USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > Charlestown > History of Charlestown, New-Hampshire, the old No. 4 > Part 58
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PHINEAS STONE m. Abigail -; was in town 1793-94 and 95. Ch. I. David, b. March 15th, 1794; II. Jenny, b. in Langdon, Feb. 8th, 1796.
DANIEL GODDARD STOUGHTON, (son of Richard M. and Polly G. (Fay) Stoughton) b. in Reading, Vt. Jan. 23d, 1826 ; m. Oct. 7th, 1856
575
STRAW-SUMNER.
Caroline L. Patch, (dau. of Wm. W. and Sarah (Willard) Patch) b. in Worcester, Mass., Feb. 29th, 1824. One child, George H., b. in South Royalton, Vt., July 11th, 1861, Mr. Stoughton is Station Agent on Central Vermont Rail-road. Settled in Charlestown, Nov. 22nd, 1865. DANIEL L. STRAW, (son of Samuel and - - (Mason) Straw) b. March 1st 1821 ; m. May 6th, 1849, Nancy W. Haven, (dau. of James and Calista (Freto) Haven) b. Nov. 6th, 1824. Ch. I. Lewis, b. Jan. 10th, 1853 ; d. Apr. 13th, 1860; II. Philoma Josephine, b. March 1st, 1854; m. Eugene C. Lombard, Jan. 10th. 1872; d. Jan. 17th, 1873; III. Alanson Clarence, b. Feb. 12th, 1856 ; d. Apr. 6th, 1860; IV. Al- ma Jane, b. Aug. 24th, 1858 ; d. Apr. 10th, 1860; V. Ella Janette, b. Aug. 20th, 1859 ; VI. Rilla C., b. Apr. 15th, 1862; removed to Charlestown from Newport, N. H., 1865.
FREDERICK AUGUSTUS SUMNER.
FREDERICK AUGUSTUS SUMNER, (the son of Benjamin and Prudence (Hubbard) Sumner, of Claremont) was b. in 1770. He fitted for Col- lege and entered at Dartmouth in 1789, but after remaining at that in- stitution a part of the course, took up his connection with it and enter- ed at Harvard College, where he graduated in 1793. On graduating, he decided on pursuing the legal profession, and immediately commenced the study of law in the office of Hon. Benjamin West, of Charlestown ; and was a fellow student, as he had been in his collegiate course, with Hon. John C. Chamberlain. On being admitted to practice in the courts of the state, in 1796, he opened his office in Charlestown, where the remainder of his life was spent.
Mr. Sumner, in 1803, was elected town-clerk, and held the office six- teen years in succession. He was again elected in 1823. In 1804 he was chosen one of the selectmen. The next year he was chosen 1st Se- lectman, and was continued in the same position fourteen years. He also in 1823, held the same office. He was postmaster many years, and erected for liis office the building now nearly in front of the Town Hall, on the corner of Main and Summer streets. This office he left at 10 o'clock, A. M., in his usual health Aug. 13th, 1834, and before noon he was dead.
Mr. Sumner was a good business lawyer, but did not excel as an advocate. He was deficient both in copiousness and fluency of speech. What he said was sensible, but was often uttered with such hesitancy, especially in his attempts to address a public assembly, that he seldom spoke either in court or at political gatherings. He opened the Dem-
-
576
SUMNER-SWAN.
ocratic Presidential Convention, in Baltimore, in 1832, to which he was a delegate, by a carefully prepared political speech, "On the mu- tual advantages of the North and South to each other," which was highly spoken of in the papers of his political party at the time, and has since occasionally been quoted. But his public efforts in that way were few, and owing to the characteristics mentioned, not usually at- tended with great success. He was a person much esteemed and what certainly is no small encomium, was a peace-maker in his profession.
