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 18

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 18

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(V) William, youngest son and child or Thomas and Elizabeth ( Hoyt) Henderson, was born Feb- ruary 21, 1813. He was also a college graduate, and was associated with his brother in the conduct of the Female Seminary, in which he held a pro- fessorship. He died unmarried September 4, 1839. (V1) James William, eldest son and fourth child of William and Maria ( Diman) Henderson, was born in Rochester, February 18, 1840. He was edu- cated in the public schools and academy of his native town, Dover public schools, and Franklin Academy. He read law in the office of George W. Stevens, of Dover. Jle taught for several terms in the schools of Rochester and Farmington, and in the office of the Dover Inquirer learned the trade of printer, and worked at the same for several years in the Massachusetts state printing office and on the columns of the Boston Journal. He returned to Dover and was connected with the Morning Star and other papers of the town. During the years 1871-72-73-74-75 he was a member of the Dover board of education. During these years he had thoroughly prepared for the profession of law, and

in 1877 removed to Florida, where he commenced the practice of law and became a distinguished and influential member of the bar of that state. He was admitted to the Florida supreme court bar, June 20, 1889, to the United States district court, and De- cember 17. 1804. to the supreme court of the United States. His first admission to the circuit court was March 14, 1882. His office in St. Augustine, Florida, is in a brick block bearing his name, where he con- duets a successful and profitable general practice. He served the state as acting states attorney. Mr. Henderson has large realty interests in Florida, Chicago, Illinois, and in Dover, and resides in these localities alternately attending to his varied interests. He is an ardent Democrat. He is a Free Mason of Apollo Lodge, Chicago, and an Odd Fellow of Wecohanet Lodge, Dover.

James W. Henderson married, May 18, 1878, Ellen Compton, born at Lockport, New York, daughter of Jacob Compton, of Chicago. Two sons have been born to them. William H., born in Dover, May 27, 1879, died in St. Augustine, March 14, 1880. J. Compton, born at the Clifton House, Niagara Falls, Canada, July 8, 1880. He was grad- uated in the St. Augustine, Chicago and Dover public schools, and Phillips Exeter Academy. Ile graduated from the South Division high school. Chicago, and from Southwestern University, Jack. son, Tennessee, with the degree of LL. B. He was prominent in the debating and literary clubs, and while at Jackson, Tennessee, was president of the Law Club of the college. On reaching his majority he was admitted to the state courts of Tennessee, and later to those of Florida. He is the junior part- ner with his father in the law firm of Henderson & Henderson, St. Augustine, Florida. He is a lover of athletics, and all through his preparatory and college life was a valuable member of the various athletic teams.

(V1) John Henry, youngest and only surviving son and child of Thomas and Olive ( Bickford) Henderson, was born April 2, 1849. He devotes all his time and attention to the affairs connected with his business, and has large holdings of real estate in Dover. He takes no active part in political mat- ters, except in so far that he attends the elections and votes for whom he considers the best men. He married, April 24, 1871, Maria Roberts, born May 30, 1854, daughter of Aaron and Ann Eliza ( Arnold ) Roberts. Mr. Roberts was a lineal descendant of the Thomas Roberts, previously men- tioned, who settled in Dover in 1623. Ann Eliza (Arnold) Roberts came from Rhode Island, and was descended from one of the prominent families in that state. Lfer mother was the daughter of Thomas Williams, a great-great-grandson of Roger Williams, the founder of Providence, Rhode Island. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Henderson were: Harry Preston, see forward. Maud Olive, born Decem- ber 25, 1876, died March 6, 1894. She was a most amiable young woman, intelligent and intellectual, beautiful in person. and charming in manner.

(VII) Harry Preston, only son and only surviv-

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ing child of John Henry and Maria (Roberts) Henderson, was born October 30, 1872. He is en- gaged with his father in the brick manufacturing business, and also has an office for the transaction of insurance business in the city of Dover. He is a graduate of the Dover high school, and takes a lively interest in educational matters. He is a mem- ber of Moses Paul Lodge, No. 96, Free and Ac- cepted Masons, and has served as its secretary four years; is a member of Belknap Chapter, Royal Arch Mason ; Orphan Council, Royal and Select Masters; St. Paul Commandery; the Knights Templar, in which body he is at present captain general. He married June 10, 1895, Alberta Parker, born October 7, 1870, daughter of Dr. Henry Rust and Ella (Thompson) Parker, of Dover. Dr. Parker is one of the eminent physicians of Dover, and has been mayor of the city. He is a descendant of William Parker, of Portsmouth, who was one of the early settlers in that town, and has had many distin- guished descendants. Mrs. Parker is the daughter of Moses Thompson, of Wolfboro, and had illus- trious ancestors, among them being the historian, Major Richard Walderne. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Henderson are: Maud Olive, born September 23, 1896; Ella Parker, born July 8, 1900.

