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 20

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 20

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).

(IX) Revilo Gardner, youngest and only sur- viving child of Alvin W. and Esther H. (Runnells) Houghton, was born in Manchester, August 15, 1857. After leaving the common schools he be- came a clerk in the dry goods store of Joseph Wes- ton, where he worked from the time he was fifteen until he was seventeen years old. Then entering the Amoskeag machine shop he worked two years at the tinner's trade. Afterward he learned the plumber's trade, while in the employ of Thomas A. Lane, and later took service with the People's Gas- light Company of Manchester, where he has been employed for twenty years, and for a number of years has been foreman of repairs. He is an able and faithful employe. For the past thirty years he has been a call member of the Manchester Fire Company. He is also a member of Wildey Lodge, No. 45, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He married. 1877, Theresa Gillis, daughter of Michael Gillis. He married (second), in Wolfboro, June. 1001, Blanche L. Chase. daughter of Charles F. and Sarah (Getchell) Chase. By this first marriage there was one child, Maud E., who married H. W. Caswell, and lives in Gardner, Massachusetts.

The Garvins or New Hampshire are GARVIN of Irish extraction, and descended from an ancestor who came to the state in the first half of the eighteenth century. Many of both the earlier and the later generations, like the immigrant, have shown their liking for salt water by becoming seafarers.

James Garvin, the immigrant, was born in Ire- land, and came to America, it is said, as a stow- away after 1700. He was a sailor and finally a sea captain. He settled in Rollinsford (then Somers-

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worth), probably before 1740, and built a store at what is now known as the lower landing, and be- came a trader in West India goods. He was a man of substance and influence, and lived until 1787, perhaps. He married Sarah Hobbs, and they had seven children: James, Sarah, Elizabeth, Ra- chel, John, Thomas and Paul.

(I) Benjamin F., youngest son and child of Jacob and Margaret (Watts) Garvin, was born in Litchfield, February 16, 1820, and died in Derry, June, 1904. He learned shoemaking and followed that occupation for a number of years. In 1861 he became station agent at Londonderry, for the Man- chester & Lawrence Railroad. During the Civil war he owned and conducted a store in London- derry near the railroad station, and also dealt in ship timber. He was a good business man and a member of the board of selectmen. He married, 1842, Nancy Spinney, who was born in Manchester, January 9, 1824. and died 1904, daughter of Alex- ander and Zila (Dow) Spinney, of Manchester. They had seven children: Augustus F., Eldora J., George Spinney, Norman (died young), Clarence Norman, Elwin W. and Arthur O.

(II) Captain George Spinney, second son and third child of Benjamin F. and Nancy (Spinney) Garvin, was born in Londonderry, March 18, 1845. He was educated in the district schools, and at the age of sixteen left home, and in November, 1861, en- listed at Boston, Massachusetts, in an independent company for service in the Civil war. In six months he was discharged from this organization and be- came a member of Company B, Third Maryland Infantry. After seeing six months service in Balti- more, Maryland, he was glad to be discharged at Washington, and returned home. April 9, 1864, he again left home and soon after shipped at New Bedford, Massachusetts, on board a vessel called the "Aurie Taft," for a whaling voyage. The ship returned after a voyage of eighteen months with a cargoe of one thousand barrels of oil, having visited Hudson Bay, where they were frozen in one winter. He continued to follow the sea and passed through the grades of boat steerer, third mate, second mate, first mate, and finally was made captain of the ship "Isabella" in 1878. He sailed out of San Francisco twenty-two consecutive years, and during his life as a mariner made thirty-seven voyages and never experienced a wreck or serious accident. He has visited almost all the maritime countries of the world. The ships he commanded were "Isabella" spoken of above, and the steam whaler "Orca" owned by the Pacific Steam Whaling Company of San Francisco, and this was the largest vessel en- gaged in whale fishing in the Arctic Ocean. In 1891 he built a handsome residence and outbuildings at Londonderry Depot, New Hampshire, which has been his residence since. In 1903 he forsook the ocean and returned to Londonderry, where he has since resided.

lle married in Londonderry, October 26, 1877, Laura Furber, who was born in Massachusetts, and died in 1895, daughter of John S. and Laura J.

(McQuestion) Furber, of Manchester, New Hamp- shire. They had one son, George Oliver, now a resident of Salem, Massachusetts. 'Captain Garvin married (second) Sarah C. Field, of Saco, Maine. Mrs. Garvin's mother now resides with her, and is healthy and active, although aged ninety years.

