USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Book of biographies. This volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Grafton County, New Hampshire > Part 42
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Samuel Quimby Currier, our subject's father, was born in Dunbarton, N. H., Oct. 15, 1805, and after serving an apprenticeship at the trade of a blacksmith, he went to Norwich, Vt., where he lit his forge, and followed his trade throughout his life, and being a natural mechanic, he was noted far and wide as a very skilled workman. He died at the age of sixty-seven, and his wife about the age of sixty. She was a daughter of Levi Blaisdell. Our subject's parents' children were: Abel; Samuel H .; Simeon, our subject ; George; Henry; Lewis; Henry, 2nd; and Ellen. Mr. Currier was a Democrat, but never an aspirant for any office.
Our subject attended the district schools, worked at farming, and at twenty years of age or thereabouts, enlisted in Co. H., 7th Reg. Vt. Vol. Inf .; the enlistment was dated in 1862, and read for three years' service, but Mr. Currier was taken sick, was sent to a hospital, and from there honorably discharged. In 1863 he entered the employ of Pattee & Perley in their saw-mills in Canaan, where he worked as sawyer until his fail- ing health compelled him to retire from that kind of work in 1893, having been in the employ of this firm thirty years. He purchased for his
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home on the South Road, town of Canaan, the Daniel Pattee farm, handsomely located, and embracing in its extent some very fertile land. In his few years residence, he has brought the farm up to a high point of excellence, making many improvements, which will last and give real value to the property. Our subject's only child and son, Samuel W. Currier, has charge of the farm, and keeps a choice dairy, and a flock of fancy-bred sheep. Our subject married Miss Clymena Johnson, daughter of Wayne Johnson of Norwich, Vt. Samuel W., our subject's son, was born Oct. 29, 1858, and married Etta M. Hadley, a daughter of Norman Hadley, a farmer of Canaan, and has two children: Eva L., born April 21, 1879; and Sammiel H., born Sept. 17, 1888. He is a Demoerat in his politieal affilia- tions. Our subject is a Democrat, and a member of the Social Lodge, F. & A. M .; and also of the G. A. R. Post.
HON. CHARLES H. WEBSTER, the genial and popular proprietor of the Webster House of Enfield, N. H., was born in the same town where he now lives, Mareh 1, 1845, and is a son of Clifton C. Webster and Mahala M. Huse.
Our subject's father was born in Enfield, N. H., and learned, when a young man, the shoe- maker's trade, following it more or less through- out his life. He also owned a farm, now the property of our subject, and was occupied in farming in his last days. He had six children, namely: William C., Angeline F., Sarah H., Clifton C., Emma E., and Charles H.
Our subjeet assisted his father till he reached his majority, when he went into the meat busi- ness as clerk, and was thus engaged for some years. Upon his father's death, he bought tlie farm and stayed with his mother there, earrying on general farming; during his stay on the farm he made many improvements, and rebuilt the structures thereon, so that the value of the prop- erty has greatly increased.
In 1888 Mr. Webster bought the hotel, now familiar as the Webster House, but then well known as the Kenyon House; he has been for- ward in making all the improvements that will add to the comfort of his guests, and it is the
testimony, voluntarily given, of many, who have had occasion to stop at his hostelry, that he sets the best table in New Hampshire. He has won many friends by his courteous and pleasant man- ner, and makes his house a home with home comforts to the traveling publie; outside of the transients, who visit him for a night or for sev- eral days, he has quite a number of resident boarders. Mr. Webster is not only very popular, but highly thought of, as is evidenced by his holding the various offices of selectman, town treasurer, and as representative in the State Leg- islature in 1893. He is a member of the Helping Hand Lodge, I. O. O. F., No. 95.