COPP This name appears very early in New England, and was prominent in the first settlement and development of Boston. The connection, if any, between these pioneers and the Haverhill family has not been discovered. The name appears in Haverhill, Massachusetts, before the close of the seventeenth century and has numer- ous representatives in that region.

(I) Aaron Copp was in Haverhill as early as 1698, and was married there December 30 of that year to Mary Heatlı. She was born May 8, 1672. a daughter of Josiah and Mary (Davis) Heath, and granddaughter of Bartholomew Heath, one of the original proprietors of Newbury and Haverhill.

(II) Moses, son of Aaron and Mary (Heath) Copp, married. in Haverhill, July 17, 1732, Mehitabel Griffin, widow of Peter Griffin, and daughter of Stephen and Elizabeth (Dustin) Emerson. Soon after his marriage he removed to what is now Hampstead, and his wife was admitted to the Hamp- stead church by letter from the Haverhill church, June 3. 1752.

(III) Joshua, son of Moses and Mehitabel (Emerson) (Griffin) Copp, was married Septem- ber 19, 1758, by Rev. Henry True. to Sarah Poor. of Rowley, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Searl) Poor. Joshua Copp and wife owned the Covenant at the Hampstead church, November 28, 1761. Their children were: Molly, Elizabeth, Moses, Eliphalet, Sarah. Joshua, Susanna, Mehita- bel, George Washington, Benjamin Little and Na- thaniel Peabody.

(IV) George Washington, fourth son and ninth child of Joshua and Sarah ( Poor) Copp, was born August 26, 1776, in Hampstead, and settled in

Warren, New Hampshire, where several others of his family also located. He died there December 9, 1822. He cleared up a farm in the wilderness and engaged in its cultivation throughout his life. He married Mary Abrams, born February 2. 1775, in Amesbury, Massachusetts, and died October 6,. 1860, in Warren, New Hampshire, having lived a widow almost thirty-eight years. Their children were: Joseph M., William (died young), Louisa, Nancy, George W. and Benjamin S.

(V) Joseph M., eldest child of George W. and Mary (Abrams ) Copp, was born October 15. 1801, in Warren, New Hampshire, and settled in the town of Nashua, where he lived retired and died No- vember 21, 1887. He married, in Warren, October 30, 1828, Hannah H. Brown, born 1808, and died in 1851. She was the mother of six children, five sons and one daughter. Mr. Copp married (second), in 1887, Martha S. Russell, of Greenfield, New Hamp- shire. She became the mother of one child, Frank F., who died aged about sixteen years.

(VI) Colonel Elbridge J. Copp, youngest son of Joseph M. and Hannah H. (Brown) Copp, was born in Warren, July 22, 1844. His education was obtained in the common and high schools of Nashua. In ISGI, when a little above sixteen years of age, he enlisted as a private in Company F. Third Regiment, New Hampshire Volunteers. The following year he was appointed sergeant major of the regi- ment, and a short time after was promoted to sec- ond lieutenant. In 1863 meritorious conduct brought him a commission as adjutant of the regi- ment. At that time he was eighteen years of age, and the youngest commissioned officer in the service who had risen from the ranks. For a time he served as assistant adjutant-general on the staff of Col- onel and Acting Brigadier General Louis Bell, who was killed at Fort Fisher. and held his commission until he was mustered out, on account of disability from wounds. in October, 1864. During his term of enlistment he participated in many important en- gagements. While in the service he acted upon the theory that to fight is the province of a soldier, and was present at every battle in which his regiment took a part, unless so seriously disabled as to be prevented from doing so. He was wounded in the shoulder at Drury's Bluff, in front of Richmond, and for a time was compelled to remain away from the firing line, but before his wound was fairly healed he was again in the saddle and was in his place when the advance upon Richmond was made. In that frightful and fruitless charge, General Haw- ley's brigade entered the fortifications of the enemy, and there the young adjutant was shot through the body and was rescued during the battle by General Hawley, who upon finding him sent an aid to bring him across the line. One hundred or more of the Third were wounded in this battle, and nearly all were captured. Adjutant Copp thus escaped what would have been almost sure death in a rebel prison, had he lived to reach one. He was taken to Chesa- peake Hospital. Fortress Monroe, where he was skillfully treated, and in October of 1864 was able to be removed to his home. He has never recovered

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from his injuries, and often suffers from them for long periods.

