Gazetteer of Cheshire County, N.H., 1736-1885, Part 40

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., Printed at the Journal Office
Number of Pages: 1034

USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Gazetteer of Cheshire County, N.H., 1736-1885 > Part 40

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).

Rev. Ebenezer Mack was given 100 acres of land by the Gustins, on con- dition that he would settle in Marlow. His gift was the farm now occupied by Charles H. Washburn, on road 16. He settled here about 1768. He was a Baptist minister, and preached to the people in the vicinity several years

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TOWN OF MARLOW.

previous to the time when the Baptist church was organized. Among his children who removed to Marlow, were Lydia, wife of John Gustin, and Silas. The latter succeeded his father in the ownership of the farm. Their old log house was succeeded in 1779, by the new house, the second frame one in town. Here Silas reared his family of ten children, Silas, Jr., Jonathan, John, Daniel, who died young, William, Asa, Amasa, Franklin, Polly, and Daniel. Silas, Sr., was a prominent official and justice of the peace. He was the first representative sent from town after it ceased to be classed with others. He was a soldier under Stark, at Bennington. He was greatly interested in the first church, the building being erected on his farm. Of his sons, Silas, Asa, and Franklin removed to Stanstead, P. Q., where they lived and died. Jona- than settled in Charlestown. John went west, but finally returned. Polly married Jasper Ball, and removed to Iowa. William settled in Alstead, but soon returned to Marlow, and built the house now standing on the old farm. He was honored by his townsmen by election to various offices. Later years found him engaged in railroad surveys in Vermont and New York. Amasa succeeded his father in the ownership of the homestead. He filled the offices of selectman and representative several terms, always proving himself an honored citizen. His son Albert B., received the old farm, retaining pos- session until his death, when, after having been in the family for an hundred years, it passed to others. Daniel, the youngest son of Silas, after a few years of voluntary exile to Massachusetts, has returned to town. He is in his eighty-fourth year, but is still hale and hearty. He is the only representa- tive of the family living in town. His only child, Orville T., now of Mass- achusetts, was formerly in the stove and tinware business in town, was post- master three years.

Orville S. Rogers, son of Willard Rogers, of Lempster, came to town in 1872. He is a carpenter, which occupation he followed the first years of his residence here. Recently he has purchased the Downing homestead, on road 30, and is now engaged in farming. He has been selectman several years, was representative in 1878-80. Married Sophronia Way, had three children : Sidney died young, Ida died unmarried, and Ada married George W. Scott. The other members of this family who have resided in town are Francis J., for many years deputy sheriff ; Edmund, at one time engaged in the tin business ; Josiah, a tanner ; Almira, who married Joseph B. Honey, and lived for a time on road 17-children, Harlow E., Ada, died young, and Herbert L. Sarah married Welman J. Powers-children, Elmer W., Fred died young, and Zilla J., an adopted daughter, wife of Fred A. Lewis. Ca- lista, wife of Graham A. Keys, whose children are Edgar and Etta, married Lucius D. Tinker. Edward, Elias, and Emily have at times resided in town.

Hiram F. Russell, son of Amos Russell, a life-long resident of Washington, settled on road 6. He is an enterprising and thrifty farmer, has been one of the board of selectmen, married Lucy Mellen, of Washington, and has one child, Arthur. George S. Russell, brother of above, settled on the adjoining

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TOWN OF MARLOW.

farm, married Maryanna, daughter of Hibbard Huntley, who had two chil- dren, Georgianna and Marian. George S. married, second, Juliet Chappel, of Walpole.