Mr. Webster married Aliee, daughter of Thomas J. and Charlotte C. (Eastman) Pills- bury, and has two children: Val M. and Ethel C. Mrs. Webster is a granddaughter of Major Moses Pillsbury, who was born and lived in Springfield. N. H .; that portion of the town where he lived was during his life made a part of the town of Grantham. He was the first se- lectman ever eleeted in the town of Grantham, and continued to serve in that capacity for many years. He was a Baptist in religious belief; he was a leading man in the town, and bore an ex- cellent reputation as a first-elass farmer. He and his wife died about the age of eighty-nine. Their children were: Martha, Ezra, Greenough, Thomas J., Lewis, Charles, Moses, Phebe, and Betsey. Thomas J. Pillsbury, Mrs. Webster's father, was born in Corydon, and adopted the oceupation of a farmer, owning and operating at different times farms in Corydon, Sunapee Har- bor, Grantham, Plainfield, and Enfield, living in the latter place thirty-two years, and dying there May 10, 1891, aged almost eighty-eight years. His first marriage resulted in four children: Eliza C., who died at the age of thirty-one; Ro- silla ; Abbie; and Dudley. His second wife, born Aug. 26, 1816, was a daughter of Jeremiah and Betsey (Leverett) Eastman, and is still enjoying the best of health, making her home with her son, Joseph S. Pillsbury ; she is extremely active, and does not look even sixty years old. Time, that ruthless destroyer of beauty, has been very kind to her, and exceedingly gentle in placing the burden of years on her brow. Mr. Pillsbury's second marriage was blessed with five eliildren: Addie; Clarence: Marcellus: Joseph S .; and Aliee, now Mrs. Webster.
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FERNANDO C. GALE, an engineer on the B. & M. R. R., was born in Haverhill, N. H., May 26, 1858, and is a son of Frank Blood and Susan M. (Carter) Gale. Frank Blood Gale was born in Alexandria, N. H., Oct. 10, 1819, and was the eleventh in a family of twelve children. On Jan. 7. 1845, he was married to Abigail Carleton, who was born March 23, 1827, and died Sept. 9, 1853. To them were born six chil- dren, of whom three survive: George, who lives at Brier Hill; Abbie, the wife of William Shat- thick of Wellesley, Mass .; and Charles, who re- sides in North Haverhill Village. On the sec- ond occasion of our subject's father's marriage, June 13, 1855, the bride was Susan M., daughter of Jeremiah and Emeline (Morrill) Carter. Jere- miah Carter was born in Lindon, Vt., and adopted the occupation of a farmer; he removed to Arkansas a short time before the war. Dur- ing the turbulent times of the Civil War, he was captured by a rebel press-gang, who were en- deavoring to force his sons into the Confederate Army, and, upon his firm refusal to disclose their hiding-place, was taken to Little Rock, Ark., and wore out his life in a rebel prison. His daughter, Susan M., was born in the State of New York, May 22, 1828, the second child in a family of eleven children. Her mother was Emeline, daughter of Benjamin and Betsey (Cle- ment) Morrill. From the time of his second marriage till his death in North Haverhill, May 31, 1877, he was occupied in the trade of a black- smith; before his marriage he was engaged in farming, also overseeing at a later period a small farm in connection with his blacksmithing. His second union was blessed with six children, of whom three are now living: Fernando C., our subject; and the two youngest, Ora E., wife of Will S. Clough, who farms the old homestead, and operates a creamery near North Haverhill; and Emma J., the wife of Arthur S. Farnham of North Haverhill. Mr. and Mrs. Gale were mem- bers of the M. E. Church. Mr. Gale was a Mason, and belonged to the A. F. & A. M. Lodge at Haverhill Corners. Mrs. Gale, since her husband's death, has been a very constant resident on the old homestead, living with her son-in-law, Will S. Clough, at present.
Fernando C. Gale attended the village schools, and finished his education at Newbury Academy at the age of eighteen. He then worked in his
father's blacksmith shop until he became of age, when he bought a small farm, which he worked in connection with his trade. In 1880 he went into the railroad shops at Woodsville, where lie worked one year, then becoming a fireman. He fired on the engine four years, when he received orders to take charge of an engine, and has had his hand on the throttle ever since. He has been in one serious wreck, which occurred in Tilton yard, but escaped without an injury.
Nov. 25, 1880, he was married in North Hav- erhill, to Mary M. Carr, who was born on Brier Hill, and is a daughter of C. F. and Kate M. (Mason) Carr, an interesting account of whom will be found in full on another page in this work. The family was of English origin, dating back in its American ancestry to George Carr, who was born in London, and came to Plymouth in the Mayflower, in 1620, settling in Massachu- setts. Mrs. F. C. Gale is a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. Mr. Gale is a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, Division No. 335. In his political attachments he is a Republican. To the subject of this notice and his wife has been given one son, Leroy E., born Nov. 12, 1882.
ISAAC N. EASTMAN, M. D., a prominent physician of Woodsville, N. H., is a native of Topsham, Vt., where he was born July 25, 1866. He is the son of Alexander W. and Lucy A. (Caldwell) Eastman, grandson of Isaac and Sophrona (Smith) Eastman, and great-grandson of Samuel Eastman.
Samuel Eastman was generally known as "Black Sam," because of his swarthy complex- ion; he was short of stature, but fully made 11p for that defect by being uncommonly wiry and hardy.
