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 19

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 19

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

(VII) William (2). eldest child of Sherman and Olive (Baldwin) Rossiter, was born on a farm in Claremont. September 24. 1805, and died in his

native town. February 29, 1800. He was educated in the public schools and very carly displayed marked business talent: he settled in Claremont Village and engaged in general mercantile business which he followed for a number of years; he later became active in the manufacture of woolen goods and operated the Sullivan Woolen Mills in company with Thomas Sanford for several years; he was also for a short time connected with a cutlery com- pany.

William Rossiter held at different times nearly every office within the gift of his town; he was a representative in the New Hampshire legislature in 1847-48. and was a member of the constitutional convention. He was one of the promoters of the Sullivan Railroad from Windsor, Vermont. to Bel- low's Falls and one of the first directors. Mr. Ros- siter was a very genial man, was public-spirited and generous to a high degree, and appeared to have a much greater interest in whatever would promote the welfare of his town than in the accumulation of a large property. Although an attendant and a liberal supporter of the Congregational Church his giving was not confined to the narrow limits of one denomination, and it is recorded that when the Baptists started a subscription for a bell for their church Mr. Rossiter headed the paper with a larger sum than given by any other, with a single excep- tion. Although he was for many years a great suf- ferer from asthma. he did not yield to the infirmity and his energy, a strong characteristic, carried him through many a struggle in which one less endowed must have yielded. September 20, 1834, William Rossiter married Lucy Barrett, daughter of Joseph and Lucy (Damen) Barrett, of Windsor, Vermont (see Barrett). Their children, all born in Clare- mont, were: Sarah Baldwin. Adelaide, born June 10, 1838, died December. 1899. William Henry. born October 5, 1841. died in Faribault, Minnesota, November 5. 1862. Albert, born May 1, 1843. Al- bert Rossiter was educated in the public schools of his native town, in Meriden, and at Kimball Union Academy: he took high rank in mathematics, be- came an expert in figures and naturally was inter- ested in banking. He was assistant cashier of the Claremont Bank for thirty-two years. and was for a long time treasurer of the Sullivan Savings Insti- tution ; he has now retired from business and re- sides in Claremont. Ile is an attendant of the Con- gregational Church, and is a Republican in politics.

(VIII) Sarah (Baldwin) Rossiter, eldest child of William and Lucy ( Barrett) Rossiter. was born July 31, 1836. She was educated in the public schools and at Kimball Union Academy. May 3. 1858, she married Darius Shaw White, who was born in Mt. Holly, Vermont, and removed from that town to Claremont. about 1845. He operated a stage line from the Claremont & Pullman Rail- road station and one from the village square to Claremont Junction. He was also proprietor of the old Vermont House, then a leading tavern (as it was then called) of the town. Mr. White removed to Northfield, Minnesota, in 1856. and resumed the

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hotel business. He was afterward associated with his brother in the same business at Hastings, Minne- sota. He died in 1883, aged sixty-one years. Mrs. White returned to her native town after the death of her husband, and has since made her home in the fine old Colonial house in Mulberry street, Claremont, a gift to her from her father.

(VII) Timothy Baldwin, son of Sherman and Olive (Baldwin) Rossiter, was born in Claremont, September 18, 1807. He married, May 30, 1836. Elvira Dustin, a direct descendant of Hannah Dus- tin, of Indian fame. Starting out in life with a mortgaged farm, by economy, honest toil, and rare judgment, he accumulated quite a fortune, being the largest individual taxpayer in the town of Clare- mont at the time of his death, which occurred Jan- uary 16, 1893. They had three children: George Pomeroy. Edward Augustus, born March 16, 1844, who later in life became quite prominent in the clothing business in Albany, New York; Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; and Hartford, Connecticut. He died at the age of thirty-four, leaving no heir. Ellen, died at the age of ten years. Elvira (Dustin) Ros- siter died February 5, 1898.

