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 9
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about 1691, Henry Blaisdell. (Mention of Jacob Colby and descendants appears in this article.)
(III) Thomas (2), eldest son and child of Thomas and Hannah (Rowell) Colby, was born in Amesbury, July 1, 1675. According to records he served as snowshoe man in 1708, and from the same source it is learned that the Christian name of his wife was Frances, but her maiden surname is wanting. He died June 4, 1741, and his estate was divided the following year. His widow was still living in 1748. Their children were: Ezekiel, Sarah, Judith, Orlando, Thomas, Frances, Hannah, Nathaniel, Anne, Abraham and Willebee. (Men- tion of Abraham and descendants forms part of this article.)
(IV) Ezekiel, eldest child of Thomas (2) and Frances Colby, was born April 12, 1699, in Ames- bury, and resided in the west parish of that town, where he was described as a yeoman. His will was made May 18, 1756, and proven May 4, 1756, showing that he was possessed of considerable fore- sight and had care for his family. He was mar- ried, December 24, 1724, to Mary Elliott, daughter of John and Naomi (Tuxbury) Elliott, of Ames- bury, granddaughter of Edmund Elliott, of that town. She was born August 4, 1699, and was living in 1732. Ezekiel Colby and wife owned the cove- nant and were baptized March 19, 1727, in the Second Amesbury Church. Their children were : Daniel, Ezekiel, John, Elliott, Mary and Anne.
(V) Elliott, fourth son and child of Ezekiel and Mary (Elliott) Colby, was born May 22, 1735, in Amesbury, and lived in early life in the west parish of that town. He served in the French war of 1758. He removed to Warner, New Hampshire, about 1780, and died in that town February 20, 18II. He was married (first) June 17, 1760, in the Second Amesbury Church to Judith Sargent, daugh- ter of Stephen Sargent, of Amesbury (see Sargent, IV). Mr. Colby was married (second), November 30, 1782, to Hannah Smith. The records of the Second Amesbury Church show that Elliott Colby and wife renewed the Covenant in 1761, and that the latter was received to full communion June 12, 1763, and was dismissed to Warner, January 30, 1780. There were ten children of the first wife and two of the second, namely : Naomi (died young), Ezekiel, Stephen, John, Elliott, Judith, Naomi, Anna, Molly, Phineas Kelley, Pearson Smith and Daniel.
(VI) Naomi, third daughter and seventh child of Elliott and Judith (Sargent) Colby, was born December 18, 1773, in Amesbury, and was baptized the following day at the Second Church of Salis- bury. She became the wife of Benjamin Badger, and resided in Warner, New Hampshire (see Badger, VI).
(VI) Phineas, youngest child of Elliott and Judith (Sargent) Colby, was born in Warner June 24, 1780. He learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed in Deerfield, this state, for a time, and in 1810 removed to a farm in Candia, where he resided for the rest of his life, applying himself to his trade as well as to agriculture. His death oc- curred in 1850. He served as a selectman, and was otherwise quite prominent in local public affairs, acting in politics with the Democratic party. His religious affiliations were with the Congregation- alists. He was first married in 1798 to Patty Jen- ness, daughter of Thomas Jenness of Deerfield, and she died in 1810, having borne him three children- Phineas, Thomas J: and Sally. In 1811 he married for his second wife the Widow Emerson of Candia, who bore him two sons, Asa and Jonathan E.
(VII) Thomas J., second child and youngest son of Phineas and Patty (Jenness) Colby, was born in Deerfield, in 1807. He began the activities of life as a carpenter, following it until 1829, when he went to Topsham, Vermont, and he died in that town at the age of thirty-nine years. In 1829 he married Mary Dolber, daughter of John and Lydia (Robie) Dolber, of Candia, New Hampshire, and she survived him many years, dying there in 1897, at the advanced age of ninety years. Both were members of the Congregational Church. They were the parents of two sons-John D. and George.
