A history of the town of Sullivan, New Hampshire, 1777-1917, Volume I, Part 64

Author: Seward, Josiah Lafayette, 1845-1917
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: [Keene, N.H., Sentinel printing Co.]
Number of Pages: 888

USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Sullivan > A history of the town of Sullivan, New Hampshire, 1777-1917, Volume I > Part 64

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It is interesting to observe that this little town of Sullivan, which never had as many as 600 inhabitants at any one time in the course of its history, has fur- nished 59 men and women for the learned professions, of whom 50 pursued courses of study in classical or professional colleges, often in both. Eight of these did not complete their regular courses of study, in consequence of ill health, death, or other sufficient reasons. There were also three resident physi- cians who received professional degrees, making in all 53 natives or former resi- dents of the town who have been educated in classical or professional colleges, an exceptionally large number for so small a town, which indicates the high degree of intelligence which has characterized a large proportion of the descend- ants of those English and Scotch-Irish stock who settled in, or early came to, the town. We have not included local church pastors in the lists.

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7. OTHER PROFESSIONAL OR EDUCATED PERSONS.

There are a few other persons who should be mentioned in connection with the educated and professional persons who have gone forth from Sullivan.

DAUPHIN WHITE, son of Col. Solomon and Esther White, was born in Uxbridge, Mass., Sept. 17, 1788, and died in Sullivan, Dec. 22, 1810. He was preparing for college and was a young man of remarkable ability. His death was sudden and greatly lamented. He had profoundly impressed the citizens of the town with the brightness of his mind and his amiable qualities. Not less than twenty boys were named for him. His father lived at 73.

CYRUS BLISS, son of Dr. Abner Bliss, was born in Taunton, Mass., Apr. 16, 1798, and died in Gilsum July 24, 1872. In early life, he came to Sullivan with his mother, who was Hannah Nash, and spent the whole of his boyhood at the home of his grandmother, Mrs. Lydia Nash, at 211. He became a lay preacher and exhorter in the Christian Connection. A church of this character was organized, Apr. 9, 1828, in the schoolhouse in Nash Corner, of which, according to the diary of a neighbor, he was made "bishop ". He preached and exhorted in many places and was a good man. His son, John Bliss, has aided the writer very much in collecting data for the preparation of this work.

ARTEMAS BOWERS MUZZEY (as he wrote his last name), born in Lexing- ton, Mass., Sept. 21, 1802, died at Cambridge, Mass., Apr. 21, 1892. He was a nephew of Rev. William Muzzy (as the latter wrote his last name), and was much in his family when he was young. Artemas was settled, as a Unitarian minister, at Framingham, Mass .; Cambridgeport, Mass .; Lee St., Cambridge, Mass .; Concord, N. H .; Newburyport, Mass .; and Chestnut Hill, Mass. He graduated at Harvard University, 1824; A. M. Harvard, 1827; Harvard Divinity School, 1828; D. D. Tufts College, 1890.

JOSIAH SEWARD, 3d, son of Josiah, Jr., and Polly (Wilson) Seward, was born in Sullivan, July 29, 1809, and died there, Aug. 8, 1831. He was nearly fitted for college and, in mathematics, much more than fitted. He was an unusually fine penman. His mathematical papers and drawings, as well as his free-hand drawings, many of them executed in colors of his own preparation, are in the possession of the writer and evince native talent of a high order. When he died, he was the best educated man in the town. He was universally be- loved as a school teacher, a scholar, a friend, and a gentleman.

EDWIN JEROME GERRY, another Unitarian clergyman, born in Leominster, Mass., Apr. 21, 1820, the son of Benjamin and Lois Gerry, was much in Sullivan, in his younger days, at the home of his aunt, Mrs Lucy (Gerry) Winch, on the old town farm, at 70. He was settled many years over the Hanover St. (Uni- tarian) Chapel, in Boston, now the North End Mission, under the management of Rev. Mr. Hubbard. His wife was a first cousin of Miss Helen Peabody. His son, Edwin Peabody Gerry, M. D., of Jamaica Plain, is one of the leading Boston physicians. He died at Cambridge, Mass., Apr. 26, 1885.

