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 79

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: 878

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 79

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

1824

NEW HAMPSHIRE.

no bank in the village. He inaugurated many useful schemes which have had a tendency for good, and his name was held in grateful rememberance by those who knew him. He was justly considered one of the best business men of his day, and his ample fortune left to his family fully attests this estimate of him. Mrs. Hanson was a member of the Metho- dist Church, and he was an attendant and supporter of the various churches, though not a member of any, rather leaning towards Universalism.

(VII) Dominicus, third son of Joseph and Charity (Dame) Hanson, was born August 23, 1813, in same house in Rochester, New Hampshire, in which he died, June I, 1907. He received the advantages of a common school education until he was some fifteen years of age, and this was sup- plemented by an academie education at Rochester Academy, Parsonfield Seminary, Maine, Hopkinton, New Hampshire, and Pembroke, New Hampshire. In 1830 he commenced the drug business as an ap- prentice to his brother-in-law, Dr. Joseph Smith, and served him two years and in 1832 bought Dr. Smith's interest and continued in the business until the fire of 1880 except some two or three years when away to school. As an evidence of the confi- dence reposed in Mr. Hanson as an honest and trustworthy gentleman we may mention that, at the time of the great Civil war, at the earnest solicita- tion of the business men of his native town, he issued script of the respective denomination of ten cents, twenty-five cents and fifty cents, to the amount of eight thousand dollars which read as follows : "State of New Hampshire,

Rochester, Sept. 27, 1862.

For Value received I promise to pay on demand, in current Bank Bills in sums of one dollar and upward at my place of business.

Dominicus' Hanson."

This scrip was issued when there was a scarcity of circulating money during the great Civil war and before the general government had issued any money. This scrip circulated throughout New England, and was never refused, all of which was promptly redeemed when the general government made its issue. Hence the name "Honest Domini- cus," as he has been known by his friends for long years. Who ever saw the goodly village of Roches- ter in Norway Plains but has seen his prim, circular front, pressed brick, two-storv apothecary store erected by him in about the year 1837 (on the site of an earlier one which was destroyed by fire) once the most stylish store in the whole state of New Hampshire. Its long remembered and excellent briek sidewalk in front, dating back to time im- memorial before Rochester knew the luxury of brick sidewalks, its broad stone steps, always a delight to the innumerable patrons of this popular resort, who climbed them with assurance of safe foothold, and excellent reception beyond.

If Noah could by any means have been com- pelled to refit and rearrange the Ark and take in all that he considered necessary to stock a new world, he couldn't collect the six or eight million invaluable articles which are here gathered to- gether from the four corners of the earth (or is coming next day) unless he had the nearly miracu- lous experience of our subject and to acquire such an experience would cost a frightful expenditure of both time and money.

The following description was written shortly be- fore his death by one who knew him well: "Mr. Hanson was six feet in height, standing quite erect, moved with an elastic step quickly and lightly. His hair at death was white with the frost of nearly

a century. He was of a marked nervous organiza- tion, his thin cut face bearing its certain evidence. Nothing about the face or general appearance espe- cially marked him above many other men you may meet in the course of a day's ride in any portion of Yankee Land; by that sign you can judge the man. If ever wit or drollery overflowed in one person here it is. I know of no two faces in the country that so nearly resemble each other as that of 'Honest Dominicus' and the happy countenance of America's humorist, Mark Twain. The general impression left by the two faces is the same, the same mys- terious gleam, sure token of the mental flash, oc- curs in each and the wit and humor of each is fully recognized among their friends. The parallel holds good still further, in neither case can the purpose or intent be solved. A matter of the lightest im- port may be treated with ponderous gravity be- fitting a funeral oration, and while either of the two are discussing with lengthened faces upon the topic the bystanders are convulsed with laughter. On the contrary many things which bewilder the brains of common people are heartily laughed at by them. Either of these worthies are a puzzle to their many friends, and like all human enigmas of course, they are idolized. But Mr. Hanson is a study. In him lives the gentle graces of geniality and cute Yankee, and the subtle and evanescent essence of fun. In him dwells a constant gleam of drollery always as welcome as sunshine in winter or flowers in May. The mirth which overflows in his happy moments is all the more welcome because of the uncertainty of the aim. It may be gentle invectives of society shams; perhaps a tinge of sarcasm wittily said light- ens his efforts."

