The
Chichester Town Library will be starting Storyhour Thursday Sept.
25th at 10:30. Meet some new friends, hear a couple of stories, do a
simple craft and enjoy a snack. Volunteer readers are always
welcome, give Lisa a call at 798-5613.
Happy Birthday to Hannah West on September 25.
Would you like to list your birthday in this column? Contact Hannah
West at the number listed above or e-mail
[email protected] . Family birthdays can be given at one time and
will be put in the paper as they occur.
Chichester Grange will meet on Monday, October 1, at 7 p.m. upstairs
in the Grange Hall.
Could you help out on the Space Needs Committee? Currently this
committee is addressing the projected expansion to the police
department listed in the Chichester Improvement Plan for the year
2009 and looking at the current insufficiencies resulting from
inadequate space. The police were moved into their temporary
location ten years ago and have outgrown the space to the point that
substantial liability issues require immediate attention by the
Town. Talk to someone at the Town Offices if this sounds like a
committee for you.
Chichester Grange
Chichester Grange met on September 17 with Master Anne Boisvert
presiding. Deputy Rhoda Davis was present for her official fall
visit, and members exemplified the Second Degree for the benefit of
Alice Hilliard and Marty Boisvert, the two newest members.
Wildlife sightings included wild turkeys, a toad, a snake,
squirrels, and a bald eagle circling the NH Building at the Eastern
States Exposition in Springfield, MA. Year-end reports are being
turned in to the appropriate committee chairmen of the NH State
Grange. Members brought in canned goods for the Chichester Food
Pantry and new linens to be given to the NH Coalition Against Rape
and Domestic Violence for use in their shelters. A donation of fifty
dollars will be sent to the NH Food Bank. A Yankee Candle Fund
Raiser is in progress and will end on October 15. Proceeds will
benefit both Chichester Grange and the NH State Grange.
Refreshments after the meeting were provided and served by Ina and
Alice Hilliard. The next meeting will be held on October 1.
Chichester Historical Society ~ Pleasant Street
By Walter
Sanborn
Many
towns have a road called Pleasant Street and Chichester is no
exception. Pleasant Street starts at Kelley’s Corner and continues
into the town of Loudon and ends at the junction of Route 129.
Originally it continued to Loudon Center.
Part of it is opened at each end in Loudon as Pleasant Street
Extension, but is not open to through traffic.
I do not know how it got its name as Pleasant Street, but has always
had that name throughout history. Pleasant Street played an
important part in the separation of the town of Chichester and
Pittsfield and only by the Grace of God, Pleasant Street would be in
Pittsfield.
The history of Pleasant Street reflects back to the early history of
Chichester which would require many pages of records, but I will try
to condense the history into this one article.
When Chichester was granted in 1727 it was laid out 8 miles square
running from Barnstead to Pembroke, north and south and from
Nottingham to Canterbury, east and west. It was found Epsom was also
granted some of the same land so the town of Epsom was taken out of
the southeast corner of Chichester leaving Chichester L shaped
instead of square.
Paul Morrill one of the early settlers was given a grant of land of
250 acres in the very southern corner of the town.
In 1791 a meetinghouse was built where our town library now stands
and was the former town hall.
In 1767 Joseph Frost of Newmarket and John Cram came to Chichester
and started a grist and sawmill on the Suncook River where the dam
in Pittsfield now exits. As the inhabitants came to the mill to have
their grain ground and logs sawed into lumber the mill was a
gathering place for the men to meet.
John Cram appeared to be an aggressive business man and acquired
another 100 acres around his mill and later bought 1100 more acres.
Although it was then Chichester the section now called Pittsfield
Upper City and the section around Berry Pond and now South
Pittsfield were becoming settled. Settlers were also starting to
farm what was then called Pleasant Street.
Chichester at this time was a large town as I have described at the
beginning of this article, but did not have a center or a central
village.
As the northern section of the town of Chichester was more densely
settled than the rest of the town some of the men signed a petition
presented to the Selectmen to divide the town of Chichester and
start a new parish or town.
Although no record of the petition exists town record of the
original warrant are recorded and is printed as it appears below.
