Record Group Number 19

Swanzey

Compiled by Alan F. Rumrill - Keene, New Hampshire

April 1983

This record group consists of three series, MOUNT CAESAR SEMINARY AND SWANZEY ACADEMY, PROBATE, and SUBJECT FILE. The group is stored in one archives box. The items are arranged chronologically within each series or subject unless otherwise stated. The group encompasses the years 1724-1980.

Swanzey was granted in 1733 to Nathaniel Hammond and sixty-three others under the name of Lower Ashuelot. The town was settled in the 1740s but abandoned soon after. Settlers returned in the 1750s and the town was incorporated on July 2, 1753. The name was changed to Swanzey at that time. Various parts of the town were incorporated into Keene, Marlborough, and Troy at various times from 1794 to 1842. 647 people lived in Swanzey by the time of the Revolutionary War.

Series I, concerning Mount Caesar Seminary and Swanzey Academy, covers the construction stage of the building for the institution in detail, February 1843-March1844. The PROBATE series is a very rich grouping of materials. Not only is the will of one of the early settlers included (Jonathan Hammond, 1777), but the inventory and account of the auction of the estate of Mary Hawkins gives an excellent insight into the possessions and home furnishings and their values for an 1830s household.

The deeds and legal material within the SUBJECT FILE deserve special mention. The deeds are numerous (34 pieces) and involve seventeen grantees. The deeds cover the years 1773-1855. The legal materials are also numerous (38 pieces) and also date from the 1700s. The majority of these materials are various types of papers served by the sheriff or are instructions to him.

Series I, MOUNT CAESAR SEMINARY and SWANZEY ACADEMY

Folder 1, 44 items
Brief history of the institution, by P.S. Hammond
Student grade reports of Chloe Holbrook, 1855-56
Payment orders from the directors to treasurer Elijah Carpenter,
     February 1843 - March 1844 (Most deal with building construction)

Series II, PROBATE

Folder 1, 1777-1838 - 7 items
     (Filed alphabetically by surname of person involved)
Cooper, Henry; receipt - 1838
Hammond, Jonathan; will - 1777
Hawkins, Mary; account of sale of estate at auction - 1834
Hawkins, Mary; inventory - 1833
Seaver, Shubael; will - 1829
Unknown; disposition of real estate

Series III, SUBJECT FILE

Folder 1, A-B 1855-c.1970 - 25 items
Business

Folders 2-3, C 1933-1983 - 38 items
Celebrations
Cemeteries
Cheshire Fair
Churches
Civilian Conservation Corps
Clubs and Organization
Covered Bridges
Crime

Deeds (Alphabetically by Grantee)
Angier, Philip 0.
Aldrich, Amassa
Belding, Elijah
Carpenter, Elijah
Carpenter, Mrs. George
Carpenter, Greenwood
Hammond, Jonathan
Hawkins, Mary
Inhabtt of Swanzey
Partridge, Amariah
Read, Joel
Sawyer, Elmira
Thompson, Daniel
Town, John
Ware, Jacob
Whitcomb, Elbridge
Wilson, Joseph
Woodcock, Clarissa
Woodcock, Virgil

Folders 5-6, E-M 1724-1984 - 71 items
Entertaininents
Houses
History
Indians
Legal
Letters (Alphabetical by name of recipient)
     Carpenter, Elijah
     Carpenter, Greenwood
     Carpenter, ---
     Nears, ---
     Read, Hannah
     Read, Judith
     Read, Sabrina
Library
Military
Music

Folders 7-8, N-Z 1832-1983 - 32 items
Natural History
News Clippings
Old Home Day
People
Politics
Religion
Schools
Tax Records
Transportation
Weather