USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Book of biographies. This volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Grafton County, New Hampshire > Part 19
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Nov. , 1826; Joel H., Nov. 29, 1828; Jane L., July 18, 1831; John S., July 3, 1834; and Caro- line, Nov. 2, 1836. Joel Densmore married, as his second wife, Sally Matoon, but no children resulted from their union.
William Densmore, the father of Jason, was born in Brookfield, Vt., and upon arriving at man's estate bought a farm in Chelsea, Vt., where he made his home until 1853, when he sold his property and went to Pittsfield, N. H., at which place he ran a hotel, and was there stricken by a mortal attack of typhoid fever and died Oct. 24, 1854. His first wife, Lydia M. Davis, daughter of Wyman Davis, died at the age of thirty-nine, leaving three small children: Milton, Jason, and Edison (deceased). William Densmore married again, the bride being Jane Howe; upon her death soon after, he was joined in marriage to Caroline Percival, who bore him one son, Willie.
Upon the death of our subject's parents he was left to the guardianship of an uncle, who sent him to live with N. H. Caswell of Washing- ton, Vt., whom he assisted during his years of minority in the farm work, and improved what- ever opportunities he could of attending school. At the age of nineteen he enlisted in Co. G., Ioth Reg. Vt. Vol. Inf., and served through the remainder of the war, being mustered out of the service June 18, 1865. He held the position of corporal; the only serious wound that he re- ceived was from a minie ball, during the Battle of the Wilderness, which lodged in his thigh. When he returned home he worked at farming for a number of years, running the town farm of Hanover, N. H., for two years of that period. He then bought a home on Hanover Street in Lebanon, and carried on a successful business in trucking for thirteen years, keeping three teams at work. In 1883 he purchased the Greeley farm and brick yard, which at that time had not been developed to the full extent that the excellent nature of the clay made possible; the only brick made was of a very ordinary sort, which of course was not in great demand. Our subject, knowing that the raw material at hand warranted the expenditure of capital, at once began putting in entirely modern machinery, in- cluding steam engine and boilers. The result has fully come up to his expectations, for his pro- duct has gained a wide-spread reputation for
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fineness of quality and great durability, and is universally conceded by builders to be second to none in the State. Many car loads of brick are annually shipped to the city, as the average out- put of the yard is twenty-six hundred thousand per annum. His shipping list includes the prom- inent cities of both New Hampshire and Ver- mont; he has furnished the brick for the promi- nent buildings and stores of Lebanon that have been erected since his ownership of the brick- yard. He has long since arrived at the point where he has orders for all he can make.
Our subject married, on the 18th of Febru- ary, 1869, Maria E., daughter of Alfred B. and Lydia H. (Davison) Dimick of Lyme. Mr. Dimick was among the prominent and thor- oughly progressive farmers of his day; he is still living at the advanced age of eighty-five. His wife was taken to her promised home at the age of fifty-two. Their children were: William H., Lucinda D., and Maria E. Our subject and his wife have been blessed in their union by the birth of two sons: Alfred J., born. July 5, 1885; and George A., Nov. 4, 1886.
Mr. Densmore is a Republican in his allegi- ance to party. He is a member of the George Washington Lodge, No. 51, F. & A. M., of Chelsea, Vt. Later on in life he joined the Franklin Lodge, No. 6, F. & A. M., of Lebanon, N. H. He is also a member of the A. O. U. W., and of the local Grange. He is commander of the G. A. R. Post of Lebanon. In religious attachments he is a Congregationalist.
WILLIAM W. EASTMAN, a well-to-do farmer and town clerk of Benton, N. H., was born in Jay, N. Y., Nov. 14, 1850. He is the son of Sylvester and Louise (Whitcher) Eastman of Benton, N. H., grandson of James and Polly (Boynton) Eastman, and great-grandson of Obadiah Eastman.
