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 93
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(VI) Deacon Eliphalet. eldest child of Hezekiah and Ruth (How) Stone, was born in Framingham. December 5. 1735. In 1771 he went to Marlboro, New Hampshire, where he purchased of his brother- in-law, Moses Goddard, a tract of land located in
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the vicinity of Stone Pond. The farm which he cleared was recently owned by Clark Hill. For many years he was deacon of the church in Marl- boro, and he died there February 9, 1817. He mar- ried Lydia Goddard, born September 4, 1737, daugh- ter of William and Keziah (Cloyes) Goddard, of Berlin. She died March IS. 1821. The children of this union were: Calvin, Beulah, John, Shubacl, Cynthia. Ruth, Abigail, Luther, Patty and Asa.
(VII) Captain John, second son and third child of Deacon Elichalet and Lydia (Goddard) Stone, was born at Framingham, 1764. He settled north of Stone Pond, directly on the line between Marl- boro and Dublin. Although but a boy, John Stone, like many others of the youth of New England, en- listed as a soldier in the Patriot army during the Revolutionary war, and his daughter, Ruth Helen, widow of the late Fred H. Rogers, of Bellows Falls. is an interested member of a Boston Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. On March 12, 1788, he married for his first wife Elizabeth Stanley, who died November 4, 1813, and he sub- sequently married Mrs. Rebecca (Coolidge) Ward. She died October 24, 1856. The children of his first union were: John, died young: Polly, Betsey, Abi- gail, Andrew, Martha, Silas, Aaron, Mahala, died young ; Mahala. Lydia, Emeline and Louisa. Those of his second marriege werc: John Curtis, Caroline E., Ruth Helen and George H. Captain John Stone died April 14, 1849.
(VIII) John Curtis, eldest child of Captain John and Rebecca Stone, was born in Marlboro, August 22, 1819. He was a painter and paper hanger, and resided in Marlboro his entire life, which terminated May 12, 1892. He was twice mar- ried. April 17, 1856. he married Ellen M. Fay, who was born in Framingham, January 25, 1831, and died February 19, 1866. His second wife, whom he mar- ried October 20, 1866, was Marion E. Munroe, born December 25, 1846. Ilis first wife bore him six chil- dren : Malora R., born February. 1857, married Ly- man E. Bigelow. Elsie J., born June 15, 1858, mar- ried Arthur J. Clapp, of West Upton, Massachu- setts, and resides in Franklin, that state. Della M., born April 28, 1860. George Fay, the date of whose birth will be recorded presently. Louisa S .. born December 20, 1863, died May 27, 1865. Lizzie M., born September 5, 1865, died February 21, 1866. The children of his second union are: Nellie MI., born October 8, 1867. Frank Leslie, born February 14, 1869. Eddie M .. born October 12, 1870. Her- man C., born August 9. 1872. Freddie Elmer, born December 25, 1874, died February 18, 1876. Win- field M., born August 29, 1881. Clifton Elmer, born 1899. died in infancy.
(IX) George Fay. eldest son and fourth child of John Curtis and Ellen M. (Fay) Stone, was born in Marlboro, February 18, 1862. His studies in the public schools were supplemented with a commercial course at Eastman's Business College, Poughkeepsie, New York, and his early business training was ac- quired in the grocery store of Clinton Collins, of Marlboro. He was subsequently employed in the same line of trade by George Davis, with whom he remained for three years, at the expiration of which time he accepted a clerkship in the dry-goods store of C. B. Collins & Company, of Marlboro. In 1891 lie went to Keene, where for the succceding three years he was a clerk in the Boston Branch Grocery Store. Entering the employ of Nichols & Ward- well. Keene, he remained with them for eleven years, and in company with John H. Smith succeeded to
the business, which he is now conducting with grati- fying success. Under the old town government he served as a selectman for six years; was for two ycars a member of the city council from ward 3; has been a member of the fire department since 1892, and ranks as second lieutenant. Mr. Stone is now (1907-08) a member of the general court. He affiliates with the Order of the Golden Cross and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, is now (1907) a member of the Encampment, Monadnock, No. 10, and Friendship, Rebecca, No. 6, and is a member of the First Congregational Church. Mr. Stone mar- ried, December 29, 1886. Lucy Emma Morse, born in Marlboro, March 11, 1862, daughter of Granville and Achsalı (Gates) Morse.
(III) Samuel, fourth son and fifth child of Gregory and Lydia ( Cooper) Stone, settled at Cam- bridge Farms, now Lexington, Massachusetts, prior to the year 1700, and was the progenitor of the Lex- ington Stones. who became quite numerous. For the purpose of distinguishing one from another they are designated in the early town records as John Stonc, East, and John Stone, West, etc. They were prosperous, influential. and highly reputable people.
