USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > Croydon > Croydon, N.H., 1866. Proceedings at the centennial celebration, June 13, 1866. A brief account of the leading men of the first century Together with historical and statistical sketches of the town > Part 8
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HUMPHRY.
JOHN HUMPHRY came to this town early from Hingham, Mass., and settled on the east slope of the Pinnacle on the farm now occupied by his son Piam. He was a substantial farmer. Of his children, NATHANIEL and PIAM, both excel- lent farmers, remain near the homestead, while LEAVITT, a blacksmith, JOHN and GEORGE removed to the Flat. SUSAN was a noted tailoress. Many a boy " with shining morn- ing face," has tripped to school with a lighter heart for the "new spencer" which " Aunt Susan" has made him. LYDIA married the Hon. Moses Humphry, of Concord, and ASENATH married Capt. Ariel Hall, of Williamstown, Vt.
MOSES HUMPHRY was born at Hingham, Mass., in 1807. At the age of twenty-four he was married to Lydia Hum- phry, daughter of John Humphry, one of the early settlers of Croydon. At fourteen he commenced going to sea, and
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at nineteen was appointed Master of a vessel, which posi- tion he held until he left the sea at the age of twenty-five. He was the first man that commenced the manufacture of mackerel kits by machinery, which business he has pursued with ever-increasing energy since, at Hingham, at Croydon nine years, and now at Concord. In 1853, when Concord adopted the city charter, he was elected to the City Council, and was re-elected in 1854, of which body he was President. In 1855 and 1856, he was elected one of the Aldermen; in 1857 and 1858 was Representative; in 1861 was elected Mayor and held the office two years; was again elected to the same office in 1865, and declined a re-election the following year. In 1865 he was appointed one of the Trustees of the State Reform School, which office he now holds. In 2t Zwan 2188 Ans, Adeline &, Clarke of new Year
DENISON HUMPHRY, son of Leavitt, one of the Commit- tee of Arrangements, is a farmer and trader at the Flat, and has been Selectman, and a Representative two years. Like his father and other members of the family, he was noted for superior mechanical skill. He d Aju25/96
STILLMAN HUMPHRY, son of John Humphry, Jr., was born November 15, 1833; worked on the farm until he was seventeen years of age, three years in a cooper's shop, three years as a clerk in a store at West Concord, and two years . as clerk in a hardware store at Concord, N. H. In 1858 he formed a business connection with Mr. David A. Warde, under the style of Warde & Humphry, and commenced the hardware trade at Concord, where he has since remained, proving one of the most popular and thriving merchants in the State. In 1857 he was married to Miss Virtaline C.
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Hall, of Maine. Like many of the sons of Croydon, his parents were poor, but honest and respectable. Their pray- ers and blessings, added to his own resolute will, constituted his original stock in trade. + -90 -1 A=2Jan. 2.
HURD.
WILLIAM HENRY HURD, oldest son of Henry and Abigail Gibson Hurd, was born at Croydon on the 30th of August, 1829. Fitted for college at Kimball Union Academy; studied medicine with Dr. McQuestion, of Washington, and Dr. Justus Hurd, of Mississippi; attended lectures at Cincinnati Medical College, and graduated from Hanover in 1854. He commenced practice at Wells River, Vt., but removed to Ashton, Canada West, where he remained until 1858. He then removed to Carleton Place, Canada West, where he now resides. He was married May 10, 1859, to Miss Rosalind Rosamond, daughter of James Rosamond, banker of Almonte, Canada West.
WILLARD OTIS HURD, son of Henry Hurd, was born December 7, 1838. Studied medicine with his brother, Dr. W. H. Hurd, at Ashton, Canada West, and graduated at the Albany Medical College in 1860. He was connected with his brother in practice at Carleton Place, Canada West, .until July, 1863, when he enlisted into the U. S. Army; was commissioned Assistant Surgeon in the 83d Regt. N. Y. Vols., and on the mustering out of that regiment in 1864, was transferred to the 97th N. Y. Vols. In the autumn of 1865, he commenced practice in Grantham, N. H., where he now resides. In August, 1866, he was married to Miss Randilla W. Howard, of that place.
