Narrative
- Alisa Kline
- Aug 30, 2024
- 8 min read
I have resisted telling the narrative of Noyes Academy. This is on purpose. For one thing, everyone in town already knows the story, but more important, the narrative is like some Philosopher’s Stone, transforming the story Wallace wanted to tell into the story of the struggle for Civil Rights in the 1950s.
My great benefactor, who has let me use his artwork in this blog, Gary Hamel asked me to overcome my resistance and tell the story of Noyes so people who visit without knowing it all beforehand could keep up with the writing. It honestly never occurred to me that anyone was reading this, much less anyone who doesn’t wave to me at the Market. But Gary seems to know a lot of people who don’t live in Canaan.
To nudge me along, he presented me with a multitude of original pieces to accompany the narrative.
Gary’s pieces focus on three buildings everyone in Canaan is familiar with, The Meeting House, The Old North Church, and The Academy building. These buildings are all more or less still where they were during the drama around Noyes and every event of significance for the entire Noyes story took place either in or between the Meeting House and the Old North Church. For many of us in Canaan, these buildings contain the story.
This is a rough map of Canaan Street between the Old North Church and The Meeting House. The Academy building was dragged by a pro-slavery mob down the street and plopped in front of the Meeting House. It was eventually dragged across the street. It burned in 1839 and was rebuilt, as a replica the same year. Today, it houses Canaan's Historical Museum.
The Story of Noyes Academy
Noyes Academy, the country’s first co-ed interracial school, opened in Canaan New Hampshire in 1835. The incorporators of the school included men who would go on to lead the abolitionist movement. Canaan was an abolitionist town and was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Among the black students gathered for the school were some of the leading lights of a generation.
The founders built a building, hired a teacher and hoped for the best.
The best is not what happened.
What happened is that a man named Jacob Trussell used the school to settle an old score against three of the local men founding the school. I encourage you to read this blog from the beginning because the interests that moved these events are very different from what you might imagine.
Northerners in 1834 were not pro-slavery. They knew full well that slavery was evil. But they had no idea how to end it. The South had been a slave economy for hundreds of years and the constitution was written to give extra power to enslavers based on who they owned (3/5 clause) The United States was all of 60 years old. When they fought the War of Independence, every Northerner knew that Southerners owned slaves and were quite wealthy as a result. They chose to look away.
In 1835, they still chose to look away. They chose to look away for another 26 years.
The school was not a public building. It was owned by the proprietors. To destroy the school was to destroy private property. That was clearly illegal and could very likely send someone to jail.
Black students started filtering into Canaan during the spring of 1835. Opposition to the school was fanned by Trussell, who was intent on proving to wealthy Southerners that someone reliable in Canaan was looking after their interests. He kept informing these nameless Southerners of his progress on their behalf.
In the meanwhile, the supporters of the school seemed to be in a state of benign ignorance, thinking that their project was well underway.
The first mob Jacob Trussell organized set out to destroy the Academy building on July 4, 1835. The mob was met by a Magistrate, Dr. Timothy Tilton who called out individuals within the group, letting them know that they were not going to escape consequences for their actions.
This was a lawless mob, but lawless Canaan mobs were apparently reluctant to break the law. They went home and Trussell went back to work. He called a Town Meeting and passed a bunch of resolutions that labeled the school a nuisance and gave Trussell the imaginary right to “Abate the Nuisance.”
This was nonsense, but by then, no one really cared. On August 10, 1835, A group of men mostly from outside Canaan, abated the nuisance by dragging it down the street and leaving it like a trophy in front of the Meeting House.
Wallace’s writing about the actual “hauling” is wonderful. It is likely taken from letters from his brother James who ran a store on The Street and from Jame’s diary. I have added many paragraph breaks. The original was just a few long paragraphs and that made it hard to follow.
Page 274
The people led by villains were mad, and in their madness had become destroyers. I was standing at my desk writing. Saw a man, Mr. B., pass with an iron bar. Soon I saw several more pass with bars and axes. Now a wagon loaded with chains hurries along. I looked out at the door. The street was full of people and cattle in all directions. A “string” of fifty yoke are just turning the corner by the old Church, all from Enfield. William Currier at their head. Thomas Merrill was also a leader.
The destruction of that beautiful edifice has already begun. Trussell was the first man on the ground. He is Captain of the gang. His features show the smile of satisfied revenge. He thus addressed them: “Gentlemen, your work is before you. This town has decreed this school a nuisance, and it must be abated. If any man obstructs you in these labors, let him be abated also. Now fall to, and remove this fence.”
The first blow was struck by Benjamin Porter, who seized an axe and attacked the fence. He was an active lieutenant of his master and was everywhere present encouraging the lookers-on to labor.
