A history of the town of Sullivan, New Hampshire, 1777-1917, Volume I, Part 85

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 85


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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located at 234 and 96. He had four daughters. Three of them were born and one of them died in Sullivan. He moved to Keene in 1841, where his last daughter was born and where he died. Rev. Arnold Kingsbury of the Baptist Church was a tenant in some part of this house in 1836-37. Hosea Foster was a tenant in the shop part of the house at the west end, about 1841-42. Alden Davis was a tenant here about 1841-42. See 101. Dr. J. A. Crowley occupied a portion of the house from 1841 until 1845. On Nov. 17, 1841, REV. JOSEPH PEABODY, who was the second pastor of the First Congregational Church, bought this estate of William Brown and lived here until his death, Apr. 15, 1870. He was a very intelligent and well educated man. He was one of the best writers of verse in the town. See pages 413 and 582-84. His only child was a daughter, Miss Helen A. Peabody, still living. Shortly after the death of Mr. Peabody, the heirs conveyed this property to a relative, Ira W. Peabody, of Binghampton, N. Y., who was to comply with certain conditions, and in whose family the property still rests. Mrs. Peabody and her daughter still continued to reside here until the death of Mrs. Peabody, Jan. 15, 1886. Miss Helen A. Peabody, the daughter, lived here until she purchased the Winchester place at 193, on June 22, 1895. Since then, this house has been unoccupied and is rapidly passing into decay. Miss Peabody inherited marked scholarly tastes, her ancestry in several lines being among the best families of New England. She was well educated and keeps herself well informed in regard to passing events. She is positive in opinions, decidedly individualistic in character, and perhaps not always perfectly understood. She has the best of intentions, but her plans, desires, and hopes are doubtless impractical to a large degree.


236. The old Abraham Clark house, where Amos Wardwell, Jr., lived many years, and where Geo. W. and Eugene Marston live. This was originally the west part of the fourth lot of the eighth range, including the " right " drawn by Stephen Griswold, and sold by him to Joseph Ellis, Sr., and by the latter to Benjamin Ellis, as we saw in the last paragraph. Benjamin Dodge of New Boston bought the land which constituted the original farm, Dec. 1, 1791, of Benjamin Ellis. Dodge lived in town for a few months, probably at 102, which farm he also purchased. See 102. ABRAHAM CLARK, Sr., of Townsend, Mass., purchased this farm of Dodge, Aug. 29, 1792. Clark's wife had died before he came to Sullivan, but he brought with him a family of three (possibly four) sons and two daughters. Two of his sons (and another Clark which was quite likely his son) married and lived in town for a time. They built the first house upon this place. It was built by Abraham Clark, Sr. Part of the Clarks lived on the site of 102 and part of them here. Whatever may have been the very first arrangement, it soon resulted that ABRAHAM CLARK, Jr., lived in this house and his father, a widower, lived with him. Samuel Clark, a brother of Abraham, Jr., appears to have lived some of the time in this house and some of the time at 102. There was also an Isaac Clark in town, who was probably another brother of Abraham, Jr., and who probably lived in one of the two houses for a year or longer. He married a Miss Dutton of Stoddard. Abraham, Jr., had seven children, the eldest three of whom were born in this house. His little daughter, Tryphena, died here. The Clarks moved from here to Crown Point, N. Y. Almon Clark, a son of Abraham, Jr., born in this house, lived at Crown Point,


