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 31

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 31

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).

(VI) John (3), second son and fourth child of Lieutenant John (2) and Hannah

(Goodhue ? Cogswell, was born December 2, 1699, in Che- bacco, parish of Ipswich, and resided in Marble- head and Haverhill, Massachusetts. He was a sad- dler by trade and was a storekeeper and farmer. In deeds and other documents he was "gentleman." He died December 18, 1780. He was married Octo- ber 28, 1720, to Susanna Low, who was born Janu- ary 12, 1698, and survived him over three years. dying January 14. 1784. Their children were Susanna, Sarah and John.

(VII) Susanna, eldest child of Jolin (3) and Susanna (Low) Cogswell, was born in 1722, in Marblehead, and was married December 13, 1744. to Dr. James Pecker, of Haverhill. She died March 15, 1761. (See James (3) Pecker, IV).

(VI) Nathaniel, eighth child and fourth son of Lieutenant John (2) and Hannah (Goodhue ) Cogswell, was born in Chebacco, January 19, 1707. and died in Atkinson, New Hampshire, March 23, 1783. He was three years old when his father died. While yet a boy he entered a store in Haverhill, and eventually became a prominent citizen and leading merchant in the town. He was a man of integrity and business capacity. He was a de- voted and efficient member of the church from the time he united with it. June 1, 1746, till his death After a successful business life he retired in 1706. and settled upon a farm in Atkinson, Now Hamp- shire, and at once became active in establishing religious and educational institutions in the town. He gave the land and contributed freely toward the first meetinghouse, which was erected by pri- vate subscription in 1768-69. Prior to the comple- tion of the church public worship was conducted in Mr. Cogswell's house.

"During the Revolutionary war his patriotin

1121

NEW HAMPSHIRE.

was declared by large loans to provide equip- ments and provisions for the soldiers. These loans of money, by reason of the depreciated currency, proved almost a total loss. Besides providing money Mr. Cogswell gave eight sons to the army, who served with distinction, and filled an aggregate term of service of more than thirty-eight years. said to be the longest rendered by any family in the country. It is said that those eight sons were of such height that in the aggregate they measured about fifty feet, making a large amount of soldier lineally, as well as in other respects. They all survived the war, and became prominent in profes- sional and civil life."

Nathaniel Cogswell married, January 31, 1740, Judith Badger (Sce Badger), who was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts, February 3, 1724. daugh- ter of Joseph and Hannah ( Peaslee) Badger. She married at the age of sixteen years. united with the church at the age of twenty, March 18. 1744. and died May 7, ISIo. She was a person of com- manding figure and cultured manners. The nine- teen children of this marriage were: Nathaniel (died young), Jeremiah. Joseph (died young), Thomas, Joseph (died young). Hannah, Judith (died young), Amos, Judith (died young), Na- thaniel Peaslee, Joseph (died young), Moses, a daughter (died young), William, John, Ebenezer, Joseph, Francis, a daughter (died young).

(VII) Dr. Joseph Cogswell, twelfth son and seventeenth child of Nathaniel and Judith ( Badger) Cogswell, was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts, April 16, 1764. and died in Tamworth, March 17. 1851. When a mere lad he served in the army of the Revolution. He studied medicine with his brother, Dr. William Cogswell, and was assistant surgeon at West Point. In 1787 he established himself in the practice of medicine in Warner, New Hampshire, where he united with the Congrega- tional Church in 1789. The next year he removed to Durham, where he remained until 1797, when he removed to Tamworth, where he resided and practiced medicine upwards of fifty years. He died at the age of eighty-seven years, and in the sixty- second year of his married life. HIe married, De- cember 27, 1788, Judith Colby, daughter of Thomas Elliott and Judith (Sargent) Colby. of Warner. New Hampshire. She was born September 25. 1771, in Amesbury, Massachusetts. and died No- vember 5, 1857. The children of this union were : Judith, Joseph Badger (died young ). Hannah Badger (died young), Ebenezer. Ruth (died young), Thomas, Ruth, Hannah, Mary Sargent. Joseph, Emily, and Elliott Colby, whose sketch follows.

