History of Tamworth

Tamworth

Tamworth, New Hampshire, is a small town located about sixty miles north of Concord, N.H., lying between the towns of Ossipee and Sandwich. It was granted October 14, 1766, in sixty-eight equal shares and settled in 1771 by Richard Jackman, Jonathan Choate, David Philbrick, and Richard Eastman. In 1772 Mark Jewell settled in Tamworth, followed by his brother, Bradbury. By 1790 there were 47 heads of families in Tamworth.

The townspeople endured many hardships including the plague which swept through the country in 1813, a famine caused by severe cold in the years of 1816, 1817, and 1818, with the frost killing the crops, and then the siege of the wolves in November, 1830.

Within the town of Tamworth are the villages of South Tamworth, Tamworth Village, Chocorua, Wonalancet, and Whittier where many of the old buildings still remain and are being put to use today.

Chocorua Peak House

The trail which is known as Liberty Trail and which goes to the top of Chocorua Mountain was originally built by a French Canadian named Jim Liberty. Jim Liberty spoke in broken English and smoked an old clay pipe. He played an accordion and sang French songs. After obtaining permission to build the trail from the land owners in 1886, he built it from near George Durrell’s home in Tamworth to the top of Chocorua Mountain. He received permission from the State Legislature to charge tolls. Toll rates were charged by the mile at the rate of three cents for foot passengers and six cents per person in a carriage. In 1891, he took in $700. He also built a stone walled camp with a canvas roof. However the canvas blew off, so he then added two tents inside for hikers.

In October 1891, he sold rights to David Knowles and Newell N. Forrest of Silver Lake. David Knowles had built the Lake View House in Silver Lake in 1876. In July 1892, a hotel was opened near the top of Chocorua Mountain. The hotel was 2 ½ stories high and forty by twenty four feet. The first floor consisted of a dining room, kitchen, parlor and a small bedroom known as the Bridal Suite. On the second floor were several bedrooms and the third floor was made into a dormitory, where hikers from boys and girls camps spread sleeping bags.

In 1896 Forrest sold out his interest to Knowles. Knowles strung a telephone line to Gilman’s store where supplies were brought up by a white horse named Gypsy. Gypsy would make a daily trip alone to make the estimated 20 by 23 mile round trip. After being loaded with supplies, Gypsy would climb back up the mountain.

The hotel registers are at the Chocorua Library. The hotel was open from May or June until the end of September or early October. Rates ran as low as $2.00 overnight.

In 1914, Ezra and Emma Nickerson ran the hotel, assisted by son, Norman, and daughter, Sarah. On September 26, 1915, a severe windstorm struck the area. The hotel was blown away from the mountain and destroyed.

First Settlers

The First Settlers in 1771 were William Eastman (who became a lifelong resident and was a deacon in Parson Hidden's church for years), Richard Jackman, David Philbrick, and Jonathan Choat. But, according to Rev. Mr. Cogswell in his "Memoirs of Rev. Samuel Hidden," published in 1842, says: "The first white man who settled in Tamworth was Mark Jewell (1772), whose father resided in Sandwich."

Col. Jonathan Moulton was the original proprietor. The Bryants, James Head, Israel Gilman and Jacob Fowler owned land here.

The hardships undergone by these early settlers were severe. Jonathan Philbrick brought cornmeal from Gilmanton on his back. Henry Blaisdell went to Kingston for a supply of mean and was gone two weeks. During his absence his family lived on milk alone. Gamaliel Hatch was inventive enough to make a mortar where he pounded flaxseed into meal which made a substitute for flour in making bread.

Men of Tamworth in The Revolutionary War

While Tamworth was still in its early years of settlement, the Revolutionary War began and the men of Tamworth answered the call to defend their homeland. It is said on September 18th, 1775, Elkanah Danforth was the first from Tamworth to enlist and served under Colonel Benedict Arnold in the attempt to capture Quebec, and that he was followed by three others who enlisted in that same year.

In 1776 Joseph Eaton Keniston, Nicholas Kenestone, David Kenerson and Joseph Ames all enlisted.

Moses Head enlisted in 1777 and died that same year in service. Abial and Phineas Stevens died in that war as did Isaac Head.

In the following years John Watson of Loudon enlisted for Tamworth, also Charles Hackett, Ebenezer Keniston, Richard Jackman, William Eastman, Samuel Yeaton and Obadiah Dudy.

Grantees

The township was granted 14th Oct 1766, to Lt. John Webster and others in 68 equal shares.

The grantees of Tamworth were: Lieut. John Webster, James Cochran, Enoch Webster, James Cochran, Jr., Jno. Merril, George Abbot, William Rogers, Jno. Moore, Andrew McMillan, Samuel Osgood, James Osgood, William Cochran, Jno. Webster, Jr., Jona Stickney, Thomas Stickney, Josiah Miles, Joseph Hall, Jr., Samuel Moore, Daniel Stickney, Walter Bryent, Esq., Joshua Abbot, Jona Merril, John Cochran, Samuel Cochran, Alexander Lessley, Stephen Holland, Abel Lovejoy, Joseph Emery, Jona Cochran, Moses Barnett, James Wallis, Abel Chandler, Timothy Walker, Jr., Isaac Cochran, Jno. Davison, Hamilton Davison, Jona Morrison, Thomas Clough, James Head, W. Bryent, Jr., Esq., Peter Coffen, Robert Fulton, William Coffen, R. Barnett, Jno. Kimball, Jno. Noyes, Esq., Thomas Wallis, Rob. Rogers, Jr., Moses Coffen, Phinehas Virgin, Samuel Dickey, Jo. Barnett, Jr., Jno. Webster, Esq., James Dwyer, Enoch Coffen, Israel Gilman, Samuel Gilman, Col. Todd, Lieut Col. Barre, Hon. Geo. Jaffrey, Daniel Rindge, Esq., Jona Warner, Esq., Jacob Fowler.

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