70 State of New Hampshire. Rockingham js...
Whereas a petition has been presented to the Subscribers to call a
town meeting
Therefore, this are to Notife and warn
All the free voters and other inhabitants in the Town of Chichester
qualified by law to vote in town affairs to assemble and meet at the
Schoolhouse in SD town that stands on Gilmanton Road on Wednesday
the 26 day of December Instant at ten of the clock in the forenoon
of the SD day and when met to act as follows
1 Ly to choose a moderator to govern SD meeting
2 Ly to see if the town will agree and vote to set off the Second
and third Divisions of land in SD town to be set off shurly as a
parish by themselves to be invested with town privileges as other
towns in this state or to act other wise in Deviding of SD town as
the town thinks proper as SD meeting.
3 Ly to see if the town will chuse a committee to prepare a petition
to the General Court of this State to confirm the above vote.
4 Ly to see if the Town will vote to except of plan of government
which was agreed upon and made in convention at Concord in June 1781
5 Ly to see if the town will act anything Concerning of Corn that is
in the hands of John Eaton and Daniel Eaton which was collected last
year-----
Dated at Chichester this
Twelth Day of December in 1781
Selectmen for Chichester
Elijah Ring
Simeon Hilvard
per Dwyer Hook
Town Clerk
More on the dividing of the town and Pleasant Street will follow in
the next article.
September 2008 Capital Region Food Program Distribution
Supplemented By Lincoln Financial Group Food Drive
Eighteen
local social service agencies, area food pantries, and church groups
were the recipients of over 2.3 tons of non-perishable food that was
purchased and donated by the Capital Region Food Program (CRFP) for
their September Year Round Distribution Project. The 270 cases of
food purchased and donated includes items such as canned fruit and
vegetables, peanut butter, breakfast cereal, pasta, and soups.
This month’s distribution efforts were supplemented by an additional
20 donated cases of food and cash gifts provided by Lincoln
Financial Group as a result of a three-week food drive at its
Concord, N.H., facilities.
The recipient agencies were: Allenstown & Pembroke Interfaith Food
Pantry, Belknap/Merrimack County CAP, Boscawen Congregational
Church, Boscawen Human Services, Centerpoint Food Pantry, Chichester
Food Pantry, Concord Human Services, First Congregational Church,
Friendly Kitchen, Friends of Forgotten Children, Hopkinton Food
Pantry, Merrimack Valley Day Care, Pembroke Food Pantry, Pittsfield
Food Pantry, St. Paul’s Church Food Pantry, St Peter’s Church St.
Vincent de Paul Society, Suncook CAP, and Warner CAP.
On an annual basis, the CRFP distributes over 100 tons of food
through its two initiatives. Thirty-five (35) tons of food is
distributed through the Year Round Distribution Project which is
held ten times throughout the year at the Storrs Street Market
Basket. Sixty-five (65) tons of food are distributed through the
program’s Holiday Food Basket Project, held in partnership with the
New Hampshire Army National Guard each December.
Visit
www.capitalregionfoodprogram.org for more information on how to
donate or to volunteer.
Out Of
Your Attic Thrift Shop News
By Ruthi True
Wow, The Final Count
455 Backpacks given out
Bon has just given me the final count on backpacks that we have
given out this year. We have given out 455 back packs all fully
stocked and the back packs were all brand new. We find this to be
quite an accomplishment thanks to all our wonderful customers and
friends, and family who have come in with so many donations to help
us do this. We had some customers who came in every week bringing us
paper goods, pens, pencils, folders, etc. to help fill the backpacks
and for this, we are truly grateful.
To do this, it takes a lot of money, volunteers and donations. We
have the energy and are committed as long as you help us. Thanks
again to all of you who helped and you know who you are as you help
us all year with projects. There are several children in our local
communities who have benefited from this project.
Starting this week we will already be collecting for next year’s
project, as it takes a lot of stuff to fill this many projects. Our
goal for next year will be to try for 500 back packs - right Bon??
I’d like to thank Mari Ann from Epsom and her daughter, Kerry Lynn
from Hooksett and her daughter Daniel for helping at the shop all
summer. That was great to get all 3 generations involved at the shop
as volunteers. It proves what a dedicated family you are in helping
other families have what we sometimes take for granted. Your help is
all much appreciated.
We are trying to continue to do what we do best and that is HELPING
PEOPLE less fortunate. We have the energy in our volunteers, but not
always the resources.
Wish List: canning jars.
Letter
Thank You and Bottom Up!
