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 81

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 81

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( XXVIII) Frank F .. eldest child of George F. and Margaret (Judge) Wentworth, was born May 20, 1876, in Dover, where he has always made his

home. He was educated in the public schools and at an carly age entered the drug store of A. T. Pinkham & Company to learn the business. He continued with that establishment four years and then decided to branch out in business for him- self. He began the manufacture and repair of bi- cycles and in a few years added to this the repair- ing, sale and general handling of automobiles. He has now the largest business in this line in the state. He was married, June 6, 1898, to Anna C. Agnew, daughter of Michael and Ellen Agnew, of Dover, and they are the parents of three children : Raymond F., Harold E. and Cecil A.

(XXVI) Clark, fourth son and seventh child of Stephen and Sarah (Nutter) Wentworth, was born in Ossipee, January 31, 1806. He went from his native town to Great Falls, thence to Moulton- boro, residing on Long Island. He was an industri- ous farmer, attaining a comfortable prosperity, and he died in 1878. February 22, 1831, he married Har- riet Came, of Moultonboro, and had a family of nine children, eight of whom lived to maturity, namely : William Henry, Laura Ann, Hannah C., Samuel Going. Mary F., Joseph F., Mark Dean and Sarah Elizabeth.

(XXVII) Samuel Going, fourth surviving child and third son of Clark and Harriet (Came) Went- worth, was born in Great Falls (now Somersworth), July 6. 1837. Subsequent to his majority he en- gaged in farming on Long Island, in the town of Moultonboro, and also carried on quite an exten- sive lumber business. In 1882 he removed to New Hampton for the purpose of providing his children with better educational advantages, and during his four years residence there he busied himself by dealing in lumber. From New Hampton he re- turned to Moultonboro and resided there for the remainder of his life, which terminated in Decem- ber, 1896. He served as chairman of the board of selectmen. being the only Democrat elected to that office in Moultonboro during a period of many years, held other town offices and was a commissioner of Carroll county for four years. On March 14, 1861. he married his cousin, Adelia Ann Wentworth, who was born July 7, 1843, daughter of Samuel Went- worth, and a sister of Mary Jane Wentworth, who became the wife of his brother. Mark D. Mrs. Adelia A. Wentworth died February 12, 1806. She was the mother of three children, Alfred Going, born August 30, 1862; Alice Bell, January 20, 1864; and Alvin Fernando. ( See next paragraph).

(XXVII) Alvin Fernando, youngest son and child of Samuel G. and Adelia A. (Wentworth) Wentworth, was born in Moultonboro, June 6. 1867. He prepared for college at the New Hampton Liter- ary Institute and was graduated from Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1889. Hfis legal studies began and were continued for one year in the office of Judge Hibbard, at Laconia, and were then continued in the law department of the University of Michigan, where he took the degree of Bachelor of Law in 1892, and he was admitted to the bar at Ann Arbor the same year. Returning to Laconia he perfected his legal training under the direction of his former preceptor. and was admitted to the New Hampshire bar in 1893. Locating in Plymouth the latter year he purchased the law library of the late Joseph C. Story, and opening an office he has since diligently applied himself to his profession. building up a lucrative general practice and attaining a high rep- utation. Politically he is a Republican and has rendered excellent service in a public capacity as

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water commissioner, member of the board of edu- cation for nine years, and delegate to the last con- stitutional convention at Concord. He has advanced in Masonry through Olive Branch Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Pierce Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, and Omega Council, Royal and Select Masters, to Pilgrim Commandery, Knights Templar, of Laconia. On September 16, 1897, Mr. Went- worth was united in marriage at Albany. New York, with Blanche M. Plaisted, who was born in Ashland, New Hampshire. December 8, 1877. daughter of Oscar A. and Ella ( Clough ) Plaisted. Of this union there is one son, Roger Samuel, born in Plym- outh, August 15, 1899.

(XXV) Nathan, fourth child and third son of Richard (2) and Joanna ( Clark) Wentworth, was born in 1774. He lived in Lebanon, Maine, and died before 1834. aged about sixty. He married Lydia Whitehouse, who died March 8, 1848, aged seventy- two years. They had: Nathaniel, George ( died young), Andrew. Hannah, Ebenezer, William T., Eunice. George, Betsey and James W.

