USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Book of biographies. This volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Grafton County, New Hampshire > Part 49
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Among the various enterprises and institutions for the good of the town which have been organ- ized and promoted largely through Mr. Wool- son's influence and persistent efforts and with which his name will ever be inseparably con- nected, may be mentioned the Lisbon Village Library of over 2,000 volumes, founded in 1864; the Village Hotel, built in 1883; the Lisbon Water Works, established in 1886; the Gulf Road, one of the most beautiful summer drives in New Hampshire, built in 1889-90; the Lisbon Savings Bank & Trust Co., organized in 1889, and started Jan. 1, 1890; and the Lisbon High School, now one of the most flourishing institu- tions of the kind in the State.
Politically Mr. Woolson is a Republican. He has filled with credit numerous town and State offices, among which are the following: notary public; deputy sheriff; justice of the peace; assistant United States assessor of inter- nal revenue from 1865 to 1873; deputy United States marshal for taking the cen- sus of 1870; town clerk for several years; and moderator of the annual town meetings from 1866 to the present time, with the exception of the period included between the years 1878 and 1886, when the Democrats had control of the town government. He has been chairman of the
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Grafton Co. Republican Committee, and for many years served on the Republican State Committee. In 1880 he went as a delegate to the National Republican Convention at Chicago, Ill., which nominated General Garfield for Pres- ident. Mr. Woolson was elected to the Lower House of the Legislature in 1875, and re-elected for three successive years. During his first and second terms, he served as chairman of the com- mittee on claims, and proved himself an able and efficient legislator. He was often called to the chair, where he displayed marked tact and readi- ness as a presiding officer. In recognition of his ability, he was, in 1877, elected Speaker of the House, and re-elected the following session, which was the last held under the old Constitu- tion. In 1892 Mr. Woolson headed the Repub- lican State ticket as one of the Presidential elec- tors. He is now president of the Lisbon Village Library Association, was for many years a mem- ber of the school board, and is a director of the Lisbon Savings Bank & Trust Co., and a mem- ber of its investment committee, chairman of the Board of Supervisors, and treasurer of the town.
In 1872 Mr. Woolson, in company with A. C. Wells, established what afterwards became the well known mercantile house of Wells & Wool- son; this firm, in addition to a flourishing busi- ness as dealers in merchandise, engaged in vari- - ous manufacturing enterprises at different times. The subject of this sketch has never married, al- though a general favorite in society. He is pleas- ant and genial in his intercourse with his fellow- man, and most kind and open-hearted to all those who are in distress and need.
CHARLES C. RINEHART, a prosperous and leading farmer of the town of Haverhill, was ushered upon the stage of life in Du Page Co., Ill., Oct. 13, 1837. His parents were John and Susan C. (Larvers) Rinehart; the former was a son of John Rinehart, Sr., a native of Germany, coming to this country and engaging in the pur- suit of agriculture in the latter part of the last century. The father of our subject was born in Pennsylvania in 1800, and died in 1883; in 1835 he moved from New York City, where he was then residing, to Illinois. He was a carpenter and joiner by trade and followed it in Du Page
Co. till he retired to the comfort of his large farm, spending his remaining years near to nature's heart. He was a Democrat through life, and served as supervisor of the township.
Charles C. Rinehart was reared in Winfield and attended the district schools till he was fifteen. When sixteen years of age he started out to support himself, and worked out by the month on the neighboring farms till his enlist - ment at the age of twenty-three, August, 1861, in Co. H., Ist Ill. Vol. Cav. He served four years and seven months in the Department of the West, and was present at the engagements of Arkansas Post, Siege of Vicksburg, Chickasaw Bayou, Duvall's Bluff, Little Rock, Helena, and Pen Ridge. He was injured by a fall of his liorse, and was laid up in the hospital for three months; he returned home Jan. 7, 1866. For three years he cultivated a farm in Du Page Co. on shares, and then was elected sheriff of the county in the fall of 1868, and held the office for two years, after which he resumed farm life until 1873, when he came to Francestown, N. H., re- maining at that place through the winter. Until 1887 he worked on two farms near North Haver- hill, and then bought his present farmi of IIO acres, on which he carries on dairy farming prin- cipally, milking as many as ten cows.