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CHARLES EUGENE HURD, son of Henry Hurd, was born in Croydon, June 15, 1833. He became connected editorially with the "Tribune," a semi-weekly journal published at Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, in 1856. At the end of two years he returned to Boston and devoted himself mainly to report- ing and writing for the press. In 1864 he became connected with the "Leader," a Sunday morning paper published in Boston. In September, 1865, he became city editor for the " Erie Dispatch," at Erie, Pa., and now occupies the chair of: Associate Editor on the same journal.
IDE.
JOSIAH IDE, son of Daniel Ide, one of the early settlers, deserves a remembrance as one of the most worthy and respected farmers in town.
JACOBS.
WHITMAN JACOBS, son of Rev. Whitman Jacobs, of Royalston, Mass., came to Croydon about the year 1777, and settled near the south line of the town, south of C. K. Fletcher's farm, but subsequently built where Mr. Fletcher now lives. From him have descended the Jacobses. He was a shrewd financier, and died possessed of a large estate.
His son LUTHER settled on Stow Hill, and left quite a family. ELI married Jerusha Whipple and removed to Vermont, and was a worthy deacon and valuable citizen. HANNAH married John Ferrin.
PAUL JACOBS, son of Whitman Jacobs, was born in 1783. He married Prudence, daughter of Jonah Stow. He was
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a man of great energy of character, and was eminently practical in his views. He was one of the largest and best farmers in town, often kept a dairy of thirty cows, and other stock in proportion. He brought to town several choice breeds of cattle and sheep. He was the main instrument in getting the river-road through from the Flat to the East Village-a deed that entitles his memory to the respect of all after-generations of his townsmen. He built a factory at the Flat for the manufacture of potato starch. The same year in which he died-not living to quite complete the work-he built the church at the Flat, at his own expense, at a cost of some two thousand dollars, and gave it to the Universalist Society-thus attesting both his religious faith and his generosity. He was Selectman in 1832, and Repre- sentative in 1831 and 1835. He died September 16, 1854, aged 71 years.
KEMPTON.
EPHRAIM KEMPTON, the father of the Kemptons, came early to Croydon and purchased some four hundred acres of land, covering all the grounds where the Flat is now situa- ted, and built near the residence of Capt. Nathan Hall. He never attained to great wealth, and was unassuming in his manners.
ROLLINS A. KEMPTON, fifth son of Col. Calvin Kempton, was born Oct. 29, 1826. In addition to the district school, he received the instructions of his father at home, who was an experienced and most faithful teacher, and had been for thirty years Superintending School Committee of the town.
Rollins AHempton
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His early life was full of poverty and discouragements. At the tender age of nine years he followed his mother to her grave, and was thus deprived of her guardian care and sym- pathy. His father had been a large farmer and extensive wool-grower, but the revulsions of 1837 swept away his for- tune and left him a poor man, with a large family, and hard labor and few privileges was the lot of the son. At twenty- one, with a coarse freedom suit, a five-dollar gold piece, and a father's blessing, he started out in the world. He first went to Lowell, but here his utmost labor would barely pay his board. So, one pleasant morning, with seventy-five cents in his pocket-all the money he had left after paying his bills-he started for Lawrence, and his trip to the " new city " represents most graphically the discouragements which sometimes beset a young man while starting out in the world : Arriving there he found he had no friends, no money, and no employment. For two days he sought most earnestly for something to do,-battling against rain, and cold, and hunger, -- and every step had been a failure, and he had been to Methuen and met there the same result. At the end of that time however, nothing daunted, he returned · to Lowell full of " pluck," determined " to be somebody " yet. He subsequently learned the joiner's trade. In 1851, he married Maria J. Reed, of Northfield, Vt., and com- menced business at Lawrence. At the end of eleven years he owned eight double tenement houses, and a steam mill, and had been a member of the city government. In 1862 he removed to Boston, where he now resides, and is a part- ner in three dry goods stores, with an estimated property of nearly one hundred thousand dollars-illustrating in his life the truth of the old maxim that, " A bad beginning makes a good ending."
