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 37
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of Captain John, thus bringing the property again into the possession of the Clement family. He was a man of influence in his township. He married Elizabeth Stevens, of Atkinson, New Hampshire, who died February 6, 1827, at the age of seventy- six years, and they had children: Hannah, born September 1, 1776; Joseph, August 15, 1777; Abigail, 1779; Moses, March 20, 1780; John, of whom later ; Nancy, September 7, 1784; Mary, December 3, 1788; Sally, June 22, 1791; Betsey, 1794; Lois, July 15, 1798. Moses was a physician in Coeymans, New York, where he died December 3, 1831.
(VII) John (2), third son and fifth child of John (1) and Elizabeth (Stevens) Clement. was born, probably in West Amesbury, Massachusetts, May 27, 1782. He settled in Warner, New Hamp- shire, and purchased a part of the farm of his father on Tory Hill, and erected a number of build- ings on this land. He had the reputation of being very prudent and industrious, and was much re- spected. He died December, 1859, in his seventy- eighth year. He was remarkably spry in his last years, and prided himself in his activity. He mar- ried, first, November 24, 1812, Rachel Rowe, daugh- ter of John Rowe, of Wilmot, New Hampshire. None of their children lived to maturity. She died August 9, 1820. He married, second, Janu- ary 10, 1822, Lydia Watson; who died January 17, 1854, aged sixty-five years. She was the daughter of Caleb Watson, of Salisbury, New Hampshire (see Watson). Their children were: Rachel R., born March 25, 1824, and became the wife of Mar- cellus M. Flanders, and (second) George S. East- man; John W., of whom later; Lydia H., born April 13, 1831, died in her sixth year. Mrs. Eastman died in 1900, leaving a daughter, Clara S.
(VIII) John Watson, only son and second child of John and Lydia (Watson) Clement, was born August 2, 1827, in Warner. He was educated in the common and select schools of his native town, and settled in Grantham, New Hampshire, in 1851, and bought a farm on Howe Hill. He came to Warner, New Hampshire, in 1853, in order to take care of his father and mother on Tory Hill. He bought the southern half of the old homestead in December of the same year, and thus brought this into the family again. He was a farmer, and made a specialty of grafting and fruit-growing. He and his cousin, Daniel C. Colby, in the winter of 1845, and succeeding winters, traveled about the country, exhibiting and putting into operation the Morse telegraph, which was one of the great wonders of the age. He was in the mercantile business for three years, from 1878 to 18SI, in the old Robinson store, but since that time has devoted himself to farming. He bought property in Warner village in 1880, and, in 1882, a farm near St. Johnsbury, Ver- mont, which he sold after occupying ten years as a summer home. He has filled a number of public offices : Deacon of the Congregational Church; on the board of selectmen in 1868-69; represented the town in the general court in 1873-74. Mr. Clement has given much time to research in the history of his family, and the family tree shown in an ad- joining page was designed and drawn by him. At a family reunion held at the Revere House in Boston, June 26, 1891, he read a paper giving a thorough account of the founding of the family in America. This was much appreciated and ap- plauded. He was married, May 8. 1850, to Almira N. Sargent, youngest daughter of Moses Sargent, of Grantham. New Hampshire. They had two chil- dren: Luther J., the elder, mentioned below ; Moses, born July 2, 1856, died August 28, 1856.
1
Marry & 13. 1886 10 dias
- Jeho. W. B.1827 8 Bare
9 Som Lenthis / 1, 1852.
degdins. 1831.
7 Sam John B 1782
Kach elt 8.18240
garden 18, 1765 Wally A 175%
Tandone 3 1729
Jonathan A 1695 Sa ...
3 cm Ymme 1.162.
901-
Moly B1122
Lydia B1661
Advent / 1624. 4 ...
Jeary 8,1669
-
MANY A 1690
Narmat 8, 1660
John 18.1618
Jaha 5. 1664.
Job.5. 16.15.
Alarment 1:00
1990 10 1887.
29% years 10- Generation?
I.m.Clement
COAT OF ARMS AND FAMILY TREE. THE LATTER ORIGINATED AND DRAWN BY J. W. CLEMENT.
