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 46

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 46


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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(V) James (2), second child and eldest son of Rev. James and Sarah (Barnard) Wellman. was born in Sutton, Massachusetts, Second Parish (now Millbury), July 30, 1754, and died in Cornish, New Hampshire, November 28, 1841. When a young man he went into the wild woods in the northern part of Cornish and hegan clearing for himself a farmi. This land was near that which William


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Ripley had bought a few years before, and upon which he and his family were then living ( 1788). He married, March 30, 1788. Alethea Ripley, daugh- ter of William and Lydia ( Brewster) Ripley. born in Windham. Connecticut, January II, 1761, died in Cornish, New Hampshire, October 15. 1841. Their children were: James Ripley. Alethea, Lucy and Joshua Barnard. Alethea Ripley was the daughter of Lydia Brewster, who was the daughter of Cap- tain James and Faith ( Ripley) Brewster and a rlescendant of Elder William Brewster of May- flower fame.


(1) William Brewster, the famous ruling elder in the Plymouth Church, was born at Scrooby in Nottinghamshire, England, probably in 1563. and was educated at Cambridge. In 1607 or 1608 he went to Holland, was ruling elder in Rev. John Robinson's church in Leyden, came in the "Mayflower" as chief of the Pilgrim band with his wife Mary and two young sons. and died April 16. 1643. His chil- dren were: Jonathan; Love; Wrestling ; Patience ; and Fear.


(2) Love, son of William and Mary Brewster, was born probably in Holland, came with his father in the "Mayflower." removed to Duxbury, married Sarah, daughter of William Collier, May 15, 1634, and had children: Sarah: Nathaniel; William and Wrestling.


(3) Wrestling, son of Love and Sarah (Col- Bier) Brewster, had children: Jonathan : Wrestling : John; Mary: Sarah : Abigail : and Hannah.


(4) Jonathan. son of Wrestling Brewster of Duxbury. Massachusetts, married Mary Partridge. of Duxbury. From his will and the town records it appears they had nine children: James; Peleg : Jonah: Hannah; Mary; Jerusha; Sarah; Elijah ; and Jonathan.


(5) Captain James Brewster, son of Jonathan. lived in Scotland parish, and was a tanner and enrrier He married, March 15, 1739, Faith Rip- ley, daughter of David and Lydia Ripley. They had five children: Lydia; Faith; Olive; Mary; and David.


(6) Lydia, oldest child of Captain James and Faith ( Ripley) Brewster, was born in Windham, Connecticut, March 18, 1740. and died in Cornish, New Hampshire, November 2. 1829. She married, January II, 1757, in Windham, William Rip- fey, who born in Windham. February


¥2. 1734. and had children: Faith, Alethea (died young). Alethea. James and Selinda. Wil- Tiam Ripley, the husband of Lydia, was a descend- ant of Governor Bradford. William Ripley was a son of Joshua (2) and Mary (Backus) Ripley, of Windham, Connecticut ; Joshua (2) Ripley was a son of Joshua (1) and Hannah ( Bradford) Ripley : Hannah Bradford was a daughter of William Brad- ford. junior, deputy governor of Plymouth Colony ; and William Bradford. junior, was son of Governor William Bradford, who came over in the "May- Rower" in 1620.


(\'T) James Ripley, son of James (2) and Alethea (Ripley) Wellman, was born in Cornish, February 21, 1789. and died November 1. 1860. Hc was a prominent farmer. He married. September 22, 1819, in Cornish, Phobe Wyman, fourth child and second daughter of Joshua and Miriam (Rich- ardson) Wyman, born in Cornish, October 31, 1796, died in the same town May 6, 1885. Their seven children, all born in Cornish, were : Aurilla ; Phoebe ; Joshua, resides in Malden, Massachusetts, has been Trustee of Amherst College, Phillips Andover Academy and Andover Theological Seminary : Mary


Sophia : Fedelia: Catherine Hamblet; James Rip- ley, junior ; and Albert Erasmus.


