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 29

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 29

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cestor of the family. (See Hubbard). The children of Colonel Bellows by his first wife were: Abigail (died at the age of twenty years), Peter, Benjamin, John, Josepli, Jonathan and Ahijah. By the second were: Abigail, Theodore, Thomas, Mary and Josiah. (IV) Colonel Joseph, fourth son and fifth child of Colonel Benjamin (2) and Abigail (Stearns ) Bellows, was born May 26. 1744. in Lunenburg, and dicd May 22, 1817, in Langdon, New Hampshire. He was about nine years of age when his father settled with his family in Walpole, and at the age of eighteen he returned to Lunenburg and took charge of the family property there. By his father's will he became the owner of the latter's lands in Lunenburg. He became an influential and useful citizen, and was active in promoting the welfare of the colonies during the Revolution. He was a lieutenant in Captain Wilder's company of minute- men that marched from Leominster to Lexington on the alarm of April 17, 1775. He served as cap- tain at the time of the Bennington alarm and at Sar- atoga at the surrender of Burgoyne in October, 1777. He was major of the Eighth Regiment of Worcester county militia in 1779. His commission from Gov- ernor John Hancock as lieutenant-colonel is pre- served by his descendants. He served creditably in the various town offices, and was a man of consid- crable property, which was largely swept away about 1786 through his having become responsible for con- tractors who failed. Because of this great disaster which threatened poverty to himself and his family of young children. his mind became unbalanced, and his affairs were taken in charge by his brothers, Benjamin and John, who removed his family to Walpole in 1796. Colonel Bellows was married in Lunenburg. October 3, 1764. to Lois Whitney, who was born about 1744, and died March 26, 1834, in Walpolc. at the advanced age of ninety years and six months. She was a daughter of Captain Salmon and Sarah Whitney, of Groton and Littleton, Mas- sachusetts. Their children. born in Lunenburg, were: Salmon (died in infancy). Salmon, John, Benjamin. Joseph, Levi, Oliver (died young), Abel, Oliver. Thomas, Susan, Sarah, Louisa and Mary. (Joseph and descendants receive mention in this article. )

(V) John, third son and child of Colonel Joseph and Lois (Whitney) Bellows, was born in Lunen- burg, Massachusetts, January 12, 1768. Coming to Walpole. New Hampshire, after his father's losses, he had a large share in caring for the family. At first he helped his mother in managing the farm, and for a few years, beginning in 1794, he conducted the village tavern with his brother Joseph. Having accumulated some capital he entered into business in Boston, and became the head of the firm of Bel- lows, Cordis & Jones, importers of English dry goods. At the age of fifty he was able to retire from business with an ample fortune. He was president of the Manufacturers' and Merchants' Bank of Boston, and was largely interested in man- ufacturing enterprises. He served for a number of years as alderman. He lived in Colonnade Row, on Tremont street, near West, at that time the home of many of the leading people of the city. During the crisis of 1830 he lost heavily, and in 1833 he retired to Walpole to spend his declining years. His son, Rev. Dr. Bellows, says of his father: "He was a man of superior intellect, generous senti- ments and spotless integrity." John Bellows was twice married. His first wife was Betsey Eames, daughter of Aaron and Keziah (Goodnow) Eames,

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of Sudbury, Massachusetts, to whom he was united January 5, 1800. They had seven children: Mary, Mary Anna Louisa, Eliza Eames, John Nelson, whose sketch follows; Alexander Hamilton, Henry Whitney and Edward Stearns. The last two were twins, born June II, 1814. Edward Stearns became a lawyer and died at Adrian, Michigan, in March, 1837, just at the dawn of the most promising ca- reer. He was a young man of fine presence and re- markable intellectual abilities. His twin. Henry Whitney, was graduated from Harvard College, in 1832, and from the Divinity School in 1837. From 1839 till his death, January 30, 1862, he was pastor of the Unitarian Church in New York City, to' which he gave the name of All Souls. He was pres- ident of the sanitary commission from 1861 to 1878. He was one of the most eminent preachers this country has ever known. The limits of this work do not permit the details of his career. but this quo- tation, written by President Eliot, of Harvard, is taken from the bronze memorial by St. Gaudens in the Church of All Souls:

"An ardent, generous friend, joyous with the joyful, tender with the sorrowful, a devout Chris- tian, trusting in God, and hoping all things of men."

