By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | January 22, 2019
Milton men serving in the Sixth NH Regiment returned home in July 1865. Here, a Connecticut newspaper includes them in a list of units passing through New York City.
Returning Soldiers. New York, July 21. The 61st Massachusetts regiment, 420 men, Col. Stone, arrived here this noon, and left at 5 o’clock for Readville. The 6th New Hampshire, Col. Bixby, 408 men, arrived here last night, and left this afternoon for Concord. The 13th Massachusetts battery, Lieut. Nichols, 100 men, arrived from New Orleans last evening, and left at 5 p. m. to-day, for Boston. The above were attended to by Col. Howe, and received the usual hearty salute from the New England rooms, as they marched homeward. The 5th Connecticut regiment, 390 men, left Washington this morning, for Hartford, Conn., and are expected by Col. Almy in this city, Saturday p.m. (Hartford Courant, July 22, 1865).
Of the nine Milton men that had enlisted in this regiment in 1861, only Dudley F. Brown and William Nettles would have been present on this train. (Milton natives Moses W. Cook of Dover and Charles H. French of Rochester too).
Riot at Concord, N.H. Concord, Thursday, July 27. Demonstrations of a serious riot were made here during last night by some two hundred returned soldiers, which commenced by their threat to “clean out” the clothing store under the Eagle Hotel, the proprietor of which charged a soldier with attempting to steal a suit of clothes. After breaking some windows the soldiers proceeded to the jail, and demanded the release of two of their number who had been arrested, and threatening to demolish the jail. At this time two companies of veteran reserves were ordered out, and the riotous soldiery scattered in different directions. There is much sympathy felt for the soldiers, who, it is alleged, are unnecessarily kept out of their pay and discharge papers (New York Times, July 28, 1865).
A regimental history explained this last as episode thus: “Payment being delayed for a week, the men became somewhat impatient and many left temporarily, but all were present on the 29th of July, when they were paid off and each man went his way to his home.”
Some of Milton’s soldiers served in the Second NH Regiment. It was part of the occupation force that moved into the Confederate capital of Richmond, VA, on April 3, 1865, after Confederate forces withdrew. President Lincoln and his son visited the city on the following day. The Second NH Regiment remained in Richmond until July 10, 1865.
RETURN OF THE SECOND NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT. This veteran regiment returned to Concord on the evening of [December] the 23d, 450 strong, under command of Brevet Brig. Gen. Patterson. A public reception was given the regiment on Christmas day. A large number of people witnessed the ceremonies. This is the last of the New Hampshire regiments to return and it was the first to leave home on the outbreak of the rebellion. Its record has been a proud one (New England Farmer (Boston, MA), December 30, 1865).
Ten Milton men had marched away with the Second NH Regiment in May 1861. Six of them had already been discharged at the expiration of their three-year enlistments in June 1864. (Two of those re-enlisted in other units and had mustered out with them). While several of the ten had been wounded, some quite seriously, only one had been killed in action, while another one had already received a disability discharge. (And one had deserted).
Only 1st Lt. Charles E. Jones might have stepped off the train in Concord in December 1865. Perhaps some of the others were there to meet him.
By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | January 20, 2019
The Second NH Regiment began their year at Point Lookout, in St. Mary’s County, MD, and Miss M. Augusta Berry recommended a health clinic. (This was also the year of the Vulpes letter of January 1864 and the US Excise Tax of May 1864).
As this year began, the Second NH Regiment, in which a number of Milton men had enlisted, was guarding Confederate prisoners.
There is every reason for believing that Gen. Butler will negotiate an exchange of all Union prisoners now at Richmond. He will send in exchange the rebel prisoners at Point Lookout, where there are more than eleven thousand under charge of Gen. Gilman Marston. The New Hampshire brigade, which guards the prisoners, received last week over five hundred recruits, and the 2d New Hampshire is now over one thousand strong (New England Farmer (Boston, MA), January 2, 1864).
Actually, there was almost no reason to expect an exchange of prisoners to take place. The Confederate government refused to exchange black prisoners and, in response, President Lincoln had issued General Order 252, on July 30, 1863, which suspended the Dixon-Hill Cartel for prisoner exchange until the Confederates relented.
Miscellaneous Items. We learn that the infantry force which accompanied the cavalry in the late raid into Virginia from Point Lookout, Md., numbered three hundred men from the 2d, 5th, and 12th New Hampshire regiments, under command of Lieut. Col. R.E. Cross, now commanding the 5th Regiment New Hampshire Volunteers, and brother of the lamented Col. E.E. Cross. Among the rebel officers captured was a paymaster with $40,000 in his possession (New England Farmer (Boston, MA), January 30, 1864).
