Chesterfield lies in the western part of the county, in lat. 42° 54′ and long. 4° 40′, bounded north by Westmoreland and Keene, east by Keene and Swanzey, south by Winchester and Hinsdale, and west by the west bank of Connecticut river, and has an area, exclusive of the Connecticut, of about forty-four square miles, […]
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
Joseph Holt came to Chesterfield, from Fitchburg, Mass., about 1812. His son Joseph married Elizabeth Osborn, and died in Chesterfield in 1832. He kept a hotel where Leonard W. Leach now lives, also where Mrs. L. F, Bonney now lives. He was also of the firm of Holt & White. merchants, more than fifty years.
Edward Jarvis, son of Edward, was born at St. John City, N. B. He married Calista M. Gibson, of that city, September 16, 1856, and came to Chesterfield, June 29, 1860, and lived near the southern boundary line of Westmoreland in the house where Mr. Strobridge lived and died. After two years he went to
John Kneeland, son of Timothy, was born in Gardner, Mass., in 1766 or 1767. He married Polly Johnson in 1791. He came to Chesterfield about 1797 and resided many years on the farm now owned by Charles C. P. Goodrich, Esq., and which has long been known as the “Squire Kneeland farm.”He was justice of
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.
CHESTERFIELD FACTORY is a busy post village located on the outlet of the lake. It has one church, two stores, one hotel, a village hall, brushhandle factory, bit and auger factory, sash and blind factory, pail factory, grist-mill, wagon shop, shingle-mill, wheel-head and spinning -wheel shop, a steam saw-mill, blacksmith shop, and about seventy-five dwellings.
Richard Hopkins came to this town as early as 1787, married Lucy Fairbanks, and died April 5, 1847, aged eighty-three years. Thornton, son of Richard, married Diantha, daughter of William Farr, and died in Fitzwilliam about 1855. William W., son of Thornton, was born December 21, 1831, married Miranda, daughter of Squire Streeter, September 12,
Silas Richardson, a descendant of John Richardson who came from England previous to 1636, was born in Medfield, Mass., 1748, married, in 1771, Sileme Daniels, of Medway, Mass. In 1776 he came to Chesterfield and settled on land one mile north of the Factory Village. The deed of his purchase under colonial government, still preserved,
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 the troubled times of the Revolution the little town performed her part bravely and well. In September, 1775, the selectman made an enumeration of the inhabitants of the town, and in their report to the provincial authorities stated that thirty-six persons were absent in the army; that there were eighty-three guns in the town
Sergeant Thomas Pierce, the emigrant ancestor of the Pierce family, came to this country, from England, with his wife, Elizabeth Pierce, and settled in Charlestown, Mass., in 1634-35. From him was descended, in the sixth generation, Captain John Pierce, born in Groton, Mass., January 26, 1743. . He married Tabitha Porter, of Groton, and came
George Pierce came from Smithfield, R. I., to Chesterfield about 1816, an settled upon the farm now owned by Mrs. Joseph W. Pierce, on road 1 where he carried on farming. He married Sophrona Mann, of Smithfield, RI., who was born June 14, 1785, and is still living in Chesterfield a venerate, centenarian. The one
John F. Butler is the youngest of the children of Jonathan and Martha (Russell) Butler, and was born in Marlow, June 14, 1831. His father, who was a farmer, died when John was twelve years of age, leaving him chiefly to his own efforts to provide the means for his support and education, which he
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
Waitstill Scott was in Westmoreland at the time of the Revolution, and commanded the company that marched from that town on the occasion of the alarm at Ticonderoga. He probably came to Chesterfield between 1815 and 1818. His children were Eunice, Lydia, Waitstill, Rufus, Rhodolphus, Lucy, Lyman, Chester, and Justus. Rhodolphus, born January 7, 1780,
Sidney S. Campbell, now a retired manufacturer residing at Factory Village, was born in Westminster, Vt., and came to this town in 1830. He married Clarissa Daggett, of Westmoreland, who bore him three childrenMary E., Charles S., and Clara Anna.
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
Barton Skinner, son of Timothy Skinner, of Westmoreland, was born December 19, 1801, and resided in Chesterfield from 1853 till April, 1863. He was a manufacturer at Factory Village, and was town representative in 185758. He removed to Keene, where he died February 11, 1865.
Francis Tuttle came here from Winchester, about 1859. He married Sarah J., daughter of John Beal, of this town, October 6, 1857, and has had a family of six children, as follows: George A., born September 7, 1859; Frankie, born February 22, 1863, and died May 22, 1864; Fred M. born March 27, 1867; Willie
