USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Stafford and Belknap countries, New Hampshire > Part 5
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John N. Haines, the eldest child, attended the common schools and Great Falls High School, graduating from the latter in 1866, and then studied at Dummer Academy, By- field, Mass., for two years. Upon leaving school he went to sea, having received an ap- pointment as officer in the United States Navy on the "Plymouth," and was gone four years. During this time he visited many places of interest, including the North and Baltic Seas, the South American and African coasts and the West Indies. On returning home he resigned his position, and became a clerk in a fancy-goods store in Boston. Three or four years later he returned to Somersworth, and was here engaged in the coal and wood business until his father's death in 1885. He then took charge of the mill business, which he still carries on successfully.
On January 15, 1881, Mr. Haines married Miss Matilda S. Page, of this place. He is a Republican in politics, and for some years has been an active worker for his party. He is now serving his second term as County Com- missioner. He was Selectman in 1885 and 1886. His relations with fraternal organiza- tions include membership in Libanus Lodge, No. 49, F. & A. M .; Prospect Lodge, No. 13, K. of P., both of Somersworth; and in Dover Lodge of Elks. He was State Grand Chancellor of the Knights of Pythias in 1885.
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RTHUR S. LADD, who ranks among the foremost agriculturists of Bel- mont, was born in this town, Janu- ary 17, 1838, son of Langdon and Sylvania (Colby) Ladd.
The remote ancestors of the Ladd family are said to have gone to England with William the Conqueror from Normandy. Daniel Ladd, a native of England, the first of the name in America, settled at an carly date in Ipswich, Mass., receiving a grant of land in 1637, and later moved to Haverhill, where his son Nathaniel was born. Nathaniel Ladd settled in Exeter, N. H., when a young man; and his son, Nathaniel, Jr., was long a resident of that town. A brick house that he erected is still standing, and is owned by Dr. John Perry.
Edward Ladd, son of Nathaniel, Jr., settled in Belmont, and cleared a farm from the wil- derness. He married Catherine Thing, daugh- ter of Samuel Thing; and their son, Colonel Samuel Ladd, was the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch. Colonel Samuel Ladd built and owned the first saw-mill in what is .now Laconia. In 1768 he married Abigail Flanders, who died in 1803. Edward Ladd, second, son of Colonel Samuel, and grand- father of Arthur S., settled upon what has since been known as Ladd Hill in the town of Belmont. The house in which he lived was built by his father, and is now occupied by his grandson, the subject of this sketch. Grand- father Ladd died in early manhood, from the effects of a fall from his horse. He married Hannah Hoyt, of Sanbornton, N. H.
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Their son, Langdon Ladd, Arthur S. Ladd's father, was born in Belmont in ISII. He was nine years old when his father died, and when old enough he took charge of the home farm. He was an active and industrious farmer, and resided at the old homestead until his death,
which occurred in 1887. Politically, he was a Democrat; and in 1874 he was a member of the New Hampshire House of Representa- tives. His wife, Sylvania Colby, who was a daughter of Barnard Colby, of Sanbornton, be- came the mother of nine children, four of . whom died in infancy. The others were: Arthur S., the subject of this sketch; Martha A. ; Grace C. ; Allen Y .; and Emma J. All acquired a good education. Martha A., who taught school for some time, married for her first husband Charles Gale, of Massachusetts, and for her second husband, Martin W. Strat- ton. She removed to Reading, Kan., where she died in 1895. Grace C. Ladd married Joseph Pitman, of Laconia, N. H .; Allen Y. married Kate Bennett, of Gilford; and Emma J. died April 3, 1870.
Arthur S. Ladd acquired his elementary ed- ucation in the district school, and later began an academic course, but was obliged to relin- quish his studies on account of his father's failing health. He manages the farm with good judgment, and aside from general hus- bandry has been quite extensively engaged in stock-raising. He succeeded to the ownership of the property at his father's death, and he also possesses other real estate in this
vicinity.
In February, 1867, Mr. Ladd was united in marriage with Ellen M. Porter. She is a daughter of Irad and Letta (Knapp) Porter, both of whom were born in Lyman, N. H. Mr. Porter died at the Ladd homestead, aged eighty-four years. His family was of Scotch descent. Mrs. Porter was a daughter of Elijah Knapp, who settled with his family on a tract of wild land in Lyman, N. H., and lived in a log house until a frame dwelling could be erected. Mrs. Ladd attended the academy in Haverhill, N.H., in her girlhood, and subse- quently taught seven terms of school in that
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vicinity. At the time of her marriage she was residing in Laconia, N.H.
