USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Book of biographies. This volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Grafton County, New Hampshire > Part 17
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, GRAFTON COUNTY.
William H., the father of our subject, was born in Richibucto, in 1815, and attended the common schools of his native town, completing his education there. A few years after his father's death he took charge of the harbor, which became his by right of inheritance; this harbor was a haven for fishing vessels, and a center for large lumbering interests, located on the coast of New Brunswick. Later on he took up agricultural pursuits, which he has followed all of his life. He owns about 700 acres of val- uable farming property, and his time is now occupied in the overseeing of all of his broad acres. He belongs to the Liberal party, and has held the office of sheriff. He married Sarah Johnson, daughter of John and (Nich- olson) Johnson, the former a native of England and the latter of Scotland. . To our subject's parents were born eleven children: Moseley T., Charles B., Mary B., deceased: Sarah, deceased ; Leslie T., William H., Tena J., Phoebe P., Susie K., John M., and Alexander T. Mrs. Wathen died in 1892: she was an Episcopalian in religious belief: Mr. Wathen is a Methodist.
John M. Wathen was educated in the district schools of Richibucto, N. B., and graduated from the high school of that place in 1884. After teaching school one year he entered the Uni- versity of New Brunswick in 1885, and remained two years under its roof as a student. In 1887 he entered the Theological Seminary, from which he graduated in 1890, going from there to Bowdoin College at Brunswick, Me., from which institution he graduated in 1892. He then took a post-graduate course at Harvard University and received the degree of M. A.
Rev. Wathen then came to Lisbon, N. H., and' accepted the charge of pastor of the First Con- gregational Church of Lisbon, in 1893, and has faithfully discharged the duties of a minister of the gospel in his chosen field of labor. Mr. Wathen is an unusually intelligent young man with a bright future before him; he is deeply in- terested in the welfare of his people and is most zealous in advancing the work of salvation. In his political views he favors the Republican party. He was joined in marriage June 28, 1893. to Jennie E. French, daughter of Francis L. and Mary L. (Goodwin) French, the former a native of Stockton, and the latter a native of Prospect, Maine.
HON. LUCIAN F. ASH, a prosperous farmer and representative of the town of Lisbon, N. H., in the State Legislature, was born in Lis- bon on the farm he now cultivates, which was the paternal estate and descended to him. His birth took place March 20, 1847. He is a son of David and Eliza (Whitcomb) Ash, and grand- son of David and Olive (Sherman) Ash.
Our subject's grandfather was born in Rhode Island and settled in the town of Lisbon the early part of this century. He was a farmer by occupation. He gathered about him eleven chil- dren, whose names were as follows: Nathaniel, Edward, David, Samuel, Benjamin, Phineas, Betsey, Sally, Reuben, and two girls whose names can not be ascertained at this writing. They were liberal in their views of religion.
David Ash, Jr., was born in Lisbon, N. H., Aug. 22, 1806; his boyhood days were spent profitably in the schools of his native town, and in working around the farm. When he arrived at man's estate he became a farmer and con- tinued in that vocation all of his life. He was looked up to as a very successful man, and was honored in many ways. He was an active poli- tical partisan for the Republican party and repre- sented his town in the State Legislature of 1864; he also served as selectman for several years. Jan. 28, 1832, he was married to Eliza Whit- comb, daughter of Josiah and Rebecca Whit- comb, both natives of Lisbon. Ten children were born to our subject's parents, namely : Mary, born Oct. 20, 1832: David, Oct. 2, 1834; Rebecca, Aug. 8, 1836; Reuben M., Jan. 16, 1838; Hiram N., Jan. 9, 1840; Henry C., April 28, 1842; Rebecca E., Nov. 17, 1844: the twins, Lucian F. and Lucia F., born March 20, 1847: and Florence L., Aug. 17, 1849. The father died Nov. 19, 1879, and the mother May 6, 1873. They were Universalists in their religious sym- pathies.
