Upstream. Then & Now. Upper Pemigewasset Historical Society. Summer Museum Is Open for the Season. Wednesday, June 27.

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1 Upstream Upper Pemigewasset Historical Society Carol Riley, President Donna Thompson, Vice President Janet Peltier, Treasurer Judy Boyle, Secretary Directors: Brian Baker Carol Govoni David Thompson Jim Fadden Jack Patterson Newsletter Editor: Barbara Avery Summer 2012 Museum Is Open for the Season Wednesday, June 27 Open Hours are: Wednesdays, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Saturdays, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Then & Now Book Launch for Bill Gove s Revised and Reprinted J. E. Henry s Logging Railroads Above is the first Labrecque Hall as it looked in the very early 1900 s. To the right is Labrecque Hall as it was rebuilt after a fire in 1922, with the balconies facing Main Street. This was about where the Kancamagus Country Store is now seen on the right. At the back in all pictures an outbuilding can be seen that has not changed much over the years. Look for that outbuilding in other pictures on pages 4, 5, 8, 9 and 10. July 12 at 7:00 p.m. At the Museum

2 2 Upstream Summer 2012 Labrecque Hall Newman s Dry Goods 1911 Lincoln s South End in the Early Years The above map is a portion of the Sanborn Fire Insurance Map of Lincoln for It shows an area on the north side of Main Street now located between LaBrecque and Franklin Steets. Businesses most recently in this area are Sport Thoma, Mountain Wanderer and the Kancamagus Country Store. On the map in the upper left is the Lincoln Steam Laundry, this building was forty- five feet high. Directly below that is a barn complex showing a piggery and hen house. On the right side of the map, along Main Street is the larger building called Labrecque Hall, below that, Newman s General Store and residence, and lower still a residence. Newman s Dry Goods The photo on the opposite page was taken about this same time. It shows the two buildings next to Labrecque Hall, Newman s Dry Goods and the nearer tenement. Robert Newman, who ran Newman s Dry

3 3 Upstream Summer 2012 Goods was born in 1869 in German speaking Russia. He immigrated in From the following excerpts from the Plymouth Record, written by Woodstock correspondent, Justus Conrad, we can follow Newman as he established himself as a merchant first in Woodstock, then in Lincoln: There was an opening at the Pemigewasset Valley clothing store in Hanson s new block last Saturday by Robert Newman. All had been previously invited by circular to be on hand and he shown the finest stock of tailor made men s, boys and children s high grade clothing and men s furnishing ever shown in this state. - December 1895 The first floor (of the Beard s Opera House building) is also furnished in hard pine and is already occupied by Newman & Lewis who carry one of the largest stocks of clothing and dry goods in northern N. H. May 1897 Robert Newman and Rebecca Freedman, Samuel Lewis and Annie Freedman were united in the bonds of wedlock at Bartlett, June 14 th and 15 th, respectively. The above named gentlemen are our genial and hustling clothing merchants. Congratulations are now in order. June 1897 Sam Lewis of the firm of P. V. Clothing Co., has bought out R. Newman and will (Continued on page 4) Looking east along Lincoln Main Street, Newman s General Store is in the background, with a group, which includes two Labrecque boys, in front of the nearer building.

4 4 Upstream Summer 2012 (Continued from page 3) continue the business as here-to-fore in the name of S. Lewis. November 1897 Just over the line in Lincoln we find Robert Newman. Who is it that don t know genial Rob Newman? A few years ago he sailed in here with a pack, now he is conducting a hustling clothing business. - December 1898 Robert Newman has purchased a lot of land and is soon to erect a building between here and Lincoln for a store and tenement. The new building will be near the one now occupied by him. October 1899 JE Henry & Sons Co. have purchased the store and stock of goods owned by R. Newman. June 1916 Robert Newman s wife Rebecca, born in 1880, was also from German speaking Russia, having immigrated in Their children were Hattie Lillian Newman born in 1901, and Murdock H. Newman born in By the 1920 census, the family had relocated to Worcester, Massachusetts. Later, Murdock Doc Newman returned to the North Country and started Newman Lumber Company in Woodsville. According to Edmond Gionet, Newman once told him that the South End of Lincoln was called Pigs Ear because his father, Robert Newman, raised pigs in the piggery out in back of the Newman place on Main Street. Newman Lumber Company has relocated to Wells River, Vermont and is now run by Walter O. Young. Mr. Young worked for many years for Doc Newman and heard many references to his early years in Pigs Ear. According to Mr. Young, the move to Worcester was prompted by the fear that Doc s older sister, beautiful young Hattie Newman, would not be safe coming of age in the rough town of Lincoln in the midst of so many lumbermen. Newman s Building after 1916, while being used as the Russian Club Sometime after the Newman s moved away from Lincoln, their building was used as the Russian Club to accommodate

