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 132

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 132

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(VII) George (3), eldest child of George (2) and Martha ( Sumner ) Hart, was born in Ports- mouth, October 30, 1782, died July 12, 1854, aged seventy-two. He resided in Portsmouth, and like three generations of ancestors before him, was a blacksmith. He married, June 18, 1805, Abigail Pitman, of Portsmouth, who died October 13, 1845, aged fifty-nine years. Their twelve children were: William Pitman, Martha Sumner, George (died young ) ; Mary Stanwood, Abigail Pitman, Phebe Ann, Olive Chester, Susan Hurd, Lucy Beal, George Edward, John Pitman and Margaret Ann.

(VIII) John Pitman, eleventh child and fourth son of George (3) and Abigail (Pitman) Hart, was born in Portsmouth, October 25, 1828. After

leaving the common schools where he was educated, he took a position with John P. Lyman, of Ports- mouth, in the iron and steel business, by whom he was employed twenty-five years. In that time he had displayed the characteristics that mark a good business man, and he was invited to become the cashier of the Rockingham National Bank. He accepted the offer and began another long term of service, one which is seldom exceeded in the matter of length, even in steady New England. For thirty- five years, from 1870 to 1905, he filled the position of cashier with such tact, fidelity, integrity, and success, as to make the bank a popular, as well as a safe, institution. April 1, 1905, the charter ex- pired and the bank went out of business, paying its stockholders two hundred dollars per share. It had been chartered in 1813 as a state bank. MIr. Hart is a Republican and has always faith- fully adhered to the party whose principles he embraced in his youth, but has never taken much interest in party management. He served as alderman one term. He has a pleasant home in Portsmouth, and at Newcastle he owns a cottage where he enjoys the pleasure of the seaside in the company of his wife and their friends.

Mr. Hart married, in Portsmouth, November 14, 1850, Martha Ann Locke, born July 19. 1828, daughter of Hiram and Mary (Duncan) Locke.

O'BRIEN The O'Briens of Ireland were a family of considerable renown in ancient times, and produced many stalwart sons, whose physical and mental vigor was dis- played to good advantage whenever occasion de- manded. They have preserved to a remarkable de- gree the traditions and personal characteristics of their race, and this fact is particularly noticeable in the descendants of Morris O'Brien, who are now under consideration. The name is sometimes writ- ten O'Brion but the majority of its representatives retain the ancient form of spelling.

(I) Morris O'Brien, born in 1715, probably in Dublin, emigrated to New England from Cork about 1740, locating first in Kittery, Maine, and later set- tling in Scarboro, same state. He was a tailor and had a shop in Scarboro on the landing road in the locality known as Dunstan. In 1765 he removed to Machias, Maine, purchased land and with others erected a saw-mill which, with others built after- wards upon the same site, was for many years known as the Dublin Mills. An Irishman in the true meaning of the word, opposition to British op- pression was bred within him from birth, and it was with difficulty that his sons prevented him from exposing himself to danger during the exciting scenes enacted at Machias at the outbreak of the Revolutionary war. Records of various land trans- actions, together with other business ventures, prove that he was an enterprising as well as a pa- triotic citizen, and in the church record he is men- tioned as having subscribed the sum of ten pounds toward the salary of Rev. James Lyon in 1778. His death occurred at Machias, in 1799. He was mar-

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ried in Kittery, to Mary Cain, born in 1719 and dicd in 1805. Their children were: Captain Jere- miah, Martha, Gideon, Joanna, Mary, John, Wil- liam. Dennis and Joseph. The majority of the sons were mariners. In the first naval battle of the American Revolution which took place in Machias Bay, June 12, 1775. Captain Jeremiah O'Brien, with other patriots of that locality, including all of his brothers, captured the British schooner "Margaretta" under circumstances of great heroism, and brought her up the river to the town.

(II) John, third son and sixth child of Morris and Mary (Cain) O'Brien, was born in Kittery, September 1, 1761. In addition to participating in the naval engagement previously referred to he served in the Continental army, and prior to the year 1800 settled in Cornish, Maine, residing there for the remainder of his life, which terminated September 11, 1841. A brief account of him at hand states that he was a man of industrious habits and superior intellectual ability. On November 29, 1797, he was married in Kittery to Abigail Wilson, born July 18, 1771, and died April 16, 1859. She became the mother of ten children namely: Thomas W., Mary, John, William, Abigail, Olive W., Mar- gery, Daniel W., Nancy L. and Martha M.

