USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Book of biographies. This volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Grafton County, New Hampshire > Part 48
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
At the age of twenty-one, Col. Cheney married Miss Mary Elizabeth Keyes, daughter of Jona- than F. Keyes, a well-known resident of Ash- land, whose sketch appears on another page of this work. Our subject then moved to Ames- bury, Mass., and was in the dry goods business two years, until 1857, when he returned home and clerked for his father-in-law, and was assist- ant postmaster. At a later period he went into trade on his own account in a small way, and also acted as the first telegraph operator in Ashland, and was deputy sheriff in 1859-60-61. In 1861 he enlisted in Co. A., 6th Reg. N. H. Vol. Inf., and having been appointed by the Governor as enlisting officer, he gathered together the first soldiers of the company, and served in the capacity of first lieutenant; after the enlistment was complete he went to Concord, and there joined Col. Church's company, in which he re- ceived the appointment of second lieutenant, and was advanced to the first lieutenancy in the May following. Col. Cheney served until November, 1863, when he was taken sick, removed to the hospital, and discharged therefrom for dis- ability.
Prior to enlisting in the service and going to the front, he was appointed by President Lin- coln as postmaster at Ashland, and during his absence his wife took charge of the office, turn- ing it over to him on his return in excellent shape. In 1864 he was appointed deputy ser- geant-at-arms at Washington during the session of Congress in 1864-69, and in 1868, was one of the eight delegates to the National Convention who nominated Gen. U. S. Grant for the Presi- dency. On July 1, 1869, under President Grant's administration, he was appointed super- intendent of the railroad service of the New Eng- land States, and served for fifteen years and thirty days, making his headquarters at Boston. IIc severed his connection with the railroad ser- vice to accept an appointment, Aug. 1, 1884, by
President Arthur, as pension agent to pay out the dues, and continued in that branch of the government service until 1886, when he was re- moved by President Cleveland. In 1886, in company with Hiram Hodgdon, N. P. Batch- elder, and George Seribner, he built the Ashland Knitting Mills, one of the foremost industries of that progressive town, and has served as one of the directors since. Early in life he served the town as town clerk, later in 1865-66, he repre- sented it in the State Legislature, and again in 1887-88; in 1889-90 he served in the Upper House. He was appointed again under Harri- son's administration as pension agent, and served four years. In 1894 he was nominated and elected a colonel on the staff of the Governor's Council and still holds the position.
In 1866 Col. Chency built a home, where his present fine residence stands, and had it finely furnished and embellished with treasures he had brought from far and near; this beautiful dwell- ' ing was burned to the ground Feb. 25, 1894, the family barely escaping with their lives, and los- ing nearly every article of value in the house. In 1895 he rebuilt on the same spot, erecting an elegant brick residence with all the modern con- veniences, designed, completed, and furnished in the most modern and artistic manner, and beau- tifully located on Highland Street, overlooking the village of Ashland. The walk, which leads to the house, is bordered by a remarkably fine row of elms, which he himself set out in 1870; adjoin- ing the residence is a valuable plot of land, where are about 200 thriving grafted trees, which were also planted by him. At Squam Lake he owns a park and a cottage, having built the lat- ter in 1892.
Seven children have been born to our subject, as follows: Olney S., who died at the age of about two years; Rodney W., a bookkeeper of Boston; Dr. Jonathan M., a physician of Ash- land, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work; Alice Maud married J. N. Gilman of "The Dalles," Oregon, who is a member of the firm of Gilman-French Cattle Co., owners of a large cattle ranch, and has four children, Grace C., Lena M., Elizabeth L., and Mead F .; Harry A., the leading doctor of Campton, is the subject of a personal sketch, which appears elsewhere in this book; Sarah Addie married Ora A. Brown of the firm of Hughes & Brown of Ashland,
CARLOS M. COGSWELL.
