USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Haverhill > The history of Haverhill, Massachusetts, from its first settlement, in 1640, to the year 1860 > Part 64
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BROWN, HENRY YOUNG, was born in Haverhill October, 1730, and died at Fryeburg, Me., October 15, 1796. He married Elizabeth Lovejoy, of Andover. Their only child who survived infancy was Elizabeth, (born 1757, died 1790,) who married Col. Joshua B. Osgood, senior, also a native of Haverhill, (born 1753, died 1791).
Captain Brown was a prominent and influential man. A Captain in the French War, he had granted him, by the General Court of Massachu- setts, a township of land adjoining Fryeburg, Maine, to which he gave his name - Brownfield. The limits of the town originally included a part of Fryeburg Village, and the Brown mansion was at the head of the Main Street, where his descendants still reside. He was one of the found- ers of Fryeburg Academy ; was a man of great energy, and public spirit, and has left a memory that will not soon die in that region of country.
CHASE, AQUILA, mariner, said to have been from Cornwall, England, was in Hampton in 1640; he then married Anne, daughter of John Wheeler, formerly of Salisbury, England. He had a grant of four acres of land at Hampton. His dwelling was near the landing. In 1646, he removed to Newbury, that town having " Granted to Aquilla Chase, anno 1646, four acres of land at the new towne for a house lott where it is to
o See page 402. t See page 438.
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be had, also on condition that he do go to sea, and do service in the towne with a boat for foure years."" There is a tradition in the family that he was the first person who brought a vessel over Newbury bar. The chil- dren of Aquila were Sarah, Anne, Priscilla, Mary, Aquila, Thomas, John, Elizabeth, Ruth, Daniel, and Moses. Aquila, sen., died December 27, 1670, aged 52. His will is dated December 19, 1670. His estate was inventoried at £336.14.3.
John, son of Aquila, born November 2, 1655 ; the first Chase who set- tled in upper Newbury ; married, first, Elizabeth Bingley ; and, second, Lydia -. His children were William, Phillip, Charles, Jacob, Abraham, John, Phebe, Mary, Lydia, Elizabeth, and David.
David, born October 20, 1710, the eleventh, and probably youngest child of John (by his wife Lydia) married Sarah Emery, November 24, 1729, and had several children : - David, born December 1, 1730 ; Joshua, born October 21, 1733; Anthony, born December 6, 1735; Tristram, born January 23, 1737 ; Simeon, and three daughters.
Anthony, son of the above David, and who was a soldier in the expedi- tion to Cape Breton, married Abigail Woodman, of Newbury, June 29, 1758, and settled where Deacon Charles Coffin now lives, in East Hav- erhill. He purchased the water privilege and about two acres of land at that place, about a year previous to his marriage, and at once erected a clothing-mill and a dwelling-house. He subsequently erected a saw and grist-mill, and became in time a large land owner. His children were Robert, 1759; Sarah, 1761; Robert, 1763; Woodman, 1765; Stephen, 1767 ; Joseph, 1769 ; Abigail, 1771 ; John, 1773. He married, second, May 1, 1782, widow Sarah Swett, of Haverhill, by whom he had Nancy, 1784 ; and David, 1787.
Joseph, son of Anthony and Abigail, born -, 1769, married Debo- rah Williams, of Amesbury, born -, 1763, and settled on the farm now owned and occupied by John B. Nichols, Esq., in East Haverhill. Their children were Nancy, born -, 1793; Tappan, born May 22, 1795, died March 6, 1796; Mary, born August 14, 1797 ; Tappan, born Janu- ary 16, 1800; William, born March 10, 1802, died October 14, 1831. Joseph, the husband, died February 17, 1845 ; Deborah, the wife, died May 14, 1847.
Tuppan, son of Joseph and Deborah, was born January 16, 1800, and married, September 14, 1825, Hannah, daughter of Col. John Johnson, of Haverhill, born July 8, 1803, and settled on the farm above mentioned. Their children were George Wingate, born June 19, 1826 ; Abigail Johnson,
° Newbury Town Records.
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born April 23, 1828, died, unmarried, July 1, 1847 ; Matilda, born Jan- uary 17, 1830, died May 7, 1834; Sarah, born February 14, 1832, died, unmarried, August 4, 1848 ; Matilda, born February 7, 1834, died, un- married. August 27, 1852; William, born December 27, 1895; Charles Tappan, born August 28, 1837, married, October 8, 1857, Charlotte Eliz- abeth Burr, born May 22, 1837, children, Emeline Frances, born August 4, 1858, Frederick Henry, born September 12, 1860; Emeline, born July 23, 1841, died August 10, 1841. Deacon Tappan Chase died April 27, 1857.
