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 21

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 21

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(VII) Samuel, second son and third child of Captain Samuel and Mary (Cochran) Corning, was born in Londonderry, November 16, 1798. When a young man he settled in Litchfield, where he en- gaged in farming, and for many years was the of- ficial surveyor of wood and lumber. He was in his earlier years a Whig in politics, and represented his district in the state legislature for two terms. He died March 13, 1869. He married Clarissa Darrah, daughter of James Darrah, of Bedford. She be- came the mother of three children, namely: Mary S., Samuel J. and Martha R.

(VIII) Samuel James, son of Samuel and Clarissa (Darrah) Corning, was born in Litchfield, May 4, 1831. From the district schools of his neighborhood he went to the Manchester high school, and after the completion of his studies hie engaged in farming at the old homestead. To this property, which has been in the family's possession since the days of his great-grandfather and originally con- sisted of one hundred acres, he had added an equal amount of adjoining land, and he devotes his ener- gies chiefly to the dairying industry, selling large quantities of milk annually. For the years 1901-2 he represented Litchfield in the lower branch of the state legislature as a Republican, and has in various other ways rendered able service to his fellow-towns- men. In his religious belief he is a Presbyterian. On November 5. 1856, Mr. Corning was united in marriage with Elizabeth M. Wells, daughter of Thomas and Lorinda (Martin) Wells, of Bedford. Of this union there are three children : Frank F., born January 12, 1859, married (first) Marion Brooks. of Manchester; (second) Zetta Quast, and is now located in Colorado, having one son. James, born January 20, 1891. Samuel P., born February 3, 1861, married Eva Annis, of Londonderry, and is now residing in Brockton. Massachusetts. Clara B., born July 31, 1868, married Frank A. Nesinith. of Londonderry, and they had children-Eva, de- ecased, and Adaline. Mrs. Samuel J. Corning is a member of the Baptist Church in Londonderry.

HERRICK The family of Herrick is among the earliest of Massachusetts, and has contributed many useful citizens to the state of New Hampshire, as well as to other states, and is now widely disseminated throughout the Union. The name appears to be of Scandinavian origin and has undergone many modifications in its progress from "Eirikr, eric," to Herrick. taking the last form about the middle of the seventeenth cen- tury. (I) Henry Herrick, the patriarch of this family in America, was the fifth son of Sir William Her- rick, of Bow Manor Park, in the parish of Lough- borough, in the county of Lester, England. He came first to Virginia, and shortly removed thence to Salem in Massachusetts, and was accompanied by another immigrant from Loughborough named Cleveland, who was the ancestor of all of that name in this country. Mr. Herrick became a member of the First Church at Salem in 1629, and his wife Elizabeth about the same time. Charles W. Upton's "Salem Witchcraft" says: "Henry Herrick was a husbandman'in easy circumstances, but undistin- guished by wealth, and was a dissenter from the es- tablished Church. and a friend of Higginson, who had been a dissenting minister in Lester." He mar- ried Editha, daughter of Hugh Laskin, of Salem. She was born in 1614, and lived to be at least sixty years old. He died in 1671. They were among the first thirty who founded the first church in Salem. They had seven sons and one daughter, and all the sons were farmers.

(II) Joseph, fifth son and child of "Henerie" or Henry and Editha (Laskin) Herrick, was bap- tized August 6, 1645, and died February 4, 1718, at Cherry Hill, a farm which had been purchased by his father from one Alford. Upton says: "He was a man of great firmness and dignity of character, and in addition to the care and management of his large farm was engaged in foreign commerce. * * * He was in the Narragansett fight." The state of

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things at that time is illustrated by the fact that "this eminent citizen, a large land-holder. engaged in prosperous mercantile affairs and who had been abroad. in 1692, when forty-seven years of age, was a Corporal in the Village Company. He was acting constable of the place. and as such concerned in the early proceedings connected with witchcraft prosecu- tions." His title of governor would indicate that he had been in command of the military post or dis- trict, or perhaps of a West India colony. He mar- ried. February 7. 1667. Sarah, daughter of Richard Leach of Salem She died about 1674. and he mar- ried. about 1677-78. Mary Endicott, of Salem, who died September 14. 1706. Ile married (third). June 28 1707. Mary, widow of Captain George Marsh, of Newbury, who survived him. The first wife hore him four children, and the second nine, namely: Jos- eph. Benjamin (died young). John, Sarah. Henry and Martyn (twins). Benjamin (died young), Try- phosa (died young), Rufus, Tryphosa, Elizabeth, Ruth and Edith.

