USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Merrimack and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 28
USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Merrimack and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 28
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and is now practising his profession in Deca- tur, Ill. He wedded Mary Thatcher, a native of Pennsylvania, and has one daughter- Ber- tha T. Evelyn is the wife of Charles E. Cox, of Manchester, and has four children -- Walter, Guy, Louis, and Channing. Olive married Robert I. Stern, of Manchester, and has no children. Mrs. Thomas B. Randall lived seventy-two years.
Frank E. Randall passed a portion of his boyhood in Manchester, but eventually returned to Pittsfield. He began his education in the common schools of his native town, and com- pleted his studies at the Pittsfield Academy. Having prepared himself for educational work, he was engaged in the calling of teacher for twenty-five years, three in Farmington, N. H., and the rest in Pittsfield. In 1886 he was first appointed Postmaster, in which capacity he served four years. In 1894 President Cleveland appointed him to the same position, which he still holds. In this town he owns a small farm, the cultivation of which, together with his official duties, takes up his entire time and attention. In politics he is a Dem- ocrat, and he has long been a leading spirit in local public affairs. He was Superintendent of Schools for twenty years, and was Selectman and Town Clerk for one term each. In 1877 and 1878 he represented his district in the legislature, and he was County Auditor in 1879. He has also served upon the Board of Education; and, when the Police Court was located in Pittsfield, he was Special Police Justice for seven years.
On December 20, 1876, Mr. Randall was united in marriage with Mary Abbie Fife, daughter of John H. Fife, of Epsom, N. H. She is the mother of two children : Bertha M., born August 6, 1878; and Helen D., born June 25, 1884. Mr. Randall is connected with N. H. Woodbine Lodge, I. O. O. F., of
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Farmington, N. H., and with the Improved Order of Red Men. Mrs. Randall is a mem- ber of the Free Will Baptist church.
EABODY HODGDON ADAMS, a successful general merchant of Pitts- field, was born in Barnstead, N. H., April 22, 1820, son of John and Sally (Sew- ard) Adams. Four of his ancestors came from England; and one of them, who was a Congregational minister, settled at Newing- ton, N. H. William Adams, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a carpenter by trade. He was also a farmer; and he resided in Barnstead all his life, attaining the age of seventy years. He supported the Whig party in politics, while his religious belief was that of the Congregational denomination. He married Hannah Jacobs, who had four chil- dren, and lived about eighty years.
John Adams, eldest child of his parents, was born in Barnstead. When a young man he learned the carpenter's trade, which, with farming, was the main occupation of the active period of his life. He resided in Barnstead until his death, which occurred when he was seventy-eight years old. In politics he was a Whig. His wife, Sally, was a daughter of George Seward, of Barnstead, whose death oc- curred at about the same age as that of her husband. She was a member of the Congre- gational church. She became the mother of twelve children, eight sons and four daughters, eight of whom are living. These are: Pea- body H., Frank, George W., Nathaniel W., Alvah, Hannah, Mary, and Nancy. Frank married for his first wife a Miss Taylor, of Lowell, who had one daughter, Susie. For his second wife he wedded a lady named Holt, who had three children - Abbie, Blanche, and Frank, Jr. George W. married a Miss Ware,
of Lowell, Mass .; and his children are: El- vira, Lyman, Sadie, Clara, Ralph W., and Arthur W. Nathaniel married Amanda Blake, and has one son, William. Alvah married Amanda Green, and has one son, Lewis. Mary is the widow of Eliphalet Miller, and has no children. Nancy is the widow of a Mr. Novin, late of Minneapolis, Minn., and has three children - Fred, Clara, and Ida.
Peabody Hodgdon Adams was educated in the schools of Barnstead and Loudon, N. H. After completing his studies, he learned the carpenter's trade with his father, and subse- quently followed it and farming for many years in Loudon. In 1865 he moved to Pitts- field, where he bought a farm located on Con- cord Hill; and he resided there until 1876. In 1874, with his son, Frank W., he formed the firm, P. H. Adams & Co., who have since conducted a profitable general mercantile busi- ness.
