USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Book of biographies. This volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Grafton County, New Hampshire > Part 25
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Daniel Abbott, our subject's father, was born in 1834, and at the age of twenty-one went to Lowell, Mass., and worked in the cotton mills there, later removing to Bedford, Me., where he worked in the same business until he came to Rumney and bought a mill and the water power at Rumney, and carried on the manufacture of wooden rakes for some three years; he then turned his attention to the manufacture of truss pads. He built a new shop, and in 1881 built a new dam, and began to enlarge his business by adding the manufacture of crutches. As his crutches grew in popularity and the demand in- creased, he dropped the manufacture of pads and centered his attention on the manufacture of crutches. The business having grown and pros- pered, he felt warranted in taking in as partners his two sons, Charles W. and George Bert, under the firm name of D. Abbott & Sons. They shipped the goods in large quantities, in addition to the special orders: when the business had gained a good and solid reputation Daniel Ab- bott was stricken down with cancerous tumor, dying in 1891, at the age of fifty-three. Mr. Abbott owned a nice residence, which he built in Rumney, and twenty acres of land adjoining the house. In politics he was a Republican, and was supervisor of the town several years. He worshipped in the M. E. Church. He was a member of the Olive Branch Lodge, F. & A. M., of Plymouth. In the history of the town of Rumney, no one ever enjoyed more popularity or counted so many friends; he was a public- spirited man, and was wide-awake to the needs of the town, and ever ready to fill those needs, if in his power. His wife still survives him. Four
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children came to bless their home: Charles W., born Dec. 14, 1860, married Clara L. Stevens, and is a manufacturer of crutches, and a resident of Rumney; George Bert, the second son, is the subject of our sketch; Carrie E., born in 1868, married George C. Craig, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume; Elizabeth A., born in 1874, is a teacher.
George Bert Abbott, after he finished his edu- cation in the schools of Rumney, entered his father's factory as a workman, and after he had mastered the business was taken into the firm. After his father's death the business was carried on by C. W. and G. B. Abbott; the buildings were enlarged and the business was extended. In the spring of 1895 our subject bought his brother's interest, and has since carried on the business alone. He is manufacturing 100 dozen pairs of crutches per month; the trade has been worked up mainly in the Western States, and there Mr. Abbott always finds a ready sale for his product. He manufactures several different varieties, to suit different tastes, from maple- wood, lance-wood, and from rose-wood. They range from the very plainest to those with spring tops and rubber bottoms, and nickel trimmings. As for the important points of durability and strength, his wide reputation for honest and care- fully made goods attests they are well taken care of. Our subject has a large residence, which is occupied by his mother. In politics he has always supported the Republican ticket and nominees. He attends the Baptist Church.
FRED H. ENGLISH, of the firm of English & Bond, proprietors of one of the largest grocery and provision stores of Grafton Co., was born at Hartland, Vt., Jan. 8, 1857. He is a son of John WV. and Melissa (Hubbard) English: the line on his father's side runs back through John and Mary (Cary) English, John and Christiana (Cogswell) English, John and Abigail (New- comb) English, Richard and Mary (Hinksman) English to David English of the County of Essex, England. Only the bare facts of David English's life are known. At the age of twenty- seven he married Elizabeth, May 27, 1688; he lied Sept. 6, 1704. The following were his chil-
dren: Richard, born June 6, 1690, and died March, 1776; Elizabeth, born April 24, 1693; Solomon, born May 21, 1695; Reuben, born Dec. 3, 1699; and Sophia, born Nov. 23, 170I.
Richard English, the eldest son; emigrated to America, in 1710, on board the brig Swallow, and landed at Newport, R. I., Feb. 17, 1712. He was married to Mary Hinksman of Newport, R. I., and one child came to bless their household, John, born Aug. 8, 1713.
John English was married to Abagail New- comb, Nov. 9, 1737; she was born Nov. 17, 1750, and died Jan. 28, 1785. Mr. English was gath- ered unto his fathers Oct. 18, 1758. Their chil- dren were: Alice, born Oct. 2, 1738; John, Jan. I, 1740; Richard, Sept. 12, 1741; Alice, the sec- ond of that name, April 8, 1743; John, also the second of that name, March 22, 1745: Abigail, July 27, 1747; Mary, July 10, 1749; Abigail, the second of that name, May 1, 1751; Abel, July 4, 1753; Zephaniah, Dec. 9, 1755; and Joel, March 25, 1758.
