Gazetteer of Grafton county, N. H. 1709-1886, Part 73

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 73

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).

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TOWN OF LYME.

Lyman Converse married Polly Kent and located where his son Erastus now lives, about 1800. He was the father of Asenath, Eliza, Erastus, Mary A., Demaris W., and Fanny L. Erastus, born in his present house June 16, 1809, a farmer, was selectman in 1870-71, married Rebecca Handley, of Acton, Mass., has three children, Henry E., George E., in Davenport, Iowa, and Ella C., in Boston, Mass. Otis Converse married Clarrissa Porter and moved to northern New York. Demaris married Asa Taintor, of Orford. Joel Con- verse, Jr., married Abigail Coult and lived in Lyme. One of his sons, Will- iam A. C. Converse graduated from Dartmouth college, gained a wide repu- tation as a teacher, was the poet at Lyme at the reunion, August 6, 1885, and is a successful farmer in Stewartstown, N. H. Theron Converse had his right hand shot away at a sham battle at Hanover, about 1813. He married Mary Porter and had five children ; Alpheus, a farmer lived and died in Lyme ; Mary P married Moses Wood, of Boston ; Louisa never married; Benjamin P. married Miranda H. Walker and reared six children-Sarah, Louisa, Alma, Herbert, Sidney A., and Etta, five of whom have taught public school. Theron married for his second wife Miriam Carpenter, who bore Theron B., who died aged eighteen, Eleazer C., now a merchant at Newport, N. H., and Miriam E., wife of Frank J. Smith, of Ypsilanti, Mich. Marquis Converse, the first Converse born in Lyme, became a teacher and officiated as select- man. He married Electa White and reared a considerable family, of whom Peter M. and Alonzo T. now reside in Lyme. Peter M. Converse was cap- tain of Lyme Light Infantry, and major in the muster field at Lebanon. He has held various town offices, including representative. His first wife was Ruth K. Eastman, and the second Sarah S. Clement. He had children- Charles H., Lucretia E., Frederick W., and Marquis M. Betsey Converse became the second wife of Asa Taintor. Amasa graduated from Dartmouth college and went to Virginia. Sally married Joshua Thornton, of Lyman. John Kendrick Converse graduated from Princeton college and established a young ladies' seminary in Burlington, Vt.

Zadok Gilbert came to Lyme from Brookfield, Mass., about 1790, with his wife Rhoda Allen and three children. He was killed shortly after by a fall- ing tree, while clearing land near the plain. Ahimaaz, his son, raised nine children, of whom the youngest, Phineas, served in the late war and died two weeks after his discharge.

Abel Kent came from Newburyport, Mass., to Lyme, in 1792, with his wife, three sons, Abel, Stephen and Moses, and two daughters, Polly, who married Lyman Converse, and Sally, who married Isaac Porter. He bought of Esquire Mason, who had the two rights of land originally chartered to Governor Went- worth, and died here November 23, 1833. His son Moses was a cabinet inaker by trade, married Mary, daughter of Phineas Stark, had seven children, and died in 1838. Stephen Kent was a furniture manufacturer on a large scale for his day. He was enrolled in the war of 1812, and was detailed to stock guns. Charles Kent, son of Stephen was born on his present farm

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TOWN OF LYME.

October 7, 1814, and has ever been a successful farmer. He has filled with credit most of the offices in the gift of the town, including representative, in 1874, '75. He married first, Elvira Converse, in 1837, had one son, George C., who died October 28, 1860, at Kimball Union academy, and two daugh- ters, Ellen M. (Mrs. J. K. Carr), of Orford, and Julia L. (Mrs. J. T. Hos- ford,) of North Thetford, Vt. His present wife was formerly Mary Pushee. Abel Kent, Jr., was a member of the early cavalry, of which he became colonel, and was a merchant. He married Joanna, daughter of Col. Dan Shaw, and had seven children, of whom three are living

Ebenezer Tinkham was born in 1755, and came to Lyme among the early settlers taking up land for a farm on road 37, which he cleared and occupied, and reared a family of three sons and three daughters. He died in 1825, aged seventy. Ruel one of sons, lived upon the paternal homestead, and Cyrus, the other, who remained in Lyme, married Betsey Kemp and estab- lished a home in the southeast part of the town, where six children were born to them. Mrs. Clarinda Davis, of Lyme, and Miss Betsey Tinkham, of Manchester, are the only members of this family now living.

