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. II > Part 104
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On the division of the diocese in 1842, six sisters were sent from Kaskaskia to St. Louis to open a house there, and Sister Josephine was one of the number. They left at Easter, 1844. the year of the great flood which flooded the convent before they left, and swept it away soon afterwards. The Bos- ton community of Ursulines, unable to recover from the destruction of the convent, were obliged to dis- band, in 1844, and became members of other houses. Mother Saint Benedicta (Mary Barber) went to the Ursulines of Quebec, where she joined her sister Abigail.
Father Barber's last years were spent as a pro- fessor at Georgetown College. On Saint Patrick's. day, 1847, he had a slight shock of paralysis, from which he died on March 25th.
Thirteen months later Mary Barber followed her father. She is remembered as an active, zealons teacher, distinguished for her self-forgetfulness. She died April 9, 1848.
In 1848 Sister Augustine was sent from St. Louis to Mobile. Here as elsewhere her life was most laborious and most edifying. Through her efforts in establishing a class, which took for study and recitation the recreation hour after supper, the houses in which she had been stationed for a few years possessed accomplished teachers, and were able to dispense with the secular teachers, whom they had formerly been obliged, at much expense and inconvenience, to employ. In the winter of 1858 Sister Augustine had a severe attack of ill- ness, from which she never recovered, dying two years later, January 1, 1860.
On his return to his native land in 1840, Father Samuel Barber had been placed in the Georgetown faculty. Later he was made vice-president of the college, then master of novices at Frederick, where he was stationed at the time of his father's death. From Frederick he was removed to Washington to assume the presidency of the Gonzaga College, and thence to Saint Thomas Manor as supervisor of the mission. His zeal and ability enabled him to fill each of these offices in a manner creditable to himself and to the society which he represented. He was minutely exact in the performance of each duty, and he required a like exactitude from all for whose conduct he was responsible. He was par- ticularly distinguished for his devotion to the poor and the unfortunate. He died February 23, 1864, in his fiftieth year.
Two of the Barbers lived to celebrate their golden jubilee as religious. That of Sister Francis Xavier was celebrated September 11, 1878. She was an inmate of the infirmary at the time, but suf- ficiently well to go down to the fete given in her honor. Fourteen months later, in November, 1879, she had a stroke of paralysis, from which she died March 3, 1880, in her sixty-ninth year.
Sister Josephine went to Mobile to replace her mother in the class work there, when the latter had to give up from illness. To Josephine we owe nearly all the knowledge we possess of this re- markable family. After the death of her mother, she was recalled to St. Louis, where she was em- ployed as a teacher of music and painting during the remainder of her life. She survived her goklen jubilee some years, and died in 1877, at the age of seventy-one, "full of years and merits," the youngest and the last of the Barbers.
The family of which John ABBE HOLMES Holmes, Jr., was the eldest son, lived, in 1799, the date of his birth, in Windsor, Vermont. but removed soon after to Hanover, New Hampshire, the seat
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of Dartmouth College. Here John passed the pre- paratory grades, and began the regular classical course in college, when early in the summer of 1815, the father, John Holmes, Sr., purchased a large landed property in the town of Colebrook, and moved his family there. The son earnestly pleaded to return to college, when the next year began, but his father refused to permit him to do so, thus dis- appointing the son's cherished hope of becoming a clergyman, to save the souls of his fellow crea- tures. After spending a day at work in his father's field, the son decided to run away from home, and the next morning at daylight put his plan into exe- cution. With a small bundle of clothes, and what little money he had in his pockets, he made his way on foot through the woods to Sherbrooke, Canada. Worn out with his long journey, and his money nearly spent, he hired his services to a tanner for a light compensation. A few days later the father came upon his son at his labors in a workshop. A conference between the two followed, and resulted in the father's return to his home without the son, to whom he left the horse he had led for the truant to ride home. Later Mr. Burroughs, a convert to Catholicity, and a son of one of the professors of Dartmouth College, who was teaching at Three Rivers, Canada, visited Sherbrooke, and took young Holmes home with him as an assistant in his school. Here he remained some time, faithfully discharging the duties of his new office. At the close of the winter he went to Yamachiche, where he passed into the charge of Abbé Ecuyer, who undertook to direct his studies in the Latin course begun at Dartmouth College. For a time the young man had serious intentions of trying to convert his preceptor from Catholicism to Protestantism, but as time passed he observed the quiet parishioners, so blame- less in their lives, so contented even in their poverty, and began an investigation of religious truths and tenets, which resulted in his conversion and bap- tism May 3, 1817, by Father Ecuyer.
