Former Portsmouth Schoolmasters

The last teacher who filled the chair in that old school-house, in about the
year 1787, was Salmon Chase, a recent graduate from college.  Boys then, as they sometimes have been since, were unruly.  Master Chase, who was a portly, athletic man, had occasion one day to chastise young George Turner as he deserved.  The boy looking out of the open window and seeing his father, Capt. George Turner, coming up Buck street, sprang out and ran to him, complaining of the whipping.  Capt. Turner was rather excitable, and rushing into the school room commenced a torrent of abuse.  Master Chase was calmly seated at his desk preparing the boys' writing books.  He looked up, told one of the boys to open the door, and pointed the visitor to it.  He still continued his abuse.  Standing up at his desk, the master raised his round solid ruler in such a manner as to show what he could do, and bade him depart!  The old sea captain saw but poor chance in a personal contest, and departed, leaving the master to govern his school in his own way.  Mr. Chase was a good teacher, but did not long remain here.  He removed to Portland, and we think there studied law.  He afterwards settled in an interior town in New Hampshire, and in 1808 was born to him a son named Salmon P. Chase, who has been Governor of Ohio, Secretary of the U. S. Treasury, and is now Chief Justice of the United States.

The next teacher of whom we have account was Deacon Amos Tappan, probably the first teacher in the new brick edifice.  The Deacon was a single man, and the Selectmen of the town thinking it desirable to secure his services permanently, respectfully requested him to get married, and further they recommended him to marry the sister of Rev. Dr. Buckminister.  He doubtless had thoughts of the same proceeding before the suggestion was made.  The matter being agreeable all around, the Deacon was married to her.  But it appears that the principal marriage the Selectmen sought was not consummated -- that of being wedded to the town as a schoolmaster.  For in those days corporeal punishment was deemed a duty, and deacon Tappan having done his duty rather severely on one of the boys, his parents prosecuted him.  This led the deacon to leave the public school, and open a private school, which he continued as long as he lived, in an old building located on the west side of High street, between the mansion of C. H. Ladd, Esq., and the corner of Congress street.  Soon after the fire of 1813 the west side of Mulberry street, near State street, where it now stands.  He was a successful teacher, although the boys regarded him a severe disciplinarian.

In 1805 Mr. Tappan was succeeded by Eleazer Taft.  Mr. Taft received his classical education in Brown University, and subsequently officiated as a Congregational minister.  Changing his religious sentiments, he renounced his ministry, and after serving in the army as one of Washington's Life Guards, became an instructor of youth, first in Vermont.  In 1805 he came to Portsmouth and succeeded Mr. Tappan in the instruction of the High School, then kept in the chamber story of the school-house, where he remained until the building was burned out in the time of the great fire of 1813.

We here present the names of all the scholars we can gather who attended Master Taft's school between the years 1805 and 1814, when he retired from the school. [Click here to read the list]

The tuition of the school consisted of reading, spelling, writing, geography, grammar, natural philosophy, mathematics, and the Latin and Greek languages.  He fitted several of his pupils for college, who subsequently graduated at Harvard University.

The reading of the record above given will bring back to many the names of their early associates, many of whom have long since passed away.  But in those who remain, there is but one feeling for the old master whose mildness, dignity and affection for his scholars endeared him in their memory.

CONTINUE with Brewster's SCHOOL MEMORIES