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 51

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 51

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In 1858 he married Anna Quackenbush East- man. daughter of Hon. Ira Allen and Jane Eastman. Of their children Clarence was born January 22. iSon, and died a member of the junior class in Dart- mouth College in 1881, and Edward Winslow, born January 21, 1875. graduated at Amherst in 1897, and died while a member of the Harvard Law School, April 23. 1800. Allen Eastman Cross was horn December 30, 1864, graduated at Amherst Col- lege in 1886, studied theology at Andover, Massa- chusetts, and from 1890 until the fall of 1900 was settled at Cliftondale, Massachusetts. and Spring- field, Massachusetts, as minister of Congregational Churches. In the fall of 1000 was installed over the Old South Church of Boston, as assistant pas- tor. Dartmouth College in 1906 conferred upon him the degree of D. D. He was married to Ethelyn Marshall. daughter of Moses R. and Emily Mar- shall, in 1896, and they have one daughter, Louise Marshall.

The main part of Judge Cross' life has been de- voted to the law, and the records of the courts show that he has been one of the leading lawyers of the state in cases before juries, and in legal questions before the supreme court. For more than sixty years he was a hard working lawyer, and at the time of this writing, December, 1906. in his ninetieth year, he is found in his office daily, in- terested in law and business affairs, although for the past year withdrawing almost entirely from the courts. He has for more than thirty years been counsel for the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company, in cases of taxation, accidents to employees, flowage and flowage rights, etc. While his business has been to a considerable extent for corporations, he has also been constantly engaged in the trial of cases and questions of law upon many of the most im- portant cases that have been heard before the court during a large part of his professional life.

Judge Cross has taken much interest in Dart- mouth College and everything pertaining to its pros- perity, and it is said that he considered his invita- tion to speak in 1901, upon the one hundredth anni- versary of Daniel Webster's graduation, the most complimentary that has ever been offered to him. The men who were invited to speak during the three days of celebration were President Tucker, Profes- sors Richardson and Lord during the first day, and Samuel Walker McCall and Ex-Governor Black during the second day, and at the banquet the gov- ernor of New Hampshire. Edwin Webster San- born, a relative of Daniel Webster, Professor Fran- cis Brown, George Frisby Poor, Edwin Everett Hale, Williara Everett, and Chief Justice Fuller of the United States supreme court. During that

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alwine B. Grass.

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celebration Judge Cross made an address to the alumni and also an address in the evening upon Mr. Webster's traitung at the New Hampshire bar. The proceedings of this Webster Centennial are pub- lished in book form and it was one of the great events in the history of Dartmouth College.

(V) Jesse, son of Abiel Cross, was born in Salem, New Hampshire, died in Newbury, and was buried there. He married Annie Dow. Their chil- Iren were: Nathaniel B., born in New Salem, in ISoo, and resided in Newbury, Wilmot and Clare- mont. dying in the last named place in 1903. Jesse. mentioned below. Ilannah, married Eben Eaton, lived and died in Newbury. Belinda married Thom- «» Dustin. David was killed in the Civil war.

(\'1) Jesse (2), son of Jesse (I) Cross, was Doorn in New Salem in 1802. died December 24. 1889. He was educated in the "old district school house." .1ld was an excellent scholar for his opportunities. He was a champion speller, could spell all the words 11 any spelling book and make a very commendable -howing on the words in the dictionary. Early in his "teens" he walked from Newbury, New Hamp- -hire, to Boston and entered the employ of John Quincy Adams, where he remained some time. In His later years he was pleased to tell that while in Mr. Adams's service he opened a gate for General Lafayette, who was then visiting Mr. Adams, to pass through. He settled in Wilmot Flat, New Hampshire. and his first independent occupation was the manufacture of custom shoes. He was a Democrat until the slavery issue was raised, and then he became an Abolitionist, was one of the earliest adherents of the Republican faith and voted that ticket as long as he lived. He was very loyal to his party and interested in all matters of a public nature. but of a retiring turn of mind and was never an aspirant for office. A very conscien- tious man and of strong religious convictions. he became a staunch member of the Free Will Baptist Church. In middle life, on a certain occasion, he heard a stirring sermon condemning the evils of the tobacco habit. Returning to his home, he threw away his pipe and tobacco and never used tobacco again. He would never receive money for the pay- ment of a bill on Sunday.

He married, about 1827, Mary Abbott, born in 1808, died in 1803. Their children were: Benja- min G., mentioned below : Myrtle. November 27, 1835. died March 27. 1843; George .1 .. June 13, 1844, died February 6, 1852.

