Joseph Watts was born here and, resided in the town until his death, in 1816. He resided just north of the village, where he reared four children, none of whom are living. An adopted son, George U. R., is now a resident of the town. John, Isaac and Jesse, brothers of Joseph, also spent their lives here. None of their descendants now reside here.
Sylvester Partridge came to Alstead, from Londonderry, Mass., in 1783, locating in the northern part of the town. He was then about twenty-one years of age, and soon after married, though his wife lived but a short time. He then married Mrs. Rachel Fay, who bore him three children. By his third wife he had four children. His only son, by his second wife; Capt Theron, was the father of Alfred W. and James S. Partridge, who now reside here. Two other grandsons of Sylvester, Alva W. and Edward M. Smith, also reside here, and also a granddaughter, Mrs. Melissa … Read more
ALSTEAD CENTER, (p. o.) a hamlet located upon a hill about half a mile east of the geographical center of the town, was formerly the business center of the town, and about 1802, the prospective sight of the county court-house. It long since lost its prestige, however, and now along its single street, a school house, a Congregational house of worship, in perhaps a dozen dwellings remain.
ALSTEAD, with an area of 24,756 acres, lies in the extreme northern part of the county, in 43° 6′ of north latitude, and longitude 4° 48′ east from Washington,* bounded north by Sullivan county, east by Marlow, south by Gilsum and Surry, and west by Walpole and a part of Sullivan county. The territory now lying within its limits was originally granted by Gov. Benning Wentworth, probably in 1761. He at that time granted charters for seventy-eight townships, lying on both sides of the Connecticut, principally for the purpose of establishing a claim to the territory in the then unsettled … Read more
Nathaniel D. Messer was an early settler in the town, and resided here until his death, having raised a large family. One son, William H., died here in 1881. He was engaged in the manufacture of wooden-ware, rakes, etc., where his son, Frank D., now carries on the same business.
EAST ALSTEAD (p. o.) is a hamlet located about 1 mile from the east line of the town, near Warren pond, and consists of one street running north and south, bordered by a Congregational church, one store, and about a dozen dwellings. Just west of this, however, upon the outlet of the pond, is a hamlet containing three mills, a grocery and ten or twelve dwellings, where quite an extensive lumber business is carried on.
Abraham Browne, with his sons, Abraham, Jr., Nathaniel and Oliver, came from Grafton, Mass., and located just northeast of Warren Pond, about 1775. Oliver, with his father, located where Alonzo M. Fogg now lives, Nathaniel, where James A. Browne now resides, and Abraham, Js., upon the hill to the north. Abraham, Sr., died in r808. Abraham, Jr., married Lucy Golding, of Grafton, Mass., by whom he reared ten children ; was a respected citizen, and died at the age of eighty-two years. Dea. Nathaniel Browne married Molly Gee, of Marlow, had four sons and two daughters, represented the town, and … Read more
Samuel Chandler, from Enfield, Mass., came to this town with his two brothers, Joel and Zebulon, in 1767. Samuel located in the southwestern part of the town, was one of the first selectmen, and died in 1784. His son James, born here in 1771, died in 1857. James bore an active part in town affairs, holding the office of selectman, justice of the peace, etc. His son Lyman now resides here, an ex-town clerk. Nathan, son of Joel, married Esther Marvin and reared three children, Samuel, Polly, and John M. He died in 1824. His widow became the wife of … Read more
The first company of militia was formed here in 1973, of which Timothy Dilano was chosen captain, Samuel Chandler, lieutenant, and Jason Wait, ensign. “It is worthy of notice,” says Rev. Seth S. Arnold, in an historical sermon printed in 1826, “that a spirit of independence, and much decision of political character prevailed among the first settlers of this town, when the Revolutionary war commenced. In that time of doubt and peril; when it was so difficult to know what was expedient, and what would be the result of so great an attempt; when the friends of liberty might hesitate … Read more
John Banks, progenitor of the Banks family in Alstead, was in the employ of Nathaniel S. Prentiss, and came with him from Grafton, Mass., in 1774 he married Susan Prentiss and reared a large family of children, one of whom was the father of Gen. N. P. Banks, of Waltham, Mass. Two sons of John,-Andrew and Jabez M., spent their lives in Alstead. Andrew married Fannie Livermore, resided on a farm on road 36, reared eight children, and died in 1876, aged 83 years. His son Gardner G. has been engaged in the manufacture of lumber at the outlet of … Read more
