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 11

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: 874

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 11

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(1) Thomas Hazard. the first American an- cestor, born in England, in 1610, came from Eng- land, some say Wales, and settled in Rhode Island, in 1635. His name is first found in Boston in 1035. In 1638 he was admitted a freeman of Boston; in 1639 he was admitted freeman of Newport, Rhode Island, and in 1640 he was appointed a member of the general court of elections. lle married (first) Martha , who died in 1669. Married ( second) Martha, widow of Thomas Sheriff, who died in 1691. Thomas Hazard died in 1080. There were four children, probably all by the first marriage : Robert, whose sketch follows; Elizabeth, married George Lawton: Hannah, married Stephen Wilcox, son of Edward Wilcox; Martha, married (first) Ichabod, son of Nathaniel and Dorothy Potter, and (second ) Benjamin, son of Roger and Mary Mowry.

(11) Robert, eldest child and only son of Thomas and Martha Hazard, was born in 1635. in England or Ireland. In 3635 he was admitted freeman of Portsmouth, Rhode Island. lle appears to have been a prominent man in the colony, and was a large landowner. Hle built a big house in Kings- town, Rhode Island, which stood for a century and

a half. The house had a long L in which was a capacious chimney with two stone seats where, tra- dition says, the little slave children were wont to sit. Robert Hazard, according to the deeds given to his sons and others, owned more than a thousand acres of land. He married Mary, daughter of Thomas and Ann Brownell. She died January 28, 1739, at the age of one l:undred years, having lived to see five hundred of her descendants, as mentioned in the first paragraph. She appears to have been remarkable in more than one way. for the "Boston Gazette," dated February 12, 1739, says of her : "She was accounted a very useful Gentlewoman, both to the Poor and Rich on many accounts. and particularly amongst Sick Persons for her Skill and Judgment, which she did Gratis." Thomas and Mary Hazard had eight children: Thomas. born in 1660, died in 1746, married Susannah Nichols; George, married Penelope, daughter of Caleb and Abigail Arnold, died in 1743; Stephen, married Elizabeth Helme, died September 20, 1727; Martha, married Thomas Wilcox. died in 1753: Mary, mar- ried Edward Wilcox, and died before 1710; Robert married Amey -, died in 1718; Jeremiah, whose sketch follows; Hannah, married Jeffrey Champlin. Robert Hazard died in 1710.

(III) Jeremiah, fifth son and seventh child of Robert and Mary (Brownell) Hazard, was born March 25, 1675. He lived at Kingstown, Rhode Island. Like others of the family he owned much land, some of which remained to his descendants for generations. Jeremiah Hazard married Sarah, daughter of Jeremiah and Mary (Geready) Smith. They had seven children: Mary, born March 16, 1669, died in 1771; Ann. born February 28. 1701, married John Browning: Robert, whose sketch fol- lows; Sarah, born January II, 1706, married Robert Moore, October 24, 1728: Martha, born October 8, 1708; Hannah, born in April, 1714. married Samuel Watson; Susannah, born May 21, 1716, married Smith. Jeremiah Hazard reached the age of ninety-three, dying February 2, 1708.

(IV) Robert, third child and only son of Jere- miah and Sarah (Smith) Hazard, was born April I, 1703. He married Patience, daughter of Stephen and Mary (Thomas) Northup. She was born June 27, 1705, and died June 26, 1795, lacking one day of nincty years. They had four children : Mary, marrie:l her cousin. Jeremiah Hazard; Jeremiah, born in 1735. admitted freeman of North Kings- town, Rhode Island, i 1756: Ephraim, born in 1729, and died May 28. 1825. Gideon, whose sketch follows.

