New Hampshire

Biography of Leland J. Graves, M.D.

Leland J. Graves, M.D., was a progressive physician of Claremont, who by the introduction of more advanced ideas in the treatment of disease aided considerably in carrying the healing art to its present high standard of excellence. It is a well-known fact that the greatest amount of good in the way of scientific development has been accomplished by self-made men, and the subject of this sketch belonged to that worthy type of American citizenship. Leland J. Graves was born in Berkshire, Franklin County, Vt., May 24, 1812, son of David J. and Mary (Leland) Graves. The founder of the family … Read more

Biography of Frank Willard Grafton, M.D.

Frank Willard Grafton, M.D., a successful medical practitioner of Concord, was born in Gilford, N.H., in 1869, son of James and Mary Jane (Collins) Grafton. The earliest known progenitor of this family, also named James, emigrated from Scotland to America, locating in Cushing, Me., where he cleared a tract of land, and was afterward engaged in farming. He married, and had a large family, of whom Joseph, the eldest child, was the great-grandfather of Frank Willard. Joseph Grafton, born in Cushing, who was also engaged in agricultural pursuits, passing his entire life on the farm, married, and reared a large … Read more

Biography of Moody Gillingham

Moody Gillingham, for many years an active farmer and prominent citizen of Newbury, Merrimack County, N.H., was born on the old Gillingham homestead, January 2, 1811, and died here, October 16, 1882. He was of English ancestry, being a lineal descendant of the emigrant, James Gillingham, who crossed the Atlantic to seek a new home in the western world over two hundred years ago, and settling in Salem, Mass., there married in May, 1692, Rebecca Bly, daughter of John Bly. [See Savage’s “Genealogical Dictionary.” Their son James, second, born in 1696, came to Newbury, N.H., locating on the north side … Read more

Biography of Herman Wells Greene

Herman Wells Greene, formerly a lawyer of considerable note in Hopkinton, was born here, April 11, 1836, son of Herman H. and Ellen Chase (Little) Greene. His only brother died at the age of fourteen years; and his only sister is now the wife of a Mr. Roberts, of Philadelphia, Pa. After receiving his early education in the public schools of Hopkinton and at Pembroke and Gilmanton Academies, he became interested in the legal profession, and read law with George & Foster, of Concord, and later with Beard & Nickerson, of Boston, Mass. On his twenty-first birthday he was admitted … Read more

Biography of George H. Haines

George H. Haines, a well-known resident of Chichester, Merrimack County, N.H., for quite a number of years engaged as a carriage and sleigh manufacturer, also as an extensive lumber dealer, now partially retired from his former activities, was born in this town, January 27, 1845, son of George P. and Sarah F. (Towle) Haines. The family is of Colonial origin; and the first ancestor of whom there is any exact knowledge was Robert Haines, who settled in Falmouth, Me., and remained there eight or nine years, or until the Indian outbreak in 1688. He married Rachel Davis, who was born … Read more

Biography of William Hall

William Hall, the enterprising proprietor of Langdon Creamery, Langdon, N.H., and dealer in butter, cream, milk, eggs, chickens, pork, and other farm and dairy products, was born in Claremont, this State, March 23, 1850. He is a son of Jonathan and Caroline L. (Leet) Hall and a descendant of one of the oldest families in Sullivan County. Both his grandfather and his great-grandfather Hall bore the Christian name of Jonathan. Grandfather Hall was born August 25, 1776, in Spencer, Mass., whence he came to Langdon when a young man. He afterward removed to Claremont, where he died in 1854. In … Read more

Biography of Joseph Warren Ham

Joseph Warren Ham, a wellknown farmer of Canterbury, N.H., was born in this town, June 18, 1820, son of Joseph and Susan (Sargent) Ham. His grandfather, Joseph Ham, was born in Portsmouth, but came to Canterbury with three brothers in 1783. He settled on a farm near where the subject of this sketch now lives, and spent the rest of his life here. His son Joseph, a man of force and high integrity, was a carpenter by trade, although he devoted himself to the pursuit of agriculture. Soon after his marriage he came into possession of the home farm where … Read more

Biography of Philemon C. Hardy

Philemon C. Hardy, a prominent citizen of Cornish Flat, Sullivan County, N.H., well known as the proprietor of the Hardy Remedies, was born in the town of Cornish, March 5, 1840. He is a son of the late Samuel Hardy. His great-grandfather served as a soldier throughout the Revolutionary War, and Mr. Hardy is now in possession of the gun barrel used by that patriotic ancestor in the battle of Bunker Hill. After his death his widow removed to Grantham, N.H., taking with her their ten children, six boys and four girls. She was the first of the name in … Read more

Biography of Rev. Henry Harrison Hartwell

Rev. Henry Harrison Hartwell is an esteemed resident of Allenstown, where he has served for a long time as Superintendent of Schools and in other important town offices. He was born in Hillsborough, N.H., October 18, 1819, son of William and Betsey (Wilkins) Hartwell. His grandfather, John Hartwell, was a typical New Hampshire man, strong in mind and body, and respected by all who knew him. John Hartwell taught school in early life. In 1724 he was Highway Surveyor; and in 1757 he was Selectman of Concord, N.H. A member of the State militia, he was Ensign some time previous … Read more

Biography of Martin V. B. Hastings

Martin V. B. Hastings, one of the leading farmers of Grantham, N.H., son of Jonathan B. and Rosina (Kidder) Hastings, represents the third generation of his family in this town, where he was born June 2, 1844. His grandfather, Jonas Hastings, a farmer, who came from Maine, was one of the early settlers of Grantham. He married Affie Baker, and had a family of ten children: Benjamin; Maria; Jonathan B.; Rosilla; Jonas, Jr.; William; Amos; Affie; John; and one child that died in infancy. Benjamin Hastings was a carpenter and farmer in Newport, N.H. He married Eliza Smith, and had … Read more