Mr. Hanson continued the business at the old stand until the fire of 1880 in which his store was badly damaged. He soon, however, repaired and added a story and then retired from the drug busi- ness in favor of our present esteemed pharmacist, R. DeWitt Burnham, who at once entered into business in the remodeled store and who has merited the large patronage he has received up to the present time (1907) and long may his star continue in the ascendency.

Mr. Hanson's residence erected by his father over one hundred years ago, the erection of which was celebrated by people from Middleton, Tamworth, Ossipee and nearby towns including the citizens of Rochester which were numerous, cordial and wel- come, was celebrated in the good old way of those days in which the product of the West Indies and of France were much in evidence at the time of lay- ing the ridge pole, after which verses composed for the occasion were read and the frame named and christened the "General Washington," a cele- bration in which all became most gloriously inter- ested. The house then boasted of a fine balustrade around the roof which has since been removed. When the railroads were built through Rochester, he opened the thoroughfare known as Hanson's street through his garden, never receiving any recompense for opening the same, although prom- ised, and has always constructed and maintained, at his own expense, (except sanding and breaking in the winter) spending many thousand of dollars in construction and keeping it in proper condition and paving it in the fall of 1901 at the expense of several thousand dollars with first class granite blocks from the well known and celebrated quarry of Charles A. Bailey, of Suncook, New Hampshire, of whom Mr. Hanson speaks in the highest terms of praise as a man of honor and integrity. Mr. Bailey furnished fifty-six thousand first-class granite

DHansen

1825

NEW HAMPSHIRE.

blocks besides three first-class honey comb ham- mered crossings. No finer could have been found in any city in the United States, making twenty-seven cars, being twenty-four cars of blocks and three cars of crossings. The paving was also a first-class job and done by the well known and celebrated electric railroad builders and pavers, Sonle Dil- linghamn & Company, of Boston, the builders of the Rochester Electrie Railroad.

In connection with the paving Mr. Hanson also had cast by the Rochester Foundry & Machine Company, new special sewer grates to conform to the paving bearing the street monogram in place of earlier grates which were also put in by Mr. Hanson a number of years ago. The people of Rochester have known for years that enchanting stretch of woodland on the bank of our beloved Cocheco (now almost in the center of our city) known as Hanson's Pines, which Mr. Hanson preserved from the axe of the woodman at a money loss in fires, etc., beside being most valuable building lots, if cleared, (there being one hundred and four lots) well knowing the exquisite pleasure their charming sliades bestowed on a tired and weary world, be- sides being the trysting place of many moon-eyed lovers who have there discoursed to their ladies eyebrows for better of for worse.

Mr. Hanson married, September 19, 1839, Bet- sey S. Chase, daughter of Simon Chase, who con- ducted a mercantile business in Rochester. Two sons were born to them, Charles A. C., August 18, IS44, and George Washington, July 6, 1854, died January 6, 1856. It is to the elder son, Charles A. C., that the credit is due for the establishment of the Old Cemetery Conservation Fund-Perputa- for the perpetual care and improvement of the Old Cemetery. He bore the original expense of over three hundred dollars from his own pocket and raised a fund of about five thousand dollars which he turned over to the town for the purpose specified. While engaged in making the final ar- rangements for the completion of this work he was severely injured by an elevator and crippled for life.

