USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Merrimack and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 16
USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Merrimack and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 16
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AMES E. RANDLETT, a well-known architect of Concord, was born Septem- ber 5, 1846, in Quincy, Mass., son of James S. and Abbie O. (Chase) Randlett. The father, a native of Gilford, N. H., worked at his trade of stone cutter for a num- ber of years in the stone yards of Quincy. One of the largest and most important build- ings in whose construction he assisted, was the custom-house in Boston, Mass. He is now living retired in Concord, N.H.
His wife, Abbie, who came from Bidde- ford, Me., has had three children, namely : Abbie A., who died in 1865; Henry K., who resides in New York City; and James E., the subject of this sketch.
James E. Randlett, our subject, was edu- cated in the district schools of Quincy, Mass., and of Gilmanton, N.H., and from private tutors in the evening. Upon the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion, when only fifteen years of age, he enlisted as a drummer boy in Company B, Twelfth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry. At the first opportunity that presented itself he forsook the drum for the musket, and participated in the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellors - ville. His term of service in the army
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covered three years. On its expiration he went to Lowell, Mass., and there learned the carpenter and cabinet-maker trades. These he afterward followed for some twenty years. Having subsequently returned to Concord, he was the first man to receive the appointment of letter-carrier when the United States free letter delivery service was established in that city. After holding that position for about four years, he resigned, and was appointed the keeper of the State House at Concord. This office he resigned after two years, to enter into partnership with Edward Dow, the archi- tect. Since Mr. Dow's death in July, 1894, Mr. Randlett has continued the business alone. He has designed many prominent and well-known structures, both public and pri- vate, among which are the main building of the New Hampshire Agricultural College at Durham, the town halls of Antrim and Ep- ping, and the Capital Fire Insurance Build- ing. Numerous business blocks in the towns of Newport and Exeter were also erected on his plans. He drew the plans, and built at his own expense a fine edifice, which was greatly needed, for the especial use of the Young Men's Christian Association of Con- cord, and which he still owns. He was Ad- jutant of the Third New Hampshire Regiment for five years. At one time he was the Assist- ant Inspector of the Grand Army of the Re- public, under General Cogswell.
Mr. Randlett married Georgie Gray, of Concord, and has two children. His son; Clarence B., who at one time was Deputy Sec- retary of State of New Hampshire, and now resides at Council Bluffs, Ia., married Flor- ence Langmaid, and has one child, William E. Mr. Randlett's daughter, Elizabeth M., who is unmarried, lives at home with her par- ents. In politics a Republican, he cast his first Presidential vote for General Grant in
1868. He is a comrade of Sturdevant Post, No. 2, G. A. R., of Concord; and a member of the K. of P. and K. of H. Mr. Randlett is highly esteemed both for his private char- acter and for the high rank he has taken in his profession.
OSEPH WARREN PIERCE, a promi- nent resident of South Cornish, was born August 18, 1837, at Winchester, N.H., son of Hosea and Verlina (Putnam) Pierce. On the maternal side he traces his ancestry back to Israel Putnam, of Revolution- ary fame, and to General Joseph Warren, the hero of Bunker Hill. His grandfather, Elihu Pierce, born in Connecticut, married a Torrey, and had three children. Elihu carried on a large farming business, and was very promi- nent in town affairs in New Salem, Mass., where, after being a resident for the greater part of his life, he died. He was Selectman and Overseer of the Poor for many years. His children were: Hosea, Alvira, and a daughter who became Mrs. Putnam. Alvira married Silas Spear, of Orange, Mass. Mrs. Putnam, who had three children, died at New Salem.
Hosea Pierce, born in New Salem in 1801, was a physician, having graduated from a medical college at Pittsfield, Mass. He set- tled in Winchester, N.H., and practised there for about fifty years, acquiring, it is claimed, the largest practice of any physician in this section of the State. He was sent as Repre- sentative to the legislature from his district for two terms. By his wife, Verlina, he was the father of three children - George W., Elihu P., and Joseph W. George W., who is a physician, has succeeded to his brother's practice. He married Maria C. Follett, who had by him four children, all of whom are liv- ing. The other brother, Elihu, born at Win- chester, lives at Springfield, Mass., where he
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is a practising physician. He has been three times married. The first wife was Maria Baker Pierce, and his present wife is Emma Bullard Pierce. Both brothers served in the Civil War.
