USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Merrimack and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 33
USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Merrimack and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 33
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Charles L. Kenney lived at home with his parents until his marriage. His estate, known as the Dimond farm, which was willed to him by his father, now contains about one hundred and twenty-five acres of good land. An in- dustrious and capable farmer, he has much im- proved the property since it came into his possession. In politics he is a Republican. In 1869, December 2, he married Myra Knowles, of Canterbury, where she was born October 6, 1844, daughter of Lester and Re- becca (Huntoon) Knowles. Mr. Knowles was a native of Gilmanton, where he died in February, 1875. His wife, born in Canter- bury, and now in her eighty-eighth year, re-
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sides in Penacook. Mr. and Mrs. Kenney have three children, namely : Maude, the wife of Chester Norris, living near her father in Loudon; and Ellen and Forest B., who reside with their parents. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ken- ney are members of the Free Will Baptist church. Mr. Kenney is also a Deacon of the society and the superintendent of the Sunday- school.
RANK HENRY CARR, one of the patriotic men who periled his life in the cause of the Union during the late Civil War, now an enterprising mill-owner of West Hopkinton, was born in West Hopkin- ton, February 8, 1841, son of Thomas W. and Caroline (Connor) Carr. The grandfather, John Carr, removed from West Newbury, Mass., to Concord, N. H., where he kept an inn for a short time. From Concord he came to West Hopkinton about the year 1821, mak- ing his residence on a farm which had been presented to his wife by her brother, Thomas Williams. While a carriage-maker by trade, he had a natural aptitude for general mechan- ical work. One of the most cherished posses- sions of his grandson's family to-day is an old 'cello made by him in his leisure hours. In politics he was an ardent Whig. He died on the old farm at the age of seventy-five. His wife, Abigail, who survived him some years, attaining the age of eighty-six, was a magnifi- cent specimen of New England womanhood, strong, energetic, and cheerful up to the day of her death. She left a lasting impression upon her grandchildren, then growing up about her. Mr. and Mrs. John Carr had a family of eight children - Anna, Eliza, Emma, Abigail, Almira, Helen, Samuel, and Thomas Williams.
Thomas W. Carr spent his early life upon the farm. While quite a young man, he was
a Captain of militia. Later he engaged in farming and lumbering. The latter business was carried on in a factory the beam of which was twenty-four inches square and seventy feet long, and much heavy timber was turned out. He was a well-read man and a Republican in politics. He married Caroline Connor, of Henniker, daughter of George and Hannah (Campbell) Connor. They had eight children - Philip, John Alfred, George Titcomb, Thomas Tyler, Frank Henry, Charles Clinton, Caroline Elizabeth, and Ellen Bruce. Philip died at the age of ten. John Alfred is now living in Boston. Caroline Elizabeth is a trained nurse in Concord. Ellen Bruce, who married William Carpenter, of Manchester, died two years after her marriage. Of this family four sons fought in the Civil War, one giving up his life therein. George Titcomb served in the United States Navy. In Septem- ber, 1861, Thomas Tyler enlisted in Company B, Second New Hampshire Volunteers, was made Sergeant, served his full term, and was wounded at Fair Oaks and Gettysburg. Charles Clinton enlisted in the Fourteenth Regiment, New Hampshire Volunteers, on September 23, 1862, being then a boy of nine- teen. He was wounded at Cedar Creek, Oc- tober 19, 1864, and died in the hospital at Winchester, Va., November 2 of the same year. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Carr spent their last years in West Hopkinton with their son Frank Henry.
Frank Henry Carr lived with his parents until he was eighteen years old, at which age he went to Henniker. He enlisted September 28, 1861, in Company G, Second Regiment of United States Sharpshooters, mustering for service December 12, 1861, at Concord. Discharged on the expiration of his term, he enlisted again December 21, 1863, at Cul- peper, Va., in the same command; was made
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Sergeant before Petersburg, November 1, 1864; was transferred to the Fifth New Hampshire Volunteers, January 30, 1865, becoming at the same time Orderly Sergeant of Company B; was promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant in the same company on the first of the fol- lowing May; and was mustered out July 8 of the same year. This brave soldier and patriot was engaged in over eighty battles and skir- mishes, including the second Bull Run, Cedar Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Gettysburg. At Fredericksburg he was capt- ured by the Confederates, and confined in Libby Prison until January 14, 1863, when he was sent on parole to Annapolis and ex- changed, regaining his regiment at Fredericks- burg. At Gettysburg he received three slight gunshot wounds, not enough, however, to keep him from duty. He was one of the five mem- bers of his company who lost no time in the service except while imprisoned. After the war he returned to Henniker, where he re- mained until December, 1871, working in a kit factory and grist-mill. In 1872 he bought a mill in West Hopkinton, where he engaged in manufacturing mackerel kits. When the mill-dam was swept away in 1876, besides rebuilding it he put in new machinery, adding a saw-mill and a shingle machine. Since then he has done general saw-mill work, although selling mainly to dealers. He cuts a million feet of timber in a season, and he has cleared off a large acreage of stumpage. Besides the property in West Hopkinton, he owns a farm in Henniker, holding it chiefly for its lumber.
