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. IV > Part 112
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Soon after his settlement in Wakefield, Mr. Hamilton became prominent in town affairs, and has served twelve years upon the school board, nine of which he was chairman, and was instrumental in effecting a complete re-organization of the school system. His efforts in this work were appreciated by the people of the town, who recognized it in a conspicuous manner by a vote in town meeting that the new brick school house then being erected be called in his honor the "Hamilton School Build- ing." He was also chairman of the board of select- men six years, chairman of the board of trustees of the Beebe Town Library, counsel for the town for over twenty years. and moderator in nearly all the town meetings for even a longer period. He had charge of the litigation which resulted in the town acquiring the plant of the Citizens' Gas Light Company, which was the first and the leading case of the kind in the commonwealth.
Ile was an alternate delegate to the national Democratic convention in 1868, a delegate to the national convention which nominated General Han- cock in 1880, and William J. Bryan in 1896. He, however, did not support the last named. He has
presided over many Democratic conventions, and was candidate for district attorney for the northern district of Masachusetts in 1887, and in 1890 was a candidate of the Democratic party for congress from the Seventh congressional district, and in 1892 a candidate for presidential elector in the same dis- trict. In 1893 he purchased and became president of the Wakefield Water Company, which he con- trolled for ten years. He was one of the origina- tors of the Pine Tree State Club, of Boston, which he served as treasurer for the first eleven years of its existence, and afterwards as president. lic be- came a member of the Bar Association of the city of Boston shortly after it was organized, and upon the organization of the Bar Association of the County of Middlesex in 1898, he became its pres- ident. a position which he now holds ..
In 1874 Mr. Hamilton became connected with the Congregational Church in Wakefield, of which he has been ever since an active member. He was chairman of the committee which erected the beau- tiful stone edifice connected with the church, and aided materially by his efforts and money in pay- ing the debt thereby contracted. He presided and made an address at the centennial celebration of the church in 1876, and when the town in connection with Reading celebrated its two hundred and fiftieth anniversary he presided at the proceedings on Set- tlers' Day and delivered an address. In every ca- pacity he has exhibited the highest qualities of a progressive, patriotic and public spirited citizen, and is universally respected and esteemed.
February 13, 1867, Mr. Hamilton was married to Miss Annie E. Davis, eldest daughter of the late Joseph B. and Harriet N. (Dam) Davis of Newfield, Maine. They have lived a simple and beautiful life, devoted to each other, and their home has been the abode of happiness and good cheer and from it has emanated much kindly and charitable work.
HEAD This is among the earliest names of New Hampshire, being first found at Portsmouth. It is said to be of Welsh origin, but that is tradition, which research proves to be extremely unreliable. At any rate it has con- ferred honor upon the state of New Hampshire and has been honored in the annals of the state, having furnished one of the governors of the common- wealth and many useful and honorable citizens in many walks of life.
(I) Arthur Head, first in New Hampshire, is first of record December 25, 1671, when he took a deed of land and houses of Christian Goss at Ports- mouth. On November 5, 1690, "Arthur Head of ye Great Island, in ye Town of Portsmouth, in ye Province of New Hampshire, Fisherman," deeded a warehouse and land to Thomas Paine. He died prior to September, 1711. His wife Sarah died probably, no later than 1718. Their children were : James, Ann and Grace.
(II) James, son of Arthur and Sarah Head, was born in 1683. in Newcastle, then part of Ports- mouth, and was married February 13, 1709, to Sarah Atwood. After her death he married her sister. Elizabeth. They were daughters of Captain Philip Atwood, of Bradford, Massachusetts. James Head was an extensive landholder, as evidenced by numerous transfers on the records, and resided in Bradford, Massachusetts. Before the death of their mother, September 8, 1711, Mr. Head and his two sisters deeded to Captain Atwood the paternal homestead. He received by deed from Captain At- wood, February 27, 1715, sixty acres of land in
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Bradford, and on May 6, three years later, seventy acres adjoining. On June 13, 1718, he deeded to John Pecker, of Haverhill, Massachusetts, one- sixth of a tract of one hundred and eight acres, and November 5 of the same year decded one acre to John Ringe. He died September 16, 1743, at his home in Bradford. His first wife was born April 13, 1689, and died before August, 1717. The second was born May 19, 1700. His children were : Sarah, Elizabeth, Mary, John, Ruth and James. The first wife was the mother of the first three. She joined the church January 3, 1716, and the children were baptized August 6, of the same year.
