USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Merrimack and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 4
USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Merrimack and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 4
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After working at shoemaking for a short time, William Shaw engaged in farming. He succeeded to the homestead of sixty acres, the most of which is under cultivation. He labored perseveringly for the prosperity he now enjoys. On December 25, 1870, he was united in marriage with Mary O. Foss, daugh- ter of Simon Foss, of Alton, N.H. She died August 8, 1894, leaving no children. Mrs. Shaw was a member of the Baptist church. Mr. Shaw is also in communion with the so- ciety and one of the most highly respected residents of Pittsfield.
RANK W. FOSTER, a leading farmer and dairyman of Hill, was born in the town of Bristol, N. H., September 20, 1859. His father, Wilson Foster, was born in Alexandria, N.H .; and Wilson's father, Joseph Foster, was a farmer well known in Bristol for many years. From Bristol Joseph removed to Merrimack, where he spent the latter part of his life, dying at the age of eighty years. His wife, in maidenhood Lydia Pattee, became the mother of nine children. Of these Wilson, the youngest son, was edu- cated in the public schools, and followed farming in Bristol for sixteen years. He then sold his property in that town, came to Hill, and there purchased a farm, upon which he has since made substantial improvements, in- cluding the erection of a house. He mar-
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ried Harriet Kelley, daughter of Alfred Kelley, of Hill; and their children are: Martha A., Ellen F., Emma, Frank W., and Hadley J. Martha is married, lives in Bris- tol, and has one son, Everett; Emma, now deceased, married George Ballou, and had four children - Oscar, Grace M., Herbert, and Hattie; Ellen is now Mrs. Errol Morse; Hadley married Annie Little, and has one child.
Mr. Frank Foster grew to manhood on his father's farm. Interested in farming from his youth, he adopted it as his occupation, and has prosperously followed it since. On his farm of about two hundred and fifty acres he raises large quantities of vegetables, and he past- ures as fine a herd of cattle as one could wish to see. His dairy yields about fifty pounds of "gilt-edge" butter each week.
Mr. Foster married Cora B. Call, daughter of Joseph Call. Mr. and Mrs. Foster have two children - Alson F. and Ralph J. - upon whom is bestowed the most affectionate care. Both parents are members of the Christian Church of Hill, and are prominent in the grange. In politics Mr. Foster is a Demo- crat, and he cast his first Presidential vote for General Hancock. He is known in the com- munity as a man of the strictest integrity, as one ready to give active support to every good cause, and a leader in benevolent and philan- thropic work. He is interested in the pub- lic affairs of the town, and has served on the Board of Selectmen.
RANK DE FORREST BAKER, a well-known farmer and lumber dealer of Plainfield, belongs to a family that 'came of English yeomanry stock, and has been known for centuries in England for industry, sturdiness, and reliability. The name denotes
the occupation of the founder of the family. In the fifteenth century the Bakers possessed considerable property in the north of England, and were known as being thrifty, industrious, and very tenacious of their rights. In 1650 there were many of the name at Aylesbury, County of Bucks, who became followers of George Fox, the Quaker, and with him suffered imprisonment by order of Cromwell. Mr. Baker directly traces his ancestry to Jeffry Baker. Jeffry's son Joseph, who was born June 18, 1655, came to America and settled in Connecticut. Joseph's son, Joseph, Jr., born April 13, 1678, was twice married, first to Hannah Pomeroy, who had by him two sons, Joseph and Samuel. His second marriage was made with Abigail Bissell, who bore him nine children; namely, John, Hannah, Jacob, Abi- gail, Ebenezer, Daniel, Heman, Titus, and Abigail (second). In the third generation down was Heman, born April 27, 1719, who married Lois Gilbert, November 24, 1747. They had nine children - Heman, Anna, Deborah, John, Oliver, Abigail, Lois, De- light, and Lydia.