Esquire Sumner, as he was usually called, married May 16th, in 1801, Mrs. Abigail (Bailey) Stone who was born in Newbury, Vermont, but was educated at Newburyport, Mass. She was the widow of Captain Phineas Stone. By this marriage there were six children, all born in Charlestown. I. Frederic Augustus, jr., born in 1802, graduated at Harvard College in 1823 and took his degree of M. D., from the Medical Department of that Institution in 1827. He married Sarah Mc Farland and established himself in his profession in Boston, where he died in 1873. II. George W., b. in 1804, studied medicine but never prac- ticed ; was in active business in Charlestown, till his death Aug. 14th, 1840; married Charlotte Marryat Tucker, of Bellows Falls. III. Catherine, b. in 1806, married James Brackenridge Sumner, settled in Hartland, Vt., from which place she removed to Dalton, N. H., where she died May 17th, 1874. She is remembered as accomplished, witty and eccentric, with an independence of thought and expression by no means common with the young ladies of her time. IV. Martha Bran- don Foxcroft, born in 1808, married James S. Blanchard, of Boston and died in 1827. V. Kaleb Ellis, b. in 1812, graduated at Dartmouth College in 1833 and died Feb. 15th, 1840. VI. Sarah, b. June 8th, 1819 ; m. March 5th, 1838, Thomas Swan Weld, of Boston, Mass. Ch. 1. Sarah Sumner, b. at Jamaica Plain, Mass., Dec. 16th, 1838; 2. Francis Minot, b. in Dalton, N. H., Jan. 17th, 1840. 3. Louisa Sedg- wick, b. at Jamaica Plain, Sept. 22ud, 1842; m. 2nd, May 9th, 1851, at Dalton, N. H., Donald Thane. Ch. 1. William F., b. in New York city, March 1st, 1852. 2. Frederick Augustus, b. at Lock Haven, Pa., Aug. 28th, 1857. 3. Mary Engersol, b. in Buffalo, N. Y., Aug. 6th, 1860.
Mr. Sumner built the house now owned and occupied by Mrs. Har- riet M. Baker, which during the last years of his life was his home. None of the family now remain in Charlestown.
WILLIAM SWAN (son of John and Ellen (Erskine) Swan of Ar- broath Forborshire, Scotland) b. Apr. 8th, 1838; m. Nov. 16th, 1868,
577
SWAN-SYLVESTER.
Barbara Heughan (dau. of John and Elizabeth Heughan, Dumfrees- shire, Scotland) b. March 4th, 1843. Ch. I. Ellen, b. Feb. 14th, 1870. II. Elizabeth, b. Dec. 8th, 1871; d. in infancy ; III. Adeline, b. Feb. 12th, 1873; IV. Margarett, b. March 22nd, 1875. Mr. Swan came to America, April 1868-to Charlestown, March 1st, 1871. He received his education in Scotland, as a florist and ornamental gar- dener, and was subsequently employed, before coming to this country, as follows : at Trinity Episcopal College, Glen Almond, Perthshire, one year ; at city Nursery, Brechin, Forfarshire, a year ; two years by Lord Grey, at Kinfauns Castle, Perthshire; in 1860, by Hugh Low & Co., at their Nursery in London, N. E .; by Lord Londsborough, a year in Yorkshire, at Grimstone Park ; by J. J. Blandy, Esq., Presi- dent of London Horticultural Society, a year in Berkshire ; two years and a half at Croxleth Park, near Liverpool, in Lancashire, being foreman to Earl of Sefton a part of the time; by William Dickinson and sons, in Blackburn, Lancashire, two years as head gardener. On coming to the United States, he was employed in 1869, as head gar- dener by Matthew Vassar, at his private place in Poughkeepsie. Since he came to Charlestown, he has been employed by Mr. Paris ; and that he understands his profession, persons may assure themselves, by a visit to Mr. Paris' grounds.
HENRY HAMILTON SYLVESTER.
Henry H. Sylvester born in Leicester, Mass., in 1792, removed with his parents while yet a child to Woodstock, Vt. He remained in Woodstock, till he was twelve years of age, at which time he entered the store of George Curtis at Windsor, where he remained till of age, when he entered into a business partnership with Curtis & Forbes, in which he continued three years, at the termination of which he removed to Charlestown, where he was in business till 1830, when, through the influence of his brother-in-law, Governor Henry Hubbard, who was then in Congress, he obtained a position as clerk in the Pen- sion office. His ability and diligence being soon discovered, it was not very long before he rose to the chief clerkship in that department. Under the administration of President Polk, he was chief clerk in the Patent office, which position he is said to have very ably filled. In 1852, he returned to Charlestown, where he remained till his decease.
It is said that Mr. Sylvester had comparatively few early education- al advantages, but such was his diligence as a student and reader, that he became in his maturity, a man of very extensive information. In
578
SYLVESTER-TAYLOR.
the last years of his life, he took great interest in antiquarian studies, and had gathered up many most interesting facts relating to the lives of the early settlers of Charlestown, which as he had only treasured them in memory, were lost at his death. The writer remembers hav- ing urged him to put them in a form in which they could be preserved, and he expressed his intention to do it, but his purpose was not accom- plished.