Joseph and Abisha Tubbs, brothers, came to town about the same time, Joseph first, perhaps, who settled on road 22, where Isaiah Davis resides. He was selectman in 1767 and for several succeeding years, also, proprietors' committee. He died in 1775. No trace of his family is obtainable. One child alone is known, Hepzibah, married Silvanus Beckwith. Abisha settled on the farm now owned by Charles Elliott, off road 22. He was a town officer many years. He married Hepsibeth Mack. Their children were Dan, Joseph, Zephaniah, who went west, Russel who married Desire Healy, Michael, who went to New York, Eli, Hepzibah and Asubah. Daniel, who settled on road 17, married Molly Muncil, had four children, Phebe, Clara, Clarinda and James. Joseph settled on his uncle Joseph's farm, married Rhoda Henry and reared a family of seven children, Joseph, Abisha, Sally, Alvin, Rhoda, Amos Gale and Belinda. Joseph married Zuba Monroe and had six children. Abisha married Belinda Fiske, who bore him two children, when he married Mrs. Betsey Weston. Sally married John Giffin. Alvin married Cynthia Huffman. Rhoda married Gardner Huntley. Amos G. married Sarah Wallace, has had three children, Orae, married Edwin Kilburn ; Sarah M., Artemas Kilburn ; Adelaide, Robert B. Isham and had nine children. Belinda married James Gordon. Eli inherited the home- stead, where he always lived. He married Lydia Chase. They had three children, Elvira, married Daniel Mack; Marilla, Edmund Jones ; Lucinda, Samuel Buss ; and Hepzibah, Samuel Richardson. Their children were three in number, Jonathan, Elvira and one other that died young.

Daniel Way settled on road 5 about 1787, on the farm now owned by A. G. Baker. His family consisted of eight children, all of whom came to town with him. Wells (1769) was town clerk twenty-three years in succession ; was also selectman, treasurer and representative many times. He was familiarly known as "'Squire " Way, and was the arbiter of many a local dispute, while as a surveyor he traversed this and adjoining towns not a. little. He lived on Marlow Hill on road 18. He married Deliverance Gale. A son, Wells H., was at one time in company with James Burnap, in the tan- ning business. Esther (1771) married John Gustin, Jr. Christopher (1773 -1842) was a blacksmith, came to town in 1795, built the house on road 9, where W. H. French lives, about 1800. A few years later he built the one owned by Mrs. L. Huntley on road 6. He finally returned to the Hill, build- ing at the corner of roads 9 and 2. He was killed by lightning, May 11, 1842, while at work at his forge. He married, in 1794, Charlotte Huntley. Their children were Martin (1796), Mehitable (1802), married George Lewis ; he married second, Abigail Beebe. Asa (1775-1859) married Lucy Huntley, had two children, one dying young, the other being drowned in the old Mack mill pond in 1819. Asa lived for a year on the old place, when he purchased

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TOWN OF MARLOW.

the Honey place on road 17. He lived here several years, accumulating considerable property. At his death in Lempster he bequeathed $1,000 each to the Universalist societies at Marlow and Lempster for the support of preaching, and $500 to each of these towns for the support of schools ; Sally married Ira Miller ; Ethelinda married Silas Mack, Jr .; Eunice married Nathan Huntley ; Martin removed to Vermont.

Elisha Gee, son of Stephen, who was a native of Lyme, Conn., was born here upon the place where Horace Gee now lives, on road 6. He reared a family of eight children, five of whom are living, and two, Horace and Elbridge B., reside in town. Elbridge left home at the age of twenty-three, and went to Fitchburg, Mass., where he was engaged in the clothing business for some ten years. He then went to Illinois for three years, from there to Portland, Me., running an omnibus line, and finally returning to Marlow vil- lage where he has since lived, being engaged in the business of manufacturing lumber. He married twice, first, Fanny W. Parker, of Putney, Vt., who bore him three children, only one of whom is now living, and is a resident of Keene, N. H. His first wife died in 1866. His second wife was Caroline Ball, of Keene, who bore him two children, who reside at home.