6 Gon getcha @ 1924
Anna1. 16%
1. Jiho. 6. 1751
Jonathan 1, 1692
Boyun / 1718
Sa Melant 8,1665
2 .-
Brage Th B. 1877
ay 5. 1184 Sally 15,1851
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(IX) Luther John, elder and only surviving son of John W. and Almira N. (Sargent) Clement, was born August 1, IS52. His education was ac- quired in the district and select schools, Contoo- cook Academy, and Simonds Free High School. When he was but seventeen years of age, he com- menced teaching school during the winter, and also gave instruction in writing and drawing. He then went to Boston, where he obtained a clerkship with the Boston & Maine Railroad Company, returning to Warner in 1875, and purchasing the Palmer property on Tory Hill. He sold this in 1878 and removed to the village, where he opened a grocery and general store in partnership with his father, under the firm name of J. W. & L. J. Clement. Later this was sold out to Upton Brothers. In ISSI he went to Littleton, New Hampshire, where he was the head clerk in a large store, and later went into the meat business in Bethlehem. He went to Whitefield, New Hampshire, in 1887, and pur- chased a farm there in 1897, which he subsequently sold. He now resides in Whitefield village, where he is in the meat and grocery business. Between 1889 and 1897, he lived for a time in Dalton, New Hampshire, where he bought a farm, and was elected selectman for three years. He was elected representative to the general court there in 1895. He was town treasurer of Warner in 1878-79. He married, November 3, 1874, Ella J. Savory, only daughter of John Savory, of Warner. Their chil- dren are: I. George Morris, mentioned below. 2. A daughter, born 1884, died in infancy. 3. Mur- ray L., May 1, 1886, now a street car conductor in Boston. 4. Millard Fane, August 28, 1887, now attending the Polytechnic College at Worcester, Massachusetts.
(X) George Morris, eldest child of Luther J. and Ella J. (Savory) Clement, was born January 13, 1877, and resides in Whitefield, assisting his father in business. He was married, November IS, 1899, to Ida May Webb, of Whitefield. Their children are: Ella Mae, born June 17, 1901; and Harold John, July 22, 1904. Mr. Clement is promi- nent in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
CLEMENT The first definitely known of this line in America was Godfrey Cle- ment, who became a freeman at Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1634, and prior to the year 1700 no less than fourteen other immigrants named Clement had established themselves in dif- ferent parts of New England. Although the original American ancestor of the Clements of North Weare has not thus far been definitely determined, it is quite probable that they are descended from Robert Clement, who was born in Coventry, Warwickshire, England, in 1590, and arrived in Massachusetts about 1642, settling in Haverhill. He was one of the first settlers to purchase land of Passago and Saggahem, the Indian chiefs of that locality, and he was prominently identified with the early settlement of Haverhill, serving for the first nine years of its existence as its representative to the general court, in which capacity he was succeeded by his son John.
(I) Carlton Clement, a descendant of Robert, went to Weare, from Deering at about the beginning of the last century, accompanied by his brother Richard, and two or more sisters, and purchased the south end of lot No. 43, range 6. After residing there a few years he returned to Deering. The maiden name of his wife was Kezia Dow.
(II) Jonathan Dow, son of Carlton and Kezia (Dow) Clement, was a native of Deering. When a young man he settled on what is now known as
the Hodgdon farm in South Weare. He married for his first wife Charlotte Merrill, of Deering, who bore him two children, Jonathan Dow, Jr., born in 1827, married Vienna Dickey, and settled in Antrim; and Charlotte M., who became the wife of Horace O. Gould, of Hillsboro. For his second wife he married Cynthia I. Hanson, of Madbury, New Hampshire, born in August, 1800, and of this union there was one son-Moses H.
(III) Moses H., only child of Jonathan D. and Cynthia I. (Hanson) Clement, was born in South Weare, June 29, IS39. At an early age he learned the shoemaker's trade but soon relin- quished it and served an apprenticeship at the ma- chinist's trade, and settling in North Weare he followed it there for the rest of his life. He was at one time a member of the Society of Friends but married outside of the sect and did not take the necessary steps to secure his reinstatement. He died December 15, 1893. He was twice married, first to Aura A. Dow, daughter of Josiah Dow of Weare, and she died in 1862, leaving one daughter, Julia E., who was born September 29, IS59, and died in February, IS63; second, to Eliza C. Dow, who bore him six children, namely: Loren D., who will be again referred to; Orison, born August I, 1867 (died March 28, 1868) ; Archie W., born Janu- ary 31, 1870; Arthur, born December 13, 1873 (died October 9, 1876) ; Frederick D., born October 5, 1877; and Bertha, born July 10, 1887.
