USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Book of biographies. This volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Grafton County, New Hampshire > Part 33
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76
During the Revolution he was attached to the army and was stationcd at Stillwater. He was a pillar of the Congregational Church, and was a
liberal supporter in the building of four churches; toward the establishing of the Tilden Ladies' Seminary he gave $1,000.00, and was always generous in his contributions to worthy purposes. His centennial was celebrated at his favorite church, near his home in West Lebanon, where but a few weeks later his funeral obsequies took place amid a large concourse of relatives and friends. Following is the record of the · names of the children born to him and their births: Sarah, born Aug. 24, 1784; Martha, June 16, 1786; Joseph, April 20, 1788; Polly, Aug. 16, 1789; Henry G., July 4, 1791 ; Hannah, Aug. 13, 1794; Olive, April 16, 1796; Susan, March 29, 1798; Jeremiah, 1803; Emma, Octo- ber, 1806; and Samuel, September, 1807.
Henry G. Wood, our subject's grandfather, settled on the farm now owned by our subject, and later on built a house where his son Jere- miah, our subject's father, was born. He was not only a good farmer who thoroughly understood his business, but also very successful in his efforts, and left a handsome property to his heirs. He was more retired in disposition than his father, but withal very active in town affairs. He died in January, 1873. His wife, Betsey Gerrish Wood, passed away to that far land from which no traveler ever returns in 1859, aged sixty-two years. Their children were: Betsey, Sarah, Joseph, Moses, Henry G., Jr., Mary A., and Jere- . miah.
Jeremiah Wood attended the Thetford Acad- emy, and then made his start in the task of sup- porting himself by clerking in a general store; he then bought Joseph Wood's farm, also buying and selling several other places. Later on he bought his father's homestead, where he now re- sides. He is both a model farmer and a leader among the farmers of the town, being very suc- cessful in his chosen occupation. He keeps a large and choice dairy, and has dealt in cattle and · produce extensively. He married Ellen Dicken- son, daughter of Dwight and Martha (Jennison) Dickenson; she died Jan. 29, 1892. Their chil- dren were: Frank J .; Annie; William, who died at the age of twelve; George A .; Ella G. (de- ceased); Lizzie (deceased); Daniel; Nellie; Sadie; Mabel (deceased); Fanny (deceased); Josie; Joseph; and Ross.
Frank J. attended the State Normal School, and turned his attention to agricultural pursuits
THOMAS SCOTT PULSIFER.
187
BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, GRAFTON COUNTY.
for two years, then spending five years in Boston, Mass., after which he bought his grandfather Wood's homestead of 125 acres. He enlarged some of the buildings to suit his needs and has since followed general farming, devoting much of his attention to his fine dairy of twenty-one head of grade Jerseys.
Mr. Wood was married, April 30, 1893, to Miss Minnie F. Cochrane, daughter of Robert and Janette (Melrose) Cochrane of Leeds, Province of Quebec. Our subject's marriage has been blessed with two children: Sarah Ellen, born Feb. 17, 1894; and Samuel Ashley, born June 17. 1.896. Mr. Wood is a Republican, and a mem- ber of the Mascoma Lodge, I. O. O. F., No. 20.
THOMAS SCOTT PULSIFER, one of the leading men of the town of. Campton, and by occupation a farmer and real estate dealer, was born on the place he now occupies and owns, April 5, 1825. He is a son of Major John and Polly (Palmer) Pulsifer, a grandson of Joseph and Mary (Brown) Pulsifer, and a great-grand- son of Joseph and Sarah (Lovell) Pulsifer.
