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 93

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 93

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(Fifth Family.)

(I) Hugh Smith and his wife Mary

SMITH were residing in Rowley, Massachu- setts, as early as the year 1654. In all probability they were not among the Rev. Ezekiel Rogers' company which originally settled the town in 1638, but arrived there at a later date. The rec- ords indicate that they were the parents of seven children : John, Samuel, Edward (born in 1654), and four daughters, whose names do not appear.

(II) John Smith, who was of Rowley in 1659 was, as near as can be ascertained from the records, the John previously mentioned as the son of Hugh and Mary. The maiden name of his wife was Faith Parrot and he was the father of John and Jonathan (twins), born at Rowley in 1669; and probably of Benjamin.

(III) Benjamin Smith, probably the youngest son of John and Faith ( Parrot) Smith, married Martha Kilborn and had Moses, born in 1711 ; Benjamin, the date of whose birth will be recorded presently; Jacob, born in 1720; Joseph, in 1724; and four daughters.

(IV) Benjamin (2), second son of Benjamin (1) and Martha (Kilborn) Smith, was born in Rowley in 1719. His wife was before marriage Elizabeth Creasey, and his children were: Isaac, the next in line of descent; Benjamin, born in 1756; Joseph, born in 1765; and four daughters, whose names are not given.

(V) Isaac Smith eldest son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Creasey) Smith, was born in Rowley in 1743. He married Elizabeth Hibbert and had ten children, namely: Isaac, who will be again referred to; James, born in 1768; Benjamin, born in 1771; Moses, born in 1773: David, born in 1776; George, born in 1779; Edward, born in 1784; Thomas (called Lorane), born in 1787; Amos, born in 1790; and a daughter.

(VI) Isaac (2), eldest child of Isaac (I) and Elizabeth (Hibbert) Smith, was born in Rowley, June 25. 1766. He acquired a good education and iv-40

for many years was engaged in teaching school. For intervals he resided in Ipswich, Massachusetts, Canterbury, Concord, Loudon and IHopkinton, New Hampshire, and while in Loudon he owned and operated a saw and grist mill. At one time he was postmaster at Ipswich, held town offices and was a deacon of the Baptist Church. His death oc- curred in Hopkinton, December 23, 1857, in his ninety-second year. On December 6, 1789, he mar- ried Abigail Coggswell, daughter of Dr. Nathan Coggswell of Rowley, and had a family of thirteen children namely: Elizabeth, born September 2, 1790; Nabby, May 24, 1792; Charles, who is re- ferred to in the succeeding paragraph; John born March 19, 1795; Abigail, born October 21, 1796; Sarah, born June 30, 1798; Isaac, born March 14, 1800; Hannah C., born September 10, 1801; David Francis, born March 15, 1804; Nathaniel, born March 4, 1806 (died young) ; Louisa, born August 4, 1808; Nathaniel C., born March 26, 1809; and. Edmund Emery, born February 9, 18II. The mother of these children died January 7, 1838.

(VII) Charles, third child and eldest son of Deacon Isaac and Abigail (Coggswell) Smith, was born in Rowley March 1I, 1794. When a young. man he was with his father at Loudon where he operated a saw mill for a time. and in 1824 he re- moved to a farm in Candia. The rest of his active life was spent in tilling the soil, and his death oc- curred in Candia in 1873. Politically he was a Den- ocrat. In his religious belief he was a Baptist. He married Louise Batchelder, who died in 1863, daughter of Abraham Batchelder, of Loudon. They had children : Charles, Louisa, Emeline, Edmund Emery, see forward; Alvah A., Abbie C. and Clara R.

