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 64

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 64

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(IV) Enoch, fifth son and ninth child of Tris- tram and Sarah (Dole) Little, was born May 21, 1728, in Newbury. He was a weaver by trade, and also learned to make shoes. He lived near the up- per green at Newbury, and removed thence in 1766 to Hampstead, New Hampshire. After remaining in that place eight years he removed in 1774 to Boscawen, where he died October 21, 1816. On his removal to Boscawen he settled in the virgin forest, and he endured the hardships and privations inci-

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dent to a pioneer life. When he came to Boscawen he had a large family and built a log house on land which he had set out to clear. He moved into this September 2, 1774. The house had no floor and the fireplace was probably made of such stones as could be conveniently obtained in the vicinity. Only two other houses had been erected west of the Black Water river. The site was in the present town of Webster. In the midst of this dense forest Mr. Little went to work to clear up a farm and provide for his family. Some of his sons were old enough to aid, and as the family grew up they were able to make rapid progress in clearing the soil and preparing it for cultivation. At the age of eleven years he was converted under Whitefield's preach- ing at Newburyport, and while living at Hamp- stead joined the old South Church at Newbury-

port. After he removed to Boscawen it was not until the feebleness of age prevented that he failed to be present in Newburyport every year at the August communion. A large proportion of his descendants have been ministers wives

of ministers. He married (first), February 19, 1755. Sarah Pettingell, who was born September 6, 1731, and died March 10, 1758, in Newbury. He was married (second), June 5, 1759, to Hannah, daughter of Samuel and Mary Hovey, of Newbury. She was born February 27, 1734, and died March 15, 1801. There were two children of the first wife and ten of the second, namely : Friend, Mary, Benjamin, Joseph, Enoch, Hannah ( died young), Noah, Jesse, Phoebe, Sarah, John Hovey and Hannah. ( Mention of Enoch and descendants appears in another paragraph of this article).

(V) Benjamin, second son and third child of Enoch Little and eldest child of his second wife, Ilannah (Hovey) Little, was born April 13, 1760, in Newbury, Massachusetts, and died August 30, 1847, in Boscawen. He was a soldier in the Revo- lution and took part in the battle of Bennington, being only seventeen years of age at that time. He was known by the title of captain which probably arose from subsequent services in the militia. He lived upon the homestead in Boscawen (Webster), and was a man of high character, possessing the con- ficence of his fellow citizens. He was the fifth man in the town to receive a magistrate's commission, and was often called upon to act as referee and to settle estates. He was chosen selectman eight years, and was four years representative of the town in the legislature. He continued to act as a magistrate for a period of forty years, and his sound judgment and upright character made him a valuable citizen in the community. He was married (first), Novem- ber 25. 1790, to Rhoda, daughter of Simeon Bart- lett. She was born April 13, 1768, and died August 27. 1814. Mr. Little married (second), March 5, 1816, Persis Herbert, of Concord. . All the children were born of the first wife, namely : Richard, John, Simeon Bartlett, Rhoda and Charles Herbert.

(VI) Simeon Bartlett, third son and child of Benjamin and Rhoda ( Bartlett) Little, was born December 16, 1797, in Boscawen, and died Decem- ber 29, 1874, in that town, having attained the age of seventy-seven years. His education was acquired in the common schools and in early life he was a news carrier. In those times the postal facilities were very poor and he carried the Concord Gazette to the people of Hopkinton, Salisbury, Boscawen and Andover. It was his custom to start from home early on the morning of its publication, traveling on horseback to Concord, where he filled his saddle bags and was able to deliver in Hopkinton the same