(VII) Albert Erasmus, seventh and youngest child of James Ripley and Phoebe (Wyman) Well- man, was born in Cornish, February 21, 1838, and died in Burlington. Vermont, July 18. 1892. He was educated in part in Kimball Union Academy. and taught public schools in Lebanon, New Hamp- shire, and Kalamazoo, Michigan. He resided through life in the old home, and carried on the large farm formerly owned by his father and mother. He was highly respected and beloved in the town. Important trusts were committed to him. He settled several estates, was selectman for several years, and for two years represented the town in the state legislature. The last year of his life he suffered from ill health. At the request of his son he went to the hospital in Burlington, Vermont, for the purpose of obtaining better treatment, and he died there.


Albert E. Wellman married, in Cornish, January 6 1864, Emily Dodge Hall. born at Bluehill, Maine, May 15, 1841. daughter of Lyman and Mary Peters Dodge Hall. Her father, Dr. Hall, was for many years a physician in Cornish. He was born in Peru, New York, November 9, 1804, and died in Cornish. May 24, 1862. He was a graduate of Dartmouth Medical College in the class of 1832. Mary Peters Dodge Hall was born in Bluehill, Maine, April 24. 1817, and is still living. The children of this mar- riage were: James Albert (see following). Louise Caroline, born April 10, 1871, in Cornish. New Hampshire. She is a graduate of Northfield Semi- nary ( Massachusetts) and the Plymouth New Hamp- shire) State Normal School, and she studied for two years in Radcliffe College, specializing in English. She taught in Littleton, New Hampshire, Brookline, Massachusetts, Penn Charter School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania : was secretary for a private school in Providence, Rhode Island, and is now secretary of the State Normal School, Salem, Massachusetts. Clara Emily, born February 23. 1881, is a graduate of Littleton, (New Hampshire) High School; Brook- line ( Massachusetts) High School, and Farming- ham (Massachusetts) Normal School: she studied for one year in Radcliffe College. She began teach- ing in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, and is now teach- ing in the Brockton ( Massachusetts) public schools.


(VIII) James Albert Wellman, son of Albert E. and Emily Dodge (Hall) Wellman, was born in Cornish. May 4, 1867. After attending the schools of his native town, he prepared for college at Kim- ball Union Academy, and entering Dartmouth Col- lege in 1885, graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Science in 1889. Immediately after graduating he entered upon the business of life insurance as special agent of the Connecticut Mutual Life In- surance Company. Later he became the general agent of this company for Vermont, with head- quarters at Burlington. After five years he resigned this position to accept the New Hampshire state agency of the National Life Insurance Company of Vermont, with headquarters at Manchester. He has about forty men under his direction. and the annual business of his agency since he assumed charge has rarely been less than six hundred thousand dollars; in the amount of premiums col- leeted. it has now become the second largest in the state. During the years of 1905 and 1906 the new business written by this agency exceeded by a large per cent that written by any other general agency in the state.


Mr. Wellman is president of the Agents' Associ-


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ation of the National Life Insurance Company of Vermont, president of the New Hampshire Under- writers' Club, and he represents New Hampshire on the executive committee of the National Associ- ation of Life Underwriters. He is accredited to be one of the ablest and best informed life insurance men in New England. He is a thirty-second de- gree Mason, a member of Washington Lodge, No. 51. Free and accepted Masons, of Burlington, Ver- mount : Mount Horeb Royal Arch Chapter, No. 11 ; Adoniram Council, No. 3. Royal and Select Masters : Trinity Commandery, Knights Templar, all of Manchester; and Edward Raymond Consistory of Nashua. New Hampshire. He is also an Odd Fel- low, and a member of Hillsboro Lodge No. 2, Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows of Manchester. He is a member of the Derryfield Club, the Intervale Country Club, the Society of Colonial Governors, the Society of Colonial Wars, and the Society of the American Revolution. He demonstrated his ability by working his way through college, and he is a successful business man.