271
BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, GRAFTON COUNTY.
whose sketch appears in this volume, and has one child, Ruth; Anne P. lives at home. Col. Cheney is a charter member of O. W. Keyes Post, No. 30, G. A. R. He is a member of Mt. Prospect Lodge, No. 68, F. & A. M .; and Pem- igewasset Chapter, and was made a Knight Templar in Washington, D. C.
CARLOS M. COGSWELL, senior member of the firm of Cogswell & Oliver, general mer- chants of Lisbon, N. H., was born in Landaff, N. H., Nov. 20, 1854: his parents were the Rev. George W. and Harriet (Taylor) Cogswell, the father a native of Landaff and the mother of Lisbon, N. H.
Nathaniel Cogswell, the grandfather of our subject, was a native of Winchester, Mass., and became one of the pioneer settlers of Landaff, N. H. The pursuit of agriculture was his chosen life calling. He was a Whig in his political views. In the State militia he served as captain, and was accordingly known as Capt. Cogswell among his acquaintances. He married Sally Snow of Landaff, N. H., who bore him the fol- lowing children: George W., John, Ross, James, Moody, Mary, Ruth, and Betsey. They were Free Will Baptists in their religious belief.
Rev. George W. Cogswell, the father of our subject, was educated in the common schools of Landaff, N. H., and took up theological studies. He was an earnest and untiring student and was blessed with a retentive memory, which enabled him to keep in his possession large stores of val- uable knowledge. When about twenty-four years of age he enlisted in the army of Christ for service in God's work of redeeming souls. Cir- cuit preacher was the term then applied to him. As the salary was insufficient to support a family on, he was forced to learn the carpenter's trade to keep the grim wolf from the pastor's door. In his political views he was a firm Democrat, and held the various offices of town clerk, select- man, collector of taxes, justice of the peace, administering the duties of the latter office for nearly forty years; in his later days his services were much in demand in the settlement of estates. Ile married Harriet Taylor, daughter of Timothy and Betsey (Lovell) Taylor. To
Rev. and Mrs. Cogswell were born seven chil- dren: Francis G., John R., Ellen S., Nathaniel O., Martha E., Etta M., and Carlos M., the sub- ject of this short memoir. Rev. Mr. Cogswell was a Free Will Baptist. He died Sept. 21, 1887, aged eighty-one years. The mother still sur- vives, being eighty-seven years old, and makes hier home with our subject.
Carlos M. Cogswell was educated in the dis- trict schools of Landaff, N. H., and in the New Hampton Institute of New Hampton, N. H. His life, until the age of thirty, was spent on the farm caring for his parents in their failing health. Upon the father's decease he came to Lisbon, N. H., where he engaged as clerk for Oakes & Bennett for six months. Thereupon he pur- chased Mr. Bennett's interest, and the business for four years was carried on under the style of J. N. Oakes & Co. At the end of that time W. W. Oliver, whose name appears on the pages of this book as the subject of a sketch, secured the Oakes interest, and the firm is now constituted of the two partners, Carlos M. Cogswell and W. W. Oliver, and transacts business under the firm name of Cogswell & Oliver. Their names are synonyms of business enterprise and integrity, and their general mercantile business is con- ducted in a manner that reflects credit on their characters as men keen in their insight into the details of a successful business. Politically, Mr. Cogswell is a Democrat, and has served his town as supervisor of the check list, and superintendent of the school committee. In his social relations with other men he is a thirty-second degree Mason, and belongs to Kane Lodge, No. 64, of Lisbon, and also of Franklin Chapter, No. 5. of the same place, of which he is at present High Priest.
In 1879 he was joined in marriage to Nellie O. Drew, daughter of Joseph G. Drew of Easton, N. H., and to them were born three children: Etta M., Francis O., and Martha T. In religious matters the family are attendants of the Method- ist Episcopal Church, in which Mr. Cogswell is chorister, and in which he and his wife and old- est daughter are members.
