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 […]
Elmer B. Howe, son of Jotham and Myra (Kemball) Howe, married Lucy, daughter of Israel and Tabitha (Wheelock) Marsh, of Keene, and has four children. He was a soldier in the late war, enlisting in Company C, 15th Mass Vols, was taken prisoner, and was one of the sufferers in Libby prison. He now occupies
William Randall came to Chesterfield from Cranston, R. I., about 1780. His children were Eleazer, Anthony, Benajah, and Esther. Eleazer married Martha Staples, and settled in Chesterfield on land given him by his father. His children were Roxana, Prusha, Diana, Nathan, and Eleazer. The latter, born August 4, 1796, married Clarissa, daughter of Benjamin Wheeler,
The First Congregational church of Keene was organized October 18, 1738, with a membership of nineteen males. Rev. John Bacon, the proprietors clerk, was ordained October 18th, and settled over the church. Mr. Bacon graduated at Harvard in 1731. The church, originally built near the south end of Main street, was moved, in 1741, to
Timothy Tufts was born in Charleston May 29, 1824. He obtained a common school and academic education and followed teaching successfully for several years, or until 1844, when he embarked in mercantile pursuits, as a clerk in Alstead village. In 1848 he formed a co-partnership with Oliver B. Campbell, and from 1851 has conducted the
Lucius Darwin Pierce, son of E. P. Pierce, Esq., was born at Chesterfield, August 9, 1820. In boyhood and youth he enjoyed such limited advantages for acquiring an education as the common schools and Chesterfield academy afforded. In 1841 he entered Norwich university, Vt., gained a commendable proficiency in the ancient languages, and while yet
The Second Congregational church was organized October 16, 1867, with one hundred and twenty-three members, who had seceded from the First church for that purpose. The building and organ cost $35,000.00, and was completed, paid for, and dedicated September 16, 1869, when Rev. Joseph Allen Leach was installed as pastor. Mr. Leach is a native
The Second Congregational Church of Keene New Hampshire Read More »
Samuel O. Gates, son of Joel, was born at Hancock, August 5, 1827 and came to Keene in 1851, where he was engaged in mercantile business and in the manufacture of boots and shoes for fifteen years. He has been selectman, city marshall four years, deputy sheriff fifteen years, and still holds the latter position.
Among the ambitious and adventurous spirits that sought homes in the northern part of Vermont were three sons of Cephas Clark, namely Silas, Samuel, and Cephas, all of whom settled in Glover. The design of this work is to treat from now on of the history of the three sons of Cephas Clark who emigrated to and settled in the northern part of Vermont.
The Baptist church and society, located at Pottersville, was organized by Elder Ballou and his son, Maturin, at the house of John Muzzey, December 7, 1785, with thirty members, the Rev. Maturin Ballou being the first pastor. In 1829 the church was re-organized and now has about seventy members. The church building was originally built
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Frederick Metcalf was born in Keene, June i 1, 1769. He married Esther Dwinell and reared a family of eleven children-five sons and six daughters. Four of these, Alvah E., Edwin G., William and Mary E., are living and reside in Keene. Mr. Metcalf died September 16, 1849. His wife died February 27, 1847. Mary
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,
Benjamin Lawrence, a lieutenant in the Revolutionary war, came to Jaffrey from Groton, Mass., in 1788 or 1789 and settled on a farm on road 5, where Fred. J. Lawrence now resides. He married Rebecca Woods, of Pepperell, Mass., and reared a family of ten children. His son Ithamer married twice, first, Betsey Jewell, who
John Holbrook, son of John, was born in Uxbridge, Mass., August, 17, 1788. He married Mercy Hill, came to Swanzey in 1802, and located in the southern part of the town on the farm now owned by Israel Gun. He was a carpenter and wheelwright, and died in 1838. Five of his ten children are
George Davis was born in Hancock, N. H., in 1816. He learned the carpenter’s trade, which he carried on a few years, was captain of militia there in 1842 and 1843, and owner of a grist-mill, which he operated several years. He married Julia A., daughter 0f Asa Greenwood, of Dublin, in 1840, and moved
Calvin E. Nurse, son of Benjamin, was born in Keene, March 20, 182 He has resided a number of years in Chesterfield, having previously travel extensively in the United States and Canada as an attach€ of a circus co pany. He is a painter and paper-hanger.
Aaron Royce came from Rhode Island at an early day. He has four children, one son and three daughters. His son David was born in town, married Harriet Streeter, of Hinsdale. N. H., and located in Hinsdale. After living here and in different parts of New Hampshire and Vermont for severa years, he moved to
Absalom Kingsbury, from Coventry, Conn., came to Alstead in 1771, and moved his family thither the following year. His first wife, Rebecca Rust, bore him eight sons and two daughters, the sons being as follows: Asa, Ebenezer, Ephraim, Obadiah, James, Elisha, Joshua and Amariah. His second wife was a widow Wilson. Asa studied medicine with
J. S. Lawrence, son of Ithamer, married Sarah, daughter of Zachariah and Rebecca Emery, who bore him three children, all now living, and occupied the homestead until his death. His son Frederick J. married Clara, daughter of Nehemiah and Adaline (Bailey) Cutter, has one child, and resides on the home farm, road 5.
Samuel Rose, born at Groton, Conn., in 1786, married Mary Brooks, a native of Norwich, Conn., and came to Hinsdale in 1810. He located on “Meeting-house hill,” now Brattleboro street, and built the house now occupied by Londus Doolittle. Here he lived a few years, working at his trade of carpenter and builder, then built
