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 68

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 68

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(IV) Samuel, fourth child and third son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Stevens) Morrill, was born September 27, 1705, in Salisbury, and lived in South Hampton. New Hampshire, where his will was made December 4. 1754, and proved February 26, 1755. He was married December 12, 1728, at the Second Salisbury Church, to Hannah Osgood, who was born July 1, 1709. in Salisbury, daughter of William and Hannah ( Colby) Osgood. She was admitted to the South Hampton Church about 1742, and dismissed to the church at Epping. May 16, 1762, ahout the time she went to live with some of her children in that place. Her children were: Levi, Oliver. Abel. Hannah. Mary ( died young). Sarah, Mary, Eliza- beth, Samuel. Jeremiah and Nancy.

(V) Samuel (2), fourth son and ninth child of Samuel (1) and llannah ( Osgood) Morrill, was born March 18, 1750, in South Hampton, and settled in Epping. New Hampshire. There is no record of his marriage, and only two children are recorded. Ilis wife's name was Anna, and they had: David Lawrence and Samuel, beside others.

(VI) John Morrill was born in Epping, New Hampshire, April 27. 1781. and died in Winthrop, Maine, May 7. 1866. At twenty-one years of age he went to Winthrop, Maine, where he bought a farm which he cultivated, and also worked at his trade of

carpenter. He was a very active man, a Republican in politics, and a stanch member of the Universalist Church. He married, in Nottingham, New Hamp- shire, April 19, 1804, Olive Gove, who was born in Nottingham. New Hampshire, February 13, 1782, and died in Winthrop, Maine, June 27. 1869, daugh- ter of Ruth Gove, of Nottingham, New Hampshire. They had two children: George S., the subject of the next paragraph; and John G., who died at about thirty years of age.

(VII) George S., son of John and Olive (Gove) Morrill, was born in Winthrop, Maine, in 1824, and died in Winthrop, Maine, January 13, 1865. He learned the carpenter's trade and worked at it for some years, and then engaged in the grocery busi- ness, which he carried on at Winthrop village until his death. Like his father he was a Universalist in religious faith. He married. December 5. 18.48, Louisa Bradford, of Turner, Maine, who was born December 23, 1825, and died September 29, 1861. daughter of Ethelbert and Abigail C. (Tirrel) Bradford, of Turner, Maine. Two children were born of this marriage: Abbie Louisa, born May 28. 1851, married Edwin . D. Kimball, and resides at Winthrop. Maine. John G., the subject of the next paragraph.

(VIII) John G., only son of George S. and Louisa (Bradford) Morrill, was born in Winthrop. Maine, January 23, 1853, and was educated in the public schools and at Bryant & Stratton's Business College, Portland. Maine. At sixteen years of age he was made bookkeeper and paymaster of the Win- throp Mills Company, where he remained about two years. The following twelve years he, was in the employ of the firm of E. G. and E. Wallace, shoe manufacturers at Rochester, New Hampshire. In ISS3 he organized and incorporated the Sovereigns of Industry, which carried on a grocery business for two or three years. Then with three other stock- holders he bought out the Sovereigns, and later be- came sole owner of the business, which he has since conducted. The trade, which includes general mer- chandise. grain. feed, etc., is now large and pros- perous. Mr. Morrill is a member of Mou linia Lodge, No. 18, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and of the Unitarian Church, of which he is treas- urer. He married, in August, 1873, Etta L. Well- man, who was born in Belgrade, Maine, 1853, daughter of Hiram and Mercy Wellman, of Bel- grade. Two children, George II. and Nettie L .. were horn of this marriage; both died young.

(II) Jacoh, second son of Abraham and Sarah (Clement) Morrill, was born in Salisbury. August 24. 1618. and resided in that town. He was a mem- ber of the military company in Salisbury in 1677, was representative from that town in 1689, and made freeman in 1690. He married, July 15. 1674. Sus- anna Whittier, daughter of Thomas, and they had the following named children: Ezekiel (mentioned below). Hannah. Ruth, Jacob, Susannah, Israel, Thomas and Aaron.

