USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Rockingham County, New Hampshire > Part 35
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William P. Nevins was reared on the farm where he now makes his home, receiving a good education in his native town, and gradu- ating from Pinkerton Academy in 1864. On February 14, 1865, he enlisted in Company H, Eighteenth New Hampshire Volunteer Infan- try. llis regiment formed a part of the Ninth Army Corps under General Meade, and took part in a number of important engagements,
including the siege of Petersburg and some of those immediately preceding General Lee's surrender at Appomattox. Receiving his dis- charge July 30, 1865, he returned to London- derry, where he has since been prosperously engaged in general farming. He has a fine estate of some two hundred acres, including the homestead farm, much of which is under cultivation, and a commodious residence, the whole making a pleasing picture of rural pros- perity.
Mr. Nevins was married September 14, 1871, to Julia D. Shipley, a native of London- derry, daughter of John Shipley. Her grand- father, Amos Shipley, was a native of Hollis, N. H. ; while her father, John Shipley, was born in Londonderry. The latter, who was one of the prominent Republicans of the town, . which he represented for a time in the State legislature, died in 1875. Mr. and Mrs. Nevins have lost two children - Charles H. and an infant; and they have three living - Mabel F. M., Harriet J., and William S.
Mr. Nevins has been twice elected Select- man of Londonderry, and served two years in the State legislature. He has been a member of the School Board for a number of years, and, as already mentioned, is now Chairman of the Board. A member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, he belongs to the lodge at Derry Depot. Mrs. Nevins is a member of Rebekah Lodge at Derry Depot and of the branch of the Woman's Relief Corps at the same place. Both are members of the Presby- terian church at Londonderry, in which Mr. Nevins is an Elder.
'TEPHEN BAILEY, a retired shoe manufacturer residing in Salem, was born in this town, February 23, 1820. He is a son of David and Abiah (Haseltine) Bailey, both natives of Massachusetts, respectively born in Haverhill and Methuen. David Bailey, a son of Benja- min Bailey, who was also a native of the old Bay State, managed a general store in North Salem, N. H., for some time, and then, in the early part of the present century, came to Salem. He was an enterprising man, took an active interest in town affairs, and was Lieu-
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tenant in a militia company. Mr. Bailey was married in 1809; and of his children three are now living - David, Stephen, and Elizabeth, all residents of Salem.
Stephen Bailey grew to manhood in Salem, receiving a limited education in the public schools of that town. He learned the shoe- maker's trade when a boy, followed it for a number of years, and finally engaged in busi- ness as a shoe manufacturer. In 1872 he retired and turned his attention to agriculture, in which he has achieved marked success. He has a valuable farm of eighty acres, with a handsome and commodious residence. Mr. Bailey is a self-made man, owing his pros- perity to his sagacity and perseverance.
He was married July 31, 1845, to Hannah M. Cluff, a native of Salem and a daughter of Benjamin and Rachel (Austin) Cluff, also natives of this town. Mrs. Bailey is con- nected with some of the old families of Salem, her grandparents on both sides having been residents of this town. She has had two chil- dren, namely : Osmon C., residing in Chelsea, Mass. ; and Medora E., the wife of Fred O. Wheeler, of Salem. Mr. Bailey is a member of the Democratic party, and was at one time very active in politics. He represented Salem in the State legislature for a time. In his early manhood he was Captain of a militia company. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and is widely known in this section of the county.
J ONATHAN P. ROBINSON, an old resident of Hampton and scion of one of the oldest families in the State, was born in the southern part of North Hampton, N. H., May 20, 1807. He is a son of Jonathan and Dorothy (Towle) Robin- son, and belongs to the seventh generation of the family in this part of the State. Four generations claim Exeter, N. H., as their birth- place. The pioneer was John Robinson, who, it is said, was the first white child born in Haverhill, Mass. When a young man he settled in Exeter, N. II., and converted a tract of wild land into a good farm. This farm was in the family until a few years ago, when Jonathan P. sold it. John Robinson met with
a tragic death, having been shot by the Indians while riding into town on the same horse with his son Jonathan. Jonathan was a native of Exeter and a farmer. Josiah Robinson, great- grandfather of Jonathan P., was a Captain in the State militia. He married the grand- daughter of the Rev. Mr. Dudley, the first minister of Exeter, and reared twelve children. Of these the boys were all farmers, and the girls the wives of farmers. Jeremiah Robin- son, one of Josiah's sons and grandfather of Jonathan P., was a very prominent member of the farming community in old Exeter. He was a Selectman of the town, a Lieutenant of militia, and he lived to be eighty years of age. His wife, Mary, was a daughter of Jonathan Page, Jr., and a grand-daughter of Jonathan Page, Sr., of North Hampton. Jeremiah and Mary (Page) Robinson reared the following children : Jonathan, Sarah, Josiah, Mary, and Abigail.
