The fine craft of Blacksmithing was essential to life in old Salisbury.
Over the years we have 5 known forges and one tinsmith, a slightly different trade but involving hammers and metals and included.
SALISBURY CENSUS, Occupations:
1850 7 blacksmiths.
Wheel wright 2
1860 4
Wheel wright 1
1870 1
1898 4
1908 2
1919 2
1929 1
SOUTH ROAD VILLAGE
1-ANDREW PETTENGILL was the first blacksmith in town. Abt 1765-1777
Location: Just west of the once TD Little House at 24 Franklin Rd. He succumbed to injuries received during the American Revolution in 1777.
2-FLANDERS TIN SHOP Approx. mid 1800’s
Location: Just north of the crossroads (Rte 127 & Rte 4).
Unlike blacksmiths who work mostly with hot metals, tinsmiths do the majority of their work on cold metal although they might use a hearth to heat and help shape their raw materials. Tinsmiths fabricate items such as water pitchers, forks, spoons, lanterns, and candle holders.
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2-SHERM FELLOWS Approx. abt 1890-1946
Sherm Fellows Blacksmith Shop. Originally was the site of a Methodist Church for a brief while around 1858. Replaced by Blacksmith Shop. Existed for many years on the east corner of Bog Road and rte 127. Removed shortly after 1946.
In 1890 John Dearborn mentions the shop in existence.
1884 Pliny Fellows listed as owner
1925 Sherm listed as owner
1946 Sherm sold
1946 Building was removed.
Location: South Road (Rte 127)and Bog Road. Earlier brief site of Methodist Church. Replaced by the Blacksmith Shop.
SALSIBURY HEIGHTS
George Calef abt 1883-1911 Blacksmith, Carriage and Clock Shop
#1) This building still exists besides the Abel Elkins House. The notation on the back of the Working at Salisbury picture is “Left – Andrew Lorden, George Calef, John Wilbur, Ed Tucker, at Salisbury NH”. A note attached reads: “small building across from Church at Heights, adjacent to colonial home of F P Drew.”
LOCATION: Just south of the Abel Elkins House opposite the Salisbury Historical Society on RTE 4.
He was apparently both a blacksmith, wheelwright and clock collector and clock repair tradesmen.
Mrs Arthur Lively Shaeffer remembers going in as a young girl by his blacksmith shop and the large collection of clocks which he also repaired.
A wheelwright is a craftsman who builds or repair wooden wheels. Word definition: Combination of “wheel” and the word wright which comes from the Old English word word “wryhta“. A wryhta was a worker or shaper of wood.
The word wheelwright remains a term usually used for someone who makes and repairs wheels for horse-drawn vehicles.
Usage: Wheel makersmade wheels for carts, traps, wagons and coaches and the belt drives ofstream driven powdered machinery. They also made the wheels, and often the frames, for spinning wheels for home use.
Wagon wheels would be rimmed in iron.
MILL VILLAGE/WEST SALISBURY
1-LOCATION: Bay Road West Salisbury, riverside just east of where West Salisbury Road joins Bay Road
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2- Another BS Shop is shown on a map in Salisbury Lost and Historic Homes of Salisbury by Paul Shaw date unclear.
LOCATION: Mill Road, West Salisbury. Next to 543 w Salisbury Rd
SMITHS CORNER AREA/COUCHTOWN RD
We are grateful to John Bentley who recently donated to the Salisbury Historical Society two hand forged tools made by member/members of the Couch family.
A Chisel and Draw knife with Couch maker stamping.
John Couch and his son Samuel Couch both of Salisbury were blacksmith’s and presumably other family member were as well.
LOCATION: The location of their shop is unclear but several Couches did reside on the Salisbury side of the border and just over the border in Boscawen on what we refer to today as Couchtown Road. An old map shows two Couch dwellings (H.C. Couch and F. Couch) next to each other on the north side of Couchtown Road right before the border line with Boscawen. The Smith Corner area was somewhat populated at one time prior to the formation of the Blackwater Dam flood plain area which caused the community to be disassembled.
In the History of Salisbury by John Dearborn 1890;
“John (Deacon) Couch was b May 7 1780. He built the house occupied (1883) by Clarence Couch. By trade he was a blacksmith and a skillful edge tool worker”. He reside in Salisbury until 1862.
P 534 ” Samuel built a house of east of Deacon John’s, succeeded his father at blacksmith and followed the trade for some years and followed in his father’s footsteps. He secured the services of a criminal who was pardoned out of the state prison who taught Mr. Couch how to properly weld steel and iron and temper the same and the Couch axe was much sought after, being considered the best axe made”.
We are looking forward to gathering more research coming on the Couch family.