USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Book of biographies. This volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Grafton County, New Hampshire > Part 14
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JONATHAN K. ATWOOD.
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mal School, and in Wellesley College. She has had a wide experience in teaching, having taught in Normal schools in five different States, and in Washington, D. C. Arthur C. is a mem- ber of the law firm of Carter, Hughes & Dwight of New York City, and is a professor in the University Law School. He is a graduate of Amherst College and of Harvard Law School. Ralph S. is a graduate of Amherst College and of Columbia University Law School. He is a member of the law firm of Rounds & Dillingham of New York City, and is also a professor in the University Law School. Katharine, the young- est, is a graduate of Smith College, and since her graduation has taught in high and normal schools, and in private schools in Brooklyn and in New York City.
JONATHAN K. ATWOOD, a prominent manufacturer of Lisbon, Grafton Co., N. H., whose portrait appears on the opposite page, was born in the town of Landaff, N. H., Sept. 3, 1828. He is a son of Moses K. and Mary A. (Hall) Atwood, and grandson of Joseph Atwood and a Miss Kimball. The subject of this sketch re- ceived his education in the schools of Landaff and Lisbon, and learned the jeweler's trade, working at it one year in Littleton, and two years in Lisbon, N. H. At the age of twenty-three he turned his attention to the manufacture of bob- bins for use in cotton, silk, and woolen mills, for which he has found a ready sale from the very start. He started in with one lathe and has in- creased the business with such sagacity and prudence that he is now the largest rough bobbin manufacturer in the United States, doing an annual business of late of $40,000.00, and hand- ling 2,000 cords of wood. He was prime mover in the scheme to furnish electric light and power to the people of Lisbon, and is at present the president of the Lisbon Power Co. At this time he is also erecting a plant, that he may be able to furnish power and light to the neighboring village of Sugar Hill, with its many beautiful cottages, summer hotels, and streets. He is a man brimful of energy. and ever alive to the wants of the people, and quick to anticipate and fulfill them.
Our subject's grandfather, Joseph Atwood, was born in Landaff, N. H., and followed the occupation of farming all of his life. He was considered a leader among the intelligent men of his locality, and was held in the highest esteem by his neighbors and friends. He was a stanch Democrat, and represented the town in the Leg- islature twenty-one years. He held all the im- portant town offices to the entire satisfaction of the most critical. He was three times united in wedlock. His first wife, a daughter of Capt. Jonathan Kimball of Lisbon, presented him with two children: Moses K., the father of our sub- ject, and David. On the taking away of his first wife he formed a union with a Miss Chandler, and three children resulted: Benjamin, Mehita- bel, and John. His third wife was the widow Simons. He departed this life in 1865. They were Baptists in respect to their views on religion and religious preferences.
Moses K. Atwood was born in Landaff, N. H., and upon completing a common school education in its schools, learned the wheelwright's trade. which he followed through that part of life in which he was actively engaged in work. He was a stanch Democrat in his political attachments. He married Mary Ann Hall, daughter of Thomas Hall of Lisbon, and to them were born the following children, nine in number: Jonathan K., William M., Stephen W., Moses, James M., Joseph L., George H., Benjamin F., and Mary J. In their religion, they were Adventists. Moses K. Atwood died at the age of forty-two, in 1850; his wife survived him as the head of the family for almost half a century, dying at the age of eighty-eight, in May, 1895.
Jonathan K. Atwood has been married five times. His first wife was Lydia A. Harris of Whitefield, Coos Co., N. H., and by this union he became the father of one child, who died in infancy. Mrs. Atwood died in 1840. His second union was formed with Rebecca W. Pingree of Littleton, N. H .; Clara P., the sole child of this union, married Walter Baker, now deceased, of Laconia, N. H., and had one son, Charles, who lives with his grandfather, the subject of this sketch. The second Mrs. Atwood died in 1843. Hle then formed a third alliance for better or for worse with Sarah N. Hibbard of Lisbon, N. H., and from this union resulted Henry H. and Mary F. Henry H. is at present the electrician of the
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Lisbon Power Co. His first wife was a Miss Welch of Barnet, Vt., and by their union there was one child, Sarah M. His wife died in 1890. He then formed a second union with Miss Mattie Smalley of Lisbon, N. H. Mary E. married Harry Metcalf, and lives in Orlando, Florida. Mrs. J. K. Atwood died March 14, 1881. His fourth union was with Elizabeth Parker, who before marriage was Elizabeth F. Vance. She passed away to fairer regions, Jan. 30, 1892. In 1894 he formed a fifth union with Clara O. Morse, formerly Richardson; she was born in Barnet, Vt. Mr. Atwood and his wife coincide in their religious views, and are both members of the Congregational Church of Lisbon, N. H. Mr. Atwood is a Democrat, and holds the office of justice of the peace, and has been the incum- bent for several years.
