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 84

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 84

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(VIII) Charles W. Leighton, eldest of the three children of William B. and Deborah ( Cate ) Leigh- ton, was born in the town of Newmarket, New Hampshire, March 2, 1841. As a boy he went to the town school in his native town, and when eleven years old went to Epsom, Merrimack county, where he afterward learned shoemaking, and where he has since made his home. In the first year of the civil war, in the fall of 1861, he enrolled to go to the front in the Seventh Regiment, New Hampshire Volunteers, but was transferred to Company I. Sixth Regiment. However, being under age, and not having his mother's consent (his father having died when he was eleven years old), he was not mustered into the service of the United States. In 1862, then being twenty-one. he again enlisted, this time in Company E, Eleventh Regiment. New Ilampshire Volunteers, as a private. He served with the Army of the Potomac, and participated in the battle of Fredericksburg. December 13, 1862. His regiment was transferred to the west in 1863, and he saw service in the siege of Vicksburg, and in this campaign was promoted to corporal. Re-

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turned to the east he was engaged in the battle of the Wilderness, May 6, where he was wounded in the leg, and in the battle of Spottsylvania, May 12 and 16, where he was again wounded, and again in the leg. In the battle of Cold Harbor, June 7, he was wounded the third time, in the breast. He participated also in the engagements at Bethesda Church, June 3; at Shand House, June 16, where he received his fourth wound, in the head, and from which he has never fully recovered. The war closed in April, 1865, and on May 27 he was honorably discharged on account of disability inci- dent to wounds received in action, and returned to civil life, with a highly honorable record as a soldier. Returning home he took up his residence at Epsom, on what is generally called the Ames place, three acres in extent, besides which he owns another tract of four acres in the town. In poli- tics he is a Republican. and he has taken consider- able interest in public affairs. having served as jus- tice of the peace since 1900; as town treasurer for four years, and was town clerk in 1891. He is a member and past noble grand of Short Falls Lodge, No. 53. Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and past commander of George H. Hoyt Post, No. 66, Grand Army of the Republic, and has served as senior vice-commander of Post No. 29, Pittsfield, New Hampshire. He married first, August 17, 1862, Eliza J. Bickford, who was born in Epsom, May 23, 1844, and died in that town March 3, 1902, leaving one child, Ida MI., born in Epsom, October 13, 1864, now wife of Nathan J. Goss, of Laconia, New Hampshire, they having three children-Ethel, Margaret and Nathan. On April II, 1903, Mr. Leighton married (second), Mrs. Ella A. ( Nutter) Roberts, daughter of Samuel D. and Ruth Al. ( Knowles) Nutter, and widow of Charles Roberts. She was born in Barnstead, New Hampshire, March 15, 1859. Her father, Samuel D. Nutter, was born in Barnstead, September 6, 1806, and her mother, Ruth M. Knowles Nutter, was born in Epsom, No- vember 15, ISIS. They had children: John, born September 12, 1836, married Emma Tibbetts, of Pittsfield, and has one living child. Laura, wife of Edward Waite, of Lynn. Van Dame, born De- cember 4. 1838, married first a Miss Demerritt. of Barrington, New Hampshire, and second, Mary Currier, of Salem, New Hampshire, and third, Mary J. Furber ; by her first marriage, no children ; by second, daughters Hattie (Mrs. Charles Griffin), Gracie ( Mrs. Guy Tilton), and Carrie (Mrs. Emil Charland). Charles D., born November 20, 1840, died August 7. 1843. Sarah E., born June 18. 1843, wife of A. J. Emmerson. Samuel L., born April 20, 1845, married Margaret L. Hines, and they have children : Lizzie, Freddie, Mary, Hannah D., born April 18. 1848, died February 27, 1875. Daniel P., born December 29, 1851, died March 7, 1903. Wil- liam A., born in Barnstead, New Hampshire, May 16. 1854, died September 4, 1856. George II .. born February 19, 1867, at Barnstead, now residing in Lynn, Massachusetts. Bessie M., born in Barn- stead, October 10, 1861, married Freeman Davis, of Northwood, New Hampshire. Ella A. (Nutter) Roberts had three children by her first husband as follows: Flora B., Addie E. and Lura E., all living at this writing.

