Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Rockingham County, New Hampshire, Part 62

Author:
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Boston [Mass.] Biographical review pub. co.
Number of Pages: 658

USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Rockingham County, New Hampshire > Part 62

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BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW

Mr. Robinson has been twice married. In March, 1860, he wedded Mary A. Rollins, of Stratham, N. H. She died in 1870, leaving two children - Lucy A. and George A. The daughter is now the wife of Arthur B. Adams, who makes his home with Mr. Robinson, and is engaged in the lumber business in the West. His second marriage took place in 1873, when he was united to Jane E. Dudley. She was born in Brentwood July 7, 1847, a daughter of John Gilman and Jane (Stevens) Dudley, both lifelong residents of this town. Of this union no children have been born. Mrs. Robinson, who is the lineal descendant of an old and prominent family, preserves among many relics of value deeds and records dated two hundred and five years ago.

ERLEY B. BATCHELDER, one of the busy farmers of Nottingham, was born here, January 21, 1871, son of Charles H. and Harriet (Davis) Batchelder. He is a grandson of Gilman Batchelder and Jacob Davis. His paternal grandfather, who was also born here, spent the active years of his life in farming and trading. Ambitious and industrious, and being a man of practical judgment, Grand- father Batchelder attained a fair degree of suc- cess. He lived to be seventy-five years of age. His wife, Clara B. Batchelder, died when about fifty-two years old. She was a daughter of Jacob Batchelder, and a cousin of her husband. Of their twelve children Charles H. was the eldest. Four are still liv- ing. George G. married Amanda J. Davis, a daughter of Moses Davis, of Nottingham, and has four children - Alpha G., Jay R., Willis G., and Fanny C. The latter is the widow of Charles Harvey, and has one child, Lillia.

Charles HI. Batchelder, born in Nottingham, May 3, 1829, was engaged in agricultural pursuits throughout his life. In 1853 he married Miss Harriet Davis, and they became the parents of nine children, four of whom are living. These are: Hattie J., born Septem- ber 27, 1860, who is the wife of Leroy Wood- man, of Northwood, N. H., and has one daugh- ter, Lennor; Cyrus P., born May 3, 1862, the thirty-third anniversary of his father's

birth, who married Miss Lois A. Rand, of New Castle, N. H .; Clara A., born March 10, 1864; and Perley B. The father died June 22, 1895, at the age of sixty-six. He and his wife, who is now living on the old homestead, were regular attendants of the Baptist church. A Democrat in politics, he was prominent in town affairs, and served on the Board of Se- lectmen for several years and in the State legislature for two years.

Perley B. Batchelder spent his early years in acquiring an education. On leaving school, he went to work on his father's farm, and has since been occupied in agriculture. At the present time he owns a good farm of one hun- dred acres. Aside from the pecuniary advan- tages derived from his occupation, and despite the hard work inseparable from it, it is mani- fest that it affords an ample field for the exer- cise of intelligence, and therefore may be a source of much enjoyment to a man of Mr. Batchelder's disposition. He is a member of Equity Lodge, No. 33, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Northwood.

LVAH H. PLACE, a prominent drug- gist of New Market, N. H., was born in Strafford, this State, in 1861. His parents were Jonathan and Sarah (Waterhouse) Tuttle, natives of the same county, where they spent their lives. The father belonged to one of the oldest fam- ilies in the State, who were early settlers at Dover Point. Learning the carpenter's trade early in life, Mr. Jonathan Tuttle followed this vocation for many years, having the re- spect of all when he closed his earthly career .. The good wife and mother passed away in 1865.

Alvah H. Tuttle was the youngest in a fam- - ily of seven children. Being left motherless at the early age of four years, he went to Mil- ton, N. H., to be cared for by his aunt, Mrs. Hannah Place, with whom he remained sev- eral years. Place being the name by which he was everywhere known, when he was twenty- one he had his name legally changed. While yet a lad of twelve years, he returned to Straf- ford to work on the farm, with the under- standing that he should avail himself of school

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privileges at the district school. Two years later, not being satisfied with his opportunity of getting an education, he went to Dover, N. Il., entering the employ of the Rev. George B. Spaulding, remaining three years. Dur- ing a part of that time he was a pupil in the Dover schools. For a year thereafter he worked in the Cocheco Print Works, then going into Lothrop & Pinkh's drug store to learn the business. In 1882 Mr. Place came to New Market, and, after serving three years in Dr. J. H. Twombly's drug store, he bought the business, forming a copartnership with Charles E. Carter, of Lowell, Mass. The firm is now (1896) known under the name of Place & Green. They carry a choice line of goods, and through the manage- ment and efforts of Mr. Place the business has greatly increased.

