USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Merrimack and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 40
USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Merrimack and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 40
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George Choate was a mason and a black- smith in the village of Henniker for many years. Coming from there to Hopkinton in 1836, he settled on the present homestead farm, where he resided until his death. Dur- ing the last ten years of his life he was an invalid. He was celebrated as a fifer in the time of the old militia. In his later years, accompanied by the late Jonah Campbell, a
famous drummer, he used to furnish music at all public functions. In March, 1832, he married Betsey Davis, who was born March 8, 1808, in Hopkinton, daughter of Abraham and Priscilla (Currier) Davis. She died February 8, 1880, leaving two children-Horace LeRoy and Lizzie Annie. Lizzie Annie, born Sep- tember 13, 1839, on December 10, 1873, married Nathan S. Smith, of Salem, N. H., and died January 15, 1890, leaving no issue.
Horace LeRoy Choate worked at the mason's trade in his earlier life. Afterward he was employed in a mill at Manchester, this State, for a time, and then spent a year with his uncle in Illinois. Returning to New Hampshire, he was engaged as a meat dealer in Concord for three or four years. In that period he was also deputy keeper of the Mer- rimack County jail. He assumed the manage- ment of the old home farm in 1859, and has since resided there, successfully engaged in general agriculture. Mr. Choate has been twice married. On December 10, 1863, Mary Mabel Heath, daughter of Christopher and Sarah (Call) Heath, became his wife. She was born June 3, 1835, in Pittsburg, N. H., and died on the homestead, November 1, 1882. On December 10, 1883, the twentieth anniver- sary of his first marriage, and the tenth anni- versary of his sister's wedding, he married Frances Emma Coomes, a widow, and a daugh- ter of Cyrus and Hannah (Rand) Ford. She was born in Monroe, Me., December 12, 1842, and died August 13, 1890. For the past five years Mr. Choate has had the services of Mrs. Nancy B. Silver, one of the friends of his early life, in the capacity of housekeeper. In politics he is a stanch Democrat, but he has never been an aspirant for official honors. He has always been a devotee of the rod and gun, being as fond of angling as Isaac Walton himself, and as keen a sportsman as ever handled a rifle.
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EV. HENRY HARRISON HART- WELL is an esteemed resident of Allenstown, where he has served for a long time as Superintendent of Schools and in other important town offices. He was born in Hillsborough, N. H., October 18, 1819, son of William and Betsey (Wilkins) Hartwell. His grandfather, John Hartwell, was a typical New Hampshire man, strong in mind and body, and respected by all who knew him. John Hartwell taught school in early life. In 1724 he was Highway Surveyor; and in 1757 he was Selectman of Concord, N.H. A mem- ber of the State militia, he was Ensign some time previous to 1741. He married Mary, daughter of Job and Mary (Hartwell) Parling, and reared a large family. His son, William, born August 26, 1795, in Hillsborough, besides working at his trade of carpenter, also cultivated a farm. An industrious man and endowed with great bodily strength, William looked for little leisure during his life. In politics he was a Democrat, in religious belief a Methodist. He died April 14, 1861, and his wife died at the age of eighty-four. Eleven children were born to them, two daugh- ters and nine sons. Of these the survivors are: Henry Harrison and Elizabeth J. The latter is the wife of William H. Collins, of Cambridge, Mass., ard the mother of three children - Hattie, Herbert, and Annie.
Henry Harrison Hartwell acquired most of his education in his native town. He became a member of the New Hampshire Annual Con- ference when he was twenty years old, and for a great many years labored as a Meth- odist pastor in Great Falls, Rochester, New Market, Manchester, Nashua, Lawrence, Ports- mouth, and other places. He had been a zeal- ous worker in the Christian vineyard for forty years, when his voice failed, and he was obliged to retire. Afterward he spent four
years in California and Nevada, resting and recuperating, and then took up the auction and commission business in Allenstown, in which he is at present engaged. He moved to this place in 1867, and in the thirty years of his residence here he has held the respect of his townsmen, In politics he is independent. He has served in the capacity of Justice of the Peace for twenty years. He has been Tax Collector of Allenstown for a number of years, Superintendent of Schools for eleven years, and Chairman of the Board of Selectmen for one year.