(IV) Loren Duane, eldest child of Moses H. and Eliza C. (Dow) Clement, was born in North Weare, September 4, 1865. After concluding his attendance at the public school he served an ap- prenticeship at the machinist's trade and followed it as a journeyman some three years. He then en- tered the employ of J. H. Wallace, a well-known toy manufacturer of North Weare, and after the death of the proprietor, which occurred a year later, he undertook the management of the business in the interest of the widow. He subsequently pur- chased the business and carried it on with profitable results until the destruction of the plant by fire in 1902, causing a loss of about five thousand dol- lars. He immediately rebuilt upon a much more extensive scale which enabled him to install ma- chinery and other equipments of a more modern type, thereby providing facilities for the constantly increasing expansion now going on in his business. At the present time he is employing twenty opera- tives, who are turning out toys of a unique as well as of an attractive and superior quality, and his products find a ready sale in the various centers of trade throughout the United States.
In politics Mr. Clement is a Republican. He attends the Friends' Meeting. He was married, December, 1887, to Miss Belle Simpson, daughter of Jonathan Simpson, of Orange, Vermont, and has one son, Moses M., who was born March 27, 1894.
The subject of this sketch is born CLEMENT of a family which was among the hardy pioneer stock of Salisbury, New Hampshire, and endured the hardships and privations with the early settlers whose courage and endurance were often tested by the severity of winter cold and the attacks of the savages who infested that locality for years after its first set- tlement.
(I) John S. Clement was born in Salisbury, of pioncer parents, and there lie married Lucinda Elliott and raised a family.
( Il) Nathan B., son of John S. and Lucinda (Elliott) Clement, was born in Boscawen, and
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died in 1868. He was a machinist. He married Augusta Dana, daughter of Augustus Dana, who was a soldier in the Revolution. Four children were born of this marriage.
(III) Wallace Ballard, son of Nathan B. and Augusta ( Dana) Clement, was born in Manchester, January 24, 1866. He received his earlier education from private tutors in Manchester, Bedford and Mont Vernon. He later attended the Franklin Street School in Manchester, and the McCollom Institute in Mont Vernon, and went from the last named school to Harvard and to Yale Universities. He began the study of law in the office of the late James F. Briggs, where he read one year, and subsequently pursued the study one year in the office of United States Senator Henry Burnham. In 1888 he was admitted to the bar and opened an office in Manchester, where he has since been engaged in the general practice of law. Mr. Clement has a suave manner and a kindly disposition that make friends for him wherever he goes. lle mar- ried, in Manchester, Etta Augusta Canis, who was born in Manchester, September 3, 1860, daughter of Augustus and Frances (Durgin) Canis, and great-granddaughter of Canis, who was a soldier with Napoleon in the famous Russian campaign. Two children have been born of this union : George A. Canis, and Mamie E.
COREY This was an early name in Massachu- setts and it has been identified with the development of that state and of New Hampshire. Its bearers have been people of high character and great moral worth, and may be fitly spoken of with commendation in the annals of New Hampshire. Many of the family were men of prominence about Boston during the eighteenth century. In the early records the name is variously spelled Cory, Coree, Couree and Corey. Several bearing the name were soldiers of the Revolution. Jaines Corey, of Groton, Massachusetts, was killed in the battle of Bunker Hill. Ephraim Corey, of Groton, was a captain in the Revolutionary army, as was also Timothy, son of Isaac Corey, of Weston.
(1) The first on record in this country was Giles Corey, who was residing in Salem, Mas- sachusetts, in 1649, with his wife Margaret. Their daughter Deliverance was born there August 5, 1658. The mother died previous to 1664, and on April II of that year Giles Corey married ( sec- ond) Mary Britz. She died August 28, 1684, at the age of sixty-three years, and he had a third wife, Martha, who was admitted to the church in Salem Village (now Danvers), April 27, 1690. She was the victim of the terrible witchcraft delusion in Salem, and was apprehended in March, 1692, and hung on the following Thursday. In a very short time her husband was also arrested and was imprisoned, in April. He was kept in confinement and moved about from one jail to another, going to Boston and back again to Salem, and was finally executed on September 19, 1692, in the most hor- rible manner ever used on the continent. He was pressed to death, being the only one who ever suffered that form of execution in Massachusetts. He was a member of the first church of Salem, from which he was excommunicated the day pre- ceding his death. Such was the tenacity of the execrable witchcraft delusion in Salem that this sentence was not expunged from the church record until twenty years after, and a period of eleven years elapsed before justice was done to the memory of liis wife in the Danvers church. Though a
petition for relief appears in the Essex records on behalf of the children, no mention of their names is found except of Martha, who made the petition in behalf of the family, and Deliverance before mentioned. It is probable that there were several sons. Jonathan and Thomas Corey are mentioned as having been at Chelmsford at an early period.
