Several seasons of revival
have been enjoyed in this church and additions made to^
its numbers at different times. The house of worship
was built in 1853, and the church now consists of eighty-
eight members. These three churches, now named, are
well situated to meet the religious wants of the town.
Though of diflferent denominations, may they in theh
several fields seek the honor of their common Lord, and
the salvation of their fellow men, and have a part in the
coming of the kingdom of our Lord.
FUTURE PEOSPEEITY.
Our thoughts are drawn to the future of the town. The
territory is to be occupied by generation after generation
in all time to come. These fields, hills and plains are to
be theirs after we sleep in our graves. We welcome them
to this occupancy and would have them know that all this
land has been worked over by busy hands. Some portion
of the land, which was valuable and productive when new,
has become barren and many barren places, nnder cultiva
tion, have become fertile.
ANCIENT APPEAEANCE OF THE HILLS.
Fifty years ago these hiUs, now covered with so luxur
iant a foliage, were covered with the dark spruce and
pine, with their sharp tops pointing to the skies, and af
ter a time they were one after another burned over, the
green growth kiUed to dry in the sun and decay. Another
fire would then occur at the dry season and the people
were in this way often reminded of Mount Sinai, when

Campton Hills 59
the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top
of the mountains. In this way, in successive years, every
vegetable substance upon these hills decayed and was
burned up and nothing but the bald and rugged rocks of
different colors appeared. The whole scenery of the
place was rough and unsightly. Had this general aspect
remained, your town would hardly have been sought as
it now is for the beauty of its scenery. The grandeur
was here, but not the beauty.
THEIE PEESENT BEAUTY.
The vast pUes of rocks are now .covered with a foliage
which surpasses in luxuriance and beauty almost any
part of the land. An article in a newspaper of the day
has the following :
" Campton has often been termed the rival of Conwaj'^.
The two have been compared to a pair of scales, of which
the intervening mountains form the beam. The beautiful
intervales, broad meadows waving with grain, the grace
ful grouping of the elms |,nd maples, all seem as if fitted
and placed in the most desirable position that nature may
exhibit her treasures in the loveliest forms. No wonder
that artists linger here and attempt to transmit the beau
ties of these scenes to canvass. There are views from
different places in this town, which are hardly equalled
any where else. WELCOME TO COMING GENERATIONS.
The coming generations are welcomed to all that is
grand and beautiful among our hills, and also to the in
stitutions estabUshed by the fathers of the town, — to the
schools, to the churches and to our puritan Sabbaths.
But we admonish you that if you would live and prosper
here, habits of stern industry and of the closest economy

60 Centennial Celebration.
must be adopted. If your object be ease, and wealth for
your children, you will turn to our cities or to the west.
But if you would bring forward a family to be respected
and honored and who can live anywhere, let them come
forward with the virtues and habits of • industry and
economy practised among this people. Such are the men
who are making their mark abroad, and who are first and
foremost in the enterprises of our times, and New Hamp
shire has sent forth more of them than any other State
in the Union. CAEE OP THE GRAVE YAEDS.
To the care of coming generations in all time, we com
mit the graves of our fathers and mothers and dear ones.
To each generation we commit this sacred trust. The
burying ground upon the hiU near the place of the old
church was procured and estabUshed by vote of the town
in 1776, and at the same time the burying ground upon
the west side of the river. These and other places of
sepulture within the town, are God's acre, and we trust
wUl be properly cared for. From these graves are to
come forth glorious forms at the final consummation of
all things. Let no sacrUegious hand be laid upon them.

SONG COMPOSED BY E. PRONK,
SEPTEMBEB iSth, 1867.
This town was aU a forest deep,
One hundrcji years ago,
The vales were low, the hUls were steep,
And rivers wandered through.

Song. 61
A few brave men, a pilgrim band,
Sought this far-off' location, —
They saw it was a goodly land.
And here they fixed their station.
From time to time more settlers came.
And many a spot was camped on ;
At length the town must have a name.
And so they called it Campton.
Now wake the harp, and tune the lyre,
To sing of ancient days,
This rural theme the song inspire.
To sound old Campton's praise.
In homespun were the people dressed.
Of woolen, tow or linen.
Their Sunday suits, which were the best.
Were neatly made by women.
And women then could wash and bake,
And also were good spinners,
The maids could ply the hoe and rake,
WhUe matrons cooked the dinners.
Our fathers' raised a house of prayer.
When few there were to build it,
And every Sabbath, foul or fair.
The people nobly filled it.
To meeting went, both young and old,
'Twas then but little trouble.
For none would keep a horse we're told.
That would not carry double.
So all on horse-back then did ride,
Unless they went by sledding.
And e'en the bridegroom and the bride, .
Rode double to the wedding.

62 Centennial Celebration.
And though the girls, we're told 'tis true,
Could not then dance cotillions.
We know that all the country through
They used to ride on pillions.
And now the times, we say, improve,
And learning is more plenty.
At railroad pace the people move.
And when they're five and twenty.
They've gone the rounds of learned lore.
Are fit for any station,
Then quickly pass, are seen no more.
And thus goes on the nation.
This season be a land-mark strong.
To guide us on our way.
And as we pass through life along.
Let us not go astray. .
To good old days we'll bid adieu,
And so we'll travel on.
We'll wish for all, good hearts and true.
And now wind up our song.

CLERGYMEN OF CAMPTON.

BY EEV. DANIEL PULSIFEE.

Mr. President — Ladies and Gentlemen :
Gladly would I speak of those, who, from the early
settlement of the town, have preached the gospel in
Campton, and to the credit of the early settlers, for in
telligence and piety, mention him, who was subsequently

Clergymen of Campton. 63
known as Dr. Emmons, as the person who was called to
be the first minister of the town. I would also speak of
him who actuaUy was the ffrst settled minister of the
town, and whose benevolent regard for the good of the
people, after he was dismissed from a pastorate of near
twenty years, prompted him to get up a social library
consisting of the most valuable books then extant, and
which had great influence in forming the minds and
moulding the character of the community. I should be
pleased to speak of Rev. Daniel Staniford, an excellent
minister, and of Rev. Warren Day and Rev. Jonathan
L. Hale, men of much prayer, and who could not rest
without success in their ministry, and of others also to
whom the words of the poet were applicable :
Whose hearts are warm.
Whose hands are pure, — whose doctrine and whose life.
Coincident, exhibit lucid proof.
That they are honest m the sacred cause.
But these have been mentioned already, and I must
confine my remarks to natives of Campton who have en
tered the ministry. But, Mr. President, is the juror al
lowed to sit upon a matter in which he is interested ? Or
is the jm-ist's argument relied upon when his interest is
identified with that of his client? But with one excep
tion, perhaps I may be allowed to speak of these men.
I am not aware that any native of Campton entered
the ministry tiU after the revival of reUgion in 1815.
Not very far from this time, events occurred in this town
worthy of particular note. As far back as that when the
laws of New Hampshire required males from sixteen to
forty years of age to be enroUed in the militia, and aU
miUtary companies to meet in the month of June, annual
ly, for inspection and driU. And custom, almost as bind
ing as law, required soldiers to visit their officers on
these occasions, burn powder and drink rum in honor of

64 ¦ Centennial Celebration.
their superiors. Two or three years previous to 181.5, a
young man of this town had the thumb of his left hand
torn away by his gun's splitting which was probably one
cause of his afterward going to Haverhill to attend the
Academy. Another young man not far from this time,
was killed at the raising of a house frame. This last
event led some young minds in this town to more serious
thought than they had been in the habit of entertaining.
In the Autumn of 1815, the HaverhUl student was hope
fully born again in a revival of religion in the Academy
where he was studying. On the first Sabbath after his
return from Haverhill, this young man, with aflFections
warmed into life by the love of God shed abroad in his
heart, i«vited his young associates to go with him during
the interim of public worship, to a school house near the
meeting house, where he read to them an address on the
subject of religion which had then been recently delivered
to the students of Nassau HaU. This proved a good be
ginning. The next Sabbath the house was filled, the
windows raised and many stood at them listening, while
prayers were offered and addresses delivered. After this
these meetings were held at the house of Dea. David
Bartlett. But from this time the work of revival went on, till the
hopeful converts numbered nearly one hundred. Of these,
nine subsequently entered the ministry, if we include
Christopher Marsh, who was hopefully converted at Har
verhill, and George Elliott, who was a subject of this re
vival, though a native of Thornton. There was also
another subject of this revival who consecrated himself to
the work of the ministry, but was called away by death
while a member of college, viz : Leonard Willey. In
speaking of these men I think that I shaU speak truly
and give no offence to any one, when I utter the opinion
that the Haverhill student, who did so much to promote

Clergymen of Campton. 65
the revival in this town, to which I have alluded, was not
only first in point of time to enter the ministry, but was
first also in talent, first in piety, first in real consecration
to the work, being as we have reason to believe, richly
anointed with the Holy Spirit. And he was the first also
whom Infinite wisdom saw best to call home to the bright
world of glory, to enjoy God's love in heaven ; where,
doubtless, many souls are received as seals of his minis
try and as stars in the crown of his rejoicing. Christo
pher Marsh should long be remembered with thanksgiv
ing to God, by the good people of Campton. And prob
ably many in other places have reason to thank God for
putting him into the ministry.
Perhaps, in point of talent, piety and a prospect for
usefulness, we ought to place next to Mr. Marsh the indi
vidual who was called home to glory during his collegiate
course. Leonard WUley was no unpromising youth ; but
God saw best to take him, ere he was prepared to enter
the ministry, to higher services in glory.
There have been revivals of religion in Campton, and
many hopeful conversions since 1815, and some of these
converts too have entered the ministry, making the whole
number not less than fourteen, thirteen of whom are now
living so far as known, besides Leonard WUley who con
secrated himself to the work, but died ere his preparation
was completed.
Inhabitants of Campton, especially natives, what mat
ter of gratitude to the God of all grace that from time to
time He has granted the influences of His Spirit, and so
gloriously revived his work. And in addition to this,
that there have been so many, who cannot only thank
God for sending His Spirit into their hearts and drawing
them to Christ, but, as we humbly hope, can add " I
thank Jesus Christ my Lord, for that He counted me
faithful in putting me into the ministry." God grant that

66 Centennial Celebration.
aU these now living may carefully examine themselves,
and be found faithful unto the end. I think one of this
number may well be particularized here, as having suffer
ed much during the late rebeUion ; having to forsake aU,
flee for his life, and yet was, at last, taken by the rebels
and their sympathizers among the Indians, and probably
would have lost his life but for the persevering efforts of
an affectionate, and beloved daughter. I refer to Rev.
Worcester Willey, missionary among the Indians. And
let me so far advocate woman's rights as to mention
another individual, a lady missionary, a native of this
town who was subjected to similar sufferings to those of
Mr. Willey. I refer now to Mrs. Palmer, whose maiden
name was Eliza Giddings. There is another individual
who I think should not be forgotten in this connection,
for though he never entered the ministry, he was a faith
ful missionary among the Indians for several years. This
individual was a fatherless boy of some twelve or thirteen
years of age, in 1830 or 1831, when he attended a pro
tracted reUgious meeting at Plymouth, where he was
hopefully converted, and immediately became a mission
ary in an important sense, as he immediately commenced
striving to persuade his associates to become christians.
On Sabbath noon, he might be seen conversing with those
near his own age on this all-important subject. He seem
ed to feel, from the very beginning of his christian course,
that his own ease, convenience and comfort must be entire
ly subservient to God's will. Accordingly, though he was
naturally near sighted and had wholly lost the sight of
one eye, he felt that he must try to prepare himself to
be useful. He attended the Academy at Plymouth, when
Rev. Samuel Reed Hall was principal, and acquired a
very good common education. He then offered himself
to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Mis
sions, and was accepted and sent as a teacher among the

