Fitzwilliam New Hampshire

Biographical Sketch of Royal Smith

Royal Smith came here from his native town, Lexington, Mass. He was a carpenter and died here in 1838. His son, Oliver W., was born here, is a farmer and lives on road 1.

Biographical Sketch of Captain Jonathan S. Adams

Capt. Jonathan S. Adams, the only son of Joshua, was born in Plainfield, Conn., September 22, 1802. His father was a major of militia in Connecticut, and had two daughters, who, with Jonathan, constituted the family. Maj. Joshua Adams died in August, 1813, from a fall upon a stake. His son Jonathan came here in December, 1814, to live with his uncle, Rev. John Sabin, who was the pastor of the Congregational church. He spent the first six years of his life here in study with his uncle, who added to his labors as pastor here, those of tutor, and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Ezra Hayden

Ezra Hayden, a native of Sudbury, Mass., came here about 1804 or 1805. locating upon the farm where Ethan Blodgett now lives. He removed to the place now owned by Eli Smith, where he died in 1843, at the age of fiftyeight years. His son, Otis, was born here where he has lived most of his life. His residence is on road 37.

Fitzwilliam Depot, Cheshire County NH

FITZWILLIAM DEPOT, a post village located in the central part of the town,, on the Cheshire railroad, contains one church, a few mechanic shops, stores, etc.

Biographical Sketch of Dea. Milton Chaplain

Dea. Milton Chaplain, son of Squier Moses Chaplin, was born in thesoutheastern part of this town, in 1805. He attended a district school and the academy at Amherst, Mass. In the year 1824, when nineteen years of age, he “bought his time” during his minority and built a small shop in which he began the manufacture of clothes pins, being the first to make them in town. The method employed when he began was to turn them all in a lathe then cut the slot with a circular saw, when they were finished by boys and girls by hand. At … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Barzaliel Baker

Barzaliel Baker came to Marlboro from Westminster, Mass., about 1800. He was a farmer and settled upon the farm now occupied by Howard Clark, where he died, at the age of eighty-two. His son Asa was born in Marlboro, where lived until 1833, when he moved, to Jaffrey, where he remained until his death, in October, 1869, at the age of sixty-six years. Edwin C., a native of Jaffrey, came to this town in 1870.

Biographical Sketch of Rev. Samuel S. Dudley

Rev. Samuel S. Dudley, a native of Sudbury, Mass., has been a Methodist minister forty-four years, seventeen of which he has preached in this county. He now resides on road 42.

Fitzwilliam Village Cheshire County NH

FITZWILLIAM is a pleasant post village located in the northern-central part of the town, on six main roads. Besides the usual mechanic shops, and stores, it has a savings bank, three church organizations, town hall, two hotels, and several granite shops and quarries.

Biographical Sketch of John Harkness

John Harkness, born in Smithfield, R. I., in 1767, came to Richmond, N. H., when a child, and lived there until his death. in 1851. His son, James,. a native of Richmond, came to this town when about twenty-six years of age, and is now located on road 19.

Biographical Sketch of Oren Brooks

Oren Brooks, a native of Putney. Vt., moved with his parents to Massachussets while he was a child. He married Julia A. Wright, of Boston, who bore him twelve children. He moved to this town in 1848, where his two youngest were born, and died here in 1876, surviving his wife sixteen years. Two sons, George W. and Amos W., served in the civil war, the latter dying in the service. George W. is a merchant in West Swanzey, and the only son living. Three daughters, Serepta, wife of Dea. Alva S. Clark, Louisa P., wife of Franklin Whitcomb, living … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Shirley

John Shirley, a soldier of the Revolution, was born on board ship coming from England, and was brought up in Boston. He came to Fitzwilliam about 1780, settling in the village, and married Submit Bogle, of Sudbury, Mass. He reared a family of nine children, and died at the age of ninety-three, in the house where his grandson, William H., now lives. His son, Henry, was born in the town, held the office of selectman several years, and died at the same place his father did, at the age of seventy-two. William H., son of Henry, was born in the … Read more

The Methodist Episcopal Church, Fitzwilliams NH

The Methodist Episcopal church, organized by Rev. W. Merrill, the present pastor, in 1867, has two branches, one at Howeville, and one at the Depot Their first church building was erected at Howeville, and the one at the Depot in 1878. It will seat 150 persons, cost $1,000.00 and is now valued, including grounds, etc., at $2,000.00. The society has thirty-two members, and a Sabbath-school with 103 scholars.