Joseph Warren Pierce was educated in the public schools at Winchester and in Mount Cæsar Academy at Swanzey, N. H. He after- ward studied dentistry, and began to practise it in the South, where he worked for two or three years. He then came North, and lo- cated in Winchester. One year after he went to the military school at Philadelphia, Pa., and from there into the army. He entered as Second Lieutenant of the Fifth Regiment of United States Infantry, and was in action at Fort Harrison and Deep Bottom, and was present at the surrender of Petersburg, at Bunkersville Point, Farnumville, and Ap- pomattox. After the war Mr. Pierce was en- gaged in a mercantile business for fourteen years at Claremont, and then bought a farm in Cornish. He married Mary Emmeline Fair- banks, of Winchester. His only child, Verlina Relief, who was born September 27, 1872, married Clyde Rawson, of Cornish, the superintendent of mills at Springfield, Vt. Mr. Pierce never held a public office, notwith- standing the fact that he takes an earnest in- terest in all the public affairs of the town. He has, however, been President of the Re- publican Club for a number of years and one of the supervisors of the check list of the town.
J OHN C. WEBSTER, a leading resident of Danbury, was born in Pelham, N.H., February 24, 1833, son of John Webster and a descendant of the famous Webster family. The first Webster in this country came trom Ipswich, England, and set- tled in Ipswich, Mass. John C. belongs to
the eighth generation in America. The pa- ternal grandfather, Ebenezer, went when a young man to Pelham from Haverhill, Mass., and there cleared and settled on a farm given him by his father. Ebenezer married Eliza- beth Bradford.
John Webster, also a native of Pelham, was a farmer, and lived for many years on the homestead cleared by Ebenezer. He subse- quently sold his place at Pelham, and re- moved to Hudson, where he died in his ninety-second year. His wife, Hannah Cum- mings Webster, had thirteen children, all born on the homestead except the youngest. Eleven of these reached maturity ; namely, Elizabeth, Moses, Sally, Lovice, Lucy, Kim- ball, Hannah, John C., Nathan, Willard, and Orrin. The survivors besides John C. are: Elizabeth, who resides in Hudson, the widow of Warren Blodgett; Sally, who is the widow of Simeon Titcomb, and has three children - Albert, Charles, and Nellie; Lovice, who is Mrs. John Baker, of Hudson, and has three children - John P., Willis, and Nettie R .; Lucy, who is the mother of five children and the wife of Daniel B. Cluff, of Haverhill, Mass .; and Kimball, who is married and has five daughters.
John C. Webster, the eighth child of his parents, received his early training in the public schools. Later he studied at Hudson Academy. He then engaged in the shoe busi- ness for about five years, and afterward lived in Boston, where he carried on a business in periodicals. Returning afterward to New Hampshire, he opened a general merchandise store at Andover. In 1863 he came to Dan- bury, where he has since lived.
Mr. Webster has been twice married. The first Mrs. Webster, whose maiden name was Miss Hannah C. Keniston, had one son, Frank K. The name of his present wife before her
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marriage was Addie L. Currier. Mr. and Mrs. Webster have a daughter by adoption, Gertie Bell. Mr. Webster has always taken an active part in civil affairs. In 1890-91 he was Sheriff of the county. A re-election to the office was lost by only one vote. He has served in the more important town offices, hav- ing been Town Clerk for seventeen years and Selectman for ten years. In 1870-71 he was a member of the legislature. In politics he has always been a Democrat, and his first Presidential vote was cast for James Buchanan in 1856. He is an esteemed member of the Masonic order.
RTHUR WILSON SILSBY, of Con- cord, who for the past thirteen years has been Judge of Probate for Merri- mack County, was born in Concord, August 28, 1851, son of George H. H. and Sarah F. (Chickering) Silsby. He is a direct descend- ant of Henry Silsby, who emigrated from England about the year 1630, and settled in Salem, Mass. Captain Henry Silsby, great- grandfather of Arthur W., was an early settler in Acworth, N.H. He served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and was a member of the Committee of Public Safety. His son, Ozias, Judge Silsby's grandfather, was a Con- gregational preacher.
George H. H. Silsby, the father of Judge Silsby, born in Hillsborough, came to reside in Concord when he was fifteen years old. He was a stationer, printer, and bookbinder, and followed that business during the active period of his life. His wife, Sarah, who was born in Danvers, Mass., descended from Revolu- tionary patriots. Her grandfather, John Chickering, participated in the battle of Bunker Hill.