Clergymen of Campton. 67
Indians, where he continued his faithful labors till blind
ness prevented his doing more. He then took up his con
nexion with the Board and soon after died, full of love to
God and the souls of men. It was said of him by a per
son of exceUent judgment, who knew him well, " I never
knew so self-denying a man as Charles Pulsifer." Will
our christian friends be pleased to oflfer their prayers for
clergymen, natives of Campton, who may be still living,
that they may ever stand firm in God's counsel, and as
they have strength and opportunity cause the people to
hear His Word ; being preserved by Him who walketh in
the midst of the golden candlesticks and holdeth the stars
in his right hand.
And now as we have been looking back upon some few
events of the past, how naturally are rfve drawn to an
ticipate the future, and earnestly entreat Him who ever
Uves and watches over the interests of His kindgom upon
the earth, who waits to be gracious, hears prayer and is
ready to bestow His blessing, that He will in the century
to come, revive His work an hundred fold in Campton,
and in other places through the land and world ; and far
down in the hearts of great multitudes cause to be felt
the hidden power of Divine Grace, working mightily at
the very fountain of life and action, and raising up scores
of gospel ministers, even here in Campton, far more rich
ly anointed with the Holy Ghost than any of their prede
cessors ever have been. And in view of the signs of the
times and the predictions of God's Word, may we not
hope that ere another century close or not very far beyond
that time that the voice of a great multitude, like that of
many waters and many thunderings, shall be heard say
ing " AUeluia, for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth."

68 Centennial Celebration.

COMMON SCHOOLS.

BY W. C. BLAIR.

Mr. President : In response to the sentiment just
read, I confess myself utterly at loss in the brief time,
which I know I must occupy to do anything like adequate
justice to the theme.
The distinguishing characteristic of our American civ
ilization, and especially the New England type of that
civilization, is the intelligence of the mass of the people.
In Spain, in France, in Russia, even in classic Italy, in
short in all Europe, — except perchance some of the Ger
man States, and possibly Sweden, — we find among the
great body of the people that ignorance is the rule and
knowledge the exception.
But it is not so here. The people in this country read
the newspapers and the Bible, discuss politics and theolo
gy, and vote and worship as they please. There the
mass of the population are chiefiy interested in cock
fights, bull fights, bear gardens, masquerade balls and the
inevitable theatres of high and low degree.
Now what is true of our civilization as a whole, comes
out in bold relief when considered in detail. For in
stance. New England in the methods and success of popu
lar education is far in advance of the rest of the country,
and Massachusetts is in advance of any State in New
England, and some towns and cities in that great com
monwealth in advance of a large majority of the residue
of towns and cities.
So in our own State, in the methods and means of dif
fusing knowledge among the masses ; some towns are
much superior to others, and I claim here and now, that
in this respect, Campton occupies a proud pre-eminence.

Common Schools. 69
Within my own remembrance, I recollect that our
good old town was the pioneer in the school house reform
in this part of the State. The flrst old school house that
gave place to a flne structure, complete in all its apart
ments, was at the village. I well remember that our
wealthy and enterprising neighbors, in the most charming
village in this beautiful valley of the Pemigewasset, were
content with about as wretched and dilapidated a speci
men of school architecture as ever shocked human vision
or gave to the very swine that might pass that way, long
ing for a habitation and a home. Yet that unseemly
structure for the diffusion of knowledge to young ideas,
perched upon an almost inaccessible bluflF, existed for
several j'ears after the comparatively poor vUlage of Camp
ton had such a school house as I have before mentioned,
at once the pride and boast of the whole town.
Campton, I say then, was the pioneer in the great work
of making decent habitations for public instruction, and if
our good mother to-day stands more prosperous in her
general material interests, in her enterprises for the pub
lic welfare, in her quiet but not less earnest devotion to
the practical business of good living, and by the term
good living, I mean to include the practice of all moral
and spiritual virtues ; if, in a word, Campton really is,
and slie is, one of the first towns in the State, it is due
more than to any one other thing, to the high character
of her public schools. She has always stood high in this
regard. From the early settlement of the town down
through the ten decades of her existence, her schools
have been superior, and her sons and daughters have been
the recipients of better instruction, and more of it than
has been vouchsafed to the people of most of our New
Hampshire towns.
But this subject opens up a wide field, and I might
occupy a full hour in observations upon this line of

70 Centennial Celebration.
thought. I forbear, however, as the teachers of Campton
claim our attention for a few moments.
Of course there must of necessity in every town be
two classes of teachers, to wit : Natives of the town
who taught school in the town and abroad, and those who
were not natives that came into the town to teach.
Of the early teachers of Campton, I know but little.
Enough evidence, however, exists of their diligence,
fldelity and efficiency, in those instructed by them in their
day, as evinced by what they have achieved. in after life.
Perhaps of more modern days, I may be able to sug
gest a few incidents of interest. During the Autumn
and Winter of 1862 and 1863, I happened, by accident,
to board for a few weeks where several of the Judges of
the Supreme Court of the United States boarded, and
during that time I became acquainted with one of their
number, who imformed me that the first school that he
ever taught was at Campton Village. In conversation
with him, I observed that his appreciation of the soUd
and stable character of Campton people, induced him to
bear high testimony both to the intellectual and moral
worth of the people. Without making any invidious dis
tinction, it is enough to say that almost every family was
mentioned, among whom I well remember the WiUeys,
Bakers, Pulsifers, Littles, Holmes', Clarks, Spencers, and
many others. Judge Clifford's idea of the superior char
acter of the people of the town, was,! know predicated
upon the excellence of their schools.
I have the honor of an intimate acquaintance with
another teacher of the vUlage school. I refer to my bril
liant and accomplished townsman. Col. T. J. Whipple,
one of the most remarkable men of our time, in many re
spects. He taught the school at Campton ViUage about thnty-
three years ago, and his reminiscences of that time are

Common Schools. ll
exceedingly interesting. I remember among other things
an incident showing the discipline he had in his school.
The minister, as was the custom, visited the school, and
his son, a boy about fifteen years old, at that precise age
at which boys know more than ever afterwards, attended
the school. Presuming, upon his father's presence as a
source of protection, the youngster took advantage of the
occasion and behaved with most unseemly rudeness.
Tom, as we famUiarly called him at home, called the
youth into the floor and administered to him in the pres
ence of his father, a most severe castigation. The father,
unlike many parents, congratulated the teacher and prom
ised to administer the same punishment when the disobe
dient lad reached home. The Colonel also related many
other incidents of interest connected with his school
teaching experience in Campton.
Of teachers who taught away from Campton, nearly
every professional man here to-day or absent, has at some
time in his life, been a common school teacher, and with
many of them it was the only means by which they were
enabled to obtain their education. Of them it may be
justly said, that their success in professional life is ample
evidence of their capacity and influence as teachers.
One teacher who was a native of this town, made teach
ing a profession, and who had long experience both at
home and abroad, I cannot help calling to your particular
notice. I refer to Samnel R. Adams. In the late war,
his valuable Ufe, with hundreds of thousands of others,
was given as a sacriflce upon the altar of his country, to
make it free indeed. He has passed away, but his in
fluence and his example, have smvivedthe patriot's grave.
As a teacher he had unusual capacity. He knew how to
command the love as well as obedience of aU his pupUs.
He was firm, yet not harsh, ruUng with kindness, yet al
ways holding his school closely in hand. In him were

72 Centennial Celebration.
united aU the qualities of a good teacher, and he exempli
fied in his life and character the highest qualities of a
christian and a gentleman. Can I pay higher compli
ment than this to mortal man?
There are very many others, whom I have in mind, and
would gladly mention in this connection, but I am re
minded I have already occupied too much of your time.
And in conclusion permit me to offer the following senti
ment :
The future of Campton. If she is as faithful to the
interests of popular education in the years that are to
come as in the past, she will ever remain, materially, in
tellectually and morally, among the foremost of New
England towns.

THE SABBATH SCHOOLS OF CAMPTON.

BY W. CHASE.

It is well known that there are in the soUd ledge of the
beautiful Connecticut Valley, many clear and distinct
tracks of birds ; footprints of small as well as large mem
bers of the feathered tribe. The natural question that
arises in view of this fact is, "How came they there ?"
We conclude that a long, long time ago the red sand stone
ledge, so hard now, was in a soft plastic state, prepared
to receive whatever impressions might be made upon it.
Then it must be these birds walked upon the plastic yield
ing substance, that since has become hard and firm, re
taining as the record of iTon pen this account of their
transactions in those early daj^s. Thus it is with the hu
man mind in childhood, it is wonderfully plastic, prepar-

Sabbath Schools of Campton. 73
ed expressly by the hand of the AUwise Creator to readi
ly receive and imperishably retain impressions. Our
Puritan fathers were persecuted in England because they
worshiped God, as they thought they ought, and therefore
they sought an asylum in Holland. But although they
were there allowed to worship God and instruct their
children as they believed right, thej'^ soon found that the
habits and manners of the Dutch youth had a pernicious
influence on their children, and must unavoidably tend to
corrupt their morals and prevent their training them in
the nurture and admonition of the Lord. To this they
could not be reconciled. The new world through the
skill and enterprise of Columbus had been discovered,
and they determined to seek a home in it, hoping there to
be free from those contaminating influences that had oper
ated so unfavorably on their youth. They therefore em
barked upon the bosom of the mighty deep, in the imper
fect sailing vessels of that day, and after a long and dan
gerous voyage, landed on the bleak and inhospitable shore
of Cape Cod.
Be it remembered then, that our fathers left all the
privUeges and comforts of a long settled and fertUe coun
try, and buffeted the waves and exposed themselves to
the dangers of the billowy deep, and came to this wilder
ness to dwell amongst wild beasts and more savage men,
to suffer from privation and want for the express purpose
of training their children in habits of piety and virtue.
Honor to their memory. They valued the right training
and instmction of their children more than aU worldly
good. With these views and purposes, combined with
the wisdom that cometh from above, they erected the
church and placed the school house in its friendly shade,
and brought their combined influence to operate in in
structing the minds and moulding the hearts of their
youth. They sought and procured holy and wise men to

74 Centennial Celebration.
instruct them in the word of God and lead them in His
worship. Here they aU, young and old, repaired every
Sabbath and on other days when they thought it expe
dient, to the house dedicated to this purpose, and listen
ed with unwearied attention while their teacher expound
ed God's word and brought forth his stores of theological
lore. They also instructed their children around the
family altar and at their firesides in the sacred scriptures,
and had them commit portions of them to memory. They
secured the services of persons qualified by good charac
ter, learning and skUl, to teach the children to read and
write, and the elementary principles of science. And all
of suitable age were required to repair to the school house
on week days, a portion of the year at least, to receive
this important instruction. Thus a new and important
era was commenced in the history of civilization, in
which all, whatever the circumstances or pecuniary con
dition of their parents, were taught the rudiments of
science, and the foundation of general intelligence was
securely laid. But another institution was needed to more
fuUy develop the religious nature and more effectually
mould the heart aright. This is the Sabbath School.
Here the scholar is brought under the infiuence of those
best qualified by piety and intelligence, tact and skill, to
cultivate the higher nature. The word of God, the most
effectual means in this work, is brought into close contact
with the mind and heart at the most favorable time. And
when we take into consideration these facts, and especial
ly the inability of many parents to well instruct, and the
indifference of others in regard to the religious instruc
tion and training of their children, we cannot but feel the
importance of this institution in bringing forward the
glorious period in the world's history, clearly predicted
of in God's word, when none need to say to his neighbor,
" Know the Lord," for all shaU know Him from the least
to the greatest.