(III) Ezekiel, eldest child of Jacob and Susanna (Whittier) Morrill, was born September 20. 1675, and died October II. 1732. He was married. Jan- tary 22. 1705, to Abigail, daughter of John Wad- leigh. She died May 20, 1728, and he married (sec- ond), March 25, 1730. Sarah, widow of Samuel Clough. His children. all born of the first wife, were: Jonathan, Ezekiel, Abner, Hannah; John, Thomas, Ephraim. Abigail. Ruth, Susannah, David and Sarah. Several of these were prominent citi- zens of Canterbury. New Hampshire.

(IV) Ezekiel (2), second son of Ezekicl (1)

DAVID MORRILL

GEO. P. MORRILL THEN, 1864

SeMorrill

NOW, 1908

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and Abigail (Wadleigh) Morrill, was born in Salis- bury, Massachusetts, September 7, 1707, and died in 1783. at advanced age. He was one of the first settlers in Canterbury, New Hampshire, one of the first deacons of the church there, was a captain in the militia, and took an active part in defending the frontier against the French. Ezekiel Morrill, Jr .. Marston Morrill, Samuel Morrill. Isaac Morrill, and others petitioned for a parish in the southeast part of Canterbury, January 12, 1773, which was set off by the general assembly, January 23, 1773, and erected a parish by the name of Loudon, at a meet- ing of the proprietors of Canterbury held at the meeting house in Canterbury. In May, 1773, Ezek- iel Morrill was chosen moderator. This was the second meeting of the kind in the town. He was town clerk and filled other town offices. His first wife was the widow of Rev. Ward Cotton, of Hamp- ton. She had five husbands in all. In 1761 his sons Reuben, John and Ephraim were among those who gave bonds for the settlement of the lower parish of Gilmanton. Ezekiel Morrill married (first), July 14, 1731. Jemima Morrill (probably second, Joanna Gilman). He settled first, in South Hampton, New Hampshire, where with his wife he was admitted to the church in 1742. They were dis- missed to the church in Canterbury about 1750, which indicates the time of removal thither. His children were: Abigail (died at one year), Deacon David, Abigail (wife of James Shepperd), Reuben, Elizabeth, Deacon Laban, Susannalı (died at two years). Mercy. Ezekiel (died at three years), Ezekiel, Marston, Sargent, Abraham, and Susannah (wife of Joshua Weeks). (Mention of Laban and Marston and descendants appears in this article).

(V) David, eldest son and second child of Ezekiel (2) and Jemima (Morrill) Morrill, was born January 4. 1734, in Salisbury, and resided with his father in Canterbury, New Hampshire, where he died June 10, 1799. He was a deacon of the church, and signed the association test there in 1776. He was married December 28, 1763, to Abigail, widow of Otho (2) Stevens (see Stevens. V), and they were the parents of Reuben, Hannah, David, Betsey, Sarah, Ruth and Abigail. The last named became the wife of Leavitt (I) Clough (see Clough, V).

(VI) Reuben, eldest child of David and Abigail (Emerson) (Stevens) Morrill, was born October IS, 1764, in Canterbury, New Hampshire, and grew up there and was a farmer in that town. He mar- ried Miriam Smith. daughter of Robert Smith, of Salisbury, Massachusetts. She died July 31, 1841. Their children were: Sally. Polly, David, Phoebe, Robert Smith, and Mora Emery. The eldest be- came the wife of Nathaniel Morrill, of Boscawen and Canterbury (see Nathaniel, VII). Mr. Mor- rill was a substantial farmer and provided well for his family. He died April 1, 1841, in his seventy- seventh year.