Mr. Hartwell was married May 1, 1842, to Flora Ann Swett, of Webster, N. H., who died in September, 1858. She was the mother of four children, of whom Charles H. and Leon I. are living. Charles married Flora Moore, of Lawrence, Mass. Leon has been twice married, and has two children - Harry and Warren W., respectively borne by his first and second wives. His second wife, who is living, was Miss Bertha Wheeler, of Salem, N. H. The Rev. Mr. Hartwell contracted a second marriage April 10, 1861, with Mrs. Sarah Sargeant Hirsch, a daughter of Major Sterling Sargeant. By this union he has one child, Flora A., who is now the wife of Park Mitchell, of Manchester, N. H., and has three children - Emma May, Florence S., and Henry O. Mrs. Hartwell died May 19, 1897, nearly seventy-three years old.
OHN E. FRENCH, one of the leading men of affairs of Bradford, Merrimack County, was born in this town, Febru- ary 27, 1843. He is a son of Daniel French, and the grandson of Offin French, an early settler of Bradford.
Offin French was born in South Hampton, N.H., in 1761; and when but a boy he entered
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the Revolutionary army, in which he served until the close of the war. At the battle of Bennington he became acquainted with Paskey Pressy, one of the brave soldiers who enlisted from Warner; and after the war was over he came to Bradford, N.H., and, continuing the acquaintance formed on the battlefield, met, wooed, and won as his wife, Susannah, a daughter of Mr. Pressy. After marriage the young couple settled on a farm one-half mile east of Bradford Centre; and here were born and reared their children, thirteen in number. Offin French lived to the age of threescore years and ten; and his wife, who was born some years later than he, died within the remembrance of her grandson, John E., at the age of eighty-seven years.
Daniel French came into possession of the old homestead, and cared for his parents in their declining years. He afterward settled on a place a third of a mile north-east of Brad- ford, where he farmed for twenty-eight years, removing then to the village, in which he lived until his death in 1867, aged threescore and ten years. His wife survived him, dying in 1876, aged seventy-six years. Her maiden name was Abigail Cressy. She was born in Bradford, and was a daughter of John Cressy, whose father was a soldier in the French and Indian War, and also in the Revolution, prob- ably serving from Bradford. Daniel and Abi- gail (Cressy) French were the parents of five children, namely: Mary Jane, widow of J. P. Marshall, living at Hawk's Park, Fla .; Ira C., for some years a merchant in Bradford, subsequently engaged in the same line of busi- ness in Lansingburg, N.Y., where he died at the age of fifty-seven years; Sabria A., the widow of Frederick Cheney, living in this town; Christina P., the wife of Thomas Little, of Peterboro, N.H .; and John E., the direct subject of this biography.
John E. French lived on the home farm until fifteen years of age, when he came to the village, where he learned the tinner's trade. While serving his apprenticeship of three years, he was given three months' schooling each year, and at the end of the time received two hundred and ten dollars in cash. He fol- lowed his trade four years here and in Sutton, and was then engaged in mercantile business in Bradford for seven years, keeping a store well stocked with a general line of hardware, and running eight or ten pedlers' carts. Dis- posing of his entire stock, he then embarked in the lumber business, buying, in partnership with George W. Tucker, of this place, large tracts of land, often including whole farms, for the sake of the timber, which they manu- factured into lumber of all kinds. For ten years Mr. French has been engaged to some extent in settling estates, the last three years of the time making that business a specialty, and in the meantime he has had the guardian- ship of several minors, insane persons, and others debarred for special reasons from look- ing after their own interests. He is one of the Directors of the Citizens' National Bank of Newport, N.H., and has a large interest in a sheep ranch in Wyoming. As a loyal and faithful citizen he takes an active interest in public affairs. He has held the office of Selectman; and in 1879 he was a Representa- tive to the State legislature, serving while there on the Mining Committee. He is a sound Democrat, influential in political circles, attending all the county and State conven- tions, and was one of the ninety that walked out of the State Convention in 1896. He has been a member of the State Committee three terms.