Sabbath Schools of Campto7i. 75
The descendants of the Puritans m.any years ago, saw
the importance of this institution and organized Sabbath
,Schools all over New England. And the goodly town of
Campton was not wanting in wise and good men to carry
forward this work. In 1822 or about this time. Rev.
Daniel Pulsifer, who so appropriately asked God to grant
His blessing on this occasion, with some others whose
hearts God had touched, to act for the rising race, met
and organized a Sabbath School in connection with the
public worship of the Congregational church. It has
since that time been conducted with good success, much
of the time embracing a large part of the congregation.
It has greatly benefitted society, promoted the right ob
servance of the Sabbath, and above all has aided many
to find Christ and heaven. Many will rise up in heaven,
I doubt not, and call the founders and faithful laborers in
this school blessed. About the time that this school was
organized, Edmund Cook, since gone to his reward, invit
ed the children in the north part of the town to come to
gether and organized them into a Sabbath School and
taught them with good success. His zeal and sacrifice in
this work of love, is worthy of special commendation. I
frequently meet those who enjoyed his instruction and
labor to encourage them to learn Scriptare truth and im
prove in this school. They tell me that he used to make
little trunks, and present them to those who were most
constant and diUgent in their efforts. After a time the
Baptist Society built a house of worship and organized a
school in connection with the church that worshipped
there, and it has been a great blessing to many. The
speaker cannot forbear here to gratefully express his obli
gation to the founders and friends of this school. He
expects to bless God forever that he was led in early
childhood into this sacred institution, and especiaUy that
he was encouraged to learn portions of Scripture to recite

76 Centennial Celebration.
there. More recently a meeting for public worship has
been established, and a Sabbath School organized in the
west part of the town by the FreewiU Baptist Church, which
I doubt not has been well conducted and accomplished
much good. Other schools have been gathered and sus
tained for a short time in school houses in various parts
of the town. But I think now there are only these three
that have been mentioned that are in operation.
But are there not districts in town where a wise and
enterprising christian laborer can collect jewels for the
Saviour's crown by gathering the children, and teaching
them the truths of the gospel of Jesus, and obtain for
himself a reward which is of more value than all the pre
cious treasures of earth? If the seed of God's word is
not sown in their hearts, it will never spring up and bring
forth fruit unto their salvation. And if it be not sown
there in childhood, it will not be very likely to take root
so as to bear this fruit at all. Who will sow it ? Or shall
they be neglected to perish, — to lose eternal life, to be
cast off, and the Saviour lose their praise ? What an ap
peal does this case present to those who love Christ and
priceless souls. In view of the readiness of children to
receive impressions, and the tenacity, undying tenacity
with which they retain them, what encouragement there
is to gather them together on the Sabbath and teach them
the Word of God, which is able to mould them into the
image of Jesus. And in view of the facts in the case we
ask all to carefuUy consider the question, "Is not the
Sabbath School the most efficient of all means to hasten
the glorious era when the knowledge of the glory of God
shall fill the earth and all shall know the Lord from the
least to the greatest ?" Our duty is plain, our encourage
ment is great, to labor to bring every child into the Sab
bath school and to exert the most sacred influence upon
his mind and heart while he is there.

Bemarks by Bev. Mr. Smith. 11

" HOW DEAR TO MY HEART ARE THE SCENES
OF MY CHILDHOOD."

BY REV. FRENCH SMITH.

Mr. President — Ladies and Gentlemen :
I once heard of a public speaker who, in addressing his
audience, stated that he remembered certain events that
occurred when his grandmother was a little girl. I sup
pose he intended to say he remembered of hearing his
grandmother relate certain events that occurred when she
was a little girl.
Now, Mr. President, I think I should find no difficulty
in interesting this audience in speaking upon the scenes
of my childhood, if among those scenes were the events
connected with the early history of this town which oc
curred when my grandparents were little children. And
as there were interesting scenes in the days of their child
hood which were peculiar to the first settlements in this
town, — which events we have come here to-day to com
memorate, — it may be proper for me briefij' to refer to a
few of them.
It is eighty-eight years since my grandfather, a beard
less boy of nine years, came to Campton. How interest
ing to contemplate the scenes of that early day ; to go in
imagination among the scattered settlers and see them
laboring with their rude implements of agriculture, some
specimens of which are here to-day, and then to enter
their humble dwellings and partake of a Rebekah's veni
son served on wooden plates, or with a pewter spoon eat
lucious bean-porridge. Or coming down nine years later
in the history of the town, to the time my great-grand
father Giddings, moved from Newburyport, Massachusetts,

78 Centennial Celebration.
to Campton, we flnd scenes strange and ludicrous. My
great-grandmother rode on horseback, carrying her young
est chUd in her arms. The rest of the children either
went on foot or rode, — not in a stage coach, or railroad
car drawn by the boiling teakettle which has been men
tioned here to-day, — but in a cart propelled by ox power
at the usual bovine speed.
They completed their journey in about a week, thus
occupying more time than is now necessary in going from
Maine to Kansas. Among the valuables which that cart
contained was this book which I hold in my hand, entitled
" The FulflUing of the Scriptures." It was printed by
Robert Fleming, in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1743, and
is consequently one" hundred and twenty-four years old.
It was flrst owned by my grandmother's grandmother in
the days of her girlhood, and her name, Abigail Bartlett,
is legibly written on the first page. Among those that
rode in the cart was a blushing maiden of sweet sixteen,
named Polly. Miss Polly, notwithstanding her ride in
the cart, was too dignified to give her hand in matrimony
to the green boys of Campton, and as a reward for her
folly she has been living an old maid for the last sixty-
flve years. Next Monday is her ninty-sixth birthday.
Even these scenes, which we never saw only in imagina
tion, are dear to our hearts from the reverence we have
for our ancestry. But in many respects the scenes of our
fathers' were the scenes of our childhood. It is true the
forests had fallen before the woodman's ax, the log houses
with their huge flreplaces had given way to more comfort
able dwelUngs ; instead of the howl of the w^qlf there was
heard the rattling of the stage coach or the whistling of
the engine, but the everlasting hills remained with their
rocky sides and rippling brooks. The same pure moun
tain breezes blow o'er these hills and through these vales
now as then, the same varieties of flowers bud and bios-

Bemarks of Bev. Mr. Smith. 79
som, the same species of birds now as then make their
annual visits and warble forth the same sweet songs of
praise to Him who made them. The church organized in
the days of our grand-parents had its existence in the days
of our childhood and long may it thrive a nursery of
piety, a blessing to the world.
Dearer to our hearts are these rugged hills with their
beautiful and varied scenery, than the expansive prairies
of the West or the rich cotton flelds of the South. Here
the first and most lasting impressions of our lives were
made. The scenes of chUdhood, who can forget them?
The solemnities of a funeral ; the festivity of a marriage ;
how impressive. How bright are the sunny dreams of
chUdhood ; the heart unacquainted with grief, unbroken
by affliction's rod, is buoyant with hope. Pleasures and
blessedness, unmixed with woe, gild the future pathway
of Ufe. When in after years experience has blasted many
of our fond hopes, and pleasures for which we never look
ed have been ours to enjoy, how pleasant to bring to mind
the anticipations of childhood. And the scenes of our
chUdhood bring fresh to our memories the thoughts, sor
rows, joys, words and acts of our chUdhood, and those
scenes also bring fresh to our memories parents and
grandparents, schoolmates and youthful associates, many,
very many of whom have gone to that land from whence
no traveler returns. Go to the aged and perhaps the
events of yesterday are forgotten, but if there is anything
clear in thefr memories it is the scenes of their childhood.
Go to the bed of the dying and they too are thinking up
on the scenes of their childhood and seem to derive satis
faction by being assined that they shall be buried by the
graves of their fathers. Many of the sons and daughters
of Campton who have died in distant towns or other
States, have been brought to the scenes of thetf child
hood for interment. And this sentiment is no new princi-

80 Centennial Celebration.
pie. We read that Israel charged his sons that they bury
him with his fathers in the cave of Machpelah, saying
" there they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife ; there
they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife ; and there I bur
ied Rachel."
Dear, thrice dear to our hearts, are the scenes of our
childhood, and long will we cherish a sacred memory of
the town which contains the graves of our pious ancestry
and gave us our birth. And when our " dust shall return
to the earth as it was, and our spirits shall return unto
God who gave them," then may our ashes repose in yon
der beautiful cemetery in this lovely valley of the Pemige
wasset, amid the scenes of our childhood.

THE SOLDIERS OF THE UNION.

BY H. W. BLAIE.

In reviewing the century which expires to-day and
which comprises more than the whole period of the his
tory of the Union, we find that we have not been exempt
from the common experience of nations. We have pass
ed through peace and war, through prosperity and adversi
ty. America has a better form of Government and of
social organization, a higher type of civUization develop
ing, if not already developed, than exist anywhere else
on the earth. Yet this day's retrospect reminds us that
although in advance of aU other nations, we are of the
same common nature aiid subject to the operation of the
same inexorable laws. Like that of the rest of mankind
much of our history too is written in blood.
Some phUosophers have taught that war is the natural

Bemarks by H. W, Blair. 81
condition of mankind, and it is certain that no great land
mark has been set up in the progress of the race without
war. The great epochs of history have been baptized in
blood. Popnlai- freedom has been born in battle, and
reared amid " the clash of resounding arms." By means
of war the greatest practical good has been realized by
the masses of men, and a review of the century just past
proves that relentless, devastating, terrible war, is still
the chief agency employed by the Supreme Ruler of the
universe in removing the hoary obstructions reared by
ignorance, superstition and depravity in the pathway of
man, to a more exalted destiny. Even the Prince of
Peace came not to bring peace but by the sword, and the
religious wars that have in their prosecution blasted the
earth as fiames of the pit might blast the gardens of para
dise, attest how true it is that such is the lamentable na
ture of man that Emanuel disseminates even the religion
of love, by means of the organized destruction of human
Ufe. The tme soldier is one of the highest types of man.
He fights only when inspired by a great cause. Battles,
the physical combat, the bloody collision of armed masses
of men, the torn field covered with ghastly corses and
echoing with the agonies of the wounded, — the wail of
defeat and the shout of triumph, — these are but the inci
dents, the sad and unavoidable incidents, not the reality
of war. They may conceal from common vision the true
nature of the contest, but the true soldier sees through
and above it all, the desperate confiict of irreconcilable
principles, the eternal struggle between right and wrong.
Nor is it because death is less formidable to him than to
others, that the ties and endearments of home and kin
dred are less precious, — that the fair green earth, the
sublime forms of the mountains, mighty forests, happy