(VI) Captain George, probably a great-grand- son of Samuel Stone, was born in Lexington, March 21, 1760. At the age of fifteen years he enlisted in the Continental army and left the honorable record of having served five years in the war for national independence, during which he participated in the important military operations resulting in the sur- render of General Burgoyne; was also in several other notable engagements, including the battles of Brandywine, Stillwater and Monmouth, in which latter encounter he was wounded; and in common with the rest of the patriots under General Wash- ington, endured the privation and exposure at the memorable winter encampment at Valley Forge. On account of the comparative worthlessness of Con- tinental currency he found himself practically penni- less at the close of the war, and although compelled to suffer the pangs of miserably requited service to- gether with the poverty resulting therefrom, he left to his posterity the ever-enduring honor of being descendants of a Revolutionary patriot. It is stated upon good authority that Captain Stone's pay, which he received in federal currency on being mustered out. was valued at twenty cents in good money. In addition to a robust constitution he possessed an inherent ambition to get on in the world, and pene- trating the then wilds of New Hampshire, he ac- quired twenty acres of unimproved land in Ros- cawen. Through industry and judicious manage- ment he subsequently increased his landed posses- sions, and becoming affluent for a farmer of that period was able to give each of his children a home- stead. He died in West Boscawen, December 8, 1834. His first wife, whom he married about the. year 1788. was Hannah Lovering, of Kingston, New Hampshire, who died December 27, 1826, aged sixty- five years, and in 1830 he married for his second wife Abigail Currier, of Canterbury, this state. Her death occurred April IS, at the age of sixty-six. His children, all of whom were of his first union, were: Sarah, John, Amos, Polly. Peter, George W., Hannah and Royal.
(VII) John, second child and eldest son of Cap- tain George and Hannah (Lovering) Stone, was born in Boscawen, February 28, 1792. He resided in Webster, New Hampshire, for many years, and occupied a comfortable homestead on Battle street, where he died January 25, 1870. During the War of
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1812-15 he was drafted and served in the army. do- ing garrison duty at Portsmouth. Ile married Sub- mit Sweatt, who was born in West Boscawen, June 16, 1795, and died in Webster, February II, IS81. She was the mother of two sons, Benjamin and Hiram G.
(VIII) Hiram G., youngest son of John and Submit ( Sweatt) Stone, was born in Webster, May 24. 1822. He resided at the homestead in Webster, and became a farmer of unusual ability. being par- ticularly partial to horticulture and raising apples on an extensive scale. As an authoritative writer on native fruits and kindred subjects he attained much favorable notoriety and was considered an expert in all matters relative to his special branch of agriculture. He lived to be nearly seventy years old, and his death occurred at the family homestead in Webster. December 26, 1891. January 26. 1847, he married Mary Ann Coffin Ticknor, of Lebanon, New Hampshire, who died November 10, IS56, and on December 5, of the following year, he married for his second wife Lucinda Lane. of Epsom, this state. His first wife bore him two children: Melvin T., who will be again referred to: and Mary Ann Tick- nor, who was born August 18, 1856 ( died Septem- ber 21, 1870).
(IX) Melvin Ticknor Stone, M. D., eldest child and only son of Hiram G. and Mary A. C. (Tick- nor) Stone, was born in West Boscawen, July 28. 1854. Having pursued the regular course of study at the New Hampton Institute, he began his profes- sional preparations, which were completed at Dart- mouth College with the medical class of 1880, and immediately locating in Troy he entered upon his professional duties with a spirit of enthusiasm which practically assured a substantial success. The ac- quisition of a lucrative practice is attended with many difficulties, and can be only accomplished through the exercise of superior professional skill and an unquestionable honesty of purpose. The fact that he has labored in one field of operation for more than a quarter of a century is fairly conclusive proof that these essential qualities predominate in 1 is character, and the spark of ambition which served to brighten his path during the days of his early professional struggles, may also be considered as one of the chief elements of his success.