Miss M. Augusta Berry of Milton, N.H., was one of thirty-five guests, or patients, at Dr. William T. Vail’s Granite State Health Institute who signed a sort of testimonial that was published in the newspapers in June 1864.
GRANITE STATE HEALTH INSTITUTE! Hill, N.H. To invalids: The physician to the Granite State Health Institute desires to say to invalids, that he has now kept a health establishment for a dozen years, during which time he has restored many hundreds of cases of the worst forms of chronic disease to perfect health. He uses no drugs nor poisons of any kind in his treatment, but devotes himself to the development of the innate powers of the system itself, and cures disease by developing health and strength in the organism. This mode is successful in thousands of cases where the patient utterly fails by the drug poisoning mode. Patients who come here for treatment no matter how bad their disease, or how long they have been sick, are, almost without a single exception, greatly pleased with the result. We append a commendation from our last summer’s patients, simply by way of showing the state of feeling, and sentiment which usually prevails, among the patient of the institute:
“Newton’s Inn, c1897, was located on Main Street in Hill village. It was a fine brick building that was owned by Dr. William T. Vail from 1859 to 1870. It was known far and wide as ‘Dr. Vail’s Water Cure.’ Mary Baker Eddy frequently came to drink of this ‘cure for all ills'” (Harvey, 2001).
The undersigned, at this date guests at the Granite Slate Health Institute, Hill, N.H., take pleasure in commending this establishment to the attention of invalids throughout the country.
Dr. W.T. Vail, the conductor of the establishment, is a gentleman of experience and skill, having been educated to the medical profession by a long course of personal suffering in early life, as well as by collegiate instruction, and has now been the successful conductor of an establishment for nearly a dozen years. His reputation is growing, and his house for the present season has been crowded to its utmost capacity, and he has been obliged to lay under contribution all the spare house room in the village. He contemplates enlarging his establishment the coming season, and greatly improving his conveniences.
Invalids placing themselves under his direction will find themselves under the care of a gentleman, who has a living faith in the system he practices, and a confidence that he understands his business, who will look after his patients attentively, prescribe for them with care, and require of them somewhat imperatively that they follow his prescriptions.
Mrs. E.M. Vail has charge of the female department, for which her qualifications admirably fit her, and fills for the present the office of female physician in the establishment with acceptance.
The dietary arrangements of this establishment are of the first order. Miss S. Davis, the intelligent and experienced lady who presides over this department, thoroughly understands the magic art of producing the most palatable dishes from the simplest materials, which contributes in no small degree to the good success of the treatment administered here.
The vegetarian theory is adopted at this Institute as the true theory of human dietetics; yet meat is allowed two or three times a week for such as are not prepared to break off suddenly from the use of animal food, and this course is commended as being the wisest for many, especially for those somewhat advanced in life and long accustomed to stimulating food. The administration of the treatment in the ladies’ department is under the control of Mrs. Lucy C. Wheeler – an old patient – a lady gifted with qualities which eminently fit her for the position. Her skill, genial good nature, and uniform kindness will not soon be forgotten by any one who has been under her care.
The moral influences of the establishment are good. The Doctor is a man who aims at nothing short of a correct life, morally and spiritually as well as physically, and this is the spirit and tone which pervades the whole establishment. There is a morning exercise daily, which includes a short lecture upon some medical, physical or moral topic, reading the Scriptures, music and prayer, which secures a good attendance. Patients who are feeble and unable to walk much for exercise, are carried to ride each day one mile and back, free of expense, a feature peculiar to this institution, so far as we know, and, as we think, of much value to the patient. The arrangements of the house are all made and carefully carried out for the benefit of the sick; and believing this establishment affords important facilities for the recovery of lost health, with terms more moderate for value received than most others of the kind, we think we may be doing good service to the sick and suffering of our race by recommending it to their notice.