April 7, 1863, his nuptials with Ada Wright were consummated in Du Page Co., Ill .; Mrs. Rinehart was born in. Grafton, Vt., and is a daughter of Jehial and Fannie (Smith) Wright. The latter was born in Rhode Island, and was a daughter of George and Urania (Steers) Smith; the father of George Smith was a native of Ire- land. Jehial Wright was a quarryman in his native State of Vermont, but upon going west in 1853, he took up the occupation of farming; of his children, who numbered thirteen, Mrs. Rine- hart is the tenth in number. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Rinehart has been blessed with four children, namely: Carrol C., chief clerk in the railroad offices in Woodsville; George F .; Sid- ney S .; and Belle F., who is at home with her parents. They are Universalists in their religious belief. Mr. Rinehart is a member of the G. A. R., Nat. Westgate Post, No. 50. Our subject, wife, and daughter belong to Pink Granite Grange, No. 210, of North Haverhill. Mr. Rinehart is a Democrat, and has served as a road surveyor, but is nothing of a partisan.
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W. H. MERRILL.
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WV. H. MERRILL, a prosperous druggist of Lisbon, Grafton Co., N. H., whose portrait we present on the foregoing page, was born in Lan- daff, N. H., July 26, 1861. He is a son of Luther C. and Elmira (Taylor) Merrill, and grandson of Jeremiah and Annie (Carter) Mer- rill.
Our subject's grandfather was a native of New Hampshire and followed his occupation of a farmer during his life, until feeble health com- pelled the abandonment of active exercise, in the town of Landaff, N. H. He was a stanch Demo- crat. His wife bore him the following children : Jeremiah W., Lorenzo D., George N., Moses H., Fletcher D., Martha, Sarah A., Emily A., Julia A., and Luther C. They were loyal and consist- ent members of the MI. E. Church of Landaff Center, N. H.
Luther C. Merrill, upon the attainment of a requisite age, learned the shoemaker's trade at Newbury, Vt., and followed it several years. He then turned his attention to his present pursuit of agriculture, and has been identified with the farming interests of Landaff from that time until now. He is a Democrat in his political views. His wife was a daughter of Lovell Taylor of Landaff, N. H .; their union was blessed with the birth of one child, the subject of this memoir, Willie H. They were members of the M. E. Church of Landaff, N. H.
W. H. Merrill obtained his education in the district schools of Landaff, N. H., and worked on his father's farm until he was nineteen years of age, when he engaged with J. S. Jewett of Warren, N. H., in a general store and post- office; Mr. Merrill remained with his employer in the store for three years. He then went to - Boston, Mass., and entered the employ of Shep- pard, Norwell & Co., on Winter Street; the firm was engaged in the wholesale and retail dry goods business. After one year in their employ he removed to New York City in the spring of 1884 and became the shipping and receiving clerk in the establishment of S. M. Bixby & Co., continuing in that capacity for five years, and as their traveling salesman for another year. In the summer of 1892 he engaged in the Saratoga mineral water business at Asbury Park, N. J. He then returned to Landaff, N. H., and in Feb- ruary, 1893, took up the drug business, succeed- ing W. P. Whitcher & Co. of Lisbon, N. H.
Our subject has been ever since located in Lis- bon, where he carries a complete assortment of drugs, patent medicines, toilet articles, and all like accessories of a well-conducted drug store; the business has throve and grown apace and repays its owner well for his conscientious efforts in building it up.
In January, 1890, he was joined in matrimony with Jennie L. Bass of Newbury, Vt., daughter of Lafayette Bass, a native of Piermont, N. H. Walter L. and Ruth Lillian are the names of their two children. In religious matters they are liberally inclined. Mr. Merrill is a member of the I. O. O. F., Concordia Lodge, No. 64, of Lisbon, N. H. He also belongs to the Independ- ent Order of Foresters, Court Parker, No. 3074, of Lisbon, N. H. He is uncompromising in his advocacy of Democratic principles and theories.
CLARENCE L. BAILEY, a practical black- smith of Woodsville, N. H., was born in Lyman, Nov. 23, 1869; he is a son of John W. and Eleanor H. (Locke) Bailey. The former was born in Alexandria, and has followed the trade of a blacksmith through life, having learned it at Lyman; he makes his home with our subject; he is a Republican in his politics. John W. Bailey was a son of John W. Bailey, Sr. Eleanor Locke, Mr. Bailey's mother, was a daughter of Simeon L. and Harriet (Bailey) Locke, both natives of Lyman, N. H. Simeon's father was a soldier of the Revolution, and came to Lyman from Rye, Vt., and built a log-hut in the same locality where his son's house now stands. Simeon L. Locke was a farmer by occupation.