Our subject's grandparents have reached the advanced ages of eighty-six and eighty-five years. They were born on the line between New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Sophrona Smith was a daughter of Dr. Alonzo Smith, an old-style doctor, well versed in the medicinal properties of roots and herbs.
Alexander W. Eastman was born in 1841 and is a leading agriculturist and fruit-grower of
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Newbury, Vt. His apple orchard is probably the largest in that State; the aggregate product in 1896 amounted to 1,000 barrels, and was gathered from trees which had just commenced to bear. His wife, Lucy A. Caldwell, born in 1843, was a daughter of David and Sallie (Brewster) Caldwell, both of whom were natives of Topsham. Vt. The former, a farmer by occu- pation, lived to be seventy-nine years of age. Sallie Brewster, who departed this life in June, 1876, aged seventy-eight, was one of fourteen children born to her parents. She was a very industrious housewife, and, in addition to the customary duties, wove and spun the clothing for the entire family.
Our subject's attendance at the common schools of Topsham, Vt., was followed by three years in the Academy at Peacham, of the same State. He graduated from the Insane Hospital at Summerville, Mass., as a trained nurse, after which he attended the Baltimore College of Phy- sicians and Surgeons two years. In 1893 he graduated from the Kentucky School of Medi- cine at Louisville, Ky., after taking a two years course in one. Immediately upon being given his diploma, entitling him to practice medicine, he came direct to Woodsville, where he opened an office in 1893.
On Nov. 25, 1895, he linked his fortunes for life with those of Miss Fannie White, daughter of David and Sophrona (Abbott) White of Top- sham, Vt. David White was a son of Jesse and Fannie (Corliss) White. Sophrona Abbott was a daughter of Ebenezer and Rebecca (Brock) Abbott, and was a granddaughter of Ebenezer Abbott. Sr., a Revolutionary soldier.
Dr. Eastman is a sound money Republican, although his ancestors were Democrats. He is a member of Mooshillock Lodge, No. 25, I. O. O. F .: and with his wife enjoys a membership in the Woodsville Daughters of Rebecca Lodge. In religious faith and attachments he is a Con- gregationalist, and is prominently identified with the Woodsville .organization of that religious society. Our subject has met with the most flattering success, during his short residence in Woodsville, and has won golden opinions from all fair-minded men for his honorable and highly professional method of treating all applications for his assistance. He is at present physician at the County Almshouse.
CHARLES NELSON DAVISON, an engi- neer on the B. & M. R. R., making his home in Woodsville, N. H., was born at Sutton, Brome Co., Province of Quebec, Aug. 25, 1861.
Andrew Davison, the father of Charles Nel- son, was born in County Antrim, Ireland, Feb. 29, 1825, and was six months old when his parents immigrated to America. His father, John Davison of Scottish descent, was a linen merchant; he died in Canada when Andrew was six months old. Andrew's mother was Martha Matthews; upon the death of her husband she married again, and Andrew lived in his step- father's home till he was about fourteen years of age, when he left to learn the tailor's trade, at which he worked for some fifteen years. He then farmed for forty years in Canada, just across the border, and has made his home in Woodsville for three years. He married Charlotte M. Sager, the daughter of Ensign George and Corrina (Durkee) Sager; Corrina Durkee was a daughter of Ransford Durkee, a major in the War of 1812. Andrew Davison when he took up agricultural pursuits in Sutton, Canada, cleared a farm of seventy-five acres, which was later augmented with twenty-five acres left him by his wife's father at his death. Mr. Davison was a captain in the Canadian Vol- unteer Militia, 52nd Battalion, and took part in the suppression of the Fenian raid which went up from Swanton, Vt. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Davison were as follows: Fannie M. married James McNeil of Sutton, Canada; George A., born March 3. 1852, died Feb 23, 1887, married Lizzie G. Bailey, daughter of Langdon Bailey of Woodsville; at the time of his death he was filling out thirteen years of service for the railroad as station agent at Woodsville, having attained that position by steady promotion, succeeding and rewarding years of faithful service: Edgar is the station agent at . Lisbon; Edwin, the former's twin brother, is deceased; William is deceased; Chas. Nelson is the subject of this memoir; John is de- ceased; Louis is the assistant freight agent and operator at Wells River, Vt .; DeForest is a brakeman on the run from Boston to Concord, and makes his home in Boston.