As a representative business man of the county, and as a man, who has signally practiced the Christian virtues, it affords us the greatest pleasure to add Mr. Cogswell's portrait to the already large galaxy of pictures of leading men.
272
BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, GRAFTON COUNTY.
THOMAS E. TAYLOR, a carpenter, em- ployed in the bridge and building department of the B. & M. R. R., was born in Lowell, Mass., Nov. 23, 1843. He is a son of William and Mary (Exley) Taylor, and grandson of William Ross and Mary (Reid) Taylor, both of whom lived and died in Scotland.
The father of our subject was born in Paisley, Scotland, about the year 1812, and died in 1889, aged seventy-seven years. He worked his pas- sage to this country when eighteen years of age, having previously worked in the woolen mills of his native place in Scotland. After coming to this country he was employed for many years in the carpet mills of Lowell, Mass .; when about thirty-five or forty years old he moved to West- ford, where he passed the rest of his years in agricultural labors. Mary Exley was born in England, and was a young girl when her parents immigrated to this country; she died when our subject was three months old. She bore her hus- band the following children: John, who died in the army hospital at Annapolis, Md., in 1861, having served in the 17th Reg. Mass. Vol. Inf .; William R. died from exposures incident to army life, he served four years, three years in the 11th Mass. Vol. Inf. and one year in the 15th Reg. Mass. Battery; Thomas E. (I), de- ceased: Mary A., deceased; Sarah Jane; Thomas E., the subject of this sketch. By a subsequent marriage to Susan Law, Mr. Taylor became the parent of four more children: Samuel L .; an in- fant, who died unnamed; and the twins, James and Susan, who died in infancy.
Thomas E. Taylor was reared in Westford, Mass., where he went to school and attended the Westford Academy until his nineteenth year, working out in the summer from the age of four- teen. In 1863 he was apprenticed to the car- penter's trade, but the following year, March 30, enlisted in the army for the preservation of the Union: being small in size, he was assigned to the signal corps, and in that branch of the ser- vice he continued till he was discharged Nov. 10, 1865. in Washington, D. C. He saw fighting in the Gulf States, being engaged in the capture of the forts around Mobile; while at New Orleans he suffered from a severe siege of malarial fever.
Upon his discharge he returned to Westford direct, and went from there to Lowell, Mass., where he took up his trade; he was also in Sun-
cook in the repair shop of the China Mills. In April, 1878, he came to Haverhill, where he farmed some four years. In 1882 he went into the bridge and building department of the B. & M. R. R., and in 1894 came to his present home in Woodsville.
Mr. Taylor was married Nov. 28, 1866, at Lowell, Mass., to Alice M. Glazier, who was born in Haverhill, N. H .; two children have come to their household to bless and cement their nup- tials: Janes W., who was drowned at the age of thirteen; and Carrie M., who married Fred A. Carr, a conductor on the B. & M. R. R., and has presented him with one child, Hazel G. Subject and wife are member of the Baptist Church. Mr. Taylor is a member of Moosehillock Lodge, No. 25, I. O. O. F .; and Rebecca Lodge, No. 45, of Woodsville. He is a member of the G. A. R. Nat. Westgate Post, No. 50, of North Haverhill. Till 1884 he was a Republican, but since that time has been a Democrat, although he voted for sound money and McKinley in 1896.
DR. HARRY H. BOYNTON, a physician of Lisbon, Grafton Co., N. H., was born in the above town Nov. 12, 1869, and is a son of Dr. Orrin H. and Alice (Hollister) Boynton, the for- mer of Plymouth, and the latter of Lisbon.
Our subject's father was born in Meredith, N. H., Aug. 20, 1834, and received an education in the Plymouth schools and in New Hampton Academy. He learned the trade of a carpenter and joiner, and followed it for a few years, and in 1857 began the study of medicine, and gradu- ated from the Medical Department of Dartmouth College with the Class of 1860, and since his graduation has practiced medicine in Lisbon, ex- cept for four years in Bath. In 1861 he was mar- ried to Alice E. Hollister, a daughter of Orrin S. Hollister of Lisbon, and had two children: Dr. Perry S .; and Dr. Harry H., the subject of this sketch.