Arthur Wilson Silsby acquired his educa- tion in the public and high schools of Con-
cord. He also took a short course at the well- known Phillips Academy in Exeter, N.H., and fitted for college. He commenced the study of law with the firm of Minot, Tappan & Mugridge, of Concord. Later, after complet- ing his preparations with Mr. Mugridge, he was admitted to the Merrimack County bar in August, 1877. Thereupon he entered into practice, remaining in the office with Mr. Mugridge until his death, which took place in April, 1884. On September 14, 1883, he was appointed Judge of Probate; and he has since presided over that court with ability, and gives general satisfaction. His deci- sions have been marked by an earnest desire to accord justice in all cases coming before him, and he has shown that he is eminently qualified for this responsible office. Judge Silsby is unmarried. In politics he supports the Republican party. He is a member of the Sons of the Revolution.
EORGE BARSTOW WALKER, a leading resident of Cornish, comes of a family whose representatives have been distinguished for manly Christian character and pure lives. His grandfather, Peter Walker, lived and died in Cornish, and was one of the prominent farmers of this section. Peter had four children - Joseph, Moses, Cyrus, and Eathan - none of whom are now living.
Moses Walker, the father of George B., was born in Cornish in 1812. He was educated in the town schools, and began his working life as·a farmer. Later he did a large busi- ness, and became very prosperous. Besides doing more or less general farming, he raised high-bred cattle and horses. Throughout his life he was prominently identified with the Democratic party, and he was several
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times a candidate for Selectman on the Demo- cratic ticket. He was twice married. His first wife, whose maiden name was Martha Davis, bore him one child, Henry Warner Walker, who was born in 1831, and resides in Cornish, engaged in farming. The second wife, christened Betsy Bugbee, was the mother of seven children; namely, George B., Eliza Ann, Martin L. and Louis N. (twins), Melvin Alanson, Maria, and Luella. Eliza married Hiram York, resides with her hus- band at South Cornish, and has two children - Elmer E. and Ida. Mr. York is one of the leading farmers of the town. Martin L .. Walker, who is a prosperous farmer of Cor- nish and a Deacon of the Congregational church, married Lizzie Bailey, and has twelve children. Louis Walker, a gunsmith by trade and the owner of considerable property, mar- ried Kate Sawtelle, and resides in Ilion, N. Y. Retaining the fondness for flowers that char- acterized him when a boy, he has built a fine large hot-house, to which he devotes consider- able time. He is and always has been a stanch Democrat. Melvin Walker married Lydia Cole, and has one daughter, Fannie. He is likewise a Democrat, and is a sturdy, enterprising farmer. Maria is the wife of Henry Fairbanks, and lives in Claremont, this State. Luella is now the widow of East- man Bean, and resides in Claremont with her daughter.
George B. Walker was born in Cornish, August 29, 1841. He received his early edu- cation in the schools of his native town. Upon starting life for himself, he became a farmer and carpenter. He has always been a busy man; and, though a loyal Democrat and deeply interested in the affairs of the town, his many business interests have prevented him from taking any very active part in poli- tics. His character as a citizen is irreproach-
able, and he has many warm friends. Mr. Walker married Lorette Jackson, of Cornish, daughter of Newton and Ellen (Chapman) Jackson; and two sons have blessed the mar- riage. The elder son, John Jackson, was born in Cornish, September 14, 1871, and died May 23, 1888. He was in every respect a most promising young man, and his charac- ter from childhood showed the effects of his early Christian training. At the time of his death he was a member of the Christian En- deavor Society and the Church Temperance Society connected with the church in which he had been brought up. He was soon to have united with the church. The younger son, Homer Newton, born October 11, 1878, lives at home, and is the object of tenderest affection of his parents. He works in the saw-mill, and is ambitious and enterprising. Mrs. Walker, like her husband, is a member of the Congregational church, and an active worker in its benevolent and auxiliary so- cieties. Her mother is still living, and is now Mrs. Jacob Beal.
B ENJAMIN F. GALE, who was for many years a prominent citizen of Concord, was born May 13, 1819. His grandfather, Daniel Gale, a son of Cap- tain Benjamin Gale, was a native of Haver- hill, Mass. A blacksmith by trade, Daniel came at the age of twenty to Concord, and here married Ruth Carter, a daughter of Dr. Ezra Carter, the first physician of Concord. The father, Benjamin Gale, kept a tavern at the corner of Warren and Main Streets in Concord for forty years. This was in the days of the old stage-coach, before the rail- road was built; and the greater part of the travellers of that time stopped with Landlord Gale. He had an extensive acquaintance,
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and was a favorite with all classes of people on account of his geniality and kindly cour- tesy. He moved at last to a house on Pleasant Street, where he died at the age of eighty- seven years, leaving the reputation of a be- nevolent man. His wife, Prudence, was a daughter of James Varnum, a soldier who served seven years in the War of Indepen- dence, and a comrade of ex-Governor Pierce, of this State. Benjamin and Prudence Gale reared six children - James V., Ruth C., Eleanor V., John V., Benjamin F., and Levi B. The only one of these now living is Eleanor, who resides in the West, nearly ninety years of age. The father died August 11, 1856.
