Transcription of the preface from Walpole As It Was and As It Is by George Aldrich, The Claremont Manufacturing Co., Claremont, N.H., 1880, page 3.
In the spring of 1873 the author and compiler of the following pages thought that a census of the inhabitants of the town of Walpole with their names, ages and place of nativity, together with short biographical notices of some of the prominent men that had lived in town, and also, a brief history of its early settlement, would be of some value and interest to the townspeople and meet with a ready sale. Acting upon such supposition the census of the town was taken during the following summer, and material was gathered sufficient to make a pamphlet of 150 pages octavo, which would complete the original design of the undertaking.
In the following winter, when the work was well nigh completed, Josiah G. Bellows, Esq., Rev. William Brown, Dr. Abel P. Richardson, and Curtis R. Crowell generously lent their time in reading what had been written, and feeling impressed with the importance of the undertaking to the town at the present time, and to future generations, thought it best to elaborate what had been written and furnish matter for a bound volume to embrace a more general and complete history of the town. To follow their suggestions with a mere local sale for the work would result in a loss of time, money and labor in the undertaking to the author. In this dilemma he was left the alternative of publishing the work as it was or appealing to the generosity of the town for assistance. The latter course was taken and the subject was presented to the town at its annual March meeting in 1879, and resulted in a unanimous vote for raising and appropriating $500 to be expended to furnish the matter and receive for his compensation a stipulated sum from the towns-people for the work after publication. At this stage, the labor of adding 250 pages and rewriting much of the original matter was commenced and prosecuted with much labor, expense and perplexity, till its completion.
In writing and compiling the following pages all available information has been made to contribute matter both historical and personal, touching the history of the town; such as the various histories of Vermont and New Hampshire afforded, together with the valuable history of Charlestown, from which the Selectmen of that town generously allowed the writer to make copious extracts.
The Historical Monograph written by Rev. Henry W. Bellows, D. D. has been an invaluable source of information from which the writer of this work has largely drawn; the language from which has sometimes been slightly altered; (not for the better) to conform to the present work. Files of old newspapers, once [4] published in town, have also been of invaluable aid, from which some curious facts have been obtained.
That portion of the work which relates to the general history of the town and the various churches and religious societies is believed, in the main, to be complete. No attempt has been made to furnish the entire genealogy of all the families in town, only those who became permanent settlers before 1820, and of those a general history, with biographical notices of the prominent men that have lived in town, are only given, rather than merely a genealogical record; for to secure a full and exhaustive genealogy of some of the families would require years of time and patience.
Of some of the oldest and most numerous families in town it is believed that no family records are in existence, and their history is made up imperfectly from what has been gleaned from stray leaves of baptisms, deaths and marriages found in the old church and town records. In many instances appeals have been made from time to time to persons to furnish matter in relation to their families, which have as often been neglected, till at last what knowledge has been gained has been furnished from outside parties. Such persons, if their family record is imperfect or not given at all, need not complain. No doubt many of the descendants of the old families will be surprised to learn for the first time the names of their grand parents and the number of their uncles and aunts.
No doubt many errors of a minor nature will be found, for they are unavoidable in a work of this kind; but those that know the unreliable nature of information obtained generally from persons, will spare the author unnecessary criticisms.
Acknowledgments are due to Col. David Buffum for information in relation to the general business transactions in town for the last sixty years, which has always been cheerfully given; and also to Josiah G. Bellows, Dr. Abel P. Richardson, Rev. William Brown, Curtis R. Crowell, Alfred W. Burt, Henry Burt, Willard T. Blanchard, David C. Thompson, Miss Katie J. Foster, Mrs. Mary A. Wilder and her mother Mrs. David Russel, and others, for rendering valuable assistance.
Particular acknowledgements are due to Mr. Francis B. Knapp for his general interest manifested in the author’s undertaking and his labor of love, patience, just criticisms and valuable suggestions made when reading the manuscript before its going to press.
With the foregoing remarks this volume is presented to the people of Walpole, believing that the pledge given is amply fulfilled, and, also that it has the merit, if nothing more, of rescuing from oblivion and recording in permanent form some of the many traditions and incidents of the town’s early history, which are now held only in the memories of its oldest citizens, who are fast passing away.