HISTORY OF CLARKSVILLE, COOS COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE
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History of Coös County, New Hampshire by George Drew Merrill; Syracuse 
N.Y.: W.A. Fergusson & Co., 1888, 1888, 1018 pgs.
page 689
CLARKSVILLE

This town is situated in the north part of the country. The surface
is broken and hilly, but the soil, in many portions, is good for
grass, oats and potatoes.  Starch and maple surage are manufactured
here.  It is bounded on the north by Pittsburg, east by Carlisle,
south by Dixville and Stewartstown, and west by Canaan Vt.  There
are two ponds in Clarksville.  Clarksville pond contains 200 acres
and Carr Pond about thirty.  In the latter, trout were very 
abundant until a few years ago, when some pickerel were put into the
pond, and the trout have disappeared.

Clarksville was originally known as Dartmouth College Grant.  In
January 1789, "the Senate and House of Representatives passed an act
granting to the trustees of Dartmouth college a valuable tract of
land eight miles square, about forty-two thousand acres, lying north
of Stewartstown."  In 1820 Benjamin Clark, from whom the town
received its name, and one or two other Dartmouth students, purchased
from the college, 10,000 acres of this grant; 20,000 acres were also
bought by two or more New York men, but the latter failing to pay 
their taxes, the land was advertised and sold to Gideon Tirrill and
Josiah Young.  They paid the taxes for several years, and then sold
it to lumber men.  These were the purchasers of much of the
territoty embraced in this section.

EARLY SETTLERS--The first comers into this town are entitled to much
admiration and gratitude for the struggles they made in subduing
the wilderness and opening the way for comfortable homes.  Few of 
the present day can concieve the sufferings they endured.  The
survey of Clarksville was party made during the winter of 1799 and
1800, and one man lost his life (frozen to death) while assisting
in this work.

Among the early inhabitants were Gideon Tirrill, Joseph Wiswall,
Samuel Comstock, Benjamin Young, John Robie, Miles Hurlbert,
Joseph Crawford, Alexander Smith and Josiah Bumford.

Gideon Tirrill was the first to settle on lot No. 41, where he lived
several years, and then removed to Canada where he died.

Joseph Wiswall, brother-in-law of Benjamin Clark, settled here in
1822, on lot No. 42; he cleared this land; after a few years he
moved to lot No. 43, and resided there during his life.  He was Mr.
Clark's agent for the sale of this wild land, and Lot No. 44 was
purchased by Mr. Comstock, who, with his two sons became settlers. 

John Comstock came to Clarksville about 1819, from Pittsburg, where
he had resided since 1812.  He was a native of Massachusetts, and
a loyal soldier of the Revolution, serving his country faithfully
through her dark days.  His death occurred in Clarksville in
1828.  His sons, Samuel and John, also were residents in
Clarksville, and their names appear often on the board of
selectmen.  His grandson, Horace Comstock, is the present town clerk.

During the decade from 1820 to 1830 the increase in popultion could 
not have been very rapid, as October 5, 1830, when the first town
meeting was held, there were but twenty-one voters....

FIRST TOWN MEETING--the signers of the petition to call the first town
meeting were Benjamin Young, John Roby Jr., Stephen Harriman,
John Hurlbert, John Comstock, Samuel Comstock.  The following 
officers were chosen: John Wiswall, town clerk; Joseph Wiswall,
John Harriman, and Josiah A. Young, selectmen.  The amount of taxes
raised for all purposes was $34.92.  They voted to pay the
collector for his services for collecting the same, $4, selectmen
$1 each, and the town clerk, $1.50.

In 1832 John Roby gave twelve and one half cents for the privilege
of collecting taxes.  In 1857 a post office was established in the
town, and Edmund K. Young was its first postmaster; Charles W.
Wiswall is the present incumbent.  In 1858 the financial condition
of the town necessitated the choosing a town treasurer, and
Edmund K. Young was elected, and performed the duties of that
position for many years in a creditable manner.

There are four schools in town, but no church building.  The town was
endowed with corporate privileges in 1854, and is classed with
Pittsburg for the election of representatives.  Population in
1880, 328.

MARRIAGES OF COLLEGE GRANT SETTLERS REcORDED IN STEWARTSTOWN--
April 12, 1827, Stephen Harriman to Gerantha Dearth, both of
College Grant. 
November 29, 1827, John Harriman, of College Grant, to Edith Tirrill,
of Stewartstown
April 28, 1828, Simon Harriman of College Grant, to Mary Harriman,
of Stewartstown
December 10, 1831, Enos Brown of Clarksville to Lovina Heath of

The Civil List showing town officers from 1830-1872 is included in
the original source but not shown here.

***BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES***

BENJAMIN CLARK WISWALL, son of Joseph and Sally (Clark) Wiswall,
was born in Newton, Mass, June 10, 1808.  His maternal grandfather
was Capt. Norman Clark, a resident of Rutland, Mass., who was one
of the "embattled farmers" of the Revolution, where he held the
rank of captain, and was wounded while gallantly fighting in his
country's service.  Capt. Clark attained the advanced age of
ninety-eight years and eight months.  Richard Clark was a passenger,
and John Clark was mate of the "Mayflower" on its memorable voyage
in 1620, and Clark's island in Plymouth harbor was named for him.  
The Wiswell family was of the early settlers of Plymouth Colony,
as in 1688, we find that "Ichabod Wiswell, and Elder Faunce the
town clerk of Plymouth, were arrested (under the arbitrary laws of
King James II) for levying and aiding in levying taxes upon his
majesty's subjects and bound over to the Supreme Court at Boston."
  Benjamin Clark, son of Capt. Norman Clark, for whom the town of
Clarksville receive its name, was the maternal uncle of B.C. Wiswall,
and a graduate of Dartmouth College.  While a student there, he, with
Joseph Brackett and one other, purchased of the college 10,000
acres of land in "Dartmouth College Grant" (now Clarksville) and
engaged Joseph Wiswall, his brother-in-law, as agent for its sale.
Mr. Wiswall was a hotel keeper and farmer in Newton, Mass.  In 1822
he moved his family to Clarksville, and became the agent for the
sale of this wild land (about 30,000 acres).  He also cleared much
land, made many improvements, and was a resident of the town until
his death at the age of seventy-nine.  He was an efficient town
officer, served twelve years as selectman and fourteen as town
clerk, and was an active business man.