Thomas Hall, with his family, came from Ellington, Conn., about 1792, and located at the corner of roads 6 and 14, where he cleared the farm now owned by David C. Hall, his grandson. At that time his son John was four- teen years of age, and drove an ox team from Connecticut with the household goods. John afterwards was captain of a cavalry company, and carried on blacksmithing where his son Thomas now owns a shop. He made scythes, axes and other tools for the farmers of Lyme and vicinity. Capt. John Hall was the father of ten children, of whom six still survive-Mary, widow of Alvah Jeffers, in Lyme ; Thomas, a blacksmith in Lyme, married Emnily Breck, has one child, Jane B. (Mrs. W. P. Eastman); Annie, widow of William P. Morey, in Lyme ; Sarah (Mrs. Robert Spear) ; Lucy F. (Mrs. Samuel Johnson), in New Haven, Conn .; and David C., in Boston, Mass. David C. and his brother Rudolph, the youngest son, evinced remarkable talent for music, and have devoted the energies of life to the art since early youth. In 1835 they organized Hall's Boston band, with which they traveled throughout America and visited Europe, winning high praise from muscal critics. As musical composers and instructors they acquired wide renown, as well as in the man- ufacture, selection and importation of musical instruments. David C. Hall, at the head of his famous band, furnished music at the re-union of 1885. Rudolph died in December, 1878.

Jeremiah Bingham was an early settler in Lyme, coming from Bridgewater, Mass., unmarried, and chose Lydia, daughter of Col. Thomas Gilbert, for his wife. He joined the Congregational church in 1793. His habitation was upon the old highway from the Lambert house to the river. Some apple trees he planted still grow near the present highway. Nine sons and one daughter were born to them, and when the youngest was nearly grown he and his family started with an ox team for the then wilds of New York.

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TOWN OF LYME.

Several of his sons "hired out" in places they passed through, and he with the others located in Greene, Chenango county, N. Y. Asa Bingham, one of his sons, returned to Lyme afterward, married Lucy, daughter of Col. Zebe- dee Cutting, and spent his days here, dying at the age of eighty-five, in 1882. Two daughters and one son were born to them. The latter, Wallace A., still resides here.

Nathaniel Waite, with four sons, Nathaniel, John, Reuben and Solomon, came to Lyme in 1795, bought a farm upon Fairfield brook, near its mouth, and built the house now occupied by Ira S. Wilmot. He was a millwright, and soon built a mill near where George W. Camp now lives. Some years later he and his son Solomon built, near their house, a saw-mill and a grist- mill, which were destroyed by the freshet of 1828. Nathaniel Waite, Sr., served in the Revolution as "master artificer." He died in 1816. Solomon Waite, the only son who remained in Lyme, was a colonel of militia, and a man of force and prominence in town. He died in 1829, leaving five sons and three daughters.

Thomas Tallman came to Lyme about 1797, from New Bedford, Mass., coming via Vershire, Vt., where he lived a few years, and where two children were born to him. Hannah, the third child, was born in Lyme, November 5, 1798, on the homestead her father purchased of Esq. John Mason, on which she still lives, the only remaining one of these children. William Tallman, son of Thomas, married Phila Culver and settled in Orford, where his de- scendants still live. Jared became a carpenter, married Sally Porter and re- moved to Pennsylvania. He served as a fifer in the war of 1812. David Tallman resided in Lyme. Sarah married Hugh Badger, a native of Lynde- boro, N. H. Their son, Henry M., is now occupant of the old Tallman farm.

