USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Gazetteer of Cheshire County, N.H., 1736-1885 > Part 54
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Phineas Hamblet, a soldier of the Revolution, came to Swanzey, from Pel- ham, N. H., about a hundred years ago. He settled in the northwestern part of the town, on road 1, married Rachael Atwood, of Pelham, and reared a family of ten children. Josiah, his brother, came here about the same time, and located near him. Benjamin, son of Phineas, was born in Swanzey, in 1791, was a blacksmith and farmer, and lived on the old homestead. He married Lucy Willis, of Westmoreland, who bore him two children, Horace and George. The latter lives in Buffalo, N. Y. Horace married twice, first, Olive Stone, of Chesterfield ; second, Nancy Lovins, and has two children, both of whom reside in Keene. He settled in Keene in 1840, on road 32, and, in 1841, his father, mother, grandfather, and grandmother, came to live with him, where they remained until they died.
Richard Hovey moved to Peterboro, N. H., from Boxford, Mass., at an early day, and remained there until his death. His son Robert came to Swanzey in 1833, and, after living in Swanzey village some time, moved to the farm where he now resides. He married Elizabeth Smiley, of Peterboro, N. H., and has had born to him twelve children, three of whom, Ruth C., Nettie, and Ida A., are living. His wife died July 22, 1882. Ruth C. mar- ried Willard Thomas, and lives in Hudson, Mass .; Nettie married Henry
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Taylor, and lives in Richmond, N. H .; and Ida A. married Frank E. Handy,. and lives on the homestead.
Nathaniel Dickinson and his brother Joseph came to Swanzey, from Hat -- field, Mass., previous to the Revolutionary war, and settled in the northern part of the town. He reared a large family of children, among whom were Ezariah, Abel, Aaron, Asa, Israel, and William. Ezariah, a native of this town, married Elizabeth Robley, reared a family of nine children, and located: on road 5. In 1834 he moved to Brattleboro, Vt., where he spent the re- mainder of his life. Abel married Abigail Scott, and lived on the home farm with his father. Aaron married Polly Whitcomb, and located on road 2. Asa also lived in this town. Israel moved to Leominster, Mass., and William, who- reared a large family of children, lived in this town for some time, but moved to Winchester, where he died. Oren, son of Ezariah, married for his first wife,- Mary Ann Lawrence, who bore him two children, and for his second wife, Emily H., daughter of Aaron Wilson, and has had born to him eight children, -six sons and two daughters. Mr. Dickinson was engaged in manufacturing sash, door, and blinds, at Keene, for eighteen years, and has been in the same- business in this town the last thirty-five years, at Swanzey Factory.
Samuel Sargent, a native of Hubbardston, married Deborah Sylvester, January 13, 1772, and soon after moved to Marlboro. John, one of his ten children, was born December 19, 1780, married Anna, daughter of Josiah and Martha (Bemis) Lewis, January 1, 1806, and had born to him four chil -- dren, as follows : John S., Josiah L., Martha, and Mary. John S., born· September 29, 1808, married, for his first wife, Demaris Read, who bore him four children, Fidelia, Harvey, Milton, and Annette. She died December 4, 1849. He married for his second wife, Malinda Read, sister of his first wife,. September 8, 1850. He moved to Swanzey in 1853.
Penticost Stanley moved to Troy, from Attleborough, Mass., where he re- sided for a time, and in 1772 moved to Swanzey, locating on the farm now owned by his grandson, Alonzo A. Stanley, on road 57. He was engaged in farming, reared a family of eight children, none of whom are now living, and died here at the age of ninety-one years. His son Israel was born in 1772,- and always lived on the old homestead. He married Eunice Norwood, who bore him six children, as follows: Nathaniel, Arvilla, Nancy, Susan, Orra, and Alonzo A. Five of these are now living. He died in 1855, and his- widow died in 1856. Alonzo A. was born on the homestead, which he now occupies. He married Keziah, daughter of Aaron Thayer, and has had seven children, four of whom, George W., Jennie M., Alice A., and Addie I. are living. George W. lives in Langdon, N. H. Rhoda, daughter of Penti- cost Stanley, married Silas Whitcomb ; Sally, daughter of Penticost, married Daniel Cummings ; Pedee married Josiah Hammond; and another daughter- married John Whitcomb.