(XXVI) Nathaniel, eldest child of Nathan and Lydia ( Whitehouse) Wentworth, was born in Leb- anon, Maine, December 31, 1798, and died June 2, 1870, aged seventy-two. He resided in Great Falls, New Hampshire first, and in Brighton, Massachu- setts, after 1838, and was a contractor and builder, and erected many buildings in Brighton, Boston and other places. In politics he was a Republican in his later years. Ile was a member of the Con- gregational Church, and a Mason. He married (first). in Eliot, Maine, August 11, 1822, Lydia Lord of that place. She died there August 9, 1855, and he married ( second ), November 27, 1856, Eliza- beth Mahony, who died in Brighton, Massachu- setts. He had by his first wife: John W., George WV., James, Charles M .. David L., Lydia A., Caroline T., William H. H., Nathaniel, Walter A .; and by his second wife: Thomas, Susan, Mary and Wil- liam L.

(XXVII) Nathaniel (2), ninth child and seventh son of Nathaniel (I) and Lydia (Lord) Wentworth, was born in Brighton, Massachusetts, December 8, 1843. He attended school until sixteen years old, and then cnlisted in Company C of the First Massachusetts Cavalry in 1861, and served until 1862, when he was discharged for disabilities contracted in the service. In 1863 he enlisted as a member of the Eleventh Massachusetts Light Bat- tery, and took part in engagements at Wilderness, Cold Harbor, Spottsylvania, Prebble Farm, Weldon Railroad, siege before Petersburg, and many others, and was present at the surrender of General Lee and his army at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, April 9. 1865. He then returned home and was mustered out and honorably discharged, and at once engaged in peaceful pursuits. He worked at the mason's trade in Boston until 1870, and then went to Hudson, New Hampshire, where he has since resided. He is a Republican in politics, and has been active in the councils of his party. In 1887 he was a member of the general court, and in 1897 a men- ber of the senate. Both these offices he filled with credit. In 1893 he was appointed a member of the Fish and Game Commission, and has since served continuously in that body, and for twelve years has been its chairman. He married. May 9. 1870, at Hudson, Martha E. Greeley, who was born in Hud- son, January 6, 1850, daughter of Daniel M. and Jane ( Keniston) Greeley, of Hudson. Six children have been born of this union: Kate S .. James G.,

John. Edwin, Daniel and Minnie. Kate S., married Dr. C. H. Baldwin, of Nashua. James G., married Linnie Snowman, of Rangeley, Maine. John, mar- ried Jessie Gilbert, and lives in Hudson. Edwin, married Bertha Sanborn, and lives in Nashua. Daniel, married Mabel Connell and lives at Hudson. Minnie, died at the age of fifteen.

(XXII) Ezekiel Wentworth must have been among the older children of his father. Elder Will- iam (7) Wentworth, as his name is on the tax list of 1672. He received three grants of land, of sixty, thirty and ten acres respectively ; and with Judge John Tuttle a grant of "all privileges" of the west side of Salmon Falls. He was selectman of Dover in 1702, assessor in 1705, and representative in the legislature from Dover in 1711. He seems to have resided in that part of Rollinsford now known as Salmon Falls Village. Ile died in the latter part of IZII or the early part of 1712, while a member of the legislature. His descendants for six successive generations subsequent to himself have been in the New Hampshire legislature. He married. in 1676 or before. Elizabeth -, by whom he had seven children: Thomas. John, Paul, Benjamin, Gershom, Tamsen and Elizabeth:

(XXIII) Benjamin, son of Ezekiel and Eliza- beth Wentworth, was probably born about 1691, and lived at Dover. His home was on the New Hamp- shire side of Quamphegan, adjoining the river, in the present town of Rollinsford, and was apparently not two miles below Salmon Falls, and near the bridge on the turnpike from Dover to South Ber- wick. He dealt much in land about Salmon Falls and considerably with his brother Paul. In 1716 he was chosen constable and paid his fine of £5 in preference to serving. He was "Sergeant" in 1717 and "Captain" when he died. He was baptized and received into the church, November 25, 1722. He was one of the committee of proprietors of the town of Rochester, in 1722, and one of the select- men in 1724, and the same year was elected repre- sentative. He died in office in the early part of 1725. His inventory was returned January 12. 1729. at £1,953. He married. September 23, 1717, Eliza- beth Leighton, born May 30, 1691, a daughter of John Leighton, of Kittery, Maine. She was ad- mitted to the Dover Church "other than by im- mediate baptism" January 22, 1729, wbile a widew. She died in October. 1779, aged eighty-eight years, baving survived her husband more than fifty years. The children of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Leighton) Wentworth were: John, Elizabeth, Abigail and Mary.