Capt. Moses and Samuel Flint came to Lyme between 1795 and 1800, Moses coming a year or more before his brother. They purchased land near each other, on which some improvements had been made, Moses where W. W. Balch now lives, and Samuel on the present farm of Esq. Samuel, his son. Moses Flint's wife was Elizabeth Spaulding, of Fitzwilliam, who bore him eight sons and four daughters. To George Flint, their sixth child, descended the paternal acres, which he spent his life in tilling. He joined the Baptist church in 1831, and was for many years one of its deacons. He died in 1878, aged seventy-three years. Oliver S. Flint, son of Capt Moses, born in Lyme, December 8, 1808, married Persis, daughter of John Goodell, and removed to Bath, where he lived thirty-four years and brought up one son, Harlan P., and two daughters, Julia M., wife of James Esden, of Peacham, Vt., and Lucy A. (Mrs. Alexander Warden), of Monroe. In 1870 Harlan P. Flint and his father removed to Hanover, where the latter died April 23, 1878. Samuel Flint, the oldest son of Samuel, born in Lyme November 21, 1801, was a school-teacher when a young man, and after his marriage to Fanny, daughter of Luther Goodell, settled down upon his father's farın. He has held various local offices, including that of town representative, and was

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TOWN OF LYME.

chairman of the State Board of Labor Statistics, under Governor J. A. Wes- ton. An early and active leader in the labor reform party, he was selected as its candidate for governor in 1872. Of his family of eight children, but two, Martha J. and Mary E., are living. John M. Flint, the third son, died while serving his country in the civil war. John W. Flint, son of Samuel, Sr., born in Lyme, April 20, 1803, married Clarissa, daughter of Luther Goodell, and removed with his cousin, Oliver S., to Bath in 1837. He was on the board of selectmen of Bath. Two children were born to them-Frances L., wife of A. H. Warden, of Hanover, and John Perry Flint, who died July 2, 1878, aged thirty eight years. John W. Flint moved to Hanover in 1870, where he still lives.

Eliphalet Kimball, born in Northfield, was brought up among the Canter- bury Shakers, his parents having joined them. He left the Shakers, married and settled in Lyme, where with his brother Josiah, he engaged in the lum- ber business, built a saw-mill, clover-seed mill and several farms east of Lyme Center. He served as deacon of the Baptist church, brought up eleven children, and died in Nashua in 1865, aged eighty-three. Ten of his children are now living, their ages aggregating over 690 years.

Peter Cline (or Klein) was born in Germany, left home when a boy, came to America, and first located in Plymouth, N. H., where he married a widow Richardson. He settled in Lyme towards the close of the last century, buy- ing the farm now owned by Sewell Hewes, and brought up two sons-Benja- min and Winthrop. Winthrop died young. Benjamin married Caroline Farwell and spent his life in Lyme, bringing up five sons, three of whom served in the late war, and two of them gave their lives to their country. One son, Benjamin, and four daughters, Mrs. Bernice A. Cutting, Mrs. Charlotte Gordon, Mrs. Laura Perkins and Mrs. Mary Webb, stil lreside in Lyme.

Abel Marshall, with a large family of children, came to Lyme before 1800, from Chelmsford, Mass., to which place he returned after a few years. Mica- jah, a son of Abel, and two sisters married and remained in Lyme. He mar- ried, first, Charlotte P. Kimball in 1811, who bore him four children ; second, Martha P., daughter of Nathaniel Southworth, December 25, 1817, who bore him twelve children, and third, Eliza Russ, who survives him. Half of his family of sixteen children died unmarried, and but two now remain, namely, Martha P. (Mrs. P. I. Morrison), and Mary F. (Mrs. S. C. Dimick). Mica- jah Marshall attained the advanced age of ninety-one years, ever holding a high place in the esteem of his fellow citizens. He died May 23, 1882. An- son Southard Marshall, one of his sons, graduated from Dartmouth college, and became eminent as a lawyer in Concord, where he held several offices in the state and United States service. He was accidentally killed by a stray bullet from a company engaged in target practice, July 4, 1874. G. Clark Marshall spent his life as a drover and farmer in Lyme. Martha P. Marshall became the wife of Parker I. Morrison, who came to Lyme from Fairlee, Vt., in 1855, and was one of the lumber manufacturing firm of Morrison, Webster

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TOWN OF LYME.