(VIII) Edmund Emery, second son and fourth child of Charles and Louise ( Batchelder) Smith, was born in Candia, August 20, 1830. His early ed- ucation was obtained in the public schools. and after completing his education at the Pembroke Academy, he taught school, and for a time resided at Ded- ham and South Reading (now Wakefield), then in' West Boylston. He then returned to the homestead. in Candia, and assisted in the cultivation and man- agement of the farm during his father's declining. years. Having succeeded to the property upon the death of his father, he was energetically engaged in its cultivation with very profitable results. He was also engaged in the lumber business for a num- ber of years. In politics he is a Republican, and' has served as a member of the board of selectmen" for two years. He is a member of the Congrega- tional Church. Mr. Smith married (first), 1857, Mary Fitts, of Candia, daughter of Abraham and Mary (Emerson) Fitts, and granddaughter of Abraham Fitts, who was born in Salisbury in 1736, and later settled in Candia. They had children: T. George F., a farmer and jeweller in Auburn, where he has filled the office of tax collector for a period of fourteen years. He married (first), Mary A. Fitts, and had one child: Howard E., married (second), Carrie E. Simpson. 2. Mary A., mar- ried George Currier, of Deny, and had children : Helen Florence and Mabel Henriette. Edmund Emery Smith married (second) Sarah A. Patten, of Auburn, and had children: I. Henry C., born March 10, 1866, died January II. 1893. He was an expert machinist. He married Mary E. Johnston, of Manchester, and they had one son, born March 19, 1893. 2. Charles S., born November 6, 1875. He was educated in the public and high schools of his native town, and spent one year in Pembroke:

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Academy. He resided at the home of his parents until he had attained his majority, then obtained a position in the Mirror office, Manchester, New Hampshire. At the expiration of two years he went to Boston, Massachusetts. and secured em- ployment with the Colonial Press, of which C. H. Symonds is the proprictor. Mr. Smith is now en- gaged as a cylinder pressman. He is a member of Berkley Temple Church, the Gymnasium and Glee clubs of the Young Men's Christian Association, and of the De Soto Lodge, Knights of Pythias.

(Sixth Family.)

One of the numerous families of this name New Hampshire came

SMITH in

through Dunstable, originally Massa- chusetts, and has now numerous branches in vari- ous parts of the state. They seem to have been people of strong character, both physically and mentally, and still evince the sturdy nature of their forebears.

(I) The name of Abraham Smith appears early in the records of Cambridge, Massachusetts, the occasion being a fine of sixpence for permitting his heifer to trespass in the planting field November 4, 1646.

(II) John Smith, who is presumed to have been a son of Abraham, in the absence of any records, was married at Cambridge, June 8, 1676, to Sarah Prentice. Their children, born in that town, were: Sarah (died young), John, Sarah and Joseph. There were probably other children, but they are not recorded.

(III) Samuel Smith, born about 1690, was prob- ably a son of John and Sarah ( Prentice) Smith. He resided in Menotomy, and had by his wife, Sarah, the following children: Sarah, Susannah, Anna, Pelatiah, Samuel, Michael, Joseph, Benjamin, Robert (died young), Thomas, Robert and Daniel. (IV) Deacon Benjamin, fifth son and eighth child of Samuel and Sarah Smith, was born Janu- ary 13, 1736, in Menotomy, and was a pioneer of Dunstable, Massachusetts, where he was held in high regard, as a member of the church and active in the development of a frontier community. He died in March, 1821, at the age of eighty-five years. He was married, October 6, 1762, to Joanna Lund, of Dunstable.

(V) Benjamin (2), son of Benjamin (1) and Joanna (Lund) Smith, was born June 2, 1765, in Dunstable. and was, like his father, a pioneer in frontier development. He spent a short time be- fore his majority in Boscawen, but soon pushed on into newer regions. In 1785, according to the "His- tory of Coos county," Benjamin and Caleb Smith came from Boscawen to Stark, New Hampshire. They were probably brothers, and both were strong, sinewy men, well fitted to hew a way out of the wilderness. Benjamin Smith built the first house in Stark, which was situated on a hillside in what is now the center of the town, near the Ammonsuc river. As illustrating his strength it may be men- tioned that the sheriff once caine to arrest him for a small debt. The officer took hold of Smith, and they started home, but the latter kept up such a rapid gait, leaping five foot fences and clearing away everything that came in, his way, that the sheriff. completely exhausted, gave up his game and never renewed the attempt at capture. The tax list of Stark for the year 1809 rates Benjamin Smith at one poll, one horse, one colt, two oxen, one cow, five young cattle, three acres pasture, five mowing, two arable. He was a farmer all his life, held various town offices, and attended the Meth- odist Church. About 1786 Benjamin Smith mar- ried Hannah Smith, possibly the daughter of Ca-