(III) Major James (2), youngest child of James (I) and Elizabeth (Atwood) Head, was born No- vember 16, 1727, in Bradford, and resided in that town until about 1770, when he removed to Pem- broke, New Hampshire. His farm was east of Pembroke street, on an elevation above the ceme- tery. He gave his life for his country in the Rev- olutionary war, dying from wounds received in the battle of Bennington, August 31, 1777. His will was dated three days previously, at Camp Ben- nington, and he was buried there, before the com- pletion of his fiftieth year. He was married De .. cember 14. 1748, to Mrs. Sarah Thurston, a widow, who bore him the following children : Bettee. Sarah, Nathaniel, Richard, James, Mary and Hannah. The mother died August 28, 1784, and was buried in the cemetery on Pembroke street. (James (3) and de- scendants are mentioned at length in this article).
(IV) Captain Nathaniel, eldest son and third child of James (2) and Sarah Head, was born March 6, 1754, in Bradford, Massachusetts, and was sixteen years old when his parents moved to Pen- broke. In 1783 he settled in that part of Chester which is now Hooksett, and built a house that is still standing, soon after his location here. His first home was in a log house, soon succeeded by a frame house, which must have been a pretentious one in its day. It now stands only a short distance from its original location, which is at the summit of the hill on the road from Hooksett village to Sun- cook, at its junction with the "back road," only a few steps from the fine mansion built later by Gov- ernor Head, his grandson. He was an industrions and prosperous farmer, and a captain in the Rev- olutionary army. His wife, Anna Knox, daughter of John Knox, granddaughter of Timothy Knox, whose ancestors settled in Lancaster, Massachu- setts, bore him the following children: Samuel. Richard. Mary, John (died at the age of four years), Nathaniel, Nancy, John, Betsey and Mar- garet.
There is an interesting tradition concerning the marriage of Captain Nathaniel Head (IV). His intended bride was the daughter of one of the Scotch-Irish settlers of the region, and his father obiected to her on account of nationality. One day. while father and son were plowing together, the former asked the latter if he intended to marry "that Irish girl." On receiving a prompt and firm affirmative answer, he said : "Then you shall re- ceive none of my property." The son immediately dropped the ox goad, with the remark, "I can care for myself," and abandoned his father's home be- fore the day was done. Shortly after he settled in Hooksett, as above related, and became in time a prosperous farmer and business man by his own exertions. He received one dollar from his father's estate. simply to prevent breaking the will. but was successful and became one of the most wealthy of the name.
(V) Colonel John, fifth son and seventh child of Captain Nathaniel and Anna (Knox) Head, was born May 30, 1791, on the homestead in what is now Hooksett, where he died August 7, 1835. He was associated with his father in the management of the farm and sawmill, and by purchase from other heirs became owner himself. He was an industrious and efficient business man, as well as farmer, and held an honored position in the community. An active and useful member of the local militia, he rose to the position of lieutenant-colonel in the seventh regiment. He was married July 16, 1822, to Anna Brown, of Chester. daughter of Captain William Brown. She was born February 26, 1799, and died April 3. 1849. She was a woman of much energy and executive ability, and proved a valuable aid to her husband in the management of a large estate. Both were members of the Congregational Church of Pembroke. Their children are accounted for as follows : Hannah Ann, married Colonel Josiah Stevens, of Concord, and resided in Manchester : she died June 28, 1896, in Pembroke. Sally Brown became the wife of Hall Burgin Emery, of Pem- broke. and died September 1, 1868. Natt and Wil- liam Brown were twins, the latter dying at the age of one year and four months : the former is the sub- ject of a sketch in this article. John A. resided at Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, and Boone, Iowa, and now has his home in Rockford, Illinois. William F. is mentioned at length hereinafter.
