Genealogical and family history of the state of New Hampshire : a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Vol. I, Part 17

Author: Stearns, Ezra S; Whitcher, William F. (William Frederick), 1845-1918; Parker, Edward E. (Edward Everett), 1842-1923
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: New York : Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 858

USA > New Hampshire > Genealogical and family history of the state of New Hampshire : a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Vol. I > Part 17

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a position as manager of the New England branch of a New York publishing house, with headquar- ters in Boston, and he later went to the metropolis, where for the ensuing five years he as employed by the same firm in the preparation of geographies. During the progress of the Rebellion he prepared a "Battle History" of that memorable civil strife. He next became connected in a managerial way with the Union Paper Collar Company in New York City, having the general care of that concern's litigations comprising some three hundred law suits. He was engaged in that work for some time, which necessarily brought him into close touch with the legal profession. Resuming his neglected law studies he perfected them and was admitted to the bar at Indianapolis, Indiana, in the late seventies. He shortly afterward returned to Boston, where he established himself as a specialist in patent litiga- tions, and practiced successfully for many years. In 1901, he retired from his law practice, and re- moved to Nashua, where he is now residing.

Mr. Morgan united with the Plymouth Church, Brooklyn, in 1863, which was during the most vigorous period in the long pastorate of the famous Henry Ward Beecher. Since coming to Nashua he has evinced an earnest interest in social and liter- ary matters, and in the affairs of the First Congre- gational Church, of which he is a member. He was the principal organizer of the Fortnightly Club, which is widely known in New England and other states. He married Miss Mary Anna Robinson Gove, daughter of George W. and Nancy ( Robin- son) Gove, of Exeter, this state. Prior to her mar- riage she was engaged in, educational work and was an accomplished student in botany. Mrs. Mor- gan died October 29, 1873. Two children were born of this union, Anna May, born December 13, 1859, was a student at Olivet College, Michigan, where she also pursued a post-graduate course and was appointed assistant librarian. She later turned her attention to vocal music, had charge of a de- partment in the conservatory of Albion College, Michigan, and later a like position in Wells Col- lege, New York. She subsequently studied in Flor- ence, Italy. Upon her return to the United States she had full charge of instruction in the vocal de- partment of Wilson College, Chambersburg, Pennsyl- vania, but her career of usefulness was unfortunately terminated by her untimely death, which occurred February 13, 1896. The second child, Alice Helen, was born May 25, 1860, and died July 27, 1862.

Coming as he did in the first dec- CHAMPNEY ade of the settlement of Mas- sachusetts Bay Colony. there is no room to doubt that the first of the Champneys in New England was a sturdy, strong-willed man, whose love of personal liberty far outweighed his re- gard for personal comforts, and sent him across the ocean to worship God as he chose, in spite of the hardships his act entailed.

(I) Elder Richard Champney came from Lin- colnshire, England. in 1634 or 1635, and settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and in 1736 was made a freeman. He was a man of "good understanding and great piety," and was made a ruling elder in the church which was organized there. Honorable mention is made of him in the "Cambridge Church Gathering." He married, in England Jane of whose parentage, birth and death nothing is now known. He died November 26, 1669. Their chil- dren were: Esther, Mary (died young). Samuel, Sarah, Mary, John, and Daniel, whose sketch fol- lows.

(II) Daniel, youngest child of Richard and

Jane Champney, was born in Cambridge, in March, 1644, and died in 1691. aged forty-seven. He re- sided in Cambridge. He married, January 3, 1665, Dorcas Bridge, who died in 1684, aged thirty-six. They had seven children: Dorcas, Daniel, Thomas, Noah, Downing, Abigail and Hepzibah.

(III) Daniel (2), second child and eldest son of Daniel (1) and Dorcas (Bridge) Champney, was born in Cambridge, in December, 1669, and married Bethiah Danforth. Their children were: Thomas, Dorcas, Daniel, Solomon, Noah, Downing, Richard and Thomas.