Benjamin F. Gale received his education from the district schools and in the academies at Francestown and Hopkinton. Later on he taught school in Francestown Academy. At the age of twenty-one years he was a surveyor, and went to the West in order to secure em- ployment in the government land surveys. Here, however, he was taken sick of fever, and was obliged to return home. He then bought the Kemp pasture, a stretch of fifty acres, all being good house lots. Afterward for a number of years he was engaged in the nursery business, and was prominent in town affairs. Respected for his integrity and good judgment, his fellow-townsmen chose him to fill important town offices. For four years he was City Marshal. In 1863 and 1864 he was Mayor of the city, and for several terms he was its Representative in the State legis- lature. In politics Mr. Gale was one of the Republican leaders in this section. He was Orthodox in religious belief and a constant attendant of the Congregational church.
In June, 1846, Mr. Gale was united in marriage with Julia L. Morse, daughter of Mark and Rebecca (Campbell) Morse, Mrs.
Morse is a relation of S. F. B. Morse, the in- ventor of the telegraph, and of Elijah Morse, of Canton, the ex-Congressman and philan- thropist. She belongs to the seventh genera- tion descended from Samuel Morse, who was the progenitor of the race in this country, and is buried at Medfield, Mass.
HARLES H. FARNUM, the owner of a fine farm in Concord, comes of ancestors who were among the earli- est settlers of the town. He was born upon the patrimonial estate, December 30, 1838, son of Benjamin and Emily (Farnum) Far- num. According to New England records the first bearer of the name in this country was Ralph Farnum, who came from Wales; while the first representative of the family in Concord was Benjamin, the great-grandfather of Charles H. Ephraim Farnum, the grand- father, who was born in West Concord on the . estates of his ancestors, reclaimed from the wilderness a large tract of land, which he left to his heirs, a large and well-improved prop- erty. He died at the age of sixty-five years. He married Sarah Brown, of Plymouth, N. H., who bore him six children - Joseph, Nancy, Benjamin, Susan D., Lydia, and Luther. Luther, who died March 15, 1897, at the ad- vanced age of eighty-one years, was the noted Professor Farnum, who had been connected with the Public Library of Boston, Mass., for more than forty years.
Benjamin Farnum, Jr., was born on the family estate in West Concord, and received his education in the district schools of his na- tive town. At his father's decease he in- herited the farm, and took up and continued its cultivation and improvement from the stage where his father had dropped it. In the year 1845 he erected a fine set of new buildings,
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which are still standing. He was regarded by his generation as an able and progressive man, and he carried on an extensive business in farming. For more than forty years he was a Deacon in the First Concord Congrega- tional Church, and he attained the advanced age of eighty-seven years and seven months. He married Emily Farnum, daughter of Moses and Rhoda (Carter) Farnum, and reared a family of six children. These were: George, who died at the age of fifteen years; Rhoda, who died at the age of twenty years; Charles H., the subject of this sketch; Cyrus R., who lives in Concord; Lewis C., a resident of Mc- Gregor, Ia., who married Jennie Tiffany, and has one daughter, Emily F .; and George E., a farmer, living in Spencer, Ia., who married Josephine Jacobs, and has four children - Roswell, Eugenia F., Annie E., and Mattie B.
Charles H. Farnum received his education in the public and private schools of Concord and at Colby Academy of New London, N.H. At the age of twenty-two years he went to California, where he remained three and a half years engaged in the teaming business. In 1863 he went to Nevada, and was there some five years, teaming, lumbering, and running a saw-mill. It was his purpose to remain longer; but, on paying a visit to his home, he yielded to the earnest solicitation of his mother, and took up his residence again on the homestead estate, where he still lives.
On November 29, 1870, which is memo- rable as the day on which the old Concord church was destroyed by fire, Mr. Farnum was united in marriage to Annie L. Farnum, the daughter of Moses H. and Judith (Kilburn) Farnum. Mrs. Farnum's grandfather, Enoch Kilburn, served as a soldier in the Revolu- tionary War. Her only child died in infancy. Mr. Farnum is a Republican in his politics, and he cast his first Presidential vote for
Abraham Lincoln in 1860. He enjoys the esteem and good will of his fellow-citizens, who at one time selected him to represent them in their City Council.