Mr. French was married September 15, 1873, to Miss Emma F. Day, who was born in Orford, N. H., but was reared and educated in
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Concord. He was made a Mason in St. Peter's Lodge, F. & A. M., of this town, one of the oldest lodges in the country, and is a mem- ber of Woods Chapter, R. A. M., of Hen- niker, in which he has served in various official capacities. Mr. French is a noted sportsman, and has shot more foxes than any other man in Merrimack County. He is a good marksman, very successful in duck and partridge shooting, and an expert at trout and salmon fishing.
HARLES E. PUTNEY, a farmer of high standing in Webster, N. H., is a native of that place. He was born June 10, 1827, the son of Stephen and Sallie (Eastman) Putney. His father, who was born February 12, 1765, was a soldier in the Revo- lutionary War, serving in 1780 and 1781. He afterward purchased the farm where Charles E. now lives, and settled down there. He was married three times, first to Sallie E. Eastman, of Hopkinton, who died in 1809; second to Susan Eastman, who died in Sep- tember, 1820; and then to Sallie Eastman, who died April 6, 1867, aged seventy-nine years. The three wives were cousins. By the first marriage there were six children - Nelson, Enoch, True, Pluma, Anna, and Stephen. The children of the second mar- riage were five in number - Clarissa, Sarah, David, Lucy, Azariah; and of the third there were four: Charles Monroe, who died in in- fancy; Mary Angeline; Charles E .; and Samantha S. Mary A. was born July 6, 1825, and died July 20, 1825. Samantha S., born August 3, 1829, married Dustin Spaulding, now a carpenter in Contoocook, N. H., where they now reside.
Charles E. Putney, the subject of this sketch, received the ordinary education afforded by the common schools, and always
lived at home with his parents. After his marriage he took charge of the old homestead, and carried on farming until his retirement a few years ago, when his son, Charles H., be- came manager of the property. The old farm embraces about one hundred and sixty acres, and Charles H. owns another farm of one hun- dred and seventy-five acres. Both places are kept well up to the times, and a general farm- ing business is pursued.
Mr. Putney was married December 26, 1850, to Susan C. Sanborn, of Webster, a daughter of John and Rebecca (Coffin) San- born, both of Boscawen. She was born Octo- ber 20, 1830. Her father was a farmer in that place, and in the sledding season he engaged somewhat in drawing lumber. He died August 30, 1887, aged eighty-eight, his wife having died November 26, 1869. Mr. and Mrs. Sanborn had ten children; namely, Abbie, Moses, Susan, Emily, John, Ellen, Charles, Sarah, Hannah, and Henry. This . large family is now widely separated, as fol- lows: Abbie is in Reading, Mass .; Moses, in Concord; John is deceased; Ellen lives in Wakefield, Mass .; Charles married Jennie Colby, of Salisbury, and lives in Webster, as does also Sarah, who married I. F. Balch, of Lyme, N.H. ; Emily lives in Penacook; Han- nah, in Chicago; and Henry, in Xenia, Ohio.
