George W. Hurd, who owns and cultivates a productive dairy farm in Lempster, Sullivan County, was born where he now resides, September 16, 1837, son of Colonel Smith and Mehitable (Emerson) Hurd. His paternal grandfather, Shubael Hurd, was the first ancestor to settle in Lempster. He was one of the stirring farmers of his day, and improved the property which is now occupied by his grandson. Shubael Hurd married for his first wife Rachel Beckwith, and for his second wife Isabelle Ames, a native of Peterboro, N.H. By this union there were two sons-Smith and Justus. Justus Hurd was graduated at Dartmouth College with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He practised his profession in the States of Mississippi and Missouri, and died in St. Louis a number of years ago. His second wife was Sarah Gordon, a native of Belfast, Me.
Colonel Smith Hurd, the other son of Shubael and the father of George W., was born in Lempster, January 11, 1803. He was reared upon the homestead farm, which fell to his possession; and he displayed much energy and enterprise in its cultivation. He took an active interest in educational affairs, and was prominent in the State militia. Colonel Smith Hurd died March 3, 1877. His wife, Mehitable Emerson, was born in Goshen, N.H., January 13, 1804. Her parents were Jonathan and Elizabeth (Lakeman) Emerson, the former of whom was a prosperous farmer. Jonathan Emerson was accidentally killed by a falling tree. Mrs. Mehitable E. Hurd, who still survives and resides at the homestead, has reared seven children, as follows: Yorick G.; Robert S.; Isabelle E.; Dency; Eunice E.; George W., the subject of this sketch; and D. Emerson. Yorick G. Hurd, M.D., a graduate of Dartmouth College, became a successful physician, and for twenty-one years was superintendent of the Insane Asylum in Ipswich, Mass. He died September 24, 1888. His first wife was Mary A. Twichell, of Lempster; and his second was Ruth A. Brown, of Amesbury, Mass., who is no longer living. Their adopted daughter, Josephine, is now the wife of Harry Dodge, a grocer of Ipswich. Robert S. Hurd died in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1852. Isabelle E. became the wife of Dr. John G. Parker, of Dublin, N.H.; and neither she nor her husband is living. Their only son, J. Fred Parker, is now Assistant Secretary of the State of Rhode Island, and resides in Providence. He married Helen Pierce. Dency married for her first husband Austin Spencer, of Lempster, and by that union had one daughter, Alice M. M., who is now the wife of Lewis Greenwood, of Gardner, Mass. For her second husband she married A. H. King, who died in December, 1896, she having passed away on November 20, 1881. Eunice E. Hurd died in 1885, aged fifty-five. D. Emerson Hurd is following the trade of a blacksmith in connection with farming in Westminster, Mass. He married Ruth M. Bruce, of Lempster, and has Arno E., who married Ella Flagg, and resides in Westminster; Wynne, who died at the age of two years; Albert G., M.D., who married Nettie Killum, and resides in Millbury, Mass.; Roy; and Mary.
George W. Hurd was educated in the district schools and the high school of Lempster, and has always resided at the homestead. Since coming into possession of the property, he has added a tract of adjoining land, and now has a farm of about three hundred acres. He gives his attention to general farming and dairying, produces a large quantity of butter and considerable maple sugar. His farm is one of the most fertile and desirably located pieces of agricultural property in town. For eleven years Mr. Hurd served the town faithfully as Collector of Taxes, but he has never aspired to prominence in public affairs. He is an earnest advocate of the temperance cause, and votes with the Prohibitionists. He has long been identified with the Patrons of Husbandry, and is now Treasurer of Silver Mountain Grange, No. 196.
On September 16, 1863, Mr. Hurd was joined in marriage with Eliza A. Fletcher. She was born in Lempster, February 25, 1846, daughter of Francis P. and Joan (Thompson) Fletcher, the former of whom was a native of Washington, N.H., and the latter of Marlow. Francis P. Fletcher died January 21, 1882; and his wife died July 3 of the same year. They were the parents of seven children, namely: Francis P.; Harriet P., who married John Harriman, and died in 1852; George S., who died in November, 1867; Phineas, who was born September 28, 1841; Eliza A., who is now Mrs. Hurd; Charles and Gilman, who are no longer living.
Mr. and Mrs. Hurd are the parents of two sons, namely: Robert L., who was born September 24, 1864, and died February 14, 1881; and Elbert Eugene, born November 20, 1870, who resides at home, and assists his father in carrying on the farm. He is one of the leading young men of Lempster, and is a prominent member of the Patrons of Husbandry, being Master of Silver Mount Grange. On August 30, 1891, he married Susie Bean, of this town. They have had one child, Justus, who died in infancy. Mrs. Susie B. Hurd is deeply interested in grange matters, and is Lecturer of Sullivan County Pomona Grange.