(II) Clarence Norman, fifth child and fourth son of Benjamin F. and Nancy (Spinney) Garvin, was born in Londonderry, January 7, 1854. lle re- ceived his education in the public schools, and at the age of fifteen years began to learn shoemaking, and for nearly thirty years has worked at that busi- ness continuously for the Pillsbury Shoe Company, except a period of four or five years when he was a clerk in Manchester. He resided in Londonderry until 1898, when he removed to West Derry, where he now lives. In 1903 he was appointed postmaster at West Derry, and after serving four years was re- appointed January I, 1907.

He married, in Manchester, February 9, 1873, Abbie D. Wilson, who was born in Londonderry, December 28, 1855, daughter of John P. and Adaline (Auris) Wilson, of Londonderry (see Wilson IV). They have three children: Fred E., Lilla B. and Chester A. Fred E. married, July, 1894, at Derry, Emma Provencher, who was born in Canada. They have two children: Florence, born May II, 1895, and Beatrice, August 7, 1900.

PEAVEY That the Peavey family was not among the first three generations of settlers in New England seems to appear from the absence of any mention of it in Savage's work; from the limited number of persons of that name now living; and from the few soldiers of that name in the Revolutionary war, of whom only one went from Massachusetts and eleven from New Hampshire. Thomas Peavey, of Andover, Massachusetts, was a private in Captain Joshua Holt's (Fourth Andover) Company, which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775, to Cambridge. Major Peter Peavey, of Andover, Massachusetts, settled in Wilton, New Hampshire, where he had a son Peter, born in 1788. Edward Peavey died in the ser- vice of the Revolutionary war, and his children were early pioneers of Tuftonborough. Charles Peavey was born in Newington, December, 1790. The carly seat of the family in New Hampshire seems to have been in or about Hampton Falls, since we find in the records of that town the record of the birth of Anthony Peavey, born November, 1856, son of Anthony and Mary (French) Peavey, residents of Hampton Falls. Anthony Peavey was a private in Captain Richard Sinclair's company. Colonel Thomas Bartlett's regiment, raised about Exeter and Portsmouth. He engaged July 8, 1780, and was discharged October 28, 17So, after serving three months and twenty-one days, the company went to West Point. He also appears by another volume to have been in the service January I.

(I) Anthony Peavey was a resident of Farm- ington, where he died. (An Anthony Peavey was married November 8, 1812, by Rev. Joseph Boody,

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of New Durham, to Sally Knight, both of Farm- ington.)

(II) Anthony (2), son of Anthony (I) and Sally ( Knight) Peavey, was born in Farmington, February 28, 1822, and died there March 31, 1871. He was a shoemaker. He married, December 2, 1849, Lizzie Edgerly, who was born September 8, 1828, daughter of John and Tamson Dowe; she died December 17, 1868. Nine children were born of this union: Warren E., deceased. Florence E. (Mrs. Charles R. Bragdon), of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, one daughter, Minnie. Isidore E., of Farm- ington, unmarried. Ernest E., of Farmington, a shoecutter, married (first) Minnie Banfield, one daughter, Elsie ; married (second) Pansy Wallace, one son, Carroll. Selvin D., deceased. Elwin E., shoeworker at Chelsea, Massachusetts. Infant, not named. Will Lincoln, see forward. Fannie M., deceased.

(III) Will Lincoln, eighth child and sixth son of Anthony (2) and Lizzie (Edgerly) Peavey, was born in Farmington, March 31, 1805, and was left without a father at the age of six years. From that time until he was sixteen years of age he lived in the family of George Plummer, a farmer of West Milton, attending school a part of each year. In 1882 he took a commercial course at New Hampton, and in 1884 became a clerk in the store of Emerson & Garland, druggists, at Farmington. In 1889 he bought a half interest in the business and the firm became Roberts & Peavey and continued until 1897, when Mr. Peavey sold his interest and became an equal partner in the dry goods business with S. .. Leavitt, the firm taking the style of S. A. Leavitt & Co. Three years later he bought out his partner and has since conducted the business alone. He is a Republican, but prefers the profits of commerce to the laurels of politics, and has filled no public of- fices. He is a member of the Free Baptist Church at Farmington and one of its wardens. He is also a member of Woodbine Lodge, No. 41, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Cocheco Lodge, No. 14, Ancient Order United Workmen. He married, December 20, 1886, Alice Leavitt, who was born in Farmington, daughter of Almon and Ellen Jones Leavitt, of Farmington. They had one child, Mer- ton L., born July 21, 1891, and now a student in the Farmington high school.

GRAF Graf is a German word and means count. Its use as a surname is probably derived from the title of a character in one of the religious plays of some centuries ago, rather than from the aristocratic birth of the first bearer. The later generations of Grafs are proving that practical business ability is better than a title.

