Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 9.djvu/383

 Historical Sketch of Lancaster ^ N. H. 353

exodus, for he declared though all winter of 1812 and spring of 1813, a others left he should " stay," and stay terrible epidemic prevailed here, and he did ; and others, animated by his among the many victims, including example, took heart and remained the young and the old, were Lieuts. with him. Lancaster owes much to Brackett and Stanley. Then the cold him and them for their persistence seasons of 181 G and 1817 intervened, and manly endurance. iu which the crops were cut off by

Soon after the Revolution, when a drouth and frost, and some were so quiet had settled over the land, the disheartened that they left for more '^Cohos" settlers began to receive genial climates ; but the sturdy ones reiuforcemeuts,formany farmers and remained. Soon the inhabitants be- others about Great Bay and in the g-^^u to recover from the discourag- vicinity of Strawberry Bank, having iog effects of those years, and the been reduced in financial circum- . general prosperity of the town was stances by the events of the war, assured.

sold their places to parties more for- The village of Lancaster was then tunate than themselves, came up one of '' magnificent distances." At into this region, "taking up" laud that time the meeting-house stood along the river and gradually going upon the hill, part of which has since back on to the hills, until between been graded down and become Me- the years 1790 and 1794 there were morial park; and thence stretching settlers enough to build a '• meeting- northerly the road ran a mile to the house" and call a pastor to look after house of Major Wilder, which was the moral and religious welfare of the said to have been " raised " on the community. Among the most valua- memorable "dark day," and which ble accessions prior to this time were still stands, and is owned by H. F. Lieutenant Dennis Stanley, a man of Holtou, Esq. Near the head of the great vigor of mind and body, and street was the court-house ; Wilson's who was noted for his energy and tavern, where the genial host dis- self-reliauce ; Capt. J6hu Weeks, who pensed lodging, supper, breakfast, was the delegate from the upper Co- and New England I'um for the price hos in the convention to form a con- of fifty cents, all told ; two stores, stitutiou for the state ; Lieutenant where calico, tobacco, tea, salt, and Joseph Brackett ; and Richard Clare the essential rum were exchanged Everett, the first lawyer to settle in for wheat, corn, and peltries, very Lancaster. These men had all served little cash being tlien in cii'culation. for longer or shorter periods in the Going south from the " head " of the struggle for Independence, and were street, as it was called, towards the ever true to their convictions of duty, meeting-house, was Boardman's resi- and to the interests of the town of deuce and store on the west side of their adoption. Many of their de- tiic i-oad ; then a little farther down scendants still live within the limits on the east side was the more preten- of the town. Gradually, but surely, tious i-esidence of Judge Everett, from this period the town increased which still stands, and is owned and in wealth and population, until, in the occupied by his descendants; then

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