Earliest? Portrait of Daniel Webster by Francis Alexander, 1835, National Portrait Gallery Washington DC. Daniel Webster left the Salisbury area shortly after 1807.
A project is growing to honor a prominent Salisbury son, Daniel Webster. New gifts relating to Daniel Webster have arrived and our display is growing!
Daniel Webster was born in Salisbury, New Hampshire on January 18, 1782 so why is his birthplace located in Franklin, New Hampshire?
Daniel Webster was born in Salisbury at a time when Salisbury extended from Kearsarge Mountain to the Merrimack River. The Merrimack River was formed from the the joining of the Pemigewassett and Winnipesaukee Rivers on Salisbury’s north/eastern edge.
Beginning in the early 1800’s, in this area where the 2 big rivers flow and join, mills sprung up harnessing the power of the rushing water.
Prosperous businessmen and mill owners felt inclined to have their tax dollars stay “local” rather than be payed to the towns of Salisbury, Andover, Northfield or Sanbornton, headquartered several miles off. They felt it was in their best interests and appropriate to create a separate town of their own. In 1828 Franklin was created from parts of these four towns.
In Salisbury’s case about 1/4 of the town went into Franklin and Salisbury found itself with a jagged border on its eastern side, drawn to include the birthplace of Daniel Webster into the new town of Franklin.
Thus The Daniel Webster Birthplace though once in Salisbury actually is now located in the City of Franklin.
The present day Birthplace house is a rebuilt structure.
Chronology, exerpts of Daniel Webster in Salisbury from Daniel Webster the Man and His times Robert V. Remini WW Norton & Com 1997
1782 Jan 18 Born in Salisbury New Hamphsire
1784 January Moved to Salisbury Lower Village
1786 Witnesses flooding of the Merrimack River
Tutored by Thomas Chase and Later by James Tappan and William Hoyt
1796 May 25 Enters Phillips Exeter
1796 Dec-Jan Withdraws from Phillips Exeter
1797 Winter Teaches school in Salisbury
February Studies with Dr. Samuel Wood in Boscawen
Spring Studies Greek with David Palmer a Dartmouth senior
August Enters Dartmouth and rooms in dormitory
1799 May Offers to help finance his brothers education
July 12 Helps found Federal Club At Dartmouth
Temporarily manages the towns newspaper, the Dartmouth Gazette
1799-1800 Family moves to the Elms Farm, Salisbury later renamed Franklin
1800 Winter teaches School in Salisbury
July 4 Delivers Independence Day address in Hanover
Elected President of he United Fraternity
1801 August 26 Graduates from Dartmouth
August Begins the study of Law with Thomas W. Thompson
1802 January Teaches school at Fryeburg Academy in Maine
September Returns ot Salisbury and resumes legal studies
1808 May 29 Marries Grace Fletcher in Salisbury
The Question of His Early Education
In the History of Salisbury there is information about the towns efforts to educate their youngsters beyond teachers giving instructions in their own homes. In addition itinerant teacher would gather several students together and teach.
With advent of the one room schoolhouse students would travel to the closest or board with the teacher or another family and do what was needed, as was stated in Daniel Webster’s own words.
From the History of Salisbury by John Dearborn 1890
1772 The town votes to raise monies for school purposes. First schoolhouse is on Searle’s Hill
1778 The town is divided into4 districts and each district was to build its now schoolhouse. Blackwater River (Smith’s Corner)l Center road (Jonathan Fiefieds land), North Road (near Mr. Wadleoghs).
1784 The four Salisbury public schools are decommissioned and sold. Daniel is 2 yrs old.
1786 Salisbury begins again to fund schools.
1791 Lower Village school now (1890) the Orphans home district. “Here the boy Daniel Webster, attended school, here the young man, Mr Daniel Wester was employed in teaching the school district and not far removed in time the statement and orator spent he is leisure days here.”
p 836″ As a child Daniel was weak and it was thought by his parents that he would never able to perform hard manual labor, and they would give him such an education as would fit him to get his living by teaching and literary pursuits.”
“A half brother of his once said “Dan was sent to school that he might get as much knowledge as the other boys”
“His mother taught him to read and he said, he could not remember the time when he couldn’t read.
1791 A school is built at Lower Village, The Lower Village was part of Salisbury. It is the area near the Wester Farm in what is now West Franklin. Daniel Webster attended this school. He would have been 9 yrs old.