Mr. Sylvester m. 1st, Feb. 25th, 1816, Elizabeth Hubbard (dau. of Hon. John and Prudence (Stevens) Hubbard) (see John Hubbard). By this marriage there were four children, of whom the two earliest born, died in infancy. Catherine, the IIId. child, b. -; m. Henry E. Her- sey, of Hingham, Mass. He was a graduate of Harvard college-a lawyer by profession, and a young man of great promise. He died soon after their marriage. Mrs. Hersey resides in Boston (1875). IV. Richard H. Sylvester, was born in Charlestown, in April, 1830. He was four years at Exeter Academy and entered Yale College, which institution he left at the end of his sophomore year. He left Charles- town in 1852, having previously pursued the study of law, iu the office of Judge Cushing. He completed his profession with Judge Olney Hawkins, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, lately deceased. In 1853, he re- moved to Iowa city, and became editor of The State Capital Reporter, and continued there in the newspaper business until 1864, during which time he was superintendent of schools, for the county, and city treas- urer for various terms. He married at Iowa city, Miss Martha Ward, the daughter of a Presbyterian minister of that place, by whom he has e four children. In 1864, he removed to Memphis, Tenn., and to St. Louis in 1869, where he has since been editorially associated with The Times of which he is now the chief editor. His children referred to above, are Richard H., b. Aug. 14th, 1857 ; Elizabeth, b. May 7th, 1860; Willie, b Dec. 27th, 1863 ; Martha, b. Feb. 7th, 1874.
DR. DAVID TAYLOR, (son of Daniel Taylor, b in Lunenburg, Mass., settled in Charlestown, in 1761. He was appointed a surgeon in 1760, in a regiment of Militia called into service for aiding in completing the conquest of Canada. He was then only a youth, less than eighteen years of age, having been born Aug. 5th, 1742. In this campaign he became acquainted with the location and prospects of Charlestown, and settled in it as a physician, the following year. He became a highly esteemed citizen. He represented the town, as it appears from the Provincial Records, in 1776 and 1777, though I find in the town books no record of his election in 1776. We may infer from his fam -.
579
TAYLOR-TIDD.
ily record that he married soon after coming to town. Ch. of DR. DAVID AND RACHEL TAYLOR, I. Rosalinda, b. Apr. 12th, 1764; m. Peleg Sprague, of Keene, N. H. Mr. Sprague was elected to fill a vacancy in the fifth Congress, and was elected in 1799, to the same of- fice of Representative in the Sixth-but soon resigned on account of his health. One who knew him well from the time he was a student in the office of Hon. Benjamin West, represents him as a man of great natural abilities, and extensive acquirements, and as possessing much self reliance. He died Apr. 20th, 1800-Hale, in his history of Keene, says he died in August, but that is a mistake. His age was 43. Miss Taylor is described as having been one of the most accomplished young ladies of Charlestown. Her marriage took place April 28th, 1785. I find the following entry in Dr. Samuel Crosby's Journal, " May 2nd. This evening the married and single ladies and gentle- men of the street, assembled at Dr. Taylor's, on invitation from Mr. Sprague, to celebrate his wedding. The evening was agreeably spent, and we were handsomely entertained." II. Elizabeth, b. April 1st, 1780 ; m. Roswell Willard, (see Willard.) Mrs. Rachel Taylor hav- ing died, Dr. Taylor m. 2nd, April 18th, 1798, Hannah Hanneford, by whom he had one son, David, b. March 25th, 1801.
THOMAS TAYLOR, b. March 4th, 1764; m. Clara Babcock and set- tled in Charlestown. (See His. Northfield, page 555.)
JOHN W. TAYLOR, (sou of Samuel and Maria (White) Taylor) b. in Springfield, Vt., July 25th, 1828; m. March 8th, 1852, Phebe A. Hitchcock, (dau. of Russell and Laura (Chaffee) Hitchcock,) b. in Westminster, Vt., Oct. 25th, 1832. Ch. I. Cora L., b. in Springfield, Vt., May 27th, 1854; II. Harry K., b. April 18th, 1868; d. Sept. 10th, 1869; III. John White, jr., b. Sept. 10th, 1871-Mr. Taylor, was one of the selectmen in 1874. He is a large land-holder and has built a row of cottages on High street, which are very convenient in their structure as well as attractive in their appearance. They are seven in number, and are on the north side of the way leading from Swan Park up Breakneck.
EBENEZER TIDD, b. in Woburn, Mass., 1764; m. 1799, Hannah Thompson, b. in 1782-Mr. Tidd settled iu Charlestown, in 1797. Ch. I. Hannah Thompson, b. Aug. 20th, 1808 ; m. June 14th, 1826, A. J. Blood, and settled in the south part of Michigan. II. Harriet, b. March 17th, 1810; m. 1831, Stephen Kittredge-He died 1839-she m. 2nd, Edway Bellows of Charlestown, and removed to Climax, in Michigan. III. Ebenezer Hiram, b. June 4th, 1817 ; m. June 6th,
580
THOMPSON.