Lucian F. Ash, after completing his education in the district schools of Lisbon, N. H., turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, which he has followed with a large measure of success all his life, so that he is now considered as one of the most substantial men in the town. He is a stanch Republican in his political views, and was selected in the election of the fall of 1896 to represent the town of Lisbon in the State Legis- lature. Socially, he is a thirty-second degree
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EDGAR O. CROSSMAN, M. D.
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, GRAFTON COUNTY.
Mason, and has held all the important offices in the blue lodge and chapter. He is a member of Kane Lodge, No. 64, F. & A. M., of Lisbon; Franklin Chapter, No. 5, of Lisbon, N. H .; St. Gerard Commandery, Littleton, N. H .; and also to the Mystic Shrine, Montpelier, Vt.
Nov. 9, 1870, he was united in marriage with Lydia Hibbard, daughter of Aaron and Lydia (Moss) Hibbard of Bath, N. H., and to them have been born four children, namely: Lucian S., born Sept. 21, 1870; Florence, April 26, 1872; May F., Aug. 9, 1874; and Roscoe D., Dec. 16, 1878. Florence Ash is a teacher in the second grammar department of the Lisbon Public School of Lisbon, N. H. The family attend the Congregational Church of Lisbon.
EDGAR O. CROSSMAN, M. D., of Lisbon, Grafton Co., N. H., was born in Ludlow, Vt., Dec. 15, 1864. He is a son of Ezra and Martha (Spear) Crossman, and grandson of Ezra Cross- man, who settled in Vermont; and while his ancestors came from England to this country, they were of German descent; the name signifies a German derivation, and it was formerly spelled Krossmann. The pursuit of agriculture was his sole occupation in life, and he managed his busi- ness so successfully that he became prosperous and well-to-do. He reared a large family of chil- dren, of whom his son, Ezra Crossman, Jr., was the eldest.
The father of our subject was educated and spent his life in the neighborhood of the place of his birth. He gathered about him a family of five children, as follows: Ida, Myron, Frank, .Mary, and Edgar O.
Dr. Crossman's elementary education was obtained in the common schools of Plymouth, Vt., advancing to higher studies in the prepara- tory school in the same town, and finishing his education in the New Hampshire Agricultural College, at Hanover, N. H. He then took up the study of medicine with Dr. S. E. Lawton of Brattleboro, Vt., and with Dr. Ira Russell of Winchendon, Mass. His degree of M. D. was secured from the Medical Department of the U'ni- versity of Vermont, from which institution he graduated in 1887. He added to his stock of medical knowledge by taking a post-graduate
course in New York City. Dr. Crossman stands high among the members of the medical frater- nity, and is highly respected as a man of enter- prise, a well-read man, a deep and profound thinker, with good judgment, and keen, logical common sense. Few, if any, complain of any lack, either of knowledge or courtesy at the hands of the Doctor, and he thus wins good opinions from all quarters, from high and low, by his uniform sympathy and kindness. These qualities, united to fine social address, tend to make him a popular and much-sought-after phy- sician, and commands for him the confidence and esteem of the entire community. He is a trustee of the New Hampshire Insane Asylum at Con- cord, N. H., and is president of the White Moun- tain Medical Society, and also a member of the school board of Lisbon, N. H. He has ever been an unyielding Republican.
In June, 1888, he joined his fortunes for life with those of Florence A. L. Gibson, daughter of John M. Gibson, a native of Edinburgh, Scot- land, and later a resident of Canada. Edgar G., born April 26, 1895, is their only child. Dr. and Mrs. Crossman are both devout and loyal mem- ยท bers of the Congregational Church of Lisbon, N. H. We are pleased to be able to present Dr. Crossman's portrait on a preceding page, in con- nection with this sketch, confident that it will be a worthy addition to our large and interesting collection of portraits of Grafton Co.'s prominent and representative citizens.
