Cheshire County NH

Biographical Sketch of Rev. John G. Bennett

Rev. John G. Bennett was born in Swanzey, July 17, 1812. He attended the district schools until sixteen years of age, when he attended a private school in Winchester, taught by Rev. Mr. Cushman, a Methodist clergyman. He next attended the Methodist Institute, located at Newbury, Vt., where he instructed several classes and occasionally preached. Before going to Newbury he was employed to preach under the direction of the presiding elder; being at that time only eighteen years of age. In 1836 he married Ruth C Britton, of Westmoreland, N. H., and soon after joined the Vermont and New Hampshire … Read more

Biography of Roswell Hubbard

Roswell Hubbard moved to Sullivan, from Northfield, Mass., at an early day, and settled in the central part of the town where he died. He was a farmer, took an active part in town affairs, being known as Esquire Hubbard, and was also town representative. His son George, born in Sullivan, September 4, 1797, resided in this town until his death, in 1852. He was captain of the militia, and was also a farmer. George C., one of his two chit dren, represented Sullivan two terms in the legislature. He moved to Marlow in 1872, and, in 1874, came to … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Timothy Brown

Timothy Brown and wife, Meredeth Ward, were the first settlers in the town, coming from Westmoreland, N. H., in the year 1797. He bought 450 acres of land on West hill, embracing the Stephen Leach farm and adjoining lands. Here he lived until 1829, when he removed to Ohio, where he passed the remainder of a long life. Four children survived him, Timothy, Bartlett, Rhoda, the wife of Thomas Potter, and Asenath, the wife of Stephen Leach, all of whom attained a ripe old age. The first two died in Ohio, the last two, in Waterville. The year before Mr. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Samuel Pierce

Samuel Pierce came to Jaffrey, from Lunenburgh, Mass., in 1773, and settled upon the farm on road 58, where E. Cary now lives. He married twice, first, Abigail Carter, and second, Elizabeth Whitney, and reared a family of ten children. He died December 27, 1824, at the age of seventyfive years. His son Joseph married Esther Jaqueth, settled on the home farm, and had born to him eight children, three of whom are living. He died April 20, 1860. Frederick S., son of Joseph, married twice, first, Martha Tolman, and second, Mary A. Grant. He now resides in East Jaffrey, … Read more

Biography of William Edward Benson

WILLIAM EDWARD BENSON, who is at the head of a flourishing real estate and insurance business in Greenfield, is the descendant of a family originally settled in Vermont. His grandfather, John Ellis Benson, was born in 1809, in Brookline, Vermont, and died in 1892 in Brattleboro, Vermont. He lived in different places in Vermont and for a time lived in Quebec. He was engaged in the milling trade and before his death had settled in Brattleboro, Vermont, where he lived with his son George. William A. Benson, son of John E. Benson, was born May 14, 1842, in Windham, Vermont, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Reuben B. Foster Sr.

Reuben B. Foster, Sr., was born September 9, 1812, and married Betsey, H., daughter of Richard Hopkins, June 11, 1832. He is an employee of Currier Brothers, at Chesterfield Factory. He has had born to him seven children, as follows: James M., Helen M., Mary Jane, Mahalia S., Reuben B., Frank H., and William E. Reuben B., Jr., was born March 17, 1844, married Julia A., daughter of Hosea L. Stoddard, February 16, 1869. He is a mechanic for Currier Brothers at Chesterfield Factory.

Biographical Sketch of Daniel Rugg

Daniel Rugg, one of the early settlers of Hinsdale, came from Framingham, Mass., and located as a farmer in the northeastern part of the town, where Daniel Freeman now lives. Here he commenced his pioneer life, on a small clearing, and lived in a log cabin until he built the house now occupied by Mr. Freeman. He reared a family of nine children. none of whom are now living, and attained the age of over eighty years. Elijah, his oldest son, a farmer, located in Windham,. Vt. Nathan, the second son, remained on the homestead with his father, married Sally … Read more

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Hinsdale, NH

The Methodist Episcopal church, on Main street, Hinsdale, was organized in the fall of 1842, by Rev. Justin Spaulding, with six members. Rev. T. Furber was the first pastor. The first and present house of worship was erected of wood in 1876. The society has sixty members. The church originally cost $8,000, it present valuation. It will seat nearly 400 people comfortably, and the Sunday-school has about sixty members. The church is now under the pastoral care of Rev. Joseph L. Felt.

Biography of Eleazer Jackson

Eleazer Jackson was born May 12, 1736, married Rachel Pond in 1761, and came to Chesterfield about 1778. He settled upon the land which is now a part of the farm on which his grandson, Jay Jackson, resides, and which has always been, since 1778, owned by members of the Jackson family. He was selectman in 1782, ’83, ’87, ’88, ’93, ’96 and 1800, and representative in 1792, ’93 and ’97- In 1791 he was the delegate from Chesterfield for revising the constitution of the state. He died November 11, 1814. His children were Prudence, Jacob, Jarib, Lydia, Enoch, Elijah, … Read more

Industry and Manufacturing of Gilsum NH

GILSUM is a handsome post village, located on the Ashuelot, at the inner of the “carpenter’s square.” It has a beautiful location, surrounded by and lying about 780 feet above sea level. It has one church, (Congregational) three stores, one hotel, two woolen mills, a saw-mill, two blacksmith shops and about fifty dwellings. John S. Collins’s wollen-mill, on road 10, was built by Gerould & Wetherby in 1845, and came into the present proprietor’s hands in 1872. He employed sixty-five hands, has twenty-four broad looms and 880 spindles, and manufactures, 8,000 yards of cloth per month. The Gilsum Woolen Co.’s … Read more

