A HANOVER DIARY

The Day-by-Day Record Kept by Robert Fletcher from 1871 to 1934 Provides a Pin-Point Picture of Life in that Period

ROBERT FLETCHER WAS born in New York City on August 23, 1847. Receiving his early training in the schools of that city, he obtained an appointment to West Point and was graduated from that institution in 1868. For two and a half years he served as a second lieutenant in the army, for a portion of the time in the engineering service and later as instructor in the Military Academy. In 1870 he was selected by General Sylvanu Thayer as Director of the School of Engineering which the General was endowing as a part of Dartmouth College. Lieutenant Fletcher came to Hanover to take over his duties on January 17, 1871. From that time to his death on January 7, 1936, a period of 65 years, he was a resident and one of the most useful citizens of the community.

On July i, 1856, then less than nine years of age, the boy began a diary which was continued with hardly the interruption of a day through the year 1934. It thus constitutes an unbroken record for 78 years. Most of us, in old age, are keenly regretful that we have not taken the trouble to keep a daily record of the happenings of our lives. Professor Fletcher, ever methodical in his habits, persisted in doing what most of us wish that we had done and so set down meticulously what seemed to him to be the salient incidents of each day during nearly all of his long life. The resultant series of diaries is now to be regarded as the most valuable source material in our possession for the lengthy period which it covers. The gratitude of all those interested in the history of the College and the town is to be tendered to Miss Mary Fletcher for the gift of these diaries to the College.

The entries are generally brief and usually factual, although occasionally opinions, sometimes of a forcible character, are inserted. Obviously much of the material has to do with the Thayer School and thus constitutes a mine of information available to the future historian of that institution. The present article, however, has to do with the light which the diaries shed upon the life of the Hanover community.

Preparatory to his appointment the young lieutenant came to Hanover, on July 8, 1870, to look the field over—a task accomplished to his apparent satisfaction in the course of one forenoon. Staying at White River Junction over night, the next morning he "took the freight train forHanover and walked up to the College, arriving at 8.30". After an interview with President Smith the latter "took me aroundthe buildings of the College and calledupon Professor Young". All this activity, none the less, permitted his departure at 11.30.

Arrangements having been completed with General Thayer, whom he visited at Braintree, Mass., he resigned from the army and on January 17, 1871, he came to Hanover as a permanent resident. He records: "Interview with Pres. Smith andProf. Quimby. Became acquainted withProf. Proctor who found very nice roomsfor me in the same house as Tutors Emerson and Lord, two very pleasant gentlemen." After arranging for his classes—at this time merely preparatory for the Thayer School of the coming year—he notes: "Have found board at Mr. Huntingdons (sic) whose family are very nicepeople. Our boarding house is over 14mile from our rooms. For exercise we sawwood and walk." With no delay he entered into the life of the community. On Jan. 28 he "attended a sociable or reading party at Mrs. Prof. Young's. Met manyof the professors and their ladies. Thereadings were quite interesting." On Saturday evening, "tea at Prof. Ruggles' andpeople (Mr. and Mrs. Blaisdell)". And on his first Sunday in the community he "took charge of a Sunday School class", an activity which was to continue for many years.

At once he set about the process of establishing himself in Hanover. His relation with the Huntington family soon became close. Newton S. Huntington, formerlv engaged in farming at Hanover Center, at this period was established in the village as a banker. Throughout his life he was highly esteemed in the community. Two daughters, Ellen and Fanny, were members of the household and notes in the diary concerning them soon became abundant, such as the following: "Attended concert with Miss Fanny Huntington"; "pleasant ride to Thetford withProf. Hall and the two Miss Huntingtons"; "played croquet at the Huntingtons"; "rode on top of a coach to the Scientific Association picnic at Enfield Pondwith Miss Huntington." So far as the diary is concerned, it is somewhat difficult to detect in which of the two girls his predominant interest lay, but on Oct. 14, 1871, he records laconically, "engaged toEllen". They were married on July 2, 1872. Two children, Mary and Robert, were born to them. In 1874 Miss Fanny Huntington was married to Charles P. Chase, then a professor in Olivet College, but who passed the greater part of his life in Hanover as a banker and as treasurer of the College. The firmly knit family group thus formed remained intact for many years. Mr. Huntington died in 1899, Mrs. Huntington in 1906, Mr. Chase in 1923 and Mrs. Chase in 1932. The son Robert, valedictorian of the Class of 1896 and Professor of English in Grinnell College, died after a long illness in 1919. Mrs. Fletcher survived her husband for two years.

