ISRAEL GOODWIN was remarkable for his intellectual and social qualities. He lived at the Flat, and was a cloth-dresser by trade. In 1824 he removed to Plainfield, VT, where he represented that town in both branches of the Legislature. He was appointed judge, and removed to Montpelier, where he died.
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
CARLTON BARTON, only son of Bazaleel, has been a successful teacher, and a man much in public business. He has a clear intellect, and “is a wag when he will.”
BUSHROD RICE and GARDNER WINSLOW, sons of William Gibson, were both physicians. The former died at Pomfret, Vt., many years since; the latter entered the army as an officer, and was killed at Cold Harbor.
JOHN COOPER, son of John Cooper and Lydia Dodge Cooper, and grandson of Dea. John Cooper, one of the first settlers of Croydon, was born in Croydon, June 15, 1806, and was educated in the common school and at the domestic fireside. He is a farmer, but has devoted a portion of his time to teaching and other literary pursuits. He has been elected or appointed Superintending School Committee of Croydon sixteen times. In 1839 he prepared ” An Historical Sketch of Croydon,” which was published in the 6th Vol. of the Collections of the New Hampshire Historical Society; and … Read more
Martin Chase was born in Unity, N. H., and came to this town in 1869. He represented the town of Washington in the legislature of 1840, and now holds the office of justice of the peace.
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.
Elizabeth1 Winch, spinster, of Great Alhallows, London, in her will, made 1659, proved 1661, calls herself “bound for Virginia” and names her brothers Richard and John. It is thought that John may have been the father of Samuel of Framingham, Mass. Virginia was often used to mean America. I. Samuel2 Winch was in Sudbury, Mass., as early as 1670. A few years later he settled in Framingham and was an original member of the Framingham church. He was buried, Aug. 3, 1718; m. (1), Feb. 11, 1673, Hannah, dau. of Matthew Gibbs and had seven ch. by her. He m. … Read more
Alvah B. Chellis, a leading farmer of Plainfield and the senior partner in the well-known firm, Chellis & Stickney, was born here, January 27, 1841, son, of John Pettengill and Lucinda (Bean) Chellis. The first representative of the family in this country came from Wales in 1636. His son John, born in Kingston, N.H., was the great-great-grandfather of Alvah B. Chellis. John’s son Thomas, born in Kingston about the year 1750, was in the Revolution together with all his brothers, and fought at Bunker Hill. The grandfather, Thomas Chellis, Jr., who was born at Salisbury, this State, March 24, 1785, … Read more
DELLAVAN D. MARSH, son of WILLIAM, and grandson of Samuel, was born May 8, 1818. He studied medicine with Willard P. Gibson, of Newport, and John S. Blanchard, of Cornish; attended lectures at Woodstock, Vt., and at Hanover, N. H., and graduated from the latter institution in 1834. He commenced practice at Mount Desert, Me., the same year, but in 1837 returned to Croydon, where he has since remained in the practice of his profession. He has taken a deep interest in agriculture. He introduced the North Devon cattle, and in 1848 was Treasurer of the County Agricultural Society. He … Read more
NATHAN HALL, son of Edward Hall, Jr., is an independent farmer residing at the Flat. He was Chief Marshal at the Celebration, has been many years elected to town offices, and is now a Commissioner for Sullivan County.