(Signed by) J.A. Robertson, Sloans Station, Ohio, H.B. Cross, Orfordville. N.H., Edward A. Jones, New York, Mrs. G.C. Littlefield, Newton, Mass., Miss M. Augusta Berry, Milton, N.H., Mrs. Thomas N. Wood, Sharon, Mass., Mrs. Kimball Eldridge, Chatham, Mass., Mr. A.M. Strobridge, New Durham, N.H., Mrs. Mary E. Thurston, Lebanon, N.H., Lessie M. Goodel, Amherst, Mass., Mrs. E. Lathrop, Parkersburg, Va., Mrs. Julia Knight, Stanstead, C.E., Harriet E. Burrell, Roxbury, Mass., Mary A. Morse, [Roxbury, Mass.], Elizabeth H. Morse, Sharon, [Mass.], Lura A. Howard, Hyde Park, Vt., Chester E. Parsons. Coventry, [Vt.], Edwin J. Cowell, Great Falls, N.H., Maria Louisa Cummings, Roxbury Mass., Maria Bowes, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Julia T. Noyes, Henniker, N.H., T.O. Davis, Stanstead, C.E., Mary D. Boswell, Hill, N.H., Eva D. Angell, Salt Point. N.Y., Mrs. Mary E. Jones, Williamsburg. N.Y., Mrs. Ellen M. Goodenough, Derby Line, Vt., Mrs. B.H. Goodall, Littleton, N.H., Mrs. L.A. Davis, Stanstead, C.E., L.C. Wheeler, Waitsfield, Vt., Abbie M. Everett, Hill, N.Y., David T. Averill, Northfleld, Vt., Ira Goodall, Littleton. N.H., Daniel Stevens, Newton, N.H., Mrs. Daniel Stevens, [Newton, N.H.], Rufus A. Fogg, Gorham, Me. Hill, August 10th, 1863.
P.S. Persons wishing further information, will please enclose stamp for circular (Lamoille Newsdealer (Hyde Park, VT), June 29, 1864).
Mary Augusta “Augusta” Berry was born in Milton, N.H., April 22, 1835, daughter of James and Eliza G. (Jewett) Berry. She died in Milton, NH, January 10, 1923, aged eighty-seven years (per town records; her gravestone has it a year earlier).
James Berry, a farmer, aged seventy-five years, headed a Milton Mills household at the time of the Tenth (1880) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Eliza G. Berry, aged sixty-nine years, his daughter, Mary A. Berry, a milliner, aged forty-five years, and his mother-in-law, Nancy Jewett, at home, aged ninety-two years. (The household of James Berry’s eldest son, Charles J. Berry, clerk in a store, aged forty-three years immediately preceded that of James Berry in the enumeration).
Mary A. Berry ran a fancy goods and millinery store in Milton Mills in at least the years 1870, 1871, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1884, 1887, and 1889. She appears there as both Miss Mary A. or M.A. Berry, for her fancy goods listing, and Augusta Berry, for her millinery listing.
Fancy goods may be defined as small decorative items or knick-knacks, while millinery is the design, manufacture, and sale of hats and other headgear, usually women’s hats.
Mary A. Berry, of Milton Mills, N.H., lost the substantial amount of $256 in Mrs. Sarah E. Howe’s Ladies’ Deposit bank swindle of 1879-80 (Boston Globe, May 25, 1881).
Herein find the Rochester tabulation from the First (1790) Federal Census. It was created per Article One, Section Two of the US Constitution, whose ratification Rochester (including then Farmington (Northwest Parish) and Milton (Northeast Parish)) had opposed in the prior year.
There was no separate tabulation of the Rochester’s Northeast Parish (Milton to be) in 1790, as there would be in 1800.
Rochester as a whole had 2,857 inhabitants residing in 504 households. which works out to 5.6 inhabitants per household. It had 1,470 (51.5%) males (740 (25.9%) of whom were aged 16-and-over and 730 (25.6%) were aged under-16 years) and 1,386 (48.5%) females (of all ages).
Rochester had also a single slave, who resided in the household (#100) of John Adams. New Hampshire as a whole had 158 slaves, who constituted 0.1% of its total population of 141,885 inhabitants. New Hampshire’s slaves were largely concentrated at Portsmouth, some of whose merchants participated in the slave trade. (There were 8 slaves in NH in 1800). (See Milton and Abolitionism).
Rochester was the twenty-fifth most populous place in the United States in 1790, and the second most populous place, after Portsmouth, in New Hampshire. (Before the subsequent separations of Farmington (1798) and Milton (1802)).
This representation of Rochester’s 1790 enumeration has been augmented with a view to “teasing out” further geographical details and other information. The bolded names are those that appeared also in the Second (1800) Federal Census of Rochester (and its separately tabulated Northeast Parish (Milton)) and Farmington. Their Rochester, Farmington, and Milton (Northeast Parish) locations of 1800 are noted beside them.
The Farmington and Milton separation petitioners of 1798 and 1802, respectively, have also been considered.
