Vermont

Biography of Charles O. Eastman

Charles O. Eastman, formerly the Postmaster of Claremont, was born October 25, 1824, in Lisbon, N.H., one of the seven children of Nicholas and Hannah (Baker) Eastman. Until he reached the age of twenty-one years he remained with his parents, receiving his education in the district schools and the Methodist Seminary at Newbury, from which he duly graduated. After leaving the seminary, he taught school for several winters. In 1845 he left home to go to Windsor, Vt., where he remained for five years. Coming to Claremont in 1850, he was first employed in the bookbindery of the Claremont Manufacturing … Read more

Biography of Henry Harrison Edwards

Henry Harrison Edwards, a watchmaker of acknowledged ability, who is now residing in Allenstown, was born in Laconia, N.H., July 28, 1840, son of Nathaniel and Rachel (Ranlett) Edwards. His grandfather, Ebenezer Edwards, who in his earlier years followed the sea, subsequently learned the hatter’s trade, and followed it in Laconia for many years. Another source of income to him was the Martha Watson, a native of Dover, N.H., who also died at the age of sixty-eight. Of their eleven children David, William, Charles, Eben, Mary, and Pierpont are living. Nathaniel Edwards, father of Henry H., was born in Plymouth, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Hiram C. Ellenwood

Hiram C. Ellenwood, a carpenter and undertaker of Charlestown, N.H., was born in Woodward, Vt., November 26, 1826, son of Cyrus and Sally (Draper) Ellenwood. His grandfather, Joseph Ellenwood, was a native of Greenfield, N.H., where he also resided during the greater part of his life, engaged in general farming. He married Mary Punchard, who became the mother of nine children. Their son, Cyrus, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Greenfield, N.H., in 1782. He was a shoemaker by trade, and removed to Charlestown at the age of fifty years. In 1811 he married Sally Draper, … Read more

Biography of Rewell J. Ellis

Rewell J. Ellis, a well-known Grand Army man and a prominent farmer of Cornish, was born at Brandon, Vt., September 5, 1840, son of Seneca and Aurilla (Bagley) Ellis. His grandfather was John Ellis, who married Margaret Holt, and was the father of Seneca and William Ellis. William, who was born at Shoreham, Vt., went West a number of years ago, and has not since been heard from. The family do not know whether he is living or not. Seneca Ellis was born at sea, July 26, 1809. He was educated in the schools at Brandon, Vt., and subsequently followed … Read more

Biography of Henry Marshall Elwell

Henry Marshall Elwell, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen of Langdon, Sullivan County, N.H., son of Robert and Phoebe (Evans) Elwell, was born in this town, April 13, 1839. His paternal grandfather, Benjamin Elwell, a lifelong resident of Langdon, was a wealthy farmer and highly esteemed citizen. He married a Miss Kendall, and had four children, named: Samuel, Betsey, Nancy, and Robert. Benjamin Elwell and his wife died on the same day, within a few minutes of each other; and their mortal remains were buried together in the same coffin. Samuel, the eldest son, lived in Langdon all his life, … Read more

Biography of Captain Harry C. Fay

Captain Harry C. Fay, editor-in-chief of the National Eagle, a bright and thoroughly up-to-date newspaper published in Claremont, was born in Richmond, Vt., November 30, 1830, son of Captain Nathan and Polly (Colby) Fay. Stephen Fay, his great-great-grandfather, was an early settler in Bennington, Vt., and was the father of eight children. His son John kept the Catamount Tavern, which during his day became a meeting-place for many great statesmen, who formed a legislative body, and held there meetings known as “Councils of Safety.” He, John, fell in the battle of Bennington. His son, Nathan Fay, served as a Colonel … Read more

Biography of William Joseph Fortier

William Joseph Fortier, of Franklin village, a retired hat manufacturer, was born December 8, 1824, in Gentilly, Quebec County, Canada. His father, Dr. Thomas Fortier, who was a very prominent physician of Quebec, and later of Gentilly, was a member of Parliament for fourteen years. Dr. Thomas was twice married, first to Eliza Hannah, November 15, 1819, when he was twenty-four years of age. By this union there were seven children, born as follows: Thomas E., September 27, 1820; Mary Ann Emily, May 29, 1823; William Joseph, the subject of this sketch; Edward F., September 30, 1825; Mary L., January … Read more

Biography of Albion H. French, M.D.

Albion H. French, M.D., a wellknown physician of Pittsfield, was born in Gilmanton N.H., March 27, 1847, son of Thomas H. and Sarah Ann (Brown) French. His great-grandfather, Ezekiel French, an Englishman, who was a pioneer of either Loudon or Hampton, N.H., spent his last days in Loudon, where he owned a farm. The second of Ezekiel’s two marriages was contracted with Sallie Smith. His son John was a native of Loudon. When a young man, John settled in Gilmanton, where he became a wealthy farmer, and died at the age of seventy-five years. He married Lucy T. Prescott, who … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Dr. Edward Horatio Foster