In 1819, the pastor of Yamachiche, just a year before his death, presented his protege to the superior of the Sulpicians of Montreal, and obtained his entrance into their renowned college. There the young man completed his course of rhetoric and philosophy without detriment to his long-cherished vocation to the ministry. He offered himself as a candidate for the priesthood, and was sent to the Theological Seminary of Nicolet. Toward the close of his preparation for orders, he visited his family, and was completely reconciled to them. Returning to Nicolet, he was ordained a priest on the feast of Saint Francis, October 4, 1823. After a few weeks exercise of the ministry in Berthier, as a curate, he repaired to those eastern townships, through which he had passed eight years previously as a fugitive. His first mission was given in Drum- mondville, in February, 1824. At this station Abbé Holmes had leave to build a small presbytery to which he could return occasionally after the hard- ships to which he was exposed in the other scattered settlements confined to his care. His mission ex-
tended over an immense tract. now forming fifteen or twenty parishes, and that at a time when a jour- ney across that part of the country was a perilous undertaking. Although Sherbrooke was but a ham- let (Hyatt's Mills), the farseeing missionary selec- ted it as the station where he would celebrate the Divine Mysteries for all the Catholics in the neigh- borhood. The first altar on which mass was of- fered there was set up in the town hall, where the Protestants, who were more numerous than the Catholics, were already accustomed at another hour to hold their religious services. This arrangement, which was not agreeable to either party, was ob- viated in the following year, 1826, by the erection of a Catholic chapel by Abbé Holmes, in Sher- brooke. This little chapel, dedicated to Saint Co- lumban, was destroyed by fire not long after, but the pastor's labors were successful, and his congre- gation grew.
One day after his return to Drummondville there came a messenger from a distance of twenty miles to seek the priest for a poor man who lay at the point of death. The weather was inclement, but the need was pressing. Without a moment's delib- eration. Abbé Holmes mounted his horse, and rode through the long hours of the night, unprotected from the pouring rain. The sick man had waited for the priest. and he received the consolations of religion ; now he could depart in peace. The charit- able missionary rode home without being able to be relieved of the wet clothing which clung to his wearied limbs. Such a night of exposure was fol- lowed by an attack of pleurisy, which, under the in- adequate medical treatment the village afforded, left him subject to frequent and sometimes violent sufferings to the end of his life. He rallied never- theless, from his serious illness, and still remained at his post. During this period of four years he made several visits to the home of his parents, each time leaving instructive books, or charts, or pictures illus- trating the great truths of Christianity, such as he had prepared for the people of his mission. In 1826, Delia Holmes, the Abbé's eldest sister, visited Drum- mondville for the purpose of acquiring the French language. Shortly after she became a pupil of the Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady, in Ber- thier. Consulting his zeal, rather than his strength, Abbé Holmes undertook missionary work on a plan now designated as a public retreat or mission. At the close of a week of religious exercises of this nature, in Yamaska, in the fall of 1827, Delia Holmes was baptised into the Catholic Church.
The debilitated state into which the Abbé Holmes had been brought by his exposure, caused his re- moval to the Seminary of Quebec, where he labored for the next twenty-five years. Here his didactic ability and captivating manner made him a favorite with all. He first taught natural sciences and later almost every branch in the college curriculum with marked success. Besides the manuscript history of Canada and several elementary treatises, com- piled by his pupils, he published three editions of his "Treatise on Geography," which many consider
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one of the best of its kind. On his return from Europe, in 1837, he brought to the seminary the richest collection of minerals of which Canada can boast.
His class work was so successful that his teach- ings was extended so as to include in a separate class, opened in the "parlor" of the Ursuline con- vent, some of the teachers and advanced pupils of that institution. The acquaintance with the Ursu- lines, thus commenced, gave the Abbé opportunity to render service to the community in many ways and on many occasions.
Each of his five sisters were successively ad- mitted to the convent school between 1833 and 1848, and each joined the Catholic Church.
To the duties of the professor, Abbé Holmes adjoined the supervision of all the course of studies as prefect. This office he exercised alternately with that of director during the following twenty-five years. This period, however, includes an absence of more than a year in Europe, a voyage which he undertook in 1836. He was commissioned by the bishop and the seminary to transact important busi- ness in France and Italy. Two young students, just graduated from the seminary, were confided to his guidance for the voyage. On their return to Que- bec, both of these young men were admitted to Holy Orders. One was known as Rev. Louis E. Parent, the other became the Cardinal Archbishop Taschereau.