(V) Gideon, third son and youngest of the four 'children of Robert and Patience (Northup) Hazard, was born 1734. He was twice married. His first wife was Sarah, daughter of Jonathan Cha- ; and widow of Benjamin Congdon. They had four sons : Ephraim, born September 5. 1763. married ( first) Hannah. daughter of Richard Updike. Src- ond. Mary Smith; died April 23. 1836; Freeborn, whose sketch follows: and Robert and Stephen. Gideon Hazard married for his second wife. Anna who died November 3. 1822. They had one child. Elizabeth, born December 7. 1795, married Joseph Hammond. Gideon Hazard died June 13. 1814. at the homestead of his father and grand- father in Kingstown, Rhode Island.

(V1) Freeborn, second son and child of Gideon and Sarah ( Chase) (Congdon) Hazard, was born in 1765. They had three children: Robertson, born

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August 27, 1785, married Elizabeth Marshall ; Stanton, whose sketch follows; Susan, born No- vember II, 1788, married Hannah Smith. Free- born Hazard died August 29, 1831, at the age of sixty-six years, an early age for a Hazard.

(VII) Stanton, second son and child of Free- born and Susan (Sherman) Hazard, was born in August, 1786. He married Phebe Bush, and they had seven children: George S., born Jannary 10, 1810; Mary A., born June 14, 1811, married ( first) Harvey Brown, (second) Daniel Sherman; John W., born May 20, 18:3, died September 10, 1851; Albert R., born August 18, 1815, died in infancy ; Oliver S., whose sketch follows; Brayman R., born December 10, 1819, died in infancy ; Phebe A., born November 30, 1825, married Orris Gardner.

(VIII) Oliver Stanton, fourth son and fifth child of Stanton and Phobe (Bush) Hazard, was born in Anthony, Rhode Island, December 29, 1817. He was twice married (first) to Lucy A. Rice, and (second) to Juliette E. Sholes.

(IX) Marinus Hall, son of Oliver Stanton and Lucy A. (Rice) Hazard, was born at Crompton, Rhode Island. He studied medicine in Philadel- phia, and practiced his profession in Providence, Rhode Island. He belonged to the Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias. He married Helen, daugh- ter of George Stevens, who was born in Monroe, New Hampshire. Six children were born: Wil- liam H., deceased; George S .; Ella F., deceased ; Walter E .; Hellen G., and Albert H., deceased.

(X) George Stevens Hazard, son of Dr. Mari- nus Hall and Helen ( Stevens) Hazard, was born at Providence, Rhode Island, July 26, 1866. He attended the high school in his native city, and Brown University. For many years he was en- gaged in the drug business at Worcester, Massachu- setts. He then entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Baltimore, Maryland, from which he was graduated in 1890. In 1894 he came to Hollis, New Hampshire, where he has since lived. He makes a specialty of discases of the nose and throat, and has an extensive practice in the sur- rounding towns. He belongs to the American, the New Hampshire and the Nashua Medical societies. He has been a member of the board of health and the school board of Ilollis, and trustee of the pub- lic library. He is a Mason of the Thirty-second degree, and a Knight Templar. He is a member of the following Masonic bodies in Nashua: Ed- ward A. Raymond Consistory, Meridian Sun Royal Arch, Chapter No. 9, and the New Hampshire Council of Deliberation.

Dr. George S. Hazard married, April 20, 1887, Harriet, daughter of Charles Augustus and Harriet ( Allen) Blackington, of Attleboro, Massachusetts. They have two children: Helen R., born June 26, 1889, and Ruth F., born March 27, 1897.

GERRISH This old family whose ancient seat was in Newbury, Massachusetts, has produced a long line of men of more than ordinary ability, leaders, and men of local prominence wherever they have resided, both in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

(I) Captain William Gerrish, born in Bristol, Somersetshire, England, August 20, 1617. said to have been educated to business in the mercantile house of Percival Lowle & Company, came to New England as early as 1639 and settled in that year in Newbury, Massachusetts. He was the first captain of the military band in that town, and

representative 1650-54. In 1678 he removed to Boston and was the owner of No. 3, Long Wharf, where he carried on business. At the semi-centen- nial anniversary meeting of the town of Boston, March 14, 1686, Captain Gerrish opened and closed the exercises with prayer. He died at the house of his son Benjamin, in Salem, August 9, 1687, aged seventy. He married ( first) April 17, 1645, Joanna, widow of John Oliver, of Newbury. She died June 14, 1677, aged fifty-eight; and he married (second), in Boston, Ann, widow of John Manning. The children by the first wife were: John, William, Joseph, Benjamin, Elizabeth, Moses and Mary; and by the second wife: Henry.