leb, and they had seven children: Sally, born April I. 1787; Nancy, born June 6, 1789; Benjamin, born March 2, 1792; Nathan, born August 27, 1794; Hannah, born January 18, 1798. No records are preserved of the birth of the others, but their names are given as Jeremiah E. and Lucinda.

(VI) Jeremiah E., son of Benjamin (2) and Hannah (Smith) Smith, was born at Stark, New Hampshire, probably about 1800. He was a farmer all his life, and was a prominent and useful citizen of his native town. He was a Democrat, but took small part in politics. He was a member of the Methodist Church, and was strong in his religious faith. On January 29, 1827, Jeremiah E. Smith married Olive Cole, daughter of Clifford Cole, a member of a prominent family in Stark. There were four children: Jane E., Louisa M., one died in infancy, George W. R. M., whose sketch follows, is the only one of these children now living. Jere- miah E. Smith died in 1885, and his wife died Jan- uary 5, 1865.

(VII) George Washington Rowell Michael, son of Jeremiah E. and Olive (Cole) Smith, was born at Stark. New Hampshire, November 30, 1841. He was educated in the district schools of his na- tive town, and did farming in early life. For sev- eral years he conducted a store in Stark, and after- wards became a member of the Percy Lumber Com- pany, of which he has been manager since 1880. The officers of this company, whose business is the leading industry of the region, are: President, John C. Littlefield, Manchester, New Hampshire; secretary, James F. Baldwin, of Manchester; treas- urer and general manager, Luther C. Baldwin, Providence, Rhode Island. Mr. Smith is also a member of the firm of Baldwin & Smith, manufac- turers of bobbins. The product is manufactured at Percy, New Hampshire, and finished at Auburn, Maine; and the firm employs from one hundred and fifty to two hundred men at Percy and about forty at Auburn during the winter. They have also a plant at West Bethel, where they give employ- ment to a large number of men. In 1889 Mr. Smith, in partnership with Henry R. Girard, bought out the Lumber Company's store at Percy. Mr. Smith is considerably interested in farming, and cuts about four hundred tons of hay on the com- pany's land and his own. The Percy Company owns about seven thousand acres of timber land, and they also buy stumpage. In politics Mr. Smith is independent, but he has never sought office. He was selectman for a number of years, and was representative in 1881, and has held minor local offices. He attends the Methodist Episcopal Church, and has been a member of the finance com- mittee since he was eighteen years of age. He be- longs to the Knights of Pythias and to the Odd Fellows. Mr. Smith is a vigorous man, apparently just in the prime of middle life. and enjoys the respect of the community to a marked degree. He has never used tobacco, liquor, beer or cards, and has never attended dances. For thirty-seven years he has had control of men in mills and lumber camps, the number varying anywhere from thirty- five to two hundred and fifty, and he has helped many a worthy young man under his charge to rise in the business. On May 7, 1863, Mr. Smith married Mary Jane, daughter of Edmond and Han- nah (Leavitt) Cole, of Stark. There are no chil- dren.

(Seventh Family.)

The Smith family, of which Joseph

SMITH Brodie Smith, of Manchester, New

Hampshire, is a representative, is of English descent, and is traced as follows :

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(I) Silas Smith, born and married in England, came to America with the Plymouth Company and settled at Taunton, Massachusetts.

(II) Silas Smith, (2), son of Silas Smith (I), married Hannah, daughter of Daniel Gazine, who came over with the London Company. Their chil- dren were: Isaac, Elijah, Silas, Cornelius. Elka- nah, Bial, Samuel, Hannah, died in Oneida county, New York; Rachel and Sally.