In 1898 he married Florence Vincent, of Bur- lington, Vermont, daughter of Dr. Walter S. Vin- cent and Harriet Lawrence Vincent, and has two children: Harriet Vincent, born February 22. 1900, and Dorothy Hall, born October 30, 1901.


( Second Family.)


The earliest known of the family WELLMAN herein traced was Samuel Well- man, who is supposed to have been identical with the Samuel Wellman who served as a Revolutionary soldier from Packersfield, New Hampshire. He was an early settler in Hinsdale, located about one and one-half miles below Brattle- boro, on the side opposite Fort Dummer, and was later located near the present monument in Hins- dale.


( II) Harry, son of Samuel Wellman, was born April 22, 1789. in Hinsdale, and passed his adult life in that town where he was engaged in farming. In his early life he was employed in a mill at Brat- tleboro, Vermont. He was a member of the Baptist Church near his home in Hinsdale, and was a Whig in politics. His wife, Betsey Butler, was born July 29, 1793, in Hinsdale, a descendant of one of the old and respected families of that town. His children are noted as follows: Alonzo, who lived and died in Hinsdale; George receives ex- tended mention in the succeeding paragraph; Lock- hart lived and died in Hinsdale; Luke died at the age of one year: Evelyne married Prentiss Taylor and resided in Hinsdale; Lucinda died at the age of two years, and a second of the same name be- came the wife of Williard H. Chandler, of Brattle- boro, and resided in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, where she died : Sewall B. spent his early life in Cali- fornia, whereby his health was much broken and he died in Hinsdale.


(III) George, second son and child of Harry and Betsey (Butler) Wellman, was born February 12, 1816, in Hinsdale, where he passed his entire life. He was a farmer and became treasurer and manager of the Hinsdale Savings Bank about 1875. and this occupied his time until his death. December 31. 1891. He was for many years deacon of the Congregational Church at Hinsdale, and filled most of the official stations of that town. He was select- man twelve years in succession, and represented the town in the Legislature two terms, besides filling various minor offices. In politics he was a stead- fast Republican. He married, June, 1839, Zylphia


H. Packer. of Hinsdale. daughter of Jeremy and Lydia (Jewett) Packer, the former a native of Rut- land county, Vermont, who subsequently lived in Connecticut. Mrs. Wellman, who was born April 25, 1822, survived her husband nearly twelve years, dying November 24. 1903. They were the parents of two sons and a daughter. Jerry P., the eldest, is the subject of the succeeding paragraphs; Henry Payson, the second resides in Brattleboro, Vermont ; Cora Annette died November IS, 1902.


(IV) Jerry Packer Wellman was born October 22, 1843, in Hinsdale, where he received most of his educational training. this being supplemented by one term at West Brattleboro and a short period at Newbury Seminary, in Vermont. Beginning at the age of sixteen years he taught for five successive winters, the last three being in the school in his home district. For three years after he attained his majority he was engaged in farming, and in the spring of 1868 removed to Keene, where he was engaged in teaming for two years. For several years he was employed by Foster Brothers, first as a carpenter and later as a bookkeeper. For a period of ten years he served the firm of A. V. & A. W. Skinner, who conducted a general store in Keene. He was then appointed city clerk, in which capacity he served ten years. On March 28, 1898, he was appointed postmaster at Keene and has since con- tinned hy reappointment, having now entered upon his third term. Mr. Wellman was one of the in- corporators of the Keene Savings Bank and of its directory since its incorporation in 1898. He repre- sented ward two, of Keene, in the state legislature in 1887, serving on the State's Prison and other committees. Mr. Wellman is a member of the First Congregational Church, In 1878 he enlisted in Company H. Second Regiment, New Hampshire National Guards. He was inspector general of the state militia under Governor J. B. Smith, a position which he continued to fill through Gov. Smith's and the two following administrations of Governors Buzzell and his successor. Mr. Wellman is a man of genial nature and kindly disposition and enjoys the friendship and esteem of a large number of people, as evidenced by his continued service in public capacity. He was married, May 2, 1888, to Jennie F. Richardson, born February 26, 1863, in Keene, daughter of Barzilla and Sarah M. Good- now) Richardson, natives of Keene and Westmore- land, respectively. The latter was a daughter of Dan- iel Goodnow of Sudbury, Massachusetts, and Matilda Chase of Delhi, New York. . Mr. and Mrs. Well- man are the parents of a son, Richard Jerry, born June 23, 1890, now a student in the third year of the local high school course.