Although in every well regulated community there is no partiality displayed between citizens of the learned professions and the ordinarily educated business man or farmer in the distribution of public offices, yet there is not unfrequently a perceptible leaning on the part of the majority of voters toward the college-bred man, especially when the latter's professional reputation is augmented by personal popularity, and, according to information at hand, Dr. Stone seems to belong to this category. He has served as health officer from I88o to the present time: was superintendent of public schools from 1882 to 1885 and member of the school board from 1886 to 1892: has officiated as town clerk from 1888 to date: was trustee of the public library from 189; In 1006, and supervisor of the check list from 1806 1) ISOS; was representative to the legislature in 1887. and a delegate to the constitutional convention at Concord in 1002. For the past twenty years he has acted as a justice of the peace and a notary public. In politics he is a Republican. During the Harrison administration he was chosen a member of the board of examining surgeons in pension cases. lle is a member of the American Medical Associa- tion, the New Hampshire State, Connecticut Valley
and Cheshire County medical societies. In the Ma- sonic order he is far advanced, being a past worship- ful master of the Blue Lodge in Troy, and a member of Cheshire Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, Hugh de Payen Commandery of Keene, and Edward A. Ray- mond Consistory, thirty-second degree, Scottish Rite, of Nashua. Ile also affiliates with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Improved Order of Red Men. He has been engaged quite extensively in the settlement of estates, and is particularly in- terested in local history, having compiled an ex- cellent "History of Troy," which was published in 1897.
On January 26. 1882. Dr. Stone married Cora Mabel Whitney, born in Francestown, May 29, 1858, clanghter of Charles WV. and Sarah Frances (Tay- lor) Whitney. Her father was born in Troy, No- vember 26, 1827, and her mother, who was born in Francestown, October 23. 1829. died April 6, 1899. Dr. and Mrs. Stone have had three daughters. namely : Mary F., born April 29, 1886, died April 5. 1891: Mildred Ticknor. born March 17, 1891; and Dorothy C., born April 25, 1896, died August 20, same year.
FORSAITH The name of Forsaith originated in Scotand and is of great antiq- uity. During the great religious upheaval which so violently agitated the Scotch Protestants in the seventeenth century it was allied with the Covenanters, and those of its representat- tives who were determined to live up to the teach- ings of the Presbyterian doctrine sought a refuge in the north of Ireland, where the prospects of religious liberty were much brighter. The exodus from Scotland to Ireland was at a later period fol- lowed by another hegira from the latter country to America, and many of these sturdy people found homes in New Hampshire. These immigrants were the progenitors of many distinguished Americans.
(I) William Forsaith, a native of north Ireland. was the son of Matthew Forsaith, who came from the north of Ireland and settled in Chester, and from him have descended a large number of the name in this country. William Forsaith came as an infant to New England about the year 1742, his par- ents settling among the Scotch-Irish compatriots in Londonderry, or the immediate vicinity. He was an industrious farmer. and a man of unquestionable integrity, whose strongly defined character has been transmitted to his descendants. His wife was be- fore marriage Jane Wilson, and he had a family of seven sons and three daughters.
(11) Josiah, seventh child and youngest son of William and Jane ( Wilson). Forsaith, was born in Derry, 1780. He was graduated from Dartmouth College with the class of 1807, and immediately turned his attention to educational pursuits. Teach- ing school, however, was to him but a temporary occupation as he was desirous of entering the legal profession, and having completed his preparations and secured admission to the bar, he located for practice in Goffstown, remaining for a time and then removing to Boston. In 1822 he went to Newport, New Ilampshire, where he transacted with success a general law business for a period of twenty-four years, or up to his death. In politics he was an ac- tive supporter of the Whig party, and in addition to holding numerous town offices served one term in the lower house of the New Hampshire legislature. Joseph Forsaith died in 1846. In 1822 he married Maria Southworth, who became the mother of six
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children, three of whom died in childhood, another, the eldest son, died quite late in life, and two are NOW ( 1907) living-Judge William J. Forsaith, of Boston, who is referred to at greater length in the succeeding paragraph, and his younger brother. Ed- ward. Mrs. Maria Forsaith died 1890, aged eighty- eight years.
( HI) William Josiah, son of Josiah and Maria ( Southworth) Forsaith, was born in Newport, New Hampshire, April 19, 1836. He began his education in the Newport public schools. later studied at the Kimball Union Academy, Meriden, from which he was graduated, then entered Amherst, remaining two years. and entering Dartmouthli as a junior took the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1857. The fol- lowing January he began the study of law in the office of Messrs. Burke and Waite, of Newport, with whom he was a student for about one year, at the expiration of which time he entered the office of B. F. Hallet, in Boston, and in the fall of IS59 became a student at the Harvard Law School, remaining there one full term. He then entered the office of Messrs. Ramsey and Morse, of Boston, and was ad- mitted to the Suffolk county bar in May, 1860. He practiced law in Boston for the succeeding ten years, or until 1872, when he was appointed a special jus- tice of the Boston municipal court for a period of four years, and also served as trial justice of the juvenile court which, by act of the legislature, is now presided over by a justice appointed solely for that purpose. In 1882 he was appointed as associate justice of the municipal court of the city of Boston. and has since served upon the bench, a full quarter of a century. Both in years and in point of service Judge Forsaith is probably the oldest înunicipal jus- tice in Massachusetts.