Our subject finished his public school educa- tion in the schools of Lisbon in 1887, and then for two years studied medicine with his father, Dr. Orrin H. Boynton. Subsequently he entered Dartmouth Medical College, and completed his medical course in the Medical University of Bal-
273
BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, GRAFTON COUNTY.
timore, Md., in 1893. He then took up the prac- tice of his profession in Lisbon, N. H., in which he has been very successful, gradually taking up the practice of his father, who gave up active work in the medical line. because of failing health.
In August, 1895, he was joined in holy matri- mony with Anita Bradford, daughter of William Bradford of Westerly, R. I .; she died Feb. 18, 1896. In his religious attachments he favors the doctrines of the M. E. Church, and unites with the church of that denomination in Lisbon. So- cially he is a Mason, and belongs to Kane Lodge, No. 64, of Lisbon, N. H., and Franklin Chapter, No. 5. of the same place. He is also a member of the Perseverance Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Baltimore, Md.
DANIEL B. WEYMOUTH. Among those who of very recent years have taken up their residence in the town of Bristol, and are now numbered among its most honored and respected citizens, is Mr. Weymouth, who is engaged in a general mercantile business. He was born in Andover, N. H., Aug. 25, 1848, and is a son of Henry A. and Louise (Young) Weymouth, and a grandson of Daniel and Honor (Hall) Wey- mouth.
Our subject's grandfather, a native of Gilman- ton, N. H., was a farmer by occupation, and fol- lowed that oldest of callings all the days of his active life in his native town, later removing to Andover, N. H., where his declining years were spent, and where his death took place. He pos- sessed a discriminating judgment, and a saving disposition, and consequently became very well- to-do for those times. His wife, who was born in Gilmanton, N. H., bore him two children, one of whom died in infancy.
Henry A. Weymouth, the only child spared to his parents, was born in 1820, and was educated in the schools of Gilmanton, and at Gilmanton Academy. His general education having been completed, he studied medicine under the super- vision and direction of Dr. Wight of Gilmanton for about three years. He then entered the Woodstock Medical University, which was then known as the Vermont Medical University, and
which was later removed to Burlington, Vt., be- coming a part of the State University there. After graduating from the above institution, he located in Andover, N. H., where he has been in active practice since 1843, and is one of the oldest practicing physicians in the State of New Hampshire, and is considered a very successful man in the performance of such duties as fall to his profession. In social life he is a Mason, and belongs to Kearsarge Lodge, No. 81, of An- dover, N. H. Politically he is a stanch Demo- crat, and has held the office of moderator of An- dover for a great many years. He has also been town clerk, superintendent of schools, and a representative to the General Court. In the line of his profession, he is a member of the New Hampshire Medical Society, and was a delegate of that organization to the meeting of the United States Medical Society, which was held in Balti- more, Md. Jan. 1, 1844, he was joined in mar- riage with Louisa Young, daughter of Bailey and Polly (Randall) Young of Gilmanton (now Belmont), N. H., and to them were given three children: Harriet E., deceased, who was born Jan. 18, 1845, and married William A. Walker of Danbury. N. H., and had one child, Alma L .. who survives her: Daniel B., the subject of this sketch; and George W., born Aug. 24, 1856, who married Minnie Morgan of Frieburg, Me., and has two children: Louise M. and Henry W. In religious belief Mr. and Mrs. Weymouth were Unitarians.
George W. Weymouth, younger brother of our subject, after taking a course in a New Lon- don Preparatory School, entered Dartmouth College at Hanover, this county, and graduated. He then studied medicine in his father's office, and then became a student in the Medical De- partment of Dartmouth, from which he gradu- ated and received his diploma, entitling him to practice, and is now a physician of Lyme, N. H .; he meeting with the most flattering success. So- cially he is a Mason, and also a member of the New Hampshire Medical Society.