George W. Fox, a native of Hancock, and now a resident of Fairview, Minn., lived for several years in Marlow. While here he was a farmer and miller, running a mill in what was known as Symondsville. He was a select- man of the town several years, and has two sons, Charles G. and Edward A. The former is an engineer, and has been on the Baltimore, Wilmington & Philadelphia railroad. Edward A. has always lived in town. At the age of seventeen he entered the tannery of C. D. Symonds, and learned the currier's trade of John Symonds. He remained here about eleven years, and then took the shop where he now is, which was at that time, in 1856, the property of James Burnap. He married twice, first, Harriet D. Dart, of Gilsum, N. H., and second, Frances H. Ross, of Weston, Vt. Peter E., son of Peter T., and nephew of George W., was born December 17, 1833, attended school at the Marlow academy, and at the New Hampshire M. E. Conference seminary, at Tilton, N. H. He went to Danville, Ill., in 1857, where he taught school for a year and a half, then went to Belvidere, where he taught school about four years. He returned to his native town in 1862, and in 1869 bought out the stove and tin business of J. H. Fisher, which he has since carried on. He invented the celebrated Granite State evavorator, for making maple sugar, and also a sap spout. He has spent a great deal of time in improving these inventions. He married Catharine, daughter of Amos F. Fiske, of Marlow.

Hon. James Burnap, the ninth child of Pious Burnap, was born at Nelson in 1816, and was left fatherless at the age of eleven years. He was appren- ticed to Asa Spaulding, his uncle, a tanner, and remained with him four years. After spending some time in Massachusetts and in Charlestown, N. H., he came to Marlow, where he bought the tannery which he has had charge of

& Busnap

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TOWN OF MARLOW.

ever since. He has been selectman, represented his town in 1861 and 1862, being the only Republican representative from the town, was state senator in 1876 and was re-elected in 1877. He is now interested in pottery manufac- ture in Keene, one of the firm of J. S. Taft & Co. In 1879 he was elected as one of the governor's council for two years, has been state justice of the peace for the past seven or eight years, has been a director of the Citizen's bank, at Keene, since its organization, and is president of the Guaranty Savings bank, of Keene, which was organized in 1883. He is owner of the mill located just above his tannery, where sash and blinds are manufactured. He married Mary Cordelia, daughter of Emerson Gilman, of Lowell, Mass., and has one daughter, S. Abbie. Mr. Burnap has been steward of the Meth- odist church here for the past twenty-five years.

Dr. Marshall Perkins, son of James, a miller, was born at Croyden, N. H., in 1823, and was the only one cf a family of five children who lived to ma- turity. He fitted for college in Norwich university, at Norwich, Vt., and Kimball Union academy, at Meriden, N. H., and graduated from Harvard medicai college in 1850. He came to Marlow in the fall of that year, began the practice of his profession, and, with the exception of three years spent in the army, has since remained in the town. He served in the war as assistant surgeon, enlisting in the 14th N. H. Vols. He married Harriet F., daughter of Amos F. Fisk, who bore him eleven children, seven of whom are living, five of them remaining at home. He has been school committee for twenty or twenty-five years, and a member of the Connecticut Valley Association for several years.

James M. Howard, the only son of Nathan, was born in Langdon, N. H. His mother died when he was only six weeks old, at which time he was taken into the family of Leonard Whitney, of Ackworth, N. H., and at the age of seventeen came to Marlow and learned the tanner's trade. He was foreman of James Burnap's tannery for eleven years, or until in 1862, when he entered into partnership with him, and remained until 1869. During this time, in 1864. the tannery was burned to the ground. Since the dissolving of the partnership, he has again acted as foreman, and at the same time carry- ing on two or three large farms. He married Lucretia A. Mitchell, of Eaton, Lower Canada, and has been steward of the Methodist church here for the past twenty-five years.

Hosea Towne, son of Archelaus, was born in Stoddard, the youngest of a family of four children. He went to Sullivan, where he remained twelve years, as a farmer, and then to Keene, engaging in various kinds of business, and from there enlisted in the 6th N. H. Vols. He served in the war three years, and was in the battles of Camden, 2d Bull Run, Vicksburg, Wilderness, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, and several others. He came to Marlow in 1869, engaged in general merchandise, and has remained in that business ever since. He has been postmaster since 1870, the postoffice being located in his store,

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TOWN OF MARLOW.

and has been overseer of the poor, and town treasurer for three years, hold- ing the latter office at the present time.

