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Overview
Dunbarton is a town "set upon a hill which cannot be hid." The highest
point of land is on the farm of Benjamin Lord, north of the Center, and
is 779 feet above the sea level. From that spot, and from many other
places nearly as high, the views of hills and mountains are beautiful
and grand beyond description.
The twin Uncanoonucs are near neighbors on the south, Monadnock,
farther off on the south-west, and Kearsarge twenty miles to the north
west. On the northern horizon are seen Mount Washington and other peaks
of the White Mountains.
The longest hill in town is the mile-long Mills hill, and midway on
its slope live descendants of Thomas Mills, one of the first settlers.
Among other hills are Duncanowett, Hammond, Tenney, Grapevine, Harris,
Legache, and Prospect Hills.
No rivers run through the town, but there are numerous brooks where
trout fishing is pursued with more or less success.
No body of water is large enough to be called a lake, but Gorham Pond
is a beautiful sheet of water and on its banks picnics are held.
Stark's and Kimball's Ponds have furnished water power for mills, the
latter, owned by Willie F. Paige, is still in use. Long Pond, in the
south part of the town, was the scene of a tragedy in 1879, when Moses
Merrill, an officer at the State Industrial School, Manchester, was
drowned in an ineffectual attempt to save an inmate of that institution.
One portion of the south part of the town is called Skeeterboro,
another Mountalona, so named by James Rogers, one of the first
settlers, from the place in Ireland from whence he came.[1] East of the
Center is Guinea, so called because some negroes once lived there. The
village of North Dunbarton is also called Page's Corner; and not far
away to the eastward is a hill known as Onestack, because one large
stack of hay stood there for many years. A brook bears the same name.
Those who know Dunbarton only in the present can hardly realize that
1450 people ever lived there at one time, but that was the census in
1820. The first census, taken 1767, was 271. In 1840 it was 1067; in
1890, only 523. The last census gave about 575.
The first settlement was made in 1740[2] by James Rogers and Joseph
Putney on the land known as the "Great Meadows," now owned by James M.
Bailey. They were driven away by the Indians for a time. A stone now
marks the spot where stood the only apple tree spared by the Indians.
Probably the first boy born in town belonged to one of these families.
James Rogers was shot by Ebenezer Ayer, who mistook him in the dark for
a bear, as he wore a bearskin coat. He was the father of Major Robert
Rogers, celebrated as the leader of the ranger corps of the French and
Indian wars.
About 1751 William Stinson, John Hogg, and Thomas Mills settled in the
west part of the town. Sarah, daughter of Thomas Mills, was the first
girl born in town. Her birthplace was a log cabin on the farm now owned
by John C. and George F. Mills.
For fourteen years the town was called Starkstown in honor of Archibald
Stark, one of the first land owners (though not a resident), and father
of General John Stark. In 1765 the town was incorporated, and was
named, with a slight change, for Dumbarton[3] in Scotland near which
place Stark and other emigrants had lived.
Dunbarton was one of the towns taken from Hillsborough County to
form the County of Merrimack. Its centennial was duly celebrated
and attended by a vast concourse of invited guests and towns people.
A report of its proceedings was compiled by Rev. Sylvanus Hayward.
Though small in area and population, Dunbarton occupies a large place
in the hearts of its sons and daughters. However dear our adopted homes
may become, we still feel that "whatever skies above us rise the hills,
the hills are home."
At the centennial Rev. George A. Putnam paid a glowing tribute to his
native town, saying: "Dunbarton is one of the most intelligent and best
educated communities in New England. I think it will be hard to find
another place where, in proportion to its population, so many young
men have been liberally educated and have entered some of the learned
professions, where so many young men and women have become first class
teachers of common schools. My own observation has been altogether in
favor of Dunbarton in this particular. And it is clear as any historic
fact the superior education of Dunbarton's children has been largely
due to her religious institutions and Christian teachers."
point of land is on the farm of Benjamin Lord, north of the Center, and
is 779 feet above the sea level. From that spot, and from many other
places nearly as high, the views of hills and mountains are beautiful
and grand beyond description.