George Wingate, son of Tappan and Hannah, married, December 29, 1849, Frances A., born June 9, 1830, daughter of Christopher Dyer, Esq., of New Sharon, Me. Children, Charles Dyer, born November 16, 1850 ; Abigail Matilda, born June 19, 1853; Sarah Ann, born May 21, 1861.
COGSWELL, NATHANIEL, Esq., son of Hon. Thomas Cogswell, was born in Haverhill, January 19, 1773, graduated at Dartmouth College in 1794, studied with Ebenezer Smith, Esq., of Durham, N. H., and commeneed the practice of the law in 1805. He soon after took the tour of Europe, returned, and, in 1808, established himself in Newburyport. He was appointed Aid to Major-General Brickett, afterward went to Mexico, where he became a General in the Spanish Patriot army, and died at the Rapids of Red River, in August, 1813, aged 40.
Hon. Thomas Cogswell, son of Nathaniel and Judith (Badger) Cogs- well, was born in Haverhill. August 4, 1746. He was one of a family of nineteen children. At the age of 24, (February 26, 1770,) he was mar- ried to Ruth Badger, daughter of General Joseph Badger, of Gilmanton, N. H. He lived in Haverhill, where he had three children, until the com- mencement of the Revolutionary War, when he entered the army, and his wife and children went to reside with her father, in Gilmanton. He was out during nearly the whole war. He entered the service as Captain, and rose to the rank of Colonel. At the close of the war, he returned to Gilmanton, settled near his wife's father's, and was soon a prominent man in the town. He served as moderator, and frequently as selectman, and was one of the original trustees of the Academy. In 1784, he was appointed Chief Jus- tice of the Court of Common Pleas, which office he held till his decease, in 1810. He had eleven children, one of whom, Nathaniel, was the second graduate at Dartmouth from Gilmanton. Two other sons died in the army, during the war of 1812 : - Francis, who graduated at Dartmouth College, in 1811, and was a Lieutenant in the army, died at Plattsburgh, N. Y., December 8, 1812; and Thomas was killed at Chatteaugay, N. Y.,
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October 26, 1813. Judge Cogswell was twice a candidate for Representa- tive to Congress. In September, 1804, he donated $75 to the First Congregational Church in his town, for the purpose of purchasing a " sac- ramental service " for its use. After his decease, the church erected a large pair of grave-stones to his memory. He died September 3, 1810, aged 64 years. His widow died October 16, 1839, aged 88 years.
CORLISS, GEORGE, was born in England about the year 1617, and came to this country 1639. He married Joanna Davis, October 26, 1645; she came from that part of England called Wales; they had one son and seven daughters. Corliss died October 19, 1686. He left an extensive farm in the west part of Haverhill, which he divided, by will, among his children, giving his home farm to his son John. To his daughter, Mrs. Mary Neff, he gave the farm one mile east of his home farm, being the farm where William Swascy now lives. Mrs. Neff was taken by the Indians with Mrs. Duston, and remained with her through the whole captivity.
John. son of the above George, was born March 4; 1647, and married Mary Milford, December 17, 1684; they had four sons and two daughters. He lived and died on the same farm and over the same cellar where his father had lived and died. He died February 17, 1698, leaving the farm to his oldest son, John.
John, grandson of George, was born March 14, 1686, married Ruth Haynes, of Haverhill, about 1711. They had thirteen children. He was a man of large stature, more than six feet in height and well proportioned. He had a commanding voice, spoke loud and distinctly, and was often well understood at the distance of more than a mile. He died November, 1766. At his death, his son Joseph came into possession of the farm - having previously received a deed of it from his father, who reserved a privilege in it for himself and wife.
Joseph, son of the last named John, was born in 1724. He married Mary Emerson, February 19, 1746, and had seven children. He died November 3, 1762, leaving his farm to his sons, Joseph and Ephraim.
Ephraim, son of Joseph, was born August 13, 1751. At the age of twenty-one, he came into possession of that half of the farm which his father left him, by will, and soon after, he purchased of his brother Joseph the remainder of the farm. At the age of twenty-five, he married Lydia Ayer, of Haverhill. Twelve days after his marriage, he joined a com- pany of militia, and served three months as a private soldier, travelling more than nine hundred miles that winter. He had three sons and two danghters, and died October 25, 1824.