82 Centennial Celebration.
valleys and smiling waters, the song of birds, zephyrs,
and the requiems of the air,— that nature with her ten
thousand charms, has none for him, that he leads the im
petuous charge on and challenges the treacherous assaults
of malignant disease. Insensibility to danger is not
courage. The man who comprehends danger and by the
power of superior motives conquers fear, alone is made
of the true stuff and is a hero. And it is because his
soul is blazing with the holy flre of a cause sacred and
sublime, that he cares not for limb or life, or any of the
bolts of fate.
It is eminently fltting on this centennial occasion, when
our eyes are turned to behold the long train of wonderful
events by which the wilderness has been transformed into
the hapfjy home of a civilized and christian common
wealth, that the " soldiers of the Union" be held in hon
orable remembrance.
The flrst soldiers -of Campton were soldiers of the
Union, and some of the flrst and bravest soldiers of the
Union were from Campton.
The historian says that this town although so recently
settled furnished ten men who upheld the Declaration
with their " lives, their fortunes and their sacred honors."
They shed their blood in the time that tried mens' souls.
Rebels they were against tyrants, but the chosen warriors
of the Most High God. Whiie some of them left their
bones on the battlefield in distant States, others returned
to enjoy a ripe old age under the protection of that glor
ious banner whose ample folds their hands first flung to
the breezes of heaven. Now they have passed away, and
their sacred dust sleeps calmly beneath the soil their valor
redeemed. And Campton soldiers fought for the Union when the
jealousy and impotent wrath of baffled Britain, her wound
ed pride stiU smarting under the mortifying memories of

Bemarks by H. W. Blair. 83
the revolutionary war, led her to attempt to sweep our
commerce from the seas and chain the billows of the
mighty deep. The struggle of 1776 liberated the conti
nent and set in motion a train of causes that seems des
tined to free every acre of land trodden by the foot of
man. The war of 1812 was to emancipate the waters of the
world, and worthy sons reared by revolutionary sires, im
bibing freedom with every breath drawn among their na
tive hiUs hurried to die at the summons of their country,
and by thefr consecrated valor they saved the priceless
heritage the fathers had bequeathed, while the attentive
world wondered to behold the heroism which triumphed
at Lexington and Bunker Hill and Saratoga and York-
town, again in the ascendant at Plattsburgh and New Or
leans, and on the slippery decks of our matchless men-of-
war. And in our last tremendous struggle for very life, many
brave sons of Campton have fought, and alas ! some have
fallen too, for the Union. Eight men of fourteen who
enUsted in a single company gave up their Uves within a
year. Better men never fell for the rights of man ; and
many others equally worthy fell, of whom the time would
faU us to speak their praise. It is enough, and all that
on this brief occasion we can say, that sons of Campton
have fought every foe of the Union and that the sod re
news its annual verdure above them on every battle-field
of our land.
Departed spirits, — who have passed beyond the vi-
cisitudes of time to partake the eternal rest of the bless
ed, — we cherish the recollection of your earthly forms
with tears, while we hail your celestial presence with
transcendant joy. For you death had no terrors. Filled
with sacred enthusiasm in a noble cause your mortal
career closed in a zenith of Ught, and as the thunders of

84 Centennial Celebration.
battle vanished on your dying senses the music of the
heavenly gates " on golden hinges turning and of beauti
fied chofrs welcomed your ascending souls to the society
of the long glorified father." Hushed be the tumult of
life as with the eye of faith we gaze on your transfigured
forms. Long shall your memory live on these mortal
shores. Affection has embalmed you in her choicest
shrine. The patriot shall emulate your example in life
and in death, and the christian as he enters the valley of
the shadow of death shall light his torch in the effulgent
hope that glorified your exit. Peace be unto your ashes
wherever they lie. God's guardian angels watch over
them and bedew with tears of heaven the sacred fiowers
that bloom on your scattered graves.
" On fame's eternal camping ground
Their silent tents are spread.
And glory guards with solemn round
The bivouac of the dead."
Nor on this occasion should we forget the living who
endured or dared whatever has immortalized the dead ;
and to-day our common country remembers with pride
the gallantry and patriotism of her surviving^sons, many
of whom are before me, and I ask is there one of you who
would exchange his record for that of dead Caesar ? Not
one. To have been a common soldier of the Union is to
outrank Caesar wrapped in purple robes dyed in the blood
of millions slain that he might
wade through slaughter to a throne.

And shut the gates of mercy ou mankind."
There is little left in this world which the humblest
living soldier of the Union can desire to add to the hon
ors of his name. A country, aye in a larger sense a world,
saved for humanity by the triumph and preservation of
our national integrity through his toils and sufferings.

Bemarks by H. W. Blair. 85
He is in no unmeaning sense, " one of the army of the
Lord." What more can he ask ? What more can he re
ceive of honor at our hands ?
Give him when maimed and stricken in your service
only the necessaries of life andhe wiU not trouble you
for its honors; that certificate of honorable discharge
from the army of the Union, proves him to be the peer of
any of his countrymen. History will take care of him.
And in closing, aUow me to say that I believe municipal
patriotism can manifest itself in no more commendable
form than in the erection of appropriate monuments to
commemorate the self-sacrificing heroism of the soldiers
of the Union.
By a recent act of the Legislature every town and city
in New Hampshire is authorized to raise and expend
money for that noble object, and I believe that in no other
way can we perpetuate such an impressive sense of the
inestimable worth of our free institutions and of this
glorious Union by whose preservation alone they can be
transmitted and made perpetual, as by ennobling our
landscape with monuments whose silent, chaste yet ele
gant columns and simple epitaphs, shall forever repeat to
tbe long succession of happy and grateful generations to
come, that first great lesson of patriotic devotion, " 'Tis
sweet, oh 'tis sweet for our country to die."
By doing honor to the soldier we honor and foster the
cause for which he lays down his life. No country can
or should long continue to exist when its obligations are
forgotten to those who preserved its life by the sacrifice
of thefr own, to its disabled, and to the widows and or
phans of its slain or when it ceases to cherish in grateful
remembrance, the gallant deeds which constitute its nar
tional renown.
America will not fail to honor those who in triumph or
defeat have perUed aU in her defence, for in the language

86 Centennial Celebration.
of the Great Athenian, "What was the part of gallant
men they all performed ? Their success was such as the
Supreme Ruler of the universe dispensed to each."
All the " soldiers of the Union " have been its bulwark
in the past, so under God are they its future hope. One
century hence, — when every breathing thing that now
moves in the Ught of heaven ; when you, honored sfr ;
when the infant that prattles on its mother's arms uncon
scious of the profound solemnities we celebrate ; when
you venerable sires and matrons, who have gathered once
more within the corporate precincts of our beloved old
native town, to renew by sacred communings with the un
changing forms of nature, the tender associations that
link you rather with the dead than with the living ; when
all, all of us shall have moldered away and our names
shall have been lost in the wide gulf of oblivion, or shall
linger only in the faint voices of tradition, — may the
sons of Campton at her next centennial celebration be
able to transmit, as thank God we now bequeath it to
them, untarnished the honor of her " soldiers of the Un-

LETTER FROM REV. DR. STONE.

Concord, Sept. 11, 1867.
Mr. Bartlett— Dear Sir : I received a letter yester
day, dated at Campton Village, inviting me to attend your
Centennial Celebration on the 12th. Please give my com
pUments to the Committee and say to them that it would
give me great pleasure to be present on that occasion, but
the state of my health wUl not permit.
I am a member of the CouncU which convenes here to
morrow to instaU a pastor over the Ffrst Church, but I

Letters from Bev. Messrs. Stone and Willey. 87
should be much more interested in going to Campton, if
I were able. My former residence among you as pastor,
and my acquaintance with your people and history, give
me a deep interest in your aff"afrs and welfare. May the
Lord be with you and make the occasion a blessing to all
present, and to all futm-e generations, at least for the next
hundred years.
Grateful to the Committee for thefr kind invitation.
Yours, respectfully,
Benjamin P. Stone.

LETTER FROM REV. AUSTIN WILLEY.

Stockton, California, AprU, 1868.
To the Committee of Arrangements for the Centennial Cele
bration at Campton, New Hampshire : '
Gentlemen : It was with great pleasure that I learned
of the design to celebrate the Centennial of the settle
ment of my honored native town. It was most appro
priate. The town was worthy of such commemoration
and all its true sons, wherever scattered on the earth,
wUl gladly respond to its honors. Nothing but impossi
bilities prevents my joining, personally, in that grand
occasion. It is doubtful if another town can be found in
New England of equal population and natural advantages,
which has contributed more to human good. Its early
history was marked by substantial intelligence, sound
morality and religious principle, and its sons and daugh
ters have gone aU over the continent diffusing these in
fluences of their native town. And whether on the shore
of either ocean, among the Rocky Mountains or upon the

88 Centennial Celebration.
praries of the West, the name of thefr dear native town
awakens emotions which no time or distance can efface.
There was the old home which meant home. There the
the scenes of childhood and associations of youth ; there
the meeting house and school house ; there the grand and
beautiful in nature, commingled as almost nowhere else ;
and there the graves of departed generations, watered
with tears of affection ; there sleep the pious dead, an
gels perhaps still watching their dust. How can we re
member Campton without grateful affection, and thanking
those who proposed and carried through this celebration.
But if that town is to be what it has been, the causes
of its past distinction must be kept in vigorous activity.
There certainly were an intelligent christian ministry,
substantial books, good schools, little liquor traffic,
close industry and sound religion. Let these control the
taste and habits, and give character to the town, and its
honor will still advance, while the good flowing from it
to the world will be as living as the streams from its
mountain sides.
Let me propose this sentiment :
Campton : May its second Centennial Celebration pre
sent as pleasing a record as its first.
A. Willey.

LETTER FROM E. C. BAKER.

26 Barrister's Hall, Boston, Sept. 9, 1867.
Charles Cuttee, Esq —
Dear Sir : Your letter of August flrst, inviting me to
be present at a Centennial Celebration of the town of
Campton, on September 12th, was received in due course

Letter from E- C. Baker, Esq. 89
of mail. I have delayed an answer, hoping to be able to
respond in person at the time designated.
One hundred j-ears of corporate life, fairly gives your
town the right to call herself, and to be known as the
old town of Campton. Not only this but her still earlier
history, her name indicating it, — being as she was, if I
am not mistaken, one of the earliest camping grounds of
those noble men, whose efforts, labors and sufferings, as
pioneers in the settlement of this Western continent, con
tributed so much to the development of the Anglo Saxon
race and the establishment of a government, deriving all
its powers from the governed, — gives you a still further
right, with proud satisfaction, to haU this anniversary
day. One hundred years ! What mighty changes have
marked thefr flight ! Who of that day, if now they could
revisit you, would find anything which they then saw, or
as they lay and slept in thefr rude camp, ever dreamed of
seeing in the sweet valley or on the fertile hills of thefr
quiet home ? Who of them all foresaw or prophesied
then the mighty Empire which they, and such as they,
were buUding? Aye! "they builded wiser than they
knew !" Deep and strong as the eternal granite of these
hills, they laid the foundations, and in toil, in hardship,
in privation, in wealiness which became strength, they
builded thereon. Strong, rugged, manly minds and na
tures, came as fruits of their labors, and to-day we have
entered into thefr labors. It has been well said of our
State of New Hampshfre, that its principal products are
ice, granite, and men !
The men of Campton will bear the examination of his
tory, without detriment in the comparison. It is well,
therefore, that you celebrate your anniversary day. In
our pride of the past ; in our reverence for the fathers,
let us not forget thefr hopes, thefr objects, the purposes

90 Centennial Celebration.
of their struggles, the end of their works. The noblest
monument we can raise to thefr memory is not of monu
mental stone or sculptured brass, but in institations of
government, which shall show to all time to come that we
appreciate their designs, and guiding ourselves by their
motives and teachings and foUowing thefr example, will
hereafter, as in the past, " march under the old flag, and
keep step to the music of the Union !"
One hundred years ! how quickly fled ! and yet how
great the results ! Then a few weak colonists ; now a
mighty nation. Then a scattered population skirting the
Atlantic coast. Now the hum of national industry min
gles its song with the roar of the Atlantic sea, and the
peaceful music of the Pacific wave. Now from the cold
regions of the North to the fragrant Savannahs of the
sunny South the rivers run, bearing upon thefr broad
bosoms the wealth of the productions of thfrty miUions
of free, happy, prosperous and united people.
One hundred years ! Who can measure to-day the hun
dred years to come ? Who can cast thefr horoscope ?
Are we in our day building as wisely and as weU, as our
fathers? Then, indeed, we may in this hour of our re
joicing, celebrate the past, and with confldent hope look
forward to the future.
Regretting that unavoidable circumstances will prevent
me from enjoying with you the good time you will have,
I beg to send you as a sentiment :
" As we of 1867 say to those of 1767, so may they of
1967 say of us, worthy sons of noble siees."
I have the honor to be.
Very truly, your obedient servant,
Elihu C. Baker.

