Marek 1770s, colonial, Henniker, hunting, moose, Piscataquog, SOURCE=Little, Weare

Moose Chase (Weare)

If I've learned one thing from reading old hunting stories, it's this: These guys were HUNGRY. << BEFORE: Wolves around a fire NEXT: Fox chase >> This has the flavor of a tall tale that grew a bit in the telling, but who can say for certain?  Such are the delights of collecting oral history … Continue reading Moose Chase (Weare)

Marek 1770s, colonial, Henniker, hunting, SOURCE=Cogswell, wolves

Wolves Around a Fire (Henniker)

Early settlers in Henniker come up with an efficient way to reduce a predator population. << BEFORE: Rabbit attack! NEXT: Moose attack! >>

Marek hunting, rabbit, SOURCE=Little, Weare

Bunny Hugs (Weare)

WARNING: It's not as cute as it looks. << BEFORE: "Rabbit" stew ... NEXT: Wolves around a fire >> You can learn a lot from reading the old hunting stories in these town histories. For example, if a bunny ever tries to hug you, keep your distance!

Marek 1800-1899, cats, hunting, rabbit, SOURCE=Little, Weare

“Rabbit” Stew (Weare)

"The boys" cook up a clever plan to secure some cider from (and play a culinary joke on) Mrs. Wadleigh... << BEFORE: Hunting raccoon ... NEXT: Snuggling bunnies >> Great greasy gut-strings, some of these animal tales are downright ghastly!  What an unsatisfying joke; "in bad taste," you might even say... On the other hand, … Continue reading “Rabbit” Stew (Weare)

Marek 1880s, dogs, hunting, raccoon, SOURCE=Little, Weare

Raccoon Hunting (Weare)

What's this secret "fluid bait" ingredient that all the "coon hunters" swear by? NEXT: "The boys" catch a "rabbit" >> In honor of The Dog catching her first weasel this past week, I've been tracking down some old hunting stories from Little's History of Weare, NH (1888)...

Marek 1760s, colonial, encounter & exploration, hiking, SOURCE=Little, Weare

Snow-shoes (Weare, 1762)

The only way to travel in those 18th century snows... << BEFORE: The severe Winter of 1761-1762 continues... More: Posts about "HIKING" >>

Marek 1760s, colonial, firewood, religion, sabbath, Weare

Elder Hovey’s Sabbath (Weare)

Even religious law can have loopholes...   MORE: Posts about the "SABBATH" >> Every time I work on sabbath day stories from old NH, it reminds me of weekends in Slovakia, where everybody works to finish up chores on Saturday, and then Sunday is strictly reserved for visiting with family. Does this story remind YOU … Continue reading Elder Hovey’s Sabbath (Weare)

Marek 1760s, colonial, deer, hunting, moose, pigs, SOURCE=Little, Weare, weather

Winter of 1761-1762 (Weare)

One settler family receives a surprise visitor during a particularly harsh winter in early Weare...   NEXT: The only way to travel >>  

Marek 1810s, education, Henniker, SOURCE=Cogswell, weather

Cold Friday (Henniker, 1810)

A severe cold snap means opportunity for this punctual young lady... I happened to visit the Henniker Historical Society on the day I was drawing this piece, and mentioned the anecdote to them.  Their eyes lit up, and they ushered me into the museum gallery to view Rebecca's attendance medal, still shiny & bright 200+ … Continue reading Cold Friday (Henniker, 1810)

Marek 1750s, cows, death, dogs, French + Indian Wars, Keene, milk, SOURCE=Griffin

Milk of War (Keene)

The fort's surrounded, but the babies need milk... What's to be done?! << BEFORE: John Colony (Biographical Sketch) ... Although Griffin's account specifies neither location nor date for this story, we categorize it under Keene (Colony's ultimate home) and 1750s (Colony served in the French & Indian War 1755-1760).

Marek 1730s, 1740s, 1750s, 1760s, French + Indian Wars, Keene, Maine, marriage, Massachusetts, Robert Rogers, SOURCE=Griffin, Vermont

John Colony (Keene)

John Colony leaves his native Ireland to fight Indians (& French) in the New England... NEXT: John Colony goes out for milk >> SOURCE = Griffin's "A History of the Town of Keene..." MORE INFO:  Robert Rogers ~ Is this LFAD's first mention of Rogers?!  There will be many more stories to come...  Rogers' Rangers … Continue reading John Colony (Keene)

Marek 1850s, death, Goshen, graves & memorials, SOURCE=roadside markers

In Goshen, It WAS a War…

Now here's something interesting we couldn't help but notice about the John W. Gunnison roadside historical marker in Goshen...