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WILLARD C. KEMPTON, son of Col. Calvin Kempton, was born Oct. 13, 1840. He labored on the farm at home until 1858. He then attended school at Newport and Kim- ball Union Academies until 1861, when he commenced the study of medicine with his uncle, Dr. W. Clough, of Pitts- field, Mass. He attended lectures at Berkshire and Hano- ver Medical Colleges. He went to the war as a hospital steward, but was subsequently appointed successively As- sistant Surgeon of a colored regiment, of the second Reg. N. H. Vols., and of the Freedmen's Bureau. He married Elvira M. Johnson, of Springfield, N. H., and is now in the practice of his profession at Mansfield, Kansas.
SILAS KEMPTON, son of Jeremiah, and grandson of Ephraim, the first settler ; after carrying on a successful tanning and shoe business at the Flat, removed to Newport, where he is now engaged in farming.
JONAS C. KEMPTON, son of Ephraim, and grandson of Ephraim senior, the early settler of the town, removed to Nashua and became a confectioner. He has amassed a for- tune and been twice honored by his adopted city with a seat in the Legislature.
KIDDER.
WM. WALLACE KIDDER, son of Amos and Lucinda Bar- ton Kidder, was born Aug. 11, 1845, studied medicine with Williams Barton, M. D .; was with Capt. Ira McL. Barton, as orderly in the 5th Reg. N. H. Vols., and also in the 9th Reg. N. H. Vols.
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LOVERIN.
JOHN LOVERIN came to this town from Springfield, N. H .; married a sister of Capt. Edward Hall, settled on the G. W. Cain place, and died a wealthy farmer.
KIMBALL LOVERIN, son of John, has been a successful farmer.
MARSH.
SAMUEL MARSH, from whom have descended the Marshes, came early to town and settled near the Four Corners. His wife, who had long lived in the family of a physician, and had become skilled in the " healing art," kept the first prim- itive "Apothecary's Shop" in town. Besides her knowledge of medicine she was noted for her mechanical ingenuity. The old " dies," with which she used to print the ladies' calico dresses, are still in being, as also the "pillion" on which she visited her patients. The husband died in 1832, aged 94; the wife in 1834, aged 90 years.
SAMUEL MARSH, Jr., was father of ELOM, one of the Vice-Presidents at the Celebration, a successful farmer at Westmoreland, N. H.,-of JOHN L. who moved to Jefferson County, N. Y., where he has been elected a Representative and exerted much influence, and ORREN who was educated at Norwich University and went to Oregon.
DELLAVAN D. MARSH, son of WILLIAM, and grandson of <1,1867
Samuel, was born May 8, 1848. He studied medicine with Willard P. Gibson, of Newport, and John S. Blanchard, of Cornish; attended lectures at Woodstock, Vt., and at Han- over, N. H., and graduated from the latter institution in
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1834. He commenced practice at Mount Desert, Me., the same year, but in 1837 returned to Croydon, where he has since remained in the practice of his profession. He has taken a deep interest in agriculture. He introduced the North Devon cattle, and in 1848 was Treasurer of the Coun- ty Agricultural Society. He has been often elected to town offices, and in 1839 and 1840 was elected Treasurer of Sul- m. 1835 Id. Sophia S. Winter livan County. ~ His daughters are graduates from Meriden/Wore/ cam
WM. H. MARSH, a brother, is a merchant in Boston.
MELENDY.
EBENEZER and JOHN MELENDY, twins, came to this town from Worcester County, Mass., and were among the earliest settlers.
WILLIAM E. MELENDY, son of Sibley, a soldier in the war of 1812, was born Jan. 2, 1819. In 1845, he removed to Springfield, N. H., where he shared in a good degree the confidence of the community. He was Postmaster six years, Selectman two, and Representative two. Since 1853, he has been engaged in mercantile business. In 1863, he moved to West Andover, N. H., where he now resides. He married Martha P., daughter of Ziba Cooper.
