USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Rockingham County, New Hampshire > Part 49
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entire attention to farming. He owns one hundred and seventy-five acres of excellent tillage land, situated about two miles from Exeter, and has been a successful farmer, as the neat, commodious buildings and well-filled barns will attest.
Mr. Scammon married February 9, 1860, Rachel S. Jewell, who was born in Exeter, January 11, 1836, the daughter of David and Rachel (Leavitt) Jewell, members of the old and highly respected Jewell family. To Mr. and Mrs. Scammon have been born two chil- dren : Frank H., a provision dealer of this town; and John, now in the employ of the Boston & Maine Railroad. Frank H. Scam- mon was born June 15, 1861, married Jose- phine Pickering, of Greenland, and has three children - Helen R., Alice J., and Edwin H. The younger son, John Scammon, a resident of Newfields, was born September 30, 1865. He married Mamie Dixey, of Lynn, Mass., and has three children - Oscar J., John J., and Marianna.
In politics Mr. Scammon is a Democrat of the old school, and has served his townsmen faithfully in many trusted positions, having been very closely connected with the school department in various capacities for the past fifteen years; was also Deputy Sheriff eight years, and has served as Selectman. His career has been one of industry and toil. He has gained success by judiciously applying the resources at his command, and is still actively engaged in the duties of life.
SAAC BLODGETT, for many years an esteemed and loyal citizen of the town of Londonderry, was a native of Litch- field, N. H., born May 26, 1807, son of Joshua and Sarah (Vickery) Blodgett, his father being a native of Litchfield, and his mother of Merrimac, N. H.
When three years old, Isaac Blodgett re- moved with his parents to Manchester, N. H., where his boyhood and carly manhood were spent. He received a common-school educa- tion, and early became familiar with the rou- tine duties of farm life. When a young man, he was employed for some time in a grist-mill; but during the greater part of his life he was
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engaged in farming. The valuable estate on which he spent the closing years of his life, with its fine residence erected in 1893, is one of the most pleasant rural homes in London- derry. By Mr. Blodgett's death, which oc- curred January 11, 1858, the town lost one of her most valued citizens, the community an honest, upright, Christian man and obliging neighbor, and his family a kind and loving husband and father. For a number of years previous to his death he had been in poor health. He was a member of the Presby- terian church, and in political affiliation he was a Republican.
On May 4, 1843, Mr. Blodgett married Miss Bethiah Read, who was born in Westfield, Mass., December 20, 1818, a daughter of Joel and Joanna (Chandler) Read, and a descendant of one of the oldest families in that town. At seven years of age she lost her mother by death, and at eight went to live with the fam- ily of Benjamin Blodgett in Londonderry, N. H., where she grew to womanhood. Five children blessed her union with Isaac Blodg- ett : Ruth M. E .; Augusta W., the widow of Oliver D. Evans, residing in Exeter, N. H. ; Celestia, deceased ; Isaac J., deceased ; and B. Izie. Mrs. Blodgett resides on the home- stead, and is enjoying the fruits of a life spent in usefulness and well-doing.
ATHAN HOYT, of Danville, who is spending the closing years of his long and useful life in retirement on his farm, was born. November 27,
1819, in Sandown, .this county, son
of William Howard and Betsey (French) Hoyt. His paternal grandfather, Ebenezer Hoyt, born June 15, 1754, at West Amesbury, Mass., was one of the heroes of Bunker Hill. Ebenezer married Sarah Nichols, of Ames- bury, who lived to the remarkable age of one hundred years. She bore him seven children ; namely, Mehitabel, William Howard, Ebe- nezer, Daniel, Eliphalet, Joseph, and Moses.
William Howard Hoyt was born in Dan- ville, whither his parents removed from their Massachusetts home in July, 1780. He mar- ried Betsey French, who was born in South Hampton, Rockingham County, November
5, 1783, a daughter of Ebenezer and Mrs. (Barnhard) French. After their marriage the parents located in Sandown, where the father owned a fine farm, which he skilfully man- aged, at the same time working at the mason's trade. A superior workman, he was often employed in neighboring towns, including Newburyport, Mass., where he built several blocks that are yet standing. He died in the prime of manhood, June 11, 1822, aged thirty- nine years, ten months, and twenty-seven days. His wife bore him six children, as follows : Sarah N., who married George Helson, both now deceased; William, also deceased, who married the late Harriet Hook ; Mehitabel, the widow of the late John Wason, now living with her daughter in Derry, N. H. ; Ebenezer, who successively married Mary Clark and Susan Hoyt, the latter now living in San- down township, and died in 1895; Rhoda, who married Robert Sanborn, both now de- ceased ; and Nathan, the subject of this sketch. The mother died January 20, 1871, aged eighty-six years.