5 5 Upstream Summer 2012 the many Russians drawn to the area to work at the mill. Looking at the picture on the opposite page, on the far right in the background the two-story back part of Labrecque Hall can be seen just as it is in the picture below. This photo must have been taken before the Labrecque Hall was damaged by fire in It was rebuilt closer to the road and turned so the balconies are on the Main Street side. Labrecque Hall The photo below shows the first Labrecque Hall, with the forty-five foot Steam Laundry barely seen in back and the barn at the back on the left. This building had many uses over the years. It was the residence of Joseph and Elisa Labrecque and their ten children, as well as a floor for roomers and servants, and rental space for barbers, clothing stores and others. It also had the first large meeting place in Lincoln and was used for many events as the following excerpts from the (Continued on page 6) Labrecque Hall left to right: Joseph DeBlueberry, Joseph Talbot, Jim Doherty, cook, Joseph and Elise Labrecque, owners, seated are Labrecque children Wilfred, Clarence and Emile. The horse was referred to as Muzzey s Mare, bought from Charles Muzzey s livery stable in North Woodstock (which was located down behind where Truant s Tavern is now.)

6 6 Upstream Summer 2012 (Continued from page 5) gram each week. Sheldon s orchestra supplies the music for the show and the newspaper show: social dance which follows. April 1910 The Episcopals had a box party in Labrecque Hall on the evening of Feb January 1906 The Lincoln Military Band gave a concert and dance at Labrecque last week and earned $78. The boys are doing good work. May 1907 The Catholic Order of Foresters gave a dance at Labrecque Hall last Saturday evening. A large number was present and a good sum was realized. - March 1907 Thomas Lessard is giving a moving picture exhibition every Saturday night at Labrecque Hall. Mr. Lessard gets his film from Boston and New York exchanges, giving an entire change of pro- There are moving pictures at Labrecque hall every Saturday night with dancing afterward. Tickets $.25 with a souvenir to every lady who buys a ticket. July 1914 A union meeting was held at Labrecque Hall Tuesday night. July 1918 Joseph and Elise (Lavallee) Labrecque and son Leon were born in Canada. Joseph immigrated in 1886, Elisa and Leon in 1887, the year Leon was born. They lived in New Hampshire where Eddie was born in 1888 in Whitefield, Maude in 1891, Amie (later called Amos) in 1892, and Willie in The 1900 census shows them in Rumford, Maine where Alberta was born in Clarence was born in 1901 in Berlin, New Hampshire, Wilfred born in Sanford, Maine about They finally settled in Lincoln, New Hampshire where Emile was born about 1905 and Viola about The family continued to grow as Leon married Cecile Ayotte in Before 1920, Above shows a group gathered between the Hall and Main Street. Front left to right: Elise Labrecque, Alberta Labrecque, unknown man, Maud Labrecque, Joseph Labrecque, with daughter Viola in his lap, unknown man, and Amie Labrecque. (The man next to Amie Labrecque is said to be Sam Langford who was recently written about in Clay Moyle s book, Sam Langford: Boxing s Greatest Uncrowned Champion, 2008.)

7 7 Upstream Summer 2012 Above, the Labrecque Family in 1911 Rambler: Standing, Tim Bishop, husband of Maude Labrecque, front seat, Willie Labrecque driving, Alberta Labrecque center, Maud Labrecque outside, back seat Joseph and Elise, and youngest daughter, Viola. On running board, Clarence, Wilfred and Emile. Below, Elise and Joseph Labrecque with two children. Maude married Timothy Bishop, Amie married Maude Martelle, and Alberta married Edward Champagne. In 1925 Clarence married Elizabeth Dubea, in 1927 Wilfred married Margaret Littlefield, in 1931 Viola married Bertram Albee, and in 1935 Emile married Queenie Leola Wright. Census records show that Joseph worked as a restaurant keeper or a boarding house proprietor wherever he was located. He died in Lincoln in 1923 at the age of 62. Elise continued to run the boarding house for several more years. (Continued on page 8)

8 8 Upstream Summer 2012 Above is the rebuilt Labrecque Hall, with Arthur Salem s store on the lower left. The building also held the Labrecque residence, rooms for boarders and other shops. In later years the building was used as the Kancamagus Hotel until it was destroyed by fire on April 6, Below is a 1929 Fire Insurance map of this same area of Lincoln s South End as shown on the map on page 2. The Steam Laundry is gone and Labrecque Hall has been rebuilt, this time with the balconies along Main Street. The large piggery and hen house buildings are gone, but the other outbuildings remain about the same. Newman s building has an area added to the front as seen in the picture of the Russian Club on page 4. (Continued from page 7) Warren Chase Family 1929 MAIN Warren Chase was born in Wolfville, Nove Scotia about 1882 and immigrated to the United States in In December of 1907 he married Violet Leavitt in Northfield, New Hampshire. Violet was born in Canada, but had immigrated as an infant with her parents. The Chases returned to Nova Scotia where sons Kenneth, Howard and Gordon were born in 1909, 1910 and They relocated to Woodstock where George, Arthur, Robert, Clarence and Ruth were born.

