Newport New Hampshire

Biography of Abiathar Richards

Abiathar Richards, a retired merchant of Newport, was born here, October 8, 1825, son of Seth and Fanny Richards, of Dedham, Mass. He is descended from Edward Richards, one of the twelve immigrants bearing that surname, who, England to this country at different times in the period between 1630 and 1728, and whose descendants are to-day represented in the learned professions, the arts, commerce, and the general business of the country. Edward Richards, who arrived in 1632, was the sixth of the twelve referred to. With him, a fellow-passenger on the ship “Lion,” was his brother Nathaniel, who afterward joined … Read more

Biography of Charles H. Courser

Charles H. Courser, a retired business man of Henniker, was born in Boscawen, now Webster, N.H., May 19, 1827, son of John and Keziah (Shepard) Courser. The first ancestors of the family were English. His grandfather, John Courser, was a resident of Merrimack County. The father passed the greater part of his life in Boscawen, and died there at the age of ninety-two years. The mother, who was a daughter of John Shepard, a native of Derry, N.H., lived to be eighty-two. Of her children the only survivor is Charles H. Charles H. Courser passed his boyhood in attending school … Read more

Biography of Arthur B. Chase

Arthur B. Chase, book-keeper and paymaster of the Sugar River Mills, was born in Newport, N.H., January 3, 1833, son of Joseph T. and Elizabeth D. (Allen) Chase. Caleb Chase, the grandfather, came to Newport in 1822. He was a native of West Newbury, Mass., and a farmer by occupation. He was a member of the old South Congregational Church for many years. He died at the age of sixty-five years. His wife, Hannah Carr Chase, died at the age of seventy – six. Joseph T. Chase, father of Arthur, followed the shoemaking trade in Newport throughout his life. He … Read more

Biography of Ruel Whitcomb

Ruel Whitcomb, a resident of New London, Merrimack County, for nearly fifty years, was born December 20, 1822, in Newport, N.H., which was also the birthplace of his parents, Parmenas and Rua (Hurd) Whitcomb. His mother was a daughter of Samuel Hurd, a pioneer settler of Newport. His father’s father, Benjamin Whitcomb, removed from Henniker, this county, to Newport at an early period of its settlement. Parmenas Whitcomb was a farmer and lumberman, and helped build a saw mill in his native town, living in Newport until his death, at the age of eighty-five years. His first wife died at … Read more

Biography of David M. Currier, M.D.

David M. Currier, M.D., a successful physician of Newport, was born in Grafton, Grafton County, September 15, 1840, son of David and Rhoda (Morse) Currier. The grandfather, David Currier, presumably came from Salisbury, Mass., and located in Canaan, where he became the owner of a good tract of land, and died at the age of seventy-one years. He married February 2, 1797, Ruth Stevens, David, born February 8, 1803; Edward, born June 12, 1805; Aaron, born September 10, 1813; Dorothy, born January 28, 1799; and Hannah, born June 23, 1800. David, the father of Dr. Currier, was also a farmer. … Read more

Biography of Frank T. Vaughan

Frank T. Vaughan, one of the younger lawyers of Newport, was born May 4, 1864, in Woodstock, Vt., son of Edwin and Elizabeth L. (Tenney) Vaughan. The father, who graduated at the Albany Law School, New York, followed the legal profession, and at the time of his death was Judge of Probate. Edwin Vaughan commenced his law practice in New York City; but in 1859 he removed to Claremont, N.H., and entered into partnership with Colonel Alexander Gardner. In 1861 he enlisted in the New Hampshire Battalion of the First Rhode Island Volunteer Cavalry, and was afterward transferred to the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Orren Osgood

Orren Osgood, a substantial farmer of Newport, was born there, June 22, 1818, son of Lemuel and Hannah (Spaulding) Osgood. His grandfather, William Osgood, one of the early settlers of the district, took up a farm and built a log house when the place was still a part of the wilderness and was infested by bears. The log house was destroyed by fire, and another wooden structure was built, in which the family afterward lived. The same building is now standing, and is used as a wagon-house at the present time. William was industrious and persevering, and added fifty acres … 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

Biographical Sketch of Moses F. Knowlton

Moses F. Knowlton, a wellknown livery man of Sunapee, N.H., was born in this town, July 24, 1845, a son of Dennis G. Knowlton. His grandfather, Samuel Knowlton, who was a lifelong resident of Sunapee, had three sons-Dennis G., Moses F., and John P. Dennis G. Knowlton had two sons-Charles A. and Moses F. Moses F. Knowlton was educated in the schools of his native town. When he first went to work for himself, he took up general farming. Subsequently he kept a general store in Sunapee for about ten years in company with his father. He then went into … Read more

Biography of Leonard Wood Peabody, M.D.