CHARLES CARROLL WILSON, son of C. F. and Sarah G. (Marshall) Wilson, born in Sullivan, Oct. 19, 1839, was killed at the battle of Opequan, Sept. 19, 1864. He graduated at the Kimball Union Academy, at Meriden, in 1859. For a further account of him, see his military record, pages 525-6.

ABIGAIL MARIA WILSON (first name more frequently written Abby), a sister

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of the preceding, born in Sullivan, Apr. 20, 1842, graduated in 1859, from Kim- ball Union Academy, in the same class with her brother. She was a remark- ably well-informed young woman. She died at Keene, of tuberculosis, Mar. 20, 1877.

WALTER LESLIE GOODNOW, son of Leslie H. and Martha (Davis) Goodnow, born in Sullivan, July 21, 1884, graduated at the Kimball Union Academy, at Meriden, in 1904. He was the seventh scholar in a class of 31. He is in the employ of the Spencer Hardware Co. at Keene.

Many of the Sullivan college graduates fitted for college at Meriden, besides the three graduates last named. Besides these there have been many Sullivan boys and girls who have studied at Meriden for short periods, without receiving any diploma. As we cannot recall the names of all, we shall not attempt to name any, although we should regret to omit the name of any graduate.

There have also been Sullivan boys and girls at the Cushing Academy at Ashburnham. Two Sullivan persons graduated there, besides the sons and daughter of L. Pembroke Nims, mentioned in the list of graduate teachers, namely : GRACE H. SMITH, in the class of 1880, with the rank of salutatorian ; and MARY E. NIMS, daughter of the late Alanson Nims, in the class of 1882. Nine other Sullivan boys and girls have attended this academy, whose names occur to us.

8. MEN PROMINENT IN OFFICIAL LIFE.

I. HON. CHARLES CARTER COMSTOCK is the only native or former resi- dent of Sullivan who has been honored, thus far, with an election to congress. Mr. Comstock wss the son of William and Ruth (Crane) Comstock and was born in Sullivan, Mar. 5, 1818; and died at Grand Rapids, Mich., Feb. 20, 1900. His only education was in the Sullivan district schools. He began his business life as a farmer upon the old homestead, at 107. In the fall of 1836, the Com- stocks sold this farm and moved to Westmoreland, upon a better farm. In 1842, he built a saw-mill there and managed it with success, until 1853, when he sold his Westmoreland property and removed to Grand Rapids, Mich., a city, then, of about 3,000 inhabitants. Here he grew up with the city and spent the remainder of his life. Here he engaged in the lumbering business, to which he, soon after, added the manufacture of sash, doors, and blinds, being, with a part- ner, the pioneer in that business in that place. In 1857, he purchased of his brothers-in-law, Messrs. E. W. and S. A. Winchester, their furniture factory and business. In the great financial depression of 1857, he was obliged to assign for the benefit of creditors, but he contrived to continue the business, with such success that, in a few years, he paid every creditor in full, no one of whom lost a dollar by his failure.

In 1862, Mr. Comstock inaugurated the first wholesale furniture establish- ment in Grand Rapids, which has since been famous for the large number of such establishments. In 1863, he began the manufacture of pails and tubs which he developed by the aid of improved machinery. In a short time, his annual consumption of hoop-iron amounted to 300 tons. He purchased large tracts of pine timber upon the tributaries of Grand River, from which he annually manufactured 10,000,000 feet of lumber. He also erected a four-story brick building in which he conducted a grocery business. He was also presi-

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dent and the owner of a majority of the stock of the Grand Rapids Chair Co. He also owned and managed several large farms near that city. Besides much valuable real estate in Grand Rapids, he owned 34,000 acres of choice pine land in Louisiana. He was the proprietor of what was known as Comstock's Addi- tion to Grand Rapids, upon which were many dwellings and the chair factory just mentioned.

