Sullivan County NH

Biographical Sketch of Samuel Marsh

SAMUEL MARSH, from whom have descended the Marshes, came early to town and settled near the Four Corners. His wife, who had long lived in the family of a physician, and had become skilled in the “healing art,” kept the first primitive “Apothecary’s Shop” in town. Besides her knowledge of medicine she was noted for her mechanical ingenuity. The old ” dies,” with which she used to print the ladies’ calico dresses, are still in being, as also the “pillion” on which she visited her patients. The husband died in 1832, aged 94; the wife in 1834, aged 90 years.

Biographical Sketch of Lydia Sanger

ISAAC, JOHN, PHINEAS, LYDIA, ELIZABETH and PHEBE SANGER came to Croydon in 1770, and were regarded as an important accession to the town. The brothers had families, the sisters were unmarried. Their descendants are characterized by a great fondness for books and the remarkable facility with which they acquire literary and scientific knowledge. Very many of the distinguished sons of Croydon are proud to trace their lineage from the Sangers. John and Phineas left town. Isaac died of the heart disease, while crossing Croydon Mountain in 1780, leaving three daughters-one of whom married Barnabas Cooper, and another william Gibson. Lydia … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Dr. Silas Hall

DOCT. SILAS HALL, son of Ezra Hall, was born in Dec. 1792. In 1808, moved with his father to Cayuga Co., N. Y. In 1815, commenced the study of medicine with Consider King, an excellent physician, and received his diploma in 1818. After ten years of practice at Sempronius, the county seat, he removed to Monrovia, where he has since resided.

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 Paine Durkee

PAINE DURKEE, son of Rufus, was born on the 7th day of October, 1817. He followed the vocation of his father, that of tanner, at the East Village until 1852, when he went to California and worked in the mines one year. In March, 1861, he was elected Representative of Croydon, and in September of the same year enlisted into the military service; was chosen First Lieutenant, and stationed at Fort Constitution in Portsmouth Harbor. He was detailed as Quarter Master, and acted in that capacity until May, 1862, when the illness of his family obliged him to leave the … Read more

Biography of Hiram N. Hayward

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

Biographical Sketch of Rev. Luther J. Fletcher

REV. LUTHER J. FLETCHER, born February 25, 1818, a Universalist clergyman, has been located at Buffalo, Lowell and New York; is a man of rare talent, a fine writer and an eloquent talker; was a member of the Massachusetts Legislature, and once a judge.

Biography of Philemon C. Hardy

Philemon C. Hardy, a prominent citizen of Cornish Flat, Sullivan County, N.H., well known as the proprietor of the Hardy Remedies, was born in the town of Cornish, March 5, 1840. He is a son of the late Samuel Hardy. His great-grandfather served as a soldier throughout the Revolutionary War, and Mr. Hardy is now in possession of the gun barrel used by that patriotic ancestor in the battle of Bunker Hill. After his death his widow removed to Grantham, N.H., taking with her their ten children, six boys and four girls. She was the first of the name in … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Gardner Winslow Gibson

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. Of the children of Winslow Gibson, OTIS is a missionary at Fuh Chau in China; HENRY graduated at the New York Medical College and went to China, where he died; GARDNER, clergyman, resides at Moira, N. Y.; FRANKLIN, clergyman, died in Connecticut. LIzZIE and MARY W. F., daughters of Willard P. Gibson, made literature a profession. The latter has for several years past resided in … Read more

Daniel Elliott Carroll

DANIEL ELLIOTT CARROLL who lived in Cornish from 1857 to 1880, was great-grandson of Daniel Carroll3, the brother of Samuel3. His father, Charles, was b. in Croydon and m. Sarah Elliott. He was b. in Croydon Nov. 1, 1817; m. first, Sophronia Burt of Thetford, Vt., b. Feb. 25, 1820, by whom he had three children; he m. second, May 2, 1876, Lucy Parker. No children. He d. in March, 1899. Children, all b. in Croydon: 1. DANIEL E., JR., b. Sept. 2, 1846; m. first, Feb. 20, 1870, Ella F. Collins, dau. of Edward W. and Deliah (Forehand) Collins, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Samuel Marsh Jr.

