Gazetteer of Grafton county, N. H. 1709-1886, Part 50

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Syracuse, N. Y., Syracuse Journal Company, Printers
Number of Pages: 1266

USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Gazetteer of Grafton county, N. H. 1709-1886 > Part 50

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).

William Cross, a native of Methuen, Mass., served as Revolutionary sol- dier, married Abigail Ladd, and came to Haverhill, N. H., from Haverhill, Mass., in 1788. He brought with him his family of five children, settled near where the Haverhill depot now is, and had born two more children, David and Eliza. Eliza only is now living in Haverhill. Lydia. the eldest daughter, married Jacob Woodward, son of Judge James Woodward, and reared a family.

Captain Daniel and Deacon John Carr, were the first of the family who came to Haverhill. They came from West Newbury, or Newburyport, Mass., about 1797. John Carr settled where his son Joshua now lives. He was a member of the Congregational church at Horse Meadow, married Hannah Worth, of West Newbury, Mass., and reared twelve children, of whom three sons and one daughter are still living. He was a carpenter and a farmer, and died in 1859, aged eighty-five years. His youngest son, Joshua, has always resided on the homestead, is a farmer, was elected one of the selectmen in 1861 and '62, and has acquired a local reputation by his poetical gifts. His wife is Mary, daughter of George Cary, of Rochester, Vt., and they have two children, one of whom is Mrs. Roselle E, Gale. John E. Carr, son of Michael B., was born in Haverhill, in 1840, was chosen one of the selectmen in 1872, '74, '75, to the State legislature in 1878, '80 and '81, and has been a member of the State board of agriculture, for Grafton county, two years. Captain Daniel Carr came here with his brother Deacon John, and made his first settlement upon the farm where Daniel E. Carr now lives. He married Elizabeth Worth, and brought up three sons and three daughters, and had two children, who died in infancy. He was a member of the Congregational

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church at Horse Meadow. was captain of the militia after his settlement here, and died at the age of seventy-eight years. His daughter Melinda was born September 12, 1796. His eldest son, Daniel, was born in the old part of D. E. Carr's present house, in 1798. He became a member of the Bap- tist church at North Haverhill, about the time of its organization, in 1830, and was appointed deacon in May, 1842. He held various town offices, mar- ried twice, first Rhoda Bagley, who became the mother of nine children. of whom, Nathan lives in Madison, Wis .; Charles F. in Haverhill, and Frank B. in Bath. Mr. Carr married for his second wife Hannah Sawyer, who sur- vives him, and had four children, of whom, Samuel E. moved to Michigan, and Daniel F. owns the homestead.

Obadiah Swasey, born August 20, 1775, moved to Newbury, Vt., from Haverhill, Mass., at the age of eighteen years, and learned the carpenter's trade with his brother Moses, who had preceded him several years. He mar- ried Nancy Merrill, of Haverhill, in 1798 or 1799, moved into this town in a few years after, and, in company with Richard Gookins, purchased a tract of land known as the Fisher farm, which was six miles long and one mile wide, extending from the present village of North Haverhill to the eastern line of the township. He went into the lumbering business, and had a saw-mill where J. G. Blood's saw-mill now stands. His mills were burned about 1820, and he built the present mill on the same site, and a grist-mill on the opposite side of the stream. He did the largest lumbering business ever done in Haverhill, and, though never having had a liberal education, was an able, active business man up to nearly the day of his death, which occurred at the age of sixty-one years. He was the father of thirteen children, six of whom are now living, all having borne well their part in the affairs of life. Samuel, now a resident of Belvidere, Ill., was speaker of the New Hampshire House of Representatives in 1842. John H. has been in business in Boston since about 1832. Nathaniel Merrill Swasey has spent his life in his native town, following generally the pursuit of farming, but giving considerable attention to the fire insurance business for over twenty-five years. He held the office of town clerk, was town treasurer in 1845 and '46, has served as selectman sev- eral years, and represented Haverhill in the legislature in 1872-'73. He mar- ried Mary M. Angiers and has one child, Mrs. Mary B. Brooks, of Montpe- lier, Vt.