In politics Mr. Place is a Republican, who is anxious and active in regard to party inter- ests, though he does not care for office. He is a man who is always ready to do what he can to help his friends. Socially, he is a member of the A. F. & A. M. and Knights of Pythias. The maiden name of his wife, to whom he was married in 1884, was S. Lizzie Palmer. Her father, John Palmer, was for many years a citizen of New Market. Mr. and Mrs. Place have one daughter, Mar- guerite.

AMES A. WATERHOUSE, a retired mechanic of Portsmouth, was born in Portland, Me., February 15, 1835, son of William and Clarinda (Todd) Waterhouse. The family has been American for several generations. Jacob Waterhouse, the grandfather of James A., was a native of Portland. He fought for American indepen- dence in the Revolutionary War. His princi- pal occupation was boat-building, at which he worked in Portland for the greater part of his life; and he lived to a good old age. He married a daughter of a Mr. Dyer, of Cape Elizabeth, and became the father of eight girls and three boys.

William Waterhouse, who was a native of Portland, was the youngest son of Jacob Waterhouse. Having been educated in the

public schools, he learned the trade of boat- builder from his father, and thereafter fol- lowed it for a livelihood. He was united in matrimony with Clarinda Todd, daughter of Samuel Todd, of York, Me. Of the children born of the marriage but one, James A., the subject of this sketch, lived to maturity. The father, who was a most industrious man, a good husband and father, died at the com- paratively carly age of thirty-three years. The mother's death occurred August 30, 1866, when she was sixty years old.

James A. Waterhouse has been a resident of Portsmouth since he was three years old. In due time he was sent to school, which he continued to attend until he reached the age of eleven. He then began to earn his living in the Kearsarge cotton-mills of Portsmouth, where he worked until he was sixteen. After that he was employed as a brakeman on the Chicago & Pacific Railroad, and later as bag- gage master for the Racine & Mississippi Railroad. On returning from the West, he obtained a position in the ship-yard at Ports- mouth. This he held until 1862, when he en- listed for the Civil War in Company K of the Sixteenth New Hampshire Volunteers, re- ceiving the rank of Corporal. The regiment was assigned to the First Brigade, Third Division, Nineteenth Corps, and shared in the siege and capture of Port Hudson on the Mississippi River. His term of service hav- ing expired, he was discharged in 1863. Next year he enlisted in the First New Hampshire Heavy Artillery, and thereafter served until the close of the war. Having received his second discharge in 1865, he returned home, and secured work in the ship- building department of the navy yard. Here he was employed for twenty years, three of which were spent in the capacity of ship- keeper. Since leaving the yard in 1885 he has engaged in no active business.

In 1857 he was united in matrimonial bonds with Deborah Davidson. She is a native of Annan, Scotland, and was one of a large fam- ily. Her father, Thomas Davidson, also a native of Scotland, was a stone mason, and worked at that trade as journeyman for many years in Portsmouth. Mr. and Mrs. Water- house have had seven children, two of whom

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are now living and married. In politics Mr. Waterhouse has always been a Republican. He has served the town as Councilman for two years, representing Wards 1 and 2, as assist- ant engineer of the fire department for four or five years, and as chief engineer of the same for two years. His connection with fraternal organizations comprise membership in St. John's Lodge, No. 1, A. F. & A. M., New Hampshire Lodge, No. 17, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Storer Post, Grand Army of the Republic.

SAAC DOW, formerly Selectman and Representative of his native town, New- ington, Rockingham County, N. H., was born on April 29, 1826. His parents were Isaac and Lydia (Pickering) Dow. Isaac Dow, Sr., was a native of the town of Rye, being a carpenter by trade. He and his wife had seven children - Lydia, Valentine, Lizzie G., Francis, McClarin, Isaac, and Martha, of whom Isaac is the only one now living. The father moved to the farm, now occupied by the subject of this sketch, in 1820, where, nearly fifty years later, in the winter of 1869, he was killed by the falling of a shed. His remains are interred in the New- ington cemetery. His wife survived her hus- band seventeen years, dying in 1886.