(III) Daniel Wilson, fourth son and eighth child of John and Abigail (Wilson) O'Brien, was born in Cornish, August 14, IS10. He began to learn the printer's trade in Saco, Maine, completed it in the office of the Dover, New Hampshire, In- quirer, and was subsequently engaged in news- paper offices in Portland, Maine, Newburyport, Massachusetts, and in Boston, beginning his labors in the latter city as a compositor on the Boston Courier, and continuing them in the printing estab- lishment of S. N. Dickinson; he assisted in "setting up" the first volume of "Bancroft's History of the United States." In 1837 he abandoned the printer's stick, and returning to Cornish entered his brother's store as a clerk. Some two years later he engaged in general mercantile business at Fryeburg, Maine, and from 1847 to 1851 was associated with his brother Thomas in the grocery and lumber business in Portland. In the latter year he entered into partnership with his brother John, in Cornish, con- ducting a general store there for a number of years and then retired, but he later resumed business for a time and relinquished his activities permanently in 1886. The last ten years of his life were spent at his pleasant home in Cornish, surrounded by all of the comforts which fall to the lot of a successful merchant ; he died October, 1896. On November 10, 1839, he married Sarah Jane Lincoln, of Cornish, daughter of Cotton Lincoln, and hier death occurred December 7, 1904. She hore him three children : Helen, who died in childhood; Clara, who became the wife of Dr. William F. Southard, formerly of Portland and now of Oakland, California, and Charles C., of Groveton.

(IV) Charles Carroll, M. D., youngest child and only son of Daniel W. and Sarah J. (Lincoln) O'Brien was born in Portland, February 2, 1849. His pre-

liminary studies in the public schools were supple- mented with a course of private instruction, after which he prepared for a collegiate course at the Westbrook ( Maine) Seminary, and he was graduated from Tufts College in 1870. Some two years later he succeeded his father in business, but in 1878 relinquished mercantile pursuits to prepare for the medical profession. After studying for a year in the medical department of Bowdoin College, he entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, and returning to Bowdoin took his degree in 1881. He shortly afterwards went to Norway, Maine, with a view of locating there, but not being favorably impressed with the outlook after a month's stay he went to Groveton and finding a more encouraging field he located there permanently. He has been in active practice there for a period of twenty-six years, and is now one of the most able physicians in that section of the state.

Dr. O'Brion has been chairman of the Groveton board of health ever since its establishment. He is a member of the Coos County. the New Hamp- shire State and the Maine Medical societies; the Portland Academy of Medicine and the New York Academy of Medicine. He has been instrumental in the promotion of all public enterprises, and im- provements of the townl. He is an advanced Mason, belonging to North Star Commandery, Knights Templar, of Lancaster, and Edward Ray- mond Consistory, of Nashua. He is also a prom- inent Odd Fellow, affiliating with the local lodge No. 29, was formerly noble grand, and ranks as a past chancellor in the Knights of Pythias.

Dr. O'Brion married, March 27, 1878, Hattie E. Bailey, daughter of Bradley Bailey, of Cornish. They have one daughter, Clare.

The origin of the name Forbes, like

FORBES that of most family names, is sur- rounded in mystery. It is of Scotch origin and has been spelled in the town records of New England, Ffarrabas, Fferebas, Farrowbush. Fforbus. Forbes, Forbus. Forbush, Furbush. Fforbes, Farabas, Fobes, Farebush, and Fawbush. It is stated in Burke's Heraldry that the surname Forbes was assumed from the lands of Forbes in the county Aberdeen, Scotland, granted by Alexan- der II (1249) to the progenitor of this noble family. John De Forbes, the first upon record, was a man of rank and importance in the reign of King Will- iam the Lion (1214). Following him was a long line of descendants of whom William Forbes, of Tullickerne, Scotland, wrote in 1580: "In all ages since our first aryse, we myght compair with neigh- bors, for greater loyalty and valor for pietie (which we think truely ennobleth a families) ; witness the many bishops and doctors att home and renownd divines abroad. Like as the root has ever done. so the several branches of the house thought it their greatest honour to honour God in their generations .. As to their loyaltie, it was never stained."

(I) Job (2) Forbes, a native of Scotland, is said by tradition to have been a son of Rev. John Forbes, who was moderator in 1605 at Aberdeen of

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the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. Hle came to Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1636, and was subsequently a resident of Duxbury and of Bridgewater, Massachusetts, being one of the ori- ginal proprietors of the latter town, where he died in 1661. lle married Constant Mitchell, and their children were: John, Edward, Mary, Caleb, Will- iam, Joshua and Elizabeth.

