Amherst Hayward was born in Surry November 18, 1788, and was brought up by Col. Jonathan Smith, who married his father’s sister. He married Betsey Cole, February 24, 28 i i, and for his second wife, Polly Cole, June 29, 1821, and had born to him sixteen children. After living in Rocking ham, Vt., for a time he returned to this town in 1815. He served the town as selectman, was deacon in the Congregational church for twenty years, and led the choir for fifty years. He died January 16, 1867. Nahum 0., son of Amherst, was born September 8. 1817, married Hannah Glover, February 21, 1841, lived in Boston several years, and returned to Gilsum in 1846. He has had born to him four children. He is well known through the county as an auctioneer and dealer in lumber and cattle. He is frequently employed in the settlement of estates and similar business, and is a director of the Five Cents Savings Bank of Keene. He owns a large amount of real estate. and has built several houses. He has served the town as selectman several years and as justice of the peace. Silvanus, son of Amherst, was born December 3, 1828, and received his early education at home, living with his uncle Elisha S. Fish, from the age of eight to seventeen. The only school he attended before entering college was about two months in 1836 and 18J7, in the chamber of A. W. Kingsbury’s house. The teacher was Aaron Day, Jr. He attended two terms of teachers’ institutes, at Keene, in 1847 and 1848. Having studied Latin and Greek under the private instruction of Rev. James Tisdale, he entered Dartmouth college in August, 1849, graduating July, 1853. He has officiated as clergyman in various places since 1861, during which time he supplied the pulpit in his native town for four years. He married Harriet E. Eaton, a descendant of Francis Eaton, who came over on the “Mayflower,” November 23, 1853. He is author of the admirable “History of Gilsum,” from which much of this history is drawn.