Lyman H. Huntley, the adopted son of Luther Huntley, came to this town when only three weeks old. He is a farmer, has been superintendent of schools one year, is a single man, and has always resided upon the farm which he now occupies. Luther Huntley died in 1878. His widow survives him.

Stephen C. Joslin, son of Nathaniel, was born in Stoddard, June 1, 1807, married Hannah Towne, of Marlow, and moved to that town in 1856, where he now resides. He has had nine children, as follows : Stephen C., Jr., George D., Joseph G., Andrew T., Luke E., Susan A., John A., Alva N. and Arthur E. Four of these are now living-John A. and Arthur E. in Fitz- burg, Mass., Luke E. in Keene, and Andrew T. in Marlow.

Andrew Towne, son of Israel, came with his father to the town of Stod- dard at an early day, but moved to Marlow previous to 1800. He married Sallie Spaulding, of Stoddard, in 1802. He lived in the southern part of the town, was a farmer, and was also engaged in the flour business. He reared a family of ten children, as follows : Anna, Luke, Sarah, Eliza, Han- nah, Christina, Cynthia S., Andrew D., Mary and John S. Four of these, Hannah, Andrew D., Mary and John S., are now living.

Jonathan Butler came here from Lyndeboro, N. H., in 1807, and located in the eastern part of the town, upon the place now owned by George Mans- field. He married Martha Russel and reared a family of eleven children, five of whom are now living. Of these, Nathaniel R., lives in Ashburnhamn, Mass. ; William Z. married Mary J. Tinker, of Nashua, N. H., and lives in: Marlow ; John F. in Chesterfield ; Mary F. married Francis Buss, and lives in Acworth, N. H .; and Sarah J. married John Ramsey and lives in Orange,. Mass.

Isaac Monroe, a native of Stoddard, moved to this town, where he died at the age of eight-four years. He had three sons and four daughters. The- sons are all living. Ora lives in Marlboro village, Nathaniel in North Wal- pole, and Orrin in Florida.

Phinehas Stone came here from Harvard, Mass., with his wife and five children, about 1810, locating near Stone pond, and carried on the tannery business. He reared a family of eight children, as follows : John, Henry, Nahum, Sherman, Sarah, Eliza, Nancy and Mary. Only one of these, Eliza, is now living. She married A. F. Fisk, who died in this town. John, born in Harvard, in 1798, came here with his father and married Johanna, daughter of Stephen Gee, Jr. He located on the homestead of his wife's father and had two children, Lorenzo D. and Silas. The former lives in Madison, Wis., and Silas lives on the home farm, on road 6. The latter mar- ried Sarah W., daughter of David Griffin, and has two children, Josephine J., who lives in Lawrence, Mass., and Della A., who lives at home. John Stone died February 3, 1878, and his widow died July 16, 1879, aged seventy-three years.

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TOWN OF MARLOW.

Rufus Dodge, a native of Stoddard, married Cordelia Messenger, and lived in the southern part of that town until 1837, when he moved to Marlow and located upon the place now owned by his son Rufus. He died in this town. His wife is still living and resides with her daughter, Mrs. Rozina Kemp. Rufus, Jr., born in Stoddard in 1825, married Sarah, daughter of Curtis Bradford, and has three children. They are Elmer D., who lives in New- port, Frances R., who married M. J. Huntley, and Willie A., who resides in town.

James H. Morrison, son of B. F., and a native of Marlow, married for his first wife Sylvia M. Corry, who bore him four children, and he carried on the currier business in the village of Marlow. Two of his four children are living, Frank E. in Boston, and Clarence E. at home. He married for his second wife, Frances M. Gould, May 15, 1873. He died June 5, 1881. His widow resides in town.