Paul Meader came from Durham, N. H., and settled upon the mountain in the northwestern part of Warren, near a small lake, which still bears the name of Meader's pond. His family consisted of four sons, Elisha, George, Joseph and Moses, and four daughters. The sons all settled in Grafton county. Elisha married twice, first, Susan Smith, who bore him four sons and three daughters, namely, Samuel K., Joseph S., Paul N., Elisha, Betsey, Mahala and Deborah. He married for his second wife Abigail Foss, and reared three sons, Daniel W. and Moses B., of this town, and Elisha K., who moved west. Daniel W. spent seven years of his early life as a contractor

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with his brother Samuel K., building railroads, then kept a hotel in Pennsyl- vania, spent two years in California, and in 1865 returned to Haverhill and engaged in farming. A few years after he engaged in the manufacture of starch as a member of the North Haverhill Starch Co. He was one of the selectmen of Haverhill in 1876, '77, and was elected one of the supervisors in 1884. Mr. Meader married Lydia Swartz, at Pittston, Pa., and has had born to him two sons, both of whom died in infancy. Elisha Meader died in March, 1876, aged ninety years. He was a brick-maker by trade.

Thomas Hibbard, the first of the family in Haverhill, was born in England, came to America, and served in the commissary department in the Revolu- tion. After the close of the war he settled in the Coos country, and, being well educated, taught school. He married Lucy Sylvester, and reared three sons, Samuel, Elisha, and Simson, and three daughters, who married men respectively named Wood, Ryder and Bliss. The sons became residents of North Haverhill, where several of their descendants now live. Lucy Sylves- ter moved, with her purents, to Newbury, Vt., when she was eleven years of age. They came with a party of thirty men and fourteen women, from Charlestown, or No. Four, in canoes.

Charles Wetherbee was born in Weathersfield, Mass., between 1790 and 1794, and when seventeen years of age, came to Haverhill to work for Mr. Bradish, who was engaged in lumbering, rafting lumber down the Connecti- cut, to Hartford. He married three times, first, Nancy Ralph, who bore him six children ; second, Nancy Hale, who died without issue, and third, Abi- gail, daughter of Jacob, and granddaughter of Judge James Woodward. She was the mother of six child: en, four of whom are living, and the eldest, Dr. Myron S. Wetherbee, lives at North Haverhill.

Captain David Marston, son of Samuel, who moved to Coventry, now Ben- ton, before 1789, was born in Chichester, N. H., in 1781, and died in 1860. He married Susanna Brunson, and, with William Whitcher, was a pioneer in the clearing and settlement of North Benton. He owned large tracts of land, and employed a large number of men in clearing. He became one of the foremost men of the town, was town clerk for many years, and collector of taxes about twenty years. He had born to him one son and two daughters, all now living. William C., son of David, has spent most of his life in Haver- hill, was selectman in 1875 and '76, and represented the town in 1881-82, associated with J. E. Carr. He married Lucy Frary, and has one son and three daughters.

Jonathan Marston, son of Samuel, was born in Coventry, where he lived until seventy-one years of age. He then went to live with his son, Jonathan H., of Canton, N. Y., where he died, aged seventy-two years. His wife was Phebe Howe, of Landaff, and he had born to him eight children, four of whom died young. Orrin, the eldest son, lives in Franconia. Bartlett, another son, married Anna S. Brown, and has six children, four living in Grafton county. He is sixty-eight years of age, and lives in this town.

