History – Page 49 – Milton Observer

Milton’s NHES Community Profile – 2018

By Muriel Bristol | December 17, 2018

New Hampshire Employment Security (NHES) produced an update to its Milton statistics in its NH Community Profiles in March 2018. Most of its figures were updated to June 2017, while some were based still upon figures from the prior profile.

It included US Census Bureau figures, which estimated Milton’s population at 4,591 inhabitants as of 2016. This would be an decline of 0.3% from the 4,606 inhabitants estimated in 2015.

Milton’s net population has not increased significantly since the 2010 census, when it had 4,598 inhabitants.

238 (5.2%) of Milton’s 4,591 inhabitants were aged under 5 years of age, 866 (18.9%) were aged 5-19 years of age, 830 (18.1%) were aged 20-34, 1,157 (25.2%) were aged 34-54 years of age, 929 (20.2%) were aged 55-64 years of age, and 571 (12.4%) were aged 65 years of age or over. There were 2,279 males (49.6%) and 2,312 (50.4%) females. The median age was 43.6 years (an increase of 1.2% over that stated in the prior year).

Milton had 2,040 housing units in 2016, a decline of 0.9%. Single-Family Units, Detached or Attached accounted for 1,557 (76.3%) of them, Mobile Homes (and Other Housing Units) accounted for 304 (14.9%), 2-4 Unit Multi-family Structures, i.e., apartment buildings, accounted for 61 (3.0%), and 5-or-more Unit Multi-family Structures accounted for 118 (5.8%) housing units.

This represented a slight decline in both number and proportion of Single Family Units and a slight increase in both number and proportion of Mobile Homes and Multi-Family Structures.

By computation, the average Milton housing unit sheltered 2.3 inhabitants, an increase of 0.1 inhabitants.

Milton’s single largest employer by far was the Milton town government, whose 247 employees (132 Municipal Services and 115 Education) made up 11.0% of the 2,250 employed inhabitants. Next largest was Index Packaging with 157 employees, Eastern Boats with 38 employees, Iron Mountain with 20 employees, and ProLine with 13 employees. (Note: none of these employer figures appear to have been updated from 2017, except the number of employed inhabitants).

Most of Milton’s Working Residents (88.0%) commuted to employment out of town, an increase of 0.5%. Most of them (77.9%) commuted to another NH community, while some (10.1%) commuted to employment out of state. The mean travel time increased to 32.1 minutes. Only 12.0% worked in Milton.

Some 124 inhabitants (5.4%) were unemployed in 2015. This had declined to 73 inhabitants (3.1%) by 2016.

The Per Capita income was $28,403 in 2016 (a decrease of 15.2% over the previous year’s $33,495). The Median Family income was $72,226 and the Median Household income was $65,679. Individuals below the poverty level were 6.7% of the population, a decrease of 2.1%.

References:

New Hampshire Employment Security (NHES). (2018, March). New Hampshire Community Profiles. Retrieved from https://www.nhes.nh.gov/elmi/products/cp/

Milton in the News – 1839

By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | December 16, 2018

Here follows an 1839 Federal request-for-proposal (RFP) for carrying the mail weekly along a 40-mile post road or route from Pittsfield, NH, to Alfred, ME, and back again. The Milton Mills post office is one of the stops.

PROPOSALS. FOR carrying the mails of the United States, from the 1st of July, 1839, to the 30th of June, 1841; inclusive, on the following post routes in New England. will be received at this Department until the 25th day of May next, at 3 o’clock, p m, to be decided on the 1st day of June following.

[Extracted from a lengthy list of routes]

155a. From Pittsfield, by the store of George Nutter, in Barnstead, over New Durham bridge, by Middletown, Wakefield, Union, Milton Mills, Alfred, Me., 40 miles and back, once a week. Leave Pittsfield every Tuesday at 5 a.m., arrive at Alfred same day by 7 p.m. Leave Alfred every Wednesday at 5 a.m., arrive at Pittsfield same day by 7 p.m. (Burlington Sentinel and Democrat, June 26, 1839).

Taken together with the previously published 1827 route, the Milton Mills post office functioned as a node or outpost on a network, connected to others by several spokes or attachments.

Previous in sequence: Milton in the News – 1838; next in sequence: Milton in the News – 1842

Milton Cookies of 1895-96

By Muriel Bristol | December 14, 2018

Mrs. N.W. and P., of Milton, NH, corresponded with the True and Tried Cooking column of the Boston Globe in 1895 and 1896. They submitted recipes of their own as well as making requests for those of others.