(IV) Solomon, third son and fourth child of Daniel and Bethiah (Danforth) Champney, was born in Cambridge, in 1702. He was an artisan, but became a soldier in the time of King George III, and was stationed at Castle William in Boston Harbor, where he died in 1760, aged fifty-eight. He married, in 1723, Elizabeth Cunningham, and they had six children: Richard, Ebenezer (died young), Nathan, John, Silence, and Ebenezer, who is the subject of the next paragraph.

(V) Judge Ebenezer, the youngest child of Sol- omon and Elizabeth (Cunningham) Champney, was born in Cambridge, April 3, 1744, and died in New Ipswich, September 10, 1810, aged sixty-seven. He was a bright young man, and in 1762, at the age of eighteen, graduated from Harvard College with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He was educated with the intention of becoming a minister of the gospel. and to that end he studied divinity. After preaching for about two years he received a call to settle in township No. I, now Mason, New Hampshire, which he declined. He soon after abandoned the ministry and began the study of law in the office of Hon. Samuel Livermore, and was admitted to the bar at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in 1768. In June of the same year he settled in New Ipswich and entered upon the duties of his profession. In the spring of 1783, he went to Groton, Massachusetts, where he remained until 1789; was representative in 1784, when he returned to New Ipswich. His first commission as justice of the peace was received from Governor John Hancock, of Massachusetts, the celebrated signer of the Declaration of Inde- pendence. In 1795 he was appointed judge of pro- bate of the county of Hillsborough. The duties of this office were appropriately discharged until his resignation a few months before his death.

Judge Champney's course in college, his carly graduation, and his apparent success in the ministry give evidence of superior mental endowment; and that he did not attain higher honors is probably due to his not seeking them. He was everywhere regarded as a man of talents, and where he was known he exercised no inconsiderable influence. During the earlier years of his practice he was the only lawyer between Keene and Groton, and he had offices both at the latter place and New Ips- wich, in conjunction with his son. The labor of attending the courts at that period was very great, the circuit being extensive, and all journeys were necessarily made on horseback.

During the controversy between England and her American colonies, Mr. Champney opposed the measures that culminated in the Revolution. He was a man of peace, a moderate Tory, and depre- cated the call to arms, believing that with prudent and moderate counsels all causes of disaffection might be satisfactorily adjusted. He wished to pre- serve his loyalty and the peace of the country, but like many others who forebore to take part in the contest he lived to acknowledge the beneficent effects of that struggle which gave the American people liberty and free institutions.

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Judge Champney married (first), at Groton, Massachusetts, in 1763, Abigail Trowbridge, born November 3, 1740, daughter of Rev. Caleb and Han- nah (Walton) Trowbridge. This marriage connect- ed him with the distinguished families of Cottons and Mathers. Abigail (Trowbridge) Champney died in 1775. aged thirty-five. Judge Champney married (second), November, 1778, Abigail Parker, who died in 1790, aged thirty-eight. He married ( third ), in March, 1796, Susan Wyman, who died the following September. By his first wife he had seven children : Benjamin, Francis, Abigail, Han- nah, Elizabeth. Sarah and Ebenezer. The last three died young. By his second wife, Abigail Parker, he had three children: Elizabeth, Ebene- zer and Jonas Cutler.