The subject of this sketch, during his first five years of life, lived consecutively in the towns of Lyman, Bath, and Haverhill, moving to the later place in 1874, and attended the Haverliill Academy there, when he had finished the course in the district school, until he was eighteen years of age. From boyhood he had worked in his father's shop, doing odd jobs here and there, and thus gradually picking up the trade. When nineteen years old he went to Littleton where he worked for three months, then to Lisbon for two months, and from there to Haverhill, where he worked until Oct. 5, 1891, when he came to his present place at Woodsville. For two
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, GRAFTON COUNTY.
months he worked for L. C. George, and then bought him out, and has been in business for himself ever since. His lease on the property ex- pired Oct. 5, 1896, so he built a new shop, 30x 40 feet, and two and one-half stories high, and moved in about that time; the second story is used as a paint shop.
Mr. Bailey was married Feb. 1, 1893, at Hav- erhill, to Mary A. Spooner, who was born in the town of Benton; she is a daughter of Alonzo and Mary (Bennet) Spooner, to whom were born in all seven children, namely: Nettie (McIn- tyre); Horace, who is farming at North Haver- hill; Clarence; Mary (Bailey), the wife of our subject; Daniel; Delia (Whitman); and Oscar.
Mr. Bailey was the eldest of four children born to his parents; they were: Clarence L .; Roy, who died in infancy; Hattie A. (Keyser); and F. Blanche. Our subject and his highly estimable wife are attendants of the M. E. Church. Mr. Bailey is a member of Moosehillock Lodge, No. 25, I. O. O. F. He is a Republican, and acted as supervisor of elections for Haverhill in the national election of Nov. 3, 1896.
JOSIAH E. LINCOLN, proprietor of one of the largest department stores in Grafton Co., located at Lebanon, N. H., was born in Brock- ton, Mass., and is a son of Josiah S. and Han- nah (Hoyt) Lincoln, and grandson of Charles Lincoln.
Charles Lincoln was one of the first manufac- turers of pegging awls in the United States, and did at that early date a very extensive business, and made his name familiar to dealers in shoes and shoemakers in the far west. His son Josiah, being brought up in the trade, continued the busi- ness, so well begun by his father, in Brockton, Mass., except a few years spent in Canaan, N. H., engaged at the same business. At the age of sixty-five, he retired from active life, after ac- cumulating a handsome competency, thus enab- ling him to live in independence. He was ever popular in his town as a business man and as an earnest worker for the best interests of Brock- ton. He is now enjoying the sunset of life at an age of seventy-five years in his native town; his wife is sixty-seven years of age. For many years he has been a member of the Masonic fra-
ternity. Three children, two of whom are living, were born to our subject's parents. They were: Agnes S., who married Henry French; Josiah E .; and Willię V., who died at the age of twenty- one.
Josiah E. Lincoln attended the Brockton schools, finishing his education at Canaan Acad- ciny; a short period following the completion of his education he spent as a clerk in a grocery store. In 1870 he came to Lebanon, as clerk for G. C. Whipple, a dry goods merchant. He re- mained with his employer seven years, acquiring useful knowledge and business methods, which have so much aided him in business on his own account. In 1877, with F. W. Davison, he went to Hanover, and bought out the general store of H. H. Clough; in 1882, having disposed of his interest to his partner, he returned to Lebanon, and purchased the dry goods store of C. D. De- lano. In Lebanon's great fire he was burned out. He thereupon rented the large double store of G. W. Worthen, and stocked it with a fine variety of dry goods, fancy goods, etc., including ladies' garments, ready-made clothing, and gents' fur- nishing goods. In 1895 he purchased the build- ing, and immediately rebuilt it and changed it into a department store, putting in a handsome plate-glass front, and introducing steam heat. The first floor and basement are given up to the needs of the store, and the second and third are used as offices, while the fourth floor is used ex- clusively for secret society halls. Our subject also bought the William Moses house, on the corner of Kimball and Elm Streets, and remod- eled it, putting in modern conveniences; he also owns a double tenement on Elm Street.
Mr. Lincoln is a Republican in his political views. Outside of his own private interests he has found time and opportunity to be of large service in the progress and development of the town of Lebanon. He is a director of the Na- tional Bank, trustee of the Savings Bank, a stockholder in the Riverside Manufacturing Co. and a stockholder and director in the Lebanon Electric Light & Power Co. In his religious views he is a Unitarian.
Our subject married Jennie E., daughter of James H. Kelley of Canaan. Two children have been born of this union: William H., born April 9, 1881; and James Percival, born July 20, 1883.
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, GRAFTON COUNTY.
