USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Merrimack and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 63
USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Merrimack and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 63
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Mr. Loveren has never married. He has never cared for public life, and does not ex- press any political preferences. His house- hold affairs have been most ably conducted for the past fifteen years by a valued housekeeper, Miss M. Esther Buswell, during the first three years of which period his father was living and formed a part of the domestic circle.
APTAIN BENJAMIN LOVEREN, who for nearly sixty years was one of the best-known and most highly esteemed citizens of Hopkinton, was born in Deering, Hillsborough County, N. H., Sep- tember 11, 1805, son of Ebenezer and Eunice (Hadlock) Loveren. He was reared to agri- cultural pursuits, and also became a noted school teacher, following that occupation very successfully for several years. Soon after attaining his majority, or in December, 1826, he came to Hopkinton, where he took up his
residence ; and he remained here until his death on May 14, 1885. Beginning with about one hundred acres of land, he added in course of time two hundred acres more, and also became the owner of some twenty thousand dollars' worth of other property. His home was in the Tyler district, where his only child, Ebenezer, now resides; and he was known as one of the most prosperous farmers in the town. His title of Captain was acquired in the State militia, in which he served efficiently for three years or more. Recognized by his fellow- townsmen as a man of integrity, sound judg- ment, and good business capacity, he was chosen by them to serve first as Selectman, and in 1848-49 as Representative of Hopkinton in the State legislature. He was also a delegate to the Constitutional Convention held soon after the above-mentioned date.
In 1826, the year in which he came to Hop- kinton, he married Miss. Esther Bartlett, daughter of Solomon and Anna (Stevens) Bart- lett, of Deering. She died four years before her husband, passing away October 29, 1881, at the age of seventy-seven years. They were the parents of one child, Ebenezer, already mentioned, who inherits many of his father's best traits of character, and a sketch of whom may be found on another page of this volume. Captain Loveren had one sister and one brother, John Loveren, who resided on the old homestead in Deering, N. H. His wife had three brothers and eight sisters born on the old homestead in Deering.
BIATHAR RICHARDS, a retired merchant of Newport, was born here, October 8, 1825, son of Seth and Fanny Richards, of Dedham, Mass. He is descended from Edward Richards, one of the twelve immigrants bearing that surname, who,
ABIATHAR RICHARDS.
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according to the records of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, originally came from England to this country at different times in the period between 1630 and 1728, and whose descendants are to-day represented in the learned professions, the arts, commerce, and the general business of the country. Ed- ward Richards, who arrived in 1632, was the sixth of the twelve referred to. With him, a fellow-passenger on the ship "Lion," was his brother Nathaniel, who afterward joined the party led by the Rev. Mr. Hooker through the wilderness to the valley of the Connecti- cut, and was among the founders of Hartford. While a resident of Cambridge, Mass., on September 10, 1638, Edward married Susan Hunting. He was afterward one of the sixty- two original proprietors of the town of Ded- ham, near Boston, where many of his descend- ants are to be found to-day. He spent the rest of his life in Dedham, and died there in 1684.
From Edward the line of descent comes through John (first), John (second), John (third), and Abiathar to the sixth generation, represented by Sylvanus, who in the begin- ning of this century moved with his family to Newport, N. H., and settled on a large tract of land in the western part of the township, on what is known as the "old road" to Clare- mont. Sylvanus Richards was for some years one of the largest land-owners and tax-payers in the town. In addition to conducting his farm he kept a wayside inn. About the year 1812 he moved to Newport village, and there be- came the proprietor of the Rising Sun Tavern. His wife, Lucy Richardson Richards, bore him four children. Of these Seth Richards, born in Dedham, February 20, 1792, grew up, and ultimately succeeded to the proprietorship of the Rising Sun. Captain Seth Richards, the name by which Seth was generally known, was an active business man of strict integrity,
yet genial and benevolent, a gentleman of the old school. He was often called on for ser- vice in town offices, and in 1833 he was chosen to represent the community in the State legis- lature. After a time he gave up the hotel and turned his attention to store keeping. In 1835, when the Cheneys retired from Newport, he purchased their stock in trade, together with the old stand, and afterward carried on the business successfully for many years. He relinquished this occupation in 1853, when he became interested in the Sugar River Flannel Mills. Finally he retired from active life about the year 1867. Captain Richards married April 8, 1817, Fanny Richards, of Dedham. They had two sons and six daughters. One of the sons was the Hon. Dexter Richards, who is well known throughout the State in business, social, political, and philanthropic circles.
