Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume IV, Part 92

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848-
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 886

USA > Massachusetts > Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume IV > Part 92

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independent candidate for representative. The district includes wards 4 and 5, and was so overwhelmingly Republican that no one prophe- sied that he had a chance to win, but he had a plurality of ninety-six votes, and was re-elected the following year as the regular Republican candidate with great unanimity. In the house during his first year he was appointed to the important committee on cities, and his work as clerk of that committee received high praise from many sources. The next year he was member of the committee on counties and chairman of the committee on federal relations. His work on these committees, especially the latter, attracted widespread attention, and the commendation of many of the leading news- papers of the state. He was offered a third nomination at the end of his second term, but yielded to the advice of some of his friends, and entered the senatorial contest. He polled a large vote, but failed to win the nomination. At the close of his service in the house, the Somerville Journal said of him: "Mr. Under-

hill was not regarded as a corporation man, as a labor man, or as identified with any particular polical or personal interest. He was distinctly mentioned in the press as being a business man, impartially seeking to secure legislation for the benefit of the community in general. Early in his legislative career he became known as one of the best informed and most effective de- baters in the house. Naturally then, he took an influential part in shaping legislation. Not oratorical in manner, but straightforward and businesslike, and with good reasoning powers, he always received the close attention from his fellow-members. Anything in the nature of a graft or a drive upon the public funds was strenuously opposed by Mr. Underhill." Mr. Underhill returned to the general court in 1907, and served on the committee on federal relations and pay roll. In 1908 he was re- elected and was chairman of the committee on public lighting and ranking member of the committee on rules. In 1909 he was again re- elected, and received the same committee ap- pointments as in 1908. The Boston Evening Record said, March 3, 1909: "Representative Underhill of Somerville, leader of the speaker's cabinet and chairman of the public highway committee, has been notable in past years for his independence and his good fighting qual- ities. Aggressiveness gains position as well as fame and fortune, but also makes enemies. This year, however, he realizes the responsi- bility of being right-hand man to the speaker,

tion and tact, are exciting complimentary com- ments." Practical Politics in its issue of July 10, 1909, said of him: "A great deal of the success of Speaker Walker's first year in the chair was due in no small measure to the cap- able management of the representative from Somerville. Representative Underhill did not hold himself aloof from the rest of the mem- bership and did not make the mistake of re- garding himself as the last word as to the policy of the house. * * His eminent fair- ness made him many friends. The committee on public lighting never had a more successful year than under the leadership of Representa- tive Underhill. With four years' service in the house, embracing membership on the com- mittees on rules, public lighting, cities, counties, federal relations, and pay-roll, Representative Underhill has a diversified experience that well equips him to stand at Speaker Walker's right hand in upholding the high traditions of the commonwealth in matters of legislation."

Mr. Underhill is an attendant of the Winter

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Hill Congregational Church. He married, Feb- ruary 25, 1892, at Waltham, Massachusetts, Edith Lamprey, born at Galesburg, Illinois, daughter of John and Ellen ( Ewing) Lamp- rey. Children : I. Helen, born January 17, 1893, died 1898. 2. Phoebe, born June 27, 1895. 3. Doris, January 3, 1897. 4. Albion Perry, February 28, 1899. 5. Jesse J., Febru- ary 2, 1905.

(The Dinsmore Line).

Dinsmore is among the noted Scotch-Irish families which have contributed many promi- nent citizens to New Hampshire as well as to other states. It has been one of the most prolific of New England families, and many jurists, poets and other professional men have been numbered among the descendants. The first of whom we have any account in family tradition was a landed proprietor of Auchen Mead, in Scotland. His name has not been preserved, but accounts of him indicate that he was a man of independent means and aristo- cratic nature. The name is found with various spellings in this country, such as Dinsmoor, Dinsmore and Densmore, and other variations, In the early records of Londonderry, New Hampshire, it appears as Dinsmoor, and this form is used in the early generations herein.

