Marek 1700-1799, 1750s, colonial, corn, forestry, Peterborough

Early Amusements (Peterborough, c.1750)

Some examples of "early amusements" from Smith's History of Peterborough (1876):

Marek 1700-1799, 1760s, colonial, guest artist, Peterborough

First Clock in Town (Peterborough) (GUEST POST)

Guest artist Chris depicts the arrival of new technology around 1765-1770, thanks to the efforts of Mrs. William Smith:

Marek 1700-1799, 1750s, colonial, French + Indian Wars, guest artist, Peterborough

Fake Raid (Peterborough, 1754) (GUEST POST)

Peterborough resident Liam draws a practical joke from the French-Indian War era:

Marek 1700-1799, colonial, guest artist, Keene, NH history, SOURCE=Griffin, wheat

Upper Crust of Keene

Guest cartoonist Bea Reel drew this page from Griffin's History of Keene, NH during our recent FAMILY COMICS WORKSHOP at Keene Public Library:

Marek 1760s, 1860s, colonial, education, Henniker, SOURCE=HHS, town reports

Henniker 1861 School Committee Report (Part 2)

1861: In its official report, the Henniker School Committee proceeds to excoriate parents & dispense vocational advice:

Marek 1700-1799, bear, colonial, hunting, Richmond, SOURCE=Barrett

The Bear & Boorn’s Buttons (Richmond)

Just when you thought you'd heard every variation on these bear hunting stories... Jacob Bump to the rescue!

Marek 1600-1699, 1800-1899, chicken, colonial, eagle+hawk, hunting, judicial branch, Massachusetts, sabbath, SOURCE=Little, Weare

Sabbath Hawks (Weare)

What a difference a century of Holy Sundays can make!

Marek 1770s, bear, colonial, corn, Henniker, hunting, SOURCE=Cogswell

Mrs. Peters Shoots a Bear (Henniker)

GUN SAFETY IN THE 1770s: If you come to visit, DON'T take that shortcut through the cornfield...

Marek 1600-1699, colonial, cows, death, guest artist, Hampton, seacoast, witches

Goody Cole, Witch of Hampton (Guest Post)

Here's one from the COMICS WORKSHOP archives -- an old mini-comic by Emma (grade 4) starring the only NH woman ever to be convicted of witchcraft: Notice how Emma works in her own brand of humor to dramatize the basic facts of Cole's life. Read an outline of this NH history unit HERE. MORE: Witches! … Continue reading Goody Cole, Witch of Hampton (Guest Post)

Marek 1760s, bear, colonial, Dublin, SOURCE=Leonard+Seward

The Old Bear (Dublin)

No sense complaining about the food... << BEFORE: Fox chase! NEXT: Bears in the cornfield >>

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 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 1760s, 1770s, Amherst, colonial, construction, death, food, forestry, graves & memorials, Henniker, milk, Nashua, SOURCE=Cogswell

Ward’s Arrival (Henniker, 1763)

Some of Henniker's earliest settler families arrive in town...

Marek 1700-1799, cats, colonial, ghosts, religion, SOURCE=Little, Weare, weather, witches

Powers of Witches (Weare)

Here's an overview of witches and their supernatural powers, from the early days of Weare: What a fascinating list of malevolent powers!  Little's litany of satanic skills speaks volumes about what was important to the families of colonial-era Weare.

Marek 1750s, bear, Chesterfield, colonial, hunting, Keene, SOURCE=HSCC, stick figures

Fishing for Bear (Chesterfield)

An unusual hunting tale from the Keene area... << BEFORE: Mrs. Huse and the bear NEXT: Mr. Barnes and the bear >> SOURCE: "The Bear in the Boat" from HSCC ALSO SEE: Color splash page from this story...

Marek 1750s, colonial, medicine, Nelson, SOURCE=HSCC

Paying the Doctor (Nelson, c. 1750)

Nelson's own Ezra Carter accepts a rather unusual means of payment... Originally published in Monadnock History Comics (Keene Sentinel, 2005) Discussion questions: In the 1700's, a physician like Doc Carter might ride many miles into the countryside to treat poor families on remote farms.  How could these poor families pay for the treatment? What did they … Continue reading Paying the Doctor (Nelson, c. 1750)