(XXIV) John (5), son of Captain Benjamin and Elizabeth ( Leighton ) Wentworth. generally known as "Colonel John." or "Judge John." was born March 30, 1719, and in that part of Dover which has become Somersworth, and in that part of Somersworth which is now Rollinsford. He was baptized December 26, 1722. Left fatherless at six years of age, with three sisters younger than him- self, he was mtich indebted for his early advantages to bis uncle, Colonel Paul, who took a deep interest in him, and made him his chief heir, willing him the homestead at his death, and the house still standing at Salmon Falls. He was chosen one of the select men of Dover 1717, as "Captain John" and was frequently re-elected while Somersworth continued to be a part of Dover. He was chosen representa- tive to the legislature from Dover, in 1749. and various other years until the separation of Somier -- worth. He was first chosen to repre-en- Somer-

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worth, October 21, 1755, was in the legislature in 1707, and annually thereafter. He was chosen speaker of the house in 1771, and continued in office during the existence of the provincial government- that is not after 1775. Upon the organization of Strafford county, 1773, he was made justice of the court of common pleas, and held the place until the provincial government ended. Under the Revo- lutionary government he was chosen one of the judges of the superior court, January 17, 1770, and served until his death. He was one of the state counselors from December 21, 1775, until his death. He was colonel of the Second New Hampshire Regiment when the review took place by Governor Jolm Wentworth, at which Jeremy Belknap preached a noted sermon on military duty, which is preserved in the library of the Massachusetts Historical Society. He was lieutenant-Colonel un- der Colonel John Gauge as early as 1707.

The provincial legislature in session at Ports- mouth, May 28, 1774, voted that John Wentworth and six others be a committee of that house to correspond, as occasion should require "with the committees that are or may be appointed in our sister colonies, and to exhibit to this house, an account of such proceedings when required." This vote brought about the dissolution of the general assembly by John Wentworth, the Tory governor. By order of members of the assembly so abruptly - dissolved, Colonel John Wentworth issued a call for election of delegates to a congress in New Hampshire to elect delegates to a Continental con- gress of all the colonies. This, the first Revolution- ary congress in New Hampshire, met at the ap- pointed time, July 21, and Colonel John Wentworth was chosen chairman, and as such assigned the credentials of General John Sullivan and Nathaniel Fulsom as delegates to the first Continental congress, in Philadelphia, September 5, 1774.

The first Continental congress having recom- mended another to be held May 10, 1775, Colonel Wentworth issued a circular convening another meeting, which was held January 25, 1775, and Col- onel Wentworth was made its president. He was also president of the convention met to consider the situation, April 21, 1775, thirty days after the battle of Lexington. At a meeting of the Provincial legislature on May 4, 1775, Colonel John Wentworth was unanimously chosen speaker, and his name sent up to Governor John Wentworth for confirmation, and was accordingly confirmed. This legislature never passed a law, and was finally prorogued by the governor, who soon left the state. January 5, 1776, the state congress of Exeter re- solved to forin a government and at this, the first session under the independent government, Colonel John Wetnworth was elected counselor, and one of the judges of the superior court, which offices he held until the day of his death, May 17, 1781.

Colonel John Wentworth married ( first) Decem- ber 0, 1742, Je anna, daughter of Judge Nicholas and Sarah ( Clark ) Vilman, of Exeter, New Hampshire. She was born July 14, 1720, and died April 8, 1750, a few days after giving birth to her fourth child. He married (second), October 16, 1750. Abigail. daughter of Thomas and Love ( Bunker) Millet, of Dover. She died July 15, 1767, aged forty-five years. having eight children. He married (third), June 1, 1768, Elizabeth, daughter of Colonel Thomas Wallingford, and widow of Captain Amos Cole, of Dover. She died July 11, 1776, aged forty years. The children . by the first wife were: Paul, John,

Benjamin (died young), and Nicholas. By the second : Thomas Millet (died young), Thomas Millet, Benjamin, Joanna, Gilman, Abagail, Andrew ( died young ), Susanna, and Andrew. By the third wife, Afra and Samuel.

(XXV) John (6), known as "John Went- worth. Jr.," second son and child of "Colonel John" and Joanna (Gilman) Wentworth, was born July 17. 1745, at Salmon Falls, in the house built by his great-uncle. Colonel Paul, and graduated at Har- vard College in 1768. He studied law with Judge William Parker, at Portsmouth, and first saw his wife as she accompanied her mother into court in that town. In 1767-68 there was but one attorney- at law in the limits of old Strafford county, that is John Sullivan, of Durham, afterwards a major- general in the Revolution, but John Wentworth, Jr., was in the practice of the law before the organiza- tion of the company in 1773. These two were then and for many years after the only attorneys in the county. In 1787 he was one of the only twenty- nine lawyers in the state of New Hampshire. He lived and died in Dover, in a house still standing ( though greatly altered) known as the "Durrell House," being the building on the west side of Central street, next south of the present Belknap Church.