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Amos Kimball, born in Haverhill, Mass., married Abigail Corliss, of that town, and moved to Barnet, Vt., where they lived until the close of the Revo- lution. He afterwards purchased a tract of land in Haverhill, including the present homestead of his grandson, Ezra S. Kimball. He was captain of militia, and brought up nine or ten children. His eldest son, John, born in 1775, exhibited great pride in military affairs. He rose in rank to be colonel of militia, and during the civil war, when nearly ninety years of age, often wished himself younger, that he might participate in its duties. He was often called to assist in town affairs, and held various town offices. He mar_ ried Mehitable Carleton, who bore him twelve children, nine of whom grew to maturity. Dudley C., the oldest now living, is eighty-four years of age, and resides in Newbury, Vt. Benjamin F. resides with him. Isaac B. is a resident of Concord, N. H., and Cynthia E. White, is in Washington. D. C.

Russell Kimball, born in Kingston, N. H., December 7, 1798, came to Haverhill when about eighteen years of age, and was employed as a'clerk for Capt. Benjamin Merrill, receiving as compensation $25 per year and board. This stipend was increased, year by year, until he was admitted as a partner in the firm. He carried on the mercantile business through various firm changes until his death, which occured January 15. 1862. He was a thorough business man, attending closely to his trade, and not seeking or accepting office. In the early years of his business career he was engaged in the manu- facture of potash, and nearly lost his sight from an accident, while in the ashery, stirring the boiling liquid. He married Louisa Bean, a native of Lyman, and had born to him four children, three of whom died in childhood, and Peabody W. lives in this town. The latter, at one time engaged in trade here, was town representative in 1864-65. He married Jane, daughter of George Pearson. of Lyme, in 1865, and has one son and one daughter, George R. and Ellen L.

Dea. James, Ezekiel, Samuel, John, David and Jonathan Ladd, brothers, were the first settlers upon the present highway for a mile or more north of Oliverian brook. They were sturdy men, reared families, and became successful and substantial farmers. Ezekiel became a judge. All their descend- ants are now scattered, and nothing now commemorates their name except- ing the street on which they lived, and which is known as Ladd street. Dea. James Ladd was a lieutenant in the Revolution, served over three and a half years, and died at the age of eighty-four years. He reared four sons and seven daughters. Mrs. Roxana Martin, of Corinth, Vt., born in 1800, is the only one of the children now living.

Joseph, James and Jacob Bell, three brothers came to Haverhill, from Bed- ford, N. H. Joseph was a lawyer and opened an office in this town about 1808, removed to Boston after 1840, and died about 1851. Jacob Bell came here in 1811, taught school where Luther Butler now lives, and afterward be- came clerk in a store. He bought General Montgomery's store after the latter's death, and, with his brother James, who came to Haverhill later, car-

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ried on the mercantile business, the manufacture of leather and lumber, the foundry business, shoe manufacture and the blacksmith trade, in Oliverian Village. He was quartermaster on the staff of the general of militia, with the rank of major, and James Bell was captain of militia. Jacob Bell, born in 1795, married Laura, daughter of Dr. Ezra Bartlett who came here from Warren in 1812, and granddaughter of Gov. Josiah Bartlett. The only one of Jacob Bell's four sons now living is Jacob LeRoy Bell, who was born in Haverhill, in November, 1839, brought up on a farm, and educated at Hav- erhill academy. He helped enlist Co. G, 11th N. H. Vols., in 1862, went out with it, served until June 1865, when he returned as captain of the com- pany. He has married twice, first Sarah E. Fling, and second, Harriet, daughter of Moses Weeks, of Haverhill.

David Merrill, born in Haverhill, Mass., in 1771, first purchased land in Haverhill, in March, 1804. and erected a saw-mill in company with Chester Farman, on Poole brook, where he manufactured lumber until his death in 1824. He was a lieutenant in the militia of Peacham, Vt., when he moved to Haverhill. He was selectman of this town, and reared a family of six sons and two daughters. His eldest son, Schuyler, aged eighty-two years, re- sides here with his daughter, Mrs. Wesley P. Glover. His other children are Mrs. Harry M. Partridge and John H., of Haverhill, David C., of Mission Ridge, Tenn., and Samuel Merrill, of Clearwater Bay, Fla.

