The Merrimack River: its source and its tributaries. Embracing a history of manufactures, and of the towns along its course; their geography, topography, and products, with a description of the magnificent natural scenery about its upper waters./ By J. W. Meader.

ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIB UrTARIES. lie was a man of good abilities, dignified, austere, and possessed great self-esteem. When in Congress, like some of his successors, he sometimes ventured into deep water, and was rescued by the exer tions of friends, or perhaps by the forbearance and magnanimity of his antagonist. Mr. William Shepard, a native. of Holderness; and a descendant of John Shepard, the original settler, who died recently in Londonderry at an advanced age, and who accompanied Judclge Livermore during several sessions of Congress, related many anecdotes bearing on this point. MIr. Shepard at that time was above his majority, consequently old enough to retain an accurate recollection of the personal appearance of many of the principal men of that time, such as Generals Washington, Hamilton, the elder Adams, Jefferson, Robert Goodlow Hliarper, Judg,e Cooper, John Randolph, and others, as well as the part which Judge Livermore took in the stirring political drama which these historic actors were performing at that period. As sir. Shepard retained possession of his faculties in a remarkable degriee to his last days, the fund of reminiscence, incidents, and anecdotes whichl came into his possession by personal observation was very extensive and highly entertaining, and it may also be observed that few ordinary men ever enjoyed the rare fortune of meeting with so many illustrious men as fell to the lot of Mr. Shepard. Judge Livermore died in Holderness, where he had resided uninterruptedly for nearl forty years, in 1803. Judge Samuel Livermore was an educated, courteous, and hig,htoned gentleman, but conceited, self-willed, and arbitrary. His habitation was in the clouds, and he never descended to mix or mingle with ordinary mortals. He was occasionally admired, generally respected, sometimes feared, but never loved. Hie possessed but little sympathy with his kind, and, leaving no enduring monument of positive greatness, was soon forgotten when the grave closed over him. In his day he was, undoubtedly, the great man of New Hiampshire, but his local pre-emninence or prominence was, perhaps, due more to the scarcity of men above mediocrity in the Statt than to his intrinsic merits in that direction, intellectually considered. His natural force of character and self-will gave him a position in the front rank of his contemporaries; still, +when hlie had passed 019 1

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Title
The Merrimack River: its source and its tributaries. Embracing a history of manufactures, and of the towns along its course; their geography, topography, and products, with a description of the magnificent natural scenery about its upper waters./ By J. W. Meader.
Author
Meader, J. W.
Canvas
Page 79
Publication
Boston,: B. B. Russell,
1869.
Subject terms
Merrimack River Valley (N.H. and Mass.)
New Hampshire -- Description and travel

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"The Merrimack River: its source and its tributaries. Embracing a history of manufactures, and of the towns along its course; their geography, topography, and products, with a description of the magnificent natural scenery about its upper waters./ By J. W. Meader." In the digital collection Making of America Books. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/afj7467.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 1, 2025.
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