USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Gazetteer of Cheshire County, N.H., 1736-1885 > Part 35
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The practical knowledge of the requirements of wood-working machinery, derived from early experience in that work, has enabled Mr. Humphrey to design a variety of improved machines and appliances for special uses in that branch, while the study and practice of later years has given him much ex- perience in various lines of mathematical engineering, and in hydraulics he is well versed and very successful, particularly in the construction and adapta- tion of water-wheels of the different styles of which he is the inventor and patentee.
In public or political matters he has never sought official position, but he has held the offices of county commissioner, representative to the state legislature, engineer of fire department, etc., also has been a commissioner of the Keene water works much of the time since they have been in use, and has declined being a candidate for various city offices.
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Discountenancing unfair means and plans to further partisan projects, but earnestly advocating what he regards as right, he is ever ready to support measures for the public weal. He was quite influential in the establishment of the Beaver Mills, and lent a helping hand to other enterprises, and is always happy to aid his fellow men whenever he can.
Silas Hardy was born in Nelson, April 3, 1827, and made his home there till twenty-nine years of age. He graduated at Dartmouth in 1855, taught the following year, in Foxcroft academy, Me., studied law in the office of Hon. Levi Chamberlain, at Keene, and was admitted to practice, at Newport, N. H., September, 1858. He immediately located in Keene, where he has pur- sued his practice ever since, with success, which, with remarkable industry, and economy, has placed him in the rank of large tax payers in the city. In March, 1859, he was appointed by Governor William Haile, register of pro- bate, which office he held five years, when he was appointed judge of probate, which office he held ten and a third years, till a political guillotine severed his connection with the same. He was the eighth of a family of ten children, eight boys and two girls, all of whom were noted for good health, muscular strength, and practical common sense, and all lived till the youngest one was of mature years and of prodigious strength. The family being large, and the means of the father limited, Silas was obliged to go out to work at the age of eleven, till of full age, being subjected to all the hardships and disadvantages of such a life-his only opportunity for schooling being from six to twelve weeks in winter, the rest of the year was spent in hard work, yet at twenty, he managed to teach his first school. During his minority he earned in this way over $700. Every cent he spent for his education was earned with his hands and brain. He came of Revolutionary stock, both of his grandfathers, Deacon Noah Hardy and David Kimball having been soldiers in the war of the Revolution-some of his kindred falling at the battle of Bunker Hill. His grandfather Hardy was born in 1758, at Hollis, N. H., and his grandfather Kimball at or near Boxford, Mass., in 1760. The former died at Antrim, N. H., December 22, 1835, and the latter in Nelson, October 18, 1842, aged respectively 77 and 82. His grandmother Sarah Hardy (Spofford) died at Antrim, May 9, 1850, aged 85; and his grandmother, Lydia Kimball (Run- nells), died at Nelson, January 22, 1867, aged 87. Soon after the Revolution, these grandfathers with their young wives settled in Nelson, both raising up children-five Hardys and seven Kimballs. In these families were Captain Noah Hardy and Jerusha Kimball, who were the parents of the subject of this sketch. They were born in, lived in, and died in said Nelson (formerly Packersfield). Captain Noah was born September 16, 1789, and died No- vember 28, 1862, aged seventy-three, and Jerusha was born August 13, 1790 and died January 11, 1854. Subsequently Captain Noah remarried Dora- thy W. Hubbard, who died August 22, 1882 at Peterboro, aged seventy-nine.