HON. JOHN H. DERBY, whose large and well-improved farm is situated in the southern part of the town of Lyme, near Moose Mountain, was introduced to this life, in Troy, Vt., March 28, 1832; our subject only lived about five months in his native State, for in August of the year in which he was born the family moved to Lyme, N. H. His parents were William H. and Hannah (Avery) Derby; our subject's mother died at his home, Sept. 8, 1872, aged sixty-eight years: she was a daughter of Deacon Avery of Orford, N. H. Our subject's grandfather on his father's side was Jedediah Derby, who married a Miss Grant. He was a farmer by occupation and a man of especially marked ingenuity, which was exhibited both in and out of his regular call- ing. In late life he manufactured whip lashes, which he sold through the country. He was a member of the Baptist Church of Lyme Center.
William H. Derby, the father of John H., was born in the town of Lyme and lived there the greater part of his life. At the age of forty, when he was forced to work hard to support a large family of quite small children, he was so unfortunate as to have typhoid fever, which left him blind and weak.' When not enervated by disease he was a man of unusual strength and was unrivaled in that respect throughout the town. So on the recovery of his aforetime strength, with the aid of one of his sons, he fol-
lowed peddling, carrying a. large trunk of goods on his shoulders. His death occurred Feb. 16, 1859, at the age of fifty-six, at the home of his son, Lewis S. Derby; he was engaged at his work as peddler up to within two years of his death; his death was attributed to heart disease. Six children were born to him: John H .; David L .; Lewis S., whose sketch appears on another page of this volume; Francis J., who died from the effects of exposure in army life, March 10, 1863, aged twenty-four years; Amanda M., mar- ried D. W. Chase of Bentonville, Ark .; and Charles W., a resident of the town of Lebanon, N. H.
Our subject has made the town of Lyme his home, except for a few years spent in Hanover, working as a farm hand. Because of his father's affliction he with two other brothers were forced at a very early age to support themselves. For five years up to the time when he was eighteen he received only his board, clothes, and school- ing, and it was only when he had arrived at that age that he began to receive wages. After work- ing out some sixteen years, he married and began to farm for himself. He rented his brother's farm for a year, and then came to his present farm, which belonged to his wife's father, and worked the farm with his father-in-law until the latter was compelled to retire from active labor because of age.
He was married by the Rev. James C. Se- graves at Wentworth, N. H., May 26, 1866, to Ruhama E. Gordon, daughter of Cyrus and Olive (Jesseman) Gordon. Mrs. Derby's mother was born in Dorchester, N. H., and was a daughter of George and Phebe (Jewell) Jesse- man. George Jesseman, a farmer, was one of the early residents of Lisbon, N. H., his father being one of the original settlers; he was of Scotch origin.
Cyrus Gordon, our subject's father-in-law, was born in Henniker, N. H., March 4, 1810; he was the eldest of twelve children born to his parents, eleven of whom attained an age of maturity and married. He was a son of David and Mary (Hoyt) Gordon; David Gordon was a farmer of Henniker, N. H .; his father, Jonathan, came from England and is said to have been a Quaker. The next generation, however, were Methodists. When ten years years old, Cyrus Gordon was deprived by death of his father; a guardian was
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appointed, and Cyrus was bound out for six years in the town of Deering to James Wilkins, living in that town till he was twenty-one. He then came to Dorchester, N. H., to visit the old- est of his brothers, and remained one year work- ing for him. Returning to Deering, he worked six months with John Grimes, whose father was the original of the well-known verses, beginning. "Old Grimes is dead, that good old man, we ne'er shall see him more," etc. Cyrus worked out till lie was twenty-six, and upon his marriage, Sept. 1, 1836, settled down to farming for himself. The brother, for whom he had worked in Dor- chester, had studied medicine, and in 1836 went to Maine to practice; he sold Cyrus his farm, which had already been paid for in this way. When Cyrus was twenty-one he had $100.00, which he loaned his brother; afterwards he worked for him six years and let the money coming to him accumulate, taking his brother's note for the various amounts, and thus had enough money coming to him to buy the farm. He remained on the farm in Dorchester and cultivated the land and raised stock until 1869, when he came to the present farm of 200 acres, which our sub- ject, Mr. Derby, manages. They have a flock of sheep, and operate a dairy, milking four to six cows. There were born to Mr. and Mrs. Gordon four children: Laura A., who married Samuel F. Ball, whose sketch is contained in this volume: Ruhama E., the wife of our subject; Asa F., who died in the army at Brazer City, La .; and Sarah A., who died in her nineteenth vear.