(II) Colonel Moses, fifth son and sixth child of Captain William and Joanna Gerrish, was born in Newbury, May 9, 1656, and died December 4, 1694, in Newbury, where his life was spent. He married, September 24, 1677, Jane, daughter of Rev. Henry Sewall, and sister of Chief Justice Sewall, of Massachusetts. She was born at Badsley, Eng- land, October 25, 1659, and died January 29, 1717. Their children were: Joanna, Joseph, Sarah, Eliza- beth, Mary and John.

(III) Colonel Joseph, eldest son and second child of. Colonel Moses and Jane ( Sewall) Gerrish, was born in Newbury, March 20, 1682, and died January, 1765, aged nearly eighty-three years. He lived in Newbury, was a member of the colonial legislature twenty years, and was often elected by that body to his majesty's council, and as often rejected by the English governor "because he was not supple." He was also elected to a seat in a pro- vincial congress. In speaking of him Rev. Jacob Little . says : Colonel Joseph Gerrish had such muscular power that he swam the Merrimack river near its mouth every year till he was past seventy. The weight of four of his children was 1,200 pounds." He married Mary Little, born January 13, 1686, daughter of Moses and Lydia (Coffin) Little, of Newbury, the notice of intentions being published February 26, 1704. Their children were : Moses, Joseph, Stephen, Mary, Jane, Elizabeth, Sarah, Judith, Samuel and Rebecca. Three others died young.

(IV) Captain Stephen, third son and child of Colonel Joseph and Mary (Little) Gerrish, was born in Newbury, January 22, 1711, and died in Boscawen, New Hampshire, in 1788. When about twenty-two years of age he removed to Contoocook, New Hampshire, with bis ox team and plow-the first in the town. He was a leading spirit among the first settlers of Contoocook, took an active part in all matters pertaining to the welfare of the con- munity, and was often appointed on committees by his fellow proprietors. He established the first ferry, was thrifty, and accumulated a large estate. Rev. Mr. Price says of him: "He was particularly prepared to advance the settlement of a new country, being young, robust, acquainted with husbandry. enterprising, industrious, economical. Though his education was small and his manners unpolished, yet his strength of mind, his frankness, and sympa- thetic feelings, rendered him useful and agrecable. He knew all the discouragements and wants of a new settlement, and to him many resorted for suc- cor. Possessing both the means and the disposition, he was liberal and hospitable-a friend and father to multitudes. He lived to see his children settled and prosperous, and useful members of both civil and religious societies." He resided at the lower end of King street, and for a time until the close

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of his life he lived upon one of his farms in Canter- bury, on the intervale below "Muchyedo." He mar- ried (first) in Newbury, Massachusetts, July 21. 1738, while he was a resident of Canterbury, Martha Chase, of Newbury, who died without issue; and he married ( second), July 15. 1741, Joanna Hale. of Newbury, born June. 1715. died about 1792, aged seventy-seven. She was the daughter of Samuel and Apphia ( Moody) Ilale, of Newbury, and sister of Nathan Hale, the martyr spy. in the war of Ameri- can independence. "She was a woman of strong character, and deeply religious. She left the Episco- pal and joined the Congregational Church to find spirituality, and brought her branch of the Gerrish family within the covenant." The children of this couple were: Henry, Jane, Samuel, Enoch, Joseph and Stephen. (Mention of Samuel and Enoch and descendants appears in this article.)