(VIII) George Pomeroy, eldest son of Tim- othy Baldwin and Elvira (Dustin) Rossiter, was born in Calremont, May 6, 1840. He was educated at the old academy at Claremont, and at Kimball Union Academy. April 27, 1865, he married Caro- line Lewis Gleason, whose grandmother, (maiden name) Lucy Scott, was the first white woman to spend the night in the town of Plainfield, coming as a bride on horseback from Connecticut. George P. Rossiter served the town of Claremont as select- man in 1864, representative at the legislature in 1891, and was a member of the constitutional convention in 1902. He resides in Claremont, in religion is a Congregationalist, and in politics a Republican. Children : I. Charles Timothy, born December 21, 1869, graduated at Dartmouth College in 1904; in consequence of poor health he took up farming, conducting the same on a modern scale; he married Gertrude Rindlaub, February 17, 1906. 2. Edward J. 3. Robert Gleason, born June 13. 1875. After attending the Claremont schools he conducted a lumber business in the town of Claremont.

(IX) Edward J., second son of George P. and Caroline Lewis ( Gleason) Rossiter, was born in Claremont, April 20, 1871, graduated at Dartmouth College in 1805, after which he engaged in banking and real estate in his native town; a Congrega- tionalist, Republican, and Mason. On August 22, 1899, he married Sarah Edith Jones, daughter of Thomas and Saralı ( Bill) Jones, of Worcester. Massachusetts. Sarah Edith (Jones) Rossiter was born in Burten Head, near Liverpool, England, Oc- tober 20, 1871, and came to America with her par- ents when very young. She was educated in the schools of Worcester. Iler father, Thomas Jones, has been a large stone contractor, having erected stone buildings all over New England and the mid- dle west, and is still living in Worcester. Edward J. and Sarah Edith (Jones) Rossiter have two chil-

dren, Olive, born December 6, 1900, and Brayard Thomas, May 16, 1902.

The name of Lamson is often spelled LAMSON Lambson or Lampson, but the earliest form appears to be Lambton. Robert de Lambton, feudal lord of Lambton castle in the county of Durham, England, died in 1350, and the estate is still in the possession of his descendants. Like many other ancient British families they are said to have been of Danish origin. William, the first American ancestor, came from Durham county, and his name first appears as Lambton. This soon underwent modifications in the early records. In 1834 two bearing the name of Lamson or its allied forms had graduated from Harvard, and four from other New England colleges.

(I) William Lamson, or Lambton. came from Durham county, England, to Ipswich, Massachu- setts, in 1637. He came over in the fleet with Win- throp. He settled in that part of Ipswich now called Hamilton, and was made a freeman there on May 17, 1637. His wife was Sarah Ayres. He died February I, 1659, leaving a widow, Sarah Lamson, and eight children. She married. April 10, 1661, Thomas Hartshorn. of Reading, Massachusetts.

(II) John, son of William and Sarah (Ayres) Lamson, is found in the list of those entitled by law to vote in town affairs in 1679. He was one of the trial jury in the superior court at Salem in 1693 for the trial of those charged with witchcraft. He mar- ried Martha Perkins, who was born in 1649, daugh- ter of Thomas and Phoebe (Gould) Perkins.

(III) William (2), son of John and Martha (Perkins) Lamson, was married, in 1706, to Lydia Porter, daughter of John and Lydia (Herrick) Porter.

(IV) Jonathan, son of William (2) and Lydia (Porter) Lamson. was commissioned ensign in the Revolutionary war. He married Anna Dane. (V) William (3), son of Jonathan and Anna (Dane) Lamson, was a native of Ipswich, and re- moved from that town to Amherst, New Hampshire, in 1783, being the first of the family to remove to this state. He settled in the northwest parish of Amherst, which became Mont Vernon twenty years after he located there. He signed the association test in Amherst in 1776. and was chosen by the town two years later to provide for the families of sol- diers in the war. In the last year of the war he was one of a committee to hire soldiers. He was active in securing the incorporation of the town of Mont Vernon, and was in every way a useful citi- zen. He married Mary Lummas.