Obadiah Eastman, it is thought, was of Eng- lish descent, and settled in Coventry (now Ben- ton), making that his home for the rest of his days. He was one of the prominent and suc- cessful farmers of that time and locality and took a great interest in town affairs. It is not known what his politics were, but it is believed that he
favored the Democratic party. He was the first town clerk of Coventry. He also served as se- lectman.
James Eastman, son of Obadiah, was born in Coventry, March 12, 1774. He was reared and educated to the vocation of a farmer and fol- lowed it through life. He married Betsey Boyn- ton Aug. 28, 1798, by whom he had four chil- dren: Jesse, Rosilla, Louisa, and Nancy. His wife died about the year 1812. He then formed a second matrimonial alliance, his partner being Polly Boynton, a sister of his first wife. She presented him with five children: Sylvester, Bet- sey, Moses, Philema, and James. In his political belief Mr. Eastman was a stanch Democrat and served his town. as selectman. He was fully qualified to fill satisfactorily other and more im- portant offices, but never aspired toward them.
Sylvester Eastman was born in Benton Aug. 3, 1814. His schooling he secured in the neigh- boring schools. Upon reaching his majority he took a journey to Alabama, and while there re- ceived an injury by the falling of a tree, which made him more or less of an invalid through his life. He returned home about 1840. Soon after he had settled down in his old home he was joined in marriage to Louisa, daughter of Will- iam and Mary (Noyes) Whitcher. They were blessed with three children: George E., Ruth J., and William W., the subject of our sketch. In politics Mr. Eastman worked and associated himself with the Democratic party, but never accepted a public office. Both Mr. and Mrs. Eastman were faithful members of the M. E. Church.
William W. Eastman attended the schools of Benton for his educational training. At the age of twenty-one he started to work for his uncle, Daniel Whitcher, and remained with him three years. He then purchased a farm and made it his home. In 1879 he was joined in marriage to Georgia, daughter of George and Elizabeth (Stickney) Aldrich of Benton, N. H. They have no children. Mr. Eastman adheres strictly to the principles advocated by the Democratic party. He has served his town in various official capacities, as selectman, as a member of the school board, and as a member of the Constitu- tional Convention in 1879. Recently he was elected to fill the office of town clerk, and is at this time (1896) still serving in that capacity. In
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HON. HIRAM HODGDON.
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all his relations with others, political, business, or social, he has won the respect of all who have had the good fortune to be associated with him. Temperate in word and deed, and lenient to a fault, he has ever been a friend and helper to those in trouble and distress.
His first wife died April 19, 1893, and in Feb., 1894, he formed a second union, the bride being Mrs. Edna A. Eastman, widow of Josiah East- man, and daughter of Wilton and Laura A. (Townsend) Morse of Easton, N. H. Both Mr. and Mrs. Eastman are supporters of the M. E. Church, and may be found in every good cause advanced by that organization.
HON. HIRAM HODGDON, general mana- ger of the Ashland Knitting Mills of Ashland, N. H., was born at Northville, N. H., Oct. 21, 1832. He was the son of John L. and Sally (Thurston) Hodgdon, and grandson of Israel and Comfort (Sanborn) Hodgdon.
Israel Hodgdon was born in Canterbury. In early manhood he moved to what is now North- ville and settled there. The country at that time was still a wilderness of forest; Mr. Hodgdon bravely set to work to fell the trees and prepare the land for cultivation. He soon made a clear- ing large enough for his first humble needs, and there built his house and reared his family. The town being afterwards settled with other thrifty farmers, Mr. Hodgdon became one of the most progressive and well-to-do. Starting with no capital but what nature had furnished him, he was enabled by hard, unceasing toil to leave his family a comfortable home when he died at the age of seventy-three. His wife lived to the age of eighty-five. They were both blessed with strong robust constitutions, and up to their last sickness hardly knew what it was to experience a day's sickness. Their children were: Cyrus, Isaiah, John L., Charlotte, Susan, Deliverance, and Nancy.