Nathan Hoyt was but two years of age when his father died, leaving his mother with six small children. When eight years of age, he began earning his own living by working for farmers in Chester and Danville. However, he attended the district schools for about two months each winter. At the age of fourteen years he went to live with his brother in Dan- ville, with whom he learned the cooper's trade, and remained four years. He worked at his trade during the succeeding twenty-five years, becoming a skilled workman, and making on an average, by hand and without help, five hundred fish barrels a year. He was also engaged in farming to some extent, having settled after his first marriage on his present farm, which was formerly owned by his father- in-law, Moody M. Hook. The estate contains one hundred acres of land, which he has brought into a high state of cultivation. The farm was one of the first settled in this local- ity; and on the spot now occupied by the present comfortable residence there formerly stood an old-time tavern, which was for a long time one of the landmarks of the county. In addition to farming Mr. Hoyt was for several years extensively engaged in lumbering, and
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did a great deal of trading in cattle. He has always been identified with the Democratic party, being a prominent and influential mem- ber, and in his younger years served in various town offices, including that of Selectman. He is a typical representative of the self-made men of New England. Coming here when but a lad, with all of his worldly possession in his handkerchief, he has steadily climbed the ladder of prosperity.
On February 27, 1840, Mr. Hoyt married Sarah N. Hook, who was born on the home- stead now occupied by Mr. Hoyt, December 24, 1819, a daughter of Moody and Sarah (Sawyer) Hook. She died July 25, 1879, leaving four children, as follows: Francis Moody, born March 29, 1842, who was mar- ried in November, 1866, to Eliza Meserve, and is now manufacturing shoes in Manches- ter, N.H. ; Laura Ann, born October 14, 1847, who was married July 5, 1870, to Per- ley R. Currier, of Fremont; Lottie Elizabeth, born August 14, 1849, who was married July 19, 1874, to Samuel B. Gibson, of Fremont, where her death occurred January 1, 1842; and Annie Belle, born August 14, 1859, who was married May 22, 1880, to Alden M. Johnson, a shoemaker in South Danville. In 1893, November 30, Mr. Hoyt entered a second marriage, contracted with Mrs. Mary A. (Os- good) Morrill, who was born March 24, 1844, in Danville, a daughter of Jonathan and Han- nah (Page) Osgood. Mr. Osgood, who was a native of Amesbury, came to Danville when a boy, and has since been engaged in farming in this town. He and his wife, who was born and reared here, are among the oldest residents of the town. Mrs. Hoyt is a member of the Free Baptist church.
EORGE WEEKS, son of Deacon John and Mary (Coffin) Weeks, was a life- long resident of Greenland, N. H., where he was born in 1810, and died in 1869. A worthy member of an old, influential, and much respected family of Rockingham County, he was a good citizen, holding various offices in the town, at the time of the Rebellion rep- resenting it in the legislature, where by vote and influence he did all in his power to up-
hold the government. Few men have sus- tained a higher character for usefulness, in- tegrity, and fidelity in all the relations of public and private life. He married Decem- ber 24, 1856, Caroline, daughter of Major John and Martha (Hoit) Avery. Her father settled in Greenland, N.H., in 1808, and for many years was here engaged in business as a general merchant and a farmer. He served efficiently in various civil offices of public trust, and was a Major in the First Regiment of the State militia, having received his com- mission from Governor Langdon. The Weeks homestead is now occupied by Mrs. Caroline A. Weeks, this estimable woman being the sole survivor of the once numerous household circle.
The family records have furnished the data for the following historical sketch: Tradition says that Leonard Weeks came from Wells, Somerset County, England. We know noth- ing of the father of Leonard nor of the time when Leonard landed in America. His name appears first as witness to a bond in York County, Maine, December 6, 1655, and next in Portsmouth records, June 29, 1656, when he received a grant of land in Portsmouth and Greenland. He received July 5, 1660, other grants of land; and in February, 1660-61, he had settled at Greenland, where he spent the remainder of his life, dying in 1707. Some of these grants have never been deeded, re- maining always in the family. Leonard Weeks married Mary, daughter of Deacon Samuel Haines, of Portsmouth, in 1667. > They had six children.