John English, the next in the line, was born in 1745, and married as his first wife Hannah Longfellow; she bore him no children, and upon her death he married, Oct. 31, 1771, Christiana Cogswell. His second wife died April 3, 1796. Their children were as follows: Hannah, born Sept. 23, 1772; Abigail, Sept. 18, 1773; Ann, July 8, 1775; Olive, April 2, 1777; Mary, Oct. 13, 1779; John, Feb. 4, 1781 ; Zephaniah, Sept. 17, 1782; Olive, the second of that name, June 2, 1784; Charles, Sept. 9, 1786; John, the second of that name, Dec. 17, 1789; Abel, March 16, 1791 ; and Sophia, April 8, 1792.
John English, our subject's grandfather, was next to the youngest of the children, and, as stated in the record, was born in 1789, but the place is not known. He was a farmer by occupa- tion, and made his home in Waitsfield, Vt., where he died at the age of seventy. His wife, Mary Cary, passed away at the age of eighty years. Their children were: an infant son, who died; Melvina: Varona; and John W.
John W. English, our subject's father, was born in Waitsfield, Vt., June 13, 1824 He assisted his father on the farm until manhood, and then worked at agricultural pursuits till he . was enabled to buy an improved farm in the town of Hartland, where he made his first home. Only a few years were spent in Hartland, selling
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after a time, and removing to South Woodstock, Vt., where he carried on general farming, until he came to Littleton, about 1866, and bought the Amos Hubbard farm in the northern part of the town. After having lived on his new farm for a number of years, he sold the property, and bought a smaller place near the Glenwood Ceme- tery, where he carried on farming on a small scale, and held the post of sexton of the cemetery for about fourteen years. His death, which occurred May 27, 1891, was occasioned by pneumonia. He was a Democrat in politics, and was selectman for several years, besides holding other responsible positions. He married Me- lissa, daughter of Amos and Abigail (Smith) Hubbard, who were both born in Chesterfield, N. H. Amos Hubbard bought a tract of timber land in the early times, and settled on it; he felled the first tree ever removed by white man on his farm, and continued removing the natural growth until he had cleared the most of the farm, and had a splendid rich farm under culti- vation, with comfortable and well-furnished farm houses and other buildings. He started in life with no assistance, raised a large family, and managed to accumulate a good fortune to leave to his heirs; he lived to the age of ninety-two years, esteemed and respected by a large num- ber of friends of several generations. His wife departed this life at the age of sixty-six. Their children were: An infant son, deceased; Lauar; Clarissa; Sally: Alvira; Abigail; Philena; Ange- line; Amos: and Melissa. Our subject's parents had three children: Frank C., died at the age of six years and four months; Fred H., the sub- ject of this sketch ; and Eugene G., born Dec. 10, 1865. married Fanny Wilson, and lives in Spokane, Wash.
Our subject attended the public and high schools of Littleton to secure his education, after which he went to Tilton, N. H., where he worked for C. E. Tilton as general overseer and assistant for three years. He then entered into business under the firm name of Thorp & English for one year. Having sold his business in Tilton, he came to Littleton and bought the interest of Charles Taylor in the firm of South Lovejoy & Taylor, and carried on business four years under the firm name of South Lovejoy & English ; they kept a stock of general merchandise, and re- tained the best custom in the town. Mr. English
then sold his interests and bought the interest of H. F. Green of the firm of Eaton & Green, re- maining in this connection for three years; Mr. Eaton being away most of the time, our subject took full charge of the store most of the time. F. P. Bond, Mr. English's present partner, bought out Mr. Eaton's interests about 1886, and for the past ten years the large and commodious grocery and provision store, under the guidance of Messrs. English and Bond, has prospered in its home in the Calhoun Block, on Main Street. Littleton, and is known for miles in all direc- tions as headquarters for goods in the line of eatables. Mr. English has well sustained his reputation for a keen business man, in whom his patrons may trust; wide-awake to the needs of his business, and ready to oblige his customers in anything reasonable in his power, he well merits the good-will of the citizens of Littleton and the surrounding country. Mr. English in- herited the homestead, and having increased its value by added improvements, he sold it and bought a residence on High Street.
He married Clara Bell Richardson, daughter of Edward and Verona (Dailey) Richardson. Mr. English's political views are in harmony with those of the Democratic party; he has served on the school board six years, and has evinced an abiding and lively interest in the cause of educa- tion. He has also been a member of the board of health, and a secretary of the Littleton Driv- ing Park Association for two years. He is pub- lic-spirited and alive to the best interests of the town; he was chairman of the committee on building the Kilburn school, and was interested in the improvement of Littleton and the bring- ing her up to a standard unusual in villages of her size, as a member of the committee, who raised the money, amounting to $30,000, which was laid out in 1894 in paving the streets and sidewalks of Littleton. He is a member of the Burns Lodge, No. 66, F. & A. M., and served as secretary of the same for five years; Franklin Chapter, No. 5, R. A. M .; Omega Council, No. 9, R. & S. M .; St. Girard Commandery of Knights Templar; and Scottish Rite of Nashua. He is a Mason of the thirty-second degree, and takes no trifling interest in things Masonic.
