USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Stafford and Belknap countries, New Hampshire > Part 58
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Benjamin Wright, Jr., was born January 4, 1807, at Foster, R.I. He was educated in the public schools, and after his marriage bought a farm in that town, where he lived during the rest of his life. For many years he had charge of a saw-mill, and gave most of his time to its management. In his early days he was a Democrat, but about the time of the breaking out of the war he joined the Repub- lican party. He was very prominent in the section of the country around Foster, and was held in universal esteem. By his wife, Lucy Wells Wright, he had the following named children : James M .; Elisha Harris, the sub-
ject of this sketch ; Albert Henry; the Rev. Otis O., an Episcopal clergyman of Sandy Hook, Conn. ; Wheaton; Allen; and Asahel J., of Hartford.
The Rev. Elisha H. Wright received his early education in the public schools of Foster and in Smithville Seminary, North Scituate, R.I. Later he pursued a course of study in language with a private instructor. In 1860, at Liberty Hill, in the town of Lebanon, Conn., he was ordained as pastor of the Christian church in that place, and preached there for three years. From there he went to Bristol, R. I. ; but in little more than a year he was obliged to leave on account of the ill health of his wife. He was then in Hampton and in Windham, Conn., and later returned to his first charge at Liberty Hill. In 1870 Mr. Wright came to Hill, N. H. After preaching for two and one-half years, he removed to Manchester, where he remained for four years. At the end of that time he returned to Hill, and, with the exception of about two years, when he was supplying pulpits in other places, he has been there since. He has made his home in Sanbornton since 1876. In politics Mr. Wright is a Republican. He is greatly interested in the temperance movement. Hc holds a prominent place in the various agri- cultural societies, is a charter member of the Pemguesset Grange, and was its first Master. HIc has been chaplain of the State Grange, and is P. C. T. of Hill Lodge, No. 51, of Good Templars.
Mr. Wright married for his first wife Amie J., daughter of Daniel Weaver, of Coventry, R. I. ; and three children were born to them -- Lydia A., Daniel R., and Alfred C. His sec- ond wife was Miss Ambrosia R. Morrel, daughter of Folsom Morrel, who married Ro- silla, daughter of Bradbury Morrison, and his wife, Annice Sanborn. Mr. Morrel was one of
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the wealthiest and most influential citizens in his town, and did an extensive business in lumber. His father was Nathaniel, who served when quite young in the Revolutionary War. Nathaniel was the earliest settler of the family in Sanbornton. He located in the western part of the town on the banks of the Pemigewasset, and was succeeded by his son Folsom, where Mrs. Wright was born and the family now reside. By his second marriage Mr. Wright has one son, Robert M., who graduated from the Franklin High School in 1896, and is now studying at the New Hamp- shire State College at Durham. Mrs. Wright is a graduate of New Hampton Institution, and is an able assistant in her husband's work. Mr. Wright has served for seven years on the School Board, and was largely instrumental in bringing about the change in the management from the old district-school system to the town system, as now required by law.
Mr. Wright's oldest brother, James M. Wright, is one of the prominent men of the State of Rhode Island. He has represented his town in the State legislature for eight or ten years, and has been State Senator for sev- eral terms. He was the messenger who car- ried the electoral vote of Rhode Island to Washington when Garfield was elected. He has had unusual success in raising campaign funds, and is recognized by both political parties as a thoroughly incorruptible man. He is one of the Commissioners on Shell Fisheries for Rhode Island. Another brother of the Rev. Mr. Wright, Asabel J. Wright, of Hartford, was for some years a school teacher. He took an active part in temperance work, and this brought him in contact with politics. His friends in Killingly nominated him for Representative to the Connecticut legislature, and he was elected without any personal effort on his part. Shortly after his term of office
expired, he was chosen Clerk of the State Board of Education, a position he now holds. One of his first acts was the compilation of the school laws of the State. He is recognized as most efficient in his department, and is one of the prominent educators of the country.
IRAM H. BARKER, a keen, progres- sive, and enterprising business man of Farmington, Strafford County, N.H., was born in this town, December 2, 1851, a son of Hiram and Maria ( Hayes) Barker. He is of English ancestry, and his progenitors settled in New Hampshire at an early day. His grand- father, John Barker, was born July 28, 1762, and died in New Durham, July 9, 1830.