Captain Joshua Weeks, the founder of this branch of the family, was the first of the name to make his residence at that part of the town called the Bayside. In 1690 or a little later he married Comfort, daughter of Richard and Mary Hubbard, of Boston, who lived where the store of C. F. Hovey is now located. Her nephew, Thomas Hubbard, was Treasurer of Harvard College for twenty-one years, holding the office at the time of his death. He was succeeded by John Hancock. His portrait by Copley hangs on the walls there with the portraits of other benefactors of the college. When Comfort Hubbard came to the Bayside the bride of Captain Joshua Weeks, it was a wilderness, and she but sixteen years
George muck
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ILLIAM H. C. FOLLANSBY, one of the leading dry-goods mer- chants of Exeter, was born in Til- ton, N. H., May 1, 1845, son of William and Mary (Sweat-Ladd) Follansby. The first rep- resentatives of the family in this country were William and Thomas Follansby, who came from Derbyshire, England, in 1677, and set- tled in Newburyport, Mass. Peter Follansby, grandfather of William H. C., was a native of Ilill, Merrimack County. William Fol- lansby, born in Bristol, N. H., in 1800, was for many years in business in Tilton as a man- ufacturer and merchant. It was said of him that he erected more houses in Tilton than any man of his time. He died in Belmont, N. H., in 1849. His second wife was a daughter of Stephen and Mary (Clark) Sweat, of Belmont, and at the time of her marriage to Mr. Fol- lansby was a childless widow, having lost two children born to her first husband, Henry Ladd. Mr. Follansby was at that time a widower with five children. They were mar- ried in 1840; and the husband died nine years later, leaving but small means for his widow and family. However, Mrs. Follansby, who was a resolute woman, managed to keep the wolf from the door. She died at Laconia, N. H., in 1866, and is buried in Tilton.
William H. C. Follansby was the only child of his father's second marriage. He received a good education, attending the com- mon schools of Belmont and the academy at Laconia. When eighteen years of age, he entered on his business career, taking the position of clerk in the general store of Follansby & Hodgdon at Ashland, Grafton County. The senior member of this firm, Cutting Follansby, was his half-brother. Having remained in this store about six years, he in 1870 formed a partnership with Mark WV. Dearborn, and started a store in Barre, Mass., where, under the style of Follansby & Dearborn, they conducted a flourishing trade for five years, at the same time running a branch store at Barre Plains. In 1875 they sold their stock in trade, and purchased the business of Larkin & Little. A year later Mr. Dearborn returned to Barre, and Mr. Fol- lansby has since been without an associate in business. He has an attractive store, with a
large assortment of dry goods of good quality. Two years ago he opened another .establish- ment in Exeter, called "The Fair," which is more of a variety store, and has five and ten cent counters. Also, for the past five years he has been associated with Colonel W. N. Dow in real estate transactions, through which they have disposed of a large amount of unim- proved property, and erected several houses. Mr. Follansby is President of the Union Five Cent Savings Bank and a Director in the Exeter Banking Company. He is also a Trustee of the Gilman Park, in association with the Rev. George E. Street, Judge Shute, Judge Leavitt, and William P. Chadwick.
A Republican in his political relations, Mr. Follansby has borne his share of the public duties of town, county, and State. Among the more important offices which he has held may be mentioned that of legislative Repre- sentative, which he held from 1893 to 1895, and that of member of the committee ap- pointed to macadamize the streets of Exeter, associated with General Eastman and Colonel Dow. Mr. Follansby is a Knight Templar Mason, and is at present Treasurer of the Star in the East Lodge and of Olivet Council.
Mr. Follansby was married December 31, 1866, to Ella L., only daughter of Darius and Hannah (Haines) Winslow, all of Northfield, N. H. Mrs. Follansby's father died in 1846, at the age of twenty-seven, leaving his widow with this child, then a babe of three months. Her mother was married three years later to John S. Dearborn, and is now living with her husband at Dover, N.H., both being compara- tively active, though stricken in years. Two children were born of their union - Mark W. Dearborn, Mr. Follansby's former business associate, who is now in trade in Lawrence, Mass. ; and Thomas H., a dry-goods merchant of Dover, N.H.
Mrs. Follansby was educated at Tilton, N.H., and at Ipswich, Mass., and began to teach when sixteen years of age. Her career as a teacher, however, only covered two terms; for in her twenty-first year she was married, and since that time she has presided over Mr. Follansby's home. She has a talent for art, and her fine taste is displayed to advantage in the interior decorations of their handsome
JOHN D. ORDWAY.
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residence. This house was purchased by Mr. Follansby in 1878, and has since been re- modelled. The mark of culture and refine- ment is on all the furnishings, and the beau- tiful china decorations and the delicate pastels done by Mrs. Follansby's own hand are gems of art. Though they have no chil- dren of their own, Mr. and Mrs. Follansby have materially aided several young men in Mr. Follansby's employ, and their hearts are always in sympathy with the boys and girls.