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N. Y., and in Amesbury and Andover, Mass. His daughter, Miss Lucia Fidelia Clark became one of the faculty of Wellesley College in the Latin department. She is a distinguished scholar. The Clarks sold this place, Nov. 23, 1811, to EPHRAIM APPLIN, a native of Swanzey, who married a sister of the late Ashley Spaulding. For several years he made coffins in the town, not charging, as a rule, more than $1.50 apiece for them. Mr. Applin's four children were all born here. The eldest became the wife of George Washington Nims. The other three died young, one (probably two) of them here, and one at 253, where he moved from here and lived until his death, Dec. 21, 1822. He was a farmer, carpenter, and wheelwright, as well as a cabinet maker. JAMES BOLSTER of Sullivan bought this farm of Applin, Mar. 12, 1819, but did not move upon it until after he was married in the following year. His first wife was a daughter of Capt. Samuel Seward. She died here in 1827. She had a son and three daughters. The youngest daughter died here when a child. Mr. Bolster married a second and a third time. He had four children by the second wife, the eldest two of whom were born here. He sold this farm, Dec. 26, 1835, (possession to be taken, Apr. 1, 1836), to Rev. Joel Wright of Sullivan, for the use of his son, DANIEL GROSVENOR WRIGHT, afterwards an Episcopalian doctor of divinity, who lived here about seven years. Here were born two sons of Mr. D. G. Wright. The younger of the two, Joel Williston Wright, M. D., was a distinguished New York physician and surgeon, who was a professor in the University Medical College in New York City, and also in the medical depart- ment of the University of Vermont. See pages 590 and 602. Amos Wardwell, Sr., purchased the place of the Wrights, Jan. 27, 1843. The latter's son, GEORGE WARDWELL, was a tenant here for about a year. Amos Wardwell, Sr., died Dec. 1, 1843, and AMOS WARDWELL, Jr., purchased this farm of the heirs, Dec. 29, 1843. He was well known to many who will read this paragraph. He was one of the most substantial citizens of the town. His judgment upon matters of property was excellent. He was conscientious and upright and acquired a com- petency. He married a daughter of Nathaniel Mason of East Sullivan. They had one daughter, who became the wife of AUGUSTUS F. NIMS, to whom Mr. Wardwell deeded an interest in the farm, Sept. 23, 1868. After the death of Mrs. Nims, Mr. Wardwell bought back the interest of Mr. Nims in the place, March 27, 1870. GEORGE W. MARSTON, who had married a niece of Mrs. Ward- well, bought the place, on May 15, 1884, with reserved rights for Mr. and Mrs. Wardwell, who lived here until their death, Mr. Wardwell dying, Feb. 26, 1889, after living upon the place forty-six years, and Mrs. Wardwell, May 6, 1904. Mr. Marston is a veteran of the Civil War. He was the postmaster of Sullivan for about 22 years. He is a quiet, worthy citizen. He had two children, both born before moving to town, a daughter who married John R. Wellman, and a son, DEA. EUGENE MARSTON, who purchased the place of his father and mother, March 2, 1905. He is a deacon of the First Congregational Church and a man who is highly esteemed in the community. He came to town with his father and has lived here since. He has one child.


237. The house built by Roswell Hubbard, Jr., occupied by several families at different times, where Samuel Locke, Esq., lived many years, also Daniel H. Mason, now owned by George L. Mason. It is on the same lot as 235, and, like


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the two preceding estates, was drawn by Stephen Griswold and passed from him successively to Joseph Ellis, Sr., Benjamin Ellis, N. Hills, Jr., Abel Allen, M. Saunders & Capt. S. Seward, Michael Saunders, and ROSWELL HUBBARD, Jr., as we saw under 235, where the dates are all given. Mr. Hubbard's purchase of the whole corner was on Dec. 23, 1824. He had previously built and operated a store at 234, as we saw under that paragraph. Before making this purchase, he had already sold the store. Mr. Hubbard built this house in 1824. As we stated under 235, Benjamin Ellis had a house on or very near this site, for about fifteen years, from about 1780 to 1795. We do not know whether that house was burned or moved away. No other man used it upon this spot. The barn remained for many years upon this corner. It was used by Abel Allen, who may have taken the house for the blacksmith shop that stood at 91 and 92. See those paragraphs. Mr. Hubbard had hardly bought this place before he decided to follow his father-in-law, Abel Allen, to Crown Point, N. Y. He sold the property, June 8, 1825, to WILLIAM BROWN of Sullivan, who built the house at 235. Twelve days later, on June 20, 1825, Mr. Brown sold this house and land on which it stood to EPHRAIM FOSTER, a blacksmith, who used the shop at 91. For a notice of Mr. Foster, see page 614. He sold the house, Apr. 16, 1828, to JOSEPH THURSTON, who married a sister of William Brown. Thurston was also a blacksmith, who used the shop at 91. He lived here nearly six years, and sold the house, Jan. 28, 1834, to ABIJAH WILDER KINGSBURY of Keene, who married a daughter of Samuel Locke, Esq. Mr. Wilder was a shoemaker and worked in the shop at 238. In a little more than a year, he sold the house, Feb. 21, 1835, to DAVID ESTY, a native of Keene, who married a sister of Bezaleel Keith (see 138) and had lived many years at 128. He was a shoemaker and also worked in the shop at 238. He sold the house, Apr. 27, 1838, to Joseph Felt of Sullivan, whose son, LEANDER FELT, occupied this place. He was a shoemaker and carried on quite a business in the shop at 238. His father, Joseph Felt, mortgaged this house, Nov. 12, 1842, to SAMUEL LOCKE, Esq., of Sullivan. Felt could not redeem the mortgage and Mr. Locke foreclosed about four years later and moved to this house. For a further notice of Mr. Locke, see 102. He died here, Jan. 20, 1860. His widow remained in the house until her death, May 12, 1861. The heirs then sold the house to GEORGE W. ESTY of Keene, Nov. 7, 1861, who sold it to Harriet L., widow of GEORGE WARDWELL, Nov. 21, 1863. Six years later, Oct. 1, 1869, she sold this place to DANIEL H. MASON of Sullivan, who had lived at 97 and 206. He was a blacksmith and worked in the shops at 92 and 205. After moving here, he operated a shop at 23012, as we stated under that paragraph. He died in this house, July 11, 1872. For a more extended notice of him, see 97. His widow continued to reside here with her son, George L., until her death, Apr. 16, 1896. The son, GEORGE L. MASON, has continued to reside in the house, and is still (1908) living here alone. He has given us much help in this work, assisting in the location of old homesteads and giving, from memory, much valuable information.