(VIII) Rev. Elliott Colby Cogswell, twelfth and youngest child of Dr. Joseph and Judith (Col- by) Cogswell, was born in Tamworth, June II. 1814, and died in Rye, New Hampshire, August 31, 1887. lle graduated from Dartmouth College in IS38, and from the Gilmanton Theological Seminary in 1842. His first pastorate was at Northwood. where he was settled over the Congregational 111-20

Church November 3, 1842. In 1848 he removed to Newmarket, where he was pastor of the church eight years. From that place he removed to New Boston and remained until October 31, 1865, as pastor of the First Presbyterian Church. Ile then returned to Northwood as pastor of the church, and founded Coe's Northwood Academy, of which he was principal for ten years, until June, 1876. lle published in 1864 a History of New Boston, in 1878 a History of Nottingham, Deerfield and North- wood, and was the author of several miscellaneous works, including the life of the Rev. Samuel Hid- den. He married, August 12, 1842, Sophia Ann Adams, who was born in Gilmanton, January 24, 1819, and died March 12, 1901, daughter of Deacon Thomas and Sophia G. ( Kimball) Adams. Of this marriage there were born nine children: Edward Elliott (died young). Mary Upham (died in 1902), Ellen Sophia (died young). Martha Ellen, Eliza- beth G., William Badger. Thomas Herbert (died young), Ephraim Bradford (died young) and Henry Burr.

(IX) Mary Upham Cogswell, second child and eldest daughter of Rev. Elliott C. and Sophia Ann (Adams) Cogswell, was born in Northwood, Sep- tember 6. 1845. and was married, November 19, 1865, to George W. Bingham (See Bingham, VIII). She was an intellectual woman of rare culture. She clied March 4. 1902.

(IX) Elizabeth Greenleaf Cogswell, fifth child and fourth daughter of Rev. Elliott C. and Sophia Ann (Adams ) Cogswell, was born in Newmarket, March 5, 1852. She graduated from Coe's Academy, Northwood. in 1871. For years she was a successful teacher of music, first in the west, and afterward at Pinkerton Academy, at Derry, New Hampshire. She married (first), February 28, 1877, Charles H. Prescott, who was born in Deerfield, July 1, 1853, son of Winthrop T. and Martha Prescott. One child was born of this union, Edward Cogswell, who died in infancy. She was married (second), August 3, 1905, in Stratford, Connecticut, to George W. Bingham. principal of Pinkerton Academy. (See Bingham, VIII).

One who has carefully studied the DUNSTER history of the Dunster family says this name was originally written Dunstone, that it was occasionally so written in the time of Henry VIII and in the time of President Dunster. The name is an ancient one in England, especially in Lancashire. As early as Henry VIII there are records in the parish of Middleston of the burials of Hugh, Katherine, Johannes and Georgius Dunster. all written the year 1543. The name Dun- ster is of Saxon origin, and may signify a dweller upon a dun, down, or little hill. There is a market town in Somersetshire. England. and a castle there by that name. It seems most probable that the ori- ginal Dunster took his name from the town. There are several families of Dunster in this country.

(1) Henry Dunster, the father of President Henry Dunster, of Harvard College, resided (prob-

II22

NEW HAMPSHIRE.

ably ) at Balehoult ( sometimes called Billyholt) which is supposed to have been a private gentle- man's residence in Bury, Lancashire, England. He had four sons, Henry, Richard, Thomas and Robert, and two or three daughters, only one of whom is mentioned by name. Richard came to this country in 1640. but nothing further is definitely known of him.

(II) Rev. Henry (2) Dunster, the first of the name in this country, and the first president of Harvard College, was born in England, and came to Massachusetts in the year 1640. The only known reference to the place of his birth is found in a letter of his own, dated February, 1648, in which he says: "Ego enino Laneastreusis sum" (for I am from Lancastire). He was educated at Magdalen College. Cambridge, England, from which he was graduated Bachelor of Arts in 1630, and Master of Arts in 1634. Among his contemporaries at Cam- bridge were Jeremy Taylor, John Milton. Ralph Cudworth, John Pearson, John Harvard and others who subsequently became more or less distinguished. He was trained for the ministry, but there is no evidence that he ever took orders in the church, and after a few years spent in teaching he came to America. Ile was a man of retiring disposition, and probably left England to avoid taking part in the acrimonious strife then beginning in England which culminated in the execution of King Charles.