Preparations for domestic life were soon under way. On Aug. 29, 1871, Prof. Fletcher notes, "Changed my quarters.Moved into Dr. Crosby's hospital opposite.Have for the present two north rooms onthe first floor." Soon he records the purchase of this house, which was to be his home for the remaining 64 years of his life. It had been built in 1820 by Mrs. William Dewey and in the period immediately preceding its purchase had been used bv Dr. Dixi Crosby as a private hospital. The price paid,$5000 does not seem particularly cheap for Hanover real estate of the day. The house had the conveniences of those in the village of its time—for the most part none at all. Prof. Fletcher, however, was always among the first to introduce improvements and the record of the changes which he made in the course of years is in itself the story of the increase of household comfort and convenience in Hanover homes during the period. The winter of 1885-1886, among others, was very severe. On Feb. 28, as a result of a "furious gale from the north all day andnight," he was compelled to maintain six fires to keep warm. This being too much for his equanimity, he records on Mar. 16 that a furnace was ordered, which was installed by the end of the winter. In 1893 a sewer system was installed in the neighborhood in connection with the new hospital and he notes "laying drains. Prof. Pollensand I to connect with the line on HospitalStreet." Water, furnished by the unreliable aqueduct system, was a continual problem. Thus in 1881 from February 14 to March 24 there was no flow of water and domestic supplies could be furnished only by the troublesome process of melting snow. This difficulty, encountered not infrequently in other years, was relieved in 1893 by the installation of the present water system. Surprisingly late, electric lights were installed in 1906—"at last after longwaiting electric lights were put in operation in our house." Although he, himself, never owned a car, his daughter did, so he records in 1916 "workmen began onMary's garage." And finally, in 1929, "inspected new oil heater."

Professor Fletcher was abundantly busy during his long life. The central portion of his activities was obviously the work of the Thayer School, but that was supplemented by a vast amount of consulting work in engineering, his service to school and precinct and to the two churches with which he was intimately connected. As has been said already, he was a methodical man. In 1873 he sets forth his daily routine: "6 A.M. rise; 6.00-6.30, toilet andhousehold duties; 6.50-7.00, study; 7.00-7.50, breakfast, prayers, home duties; 7.50-8.10, college chapel; 8.10-9.30, recitations;q.30-10.00, exercise, sanitary and recreative; 10.00-11.00, correspondence; 11.00-12.30, study; 12.30-1.30, dinner, newspaperreading, recreation; 1.30-2.00, study; 2.00-3.30, recitations; 3.30-4.00, exercise; 4.00-6.00, study; 6.00-7.00, supper and recreation; 7.00-8.45, study and related readings;8.45-9.30, recreation and home duties; 9.30,retire to rest." Probably at some time or other most of us have established such schedules—the chances are that Prof. Fletcher lived up to his. Even the performance of morning household "chores" seems rather irksome to us in these later days. He notes in 1884: "Usual duties at home; viz,rise at 6.00. Start fire in kitchen for Ellen,who comes down about 6.30. Start fire inthe dining room wood stove. Stoves in halland sitting room (constant coal fires) to beattended to. Cut up day's supply of kindling wood. Bring up wood from shed foruse in the kitchen. Bring up coal, etc."

But it was not a dull life, devoid of recreation. As stated above, the family was a closely knit one, gathering almost daily for social diversion and always together at Thanksgiving and Christmas, either the eight alone, or, more frequently, with the addition of outside guests. In the summer season picnics were a constant source of entertainment—at Olcott Falls (before the building of the dam at what is now Wilder); at Mr. Huntington's farm at Hanover Center; at Quechee Gulf; "up County Road"; at Goose Pond; at Moose Mountain; but most of all at "the Island." Upon the latter, a small island in the Connecticut a mile or so above the Wilder dam, Mr. Chase had built a cottage. For years the family assembled there frequently, making the journey by boat. In the seventies and eighties the river was used more generally than it is today, but the navigation was always by row boats, one or more of which seem to have been in the possession of most faculty familiesa condition which strikes a sympathetic note in the present writer to whom the process of paddling a canoe is strained and irksome, while rowing is easy and natural. Other diversions noted in the diary are croquet, visiting the log drives in the river, gathering berries, attendance at the circus, mountain climbing, and, in the winter, sleigh riding, skating, sugaring off and coasting. The last was not always devoid of untoward results, as indicated by an entry for Dec. 30, 1878—"Coasting ontraverse on Mr. Chase's lot. Third timedown the traverse tipped over and Mrs.Dimond (in Hanover on a visit) broke herleg just above the ankle; one bone. A sadaffair but it is doubtless ordered for goodto us all. We feel the responsibility, but itwas not entirely our fault."