(I) John Dinsmoor, a younger son, became offended because his father required him to hold the stirrup while an older son mounted his horse. Considering this a great indignity, he ran away from home at the age of seven- teen years and proceeded to county Antrim, Ireland, where he lived to the great age of ninety-nine years, and was noted for his piety and strength of character. He had four sons, the elder of whom, John, emigrated to Amer- ica, the first one of the name to come to this country. He was probably among the com- pany who arrived late in 1718, and was scat- tered along the coast through the succeeding winter. Of his brothers we have no account. He proceeded ultimately, after great hardships and a narrow ascape from burning by the Indians, to Londonderry, New Hampshire. where he received a grant of sixty acres of land.

(III) David, grandson of John Dinsmoor, was born in 1714, and was a tailor by occupa- tion, which he followed in northern Ireland before coining to this country. His employer, one Kennedy, died, and David subsequently married the widow. About 1745 they sailed from Londonderry, Ireland, and landed in Boston after a voyage of three months, during

which they were put upon short rations. They brought with them a flax and linen wheel, and his wife immediately began the manufacture of linen thread for sale. They soon moved to Londonderry, and here the husband worked at his trade. On May 8, 1747, he received a deed of lot No. 22, fourth division of Chester, in Derryfield. Eleven years later he purchased the west half of lot No. 84, second part of the second division of Chester, on which he settled. His wife Elizabeth died in 1907, at the age of ninety-seven. Children of David and wife: Samuel, James, David, Thomas, Arthur, Rob- ert and Mary.

(IV) Robert, youngest son of David and Elizabeth Dinsmore, was born March 24, 1752, in Chester, and resided upon the paternal home- stead in that town, where he died January 10, 1824. He married Abigail, probably a daugh- ter of Eliphaz Sanborn, of Chester. She died November 27, 1800. Children: David (died young ) ; Robert, born 1784; Reuben, 1785, settled in Maine; Samuel, mentioned below ; John, 1790, removed to Texas ; Elizabeth, 1791, married Nathaniel B. Remick, and resided in Anson, Maine; James, 1796, died in West- minster, Vermont.

(V) Deacon Samuel, fourth son of Robert and and Abigail (Sanborn) Dinsmore, was born February 15, 1788, and resided on the homestead originally settled by his grand- father, where he died in March, 1864. He mar- ried, December 26, 1811, Hannah, daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Calfe) Blanchard, born January 7, 1790 (see Blanchard, V). Chil- dren: Mary Anne, Nancy, Hannah, Abbie, Judith, John, Samuel, Robert, Arthur, Filene, Deborrah, and a daughter who died in infancy.

(VI) Mary Anne, daughter of Samuel and Hannah (Blanchard) Dinsmore, became the wife of Samuel G. Underhill, of Chester (see Underhill, V).

(The Blanchard Line).

The early New England families of the Blanchard name have given many useful citi- zens to all portions of the United States. It has furnished divines, college presidents, pub- lishers, inventors, and active and progressive men to nearly every state in the Union, and is to-day among the leaders of thought and action in every walk of life.

(I) Thomas Blanchard, emigrant ancestor of the principal family of the name in New England, was probably from Andover, Eng- land. In 1639, leaving Hampshire with his wife Agnes and children, he sailed in the ship

iv-52

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"Jonathan" for Boston. His wife died during the voyage. Hc landed June 23, 1639, in New England. He lived for a time in Braintree and Malden, and in February, 1651, purchased for two hundred pounds a house and two hundred acres of land on the Mystic side of Charles- town, where he continued to reside until his death, May 21, 1654. Mary, second wife, sur- vived him, and died 1663. His sons were : John, George, Thomas, Samuel, Nathaniel and Joseph.