BENJAMIN CLARK WISWALL came from Newton, Mass., where he received
a good common-school education, to Clarksville with his father in
1822, when he was about fourteen years old.  This section was then
almost a wilderness and the hardships and privations of those early
settlers can only be conceived by those who have endured them.

Benjamin remained with his father until he was twenty years old,
assisting him in his arduous labors in felling trees and bringing
land into cultivation, and helped clear four farms.  He then returned
to Newton, where he married in 1830, Susan Sawyer of Foxborough, Mass.
She was born April 4, 1808.  Their children were Mary (Mrs. Moody B.
Haines) deceased; Albert C., born in Newton November 4, 1835,
resides in Fox Lake, Wisconsin; Joseph N., born in Newton, November 25,
1837; William H., deceased; Charles W., born in Clarksville,
February 6, 1846; George O., born in Clarksville, February 17, 1853.

About 1838 Mr. Wiswall returned to Clarksville, became a farmer,
continued in agriculture until 1878, manufactured starch for two
years, and after his father's death succeeded him as land agent.
In 1878 Mrs. Wiswall died; since then the ownership of the homestead
farm of 150 acres has passed to his son Charles, and Mr. Wiswall
resides with him.  Republican in politics in a town where the
majority are Democrats, Mr. Wiswall's fitness for position has been
recogtnized by his political opponents and he has filled the office
of selectman, treasurer, and moderator to the satisfaction of the
people.  He also holds a commission as justice of the peace, and
has frequently been a delegate to state and senatorial conventions.

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JOHN KEYSAR
All readers of our New England poet Whittier rememger the "Vision
" of the "Cobbler Keezer."  
 Among the early inhabitants of Hampstead we find John and George
Kezar.  In caterbury, Edmond Kizer's name appears on the soldier's
roll of the Revolution, to which place some of the family emigrated
from Hampstead.  Dr. Keysar was prominent among the early settlers
of Northfield.
  Edmund Keysar was a native of Northfield, emigrated to Stewartstown
in 1807, and settled on the Kent place on North hill, where he and
John Keysar owned a tract of land two miles in length.  Here he
commenced the difficult labor of the pioneer, and worked for more than
ten years, developed his land, and otherwise enhancing the weal of the
settlement.  In 1814 he was representative to the General Court. His
wife was Betsey Young.  Of their fifteen children eleven gained
maturity.  John, Betsey (Mrs. J.P. Wiswall) and Miles H. are the
only survivors of this large family.
  In 1818 Mr. Keysar sold his property in Stewartstown and removed to
Canterbury, where he bought a farm and resided until 1832, when he
came again to Coos county, and settled in Clarksville on lot No. 2,
range 1, where his son John now lives.  Here he bought 200 acres of
land, built a saw-mill which he conducted, and was a useful citizen
of Clarksville until his death. He served as selectman for several
years.
  JOHN KEYSAR, son of Edmund and Betsey (Young) Keysar, was born in
Stewartstown July 10, 1816.  He received such educational advantages
as the common schools of the town offered.  When nineteen years old
he went to Colebrook and learned the trade of a joiner, and worked
at house building for several years.  He then bought the home place
at Clarksville, and has since been a resident of the town. In 1869
he built a starch mill of one hundred tons capacity, and carried it
on until 1882, when S.S. Merrill ran it for four years; since Mr.
Merrill's death, the mill has been conducted by W.E. Drew of
Colebrook.  Mr. Keysar has also made clapboards for eight years,
shingles for two years, and been engaged in agriculture quite
extensively.  On retiring from the starch manufacturing, he sold his
farm of 275 acres to his son, Berkley.  In 1883 the telephone line
from Colebrook to Clarksville was constructed, and June 10, 1884,
the first message was transmitted, and received by Berkley, who was
the first operator.
  Mr. Keysar married Sarah Clark Wiswall.  She was born in
Clarksville, March 11, 1817 (see biography of B.C. Wiswall).  Their
children were MARIA C., married John Gathercole, has three children;
James C., Sarah E., and Phebe E.; SARAH; PHEBE Y., wife of E.S.
Parker, her childrn are John R. and Otis L.; WISWALL, died aged
twenty-two; CLARK, died young; SUSAN M., married Charles F. Hibbard,
she died Feburary 27, 1877, leaving one child Harry; BERKLEY, married
Eliza L. Moses, their children are Lula E., Clyde W., Lottie M.,
Jessie L. [Blakeley M. died in infancy].
  Mr. Keysar is a good and reliable citizen.  He has been connected 
with the town affairs of Clarksville for many years, and as a Democrat
represented his party in the state legislature two years; has served
as selectman and town clerk, and in his avocations as farmer and
manufacturer for many long years has been a worker, a producer, and not
a mere consumer.  Mrs. Keysar is a bright, active woman, a kind
mother and pleasant companion.  Berkley Keysar is the representative
for Clarksville and Pittsburg for 1886-87.

(end)