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. III, Part 116

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: 876

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. III > Part 116

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St. Andrews Lodge. No. 56. Free and Accepted Masons; Washington Royal Arch Chapter, No. 3; Davenport Council. No. 5. Royal and Select Masters ; De Witt Clinton Commandery, Knights Templar ; the Ineffable Grand Lodge of Perfection; Grand Council, Princes of Jerusalem, New Hampshire Chapter of Rose Croix, and Edward A. Raymond Consistory, Thirty-second degree, Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret. He is also a member of Damon Lodge, No. 9. Knights of Pythias.

He married ( first ). April 7, 1844, Augusta Man- son, who was born May 15, 1821, and died January 22, 1873. aged seventy-three years, daughter of Theodore and Mary ( Hill) Manson, of Portsmouth ; ( second), November 4, 1874, Anne L. Snow, who was born in Winterport, Maine. March 26, 1845, daughter of Reuben and Louisa ( Lowell) Snow, also of Winterport, Maine. The children by the first wife are: I. Hartley W. 2. Gustavus W. 3. Hol- lis W. 4. Onsville W. 5. Theresa A. Gustavus served in the navy during the Civil war, was injured in the service, and is now in a hospital in Massa- chusetts. Hollis died young. Theresa A. is a trained nurse, and resides in Buffalo, New York.

(V) Hartley Mason, eldest child of Daniel and Augusta (Manson) Mason, was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. December 3, 1844. and educated in the common and high schools of Portsmouth. He was in the drygoods business in Portsmouth, and now resides there. He married Annie Townsend, of Portsmouth, and they have four children : I. Harry, a resident of Rye. 2. Ethel, a trained nurse. 3. Tufton, an attorney in New York City. 4. Rita, married a Newick, of Portsmouth.

THOMPSON There is ample record that sev- eral of this name were among our earliest seventeenth century set- tlers. Sir William Thompson, of England, was the owner of property about Boston. and his coat-of- arms has come down through many generations of James Thompson's descendants, but patient research has failed to establish the exact connection between the English and American houses, Edward Thomp- son came over in the "Mayflower" in 1620: John, his brother, came over from England in 1643: Archi- bald Thompson settled in Marblehead in 1637: Ed- ward Thompson settled in Salem in 1637: Dr. Ben- jamin Thompson settled in Braintree and was town clerk in 1696, and left at his death eight children and twenty-eight grandchildren.

(I) James Thompson was among the original settlers of Woburn, Massachusetts, and settled in that part of the town which is now known as North Woburn. He came in Winthrop's great company, in 1630. and probably first settled in Charlestown. He was born in 1593. in England, and was accom- panied on his journey by his wife Elizabeth and three sons and one daughter. He was then thirty-seven years of age, and tradition has it that he was one of the party who landed at Salem. Massachusetts. in the early part of June, 1630. His coat-of-arms is identified with that of Sir William Thompson, a London knight, and it is probable that he came from the family. With his wife Elizabeth, James Thomp- son was admitted to membership in the First Church of Charlestown, August 31, 1633. In the following December he was admitted as a freeman of the town. In December. 1610, he was one of the thirty-two men who subscribed to the noted town orders for Woburn. He was among the few adventurers who early pushed their way into this wilderness region. Charlestown Village was incorporated in 1642, under the name of Woburn, and it is believed that this

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was in memory of the ancient town of that name in Bedfordshire, England, whence some of the emi- grants probably came. James Thompson was chosen a member of the first board of selectmen. and con- tinted to serve the town in that office nearly twenty years with brief intervals. In 1650 he was the com- missioner to carry the votes for town officers to Cam- bridge. The exact location of his residence cannot be positively stated, but it is probable that it was near the junction of Elm street and Traverse. It appears by the records that he was an extensive land owner for that time. It is probable that he disposed of most of his property before his death, as his will makes no reference to real estate. His first wife Elizabeth died November 13, 1643. and he was married ( second) February 15, 1644, to Susanna Blodgett, widow of Thomas Blodgett, of Cambridge. She died February 10, 1661. He survived his second wife about twenty-one years, and died in Woburn, 1682. His children were: James, Simon, Olive, Jonathon, and possibly another daughter. (Extended mention of Jonathan and descendants forms part of this article.)

