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 78

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 78

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(II) Lieutenant Samuel, third son and fourth child of James and Ann (McPherson) Barr, was born in Goffstown, New Hampshire, 1754. He was a man of ability and a soldier of the Revolution. He married, Margaret, daughter of Thomas and Ar Boies, of Bedford, New Hampshire. They lived first at Henniker, but later came back to Bed- ford, which was their permanent home. There were seven children: James, Thomas, Ann, John, who is mentioned below : Samuel, William and Robert. Lieutenant Samuel Barr died at Bedford, Septem- ber 25, 1842, and his widow died April 6, 1845.

(III) John, third son and fourth child of Lieu- tenant Samuel and Margaret (Boies) Barr, was born February 8, 1789. His home was at Bedford, New Hampshire, where he was a prominent and influen- tial citizen, serving the town several years as select- man and town treasurer. He was a worthy member of the Presbyterian Church of that place. John Barr was twice married and had eleven children. His first wife was Nancy Dunlap, of Goffstown, 10 whom he was married in 1814. She died December 19, 1816, leaving one child, Nancy, who afterwards inarried her cousin. Ira Barr, of Manchester. In 1818 John Barr married (second), Sophia Richard- son, of Goffstown, who died May 8, 1828, leaving five children: John N .. whose sketch follows, Mat- thew, Samuel, Maria and Julia Ann. October. 1828, he married (third), Clarissa Eaton, of Goffstown, who had five children: David H., James E., Rufus C., Clinton and Mary. John Barr died September 30, 1874, aged eighty-five years, and his widow died December 22, 1891, at the same age.

(IV) John N., eldest child of John Barr and his IV-4

second wife, Sophia (Richardson) Barr, was born September 22, 1819, at Bedford, New Hampshire. He was educated in the schools of his native town. At the age of twenty he went to Nashua and entered the employ of Merrill & Kimball, dry goods dealers. He served as clerk for five years and then formed a partnership with Mark W. Merrill, one of his former employers. The firm of Merrill & Barr con- tinued for ten years, and he later formed a new partnership with his former partner, Mr. Merrill, in the flour and grain business. After Mr. Merrill retired E. F. Knight was taken into partnership, and the firm name was J. N. Barr & Company. During all his years of residence in Nashua, Mr. Barr was a prominent and respected citizen. Was an active worker in the Pilgrim (Congregational ) Church, and held the office of deacon for many years. A Democrat in politics, Mr. Barr served on the board of aldermen in 1861 and 1862. He was several times called upon to administer large estates. Deacon John N. Barr was twice married. His first wife was Mary Annis French, daughter of Ebenezer and Rhoda ( Coburn) French, of Bed- ford, to whom he was united June 18, 1844. There were four children by this marriage: Henrietta, born February 11, 1847, died July 30, 188; John Henri, born August 10, 1848, died July 12, 1900; Frank, whose sketch follows; and M. Etta, born July 19, 1854, who married Edwin F. Knight of Norway, Maine. Mrs. Mary (French) Barr died June 15, 1883, and Deacon Barr married (second ), Sarah E. Dodge, daughter of Ira and Sarah (Fitch ) Dodge of Groton, Massachusetts.