On March 15, 1847, Mr. Adams wedded Martha S. Wells, daughter of Stephen Wells, of Loudon, N. H. Of their three children two are living - Elizabeth and Frank W. Elizabeth is the wife of Clarence Johnson, of Pittsfield; and her children are: Scott A. and Edward L. Frank W. married Hattie Marston, daughter of John Marston, of this town, and has one daughter, Abbie A. Mrs. P. H. Adams died October 17, 1893. In politics Mr. Adams is a Republican, and he has served with ability as a Selectman for three years. He attends the Free Will Bap- tist church, of which the late Mrs. Adams was a member.
OSEPH RUSSELL, EsQ., a merchant of Sunapee, was born July 8, 1836, son of Jonathan and Phæbe (Hazelton) Russell. His father, Jonathan Russell, a na-
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JOSEPH RUSSELL.
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tive of Manchester, N. H., born July 20, 1801, who was an industrious, hard-working man, spent the most of his life in New London, George's Mills, and Springfield, N.H. For his first wife he married Hannah Johnson, who died November 8, 1825, in Chester, N.H. They had two children, both now deceased, namely: Robinson, born January 22, 1822; and John, born April 22, 1825. His second wife, in maidenhood Phoebe Hazelton, who was born September 20, 1800, in New London, had four children, as follows: William, born December 4, 1829; Oliver, born October 2, 1831; Jonathan, born October 13, 1833; and Joseph, the subject of this sketch. Of these children William is deceased; Oliver is at present living in Lawrence, Mass. ; and Jona- than is in Lawrence, Kan. Afterward he successively married Sarah Hazelton and Anna M. Frothingham. He died March 8, 1884.
Joseph Russell received his early education in the schools of New London. When quite young he began to work on his father's farm. At the age of twenty years he engaged in gen- eral farming on his own account, and was so occupied until 1829. Then he started in trade in Otterville, where he remained about seven years. Subsequently, after staying in Sunapee for a short time, he went back to New London, and engaged in lumbering and farming. In 1882 he again removed to Suna- pee, and opened a general store, which he car- ried on until a short time ago, when he sold out. Now, besides following the business of auctioneer, he is a partner in the firm of Maxson & Co., who conduct a general store. In politics he is a Democrat. He is a Justice of the Peace and Quorum, and he has been Se- lectman, Supervisor, and Moderator.
In 1856 he married for his first wife Har- riett Palmer, who died January 5, 1889. She left one child, Roena A. Russell, born De-
cember 24, 1861, who now lives in Dundee, Ill., and is the wife of S. M. Abbott. On February 26, 1890, he married Ella M. Emer- son, who was born in Grantham, N. H., Janu- ary 16, 1862, daughter of John and Mary Emerson. By this union there were two chil- dren : Floyd, who died at the age of one year ; and Leighton J., born June 10, 1891. In re- ligion Mr. Russell and Mrs. Russell are lib- erals. He has been quite successful in his business, being a hard worker and very indus- trious. He is a prominent man in the com- munity, and has the respect of his fellow- townsmen.
RREN OSGOOD, a substantial farmer of Newport, was born there, June 22, 1818, son of Lemuel and Hannah (Spaulding) Osgood. His grandfather, Will- iam Osgood, one of the early settlers of the district, took up a farm and built a log house when the place was still a part of the wilder- ness and was infested by bears. The log house was destroyed by fire, and another wooden structure was built, in which the fam- ily afterward lived. The same building is now standing, and is used as a wagon-house at the present time. William was industrious and persevering, and added fifty acres to the farm before his death. He had a wife, Pris- cilla, who bore him seven children -- William, Susanna, James, Priscilla, Lemuel, Lydia, and Mathias. James Osgood took part in the War of 1812. His father, William, fought in the Revolution, and was in the battle of Ticon- deroga. His death occurred at the age of seventy-five years.
