Sullivan County NH

Biography of Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Cooke Partridge

Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Cooke Partridge, a well-known musician of Claremont and a zealous worker in the cause of temperance, was born in Claremont, daughter of Godfrey and Abigail (Hubbard) Cooke. Her paternal grandfather, Captain John Cooke, of Norton, Mass., was among the first of the minute-men to report at Lexington in response to the alarm of April 19, 1775, for six days’ service. He again enlisted with the rank of Ensign, and was mustered out August 1, 1775. For the third time he enlisted December 8, 1776, in a Rhode Island regiment, under Colonel John Daggett. About the year 1779 … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Augusta Cooper Bristol

AUGUSTA COOPER BRISTOL, daughter of Col. Otis and Hannah Powers Cooper, was born April 17, 1835. She was early distinguished for a vigorous intellect, great fondness for music, and a passion for poetry and literature. She taught school with decided success from sixteen to twentyone. She gave much attention to music ; and her frequent Contributions, both of poetry and prose, to some of the leading journals and magazines of the day, commencing at the age of fifteen, find many admirers. She was married to Mr. Gustavus F. Kimball, of East Canaan, N. H., in August, 1857, by whom she … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Fry Barton

FRY BARTON, son of Benjamin Barton, Esq., married Judith Powers, daughter of Samuel Powers, and removed to Leon, Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., where he has been a prominent farmer. He is the father of Ara Barton, a lawyer of fine intellect, at St. Paul, Minnesota.

Biographical Sketch of Paul J. Wheeler

PAUL J. WHEELER, son of Ceryl; born December 8, 1820; a merchant of Croydon; settled in Newport; was cashier of Sugar River Bank; was moderator five years, a representative four years, a candidate for Speaker of the House of Representatives in 1860; in 1862 was a candidate for Governor. He died in 1862.

Biographical Sketch of Samuel Metcalf

SAMUEL METCALF, his third son, was father to ALEXANDER, a wealthy farmer and justice at Northfield, Min., who married Anna, eldest daughter of Col. Nathaniel Wheeler, and grandfather of SAMUEL METCALF WHEELER, a distinguished lawyer at Dover, N. H.

Biography of Charles Gilkey

Charles Gilkey, a prominent resident of Cornish, who was formerly engaged in the gunsmith business, is a native of Plainfield, N.H., born September 29, 1826. Charles Gilkey, his grandfather, born in Connecticut, was the first of the family to come to Plainfield. He came originally as agent of a wealthy Connecticut family, and remained in their employ for some time. After failing in an attempt to buy a farm with the Continental money in which his salary was paid, owing to the depreciated value of that currency then, he succeeded in leasing one from the State for nine hundred and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Samuel Merrill

SAMUEL MERRILL, the father of the Merrills, married Fannie Bancroft, a great-aunt of George Bancroft the historian. She is still living. He died in 1827, leaving a large family of small children.

Biography of Sumner N. Ball

Sumner N. Ball, the proprietor of Oak Hill Farm, Washington, was born in this town, June 3, 1854, son of Dexter and Hannah (Jefts) Ball. His grandfather, John Ball, was a native of Antrim, N.H., and a prosperous farmer. John married Rebecca Proctor, of Stoddard, N.H., and reared a family of seven children; namely, Dexter, Worcester, Allen, Melvin, Nathaniel W., Rebecca H., and Rosanna. Of these Dexter and Worcester are the only survivors. Dexter Ball, the father of Sumner N., was born in Antrim, and accompanied his parents to Washington when he was three years old. He grew to manhood … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Hon. Charles Rowell

HON. CHARLES ROWELL was born in 1785. He removed to Allenstown, NH, and served as selectman of his adopted town twenty-four years; representative to the Legislature four years; county treasurer two years; State Senator two years, and a justice of the peace from early manhood until his death, which occurred January 11, 1867.

Biographical Sketch of William Wallace Kidder

WILLIAM WALLACE KIDDER, son of Amos and Lucinda Barton Kidder, was born Aug. 11, 1845, studied medicine with Williams Barton, M. D.; was with Capt. Ira McL. Barton, as orderly in the 5th Reg. N. H. Vols., and also in the 9th Reg. N. H. Vols.