Mrs. Betsey (Eames) Bellows, the first wife of John Bellows, and mother of Dr. Henry W. Bel- lows, died of consumption in Boston, January 24, 1816, aged thirty-five years. John Bellows married for his second wife, June 26. 1817, Anna Hurd Lang- don, daughter of Captain John and Mary (Walley) Langdon, of Boston. They had five children: Mary Anne Louisa, Francis William Greenwood, Harriet Augusta, Percival Langdon and George Gates. John Bellows died in Walpole, New Hampshire, February 10, 1840. Mrs. Anna H. (Langdon) Bellows died at the home of her daughter in New York City, Decem- ber 2, 1860.

(VI) John Nelson, eldest son and fourth child of John and Betsey (Eames) Bellows, was born in Boston, December 23, 1805. He was educated at the school of his uncle. Jacob N. Knapp, at Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, and entered Harvard College, but did not graduate. He established a school for girls at Cooperstown, New York, and was after- ward principal of the academy at Walpole, New Hampshire. About 1840 he entered the Unitarian ministry and was settled over parishes in Taunton, Framingham and Barnstable, Massachusetts, and Wilton, New Hampshire. Mr. Bellows had a marked gift for literature. He wrote three tales for the Knickerbocker Magasine, entitled "Wilson Con- worth." "Edward Akford and his Playfellow," and "Meadow Farm," beside publishing many essays, poems and hymns, many of which indicate talent of a high order. With better health and a longer life he might have been able to accomplish much. Rev. John N. Bellows married, May 14, 1833, at Cooperstown, New York, Mary Nichols, daughter of William and Catharine (Wood) Nichols. She was born November 11, 1810 and died at Walpole, De- cember 20, 1887. By her husband's carly death she was left with the care of a family of young chil- dren, and she met her responsibilities with a cour- age, dignity and sweetness of nature that won the esteem of all who knew her. The children of Rev. John N. and Mary (Nichols) Bellows. were: Mary Eliza, Edward St. John, Henry Nichols, Katharine Nichols, mentioned below, John and Clifford Eames. Rev. John N. Bellows died in Brattleboro, Vermont, February 27. 1857.

(VII) Katharine Nichols, second daughter and fourth child of Rev. John Nelson and Mary (Nich-

ols) Bellows, was born in Framingham, Massachus- etts, July 8, 1846. She was married in New York City, June 11, 1872, to her father's cousin, Lieuten- ant (now Rear Admiral) Henry Bellows Robeson, U. S. N. Since Admiral Robeson's retirement from active service their home has been at Walpole, New Hampshire (See Robeson Family VI).

(V) Susan, eldest daughter and eleventh child of Colonel Joseph and Lois (Whitney) Bellows, was born at Lunenburg, Massachusetts, August 18, 1780. At the age of six years she removed with her par- ents to Walpole, New Hampshire, where she spent her girlhood and the forty-one years of her widow- hood. On March 21, 1815, she married Major Jonas Robeson, of Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire, who died August 24, 1819. (See Robeson Family V). Her only surviving child became Rear Admiral Henry B. Robeson.

