Coach, Concord

Title:

Concord Coach

Object Name:

Coach, Concord

Creator:

J.S. & E.A. Abbott

Date:

circa1849

Dimensions:

H-8 W-7 inches

Description:

This coach was originally built in June 1849 by J.S. & E.A. Abbott, as proved by Edward & Barbara Rowse during its restoration in 1974-75. They found the date & name of the maker inside one of the doors. They found the coach number, Roman Numeral XIX, underneath the center seat inside the carriage. It was built during a period that Abbott and Downing had separate companies.

It is one of the smaller ones made by the Abbott family. It has three interior seats, accommodating 6-8 people. It has been returned to its original yellow "straw" color. Edward Rowse added designs on the sides similar to designs of the period. The Historical Society was asked to suggest images for the doors. They chose a lake scene for one side, and a covered bridge for the other representing the old bridge that crossed over the Souhegan River on the route.

Provenance:

It's not known who owned this coach from 1849 until William Rodney Clark purchased the Stage line from Amherst village to Danforth's Corner in 1868. The painting on the coach reads: "Amherst Rail Road Coach" and "Clark's Stage." William Clark sold the stagecoach to William Sloan, livery stable owner, in about 1900. He used it for hire on special occasions. In 1916 William Sloan sold it to coach collector Joseph Silver of New Ipswich, NH. In 1968 it returned to Amherst when Mrs. Carl Willard of Townsend, MA, contacted the Historical Society of Amherst. The Society was able to purchase it from her for one thousand dollars.

Subjects:

Coach drivers

People:

Clark, William Rodney, Sloan, William W.

Collection Name:

Concord Coach

Item Number:

1968.1.1

Accession Number:

1968.1

Type of Material:

Objects

Copyright Statement:

For information regarding copyright, permissions, and reproductions contact the Historical Society of Amherst, NH

Participating Organization:

Historical Society of Amherst, NH