(I) Johann Michael, second son of Carl Graf, Lutheran minister, was born in Banzenweiler, Ba- varia, February 17, 1808, and received a good edu- cation at Anspach, Bavaria. After learning the trade weaver he went to Asch, Bohemia, Austria, where lie resided until death, IS90. He was a successful manufacturer of textile goods, and a leading citi-

zen of Asch. He took an active interest in the affairs of the laboring people, and was one of the promoters of the first savings bank in A-ch. In religious faith he was a Lutheran, and a liberal sup- porter of the church. He married, in 1835, Anna January 24. Maria Goepel, born at Asch,

18II, only daughter of Carl Gospel, born in Saxe-Weimar, and This wife Maria Gries-

hammer, who was born Schonwald, Ba- varia. The golden wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Graf was celebrated in a notable manner in 1885. Eleven children were born of this union.

(II) Johann Adam, sixth son and ninth child of Johann M. and Anna M. (Goepel) Graf, was born in Asch, September 29, 1848. He obtained a very practical education in the public schools of Asch, supplemented by private lessons after school hours, at noon and in the afternoon of each day. At thirteen years of age he began to learn hand and power loom weaving and manufacturing at Ilof, Bavaria. He continued to follow that occupation until 1866, when he came to America, and on May 19th of that year settled in Manchester. There he went to work as a weaver under the supervision of Captain Mason, an overseer of the Amoskeag Man- ufacturing Company. 1n 1868, under direction of Mr. Canis, he started the first two hundred gingham looms ever operated by the Amoskeag Company. Faithful attention to business and good work brought him promotion to second hand in 1874, and in 1883 he was appointed overseer, and now has charge of one of the weave rooms of No. fr Mill, where two hundred and sixty hands are employed. He has been as careful with his earnings as he has with his work, and has invested in real estate. Mr. Graf is a Republican in politics, and has been re- peatedly honored by election to office by the men of his party. He was councilman from his ward in 1893-94, and alderman in 1895-96, and as chair- man of the committee on land and buildings he built the High, Straw, Wilson and the Parker school buildings. He has been trustee of Pine Grove cemetery since 1895, and moderator of tard 7 since 1898. In 1897-98 he served as repre- sentative, and was elected state senator and served the seventeenth district in 1895-96. He was ap- pointed by Governor Chester B. Jordon commis- sioner to represent the textile industries of the state at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis, in 1904, and was sent by the commission to St. Louis to accept a lot for New Hampshire in 1892. Mr. Graf is a man of many good qualities of mind and heart, and is highly respected by a large circle of friends. He is an active member of the Frank- lin Street Church (Congregational), and has been an Odd Fellow for thirty-seven years, and is a member of Hillsborough Lodge, No. 2.

He married, January 11, 1869, at Manchester, Emma M. Cooley, eldest daughter of Charles and Mary Minerva (Crandal) Cooley, of Landsaff. They have two sons: Harry Charles and Edwin Adam.

Harry C. Graf, born in Lakeport, New Hamp- shire, March 3, 1873, was educated in the public

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schools of Manchester and at the Philadelphia Tex- tile School. Since 1900 he has been a postal clerk. He married June 28, 1895, Flora B. Folsom of Somersworth, New Hampshire, and resides in Man- chester. One child, Kenneth Folsom, born April 22, 1906.

Edwin A. Graf, born September 15, 1882, was educated in the public and high schools of Manches- ter. He is a second hand in the Amoskeag Mills. He married, September 12, 1906, Lena Bower, of Manchester.

The original seat of this family CONVERSE was in Navarre, France, from which place removed to England Roger de Coignicrs, near the close of the reign of William the Conqueror. He was appointed con- stable of Durham by the bishop of Durham. Among his descendants Conyers of Horden, Durham. was created a baronet, July 1, 1548. Sir Humphrey of the eighth generation wrote the name Coigners, and Sir Christopher of the twentieth generation adopted the form Cornyers. Those bearing the name in Navarre were Huguenots or French Protestants and in the Massacre of St. Bartholomew's day in 1572, many of this family fell victims. At this time Pierre Coigniers, who was attached to the court of Henry IV of France, made his escape with his wife and two infants and settled in the county of Essex, England. In England the spelling of the name was quite naturally changed to correspond with its pro- nunciation of Conyers. Some of the descendants now spell it Convers and it took this form for some generations after coming to America.