Hiram Barker was born December 21, ISI5, in Alton, Belknap County, this State, but soon after reaching manhood came to Farmington, where he resided until his demise, March 26, 1887, at the age of seventy-one years, three months, and five days. He worked on the home farm until he was sixteen years old. Al- though his educational advantages were limited, yet the indomitable energy that characterized him through life, and laid the foundations for his successful business career, enabled him to obtain a thoroughly practical education. From 1831 to 1834 he was engaged in clerking and peddling. From 1836 until ISSo he was in trade in Farmington, and was also extensively occupied by a real estate and lumber business, owning large tracts of land in Nebraska, and having real estate interests in Iowa, Kansas, and Minnesota, and in the city of Chicago. He was the President of the Farmington State Bank during the fifteen years of its existence. He was a zealous supporter of the principles of the Democratic party and a leader in the man- agement of local affairs, having held nearly all the offices within the gift of his fellow-townsmen.
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He was at different times Moderator, Town Clerk, Selectman, Assessor, and Treasurer. He served as Representative to the State legis- lature for two terms, having been a member of that body at the time of the memorable railway accident at Laconia, N.H. ; and he was also a member. of the Constitutional Convention in 1850-51, serving on the Judiciary Committee. He married Miss Maria Hayes, of New Durham ; and of their seven children four died in infancy, and one daughter, Martha C., in 1858. The others are : Clara, wife of Charles H. Berry, of Farmington ; and Hiram H., the subject of this biographical sketch. The record of Hiram Barker is one of prosperity and great financial success. His integrity of character, sagacity, and ability enabled him to overcome the adverse circumstances of his early life. He began a poor boy, but died a millionaire.
Hiram H. Barker was educated in the com- mon schools of Farmington and at the academy at Wolfboro. On attaining his majority he established himself in business in company with J. F. Hall, becoming senior member of the firm of Barker & Hall, dealers in groceries and cloth- ing. Three years later his father purchased the store, and Mr. Barker continued its management until 1880. In that year he entered his father's office as a clerk, and since his father's death has succeeded to the entire business, making a specialty of dealing in Western real estate, in which he has many large transactions.
Mr. Barker was married October 12, 1872, to Miss Ella M. Peavey, daughter of Robert K. and Mary A. (Beals) Peavey, of this town, and they have become the parents of seven children, namely : Charles B., born March 23, 1874; Willie F., born November 16, 1877 ; Hiram E., born December 7, 1878 ; Maria H., born October 4, 1881, and died November 24, 1882 ; Ella May, born June 5, 1884; Louis H., born October 29, 1886; and Eda F., born March 5,
1890. Mr. Barker is a strong Democrat in politics, and in the years 1889 and 1890 he was a Representative to the legislature in Concord. In 1892 he was a delegate to the Democratic Convention in Chicago. In 1896 he deprecated the nomination of Bryan, and the announcement of the free silver platform so strongly that he voted for Mckinley. He is liberal in his re- ligious views and a generous contributor toward the support of the Congregational church, which he and his family attend.
OHN HOWE BERRY, an extensive dairy farmer of New Hampton, and Chairman of the Board of Selectmen of this town, was born in Holderness, N.H., May 10, 1836, son of Jonathan and Nancy (Howe) Berry. His father was a native of Dor- chester, N.H., born June 22, 1792. Jonathan Berry was reared upon the home farm, where he remained until he was eighteen years old. For the succeeding four or five years he was en- gaged in various occupations in Boston. After his marriage he bought a farm in Holderness, where the rest of his life was passed. He died October 25, 1867. In early life he was a Democrat, but later joined the Republican party. His wife, Nancy Howe Berry, was born August 6, 1797, a daughter of Ebenezer Howe, of New Hampton, in which town her marriage ceremony took place. Her father had a great local reputation for his physical strength and agility. Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Berry were the parents of fifteen children, namely : Dexter ; Mary Jane ; Lavinia ; Parker ; George ; Electa ; Persis P .; Melissa ; Sarah; Asa; Horace W. ; John H., the subject of this sketch ; Jeanette ; Charles H. ; and Napoleon B. All are now liv- ing except four, namely : Dexter ; Lavinia, who was the wife of Reuben Grant of Boston ; George; and Asa. Mary Jane married James
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Gardner, of Methuen, Mass. ; Electa became Mrs. Robinson, and resides in Baltimore ; Persis P. resides in Lawrence, Mass .; Melissa married Horace P. Dudley, of Laconia ; Sarah is the wife of Charles Jackson, of Methuen, Mass. ; Horace W. resides in Boston : Jeanette is the wife of Simeon D. Rollins, and resides in Minneapolis, Minn .; Charles H. is a resident of North Adams, Mass. ; and Napoleon B. lives in New York City. Mrs. Jonathan Berry was a member of the Free Baptist church. She died December 17, 1856.