Letter from B. Frank Palmer, LL.D. 91
LETTER FROM B. FRANK PALMER, LL. D.
Philadelphia, September 9, 1867.
My Deae Sie : I had the honor to receive your kind
invitation to attend the flrst Centennial Celebration of the
town.of Campton, and to read a poem on the occasion.
The great pressure of my business engagements prevented
me from arriving at a decision, as I hoped to be able to
accept the esteemed invitation, and must now be my
apology for this late reply.
To revisit the home of my childhood on such an occa
sion, — which cannot be repeated in one day, — to mingle
with mj- once young friends and kindi-ed at our old gate
way, and Usten to tlie voices of the most honored among
those who were my "birds of a feather," friends of my
youth ; friends of my evil days ; friends in those light-
winged hours, when the flre of aspfration flashed, to light
the entrance of the labyrinth through whose devious ways
my feet must pass among the realities of opening life — to
recount with them there some of the earlier joys and later
realities of active life, and earnest endeavors to mark the
advancement, almost fabulous, of your now noted and
beautiful town, and contribute, however little I might be
able, to the interest of the immortal hour which the re
turning rounds of centuries will bear along the ages,
would afford me sweet and lasting joy. But the duties of
the day, its claims upon me, aye, its promised joys at my
happy home in the great city of my adoption, constrain
me to forego the pleasure that such a reunion would af
ford. I cannot, however, permit the great occasion to pass
without congratulating you, citizens of Campton, friends
and kindred, one and all, upon the happy auspices of

92 Centennial Celebration.
your grand and numerous assemblage, to interchange
salutations with the living and honor the memory of the
departed. Many of those who have gone before, now
sleep in the beautiful cemetery just before you.
I cannot say that they do not walk, unseen, among you,
sharing your bliss and receiving the homage that your
full hearts offer at this fitting shrine ! Be it so, their
joys cannot be the less ; yours may be greater. Be it
otherwise, we shall all follow them ere long, to meet again
I trust, on that still fairer shore, where there wUl be but
one great celebration, and the reunion will be indestructi
ble. I send you my warm greeting with earnest hopes and
prayers for the present happiness and future prosperity
of your beautiful town and all its people.
An hundred years ! Others will tell the tale of its
marvelous changes, recounting the years of toil and pri
vation through which our ancestors fashioned destiny.
They " spun for us the web of fate" ! By long and per
ilous Winter marches, they pierced the unbroken wilder
ness ! By unremitting toil they opened the primeval for
ests and crossed the " stubborn glebe." In the morning
of their lives, at the dawn of your town's first rising from
the night of ages, they sowed broadcast, the seed which
yields thefr children's children harvests richer than
earth's fair bosom offers in annual benedictions — ^harvests
of intelligence, vfrtue and peace. These worthy Puritans,
with living faith in the living God, sought more than
bread, — by which alone man cannot live, — and what they
sought they found. They put the gospel sickle in, they
bound the early sheaves of christian love, and bore them
to that garner into which themselves have since been
gathered. Would that I were worthy to recite their eulogy. But
if no man shaU do it fittingly, it stiU is done I The ver-

Letter from S. D. Baker, Esq. 93
dant vales and waving hill-sides are radiant and vocal
with their praise. " Who seeks their monument should
look around" ! Their lives were solely given to useful
toil, and where they finished their labors, the valleys now
blossom — " Fair as the garden of the Lord,"
I am happy to claim my lineage from such a line, and
wish, again, that I could meet their children in person, as
I shall in thought, on the great occasion that will mark
the auspicious closing of a century ! May the just-dawn
ing century bring more of the same true honor to our
fathers' children and our own, and may all the sons of
toil learn from thefr high example —
" That self-dependent-power can time defy.
As rocks resist the billows and the sky " I
With great regard, yours truly,
B. Feank Palmee.
Chaeles Cotter, Esq., Campton, N, H,

LETTER FROM S. D. BAKER, Esq.

Boar's Head, Hampton, N. H., Sept. 10, 1867.
Gentlemen : I regret exceedingly that I am compell
ed to decline your invitation to be present at the Centen
nial Celebration of my native town. The nature of my
present engagements and the distance from home, com
bine to render my uniting with the sons and daughters of
old Campton on this occasion, an impossible thing.
The opportunity thus afforded for the gathering togeth
er of the great family around the ancient hearths and the
homes of chUdhood, cannot be prized too highly ; and I

94 Centennial Celebration.
feel assured that nothing but the most urgent necessities
will occasion the absence of any one, who claims the hUls
and valleys of Campton as his by birthright.
I am well aware that the loss in this instance is irre
parable and all my own, for the pleasure I should derive
from being present would be far greater than any I could
confer. Knowing as I do, that among the thousands who
will avail themselves of your invitation, there wUl be
many whose names, not unknown to fame, we delight to
honor, it would afford me more gratification than words
can express, to meet them on the spot "dearer than all
on earth beside," and together with them, receive the
greetings of those who have never wandered from their
flrst and only home, but who, through all life's vicissi
tudes, have clung to the old homestead as to a holy thing.
But all this gratiflcation I must forego and console my
self as best I may for my disappointment. Trusting that
the contemplated re-union of the sons and daughters of
Campton will be glorious and heart-refreshing to both
residents and weary wanderers, allow me to discharge a
small duty by offering the following sentiment :
Our Native Town : Greener than her valleys and hill
tops in Spring-time, will her memory ever be in the hearts
of her absent children. Yours truly,
Samuel D. Baker.

A Centennial Waif. 95

A CENTENNIAL WAIF,
ON THE PElVnGEAV ASSET EIVEE, SEPTEMBEE 12, 1867.

BY B. FRANK PALMER, LL. D.

[Written by request of the Committee of Arrangements of the flrst Cen
tennial Celebration of the Town of Campton, N. H.]

0 River fafr ! here, wandering long ago,
I listened to thy murmurs, wild and low.
When loitering on the bank, with shining wish.
To flnd Pactolian sand, or golden flsh.
And forty seasons since, iu infant pride,
Talked with thy bubbling shoals, on Thornton' side ;
Where pearly ripples seize the orient beam,
And mystic forms in mirror's beauty gleam.
A saUor of three seasons, on time's tide,
With whaleman's chances for a devious ride,
Embarked, to pass the eddying ferry o'er,
And gained this sheltering, wood-invested shore.
A balking bulUick is a sorry yawl
For stripling nerve to scull above a fall ;
A saddled centaur might as weU be manned
By infant mermaid round a coral strand.
The dashing wherry drank the sparkling spray,
WhUe trusty pUot walked the watery way !
Thus steering o'er the wUd, uncharted course,
I now survey on wing of reinless horse.
My conscious Ufe-boat hailed the impending strife.
And " walked the waters like a thing of life."
Portentous fathoms strode with prowess grand,
TiU surging stream and beetling bank were spanned.
And now, as then, I may not stop, to choose

96 Centennial Celebration.
To ride or run ; to row or rein ; to use
Or bow or spur ; to paddle, scull, or sail ;
To pause, in mid-stream effort, is to fail.
Constrained, I float on thro' serial tide.
To note the ethereal forms that o'er thee gUde ;
And, fly or fall, the goddess I wUl thank.
Who wings me coyly o'er the cradled bank.
For here I earliest saw the star-gemmed mom
Descend, with Ceres, o'er her waves of corn ;
To tinge the dew-drop with prismatic light.
And lift the azure robe from blushing night.
The dawning song life's lullaby awhile.
My infant joys to crown, and woes' beguile ;
Till Fancy fringed with flowers' sunny way.
And hope half blossomed 'neath the genial ray.
In Youth's, dreams beheed the laurel wave.
Whereat a smile of promise gave ;
And here above thy velvet-vestured shore.
The coy nymph shall weave the laurel evermore.
The mystic muse shall steal thy banks along.
Inspiring here some son of lofty song ;
And genii, from the old Parnassian fount.
Shall linger round Franconia's mantled mount ;
To quaff the bliss I see, and they may sing.
Who tune their harps by the castalian spring ;
But none, beneath the inspiring goddess' wand,
Shall feel more joy to see thy blooms expand.
Here plucked the evergreen when hope was young.
And listened, raptured, to thy sylvan tongue ;
Here Youth shall garland Time's centennial urn
With woven immortal, and joy eterne.
And if the breezy vale shall bear along
Through echoing groves, to live in infant song,
The strain that lingers in each burning thought.
Not all in vain have I mv tribute wrought.

Centennial Waif. 97
And thus upon the ebbing wave I trace
An imaged thought, which time may not efface ;
And faith (not fancy) here with hope shall stray.
To view the nymph that bears the bloom away.
She wUl return ! He who the century gave,
Will send the blossom round on refluent wave ;
And then (from cruel critics meanwhile safe)
Perchance some friend may catch my floating waif.
The patient plant that blooms so fair to-day,
Has waited ages for its tints so gay ;
O man, be patient ! wait the blooming hour.
Snap not the bud, to lose th' immortal flower !
And now I come, from wanderings wide and long.
To cast upon thy wave my waif of song ;
Receive me kindly, as a child of thine.
Returned to joy at boyhood's sacred shrine.
No chaplet from th' enchanted grove I bring: —
A little wild-flower grown by Friendship's spring ;
Reset in genial soil, 'twill bloom again.
As once upon your fair, expanding plain.
Transplanted in the dews of early morn,
The hovering cloud has watered rose and thom —
The bloom alone I bring, and fondly yield —
I plant no thorn within th' emblooming fleld..
Here thought, aspiring o'er yon summits gray.
From visual forms began the trackless way ;
And leaving soon, too soon, the rural vale.
To launch on youth's wild wave — to strand or sail,
I bade adieu to sweetest pastoral charms.
Where conscious beauty blossoms in thine arms ;
But now, returned, I greet with manly pride
Each old famiUar spot I've joyed beside ;
Here, respite from life's jar and jargon flnd,
And aU the sheaves of olden friendship bind.