Jonathan Robinson, who was a native of Exeter, received a district-school education, the educational facilities in those days being vastly inferior to the graded school system of the bustling city of to-day. Like his fore- fathers, he tilled the soil for a livelihood; and he was an officer in the militia, bearing the rank of Lieutenant. He died before his thir- tieth birthday. His wife, who was a native of Hampton, this county, had five children, namely: Jonathan P., the subject of this sketch ; Mary Lamprey, now eighty-six years old; Abigail; Sarah; and Jeremiah. Jere- miah is a resident of Grafton, Mass. The family has been remarkably long-lived, one of the daughters, as just stated, being now eighty- six years of age, and one of the sons eighty- five; while Jonathan P. is eighty-nine.
Jonathan P. Robinson made the most of bis opportunities in the district schools, and sub- sequently attended Ilampton Academy for two years. He afterward was engaged as teacher for several winters in the neighboring towns, making a reputation for the successful manage- ment of difficult schools. He then learned the carpenter's trade, and worked at it in Boston until the fall of 1837, when he re- turned to the homestead in North Hampton. Since then he has had the old buildings pulled down and replaced with good modern ones,
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thereby greatly improving the appearance of the estate. Mr. Robinson boarded for forty- eight years uninterruptedly with Mr. Simon Brown in North Hampton. During the past two years he has been living with a nephew in Hampton. One of the oldest voters in this section, he cast his first Presidential vote in 1828 for John Quincy Adams; and he has given allegiance in turn to the Whig, Free Soil, and Republican parties. In town affairs he has taken a prominent part, and has been elected Chairman of the Selectmen a number of times.
R EV. EBENEZER GREENLEAF PARSONS, President of the Board of Trustees of Pinkerton Academy, Derry, was born in what is now Westport, Me., May 15, 1813. He is the son of Captain Jotham and Olive (Greenleaf) Par- sons, both natives of Westport. On the father's side he comes of English ancestry, and on the mother's side he is descended from a French Huguenot family. The Maine family began with John Parsons, who was made a freeman of York, Me., in the latter part of the seventeenth century. Captain Josiah Parsons, grandfather of the Rev. Ebenezer Parsons, was one of the Revolutionary soldiers who fought at Bunker Hill. He was married in York to Sarah Sewell, a descendant of Ilenry Sewell, Esq., an ex-Mayor of the historic old town of Coventry, England, who settled in Newbury, Mass., in Colonial times. Captain Jotham Parsons was a well-to-do sea captain and ship- owner. A man of intelligence and much business ability, he carved his own fortunes. One of his many good deeds was the contribu- tion of twenty-five thousand dollars for the benefit of the Theological School now con- nected with Bates College. On the maternal side the Rev. Mr. Parsons is descended from Edmund Greenleaf, who settled in Newbury, Mass., in 1634, and from Stephen Greenleaf, of the third generation from Edmund, who lost his life at the taking of Louisburg in 1745.
The Rev. Ebenezer Greenleaf Parsons attended school at Wiscasset, Me., whither his parents removed when he was six years of
age. He entered Bowdoin in 1829, and grad-
uated in 1833 with the degree of A. B. Sub- sequently, in 1836, the same institution con- ferred on him the degree of A. M. After leaving college he taught school for a year at Reading, Pa. The ensuing year was spent in study at the Theological Seminary of Andover, Mass. He graduated from the Bangor Theo- logical Seminary in 1837, after which he was immediately called to the pastorate of the First Congregational Church at Freeport, Me. At Freeport he had labored zealously for four- teen years, when, in October, 1851, he was installed as pastor of the First Congregational Church at Derry, where he remained eighteen years. A broad and general scholar, and always pleased to impart knowledge where it was needed, he put no strain on himself in stepping from the pulpit to the teacher's desk. From 1869 to 1872 he was Principal of Pink- erton Academy at Derry; and from 1872 to 1882 he was Principal of_Dummer Academy at Byfield, Mass. Resigning the latter position in his seventieth year, he returned to Derry, where he now resides. Though he has aban- doned arduous work, he is still actively inter- ested in the cause of education. Since 1853 he has been a member of the Board of Trustees of Pinkerton Academy, and the President of that body since 1881. Much of the success of this institution is due to Mr. Parsons's zeal and energy. He has been a strong advocate of school improvement in Derry, cheerfully giving aid and support for that object; and for a number of years he served as superintendent of schools, sometimes alone and sometimes associated with others. He has been one of the Overseers of Bowdoin College since 1864, and he served for several years on its Class Examining Committee. In politics he is a Republican and a Prohibitionist.