238. Site of the old shoe factory. BENJAMIN TYLER, sometime in the twenties, built this shop upon leased land. He employed several men and made quite a quantity of boots and shoes every year. He sold the shop (not the land) to GILMAN BREED, Sept. 13, 1833. Breed came from Nelson. He employed


88


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more men than Tyler had employed and did quite a flourishing business here for about three years, when he sold the shop (exclusive of the land under it) to Joseph Felt, Feb. 11, 1836. Felt's son, LEANDER FELT, used the shop for ten years. Joseph mortgaged it, Apr. 25, 1846, to Samuel Locke, Esq., who fore- closed the mortgage and Leander Felt moved to Templeton, Mass. William Brown owned the land on which the shop stood, until he sold it to Rev. Josiah Peabody. See 235. The shop was not used again. It was standing within the writer's memory, but has disappeared.


239. The old baptistry. It was a tank constructed in the brook and used by the Baptist Church several years for immersions, from about 1836 to about 1854. See page 430 for a more complete account of it. It still remains, but in a ruinous shape.


240. Site of the old hearse house. While it stood here, the entrance to the cemetery was through the building. Since its removal the present gate has been constructed on the site. See page 292 for a full account of the old hearse house.


241. Site of the old Wardwell potashery. On Oct. 31, 1818, AMOS WARD- WELL, Sr., bought that portion of the old Saunders farm at 242 which contained the buildings. He moved the old house to this spot and made a potashery of it in after years, when he purchased the Lane house. See 232. It was operated by him and his son, I. N. Wardwell, who bought the property of Amos. See 232. Either this building, or one built in connection with it was moved to the dwelling later and became a carriage house, and, in 1870, the blacksmith shop of D. H. Mason. See 23012.


242. Site of the old John Dimick, Jr., house, later owned by Michael Saun- ders. The homestead was on the second lot of the seventh range, to which, in all early deeds, the land between this and the Keene line, forming properly the first lot of the seventh range, was always attached. This land was drawn by Lemuel Willey of East Haddam, Conn., and sold by him, Nov. 13, 1769, to Allen Willey of the same place. On Mar. 2, 1772, Shubael Hurd of Gilsum bought the eastern half of all this land of Allen Willey. On the tenth of June, in 1772, Mr. Hurd sold the same to John Dimick Sr., then of Gilsum. On Jan. 8, 1773, the elder Dimick divided his lands in what is now Sullivan among his children. In that division, JOHN DIMICK, Jr., obtained this land and much more besides. On May 4, 1770, his father had already given other land to him. He thus became a quite large land-owner. He built the house at 242. He probably moved into it about 1777. In the obituary of Mrs. Joseph Ellis, Sr., it is stated that she was the third woman to settle in what is now Sullivan. The statement is not quite accurate. The meaning intended probably was that she was the third per- manent female settler who was a head of a family, the other two doubtless being Mrs. William Comstock and Mrs. James Rowe. Even this statement overlooked Mrs. Joshua Osgood, who was already at 247. Mrs. Chapman, a daughter of John Dimick, Sr., came to town about 1777, and very likely the Dimicks came about that time. John Dimick, Jr., had nine children, the eldest two of whom were probably born in what is still Gilsum, the remainder on this farm. John Dimick, Jr., is said to have had a very irascible disposition. He wanted all measures in a town meeting to be to his liking. On one occasion when a motion prevailed which he had bitterly opposed, he jumped to his feet and exclaimed,