(VI) Hon. Natt, third child and eldest son of John and Anna (Brown) Head, was born in Hook- sett, Vermont, May 20, 1828, and died November 12, 1883, at his home in that town. After concluding his studies at the Pembroke Academy he became actively concerned in the management of the home- stead farm, and he also identified himself with the lumbering business established by the grandfather. In 1852 his brother, William F. Head, became as- sociated with him in business in Hooksett, which then included in addition to the lumber trade the manufacture of brick and some twenty years later the brothers became members of the Head & Dowst Company, of Manchester, which engaged extensively in the contracting and building business. These en- terprises became prominent industrial features in the above towns, employing a large number of men, and not only supplied the material but also partici- pated in most of the important building operations of that locality for many years.
Although widely and favorably known, through- out the Granite state as an able and successful busi- ness man, Natt Head derived his prominence more particularly from his conspicuous public services, both civic and military, and he rose to the highest honors within the gift of the commonwealth. Prior to his majority he was appointed drum major of the Eleventh Regiment, Third Brigade, First Divis- ion. New Hampshire Volunteer Militia, in which capacity he served for a period of four years ; was drum major and chief bugler of the famous Horse Guards during the existence of the corps; and in 1864 was appointed by Governor Gilmore adjutant, inspector and quartermaster-general. For a number of years he served as deputy sheriff; was for two years, 1861-62, a member of the lower branch of the state legislature, and as a candidate for the state senate in 1874 he was elected in a moral sense but owing to a controversy over the spelling of his name, instituted by his Democratic opponent, many of the votes cast for him were thrown out and he was thereby defeated. Some votes were cast cast for Nathaniel, others for Natt. He was, however, elected to the senate by a large majority the follow-
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ing year. In 1878 he was the Republican candidate for governor and was elected to that office for a term of two years, being the first chief executive of the state under the Biennial law, which went into effect at that time, and his administration was characterized by the same ability and superior judg- ment for which he had been previously noted dur- ing his private business career.
Governor Head's retirement from the public service was followed by a long lingering illness, and his death occurred November 12, 1883, and as might be expected the passing away of such an able and high-minded public official was universally deplored throughout the state. In spite of the fact that both his business interests and public services were practically confined to his own state, he acquired without any seeming effort on his part what might be considered a national reputation, and he had the distinction of numbering among his warm personal friends Generals Grant, Sherman and Sheridan, who frequently invited him to ac- company them on their various trips to different parts of the country. Aside from his business af- fairs in Hooksett he was connected officially with several important enterprises of a semi-public char- acter, having been president of the China Savings Bank of Suncook, a director of the First National Bank, of Manchester, and of the New Hampshire Fire Insurance Company, a trustee of the Merrimack River Savings Bank, Manchester. and of the Sun- cook Valley Railway Company. He was a charter member of Jewell Lodge, Free and Accepted Ma- sons, and of Howard Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, both of Suncook, affiliated with the Knights of Pythias of the same town ; vice-pres- ident of the New Hampshire Historical Society; a member of the Amoskeag Veterans, of Manchester ; and an honorary member of the Ancient and Honor- able Artillery of Boston; and of the Lancers of that city.
While Governor Head made an enviable record as chief executive and in every official capacity 1113- dertaken. he was universally popular as a man and his service as adjutant-general was probably of greater value to posterity and the military branch of the public service than all his other works. When he was appointed to this position in 1864, he found that there was not a complete record of any of the organizations that went into service from New Hampshire in the Civil war, or of the general mili- tary concerns of the state for the previous thirty- eight years. When he entered upon his office as adjutant-general. the state had already sent twenty- six thousand men to the front, but not one com- plete muster roll had been made of a single organi- zation. At his own expense, trusting to the legisla- ture for ultimate reimbursement, he immediately employed clerks and set about completing the rec- ords. After several rebtiffs that would have dis- couraged one less persistent, General Head secured permission to copy from the National archives, and in his reports for 1865 and 1866 a complete record was given, including the military annals of the state from 1823 to 1861. The four volumes comprising these reports contain the military history of every man, officer or private, who went from New Hamp- shire to the defense of his country's integrity be- tween 1861 and 1864. They incluide brief accounts of all the regiments and battalions, with their move- ments, battles and other data, with biographical notices of all officers who died in the service. whether from wounds or disease contracted in the line of duty. General Head had inherited from worthy martial sircs a love of everything pertain-
ing to military matters, and he gave six of the best years of his life chiefly to this preservation of invaluable records. His interest and labors did not end with his official term or with the completion of the records, but he was ever ready and anxious to do anything possible for the soldier or his widow and family. He was much interested in the work of the Grand Army of the Republic and never tired of doing what he could for the honor and glory of the man who served his country in the place of danger. He conceived the idea, in 1867, of issuing the "soldier certificate" to the honorably discharged soldiers of the state and to the families of those who died in the service, and this was carried out as he planned and wished. That his unselfish la- bors were appreciated at the time is shown by the following extract from an address of Governor Smyth to the legislature: "In the difficult adjust- ment of our military affairs, you will agree with me in a warm approval of the energy and efficiency of the adjutant-general, whose work has been, in all cases, well performed. When it has been my grateful duty to extend a welcoming hand in behalf of the people of this state to our brave returning soldiers, he has forwarded my purpose with tin- flagging interest and zeal. You will not forget that around his department all the memories of the contest now cluster. The long roll of honor is therc. There are gathered the blood-stained battle flags, and there will always be found those associa- tions which should inspire us with love of country and an appreciation of those who gave their lives and shed their blood for the blessings which God bestowed when he gave us the victory."
