Hammond-Isaacs-Balch House

New Ipswich Historical Society

Moses M. Balch with horse

Moses M. Balch

Center Village Historic District

Property #24

Hammond-Isaacs-Balch House located in the New Ipswich Center Village Historic District circa 1826. Number 24 on the National Registry of Historic Places:

This house was built in 1826 by Elisha L. Hammond, who operated the Stage Tavern in the Center Village. Hammond's wife was Elizabeth Preston, granddaughter of Dr. John Preston (I), and this house was built at the time of their marriage. Hammond was also a builder; the Appleton Academy building of 1853 was built under his supervision. He also performed major renovation work in the Champney-Preston House in 1871 (#63). Henry Isaacs, the second owner of this house, came to Mason from Portsmouth about 1816. Around 1822, he arrived in New Ipswich and began trading in a store on the Turnpike. He was for a time President of the Bank and active in a variety of business pursuits. After his death in 1846, his son Edward M. Isaacs occupied the house. Following Edward's death, both the house and store passed to their long- time employee Charles A. Whitney (d. 1878). Whitney was also Postmaster and Town Clerk for around 25 years. In 1888 the house was purchased by Moses M. Balch, in whose family it remains. Ten years earlier, Moses Balch had bought a mill on the north branch of the Souhegan River, near Gibson's Four Corners (outside of the District) where he sawed logs and made barrel staves. In 1899 the mill was bought by his son, Albro L. Balch, who continued to operate it as a sawmill until it was destroyed by fire in 1941. Albro Balch resided in this house as well, and his daughter has been residing there for 74 years, since 1917.

Hammond-Isaacs-Balch house is located on Turnpike Road

On this day - June 2, 1908

James Roger diary entry

2nd (Tuesday)

Fair with cool NW wind moderating in evening.  David harrowing in top field and ploughing in Jim Davis field in afternoon. I sowed two rows of beets in incubator field.  Got pc from Hamish

On this day - June 2, 1897

William Jurian Kaula diary

Some reference should be made to the sounds in the landscape.  The most noticeable are the bells on the church towers which do not at all agree with the hour.  We hear the bells at Voulangis, Crécy and Villiers and they all strike the hour twice, and also announce the quarter hours.  There is nothing uncommon about church bells and town clocks except in numbers and I have never heard so many except on a Sunday morning at home.  Other sounds that are even more melodious and cheerful are the birds that warble, whistle, and chatter all the day.  I might mention the neighbor's mule as being guilty of adding another kind of music which is less agreeable to the ear.  But the most unendurable sound of all is that which issues from the mouth of Madam Merrit the owner of the mule.  She is an ugly little woman with a crooked-foot and we hear her loud voice scolding and calling names from morn till night.  She has a volley of names for everything that walks on two legs or four.