The first mention of the Swett or SWETT Swete family settlement in America is found in the "Genealogical Records" of the Massachusetts Society as that of John Swett, for-

merely of Trayne. in Edward VIth's time, subsequently of Oxton in the county of Devonshire, England. who was admitted to the freedom of the Massachusetts Colony, May 18, 1642, and is also recorded as one of the grantees of Newbury as early as December 7, of the same year. His son, Benjamin Swett, was a renowned hunter, and Indian fighter, and lost his life in the defense of the Colony against their raids. While the branch of the Swett family of which we give a sketch are unable to trace their connec- tion back to these pioneers of our carly Colonial history, their ancestors springing from the same locality as the descent of these progenitors, there seems to be every probability that they are of the same lineage.

(I) Lieutenant Moses Swett was one of four brothers, John, Samuel and Robert, found in the Massachusetts Colony before the Revolutionary war. The History of Sanford, Maine, states that Lieu- tenant Moses Swett came from New Hampshire about 1772 and lived in a small house thirty rods east of Swett's Bridge; about 1775 he built a two- store house opposite, which was moved in 1801 a mile north, and is now occupied by the descendants of the Emerson family; it was this house, on its original location, that several of Moses Swett's chil- dren were born, among them Alpheus, of which this sketch has to do; it is also recorded that "Capt. Joshua Braydon" of Wells, raised a company of fifty-seven men in Sanford, Wells, and Berwick, of which Major Morgan Lewis was first lientenant, but acting captain, owing to the absence of Braydon; and Noses Swett, of Alfred (then a part of the town of Sanford), was ensign. This company, the most of which was enlisted May 3, 1775, marched to Cambridge under the command of Lieutenant Lewis, being four days on the road; owing to a misunder- standing of orders by Colonel Scammon, the com- mander of the regiment of which this company formed a part, they were marched to Cobb's hill, and took no part in the battle of Breed's hill, com- monly known as Bunker Hill. After General Wash- ington took command of the army. Colonel Scam- mon's regiment manned Ft. Cambridge during a portion of the siege of Boston. Moses Swett's term of enlistment for three months expiring, he received his discharge August 1, 1775, returning to his home in Alfred. Later in life he removed to Granby, Canada, where one of his sons had pre- ceded chim; visiting his son Alpheus of Wolfboro, New Hampshire, on his way to his new home; it is understood that his wife, Mary Connor. died before this change was made; Moses Swett died in Canada, the record of which we do not possess. The children of Moses and Mary (Connor) Swett were : Betsey, Alpheus, John, Joseph, Nat, Priscilla, Martha and Emeline.

(II) Alpheus, eldest son and second child of Moses and Mary (Connor) Swett, was born in Al- fred Maine, August 26, 1798, where his childhood years were spent. At sixteen years of age he was hound out to Benjamin Tibbetts, a farmer, of Wolf- boro, New Hampshire, who lived on what is now the "Blake Horn" farm, to serve until he was twenty- one years old, when he received a suit of clothes, an overcoat and one hundred dollars in money in fulfillment of the contract of his service. Attain- ing his majority, Alpheus worked several years at a saw mill at Mill Village for Nathaniel Rogers; while thin employed he married Susan Rogers,

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daughter of Charles Rogers, and half-sister of Na- thaniel Rogers, making his first home in Mill Vil- lage, and here the three eldest children were born. He later purchased the farm now owned by Augus- tine Fullerton, which he disposed of to the town of Wolfboro for a "poor farm" and remained there in the service of the town as overseer. Removing to Tuftonboro Neek, about 1838, he bought the farm now owned by Ellis Miller. In 1843 he disposed of this property purchasing from his old employer what was then and later known as the "Rogers Farm," the Main street in front of which has since been sold off for village lots, and the lake shore frontage in lots for summer cottages. He remained on this farm until 1864 when he disposed of it to William Thompson, and he in turn, to David Rogers, the second of the Rogers family to become owner, fixing the name of what in the history of Wolfboro, is known as the "Rogers Farm." After disposing of the farm Alpheus purchased an ad- joining property, the house of which a few years previous he bad built for William T., his second son; here he lived the remainder of his life, sur- rounded by his children and grandehildren, and died September 10, 1884, aged eighty-six years. During the fifties Mr. Swett was captain of a troop of cav- alry composed of his Wolfboro neighbors, but as this was a period of our country's peace the com- pany never saw active service, but "Training Days" are well remembered by our older townspeople; he was also one of the early promoters of lake navigation, owning the steamboat "James Bell" which he later disposed of to the Concord & Montreal railroad interests, operators of the historic steamer "Lady of the Lake." January 2, 1826, he married as above recorded, Susan Rogers ; she died March 27, 1896, aged ninety-one. The children of this union were: Eli C., William T., Charles, who died in infancy ; John R.