The Lyons family, which has given to LYONS the Roman Catholic church two priests of unusual zeal and efficiency, is of re- mote Irish origin and many of this name, whose lineage can be traced to the same ancestral source. have found homes on this side of the ocean.


Michael Lyons, born in Dublin, Ireland, 1833. emigrated to the United States in 1848, and settled in Manchester. New Hampshire. Having learned the trade of tailor he followed it exclusively in that city for many years and attained prosperity. He is still strong and active, both physically and men- tally, and it is quite probable that he will remain with his family for many years to come. He mar- ried Mary Mac Cormick, daughter of -- and Eliza Mac Cormick, and has reared a family of


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seven children : Annic M., Helen Agnes, William H., now a well known medical practitioner in Man- chester ; Charles B., dicd 1897; Genevieve. Rev. Francis. now officiating at Goff's Falls; and Rev. John Joseph, of whom later. The Revs. Francis and John J. Lyons are the only clergymen in Man- chester who are natives of that city. The mother of these children died in 1872.


John Joseph Lyons was born in Manchester, December 22. 1859. Having studied preliminarily in the parochial schools, he entered Holy Cross College, Worcester, Massachusetts, from which he was graduated with the class of 1879, and he was subsequently a student in theology at St. Sulpice Seminary, Paris, France. After his ordination to the priesthood he was appointed curate of St. Ann's Church, Manchester, then in charge of Rev. Wil- liam McDonald, a native of Leitrim. Ireland, born, Junc. 1813, died Aug. 25, 1885. William McDon- ald began his studies at Laval University, Quebec, in 1836, taking the academic and theological courses. He was ordained in 1843 and subsequently was ap- pointed assistant pastor at St. John's Church, New Brunswick. Later he had charge of parishes in Eastport, Maine, in 1847 removed to Boston, Massa- chusetts, and the following year took up his resi- dence in Manchester, New Hampshire, there being then about five hundred Catholics in the city. He began the erection of St. Ann's Church, previously mentioned, which building suffered considerable damage during the Know Nothing riots in the year 1854. Upon the creation of the new diocese of Portland, St. Ann's Church became subject to the jurisdiction of Bishop Bacon. In 1857 Father McDonald began the erection of a convent, in which five Sisters of Mercy were installed, two of whom survive, one of whom is Sister St. Agatha: in 1859 organized a boys' school in the basement of the church which was under the direction of Thomas Corcoran, and the following year these scholars were transferred to the famous Park Street school which has been given to Father McDonald by the city authorities : shortly afterward a school for girls was opened in the church basement which was under the direction of the Sisters of Mercy, and subse- quently they were transferred to the newly built St. Mary's School In 1867 he began the erection of St. Joseph's Church, and at its completion, in 1869, a separate parish was formed. In April, 1873. he purchased a lot at the corner of Union and streets, and began the crection of an orphanage, and shortly afterward purchased an adjacent dwelling which he moved to the orphanage lot and transformed into a home for aged women. In 1877 he enlarged the vestries and sanctuary of St. Ann's Church, furnished it with new pews and an excellent pipe organ, frescoed the interior. and in 1880 built a brick school for the girls ci the parish on the corner of Union and Cedar streets.


