Merrimack County NH

Biography of Daniel G. Peaslee

Daniel G. Peaslee, a farmer and lumberman of Bradford, residing about three miles west of the village, was born April 4, 1841, in Newbury, Merrimack County. His father, Jonathan Peaslee, a native of Newbury, was a son of Samuel Peaslee, one of the pioneers of the town. Further mention of the Peaslee family may be found in the biography of J. Albert Peaslee. Jonathan Peaslee, who was reared to farming, became a tiller of the soil from choice. When ready to settle in life, he bought a tract of land lying on the Bradford and Newbury line, and built his … Read more

Biography of Charles Chase Lord

Charles Chase Lord, Justice of the Peace, Notary Public, and the local historian of Hopkinton, is the second child and first son of Charles and Sarah (Hubbard) Lord. Born in South Berwick, Me., July 7, 1841, he is a lineal descendant, in the seventh generation, of Nathan Lord, who emigrated to America from Stackpole Court, Pembroke, Wales, and settled in ancient Kittery, Me., before 1652. In South Berwick, once a part of ancient Kittery, is a homestead of which Nathan Lord became a proprietor in 1676, and which is now in the possession of his descendants, the estate being situated … Read more

Biography of Selden Spencer, M. D.

Dr. Selden Spencer, surgeon and laryngologist enjoying an extensive and important practice in St. Louis as a professional associate of Dr. Richard Johnson Payne, was born in this city March 23, 1873, and is a son of Dr. H. N. Spencer, a distinguished physician who passed away in August, 1915. The son was educated in the public and manual training schools of St. Louis and in St. Paul’s School at Concord, New Hampshire, before entering Princeton College, where he won his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1897. He then took up the study of medicine in Washington University and gained … Read more

Biography of M. Swain Clough

M. Swain Clough, a Selectman of Pittsfield and an ex-member of the New Hampshire legislature, was born in this town, April 6, 1849, son of Benjamin A. and Lydia A. (Sinclair) Clough. His grandfather, William Clough, who was born in Barrington, N.H., came to Pittsfield as a pioneer. He cleared and improved a farm, and was a prominent man in his day. In politics he was a Republican. He married Sarah Swain, who was also a native of Barrington; and they were the parents of nine children, none of whom are living. Of these Benjamin A., father of the subject … Read more

Stearns Hill Private Cemetery, Wilmot, Merrimack County, New Hampshire

Langley Mehitable Langley wife of Andrew Langley 1818 Moody William K., son of John and Betsy Moody Feb. 1824 Stearns Josia V. Stearns 1857 and wives Nancy Brown 1853, Susan Sawyer, Cross 1828, Jane Thompson 1822 John Stearns 1843 Tiras Stearns 1863 Thompson Jonathan Thompson 1812 The original spelling of the names, as recorded on the stones, has not been changed.

Biography of Jeremiah A. Clough

Jeremiah A. Clough, Representative of Loudon in the New Hampshire legislature, was born in this town, November 22, 1846, son of Abner and Sarah (Hazelton) Clough. Abner Clough, the paternal grandfather, who was a native of Canterbury, removed to Loudon, and settled on a farm near his grandson, residing here for the remainder of his life. Abner Clough, second, father of Jeremiah, was brought up to farming, which occupation he followed through life. He settled on the farm now owned by the subject of this sketch, and cultivated it until his death, which occurred in 1890. He and his wife, … Read more

Biography of Charles S. Towle

Charles S. Towle, one of Chichester’s representative farmers, was born in this town, October 17, 1854, son of James B. and Sarah (Sherburne) Towle. His grandparents, Jonathan and Sally (Fellows) Towle, who were prosperous farming people of Chichester, had twelve children, of whom Sarah J., Betsey, Mary E., Cynthia, and Olive Jane are living. Sarah J. is the widow of George P. Haines, late of this town, and has five children-Sarah J., George H., Annie M., Albert H., and Alvin M. Betsey is the widow of the late Augustus Leavitt. Mary E. is the wife of Stephen Marston, of Pittsfield, … Read more

