USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Merrimack and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 61
USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Merrimack and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 61
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OSIAH EDWARDS DWIGHT, a mem- ber of the noted old New England fam- ily to which President Timothy Dwight of Yale College belonged, is one of the leading
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business men of the city of Concord, N.H. Born in Belchertown, Mass., May 17, '1839, son of Harrison D. and Sophia (Cook) Dwight, he traces his lineage through his mother, also, back to the early days of the New England colonies.
On the paternal side his first ancestor to settle in this country was John Dwight, who came from Dedham, England, in 1634, and located in the part of Massachusetts after- ward named Dedham. He was the second man of wealth in the settlement, and with eighteen others owned the land comprising later the town of Dedham and about nine sur- rounding towns. His daughter Mary was the first white child born in the town of Dedham. John Dwight's son Timothy, from whom the subject of this sketch is directly descended, was born in Dedham, England, in 1629. He inherited the estate and virtues of his father, and was one of the prominent men of his day. A sturdy soldier, he was cornet of a troop in his younger days, and was afterward com- mander of a company of foot, and is commonly alluded to as Captain Timothy Dwight. His title was no empty honor, for he was engaged in ten expeditions against the Indians; and in 1660 he was one of two agents appointed to treat with the Indians, which they did with satisfactory results. He was for ten years Town Clerk of Dedham, twenty-five years Selectman, and two years Representative to the General Court. Captain Dwight is said to have " taught" in the Second Church in Boston previous to the settlement of its second minister, Increase Mather. He was married six times, and was the father of fourteen children. He died in 1717.
Captain Timothy Dwight's son Nathaniel, who was known as Justice Nathaniel Dwight, was born in Dedham, November 20, 1666, and removed from Dedham to Northampton, Mass.,
in 1695. He, too, was a man of affairs, a trader, farmer, and surveyor of land on a large scale. A Justice of the Peace for a great many years, he was called upon to transact much important business. Justice Nathaniel Dwight was a very religious man. He died while on a business trip to West Springfield, Mass., in 1711; and his grave is the oldest in that city. The next in line is Captain Na- thaniel Dwight, Jr., who was born in North- ampton, Mass., in 1712, and was a brother of President Timothy Dwight of Yale College. He was a farmer and surveyor, and was one of the first settlers in Belchertown, Mass., where he located in 1734, and acted for some time as agent for Mr. Belcher, for whom the place was named. Prominent in all civil and religious affairs, he was county surveyor and a member of the church in Northampton of which Jona- than Edwards was pastor. Captain Nathaniel Dwight, Jr., was an earnest, practical, straightforward man, always ready for what- ever duty called. He died in 1784.
His son, Captain Justus Dwight, who was born in Belchertown in 1739, was a farmer, and was town surveyor of Belchertown for a number of years. Politically a conservative, or a Tory, he believed that the independence of the colonies would eventually be consum- mated, but that they were premature in their uprising; and, paying a substitute who was anxious to fight, he calmly awaited the out- come of the Revolution. Justus Dwight, too, was a deeply religious man. He died in 1824. His son Nathaniel, grandfather of Josiah E. Dwight, was born in Belchertown in 1772. He was "a man of great good sense, great kindness of heart, and of unbending in- tegrity, one of the most conscientiously honest men, a sincere, humble, consistent Christian. The distinguished name of Dwight has been honored as borne by this estimable man."
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Harrison D. Dwight, son of the third Na- thaniel, was born in Belchertown in 1806. In his early manhood he was engaged in the manu- facture of shotguns and rifles; and he was subsequently in the lumber and wood business, also following the pursuit of agriculture. Known and highly respected in Belchertown and the neighboring towns, he was often urged to accept public office, but invariably declined. He died in 1878. His wife, Sophia, was a daughter of David W. and Salome (Cady) Cook and a native of Hadley, Mass. David W. Cook, who was born in Hadley, July 26, 1779, traced his descent from Cap- tain Aaron Cook, of Hadley, son of Aaron, of Northampton, Mass., through Moses, Aaron, and William. David W. Cook died in Belchertown in 1869. He was married November 23, 1799, to Salome Cady, who was born in Shutesbury, Mass., January 1, 1779, daughter of Jeremiah and Hannah (Warner) Cady.