Phineas Stone, a native of Lancaster, Mass., moved to Marlboro about 1806, where he lived three years, and then came to Swanzey. He was a-
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farmer and a miller, married Dorothy, daughter of John Carter, of Leomin- ster, Mass., who bore him six children. Of these, John C. died at the age of eighteen years. Joseph and Henry live in Winchester, Mass. Dorothy Ann married Otis Weatherbee, and resides at Winchester, Mass. Phineas mar- ried Demaris, daughter of Silas Parsons, and located on the place where his widow now resides. He reared three children, John P., Henry, and Marcus C. John P., who enlisted in Co. H, 2d N. H. Vols., was killed at the battle of Gettysburg. Henry died in town. Marcus C. married Emma J., daughter of Sanford Wilbur, has seven children, and resides in town. Sylvander, son of Phineas, was born in 1809, married Vesta, daughter of Jonathan Whit- comb, and has always resided in town. He has had three children-two sons and one daughter. Of these, D. W. enlisted in Co. I, 16th N. H. Vols., and died in New Orleans, aged nineteen years. Ellen C. married Lewis Proulett and lives in Keene. George D. resides in town.
Josiah Hammond was born in Swanzey, November 1, 1785, married Pedee Stanley, and settled upon the farm now owned by Andrew Cook, where he died, November 1, 1829. He reared a family of eight children, as follows : Joseph S., Horace, Hiram, Nancy S., Angela P., Allen, Willard, and Esther M. Two of these are now living. His widow died October 1, 1875, aged ninety years and nine months.
Dr. Henry Baxter, son of Robert, was born in Pomfret, Conn., March 15, 1784, and graduated at Castleton, Vt. About 1819 he came to West Swan- zey, and commenced the practice of medicine, which he continued until his death, April 4, 1853. He was very successful in his practice, and held several town offices, being town clerk seventeen years, and justice of the peace eighteen years. He married, for his first wife, Polly Weeden, October 24, 1804, who bore him eight children, four of whom are living. Of these, Anna H. married Rufus Thomson ; Belinda B. married J. W. Capron ; Sarah W. married Hiram Drury ; and Philotha P., married Thomas H. Wellington. He married for his second wife Mary Ann Wilson, and had born to him one child, Mary A., who lives in Keene.
Amos H. Freeman, son of Luther, was born in Greenwich, Mass., in 1817, moved to Dublin in 1835, and married Harriet E. Hemingway, in 1838. He moved to Keene in 1843, and worked at the blacksmith's trade for several years. He went into the grocery business with A. H. Grimes, in 1861, and came to this town in 1879. Of his four children, Georgian, Sarah R., and Flora E. are living, and Harriet E. is dead.
Rev. Stephen G. Abbott, son of Rev. Samuel Abbott, was born at Bridge- water, Mass., in 1819, and married Sarah B., daughter of Moses and Abigail Cheney, and sister of ex-Governor P. C. Cheney. He graduated at New Hampton Theological seminary, and commenced preaching at Campton, N. H., in 1848. In 1861 he was chaplain of the Ist N. H. Vols., and in 1871 he received the honorary degree of A. M., from Bates college, Maine. In 1882 he moved to Hinsdale, N. H., and in 1883 came to West Swanzey,
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where he is pastor of the Baptist church. He has one child, John T., a law- yer in Keene.
Sanford S. Hardy, a native of Hollis, Mass .. enlisted in Co. G, 14th N. H. Vols., and, after three years service, was discharged on account of wounds received in battle. These wounds eventually caused his death. He came to this town in 1876, his death occurring soon after. His widow now lives with her children, Cora and Ellen A.