In politics, Mr. Comstock was a Democrat, but a pronounced Abolitionist and war Democrat. He was elected mayor of Grand Rapids in 1863 and reelected in 1864. He originated and carried through a plan for bonding the city to obtain recruits to fill its quota of troops for the war. His administration was wise and popular. In 1870, the Democrats honored him with the nomina- tion for governor of the state, but the normal Republican majority in the state was, then, on an average, 30,000. Of course his election was impossible, but his canvass greatly reduced the Republican majority. He had noted the very thing which troubles the country today, that business is disturbed by the sudden expansion and contraction of the currency. He insisted that it was the duty of congress to regulate the volume of the currency so that the amount in circula- tion should always be adequate to meet the demands of business.

In 1873, he was the people's candidate for congress in his district and defeated. In 1878, he was the candidate of the Greenbackers and was defeated by 710 votes. In 1884, he was nominated by both the Democrats and Green- backers and was elected over Hon. J. C. FitzGerald, a very able lawyer, who was the Republican candidate. Mr. Comstock represented the fifth Michigan district in the 49th Congress of the United States, 1885-87. After this, he devoted himself quietly to his business until his decease, at Grand Rapids, Feb. 20, 1900. For his family see GENEALOGIES. He was a communicant in and a generous patron of the Baptist church.

2. HON. DANIEL WILLARD RUGG, son of Harrison and Sophia (Bever- stock) Rugg, was the only person ever elected to the state senate, while being a resident of the town. Hon. Lockhart Willard, the first town treasurer, after he removed to Keene, was a state senator for five years. Mr. Rugg was born in Sullivan, at 145, July 18, 1836. He was educated in the Sullivan schools, and has been a successful farmer. He has held the most important town offices, having been select-man a few years, and the moderator for many years. He represented the town in the legislature, 1885-87, and was elected to the state senate in 1888, for the term, 1889-91. He has been repeatedly chosen to look after the highways of the town and is an important factor in the interests of the place. His judgment and advice are good and reliable. He now resides at East Sullivan, at No. 22, in the same house with his son, who is one of the capable and substantial men of the town. Mr. and Mrs. Rugg are Unitarians, broad and liberal in thought, sympathy, and consideration for others, and promoters of all good works in the town.

Messrs. Comstock and Rugg are the only Sullivan men who have been elected to fill any official position other than town and county offices or that of representative to the state legislature.

9. BUSINESS MEN.

Sullivan has sent many men into the world of business, some of whom have

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been eminent in their way. We cannot here name any who have not achieved considerable success, and we are not certain that we can recall all who have done so. There occur to us, as we write, those in the following list, which is not intended to be a catalogue of men born in Sullivan. It includes no one who has permanently remained in town, and of those who emigrated, it is intended to include those only who have attained considerable success in business, and of these the notice must be quite brief. For an account of the births, families, and parentage of those here mentioned, see family registers in the GENEALOGIES, as a rule.

OSCAR DANIEL BEVERSTOCK, of Sullivan lineage, who lived in town a time, finally settled in Keene, at the head of the O. D. Beverstock Co., manufacturers of bent work and sieve hoops. Two of his sons received a college education, Oscar A. graduating at Amherst, and Charles W. at the Mass. Institute of Tech- nology. His other children are highly esteemed and in good positions.

GEORGE W. BUCKMINSTER has done a good business as a teamster and job- ber in Keene. His brother, Wm. H., is employed by the Electric Railway Co. The latter's son, Harry F., was an efficient officer of the Keene police force.

DEA. ELIJAH CARTER moved to Keene. His son Abel settled in Vermont. The latter's daughter, Fanny, married Hon. Chauncy L. Knapp, a representative from Massachusetts in the 34th Congress. Ephraim Carter, son of Elijah, settled in Kentucky and he and his descendants were very prosperous in busi- ness in the southern states.

ALMON CLARK settled in Andover, Mass. He had a daughter, Miss Lucy Fidelia Clark, who was a college graduate, and an instructor in Latin in Welles- ley College.

THORLEY and MARO COLLESTER settled in Gardner, Mass., and engaged in chair-making and were successful. Thorley's three sons were all highly edu- cated. For Marquis de L., see page 596. Another son, Eugene B., is a lawyer in Minnesota. The youngest son, Frank M., a graduate of Amherst in 1877, was principal of high schools in Gardner, Winchendon, and Salem, Mass. Maro's son, Henry M., is a business man in Gardner.

