THE "SPIRITS" OF DANVILLE

August 2, 2005

In the earliest of Colonial times the consumption of wine and beer by the general population was readily accepted. The fear of contagion and disease from contaminated water sources that was so prevalent in the "old country" made water a non-preferred, if not unpopular libation. Colonists concocted their beverages from what was readily available to them. In the northeast it was berries and fruits that were prevalent and most frequently used. Of the fruits used it could be expected that apples would be the most popular. Apple "cyder" was pressed following the fall harvest, and kept in barrels in cool root cellars for use during the year. It would ferment, or harden, and become more and more potent as it aged into what we know today as applejack, or hard cider.

Jonathan Sanborn, one of Hawke's (Danville) Revolutionary War patriots, dutifully recorded in his diary each year his annual production of "apple cyder".... along with the births, deaths and marriages of his family, friends and neighbors.

Occasionally the relatively rare (and expensive) rum, made from molasses imported from the West Indies would be available. It was common for early Colonists to dilute it with other spirits made from locally grown products to stretch it out. When rum was available it would be reserved for use only on special occasions such as weddings, funerals, and community celebrations.

Consuming alcoholic beverages, including the lighter versions of apple "cyder" by children, was staunchly supported in early times as an accepted means of "keeping the body warm." Winters were cold in New England, and fireplaces, the only means of heating homes, were not very efficient.

A celebration occasioned by a marriage, a barn raising, or even a death, could be a welcome excuse to break the monotony and ease for a short time the day-in, day-out bone wearying labor endured by our ancestors just to stay alive. Spirits would always playa role in those celebrations.

It appears our Hawke forefathers kept a tight rein on the licensing of taverns and the legal sale of spirits in town. From the earliest records; i.e., the "Comparative Chart of New Hampshire Inn Keepers," the first tavern licenses were granted in 1760 to Paul Pressy, who operated an "ordinary," or tavern, somewhere near the Old Meeting House; and to Caleb Towle. The Towle family homestead still stands today as the Towle Hill Farm on Beach Plain Road.

In 1763, John Challis, "who lived where a tavern had been kept for several years" (illegally?), was granted an innkeeper's license. That same year a license also was issued to Caleb Buswell.

In 1766 the selectmen of Hawke granted a license to Phineas Sanborn(e) to operate a tavern. Although we have no official record, it is not unreasonable to assume that Phineas was the first proprietor of the Sanborn Tavern, shown above, which no longer stands today, but was located directly across Route 111A from the Old Meeting House. The cellar hole next to Tuckertown Road is still there.

The town of Hawke kept the "legal" number of licensed taverns at four (occasionally five) until the second quarter of the 19^th century when town records show the Selectmen allowed two more licenses. In 1831 the town's official innkeepers appear as Josiah Tewksbury, Nicholas Quimby, John Dimon, John Stuart, as well as Capt. Obediah Quimby, “to keep a tavern at the training field near his house," and Elisha Quimby, “to keep a tavern on his field where the Reg't of New Hampshire Militia musters for the year 1831." The influence of the military, and the need for some means to entertain the soldiers in their leisure time, obviously influenced the increase in tavern licenses.

Later in the 19^th century the general use of spirits as entertainment, or for any use other than for medicinal purposes, came under more critical scrutiny. The mood was shifting, and the Danville churches took a decided stand in favor of temperance. More and more moderate drinkers were becoming the objects of derision and ridicule. It is safe to assume that during this period the "medicinal" use of spirits, or at least the purported use, took a significant up tick.

The photograph of the Sanborn Tavern represents the image of a Colonial "ordinary" as we nostalgically picture them. When the citizens of Danville were preparing for the Bicentennial celebration some thirty years ago, they chose this picture as one of nine to be reproduced on the commemorative plate depicting Danville's historical heritage. Although no longer standing, the image of the Sanborn Tavern now will always hold a prominent place in Danville's history.

The commemorative plates are still available for purchase at the Danville Town Hall.