Oliver Baker, in the fourth generation, who was born at Tolland, Conn., October 5, 1755, and received a medical education, purchased a farm in Plainfield, on which he settled, and was thereafter engaged in the practice of his profession until his death on October 3, 18II. He was great grandfather of Mr. Frank De Forrest Baker. Of his family of eleven sons some became physicians. Dimmick, born March 18, 1793, took up farming, and re- mained on the old homestead until his death. He married Hannah Colby, and had a family of five children - Elias, Hannah A., Edward D., Dr. Cyrus Baker, and Helen F. Hannah, after teaching successfully for some time, mar- ried Morrill Cutting, a prosperous farmer of Newport, now deceased. Edward D., born
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April 21, 1827, read law at Enfield, N. H., with the Hon. N. W. Westgate, now of Haver- hill, N. H., and later entered the law office of the Hon. H. A. Bellows, late Chief Justice of New Hampshire. He was admitted to the bar of Sullivan County in July, 1851, and opened an office at Cornish Flat, where he practised until October, 1855, when he removed to Claremont. He married Elizabeth Ticknor on November 12, 1851. Cyrus, who graduated in medicine at New York, was an army sur- geon during the Civil War. He first married Martha J. Preston, who bore him one child, Alice Baker. His second wife, whose maiden name is Anna Erskins, has been the mother of four children, one of whom is living. Helen F. married Sheppard H. Cutting, a prosperous farmer of Newport, N. H., and has had three children.
Elias Baker, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born at Plainfield. After completing his education, he began his work- ing life as a farmer, managing his father's farms, and later being associated with his father on the homestead farm, where he lived until his death. He was a man of superior intelligence and an apt student. It was his own ambition and the desire of his family to obtain a college education and prepare for a professional career, but circumstances pre- vented this. He married Amelia Blanchard, and had a family of three children - Elsie A., Frank D., and Charles D. Elsie, born June 16, 1848, was educated at Kimball Union Academy, and taught school very successfully until her marriage with Dr. J. H. Martin, of Lebanon, N. H. Charles D., who is a hotel man in Arizona and owns considerable prop- erty, married Margaret Desmond.
. Frank De Forrest Baker was born in Plain- field, April 8, 1851. After receiving his education at the well-known Kimball Union
Academy, he assisted his grandfather until the death of the latter. He then engaged in farming and lumbering, and in raising cattle for the market. At one time he conducted a livery stable. He is active and energetic. Industrious and thrifty, he has acquired quite a competency. He married Sarah Moulton Scales, who was born June 10, 1855, daughter of Henry M. and Ann J. Scales, of Meriden. Mrs. Baker's grandfather, the Rev. Jacob Scales, was settled in Plainfield for many years. She has had four children : Cleon F., born February 27, 1873, now at Hartland, Vt. ; Fred H., born June 29, 1874, who died in April, 1878; Julia M., born October 31, 1879, who died in January, 1894; and Edward M., born March 21, 1881, now attending Kimball Union Academy.
Mr. Baker is a member of the local grange. He attends the Congregational church, and is a liberal supporter of all its benevolences. He has never aspired for political honors, thinking his family and his business have needed his time and attention.
ILLIAM JAMES CHANDLER, whose life was profitably spent as a farmer in Langdon and the immedi- ate vicinity, was born March 10, 1832, in Alstead, Cheshire County, son of James, Jr., and Sophia (Tuttle) Chandler. The grand- father, James Chandler, Sr., spent his life in Alstead, where he followed the occupation of a farmer. He married, and had a large family of children. When he died, he was the oldest Mason in New Hampshire. James Chandler, Jr., born in. Alstead, September 20, 1801, besides farming was also engaged in the hotel business; and he was prosperous in both. The first of his three marriages was contracted with Sophia Tuttle; his second, with her
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sister Nancy; and his third, with Mary Stowell Tuttle, the widow of their brother. There were two children by the first union - William James Chandler; and a daughter that died in childhood.
William James Chandler received a good practical education in the common school. Shortly after leaving school he went to work at farming, and continued to pursue that occu- pation throughout the rest of his life, which was chiefly spent in Langdon. He was one who enjoyed life thoroughly, and his quick wit and humorous sayings gave pleasure to all about him. At the same time, a man of sterling worth, he was held in high esteem by his neighbors. While he did not desire or seek office, he never failed to take due interest in the welfare of his town. He died Decem- ber 6, 1893, in the sixty-second year of his age. Mr. Chandler married Miss Augusta H. Mellish, who was born in Langdon, N.H., August 10, 1839, daughter of Samuel and Huldah (Lane) Mellish. No children were born to them. Since his death Mrs. Chand- ler has resided in Langdon.