DAUPHIN WHITE COMSTOCK was a brother of Hon. Charles C. He settled in Keene, where he acquired a handsome competency in his business as a carpenter and builder .. He gave $6,000 for the building of the Baptist church on Court Street in Keene. Late in life, he moved to Grand Rapids, Mich., where he still (1907) resides at a great age. In former days, he was a good school teacher.

CHARLES H. CUMMINGS, son of Rev. Charles, was one of the brilliant young men of Sullivan. He moved to Ohio, in which state he died, Dec. 7, 1870. His brother, J. Elliot, a captain of the Sullivan company, died in Lexing- ton, Mich., June 26, 1855. Another brother, Enoch P., was a tanner at Sutton, N. H., and died at Concord, N. H., Dec. 31, 1883.

CYRUS CUMMINGS, another son of Rev. Charles, when 19 years of age, went to Galveston, Texas. He was seven years in the Texan navy. He saw active service in the Mexican War, and was promoted to Ist Lieutenant. This infor- mation was received too late to be used in the paragraph on the Mexican War, on pages 511-12. He died at Charlotte, Mich., Nov. 4, 1882. Anna G., younger daughter of Rev. Charles Cummings, became the wife of Elijah Boyden of Marlborough.

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TIMOTHY DEWEY, born on the farm where M. J. Barrett lives, was one of the most remarkable business men who ever left the place of his birth. He was born about 1784. He became a civil engineer and located, at first, at Albany, N. Y. In 1820, he moved to the city of New York. He went to Europe to prosecute his studies and there learned the process of making illuminating gas. About 1823, while editing a little paper, called " Mechanics' Gazette ", he estab- lished the first gas plant in the city of New York, which was the first on the American continent. Gas had been made and burned before, but this was the first plant ever started to produce this illuminant permanently for consumption, and his house on Grand Street, in New York, was the first thus permanently lighted in America. He was descended from noble stock. His lineage is traced authentically to the Emperor Charlemagne, in a line which includes other sov- ereigns. Mr. Dewey was a near kinsman of Admiral Dewey's grandfather, but the honor of the admiral's great achievement was no greater than the mechani- cal feat of our Dewey. Shortly after starting his gas works in New York, he wrote to a brother in Illinois: " I am sending out $2,600 worth of gas a week, to 1,200 consumers, and anticipate building a plant in Brooklyn". Those figures are very small compared with the present enormous gas business of New York, but it was a fine beginning. In 1831, he had left the New York company and was trying to put gas into Philadelphia. He writes again : " They will neither build the works themselves, nor let others". After an active, eventful, and suc- cessful life, having acquired much property, he spent his declining days, with his son, William, on a magnificent estate, known as Ashland Farm, in Jefferson Co., N. Y., where he died, Oct. 19, 1853, aged 69.

JAMES BRAINARD DRAKE, son of Rev. S. S. Drake, did not move to Sulli- van with his father. He was president of the Kennebec Steamship Company, later the vice-president of the Eastern Steamship Company, president of the Bath Trust Company, and a prominent factor in the affairs of the Lincoln National Bank of Bath, Me.

HON. AUSTIN A. ELLIS, son of Atwell C., operated for a time the Ellis mill in Sullivan. He moved to Keene in 1891 and has been engaged in the manufacture of brush handles on Mechanic Street. He was the mayor of Keene for the year 1900. He has a flourishing business which is largely increasing.

CHARLES D. ESTY, son of Solomon, learned the trade of a carpenter, at which he worked for a time in Keene. Later he was employed in the assay office, in the U. S. treasury building, on Wall Street, in the city of New York. Still later, he was associated with others in a loan office, at 141 Broadway, in the same city. He acquired a competency. While on a visit to Keene, he was taken ill and died there, Mar. 14, 1904.