(III) Samuel Smith, seventh son and child of Silas (2) and Hannah (Gazine) Smith, served in the Continental army during the Revolution. He married Abigail, daughter of John Wright, and died at Henderson, New York, April 17, 1827. Their children were: Amasa, died at the age of one and a half years; Daniel, Mary, Abigail, Syl- vester, Lydia, Polly, Samuel, Jr., Sally, Mercy, Anna and Amasa (2). Of these children Abigail married Rev. Elisha P. Sangworthy, of Balston Springs, New York; Sylvester married Nancy Kniffin, of Rutland, New York, March 19, 1806; Lydia married Skellinger ; Polly married Dr. William Priest ; Sally married Samuel Mills; Mercy mar- ried Henry Millard; Anna married Jonathan Ruff ; Amasa (2) married Sally Sykes of Watertown, New York.

(IV) Daniel Smith, born in Spencertown, Col- umbia county, New York, February 26, 1775. He was educated in the common schools, was a farmer by occupation, and in 1802 came to Ellisburg. Jef- ferson county, and spent the summer there clear- ing lands. In the fall of that year he went to Schuyler, Herkimer county, where he married, and in December, 1803, with his wife and infant daugh- ter came to Rutland, Jefferson county, and pur- chased a farm near Burr's Mills. Two years later he moved to Hounsfield, same county, purchased some land and erected a saw mill, the place being known for some time as Smith's Mills, later Camp's Mills. From Hounsfield he returned to Rutland. purchased another farm, built a frame house, where he lived until ISIS, when he purchased and re- moved to a large farm in Rodman, where he spent the remainder of his life, and which is still owned by his descendants. He was a lieutenant in the war of 1812-14 and distinguished himself by his bravery at the battle of Sackett's Harbor, when their house was practically a hospital for sick sol- diers. Daniel Smith married Susan Holmes, of Keene, Cheshire county, New Hampshire, who for sometime previous to her marriage lived with her aunt, Mrs. Lucy (Holmes) Wheeler, wife of John Wheeler. of Keene, New Hampshire. Their chil- dren were: Abigail, born November 6, 1803, died March 14, 1854: Laura, born January 30, 1805, died IS91 ; infant son, born August 1, 1806, died same day; Nancy M., born September 1, 1807, died Feb- ruary 1, 1887: Almira H., born May 2, 1809, died December 25, 1896; Daniel, born February 26, ISII, died December 19, 1813: William P., born Febru- ary 7. 1813, died January 5, 1899: Daniel, Jr., born March 19, 1815, died August 2, 1896; infant daugh- ter, born April 19, 1817, died April 19, 1817; Susan H., born May 6, 1818; Lucy Ann, born September 15, 1819, died March. 1900; Eveline M., born May 2, 1821, died March 13, 1906; Emeline L., born Sep- tember 10, 1823; Mary M., born May 5, 1825, died August 14, 1845; Nelson Slater, born July II. 1827; Martha Jane, born June 19, 1829, died October 12, 1867. Daniel Smith, Sr., died March II, 1854. His wife, Susan (Holmes) Smith, died August 5, 1864. Thomas Holmes. father of Susan (Holmes) Smith, was born in Woodstock, Connecticut, 1756, died in Wethersfield, Connecticut. The following