John L. Hodgdon received a fair education in the schools of Northville district. He assisted his father in the care of the homestead during the latter's life, and at his death inherited it. The property improved very much under his able management; the buildings were remodeled and
new ones erected. His death was owing to rheu- matism, from which he had been a great sufferer. He was relieved of his pain and trouble in his sixty-eighth year. His wife is still living in her ninetieth year.
Hon. Hiram Hodgdon, subject of this notice and son of John L. Hodgdon, was born and educated in his native town of Northville. When twenty-one years of age he left home to seek his fortune; he made his way to Boston with a strong determination to make a good beginning and found employment there as a dry goods clerk. He remained there one year, and having proved himself capable of filling a more respon- sible position, he came to Ashland and took full charge of the old Brick Store, owned by Mr. Follansby. The arrangement was such that Mr. Hodgdon received one-half of the proceeds in return for his services and management. In 1862 he entered into full partnership with his aforetime employer, under the firm name of Fol- lansby & Hodgdon. He was active in this busi- ness for twenty-seven years, with the exception of two years that he served with the 12th Reg. N. H. Vol. Inf., in the late Rebellion.
About 1880 he became interested in real estate and retains an interest in the firm of Hodgdon & Pollard. He spent seven years in the west, speculating in land, buying lots in promising localities, erecting houses thereon, and disposing of them at a profit. He owns to-day several fine pieces of property in Chicago. Of the seven years in the west, three were passed in the State of Nebraska, one in Wyoming; the remainder were spent in Chicago.
In 1886 a company was formed, composed of Thomas P. Cheney, George E. Scribner, N. P. Batchelder, and Hiram Hodgdon; the company purchased the Baker Mill water privilege and built a building 110x54, and three stories high. Seven sets of cards were put in, and the factory turns out at present 600 dozen of ladies' woolen hose per day, and employs at times as many as 250 hands. The business soon gained a wide reputation, and has not been idle, except when necessary repairs were being made, or an inven- tory of the stock was being taken.
Mr. Hodgdon married Martha, daughter of Nathaniel Webster of Danville, N. H. She de- parted this life in 1880, at the age of forty-six years. He has a fine home on Main Street. He
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is a stanch Republican, and although desiring no office, and indeed, refusing to accept any, he was prevailed upon to serve as town clerk one year, and as Senator in 1879. He is a liberal supporter of the Free Will Baptist Church. Socially, he is a member of the Mt. Prospect Lodge, No. 68, F. & A. M.
As a representative man and leading citizen of the county, the publishers of this work take great pleasure in presenting Mr. Hodgdon's por- ·trait on another page.
REV. SOLOMON COLE is the senior mem- ber of the firm of S. Cole & Son, founders and expert machinists, and also dealers in lumber, of the town of Lebanon, N. H. He was born in Whitefield, N. H., July 8, 1821, and is a son of Solomon and Sally (Howland) Cole, and a grandson of Solomon Cole, who was born in Boxford, Mass., about the year 1740.
The grandfather of our subject performed valiant service in the Revolutionary War, taking part in the decisive battles of Bunker Hill, Ti- conderoga, and Saratoga. About the year 1796, with his children and grandchildren, he emi- grated from his home in Massachusetts to make a settlement in the new and unclaimed land of New Hampshire; their journey was taken along the Connecticut Valley, with slight quantity of provisions, and what few household effects that could be transported by their two yoke of oxen, drawing sleds. The trip of 100 miles was ac- complished in fourteen days of hard work for both beasts and men; their settlement was made in the midst of the wilderness, in the town of Landaff. Shortly previous to Mr. Cole's settle- ment there had been formed a little gathering of pioneers at Sugar Hill, and being desirous of adding to their number, they induced Mr. Cole to become a member of their colony. He was further persuaded by the condition of his wife, who had become very homesick for the want of female company, and he accordingly accepted the offer, and made his permanent settlement there, clearing the land and building house and barns. He was proud of his record as a soldier and never failed to take a great interest in things military. He was blessed with an exceedingly
rugged constitution, and was engaged in active labor until the ten years immediately preceding his decease; he died at the advanced age of ninety-five. His children were: Timothy, John, Benjamin, Isaac, Solomon, Kimball, Samuel, and Asa.