Mr. and Mrs. Ladd have three daughters; namely, Edith S., Florence E., and Candace P., all of whom have attended the Laconia High School. Edith S. Ladd was graduated in 1885, and. was salutatorian of her class. She taught school for two years in Belmont, and is now the wife of J. Edward Phelps, of Laconia. Candace P. Ladd was graduated in 1893, and was the valedictorian of her class. She is now teaching in Sanbornton.
Mr. Ladd never took any active interest in politics until 1896, when he was the Demo- cratic candidate for Representative to the leg- islature, and, although the town is strongly Republican, made a good showing for his party. He is a member of the First Baptist Church in Laconia, and has been a Deacon for the past ten years.
AMES WALKER, a well-known mer- chant of East Rochester, where he is a . prosperous dealer in groceries and crockery, was born in Fryeburg, Me., August 14, 1827, son of Samuel Walker. His grand- father, Samuel Walker (first), who went from Concord, N.H., was one of the pioneers of Fryeburg. The father, who was born in 1788, under the same roof as James, spent his life in his native town chiefly engaged in farming, the occupation to which he was reared, and was one of the most successful farmers of his day. His homestead of seventy-five acres of land was beautifully located on the banks of the Saco River, which furnishes the water- power for so many of the busy factories and mills of that portion of the State. He was a conscientious, upright man, respected by all, and at his death, in 1860, left the record of a long life well spent. In early manhood he
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was identified with the Democratic party, but later he became a Republican. He served for a number of years as Selectman of Fryeburg, besides which he held at different times all the minor offices of the town. His wife, in maidenhood Nancy Stevens, who was likewise a native of Fryeburg, reared six children, of whom James, the subject of this sketch, is the only survivor.
James Walker grew to manhood on the old homestead, obtaining his education in the dis- trict school. At the age of twenty he ac- cepted a position on the Grand Trunk Rail- way, and for the following twelve years was employed in the construction department. Then he worked for three years on the home farm, after which he resumed his connection with the Grand Trunk. In 1863 Mr. Walker went to Middle Tennessee, where he was in the employment of the government repairing railroad bridges. Two years later he returned to Fryeburg; and in 1866 he formed a partner- ship with J. A. Farrington, with whom he established himself in the grocery and dry- goods business at Somersworth, N.H. In 1869 the business was removed to East Rochester, and in the following year the partnership was dissolved. Since then, Mr. Walker, with the exception of eighteen months' association with T. J. Manning, has carried the business on in his own name.
Mr. Walker was married in September, 1866, to Miss Marion E. Farrington, daughter of Jeremiah Farrington, of Conway, N. H. His children are: Fred A., who is employed on the editorial staff of the Boston Journal, and resides in Boston; and Jessie M., a teacher in the public schools of Rochester. Mr. Walker is a liberal giver toward the sup- port of the Methodist Episcopal church, which he and his family attend. In politics he gives earnest support to the Republican party, both
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in local and national affairs. He is a member of Humane Lodge, No. 21, A. F. & A. M., of Rochester; and of Cocheco Lodge, No. 39, I. O. of O. F., of East Rochester, in which he has for several years been Treasurer.
RS. MARY A. LOUGEE, of Gil- manton, N.H., was born in this town, December 21, 1829. Her parents were Samuel S. and Mary (Dimond) Young. Her grandfather, Joseph Young, was one of the early settlers of the country ; and a somewhat detailed account of his life will be found in the sketch of Jonathan Young.
Samuel S. Young was a native of Gilman- ton. After his marriage he settled on a farm one and one-half miles from his birth- place. His wife was a daughter of Isaac Dimond, of Loudon, N.H. They began life with a farm, two dollars in cash, a yoke of oxen, and a colt, their modest possessions, however, not being free from encumbrance. Mr. Young was by trade a carpenter; and he worked for some time in Lowell, thus earning money to pay off their debt. Returning to Gilmanton, he engaged in general farming during the latter part of his life, and succeeded in accumulating some property. He was a man of regular habits, careful judgment, and exemplary Christian character. Both he and his wife were devoted members of the Meth- odist church. They were of even disposition, kind-hearted, and believed in educating their children. They had a family of five, one son and four daughters; namely, Isaac, Judith, Sarah, Mary, and Abby. Isaac Young mar- ried Martha Dorr for his first wife, and for his second he married Judith Eastman. He has since died in Gilmanton. Judith Young died at the age of eight years. Sarah married H. A. Davis, of Laconia, and died March 20,