John HI. Derby and two brothers were in the Union Army in the late war. He enlisted Oct 7, 1862, in Co. A. 16th Reg., N. H. Vol. Inf., for nine months and served over one year under Gen. Banks at Port Hudson. He was in the first Red River expedition. When his term of service was finished he returned home by way of Cairo, and Chicago, Ill., Buffalo, N. Y., and Worcester, Mass. He was discharged Aug. 20, 1863, with the rank of a corporal. Mr. Derby was a mem- ber of the Harriman Guards, in which he was first lieutenant, his commission dating from Aug. 24, 1865, to Jan. 8, 1870. Mr. Derby has been appointed by the court as guardian for several minor children, and has been most attentive and careful of their interests. He is a member of
Morning Star Grange, No. 62, of Lyme. He is a Republican, but the sole political office he has held has been that of representative, being elected for the term of 1893-94. Mr. Derby and wife are members of the Baptist Church of Lyme Center, in which church Mr. Derby is a deacon. Three children make up their family: Sarah Lillian, Ira H., and Arthur E. Our subject's daughter has taught in the schools for twenty- one terms, and is now attending Radcliffe Fe- male Seminary, the annex of Harvard, having entered in 1896. Ira H. is also a student at Harvard, having entered in 1895. They are both graduates of the New London High School. The younger son, Arthur E., lives at home.
LEWIS S. DERBY, a farmer who owns and operates a fine farm, mostly given up to dairy- ing, at the foot of Bear Mountain, in the south part of Lyme, N. H., was born in Lyme, Oct. 20, 1837. He is a son of William H. and Hannah M. (Avery) Derby.
William H. Derby was a son of Jedediah Derby and Hannah Grant; he was born in Lyme and made it his home through life. He was occupied in farming principally; he also worked some at his trade of a stone-mason, helping to lay the piers for the bridge over the Connecticut River at Thetford. His wife was a daughter of Deacon Avery of Orford, a carpenter by trade. William H. Derby and his wife were both mem- bers of the Congregational Church. Their union was blessed with five children: John H., who lives in the town of Lyme: David L., a resident of Bradford, Vt .; Lewis S .: Frank J., died from the effects of army life March 10, 1863; and Amanda M., who married Web Chase of Ben- tonville, Ark.
When our subject was but nine years old his father was stricken with blindness, and the chil- dren were forced to scatter and do for them- selves: Lewis worked for his board, clothes, and schooling for five years, and little of either did he get : only occasionally did he obtain an oppor- tunity to visit home in all those years. As soon as the three older boys became old enough to carn wages they provided for their parents. The father died at our subject's home at the age of
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fifty-six: the mother fell into that last calm sleep which knows no waking this side of the grave at the home of her eldest son, John, aged sixty-eight.
After the age of fourteen, Lewis received wages for his labor; two years were spent on the farm of Amos Bailey, which adjoined the one now owned by himself; through the winter he went to school. The following summer he worked for Dan Storrs, and attended school from home in the winter; the next three seasons he was employed by John Claflin, attending school the first two winters from home and working in a logging swamp in Canaan the last winter. Hethen worked for Nathaniel Hurlbutt in Hanover a season. His marriage occurred at this time, and he came to his present farm, where he has lived ever since with the exception of three years, which he spent in Manchester, N. H., where he was employed by the railroad as freight accountant. The farm on which he resides was left him by his first wife; it consists of about 300 acres. He makes dairying the prin- cipal industry, and milks on the average about ten cows. Sheep raising used to be very profit- able, and he kept as many as 150 at one time.
He was united to his first wife in 1858; she was Mrs. Merriam S. (Pusher) Miller, a daughter of David and Amy (Carpenter) Pusher. His second marriage occurred in Lyme, Sept. 27, 1887, to Miss Annie M. Smith, daugh- ter of Alonzo A. and Julia A. (Heath) Smith, the latter a daughter of David Heath. Alonzo Smith was a son of Elias and Matilda (Styles) Smith. Mrs. Derby's great-grandfather, Smith, lived to the age of ninety-four, and his wife to the age of eighty-seven; her grandmother Styles was nearly one hundred years old at the time of her death. Elias Smith, Mrs. Derby's grand- father, sailed in a privateer during the war of 1812, and used to amuse his grandchildren by drawing for them pictures of ships. Alonzo Smith served in the late Rebellion. Mr. and Mrs. Derby's union has been blessed with two children: Clinton H., born Nov. 22, 1888; and Mary M., May 5, 1891. Mr. and Mrs. Derby are members of the Morning Star Grange, No. 62, of Lvme Plains. They are also members of the Baptist Church of Lyme Center. Mr. Derby is a Republican, and has served as road surveyor many times, and also on the school com-
mittee; he has been town supervisor since 1890. He is spoken of as a man worthy of the highest esteem and regard; his life has been a hard struggle, especially in his younger years, and he has come out of it endowed with those qualities that compel men's admiration, pluck, and perseverance.