ELBRIDGE and ALONZO MELENDY, sons of John, after struggling against all the embarrassments of early poverty, settled at Cohoes, N. Y., where they have met with a deserv- ed success. Alonzo carried off the medals at school, and fitted himself for a successful teacher-studying by the light of pine knots gathered in the woods. Extradead Amer igo
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MERRILL.
SAMUEL MERRILL, the father of the Merrills, married Fannie Bancroft, a great-aunt of George Bancroft the his- torian. She is still living. He died in 1827, leaving a large family of small children.
JOSHUA B. and SHERBURN MERRILL, sons of Samuel Merrill, spent the earlier part of their lives at the homestead, east of Spectacle Pond. To their early struggles with pov- erty they owe much of those resolute wills, which have enabled them to make after-progress in the business world. The former has for several years represented Barnstead in the Legislature, and the latter has represented Colebrook.
SENECA MERRILL, a younger brother, connected with Sherburn in business at Colebrook, where they have become wealthy, has held several county offices. One of the daugh- ters married William B. Leavitt, a scientific man and astronomer at Grantham.
METCALF.
SAMUEL METCALF, after serving in the French and Rev- olutionary armies for seven years, came to this town from Franklin, Mass., and settled at Brighton, and was the pro- genitor of the Metcalf family in town.
DEA. ABEL METCALF, his oldest son, settled in Newport, and was the father of REV. KENDRICK METCALF, Episcopal clergyman at Geneva, N. Y., and Professor in the Geneva College,-of SILAS, a successful farmer and man of political note at Newport, and of THERON, a popular merchant in Boston.
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CAPT. OBED METCALF, his second son, was active in town and church affairs, was father of STEPHEN, a prominent farmer at Haverhill, N. H., and grandfather of HENRY H., a lawyer, and CARLOS G., physician, sons of Joseph.
SAMUEL METCALF, his third son, was father to ALEXAN- DER, a wealthy farmer and justice at Northfield, Min., who married Anna, eldest daughter of Col. Nathaniel Wheeler, and grandfather of SAMUEL METCALF WHEELER, a distin- guished lawyer at Dover, N. H.
MORSE.
SAMUEL MORSE, Esq., a native of Dublin, N. H., grad- uated at Dartmouth College in 1811, and studied law with Hon. Geo. B. Upham, of Claremont. He came to Croydon in 1815, and opened the first and only law office ever in town. He was Representative for the year 1834, and a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1850. He died Jan 1, 1865, aged 81 years.
NELSON.
JOHN NELSON, one of the early settlers, lived on the turnpike north of Four Corners; was intrusted to some extent with the management of town affairs, and has many descendants.
NEWTON.
PHINEAS NEWTON, one of the early settlers, lived in the famous " Old Stone House," on the glebe lot south of the original Whitman Jacobs place.
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NEWELL.
JEREMIAH NEWELL, one of the early comers to Croydon, settled at Ryder Corner, and was an extensive farmer, tidy, energetic and proud. His "Hack," the first in town, was an object of great interest to the "little folks." He was father to JEREMIAH, who was for a long time a popular sheriff at Newport,-of PARKER N., merchant at Newport, and now at Princeton, Ill.,-of BENJAMIN, merchant and speculator, also at Princeton, Ill., and grandfather of . THANKFUL M., daughter of David, a lady of uncommon energy and business talent-late wife of Shepherd L. Bow- ers, Esq., of Newport.
PARTRIDGE.
ELISHA and SIMEON PARTRIDGE came from Franklin, Mass., and were among the first settlers. The former married a sister of Timothy Winter and settled on Winter Hill. The latter settled on the B. Brown place, near the Flat. They were valuable citizens, and occupied honorable posi- tions in town.
ELISHA PARTRIDGE, son of Elisha, is a farmer, and has much musical talent.
PAUL.
LUKE PAUL, son of Daniel, came into Croydon at twenty- two years of age, and married Sally Cooper, daughter of Samuel Cooper, and settled on the " old Gibson farm," on Baltimore Hill, and was an enterprising and prosperous farmer.