(IHI) Eli Chamberlain, eldest son of Alpheus and Susan (Rogers) Swett, was born in Mill Vil- lage ( now Wolfboro Falls), November 2, 1826. He was educated in the common schools of the town, and at the Wolfboro and Tuftonboro Acad- emy. Assisting his father at farm work during his earlier years, he also had the experience of many young men and women, that of "school teaching." After his marriage he made his home with his father on the old "Rogers Farm," receiving a half interest as his portion ; he lived here several years, but tiring of this he, together with his father, dis- posed of this property, and entered the employ of John Tabor, of Wolfboro, in the manufacture of clay pipes. In 1869 he moved with his family to East Saginaw, Michigan, where he was engaged in the lumber business with his younger brother, Wil- liam T., who had preceded him to the west. In 1873 he returned to Wolfboro, becoming interested in the active operation of steamboats on the lake with his old friend, Deacon Benjamin Morrison, as partner in the "Naugatuck" which was built by George Brown; later with his father, Alpheus Swett, building and operating the "May Flower." In 1877 he became a member of the firm of Moses Varney & Co .. in the tanning business, in which he remained until 1881 ; the following year he took temporary charge of a leather plant for Hersey, Whittier & Wyman of Boston, located near Keene, New Hamp- shire; on his return he formed the firm of Swett & Co. for the tanning and finishing of leather, suc- ceeding the firm of Joseph Varney & Co., which in

turn was succeeded by Varney & Symonds. In the spring of each of the years 1884-85-86 he went to South Dakota, assisting his son Wilbra in the man- agement of a ranch, returning to Wolfboro each fall. In 1896, disposing of all other business in- terests. he lived a retired life at the old home until June 8, 1907, when he died in the eighty-first year of his age. JJe had served in earlier years as a member of the town "School Board," and also for two years as a member of the "Board of Selectmen." In young manhood he became a member of Star Lodge, No. 17, Free and Accepted Masons, of Wolf- boro; he was also a charter member of "Lake Coun- cil, Royal Arcanum," in which he was a faithful official. He was always interested in the "First Christian Church," of which he was a member when he died, a strong believer in the Christian faith. He was married in Tuftonboro, New Hampshire, November 18, 1851, to Sarah M. Hersey, who was born December 16, 1832, daughter of William Sewall and Drusilla (Chapman) Hersey. Four children were born to them : Ella J., married Fred. E. Stevens, of Union, New Hampshire, who died in 1896, de- scendant, one daughter, Helen M .. who married Percy L. Kimball, of South Wolfboro. Minnie M., who died in infancy. Etta M., married Fred. L. Melcher, of Brunswick, Maine, now of Butte, Mon- tana. Wilbra H., whose sketchi follows :

(IV) Wilbra Hamlin, youngest child and only son of Eli C. and Sarah M. (Hersey) Swett, was born in Wolfboro, October 17, 1860, on the "Rogers Farm" while his father was still owner. He was educated in the public schools of this town, and in the "Friends School" of Providence, Rhode Island. In youth he was trained in active and laborious em- ployment, assisting his father in the management of the steamboat "May Flower," and also in the tan- ning business, at which he worked until he grew to manhood. From March, 1883, to November, 1900, he lived in the west. April, 1883, he took up a "homestead claim" near Mitchell, South Dakota, where he lived for five years, proving up in 1888. He became a bookkeeper in a lumber office in Mitch- ell where he was employed for a year and a half. In ISS9 he went to Anaconda, Montana, in the em- ploy of the Anaconda Mining & Smelting Co. The following year he removed to Butte, Montana, en- tering the employ of the Butte & Boston Mining & Smelting Co., and remaining with this company about five years. During this time he became a member of the Brotherhood of Stationary Engineers, later being made its president and a representative to the Central "Trades and Labor Assembly," com- posed of all the labor organizations of this district. In the fall of 1892 he was elected a representative from Silver Bow county to the "Third Legislative Assembly" where he served with faithfulness, in- troducing and being influential in procuring the passage of a bill establishing a "Bureau of Agri- culture, Labor and Industry ;" a bill regulating the "Hours of employment of Stationary Engineers." During the session he made specelies on matters of state legislation and distinguished himself as an

able and convincing debater. He made an enviable record as an honorable member, and at the next election (1894) was renominated in the convention of his party and elected to the legislature: at tbe assemblage of the "House" he was made "Speaker" of what proved to be a very busy term, one piece of legislation being the adoption of a "Code" of previous enactments of the law making body of the state; at this session two United States senators