Abiathar Richards, the younger of his par- ents' two sons, attended the schools of New -. port, and was given a term at the Windsor Academy, Vermont. He began his mercantile career at the age of seventeen as a clerk. At the age of thirty, he opened a general store in Newport, which he afterward carried on most successfully for many years. In the year 1895 he retired from active business, and he has since been enjoying a well-earned rest in his beautiful home in Newport. He was married February 7, 1854, to Esther A. Durant, who was born December 16, 1830, daughter of Isaiah and Esther C. (Reed) Durant, of Lang- don, N. H. He has two sons - Fred W. and Dexter A. Fred W., born in Newport, January 31, 1856, who is in business at Omaha, Neb., married Sarah E. Barton, of Newport, who has had one daughter, Chris- tine, born October 30, 1883. Dexter A., born in Cambridgeport, Mass., November 11, 1868, who is a travelling salesman for a drug firm, married Ella M. Furlong, of Charles-
*
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town, Mass. Mrs. Richards is a member of the Congregational church. The father, Abi- athar Richards, is a Democrat in politics. For forty-seven years he has been a Mason of Mount Vernon Lodge, and has served in many of its offices. He is also connected with the Knights of Honor, Mount Coit Lodge, No. 86. A prominent man of his town, a good citizen, and a fine old gentleman, Mr. Rich- ards is a worthy representative of the family.
ILLIAM W. AUSTIN, a farmer and drover of Webster, N. H., the son of Eldad and Naomi Austin, was born in Webster, then a part of Boscawen, July 1, 1829. His grandfather, Paul Austin, of Georgetown, Mass., was one of the first settlers of the town. Taking up land when the country around it was a wilderness, he cleared and brought under cultivation the large farm where the subject of this sketch now lives. He died in 1852; and his wife, Me- hitable Lowell, of Georgetown, died in 1829. They had eight children - John, Sallie, Doro- thy, Eldad, Eunice, Mary Ann, William, and Samuel.
Eldad, the second son, and the father of Mr. William W. Austin, adopted farming as his occupation, and remained at home with his parents until his marriage, when he bought a farm near by, where he spent the rest of his life. He was a Deacon of the Congregational church at Webster for forty years. He died April 15, 1883, at the age of eighty-three. His wife, Naomi, a native of Webster, died August 15, 1891, aged eighty-nine. They are survived by two of their children, namely : Mary Ann, whose husband, Sherman Little, died September 20, 1895; and William W., of whom we shall now speak.
William W. Austin received his advanced
education at Kimball Union Academy, Meri- den, N. H. He lived at home until he was twenty-eight years of age, when he began to buy and sell cattle, going to Brighton and Watertown markets. He also dealt exten- sively in lumber, and was on the road the greater part of the time. He was in this business up to about four years ago, but since then he has engaged in general farming and the milk business. His farm consists of about two hundred and fifty acres of well-improved land, and the buildings are new and substan- tial. He keeps on an average twenty cows, and sells his milk to Whiting & Sons. In politics Mr. Austin is a stanch Republican, and he always takes an active interest in pub- lic affairs. He represented his district in the legislature in 1885, and he has been Select- man in the town for eight years. He is con- nected with the Masonic order, being a. member of Harris Lodge, No. 91, A. F. & A. M., of Warner, N. H.
He was married January 1, 1857, to Miss Abbie Cook Morse, a daughter of Samuel and Judith Morse, of Craftsbury, Vt. By this union he had four children, namely : George S., born September 27, 1858, who died March 12, 1894; Henry Herbert, who was born No- vember 19, 1862, was graduated from Dart- mouth College in 1885, married Hattie Stott, and lives in Arlington, Mass., where he is engaged as a civil engineer; Mary Abbie, born October 29, 1864, now a nurse living in Boston; and Louisa, born January 29, 1867, who lives at home with her father. Mrs. Abbie C. Austin died October 21, 1880; and Mr. Austin was again married April 25, 1882, to Alma E., the daughter of Erastus and Eliz- abeth (Morse) Blanchard, of Vermont. She was born in Greensboro, Vt., January 13, 1849. Both Mr. and Mrs. Austin are members of the Congregational church in Webster village.
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ILLIAM HALL, the enterprising proprietor of Langdon Creamery, Langdon, N.H., and dealer in butter, cream, milk, eggs, chickens, pork, and other farm and dairy products, was born in Claremont, this State, March 23, 1850. He is a son of Jonathan and Caroline L. (Leet) Hall and a descendant of one of the oldest families in Sullivan County.
