- The Trivia & History Challenge will present a monthly question pertaining to Salisbury on our Website and on our Facebook page. We hope you will find the questions intriguing and find the answers interesting.
- Parents and Educators: Some topics may very well lend themselves to further research for school children’s projects and reports.
- Previous Questions with links to answers are Indexed on the following: Trivia History Challenge Index
- Do you have an interesting question and answer for the challenge? Please let us know.
- Should we make a factual error please do not hesitate to contact us. All additional data, images, corrections or questions are always welcome.
NOVEMBER 2024
Questions:
1-Does the Baptist Meeting House, now the Salisbury Historical Society, look the way it did originally?
2-Was it always in the same place?
Answer:
1- No it does not. It fact it may have looked quite differently if we rely on the information in the History of Salisbury by John Dearborn 1890. It was an early NE Meeting House style with two ‘porches”/little towers on the ends and one main entrance along the broad east side. It had 2 stories of windows, balconies and the side entrances no doubt had stairways to the balconies. The ceiling likely was not arched until the second renovation.
Fremont Meeting House NH
This is the Fremont Meeting House. It has a main door on the broad side (pulpit would be opposite) and it has two entrances in the towers. It has double rows of windows. Did our Baptist Meeting house originally looked like this? Entrance facing the road? It certainly sounds like Dearborn’s description. All thoughts welcome! For more details on the changes: https://www.salisburyhistoricalsociety.org/the-meeting-house-2/
2- Not exactly. In 1839 (first remodel) it was moved back.
If one studies the information in the History of Salisbury there is no indication that it was turned. Why the mostly easterly tower is referred to as the north tower is a mystery.
Why was it moved back? It is unlcear but even our other town church at the junction of Rtes 127 & 4 was moved once in that location. (Actually it was disassembled and removed from its original location on Searle’s Hill years before). Moving buildings didn’t seem to intimidate the early settlers.
The roads and traffic patterns changed from the beginnings with the addition of the Fourth NH Turnpike (route 4)and teams of horses with carriages would go though so perhaps it was too close to the road? We may never know the answer but that is likely it. In addition in 1790 it’s still unclear whether the other roads specifically Old College Road had a role.
The cemetery was already in use when it was moved. The church today is oddly very close to the first row of graves for that reason presumably.
OCTOBER 2024
Questions: What is the Salisbury Time Capsule, where is it and what is in it?
Answer:
The Salisbury time capsule was buried in 2018 to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of our town’s founding by the Sesquicentennial Committee.
The Salisbury time Capsule is located just outside the library entrance in the brick walkway where the granite brick is located in the center design.
SEPTEMBER 2024
Question: Did you know that Salisbury had a toll booth back in the 1800’s? Where was it?
Answer:
Please see map and details Fourth NH Turnpike
AUGUST 2024
Question: There was once a small school house at Thompsons (Thompson’s?) Corner. Where is Thompson Corner?
Answer:
At the junction of the Center Rangeway (Center Road>Searle’s Hill Road), Raccoon Hill Road and New Road. If anyone has any information on exactly where the school house was please let us know.
On old maps the Center Rangeway is straight and became Searle’s Hill Road at this point, not as a turn off as it appears to do now.
JULY 2024
Question: What hill in town was originally referred to as Mt. Pisgah?
Answer:
Referred to by Ebenezer Webster as Mt Pisgah this hill was later was called Searle’s Hill after the Reverend Jonathan Searle who preached there.
JUNE 2024
Question: What do Bakerstown, Stevenstown, and Gerrishtown all have in common?
Answer:
Names our town was called in the early colonial days.
Roger’s Rangers began in 1755 as a company in the provincial forces of the colony of New Hampshire in British North America.
The recruitment of frontiersmen in New Hampshire in 1755 to form companies capable of conducting long-range patrols through the wilderness was a strategic move by the British Army during the French and Indian War (1754-1763). Rapidly becoming an autonomous ranger company within the British military, they were expertly trained and led by Rogers himself. These frontier units, commonly known as Rogers’ Rangers after their leader Robert Rogers gathered intelligence, captured prisoners, engaged in brutal guerrilla warfare and skirmishes. Their tactics were outlined in Roger’s 28 “Rules of Ranging.” These tactics proved highly effective, prompting the expansion of the initial company into a ranging corps boasting more than a dozen companies and reaching a peak strength of 1,200–1,400 men.