The foregoing gives a faint idea of the char- acter and life of the man with whom Father Lyons became associated upon his ordination to the priest- hood. Shortly after assuming the duties of curate of St. Ann's Church, Father Lyons was made pastor In due time he was selected by the bishop to suc- ceed the venerable Father McDonald as permanent rector. In that responsible capacity he has labored diligently and faithfully for more than twenty years. during which time he has forwarded the welfare of the parish, developed its field of action and other- wise increased its opportunities for religions and benevolent work, and that his duties are extremely


arduous is attested by the fact that he is called upon to render spiritual advice and consolation to about five thousand souls. In addition to his regular parish work Father Lyons has made an earnest effort to improve the personal character of his youthful parishioners by increasing their educa- tional facilities, and his efforts in this direction have resulted in the successful unification of religious and secular teaching, based upon the fundamental principles of our modern public school system Through his instrumentality St. Ann's was the first parish in New England to establish graded schools for boys and girls, and in order to insure the highest standard of perfection in the training of boys he has secured the services of Xavierian Brothers from Baltimore as instructors. lle also erected the McDonald School, which is generally conceded to be one of the most complete educa- tional institutions in the city. Industrious, pro- gressive and self-sacrificing. Father Lyons abstains from indulging in the pleasures and amusements open to those of other professions, accepting his destiny with the joyful resignation of an enthusi- astic christian teacher, and looking solely to the future for his reward.


CUMMINGS The origin of this family is un- certain ; the name was taken from the town of Comines, near Lille, on the frontier between France and Belgium. Vari- ous traditions account for earlier origin of the family, but all of them are entitled to no more credit than merc traditions. The name has been variously spelled Comines, Comynges, Comyns, Comings. Comyn, Cumings and Cummings. Tradi- tion states that the emigrant ancestor of this family descended from "Red Cumin" of Badenoch in the southeastern district of Iverness-shire, a wild moun- tainous country presenting wide stretches of bleak moorland. Here the clan flourished from 1080 10 1330, and then began to decline. According to the Chronicle of Melrose, the first of the name who immigrated permanently, was slain with Malcom III, at Alnwick, in 1003, leaving two sons, John and William. From John, all the Cumins in Scot- land are said to be descended. Sir John, the Red Cumin of Comyn, was the first Lord of Badenoch. and in 1210 was an ambassador from Alexander II to Louis IX of France. His son John, called the Black Lord of Badenoch. was not inferior to any subject in Scotland for wealth and power, and was one of those who vowed to support Queen Margaret. daughter of Alexander Ill in her title to the crown. At her death he became a competitor for the crown of Scotland, "as a son and heir of John who was son and heir of Donald, King of Scotland." The son of this Lord. called, in turn, the Red Cumin. was the last Lord of Badenoch of the surname of Cumin.


In 1335 a number of the Cumin clan were slain in the feudal battle of Calbleau, in Glenwick, where a stone now marks the spot. The badge of the clan, in Gaelic. was "Lus Mhic Cuiminn," in Eng- lish, the Cummin plant.


(I) Deacon Isaac Cummings is supposed to have come from England to America in 1627, and settled in Salem, Massachusetts. He was the first Cummings known to have immigrated to New England. In the deposition made by him in March, 1666, he gave his age as sixty-five years, establishing his birth in 16or. The probate records of Essex county contain a copy of his last will and testament,


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diated "8th of 3d Mth., 1667." also inventory filed "This 22 Maye 1667." and his will was probated June 14, 1677. thus establishing his death between "8th of 3d Mth. and Maye 22, 1677:" of his wife we know nothing except that she died before him, no mention being made of her in his will; he left four children.