FREDERICK A. and CHARLES G. FARRAR, sous of Alonzo, early in life left town to engage in business elsewhere. Frederick was at first in the grocery business, but is now (1907) managing a dairy farm at Bridgeport, Conn., a specialty of the business being sterilized milk. Charles is a mail-route agent, running from Newport, Vt., to Springfield, Mass., on the railroad.

LEANDER, D. ALVARO, SYLVESTER W., and EDWARD W. FELT, sons of Dea. Joseph, all moved from town. Leander was a shoemaker. While in town, he operated the shop at 238, employing several men. He moved to Winchester

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and died there. For notices of his sons, J. L. and M. H. Felt, see pages 592 and 603. Another of his sons, James Wilson Felt, is a chair manufacturer at South Ashburnham, Mass. D. Alvaro Felt moved to Beresford, Florida, and became a fruit-grower. He died there, Dec. 4, 1892. Sylvester W. lived a time at Athol, Mass., and was a foreman of rock excavation in railroad construction. He continued the same business in the states of New York, Vermont, and Vir- ginia, and finally spent the remainder of his life at Greenfield, Ind., as a farmer. Edward W. died in Winchester, in 1864.

STEPHEN, JR., EPHRAIM, JOSEPH, and HOSEA FOSTER, sons of Stephen Fos- ter, all became honored and useful citizens of the communities in which they respectively lived. Stephen, Jr., was a farmer and died in Gilsum. His son, Geo. W., a native of Sullivan, was a well-known music teacher and organist in Keene and died there. Ephraim was a blacksmith and resided in several places in Sullivan, finally in Keene, where he died. He and his brother Joseph were for several years proprietors of an organ manufactory in Keene. Of Joseph we have already spoken, on pages 574 and 565. Hosea Foster moved to Keene in 1848. He was a carpenter. In Keene, he, at first, entered the organ shop of his brothers. Later, he was employed as a door moulder. He was many years the burial sexton of Keene. About 1870, while returning from a funeral with the hearse, the horses became frightened and ran and threw him from the vehicle and crippled him for life. He afterwards entered the office of the registry of deeds, where he remained many years as a copyist, making good, clear records when 83 years of age. He died in Keene, Dec. 24, 1898.

DEA. SELIM, DEA. BENJAMIN, and PERLEY W. FROST, sons of Elijah Frost, were all men of refinement and intelligence, who spent a portion of their lives in Sullivan and moved to other places. Dea. Benjamin was the father of three sons who graduated at Dartmouth College, and of a daughter who married Rev. Dr. Little of Dorchester, Mass. See pages 592, 600, and 601. He died in Thet- ford, Vt., Aug. 7, 1872. Dea. Selim moved to Athol, where he died, Sept. 19, 1858. Perley W. lived in various places and died at Benton, Me., Mar. 28, 1880. His daughter, Ellen A., married a missionary, Rev. Moses P. Parmelee, and accompanied him to Asiatic Turkey, where she died, Feb. 17, 1870, at Trebizond.

EDWARD L. GAY, whose childhood was passed in the family of Lewis Bridge, Jr., is a capable and energetic young business man of Keene. He was a book-keeper at the Holbrook grocery, later at the Pierce chair factory at South Keene, and is now (1907) with C. B. Perry & Sons, in the general insurance and real estate business.

DEA. DALPHON GIBBS, a worthy and reliable farmer, moved from Sullivan, and died at Marlow, Nov. 21, 1859. His children were scattered to all parts of the country. His son, Dalphon Lombard Gibbs, was in business in Worcester.

CALEB GOODNOW moved from Sullivan, but returned and died there, Oct. 16, 1898. His oldest son, Charles F., died in Philadelphia. The second son, Leslie H., has always remained in town. Mr. Goodnow was at first employed in Marlborough ; came to town with his father; was a miller, a musician, and a reliable citizen.

DANIEL WILMER GOODNOW, son of Caleb, of the firm of Goodnow &

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Aldrich, in Keene, furniture dealers and undertakers, has built up a flourishing business, as good as any of its kind in this part of New Hampshire.

OLIVER HEATON moved to Keene and was quite prominent in military and Masonic circles. His son, George S. Heaton, became a foreman in ship car- pentry at the Portsmouth navy yard.