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" I will not live in Sullivan nor any other town." He sold this farm, March 12, 1806, to THOMAS PACKER BATCHELDER, a son of the celebrated tory, Breed Batchelder, the first settler of Packersfield (in what is now Roxbury). This Thomas Packer Batchelder was the first male child born in that town and was named for the celebrated Thomas Packer, sheriff of New Hampshire, who owned all that part of the town now included in Sullivan and much more, and for whom the town was named. Batchelder could not pay for this place and deeded it back to Dimick, Aug. 25, 1808, who, in a few days, deeded it, Nov. 3, 1808, to MICHAEL SAUNDERS, who had married his daughter. Dimick moved to Pittsford, Vt., and died there. Saunders had been reared in the family of Dea. Josiah Seward. He had a daughter, Mary, who married Joseph Foster, famous as an expert glass blower in Keene in former days. Mr. Saunders lived here ten years and then moved to Pittsford, Vt. On various dates in 1818, he sold the farm in parcels ; on the 23d of April, a portion to Dr. Messer Cannon ; on the 30th of April, another portion to Samuel Locke; on the 2d of July, another piece to Dr. Cannon ; on the 29th of Oct, another portion to John Proctor; on the 30th of October, a portion to Joseph Seward ; on the 31st of October, a portion to Amos Wardwell, Sr .; and on the 13th of November, the remainder to Nathaniel Heaton. The farm was thus broken in pieces. We cannot take the space to trace subsequent owners of the pieces. Mr. Wardwell's purchase included the buildings which were allowed to stand a few years. Jeremiah Leland came here, with his family, as a tenant, in 1821, and remained two or three years. Then George Baker came as a tenant. He was here in 1824, probably a year earlier, and remained probably six or seven years. He was the victim of the tragedy described on pages 362 to 364. After Mr. Wardwell bought the Lane house at 232, he moved these old buildings down to 241 and converted them into a potash- ery, as we saw under that paragraph. That ended the existence of this farm as a separate farm.


243. Site of the old Dr. Cannon house, where George Hubbard, also George C. Hubbard, lived many years, and later, George F. Williams. This house stood upon a piece of land which was the west part of the original farm of John Dimick, Jr., which we described in the preceding paragraph, in which the owners may be seen in succession to Mr. Dimick. DR. MESSER CANNON bought the west side of that farm of John Dimick, Jr., Sept. 15, 1795. He came from New Salem, Mass., and had studied medicine with a Dr. Townsend. Several other pieces of land were added, later, to this original farm, making at last a good farm of it. Dr. Cannon was long the only physician of the town and had a considerably large practice for the time and place. He had four daughters. Two of them died when they were young ladies. One married George Hubbard of Sullivan, and the other married Stephen Dean of Keene. Dr. Cannon died here, Feb. 3, 1829. His widow survived him forty-three years and died, in her ninety-third year, at the house of her grandson, George C. Hubbard. On Oct. 6, 1818, GEORGE HUBBARD bought an undivided half of this farm of his father- in-law, Dr. Cannon, and made this his home until his death, June 12, 1853. He was a captain in the second company of cavalry in the old twentieth militia regiment, for a year or more. He was an intelligent and upright man and a substantial citizen. GEORGE C. HUBBARD succeeded his father upon this farm