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PERKINS.
MARSHALL PERKINS, son of James Perkins-who came to Croydon from Leominster, Mass., in 1815, and built the grist-mill, saw-mill and carding-machine at the Flat, and who was for many years a successful business man-was born May 13, 1823. He studied medicine and graduated. at Cambridge Medical College, in 1850, at the head of his class. He soon after settled at Marlow, N. H., where he now resides, and is doing a successful business. He married a daughter of Amos Fisk, Esq., the leading merchant of . Marlow. He was for three years during the war Assistant Surgeon in the 14th Regt. N. H. Vols.
PUTNAM.
DAVID PUTNAM and CALEB PUTNAM came to this town from Sutton, Mass., among the early emigrants, and settled on the south-east slope of the Pinnacle, in a locality long known as the " Salt Box." They were noted for a hardy constitution and great industry.
SOLOMON PUTNAM, son of Dea. David Putnam, and PETER PUTNAM, son of Caleb Putnam, though not much in office, were among our most worthy farmers. Stelimonsom f . Julius, son of Solomon
CHARLES PUTNAM, son of Solomon, remained on the homestead, and is an extensive and thriving farmer.
JOHN PUTNAM, son of Dea. David Putnam, one of the early settlers of the town, and a Revolutionary soldier, was born November 11, 1797. He is one of the most intelligent, respected, industrious and energetic farmers in town. He
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has reared a large and one of the most thoroughly educated families in Croydon. He has always remained at the old homestead ; he has been Selectman and Representative.
JOHN WOODBURY PUTNAM, eldest son of John Putnam, Esq., born April 6, 1819, is a man of excellent judgment and decision of character. After operating as a farmer in his native town, and going to the recent war, where he held the position of Captain, he has sold out and removed to New York. He is located on the Hudson River about sixty miles above the city of New York, on a large farm belonging to his brother-in-law, Timothy C. Eastman. * · He d: 71.5 1897-
JAMES W. PUTNAM, son of John Putnam, Esq., was born December 15, 1822. He pursued his preparatory studies at Kimball Union Academy, and graduated at Norwich University. He received his theological training at Clinton Seminary, Clinton, N. Y., then under the direc- tion of Rev. T. J. Sawyer. In 1848 he received the fellow- ship of the Universalist denomination at the New Hampshire State Convention, and in 1849 was ordained as pastor of the first Universalist society of Danvers, Mass., where after a life of much usefulness and ever-increasing popularity, he died November 3, 1864. He had charge of the public schools in his town for many years, and was several times elected a member of the Massachusetts Legislature, in which body he took a very prominent and honorable stand.
FRANKLIN PUTNAM, son of John Putnam, Esq., was born September 8, 1833; graduated at Bowdoin College in 1859; studied law with Brown & Sewell, at Bath, Me., and com- menced the practice of his profession at Kansas City, Mo., in 1861, where he died November 3, 1865.
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NATHANIEL FRENCH PUTNAM, fourth son of John Put- nam, Esq., was born February 2, 1839. He graduated at Bowdoin College in 1863; entered the General Theological Seminary, New York, November, 1863, graduated June, 1866; was ordained Deacon in the Protestant Episcopal Church at Claremont, May 27, 1866, by the Rt. Rev. Carlton Chase, D. D., Bishop of New Hampshire, and took charge of St. John's Church, Poultney, Vt., July 1, 1866. 20%
GEORGE FREDERICK PUTNAM, youngest son of John Putnam, Esq., was born November 6, 1841; received his literary training at Norwich University, and studied law with N. B. Felton, Esq., of Haverhill, N. H., and was admitted to the bar in 1866. in 199/ cf SEansas Ca']
ELLEN PUTNAM, youngest daughter of John Putnam, Esq., a fine scholar and successful teacher, married N. B. White, Esq., a lawyer at Omaha, Nebraska. 3. - ny, cary
AUSTIN PUTNAM, M. A., son of Samuel and Susan Gibson Putnam, and grandson of Caleb Putnam, was born March 6, 1809. After pursuing his studies in the district school and at Newport Academy, he entered Dart- mouth College in 1825. At the close of his second year, circumstances led him to relinquish his plan of a full colle- giate course, and he soon after commenced the study of law in the office of Hon. F. A. Tallmage and Charles F. Grim, Esqrs., of New York City, and completed it in the office of Hon. John P. and J. Newland Cushman, Esqrs., of Troy, N. Y., and at the Law School at Litchfield, Conn. He was admitted to the bar at Utica, in July, 1831. He immediately commenced practice at Troy, N. Y., with highly
