This motto was part of a volunteer toast which General John Stark sent to his wartime comrades, in which he declined an invitation to head up a 32nd anniversary reunion of the 1777 Battle of Bennington in Vermont, because of poor health. The toast said in full:
"Live Free Or Die; Death Is Not The Worst of Evils."
The following year, a similar invitation (also declined) said: "The toast, sir, which you sent us in 1809 will continue to vibrate with unceasing pleasure in our ears, "Live Free Or Die; Death Is Not The Worst Of Evils."
An Abbreviated Timeline of New Hampshire's History (Thank you SHG Resources)
17th century
- 1602 - Bartholomew Gosnold explored for English merchants the coast of New England from southern Maine to Buzzards Bay.
- 1614-1616 - Captain John Smith assumed leadership of the colony.
- 1622 -
- March - King James I grant region between the Salem and Merrimac rivers, under the name of Mariana; to John Mason and Sir Ferdinando Gorges jointly.
- 1st known European settlement at Piscataqua was founded by a Scottish Gentleman, Mr. David Thomson
- 1623 - Dover, the first permanent settlement, is founded.
- 1629 - November 7 - John Mason alone, receives a grant of that portion of the Province of Maine which lay between the Merrimac and the Piscataqua, under the name of New Hampshire.
- 1641 - Massachusetts Colony gains control of New Hampshire
- 1642 - First school act of Massachusetts; New Hampshire towns included; parents and masters required to teach children reading, citizenship, and religion.
- 1679 - England forms New Hampshire as a separate royal colony.
- 1680 - New Hampshire enacts own first school law requiring schools in all towns of fifty households or more.
- 1690 - The Falkland, a warship, is constructed for the British Navy, creating an industry that remains in Portsmouth until the 1960s.
18th century
- 1717 - John Wentworth becomes lieutenant governor of New Hampshire.
- 1734 - The Great Awakening sweeps through New Hampshire
- 1756 - The New Hampshire Gazette is formed; and was at one time the "oldest newspaper of continuous publication in the United States."
- 1765 - November 1 - Stamp Act of King George III goes into effect.
- 1769 - Founding of Dartmouth College.
- 1774 -
- First state to declare itself independent from England.
- Patriots from the local area raid Fort William and Mary and steal the gunpowder stored there. (Incident becomes known as the Powder Raid.)
- 1776 -
- July-18 - Declaration of Independence is read on July 18 on the state house's western steps.
- The first independent government from England is established
- State to adopt a revolutionary constitution.
- 1777 -
- January 27, Letter to Benjamin Franklin, John Paul Jones arrived in Paris and readiness of Ranger to sail with squadron.
- 1778 - First state to hold a constitutional convention
- 1788 - New Hampshire becomes the 9th state; U.S. Constitution is ratified by New Hampshire at a convention in Exeter.
19th century
- 1800 - Portsmouth Navy Yard is established.
- 1808 - State capital is established in Concord.
- 1809 -
- Portsmouth Academy is opened.
- Fort Constitution explosion during an Independence Day celebration badly damaged the Captain's House and killed 14 people.
- 1812 - Portsmouth's foreign trade is destroyed as a result of the embargo enacted during the War of 1812.
- 1833 - The first U.S. public library is founded in Peterborough.
- 1835 -
- March - Twenty-eight white students and fourteen black students commence classes at the newly established Noyes Academy in Canaan, New Hampshire.
- August 10, 1835 - White residents of Canaan, New Hampshire, with the help of residents of neighboring towns and "nearly one hundred yoke of oxen," forcibly remove Noyes Academy from its foundation.
- 1853 - Franklin Pierce of Hillsboro becomes the 14th U.S. President.
- 1869 - First mountain climbing cog railroad (Mt. Washington).
- 1890 - Lucy Swallow and Delia Brown become the first female students of University of New Hampshire.
20th century
- 1909 - First credit association in the nation chartered (St. Mary's Bank Credit Union).
- 1913 - The General Court Passes an act to provide for the election of delegates to the National Convention by direct vote of the people. The primary date is set for the third Tuesday in May.
- 1915 - The primary is moved to the second Tuesday in March to coincide with Town Meeting Day.
- 1916 - New Hampshire holds its first primary.
- 1923 - The University of New Hampshire established.
- 1938 - First aerial passenger tramway in North America (Cannon Mtn).