Joseph Pulsifer, Sr., was born in Ipswich, Mass., 1705, and was married to Sarah Lovell in 1744. Their children settled in Connecticut, New York, New Hampshire, and Maine. Their son, Joseph, born in 1745, at Ipswich, learned the cabinet maker's trade, and followed that line of work for some time, until the times became hard, and the people in the vicinity of Ipswich pretty well supplied (the demand for articles, such as were produced by his trade, was not very large in those days). At that juncture he deter- mined to turn to the pursuit of agriculture, and accordingly came on horseback, in company with his wife, both on one horse, to the town of Campton, Grafton Co. Finding that all the de- sirable river farms had been already settled, he took up a farm in the center of the town, near the present Congregational Church, where they lived a few years; but the soil was sandy and not as productive as he desired, so he, with Chiliub Brainard, started out to look for a better loca- tion. By climbing the tall trees they managed to obtain a fair view of the lay of the land, and decided upon the hill, where David B. and
Thomas S. Pulsifer now live. They then set to work to remove the heavy growth of timber in order to put the land in cultivation, Mr. Brain- ard clearing the land where David B. Pulsifer now carries on his farming operations, and Joseph Pulsifer clearing the farm that now be- longs to our subject, Thomas Scott Pulsifer. Joseph built a small frame house, and nails at that time being very expensive, he secured all the boards and even the shingles with wooden pegs. Besides clearing the land of the heavy timber, he also utilized some in working a little at his old trade of cabinet-maker. There being no saw-mills in that region, he was forced to split the large straight-grain maples that he cut down into boards and then with the assistance of an adz and a plane he made them into desks, tables, stands, etc., with which he supplied many of the new settlers. With the help of his stalwart sons, the shortest of whom was five feet and eleven inches, he cleared 100 acres, which has proved to be one of the best farms in the town. Joseph passed away in 1832; his wife was called to her reward in the mansions prepared above in 1830. Their family consisted of four boys and six girls: Mary married Darius Willey; Joseph married Abigail Willey; Sally married Joshua Fletcher; Annie married Samuel Elliott; Hannah married Tristram Bartlett; John mar- ried Polly Palmer; Moses married Mary Bart- lett; Elizabeth married Joseph Gidding; Charles married Nancy Webster; Ruth married James Burbeck.
Major John Pulsifer, the father of our subject, remained on the farm with his parents and cared for them in their last days. His occupation was farming, and he was a farmer in every sense of the term, most thorough and painstaking in every detail that goes toward making success. His success was such that he was enabled to buy land adjoining the original farm that had be- longed to his father until he owned 300 acres of land; about 1812 he built the house, which is still standing, and made many improvements that added to the value of the land. He pos- sessed a splendid judgment, and was a very active man in matters that .concerned the town's welfare; he was the kindest and most obliging of neighbors. He served as captain and major in the State militia. He was born Feb. 13, 1781, and died at the age of ninety-three years, six
188
BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, GRAFTON COUNTY.
months and six days. He was endowed with a strong constitution, and would probably have lived to enjoy life longer than he did if it had not been for an accident that caused the fracture of his hip. At his advanced age the bones refused to knit, and the continual drain told on hun, forcing him at last to resign himself to the stern decree. He had eleven children: George, Martha, Sarah, Phebe, Joseph, Walter, John M., Elizabeth, Lydia, Thomas S., and Charles W. His first wife was Polly Palmer, who was born in 1784, and died 1839. He married as his second wife Martha Foss, and she lived to pass her ninetieth birthday successfully. He was an active and liberal supporter of the Congregational Church.
Thomas Scott Pulsifer attended the district schools to obtain his schooling and was kept at home to assist his parents in the management of the farm. He remained with them dutifully till death released them from earthly cares, and in- herited the farm at last. He was married on Jan. I, 1852, to Hannah P., daughter of Colonel Moody and Lucy (Eaton) Cook. Col. Cook was born in Campton, and was a son of Lieut. Moody Cook, who was one of the early settlers of Campton. He was engaged in clearing his farm, now known as the Stephen Avery farm when the Battle of Bunker Hill was fought; being a lieutenant in the State militia, he en- listed in the war and was three years fighting for Independence. He sold his farm when he left. for the scenes of battles and when he returned he settled in the western part of the town known as Campton Bog, on the farm now known as the Hill farm, where he owned a large tract of land. He did a good deal of clearing, removing the native growth from as much as 100 acres of valuable timber land. He died at the age of eighty-nine. His son, Moody, inherited the homestead of 300 acres and built four barns and a house, which is still standing. He carried on large general farming operations and was counted as one of the solid men of the com- munity. His death occurred when he was sixty- nine years of age. His wife passed away when seventy-nine years old. She was the daughter of Daniel Eaton. Moody Cook's children were as follows: Sarah A., Daniel, Hannah, Joseph, Samantha, Lucy, Hannah P., A. Hastings, Daniel E., and Arthur B. In his political affilia-
tions he was a Whig. He served the town as selectman and in minor offices, and was colonel of the 14th Reg. of New Hampshire State Militia.
Our subject's wife, Hannah P. Cook, was born May 14, 1828, and has borne Mr. Pulsifer three children: Almon S., John M., and Allie C. Al- mon S. died at the age of twenty-four. John M. is associated with his father in general agricul- tural operations, and has charge and supervision of all the work. He married Laura S. Worthen, and has one child living, Alice Cook; they lost one child, Scott W. Allie C. was taken home in infancy at the age of two years.
