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Publishers' Introduction PUBLISHERS' INTRODUCTION. While ve have paid due care and attention to the business department of the enterprise, which now results in a History of Nashua, we have endeavored to neglect nothing which would tend to make it a literary ,tto_,-:---:a *. hstoric value. Me-chanica''y- "IS all that high grade tiaatieria' c..,:, o--a-a h-c' -tte.-t sue a creditable work, can make it.. We thus express our appreciation of the financial support and smpathy of the public through which the production is made possible. We extend our thanks t6 'he :g:entlemen, who without compensation assumed the no light task of preparing their various portions of the work. HISTORY OF THE CITY OF NASHUA, N. H. FRO_M THE EARLIEST SETTLEMENT OF OLD DUNSTABLE TO THE YEAR 1895 WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF EARLY SETTLERS, THEIR DESCENDANTS AND OTHER RESIDENTS [Iluatratcb with flflap, ngraving, aub ortrait PREPARED BV A SELECTED CORPS OF EDITORS UNDER THE BUSINESS SUPERINPENDENCE OF H. REINHEIER & CO. JUDGE EDWARD E. PARKER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF NASHUA, N. H. TELEGRAPH PUBLISHING COMPANY, PUBLISHERS ,I897 Copyright z895, by H. Peinheimer & Co. All rights reserved. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE. PAGE. Charter of Old Dunstable, Title Page Estabrook.Anderson Shoe Factory (Palm street view) 457 Editorial Group, JEstabrook-Anderson Shoe Factory, 457 The Indian Head House, 64 Estabzook-AndersonShoe Factory (Pine street view) 58 The Arms of the Priory of Dunstable, 77 Nashua Card and Glazed Paper Co. (some of the help) 459 A Venerable Witness, 93 Nashua Card and Glazed Paper Company Factory, 46o The Island--A iv-on the Nashua River, IO2 Pennichuck Water Works Pumping Station, 468 The old Iron Bridge Over the Nashua, An Old Shop Window, 47I The First Congregational Church, I49 Nashua Manufacturing Company, 472 The First Congregati,onal Church, Main Street, i5o Nashua FallsNashua River, 473 Pilgrim Church, An Old Advertisement, 497 The Methodist Church, 58 Telegraph Building, 5co The Protestant Episcopal Church, 160 Fat-Simile of Old Regimental Order, 524 The Chapel, ]dgewood Cemetery, Fac-Simile of Old Regimental Order, 525 View in Edgewood Cemetery, I93 T,he Armory, 544 View in ]dgewood Cemetery, I94 Residence of Mrs. Charles Williams, 554 View in ]dgewood Cemetery, 95 The Willows., 588 School Buildings, 255 Public Buildings, 589 Nashua Literary Institute, Fire Stations, 595 Battle Flags, 298 City Farm and House of Correction, 599 Residence of Dana W. King, 3o Hudson Iron BridgeI-Iigh and Low \Vater, 6o Soldiers' Monument, 317 Stark Squa e, 605 Sacred Heart Parochial School, 425 School Houses erected in I896-897,. 6o7 Cotton Fibre, 438 Hand Tub, 609 Williams' Foundry, 439 Steam Fi:e, Engine number forr, 6o Old Hollis Street Shoe Shop, 456 EDITORIAL I-NTRODUCTION. Very nearly half a century had elapsed since the publication of Fox's "History of Dunstable," and Nashua had grown from a village of six thousand inhabitants or thereabouts, to a city of more than triple that size. No systematic effort at preserving th account of its growth or the events leading to its present condition had been made. The importance of such. a work was understood and appreciated by its citizens, but the task was recognized as a. formidable one, involving much labor with but little probability of adequate compensation. When, in November, I894, an outside firm of publishers proposed to undertake the work, Nashuans were reluctant in encouraging the project, feeling that strangers could not prepare the history intelligently and would be inclined to slight those things of most interest and importance, for such portions as woMd yield a profit. After careful deliberation, the tone of the public sentiment having been ascertained in a meas- ure through means of the press and by interviews with citizens, it was decided to call a meeting of several of the gentlemen who had been interviewed, together with others, in order that some defi- nite and satisfactory plan might be decided upon. The meeting was called and, while there was a variety of opinions as to the method to be pur- sued in writing the history, there was the greatest unanimity in regard to the .desirability and propriety of the work bein done. The meeting adjourned without date and without arriving at any definite conclusion, but, notwithstanding the somewhat discouraging tone of the deliberations, the gentlemen engaged in the work were not disheartened but continued to labor assiduously, meeting, day by day, in spite of many obstacles and hindrances, the most encouraging signs of public sympathy and approval. The plan of a continuous n.arrative was finally dismissed as inexpedient, since it would pre- clude t"he possibility of issuing such a work for many years from the date of its commencement. There then seemed to be but one plan to be .considered, having, as its exponent and model, the Memorial History of Boston, published in x885, which has the