Mr. Parsons was married in 1840 to Caro- line Mellen Nye, a native of Freeport, Me., who died in 1862. She was the mother of three children, namely : Caroline N., the wife of Frank G. How; Maria S. ; and Frances Appleton. Frances is now deceased. In 1865 the Rev. Mr. Parsons was again married, tak- ing for his wife Sarah Dana McMillan, a na- tive of Danville, Vt., daughter of the Hon. Andrew and Emily (Dana) McMillan. Mrs. Parsons is no less esteemed than her husband,
ALFRED CONNER.
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and the couple are the centre of a large circle of sincere friends.
J OHN E. COCHRAN, Town Clerk of Windham and a member of the Board of Selectmen, was born in this town, December 23, 1862, son of Isaac P. and Martha J. (Nesmith) Cochran. The fam- ily, which is a very reputable one in this sec- tion, is of Scotch-Irish origin. Captain John Cochran, Mr. Cochran's grandfather, who was a native and lifelong resident of Windham, served as Town Clerk, Treasurer, and Select- man of the town for some years.
Isaac P. Cochran, Mr. Cochran's father, was born in this town, where the active period of his life was spent in tilling the soil. A sturdy, energetic farmer, he made the best of his opportunities; while he won the sincere good will of his neighbors and fellow-towns- men. He died at his home in this town, Oc- tober 14, 1892. His wife, Martha, who was a native of Antrim, N. H., became the mother of two children, namely : Miles H., who is residing in Rochester, N. H .; and John E., the subject of this sketch. She is now seventy years old, and resides with her son, John E. She is a member of the Presbyterian church, and so was her husband.
John E. Cochran acquired his education in the common schools of Windham. He has since made agriculture his principal occupation in life. Ile has conducted general farming upon a progressive system, availing himself of all modern improvements and approved scien- tific methods. In local affairs he has been a conspicuous figure. He has been Town Clerk since 1888, is now serving his third term as a Selectman, and has for many years acted as a Justice of the Peace. In 1880 he was appointed Librarian of the Nesmith Li- brary, and served with ability in that capacity for eight years. At the present time he is a member of the Board of Trustees by virtue of his office as Town Clerk.
On January 1, 1893, Mr. Cochran wedded Nellie C. Parker, of Windham, a daughter of Olin and Betsey A. (Kelley) Parker. Mrs. Parker is deceased. Mr. Parker resides in Windham. Mr. and Mrs. Cochran have one
son, Olin J., who was born July 8, 1895. Mr. Cochran, who possesses a commendable degree of public spirit, is held in high regard by his townsmen. He is connected with the Wind- ham Grange, of which he was formerly Treas- urer. Both he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church.
A LFRED CONNER, a retired carpenter and builder living in Exeter, N. H., was born here on August 12, 1814, son of Nathaniel and Tirzah (Ly- ford) Conner.
Mr. Conner's grandfather, Jonathan Con- ner, whose death occurred between 1820 and 1825, spent his life on the old farm, which had come to his early ancestors as a grant from the government. This place has been occu- pied by at least seven generations, and at the present time is owned by the grandson of Alfred Conner's cousin, Arthur J. Conner, of Boston. No deed has ever passed for this property, the original title still holding it. Grandfather Conner married a Miss Jewett. Of their children their son Jesse settled in Maine; Daniel, a farmer by vocation, lived to be over ninety years of age; Jedediah lived to be threescore years and ten. The others who grew to adult age were: Nathaniel; Mary Barstow ; ,and Eunice, who never married. Jedediah was the heir to the old farm, which he left to his son Jewett, who left it to his son William, and he in turn to his grand- son, the present owner.
Nathaniel Conner, son of Jonathan, was born in the town of Exeter, on a farm three miles from the village, in October, 1773. Throughout the active period of his life he was a leading carpenter and builder here. He died in this village on July 5, 1849, at seventy-six years of age. His marriage with Miss Tirzah Lyford was solemnized about 1797 or 1798. Their daughter, Mary Ann, born in February, 1800, married Benjamin Wiggin, a carpenter and builder of Boston, where she died in April, 1891; Oliver, a printer, died in 1838, while yet in early man- hood; John L., a carpenter of Exeter, died when about forty-three years of age, leaving six children; Charles, a dry-goods merchant
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in Exeter, died at about eighty years of age, leaving two sons - Daniel and Charles; Will- iam, born in 1808, a carpenter in his younger days, and later a first-class farmer, died in Exeter in 1887, leaving two sons; Thomas, who was in company with his brother Charles in the dry-goods business, lived to be seventy- five years old, and at his death left one son, George T. Conner, of Vermont; Alfred was the youngest child that lived to maturity, and is now the sole survivor. His parents lost four children in infancy or carly childhood.