On January 10, 1774, at a legal meeting of Dover, in the beginning of the Revolutionary troubles, he was appointed one of a committee of correspondence for Dover. In 1777 he was chosen chair moderator of the Dover meeting, and was re- elected nearly every year until 1786 (inclusive), presiding over the last meeting before his death. December 19, 1776, he took his seat as representa- tive of Dover in the assembly, which met at Exeter, and was re-elected annually until 1781, when he was transferred to the council to succeed his father, n hose term expired December 9, 1780, and who died Nay 17, 1781. He served in the council until De- cember 19, 1783, and was chosen for another year, but at the first organization of the senate for the state at this session, June 2, 1784, he took his seat as a member and served until June 7, 1786. At this time his protracted ill health compelled him to de- cline all further public life and he lived only until the following January. At the organization of the probate court of Strafford county he was appointed register of probate, and held that office until his death. He attended all the sesions of the legislature to which he was elected except those of May 20, 1778, and August 12, 1778, when he was attending the sessions of the Continental congress. While a member of the assembly he was also appointed one of the committee of safety for the state, which con- sisted of thirteen members. This committee of safety, during the recess of the legislature, per- formed all the duties of the government, legislative, executive, and judicial. It was while a member of the assembly that he was appointed a delegate of New Hampshire to the Continental congress. On August 18. 1778, he was chosen one of the delegates to serve one year, from the first of the following November. He arrived at Yorktown, Virginia, May 28, 1778, and his colleague presented the cre- dentials of the two on May 20. On June 9 he was one of four added to the board of the treasury. It seems he did not attend any more meetings of Congress after June 18. His name appears as one of the signers of the original articles of confedera- tion under date of August 8, 1778. March 30, 1781, he was again chosen delegate to the Conti-

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mental congress, but it does not appear that he at- tended any but the session of 1778.

The sickness while at congress brought on con- sumption, of which he finally died, at Dover, Janu- ary 10, 1787, aged forty-two. He was a member of the Congregational Church in Dover, as all his American ancestors by the name of Wentworth had been before him. With all his efforts in the last years of his life, such was his confiding and liberal disposition that what he hoped at his death might be a competence became in the end a little more than the fruits of his own good name and ex- ample.

"As a lawyer, Mr. Wentworth was far above mediocrity, and as a statesman and lawgiver, he was superior to most of his contemporaries in the circle in which he moved; but it was as a man that his virtues shone forth pre-eminent. His benevolence was of the purest order. He never wearicd of well doing, and at this day the aged speak of his character in terms of grateful remembrance."-New Hampshire Gazette, 1835.

John Wentworth, Jr., married in July, 1771, Margaret Frost, of New Castle. She was born December 3. 1747, in New Castle, and was a daughter of Joseph and Margaret ( Colton) Frost. She was admitted to the church in Dover. De- cember 29, 1771. After the death of her husband. John, Jr .. she became the third wife of Colonel John Waldon, of Dover. She died in Dover, Sep- tember 30, 1805, and was buried in his private burial ground with his other wives. John, Jr., and Mar- garet ( Frost) Wentworth had seven children, all born in Dover, and all baptized in the Congrega- tional Church, as follows: John, Margaret, Eliza- beth, Joseph, Meshech Weare, Dorothy Frost and Paul.

( XXVI) Paul, youngest son and child of John (6) and Margaret ( Frost) Wentworth, was born in Dover, April 22, 1782, was less than five years old when his father died, and not long after that date went to live with his father's brother, Thomas Millet Wentworth, in Lebanon, Maine. In 1795 he was in the academy at Exeter, New Hampshire. Subsequently he went in the store of James Jewett, Jr., of Dover, who married his mother's sister Dorothy. Finally he became a merchant himself at Dover Landing, and was very successful for those times. He was appointed by President Jefferson. May 3, 1808, captain in the Fourth United States Infantry, and was stationed at Fort Constitution, in New Castle, New Hampshire (formerly Fort William and Mary), which commands the entrance to Portsmouth harbor. In iSti he was ordered to take his company to the western frontier. Al- though at that time contemplating a resignation with a view to engaging in mercantile business, he post- poned it until he should have conducted his com- pany to Fort Harrison. Indiana, near what is now Terre Haute, and at once informed the department of his purpose, and received a reply that his resigna- tion would be accepted. Accordingly he resigned immediately after reaching his destination, October 29. 1811, and returned to New Hampshire. Septen- ber 23, 1811, he joined Vincennes Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, at Vincennes, Indiana. and was conducted into it by the gallant Colonel Joe Daviess, of Kentucky, who fell at the battle of Tippecanoe. After his return to Dover he pur- chased a farm in Sandwich, New Hampshire, and settled there in 1812. He soon sold his farm and removed to the "Quimby Place," a mile south, and