The ancestor of the Phelps family, emigrated from England, and settled in Dorchester, Mass., in 1630. Descended from him were Edward and Luther Phelps, half brothers, who removed from Leominster, Mass., about 1793, the former settling in the southwest part of Stoddard, the latter near road 30, in Marlow. His first habitation stood in a lot southwest from the Wallace mill. Later he built the old house near James Downing's. Luther (1768-1855) mar- ried (1795) Susannah Cram. They reared a family of seven children: Susan (1795- 1861) married John Farrer, and removed to Keene ; Calvin (1798-1861) mar- ried, in 1823, Sally Fox, settled on road 25, where he lived several years, then buying the place now occupied by his son Freeman, he conducted a rake manufacture and cabinet shop. His children were George S. (1825), married Mary J. Applin (1849), settled on road 18}, they have had two children, Henry A. married Carrie A. Grant, and Mary A ;- Mary A. (1827); Alfred (1828) both died young ; Elmira (1830), married Harvey Thompson, had two chil- dren, Herbert H., and Elvira M., married second, Isaiah Davis, their family consists of Mary E., Abbie F., Warren M., and Arthur M .; Maria (1833) married, in 1873, Gardner Smith and removed to Acworth. Elbridge (1836) married, in 1857, Harriet Spaulding, and resides on road 24. He is by occupa- tion a carpenter, cooper, and cabinent maker, and is withal a very skilful workman. His children are three in number, Ella J., Sarah E., and Albert W., one having died young. Freeman (1838), the youngest of Calvin's chil- dren, resides on the homestead, married, in 1875, Martha H. Ross. Luther, Jr., (1805-1839), third child of Luther, lived with his father on the home- stead, married Polly Miller, who bore him three children-Emily (1831-1874) who married Wesley Austin, and had one child; Sarah (1833), who married Newell Mead, and had two children, and Alfred (1837-1838). Sally (1807- 1832), Abel (1811-1832), Prudence (1813-1839), all died unmarried. Martha F. (1817-1855), married Sumner Knight, of Stoddard, in 1844.

Accidents have been of frequent occurrence. The following is a partial list of the more serious ones : In 1789, two daughters of Samuel Canfield, Sarah

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TOWN OF NELSON.

and Esther, were burned to death. In 1798 Jonathan Raymond was killed by the falling of a tree, while chopping. In 1819 Erastus, son of Asa Way was drowned while bathing in the old Mack mill-pond. In 1842 Christopher Way was killed by lightning while working at a forge. In 1853, Wooster Glidden was drowned in the river near the village ; the same year Ashbury, son of P. T. Fox, was killed by a falling tree ; another son Frank was fatally injured in 1858 by the overtering of a cart. In 1854, John Rude had an arm torn from his body by being caught by a revolving shaft. 1862, Mel- bourne E. son of Joseph Clyde, was drowned while skating. In 1864, Gil- bert Burdett lost his life at the first burning of the tannery. 1868, Stephen C. Joslin, Jr., was killed, being caught by a revolving shaft, in a tannery at East Sullivan. In 1872, Leander B. Huntley was so badly injured by a bank of earth falling upon him, when at work on a dam at Ashuelot pond, that one leg had to be amputated. In 1878, Remus A. Lowell was fatally injured by a falling tree. For church history, see pages 317-319.