After regaining his strength to some extent, Colonel Copp traveled for some time for a Chicago and Indianapolis book-publishing house. Later he settled in business in Nashua, with his brother, Charles D. Copp, late captain in the Ninth New Hampshire Volunteers. Colonel Copp was ap- pointed register of probate for Hillsborough county in 1878, and from that time till the present ( 1907) has had no opposition for re-nomination and has been biennially re-elected to that position for a per- iod of twenty-eight years. His interest in military affairs has never abated, and to his efforts and in- fluence many noteworthy steps in the military mat- ters of New Hampshire should be credited. In 1878. after the military spirit which had waned for some years following the war was revived, Mr. Copp was commissioned captain of the Nashua Guards, which through his tireless efforts in drill- ing and disciplining attained a standing above that of any other militia organization in the state. In 1870 he was commissioned major of the Second Regiment, New Hampshire National Guard, and soon after was promoted to lieutenant-colonel. In 1884 Colonel D. M. White was made brigade com- mander. and Lieutenant-Colonel Copp was advanced to the colonelcy of the regiment. In 1889, upon the expiration of his commission, Colonel Copp was urged to accept a new commission, but this he de- clined to do, as he did not regard such action as just to deserving officers who had earned promo- tion. The colonel's regard for the welfare of the military of the state did not expire with his com- mission, but directing all his energies to local im- provement and advancement, he organized a stock company with a capital of $30,000 for the con- struction of an armory in Nashua. In this he was completely successful. The money was raised, the plans drawn, and the building erected under the colonel's supervision ; it is one of the sights of the city and a source of much local pride. Colonel Copp is a member of John G. Foster Post, No. 7, Grand Army of the Republic; of the Massachusetts Commandery of the Loyal Legion; of Pennichuck Lodge, No. 44, Independent Order of Odd Fellows ; and of Ancient York Lodge. Ancient Free and Ac- cepted Masons. In political faith he adheres to the principles advocated by Abraham Lincoln, and was chairman of Nashua Republican City Committee for eight years. Colonel Copp is one of the best known and most respected citizens of Nashua. He is a true-hearted friend, a generous comrade, and a good neighbor. His long and honorable record as a gen- tleman and as an official is a monument to his mem- ory. He married, June 9, 1869, S. Eliza White, born December, 1843. daughter of James and Rebecca (McConnihe) White, of Nashua. She died Decem- ber, 1893, leaving two daughters: Charlotte Louise, wife of Frederick B. Pearson. of Malden, Massa- chusetts ; and Edith Alice, married Dr. Harrison P. Baldwin, of Manchester. One child, Robert Copp, has been born to Mrs. Pearson.

(II) Jonathan, who was perhaps a son of Aaron Copp, above mentioned, was a resident of Ames- bury, Massachusetts, where he married Elizabeth Dow. She was probably a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Colby) Dow, and was born October 12, 1702, in Amesbury, a great-granddaughter of Thomas Dow, the ancestor of a numerous family of that name.

(III) Solomon, son of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Dow) Copp, was born March 3. 1720, in Ames- bury, Massachusetts, and resided in that town until 1,52. Five of his children were baptized in that town. He removed from Amesbury to Canterbury, New Hampshire, and subsequently removed to San- bornton, becoming one of the early settlers of that town, and building his house on the Bay shore. He died there May 8, 1796. He was survived for more than twenty-four years by his wife, who passed away October 21. 1822, at the age of ninety-nine years, nine months and twenty-eight days. He was married in Amesbury to Elizabeth Davis, born there August 29, 1723, a daughter of Jonathan and Martha (Dow) Davis. Their children were: Elizabeth, Jerusha, Irene, Eleanor, Ruhama, Thomas, Lois. Mary, Solomon. Hannah and Judith.

(IV) Thomas, sixth child and eldest son of Solomon and Elizabeth (Davis) Copp, was born in 1754, died July 3, 1824. He was a soldier during the war of the Revolution, and the following inci- dent is declared to be authentic: While serving at the head of the guard he stopped the coach of Gen- eral Washington because the countersign was not forthcoming, and for this action was "warmly com- mended at headquarters." He married. March 6, 1783. Alice Kimball, of Meredith. who died October 7. 1854, and their children were: Alice Elsie, David, Solomon, Elizabeth, Thomas, see forward: John, Charles, died in childhood; Mary, Jacob, Amos. Abigail, David, Charles (second), Peter and Luther.

