Henry Batchelder, a well-to-do farmer of Sunapee, was born here, January 17, 1843, son of Nathaniel and Sarah (Trask) Batchelder, both natives of Beverly, Mass. His grandfather, Zachariah Batchelder, a shoemaker by trade, was an early settler of Sunapee. Both Zachariah and his wife died in that town. Nathaniel, who came Sunapee for several years; and he voted the ticket alone. Active in religious work, he was an esteemed member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Newport. He died in Sunapee at the age of eighty-six. His wife lived to the age of ninety-two years. They had six children, three of whom are now living. Those deceased are: Ellen, who died in infancy; Nathaniel, who died in the Civil War; and Zachariah, who reached the age of ten years. The eldest of the living children, Mrs. Mary R. Sleeper, is the wife of B. R. Sleeper, with whom she lives on the old Batchelder farm in Sunapee. Alfred T. Batchelder, the other surviving son, is a lawyer of Keene, N.H.
Henry Batchelder grew up in his native town, receiving his education in the common schools and at New London Academy. He has been chiefly engaged in farming. Until recently he owned an interest in the old home farm. He sold out this interest, and purchased another place in Sunapee, containing one hundred and fifty acres, where he has since carried on general farming. He has also discharged the duties of station agent on the Concord Division of the Boston & Maine Railroad since 1874 with painstaking care and fidelity, winning the confidence of both his employers and the public. Arecord of twenty-three years is one that any man can be proud of. Mr. Batchelder’s residence is an excellent one. At this writing he is actively engaged in making some special improvements on his farm. The place is on the way to a rank among the superior farms of the locality. He aims to put into practice the most advanced ideas of the times, and spares no pains or expense to secure the best results. He has on the farm some very good specimens of live stock, although he makes no specialty of stockraising or dairying. Both he and his wife are liberal in their religious views. In politics he is a Republican.
Mr. Batchelder was married December 25, 1879, to Fanny T. Angell, daughter of Mervin and Lemira Angell. Mr. Angell belonged to an old family in Sunapee. Mr. and Mrs. Batchelder have had six children, of whom Nathaniel died at the age of nine months. Those living are: Alice M., born May 10, 1881; Ethel K., born August 17, 1884; Lizzie T., born September 15, 1887; Alfred T., born December 25, 1890; and Leland H., born August 27, 1893.