(VII) David, eldest son and third child of Reuben and Miriam (Smith) Morrill, was born Au- gust 12. 1798, in Canterbury, and lived his entire life upon the farm where he was born, and died April 6. 1893, in his ninety-fifth year. He had a farm of three hundred acres and was a very successful agriculturist, raising considerable amounts of grain and maintaining a large dairy. He was a captain of the local militia and was universally known as "Captain David." He was a member of the Con- gregational Church, but because of his views on the question of abolishing slavery there was differ-

ence and some bitterness between him and other church members. He was a pronounced advocate of human liberty and was prepared for the struggle which ultimately came over that question. He was an adherent of the Whig party in its palmy days and was among the founders of the Republican party. He served the town as selectman, overseer of the poor and was representative of the legislature in 1859 and state senator in 1860-61. He was mar- ried (first) to Comfort Morrill, daughter of Mar- ston Morrill. of Canterbury, and he married (sec- ond) Sally ( Peverly) Kimball, widow of John Kim- ball. The children of the first marriage are noted as follows: Frank resides at Nevada City, California ; Lucien died in New York of smallpox, when a young man; Sarah is the widow of William P. Sickels, and resides in California : William A. died in infancy; William H. resides in Dakota : Oscar. de- ceased. Charles died while on the way home from the front during the Civil war. Three of these sons were soldiers in that war. There are two children of the second marriage: George P. and Milo S., both residing in Canterbury, and noticed below.

(VIII) George Peverly, seventh son of Captain David Morrill, and elder son of his second wife, Sally (Peverly) Morrill, was born April 21, 1844, on his father's farm in Canterbury. From early youth he was accustomed to work upon the farm and in the saw mill operated by his father, receiving such education as the town schools afforded. At the age of nineteen years he set out to see some- thing of the world and went to Amherst, Ohio, where he was employed for one year in a sandstone quarry. He culisted there August 19, 1864, and was mustered in the same day, and after service at Nashville was assigned to Company I, First Ohio Light Artillery. He was in the army of the Cum- berland under General George H. Thomas, and was discharged June 13, 1865, after serving nearly one year, but remained at Nashville, caring for Captain Lyman B. Foster of the Twenty-sixth Ohio, who had been totally disabled at the battle at Franklin, Tennessee, reaching home July 21, 1865. Returning to his native town for a short time he spent six months in school at Springfield, Massa- chusetts. Soon after this he purchased the saw mill and adjacent land from his father, and began pre- paring to hew out a home and farm among the rocks near the saw mill. He staked all and suc- ceeded in securing what is know as the "Morrill Road" connecting the mill with the Penacook & Concord roads, which made the property much more desirable, and he decided to remain in Cantarbury and continue in the operation of the saw mill. He is a charter member of Merrimack River Grange, its second secretary and then lecturer, still an honored member whose outside business rarely allows him to attend. He is a member of William I. Brown Post, G. A. R., of Penacook. Since 1880 he has been engaged largely in inventing, chiefly in hard- ware specialties and he has now some twelve patents on articles which he has perfected. He is still en- gaged in this line, and is a very active and pros- perous business man. Among the products of his inventive genius is a special design in monumental work which may be made additionally useful for the preservation and perpetuation of family history and which he intends to patent. This design is very appropriate, and a representation of it has been erected upon the family lot in Canterbury cem- etery. The corner stones are unique and tasteful and the inscriptions are exceedingly appropriate. On