Hardin Albee, son of Ichabod, was born in Westmoreland, March 8, 1800, married, for his first wife, Almira H. Howard, and came to Swanzey in 1827, locating upon the place where John Convoy now lives. He was town repre- sentative two terms, and selectman for several years. His first wife, who died in 1853, bore him two children, George H., who lives in Wisconsin, and A., Melissa, who married Abraham Stearns, and resides in town. He married for his second wife, Anna A. May, and had born to him one child, Ida M., who died young. Mr. Albee died November 13, 1863.
Elijah Houghton, son of Joseph, moved to Putney, Vt., from Petersham, Mass., about a hundred years ago. At the age of nineteen he entered the Revolutionary war and did good service. He reared a family of eleven chil- dren, three of whom, Thankful, Emily and Amos, are living, and died in Put- ney, Vt. Thankful and Emily live in Putney, and Amos resides in town. The latter, a native of Putney, married Almira Page, of this town. Five of his nine children are living. Curtis E. lives in town, Charles A. in Portsmouth, Va., Joseph J., who was in the "Tiger Regt." in the late Rebellion, lives in Dedham, Mass., Alvin W., who served in the 2d Mass. Vols. and in the 18th N. H. Vols., lives in Amherst, and Clark H., who enlisted September, 1864, in Co. A, 18th N. H. Vols., resides in town.
William Carpenter came to Massachusetts, from England, in 1638, accom- panied by his wife and four children. He resided in Weymouth until 1643; when he moved to Rehoboth. Rev. Ezra Carpenter, supposed to be a de- scendant of William, was born at Rehoboth, April 1, 1699, and took his first degree at Harvard college in 1720. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Rev. Thomas Greenwood, November 28, 1723. Mr. Carpenter was ordained at Hull, November 24, 1725, at which place he preached until November 23, 1746. In 1753 he settled in Swanzey, and October 14th of that year, the churches of Swanzey and Keene united for the support of gospel ordinances with Mr. Carpenter as pastor. This continued seven years, after which he remained as pastor of the church in Swanzey until 1765. His wife died March 19, 1766, and his death occurred at Walpole, August 26, 1785. Green- wood, one of his eight children, and his successor on the old homestead, was born at Hull, March 31, 1733, and married for his first wife, Sarah Leathers, of Boston, who bore him three children. He married for his second wife, Susan Hammond, of Swanzey, and had born to him ten children, one of whom was the Hon. Elijah Carpenter. The latter, born at the homestead Decem- ber 23, 1779, was for a long time one of the most influential men of Swanzey.
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alonso a. Ware
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He was appointed high sheriff of the county by Governor Dinsmore, Septem- ber 22, 1832, which office he held ten years, and was a member of the state senate. He married Fanny Partridge, who was born at Mantagus, Mass., November 1, 1787. George, one of his seven children, was born September 13, 1828, married Lucy J., daughter of Calo Carter Whitcomb, June 17, 1864, and resides on the old homestead. Mr. Carpenter takes great interest in public affairs, and is a man of means, which he is using liberally for the public benefit. He has recently given to Mt. Cæsar Library association a building for a library. This building was built in 1843, for an academy. Mr. Carpenter has taken great interest in the Greenback party, having been a candidate for that party for governor.
Aaron Parsons came from Palmer, Mass., to Swanzey, probably in 1763, and settled on the place his grandson, Josiah, now owns. He had a family of seven children, viz. : Betty, Silas, Damaris, Abigail, Aaron, and Josiah. Silas was well known in the country by his clocks, which are now running in many of the families of the country. Aaron went to Vermont. Josiah set. tled on the old homestead, and married Nattalla, daughter of Aquilla Rams- dill, by whom he had seven children. David lives in town, has been a prom- inent citizen. Amanda married Aaron Stone, and lived in New York. Marinda died in infancy. Alcista married Leverett Bryant, of Camden, N. Y., and Marinda N. married Newell J. Smith, of that town. Louisa A. mar- ried Hiram Hammond, of this town, and also settled in Camden. Josiah, Jr., the youngest, lives on the old homestead. He married Nancy B. Fish, and had one child, Nathaniel F., who died in infancy. His wife died in 1848. For his second wife he married Dolly W., daughter of Hubbard Williams, and had one child, who died in infancy. Mr. Parsons represented the town in the legislature in 1866-'67, and has been selectman for several years. He is a Democrat in politics.