Governor Head was active in so many ways for the general welfare of his state that he might be said to have been always in the public service, though not ever in official station. He gave much effort to the advancement of agricultural interests, and originated the plan of holding farmers' conven- tions, the first of which was held at Manchester in . 1868. He was a leading member and served as president of the State Agricultural Society. and was president of the New England Agricultural So- ciety. He also served as master of Hooksett Grange, Patrons of Husbandry. In Free Masonry he attained the thirty-second degree, including all those of the "Scottish rite" and the "rite of Mem- phis." He was identified with the Knights of Pyth- ias and Knights of Honor bodies of Manchester. He passed through the encampment work in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and was a loved and honored member of all bodies. While his high positions in the affairs of state commanded due respect, yet he was held in still higher esteem because of his warm heart and manly qualities. His character is well summed up in the following ex- tract from an obituary notice in the Manchester Mirror: "Other men may have been greater and stronger than he; may have lived longer and ac- complished more; have died and been respectfully buried. Their death has been counted a loss to the state, to the professions in which they were leaders ; but it caused no deep grief among those who were not bound to them by family ties. They are re- membered as governors, senators, millionaires, not as men, and when once their places are filled and their estates distributed they have been well-nigh forgotten. The hold they had was upon the brain, not upon the heart. It was not so with Natt Head. People who knew him loved him while he lived and mourn for him because he is dead." Another said of him: "He never did anything by halves, and that cause which attracted his support received the
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benefit of his able and untiring efforts. As a public officer, he could say with Othello, 'I have done the State some service, and they know it.' No man in New Hampshire knew so many people personally and few, if any, had so strong a hold upon the popular good will. His word needed no writing to make it good." * * * "Wherever he went, among all classes of people, without effort and seemingly without purpose, he won the hearty and lasting friendship of all with whom he came in contact. He had a warm heart and a face always beaming with good humor, and was ever courteous, genial and generous."
Natt Head was married. November 19, 1863, to Abbie M. Sanford, daughter of Stephen R. and Maria (Fisher) Sanford, of Lowell, Massachusetts. Maria Fisher was a descendant of John Webster. fifth governor of Connecticut. Three children were born to Governor and Mrs. Head, namely: Annie Sanford, June 23, 1865; Lewis Fisher, February 18, 1868: and Alice Perley, December 20, 1870. The second died at the age of four years, and the young- est near the close of her ninth year. Mrs. Head and her surviving daughter have resided for sev- eral years in Brookline, Massachusetts.
(VI) William Fernald. sixth child and youngest son of John and Anna (Brown) Head, was born in Hooksett, September 25, 1832. He completed his education at the Pembroke Academy, and prior to inaugurating his business career devoted his time exclusively to agricultural pursuits at the home- stead farm. In 1852 he became associated with his brother Natt in the lumber business and also in the manufacture of brick and for the succeeding thirty years the Head Brothers conducted an extensive business enterprise in Hooksett, producing large quantities of building material which greatly facili- tated the development of the industrial resources in that localitv. Brotherly ties between them were un- usually strong, their attachment to each other being particularly emphasized by the implicit confidence which characterized their business relations, and the company possessions were regarded by them as common property, thus doing away entirely with the formality of individual expense accounts. William F. Ilead also managed the homestead farm contain- ing two hundred and fifty acres of fertile land which is devoted almost exclusively to the cultiva- tion of hay, and the average production amounts to two hundred and fifty tons annually. In 1871 was organized the Head & Dowst Company, contractors and builders, of which Mr. William F. Head became vice-president.
