Emerson Smith came to Alstead, from Hollis, N. H., about 1800, being formerly a resident of Maine, and a carpenter by trade. His son, Ralph E., was born at Hollis in 1791. He learned the clothier’s trade and carried on the business here for a number of years. He married Bia, daughter of Esq Moses Hale, reared eight children, and died in 1854, aged sixty-three yea. Of his three sons, two are living, Moses H., in Nebraska, and George H., to Harrisonville, both of whom served in the late war. Two daughters of Ralph E. are living, Maria L. Woodward, in Petersham, Mass., and Mary U. (Mrs. John Kingsbury) in Surry. Esq. Hale, mentioned above, was a land surveyor and spent a large portion of his life surveying lands in Cheshire and Sullivan counties. He was a justice of the peace many years, town representative, state senator, member of the governor’s council, and served as a captain in the Revolutionary war. He was a native of Haverhill, Mass., born December 8, 1754, and died January 16, 1827. He married Abigail, daughter of Richard Page, September 8, 1778, who bore him five children.