(V) Thomas, fifth child and third son of Thomas (2) aud Alice (Kimball) Copp, was born July 20, 1700. His earlier years were spent in New Hampton, New Hampshire, and he later removed to Gilford, in the same state, where he died May 13. 1874. He was a cooper by trade and a man of in- fluence in the community. In politics he was a Democrat, and in religious affiliations a member of the Congregational Church. He married, March 5, 1815, Dorothy Rowen, daughter of Jolin and Sarah (Hancock) Rowen, and they had children: Hazen. see forward; Jason, who followed the sea in the merchant service for a period of twelve years, and was a soldier in the Mexican war: Polly: Abigail ; Sarah ; Edmund, was a soldier during the Civil war in the Twelfth New Hampshire Regiment, and died while in service; Orrin P. and Clarinda.

(VI) Hazen. eldest child of Thomas (3) and Dorothy (Rowen) Copp, was born in Sanbornton, Belknap county, New Hampshire. August 6, IS16, died January 8, 1901. He went to New Hampton when a young lad, and when he attained his ma- jority removed to Bristol, where he engaged in the

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lumber business and remained six years. He re- moved to Gilford, New Hampshire, in 1849, con- tinning in the same line of business until 1876, when he removed to Tilton, where he became the proprie- tor of the grist mill and the woolen factory on the Northfield side opposite. He built a new factory below his grist mill in 1877. He was a very suc- cessful man of business, accumulated a considerable amount of property, and was influential in the com- munity in many directions, holding a number of public offices. He was at one time a representative in the legislature. In politics he was a Republican, and in his religious affiliations a member of the Methodist Church. He was a Thirty-second degree Mason, a member of the grand lodge, and was the treasurer of his council chapter for twenty-two suc- cessive years. He was also a member of the Order of Odd Fellows. He married, January 17, 1834. Betsy Glover, of Compton, province of Quebec. where she was born July 14. 1818. still survives and resides in Tilton. New Hampshire. Their children were: I. Gust Anlando, see forward. 2. Abbie Ann, born in Bristol, December 22, 1845, married (first) Freeman F. Elkins, of Gilford; married (second) Thomas Mark Hill, of Laconia. 3. Lizzie Etta, born in Gilford, June 19, 1852, married William Philip Blaisdell. of Gilford.

(VII) Gust Aulando, eldest child and only son of Hazen and Betsy (Glover) Copp, was born in Bristol, New Hampshire, July 12, 1839. He was educated in the public schools of his native town and in the New Hampton Academy, and was well equipped for his business career. He succeeded to the lumber business of his father, and was also a contractor and builder. During the winter he operated a saw mill, doing custom work. and had six men constantly in his employ for this purpose. Mr. Copp was a man of enterprise, progress and executive ability. He built forty-eight cottages at Lake Shore Park, Gilford. and owned a farm of ninety acres, part of which is heavily timbered. He enlisted in Company F, First New Hampshire Regi- ment, Heavy Artillery during the Civil war, and was in active service until the close of the war. He was in Company G, in the above mentioned regi- ment, in 1864, and engaged in the defence of Wash- ington, District of Columbia. He was a Republican. and took an active and beneficial interest in the political affairs of his township, having served in the legislature in 1895, been surveyor of highways. and overseer of the poor. He was a member of Mount Lebanon Lodge. No. 32, Free and Accepted Masons, of Laconia. He married, March 31. 1861. Sara Jennie Thurston, born in Gilford, February 20. 1844, daughter of Benjamin G. and Sallie M. ( Goss) Thurston: no children.

Benjamin P. Thurston, father of Mrs. Gust. A. Copp. was the only child born to Miles L. and Sarah ( Perkins) Thurston, and was born in Gil- ford on the homestead farin, July 16. 1801. Ile ac- quired a fair education in the common schools of that time, and his entire life. was spent in agricul- tural pursuits. He died April 24, 1863. 1le mar-

ried. in Gilford, Sallie M. Goss, daughter of John and Abigail Goss, who was born in Gilford, New Hampshire. August 8, 1809, and died December 6, 1898. Their children are: Roxanna S., born Sep- tember 9. 1836, widow of Francis P. Rand, and has two sons, Oscar V. and Fred A. 2. Mrs. Copp, widow of Gust. A. Copp; no family.

Originally spelled Rosseter, this ROSSITER name is of undoubted Saxon or Norman origin, and probably was carried into England with the conquering army of William the Norman. It is still a conspicuous one in England, as well as in the United States, and has borne its part in developing this country in the various branches of progress.