Marek 1990s, Claremont, politics, SOURCE=roadside markers

Historic Handshake (Claremont, 1995)

In a way, this might be one of NH's strangest Highway Historical Markers...

Marek 1800s, 1810s, 1820s, Connecticut, Cornish, death, education, glass, hiking, judicial branch, Keene, Roxbury, Salmon P. Chase, SOURCE=Griffin, SOURCE=roadside markers, sources, Vermont

Young Chase at Keene

Tragedies, travels, & teenage failures of one of New Hampshire’s most powerful exports…

Marek 1810s, 1830s, 1850s, death, education, Goshen, graves & memorials, SOURCE=roadside markers

Capt. John W. Gunnison (Goshen)

A roadside marker in Goshen hints at stories & mysteries from the Wild West... Upon first read this roadside marker's story seems almost straightforward.  But dig a little deeper... and I suspect there are potentially a couple of action-packed graphic novels hidden in here: Like probably most "rugged individualist" log-cabin school teachers who go on … Continue reading Capt. John W. Gunnison (Goshen)

Marek 1860s, charity, Civil War, harvest, Newport, politics, religion, Sarah Josepha Hale

Sarah Josepha Hale on Thanksgiving (1864)

Hale reflects on the national holiday she helped create in the midst of Civil War. (Note her "peculiarly" 19th century conceptions of politics, gender, charity, & religion.) << BEFORE: Ms. Hale writes an influential letter to President Lincoln ... FURTHER READING: More editorials by Ms. Hale (editress of "Godey's Lady's Book")

Marek 1860s, Civil War, Newport, politics, Sarah Josepha Hale, SOURCE=Library of Congress

Letter to Lincoln (1863)

Newport native Sarah Josepha Hale appeals to President Lincoln in the midst of the Civil War, and instigates an official national holiday! << BEFORE: Thanksgiving, 1862 NEXT: Hale's 1864 Thanksgiving editorial >> I've heavily excerpted the original letter to make this comics-format version.  For further reading, see these notes & links: Hale's letter of Sept. 28, … Continue reading Letter to Lincoln (1863)

Marek "Live Free or Die", guest artist, Henniker, Wanted: Your Artwork!

Live Free Sketches! (Guest Post)

A couple of LIVE FREE OR DIE guest artist sketches by Jacob G. and Alexandria G. (of Henniker), from a recent library COMICS WORKSHOP:

Marek 1600s, animals, bear, berries, deer, dogs, encounter & exploration, fish, forestry, fox, herbs, hunting, Journal of Martin Pring, medicine, porcupine, seacoast

Pring 12 ~ As The Land is Full

Wherein we can perhaps glimpse the little gold “crownes” in Pring’s eyes as he ogles the natives’ pelts …

Marek 1840s, graves & memorials, Pittsfield, SOURCE=roadside markers

Frederick Douglass Visits Pittsfield (1842)

The famous abolitionist finds both prejudice and humanity in a NH graveyard: Douglass visited Pittsfield as part of a speaking tour through New England.  At the time, Moses Norris Jr. would have been serving on the Executive Council of NH.  (He served as a Democratic US Senator from 1843-1847.) This roadside marker is now a … Continue reading Frederick Douglass Visits Pittsfield (1842)

Marek 1830s, 1840s, Dublin, education, entertainment, SOURCE=Leonard+Seward

Dublin Lyceum (1836-1844)

Community education & discourse in Dublin: The adults publish (& perform) their own bi-weekly zine... and the kids put out TWO! Don't you wish you could sit in on one of these weekly meetings?  This is what people in small towns did ALL AROUND New England in an age before electronic devices or even cheap … Continue reading Dublin Lyceum (1836-1844)

Marek 1770s, 1840s, education, forestry, graves & memorials, Hopkinton, John Stark, Massachusetts, New London, Plaistow, revolutionary era, SOURCE=roadside markers

Moses Trussell (New London)

Wounded at Bunker Hill, and everything after...

Marek 2000-2099, education, libraries, New London

Library Workshop (New London)

When you're creating artwork, the "rules" are never quite as clear as teachers might like ...

Marek guest artist, Old Man of the Mountain, Wanted: Your Artwork!

Wanted: Your Artwork!

Guest artist image by David S.! Drawn during a library Comics Workshop. Send us your "LIVE FREE AND DRAW" image via the CONTACT page... B&W ink or color, any size... Just include the phrase "Live Free And Draw" and some kind of connection to the Granite State!  If we feature it on this site, we'll … Continue reading Wanted: Your Artwork!