Biographical Sketch of Jonas Cutting, LL.D.

JONAS CUTTING, LL.D., born November 3, 1800, graduated at Dartmouth and located at Bangor, Me. He had intellectual faculties of a high order; was conscientious, adroit and learned; was popular as a lawyer, and commanded the highest respect as a judge, ranking with the foremost among the members of the bench.

Biographical Sketch of Robert Breck

ROBERT BRECK, the second son of Henry, is an active and successful merchant at Ascutneyville, Vt., where he has been in trade for more than 20 years, and, like his brother John T., has succeeded, by his skill and good judgment, in handsome accumulations, and by his integrity and genial manners in securing the esteem and friendship of all who know him.

Biographical Sketch of Ruel Durkee

RUEL DURKEE, son of Rufus and Polly Whipple Durkee, and a descendant of Moses Whipple, Esq., was born in Croydon, July 14, 1807. He has ever resided in his native town. His early years were spent in obtaining an education in the common school, and in assisting to carry on a tannery. Later in life he has carried on extensive farming operations, besides attending to much other business. In addition to the management of his own private concerns, he has acted a conspicuous part in the affairs of the town, and in the politics of New Hampshire. His native shrewdness … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Lieut. Edward Hall

LIEUT. EDWARD HALL came to town during the Revolution, bringing with him seven sons-Ezekiel, Abijah, James, Edward, John, Darius and Ezra-and settled on the flat, south of the farm of J. Nutting. From this family and Rev. Samuel Read Hall have descended the Halls. The family were shrewd, and fond of amusements.

Biographical Sketch of Levi W. Barton

LEVI W. BARTON, son of Bazaleel Barton, 2nd, and grandson of Peter Barton, was born March 1, 1818. The advantages even of our Common Schools were in a great measure beyond his reach until the completion of his eighteenth year. He then prepared himself for a teacher, and for that purpose used his spare hours in study while engaged as a day laborer in the field. He attended for a few terms the Academy in Unity. After attaining his majority he conceived the purpose of obtaining a collegiate education. He pursued his preparatory studies at Kimball Union Academy, and graduated … Read more

Biographical Sketch of David Stockwell

DAVID STOCKWELL was born in 1748. He came from Sutton, Mass., to Croydon, in 1772. He was a farmer, served honorably in the Revolutionary war, and died July 16, 1824. All by the name of Stockwell, who have originated in Croydon, have descended from him. STILLMAN STOCKWELL, son of Giles, and grandson of David Stockwell, removed to the West, where he has become a wealthy farmer.

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 William Barton, M.D.

WILLIAMS BARTON, M. D., son of Bazaleel Barton 2nd, and grandson of Peter Barton, was born Aug. 6, 1820. He received his literary training at Unity and Kimball Union Academies ; studied medicine with Drs. Coburn, Hall and Nichols; graduated at the medical department of Dartmouth College in May, 1845, and soon after commenced practice at Croydon, where he still resides. He was often chairman of the Superintending School Committee, and was three years Commissioner of Common Schools for Sullivan County, during which time he was often employed as professor of elocution, in teachers’ institutes, in different parts of the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Sherman Cooper

SHERMAN COOPER, Son of Hon. Lemuel P. Cooper, was born Aug. 20, 1833. He received his academical education at Meriden, N. H., studied medicine in New York City, and graduated at the New York Medical College in 1856. The following year he was deputy resident physician of Blackwell’s Island Hospital. He settled at Claremont in 1858. He entered the army in 1861, as Assistant Surgeon of the 6th Regt. N. H. Vols:, but was promoted to the rank of Surgeon in March, 1863. At the end of three years, in 1864, he returned to Claremont and resumed the practice of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Plummer Wheeler

WILLIAM PLUMMER WHEELER, son of Col. Nathaniel Wheeler, was born at Croydon, July 31, 1812. He lived at home on the Wheeler place in the south part of the town until he was about thirteen years of age, when he went to reside with his uncle James Wheeler at Newport. He remained there until 1836; and, after the death of his uncle, was for a time engaged in the harness making business. He pursued his studies at the Academy in Newport, and afterwards at Kimball Union Academy, where he remained nearly three years. He left there in 1839, and commenced … Read more