(VIII) John Dolber, eldest son of Thomas J. and Mary (Dolber) Colby, was born in . Topsham, October 22, 1830. After concluding his attendance at the public schools, including the Manchester high school, he engaged in the milk business, and con- tinued in it for eight years. He was subsequently engaged in lumbering in Candia for some time, drove a team regularly between New Boston and Francestown for a period of ten years, was for seven years in the railway service in Boston, and for the ensuing fifteen years was in the employ. of the Lawrence Manufacturing Company at Lowell, Massachusetts. In 1896 he returned to the old Colby homestead in Candia, for the purpose of tak- ing charge of the farm and caring for his mother during her last days, and he is still residing there. In politics he is a Republican, and for two years was chairman of the board of selectmen in Candia. He is a member of Rockingham Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, and of the local Grange, of which he has been secretary for four years. In religious faith he is a Congregationalist, a member of the society, and treasurer and clerk.
On September 6, 1854, Mr. Colby married Keziah Patten, daughter of Francis and Rebecca (Knight) Patten, and five children have been born to them: Mary R., born April, 1857, married Charles Eastman, of Littleton, and died, 1900; Ella F., born 1859, died 1869; Thomas J., born 1865, died in infancy ; Emma B., born 1868, married B. F. Stephenson, of Lowell, one child, Paul Colby; Grace, born 1873, married Eugene Elliott, of Lowell, one child, Frank G.
(IV) Abraham, tenth child and fifth son of Thomas (2) and Frances Colby, was born in Ames- bury, East Parish, about 1720, and baptized Janu- ary 25, 1736, and was living in the same parish in 1751. He married, March 23, 1742, Elizabeth Blais- dell, fourth daughter and tenth child of Jonathan and Hannah (Jameson) Blaisdell, of Amesbury. He was an early resident of Bow, New Hampshire, where he purchased, August 16, 1768, of John Leavitt, of Stratham, part of lots three and four, in range 14, and settled thereon, with his five sons. The tract included one hundred and twenty acres, and the purchase price was forty-five pounds, lawful money, equivalent to about one hundred and fifty dollars at that time. This land was on Wood Hill, and is held now by his descendants. The father was then about fifty-three years of age, and two of his sons were of legal age. He continued to reside there until his death, in 1809, at the age of ninety-four years. His children were named: Sarah, Elijah, Willaby, Anna, John, Hannah, Thomas, Eli and Jonathan. Eli was killed at the battle of Benning- ton, in his nineteenth year. The first child died young, and the others married and settled in Bow, where their posterity are now numerous.
(V) Willaby, second son and third child of Abraham and Elizabeth (Blaisdell) Colby, was born February 28, 1745, in Amesbury, Massachu- setts, and became the pioneer of the family in com-
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ing to Bow. On attaining his majority he pushed into the wilderness on a tour of investigation, and he selected the land on Wood Hill, in Bow, where his father and the entire family subsequently settled. He returned to his Massachusetts home and at once began making preparations for settling in the new location. One of the first steps in this preparation was the taking of a wife, and Sarah Sargent, of Newport, became his bride. When thev removed to the new home in the year 1768, she rode on horse- back, carrying in her arms their infant child, born in the fall of 1767. He built a log house, which was soon succeeded by a frame building that was occupied after him by his son, Philip. He was skilled in the use of carpenter's tools, and was well adapted to building, being able to climb with ease and without fear over any frame. In July, 1777, Mr. Colby was one of eight who marched from Bow, under Captain Benjamin Bean, to the relief of Ticonderoga. On arriving at Charlestown, New Hampshire, they learned that the fort had been evacuated, and returned after a service of seven days. In 1774 he purchased of Benjamin Noyes lot No. 5, in the fourteenth range, comprising one hundred acres, which was called "Nottencook." This land he divided between his sons, James and Philip. He was one of the committee to pass upon the completion of the church building in 1792, and was selectman in 1796-97. He died October 30, 1829, aged eighty-five years. His first wife, Sarah (Sargent) Colby, died April 22, 1796, aged fifty- four years, and he married (second), in 1797, Molly Sargent, of Pembroke, daughter of Sterling and Lydia (Coffin) Sargent (see Sargent, V). The second wife was the mother of two of his children. The entire family included: James, Hepsebeth, Sarah, Philip, Merriam, Judith, Sarah, Polly and Willaby.