(III) John, third son and child of Joseph and Sarah ( Leach) Herrick. was born January 25. 1671, in Salem. and became a farmer in Wenham. Massa- chusetts, where he died in 1742. He married Anna Woodbury, who was born 1674, and died 1769. aged ninety-five years. Their children were: Zachariah. Josiah (died young). John, Josiah, Sarah, Ann, Jerusha and Lois.

(IV) Josiah, second son and child of John and Anna (Woodbury) Herrick, was born February 6. 1704. and died May 14, 1772. He was married No- vember 2. 1725. to Joanna Dodge, who died August 27. 1755. Their children were: Sarah, John, Josiah. Zachariah, Daniel. Joanna, Anna, Mary. David and Joshua.

(V) Josiah (2), son and third child of Josiah (1) and Joanna (Dodge) Herrick, was born No- vember 10. 1733, and settled at Amherst, New Hamp- shire, where he died in 1799. He married Mary Lane, of Ipswich, who died in October. 1807. aged seventy years. Their children were: Mary, Joanna, Josiah. Lydia. William, Elizabeth, Daniel L., Jane, Joseph, Sarah and Hannah.

(VI) Daniel Lane, seventh child of Josiah (2) and Mary (Lane) Herrick, was born December 4. 1771, in Wenham. Massachusetts, where he learned the cooper's trade. About 1700 he went to Mt. Ver- non. New Hampshire, whence he removed in 1802 to Merrimack, in the same county. Here he purchased sixty acres of intervale on the Merrimack river. close to the present village of Merrimack, and pro- ceeded to develop the farm which is now among the finest in the state of New Hampshire. He subse- quently purchased sixty acres of hill land. and still later another tract of fifty acres, so that he was the possessor of two hundred acres of land at the time of his death, which occurred Mav 18. 1858. He was a member of the Congregational Church, was in carly life a Whig. later an Abolitionist, and lastly a Republican. He was a prominent man in the town, serving as collector. as selectman, and was fre- quently called upon to settle estates. He was mar- ried about ISo1. to Hannah Weston, who was born in 1778. in Amherst. (see Weston. IV), and died at her home in Merrimack in 1868, at the age of ninety years. They were the parents of four children : Thurza, the oldest, died on the homestead. at the age of seventy-six years. Franklin and Isaiah re- ceive further mention below. Anstress died unmar- ried. in 1887. at the age of seventy-seven years.

(\11) Franklin, elder son of Daniel L. and

Hannah (Weston) Herrick, was born in February, 1805. at the family home in Merrimack. and died April 12, 1874, as a result of an accidental fall from a wagon. He grew up on his father's farm, and re- ceived such education as the common school of the neighborhood afforded, and at the age of twenty he acquired the trade of wheelwright. On attaining his majority he went to Bangor, Maine, where he was employed at his trade and at various woodwork- ing jobs. Through an accident he cut off the fingers of his right hand, but did not abandon labor, and was placed in charge of a jobbing shop. Soon after he purchased a farm in the town of Stetson, adjoin- ing Bangor, which he cleared up and after four years sold out and returned to Bangor, where he continued at his trade. By constant practice he had cultivated a very powerful grasp by means of the thumb and stump of his right hand and performed many feats which most people with sound hands would not care to attempt. On one occasion hie was approached in his shop by a peddler, who began to ridicule the use of his right hand and express doubt as to his prowess. By the time Mr. Herrick had finished his demonstration upon the saucy peddler. the latter was prone to admit his superior power. Returning to his native town. Mr. Herrick opened a wheel- wright shop on the opposite side of the road from the paternal home, and also huilt a residence there. and continued for some time with his brother Isaiah to carry on business at that point. In 1860 he pur- chased sixty-five acres adjoining the homestead on the north, and continued tilling this land until his death. This is also one of the finest farms in the state of New Hampshire. Mr. Herrick was an at- tendant of the Congregational Church. Like his father he was a Whig and Republican. His public service consisted chiefly in that of town treasurer and selectman. He was an upright citizen, and re- spected by his contemporaries. He was married May 10, 1835, to Apphia Jordan, who was born Septem- ber 15. 1808. in Harrington, Maine, a daughter of Wallace . Jordan. She died October 3, 1887, aged seventy-nine years and eighteen days. She was a member of the Baptist Church. and was the mother of a son and daughter. The eldest of these. Sarah C., died unmarried at the age of nearly fifty years.