(II) Thomas, probably son or grandson of
Giles Corey, resided in Weston, Massachusetts. The time of his arrival does not appear on record. He was married there to Hannah Page, who was born February 10, 1678, in Concord, daughter of Samuel and Hannah Page, and granddaughter of John and Phebe Page, emigrant ancestors to Water- town, Massachusetts. He died in Weston, March 22, 1739. Their children were Joseph, Thomas, Samuel, Ebenezer, Jonathan, Hannah, Abigail and Isaac. With the exception of the oldest all were baptized at one time, December 29, 1723, in Weston, the youngest then being several years of age.
(III) Isaac, youngest child of Thomas and Hannah (Page) Corey, was born about 1717, in Weston, and resided in that town, where five chil- dren are recorded from 1740 to 1751. He was married April 12, 1739, to Abigail Priest, who was born July 31, 1719, in Watertown, daughter of James and Sarah Priest. Their children were
Isaac, Timothy, Eunice, Nathan and Elisha.
(IV) Nathan, third son and fourth child of Isaac and Abigail ( Priest) Corey, was born May 18, 1747, in Weston, and did honorable and valuable service as a soldier in the Revolutionary war. He was a minuteman and was present at the battle of Coneord. He subsequently served an enlistment beginning April 25, 1775, under Captain Asa Law- renee, in Colonel William Prescott's regiment, which continued ninety-eight days. In 1777 he served two months and nine days including travel- ling in Rhode Island under Captain John Minot and Colonel Josiah Whitney. He served nine months beginning from the date of enlistment at Fishkill, New York, June 17, 1778; in the muster roll his age was given at thirty-three years and his height as five feet nine inches; there was, however, an error as to his age as he was then only thirty-one years old. He probably passed the re- mainder of his life in Groton. He was married, December 27, 1770, to Mary Green, born August 15, 1751, a daughter of Eliah and Sarah (Parker) Green.
(V) Nathan (2), son of Nathan (1) and Mary (Green) Corey, resided in Pepperell and in Brook- line, New Hampshire. He was married to Devard Wright. who was born February 10, 1776, in Pep- perell, daughter of David and Prudence (Cum- mings) Wright. Prudence Cummings, the mother of Mrs. Corey, was the heroine of an episode dur- ing the Revolution which indicates the brave char- acter of the women of those days who ably seeonded their husbands, fathers and brothers in the struggle for independence. Through her efforts a British officer was apprehended at the bridge in Groton, an incident which is well known to readers of the American History. The children of Nathan (2) Corey were Devard, Susan Jane, Mary Jane, Wilkes Wright. The eldest daughter became the wife of James Parker, and the mother of Judge Ed- ward E. Parker, of Nashua. (See Parker, VI.)
(VI) Wilkes Wright, only son of Nathan (2) and Devard (Wright) Corey, was born January 10, 1813, in Brookline, New Hampshire, and was a good townsman and prosperous farmer there all his life. He served as town treasurer and select- man, and was otherwise prominent in the conduct
S. R. Merrill
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of town affairs. He was married October 14. 1841, to Sophia Rachel Shattuck, who was born April, 1818, in the same town, a daughter of Ashur and and Rachel Shattuck. They were the parents of two children, Albert Wilkes and Charles Nathan.
( VII) Charles Nathan, second son of Wilkes Wright and Sophia Rachel ( Shattuck) Corey, was born August 2, 1843, and died in 1902 in Brookline. He was a useful citizen in that town. He was a man of good intellect and made the best of his opportunities. He filled many important town offices and was representative in the legislature. He was married to Sarah Jane Sawtelle, daughter of E. and Mercy A. (Peterson) Sawtelle, of Brookline. They had six children: Herbert, who died young ; Ellen, Herbert S., Walter Ellsworth, whose sketch follows ; and Walter E.