He arrived in Boston toward the latter end of the summer of 1640. and resided for a short time "on his own estate at the North East Corner of Court Street and Washington Street." His reputa- tion as a ripe scholar had evidently preceded him, for "immediately upon his arrival he was waited on by the Governor, magistrates, elders and Minis- ter-" and asked by a sort of acclamation and gen- eral consent "to remove to Cambridge and assume the presidency of the college"- a work which proved to be his life occupation. According to his contem- poraries he was finely equipped both by nature and education for the position thus offered him. John- son in his "Wonder-Working Providence of Zion's Saviour in New England," says he "was fitted from the Lord for the work, and by those that have skill in that way, reported to be an able proficient in Hebrew, Greek and Latin languages." Prince says he was "one of the greatest masters of the Oriental languages that hath been known in these ends of the earth," and much more testimony to the same effect is given by others, his associates or biographers. The college which he undertook to conduct had been established, but it was little more than an ad- vanced school, and the task which he assumed was one requiring great skill and ability to bring it to a successful issue. In a short time after removing to Cambridge he united with the church there ou con- fession of faith. He frequently supplied the pulpit in Cambridge and vicinity during his presidency, took a prominent part in founding the church at Woburn, and manifested great interest in the edu- cation and conversion of the Indians, and joined heartily with John Eliot and the Mayhews in the work. The second charter of the college. obtained

in 1650 on his express petition, declares its object is to include "the education of the English and Indian youth of this country in knowledge and godliness." President Dunster's office seems to have been no sinecure. for besides the instruction and discipline which largely devolved on him. he was charged with the administration of the college matters, even down to such particulars as the direction of the commons, the keeping of the student's account. the construction of the college edifice and the presi- dent's house, the collection of his salary, etc. The requisites for admission into college, the details of the course of study, and the rules and precepts for the government of the students, were prepared by him: and Quincy says that the principles of educa- tion established by him were not materially changed during the whole of the seventeenth century. In college discipline it seems he took advantage of the common belief in the active agency of evil spirits. and there is a tradition in the family of his having formally exorcised the devil, whom the students had raised. but had not the power to allay; President Dunster's administration of affairs was prosperous. the expectations of his patrons were realized, and his school "soon acquired so high a reputation that in several instances youth of opulent families were sent over to receive their education in New Eng- land." The first printing press in North America was set up in Cambridge in 1639, "as an appendage of Harvard College": and for more than a hun- dred years it was kept under the supervision of the general court. In 1641 it was put under the man- agement of President Dunster, and transferred to his house, where it was kept until 1655. Among the carlier issues from this press were two editions of the Book of Psalms-1640 and 1647.

President Dunster administered the affairs of the college for twelve or thirteen years with great success, and probably had more influence in perpe- tuating its existence and shaping its policy than any other person. But just then a public avowal by him of sentiments of opposition to infant baptism created great excitement in the colony and raised a violent spirit of opposition toward him. The authorities exerted their influence to have him recant, or at least keep silent with regard to his belief, but this he refused to do, and sent in his resignation of the presidency of the college to the general court. This was not at first accepted. but when he sent in a second resignation, October 24. 1654, that was ac- cepted. The further treatment of President Dun- ster by the government of the colony was harsh and undeserved, growing out of the intolerant disposi- tion of the Puritans of that day

In July, 1654. President Dunster made another public declaration of his sentiments, on the Sabbath day, in the church at Cambridge. For this offense he was some time later indicted by the grand jury, the presentment being "for disturbance of the ordinances of Christ upon the Lords daye." He was tried. convicted and sentenced according to the ecclesiastical law. "to be publiquely admonished and give bond for liis good behavior." Subsequently, a child was born to him and he was again indicted by

1123

NEW HAMPSHIRE.

the grand jury and tried by the county court, the presentment being "for not bringing his child to the Holy Ordinance of Baptisme." He was again con- victed, solemly admonished of his dangerous error, and ordered to give bond for his appearance at the next court of assistants of Boston. The bond was executed but there is no record of any further pro- ceedings in the case. The public officials at first refused to allow Mr. Dunster to remain in the pres- ident's house, but when they realized that it was not only for the convenience of Mr. Dunster and his family, but greatly to the interest of the college in order that he might properly assist his successor to a proper understanding of his position and the per- formance of his duties, they retracted their heart- less decision, and he was permitted to remain some three months.

Soon afterward he removed to Scituate. in Plymouth colony, where the inhabitants were much more tolerant in religious matters than were the people of Massachusetts Bay. The indignities and persecutions from which he had suffered had al- ready attracted the attention of the Baptists of the Mother country, and on July 10. 1656, he received an invitation to make Dublin, Ireland, his home and informing him that fifty pounds had been granted by Lord Deputy Henry Cromwell, son of the Pro- tector, for the transportation thither of himself and family. But this invitation he declined. Notices of his ministry in Scituate continue until about the time of his death, February 27, 1660. The place of his burial is in the old cemetery opposite the college ground, a few rods northwest of the church now standing therein. He was president of Harvard College from August 27, 1640, to October 24. 1654.

