​     The citizens of Londonderry, Derry, and Windham have been celebrating the anniversary of Nutfield for centuries. When the first settlers arrived in Nutfield with James MacGregor in April of 1719, they found an abundance of chestnut trees, which gave the region its name. The land was purchased later that year from John Wheelwright; Wheelwright claimed his grandfather had purchased the land from the Native Americans in 1629. However, there has been speculation for the past couple centuries that no such transaction took place and Wheelwright forged the deed. This was of no concern at the time, as Nutfield was incorporated as Londonderry on June 21, 1722.
   As Nutfield serves as the common link between the three towns, there has been no shortage of celebrations of its anniversary throughout history. One of the earliest recorded celebrations took place in Londonderry in 1869. The next anniversary in 1919 was quite popular and was extensively written about in the local newspapers of the day. When the 250th anniversary came in 1969, it was felt there should be some physical souvenir of one of Nutfield's most momentous anniversaries. 
    For the occasion, medals representing each of the three towns were produced by Robbins Co. of Attleboro, MA. Each medal shares a common obverse side, while the reverse depicts elements significant to each individual town. The designs were all sculpted by Patricia Verani of Londonderry. However an artist from each town was tasked with sketching the design. Verani designed the Londonderry medal, Jean Wyman designed the Derry medal, and Diane Gulden designed the Windham medal. Two varieties of the medals were struck; one in sterling silver and another less expensive version in a base metal. Below is base metal version.

​ This is the explanation given of the obverse of the medal:
"The obverse or Nutfield side of the medal is symbolic of many of the early settlers' experiences. The musket and the Bible are representative of Rev. MacGregor and his first sermon. Nutfield was so named because of the many nut trees found in the area which are represented on the medal by the chestnut, chestnut leaves, black walnut, and butternut leaves. Also important to Nutfield was the development of a linen industry which is represented by the flax blossoms. The settlers introduced the Irish potato to North America, and this is represented by the potato. The old map of Nutfield shows how the town was divided into what we now know as Londonderry, Derry, and Windham."

​This is the explanation given of the Windham side of the medal:
"The Windham side of the medal is represented by a shield and cross, indicative of our early settlers' strife in Ireland and their strong Christian ties. In the upper left of the shield is a scroll and an acorn. The scroll represents the charter of the original land grant, while the acorn is symbolic of the continual growth which the area has experienced since the first settlement was established. The open volume is significant of the progressive approach Windham has taken in its school system and the fervent interest​​ of the community in the education of its young people. The ducks in flight are representative of Windham's love for its woods and fields, streams and ponds, and its sincere interest in conserving these natural beauties. The balance scales represent our just form of government - Town Meeting - whereby each citizen has the right to voice his opinion, from those townspeople whose ancestors settled this land to the new residents whose backgrounds are multifaceted and diverse, yet all with a common interest - the betterment of our community as it stands in its relationship to our state, our nation and the world."

​     Charles Smith was born in Londonderry on November 22, 1832 to parents, Samuel and Sophia Smith. He married his first wife, Mary Brown of Colebrook in 1859; she was born in England and died of unknown causes in August of 1866. Smith then married again in 1869, this time to Sarah Goodwin of Hartland, ME. The newly married couple had 8 children together, born between 1870 and 1881, one of which died in infancy. In November of 1870, Smith purchased the store of James Nichols in West Windham, and then moved from Londonderry to Windham in April of 1871. His store likely sold almost anything the average Windham resident may have needed, including wood. The wood, likely from a local sawmill, could have been produced to any size desired by a customer. As seen below, a John Dudley purchased 7 cords of 7.5 foot long birch wood. Smith served as a town selectman from 1880 until 1883. He was also involved in the building of Union Hall, buying several shares in the hall to support it's construction.