Stephen Smith was at work for Sheriff Blodgett that day. Mr. Blodgett stayed at home. He would not by his presence, show sympathy with the brave band who were working for applause from the South, but was interested in the progress of the work. He sent Mr. Smith up to bring him reports. Mr. Smith said that he stood looking at the wreckers, thinking what a pity to see that beautiful edifice destroyed! The master came around that way and seeing a man idle he spoke out promptly: “Smith, here take that axe and help clear away that fence.”
Mr. Smith seized the axe and when the fence was cleared away, wondered why he had allowed that man to influence him to do that bad work. Many others have worked under the same subtle influence, and had no regrets until the will of the master was accomplished. The account continues:
When they first appeared and seized upon the front fence to pull it away, they were met by Doctor Tilton, [this is the second time Tilton confronted the mob] who, as a magistrate, commanded them to disperse and begun to read the riot act. There was a perceptible hesitation when Trussell stepped forward, seizing an axe and exclaimed: “Well, we have heard all that before, but it won’t pass with us today. Boys, fall to here! If that man interrupts you any more remove him.” Then striking the first blow, he encouraged his crowd to deeds unheard of before in this town.
I need not say that there was sadness among our friends. We were sad at the unappeasable madness of the people, who blindly followed that revengeful man, but in the days to come there will be reaction.
The reading of the riot act by Doctor Tilton was the only obstruction offered by the friends of the school. They chose to suffer affliction and the destruction of their property rather than shed the blood of these misguided men.
They got the shoes under a little past 12 at noon. Trussell stands upon the front to give orders. The team is attached. Ninety-five yoke of cattle. It is straightened. The chains break. They try again and again the chains break! Almost in vain do they try. Thermometer ranges at 116 in the sun. At half past 7 they had succeeded in drawing it into the road, when they adjourned till next day.
[…] The chains were weak, doubled they were still weak. A swift messenger was dispatched to the Shakers at Enfield and to Lyman’s Bridge at Lyman for the cables used there. He returned before morning.
Tuesday the 11th, the progress of destruction was more rapid. The chains held firm when the order was given “to straighten the team.” A little before noon they had reached our store where they halted in front, and at once demanded that a barrel of rum should be rolled out or they would demolish the doors.
Mr. C. [Nathanial Currier] and myself thought it best to yield to their threats, but William said “No, he would sooner die than yield an inch to these fanatical villains.” He backed himself against the door, determined to resist to the last. But he was removed after much struggling, and they had the rum. Do you believe we did not wish it might be hell fire to their bodies?
Another scene occurred here worth relating. Mrs. Wallace [the author’s mother] came out of the house, mounted the fence, and began to harangue that crowd as only an earnest woman can when the spirit moves her. She was telling them some very wholesome truths, when Mr. C. [Nathanial Currier] came up and seizing her from behind, carried her into the house exclaiming,“Get into the house and shut up your mouth. Don’t you see, if you get ‘em mad they’ll pull my house down too.”
Any person, man or woman, who, passing quietly along the street, then, did not hurrah with them, was insulted by those ruffians from Enfield, Hanover and Dorchester.
[…] When they were about opposite Parson Fuller’s house, they rested for water. Mrs. F., a very plucky woman, when she saw the intent to use her water bucket, rushed out and cut the rope, thus dropping the bucket into the well, and declaring loudly that “her bucket should not be polluted by the touch of such foul lips.”
The men spoke to her with oaths and threats, she replied “She had been used to such acts for some time past she would be disappointed if they ever repented of their crimes or became gentlemen.”
This day was hotter than the preceding, yet with redoubled ardor these men persisted in their crime, until they hauled the house on to the corner of the Common, in front and close by the old church. They arrived upon the spot just at dark, so completely fagged out, both oxen and men, that it was utterly impossible to do anything further.
There it stands, shattered, mutilated, inwardly beyond reparation almost, a monument of the folly of and infuriated malice of a basely deceived populace. Four weeks from last Thursday, they are to assemble again to draw it upon the spot chosen by the selectmen for its location. Many aggravating circumstances accompanying this transaction cannot be related here. The Institution is broken up. The aggressors declare boldly that they fear no retribution at the hands of the law. They rely upon public opinion and the authorities to sustain them in taking the accomplishment of their unlawful wishes into their own hands.
Coda
Noyes Academy was a dream of farsighted men and women, but it was so ahead of its time that it was likely destined to fail. At the close of his chapter on Noyes Academy, Wallace writes:
Page 295
New England at that time was degenerated into guilty and dastardly servility to the South. She was enslaved by her prejudices until she trampled her own laws and peace under foot. The descendants of the founders of Puritan Seminaries broke up the free school. And such a school! Had it been undisturbed it would have taken the lead of all others in the country, and enjoyed patronage unknown to any other. Abolitionists everywhere would have sent their sons and daughters, animated by the high toned principle and lofty purpose that distinguished them from their abusers. The flower of the colored youth would have found their way to it from every part of the country. God would have blessed it with his abundant favor. Its breaking up and dispersion left the quiet and beautiful village to the bats and owls. The stillness of the desert succeeded.
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