1896. Abby married George Davis, of Farm- ington, N.H., and died in 1862.
Mary, the subject of this ske.ch, in her girl- hood attended the Laconia Academy, and fitted herself for the work of teaching, in which she was engaged for twenty-one years. On Feb- ruary 27, 1861, she married Charles H. Lougee, son of Dudley Lougee, of Gilmanton. The immigrant ancestor of the Lougees of Gilmanton was John Lougee, a native of the Isle of Jersey, who is said to have come to America in the time of Queen Anne's War. He was taken captive by the Indians, but escaped. Nehemiah Lougee, son of John, Jr., and Molly (Leavitt) Lougee, and grandson of the first John, married Mary Marsh, and was the father of Dudley Lougee, above named. Charles Lougee enlisted in the Twelfth New Hampshire Regiment, Company B, and died in 1863 in Washington, D.C., from a disease contracted when in the army. He is survived by his wife and one child, Abby L., who is at present living on the homestead with her mother. ^Mrs. Lougee and her daughter are both members of the Free Will Baptist church.
OHN BICKFORD, a veteran agricultu- rist of Strafford County, whose farm of one hundred and seventy-five acres is located on the "ten-rod road," in the part of Rochester bordering on the Farmington line, was born on his present homestead, December 22, 1814. His father, John Bickford, Sr., was born in Rochester, a son of Jethro Bick- ford, who was one of the petitioners for Roch- ester's charter in 1722. The father was en- gaged in agricultural pursuits during his active years, and died on the family homestead at a comparatively early age in 1827. He was an honest, hard-working man, devoted to the care of his family, and giving but little attention to
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politics, though he invariably cast his vote for the Democratic candidates. He married Lucy Brown, of Grea. Falls; and of their nine chil- dren, John, the subject of this sketch, is the only survivor.
John Bickford, like the majority of the farmers' sons of that time, attended the dis- trict schools when not needed at home. Left fatherless while yet in his teens, he was then compelled to assume responsibilities be- yond his years. Before attaining his majority he took charge of the home farm, and was for many years extensively engaged in farming, lumbering, and dairying. Possessing much enterprise and untiring energy, he also em- barked in other industries. He owned and successfully operated a saw-mill for some years, also a sash and blind factory at Gonic. He has not swerved from the political faith in which he was reared, the Democratic party finding in him one of its firmest supporters. He was Selectman of Rochester for one year, and likewise served it as Road Surveyor. He belongs to Rochester Grange; but of late years, owing to his impaired hearing, he has taken no active part in its meetings.
Mr. Bickford was married to Miss Hannah Demerritt, of Farmington, a daughter of Mark Demerritt. They have five sons, namely : Charles W., the Postmaster of Rochester; Daniel C., of Farmington; John H., of Roch- ester ; Herbert F., at home; and Edward R., who carries on the farm with his aged father.
TIS BEAMAN, who spent nearly half a century in mercantile business in Laconia, where he died October 10, 1879, aged seventy-six years and seven months, was born in Grafton, Vt., March 6, 1803, a son of Peter and Mary (Stone) Beaman. His parents had nine children, four sons and five
daughters, he being the last in order of birth.
He attended the common schools of Grafton, Vt., for a short time during his boyhood, but was for the most part self-educated. On leav- ing home he went to Boston, where he worked in the Exchange Coffee House five years as a porter. Returning to New Hampshire, he located in Hillsborough, and, in company with his brother Alexander, embarked in the mercantile business under the firm name of Beaman Brothers. About two years later, in 1832, he came to Laconia, and was here suc- cessfully engaged in the same line of business until his death. A portion of this time, in company with his brother and a Mr. Eastman, he was interested in the manufacture of cotton goods, being located for a time in the brick mill opposite Busiel's Mill.
On May 21, 1833, the year after he came to Laconia, Mr. Beaman married Emma J. Rob- bins, daughter of Zachariah Robbins. . Her father was a Revolutionary patriot, who took part in many of the principal battles during the struggle for independence. He was first a member of Colonel Prescott's regiment, and later served on the "Wentworth," a privateer. When he left the army, after the engagement at Newburg, N. Y., he had risen to the rank of Ensign. He was a farmer by occupation, and resided in Hillsborough, in the same neigh- borhood as the father of ex-Governor Pierce. He lived to be seventy-six years old. Mr. and Mrs. Beaman had three children, all of whom were born in Meredith Bridge, now Laconia, namely: George Otis, who died June 16, 1895, aged sixty years; Emma J., wife of Frank J. Osgood, residing in Laconia ; and Edward F., who was associated in busi- ness with his father for a number of years.