For the citizens of Quebec Abbé Holmes ranked above all the other sacred orators. Whenever it was known that his voice would be heard from the pulpit of Notre Dame, the great cathedral was certain to be filled to its utmost capacity. Through- out the nave, the aisles, and even the stairs and doorways of the vast edifice, not a corner was left vacant. The effect of his words on his audience was wonderful. On their return to their respective homes, for many a long day no theme of conver- sation was of greater interest than the last sermon of their favorite preacher. Though more than half a century has now elapsed since that eloquent voice was silenced by death, the reputation of Abbé Holmes as a Christian orator still towers high above that of any other speaker, who since his day has addressed a similar audience. His sermons were always prepared in writing, but in their delivery the text yielded to the inspiration of the moment, awakened and directed by the effect produced upon his hearers. This was perhaps the reason why he never allowed his manuscript to be put into the printer's hands.
In the last month of 1848 and the spring of 1849, he gave a series of conferences before a highly edu- cated and appreciative audience in the basilica of Quebec. These alone of all his sacerdotal writings have been preserved to us in print. They suffice to impress one with a high idea of the learning and intelligence, as well as the profound piety of the author.
He was a man of comprehensive views on prac- tical subjects, though his views often appeared Utopian at the time, for they were in advance of the epoch. As carly as 1837 he sought to direct
the attention of the French Canadians to the east- ern townships as an important district for settle- ment. His views have since been proved correct. He evidently foresaw the great benefit which would result from a confederation of the British provinces. His idea was to form a vast association for commer- cial purposes, and this would have eventually brought about a political union.
"Father Holmes hoped to see a Catholic Uni- versity at the head of the educational system he had planned for Canada. Such an institution he . declared would exert a beneficial influence over the whole country. His colleagues and successors shared his opinions, and executed his projects. The Laval University of the present day is a realization. of his enlightened views.
"The mental activity of Father Holmes was ex- traordinary, and extended to everything, while his increasing debility seemed only to impart new vigor to his mind. During the last years of his life at the seminary, he seldom quitted his retirement, but quietly employed his time in elaborating his plans for the future prosperity of his adopted country, only leaving his retreat to appear in the pulpit of the basilica of the city."
Early in the summer of 1852, Abbé Holmes went to old Loretto to spend the week of the vacation. He had risen on the morning of June IS, the Feast of the Sacred Heart, but had not left his room,. when, in answer to his signal bell, a waiter appeared. The father was found in the posture of prayer, but nearly unconscious, and before further assistance could be rendered life was extinct.
The Catholic Church erected in Colebrook, New Hampshire, in 1890, contains a memorial window, the gift of one of the Abbé's sisters, on which is. inscribed the name of Rev. John Holmes.
COOK The theory, often advanced, that the con- ditions, natural, civil and social, in the. United States foster all that is best in the development of immigrant stock, finds frequent endorsement and is often exemplified in the records of the country. The history of the Granite State, as a perusal will show, abounds with these exam- ples, as will appear in the sketches of Celtic families given in this work.
(I) Jacob Cook, the grandfather of the prin- cipal subject of this article, was a native of Ireland and passed the greater part of his life in that coun- try.
(II) Solomon, son of Jacob Cook, was born in Ireland, and was brought to Canada while an in- fant by his parents. In 1841. at the age of sixteen years, he settled in the United States, his first place of permanent residence here being in Vermont. As a young man he came to Concord, New Hampshire, and learned the trade of iron moulder with the firm of Ford & Pillsbury. He was employed as a jour- neyman in various places, and was at Franklin, this state, on the outbreak of the Civil war. He enlisted in October, 1862, in the Sixteenth New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry, for a period of nine months, and served until discharged at the close of his term. Soon after coming to Concord he was naturalized.
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and he occupied the anomalous position of member of the "Knownothing" party, which organization welcomed him because he was a Protestant in re- ligion. In after life he was a staunch Republican, but was never desirous of political rewards. His health was very much broken by his military service, and he was not able to work steadily, but continued at his trade as long as able, and passed away March 14, 1884. Mr. Cook married, November 25, 1847, Susan Ann Hayes, of Dover, New Hampshire, born there November 5, 1828, a daughter of James and Rhoda (Quimby) Hayes, of Scotch-Irish lineage. (See Hayes, V). Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Cook, accounted for as follows: George is the subject of the following sketch. Mary Elmy re- sides in Concord, unmarried. William H. is a resi- dent of Boston, Massachusetts. Arthur S., a sailor, died in Australia at the age of forty years. Maud Frances lives in Boston. Susan Annette became the wife of John H. Currier, of Concord. Helen Pike married William H. Jenness, of Roslindale, Massachusetts. One died in infancy.