In politics Mr. Head was a Republican, and while his activity in civic affairs was not at any time during his active life as extensive as that of his brother Natt, he nevertheless rendered valuable public services both to his town and state, having served upon the board of selectmen for the years 1859-60. and in 1869-70 was a member of the New Hampshire house of representatives. He was a delegate to the constitutional convention of 1876. Well versed in monetary affairs and a man of marked ability, he was a director of the Suncook Valley Railway Company, a trustee of the Merri- mack River Savings Bank, and of the First Na- tional Bank of Manchester, New Hampshire, and a trustee of the New England Agricultural Society. For many years he was prominent in the Masonic fraternity, belonging to Eureka Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of Suncook, and a member of Trinity Commandery, Knights Templar, of Man- chester.
(IV) James (3). third son and fifth child of
Major James (2) and Sarah Head, was born Octo- ber 16, 1759, in Pembroke. and resided on the pa- ternal homestead in that town until 1805, when he removed to Conway, New Hampshire. His wife's christian name was Sally, but her family name is not of record. Their children, born in Pembroke, were : James, Benjamin, Asa, Nathaniel, Sally,. Moses, Richard, Nancy. Robert and John.
(V) James (4), eldest child of James (3) and Sally Head, was born January 27, 1779, in Pem- broke, and removed with his father to the northern. part of the state. He was a farmer by occupation and possessed one hundred acres of land. He was a member of the Free Will Baptist Church, was a Democrat in politics and was much respected as a. man and citizen. He married, Jemima Brown, of Albany, New Hampshire, and had children: John, Asa. Sampson, Deering, Joseph, Lindy and King- man Freeman. Of these Joseph was noted for his- great strength.
(VI) Kingman Freeman, son of James and Jemima (Brown) Head, was born in Hooksett, New Hampshire, and was a small child when his father removed to Conway. He was educated in the common schools of Madison, New Hampshire,. and on attaining man's estate took the management of his father's farm, on which he continued to re- side until old age compelled his retirement from active labor. He died at the age of seventy-five years in Lakeport. He was a member of the Free Will Baptist Church, and like his father sustained the Democratic party in political contests. He was married, September 21, 1828, in Conway, by Rev. B. S. Manson, to Almira Davis, daughter of Israel Davis, who was born in Madison, New Hampshire. She lived to the age of eighty years. Their chil- dren were : Eden, George, Charles, Elizabeth, Israel Davis and Thomas. All except one of these died in infancy.
(VII) Israel Davis, only surviving child of Kingman Freeman and Almira (Davis) Head, was. born December 29, 1843, in Madison, New Hamp- shire, and grew up in that town. receiving his edn- cation in its common schools. He was early ac- customed to the industrious habits of farm life, and on leaving school took employment for two years in a hotel at Conway. Later he was employed as a stage coach driver in summer, between Glenhouse and Crawford Notch. He is now the oldest pro- fessional stage driver living in the state. For eight years he operated a freight team in the winter be- tween Jackson and Portland, a distance of sixty miles. Having decided to settle down to farm life, he purchased the present homestead of eighty acres, lying in the town of Laconia, New Hampshire. He subsequently purchased an adjoining farm which he uses for a pasture for his herds. Mr. Head has been industrious and prudent in the care of his carnings and the proceeds of his farm, and is now the owner of a valuable block in the city of La- conia, besides other real estate in that place. He is much interested in cattle raising and is an excel- lent judge of the qualities of live stock. He keeps a herd of thirty-six cattle and is the operator of one of the largest milk routes in the city. He is a thinking man and is interested in many of the movements for the uplifting of humanity. He is in- dependent in his religious associations, and is a Democrat in political principle. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Patrons of Husbandry, and has filled all of the principal chairs in the local Grange. He was mar- ried in 1872, to Sarah Jane Gray, who was born June. 1843, in Jackson, New Hampshire, daughter
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