The twin Uncanoonucs are near neighbors on the south, Monadnock,
farther off on the south-west, and Kearsarge twenty miles to the north
west. On the northern horizon are seen Mount Washington and other peaks
of the White Mountains.
The longest hill in town is the mile-long Mills hill, and midway on
its slope live descendants of Thomas Mills, one of the first settlers.
Among other hills are Duncanowett, Hammond, Tenney, Grapevine, Harris,
Legache, and Prospect Hills.
No rivers run through the town, but there are numerous brooks where
trout fishing is pursued with more or less success.
No body of water is large enough to be called a lake, but Gorham Pond
is a beautiful sheet of water and on its banks picnics are held.
Stark's and Kimball's Ponds have furnished water power for mills, the
latter, owned by Willie F. Paige, is still in use. Long Pond, in the
south part of the town, was the scene of a tragedy in 1879, when Moses
Merrill, an officer at the State Industrial School, Manchester, was
drowned in an ineffectual attempt to save an inmate of that institution.
One portion of the south part of the town is called Skeeterboro,
another Mountalona, so named by James Rogers, one of the first
settlers, from the place in Ireland from whence he came.[1] East of the
Center is Guinea, so called because some negroes once lived there. The
village of North Dunbarton is also called Page's Corner; and not far
away to the eastward is a hill known as Onestack, because one large
stack of hay stood there for many years. A brook bears the same name.
Those who know Dunbarton only in the present can hardly realize that
1450 people ever lived there at one time, but that was the census in
1820. The first census, taken 1767, was 271. In 1840 it was 1067; in
1890, only 523. The last census gave about 575.
The first settlement was made in 1740[2] by James Rogers and Joseph
Putney on the land known as the "Great Meadows," now owned by James M.
Bailey. They were driven away by the Indians for a time. A stone now
marks the spot where stood the only apple tree spared by the Indians.
Probably the first boy born in town belonged to one of these families.
James Rogers was shot by Ebenezer Ayer, who mistook him in the dark for
a bear, as he wore a bearskin coat. He was the father of Major Robert
Rogers, celebrated as the leader of the ranger corps of the French and
Indian wars.
About 1751 William Stinson, John Hogg, and Thomas Mills settled in the
west part of the town. Sarah, daughter of Thomas Mills, was the first
girl born in town. Her birthplace was a log cabin on the farm now owned
by John C. and George F. Mills.
For fourteen years the town was called Starkstown in honor of Archibald
Stark, one of the first land owners (though not a resident), and father
of General John Stark. In 1765 the town was incorporated, and was
named, with a slight change, for Dumbarton[3] in Scotland near which
place Stark and other emigrants had lived.
Dunbarton was one of the towns taken from Hillsborough County to
form the County of Merrimack. Its centennial was duly celebrated
and attended by a vast concourse of invited guests and towns people.
A report of its proceedings was compiled by Rev. Sylvanus Hayward.
Though small in area and population, Dunbarton occupies a large place
in the hearts of its sons and daughters. However dear our adopted homes
may become, we still feel that "whatever skies above us rise the hills,
the hills are home."
At the centennial Rev. George A. Putnam paid a glowing tribute to his
native town, saying: "Dunbarton is one of the most intelligent and best
educated communities in New England. I think it will be hard to find
another place where, in proportion to its population, so many young
men have been liberally educated and have entered some of the learned
professions, where so many young men and women have become first class
teachers of common schools. My own observation has been altogether in
favor of Dunbarton in this particular. And it is clear as any historic
fact the superior education of Dunbarton's children has been largely
due to her religious institutions and Christian teachers."
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940012769688 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | SAP |
| Publication date: | 07/19/2011 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| File size: | 24 KB |
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