July 4th 1907

New Ipswich Historical Society

Southern Hero Three Fire Company

Photographed in front of the Appleton Inn on Turnpike Road on the Fourth of July 1907.

People shown (good luck reading cursive)

Newspaper Clipping

1937 - Historical Society Meeting

The historical society met last week at home of Mrs. Abbie Phelps. Miss Caroline Lowe read a letter written by John S. Brown to Perley Gates of Ashby in 1859 and filed in New Ipswich library in 1900. In the letter Mr. Brown spoke of conditions in Kansas and said he was glad to find there people from Rindge and Ashby. He was born in New Ipswich in 1806.

Mrs. Anne Thayer read a paper on "Wilder Chairs." Peter Wilder settled in Tophet swamp about 1810. His wife, Tamar, bore him 10 children, two of whom, Josiah P. and John B., continued his business. They made comb-back, thumb-back, and ladder-back chairs with pine seats, and rocking chairs. The earlier models were branded "Wilder" and the later ones "J. Wilder Warranted." These men built most of the houses in Wilder village. The Blakey and Helen Hood houses remain. The chair business came to an end in 1869 when a freshet washed out the dam.

James Roger diary entries

9th September 1912

Fine day; clear and cool; wind variable. Fire alarm at 1:30 a.m. David rang bell; then went to fire at Chas. Willard’s Barn which was burnt and Stallion burnt. Ashley & Rafeunse got out his wagons, etc. David ploughing at C. Perry’s in forenoon and choring round after. I picked a chicken for Miss Laura Barr; lifted carpet and cleaned up after the children. Cut some lots in the afternoon; got paper from Hamish but no letter. Got letter from Hamish at night..