USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Merrimack and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 41
USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Merrimack and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 41
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in 1795 he married Hannah Gregg and at once settled upon a farm at Fishersfield. His wife was a daughter of James and Janet (Collins) Gregg, and, though lame from childhood, was energetic and industrious, and lived to the age of ninety-four, a very bright and interest- ing old lady. In 1811 Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Andrews, Sr., built a frame house in Sutton, which with other buildings was burned in 1834. They then built a brick house, which was destroyed by fire on August 28, 1890. Mr. Andrews passed to the higher life Sep- tember 7, 1853. Mrs. Andrews died April 7, I 866.
Their son, Nathan, Jr., was born in Sutton, March 30, 1802, and died March 16, 1883. . He married Dolly Sargent Pillsbury, who was born February 16, 1801, and died June 29, 1883. In early years they attended the Con- gregational church at Bradford Centre, but were later identified with the Baptist church at Bradford Mills Village. Uncle Nathan, as he was called, was a very strict Baptist, very de- cided in his opinions, and almost Puritanical in his methods of training his family. He was a very well-read man, intelligent and a great student of the Bible as well as of other literature; and his wife, Aunt Dolly, was a most lovable, gentle woman. Mr. Nathan Andrews, Jr., was a very successful farmer, owning his farm over fifty years, and was en- gaged in general agriculture, besides for many years being a brickmaker.
William Gregg Andrews had one sister - Hannah J., the wife of Hilas Dickey, of Man- chester, N. H., who died in 1885; and five brothers, namely : Thomas F. and George H., pioneer merchants of Minneapolis, Minn., the former of whom died in 1891; Captain James G., who died in Memphis, Tenn., in 1882; Frank, who died in childhood; and Horace E., a resident of Memphis, Tenn., where he had
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been Clerk of the United States Court for seventeen years.
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William G. received his education in the schools of Sutton and at Kimball Union Acad- emy, Meriden, N. H. At the age of twenty he began his mercantile life as clerk in a store at Manchester ; and two years later he became junior member of the firm of Adams & Andrews, continuing in the grocery business for five years. He and his brother James were engaged in a general mercantile business in Concord, N. H., for seven years, after which Mr. Andrews went to Boston, where he associ- ated himself with S. M. Pennock under the firm name of Pennock & Andrews, wholesale dealers in hops and malt. While in Boston Mr. Andrews incurred those severe physical afflictions which changed the tenor of his life, compelling him to sacrifice the business to which he had devoted the energy of twenty years, and causing him to alter many plans in hopes of restoring his health. A year was spent at Hot Springs, Ark., in vain attempt at a cure of muscular rheumatism. Much time was occupied in efforts to restore failing eye- sight.
Although science was powerless to restore health, Mr. Andrews has accomplished, with his disadvantages, more than many in health have tried to do. Returning to Sutton, he built a commodious brick residence on the site of the old house which had been destroyed by fire and in fac-simile of the first one. This he invited his parents to share with him. He then energetically set about improving the old farm, which had much deteriorated. With modern improvements and well-directed efforts the fields are restored to more than former fertility, and a large herd of Jersey and Holstein cows, many of which are regis- tered, have been bred by him, he being the first in town to raise Holstein stock and regis-
ter the same. The farm, with its excellent appointments, is one of the best and most flourishing in Merrimack County.
In 1866 Mr. Andrews was married to Miss Lucinda J. Currier, in whom he has found a wife of rare energy and beauty of character, remarkable not only for her ability in her home, but for her value in the community. She was born in Manchester, N. H. Her parents were Charles and Eliza W. (Cram) Currier. The former was one of the pioneer cotton manufacturers of Manchester, going there in 1842, and associated until his death, in 1880, with the Amoskeag Mills. Mrs. Currier, a bright old lady of eighty-three years, makes her home with Mr. and Mrs. An- drews. The education which Mrs. Andrews received at the Manchester schools was sup- plemented by a thorough musical training. Since her residence in Sutton she has been especially interested in the schools. . She is serving her second term as member of the School Board, and as Chairman she has helped to perform a notable work in elevating the town's schools and in placing them among the best in the State. One of her efforts was the purchase of national flags for the school-houses and the cultivation of patriotism among the scholars. Mrs. Andrews by her musical gifts has also been of benefit to the community as member of the choir of the Bradford church. As wife, mother, hostess, and social leader, she has united with her husband in the im- provement of the town and community.