Lemuel Osgood was also a farmer, and in- herited the old place, to which he added land and improvements. His entire life of ninety- three years, with the exception of a few months, was spent in Newport. His wife died
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at the age of seventy-five. They were both members of the Congregational church. He was a Whig and later a Republican. Of his three children two are now living. Hannah died at the age of fifty. Lucy S., born in 1823, October 25, lives with her brother on the old homestead.
Orren Osgood inherited the old home, which is located upon a beautiful site. Here he has followed general farming throughout his active period. He has never married; and he shares his home with his sister, Miss Lucy S. Os- good. The farm now contains two hundred acres of well-improved land. He is a liberal in religious belief and a Republican in poli- tics. He represented his district in 1870 and 1871, and has held other minor offices.
ALTER BRIGHAM BARNES, who for many years has been engaged in the dressed beef business in Henni- ker, is a son of Captain Harry and Mary Polly (Campbell) Barnes. The father, a native of Henniker, born February 20, 1790, who was but four years old when his mother died, lived with his uncle, Elisha Barnes, until he reached the age of twelve. After a short stay with his father, Harry Barnes next went to reside with Ezekiel Smith, and remained with him until he was eighteen. He then went to Dunbarton, N.H., and was for a time em- ployed by Dominie Walter Harris, whose first name he gave his first son. After his mar- riage he bought widow David Campbell's third of the Campbell farm, which was situ- ated on the Hillsborough Road. This prop- erty, containing seventy-five acres of land, was partially covered with timber, which he cleared away; while he carried on general farming until 1864, when he retired. The farm afterward passed into other hands, and
was divided into village lots. Captain Harry Barnes passed his last days in the village, oc- cupying the house which is now owned by George Gove; and he died September IS, 1876, aged eighty-six years and seven months. He was for some time Captain of the Henni- ker Rifles, a company belonging to the State militia. For forty-five years he was a mem- ber of the Congregational church. His wife, Mary, whom he married December 1, 1814, was born in Henniker, February 21, 1793, daughter of Major David Campbell. Their married life extended over a period of sixty- one years. She became the mother of five children - Walter, Sarah Almeda, Livonia S., Mary E., and Walter B. Walter was born November 1, 1816, and died at the age of fif- teen. Sarah Almeda is residing in Nashua, N.H., and is the widow of Joseph F. Andrews. Her late husband, who was a contractor and builder, raised a company in Concord, and served as a Major in the Civil War. Livonia S., who was born December 16, 1822, mar- ried Hiram A. Campbell, of Henniker, who died in January, 1895. Mary E., who was born March 22, 1827, married Charles C. Gove, a native of Acworth, N. H., and now a mechanic and builder in North Palmer, N. Y. Mrs. Harry Barnes died October 11, 1875, aged eighty-two years and eight months.
Walter Brigham Barnes was born February 19, 1832, in Henniker, and there attended school. At the age of twenty-one he com- menced to learn the butchering business with George W. Rice, for whom he worked four years. In 1857 he bought the business of his employer, including the farm where he now resides. He survived the business depression that preceded the breaking out of the Rebell- ion; and the revival following that event not only enabled him to cancel all of his debts, but placed him upon a good financial basis.
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He continued in the wholesale and retail meat business, driving a cart in this section for nineteen years, dressing beef and veal for the markets of Manchester and Boston, and being associated as a partner with his old employer, Mr. Rice, for two years. He was also en- gaged in buying cattle for slaughter until the trade was monopolized by the large Western beef companies.
On October 13, 1857, Mr. Barnes married Eliza J. Tucker, a native of Henniker, and a daughter of Horace and Mary C. (Dow) Tucker. Their daughter, Ida M., was several years employed in a store in Keene, N. H., but on account of her mother's failing eye- sight returned home. She is interested in the breeding of fancy poultry, and has some choice specimens of red Leghorn and light Brahmas. In politics Mr. Barnes is a Demo- crat. He has figured quite prominently as a party leader in the locality, is frequently a delegate to the State and District Conven- tions and he represented this town in the legislature in 1876.