Our subject's father, also named Solomon Cole, was born in Boxford, Mass., November, 1775, and adopted the carpenter's trade as the means for a livelihood. His early work was done in Sugar Hill, and his later work at Whitefield; he followed his trade the greater part of his life. In 1800, he married Sally Howland, who was born in 1783. She was the daughter of George How- land of Situate, R. I., who was a very successful whaler of his time. In the days of his retirement from the pursuit of leviathan, he delighted to recount to his delighted grandchildren the ad- ventures that he had met with on his voyages. Mr. Cole died at the age of eighty-one; he was a Democrat, and later a Republican. He held a commission as captain of cavalry in the State militia of Lisbon, N. H. Mrs. Cole departed to her home on high at the age of seventy-three. The children born to them were as follows: Samuel, Havens, Stephen, Mary, Sally, Asa, Mehitabel, and Solomon. Three children died when infants and unnamed.
Rev. Solomon Cole attended the district schools at such times as he might be spared in his work assisting his father and, therefore, his school education was somewhat limited. By hunting and trapping foxes, he had by the age of twenty-one, sold enough skins to net him $50.00; this amount he gave his father, and started out in life to win his own way with only a shilling in his pocket. After reaching Man- chester by a tedious journey afoot, he set about looking for work. He made an offer to a man to saw his wood for $1.25 a cord, but having no saw, nor the ability of being trusted for the price of one, as he was an utter stranger, he was forced to borrow one. His last cent was paid out in getting it filed; with the first money earned he procured a new saw and sawed wood until he got a chance to work in the foundry to learn the trade at the wage of fifty-eight cents a day, and boarded himself. At nights he sawed wood to pay for his board; this he continued for one year, laying up his entire earnings until his employer, Seth Williams, moved to Nashua, and took on
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our subject, giving him $1.00 a day. Later on he took jobs in the foundry, making good wages by working hard and putting in long hours. He was next employed by B. J. Cole & Co. of Lake- port, N. H., as foreman, having entire charge of the iron works. For twelve years he was thus connected, during which time he represented Lakeport in the State Legislature for two years.
In 1866 he came to Lebanon and bought out the Purmort foundry and machinery in company with Mr. Bugbee, and did business under the style of Cole & Bugbee. The personnel of this firm has been changed from Cole & Bugbee to Cole & Leavitt, to Cole & Tilden, and to S. Cole & Son, under which name the large foundry bus- iness is now conducted, which has grown under his able management and supervision until it is one of the important industries of Lebanon, hav- ing a capacity for the employment of fifty men. In the great fire of 1887, our subject suffered a severe loss, amounting to $50,000.00; he was, however, the first man to rebuild, and by his ex- ample to infuse new courage in many a dis- heartened financial sufferer. He has been warmly interested in the progress of the town as one of its leading promoters and has at many times benefited the town by his firm belief in its future development. He owns a fine residence on Green Street, besides other Lebanon real es- tate, and three summer cottages at York Beach, Me., where he has dealt extensively in real estate.
Rev. Cole married, on Nov. 5, 1846, Caroline Peaslee, daughter of Micajah and Judith (Choate) Peaslee; her father was a blacksmith of Goshen, Sullivan Co., and there Mrs. Cole was born Sept. 20, 1823. Their union has been pro- lific of five children. Viola married J. Clinton Paine of Boston, Mass., and has three children: Florence A., Helen M., and Raymond E. Will- iam B., the junior member of the firm of S. Cole & Son, married Annie Spencer, and occupies an elegant home on Green Street. Two children have been born to them: S. Blanche and Bertha M. Mary Belle married William P. Spencer of Lebanon, N. H., and they also have an elegant home on Green Street; she is the mother of two children, namely: Millard C., and Marjorie M. Willie C. and Elmer E. died at an early age.