(II) Simon, second son and child of James and Elizabeth Thompson, was a native of England, but there is no record of his birth. With his father he came to Charlestown and subsequently to Woburn, and became a freeman of that town in 1648. After a residence there of several years he became a pur- chaser with others from that town and Concord, of the territory which is now the town of Chelmsford. He was one of the seven inen who held a ineeting in that town to arrange for some form of local government. It is the tradition that he became the first town clerk. They made prompt arrangements for the settlement of a minister. Within three years after the completion of the organization of the town he died, in May, 1658. He was married December 19, 1643, in Woburn, to Mary Converse. She was a daughter of Edward Converse, one of the foremost men of that town. His widow was married February I, 1659, to John Sheldon of Billerica. Simon's chil- dren were: John, Sarah, James, Mary, Ann and Rebecca.

(III) Jamies (2), second son and third child of Simon and Mary (Converse) Thompson, was born March 20, 1649, in Woburn, and was the only son of his father who lived to reach manhood. After his father's death he lived to the age of twenty years with his uncle, Samuel Converse, in the south part of Woburn (now Winchester), and assisted in the care of the mill, built by his grandfather, Edward Converse. James Thompson was married (first) January 27, 1674, to Hannah Walker, who died February 4, 1686. He was married (second) April 13, 1687, to Abigail Gardner of Charlestown, who survived him and married Deacon Edward John- son. James Thompson died September 14, 1693. He made no will. 1lis property was assigned by the court in 1700. to his widow and five sons and the only daughter then living. The children of the first wife were: Hannah, Joshua, James and Eben- ezer, and of the second wife, Richard, Abigail and Simon.

(IV) Joshua, eldest son and second child of Lieutenant James and Hannah (Walker) Thomp- son, was born September 15, 1677, in Woburn, and settled in that part of the town which became Wil- mington in 1730. He was admitted a member of the church in that place in 1742. He with others of the name was somewhat prominent in the affairs of the town. On March 2, 1731, he was elected "Clerk of the Market," an officer whose business seems to have been to aid in regulating the prices of labor

and goods. He died July 10, 1760. He was married May 6, 1702, to Martha Dayle, who died June 3, 1749. Their children were: Joshua, Hannah, Martha, Rob- ert. James, Ebenezer, Esther, Abigail. Phœbe, Jacob and Hezekiah.

(V) Robert, second son and fourth child of Joshua and Martha ( Dayle) Thompson, was born in what is now Wilmington, probably about 1708. Early in life he settled in Windham, New Hampshire, where his descendants were long numerous and active efficient citizens. Two of his sons were sol- diers in the French and Indian war, and three or four of them were soldiers of the Revolution. He died October 31, 1756. No record of his marriage or of his wife's name appears, but it is evident that he had children : Robert. Andrew, Samuel, James, Jonathan and William, and it is strongly probable that there was another son who figures in this ar- ticle, named Benjamin. While it is known that Ben- jamin was the 'son of Robert, it has been impos- sible to definitely locate that Robert so that there may be no dispute as to the connection. (Mention of James and Jonathan and descendants appears in this article.)

(V1) Robert (2), eldest child of Robert (1) Thompson, resided in Londonderry, New Hampshire, and was a member of the board of selectmen of that town in 1782. He was a soldier of the Revolution, and was an elder of the Presbyterian Church, which proves him to have been a man of standing and character in the town. The maiden name of his wife Margaret is not discovered, but she is described as "a genteel woman." They were the parents of nine children, namely: Robert, Jenny, John, Smith, Thomas, James, William, Betsy, and Peggy. The sons seem to have been of an adventurous spirit, and all except James made trips to South Caro- lina. The eldest died in his thirty-first year on the passage home from California in 1794.

(VII) Thomas fourth son and fifth child of Robert (2) and Margaret Thompson, was born November 13, 1772, in Londonderry, and died in 1863, in Durham. where he spent most of his life. He learned the trade of a tailor in his early life, and and after completing his apprenticeship followed this occupation until 1816, after which he devoted his time to agricultural pursuits. He was a deacon in the Christian Baptist Church and frequently preached. He was known far and wide in the southern part of New Hampshire for his eccentricities in dress and manner. He married Betsy Thomas, who died in 1879, having been the mother of six children, namely: Alfred S., Nathaniel E., Clark D., William H. J., George W. and Jacob B.