Daniel B. Weymouth was educated in the dis- trict schools of Andover, in the public schools of New London, N. H., and in the High School of Andover. After completing his education, he worked for the Studevant Manufacturing Co. of Lebanon, N. H., as bookkeeper ten years. He then returned to Andover and entered into part-
274
BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, GRAFTON COUNTY.
nership with Warren S. Quimby in a general store, where he remained about ten years. The three following years were spent in trade in Pen- nacook, N. H. He then moved to Bristol, N. H., in December, 1895, and in company with C. H. Fowler purchased the stock of Kemp & Johnson, and is now doing an excellent business in general merchandise. The store, of which they are now the proprietors, is an old landmark; several men, now quite prominent in public life, have clerked there, among which number is the present Mayor of Concord, N. H.
In his political belief, he is a stanch Democrat, adhering to the principles advocated by that party, and was town treasurer of Andover, N. H., ten years in succession. He is a Mason, and belongs to the Franklin Lodge, No. 6, of Leb- anon, N. H.
April 20, 1882, Mr. Weymouth was joined in matrimony with Ida A. Edmunds, the daughter of William H. and Sarah J. (Tucker) Edmunds of Andover, N. H. In religious belief they are Unitarians.
HERBERT CLINTON GALE, a conductor on the B. & M. R. R., was born in North Haver- hill, N. H., Nov. 22, 1858; he is a son of Charles Albert and Laura G. (Wetherbee) Gale, and grandson of Daniel, Jr., and Abigail (Robinson) Gale. Daniel Gale, Jr., was a son of Daniel Gale, Sr., who was an expert blacksmith, and served in that capacity in the War of the Revolution; it is said of him that he once shod Gen. Washing- ton's horse; whenever the matter was brought up he would never fail to remark jocosely that he put a silver nail into one of the shoes.
Charles A. Gale was born in what is now Bel- mont, N. H., Dec. 4, 1818, and died Dec. 3, 1888; his schooling was limited to a few terms in the district schools of Belmont. At the extremely early age of seven years he worked out for his board and schooling, and from the age of nine was self-supporting; in early life he clerked in a store, and then was interested in trading of live stock and in the meat business; the last forty years of liis life were spent in North Haverhill, where he was engaged in farming. A Democrat in politics, he was a prominent figure in what-
ever pertained to election campaigns; he served two terms in the State Legislature. In his relig- ious faith he was a Baptist, although never a church member. He was a Mason, and belonged to Grafton Lodge, No. 50, of Haverhill. His wife was the daughter of Charles and Abigail (Woodward) Wetherbee, and was born in East Haverhill. Abigail Woodward was a daughter of William and Lydia (Cross) Woodward; the Cross family were of English origin. Charles Wetherbee was a farmer. The following children composed our subject's parents' family: Charles Albion, living in North Haverhill; Herbert Clin- ton, the subject of this sketch; George M., killed by the cars in October, 1896; the latter's twin brother, Frank P., is a conductor on the rail- road, and is as yet unmarried.
Herbert C. Gale lived all the years of his mi- nority in North Haverhill, leaving there in 1880 for Grand Rapids, Mich., where he took a posi- tion on the Chicago & West Michigan R. R., running from Grand Rapids to La Crosse, Ind. After four years in the west, in which time he be- came thoroughly acquainted with railroad work, he returned to Haverhill, and secured a position on the Boston, Concord & Montreal R. R. (now the Boston & Maine) as brakeman for fourteen montlis; he was then yardmaster for one year, and has been conductor ever since, running mostly between Woodsville and Concord. Since his connection with the B. & M. R. R. his home has been in the village of Woodsville.