(VI) James, eldest child of Willaby and Sarah (Sargent) Colby, was born October 27, 1767, in Newton, New Hampshire, and was brought to Bow while a babe in arms. He inherited and acquired the skill of his father in building operations, and they built many of the best dwellings in the town. In 1790 he purchased thirteen acres of land, and next year added twenty acres, with a house, all on Wood Hill. He died . February 15, 1829, and was survived by his wife until December 18, 1848, when she was seventy-five years of age. He was married in 1789 to Susanna, daughter of James Stewart, of Dunbarton. She was born 1773, in Salem, this state, and was the mother of the follow- ing children : Willaby (died young), Aaron, Willaby, Levi, Abiah, Lucinda, Susan, James and Charles Sargent.
(VII) Aaron, the second child and son of James and Susanna (Stewart) Colby, was born in the town of Bow, April 15, 1792. He enlisted in September, 1814, for the defense of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and was in the service about three months. He married, December 25, 1817, Edith, daughter of John Rowell, of Bow. She was born July 30, 1795. He followed farming in the town of Bow until 1838, when he purchased a farm at Potter Place in the town of Andover, New Hamp- shire, and resided there until 1867, when he sold out and purchased the Hoag farm in the town of Bow, where he and his wife resided until their death. He died January 18, 1877. His wife died March 15, 1877. Their children were: Harrison, born April 11, 1820, and Sylvanus R., January 29, 1829. The latter moved to Ohio in 1852, and was killed on the Ohio & Pennsylvania railroad, Sep-
tember 14, 1853; he was buried in Salem, Column- biana county, Ohio.
(VIII) Harrison, eldest son of Aaron and Edith (Rowell) Colby, was born in the town of Bow, New Hampshire, April 11, 1820, married, November 28, 1843, Judith E. Whitaker, daughter of Joseph and Nancy (Elkins) Whitaker. She was born October 25, 1819. Their children were: Cle- mantine L., born in Andover, New Hampshire, April 23, 1845, and Anthon W., born in Andover, De- cember 7, 1850. Harrison Colby died May 5, 1905, in Concord, aged eighty-five years.
(IX) Anthon W., second child and only son of Harrison and Judith L. (Whitaker) Colby, was born in the town of Andover, New Hampshire, De- cember 7, 1850. He left Andover for Vineland, New Jersey, in December, 1865, where he resided until the fall of 1869, when he returned to Bow to care for his aged parents. He married, August 28, 1873, Jessie L. Brown, who was born in Bow, New Hampshire, July 3, 1856. Mr. Colby was in the employ of the Concord railroad for several years. Commencing in 1870 he carried the mail from Con- cord to Dunbarton and Bow, eight years. He was the first postmaster at Bow Mills, and since 1888 has been employed in the state house at Con- cord.
(X) Eva M., only child of Anthon W. and Jessie L. (Brown) Colby, was born in the town of Bow, New Hampshire, June 10, 1874. She married, June 28, 1893, David Waldo White, of Concord, New Hampshire (see White, V). They are the parents of the following named children: Lloyd David, born May 29, 1894, died May 10, 1897; Una Goodell, August 21, 1895; Irene B., September 14, 1898.
(III) Jacob, youngest child of Thomas (1) and Hannah (Rowell) Colby, was born in Ames- bury, April 13, 1688, and lived in Amesbury, East Parish. He married (first), in Amesbury, April 9, 1711, Hannah Hunt, born March 23, 1688, fourth daughter of Edward and Ann (Weed) Hunt; (sec- ond), at Amesbury, November II, 1724, Elizabeth Elliot, born in Amesbury, November 11, 1691, third child of John and Naomi (Tuxbury) Elliot. A Mrs. Elizabeth Colby died in Amesbury, February 5, 1737. Their children were: Bekius, Jacob, Ed- mund, Valentine and Thomas Elliot.
