GENEALOGY OF WOODSTOCK, GRAFTON COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE --------------------------------- 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: Gazeteer of Grafton County NH, 1709-1886, compiled and published by Hamilton Child; Syracuse NY, The Syracuse Journal Company, Printers and Binders, June 1886 page 641 Woodstock lies in the central part of the county, in lat 44 degrees and long, 71 degrees 45', bounded north by Easton and Lincoln, east by Thornton, south by Thornton, Ellsworth and Warren, and west by Warren, Benton and Easton, containing an area of 33, 359 acres. It was granted to Eli Demeritt and others, September 23, 1763, under the name of Peeling. This name was subsequently changed to Fairfield, and then back to Peeling, and finally in 1840, was given the name of Woodstock. The surface of the town is rough and uneven, diversified by hills, mountains and valleys. Along the several streams the soil is good and produces fair crops of grain and grasses. A large portion of the territory, however, is still covered by a dense forest, and lumbering is largely carried on. The Pemigewasset river passes through the eastern section, and receives large branches in its passage, which furnish good water-power. The principal elevations are Blue Ridge, in the western part, attaining an altitude of 4,370 feet, Mt. Cushman and Mt. Waternome, in the southwestern part, the former attaining an altitude of 3,326 feet and the latter 3,022 feet above tide water. Mt. Russell, another elevation, lies in the northwestern part. Among these mountains, branches of the Wild Ammonoosuc and Baker's river and Mossilauke brook have their sources. On the last stream is a beautiful cascade, where the waters glide smoothly over a glassy surface of rocks or tubmel in a foaming cataract a distance of 200 feet. On this brook also, about a mile and a half from North Woodstock, is located "Agassiz basin." This is a deep pool in the solid ledge, into which the waters pour from between the walls which they have worn in the solid rock. Just above the basin a giant bowlder has been gripped between the massive walls, and beneath it the waters pour, seeming at a distance to have actually worn for themselves a tunnel through the rock. At one spot these precipitous walls nearly meet, being only five and a half feet apart, so that one with a cool head and steady nerves may leap from one overhanging cliff to the other. This spot is known as "Indian's leap." The poll and vicinity was a favorite resort for the renowned naturalist, Agassiz, for whom it was named. THere are also several natural ponds or lakelets, the largest of which is Elbow pond, in the central part of the town. Gordon pond lies in the northwestern part, Russell pond in the northeastern part and Hubbard pond in the southeastern part of the township. All in all, the scenery of Woodstock is excelled by few, if any, of the mountain towns. DESCRIPTION OF THE TOWN OF WOODSTOCK NH in 1885 In 1880 Woodstock had a population of 367 souls. In 1885 the town had five school districts and five common schools. Its four school-houses were valued, including furniture, etc. at $405.00. There were 114 children attending school, twelve of whom were pursuing the higher grades, taught during the year by one male and six female teachers, at an average monthly salary of $22.00 for the former and $22,33 for the latter. The entire amount raised for school purposes during the eyar was $372.90, while the expenditures were $360.62, with W.L.E. Hunt superintendent. VILLAGES IN WOODSTOCK NORTH WOODSTOCK, a small post village, lies in the northeastern part of the town, and is the northern terminus of the Pemigewasset Valley railroad, which extends from Plymouth. It is nestled cosily in the midst of some beautiful scenery, at the head of the Pemigewasset valey, and has one church (Free Will Baptist), a store, and about half a dozen dwellings. WOODSTOCK is a post village and station on the Pemigewasset Valley Railroad, loctaed in the eastern part of the town. It has one church (Free Will Baptist), a store and about a dozen dwellings. BUSINESS AND MANUFACTURES J.M. & W.N. MOULTON'S SAW AND SHINGLE-MILL, on road 18, was built by Wilson Hill, in 1865, and was purchased by the firm in 1870. It has the capacity for manufacturing 1,000,000 feet of lumber and 250,000 shingles per annum. JOSEPH W. CAMPBELL'S TANNERY, on road 18, was originally established by Warren White and R.