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and remained upon it until he purchased the Foster farm, at 196, June 28, 1858. He was a valued and honored citizen of the town. For many years he was upon the school board and superintended the schools for a long time. He was him- self a successful schoolteacher. After leaving this farm, he lived in several places in Sullivan and Gilsum, and now (1908) resides in Fitzwilliam. This farm was at that time owned jointly. by the heirs of Dr. Cannon and George Hubbard, to whom it had come by inheritance. The widow of George Hubbard and Dr. K. D. Webster of Gilsum bought the farm of the heirs, July 22, 1864. Joseph Warren Beckwith moved his family here from Gilsum and lived on the place a few years, and died here, June 13, 1872. He was living with his fifth wife, who was Ruhamah Pierce, a native of Hancock. GEORGE F. WILLIAMS bought the farm of Dr. Webster and Mrs. Hubbard, Nov. 12, 1877. He came from Fitchburg, Mass., and returned to Fitchburg. He sold the place, Jan. I, 1884, to Frank W. Nims, 2d (son of Asahel), of Keene. Mr. Nims did not reside here, but used the farm to obtain the hay, wood and lumber crops. John E. Dow was a tenant here for a time. He lived in various other places in Sullivan, 202, 101, 228, and 173, also in Gilsum and Munsonville, and finally died in Keene. The old house was taken down about 1889, and used partly in repair- ing the barn and partly in building the little cabin that now stands on the place, at 244. Mr. Nims died in Keene, Jan. 23, 1900. His administrator, Wilson J. Nims, sold this farm, July 2, 1900, to Charles G. Wilder of Gilsum, who still owns it. Mr. Wilder has never lived upon this place.


244. This is a little building erected by FRANK W. NIMS, 2d (see the pre- ceding paragraph), about 1889, for a sort of summer camp. After he had sold the Osgood farm, at 247, to Mr. Plastridge, he built this cabin, to which he came in the summer, for a few days at a time, especially while he was cutting the hay upon the place. It was, of course, included in the sale to Mr. Wilder. A Frenchman named Lovely, as Yankees pronounced his name, lived here in 1906, with a negress for his " lady of the house". The cabin has had no other occupant except those who have " camped " in it for a few days at a time, or have used it while cutting the grass upon the farm.


245. The site of the Jesse Wheeler house. JESSE WHEELER of Keene bought a part of the second lot of the sixth range, Sept. 7, 1780, of Obadiah Smith, Jr., of Gilsum. On Oct. 9, 1801, the same Smith, then of Tunbridge, Vt., sold to Jesse Wheeler the west half of the second lot of the seventh range. The sixth lot had been drawn by Josiah Blodgett of Windsor, Conn., who sold it, Jan. 14, 1767, to Job Gleason, then of Gilsum, who sold it, Dec. 12, 1780, to Abner Sanger of Keene, from whom this part of it passed to Smith. The second lot of the seventh range, which the deeds show really covered all the land south to the Keene line, was drawn by Lemuel Willey of East Haddam, Conn., who sold it to Allen Willey of the same place, March 2, 1772. From him it passed into the Smith family. Mr. Wheeler must have lived nearly twenty years upon his home lot before he actually purchased it, or before the deed was signed. Such occupancy before purchase was not unusual in those days. Mr. Wheeler was a very eccentric man. Like Micawber, one of the characters of Dickens, he talked as if he were a man of means and intelligence, while being really very poor in purse and not unusually gifted intellectually. His rude house was never


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finished. It was only one end of what he boasted that the completed structure was to be. He used to speak of his "square room ", however, as if it were actually built. One day some boys of the neighborhood called at his door and asked him if they could engage "his square room for a ball, in order that the beautiful room might have a suitable dedication ". The old man was a very devout churchman, and he regarded the request as a double insult, in violating his religious scruples on one hand, and mocking his poverty on the other. Shortly after, he sold his land to Joshua Osgood, in two deeds bearing the dates of Feb. 24, 1801, and Jan. 26, 1802, respectively. In the summer of 1802, he left town and probably went to Hinsdale, in which town he had purchased land of Walter Wheeler, as early as July 9, 1799. This old cabin was never again used, and the farm was added to the already large farm of Joshua Osgood. See 247.


246. Site of the Breed Osgood house. The farm on which this house stood was formerly a part of the Joshua Osgood farm. See 247. BREED Os- GOOD was a son of Joshua, who sold to his sons, Roswell and Breed, each an undivided half of the whole farm, July 16, 1812. For the earlier history of the farm, see the next paragraph. Roswell and Breed divided their land, Nov. 25, 1814, Roswell keeping the home farm and Breed taking the eastern part, on which this house was built that year for his occupancy. Breed Osgood was married, Dec. 6, 1814, and began his housekeeping here, which was his home .until his death, Apr. 8, 1826, of consumption. He left a widow and one son, Charles Osgood. The widow soon after married Roswell Osgood, whose first wife died very soon after her marriage. Breed Osgood had five children, four of whom died in infancy before himself. The real estate descended to CHARLES OSGOOD, who sold the part containing the buildings to his uncle (and father-in- law), Roswell Osgood, Oct. 3, 1856, and the remainder, a detached portion, to Dauphin Spaulding, Dec. 1, 1849. On Feb. 27, 1827, Mrs. Breed Osgood became the wife of Roswell Osgood, and this farm was rented to several different per- sons in after years. George Baker, the victim of the tragedy recorded on pages 362-3, was a tenant here a few years, about 1829 to 1833. Philander Nims, who had lived many years at 164, where his children were born, lived here a few years, from 1836. After this, Curtis Spaulding lived in the house for a short time. The old buildings were removed between 1840 and 1850. Ever since the sale by Charles Osgood to Roswell Osgood, the place has been a part of the farm described in the next paragraph.


