This book provides a history of the town of Antrim, New Hampshire, from its earliest settlement through the centennial year of 1877. Prepared by Rev. W. R. Cochrane at the request of the town, the work reflects more than five years of research conducted alongside pastoral duties. The project originated with a vote at a legal town meeting to commission a written history and appropriate funds for its production. In response, the author examined local and regional records, including those of Londonderry, Bedford, New Boston, and neighboring towns, and relied on church books, family papers, town clerks’ files, diaries, newspapers, and personal correspondence to establish a reliable account. Much of the effort was devoted to clarifying incomplete or irregular vital records and assembling accurate genealogies of Antrim families.
The narrative traces the town’s development from its settlement and incorporation through successive fifty year periods, and includes chapters on ecclesiastical history, military service, schools, societies, roads, cemeteries, industries, and village growth, as well as proceedings from the 1877 centennial celebration. While the author drew frequently on earlier histories, particularly that of Dr. Whiton, he consulted documentary evidence to resolve discrepancies when necessary. Substantial assistance was furnished by town officers, local residents, and others who contributed records, diaries, and historical material. The genealogical section, which forms a major portion of the work, arranges family data alphabetically and follows a clear system for presenting generational information as it relates to Antrim.
Illustrations, including portraits and views of local sites, were contributed by individuals connected to the town. The result is a detailed reference intended to preserve the town’s historical record and provide future generations with a reliable account of its origins, institutions, and families.
History of the town of Antrim New Hampshire
Contents
Introduction, p. ix
I. — The First Settlement of Antrim ; and Events prior to and including the Incorporation of the Town, p. 3
II. —An Outline of Events in Antrim for Fifty Years : 1777-1827, p. 44
III. —An Outline of Events in Antrim for Fifty Years : 1827-1877, p. 99
IV. — Proceedings in Connection with the Centennial Celebration, June 27, 1877, p. 114
V. — Items of Ecclesiastical History, p. 176
VI. — The Military Record of Antrim, p. 194
VII.— Schools, p. 213
VIII. — Various Societies in Antrim, p. 222
IX. — Roads and Bridges, p. 226
X. — Cemeteries, p. 233
XI. — List of Town Officers from the Year 1777 to the Year 1879, inclusive, as copied from the Town Records, p. 237
XII. — Mills and Manufactures in Antrim, p. 245
XIII. — Villages, p. 257
XIV. — Old Customs and Habits, p. 265
XV. — Inconveniences the Settlers had to contend with, p. 277
XVI. — Scotch-Irish Character and Influence, p. 288
XVII. — Various Descriptive Items of a Topographical Nature, p. 299
XVIII. — Containing Various Scraps and Remnants worth Gathering up and Preserving, p. 311
Genealogies
Starting at page 327.
The genealogical section follows an arrangement created by the author to suit a local history. The first Antrim generation is numbered, with information on children and descendants placed in brackets; the next generation appears in italics within parentheses, also contained in the brackets. Earlier and later generations are described in plain text. Families are arranged alphabetically, with the earliest Antrim branch of each surname listed first. References to places outside New Hampshire include state initials. The focus is on individuals born in Antrim, and dates are carried to June 27, 1877, with only limited later additions.
The amount of detail varies according to the records available for each family. The author compared conflicting statements, gathered information from numerous correspondents, and wrote thousands of letters and postals over five years to obtain accurate data. Some families are omitted for lack of reliable information. In total, the genealogies include 329 surnames and 581 families, and while great care was taken, some errors may remain.
The author received significant assistance from Miss Abby G. Morse, Clark Hopkins, Reed P. Saltmarsh, and others, including several former residents who contributed documents and information. Additional material was drawn from many sources, with notable help from Robert C. Mack of Londonderry. Abbreviations are avoided except for b., m., and d., to maintain clarity for all readers.