JAMES E. RICHARDSON, justice of the peace and a much-respected citizen of the village of Lisbon, N. H., was born in Lyman, N. H., April 1, 1830. John Richardson, his grandfather, settled in the town of Lisbon, N. H., where he bought a farm in the northern part of the town and engaged in agricultural operations, besides running a linseed oil mill. It is not known where his last years were spent, nor where he died, for he went west late in life as a surveyor and was never heard from. He married a Miss Olive Dailey, and to him and his wife were born seventeen children, of whom our subject's father was one of the eldest. They were Universalists. Mrs. Richardson died Dec. 2, 1854.
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, GRAFTON COUNTY.
Jesse Richardson, the father of James E., was born in Lisbon, N. H., and completed his edu- cation in the schools of that place; he early adopted the occupation of a farmer, and con- tinted in that vocation all of his life. He was a very prominent agriculturist of his day and pos- sessed many good traits of character, which at- tracted to his side many friends who thought much of him. In politics, he was a Whig, join- ing the Republican party upon its formation. He married Electa Sherman, daughter of Reu- ben Sherman of Lisbon, N. H., and of this union were born five children, namely: Lydia, Mary, Maria, Lucinda P., James E., and Deborah M. His wife departing this life in 1833, he formed a second union with Sophronia Webber of Lan- daff, N. H., and they had one child, Jesse W. His second wife did not remain long with him, for she was called to enter into her reward about the year 1840. Mr. Richardson died April I, 1871. In their religious attachments they were Universalists.
James E. Richardson, after acquiring an edu- cation in the common schools of Lisbon, N. H., learned the trade of a miller, and was employed in that connection for nine years. He then took up farming for several years, after which he bought a saw and carding mill in Lyman, which he operated for four years. Selling his mill property, he bought a large farm in Lisbon, N. . H., where he remained until 1894, when he threw up active labor and removed to the village of Lisbon to enjoy his declining years. In poli- tical belief he is a stanch Republican and takes a lively interest in local politics, which interest has been appreciated by his townsmen electing him to various offices of trust. He held very accept- ably the office of selectman for two years, as supervisor six years, and as justice of the peace ten years, a position he still retains, discharging its duties with skill and address. In the town of Lyman he acted as selectman, as overseer of the poor, and as moderator. He is now direc- tor of the Lisbon Savings Bank & Trust Co.
In 1853 he was joined in marriage with Sarah A. Bennett, daughter of Ambrose Bennett of Barton, Vt., and to them were given six children to rear and care for, as follows: Lizzie, Emma, deceased; Ellsworth, deceased; Harry, deceased; Jennie, and James H. Lizzie married Freeman Clough, now deceased, of Lisbon, N. H., and
bore him one child, Sadie. Her second husband is David K. Noyes of Lisbon, N. H. Jennie married Daniel H. Noyes of Lisbon, and has one child, Clayton. James H. married Minnie B. Page of Lisbon, N. H. Mrs. Richardson died Oct. 12, 1874, and then our subject formed a second union with Hattie V. Miner of Lyman, N. H., May 20, 1876; their union has been blessed with the birth of one child, Clarence B. They are attendants of the Congregational Church.
HENRY W. BENTON, deceased, and late of Lebanon, N. H., was born in Hebron, Conn., June 28, 1820, and is a son of Luther and Eliza Ann (Winchester) Benton, and a grandson of William Benton of Tolland, Conn.
The grandfather of our subject removed early in his life to Langdon, Vt., going from there after a time to Hartford, Vt., remaining in that town until 1809, when he came to Lebanon, N. H. Upon taking up his residence in Lebanon he bought the Thomas Hoyt hotel, in 1812, and ever afterward conducted it; it remained in the family for some fifty-seven years, and has been for many years a prominent landmark of the town. He gathered around him a family of ten sons and two daughters, of whom eight sons and one daughter grew up to manhood and woman- hood. His son Luther settled in Hebron, Conn., but being afflicted with rheumatism he was forced to give up manual labor; in 1823 he came to Lebanon, N. H., and assisted his father in the light work about the hotel. He died when about seventy years old; he lost his wife early in his married life; she left him one child, Henry W. Benton, the subject of this sketch.