Dominicus Hanson was an earnest supporter of General Jackson for president at the time of his candidacy for second term, although he was not old enough to vote. His first ballot was cast for Martin Van Buren. Before attaining his majority he was appointed postmaster by General Jackson in 1835 and continued to hold the office under the administrations of Van Buren and Harrison four- teen years in his store, making great improvements in the office and introduced the first boxes. Mr. Hanson instituted the first independent postoffice in Rochester, erecting a building on Hanson street in 1873 expressly for it, which he rented to the government at a nominal price (the postoffice up to this time had been located in stores). The post- office remained in this building twenty-six years until 1899, when it was removed to its present lo- cation in Farrington Block, Hanson street, by our present enterprising and most worthy postmaster, Osman B. Warren, Esq., who newly equipped it, making it one of the finest offices in the state.

We find among Mr. Hanson's effects an old pa- per yellow with age which reads as follows:

"The State of New Hampshire, To Dominicus Hanson :

Gentleman ; Greeting.

We reposing especial trust and confidence in your Fidelity, courage and Good Condnet, Do. by these Presents constitute and appoint you, the said Dominicus Hanson PAY MASTER of the 39th

Regiment of Militia in the State of New Hampshire with the Rank of Leutinant etc etc etc. signed His Excellency the Governor, Isaac Hill 24th day of August 1836."

He was a director of the Norway Plains Savings Bank for a number of years.

In religious views Mr. Hanson was a liberal, although specially interested in the Universalist faith. He was kindly disposed to all and gave liber- ally to all improvements and benefits for the pubilc good, believing in the fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of man and a higher and better life for all.

HANSON There is no doubt whatever that the Hanson families of Barnstead, New Hampshire, who have lived in that town in one generation after another for more than one hundred and fifty years are direct de- scendants of Thomas Hanson, of Dover, New Hamp- shire, although there is no record by which to de- termine which of the sons of Thomas is in the line from the ancestor to Ebenezer, the progenitor of the Barnstead Hansons. But notwithstanding this it is safe to assume that the families are in direct relation, although the descent connot be distinctly established.

(V) Ebenezer Hanson, progenitor of the numer- ous family of that name in Barnstead and other towns of the state, was born April 12, 1759, and died May 26, 1826. He married, September 6, 1789, Abigail Caverno, born May 10, 1770, . and died April 14, 1854. She was a daughter of John Ca- verno, of Barrington, New Hampshire, and grand- daughter of Arthur Caverno, who immigrated to America about 1735 from the north of Ireland, and was of Scotch-Irish descent. Arthur Caverno was born about 1718, and married Fanny Potts, who was born in Ireland about 1720. Ebenezer and Abigail (Caverno) Hanson had thirteen children : Caverno, Paul, John, Sally, Polly, Ebenezer, Hannah, Judith, Nathaniel, Caleb, Abigail, Sarah and Jeremiah Han- SO11.

(VI) Nathaniel, ninth child and fifth son of Ebenezer and Abigail (Caverno) Hanson, was born May II, 1807, and died October 5, 1891. He married, April 16, 1829, Margery Evans, who was born June 20, 1809, and died March 9, 1891. They had chil- dren : John, Caleb W., Levi H., Nathaniel L., Ebe- nezer, Lewis F., Joseph B., and George and Jennie B. Hanson. Margery Evans, wife of Nathaniel Hanson, and mother of Ebenezer Hanson of Barn- stead, was a daughter of Edmund and Dorothy (Hardy) Evans, and Dorothy Hardy was a daugh- ter of Theophilus Hardy and Mary (Sullivan) Hardy. Mary Sullivan was born in Berwick, Maine, in 1752, and died in Strafford, New Hampshire, in 1827. She was a sister of General John Sullivan, of Revolutionary fame, and a daughter of John Sullivan, of Berwick, Maine, who was born in Limerick, Ireland, June 17, 1690, and died in Ber- wick, June 20, 1785. He emigrated from Ireland to America about 1723 and settled at Berwick, where he was a farmer, conveyancer and school teacher until he was ninety years old. About 1735 he mar- ried Margery Brown, born in Cork, Ireland, in 1714, and died in Berwiek, Maine. He married (second), at Fort Pownal, Maine, Abigail Bean, daughter of John Bean, who with others obtained a patent for the land on which the town of Sullivan, Maine, is built.