(II) Deacon John, eldest son of Thomas Blanchard, was made a freeman in 1649, and was among the largest landholders of Dun- stable (now Nashua) but the time of this settlement there is not shown. He was one of the original proprietors of the town, and was elected a selectman at a proprietors' meeting in 1683. He was among the founders of the church there in 1685, and it may be presumed that he was then a resident. His will, made March 13, 1693, proved April 10, 1694, shows his wife's name to have been Hannah, and names children : Benjamin, Joseph, James, Thomas, Elizabeth (Parish), Hanna (Reed). Sarah, Mary and Nathaniel. Besides various home lots, meadows and other lands, hs will disposes of four hundred acres lying east of the Merrimack river. In dividing lands be- tween the two eldest sons he stipulates that if either dispose of his land he shall give first tender to the other. The will is an excellent sample of the quaint documents of his time.

(III) Captain Joseph, second son of Deacon John Blanchard, married May 25, 1696, Abiah, daughter of Joseph Hassell, one of the first settlers of Dunstable. She survived him nine- teen years, dying December 8, 1746, aged sev- enty years. He passed away in 1727. Their children were: Elizabeth, Esther, Hannah, Joseph, Rachel (died in infancy), Susannah, Jane, Rachel and Eleazer (died one year old).

(IV) Colonel Joseph (2), only surviving son of Captain Joseph (I) and Abiah ( Has- sell) Blanchard, was born February II, 1704. in Nashua ( Dunstable ), and died April 7, 1758. He was a surveyor for the Masonian Pro- prietors in New Hampshire, and was justice of the superior court, 1749-58. He borc the military title of Colonel, and owned lands in Litchfield, New Hampshire, in 1745. Hc was among the original grantces of the town of Thornton in that colony, where lic died. He married Rebecca, daughter of Jonathan (2) ITubbard, who survived him many years, pass- ing away April 17, 1774. Their children werc: Sarah, died twenty years old ; Eleazer and Sus-

annah, twins ; Rebecca ; Sarah, died in infancy ; Catherine; Jonathan; Sarah; James; Au- gustus; Caleb; Hannah and Joseph.

(V) Joseph (3), youngest child of Colonel Joseph (2) and Rebecca (Hubbard) Blanch- ard, was born 1753, in Litchfield, and served a portion of an apprenticeship as clothier. At the age of about nineteen years he went to Chester, New Hampshire, to work for Robert Calfe (now usually spelled Calef) as a clothier, and in 1777 he purchased a cloth mill in that town, of which Calef acquired one-half inter- est. He was a shrewd and industrious citizen, of genial nature and fond of anecdote. He re- ceived a very limited education, but his natural ability soon brought into public service, and he was representative of Chester in the state legislature from 1788 to 1793, and was a dele- gate in the state convention which ratified the federal constitution and also revised the state constitution. He was two or three years a member of the senate, and was a member of the government council in 1800-01. He mar- ried Sarah, only child of Robert Calef, who died December 2, 1793, and he married (sec- ond) in April, 1794, Dorothy (Johnson), widow of David Folsom. He died March 7, 1833, aged eighty years, and was survived over three years by his second wife, who died May 14, 1836, aged eighty-eight. Children: Jo- seph, Lucy, married Thomas Montgomery, and lived in Vermont ; Eleazer, died at the age of twenty-seven years; Nancy, died unmarried ; Sally, married Josiah Melvin, and lived in Maine ; Cyrus, died at the age of twenty-two years; Hannah, mentioned below ; Polly, wife of Richard Fitts lived in Salisbury.

(\'1) Hannah, fourth daughter of Joseph (3) and Sarah (Calcf) Blanchard, born in Chester, became the wife of Dcacon Samuel Dinsmore, of Chester (see Dinsmore. V).

