Marek 1700-1799, bear, Chesterfield, hunting, posters, SOURCE=HSCC

Bear Ferry (Chesterfield)

A color splash page based on that old Chesterfield story, "Fishing for Bear":

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 1860s, Adventures of a Deaf-Mute in the White Mountains, Franconia, horses, Littleton, mines, SOURCE=HHS, weather, White Mountains, William B. Swett

Swett 5: Spring Blizzard

1865: A late-spring snow storm surprises Swett in his seat on the roof of the stage...

Marek 1860s, Adventures of a Deaf-Mute in the White Mountains, forestry, Henniker, hiking, posters, SOURCE=HHS, squirrel, White Mountains, William B. Swett

ADVENTURES of a DEAF-MUTE… (Cover & Intro Links)

Let's kick off this series with a pin-up image of Mr. Swett in the Flume…

Marek 1890s, cows, dogs, food, Henniker, SOURCE=HHS

Peculiar Calf (Henniker)

1894:  Quality journalism in an age of miracles.

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 1600s, dogs, encounter & exploration, forestry, Journal of Martin Pring, seacoast

Pring 15 ~ Final Fire

1603: The dogs save the fort, communications break down, and the expedition heads for home in this EXCITING CONCLUSION of Martin Pring’s Journal!

Marek 1780s, forestry, Henniker, horses, SOURCE=Cogswell

Plummer’s Willow (Henniker)

We all start small and grow from there... This story makes me look differently at all the giant trees around me. They're living connections with the days of our great-great-grandparents! Cogswell says Joseph Plummer Sr. and his wife Jane "moved to this town immediately after the close of the Revolution..." [which would've been the early … Continue reading Plummer’s Willow (Henniker)

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 1700-1799, fox, hunting, Piscataquog, SOURCE=Little, Weare

Fox Chase (Weare)

This snowy tale from Little's history falls somewhere between "hunting story" and "dream"... << BEFORE: Chasing moose NEXT: Nice Bear >> As with so many of his hunting tales, Little supplies no specific date for this anecdote; we'll file it under 1700-1799 because it's included in hunting stories from the "early times". 13 February 1767

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 1600s, dogs, encounter & exploration, Journal of Martin Pring, seacoast

Pring 14 ~ Two Shots

Pring’s last ship fires the first warning shots of a coming conflict …

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 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 1860s, Civil War, Civil War Letters of Joseph Rogers, pigs, SOURCE=WHS+Warren, Warner, weather

We Go Without Mittens Very Well (Rogers, Nov. 20 1862, #2)

Rogers recounts recent experiences & dispenses domestic advice for the home front ...

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 1770s, 1780s, 1830s, Epsom, Greenland, pigs, revolutionary era

Pension Application of Elisha Haynes (Epsom)

Haynes served from 1779-1782 in the Revolutionary War.  In 1831, when he finally applied for a veteran's pension at age 70, he included an inventory of all his property... SOURCE: View Elisha Haynes' pension application at http://www.EpsomHistory.com ...The following year, in 1832, Haynes added another declaration that clarifies his family situation and health status. "Skumsborough" … Continue reading Pension Application of Elisha Haynes (Epsom)

Marek 1770s, corn, cottage industries, cows, Dublin, potatoes, revolutionary era, SOURCE=Leonard+Seward

Woman of the Revolution (Dublin, 1779)

Dublin neighbors rally to support each other in time of war... NEXT: Mr. Belknap at war... >>