98 Centennial Celebration.
The hills are vocal, and the cfrcling sphere
In wavy cadence charms the listening ear ;
From mast-head life I greet the natal bound.
And hail the joys of the centennial round.
A century past ! what visions spring to view ;
What we call old our fathers hailed as new ;
What they called old their fathers ne'er had seen —
Our sons will say the same of us, I ween.
The seventeen hundredth year and sixty-seven,
Saw, gliding 'neath the smUing crest of heaven.
Thy mingling rivers, winding through the way
Where the dread Indian ruled with savage sway.
The placid Beebe's current stole along,*
Its music blending with the savage song ;
While o'er the valley spread, like waving sea.
Wood stretched to wood, a vast immensity.
Within the fastnesses and gorges dark.
No click of flint had given the tinder spark ;
No axe had sounded from the old elm's trunk ;
No flash of flrelock lit the sluggish punk ;
Bleak, bald, and awful rose the giant forms
Of granite mountains, battling with the storms !
But hark ! the mountains hail the listening sea —
The wave, responsive, greeting sends to thee !
Though " westward " empire takes its onward way.
As westward speeds the light of cfrcling day.
Our fathers trusted God's descending streams.
His forests stretching 'neath auroral gleam's ;
They took their course along the ice-paved road.
To fashion fate, and flnd this fair abode.
As once the sons of Israel found thefr way.
Led by a pillar of the cloud by day,
Which, changing to a glorious guiding light,
*NpTE, Beebejs river is a sm.-iUer stream. Its confluence with the
?h»'^'IT^''^' '' "^ Campton, If I mistake uot. The «ame may hive been
changed, or my speUmg may not be correct.

Centennial Waif. 99
A pUlar'd flre led on by starless night ;
As trustful march'd they o'er the Red Sea bank.
Nor asked if any in the tide e'er sank ;
Our fathers crossed a sea of ice, well shod.
With Christian sandals ; faith and trust in God —
They to the plow had put the ffrm right hand,
To look not batk till gained this chosen land ;
Through wintry wilds urging thefr way they trode.
Or on the thong-lashed, snow-shoe sledges rode.
Unbroken woods, red faces, hail and snow ;
Mad rivers, ice-bound rills, (that ceased to flow ;)
Rapacious beasts, whose predatory rounds
Recrossed the way that skfrts the valley's bounds ;
Descending blasts, that swept the forests through ;
No vegetation sprang to cheer the view ;
Ice, ice below, and ice-gfrt caves around,
Wbere grizzly wolf and surly bear were found ;
On ev'ry side a cheerless view was given.
And clouds portentous hid the light of heaven !
Behold the friends that met them at the gate ;
Behold the scenes through which they fashioned, fate ;
Of later day the mountaineer will tell
How the gaunt, hungry wolf stood sentinel.
Beside the hut that held his all of life —
His cradled chUdren and his weeping wife,
While the wild Indian from the thatch would stoop
And thrill the forest with his hideous whoop !
The woodman, seated, once upon the shore
Yon mountain towers in lofty grandeur o'er,
With scanty dinner spread on frosty pan.
Beheld that old colossal granite man !
Eternal Rockface ! seated mountain high.
In solemn majesty 'twixt earth and sky,
The rock-ribbed fastness holding in his hand ;
The lightnings hurling from his gleaming wand ;

100, Centennial Celebration.
In granite might he stormward sets his face.
When the tornado rocks his ancient place ;
Divides the whirlwind with his locks of gray,
And bathes his forehead at the fount of day !
Arise, to touch the lofty theme, O muse !
On stronger wing ascend to loftier views ;
Th' eternal hills centennial homage bring — •
The valley blooms — a hundred seasons sing.
An hundred years ! O that same sleeping seer
Might wake to lead centennially here !
Ye ancient bards who smote the conscious lyre —
With breathing strain the silent string inspire !
The watchful shepherds saw the joyful flight
Above Judea's plains, that radiant night
When men, adoring, heard the new-made hymn
Sung, to soft harps, by shining seraphim ;
Then choral stars found jubilant employ.
And hill to vale proclaimed th' extatic joy.
Which rolls, melodious, o'er these natal plains.
And claims the tribute of your highest strains.
Here Faith, while circling years and cycles fade.
Will stand in all the bloom of youth arrayed ;
To cheer the heart whose faint devotion springs.
As joy centennial through the ages rings.
And may each listening mortal, not in vain.
Scale yon gray dome to catch th' inspfring strain ;
As century mile-stones mark the flying round,
And reedy groves prolong the joyful sound.
Fair Campton ! not as I beheld of yore —
I now behold the visions floating o'er ;
Not wholly thine the change — for, since that day,
From boyhood's eyes the mists have passed away.
Then fays and fairies round the mountain walked,
Ere the small crib, (with smaller knowledge stocked)
A better rampart furnished, of defence —

Centennial Waif. 101
Or budding wisdom bade th' intruders hence !
Thy hills then rose and pierced the heavens as now.
The moon, ascending, lingered on thy brow,
O Lafayette ! while glowing Red Hill's crest.
Dissolved in green and gold — O vision blest !
Then, towering Washington, above the cloud
His lofty forehead reared in triumph proud ;
Dim distance gave a charm to parting day.
As night closed o'er a sea of turrets gray ;
Thy rivers were as clear, thy woods as grand,
(The pine and cedar kissed by zephyr bland,)
But I, a simple stripling, only knew
Thy mountains hid the outer world from view,
Thy hills surveyed, only to learn the rule
For easiest scaling — on the way to school !
Sweet vale ! I own th' enchantment of the scene.
Where meadows wave in wealth of gold and green ;
Where forests vocal spread in vast expanse.
And fleecy clouds around the mountain dance !
Enchanting nymph ! with trappings of a bride.
And floral cestus gleaming at thy side ;
The lily of the vaUey veils thy charms.
And conscious tendrUs clasp thy jewelled arms.
Dissolving day and kindling morn, unite
To blend thefr beauties in ethereal light !
Aurora, from the loftiest peak of dawn.
Flings blossoms dew-gemmed o'er the glittering lawn ;
Above the banks the elm and elder spring,
Where meadow-warblers plume their breasts and sing ;
Or, heavenward rise to greet the earliest beam.
That shines, reflected, in thy crystal stream !
I gaze with joy on the translucent wave.
Where modest flower-de-luce and lily lave !
Where honey-suckles blush above the spring.
And bfrds pause, humming, on ethereal wing.

102 Centennial Celebration.
Where corn-crown'd hill-sides rise, on either hand,
And mellow pumpkins cover all the land ;
The grape and cherry ripen o'er the rill.
Where sings the jay, or moans the whippoorwill,
Wliere incense, o'er th' emblooming intervale.
Fills every leaf, and spreads on every gale ;
As gentle zephyr glides, at eventide,
On balmy wing ! along the river-side ;
Where fountains fresher than Parnassian rills.
Give sweeter draughts than fabled grove distils ;
Inspiring incense, which the gods might pour
From golden ewers, the laureled landscape o'er ;
Where laureate bards might surfeit as they sing.
As bees their freightage bear on vocal wing !
Where shadowy forms float o'er the waving field.
And vine-clad bowers luxuriant fruitage yield ;
Where hill-tops roll in waves of ripening grain.
And crimson berries cover all the plain ;
The vernal maple pours neetarean draughts.
And all the afr delicious sweetness wafts ;
Where blooming clover tufts the vestured vale.
And golden harvests bid the farmer hail !
With sheaves of corn the terraced banks abound.
And rising mounds of butternuts are found !
The farmer now, with shining scythe in hand.
Goes thoughtful forth, with visage bronzed and bland ;
To take the serried lines of wavering grass.
And round the bastioned field in triumph pass !
The lad now drives the "lowing herd" away.
And hastes to shake and spread the new-mown hay ;
While the young robin tries his earliest strain.
As Phoebus wheels his chariot up the plain ;
The roving kine on fiowery hill-tops graze,
Or wander through the wild, entangled maze ;
And bleating lambkins range the rocky pass.

Centennial Waif. 103
To crop the dewy blossoms fi-om the grass.
The lad, returned, takes spreading-stick in hand.
As cautious conjurers lift the wizard wand ;
Spreads the green swarth with curvilinear shake,
Then hastes the hill-side, (not the hay) to rake.
The patient ox wheels up the towering sheaves.
Where twittering swallows line the sheltering eaves ;
And fingered forks unlade the banded freight.
O'er topmost beam, where sportive ushers wait.
The grass all spread — and stowed the garnered grain —
The lad is off to " spread " (himself) again ;
With truant conu-ades, through the wood he strays
To stone the birds and squirrels by the ways ;
Up the high hill he wends his devious course,
Where brooklets babble from the rocky source ;
The rock he tumbles from the shelving edge.
With bound concentric sweeps the trembling ledge ;
He bends his way where blooming clover yields
The bee's fresh treasure, o'er the balmy flelds.
To where the frantic bob'link tears his throat,
And mounts the sky to raise one dreadful note ;
Secures the truant's seat, or laggard's stool.
By wayward wandering from the way to school !
" Again you're tardy — what excuse to-day"?
" I had to do the chores, and spread the hay !
" I ran as fast as ever I could go ;
" I rather guess the sun, or — something's slow !
" The son is slow, and something must be done,
" To hurry up this lagging, traant son;
" The offence is great — too grave for hazel-sprout —
" Sit with the girls ! until the boys go out."
A sorry sentence— shocking ev'ry sense.
And baffling all his lore of mood and tense ;
The neuter verb, " to sit," is active found—
The mood, indicative— of giggling round !

104 Centennial Celebration.
The facts and Murray don't agree, and hence
He thinks the perfect is th' imperfect tense.
The milkmaid, tripping at the early dawn,
With well-filled pail across the dewy lawn.
Blithe as the robin pours the morning strain,
Where echoing groves repeat the old refrain.
Anon, she turns the bright, unfreighted pail.
And tells impatient ears the nursery tale ;
The burnished pewter glistens in its place.
Each old familiar mug has smiling face.
The morning board a settle now becomes.
And where it stood the whizzing fiax-wheel hums.
The distaff turns, like Galileo's world.
As from its rim the flaxen flbres twirled.
Like Franklin's twine the electric tingle sends
Along the line to burning flngers' ends !
While, in the barn, is heard the steady click —
Of patient farmer's swinging swingle-stick ;
Addresses paying to the stubborn flax.
Whose ends must wane, that cobbler's ends may wax.
Like tireless pendulum of ancient clock.
His hours of toil he numbers, stroke on stroke.
The floating fibres in the dressing maul'd —
Form round his rounded poll, too early bald.
And thus, from useful toil, at night returns.
To where the hemlock backlog cracks and burns ;
Sinks in the settle with a peruke big —
Like English baronet in periwig.
The annual " Trainings " of the time gone by.
Reviewed, old friend, by us — when you and I
Met on the muster-ground just by yon hill,
Will "march along" in pleasant mem'ry still!
The great MUitia — Floodwood-Infantry,

Centennial Waif. 105
Light Infantry, and crazy Cavalry,
Came marching, riding, limping to the squeak—
I hear even now the fife and bugle speak !
'Tis well, ye WeUingtons of Campton plain,
That your Napoleons lived to fight again !
When Yankee, Yankee met in mortal fray.
Both armies whipped ; each gained the glorious day !
When " in they went" — then came of war the tug —
Crack ! went decanter — bang ! went broken jug — •
Even feather'd Generals shared the general joy,
With banner'd regiment, and barefoot boy !
The " Raising " was a time uproarious, not
To be ignored, neglected, or forgot ;
The old house must be razed, and raised the " new " —
One faUs to earth, the other springs to view —
Up, up, it goes — a hundred-shoulder tug,
Down, down, it fiows — from flask, decanter, jug :
All in good spirits to their homes repair,
Thefr castles bracing in the bracing afr.
A little getting up, and getting down
Of spirits, mark the growth of man and town ;
And if a man may ever (once) carouse.
It should be when he rears a dwelling-house !
The " Husking," " Paring bee," and such as that
Behold — the youth pared off, in quiet chat ;
The red ears found, the ominous seeds declared.
The corn — acknowledged — and the lovers paired !
I note the old brown school-house, on the hill—
(RoU back those school-boy days— let these stand stUl)
I mark the hollow, where the high bridge stood
Rock-braced, against the roaring, raging flood
Whose surging tides in bursting torrents tear
The riven gorge, through which it rages there.
Fit emblem thou, of man, O restless stream—