(VI) Benjamin, eldest child of Judge Ebenezer and Abigail (Trowbridge) Champney, was born at Groton, Massachusetts, August 20, 1764, and died at New Ipswich. May 12, 1827, aged sixty- three. He grew up on a farm, and received his edu- cation in the common schools of his native town, with occasional assistance from his father. Be- fore he attained his majority he began the study of law in his father's office, and in due time was admitted to the bar. In 1786, he became a partner in business with his father at Groton, where he resided until 1792, when he removed to New Ips- wich, New Hampshire. There he continued his chosen vocation the remainder of his life. Es- quire Champney was well read in his profession, and had a good knowledge of English literature. As a gentleman he was courteous and affable, and as a man public-spirited and honorable. Few men have enjoyed the confidence of the community in which they lived to a greater degree than he. Possessed of a candid and liberal mind, he saw things in their true and just relations. and was capable of weighing in his well-balanced judgment the various and complicated issues that were offered for his advice and adjudication. For many years he served the town as a member of the board of select- men. He received the appointment of postmaster upon the removal of the office to the village, which he held for twenty years. He was also for a number of years president of the Hillsborough bar. As a townsman he was one of the foremost in devising and executing measures for the promotion of learn- ing and the general improvement of the town. He was one of the projectors and original proprietors of the first cotton factory built in New Ipswich. This enterprise he commenced in 1804, in conjunc- tion with Charles Barrett , and Charles Robbins. This factory, together with those which later grew out of it, has been of much importance to the trade and prosperity of the town. For a time it was a great attraction to the neighborhood and even to places quite remote on account of its entire novelty. For some years it was conducted with much suc- cess, but subsequently it proved a source of loss to all concerned.

Benjamin Champney married (first). in 1791, Mercy Parker. She died in 1795. aged twenty-nine. He married (second). in 1809, Rebecca Brooks. The children by the first wife were: Sarah and Benjamin, and by the second wife: Edward Wal- ter, George Mather, Marie Louisa, Ellen Louisa, Benjamin Crackbone, Mary Jane, and Henry Trow- bridge, whose sketch follows.

(VII) Henry Trowbridge, youngest child of Benjamin and Rebecca (Brooks) Champney, was born in New Ipswich, September 19, 1825. After obtaining his education in the common schools and at the Academy of New Ipswich, he went to Boston

where he engaged in mercantile business, and has made a competency and retired from active life. His home is at West Medford, Massachusetts, and there he resides the greater portion of the year, spending the warmer season, however, at New Ipswich, his boyhood home, where he has a beauti- ful summer residence.

Mr. Champney married (first) Lydia S. Parkley, of Stratford, New Hampshire. She died February 14, 1895. He married (second), April 30, 1896, Amelia Knight Hanson, of New York, daughter of Vernon and Helen (Smith) Hanson, of St. Johns, New Brunswick. One child by the second marriage, Edith Trowbridge, born January 17, 1898.

The Scales family in England dates

SCALES from the landing of William the Con- queror in 1066. The origin of the name came from the commander of that division of King William's army, which came over to Eng- land with him from Normany, whose duty it was to scale the walls of a besieged city when the prop- er time came to make such an assault. The general's name was Hugh; they had only one name then ; in the history of the time he is called Hugh de- Eschalers; that is Hugh commander of the Scalers of city walls and fortifications; in the course of years the spelling became Hugh de Scales and after two or three centuries the de was dropped.

Burke's Extinct Peerage has the following which gives some idea of what place the family held : Scales-Baron Scales. By writ of summons dated 6th February 1299-27 Edward I, Lineage. Of this name and family (anciently written Eschalers and Scales) the first recorded is Hugh de Scales, who in the time of King Stephen was Lord of Berk- hampstead, in the county of Essex. This feudal lord gave to the Monks of Lewes the churches of Withial, Wadone, Ruthwall and Berkhampstead. by a deed sealed with the impression of an armed man, standing on his left foot, and putting his right on the step of a ladder with his hands on the same, as if he were climbing, around which was the in- scription : "Sigillum Hugonis de Scaleriis." And following this is the account of many other members of the noble family of Scales, who were disting- uished in both peace and war. This family resided for many generations in great splendor and power at the Castle of Middleton, near Lynn Regis in the county of Norfolk, about one hundred miles north from London. The Scales family, other than the barons, lived in the counties on the east side of England and north of London, in the the counties of Hertford. Cambridge, Huntingdon, Norfolk and York.