Both his grandfather and his great-grand- father Hall bore the Christian name of Jona- than. Grandfather Hall was born August 25, 1776, in Spencer, Mass., whence he came to Langdon when a young man. He afterward removed to Claremont, where he died in 1854. In his active years he followed the occupations of a farmer, carpenter, and cooper; and he fought in the War of 1812. He married Sally Prouty, whose father was a very influential citizen of Spencer, Mass. She was born in 1779, and died in 1871. They were the parents of eleven children, two sons and nine daughters, Jonathan, third, being the youngest son.
Jonathan Hall, third, was born in Langdon, June 19, 1815, and is now living in Keene, N.H. After leaving school, he learned the trade of a shoemaker and later that of a car- penter. Since then he has been variously em- ployed as an architect, inventor, manufact- urer, and millwright. Many of the machines built by C. B. Rogers, of Norwich, Conn., were designed by him. He was the builder of the only floating saw-mill known and built in Quebec, and the largest saw-mill in that Province, over one hundred men being em- ployed in the construction work. Mention should also be made of the Orcutt, Charles Bridgeman, and Sprague Blocks in Keene, besides a number of other buildings in that city and in Langdon. Though strong-willed and somewhat stern in his bearing, he is
known as a man of high moral principles, and is an honored and respected citizen. In po- litical views he is a Republican, but his life work has lain in other fields than that of poli- tics. He is a member of the Second Advent church.
His wife, Caroline L., is a daughter of Andrew Leet, of Claremont, N. H., a de- scendant of Governor Leete, of Connecticut. She was born in 1818. They have had six children, all boys, as follows: Leonard T., Edward, Franklin, William, Henry, and Fred, of whom the three eldest served in the Re- bellion, and Franklin, born in Claremont, died of starvation in Andersonville Prison. Leonard T., born in Drewsville, Cheshire County, was in the Third New Hampshire Infantry. After the war he became a harness- maker, and subsequently followed that occupa- tion. Dying in 1892, he left a widow and two children. Edward Hall, also a native of Drewsville, who was in the Second New Hampshire Regiment, was a machinist in Claremont. He died in 1870, and is survived by four children. Henry, born in Claremont, is a farmer in Alstead, is married, and has two children. Frederick, born in Claremont, who died in 1885, was a carpenter in Keene. He married, and had one child that died in infancy.
William Hall acquired his education in the schools of Keene and Swanzey, N.H., after which he worked at wood-turning three years. He then took up carpentry, which he followed with his father for a time; and later he be- came interested with him in the manufacture of farming tools at Keene. Seven years ago he purchased the farm he now occupies ; and for the past three years, in addition to farm- ing, he has carried on an extensive business as proprietor and manager of the Langdon Creamery.
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Mr. Hall married Mamie L. Johnson, of Swanzey, N. H., who was born in 1855 in Marlboro, N.H. Their five children are all living, namely: Cyrene, born in 1876; James A., born in 1878; Jonathan, born in 1880; Ira A., born in 1884; and Emery Wyman, born in 1893. At the present time Mr. Hall is serving as a Selectman of the town, also as a member of the School Board. Honest and temperate, like his father, he is highly es- teemed as a useful citizen and a good neighbor.
LBION H. FRENCH, M. D., a well- known physician of Pittsfield, was born in Gilmanton N. H., March 27, 1847, son of Thomas H. and Sarah Ann (Brown) French. His great - grandfather, Ezekiel French, an Englishman, who was a pioneer of either Loudon or Hampton, N. H., spent his last days in Loudon, where he owned a farm. The second of Ezekiel's two marriages was contracted with Sallie Smith. His son John was a native of Loudon. When a young man, John settled in Gilmanton, where he became a wealthy farmer, and died at the age of seventy-five years. He married Lucy T. Prescott, who lived to the advanced age of ninety-three or ninety-four years. She reared five children, of whom Thomas H., Albion H. French's father, was the eldest. Of these children the survivors are: Ann M., the widow of William Brackett, late of Epsom, N. H .; and Warren B. The other two sons, John O. and Samuel P., were grad- uates of Dartmouth College and physicians. In the latter part of his life the father was a Republican. Both he and his wife were members of the Congregational church.
Thomas H. French was born in Gilmanton in 1815. In early manhood he engaged in agriculture with a determination to succeed.
He was rapidly becoming prosperous when he died, in the prime of life, aged thirty-seven years. He held a Captain's commission in the State militia, and was about to be promoted at the time of his death. Politically, he acted with the Republican party. His wife, Sarah Ann, who was a daughter of Richard Brown, of Loudon, became the mother of five chil- dren, of whom Merven E. and Albion H. are living. Merven E. French married Addie M. Gilman, and has three children - John H., Mabel, and William A. Mrs. Thomas H. French died at about the same age as her hus- band. She was a member of the Congrega- tional church.
