Autumns Past in North Hampton
Autumns Past in North Hampton
The “Summers Past” blog gave a glimpse of two peoples’ experiences. Here they are again, along with David J. Lamprey, and brief accounts of their Fall activities.
Samuel A. Dow. (1847-1933) Samuel came to North Hampton when a child to live with his Uncle Simon Dow who had a farm on Little Boar’s Head. Samuel founded Dow’s Store which sold groceries and so much more. It’s now known as the location of Joe’s Meat Shoppe. That building is actually the second Dow’s store built at the turn of the twentieth century. The first one is next to the railroad bed. The French Empire house across the railroad bed, also built by Dow, was the home of Samuel, wife Emma Marston Dow, their children, and later descendants.
Dow kept a diary in 1863 when he was fifteen.
Sat., Nov 7. Went up to Depot with load of hay.
Wed., Nov 11. Pleasant. Went to Greenland depot with two loads of apples.
Mon., Nov 16. Foggy. School commenced.
Thurs., Nov 26. Pleasant. Thanksgiving Day. Went up in woods a gaming.
Thurs., Dec 17. Cloudy. Went out on the ledge with my boat and got a load of Rockweed. It began to snow in the afternoon.
Then, at age 29 in 1876, Samuel attended the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, the first world’s fair to be held in the United States. “Centennial”, just like our Centennial Hall, signifies the one hundredth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence signed in Philadelphia. 37 countries participated and almost 10 million people attended the six month event.
Tues., Sep 19. Some foggy. Started for Centennial on 11:30 train with J.W. Warner and Charles Seavey. Waited in Boston for Ira Marden who came on half past three train. Went to Fall River. And took Steamboat “Providence” to New York.
Wed., Sep 20. Did not sleep any on steamboat last night. Pleasant trip. Got to New York about half past eight. Took ferry to Jersey City, then train for Philadelphia. Got at Centennial Grounds about half past one. Went to city on horse cars. Put up for the day.
Thurs., Sep 21. We are stopping at 259 15th Street. Went to Centennial. Went in Maine building. Everything splendid. Have very good place to board.
Fri., Sep 22. Went to Centennial. Went in Arkansas building etc. Some in Machinery Hall splendid.
Sat., Sep 23. Rainy. Went to Centennial and visited Agricultural Hall and Machinery Hall.
Mon., Sep 25. Clear off. Visited Centennial for last day. Sorry to give it up. Wonderful, wonderful. Still you may see and then not be satisfied.
Tues., Sep 26. Looked around city of Philadelphia. Went to U.S. Mint and Independence Hall. In PM went over to Camden New Jersey in ferry boat. Walked around the city. Wish I had spent the PM at Centennial Grounds.
Wed., Sep 27. Started from Philadelphia at 5AM. Went by way of Bordentown and changed cars there and at Trenton, NJ. Got to New York at 11AM. Went to Central Park. Left NY at 5pm by steamer “Bristol”. Pleasant evening and fine trip.
Thurs., Sep 28. Arrived at Fall River at 4AM. Left there at 5 for Boston. Got in Boston at 7, left for NH at 7:30. Got home at 9:45AM. And had good trip and have seen many wonderful things. Found Aunt Mary A. Palmer at our house.
David Jenness Lamprey. (1844-1923) was born in North Hampton at the family homestead. David supplied wood, ice, and hay to customers in North Hampton and vicinity. He used Belgian draft horses to move logs out of the woods to his sawmill. Upon David’s death, his sons, Warren and Austin, set up the company Lamprey Brothers which continued to sell wood and ice; then coal and oil.
David kept very matter of fact diaries from 1891until 1923. Here are a few entries. The Historical Society also has diaries of his son Austin and grandson D. Morris Lamprey covering the years from 1923-1999.
Tuesday, September 1, 1891: Wind North. Dug 70 bushels potatoes. Hauled them to Rollins. Got fifty cents.
Wednesday, September 2. Wind West. Hauled water to Mrs. Lewis’.
Friday, September 4. Wind South West. Austin went to Portsmouth for malt.
Tuesday, September 29. Wind North. Austin hauled 24 casks water for Mrs. Jacques.
Wednesday, September 30. Wind South. Do work for Mrs. Robins, in AM. Picking cranberries in PM.
Sunday, October 11. Wind East. Wet day. I went to church.
Evelyn Philbrick Squire (1905-2002) was the youngest child of tinsmith Charles Philbrick. Philbrick’s tinshop was next to Dow’s Store at one time. Soon after marrying, Charles moved the business building to the same property on which his house stands at the corner of Pine Road and Atlantic Avenue. Evelyn grew up in that house.
Evelyn’s reminiscences recount her childhood in the 1910s and describe what was a major Fall crop in North Hampton.
My father had six apple trees and in the fall he sold several barrels of apples and also apples were stored in the cellar for winter use.
Every fall people who owned orchards sold apples which were shipped out by train.
Fallen apples were picked up from the ground and made into cider. My father kept two cider barrels in the cellar. The sweet cider turned to hard cider and later became vinegar.