ON. JOHN DANA ORDWAY, who for many years prior to his death was prominent as a merchant of Hampstead, N. H., was born in this town, March 3, 1828. He was a son of John and Eliza S. (Chase) Ordway, and was one of the third generation of his family resident in Hampstead, his grandfather, John Ordway, who came from West Newbury, Mass., settling here about 1794.
His father, John Ordway, the second of the name, was born on Governor's Island, Hampstead, July 14, 1792. A wheelwright by trade, he was for many years engaged in making wagons, and was later in business as a manufacturer of chip and palm leaf hats. In 1829 he established a general store in the town under his own name; and in 1846, ad- mitting his son Nelson into partnership, he changed the name to John Ordway & Son. Some time later his son, John Dana, became one of the company ; and the name was changed to John Ordway & Co. The founder of the firm eventually retired, leaving the large busi- ness in charge of his sons, and spent the rest of his life in leisure on the home farm. Hc was a prominent business man of the day, President of the Derry National Bank for a number of years, and one of the Trustees named in the will of Benjamin D. Emerson to attend to the expenditure of the fund for the erection of the Hampstead High School. Ac- tive as a Whig and a Republican, John Ord- way served as Selectman of Hampstead for a number of years, was Representative in the State legislature in 1846 and 1854, and State Senator in 1857 and 1858. Ile died Novem- ber 8, 1881. His wife, to whom he was
united January 19, 1819, was a daughter of Joseph and Emma (Chase) Chase, of West Newbury, Mass. She died January 21, 1873. She was the mother of six children, only one of whom is living, Nelson Ordway, one of the leading citizens of Hampstead.
John Dana Ordway acquired the greater part of his education in Pembroke. After leaving school, he entered his father's store, and soon became familiar with the details of business, and decided on a mercantile career. For a while after his father retired he, with his brother Nelson, conducted the business; but in 1860 John Dana purchased his brother's in- terest, and he was sole proprietor of the enter- prise up to the time of his death. As a mer- chant, he was very successful, not only through his business ability, but also because of the high regard in which he was held by his townsmen. Fair and upright in his dealings, he sought no greater profit than was honorable; and the wealth which he accumulated was fairly won. A public-spirited and energetic man, Mr. Ordway was a leader among the Re- publicans of his district, who elected him to many offices of trust. He efficiently served as Town Treasurer for a number of terms, was Selectman for several years, and filled the chair of Moderator at the town meetings so often that it almost seemed to belong to him; and he represented the district in the legislature twice. He was a Master Mason for a number of years, belonging to St. Mark's Lodge, No. 44, of Derry, N. H. Mr. Ordway died June 11, 1888.
Mr. Ordway was married, November 28, 1850, to Louisa M. Kent, who died March 3, 1877. She was the mother of five children, one of whom, John K., is living. John K. Ordway was born April 26, 1852. He mar- ried Miss Carrie Cox, of Baltimore, Md. Another son, Daniel F. Ordway, who was born in Hampstead, January 9, 1855, was his father's right-hand man in the store, and was a prominent and active citizen, representing the town in the legislature one term. He died April 28, 1885. Daniel F. Ordway was twice married, first on January 17, 1878, to Eugenia A. Safford, of Methuen, Mass., who died December 30, 1878, leaving one son, Clarence E. This son, who was born Novem-
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ber 12, 1878, is now preparing for Yale Col- lege. Daniel F. Ordway's second marriage took place February 2, 1881, his bride being Nellie T. Randall, of Hampstead. There were no children by this union. Mr. John Dana Ordway is survived by his second wife, formerly Martha Il. Sanborn, with whom he was united November 13, 1879. Her parents were Robert and Rhoda (Hoyt) Sanborn, of Sandown, N.H.
OLONEL WILLIAM S. PILLS BURY, the successful business man, the approved citizen, and the man whose unusual capacity for affairs and in office has shown him to be the posses- sor of the highest and best traits of the " leader," although well known in New Hamp- shire and New England, deserves a permanent recognition in the pages of this work. Such men as he hold the reins of national destiny .. They are the men of practical affairs. They build or enlarge manufacturing establishments, construct railways, develop the agricultural and mining resources of our States, increase the facilities for education, and promote not only the literary and artistic culture, but the numberless graces of a progressive civiliza- tion. Especially to be commended among the natives of the Granite State are those men who prove themselves able to coin success and honor in what are popularly considered the overcrowded fields of enterprise in New Eng- land. The public is not slow to recognize the value of worthy example in industry, intelli- gent enterprise, efficient executive and busi- ness ability, combined with high general in- telligence. Practical talent or common sense duly applied deserves approval, and is sure to win recognition.