In August, 1894, he made his "first serious attempt at bicycle ridinga machine which he mastered in due time, soon finding it not merely pleasurable, but invaluable in making his way about town—a statement the truth of which is obvious to those who remember Professor Fletcher's constant use of such transportation in his later years.

Amusements of a rather gruesome type ( are recorded in the earlier days when physicians appear to have been more communicative than they are now. Thus in 1873 he records, "Witnessed an operationon a man's eye at the Medical buildingjust after breakfast," and in 1874, "Wentto the Medical College with the Dartmouth Scientific Association and viewedthe body of Evans, the murderer (sentthere for dissection). Dr. Frost made someremarks."

Social activities were plentiful in Hanover. The college circle, although small, was closely bound together. The degree of formality which prevailed appears to have been greater than in our time. "Tea parties" (evening gatherings of larger attendance but with less extensive refreshments than at a dinner) were numerous, and more formal entertainment was not lacking. Thus in 1873 the Fletchers gave their first party of the latter type. "Eveningparty, no invited, 68 present. Very pleasant ffair, nothing to mar it. Made preparations for 80, everything good. Threwopen two rooms upstairs and parlor, studyand dining room. 13 members of the faculty present, the others, with one exception, being sick or absent from town. Allseemed to enjoy it very much. The sethour was 7.30, people began to arrive alittle before 8.00, and all had left by 10.30." Again in 1878 an "elaborate party" wagiven by the Fletchers, with 31 in attendance, 69 having been invited. In this case he records the expense. "The cost, icecream $2.80, service 1.65, coffee .80, man.25, cake 1.50, total $7.00."

Rather unexpected for a country community was the custom of New Year's calls by the men and their reception by the women, which lasted well into the decade of the eighties. A list of those upon whom Mr. Fletcher called in 1876 is of some interest in suggesting by our lack of recognition of most of the names of the families, in Hanover of that period how little we will be remembered in the lapse of seventy years. It is as follows: Mrs. Lord, Mrs. and Miss Dewey, Mrs. Frost, Hitchcock, Miss Abbott, Mrs. Smith, Huntington, Haughton, Misses Cobb, Mrs. Wainwright, Downing, Jos. Emerson, Brown, Powers, D. Newton, Pres. Smith, Mrs. Balch, Sanborn, Proctor, Quimby, Dixi Crosby, Worthen, H. Hitchcock, Hardy, Ruggles, Patterson, Long, Young, T. R. Crosby, F. Chase, Cook, W. Chase, Miss Sherman, Mrs. Parker, Noyes, Miss McMurphy, Mrs. Sherman, Gould, Pike, E. K. Smith, Carpenter, Miss Rood, Kingsland, Mrs. Palmer, Mr. Leeds, Mrs. Haddock, Howe. "50 families, 43 places (10 cards only), 84persons. Mrs. Fletcher and Mrs. Dimondtogether received about 40 calls." All this was accomplished in the hours from three to eight and thus averages six minutes for each call, with no allowance for travel .from house to house. No mention is made of the type of refreshment, if any, that was served.

Intellectual pabulum was abundant in the seventies and eighties. There was one difficulty, however. The only available auditorium was the college church so that the nature of the "entertainment" had to be reasonably adapted to that sacred edifice. That seems not always to have been done for in 1879 he records, "Miss Potter'spersonations were too theatrical for achurch building." But the following list of the more or less staid and sober lecturers whom he heard in Hanover from 1871 to 1900 indicates the high character of such visitors. It includes J. T. Fields (three times), W. H. H. Murray, George Macdonald, Wendell Philips (twice), John T. Gough, Whitelaw Reid, General Banks, Richard A. Proctor, Joquain Miller, Joseph Cooke, Mrs. Livermore (twice), S. S. Cox, Josh Billings, John Boyle O'Reilly (twice), Archibald Forbes, A. W. Tourgee, John Lord, Senator Bayard, Matthew Arnold, George W. Cable, Charles Dudley Warner, Julian Hawthorne, G. R. Horr, Lew Wallace, T. W. Higginson, Frank Beard, Edward Everett Hale, Eli Perkins, Lyman Abbott, George Kennan, Thomas B. Reed, Senator Ingalls, Senator Dawes, Carroll D. Wright, General Gordon, Henry Watterson.

