The Republican journal., 1913-05-08

cloud that gathered on the horizon. The
people Sof our town in that day were
emlnently a commercial people; the
principal business of the place was buy
ing, selling and shipping cord wood tC
Boston and other western por S, ano
lumber to the West Indies. 1t was il
reality the only business that yielded
money, or its equivalent, in return
Under the restrictive policy adopted by
Congress this class of business was al
most paralyzed. Shipping and sailors,
who constituted very respectable por.
ton of the population here and else.
where on the coast of Maine, were
thrown out Of employment. This state
OF things continued, with the exception
OF a brief interval Immediately following
the passage OF the Non-intercourse Act,
until the close of the war in 1875. Dur
ing all this time, however, new field of
labor was opening in the Improvement
| and cultivation of the lands lying in the
interior. Loss of profit from CONNER
clal enterprise, although heavy blow,
did not dishearten the men Of that day.
They accepted it as an inevitable neces-
slty; If they could not plough the sea
they could plough the land, and they
went into the work manfuilv.
During the years before named a large
number of dwelling houses, stores anc
mechanics shops were built. Many, if
not most of them. have from time te
time fallen prey to fire or the demand
for improvements; few of those that re
main would now be recognized by the
original owners, through so many
changes have they passed. An enum
Grafton of the few still remaining may
not be uninteresting: among them are
the following. The house now occupied
by Mr.. B. F. Field, built by his father
Bohan P. Field, Esq. The Major Chas,
House, so called, standing just north O
the North Church, built by John Russ
Esq, uncle of the editor of the Progress
sive Age. The Leach House, at tn
corner of Church and Bridge streets
now owned by Mr. Cakes Angler, bull
by Andrew Leach, Esq. The basement
of the two buildings last named wer
finished for stores, and occupied TO
some time as such; the upper stories TO
dwellings. The house occupied by Capt
w. o. Alden, built by his father, Apollo
Alden. The EdmuIds' House, formerl,
so called, on Main street, next easterl
from the house of Mr. Asa Howes, nov
occupied by Messrs. W. Mcfarland an
S. A. Blodgett, built by Mr.. Alvan Ed
munds. The house next easterly, nov
occupied by Messrs. Riley Kittridge AM
S. G. Howard, also built by Mr.. Ed
munds; the lower story of which wa
occupied for some years as a store b.
William Avery, Esq, father of Mrs
Daniel Lane, the upper story as a saddl
and harness-maker's shop by Mr.. Ed
munds. The house now owned and oc
cupied by Mr.. A. D. Chase, built by Mr.
John B. Durham. The house now occu
pied by Mr.. Moses W. Rich, built b
Wiggin Merrill, who carried on the bus
ness of boot and shoe making quite ex
tepsively for some years in a portion O
it and occupied the residue as dwelling
The house now occupied by Mr.. John N
Stewart, built by Mr.. Samuel Peck, tn
first cabinet maker in the place. TIL
Lymburner house, formerly so called
on High street, built by Capt. Lymburn
er, now occupied by Mr.. Horatio
Locke. The house now occupied by Rev
Wooster Parker, built by Doctor C. C
Chandler. The house occupied by tn
late James Miller at the time of his de
cease, built by Col. Thomas Cunningham
and occupied by him for several years a
a tavern. The Moor house, built by Mr.
John Moor, blacksmith, now occupied b.
Mr.. j. c. Thompson; the same int
which certain Squire was invited st
warm himself" as narrated in pre-
vious chapter. The Ben. Eells house
built by Mr.. Eells, which now constitute
part of the New England House. TIL
foregoing enumeration is not intende,
to embrace any buildings erected prio
to 1905, or subsequent to 1903, nor an!
building erected during the years inter
vening which has ceased to exist.
One of the events of this year, 1908
was the erection by Simon Watson of ,
large two story building on Hayford'l
Hill, as it is now called, which he opened
as tavern and which continued to bs
occupied for that purpose six or sever
years; the same building became the
property of Mr.. Hayford many year.
afterward, and was burned in 1860. II
was notable tavern in its day; the in
evitable stopping-place of the yeomanry
| on their way to and from market, and il