day, reaching home at night. On the second day he made the rounds of Salisbury and Andover. In cold or stormy weather the distribution required three days. At the same time he executed various errands and commissions for his customers, and by this means earned his first money. His character was such that he became a leader in the community, and he was chosen for ten years as selectman of the, town, was two years a member of the legislature and was a delegate to the convention for revising the constitution. He was elected moderator of the town meetings from 1839 to 1858 inclusive with but two exceptions. Through his active life he held a magistrate's commission, and he was the admin- istrator of more than thirty estates and was con- cerned in the settlement of nearly as many more. He was frequently appointed as guardian for minors or insane persons, and held large amounts of funds in trust. He was frequently called upon for counsel by those desiring to make their wills. It was his wont when complaints were brought before him for litigation to act the part of peacemaker, and he was able to say near the close of his life "My docket had but one criminal and but two civil cases." He often served as a juror and was frequently chosen either by the parties or by the courts as referee. He early learned surveying and was often employed in that capacity, surveying many farms. For about fifteen years he was president and director of the Granite Fire Insurance Company, and for a like period was either director or secretary. He was one of the leading members of the church, and gave of his means and his time to the service of what he consid- ered vital interests to the community. From 1828 to 1860 lie was elected by ballots more times than there were years, and he never either directly or indirectly solicited a nomination or a vote. Ile was a diligent reader, became an excellent master of Eng- lish, and was a frequent contributor to the press on a great variety of subjects. His contributions were noted for their strength, clearness and incisiveness. He greatly deplored his lack of education. His at- tendance on the district school ended when he was seventeen years old, and he had but eight weeks at- tendance at an academy. He was naturally conser- vative, and was a Puritan of the eighteenth century. Such men make mistakes, but they are errors of the head and not of the heart and are easily overlooked by discriminating observers. Those who opposed him politically always acknowledged his integrity and respected his sterling worth. He was married (first) September 16, 1824, to Harriet, daughter of Deacon James and Fanny (Baldwin) Boyd. She was born September 17, 1798, and died October 3, 1850. Mr. Little was married ( second), October 20, 1851, to Phoebe, daughter of Deacon Eliphalet and Mary (Thorla) Kilburn. She was born September 26, 1801. Ilis children, all born of the first wife, were : George, Alice, Narcissa, Evelyn, Sherman, Arthur and Luther (twins).

(VII) Sherman, second son and fifth child of Simeon Bartlett and Harriet (Boyd) Little, was born in Boscawen, New Hampshire, February 6, 1835. He married, September 8, 1859. Mary A., daughter of Deacon Eldad Austin, of Webster. Their children : Harriet B., born September 30, 1860; Arthur C., April 22, 1862 ; Ellen A., August 19, 1863, married, October 23. 1883, Irvin Abram Burbank, of Webster (see Burbank, V) ; Myra A., June 14, 1865; John E., March 2, 1867 ; Charles S., February 12, 1869: Clara M .. June 6, 1872.

(III) Moses (2), youngest child of Moses (I) and Lydia (Coffin) Little, was born February 26,

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1691, in Newbury, and remamed at his father's home until 1730, when he purchased of his uncle Joseph the Turkey Hill farm, on which he resided the re- mainder of his life. The farm has since remained in the hands of his descendants. He passed away October 17, 1780, in his ninetieth year. The inscrip- tion upon his tombstone says, "He was temperate in all things, industrious, hospitable, yet frugal, a kind husband and kinder father, a good neighbor and citizen, and while living justly sustained the first of characters. an honest man." He was married, Feb- ruary 12, 1716, to Sarah, daughter of Sergeant Ste- phen and Deborah ( Plummer) Jenks. She was born September 23, 1697, and died November 12, 1763. Her epitaph reads as follows: "She truly answered ye wisemans character of a virtuous woman, lived beloved and died lamented and hath left her friends a good hope that at the resurrection this dust shall spring to life with sweet surprise and in her sa- viour's image rise." Their children were: Lydia, Stephen, John. Moses, Joseph (died young), Sarah died young ), Joseph, Benjamin, Sarah, Mary, Paul and Elizabeth.

(IV) John, second son and third child of Moses (2) and Sarah (Jenks) Little, was born November 10, 1721, in Newbury, and left his father's farm at an early age. He began life as a teamster, but was industrious and frugal, and accumulated a handsome property. He lived at the corner of Middle and State streets, in Newburyport, and was said to be the handsomest man in town. He was married in 1745, to Temperance, daughter of William and Abi- gail Ripp, of Newburyport. She was born August 10, 1725, and died January 7, 1762. His second wife was named Apphia, and died October 22, 1791, in her fifty-ninth year. His children, born of the first wife, were: William Coffin, John, Francis, Abigail, Sarah, Elizabeth and Mary.

