History of Chester, New Hampshire, including Auburn

In preparing for the 200th anniversary, in 1922, of the founding of the Town of Chester, a general desire was expressed that events which had occurred since 1869, together with the earlier ones which Benjamin Chase was unable to include in his History of Old Chester, should be published in suitable form.

The History of Old Chester published in 1869 covered the ground so thoroughly that there is comparatively little to add. Since that time the town has not been making history to any great extent, shrinkage in population and prestige being the most prominent incidents of the last half-century, and, therefore, there is little that is noteworthy, or of interest, to record.

Title:History of Chester, New Hampshire, including Auburn : a supplement to the History of old Chester, published in 1869
Author:Chase, John Carroll
Publication date:1926
Publisher:Derry, N.H. : [s.n.]
Digitizing Sponsor:University of New Hampshire Library
Contributor:University of New Hampshire Library
Repository:Internet Archive
History of Chester, New Hampshire title page
History of Chester, New Hampshire title page

Repetition of what was already in print has been avoided, except in-so-far as was necessary to connect the previous work with the present one. Features that had been overlooked, or omitted on account of lack of space, have received attention, gravestone insriptions and church records being prominent examples. Increasing interest in the several patriotic and historic societies appeared to make it desirable to reprint in full the military history with some necessary additions and corrections.

Regretful as it is to record, our history of the past few years is one of decadence, so far as industry is concerned. The manufacture of edge-tools, shoes and pails ceased several years ago, agriculture and fruit raising have shrunk with the population, and dilapidated dams are the only evidence of a great majority of the busy mills of by-gone years.

The opening of the electric railroad to Derry, in the closing years of the last century, was an important event for the town but the rapid increase of automobiles presages its early demise, when one learns of what is taking place in neighboring communities, and the coming generation may be using aerial transportation. The introduction of electric lighting marks a recent step in the latter-day progress, the telephone having been installed so long ago that it is no longer a novelty.

The published history of mills and roads leaves little to record, except to say that of the nearly a score of saw and grist mills existing in the two towns in the late sixties, only four of the former are now operated, the portable steam sawmill functioning in the devastating work of preventing forests from coming to maturity. The fathers would have been appalled at the slaughter of the innocents.

No new highways have been built and some of the old ones have been discontinued, but the rapid increase in the use of automobiles has led to a “good roads” movement, in which Chester is doing its share.

Table of Contents

Chapter I 63

Early Proprietary Records and Royal Charter
Early Records — Petition for Grant — The Royal Charter —List of Proprietors.

CHAPTER II 78

The Congregational Church

Church Records — Pastors

CHAPTER III 83

The Presbyterian Church

Church History — Records — Officers — Members —Baptisms — Assessments.

CHAPTER IV 102

The Baptist and Methodist Churches

Baptist Church History — Ordinations — Ministers — Gifts —Methodist Church History — Pastors.

CHAPTER V 112

Native Ministers of Chester

CHAPTER VI 116

Military History
Soldiers of the Revolutionary War — War of 1812-15 —Mexican War — Civil War — Spanish War — World War — Red Cross Nurse — Bell Post, No. 74, G. A. R.— Bell Woman’s Relief Corps, No. 128 — Chester Militia 1842-50.

CHAPTER VII 126

The Public Schools
School History — School Life by Gerry W. Hazelton and Mary A. (Tenney) Bartley.

CHAPTER VIII 131

School and Missionary Teachers

CHAPTER IX 151

The Academies

CHAPTER X 156

Social and Public Libraries
The Libraries — Catalogue of 1821 — Free Public Library

CHAPTER XI 159

Professional and Civic
Lawyers — Physicians — Nurses — Dentists — Druggists

CHAPTER XII 166

Industrial History
Farming — Cooperage — Shoemaking — Stores and Tradesmen — Railroads — Telephone and Telegraph — The Grange — Town Officers and Representatives — Votes
for Governor.

CHAPTER XIII 176

Cemetery Inscriptions
Chester Village — North Chester — The Branch — Sanborn— Old Presbyterian — Lane Family — Marden Family —Auburn Village — Long Meadow — Roby Family.

CHAPTER XIV 246

Bi-Centennial Calendar

CHAPTER XV 255

Biographies

CHAPTER XVI 274

Genealogies

CHAPTER XVII 384

Congregational Church Records
Members — Marriages — Births — Baptisms

CHAPTER XVIII 406

Soldiers Monument and Junior Order United
American Mechanics

CHAPTER XIX 412

Mills, Roads and Taverns

CHAPTER XX 415

Historic Spots and Homes
Manchester Road — Chester Street — The Square — Haverhill Road— Walnut Hill Road— Derry Road— Hall’s Village — Raymond Road — The Brown-Richardson House — The Almshouse.

CHAPTER XXI 420

Reminiscences
Judge Henry F. French — Edward Coolidge — Helen A. (French) Cochrane — Charles A. Wilcomb.

CHAPTER XXII 437

Longevity

CHAPTER XXIII 444

Addenda and Miscellany

Additional Biographies, Daniel French, Col. William H. Paine — Additional School Teachers — College Graduates — “Lord” Timothy Dexter — Fire Engines and Fires — Tower Clocks — Public Gifts — Hampton Falls Records — The Church Choir.

AUBURN

CHAPTER XXIV 451

Historical and Descriptive
Historical — The Long Meadows.

CHAPTER XXV 456

Military History and Town Officers
Soldiers in the Civil War — The World War — Town Officers — Representatives — Votes for Governor

CHAPTER XXVI 462

The Congregational Church
Church History — Pastors — Superintendents of Sunday School — Deacons — Clerks

CHAPTER XXVII 468

Congregational Church Members

CHAPTER XXVIII 475

The Methodist Church and Pastors

CHAPTER XXIX 476

School Teachers and Schools
Teachers — College Graduates — Professional

CHAPTER XXX

Longevity 483

Additional Genealogy 488

Errata 490

General Index 491

Index of Persons 495

Notes About the Book

  • Errata
  • General Index
  • Name Index
  • Table of Contents

Surnames

Surnames of families that appear in the biographical and genealogical section. The index has a more complete list of everyone mentioned in the manuscript.

Aiken, Bell, Blaisdell, Blasdell, Bouton, Buswell, Caldwell, Carr, Chase, Clark, Clarke, Cochran, Coolidge, Couch, Cowdrey, Crawford, Crombie, Currier, Dearborn, Dennis, Dinsmore, Emerson, Emery, Fitts, Fitz, Forsaith, Fox, French, Gilbert, Goldsmith, Gordon, Grant, Greenough, Griffin, Hall, Haselton, Hazelton, Hill, Hills, Hosley, Howe, Kimball, Knowles, Lawrence, Learnard, Lufkin, Mackintosh, Marden, Marsters, Marston, Melvin, Mills, Moore, Morse, Noyes, Parker, Plummer, Richardson, Robie, Robinson, Sargent, Savage, Shackford, Sleeper, Smith, Stevens, Tenney, Townsend, True, Underhill, Wason, Watson, Webster, Wells, West, and Wilcomb.


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