(VII) Ebenezer, fifth child and fifth son of Na- thaniel and Margery (Evans) Hanson, was born in Barnstead, New Hampshire, March 22, 1841, and is

1826

NEW HAMPSHIRE.

numbered among the oldest and most prominent business men of that town. He was brought up on his father's farm and sent to the district school, and afterward was a student in the academies at Pittsfield, New Hampton and Gilmanton. After leaving school he learned the trade of shoemaking and followed it for some time. Later on he went to Boston and engaged in mercantile pursuits, and after having acquired an understanding of the busi- ness returned to New Hampshire and for some time carried on a general store at New Market. From that place he soon removed to South Barnstead, where for many years he has been proprietor of an extensive general mercantile establishment. For twenty-eight years previous to the Cleveland ad- ininistration Mr. Hanson was postmaster at South Barnstead, and also for some time was a justice of the peace. Besides general merchandising he deals considerably in lumber and real estate, and takes a commendable interest in the welfare of the town and its people. He is a member and clerk of the Congregational Church of Barnstead and a member of its ministerial committee. On Thanksgiving day, December 7, 1865, at Pittsfield, New Hampshire, Mr. Hanson married Jennie M. Hodgdon, who was born April 1, 1841, daughter of Timothy E. and Mary E. (George) Hodgdon. Their children are: Anna, who married Rev. James C. Emerson, both dead; Alice E., who married Chapin Osgood and removed to Medford, Massachusetts; George, 110W living at home, and Carroll A., a druggist of Med- ford, Massachusetts.

JUNKINS The name Junkins which is probably a corruption of Jenkins, is ancient in those parts of Maine and New

Hampshire which lie adjacent to each other. It is not improbable that all persons of this name in those parts are descendants from one pair of an- cestors.

(I) James Junkins lived in York, Maine, and was born there probably. His wife Eleanor (Jun- kins) was born in June, 1771, and died February 18, 1849, aged seventy-eight years, eight months, at the home of her son in Wakefield.

(II) Rufus Junkins was born January 16, 1798, probably in Maine, and died April 17, 1854, aged fifty-six years, four months and one day, at Union, New Hampshire, where for years he followed black -. smithing. He married (first) Sally Hayes, who was born April 1, 1803, and died July 12, 1828. Two children were born of this union: James H. and Rufus A. He married (second) Temperance P. Adams, and they had seven children: Sallie, who married Charles Wentworth; Elizabeth, wife of Charles Nurte; Ellen, who married H. P. Gilman ; Edwin, Priscilla, George W., and George E., both died young.

(III) James Hayes, eldest child of Rufus and Sally (Hayes) Junkins, was born in Union, Febru- ary 3, 1823, and died December 11, 1896. He fol- lowed blacksmithing which he learned of his father, and was a competent and respected citizen. He was social and fraternal in disposition, and was for many years a member of the Order of Free and Accepted Masons. He married, October 23, 1853, Sallie A. Wentworth, who was born in Wakefield, May 27, 1829, and died May 20, 1903, daughter of Albra and Rhoda (Cook) Wentworth, of Wake- field. (See Wentworth, VI.) They had three children: Clarence E., the subject of the next paragraph : Rufus Albra, born March 30, 1858, for twenty-eight years past with the Simonds Manu-

facturing Company of Chicago, who married, June 24, 1882, Mary A. Stickney, of Ackworth, and has one child, Roger Wentworth; and Arthi E. Edna, April 1, 1864, who married Moses G. Chamberlain, of Milton.