PORTER It is doubtful if many names in New England can show so many early American ancestors as Porter. No less than cight men bearing this name emigrated to America before 1653, all except one being here by 1640 or carlier. Rich- ard Porter settled in Weymouth, Massachu- setts, in 1653. John Porter was at Hinghan1. three miles distant, the same year. It is thought they were brothers, but this is not positively proven. John Porter settled at Windsor, Con- necticut, in 1638; previous to this he is said to have been in Worcester, Massachusetts. Rob- ert and Thomas Porter, brothers, were among the eighty-four proprietors of Farmington,

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Connecticut, in 1640. This branch of the family is especially noted; Robert was ancestor of President Noah Porter of Yale College, and his distinguished sister, Miss Sarah Porter, who for many years had the most noted private school for girls in the country at her home in Farmington. There was also a Daniel Porter, surgeon, of Farmington, Connecticut, who was there before 1653. Abel Porter was admitted to the church in Boston, January 23, 1641. John Porter was made freeman in Roxbury, Massachusetts, November 5, 1633. He was a follower of Rev. John Wheelwright and Ann Hutchinson, and was compelled to remove to Rhode Island. The David Porter family, of whom five generations served in the navy, reached the climax of its distinction in Admiral David Dixon Porter, whose history is too well known to require further mention. The origin of the name of Porter is interesting. The ancestry of John Porter, of Windsor, has been traced through sixteen generations to William de la Grande, a Norman knight, who went to England with William the Conqueror, and ac- quired lands near Kenilworth in Warwickshire. His son, Ralph or Roger, became "Grand Porteur" to Henry I., serving from 1120 to II40, and from this circumstance came the name of Porter, as now used.

(I) John Porter was born in England, prob- ably in Dorsetshire, 1595-96. In a deposition made by him in 1669 he gave his age as sev- enty-three years, and another in 1674 gave his age as seventy-nine. The time of his coming to America cannot be definitely settled and the name of the vessel on which he sailed is un- known. He may have lived a short time in Boston before settling in Hingham, where he is found of record as early as 1635. No grant of land to him is found at that time, but a grant made to another in that year, at "Weary- all Hill" (now known as Otis Hill), is de- scribed as abutting on land of John Porter. He was a tanner by trade. but probably gave attention chiefly to agriculture, as he is shown to have had large landed possessions for his clay. His house-lot was granted September I. 1637, and the next day seven acres were laid out for him, of which five acres were for plant- ing ; also thirty-eight acres for a "great lot" on the east side of the river : four acres of salt marsh at Lyford's "licking meadows"; three acres of fresh meadow at "Crooked Meadows" : for a small planting lot, five acres at the "Plain Neck": two acres of salt meadow at Wear neck: and two acres of meadow at "Turkey Meadows." An intelligent and industrious

man, he was well known in the colony and ex- ercised much influence in the management of affairs, filling many official positions, in- cluding deputy to the general court in 1668. He died September 6, 1676, at Salem Village (now Danvers), Massachusetts. His widow, Mary, whom he probably married in England, (lied February 6, 1684-85. Children : John, Samuel, Joseph, Benjamin, Israel, Mary, Jon- athan and Sarah.

(II) Israel, fifth son of John and Mary Porter, was baptized February 12, 1743, in Hingham, by Rev. Peter Hobart, and died in November, 1706, in Salem. He was one of the first taxpayers in that part of Old Salem, now Danvers, in 1682, and was a member of the first church. In 1676 he bought of his brother Benjamin his half of the land which they in- herited from their father, nine score acres. He was agent and trustee of Salem village, April 15, 1681, and on October 11, 1686, with other selectmen and trustees of the town, he pur- chased from the Indians, for twenty pounds, all the tract of land, "lying to the westward of Bass river, whereupon the town of Salem is built." He married, November 20, 1672, Eliz- abeth, daughter of Major William and Ann Hathorn, born July 5, 1649. Children: Eliza- beth, Sarah, John, Ginger, Mary, Isabel, Ben- jamin ( died young ), Anne, William and Benja- min.

(III) Benjamin, youngest child of Israel and Elizabeth ( Hathorn) Porter, was born May 17, 1693, in Salem village, and died there in December, 1726. He married, April 3. 1712, Hannah, daughter of Samuel and Han- nah ( Felton) Endicott, born 1691. Children : John, Hannah, Benjamin, Samuel and Barthol- omew.

