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As they drove along High Street in Exeter they recognized Grandfather Peter's home from the description given them at Newmarket: They wondered why he would leave such a lovely place and go to Gilmanton. While driving around Exeter for some time locating the old homesteads, they passed a general merchandise store with a faded sign which read "Gilman, Folsom and Gilman." The two children were asleep in the cart, so William tied the horses to the old post and he and his wife went into the store. They purchased one or two articles and then asked about the sign. "Oh, I don't bother to cover that up. I figur' it's a drawin' card for me. What's your name?" the proprietor asked.
When William announced his name the proprietor was delighted. "So, you're old Ben Folsom's grandson. I remember when they sold the tavern and sent to Gilmanton, So now they were trapped for a long recital. William hurried through the major events concerning Ben's family and then asked about the store. "Well, Sir, Gilman, Folsom, and Gilman did a large business in trade, in shipbuilding, and in ventures at sea. Look here at this old bill nailed on the wall. I think it's rather clever, so I leave it there." The sign read:
"Crimson, Scarlet, and Other Color'd Broadcloths. Scarlet, Green Ratteens. Scarlet, Blue and Green Plushes. Colored and Black Figured Cotton Waist Coat Shapes. Crimson, Scarlet, Black, Blue green, and Cloth Shalloons."
“They also dealt in hardware. Let me show you some I've kept," he said. There were guns, flints, hourglasses, H &. H L hinges, thumb latches, warming pans, shoe and knee buckles. Tammay's and durants. Dungareens, tandems, romalls, snail trimmings, firmers, jobents, splentor locks, and cuttoes. Some of those I leave in the window. People see 'em and come in. Before they leave they buy something.”
By this time the baby was crying, so Hannah went out. William finally took his leave of the old gentleman, and the family hurried along the road toward Hampton Falls 0
Wherever they went people admired Hannah's lovely hazel eyes and her long, beautiful, light brown hair. It pleased her, but it also embarrassed her so that she didn't know whether she wanted to make any more family calls or not.
It was getting dark when they reached Hampton Falls, so they found an inn and stayed there all night. Even the children slept late, and the tap room was almost empty when they came down for their breakfast next morning.
"So, you're Ben the Trader's grandson", said the innkeeper as he rubbed his hands on his leather apron and plied William with more questions. "Have you been to see your grandmother Betty Mitchell Folsom's folk here?" he asked. When William said "No" the innkeeper said that he better, because there was no greater Indian tracker or Indian fighter in the colonies than Betty's grandfather, Capt. Benjamin Swett. Why, he could track an Indian on a stone mountain, and Hampton Falls was still teaching their school children about the raid he conducted at Slackpoint, Scarborough, Maine in 1766.
"Did you know he was massacred there?" he asked William. He was captain of the militia.