John Howe Berry was educated in the district schools, and resided at home until his seven- teenth year. He then went to Boston, where he obtained employment in a restaurant on School Street. He was later engaged in other occupations, and remained in the New England metropolis about ten years. Returning to the homestead, he assisted in its management until 1868, when he bought a farm near Little Squam Lake, where he resided four and a half years. Subsequently selling that property, he purchased his present farm of two hundred acres, and has since devoted his attention to general farming and dairying. He raises an average of nine hundred bushels of corn annually, keeps twenty- five head of cattle, a large flock of hens, and has the finest hennery in this vicinity. He ships large quantities of eggs to Lowell, Mass. ; and his annual product of two tons of butter finds ready sale in Lakeport and Laconia.
On May 10, 1861, Mr. Berry was joined in marriage with Clara Buzzell, daughter of Jonas Buzzell, of Meredith. Of the ten children born of this union six grew to maturity, namely : Arvia Leslie, who is no longer living ; Dora Lorraine ; Edward H. ; Ada J .; John Garfield ; and Clara Louise.
In politics Mr. Berry is a Republican. He is now serving his fourth year as Selectman, being Chairman of the Board. He and Mrs. Berry are members of the Free Baptist church.
LBERT DEMERITT, a prominent, popular, and progressive business man of Strafford County, was born Au- gust 26, 1851, in the town of Durham, on the farm where he now resides, this estate having been likewise the birthplace of his father, Stephen Demeritt, and of his grandfather, Israel Demeritt. He has a distinguished pio- neer ancestry, tracing his descent in a direct line from Major John Demeritt, whose son Samuel, born in Madbury, was the first of the name to claim ownership of the present home- stead. He settled here when the country was in its original wildness, and, clearing a space in the timber, erected a log cabin, in which he lived for a time. The present house, the fourth that has been erected on this site, was built many years afterward, in 1808, by Israel Demeritt, who succeeded his father in the pos- session of the farm.
Stephen Demeritt, youngest child of Israel and the next to inherit the ancestral acres, was here engaged in general farming during his life, dying on the homestead, January 27, 1867. For many years he occupied a fore- most position among the influential citizens of Durham, faithfully performing his official duties as Selectman and as Justice of the Peace, also twice representing the town in the lower branch of the legislature, and twice serving as Senator, having been elected on the Democratic ticket. He married Nancy, daughter of Samuel Chesley, of Durham, and they became the parents of six children, namely : Martha J., now the wife of Edwin V. Gage, of Bradford, Mass .; Charles J., who died August 23, 1881; Edwin, a proprietor and principal of the Chauncy Hall School, Bos- ton, Mass .; Frank, who died in South Amer- ica, while in charge of a mining expedition; Albert, the special subject of this biographi- cal sketch; and Grace A., wife of John
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AMOS L. ROLLINS.
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Demlea, an attorney-at-law in Haverhill, Mass. The mother died August 23, 1894, her remains being deposited beside her husband's in the family cemetery on the farm.
Although but fifteen years old at the time of his father's death, Albert Demeritt at once assumed the management of the home farm, which he is still carrying on. It contains two hundred and fifty acres of land. The extent of his agricultural operations may be gathered from the fact that he harvested in the year 1896, among his other abundant crops, one thousand barrels of apples and one hundred tons of hay. Mr. Demeritt, however, does not confine himself to a single sphere of activity. Besides being a practical farmer he is a senior member of the firm of Demeritt & Burnham, extensive dealers in lumber, widely and favor- ably known.
Mr. Demeritt was married June 2, 1886, to Miss Elizabeth P., daughter of Deacon John E. Thompson, of Durham. Their household has been enlivened by the birth of three children; namely, Katharine, Margaret, and Stephen.
Mr. Demeritt is held in high estimation by his fellow-townsmen as one whose judgments are sound, decisions just, and his integrity unquestioned. . He has served wisely and to the satisfaction of his constituents in various public capacities, having been Prudential School Committee; Moderator, irrespective of party, eleven times; a member of the Board of Education from 1885 until 1895; of the State Board of, Agriculture nine years : one of the Board of Trustees of the New Hampshire College from 1892 until 1895, a member of the Finance and the Real Estate Committee of said Board, and with Lucien Thompson, of Durham, and Joseph Kidder, of Manchester, a special committee to revise the by-laws of the college. He was elected to
the Constitutional Convention held in Con- cord a few years ago, having a unanimous elec- tion, a personal compliment of which he may well be proud, as the district is strongly Re- publican, while Mr. Demeritt affiliates with the Democratic party.