Judge Forsaith was married in 1865 to Annie Veazie, of Bangor, Maine, daughter of John W. Veazie, of that city, and a granddaughter of General Veazie, a prominent financier of Bangor in his day and one of the wealthiest men in the Pine Tree State. The children of this union, all of whom were born in Boston, are: William Veazie, born in 1867; Marian Bartlett. born in 1871; and Annie South- worth. born in 1875. Mrs. Forsaith died in 1889.
GRINIES This is one of the many New Eng- land names which have undergone great modifications in spelling. It is of Scotch origin and was originally spelled on its arrival in this country. Graham or Grayham. It is frequently written in the Scotch annals Graeme and it is found connected with important events in that country as well as the United States. Its representatives in New Hampshire have heen noted for their intelligence, industry and executive ability.
(F) The first of whom any definite record can now be found was Francis Graham, who was among the large colony that came from North Ireland in 1718 to settle in New Hampshire. The record of the proceedings of the selectman of Boston, under date January. 1720, is the following : "Sundry passengers who came from Ireland with Captain Dennis and arrived herc November last" to which is appended the names of twenty-one men, among whom is that of Francis Graham. The records of Boston also state that "Francis Graham married Mary Dicky, January 20, 1731." This marriage was performed by Rev. John Moorehead, who officiated in that capacity for many of the Scotch-Irish in and about Boston. Francis Graham settled in that vicinity, living for a time on Noddle's Island, now
East Boston. There a son was born in 1747. A
daughter, Ann, was also born. She subsequently married Deacon William McKean and settled in Deering, New Hampshire, where she died in 1825 at the age of eighty-two years. Deacon Mckean was the son of Samuel McĶcan and the last named was a nephew of the celebrated James McKean, a pioneer proprietor, and long a magistrate of Lon- donderry, New Hampshire.
(II) Francis, son of Francis Graham, was born in 1747, in what is now East Boston, and lived for a short time in Londonderry, New Hampshire. About 1765 he settled in Deering, nearly opposite the present village of Hillsboro Bridge, one and one half miles distant from that town. About this time his name began to be called Grimes and he accepted this pronunciation and adopted the present spelling. The hill on which he settled was long known as Grimes Hill. He signed the Association Test in Deering in 1776. His wife was Elizabeth Wilson of Londonderry, New Hampshire, and they were the parents of John, James and Ann. The last named became the wife of Deacon William Mc- Kean, settled in Deering, New Hampshire, and died in 1885, at the age of eighty-two years. Deacon William was a son of Samuel Mckean, who was a nephew of the celebrated James McKean pro- prietor and long a magistrate of Londonderry, New Hampshire.
(}II) John, eldest son of Francis and Eliza- beth (Wilson) Grimes, was born August II, 1772, in Deering, and long lived on what is known as the McNeal place in that town. For a time he was a merchant and hotel keeper in Francestown, and about 1836 removed to Hillsboro Bridge, where he was engaged in farming and rearing cattle. He died there October 17, 1851. He was a liberal minded man and on one occasion on account of assisting a sick individual on his way he was ar- rested for traveling on Sunday. He was a member of the Congregational Church and was an ardent Whig but refused any public station. He was the friend of progress and encouraged the mainten- ance of schools and everything that tended towards the advancement of the community. His wife, Elizabeth Wilson, was born August 19, 1773, and died in 1850, about seventy-seven years old. Fol- lowing is a brief mention of their children. Hiram, the eldest, is the subject of the following paragraph. Jane became the wife of James Butler and died in Hillsboro Bridge. Susan married Alden Wal- ker and was the mother of Admiral John G. Walker, who was prominent in the United States Navy. She died in Hillsboro Bridge, as did also Francis. David W. died in Burlington, Iowa. Sarah C. died unmarried about 1884. James Wilson, the youngest, was graduated from Dartmouth College in the same class with Hon. Samuel C. Bartlett and "Long" John Wentworth of Illinois. He was gov- crnor of the state of Iowa from 1854 to 1858, and represented that state in the United States senate for the ten years from 1859 to 1869.