(I) Sir Edward Rossiter, the founder of the family in the United States, came from a good, sub- stantial family of the English gentry, and owned quite an estate in the county of Somerset, England. He was commissioned in London in 1629 as one of the assistants to Governor Winthrop. and embarked for the colonies from Plymouth. England, March 20, 1630, in the ship "Mary and John." commanded by Captain Synet, with one hundred and forty per- sons aboard. Their original destination was the Charles river, but the captain decided to land them at Dorchester Neck, at the end of a two months' voyage. In the histories of the colonies Edward Rossiter is spoken of as a "godly man of good re- pute." who left England for the sake of religion. He lived to fill his position but a few months after his arrival in this country. He died October 23. 1030. There is no mention of Sir Edward's wife, and it is supposed that she had previously died.

(H) Dr. Brayard Rossiter, son of Sir Edward, was the only member of his family who came with him. He was accompanied by his wife. Elizabeth ( Alsop) Rossiter, whom he married in England. Dr. Rossiter is spoken of in history as a finely edu- cated man from the best schools in England. He was one of the principal men who commenced the settlement of Windsor, Connecticut, in 1636, where he was a magistrate for eighteen years and where he became widely known as a physician. In 1652 he moved to Guilford, Connecticut. On March II, 1662, he performed the first post-mortem in the Connecticut colony, and history has it that it was the first autopsy of which there is any record in New England, and antedating by a dozen years the one in Boston, in 1674, an account of which is given by Dr. Greene in his "History of Medicine." Dr. Ro-siter died in Guilford, September 30. 1672. He had six children. but the only son who had descend- ants was Josiah.

( I]]) Josiah was born in Windsor, Connecti- cut. and went with his father to Guilford. In 1676 he married Sarah Sherman, daughter of Hon. Sam- uel Sherman, of Stamford and Woodbury, Con- necticut, from whose grandfather descended Roger Sherman of Declaration fame, General William Tecumseh and Senator John Sherman. Josiah Rossiter became a man of prominence in the col-

Guns a Copp.

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onies. He was judge of the New Haven colony courts and one of the assistants to the governor for ten years. Ile was the first naval officer of the port of Guilford. He died in Guilford, January 31. 1716. Josiah and Sarah ( Sherman) Rossiter had seven- teen children, who married and inter-married with the old Guilford and New Haven families.

(IV) Theophilus, son of Josiah and Sarah (Sherman) Rossiter, was born in Guilford, Febru- ary 12, 1696. He married Abigail Pierson, of Bridgehampton. Long Island. She was the niece of the first president of Yale College. Theophilus Rossiter was one of the founders of the first church at North Guilford, and was deacon at the time of his death, which occurred April 9. 1770; no further record appears concerning him. There were twelve children, the name of only one, William, being given.

(V) William, son of Theophilus and Abigail (Pierson) Rossiter, was born in North Guilford, February II, 1740. He married Submit Chittenden, a direct descendant of Major William Chittenden, one of the signers of the covenant of Guilford and the principal military man of the settlement. His estate-purchased from the Indians at that time- has been and still is owned by his descendants. who occupy it during the summer. William Rossiter died December 28, 1820. He had a family of eleven children, one of whom was Sherman Rossiter.

(VI) Sherman Rossiter was born in North Guilford, April 20, 1775, and became the progenitor of the New Hampshire Rossiters. He came to Claremont in 1800 and entered quite extensively into the lumber business. In 1804 he married, in Guilford, Connecticut, Olive Baldwin, who on her mother's side was a direct descendant of Theophilus Eaten, first governor of the New Haven colony, and of William Jones, one of the later governors of the colony, and on her father's side she was a descend- ant of Mary Bruen whose royal ancestry marked her as one of the aristocrats of the early New Haven colony. He returned to Claremont with his bride, where he settled on a farm in the eastern part of the town. Here he reared and educated a large family, and by dint of hard work and careful man- agement accumulated quite a large property for those times. Being one of the early settlers of the town his life was necessarily harder and more primi- tive than it had been in old Guilford, which had nearly two centuries' start of Claremont, but which today in the modern march of progress has fallen far behind the enterprising New Hampshire town. Sherman Rossiter died October 2. 1838. His wife survived until August 5, 1863. Memorial windows for both adorn the Congregational Church in Clare- mont, which they helped to found. They had nine children : William, Luzerne S., Stephen J., Timothy B., Chittenden, Lorette C .. Pomeroy M., Submit C. and R. Van Ness Rossiter. ( Mention of Timothy B. and descendants appears in this article).

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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 18

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