I have transcribed below their cookie and drop-cake recipes, which might be fun to try over the holidays. (Cakes and other things might follow sometime). The recipes are mostly just lists of ingredients with little or nothing in the way of instructions. Why waste space on instructions when everybody and their mother knows what to do? I have supplied some general parameters from other sources.

These women were using wood-fired ovens or chimney-side ovens. There were no temperatures settings. They had to guess the temperature and manage it, by stoking the oven with wood kindling. The temperature could be assessed by gauging how long one could keep one’s hand in the oven. Yikes!

A few of these recipes guide their user somewhat by suggesting a “rather quick” oven or a “quick” oven. A “quick” oven temperature is said have been in the 400° to 425° range. Lower temperatures and longer times tend to produce thinner, crisper cookies (and need wider spacing), while higher temperatures and shorter times tend to produce thicker, softer cookies. No times were given.

Modern cookie recipes tend to fall more to the 350° to 375° range, with times of between 8 and 11 minutes (larger cookies requiring more time). One imagines a “quick” oven would require less time. Good luck.

Cookies

Newport Cookies. One egg, 1½ cups of sugar, ⅔ cup of butter, ½ cup of sweet milk. 4 cups of flour, 1 cup of chopped raisins, 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar, ½ teaspoon of soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt to taste. Drop out in teaspoon and bake. Mrs. N.W. Wilton [Milton], N.H. (Boston Globe, April 7, 1895).

Mama’s Molasses Cookies. In looking over some February papers I saw where a lady in Sanford, Me, asked for my mama’s molasses cookies. One cup of molasses, 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of sour milk, 1 cup of shortening. 1 small tablespoon of saleratus, ginger and salt to taste. My mama uses a coffee cup. These cookies are very nice, and will keep as long as you wish. Mix with pastry flour. All cookies should be made of it. Nine-Year-Old. Ayer. (Boston Globe, April 19, 1895).

Saleratus was the precursor to baking soda.

Spice cookies for M.J.B. – One cup of sugar, ½ cup of butter, ½ cup of milk, 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of currants, 1 teaspoon of soda, spice of all kinds. Cheap marble cake – Two eggs, 1 cup of sugar, ½ cup of shortening, ½ cup of milk, 2 cups of flour, 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon of soda. Take ½ the above. and add 2 tablespoons of molasses and spice of all kinds. and marble the two kinds together in the tin. Milton. N.H. Mrs. N.W. (Boston Globe, May 9, 1895).

Cocoanut Cookies. One egg, 1 cup of sugar, ⅓ cup of butter, 1 cup of cocoanut, 2 tablespoons of sweet milk, 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar, ½ teaspoon of soda. Mrs. N.W. Milton, N.H. (Boston Globe, May 12, 1895).

Date Cookies. If Mrs. N.W. will make date cookies like this recipe, I think she will find them nice: One large cup of dates, stoned and cut in small pieces, 1 cup of sugar, 1 egg, little salt, ⅔ cup of butter or lard, or half of each, little cinnamon and nutmeg, ½ teaspoon of vanilla, 2 cups of flour sifted together with 1 teaspoon of soda and 2 of cream of tartar; then add ½ cup of sweet milk or water; use more flour if needed, roll quite thin and bake in rather quick oven. South Berwick. (Boston Globe, May 15, 1895).

Sugar Cookies. Two eggs, 2 full cups sugar, large, 1 cup butter, ½ cup milk, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, ½ teaspoon soda. Flour to roll stiff. Currants may be rolled lightly on the dough, and are very nice. P. Milton. N H. (Boston Globe, July 12, 1896).

Drop Cakes

Newton Puffs. One cup of molasses. 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of sugar, 4 cups of flour, ½ cup of butter and lard mixed, scant teaspoon of soda, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, scant measure, salt to taste; mix the ingredients all together at once. adding soda last; drop in great spoonfuls in a pan a little way apart, and bake. Children like these very much. Mrs. H. C. L. North Weymouth. (Boston Globe, February 22, 1895).

Vanilla Drop Cakes. A cup of sugar and ¼ cup of butter, creamed together; 1 egg well beaten, 1 tablespoon of vanilla, 10 tablespoons of sweet milk, 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar, ½ teaspoon of soda. 2½ cups of flour. Drop out in teaspoonfuls on a biscuit tin and bake in a quick oven. Milton, N.H. (Boston Globe, April 7, 1895).