Mr. and Mrs. Andrews have two sons. The elder, James Currier, is with the Pillsbury & Washburn Flour Mill Company, of Minneap- olis, Minn., in the capacity of shipper, leav- ing college and entering their employ in 1888. While he is devoted to his business, he is also greatly interested in the military affairs of the State. During his service of seven years in
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the State militia he has been promoted from private to Sergeant, Treasurer, Lieutenant, and Adjutant of the First Regiment of Na- tional Guards of the State of Minnesota, which position he now holds. He was married to Miss Harriet L. Blake, youngest daughter of Edwin W. and Sarah (Gage) Blake, of Man- chester, N. H., in 1894. The younger son, Harry Howard, has personal charge of a large business of feed shippers, in which he is asso- ciated with his father under the firm name of Andrews & Co., having an office in Guaranty Loan Building in Minneapolis. This firm shipped the first solid train load of bran that was ever exported from the Queen Flour City (Minneapolis), which has resulted in estab- lishing a large export trade of this commodity.
ALTER SARGENT, of Elm Farm, in the town of Warner, N.H., is well known as one of the most skilful, progressive, and successful agricultu- rists of Merrimack County. He was born De- cember 25, 1837, in Warner Lower Village, a son of Abner and Martha J. (Morrill) Sargent.
He is of English antecedents, tracing his lineage back to Richard Sargent, an English naval officer, whose son William, born in England in 1602, was the emigrant ancestor. He came to New England at an early period, taking with him a family of daughters, who had been left motherless by the death of his first wife, Judith Perkins, and was one of the twelve men who began a settlement at Ipswich, Mass., in 1633. He subsequently helped form settlements in Newbury, Mass., and Hampton, N.H. ; and in 1640 he removed to Salisbury, Mass., becoming one of the eighteen original proprietors of that part of Essex County now included within the limits of Amesbury. His second wife, Elizabeth, bore him two sons -
Thomas and William. He received several grants of land, and in 1667 was one of the Selectmen of the town. He continued his residence in Amesbury until his death in 1675.
The line was continued through his son Thomas, who was born June 11, 1643, and married Rachel Barnes. Their son, Thomas, Jr., born November 15, 1676, was the father of Stephen Sargent, who was born September 14, 1710, married Judith Ordway, of West Newbury, Mass., September 26, 1730, and was made Deacon of the Second Congregational Church of Amesbury, May 10, 1757. Deacon Sargent and his wife, Judith, reared fourteen children, ten of them being sons. Four of these - Amasa, Ezekiel, Thomas, and Moses - spent their entire lives in their native town. A fifth, James, established a home in Methuen, Mass .; and the other five - Peter, Nathan, Stephen (second), Abner, and Eben- ezer --- came to Merrimack County, New Hampshire, the first three locating in Hopkin- ton, and the other two in Warner. Abner married Sarah Rowell, and settled on Burnt Hill, where his son Stephen, third, who mar- ried Betsey Currier, of Warner, was born and reared. One of their children was Abner, the father of Walter Sargent, of Warner. Abner Sargent grew to manhood in this town, and was for many years engaged as a merchant in Warner Lower Village, in partnership with Thomas Bartlett. He subsequently disposed of his interest in the business, and bought a farm in what was then Boscawen, but is now Webster, where he resided until 1866, when he purchased a farm, on which his son Walter now lives; and here he died.
Walter Sargent was brought up to farm life, having been but two years of age when his parents removed to Boscawen. He was a bright scholar, quick to learn and eager to
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acquire a good education, which he obtained at the district school and in the academies of Salisbury, Hopkinton, Franklin, and Contoo- cook. He afterward taught school a few terms, meeting with success as instructor, and winning the lifelong friendship of his pupils. A part of each year he assisted on the farm, and also worked at the carpenter's trade, gain- ing a knowledge and experience that have since proved of inestimable value to him. In 1863 Mr. Sargent married Miss Addie C. Morrill, daughter of Captain Samuel Morrill, of Ando- ver; and for a few years after that event he had charge of his father-in-law's farm. In 1867 he returned to his birthplace, settling on the farm where he now resides. He has made substantial improvements on the place, en- tirely remodelling and repairing the buildings, and, having purchased other land, has now about two hundred and fifty acres, one of the most attractive and valuable farming estates in this part of the county. He carries on all branches of farming, raising much stock, breeding Delaine Merino sheep, and has a fine dairy of Guernsey and Jersey cattle. He makes butter, which he sells to regular cus- tomers, giving the skim milk to the hogs, which thrive under his care. He raises all the corn needed for feed, finding it cheaper than to buy, even at the present low prices, his crop averaging from two to three hundred bushels annually. He is very systematic in all his work, and for more than thirty years has kept an account of his cash receipts and expenses in his diary.