Abbott, Adams, Aiken, Alexander, Allds, Anthoine, Appleton, Atherton, Atwood, Austin, Averill, Avery, Bailey, Baker, Balch, Baldwin, Ballard, Ball, Barker, Barnes, Barrett, Bartlett, Bass, Bates, Beasom, Bell, Bemaine, Bickford, Bishop, Blanchard, Bodwell, Bond, Boutwell, Boutelle, Boyd, Brackett, Bradford, Breed, Brooks, Brown, Bryant, Bryer, Buck, Buckminster, Bullard, Burnham, Burns, Buswell, Butler, Butman, Butterfield, Butters, Caldwell, Campbell, Carr, Carter, Case, Cavender, Champney, Chandler, Chapin, Charon, Cheney, Chessmore, Christie, Clark, Cleaves, Clement, Cochlan, Cochran, Cochrane, Coffin, Cole, Collins, Combs, Conant, Conn, Cooledge, Cooper, Corey, Costello, Cram, Crane, Cross, Cummings, Curtis, Dane, Danforth, Dascomb, Davis, Day, Derush, Dickey, Dimond, Dinsmore, Dodge, Dow, Downing, Drake, Draper, Duncan, Duncklee, Dunlap, Dustin, Dutton, Eaton, Edes, Elliot, Emery, English, Estey, Fairbanks, Fairfield, Farrington, Ferry, Ferson, Field, Fisher, Flanders, Fletcher, Flint, Forsaith, Foster, Fox, Frye, Fuller, Gates, George, Gibson, Gillis, Gilmore, Goodell, Goodhue, Gordon, Gould, Gove, Graham, Greeley, Green, Gregg, Griffin, Hackett, Hadley, Hall, Hardy, Hartwell, Hastings, Hatch, Hawes, Hayward, Hazelton, Heath, Herrick, Hildreth, Hills, Holman, Holmes, Holt, Holton, Hopkins, Houghton, Houston, Howard, Hubbard, Hudson, Hunt, Huntley, Hurlin, Hutchinson, Hyde, Jackson, Jameson, Johnson, Jones, Joslin, Joy, Keeser, Kelsea, Kendall, Keyes, Kidder, Kimball, Knights, Ladd, Lawrence, Laws, Little, Livingston, Lovejoy, Loveren, Lovewell, Lowe, Lynch, Manahan, Mansfield, Marsh, Marshall, Matthews, mcAdams, McAllister, McCauley, McClary, McClure, McCoy, McDole, McFarland, McGee, McIlvaine, McKeen, McMaster, McNiel, Miller, Miltimore, Moore, Morrison, Morse, Moulton, Munhall, Muzzey, Nahor, Nay, Nesmith, Newman, Newton, Nichols, Ordway, Orr, Paige, Parker, Parkhurst, Parkinson, Parmenter, Parsons, Patch, Pattee, Patten, Patterson, Peabody, Pelsey, Perkins, Perry, Pettingill, Philbrick, Pierce, Pike, Poland, Poor, Pond, Potter, Pratt, Preston, Pritchard, Puffer, Putnam, Putney, Raleigh, Ramsay, Rand, Ransom, Raymond, Reed, Rhodes, Richardson, Ring, Ritchie, Roach, Robb, Robbins, Robinson, Rogers, Rollins, Ross, Saltmarsh, Sargent, Sawyer, Saxby, Senter, Shaddock, Shattuck, Shaw, Shedd, Simonds, Smith, Stacey, Starrett, Steele, Stickney, Story, Stowell, Stuart, Sumner, Swain, Swett, Taylor, Temple, Templeton, Tennant, Tenney, Thayer, Thompson, Todd, Tomb, Travis, True, Turner, Tuttle, Twiss, Varnum, Vose, Walker, Wallace, Walton, Ward, Warren, Webber, Webster, Weeks, Wellman, Weston, Whitcomb, White, Whiteley, Whitney, Whiton, Whittemore, Wier, Wilcox, Wilder, Wilkins, Willey, Wilson, Witherspoon, Wood, Woodbridge, Woodbury, Woodcock, Worthley, Wright, Wyman, and Youngman families.
Illustrations
- Rev. Dr. John M. Whiton, Frontispiece.
- Mrs. John M. Whiton, Frontispiece.
- Rev. W. R. Cochrane, p. 3
- Old Meeting-House on the Hill, p. 71
- Hon. Charles Adams, Jr., p. 135
- Hon. A. H. Dunlap, p. 168
- Presbyterian Church, p. 184
- Baptist Church, p. 192
- Maplewood Cemetery, p. 236
- Nathan C. Jameson, p. 244
- Hon. Daniel M. Christie, p. 297
- Map of Antrim, p. 305
- Gregg's Pond from Holt's Hill, p. 306
- Hon. George W. Nesmith, p. 321
- Chandler B. Boutwell, p. 367
- Dea. James Boyd, p. 375
- Benjamin P. Cheney, A. M., p. 412
- Morris Christie, M. D., p. 416
- Clark Hopkins, p. 544
- N. W. C. Jameson, p. 554
- Anna Belle Jameson, p. 560
- Reed P. Saltmarsh, p. 670
- Steele Place, now William Curtis's, p. 688
- Mark True, A. M., p. 715
- Edward L. Vose, p. 727
- David M. Weston, p. 740
- Residence of Levi Woodbury, p. 779
Source
Cochrane, W. R., History of the town of Antrim, New Hampshire, from its earliest settlement to June 27, 1877, with a brief genealogical record of all the Antrim families, Manchester, N.H. : Mirror Steam Printing Press, 1880.