Nathaniel Conner married for his second wife a widow, Mrs. Elizabeth (Moore) Palmer. The son born of this union, Freeman Conner, lives in Chicago, and at the present time is associated with the courts of that city. Dur- ing the Civil War he served as a private in the Zouaves of New York City, and was wounded in service. He was advanced to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and still later was bre- vetted a Colonel. He is a man about three- score years of age, and has two daughters here in Exeter. The mother of Alfred Conner died on August 28, 1828, at fifty-four years of age, and the father in 1849. He left a good prop- erty for those days. In political views he was a Whig. For many years he was connected with the fire department, being a fire war- den. Two of his four fire buckets, which were made of leather, and the large homespun linen bag which they carried in those days to put goods in, dated 1811, both lettered "N. Conner, F. S. [Fire Society], Nos. 3 and 4. 1829," are carefully treasured by his son.
Alfred Conner began in early boyhood to learn the carpenter's trade under his father's guidance. Although his parents gave him good educational privileges, the need of avail- ing himself of them did not then appeal to him; and after a year spent in Phillips Acad- emy he left school, at the age of sixteen. For four years he worked at the carpenter's trade in. Boston. During that time he was employed on the Park Street Church, a part of his work being the taking down of the stag- ing for the repair of the steeple, which is up- ward of two hundred feet in height; and in 1838 he was one of the four who worked on the tower of the Old South Church, his compan-
ions being Messrs. Tinkham, Smith, and Saboorlish, all of whom have passed away. Among the residences erected here. under his supervision are those of Amos Tuck, Professor J. G. Hoyt, and also his own modest but sub- stantial dwelling, which he built in 1845. He was the builder of Abbot Hall; and shortly after, in 1856, he relinquished the pursuit of his chosen vocation. He then en- gaged in the stove and tinware business with William N. Tilton, the firm being Tilton & Conner. After Mr. Tilton's death, in 1861, the business was sold out. He next engaged with Jacob Carlisle in the foundry business, at which they did a successful business. Since 1876 he has lived in practical retire- ment.
Mr. Conner has been twice married, first in 1844 to Miss Mary E. Merrill, the oldest child and only daughter of Abner and Sally W. (Leavitt) Merrill. She died on November 6, 1894, aged seventy-seven years. No chil- dren were born of this union. On November 15, 1895, he married Miss Anna E. Emerson, a native of Brentwood, N.H., a daughter of Lorenzo G. and Mary Jane (Wiggin) Emer- son. Mr. Emerson is a resident of Exeter, but spends his winters in Florida. His wife died here in 1890, leaving two sons and three daughters. Mrs. Conner is a lady of musical talent, possessing a fine voice, and being a skilled pianist. Mr. Conner has since carly manhood been identified with the band here in Exeter, in which he has played the clari- net and other instruments. Their enjoyment of music gives them many a pleasant hour.
Politically, Mr. Conner is a Republican. In 1857 and 1858 he served as Selectman of Exeter, and in the years 1877 and 1878 he was a member of the legislature. He has also served on various committees, among which may be mentioned that in charge of the erec- tion of the engine-house, and of the new town library, the cost of the latter exceeding the amount appropriated by less than one hundred dollars. Mr. Conner is a communicant of the Second Congregational Church and a member of the Building Committee for the new church building. The present wooden structure was erected by his father about seventy-three years ago. His own residence was erected by him-
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self over fifty years sinee. No birth has ever occurred here, and the only death is that of his first wife.
ACOB EATON, one of the leading farmers and fruit growers of South Hampton and an ex-member of the New Hampshire legislature, was born in this town, November 21, 1823. He was educated in the publie sehools, after which he was employed in various kinds of business. For some twenty years he condueted a carriage manufactory here. He was also engaged in the lumber and wood business, both as a manu- facturer and dealer. On July 27, 1860, he settled upon his present farm, which he has since conducted with suecess. He owns fifty- eight acres of land, which he has brought to a high state of cultivation. All the improve-
ments were made by him. While carrying on general farming he makes a specialty of fruit growing. His orehard of six acres is devoted to choice varieties of apples, pears, peaches, quinces, and other fruits, all of which find a ready market at good priees.