Sponge Drops. Three eggs; beat the whites to a stiff froth. add yolks, 1 cup of sugar, and a heaping cup of flour, into which 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar and ½ teaspoon of soda are mixed. Flavor and drop on buttered tin sheets, three inches apart. Bake instantly. Please try and report. Mrs. N.W. Wilton [Milton], N.H. (Boston Globe, April 11, 1895).

Recommendations

I tried Mrs. N.W.’s sponge drops, and found them very nice, also L.B.S.’s sponge ginger bread, which was splendid. Minnie M. Arlington Heights. (Boston Globe, April 28, 1895).

All of The Globe recipes which I have tried have been nice. Among them are orange pie by Mrs. F.H.C., May’s silver cake, which is lovely; cream pies by M.L.G., molasses chewing candy by N., banana pudding by Mrs. E.M.H., and molasses cookies by Nine-Year-Old. Milton, N.H. Mrs. N.W. (Boston Globe, May 9, 1895).

Questions and Answers. Will the lady from Rockland (I think) please send recipe for molasses cookies that called for 1 pint of molasses boiled 15 minutes? I have misplaced it, and would like it, as they were the best I ever ate. P. Milton, N.H. (Boston Globe, January 5, 1896).

And, for those that might want to go professional:

Female Help Wanted. WANTED – To pay $1 per day for first-class cook, steady job. Milton hotel, Milton, N.H. (Boston Globe, June 29, 1896).

Milton in the News – 1838

By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | December 13, 2018

Some 98 Milton women and 60 Milton Mills women submitted a memorial, i.e., a petition, in opposition to the Congressional “Gag Rule” resolution of December 21, 1837.

The resolution against which the Milton women fought was a cheap parliamentary technique or trick designed to suppress any and all opposition to slavery.

CONGRESS. MEMORIALS AGAINST THE RESOLUTION OF 21ST DECEMBER, 1837. In the House of Representatives, on the 12th March, 1838, Mr. Cushing presented the following memorials, praying the House to rescind the resolution of the 21st December, 1837, viz:

[Extracted from a lengthy list of petitions]

Sarah W. Ricker, and 97 others, women of Milton, N.H.; Mary Goldsmith, and 59 others, women of Milton Mills, N.H. (The Liberator (Boston, MA), June 15, 1838).

These 158 women represented over half (about 58%) of Milton’s adult women, in whom Milton can take great pride.

Previous in sequence: Milton in the News – 1830; next in sequence: Milton in the News – 1839

References:

Town of Milton. (2018, April 16). Board of Selectmen By-Laws. Retrieved from www.miltonnh-us.com/uploads/bos_71_1509444456.pdf

US House of Representatives. (n.d.). The House “Gag Rule.” Retrieved from history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1800-1850/The-House-of-Representatives-instituted-the-“gag-rule”/

Wikipedia. (2018, November 5). Gag Rule. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gag_rule

Milton in the News – 1830

By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | December 11, 2018

People who lived to an advanced age were of great interest formerly, as they are now.

DIED. In Milton, N.H., Widow Patience Clements, aged 101 years and 6 months (Middlebury Free Press (Middlebury, VT), July 22, 1830).

Patience Bunker, daughter of John Bunker, married (1st), after 1753, John Twombly, Jr., who died in 1764. (She was his second wife). She married (2nd), circa 1768, John Clements, who died in Dover, NH, May 8, 1776.

“Patience Clements of Dover, widow, quit claim to Andrew Torr of Dover, all right to piece of land where I now live,” being part of her thirds “in the estate of John Twombly late of Dover deceased” 6 June 1792 (Strafford County Deeds, 87:321). (A widow was entitled to a life-estate in one-third of her late husband’s estate).

Other sources say that Patience died “at the house of Jonathan Nute, Esq.,” June 12, 1830. There was no such Milton household at that time, although the household headed by Jotham Nute did have one female, aged over 100 years (the only person in town in that age range), at the time of the Fifth (1830) Federal Census: June 1, 1830. (She died less than two weeks after the enumeration).

Jotham Nute, Esq., was a Revolutionary veteran, who had served with Ralph Farnham and Enoch Wingate. His wife, Sarah (Twombly) Nute, was a daughter of Patience Clements, i.e., the widow Patience ((Bunker) Twombly) Clements died in the Milton household of her daughter and son-in-law.

