Marek 1770s, 1780s, construction, Contoocook, government, Henniker, revolutionary era, SOURCE=Cogswell

Bridge Up, Money Down (Henniker)

1780: How much rum does it take to build a bridge during a Revolution?

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 1820s, Henniker, SOURCE=Cogswell

Liberty-Pole (Henniker)

1829: Never mind all the war heroes and noisy demonstrations, HERE's the big story of the day...

Marek 1820s, Franklin Pierce, Henniker, James Miller, music & dance, Peterborough, politics, SOURCE=Cogswell, War of 1812, Warner

Celebration Day – January 8th, 1829 (Henniker)

The people of Henniker party like it's 1829...

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 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 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 1770s, death, forestry, Henniker, Massachusetts, revolutionary era, SOURCE=Cogswell

A Very Singular Circumstance (Henniker, 1775)

Out of the firing line, into the forest. 19 April 1775 SOURCE: Cogswell's History of Henniker (p.262)

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 1760s, Henniker, horses, SOURCE=Cogswell

Second Horse in Town (Henniker, 1767)

Because sometimes being FIRST doesn't really count...

Marek 1800s, apples, harvest, Henniker, potatoes, SOURCE=Cogswell, weather

Snow Storm (Henniker, 1804)

A freak Autumn snow storm disrupts the apple and potato harvests... Source: Cogswell's History of the Town of Henniker 7 October 1804

Marek 1830s, Henniker, SOURCE=Cogswell, weather

Shooting Stars (Henniker, 1833)

The greatest astronomical exposition in town, as of 1880... 13 November, 1833

Marek 1810s, Henniker, marriage, SOURCE=Cogswell

Marriage Announcement (Henniker, 1815)

How they announced a marriage in the early days...

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 1780s, bear, Henniker, hunting, SOURCE=Cogswell

Mr. Barnes & the Bear (Henniker)

In honor of the start of hunting season, we continue with (what else?) another action-packed story of ursine urgency! ... << BEFORE: Fishing for bear in Chesterfield. *"BY THIS TIME, BARNES BEGAN TO REALIZE..." ~ I just love that line. (source = Cogswell) Elisha Barnes was a leading figure in the early days of Henniker; for … Continue reading Mr. Barnes & the Bear (Henniker)

Marek 1780s, bear, Henniker, hunting, NH history, SOURCE=Cogswell, stick figures

Mrs. Huse & the Bear (Henniker)

A resourceful wife prepares dinner for her hunting husband:

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