(V) Frank, second son and third child of Dea- con John N. and Mary A. ( French) Barr, was born December 2, 1851, at Nashua, New Hampshire. He was educated in the public schools of Nashua, an l began his railroad career March 1, 1869, as clerk in the freight office of the Worchester & Nashua railroad at Nashua. Later he became ticket clerk, chief clerk of the freight department and telegraph operator. From this time on his advancement was rapid, till he now occupies one of the most promi- nent railroad positions in New England. On No- vember 1, 1892, he was appointed superintendent of the Worcester, Nashua & Portland division of the Boston & Maine; on December 1, 1896, he was pre- moted to assistant general manager of the Boston & Maine system; and on July 1, 1903, he was ap- pointed third vice-president and general manager. Mr. Barr now lives in Winchester, Massachusetts. During his residence in Nashua he was a member of the city council in 1878 and of the board of al- dermen in 1883. Mr. Barr was initiated an entered apprentice, June 8, 1887; passed to degree of Fel- low Craft, November 23, 1887; raised to degree of Master Mason, January 1I, 1888, in Rising Sun Lodge. No. 39, of Nashua, New Hampshire ; ad- vanced to degree of Mark Master Mason, April 2, 1888; passed the chair, May ;, 1888; received and acknowledged Most Excellent Master, June 5, 1888; exalted to degree of Royal Arch Mason. September 3, 1888, in Meridian Sun Royal Arch Chapter, No 9. of Nashua, New Hampshire ; created a Compan- ion of the Illustrious Order of the Red Cross, De- cember 6, 1888; constituted a Knight Templar, De cember 20, 1888, and a Knight of Malta, December 20. 1888, in St. George Commandery, stationed at Nashua. New Hampshire; and received the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite degrees, fourteenth in Aaron P. Hughes Lodge of Perfection, Nashua, April 21, 1898; sixteenth in Oriental Council, Princes . i

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Jerusalem, Nashua, April 21, 1898; eighteenth in St. George Chapter of Rose Croix, Nashua, April 21, 1898, and the thirty-second in Edward A. Ray- mond (now New Hampshire ) Consistory of Na- shua, April 21, 1898.

He married. November 11, 1875, Alace J. Cooper, daughter of Warren J. and Elizabeth Cooper, of Nashua. There were three children, all born in Nashua: Frank Henri, born September 18, 1877, dlied December 9. 1884; Marguerite E., born August 13, 1883, and Robert Cooper, born February 3, 1889.

BARR The Barr family of this article descends from an ancestor who settled in New Hampshire a short time previous to the American Revolution. The immigrant was an active and useful citizen, and every generation of his de- scendants has numbered among its members persons prominent as local leaders and social benefactors.

(I) James Barr, a native of Scotland, born De- cember 16, 1752, and a person of means came to America in 1774 to make a tour of the New Eng- land Colonies, for pleasure and the acquisition of general knowledge. At New Ipswich he became en- amored with an attractive young woman, married, settled, and raised a large family. He owned lot 2 in the second range south of the old burying ground, which had first been improved by Joseph Bullard. His house was on the street in Central Village running from the turnpike past the academy to the house of Judge Farrar.

He brought with him from Scotland the secret of preparing and hulling oats for food; this secret he imparted to Eleazer Cummings, who for some time thereafter was the only other person who pos- sessed it, and he availed himself of his knowledge · and made oat meal which he sold to the apothecaries in Boston. Mr. Cummings also had a malt house. where the process of malting was carried on by Mr. Barr. James Barr was a useful accession to the pioneer town of New Ipswich, and besides help- ing to give tone to its society by his upright conduct and industrious habits, he added to its wealth by his knowledge and use of an industrial process not known in that place until his advent there. Hle was an Orthodox Christian, and his seat was in the castern gallery of the' old church, where he was always to be seen in time of service, unless detained by sickness.

He married, in 1783, Molly Cummings, born De- cember 2, 1764, died in February, 1845. Her father, Captain Eleazer Cummings, son of Eleazer and grandson of Nathaniel, was born at Dunstable, De- comber 15, 1740, and settled in New Ipswich, about 1762. In 1768 he purchased the extensive farm and the mills erected by John Chandler, which he after- wards increased by other purchases, until it em- braced about four hundred acres, covering the whole Soubegan Village and vicinity. He soon after built and operated a malt house and oil mill. He was an enterprising citizen and a leading man. He com- manded the reinforcements that went to Cambridge on the alarm given at the battle of Bunker Hill. He died August 4, 1815, aged seventy-five. James Barr died in 1820. The children of James and Molly ( Cummings ) Barr were: Nancy Sarah, James, George, Caroline, Cummings, Robena, Char- lotte, William, Mary, John, Jane, and two sons, James and Charles, died in infancy.