(V) William Coffin, eldest child of John and Temperance ( Ripp) Little, was born November 17, 1745. in Newburyport, and died December 16, 1816. in Salisbury, New Hampshire. He was a silver- smith, and lived in Salisbury until 1790, when he re- moved to Amesbury. Eleven years later he went to Salisbury, New Hampshire, where the remainder of his life was spent in tilling the ground. He was married in December, 1768, to Mary, daughter of Thomas Rowell, of Newburyport. She died October 18, 1840, aged ninety-five years. Their children were : Thomas Rowell (died young), William, John, Abi- gail, Francis, Mary, Thomas Rowell and Valentine .: (VI) Thomas Rowell, fifth son and seventh child of William C. and Mary ( Rowell) Little, was born May 23, 1786, in Newburyport, and died Jan- uary 1, 1801, in Salisbury, New Hampshire. His principal occupation was farming, and he remained upon the parental homestead. He was also by trade a wheelwright, and in September, 1834, he invented a machine which he operated by horse-power in the construction of wagons. He was one of the most prominent and enterprising citizens of Salisbury, and was highly esteemed. He was married, Decem- ber 27, 1814, to Nancy Webster, daughter of Ensign John and Rebecca (Dearborn) Webster, of Salis- bury. She was born December 25. 1788, in Salis- bury, and died September 1, 1868. Ensign Jolin was a son of Captain John, who was a son of John Web- ster of Kingston. Their children were: John Web- ster and Thomas Dearborn.

(VII) Thomas Dearborn, youngest son of Thomas Rowell and Nancy ( Webster) Little, was born August 14, 1823, in Salisbury, where most of

his life was passed. He died November 6, 1906. Ilis early education was supplied by the common schools of his native town, and he subsequently pursued a full course at Salisbury Academy, of which he was a charter member and a trustee. He served as librarian of both societies connected with the school. For two years he engaged in teaching in Franklin and Danbury, and was employed during the years 1850 and '51 as a teacher in western New York. Returning to his native town he was em- ployed as a teacher there for three years. He had a taste for mechanics and mathematics, and studied civil engineering with Rev. Valentine Little. When the north railroad was constructed he was employed upon the preliminary surveys, and subsequently acted as town surveyor. In 1848 he began the manufacture of drag rakes, getting out the material by hand. From this small beginning he built up a large busi- ness which employed much machinery and several people. In 1868 he patented an appliance for secur- ing the handle to the rake, and this has been exten- sively used. In December, 1859, he substituted steam for horse-power, and in 1882 this was increased . because of the growth in the business. In 1849 Mr. Little united with the Congregational Church, and in 1860 was made deacon. In 1857 he was elected clerk of the church, and was always one of its main supports. He was ever a liberal contributor for charitable objects and ever ready to advance the progress of his town and state. He was postmaster for eight years from 1861 to 1869, during which time he was a member of the firm of C. E. Foote & Com- pany, merchants of Salisbury. He was a member of Bartlett Grange, No. 104, of which he was master two years, 1886-7. He was always lecturer and chap- lain of the grange, holding the latter position up to the time of his death. He was made treasurer upon the organization of the Merrimack County Pomona Grange and continuously held that posi- tion. In politics he was a Republican. He served on the board of selectmen in 1870-71 with satisfac- tion to the town. Mr. Little was married (first), November 27, 1851, to Susan E., daughter of Dr. Robert and Susan ( Fifield ) Smith of Salisbury. She was born October 2, 1828, at Amesbury, Massa- chusetts, and died January 21, 1875. Mr. Little married (second), November 30, 1876, Lucy L., daughter of Andrew Davis, of Rutland, Vermont. His children, born of the first wife, were: Thomas Rowell, Charles W., Susan P., John W., Alice M., William D. and Robert S. The only child of the second marriage. Edwin D., is mentioned below.

(VHID) Thomas Rowell, eldest child of Thomas Dearborn and Susan E. ( Smith) Little, was born September 19, 1853, in Salisbury, where his life has been passed. His education was completed at Kim- ball Union Academy in Meriden, New Hampshire. His occupation has always been farming to which he was trained from early childhood. Soon after attaining his majority he purchased a farm of two hundred acres near the paternal homestead, on which he has built a shingle mill and is engaged a part of the time in lumbering. He was also an extensive fruit raiser, and has marketed as high as eight hundred barrels of apples in a season. He keeps eighteen cows and does considerable dairying. He is a pro- gressive farmer and intelligent citizen, and active in the promotion of progress. He has been largely employed in conducting the affairs of the town. He was eight years a selectman, and was one year town treasurer and representative in 1903-4. He is a Republican in political principle, and attends the Con-

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gregational Church, and is a member of Bartlett Grange, No. 104, of Salisbury. He was married, April 30, 1876, to Carrie B., daughter of Lewis A. and Betsey (Richardson) Hawkins, of Salisbury. Their children are: Carrie E., Lewis T. and Arthur S. The daughter is the wife of Bertram Adams, and lives in East Orange, New Jersey. The elder son resides in Franklin, and the younger is a stu- dent at New Hampton Academy.

