Baruch Darling was born in Croydon, N. H., January 10, 1799, and came to this town in 1835, and settled upon the farm he now occupies. He married Martha Shaw and reared a family of six children, five of whom are now living, four in this town. Mrs. Darling died September 27, 1882, aged eighty-four years and six months. Of their children, Chester, Alden, Plumy and Sarah, wife of Solomon Goodale, reside in this town.
THOMAS WHIPPLE, son of Daniel Whipple, and greatgrandson of Moses Whipple, an intelligent farmer and practical surveyor, has long taken a deep interest in the cause of education, and for many years has had the general charge of the schools in Charlestown, N. H., his place of residence. He has a well educated family, some of them graduates at Meriden. He is a correct business man ; was a candidate for County Treasurer in 1856, receiving the full vote of his party.
Captain Eleazar L. Sarsons, a well-known resident of Acworth and a veteran of the Civil War, was born in Lyme, N.H., August 9, 1836, son of Leon and Flora Ella (Prue) Sarsons. His father, who was born in France in the year 1800, emigrated to Canada in 1828, and in 1834 moved to Sheffield, Vt. He was a shoemaker by trade, and followed this handicraft in connection with farming for some time. He later plied his calling in Lyme, N.H., and other places; and in 1871 he came to Acworth, where he spent the rest of his life. He married … Read more
NATHANIEL CARPENTER was b. in Pomfret, Conn., July 18, 1756; m. June 20, 1775, Elfreda Dresser, a sister of Huldah Dresser, who m. Lieut. Eleazer Jackson, b. Oct. 16, 1759. They settled in Cornish about 1775 and remained till after the close of the century. They then rem. to Strafford, Vt., and a little later to Hanover, where they finally settled on a farm three fourths of a mile south of the college on the river road, where he d. Oct. 15, 1829. Elfreda d. May 11, 1840, in Strafford, Vt. The census of 1790 says the family at that … Read more
HON. RUEL DURKEE, born July 14, 1807, a farmer, was much in office at home. Shrewd, self-poised, with an instinctive knowledge of human nature, he was for nearly a whole generation one of the most conspicuous managers in the Republican party of the State. His presence was always required during the sittings of the Legislature and at all conventions It has been said that in caucus the lightning usually struck the aspirant towards whom his magnetic finger pointed. He died in July, 1885.
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
Jesse H. Farwell. In North Charlestown, Sullivan County, N.H., Jesse H. Farwell was born January 22, 1834. His father, George Farwell, was a grandson of William Farwell, who was among the first white inhabitants of the town. On settling in life, George Farwell bought a little corner of the old farm, and built the small house in which all the children were born; but afterward he owned the whole farm, and lived in the old farmhouse. An editorial in a Vermont journal gives one of the few glimpses we have of the early life of his son Jesse :- “His … Read more
A Narrative of the captivity of Nehemiah How, who was taken by the Indians at the Great Meadow Fort above Fort Dummer, where he was an inhabitant, October 11th, 1745. Giving an account of what he met with in his traveling to Canada, and while he was in prison there. Together with an account of Mr. How’s death at Canada. Exceedingly valuable for the many items of exact intelligence therein recorded, relative to so many of the present inhabitants of New England, through those friends who endured the hardships of captivity in the mountain deserts and the damps of loathsome prisons. Had the author lived to have returned, and published his narrative himself, he doubtless would have made it far more valuable, but he was cut off while a prisoner, by the prison fever, in the fifty-fifth year of his age, after a captivity of one year, seven months, and fifteen days. He died May 25th, 1747, in the hospital at Quebec, after a sickness of about ten days. He was a husband and father, and greatly beloved by all who knew him.