(IV) Clarence Elmer, eldest child of James H. and Sally Aroline (Wentworth) Junkins, was born in Union, October 10, 1855. He attended the com- mon schools until about sixteen years of age, and then apprenticed himself to Benjamin Edgerly, of Union, for whom he worked three years, learning the tinner's trade. He then worked at his trade in Dover a year. Following that he was in the employ of the Simonds Manufacturing Company of Fitch- burg, Massachusetts, fifteen years. At the end of that time he settled in Rochester, New Hampshire, and bought a half interest in the stove, tinware and plumbing business of L. G. Cooper, the two form- ing the firm of Cooper & Junkins, and carrying on the business until January, 1904, when Mr. Junkins bought his partner's interest, and has since carried on the business alone. He is a respected member of Mt. Roulstone Lodge, No. 98, Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Fitchburg. He married, in New Sharon, Maine, September I9, 1888, Nellie P. Tucker, who was born in Waldoborough, Maine, January 17, 1858, daughter of Daniel S. and Mercy S. (Howes) Tucker.

Circumstances indicate that this

JUNKINS branch of the Junkins family is de- scended from Robert Jenkins or Junkins, who was at Dover, New Hampshire, in 1657, and at York. Maine, in 1674, and after.

(I) David Junkins was born in February 21, 1776, and died in York, Maine, December 3, 1855, aged nearly eighty. He married, November 12, 1801, Abigail Junkins, who died in York, June 25. 1853. They had seven children: Nathan, David, James, Salome, Hosea, Abigail and James.

(II) David Junkins (2), second son and child of David (1) and Abigail (Junkins) Junkins, was born in York, Maine, December 9. 1804, and died in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, March 22, 1889, aged eighty-four. At the early age of seventeen he came to Portsmouth and was apprenticed to his uncle, Isaac Junkins, who was at that time fore- man ship carpenter at the navy yard. After serv- ing his time he went to work for Jacob Remick, who had a ship yard on the site now occupied by Call's lumber yard. The following year he went to Dur- ham and worked on a ship built by Joseph Coe. In the year 1828 he commenced work for George Raynes, working on the brig "Planet," and in the following year he got out the timber for the ship "Joseph and Mary" built at Kittery by Thomas Cottle. In 1830 he returned to the employ of Mr. Raynes and worked for him until the suspension of work at that yard. Among the vessels built during his employment there were the ships: "Alex- ander," Nestor," "Harriet and Jesse." "Pontiff Rock- ingham, Portsmouth," Susanna Cumming," "Hin- doo," "Isaac Newton," "John Cumming Henry." "Nicholas Biddle," "Charles Isaac Allenton," and "Witch of the Waves," beside numerous small craft. The apprentices were placed in his care for instruction, and he was by them familiarly called "Uncle David," a name he was known by until his decease. After the suspension of work at the Raynes yard he worked at the navy yard and for Tobey & Littlefield. William Fernald, Daniel Marcy and other well known ship builders. He was one of the old- est members of Piscataqua Lodge, No. 6, Independ-

1827

NEW HAMPSHIRE.

ent Order of Odd Fellows, and also a member of the Associated Mechanics' and Manufacturers' Asso- ciation.

He married in Portsmouth. February 9, 1832, Betsey Pearson, born in Newburyport, Massachus- etts, December 31, ISI0, and died June 30, 1901. in her ninety-first year. Her parents were Abner and Betsey (Woodwell) Pearson. Her grandfather (a pensioner of the Revolution) helped build the his- toric frigate "Constitution" at the Boston yard in 1797. Children of David and Betsey B. Junkins were: Mary E. W., born August 25, 1832: Mary Abbie, born June 17,1834. died August 10,1894: George James, born March 21, 1836, died June 9, 1836; Orren Clark, born July 24. 1837, died February, 17. 1892; James Augustus, born August 5, 1839, died October 15, 1870: Almira Dennett, born September 24. 1841, died March 13, 1862; George Pearson, born November 5. 1843; Emma Frances. born Oc- tober II, 1845; William Wallace, born December 5, 1847 ; Horace, born September 20, 1849. died Sep- tember 29. 1850: Albert Rand, born September 7, IS52; David Edwin, born July 28. 1854; Ann Mary, born September 5. 1857, died November 23, 1857. (Albert R. and descendants receive mention in this article. )