1793 William Hoyt is teaching on Center road and was a listed tutor of his.
1795-December, Academy Hall was incorporated and established on Garland’s Hill/ Whittemore Road area. Thomas Chase listed as tutor for Daniel Webster was the first principal.
(1796 May 25 Daniel Webster attends Phillips Exeter Academy)
p.522 Thomas (Chase) removed to Salisbury previous to 1768, resided in a one story house which stood in Caleb. E. Smiths garden. “Master Chase as he was called from his being as a successful School teacher was of pleasant and socialiable disposition in his baseness transactions. He was without doubt, the first schoolmaster located here, teaching the schools when they were kept in private houses, going from one neighborhood to another and also into the surrounding towns, He was the first teacher from whom Daniel Webster received public instruction.”
p.200:
“It was the practice of early settlers to give their children such rudimentary instructions as they were capable of imparting, at their own homes. In some instances neighbor united and occasionally employed a teacher, often selecting one who could aid in the household or on the farm.”
The reference to Daniel being sent to school indicates that likely it was the closest the 1791 Lower Village school.
So what can we guess form all this about his earliest education?
He was largely taught reading by his mother, he read voraciously, he was likely tutored by Thomas Chase and James Tappan and attended school for the experience as stated\ed by his half bother, in addition he received PUBLIC education under Thomas Chase. An educated guess is he amended the Lower Village School near his home.
p 157 from the History of Salisbury by John Dearborn, account of “Gen Walter Harriman who gave much examination to the early history of the town of Salisbury”comes this account referring to Searle’s Hill after the community was abandoned:
“But this deserted place is further made memorable by the fact that Daniel Webster, after leaving Exeter Academy in the spring of 1797 , and before commencing with Rev. Mr. Wood at Boscawen Plains, taught a private school for a few weeks, on this hill side, occupying for his schoolhouse a room here in his uncle William’s dwelling house. Daniel has a fine class of girls and boys, and his brief charge here, it is said, was pleasant and bewitching.”
p. 837 from the History of Salisbury by John Dearborn- According to John Dearborn around this time he also taught a short term at Lower Village School in what is now West Franklin.
“Later in life according to Dearborn Daniel taught at Shaw’s Corner in the schoolhouse just south of Thomas Bruce’s at North Road”. This is possibly the North Road School however the time frame is murky.
Question 2- Where was Daniel Webster married?
In 1808, at 26 years of age, Daniel Webster married Grace Fletcher in Salisbury New Hampshire. They were married in the west room of the home of Judge Israel Kelly. This is currently the home of Dot Bartlett on rte 127 in Salisbury. Grace Fletcher’s sister Rebecca, married Mr. Kelly and at that time Grace made this her home. Grace also taught school in Salisbury, possibly and likely right across the road at the South Road School.
Question 3- Where did Daniel Webster Worship?
Timeline:
1761 Ebenezer Webster the father of Daniel Webster marries married Mehitable Smith in Kingston NH and shortly after moves to land on Punch Brook Road (currently referred to as the Daniel Webster Birthplace State Park).
1764 Church Committee in Kingston established to create a Meeting House on a steep hill ultimately called Searle Hill (after the Reverend) in Salisbury in roughly what was the center of an unpopulated town.
1782 Daniel Webster is baptized atop Searle’s Hill in the Meeting House. The water dish for the Baptismal exists and is in the care of the Congregational Church of Salisbury.
abt 1785 Ebenezer and Abigail Webster and family leave the birthplace land and move to what is now W. Franklin. The Congregational Church referred to The Webster Family Church in West Franklin does not exist until 1820. Presumably the Webster family continue to attend some services there until the church was taken down and moved.
After 1782 and before 1791- The church on Searle’s Hill is disassembled and after discord about a new location for relocation (Garland Hill/ Whittemore Road area or South Road Village). It is rebuilt at the South road Village where it exists today.
1791 The Congregational Church having been removed is rebuilt and functioning at its new location under the preaching of the popular Reverend Worcester.
1791-1823 Reverend Worcester preaches to large crowds at the new location creating a revival and excitement.
Sept 13, 1807 Daniel Webster formally unites with the Congregational Society under Thomas Worcester. Other members of his family had as well previously.
Soon after Daniel Webster and wife move to Portsmouth.