When the Derry News was first published in 1880s the newspaper's scope was not limited to just the town of Derry; the paper reported on the surrounding towns of Londonderry and Windham. It is possible that many residents of Windham subscribed to the paper, or at least read it on occasion. Local newspaper reporter, William S Harris, was selected to report on local events, many seemingly trivial but interesting nonetheless. Harris was born in Windham on March 20, 1861; he would've just turned twenty at the time he wrote the article below. It is recorded in Morrison's "History of Windham" that he had been already writing for several years as of 1883 and started his career as a local correspondent for the Exeter Newsletter in 1876, at 15 years old. According to Morrison, Harris authored, "articles on various subjects, - descriptive, botanical, historical, and religious". His articles were published in several newspapers including The New York Evangelist, Exeter Newsletter, The Presbyterian, and The Derry News. Harris also assembled and published a history of the Harris family that covered almost three hundred years of his ancestry.
Front page of the Derry News on July 8, 1881
Many of the local incidents of Victorian Windham would have been lost to history were it not for the careful reporting of William Harris. Below is an example of his work; he briefly reports on items of local interest.
Short article about the towns people of Windham
Harris starts his article by reporting that Reverend Perry of West Concord, NH preached at the town's Presbyterian church on June 26th and July 3rd of 1881. Next, he records that Mattie Clark and Lottie Reynolds had gone to the Profile house in the Franconia mountains where Clark had worked for many summers. Lottie was the daughter of Hiram S Reynolds and she was born in town on October 10, 1858. She later married Charles Steele and as of 1883 resided in Hudson, NH. Travel was not limited to just the state though. According to the article, William Morrison came from California to visit Windham; most likely to visit the area where his ancestors arrived in this country, as well as where the preeminent Morrison family historian, Leonard A Morrison, resided.
On a more somber note, Harris recorded the death of Charles Ladd Hasletine who was born in town on November 26, 1820. The "History of Windham" makes note of Haseltine's life as well as his farming operation. On March 21, 1845 he bought seventy acres of farm land in town as a joint venture with his brother. A few years later he bought the half interest of his brother. He married Catherine Morrison on September 27, 1848. Harris also recorded the illness of two Windham residents, Isaiah Dinsmore and B F Wilson. Benjamin Franklin Wilson was born in Lynn. MA on October 20, 1832 and moved to Windham in 1856. According to Morrison, Wilson bought a farm in school district 7 in 1859. He died on April 4, 1883, just under two years after he is noted as being ill in the Derry News. Isaiah Dinsmore was born on September 19, 1824 and married Margaret Park on 28 years later on that exact date. He spent his life in town on two different farms and is recorded as having been, "a man of energy and persistence of character". Dinsmore became ill with an unknown disease in 1878 and died after much suffering in September of 1881.
As agriculture was a major industry in Windham in the 19th century, Harris could have not written about local life without commenting on some aspect of the trade. He recorded an "unusual amount of wet and cool weather" that adversely affected the grass crop. On a more positive note, the weather prevented much infestation by potato bugs. He ends his terse agriculture report by noting, "corn is small".
Harris concluded his July 8th article with a short paragraph about some of Windham's oldest residents. He writes that Mary Steele was, "active, able to work, and even to walk out of doors", at the age of 93. The oldest person to attend church in town was Sally Clark, also referred to as "Aunt Sally", who was 87 as of the time Harris wrote the article. Harris recorded that there were other ladies over the age of 80 who attended the Presbyterian church.
On a more somber note, Harris recorded the death of Charles Ladd Hasletine who was born in town on November 26, 1820. The "History of Windham" makes note of Haseltine's life as well as his farming operation. On March 21, 1845 he bought seventy acres of farm land in town as a joint venture with his brother. A few years later he bought the half interest of his brother. He married Catherine Morrison on September 27, 1848. Harris also recorded the illness of two Windham residents, Isaiah Dinsmore and B F Wilson. Benjamin Franklin Wilson was born in Lynn. MA on October 20, 1832 and moved to Windham in 1856. According to Morrison, Wilson bought a farm in school district 7 in 1859. He died on April 4, 1883, just under two years after he is noted as being ill in the Derry News. Isaiah Dinsmore was born on September 19, 1824 and married Margaret Park on 28 years later on that exact date. He spent his life in town on two different farms and is recorded as having been, "a man of energy and persistence of character". Dinsmore became ill with an unknown disease in 1878 and died after much suffering in September of 1881.
As agriculture was a major industry in Windham in the 19th century, Harris could have not written about local life without commenting on some aspect of the trade. He recorded an "unusual amount of wet and cool weather" that adversely affected the grass crop. On a more positive note, the weather prevented much infestation by potato bugs. He ends his terse agriculture report by noting, "corn is small".
Harris concluded his July 8th article with a short paragraph about some of Windham's oldest residents. He writes that Mary Steele was, "active, able to work, and even to walk out of doors", at the age of 93. The oldest person to attend church in town was Sally Clark, also referred to as "Aunt Sally", who was 87 as of the time Harris wrote the article. Harris recorded that there were other ladies over the age of 80 who attended the Presbyterian church.
Inner page of the Derry News
Inner page of the Derry News
Back page of the Derry News