SAMUEL MARSH, Jr., was father of ELOM, one of the Vice-Presidents at the Celebration, a successful farmer at Westmoreland, N. H.,-of JOHN L. who moved to Jefferson County, N. Y., where he has been elected a Representative and exerted much influence, and ORREN who was educated at Norwich University and went to Oregon.

Biography of Henry Marshall Elwell

Henry Marshall Elwell, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen of Langdon, Sullivan County, N.H., son of Robert and Phoebe (Evans) Elwell, was born in this town, April 13, 1839. His paternal grandfather, Benjamin Elwell, a lifelong resident of Langdon, was a wealthy farmer and highly esteemed citizen. He married a Miss Kendall, and had four children, named: Samuel, Betsey, Nancy, and Robert. Benjamin Elwell and his wife died on the same day, within a few minutes of each other; and their mortal remains were buried together in the same coffin. Samuel, the eldest son, lived in Langdon all his life, … Read more

Biography of Larnard Powers

Larnard Powers, for many years one of the leading farmers and most influential citizens of Cornish, was born at Croydon, N.H., April 20, 1808. His grandparents were Lemuel and Thankful (Leland) Powers, and his parents were Colonel Samuel and Chloe (Cooper) Powers. Colonel Powers was born at Northbridge in 1763, and was a soldier and officer of the Revolution. His family consisted of the following named children: Olive, Obed, Judith, Nancy, Chloe, Samuel, Ara, Lemuel, Solomon, Ithamar, Larnard, and Randilla. Olive, born in 1786, died in 1841, unmarried; Obed, born in 1788, married Cynthia Cummings, and had a family of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas Whipple

THOMAS WHIPPLE, son of Moses, married Thankful Powers, and settled at Charlestown, N. H., and raised up a large family. AARON married Matilda Cooper and settled in the south part of the town, near Coit Mountain, on the farm so long and so well occupied by his son MOSES WHIPPLE previous to his retirement to his present life of comparative leisure at the Flat. Aaron, “In fair round belly, with good capon lined,” relished a joke.

Biographical Sketch of Gilman C. Whipple

GILMAN C. WHIPPLE, Son of Moses, and grandson of Aaron Whipple, was born March 18, 1837. He is a most popular and successful merchant at Lebanon, N. H. Married in 1864, Clara, daughter of Samuel Wood, of Lebanon.

Biographical Sketch of Proctor Putnam

PROCTOR PUTNAM, son of Hiram, and grandson of Caleb Putnam, was born July 8,1814. From eighteen to twentyeight years of age he followed the occupation of masonthe last four years was superintendent in building the locks on the Glens Falls Feeder Canal, and Black River Canal, N. Y.. In 1842 he removed to Lake County, Illinois, and purchased the farm on which he now lives. The following brief statement of his affairs will be of interest to all those who remember the once penniless boy of Croydon : He has six hundred acres of choice land valued at sixty dollars … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Dr. Horace Powers

DR. HORACE POWERS, son of Urias Powers, born October 27, 1807; graduated at the Woodstock Medical College in 1832; settled at Morristown, VT; was high sheriff of Lamoille County in 1844 and 1845; represented his town in the Constitutional Convention in 1850; was a Senator in 1853 and 1854, and was director in the Lamoille County Bank.

Biographical Sketch of John Nelson

JOHN NELSON, one of the early settlers, lived on the turnpike north of Four Corners; was intrusted to some extent with the management of town affairs, and has many descendants.

Biographical Sketch of Polly Wakefield

POLLY WAKEFIELD, now 95 years of age, the oldest person now living in town, is the widow of Maj. Josiah Wakefield, of Newport, and daughter of Phineas Newton, who came to Croydon in 1772, from Worcester, Mass.