He was married June 23, 1886, at East Haver- hill, to Minnie M. Merrill, daughter of Simeon T. and Mary (Richardson) Merrill, who live on a farm in East Haverhill. Simeon T. Merrill was a son of Calvin and Hannah (Thurston) Merrill, and grandson of Benjamin Merrill; Mary Ricli- ardson was a daughter of Jonathan and Lucy (Rollins) Richardson. Our subject's wife has one brother, Darius K. Their union has so far been blessed with three children, as follows: Morris M., Lynn A., and Errol C. Mrs. Gale is a member of the M. E. Church. Our subject be- longs to the Order of Railway Conductors, Con- cord Division, No. 335. He is a member of Moosehillock Lodge, No. 25, I. O. O. F .; and has served in all the chairs of the local lodge, and was a delegate to the Grand Lodge. He has always been a Democrat, firm in his convictions, and most loyal in his support.
275
BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, GRAFTON COUNTY.
HON. AUGUSTUS A. WOOLSON, a prominent citizen of the town of Lisbon, Graf- ton Co., N. H., was born June 16, 1835, in Lis- bon. He is a son of Amos and Hannah D. (Temple) Woolson, and a grandson of Elijah and Rebecca (Batchellor) Woolson. The Wool- son family in America trace their origin to three Welsh brothers, who are supposed to have set- tled in Massachusetts at an early date. The first of the name concerning whom we have any defi- nite knowledge was Thomas, born about 1626. He lived on the south side of the river in Cam- bridge, Mass., until 1666, when he removed to Watertown, where he died April 5, 1713. As second in the direct line from Thomas to Augus- tus A. we have Joseph, born Nov. 16, 1677; then another Joseph, born Dec. 13, 1699: Asa, born Aug. 2, 1727, at Weston, Mass., died at Lunen- burg April 18, 1789; Elijah, also born at Lunen- burg, Dec. 1, 1769, and Amos born in Bethle- hem, N. H., July 4, 1803.
An old Harvard catalogue mentions an Eph- raim Woolson as a graduate of that institution in the class of 1760, and as deceased in 1802.
Elijah Woolson, grandfather of Augustus A., learned the cooper's trade, and when a compara- tively young man settled in Bethlehem, N. H., removing soon after to Lisbon as one of its early settlers, making it his home for many years, and where he introduced the first cooking stove ever brought into the town, dying at length in 1836, at the home of his daughter in Massena, N. Y. He married Rebecca Batchellor, who bore him a family of eight sons and one daughter, of which family but one member, Silas B. Woolson of Newark, Ohio, survives. Following are the names of his children: John; Elijah S .; Amos; Tra K .: Theron W .; Ezra; Silas B .; and Mary, who married John Magowan, and made her home in Massena, N. Y.
Amos Woolson, after receiving a limited edu- cation in the schools of his adopted town, learned the trade of a cooper, afterwards becom- ing a shoemaker, and later on. a tailor. He was a man of unswerving honesty and probity, the very soul of honor, and endowed with more than ordinary intelligence, common sense, and good assistant United States assessor of inter- Soilers, and later a Republican, but his native modesty was such that he never aspired to pub- lic office. He died May 5, 1888, at the age of
eighty-five years; his wife died April 6, 1891, at the age of eighty-seven. There were born to them the following six children: the eldest, a son, was born in July, 1831, but died the day of its birth; John, Dec. 19, 1832, died April 3, 1860; Augustus A .; Charles E., Dec. 5, 1836; Mary R., Sept. 30, 1838; and Jennie L., July 31, 1841, died April 12, 1874.
The subject of this sketch attended the dis- trict schools of his native town until he was six- teen years of age, and afterwards the Seminary at Newbury, Vt., and Kimball Union Academy at Meriden, N. H. Shortly after leaving school he went to Minnesota, while it was yet a terri- tory, where he remained for a year and a half, and where he was engaged in various employ- ments. When he returned to New Hampshire he settled in the town of Lisbon, where he has since continued to reside, and where he has long been an acknowledged leader in every work which concerns the welfare of the public, and is considered the town's benefactor by its grateful citizens.
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.