History of Francestown New Hampshire

History of Francestown, New Hampshire is a historic and genealogical record of the town from its first settlement in 1758 through the beginning of 1891. It records Francestown’s settlement, civic growth, religious and educational institutions, military participation, industries, and social customs, followed by an extensive genealogical register of families associated with the town.

Prepared by W. R. Cochrane with the collaboration of George K. Wood, the volume reflects nearly a decade of sustained effort undertaken at the request of the town itself. Although the idea of a formal history first gained attention during the Centennial Celebration of 1872, it was not until the town meetings of 1882 and 1883 that a plan was approved, funds were pledged, and a publishing committee was appointed to oversee the work.

Cochrane accepted the task with hesitation, aware of the demands involved and constrained by pastoral responsibilities and health concerns. Despite these challenges, he pursued the project with extensive research, correspondence, and examination of records in Francestown and beyond. The scarcity and condition of early documentation required careful comparison and verification, with the aim of presenting reliable facts in a clear and concise manner. His stated purpose was to avoid opinion, maintain impartiality, and preserve accuracy wherever possible.

Wood, appointed to gather and prepare genealogical material, contributed the larger portion of the genealogies and assisted throughout the process. Their combined work resulted in a detailed narrative of the town’s development, institutions, and people, supported by steel-engraved portraits and illustrations provided through the generosity of residents and friends of Francestown. Numerous individuals also offered information, financial assistance, or other support that helped carry the project to completion.

Although publication was delayed beyond early expectations, the extended period of research and revision strengthened the final work. The historical text was effectively completed by January 1, 1891, with later additions incorporated before printing in 1895.

Contents:

1. First Settlement of Francestown, and Events prior to Incorporation — 1–41
2. Outline of Events in Town from Incorporation to the Close of the Revolutionary War — 42–113
3. Outline of Events in Town from the Close of the Revolutionary War to the Close of the Century — 114–154
4. Outline of Events in Francestown from Jan. 1, 1801 to 1851 — 155–195
5. Outline of Events in Francestown from Jan. 1, 1851 to Jan. 1, 1891 — 195–203
6. The Centennial Celebration June 8, 1872 — 208–225
7. Ecclesiastical History — 225–251
8. The Military Record of Francestown — 251–276
9. The Schools of Francestown — 277–294
10. Francestown Academy — 295–319
11. The Cemeteries — 320–324
12. Roads and Bridges — 325–334
13. Town Officers — 335–347
14. Customs and Habits of the Olden Time — 348–367
15. The Hardships of Our Fathers — 368–383
16. The Scotch and English in This Town — 384–392
17. Mills and Manufactures in Francestown — 393–398
18. The Soapstone Quarry — 399–402
19. Various Corporations and Societies in Town — 403–410
20. The Villages — 411–423
21. Some Topographical Items — 424–443
22. Clergymen, Physicians, Lawyers — 444–448
23. Post Offices, Postmasters and Post Riders — 449–454
24. Miscellaneous; the Chips Worth Picking Up — 455–474

Preface to Genealogies — 477
Genealogies — 479
Addenda — 1005

Genealogies

In preparing these family histories, the compilers adopted the organizational method used in the History of Antrim. When possible, each family record begins with a brief account of its American, and sometimes foreign, ancestry. Most sketches were drawn from material they collected and prepared for publication for the first time.

They aimed to describe the early settlers clearly and fully, providing information useful to their descendants. Recognizing that personal recollections and historical records are often incomplete or inconsistent, they worked to reconcile conflicting statements and present the most accurate account possible.

Many residents of Francestown, along with researchers from other communities, contributed information and assistance, and their help is acknowledged throughout the work.

The compilers sought to include only those portions of family records relevant to individuals connected with Francestown, while still offering a fair sketch of every family. Some families long absent from the town were traced with particular effort, as their descendants are now found across the country and beyond.

The genealogies are arranged alphabetically. Individuals of the first generation born in, or early associated with, Francestown are numbered, and information about them appears in brackets. Children’s names are printed in italics and followed by details in parentheses. Abbreviations include b. for born, m. for married, d. for died, and res. for resides or resided. Every effort was made to present the material clearly despite the complexities of the sources.