Colonel Pillsbury is the son of the Rev. Stephen Pillsbury, a Baptist clergyman, who died at Londonderry, N. H., after a life de- voted to faithful Christian work. He is de- scended from William Pillsbury, who came from Essex or Staffordshire, England, to Dorchester, Mass., in 1641, and a little later settled in the locality of the present city of Newburyport. The English Pillsburys, to whom those of America are related, have a
coat of arms described in heraldic terms as follows: "Per fesse sable and azure," on an eagle displayed argent ; three griffins' heads, erased of the second. Crest, an esquire's helmet. Motto, "Labor omnia vincit."
The Rev. Stephen Pillsbury was the son of Micajah Pillsbury, and was born at Amesbury, Mass., October 30, 1781. He was ordained to the ministry June, 1810. Subsequently he preached in Hebron, Sutton, Dunbarton, and Londonderry. He died January 22, 1851. He was not only a sound preacher, but an advocate of temperance, and one of the original members of the Free Soil party in New Hampshire. His wife, Mrs. Lavinia Hobart Pillsbury, who was the possessor of fine talents as a writer, was born at Hebron, N.H., October 31, 1795. Her father, Deacon Josiah Hobart, was the first male child of English descent born in Plymouth, N. 1I. The earliest Hobart ancestor in this country was Edmund Hobart, who arrived at Charles- town, Mass., in 1633, and in September, 1635, with four sons, including the Rev. Peter Ho- bart, who had come over in June of that year, settled in Hingham, Mass. The Rev. Peter Hobart was the minister of the church at Hingham nearly forty-four years.
The children of the Rev. and Mrs. Stephen Pillsbury were: Mary Bartlett (now Mrs. Mary B. Weson), an artist of note, living at Law- rence, Kan .; Lavinia Hobart, who married Samuel Andrews, of Sutton, N.H .; the Hon. Josiah Hobart, who married Elnora Perver. He was editor and publisher of the New York Eagle, afterward editor and publisher of the Manhattan (Kan.) Independent, and held many official positions of trust and honor. Stephen, Jr., who married Sarah A. Bailey, is a mer- chant at Manhattan, Kan. Edwin, who mar- ried Mary Ann Reid, is a farmer and contrac- tor at Leavenworth, Kan. Ann Judson married William B. Marshall, of Weare, N. H. Adoniram Judson died unmarried.
William Staughton Pillsbury, to whom this sketch chiefly relates, was born at Sutton, N.H., March 16, 1833, married Sarah A. Crowell, of Londonderry, May 8, 1854. She died June 22, 1854. He married, second, Martha Silver Crowell. The children of Colonel William S. and Martha S. Pillsbury
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now living are: Rosecrans William, a well- known attorney, born September 18, 1863; Charles Hobart, born March 16, 1866; Hattie Lavinia, born October 27, 1870; Ulysses Grant, born November 24, 1876.
The ancient motto of the Pillsbury family, "Labor omnia vincit " ("labor conquers all things"), is practically illustrated by many bearing the name in modern times as well as of old. Colonel Pillsbury evidently has reason to conclude that it is a good motto to live by and cling to; and his near relatives, the Hon. George A. Pillsbury, late the popular mayor of Concord, N. H., and now a prominent capi- talist of Minnesota, as well as ex-Governor John S. Pillsbury, the millionaire flour manu- facturer of Minneapolis, seem to be men after his own heart and fashion, active, honorable, generous, and winners of the golden opinion of the public as well as of this world's bounties.
Colonel Pillsbury's education has been gained chiefly in the school of practical life. A keen student of the world's affairs and men, his judgment has become accurate, his tact remarkable, his knowledge useful in all dircc- tions. He learned the shoemaker's trade at the age of fourteen years, and subsequently became a skilful cutter of stock. At twenty he started a shoe factory at Cillcysville, An- dover, N.H., for his brother Stephen, and was superintendent of the extensive establishment for a year or more. He was afterward em- ployed at Marlboro, Mass. Up to the age of legal manhood William S. Pillsbury gave all of his earnings over a plain living for himself for the support of his widowed mother and to aid others in need at the time. When twenty- one years of age, he consequently did not pos- sess a dollar in money. Soon, however, he was engaged with a firm of shoe manufacturers just starting business at Derry Depot. About a year later he had entire charge of the busi- ness as agent, and so continued during the existence of the firm. When this firm went out of business, he made a journey to Kansas, where he used what money he had saved up to good advantage.
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