New Hampshire

Biography of John Henry Albin

John Henry Albin, one of the best known lawyers of Concord and an ex-member of the New Hampshire legislature, was born in Randolph, Vt., October 17, 1843, son of John and Emily (White) Albin. His ancestors on the father’s side resided in Randolph for one hundred and fifty years, and his mother’s family is one of the oldest in Merrimack County. He came here with his parents when he was twelve years old. Having completed his elementary education in the public schools of this city, he entered Dartmouth College in the fall of 1860, and graduated from that institution in … Read more

Biography of Anson Colby Alexander, M.D.

Anson Colby Alexander, M.D., a prominent homoeopathic physician of Penacook, was born in Littleton, N.H., October 10, 1855, son of Wesley and Sarah B. (Bray) Alexander. Both paternal and maternal ancestors of his served in the War for Independence. Wesley Alexander, a native of Swanzey, N.H., was a prominent resident of Littleton, and took an active part in public affairs. He was one of the original promoters of the Republican movement in this State, having formerly been a supporter of the Whig party. For more than thirty years he used his influence successfully in securing the predominance of these parties … Read more

Biography of John S. Andrews

John S. Andrews, a thrifty farmer and stock-raiser of Plainfield, Sullivan County, N.H., was born in this town, February 27, 1853, son of Nathan and Abigail E. (Ellis) Andrews. His great-grandfather, Nathan Andrews, was the first of the family to settle in Plainfield; and Wilbur Andrews, his grandfather, was a native of this town. He followed agricultural pursuits through the active period of his life, and was one of the prosperous farmers of his day. He left a good estate. He married Orinda Ross, a native of Canada; and his children were: Nathan, Abigail, and Wealthy. Abigail became the wife … Read more

Biography of William Gregg Andrews

William Gregg Andrews, a prosperous farmer of Sutton, Merrimack County, N.H., was born July 7, 1834, on the farm upon which he now lives. His father was Nathan Andrews, Jr., a native of Sutton; and his paternal grandfather was Nathan Andrews, Sr., born in Danvers, Mass., in 1767, a son of Samuel Andrews. He came to Merrimack County when a young man, and in 1795 he married Hannah Gregg and at once settled upon a farm at Fishersfield. His wife was a daughter of James and Janet (Collins) Gregg, and, though lame from childhood, was energetic and industrious, and lived … Read more

Biography of Jonathan Arey

Jonathan Arey, a well-known resident and a retired blacksmith of Salisbury, was born January 28, 1816, on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the town of Wellfleet, son of Solomon and Patty (Hopkins) Arey. The father, also a native of Wellfleet, born March 12, 1787, lived there until 1830, working at his trade, that of carpenter and joiner. In 1830 he moved to Boscawen, N.H., and there settled on a farm, which he conducted until his death in 1846. His wife, who was born in Eastham, Mass., February 20, 1789, died April 14, 1863. They had twelve children, of whom the subject … Read more

Biography of William W. Austin

William W. Austin, a farmer and drover of Webster, N.H., the son of Eldad and Naomi Austin, was born in Webster, then a part of Boscawen, July 1, 1829. His grandfather, Paul Austin, of Georgetown, Mass., was one of the first settlers of the town. Taking up land when the country around it was a wilderness, he cleared and brought under cultivation the large farm where the subject of this sketch now lives. He died in 1852; and his wife, Mehitable Lowell, of Georgetown, died in 1829. They had eight children-John, Sallie, Dorothy, Eldad, Eunice, Mary Ann, William, and Samuel. … Read more

Biography of Charles M. Babbitt

Charles M. Babbitt, the well-known contractor and builder of Franklin Falls, was born in Hanover, N.H., son of Isaac and Wealthy (Lovejoy) Babbitt. His grandfather, Asa Babbitt, who came from England, served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and spent the greater part of his life upon a farm in Hanover, dying in 1837. Isaac Babbitt and his wife, both natives of Hanover, were prosperous farming people. Isaac died in 1878, and Wealthy in 1894. They were the parents of twelve children, namely: Marinda, now deceased, who married William Ward, a merchant of Lebanon, N.H.; Isaac Sylvester, who married … Read more