Early Settlement of Keene, New Hampshire

Up to the winter of 1736 no person had remained in the town during that season. Those who came in the summer to clear their lands brought their provisions with them, and erected temporary huts to shelter them from the weather. But during that summer, Nathan Blake and Seth Heaton, from Wrentham, and William Smeed, from Deerfield, made preparation to pass the winter in the wilderness. Their house was at the south end of Main street. Their stock consisted of a yoke of oxen and a pair of horses, one of the latter belonging to Heaton and the others to … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Dea. Bill Burnham

Dea. Billy Burnham, born in Vernon, Vt., married Sarah Thomas, of Chesterfield, N. H., and came to Hinsdale when there were only three permanent dwellings in the town. For several years thereafter the religious meetings were held in the dwellings of the settlers. Dea. Burnham was a Baptist and a devoted Christian, he and his wife being two of the eight original members of the first Baptist church. They were baptized by moonlight, when the weather was so cold that in returning to the house. eight rods distant, their clothing froze stiff. None of their five children are now living. … Read more

General History of Harrisville, New Hampshire

HARRISVILLE lies in the extreme eastern part of the county, in lat. 42° 57′ and long. 4° 59′, bounded north by Nelson and Hancock, the latter in Hillsboro county, east by Hancock and Peterboro, south by Dublin and west by Roxbury and a portion of Marlboro. This is the youngest township in the county, having been incorporated as late as July 2, 1870, its area being made up of territory taken from the southern part of Nelson and northern part of Dublin. The extreme length of the town, east and west, is nearly eight miles, and its greatest width, north … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jonah Carter

Jonah Carter was a native of Leominster, Mass. His son Jonah married Lucy Joslin and came to Jaffrey about 1793. He settled upon a farm on road 61, and reared a family of ten children, only one of whom, Luke, is now living. This son married Lucy, daughter of Silas and Susan (Reed) Ross, and reared a family of eight children, four of whom are now living. He is a manufacturer of woodenware, and resides upon a farm on road 13.

Biographical Sketch of Thaddeus Mason Jr.

Thaddeus Mason, Jr., married Lydia, daughter of Ivory Perry, and had born to him six children, one of whom is now living. His son Dexter married twice, first, Abigail, daughter of James Adams, who bore him four children, two of whom are living, and second, Harriet g., daughter of Samuel and Mary (Adams) Farewell, of Nelson, who bore him three children, all of whom are living. He was a native of this town and settled on a farm on road 4. He finally retired from the farm to the village of Dublin, where his widow now resides. He held many … Read more

Marlboro, Cheshire County, New Hampshire History

Marlboro is a small irregularly outlined township, lying in the central part of the county, in lat. 24º 54 and long. 4º 49′, bounded north by Roxbury, east by Harrisville, Dublin and Jaffrey, south by Troy, and west by Troy, Swanzey and Keene. It was originally granted by the Masonian proprietors, under the name of Monadnock No. 5, to James Morrison, Jr., and thirty-one associates, May 20, 1752. This history entails tax records, sketches of early industry, churches, military, and benevolent societies, as well as biographies, genealogies, and sketches of the early settlers. History of Marlboro, New Hampshire General History … Read more

Biography of Lanmon Nims

Lanmon Nims was born in Sullivan, February 3, 18r 1. He is the son the late Asahel and Mary (Heaton) Nims, and great-great-grandson of David Nims, one of the first inhabitants of the town of Keene, the first clerk of proprietors, and the first town clerk. Mr. Nims had comparatively few e educational advantages, but such was his diligence as a reader of history an current items of event, that he became in his maturity, a man of very extensive information. Having served his apprenticeship at the carpenter trade, with Dexter Spaulding, of Sullivan, in 1831, he continued to work … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Erastus Sargent

Erastus Sargent, son of Thomas, and great-grandson of Digory Sargent, settled in Chesterfield in 1792 or 1793. He married Annas Snow, who bore him seven children, namely: Edwin, Diana, Jason, Edith, Warren, Angeline, and Alanson. Edwin born December 16, 1793, married Sally, daughter of David Stoddard, December 27, 1815. He resided for a while on the paternal farm, then moved to the farm afterwards owned by his son, Oscar E. He was town representative in 1842. He had born to him nine children, as follows: Louisa, Emily, Corydon, John H., David W., Charles R., Jude S., Oscar E., and Frederick.

Biographical Sketch of Broughton D. Harris

Broughton D., son of Wilder Harris, born August 16, 1822, married Sarah Buel Hollister, March 24, 1851. He graduated from Dartmouth college in 1845, studied law in the office of Hon. Asa- Keyes, of Brattleboro, and then engaged in the newspaper business, being editor of the Vermont Phoenix for a while, and, for several years, of the Semi-Weekly Eagle. In the spring Of 1851 he went to Utah as the first secretary of that territory, Brigham Young being at that time governor of the same. After he left Utah he was appointed secretary and acting governor of New Mexico, but … Read more

Biographical Sketch of David Crowninshield

David Crowninshield, one of the pioneer settlers of Hinsdale, came from Rhode Island at a very early date and settled on road 7, where his grandson Samuel T. Crowninshield, now lives. His farm at first contained only enough cleared land to place his house and barns upon, and here he lived and labored until his death,, at the age of forty-eight years. He was the father of four children, viz.: Artemas, Philo, Leonard and Lydia. Artemas and Leonard settled on the homestead. Philo married and removed to Guilford, Vt., and Lydia (Mrs. Butler) now resides in Chesterfield. The only descendants … Read more