Dea. Thomas Applin came to this town about 1761, from Palmer, Mass. He was a farmer and blacksmith, and was the first town clerk and first justice of the peace. There are some of his descendants now in town. Thomas, Jr., was a deacon in the church, and has one son, Wesson, now living here.
James S. and Zadock L. Taft, two brothers, sons of Nathan, lived in the south part of the town, and were known all over the country as millwrights and builders. Two sons of Zadock L. now live here, viz. : Giles and Lovell. Don C., another son of Zadock L., lives in Kansas, and has become prom- inent as a teacher, but is now engaged in the banking business.
Eleazar, son of Eleazar Ware, was born November 11, 1711. He married Hannah Mann, and reared seven children, of whom Ziba, born, December 13, 1744, was the fifth. Ziba moved from Franklin, Mass., to Winchester, N. H., June 16, 1769, married Keziah Day, born March 4, 1744, reared ten children, and died August 16, 1819. Zenas Ware, the eldest son of Ziba, born February 4, 1771, removed from Winchester to Swanzey, married Pa- tience Crossett, who was born in Prescott, Mass., October 22, 1766, and died
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February 19, 1853, reared five children, and died April 6, 1817. Jonathan Day Ware, eldest child of Zenas, born February 23, 1797, married Alice Hamblett, born October 26, 1801, and died January 26, 1873, and reared four children-Alonzo A., Daniel H., Alice M., and Mary L. He died Oc- tober 23, 1876. Alonzo A. Ware, born September 1, 1825, married Julia A. Kingman, born in Winchester, February 27, 1826, and had two children- Arthur K., born November 23, 1854, who died January 4, 1862, and Julia M., born January 10, 1860, and who died January 5, 1862. Alonzo's occu- pation is that of school teacher, land surveyor and farmer. He has been superintendent, school committee, town treasurer, selectman and county com- missioner.
Amasa Aldrich came from Mendon, Mass., to Swanzey some time after the war of 1775, probably about 1784. He was a soldier and settled on the farm now owned by John Adams. He was a farmer and somewhat prominent in town affairs, and died December 2, 1813. He had a family of thirteen children. Amasa, Jr., quite a prominent man, lived on the old farm, repre- sented the town, and was selectman. His son, Carlon C., lives in Illinois, and he has two sons living in Wichendon, Mass., -Harrison and Simeon C., and two daughters in Keene, Mrs. Candace C. Marsh and Mrs. Calista F. Read. Paul F., son of Amasa, Sr., was well known as a drover. He rep- resented the town and held other town offices. His son Henry H. is also well known in the county as a drover. David, another son of Amasa, Sr., was a colonel in the state militia, and died young.
Rev. Edward Goddard came to this town about 1768 or '69, and was set- tled by the town as pastor of the church at the center of town. He was pas- or for about twenty-five years, and built the house where David Parsons now ives, whose wife was his granddaughter. He was a delegate to the conven- tion of New Hampshire for developing a plan to form a state government. His son, Captain Edward, was well known in town, was a representative and selectman.
Moses Howard was one of the large farmers of this town, and also was a lumber dealer. There are two of his sons in Keene-Daniel C. and Oscar J., and one son in Ashuelot.
Samuel Hills came from Sunderland, Mass., as one of the early pioneers. In 1737 he was one of the leading men in the township, and the ancestor of all the Hills that have lived in town. His sons, Nathaniel, Samuel and Ebenezer, were quite prominent men, the last being the second child born in town.
Elijah Sawyer, son of Dr. Israel Sawyer, was quite a prominent man of the town, a representative several times, was also a register of probate, and held all the various town offices. He was long a leader in the Democratic party here.
Reuben Worcester was the first of the family in the town. There are now some of his descendants here, among them, Charles Worcester, is one of the most prominent farmers here.