106 Centennial Celebration.
Above thy faUs the Umpid waters gleam-
Above the falls, man seldom stops to think
How soon the life-boat strikes the cataract's brink ;
But, rave ye waters — stand ye flinty rock !
The centuries old have felt thy throbbing shock ;
Steer well, 0 boatman — gird ye for the leap, —
Hold fast the oar, and skim the vortex deep !
The raging stream whose angry torrents bound,
In ishirling surges to the level ground ;
Goes singing through the meadow to the main.
Its music mingling with the soul's refrain.
How like th' unguided youth's impetuous course —
It glides, then dashes from the placid source ;
Now, far meandering through the mazy glen ;
Now, backward turning to th' abodes of men ;
The widening current of this pulsing life.
Winds through broad fields of duty — joy and strife —
Till run its course, (if well), in conscious pride
Shakes hands with Time, and mingles with the Tide !
Thus ever, ever, ever, on like thee,
Man, moved or moving, passes to the sea ;
O, may my falls, like thine, precede the fiow
Of tranquil waters through the vale below !
So may we all, on Time's impetuous stream.
Sail for that port whose crystal waters gleam ;
And bear, at last, the fruitage of life's plain,
On stronger current to the boundless main.
Stand on yon hill where the old school house stood
Like bastion'd fortress, high above the flood ;
Look down within the awful gorge — behold
The cave, where silver (sought,) sank farm and gold.
That riven rock the primal ages saw
At time's flrst dawning, without seam or flaw ;
But, touch'd by speculation's wizard wand.

Centennial Waif. 107
It belch'd forth fossils, flre and yellow sand.
I^ot sand Pactolian — with the " nuggets " fraught.
Not that for which the awful cave was wrought ;
There speculation bored, through farm and flint,
A sinuous hole — and sank the farm within't.
You well remember how, on quivering foot,
The hopeful mortals sought the shining " root ".
And how, alas ! we saw the " opening" close,
O'er aU thefr hopes — but not o'er all their woes.
This much, lest superstitious eyes behold
The awful labyrinth, of which I've told.
And think it pierced old primeval rock
And never felt the speculation shock !
A haunt for ghouls or fays from time untold,
And not a cave where Fortune hid her gold.
No subterranean sprite or goblin grim
ShaU loiter there upon the rivers brim ;
Shake not ye tremulous wights that venture there.
No monetary wizard — bull or bear —
WUl greet you in that Wall street under ground —
Go in — explore — there's something to be found !
There is, for some bold youth, an opening still ;
The yellow dirt exists in that great till ;
And if you find (secure from waste or harm,)
The old deposits safe — you'll flnd a farm !
I well remember how the money flew.
In quarts, (not granite quartz) and you.
Old friend, who rose with me to read and spell.
Remember how its issues rose and fell !
I kept no record of the rise or fall.
Or circulation ; but opine that WaU
Or even State Street, in their blasting way.
Not more than equals, in this greenback day.
Thus, speculations run into the ground—
The " root," more seldom than the evU's found—

108 Centennial Celebration.
The " love " of money lures, now here, now there,
O friend, of such a miser love, beware !
Much might be better said (in better rhymes,)
Of habits, manners, customs and the times ;
Had not our Orator, in glowing deed,
Held up the mirror till we see, not read ;
'Tis well, to me the rhyming range is given,
Where minstrel n'e'er has sung nor poet striven ;
O'er broadest flelds the muse has sought the forms
Of worth and beauty, that survive the storms
Of chance and change ; to paint, as best I may.
The characters that live while men decay.
But while beneath th' immortal theme I stand.
The conscious coloring fades in artless hand ;
And thus, I trace upon the canvas nought
As it has shone in ev'ry burning thought.
But, ere I note the deeper thought that springs,
I pass to touch the tops of passing things ;
To wile away my half-hour, and with you
The charms of life in social joy renew.
Since we all left the old brown school-house last.
The college, (if not entered) has been past ;
The " learned professions," must have learned to yield
For fairer promise in a broader fleld !
Your sons (all bachelors of noblest art)
Appear to claim their high commencement part ;
And if no learned Professors grace the fete,
Your men (of faculty) adorn the State.
Your teeming flelds — ye sturdy yeomanry,
From, envy's eye and traffic's train are free ;
Here, guided, thought may view the loftier plain.
Where Wisdom binds her sheaves of golden grain.
Old Galileo said — the earth " does move " !
This truth your steeds with steaming nostrils prove ;

Centennial Waif. 109
O'er^yon bald peak the bridled Ughtning flies—
The brazen steed to herald up the skies !
Now genius threads the sea with conscious wire —
Equator calls to pole with tongue of flre ;
And harnessed Thought transcends aU mythic flight.
As flaming chariots wheel the star-paved height /
The muse, delighted, pauses here to note
The changes that along the seasons float ;
Since our young fathers came, through fortune's frown.
To build a home, and dedicate a Town —
To view the pleasures toil and genius bring.
And winnow fact ft-om fancy, on the wing.
Now, garner'd wealth foils speculation's flight ;
As flery fountains flood the world with light —
Nevada yields her gold, for iron pave
To band the prairie to Pacific's wave .'
Ye who ne'er leave th' expanding intervale.
Nor from yon summits view the bellying sail ;
Hefrs of the sod, ye know not of the charms,
That Nature holds in her extended arms .'
Ye cannot know how fair, how passing grand.
The landscape where your cottage-houses stand ;
Ye see the " hay stacks" in the distance rise.
Ascend them .' and commune with earth and skies.
O GENIUS, lead the way — the truth confess —
Emancipate, restore, redeem and bless.
Hope, undismayed, has waited for thee long ;
Religion has not purged the land from wrong —
(Though nearer truth a weeping Nation stood
WhUe passing through War's great baptismal fiood.)
And ye who read my verse, bear with me well.
If I am wrong, the rising age will tell ;
If I am right — O Freeman, soldier brave,
Give thanks to God that He has raised the slave.
And never, never, never, nevermore.

110 Centennial Celebration.
May Chi'istian bolt the ransomed Freedman's door ;
But see in Nature, God's unerring plan —
Impartial Freedom is the right of man !
Our fathers, through the forests, heard the roar
Of hostile cannon on the eastem shore ;
They left their homes to save this glorious land
And, gaining freedom, rested by the strand.
The grand reveille of the cannonade.
From Bunker Hill call'd to this peaceful glade
In thunders audible — the low sub-base
Of War's great organ, shaking Time and space !
Then turned the fathers backward, to the sea,
To strike for Country, God and Liberty !
To fling the gate of glorious canopies ope —
That sons of toil might see the Ught of hope !
Shared is the honor by the gallant son
Whose father's father fell in flght begun !
Enough of duty for their strength and day,
The forest, crown, and Treason all gave way ;
Their lives show much of manly duty done —
There's something, still, of victory to be won !
Thy son. New Hampshire, gave the earliest blood
That mingled with the wave of War's last flood.
At early dawn of most illustrious day.
The seal was broke — the stone was rolled away ;
And O, may He who burst the bolted tomb.
Raise our dear land in freedom's deathless bloom !
" Good will on earth " — let " peace " descend again.
And North with South unite in sweet refrain ;
Redeeming love has crowned heroic flght —
A race redeemed — a morn to slavery's night !
Our fathers' faith caught freedom's earliest beam,
That through the conflict shed a fitful gleam ;
And through Time's vistas led the onward way

Centennial Waif. Ill
Adown the ages, to this glorious day !
Their light shone in the future ; bright, intense.
Unseen tUl angel voices called them hence.
As we survey the records, clear and bright.
Their pillar glows in lines of living light !
Hard by yon ridge where stood my father's cot,
(The winding lane and gateway mark the spot)
Behold, prepared, a more enduring home.
From which their weary feet may never roam.
Abode most fafr ! no frosts — no wintry afr —
Nor Time — nor change — can mar the mansion fair ;
No toils unfinished — no descending sun ;
No hastening night, to close the task undone ;
No blighted hopes — no friendships broken there ;
No slanderer's tongue, to taint the peaceful air ;
No thirst for gain — no strife for power, or place ;
No furrow'd Unes upon the anxious face ;
No sin — no sorrow — no farewells — no tears ;
No young hopes mingled with consuming fears ;
No expectations false — no friends untrue ;
No scenes of separation chill the view ;
But one great gathering scene of friends, again —
Unmarked by centuries of toil and pain ;
As, one by one, in closing ranks they come,
We note our " day's march nearer, nearer Home " !
And who will say, unseen, they may not view
This joy centennial, which I share with you ?
Else, why so full, so perfect, so complete
The common joy, if but the children meet ?
A little season since, just by the spot
On which this happy home-throng sees them not,
I shared, with them, the almost rapturous joy.
To happy hearers sang — a happy boy !
The simple strains then tuned, in artless glee.
My little singer now returns to me.

112 Centennial Celebration.
Does fancy err? still, on its pinion free.
Old friend, I'll think thy parents list to thee .'
And, be it so, tell ye th' ungamished truth ;
The simple story of their age and youth ;
And monumental bust ye need not raise,
Nor lettered pomp, to consecrate their praise.
Descended in a more than royal line.
Ye sons of toil, your hopes, your joys are mine ;
Let others boast heraldic fame, and birth ;
Sons of the great who rule th' affairs of earth ;
But ye may boast, and none dispute your claim.
An ancestry whose worth is not in name ;
Whose modest merit gives example bright,
Whose history glows in acts of living right.
" Their names and years " it matters not to tell.
On deeds, not names, the muse delights to dwell ;
Thefr record read o'er all the furrow'd ground,
" Who seeks their epitaph, should gaze around"/
Such were the men, intelligent and true,
Who felled the forests, cleared the fields we view ;
Such the firm yeomanry — a State's best wealth,
Whose hope was happiness, whose fortune health. ,
My parent-pilot, (to this sheltering shore,)
O'er pearly wave still passes on before !
Of fate, or fortune, now no more the sport —
Through quiet haven passed to tranquil port.
Affection claims — I yield the homage due —
These furrowed fields an imaged form renew ;
Devotion filial all these scenes constrain —
That close, and ope the century's gate again /
And one, I notice — one, my noble friend,
Who, ah ! too early reach'd the journey's end ;
One, who has given the Granite Hills a tongue —
And gone — to hear his own sweet music sung ;

Centennial Waif. 113
One, whom in my po^ji- verse I need not name.
Since hill and vale are vocal with his fame ;
With whom (an honor of which justly proud),
I scaled yon mountain-peak, above the cloud —
Drank rarest bliss from the supernal height.
O'er which his genius took its lofty flight ,'
From the charm'd haunts explored with joy elate.
He turned, reluctant, for the Golden Gate,
Which soon was reached — and soon (life's journey o'er)
He found repose on a still fairer shore.
Just when his towering genius saved a State —
(Fame wove the civic wreath for him to wait)
When East and West clasped hands in joy to fling
The victor's crown on their young idol. King —
Then, Wave to Mountain roU'd a tidal sigh —
And earth unbarred the portal of the sky ;
In sunset glory — radiant in its flight,
A STAR was lost in Morn's celestial light.*
Life has been busy — more a page of prose,
And earnest effort, than poetic woes —
By kindliest invitation, I have wrought
My Uttle verse, with Uttle merit fraught :
My half-hour, fleeting, hastens to its close —
I've jotted as I could — not as I chose ;
From further rambling you will soon be safe —
For now the current bears away my waif!
Arise, O man ! to nobler, higher aims ;
A loftier life stiU higher effort claims ;
To loftiest theme, then, bend the stubborn wiU,
xxT,^...^ Thointp Rpvereud T. Starr King, and William H. Eichardson,
^'^^^^^^^^f, Mon ?t Washington, with the writer, on horseback, in the
Esq., ascended M"""* )^^^g\"he1iftieth, and, it is believed, the last ascent of
autumn of 1859^ tE''^nSrious Divine; of whose closing career Lieutenant
the mo""'^;'" ^L'S^ott sta Xthat California would have sided with Trea-
*='™?-'''^,JX.\^?ThPvoune and gifted King had not devoted his genius, and
son (m 1860) »^ t''«/°H°,|i^^l|' uence, traversing the State, in tie cause of
SI1,C!r^aTd^f freedom, T^he United States lenatorship was spoken of
as his reward.