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HISTORY OF HIAVERNIILL.
Ephraim, son of Ephraim, was born March 13, 1782, married Febru- ary 21, 1826, had one sou and two daughters, and died July 5, 1858, leaving his home farm to his son, Charles, (of the seventh generation) who now lives on the farm inherited from his father, and the same that was first owned by George Corliss, in 1640.
DUNCAN, GEORGE, son of George, (who lived and died in Ireland) came to this country with the early settlers of Londonderry, N. H., accompanied with his second wife, Margaret Cross, and his seven children. They were John, the eldest by a former marriage; and George, William, Robert, Abraham, Esther, and James, by the second marriage.
James, son of the above George, married Elizabeth Bell, third daughter of John and Elizabeth Bell, and was a merchant in Haverhill, Mass. He died in 1818, aged 92 years. His wife died in -, aged about 47 years. Their children were, John, who died unmarried; Samuel, of Grantham, N. H., who married a Miss Emerson, and had several children ; Robert, who was a Representative of Grantham, married a Miss Emerson, had a son, Samuel B., and died in 1807 ; Abraham ; William, who lived in Concord, N. H., married a Miss Harris, had a son James, and three daughters, and died about 1795, (his widow removed to Ohio with her son James, and died in 1835) ; James, who married Rebecca White, of Hav- erhill, and died January 5, 1822, leaving two sons, Col. Samuel W., who died October 21, 1824, aged 34, and Hon. James H., who married Mary, daughter of Benjamin Willis, of Boston; Elizabeth, who married John Thaxter, Esq., of Haverhill, and afterward Joshua Carter, of Boston ; Margaret, who married Thomas Baldwin, D.D,, of Boston ; Mary ; and three others.
Hon. James H. Duncan, was born in Haverhill, Mass., December 5, 1793. His father, James Dunean, Esq., was a prominent merchant, and a descendant of the colony of Scotch-Irish who settled Londonderry, N. H. His mother, Rebeccah White, was a descendant of William White, one of the first settlers of Haverhill. The subject of this sketch early mani- fested a love for books, and having passed the usual course of preparation at Phillips' Exeter Academy, entered Harvard University, in 1808, at the early age of fourteen. Notwithstanding his youth, he maintained a high rank in scholarship, and graduated in 1812, with an honorable part. Having pursued the study of the Law in the offices of Hon. John Varuum, at Haverhill, and Leverett Saltonstall, Esq., at Salem, he was admitted to the Essex Bar in 1815, and immediately entered upon the practice of his profession, in Haverhill, and continued in it with fidelity and · success
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until he took his seat in Congress, in 1849, when he resigned the active duties of the profession.
A short time previous to his admission to the Bar, he was elected En- sign in the Haverhill Light Infantry Company, of which he was a member, and, passing through the various grades of militia service, he rose to the rank of Colonel, which office he held several years, and until he resigned his commission. Being extensively engaged in farming, in which he has always taken a lively interest, he was early elected a Trustee of the Essex Agricultural Society, of which he was also President from 1836 to 1839. On the formation of the National Republican party, in 1827, he was, by the united votes of the Federal and Democratic parties, elected to the House of Representatives, and in the following year to the Senate, of which he continued a member three successive years, and until he declined a re-election, In 1837, and 1838, he was again elected to the House, and in the two following years to the Council of Massachusetts. On the adop- tion of the district system, in 1857, he was again elected to the House of Representatives, where he at all times held an honorable and influential position.
On the passage of a State Insolvent Law, in 1838, he was appointed one of the Commissioners in Insolvency ; and on the passage of the United States Bankrupt Law, in 1841, he was appointed Commissioner in Bank- ruptcy, which office he held until the law was repealed.
In 1839, he was elected as delegate to the National Republican Conven- tion at Harrisburg, which nominated General Harrison for President. In 1848, he was elected to represent his district, -then the largest manu- facturing district in the United States-in Congress, and was re-elected for a second term, in 1850.
Having always manifested a lively interest in all literary and benevolent institutions, his education and character have marked him as a prominent member of many of them, particularly those of the Baptist denomination, of which he is a member. Since 1835 he has filled the office of Fellow of Brown University.
Mr. Duncan is one of our largest, and most liberal, as well as enterpris- ing real estate owners, and has done much toward promoting the general business prosperity of the town. He has for many years resided upon the beautiful estate, corner of Main and Sumner Streets, originally owned by Moses B. Moody, Esq. The elegant mansion was designed by the celebrated architect, Haviland, and we believe there is but one other of the same style of architecture in the United States.