(I) William Scales, immigrant ancestor. was horn about 1612: the place of his birth is not known ; it may have been in London, and his parents may have been William and Margaret (Greene) Scales, she daughter of Robert Greene, as they are mentioned in the will of "Dame Bennett, widow of Sir Wil- liam Wehb, mayor and alderman of London," 14 January, 1604, William being kinsman of the for- mer mayor. It is known that he lived in Rowley, England, near Hull, in 1638, and joined the party of which the Rev. Ezekiel Rogers was leader, which came to Boston or Salem in 1639, and in 1640 or- ganized the town of Rowley, Massachusetts. Mr. Rogers was pastor of the parish of Rowley, but on account of religious persecution he and a large num- ber of his parish emigrated to New England; they named their new town for their old home in Eng- land. William Scales was accompanied by his wife and three children. He, with the other heads of fam-

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ilies in the town, was made a freeman by the general court, May 13, 1640. His house lot, like his neigh- bors, contained one acre of land. He built his house on it and resided there till his death in 1682, the record of which is as follows: "William Scales buryed July ye tenth day, anno; 1682." The record of his wife's death is as follows: "Ann, widow of William Scales, buryed ye 26 day September, anno; 1682."

William Scales. received numerous grants of land from the town; he was a zealous supporter of his pastor, Mr. Rogers; he was largely engaged in lumber business, farming and stock raising. \Vhen Mr. Rogers and his party came over they brought the Rowley parish records with them, so that in that old town in England the present parish records do not date back of 1650. Unfortunately, that first book of Mr. Rogers' English parish is lost, and it is not possible to ascertain the parent- age of any of that party. Probably there were about twenty generations between Hugh de Scales, of Berkhampstead, and William Scales, of Rowley. William and Ann Scales had three children of rec- ord, only one of which lived to marry and leave children.

(II) James, son of William and Ann Scales, was born in 1654, and died in 1686. He was a farm- er and resided on the homestead in Rowlcy village. He married, November 7, 1677, Susannah, daughter of Zacheus Curtis. Zacheus Curtis was of Rowley, and embarked on the "James." April 5. 1635, at Southampton, England, as from Donnton, probably in county Wilts. He is called husbandman. She died in 1691. Their children were: James, Sarah, William, and Matthew, whose sketch follows :

(III) Matthew, third son and youngest child of James and Susannah (Curtis) Scales. was born March 29, 1685. He was only one year old when his father died; his mother died when he was six years old, and he was left in the care of John Harris, of Ipswich, as appears by the probate rec- ords of Salem. Soon after 1712 he began house- keeping in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The record book of the North Parish of that city has the following entry made by the pastor, Rev. John Emerson : "April 25, 1714, Matthew Scales owned ye Covenant and his son Matthew was baptized." In the same book are these further records: "April IS, 1715. James Scales baptized." "June 2. 1717, Mary Scales baptized." "Octoher 26, 1718, Abraham Scales haptized." At Portsmouth Matthew Scales was engaged in housebuilding and general carpen- ter work; he was a master mechanic, a good citi- zen and a devout church member. He does not ap- pear to have taken any part in public office holding. In 1718 he went to Falmouth, Maine, and joined his hrother William, who had settled there three years before. In 1710 he moved his family there, where they continued to reside until his death, at the hands of the Indians, at the same time his brother William was slain, April, 1725. At Fal- mouth he was selectman several years, while his brother was representative in the general court of Massachusetts. He served under Major Moody as a soldier in the fort there, and was one of the leading citizens. Matthew Scales married Sarah ", of Ipswich, Massachusetts in 1712. She prob- ably returned to Ipswich after the death of her huis- band. The date or place of her death is not known. She had three sons who lived to grow up: Mat- thew. Abraham and Edward.