Leonard Wood Peabody, M.D., of Henniker, one of the oldest medical practitioners in Merrimack County, was born in Newport, Sullivan County, September 13, 1817, son of Ami and Sarah (Johnson) Peabody. He is a descendant of Francis Peabody, who, born in England in 1614, came to New England on board the ship “Planter” in 1635. This ancestor, after residing in Ipswich, Mass., for a while, removed to Hampton in 1638, and in 1651 settled in Topsfield, Mass. From him the line of descent comes through Captain John Peabody, who was born in 1642, Ensign David Peabody, born in 1678, John … Read more

Biography of Timothy B. Rossiter

Timothy B. Rossiter, one of the wealthiest men in Claremont, was born there, September 18, 1807, son of Sherman and Olive (Baldwin) Rossiter. Sir Edward Rossiter, the founder of the family, with his son and son’s wife, Dr. and Mrs. Bray Rossiter, embarked from Plymouth, England, on the ship “Mary and John,” March 20, 1630, and arrived at Nantasket, Mass., May 30, 1630. They began a settlement at Mattapan, and in the spring of 1636 removed to Windsor, Conn. Sir Edward Rossiter, who was chosen in London in 1629 to serve as an assistant to Governor Winthrop, died soon after … Read more

Biography of Henry Guy Carleton

Henry Guy Carleton, of Newport, N.H., President of the Newport Savings Bank, a position which he has held more than twenty years, is a printer by trade, and was for a period of about forty years one of the editors and publishers of the New Hampshire Argus and Spectator at Newport, N.H., the firm name being Carleton & Harvey. He has held the office of Register of Deeds and of Probate for the County of Sullivan, and has been a member of the legislature. He was elected a Director of the First National Bank of Newport at its first annual … Read more

Biography of Carlton Hurd

Carlton Hurd, a druggist of Newport, and the President of the Sugar River Savings Bank, was born in Newport, October 7, 1842, son of Isaac B. and Emaline (Dow) Hurd. Nathan Hurd, the great-grandfather, came from the State of Connecticut to Newport among the first settlers, taking land on which he passed the rest of his life. Levi, his son, was a tanner and shoemaker, and had one of the first tanneries in the town. Afterward Levi was engaged in farming and shoemaking, and he died at the age of seventy-three. His wife, Anna Bradley Hurd, was born in Haverhill, … Read more

Biography of Hubbard Alonzo Barton

Hubbard Alonzo Barton, of Newport, a member of the present firm of editors and publishers of the New Hampshire Argus and Spectator, was born in Croydon, N.H., May 12, 1842, son of Caleb L. and Bethiah (Tuck) Barton. The Bartons are descended from English emigrants who came to the country previous to 1640. They have embraced many who have become distinguished in the learned professions and in other vocations in life. The great-great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch was killed at the battle of Bunker Hill, and he was a near relative of General Barton of Revolutionary fame. The … Read more

Biography of Hon. Isaac Darwin Merrill

Hon. Isaac Darwin Merrill, a well-known public man of Contoocook, is a son of Isaac and Mary (Wyman) Merrill, born October 1, 1814, in Hopkinton village, N.H. The father, a native of Hollis, Hillsborough County, born June 15, 1784, was a cooper by trade, and worked in Boston, Portland, and Troy, N.Y. When Isaac D. was about a year old, the family moved from Hopkinton to Hillsborough Bridge, where his father was employed at his trade. Later, more than sixty years ago, he settled in Contoocook, built the house where the subject of this sketch now resides, worked at his … Read more

Biography of Albert S. Wait

Albert S. Wait, of Newport, the oldest lawyer in active practice in Sullivan County, was born in Chester, Windsor County, Vt., April 14, 1821, son of Daniel and Cynthia (Reed) Wait. His grandfather, John Wait, was among the early settlers of Mason, N.H. John moved to Weston, Vt., and was a sturdy farmer of that Green Mountain town and a highly respected member of the community. He died in Weston at a good old age. His children were: James, John Sumner, Daniel Amos, Lucinda, and Mrs. Davis. Daniel Wait, who followed the trade of blacksmith, was a Brigadier-general in the … Read more

Biography of Henry Tubbs

Henry Tubbs, a successful dentist practising in Newport, was born in Peterboro, N.H., February 24, 1831, son of Joseph and Azuba (Monroe) Tubbs. The family is traced back to one William Tubbs, who came to the Plymouth Colony from London, England, in 1635. The paternal grandfather of Dr. Tubbs was Captain Joseph Tubbs, of Marlow, N.H., an early settler, a successful farmer, a good citizen, and a Captain in the old State militia. He died at the age of eighty years. Joseph Tubbs, son of Captain Tubbs, in company with Thomas Baker owned the Eagle Mills at Peterboro, N.H., where … Read more