Biography of Charles A. Bailey

Charles A. Bailey, an able business man of Merrimack County, New Hampshire, and an esteemed resident of Hookset, was born in Pembroke, November 11, 1847, son of Charles and Sarah A. (Edmunds) Bailey. His paternal grandfather, Josiah Bailey, was born in Chester, Rockingham County, this State, on February 11, 1766. When a young man he removed with his family to Pembroke, Merrimack County, and was there engaged as a miller until his death, February 19, 1854. His wife, whose maiden name was Ruth Frost, was born March 8, 1769, in Tewksbury, Mass., and died in Pembroke, N.H., November 28, 1835. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Cyrus F. Dustin

Cyrus F. Dustin, a respected farmer and lumberman of Hopkinton, was born in this town, January 25, 1853, son of Daniel P. and Sarah A. (Barnard) Dustin. He has resided here since his birth. In 1891 he married Miss Nellie S. Spalding, daughter of Dustin A. and Samantha S. (Putney) Spalding. Mr. Dustin is prominent in town affairs, and in 1896 was elected Representative to the legislature. He has the best interests of the town at heart, and can always be depended upon to perform his full duty as a citizen and as a representative of the people.

Biography of Charles E. Putney

Charles E. Putney, a farmer of high standing in Webster, N.H., is a native of that place. He was born June 10, 1827, the son of Stephen and Sallie (Eastman) Putney. His father, who was born February 12, 1765, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, serving in 1780 and 1781. He afterward purchased the farm where Charles E. now lives, and settled down there. He was married three times, first to Sallie E. Eastman, of Hopkinton, who died in 1809; second to Susan Eastman, who died in September, 1820; and then to Sallie Eastman, who died April 6, 1867, … Read more

Biography of Albert P. Davis

Albert P. Davis, attorney-at-law and one of the most active, prominent, and pushing citizens of Warner, was born May 2, 1835, in the village of Waterloo, Merrimack County, N.H. The Davis family originated in Wales, from whence the first ancestor in this country emigrated in 1638, settling in Amesbury, Mass. Gideon Davis, the great-grandfather of Albert P., and a nephew of Francis Davis, who led in the early settlement of the town, was born in Amesbury, where he lived until after his marriage with Mary Cheney. In 1784 he came to Warner, and, taking up a large tract of timber … Read more

Biography of Francis W. Blake

Francis W. Blake, one of Pittsfield’s successful farmers, was born in Hampton Falls, N.H., September 3, 1837, son of Enoch and Lydia (Smith) Blake. The family is of English origin. Its founder, Jasper Blake, who came from England in 1640 and settled at Hampton, N.H., was a relative of Robert Blake, the famous British admiral of that period. The great-grandfather of Francis W. was Jeremiah Blake, son of Joshua. He was a native of Hampton Falls, and a farmer by occupation. He was the father of five children, of whom Enoch (first), the grandfather, was the eldest. Enoch Blake (first) … Read more

Biography of Samuel Smith Page

Samuel Smith Page, who for more than forty years was one of the most esteemed residents of Hopkinton, was born September 30, 1822, in Dunbarton, N.H. He is a descendant of Benjamin Page, who was born in 1640, in Dedbam, fifty-seven miles north-east of London, England. In 1660, on account of religious differences, Benjamin came to America, locating in Haverhill, Mass., where on September 21, 1666, he married Mary Whittier, who belonged to the family from which the poet, John G. Whittier, sprung. Their son, Jeremiah, the eldest of a family of sixteen, born September 14, 1667, was the next … Read more

Biography of Nathaniel Head

Nathaniel Head, Governor of New Hampshire from 1879 to 1881, was born May 20, 1828, son of John and Annie (Brown) Head. Having completed his education in the schools of Pembroke, he began life as a farmer and lumberman at a very early age, remaining on the old homestead. His military career commenced on September 1, 1847, when he was appointed Drum Major of the Eleventh Regiment, Third Brigade, First Division, of the State militia, in which he served four years. He was an original member of the famous Horse Guards, in which he was Drum Major and Chief Bugler … Read more