about 1820 settled on "the Purington Place" at "Little's Corner." A year later he brought what has been since known as the "Wentworth Place," which commands a view of the entire town. Besides managing this large farm and several others in different parts of the town, he was a merchant in extensive business. He was postmaster many years, in fact, always when his political party was in power. He was moderator of the town meetings, one of the selectmen over twenty years, and a justice of the peace still longer. He was representa- tive in the legislature in 1831-32-33-34-39-40-41. For several years he was chosen at the same election, moderator, selectman, and representative, and in 1841, the last time he was candidate, he received for these three offices, respectively, the highest vote ever cast for any person in the town. There being a desire on the part of the young men to bring for- ward his son Joseph for office, he never afterwards became a candidate. In the winter of 1844-45 he left Sandwich, and bought what was known as the "old Kent place," on Pleasant street in Concord. Before there was a Congregational Church in Sand- wich, Mr. Wentworth and his wife joined the one in Tamworth. Upon the establishment of a Con- gregational Church in Sandwich they united there- with. Their children were all received by baptism into the Congregational Church.

Paul Wentworth was married by Rev. Joseph W. Clary, at Dover, March 30, 1814, to Lydia, daughter of Colonel Amos and Lydia ( Baker ) ( Wallingford) Cogswell. She was born at Dover, May 30, 1793. He and his wife were both de- scendants of Ezekiel (son of Elder William Went- worth) who had Benjamin, who married Elizabeth Leighton, from whom Paul was descended, and Tamsen who married ( first ) James Chesley, from whom his wife was descended. His line was through njamiel John and Hon. John, Jr .; her line from ron, sen Wentworth was through Tamsen's son, James Chesley, Jr., who married Mehitable Wal- dron, and had Tamsen Chesley who became (after the death of her first husband. John Tombly ) the second wife of Colonel Otis Baker, of Dover, and had Lydia Baker, who married Colonel Amos Cogswell.

Early in the fall of 1855 Mr. Wentworth's health declined through general debility, and he and his wife went to their old homestead in Sand- wich, hoping a change might help him, but with- out avail. He died August 31, 1855, and was buried in Concord. His widow died at the homestead in Concord, August 24, 1872. Paul and Lydia (Cogs- well) Wentworth were the parents of nine chil- dren: John, Lydia Cogswell, Joseph, George Wal- lingford, Mary Frances, Margaret Jane. Abigail Cogswell, William Badger and Samuel Hidden. The first was one of the early mayors of Chicago, familiarly and widely known as "Long John."

(XXVII) Joseph, second son and third child of Paul and Lydia (Cogswell) Wentworth, born in Sandwich, January 30, 1818, died in Concord, March I, 1901, was at New Hampton Academy, 1835, at Hopkinton, 1836, and at South Berwick, Maine, 1837. For thirty years he was a successful mer- chant in his native town, not only conducting a country general store, but also dealing largely in cattle and horses. He served as town clerk and selectman, and in 1844 and 1845 was representative from Sandwich in the state legislature He was a delegate from Sandwich in 1850, to the convention called to revise the constitution of New Hampshire,

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and from Concord to the constitutional convention in 1876. He was the first register of deeds for Carroll county upon its separation from Strafford county, serving two years, was sheriff of Carroll county five years, and was for fifteen years post- master at Sandwich. He was aide to Governor John Page, with the rank of colonel. and for several years quartermaster of the New Hampshire Horse Guards. For many years he was president and chief owner of the Carroll County National Bank. He resided in Sandwich, on the homestead of his father until 1870, when he gave it to his son Paul, and removed to Concord. There for thirty years he was a conspicuous and honored citizen. He served Ward six as assessor, and in 1878 was its repre- sentative in the legislature. Through most of his life he was a Democrat, but in his later years he was an ardent Prohibitionist, and was a candidate for governor on the ticket of that party. While his religious views were very liberal and lie was not a registered member of any church, Mr. Went- worth maintained family worship and was a regular attendant of the South Congregational Church in Concord, and was a liberal supporter of any good movement. He was a student and thinker, with remarkable memory; was possessed of a most genial and sunny disposition, and exercised a great influence over those intimately associated with him, with no apparent effort to do so upon his part. His memory will ever be lovingly cherished by those who knew him.

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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 81

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