(IV) Abraham, son of Matthew and Sarah Scales. was born in 1718, and was but seven years old when his father was killed. When he was four-

teen years old he commenced to serve his appren- ticeship of seven years with a house carpenter in Boston, the trade then being called the "joiners." Abraham and his older brother, who was also a carpenter, went to reside in Durham, New Hamp- shire, about 1739, and practiced their trade there and in the towns around. The fact that they were born in Portsmouth and that their mother was ac- quainted with Durham people may have been the cause of their going there to settle. June 16, 1748, Abraham Scales, "joiner," and Theophilus Hardy, "feltmakcr." both of Durham, bought lot 41 in Nottingham, consisting of one hundred acres of land, covered with a heavy growth of oak and pine. Later Mr. Scales bought Mr. Hardy's half and also two other adjoining lots, making three hundred acres in all. In 1749 he completed building his house on the original purchase, which is standing at the present time (1907), perfectly sound and strong. It is a large, two-story dwelling. and was the first two-story house built in Nottingham. That house and farm remained in possession of the Scales fam- ily more than a century. Abraham Scales and his wife went there to live in 1749, and resided there till his death in 1796, when it passed into the pos- session of his grandson, Samuel Scales. Abraham Scales was not only an expert house builder, but made furniture and about everything that was needed or could be used about the house, that could be made of wood. He was a man of strong personal character of the old Puritan type. inde- pendent and progressive. Ile was selectman of that town in 1754-55, was moderator at numerous town meetings, and held various minor offices. He was a zealous churchman, hut did not like the Rev. Benjamin Butler for pastor of the church in Not- tingham. so joined the Baptists in Lee in 1772, and remained a Baptist to the end of his life. July 8, 1747. he married Sarah Thompson, of Durham, horn January 5, 1724, and died in 1804, daughter of John and Mary (Davis) Thompson, and granddaughter of John and Sarah (Woodman) Thompson; Sar- alı Woodman was daughter of Captain John Wood- man, of Durham, and Newbury. Massachusetts. Abraham and Sarah had five children who lived to grow up: Samuel, Hannah, Abigail, Lois and Ebenezer

(V) Samuel Scales, son of Abraham and Sarah (Thompson ) Scales, was horn September 9, 1754, and died March 20, 1778. aged twenty-four. He re- sided with his father on the homestead. He served in the Revolutionary army. on guard duty at Ports- mouth, in November and December, 1775, and in the siege of Boston, in 1776, until the town was evacuated, March 17, of that year. He married March. 1774. Hannah Langley, daughter of Sam- uel and Hannah (Reynolds) Langley, of Lee; they had one daughter Mary, who died young, and a sor Samuel, who was born one month after the death of his father.

(VI) Samuel (2). only son of Samuel (1) and Hannah (Langley) Scales, was born April 20. 1778, and died September 21, 1840. His father died a month before his birth, and he was brought up by his Grandfather Scales. and at the death of the lat- ter in 1796, he inherited the home farm and resided there until his death. He was united in marriage with Hannah Dame, daughter of Moses and Anna ( Hunking) Dame, of Lee, April 20, 1799: she was horn February 16. 1772, and died July 30, 1847. Her mother was daughter of Captain Mark Hunk- ing. of Portsmouth, and Barrington, and grand- daughter of Colonel Mark Hunking of Portsmouth, who was royal councillor with Lieutenant Gover-

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nor John Wentworth, his brother-in-law, 1716, to

1729. Moses Dame was born in Newington, and was fifth in descent from Deacon John Dam(e), one of the early settlers in Dover, and second deacon of the First Church in that town, which was organized in 1638. Samuel and Hannah (Dame) Scales were excellent persons, and managed the farm and the household in a successful way for forty years. It was said of them that no one ever heard a cross or uncomplimentary word pass be- tween them, and they brought up their children in a very exemplary manner. When their children attained school age they had the district teacher hold the school at their house, and gave them the best education that the times afforded. That was shortly after the towns in New Hampshire were divided into districts for school purposes; that particular district was the "Scales district."

To them were born two sons and two daughters : Samuel, Mary, Nancy and Levi.