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were elected, one of whom, Hon. Thomas H. Car- ter, has gained national reputation, and is still rep- resenting his state in the upper branch of congress. Mr. Swett is a man of commanding appearance, has a rich, penetrating voice ; possessing a knowledge of parliamentary law and of men, and during this ses- sion of the legislature presided with such courtesy and fairness that he won the esteem of the mnem- bers of the "House," irrespective of party, which culminated at the hour of adjournment in the pre- sentation to him of a handsome gold watch and chain, as a token of their high regard for his effi- cient service, honorable and unbiased course during this session. Returning to Butte, he spent the next four years in the operation of mining property on his own account, together with an old friend and associate, E. H. Metcalf, formerly of Winthrop, Maine. In the last year of his stay in the west he with others was in the Pacific Coast country searching for mining properties in the interest of Marcus Daly, president of the Amalgamated Copper Co. In the fall of 1900, after Mr. Daly's death, he returned to his old home in the east, the following year engaging in the hardware business with his father, Eli C. Swett, in which they were engaged until the latter part of 1904, when he disposed of this business and took a trip south and west. In 1906 he promoted the organization of the Wolfboro National Bank and became its first cashier, which position he still holds. He is a thorough business man, and by his methodical ways and courteous manner has contributed much to the success which the bank has attained. Mr. Swett is a member of Morning Star Lodge, No. 17, Free and Accepted Masons, and Carroll Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, of Wolfboro; Pilgrim Commandery, Knights Tem- plar, of Laconia; Butte Consistory, Scottish Rite Masons, of Butte, Montana, where he received the thirty-second degree; and of Algeria Temple, An- cient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Helena, Montana. He is also a member of the First Christian Church of Wolfboro.

He married, in Mitchell, South Dakota, June 19, 1888, Ella Priscilla Stearns, who was born in Olm- stead, Ohio, February 24, 1862, daughter of Oscar D. and Mary N. ( Potter) Stearns ; she was a pop- ular teacher in the public schools of Cleveland, where she was educated, and in Mitchell, South Dakota, before her marriage; she is greatly inter- ested in musical and literary pursuits, her earlier training having been along these lines, and is ever ready to assist in making such affairs a success ; she is a member of the "Order of the Eastern Star." having served in its various offices; is a valued as- sistant to her husband in the work of the bank; she has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church since girlhood.

( Second Family).

The first member of this family of SWVETT whom definite information is obtain- able was a native of Scotland. During the war of Bruce and Clan Wallace the property of this family was confiscated and it fled into Holland, from whence three brothers sailed to America, land- ing at Portsmouth. Their descendants settled in Maine and in New Hampshire.

(I) Jeremiah Swett moved to Gilmanton, settled on a farm, and was one of the pioneer farmers of that locality. The baptismal name of his wife was Deborah, and their children included Jeremiah and Deborah. The latter married John Allen of Gil- manton.

(II) Jeremiah (2), son of Jeremiah (1) Swett, was a native of Gilmanton, born on the farm pur- chased by his father, and there lived and died. He was a drover by occupation, and purchased cattle and sheep from various sections of New Hampshire and Vermont, and drove them overland to his slaughter house located on his farm. He conducted this business for many years before the railroads were in operation north of Concord. He married (first), Mary, daughter of Ezekiel French, of Gil- manton, and (second), Mehitable Bryer, of Loudon, and was the father of ten children, seven sons and three daughters.

(III) Benjamin, son of Jeremiah (2) Swett, was born in Gilmanton, on the homestead farm, Oc- tober 29, 1804. He resided in his native town until 1849, when he removed to Bethlehem, transporting his possessions with an ox team, and resided upon a farm there for the remainder of his life, which ter- minated in 1866. He was an upright, conscientious man, a useful citizen and a member of the Congre- gational Church. He married Abigail M. Moore, born in London, January 12, 1802, daughter of Archaelaus Moore, and their family consisted of three sons and four daughters. Those of his chil- dren now living are: Newell, a resident of West- minster, Massachusetts. Celestia, wife of George T. Waterman, of Boston, Massachusetts. Laurentius Freeman, of Bethlehem.

(IV) Laurentius Freeman Swett, son of Ben- jamin and Abigail M. (Moore) Swett, was born in Gilmanton, December 3, 1845. He began his studies in the public schools, continued them at the New Hampshire Conference Seminary in Tilton, and completed his education at the Lancaster Academy. Most young men possessing such excellent educa- tional advantages would have sought a more arduous occupation than that of tilling the soil, but, con- ceiving the independent life of a farmer in its true light, he accepted it in preference to any other means of livelihood, and has ever since followed it with success. He is now the owner of a well located and finely equipped farm and takes much pleasure in its cultivation. In politics he is a Republican. For a period of nine years he served with ability as highway surveyor and is now in his second term as a selectman. Mr. Swett is unmarried.