Mr. and Mrs. Putney have five children -- Ida J., Charles H., John S., Cora E., and Bertha M. Ida J. was born October 24, 1851, and is now a dressmaker in Concord. Charles H. Putney was born February 19, 1853, and is a carpenter by trade, but now has charge of the homestead farm, as stated above, still, how- ever, doing some carpentering. He has been Collector of Taxes for several years, and still holds that position. John S. Putney was born January 27, 1855, and is in the gravel, sand, and cement business in Chicago. He married
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Lucile Melton, of St. Louis, Mo. ; and they have one child, John S., Jr. Cora E. Putney was born September 28, 1857, and is a suc- cessful school teacher, having taught schools in Concord, N.H., and vicinity. Bertha M. was born July 6, 1868, and became the wife of Edward Little, a farmer formerly of Massachu- setts, but now living in Webster. They have one child, Gladys Susan. These five children were all given the benefit of the education afforded by the best schools.
Mr. Putney is a Democrat in politics. He has been Justice of the Peace and Prudential School Committee. Both he and his wife are members of the Congregational Church of Webster. He has always been an active, energetic man, has been successful in his life work, and is much respected in the community.
TEPHEN ALDEN TRACY, a well-known resident of Cornish, was born here, October 31, 1833, son of Stephen and Sarah (Alden) Tracy. The family is one of the oldest in this coun- try, and traces its descent to Lieutenant Thomas Tracy, who came from England in 1636 and settled in Connecticut. Lieutenant Tracy was son of Nathaniel and grandson of Richard Tracy, of Stanway, England. Na- thaniel's eldest brother was made a baronet by King James I. on June 29, 1611, being the thirteenth of the order created by James. The Tracy coat of arms, in the possession of the family, shows the scallop shell (indicating that some ancestor was a Crusader) between two narrow red bands, and a crest surmounted by a shell between two wings of gold, with the motto, "Memoria Pii Æterna." The line of descent from Lieutenant Tracy is through Thomas, Jr., father of Jeremiah Tracy. An- drew, the next in descent, lived in Lisbon,
Conn. He married Ruth Smith, daughter of Captain Elijah Smith, of Barnstable, Mass., and had eleven children. His son Andrew, Jr., born March 17, 1750, who died Decem- ber 28, 1819, was the first to come to Cor- nish. This Andrew married Annie Bingham, of Windham, Conn., whose children by him were : Lemuel, Ruth, Lucy, Elias, Stephen, Anna, Andrew, and Jesse. Lemuel, born July 29, 1773, who married Phoebe Parker, had moved to Cornish with his father in 1783; and they were the first settlers of the family in this section. The Tracy homestead, which is one of the oldest houses in the town, was built in 1793. It has since been remodelled ; but the solid, oaken timbers are still intact, and strong enough to last another century. Lemuel died in Claremont. Ruth, born March 30, 1775, died unmarried, October 17, 1856. Lucy, born November 4, 1777, died unmarried, April 20, 1824. Elias, born in Lisbon, Conn., January 22, 1780, was a cripple, and supported himself by making gloves. He died June 20, 1850. Anna, the first of the family born in Cornish, died March 1, 1830, aged forty-six years. Andrew, born January 21, 1789, died in Vermont, January 8, 1864. He was a farmer and had quite a family of chil- dren. Jesse, born March 21, 1792, died Au- gust 30, 1857. He was married and had sev- eral children.