The theater was another matter. The convictions resulting from the Baptist training which Mr. Fletcher had received as a boy did not, in the early years, encourage attendance at the play. Nor could it be said that there were many opportunities for such diversions at that period in Hanover. Moreover the only hall available in the village lor such performances was "Kibling's Opera House" (which survives as a part of the lodging house for college workmen on the corner of College and Lebanon Streets) of distinctly unfragrant repute. In 1879 he notes "Wife and therest of the folks went to see Pinafore,played by the students in the OperaHouse. I spent the evening with GrandmaBridgman until they came home. I couldnot think it consistent with my Christianprofessions to attend such a play." In 1886 he says, "Attended the play of JuliusCaesar at the Opera House. Except for thefact that the entire affair was gotten upand managed by the stude?its and all theparts taken by them, I would not havestepped inside that building." Later he became less resolute in his attitude and attended plays given in Hanover by local talent, or by touring companies such as the Coburn or Ben Greet players, with no apparent qualms. Occasionally he even ventured to the theater when in the city.

Of course disastrous occurrences were not lacking in Hanover in the 65 years covered by Prof. Fletcher's life in the village. There was always the weather, which, in New England, is often of the nature of a tragedy. In the early part of the period the most constant complaint was of spring mud. Thus in April 1881, "reign of mud for two weeks past"; in March 1884, "do not remember to haveseen the streets in so had a condition before. Slush and water nearly a foot deepin places"; and in March 1889, "mud!mud! horrible roads." Not until 1886 were any sidewalks installed. In August of that year he records: "Work of laying out tarconcrete crossings fairly begun ($500 appropriated by the Precinct at $1.00 persquare yard). Also several hundred feet ofsidewalks, six feet wide, laid at the expense of citizens (60c per square yard)." The system was rapidly extended, but it was not until many years later that hardsurfaced roads were begun. Sometimes it stormed. On July 16, 1880 a "whirlwindalong Lebanon Street destroyed trees, Currier's barn, Filiau's new ell unroofed,O'Gara's house, etc." Beginning with Feb. 27, 1886, "a furious gale from the north" raged for five days, "the worst storm I haveever known in Hanover"; on Feb. 16, 1898, "violent storm, wind and snow, greatdrifts"; on Jan. 8, 1913, "everything covered with a white coating of snow andfrozen sleet—hard, and glare." The famous blizzard of 1888 is thus recorded under the dates March 12 and 13: "Fall of eightinches of snow, then the wind shifted andincreased to a gale. Wild night, a tempestof wind and snow. Moderate estimate ofthe fall, more than two feet. North wind.Drifts in front of my house and at frequent intervals in the street, from four tosix feet. Spent a great part of the forenoonin cutting passages through the drifts andin cleaning roofs."

Sometimes it was hot in Hanover. Thus on July 3, 1911 he notes, "98° at ourhouse, north side, P.M. Exceeds any pastrecord at the observatory." More often it was cold so that many statements of low temperature appear, such as the following on Jan. 13, 1914, "-22°, a bitter merciless wind of moderate force. One of theworst days on record. Mr. Davison thinkshe never knew it so cold at noon, withsuch wind, in his residence." But this was soon surpassed by a period from Dec. 30, 1917 to Jan. 4, 1918. During these six days the thermometer never, even at noon, registered above -j-20 and for most of the time it was far below 0°, falling on two occasions to 40° (—37° at the observatory). "Our principal occupation, trying tokeep warm. Furnace fire, heater firex firein the kitchen range, wood fire part of theday in the Franklin fireplace stoves in thesitting room and in Mary's room." In the midst of the cold, the house opposite was burned to the ground. "The old AmosDewey house burned this morning between 5 and 7. The Sheltons barely escapedby crawling on hands and knees. Caughtfrom the furnace, he says."

Floods, also, were periodic, high water being recorded in 1876, 1883 and, as a result of spring thaws, in various other years. That of 1913 did much damage, the water rising to 21' 9" on the Hanover gauge. The greatest of all, however, was the "Vermont flood" of 1927. On Nov. 4 he notes: "Rain last night and heavy downpourthrough the forenoon. Great flood damage.Norwich has lost 12 bridges (by report).The reservoir dam (Norwich) had its southern wing wall washed away. The ironbridge at Hartford village and the damnear it demolished. West Hartford timberbridge wrecked." On the next day he inspected some of the damage. "First to ourbridge—the peak of the flood this forenoon. Water probably six feet higher thanin the flood of 1869. Second, we rode toWhite River Junction and Hartford village. Work of the flood appalling. Ruin,wreckage and mud. Flood limit at almostunbelievable height. Third, we went toWilder dam and falls. View of the resistless and tumultous flood almost terrifying."