Biography of Charles A. Bailey

Charles A. Bailey, an able business man of Merrimack County, New Hampshire, and an esteemed resident of Hookset, was born in Pembroke, November 11, 1847, son of Charles and Sarah A. (Edmunds) Bailey. His paternal grandfather, Josiah Bailey, was born in Chester, Rockingham County, this State, on February 11, 1766. When a young man he removed with his family to Pembroke, Merrimack County, and was there engaged as a miller until his death, February 19, 1854. His wife, whose maiden name was Ruth Frost, was born March 8, 1769, in Tewksbury, Mass., and died in Pembroke, N.H., November 28, 1835. … Read more

Biography of Cyrus E. Baker, M.D.

Cyrus E. Baker, M.D., of Claremont, Sullivan County, N.H., the well-known physician and oculist, was born in Plainfield, this State, April 9, 1835, son of Dimic and Hannah (Colby) Baker. He is of the eighth generation in descent from Jeffrey Baker, who came from England, and was one of the original settlers of Windsor, Conn. Jeffrey Baker married November 25, 1642, Joan Rockwell. They had five children, one of them being a son, Joseph, born June 18, 1655, who married Hannah Cook Buckland, January 30, 1677. Five children were the fruit of this union. Joseph Baker’s son, Joseph, Jr., born … Read more

Biography of Edward Dimick Baker

Edward Dimick Baker was an able advocate and lawyer of Claremont. He was born April 21, 1827, at Meriden, N.H., son of Dimick and Hannah (Colby) Baker. He was a descendant in a direct line from Joseph Baker, who was born April 13, 1678. Joseph’s son, Hernon, by his wife, Abigail Bissel Baker, married Lois Gilbert, who had a son Oliver, a physician, who married Dorcus Dimick, and became the father of Dimick Baker. Dimick Baker was born March 18, 1793, in Plainfield, N.H., where he resided throughout his life. He was a prosperous merchant and farmer, and one of … Read more

Biography of Sumner N. Ball

Sumner N. Ball, the proprietor of Oak Hill Farm, Washington, was born in this town, June 3, 1854, son of Dexter and Hannah (Jefts) Ball. His grandfather, John Ball, was a native of Antrim, N.H., and a prosperous farmer. John married Rebecca Proctor, of Stoddard, N.H., and reared a family of seven children; namely, Dexter, Worcester, Allen, Melvin, Nathaniel W., Rebecca H., and Rosanna. Of these Dexter and Worcester are the only survivors. Dexter Ball, the father of Sumner N., was born in Antrim, and accompanied his parents to Washington when he was three years old. He grew to manhood … Read more

Biography of Henry M. Baker

Henry M. Baker, of Bow, Merrimack County, lawyer and Congressman, and son of Aaron Whittemore and Nancy (Dustin) Baker, was born in Bow, January 11, 1841. He comes of patriotic and heroic ancestry. His great-great-grandfather, Captain Joseph Baker, a Colonial surveyor, married Hannah, only daughter of Captain John Lovewell, the famous Indian fighter, who was killed in the battle of Pigwacket, May 8, 1725. A few years later the township of Suncook, or Lovewell’s town, which included much of the present town of Pembroke, was granted by Massachusetts to the surviving participants and the heirs of those killed in that … Read more

Biography of George Whitefield Abbott

George Whitefield Abbott, of Penacook, President of the J. E. Symonds Table Company, cabinetmakers, was born in West Boscawen, now Webster, N.H., on March 13, 1837. His parents were Nathaniel and Mary (Fitts) Abbott, the former a resident of West Boscawen and the latter of Sandown, N.H. George W. Abbott in his youth, after attending the public schools of Warner, completed his education at a private academy in West Salisbury, N.H. He went immediately to Boston, Mass., where he was employed as a clerk until 1861, when he came to Penacook, N.H., to engage in the grocery business with his … Read more

