Nashua Telegraph from Nashua, New Hampshire • Page 28

30 Nashua Telegraph, Wednesday, June 20 4 1973 Nearby Dunstable, Mass. Observes 300th Anniversary By FRANCES MAY DUNSTABLE, Mass. The Township of Dunstable, charted 1673, was named for Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England it is believed, in honor of the Hon. and Mrs. Edward Tyng, -who came from there.

Their son, Jonathan, became possessor of many acres in what is now Tyngsboro and was noted as the only settler to remain through the King Philip Indian hostilities. The name comes from a hilly place, and "staple," a market or emporium. Attracted by the fertility of the valleys of the Merrimack, Nashua and Souhegan Rivers, many enterprising men from Boston and other towns began as early as 1660 to obtain grants of tracts of land in this area. In no town in the Commonwealth lands taken up by more noted men. Though many failed to become actual settlers, they exercised a favorable influence on the new plantation.

This tract of land embraced about 200 square miles or 128,000 acres and included what are now the towns of Dunstable and Tyngsboro and parts of the towns of Dracut, Pepperell and Townsend in Massachusetts, together with the city of Nashua, the towns of Hollis, Hudson and sections of the towns of Brookline, Milford, A i i a Londonderry, Litchfield and Pelham in New Hampshire. The settlements were begun along Salmon Brook and southward along the Merrimack River. A 30-acre house lot entitled the holder to 600 acres of the common land. Some tracts were settled much earlier than the date of the charter. In 1656, a grant was made to William Brenton.

The exclusive right of trading with the Indians on the Menimack was sold to him and three others in July 1657. The first church was built at what was known as Little's Station (now South Nashua) and the cemetery can be seen nearby today. There are graves of the settlers killed in the Indian raids and the grave of the first minister, Rev. Thomas Weld. In 1791, it was voted to move the church to what is now the center and to receive from Groton 20 families that lived along the valley of the Un- quetynasset Brook.

This gave Dunstable and Groton a line with 85 angles, an inconvenient condition, which continued until 1820, when another line was established taking one family and land from Groton, making only five angles. Dunstable was further in 1898 when Tyngsboro became a separate town. Now there are only 17 square miles left of this once vast area. Roby Memorial Building The Roby Memorial Building, gift of Sara Read Spaulding Hoby, built in 1908, has housed the Dunstable Library and Town Hall since. The library uses the largest room for its quarters, while front room on left is used by Dunstahle Grange 31 for meetings.

The selectmen use small room at right for offices. Downstairs space contains a dining room, and American Legion quarters. Church in Dunstable The present church in Dunstable, is the third to stand in the center of town. Built in 1911, it replaced one constructed in 1831, which was destroyed by fire the previous year. Josiah Goodhue was pastor from 1757 to 1774, and since that lime, 40 others have served as pastor.

The Rev. William Manseau is the present pastor. A Tavern Back in 1700s This Dunstable home of Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Hardman was once known as the Ebenezer Kendall Tavern.

He was granted tavern license by the General Court on Feb. 8,1743. The first recorded town meeting after the state line divided the town was held here on March 5, 1743. According to history, the Men" met here and powder for their guns was stored ia a ban across the road. During stage coach days, this was a main stopping place.

Schoolhouse Number 4 In 1S09, five school districts were established in Dunstable, with $700 authorized for five schoolhouses, Schoottouse Number 4 at Fletcher and Main streets, is now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dow, and represents an attractive summer cottage. Once Housed Post Office This was once the home of Mary ffhitcomb. About 1920, it was owned and occupied by Mr.

and Mrs. Elmer Brew, who operated a store. The town's post office was also in the store section. It is now the home of Mr. and Mrs.

John Karoutas who run a ceramic business there. Blodgett Homestead The Blodgett homestead has been handed down, father to son, since 1728. The present living room was the original house. Several rooms have been added over the years. There is an Indian council rock under the lawn.

The dwelling is now the borne of Mrs. Elden Staples whose husband was a descendant of the Blodgett family. 1790 House Restored The Dunstable, house above, built in 1790, has been restored with great care by its present owners, Mr. and Mrs. Vincent G.C.

Best. Fireplaces have been reopened -and paneling uncovered and finished. This fine, old house was constructed to 18li This farm was In the Kendall family from 1728 until 1957. It is now the Dunstable borne of Mr, and Mrs, Harold Blackie Jr. Historic Background Jonathan Woodward, a Revolutionary War soldier, built this house.

Later, it was (he home of James Woodward, a miHer. His saw and grist.mills were powered by a pond and stood on each side of the brook. He also operated a cooper shop nearby, Mrs. Martha Tourteflet now owns this property. In Center of Dunstable Mr.

and Mrs. James E. Shaw and family occupy this large house In the center of Dunstahle, Mass. It is the Procfor-Cummings House, built for Rebecca Proctor when she married Josiah Cummings in 1812. The house was later the summer home of Calvin Austin, president of the Eastern Steamship Company.

Band Hall in I860 This building was erected as a band ball for the Dunstable Cornet Band in 1860. Later, it was purchased by Byron H. Brew who operated a store and the post office. It was eventually made into a dwelling, now occupied by Brew's daughter, Mrs. Frances Day.

Dedicated in 1961 The Dunstable, Post Office was dedicated In 1961, and shortly after, rural delivery service was instituted. Mrs. Gerald Simmons is postmaster. Rural carriers are T. Edwin Lebtinen and F.

Brooke Cover. Postal assistants are Mrs. Wilfred Lyon and Mrs. Archer Davis, Another Post dike Site This Is the Oliver Taylor House, which late? became the home of Mr. and Mrs.

George Butterfield and family. In 1S2Q, it became the home of Mr. and Mrs, Harold Goldthwaite, present owners. At one time, the Dunstable Post Office was housed here, 'Old John Steele Place' John Steele was the first parish clerk in 1743 of what Is Dunstable, The brick used in construction was fired here the yard across the valley from the Parkhurst farm. The properly is now the home of Mrs.

Charles Farnsworth. Dates Back to 1749 This Dunstable home, the second house on this homestead, was built in 1812. The ISO-acre tract was purchased in 1749 by Ebenezer Parkhurst, Bricks used in construction were made on the premises. Mr. and Mrs.

Arthur S. Holmes reside here. The Dunsfable Union School was built in 1895 and for many years, it housed grades 1-8. For some time, four grades were taught in one room. There was a period when the building was not in use, but'presently, it houses several grades.

The building contains four large rooms. Attractive Property This is the home of Mrs. E. Allan Larter on Main Street, Dunstable, Mass. It was constructed in 1783 by Leonard Butterfield on the site of the home of Robert Blood, mentioned in Nason's History of Dunstable.

Attractively restored, the dining room is copied from the Connecticut House in the New York Museum of Fine Arts. Near of Cider Mill Moved from Hollis The home of Mr. and Mrs. Willard J. Goldthwaite of Dun- Mr, and Mrs.

Edward A. Larter purchased this house in stable, was known as the Cyrus Taylor House. Taylor op- Hollis and had it moved to Dunstable, and restored in crated a cider mill nearby. In 1888, an auction of household goods 1966. It was built ia 1731 by John Nevin.

Its present location is and furnishings was held. Later on, George Cheney lived there, where the first church was built, and across the field from it is The property has remained in the Goldthwaite family since 1909. Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery,.