(IV) John (2), eldest son of Benjamin and Hannah ( Endicott) Porter, was born about 1712 and died in 1759. He lived in Danvers and was an inn-holder. He married Apphia -, who married (second) August 12. 1762, Asa Perley, of Boxford. Children : Eliz- abeth, John, Benjamin, Abigail, Ezra, Nathan, Anna, Apphia and Mary.

(V) Benjamin (2), son of John (2) Porter, was baptized October 22, 1738, in Danvers. middle precinct, died in Wiscasset, Maine, 1805. He was a potter by trade. He sold lands in Danvers, March 21, 1783, to Gideon Putnam, inn-keeper, and probably settled soon afterward at Wiscasset. He married Eunice Osborne. Children: Jonathan, Ezra Andrew and probably two or more daughters.

(VI) Ezra, son of Benjamin (2) Porter.

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was born in 1769 in Danvers, died January 9, 1847, at Wiscasset. He moved to Wiscasset when about twenty years, and followed his father's trade of potter. He was married three times. Children by first wife: Hannah, John, Harriet, Silas, mentioned below.

(VII) Silas, son of Ezra Porter, was born March 13, 1804, in Wiscasset, died there Janu- ary 11, 1882. He learned the trade of potter and carried on a business of his own in pottery at Wiscasset until his death. He was a Meth- odist in religion, a Republican in politics. He married, December, 1828, Mary Hilton, born December 25, 1809, in Wiscasset, died March 20, 1895. Children: 1. Mary, born October 24. 1829; married, August 3, 1849, Charles Crossman ; she died April 13, 1896; children : Mary E. and Jesse O. Crossman. 2. Betsey H., March 4, 1831 ; died May 3, 1850. 3. Silas, October 29, 1833; married, in 1860, Mary Dickenson and had one child that died in in- fancy. 4. Harriet R., August 20, 1837 ; mar- ried, May 12, 1857, Charles W. White ; she died August 30, 1860; daughter Harriet O. White died June, 1869. 5. Asbury, July, 1840; died January, 1863, while in the service in the civil war. 6. George Melville, mentioned below. 7. Sarah Josephine, January, 1847; died 1864. 8. Wilbur Fiske, December 24, 1848. 9. Luther French, July 6, 1852; married Elizabeth Getchell; children: i. Alice, died in 1905; ii. Grace, married William Robinson and has one son, Herman, born 1905.

(VIII) George Melville, son of Silas Por- ter, was born August 6, 1845, at Wiscasset. Maine. He was educated in the public schools of his native town. In boyhood he was em- ployed in the lumber mills at Wiscasset. In 1863, at the age of eighteen, he went to East Boston, Massachusetts, and found employment with W. C. Richards, dealer in hardware and stoves. He acquired a thorough knowledge of the business and in a few years was ad- mitted to partnership by his employer. Develop- ments and changes took place to meet the modern demands of business, and in 1890 Mr. Porter purchased the interest of his partner, remaining the sole proprietor until 1906 when the business was incorporated under the name of the Porter-Whidden Company, Mr. Porter becoming treasurer. Some of the old lines were abandoned and new lines taken up to meet new conditions. The business has grown constantly. New mills have been established at East Boston and engines and other ma- chinery manufactured. For more than forty years the retail business has been conducted