(VIII) Jacob, youngest child of Thomas and Betsey (Thomas) Thompson, was born in the town of Durham, New Hampshire, April IS, 1818, where he resided over sixty years. He was a farmer by occupation, thrifty and prosperous, and active in town affairs, having served three terms as select- man and represented Durham in the general assem- blv of the state. He married Ann Carr Stilson, a daughter of William and Nancy (Chapman) Stil- son. of Durham, 1839, and by whom he had three children : He died at Concord, New Hampshire, March 18. 1886. Children: True William, of whom particular mention is made in succeeding paragraph ; John Webster, born August 1, 1847, died July 1I, 1819: Sarah R., born November 13, 1851, married first Charles C. Edgerly, and married second, Frank O. Brown; one child, Annina C. Edgerly, born 1875, died 1806.

(IX) True William, eldest son and child of Ja- cob and Ann Carr (Stilson) Thompson, was born

Lime Wire Thompson.

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in Durham, New Hampshire, August 15, 1841, and spent his young life on his father's farm. Ile was educated in the common schools and Cartland Acad- emy at Lec, New Hampshire, graduating from that institution in 1862. He taught school six or seven years, and in 1872 took up the study of law in the office of Charles H, Smith, of Newmarket, but did not present himself as a candidate for admission to the bar. Instead he turned his attention to news- paper work, and for the next thirty years was one of the most active journalists in the state. During a part of this period as well as at present he was connected with the Associated Press. The duties of his position necessitating considerable travel at times, which diversion was entirely acceptable to him. helping to restore his physical health, which had become seriously impaired in former years by study and overwork, compelling him to abandon the profession of law for more active pursuits.

In May, 1882, Judge Thompson went to Laconia to become city editor of the Belknap Daily Tocsin. which was the first daily paper established in La- conia and then was under the ownership of Hackett Brothers. In the course of abont a year the office was destroyed by fire, but in later years the judge was in some active way connected with every news- paper published in the city and also acted as local correspondent for the Boston Globe and the Man- chester Union. More recently, however, newspaper work has been made only an occasional diversion, and his attention is devoted principally to the duties of the public offices he has been elected to fill. On May 11, 1897, he was appointed by Governor Rams- dell associate justice of the Laconia police court, which office he still holds, and at the biennial elec- tion in 1808 was elected register of probate for Belknap county. and has been re-elected at the end of each succeeding term. In politics he is a Repub- lican of undoubted quality, and for several years after the incorporation of the city was president of the Republican Club of ward four of Laconia.

In speaking of Judge Thompson's qualities as a newspaper man, public officer and citizen a recent writer said: "During all the years of his extensive literary work he has served the public with consci- entious fidelity. No journalist ever had great re- spect for private right than he. He never rudely trespassed upon purely personal matters to gratify a depraved appetite for scandal or sensation. al- ways working along a line of legitimate journalism, incurring the respect and confidence of the people. Nothing was ever contributed by his pen to poison and inflame the public mind; on the contrary his newspaper work has ever been clean and praise- worthy. Judge Thompson is a liberal, fair-minded. companionable, and unselfish. His purpose as a man and judge is to do right. While his judgments are all tempered with mercy, no real offender can hope to escape."

Judge Thompson has been married twice. His first wife, with whom he married June 1, 1864, was Clara F. Jenkins, born July 18. 1847, and died April 9. 1872, daughter of John Jenkins of Lec. New Hampshire. Two children were born of this mar- riage: Pliny E. Thompson, born July 3. 1865, died. Providence, Rhode Island. April 16, 1902, married Myrtle Langley, of Durham, New Hampshire: and Clara F. Thompson, born April 11. 1867, married Frank E. Gaylord, of Boston. His second wife. whom he married June 17. 1875, was Laura E. Lord, of Lebanon. Maine, and by whom he has one daugh- ter, Bessie C. Thompson, born July 25. 1878: mar- ried (first), Ernest Carpenter, and (second), Heman Goodwin. both of Rochester, New Hampshire.

( VI) James 12%, fourth son and child of Rob- ert Thompson, 'was born about 1736, in Windham. New Hampshire and resided in that town, where he died December 8. 1776, in his fortieth year. His wife's name was Elizabeth and their children were: Jonathan, John. Nannie and Elizabeth.

(\']]) John, second son and child of James (2) and Elizabeth Thompson, was born March 7, 1768. in Windham, and resided for a time in Chester. New Hampshire. His father died near the close of his eighth year, and it was probable that he was sulse- quently bound out to some farmer. The family tradition states that he was a resident of Chester about the year 1,80, when that region was in a state of turmoil on account of the war then being waged between the mother country and her American colonies, and more especially on account of the I- dian depredation- being constantly committed in that unprotected region of the independent jurisdiction of Vermont. Of the family life of John Thompson, little is now known by his descendants except that he settled in Chester and lived with his wife and children in a log cabin.