John Merrill, son of Daniel, was born in Warren, N. H., December 12, 1810, and received an academic education at Haverhill. He went to Bos- ton when twenty-three years of age, became a broker, and for sixteen years carried on the business in one office. For nearly fifty years he was a broker in that city, and died there, September 29, 1881. He married Mary C. S. Wells, of Plymouth, March 15, 1831, and their fiftieth anniversary was cele- brated in Haverhill in 1881. His widow now resides in Haverhill. His eldest daughter, Ann Eliza, was the first wife of George P. Preston, and died in Mobile, Ala., October 17, 1867. Three of John Merrill's children are now living, namely, Charles H., a merchant in Boston, Fannie M. (Mrs. George P. Preston), of Medford, Mass., and John Motley, a farmer in Hav- erhill.

Abel Merrill, a descendant of Nathaniel Merle, who came to America, from France, about 1635. came to Warren, from Plaistow, N. H., some time before 1790. He located about a third of a mile south of where the meet_ ing-house now is, was a small farmer, but was prospered so that he gave each of his sons $500.00, and his five daughters $250.00 when they became of age. He died in March, 1838, aged seventy-five years. His oldest child, Capt. Benjamin, was born in October, 1784, married Sarah Haines, of Rumney, became a merchant in Warren, and came to Haverhill in the spring of 1814. He was one of the selectmen of Haverhill, a man of strong character, excel- lent judgment, and good habits. He reared nine children, and continued in trade until his death, November 28, 1835. Dea. Abel, eldest son of Benja-

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min, was born in 1809, became a merchant, and, with Russell Kimball, formed the firm of Kimball & Merrill. He was a leader in the Congrega- tional church, and reared three sons, Rev. John L., of Marlboro, Rev. Benja- min, and Rev. Charles H., of Brattleboro, all Congregational clergymen. Dea. Abel Merrill died in November, 1878. Henry, the second son of Capt. Benjamin, was born October 29, 1820, has been engaged in trade for sixteen years, has been station agent of the B., C. & M. R. R., about the same length of time, and has all the time been more or less interested in farming. He studied engineering at Andover, Mass., but has not practiced it. He has been postmaster at Haverhill twelve years, and has also held other offices. He married twice, first, Mary J. Weeks, who bore him five children, four of whom are living, namely, William H., Harriet L. Duriand, John W., and Charlotte J. Johnston. He married for his second wife Helen C. Currier, who has borne him one son, Arthur K.

Nathaniel Wilson, born May 14, 1777, came to this town, from his native place, Pelham, about 1800. He was the ninth of the sixteen children of Jesse, who settled in Pelham in 1751, and who in turn was of the fourth generation from William Wilson, who emigrated from England to Boston in 1635. Nathaniel married Sarah, daughter of Capt. Joseph Pearson, of Hav- erhill, reared three children, and died September 1, 1808, aged thirty-one years. His eldest son, Isaac P., was born February 18, 1805, and married Rhoda Brainard in 1826. Of his four children, George L. resides in Haver- hill and Edward B. in Somerville, Mass. Nathaniel, Jr., brother of Isaac P., was born in this town, September 18, 1808, fitted for college at Haverhill academy, and graduated from Dartmouth college in 1829. He taught the academy at Lancaster and at Augusta, Me., for three years. He studied law with Hon. George Evans, of Gardiner, was admitted to the bar in 1834, and began practice at Orono, where he has since resided. He has married twice, first, Adeline Boardman, July 16, 1834, and second, Abbie A. Colburn. Six of his ten children are living. George L. Wilson is a farmer, married Marion M. Morrison, December 1, 1857, and has two daughters, Carrie S. and Lillie M. He was the station agent of the B. C. & M. R. R., at Haverhill, for eighteen years.