He married (first). June 21, 1641. Elizabeth, widow of the Rev. Jose, Josse or Joseph Glover. She died without issue. August 23, 1643. He mar- ried (second) Elizabeth, who was a woman of su- perior mind and good education. She died Sep- tember 12, 1690. The children. all by the second wife, were: David, Dorothy, Henry, Jonathan and Elizabeth.

(III) Jonathan Dunster, fourth child and third son of Rev. Henry (2) and Elizabeth Dunster, was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, September 28 or October 27. 1653: both dates appear on the town records. He died in Cambridge in 1725, aged about seventy-two years. He was a farmer, and inherited lands lying on both sides of the division line be- tween that part of Cambridge called Menotomy (now Arlington) and Charlestown (now Somer- ville). In the Charlestown Records, December 30, 1706, is the entry: "Ordered, Also to Warn A Negro Man and A Negro woman at Mr. Jona. Dunster's, to remove forthwith out of this Town and also to Warn sed Dunster that he Entertain them No Longer at the peril of the law." He was tithingman for the year beginning March 5. 1716. His estate was a long time unsettled. He married (first). December 5, 1678, Abigail Elliot. She died and he married (second). April 5. 1692. Deborah Wade, daughter of Major Jonathan Wade. of Med-

ford, and granddaughter of Governor Thomas Dudley. She died, and he married (third) (contract dated November 23. 1719) Ruth, widow of Joshua Eaton, of Reading. She survived him and married, November 22, 1732, Lieutenant Amos Marrett, of Cambridge, and was published Septem- ber 30, 1742. to Peter IIuges, of Stoneham. His children by the first wife were: Henry, and Eliza- beth, died young. By the second wife, Deborah ( Wade) Dunster: Jonathan, Elizabeth, Thomas and Dorothy.

(IV) Henry (3) Dunster, eldest son of Jon- athan and Abigail (Elliot) Dunster, was born in Cambridge, July 17, 1680, and died January 28, 1753. aged seventy-three. He owned the covenant and was baptized February 1, 1708. He married. Feb- ruary 25. 1708. Martha Russell, daughter of Jason and Mary (Hubbard) Russell. of Cambridge, and born May 2, 1691. She died in Menotomy, June 27, 1771, aged eighty-one years. She had owned the covenant and was baptized February 13, about two weeks before their marriage. They were both ad- mitted to full communion in the First Church, Cam- bridge, March 11 or 16, 1711. They were both con- stituent members of the Second Church in Arling- ton. To the first pastor of their church, Rev. Sam- ttel Cooke, he gave wood gratis for seven years. Ile resided on what was then known as Menotomy Field, later Charlestown. now Arlington. After the death of her husband Henry, Martha (Russell) Dunster became the second wife of Francis Locke, March 15, 1759. The children of Henry and Martha were eleven in number: Martha. Mary, Abigail, Elizabeth, Isaiah. Henry, Elizabeth, Jason. Eunice, Jonathan and Ruth.

(V) Jason Dunster, the eighth child and third son of Henry (3) and Martha (Russell) Dunster. was born in Cambridge, "July ye 14, O. S., July 24. 1725-6, N. S .. " and baptized July 18, 1725. He lived on the old Dunster homestead, bounded northerly by the "Gilboa road" and easterly by the Concord road. After living there eighteen years he removed to Mason, New Hampshire, where he was taxed for the first time January 28, 1768. Ilis homestead of one hundred and eighty-five acres and another piece of five acres cost him one hundred and twenty-one pounds, six shillings and eight pence. He was a consistent member of the church established in Mason. October 13, 1772. In 1773 he was highway surveyor. and in 1774 was constable. that is collector of taxes, and in that year his private tax was two farthings, equal to one-third of a cent. In 1780, during the Revolutionary war, "his beef rate," that is tax to raise money for the Continental army, was one hundred and thirty-one pounds, fourteen shill- ings, ten pence and three quarters, in the depreciated currency of the time. In 1798 Mr. Dunster sold his farm to his son Samuel, and with his wife spent the remainder of his life with his son, Jason Dunster, in the west part of the town, afterward called Mason Village.

lle married. October 26. 1749. Rebecca, daughter of Samuel and Anne ( Harrington) Cutter. She

1124

NEW HAMPSHIRE.

was born in Charlestown, March 3, 1732, and died in Mason, New Hampshire, February 16, 1806, in the seventy-second year of her age. They had eight children: Ruth, Rebecca (died young), Henry, Re- becca, Martha, Isaiah, Jason and Samuel. all bap- tized in Cambridge. (Jason and descendants re- ceive mention in this article).

