Welcome to the New Market Historical Society

Our goal is to tell Newmarket’s story, preserve its local artifacts, and sponsor historical events and educational opportunities.  Please consult our program of events for exact dates, times, and locations for our meetings and events as they have recently changed. 

The public is always welcome to attend our educational meetings, which are free except for select special events.

Donations are always welcomed and greatly appreciated!

ANNOUNCEMENT:

The Stone School Museum is now closed for the winter season

We will open at no charge

For private groups 

For arrangements, email us at:  newmarketnh.historicalsociety@gmail.com 

We wish to thank  Proulx Oil and Propane,  and  Chinburg Builders  who generously donated funds

for our efforts to acquire new artifacts and preserve those manuscripts, diaries, letters, and articles already in our collection.  

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The Frost Collection:

Mr. Fred Day has granted us access to the Frost Family letters, photographs and  papers of his great-great grandfather, the late George W. Frost.

-Mr. Frost  (1824-1879)  was the Newmarket Manufacturing Company Mill Agent between 1855-1879;

however, he was employed by the Company in 1848 when he and his bride Isabella Taylor arrived in Newmarket on their honeymoon.

They came to visit his uncle  John Webster, who was the Mill Agent at the time.  The visit ended in an employment proposition, and the Frosts moved into the Agent’s House and remained here for about 31 years.

During the Civil War,  he was one of the first to enlist to fight for the Union cause.  He enlisted from Newmarket on 2 Oct 1862 at age 38 as a Private in Company K, 15th NH Infantry. Here he rocketed up the military ladder. His ability was quickly recognized and five days from his enlistment he was appointed Major of the Fifteenth regiment; but before he was mustered in, he was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel.  His quick rise in rank was due to the fact, that Colonel Frost was no stranger to the ports of Louisiana and the south.  Prior to his enlistment, he had travelled on business for the NMCo. to Louisiana plantations. His last trip was in 1862  when he was accompanied by Timothy M. Joy, his assistant clerk.  

Colonel Frost was responsible for the logistical movement and acquisition of resources for the regiment’s deployment —a task he ably fulfilled until he was forced to resign his commission due to Climatic Fever in February 1863.   Climatic Fever was an illness that afflicted hundreds of Union Soldiers sent to the southern ports of the Mississippi Delta.

The following is taken from a seven-page paper written by another local Civil War veteran Alanson Haines in his 1900 recollection “A trip from Newmarket to New Orleans in 1862” of his deployment with Colonel  Frost in December 1862: 

 “…We spent our Thanksgiving there [Union Trotting Park, New York]  and about the 1st of December four companies broke camp and were ordered to Brooklyn where we were put on board the James S. Green, a small canal boat with an extra deck built on, the boat being so small that Colonel Frost refused to place but two companies on board. Consequently, he was placed under arrest and sent to New York where very soon he was released and ordered back to his command…”

Haines’ recollection shows that Frost cared about and took responsibility for the troops under his command. It seems a loss to the Union Army that Frost only served a few months. But when he did serve, his sharp mind and focus on details were instrumental in accomplishing the assigned task to safely stage and implement the Regiment’s deployment. 

The family remained in Newmarket for 30 years, their children grew up in the Agent’s House and attended schools here. For three decades they were involved in the community, church, political and social affairs of the town.

We are currently transcribing the letters and diaries and planning for a special exhibit when we open in the Spring.   

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