(III) George Cook, M. D., eldest child of Solomon and Susan Ann (Hayes) Cook, was born November 16, 1848, in Dover, this state, and re- ceived his literary education in the public schools, Concord high school and Franklin Academy. At the age of eighteen years he began the study of medicine in the office of Drs. Gage and Conn, of Concord. He continued his medical studies in the medical departments of the University of Vermont and Dartmouth College, graduating from the latter with the degree of M. D. in 1869. After graduation he settled for practice in Henniker, and in 1870 re- moved to Hillsborough, where he continued in prac- tice four years, and also filled the office of superin- tendent of schools for one year.
In 1874 he removed to the city of Concord, where he has since built up a flouishing practice. Since settling in Concord Dr. Cook has made rapid progress in his profession. In 1879 he was appoint- ed assistant surgeon in the New Hampshire Na- tional Guard, was promoted to surgeon in 1882, medical director in 1884, and surgeon-general in 1893. During President Harrison's administration he was examining surgeon for pensions, and at the outbreak of the Spanish-American war was ap- pointed by President Mckinley as chief surgeon of the first division of the Twenty-third Army Corps, where he served four months. From 1878 to 1884 he was city physician of Concord, and since 1884 has been inspector of the state board of health of New Hampshire. He is a member of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, of which he was one of the vice-presidents in 1900. He is a member of the American Medical Association and New Hampshire Medical Society, and was delegate to Dartmouth College to examine graduates on several occasions. He is a member of the Center District Medical Society of New Hampshire, and was its president in 1882. He is a member of the surgical staff of Margaret Pillsbury Hospital of Concord, and is president of the state board of
medical examiners for licensing physicians. With his extended experience as a surgeon, and a liking for literature, Dr. Cook has very naturally been called upon to contribute to the literature of medi- cine, which he has done, having written papers of moment upon glaucoma vaccination and hygiene in camp. He delivered the doctorate address at Dart- mouth Medical College in 1890, taking for his sub- ject "Doctors as Educators." In 1903 he again de- livered the address before this institution, his sub- ject being "What Constitutes an Equipment to Practice Medicine."
With a natural liking for public affairs. Dr. Cook has been in the field of politics, and in 1883 repre- sented ward six of the city of Concord in the state legislature, where he served as chairman of the committee on military affairs. In 1890 Dr. Cook was made a member of Alpha Chapter of Alpha Kappa-Kappa Fraternity, a Greek letter medical society, and in 1898, when there were but six chap- ters, was elected grand president, a position which he has since continuously held. Under his tactful and energetic charge the number of chapters has grown to twenty-nine, and it now nec- essary to use double letters in numbering them. Dr. Cook has been for a quarter of a century a vestryman of St. Paul's ( Protestant Episcopal) Church of Concord, and he is a member of Eureka Lodge, No. 70, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of Concord; of Valley Lodge, No. 43, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Hillsborough, of which he is a past grand; and is past chief patriarch of Penacook Encampment, No. 3, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Concord.
STURTEVANT
To one who looks down the long vista of the ages as it is vealed by the light of his-
tory, there appears from generation to generation a recurrence of the family characteristics that were strong in the family lines hundreds of years before. In the race of sturdy Sturtevants the same quiet energy, persistent perseverance, honest industry, self-reliance, regard for truth, belief in the ultimate triumph of right. and tendency to independent thinking, have prevailed in every generation.
(I) Samuel Sturtevant, who was settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts, as carly as November, 1640, was no doubt a resident of Rochester, Eng- land, before becoming a member of Plymouth col- ony. He lived on what is called the "Cotton Farm" in Plymouth. His wife's forename was Ann. To these parents nine children were born, the fourth of whom was Samuel. Samuel, Sr., died in October, 1669, and is said to have been at that time forty-five years old.
(II) Samuel (2), the fourth child of Samuel (I) and Ann Sturtevant, was born April 9, 1645. He lived in that part of Plymouth which was in- corporated in the town of Plympton, and afterward became part of the town of Halifax. He held sev- eral offices or places of trust in Plymouth, and was one of the first selectmen of Plympton, and deacon
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in its church. His first wife's given name was Mercy, She died July 3. 1714, in the sixtieth year of her age. Of this marriage there were nine children. Ile married (second) Mrs. Elizabeth Ilarrell. His death occurred April 21. 1736. (Men- tion of son, Josiah, and descendants appears in this article ).