Mr. Pulsifer is a stanch Republican and has served in the town as selectman two terms, and as chairman of the board of selectmen. He has been town treasurer three years; collector five years; superintendent of the poor four years. He has been a member of the school board and represented the town in the Legislature of 1865- 66. He has been a justice of the peace since 1857. He is a loyal member of the Congrega- tional Church, and takes a willing part in all the good causes it supports. He is a member of the Grange, and has been Master for ten years, and is now treasurer of the Grange Mutual Fire In- surance Co. of New Hampshire. He is also a member of the State Grange, and has been a director of the Pemigewasset National Bank of Plymouth since its organization.
In connection with this biography of Mr. Pul- sifer we also present his portrait on another page of this work.
DR. MILTON S. WOODMAN of West Lebanon, one of the leading physicians and sur- geons of the town, was born at Hatley, Province of Quebec, June 4, 1850. He is a son of Albert A. and Mary J. (Sanborn) Woodman, grandson of Joshua S. and Polly (Sturtevant) Woodman, and great-grandson of Benjamin Woodman, who came from Newbury, Mass., to Barton, Vt., and there rounded out his years as a farmer.
Joshua Woodman was born at Barton, Vt., and served an apprenticeship as clothier; having learned his trade, he went to Quebec, and settled in Hatley, where he carried on the clothier busi- ness, taking the wool as it came after being
189
BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, GRAFTON COUNTY.
shorn from the sheep, carding it, weaving it, fulling, dyeing, and dressing it. This was done after the old process, and a great deal of it was done by hand. He was a successful man in busi- ness, and was a well-to-do manufacturer in 1863 when he retired from his trade. He died in 1866, aged seventy-five years. His first wife died when about fifty years old. Their children were: Joshua S., Jr., Mary M., Eliza J., Caleb T., Albert A., and Priscilla. His second wife was Arethusa Bicknell.
Albert A. went into the factory and worked with his father, but he tired of the confinement, and so bought a farm in Compton, P. Q., where he carried on general farming until his death in September, 1895, at the age of seventy years. His wife, who was a daughter of Levi and Lucy (Plumley) Sanborn, died in 1888 at the age of sixty-eight. Her birthplace was Barnston, P. Q., but when she was young she lived in New York City, and was a milliner by trade before her mar- riage. There were born to our subject's parents the following children: Milton S., S. Orcelia, Jennie E., and Albert A., Jr. They were mem- bers of the Free Will Baptist Church.
Our subject attended the district school and Compton Academy, and fitted for college at the Green Mountain Seminary. In 1872 he entered Bates College at Lewiston, Me., but did not pursue his course there very long, because he desired to be fitted to teach. He, accordingly, entered Bishop College at Lenoxville, P. Q., where he took a special course to enable him to assume the duties of a pedagogue with grace. After his graduation he was principal of the Charleston Academy at Charleston, P. Q., in 1872 and 1873; principal of Danville Academy from 1873 to 1875; and principal of the Essex Classical Institute at Essex Center, Vt., one year. He then came to West Lebanon, N. H., and bought J. Brown's interest in the firm of Drake & Brown, druggists, carrying on that business thereafter under the name of Drake & Woodman for three years. He then bought out Mr. Drake's interest, and conducted the business himself 11ntil 1894 under the firm name of M. S. Wood- man & Co.
From the time when he first became a drug- gist he has been engaged in the study and then the practice of medicine. He entered Dartmouth College, the medical department, from which he
graduated in 1888, and immediately entered upon the practice of the profession. Thus he fitted himself according to the best light possible, and to-day in ability and patronage he stands among the leading physicians and surgeons of the county. His finely appointed office is located at his residence at No. 14 Maple Street. In his political views he is a stanch Republican. He has served on the school board eleven years, and was chairman of the board during the building of West Lebanon's beautiful new brick school- house, one of the best in the Connecticut Valley. He served as supervisor of the check list of the town of Lebanon several years; in the election of Nov. 3, 1896, he was elected a representative to the legislative halls of the Capitol at Concord. He is a member of the Franklin Lodge, F. & A. M., No. 6; St. Andrews Chapter, No. I. He also belongs to Myrtle Lodge, I. O. O. F., No. 27; and the Morning Star Encampment; with his wife he also is a member of Rebecca Lodge (Fidelity), No. 28; in addition he is a member of Olcott Commandery of the Golden Cross at Olcott, Vt. The Medical Order, A. K. K., in- cludes him among its members, he being the first president of Chapter A. He belongs to the fol- lowing societies that have to do with his pro- fession: White River Medical Association, New Hampshire Medical Association, and America Medical Association.