(VIII) Henry Franklin. only son and second child of Franklin and Apphia (Jordan) Herrick. was born September 20. 1841, in Stetson, Maine, and was six years of age when he came with his parents in Merrimack, where he has since resided. He at- tended the district school at Merrimack until he reached the age of eighteen years. In the mean- time he had acquired the art of working in wood through his father's instructions and otherwise, and for four years he was employed in cabinet making by Parker & Fletcher, of Merrimack. Going to Boston at the end of this time, he was employed in the manufacture of picture frames, and subsequently carried on the business for himself, covering a per -. jod of six years. He returned to Merrimack in July. 18;1, and settled on the farm with his father. whose advancing years made the aid of the son especially desirable. The house upon this farm is one hun- dred and fifty years old or more, and still affords a substantial and comfortable abode to its owner. who succeeded his father. This dwelling was remodelled in 1853. and forty years later. in 1893, the present owner erected near it a very handsome and con- venient dairy barn, which has a floor area of forty hy seventy-two feet. Mr. Herrick maintains an average of ten cows, and devotes his farm chiefly to

Franklin Herrick,

Hanry St Herrick

PATRICK HERRICK.

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dairying, with success. He is a regular attendant of the Congregational Church, and is an independent Republican, and has served his town as selectman. He was for some time a member of the local Grange, in which his wife is still active. He was married November 22, 1871. to Katie A. Reagh, who was born August 20, 1843, in Malden, Massachusetts, daughter of Thomas and Lydia (Hemenway) Reagh, natives respectively of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and of Malden, Massachusetts, of Scotch and English de- scent. Three children complete the family of Mr. and Mrs. Herrick: Arthur R., born December II, 1872, is the assistant of his father on the home farm. Frank T., born June 6, 1876, is a trainman on the Boston & Maine railroad, making his home with his parents. Affie Belle, born July 13, ISS2. is the wife of Miles Cochran, residing in Merrimack. and has a daughter, Dorris Herrick, born June II, 1902, in Philipsburgh. Montana. Mrs. Herrick is a mem- ber of Mathew Thornton Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, of Nashua.

(VII) Isaiah, younger son of Daniel L. and Hannah (Weston) Herrick, was born December 6, 1808, on the paternal homestead in Merrimack, where he passed his life and died February 25, 1887. When a young man he acquired the trade of wheelwright, but most of his life was devoted to farming, where he succeeded his father on the homestead. In 1840 they built the brick house which is now occupied by Isaiah's son. Mr. Herrick engaged in general farm- ing, and was a member of Thornton Grange, Pa- trons of Husbandry. and kept in step with the progress of his day, being a successful and prosper- ous farmer. He refused to be a candidate for any official position, but was a strong supporter of his principles, which coincided with the general princi- ples promulgated by the Republican party. He was a regular attendant of the Congregational Church. He was married, in 1841. to Sarah A. Gage, who was born December II. 1815, in Bedford. and died March 27, 1900, at her home in Merrimack. She was a daughter of Isaac and Polly (Ingalls) Gage. of old Bedford families. She was the mother of two children : Elizabeth Gage, born October 20, 1841, and Harrison Eaton, whose sketch follows. The chil- dren reside on the paternal homestead.

(VIII) Harrison Eaton, only son of Isaiah and Sarah A. (Gage) Herrick, was born September 30, 1849. on the farm where he now resides, and to whose ownership he succeeded on the death of his father. He attended the district school until seven- teen years of age. is an intelligent and well-informed man, and is a successful farmer. He is a member of Thornton Grange, in which he has filled all the offices except that of master, and is also a member of the Congregational Church of Merrimack. Dur- ing its existence in his neighborhood he was a mem- ber of the Lodge of Independent Order of Good Templars, in which he passed through all the chairs and was its representative in the Grand Lodge of the Order of the State. He is a Republican, and has filled most of the principal offices in the town, such as selectman, collector, supervisor of the check- list, and was its representative in 1897 in the state legislature.

(Second Family.)

John Herrick, a farmer in Ireland, HERRICK was the son of an English officer, who had a large family of children. John Herrick died October 20, 1852. His wife, Julia Leary. bore him thirteen children. In 1853, with the nine then living she emigrated to America.