Isaac Dow remained on the farm until he was nineteen years of age, receiving a com- mon-school education. He then went to Portsmouth, where he worked at the cabinet- making trade one year, going thereafter to Boston, where he remained twelve years, dur- ing which time he worked as a carpenter. He subsequently followed the same industry in Portsmouth for a period of twenty-five years. In 1883 he moved back to the old farm, though for a short time afterward he worked at his trade in Portsmouth. He now conducts his farm of seventy acres, which he finds a pleas- ant and profitable occupation. In politics he is a Republican. He served as Selectman for three years, and was Representative to the State legislature in 1872. The maiden name of his wife, to whom he was united in mar- riage on June 12, 1862, was Abhy W. Bean, she being a daughter of Ruel and Sarah

(Whidden) Bean. Mrs. Dow was born in Milton, Mass. She has had two children --- Herbert B., who resides in Portsmouth, being connected with the firm of Hoyt & Dow, sta- tioners; and Greenleaf C., who died at the early age of four years.

LAGG F. GRANT is one of the best- known men in Portsmouth, where he has courteously and efficiently dis- charged the duties of station agent for the Boston & Maine Railroad during several years. He was born March 22, 1858, at Somersworth, N.H., son of Stephen and Mary A. (Jellison) Grant. He is deseended from sturdy Scoteh ancestors, who settled in that part of Massa- chusetts now known as Acton, Me., prior to the Revolution, in which his great-grandfather bravely fought. Stephen Grant was engaged in the real estate and hotel business for the larger portion of his life. He spent many years conducting a hotel in Berwick, Me. While an uncompromising Democrat in poli- tics, he refused all political honors. He mar- ried Miss Mary A. Jellison, of Waterboro, who bore him seven children. Of these, five are living.

Flagg F. Grant, the second-born of his par- ents' children, attended the schools of Som- ersworth for some time. Afterward he pur- sued a more advanced course of studies at the Berwick Academy, and later, in 1876, gradu- ated from Bryant & Stratton's Commercial College in Boston, Mass. Remaining in Boston after the last event, he was employed for some time as ticket agent for the Boston & Maine Railroad Company. Going then to Cochituate, Mass., he was with the Parker Express Company as messenger and book- keeper for a while. Returning to Berwick, he spent the next year as clerk in Grant's Hotel. Then he came to Portsmouth, and accepted a position with Frank Jones as clerk and steward of the Rockingham and Went- worth Hotels. After serving in this capacity for nine years, he again went to Boston, where for a year he occupied a similar position in the well-known Quincy House on Brattle Street. On leaving the Quincy, he resumed connection with the railroad company, accept-

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ing a position as General Agent at Amesbury, Mass. Here he remained until 1890, when he became General Agent at Portsmouth, an office which he has since filled to the satisfac- tion alike of his employers and the public.

Mr. Grant was united in marriage, March 22, 1887, with Miss Carrie E., daughter of Anthony May, of West Milan, Coos County. Their wedded life has been brightened by the birth of two children - Editha M. and Mar- jory B. In politics Mr. Grant is a stanch Democrat, and is active and influential in his party. He served the city acceptably as a member of the Common Council in 1892 and 1893, and as Alderman in 1894. He is a Mason, belonging to St. Andrew's Lodge, No. 56, A. F. & A. M .; to Washington Chapter, No. 5, Royal Arch Masons; and to De Witt Clinton Commandery, all of Portsmouth. He is likewise an Odd Fellow, being a member of Echo Lodge, No. 52, of Berwick, Me.

G EORGE F. BEEDE, of Fremont, one of the most enterprising and thriving farmers of Rockingham County, was born, January 5, 1838, on his present home- stead, son of Daniel and Ann Elizabeth (Fol- som) Beede. The Beede family have been prominent in the annals of Fremont for several generations. Eli Beede, first a native of the Isle of Jersey, came to this country about the year 1760, and settled in the territory now in- cluded in East Kingston, then a part of Exe- ter, this county. He purchased a farm in Fremont for each of his sons - Hezekiah, Daniel, Thomas, and Jonathan. The first of the name to settle here was Jonathan Beede, the great-grandfather of George F. Ile set- tled on this farm, which has since been occu- pied by his descendants, and where his death occurred in 1825. The maiden name of his wife was Annie Sleeper. Eli Beede, son of Jonathan, and a native of Fremont, was born September 9, 1777, and died March 5, 1822. He succeeded to the ownership of the farm, on which he made many improvements, in- cluding the replacing of the old log cabin, which his parents built, by a substantial frame house, the present dwelling of his grandson. He married Miss Ruth Peaslec,

who was born in Newton, N. H., November 22, 1778, and died on the old home farm November 13, 1842. The ceremony was per- formed October 22, 1800, and they had four children - Jonathan, Daniel, Eli, and Mary. Eli is still living, a resident of Amesbury, Mass.