(VI) William (4), son of William (3) and Mary (Lummas) Lamson, resided through life in Mont Vernon on the farm that he inherited from his father. He married Sebiah Jones, and they had six children : William O., Mary. Seviroh, Augusta, Adaline, Nancy E.

(VII) William Osborn, son of William (4) and Sebiah (Jones) Lamson, was born September 15, 1808, in Mont Vernon. He was a farmer and

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lived on the old homestead originally owned by his grandfather. He was captain of the state militia for a number of years. He was a Republican in politics, but he never cared to hold office. He at- tended the Congregational Church, and was a man of excellent standing in the community. On Jan- uary 10, 1849, he married Orindia Felton Odell, daughter of Luther and Betsey (Green) Odell. She was born in Amherst. New Hampshire, Feb- ruary 16, 1819, and died in Mont Vernon, Novem- ber 24, 1874. Captain Lamson died July 12, 1896, at the advanced age of eighty-eight. Their chil- dren : Harriett F., born April 6, 1850. Marriett A., April 6, 1850. Ella T., December 4. 1851. Ellen O., December 4. 1851. Ida H., September 20, 1853. Frank O., October 20, 1858.

(VIII) Frank Osborn, son of Captain William O. and Orindia F. (Odell) Lamson, was born at Mont Vernon, New Hampshire, October 20, 1858. He was educated in the public schools, and has been a farmer all his life. He owns about four hundred acres of land, of which he keeps sixty acres under cultivation. He makes a specialty of the raising of Holstein cattle. He is a Republican in politics, and active in the interests of his party. He has held many town offices, has been a select- man since 1903, and representative in 1906. He served on the school board for twelve years. He is a member of the Grange Lodge. Mr. Lamson is a man of pleasing personality and progressive ideas. He belongs to the Congregational Church. Oit January 9. 1890, Frank O. Lamson married Marcia Ellen Batchelder, daughter of Deacon George Gage and Mary Elizabeth (Horn) Batchelder, of Mont Vernon, New Hampshire. She was educated in the schools of her native town. Her father was a cur- rier and farmer. He served as selectman, belonged to Prospect Grange, and was a deacon of the Con- gregational Church. Mrs. Batchelder came from Dover, New Hampshire. Mr. and Mrs. Frank O. Lamson have four children : Albert Batchelder, born July 31, 1891 : Ella May. March 5. 1895; Will- iam Osborn, July 29, 1900, and Frank H .. October 7, 1906.

WOOD According to Cogswell's History of Henniker, New Hampshire, Eliphalet Wood was the fifth in descent from Wil- liam Wood, who came from Matlack, Derbyshire, England, in 1638. and settled in Concord. Massa- chusetts, where he died May 14. 1671. aged eighty- nine years. But no Eliphalet of that generation is mentioned in the Wood genealogy, nor are the names of his descendants indexed in that work ; hence, the line cannot be traced farther back than his record.

(I) Eliphalet Wood lived in Concord, Massa- chusetts, afterwards in Westboro, where his chil- dren were born. The name of his wife is unknown. They had eight children: Jonathan, born April 13, 1753: Joshua, mentioned below: Jesse; Jabez; Lucy; Molly, married John Harthorn: Betty. married Joshua Whitney ; Patty, married W. Adams.

(II) Joshua, second son and child of Eliphalet Wood, was born in 1756, in Westboro, Massachu- setts. On December 25, 1777, he married Elizabeth Bradish, and settled upon the farm which after- wards descended to his grandson, Joseph. He died October 22, 1836, and his wife died October 28, 1827. They had seven children: Patty, born July 27, 1780. married Elisha Rice. Levi, mentioned be- low. Betsey, born July 22, 1785, died August 7, 1807. Eunice, born July 9. 1788, died July 13. 1866, unmarried. James Bradish, born April 17, 1791. Elijah, born September 10. 1795. Lucy, born August 24, 1798, died October 1, 1873. unmarried.