Jeremiah Cady, Mrs. Sophia Cook Dwight's maternal grandfather, was born in Killingly, Conn., July 17, 1752. He was descended from Nicholas Cady, an immigrant, who set- tled in Watertown, Mass., about 1645. Nich- olas Cady had a son Joseph, who was known as Captain Joseph Cady; and Captain Joseph's son Stephen's son Samuel was Jeremiah Cady's father. Jeremiah Cady was an active member of the celebrated Boston Tea Party of December, 1773. A record of his service as a Revolutionary soldier, enlisting from Shutesbury, Mass., is contained in the ar- chives at the State House, Boston, as follows : "Jeremiah Cady, private in Captain Reuben Dickenson's Company, Colonel Woodbridge's regiment, enlisted May 15, 1775, served two months, one day." From Shutesbury he was on muster-roll, August 1, 1775 (see vol. xiv. p. 84, at State House). Jeremiah Cady's
autograph signature is appended to a receipt for pay at Charlestown, July 27, 1775 (see vol. xxxv. p. 104). Jeremiah Cady, private, reported on roll of Captain Dickenson's com- pany, September 28, 1775, as from Shutesbury (vol. liv. p. 165). "Jeremiah Cady of Cap- tain Noah Dickenson's company, Colonel Elisha Porter's regiment, enlisted August 18, 1777, discharged August 21, 1777, served four days in Hampshire County regiment, marched in alarm to New Providence" (vol. xviii. pp. 182 and 192). "Jeremiah Cady, private in Captain Joel Steven's company, Colonel David Rassier's regiment, enlisted October 12, 1781, discharged October 25, 1781. Roll dated at Pittsfield; served at Stillwater" (vol. xxvi. p. 288, Field and Staff Rolls). Mr. Cady died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Salome Cook, June 1, 1848, aged ninety-five years, ten months, fourteen days. He was married in Amherst, Mass., November 12, 1772, to Hannah, daughter of Aaron and Ruth (Selden) Warner, of Amherst, Mass. Mrs. Cady was born June 30, 1754, and died about 1829.
Josiah Edwards Dwight received a good education, attending the public schools of Belchertown and the academy at Amherst, Mass. In 1855 he obtained employment as a clerk in the dry-goods house of E. H. Sanford at Worcester, Mass .; and after eight years of faithful service he in 1863 purchased an inter- est in the business, the firm becoming E. H. Sanford & Co. In 1865 he disposed of his share to Mr. Sanford, and removing to Con- cord, N.H., became associated with J. R. Hill, manufacturer of saddlery goods and harness, Mr. George H. Emery becoming a member of the firm at the same time. These three gentlemen conducted a flourishing busi- ness under the firm name of J. R. Hill & Co. until 1885, when Mr. Hill died. In 1888 a
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corporation was formed, retaining the old name; and Mr. Dwight was made treasurer of the company, his present position. J. R. Hill & Co. are the manufacturers of the celebrated Concord harness. Much of the energy and ability of his ancestors has been transmitted to Mr. Dwight, with the integrity that is a distinguishing mark of his family; and he has the entire confidence of all with whom he has dealings. He is a director of the Eagle and Phoenix Hotel Company, director and vice- president of the Hill Associates; and presi- dent of the Rumford Building and Loan Asso- ciation. A stanch Republican, he has been elected to public office, and has faithfully dis- charged his duties. He was a member of the Concord Common Council two years, 1887 and 1888, a member of the Board of Aldermen in 1889 and 1890, in 1895 was appointed by Governor Busiel police commissioner of Con- cord to fill out the unexpired term of the Hon. Stillman Humphrey, deceased; and in 1897 he was reappointed for the full term of six years by Governor Ramsdell.
Mr. Dwight was married December 25, 1862, to Lucy J., daughter of James R. Hill, and has two children -- Mabel S. and Harrison H. His daughter is the wife of Charles F. Conn, treasurer of the Boston Terminal Company of Boston, Mass. Mr. Dwight is an Odd Fel- low, belonging to Rumford Lodge, No. 46, I. O. O. F., and is at present a member of the lodge board of trustees. He is a member of the South Congregational Church.
DMUND SILVER, a thriving farmer of Boscawen, N. H., was born in Bow, this State, September 10, 1834. His parents, Edmund and Sallie (Dow) Sil- ver, who resided in Bow for the greater part of their lives, died when their son Edmund was
quite young. They had nine children - Lewis, Laura, Cyrene, Leonard, Gideon, Sul- livan, Daniel, Edmund, and George. Lewis died in March, 1897. Daniel is engaged in farming in Salisbury, N.H. George is in Penacook; and the others, except Edmund, the subject of our sketch, are deceased.