Certain other tragic occurrences may be noted. Three epidemics are recorded: typhoid fever in November 1875, so severe that the closing of the College was discussed; influenza in the winter of 1889-1890 and in the following years, in the course of which a number of prominent citizens died; and the very terrible influenza epidemic of September 1918, occurring during the congestion resulting from the army training program in the College. In 1882 the following record occurs: "Horrible affair. Accidental shooting of Sophomore Howe from a shotgun in the handsof Flint, just in front of N. A. Frost's store.Entered back just below shoulder bladeand presumably entered lungs. He livedless than three hours." On Feb. 5, 1887 a shocking railroad accident took place near West Hartford, Vt., in which a passenger train was derailed, dropping off a bridge onto the ice of the White River and there burning with the loss of nearly 40 lives. The next morning he "rode by sleigh tothe horrible disaster of the West Hartfordbridge. Every combustible part of thebridge and train burned except the twoforward cars. Saw the sickening sight of 15charred remains in boxes. Examined thetrack and got pieces of broken rail andaxle." As a result of this examination and of another on the following day, he was called as an expert witness in the litigation which followed.

On July 17, 1891, occurred the murder of Christie Warden in the Vale of Tempe by Frank Almy, a crime which made Hanover for a considerable period notorious throughout the east. On July 18 he records, "All ready for a family picnic whenwe first heard of the horrible murder. Ageneral alarm should have been given bythe bell last night. I made a part of asearch party which went through thewoods on the east bank of the river from thebridge to the Vale of TempeA about threemiles. A futile search, of course." After remaining concealed in the Warden barn for over a month, Almy was detected and captured on Aug. 20. "Almy found thismorning in Warden's barn. General alarmrung at 7 AM. Citizens surrounded theplace from 4 AM. onwards. Between 1000and 2000 people there by 11 AM. I wentup after breakfast. Formed a part of thecordon on the south side. Had the line fallback 400-500 feet. Went up and heard partof the first parley with Mr. Fuller beforenoon. Stayed on the line until after thesurrender. The carriage which conveyedhim was nearly taken by the crowd. SawAlmy at the hotel after his wounds weredressed. All business suspended." Prof. Fletcher made measurements and plans of the scene of the tragedy and attended the trial at Plymouth, but was not needed as a witness. In the later years not all the tragic events are recorded but on Feb. 26, 1934 he notes the death from carbon monoxide, coming from a leaky furnace, of nine students in a fraternity house.

Classified in the line of tragedies were numerous fires, the most spectacular of those that are recorded (the list does not seem to be complete) are the following. On May 5, 1883 the destruction of 20 houses on Lebanon Street. Prof. Parker was badly hurt by a falling chimney. Jan. 4, 1887 the "great fire" in which the hotel the "Tontine" and other business structures on the east side of Main Street were burned. July 11, 1888 "South Hall" (the site of the present Tavern building) and three dwellings. Feb. 16, 1898, Prof. Dow's new dwelling house. Feb. 8, 1900, the Balch house (Davison block) on the present site of College Hall. Feb. 18, 1904, Dartmouth Hall. Oct. 30, 1906, the newly erected Bridgman block on the west side of Main Street. Feb. 26, 1910, South Fayerweather dormitory. Jan. 1, 1911, the grandstand of the Athletic Field. Jan. 1, 1918, the Amos Dewey house. Dec. 13, 1924, Bridgman Block on the east side of Main Street. May 13, 1925, the huge Ira Allen barn in the midst of the business section. Jan. 3, 1929, the Delta Tau Delta House. May 13, 1931, the College Church.

This is the first of two articles based uponthe Robert Fletcher diaries. The second willappear in an early issue.

PROF. ROBERT FLETCHER, first head of the Thayer School of Engineering, from a photograph taken about the time he arrived in Hanover in 1871 and started his diary entries about the life of the town.

WIDE OPEN SPACES surrounded the Fletcher homestead when he took it over in the 1870's. Formerly the private hospital of Dr. Dixi Crosby, the house now stands on College Street next to the White Church.

THE BIG FIRE OF JANUARY 1887 was one of the exciting events recorded by Prof. Fletcher. The fire destroyed the "Tontine" and other business buildings on the east side of Main Street.

STUDENT ENTHUSIASM FOR BASEBALL and other sports made little sense to serious-minded Professor Fletcher. This picture, dated June 4, 1892, is believed to be a celebration over Dartmouth's 9-0, no-hit win over Williams the day before in a championship game. College Hall now stands on the left corner.