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one of the granite corner pieces is inscribed "8 generations from Abraham Morrill," and on another is the inscription "5 generations in Canterbury, from Ezekiel. the pioneer." His barn, now owned by his eldest son, was the first one huilt in the Centre dis- trict with an upper floor, and driveway up to same. Mr. Morrill was married January 7. 1869, to Abbie Emery, daughter of Moses M. Emery, of Canterbury. (See Emery, VIII.) Their children were: 1. Louis D .. born in Canterbury. November 15. 1869. educated in district school and attended Tilton Seminary. The greater part of his life has been spent in agricultural pursuits. He has served two years as selectman of his town and one year as overseer of the poor. He married, June 9, 1897, Blanche S. Hill. a daughter of Samuel D. and Lu- cretia A. (Swett) Hill, of Loudon. Mr. and Mrs. L. D. Morrill are members of the Congregational Church of Canterbury Centre. 2. Bertha E., died in her thirtieth year. 3. Charles Emery, born No- vember 25. 1872, has spent his entire life in agricul- tural pursuits. He married Ida L. Marsh, daughter of E. P. and Hannah B. Marsh, and their children are : David Emery, born March 5. 1898, and Edna E., horn February 9. 1900. 4. William George, born in Canterbury, February 18. 1876, has spent his en- tire life in the town, and is engaged in lumber saw- ing in a portable steam mill. He married Jeannette Blanton, and their children are: Edith Grace, born February 8. 1898, and William Stanley, born March 24. 1905. 5. Alexander Wellington, born August IO, 1877. is employed in Straton & Company's grain and flour mills at Penacook. He married Ethel I. Gale, and their children are: Edwin Alexander, born November 15, 1897; Percival Eugene, born May 3. 1899; Alice Bertha, born March 21, 1901 : Inez L .. born January 31, 1904. 6. Josie Belle, born July 27, 1887.

(VIII) Milo Sanborn, youngest child of Captain David and Sally (Peverly) Morrill, was born Jan- uary 20, 1846, on the farm where he now resides. and has passed his entire life there, taking care of his parents in their old age. He had no desire for a profession and did not pursue education beyond the branches taught in the common school in his home district. He left school at the age of eighteen years. and has given his attention to the tillage of the farm and the operation of a saw mill which was then a part of the estate. He inherited a one-sixth interest in the estate and soon after the death of his father purchased the balance. It is a handsome farm occupying a high location and is provided with excellent buildings and everything to make an ideal rural home. The larger part of his income is derived from the lumber business. but he is found during the summer season actively assisting in the labors incident to the production of crops. He has never married, and is assisted upon the farm by his nephew. Charles E. Morrill, and his estimahle wife, who make for him a comfortable home. Mr. Mor- rill is a member of the Free Will Baptist church. and is a supporter of progressive ideas along all lines. While he asks no political preferment for himself he is an active and ardent supporter of the principles advocated by his father and is known as a stanch Republican, has served in the legislature of 1000-01. His success in life is the result of his own industry, and he is respected and estecmed throughout the community for his upright character. and the good name attained by his ancestors, is safe in his keeping.

(V) Deacon Laban, third son and fifth child of

Deacon Ezekiel (2) Morrill, was born September 25, 1740, in Salisbury. Massachusetts, and died May 12. 1812. in Canterbury, New Hampshire. In May, 1800, he was elected deacon of the Canterbury Church, and served until his death, succeeding his elder brother. David. Laban married Sarah, elder daughter and second child of Samuel and Hannah (Dolloff) Ames, of Canterbury. Samuel Ames was born February 13, 1723, in Exeter (Newfield. now Newmarket), and was one of the first settlers of Canterbury, where he died January 16, 1803. His wife, Hannah (Dolloff) Ames, was born January 18, 1728. and died January 23. 1804. Their 'chil- dren were: Samuel, Sarah, David and Hannah. Deacon Laban and Sarah (Ames) Morrill had the following named children, who resided in Loudon, Canterbury, Chichester and Boscawen: Samuel Ames, Abner, David, Hannah, Judith. Sarah, Je- mima. and Ezekiel (name changed to Marcellus.)

(VI) David, third son and child of Deacon La -. ban and Sarah ( Ames) Morrill, was born August 22. 1771, in Canterbury, and was one of the most successful farmers of that town. He received pre- miums from fair associations for the best kept farm and finest wheat produced. He was an attendant and supporter of the Congregational Church, and was captain of the local militia. Through life he was a consistent Democrat, and represented his town in the legislature. He married Betsey. daughter of Slmbael Sanborn, of Canterbury, (See Sanborn, VII.) who died September 3. 1879, in that town, hav- ing survived her husband nearly seventeen years. He passed away January 22, 1863. Their children were: Joseph G., who resided on the home farm until his death, at the age of eighty-seven years ; John, resided in Concord and died in Alston, Mas- sachusetts; Phebe Sanborn, wife of Jeremiah Cof- ran, lived in Northfield, this state, and died in Als- ton: Emily, married Jeremiah Carter Tilton, and resided in Northfield: Smith Sanborn resided in Northfield, where he died at the age of forty-four years (ncarly) : and David Abner. mentioned below.