Biography of William Tasker

William Tasker, one of the prominent residents of Contoocook, was born August 21, 1852, in Pittsfield, this county, son of William and Mary (Lougee) Tasker. The grandfather, Joseph Tasker, and his brothers, John and Paul, removing from Newington, near Portsmouth, were the first settlers of Barnstead. Paul Tasker died leaving no family. Joseph followed the trade of shoemaker. He married Sally True, of Pittsfield, at which place they both died, he about the year 1878, and she in 1884. His son, the Rev. Joseph O. Tasker, is a Congregational minister at Short Falls, Epsom township, this county. William Tasker, Sr., … Read more

Biography of Robert Ives Lee

Robert Ives Lee. In the death of Robert Ives Lee, which occurred at Chicago, Illinois, December 19, 1911, there passed away one of the most prominent horsemen of the Middle West. He was born May 5, 1846, at Boston, Massachusetts, and was a son of the late Brev.-Brig.-Gen. William Raymond Lee III, U. S. V., A. M., A. A. S., and Helen Maria (Amory) Lee, of Amory Street, Boston, the former of whom was descended from Henry and Mary Lee. Henry Lee, the founder of the Lee family of Marblehead, Massachusetts, died at Manchester, that state, in 1675, and was … Read more

Biography of James S. Elkins

James S. Elkins, a prominent citizen of Canterbury, N.H., was born in Rye, N.H., December 24, 1809, son of James and Mehitable (Rand) Elkins. His paternal grandfather, Samuel Elkins, was a native of Rye, where he was engaged in agriculture during the active period of his life. James Elkins was a farmer and fisherman, following the first-named occupation in Rye, where he was born May 3, 1777. He died in Canterbury, November 29, 1855. His wife, Mehitable Rand Elkins, was born in Rye, June 19, 1787, and died in Canterbury, July 20, 1859. James S., the subject of this sketch; … Read more

Biography of George W. Wilson

George W. Wilson, who owns a productive farm in Franklin, was born in Salisbury, N.H., July 15, 1824, son of Dr. Job and Nancy (Farnum) Wilson. His grandfather, Captain Nathaniel Wilson, who served as an officer in the Continental army during the Revolutionary War, settled in Gilmanton, N. H., where he spent the remainder of his life. He was an able Job Wilson, M.D., the father of George W., was born in Gilmanton. After graduating. from college, he began the practice of medicine in Boscawen. Later he moved to Salisbury and in 1831 to Franklin, settling on the farm which his … Read more

Biography of Herman Wells Greene

Herman Wells Greene, formerly a lawyer of considerable note in Hopkinton, was born here, April 11, 1836, son of Herman H. and Ellen Chase (Little) Greene. His only brother died at the age of fourteen years; and his only sister is now the wife of a Mr. Roberts, of Philadelphia, Pa. After receiving his early education in the public schools of Hopkinton and at Pembroke and Gilmanton Academies, he became interested in the legal profession, and read law with George & Foster, of Concord, and later with Beard & Nickerson, of Boston, Mass. On his twenty-first birthday he was admitted … Read more

Biography of Edward S. Barrett

Edward S. Barrett, a prosperous farmer of West Concord, was born February 17, 1824, at Ashburnham, Mass., the son of Benjamin and Nancy (Stone) Barrett. The paternal grandfather, also named Benjamin, who was a native of Ashby, Mass., followed the occupation of farmer, spent the latter part of his life in New York State, and ended his days in Aurelius, N.Y. Benjamin Barrett, who was also born in Ashby, after having learned shoemaking, worked at that trade for a number of years. He then followed farming in Ashburnham for a time. Subsequently he removed to Fitchburg, Mass., and later to … Read more