George Wallingford, a prosperous business man of Claremont in the last generation, was born in Dublin, N.H., July 17, 1808, son of Ebenezer and Mary (Hildreth) Wallingford. The first ancestor, Nicholas Wallingford, settled in Bradford, Mass., in 1672. David Wallingford, of the third generation descended from Nicholas, was a Lieutenant in the Revolutionary War. Born September 25, 1744, he went to the war from Hollis, N.H., was a minute-man, served in four companies under Captains Dow, Towns, Emerson, and Goss, and took part in the battles of Bunker Hill and Bennington. His son Ebenezer, who was born October 5, 1780, came to Claremont about seventy years ago. By his wife, Mary, who was born in Dublin, Ebenezer became the father of eight children, as follows: Elvira, born August 24, 1804, who died October 5, 1884; Mary, born August 10, 1806, who died March 1, 1870; George, born July 17, 1808, who died July 18, 1863; Sarah, born May 27, 1810, who died March 10, 1894; Philander, born June 6, 1812, who became a Methodist minister, and died August 6, 1887; Elizabeth, born September 8, 1814, who died May 5, 1836; Frances, born September 23, 1816, who died August 14, 1848; and Catharine, born February 1, 1819.
At the age of nineteen years George Wallingford came to Claremont, and there resided throughout the rest of his life. While he was a machinist by trade, he found it to his interest to engage in carriage ironing. Later in life he went into the grocery business, which he afterward followed successfully for many years. His death took place July 18, 1863. He married Helen P. Hitchcock, whose children by him were: Henry, born April 12, 1839; and Stella J., born September 22, 1843. Mrs. Wallingford, who survives her husband, is a member of an old and interesting family of Claremont. Her grandfather, Ichabod Hitchcock, the first of the name in this town, came here about the year 1770. Ichabod cleared some land situated a mile north of the village, built on it a house-for he was a carpenter by trade-and returned to New Haven, Conn., for his family. With them came a little party of adventurous spirits under his leadership, finding their way by marked trees to the little spot in the wilderness which he had chosen. On the journey, which lasted fourteen days, the furniture was carried in ox carts. The women rode on horseback, Ichabod’s wife carrying a baby in her arms; and the men travelled on foot. Ichabod helped in the erection of Union Church; and he was the master builder of the town hall, which he afterward took apart, and removed to the village. During the Revolution he was officially serving the town in the capacity of Sheriff and in other offices. At that time, having been misrepresented to the authorities as a Tory, he was arrested, tried, and honorably acquitted. He married Rebecca Pardee, who was born March 2, 1754, and whose grandparents came from France. Rebecca had three sisters, one of whom married Benjamin Tyler, another married Asa Jones, and the third became the wife of Ebenezer Sperry. Her children by Ichabod Hitchcock were: Samuel, born September 30, 1774, who died July 25, 1777; Hannah, born April 5, 1776, who died August 3, 1777; Hannah (second), born June 10, 1778, who died February 3, 1812; Samuel, born June 2, 1780, who died November 4, 1857; Lyman, born February 21, 1782, February 17, 1787; Ransom A., born May 15, 1784, who died August 19, 1795; Amos, born November 2, 1786, who died August 9, 1873; Reubah, born November 2, 1788, who died July 5, 1795; Esther, born October 11, 1791, who died September 22, 1793; Reubah (second), born May 2, 1795; who died September 25, 1799; and Esther, born June 25, 1798, who died July 18, 1798.