Albion H. French attended the academies in Pembroke and Pittsfield and the Northwood Seminary. He fitted for college at the Gil- manton Academy, took a partial college course under Professor E. R. Avery of Tilton Semi- nary and at the University of Vermont. Then he entered the medical department of the University, from which he was graduated with the class of 1875. After that he pursued his medical studies at Long Island and New York City. He was a delegate to the National Medical Convention in New York City in 1880. The first eight years of professional life were passed in Epsom, N.H. From that town he moved to Leominster, Mass., where he prac- tised four years. After residing in Gilmanton for a short time on account of poor health, he in 1892 located in Pittsfield and has since remained here. He is regarded as a skilful and reliable physician. He has a large and lucrative practice, and is much sought for in all the adjoining towns.
Dr. French has been twice married. His first marriage was contracted September 23, 1873, with Emogene F. Grant, a native of Gilmanton. She died at the age of forty-one years, leaving one daughter, Ethel M. Dr.
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French was again married on September 19, 1892, to Lila M. Thompson, of Chichester, N.H. In politics Dr. French supports the Republican party, and he is chairman of the Board of Education in Pittsfield. He is highly esteemed by all. Mrs. French is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
HARLES S. ROWELL, a farmer and the Postmaster of West Hopkin- ton, was born June 26, 1857, in the house which he now occupies, son of Isaac and Harriet (Adams) Rowell. This farm was owned by his great-grandfather, who settled here shortly after the Revolutionary War, probably about 1780, and was the birthplace of his grandfather, Moses Rowell, who was born November 29, 1776. Moses lived on the farm both during his father's lifetime and after his death, when he became its owner. At one time he owned some mills; but after a while he sold them, devoting himself exclu- sively to the farm. On November 26, 1801, he married Tamesin Eastman, who had eight children - Abram, Benjamin, Elizabeth, Abram, Isaac, Albert G., Achsa, and Roxana. Abram died at the age of seven years, Albert at the age of five, and Achsa in infancy.
Isaac Rowell, born April 19, 1813, re- mained on the farm with his father until he was sixteen years of age. Then he learned the carpenter's trade, which he afterward followed until his marriage, on which occa- sion he returned to the farm. He made sev- eral additions to the farm, which contained in his time about three hundred acres of land. In 1840, February 20, he married Harriet R. Adams, a daughter of James and Lydia John- son Adams, of Henniker. They had five chil- dren, namely: James A. and Harriet Ella, who died in infancy; Harriet Ella (second),
who on October 24, 1866, married Frank Howlett, of Bradford; Mary E., who married June 9, 1874, George Gove, of Henniker ; and Charles S., the subject of this sketch. Mr. Howlett died June 23, 1873.
Charles S. Rowell has spent his life on the farm, which was also the home of his father, his grandfather, and his great-grandfather. He has made the dairy the especial feature. Since the post-office was established at West Hopkinton, May 29, 1857, when Joseph P. Dow was made Postmaster, it has been twice in charge of members of the Rowell family. Charles Rowell has now held the position for eighteen years. He married Florence S. Goodwin, December 25, 1882. They have no children. The Rowells have been a family of stanch Democrats. An industrious farmer and a good citizen, Charles S. Rowell is much esteemed by all who know him.
ATHANIEL EVERETT MARTIN,* a successful attorney and well-known business man of Concord, was born in Loudon, N.H., August 9, 1855, son of Theophilus B. and Sarah L. (Rowell) Martin. He is of Scotch-Irish blood on the paternal side, being a direct descendant of William Martin, who came to this country from Ireland about the year 1732. Landing in Boston, William Martin went thence to Londonderry, N.H., from which place he removed subse- quently to Pembroke, Merrimack County. James Martin, the great-grandfather of Na - thaniel E., served with the rank of Ensign during the Revolutionary War, and died be- fore the cause of American independence was achieved. Mr. Martin's maternal ancestors were English, and first located in Haverhill, Mass., whence Grandfather Rowell removed to Loudon, N. H.