DARIUS K. DAVIS. The subject of this memoir is a retired merchant, and lives on his farm near Pike Station, in the town of Haver- hill. He was born in Northfield, N. H., Nov. 7, 1825; he is a son of Nathan B. and Abigail S. (Batchelder) Davis, and a grandson of Jonathan and Mariam (Bartlett) Davis. Jonathan Davis was a native of Massachusetts, and came to Graf- ton Co. fifteen or twenty years before his death, which occurred when he was about sixty-four years old; he was a farmer by occupation. His father was John Davis. Nathan B. Davis was born in Andover, Merrimac Co., and received his education in the schools of his native village and surrounding places. He began farming in Mer- rimac Co., and located in Grafton Co., March, 12, 1827, living first in the town of Benton, then Coventry. His wife was born in Louden, N. H., and was a daughter of Abel and Sarah (San- born) Batchelder of Louden; the former was a carpenter, and lived to the age of eighty-five years; he was a Baptist in religion, and a Demo- crat in respect of politics. His wife lived to at- tain the age of seventy years. Six children were born to our subject's parents, of whom three died in youth; the names of those who survive are: Darius K .; Abel E .; and Abigail S .; the two latter live in Indianapolis, Ind.
Darius K. Davis secured his education in the district schools of his native place and in Bath Academy and Newbury Seminary. When he at- tained his majority he occupied himself in farm- ing for a while, but shortly opened a store in East Haverhill, and was in mercantile business at different places almost continually from that time until he disposed of his store and retired to the calm and quiet of farm life, in 1891, to en- joy the sunset years of his life, free from the care and worry incident to a business life. In 1865 he went to Indianapolis, Ind., and opened a store in partnership with his brother, Abel E. Davis, but as the climate there did not agree with him he returned to East Haverhill. He was in busi- ness successively in Tilton and Warren Summit, where he also was station agent for the railroad for seven years, and finally reopened his store in East Haverhill. He served as deputy post- master some thirty years.
He was joined in marriage May . 12, 1854, in Landaff, N. H., to Susannalı E. Howe, who was born in the town of Benton, and was the daugh-
ter of Daniel and Phoebe (Eaton) Howe; the latter was the daughter of Samuel Eaton, who married a Miss Noyes. Daniel Howe was a son of Peter Howe, who was a soldier in the Revo- lution. Our subject's only child, Addie D., mar- ried Dr. O. D. Eastman, a prominent young physician and surgeon of the village of Woods- ville, whose sketch appears on another page of this volume of biographies; she has borne her husband five children: D. K .; Oliver M .; Burns R .; Abel Earl, deceased; and Milo Donald. Mrs. Davis is a Methodist in her religious affiliations. Mr. Davis is a Republican, and served as select- man two terms; he was also appointed justice of the peace, but refused to qualify for the office. For over forty years he served on the school board.
ALMON G. WEBSTER, an engineer on the B. & M. R. R., living at Woodsville, N. H., was born in Franklin, N. H., Aug. 6, 1863. His father, Orris D. Webster, was born at Sandwich, N. HI., Jan. 22, 1841; he has been a lumberman for many years. He is an attendant of the Con- gregational Church. He is a member of Runi- ford Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Concord, and also of the Order of American Mechanics. Politically he is a Democrat, and served as selectman in Franklin in 1893, and has been on the school committee also. He is a son of Dudley and Fidora (Hatch) Webster, who were both Con- gregationalists in religious belief; Dudley Web- ster was an old-time Democrat. Our subject's mother was Mary M. Keyser, who was born in Northfield (now Franklin), June 22, 1843; her parents were Nathaniel and Mehitabel (Dan- forth) Keyser; Nathaniel Keyser was a farmer, and died about the year 1870, at the age of sixty-seven.
Almon G. Webster was reared in Franklin and secured a good education there in the common schools and in the high school; when he was six- teen he clerked in a store for one year. At the age of seventeen, he began his connection withi the railroad company, becoming fireman on the B. & M. R. R .; for five years he faithfully dis- charged the duties of his position and was re- warded for his general good conduct and effi.
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cient work by being promoted to the office of engineer in June, 1885, and now has a run from' Woodsville to Concord.
Mr. Webster was united in wedlock Dec. 21, 1884, at Rumney, to Emma Stevens, a daugh- ter of John Stevens and Adeline M. Rogers. John Stevens is a prosperous farmer, and now lives in Wells River, Vt .; he was born Oct. 4, 1842; in politics he was a Democrat. John Stevens was a son of John Stevens, Sr., and Lucy Buzzell. John Stevens, Sr., was born in Barn- stead, N. H., and his wife in Loudon, N. H. Adeline M. (Rogers) Stevens, the mother of Mrs. Webster, is a daughter of Thewell and Roe (Hathaway) Rogers. Subject and wife attend the M. E. Church. Mr. Webster is a member of Moosehillock Lodge, I. O. O. F .; Littleton Encampment, No. 24; and Canton Albin, No. 4, of Woodsville; he and his wife are members of the Rebecca degree. In politics he is a Demo- crat, but devotes very little of his time to it, not having the inclination.