(\') Colonel Henry. eldest child of Captain Stephen and Johanna ( Ilale) Gerrish, was born May 3, 1742, in Canterbury, and died in that town May 16. 1806. He was an active man in the affairs of the town and was successful as a business man. He possessed those qualities of character which make men leaders. At the age of twenty-four years, in 1766, he was ensign in the militia and a select- man. He was frequently elected moderator of the town. and was elected a delegate to the first state convention in 1774 and again in 1775, representing Boscawen and Salisbury. He was again delegate in 1779-80. At the outbreak of the Revolution he was captain of the militia, and marched with the minutemen to Bedford upon receiving the news of the battle of Lexington. He was lientenant-colonel of Stickney's regiment at the time of the Benning- ton campaign, but was detailed at that time for other duties. and did not participate in the battle. lle was present at the surrender of Burgoyne, being on the left flank of Burgoyne at Battenkil, and acted as clerk at the sale of the plunder taken from the British. He often acted as the town's agent dur- ing the revolution, performing the duties assigned to him with the same industry and prudent care that characterized the management of his own af- fairs. Colonel Gerrish was a land surveyor, and he was called upon in every direction not only by the citizens of his own town but of surrounding towns to lay out lands and roads. Ile was a justice of the peace, and was often called upon to act as arbitor to settle the difficulties between citizens of the town and county without legal procedure. He was also a blacksmith, and forged mill cranks and made mill saws on an ordinary anvil. He kept a tavern. and his house was known as the Traveler's Home. Many people too poor to pay for a bed were ac- commodated under his roof, where they were per- mitted to sleep upon bearskins before the generous fireplace in his barroom. His house was on what is now known as Fish street, and he owned a large tract of land which is now the county farm. His residence was not far from the present buildings on that place. In the early days the corn mill at the head of the present King street in Boscawen was the only accommodation of that kind to settlers located far up the Merrimac. It was a day's journey for many of them to reach Colonel Ger- rish's tavern, and a night would be spent there. In the morning they secured a grist and carried it to the mill on their backs, and would be able to re- turn to Colonel Gerrish's at night. There they would make a johnnycake or hasty pudding for breakfast, and on the third morning, with the grist on their

backs, start for their distant homes. Colonel Ger- rish was a large investor in the cheap lands of the north part of the state, and he became the pro- prietor of many thousand acres. He acquired a great estate, and brought up a large family of children and lived to see most of them well settled. He was a professor of religion, and uniformly gave his support to religious exercises. His children were well brought up, and of credit to him and themselves. He was married November 10. 1763, to Martha. daughter of Jeremiah Clough, of Can- terbury. She was born November 10, 1742, and died October 15. 1826, surviving her husband more than twenty years. Their children were: Jere- miah. Sarah. Moses, Stephen, Henry, Hannah, Martha, Jacob, Susannah, Joseph and Thomas. (Mention of descendants appears in this article.)

(V1) Moses, second son and third child of Colonel Henry and Martha (Clough) Gerrish, was born February 17, 1768, and settled in the south- western part of Boscawen, where he maintained a most hospitable and happy home. Deacon Enoch Little named this location "Basham" from the many oaks that grew there. He married Sarah Ilsley, daughter of Enoch Little (see Little, IV). She was born April 20. 1760, and died December 10. 1836. They had a daughter and a son, Sally and Jeremiah. The former became the wife of Colonel John Farmer of Boscawen (Webster).

(VII) Jeremiah, only son of Moses and Sarah I. (Little) Gerrish, was born on New Year's Day. 1794. and died October 30. 1843. He resided on the homestead at "Basham." and succeeded George T. Pillsbury as deacon of the Congregational Church at West Boscawen. He was a leader of the choir there some nineteen years. He was de- voted to music. and purchased in 1830 the first seraphine made by Charles Austin, of Concord. This was one of the earliest reed instruments blown by pedals to be made in America. Deacon Ger- rish was married March 8. 1821, to Jane, daughter of Enoch (2) and Polly (Noyes) Little. She was born February 2, 1800, and died April 0. 1877. Their children were: Polly L .. Jeremiah, Edwin, Sarah J., Henry H. and James L.