In political affiliation Mr. Beaman was in his early years a Whig and later a Republican.
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EDWARD EVANS.
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For some years he was a Director in the Mere- dith Savings Bank. He was a member of Winnipiseogee Lodge, No. 7, I. O. O. F., of Laconia, joining six months after its organiza- tion, and also of the Congregational church, in which he held the office of Deacon.
RS. SARAH DAVISON, a lady of refinement, benevolent and pub- lic-spirited, and worthy of the good fortune that has come to her in life, is one of the most respected residents of San- bornton. Born here April 9, 1836, daughter of Edward and Phoebe (Morrison) Evans, she was married November 16, 1870, to Beniah Bryant Davison. After her marriage she con- tinued to live with her parents; and her home is still the family residence, one of the finest in Sanbornton. Mr. Davison, a son of Josiah Davison, of Rye, N.H., was born in Holder- ness, N.H., July 13, 1835, and was educated in the schools of that town. When quite young he went to Boston, where he was after- ward employed for many years. In politics he is a Republican. He is a member of Mas- sachusetts Lodge, No. 1; and Massasoit En- campment, No. 1, I. O. O. F., of Boston.
By both parents Mrs. Davison comes of hon- orable ancestry. On her mother's side she traces her genealogy to David Morrison, who is said to have been a settler in one of the early British colonies south of Massachusetts. He was previously one of the Scotch settlers of the north of Ireland, who were driven under the walls of Londonderry prior to the siege of that town in 1688 and 1689. The Morrisons of Sanbornton, as well as those of London- derry and Peterboro, N. H., are probably de- scendants of David Morrison. David's son John, the great-great-grandfather of Mrs. Da- vison, lived in Haverhill, Mass., and died
there in 1765 or 1766. The next in line was another David, also born in Haverhill, who came to Belknap County about the year 1784. and located on Salmon Brook. His first wife, in maidenhood Keziah Whittle, daughter of Thomas Whittle, who came from the Isle of Wight, was a noted singer. David Morrison, Jr., grandfather of Mrs. Davison, born in 1765, married Sarah, daughter of David Dus- tin, a descendant of the heroine, Mrs. Hannah Dustin.
Mrs. Davison's father, Edward Evans, who was born in Salisbury in 1795, received a good education. From his fifteenth year until he was thirty-two he was engaged in teaching school at Andover, Sanbornton, and Danbury. In the latter part of his life his principal oc- cupation was farming. After first settling in Danbury he came to Sanbornton, where he re- mained until his death, which occurred in 1872. He purchased the farm of sixty-five acres now owned by Mrs. Davison. As a farmer he was eminently successful. He possessed much executive ability, and would have made his mark in any line of business. While in the town of Danbury he served in a number of public capacities, and in Sanbornton he acceptably discharged the duties of Selectman, He attended and supported the First Baptist Church of Sanbornton. Prominent in busi- ness and social life, he was also held in high esteem by a large circle of friends.
Mrs. Davison's paternal grandfather was Edward Evans, Adjutant of the Second Regi- ment of the New Hampshire contingent in the Revolutionary War. It is supposed that Ad- jutant Evans, who was of English or Welsh descent, was born in Sligo, Ireland, in 1736. The following account of him is taken from a local paper : "He was of fine personal appear- ance, of medium height, rather spare built, had an excellent education, and was an accom-
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plished linguist. He came to America about the year 1760, settled in Chester, this State, where he was a school teacher, and known as Master Evans. In 1769 he married Sarah Flagg, daughter of the distinguished parson of Chester, the Rev. Ebenezer Flagg. Twelve children were the result of this marriage. Mrs. Evans is remembered as being a woman of marked sweetness of character, of an ami- able disposition, and well favored with natural endowments. At the breaking out of the Rev- olution Mr. Evans lived in Salisbury, and was the schoolmaster of that town. Espousing the cause of freedom for his adopted country, Mr. Evans enlisted May 23, 1775, as a private in the First New Hampshire Regiment, in Cap- tain Joshua Abbot's company, under the com- mand of Colonel John Stark. Stark's regi- ment soon went into camp at Medford, Mass. ; and, on the 17th of June following, orders came to re-enforce Colonel Prescott at Bunker Hill, and ' to oppose the enemy, who were landing on Charlestown Point.' In the battle that followed, the position of Colonel Stark's men was left of the redoubt, behind a rail fence. This line, protecting the flank of Colonel Prescott's troops, was the key to the position; and two desperate attacks at this point, by the very flower of the regular British army, led by General Howe in person, were repulsed. The New Hampshire men fought with the utmost bravery. Covering the retreat of Colonel Prescott, after their small stock of ammunition was exhausted, they retired from the field still unconquered. Subsequently Mr. Evans was a private in the regiments of Colonel. Timothy Bedel, Colonel Thomas Stickney, Colonel Joseph Cilley, and Colonel David Hobart. He took part in the expedi- tion to Canada, was at Ticonderoga, and in the battles of Bennington, Princeton, Trenton, and Saratoga.