N ELSON lies in the eastern part of the county, in lat. 43° and long. 4º 57', bounded north by Stoddard, east by Hancock, south by Harris- ville, and west by Sullivan. It was originally chartered by the Ma- sonian proprietors, May 10, 1752, under the name of Monadnock No. 6. This grant conveyed " all the Right, Title, Property and Possession " of the said proprietors in that tract or township of land called Monadnock No. 6,- excepting twenty shares, three of which were reserved for public use, and seventeen for the benefit of the original proprietors or grantors-to John Hutchinson, Alexander Park, Benjamin French, Eleazer Farwell, Robert Fletcher, James Minot and thirty others, one hundred and twenty shares, each share containing two " lots." These share-holders were called grantees, and afterwards, proprietors. Of the three shares set apart for public use, one was " reserved for the first settled minister, one for the ministry, and one for public schools, forever." The shares were to be drawn by lot on or before the last day of November, 1754, and the township was laid out eight miles in length, east and west, and five miles in width, north and south, containing 25,000 acres of land. The lines as then established, on the north and east, were as they now exist, except that the north line extended west to the line known as the "Patent line," which was the eastern boundary of Keene, and which may still be traced in the lines of Gilsum and Marlow. That line ran south ten degrees west, and includ- ed in this town the farms in Sullivan formerly owned by Selim Frost and Amos Wardwell, and those in Roxbury owned by David W. Buckminster and Gilman Nims, crossing the "Branch " at the edge of the woods, about half a mile below what is now known as Roxbury bridge. In 1870, a large portion of the southern territory was taken to form the town of Harrisville,

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TOWN OF NELSON.

as is stated in detail in connection with the sketch of that town. On the 22d of February, 1774, Governor Wentworth signed an act of incorporation, giving the town the name of Packersfield, in honor of Colonel Thomas Packer, who, at one time, owned the greater part of the township. This was changed to Nelson in June, 1814.

Occupying the summit of the highlands between the Connecticut and Merrimack rivers, the surface of the town is rough and broken, though many fertile farms are afforded and much fine grazing land, while the scenery is ro- mantic and pleasing in the extreme. This scenic effect is greatly heightened by the numerous ponds distributed over the surface. The streams are small, though there are several good mill privileges afforded. Near the center of the town is an eminence locally known as "City Hill," which, next to Mo- nadnock, is the highest land in the county. Near its summit the first settlers in the present town limits located. It affords a view of the White Moun- tains, and even Agamentus mountain in Maine, can be seen. More than a dozen beautiful lakes are also visible. From the head of Breed pond one of the finest views of Monadnock may be had, with the pond in the immediate foreground.

In 1880 Nelson had a population of 438 souls, and in 1884 the town had six school districts and six common schools, which were valued, including furniture, etc., at $1,500. There were 110 pupils attending the schools, taught by six female teachers, at an average monthly salary of $24.00 each. During the year the town raised $802.32 for school purposes, while the en- tire amount expended was $816.82, with Miss Sarah E. Beverstock, superin- tendent.

NELSON is a small post village, located in the central part of the town. It has one church (Congregational), one store building, a blacksmith shop, saw- mill, clothes-pin shop, and about fifteen dwellings. In front of the church the citizens have erected a fine soldier's monument, in honor of the brave ones from Nelson who laid down their lives in the late great struggle.

MUNSONVILLE is a thriving post village, located at the foot of the pond of that name, in the northwestern part of the town. It has one church (Bap- tist), a store, chair shop, saw-mill, etc., and about twenty dwellings.

L. J. Colony's chair factory is located at the latter village. The building originally used as a cotton factory, established by Alvin Munson, about 1843, was, in 1860, bought by J. D. & L. J. Colony, who carried on the manufacture of cotton goods until 1877, when the building was destroyed by fire. They immediately re-built, adding another story. Subsequent to this, about 1867, L. J. Colony had sold his interest to his brothers, O. E. and O. L., and from that time until the fire the firm was known as J. D. Colony & Sons. After the fire L. J. Colony purchased the entire property, and, in 1878, began the manufacture of basket and rattan chairs. He now employs from thirty to fifty hands in weaving seats and backs outside the factory, and five in the finishing shop, at Keene. He makes from 25,000 to 30,000 chairs annually. O. B. Blake is superintendent of the works.

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Gazetteer of Cheshire County, N.H., 1736-1885, Part 40

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., Printed at the Journal Office Number of Pages: 1034

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., Printed at the Journal Office
Number of Pages: 1034