(V) Major Joseph (2), fifth son and child of Colonel Joseph (I) and Lois (Whitney) Bellows, was born November 3, 1770, in Lunenburg, Massa- chusetts, and died March 22, 1821, in Walpole. He removed from Lunenburg to Walpole with his fath- er's family when about sixteen years old. He first appears of record in Walpole when he was licensed in 1796 by the selectmen to keep tavern and he kept the village inn for the three years succeeding. He was engaged in the general merchandise of Walpole for several years. During this time he was chosen to several town offices. His selection in March, 1792, as tythingman shows him to have been a man of "good substance and sober life" according to the custom of those days. He was chosen constable March 11. 1806, and was active in military affairs in 1808. He was brigade major and inspector of the fifth brigade of the New Hampshire militia. He is credited with being the first to introduce Merino sheep into the town, about 1800, although there is nothing to indicate that he was engaged in agri- culture. About 1813, he removed to Rockingham, Vermont, where he had charge of a large tract of land, the property of his brother, Abel Bellows. In 1820 he received a very severe electric shock during a thunder storm and never fully recovered therefrom. In that storm his seven barns were entirely destroy- ed by lightning, together with other outbuildings, and the entire crop of hay and grain which had just been harvested. Major Bellows was married (first) January 7, 1794, to Deborah Wright, of Lunenburg, who died September 9. 1802, in her thirty-second ycar. He was married (second) January 2, 1803, to Mary Adams, who was born July 17. 1744. in Linen- burg, and died in Concord, New Hampshire, May 26. 1850. having survived her husband more than thirty-eight years. She was a second cousin of President John Adams, and was born November 5. 1739. being a daughter of Rev. Zabdiel and Eliz- aheth (Stearns) Adams. She was the mother of the last four of his children. and the first wife of five, namely: Henry, David, Gordon, George, Eliz- abeth. Ilenry Adams, Mary Stearns, Frances .Inn and William Joseph.

(VI) William Joseph, youngest child of Major Joseph (2) and Mary (Adams) Bellows, was born July 3, 1817. in Rockingham. Vermont, and was early accustomed to maintaining himself. When about fourteen years old he removed to Littleton, New Hampshire, and soon after became clerk in a store in Springfield, Vermont, where he continued about three years. Ile early displayed a talent for the mercantile business, and from 1834 to 1841 was salesman in a wholesale drygoods house in Boston. Returning to Littleton in 1841, he took up the study

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of law under the preceptorship of his brother, Henry A. Bellows, and three years later was admitted to the Grafton county bar of New Hampshire. He was a partner with his brother from 1845 to 1850 under the style of H. A. & W. J. Bellows. After the removal of the elder to Concord, he continued in practice alone until 1854, when he formed a partner- ship with John Farr. This was dissolved in 1860 and he subsequently gave much attention to matters outside of the law. From 1861 to 1868 he was post- master of Littleton, and during the first four years of this time was editor of a weekly paper known as the People's Journal. After several years .. during the period from 1868 to 1884. he was president of the board of education of the Union School district. In 1868 he again turned his attention to the mer- cantile business and for two years was a member of the firm of Henry L. Tilton & Company of Little- ton, and during the succeeding three years he was a partner in the firm of Bellows. Bracket & Company. In 1873 he formed a partnership with his son, Wil- liam H. Bellows, under the title of Bellows & Son, and thenceforward conducted a very successful mer- cantile business until roco. when he retired. He died August 29, 1906. They were among the most extensive dealers in the northern part of New Hamp- shire in clothing and all kinds of house furnishing goods. Mr. Bellows took an active part in all the affairs of interest, calculated to promote the in- dustries of the community. In religious faith he was a Unitarian, and in politics a Whig and later a Re- publican. His interest in public education is shown by his long service on the board of education, and he was also interested in military matters. As a young man he was major of the militia and acted as brigade quartermaster under Colonel G. O. Kelly and brigade inspector under John Hutchins. He was a state justice of the peace. He was married August 12, 1847, to Caroline Ivah. daughter of Sampson and Ivah (Patterson) Bullard. She was born April 9, 1821. in Concord, New Hampshire, and died July 22, 1890, at Littleton, New Hampshire. Their children were: Mary Adams, William Henry and George Sampson. The eldest is unmarried and resides in Littleton. The youngest died in that town August 7, 1900, leaving a wife and daughter. Car- rie Louise. His wife was Esther Augusta (Young) Bellows, born December 1, 1855, in Littleton, daugh- ter of Cyrus Young. They were married November 15, ISSO. in Littleton.