Biography of Hiram N. Hayward

Hiram N. Hayward, Librarian of the Silsby Free Public Library at Acworth, N.H., was born in this town, April 6, 1837. His parents, Joseph and Patty G. (Slader) Hayward, were also natives of Acworth. His paternal grandfather, Jacob Hayward, was born in Bridgewater, Mass. From Mitchell’s history of that early settled town in Plymouth County we learn that he was the third in direct line to bear the name of the Hebrew patriarch, and that he was the sixth in descent from Thomas Hayward, the immigrant progenitor, who was one of the original proprietors of Bridgewater. Nathaniel Hayward, son of … Read more

Biography of Nathaniel Head

Nathaniel Head, Governor of New Hampshire from 1879 to 1881, was born May 20, 1828, son of John and Annie (Brown) Head. Having completed his education in the schools of Pembroke, he began life as a farmer and lumberman at a very early age, remaining on the old homestead. His military career commenced on September 1, 1847, when he was appointed Drum Major of the Eleventh Regiment, Third Brigade, First Division, of the State militia, in which he served four years. He was an original member of the famous Horse Guards, in which he was Drum Major and Chief Bugler … Read more

Byam, Mary Ellen Nettie Heald – Obituary

Mrs. Mary Ellen Byam, aged 72, died early Tuesday morning [November 8, 1932] after a few hours’ illness, at her home on Mont Vernon Street. She seemed in good health Monday and was about the house all day. In the night she was suddenly stricken with illness and passed away two hours afterwards. Mrs. Byam was a very industrious woman and had been a resident of Milford 35 years, coming here with her husband, the late Warren S. Byam, from Greenfield. Mrs. Byam was a native of Carlisle, Mass., born July 2, 1859, and the daughter of Henry and Jane … Read more

Byam, Warren Stillman, Sr. – Obituary

Warren S. Byam died Tuesday evening [April 11, 1911] after a short illness. Had he lived until the 19th, he would have been 62 years old. He was a native of Ohio and he claimed to have seen army frontier service in his younger day, being stationed near Cheyenne, Wyo. He later enlisted in the navy and served several years. He leaves a widow [Mary Heald] and six children. The Milford Cabinet, April 13, 1911 Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Biography of Charles N. Clough

Charles N. Clough, Selectman of Canterbury and a well-known farmer, was born here, January 15, 1849, son of Colonel David M. and Almira (Batchelder) Clough. He belongs to an old and prominent family. His great-grandfather, Leavitt Clough, Sr., was likewise born in Canterbury, where he also lived and died. Leavitt Clough, Jr., was a farmer and a Justice of the Peace in his native town. Colonel David M. Clough, popularly known as “Corn King,” who belongs to the third generation of Cloughs in Canterbury, was born June 9, 1805. He was educated in the district schools of his native place … Read more

Biography of Jeremiah A. Clough

Jeremiah A. Clough, Representative of Loudon in the New Hampshire legislature, was born in this town, November 22, 1846, son of Abner and Sarah (Hazelton) Clough. Abner Clough, the paternal grandfather, who was a native of Canterbury, removed to Loudon, and settled on a farm near his grandson, residing here for the remainder of his life. Abner Clough, second, father of Jeremiah, was brought up to farming, which occupation he followed through life. He settled on the farm now owned by the subject of this sketch, and cultivated it until his death, which occurred in 1890. He and his wife, … Read more

Biography of M. Swain Clough

M. Swain Clough, a Selectman of Pittsfield and an ex-member of the New Hampshire legislature, was born in this town, April 6, 1849, son of Benjamin A. and Lydia A. (Sinclair) Clough. His grandfather, William Clough, who was born in Barrington, N.H., came to Pittsfield as a pioneer. He cleared and improved a farm, and was a prominent man in his day. In politics he was a Republican. He married Sarah Swain, who was also a native of Barrington; and they were the parents of nine children, none of whom are living. Of these Benjamin A., father of the subject … Read more

Biography of David Warren Cogswell

David Warren Cogswell, one of Henniker’s most highly esteemed residents and a prominent Odd Fellow, was born in this town, January 1, 1824, son of David and Hannah (Haskell) Cogswell. His father, who was a son of Joseph Cogswell, was a native of Essex, Mass., born April 25, 1790. David Cogswell learned the blacksmith’s trade with David Choate in his native town, and worked for a time as a journeyman on Cape Ann. He was First Lieutenant of a Gloucester Military Company during the War of 1812, and subsequently received for his services a warrant for one hundred and sixty … Read more

Biography of Frederick Myron Colby

Frederick Myron Colby, of Warner, as well as all the Colbys of America, is descended from Anthony Colby, one of the Puritan colonists of Boston in 1630, who subsequently settled in Amesbury, Mass., where the house he dwelt in still stands. The second son of his father, Anthony was a lineal descendant of Sir Robert de Colebi, one of King John’s knights in 1199. The family seat was in the County of Norfolk, England. In early times the name was variously spelled Colby, Colebi, Coleby, Colebey, Colebei, Chaulby, Colbye, and Colebeye. The name of two English towns, as well as … Read more

Biography of Hon. Ira Colby

Hon. Ira Colby, one of the leading lawyers of the State of New Hampshire, was born in Claremont, N.H., January 11, 1831, son of Ira and Polly (Foster) Colby, both of purely English descent. Their families in the various branches number many persons of distinction. On the maternal side he is descended from Reginald Foster, who came from Exeter, Devonshire, England, and settled in Ipswich, Essex County, Mass., in 1638. It has been stated in an account of the descendants of Joseph Stickney, which appeared in the New Hampshire Granite Monthly of July, 1892, that the family of this Reginald … Read more