(VIII ) Edmond Dearborn, only child of Thomas Dearborn and Lucy L. (Davis) Little, was born September 14, 1878, in Salisbury, where most of his life has been spent. He attended the district schools and an academy at MIt. Hermon, Massachusetts. He was also a student at New Hampton (New Hamp- shire ) Academy, and took a two years' course in mechanics at New Hampshire College. For nearly a year he was eniployed by the Concord Axle Com- pany at Penacook, and then returned to his native place, where he has since been engaged in farming. He occupies the old homestead and shares his home with his mother. He is an intelligent and progres- sive farmer and takes an active interest in the pro- gress of his state and nation and endeavors to keep abreast of the times in everything. He is a member of Bartlett Grange, of which he was steward one year and three years master. He served the town one year as tax collector and one year as treasurer, and is now serving as a member of the board of se- leetmen. He is an attendant of the Congregational Church, and is an enthusiastic supporter of the Re- publican party in public affairs. He was married, February 18, 1903, to Laura, a daughter of Samuel Stickney, of Campton, and they are the parents of one child, Charles Edwin Little, born April 20, 1905. (Second Family.)

The Littles of Antrim and Peter-

LITTLE borough, New Hampshire, are of Scotch descent, but as they resemble in per- sonal appearance the descendants of George Little. who settled in Newbury, Massachusetts, in 1640, and as the two lines have several favorite names in com- mon, it is believed by some that the two families are related.

(I) Thomas Little, with his wife Jean and sev- eral children, came over from the north of Ireland, county of Antrim. in 1737, and settled in Shirley, Massachusetts.

(II) Thomas (2), son of Thomas (I) and Jean Little, came from Ireland with his parents, and was ten years old on bis arrival in America. He mar- ried, probably in the twenty-seventh year of his age. in Peterborough, Susanna, daughter of William and Elizabeth (Clayland) Wallace, who was born in the north of Ireland in 1734. The old records speak of their having lived in Peterborough a short time several years previous to their permanent set-

tlement in that town.

They lived in Shirley.

Massachusetts, from 1756 to 1764 and, after that date in Peterborough. Thomas Little died in Shirley, Massachusetts, while on a visit there, June 6. 1808, aged eighty-one. His widow died in Peter- borough, March 6, 1822, aged eighty-eight. Their children were: William, Esther. Elizabeth, Susan- nah, Joseph. Thomas, John and Walter.

(III) Dr. William, eldest child of Thomas (2) and Susanna (Wallace) Little, was born in Peter- borough, October 20. 1753, during a temporary so- journ of his parents in that place. He studied medi- cine with Dr. John Young. the first physician of Peterborough, and established himself as a physician in Hillsborough in 1782. He was a social, cheerful

man, of a genial disposition, who made hearty friend- ships and had much influence and a large practice. In the midst of his usefulness he came to a sudden death, being drowned November 7, 1807, at the age of fifty-four. He had attended an auction on the Whittemore place nearby in Antrim; the evening came on carly, and very dark and cold; he started alone to walk back to the bridge, and seems to have walked over the bank into the river, at the bend close to the road. Great search was made for him, the whole town turning out for that purpose, but he could not be found ; his disappearance was considered a great mystery. and his body lay in the river all winter. When the ice broke up in the spring, the body floated down. and was first discovered in the north edge of the stream, just above the new factory, at the bridge. On the following day, which was Sunday, no minister could be found in that section. Deacon John Duncan went over and offered prayer at the funeral, and the body was laid in the grave. Dr. Little married, first, Betsey Fletcher, of West- ford, Massachusetts. She soon died, and he mar- ried, second, May 12, 1787, Ruth Symonds, daughter of Deacon Joseph Symonds, of Hillsborough. The first wife left one child, Betsey F., born September 27. 1775. The children of the second wife were : William, Martha D., Ruth S., Lucy R., and Hiram. (IV) Deacon William (2), eldest son of Dr. William (1) and Ruth (Symonds) Little, was born in Hillsborough. March 10, 1788, and died in Antrim. December 18, 1869, aged eighty-one. In 1815 he re- moved to and built the tannery at the Branch, in An- trim, in which he carried on business more than forty years. He was a man of strong character, upright and full of energy, and a leader in the affairs of the town. He was chosen an elder in the Presbyterian Church in 1831, and served as such till his death. He married, first, in 1814, Abigail Wells, of Goffs- town. She died February 1, 1846, aged sixty-eight ; and he married second, Mrs. Lydia S. Dow. who sur- vived him. His ten children. all by the first wife, were: Hiram, William P., John, Jane W., Willis. Frederick S., Isaac W., Abby, Sylvester and Betsy K. (V) Sylvester, seventh son and ninth child of Deacon William (2) and Abigail (Wells) Little, was born at the Branch Village in Antrim, May 28. 1833. He was educated in the public schools and at Tubbs Union Academy at Washington and at Hopkinton. From childhood he displayed a natural aptitude and fondness for music, and after leaving school he adopted the teaching of sacred music as a vocation. which he continued for sixteen years, and for a long time was leader of the Centre choir. In 1869 he be- caine a salesman for Woods, Dodge & Company, which firm was later amalgamated with the Goodell Company. When the change was made Mr. Little retained his place, and continued as a traveling sales- man until January, 1907, when he retired. He oc- cupied the house built by his father in 1824. at the Branch. This he greatly modernized and improved. In 1879 he built a residence in the South Village. where he has since resided. Mr. Little is a man of sterling character, and influential among the citi- zens of Antrim. He served on Governor Goodell's staff during his incumbency of the gubernatorial of- fice. 1n 1892 he was elected to the lower house of the legislature of New Hampshire by the Repub- licans of Antrim, where he made a good record. He is a member of Harmony Lodge. No. 38. Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of Hillsborough. He and his family attend the Presbyterian Church. Ile married, March 20. 1860. Mary E. Vose, born March 9. 1831. daughter of Dr. Samuel and Ruth ( Hanson)