. (III) Levi, eldest son and second child of Joshua and Elizabeth (Bradish) Wood, was born April 15, 1782. He married Prudence Chamberlain, February 26, 1807, and they lived on the homestead. He died March 14, 1866, and his wife died Novem- ber I. 1863. They had four children: Imri, born April 25, 1808. Alanson, mentioned below. Ly- man, born November 7. 1813, married Zylphia A. Gould, of Goffstown, New Hampshire, became a carpenter, and died in Manchester, New Hampshire. Hannah H., born October 3, 1816, married C. P. McAdams.

(IV) Alanson. second son and child of Levi and Prudence (Chamberlain) Wood, was born at Henniker, New Hampshire, May 3, 1810. He lived in Henniker all his life, and was a miller and farmer. He was a Democrat in politics, and at- tended the Methodist Church. His first wife, the mother of his children, was Mary Colby, daughter of Silas Colby, whom he married January 13, 1834. She died May 13, 1865. In June, 1866., he married his second wife. Mrs. Poor. The six children of Alanson and Mary (Colby) Wood were: Levi, born 1834, died July 31, 1837. Lenora A., born October 17, 1836, married Jason H. Whitney. Silas F., born April 17, 1840. Horace H., mentioned below. Marietta, born February 9. 1849, married George M. Poor, who served in the Civil war in Company C. Fifth Regiment, New Hampshire Volunteers. Ida F., born January 17. 1854. Alanson Wood died November 13, 1873.

(V) Horace Hanson, fourth son and fifth child of Alanson and Mary (Colby) Wood, was born in Hillsboro, New Hampshire, April 21, 1842. For three years he was a farmer in Hillsboro, then went to West Concord. New Hampshire, and worked in Holden's mills for about a year. He removed to Manchester, New Hampshire, and stayed in the mills there for one year. He then came to Laconia, New Hampshire, where he worked in the mills for twenty-five years, starting as second hand, and be- ing promoted several times. He then started a shoddy mill in the adjoining town of Lakeport, which he managed for two years. For the next five years he was overseer in the Gilford Hosiery Mills. In 1880 he started large woolen and hosiery mills on the west side of the river in Lakeport. In 1903, when fire swept Lakeport, both mills were burned. He immediately started to build again, and in the meantime he managed a mill on the other side of

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the river. In 1906 his new mills were running. Mr. Wood is a Republican in politics. He is a Thirty-second degree Mason. He is a member of Mount Lebanon Lodge, No. 36, Free and Accepted Masons; Union Chapter, No. 7. Royal Arch Ma- sons; Pythagorean Council, No. 6, Royal and Select Masons; Pilgrim Commandery, Knights Templar, all of Laconia ; New Hampshire Consistory, Nashua, and Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, Concord. Mr. Wood married Mary J. Lovejoy, daughter of David and Melinda (Chase) Lovejoy, of Meredith, New Hampshire.

A casual glance into the origin of the

WOOD Woods in America discloses the fact that the majority of them are descended from two immigrants: William, who came over in 1638, settling in Concord. Massachusetts, and John (see Atwood), who arrived at Plymouth, same state, in 1643. Both came from England. The New Hampshire Woods are undoubtedly the poster- ity of the first-named immigrant, through the lat- ter's only son Michael, but the writer has thus far been unable to identify with certainty the ancestors prior to those herein mentioned.

(1) Joshua Wood, who was born in Pomfret, Connecticut, in 1755. went to Keene in the latter part of the eighteenth century and was actively concerned in the early development of the town, where he died in 1820. Joshua Wood was one of the valued and valuable citizens of the early years of Keene, and is said to have owned the first wagon in that town. He contributed in many ways to its substantial and moral development. He and his wife were among the early members of the First Congregational Church of Keene, and the family identification with this church embraces a period of one hundred years. Joshua Wood and his son Amos were soldiers in the War of 1812. Ile mar- ried Esther Estey, and his children were: Esther, Hannah, Polly, Judith, Daniel, Amos, Sally, Lucy, Nathan. George, Isaac and David. All of these children save one, George, who died at sea, lived to be over fifty years of age.