Also included in those marginal identifications, for Milton anyway, are settler locations from local histories. The Milton ones appear in several clusters: West Milton, at the very beginning of the Rochester enumeration, Plummer’s Ridge, near the end of the Rochester enumeration, and others for whom no more specific locations have come to hand.
The schoolteacher’s c1796 Plummer’s Ridge sponsors are all present, while her c1798 Three Ponds ones are not. They presumably settled at Three Ponds after 1790, but before c1798.
The 1790 and 1800 households overlap, but not completely, as with a Venn diagram. Some persons who headed households in 1790 may have died or moved away by 1800. Household successors, such as widows or grown children, or newly established households are present in 1800 (and not included here). For example, Milton Mills’ Appleby families appear for the first time in 1800.
It should be possible to “tighten up” the accuracy of this approximation with further information from deeds, probate records, and other contemporary records, as well as secondary sources such as histories, and genealogies. (Commenters might help point the way or suggest corrections).
To the extent they can be identified, Rochester’s Northeast Parish, i.e., Milton to be, had about 451 residents in 1790: 236 males (52.3%) and 215 females (47.7%). This is likely an underestimate.
(These numbers may be compared with the nearly double figures of 899 residents of 1800: 430 males (47.8%) and 459 females (51.2%). Further additions or refinements may be expected as data becomes available).
The separate columns are represented here as digits. The first two digits are the number of free white males aged 16-and over and those aged under-16. The third digit is the number of free white females of all ages. The final two digits are the number of all other free persons, and slaves.
The Town of Rojchister
Wentworth, Samuel, 122-00
Coason, Joshua, 124-00 – Milton
Foss, Benja, 122-00 – Milton
Coarson, Ebenzr, 133-00 – Milton (West Milton settler)
Varney, Ebenzr, 100-00
Thomas, James, 100-00
Thomas, John, 100-00
Plummer, Ephm, 102-00 – Milton (West Milton settler)
Tuttle, Wm, 105-00 – Milton (West Milton settler)
Goodwin, James, 122-00 – Milton
Wentworth, Ichabod, 111-00
Varney, Enoch, 224-00 – Milton (West Milton settler)
Whautcum, Caleb, 122-00 – Milton (West Milton settler)
NH House of Representatives. (1884). Provincial and State Papers, Volume XIII. Documents Relating to Towns in New Hampshire [Farmington Petition, 1798]. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=hYw7AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA346
NH House of Representatives. (1884). Provincial and State Papers, Volume XIII. Documents Relating to Towns in New Hampshire [Milton Petition, 1802]. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=hYw7AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA349
By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | January 17, 2019
Here we bid farewell to the same Milton centenarian whose hundredth birthday was celebrated two years earlier. (This was also the year that Milton’s Class II Military Draft List was compiled).
Mrs. Eunice Hayes died at Milton, N.H., on the 27th of last March, at the age of 102. She left 181 descendants, was born on Friday – consecrated to God in baptism on Friday – married on Friday – moved into Milton on Friday – her husband died on Friday – and she died on Friday, as she often affirmed she should (Wood County (Wisconsin) Reporter, May 7, 1863).
NH regiments found it necessary to refill their ranks, which had been depleted through expiration of enlistments, captures, disease, wounds, death, and desertion. The recruitment bounty had increased vastly from the $10 of 1861 to as much as $1,000. (Greenback inflation was a part of this too).
Congress had passed also the Enrollment Act (or Military Draft Act), March 3, 1863, whose enforcement had occasioned the New York Draft Riots.
Recruiting in New Hampshire. Recruits come in at Concord at the rate of about forty daily, and rapidly increasing. Recruiting has been stopped for the 2d, 3d, 8th, 10th, 13th and 14th, and the men are now enlisting for the 6th, 9th and 11th, which regiments are with Burnside at Knoxville. The former regiments are nearly or quite full, the third lacking but seventeen men of the maximum number. Thus has New Hampshire, through her patriotic Governor, placed herself in the front ranks (New England Farmer (Boston, MA), December 19, 1863).
By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | January 15, 2019
Here follows a June 1863 US military draft list of Milton’s seventy-five married men aged between 35 and 44 (Class II). (Those aged 45 and over were exempt from military conscription).
[Class I comprises all persons subject to do military duty between the ages of twenty and thirty-five years, and all unmarried persons subject to do military duty above the age of thirty-five years and under the age of forty-five. Class II comprises all other persons subject to do military duty.]