Our subject was originally a Democrat, but has been associated with the Republican party
since its organization; he represented Lebanon in the Legislature of 1875-76 with distinction and credit to himself and the town.
From the days of early manhood Rev. Cole has been a profound student of Nature and the works of God; in 1836 he was converted, and four years later was baptized by Rev. Beniah Bean of Whitefield, and immediately the system- atic study of the Scriptures was commenced; he was filled with devout zeal to impart the good tidings to others, and at various times and places held revivals that resulted permanently for the good. In 1870 he received license from the church to preach, and in 1876 was ordained a minister of the Baptist faith in Canaan, N. H., by Rev. C. N. Nelson and others. Although never neglecting his business, he has preached in Hanover, Canaan, Dorchester, and South Wentworth, and to this day supplies vacancies and fills pulpits wherever he can do the most good. His name will be ever held in reverence as a teacher of the Bible, and an instructor in its blessed teachings. He has traveled over 25,000 miles, preaching the Gospel in the outlying dis- tricts where they were too poor to pay for the services, and the contributions not enough to pay for the shoeing of his horses.
MOSES S. PERLEY, one of Lebanon's busi- ness men, and a descendant of one of Grafton Co.'s early settlers, was born in the town of En- field, this county, March 31, 1842; he is a son of Uri and Fanny (Sawyer) Perley, and grandson of John and Susanna (Goodhue) Perley.
John Perley was born in the town of Sanborn- ton, Belknap Co., N. H., and early in life went to Boston, and drove a team of oxen and horses together from there up through this part of New Hampshire and into the State of Vermont, bringing articles of merchandise to the early set- tlers and taking back to the metropolis farm pro- ducts. The trip used to consume many days, amounting to a number of weeks, for the roads were not much more than trails cut through the heavy timber, and to proceed faster than a walk was well-nigh impossible much of the way. Nightfall was looked forward to with much pleasure, for in the country inns could be found
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companionship, and to sit around the wide, open fireplace recompensed much for the weary jour- ney of the day before; the provisions found in such inns was plentiful and palatable, consisting chiefly of wild game. Later in life John Perley came to the town of Enfield, Grafton Co., and bought some 200 acres of land, mostly unim- proved, and in its natural state of forest. This farm he cleared in a great measure, and followed general farming until his death. Both he and his wife were of strong and sturdy constitutions and knew rarely a day's sickness previous to what preceded their death, at the age of ninety- one. Their children were named as follows: Abigail, Uri, Mary, John, Hannah, Joseph G., David G., Moses P., William G., and Edwin A.
Our subject's father, Uri Perley, was born in the town of Enfield, Sept. 27, 1803, and worked at agricultural pursuits until he had accumulated sufficient money to make a payment on a farm; this farm which he bought was located in the eastern part of the town of Enfield, and is the one now owned by Henry Nichols. Uri Perley lived there until 1870, when he sold it to his son, Moses S., and removed to East Village, now called Lockhaven, and retired from active farm- ing life. His last days were spent with our sub- ject at Lebanon, where he died, aged eighty- three. He was strong and active to the last, going down to the store the day before he died. His wife, Fanny, a daughter of Isaac Sawyer, born May 1, 1803, died May 22, 1896, at the age of ninety-three. Uri Perley was a Whig and then a Republican, and served his town as se- lectman and in other positions of a minor char- acter. Four children were born to him: John Q., Rebecca S., Isaac N., and Moses S., the sub- ject of this sketch. John Q. Perley, a graduate of Meriden Academy, was in the hotel business in Ottawa, Canada; he was also a merchant at Canaan, N. H., and then went west, where he be- came interested in land and manufacturing, proving himself a very successful business man. His home is in Monmouth, Ill .; he spends his winters in California, where he has a large orange orchard. Rebecca S. married L. C. Pat- tee. Isaac N. is a druggist of Lebanon.
