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 40
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He now decided to abandon trade, and when the legislature of 1834 sat he secured a charter for the Rochester Bank, which he organized with ninety stockholders and a capital of one hundred thousand dollars, later increased to one hundred and twenty thousand dollars with one hundred and thirty stock-
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holders. It is a fact worthy of note that of thesc ninety Mr. McDuffee was for a time before his death sole survivor. On the organization of the bank he became cashier, and his brother-in-law, Dr. James Farrington, president. At that time there was no bank between this one and Canada. The manage- ment of it was principally left to the cashier, by whose skillful handling it paid annual dividends of eight or nine per cent. The charter was renewed at the end of twenty years, and then Mr. Mc- Duffee became president, and his son Franklin was made cashier. In 1868 these two formed the house of John McDuffee & Company, private bankers. and took up the business of the old bank. In 1874 this bank was merged into a national bank, the Mc- Duffees taking two-fifths of the stock and retain- ing their respective positions in the new bank. From its organization until his death in December, 1890, a period of fifty-six years, no bill was ever issued by the Rochester Bank without the signature of John McDuffee, either as president or cashier, and he actively administered the affairs of the bank he founded up to the time of his death. He was one of the original grantees of the Dover National Bank, and for a short time a direc- tor. He was also heavily interested in the
Strafford Bank of Dover, of which
under
its new charter he was the second heaviest stockholder. In 1870 he became a director in the Strafford National Bank, and was active in that position until his death. Mr. McDuffee became treasurer of the Norway Plains Savings Bank at Rochester, at the time it was chartered, 1851, and filled that position until 1867, when he became presi- dent, and held that position as long as he lived. His son Franklin succeeded him as treasurer.
The History of Rochester further says of him: "Mr. McDuffce early saw the advantages of manu- facturing to a community. By his own means and a liberal allowance of banking facilities he greatly aided their development, the first such enterprise in Rochester, the Mechanics' Manufacturing Com- pany being decided to locate by the new banking facilities. Mr. McDuffee was a director. Its busi- ness was the manufacture of blankets, and its suc- cessor was the Norway Plains Manufacturing Com- pany. The original company Mr. McDuffce carried safely through the crisis of 1837. The mill property at Gonic Mr. McDuffee bought in 1845 to lease to N. V. Whitehouse, that the business might not be given up. He held the purchase for about ten ycars. The effort was successful, and the property was eventually taken by a joint stock company. Stephen Shorey, owning some facilities for manu- facturing at East Rochester, went to Mr. McDuf- fee to see if the bank would advance means to build. Mr. McDuffee at once pledged the means, and the mills were built. A stock company afterwards pur- chased the mills and machinery, and the thriving village of East Rochester owes its prosperity to Mr. McDuffce's liberal policy. Thus have been de- veloped the three principal water powers of Roch- ester."
"Mr. McDuffce's personal interests in manu- facturing were also in the Great Falls Manufactur- ing Company, in whose extensive business he was a director for four years; capital one million five hundred thousand dollars. In 1862 he bought large interests in the Cocheco Manufacturing Company at Dover, and from 1874 was a director of that corporation. As such he advocated the erection of the great mill, now No. I, and the replacing of all
the old buildings by new and magnificent mills, unsurpassed in the United States." The remarkable success of this company certifies alke to the sa- gacious boldness and the considerate policy of its directors."
"The need of railroad facilities at Rochester was early apparent to Mr. McDuffee. In 1846 he entered into two enterprises-the Cocheco road, from Dover to Alton Bay; and the Conway road, from Great Falls to Conway-each of which passed through Rochester. In each road Mr. McDuffee was the largest individual stockholder, and of each was the first treasurer. When the Conway road reached Rochester, Mr. McDuffee resigned its treasurer- ship. The other road, after various difficulties, be- came the Dover and Winnepesaukee, by the in- corporation of the bondholders, and Mr. McDuffee continued to be a director. With 'Friend' William Hill he visited Boston more than thirty times to treat for the lease of this road to the Boston & Maine. The effort was finally successful, and the road, by itself weak, became a fine piece of property. Rochester was thus doubly accommodated ; but an- other avenue was needed, and Mr. McDuffce took part in the Portland & Rochester, which secured a route eastward, of which road he was a director ; and he invested liberally in the Rochester & Nashua, which opened a line to the West. The result has been that Rochester is a 'billing-point,' and its vari- ous manufacturing interests have felt its im- petus."