"On the 18th of July, 1777, Mr. Evans was commissioned Adjutant in the Second New Hampshire Regiment of militia. The follow- ing is the staff-roll, July, 1777: Thomas Stickney, Colonel; Nathaniel Emerson, Lieu- tenant Colonel ; Bradbury Richardson, Major ; James Head, Second Major; Edward Evans, Adjutant; William Clements, Quartermaster; Josiah Chase, Surgeon; Daniel Peterson, Sur- geon's Mate. At the battle of Bennington, fought August 16, 1777, Mr. Evans was on the staff of Colonel Thomas Stickney in Gen- eral Stark's brigade. Stark so divided his force as to attack the enemy in front, on both flanks, and in the rear at the same time. Ad- jutant Evans led one of the detachments, en- gaging the Hessians on their right wing. The entrenchments of the enemy were taken. Colonel Baum was killed, and most of his force were made prisoners. General Stark said of this battle, 'It lasted two hours, and was the hottest I ever saw.'
"Mr. Evans served until the close of the war, and was then honorably discharged. While in service he received a wound in the ankle, which did not heal for several years. After the war ended he returned to Salisbury, bought with his Continental scrip the Buzzell farm, and built a house there. Mr. Evans spared no pains to educate his own children. They took their books into the fields, where after working for a time they withdrew to the shade of a tree, where he taught them to write, using birch bark instead of paper, and doing their 'sums' on the same material. When 'Master' Evans became unsuited for teaching by reason of age, he moved to Franklin on the river road, near his eldest son Josiah. Here he died May 26, 1818, aged eighty-two years. A descendant of Lieutenant Edward Evans has recently placed a bronze marker over his grave in the Simonds Cemetery, Franklin.
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RANSOM F. EVANS.
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This marker is the emblem used by the Massa- chusetts Society, Sons of the American Revo- lution, to designate the last resting-place of our Revolutionary patriots. At the top of a rod is the cross of the Order of St. Louis, about one foot in diameter, back of which is a laurel wreath, all of bronze metal. Each arm of the cross contains a letter of the inscrip- tion, 'S. A. R.' (Soldier of the American Revolution), the lower arm having the date '1775.' The centre is a medallion in which, in relief, is the figure of a minute-man stand- ing by the side of a plough, surrounded by thirteen stars."
The other children of Mrs. Davison's parents were: Ransom F., Edward D., Lucy Ann, Susan, George S., and Ellen F. Ran- som F., the eldest son, was born in 1824. When about twenty years of age, he went to Boston, and was in the employ of his uncle on a farm for about a year. He then went to work in Faneuil Hall Market for the firm of Sands & Craft. After some years the firm changed to Sands, Furber & Co., and young Mr. Evans became one of the partners, retain- ing that relation until his death in 1896. He was widely known and esteemed among prod- uce dealers, being intimately identified with the market for more than fifty years. At the time of his death he was a member of the Bos- ton Chamber of Commerce and of the Boston Fruit and Produce Exchange. In the Handel and Haydn Society he was one of the oldest members. He was a self-made man, having begun life a poor boy, and having acquired a Large property entirely through his own efforts. Always entertaining a strong affection for his New Hampshire home, he did much to improve the old homestead. Edward D. Evans is now deceased. Lucy Ann married Jacob Fottler, of Houston. At one time the book-keeper for Sands, Furber & Co., when the two senior
partners died, Mr. Fottler was taken into the firm by his brother-in-law; and since Mr. Evans's death he, with two other partners, has continued the business. Susan and George S. Evans are also deceased. Ellen F., the young- est child, who was born in 1845, attended the New Hampshire Conference Seminary at Til- ton. Afterward, at the age of sixteen, having previously shown a remarkable talent for music, she went to Boston to study with a celebrated teacher; but after a time ill health obliged her to relinquish her hopes in this direction. Later in life she became inter- ested in painting, and in that art also showed a natural genius. Her pictures in oil and water colors are characterized by a refined artistic taste. A portrait of Mrs. Davison's father, Edward Evans, and one of her brother, Ransom F. Evans, accompany this sketch.
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