SCHEDULE II. – CONSOLIDATED LIST of all persons of CLASS II, subject to do military duty in the first Congressional District, consisting of the Counties of Rockingham, Strafford, Belknap, and Carroll, State of New Hampshire, enumerated during the month of June, 1863, under direction of Capt. John S. Godfrey, Provost Marshal.
Residence. Name. Age 1st July 1863. White or Colored. Professions, Occupation or Trade. Place of Birth (Naming the State, Territory, or Country). Former Military Service. Remarks.
Milton
Burrows, James, 40, white, farmer, New Hamp., none
Wentworth, John C., 41, white, shoemaker, New Hampshire, none
Whitehouse, Henry D., 39, white, farmer, New Hampshire, none
Whitehouse, Josiah, 44, white, farmer, New Hampshire, none
Young, Thomas, 41, white, shoemaker, New Hamp, none
Colonel James B. Fry, Provost Marshal General U.S., Washington, D.C.
STATION: Headquarters first Congr. Dist. of New Hampshire. DATE: June 30, 1863. John S. Godfrey, Provost Marshal.
Of these 75 men, 30 (40.0%) were shoemakers, 29 (38.7%) were farmers, 3 (4.0%) were blacksmiths, 2 (2.7%) were hotel keepers, 2 (2.7%) were mill hands, 1 (1.3%) was a carpenter, 1 (1.3%) was a depot master, 1 (1.3%) was a laborer, 1 (1.3%) was a mason, 1 (1.3%) was a miller, 1 (1.3%) was a physician, 1 (1.3%) was a shoe manufacturer, 1 (1.3%) was a [livery] stabler, and 1 (1.3%) was a tailor.
William H. Huntress, Joseph Plummer, Lewis D. Reed, and Hiram V. Wentworth appeared also in the US Excise Tax of 1864.
References:
National Archives. (n.d.) Consolidated Lists of Civil War Draft Registrations, 1863-1865. NM-65, entry 172, 620 volumes. NAI: 4213514. Records of the Provost Marshal General’s Bureau (Civil War), Record Group 110
By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | January 14, 2019
Milton.
STRAFFORD Co. The Salmon Fall River washes its whole eastern boundary, a distance of thirteen miles; and a branch of the name river crosses from the south part of Wakefield, and unites near the centre of the eastern boundary.
Teneriffe, a bold and rocky mountain, extends along the eastern part Milton near which lies Milton Pond, of considerable size, connecting with the Salmon Fall river. This town was formerly a part of Rochester.
Boundaries. North-west by Middleton and Wakefield, east by Salmon Fall River, separating it from Maine, and south-west by Farmington.
First settlers. See Rochester. First ministers. See Rochester.
Productions of the Soil. Indian corn, 7,282 bushels; potatoes, 12,560 bushels; hay, 2,296 tons; wool, 3,625 pounds; maple sugar, 473 pounds.
Distances. Forty miles north-east from Concord and twenty north-west from Dover.
Milton gave 188 votes (68.6%) to independent Nathaniel S. Berry and 86 votes (31.4%) to Democrat incumbent Jared Warner Williams in the NH gubernatorial election of 1848. Governor Williams won re-election by 3,000 votes.
New Hampshire. The annual election for the choice of Governor, Council and Legislature, occurs next Tuesday, in N. Hampshire. The Polk party support Jared W. Williams, of Lancaster, now Governor of the State; and the “Allies” – the Whigs, Independent Democrats and Liberty men, Nathaniel S. Berry, of Hebron, for the office of Governor.
Each party seems to be awake, and the struggle will be a warm one. The result none can tell; but as the locofocos carried the State last year by 11 or 1200 majority, it is presumed that they calculate with confidence upon doing the same this year. Indeed, they proclaim the State theirs by thousands. If “Secret Inspectors,” with liberty to draw upon the National Treasury at the rate of $2,200 per annum for traveling (electioneering) fees can secure them the election they are sure of it. But for this corrupt system of buying up men with money from the Treasury, as it has been demonstrated is the practice of the administration in New Hampshire, we should count upon the State as certain for “Berry and Liberty.” As matters are, we can only hope for the best (St. Johnsbury Caledonian, March 11, 1848).
In a table of comparative statistics, Milton was said to have 330 polls; a tax rate of $3.65 per thousand in 1844; improved and unimproved lands valued at $216,852 in 1848; mills and carding machines valued at $10,075; 1,068 sheep; and a total amount of inventory of $383,023 in 1848.