"The beauty of the McDuffee block in Rochester, built by him in 1868, exhibits the owner's public spirit. It is an elegant brick building of four stories, containing six stores, twelve offices in the second story, a public hall in the third, and a Knights of Pythias hall in the fourth. In the use of the public hall, the liberality of its owner to benevolent objects is well known. Of other real estate, besides various pieces in Rochester, including such as the Gonic farm, Mr. McDuffee owned the New Durham 'Powder Mill' estate of nine hundred acres of land and eleven hundred acres of water; and in Barring- ton, two hundred acres of Isinglass river, held with a view to future manufacturing needs."
"Fecling the need of some relaxation from busi- ness, in the winter of 1885 he visited the Pacific coast, and spent two months in California. In the autumn of the same year he represented his native town in the legislature, was chairman of the com- mittee on banks, on whose recommendation many laws were enacted for the interest and protection of the savings banks and their depositors."
"As a Mason, he joined Humane Lodge on the very day he became of 'lawful age.' Just sixty years later, December 6, 188.1, the brethren gave him a commemorative reception in Masonic Ilall. In- teresting reminiscences, congratulatory addresses, appropriate songs, and a supper occupied the eve- ning. He survived all other members of the lodge of 1824."
In religion he was brought up under good old Parson Joseph Ilaven, and remained a liberal sup- porter of the Congregational Society. In politics he was an earnest Whig. His first vote was for the electors who chose John Quincy Adams presi- dent, and his postmastership was ended by Andrew Jackson. From the advent of the Republican party lie was one of its staunch supporters ..
"Mr. McDuffee's great amount of labor was made possible only by the vigorous constitution which he inherited. The boy who before he left home 'car-
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ried the forward swath' in the hayfield, made the man who afterward accomplished an amount of work which would surprise many young men. In his later years Monday was always given to the Stafford Bank at Dover; Tuesday he presided at the Rochester Bank meeting; Wednesday at the Savings Bank; and no day was idle. He died De- cember 6, 1890, aged eighty-seven years.
"Judged by the success of his work as the banker, as developing by a liberal and wise help every worthy manufacturing enterprise, and as foremost in the building of the various railways centering in Rochester, it is clear that Mr. McDuffee nobly comics into the list of those whose record is in the prosperity of his native town, where ability, sa- gacity, integrity and kindliness have united to make that record, as well as his own personal success."
Mr. McDuffee married, in Rochester, June 21, 1829, Joanna Hanson, who was born March 10, 1807, and died October 10, 1884, aged seventy-seven years, daughter of Joseph and Charity (Dame) Hanson. They were the parents of eight children, named as follows: Joseph Hanson, Franklin, John Randloph, Anna M., Mary Abbie, Sarah Frances, George and Oliver. Joseph Hanson, who followed the sea, remained single, and was drowned off the Isles of Shoals, August 29, 1865, at the age of thirty-five. Franklin is mentioned at length be- low. John Randolph was born in Rochester, Sep- tember 5, 1834, graduated from Chandler Scientific School at Dartmouth College in 1857, and opened an office in Rochester as a civil engineer. In 1858 he went with his brother Franklin to Europe, re- turned, fell into a decline, and died May 14, 1859. Anna M. married Frank S. Brown, of the firm of Brown, Thompson & Company, Hartford, Connecti- cut, whom she survives. Mary Abbie married (first) E. Freeman Whitehouse; and (second) Charles K. Chase, whom she survives. Sarah Fran- ces died single at the age of thirty-three. She was very sensible, quite and unobtrusive, and possessed a lovely character. George has been engaged in extensive grain, lumber and furniture business in Rochester. He married (first) Lizzie Hanson; and (second) Nellie, daughter of Dr. James Far- rington, of Rochester. Oliver died in infancy.
(V) Franklin, second son and child of John and Joanna (Hanson) McDuffee, was born in Do- ver, August 27, 1832, and died in Rochester, Novem- ber II, 1880. When six months old he removed with his parents to Rochester. At the age of twelve years he entered Gilmanton Academy, and in 1853 graduated with honor from Dartmouth College. He read law six months with Hon. Daniel M. Christie, of Dover, and in May, 1854, accepted the position of cashier in the Rochester State Bank. In 1857 he went on a foot trip to the White Mountains. Owing to the wrong direction of a guide, he was lost in the forest a night and a day, almost perish- ing from cold and exhaustion. The first house he reached was that of Dr. Bemis, then absent. Acting under strict orders to admit no one, the family utterly refused to furnish him food or shelter, so that he was compelled to go six miles farther to the Notch House before obtaining relief. This ex- posure weakened his constitution, impaired his hear- ing, and was doubtless the remote cause of his death. In 1858 his health was greatly improved by a voyage to Europe. He applied for passage home on the ill-fated "Austria," which was burned with all her passengers, but failing to secure satisfactory berth, he escaped. In 1866 he was appointed treas-
urer of the Norway Plains Savings Bank, and two years later joined his father in establishing a private banking institution under the name of John Mc- Duffee & Company, bankers. In 1874 this company merged into the Rochester National Bank, of which he became cashier.