ERBERT M. KIMBALL, a skilful, intelligent, and highly successful farmer of Hopkinton, was born in this town, December 20, 1862, a son of Moses T. and Mary F. (Smith) Kimball, and a grandson of Nathaniel Kimball. A more extended history of his ancestors may be found on another page of this volume, in connection with the sketch of Gilman B. Kimball, his brother.
Mr. Kimball has been engaged in agricult- ural pursuits from early youth. Since arriv- ing at man's estate, he has also, in partner- ship with his brother, carried on a large busi - ness in lumbering and dairying. He lived on the old homestead until his marriage, when
for a time he occupied the old Charles Merrill farm. Since selling that he has occupied the John Page estate, which the brothers pur- chased at a bargain three or more years ago. He has a dairy of twenty cows, and runs a large milk route; and he keeps two men busily employed on the farm. He sells a consider- able amount of hay each season, and often raises a good deal of corn, his 1896 crop amounting to nine hundred bushels. Mr. Kimball is a firm Democrat of the Cleveland type, and is usually a delegate to the party conventions. In 1894 he was elected a Rep- resentative to the State legislature for 1895 and 1896, defeating the Republican candi- date, E. D. French, his election in a Repub- lican stronghold showing his great popularity. He is interested in the grange, having been a member of the State organization, and is a member of Union Grange, No. 58, of which he was Master two years.
Mr. Kimball was married October 6, 1886, to Miss M. Abbie Colby, daughter of Francis W. and Paulina P. (Wheeler) Colby, the former of whom was born in Bow, the birth- place of Mrs. Kimball, and the latter in Dun- barton. Mr. and Mrs. Kimball have two children - Edgar Herbert and Grace Paulina.
AMUEL A. MORRILL, farmer and carpenter of Canterbury, Merrimack County, was born May 26, 1827, in the house that he now occupies. His parents were Nathaniel and Sallie S. (Morrill) Mor- rill. His paternal grandfather was Samuel Morrill, a farmer of Boscawen, where he al- ways lived. Nathaniel Morrill removed from Boscawen to Canterbury in 1821, settling upon this farm. He died in the winter of 1836, at the age of forty-seven years, his wife surviving him until August, 1861. They had
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seven children. The eldest, a daughter, Emily, born March 3, 1821, married Abram Fitz. Catherine, the second child, was born August 27, 1823, and died at the age of seven- teen years. Reuben, the third child, was born August 11, 1825, and died in East Con- cord, N.H. He married Hannah McCoy, who now lives in Boston. Samuel A. was the fourth child. Charles F., the third son, married first Martha M. Roby, second Ann Sawyer, and third Roxey James. He is a farmer and carpenter, and resides with his wife in Canterbury. Elizabeth was born March 7, 1831, and died April 24, 1832. The youngest child is Elder Enoch Morrill, born September 16, 1833, who is a jeweller by trade, and is an Advent preacher. He re- sides in Hampton, N. H. His first wife was Angeline Stevens, and his second Augusta Mace, of Seabrook, N. H.
The Morrill children all received a com- mon-school education. Samuel A. had the additional advantage of two terms in the acad- emy at Boscawen, and after finishing his studies he taught school five winters. He was in his tenth year when his father died. When he was twenty-one years old he had learned the carpenter's trade, and he then took the entire charge of the farm. On April 10, 1851, he married Miss Mary E. Garland, who was born October 23, 1830, daughter of Na- thaniel and Abigail Garland, of South Ber- wick, Me. Her father was a merchant, a hotel man, and a teamster. After marriage Mr. Morrill went to Massachusetts, and spent a year in Winchester and Lawrence, employed as a carpenter. Since that time he has lived on the old homestead. He now owns about one hundred acres of good farm land, well im- proved, and does some dairy business, still working more or less at his trade.