(II) Edward, second son and child of John (1) and Constant (Mitchell) Forbes, was born 1651, in Bridgewater, and was a deacon and prominent citizen of that town. A man of large landed inter- ests, he served as magistrate and was several years a deputy to the general court. He died in 1732. His wife, Elizabeth Howard, was a daughter of John Howard, of Bridgewater, and their children were: Elizabeth. John, Mary, Bethiah, Hannah, Ephraim, Joshua, Benjamin and William.

(H]) William, youngest child of Edward and Elizabeth (Howard) Forbes, was born 1698, in Bridgewater, where he was a farmer and died June 20, 1764. He was married in 1725 to Thankful Dwely, who was born 1706. daughter of John and Rachel (Buch) Dwely, of Scituate, Massachusetts. Their children were: Abner, Lucy, William, Ed- ward. Timothy, Mercy and Mary.

(IV) Abner, eldest child of William and Thankful (Dwely) Forbes, was born 1727, in Bridgewater, from which town he removed to Ux- bridge, Massachusetts. He was married in 1750 to Phebe Leach, daughter of Benjamin and Hepsibah (Washburn) Leach. Their children were: Absa- lom, Hannah, Edward, Jonathan and Molly.

(\') Absalom. eldest child of Abner and Phebe (Lcach) Forbes, was born 1751, probably in Bridge- water, Massachusetts, and lived in Sutton and Up- ton, that state. He was a soldier in the Revolu- tionary army of 1775 and enlisted in 1778 in the Continental service. On the description roll his height is given as five feet, nine inchies, with light complexion, aged twenty-seven years. resident of Upton. Ile died in the service at White Plains, November, 1778. He was married July 25, 1771, to Martha Ilall, who was born September 12, 1751, a daughter of Deacon Willis and Martha (Gibbs) Hall, of Sutton, Massachusetts. After his death his widow married Joel White. His children were: Abner, Levi and Absalom. The first was a judge at Windsor, Vermont.

(VI) Absalom (2), third and youngest son of Absalom (1) and Martha (Hall) Forbes, was born November, 1778, in Upton, Massachusetts, and re- sided in Windsor. Vermont, and Jefferson, New Hampshire, and died in the latter town. He was the owner of two farms and was a man of in- fluence. Ile was married, in Sutton. to Prudence Burdon, who was born March 24, 1784, daughter of John and Lucy ( Libbey) Burdon. Their children were: Nancy, Joel White, Prudence, Charlotte, Emily, Betsey, Eliza, Marietta and Leland.

(VII) Joel White, eldest son and second child of Absalom (2) and Prudence (Burdon) Forbes, was

born March 4. 1804. in Windsor, Vermont. When a small boy he accompanied his parents to Jefferson, New Hampshire, and about 1830 he removed to Northumberland, in the same state, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was a farmer, school teacher and surveyor. For years he served the town as selectman and also held other town offices. He was a deacon in the North Stratford Baptist Church, was a strong abolitionist and is said to have been a conductor on the underground railroad system before the abolition of slavery. He mar- ried Phebe Hatch, about 1828, and they were the parents of ten children : Allen H., Ellen M., Will- iam M., Julia A., Mary, Charles, Hubbard S., Will- iam H. H .. Edward B. and Martha.

(VIII) William Henry Harrison, fifth son and eighth child of Joel W. and Phebe (Hatch) Forbes, was born in Northumberland, June 13, 1845. He grew up on his father's farm, and obtained his edu- cation in the public schools and at the business col- lege at Concord, New Hampshire, and also attended school at Guildhall, Vermont. He has always re- sided near Groveton. in Northumberland, near his birthplace, where he has a farm of two hundred acres, which he has successfully cultivated. He was for some years extensively engaged in raising pota- toes of which he harvested annually from three thousand to five thousand bushels. He has a fine sugar orchard and usually taps two thousand trees a year. from which he makes four hundred to five hundred gallons of maple syrup. He was a school teacher for many years and also served as chairman of the school board and as road surveyor. He mar- ried, 1871, Addie Wells, who was born in Granby, Vermont, and died June 20. 1887. She was the daugliter of Louis Wells, of Granby. Three chil- dren were born of this union: William, now prac- ticing law in Manchester, New Hampshire; Ellen Maria : and Irving E., whose sketch follows.