(Farmington’s total amount of inventory was $556,796, Middleton’s was $117,232, Rochester’s was $907,610, and Wakefield’s was $309,515).
By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | January 14, 2019
MILTON, post-town, Strafford co., in lat. 43°26′, is bounded N.W. by Middleton and Wakefield, E. by Salmon Fall river, separating it from Maine, S.W. by Farmington, and contains about 25,000 acres. The Salmon Fall river washes its whole E. boundary, a distance of 13 miles; and a branch of the same river crosses from the S. part of Wakefield, and unites near the centre of the E. boundary. Teneriffe, a bold and rocky mountain, extends along the E. part of Milton, near which lies Milton pond, of considerable size, connecting with the Salmon Fall river. This town was formerly a part of Rochester, from which it was detached, and incorporated June 11, 1802. There is a meeting-house here, but no settled minister. Pop 1232.
In a table of comparative statistics, Milton was said to have 1 Meeting-house, 7 School districts, 7 School-houses, 5 Taverns, 5 Stores, 5 Saw-mills, 4 Grist-mills, 1 Clothing-mill, 2 Carding-machines, no Bark-mill, and 1 Tannery.
By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | January 13, 2019
Sophia Cushing was born in Dover, NH, in April 1781, daughter of Thomas Cushing. At the age of thirteen years [1794-95], she began teaching school in the Meaderboro district of Rochester.
She taught next in the “Miltonridge,” i.e., Milton, district of Rochester, at the age of sixteen years [1796-97].
In her first years at “Miltonridge,” she taught at the P. district school and mentions living in the households of early settlers. (She confuses the settlers of a generation before with the town founders of 1802). Prior paragraphs spoke of early settlers Joseph Plumer, Hon. B. Plumer, a state senator, and William Palmer, Esq. All of this – Plummer families, P. district, and Miltonridge – suggests that she began teaching at Plummer’s Ridge.
She, who was there at the founding, seemed to think that Milton was named for the English poet John Milton, author of Paradise Lost. She compared him with Homer (they were both blind poets).
She married (1st), probably in Milton, in 1798, Jonathan Hayes, who died on a trip to San Domingo, West Indies, that very same year. He was a son of Aaron and Deborah (Wingate) Hayes. They had one child.
Next, she taught, and resided in various households, in the Three Ponds district. She left Milton for Gilmanton in 1805.
She married (2nd) in Dover, October 8, 1811, Samuel Wyatt. She became landlady of several notable hotels and, in her later years, wrote an autobiography of her life and experiences. She published it in 1854. She died in Georgetown, MA, December 31, 1857, aged seventy-six years, eight months, and twelve days.
Here is extracted Chapter XII of her 1854 book, Autobiography of a Landlady of the Old School, in which she recounts her time in early Milton. She mentions also her impressions of Milton from several return visits in later years. Her final visit, at the least the last one before her book went to press, was in January 1854.
She begins her tale with some standard Milton information copied from a gazetteer of 1823 (or later).
Milton
Milton is bounded north-west by Middleton and Wakefield, east by Salmon Falls river, separating it from Maine; south-west by Farmington. The Salmon Falls river washes its whole east boundary, a distance of thirteen miles; and a branch of the same river crosses from the south part of Wakefield, and unites near the centre of the east boundary. Teneriffe, a bold and rocky mountain, extends along the eastern part of Milton, near which lies the three ponds, connecting with the Salmon Falls river. This town was formerly a part of Rochester, where Messrs. Joseph Plumer, Bard Plumer, William Palmer, Benjamin Scates, and their associates, went boldly into theforest and commenced cutting down sturdy oaks, in a pleasant place now called Miltonridge, which was detached from Rochester, and incorporated, June 11th, 1802. Those worthy gentlemen, with industry and application, soon made noble farms, early became wealthy and independent. J. Plumer erected a public house, which was known for three score years and upwards, as Plumer’s tavern; one of the best inns ever built and kept in New England in those early days. The Hon. B. Plumer was a statesman, he was chosen senator in district No. 5, Strafford county, in New Hampshire legislature, for several years.
William Palmer, Esq., was a useful man, his mind was well stored with useful knowledge, and was competent to decide any arbitrations that might occur; he was highly respected. Dea. B. Scates lived beloved by all, a worthy exemplary Christian. Those early settlers have left highly respectable descendants.