Captain Noah, the father, was a man of great physical strength and endur- ance, and of sound common sense, a man strictly honest and upright in all his
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dealings and taught his children to be truthful, honest, and industrious, both by precept and example. His business in early life was farming till he was about thirty, when by an accident he lost one limb below the knee. After that, his business was mostly that of shoe making, and harness making, until his death. Seven of this family were living in January 1885. Silas, whose name stands at the head of this biography, was married to Josephine M. Kingsly, daughter of Alonzo and Sophia H. Kingsly-December 31, 1863- she was a graduate of Mt. Holyoke seminary, class of 1857-a lady of rare abilitities and education. She died June 19, 1872, aged thirty-seven, leaving one child, an infant, Ashley A. Hardy. The following members of the family are living in this county. Noah W., Silas, Frank B., Caroline M. Pratt, wife of R. K. Pratt, and E. P. Hardy ; the latter being the baby, and the noted manager and proprietor of Whitmore & Clark's minstrel troupe, whose fame is well known in New England ; Abby M. Stone, wife of Addison Stone, and Augustus F. living out of the state.
Dexter W. Gilbert was born in Walpole, July 19, 1832, attended the com- mon schools and the Saxton's River seminary, Walpole academy and Mount Cæsar seminary, was a teacher for several years in the public schools in New England and New York, and a house carpenter by trade. He has resided in Massachusetts, New York, Wisconsin, Indiana and Ohio, and came to Keene in 1864, where he has since lived. He was superintendent of the suburban schools of Keene, 1874-'78, served two years in each branch of the city government, from 1879 to 1882. In politics he is a Republican, in religion a Freethinker, much interested in the cause of education, and fully believing in the maxim that "ignorance is the evil, knowledge the remedy." He was married in Newburyport, Mass., October 17, 1856, to Eliza J. Cooley, and has two chil- dren, Ethan Allen, born February 26, 1862, and Charles Frederick, March 7, 1866.
Francis Allen Perry was born in Wolfboro, N. H., and while yet a child his parents removed with him to Biddeford, Maine, where his youth was passed in the acquirement of a good common school education. This supplemented with three terms at a private school fitted him for the duties of practical life. Early he exhibited a taste and talent for mechanical pursuits and turned his attention to the machinist trade in which he attained great proficiency. Sev- eral years of his life were passed in the employ of the Hinkley Locomotive works in Boston, where his faithfulness and skill so commended him to his employers that he was chosen to take out from the shop and deliver to the purchasers in various portions of the country the locomotives built by them. In 1852 he first located in Keene, as a locomotive engineer on the Cheshire railroad, and has successively risen to foreman of machine shop, general fore- man, and in 1863 to master mechanic of the road. In this capacity he has planned and superintended the construction of the present machine shops of the Cheshire railroad at Keene, which are quoted as a model of convenience for the purpose of their design. As an inventor he is not unknown, having
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taken out six patents upon various improvements in railroad appliances. His services as a member of Keene city council, and chief of the fire depart- ment, have been wisely planned and ably rendered. Happily united in mar- riage with Miss Mary J. Lucas, daughter of a soldier who still lives in Frye- burg, Maine, to recount deeds of the war of 1812, he has reared two sons and two daughters. The oldest daughter, Lilla J., married Henry C. Max- ham, of St. Albans, Vt., but both she and her husband have passed away before their prime, leaving two orphan children to fill the place in heart and home left vacant by her untimely death. Frederick R: Perry the eldest son, is an engineer on the C. R. R., Eva A., a graduate, and Walter A., a student of Keene high school.
Dea. Luke Joslin, born in Stoddard, December 22, 1797, married Lydia, daughter of Samuel Foster, of Stoddard, November 24, 1824. They lived in "Leominster Corner " until 1840, when they moved to a farm near the vil- lage. He held many offices of trust while in town, and was a deacon of the Congregational church for some years. They sold their farm and moved to Keene in April, 1855, where he died June 3, 1875. His widow is still living, at the age of eighty-four years. They had three children born in Stoddard, Gilman Joslin, born December 4, 1825, married Susan Wilson, of Keene, February 20, 1851, and died November 16, 1867. His widow, one son and a daughter survive him. Albert Joslin, born October 27, 1828, was drowned at South Keene, July 13. 1850. Elsie Joslin, born July 21, 1832, married Dr. Ira F. Prouty, January 22, 1855, and as his widow is now living in Keene.