(II) Dr. James (2), eldest living son and fourth child of James (1) and Molly (Cummings ) Barr, was born in New Ipswich, May 23. 1,90, and died in

Boston, June 6, 1845, aged fifty-five years. Ile re- ceived his preparatory education at New Ipswich Academy, and studied medicine under the instruc- tion of Dr. Haskell, of Lunenburg and Dr. Twitch- ell, of Keene, and attended medical lectures at Boston and Harvard, at which latter place he re- ceived his degree. He commenced practice about 1816 in New Ipswich, and having more surgical skill than any of the neighboring physicians, he soon became known. His practice was small at first and his income still smaller, but being a man of patience and perseverance as well as skill, he attended to his professional work with conscientious care, and during the last twenty years of his life had a large business. For three or four years previous to his death he suffered severely from pulmonary disease, but did not suspend his labors and when too feeble to manage his horse it was driven by his wife or some one else from place to place. He died while on a visit to Boston. He was a cautious, skill- ful and conscientious physician. As a man he was mode-t, sincere, upright in all his dealings, courteous to the other practitioners he had occasion to meet, never engaging in controversial matters either po- litical or religious, and was universally respected.

He married. April 21. 1824. Laura Livermore Bellows, born September 17, 1804, and died January 9, 1878, daughter of Colonel Caleb and Mary ( Hart- well ) Bellows. Colonel Caleb Bellows, son of Gen- cral Benjamin Bellows, of Walpole, New Hamp- shire, was an officer in the Revolution, and his father was the founder of Walpole, New Hampshire. The seven children of Dr. James and Laura L. { Bellows) Barr were: Mary H., Sarah J .. George L., James W., Caroline F., James H., Ellen M.

(III) Caroline F., fifth child of Dr. James (2) and Laura Livermore ( Bellows) Barr, was born in New Ipswich, February 27, 1835. and was educated in Boston and Milford high schools, New Ipswich and Bradford academies. Professor James Barr Ames, Dean of Harvard Law School, is a son of Mary H., eldest daughter of Dr. James Barr.

The members of this family have RANDALL been largely interested in agricul- ture, the industrie, and transporta- tion. The family is of English origin, the American founder being a seafaring man, the brother of a large English shipowner with vessels plying between England and the American colonies.

(1) Reuben Randall, the first from whom a connected line can now be traced in this family, was born on the Hudson river, in New York. After seeing something of the world, he married and set- tled on a farm near Burtonville, province of Quebec, Canada. He went . west and settled in Ohio, about the year 1835, taking with him his wife and two sons, Harry and Reuben. The journey was made by water from the point of embarkation on the St. Lawrence river to Ohio. He settled at Streets- borough on new land. Later he lived at some dis- tance from the first place of settlement. He walked from his home to Streetsborough, thirty miles, in one day, in order to pay a visit to his son. He re- tired at night in apparent health and was found dead in bed next morning. He was about eighty years of age. His wife had died some years before at the age of sixty-four. Reuben Randall and his two sons, larry and Reuben, were soldiers at the battle of Plattsburg, in the War of 1812. His chil- dren were: John, Edward, Reuben. Harry, Schuy- ler, Betsey, Maria, Oline.

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(Il) Schuyler, son of Reuben Randall, was born February 9. 1806, near Rouse's Point, New York. He learned the blacksmith's trade at Burlington, Verment, where he worked five years, and became a very skillful mechanic. He opened a shop at Rouse's Point, which he conducted until 1850, mak- ing a specialty of ironing wagons and sleighs. When a boy he listened to the roar of the guns at the battle of Plattsburg, twenty-two miles away. May 13. 1850, he and his family started for Michigan, to which they proceeded by way of the St. Lawrence river and the Great Lakes to Detroit, and thence to Steele's Landing on Grand river by land. Here he bought a farm and settled. He died at Coopersville at the age of eighty-five years. He married Sarah Stancliff, born in Iloboken, New Jersey, daughter of George Stancliff. She died before her husband. Their children were: Emerson L .. Amelia F., Charles E., George A., Sarah Elizabeth, Schuyler S. and Lucy Ann.