& Co., who for several years operated a large steam saw-mill at Lyme Center. Their children are Annaline F. (Mrs. Rev. J. D. Graham), Roland M. and Edson E.

Rufus Claflin was the first of this family of whom we find any trace in Lyme. On November 14, 1800, he received a deed of land from Z. Waterman. He came from Attleboro, Bristol county, Mass., and was soon followed by his brother Allerton, and in 1806 another brother, Preston, moved to the town and bought of Rufus seventy-five acres of land, taking a quit-claim deed. He soon found his possession disputed by the "Society for the Propagation of the Gospel," and after an expensive lawsuit paid for the land a second time. Allerton Claflin is shown by the records to have bought and sold land fre- quently, and in large quantities. Preston Claflin hired a man to erect a house for him on his land, for which he cut the nails by hand and headed them with a machine, one at a time, before he moved to Lyme. He married Lydia B. Williams, of Attleboro, and had two children, Preston Williams and Eliza, born there, and Artemas, Julia, Lemuel, Jeduthan, John W., Celinda and Marinda, born in Lyme. He died September 1, 1863, aged ninety years and eight months. Preston Williams Claflin, born June 14, 1800, became totally blind from the effect of spotted fever, in 1821, but though thus deprived of one most essential sense, he became, with the aid of the noble hearted woman who became his wife, a self-supporting, self-reliant man, a devoted member of the Baptist church, and a respected citizen. He died May 21, 1870. His children are Preston Claflin, Julia A Prescott, of Manchester, and John N., of Bradford, Vt. Preston Claflin married first, Mary E., daughter of Rev. Mar- shall Southard, and reared three children ; second, Martha M. Hoag (Bruce), of Ryegate, Vt., and third, Hattie I. Loomis, of Colebrook, N. H. Julia A. mar- ried Daniel R. Prescott, of Manchester, and her son George W. is the present solicitor of that city. John N., married, first, Ellen Houghton, second, Melissa Skinner, and has three children. John W. Claflin remained until 1868 upon the original homestead, and was among the first to introduce pure Merino sheep into Grafton county, purchasing of Edwin Hammond, of Middlebury Vt., in 1844. He made the breeding of sheep his principal business until 1868. He married Maria H., daughter of James Culver, of Hanover, and had one daughter. who died in childhood. Celinda Claflin became the wife of Andrew English and reared two sons, D. Frye and Chester.

David Steele was born in Tolland, Conn., in 1767, married Phebe Edger- ton, in 1793, and came to Lyme about 1800, and reared twelve children, of whom David was a farmer, and lived in Lyme; Daniel graduated from Dart- mouth college ; Phebe married Colonel Anson Southard; Ruth and Azel only are now living, Ruth in Elmira, N. Y., and Azel, in Melrose, Mass. David Carlos Steele, his grandson, resides in Lyme. He represented the town in the legislature of 1878-'79.

Nathaniel Southworth came to Lyme in 1800, at least the records of Graf- ton county deeds show, Vol. 29, p. 384, a deed from Dan Shaw to "Na-

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TOWN OF LYME.