indorsement and approval o some of Che most distinguished scholars and citizens of Massachusetts and of the literary world. Fo.llowing the general plan of that work, the city's history has been divided in topics, or sub- jects, which are of sufficient number to include everything of vital importance. Each of these subjects or topics is written by one person, who, having nothing to do with matters other than those W.hich appertain to his own chapter, will, we apprehend, give a correspondingly more lucid, accurate and interesting account of the historical phase of which he writes. That the gentlemen whose harnesSare associated together as editors of the work, perform their labor without compensation is a sufficient guarantee of its probable merit and value as a history, and that it will fulfill all that it promises. All of them are residents of Nashua of years of stand- ing, distinguished among their fellow citizens as men of probity, sound judgment and abundant mental capacities,and the promoters of this work can feel that they h-ave reason to congratulate themselves and the citizens of Nashua upon ha-ving been successful in securing a staff of editors so well qualified and peculiarly fitted for the work which each has performed. A prominent feature of the book are the portraits of citizens of Nashua, both of the living and of the dead. In connection with these portraits there are also short biographical-sketches. Their value and importance will be more readily seen and appreciated when one considers that they are made a component part of the work not so much for their present value, although that is of no small account, as for the inestimable value and orth to future generations. THE ED1TOttS. CONTENTS. v CONTENTS. PART FIRST. CHAPTER I. THE FIRST SETTLERS OF DUNSTABLE. Legend of the Northmen. First Voyages to the New World. Landing of the Pilgrims. Valleys of t,he Merrimack and Nashua. Endicott Rock. Friendly Indians. Settlements extended north of Chelmsford a.nd-Groton. Early Grants. Brenton's Farm. Charlestown School Farm Grant. Dramcup Hill. Billerica School Farm Grant. Jonathan Danforth, Surveyor. Thomas Brattle. John Parker, Brattle Street Church. 3 CHAPTER II. HISTORY FROM 1662 TO I674. Henry Kimball's Farm. Grant to Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Boston. Artillery Pofid. Petition for consolidation of Grants into one Plantation. Township of Dunstable. Early Proprietors. "Trafficking with the Indians. Indian Tribes. Passaconoway, Venerated Chief. Last Indian Resident. Roby's Farm. Whittier's Poean "The Bashaba's Feast." First Settlers. Rev. Thomas Weld, First Pastor. His House-lot. Old Fort. Houses of Hassell, Temple and Perry. 9 CHAPTER III. HISTORY FROM 1675; TO 1685. Civil Affairs. Town Meetings. First Meeting-house. Rev. Thomas Weld, first miuister. His settlement. High- land Farm. Other nlatters of interest pertaining to it. Bobbin Factory. Baldwin apple. Public Sentimeit. Great Comet. Death of Edward Tyng. Town regulations. Mine Islands. Highway from Groton. Thirty Acre Rights. Names of the propriet6rs. Taxes. 17 CHAPTER 1V. HISTORY FROM 1685 TO THE DEATH OF REV. MR. WELD 1N 17o2. New Meeting-house built. Ordination of Mr. Weld. Church fornled. Names of members. Covenant. Other churches in New Hampshire. Indians sell their lands and remove from the vicinity. Bridge built over Concord river at Billerica. Dog whipper appointed. Important meeting of Delegates in Boston. First Tythingman chosen. Indian ravages in eastern part. Representatives of.the town. Settlers.forfeit rights by removal. State tax abated and graut for support of ministry made. Mrs. Hannah Dustin taken captive at Haverhill, Mass. Killed her captors and returned. Monument to her memory. Frequent alarms pr :flted growth of settlement. Grist mill at mouth of Stony Brook. Rev. Mr. Weld's compensation. M.-etig-house glazed. List of inhabitants. Aid asked to support the ministry. Death of '", ",id. Biographical sketch. Monument to his menlo, y, a5 CHAPTER V. ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY FROM 17o2 TO 1737. Town Records imperfect. Grant for support of the ministry. Rev. Samuel Hunt. His petition. Rev. Samuel Parris. Meeting-house repaired. Rev. Ames Cheerer. Salary. Rev. Mr. Treat. Parsonage. Rev. Jona. Pierpont. Rev. Mr. Coffin. Rev. Mr. Prentice. His marriage. Salary. Death of Rev. Mr. Prentice. His grave. Death of Jonathan Tyng. 33 CHAPTER VI. CIVIL HISTORY OF THE TOWN UNTIL ITS DIVISION BY THE NEW STATE LINE IN I74. Growth of town. Need of aid. Bills of credit issued. Farwell and Blanchard Trustees for town's share. Second issue, Rev. Mr. Prentice receives it. Depreciation in value. No representative chosen. Records. The Meeting-house. Pews erected. First Pauper. Grand Jurymen chosen by town. Tythingman chosen. Bridge at Billerica. Voting by ballot. Customs of the times. Ferry-boat. Earthquake. InnkeelSers lice,ned. Boom across the Merrimack. Jurisprudence. Taxes. Education, Laws relating to it. Difficulty of observi,n,g them.
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