Marek 1850s, corn, economics, metals & minerals, NH history, SOURCE=Little, Weare

Bank of John Gillet (Weare)

1855: This story of home-grown finance comes from William Little's chapter on "Peculiar People" in Weare ...

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 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 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, 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 SOURCE=Little, sources

You Never Know…

... WHAT you're going to find in these old town history books.  I mean, just LOOK at this stuff: And this is just one page from the General Index of one volume!  So many topics, so little time... What's a cartoonist to do? Let's put a little check mark next to all the items that … Continue reading You Never Know…

Marek 1820s, death, Piscataquog, SOURCE=Little, Weare

Drowning (Weare, 1824)

Oh no, another disaster down by the Piscataquog... Or IS it?!?! Robert Peaslee was born in Weare 11 April, 1818, so this must have happened in in 1824.  He was the great grandson of Moses & Mary Peaslee.  Mary Peaslee once helped to "lay" a ghost at Rockland Mills.

Marek 1790s, animals, milk, SOURCE=Little, Weare, witches

Mrs. Dustin’s Witchcraft

How did they know the "Great Witch of Weare" was really a witch? << BEFORE: Mrs. Dustin rides to Whitefield ... I'm dating this story in the 1790s, since Amos W. Bailey was born in 1789 and was a "boy" when Mrs. Dustin was active in town.  Bailey would have related his memories to town … Continue reading Mrs. Dustin’s Witchcraft

Marek 1700-1799, birth, horses, SOURCE=Little, Weare, Whitefield, witches

The Witch’s Ride (Weare)

Mrs. Dustin is up to her infernal sorceries again... this time on a cross-country jaunt! << BEFORE: Meet Mrs. Dustin, the Great Witch of Weare! NEXT: More unspeakable bedevilment from Mrs. Dustin >> Once again, modern readers may be surprised at the Old Timers' concepts of what was and was not an outrage against all … Continue reading The Witch’s Ride (Weare)

Marek 1700-1799, SOURCE=Little, Weare, witches

The Great Witch of Weare

What lively places these NH towns must have been, back in the early days with the witches and ghosts! The little quatrain Little quotes comes from the poem "A Long Story" by Thomas Gray: "...Fame in the shape of Mr. P—t (By this time all the Parish know it) Had told, that thereabouts there lurk'd A wicked … Continue reading The Great Witch of Weare

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 1800-1899, chicken, ghosts, SOURCE=Little, Weare

Terribly Troubled with Ghosts (Weare)

In which strange noises emanate from the unfinished room above ... One of Mary Peaslee's progeny later became well-known for nearly drowning in the Piscataquog.

Marek 1700-1799, corn, ghosts, SOURCE=Little, Weare

Ghost in the Corn Field (Weare)

Weare historian William Little has little patience for rumors of hauntings.  Here, John Hodgdon boldly investigates a spooky shade in his corn field ... Something about this story was bothering me as I drew it, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.  Then, around panel 11 or 12, I realized I'd been drawing a modern 20th … Continue reading Ghost in the Corn Field (Weare)

Marek 1800-1899, death, forestry, SOURCE=Little, Weare, weather

More Deaths (Weare)

More tragic ends for some of Weare's early citizens: << BEFORE: Deaths ... NEXT: Fatalities a couple towns over, in Antrim >>

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 1770s, 1800-1899, entertainment, revolutionary era, SOURCE=Little, Weare

The Hessian (Weare)

What a wild place was Weare; here we meet a fellow who (A) fought on BOTH sides of the Revolution, and (B) really knew how to party! ... "Hessians" were mercenary soldiers from Germany who fought for the British (mostly) during the American Revolution.

Marek 1620s, encounter & exploration, Merrimack, Piscataqua, rivers, seacoast, SOURCE=Little

Bounds of New Hampshire (Mason Grant, 1629)

This 1629 land grant by the Plymouth Company caused many headaches when everyone realized they'd ALREADY granted some of the same land to other people... not to mention the inhabitants already living thereupon! SOURCE: Text of grant as found in William Little's History of Weare, New Hampshire 7 November 1629