There are times in life when simple things invoke much thought. Today we visit a mystery that confounded our ancestors in Concord and became the talk of the town. It was the discovery of a silver coin. It wasn’t just any silver coin — it was quite unique. This fact coupled with the location where it was found created so very much discussion in Concord, fostered debate and ultimately garnered much publicity. Simply a coin and the mystery that surrounded it.
When our little town was initially settled, there was an effort by our ancestors to plant trees, not just a few trees but many trees. A tree offered shade in the summer, roots that would help to combat erosion and a beauty so very profound. Each fall the trees would contribute to festive autumns with colorful foliage and invoke warm sentiments. The tree of choice, planted along the streets of our town, was the American Elm. A wonderful choice and hearty in nature, the elm trees endured and then flourished. Following World War I, people would routinely plant a tree to remember a relative lost in the great war. Yes, there were many elm trees around Concord, but then things started to change.
With hundreds of trees lining our Main Street, the fate of our beloved elms were suddenly in peril. A hurricane was predicted and might very well visit New Hampshire with a direct
encounter. So, it was on Sept. 21, 1938, a terrible hurricane arrived and destruction ensued. Concord suffered as well as the surrounding communities from severe flooding with high velocity winds destroying buildings, roads and factories. When the hurricane finally departed, our ancestors awoke to mass destruction with a large portion of their elm trees now lost. Crews set about cutting the fallen trees and set plans to rebuild and repair the many levels of destruction.
On the New Hampshire State House lawn, the stately elms suffered the same fate as the rest of the town. Trees laid this way and that way and crossing with stumps and branches scattered. Roots were raised right from the soil where they were planted many years before.
It was on the New Hampshire State House lawn where a great mystery evolved days after the hurricane left. Young John Caldon was observing the work crew gathering fallen branches and sawing the long timbers efficiently. John approached a fallen tree and helped by using his hand to clear soil from the uprooted elm tree allowing workmen to access the roots for cutting and removal. This old elm tree long established on the lawn was likely planted after the original construction of the New Hampshire State House in 1816. With the hurricane striking in 1938 the old elm tree could not possible be more than 122 years old at the most.
John continued to help the older men by clearing more soil away. As he knelt by the fallen elm, he brushed the roots with his bare hand. A slight sparkle from under the roots caught his attentions. Ever so gently, John brushed some more. It was a shiny coin he found, buried deeply below the old elm tree on the New Hampshire State House lawn, a tree that could not have been planted prior to the year 1816. It was a special commemorative tree in fact; it was the known as the Daniel Webster Elm.
As John made his discovery, the nearby workmen joined him and looked at the odd-looking coin. It certainly wasn’t a coin from around here. It didn’t appear to be a coin minted in the United States. What was this coin and where did it come from? How did this coin end up buried deeply beneath an old elm tree, a tree that was planted after 1816?
The New Hampshire Historical Society sent a gentleman to the state house lawn to examine this discovery. With interest peaked this gentleman examined the coin closely. It was in very good condition and he could easily read the date engraved at the base of the coin, 1782.
The coin was identified as a Spanish Silver Dollar but the mystery regarding its discovery only deepened. The dates and plantings on the lawn did not coincide with this coin being discovered beneath a tree planted on or after 1816. Our ancestors contemplated the meaning and many questions followed. The coin that young John Caldon found beneath the tree provided much discussion indeed. It was simply a coin, but how could this be?
With more discussion, the mystery passed from town to town and soon many notable coin collectors visited and discussed amongst themselves the mystery of the 1782 Spanish Silver Dollar found beneath the Daniel Webster Elm.
Days passed and then weeks. Weeks turned to months and winter snow fell once again upon the frozen ground at Concord. It was at this time a gentleman with much knowledge regarding coins visited Concord. He offered some resolution to unwind the tangled mystery to a greater degree.
His explanation seemed to quell the growing mystery. New Hampshire business was administered in either Portsmouth or Exeter prior to the construction of the New Hampshire State House in 1816. Spanish coins during this very early history in New Hampshire were used as accepted currency before untrustworthy currency issued by the U.S. government in its infancy became widespread legal tender. This coin, in very good condition, provided a glimpse into the earliest years of New Hampshire history.
Our ancestors completed the clean up after the great hurricane of 1938. They planted some more elm trees too. Many would not be replanted and our elm trees were now far and few. Just over 10 years later, our surviving elm trees were once again decimated. It was the arrival of the Dutch Elm Disease that struck in 1949. The remaining elm trees began to succumb and never recovered.
There was no longer a cooling shade on a hot summer day or beautiful foliage along Main Street during autumn. People planted oaks, maples and ash trees to replace some of the missing elms. A sad chapter in our history here in Concord.