DWARD BRYANT, a prominent resi- dent of Cornish, was born in this town, February 7, 1837, son of Daniel and Cloe (Hildreth) Bryant. His grandfather, Israel Bryant, born in Connecticut, came to Cornish when a young man. Israel and his wife were the parents of nine children. Of these Daniel, a native of Cornish, born in 1815, was educated in the public schools of his native town. After completing his educa- tion he engaged in farming. Subsequently for many years he was foreman of the stock farm of Ebenezer Pike, having charge of the best blooded cattle in the country. His repu- tation was that of a man who thoroughly understood how to secure the finest results from the breeding and raising of fine-blooded animals. Devoted to his home, he did not aspire to political distinction. His religious views were liberal, and he was a regular at- tendant at the Universalist church. On the first day of May, 1834, he married Cloe, daughter of Samuel Hildreth, of Cornish. They had four children - George, Edward, Charles, and Charlotte. George, born Janu- ary 22, 1836, died in infancy; Charles, born October 3, 1838, died between the ages of three and four years; Charlotte, born in Cor- nish, was educated in the public schools of the town, at Kimball Union Academy, and at Windsor, Vt. She married William E. West- gate, and has two children - Earl and Martha, both of whom are married.
Edward Bryant obtained his education in the public schools of his native town and at the Claremont Academy. He then went to
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SARAH FORREST GORRELL.
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work on the farm with his father. Upon the death of the latter he succeeded to the man- agement of the property, which has been in his charge ever since. Like his father, he prefers the quiet of his own fireside to the turmoil of public life. He attends and sup- ports the Universalist church; is a Mason of Cheshire Lodge, No. 23 ; and was for a time a member of the grange. Mr. Bryant married Miss Julia Helen Gilkey, of Plainfield, daugh- ter of James Gilkey. Born August 5, 1842, she died November 6, 1889. Her four chil- dren were: James D., Julia Janette, Charles E., and John G. James, the eldest son, born March 1, 1861, has always assisted his father on the farm. Julia, born March 1, 1872, is housekeeping for her father. Charles, born April 21, 1873, who was educated at Cornish and Windsor, went into the hotel business as clerk, and has been connected with the Wind- sor House at Windsor and with hotels in Claremont and Lowell. John, born March 4, 1875, after leaving school, learned the jew- eller's business, but was subsequently obliged to give it up. He is now in the hotel busi- ness in Massachusetts.
GA AWN E. GORRELL, a farmer and well-known Republican of North- field, was born May 16, 1857, son of Clough and Sarah (Forrest) Gorrell, both na- tives of Northfield. The grandfather, Gawn A. Gorrell, a native of Salem, Mass., was the first of the family to come to Northfield. He settled on a farm near the home now occupied by his grandson, and resided there until his death.
Clough Gorrell was also a farmer. When quite a young man he settled on the Thomas Clough farm, where his son now lives, and lived there for the remainder of his life. He
died May 20, 1890, at the age of eighty years. His wife's death occurred December 19, 1888, at the age of seventy-four. She was born Sep- tember 8, 1814, daughter of William and Nancy (Dearborn) Forrest, and the fourth of the nine children born to her parents. She joined the Methodist Episcopal church, now of Tilton, and was subsequently a steadfast member for fifty-six years. A woman of energy and character, she was a faithful wife and one of the kindest of mothers. The two children born to them both grew to maturity. Addie, the elder, married Thomas W. Long, and since his decease she has lived on the Long homestead in Northfield. She had one child, Marcia E., who died at the age of seven years.
After finishing the course of the Northfield public schools, Gawn E. Gorrell studied at Tilton Seminary, teaching at the same time in the district schools. On the death of his father he assumed charge of the homestead farm, where he has since devoted himself to farming. He owns one hundred and fifty acres of land, and he has supplemented the improvements begun by his father with new and substantial buildings. Besides carrying on general farming with success, he keeps a profitable dairy.
Earnestly interested in the general welfare of his native town, and taking an active part in politics, Mr. Gorrell has served in some town offices. He was Selectman in 1881-82, 1883-84, and 1891-92. He was a member of the School Board from 1891 to 1897, and he is also a Trustee of the Ionia Savings Bank of Tilton. An Odd Fellow in good standing, he is a member of Harmony Lodge, No. 65, of Tilton, and of Tilton Encampment. He is also a member of Friendship Grange, No. 110, of Northfield, and a regular attendant of all the meetings of that organization. He attends
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