Dr. Woodman married Miss Mary E. Morey, daughter of Reuben and Rosetta M. (Brown) Morey. Mr. Morey was a native of Vershire, Vt., from which town he moved with his parents to Strafford, Vt. Until about 1854 he was a far- mer. From that time till his death (1868) he was in mercantile business in South Royalton, Vt., and West Lebanon, N. H. He died at the age of fifty-nine. His first wife was Mary Blaisdell. who died in young womanhood, leaving the fol- lowing children: Joanna, Harriet S., and Charles C., who was killed in the late war while serving as captain of a company of the 2nd Reg. Vt. Vol. Inf. By his second marriage with Mrs. Wood- man's mother, he became the father of two chil- dren: Wilbur R., who died young; and Mary F. (Woodman). To our subject and wife have been born two children: Mary Milton, born July 8, 1876, is a student at Mt. Holyoke College: James Brown, born Jan. 12, 1879, is attending Dartmouth College.
190
BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, GRAFTON COUNTY.
MISS LAURA DURKEE, one of the most esteemed ladies of the town of Lebanon, is a descendant of an early and noble family of this town. Her parents were John and Lydia (Heb- bard) Durkee, and her grandparents were Nathan and Phebe (Bliss) Durkee.
Nathan Durkee was born in Norwich, Conn., in 1755; he was left an orphan at the age of four, and when sixteen years old came to Lebanon with his uncle, Levi Hyde, working for him dur- ing his minority, for his uncle was his guardian. After that time until he was twenty-five he worked for sundry persons in the town, and then began to think seriously of marrying and set- tling down. He accordingly became the pur- chaser of a lot of 100 acres in the south part of the town. He immediately set to work, cleared a portion of it and'prepared a rude house, to which he brought his wife, Miss Phebe Bliss, whom he married in March, 1787. She was born in Lebanon, Conn., March 9, 1762, and was a daughter of David and Sarah (Porter) Bliss, and a niece of Daniel and Isaiah Bliss, who settled in Lebanon, this county. Mr. Durkee was in- dustrious and energetic, and labored with much success in bringing his farm into a good state of cultivation. After a number of years of gen- eral prosperity and the accumulation of property by farm improvements and otherwise, he added to the comforts of the place by erecting a good frame house on or near the spot where the old one stood. It was the same house in which he lived during his life, in which all or nearly all of his children were born, and where his oldest son, John, lived and raised his family. until 1863, when he sold the farm to Egbert Heath and re- moved to the village. It was destroyed by fire in January, 1873. The widow of Nathan Durkee lived on with her son John in the old homestead until her decease at the advanced age of ninety- five years. During all her long life she was in delicate health, and for a considerable portion of the time she was unable to render any assistance in the family. Nathan Durkee lived until 1807; and died at the age of fifty-two. He was a man, who though not large in size, was very strong; priding himself on this feature, he occasionally had trials with others in which he was generally successful. He was tough and hardy and capable of enduring great hardships. At the time of the Indian troubles he went to Royalton, Vt., and
during the Revolutionary War he was engaged in one of the Canada expeditions, and was also in Gen. Gates's army at the taking of Gen. Bur- goyne, after the battle of Saratoga. His widow received a pension from the Government in recognition of his services.
John Durkee, the oldest son of his parents, vas born April 5, 1788, and married Lydia, daughter of James Hebbard, June 6, 1813. She was born Oct. 4, 1786. John lived and labored on the homestead with his father until the latter's decease, in 1807, and then succeeded him in the possession of the homestead and carried on the farm with all its responsibilities and cares for about seven years, at the end of which time he established his young wife as head of the house- hold. It was the beginning of a long journey with a fair prospect of a pleasant one. They labored and traveled together, hand in hand, life's path, with its varying fortunes, in the en- joyment of all those comforts and that happiness which are so generally realized in a farmer's life. Mr. Durkee lived upon this farm seventy-five years, lacking two days, and in all that time he never knew a day's sickness. At length the weakness of age began to show itself, and the once strong and willing hands to lose their power, and Mr. Durkee and his family concluded that a change in the situation would be desirable as giving relief from labor. Having worked out a fair remuneration for a life's labor, he con- cluded to dispose of his farm and remove to the village, where, with his family, they could all lead an easier life and enjoy the privileges of a town and the comforts of a more agreeable home. Having contracted a severe cold, he was confined to his bed soon after moving. How- ever, his constitution, so well established, gained the victory, and he enjoyed excellent health thereafter until his death in 1875, following after that of his beloved wife six days.