(VII) Samuel (3), eldest child of Samuel (2) and Hannah (Dame) Scales, was born July 18. 1800, and died January 12, 1877. He received a good education; before his marriage he was for several winters a successful teacher in district schools in Nottingham and Lee; he took a lively interest in military affairs and became captain of a company in the state militia. He was a strict disciplinarian and popular commander. He was one of the school committee of Nottingham for a number of years, selectman several years, and representative in the general court in 1849-50, in which he served on important committees. He was an up-to-date farm- er, always raising big crops of corn and potatoes. He had a blacksmith shop and a carpenter shop on his farm, in which he shod his oxen and horses, and sometimes those of his neighbors. He made his own carts and wheels. sleds and yokes, and all the sort of tools used on a farm in those days. He took special pride in having the best stock of cat- tle in town, and his ox teams were beautiful to every one who admired handsome oxen. He was found of music, and had a deep clear bass voice that made him the best bass singer in the town; He was choir leader for years. He and his father be- fore him were liberal in their religious views, be- ing old-fashioned Hosea Ballou Universalists. as was his wife. In politics he was a Democrat from the days of Andrew Jackson, and was delegate to innumerable conventions of that party, and gen- erally he was elected chairman, as he was an ex- cellent presiding officer, preserving order in the most stormy and exciting town meeting or conven- tion. It was said that he could make his voice heard a mile. He was a justice of the peace for half a century, and did much business in that line; in all his later years he was known as Esquire Scales. He was a genial. kind-hearted man, and delighted to relate anecdotes of his wide experience. He was a man of much reading and clear intel- lect, forming his own opinions and standing by his conclusions until strong evidence was presented to change his mind, hence, his conclusions as a jus- tice were rarely disputed or overturned. He was an indomitable worker, and early riser, always busy. in storm or in sunshine. He died of heart failure, January 12, 1877, though he had been active about his work down to the beginning of that winter. He was one of the charter members of Sullivan Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, at Lee Hill. Ile received his degree of entered ap- prentice, May 29, 1828; fellow craft. November 5, 1829; master mason, June 3, 1830. He was junior warden, 1831-34; worshipful master, 1835-36-44-47 ;

grand steward of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of New Hampshire, nine years in succession, 1836- 45; also 1849-50.

He married, December 23, 1828, Betsey True, of Deerfield, January 11. 1805, and died in Dover. Oc- tober 4, 1883. She was the daughter of Benjamin and Mary (Batchelder) True, of Deerfield, whose father, Deacon Abraham True, of Salisbury, Massa- chusetts, was one of the first settlers in that town. 1754. Deacon True was a grandson of Captain Henry and Jane (Bradbury) True, of Salisbury, whose father, Henry Truc, was the immigrant an- cestor (See True I and II). Jane Bradbury was a daughter of Captain Thomas Bradbury, one of the foremost men of Newbury, and Massachusetts Bay Colony. Benjamin True, father of Betsey, inherited the homestead farm in Deerfield, and was one of the leading citizens. He was a soldier in the Rev- olution. His wife. Mary Batchelder, was daughter of Captain Nathaniel Batchelder of Deerfield, who was a private in Captain Henry Dearborn's company, Colonel John Stark's regiment, in the battle of Bunk- er Hill. His grandfather, Nathaniel Batchelder, was a grandson of Rev. Stephen Batchelder, the immigrant. (See Batchelder I, II, III.) Samuel and Betsey (True) Scales had three sons: True, John and George.

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Genealogical and family history of the state of New Hampshire : a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Vol. I, Part 17

Author: Stearns, Ezra S; Whitcher, William F. (William Frederick), 1845-1918; Parker, Edward E. (Edward Everett), 1842-1923 Publication date: 1908 Publisher: New York : Lewis Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 858

Author: Stearns, Ezra S; Whitcher, William F. (William Frederick), 1845-1918; Parker, Edward E. (Edward Everett), 1842-1923
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: New York : Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 858