(IV) Valentine, fourth son and child of Jacob and Elizabeth (Elliot) Colby, was born in Ames- bury, May 29, 1728, baptized June 13, 1736, in .Ames- bury, died about 1812. His will was dated No- vember 2, 1805, and probated January 4, 1813. He married (first), August 20, 1747, Hannah Kim- ball; (second), February I, 1788, Elizabeth Lowell, of Amesbury, who survived him. His fourteen chil- dren, probably all by the first wife, were: Valen- tine, died young; Judith, Rhoda, Valentine, died young; Hezekiah, Rhoda, Thomas, David, Ilan- nah, Elizabeth, Valentine, Jonathan, Levi and Molly.
(V) Levi, eighth son and thirteenth child of Valentine and Hannah (Kimball) Colby, was an early resident of Warner, where he married and raised a family of children.
(VI) Valentine, son of Levi Colby, was born in Warner, in 1764, married Sally Osgood, and raised a family there.
(VII) Levi Osgood, son of Valentine and Sally (Osgood) Colby, was born in Warner in 1818. He was well educated for his day and time, was a farmer and a member of the Congregational Church. Originally a Democrat, he became a Republican in
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1855, and adhered to that faith the remainder of his life. He married Mary Durrell, born in Brad- ford, in 1823, daughter of Nicholas and Polly ( Batch- elder ) Durrell. Nicholas, son of Eliphalet Durrell, of Northwood, was born in 1777, and died in 1844, reputed the wealthiest man in Bradford. Polly Batchelder was a daughter of Deacon Simon Batch- elder, of Northwood.
(VIII) Frederick Myron, first child of Levi O. and Mary (Durrell) Colby, was born in Warner, December 9, 1848. His early years were spent in labor on his father's farm, and in obtaining his education in the common schools of Warner, New London Academy, and the Commercial College at Concord. Mr. Colby was born a poet and has found pleasure and profit in indulging the Muse and writ- ing stories. Professionally he is an undertaker and embalmer, and incidentally he has administered upon various estates, in all of which occupations he has been successful. He is the author of "The Daugh- ter of Pharaoh." "Brave Lads and Bonnie Lasses," "Boy Kings and Girl Queens," and "Poems of Heart and Home." Always a Democrat he has been placed in various positions of honor and trust by his fellow citizens. He has been a member of the Warner board of education six years; town treasurer four years ; postmaster five years; and member of the Democratic state committee from 1890 to 1904. He is a member of the New Hampshire Licensed Em- balmers' Association, of which he was secretary from 1902 to 1905; is one of the trustees and treasurer of the Pillsbury Library; treasurer of Pine Grove Cemetery Association, member of the New . Hamp- shire Antiquarian and New Hampshire Historical societies, and an honorary member of the Man- chester Press Club. He married in Warner, Decem- ber 24, 1882, Hannah Maria George, born in Warner, daughter of Gilman C. and Nancy ( Badger ) George, of Warner. Gilman C. George, born in 1820, died September 12, 1894, was a son of James and Han- nah (Church) George, and a descendant of James George, who settled in Haverhill, Massachusetts, in 1653. He was a captain in the state militia in 1843-44, town clerk from 1868 to 1872, and select- man from 1885 to 1888. He was master of Warner Grange, president of the Kearsarge Agricultural Association, and was the first worshipful master of Harris Lodge, No. 91, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of Warner.
COLBY The Colbys of this article are descended from Anthony Colby (or Colebie), the immigrant, an account of whom pre- cedes this, but the generations preceding those given below have not yet been definitely ascer- tained.
(I) Thomas Colby was born in Maine, in 1777, and died in Franconia, New Hampshire, March 30, 1855. He married Polly Knapp, born in Saulsbury (now Franklin), New Hampshire, in 1798, and died in Franconia, New Hampshire, in 1826. They had children: 1. Thomas, born in Belgrade, Maine, 1805, was killed by blasting stone at Milford, New Hampshire, in 1827. 2. Lucy, born in Belgrade, Maine, January 20, 1810, died in Franconia, New Hampshire, December 20, 1893. 3. Enoch Libby, see forward. 4. Clarke, born in Franconia. 1817. died in 1835. 5. John, born in 1812, died in 1844. 6. Mary A., born in Franconia in 1819, died there in 1859. There were three other children who died in infancy.