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HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
EAMES, THEODORE, was a native of Haverhill, and a graduate of Yale College. He studied law in the office of Hon. Leverett Saltonstall, at Salem, and for several years successfully practised in that city. He after- ward, and for a number of years, was Principal in the Salem Grammar School. From Salem he removed to Brooklyn, N. Y., to take charge of a school in that city ; and was subsequently appointed Police Judge, which office he held at the time of his death, in 1847. He was a man of strict integrity, great energy, and universally respected.
EATON, PETER, D.D., was a native of Haverhill; one of the early pupils at Phillips' Academy, at Andover, and a graduate of Harvard College of the class of 1787. After completing his professional studies at Haverhill, he was settled as pastor of the church in Boxford, in 1789, where he con- tinued to labor until his death, April 14, 1848, at the age of 83 years, and in the 58th year of his ministry. His erect and manly bearing ; his ardent piety ; his frank and cordial greeting; his generous hospitality, and open-handed charity, will not soon be forgotton by the many who knew him and loved him.
EMERSON, CAPT., NEHEMIAHI, was a descendant of Michael Emerson, who settled in Haverhill in 1656, married Hannah Webster, and whose eldest daughter, Hannah, married Thomas Duston, of heroic memory.
Mr. Emerson was one of those who " marched on ye alarm April 19, 1775." When the alarm reached Haverhill, he was at work on the roof of Deacon Dodge's house, corner of Main and Vestry Streets. He at once hurried home, changed his clothes, joined the company of Lieutenant Samuel Clements, and made all haste to the scene of action. From a private he gradually rose to the rank of Captain. He served through the whole of the war, visiting his home but once during the whole period.º He was at Bunker Hill; at Valley Forge, during that memorable win- ter ; at Burgoyne's surrender; and was one of the guards at the execution of Andre. His persevering patriotism, courage, and integrity, secured . him the friendship and esteem of Washington, Lafayette, Kosciusko, and Steuben, the memory of whom was dearly cherished by him to the end of life. Several years after the war, as Mr: Willis of this town was walking through the grounds at Mt. Vernon, he met President Washington, who engaged in conversation with him. On learning that he was from Haver- hill, Washington enquired particularly about Captain Emerson, who, he observed, was " a brave officer, a good disciplinarian, and never lost his temper."
" Four of bis brothers, - Jonathan, Samuel, Nathan, and Moses, - were also in the army of the Revolution.
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Nehemiah Emerson
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Mr. Emerson settled on the old homestead, so long in possession of his family, where he continued to reside until his death. He was a kind- hearted, gentlemanly man, not ambitious of worldly distinction, but honest and upright ; and his memory is cherished with respect. He died December 11, 1532, aged 84 years.
How, DAVID, son of Deacon James How, was born in Methuen, Mass., in 1758. He was the third of a family of ten children, - six sons and four daughters. All the sons served in the Revolution. Three of them were at the battle of Bunker Hill.
David was a currier by trade, having learned the business while living with his grandfather (Farnham) at Andover, Mass. He was one of those who marched to Cambridge on the Lexington Alarm, and was also of the number that occupied Bunker Hill on the night of the 16th of June. On the day of the battle, he was stationed in the " fort," and thus took an active part in the struggle. Just at the close of the action, having dis- charged his gun, the soldier who stood at his side was shot down, when How seized his comrade's gun, " let fly " at the British, and under cover of the smoke, retreated from the fort. Mr. How always gave a large part of the credit due for the glorious work of that day, to Col. Prescott. Many years after that eventful day, and but a few months before his death, a person read to Mr. How an article from a Boston paper, relating to the battle, and asked his opinion of Gen. Putnam. He replied that he " never heard anything against him in the army." He was then asked what he thought of Col. Prescott. He answered, "had it not been for Col. Pres- cott there would have been no fight." Pretending that he was not quite understood, the person repeated the question, but the answer was the same. Not yet satisfied, the question was again pressed, when How arose from his chair, stood erect, and, raising his hand, exclaimed, with all the power of voice he could summon - (for some years his voice had been scarcely audible.) -" I tell ye that, had it not been for Col. Prescott, there would have been NO FIGHT. He was all night, and all the morning talking to the soldiers and moving about his short sword among them, in such a way, that they all felt like fight."