(11) Nathan, son of Joshua and Esther (Es- tey) Wood, was born in Keene, May 31. 1800. He acquired his education in the district schools. Hav- ing learned the blacksmith's trade he established himself in business on what is now Mechanic street, which he carried on with unusual prosperity until injured by a horse, and finding himself in comfortable circumstances he determined to gratify his long cherished ambition of becoming an inde- pendent farmer. From his properties in Keene Mr. Wood gave to the city the land now occupied by Woodburn, Davis and Mechanic streets. Mr. Wood was thus an important factor in the development of Keene, the streets named containing much of the best residential and some of the leading manufac- turing properties of the city. Going to Walpole, New Hampshire, in 1850. he purchased a piece of agricultural property located on a bluff overlooking the entrance of Cold river into the Connecticut, and

he remained there some three years, at the expira- tion of which time he returned to Keene. There he continued to follow agriculture with success, and was one of the most prominent citizens of his day. Prior to relinquishing his business in Keene he had purchased the land lying between the General Wil- son homestead and the Elliot residence and extend- ing to the river. The farm, which he purchased upon his return, comprised the land now bounded by Court street, Portland street and the Ashuclot river. Mr. Wood lived a life of generally rec- ognized usefulness, and died a Christian gentleman. Mr. Nathan Wood was an ensign in the Twentieth Regiment of Fifth Brigade of New Hampshire Militia. His honorable discharge bears date of April 16. 1822. His death occurred December 4, 1861.

Ile married Lorinda Ruggles, of Rutland, Ver- mont, born April 4. 1804. died August 18, 1841. She became the mother of four daughters, namely : Julia R., born August, 1825, died in Washington, D. C., February 16, 1905, the widow of Levi Potter. Susan E., born May 22, 1828, married Hon. J. J. Allen. Jr., whom she survived. She died in Keene, August 20, 1002. Sarah L., born May 20. 1833, now residing in Keene. Mary L., born June 20, 1841, died March 16, 1846.

(1) Gardner Wood was born in Orange, Mass- achusetts, December 27, 1806, and died in Athol, same state, April 15, 1873. His wife was before marriage Joan Dunbar.

(11) Wright, son of Gardner and Joan ( Dun- bar) Wood, was born in Orange, June 18, 1835. At an early age he entered mercantile business as a clerk in a general store in his native town, from whence he went to Richmond. New Hampshire, where he occupied a similar position for about five years, and from the latter place he removed to Ashuelot in order to accept a clerkship with Messrs. Hammond and Weeks, general merchants of that town. In company with A. W. Ball he later pur- chased the store which was carried on under the firm name of Ball & Wood for the succeeding twelve years, when Mr. Wood became sole proprie- tor of the business and conducted it successfully for the remainder of his life. He died in Ashuelot, February 24, 1895. He married Augusta M. Bar- den, of Winchester. New Hampshire, and reared two sons, Herbert W. and Garry D.

(III) Herbert Wright, elder son of Wright and Augusta M. ( Barden ) Wood, was born in Rich- mond. December 14, 1861. He was educated in the Ashutelot public schools, and at the age of seven- teen years entered his father's store as a clerk. He continued to assist his father until the latter's de- cease. when he took charge of the business and has ever since managed it with profitable results. In

politics Mr. Wood supports the Republican party. He married Lizzie H. Wood, daughter of Eben and Hannah ( Patten) Wood, of Cherryfield, Maine.