thaniel Southworth, tanner, of Ward, County of Worcester, Commonwealth of Massachusetts," dated February 4, 1800, and this, probably, marks the advent of this family in Lyme. This deed conveyed the land now comprised in the "Evans" or "Smith" farm, with more adjoining, and upon it he soon built a tannery, probably the second in town, and the present house. He was one of the founders of the Baptist church in Lyme, of which he was a deacon. He filled the office of justice of the peace many years, and was best known as "Squire Southard," the latter spelling of the name being adopted by his children. He had three wives-Patience, sister of Colonel Dan Shaw, who died in 1814; Abigail Robbins, who died in 1816, and widow Elizabeth Ho- bart, who outlived him. The first two bore him a family of nine children- Marshall and Martha, born in Massachusetts ; Anson, Harriet, Nathaniel, Jr., Chestina, Zibeon, David and Benjamin. Nathaniel Southworth sold his tan- nery to Moses Smith, about 1826. He died October 1, 1840, aged seventy- one years. Marshall Southard, his eldest son, graduated from Dartmouth college in 1820, and studied Theology at Andover. He was ordained pastor of a Congregational church in Newbury, and preached there some years. He married Sarah, daughter of David Abbott, of that place, and reared five daughters and one son -- Lydia (Mrs. J. M. Woodward), of Hanover ; Eliza- beth S. Wright, of Sioux City, Iowa ; Emily Buffington, of Onawa City, Iowa; Mary E., the first wife of Preston Claflin ; Nathaniel, who served three years in the late civil war, and resides in Manchester, N. H., and Abbie C., who died a teacher at Onawa City, Iowa. Martha Southard became the wife of Micajah Marshall, and reared a large family. Anson became a colonel of militia, married Phebe Steele, resided in Lyme, and left no issue. Nathaniel, Jr., became a teacher and editor, resided in New York, but died in Lyme. Harriet married David Steele, and reared a large family, several of whom re- main in Lyme. Zibeon became a merchant in Boston, Mass., and David died while a student in college.

Lemuel Holt came from Hampton, Conn., to Lyme, about 1800, and for a few years resided near the Colonel Dan Shaw tannery, afterwards upon the hill near Charles H. Dimick's, and later in the valley, on road 35, before the turnpike was built. He opened a hotel here in 1811, when the "Grafton Turnpike" was the main thoroughfare from Concord through Canaan to Lyme, Orford, and the "Upper Coos." Succeeding him, his son Harvey, and grandson John N., kept the hotel until the Northern railroad having been completed to White River Junction, stages and teaming were diverted from this route, and John N. Holt removed to Lyme Center, where he purchased the hotel erected by James Cook, and kept it fifteen years. He then bought the farm which has since been his home. An active and judicious business man, he has filled several town trusts, including selectman eight years. Lester Holt, his father, was a substantial farmer, and reared eleven children. Isaac Parker and Freeman J. Holt, two other of Lester's sons, reside in Lyme.

William H. Derby was born in Lyons in 1802. His father, Jedediah, is-

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TOWN OF LYME.

said to have come from Connecticut. William H. married Hannah Avery, of Orford, Vt., and with his father spent several years in northern Vermont, but returned to Lyme, where he died in 1858. John H. Derby, his son, was born in Troy, Vt., in 1832, married Ruhama E. Gordon in 1866, and has three children. He served in the civil war, being a non-commissioned officer in Co. A, 16th N. H. Vols. Lewis S. Derby, son of W. H., was born in Lyme in 1836. His wife (now deceased) was Mariam S. (Pushee), widow of Prosper Miller. Leander Derby, son of Jedediah, married Amanda Strong. After his death, which occurred six years later, his widow married Horace Frary, of Hanover, where she now lives for the second time a widow.

Peres Haskell was one of five sons of Elijah who settled in Weathers- field, Vt. Peres came to Lyme in 1816, with a family of ten children, and settled on the present farm of I. F. and Wesley H. Clark, where he died in 1851. Adaline and Caroline H., the latter widow of Dan Storrs, are all that remain of his children.

Reuben Bliss, from Rehoboth, Mass., bought of Jabez Hill, the present farm of his son, George R. Bliss, about 1810. At that time a saw-mill and clover-mill were standing upon this farm, where the remains of a dam may now be seen. These mills were operated by Mr. Bliss many years. He married Nancy Williams in 1809, and brought up ten children, of whom four remain. George R. owns the home farm, and John W. a farm adjoining. They married sisters, Dolly P. and Nancy B., daughters of John Goodell. The former reared five children and the latter one. Minnie M., the latter, died suddenly at the age of seventeen, June 29, 1880.