(VII) David Abner, youngest child of Captain David and Betsey (Sanborn) Morrill, was born Dc- cember 26, 1825, in Canterbury, and received his education at the common school of his native town and Tilton Seminary. He taught one term of school in Thornton, New Hampshire, but this work was not congenial to him, and he entered a satinet mill in Northfield, where he continued ten years. By carefully husbanding his earnings he was able to stock a farm, and rented land and began his agri- cultural career. For about fifty years he has lived on and cultivated his present farm on East Penacook street. Concord. At first he purchased fifty acres, and has gradually increased his holdings until they include nearly two hundred acres. He has always been an extensive fruit grower, and has one orchard covering fourteen acres : he has sometimes produced over a thousand barrels of apples in one ycar. For thirty years or more he produced vegetables for the market, and during the last thirty years has made a business of fattening veal for the city markets. Ilis success in life has been the result of his own energy and good management, and he now enjoys, in a hale old age, the fruits of his industry. He is a supporter of the Congregational Church at East Concord, and is an active member of Rumford Grange of the same place, in which he has served as chaplain. He is a lifelong Democrat and has acted as assessor, member of the city council and repre- sentative in the legislature. Mr. Morrill was mar-

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ried February 10, 1851, to Susan T. Stevens, of Canterbury, who died October, 1894, aged sixty-eight years. She left a son. Albert J., born November, 1870, who resides near his father. He married (first) Rose Colby, who died leaving two children, Grace May and Jolm Colby. Mr. Morrill married (sec- ond) Florence Adams. David A. Morrill married (second), November, 1895, Sarah (Combs), widow of George Hancock. Mrs. Morrill has royal Eng- lish blood in her veins, being seventh cousin to King Edward VII of England.

(V) Marston, twelfth child of Deacon Ezekiel (2) and Jemima Morrill, was born in Canterbury, July 6. 1757, and died 1831. He was a farmer by occupation, like his ancestors, and spent his life in his native town. He was a soldier in the Revo- lutionary war and served in Captain Clough's com- pany, Colonel Poor's regiment, and was at Medford, October 4. 1775. He married (first), 1776, Comfort Weeks, born 1756. died in 1795, aged thirty-nine years ; married (second) Sarah Coffin, born 1757, died 1807, aged fifty years; married (third), 1815. Miriam Crockett, who died in 1863. The children of Marston Morrill were: Ezekial, Jemima (died in 1856), Jemima, Martha, Comfort.

(Ezekiel, eldest child of Marston and Comfort (Weeks) Merrill, was born in Canterbury, Noven- ber 15. 1779, and died in 1837. He was a farmer by occupation. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, and was influential in the politics of the state. He was nominated for governor of New Hampshire, and would have been elected had he lived till the election day following He married (first). in 1807, Betsey Stevens, born 1783, died 1819, aged thirty- six, and (second), 1832, Mary Cutler, born 1788, died 1862, aged seventy-four. They had the follow- ing named children: Alpheus, Joel S., Amanda, Luther M., Asa, Charles. Cornelia, Lydia and Ash- ley C. (Mention of Luther M. and descendants is a part of this article. )