Edmund Silver received his education in the district schools, remaining at home with his parents until he was seven years of age. He then went to Ware, Mass., where he was em- ployed on a farm; and he was similarly en- gaged in other towns for a few years, returning subsequently to Bow. At the age of twenty he went to Canterbury, remaining there three and a half years. He then spent three years in Warner, N. H., afterward removing to Webster, in which place he was engaged in farming for about thirty-five years. Subse- quently, coming to Boscawen, he purchased his present farm, then known as the Ferrin farm. It contains about sixty-five acres, most of which is under cultivation. Besides gen- eral farming he carries on a milk business. He also owns the farm at Webster where he formerly lived, which contains forty-five acres.
On November 2, 1858, Mr. Silver married Lydia Ann Kimball, of Albany, N. Y., who was born March 9, 1834, a daughter of Jacob and Nancy (Hubbard) Kimball. Her father was a native of Hopkinton, and her mother of Wilmot, N. H. The former was employed in Wilmot, where he worked at farming. He subsequently went to New York City, where he worked in a livery stable, residing there until his death. His wife also died there. Mr. and Mrs. Silver have three children, as follows: Henry Albert, Luella Grace, and Frederick E. Henry died July 20, 1878, at the age of seventeen years. The other two remain at home with their parents. Mrs. Silver is well known for her fine butter-
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making. She is a member of the Congrega- tional church at Webster. Mr. Silver is a Republican in his politics. He was formerly Highway Surveyor in Webster. A self-made man, he has won success by hard work, and is well known and highly regarded throughout the county.
ARNARD POWERS, for many years one of the leading farmers and most influential citizens of Cornish, was born at Croydon, N. H., April 20, 1808. His grandparents were Lemuel and Thankful (Le- land) Powers, and his parents were Colonel Samuel and Chloe (Cooper) Powers. Colonel Powers was born at Northbridge in 1763, and was a soldier and officer of the Revolution. His family consisted of the following- named children : Olive, Obed, Judith, Nancy, Chloe, Samuel, Ara, Lemuel, Solomon, Ithamar, Larnard, and Randilla. Olive, born in 1786, died in 1841, unmarried; Obed, born in 1788, married Cynthia Cummings, and had a fam- ily of five children; Judith, born in 1790, be- came Mrs. Barton, and was the mother of seven children; Nancy, born in 1792, died in 1829, was the wife of David Kenney, and had three children; Chloe, born in 1795, married Lemuel Martindale, and bore him eight chil- dren; Samuel, born in 1795, died unmarried in 1828; Ara, born in 1797, married Mary Seaver, of Charlestown, and they were the parents of three children; Lemuel, born in 1801, died in infancy; Solomon was born in 1804; Ithamar, born in 1805, died in 1834; Randilla, born in 1811, married Alfred Ward, and was the mother of two children.
Larnard Powers received his education in 'the common schools of Croydon. After leav- ing school he engaged in farming in his native town for two years, and then came to Cornish, where he bought the estate upon which his
widow and some of his family still reside. In politics he was always a Jeffersonian Dem- ocrat; and, although keenly interested in the town affairs, he was never an aspirant for political honors or for town offices. His busi- ness and personal affairs required the whole of his attention. His many fertile acres of land were largely devoted to the raising of grain and hay and to the pasturage of his flocks. He started in life as a poor boy, with his own way to make; and he succeeded by thrift, in- dustry, and energy in amassing a comfortable fortune and in reaching a leading position in his line of business. His dairy business was extensive, and it is estimated that his wife made at their farm seventy-five thousand pounds of the highest-grade butter. This was always sought for in the Boston markets; and among the private customers supplied was the Hon. William M. Evarts, of New York City, he having a summer residence at Windsor, Vt. The business was kept up until five or six years ago, when, consequent upon the opening of the creameries, it was discontinued. Mr. Powers took a deep interest in educational matters, and, although not a college-bred man himself, was extremely painstaking in the education of his children. He was a gentle- man of the old school, genial, generous, and courteous, and was universally admired and respected.