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
Casualties in Croydon New Hampshire In 1770 Caleb, son of Seth Chase, the first settler in town, wandered into the forest, and was lost, and public opinion was divided as to the probable fate of the child; some believed that he was captured and carried away by some straggling band of Indians, while others thought that he met his death at the hands of a villainous white man. Isaac Sanger, another early settler, perished in attempting to cross Croydon Mountain. Alexander Metcalf, Jr., was killed by the falling of a tree. Abijah Hall was drowned at Glidden Bridge in 1812. … Read more
Leland J. Graves, M.D., was a progressive physician of Claremont, who by the introduction of more advanced ideas in the treatment of disease aided considerably in carrying the healing art to its present high standard of excellence. It is a well-known fact that the greatest amount of good in the way of scientific development has been accomplished by self-made men, and the subject of this sketch belonged to that worthy type of American citizenship. Leland J. Graves was born in Berkshire, Franklin County, Vt., May 24, 1812, son of David J. and Mary (Leland) Graves. The founder of the family … Read more
Archelaus1 Wilson, m. in May, 1775, Sarah Morse; they were both of Temple. He d. in Packersfield (now Nelson) June 28, 1802, in his 57th year. Their ch. were: Abigail2, b. Apr. 3, 1777; m. Calvin Nims (q. v.) She was perhaps b. in Temple; the following were all b. Packersfield (Nelson): Asa2, b. May 23, 1779, m. Catherine Wright, who d. in Nelson, Oct. 21, 1847. He d. in Sullivan, Aug. 13, 1869. Their ch. all b. in Packersfield were: 1. Asa Eliot3, b. Dec. 25, 1803, was a tanner and farmer and lived in New Rowley, Mass., Nelson, … Read more
DENISON HUMPHRY, son of Leavitt, one of the Committee of Arrangements, is a farmer and trader at the Flat, and has been Selectman, and a Representative two years. Like his father and other members of the family, he was noted for superior mechanical skill.
Ayer, Frederick B.; insurance; born, Unity, N. H., Oct. 27, 1874; son of Benjamin F. and Susan V. Bailey Ayer; educated, Preparatory School Kenyon Military Academy, Gambier, O., 1890-91; Williams College, Williamstown, Mass., class of 1896, degree A. B.; married, Ashtabula, O., June 15, 1899, Agnes Louise Goddard; issue, Edwin, born Aug. 2, 1901, Ethel Louise, born Jan. 22, 1905, Margaret, born Nov. 11, 1906; taught school at Kenyon Military Academy Sept., 1896 to June, 1899; principal of school at Versailles, Ky., from Sept., 1899 to May, 1903; May 1, 1903, became associated with Fred P. Thomas in insurance business … Read more
Bridgeman Hapgood, the father of Mrs. Mary E. Dickenson, was born in 1800, son of a well-to-do farmer, who built the first frame house in Reading, Vt. He became a successful merchant in Reading, at the same time manufacturing starch in Plymouth and woollen goods at Weathersfield, Vt. At one time he was extensively engaged in farming on the old homestead. He was a Democrat in politics. He has been Postmaster of the town, Justice of the Peace for seventeen years, Town Clerk for ten years, trustee of surplus revenue for five years, and he represented the town in the … Read more
Michael Blaisdell, the progenitor of the family in Norwich, came from Plainfield, N. H., in the year 1813, and settled on the farm where Henry S. Goddard now lives. His sons were Jonathan, Levi, Stephen, and Thomas. Of these Levi and Stephen spent their lives in town and reared large families.
JOTHAM RYDER came early to Croydon, and settled in the south-east corner of the town, and from him and his connections the place has always since been known as ” Ryder Corner.”
Charles A. Newton, a well-to do farmer of Unity and an exmember of the State legislature, was born in Plainfield, July 2, 1854, son of General Charles L. and Mary M. (Gilman) Newton. His grandfather, Rufus Newton, was a native of Grafton, Mass., who settled upon a farm in Plainfield, and there resided for the rest of his life. Rufus married Polly Ryder, and reared a family of five children, who are all living. They are: Charles L., Rufus G., Francis J., Adeline, and Ann. Charles L. Newton was born in Plainfield. When a young man he engaged in farming. … Read more
The Congregational Church in Acworth was organized March 12, 1773, with eight members, as follows: Henry Silsby, Betbiah Silsby, Thomas Putnam, Rachel Putnam, Samuel Silsby, Elizabeth Silsby, Dean Carlton, Anna Cross. During the first fifteen years the church was supplied by George Gilmore, David Goodale, Isaiah Kilburn and others. The first pastor was settled on the second Tuesday of November, 1789. The first meeting-house, erected in 1784, in front of the present house, was not ready for use till 1789. The present edifice was built in 1821. The Confession of Faith and Covenant were revised by direction of the church, … Read more
JOHN COOPER, son of Dea. John Cooper, came to Croydon in 1770, and died March 20, 1832. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary army, and was active in the affairs of the town-for nine years one of the selectmen.