9 9 Upstream Summer 2012 In the 1920 s they moved to an island between Joe Brook and the East Branch, but were flooded out in the great 1927 flood. Later they moved to the South End of Lincoln. Chase family members can be seen on the front steps of their home in the picture on the upper right. This building is the same building earlier occupied by Newman s Dry Goods and the Russian Club. On the right side in the photo, can be seen the front of the rebuilt Labrecque Hall with its balconies now facing the street. The picture of Ken Chase, right, shows in the background the area between the Chase residence, and the Labrecque Building. In the picture of Clarence and Ruth Chase, just below Ken, the Labrecque Building can be seen on the left. On the right, on the other side of Main Street can be seen the endless stacks of lumber. These stacks started at the mill and continued down to where Rite Aid is now located The bottom right shows Howard Chase. The October 1995 issue of Upstream contains an interview with Howard Chase in which he tells lots more about his family, where they came from and their lives in Lincoln. These are available to read at the Museum, the Lincoln Public Library and the Moosilauke Public Library in Woodstock.

10 10 Upstream Summer 2012 And Now... The building on the right started as Newman s Dry Goods and residence for his family, then the Russian Club, then a residence. It now has an addition on the front, where Steve Smith runs his Mountain Wanderer Maps and Books. You can see the upper part of the original building which still serves as a residence. Above, the miscellaneous barns and outbuildings from previous years have been replaced by a residence, but one barn is still there, though moved a ways to the east. In the area where Joseph Labrecque s Labrecque Hall once stood is now the Kancamagus Country Store. 250th Anniversary Woodstock in 2013 / Lincoln in 2014

11 11 Upstream Summer 2012 Many Thanks It would be impossible to look into the stories of our past without a lot of help from many people. Edmond Gionet provided information and the early pictures of the Labrecque Hall and Newman s building. Helene O Rourke provided lots of information, but especially the location of the Russian Club in the early years. Charlie Harrington managed to find someone who actually had photos of the South End of Lincoln during the 1930 s, and I sincerely thank Patty Papio for sharing these photos. Patty is the granddaughter of Warren and Violet Leavitt Chase, and the daughter of Arthur and Alice Parrot Chase. Joe Boyle sent me transcriptions of articles printed in local newspapers in the early 1900 s in regard to Labrecque Hall and Newman Dry Goods. Walter O. Young, the current manager of Newman s Lumber in Wells River, Vermont spent much of his life running Newman s Lumber Company with Doc Newman and very willingly shared his recollections. Bill Mellett told me the story of the day the Kancamagus Hotel (Labrecque Hall) burned in Roger Champagne provided the photo of Joseph and Elise Labrecque and the photo of the rebuilt Labrecque Hall. Roger is the grandson of Joseph and Elise Labrecque, and the son of Edward and Alberta Labrecque Champagne. I thank Rita Landry, David and Donna Thompson, Roger Harrington, Roland Leclerc and Frank Gagne for sharing their time with me, helping to find pictures, sharing recollections. Much information will be helpful for our next issue which will concentrate on the South End of Lincoln in the 1940 s and 1950 s. If you have information and/or pictures, please contact me. Remember, each building has a story and every family has many stories. Tell your stories to your children and grandchildren, and save your pictures! Barbara Avery bdavery@roadrunner.com Our Facility The building at 26 Church Street in Lincoln has had a long and varied history and for many years has been home to the UPHS. Over the past several years many improvements have been made. It is now apparent that the siding and roof needs to be replaced. This project will probably cost about $75,000 We would welcome any donations toward this capital project. Thank you for your consideration.

12 12 Upstream Summer 2012 Supporters These companies are supporting the U.P.H.S. We sincerely need and appreciate their help. Many thanks! Please contact us if you would like to have your business appear here. Docents Needed UPHS always needs more docents. If you are interested in sitting at the museum during open hours in the summer, please contact Donna Thompson at People are needed on Wednesdays from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. You can sign up for as many or as few sessions as you want. Upper Pemigewasset Historical Society PO Box 863 Lincoln, NH Presorted Standard US Postage Paid Lincoln, NH Permit No. 24