Edward B. Richardson of Lisbon, N. H., the father of Mrs. Fred H. English, was born in Lis- bon, N. H., Nov. 14, 1835, and is a son of David
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and Priscilla (Albee) Richardson, the former of Lisbon and the latter a native of Littleton, N. H. John Richardson, the grandfather of Ed- ward B., was a native of Rhode Island, settling in Lisbon, N. H., in the early part of this cen- tury. There he devoted his time to the milling business and to the manufacture of linseed oil, in addition to owning and operating a large and valuable farm. In party allegiance he was a Re- publican. He married Olive Dailey, a native of Rhode Island, and to them were born a large family of children, all of whom are now de- ceased. John Richardson and his family were members of the M. E. Church of Lisbon, N. H.
David Richardson, the father of Edward B., was educated in the district schools of Lisbon and Littleton, N. H., and upon the completion of his education turned his attention to the pur- suits of agriculture. Farming and milling formed his principal occupations. He was a stanch Democrat. His wife was Priscilla Albee, a daughter of Alex. Albee of Littleton, N. H. Eight children came into the Richardson family as a result of this union, namely: Hannah mar- ried R. K. Stevens of Littleton, N. H .; Charles married Nancy Brown of Manchester, N. H .; Eliza married Moses Eastman of Whitefield, N. H .: Caroline married Myron Eastman of White- field, N. H .; Albee married Olive Jesseman of Lisbon, N. H .; Byron married Amanda Young of Lisbon, N. H .; and Edward B., the father of Mrs. Fred H. English.
Edward B. Richardson obtained his schooling in his youthful years in the educational institu- tions of Lisbon, N. H., and learned the ma- chinist's trade as his support in life; his work in this branch of industry has forced him at various times to take up his home in different localities. He is a Democrat. In 1858 he married Verona Dailey of Lisbon, N. H., a daughter of Russell and Betsey Dailey, and to them have been born four children: Clara B. married Fred H. Eng- lish, the subject of this sketch; Clarence E. mar- ried Anna B. Southerland of California: Marshall D. married Mattie Pike of Waterford, Vt .: Angie M. married Joseph Moore of California. The family are Methodists in their adherence to re- ligious principles and dogmas. Socially, Mr. Richardson belongs to Kane Lodge, F. & A. M., No. 64, of Lisbon, N. H ..
JOHN R. STEVENS, one of the leading, progressive farmers of the town of Ashland, was born in Campton, N. H., Feb. 5, 1853. He is the son of Peter R. and Sarah B. (Rollins) Stevens, and grandson of John and Lucy Ann (Buzzell) Stevens.
John Stevens came from England when a young man and purchased a farm in Ellsworth, N. H. He followed the pursuit of agriculture during his life, but did not remain a resident of Ellsworth all the time, for he owned several dif- ferent farms at successive periods. He died at the age of eighty-four, in the town of Rumney, of this county, where he owned a farm at the time. His wife lived to be sixty-nine years old. They had twelve children, of whom the following reached maturity : Peter R., John, Lyman, Lucy, Nancy, Lucinda, and George.
Peter R., the father of our subject, married and settled in Ellsworth, but later moved to Campton. In 1858 he was seized with the gold fever and went to California, following mining in the gold region. He died in California. He was a spiritualist and a medium, and was a de- vout believer in his religion. After his decease his wife married Hiram Cole, and after his death she married S. A. Newton and resides in the town of Holderness, Grafton. Co. The children of Peter R. Stevens were: Sarah L., John R., and Frank P.
John R. Stevens was educated in the public schools, and commenced his life as a man as a farm hand; but at an early age he left the farm and went to Plymouth, N. H., working in the manufacture of gloves until 1879. In that year he bought the James Cox property of 150 acres, which is located two miles from the village of Plymouth in the river valley ; forty acres is inter- vale land of the best quality. He has made many valuable improvements on the buildings and the Jand. He interests himself in stock-raising ex- tensively; he has a fine dairy of Jersey cows, a well-selected flock of sheep, and a large yard of choice poultry.
He married Lillian E., daughter of Henry J. Mosely. Mr. Mosely was a native of England and came to America early in life. He was a skilled painter and decorator, having served seven years in London, where he was born. He lived and worked in the States of New York and Vermont, and late in life pur-
HENRY A. HILDRETH, M. D.