In his early years he was honored with a com- mission in the New Hampshire militia, and with due respect for that office, he purchased a silver- hilted sword and carried it in triumph through a peaceful campaign in Lebanon. In the War of 1812, when the call was made for troops to go to Portsmouth, he lent it to Samuel Shelden, Esq., one of the volunteers, who brought it back in safety and returned it unstained by blood of friend or foe. With a gun he was more success-
191
BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, GRAFTON COUNTY.
ful. In the forest, near his house, he shot a gray eagle, measuring seven feet ten inches from tip to tip of the wings, the largest ever seen in this part of the country.
Mr. Durkee had always been a careful, me- thodical man in business, and managed his inter- ests with great judgment. In regard to raising fruit and improving his fruit orchard, he worked on scientific lines, which had been tried and known to be successful in their results. In his labor on the farm he united a little mechanical work with work purely agricultural, claiming that he could make a better ox-yoke than a pro- fessional workman.
During the early years of his life he taught school, and in after years was occasionally one of the committee for the examination of prospective teachers, being well qualified by experience. In regard to his politics, he was a Federalist and then a Republican. Both he and his wife were members of the Congregational Church, the former for forty and the latter for nearly fifty years; for twenty years he was the efficient church clerk. His patriotism, besides being ex- hibited in his loyal citizenship, often burst forth as it did after the news of the surrender of Rich- mond became known, when he took his gun out on the village common and indulged in a little private celebration. Although a man of positive convictions upon all the questions of his day and earnest and able in his advocacy in what he thought was right, and though possessing quali- ties of mind and heart which might have made him a successful leader in society, his tastes led him to prefer retirement; not, however, without making his influence felt where important issues seemed to be at stake.
Their only daughter, Laura, the subject of this sketch, always lived with them, and was a com- fort and mainstay to them in their old age. She was the moving spirit in the household, and sig- nally honored the "commandment with a prom- ise" in the patient and faithful care of her parents in their declining years. Her home, left her by her parents, is located on Elm Street, and has been fitted up with those improvements and con- veniences that go toward making a comfortable home. She is a prominent member of the Con- gregational Chureh, and is much given to ex- tending help and sympathy to those in need.
Hiram H., the oldest son of John and Phebe
Durkee, was born Nov. 4, 1814, and worked on the farm during his minority, receiving the bene- fits of the district school and Meriden Academy. Having well prepared himself for an active life, he commenced a business career in New York City many years ago and realized a prosperous trade ever since. He married Mrs. Miller, a widow with three children; their union was blessed with one more child. Mr. Durkee died Nov. 22, 1894.
Julius Augustus, the younger son, was born Feb. 4, 1820, and had the same educational ad- vantages as his brother. He also went to New York City, where he spent the first four years in teaching, and then established himself in the mercantile business and accumulated a hand- some fortune, and, what is more, he won an hon- orable name and secured the esteem of all who knew him. His generosity to the Congrega- tional Society in Lebanon will long be remem- bered by its members, and so will his memory be revered for many other acts of kindness and generosity exhibited in various ways. His first wife was Miss Delight Wilber Champlin of Rhinebeck, N. Y., whom he married April 20, 1852, settling then in the city of Brooklyn. They lived together till June 29, 1865, when his wife died, leaving two little girls. His second wife was Miss Julia Grant of Kenosha, Wis. Mr. Durkee died in Brooklyn at his residence, Feb. 18, 1869, aged forty-nine years.
Nathan Durkee's family was composed of John, Benjamin, Phebe, Nathan, Jr., Bela, and Horace. Benjamin, the second son, and uncle of our subject, was born July 1, 1780; being desirous of obtaining a liberal education, he en- tered Middlebury College of Middlebury, Vt., and almost finished the course when ill health compelled him to stop. The faculty were so kind as to present him with a diploma. Phebe, born Aug. 26, 1792, married Zuar Eldridge, April 16, 1833, the nearest neighbor on the hill; she was his second wife, and died without issue. Mr. Eldridge was killed in 1873 while walking along the railroad track by the train that came upon him unawares. Nathan Durkee, Jr., born June 21, 1795, engaged in sundry lines of business, being located at one time in Albany, Vt. He married Lucy, daughter of Arad Simons of Leb- anon, Feb. 20, 1825. They finally settled in New York City, where he died in 1844, leaving his
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.