Daniel Beede was also born on the home- stead March 28, 1804. He was reared a farmer, and continued in that occupation, while he also executed a good deal of carpen- ter's and blacksmith's work, at both of which he was expert. His entire life was spent on the homestead where he was born. He was a man of prominence in the town, served in the various public offices with ability, and, like his grandfather, was many years a minister in the Society of Friends. Having rounded out a full period of years, he passed away April 16, 1883. His wife, whose maiden name was Ann Elizabeth Folsom, was born and bred in Epping, this county, a daughter of John Fol- som. Mr. Folsom was descended from one of the pioneer settlers of Epping. He was born there, October 3, 1783, and died January 26, 1846. His wife, in maidenhood Mehitabel Morrill, was a native of North Berwick, Me., born in 1790. She preceded her husband to the grave, dying September 30, 1846, leaving two children - Susan and George F. Susan, born June 12, 1836, resides in Danville, this county, is the wife of Andrew J. Philbrick, a farmer and a merchant, and has two children - George A. and Arthur L. Philbrick.

George F. Beede, at the age of nineteen, took charge of the homestead farm which his father had given him. He had previously completed his education at the Friends' School in Providence, R. I., which he attended through the winter terms for three years. He has made farming his chief occupation, and is considered an authority on all subjects relat- ing to agriculture. His farm comprises two hundred and thirty-four acres of fertile land. In addition to carrying on general farming he makes a specialty of raising small fruits, more especially strawberries, in the culture of which he has met with rare success. His col- lection of plants is one of the largest and most choice to be found in New England. In his | catalogue for 1896 are named many varieties

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of this fruit. Orders for them come to him from all over the country. Mr. Beede, who is a great reader, is the possessor of one of the best farmer's libraries to be found in the State. In politics he is a stanch Republican. He served the town as Selectman for nine years, Superintendent of Schools for ten years, and was its Representative in the State legis- lature in 1872 and 1873.

On May 20, 1863, Mr. Becde married Miss Ruth P. Nichols, who was born, April 3, 1839, in Winslow, Me. Her father, the late John Nichols, married Sarah Osborn, who bore him four other children, who are also living; namely, Dorcas, Samuel, Moses, and Sarah Alice. Mr. Nichols died when his daughter Ruth was but two years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Beede are the parents of nine children, as fol- lows: William B., born August 3, 1864, who was married, August 7, 1895, to Lucy A. Hills, and now resides in Exeter; Annie E., born July 16, 1866; Louis A., born May 20, 1868; George E., born June 24, 1870, who is a shoe-cutter in Haverhill, Mass .; Mary Alice, born October 14, 1874, who is a teacher in the public schools of Fremont ; Augustine, born March 27, 1876, who is a farmer in Fremont; Charles C., born June 9, 1877, who is a clerk in his uncle's store in Danville; Abbie S., born January 15, 1880, who is attending school in Maine; and John D., born January 6, 1883. Both parents are esteemed members of the Friends' Society of West Epping.

ILLIAM F. WATSON, a member of the well-known firm Watson

Brothers, proprietors of a general store at Nottingham, was born March 6, 1843, his parents being Sewell and Lydia (Daniels) Watson. He is a representative of an old and respected family of Rockingham County. His grandfather, William Watson, a native of Northwood, born February 22, 1766, was an industrious and enterprising farmer, in which calling he spent practically his entire life on his farm of about one hundred and fifty acres. He married Miss Elsie Cilley, who was born September 27, 1768, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Cutting Cilley, of Nottingham, and became

the father of seven children, as follows: Eliz- abeth, born June 1, 1789; Sewell, born July 19, 1791; Alice E., born May 15, 1793: William, Jr., born December 1, 1796; Han- nah, born January 30, 1800; Sarah, born March 10, 1802, who passed away August 8, 1867; and Martha, born October 30, 1809, who died July 29, 1876. Both parents at- tained a good old age. In religious belief they were Baptists, and were members of the church of that persuasion at Nottingham. At first a Whig in politics, he afterward became a Jackson Democrat.

Sewell Watson, the father of the subject of the sketch, at the age of twenty-one enlisted as a drummer-boy in the United States army for the War of 1812, in which he served about one year. On his return to civil life he set- tled in New Market, where, after helping in building the factories, he was engaged as a watchman for sixteen years in the mills of the New Market Manufacturing Company. In 1842 he removed to Nottingham, and purchased the farm of about sixty acres on which his son, William F., now resides. Here he was suc- cessfully occupied in general farming until near the close of his life, which occurred on February 9, 1867. He was twice married. On February 10, 1822, he was joined in matri- mony with Miss Nancy Bazen, of Portsmouth, N.H. Born of the union was one son, who died in infancy. The mother died in 1824. In 1841 the father married again, taking for his second wife Miss Lydia Daniels, a daughter of Henry Daniels, of Lee, N. H. Five children were born of this marriage, namely: William F., March 6, 1843; Izette, June 6, 1845, who died October 29, 1846; Sewell A., April 14, 1847; George E., No- vember 6, 1852, who died October 26, 1859; and Lydia A., June 6, 1849, who is now the widow of Sewell W. Dow, late of Northwood, has had no children, and is living at Hamp- ton, N. H. The mother, who was born in Madbury, N. H., June 10, 1812, still survives by many years the father, making her home with her children.