Among the early Massachusetts fami- BAILEY lies which have contributed much to the moral. intellectual and material de- velopment of New England and the United States, this is numerously represented in New Hampshire. It has been conspicuously identified with scientific research and with all the forces of human progress. (I) Richard Bailey, the ancestor of a very numerous progeny, was born about 1619, and is said to have come from Yorkshire, England. According to "Coffin's History" he came from Southampton in the ship "Bevis," a vessel of one hundred and fifty tons, commanded by Robert Batten, being then at the age of fifteen years, According to Savage this was in 1638. Other authorities place it at 1635. He settled in Rowley. Massachusetts, and was a man of rec- ognized piety and influence in the community. He was one of the company to set up the first clock mill in this country, at Rowley. He died there Feb- ruary, 1648, being buried on the sixteenth. His wife. Edna Holstead, survived him, and after his death was married September 15, 1640, to Ezekiel Northend, of Rowley.

(11) Deacon Joseph, only child of Richard

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Bailey, was born about 1635. settling on the Merri- mack, in the north part of Rowley, near the New- bury line, in what is now Groveland. He was a leading inan of Bradford, where he was selectman twenty-three years between 1625 and 1710, and was deacon of the church there in 1682 until his death, October 11, 1712. He married Abigail Trumbull, who survived him and died in Bradford, November 17, 1735. He died October II. 1712. Their children were: Abigail, Richard, Anne, Elizabeth, Joseph; Edna, Deacon John and Sarah. (Joseph and John and descendants receive notice in this article).

(III) Elder Richard (2), eldest son and second child of Deacon Joseph ( 1) and Abigail Bailey, was born September 30, 1675, in Bradford, and settled on the parental homestead, where he died November 19, 1748, aged seventy-three years. He was a large owner of lands in that town and elsewhere, and was an active business man. He was frequently modera- tor, was selectman over twenty-five years, and served in other official capacities in the town. He was a deacon from the time of his father's death. He was married February 21. 1706, to Joanna, daughter of Nathan and Mary Webster. of Brad- ford. She was born August 26, 1682. Their chil- dren were: Jonathan, Nathan, Abigail, Richard (died at two years), Joseph, Richard, Ebenezer, Amos and Joanna. (Mention of Ebenezer and de- scendants appears in this article).

(IV) Abigail. eldest daughter and third child of Elder Richard and Joanna (Webster) Bailey, was born April 7, 1711. and was married June 1, 1731, to John, son of Deacon and Abigaif (Kim- ball) Day, of Bradford. He was born May 10, 1704, and settled in the west part of the town, where he died July 11, 1782, being survived seventeen years by his widow, who died October 5, 1799. Their children were : Abigail, John (died young), Mehitabel, Joanna and John.

(V) Abigail, eldest child of Deacon John and Abigail (Bailey) Day, was born January 24, 1733, and married Deacon Nathaniel Mitchell, as else- where related. (See Mitchell. FFF).

(IV) Ebenezer, seventh child of Elder Richard and Joanna ( Webster) Bailey, was born April 16, 1719, in Bradford. Massachusetts, and passed his life in Haverhill. same state, where he died Novem- ber 17, 1815. He was married April 3, 1740, in Bradford, to Sarah Palmer, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Palmer. She was born July 5. 1722, in Bradford. Their children were: Ehenezer, Samuel. Daniel, Jonathan and Jesse.

(V) Jesse, youngest child of Ebenezer and Sarah ( Palmer) Bailey, was born March 26, 1752, in Bradford, and settled among the pioneers in Weare, New Hampshire, where he died, 1836. He married Sarah Philbrick, who died in 1845. Their children were: Phoebe. Samuel, Bradbury. Jesse, Ebenezer, David Il., Jonathan, Sarah and Solomon.

(VD) Ebenezer (2), fourth son and fifth child of Jesse and Sarah ( Philbrick) Bailey, was born June 26, 1786. in Weare and passed his life on the paternal homestead in that town, where he died. He married Miriam Barnard, and their children were: Lurena, Eliza, John B. and Sarah P.

(VII) Lurena, eldest child of Ebenezer (2) and Miriam ( Barnard) Bailey, was born 1807, in Weare, and became the wife of John (5) Bartlett, of that town. ( See Bartlett. VHF).

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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 84

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