He took deep interest in national affairs, and had a clear understanding of political issues. He was no managing politician, but simply from force of character was a leader in his party. All knew him for a staunch Republican, and unflinching friend of temperance and good order. He had de- cision, energy, and sturdy pluck, without malice or bitterness, so that even his opponents respected his conscientious integrity. He was not infrequently able to carry a vote against a current already strongly set the other way, simply by his strong, honest, clear way of stating the case. Men always listened when he rose to speak, knowing his words would be sincere and to the point. He never at- tempted to speak when he had nothing to say, studied no graces of oratory, and indulged in no flowers of rhetoric. He drove like a rifle ball straight to the mark, which he never failed to hit. He took a deep interest in education, and was zeal- ous and untiring in his efforts to elevate the schools of Rochester. To no one more than to him the high school owes its standing and success. He served the town as selectman, and for many years as superintending school committeeman. He was a member of the state legislature of 1862, and the constitutional convention of 1876.
On account of his well known ability and inter- est in historical research, he was elected a member of the New Hampshire Historical Society. In 1865 he began a series of historical sketches in the Rochester Courier, which were models of sim- plicity, conciseness and accuracy. It was his inten- tion to rewrite and enlarge these sketches into a complete history of Rochester, but his premature death left the work unfinished. He had, however, collected with great labor much material for this purpose, which was edited and revised by Rev. Silvanus Hayward, and appeared in 1892, in a two- volume work, entitled the "History of the Town of Rochester," which reflected much credit on both Mr. McDuffee and Mr. Hayward.
Mr. McDuffee had a mathematical mind with a turn for invention, which if allowed fuller scope might have made him a distinguished inventor. In 1876 he invented and patented a valuable "improve- ment in combination and chronometer locks," which he sold to a lock manufacturing company for five hundred dollars. This invention serves two prin- cipal advantages: "First, that any accidental stop- ping of the clockwork will not prevent the opening of the lock. Second, that it can be opened between the hours for which it is set, only by assembling too many persons for a burglar's safety." His methodical mind fitted him especially for business, in which he was a model of diligence, exactness and integrity.
He was an honored and much respected mem- her of Humane Lodge, No. 21, Free and Accepted Masons, of Rochester, of which he became a mem- ber, December 9, 1856. The following year he be- came secretary, and after filling other offices was master of the lodge in 1863-64. In 1866-67 he of- ficiated as district deputy of the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire. He joined the Congregational Church in 1868, and for four years after was chosen deacon, which office he held through the remainder
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of his life. He was emphatically a pillar of the church, an active supporter of every good, a model church officer, the friend and helper of every pastor, sympathetic in his nature, he was nobly generous in every worthy cause. Unostentatious in his gifts, many a needy one was relieved only suspecting who the giver was. His partial loss of hearing, added to his retiring nature, withdrew him somewhat from social life, and his quiet, unobtrusive ways left others of far less merit to be more widely known than he. But his neighbors and townsmen highly appreciated his sterling worth, and his intimates prized him as one of the sincerest and most lovable of men.
Franklin McDuffee married, in Rochester, De- cember 4, 1861, Mary F. Hayes, of Rochester, who was born March 26, 1840, daughter of John Hayes, of Wilton. Two children were born of this union : John Edgar and Willis. The former was for two years a member of the class of 1883 in Chandler Scientific Department of Dartmouth College, but was compelled to relinguish his studies on account of poor health. He afterwards directed his ener- gies to music, in which he developed marked ability, especially as a pianist, and was a composer of meri- torious song and piano music. He died March 25, 1900, at the age of thirty-six years.