(I) The immigrant ancestor was Deacon Ed- ward Convers, who came to New England in the fleet of Governor Winthrop in 1630, and settled in Charlestown, Massachusetts. In 1631 a grant was made to him of the first ferry between Charlestown and Boston, and of this he retained control for sev- eral years under the favor of the general court. In the same year he was admitted a freeman, and was selectman from 1635 to 1640. His name is first on the list of seven commissioners appointed by the church in Charlestown to arrange for a settlement at Woburn. With others he removed to the new town and ably assisted in its settlement and organ- ization, and after its incorporation he became one of its most useful and honored citizens. He was selectman of the town from 1644 until his death, and was one of the commissioners for the trial of minor causes. Ile was also one of the founders of the Woburn Church and a deacon for many years. His residence was in what is now a part of Win- chester, and there he died August 10, 1603, aged seventy-three years. He was accompanied on his journey to America by his wife Sarah and several children. She died January 14, 1662, and he was married (second) September 10, following, to Joanna, widow of Ralph Sprague. He had three sons and a daughter : Josiah, James, Samuel and Mary.

( II) James, second son of Deacon Edward and

Sarah Convers, was a native of England, born 1619- 20, and came to America with his father when a child. He resided in Woburn and according to the history of that town "through long life he was a very valuable and highly esteemed citizen and was repeatedly honored by the town with the principle offices." He died May 10. 1717, aged ninety-five years. He was married October 24, 1643, to Anna Long, daughter of Robert Long, of Charlestown, and they were the parents of ten children.

(III) Major James (2) Convers, eldest son of Ensign James (1) Convers, was born October 16, 1645, in Woburn, and died there July 8, 1706, in the sixty-first year of his age. He was a man of con- siderable prominence in civil affairs, and also won distinction in the war with the French and Indians. His daring and successful defence of Storer's Gar- rison at Wells in the year 1691, and during the war usually styled "King William's War." earned him promotion to the rank of major. He was ten years a member of the general court, and was three times elected speaker of the house. He was married Jan- uary I, 1669, to Hannah Carter, who was born Jan- uary 19, 1651, a daughter of Captain John and Elizabeth Carter, of Woburn. They had nine chil- dren, only five of whom survived the period of youth.

(IV) John, son of Major James (2) and Hannah (Carter) Converse, was born August 22, 1673, in Woburn, and resided in that town until after 1708, when he was absent about twenty years, It is probable that during this time he lived in Dunstable, as he was a resident of that town sub- sequently. He was married May 22, 1699, to Abi- gail Sawyer, who was born March 17, 1679, daugli- ter of Joshua Sawyer, of Woburn. The births of two of their children are recorded in Woburn previous to 1708, and his next appearance in the records of that town is at the birth of his son Jolin, July 31, 1728. The older children were Joshua and Patience, and there were probably others between, the record of whose births has not been discovered.

(V) Joshua, eldest son of John and Abigail (Sawyer) Converse. was born June 3, 1704, in Woburn, but was carly a resident of Dunstable. In the year 1729 he removed to lot number four, within the present town of Merrimack, New Hampshire, then constituting a part of the tract lying on both sides of the river known by the name of Naticook, or Litchfield. He was frequently elected to office, serving as moderator, assessor and selectman, and upon several important committees. He was drowned in the Merrimack river in 1744. In the return of his estate found in the probate records it is shown to have been valued at one thousand, two hundred and five pounds, fourteen shillings and four pence. His property included an interest in a saw mill and in other lands besides his homestead. His personal property was valued at nearly one hundred and forty-five pounds, outside of bonds, notes and book debts, which nearly trebled that amount. He was married July 31. 1720, to Rachael Blanchard, who was born March 23, 1712, in Dun-

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stable, seventh daughter and eighth child of Joseph and Abiah (Hassel) Blanchard. (Sce Blanchard III). This marriage is recorded in Woburn and both parties are described as at Dunstable. The births of two of their children, Joseph and Jesse, is found upon the records of the ancient town of Litchfield, and the third, Zebulon, is recorded in Merrimack, which was in 1744. There were no doubt other older children which do not appear of record. Joseph's birth is recorded as occurring in November, 1739.

(VI) Robert, who was undoubtedly a son of Joshua and Rachael (Blanchard) Converse, was born in 1735. The History of Amherst says he was born in Woburn and this might easily has been true during a visit of his parents to that town. It is more probable, however, that he was born in Litchfield. In 1783 he settled in the town of Am- herst, adjoining the town where he was reared. and there died March 30, 1826. He was married in 1778 to Mary Lamb, who died December 15, 1827, aged eighty-seven years. For a time they resided in Stoneham, Massachusetts, where their eldest son was born. Their children were: Josiah, Ebenezer and Rebecca.