Asa Bacon, the eldest son of Dea. Abner Bacon, of Putney, was born in 1796, and came to Haverhill from Putney, Vt., about 1824. He married Roxana M. Perry, was a farmer, and built the house in which his son-in-law, W. H. Lewis, now lives. He died in August, 1882, aged eighty-six years, leaving two children, Caroline M. Lewis and Fayette of Haverhill. Timothy R. Bacon, brother of Asa, came to Haverhill in 1840, with a family of seven children. He was a clothier in his early days, but afterwards became a farmer. His children are Abner, a carpenter at Lebanon, Elmore C., a wholesale dealer in lightning rods, in Cleveland, O., Sumner P., a dealer in pig iron, Lusena (Mrs. T. C. Haynes), of St. Jonesbury. Vt., Mary (Mrs. Moses

n marse 4

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Meader, of Haverhill, Caroline E. (Mrs. E. Haywood), of Michigan, and Mar- tha (Mrs. C. M. Carleton).

The Morse family is an old and honorable one in the annals of New Eng- land, and many bearing the name have been prominent in science and liter- ture. Captain Edward Morse, and Stephen, his brother, were among the early settlers of Haverhill, coming from Reading, Mass., and locating here within ten years after the first settlement of the town, which was in 1763. Stephen Morse made his home on what is now called Morse Hill, which took its name from him. He was born in Bradford, Mass., and married Sally Kay, an English woman. They had twelve children. Ten sons of this large family lived to maturity. The oldest, Bryant, was a Methodist clergyman, and at one time the brothers held a re-union at the house of John C., when Bryant preached a sermon, the others sang, and their worthy parents were gratified and happy listeners. Stephen Morse was a blacksmith ; he also engaged in merchandising for some years, at Horse Meadows. He was an Orthodox Congregationalist in his religfous views, and both he and his wife were people who possessed the strong common sense, practicality, industry and sterling integrity so necessary to pioneers. They lived to an advanced age, and died on Morse Hill. John C., their third son, was born in North Haverhill, April 4, 1874, and died February 8, 1853. He married Nancy Wheelock. They had nine children, three sons and six daughters, eight living to maturity. Sarah (dec.) married Amasa P. Niles, now of Hartford, Conn .; Louisa K. (dec.) married Moses W. Burnhanı, of Bethlehem ; Mary Ann (dec.) married W. S. Cobleigh ; Isaac L .; Martha L. married L. T. Whitcomb, resides at Sa- vannah, Ga .; Alfred (dec.) ; John N .; Nancy B. resides at Savannah, Ga., and Harriet N. married Warren J. Fisher, of New London, N. H.

John C. Morse was a blacksmith, and manufactured the old-fashioned wooden mold-board plows, and also the primitive style of carriages and sleighs then in vogue. He owned a farm of one hundred acres, built a house at North Haverhill, and for over a quarter of a century kept a hotel, and was known to the community as an active and popular host, possessing the social, pleasing manners of the inn-keeper of the old school. In those early days the inn-keeper was looked upon as one of the "solid men" of the town. Whatever Mr. Morse did, he did well; his farm was productive, his other busi- ness prospered by his energy and activity, and his- kind, genial disposition gained him many friends, who valued him for his good qualities. He was a Whig and Republican in politics, but never an office-seeker, preferring the quiet walk of the private citizen, and was liberal in his religious views.

John Nelson Morse, son of John C. and Nancy (Wheelock) Morse, was born in the house he now occupies in North Haverhill, October 24, 1818. He experienced the usual fortune of the sons of New Englanders who came upon the stage of life in the early part of this century-a maximum of work, and a minimum of schooling. He was the home boy, and his childhood was passed assisting his father in the sturdy farm labor, and thus acquiring a

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healthy physique. He has always remained on the homestead which he in- herited, and has been a "tiller of the soil." He possesses about four hun- dred acres of land, of which two hundred and fifty fertile acres comprise the home farm. In connection with agriculture he is largely interested in cattle and sheep raising, and in company with James P. Webster, under firm title of "Morse & Webster," he conducted a stock business for thirty-five years, buy- ing cattle and sheep in Canada in the fall, feeding them through the winter, and in the spring shipping them to Boston, and some years doing a business of $150,000. Since the death of his partner Mr. Morse has been no less active, and is now engaged in the same line. Mr. Morse married, January 19, 1865, Kate, daughter of Aaron and Jane (Finley) Southard. (For ancestry see biography of S. F. Southard.) They have two children, Katie, born Decem- ber 9, 1868, and John, born June 14, 1872.