- 1939 - May 24, USS SQUALUS (SS-192) Submarine Disaster
- 1945 - WW2 German U-Boats surrender in Portsmouth.
- 1997- Portsmouth is chosen by Money magazine as the fifth best place in the nation to live.
And, on May 3rd, 2003, New Hampshire's beloved emblem; the colossal profile of natural granite high atop a sheer cliff in the White Mountains, known as "The Old Man of the Mountain", without warning collapsed, smashing below into a thousand nameless fragments.
Daniel Webster once said, ..."Men hang out their signs indicative of their respective trades; shoe makers hang out a gigantic shoe; jewelers a monster watch, and the dentist hangs out a gold tooth; but up in the Mountains of New Hampshire, God Almighty has hung out a sign to show that there He makes men."
New Hampshire's Governor Benson has declared May 3rd as "Old Man of the Mountain Day", stating, "From its mountainous perch, the Old Man has stood for centuries as a testament to the steadfastness of New Hampshire's Yankee character and the resolve of its people. This rugged yet beautiful monument fit the character of the pioneers who founded this state, the immigrants who built it, and the spirit of those who live here today. It was the ultimate symbol of those who would "Live Free or Die." And while that symbol may have fallen, that spirit still remains." -- Governor Craig Benson
Read more about New Hampshire's state emblem HERE.
"Autumn creeps gently upon New Hampshire and all eyes are on the Great North Woods, New Hampshire's most northern tier. For it is here that nature begins her quest to dress New Hampshire for autumn. During September, the first hint of color interrupts the lush greenery of this sparsely populated area. By the end of the month, the woods are ablaze in gold, orange, and red foliage. And so the process begins as the colors slowly spill southward into the White Mountain region, progressing down through the Lakes and Seacoasts Regions to the east and over to the Dartmouth and Monadnock regions that hug the Vermont border, until finally splashing across the Merrimack Valley region.
If ever the state were to declare official seasonal aromas, autumn's would be the scent of apples and cinnamon fresh baked from the oven. The promise of pies, crisps, and baked apples, lures shoppers to the farm stands where the supply of apple filled baskets seems inexhaustible.
Still others choose to pick their own. Some armed with poles to snatch the fruit from atop the tree and all with baskets to carry their tasty treasures home, the apple pickers head out to the orchards, by foot or by courtesy of a horse drawn or tractor drawn hayride.
Agricultural fairs, festivals, and other harvest time celebrations across the state provide plenty to do and see. Getting there can be half the fun as autumn at the height of foliage season gives new meaning to "going for a drive." A stop in Pittsburg's Moose Alley in the hopes of spying one of the great creatures against autumn's vibrant backdrop, the spectacular painted vistas of the White Mountains from the Kancamagus Highway, the panoply of colors all along Rte 89 ending in the lovely little college town of Hanover, or a drive up the coast with a stop to walk the tree lined streets of Exeter are just a few of the enticements that draw tourists and natives alike to the roads of New Hampshire.
Boaters, bicyclists, and hikers, find that the end of summer is not the end of their passion. They have a few more weeks to enjoy their sports - in a much prettier and more invigorating setting, under October's bright blue skies. Enjoying the season can be as simple as stepping outside and going for a walk because there isn't a place in New Hampshire - city, town, or country road - that isn't spectacular in autumn.
As October draws to an end, the leaves that adorned the trees fall prey to the winds. They cover the ground, crackling underfoot. Children's shrieks of delight are heard as they jump into piles of leaves. Still, the foliage has not stopped adorning the country side, although, now it does so in secret - stuffed into a cast off pair of pants, shirt, and pillowcase; they make the stuffing for the man sitting on the front porch among the corn stalks, pumpkins, and gourds awaiting Halloween and Thanksgiving.
Don't lament the passing of summer, because in New Hampshire, the best is yet to come!"---Christina Coruth
There is so much more to say about this beautiful state, I can't possibly cover it all, so I will leave that to our New Hampshire FReepers. Please tell us what you love about your state and why you are proud to be a New Hampshirite.
In closing I am posting a graphic of a very special place in New Hampshire; Newfound Lake. As a small child I recall visiting my grandparents at this lake where they had a summer home. Wonderful memories of this beautiful place!
And thank you to the following websites for providing information and graphics. Autumn in New Hampshire New Hampshire Colonial History The New Hampshire Almanac Old Man of the Mountain
Have a Wonderful Wednesday!
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