In 1868 Mr. Carr married Mary A. Chand- ler, daughter of William and Anne (Straw) Chandler. They have four children, namely : Anna Caroline, now married to Arthur W. Dow, of Henniker; William Thomas, a saw- mill operator, living at home; Clara Lucy, who was training at a surgical hospital in
Boston, and died March 6, 1897, of pleuro- pneumonia; and John Frank, who lives at home. The family are held in high esteem by their fellow-townsmen. In politics Mr. Carr has always been a Republican. He is greatly respected for his business integrity as well as for his devotion to his country.
ILLIAM HENRY HARRISON MOODY, of Claremont, a retired shoe manufacturer and one of the wealthiest and most prominent men of New Hampshire, was born here, May 10, 1842, son of Jonathan Moody. His father made shoes by hand, employing several men in his busi- ness. Jonathan Moody took a lively interest in military matters throughout his life. A tenor drummer of reputation, he was always in de- mand at military training and at muster.
The subject of this sketch, the seventh child in a family of eleven, was named for President William Henry Harrison. When fourteen years old, he entered the shoe factory of Russell W. Farwell, of Claremont, to learn the business; and he continued with that firm four years. In 1861 he enlisted in Troop L, New England Cavalry, served for a few months in the Civil War, and was then honorably dis- charged. In the fall of 1862 he engaged as travelling salesman for a large shoe jobbing firm in Boston, and was very successful in sell- ing goods all over the country. His em- ployers took him into partnership in 1867, when the firm name became McGibbons, Moody & Raddin. His capital was little more than ability and knowledge of the busi- ness. In 1873 he became a partner in the firm of Crain, Moody & Rising, who established a shoe manufactory at Amoskeag, N. H., em- ploying one hundred hands, and making shoes for the Western and Southern trade. After a
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few years, the business having outgrown its quarters, the firm removed to Nashua, where they remained about seven years. Then the shoe manufacturing firm of Moody, Estabrook & Anderson was organized. Mr. Moody's re- lations with this firm continued until the spring of 1896, when he retired, selling his interest to his partners. The manufactory became the largest of its kind in the country, its business amounting to about two millions of dollars per annum. The goods are sold wholly to jobbing houses in the South and West. The firm has an office and warehouse in Boston. Mr. Moody, well known among the leather people of that city, is a Director in the National Shoe and Leather Bank there. Since he went to Boston, he has acquired one of the largest fortunes in the State. His deep interest in the welfare of his native place, with his generous support of everything for the ad- vantage of the town, has made him one of the most prominent and popular men of Claremont. He is the owner of the property of the Hotel Claremont, where he spends most of the win- ter months. The hotel is one of the best and largest in the State.
In 1878 Mr. Moody bought what was known for many years as the Mann farm of eighty- seven acres, located about a mile south of the village. To this farm he has constantly added; and the farm contains to-day six hun- dred acres, the larger part of it pasture. At a great expense he has erected a magnificent series of buildings, making it one of the finest properties in the State. As a relief from business cares he is interested in the breeding of fine horses, and the possessor of a large number of thoroughbreds. Mr. Moody has spent some time abroad for the benefit of his health, but Highland View affords him pas- time and diversion such as he can find nowhere else. He has expended thousands of dollars
annually in the improvement of the estate, and has thus added to the wealth, importance, and beauty of his native town, for which he has always had a strong affection.
Mr. Moody was united in marriage to Miss Mary A. Maynard, daughter of Levi P. and Lorana (Orr) Maynard, the former being a native of Bath, Me., and the latter of Bow- doinham, Me. Through his remarkable suc- cess in business he has been able to do much for his townspeople in different ways, and has proved himself by his generous acts one of the most liberal and philanthropic of men.