J. H. Bufford's Lith. Boston.
Austin Putnam
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encouraging prospects. But after spending a short time in his profession, he experienced a total change in his views on the subject of religion. At what he conceived to be the call of duty he left the profession which he had chosen, and which he loved, and commenced the study of theology, under the instruction of Rev. Nathan S. S. Beman, D. D., of Troy. He was ordained at Lowville, N. Y., in 1834. After a few years of successful labor in New York City and at New Haven, he was, October 31, 1838, installed as pastor of the Congregational Church at Hamden, Conn., where he is now living. In 1843 he was married to Caroline W. Northop, daughter of Gen. Joseph A. Northop, of Lowville, N. Y. In 1844-5 he spent a year in Europe, traveling over the different countries. In 1839 he received the honorary degree of Master of Arts from Yale College. He has long been regarded as a man of rare endowments. » a
PROCTOR PUTNAM, son of Hiram, and grandson of Caleb Putnam, was born July 8, 1814. From eighteen to twenty- eight years of age he followed the occupation of mason- the last four years was superintendent in building the locks on the Glens Falls Feeder Canal, and Black River Canal, N. Y. In 1842 he removed to Lake County, Illinois, and purchased the farm on which he now lives. The following brief statement of his affairs will be of interest to all those who remember the once penniless boy of Croydon : He has six hundred acres of choice land valued at sixty dollars per acre, six hundred of the finest merino sheep, seventy head of cattle, and thirty hogs, besides much other property .. In 1842 he married Rosilla Sargent, of Grantham, N. H.
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POWERS.
EZEKIEL POWERS, son of Lemuel and Thankful Leland Powers-a lady of uncommon intellect-was born in Graf- ton, Mass., March 27, 1745; was one of the party who came to Croydon in the spring of 1766, for the purpose of survey- ing land and making other preparations for a settlement, and settled here the following year. He was conspicuous principally on account of his great physical strength and his inventive genius. Among his many other inventions, he first introduced the practice of "ridging" green-sward for the purpose of raising Indian corn,-and the "looped" sled so generally used since by the lumbermen of Croydon, and the sheet-iron pans of our sugar-makers of to-day are of his invention. He purchased some six hundred acres, covering the land of the East Village and the meadows above.
DAVID POWERS and SAMUEL POWERS, brothers of Ezekiel, were also among the earliest settlers. They were worthy citizens, and among the most popular and influential men in town, and both died of the " spotted fever" in 1813.
REV. LEMUEL POWERS, also brother of Ezekiel, was one of the early settlers of the town. He was born at North- bridge, Mass., in 1756; married Abigail Newland, and died at Stillwater, N. Y., in 1800-leaving four children. His eldest son CYRUS married Lydia Stow, and settled at Sem- pronius, N. Y. In 1804 he was appointed a Justice of the Peace for Cayuga County, and in 1806 received the appoint- ment of Judge of the County Courts, which office he filled with much ability for twenty-five years. He died in 1841. ABIGAIL, his youngest daughter, was born in 1798. In February, 1826, she married Millard Fillmore, late President
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of the United States. She is a lady highly respected for her intelligence, dignity and many Christian virtues. She is now a widow, and resides at Buffalo, N. Y.
STEPHEN POWERS, BENJAMIN POWERS and JOHN POWERS, cousins of Ezekiel, were also among the first settlers. From the foregoing have descended most of those in town who bear the name of Powers. The Powerses were the most numerous family among the first settlers, and were distin- guished for giant frames, great physical strength and vigor- ous intellects.
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