Houghton was a very common

11OUGHTON name in Massachusetts in the Colonial times, and one hundred and sixteen Houghtons are mentioned in the list of

Nathan Wood

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Massachusetts soldiers and sailors of the Revolu- tionary war. Ralph Houghton, one of the earlier of this name in New England. was born in England in 1623, and died April 15, 1705. He immigrated from England between 1635 and 1647, and was one of the founders of Lancaster, Massachusetts. He removed to Woburn in 1675, to Milton in 1682. and returned to Lancaster in 1685, and to Milton in 1690. He built in Milton a homestead in which seven generations of his descendants were born. He was the first town clerk of Lancaster, Massa- chusetts, about 1647. and representative in 1673 and 1689. He married Jane (surname unknown), born 1626, died January 10, 1701. Tradition says he was the son of Sir Richard Houghton. Baronet, of Hoghton Tower, Lancashire, England, and fought against Charles I, although his family fought for the king. The Houghtons of Hoghton Tower are descended from Roger de Busli, one of the follow- ers of William the Conqueror, A. D., 1066.

(III) Henry Houghton, who was probably a grandson of Ralph, resided in Lancaster, and was a soldier in some of the expeditions against the In- dians. The records of Sergeant Thomas Buckmin- ster. of Framingham, show that he served in his command one week and six days but the character of the services is not indicated. He was married in Watertown, Massachusetts. January 2, 1700, to Abigail Barren.

(IV) Henry (2), son of Henry (1) and Abi- gail ( Barren) Houghton, was baptized in Lancaster, April 19. 1702, and lived in that part of the original Lancaster, which is now Harvard. He was a prom- inent citizen, active in town affairs, and died De- cember 23. 1777. The records show that Henry Houghton served in Captain Josiah Willard's com- pany from June 3 to November 10, 1725. This was, no doubt an expedition against the Indians, and the Henry Houghton here referred to is probably Henry (2). as his father at that time would be somewhat advanced in years. He was married, No- vember 24, 1725, to Elizabeth Rand, of Stow, and their children were: Asa, Joseph, Aretas, Elizabeth, Abigail, Sarah and John.

(V) Asa Houghton, son of Henry (2) and Elizabeth (Rand) Houghton, was born January 20, 1727. in Lancaster, and was a captain in the militia in 1774 during the Revolutionary war. He was a member of the committee of safety in Lancaster. A few years after that struggle his homestead was annexed to Boxborough. He was married January 4. 1750, to Elizabeth Rand.

(VI) Asa (2), son of Asa (1) and Elizabeth (Rand) Houghton, was born February 14, 1758. in Harvard, and lived in that town, where he was cap- tain of the militia and a useful and active citizen. He was married December 9. 1779, to Dorcas Moore, of Bolton. Their children were: Levi, Jacob, Reuben. Asa. Jabez, Thirza, Obed and Oliver.

(VII) Jacob, second son and child of Asa (2) and D: rcas (Moore) Houghton, was born January 21, 1782, and lived in Boxborough, perhaps all the time on the same homestead. His wife's name was 111-17

Sarah and their children were: Lucy, Jane, Sarah, Alvin W., Whitcomb, Mercy, Abel and George W.

(VIII) Alvin W., eldest son and fourth child of Jacob and Sarah ( Whitcomb ?) Houghton, was born February 28, 1813, in Boxborough, Massachu- setts, and died in San Francisco, California, Octo- ber 8, 1890, aged eighty-five. He was employed for some years in the cotton factories of Lowell. When he left there he removed to Manchester, New Hamp- shire, where he became overseer in the spinning de- partment of the Amoskeag mills. He gave up this employment to go into the furniture business, which he carried on for five years. In the early days of excitement over the discovery of gold in California he went there and engaged in mining for some time. He made three visits to California, on one of which he took his son, and rounded Cape Horn. He finally returned to California, and from that time until his death was successfully engaged in the furniture business. He married, in Lowell, Esther H. Runnells, who died in Manchester, 1892, aged seventy-four. Five children were born of this mar- riage : Wealthy Maria, Sarah, Alvin Oscar, George Albert and Revilo Gardner. Sarah died in infancy, and Alvin Oscar and George Albert were drowned in Stevens Pond, in June, 1865, both being grown young men.

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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 19

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