(VII) Benjamin Gay, son of Jesse Cross, born at Wilmot Flat. July 20. 1830, spent his boyhood in his father's home, and was educated in the dis- trict and private schools of the town. He learned the tailor's trade, and started in business for him- self in Canaan. New Hampshire, where he was successfully engaged until the second year of the Civil war. He then enlisted in the Tenth New Hampshire Volunteers, served as sergeant until the evacuation of Richmond and the troops were dis- charged. Finding his health impaired and thinking outdoor life would be beneficial. he subsequently hought a large farm on the western slope of Mount Kearsarge, near Wilmot Flat. He remained a farm- er until failing health obliged him to give up work. Mr. Cross has always been a loyal and active Re- publican, and like his father has shunned office. He married at Concord. 1856. Sarah P. Loverin, of Springfield. New Hampshire, daughter of Daniel and Sarah ( Russell) Loverin, born in 1830. Daniel Loverin was born in Springfield, and his wife in Manchester, this state. The children of Benjamin

G. Cross are Alvin B. and M. Rose. The latter, wife of John II. Greeley, resides at Wilmot Flat.

(VIII) Alvin Benton, only son of Benjamin G. and Sarah P. (Loverin) Cross, was born July 4. 1858. in Wilmot, and has grown up amid the inspir- ing scenes and atmosphere of his native state. His primary education was obtained in the public schools of his native town, and he was subsequently tutored by Professor Baldwin, of Meriden Academy, a noted educator and skilled mathematician of his day. and also attended the School of Practice in Wilmot. He taught school for some years in Wilmot and other towns, and in Penaccok Academy. At the age of twenty-one years he was elected without opposition as superintendent of schools in Wilmot, always a Democratic stronghold. while Mr. Cross has ever been an enthusiastic Republican. In 1882 Mr. Cross became an employe of the National State Capite 1 Bank of Concord. and soon after was elected assis- tant cashier of that institution, which position he continued to hold until his resignation, January 1, 1904, to become New Hampshire and Vermont rep- resentative of A. B. Leach & Company. bankers of New York and Chicago. This concern does not handle speculative accounts, but deals solely for cash in high class securities as investments. Upon the occasion of his leaving the State Capitol Bank, the Concord Monitor said :

"Mr. Cross's citizenship here has extended over a period of twenty-one years and during all that time. his has been a familiar and welcome face to the patrons of the National State Capitol Bank. and to our citizens generally. From the first day of his employment there he has been a popular and trusted employe, and his relations with other offi- cers of the bank and its business friends have been pleasant and amicable to a degree. He has been one of the magnets which have drawn large local and outside business to its doors, until today it is one of the soundest banking institutions in the State."

Mr. Cross maintains an office in Concord, and is found every Saturday at the banking house of A. B. Leach & Company in Boston. Under the tu- toring of Professor Baldwin, his natural mathe- matical bent was developed, and his mind has al- ways shown an aptitude for financial affairs, in the administration of which he has been remark- ably successful. As a handler of high-grade invest- ment securities, he sustains an enviable reputation. and his sales to banks and individual investors throughout the state are constantly increasing. During the year 1905 his business aggregated over one million dollars. With pleasing personality and manner, of unfailing good humor, he makes and holds warm friendships, and exerts a wide in- fluence in the community where he lives and in the state. Mr. Cross is a director of the Mount Wash- ington Railway, of the Concord Light & Power Company, director and president of the Concord Building & Loan Association, and has been treas- urer and clerk of the Concord Street Railway Com- pany for many years. He was elected city treasurer in 1902 and served two years in that capacity. In 1006 he was elected representative of ward five in the legislature. and at the session opened in the fol- lowing January was made chairman of the commit- tee on banks, a handsome recognition of his ability as a financier. He is a trustee of the John H. Pear- son estate. which distributes approximately eighteen thousand dollars annually for charitable and educa- tional purposes in New Hampshire. and is also a trustee of the Franklin Evans estate. whose in- come is devoted to charity in Concord. He is a

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trustee under the will of the late William B. Durgin, of Concord, and is treasurer of the Pisca- taqua Missionary Society of the Congregational Church, which has a fund for the benefit of churches in southern New Hampshire, and since 1901 has been treasurer of the New Hampshire Home Mis- sionary Society, which expends for religious pur- poses twelve thousand dollars per year. For some years he served as clerk of the Margaret Pillsbury General Hospital of Concord. Mr. Cross has long been a member of the South Congregational Church, was its treasurer for years, and has taken a prom- inent part in its work. He was made a Free Ma- son in Blazing Star Lodge, No. 70, Ancient. Free and Accepted Masons, of Concord ; and is a member of Trinity Chapter, No. 2, Royal Arch Masons; of Horace Chase Council, No. 4, of which he is treasurer; of Mt. Horeb Commandery, Knights Templar: a member of Bektash Temple of the Mystic Shrine of Concord.