(IV) Hiram, eldest son of John and Elizabeth (Wilson) Grimes, was born September 17, 1798, and was educated in the common schools and Pinkerton Academy. In 1882, he bought a farm in Hillsboro adjoining the land owned by his father on the eastern border of the present village of Hillsboro Bridge, and resided there until his. death, November 5, 1885. He was industrious and frugal. intelligent and forceful, and won from the soil a competence for himself and family. I-fe was
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warmly attached to his family, fond of his home and took little part in public affairs. He enjoyed the confidence and respect of the entire community. Mr. Grimes was a regular attendant at and sup- porter of the Congregational Church. He mar- ried, December 9, 1823, to Clarissa. daughter of Dr. James and Nancy (Wilson) Forsaith. She dicd March 9, 1873. Their first child. a daughter, died when only two months old; the second, John, died in Hillsboro; Nancy Jane, the third, is the widow of David B. Burbank and resides at Hills- boro Bridge; Elvira Elizabeth died unmarried about 1898; James F. is the subject of the succeeding paragraph; Clarissa A. resides in Hillsboro Bridge. (V) James Forsaith, second son and fifth child of Hiram and Clarissa (Forsaith) Grimes, was born May 19, 1835, in Hillsboro, and has passed nearly his entire life in that town. His boyhood was passed upon his father's farm and the educa- tional advantages afforded by the district schools of the time were supplemented by attendance at academies at Gilmanton, Hopkinton and Washing- ton. At a very carly age his summers were oc- cupied by labor upon the farm and he thereby gained a vigorous body and habits which resulted in a successful business career. In young manhood he spent his winters in teaching in the district schools of his own and adjoining towns, beginning at the carly age of sixteen years. He gained an excellent reputation as a scholar and disciplinarian and his services were frequently sought by localities in which those qualities were desirable. In 1859, while teaching in Hillsboro Village he began the study of law with Francis N. Blood, an attorney of that place and this he continued until the opening of hostilities in the civil war. After the firing upon Fort Sumter, he was the first of his native town to volunteer in the defense of the Union. About this time, through the influence of his uncle, who was then United States senator, his name was pre- sented for a captain's commission in the regular army and he immediately began to take private instruction in order to fit himself for the discharge of the duties of this responsible position. On August 5. 1861, he was commissioned as captain in the Seventeenth Regiment, United States In- fantry, immediately joined his command at Fort Preble, Maine, and was shortly detailed as a re- cruiting officer. lle acted in this capacity for a short time in his native place and afterwards at Ogdens- burg, New York. He became impatient to partici- pate in the actions of the field and endeavored to secure the influence of a friend to obtain an order to that effect. In writing to him upon this subject, his uncle, Senator Grimes, said, "A good soldier obeys orders but seeks none. I cannot agree with many of our public men that this war will be brought to a speedy close. I think we shall have a long and bloody war and that you will see all the fighting that you desire before it is over. Wait patiently, your time will come." In due time Cap- tain Grimes joined his regiment which was a part of the Fifth Corps, Army of the Potomac, and participated with it in some of the most severely contested battles of all the conflict. During the latter part of the war he was much of the time in command of his regiment and led it into what will be known as the "Memorable Battles of the Wilder- ness." At Spottsylvania, Virginia, he received a wound and was carried from the field. After bc- ing ordered to Washington, he refused a leave of absence in order that he might return to his
duty in the field. The surgeon declined to ac- quiesce in this and he was "returned to duty at his own request." While his regiment was prepar- ing to move to Petersburg, he rejoined it at Cold Harbor, Virginia. The Seventeenth suffered heavy losses in the campaigns of 1863-64, especially in the battles of Gettysburg, Wilderness, Laurel Ilill, Spottsylvania, Bethesda Church, Cold Harbor, Weldon Railroad and Chapel House. At the close of the latter engagement, October 1, 1864, the regi- ment could muster only twenty-six men able to bear arms, and in consequence of this depletion of its numbers it was detailed for duty as guard at headquarters and soon after ordered out of the field for the purpose of recruiting. About No- vember 1, 1864. it arrived in New York, and there was employed under command of Colonel Grimes in guarding noted prisoners and performing gar- rison duty until October of the following year. It was subsequently stationed at Hart's Island in New York harbor, engaged in organizing and dril- ling companies until the regiment was ordered to Texas in the summer of 1866. From Galveston Colonel Grimes proceeded by rail to Brenham, and thence marched over a hundred miles across the country to Austin, Texas, arriving about the first of November. In the spring of 1867. Colonel Grimes was appointed judge advocate of a military commission presided over by Major-General Alex- ander McDee Macook. This was convened by order of General P. H. Sheridan, at Austin, Texas, for the purpose of trying criminal cases under the
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