(VII) William Henry. elder son and second child of William Joseph and Caroline I. (Bullard) Bel- lows, was born August 5. 1852, in Littleton. New Hampshire. He has always resided in his native town and has been continuously engaged in the mercantile business. On attaining his majority he became an associate of his father in business, as above related, under the title of Bellows & Son, which continued until 1900. For twenty-seven years it was carried on under the style of Bellows & Son, and in 1900 this was changed to Bellows & Baldwin, under which title it is still conducted. Mr. Bellows is also proprietor of the Littleton View Company, in which his brother was associated with him during his life. Mr. Bellows is recognized as a clear-minded and successful business man. and is active in many of the affairs of the community. For fifteen years he has been auditor of the Littleton Savings Bank and for several years a director of the same institution. He was a member of the board of education of the Union School District from 1800 to 1896, inclusive. He has been a director of the Littleton National Bank since 1892, and a director

of the Littleton Shoe Company since 1898. He was treasurer of the Littleton Musical Association from 1878 to 1883, and served as deputy sheriff in 1876- '77-'78. He was representative of Littleton in the State legislature in 1897-'98. He is a justice of the peace, and is a member of Burns Lodge, No. 66, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of Littleton, New Hampshire, of Franklin Chapter, No. 5. Royal Arch Masons, of Lisbon, New Hampshire; and Alpha Lodge of Perfection of Concord. He is also affiliated with the Grand Command- ery, Knights Templar; Washington Council, Princes of Jerusalem : and Littleton Chapter of Rose Croix of Littleton. New Hampshire, and with Edward A. Raymond Consistory, of Nashua, New Hampshire, thirty-second degree, Ancient, Accepted Scottish Rite. In religion he is a Universalist, and in poli- tics an earnest Republican.

He was married December 9, 1880, to Lucia Emma, daughter of Jedediah Miller and Sarah (Cut- ler-Bennett) Baldwin. She was born April 21. 1858. in Stratford, New Hampshire, and is a member of the Congregational Church of Littleton. New Hamp- shire. Their children were: Edith Marion, born May 28, 1884; Harold Arthur, June 20, 1890; Ray- mond A., June 3, 1898.

While this is not among the Pur- BROCKWAY. itan Pilgrim families, it was very early located in New England, settling first in the colony of Connecticut, was identi- fied with western New Hampshire in the pioneer period, and has borne its part in the formative his- tory of the present state of New Hampshire. In the days preceding the Revolution, the pioneer of the family in this state penetrated the wilderness and subsequently contributed his part in the achievement of American independence.

(I) Wolston Brockway (in some early records mentioned as Woolstone), was born in England, about 1638, and was in Lyme, Connecticut, owning a house and land there as early as 1659. He died there soon after 1718. His wife was Hannah Bridges, daughter of William Bridges, and died February 6, 1687. Their children. recorded in Lyme. were: Han- nah, William. Wolston, Mary, Bridget. Richard, Elizabeth, Sarah and Deboralı.

(II) William, eldest son and second child of Wolston and Hannah (Bridges) Brockway, was born July 25. 1666. in Lyme, Connecticut, where he resided through life and died March 29, 1755. His wife's name was Elizabeth, but no record of their children appears.

(III) William (2), son of William ( 1) and Eliz- abeth Brockway. was born July 26, 1693. in Lyme, Connecticut, and was there married October 13, 1716. to Prudence Pratt, daughter of William Pratt. of that town.