& A.H. Danforth, in 1852. Mr. Campbell has been connected with the business since 1854, and has operated it alone since 1870. He employs twelve men and turns out about 10,000 sides of finished leather per year. CURTIS L. PARKER'S SAW AND SHINGLE-MILL, on road 5, was built by Gray & Merrill about 1854, and was purchased by the present proprietor in 1869. It has the capacity for turning out 500,000 feet of lumber per annum. ENOCH M. GORDON'S SAW AND SHINGLE-MILL, on road 3, built in 1866, cuts about 50,000 feet of lumber per year. SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWN OF WOODSTOCK NH The settlement of the town was begun about 1773 by John Riant and others, the family names of Lindsey, Osgood, Barron, Russell and Bickford appearing among the early settlers. The settlement grew very slowly, however, for the census of 1800 only show a population of eighty-three souls. BENJAMIN BARRON, born February 22, 1755, came here about 1786, and was one of the first settlers, locating in a log house built the year before by John Riant, on road 17. He married Abigail Varnum, of Dracut, Mass., December 29, 1784, and reared seven children, as follows: Benjamin M., born November 5, 1785; John V., born May 2, 1787; Abigail, born January 19, 1789; Oliver, born July 17, 1791; DeLafayette, born August 10, 1793; Hannah, born May 1, 1795; and Martha, born September 2, 1797. Benjamin M. lived on the home farm, married Laura Walker, and raised seven children, viz: Lovina, born September 15, 1820; Benjamin M., born August 5, 1822; Betsey, born June 29, 1824; Hiram, born February 15, 1827; Abigail, born June 15, 1830; Lula A., born May 18, 1835; and Rachel, born January 15, 1837. Lula A. married Josiah Tourtillotte, and remained on the homestead. THOMAS PINKHAM, a native of Durham, Mass., and one of the original proprietors of the town, was born July 29, 1780, married Margaret Vincent, of Durham, and reared eight children, viz: Pamelia, born January 7, 1805; Suchey, born January 28, 1807; Delilah, born November 20, 1808; Sally, born April 20, 1811; Thomas I., born March 24, 1814; Mary, born February 17, 1817; Roger, born March 13, 1819; and Erasmus H., born April 20, 1822. Mr. Pinkham was one of the largest proprietors here, but never made this town his permanent home. He located for a tie where James Barney now lives, on road 6. He gave the lot for the Woodstock cemetery, and, while in town on a visit, was taken sick and died, and was the first person buried in the cemetery. JACOB D. DEMERITT, son of Eli, came to this town, from Madbury, about 1816, settled on road 6, cleared a farm, and built the house now standing upon the place. He married Martha V. Barron,, and reared a family of four children, namely: James Y., Elizabeth L., Hiram B. and Alaric B. In 1835 he moved to the place where his son, A.B. now resides, on road 3, where he died, February 2, 1873. SYMMES SAWYER came to this town in 1819, and located upon the place where B.F. Smith now lives. He was born in Newburyport, Mass., and practiced medicine there for a number of years. He was the only doctor who has ever settled in town. He reared nine children, namely, Sylvestrus, Symmes, Mary, Eliza, Barnard, Lois, Walter H., Moses and John. MOSES BOYNTON, of Ware [sic Weare] NH, came to Thornton, about 1805, settling on road 10, where he cleared a farm and built a log house. He bought a half lot of fifty acres, and cleared six acres the first year. He had born to him ten children, namely: Hazen, William, Betsy, Moses, Samuel, Nancy, Nathaniel, Clarissa, Eleazer and Newton. Nathaniel lived on the homestead until 1872, and came to the place where he now lives in 1873. **** CHURCHES **** The BAPTIST CHURCH OF WOODSTOCK, located in the Center, was organized by Rev. Thomas Baker, with 20 members, July 1, 1812. A church building was erected in 1834, which burned, and the present building was put up in 1836, at a cost of $1,000.00. (end)