ILLIAM B. HARTWELL, the proprietor of a thriving grocery business in Pittsfield, was born in Groton, Mass., September 5, 1833, son of Amasa and Mary (Patch) Hartwell. The paternal grandfather, also named Amasa, was a prosperous farmer of' Shirley, Mass., his native town, and had sixteen children, none of whom are living. Amasa Hartwell, father of the subject of this sketch, and a native of Shirley, Mass., served an apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade, and was engaged in the man- ufacture of sofas in Boston and Charlestown, Mass., for five years. Subsequently he worked at his trade in the towns of Brookline,
Amherst, Milford, and Nashua of this State. Finally he took up his residence in Groton, where he followed farming for the rest of his life, and died at the age of eighty-nine years. A man of excellent character, he stood high in the estimation of his neighbors. In politics he was originally a Democrat, but later he supported the Republican party. His wife, Mary, who was a native of Hollis, N. H., be- came the mother of four sons - Henry T. George E., William B., and Albert A. Henry T. married Lizzie Beadie, of Ames- bury, Mass., who died leaving two sons-Ar- thur and Harry. George E. wedded Mary Dow, of Amherst, N. H., who died leaving three children - Herbert, Albert, and Mary. Albert A. married Helen F. Cummings, of Reading, Mass., and has one son - Leon A., who was born February 6, 18So. Mrs. Amasa Hartwell lived to the age of eighty years. She and her husband were members of the Baptist church.
William B. Hartwell attended the schools of Charlestown, Brookline, Mass., and Amherst, N. H. When his studies were finished, he learned the carpenter's trade, and followed it as a journeyman for a time. He then engaged in the manufacture of water pails in Amherst, and continued in that business four years. Moving to Wilton, N. H., he worked at his trade in that town for seven years, and then, in 1871, settled in Pittsfield. Here he bought a saw-mill, located upon the Suncook River, and engaged in the manufacture of lumber. He also continued to work at his trade at intervals until 1892, when he opened a gro- cery, which now has a large number of pa- trons. In connection with his store he op- erates a grist-mill, grinding a large quantity of grain and feed annually.
On April 19, 1857, Mr. Hartwell married Ann M. Vose, daughter of Samuel Vose, of
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Amherst. Mrs. Hartwell is the mother of three children - Frank H., Emma, and Charles E. Frank H. married Annie Gray, daughter of Arthur Gray, and has one son, Roland. Emma is the wife of William P. Adams, of Pittsfield, and has nine children - Samuel T., Florence, Philip B., Joseph, Ruth, Ann, Paul, Rachel, and Lydia. Charles E. married Kate Lougee, of this town, and has no children. Mr. Hartwell was for a number of years Chief of the Pittsfield Fire Department, and is still connected with it. He takes an interest in public affairs, and in politics he acts with the Republican party. He is highly esteemed both in business and social circles, and also by his brother Masons and Odd Fellows. Both he and Mrs. Hart- well are members of the Congregational church.
ARLTON HURD, a druggist of New- port, and the President of the Sugar River Savings Bank, was born in Newport, October 7, 1842, son of Isaac B. and Emaline (Dow) Hurd. Nathan Hurd, the great-grandfather, came from the State of Connecticut to Newport among the first set- tlers, taking land on which he passed the rest of his life. Levi, his son, was a tanner and shoemaker, and had one of the first tanneries in the town. Afterward Levi was engaged in farming and shoemaking, and he died at the age of seventy-three. His wife, Anna Brad- ley Hurd, was born in Haverhill, Mass. They were both members of the Congrega- tional church.
Isaac B. Hurd, the father, born June 15, 1815, has spent his life in Newport, chiefly occupied in farming. He was a sturdy and industrious man and a good farmer. He re- tired from active occupation some time ago, and now lives in the village with his son. In
politics he was a Republican, and he was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. His wife, a native of Newport, born in Janu- ary, 1816, died in January, 1892. He has three children living - Carlton, Nancy, and Elizabeth.
Brought up and educated in Newport, Carl- ton Hurd devoted his early life to farming. At twenty-one he engaged in the drug busi- ness for Mr. Howe. Soon after he bought out his employer, since which time he has con- ducted the business on his own account. Mr. Hurd has a good store, and carries a full line of drugs, also stationery and fancy goods, fine candies, and so forth. On January 3, 1872, he married Mariette Garfield, a native of Charlestown, N. H. They have no children. Mr. Hurd has liberal views in religion, and attends the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a Republican, and he represented Newport in the legislature of 1895-96. He is now a Director and the President of the Sugar River Savings Bank. Farming and lumbering, fol- lowed to some extent, are also sources of in- come to him. A self-made, industrious, and successful man, he is highly respected in the town.