114 Centennial Celebration.
And gain, each night, a day's march op the hill.
Now springs to view the quaint old meeting-house.
Where first I listened to Devotion's vows ;
More sacred still appears the ancient form,
Which sheltered youth from sin's descending storm.
More than a century's third has passed away —
But that " flrst lesson" passed not with the day !
O, what a " Woed " — a helm of saving power.
For fainting pilgrims in the mortal hour.
Teach me, O precious Word — I still would learn
The good to gain — the evil to discern ;
Save from intruding love of fruitless fame ;
The cymbal-tinklings of a hollow name ;
Save from Ambition false — that phantom thing
With tongue of siren, and with scorpion sting ;
O man ! the song she sings o'er flowing bowl,
Will drown the senses, desolate the soul.
Then take th' Evangel for thy guard, and guide,
And thou, on steady wing, shalt upward gUde
Through all the hovering clouds of boding ill.
And gain, at last, tbe summit of life's hill.

Names of the Early Settlera of Campton. 115

NAMES OF THE EAKLY SETTLERS.
Names of the early settler.s of the town of Campton, the date
of their coming to town,— the number of their families,— and
the region from whence they came:
1762. Isaac Fox, Connecticut.
1762. TVlnthrop Fox, a nephew.
1763. Isaac Fox, Jr., and his mother and his family.
1763. Enoch Taylor, and family.
1764. Joseph Spencer, son of Gen. Jabez Spencer.
1768. Abel AVilley, seven children, the fifth family in town.
1769. Benaijah Fox, the son of Isaac, Jr., was the first male
child born in town. A daughter of Hobart Spen
cer, was born the same jxar.
1769. Hobart Spencer, six children.
1769. Darius A\illey, seven children.
1769. Moses Little, six children, Massachusetts.
1769. Samuel Fuller, six children.
1769. Daniel Wyatt, nine children, Massachusetts.
1769. David Perkins, eight children, Massachusetts.
1769. Joseph Pulsifer, eleven cffildren, Massachusetts.
1769. Ger.shom Burbank, six children, Massachusetts.
1770. Asa Spencer, seven children, Connecticut.
1770. Jesse WiUey, eight children, Connecticut.
1770. Ebenezer Taylor, three children. Connecticut.
1770. Joseph Palmer, three children, Massachusetts.
1770. Samuel Cook, nine children, Massachusetts.
1770. Nathaniel Tupper, five children, Massachusetts.
1770. James Harvel.
1771. Samuel Holmes, Connecticut.
1771. Jonathan Cone, five children.
1772. Israel Brainard, flve children, Connecticut.
1772. Chiliab Brainard, flve children, Connecticut.
1773. John Southmayd, nine children, Connecticut.
1774 Selden Church, seven children, Connecticut.
1774 Thomas Bartlett, fourteen children, Massachusetts.
1775' John Holmes, seven children, Connecticut.
1776! Carr Chase, eight children, Massachusetts.
1777! Elias Cheney.
1777. William Baker, sixteen children.
1777 Dudley Palmer, eight children, Massachusetts.
177a' Moses Baker, three children.
1778 Joseph Palmer, six children, Massachusetts.
}778 Moody Cook, twelve children, Massachusetts.
i77s' Ti-hpnezer Cheney, five children.
Vinl' Tames Men-ill, four children, Massachusetts.
778' Snoey Hohnes, tive children, Connecticut.
_ — Homans, five children.

116 Early Settlers, date of their coming, etc.
1779. Joseph Homans, a son of  Homans, two childl-en.
1780. Benjamin Baker, three children.
1780. Jonathan Burbank, son of Gershom, six children.
1781. Israel Blake, three children.
1782. William Page, six children.
1782. Edmond Marsh, eleven children.
1782. John Marsh, thirteen children.
1783. James Bump, seven children.
1783. Jabez Church, nine children.
1784. Ezra Tupper, four children.
1785. David Bartlett, six children.
1785. Ichabod Johnson, seven children, AUenstown.
1785. John Clark, four children, Candia.
1 785. John Homans, son of  Homans, fourteen children.
1786. Samuel Cook, Jr., ten childi-en, Massachusetts.
1787. Cutting Cook, son of Samuel, twelve children.
1789. Enoch Merrill, nine children, Plymouth.
1789. Edward Taylor, Oliver Taylor, sons of Eben, ten chil
dren.
I78-. Josiah Blaisdell, son of Nathaniel, eight children.
David French, Massachusetts.
1790. Ebenezer Bartlett, son of Thomas.
1790. David Wooster, eight children, Connecticut.
1790. Isaac Mitchell, ei^ht children.
1790. Ephraim Cook, son of Samuel, thirteen children.
1790. Samuel Noyes, two children, Massachusetts.
1790. Daniel Blaisdell, son of Nathaniel, eight children, Ches
ter.
1790. Stephen Goodhue, seven children.
1790. Ebenezer Little, son of Moses, eight children.
1790. Ebenezer Bartlett, Jr., ten children. Massachusetts.
1791. James Burbeck, fourteen children, Massachusetts.
Rowland Percival, nine children, Connecticut.
Rowland Percival, Jr., nine or ten children, Connecti
cut.
Nathaniel Blaisdell, three children, Chester.
1792. Samuel Johnson.
1792. Joshua Rogers, four children, Connecticut.
1792. Joseph Pulsifer, Jr., son of Joseph, seven children.
1792. Darius Willey, Jr., son of Darius, ten children.
1793. James Little, son of Moses, nine children.
1793. Joel Holmes, son of John, five or six children.
1793. Jesse Hall.
1793. Christopher Noyes, nine children, Massachusetts.
1793. Stephen Giddings, eight children, Massachusetts.
Moses Pulsifer, son of Joseph, eight children.
Stephen Giddings, nine children, Massachusetts.
Samuel Chandler, three children, Hampstead.
1794. Samuel Merrill, thirteen children, Plymouth.
1794. Enoch Merrill, six children.
1802. Elijah Hatch, seven children.
1803. Thomas Cook, son of Samuel, eleven children.

Boll of Honor. ¦ 117
laot" Isaac Willey, son of Darius, eight children,
\JZ' i°?" ?"^?i*^^^'' son of Joseph, eleven children.
Mr,-,' w-**^^ ^^^^^' *^*^ children, Holderness.
icnn' William Giddings, eight children, Massachusetts.
1809. Robert Smith, ten children.
1820. Daniel Wyatt, sou of Daniel, six children.

CAMPTON'S ROLL OF HONOR.

Second Begiment.
John Chandler, wounded. WiUiam Alexander.
Fourth Begiment.
Walter S. Johnson, died of disease. Sixth Begiment.
Hiram O. Berry. George L- Eogers.
Charles E, Berry, died of disease, Eeuben P. Smith,
Heber L. Chase, wounded, Jason Webster, died of disease.
Wm. W. Farmer, died ol wounds. Benjamin F, Berrv,
Benjamin A- Ham, Luther Farmer, died of disease,
FrankE. Hodgman, died of disease. Oliver W. Lovett,
Eichard Pattee, wounded, Daniel M, Sanbom,
Eighth Begiment.
John S, Avery. Daniel Piper, wounded.
Leonard P. iJenton. Ninth Begiment.
Luther S. MitcheU, taken prisoner. Twelfth Begiment.
Martin V. B. Avery, wounded. D. F. A. Goss, taken prisoner,
Edwin Avery, starved, taken priao- wounded.
ner wounded, ^- layman Merrill,
Ezra'B, Burbank, taken prisoner, Albert Merrill, taken prisoner,
"„„„j,,j John N, Marsh, died of disease,
¦p,T*-S= TT Kiptford Edwm Pronk,
OriandoDirSn: died of disease, William H, Eogers, killed. ^
8 C DuT^f d^ed of disease. F'^'"'?^^,- Stickney wounded.
George wf Gordon, wounded. Orrm WaUace, killed.
. Thirteenth Begiment.
T.r „„., T Ttmwn Nathan Pierce,
Manson L, Jjrown, Alfred Webster
sfmon T"Eliiot, killed. Wooster E. Woidbury, wounded.
Fourteenth Begiment.
rr T .iiin-ee Freeman L, Moulton,
John i). Moral Ja^es O. Ward, wounded.
I^eema'n Moulton.

118 Boll of Honor.
Fifteenth Begiment.
Henry D. Wyatt. Edwin A. Hart, died after reaching
Fred A. Mitchell. home of disease. ,. ^ ^
Samuel S. Mitchell. Joseph Brown, Jr., died alter reach-
Joseph C, Blair. Jr. ing home of disease.
Benjamin F. Adams, killed. William F, Mitchell,
Henry Cook, died on way home of James F, MerrUl,
disease, Geo, W, Plnmmer, wounded, died
George A, Page, died on way home of wounds,
of disease, David Webster,
Cyrus Burbeck, died on way home Charles H, Willey.
of disease. Eighteenth Begiment.
William E. Brown. John H. Plummer.
WiUiam A, Chandler, John P, Patterson, died of disease.
Samuel H, Dow, Horace W, Smith,
Benjamin Evans, Jr. George P. Tarlsen,
Ozias J. Holmes, WUliam G, Thompson.
John M. Purkia.

Sharpshooters.

Alfred E. Foss.

Cavalr-i/.
Benjamin M. Johnson, taken prisoner and never heard from.
Enlisted in other States.
John M. Flint, surgeon. John C. Chase.
George Cook, died of disease. Alfred Merrill.
Steven Brown, died of disease. Geo. H, Keniston,
Danford M, Eowe, George Smith.
Harris B. Mitchell. Clark Smith.
Hermon C. Stickney. Simeon D. Smith.
Total, enlistments in Eegiments in the State, seventy- flve. Total enlist
ments in Eegiments in other States, twelve. Making total enlistments
from Campton, eighty-seven. Six of whom were taken prisouers ; four
killed ; fourteen wounded ; four died of wounds ; eighteen died of disease.
Number of substitutes fumished by citizens of Campton, thirty-seven.
Number of men called for during the war, ninety-nine. Enlisted in town
seventy-flve. Eecruits furnished, thirty-seven. Total, one hundred and
twelve. Surplus, thirteen.

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