He always takes an active interest in poli-
tics, voting the Republican ticket ; and, though heretofore he has held no office, he is now candidate for Supervisor. Mr. and Mrs. Morrill are both members of the Congrega- tional church, in which they are among the most active workers, Mr. Morrill having been a member of this church since fifteen years of age. They have one adopted child, George A., who lives near the farm, and whose son, Harry R., now resides with them.
HARLES W. HARDY, who owns one of the most fertile farms in Bos- cawen, Merrimack County, was born in Warner, N. H., July 19, 1834, son of Ozias and Lavinia (Barton) Hardy. His grandfather, Silas Hardy, was a prosperous farmer, who resided for a time in Hopkin- ton, N.H., from which town he removed to Warner.
Ozias Hardy was brought up to agriculture, which calling he followed through life. He owned farms in Warner and Hopkinton, and spent his last days in the latter town, dying about the year 1850. His wife, Lavinia Barton Hardy, who was a native of Stoddard, N.H., became the mother of five children : Samuel; Eliza A .; Woodbury; Charles W., the subject of this sketch; and Sanford. Samuel married Abbie Ann Putney, who is no longer living; and he resides in Hopkinton. Eliza A. died at the age of seventeen years. Woodbury married Ellen Price, and lives in Hopkinton. Sanford, who died in 1896, mar- ried for his first wife Louise Sanford. His second wife was Nettie Barr; and she now re- sides in Aurora, Ill. Mrs. Ozias Hardy died in 1881.
Charles W. Hardy was educated in the com- mon schools and at the Contoocook Academy. When twenty years old he was employed upon
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a farm in Danvers, Mass., where he remained a year. Then, returning home, he worked some time as a farm assistant in and around his native town. In 1860 he went to Illinois, where he was foreman upon a large farm for five years. He subsequently returned East, and about 1872 came to Boscawen, purchasing the farm of one hundred and thirty-five acres which he now occupies. He carries on gen- eral farming and dairying, and raises a con- siderable amount of fruit.
On April 28, 1872, Mr. Hardy was married in Hopkinton to Miss Mary George, who was born in Webster, Merrimack County, N.H., June 22, 1849, a daughter of William D. and Submit (Swett) George. Her father is a native of Candia, N.H., and her mother of Webster. They are prosperous farming peo- ple, and reside in Webster. Mr. and Mrs. Hardy have become the parents of four chil- dren, namely: Alice M., born February 21, 1873; Albert Sanford, born April 25, 1875; Mattie Louise, born April 28, 1876, and who is now a teacher; and Florence Etta, born October 12, 1878.
In politics Mr. Hardy is a Republican. He takes an active interest in political affairs, and has voted at every election but one since attaining his majority ; and he has ably filled some of the public offices. He is connected with the Patrons of Husbandry, and he and Mrs. Hardy are members of the Congrega- tional church.
R EV. JAMES NOYES, Superintend- ent of the New Hampshire Orphans' Home, in the town of Franklin, Merrimack County, is a native of Columbia, Coos County, N. H. He was born July 2, 1835, son of Eleazer and Sophronia (Cass) Noyes. His father was a native of Colebrook, N. H. ; and he lived there until he removed to
a farm in Columbia, where he died in June, 1842. He was a pioneer farmer of the town. His wife was from Lyman, N. H. She mar- ried for a second husband William Alexander, and after his death married a Mr. Johnson, also now deceased. She died in August, 1885. The children by her first marriage were five in number: Charles, of Concord, N. H. ; James, above named; John Wesley, deceased; Elmira, wife of David Sanborn, of North Woodstock, N. H. ; Parker J., of Lan- caster, N. H.