They must have had some tales to tell around the fireplace.

Previous in sequence: Milton in the News – 1829; next in sequence: Milton in the News – 1838

Milton in the News – 1829

By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | December 9, 2018

Several papers reported this Milton news item. Newspapers of the time had their own local news, but also filled column inches with news articles copied from local newspapers of other localities, even quite distant ones. If anything, this practice grew more prevalent after the advent of the telegraph and railroad.

Ensign David Pickings, aged 33, was drowned in Milton, N.H., on the 22 ult. He was on his way to town meeting on skates (Farmer’s Herald (St. Johnsbury, VT), February 23, 1829).

The Latin terms “inst.” or “instant,” to mean “this month,” and “ult.” or “ultima,” to mean “last month,” were commonly used in both handwritten documents and printed publications. Ensign David Pickings drowned on the 22 of January, i.e., last month or “ultima,” from the point of view of a February publication.

The US army changed the name of their junior officer rank from Cornet or Ensign to 2nd Lieutenant in 1800. The rank persists in the navy. The NH militia still retained the older name. It implies in part some degree of responsibility for the company ensign or flag.

Previous in sequence: Milton in the News – 1827; next in sequence: Milton in the News – 1830

Milton in the News – 1827

By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | December 6, 2018

The Federal government established some new Post Road routes between post offices by an act of Congress in early 1827.

The Vermont Republican and American Journal newspaper published as news, in April 1827, the Congressional act that established a Maine route that took in Milton Mills, NH. It ran from Alfred, ME, to Shapleigh, ME, East Parish, to Shapleigh, ME, Emery’s Mills, to Shapleigh, ME, West Parish, to Milton Mills, NH, and finally terminated in Lebanon, ME.

Having established the route, the Federal government would next have put it out to bid. The low bidder would have won a contract to transport the mail to the post offices along the designated route and then return along that same route to the start. This was not a daily affair, but more likely a weekly run at this time. The contracts had generally a two-year term.

(Publick No. 22.) An Act to establish sundry Post Roads. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the following be established as post roads:

[Extracted from a lengthy list of Post Road routes]

IN MAINE. From Bangor, by Dutton, Kirkland, and Blakesburg, to Boyleston Mills; from Freeman, by New Vineyard, to Farmington; from Dixfield to Weld; from Belfast, by Knox, Freedom, and Hussey’s Mills, to Albion from Guilford, by Abbot, and Monson, to Hashelltown; from Winthrop, by Readfield and Bellegrade, to Waterville; from Alfred, by Shapleigh East Parish, Emery’s Mills, Shapleigh West Parish, and Milton Mills, to Lebanon, in place or the present route from Alfred to Lebanon; from Bethel, by Greenwood, to Norway; from East Machias to Cooper; from Augusta by Waterville back meeting-house, and Schowheaganfalls, to Norridgewock (Vermont Republican and American Journal, April 7, 1827).

John Nutter held the office of Milton Mills postmaster at this time.

Previous in sequence: Milton in the News – 1816; next in sequence: Milton in the News – 1829

Milton Bicentennial Tribute

By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | December 5, 2018

Senator Robert C. “Bob” Smith, of New Hampshire, gave the following Milton bicentennial tribute speech in the US Senate, on Wednesday, March 13, 2002.

TRIBUTE TO THE TOWN OF MILTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE

Mr. Smith of New Hampshire. Madam President, I rise today to pay tribute to the citizens of Milton, New Hampshire, on the occasion of the Town’s bicentennial celebration.

The Town of Milton, located in Strafford County, has a rich history in the State of New Hampshire. A petition was submitted in 1794 by the citizens of Rochester to be incorporated as a separate town. On June 11, 1802, the Town of Milton was incorporated.

Milton is located on Milton Three Ponds, an area blessed with an abundance of waterpower which was utilized by different industries including several sawmills and a woolen mill, Miltonia Mills which specialized in fine wool blankets that were used by Admiral Peary on exploratory expeditions. A distillery and five icehouses which supplied ice to Boston, Massachusetts were also located in Milton.

Construction of homes began in Milton during the early 1800’s and the first rural schools, Plummer’s Ridge School #1 and Nute Ridge School #2 were built. Both school buildings remain standing in Milton today. In 1853 [SIC], Lewis Worster Nute, a native of Milton, provided financial support in his will to build a school and library in Milton and a chapel in West Milton.