items were copied from "Record of Connecticut men in War of Revolution," State House Library, Boston, Massachusetts : Thomas Holmes enlisted May 15, 1775, discharged December 17, 1775. Ninth Company, Second Connecticut Regiment. Colonel Spencer, Captain John Chester, of Wethersfield. This regiment was raised on first call for troops by State in April, 1775, marching by companies to the camps about Boston; it took part at Roxbury and served during the siege till expiration of term of service. Detachments of officers and men were in the battle of Bunker Hill and with Arnold's Que- bec expedition, September to December, 1775. His name appears in list of Knowlton's Rangers, 1776, Connecticut, by Lieutenant-Colonel Knowlton. He was detached from Wyllys Connecticut regiment, and was taken prisoner at surrender of Fort Wash- ington, New York. November 16, 1776. Thomas Holmes, of Wethersfield, sergeant in Captain Whit- ing's company, Colonel Webb's regiment, enlisted March 1, 1777 for the war. Colonel Webb's regi- ment was one of sixteen infantry regiments raised at large for Continental Line of 1777, and served in Parson's brigade under Putnam the following sum- mer and fall. In October crossed to west side of Hudson and served under Governor Clinton, of New York, for a time. In summer of 1778 was at- tached to Varnum's brigade and went to Rhode Isl- and, commended in battle there August 29, 1778. Wintered in Rhode Island, 1778-9. In the fall of 1779 marched to winter quarters at Morristown, New Jersey. Assigned to Stark's brigade at bat- tle of Springfield, New Jersey, June 23, 1780, and during summer served with main army on the Hudson. Thomas Holmes was sergeant in Cap- tain Riley's company, Wethersfield, third regiment, Connecticut Line, 1781-83. Recorded as paid from January 1, 1781, to December 31, 1781. Sergeant Thomas Holmes is reported as a Revolutionary pen- sioner on list of Connecticut pensioners in 1818. His name is among pensioners dated 1832 and re- corded as residing in Hartford, Connecticut. His name appears on list of pensioners as returned in census of 1840. Residence, Wethersfield, Connecti- cut. aged 84. His name appears on list of appli- cants for pension on file in county clerk's office, Hartford, Connecticut. Residence Wethersfield.

Thomas Holmes married Tamar Harris, and their children were: Sally, married Eldad Gran- ger ; Lucy, married John Wheeler : John, Mary, Ra- chel, Joseph, Lydia, married Ashael Cleveland, in Buffalo, about 1814; Abigail. married Jonathan Slater, Champlain, New York; Susan, married Daniel Smith, aforementioned.

(V) William Priest Smith, born February 7, 1813, at Hounsfield, New York, died January 5, 1899. He was educated at Rodman, New York. He was at one time colonel of the old time Thirty- sixth regiment, New York state militia, which was composed of men from Jefferson and Lewis coun- ties. After his marriage he removed to St. Law- rence county, engaging in the business of manufac- turing lumber, and became the owner of valuable farming and timber land. He served as justice of the peace and supervisor, being chairman of the board of supervisors. Later in life he was for three successive terms elected associate judge of the county court. In politics he was a Republican from the very organization of that party. and by his voice, efforts and vote contributed to its success. William P. Smith married, July 9, 1843, Sarah Porter Hun- gerford, born April 18, 1823, who traces her an- cestry to Sir Thomas Hungerford, who in 1369 pur- chased from Lord Burghersh, Farley Castle, county

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of Somerset, England, which castle for more than three hundred years continued to be the principal seat of his descendants, down to 1686. Sir Thomas was steward for John of Ghent, Duke of Lan- caster, son of King Edward III, and in the thirty- first year of that King's reign was elected speaker of the English house of commons, being reputed to be the first person chosen to that high office. He died December 3, 1398. His son, Sir Walter, after- wards Lord Hungerford, K. G., was the first to adopt the crest of a garb, or wheat-sheaf, between two sickles crect, with the motto "Et Dieu Mon Appuy" (God is my support). This has since been the crest of the Hungerford family.

John Hungerford, a lineal descendant of the above named, resided at Southington, Connecticut, where he died December 24. 1787. He served with distinction in the Colonial wars, holding the ranks of ensign, lieutenant and captain. He took an active part in the siege of Crown Point, on Lake Champlain. His son Amasa served in the Revolu- tionary army, participating in the battle of Ben- nington, where he served as colonel. His son, Amasa, Jr., was the father of Sarah (Hungerford) Smith, was enrolled as one of the "Minute Men" in the war of 1812. He resided in Henderson, Jeffer- son county, and was a prosperous farmer and widely known. At one time he was interested in ship- building at Stoney Point, on Lake Ontario. He died December 18, 1859. aged seventy-nine years.

