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 1810s, forestry, harvest, Keene, SOURCE=Griffin

Live Free and Draw Wood (Keene, c.1812)

An example of how NH town governments kept costs low 200 years ago: the annual minister's firewood bee! Communities often provided for these services explicitly, in the contracts they voted on and signed to set aside an official "minister's wood lot" and to "settle" a minister in town.  Families also had the option of paying money towards the … Continue reading Live Free and Draw Wood (Keene, c.1812)

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 1810s, Antrim, death, graves & memorials, Lyndeborough

Woman from Lyndeborough (Antrim, 1812)

If you read the town histories, these sorts of things happened all the time back in the day: << BACK: Violent deaths in Antrim ... This story presents a disappearance and death as a casual, common, corner-of-the-next-field sort of experience.  It perhaps explains a bit of the early settlers' readiness to see ghosts & shades … Continue reading Woman from Lyndeborough (Antrim, 1812)

Marek 1780s, 1810s, Antrim, death, mills

Violent Deaths (Antrim)

Here's a look at fatalities during the early days of Antrim, NH: << BEFORE: More deaths in Weare.   MORE: Death in general... >>

Marek 1810s, 1820s, 1830s, death, dogs, hunting, milk, SOURCE=Little, squirrel, Weare

Deaths (Weare)

How folks died in the early days of Weare... 17 October 1816 11 September 1824 NEXT: You know there will be more... >>

Marek 1810s, death, horses, SOURCE=Little, Weare

Kick of a Horse (Weare)

Town histories often include detailed (and fascinating) lists of the various ways early settlers met their ends.  Let's take a look at some interesting cases ... 20 June 1816

Marek 1810s, elephant, entertainment, Henniker, SOURCE=Cogswell

First Elephant (Henniker)

An exotic event provides performance opportunities for a local character... One of my favorite parts of Cogswell's Victorian-era narrative style is the telling little details he supplies, and the many ways we can interpret them.  For example, note in the final panel how only "some" of the town's older residents recall Bowman's antics with pleasure.  (We … Continue reading First Elephant (Henniker)

Marek 1810s, elections, Henniker, NH history, politics, SOURCE=Cogswell, sources, stick figures

The First Voter Check-List (Henniker, 1813)

In 1813, NH tests out a strange new voting procedure: keeping track of voters with an official checklist!  { SOURCE = Cogswell's History of the Town of Henniker... } SEE ALSO:   John T. Gilman