(II) Enoch Libby, son of Thomas and Polly (Knapp) Colby, was born in Belgrade, Maine. May II, 1814, and died in Lancaster, New Hampshire,
December 21, 1875. When he was two years of age he was brought by his parents to Franconia, New Hampshire, and there he resided until 1850. His. education was limited to an attendance of eleven weeks in the common schools of the district. He worked on the farm of his father until he had at- tained his majority, and then learned the carpenter's. trade, which he followed until 1850. About 1840 he removed to Colebrook, New Hampshire, in which town he held the office of deputy sheriff for two years. He removed to Lancaster in 1854, and the following year was one of the corporators of the Lancaster Manufacturing Company. In the same year he was one of the corporators of the Coos Mutual Fire Insurance Company, and at the first meeting of the proprietors he was elected a mem- ber of the board of directors. At the meeting of the stockholders, September 1, 1863, he was again elected, and on the same day was elected president, and held that office until his death. He also served the company for a long time as one of its solicitors. He was elected to the board of fire wards in 1856. and was re-elected in 1861-62-64-65-66-67-68. He became sheriff in 1857, and held that office for a period of ten years. He was appointed deputy sheriff in 1867, and served in that office for ten years. He and his son, Charles F., were proprietors of a harness shop in 1875, doing business under the firm name of Enoch L. Colby & Son. He was a Democrat until the "Know Nothing" party arose, which he joined, but upon the organization of the Republican party he affiliated with that, and ever afterward was a staunch upholder of its principles. He was a delegate to the national Republican con- vention at Baltimore, Maryland, 1864, when, Lincoln was nominated for a second term. He was also a deputy United States marshal for some time during the civil war, and filled minor offices of trust and responsibility. Mr. Colby was a man of sturdy character, and practical good sense, and had he received a liberal education would un- doubtedly have made his mark in the world. He was brought up in the Baptist religion, but later in life united with the Episcopal Church.
Mr. Colby married. July 24, 1842, Lucy Ann Jane Fletcher, born at Charlestown, New Hamp- shire, December 27, 1823; died at Lancaster, New Hampshire, September 25, 1900. She was the daugh- ter of Ebenezer and Peady (Smith) Fletcher, and a lineal descendant of Robert Fletcher, of Concord, Massachusetts, who came from England in 1630 with Richard Saltonstall and Governor Winthrop. On the paternal side her ancestors were English, on the maternal, Irish. Ebenezer Fletcher, son of one of the heroes of Bunker Hill, was born May 17. 1775, and died at Colebrook. New Hampshire, August 22, 1843. He removed to Pittsburg, New Hampshire, in 1811, where he was one of the first settlers, and there erected a frame dwelling house, a grist and saw mill which were standing until recently, and bore his name. He also expended con- siderable money in developing the country in various other directions. He married at Charlestown, New Hampshire, Peady Smith, and they had children : I. Lucretia Eliza, born September 6. 1804; married Cyrus Eames : died at Green Bay, Wisconsin, Sep- tember 21, 1814. 2. Hiram Adams, born at Spring- field, Vermont, December 14, 1806; married, May 24, 1834, Persis Everett Hunking: died at Lancaster January 30, 1879. 3. Kimball Batchelder, born Sep- tember 13, 1810: died at Lancaster November 4, 1894. 4. Mary Nassau, born February 28, 1813; married Archalaus Cummings ; died at Colebrook in 1902. 5. Lucy Ann Jane, mentioned above. Mr.
Frederick Myron Colby.
