The First Universalist society, at East Jaffrey, was organized November 16, 1822, and re-organized in 1858, with twenty-five members. Rev. Dolphus Skinner was the first pastor. Their church building, erected in 1844, will seat 275 persons, and is valued, including grounds, at $3,000 00. The society now has about sixty members, with Dr. Sawyer pastor. Their Sabbath-school, organized in 1845, has thirty-five scholars.
Green Towne, son of Deacon Towne, who was a captain under General Green in the Revolution and also served in the French and Indian war, married Lucy, daughter of Capt. Solomon Rand, of Rindge. He reared a family of eight children, five of whom are now living. His son Levi P. married Emily A., daughter of Jonathan and Harriet (Dwinell) Sawyer, of East Alstead. He has two children and is a thriving farmer on road 53.
Leonard F. Sawyer, son of Josiah, married Mary B., daughter of Albert and Mary P. (Pollard) Adams, of Rindge, and has two children-Etta ML and Ella M., twins. He is a prosperous farmer and has three Summer cottages on Contoocook lake, which borders on his farm. He has a large collection of natural curiosities, antiquities and geological specimens.
Captain I. B. Proctor, the present owner of the so-called Felt farm, and proprietor of the Proctor House, situated on the pleasant southern slope of Monadnock mountain, is a native of Lunenburg, Mass., where he was born in 1824, and at which place he lived until 1844, when he was appointed purchasing agent of the Vermont & Massachusetts railroad, with his office in Gardner. In 185r he engaged in the wholesale flour and grain business in Fitchburg. In 1854 was elected captain of the Washington Guards, a fine military company of Fitchburg. In 1858 he was elected superintendent of the … Read more
Benjamin Cutter, son of John, was born January 8, 1793. He married Grata, daughter of Nathan and Abigail (Hale) Hunt, of Rindge. She died November 5, 1871, aged seventy-eight. Mr. Cutter settled in early life where he now lives. He became a tanner and currier with his father, and purse the manufacture of leather originally in the establishment erected by father, and afterwards, until 1850, in the building now occupied for the same purpose by his son Julius. He has been a prominent man of the town, n seeking political honors, but ever ready to serve when called by his … Read more
Jonathan D. Gibbs, son of Joseph S., married twice, first, Rhoda, daughter of Edward and Rhoda (Lawe) Locke, of Westminister, Mass., who bore him one daughter, Elizabeth R., now living; second, Sarah H., daughter of Thomas and Rebecca (Merriam) Wilson. of Mason, N. H. He first settled in Jaffrey upon a farm on road 3, where he remained twelve years, and then moved to Jaffrey Center, where he stayed until his death, March 2, 1882. He published a very accurate map of the town of Jaffrey which is highly prized. His wife and daughter occupy the homestead at the present … Read more
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 bore him three children, and second, Rebecca Emery, by whom he also had three children. His son Benjamin married Sarah E., daughter of James D. and Betsey P. Sawyer, of Jaffrey, and had three children, two of whom are living, viz.: Walter F. and Annie … Read more
Joseph Scott was a native of Lancashire, England. Thomas, one of his five children, married a Miss Welch and reared a family of six children. His son John S. married four times, first, Alice Wilder; second, Lucy Tollman; third, Louisa Wilder; and fourth, Sarah A. Hodge. He has three children and resides upon a farm on road 45.
Timothy Bemis, a native of Marlboro, Mass., came to Marlboro, N. H., in 1776. His son James, a commissioned officer in the Revolutionary war, married Hannah Frost, who bore him nine children, only one of whom is now living, and settled in Dublin. His son Josiah married Sibyl Emery, of Jaffrey, and had born to him three children, only two of whom are now living. His son. Alvin J., married Mary Greenwood, of Marlboro, N. H., who bore him two children, neither of whom is now living. He resides on road 35, in the village of East Jaffrey.
John Garfield, son of Abraham, and grandson of John who was at the battle of Lexington, married Emily Gould, has two children, and resides on road 60.
Gustavus A. Cutter, was one of the three children of Charles A. and Philena, who resided on road 53. He served in the late Rebellion and was honorably discharged.
Thomas French, son of David, was born December 17. 1765, at Billerica; Mass., and married Hannah Cummings, of Londonderry, N. H, March 31, 1788. He came to Jaffrey about that time and first settled on road 19, upon what is now known as the Spaulding farm. He was a farmer and a shoemaker reared nine children, one of whom is now living. His son Luke married twice, first, Nancy W. Blanchard, who bore him four children, and second Lucy Spaulding, by whom he had nine children, seven of whom are living He now resides in Jaffrey village.
Jacob Jewell came to Jaffrey, from Marlboro, Mass., settled upon a farm on road 5. and had born to him ten children. His son Dexter, the only one living, married Sarah Moore, and has four children. His son Samuel D., married twice, first Frances Cutter, who bore him two children, second Emily, daughter of Joseph and Hannah (Evens) Upton, of Peterboro, N. H., and resides upon a farm on road 18.
Dr. Daniel Ryan, in 1750, came from Ireland as surgeon on board of a vessel, and settled in Marblehead, Mass. His son Samuel, also a physician, moved to Sharon, N. H., in 1790, married Mrs. Patty Sawyer, who bore him four children. One of these, Samuel, Jr., married Hannah J., daughter of George and Alice (Sawyer) Shead; of Peterboro, N. H., July 14, 1811, and rear a family of three children, two of whom are now living. He was a farmer and lumberman and the principal owner of the famous steam-mills of Fay, Comwins & Ryan. He was a leading … Read more
Roger Gilmore, Esq., was one of the early settlers of the town and the first settler on road 30, near the center of the town. Most of the town meetings were held, previous to the erection of the first meeting-house, in 1775, at his home. When the town was organized, he was chosen the first tythingman, a very important office in those days. He was a delegate to the constitutional convention in 1791, and was the first justice of the peace appointed by the state, after the adoption of the constitution in 1784. When the first military company was organized, … Read more
Jonathan Fox came to this town, from New Ipswich, N. H., and married Sibyl Jackson, of Concord, Mass., who bore him seven children. His son John H., married Isabella W., daughter of Luke Howe, and had born to him three children. He was a physician and the town representative for many years. His residence was located on the academy square, at the Center Village. His son John H. married Belle W., daughter of Rodney and Angie L. (Turner) Brown, has one daughter, and resides in the village of East Jaffrey. He is town representative at the present time.
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.
Louis Woodruff, a native of Westfield, N. J., married Damaris N. Winans, of Elizabeth, N. J., who bore him six children, three of whom are living. His son John W. married Susan A., daughter of Luke and Abbie (Dawes) Tucker, of Elizabeth N. J. Two of his three children, James D., a resident of Minneapolis, Minn., and Frederick S., of Boston, Mass., are now living. John W. Woodruff resides upon a farm on road 3.
Harlon F. Morse, son of Elihu L., married Theoda A. Davis, of Hartland; Vt., and is now a resident of this town. He served four years during the late war, enlisting in Co. B, 8th N. H. Vols., and was honorably discharged.
James Stephens, a lieutenant under General Washington in the Revolution, and a native of Andover, Mass., came to Jaffrey about 1769. He was twice married, first to Elizabeth Lacy, and second, to Betsey Wood Litch, and settled upon a farm on road 44, where Henry Chamberlain now resides. Polly,, the youngest of his seven children, and the only one now living, resides on the home farm and is eighty-seven years of age. Polly, a granddaughter of James, has a set of spoons made from the silver mountings that were upon the sword worn by her grandfather during the war. His … Read more