( III) Emerson L., eldest child of Schuyler and Sarah ( Stancliff ) Randall, was born August 2. 1826. at Ronse's Point, New York. He attended the com- mion schools from the time he arrived at school age until 1843, and then put in one year in Champlain Academy. When a boy of thirteen he witnessed the battle between the so-called patriots and the Cana- dian militia, near his home. From 1843 to 1848 he was engaged in learning the blacksmith's trade in his father's shop. November 22, 1848, he entered the service of the Northern New York railroad. now the Ogdensburg & Lake Champlain railroad. which then had fifteen miles of road and one en- gine. After working a year at his trade he was given charge of the repairs on all engines on that part of the road. This place he held till 1856, when the road had thirty-five engines. April 15, 1856, he took a position on the road and ran an engines for almost three decades. Twelve years of this time he had charge of a "wild train," which hauled lum- ber in summer and wood and ties in winter, wood being at that time the principal article of fuel there. He left the service of this road November 18, 1882, and came to Concord. Here he was in the employ of the Boston & Maine railroad in the engine re- pair shop four years. He subsequently returned to Rouse's Point, where he had charge of the town water works as engineer and pipe layer eight years. Since that time he has lived in Concord and been variously employed.

He married, June 16, 1851. Cynthia Matilda Weeks, daughter of Joseph and Harriet ( Webber) Weeks, born at Rouse's Point. August 25, 1824. died August 19. 1885. They had five children: Purdy M., an electrician in New York City, Sarah E .. wife of Frank P. Shattuck, of Concord. Hattie L., wife of George Cronkite. Merrill A., of Concord. Jennie M., who died at the age of of one year.

(IV ) Merrill A. Randall, fourth child of Emer- son L. and Cynthia Matilda ( Weeks) Randall, was born in Rouse's Point, New York, November 2, 1857. He remained at home on the old farm where he was born till eighteen years of age. attending public school in term time and cultivating the soil and attending to farm work the remainder of the time. He was a clerk in a store a short time, but not taking to the business, learned telegraphy in 1876. From that time till 1880 he was spare station agent and operator, and saw much service in various parts of the United States. In 1880 he entered the service of the Northern New Hampshire railroad. now a part of the Boston & Maine, and worked two

years as train dispatcher, and was then appointed chief train-dispatcher, a position he has held from that time until the present. Mr. Randall is a quick observer, a diligent worker, and closely attentive to the details of his employment. During all the years he has been a dispatcher, millions of lives and many dollars worth of property have been entrusted to his care, and yet not a life has been lost or a dollar's worth of property destroyed by an error of his office.

Mr. Randall is a stalwart Republican, but has never held or sought political office. He has been a member of the Train Dispatchers' Association of the Boston & Maine railroad since 1898; was chair- man of this order one year. Hle is a member of Rumford Lodge. No. 46, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and of Fidelity Rebekah Lodge, No. 14. He is a member of the Knights of the Essenic Or- der, in which organization he has held the highest office, that of excellent senator. For two years he served as governor of Local Colony of the United Order of Pilgrim Fathers, and was its permanent representative to the Supreme Colony. He was elected to the board of trustees of the Pilgrim Fathers, where he served two years, the most critical period in the history of the order, a time when an increase in the rates was necessary, and it was through Mr. Randall's untiring efforts that the order was placed on a most substantial basis. He is a strong advocate of temperance, has never cared for club life, and prefers to devote his spare time to his home and family.

He married. June 30. 1883, Addie Greenleaf, daughter of Nelson B. and Mary Ann ( Horner) Sinclair, born August 21, 1862. They have one child. Elmer Sinclair, born February 28, 1888. one of the finest young pianists in the state.