FRED E. THORPE, superintendent of the Parker-Young Co. of Lisbon, N. H., has been a resident of that town for the past ten years. He is a son of William Thorpe and a grandson of Abraham Thorpe, who was the first represen- tative of his branch of the family to settle in this country. He was born in England, where he was reared and educated, and learned the tailor's trade; after coming to the United States he located in New York, later in Ware, N. H., where he became engaged in the manufacture of clothing for Boston and New York parties. His death took place in his eighty-fifth year. He married, and reared three children, namely: Isaac, William, and Joseph.
William Thorpe was born in England and emigrated to this country with his parents; he learned his father's trade, and was associated with him in business until the war broke out, and the call. for volunteers was heard. Laying aside his business with but one thought, to do his duty for the country he loved, he enlisted in Co. G., 16th Reg., N. H. Vol. He had served his time and was on his way home from the front when he was taken sick and died at Cairo, Ill., aged forty-two years. His wife was Almira Danforth, daughter of . Jonathan Danforth of Hillsboro, N. H. There were born to them five children: Frank, Emma (Durrell), Ella (Kessler), Clara (Wyatt), and Fred E., our subject.
Fred E. Thorpe was born in Boston, Mass., April 5, 1852, and because of his father's death, when our subject was a young boy, he was forced to begin the struggle of life at an early age. When eighteen years old he learned the trade of a tinsmith, and followed it in Tilton, N. H., until 1884, when he became interested in the lumber business at Warren, N. H., still retaining, how- ever, his residence at Tilton. He was in business in Warren three years, leaving there to accept a position in Lisbon as superintendent of the
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Parker-Young Manufacturing Co .; he is still that company's trusted and most efficient em- ployee, a heavy stockholder in the company, and is a much-respected citizen of the town.
In 1877 Mr. Thorpe was joined in wedlock to Adela Durrell, daughter of John Durrell of Gil- manton, N. H., and has two children: J. Le Roy and Burton D. He is a Republican, a member of Harmony Lodge, No. 64, 1. O. O. F., Doric Lodge, No. 78, F. & A. M., of Tilton, N. H .; Franklin Chapter, No. 5, R. A. M., of Lisbon, N. H. He also belongs to the A. O. U. W. of Laconia, N. H.
SIMON WARD, a respected farmer of the town of Hanover, N. H., is engaged at his vocation on his farm, which is situated in the southeastern corner of the town, bordering on four towns. He was born on an adjoining farm Aug. 28, 1843, and is a son of Simon and Han- nah (Walker) Ward.
Simon Ward, Sr., was a farmer most of his life; he was a soldier of the Revolution and lived to the very advanced age of ninety-six years. He was twice joined in wedlock; his first wife, Mehitabel Foster, dying, leaving two children, he married Chloe Thorp, who bore him a large family of children, among whom was Simon Ward, the father of the Simon Ward of this sketch.
Our subject's father was born in Hanover in a house now demolished that was located on Ruddsborough Road. His wife, Hannah Walker, was born on the same farm as our sub- ject, and was a daughter of Richard and Cath- erine (Trickey) Walker, both of whom lived to be eighty years of age. Catherine's father, Samuel Trickey, was a soldier of the Revolu- tion and lived through that struggle and reached the age of ninety years. Richard Walker was numbered among Hanover's superior farmers most of his life.
Simon Ward, the subject of this personal his- tory, was reared in the town of Lebanon, in East Lebanon, from the time he was six years until he was twenty-one, attending the schools of East Lebanon until he was twenty. For a time after the completion of his education he worked in East Lebanon. At this time in his
life the Civil War was raging and the cry was for more troops to put down the rebellion. In September, 1864, in response to the oft-reiter- ated call, Mr. Ward enlisted in Co. B., 18th Reg., N. H. Vol. Inf., and was stationed at Fort Stead- man; most of the service seen by the regiment of which he was a member was in Virginia; our subject participated in the last eight days fight- ing at the siege of Petersburg. He was mus- tered out and discharged June 27, 1865, at Concord, N. H.