(IV) Captain Jonathan, son of William (2) and Prudence (Pratt) Brockway, was born in Lyme, Connecticut, and was there married October 20, 1757. to Phoebe Smith. About the time of the Re- volution, or just before, he settled in the town of Washington, Sullivan county. New Hampshire, soon after the lands of that town had been granted to Colonel Kidder. He was not of the first colony of settlers who came in 1768, nor was he among those who received one hundred acres of land each in consideration of settlement and improvement, for even then he was possessed of considerable means and able to pay for whatever land he required. The earliest record of him states that he married in Lyme. in 1757, Phebe Smith, who also lived in that town.

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After marriage they continued to live in Lyme until eight of their children had been born, and it is be- lieved that he followed the sea and gained his title in that service. Having accumulated considerable property he left Lyme, and sometime between the years 1772 and 1774 settled in Washington, New Hampshire, near the outlet of what was long known as Brockway's pond, and afterward as Millen pond. He invested a large sum of money in wild land in Washington, and is said to have owned at one time about fifteen hundred acres in the east part of the town. He was a man of enterprise, and built a grist mill at Millen pond and later a saw mill at East Washington. He also built a linseed oil mill and a distillery in the western part of the town, the latter being the first and in fact the only establishment of its kind ever operated in Washington. Captain Brockway is remembered as a loyal supporter of the cause of the colonies during the Revolutionary war, and twice during that period, when alarming news came from Ticonderoga. he organized and led small detachments of

men the assistance of the Vermonters. He was an influential man in town affairs, and by his enterprise and liberality contributed much to the development of Washington during the years of its early history. His wife, Phebe (Smith) Brockway, died April 5, 1791, and he afterward married Rebec- ca Jones of Hillsborough, by whom he had one child. Captain Brockway died in Bradford, New Hampshire, in January, 1829, at an advanced age. His children were Asa, Martin (born April 26. 1760, and died November 30, 1760). Martin, Susanna, Jon- athan. Jr .. Jesse, Phebe, Rufus. Reuben, Joseph, Azubah and Rebecca, the latter a child of his sec- ond marriage.

(V) Asa. eldest son and child of Jonathan and Phebe (Smith) Brockway, was born in Lyme, Con- necticut. April 23. 1758, and was a boy of about fifteen years when his father brought his family to New Hampshire and settled in the town of Wash- ington. He married Hepzibah Hodgman, and af- terward lived and died in the town of Bradford, New Hampshire. Their children were Martin, Asa, Jr .. Tilly. Annis. Smith, Thomas, John. Ellis and Clarissa Brockway.

(VI) Tilly, third son and child of Asa and Hep- zibah (Hodgman) Brockway, was born in Bradford, June 8, 1783, and died in Hillsborough, New Hamp- shire, June 13, 1847. He was a farmer by principal occupation, and lived chiefly in the towns of Brad- ford and Hillsborough. He is remembered as an upright man in his daily walk, and a devout member of the church, serving many years as one of its dea- cons. He married Elizabeth Young, who was born in New Brunswick. Maine, October 10, 1805, and died in Hillsborough in 1872. They had ten chil- dren: I. John O. Brockway, born at New Bruns- wick. August 16, 1806, died in South America, July 17, 1839: married November 28. 1833, Abigail Carey, and lived in Washington. 2. Ephraim. born in New Brunswick, March 26, 1808, died May 10, 1808. 3. Mary, born at New Brunswick, March 21, 1809, died in Massachusetts, February 2, 1883; married, No- vember -. 1825, Tilly Brockway, and lived many years in Bradford, New Hampshire. 4. Clara, born in Bradford, January 10. 1811, died July 21, 1812. 5. Abigail, born in Bradford, March 9. 1814. died April 5. 1860; married, June 4. 1835. Elbridge Brock- way. 6. Sarah, born in Bradford, December 16. 1818: married, October 27, 1835, Joseph O. Morrill. and lived first in Washington, afterward in Man-

chester, New Hampshire, later returned to Wash- ington. and still later to Manchester. 7. Hiram, born in Bradford, March 2. 1821, died August 6, 1822. 8. Harriet, born in Bradford, September 14, 1823. died November 15, 1903; married, April 14, 1843. Hiram Nichols, and lived in Bradford. 9. George, born in Bradford, April 24, 1828. 10. Li- vonia, born in Bradford. November 2, 1830; married, in 1854, Jonathan Lawrence; settled in Garland, Maine, and in 1885 removed to Sturgeon Bay, Wis- consin.