This name was early transported

WADLEIGH from England to New England, and is found in the records under various spellings, including Wadley and Wadlowe. It has been identified with the settlement and de- velopment of New Hampshire from a very early period in the history of the colony and state and is still identified with it's best interests. It's represen- tatives are scattered throughout the United States and have been everywhere found of good repute.

(1) John Wadleigh was found at Saco, Maine, as early as 1639, and was of Wells as early as 1047. He was a juror about 1640, and bought land of the Indians in 1649. He was to keep the "ordinary" at Wells, in 1648-49, where he took the oath of alle- giance and was selectman in 1653. He was living in 1064, and the inventory of his estate was pre- sented by his son Robert, September 16. 1671. No record is found. although the will is referred to in the inventory. His wife's name was Mary, and they had children : Robert, Mary and John and perhaps others.

(II) Robert, eldest son of John and Mary Wad- leigh, was a citizen of Wells in 1650, when he was made joint owner with his father of land purchased of the Indians, Ile subscribed to the oath of alle- giance there in 1653, and received a grant of land there in 1659. This was sold in the following year, and he was constable of Kittery in 1602. He was still a resident there in 1666, when he sold his house and land there and purchased land at Lamper-eel river, between Dover and Exeter. His name first appears on the Exeter records, in March. 1668, and he was received as an inhabitant of Dover in 1669. He was accepted as an inhabitant of Exeter, Sep-

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tember 26, 1676, and he was the justice of the peace there and a prominent citizen for many years. He with his wife and son Jonathan, received seats in the Exeter meeting house in 1698. He died about 1702. In 1668 he was dispossessed of certain house and milne with appurtenances belonging to the farm, and appealed from the decision. On a full hearing of the case the court adjudged that he had been illegally dispossessed, and ordered that he be re- possessed of the estate and reimbursed for the cost of the suit. In 1680 he was the largest tax-payer in Exeter except Moses Gilman, and in 1684 lie was a member of the province council. Three of his sons-John, Robert and Joseph-were in the Edward Gove rebellion against the arbitrary power of Gov- ernor Cramfield, and were tried for treason and con- demned. One of them died before the time of execution, and the others were pardoned by royal instruction. Robert Wadleigh was justice of the supreme court of adjudication from 1093 to 1697. His wife's name was Sarah, and their children were John, Robert, Joseph, Jonathan and Sarah.

(III) Jonathan, fifth son and child of Robert and Sarah Wadleigh, was born between 1600 and 1670, and resided in Exeter. In 1701 he was chosen one of a committee from Exeter to run town lines, and was also chosen on a committee to build a bridge over the New Market river .. In 1704 he and his brother John were witnesses for Samuel Allen respecting the latter's taking possession of the waste lands of the province. On October 11, 1718, Cap- tain Jonathan Wadleigh and his wife were peti- tioners for the rehearing of a suit between them- selves and George Jeffers. By this suit his estate was greatly reduced. His first wife was Abigail Eastman, daughter of Peter Eastman. She was born July 9, 1750. He married ( second ), Anna Wilson, widow of Winthrop Hilton. Both were living in 1721. They had sons John and Thomas, and probably other children. John was selectman of Kingston in 1773 and also in 1775.