Sincerely yours George N Colly
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and Mrs. Colby had children : I. George Henry, see forward. 2. Charles Frederick, born July 14, 1846, at Colebrook; was a druggist at Lancaster; died November 17, 1902. 3. Frank Arthur, born at Colebrook November 4, 1852; a physician who served as staff surgeon in the Egyptian army in 1875; died at Berlin, New Hampshire, July 14, 1896. 4. John Irving, born December 24, 1856; was a drug clerk; died in Somerville, Massachusetts, June 17, 1904. (III) George Henry, eldest child of Enoch Libby and Lucy Ann Jane (Fletcher ) Colby, was born in Colebrook, New Hampshire, December 27, 1844. He received his education at the Colebrook and Lancaster academies, and learned the art of printing in the office of The Coos Republican, at Lancaster, and later with the Riverside Press, Cam- bridge, Massachusetts. Prior to going to Cam- bridge he had served one year as postal clerk in the store of Royal Joyslin, and three years with E. & T. Fairbanks & Company, at St. Johnsbury, Vermont; had failed in an attempt to establish himself in the book trade in Lancaster; and had read law for one year in the office of Ossian Ray, of Lancaster. He established The Fairfield Chronicle in May, 1869, a weekly newspaper pub- lished in Fairfield, Somerset county, Maine, which he managed as editor and sole proprietor for a period of ten years, and then disposed of it to a syndicate of Fairfield citizens. He then returned to Lancaster, and in the summer and fall of 1879 visited Europe, traveling extensively, and upon his return devoted six months to travel in the United States. He assumed charge of the mechanical de- partment of three newspapers in July, 1880, owned by Thomas G. Thrumm, in Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands. One of these papers was The Press, a weekly newspaper of considerable influence among the business residents and planters, and which was founded for the purpose of advocating the annexa- tion of the islands to the United States. When this object had been attained the paper suspended. The Kukoa was published in Kanaka, the native language of the islanders, and had a circulation of five thousand weekly. It exerted a great influence among the native population. The Friend was a monthly missionary journal, edited and owned by Father Damon. After nearly two years devoted to the newspaper and job printing business at Honolulu, Mr. Colby ascended the volcano of Kilauea, and traveled about the islands. He then visited Australia, and returning east in May, 1883, opened a book store in Lancaster, where he has been prosperously located for almost twenty-five years, thus making a splendid contrast to his failure in this direction in his earlier years. During this time he has made a trip to the island of Jamaica ; spent a winter in Mexico; three times 'visited Europe; in 1906 traveled to Japan as the invited guest of Hon. H. W. Denison, the legal adviser of the Japan Foreign Office, and in that land spent a month in continuous travel. He returned in 1907, on his way visiting Siam, China, India and the Mediterranean, spending some time at Naples, and not omitting to visit Pompeii and Rome, thence home by Gibraltar and the Azores. Upon his re- turn he delivered frec lectures, by invitation, to about twenty audiences in the various towns of Coos and Grafton counties. Mr. Colby is a notable man of business, and carries about fifty thousand volumes in his stock, which is the largest number carried by any house of this kind in the state. He has been an intelligent observer during his travels, is an interesting writer, a lover of books, modest and
unassuming in his manner, liberal in his views and tenacious of his convictions. He is a firm believer in public libraries and schools, and has done much to further the interests of these institutions. His religious views are those of the late Robert G. Ingersoll; he is an advocate of women's rights; and is a believer in cremation after death. He has been a lifelong Republican, of the Abolition type, but has never sought nor held public office. He is a member of Fairfield Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, and of the Royal Arch Chapter of Oakland, Maine.
Mr. Colby married (first), July, 1867, Margaret Harrington, a Roman Catholic, of Littleton, New Hampshire, by whom he had a son who died in infancy. He married (second), in 1871, Mrs. Martha A. (Small) Gilmore, of Fairfield, Maine, who bore him two children, both of whom died in infancy. He married (third), October 2, 1884, Miss Julia Lizette Hastings, born November 18, 1842, daughter of Lambert and Maria ( Holton) Hastings, of St. Johnsbury, Vermont. Mrs. Colby is a most estimable woman, and has been a fitting helpmate to her talented husband. She is a member of the Congregational Church in Lancaster. They have no children.
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