Today, the Town of Milton, situated in southeastern New Hampshire, has a population of approximately four thousand residents. Teneriffe Mountain overlooks Milton Three Ponds which connects to the Salmon Falls River, offering spectacular scenery year round.

Milton’s municipal government consists of an elected three member Board of Selectmen and numerous other boards and committees. The town’s representatives in the New Hampshire legislature include: Representatives Nancy Johnson and Rodney Woodill and State Senator Carl Johnson. The Town has an excellent on-call Fire Department and Ambulance Corps, along with a well-staffed Police Department and a summer marine patrol.

Each year the townspeople of Milton nominate a “Citizen of the Year.” In 2002, the Fire, Police and Ambulance Corps will be honored as the true heroes in Milton, New Hampshire.

I congratulate the citizens of Milton, New Hampshire, as they celebrate the Town’s bicentennial anniversary and wish them continued success and prosperity in the years to come. It is truly and honor and a privilege to represent the people of the Town of Milton in the United States Senate.

Trip to Wildcat Shortened

By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | December 3, 2018

Trip to Wildcat Shortened

In late August [1981], the New Hampshire Highway Dept. completed a 14-mile section of new highway extending the Spaulding Turnpike northward to by-pass North Rochester and Milton, N.H. The 14-mile section rejoins NH. 16 about one mile south of the traffic light in Union on the Union-Wakefield by-pass and should save skiers about 15 to 20 minutes in reaching Wildcat, N.H., depending on traffic conditions.

References:

Skiing Magazine. (1982, January). Roundup. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=btUXV5bgTxAC&pg=PT10

Milton Winter Outings, 1956-62

By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | December 1, 2018

Arrangements for Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) winter outings to Milton in 1956, 1958, and 1962.

Regular Activities

An invitation has been extended to join Boston in an outing at Milton. N. H. (8 miles North of Rochester. N. H.) See Boston Outings for details.

BOSTON OUTINGS

Sat., Jan. 26. Experimental Snowcar Trip to Milton, N. H. 10 ,,,

Sat., March 30. Snowshoe and Ski Touring Outing to the Moose Mountain [in Brookfield, NH] with the Portland and New Hampshire Chapters. Meet at the Sanbornville, N.H. railroad station at 11:00 A.M., allowing 2½ hrs. to drive the 95 miles from Boston. These mountains have intrigued the leaders for years and a recent scouting trip “found” pretty little Mountain Lake, logging roads, open woods, the summit of Hanson Mountain, a deer yard, and many animal and bird tracks. Refreshments served at the home of Mr. & Mrs. Alfred Swett in Milton, N.H. about 5 PM. If you have room in your car for a passenger or two, or if you need transportation, notify one of the leaders. (Snowshoeing), Neil Whitman, 39 Walnut St., Everett 49, Mass. EV 7-9059, evenings.

Arrangements for an Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) winter outing to Milton in March 1958.

Sat. Mar. 8. One Day Snowshoeing and Cross Country Skiing Trip to Milton, N. H. Meet in the center of the small town of Milton at 10:30 A.M. in front of the Look Shop. (Start from Boston at 8:30 A.M.) Snowshoe or ski through open woods and pastures over small hills towards Mt. Teneriffe or skating, if you prefer, on Milton Pond. Coffee and cakes at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Swett following the outing. Neil Whitman (EV 7=9059); Al Robertson (HU 2-5100 ext. 228, days); Sven Cederstrom, 69 Pinckney St., Boston or Cliff Gallant, Contoocook, N.H. (AMC Bulletin, 1958).

Arrangements for an Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) winter outing to Milton in March 1962.

Regular Activities

Sat., March 23. One Day Snowshoeing and Cross Country Skiing Trip to Milton, N.H. Meet in the center of Milton at 10:30 A.M. Start from Boston at 8:30 A.M. Coffee and cake at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Swett, following the outing. Neal Whitman and Al Robertson (AT 4-1556) (AMC Bulletin, 1962).

References:

Appalachia Bulletin. (1956). Regular Activities. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=cO4NAQAAIAAJ

Appalachia Bulletin. (1958). Regular Activities. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=0O4NAQAAIAAJ

Appalachia Bulletin. (1962). Regular Activities. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=9QQOAQAAIAAJ

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