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chased a farm in New Hampshire, where he enjoyed his last years. Two children survive him: Oscar; and Lillian E., the wife of our subject. Mr. Stevens is the parent of five children by his wife Lillian: Anna L. M., George H. H., Sarah E., Harry O., and Lucy M. He is a Republican, and has filled very accept- ably some of the minor town offices. He is at present chairman of the school board. He lias often been asked to fill higher offices, but has always steadily refused. He favors the M. E. Church, and is a member of the Knights of Honor.
HENRY A. HILDRETH, M. D., a promi- nent physician and throat and lung specialist of Bethlehem, N. H., was born July 13, 1850, in Boston, Mass., and is a son of Chauncey and Keziah (Edmonds) Hildreth.
Levi Hildreth, the grandfather of Dr. Hild- reth, was born in Chesterfield, N. H., April 2, 1775: he became well known through the win- nowing machines for grain, which he manufac- tured. He was a drum-major in the State militia, and in the latter portion of his life he manufactured drums and taught the art of drumming. He married, Jan. 24. 1798, Mary Farr, who was born March 15, 1782; she was a daughter of Ebenezer and Mary Farr of Chester- field, N. H. After their marriage Mr. Hildreth and his wife moved to Littleton, N. H., where eight children were born to them. This is the record: Mary, born Aug. 12, 1798, died March 12, 1849; Sally, born July 15, 1800, died Oct. 14, 1857: Levi J., born Nov. 26, 1801, died Dec. 25. 1833; Chauncey, born Sept. 18, 1803, died Dec. 15. 1891; Lucinda, born January, 1806, (lied Feb. 18, 1886: Chelsea, born Nov. 3, 1807. died March 13. 1892: Berenice, born October, 1814, died June 12, 1874; and William M., born in October, 1819, who started on a sea voyage and was never after heard from.
Chauncey Hildreth was educated in the schools of Littleton, N. H., and learned the car- penter's and joiner's trade, which he followed until 1845. In that year he moved to Boston, Mass., where he was superintendent for a con- tractor in the day time and a member of the police force at night, working until 12 o'clock.
He managed to fill both of these positions for eleven years, and then moved to Thetford Hill in Vermont, where he lived one year, going from there to Fairlee in the same State, and purchas- ing a farm, where he lived for a time. He sold his property there at last and removed to Dalton, N. H., where he purchased his wife's home- stead. About 1875 he moved to Newbury, Vt., where he spent his last days with his daughter, Mrs. William Lowd; he died Dec. 15, 1891. Nov. 25, 1830, he was married by the Rev. Mr. Brooks to Keziah Edmonds, daughter of Aaron Ed- monds, a noted educator in the early history of this country. To Mr. and Mrs. Hildreth were born seven children: Eliza, Maria, Diadema, Aaron, Louise, Rhoda, Henry A. They were Congregationalists.
Dr. Hildreth received his elementary educa- tion in the public schools of Boston and at Lan- caster Academy at Lancaster, N. H. He then went west and entered the Cincinnati Medical College of Ohio and graduated in the Class of 1873. After his graduation he matriculated and attended the medical clynic of Bellevue Hospital of New York City. Having completed his course, he took a year's extended trip to the medical colleges of Europe, visiting the hospitals of Dublin, Edinburgh, London, and of France, Germany, and Italy, making a special study of the diseases of the blood and of the microscopic studies of bacteriology and tuberculosis. When he had returned from his foreign trip he located in Lisbon, N. H., where he remained about four years. He then moved to Bethlehem, N. H., and has spent most of his time in the latter place, where he gets an extensive summer practice, making a specialty of throat and lung diseases. He has been a very successful man in that line, and is reputed to have made some really wonderful cures in the above-mentioned diseases. Fle is a very conscientious man in his practice and retains the confidence of his patients from the first by his thoroughly professional manner.
Feb. 21, 1877, he was joined in marriage with Lilla A. Kelsea, daugliter of Charles J. and Mary Kelsea of Lisbon, N. H. This union has been blessed with the birth of three children, as follows: Charles H., born Nov. 28, 1877, died Oct. 27, 1892; George K., born March 7, 1880; and Mary E., born Feb. 28, 1896. George K. is attending Dartmouth College at Hanover, N. HI.
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, GRAFTON COUNTY.