1839, Helen J. Dunsmoor, b. July 24th, 1818 ; Ch. 1. Charles Hiram, b. Feb. 17th, 1844; died in New York City, Dec. 19th, 1864-buried in C. 2. Harriet Augusta, b. May 30th, 1846; m. Oct. 6th, 1873, Bernard H. Murray, b. in Burlington, Vt. Mr. M., is conductor on the Central Vermont Railroad-home (1875) Charlestown. Mr. Tidd was 2nd Selectman, 1865-66, 3d, 1867 1st, 1869-72-73. He has done much town business.
STEPHEN H. THOMPSON, (son of Loring and Elizabeth (Hall) Thomp- son, of Cornish, N. H., b. Oct. 26th, 1795; m. June 5th, 1816, Sally L. Allen, (dau. of John and Sally (Langford) Allen of Cornish), b. Sept. 1st, 1799; d. July 16th, 1836. Ch. I. Arlen, b. Oct. 26th, 1817; m. Louise Bancroft, lives in Windsor. Ch. 1. Charles, 2. George, 3. Hen- ry, 4. John, 5. Etta. II. Marshall E., b. April 27th, 1820; m. Katie Bemis, of Keene, lives in Lowell. Ch. 1. Josie, 2. Annie. III. Eliza J., b. Feb. 22nd, 1822; m. 1st, Hiram Read, m. 2nd, Daniel Raymond, lives in Chelmsford, Mass. IV. Lafayette F., b. May 17th, 1824; m. Elsie Clay, Claremont; d. May 20th, 1864. Ch. 1. Arthur, 2. Ella. V. Lovina P., b. May 10th, 1826; d. June 27th, 1839. Mr. Thompson m. 2nd, July 1st, 1838, Betsy Mitchell, of Claremont; d. Jan. 30th, 1842. Mr. Thompson m. 3d, Aug. 8th, 1843, Hannah C. Orcutt, (dau. of John S. and Hannah (Currier) Orcutt of Acworth) b. Dec. 18th, 1814. Ch. Lovina, b. Feb. 13th, 1846 ; d. Feb. 12th, 1857. Stephen H. Thompson came to Charlestown from Reading, Vt., in 1856.
WILLIAM THOMPSON, b. Jan. 26th, 1793 ; d. Sept 30th, 1869; m. March 5th, 1816, Mary Burrows ; b. June 18th, 1796; d. Nov. 25th, 1855. They had nine children, as follows : Elizabeth Burrows, Abby Louisa, William, jr., Frances Mary, Henry, Charles, Margarette Swift, Edward, John Dixwell. All living but William who died at San Fran- cisco, Cal., June 4th, 1873.
EDWARD THOMPSON, (fourth son of William and Mary Burrows Thompson) b. in Somerset Place, in Boston, Sept. 30th, 1833, removed to Charlestown. N. H., in 1852 and married Jan. 27th, 1857, Elizabeth Augusta Putnam, (dau. of Elisha and Nancy (Melville) Putnam, b. in Charlestown, March 19th, 1833. Ch. I. Mary Elizabeth, b. Oct, 31st, 1857. II. Henry Melville, b. Nov. 19th, 1861. III. Edward, jr., b. July 20th, 1868. IV. Frederick Putnam, b. July 17th, 1872. Ed- ward Thompson was superintendent of the Sullivan Railroad for a num- ber of years. He has recently done business in Boston, but has still made his home in Charlestown where he has built a fine house,
581 .
THOMPSON-TYTER.
towards the lower end of Main St., and has done much otherwise to im- prove the appearance of the village.
OTIS THOMPSON, m. 1853, Eliza Corbin, (daughter of John and Caro- line Corbin) b. 1837. Mr. Thompson fell in the battle of Gettysburg. Ch. I. Nelson, b. 1857. II. Edward, b, 1859. III. Henry Sumter, b. 1862.
DANIEL TOWNER, b. Jan. 4th, 1792; m. Dec. 1st, 1816, Lucretia Adkins, b. Oct. 12th, 1795. Ch. I. Lucy A., b. March 22nd, 1819 ; m. Erastus O. Walker, (see Walker); II. Mary Ann, b. Oct. 14th, 1823; m. Aaron Clark, (see Clark.) III. John Adkins Towner, (son of Daniel and Lucretia (Adkins) Towner) b. Nov 9th, 1825 ; m. Sept. 24th, 1862, Mary R. Breed, (see Breed). Ch. I. Helen L., b. Sept. 26th, 1863. II. Harry W., b. March 22nd, 1866. III. Willie C., b. Apr. 11th, 1870.