HARLES GILKEY, a prominent resi- dent of Cornish, who was formerly en- gaged in the gunsmith business, is a native of Plainfield, N. H., born September 29, 1826. Charles Gilkey, his grandfather, born in Connecticut, was the first of the fam- ily to come to Plainfield. He came originally as agent of a wealthy Connecticut family, and remained in their employ for some time. After failing in an attempt to buy a farm with the Continental money in which his salary was paid, owing to the depreciated value of that currency then, he succeeded in leasing one from the State for nine hundred and ninety-nine years. This property is still in the possession of the family, subject to an annual rental of six or eight dollars, which is paid to the treasurer of the Episcopal church of the town. Grandfather Gilkey married Lucy Avery, who bore him five children - Jonathan, John, Charles, William, and James. Jonathan married a Miss Spaulding, and lived in Vermont. John married and spent his life in Vermont, working at the trade of ship-car- penter. He had one daughter, who married the Rev. Robert Christie. Charles was drowned when a young man. William died young.
CHARLES GILKEY.
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James Gilkey, the father of Charles Gilkey, a native of Connecticut, born in September, 1769, came to Cornish when about seven years old. By- trade he was a mechanical wood- cutter, in which he carried on a large business for some time. After the death of his brother Charles he took charge of the farm. Highly esteemed in the community, he served in every office in the gift of the town, including that of legislative Representative. He married Naomi Smith, of Plainfield, who was born in December, 1805. Their children were: Charles, the subject of this sketch; George, born in Cornish, who died in 1849; James, born in Plainfield, who was a railroad man, and died in Arkansas of a fever contracted there; Jeannette, who married Wats Beck- worth, of Kansas; John, who is living on the old homestead in Cornish; Julia, who married Ed Bryant, of Cornish, had four children, and died in 1889; and Asa, living in Brattleboro, who for a number of years was an officer of the Asylum for the Insane, bought a farm, married Lizzie Harris, and has one daughter, Edith.
Charles Gilkey, the eldest child of his par- ents, was educated in the schools of Plainfield. He then learned the trade of mechanical wood- carver, and worked at Worcester and Chicopec, Mass., in Connecticut, and at Windsor, Vt. Inheriting the mechanical genius of his father, he had no difficulty in taking up the manu- facture of guns for a firm that was under con- tract to make a thousand guns for the Russian government. In 1861, when the Civil War broke out, the United States government took all the guns the factory could turn out. A large part of the guns carried by General Butler's troops on his trip to New Orleans were made by this concern. While in Worcester, Mr. Gilkey made the machinery -
for the first double-barrel gun manufactured.
After a time his health gave out, and he bought the large farm in Cornish where he now resides. He has been prominent in town affairs, has been Highway Surveyor and a member of the School Board, and he was Col- lector of Taxes when only twenty-one years of age .. In politics he is an independent, pre- ferring to vote for the best man or for the party exemplifying the best principles. He showed his honesty in this respect by voting in the last two elections respectively for Cleveland and Mckinley.
Mr. Gilkey married Laura A., daughter of Titus and Lucy (Mills) Sheppard. Mrs. Gilkey was born in Dudley, Mass., in July, 1820, and died February 2, 1897. Her pater- nal grandfather and great-grandfather were born in Dudley. Her maternal grandfather, Nathaniel Mills, came from Scotland to Thompson, Conn., where he was the first of the name. Her grandmother Mills was born in Thompson, Conn. The house in which Mr. Gilkey lives, although about one hundred and fifty years old, is in an excellent condition still. Its timbers of solid oak are, to all ap- pearances, good for another century and a half. For years it was considered the pretti- est cottage in the district. Among many in- teresting relics preserved by the family is a barrel used for packing pork, that had been used for thirty years by Mrs. Gilkey, and no one knows how long it was in use before. Even the brine, which is submitted to an annual purifying process is, at least part of it, thirty years old.
ILLIAM H. CARTER, a thrifty farmer of Canterbury and a son of John and Lydia (Gill) Carter, was born December 20, 1842. His grandfather, Nathan Carter, who was born in Boscawen,
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N. H., April 6, 1762, lived in this town all his life. Nathan carried on farming, and conducted a tavern, and died September 21, 1841. His wife, Sarah, died May 8, 1845. They had five children, namely: Judith, born December 5, 1787, who married John French, and died December 13, 1871; Moses, born August 6, 1790, who died May 30, 1851; John, born December 10, 1797, the father of the subject of this sketch; Jeremiah, born February 20, 1803, who died in 1871; and Nathan, born February 4, 1807, who died February 16, 1875.