Henry W. Benton at the age of eighteen months was brought to Lebanon on horseback to live with his grandparents, for his mother had died and left him without a woman's care. He was given a good district school education, and apprenticed to the trade of a moulder. He be- came a very skilled moulder of iron and brass and worked at it for fifty years; the last few years spent in connection with his trade was as over- seer of the foundry. For his first home he bought the house now known as the Lewis Bon- nett place on High Street. Later on he erected
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, GRAFTON COUNTY.
a three-story house, 30x46 feet, and ran a hotel under the style of the Mascoma House for seven- teen years, his wife taking full charge of the house while he followed his trade. He finally sold it and bought the Col. Churchill residence on High Street, living there until his death in Janu- ary, 1894. His wife was Frances A., daughter of Moses and Catherine (Davis) Roberts; she was born in Royalton, May 13, 1831, and sur- vives her husband. Four children were born to them: Georgiana B., Jennie M., H. W. Benton, Jr., and Lilla F. Jennie M. married William N. Buck of Brookfield, Vt., and now resides in Salem, Mass. They have one son, Edwin C., a reporter of the Beverly News and Citizen. Mrs. Buck is engaged in the millinery business, Mr. Buck assisting. Henry W., Jr., married Jennie R. Heath of Tyringham, Mass. He had one child by a former union with Lucina Chapman- a son, Carlos H., a clerk in Boston. Henry W., Jr., is a moulder and works in the foundry of S. Cole & Son. Lilla is residing with her mother. In his political views, he was a Whig and a Re- publican. He favored the Universalist Church in matters spiritual. He lead a quiet and unas- suming life, never aspiring to public office or to any place of distinction, but always content to perform his part in the drama of life in a simple and unostentatious manner; at the close of his well-spent life he could look the world in the face and die, as he had lived, without an enemy.
His daughter, Georgiana B., in 1869, married Laurin F. Dillingham, who was born in Auburn, Me., and settled in Lebanon, where he had charge of the saws and other like tools in the Lebanon mills. He was born in 1845 and died in 1881. Two children were born them. The . elder, Walter B., born April 30, 1874, is a book- keeper in the office of the Mascoma Manufactur- ing Co. of Lebanon; he is a member of the K. of P. Lodge, and is very popular among his asso- ciates in the Republican party. Willard, the younger son, died when an infant.
Mrs. Dillingham married as her second hus- band Sylvester D. Jones, a son of David and Louise (Merrill) Jones, both natives of Rumney, Grafton Co., N. HI. Sylvester Jones for many years was in the sewing machine business, but later became superintendent of the sewing ma- chines in the large overall factory of H. W. Carter & Son. One daughter, Hazel J., born
June 23, 1884, is the sole issue of this marriage. Mr. Jones, in 1885, bought the Mascoma Hotel, and was forced to witness its destruction in the great fire of Lebanon. He then bought the brick house, known as the Gerrish house, where they now reside.
Mr. S. D. Jones is a Democrat in politics. Socially, he is a Mason of high standing. He and his wife are members of the Order of the Eastern Star, Ascutney Chapter, No. 3, of Wind- sor, Vt. He is also a member of the Mascoma Lodge, I. O. O. F .; and of the Mt. Lebanon Re- becca Lodge, Morning Star Encampment, A. O. U. W., and also of the Mt. Cardigan Lodge, K. of P., of Canaan, N. H .; and is a member of the United Order of Pilgrim Fathers.
