Charles H. Courser, a retired business man of Henniker, was born in Boscawen, now Webster, N.H., May 19, 1827, son of John and Keziah (Shepard) Courser. The first ancestors of the family were English. His grandfather, John Courser, was a resident of Merrimack County. The father passed the greater part of his life in Boscawen, and died there at the age of ninety-two years. The mother, who was a daughter of John Shepard, a native of Derry, N.H., lived to be eighty-two. Of her children the only survivor is Charles H.
Charles H. Courser passed his boyhood in attending school and assisting upon the farm. When about seventeen years old he was apprenticed to the trade of carpenter and millwright. After serving for three years he was employed as a journeyman carpenter and millwright in Boscawen. In 1853 he came to Henniker, and, securing the site of an old privilege, erected a saw and grist mill, and conducted them for fourteen years. He then sold them, and erected in Newport, N.H., another mill, which he sold before it was completed. Soon after, in Pittsfield, N.H., he bought a mill which he rebuilt and operated for nine years, but still resided in Henniker. When his former mill in this town was subsequently offered for sale, he and his son, Fitz H. Courser, bought the property, built a saw-mill upon the opposite side of the river, on the site of the present shoe factory, and were thereafter engaged in custom grinding and the manufacture of short lumber until the retirement of the father some six years ago. His original mill was destroyed by fire about a year ago, and a flouring-mill has since been erected there. He invested in timber lands quite extensively, and has some valuable tracts at the present time. He was also engaged in building. He owns and occupies the Robert M. Wallace estate of thirty acres, located at the west end of the village. Since he acquired the property he has rebuilt the residence.
On November 9, 1848, Mr. Courser was united in marriage with Mary Jane Blanchard, who was born in Boscawen, daughter of Amos and Susan Blanchard. His family consists of six children-Fitz H., Evander A., Helen Frances, Almon E., Charles Edgar, and Grace. Fitz H., who is in the livery business in Henniker, is married and has two children-Harry and Arthur, Evander A. is in the express business in Concord, is married, and has one daughter, Rachel; Helen Frances married Joseph M. Hollowood, who was for thirteen years Postmaster of Brockton, Mass.; Almon E., who is in the employ of the Boston & Maine Railroad and resides at home, wedded Minnie Brown; Charles Edgar, a fireman of the Boston & Maine Railroad, and a resident of Henniker, married Emily Pritchard, of Hillsborough, N.H., and has one daughter, Linda May. Politically, Mr. Courser is a Republican. He has been quite active in local affairs, and he served with ability as Road Agent.