Charles Nelson Davison was brought up on the farm and attended school at Sutton, Province of Quebec. In the month of February, 1880, he
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came to Woodsville and commenced firing for the B. & M. R. R. Feb. 20, 1880, took charge of an engine Oct. 12, 1882, and has since run a pas- senger train in the summer and a freight in the winter months from Woodsville to Fabian's.
Sept. 5, 1885, he was joined in wedlock with Lizzie M. Lyons of Bath, daughter of John N. Lyons, a painter of the same town. He was a son of John Lyons, a veteran of the War of 1812; he married Mary E. Reed, daughter of Samuel Reed. To our subject and his wife have been born three children: Lottie May, Floyd George, and Harry Charles. Both our subject and his wife are members of the Episcopal Church, and also of the Rebecca Lodge, 1. O. O. F., of Woodsville. Mr. Davison is a member of Moosehillock Lodge, No. 25, 1. O. O. F .; and of the B. of L. E., Concord Division, No. 335. In politics he is a Republican.
DANIEL W. MEADER, a prominent busi- ness man of North Haverhill, N. H., was born in the town of Warren, June 13, 1832; his parents were Elisha and Mrs. Abigail Webster (nee Foss) Meader, and his grandparents were Paul Meader and Miss Deborah Knight. The father of Paul Meader was one of two brothers who came from England and landed at Portsmouth, N. H. There the brothers separated, one coming to New Hampshire and the other being lost sight of in the years.
Paul Meader and his wife were markedly dif- ferent in their physical build, for he was a small man, hardly up to the average height, while she was tall and muscular, and easily the match for any man in her neighborhood in feats of strength. Mr. Meader was a teamster by occupation and got out ship timbers from the forest, and re- moved them to the shipyards on the coast; all the while he was moving back farther and farther into the country as the select timber became scarce. Their habitations would be log-houses, easily set up, and as easily deserted. While her husband was away on his trips Mrs. Meader would take entire charge of the farm, perform- ing all the work usually considered to be solely in man's sphere, in addition to being a model housewife. All the flax that was required in the family she swendled, trackled, and spun. Her
great strength and fearless nature made her re- spected in a pioneer community where too often the weak and unassuming are at the mercy of the strong, unscrupulous, and brutal. As a sam- ple of her prowess it is related that on a certain occasion a man by the name of Herrick, evil- principled and overbearing, had some sheep that got mixed with the Meader flock. He came to separate them, and in doing so attempted to take more than his share. Upon his effort to effect his ends by force Mrs. Meader caught him by the collar and trowsers and dashed him with great force to the ground, nearly killing the poor man. Upon a somewhat similar occasion she nearly inflicted serious injuries on a sheriff, who was dealing with her unjustly. Elisha Meader, the son of Paul Meader, was the eldest of eight children, and was a native of New Hampshire. Arriving at a suitable age he would often ac- company his father into the timber and assist in the work. One day they went as usual to the mountains; the dump beside the stream was piled high with logs, and when for some reason they began to roll Paul Meader tried to save the team and was himself caught. A log rolled over him from end to end, crushing all of his body, with the exception of the head, which was saved from mutilation by a stone which lay beside it.
Elisha Meader settled down at Warren Sum- mit and engaged in pursuits of an agricultural nature. Subsequently he lived in Bath two years, in Benton on a farm on the side of the mountain for the same length of time, in Benton on the Benton poor farm for a year, in Haverhill Cen- ter for three or four years, and finally in North Haverhill. His first wife bore him the following children: Samuel, who was formerly an exten- sive railroad contractor; Joseph went to Califor- nia, and nothing has since been heard of him; Betsey, deceased; Mahala, deceased; Paul N., whose biography is found on another page of this volume; Debora, deceased; and Elisha, de- ceased.
His second wife, Mrs. Abigail Webster, bore him three children: Daniel Webster; Elisha, who was of roving disposition and went to Cal- ifornia: and Moses, who resides in North Haver- hill. The widow Webster was a daughter of Thomas Foss.
Daniel W. Meader passed the years of his youth under the parental roof, wherever that was
CARLOS D. SMITH.
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pitched, living most of the time in Haverhill, where he grew to manhood. When about six- teen years of age he went to Connecticut to work during the summers, as there was a demand for farm laborers there, and in the winters returned home to go to school. When twenty-one he went to New York, where he worked on the Harlem Railroad for three months, when he traveled to Schuylkill Co., Penn., and worked on the railroad for six months. He made his home in Montour Co., Penn., till the following summer, when he went to Catawissa Co., working on the railroad. There he was laid up from August till winter by a severe injury he received from the kick of a horse on his head; in repairing the in- jury, fourteen pieces of skull came out. Having recovered, he took charge of a section gang, January Ist following, and followed railroading for two years in Pennsylvania. During this time he met the girl now his wife. Giving up rail- roading, he lived at Pittston, Luzerne Co., for two years. He then returned home to North Haverhill for a visit, and then was married in Pennsylvania, and kept a hotel there in Old Forge for three years. Then after ten months sojourn in Haverhill he determined to go to Cal- ifornia.