The First Congregational church of Keene was organized October 18, 1738, with a membership of nineteen males. Rev. John Bacon, the proprietors clerk, was ordained October 18th, and settled over the church. Mr. Bacon graduated at Harvard in 1731. The church, originally built near the south end of Main street, was moved, in 1741, to a site near the present General Wilson's house, and was destroyed with the other buildings in 1747. Mr. Bacon was dismissed upon the evacuation of the town. In 1753, on the re- turn of the settlers, the church was built on the common, and was occupied until 1786, when it was moved to the west and used as a court-house; it finally degenerated to a tenement-house (see page 41). In the same year Rev. Ezra Carpenter was settled ; he was born in Rehoboth, Mass., April 1, 1699, graduated at Harvard college in 1720, and was settled in Hull for twenty one years. He was minister of the united church in Keene and Swanzey, about seven years, when the two churches separated, and the church in Keene was re-organized with fourteen male members. Rev. Clement Sumner was or- dained June 11, 1761, was a graduate of Yale, class of 1758, remained with the church for eleven years, when he was dismissed. He died in Keene, March 29, 1795. During the next five years, nineteen candidates made un- successful attempts to satisfy the church ritual. Rev. Aaron Hall was unan- imously invited, and was ordained February 18, 1778. The church then em- braced seventy-seven members. He was a graduate of Yale, class of 1772.
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For thirty-seven years he ministered to the church, and died August 12, 1814, in his sixty-third year. Rev. David Oliphant, a graduate of Union college, in 1809, of Andover Theological school, in 1814, was ordained May 24, 1815, and was dismissed in 1817. Rev. Z. S. Barstow, D. D., was ordained July I, 1818. He was born in September, 1790, and graduated at Yale college in 1813, receiving his degree of A. M. in 1816. For fifty years Dr. Barstow guided the church on its onward way, a man of great influence in the com- munity, resigning July 1, 1868, and dying March 1,. 1873. Rev. Cyrus Rich- ardson, who succeeded him, was born in Dracut, Mass., March 30, 1840, graduated at Dartmouth college, class of 1865, graduated at Andover, in 1870, and was ordained, and settled in Plymouth. He was installed in Keene, July 10, 1873. He left the church recently, and Rev. C. E. Har- rington, from Dubuque, Iowa, formerly pastor of the Congregational church at Concord, N. H., has been appointed to succeed him. The church has a mem- bership of about three hundred and thirty, and is free from debt. The church edifice is on the north side of the square, and is of pleasing and graceful architecture. It once stood on the common, but was removed in 1828, and since then has been twice repaired. The prope.ty is valued at $45,000.00.
The Baptist Church .- Baptists from Middleborough, Mass., located in the east part of Westmoreland, where they constituted a church in 1771. This family spread into the west part of Keene. Here a church of the same faith was recognized by un ecclesiastical council, on the 9th day of September, 1816, consisting of thirteen members. It was gathered under the ministry of Rev. Charles Cummings. The church was received into the Dublin Baptist Association, in October of that year. A small meeting-house, with square pews and a gallery, was built that autumn, situated in that part of the town known as "Ash Swamp," and was dedicated December 25, 1816. Worship was continued here at irregular periods, under many discouragements, till 1838, when Baptist preaching was commenced in the village. The effort was so successful that a brick meeting-house, 45x68} feet, on Winter street, was dedicated September 17, 1839. The interest in the village was started, and the house built, under the efficient labors of Rev. John Peacock. He bap- tized forty-six during the year and a half of his ministry. Rev. Mark Car- penter, late of Milford, was publicly recognized as pastor of the church on the 22d of April, 1840, and dismissed on the 3d of October, 1844, having baptized sixty into the fellowship of the church. He was succeeded by Mr .. Horace Richardson, of Cornish, a recent graduate of Newton Theological Institution, who was ordained May 7, 1845. He was dismissed April 1, 1846. After him, Rev. Gilbert Robbins, late of Rumney, took charge of the church, commencing his labors in August, of that year. He remained here eleven years, tendering his resignation in June, 1857. It was a time of sowing and not of reaping, though he had the privilege, in one associational year, of bap- tizing twenty-two.