On June 27, 1860, Mr. Eaton wedded Lizzie Paige, of South Hampton. She was born June 27, 1828, daughter of Samuel and Rebecca B. Paige. Mr. Paige and his wife were born respectively on September 15, 1793, and October 31, 1791. The former, an early settler and a prosperous farmer of this town, who was well known and highly respected, died September 3, 1872; and his wife's death occurred August 10, 1865. They had one son and four daughters, of whom the only survivor besides Mrs. Eaton is John Paige, born Sep- tember 6, 1826, who lives in South Hampton. The others were: Ruth, who became Mrs. Hill, and died October 18, 1856; Mary, who became Mrs. Collins, and died June 23, 1890: and Rebecea, who became Mrs. Breed, and died January 15, 1889. Mr. and Mrs. Eaton have had five children, as follows: Rebecca L., who was born May 28, 1866, and died Au- gust 24 of the same year; Arthur B., who was born December 8, 1867, and died August 24, 1868; Fanny B., who was born July 22, 1861, graduated from Barnard Academy, and is now a school teacher, residing at home; Lizzie P.,
who was born June 22, 1863, married F. M. Jewell, of this town, and has one daughter; and Ella Abbie, who was born October 15, 1864, and resides at home.
In politics Mr. Eaton, who was originally a Whig, has supported the Republican party since its formation. His public services ex- tended through a long period. For thirteen years he was a member of the Board of Select- men, for nine of which he presided as Chair- man. He was Town Clerk for three years, Collector two years, Treasurer seven years, member of the School Board five years, and Moderator for fifteen years. He repre- sented South Hampton and East Kingston in the legislature of 1866-68 and in that of 1889-90. Now, in his seventy-third year, he looks well-developed physically, having a strong constitution ; and he still possesses un- dimmed the elear intellect that has enabled him to render in his public capacities many valuable services to the general community. While he takes a liberal view of religious doctrines, Mrs. Eaton is a member of the So- eiety of Friends.
OSES A. PERKINS, the popular and obliging landlord of the Per- kins House at Epping, was born in Exeter, N.H., February 21, 1840, son of Solomon J. and Armina (Good- win) Perkins. Mr. Perkins's father was born in Lee, N. H., August 18, 1804. At the age of ten years Solomon went to Exeter, where, beginning work in the yarn-mills, he remained three years. During the next few years he was employed at the Rockingham Mills in the same town, from which he went to Dover, N. H. Here he spent ten years, at first work- ing in the upper mills, but later in the mills at the landing. Ile had charge of the weav- ing and dressing department of the mills in Pittsfield, N. H., for the next two years. Then, in company with his brother, Benjamin R. Perkins, he bought the Rockingham Mills at Exeter, in which they engaged in the man- ufacture of batting and coarse warp yarn. Some time after, leaving his brother in charge of this enterprise, he engaged with Captain N. Gilman to superintend his mill at " Pick-
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Pocket," and did so for two years. In 1836 he bought the Gordon place, situated on what is now known as Perkins Hill. Here he spent the rest of his life, and died October 15, ISS2. He was one of the best-known and most practical men of his day in his line of business, and was highly respected as a worthy and useful citizen by all who knew him. In politics he supported the Republican party, and in religious belief was a Congregation- alist. He married Armina Goodwin, a native of Maine; and she became the mother of seven children, of whom Moses A., the subject of this sketch, is the third son. Mr. Perkins's mother survives; and, although she is now eighty-two years old, her health is unusually good for one of her age.
Moses A. Perkins obtained his education in Exeter, and Pembroke, Mass., and Kingston, N.H. He was reared upon a farm, where he continued to reside until 1864, when he visited the South, sojourning at Wilson's Landing, Fort Pocahontas, and other points in the State of Virginia. He returned home in the follow- ing year, and after a brief rest obtained em- ployment in the iron foundry at Exeter. He was here four years, when, in 1870, he came to Epping, where he engaged in manufactur- ing. In the course of the next four years he invented an improved method for making bat- ting. Receiving the appointment in 1876, he was clerk in the Railway Postal Service for ten years, his route being from Boston to St. Albans, Vt., the longest in the New Eng- land States. His connection with the hotel business in Epping dates from the time of his retirement from the postal service. He then became proprietor of a hostelry, which he carried on successfully for some eight years. In 1894 he took charge of the Pawtuckaway House, now known as the Perkins House, which he has since successfully conducted, giving complete satisfaction to the many guests.
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