He was married November 28, 1882, to Lizzie May Gage, daughter of John Chandler and Hannah C. (Stevens) Gage, of Boseawen. Mrs. Cross is a member of the Christian Seience Church, Con- cord. is treasurer of the Woman's Chib, and active in many religious and charitable. enterprises.

DURRELL The family of Durrell has been long a prominent one in southeastern New Hampshire, and has furnished many valuable citizens to the commonwealth. It has been noted in law and letters, in the ministry, in the leading business avocations, and in every worthy walk of life. One of its most conspicuous representatives to-day is a leading elergyman of the Methodist Episcopal Church, who has served as pre- siding elder.

(I) The pioneer in America of this family, Philip Durrell, is supposed to have come from the Isle of Guernsey, in the English Channel, and was of French blood, and in religion a Protestant. He is known to have been in the Piscataqua region as early as 1679, and ten years later was a soldier in the Exeter garrison. In 1697 he received a grant of fifty acres of land in Exeter, and removed in 1700 to Kennebunkport; Maine. In 1703, while he was absent from home, his family was carried off by the Indians. The prisoners, his wife and their two daughters and two sons, one of whom was an infant, were carried as far as Peywacket, or Frye- burg, when Mrs. Durrell persuaded the Indians to allow her to return with her infant. After the breaking up of his home Philip Durrell moved back to his New Hampshire farm. In 1714 he again went to Kennebunkport, and in 1723 the same lot which has been previously laid out to him was again granted him. In 1726 his family was again taken by the Indians, and his wife and daughter and infant granddaughter were slain.

(Il) Benjamin, son of Philip Durrell, was born about 1710, in Exeter, and died in September or October, 1784. He served in the militia at Saco, in Lieutenant John Bean's detachment, in 1750, and in 1754 was selectman of Aurundel, now Kennebunk- port. In 1758 he was moderator of the Aurundel town meeting. In 1774 he was chairman of the "committee of inspection" of that town, appointed in harmony with the advice of the provincial con- gress. In 1775 he was lieutenant of a company of militia for that town, and the following year was made captain. On April 21, 1775, three days after the battle of Lexington, Benjamin Durrell was

chosen chairman of a committee to borrow money and provide ammunition for the military needs of the town. On May 22, more than a month before the Declaration of Independence, the town of Aurundel voted that, in case the colonies declare their independence, the inhabitants of Aurundel would support them in the measure. To carry out this policy a committee of correspondence, inspec tion and safety was chosen, of which Benjamin Dur- rell was chairman. In this year he was representa- tive to the general court. In 1778 he was referred to as major, and styled a member of the committee of safety. His wife, Eunice Perkins, was a daugh- ter of Ensign Thomas Perkins, who came from Topsfield, Massachusetts, to Aurundel, in 1719, and became town elerk. Her mother was Mary Wilder, granddaughter of Sarah (Averill) Wilder, who was hung as a witch on Boston Common, July 16, 1692. Her son, Ephraim Wilder, was the father of Mary ( Wilder) Perkins.

(III) Benjamin (2), son of Benjamin (1) and Judith (Perkins) Durrell, was born December 26, 1748, and died April 9, 1836, in his eighty-eighth year. His wife, Hannah Kimball, was born July 22, 1752, and died June 12, 1841.

(IV) Thomas, son of Benjamin (2) and Hannah (Kimball) Durrell, was born August 5, 1786, and died February 24, 1852. He married Esther Towne, who was born March 28, 1789, and died November 7, 1867, nearly seventy-nine years of age.

(V) William Henry, son of Thomas and Esther (Towne) Durrell, was born October 12, 1812, and died September 14, 1872. He was a blacksmith by trade in early life. Soon after his marriage he moved from Kennebunkport to Boston. His wife, Sarah Averill, of Kennebunkport, was born in 1813 and died in Boston, November 15, 1873. William Dur- rell settled at the North End of Boston, where he was an edge tool maker rather than blacksmith. Subsequently he went into the provision business at the corner of Hanover and Salutation streets. The last quarter century of his life he was connected with the police department, and died as the indirect result of injuries received in the discharge of his official duties. He received the meager training of the distriet schools of Kennebunkport, but was a thoughtful reader, and had a well selected library on historical, religious and literary lines. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church; a class leader of the society on North Bennett street in Boston, and subsequently, after it removed to more commodious quarters on Hanover street. In politics he was a liberal Democrat. He came over from the Free Soil movement, and soon became an Abolitionist. He voted for Jolin C. Fremont in 1856, and was an ardent Republican from thenee until his death. He was a plain man, of good sense, honest convictions, and diligent application, and did not care for any publie position. His courage il the discharge of duty was proverbial.