(VIII) Sarah J., second daughter and third child of Deacon Jeremiah and Jane ( Little) Ger- rish. was born January 1. 1830, and died June 21. 1872. She was married November 19. 1867. to George Little of Webster (see Little. VII).

(VI) Henry (2), fourth son and fifth child of Henry (1) and Martha (Clough) Gerrish, was born May 29. 1772, in Boscawen, and lived for a time after attaining manhood on what is now High street, in that town, and afterwards settled on the home- stead at Fish street. He was a farmer by occu- pation. He was married June 6, 1796, to Mary. daughter of Honorable Abial and Mary Foster of Canterbury. She was born October 1. 1774. and chied September 3. 1860, being then one week of ninety-five years old. Mr. Gerrish died September IT. 1862. Their children were: Susannah, an in- fant daughter died unnamed, Jacob. Lucy, Abial, Mary and Elizabeth.

(VII) Abial. second son and fifth child of Henry (2) and Mary (Foster) Gerrish, was born March 7. 1806, in Boscawen, and lived for a time in Canterbury. Afterward he resided on the home- stead, which is now occupied by the county farm. Ultimately he settled at West Creek, Lake County, Indiana, where he died. He was married January 18. 1830. to Eliza, daughter of Paul Dodge of Bos-

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cawen. Their children were: Maria, Martha, Mary, James L., Jane P. and Ann E.

(VIII) Maria, eldest daughter of Abial and Eliza (Dodge) Gerrish, was born April 15, 1831, in Canterbury, and was married October 26, 1849, to Joseph (3) Barnard (see Barnard, VII).

(V) Samuel, third child and second son of Captain Stephen and Joanna (Hale) Gerrish, was born April 20, 1748, and died November 16, 1825. He settled first on High street, Boscawen, and re- moved in 1776 to Canterbury, his farm lying on the Merrimack river. He married, January, 1773. Lucy Noyes, of Hebron, who died in 1818, aged sixty-six. They had three sons: Enoch, Joseph, and Stephen.

(VI) Captain Joseph, second child of Samuel and Lucy ( Noyes) Gerrish, was born in Canter- bury, and died July 31, 1839, aged sixty-two. He lived on the homestead in Canterbury. He married first Sarah, daughter of Nathan Chandler, of Con- cord : and second in 1813, Saralı, daughter of Dea- con John Church, of Dunbarton. She was born June 9, 1784, and died February 2, 1855, aged seventy-one. The children by Sarah Chandler were: Judith (died at age of eigliteen years), Lucy, Mary and Nathan. Those by Sarah Church were : John. Sarah, Enoch, Susan, Charles, Judith, and Newell.

(VII) Judith, sixth child and third daughter of Captain Joseph and Sarah (Church) Gerrish, was born in Canterbury, May 21. 1824, and married, November 24. 1842, Farnum Coffin, of Boscawen. (See Coffin, VIII.)

(V) Major Enoch, third son and fourth child of Captain Stephen and Joanna (Hale) Ger- rish, was born in Boscawen, January 23, 1750, and died May 1, 1821, aged seventy-one. When eight- een years of age he built his log cabin on the east side of the road 'now called High street, where he cleared five acres of land, being part of the home- stead where he and his posterity have since resided. Chestnut rails split by him were on the farm in a good state of preservation, more than one hundred and twenty-five years later. Although his principal occupation was the care and improvement of his land. he had a fondness for mechanical labor, and framed many of the buildings in the town, includ- ing the churches. The first bridge across the Mer- rimack. at the Plain, was built by him. He had a love for military parade, as his title indicates. Dur- ing his life he was chosen to fill the offices of mod- erator, selectman, and representative to the general court. A man strictly religious, he joined Dr. Wood's Church in 1781, and was elected deacon in 1783. an office which he held until his death, May I. 1821. He married (first), February, 1772, Mary E. Pearson, born October 3, 1753, daughter of Deacon Isaac Pearson, of Boscawen. She died May, 1784, and he married (second), December 8, 1784, Hannah Kilburn, of Boscawen. She died January 14, 1792, and he married (third), July 2, 1792, Mary. daughter of Joseph Gerrish, who died May 3. 1829. The children by the first wife were: Samuel. Enoch, Stephen, Sally, Isaac and Anna (twins) ; and by the second wife: Mary and Han- nah.