In 1853 a convenient two-story parsonage, with a small barn, was built on
Photo Elec
RESIDENCE OF THE LATE JOHN SYMONDS, KEENE, N. H.
سنة
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the west side of Court street, about one-half mile from the meeting-house. The lot measures sixty-six feet front, with an average depth of about 155 feet, the land and buildings costing $1,650.00. In October, of 1857, Rev. Leon- ard Tracy became the pastor, and in June 1863, gave up his charge, respected and beloved by all. In the meantime he baptized twenty-six. In the autumn of 1863 the attention of the people was directed to Mr. William N. Clarke, of Cazenovia, New York, a recent graduate of Hamilton Theological semi- nary, and he was ordained pastor January 14, 1864. He remained here five years and a half, in which time he baptized twenty-two; and gave a moral impulse to the church. While he was here, a new organ was purchased, costing $1,250.00. He closed his labors here May 9, 1869. He was suc- ceeded by Mr. Austin V. Tilton, a graduate of Newton Theological Institu- tion, and a son of Rev. J. D. Tilton, of Milford. He was ordained Septem- ber 30, 1869, and continued his labors until May 5, 1872. He "labored for direct spiritual fruit " and had the satisfaction of adding to the church by baptism twenty-five in less than three years of his ministry. On the 26th of May, 1872, Rev. William H. Eaton, D. D., late of Nashua, was invited to become pastor. After spending about two months with the people he ac- cepted the call and was installed September Ist. The question of a new house of worship had been under discussion for some time, and after the set- tlement of Dr. Eaton, the question was soon revived. All felt that extensive repairs must be made on the old house, or a new house must be built. The latter plan was finally agreed upon, with great unanimity. A lot was pur- chased on the east side of Court street, known as the Abijah Wilder estate. It included a two-story dwelling house on the corner of Court and Vernon streets, which was set aside as a parsonage, while the other was sold for $5,200.00. After disposing of some of the land on the east side of the Wilder lot, the remainder, with the dwelling house, cost $10,500,00.
Ground was broken for the new church on the 3d day of June, 1873, with appropriate religious services. The house was dedicated May 12, 1875. It is made of brick, and measures in the main body 59 by 104 feet. The recess is 282 by 14 feet. The spire rises to the height of 167 feet from the ground, surmounted by a gilded weather-vane five feet high. The style of archi- tecture is Romanesque. The auditorium is in the second story, and easily ac- commodates 750 people. It is finished in ash and black walnut. The orchestra is in the rear of the pulpit. There is a small gallery over the front vestibule. There are six beautiful memorial windows, three on each side. The acoustic properties of the house are excellent. The rooms on the first floor consist of chapel, vestry, parlor, kitchen, pantry, toilet-room, etc. The whole house is well proportioned, substantially built, conveniently arranged, and tastefully decorated. It cost, with furniture, exclusive of the land, $52,000.00. The building of this house of worship was followed by great financial depression in the community, which imposed a very heavy debt upon the church and society, which was borne with a commendable degree of patience and fortitude.
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They paid for all home expenses on an average of about $7,000.00 a year, for twelve years.and they now have the reward of having their valuable church prop- erty nearly free from debt. Since 1872 the numerical increase of the church has been small, yet fully equal to any other periods of the same length, with one exception. During Mr. Eaton's ministry, thus far, fifty-one have been added by baptism, and fifty-eight by letter. Still the diminution, by deaths and removals, has been almost equal to the additions. However, the church, through its entire history, has gradually increased from the original thirteen, in September, 1816, to 196 in March, 1885. The Sabbath-school is com- paratively large and promising, consisting of eighteen teachers, 280 scholars, with an average attendance of about 135. A. C. Sprague, is superintendent. The library numbers 850 volumes.