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David W. Harris, son of David, who came to this town in 1838, was born "October 21, 1825, and settled on the farm where he now lives. He has al- ways been a farmer.
Timothy Reed, son of Timothy, came from Rehoboth, Mass., to Swanzey, ` in 1779, and settled in the east part of the town. He was a descendant of John, who came to this country in 1635. He married Martha Pidge, was in the French and Indian, and in the Revolutionary wars, was a shoemaker, and died in town. He had ten children, all of whom are dead. Three of his children, Joel, John and Josiah P., settled and died in Swanzey. Josiah P. married Mary Forbes and settled at East Swanzey, where he died at the age of ninety-three years, having reared four sons and four daughters, six of whom are now living. William the oldest, was well known in town. Josiah M. lives in Boston. Colonel Benjamin lives in Swanzey, and was state sena- tor in 1867 and'68. E. F. also lives in the town. John settled on the place where A. Y. Read, his grandson, now lives. Joel, a farmer, settled in the south part of the town.
The Belden family of Swanzey was quite a prominent one in the town, at least for the first 100 years of the town's history. The name of Hammond also appears often in the records. Some of this family represented the town in both houses of the legislature. Some of the descendants reside here.
James Underwood the first one of that name who came to this town, and kept the hotel at Facto y Village, was a large farmer, and represented the town in the legislature. His son Hiram lived where his son George now resides. Two of his sons, George and Elmer, now live in town.
Willard Gay came to Swanzey about 1840. He married Fanny Wright, and had one child, Dr. George W. Gay, of Boston, who has the reputation of being one of the best physicians of that city. For his second wife, Mr. Gay married Emily H. Farwell, by whom he had six children, viz .: Ella H., who mar- ried Z. G. Taft, and lives in Swanzey ; Phineas Z., of Swanzey ; Mary A., married Calvin Hills, and lives in town ; and three children who died young. He was a good farmer and died highly respected. His widow still lives here.
Solomon Matthews came from Massachusetts to Swanzey in 1802, settled near the line of Keene, and died at the age of ninety-seven years. He had a family of fourteen children, only one of whom is now living, Olive, who mar- ried Philip P. Carlton. John H., a son, married Lemira Crossett, and settled on the old farm, where he lived and died. He had a family of three children. One son, James H., lives in Brattleboro, Vt. Lucina H. married Frank A. Hovey, who died, and is living at Keene with her mother.
Moses B. Williams came from Rutland, Mass., to Swanzey, locating in the southwest part of the town. He had ten children, of whom Hubbard, born in Swanzey, married Dolly, daughter of John Whitcomb, Jr., and lived on the homestead for a few years, then he lived on the homestead of John Whit- comb. He had six children-David W., Arvilla S., Elizabeth M., Dolly W., Mary, and Rebecca. David W. lives in Richmond, Dolly W. married Josiah Parsons, and Rebecca lives with Dolly W.
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John Whitcomb married Sarah Whitcomb, came from Bolton, Mass., to Swanzey and settled on the farm now owned by Henry Bowen. He had a family of five children-Thomas, John, Jr., Silas, Damaris and Betsey. Mr. Whitcomb was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, followed farming, and lived to be the oldest man in town, dying at the age of 103 years four months and seven days.