ALSTEAD is a handsome post village located in the northwestern part of the town on Cold river. It his two churches (Congregational and Universalist), six or seven stores, several shops or mills of various kinds, and about 100 dwellings. Formerly there was a large amount of paper manufactured here, and from this circumstance the place was called Paper Mill Village, a name which clung to it until about twenty years ago, when the postoffice received the name of Alstead. A point of interest in the vicinity worthy of mention is the “Cocked Hat,” a name given in eminence just east … Read more
1. Amos2 Wood, son of Joshua1 and Esther (Esty) Wood, was b. in Keene, June 16, 1794; d. Wilton, June 12, 1873; was a farmer and lived in Keene, Walpole and Wilton. He was a Deacon in the Congregational church of Walpole. He m. (1), Sept. 23, 1817, Fanny Seward, b. Sullivan, Nov. 13, 1794, d. Walpole, Sept. 19, 1848; dau. of Dea. Josiah and Sarah (Osgood) Seward of S. He m. (2), Mar 20, 1850. Pamelia Wightman, b. Walpole (?), 1795, d. there, Nov. 16, 1854; dau. of Israel and Frances (Allen) Wightman; m. (3), Apr. 16, 1858, Mrs. … Read more
Isaac Cady, from Pomfret, Conn., came to Alstead about 1763-64, settling with his wife upon a farm at East Alstead, she being the first white woman to locate in the town. Mr. Cady became a Revolutionary soldier, and won a prominent place in the estimation of his townsmen. His son Joseph spent his life here as a farmer and reared a family of six, only two of whom, William and James B., residing on road 39, are living. The latter resides with his son, F. 0., who served the town as selectman in 1883.
Giles Marvin, one of the early settlers, located in the eastern part of the town, where he was engaged in farming and worked at his trade as a carpenter and joiner, His son William, born here in 1779, died in x867. Five of his eleven children are living, three in Alstead. Jackson resides on High street, and Fred J. is a prosperous merchant, located on Main street.
The first baptism in town was administered in September, 1768, by Rev. Thomas Fessenden, of Walpole. In 1770 the town “chose nine men to conduct religious worship,” one of the number being appointed to procure a minister. Its 1773 a committee was chosen to select a site for building a house of worship, and the same year Rev. James Treadway was employed to supply the town with preaching, and was subsequently given a call to settle with them in the ministry, but declined because no church had been organized. In 1776 a vote was passed by the town to build … Read more
Dea. Noah Vilas, the only child of Peter Vilas, the immigrant and the progenitor of the entire Vilas family in America, came to Alstead in 1779, from Grafton, Mass. He had a family of six sons and two daughters. The first son, Joseph, and one daughter died in infancy. Wm. F. Vilas, PostmasterGeneral in President Cleveland’s cabinet, is a descendant of Dea. Noah Vilas.
Dea. Jeremiah Howard, from Ipswich, Mass., came to Langdon, with his wife and three children, in 1783 or ‘8q.. He took up wild land, built a log house, and reared a family of four sons and five daughters. Stephen, his first born in Langdon, spent his life on the old farm, reared seven children, and died in 1873. aged eighty-seven years. When Stephen became of age, his father bought the land where Alstead village now is, and built a saw and grist-mill where the Holmes mill now is, though a mill had previously been built there,. by Mr. Towne. In … Read more
In 1788 a number of the members of the first church became dissatisfied with their pastor, or pastors, withdrew from the society, and with others, organized the Second Congregational church, at East Alstead, with eighteen members, over whom Rev. Levi Lankton, of Southington, Conn., was installed, September z, r 7 89. He remained with the society about a third of a century, receiving into the church ninetythree members. The society now has sixty-seven members, a Sabbath-school with sixty-five members, and a church building capable of seating 250 persons, with Rev. George A. Beckwith, pastor.
Azel R. Emerson, son of Hazen, and grandson of Richard, who came t Alstead from Haverhill, Mass., in 1786, was born December 29, 1822. H lived with his father upon the farm until twenty-one years of age, taught school two terms, and in 1847 started, with O. F. Beckwith, the first iron foundry and plow manufactory in Alstead. In 1849 he purchased Mr. Beckwith’s interest, and in 1893 sold out the business. In 1854 he was elected selectman of the town, and later on removed to Hinsdale, N. H., where t engaged in the foundry, machine and agricultural, implement business, … Read more
Col. Cyrus Kingsbury, from Worcester, Mass., came to Alstead in 1785. He married, first Annas S. Taynter, and second, Philete Partridge, rearing five sons and one daughter. He held a military commission for a considerable time, served as deacon of the Baptist church, and represented the town a number of years, and finally, in 1814, removed to Bloomfield, N. Y., where he soon after died. His family returned to Alstead. Cyrus, Jr., the only child of the Colonel’s first wife, though a cripple from his birth and ever afflicted with ill health, graduated at Brown University. R. a.. and subsequently … Read more