Biography of George T. Abbott

George T. Abbott, a well-known farmer of Concord, was born here, September 16, 1833, on the estate which was bought by his father, Aaron, of the late Daniel Prince. His great-grandfather, Nathaniel A., was the third settler in that part of Concord known as the Iron Works, coming here from Massachusetts in 1735, when the district was almost a wilderness and Indians were numerous. Nathaniel brought his wife with him and built for their home a log house. Before his death he had cleared considerable land and had seen great changes, as he lived to be a very old man. … Read more

Genealogy of Cephas Clark

Among the ambitious and adventurous spirits that sought homes in the northern part of Vermont were three sons of Cephas Clark, namely Silas, Samuel, and Cephas, all of whom settled in Glover. The design of this work is to treat from now on of the history of the three sons of Cephas Clark who emigrated to and settled in the northern part of Vermont.

Fair Grounds And Trotting Park of Keene, NH

The Cheshire County Agricultural Society has grounds here, twenty-six acres in extent, with all the buildings and accessories necessary to a firstclass exhibition, which annually is made. In laying out the grounds the forest trees were permitted to stand along the avenues where the cattle pens are located, so that visitors may view the specimens and be well protected from sun or rain. The grounds are about a mile and a half distant from the cityhall. The Agricultural Society was organized January 16, 1850, when Salma Hale, of Keene, was chosen president; A. B. Hodskins, of Walpole, Edmund Jones, of … Read more

History of Education in Keene, New Hampshire

Although Keene is divided into eleven school districts, No. i is the metropolitan, called Union district, and includes the schools of the city proper. The suburban districts partake largely of the characteristics of rural schools. The following table gives a fair idea of the citys buildings and school facilities :- School House Pearl street 72 $ 525 00 1,$-3,500 00 $ 4,025 00 116 School street, old building. 41 400 00 2,000 00 2,400 00 112 School St., new building.. 141 125 00 3,111 00 3,236 00 98 Fuller school 5A 300 00 4,155 00 3,455 00 112 Washington street … Read more

Military History of Keene, New Hampshire

During the period of the Revolution, Keene performed her part faithfully. In 1773 the foot company of Keene numbered 126, under command of Col.. Josiah Willard. The alarm list, numbering forty-five, seems to have been made up of the older men, including many of the original settlers; the selectmen of Keene, David Nims. Eliphalet Briggs, Jr., and Benjamin Hall, reported the following census for Keene : Unmarried men, from sixteen to sixty 65. Married men, from sixteen to sixty 96 Boys, sixteen years and under : 140• Men, sixty years and upwards : 1, Females, unmarried 217 Females, married 105. … Read more

Early Settlement of Keene, New Hampshire

Up to the winter of 1736 no person had remained in the town during that season. Those who came in the summer to clear their lands brought their provisions with them, and erected temporary huts to shelter them from the weather. But during that summer, Nathan Blake and Seth Heaton, from Wrentham, and William Smeed, from Deerfield, made preparation to pass the winter in the wilderness. Their house was at the south end of Main street. Their stock consisted of a yoke of oxen and a pair of horses, one of the latter belonging to Heaton and the others to … Read more

Keene New Hampshire Proprietor List

In March, 1732, a committee was appointed to lay out house-lots in the townships mentioned, who, in June, made a report of the house-lots in the Upper township. Of these, fifty-four were laid out on what is now the city plain, twenty-seven on each side of the Main street, and the other nine upon the plain on the Swanzey line. They were 160 rods long and eight rods wide, each containing eight acres. This committee, being also authorized to admit settlers, notified all persons who were desirous of taking lots to meet at Concord, Mass., June 26, 1734. A few … Read more