A number of years since, the writer providentially called at the mansion house of the late senator Plumer, which was owned and occupied by one of his sons, who was laboring in the last stages of consumption; had his family of children gathered around, with the good minister of the parish, Rev. Mr. Walker, for their baptism. I heard him a short time afterward remark, “If my father and my uncle Joseph, and Esq. Palmer, had been religious men, what a good influence they would have exerted over this town.”
The writer can look back with gratitude to the early patronage she received in Rochester, now Miltonridge. At the age of sixteen years [1797-98] I taught a school in the P. District; boarded in the families of the three first settlers, where kindness and friendship were the leading traits ofcharacter. My following terms of teaching were at the three ponds, in the district of Timothy Roberts, Esq., Ensign William Jones, and John Fish, Esq., and other officiating gentlemen of the place. It well might be pronounced a good school; the attention of the scholars was given to their studies, and each one was emulous to excel. At the close of the term, relatives, friends and neighbors, were invited to hear the recitations, and see and hear the dialogues spoken, which was rather a new thing half a century ago, so far up in the woods. The writer has fallen in with individuals in later years, that referred to that school. There are many descendants of those Milton gentlemen who fill eminent places in public life, who were of much enterprise; left their homes at an early day, to seek friends and wealth in other places.
The writer had an opportunity of visiting Milton in January, 1854, where an entire change had taken place. Many of those who made their homes so pleasant, were no more; they return not. But we were soon drawn from tears of sympathy, to be introduced to other scenes. Cheerful, lively, animated faces had taken the places of those that were not; all appeared desirous of doing good. To effect their object, they assembled at the residence of their pastor, the Rev. Mr. Dolt [James Doldt], taking with them a quantity of useful articles, such as any family would find necessary, as well as a surplus of that which we say answers all purposes; and also a luxuriant feast of good things, served up in fine style. Rev. Mr. Dolt is a man of exemplary piety, and unsullied integrity, is much beloved by his people.
But to return to Milton, named in honor of our English Homer.
The town has increased in population and business; and its water power and railroad aid the enterprise of the inhabitants. It has three houses for public worship, two ministers, Rev. James Dolt, Congregational, Rev. L.H. Gordon, Methodist. There are four practicing physicians: Dr. S. Drew early settled at the three ponds, and for thirty years and upwards, had the entire practice of the town. His long and successful practice has endeared him to the people. Dr. D.E. Palmer is a gentleman of much promise, and is fast gaining friends and practice. Dr. Buck is eminent in his profession, and a physician of high respectability. Dr. Swindleton [Dr. J.L. Swinerton] is useful in his profession, and popular. The shoe business of late has become very important. It has one bakery; Charles Sweasey, Esq., proprietor. Mr. Sweasey has long been known as a gentleman of exemplary piety. The manufactory of woolen fabrics is carried on at the westerly village, under the supervision of Mr. Townsend proprietor. It has a good town house, with stores, mills, and public houses, in due proportion.
We noticed at South Milton, a beautiful and substantial family tomb, built by the antiquarian, Theodore C. Lyman, Esq. A Boston gentleman remarked, “It would do Mount Auburn credit.”
But dropping a tear over the graves of those we early loved, we hasten from Milton away (Wyatt, 1854).
South Milton’s Theodore Cushing Lyman (1770-1863) was likely a relative of Sophia (Cushing) Hayes Wyatt.
Wyatt, Sophia Hayes. (1854). The Autobiography of a Landlady of the Old School: With Personal Sketches of Eminent Characters, Places, and Miscellaneous Items. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=GSbjtNCHpIoC&pg=PA76
By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | February 2, 2019
MILTON, in Strafford county, was formerly a part of Rochester, and is bounded by N.W. by Middleton, E. by Salmon falls river, which divides it from Shapley (in Maine,) and S.W. by Farmington. Its area is 25,000 acres, and its number of inhabitants 1005. It extends more than 13 miles on Salmon falls river. Branch river crosses the S.W. extremity of the town. Teneriffe mountain lies on its easterly side, near which is Milton pond. The southerly extremity of Milton is 9 miles and 82 rods distant from Wakefield. There are here 3 religious societies, 1 meeting-house, 3 grain-mills, 3 saw-mills, 1 clothing-mill and 3 trading stores.
In a table of comparative statistics, Milton was said to have had 184 polls in 1812; a tax rate of <blank> in 1775; a tax rate of $4.34 per $1,000 in 1812; 122 horses over 4 years old; 250 oxen; 367 cows; 440 cattle between 2 and 4 years old; 18 acres of orchard; and <blank> sheep.