CAPTAIN OLIVER H. P. CRAIG, a farmer of the town of Holderness, Grafton Co., was born in the town of Rumney, of this county, Aug. 1, 1813, and is a son of Amos and Abigail (Keyes) Craig.
Amos Craig was born in Plymouth, or at least lived there in his youthful days, for as far back as we can remember he was a resident of that town. He was a shoemaker by trade, and lived in Plymouth and Rumney all his life. He lived to be about seventy-two years old, when the Angel of Death called him. His wife passed away at about the same age. Their children were: Prisbee, Orphia, Amos, Abbie, Oliver H. P., Jacob, Mary, Jacob, Isaac. Mr. Craig was a Jackson Democrat, and was a Universalist in his religious views. His wife was a Baptist.
Oliver H. P. Craig attended the public schools in his younger years, and at sixteen years of age he started out in life with his little grip. He found employment first at Cambridge, where he learned the shoemaker's trade; he went to work making boots, doing factory work principally. He followed this trade for about forty years, when he retired from active work, except to look after his farm of forty acres, which he bought of
John Sheppard, in 1852. There he makes his home; it is a very fine little river farm, with some choice interval land. In years gone by he set out fruit trees, and they are now rewarding him for his care and labor; also the shade trees which he carried there on his back, have prospered and give abundant shade to his beautiful lawn. The house and barns owe their origin to him.
When the war broke out he and Col. T. P. Cheney and another Grafton Co. citizen formed Co. A. of the 6th Reg. N. H. Vol. Inf., and our subject was commissioned its first lieutenant; ar- riving at Washington, D. C., they were ordered to Hatteras, where they were very soon on duty. In April, 1862, Mr. Craig was commissioned cap- tain of the same company of the same regiment; in the fall of 1862 he resigned his office, came home, and followed his trade a few years. Now at his advanced age he is enjoying good health, and manages to get around very much for one of his years.
He married Miss Ann Dilson; she died at the age of thirty-one, after giving birth to four chil- dren: Mary and Eliza died early in life; Oliver lives in Ashland, and works at the manufacture of paper board; George was killed in the Battle of Bull Run. Subject's second wife was Mary Jane, daughter of John Ellison, a farmer of the town of Holderness. Capt. Craig by his second marriage was made the parent of four children, one of whom is living. Abbie, Alvin, and Emma died while in their youth. Martha married Ed- ward Lincoln, a baker of Providence, R. I.
Capt. Craig has always given the Democratic ticket his earnest support. He is an active and consistent member of the Episcopal Church. He was one of the organizers of the G. A. R. Post, and was its first commander.
ALPHEUS WOOSTER BAKER. At the close of the Revolutionary War, about 1780-81, Gideon Baker came from Montville, Conn., to Lebanon, N. H. He had been in the army act- ing as armorer. He was then about forty-three years of age. He immediately became proprie- tor of several tracts of land, and of titles to u11- divided land. "which numbered him among the proprietors." He possessed certain qualities of mind, with unusual education, which won for
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him the confidence of his associates, and he was constantly employed by them in laying out land yet undivided, and finding the boundaries of "lots" already "layed out," and settling disputes. Finally he was employed to copy the records of the proprietors from the beginning. The various "field-books" were also placed in his hands to re- duce to a single record. This was a difficult task which none but a man having special aptness for details and order could well accomplish. The work was finished Feb. 22, 1806. The writing is unusually legible, with few corrections or in- terlineations, and the spelling correct far beyond1 the standard of the time.
He died at Lebanon, Dec. 10, 1830, aged ninety-two. His wife died Jan. 4, 1815, aged seventy-one.
Early in the settlement of Lebanon, Maj. John Slapp appears. He came from Durham, Conn. He had been in the French and Indian Wars, and commanded a Company of Connecticut at the Battle of Crown Point in 1757. He was of great service to the early settlers from his previous ex- perience in military matters, and was often called upon to superintend the building of fortifications. He built the first corn-mill in the town. He was prominent in all town affairs, and was among the six original members of the Congregational Church. He died Dec. 5, 1790, aged seventy-five years. Upon the stone erected to his memory are the words: "Man is mortal; God is eternal."
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