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| Trust deed - John Wheeler to
Francis A. Gordon, Levi F. Lowell, Fred F. Walker, George Butterfield
and Anson A. Platte, Trustees dated 8 May 1889 recorded at volume 501,
page 3 of the Hillsborough County Registry of Deeds. Know all men by
these presents that whereas, John Wheeler of Merrimack, in the County of
Hillsborough and State New Hampshire desire to erect a building to be
known as "Wheeler Memorial Chapel" for the benefit of the people of the
village of Reeds' Ferry in said town, where I reside, in consideration
of the love and esteem in which I hold said people, I do hereby
transfer, quitclaim and deed the following piece of real estate with
such building or buildings as I may erect or cause to be erected
thereon, to Francis A. Gordon, Levi F. Lowell, Fred F. Walker, George
Butterfield and Anson A. Platte all of said Merrimack and their duly
appointed successors forever, to be held by them in trust for the
benefit of the people of Reeds Ferry aforesaid and known as "Wheeler
Memorial Chapel" to be used for sanctuary, religious and literary
purposes and shall be conducive to the best moral and religous interests
of the community: and said Trustees and their successors are hereby
enjoined to guard faithfully their interests. And it is hereby also
provided that whenever any vacancy shall exist in said board of Trustees
by death or otherwise the remaining members of said board are empowered
to fill such vacancy by the appointment in writing of a successor or
successors, such appointment to be recorded in the county records where
this deed is recorded, provided however that said appointees shall be
resident of said town. Said piece of real estate is described as
follows, to wit; a lot of land with such buildings as have been referred
to above situated on the West side of the main highway leading from
Manchester to Nashua in the village of Reeds Ferry aforesaid and bounded
as follows, to wit; beginning at a point on said highway one hundred and
sixty feet south of the Parsonage Lot so called, and running thence
Westerly at right angles with said road one hundred and eighteen feet
thence Southerly parallel with said road seventy feet thence Easterly to
said road one hundred and eighteen feet, thence by said road Northerly
to place of beginning seventy feet. |
Deacon John Wheeler's death
record including parentage information
Town of
Merrimack
Master
Plan Update 2002
Chapter
VIII. Historic Resources
Reeds Ferry
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A ferry landing connecting this section of
Merrimack with the western shore of Litchfield was in place as early as
1728. Located on Depot Street, the Merrimack Normal Institute was the first
professional training school for teachers in New Hampshire. Shares were sold
to raise the $6,000 for the building that opened in 1849 with William
Russell from Scotland its first headmaster. It struggled until 1865 when it
became the Granite Street Military and Collegiate Institute under the
direction of Rev. Howell. This enterprise failed but in 1875 the building
became Merrimack’s first high school, the McGraw Institute. Robert McGraw,
one of the original share holders in the original Institute, died in 1872
and bequeathed $10,000 for that purpose. Although there are a number of fine
early nineteenth century structures including brick houses at 4 Depot Street
and on Daniel Webster Highway, many of the structures in Reeds Ferry
resulted from a second period of building activity at the end of the 19th
century associated with the coming of the railroad and industries such as
Fessenden & Lowell's (585 Daniel Webster) who built or owned the mill, the
buildings now known as Levi Lowell's, the large boarding house at 7 Depot
Street and housing on Elm, Maple and Front Streets. Other buildings dating
to this period include the Wheeler Chapel and the simple residences
on Pleasant Street. Development elsewhere in Town has left Reed's Ferry
Merrimack's most intact historic area.
Manchester Advertiser, Saturday, January 25th, 1896 Vol.VII
No.2
The Ladies Aid Society held their Annual Meeting at the
Wheeler chapel on January 16th. Officers for the ensuing year were elected as
follows: President - Mrs. F.A.Gordon, Secretary and Treasurer - Mrs. F.P.Jones,
Directors - Mrs. Wingate McQuestion. Mrs. James Walker, Mrs. McIntire and Mrs.
Thomas Jackson. This society works for home purposes and meet once a week at the
Wheeler Chapel.
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