247. The old Joshua and Roswell Osgood house, repaired recently by George H. Giffin of Keene and now owned by Sidney A. Nims. This was one of the largest and best farms in Sullivan. It was made up of "pitches ", as the portions of land in Keene were called which were granted to owners and assigns of the original house lots upon the main street of the town, when the common land of the township was divided between them, in several successive divisions. The " pitches " which composed this original farm were assigned to JEREMIAH STILES, Feb. 1, 1769 and Feb. 14, 1770, as portions of the eighth, ninth, and tenth divisions of land, in virtue of the house lots, 2, 6, 20, and 31, in Keene, to which "pitches", by purchase and inheritance, Mr. Stiles had become entitled. He built a house on this spot and lived here a year or per-


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haps two years or more. He sold the farm, May 1, 1772, to JOSHUA OSGOOD of a family hailing from Lancaster, Mass. He had been living a short time in Keene. Mr. Osgood lived ten or eleven years in the old Stiles house, and built this house in 1783, as indicated by a brick in the chimney. It is by far the oldest house standing in the town, although modern repairs have greatly changed its primitive appearance. Joshua Osgood lived here until his death, July 28, 1828. He had a large family of nine children, all sons but one. The daughter married Joshua Lawrence, Jr., of Roxbury. One son died in infancy. Iddo lived in Keene, N. Y .; John was a merchant tailor in Keene; Joshua, Jr., was a blacksmith in Rutland, Vt .; Zephaniah was in business in Charlestown, Mass .; Nahum was a clergyman in the Protestant Episcopal church ; and Ros- well and Breed settled in Sullivan. Joshua Osgood, long before his death, settled the farm upon his two sons, ROSWELL and BREED OSGOOD, July 16, 1812. They divided the farm, Nov. 25, 1814, ROSWELL OSGOOD remaining on the homestead, and Breed taking the eastern side of the farm, with a new house at 246. Roswell Osgood was a man of good judgment and an excellent farmer. He was made a justice of the peace in 1831 and did much legal business. He lived here until his death, Sept. 27, 1868. He was three times married. About a month before his death, he made a will, leaving the farm to his two sons, GEORGE W. and ROSWELL CURTIS OSGOOD, with provision for his wife and other children. ROSWELL C. OSGOOD, Sept. 9, 1869, bought the undivided half interest of his brother in the farm. He lived here eight years after his father's death. He was unmarried and his mother and youngest sister occupied the house with him. Roswell and his mother by deeds, dated respectively, May 29, and June 9, in the year 1876, sold this farm to FRANK W. NIMS, 2d, of Keene, son of Asahel, who lived here summers for a portion of the time, especially in the haying season. The Osgoods went to Kansas. Roswell C. Osgood died suddenly from an injury received, near Sand Point, Idaho, by a tree falling upon him, July 14, 1902. Crosby A. Mason, a native of Sullivan, was a tenant in this house from 1877 to 1880. Three of his children were born here. This was while Mr. Nims owned the place. AMASA PLASTRIDGE, the father-in-law of Mr. Nims, bought an undivided half of the farm, Dec. 30, 1884, and the other half, Aug. 13, 1888. He had a place in Keene but lived here summers. GEORGE H. GIFFIN of Keene bought the farm of Plastridge, June 10, 1904. He wanted it for wood and lumber more particularly. John H. Curtis occupied the house during the time that Mr. Giffin owned it. Mr. Giffin sold the farm to the GIF- FIN COAL Co. of Keene, Sept. 19, 1906. The latter company sold it to SIDNEY A. NIMS of Keene, a son of Elmer A. Nims, and a nephew of Frank W. Nims, 2d, Feb. 16, 1907. Mr. Nims lives here summers. The house has been put in excellent condition and is very convenient for a summer home.




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