(VI) Willis, second son of Franklin and Mary F. ( Hayes) McDuffee, was born in Rochester, March 15, 1868. After graduating at Dartmouth with the class of 1890, he spent a year abroad. On his return home he bought the Rochester Courier, and since that time has given his attention to the duties of editing and managing that paper. He is a principal stockholder in the Rochester National Bank of which he is a director. In political faith he is a Republican, and as such represented Roches- ter in the state legislature in 1895-96. For several years he was a member of the Republican State Central Committee, and in 1896 was one of the or- ganizers and leading member of the Lincoln Re- publican Club, which has for its object the purifi- cation of politics and the reform of the Republican party within itself. In this cause he has labored earnestly, and his presentation of the theories on which the movement is based, and his advocacy of the necessity of reform have been such as to re- ceive the warmest approval of all citizens who favor the reform idea. His interest in schools and all other means by which education may be generally diffused, is strong and active. He has served three years as member of the school board, and seven years as one of the trustees of the Rochester Public Library. He is also a member of Humane Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; of Temple Royal Arch Chapter; Palestine Commandery, Knights Templar, and of James Farrington Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star.
He married, in Barrington, July 22, 1897, Dora Haley, who was born in Andover, Maine, June 15, 187S. They have two children : Franklin, born May 2, 1898; and Maude Chase, June 12, 1901.
(IV) Richard McDuffee was born in Rochester in 1796, and died in that town in 1873, aged seventy- seven. He was a farmer, and resided in Rochester all his life, and was reckoned among the industrious and intelligent citizens of the town. August 31, 1818, he married widow Hannah Richardson, whose maiden name was Rogers. She was of Rochester. The marriage was recorded by Rev. Mr. Haven, by whom it was probably solemnized. Their four children were: Jane, born 1820, married Frank Lane of Ex-
eter; Richard, mentioned below; Thomas J., born 1824; and Charles D., 1832.
(V) Richard (2), second child of Richard (1) and Hannah (Rogers) (Richardson) McDuffee, was born in Rochester in 1822, and died January 19, 1877. He was a farmer and devoted some atten- tion to raising vegetables for the market, and to butchering. In politics he was a Republican. He was well thought of by his townsmen, who elected him selectman in 1859 and 1860. He married April 16, 1848, Harriet Richardson Downs, who was born May 25, 1825, now deceased. She was the daughter of Gershom and Sally P. (Richardson). They had six children: George T., mentioned below; Frank and Fannie, twins, died in infancy; Clara J., born April 18, 1856, married October 9, 1873, Alonzo A. Chase; Charles T., October 20, 1859, married Jennie Clark of Avon, Massachusetts, and has three chil- dren-Charlotte, Ruth and Harry; and Eliza J., 1862, married Edward F. Cobb, of Portland, Maine.
(VI) George T., eldest child of Richard (2) and Harriet Richardson (Downs) McDuffee, was born in Rochester, March 28, 1851, and having learned farming and the meat business from his father, has combined them as his life employment and owns and tills the ancestral acres which have been the family possession for one hundred years. He also deems his father's politics worthy of honor, and is a staunch Republican. For fifteen years past he has been street commissioner of the city of Roch- ester. In one thing he has not kept the faith and observed the practice of his fathers-he has never married. Since 1877 he has been an honored mem- ber of Motolina Lodge, No. 18, Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
The Ripleys of New Hampshire and
RIPLEY their Massachusetts progenitors are for the most part descended in common from one immigrant, who arrived early in the co- lonial period, and his progeny are to be met with in every state in New England and many other sec- tions of the country.
(I) William Ripley with his wife, two sons and two daughters, came from Hingham, Norfolk county, England, about the year 1638 and settled in Hingham, Massachusetts, where he was made a freeman May 18, 1642. His first wife having died he was again married September 29, 1654, to Mrs. Elizabeth Thaxter, widow of Thomas Thaxter, and his death occurred July 20, 1656. His widow took a third husband in the person of John Dwight, of Dedham, January 20, 1658, and she died July 17, 1660. The names of three of William's children who accompanied him from England were: Jolin, Abraham and Sarah, but that of the other daughter does not appear in the records. One of his grand- sons settled in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, and another located in Plimpton, that state, but the name of the latter cannot now be ascertained.
( 11) John (1), eldest child of William Ripley, was born in England and came to America with his parents in 1638. He resided on the paternal acres at Hingham Centre, and died February 3. 1684. His will was dated January 21, 1684, and probated March 27 following. He married Eliza- beth, daughter of Rev. Peter Hobart. She died in Hingham, March 26. 1692, aged sixty. Their chil- dren, all born in Ilingham, were: John, Joshua, Jeremiah, Josiah, Peter, Rebecca, and Hezekiah.