(IX) Irving Ellsworth Forbes, youngest child of William H. H. and Addie (Wells) Forbes, was born at Groveton, February 9, 1880. He took the course in the common schools and then prepared for college at Lancaster Academy from which he was graduated with the class of 1897. He entered Dartmouth College with the class of 1901, and at- tended two years, when he turned his attention to the study of law. He read in the office of John H. Andrews, of Manchester, and was admitted to prac- tice December 19, 1902. Since that date he has de- voted himself to his profession in Manchester. He was made an Odd Fellow in Mechanics Lodge, No. 13, in June, 1905, and has since become a member of Wonolancet Encampment. He married, August 22, 1902, Cora Blanche Maxwell, daughter of Al- fred D. and Alice J. (Cole) Maxwell, of Man- chester, New Hampshire, where Mr. Maxwell was a prominent business man and was treasurer. man- ager and principal owner of the A. D. Maxwell Ice Company, one of the largest concerns of its kind in the city. He had been prominent as a politician, and served several terms in the city government as

Emmons D. Stockwell

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councilman and alderman. He died 1898. Two children have been born to this union: Alice Ade- laide and Ellen.

STOCKWELL The first of this name recorded in Colonial history was Quintin Stockwell, who was at Dedham. Massachusetts, in 1664, later went to Deerfield, and still later to Hatfield, Massachusetts. His son John, horn at Deerfield, in 1676, was held a prisoner by the Indians for a year, and an account of his suffer- ings in captivity is recorded by Increase Mather in his "Remarkable Providences." The History of Sutton, Massachusetts, states that, according to tradition, the American ancestor of the Stockwells of that town, christian name not given, was enticed on board of a ship bound for New England, and upon his arrival was apprenticed as a means of ob- taining payment for his passage. After serving his time he followed the sea for a few years, and in 1727 settled in Ipswich, Massachusetts. His five sons, William, John, Jonathan, Ebenezer and David, all settled in Sutton. The Lancaster Stockwells are probably descended from one of the Sutton set- tlers.

(I) Captain Emmons Stockwell was left an or- phan at an early age, and was reared by David Page, of Petersham, Massachusetts, to whom he was legally bound. He may have been a native of Petersham, but the place and date of his birth do not appear in the records examined. Taking ad- vantage of a royal proclamation offering freedom to all able youths who would serve in the French and Indian war, he enlisted in 1756 in Roger's Rangers and was a comrade of Daniel Webster's father. He participated in the capture of Quebec, and on the return march from Canada, while seek- ing a shorter route through the wilderness than the one usttally traversed. he passed through what is now Lancaster and observed the splendid agricul- tural possibilities of the locality. Rejoining his former master, David Page, in Petersham, he de- scribed the section lying beyond the White Moun- tains, and his glowing account of it as an at- tractive place for a new settlement induced Page to secure a large grant of land for that purpose. About the year 1763 Emmons Stockwell, accom- panied by a son of David Page, took possession of the grant, and did some work; he returned home for the winter, and in the spring they returned with live stock, and several men from Petershanı, including the Pages. The land proved to be ex- ceedingly fertile, and as a reward for their strenu- ous toil these hardy pioneers acquired excellent farms, one of the most valuable of which was that of Emmons Stockwell. The breaking out of the Revolutionary war retarded for a time the progress of the settlers, who, fearing the horrors of Indian warfare, thought it advisable to return to the more protected settlements, and a meeting to decide this question was held at . Stockwell's house, but this movement was prevented by the resolute attitude of that redoubtable pioneer. "My family and I,"

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said the master of the house, standing up proudly among them, "will stay here," and his example was followed by others, although some of the more timid returned to the central part of the state. During the struggle for national independence Emmons Stockwell served as a scout and attained the rank of captain. In 1785 he was associated with Moses and David Page in constructing a mill- dam at Lancaster. His death occurred in Novem- ber, ISI9, at the age of seventy-eight years. He was the owner of three thousand acres of land, fifty head of cattle. horses and sheep, which were di- vided among his children. His marriage with Ruth Stickwell Page, daughter of David Page, was solemnized in Lancaster, and their eldest son, David, was the first male child born in the town. Mrs. Stockwell was the first female settler in Lan- caster. She was a woman of unusual courage, and not only taught the children of the settlers to read and write, but kept a general oversight over the farm during her husband's absence, and on one oc- casion shot a bear which was menacing the sheep. She became the mother of seven sons and eight daughters. all of whom grew to maturity and had families. Their children were: Polly, born in Petersham, December 25, 1765; Sally, born in Petersham, April 27, 1768; David, July 7, 1769; Charlotte. October 24, 1770; Dolly, September 2, 1772; Ephraim, October 25, 1774; Liberty, July 4. 1776; Ruth, September 21, 1778; Emmons, October II, 1780; Phebe, October 14, 1782; Betsey, June 18, 1784; Samuel, May 27, 1786; William, February 17, 1788; John, December 25, 1790; Mercy, April 4. 1792. The mother of these children died March 21, 1828, aged eighty-one years, leaving nearly two hundred descendants, and there was no death in the family until the youngest daughter was past twenty- one years old. For a period of forty years she was a member of the first church in Lancaster.