(VI) Jesse Murton, son of William Henry and Saralı (Averill) Durrell, was born June 26, 1843, in Boston, and was educated in the Eliot grammar school and the Mayhew school of his native eity. He was awarded a Franklin medal upon graduating from the former in 1859, and in the fall of the same year he entered the Boston Latin School, then under the care of Franeis Gardner. After three years in the Latin school he commeneed the study of dental surgery, and three years from that time he began the practice of dentistry in the South End, Boston. After three years of practice he felt a call to the ministry and sold out his office, furniture

M.Durrell.

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and practice, and entered Tilton Seminary, then under the presidency of Dr. L. D. Barrows, to pro- pare for his new duties, and was graduated in 1869. In the fall of 1870 he entered the School of The- ology, Boston University, and graduated therefrom in the class of 1873. In the spring of that year he left for a year's study abroad, making art the principal subject of his study. In 1882 he again went abroad, being this time accompanied by his wife, and made an extensive study of Egyptology and Eastern Antiquities. After nearly a year abroad he took a post-graduate course in Hebrew under the late Professor William R. Harper, afterwards president of Chicago University. Becoming inter- ester in summer schools, in connection with Dr. O. S. Baketel, he organized a summer school at Hed- ding Camp Ground, in Rockingham county, New Hampshire. For a number of years he was a mem- ber of the council of the Chautauqua Sunday School Normal Department at Chautauqua Lake, New York. For the five years from 1891 to 1895 inclusive, he was president of the New Hampshire Conference Seminary and Female College, afterwards reorgan- ized as Tilton Seminary. For the four years from 1897 to 1900 he was a member of the school board for the city of Nashua, New Hamp- shire. In the summer of 1904 he was appointed field agent for the Tilton Seminary, which po- sition he continues to hold. During all these years he has been most of the time an active pastor in his church, serving the following societies: East Tilton, New Hampshire ; Rumney, New Hampshire ; Allen street, New Bedford, Massachusetts ; Bristol, New Hampshire : First Church, Haverhill, Massa- chusetts; Rochester, New Hampshire; St. John's, Dover, New Hampshire; Garden Street, Lawrence, Massachusetts ; St. Paul's, Manchester ; Main Street, Nashua, New Hampshire; Keene, New Hampshire. He was appointed presiding elder of the Dover District, New Hampshire Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, for the years of 1903 and 1904. He has served on the following commit- tees and commissions of the General Conference : Two terms of four years each on the general mis- sionary committee, general committee of church ex- tension, general committee of Freedmen's Aid and Southern Education. During the eight years that he served on these three general committees, they appropriated for disbursement the sum of nearly fourteen million dollars. By the General Conference of 1900 he was appointed as a member of the board of control of the Epworth League, to serve four years. By the General Conference of 1904, he was appointed a member of the commission to con- solidate benevolences. This commission has carried out a plan for uniting several organizations and di- viding the missionary society into two branches, home and foreign, and reorganizing the whole under new charters. It will make its final report to the General Conference in 1908. In the Masonic order, Mr. Durrell is a member of Olive Branch Lodge of Plymouth, of Temple Royal Arch Chapter, of Rochester; Israel Hunt Council, of Royal and Se- lect Masters, of Nashua; St. Paul's Commandery, Knights 'Templar, Dover ; Aaron P. Hugh's Lodge of Perfection, fourteenth degree, Nashua; Oriental Council, Princes of Jerusalem. sixteenth degree, Nashua; St. George Chapter of Rose Croix, eight- eenth degree, Nashua; Edward A. Raymond Con- sistory, thirty-second degree, Nashua. He is a member of the Veteran's Association of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of New Hampshire, 111 -25

Concord; and Peabody Chapter Order of Easter: Star, Tilton. For several years he has been chap lain of the grand chapter and also of the grand council for New Hampshire. Ile is a member of the Society of the Colonial Wars. In politics Mr. Durrell is an ardent Republican. He has held no office of a political nature except as a member of the school board of Nashua.