From New York City to Aspinwall he took the steamer North Star, arriving at Aspinwall and there re-embarked for San Francisco, going from there to San Jose. He then went across the mountains to a 5,000-acre ranch, owned by his uncle. When out of other work he always had employment on his uncle's ranch. A part of the time he worked for a powder-mill com- pany; as the mill was run by water-power, and there was not sufficient water on the mountain- side to run the mill, a tunnel was driven through the mountain to get the water, and in that kind of work Mr. Meader was engaged. Our subject came back to New Hampshire via the Nicaragua route, and joined his wife at Scranton, Penn., coming home from there; he has been home ever since. On a farm of 150 acres at Haverhill Cen- ter, he lived for nineteen years, and then bought a small tract in North Haverhill, in 1882, where he lives now.
Mr. Meader married, Jan. 9, 1858, in Old Forge, Luzerne Co., Penn., Miss Lydia A. Swartz, daughter of Elias and Zuba (Millen) Swartz, a hotel-keeper. Mr. Swartz, while rid-
ing on an engine, was killed with four others, by the explosion of the boiler. To our subject and his wife have been born two children: Herman Edgar died in infancy; Edwin Herbert is also deceased. Mrs. Meader departed this life July 3, 1895. She was a leading member of the M. E. Church and much beloved. Mr. Meader is a Democrat, and has served as selectman two years and as supervisor for ten years. He holds stock in the creamery, and is a director in the North Haverhill Granite Co. He is a member of the Mooshillock Lodge, No. 25, I. O. O. F., of Woodsville. He is also a member of Pink Granite Grange, No. 210, of North Haverhill.
CARLOS D. SMITH, a dealer in coal, wood, and ice, of the village of Lebanon, N. H., was born in Hanover, N. H., June 14, 1840, and is a son of Benjamin and Percis (Tenney) Smith, who were both born in Hanover.
Not very much is known of Benjamin Smith's father, except that he was an early settler and pioneer of Hanover, where he secured a tract of land, which he cleared and cultivated; he came from the State of Connecticut. Benjamin Smith, his son, owned a good farm in the northeast part of the town, where he carried on general agricultural operations until 1855, when he sold and came to the town of Lebanon and bought a piece of farming land, comprising 200 acres, adjoining the village of Lebanon, the land being situated on the north side of the village and on both sides of the river. This he farmed until his death at the age of seventy-seven. He was pre- eminently successful in business and could with justice lay claim to being a self-made man; he left considerable property to his son, Carlos D. His wife, Percis Tenney, died at the age of eighty-four; she bore her husband three chil- dren, as follows: Samantha F., who married J. A. Miller-both are deceased; Henry M., who is also deceased; and Carlos D., the subject of this sketch.
Carlos D. Smith is the only living representa- tive of the original Smith family bearing the name of Smith. Our subject stayed with his father and cared for his parents during their last days, inheriting the homestead at their decease. After he was left alone in the world, he en-
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gaged in agricultural pursuits for several years; the growth of the village made his land more valuable for building lots, than it could ever be for farming purposes, and he accordingly divided it up into lots for sale; on quite a num- ber of the lots he built houses and sold them at a profit. In 1895 he sold the last remaining lot, which consisted of the home with a small farm attached.
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In 1873 he was joined in marriage with Ellen F. Emerson, daughter of Daniel B. and Fanny T. (Kingsbury) Emerson; soon after marriage he entered into business with his father-in-law in buying wool. Mr. Smith traveled for seven years over a large territory, engaged in the buy- ing of large amounts of wool for manufacturers of Lebanon and Boston. He made his home after marriage in Lebanon.
His next enterprise was in the retailing of coal, wood and ice; he has large yards opposite the B. & M. depot, and employs a numerous force of men. His ice harvest is gathered from Mascoma Lake, and is of the best quality; be- sides putting up many hundred tons for other parties, he annually stores 2,500 tons for his retail customers. Besides his own home in Leb- anon, he owns and rents six tenements, which are occupied by some thirteen families. Mr. Smith has a firm belief in the future prosperity of Lebanon, and has always been very active in promoting its progress.
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