EORGE H. SAVAGE, now living in retirement in Henniker village, was born December 25, 1855, in Orford, Grafton County, son of John A. and Maria (Edmester) Savage. His father was born and bred in Grafton County, and his mother in Everett, Mass. When a boy of six- teen, he left home determined to make his own way in the world. Going to Massachu- setts, he located in Charlestown, where he began his active career as a peddler of milk and cream. Purchasing his supplies from the large dairies of Hillsborough and Henniker, this county, he had it shipped to a distribut-
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ing depot in Boston, employing several milk wagons in order to meet the demands of his extensive patronage. Three years ago, after carrying on a profitable business for twenty- two years, he came to Henniker, and pur- chased his present home, the J. H. Abbin estate, next to that of Colonel Cogswell.
Mr. Savage is an ardent sportsman, fond of the gun and rod, especially delighting in partridge hunting, in which he has good suc- cess. He and a friend, with the assistance of his pair of fine-bred pointers, bagged about four hundred partridge last season, that of 1896. In company with his brother, A. A. Savage, of Newtonville, another lover of the chase, he makes very successful trips annually to the Maine woods in search of deer.
Mr. Savage was married August 2, 1881, to Miss Nettie C. Clayton, daughter of William and Sarah Clayton, of Boston, Mass. She died August 31, 1895, leaving five children; namely, George, Edgar H., Bessie E., Rob- ert W., and Ella L. He was again mar- ried on April 26, 1896, to Miss Christie B. McLane, of Belmont, Mass.
ARIUS NOYES MOULTON, one of the influential men of Plainfield, and well known throughout the county, was born here, January 26, 1838, son of Stephen R. and Sally (Noyes) Moulton. His grandfather was William Moulton, one of the first of the name to settle in this part of the country. William took up a grant of land in a part of Grantham now belonging to Plain- field, and built upon it at first a log house. By industriously following the occupation of farmer he acquired a considerable property, which later became the foundation of the wealth of the present generation of Moultons. An honest, fair-dealing man, he had the full
respect of all who knew him. In religious faith he was a Methodist. By his first mar- riage he had two children - Judith and Will- iam. By his second marriage there were seven children, namely : William; Emery; Myrick; Samuel; Stephen; Jane; and a daughter who married Daniel Noyes, of Plaistow. William settled in business for himself in Cicero, N. Y., and was also interested in a cooperage and in farming. He accumulated considerable money, married, and raised a family of chil- dren. Myrick, who also went to Cicero, fol- lowed the trade of cooper, was engaged in agriculture, and died about two years ago. Samuel lived on the homestead nearly all his life, and was twice married. He first married Ruth Brown, of Strafford, Vt .; and she bore him three children. His second marriage was contracted with Mrs. Ford, daughter of Judge Jackson, of Cornish. After this marriage he went West with his wife to Lakeland, Minn., where he died. He was well-to-do, and had been very prominent in town affairs in Grant- ham and in Plainfield. He was Selectman of both towns, was a legislative Representative, Justice of the Peace, and Notary Public; and he acted as the lawyer of the district. Jane married William Wright, of Cicero, N. Y., a prosperous farmer ; and she has no children.
Stephen R. Moulton, born May 8, 1805, received his education at Kimball Union Academy, and then taught school for many years. After his marriage he moved to the old homestead and stayed there for some years. He finally sold his interest in the estate to his brother Samuel, bought the Buzzel place, situ- ated on Methodist Hill, and lived there for some nine or ten years. He then bought the Harris place and the Pool place, which to- gether made a large farm. He carried on general farming and raised considerable cattle. In addition to this he managed a large
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store for general merchandise in partnership with Mr. Morgan. Active in local affairs, he was a Selectman and legislative Representa- tive, and was respected to a degree only sec- ond to the parish minister. He attended the Unitarian church. His wife Sally, who came from Plaistow, N. H., was born May 28, 1813. She became the mother of five children; namely, Frederick, Darius N., an infant daughter, Joseph Sidney, and Ella. All were natives of Plainfield except Frederick, who was born July 11, 1836, at Grantham, and is a popular and prosperous merchant of Lebanon. Joseph S., born April 13, 1851, is the popular pastor of the Unitarian church at Stow, Mass. Ella, born September 16, 1853, taught school for some time after her graduation from Kim- ball Academy, and at length married Mr. George F. Doty, of Meriden. She has two children - Lena M. and George F., Jr.