On the 27th of the December following the above battle, How, then scarcely seventeen years of age, enlisted for the war. Though young, his spirit had already caught the true patriotic fire, and through all the long and arduous struggle, he never for a moment doubted the final result. He was at Haarlem Heights, and at Trenton. At the latter battle, he took from a Hessian soldier his gun and knapsack, both of which are still in the possession of his grandson. David W. Howe, of Brooklyn, N. Y.
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HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
After the close of the war, Mr. How went to New London, N. H., where he bought and partly cleared a lot of land, intending to settle upon it as a farmer. But his wife was so unwilling to remove thus far into the wilderness," that he gave up the idea of becoming a farmer, and finally removed to Haverhill, where he commenced, in a very humble way, in the basement of a small shop on Water Street, the business of currying. His peculiar suavity of manner, strict integrity, industry, and Yankee pro- pensity to " trade and dicker," soon secured him a firm hold upon the business of the place. He gradually added a variety of other articles of trade to his little stock of leather, until in time he became the largest trader in the town.
From his little shop on Water Street, he removed to a store near the west end of the Bannister Block, on Merrimack Street. Subsequently he built the block now occupied by John Davis, and Willett & Co., (next but one south of Mechanics' Court, west side of Main Street,) to which he removed. He occupied nearly the entire building, which was kept liter- ally filled with goods. Still later, he was instrumental in the erection of the pile of brick buildings extending from the bridge to the Essex Block, on Merrimack Street, and had charge of their erection. The two west stores were owned by him; the next two by James Duncan, Esq., and the rest of the block, to the toll-keeper's house on the bridge, was owned by Wm. B. Bannister, Esq., of Newburyport.
Mr. How was among the first to engage in the wholesale manufacture of shoes in the town, and was the first one who manufactured them in large quantities, for a distant market. During the war of 1812, he sent a large lot of them to Philadelphia, by his own team, realizing a handsome profit on them. He was the first to keep on hand large quantities of leather, to exchange for shoes. Such was his interest in the business, and his energy and enterprise in carying it on, that he may almost be called the founder of the shoe business in this town.
An idea of the large amount of business done by him may be judged from the fact that during the war of 1812, he was offered $100,000, for the stock of goods he then had in his store, but refused.
With his early love of farming, Mr. How invested largely in farming lands, and was at one time probably one of the largest land owners in the County, if not in the State. Liberal minded and enterprising,; he im-
O Ilis first wife was a Whittier, of Methuen; his second, a daughter of Isaac Reddington, Esq., of Hav- erhill; and his third, Sarah, daughter of Samuel White, Esq., also of this town.
+ Mr. llow was the first one to introduce and advocate the use of plaster on lands. To prove its efficacy, he caused it to be sown in a peculiar manner, on the southerly side of Golden Hill, and for months afterward, the mammoth " D H " etched in living green, proved to the passers-by its claims to confidence.
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parted a like spirit to his fellow-townsmen, the surpassing influence of which cannot be estimated. Thousands upon thousands of apple and pear trees, now in the full vigor of maturity, and yielding their ample crops of delicious fruit, are visible and tangible monuments of his enterprise and practical forethought. Through all the sixty years of his residence in this town, Mr. How commanded the unqualified respect and confidence of all who knew him. Mr. How was never an office-seeker, and therefore the fact that he represented his town in the General Court for twelve years, is ample proof of the confidence reposed in him by his fellow-citizens. During the carly years of the Merrimack Bank, he was its President. - He was a large owner in the Haverhill Bridge, and, indeed, was more or less connected with every worthy local enterprise of the day.
His farming operations were never profitable, from the fact that he could not personally oversee such extensive operations, and at the same time carry on a large commercial business.
For many years, he was a sort of " savings bank " for those of his towns- men, and others, who happened to have money that they did not wish to make use of for the time." Such were always glad to have him invest their money for them, and his simple promissory note was considered equally as secure as the best bank stocks of the present day.
The knowledge on the part of those to whom he was thus indebted, that his farms were rather a pecuniary damage to him, and that his liabilities were large, ultimately proved his misfortune. A rumor (unfounded, but equally fatal,) that he had recently become embarrassed by heavy losses, led to a sudden "run " upon him by these persons. Unable to meet the sudden torrent of demands, and refusing security, (never having done such a thing in his life !) suits were piled upon suits, and costs upon costs, until a large property was nearly consumed. It is a remarkable fact, that, at the time the panic occurred, not a dollar of the large property then in his hands was mortgaged !
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