(III) John (2), eldest child of John (1) and Elizabeth ( Hobart) Ripley, was born in Hingham
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Centre, February 20, 1656, and died there Septem- ber 27, 1720, in the sixty-fifth year of his age. He resided on Main street near Bull's Pond. He mar- ried, October 13, 1686, Jane , and they had six children, all born in Ilingham, as follows : Jolın, Hezekiah, Joel, Bathsheba, Charles, and Deb- oralı.
(IV) Hezekiah, second son and child of John (2) and Jane Ripley, was born in Hingham, March 29, 1693, and died June 20, 1736, aged forty-three. He married, February 16, 1716, Sarah Gannett, daughter of Stephen and Sarah (Warren) Gannett. She was born in Hingham, July 31. 1691. Their children, all born in Hingham, were: Hezekiah, Joshua, John, Abner, Sarah, Mary, Lemuel, Jane and William.
(V) Abner, fourth son and child of Hezekiah and Sarah (Gannett) Ripley, was born in Hing- ham, August 3, 1723, and died March 28, 1808, aged eighty-five. He married Abigail Robbins, and re- sided in Duxbury. Their children were Kimball and Thaddeus.
(VI) Kimball, eldest son of Abner and Abigail (Robbins) Ripley, was born in Duxbury, and died there in 1838. He married Sarah Chil- dren : Daniel, Kimball, Joseph, John, Thomas, Sampson, Abigail, Otis Mary, and Elizabeth (twins ).
(VII) Daniel, eldest son of Kimball and Sarah Ripley, was born October 29, 1772. and died Janu- ary 25. 1857, aged eighty-five. He married, April 18, 1793, Jane McLanthler, and they were the par- ents of children: Eden M., Thomas, Sarah, Sam- uel E., Saba E., Lewis, John and Nathaniel.
(VIII) Nathaniel, sixth son of Daniel and Jane (McLauthler) Ripley, was born in Duxbury, May 20, 1811, and died in Derry, New Hampshire, May 29, 1886, aged seventy-five years. He re- moved to Windham in April, 1832, and in July, 1835, married Mary Dustin, who was born October 16. 1818, daughter of Moses and Betsey (Ander- son) Dustin, who lived on the turnpike, near the Derry line. He succeeded to the proprietorship of the Dustin farm, and resided upon it until the death of his wife, April 13, 1870, when he sold and re- moved to Derry, where he resided until his death. His children were: Lewis D., born October 11, 1835, enlisted in Seventh New Hampshire Volun- teers during the Civil war, and later re-enlisted in that same regiment and served till close of war. Thomas K., born June 3, 1839, enlisted in the Twentieth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer In- fantry, and died in Virginia, April 9, 1864. Amos S., born November 11, 1843, is a merchant tailor in Franklin Falls. Augustin C., born November 19, 1847. is a locomotive engineer, and resides in Bos- ton, Massachusetts. Mary Josephine, born August 24. 1851, married, March 18, 1874, Warren P. Horne (see Horne, VII).
(IV) Eleazer, a descendant of William Ripley (probably) in the fourth generation through the latter's son John, was born in Plimpton in 1727, and resided there his entire life. There is no further record of him or his wife.
(V) Levi, son of Eleazer Ripley, was born in Plimpton, March 7, 1772. He settled in Winchester, and died there in 1821. He married Elizabeth Haw- kins. She died in 1862.
(VI) William Comstock, son of Levi and Eliza- beth (Hawkins) Ripley, was born in Winchester, December 19, 1817. In early life he engaged in the woollen manufacturing business, and about the year 1840 became associated with his brother Daniel in
operating a mill in Hinsdale. In 1851 they trans- ferred their business operations to Springfield, Mas- sachusetts, and conducted a successful woollen manufacturing enterprise in that city some fifteen years, at the expiration of which time William C. retired. He subsequently spent a short time in Brookfield, , Massachusetts, but returned to Spring- field, where he died January 11, 1892. He was married July 9, 1840, to Susan Pope Parker, daugh- ter of Gilbert Gardner and Melora Edson ( Pope) Parker, of Winchester and Halifax, Massachusetts, respectively. The children of this union are: Mar- shall E., born in Hinsdale, May 18, 1841, died July 21, same year : Adelaide, born in Hinsdale September 5, 1843, died August 10, 1844; Emma Florette, born in Hinsdale, July 24, 1845; Walter D., the immediate subject of these memoirs ; Clarence M., born in Hins- dale, March 15, 1849; Lizzie A., born in Spring- field, September 2, 1851; William P., born May 18, 1858, now of Washington, D. C., and Arthur H., born May 17, 1860.
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