Mr. Demeritt has also been a Trustee of the Durham Library Association and of the Pub- lic Library since their organization. He has also been a Trustee of Durham Congregational Society, and member of the grange for a num- ber of years.
ON. AMOS L. ROLLINS, one of the most influential citizens of Alton, Belknap County, N.H., for many years extremely active in public affairs, and now serving as County Commissioner and Justice of the Peace, was born in this town, December 11, 1826, the only son of Ichabod and Sally (Walker) Rollins. His grandfather on the paternal side was Ichabod Rollins, one of the early settlers of Alton. Coming here from Newington, he secured a tract of fifty acres of woodland, and at once went to work felling the trees, and then burning the brush and stumps to prepare the ground for plough- ing and planting. In the absence of roads he and his neighbors travelled from place to place by marked trees. His first house was a log cabin, but he later built a frame dwelling. Upon the site of this old residence the resi- dence of Amos L. Rollins now stands. Icha - bod Rollins died at the age of eighty-two, his wife, formerly Sally Leighton, living to be eighty-five years of age. They had six chil- dren --- Joshua, Stephen, Ichabod, Jr., Charles, Amos, and Sally.
Joshua resided in Alton for many years, and finally settled in Grantham, where he made his home throughout the remainder of his life.
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He was a shoemaker by trade. Stephen Rol- lins died at Alton, leaving a large family. Amos died young. Charles, after a few years spent in Boston, returned to his native place, and became active in politics. He was Se- lectman, County Treasurer, and was one of the most prominent Democrats in town.
Ichabod Rollins, Jr., remained on the homestead, and cared for his parents. He enlarged the farm resources, and made great improvements on the premises. His health began to fail in early middle life, and he died at the age of forty-five. He was an active member of the Free Baptist church. His wife, Sally, daughter of Samuel and Susan Walker, survived him, living to be sixty-two years of age. Their two children were Amos L. and Emily A. The latter married Seth R. Emerson.
Amos L. was but nineteen years of age when his father died, yet it seemed to devolve upon him to take up the duties of home and farm. His education had been that of the common schools of the place. Inheriting from his father and grandfather a taste for agricultural pursuits, he took up the work with a determination to succeed. Finding it necessary to have more tools for farming, he travelled to Dover with his ox team, a three days' journey. His perseverance and pluck were rewarded. By severe toil he was able to keep the homestead and place the farm on a paying basis.
He was destined, however, for a public career. In 1854 he was elected Town Clerk, and since that time he has held all the offices in the gift of the town. He was Selectman for twenty-nine years, and was Chairman of the Board in war time and for a few years after, working incessantly to bring about the pay- ment of the town's war debt of sixty-two thou- sand dollars. When he left the Board, the
debt had been paid, and the town treasury con- tained twelve hundred dollars. He was Mod- erator of town meetings for twenty-eight years in succession; Town Treasurer seven - teen years; for twenty years Treasurer of Alton's Five Cent Savings Bank; County Commissioner three years; Representative in the State legislature four years, serving on many different committees, such as the Bank- ing. Committee, Redistricting, and on Unfin- ished Business. He was in the State Senate, and served while there on various committees. He was also a member of the Constitutional- Convention in 1876. For many years Mr. Rollins has been a Justice of the Peace, and in this capacity his legal duties have been many and arduous. In 1880 and 1890 he was appointed Census Enumerator for Alton; and in 1893 he was chosen Police Judge, in which capacity he served until after his election to the Senate in 1894. He has been one of the most prominent Directors of the Lake Shore Railroad. Though early in life Amos Rol- lins was a Democrat, the last Democratic Presidential candidate that he voted for was Stephen A. Douglas.
December 25, 1851, he married Sarah E., daughter of Nehemiah Kimball, of Alton. They had three sons and two daughters. Mr. Rollins has had his full share of the sorrows of this world. Within two weeks' time in the spring of 1867 he lost his mother and two sons, in 1871 his wife died, and in 1875 his son Clarence. The daughter Grace married Mr. Fred Taber, and by him had two children. She survived him, and married, second, Ben- jamin Berry. The eldest daughter, Emily, married Edwin W. Francis, of Manchester. Mr. Rollins remarried January 14, 1872, his second wife being Permelia A. Pendergast, daughter of Thomas Pendergast, of Barnstead, N.H.