These were: William, Timothy, James, Catherine, John, Edward. Patrick, Julia and Mary. After re- maining one year in New Hampshire she removed with seven of her children to Iowa and took up her home on a farm in Fairfield, where she lived the re- mainder of her life, dying in 1865, and was buried in Ottumwa. Her son Edward now resides on a farm in Ottumwa. One of the daughters, Julia Cleary, resides in Kansas. One of the sons, Timothy, re- mained in Newport. New Hampshire, and reared a family. Two of his sons are now conducting a large wholesale dry goods house in Chicago.

(II) Timothy, second child of John and Julia (Leary ) Herrick, was born in county Mayo, Ireland, and came to America in 1853 with his widowed mother and her children. On the removal of other members of the family to Iowa, Timothy remained in Newport, New Hampshire. His first employment was with Dr. Delavan Marsh, of Croydon, with whom he continued ten years, and then began his connection with the Sugar River Mills in the ca- pacity of fuller, which position he held for twenty- eight years. until his death in 1884. His life in Newport was quiet, and by patient effort he estab- lished a comfortable home and provided his chil- dren with a good education. He was a consistent member of St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church. Mr. Herrick married, August 3. 1862. Marie Hoban, born in county Mayo, Ireland, June 24. 1839, (St. John's day), daughter of William and Ellen (Reidy) Hoban, who settled in Newport. New Hampshire, in I845. William Hoban died December 19, 1875, and Ellen, his wife, died in September. 1896. Timothy and Mary ( Hoban) Herrick had seven children, namely: John, a business man of Chicago, Illinois. Julia AA., now living in Chicago. Mary J., died young. Kate Ellen, wife of Frederick William Aiken, of Newport. New Hampshire (see Aiken

IV). James P .. of Chicago. William E., of Chi- cago, a merchant. Timothy E., died at the age of thirty-one years. a graduate of Harvard Medical School. M. D., 1897. and a physician of great prom- ise until failing health compelled him to give up his practice.

(II) Patrick, the youngest son of John and Julia (Leary) Herrick, was in his seventeenth year when he arrived in Newport. in July, 1853, and he nas since continued to reside there, and during this period of fifty-three years has been continuously en- ployed in the Sugar River Mills. His first engage- ment was October 10, 1853, and he continued some years as a common laborer in the dyeing and finish- ing department. Upon attaining his majority in 1857 he was made superintendent, a position which he held until the spring of 1905. On the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of his connection with these mills, he was given a banquet by his then em- ployers. Dexter Richards & Sons. This was an elaborate affair. to which the leading citizens of Newport and other points were invited, and was one of the most successful social affairs in the history of Newport. As was remarked at that time by the New Hampshire Argus and Spectator: "If em- ployers everywhere would imitate in spirit and deed the worthy example set on this occasion by Dexter Richards & Sons, the question of the labor problem would be solved and strikes would be among the things that were." The decorations were superb. Candelabra adorned the tables, while bouquets of chrysanthemums and jacqueminots added to the dis- play. The electrical scene, embracing fifty incandes- cent lamps with every tenth one red, won the gaze,

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while the inscriptions, "1853" and "1903," indicating the half century of constant duty. formed a notice- able feature. Occupying conspicuous places at the tables were thirteen employees who had been with the Dexter Richard & Sons twenty years or more, as follows: John Ahern, spinner, forty-two years ; Mrs. Jennie Wheeler, weaver, forty years; Mrs. Silas Wakefield, weaver, thirty-nine years: Arthur B. Chase, bookkeeper, thirty-five years; Martin Whit- tier, master mechanic, thirty-two years; Mrs. Abbie Herrick, weaver, thirty-two years; William Tenney, overseer of spinning room, thirty years; Etta Shat- tuck, weaver. twenty-seven years; Abe Warren. overseer of the weave room, twenty-five years; Eu- gene L. York, loom-fixer, twenty-four years; Mrs. Cronin. weaver, twenty-three years; Jamcs Mahoney, spinner, twenty-one years; Patrick Sullivan, fuller, twenty years." In his address on this occasion Col- onel Seth Richards made one of the best efforts of his life. Ile spoke on "Employer's Position," and handled the subject well. He recalled some of the early recollections of the mil, and tenderly referred to the operatives. He spoke in emphatic terms of the value of Mr. Herrick's services and feelingly alluded to his brother, the late Timothy Herrick. He spoke of the enlargement of the mill and re- marked that as much finished product could now be turned out in eighteen days as could be formerly made in a year. At this stage of the proceedings a telegram was read. sent by Mr. and Mrs. M. C. Gile and Colonel William T. Richards, members of the corporation, who were then staying in Colorado Springs: "Accept our heartiest congratulations on completion of fifty years of generous and valuable services for Dexter Richards & Sons. We desire to render appreciative tribute to the affection and loyalty which have made that service worthy of public recognition." In response to a toast, the pastor of Saint Patrick's Church used the following words concerning Mr. Herrick: "This man truly religious. has founded his life on the corner-stone of Christ, the founder of the Christian religion. He has impressed his character on the whole community of our town during the last fifty years. This force -latent force of which Emerson speaks, we have not always seen, but we have felt its influence. Dis- honesty, untruthfulness, hypocrisy, weaken and can- not stand in its presence. His character will bear the light of the mid-day sun, its brightest rays find- ing only the diamonds of truth and justice. We younger men can well wish to copy such principles of life which merit such public testimonial as this tonight." The following poem was written for this occasion by George Bancroft Griffith :