(VIII) Walter Ellsworth, son of Charles N. and Sarah Jane (Sawtelle) Corey, was born in Brookline, New Hampshire, November 28, 1881. He was educated in the public schools and then entered a grocery store as clerk, which position he has held since 1903. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In politics he is a Republican. He married, October 24, 1905, Helen B. Lawrence, daughter of Kirk Lawrence, of Pepperell, Massachusetts. They have one child, Lawrence Ellsworth.
MERRILL The first of this name, which was originally Merle, and signifies "black- bird," was a native or at least a resi- dent of France, and took his name from the figure of a blackbird displayed upon the sign at his door. The earliest generations of the family in France used a seal on which is displayed three blackbirds. In the persecutions following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, a Merle, being a Protestant, fled to England to save his life, and cast his lot with the Puritans. Some of the family still remain in France and are still Iluguenots. the most dis- tinguished member of recent years being Merle D'Aubigne, the historian. As the Huguenots were of the best people of France, so their descendants in England and America have been numbered with the most industrious, the most thrifty, the most moral, and the most law abiding of those countries. (1) Nathaniel Merrill, born in England in 1610, died in 'Newbury, Massachusetts, March 16, 1655. With his brother John he emigrated from England and came to Massachusetts, landing at Ipswich about 1633. He removed to Newbury -in 1635, at the first settlement of the town, and settled on land at the junction of the Parker and Plum rivers, which was recently owned by a descendant, Tyler Merrill. In his will, dated March 8. 1655, he gives his farm to his eldest son upon payment by him of five pounds to each of his brothers, and furnishing a residence for the testator's wife and daughter. Nathaniel Merrill married Susannah Wellerton, whose name is otherwise spelled Wilterton and Williston. After the death of her first husband she married a Jordan, and died January 25. 1673- Nathaniel and Susannah Merrill were the parents of six children : John, Abraham, Nathaniel, Susan- nah, Daniel and Abel, who is mentioned at length in a later paragraph. (Nathaniel and descendants receive notice in this article.)
(II) Abraham, second son and child of Na- thaniel and Susanna (Jordan) Merrill, was born about 1636, probably in Newbury, and was a weaver by occupation, residing in that town. He sub- seribed to the path of allegiance there in 1678. He
was married January 18, 1661, in Newbury, to Abi- gail, daughter of John and Mary (Shatswell ) Webster, of Ipswich (see Webster, second family). In 1674 Abraham Merrill and wife were members of the Newbury church, of which he was deacon. Both were living in 1712. Their children were: Abraham, Abigail, Mary, Elizabeth, Hannah, John, Jonathan, David, Sarah, Susanna and Prudence. ( Mention of David and descendants forms part of this article).
(III) Jonathan, third son and seventh child of Abraham and Abigail (Webster) Merrill, was born January 19, 1676, in Newbury, and resided in Brad- ford from 1699 to 1701. He was later a citizen of Amesbury, and about 1715 settled in Plaistow, New Hampshire. He married Mary (supposed to have been Brown), who died in Plaistown, May 13, 1759. Their children were: Sarah, Mary, Abraham and Nathaniel (twins). Judith and Prudence.
(IV) Sergeant Abraham (2), eldest son and third child of Jonathan and Mary Merrill, was born May 29, 1707 (recorded at Newbury), and resided for a time in Haverhill, Massachusetts, and Plaistow. New Hampshire. His first two children were born in Haverhill, and the next three in Plaistow. New Hampshire. They were presumably born on the same homestead. which was set off to New Hamp- shire in 1741. About 1745 he removed to Derryfield, now Manchester, where he was an influential citi- zen. He settled at what was known as Merrill's Falls or Merrill's Ferry, just below the old Granite Bridge, and on or near the site of the present gas works in Manchester. He was among the petitioners for setting off a tract of land, lying partly in Chester and partly in Londonderry, and including other lands not previously appropriated. to be united and form a new township. This petition was granted, and the new town was incorporated under the name of Der- ryfield, in 1751. He was married June 20, 1734. in Haverhill, to Mehitable Stevens, of that town, and the record of this marriage is found in Plaistow. Their children, born from 1735 to 1758 were: Me- hetable. Sarah, John, Abraham, Jonathan, Ruth, Mary. David, Nathaniel and Elizabeth. ( Mention of Nathaniel follows in this article).