The first mention in Essex county of Isaac Cum- mings is in the entry made by the town clerk of Watertown, where his name appears in the records of land grants as receiving a grant of thirty-five acres in the earliest generation land grants in 1636, called the "Great Dividens." Also we find a record made by the town clerk of Ipswich showing that he owned a planting lot near Reedy Marsh in that town previous to July 25, 1638. On the 9th of the second month, 1639, he also owned a house lot in Ipswich village, on the street called the eastern end, next to the lot owned by Rev. Nathaniel Rogers. He was a commoner in 1639, and the same year sold land near the highway leading to Jeffrey's Neck. He also possessed in 1639 a farm partly in Ipswich and partly in Topsfield. He was made a freeman May IS. 1642, and was a proprietor in Watertown the same year, and at Topsfield after- wards, where he was one of thirty commoners. As an Ipswich commoner, he was one of those "that have right of commonage there last of the last month, 1641." On the first day of the second month, 1652, Isaac Cummings for thirty pounds bought of Samuel Symonds one hundred and fifty acres of land in Topsfield. Other records in the Essex county court show that he was defendant in the suit brought by John Fuller, March 28, 1654: that he was a witness against William Duglas in March, 1656; that he was sued for debt by Jeroba- bell Phillips, of Ipswich, March, 1657. That he was plaintiff in the case December 31. 1656, against John Fuller for damage done in his corn by swine belong- ing to said Fuller : and that he was grand juryman in 1675, and moderator of the town meeting in 1676. He was deacon of the church in Topsfield for many years. His children were John, Isaac. Elizabeth and Ann. (Mention of Isaac and descendants, forms part of this article).


(II) John, eldest child of Deacon Isaac Cum- mings, was born in 1630, and died December first 1700. By the terms of his father's will he received the homestead consisting of forty acres with house, barns, orchards and fences, and in 1680 sold same to Edward Nealand (Kneeland). About 1658 he removed to Boxford. In 1673 he was made a free- man. He and his wife were members of the church in Topsfield, December 7. 1685. when the church "voted dismission to John Cummings without com- mendation and dismissed his wife with commenda- tion to the church to be shortly gathered at Dunstable." He removed with his family to Duns- table about 1680, where he was one of the first set- tlers. He was a selectman in 1682 and a member of the church in 1684. He married Sarah, daughter of Ensign Thomas and Alice (French) Howlett, of Ipswich. She died December 7, 1700, just six days after the death of her husband. Their chil -. dren were John, Thomas, Nathaniel, Sarah, Abra- ham, Isaac, Ebenezer, William. Eleazer, Benjamin and Samuel.


((III) John (2). eldest son of John (1) and Sarah (Howlett) Cummings, was born in Boxford in 1657, and lived in Dunstable. He married September 15, 1680. Elizabeth Kinsley, who was born in Braintree November 22, 1657, daughter of


Samuel and Hannah (Bracket) Kinsley. They set- tled on the Nathaniel Cutler place in the south part of Nashua, where the wife was killed by Indians July 3, 1706, and he was wounded, having his arm broken, but escaped to a swamp about half a inile south, and near the present state line. where he re- mained in hiding over night and then made his escape to the "Farwell block house." His eight children were John, Samuel. Elizabeth, Hannah, Ebineezer, Anna, Lydia and William.


(IV) Deacon John (3). eldest child of John (2) and Elizabeth (Kingsley) Cummings, was born July 7, 1682, and died April 27. 1759. He was an original member of the church in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. and the first deacon, to which office he was elected December 3, 1727. He was modera- tor of the first town meeting, was chosen select- man, and was town clerk in 1736. His farm in- cluded the land around Westford railroad station, on both sides of the track, and is now partly occupied by one of his descendants. He married October 3. 1705, Elizabeth Adams, of Chelmsford, who was born April 26, 1680, and died April 30. 1759, daugh- ter of Pelatiah and Ruth Adams. Their children were Elizabeth. Mary, John, William, Thomas, Aba- gail. Samuel, Ephraim, Bridget and Ebineeza.




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