David C. Churchill, born at Fairlee, Vt., December 16, 1790, a carpenter by trade came to Lyme in 1810, to assist in building the Congregational church. He worked at his trade till 1817, then joined Asa Shaw in trade, under the firm name of Shaw & Churchill, and continued until 1848. He was appointed deputy sheriff in 1817, and acted till 1834, when he received the appointment of county judge, which he held until the abolition of the office in 1846, after which he was elected county commissioner several years. While in office as judge it was said of him that he decided more cases than the county court, being chosen referee and auditor so often as to occupy most of his time. He administered on many estates and was an earnest, active man until his health gave way, in 1860. He married, in 1816, Patty Franklin, and became the father of eight children, of whom four are living-David C., Jr., who succeeded to the business of Shaw & Churchill, in 1848, which he still continues, married Lydia A., daughter of Rev. Baxter Perry, and has three daughters living. He has ever been a leader in the Congregational church, and a deacon many years. Charles H. is a lawyer of Oberlin, O., Lewis F. is in North Carolina, and Jonathan F. in Missouri.

Moses Smith was born in Canaan, March 18, 1799, a descendant in the sixth generation from General Richard Smith, of Shropham, England. Rich- ard Smith, Jr., the immigrant to America, came to Ipswich, Mass., before

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TOWN OF LYME.

1673. Moses Smith became a tanner, purchased the tannery of Nathaniel Southworth in 1826, and spent his after life in Lyme. His first wife was Mehitable Ward, of Hanover, who became the mother of nine children, of whom Baxter P. graduated from Dartmouth college in 1854, served in the 9th N. H. Vols. in the Rebellion, wrote the "History of Dartmouth College" and other works, and died in Washington, D. C., in 1884. H. Ellen is now the wife of C. B. Dowe, of Hanover, her third husband. Otis F. was an active business man in Lyme, married Sarah D. Waite, and died here August 2, 1878. Sarah H. married Charles Townsend, and resides in Athol, Mass. Abigail J. C. married L. Richardson and died in Athol. Elizabeth resides in Athol. Rosella A. spent several years as a foreign missionary, and now resides in New York. Mehitable W. died unmarried.

Elisha Clough, from Bow, N. H., came with his family to Lyme about 1832, and purchased a small farm near Smart's pond. His son Abial W. resided for many years upon the present farm of A. J. Kemp.

Hiram Mayo came from Vershire, Vt., to Lyme about 1834. He mar- ried Betsey, daughter of Joel Whipple, and spent his life in this town. His sons George S., Joel W. and Wesley N. reside in Lyme. Julia A. (Balch) in Thetford, Vt., and H. Burt Mayo in Chesterfield, Iowa.

Lyman Kemp, born in Pomfret, Vt., located in the east part of Lyme about 1833. His wife was Electa Brown, of Lyme, and his children Harriet L., Minerva J., and Joseph A., born in Stockbridge, Vt., Alvah J., George V. and Melissa L., born in Lyme. Lyman Kemp, at the age of eighty-two years, resides in Burr Oak, Kan.

William Kemp, born in Pomfret, Vt., came to Lyme not long after his brother, remained about two years, and removed to Dorchester, where he died in 1868, aged sixty-six years. He reared three sons and four daughters. Two of his sons, Jasper H. and Wallace W., served in the civil war. The former died in Washington.

Hannible Chase, son of William Little Chase, was born in Bristol, N. H., May 14, 1832. His father became a resident in Lyme in 1844, but returned to Bristol, where he died in 1875. William Little Chase served the town of Bristol in various official capacities before his removal to Lyme.

Alvah Jeffers was born in Enfield, N. H., and came to Lyme to learn the cabinet-makers' trade of Stephen Kent, which he afterwards carried on at Lyme Center. His wife was Mary, daughter of Capt. John Hall, who sur- vives him with four daughters -Mary, wife of H. C. Davison, of Hartford, Conn., Ellen (Mrs. H. F. Carr), Marinda (Mrs. Hannibal Chase), and Sarah F., widow of Albert J. Pushee. Mr. Jeffers died in November, 1880.

Elisha P. Ball, a stone-cutter, moved with his family to Lyme in 1844. He died May 20, 1871, aged sixty-one years. Dea. Samuel F. Ball, his son, now owns the farm originally cleared by Ezra Franklin. He married, in 1863, Laura A., daughter of Cyrus Gordon. He has been a deacon of the Con- gregational church since 1879.

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Gazetteer of Grafton county, N. H. 1709-1886, Part 73

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