TRIBUTE TO PATRICK HERRICK.

Son of Erin, honest, steady, true, Just tribute we would pay this night to you : And grasp the hand whose fifty years of toil Ilas earned substantial meed on Yaokee soil.

For fifty years harmonious and strong Has capital and labor moved along : From sire to sons their trust to thee remains. And naught the record of that period stains How fitting then the happy time and place To meet and greet each other face to face : And give such honors unto brother mao As those who prize real merit truly can.

Stand up, dear Herrick, and receive thy crown

. The praise and good will of this grand old town- Worth more to one than jewelled gift or bay. For these may fade-a good name lives for aye.

Mr. Herrick has always taken great interest in church work and has been one of the strong pillars of Saint Patrick's Church, of Newport. from the start, besides giving active and liberal support to the church at Claremont. The sanctuary lamp in the Newport Church was the gift of his wife, and both the altar and the bell were presented by Mr. Herrick. He was very active in securing the com- pletion of the rectory of Saint Patrick's Church, which was finished in 1903. He is not only liberal in the support of the church and its auxiliaries, but he is a generous friend of the poor, and many in Newport have reason to bless his name. Politically he is a Democrat, and had his party been in power in this vicinity he would have filled many official positions. He has been for many years a trustee of the Newport Savings Bank and is its loan agent, and his judgment in matters of finance is regarded as safe and sound. He has been identified with every public improvement in his town and is a large owner of real estate. Among his holdings is a piece of about six acres on Sunapec, overlooking the village, one of the most picturesque spots in Newport. He was not only a contributor to the success of his church at home but was very active in the promotion of similar churches in Boston, Claremont and Keene, and has always been a liberal contributor to charitable undertakings. For many of the early years of the life of Saint Patrick's Church he was its sexton, and in a voting contest in Claremont was the winner of a splendid gold-headed cane as the most popular man in town. At the celebration of his fiftieth anniversary in the mills. he received many valuable tokens, including a solid silver fruit dish from a New York dry goods house, where the mills ship their product, and from a Boston woolen manufacturer a rug made by the Indians. Mr. Her- rick is a great lover of freedom, indulges in the hope that his native land may sometime enjoy poli- tical independence, and he has liberally supported the cause. On one of his leisure occasions he made a trip to Ireland, and there erected monuments at the graves of (his own he could not locate) his wife's relatives and contributed to charitable enter- prises in that country. His first wife, Catherine Cotter, was born in Ireland, in 1835, and died Feb- ruary 20, 1889. in Newport. She was the daughter of James and Ellen (Flynn) Cotter, who lived and died in Ireland, and were the parents of thirteen children. Mrs. Herrick was the mother of two children, neither of whom lived to reach the age of eight years. She was active in benevolent and re- ligious work, which her husband so much enjoyed. and when ground was broken for the erection of Saint Patrick's Church in Newport, she filled the first wheelbarrow of dirt that was removed. She was the active co-worker of her husband in church building, and was very useful in collecting the money for the completion of the churches both at Newport and Claremont. She never tired of giving her assistance in any worthy work, and her death was greatly mourned by the people of a very wide district. At her funeral a solemn high mass was conducted by Rev. Fathers Finnegan and McBride, of Claremont, and Rev. Father Finley, of Walpole, New Hampshire. Father Finley spoke most beauti- ful and touching words upon her life. and the funeral was conducted by Dexter Richards & Sons. The choir officiating at this service was a select one under the leadership of Miss Lizzie Loller. A beau- tiful monument marks her resting place and that of her sons on the grounds of Saint Patrick's Church.

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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 21

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