William F. Watson received his education in the public schools of his native town. At the conclusion of his schooling he learned the shoemaker's trade, which he afterward fol-

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lowed for ten years. He was then engaged in the lumbering business for about eight years. In 1875, with David T. Cilley, under the firm name of Cilley & Watson, he started a general country store. After two years he sold his interest to his partner; but nine months later, in 1878, he and his brother, Sewell A., pur- chased the entire business, and they have since conducted it successfully, under the style of Watson Brothers.

On December 25, 1867, Mr. Watson was joined in matrimony with Miss Jane R. Har- vey, a daughter of Francis and Sally S. (Blaisdell) Harvey, of Nottingham. They have since become the parents of four chil- dren, of whom all but one are still living. They were: Annie C., born January 17, 1869; Lydia J., born January 18, 1871 ; Mary A., born June 19, 1872; and Sally S., who died when only three months old.

Mr. Watson has been very prominent in local affairs. In 1877 he held the office of Town Clerk. For six years he was Deputy Sheriff under J. Horace Kent, and in 1895-96 he served the town as Selectman. During President Harrison's administration he was the Postmaster of Nottingham, having pre- viously been Assistant Postmaster for twelve years. He is affiliated with the fraternity of Masons, being a member of Sullivan Lodge, No. 19, of Epping, N. H. He also fraternizes with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in Equity Lodge, No. 33, of Northwood, and the North River Encampment at East North- wood. In politics he supports the Republican party, while his religious belief is the Univer- salist creed; and he is a member of the church of that denomination in Nottingham.

RANK H. DURGIN, a prominent citi- zen of New Market, N.H., and Repre- sentative in the State legislature for that town, was born in Lee.in 1863. His par- ents are Greenleaf and Mary A. (Jenkins) Durgin, of whom the father has filled several local offices, serving as Selectman and Col- lector. Hle and his estimable wife are still living on the home farm.

Frank H. Durgin received a public-school education, and at the age of eighteen left the

parental roof in Lee, coming to New Market, where he formed a copartnership. with his brother, John W., in the grocery business. This lasted until 1888, when Frank H. bought his brother's interest. He has contin. ued the enterprise since, the building which he owns being one of the finest in town. He carries the largest stock of fancy groceries in New Market, and he is said to have four times as much trade as any other dealer. The brother with whom he was associated in busi- ness is no longer living. Mr. Durgin has always cast his vote for the Republican party. He has served the town three years as Treas- urer, and is now a member of the State legis- lature. He is identified with various Masonic and kindred societies, being a member of Pioneer Lodge, No. 1, Knights of Pythias, in which he has filled all the chairs, besides serv- ing as District Deputy of the Grand Division for three years; charter member of William A. . Frye Lodge, No. 5, Uniform Rank of Knights of Pythias, officiating at present as Captain of the company ; member of Rising Star Lodge, A. F. & A. M. ; charter member of Lamprey River Grange, No. 240; and associate member of George A. Gay Post, No. 18, Grand Army of the Republic.

His wife, to whom he was married in 1888, was by maiden name Martha Slater, a native of Attleboro, Mass. She has two sons - Robert G. and J. Frank. Mrs. Durgin is a Methodist in religion.

DWARD M. BERRY, of Greenland, . though not a New Hampshire man, is the husband of an estimable lady, who comes of one of the old families of New Hampshire bearing the same name, which, transplanted in Colonial times from the Old World, has taken deep root in the Granite State, producing generations of hardy and intelligent men and women. Its first repre- sentative in Greenland of whom there is au- thentic record was Thomas Berry, who was born in February, 1731. His wife, Abigail, was born in 1834. Isaiah Berry, their fourth son, and the great-grandfather of Mrs. Edward M. Berry, was born in Greenland in 1761. He followed the occupation of farmer, was a

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Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Rockingham County, New Hampshire, Part 62

Author: Publication date: 1896 Publisher: Boston [Mass.] Biographical review pub. co. Number of Pages: 658

Author:
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Boston [Mass.] Biographical review pub. co.
Number of Pages: 658