After finishing with school, Darius Noyes Moulton worked on the home farm with his father, remaining until the death of the latter. When he was twenty-one years old, his father gave him a share in the business; and together they went into stock-raising to a considerable extent. For the past twenty-five years Mr. Moulton has done a large amount of trading in farms, horses, cattle, and real estate of various kinds, besides carrying on the farm. He has become a wealthy man, and is to-day regarded as one of the solid business men of the town. He owns a number of farms, and has helped many a poor man in securing a comfortable home and a good farm. Of a generous dispo- sition, he cannot resist an appeal for aid when his sympathies are aroused. Although con- stantly engaged in all sorts of transactions, he was never known to take an unfair advantage. Public-spirited to a high degree, he is inter- ested in everything that concerns the welfare or progress of his native town. He has filled
various town offices with credit to himself and in a manner worthy of the family name. Mr. Moulton attends the Unitarian church, and is a liberal benefactor not only of that church, but of all the others in the town .. He has been a great traveller, having journeyed all over the United States and Canada. Since 1885 Mr. Moulton, in company with Mr. Roberts, the Town Clerk of Meriden, N. H., has owned and operated the large store owned formerly by E. E. Clark.
A RTHUR C. GRAVES, the station agent of the Boston & Maine Railroad in Henniker, was born in Andover, N. H., November 7, 1857, son of John and Ann (Clifford) Graves. He is a descendant of John Graves, who came in 1792 from Kingston, N. H., and settled on the Graves homestead in Andover. Jesse Graves, son of John and grandfather of Arthur C., occupied the farm, and died at the age of fifty-four years. The father, who was born in Andover, and succeeded to the property, was engaged in cultivating and improving the farm during the active period of his life, and died at the age of sixty-two years. His wife, Ann, was a native of Hebron, Grafton County. Their son, Wil- ton P. Graves, is the present proprietor of the homestead.
Arthur C. Graves began his education in New London, N. H., and later attended Tilton Seminary and Proctor Academy, where he was fitted for college. He returned to the farm, however; and, with the exception of two years spent in Massachusetts, he remained there until he was twenty-six years old. In 1884 he entered the railroad service at East An- dover, learned telegraphy, and for a time was assistant operator at East Andover and Potter Place. He has been station agent at Henni-
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ker since 1885, and now superintends the busi- ness of several trains per day. He is also ex- press agent, and has an assistant. In politics he is a Democrat, although he supported Palmer and Buckner in the last national cam- paign. He has been a delegate to party con- ventions, and has served as Town Treasurer, Supervisor, and a Trustee of the Free Library Association for two years. He is well versed in scientific subjects and in those of general interest.
On September 6, 1885, Mr. Graves was . united in marriage with Ida J. Prince, of Salisbury, N. H. She was born in Orange, N. H., daughter of David S. Prince, who is now a well-known resident of Salisbury. She was a schoolmate of her husband, and previous to her marriage was engaged in teaching. Mr. Graves is connected with the Masonic frater- nity and the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows; and for two years he was Master of Bear Hill Grange, of Henniker. Mrs. Graves at- tends the Congregational church.
BENEZER B. SARGENT, one of the best known farmers of Pittsfield and a veteran of the Civil War, was born in Loudon, N.H., April 11, 1821, son of Ebenezer and Annie (Batchelder) Sargent. Benjamin Sargent, the father of Ebenezer, served as a scout under General Washington during the Revolutionary War, and later be- came a Baptist minister. He preached in Pittsfield from 1808 to 1819, and died at the age of fifty-eight years. The maiden name of his wife was Eunice Lindell. Of their seven children who reached maturity Ebenezer, the second son, was born in Bow, N. H., in 1789. He learned the carpenter's trade in Pittsfield, and followed it in Pittsfield, Loudon, and Epsom until he was fifty years old. The re-
mainder of his life was passed in farming, and he died in Pittsfield at the age of seventy-five years. Originally a Whig in politics, he later joined the Free Soil party. His wife . reached the age of eighty-eight. Both were members of the Baptist church.
Ebenezer B. Sargent passed his early boy- hood in Loudon and Epsom, and was educated in the schools of Pittsfield. He subsequently learned the shoemaker's trade, at which he worked for many years in this town. After the breaking out of the Civil War he enlisted as a private in the First New Hampshire Ar- tillery, and in the service was detached from his regiment and placed on duty in the Mary- land Hospital at Camp Sumner, where he was until the close of the war. After his return to Pittsfield he engaged in agricultural pur- suits. He owns a farm of thirty acres, and has cultivated his property successfully since relinquishing his former calling. In politics he is a Republican. He receives a pension for his services in the war; and he is a com- rade of Post W. K. Cobb, No. 29, G. A. R., of Pittsfield. He is a member of the Free Will Baptist church.
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