Nathaniel Stratton, a native of Cambridge, Mass., was born about the year 1750, and resided there at the time of the American Revolution. Tradition has it that he was of Russian extraction. He was a wealthy man, but lost his propery by selling it for continental money. He had several sons, whom his loss of property obliged to put out to learn trades. His son Richard went to Watertown Mass., and learned the art of dyeing and dressing cloth,. which was then spun and wove by the wives and daughters of the farmers. About 1790 he married Hannah Wheat, and emigrated to what is now called West Swanzey, where he followed his trade with success. He had a son and daughter born to him, John and Hannah. The latter married a Mr. Marvin, and moved to Pennsylvania. His son John, in 1806, at the age of twenty years, married Susannah Whitcomb, by whom he had five sons and seven daughters, most of whom settled in West Swanzey. His oldest son, Hon. Isaac Stratton, was connected 'with his father in business and village improvements many years, and was his constant adviser during his father's life. His son John, and his son-in-law, J. W. Frink, were the founders of the Stratton woolen-mills in West Swanzey. For nearly forty years he was extensively engaged in the lumber and shook trade, and amassed considerable property, investing the same in improvements in his native village. He was kind to his numerous family, obliging to his neighbors, and liberal to the unfor- tunate. From some half dozen dingy houses he lived to see the village have near a hundred nice residences, many of them built by his family. He died at the age of eighty-four years. Three of his sons and three daughters have gone the same way. Like most all towns, Swanzey's old families are becom- ing extinct. But there is to be a lasting monument for the Stratton family. A grandson of John, George W. Stratton, of Boston, is about to endow a library to the village, at a cost of about $10,000.00. It is to be called the Stratton Free Library, full particulars of which we publish on other pages.
George W. Stratton, at the present time an Importer of and Wholesale Dealer in Musical Instruments and Musical Merchandise and Publisher of Music, Boston, Mass., was born in West Swanzey, N. H., August Ist, 1830. At the age of seven he displayed a lively interest in music, and begged his father to allow him to learn the Clarionet. In a few weeks he was able to play one or two airs with considerable correctness, and he was encouraged to go on. With a steady perseverance he continued practicing the next two years, at the expiration of which time he could perform all the popular melo- dies of the day in such a musician-like manner, that his father organized a. little band, with George as leader, with his E flat Clarionet, and with one or-
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two singers, to make up a respectable concert troupe, travelling during three years, nearly all the time in the N. E. States, giving concerts with continued success. At the age of nine the young Clarionetist had studied the rudi- ments of music sufficiently to be able to read, tolerably readily, waltzes, quick- steps, marches, etc. At ten years of age he was seized with the idea of com- posing some music, and appealed for assistance in learning something about harmony, but with very poor success ; from the wisest musicians within his- reach he received only the information that a third above or a third below any given tone would be pretty sure to always chord! He experimented a little with this profound knowledge of harmony, but found it too monotonous and simple to be interesting. Then he tried his hand at writing a melody, filling out a few bars with properly timed notes, but without much calculation how they would sound, a trial was to prove that ; so after finishing he took his Clarionet and read them off. He pronounced it a bad tune, and tried again in a similar manner ; and after trying his second effort with the Clario- net, took the sheet upon which experiments were written, tore them into pieces, saying, " Before a fellow can compose music I believe he's got to learn how " ! This ended his attempts at a composition for a considerable time.
At twelve years of age, when he had been travelling giving concerts most of the time during three years, playing nearly the same pieces over and over again, George became very tired of the business and prevailed upon his father to discontinue travelling and so the concertizing was brought'to an end, and his clarionet packed away for quite a long time. He remained in his native village from twelve to fourteen ; from fourteen to eighteen he was in Boston and Lowell most of the time, and it was at the age of sixteen that he heard for the first time, music of the great masters, which revealed a new world of happiness for him, and which, in his own words, "so stirred my soul that there seemed to be no possibility for argument about what I had better choose as my vocation for life,-I must be a musician, an educated musician, a composer of operas !" He aimed high at the start, and went to work with a will and a tenacity which he well understood was necessary in order to ac -- complish what he had set his heart upon. He cut loose from all comrades, and for six years he could think of but little else than his studies, which com- prised many things besides music-astronomy, geology, physiology, philoso- phy, the French language as well as English and other school studies, for his early education had been much neglected, and it was his determation to be a good scholar in other things as well as in music. It was, then, at the age of sixteen that he really commenced studying music; what he had before learned should go for merely a trifle, as it was only a trifling part of what one- must learn to be an opera composer when he has to write for a large orches- tra, at least from sixteen to twenty different parts (instruments) and solo voices and chorus combined. This obliges an aspirant for fame as an oper- atic composer to study all the instruments belonging to an orchestra more or less, learning their peculiarities to enable him to write for them properly. He-
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