(IV) Thomas, son of Jonathan and Abigail (Wilson) Wadleigh, was born March 29, 1755, in Hampstead, which was called Haverhill District, from which district came thirty-two of the sixty- three grantees of Sutton, New Hampshire. Pre- vious to 1741 a part of Hampstead was called Tim- ber Lane. After the incorporation of the town in 1749 a dispute arose between Kingston and Hamp- stead, and it was finally settled in 1764 so that the estate of Thomas Wadleigh was included in Hamp- stead. He early became a proprietor of Sutton, New Hampshire ( then Perry's Town) and the records of the grantees show that on July 21, 1763, he was one of a committee to clear roads for the society. In June. 1760, Thomas Wadleigh, Timothy Ladd and John Knight were chosen assessors, and Mr. Wadleigh was also chosen one of a committee to repair roads. Ile became one of the proprietors of Perry's Town (now Sutton) by the purchase of a right, or perhaps by the purchase of more than one right. His name appears frequently in the records of the proprietors, and it appears that lie was a man of sound judgment and practical abil- ity. He was a soldier in the French war, and was one of the selectmen of Sutton in 1773. He had nine adult sons and three daughters, namely : Ben- jamin, Jonathan, Joseph, Thomas, John. Moses, Aaron, Ephriam, Henry, Judith, Betsey and Susan. Four of his sons were tax payers in Sutton in 1779, and two were soldiers in the Revolution. Thomas Wadleigh was possessed of remarkable strength.

At one time, with two cther men, they set about lifting a heavy log, he took the small end and the others the butt end. They did not succeed, how- ever, in moving it until they changed and Mr. Wad- leigh took the heavy end.

(V) Benjamin (I), eldest child of Thomas Wadleigh, was born 1749, and in early life learned the trade of shoe maker and tanner with the Hon- orable John Calfe, of Hampstead. He moved to Sutton with his wife and child in 1771. He was one of the first families that located in the town. He was appointed by the provincial congress to take the enumeration of Sutton, then Fisher's Field, in1 1775. At the first municipal meeting, of which Daniel Webster's father was principal, in 1777, he was chosen clerk and selectman, and was the first justice of the peace in that town in 1786. He took an active part in all matters pertaining to the pros- perity of the town, and died August 9, 1817, in the sixty-ninth year of his age. He was married, 1769, to Hannah Kezar, who was born in 1750 and died in 1836. She was a daughter of Ebenezer Kezar, of Hampstead, one of the pioneer settlers of Sutton. ( See Keyser). She lived for many years a widow, and was tenderly cared for in her old age by her youngest surviving son. Benjamin Wadleigh's chil- dren were : Mehitable, Hannah, Dolly, Jesse. Eli- phalet (died young), John, Benjamin, Eliphalet, Judith, Simon, Ebenezer and Susannah.

(VI) Benjamin (2), fourth son and seventh child of Benjamin (1) and Hannah (Kezar) Wad- leigh, was born October 8, 1783, in Sutton, and died in that town June 24, 1864, in the eighty-first year of his age. He lived on his father's homestead. fle was a prominent citizen of the town, and served as representative. selectman and clerk, and for forty years was justice of the peace. He was judge of the court of common pleas from 1833 until lie was disqualified by age. He is remembered as a man of fine personal appearance, of a genial nature and most pleasant gentlemanly manners, and earnest promoter of universal education and he did not spare any sacrifice to afford the best educational advantages of the time to his children. His recog- nized integrity and sound judgment gave his opin- ions weight, and his advice was often sought not only by his own townsmen but by those of neigh- boring towns. He was frequently called upon to act as arbitrator in disputes among his neighbors and friends, sometimes with others, but more frequently, by mutual consent of the parties in controversy, he adjudicated their differences alone. In speaking of him some twenty years after his death one of his intimate acquaintances said, "I remember him well, [ remember his unflinching honesty, and if I were his worst enemy or he were mine, I would trust him for honest dealing. He never gave opinions at random." He was married August 21. 1803, to Polly, daughter of Jacob and Lydia ( Gile) Maston, of Sutton. Jacob was the eldest child of Benjamin and Elizabeth ( Chandler) Maston, who came to Perry's Town in 1776, from Litchfield. Mrs. Wad- leigh was born March 18, 1781, and died December 17, 1857, aged seventy-six years. She was a woman of most excellent character and the devoted and faithful helpmeet of her husband. Their children were : David, Eliphalet, Erastus, Milton, Amanda, Hannah, Lydia F., Benjamin and Gilbert.

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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 78

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