(VIII) Arvin, son of John Thompson, of Chester. was born in that town June 17, 1813, and married Elizabeth Leland, who was born in May, 1810. and a descendant of an old family of New England, and whose name is still well known throughout the east- ern states. Soon after marriage Arvin Thompson took his young wife to Grafton, Massachusetts, and there dwelt in prosperity and contentment for many years. Full sixty-two years of married life was their lot, and they died, Alvin, on December 25, 1896, and Eliz- abeth, on December 18. 1807. Their children were : Sarah E., Susan A., John A., Caroline A., Albert I .. Gregory S., and Charles W., whose sketch follows.

(IX) Charles William, son of Arvin and Eliza- beth ( Leland) Thompson, was born in the city of Worcester, Massachusetts, January 20, 1850, and went to school until he was about eighteen years old. He early acquired a taste for music, and de- voted his energies to its cultivation until he became a thoroughly proficient instructor, a quality which served a good purpose in later years. While living in Worcester he secured a situation with a whole- sale drug house and continued in that employment nine years, and then went to Washington, D. C .. in the capacity of instructor of music. On March 26, 1801, he received an appointment as statistician in the service of the government, and in connection with the duties of that position visited and travelled in every state in the federal Union except three. and of his own accord and pleasure also made ex- tensive travels in Mexico In 1004 Mr. Thompson retired from the arduous duties of his position to en- joy the comforts of home and the associations of family life, which were impossible while traveling about the country; but even in comparative retire- ment his time has been well spent, for in Hillshor- ough he is proprietor of a photographic studio, in active business, and also devotes considerable atten- tion to lecturing with the aid of stereopticon views. In this special field he enjoys celebrity in Hills- borough and the adjoining counties.

On February 23. 1801. Charles. William Thomp- son married Emma Frances Chase of Hillsborough. New Hampshire. She was born July 7. 1859, daughter of Dr. Israel P. and Frances S. ( Vose) Chase (see Chase 1\'), and by whom he has one child. Elizabeth, born November 4. 1895.

(VD) Jonathan Thompson, fifth son of Robert Thompson, married Elizabeth, daughter of Aex- ander Richey and resided in that part of Windham. New Hampshire called "The Range." His children

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were five in number: Hannah, William Richey, Elizabeth, Mary and James.

(VII) James Thompson fifth child and third son of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Richey) Thompson was born June 8. 1790 in Windham and died in Mer- rimack, December 25, 1852. He went to Litchfield when young, and about 1822 went to Merrimack, where he passed the rest of his life, engaged in farming, lumbering and boating on the Merrimack. He was a Democrat and member of the Congrega- tional Church.

He married, 1822, Priscilla Woods of Merrimack, died August, 1800. Their children were Sophia R., James. Nancy J .. Peter Woods. Luther Wood-, Clar- issa Kendall. Emmeline L., Lucinda A., Henry H., Jonathan J. and Elizabeth P.

(VIII) James Thompson, secord child and eld- est son of James and Priscilla ( Woods ) Thompson, was born in Merrimack, October 22, 1826. He at- tended school till fourteen years of age. As a boy he worked at wage earning in the brick yards of his native town. At the age of nincteen, following the death of his father, he went to Bow and entered the business of lumbering at which he continued for almost sixty years, being the greater part of the time as at his death one of the largest operators in south- ern New Hampshire. In those days there were no portable steam mills and his first method was raft- ing down the Merrimack to the Lowell market. La- ter the "drive" was substituted for the raft, and then the portable mill. For many years previous to his death he averaged four or five of these in operation at once, but he never owned a mill himself.

After his marriage he established a home upon a farm in Bow near the "Bog" where he lived until 1871, when he purchased the old Head tavern farm in Hookset, which was his home for the remainder of his life. This farm is one of the longest and best in the town, but farming with him was always in- cidental to his lumbering operations. It was always his policy when possible, to buy the land with the growth rather than the growth itself, as has been done by so many of his competitiors. And he seldom sold the land after the timber was removed.

Thus at the time of his death he was the owner of about 8,000 acres of woodland with growth in all its stages. At various times in his business career he had associated with him in the lumber business Nathan Parker, of Merrimack, David and John M. Parker, of Goffstown, Jesse Gault, of Hooksett, John H. Sullivan, of Suncook, and Gilman Clough, of Manchester.