Mr. Sargent takes great interest in local affairs, and has served with credit as a member of the School Board for three years, and for two years as one of the Selectmen of Warner. Until his hearing became impaired, he was an active worker in local, county, and State granges, having been made a member of War-
ner Grange, with which he is still connected, in 1877; and he was Secretary of Merrimack County Council, P. of H. ; and of the Merri- mack County Grange from the time of its organization until compelled to retire from office on account of this infirmity.
Mr. Sargent's first wife died in 1873, leav- ing two sons, namely: Frank H., Assistant Postmaster at Harriman, Tenn .; and George H., who was for several years city editor of the St. Paul (Minn. ) Pioncer Press, and is now on the editorial staff of the Boston Tran- script. On October 3, 1877, Mr. Sargent mar- ried Mrs. Fannie A. Fellows Shaw, daughter of Deacon Richard Fellows, of Salisbury. She presides over his household with a grace and dignity very attractive to their many warm friends, their pleasant home at Elm Farm being the abode of generous hospitality. For some years Mr. and Mrs. Sargent threw open their doors during the summer seasons, as a place of rest and recreation, to boarders from the city; but the labor connected therewith proved too arduous, and they now entertain only their more intimate friends and kinsfolk.
ON. GEORGE PEABODY LITTLE . is an influential citizen of Pembroke, N. H. In his veins flows the blood of two old and reputable New England fami- lies, the Littles of Newbury, Mass., and the Peabodys of Danvers, the famous banker and philanthropist, George Peabody, having been his kinsman. Mr. Little was born in Pem- broke, N.Y., June 20, 1834, a son of Dr. El- bridge G. and Sophronia Phelps (Peabody) Little. He is of the eighth generation of Littles in this country, tracing his descent from George Little, who settled in old New- bury, Mass., in 1640 or soon after. George Little was a tailor by trade, and, like most of
GEORGE P. LITTLE.
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the early colonists, engaged in farming also. In 1650 he bought the freehold right in New- bury of John Osgood, Sr .; and he subsequently made many other purchases of land. The date of his death is uncertain, but is probably 1693 or 1694. He married first Alice Poor, who came from England in 1638. She died December 1, 1680, aged sixty-two. She was the mother of all his children, five in number. His second wife, Eleanor, widow of Thomas Barnard, of Amesbury, Mass., survived him, dying November 27, 1694.
Joseph, the second child and eldest son of George and Alice (Poor) Little, is next in line of descent. He was born in Newbury, September 22, 1653, and was a permanent resident of the part of the town now called Newburyport from 1700 to the time of his death. A very prominent and active citizen, he held most of the offices within the gift of the town. He attained the advanced age of eighty-seven. On October 31, 1677, he was married to Mary, daughter of Tristram Coffin and his wife, Judith, widow of Henry Somerby, and daughter of Captain Edmund Greenleaf. She was born November 12, 1657, and died November 28, 1725. Joseph Little and his wife were active members of the Congregational Church of Newbury. They were the parents of nine children. Enoch, the fifth child, was born in Newbury, Decem- ber 9, 1685. He was one of the first settlers . in West Newbury, locating there about 1708, and clearing a large tract of land. He died April 28, 1766. Enoch Little was married May 19, 1707, to Elizabeth, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Webster) Worth. She was born August 17, 1688, and died September 20, 1766. This couple were the parents of seven children, the fourth child, Edmund, being the great-great-grandfather of George P. Little. Edmund Little was born in West
Newbury, September 5, 1715, and died Au- gust 29, 1803. He was married March 18, 1736, to Judith, daughter of Dr. Matthew and Sarah (Knight) Adams. She was born April 2, 1716, and died September 7, 1784. His second wife was Elizabeth, daughter of Dea- con John Noyes, of Newbury, and widow of Captain James Smith. She died September 22, 1817, aged eighty-six. By his first wife Edmund Little had ten children, Enoch, sec- ond, the Hon. George P. Little's great-grand- father, being the fifth. Enoch Little, second, was born June 7, 1748. He was a farmer of West Newbury, and died there August 15, 1820. His wife, Mary, daughter of Ezekiel and Mary (Sargent) Hale, died at the age of sixty-nine. They were the parents of three children. Enoch, third, the elder son, who was born May II, 1773, was the grandfather of the subject of this sketch. He, too, was a farmer of West Newbury, and died there, March 23, 1816. On September 15, 1796, he was united in marriage with Mary Brickett, who was born May 12, 1771, and died Sep- tember 12, 1855. They had a family of four children, Elbridge G. being the youngest.