Mr. and Mrs. William P. Smith were attendants at the Baptist Church. They had eleven children, as follows: Lois Elizabeth, married William G. Brown. She died December 10, 1882. Amasa Dan- iel, chemist and druggist, Manchester, New Hamp- shire, married Josephine L. Jones, September 18, 1883. Annie Eliza, died February 26, 1873. Frances Sally, died January 12. 1899. George William, at- torney and counselor at law, Keeseville, New York, married Harrict P. Wells, May 19, 1887. Jay Hun- gerford, Ph. C., manufacturing chemist, president of the J. Hungerford Smith Company, Rochester, New York; he married, May 17, 1882. Jean Daw- son. Mary Louise, died March 27, 1857. Jennie Venila, of Manchester, New Hampshire, married Edgar Ellsworth Castor, May 9, 1894. Joseph Brodie, see forward. Frank Robbins, manufactur- ing chemist, Toronto, Ontario, married Ada Mar- garet Perkins, May 6, 1903. May Lillian. of Man- chester, New Hampshire.

(VI) Joseph Brodie Smith was born at Rich- ville, St. Lawrence county, New York, April 6, 1861, being the ninth child of the marriage of Wil- liam P. and Sarah (Hungerford) Smith. He was educated in the Union Free School of his native village, and subsequently took a course in higher mathematics to fit himself to become an expert electrician. Early in life he became deeply inter- ested in electrical science, and in 1878 constructed a telegraph line between two small villages in New York state. In 1880 he removed to Manchester. New Hampshire, where he has since resided. At first he engaged in the drug business with his eldest brother, Amasa D. Smith. He made himself a thorough master of the business, and passed the state examinations, requisite to become a registered pharmacist in both New Hampshire and New York. During all his career in the drug business, Mr. Smith never for an instant lost his interest in the subject of electricity and still continued his studies, and so laid the foundation of a knowledge of the subject by which he has become a recognized au- thority in applied electricity. In 1885, finding the field of electrical work more alluring than the mor-

tar and pestle, he retired from the drug business and began to do electrical contracting of all kinds, and was appointed superintendent of the municipal fire alarm telegraph service, a position which he held for about two years.

Mr. Smith has had a hand in the develoment of most of the electrical business in and around Manchester, excepting only telephones and tele- graph. The Manchester Electric Light Company was the pioneer in the business of furnishing elec- tric lights and power, but it was not left alone in the field for any great length of time. The Ben Franklin Electric Light Company was organized as a rival, and Mr. Smith was its first superintendent, and when the consolidation of the two companies was effected, he became superintendent of the Man- chester company. This company was afterwards sold out to the Manchester Traction, Light and Power Company, which, by owning all the stock of the Manchester Street Railway, the Manchester and Nashua Street Railway, Manchester and Derry Street Railway, and all the electric light and Power companies in the neighborhood, and possessing val- uable water power on the Merrimack and Pis- cataquog rivers, has acquired control of the electri- cal situation in Manchester and vicinity. Mr. Smith was superintendent of the Manchester Electric Light Company until 1896, when he resigned and took a trip of several months to Europe. On his return he was chosen general manager of the same com- pany, and in 1901, when the Manchester Traction, Light and Power Company acquired control. he was elected a director and general manager, and in 1905 he was chosen vice president and has since oc- cupied those positions with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of the stockholders and the public with whom he deals. He is assistant treasurer and general manager of the Manchester Street Railway, also general manager of the Manchester and Nashua Street Railway, and the Manchester and Derry Street Railway, and is treasurer of the Brodie Electrical Company of Manchester, which is en- gaged in the manufacture of electrical specialties, of which Mr. Smith is the inventor. He is finan- cially interested in several lighting companies and street railways in other parts of the country. He is an associate member of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers.

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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. IV, Part 93

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