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Though his public duties have often called him away, Mr. Rollins has always kept up the old home of his forefathers. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, and also of Wini- piseogee Lodge, F. & A. M., in which he has held the office of Secretary. He delivered the address at the dedication of the new town hall of Alton, May 3, 1894. A man re- spected for his foresight 'and keen judgment in legal matters, Mr. Rollins is possessed of a disposition that has made for him many friends. He is a member of the Free Baptist church, and has been superintendent of the Sunday-school for several years.
G EORGE W. EMERSON, D.D.S., who after a most successful profes- sional career is spending the re- mainder of his days in quiet enjoyment in Barnstead, is a native of this town, born Octo- ber 25, 1823, and a son of Solomon and Abi- gail (Young) Emerson. Captain Jonathan Emerson, his grandfather, who is believed to have been the first of his ancestors to come to Barnstead, served in the Revolutionary War.
Solomon Emerson, who was born in Barn - stead on the farm now owned by his son, George W., took up farming at an early age, and afterward was extensively and profitably engaged in that occupation. His life was spent in Barnstead, where he died in 1868, at the age of eighty-seven years. When the tem- perance movement was started in this section,
he was one of the first to give it his support and to sign the pledge. His marriage with Abigail Young was blessed by the birth of eleven children, seven sons and four daugh- ters; namely, Thomas, Abigail, .Sarah, Solo- mon, Deborah, Paul, Jefferson and George Washington (twins), Nancy, James, and Jack- son. Thomas, the first-born, who lived and
died in Barnstead, left a widow and two chil- dren. Abigail and Solomon died young. Sarah married Jeremiah Elkins, of Laconia, and died in 1858. Her husband died soon after, leaving. two children. Deborah mar- ried, and died in the year following, leaving an only child, who lived until 1892. Paul, now deceased, never married. Jefferson, now living in Barnstead, married Vienna Cilley, who died leaving him with four children. Nancy and her husband, Henry Ward, have both passed away. James, who died about the year 1891, left a small family. Jackson, now deceased, married Laura Hoyt, who survives him. Their two daughters died previous to his death.
In many respects the life of George Wash- ington Emerson has been a notable one. The will power, energy, and perseverance that have characterized it are most worthy of emu- lation; and his success is an encouraging ex- ample to the aspiring. When quite young he left home to take up the study of dentistry. He first pursued it in Washington, D. C., under the guidance of Dr. Robert Arthur for two years. Later he was under other instruc- tors, and he attended a course of medical lect- ures in that city. In 1852 he entered the College of Dental Surgery in Philadelphia, from which he was graduated in the following year. While at the dental college his finances were so limited that he lived in a dingy garret on corn meal gruel, bought and prepared by himself. Though so pinched by want and with the odds all seemingly against him, he persevered, and at the completion of his course bore off the first honors of his class. He at once set up in practice in Glassboro, N.J., where he remained eighteen months. Then he went to Griffin, Ga., practising there with good success until 1859, when he located in Macon, Ga. He had been in business at
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Macon until 1873, a period of fourteen years, when on account of failing health he re- turned to his native town, which has since been his home. Very skilful in his profes- sion, he has made a reputation that is seldom equalled. At Macon he erected a building, devoted to dental purposes and planned in ac- cordance with his own ideas, that stands to-day as a monument to his superior taste and far- seeing judgment. In the opinion of many, among them Dr. Perine, of New York, this building is one of the finest and most conven- iently appointed in the United States. Before his retirement, Dr. Emerson had acquired suffi- cient means to enable him to spend the remain- der of his life in comfortable leisure. Outside his profession he has been a Director of the Suncook Valley Railroad for twenty years.
Since his return to his New Hampshire home he has taken much interest in town mat- ters, contributing liberally toward whatever would benefit the town. The citizens of Barn- stead have shown their appreciation by elect- ing him on a Democratic nomination to the State legislature, President of the Agricult- ural Society, also as Town Treasurer, where he served on the Committee on County Farms. He was also elected Town Treasurer and the President of the Agricultural Society. His home is the old Emerson farm, the care of which he leaves principally to those hired for the purpose. His time is largely given to medical study and research. For the past ten years he has been occupied in ascertaining the "Part played by Filth in the Causation of Disease," upon which he has collected facts from the most reliable works, covering the in- terval between the time of Moses and the pres- ent day. "The Food and Products of Patho- genic Bacteria " are also being investigated by him. In his researches he is much aided by his library of valuable works.
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