On April 7, 1836, Mr. Powers was united in marriage with Ruby M., daughter of John Barton, of Croydon ; and in 1838 they removed to Cornish. Their children were: Caroline M., born in 1837; Erastus B., born in 1840; Alice V., born in 1846; and Samuel L., born in 1847. Caroline was educated at Claremont and at Kimball Union Academy. After com- pleting her course of study, she became a teacher, and taught with unusual success for many terms, having the painstaking and deter-
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mination which she inherited from her father and a natural tact in dealing with children. She was married to Horace B. Wellman, of Cornish, October 5, 1864, and has one daugh- ter - Ada P., born October 5, 1867. Ada was educated at Kimball Union Academy, as her mother had been; and, like her mother, she also taught school very successfully. She married Nelson H. Morgan, of Springfield, N. H., October 30, 1895, and is now living on the old homestead. Erastus B., second child of Mr. and Mrs. Powers, fitted for college at Kimball Union Academy, was graduated at Dartmouth College in 1865 and at Harvard Law School in 1866. He was a student of unusual ability, and stood first in his class in college. After being admitted to the bar, he taught school for a number of years, and was master of the high school at Nashua, N. H. He entered upon the practice of law in Boston, Mass., and has made a reputation for himself as one of the most talented men in the legal profession of that city. He married Emma F. Besse, of Wareham, Mass., daughter of Cap- tain David and Emma (Knowlton) Besse ; and one daughter, Ruby Barton, was born to them November 15, 1872. January 4, 1893, she was married to Clarence Wadsworth Clark, of Malden, Assistant Travelling Auditor of the Boston & Maine Railroad. Alice V. Powers attended Kimball Union Academy, and then taught school in the East and in Cass County, Missouri. She married Nathaniel Randall, of Ohio, an extensive grain grower and stock- raiser, and has one daughter - Edith V., born January 12, 1876, who was educated in one of the Missouri Normal Schools. Samuel L. Powers was graduated at Dartmouth College in 1874, and studied law in New York City. After his admission to the bar he opened a law office in Boston, where he has since been a
profession in that city. He was elected a delegate to the Franco-American Treaty Con- vention at Paris in 1878, and has been counsel in many important cases in litigation. He is at present counsel for the New England Tele- graph and Telephone Company. Mr. Powers resides in Newton, Mass., and is President of the Newton Club. He married Eva Crowell, of Dennis, Mass., on June 21, 1878, and has one son - Leland, born in Newton, July 1, 1 890.
HARLES A. BAILEY, an able busi- ness man of Merrimack County, New Hampshire, and an esteemed resi- dent of Hookset, was born in Pembroke, No- vember 11, 1847, son of Charles and Sarah A. (Edmunds) Bailey. His paternal grandfather, Josiah Bailey, was born in Chester, Rocking- ham County, this State, on February 11, 1766. When a young man he removed with his family to Pembroke, Merrimack County, and was there engaged as a miller until his death, February 19, 1854. His wife, whose maiden name was Ruth Frost, was born March 8, 1769, in Tewksbury, Mass., and died in Pembroke, N. H., November 28, 1835. They were married November 15, 1792, and were the parents of ten children.
Charles, the youngest child, was born in Dunbarton, N. H., September 28, 1810, and when but four years of age accompanied his parents to Pembroke, where he grew to man- hood and was educated. He followed farming in connection with brickmaking for many years, coming from Pembroke to Hookset in 1852. Here he purchased the estate now owned and occupied by his widow, and was engaged in his two occupations until his death, June 2, 1896, being a most successful business man. He was highly esteemed wherever practising lawyer and one of the leaders of his | known for his uprightness of character. Po-
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litically, he was a sound Democrat, and while in Pembroke served as Selectman two terms. Both he and his good wife early united with the Methodist Church of Suncook. On April 1, 1841, he married Miss Sarah A. Edmunds, daughter of Captain Edward Edmunds, of Chi- chester, N. H., where her birth occurred De- cember 9, 1821. Four children were the fruit of their union, and three of them are now liv- ing, as follows: Mary E., born October 16, 1843; Abbie J., born December 27, 1845, now residing in Suncook, the widow of the late Hall B. Emery; and Charles A., the special subject of this sketch.
Charles A. Bailey acquired his elementary education in the public schools of Hookset, and further advanced in learning by an attend- ance at the Pembroke Academy. He subse- quently worked on the home farm several sea- sons, and also engaged in brick manufacturing until 1877, when he embarked in a new enter- prise. Purchasing nineteen acres of rocky land in Allenstown, in the vicinity of Suncook village, Merrimack County, he spent his en- ergies in developing its resources, and by his able management soon had a good paying granite quarry in full operation. Succeeding well with this, he has since bought other land near by, and has built two and one-half miles of railroad, which he operates with his own locomotive. He has now more than one hun- dred acres of land, about one-fifth of which is in a good state of cultivation, and is devoted to general farming. In connection with his quarrying he has an extensive trade, shipping granite to all parts of New England and to many of the Western States. Mr. Bailey has continued his residence in his native town, and is prominently identified with its leading interests.