111-28

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Vose, of New Portland, Maine. Dr. Vose read med- icine with Dr. Nathan Smith, of Hanover, New Hampshire, and graduated from Bowdoin Medical College, Brunswick, Maine, and was a veteran of the War of 1812. Mr. and Mrs. Little are the parents of three children : Helen L., Harry Hanson, and Ruth E.

REDINGTON For more than a hundred years the family of Redington has been continuously engaged in the

manufacture of wooden ware and carriage hubs. Such a record speaks volumes for the quality of the work turned out and the honorable standing of the men directing it. The business was first estab- lished in Wenham, Massachusetts, by Adam Red- ington.

(I) Adam Redington lived in Wenham for sey- eral years and then removed to Sunapee. New Hamp- shire, where he built a mill and carried on his work until his death.

( II) He was succeeded by his son John, who was born in Wenham, Massachusetts. John went into the business with his father at Sunapee, after- wards transferred it to Hopkinton, New Hampshire, and thence to a mill on the north road in Sutton. John Redington, for some years previous to the opening of the railroad from Concord to Bradford, New Hampshire, kept a public house which he built midway between Warner and North Sutton village. It was on the main stage road, and did a good business till the opening of the railroad diverted travel. John Redington died in Warner, New Hamp- shire, in 1883.

(III) Oliver Patch, son of John Redington, was born in Sunapee, New Hampshire, January 17, 1821. He was educated in the common schools of Hopkinton. he learned the business of his father in Stitton, then went to Andover, New Hampshire. and two years later to Roby's Corner in Warner. He started a water-power factory on the Warner river, about three miles above Waterloo, where he continued the manufacture of carriage hubs and excelsior. Subsequently he enlarged the premises and began clothes-pins on a small scale. Within a few years he acquired such a large trade in hubs that he devoted himself entirely to their manufac- tuire. He used elm timber, cut into blocks, and seasoned by a special process-"hubs of logs from the settler's ellum," as Dr. Holmes puts it. The Abbot-Downing Company, of Concord, New Hamp- shire, founded in 1813, whose Rocky Mountain coaches were famous a generation ago, use the Redington hubs exclusively. Mr. Redington had a high reputation for honest dealing, and hie supplied many carriage factories in this country ; but a large portion of the factory's output was exported to Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and other distant places. Oliver P. Redington was a well read and intelligent man. Both he and his brother John S. were desirous for a college education, but Oliver gave up his chance to his brother and after- wards assisted him pecuniarily. John S. entered Dartmouth, and was a student there when his death occurred at the dawn of what promised to be a most brilliant career. By close attention to butsi- ness, Oliver acquired a competence. He was a man of positive opinions, courageous in his convictions, and a valued member of the Republican party, which he joined on its formation. He had previously been a Whig. He was independent in his religious views. He died May 3, 1891. Oliver P. Redington married (first) Olive Morgan, daughter of Thomas and Nancy Morgan, of Sutton, and he subsequently

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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 64

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