Keene Congregational ( Unitarian) Society .- The Unitarian Society was or- ganized March 18, 1824. They had occasional preaching during the year. On the thirtieth of August, of the same year, a call was extended to the Rev. Samuel Barrett, to become the pastor, but he declined the invitation. Mr. Barrett was a graduate of Harvard, in the class of 1818, of the Harvard Divinity school, in 1822, and received the degree of D). D., from Harvard in 1847. He was a scholarly and cultivated gentleman. In 1825 he became the first pastor of the Twelfth Congregational ( Unitarian) Society of Boston, and held the position until 1861. He died in 1866. Thomas Russell Sulli- van, the first pastor of this society, was ordained December 28, 1825, and a church of twelve members, besides the pastor, was organized on the previous day. The society worshipped in the town hall until the new meeting-house was completed, which was dedicated April 28, 1830. The funds for building this church consisted of fifteen hundred dollars, bequeathed by William Lam- son, of seven hundred and fifty dollars received from the first Congregational society for a quit-claim to all rights in their property, of $4,500 realized from the sale of the pews, and a small sum raised by subscription. Mr. Sullivan remained with the society until July 1, 1835, when he withdrew at his own request. He was the son of John Langdon and Elizabeth (Russell) Sullivan. He was born in Brookline, Mass., February 13, 1799, and fitted for college at Dummer academy, in Newbury. He graduated from Harvard in 1821, and from Harvard Divinity school in 1821. He was a superior scholar and a per- fect gentleman. He edited a periodical known as the Liberal Preacher, in which were published valuable sermons of the Unitarian preachers of the day. After leaving Keene he was at the head of a private school in Boston, which he taught up to the time of his death, which occurred December 23, 1862, almost 47 years from his ordination. He was a most worthy and ex- emplary man. His successor said of him: "We rejoice that all who knew thee, if they value purity, honor, truth, will find words of re .. pect and affection springing to their lips, whenever they hear the name of Thomas Russell Sul- livan." The second pastor was Rev. Abiel Abbot Livermore, who was or- dained over the church and society, November 2, 1836, and was dismissed at
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his own request, on account of failing health, May 1, 1850. He is a gradu- ate of Harvard, in the class of 1833, and from the Harvard Divinity school, in 1836. While in Keene he commenced work upon his commentary upon the New Testament, which he has completed within a few years, and which includes the whole Testament. It is the most thorough and complete com- mentary ever written by any Unitarian upon the whole of the New Testa- ment. After leaving Keene, Mr. Livermore was pastor of the Unitarian church in Cincinnati, and, later, while editing the Christian Inquirer, in New York, he was pastor of Mount Hope church, in Yonkers, N. Y. He is now the president of the Meadville Theological school in Pennsylvania, and his ripe scholarship, cultivation and christian virtues are making their impress upon the young men who are there preparing for the ministry. The third pastor was Rev. William Orne White, who is a graduate of Harvard, in the class of 1840, and of the Harvard Divinity school, in 1845. He was installed October 6, 1851, and was dismissed, at his own request, after a long and honorable service of twenty-seven years, No- vember 4, 1878. He has since resided in Brookline. Mass., having minis- tered, for a portion of the time, in the Unitarian church, at Sharon, Mass. He is a scholar and a cultivated and refined gentleman. His services in Keene were greatly appreciated, not only by his parishioners, but by the citi- zens generally. He was a very excellent townsman, giving to the poor a large part of his salary, laboring earnestly to reform the morals and habits of the. young, and to decrease the evils of intemperance. His successor, Rev. Al- bert Walkley, was not installed. He was the acting pastor from May 7, 1879, to January 25, 1885. He had neither the learning, cultivation nor reverence which characterized his three distinguished predecessors. He was earnest and sincere in his labors, and in his opinions; but, not being liberally educated, and evidently not suited to the tastes of the parish, his ministry was not very successful. He will be remembered as a kind and earnest, but unsuccessful minister. From the first, there have been about three hundred communicants in the society, and about half of that number are now living ; but it is not pos- sible to determine the number (or the numbers of each sex) with exactness. The church edifice was repaired in 1867-'68. The last service before the re- pairs, was held September 29, 1867. The first service in the renewed edifice was on August 16, 1868.