Oliver Wright 1. Reuben2 Wright, son of Oliver1, was b. in Keene, Apr. 29, 1772, of Oliver and Sarah Wright; d. Houghton, Mich., Aug. 18, 1852; m. Dec. 30 (or 31), Olive Atwood, b. Templeton, Mass., July 5, 1775, d. Washington, N. H., Aug. 15, 1842; dau. of John and Elizabeth (Lawrence) Atwood of Packersfield. Ch.: Roxana3, b. Marlboro, Sept. 8, 1800, m. Dec. 18, 1827, Amos Corey, Jr., of Washington, N. H., b. there, Sept. 19, 1802; d. Antrim, Apr. 6, 1872, son of Amos and Achsah (Townsend) Corey. She d. at Antrim, Sept. 7, 1872. They had moved … Read more
Amos Richardson, an influential resident of Cornish, was born here, November 27, 1817, son of Amos and Sophia (Cummings) Richardson. He is a descendant of Dr. Amos Richardson, who was a physician of note in Pelham, N.H. Dr. Amos’s son, Joseph, was grandfather of the subject of this sketch. Joseph’s children were: Miriam, Joseph, David, Josiah, Sarah, Mercy, Rebecca, and Amos. Miriam, now deceased, was the wife of Joshua Wyman, of Pelham, and the mother of seven children; Joseph married Polly Hilliard, of Cornish, and had a family of twelve children; David, now deceased, married Sarah Ford, and was the … Read more
Alfred Fitch, a prominent farmer of Cornish and a descendant of one of the old families of the town, was born May 12, 1861. The first of the family to settle in Cornish was James Fitch, who came from Connecticut. He was born in 1712, and died October 25, 1805. His son, James, was father of Samuel, who was the great-grandfather of the present Alfred. Hezekiah, a brother of Samuel, and who was born in Cornish in 1746, died September 30, 1830, built the house owned by the Fitch family of to-day. Samuel Fitch was born in Cornish, October 15, … Read more
Croydon New Hampshire Genealogy contains the 1850 census of Croydon New Hampshire as well as the general, church, civil, industrial and military histories of the town, including 261 brief sketches of it’s early residents. This is an eclectic collection of material, some of it is original, while others was extracted from a variety of sources.
MARTIN B. BRECK, eldest son of James Breck, Esq., was born Oct. 15, 1812. He was educated at the district school and Newport Academy, after which he turned his attention to mercantile pursuits. He remained with his father at Newport until he attained to his majority. He followed his vocation at Croydon, at Newport, and at Boston until 1841, when be removed to Rochester, N. Y., where his operations have been “eminently successful,” and where he now lives enjoying all the blessings which affluence can afford. In 1838 he married Mary Faxon, of Newport, who lived but a year and … Read more
Town Clerks – The following is a list of town clerks from 1768-1885 inclusive. Moses Whipple, from 1768 to 1772. John Cooper, from 1772 to 1775. Moses Whipple, from 1775 to 1781. From 1781 to 1783, no records. Stephen Powers, from 1783 to 1789. Jesse Green, from 1789 to 1795. Jacob Haven, from 1795 to 1798. Reuben Carroll, from 1798 to 1805. Benjamin Barton, from 1805 to 1806. Reuben Carroll, from 1806 to 1807. Jacob Haven, from 1807 to 1815. Stephen Eastman, from 1815 to 1816. Jacob Haven, from 1816 to 1837. Benjamin Skinner, from 1837 to 1841. Daniel R. … Read more
Hiram N. Hayward, Librarian of the Silsby Free Public Library at Acworth, N.H., was born in this town, April 6, 1837. His parents, Joseph and Patty G. (Slader) Hayward, were also natives of Acworth. His paternal grandfather, Jacob Hayward, was born in Bridgewater, Mass. From Mitchell’s history of that early settled town in Plymouth County we learn that he was the third in direct line to bear the name of the Hebrew patriarch, and that he was the sixth in descent from Thomas Hayward, the immigrant progenitor, who was one of the original proprietors of Bridgewater. Nathaniel Hayward, son of … Read more
JOHN TOWNE, son of John Towne, was born August 17, 1805. In June, 1840, he was appointed Deputy Secretary of State, which office he held four years. He was register of deeds for Sullivan County from 1851 to 1854, inclusive. He was for many years a successful teacher and has been for a long time a prominent and respected citizen of Newport.
Aaron L. Brown, of North Grantham, the second representative of his family in the ownership of his farm, was born February 1, 1828, son of Jonathan and Mehitable (Stevens) Brown. The family name is well known in every country where the English language is spoken. In America Browns have been prominent statesmen, educators, and soldiers. Jonathan Brown, the great-grandfather of Aaron L., was a patriot soldier of the Revolution. He was the first ancestor of this family to come to this country. His son, Jonathan Brown, Jr., was the first of the family to settle in the town of Grantham. … Read more