Overall, the role of Rogers’ Rangers exemplified the importance of specialized, unconventional forces in colonial conflicts, particularly in the challenging environment of frontier warfare.
During the American Revolution which followed some remained loyal to the Crown while others became part of the Continental Army.
Robert’s 28 Rules of Ranging are still used by the U.S. Army Ranger’s today.
Only known portrait of Robert Rogers
APRIL 2024
John Kepper in the role of Moses Garland 0n Round Robin Day, Cemetery Walk 2011
Joe Schmidl as Moses Garland loading his musket, a favorite of the children on the annual Round Robin Day.
Button detail of Joe Schmidl’s vest showing Roger’s Rangers insignia.
MARCH 2024
The connection of Josiah Bartlett Esq. to Salisbury NH began before the arrival of his daughter and husband about 1789-1790. He was a frequent visitor from Kingston NH, a participant in the Meeting House services on Searles Hill as he owned a pew in the church itself. The pew was likely a family box pew as was common a that time. The Meeting House on Searles Hill existed from about 1769-1790.
Josiah Bartlett came on occasion to visit his nephew and Rhoda’s cousin Dr. Joseph Bartlett who practiced medicine in Salisbury ultimately for 30 years.
Dr. Jospeh Bartlett arrived in town 1771 and resided on the South Rangeway west of Stirrup Iron Brook. There is no building or barn remaining however there are some intriguing cellar holes that exist in the area that coincide with the location description in the History of Salisbury, as opposite the residence (1890) of William Merrill. This location for William Merrill was adjacent and downhill to the 1851 Rev Eldridge house still standing (Southside). This is according to an old town map printed in Salisbury Lost by Paul S. Shaw.
Rhoda Bartlett True:
b. Kingston, NH on 22 May 1760 Kingston NH
m. Reuben TRUE on 22 Feb 1789.
d. Salisbury, MA on 25 Sept 1794.
Burial: Baptist Graveyard, Salisbury Heights
Children:
Levi TRUE, b. 22 June 1790; dy burial unknown
Josiah Bartlett TRUE, b. 4 Sept 1792 d Jan 20 1831 @38 years, Burlington Vt.
Inscription from her beautiful tombstone:
Consort of Mr. Reuben True and Dau. of His Excy Josiah Bartlett, Esq.; died in the 35th year of her age.
Her headstone is the oldest in the cemetery (Salisbury Historical Society).
The stone reads :
Stop my friend and take a second view
The dust that’s here, was once beloved like you
Spouse REUBEN TRUE
b. Oct 16, 1761, Salisbury Mass.
d. Dec 1826 ae 65 yrs
Reuben True Farm:
abt 1790 Reuben True Home is Built
Location Salisbury Heights Rte 4 & 127. Later Purchased abt 1816 by the Pettengills who made extensive alterations and establish the tavern known as the Bell tavern later known as the Traveller Home- Historic Salisbury Houses by Paul S. Shaw
Reuben True was an active town citizen involved in many projects.
From the History of Salisbury:
Most notable for:
June 1789 Reuben True is noted as having been part of a group of citizens forming the Baptist Society which moved forward to erect a new place of worship at the Center Village. For a time the group held meetings in private houses and in an old schoolhouse which they had bought of the town. Oct 1790 it was decided to build and Reuben True was part of a committee to sell pews.
1798 p.200 Corporate officer of the first Library in Salisbury
P 307 History Salisbury- took part in arguments and negotiations to determine the route of the Fourth NH Turnpike which was to be a toll road. (RTE 4)
1801- Involved in town boundary perambulations p. 328 abt 1816 Testified regarding Town perambulations specifically the nw corner area.
1804 p 415 Taxed as one of the first chaise owners in town. Definition from wikipedia-a light two or four wheeled traveling or pleasure carriage for one or two people with folding hood or Cassie top. Wheeled sedan chair.
The Salisbury Poor Farm or Almshouse, Photo from Salisbury Lost by Paul S. Shaw