(VII) Dr. Alpheus, eldest child of Ezekiel and Betsey (Stevens) Morrill, born in Canterbury, June 26, 1808, died in Concord, May 9, 1874. After acquiring his English cducation in the public schools he graduated at Dartmouth Medical School. He went west scon after graduation; on account of his health, and settled in Columbus, Ohio. where he practiced for some years and was one of the lead- ing physicians of the state. He returned to Concord, New Hampshire, in 1848, and for years took a lead- ing place among the medical men of the Granite State. He was the first president of the New Hamp- shire Homeopathic Medical Society, and held that

place many years. He was a well known writer on medical topics, and left many papers on that sub- ject. His religious faith was Congregational. He was a man of fine appearance, stood six feet five inches high and weighed over three hundred pounds. He was married in October. 1832, to Hannah M. Baker, who was born September 2, 1802, in Loudon, a daughter of Joseph and Anna (Hook) Baker. She was the mother of only one child, Ezekiel (mentioned in next paragraph), and died April 14. 1838. Dr. Morrill subsequently married Eliza Ann Cate, who bore him a son and two daughters, namely: Shadrach Cate, Annie and Mary. The elder daughter married Josiah Bellows, and died at the age of twenty-four years. The younger died unmarried. (Mention of Shadrach C. and family appears in a later part of this article.)

(VIII) Dr. Ezekiel, only child of Dr. Alpheus and Hannah M. (Baker) Morrill. was born in Chester. Ohio. July 29, 1837. He was educated in

the common schools and Tilton (formerly North- field) Seminary, and pursued his professional studies in Dartmouth, Cleveland and Castleton, Vermont, graduating from the Medical College of Cleveland, Ohio, in 1856, when twenty years of age, and at Castleton in 1857. He immediately began practice with his father in Concord, where he has since re- sided the greater part of the time. For a time he practiced in Brattleboro, Vermont. In September, 1863, he was mustered in as assistant surgeon of the Thirteenth New Hampshire Infantry, was promoted in 1865 to surgeon of the First Heavy Artillery, and served until the close of the Civil war, and was discharged in 1865, having seen a great deal of serv- ice in that time. He practiced in Salem, Massa- chusetts, three years, and impaired his health, after which he returned to Concord where he has since resided. He has possessed the confidence of the people and enjoyed a handsome practice, from which he is about to retire. He is a member of the New Hampshire Homeopathic Medical Society and other medical organizations, also a member of Eureka Lodge, No. 70, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons ; Trinity Royal Arch Chapter, No. 2; Horace Chase Council. No. 4; and Mt. Horeb Commandery, Knights Templar. He married. September 4, 1863, Ellen R. Bryant, daughter of John Joseph and Har- riet M. (Hoag) Bryant, born April 27, 1843. They have had three children. Alpheus, the only one of these now living, was born December 25, 1867, was educated in the public schools of Concord and at Dartmouth College and Hahnemann Medical College of Philadelphia, and is now practicing med- icine in Concord.

(VIII) Shadrach Cate. only son of Dr. Alpheus and Eliza Ann (Cate) Morrill, was born July 20, IS39, in Loudon, and was a child when his father settled in Concord, where nearly all the life of the son was passed. After completing the course of the local public schools, he entered Brown University in IS59, and continued about two years, leaving that institution to take up the study of medicine. This was pursued in the office of his father and in the Harvard Medical School of Boston. To comply with the wishes of his father, he took his degree from Hahnemann Medical College, of Columbus, Ohio, and subsequently attended a course of lec- tures at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York City. During a year spent abroad for his health. he attended hospital clinics in Paris, and when he entered upon his career, was fully pre- pared for the work before him, and immediately took high rank among practitioners. With the ex- ception of three months' practice in New York, his whole medical career was spent in Concord and adjoining towns. He was the faithful and con- scientious physician, and gave himself unreserved- ly to the demands of his calling, taking upon him- self labors and cares beyond his strength to endure. and thus made inroads upon his physical powers that shortened his days. It is said of him by his contemporaries : "As a practitioner he was en- dowed with more than ordinary skill in diagnosis and he was always alert to avail himself of the progress made in the use of remedies and in the treatment of diseases. He was indefatigable in his labors, and his disregard of hours of meals and sleep no doubt contributed to the breaking down of his health, and which probably shortened his life." He passed away at his home in Concord. October 9. 1904.

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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 68

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