Socially, Dr. Hildreth is a Mason, and belongs to Kane Lodge, No. 64: Franklin Chapter, No. 5, of Lisbon, N. H .: St. Girard Commandery of Littleton, N. H. He is also a member of the Rose Croix, being a thirty-second degree Mason. 'He is a member of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Mystic Shrine ot Montpelier, Vt. He is a member of the Roxbury Club of Boston, Mass. The medical societies of which he is a member are the Massachusetts Medical Society; the New Hampshire Medical Society; the White Moun- tain Medical Society; and the Boston District Medical Society.
Dr. Hildreth's portrait appears on another page in this volume.
JAMES W. MERRILL, one of the success- ful and well-to-do agriculturists of the town of Littleton, and an honored veteran of the late Re- bellion, was born in North Conway, N. H., May 7, 1817; he is a son of Samuel and Dorcas H. (Eastman) Merrill, grandson of Samuel Merrill, who served in the Revolutionary War. Upon the cessation of hostilities with the mother coun- try, Samuel Merrill retired to Brownfield, Me., where he took up a tract of new land, and lived there the remainder of his life, taking a promi- nent part in the development of that section of the country. He reared the following children: Enoch, Isaac, Samuel, John, James, Ambrose, Lydia, Betsey, Ruth, Dolly, and Sarah.
Our subject's father was born at Brownfield, Maine, Dec. 19, 1780, and learned the black- smith's trade, settling down for the practice of his trade in North Conway, N. H., where our subject was born. After a number of years resi- dence in North Conway he moved to Bartlett, where he bought a farm and lived until he died, Sept. 8, 1824. His first wife was Phebe A. Goodenow; for only a short time was she per- mitted to live with him, and left a vacant place, which was filled by his second wife, Dorcas H. Eastman; she was born Jan. 4, 1786, and died Nov. 7, 1873. She presented him with the fol- lowing children: Lewis L., John, Phebe A. G., Harriet E., Mary C., Susan, James W., Samuel N., Elmira C., and Nathaniel.
James W. Merrill was twenty years old when he came to the town of Littleton and engaged in
the wheelwright's trade; he did not work always as a journeyman wheelwright, but soon had acquired experience and capital to carry on a business in his own interests, which he did for twenty years, until 1861, when he sold his busi- ness and bought the Higgins's farm and ran it for two years, and then buying the N. Lewis farm of 100 acres. On Aug. 30, 1864, he enlisted in the service for the preservation of the Union, and was honorably discharged June 15, 1865. He was wounded at Fort Reno from the ex- plosion of a cannon, and nearly destroyed his hearing, for which disability he has drawn a pen- sion since. In 1865 he erected the present resi- dence; he has also built barns, and made many other improvements of a like character. There is a very good-bearing orchard of fruit, and a large maple grove, where he makes a consider- able amount of sugar annually.
Mr. Merrill, Feb. 20, 1844, married Miss Grace Whiting; she was born July 28, 1825, and is a daughter of Stephen H. and Martha (Dailey) Whiting. Stephen Whiting was a son of Capt. Leonard Whiting, who was one of the pioneers of the town of Lisbon, and built the first saw- mill there. Tradition says that Capt. Leonard Whiting and his son, Stephen H., were granted land in the town of Lisbon for their gallant ser- vices during the Revolutionary War, in which Leonard served as a captain, and his son as pri- vate. When our subject was called to the front with his comrades to fight for his country his wife was left with a large family of children; with the dreadful uncertainty of what might be his fate, whether she should ever see him again or not, with a heavy heart, yet with true mother's love and fortitude, that bears up the frailest woman in the hour of extremity, she managed the farm and cared for the children till their father's safe return home. The eldest child was Edna J., born Jan. 30, 1845: she married H. Somers, and bore him two children before he was removed from her side by death. The children by her first marriage were: Gertrude and Belle. The latter is the only one living. Her second husband was L. J. Miner of Whitefield, N. H. Martha Ellen, born Aug. 16, 1846, married H. G. Towne of Littleton, and has five children: Ida, Luther, Grace, George, and Charles (deceased). George A., born March 19, 1849, married Phebe Pollock, and has one child, Arthur D., in addi-
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, GRAFTON COUNTY.
tion to the one lost in infancy. Mr. Merrill has charge of his father's farm. Charles N., born April 10, 1851, lived to be two and a half years old. Mary L., born Jan. 16, 1854, died in 1879; she was the wife of A. Clark. Harry L., born April 30, 1860, is a broker and real estate dealer of Fair Haven, Washington. Alice E., born May 1, 1863, married H. Miller of Bethlehem, and has four children: Grace, Edith, Edward, and Lizzie. Fred H., born March 23, 1868, is a farmer of Littleton: he married Cassie Bishop, and has one child, Henry H. Our subject is a Democrat, and has held many of the minor offices of the town.
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