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The subject of this sketch was educated in the district school of Loudon and in the pub- lic schools of Concord, completing his studies in the Concord High School at the age of twenty years. He studied law with Sargeant & Chase, was admitted to the bar August 14, 1879, and immediately began the practice of his profession. After practising alone until May, 1885, he then became associated with Mr. J. A. Albin, the partnership continuing until September, 1896, when Mr. Dewitt C. Howe was admitted to the firm. In 1887 Mr. Martin organized the Concord Building and Loan Association, of which he has since been treasurer. He is also treasurer and director of the Sullivan County Railroad. In politics he affiliates with the Democratic party; and he served as County Solicitor from July 1, 1887, to -July, 1889. Fraternally, he belongs to Rumford Lodge, No. 46, I. O. O. F., of which he is Past Grand Master.
ILLIAM F. WADLEIGH, a farmer of Webster, is a native of Laconia, born January 24, 1837, son of Na- thaniel R. and Polly H. (Ray) Wadleigh. The father, who was a prominent farmer of Laconia, and was born in 1802, died in 1854. The mother, born March 4, 1806, died in 1870. They had eight children, namely: Mary, now deceased, who was the wife of William Barrett, of Nashua, N.H .; Eliza, deceased, who was the wife of William Thompson, of Barrington, N.H .; Isaac, who married Abbie Davis, now deceased, and lives in Ludlow, Vt .; Almira, deceased, who mar- ried James Filgate, of Laconia; Catherine, who is the widow of Amos B. Tibbetts, and lives in Barrington, N.H .; Chase, who mar- ried Mary Foss, and resides in Hastings, Minn .; William F., the subject of this arti-
cle; and Horace, who married Hettie Hay- wood, and lives in Ludlow, Vt.
At the early age of eleven years William F. Wadleigh went to Gilford, N.H., and worked out on the different farms until twenty-one years old, when he tried his fort- unes in Lawrence, Mass. Here he was em- ployed for eight years in the soap factory of L. Beach & Son. After his first marriage Mr. Wadleigh removed from Lawrence to Laconia; and four years later he entered on his present farm of five hundred acres in Webster, where he has since lived. He car- ries on general farming, and raises stock of all kinds. Outside his agricultural occupa- tions he is interested in the Merrimack Fire Insurance Company, of which he is a director. In politics he favors the Prohibition party. He has been Road Surveyor, and he was Se- lectman from 1887 to 1889.
On August 6, 1861, Mr. Wadleigh married Abbie Proctor, of Derry, N. H. . Born July 31, 1828, she died October 5, 1886. Her children were: Allen B., born November 23, 1863, who died October 10, 1864; one who died in infancy; Charles C., born September 16, 1867, who died October 14, 1889; and Anna P., born October 11, 1868, who died August 6, 1894. Anna married Luther C. Putney, of Webster, who now makes his home with Mr. Wadleigh; and they have one child, Winnifred Maud, born October 2, 1893. Mr. Wadleigh contracted a second marriage May 19, 1888, with Mrs. Mary Calef Bean, the widow of John C. Bean, and a daughter of Garland and Maria T. (Fitz) Calef. Her father, who was a farmer and a resident of Boscawen, died in this township at the age of ninety. Mrs. Wadleigh was born March 26, 1842. She is a member of the Baptist church at Warner. Mr. Wadleigh is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Webster, and
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takes an active interest in church affairs. He belongs to the Daniel Webster Grange at Webster, and is one of the best known of Webster's townspeople.
LFRED WOODMAN, a successful farmer of Plainfield, Sullivan County, N.H., and a veteran of the Civil War, was born in Newburyport, Mass., March 9, 1834, son of Daniel and Sarah (Hall) Woodman. His grandfather, Joseph Wood- man, was a native of Newbury, Mass., and a cabinet-maker by trade. He was twice mar- ried; and his second wife was Abigail Atkin- son, of Newbury, who reared the following children : William, Edna, Abbie, Jane, Han- nah, Betsey, Phœbe, David, John, James, Joseph, and Daniel.
William Woodman became a prominent business man of Dover, N.H., was a man of strict integrity, and for a period of fifty years was president of two banks. He married Re- becca Wheeler, of Dover. Edna, Abbie, and Jane remained single, and passed their lives in Newburyport. Hannah became the wife of Major Nathaniel Coffin, a wealthy and influ- ential citizen of that city. Betsey married Daniel Lunt, a merchant and farmer of New- bury, and had two children. Phoebe married Captain Thomas Disney, of Newburyport, and had a family of four children. David was a cooper by trade, and resided in Newburyport. He married, and had a family of three chil- dren, two of whom are living. John was a shoe dealer in Newburyport. He married Eliza Little, and had three children. James learned the mason's trade, and followed it in Boston; was the father of three children. Joseph followed the trade of a mason in the same city, and was the father of four children.
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