(Il) Emmons (2), son of Captain Emmons and Ruth S. (Page) Stockwell, was born in Lan- caster, October 11, 1780. In starting out in life he went to Pennsylvania, thinking to better his condi- tion ; he walked the entire distance, there being no public mode of conveyance. After a time he re- turned and took charge of the old homestead. He was an industrious farmer, and was one of the most prominent citizens of Lancaster in his day, holding at various times all of the important town offices. He died February S. 1869, aged eighty-eight years. Ile married Elzada Bishop, daughter of Enos Bis- hop, and had a family of children, of whom the only surviving is Emmons D. The others were Emeline E., William H., and Mariette P.

(III) Emmons Dwight, second son and third child of Emmons and Elzada (Bishop) Stockwell, was born at the homestead in Lancaster, February 26, 1830. He was educated in the public schools, and became a proficient farmer at an early age. His entire life has been spent at the Stockwell homestead. which his stout-hearted grandparents loved and cherished as the result of their industry and perseverance. This property, which is located

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on the banks of the upper Connecticut river, com- prises over four hundred acres of meadow land, and its present owner has preserved the high standard of fertility for which it was originally noted.

Mr. Stockwell is unmarried. He is a member of North Star Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Ma- sons; North Star Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; North Star Commandery, Knights Templar. and Scottish Rite. Politically he acts with the Dem- ocratic party. Although fast approaching the scriptural limit of four score years, he is strong and vigorous both physically and mentally, and will no doubt survive to enter the honorable list of octogen- arians of the Granite state. He never uses spirit- uons liquors or tobacco in any form.

SHATTUCK liberty-loving A brave, hardy, patriotic and

race in America have sprung from early colonists of this name in Massachusetts. The citizens of this cognomen performed yeoman service in the Colonial days in the founding of the civil liberities that their descendants, in common with all other Americans, now enjoy. A goodly per cent. of Shattucks have fought in all the principal wars of the nation, and a due proportion have filled places of influence. honor and trust in the various professions and institutions of learning, and under the government. The num- ber of persons of this name now living in the United States is probably about fifteen thousand. The American spelling of the name is Shattuck, the old English form Shattocke. There are many other early forms not now in use.

(I) William Shattuck is the most remote ances- tor with whom the persons of the Shattuck family in America are enabled to connect themselves. Of his parentage and birth-place nothing definite is known, though there is no doubt that his immediate ancestors and connections were residents of Eng- land, and that they were cither of Lancashire, Somersetshire, or Berkshire. William Shattuck was born in England in 1621 or 1622, and died in Water- town, Massachusetts. August 14, 1672, aged fifty years. He was a weaver, and in addition to his trade also engaged in agriculture. His name ap- pears in the old list of proprietors of Watertown, made about 1642, twelve years after its first settle- ment, although he was but twenty years of age. The first allotment of land to him was a homestall of one acre, by estimation, and three acres of up- land, by estimation. To this estate he made large additions by subsequent grants and purchases. Among other parcels of land the records show a house. garden and thirty acres of land situated on Common Hill, near his own estate; a farm at Stony Brook near the present bounds of Weston, also a dwelling house and a large farm in another part of the town. Ile resided in Watertown about thirty years, and acquired for the times in which he lived a large property, the inventory of which at his death amounted to £434. 105. 1116d. sterling, of which £200 was in real estate. and £234, 198. 111/2d. in personal estate, including £103, 17s. 772d. in

money. He appears, so far as can be ascertained from contemporary records, to have sustained the character of a sagacious, energetic and successful business man; of an honest, upright and worthy citizen ; and of a good and peaceful neighbor. He held a respectable social position among his fellow townsmen and his family and the families to whom they were allied by marriage were highly respected and among the most wealthy and influential in Watertown. He was buried in the ancient burying- ground situated on the old road leading from Cam- bridge to Watertown, a short distance westerly of Mount Auburn. He married, about 1642, Susan or Susanna. She married (second), fifteen months after his death, November 18, 1673, Richard Norcross, who survived her. She died in Water- town, December 11, 1686. The children of this union were: Susanna, Mary. John, Philip, Joanna, William, Rebecca, Abigail, Benjamin and Samuel.

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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 132

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