Moses S. Perley, the youngest son in his father's family, attended the Canaan Academy, and stayed with his father until 1870, when he bought the homestead of 272 acres and carried
on general farming for two years. He then sold the property and purchased a farm on Shaker Hill, where he lived until 1882, when he sold and came to Lebanon, where he worked for his brother-in-law, L. C. Pattee, in the lumber busi- ness for six years.
In 1888 he bought a one-half interest in the store of Calvin Strong, and under the firm name of Strong & Perley ran a meat and canned goods market two years, when he sold his interest in the business to G. O. Abbott, and for a short time has assisted him. On Shaw Street Mr. Per- ley bought the Prof. Westgate residence and makes it his home, having remodeled and en- larged it and introduced modern conveniences.
Mr. Perley married Sarah J. Harris, daughter of William L. and Sarah (Pierce) Harris. Mrs. Harris was born in Yarmouth, Me., and died at the age of seventy-six. Mr. Harris is living with our subject and is retired from farming, at which he was very successful, at the age of eighty-two. He owns a fine farm which he looks after now. His children were as follows: Oc- tavius, Octavia, Georgianna; Sarah J., our sub- ject's wife; Emma; William, deceased; and Willie, also deceased. Our subject has one child, Fanny S., born March 13, 1870, who is a teacher of the French, German, and Latin lan- guages. Mr. Perley is a Republican and has served two years in the town of Lebanon as se- lectman. He is a member of the Social Lodge, F. & A. M., No. 50, of Enfield.
ABIEL CHAMBERLAIN, JR., a prominent farmer of the town of Bath, Grafton Co., N. H., was born on the homestead, where he still makes his residence, May 16, 1858. His parents were Abiel and Jennette (Dick) Chamberlain, the former of Bath, and the latter a native of Barnet, Vt. Our subject's grandfather was Phineas Chamberlain; he settled in Bath, bought a farm, and made it his home the rest of his life. In his political views he was a Whig, and served his town in the capacity of selectman in 1851-52. Home and family were his first care, and so he would accept of no office that would call him away from his chosen life. He married Betsey Downs, and their union was blessed by the birth
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of seven children, namely: Abbie, Mary A., Elinor, Betsey, Abiel, Isaac, and George. The family were regular attendants and supporters of the Congregational Church of Bath.
Abiel Chamberlain was born in Bath, June 12, 1809, and completed his education in the schools of his native town. He then took up the vocation of an agriculturist, and lived on one farm all his life. engaged in farming, his death taking place fifty rods away from his birth -- place. He was an active, hard-working man, and was brought up to toil from the extreme days of youth; he used to tell of driving oxen to haul logs off the mountain when only eight years old; he always raised wheat, and never bought a barrel of flour in his life. In politics, he was a Whig, and on the formation of the Re- publican party in 1856 joined the ranks of the new organization and was ever afterward loyal to its principles. He was twice united in mar- riage. His first wife was Jennette Dick of Bar- net. Vt., daughter of Mary A. (Gaulton) Dick, who was born in London, and came to this country with her husband, making the trip from Boston to Barnet. Vt., on horseback through the woods, being guided by spotted trees. Of his first union, our subject's father was blessed with the birth of eleven children, only five of whom now survive, whose names are as follows: Bet- sey, Mary. Abbie, Herbert, and Abiel, Jr., the subject of this brief memoir. Jennette Chamber- lain died May 16, 1858, and our subject's father formed a second union with Mrs. Mary A. San- born, sister of his first wife: she resides at present with our subject. Mr. Chamberlain died Aug. 21, 1889. They were Congregationalists in their religious preferences.
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