John Carter in his younger days was em- ployed in rafting lumber down the river, al- though his main business was farming. He resided at different times in Boscawen, East Concord, and Canterbury, and died August 12, 1871. His wife's death occurred February 4, 1890. They had six children: Bradbury G., born February 3, 1827, who married Asenath Spiller, and is now a widower living in Con- cord; Luther, born August 24, 1829, who married Mary Ann Coffin, and is engaged in the shoe business in Newburyport, Mass. ; John, born March 25, 1832, who died in 1833; John (second), born March 15, 1834, who married Julia Bryant, and is a railroad man living in Norwalk, Ohio; Sarah R., born Oc- tober 4, 1838, the widow of Robert G. Morri- son, living in Boscawen; and William H., the subject of this sketch.
William H. Carter was a pupil of the Elm- wood Academy in Boscawen. When twenty years old he went to Penacook, worked there at cabinet-making for a year and a half, and then returned home. Both he and his brother Luther joined the Union army. He enlisted September 1, 1864, in Company E, First New Hampshire Heavy Artillery, under Lieuten- ant Colonel Ira McL. Barton, Colonel Charles H. Long, and Captain Robert S. Davis. The
regiment served in the defences of Washing- ton for most of the time. Mr. Carter, who was a non-commissioned officer, received no wounds in the army, but was injured in health. He was discharged at Washington, D.C., June 15, 1865. He then went back to Penacook, proceeding later to Canterbury, where he re- mained with his parents until their death. He settled on his present farm, known as the old Blodgett farm, in 1865. The property contains about one hundred acres. Besides making many other improvements, he has re- modelled the buildings.
Mr. Carter was married February 5, 1865, to Martha Ann Wheeler, daughter of Colonel John and Mary Jane (Blanchard) Wheeler. Colonel Wheeler, who came from Concord, Mass., and obtained his military title in the State militia, was a stone-cutter in early life, afterward a farmer, and died June 4, 1880. His wife is living with her son in Canterbury.
In politics Mr. Carter is a Republican. He has been a Selectman of the town, and he served on the School Board for three years, besides holding other less important offices. A comrade of the G. A. R., he belongs to W. I. Brown Post, No. 31, of Penacook.
AMUEL CHOATE, a prominent farmer of Boscawen, was born here, February 24, 1830, son of Royal and Hannah (Sawyer) Choate, who were na- tives respectively of Boscawen and Salisbury, N.H. His great-grandfather, Thomas Choate, who came from Ipswich, Mass., to Boscawen about 1788, settled on the same farm and occupied the same house where the present Mr. Choate now resides. Samuel, a son of Thomas and grandfather of the present Sam- uel, born March 18, 1769, in Ipswich, came with his father to this farm; and the two lived
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there the rest of their lives. Two interesting documents preserved by him were a commis- sion, signed by King George, dated October 29, 1761, and another signed by John Lang- don, bearing the dates, December 15, ISOI ; June 28, 1808; and September 10, 1810. He was married successively to Betsy Kimball, Nancy Jackman, and Mary Loomis, all now deceased. There was one child by the first marriage, Isaac Chandler, born in 1794, who died in 1860. By the second marriage there were five children: Royal, the father of Samuel, Jr .; Betsey, born December 9, 1797, who died in January, 1826; Anna, born April 13, 1800, who died August 28, 1862; Maria, born August 12, 1802 ; and Nancy, born Octo- ber 22, 1804. The children of the third union were: Mary, born in 1810, who died January 7, 1827; Sophia, born in 1818, who died in infancy; and Samuel, born in 1815, who died in the same year. The father died June 12, 1847.
Royal Choate, born June 12, 1796, was a well-known farmer of Boscawen. His first wife, Hannah Sawyer Choate, died July 31, 1833. He made a second marriage with Mrs. Eliza Huckins Mewers, of New Hampton, N.H., who was born October 6, 1812, and died December 26, 1881. There were three children by the first marriage - David S., Samuel, and Nancy J. David, who was born November 28, 1827, died February 21, 1833; and Nancy J., who was born November 5, 1832, became the wife of Moses C. Sanborn, of Concord, and died November 24, 1895. Royal and Lucy were the children of the sec- ond marriage. Royal, born April 25, 1846, is now married, lives in Boscawen, and has two children - Elmer and Van Ness. Lucy, born October 3, 1849, married John F. Colby, now deceased, and lives in Boscawen. The father
Samuel Choate received a common-school education. He worked on the farm until he was twenty-one, when the property was left in his charge by his father, who moved to another farm. He still lives on the old homestead, and owns about three hundred and sixty-five acres of land. The place is well kept by him, and has been improved by the addition of new buildings. He raises sheep, and carries on some dairy business, keeping about twenty head of cattle. In 1881 he was a Representa- tive in the State legislature. He has been Selectman for about eight years, served as Collector ten years, and has been Supervisor. He is a member of Contoocook Lodge, No. 27, I. O. O. F., of Penacook, takes an active interest in politics, and votes the Republican ticket.