In the year before the railroads began the use of coal for the engines, cordwood was a principal feature of his business, and he furnished thousands of cords yearly to the railroads and brick yards. Ile rendered much service as an expert judge, of the value of woodland, being the referee on hundreds of fire claims as to which the parties failed to agree or in other controversies. His services were also in demand as an appraiser of wooden properties, and he was one of the principal witnesses as to the valtie of the section through which the Manchester and Milford railroad was projected when the contest was over the charter.

When a boy in Merrimack he became fascinated with the business of catching pigeons, then plentiful in this section. He followed the business more ex- tensively after removing to Bow and then for about fifteen years beginning in the sixties he caught pigeons for about three months in each year, being one of the largest shippers in the markets in all the large cities. Ile followed the birds steadily to the far west, until they became extinct. buying most

largely from the catchers of whom there were often five hundred in a party.

While a resident of Bow he served the town four terms as representative and two years as selectman. Ife was again elected to the latter office but declined to serve, as he felt he could not spare from his business the time and attention the duties required, and never afterwards could he be persuaded to be- come a candidate for office, though constantly in- terested in public affairs. The only position in a corporation that he ever consented to accept was in the directorate of the old Manchester and North Weare railroad. now the New Boston branch.

While living in Bow. Mr. Thompson became a member of the Methodist Church but upon his re- moval he transferred his membership to the Congre- gational Church. The only secret organization he ever joined was Hooksett Grange. Patrons of Hus- bandry.

Mr. Thompson died of ulcer of the stomach which became acute about six weeks before his death, but his remarkably strong constitution and energy en- abled him to keep about with undiminished activity until two days before his death, although he was past seventy-eight years old.

He was a man of untiring activity and tremen- clous energy. He possessed splendid judgment and the ability to decide quickly. These qualities made him very successful in business, and enabled him to leave a large and valuable estate. He was a practi- cal Christian and his many unheralded acts of kindness will be long remembered by his employes and poorer neighbors.

He married November 11, 1852, Susannah Maria Colby, daughter of Reuben Colby, of Bow, who died in Hooksett, 1897.

Though they had no children the home of Mr. and Mrs. Thompson was a favorite resort, and often a temporary home of the children of his relations, who enjoyed the beautiful surroundings of this spot. For several years there resided with him his nephew, James Thompson, his principal heir, and his niece, Lizzie Thompson. until her marriage to Fred W. Morse of Suncook.

(VIII) Henry H. Thompson, ninth child and fourth son of James and Priscilla ( Woods) Thomp- son, born in Merrimack, February 1, 1841, and died in Hooksett, September IS, 1883, was educated in the public schools of his native town, and grew up to he a farmer. To this occupation he later added lumbering. He removed to Hooksett in 1871 and was vver afterwards a resident there. He was a member of the Congregational Church and voted the Republi- can ticket. He was a believer in the beneficiaries of secret societies, and was a member of Jewell Lodge. Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. of Hooksett. He lived a consistent Christian life and had many warm friends among his neighbors.

He married April 26, 1866. Betsey Ann Colby, of Bow, daughter of Amos Colby, died February 18, 1892 in Hooksett. They had three children, Eliza- beth E., wife of Fred D. Morse, Anna L. deceased. and James.

(IX) James Thompson, third child and only son of Henry HI. and Betsey Ann (Colby ) Thompson was born in Hooksett July 20, 1874. He was educated in the public schools of Hooksett and Manchester Business College.

He and his sister Elizabeth were favorites of their uncle James Thompson, at whose home they lived for years before his death, and there James Thompson low resides, for at his death James Thompson, first, left his nephew among other things the farm which

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had long been his homestead. Ile carries on the bus- iness of farming and is also engaged in the lumber- ing business.

He attends the Congregational Church, votes a Republican ticket and is deeply interested in ques- tions of public welfare, but has no taste for active politics or desire for office. Being a thorough busi- ness man with large interests to look after. he leaves political matters to others. He is one of the largest land holders in southern New Hampshire and a representative man. He is a member of Jewell Lodge, No. 94, Free and Accepted Masons ; has taken the Scottish Rite degrees, and is a member of the Mystic Shrine; of the Amoskeag Veterans, and of Hooksett Grange, No. 48, Patrons of Husbandry.

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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. III, Part 116

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: 876

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: 876