Congratulations and Thank You to everyone who ventured out on a
cold, rainy day to vote in our recent primary! If you chose to place
your trust in me by casting one of your votes for me to serve you
again in the State Legislature, I thank you. However, even if you
chose to vote for someone else, I thank you for honoring our
privilege of voting and coming out to let your voice be heard! I
also appreciate all those wonderful conversations we shared (perhaps
walking through a little thunder and lightning) and wanted to remind
you that you can always contact me either at home @ 798 5806 or by
e-mail @
[email protected]. with issues that are of concern to
you or just to say “hi” or maybe you would like a sign on your front
lawn!
The general election is just a few short weeks away and when you go
to vote on Tuesday, November 4, you may notice a significant change
that we enacted in the last legislative session. Due to the fiercely
independent nature of our state, we have eliminated “straight ticket
voting.” This means it might take you a few more minutes to vote on
November 4th as you go down through all of the different offices.
How about starting local by starting at the bottom and working your
way up?! Remember, this is a very important election as you have an
opportunity to speak loud and clear for your choice for State Rep,
Congress, US Senate, President and many other offices. Haven’t
registered in Chichester yet? No problem, in our wonderful state,
you can register the same day as you vote! So see you on Tuesday,
November 4th and remember....BOTTOM UP!
Rep. Sally Kelly
Chichester & Pembroke
New
Tractor Supply Company Store Planned For Chichester
Construction is under way on a new Tractor Supply Company store in
Chichester, N.H., the company’s fifth New Hampshire location.
Tractor Supply Company is the largest retail farm and ranch supply
store chain in the United States.
The new Chichester Tractor Supply Company store will be at 307 Dover
Road, and will have 19,097 square feet including sales floor and
support service space. A fenced exterior space will be built for
storage and display of items such as fencing, sprayers and livestock
equipment.
Construction began on the new facility on June 9, 2008. The
contractor for the project is Primax Construction, Inc. of
Pinehurst, N.C. A construction completion date has been tentatively
set for November 2008.
Tractor Supply Company, listed on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange as TSCO,
operates more than 791 stores in 43 states. Tractor Supply Company
stores are focused on supplying the lifestyle needs of recreational
farmers and ranchers. The company also serves the maintenance needs
of those who enjoy the rural lifestyle, as well as tradesmen and
small businesses. Tractor Supply Company stores are located in the
outlying towns in major metropolitan markets and in rural
communities. The company offers a comprehensive selection of
merchandise for the health, care, growth and containment of horses,
livestock and pets; a broad selection of agricultural products; and
tools and hardware selected for our customers’ needs. In addition,
the company sells light truck equipment, work clothing for the
entire family, and an extensive line of seasonal products including
lawn and garden power equipment products. For more information on
Tractor Supply, access the website at:
www.TractorSupply.com.
N.H.
Hunting Digest, Your Guide To Hunting In The Granite State
Submitted By Evelyn Pike
Fall is in the Air, and some of the New Hampshire’s Hunting Seasons
are already underway. The 2008-2009 N.H. Hunting Digest is hot off
the press, with most everything you need to know about hunting in
the Granite State. The publication is available at the Chichester
Town Clerk’s Office where you can also renew your licenses or obtain
a new license.
The Hunting Digest provides details about N.H. Hunting Seasons, plus
bag limits, wildlife management unit boundaries, license prices,
check stations and other information hunters need.
Opening day for New Hampshire’s most popular hunting season, the
firearms deer hunting is November 12.
If you need a Hunter Education Class, required for first time
hunting license holders, sign up for one right away by calling
271-3212.
Letter To
The Editor
Editor:
The selection of Sarah Palin would be humorous if not for the fact
that people are planning to vote for the Republican ticket because
she is a woman. I realize that the Bush Presidency has lowered the
bar. The statement “In America, anyone can be president” is
frighteningly real. This woman believes the war in Iraq was God’s
will. She recently changed her mind and indicated that humans may
have something to do with global warming. A view of her record as
governor clearly shows she is cavalier with laws and taxpayer funds.
We have been put through eight years of that attitude and things are
not going too well in this country.
Polls indicate white women are considering voting for the Republican
ticket because Palin is the vice-presidential candidate. Look at the
Republican platform. It reads like a Stephen King novel. Americans
must read the fine print before they make a choice. We are not
voting for the Prom King and Queen in this election.
I encourage everyone to vote in this election but be an educated
voter. Once you understand the differences between the Democratic
and Republican platforms you will vote for Barack Obama and Joe
Biden.
James W. Rogers
Chichester, NH