(VI) Martha Dunster, the fifth child and fourth daughter of Jason and Rebecca (Cutter) Dunster, was born in Cambridge (Precinct), August 28, 1758. She removed with her father's family, in 1769, to Mason, New Hampshire. She married, September 7, 1783, Oliver Wright, who was born September 14. 1758, and died September 3, 1847, aged eighty-nine years. He had land in Monadnock. No. 6, then called Packer's field, now Nelson, where they settled and lived and died. She died September 2, 1838, in the eighty-first year of her age. They had ten children: Oliver, Kendall, Abiel, Jason, Patty, Henry, Anna. Lucy, Ira and Myra.

(VII) Patty Wright, fifth child and eldest daughter of Oliver and Martha (Dunster) Wright, was born in Nelson, March 28, 1794, and died August 19. 1854. She married Oliver Heald, of Milford. New Hampshire. (See Heald VII).

(VI) Jason (2) Dunster, the seventh child of Jason (1) and Rebecca (Cutter) Dunster, was born at Cambridge (now Arlington), March 27, and baptized April 3. 1763, by Rev. Samuel Cooke. It is very probable that his father took him to Ma- son, New Hampshire, in 1769, but no evidence is found of his being there until after the Revolution- ary war. There is a tradition that he was bound out or given to a man in Lexington, Littleton or Groton, with whom he remained until he enlisted in the Continental army. This occurred in April, 1780, when he enlisted for six months service, and was mustered in at Concord, Massachusetts. He did duty in Boston until his enlistment in the three years' service. When he left the six months' service for that purpose. he received no pay nor any cloth- ing. When the Massachusetts regiments were re- duced he was placed in the regiment commanded by Colonel Brooks, Captain Lincoln and Major William Hull. When the regiments were again reduced, he was transferred to the Fourth Massachusetts Regi- ment, from which he was discharged as above stated. When Lord Cornwallis surrendered in 17SI, he was in the Northern Department of the army under General Heath. While in the winter en- campment at Valley Forge, he had the smallpox. He was fond of telling his experiences in army life. and told on winter nights and summer days many a tale of marches through the "Jarseys," and daring exploits with the marauders about the Hudson, who were designated "Cow Boys." They were a horde of "Tories," commanded by Colonel Delancy, who made their stronghold at Morrisania, and scoured the fertile valleys of the Hudson, sweeping off forage and cattle for the British army in New York. He was discharged from the army at "Pickskill Hiths" (Peekskill Heights). New York. When he

was discharged he was paid in "Continental money." Of this he kept a thirty-dollar bill as a souvenir, often remarking in later life that when he came back from the army he could not get a breakfast with it, else he would have spent it.

After his discharge from the army he returned to Lexington, Massachusetts, and at twenty-three years of age was taxed in Mason, New Hampshire. In that year he bought a lot of land in Hancock, New Hampshire, and in ISoo he purchased lot No. Io, in the eighteenth range in Mason. He lived on this lot from the time of his marriage till his death. He owned several other tracts of land in the vi- cinity, most of which was woodland, which he cleared for the lumber and cordwood. In ISI6 he and his son Jason bought an undivided one-third interest in the saw and grist mills at the Upper Falls on the Souliegan river, a quarter of a mile from his residence. This mill privilege was the first in Mason. Jason Dunster was selectman for three successive years, and performed the town business promptly and efficiently. though his pen- manship was worse than Horace Greeley's, and what it lacked in legibility had to be made up from the writer's memory, which was unfailing.

In 1821 Mason Village was erected with a sepa- rate school district, and it was suggested that the schoolhouse should be paid for by subscriptions. Deacon Dakin, between whom and Mr. Dunster an opportunity for banter was never missed, took this plan of Mr. Dunster rather jocularly, and turn- ing to him said: "Well, Dunster, I will give as much as you will." Dunster instantly replied, "I will give one-half of the whole cost; now Deacon, don't back out." The Deacon was as good as his word, and Jason Dunster and Deacon Dakin built what was for that day a splendid brick schoolhouse. a credit to them and a means to aid in the education of the youth of the village for years afterward. After one or two ineffectual attempts, Mr. Dunster succeeded in getting a pension for his Revolutionary services of eight dollars per month, commencing May 1, 1818. This was paid until his death, and afterward his widow was pensioned. He died March 21, 1828, aged sixty-five, was buried at Ma- son Center, in the Dunster group, and a suitable stone placed over his grave by his widow.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 31

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