Stephen Tracy, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born July 2, 1782, and died at Cornish, October 23, 1865. He was a cabi- net-maker, and worked at his trade in Plain- field and in Connecticut. After the death of his father he returned to the homestead, and managed the farm for the remainder of his life. He was a Deacon of the Congrega- tional church. Though interested in public affairs, he never cared for political honors and never held a town office. He first married
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Rebecca Tracy, of Lisbon; and she bore him three children - Virginia, Eliza, and Very Ann, all of whom are deceased. His second wife, Betsey Boardman Tracy, who came from Vermont, gave birth to five children - Re- becca, William N., Sabra S., George B., and Jonas B. Rebecca, born August 25, 1818, married Ebenezer Cole, a farmer, and had one child. She died November 16, 1893. Will- iam, born May 30, 1820, died in California, August 12, 1894. He married Harriet T. Kelley, a widow, and was a watchman in the office of the State Treasurer at Sacramento for some years. Sabra, born May 23, 1822, died February 6, 1885. She married the Rev. J. B. Ramsey, of Virginia, and was the mother of three children. George B., born March 15, 1826, a soldier in the Civil War, was wounded in the ankle at the battle of the Wilderness, and died at Washington, June 6, 1864, just a month after that. It is related of him, concerning that occasion, that he lay for twenty hours between the battle lines of the two armies, where he was almost covered with the earth ploughed up by cannon balls, and that some Southern soldiers, who held the ground for a space, took away his ammunition. He married Sarah Hibbard, of Cornish. Jonas B., born March 25, 1828, was twice married. His first wife, Ruth M. Wood Tracy, had no children. His second marriage was made with Mrs. Laura A. Stevens, of Wisconsin, who bore him three children. He is Town Treasurer of Milton, Wis., and a popular school teacher of that town. Stephen Tracy's third marriage was contracted with Sarah Alden, a descendant in the seventh generation of John and Priscilla Alden, who came over in the "Mayflower." Born in Lebanon, N. H., November 1, 1790, she died October 14, 1867. Her three children were: Sarah E., born Oc- tober 10, 1831 ; Stephen Alden, the subject of
this sketch ; and Caroline S., born October 8, 1835. Caroline married Charles S. Cahill, a prominent cigar manufacturer of Lowell, Mass., who died in the spring of 1894.
Stephen Alden Tracy received his educa- tion in the public schools of Cornish and at Thetford Academy, Vt. After finishing school, he went West and was three years in the lumber districts of Wisconsin. He then returned to Cornish to care for his parents in their old age and to manage the farm. He has always been a prominent figure in the social and political life of the town. In 1875-76 he was a Representative to the legislature ; and he was Selectman for five years, being Chairman of the Board for three years. He has also served on the School Board for some years. While in the legislature he was a member of the Committee on Insurance, and he is well informed on all matters pertaining to that subject. He attends the Baptist church of Plainfield, and is a Mason and a prominent member of the grange. Mr. Tracy has been twice married. He first married Emily E. Norris, of Cornish, who died June 19, 1862. His second marriage, which took place August 31, 1865, united him to Agnes Bailey, daughter of John and Eliza Ann Bailey, of Enfield, N. H. She has been the mother of seven children; namely, Franklin B., Emily, Evelyn A., Charles A., Ellen N., William B., and Sarah E. Franklin, born October 15, 1866, and educated at Kimball Academy, is a member of the firm of Stone, Tracy & Co., of Windsor, Vt. He married Ida Stone, daughter of Samuel N. Stone, who is a partner in the business. They have one son - Gordon S., born April 2, 1895. Emily Tracy, born September 12, 1868, who was edu- cated at Kimball Academy, is a teacher at Gor- ham, this State. Evelyn A., born October 2, 1870, who was educated at Kimball Academy
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and at New London, N. H., is also a graduate of the business college at Worcester, Mass. Charles A., born November 16, 1872, is in the Senior class at Dartmouth College. Ellen N., born May 8, 1875, is a teacher of marked ability and success. William B., born Octo- ber 24, 1877, who was educated at Windsor, Vt., is at home with his father and mother. Sarah E., born April 20, 18SI, is a student in the high school at Windsor.