Milton participated in Rochester’s 1775 tax rate of £9 11s 0d per £1000, which would work out to $9.55 per $1,000. Its own 1812 rate was less than half that exacted when a British colony.
Milton’s current tax rate of $25.48 per thousand is 267% of the colonial tax rate of 1775, and 587% of its own 1812 rate.
Milton was not yet its own town at the time of the Second Federal Census (1800). It would separate from Rochester in June 1802.
The final seven pages of Rochester’s entry in the Second (1800) Federal Census consisted of those Rochester Northeast Parish households that were shortly to be “set off” as its own town, i.e., shortly to become Milton.
Fortunately, the census enumerator broke this section out separately. It would have been better still had he not alphabetized the list (thus obscuring the geographical relationships within the Northeast Parish).
Note that, despite modern notions regarding constitutional separation of church and state, it was the quality of having “separate ministerial business” that justified creating a separate township. And this separation took place, for that reason, under the US Constitution. Also note that the original meeting-house was both a church and the townhouse. The construction committee financed the building through the sale of church pews, rather than taxation. (And rum, there was also rum).
Rochester’s Northeast Parish, i.e., Milton to be, had 899 residents on Monday, August 4, 1800: 430 males (47.8%) and 459 females (51.2%).
The separate columns are represented here as digits. The first five digits are the number of free white males aged under-10, aged 10-15, aged 16-25, aged 26-44, and 45-and-over. The second five digits are the number of free white females aged under-10, aged 10-15, aged 16-25, aged 26-44, and 45-and-over. The final two digits are the number of all other free persons, and slaves. (New Hampshire had 8 slaves within its borders in 1800; none of them were in the Northeast Parish).
The names of those Rochester residents that petitioned the NH legislature, May 28, 1802, for a separation from Rochester, have been bolded.
The following persons live in a part of Rochester that is proposed to be shortly set of [off] as a separate town, and at present transact their ministerial business separate from this next part of the Town.
Rochester’s Northeast Parish had 158 households with an average 5.7 inhabitants per household. Only 2 households (1.3%) were headed by a female, one of them identified as a widow.
336 (37.4%) of the Northeast Parish’s 899 inhabitants were aged under-10 years of age (158 males and 178 females), 124 (13.8%) were aged 10-15 years (67 males and 57 females), 148 (16.5%) were aged 16-25 years of age (65 males and 83 females), 199 (22.1%) were aged 26-44 (97 males and 102 females), and 82 (9.1%) were aged 45-and-over years of age (43 males and 39 females). All of these were “free white” inhabitants.
The constitutional purpose of the census is to apportion US Representatives. For that a simple head count would do. Some of the awkward breaks into uneven age groups are due to another governmental purpose: attempting to determine the size of military age cohorts.
Of primary interest was the size of the males aged 16-25 years cohort. Those are the minutemen. The males aged 26-44 years cohort was of secondary interest. They formed the bulk of the militia. Males aged 45-and-over were exempt from military service. Militia officers Captain Samuel Nute, Lieutenant Jotham Nute, and Lieutenant Elijah Horn were identified by their militia ranks in this census enumeration.
Note that only 80 (51.3%) of the 156 Northeast Parish’s male householders signed the 1802 separation petition.
24 petitioners were not householders in the Northeast Parish, namely Joseph Berry, Joseph Cook, Wentworth Cook, Ernest Corsen, William Corsen, Abraham Dearborn, Benjamin Dearborn, Gershom Downs, Francis Drew, Nathaniel Gilman, Humphrey Goodwin, Benjamin Higgins, Nathaniel Jewett, Benjamin Jones, John Jones, James McGeoch, Robert McGeoch, Dudley Palmer, Jedediah Ricker, Henry Rollins, Samuel Twombly Jr., Joseph Walker, Josiah Willey, and Obadiah Witham.
Likely, most of these 24 non-householding petitioners resided within the named Northeast Parish households, as column tick marks. If so, the non-householding petitioners and the householder petitioners combined would represent 104 (63.0%) of the approximately 165 Northeast Parish male voters.
Joseph Plumer, Wm Palmer Esqr, and Saml Palmer
Note also that only one man – William Palmer Esqr – is termed Esqr., or Esquire. It is quite clearly written so. The various printed histories that describe Milton’s first town meetings report William Plumer, Esq., as having called the first town meeting (and a William Plumer as being one of the first selectmen chosen at that meeting). One of these things is not like the other. Either the census enumerator or the history typesetter may have made an error.
Joseph Plumer, Wm Palmer Esqr, and Saml Palmer
Milton Observer 