(VII) George, ninth child and youngest son of Tilly and Elizabeth (Young) Brockway, was a boy of seven years when his father removed with his family from Bradford to Hillsborough, New Hamp- shire. Nearly the entire period of his life has been spent in the town last mentioned, and his princi- pal occupation has been that of farming. He now lives on the old farm where his father settled in 1835. Mr. Brockway married. November 16, 1848. Betsey Chesley, a native of Compton. Canada. born February 17. 1826, and by whom he has had five children: Himan A., born March 25, 1850: Frank, born August 10, 1852, died February 9, 1872; Charles. born April 10. 1856. married Fannie Whit- tier, born November 18. 1867. and lives in Hillsbor- ough : Fred, born November 14. 1857. married Alice E. Jones, born Washington. New Hampshire. May 6. 1861, and has two children: Ella Frances, born June 26. 1859. married Dr. George N. Gage, of Washington, New Hampshire, and they had one child. a son.

(VIII) Himan Averill, eldest son and child of George and Betsey (Chesley) Brockway, has lived in Hillsborough all his life and is one of the best farmers in that town or in Hillsborough county. He lived at home with his parents until he attained the age of about eighteen years, and then started out to make his own way in business life : and as evidence of his success one need only visit and look over his large, well kept farm, with its buildings and other appointments complete in every respect, and stocked with neat cattle always in fit condition either for the dairy or for the market. In connection with general farming pursuits he deals extensively in cattle and is considered one of the best judges of live stock in the county. His business life has been a success from every point of view and the substantial re- sults achieved by him refute the modern contention that all agricultural pursuits are unprofitable. On September 5. 1877, Mr. Brockway married Miss Elsie Hoyt-Conn, daughter of Joseph C. and Melissa (Thissell) Iloyt, of Bradford, New Hampshire, and at the time of her marriage an adopted daughter of Charles W. and Lucinda (Colby) Conn. Mr. Conn was born March 6. 1821. on the farm now owned and occupied by Mr. Brockway. Mr. Hoyt, father of Mrs. Brockway, was killed in battle during the civil war. Lucinda Colby Conn was born in the town of Henniker. New Hampshire. September 21, 1822. Mr. and Mrs. Brockway have one son, Frank Conn Brockway, who was born in Hillsborough. Novem- ber 2. 1880. He lives in the town and is engaged in the cattle business with his father. He married January 1, 1902, Lena A. Bailey, of Nelson, New Hampshire.

Abraham P. Olzendam, son of OLZENDAM Abraham P. and Johanna Olzen- dam, was born in Bremen, Prus- sia. October 10, 1821, and died in Manchester. New Hampshire, December 23. 1896. His parents were

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respectable and prudent persons, who gave their son the advantages of the common schools and trained him as a dyer. In 1848 he came to America, landing in New York without money and without friends. On leaving the wharf he at once proceeded to the City Hall, and there executed the papers which declared his intention to become an American citi- zen, and from that time the republic has had no more loyal supporter. After a few days he made his way to Massachusetts in search of employment and spent the next ten years in the factories of that state. In 1858 he removed to Manchester, New Hampshire, and took the position of dyer and color mixer in the Manchester Mills, where he re- mained four years. In 1862 he began business in a small way for himself as a hosiery manufacturer in a mill on Mechanic's row owned by the Amos- keag Company. From

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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 29

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