LEONARD W. SMITH, dealer in horses, carriages, and sleighs of Lebanon, N. H., was born in Manchester, N. H., Sept. 5, 1842, and is a son of Elijah and Hannah (Prisbey) Smith. Elijah Smith was born in Henniker, N. H. About the first work he did after leaving home was to help to put in the machinery for some of the Manchester mills; being a natural-born me- chanic, he quickly picked up the trade, and worked in those mills for a time, leaving there to work in the mills of Lawrence, Mass. A few years were spent in the west; he returned to work for a Mr. Jones of Methuen, Mass., driving a five-horse team transporting goods to Salem, Mass. He followed this occupation for about five years and then desiring country life so his son could grow up to be a good farmer, he moved to Canaan, N. H., and engaged in agri- cultural pursuits until his children had grown to be men and women. He then went to Man- chester and kept a boarding-house until his wife died of pneumonia at the age of sixty. From that time until his own death, in his ninetieth year, he lived in retirement at the homes of his children. He was active and in the full posses- sion of all of his senses to the last moment; his final passing away resembled the running down of a clock, which might run for years and years, as the machinery was all in good repair, but it needed winding, it needed new power instilled into its otherwise useless mechanism. He pos-
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, GRAFTON COUNTY.
sessed a memory far beyond that of the ordinary man, and although he never had the chances offered by a good schooling, his memory served him so well that he never forgot what he had once heard; this peculiarity of his was often called to good account in the recalling of dates and facts that had slipped the memory of most men; it also made him a very interesting man to engage in conversation with. He was a stanch Democrat and was well grounded in his views. By his first marriage with Miss Colby he had six children; and by his second marriage with Han- nah Prisbey five children were added to the home circle. They were: Louise F., Leonard W., Ella, Emma, and Thomas.
Leonard W. Smith dates his experience in his present line of business to the time when, but thirteen years of age, he accosted a man on horseback as to how much he would take for his horse. He received the reply, "What the shoes are worth"; our subject immediately led the horse to a blacksmith's shop and got the smith's estimate as to the value of the shoes, which was sixty-five cents; he then paid the man the price and led the horse home. This was the start as a boy of a man who to-day has the larg- est business in horses and wagons of any one in the town, which rivals any similar business in the county. When a young man he spent some three years as a watchman in the Manchester mills, at the same time never letting the chance of a bargain in a horse to escape him.
His first venture in his chosen line of business was in Canaan, N. H., where he purchased a livery and ran it successfully for five years. The following two years were spent in Franklin, N. H., dealing in carriages; he then took the agency of the Amesbury Wagon Manufactory and sold their goods in Lincoln, Neb., for one year. In 1875 he came to Lebanon, N. H., and opened up a horse and carriage business, at first renting the buildings necessary to the trade; in 1882 he bought the Z. Cook property, on Hanover Street, and built there a large finely fitted barn and carriage repository. Since that time he has shipped in many hundred horses from Canada and elsewhere; he has a record of buying and selling as many as 350 horses in a year. He not only keeps in stock many elegant carriages and cutters, but he has brought in the town and sold some of the finest turnouts in the town.
Mr. Smith married Miss Lucy J. Youngman of Canaan, who has borne him two children: Joseph C., born Feb. 6, 1877, is a shoe salesman ; Arthur, died in infancy. Our subject has always been a stanch Republican; during the late Re- bellion he felt it his duty to go to the front, and acordingly enlisted in the 15th Reg., N. H. Vol. Inf., but he was not called into actual service. Early in life he became a member of the social lodge, F. & A. M., at Enfield, and has since most faithfully supported his much-honored order. He is also a member of the A. O. U. W. Mr. Smith's business enterprise is not confined to dealing in horses and carriages, but branches out in every legitimate direction; one of his im- portant ventures is a retail trade in wood and shingles.
FREDERICK H: EMERSON is a member of the firm of Richardson & Emerson, who have a large and well-appointed store, employing three clerks; the store is located on the corner of Hanover and Church Streets. The sales- rooms receive an abundance of light from the large plate glass front, which is as imposing as any in the county; besides their ground floor rooms they have a department in the basement. Their stock consists of a full and well-assorted line of dry goods and fancy goods of all descrip- tions, ladies' ready made coats, capes, and suits, and gents' ready-made clothing and furnishing goods. That nothing but the best and latest goods are for sale is evinced by the large and constantly increasing patronage they receive from the town of Lebanon and from the sur- rounding country.
