HISTORY OF MANCHESTER, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE PART IV - THE MANCHESTER DRIVING PARK ASSOCIATION-- THE PARKER MURDER-- THE COUNTY COURT HOUSE-- AMOSKEAG VETERANS (and other military organizations)-- POLICE STATION-- ---------------------------------- Information located at http://www.nh.searchroots.com On a web site about GENEALOGY AND HISTORY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE and its counties TRANSCRIBED BY JANICE BROWN Please see the web site for my email contact. ---------------------------------- The original source of this information is in the public domain, however use of this text file, other than for personal use, is restricted without written permission from the transcriber (who has edited, compiled and added new copyrighted text to same). ======================================================== SOURCE: History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire Philadelphia: J.W. Lewis & Co., 1885 ****** THE MANCHESTER DRIVING PARK ASSOCIATION page 113 ***** The Manchester Driving Park Association was organized December 1, 1882, and its first officers were as follows: President, John B. Clarke; Treasurer, James A. Weston; Clerk, Samuel F. Curtis; Directors: John B. Clarke, A.C. Wallace, C.D. Welch, A.D. Gooden, Alpheus Bodwell, Samuel F. Curtis and George W. Riddle. Subsequently John B. Clarke resigned the office of president, and George W. Riddle was elected in his place. The association, after a careful examination of various suites for a suitable location for a park, decided to purchase forty-five acres situated in the southeastern section of the city, on the line of the Nutt road and the Manchester and Lawrence Railroad, one mile and three-quarters from the post-office. The land was considered well adapted to the purpose, and though nothing better than a rough pasture with some woodland, it was transformed in four months' time into an attractive park, and was visited the first week in September by thirty thousand people. This exhibition of enterprise was but one of the many which have been characteristic of Manchester people whenever they have sought to add a new feature conducive to the interests and pleasures of the city. This park is furnished with all the conveniences of a first-class driving park and fair-grounds, including grand stand, press stand, restaurant, judges' stand, cattle-pens, stables, building for bench shows of dogs, poultry-house, etc. ***** THE PARKER MURDER.--The history of Manchester would be incomplete with no reference to the murder of Jonas L. Parker. The facts were as follows: On Wednesday evening, March 26, 1845, a man called at the bowling saloon, on Manchester Street, belonging to Mr. Parker, stating that a Mrs. Bean, from Lowell, desired to see the proprietor on important business at Janesville. Mr. Parker passed out of his saloon to accompany the gentleman, first securing a lantern, as the night was so exceptionally black, that "as dark as the night of the Parker murder" has since become a household phrase. On the way to their destination the two men crossed Pine to Merrimack Street, and soon took a path that led through a heavy growth of pine, and from this forest, in the vicinity of what is now the corner of Beech and Manchester Streets, the cry of "murder!" was soon heard; but none dreamed that it heralded the monstrous crime. "Oh, don't, don't!" was supposed to be the outcry of some one being placed under police surveillance. The morning light disclosed the terrible ghastliness of a murdered man upon a bed of snow. Mr. Parker lay with trachea doubly severed and deep gashes about the hips, and wounds on other part of the body were discovered by Coroner Joseph M. Rowell. The appearance of the ground indicated a mighty struggle for life against a fiend armed with razor and butcher-knife, incited by the knowledge that thousands of dollars were upon the person of the victim. About sixteen hundred dollars escaped the rapacity of the murderer. Mr. Parker held the office of tax collector the year previous, and the collectors' book, then in his possession, bore the impress of blood-stained fingers. Several persons were suspected of the crime, arrested and tried, but no one was convicted, and the mystery of the Parker murder, after a lapse of forty years, is in mystery still. ******** THE COUNTY COURT-HOUSE ******** The County Court House, located on the corner of Merrimack and Franklin Streets, was erected in 1868, at a cost of forty thousand dollars. It is a two-story brick building. ******* AMOSKEAG VETERANS [and other military organizations] page 114 ******* This well-known organization is next to the oldest veteran corps in New England, the exception being the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company in Boston. The Amoskeag Veterans is an independent company, and was organized November 6, 1854, at a meeting of which Hon. Hiram Brown was chairman and Hon. C.E. Potter clerk. The first officers were as follows: William P. Riddle, colonel; William Patten, first lieutenant; Samuel Andrews, second lieutenant; Hiram Brown, first major; E.T. Stevens, second major; Samuel W. Parsons, first sergeant; Jacob G. Cilley, second sergeant; S. M. Dow, third sergeant; Reuben D. Mooers, fourth sergeant; James Wallace, first corporal; Phinehas Adams, second corporal; E.G. Guilford, third corporal; Thomas Rundlett, fourth corporal; John S. Elliot, surgeon; William W. Brown, surgeon's mate; Benjamin M. Tillotson, chaplain; James Hersey, treasurer; Frederick G. Stark, Daniel C. Gould, John S. Kidder, George Porter, Theodore T. Abbott, executive committee. The objects for which it was organized were designated by the constitution to be military parades, the protection of life and property, the preservation of the peace and social enjoyments. Its first parade and ball occurred February 22, 1855. The following is a list of the commanders of the veterans from its organization to the present time: General William P. Riddle, 1854; Colonel Chandler E. Potter, 1855; Colonel Theodore T. Abbott, 1857; Colonel Thomas Rundlett, 1860; Colonel Henry T. Mowatt, 1862; Colonel Chandler E. Potter, 1864; Colonel David Cross, 1866; General Natt Head, 1868; Colonel Martin V.B. Edgerly 1873; Colonel George C. Gilmore, 1875; M.V.R. Edgerly 1876; A.C. Wallace,, 1877; D.A. Simons, 1878; N.W. Cumner, 1879-80; Henry C. Merrill, 1881; Frank A. McKean 1882-83; Geo. B. Chandler, 1884; Henry H. Huse 1885. The Amoskeag Veterans include the most prominent and influential citizens of Manchester and adjoining towns, and is one of the celebrated military bodies of New England. Prior to the organization of this corps there had been several independent companies organized in Manchester, viz: Manchester Rifle Company, organized in 1825 under command of Captain James McQuestion; the Stark Guards, organized August 16, 1840, Captain Walter French; the Granite Fusileers, organized August 10, 1842, Captain Samuel W. Parsons; the National Guards, organized August 17, 1863; and the Smyth Rifles, organized in 1865. page 115 ******** POLICE STATION ******** The present police-station was erected in 1885. It is located on the corner of Manchester and Chestnut Streets. It is a neat and substantial brick structure, with granite trimmings. (end)