Elbridge G. Little was born August 5, 1807. He obtained his preliminary educa- tion at Exeter, N.H., and graduated from the Medical College at Cleveland, Ohio. He attained eminence in his profession, and in New Lisbon, Wis., where his last years were passed, he was one of the wealthiest and most prominent citizens. His wife, who was born November 4, 1809, was a daughter of Thomas and Judith (Dodge) Peabody, of the part of old Danvers, Mass., now known as Peabody. She was a sister of George Peabody, the wealthy and benevolent banker, who died in London, and who bequeathed to her son, George Peabody Little, a portion of his vast wealth. Six children were born to Dr. and
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Mrs. Little, three of whom are living: George P. ; Allen F., who was born August 12, 1838; and Henry C., who was born March 31, 1842.
George Peabody Little was educated in the academy in Lewiston, N. Y., Pembroke Acad- emy of Pembroke, N.H., and the gymnasium and military institute here, a branch of the Norwich Military Academy of Vermont. He taught school for one term in Pembroke, N.H., when he was eighteen years old, and the following year went to Portland, Me., where he was engaged in mercantile business some six years. The ten years ensuing he managed a photograph studio at Palmyra, N.Y., having taken a fancy to chemicals and cameras. Returning then to Pembroke, N.H., he purchased his present homestead, and turned his attention to general farming and cattle breeding. In 1868 he erected a handsome residence, a spacious barn, and other buildings. Mr. Little has about two hundred and twenty-five acres of land in the home farm, and owns other farms and wood land aggregating about eight hundred acres. He was for a number of years extensively en- gaged in breeding registered Jersey cattle and blooded horses, but is now practically retired. He was one of the organizers of the Suncook Valley Creamery, of which he is at present Treasurer.
Mr. Little was married August 22, 1854, to Elizabeth A., daughter of Daniel Mcclintock Knox, of Pembroke. Six of the seven chil- dren who blessed their union are now living. The eldest, the Hon. Clarence B. Little, was educated for the bar. He now resides in Bis- marck, N.Dak., is President of the First Na- tional Bank of that city, and has been Chair- man of the Judiciary Committee in the State Senate ever since North Dakota's admission as a State. He married a cousin, Caroline G. Little, and has two children - Viroque M.
and George P. The other children of Mr. and Mrs. George P. Little are: Mary G., wife of James E. Odlin, of Lynn, Mass., and mother of three children - Margaret, Elizabeth, and Christiana; Elizabeth E., wife of L. F. Thurber, of Nashua, N.H., and mother of two children - George F. and Dorothy; Nettie K., wife of Frank S. Shepard of Concord, N.H .; Lucy B., unmarried; and Clara F., wife of Harmon F. Salt, of Brooklyn, N. Y.
Mr. Little is an active and esteemed mem- ber of the Republican party. While living in New York State, he served as Deputy United States Internal Revenue Collector. In Pembroke he has filled the office of Town Treasurer for several years, and was on the Board of Selectmen three years; and he repre- sented this district in the State legislature in 1876, 1877, 1890, and 1891. He was Treas- urer of Merrimack County four years, and was a delegate to the last Constitutional Conven- tion. A member of the Historical Society of Concord, N. H., he has been on the Board of Trustees of Pembroke Academy for the past twenty-five years, and is at present Chairman of the Executive Committee and Secretary of the Board of Trustees. He has taken thirty- two degrees in Masonry, is a prominent Knight Templar, and belongs to the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows. Mr. Little is a Deacon of the Congregational church, of which his wife also is a member.
ENRY BATCHELDER, a well-to-do farmer of Sunapee, was born here, January 17, 1843, son of Nathaniel and Sarah (Trask) Batchelder, both natives of Beverly, Mass. His grandfather, Zachariah Batchelder, a shoemaker by trade, was an early settler of Sunapee. Both Zachariah and his wife died in that town. Nathaniel, who came
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here when a. mere boy, was a well-known farmer of the town, and owned a valuable piece of property. A man of very positive opinions, he was the only Whig in Sunapee for several years; and he voted the ticket alone. Active in religious work, he was an esteemed member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Newport. He died in Sunapee at the age of eighty-six. His wife lived to the age of ninety-two years. They had six chil- dren, three of whom are now living. Those deceased are: Ellen, who died in infancy ; Nathaniel, who died in the Civil War; and Zachariah, who reached the age of ten years. The eldest of the living children, Mrs. Mary R. Sleeper, is the wife of B. R. Sleeper, with whom she lives on the old Batchelder farm in Sunapee. Alfred T. Batchelder, the other surviving son, is a lawyer of Keene, N.H.