(VII) Ebenezer, second son and child of Robert and Mary (Lamb) Converse, was born Feb- ruary 25, 1779, in Stoneham. Massachusetts, and died in South Merrimack, New Hampshire, August 25, 1861. It is probable that the family home was on the border of Amherst and Merrimack and prob- ably included land in both towns. He was married in November, 1805, to Rhoda Bowtell, who was born in Amherst, July 14, 1875, aged ninety-four years. Their children were: Ebenezer, Joseph Farner. George, Mary, Luther, Abigail, Charles, Rufus, Rhoda and Robert.

(VIII) Rufus, sixth son and eighth child of Ebenezer and Rhoda (Bowtell) Converse, was born May 23, 1810, in Amherst. and died in Milford, New Hampshire, March II, 1906. He was a successful lumber dealer for the long period of forty years, conducting his operations in Amherst and Milford, New Hampshire, and in addition to this he also conducted agricultural pursuits. He married. Sep- tember 6, 1849, Eliza Ritterbush, daughter of Chris- topher Columbus Ritterbush, who was of German descent. Four children were the issue of this mar- riage, two of whom are living, namely: Carrie and Mary Lizzie. George died aged four years, Ellison A. died aged about six years. The younger daugh- ter is a member of the Woman's Club and both are eligible to hold membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution.

New England ancestry has produced TOLLES some of our best soldiers, and the New England family of Tolles would ap- pear to have descended from a warlike race. Some of the members of the family fought for the cause of the colonies in the war of the Revolution, and Jason Elbridge Tolles, of this review, reached the rank of major-general of New Hampshire state

militia, February 28, 1899, and was recommissioned February 28, 1904.

(I) The New England branch of the Tolles family traces its ancestry to Henry Tolles, who set- tled in Wethersfield, Connecticut, 1668, later re- moing to Saybrook, Connecticut. He was twice married. By his first wife he had a son Henry.

(II) Henry (2). son of Henry Tolles (1), settled in New Haven, Connecticut, April 13, 1693. He married Dorothy Thomas, daughter of Daniel and Rebecca Thomas, of New Haven, Connecticut. They had seven children : Henry, born 1694 : Rachel, 1606: Samuel, 1698; Daniel, 1700; Ebenezer, 1703; Dorothy, 1705; Experience, 1708.

( III) Henry (3), son of Henry Tolles (2), was born in 1694, in New Haven, Connecticut, from whence he removed to Weathersfield, Windsor county, Vermont. He was an active participant in the Revolutionary war. He married Deborah Clark, February 15, 1727. They had ten children: El- nathan, born December 15, 1729, died in infancy ; Dorothy. September 17, 1731: Francis, December 30. 1733; Henry, August 8, 1736; Mabel, August 21, 1738; Elnathan, January 9, 1741 ; Dorothy, Septem- ber 3, 1743; Rachael, December 1, 1745: Deborah, July 27, 1751 ; Philamon, May 8, 1753. Ile died at New Haven, Connecticut, 1772; his wife died same place, 1788.

(IV) Henry (4). son of Henry Tolles (3), married Hannah Clark, of Milford, Connecticut, November 25, 1757. daughter of John and Rebecca Clark. Her ancestry is notable as lincal descendants of William Gibbard, secretary of the New Haven Colony: Henry Tolles (IV) and Hannah (Clark) Tolles had children: Clark, born August 25, 1758: David, August 5, 1760; Amarillis, January 14, 1704; Jane, July 7, 1766; Henry, August 29, 1768; Benjamin, May

baptized IO,

1778;

re- Philemon, baptized May 10, 1778. Hc

moved with his family to New Haven, Con- necticut, to Weathersfield, Vermont, about 1779 or 80. He was a member of Captain Upham's militia company during the Revolutionary war. He died in Weathersfield, 1810; his wife in 1801.

(V) Clark, son of Henry Tolles (4), born in New Haven, Connecticut, August 25, 1758, also took part in the Revolutionary war. He married Sally Proctor, and had these children : Henry, born April IO, 1782; Sarah, July 21. 1785: Clark, September 22, 1787: Levi, September 23, 1792; Betsey, June 2, 1705; Lucy, September 10, 1706; Hannah, July 12. 1700: Gershom Hiram, June 7, 1802.

(VI) Henry (5), son of Clark Tolles, was born in Weathersfield. Windsor county, Vermont, and died November 21, 1849. He married Azubie Nichols. They had seven children: David N., born January 3. 1809; Horace Clark. May 31. ISTI; Ira Franklin, September 24, 1813: Henry Proctor, De- cember 22, 1815: Iliram Harkness, November 14, 1818; John Warren, August 5, 1823; Lucy Ann, June 25, 1820.

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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 20

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