Family Names:

Abbott, Adams, Aiken, Alcott, Alexander, Allds, Ames, Anderson, Andrews, Armor, Atwood, Austin, Averill, Avery, Ayer, Bailey, Balch, Baldwin, Bard, Barnet, Barrett, Bartlett, Batchelder, Batten, Baxter, Bean, Belcher, Bell, Billings, Bixby, Black, Blanchard, Boardman, Boutell, Boyd, Boynton, Bradford, Breed, Brenan, Brewster, Brickett, Brigham, Brooks, Brown, Bryant, Buckmaster, Bullard, Burge, Burnham, Butterfield, Buxton, Caldwell, Campbell, Carey, Carleton, Carr, Carson, Carter, Case, Chadwick, Chandler, Cheney, Christie, Clark, Cochran, Colburn, Colby, Collins, Cooper, Copeland, Coston, Cowen, Cram, Cressy, Crombie, Crosby, Cummings, Cunningham, Cutler, Dane, Danforth, Davis, Deane, Dearborn, Decatur, Dennison, Dickerman, Dickey, Dinsmore, Dockham, Dodge, Dolliver, Downes, Draper, Driscoll, Drury, Duncklee, Durant, Dustin, Dutton, Eames, Eastman, Eaton, Emerson, Epps, Everett, Ewell, Fairbanks, Farmer, Farnum, Farrington, Felch, Fisher, Fiske, Fitts, Flanders, Fletcher, Flint, Follansbee, Folsom, Foote, Frye, Fuller, Gale, Gardiner, Gardner, Gay, George, Gerrish, Gibson, Gilbert, Gilman, Glover, Gordon, Gove, Gowing, Green, Gregg, Grimes, Guild, Gutterson, Hadley, Hall, Hardy, Harris, Hartshorn, Harvey, Haseltine, Hastings, Hayward, Heard, Henderson, Highland, Hill, Hodge, Hodgman, Hogg, Holmes, Holt, Hopkins, Hovey, Howard, Howe, Hoyt, Hungerford, Huntington, Hurd, Hutchinson, Hyde, Jellison, Johnson, Joslin, Kemp, Keyser, Kidder, Kimball, Kingsbury, Knight, Lakin, Lamson, Lee, Lesley, Lewis, Lolly, Lord, Loring, Lynch, MacPherson, Manahan, Marden, Martin, McAllister, McAlvin, McCaine, McEwen, McKay, McLane, McLaughlin, McMaster, Mellon, Merrill, Mills, Mitchell, Montgomery, Mooar, Moody, Moore, Morgan, Morrill, Morse, Nesmith, Newton, Nichols, Nutt, Nutting, Ordway, Orr, Paige, Park, Parker, Parkinson, Patch, Patterson, Peabody, Pearson, Perley, Peters, Pettee, Phelps, Pierce, Potter, Prentiss, Presby, Preston, Proctor, Punchard, Putnam, Quigley, Rand, Richards, Richardson, Richmond, Riley, Robbins, Rogers, Roote, Roper, Ross, Rowell, Ruggles, Russell, Sanford, Sargent, Savage, Sawyer, Scoby, Searle, Searles, Shattuck, Shedd, Sheperd, Short, Sleeper, Smiley, Smith, Spaulding, Spear, St John, Stanley, Starrett, Stevens, Stiles, Swinington, Talbot, Tarbell, Taylor, Temple, Templeton, Terren, Thompson, Thorndike, Tobie, Todd, Towle, Townsend, True, Tuck, Tucker, Vose, Wallace, Warren, Wells, West, Weston, Wheelock, White, Whitfield, Whiting, Whitney, Whittemore, Wilder, Willard, Wilson, Winn, Witherspoon, Wood, Woodbridge, Woodbury, Woods, and Woodward.

Steel Engravings of Francestown People

Steel Engraving and Illustrations of Francestown, New Hampshire

Historical Maps of Francestown, New Hampshire

Source

Cochrane, W. R.; Wood, G. K., Joint authors; History of Francestown, N. H., from its earliest settlement April, 1758, to January 1, 1891. With a brief genealogical record of all the Francestown families, Nashua, N.H. : J. H. Barker, Printer, 1895.