Mr. Choate was married November 3, 1859, to Caroline M. Perkins, of Georgetown, Mass., daughter of Samuel and Mahala (Mar- den) Perkins, the former of Deerfield and the latter of Newburyport. Mr. Perkins, who be- longed to Deerfield, and was a shoemaker by trade, died January 1, 1885. His wife, who was a native of Newburyport, Mass., died in 1847. Mr. and Mrs. Choate have two chil- dren : Mary H., born July 20, 1863; and Lizzie M., born January 10, 1865. Both live with their parents. Mr. Choate is a Deacon of the First Congregational Church, and his wife is also an esteemed member of the so- ciety.
REED LEWIS, the well-known horse dealer and auctioncer of Unity, was born in Marlow, N. H., July 10, 1837, son of Gilbert and Orrilla H. (Hunt- ley) Lewis. His grandfather, Dudley Lewis, was a prosperous farmer and lifelong resident of Marlow. Gilbert Lewis was born and reared in Marlow. In 1839 he moved to
died March 27, 1882.
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Goshen, where he conducted a store, and re- mained three years. In 1842 he located in East Unity, and was there engaged in farming for some time. His last days were passed on a farm in Unity Centre, where he died No- vember 16, 1872, aged sixty-two years. His wife, Orrilla, who was born in Duxbury, Vt., daughter of the Rev. Isaiah Huntley, became the mother of three children, namely: C. Reed, the subject of this sketch; Corrinna O., now the wife of Thomas T. Smith, who is a watchmaker, and resides in Canton, Ohio; and Nathan G., who died June 19, 1862, aged seventeen years. Mrs. Gilbert Lewis was eighty-one years old when she died, April 20, 1893.
C. Reed Lewis was educated in his native town. At the age of nineteen he went to Decorah, Ia., where he bought a farm, and re- mained a year. He next went to Oneida, Ill., where he was employed as a farm assist- ant for the same length of time. After his return to New Hampshire he purchased a farm near the village of Unity. He occupied that property until 1889, during which time he attained prosperity as a general farmer and stock dealer. Then selling it, he bought the Gilman place, where he now resides. This estate contains three hundred and fifty acres, which for the most part are under cultiva- tion. In addition he owns some outlying land. The greater part of his time is given to auctioneering and the buying of horses, which are shipped to him from Boston.
In March, 1856, Mr. Lewis married Hattie E. Sleeper, daughter of John and Caroline Sleeper, of Unity. Mrs. Lewis is the mother of three children, namely: Nellie, born in June, 1862; Olive, born in May, 1870; and Emily, born in May, 1872. Nellie was edu- cated in Claremont, N. H., and is now teach- ing school. Olive is the wife of Charles
Hoffman, a plumber of Windsor, Vt. Emily is employed by the Falls Mountain Paper Company at Bellows Falls, Vt. In politics Mr. Lewis supports the Democratic party, and he served as Collector of Taxes for four years. He is widely known throughout this section for his energy and business ability, and he has the confidence of his many friends and ac- quaintances.
ESSE W. S. MOON, a retired farmer, living in the village of Bradford, was born in Hopkinton, St. Lawrence County, N. Y., August 12, 1845. His par- ents, Jesse and Sophia (Barker) Moon, are well known in Bradford through their frequent visits to their son. Mr. Moon was reared on a farm, living with his parents until De- cember 30, 1863, when he enlisted for service in the Civil War in the Eleventh New York Cavalry as a recruit, joining his regiment in Washington soon after. He served in the South, mostly in New Orleans. In the spring of 1864 he did guard on various plantations lying along the Mississippi, being for some months at Baton Rouge. He was honorably discharged May 16, 1865, at Memphis, Tenn.
Returning to New York State, Mr. Moon was employed on the old homestead for a few years. In December, 1869, he went to Boston to work. While there he bought his present farm in Bradford, of which he took possession in July, 1874. His estate comprises two hun- dred and fifty acres of tillage and timber land and five hundred acres of pasture. He has carried on mixed farming, paying much atten- tion to dairying, having a fine herd of thirty full-blooded Ayrshire cattle, which he con- siders the best milk producers. By remodel- ling and repairing the dwelling, and erecting new and commodious barns and out-buildings, he has made his farm one of the best ap-
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