at the same stand and the concern is widely and favorably known to the trade. He is interested in various other industries and is a trustee of the East Boston Savings Bank. In religion he is a Methodist and he is a trustee of the Saratoga Street Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics he is a Republican, and he is held in the highest respect in the community as a sound and enterprising merchant, and a useful citizen. He married (first) January II, 1870, M. Abbie Nye, who died April 19, 1897, daughter of James P. and Susan ( Hamblen) Nye. He married (second) October 6, 1903, Georgia Merfie Whidden, daughter of Andrew Gilman and Elizabeth Merfie (Goodwin) Whidden, of Boston. (See Whidden, VI). She attended the Boston public schools, and graduated from the high school in the class of 1870, from Bradford Academy in the class of 1872 and was two years under Professor Hud- son at Cambridge. She has always been a very active and influential member of the Methodist church. At the present time she is a member of St. Mark's Methodist Church of Brookline, and for three years was president of the Ladies' Society of this church. For a period of ten years she was connected with the New England Deaconess work and is a director of the New England Deaconess Board. She is vice-president of the Young Women's Christian Assaciation of Boston, of the North End Mission of Boston and of the Hospital Guild. The Whidden Memorial Hospital of Everett was given by her as a memorial of her father and mother, who were residents of Everett for twenty years. She is a hospital commissioner of the city of Everett. She is a trustee of various estates and director in various other charitable and philanthropic organizations. Children of George Melville and M. Abbie Porter: 1. Herbert, born De- cember, 1878; died January 20, 1899; grad- uate of the Boston grammar and high schools. 2. Florence, graduate of the Boston high school and Lasell Seminary ; died aged twenty years. 3. Gertrude, graduate of the Brookline high school in 1906, now pursuing a course in vocal and instrumental music under private tutors.

(The Whidden Line).

The surname Whidden is undoubtedly the same as Wheaton and Whedon but the relation- ship of the various immigrant ancestors of the families of these surnames has not been defi- nitely determined.

(I) Michael Whidden was born in Eng- land, probably about 1650. He settled in Ports-

George to water.

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mouth, New Hampshire. He and his wife Mary were members of the Portsmouth church in 1699. Various records of Whidden are found at Portsmouth from 1671 to 1697. All of the surname are descended from him. Chil- dren : Michael, Samuel and John. Samuel and Joim were subscribers to maintain Rev. Mr. Moody as minister at Portsmouth in 1671, and a Samuel fought in the war in 1708.

(II) Michael (2), son of Michael (I) Whidden, married, in Portsmouth, June 6, 1694, Elizabeth Meservey. They joined the Portsmouth church, August 9, 1708, and their children were baptized together June 5, 1709, viz: Michael, John, Samuel, Abigail and Eliz- abeth. The family settled in Portsmouth and in the adjacent towns of Rye, Newington and Greenland, New Hampshire. According to the first federal census of 1790 there were five families at Portsmouth of this surname, Mich- ael with nine persons. George with six, James with seven and Joseph with eleven.

(III) Samuel, son of Michael (2) Whid- den, was baptized June 5. 1709. He was per- haps the same Samuel who married, January 8. 1745, at Portsmouth, Hannah Langdon. He had sons : William, Thomas, mentioned below.

(IV) Thomas, son of Samuel Whidden, as shown by deeds in the possession of Mrs. George M. Porter, was born in Portsmouth or vicinity about 1750. He married (first ) Maria - -; (second) at Portsmouth, Jan11- ary 13. 1800, Nancy Marden. He had a lease of land at Little Harbor in 1819. Children : I. Thomas J., mentioned below. 2. Nancy, died at Portsmouth, March 11, 1872. Perhaps other children.

(V) Thomas J., son of Thomas Whidden, was born in 1781 at Portsmouth. He was a prosperous farmer at Portsmouth, and died there February 25, 1872. He was a lieutenant in the war of 1812. In religion he was a Bap- tist. He held the office of road surveyor in Portsmouth at one time. He leased the Wood- ward farm in 1813. He worked for James Rundlett for one year, beginning March 28. 1814, and leased the farm the following year. according to a document still preserved. His Uncle William deeded land of his grandfather to Thomas J. Whidden, December 16, 1815, subject to the life interest of Samuel's widow. William and Samuel Whidden deeded land at Rye to Thomas J. Whidden, December 16, 1815. He leased a farm of Elizabeth Nelson in Portsmouth, in April, 1816. He bought land in 1823 and 1827 in Portsmouth. The deeds and leases of this property are still in

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Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume IV, Part 92

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848- Publication date: 1910 Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company Number of Pages: 886

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848-
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 886