Catholic church .- The Catholics of Keene were first united under the Rev. John Brady in 1857. He built the present church and purchased the ceme- tery. His succesors were Rev. Father's O'Hara, Parache, Herbert, Murphy, Holohan and Galvin. The present pastor is Rev. J. R. Power, who has pur- chased a site and is engaged in erecting a school and convent. The parish embraces the neighboring tows of Marlboro, Fitzwilliam, Troy, Swanzey and Gilsum, and numbers about 2,500 souls.
St. James' Episcopal church .- The history of St. James' church, of Keene, dates from the year 1858. Previous to this time, however, services had been
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held as opportunity offered by various clergymen. About the year 1816 the Rev. Mr. Leonard, rector of St. Paul's church, Windsor, Vt., visited Keene, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Dunham and other parishioners, and held several services in the village. Soon after their visit the regular services of the church were conducted for several weeks, probably by the Rev. James Morse, of Newburyport, Mass., in the old court-house, then standing on the site of what is now called Gerould's block. Among the citizens favoring this- undertaking were Elijah Dunbar and Dr. Thomas Edward. These services, however, soon ceased. An occasion of marked interest was the funeral of the Hon. Ithamar Chase. The funeral service was held in the Congrega- tional house of worship and was conducted by the Rev. Dr. Strong, of Green- field, Mass., who also preached a sermon on the occasion. This funeral ser- vice supposed to bave been the first in Keene conducted according to the rites of the Protestant Episcopal church, was very largely attended, and is said to have created a very marked impression in favor of the church. Bishop Griswold, of the Eastern diocese, once visited Keene, confirming Dr. and Mrs. Edwards. The Rev. Mr. Barber, rector of Union church, West Clare- mont, occasionally officiated in Keene and administered the sacrament of holy baptism. From time to time services were also held in town by the Rev. Nathaniel Sprague, D. D. Dr. Sprague was a native of Keene, and improved every opportunity of extending the knowledge and influence of the church in these parts. Happily a memorial window was placed in St. James' church when it was finished in 1864, which serves to keep alive the memory of his many good words and works for the church. The Rev. Henry N. Hudson, of the diocese of Massachusetts, also held a series of services in the summer and early fall of 1850. These services were at first held in the town hall, afterwards in an unoccupied building belonging to the Hon. James Wilson. Early in October, however, the Rev. Mr. Hudson was called away by the bishop of the diocese, the Rt. Rev. Carlton Chase, D. D., to supply his place as rector of Trinity church, Claremont, while he himself was absent doing Episcopal duty in the diocese of New York ; and on the Bishop's return it seemed to Mr. Hudson to be impacticable to resume his work in Keene. Although occasional services had been held from time to time in private houses by different clergymen visiting the place, nothing further was done looking to the establishment of the Episcopal church till the summer of 1858. On June 24th of that year Bishop Chase visited Keene, held evening services and preached. He was encouraged by the expressed wishes of those he met to attempt to establish the services of the church per- manently. Accordingly he invited the Rev. Edward A. Renouf, then assist- ant minister at St. Stephen's church, Boston, Mass., to visit Keene and act as his missionary for a few weeks. Mr. Renouf at once accepted the invita- tion, and with the assistance of the Rev. Dr. Fuller, also of the diocese of Mass- achusetts, services were soon begun, and being well attended were continued regularly through September and October. At length Mr. Renouf resigned
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