Frederick H. Emerson was born in Lebanon, N. H., Feb. 2, 1857, and is a son of Hiram and Lydia (Nettleton) Emerson, and a grandson of Jonathan and Polly (Collins) Emerson. The parents of our subject's grandfather were James and Lydia (Hoyt) Emerson, and his grandfather was Stephen Emerson.
Stephen Emerson came from Hampstead to Weare, N. H., in 1762, and was among the early settlers of that place; he followed the pursuit of agriculture and became a large land owner of his day. His son James was also a farmer, but his career was cut short at the age of forty years
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, GRAFTON COUNTY.
with consumption. His children were as fol- lows: Jonathan, Lydia, Stephen, and James. His wife married as her second husband Aaron Ping- ley and bore him one child-Polly.
Jonathan Emerson was born in Weare, N. H., and moved to Grantham when a young man; he leased a farm there and entered upon a success- ful career as a farmer, being soon able to own a farm of his own and to accumulate considerable wealth. He finally sold his farm and followed the milling industry for a few years at Bradford, N. H., going from there to Newbury and buying a farm. By this time he was in the possession of a comfortable fortune, and he made a practice of buying a farm and after making important im- provements selling it at an advanced price, al- always realizing a good amount by these specu- tions. His field of operations was quite ex- tended, including New London and many other places in that vicinity; he finally came to Le- banon and settled down for good, buying a pleasant home on Mascoma Street; but very soon receiving a good offer for the property he sold it and bought land in Newport, where he was bereaved of the cheering presence of his wife at the age of seventy-nine. He then sold and came to Lebanon and died there in his eightieth year. He was a Democrat and very liberal in his religious views. He reared a large family, all of whom grew up to maturity and made happy marriages; they were as follows: Hiram, Susan, Jonathan, Arvilla; James, who was distinguished as an inventor; Moses, Albro V., Cyrus, and Lucinda and Lucina, twins.
Hiram Emerson, the father of our subject, was born in Weare, N. H., May 17, 1813, and at the age of nineteen entered the blacksmith's ranks, working three years as a journeyman, afterwards engaging in business for himself in Newport, Sullivan Co., N. H. He then entered the em- ploy of the Littleton Scythe Manufacturing Co., where he worked for sixteen years; he also worked for the St. Johnsbury Hoe and Fork Manufacturing Co., where he took charge of the several departments. In 1856 and up to 1860 he was employed in the Lebanon Scythe Factory. While working in the Lebanon factory he was offered and accepted a position under the St. Johnsbury Co. as its traveling salesman and gen- eral agent, and traveled for twenty-seven seasons in their interests. In 1869 he bought a tract of
land, which was a part of the old Peck farm, for the sum of $1,890.00; in the same year he built the house he still lives in and set about the plac- ing of his property on the market as town lots. Since that time he has sold from the original piece of property lots that have brought him the sum of $2,030.00, and he still has a considerable amount left yet, including his home. He was married, in 1837, to Lydia, daughter of Hon. Jeremiah D. and Zelphina (Bowman) Nettleton. Jeremiah Nettleton was a farmer by occupation and was descended from ancestors who figured in the Revolution; he lived in Newport, N. H. Our subject's mother was born May 5, 1817. Mr. and Mrs. Emerson, both blessed with strong and vigorous constitutions, are hale and hearty to-day, and bid fair to enjoy niany more happy years together; the community in which they reside are united in their praises and admiration of this worthy couple, who are now in the beauti- ful sunset of a blessed married life. Their union was blessed with the following children: Zylphia E., who died in infancy; Fanny married Edwin Harris of St. Johnsbury, Vt., and has two chil- dren-Frank and Lizzie; Willie was taken to his heavenly home when an infant; Elizabeth de- parted this life at the age of twenty-five; Ella B. and Edwin B. were twins, the former died at the age of twenty-six; the latter married Mary S. Parsons, and is a merchant of Northampton, Mass., they have two children, Edwin N. and Ella M .; Frederick H. is the subject of this sketch. Our subject's father is a Democrat, and is liberal in his religious views, being no regular communicant of any church organization.
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