The First Baptist Church, Fitzwilliam, NH

The First Baptist church, located at Fitzwilliam, was organized in 1815, with six or eight members, by Rev. Nathaniel Bowes, of Richmond, Rev. Arnot Allen being the first pastor. The church building, erected in 1842, will seat 250 persons, cost $1,800.00, and is valued, including grounds, etc., at $5,000.00. The society now has sixty-two members, and a Sabbath-school with ninety scholars, with Rev. Andrew Dunn, pastor.

Fitzwilliam, Cheshire County, New Hampshire History

Fitzwilliam, one of the southern tier of townships in the county, lies in lat. 42º 45 and long. 4º 54′, bounded north by Troy and Jaffrey, east by Jaffrey and Rindge, south by the state line, and west by Richmond. The town was originally granted by the Masonion proprietors, as Monadnock No. 4, January 15, 1752, to Roland Cotton and forty-one others. These grantees, however, failed to comply with the requirements of the charter and thus forfeited their right to the territory, and it was subsequently, early in 1765, re-granted to Samson Stoddard and twenty-three associates. On May 19, 1773, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of David Forristall

David Forristall was born in Holliston, Mass., in 1780, and came to this town with his father when a child. His father, one of the early settlers, came first, cleared some land, and built a log house, and then moved his two children, Daniel and Jessie, here. His son, Thomas, was born here, and still lives in the house his father built over a hundred years ago.

Biographical Sketch of John E. Fisher

John E. Fisher was born near St. Johns, N. B., in 1525, on Darling’s Island, which was the property of his grandfather, Captain Darling. His father, Richard, was a blacksmith, and removed to Boston about 1825, and ten years later moved to Quincey, Mass. He was one of the first four abolitionists in the town. His son John served seven years apprenticeship at stone cutting, working on the Boston custom-house. He had worked on government work in Boston about fifteen years before the Rebellion began. About three days after the firing on Fort Sumpter, he was placed in charge of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Silas Fife

Silas Fife came to Troy from Bolton. Mass., and settled in the eastern part of the town. He was a farmer, had a family of ten children, and died there in 1834. His son, Timothy, a native of Troy, remained there until his death, December 12, 1872, in his eightieth year. Daniel J., son of Timothy, also a native of Troy, came to Fitzwilliam in 1877, and located on road 49 1/2.

General History of Fitzwilliam NH

FITZWILLIAM, one of the southern tier of townships in the county, lies in lat. 42° 45 and long. 4° 54′, bounded north by Troy and Jaffrey, east by Jaffrey and Rindge, south by the state line, and west by Richmond. The town was originally granted by the Masonion proprietors, as Monadnock No. 4, January 15, 1752, to Roland Cotton and forty-one others. These grantees, however, failed to comply with the requirements of the charter and thus forfeited their right to the territory, and it was subsequently, early in 1765, rE.granted to Samson Stoddard and twenty-three associates. On May 19, 1773, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John A. Streeter

John A. Streeter, son of Adam, of Orange, Mass., came to Fitzwilliam. where he married Ruth C. Carroll, and located at Bowkerville, where be lived sixteen years. He then moved to the southern part of the town where he died. He reared a family of seven children, two sons and five daughters. none of whom are now living in town. His widow and two daughters, Jennie L. and Hattie M., live in Baldwinsville, Mass., and John H. resides in Swanzey.