He was married, July 23, 1878, to Sarah Irene Clark, daughter of Hiram and Betsey D. (Drake) Clark (see Clark, IV).

BRIDGMAN The founder of this family in New England was an early settler in the Connecticut valley, where many of his descendants are still residing, and they have assisted in the building up of three states. namely : Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hamp- shire. They were among the first settlers of Han- over, and have therefore been identified with its development from a frontier settlement to the posi- tion of importance it now occupies as an agricn !- tural and educational centre.

(I) The Bridgmans of Hanover are the de- scendants of James Bridgman, probably of Winches- ter, in the county of Hants. England, who emigrated prior to 1640 and was one of the original proprietor- of Hartford, Connecticut. He was a carpenter by trade, which he probably followed in Hartford and also in Springfield, Massachusetts, whither he re- moved in 1643, and he was granted lands on both sides of the Connecticut river. His house lot was on Main street. During his eleven years residence in Springfield he held some of the town offices, such as constable, highway surveyor and fence-viewer. In 1654 he with others removed to Northampton. where he was chosen constable in 1659, and he 1- supposed to have resided there for the remainder of his life, as his death occurred in that town in March, 1676, tradition says on the night of the birth of his grand-on Deliverance, which was March 17. The Christian name of his wife was Sarah, and it is thought that he married her in Springfield. She died August 31. 1688. Their children were: Sarah. John, Thomas, Martha, Mary, James, Patience and Hezekiah.

(II) John, second child and eldest son of Janie - and Sarah Bridgman, was born in Springfield. July 7, 1645. He was made a freeman in 1676. He in- herited his father's property in Northampton, and occupied the homestead on Hawley street until hi- death, which occurred April 7, 1712. On December II, 1670, he married Mary Sheldon, who was born at Windsor or Hartford, in 1654, eldest daughter of Isaac and Mary ( Woodford) Sheldon, who were of Windsor Connecticut, prior to 1655, and after- ward of Northampton, Massachusetts. John and Mary were the parents of fourteen children, namely : Mary, an infant. died unnamed : John, Deliverance. James, Isaac, Sarah, Ruth, Ebenezer, Thomas. Martha, Hannah, Dorothy and Orlando. The mother of these children died in Northampton. April 29, 1728.

(III) Isaac. sixth child of John and Mary ( Sheldon) Bridgman, was born in Northampton. March 29. 1680. Prior to 1706 he doubtless went t reside in Wethersfield, Connecticut, as three of lors children were born in that town, and he sub-equenti. resided in Coventry, Connecticut, where he 'it various town offices, Ile died in Coventry, Julie 1756. April 11, 1706, he married Dorothy (: daughter of Sergeant John Curtis, of WethersSei

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Her death occurred in Coventry, November 26, 1757. Their children were: Lydia, Gideon, Dorothy, Abigail, John and Isaac.

(IV) Isaac (2), youngest child of Isaac and Dorothy ( Curtis) Bridgman, was born at Coventry, in 1718. He was one of the pioneers of Hanover, New Hampshire, which was settled largely by people from Connecticut, and he resided there for the re- mainder of his life. On June 10, 1741. he married Elizabeth Hatch, of Coventry. His death which oc- curred February 25, 1781, was caused by a cancer, and, driven insane by grief, his wife committed sui- cide in the following August. She was the mother of thirteen children, namely : Clara, Elizabeth, John, Anna, Olive, Gideon, Dorothy, Isaac, Abel, Eunice, Salome, Joseph and Asa.

(V) Abel, fourth son and ninth child of Isaac and Elizabeth (Hatch) Bridgman, was born in Coventry, April 15, 1750, and died in Hanover, September 23, 1800. He was married October 29. 1783, to Anna Fowler, a cousin of Professor O. S. Fowler, of New York, the distinguished phrenolo- gist. The eight children of this union were : Jemima, a son who died in infancy ; Orlando, Abel, Erastus, Anna, Esther, and another child who died in infancy.

( VI) Abel (2), third son and fourth child of Abel and Anna (Fowler) Bridgman, was born in Hanover, September 1. 1790. He was an able and industrious farmer, and resided in Hanover his en- tire life, which terminated January 19, 1874. His wife was before marriage Ruth Ladd, and their wedding took place May 2, 1815. She was born in Haverhill, January 18, 1789, daughter of John and Hannah (Eastman) Ladd, of Boston, and died in Hanover, February 16, 1869. She bore him four children : Emeline Maria, John Ladd, George Wells and Eliza Ann.

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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 51

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