(III) Samuel (3), the second child of Samuel (2) and Mercy Sturtevant, was born about 1677, died September 18, 1743. and was buried in Halifax. He married, January 20, 1706-07. Mary Price (or Prince). who died May 20. 1748, aged sixty-three years. They had three children-Desire, Lemuel, and Samuel, who died unmarried.
(IV) Lemuel, second child of Samuel (3) and Mary (Price or Prince) Sturtevant, was born at Plympton, March 5. 1711, and died December 2, 1780. and was buried in Halifax. He was a farmer. and seems to have been the owner of considerable land in Halifax, where he lived. He married, June 15. 1737, Deborah Bryant (perhaps of Scituate), who died October 29. 1805. aged eighty-five years. Lemuel and Deborah Sturtevant had children, but no record of their birth appears either in Plympton or Halifax town records. From extracts from rec- ords of deeds and probate in Plymouth county it appears that they had: Jesse. Deborah. Lucy, Bar- zillai, Jacob, Samuel, Lemuel, and perhaps others.
(\') Lemuel, Jr., son of Lemuel and Deborah (Bryant) Sturtevant, was born in Middleborough, Massachusetts, November 9. 1756, and lived in Hal- ifax. until 1780, when he migrated to Lyme, New Hampshire, where he was a citizen until he moved to Barton, Vermont, with his wife and ten children, March 16. 1799. He first came into the town in May, 1798, with his two eldest sons and Joseph Skinner, a hired man, and on the 28th of May he purchased of General William Chamberlain land of which he cleared a part, put up a dwelling. and made preparations to move the following spring. He was one of the men who marched to Bridge- water on the alarm of April 19. 1775. The Massa- chusetts state archives gives his record as follows : "Lemuel Sturtevant, Bridgewater, private. Captain Nathan Mitchell's company, which marched from Bridgewater on the alarm of April 19, 1775. service eleven days. Also Captain James Allen's company, Colonel John Bailey's regiment ; muster roll dated August 1. 1775, enlisted May I. 1775. service three months, one week, one day. Colonel Thomas's reg- iment ; company return, dated Roxbury, October 6, 1775." At a meeting held in Barton, March 22, 1800, to elect town officers, Lieutenant Lemuel Sturtevant was chosen moderator. treasurer, a lister. and also one of the committee to audit and settle accounts with the former town treasurer. 1le mar- ried, in Middleborough, Massachusetts. Priscilla Thomson, born April 11, 1760, daughter of John and Lydia (Wood) Thomson. a descendant in the fifth generation of John Thomson, one of the most influential men in Plymouth colony. The families of Thomson and Sturtevant were closely united from a time prior to 1630. as is evidenced by the
number of marriages occurring between them. Lemuel Sturtevant died in Barton. Vermont. 1839, and his wife Priscilla died at the same place July 4. 1842. It has been written of them: "He was an esteemed and consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, while she was one of the holy women in the membership of the Congregational Church. This mother in Israel was gifted with a strong mind. of much argumentative ability and studious nature. given to hospitality, and delighting to minister to the temporal wants of the saints. Her house became much frequented by ministers of the gospel, and other servants of the Lord Jesus, who always found abundant provision for their bodily necessities, for which she expected to be amply repaid by their expounding some knotty passage of scripture, or elucidating some controvert- ed point of christian doctrine or practice, gleaned and garnered for such occasions." The children of Lemuel and Priscilla (Thomson) Sturtevant were : I. Cyril. born August 16. 1779, died April 19, 1866. 2. Lemuel. January 23. 1781, died November 15, 1863. 3. Priscilla, November 16, 1782. died January 23. 1822. 4. Jairus, July 16, 1784. 5. Mary ( Polly). January 10. 1786, died March 15, 1849. 6. Ezra T., January 23. 1788, died May 1, 1872. 7. Cyrus, No- vember 26. 1789. died December 16, 1864. 8. Hulda, September 17, 1791, died June 23, 1870. 9. Lucy, February 19, 1793. died May 24, 1864. 10. Isaac Brant. October 19. 1795, died aged seventeen months. 11. Sally, September 9. 1797. 12. Deborah, October 5. 1799. 13. Lydia, May 1, 1802, died Feb- ruary 21, 1871.
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