Mr. Bailey married December 16, 1875, Miss Mary J., daughter of Harvey and Mary
(Putnam) Dennison, of Allenstown. Five children have brightened their pleasant home, namely : Hall Edward and Harvey Dennison, twins, born January 4, 1877; Clara Louise, born January 17, 1879, died the following August ; Charles Parker, born June 16, 1885 ; and Emery Ward, born January 10, 1887. Politically, Mr. Bailey is a steadfast Republi- can. Fraternally, he is a thirty-second degree Mason, belonging to Jewell Lodge, No. 29, F. & A. M., of Suncook; Trinity Chapter, Horace Chase Council; Mount Horeb Com- mandery, Ariel Council, P. of J .; Aaron P. Hughes Lodge of Perfection; and St. George Chapter, Rose Croix. Mr. and Mrs. Bailey are valued members of the Methodist church.
ILLIAM CANT STUROC, "the bard of Sunapee," as he is often called, was born November 4, 1822, in a humble, straw-thatched cottage in Ar- broath, Scotland, son of Francis Sturoc and his wife, Ann (Cant) Sturoc. Doubtless, the poetic genius has descended to him from his paternal great-grandfather, James Sturoc, who wrote a book of "Hymns and Spiritual Songs," and died in Panbride in 1750. Other distinguished members of the family were well known in the church. Among these was the Rev. David Sturoc, who was of ready speech and pen, and two generations ago repeatedly entered public debate with the renowned Dr. Wardlow, of Glasgow. Francis, the father of William, was well known as highly cultured and profoundly read, although throughout his life he followed mercantile occupations. Cantsland, an ancient estate in Kincardine- shire, now in other hands, was for several hundred years in the possession of the Cants, the mother's family. James Cant, the mater- nal grandfather of William C., and a resident
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of St. Cyrus in the same county, was cousin to the famous Immanuel Cant, or Kant, who died in 1804. James had four daughters - Helen, Ann, Margaret, and Jane. His only son, John, died in Bridgeport, Conn. Ann Cant married Francis Sturoc, December 19, 1808, and to them were born ten children. The father died in 1851, aged seventy-seven years, after surviving the mother some years.
William Cant, the ninth child of his par- ents, spent his earliest years in Arbroath, Forfarshire, Scotland, there obtaining his elementary education. Afterward he spent two years at Edinburgh, where he took a course of study under Andrew Combe, a well- known educator of his day. After finishing his education in his native land, Mr. Sturoc went to Canada in 1846, and located in Mon- treal. He there secured a position with Ed- ward Maxwell, an architect and builder. Some years later he met William W. East- man, of Sunapee, N. H., upon whose invitation he paid his first visit to this town. It was during this visit that he made the acquaintance of the late Hon. Edmund Burke, of Newport, N. H., who advised him to study law, and who ultimately received him into his office for that purpose. Under the influence and instruction of so strong a politician the young man soon became widely interested in politics, and before long was championing upon the stump the Jeffersonian doctrines to which he has since firmly adhered. He was admitted to the bar in 1855, and in the following year he came to Sunapee, where he has ever since had his home. He became a prominent figure in the public life of the community, and soon com- manded the full confidence of his townsmen in all legal matters. His legal reading was at the same time extensively pursued; and in 1871 he was the author of a series of articles on "A Constitutional Judiciary," appearing
in the New Hampshire Patriot, which were attributed by many of his profession to the late Hon. Edmund L. Cushing, subsequently Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. From 1865 to 1869 Mr. Sturoc represented his town in the General Court, where he maintained a . prominent position among the leaders on the Democratic side of the House, and where he was distinguished as a ready and eloquent speaker.
Not only in America, but in his native land, his poems have received attention and admira- tion. Appreciative notices of him are to be found in "Scottish Poets in America" by Ross, "Modern Scottish Poets" by Edwards, B. Chapin's "Poets of New Hampshire," "Round about the Round O" by George Hay (author of History of Arbroath, Scotland), and in the Granite Monthly. Much of the in- formation embodied in this brief sketch is to be credited to the Granite Monthly. In the . interesting biography of Mr. Sturoc, published by this periodical, the writer says of his work : "His occasional poetic productions, given to the public through various channels in the past, have demonstrated through their fineness and delicacy of sentiment, combined with vigor of expression, the real poet soul with which he is endowed, have undoubtedly won him truer admiration than anything he has accomplished in other directions, and have in- spired the hope for which, we trust, there is reasonable promise of fulfilment, that ere his life work is ended he may gather up for preser- vation in substantial form the charming gems of fancy to which his muse has given birth."
In 1856, December 12, Mr. Sturoc was united in marriage with Sarah C. Chase, a cousin of the late Chief Justice J. E. Sargent, of Concord. His home, a fine old mansion, which was the ancestral home of his wife, was remodelled by him in 1860. In July, 1867,
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