Dr. Edward Horatio Foster, formerly a well-known medical practitioner of Concord, was born October 13, 1839, in Canterbury, N.H., son of David M. and Sarah (Bradley) Foster. He is a direct descendant of Reginald Foster, who settled in Ipswich, Mass., in 1635. His grandfather, Asa Foster, served in the French and Indian War, and under General Pepperell was at the capture of Louisburg. During the Revolutionary War Asa was one of General Arnold’s body-guard at the time of the General’s desertion. When he died in Canterbury in 1862, he was ninety-six years old. His son, David M. Foster, a native … Read more

Biography of Charles Gilkey

Charles Gilkey, a prominent resident of Cornish, who was formerly engaged in the gunsmith business, is a native of Plainfield, N.H., born September 29, 1826. Charles Gilkey, his grandfather, born in Connecticut, was the first of the family to come to Plainfield. He came originally as agent of a wealthy Connecticut family, and remained in their employ for some time. After failing in an attempt to buy a farm with the Continental money in which his salary was paid, owing to the depreciated value of that currency then, he succeeded in leasing one from the State for nine hundred and … Read more

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 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

Biography of George Cook, M.D.

George Cook, M.D., a prominent physician of Concord, was born at Dover, this State, November 16, 1848, son of Solomon and Susan Ann (Hayes) Cook. His early education was obtained in the Concord High School and in Franklin Academy. In 1865 he began to read medicine with Drs. Charles P. Gage and Granville P. Conn, of Concord. Also he attended a course of lectures on medicine at Burlington, Vt., and two courses at the School of Medicine of Dartmouth College. After graduating from the last-named school in 1869, he immediately began the practice of his profession in Henniker, N.H., where … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Edward M. Ruttenber

Journalist and historian, was born in the Town of Bennington, Vt., July 17, 1824. He entered the office of the Vermont Gazette as an apprentice to the printing business in 1837, and removed to Newburgh in 1838, where he became an indentured apprentice in the office of the Newburgh Telegraph, of which he became the owner in 1850. He was thereafter connected with Newburgh journalism as editor and publisher during his entire life, dying at the advanced age of 83 years on December 4, 1907, at Newburgh, N. Y. As a historian he was thorough and exhaustive, and to him, … Read more

Biography of Major Edward Carlisle Boynton

Major E. C. Boynton, a graduate of West Point Military Academy, and for many years an instructor in that institution, is chiefly distinguished as the author of the “History of West Point and the Origin and Progress of the U. S. Military Academy,” and several technical works, all of which are regarded as standard authorities on the subjects of which they treat. He was appointed as a cadet at the United States Military Academy, July 1, 1841. After graduation in 1846, he was assigned to the Second Artillery as Brevet Second Lieutenant and ordered to join the army in, Mexico, … Read more

Virginia World War 2 NMCG Casualty List

Inclusion of names in this Virginia World War II Casualty List has been determined solely by the residence of next of kin at the time of notification of the last wartime casualty status. This listing does not necessarily represent the State of birth, legal residence, or official State credit according to service enlistment. Casualties listed represent only those on active duty in the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, resulting directly from enemy action or from operational activities against the enemy in war zones from December 7, 1941, to the end of the war. Casualties in the United States … Read more

Vermont World War 2 NMCG Casualty List

Inclusion of names in this Vermont World War II Casualty List has been determined solely by the residence of next of kin at the time of notification of the last wartime casualty status. This listing does not necessarily represent the State of birth, legal residence, or official State credit according to service enlistment. Casualties listed represent only those on active duty in the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, resulting directly from enemy action or from operational activities against the enemy in war zones from December 7, 1941, to the end of the war. Casualties in the United States … Read more

Biography of Charles Mortimer Bingham

Charles Mortimer Bingham, a former well-known merchant of Claremont, Sullivan County, N.H., was born in New London, Conn., February 22, 1804, son of Nathan Bingham. His father settled in Claremont in 1809. He was a hatter by trade, and carried on a large and successful business here. He was a musician, and played the bass-viol in the Episcopal church for years. He died at the age of seventy-eight. He had six children. His daughter Lucretia married Ralph Metcalf, who became the governor of New Hampshire. Her sister Elizabeth married Luther S. Porter, and Maria became the wife of Henry W. … Read more

Biography of Eli A. Boutwell

Eli A. Boutwell, a farmer and lumberman of Hopkinton, N.H., son of Samuel P. and Lydia A. (Allen) Boutwell, was born in Barre, Vt., February 25, 1833. His lineage has not been traced; but a little research would probably show that he belongs to the old New England family of Boutwells, of which the Hon. George S. Boutwell, ex-Secretary of the Treasury, is a representative. Its founder, James Boutwell, said to have been made a freeman in Lynn, Mass., in 1638 or 1639, died in 1651, leaving a wife Alice, sons James and John, and a daughter Sarah. The sons … Read more

Biography of George S. Bond

George S. Bond, a manufacturer of Charlestown, was born in that town, March 2, 1837, son of Silas and Alice (Abbot) Bond. His grandfather, William Bond, who was born in Watertown, Mass., at the age of twenty years came to Charlestown, and thereafter carried on general farming during the remainder of his active life. One of his six children was Silas Bond, who married Alice Abbot, and also was the father of six children, including the subject of this sketch. George S. Bond was educated in the district schools of the town. At the age of seven years his father … Read more