ARON L. BROWN, of North Grant- ham, the second representative of his family in the ownership of his farm, was born February 1, 1828, son of Jonathan and Mehitable (Stevens) Brown. The family name is well known in every country where the English language is spoken. In America Browns have been prominent statesmen, edu- cators, and soldiers. Jonathan Brown, the great-grandfather of Aaron L., was a patriot soldier of the Revolution. He was the first ancestor of this family to come to this country. His son, Jonathan Brown, Jr., was the first of the family to settle in the town of Grantham. This was nearly one hundred years ago, in the early days of the town. Jonathan, Jr., who was an industrious and well-to-do farmer, took an active interest in the affairs of the town, but never aspired to public office. He mar- ried Sarah Quimby ; and they had a family of seven children - Jacob, Nancy, Jonathan, Sarah, Aaron, Sanborn, and Lyman. Jacob married in New York State, where he spent the greater part of his life, chiefly occupied in farming. Nancy married Asa Clark, of Grantham, a farmer and carpenter. Sarah became Mrs. David Frye, of Grantham. Aaron, who was a farmer and conducted a grist-mill, lived in Canada. Sanborn was a carpenter and farmer of this town. Lyman
lived in Boston during the greater part of his life, and carried on an extensive milk business.
Jonathan Brown, the third bearer of the name and the father of Aaron L., born at Can- dia, N. H., June 23, 1795, died November 15, 1868. He came to Grantham when two years old, and received his education in the public schools here. After leaving school, he worked on the farm with his father ; and upon the death of the latter he took entire charge. As a farmer he was progressive, and as a citizen energetic of the estate. Recognized by his fellow-townsmen as a man of ability, they sent him to the State legislature in 1845 and 1846. He was a member and a steward of the Methodist church. Of his nine children the fourth-born died in infancy, before it was christened. The others were: John N., Orvil C., Aaron L., Sarah A., Sarah A. (second), Jonathan, Arabella A., and Hannah E. John N., born June 11, 1823, who died November 28, 1862, was a storekeeper, and served the town in the capacities of Sheriff and Select- man. He married Eliza Roundy, and had two children - Ann E. and Charles W. Orvil C., born April 27, 1826, had finished his education and had taught school for a short time when he died, January 24, 1853. , Sarah A., born May 29, 1830, died October 10, 1832. Sarah A. (second), born October 7, 1833, died in 1851. Jonathan, the fourth bearer of the name, born December 13, 1836, died October 25, 1841. Arabella A., born December 26, 1839, died December 28, 1851 ; and Hannah E., who was born November 10, 1841, died December 28, 1851.
After receiving his education in the schools of the town Aaron L. Brown stayed on the homestead farm with his father until the death of the latter, when he assumed the manage- ment. He was an extensive sheep-raiser until about six years ago, when wool-growing ceased
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to be profitable. Since that time he has been engaged in dairy farming. He is one of the leading farmers of the county and closely iden- tified with the public life of the town. He has held the office of Selectman, and he served as legislative Representative in 1872 and 1873. In the legislature he was a member of the Committee on Asylums and Claims. He married Sarah J. Boyce, of Springfield, N. H., who was born July 25, 1832. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have had five children, namely : Orvil, born December 8, 1852, who died April 24, 1854; Curtis L., born August 14, 1855, who died September 7, 1857; Mary E., born Au- gust 15, 1857, who married Fred A. Leavitt, resides at Henniker, N. H., and has two chil- dren - Ethel J. and Curtis B. ; Jonathan J., born July 14, 1860, who died September 27, 1862; and Imla S., who was born July 8, 1865. The latter, who lives with his father on the farm, is a worthy representative of the family. He has been Selectman and is promi- nent in the civil affairs of the town. He mar- ried Amy E. Newton, of Acworth, N. H., and has two children : Pearl A., born June 9, 1893; and Harold Aaron, born January 19, 1895. The Browns are eligible for member- ship in the celebrated society of Sons and Daughters of the Revolution, which embraces on its muster-roll the most distinguished fam- ilies of New England.
ILLIAM GREGG ANDREWS, a prosperous farmer of Sutton, Merri- mack County, N. H., was born July 7, 1834, on the farm upon which he now lives. His father was Nathan Andrews, Jr., a native of Sutton; and his paternal grandfather was Nathan Andrews, Sr., born in Danvers, Mass., in 1767, a son of Samuel Andrews. He came to Merrimack County when a young man, and
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