(VI) Isaac, fourth son and fifth child of Enoch and Mary E. (Pearson) Gerrish, was born in Bos- cawen. November 27, 1782, and died August 22, 1842, aged sixty years. He resided on the home- stead inherited from his father, at the foot of the Gerrish hill, on High street. By his untiring in-

dustry and frugality he from time to time added to the old homestead so that he was the possessor of the largest cultivated farm in town, which he devoted to stock raising and the production of butter and cheese. The products of the dairies of Boscawen were well and favorably known in the markets of New England. His dwelling and out- buildings were burned May 1, 1824. The same year he built a new set of buildings, which at that time were the largest and most commodious in town. His services and advice were frequently sought for in making deeds, wills and other papers usually executed by a justice of the peace. He was a neighbor to Rev. Dr. Wood, and was greatly at- tached to the pastor and the church, to which he dispensed spiritual instruction, and his seat at meet- ings was seldom vacant. A kind neighbor, strongly attached to friends, given to hospitality, his house was open; ånd the pleasant firesides in the large rooms of his dwelling, will be long remembered by those who enjoyed them. He married, June I, 1815. Caroline Lawrence, of Canterbury, born No- vember 16, 1797, died at West Lebanon, October 25, 1870, aged seventy-three. Their children were : Twins, died in infancy; Lydia, Enoch and Eliza- beth.

(VII) Colonel Enoch, only son and fourth child of Isaac and Caroline (Lawrence) Gerrish, was born at the old homestead, on High street, July 28, 1822. He obtained his education at the academies in Boscawen, Franklin and Meriden. On the death of his father he inherited a large portion of his estate, and with it, at the age of twenty, came the care and management of an extensive farm. An addition of more than one hundred acres made it one of the largest in Merrimack county. For twenty years he devoted his time to the cultivaation and

improvement of his agricultural holdings, success- fully developing their resources by raising live stock, hay and wool, when its heavy growth of wood and timber attracted the attention of the lumber manufacturer to whom the farm was sold in 1865. Possessing a love for military life he took a deep interest in the military organizations in the state, and was promoted from the lowest rank to that of colonel of the Twenty-first Regiment, New Hamp- shire militia. Having the confidence and esteem of his townsmen, he was elected to the various offices of the town, the duties of which he per- formed to his credit and the satisfaction of his con< stituents. Though not a member of any church, he has always been a firm believer in the utility and necessity of religious and educational institutions has ever been a friend to the church where his an- cestors worshipped. and a supporter of religious institutions generally. After the sale of his farm he removed to Concord, where his sound judgment, particularly in matters of finance, was duly appre- ciated, as was shown by his appointment as one of the trustees of the New Hampshire Savings Bank of Concord, and of the Rolfe and Rumford Asylumn. Mr. Gerrish is a Republican in politics, and served in 1881-82 as representative of ward four in the New Hampshire legislature. In 1887 he was elected to the senate, and served two years. In political matters as in all the other relations of life Mr. Gerrish has always been a dependable factor. He has been a sincere outspoken advocate of what he believed to be right. He married, May 23, 1854, Miranda O. Lawrence, born June 15, 1829, daughter of Joseph S. and Harriet (Neally) Lawrence, of Lee, by whom he had two children, Frank L., men-

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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. II, Part 11

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: 874

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: 874