Searle’s Hill

Brief History 

Starting in 1738, progress in settling this frontier was slow until the establishment of Searle’s Hill. By 1767, at a meeting of the Proprietors in Kingston, NH, a committee was formed to decide the location for a Meeting House, along with a schoolhouse and graveyard. The chosen spot was Searle’s Hill, on the Center Rangeway. This marked the beginning of the Searles Hill community, our first town-like settlement.

During that time, the Center Rangeway was briefly considered the primary inland route from the Merrimack River to Mt. Kearsarge and beyond. According to John Dearborn, farmers traveled the road from as far west as Sutton (near New London) to the Ebenezer Webster mill (Daniel Webster Birthplace) on the far side of Searles Hill. While the church was active, a dedicated congregation gathered there. The area also had a quarry and several farms. For a while, both the Webster homestead and mill, as well as the Meeting House, stood isolated on the northernmost frontier.

By 1790, other parts of town were expanding and becoming accessible in all weather, marking the start of Searle’s community’s decline. The abandonment was complete well before 1910, following the fire at the Fraser homestead.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Records indicate the following for the Searles’ Hill community (John Dearborn’s History of Salisbury, NH, 1890, deeds and other histories)

  • SIGNAL STATION: The location of an early fire signal station used by pioneers to warn about Native Americans and the British.
  • SALISBURY’S FIRST MEETING HOUSE: The Meeting House, established in 1764 in Kingston, NH, had Deacon Elisha Swett and Jonathan Woodman as proprietors, who formed a committee to select its location. By 1768, it was under construction on ten acres on the north side of Searle’s Hill. Notable figures like Josiah Bartlett, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and Col. Ebenezer Webster, a Revolutionary War figure and father of Daniel Webster, attended services there. It is also the baptismal site of Daniel Webster. Around 1798, the church was disassembled and rebuilt at the intersection of Route 4 and 127 in South Road Village, Salisbury. Since September 1, 1791, it has been known as the Salisbury Congregational Church.
  • SALISBURY’S FIRST PARSONAGE: Northwest of the Meeting House.  Built Approx 1772. After Mr. Searle’s death Dec 1818, the house was occupied by his son, Amos Searle, until he died in 1831. His son’s widow occupied it with her son, Daniel Franklin Searle, for some years. The house was large, two stories, and the lower story extended back, and the roof of the main house covered the extension, referred to as a “comb-case roof”.  It was eventually sold and taken down, and the timber was used in the construction of other buildings. (from John Dearborn’s History of Salisbury)
  • SALISBURY’S FIRST SCHOOL:  The Location of the Searle’s Hill School was near the Parsonage, opposite the ten-acre Meeting House.  This schoolhouse was constructed of logs and abt 20 feet square. Seating was simply boards along the walls.
  • SALISBURY’S FIRST GRAVEYARD: Location: just EAST of the Meeting House, which sat on the ten-acre lot, according to John Dearborn.  More on the Graveyard: Searle’s Hill Graveyard

  • RESIDENCES OF SEVERAL EARLY PIONEERS: Among the homes were the following:(from John Dearborn’s History of Salisbury): the Parsonage near or on lot No.17 or 18, William Calef b. Kingston, June  1737, homestead west of the Meeting House, resided there until death, 1843,  a homestead belonging to Stephen Perrin, lot No. 16, Jonathan Calef, south end of lot No. 18. Home built before 1786 building moved in its entirety to Fourth NH Turnpike (rte 4) and destroyed by fire 1886, William Webster Farm (uncle to Daniel) east side and site of granite quarry with exceptional granite possibly lot No 14, John Calef Homestead, west of the Meeting House, opposite the William Calef homestead. He died in May 1851. Pictured below. Destroyed by fire approximately 1910.

RESEARCH

Research continues as a descendant of Reverend Searle delves into old deeds that provide descriptions and locations. In John Dearborn’s 1890 “History of Salisbury,” he details events that shaped the early community and provides relative locations for the Meeting House, school, parsonage, and graveyard, using terms like “on a acre lot,” “across from Meeting House,” and “east of Meeting House.” However, the deeds uncovered so far only mention phrases like “top part of lot with graveyard” or refer to areas as the School House lot or 2 Minister’s Lots. Since the area was originally laid out by Kingston citizens (some of whom later became Salisbury residents), examining Kingston’s old records may reveal the exact entries Dearborn referenced. To be continued.

Location: Searles Hill Road is part of the old Center Rangeway Road, which stretched from the Merrimack River to the slopes of Mt. Kearsarge. Today, it is called Loverin Hill east of the Blackwater River, Center Road east of Route 4, and Searles Hill Road (a Class 6 road that seems to branch off Center Road at Thompson’s Corner) to Route 127. It then continues easterly, possibly following the trail near Smith Hill Road or Punch Brook Road to the Merrimack, ending in what is now Franklin, near the Webster Farm. This farm was settled after the Webster family left the Daniel Webster Birthplace, which was part of Salisbury at the time. When the land was clear, Searles Hill offered an expansive view—from Canterbury and the Merrimack River Valley to the west at Mt. Kearsarge, northwest to Ragged Mountain, north to Cardigan Mountain, and even, on clear days, the White Mountains, with the Belknap Range visible to the east.

The 1825 map depicts three Range Roads: South Range Road, Center Range Road (also known as Searles Hill Road in the east, Center in the middle, and Loverin in the west), and the incomplete North Range Road. A newer road, Route 127, branches off from South Range Road, leading towards the cross in Franklin.

When exploring Searles Hill, keep in mind that Searles Hill Road is a Class 6 road and isn’t maintained by the town. The land is entirely privately owned, as confirmed by the oldest deeds, including areas once designated for town purposes like a Meeting House, School, Parsonage, and graveyard. Much of the land is posted and requires landowner permission to access. Be cautious of cellar holes and open wells left from old farms or buildings, as they can be dangerous. On unposted or any land, remember that all objects or artifacts found belong to the landowner, may hold historical significance, and should not be removed.

For more information about Searle’s Hill:

Searle’s Hill Church 

Reverend Searle Chases the Devil

An article by Walter Harriman in the May 1880 issue of Granite Monthly provides a vivid account of a journey to Searle Hill in 1875. titled: A Day With the Websters. 

Return to Historic Town Settlements Index

Fish and Game map showing an interesting second road for Searles Hill Rd. Access to interior lots? The 10-acre common area is described. Finding a road map older than 1825 would be helpful.

 

Map from 1825, oddly showing first owners of lots from ca mid 1700’s, but roads shown are correct for 1825.

 

Recent tax map showing Searle’s Hill lots.