Mr. Morse is a Republican in his political affiliations, and represented Haverhill in the State legislature of 1865, and served on committees of re- trenchment and reform. But tilling the soil and caring for the brute animals, while tending to strengthen and develop the physical powers, in no way dwarf the mental nature. Mr. Morse possesses sharp and remarkably well-de- veloped business talents, a clear and practical understanding, sound judg- ment, broad and sterling good sense, is a strong friend, a pleasant and social companion, and is a type of the successful go-ahead New England business man of the nineteenth century.

Stephen Morse bought a tract of land of about 500 acres, in the eastern part of Haverhill, and moved to the place where H. F. Dearborn now lives, about 1808, it is supposed. With his son Caleb he cleared a large farm, and at one time kept a hotel for the entertainment of travelers, as the road on which they lived was the principal thoroughfare between Concord and the north. Two of his grandsons, Eben F. and Caleb, sons of Caleb, and one daughter, Mrs. Charles G. Smith, lived in this town. Eben F. married Laura Ann, daughter of Peter Whittaker, has two sons, Caleb M. and Ezra W., and one daughter, Mrs. T. P. Blake.

Isaac, Jacob and Stephen Morse, brothers, came to Haverhill, from Hebron, N. H., in April, 1824. Isaac and Jacob bought two eighty acre lots on the hill-top, on road 26, which, with the exception of fifteen acres, was then all forest. Isaac died on his land which afterward passed through several hands, and was at last sold to William F. Prescott, the present occupant. Ste- phen afterward moved to Springfield, Mass., where he now lives. Jacob Morse still owns the land then purchased. At that time there was no road over the hill, and Mr. Morse drew a petition to the selectmen for a road which they neglected to build ; but a second petition to the county court was successful and secured the present highway to Benton, from Haverhill Center. Mr. Morse served as representative one term, and selectman two years. He en- gaged in lumbering several years, took rafts of lumber to Hartford, Conn., for sale, and returned by stage. He reared one son and four daughters, of

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whom Marcellus J. lives in Fitchburg, Mass., Mrs. A. C. Foster and Mrs. George Wells live in this town, and Mrs. L. C. Wells lives in Lynn, Mass. Melvina married Levi Bisbee, and died, leaving three sons who reside in Bath, one daughter, Mrs. Howe, of Benton, and another, Mrs. Davison, of Stoneham, Mass. David Morse's old house, built in 1825, is the oldest one now standing on the road between Center Haverhill and Benton. David Cheney, cousin to the Morse brothers, settled on the farm where Mr. Titus now lives, about the same time that they came.

Timothy Wilmot, born in Norwich, Vt., came to Haverhill, in 1815, when his son Haron was about six months old, and located on the place where W. F. Prescott now lives, on road 26. He sold this place to Isaac Morse in 1824, and made another clearing near the corner of roads 26 and 14. He reared a large family of children, namely, Haron, of Haverhill, Harvey B., the famous clothier of Boston, Mary ( Mrs. Daniel Sargent), of Cambridge- port, Mass., Betsey (Mrs. Henry Tower), of Hudson, Mass., and Harriet, widow of Charles Snow, of Hudson, Mass. Haron married Lydia Martin, of Bradford, Vt. His children are Frank L. and Nellie B., of Haverhill, and George E. in the B. & L. depot at Boston, Mass.

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Gazetteer of Grafton county, N. H. 1709-1886, Part 50

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Syracuse, N. Y., Syracuse Journal Company, Printers Number of Pages: 1266

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Syracuse, N. Y., Syracuse Journal Company, Printers
Number of Pages: 1266