John S. Ford was a well-known farmer and land-owner of Danbury. A native of Grafton, N.H., and a son of Archibald F. and Polly (Searle) Ford, he was born October 15, 1824. His grandfather, Robert Ford, one of a large family of children, was one of the early settlers of Grafton, where he secured a grant of land, and thereafter cultivated it until his death. Robert married Mary Riddle, and they reared a family of four sons and three daughters.
Archibald Ford, like his father, was a farmer. After the birth of his son John he moved to Danbury, where he spent the latter part of his life, and died June 15, 1878. Besides cultivating his land, he made important highway surveys. His other children were: Mary S., George N., Charles, and Robert. Mary, now Mrs. N. W. Flanders and a widow, lives at Wilmot Flat, and has two sons-Charles F. and James; Robert lives at Campton, N.H., and has four children; George, now deceased, left eight children.
John S. Ford, who was the eldest of his parents’ children, was educated in the Danbury schools and in Franklin Academy; and he lived on the homestead until he was twenty-two years of age. When the Northern Railroad was being built, he was employed on the gradings and on the stone work. Later he was made station agent, and he has had charge of a lunch-room in the depot. In 1876 he returned to the farm which he inherited from his father. Here he raised some stock, principally cows and sheep. The proprietor of about twelve hundred acres, he was one of the largest land-owners in the section. Some years ago he drove cattle from Massachusetts up here to pasture.
In 1847 Mr. Ford married Julia Litchfield, daughter of George and Lucy (Randall) Litchfield, of Scituate, Mass. An adopted son, George A., died January 19, 1885, leaving a wife and three children. Mr. Ford was Town Treasurer for a number of years. In 1866-67 he represented the town in the State legislature. 1848. He died March 26, 1897.