(III) William Wallace Junkins, eighth child and fourth son of David and Betsey (Pearson) Junkins, was born in Portsmouth, December 5, 1847, and educated in the common schools of that city. He learned the joiner's trade of Nathan Tarlton, of Portsmouth, continuing with him about two and one-half years, and then went to Jamaica Plains, Massachusetts, and worked for Prindle & Heatlı. contractors and builders, for a year. He was after- ward employed on Long Island, Boston Harbor, and Somerville, being employed at the latter place seventeen years. Then, after a stay of a year in Charlestown, he returned to Portsmouth and was in the employ of William A. Hodgdon seventeen years. and Anderson & Junkins two years. In pol- itics Mr. Junkins is a Republican. He is a member of Carpenters' and Joiners' Union, No. 921, of Ports- mouth, also of Howard Lodge. No. 22. of Charles- town, Massachusetts, Somerville Encampment, No. 48, and is past commander of Canton Senter, of Portsmouth; a member of the Golden Eagles. No. 4, Alpha Council of the Royal Arcanum of Ports- month. and Union Rebekah Lodge. No. 3.

He married. June 26, 1895, at Portsmouth. Em- ma Florence Manent, born in Portsmouth. Decem- ber 25, 1861, daughter of Charles and Eliza (Pit- man) Manent. They have one child, Ruth L .. born June 20, 1904, in Portsmouth.

(III) Albert Rand Junkins, eleventh child and seventh son of David and Betsey (Pearson) Jun- kins, was born in Portsmouth, September 7, 1852. After acquiring a common school education, he learned the carpenter's trade as an apprentice to Thomas J. Spinney, in whose employ he remained eight years. In July. 1877, Mr. Junkins and Albert C. Anderson formed a partnership under the firm name of Anderson & Junkins, contractors and build- ders, which continued through twenty-nine years of successful business, until the death of Mr. Ander- son, July 3, 1906, and during that time they erected many well known buildings, among which are the residences of John Sise, H. Fisher Eldredge, Mor- ris C. Foye, G. Ralph Laighton, Gustave Peyser. and many others, also Rockingham county jail.

Mr. Junkins is a Republican, and was for three years a member of the city council of Portsmouth, and was president of that body two years. He was 11-37

also alderman two years. In March, 1907, he was elected chairman of the board of assessors for the term of six years. He is a prominent member of the Court Street Christian Church, of which he is warden, and for thirty years has been superintend- ent of its Sunday-school. For many years he has been a trustee of the Howard Benevolent Society. He has seen twenty years service as a member of the Portsmouth fire department, and is a past cap- tain of the steamer Colonel Sise, No. 2. He is a inember of the Mechanics' Fire Society, organized in 1812. In Masonic and Odd Fellow organizations Mr. Junkins is particularly prominent. He is a member of Piscataqua Lodge, No. 6, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; Strawberry Bank Encamp- ment, No. 5; Canton Senter and Union Rebekah Lodge, No. 3, in all of which he has passed the chairs. He is a past grand patriarch of the Grand Encampment, and grand representative. He is a past master in all these lodges. He is a member of St. Johns Lodge, No. 1, Free and Accept- ed Masons; Washington Royal Arch Chapter, No. 3: Davenport Council. No. 5, Royal and Select Masters; DeWitt Clinton Commandery, Knights Templar, of Portsmouth; Edward A. Raymond consistory, thirty-second degree, of the Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret, of Nashua; is past district deputy grand master; officer of the Council of High Priesthood; grand conductor of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters; member of the Grand Commandery of New Hampshire; thrice potent master in the Ineffable Grand Lodge of Per- fection; senior warden in the Grand Council of the Princes of Jerusalem; member of New Hampshire Rose Croix Chapter; and the Council of Delibera- tion of New Hampshire; also of Aleppo Temple of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mys- tic Shrine (of Boston) ; and the New Hampshire Veterans' Masons' Association.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 79

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: 878

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: 878