NATHANIEL HEATON moved to Stoddard, then to Marlow, and died in Keene, Feb. 9, 1868. His daughter, Sarah P., was in the millinery business in Keene many years. His grandson, Frank Gustine Pratt, son of Maria (Heaton) Pratt, was a graduate of Harvard University, in the class of 1884. He was an exceptionally brilliant young man. He was connected with the office of the General Electric Co. of Schenectady, N. Y., where he suddenly died, Nov. 7, 1896.

DANIEL HOLT lived in Keene and Nelson. His daughter, Emily M., be- came the wife of Francis Stratton of Harrisville, who built up a fine business in conveying passengers, baggage, express, and freight between Harrisville station and the various homes of the wealthy summer residents of Dublin. Another daughter of Daniel Holt is unmarried. His son, Asahel N., lives in Sullivan, and another son, Paschal A., in Farmington, Conn. Daniel's brothers, Eliud and Elijah, lived at Munsonville. The lattter was the father of George W. of Sullivan. Another brother, Jedidiah, lived in different places, but died in Sullivan.

ROSWELL HUBBARD, JR., was a merchant in Sullivan, and moved to Crown Point, N. Y., and then to Port Henry, N. Y., where he died, Apr. 10, 1857. He was an intelligent and influential man and a useful citizen of the towns where he lived.

HEZRO HUBBARD, brother of the preceding, was also an intelligent and useful man. He died in Gilsum, Aug. 1, 1831, while comparatively young.

HEZRO W. HUBBARD (usually called William H.), son of the preceding, has been a successful machinist. He has built a fine shop on Emerald St. in Keene, where he is engaged in a good business.

HENRY E. HUBBARD, half-brother of the preceding, was a brick mason and plasterer in Keene. He was in the Civil War. A Veterans' Union post, in Keene, was named for him. See page 523.

GEORGE C. HUBBARD, a cousin of the two preceding, has lived in Sullivan, Surry, Gilsum, and Fitzwilliam. He was a good scholar and school teacher and, for several years, on the school-board of Sullivan. He was the father of Dr. O. H. Hubbard (see page 603), also of C. L. Hubbard (see page 608).

JOHN MILTON HUBBARD, eldest son of George F., is one of the enterprising young men who have been born in Sullivan. He has resided for many years in Fitchburg, Mass., where he has been prosperously engaged in the dry-goods business.

WILLARD M. JEWETT, son of Charles F., has much natural mechanical ability and is an excellent machinist, now residing in Winchendon, Mass., and employed in the shop of Baxter Whitney.

BENJAMIN KINGSBURY, JR., moved from town and died in Alstead. His daughter, Harriet E., became the wife of Albert S. Wait, Esq., of Newport.

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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN.

MARTIN LELAND settled in Crown Point, N. Y., and had a son and two daughters who were influential in the community.

WILLIAM M. LELAND, son of Asa, was a farmer and wood turner, and has lived in Sullivan and various other places.

JAMES and SAMUEL BARRON LOCKE, sons of James, Sr., were bright and energetic men. James was in business in Thetford, Vt., where he operated a mill, and died from the effects of an injury caused by a millstone falling upon him. Samuel B. was also a miller in Maine, and the name of Locke's Mills in that state was derived from him.

LUTHER, CALVIN, JR., AMOS J., and C. P. LOCKE, sons of Calvin, were prominent men in the communities where they resided. Luther was a merchant and teamster in Keene. Calvin, Jr., was a machinist and manufacturer, in Ipswich, Mass. Amos J. was a farmer in Acworth, and Charles P., after living many years in Sullivan, moved to Marlborough, where he died. He was also a very successful farmer. Luther died in California, and Calvin, Jr., in Texas.

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A history of the town of Sullivan, New Hampshire, 1777-1917, Volume I, Part 64

Author: Seward, Josiah Lafayette, 1845-1917 Publication date: 1921 Publisher: [Keene, N.H., Sentinel printing Co.] Number of Pages: 888

Author: Seward, Josiah Lafayette, 1845-1917
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: [Keene, N.H., Sentinel printing Co.]
Number of Pages: 888