Shortly after his return to East Lebanon he purchased his present fine estate of 300 acres, situated on the west slope of. the southern ex- tremity of Moose Mountain; from his door-yard Mr. Ward enjoys a most charming view of mountain scenery and a glimpse of Mascoma Lake. Much of his time and attention is devoted to the care of his dairy, which comprises about twenty cows; the product is disposed of to the creamery at East Lebanon. He has a very fine orchard of 175 trees and a large sugar grove high up on the mountain side.
Our subject was united in the bonds of Hymen June 1, 1870, the bride being Emma Eliza Hoyt; Mrs. Ward's parentage dates far back into Colonial days. She is a daughter of Horace F. and Emily C. (Hardy) Hoyt, who were born in Newport, Vt., and Hebron, N. H., respectively.
Mrs. Ward's mother was reared in Lebanon, where her parents, Daniel and Betsey (Packard) Hardy, moved when she was a small child. Bet- sey was a daughter of Asil Packard, one of the first pioneer settlers of Lebanon. Daniel Hardy was from Hopkinton, N. H., and by his own unaided efforts he raised himself from poverty to affluence and wealth. When a boy, so eager was he for learning and for taking advantage of what small opportunities for schooling that came his way, that he would employ the winter even- ings studying by the light of the log fire in the great fire-place, working his sums in arithmetic on a board with a piece of charcoal. He was an extensive dealer in live stock, and a landed pro- prietor of many acres; at one time he kept a store. He was the father of fifteen children, of whom ten grew up to manhood and womanhood.
Mrs. Ward's father, Horace F. Hoyt, was born at Newport, N. II .; his parents were Josephi and Mary (Patterson) Hoyt. Mary Patterson was a daughter of William Patterson, whose birth oc-
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curred Nov. 11, 1799; lie was a grandson of Peter Patterson of Londonderry, Ireland, who eniigated to this country, settling in London- derry, N. H., in 1637. Soon after his arrival he married Grisey Wilson, whose grandfather had taken part in the siege of Londonderry, Ireland; this occurrence in the life of Peter Patterson's father-in-law probably gave the name of the Irish city to their home in New Hampshire. There were born to Peter and Grisey (Wilson) Patterson three sons, the second of whom, Thomas by name, married Elizabeth Wallace, daughter of James and Mary (Wilson) Wallace. Mary (Wilson) Wallace was born under roman- tic circumstances on a ship in mid-ocean. The vessel in which her parents came to this country was captured by a pirate, and while a prisoner, her mother prematurely gave birth to her. In a capricious moment the pirate captain offered to release both the crew and the passengers pro- vided the child should be named Mary. The parents assenting, he became her god-father and presented her with jewelry, and a piece of bro- caded silk, which afterwards was fashioned into her wedding gown. It is also somewhat of a co- incidence that the wife of William Patterson and mother of Mary Patterson (Hoyt) was also born on board a ship in the ocean. The great-great- grandfather of Peter Patterson, John Patterson, was a man of wealth and prominence; he moved from Scotland to County Antrim, Ireland, about 1600, and purchased a large landed estate (lease- hold) of Lord Antrim, who became distinguished in the War of the Stuarts. A cousin of Mrs. Ward's father, Senator Patterson, rose to a prominent position in the national life of our country.
Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Ward, as follows: Carrie Frances, the wife of Allen G. Freeman of Lebanon; Mabel Florence, the wife of Orra Herbert Hoyt of East Lebanon; and Josie May, who died in early childhood. Both our subject and his wife are members of the M. E. Church of Enfield. Mr. Ward is a member of Farragut Post, No. 52, G. A. R., of Enfield, and has filled all its official chairs and has been for two years commander, and adjutant for four years. Mrs. Ward is a member of the Women's Relief Corps. In her young woman- hood she was a school teacher and presided at the desk for fifteen terms in various localities in
New Hampshire and Vermont. Mr. Ward is also a member of the Sons of the Revolution, by right of two grandfathers and a great-grand- father on his mother's side. Our subject belongs to the organization of Odd Fellows, being a member of the Good Samaritan Lodge, I. O. O. F., No. 75, of Hanover, N. H .; he is also a mem- ber of Grafton Star Grange, No. 60, of Hanover. In politics, Mr. Ward is a Republican, and has served as selectman seven consecutive years; he has officiated in many other minor official capaci- ties. Mr. Ward has never had any cause to bemoan lack of friends, for his genial, good- nature attracts all, who love to see a man make the most of life, and his many excellent traits of character that make him a loving husband, a kind neighbor, and a high-minded, honorable citizen, bind his admirers to him with adaman- tine bonds.
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