     Joseph P Crowell was born in Windham on November 30, 1824. At the age of 22 in the spring of 1847, Crowell entered into a partnership with Robert B Jackson to conduct business at the Bartley Store. This business continued until September of 1849. Shortly after dissolving the partnership, Crowell married Susan Coburn of Dracut, MA on November 15 of that same year. Needing some occupation to support his family, Crowell took up farming, purchasing a farm in West Windham. The family eventually grew to include four children, 3 sons and one daughter. He lived at this farm until June of 1877 when he sold it to Harrison Robinson. 
     After selling the West Windham farm, Crowell purchased the farm of Deacon Samuel Anderson, also located along Mammoth Road in the Western part of town. Crowell was also involved in town politics, serving as selectman in 1863 and 1864; as a representative in 1876; his last position being town treasurer from 1880 to 1882. Crowell continued to expand his farming business, eventually becoming a dealer of Darling's Animal Fertilizers. Below is a pocket calendar from 1900 that Crowell would have given to his customers. ​

     On the second Tuesday of March in 1837, 53 eligible voters of Windham turned out for the election of the next New Hampshire governor. They cast their votes unanimously for the incumbent, Isaac Hill, who had served as a US senator for New Hampshire prior to becoming governor. With the male population of Windham at the time being just under 500, even when it is taken into account that not all were of voting age, the turnout seems to be rather poor for that night. After the polls closed and the votes were tallied by the board of selectman, the results were signed off on by town clerk, John Cochran, twice. The results would have then been sent to the county sheriff or the secretary of state.
   Captain John Cochran was born on June 9, 1781 and lived at his family homestead in town before marrying Margaret Hemphill on February 2, 1809, after which he moved to the Hemphill home. Cochran was popular, and trusted, in town, holding several town offices for numerous years; he served as town clerk, selectman, and treasurer. It is recorded that Cochran "was an excellent penman, and kept records with great neatness. It is with a sense of unbounded relief that one turns from many pages in the records to the plain, clear-cut, and intelligent records of [Cochran]". Below on the voting result form are two great examples of Cochran's highly regarded signature.  ​

     When William Davidson left Ireland for America in 1728 he settled in Woburn, MA. It was over a decade before any of the Davidson family came to Windham. Leonard Morrison gives an interesting account of the background that led to the Davidson family's immigration to America:
     "The ancestor in the early part of the 17th century passed from Scotland and settled
       in the North of Ireland. The father and mother of the emigrant, William Davidson, 
       had taken a small Irish boy and brought him up from boyhood to manhood. His 
       name was McGraw(?). He left when a young man, but afterwards returned for a 
       visit with a companion. The rest of the family were away, and the old people were
       alone, and they were invited to stay overnight, which invitation was accepted. In
       the silent night-watches these men arose from their bed, an with an axe killed their 
       entertainers, robbed the house of money and valuables, set it on fire, and decamped. 
       But justice slumbered not in the case of one of the assassins. When William Davidson
       returned the next day, saw his house, and the charred remains of his parents, and 
       McGraw and his companion gone, search was instituted and McGraw captured. He 
       confessed the whole, was tried, convicted, and publicly gibbeted."
After this incident Davidson, "fearing more trouble from the revengeful people by whom he was surrounded", left for America with his family soon after.
     Nathaniel Davidson was the first member of the family who came to WIndham. After marrying Mary Walker and settling in Billerica, MA, he came to Windham, and afterwards removed again to Londonderry. Since the 1740s several members of the Davidson family have left their mark on Windham. In 1796, George Davidson, who lived near Beaver Brook, was killed in Methuen, MA after falling under the wheels of his wagon; Davidson was on his way to Salem to sell grain. His body was found the next morning, lying face down in the road with one of the wagon's wheels still on him. Another prominent member of the family was Reverend John Davidson who left his home with his family for Windham at the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. They made their way to Haverhill, MA where they were fortunate enough to find John Dinsmoor who brought them to Windham where they would start their lives over. He became a farmer, but lived most of his life in poverty. ​