Henry Batchelder grew up in his native town, receiving his education in the common schools and at New London Academy. He has been chiefly engaged in farming. Until recently he owned an interest in the old home farm. He sold out this interest, and pur- chased another place in Sunapee, containing one hundred and fifty acres, where he has since carried on general farming. He has also discharged the duties of station agent on the Concord Division of the Boston & Maine Railroad since 1874 with painstaking care and fidelity, winning the confidence of both his employers and the public. A record of twenty- three years is one that any man can be proud of. Mr. Batchelder's residence is an excel- lent one. At this writing he is actively engaged in making some special improvements on his farm. The place is on the way to a rank among the superior farms of the locality. He aims to put into practice the most ad- vanced ideas of the times, and spares no pains or expense to secure the best results. He has
on the farm some very good specimens of live stock, although he makes no specialty of stock- raising or dairying. Both he and his wife are liberal in their religious views. In politics he is a Republican.
Mr. Batchelder was married December 25, 1879, to Fanny T. Angell, daughter of Mervin and Lemira Angell. Mr. Angell belonged to an old family in Sunapee. Mr. and Mrs. Batchelder have had six children, of whom Nathaniel died at the age of nine months. Those living are: Alice M., born May 10, 1881; Ethel K., born August 17, 1884; Lizzie T., born September 15, 1887; Alfred T., born December 25, 1890; and Leland H., born August 27, 1893.
EORGE WHITEFIELD ABBOTT, of Penacook, President of the J. E. 2 Symonds Table Company, cabinet- makers, was born in West Boscawen, now Webster, N.H., on March 13, 1837. His parents were Nathaniel and Mary (Fitts) Abbott, the former a resident of West Bos- cawen and the latter of Sandown, N.H.
George W. Abbott in his youth, after attending the public schools of Warner, com- pleted his education at a private academy in West Salisbury, N.H. He went immediately to Boston, Mass., where he was employed as a clerk until 1861, when he came to Penacook, N. H., to engage in the grocery business with his brother, under the firm name of H. & G. W. Abbott. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Company E, Seventh New Hampshire Vol- unteer Infantry, going directly to St. Augus- tine, Fla., remaining until May, 1863. From that city he went to Morris Island, South Carolina, being engaged all summer at Forts Wagner, Gregg, and Sumter. He then went to St. Helena, S.C. ; and in February, 1864,
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he joined an expedition under General Tru- man Seymour, the objective point of which was Lake City, Fla. Severely wounded at the battle of Olustee, Fla., on February 20, he was obliged to stay in the hospital until April, 1865, shortly before the close of the war. Later he was returned to his regiment, and mustered out at Goldsboro, N.C., in June, 1865. Mr. Abbott then returned to Penacook, and engaged in mercantile pursuits until 1882, when he formed a copartnership with Mr. J. E. Symonds, for the manufacture of furniture, making a specialty of tables, desks, etc., their plant being one of the largest of the kind in New England. The J. E. Symonds Company has recently become a corporation, with G. W. Abbott as President, under the name of J. E. Symonds Table Company.
Besides his regular business Mr. Abbott officiates as President of the Penacook Electric Light Company and Director of New Hamp- shire Fruit Company, the Concord Street Railway Company, the Sullivan County Rail- road, and of the First National Bank of Con- cord. In politics he affiliates with the Re- publican party. In 1892 he was a Presidential Elector, and in 1895 and 1896 he was a Rep- resentative to the State legislature.
Mr. Abbott was first married on August 15, 1865, to Myra Tucker, of Boston, who died after giving birth to one child. The child died alsc. He was again married on Decem- ber 14, 1869, to Mrs. Addie Morrill Batchel- der, of Penacook. By this alliance there is one child, Myra M. Abbott. Mr. Abbott is a Mason and a comrade of the Grand Army. He also belongs to William I. Brown Post, G. A. R., No. 31, of Penacook, N.H. His Masonic record given below, dated Concord, N. H., July 1, 1897, is from the pen of the recorder, John F. Webster: George Whitefield Abbott, born at Webster (West Boscawen),
N.H., March 13, 1837, took the degrees in Horace Chase Lodge, Penacook (Fisherville), . N. H .- E. A., March 3, 1871, F. C., April 4, 1871, M. M., May 12, 1871; Trinity Chap- ter, Concord, N. H. - Mark, February 17, 1880, Past, February 17, 1880, M. E., April 20, 1880, R. A., April 22, 1880; Horace Chase Council, Concord, N. H .- Royal, April 25, 1892, Select, January 26, 1893, Super Ex., January 26, 1893; Orders of Knighthood in Mount Horeb Commandery, Knights Templar, Concord, N.H .- Red Cross, May 31, 1880, Temple, June 7, 1880, Malta, June 7, 1880.
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