(V) Jonathan, third son and fifth child of Abra- ham (2) and Mehitable ( Stevens) Merrill, was born October 26. 1743, in Plaistow, being the last of his father's children born before the removal of the family to Derryfield. He was married, December 29, 1774, in Derryfield, to Abiah Staveirs, and settled soon after in Newbury, New Hampshire, where he was a pioneer and died in 1816. His children, born from 1775 to 1760, were : Mary, Sarah, Abijah, Betsey, Samuel, Jonathan, Abraham, Meletable, Jenny and Ruth.
(VI) Samuel Stevens, the fifth child and second son of Jonathan Merrill, was born April 7. 1787, in Fishersfield, now Newbury, New Hampshire. lle married Frances Bancroft, daughter of Caleb and Susanne (Toy) Bancroft, who was born in Dun- barton. New Hampshire, January 20, 1789. Their children were Sherburn R .. Joshua. Mary Jane, Frances, Hannah, Susanne and Seneca.
(VII) Sherburn Rowell, eldest son of Samuel and Frances (Bancroft) Merrill, was born in Fishersfield, now Newbury, New Hampshire, Jan- uary 2, 18to. In 1818 his parents moved to Croyden, New Hampshire, where they lived until 1825, when they moved to Peeling, now Woodstock, New Hamp- shire. The following year while on a visit to Ames- bury, Massachusetts, Samuel Merrill died very sud- denly, leaving a wife and seven children, the eldest
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of whom was Sherburn. Samuel Merrill was a man of sterling integrity, industrious, hard working, and the hardships of pioneer farm life on the rugged hills of New Hampshire broke down a naturally strong constitution. Both he and his wife were de- voted Christians and members of the Free Will Baptist Church. Sherburn, now sixteen years of age, found himself thrown upon his own resourcces, and, young as he was, he assumed the responsibility of helping to care for his mother and younger brothers and sisters. An account of his struggles for the next ten years would be the history of many in those days in New England. It suffices to say, that he despised no honest labor, was industrious and careful in his associations. In 1833, after a serious illness, Sherburn decided to make a voyage to New Orleans on a merchant ship owned and com- manded by his future wife's uncle, Captain Samuel Merrill. They left Boston on January 15, 1834. Sherburn had invested a large part of his savings in furniture which he hoped to sell at a profit in the South. The eighth day out, they encountered a severe gale which disabled the brig and left them at the mercy of the waves. Having lost their reckoning, they drifted about until the'morning of the thirteenth when the ship struck the northern reef of the Ber- mudas, in a heavy storm. They took to the boats and after several hours were picked up, taken to the Islands and kindly cared for, having lost all but their lives. March 31, 1836, in Boston, Massachusetts, Mr. Merrill married Sarah Blackstone Merrill, daughter of William Merrill of Noblesborough, Maine, a woman of strong character, superior in- tellect, and refined tastes. They settled in Wood- stock, New Hampshire. During the next few years Mr. Merrill met with some successes and many failures in his business enterprises, but through all, he showed such pluck, such determination to succeed that, at last, fortune began to smile upon him. In 1847 he went to Colebrook, New Hampshire, bought a water-power at Factoryville and contracted for lumber to build a starch mill. At the same time he contracted with the farmers to plant and deliver potatoes the following year at the projected mill. In 1848 Mr. Merrill began the manufacture of potato starch, which he continued until 1884. At one time owning in whole or in part seven different mills. This business was not only profitable to himself, but it developed and enlarged the resources of the farmers of Colebrook and the adjoining towns. In 1852 he moved his family to Colebrook, where he made a permanent home. In 1859 Mlr. Merrill bought a store at Colebrook, and became a member of the firm of Cummings & Co. He continued in trade under the firm names of S. R. Merrill, S. R. Merrill & Co., S. R. & S. S. Merrill, Merrill Brothers & Co., until 1880. This house did a large and profit- able business. In early life, Mr. Merrill took an active interest in the old militia system. He was captain of a company from 1841 to 1849. He was promoted to the office of major of his regiment in 1850, and the following year was made colonel. In politics he was always a strong Democrat, and at various times rendered good service to the Democratic cause in New Hampshire, but he preferred to give his time and attention to his business, rather than to seeking and holding office. He, however, frequently served as delegate to state and congressional conventions. He represented Woodstock in the legislatures of 1850- I851, Colebrook in 1872-1873, his senatorial district two terms, from 1879 to 1883. He was a member of Governor Goodell's council, 1889-1891. Although at the beginning of his term of office he was seventy-
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