James Noyes received his early education at Newbury Seminary, Vermont. On December I, 1861, he enlisted in Company C of the Eighth Vermont Infantry, under Colonel Thomas and Captain Foster, and did service in this company in the Gulf Department until transferred from the Eighth Vermont, in 1862, to the Second Louisiana National Guards. Mr. Noyes was appointed Sergeant Major, was promoted to position of First Lieutenant, and afterward became Captain of Company G, later known as the Seventy-fourth U. S. C. I. He remained in active service for four years, and was honorably discharged in October, 1865. Returning to Newbury, Vt., at the close of his military career, he there attended the seminary for post-graduate work; and, entering the Theological School of the Boston Univer- sity in the fall of 1866, he graduated from the three years' course in 1869, and at once joined the New Hampshire Conference. He was lo- cated at Methuen, Mass., for three years, and was afterward stationed as follows, to wit: at Suncook, Lancaster, Portsmouth, Amesbury, Mass., Milford, N. H., Winchester, Newport, and Franklin Falls, N. H., leaving the pulpit then to take charge of the Orphans' Home at Franklin, N. H.
On February 19, 1859, Mr. Noyes married Amy E. Scott, of Newbury, Vt., a daughter
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of the Rev. Orange Scott and his wife, Mrs. Eliza Dearborn Scott. Her father is dead; and her mother, now ninety-four years of age, resides with the Rev. Mr. Quimby, of Pena- cook. Mrs. Amy E. S. Noyes died December 4, 1875 ; and Mr. Noyes married in Septem- ber, 1876, Miss Fannie M. Barker, of Derry, N. H., daughter of' Mr. Benjamin Barker, de- ceased. There are three children by the first marriage : Fred S., a compositor in the em- ploy of the Methodist Book Concern, New York City; Frank W., engaged in the dry- goods business in Franklin, Mass. ; and Amy F., a student at the Conservatory of Music in Boston. The only child by the second mar- riage of Mr. Noyes is Clara L., who is now taking a course at the College of Liberal Arts, Boston University.
The New Hampshire Orphans' Home, of which Mr. Noyes is the efficient Superintend- ent, was founded by the Rev. Daniel A. Mack, of Plainfield, Vt., and was established and chartered in October, 1871. The institu- tion is located in the town of Franklin, in the beautiful valley of the Merrimac, eighteen miles from Concord. Here was the boyhood home of Daniel Webster. He became the ' owner and retained possession while he lived, and he made annual pilgrimages to it after he had become a leading man in the nation. The family mansion still remains as a part of the Home, which also includes a building for the nursery and the farm. The nursery was added to the Home in 1894 at an expense of about sixteen thousand dollars, this sum being cov- ered by subscription during the year. The Orphans' Home is a private charity and is non- sectarian. More than one hundred homeless children have here received education and kindly loving care during the year just passed, and more than seven hundred in all have thus been cared for since the Home was established.
In the school-rooms the common branches and kindergarten studies are taken up. The place is essentially a great farm home, with as little of the "institution " in its management and atmosphere as is consistent with discipline and good order. Mr. Noyes, who began his labors October 1, 1887, has carried on the good work begun by his predecessors in the most admi- rable manner and to the satisfaction of all in- terested in the welfare of the little ones in his charge. Mrs. Noyes as matron presides, and the nine years of their service has been a period of great prosperity and usefulness. Mr. Noyes is well known throughout the county, and is much respected as a man whose life has been animated by the most unselfish motives in working for others.
ILLIAM C. HOBART, a retired carpenter of North Charlestown, Sullivan County, N. H., was born in Hebron, N. H. In early life he went to Unity, where in 1848 he purchased a farm; and he was successfully engaged in farming in that town for twenty years. In 1870 he re- moved to Charlestown, where he now resides. He is a carpenter by trade, and until late years has done a great deal of building in Charlestown and the vicinity. He holds mem- bership in the Claremont and Charlestown Masonic Lodge, No. 12. He is also a promi- nent member of the Methodist church, of which he has been steward for many years. In 1853 he married Emily Hunton, of Unity ; and they had one child - Frank Hunton Hobart, born in 1858, who died in in- fancy. His wife dying, in 1868 Mr. Hobart married for his second wife Mrs. Spencer, widow of George P. Spencer, M. D., and daughter of Harvey Brigham, of Unity, a rep- resentative of one of the oldest and best
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