ISAAC TRIPP, (son of Humphrey and Sarah (Duncan) Tripp, of Wilton, Me.,) b. Apr. 7th, 1820; m. Apr. 20th, 1854, Mary Elizabeth Lawton, (dau. of Martin and Sally Lawton of Harvard, Mass). Ch. I. Martin, b. Feb. 7th 1860. II. George Warren, died aged 3 years, two other children unnamed, d. in infancy. Mr. Tripp came to Char- lestown in 1857.
CHRISTOPHER BANISTER TRULL, (son of Jonathan A. and Laura (Maynard) Trull,) b. Dec. 24th, 1850, in Worcester, Mass., m. March 28th, 1871, Annette Nancy Richardson, (dau. of Levi G., and Susan S. (Spaulding) Richardson) b. July 19th, 1850. Ch. I. Edward C., b. March 4th, 1873. II. Ellen Louisa, b. May 19th, 1875, came to Char- lestown, 1865.
JOHN L. TRUSSELL, (son of Benjamin and Sarah (Hale) Trussell) b. in Hopkinton, N. H., Aug. 30th, 1806 ; m. Nov, 11th, 1832, Elizabeth Prouty, (dau. of Samuel and Mary (Stevens) Prouty) b. March 30th, 1811. Mr. Trussell settled in Charlestown Sept. 1830. Ch. I. Henry, b. Nov. 11th, 1833; d. in infancy. II. Jane, b. Jan. 26th, 1835; m. Jan. 26th, 1860, Enos W. Prouty and lives in Claremont. Ch. Sam- uel and Elizabeth Emily. III. Mary P., b. Dec. 5th, 1839 ; d. Nov. 11th, 1840. IV. Enos P., b. March 29th, 1842, resides in Richmond, Va. V. William H., b. Aug. 5th, 1844; d. Aug. 28th, 1872.
DAVID TYTER, (son of David and Margaret (Kecfe) Tyter), b. in County of Kerry, in Ireland ; m. June 25th, 1860, Bridget Mc Namara (dau. of John and Mary (Kelly) Mc Namara) b. in county of Clare, Ireland. Ch. I. Mary, b. Aug. 21st, 1862. II. Maggie, b. March 17th, 1863. III. Hannah, b. May 15th, 1864. I.V. Nellie, b. Dec. 29th,
582
VIALL-WALKER.
1868. Mr. Tyter came to America and settled in Charlestown in July, 1856.
HERBERT BAINBRIDGE VIALL, (son of Asa B. and Lucy (Newhall) Viall), b. in Dorset, Vt., Jan. 8th, 1839; m. May 18th, 1861, Julia Maria Cone, (dau. of James and Catherine (Cuyler) Cone), b. May 8th, 1838, in Westminster, Vt. Mr. Viall came to Charlestown Aug. 24th, 1868 ; represented the town in Legislature in 1871.
HENRY VON FINTELL, (son of Henry Von Fintell,) b. in Schwitshen, Germany, March 17th, 1845; m. Sept. 18th, 1872, Eleanor A. Powell, (dau. of Almon and Eliza A. (Beebe) Powell) b. in Chittenden, Vt., Dec. 20th, 1848 ; one child Anna P., b. Feb. 8th, 1875. Mr. Von Fin- tell came to America, Feb. 16th, 1867 ; to Charlestown, 1870.
SETH WALKER.
Seth Walker, the earliest of that name in Charlestown, son of Joseph Walker, at first of Billerica, Mass., born in Groton, Mass., about the year 1692; m. Eleanor Chandler ; b. about the year 1695.
Seth Walker was one of the proprietors under the New-Hampshire charter. He was in No. 4 as early as 1750. His name is on a com- mittee of the town in 1754, for strengthening and fitting up the great chamber. It is also found on the roll of Captain Phineas Stevens' company, enlisted in 1750 (see roll in possession of George Olcott, Esq.) He died July 7th, 1772, at the age of 80. Eleanor his wife died Nov. 6th, 1769, aged 74. Both died in Charlestown and have stones erected to their memory in the village cemetery. Ch. I. Abel, b. in Groton, Mass., Apr. 20th, 1734; m. Feb. 26th, 1767, Elizabeth, widow' of Phineas Graves (see Graves) and daughter of Isaac Parker, jr., and Mary his wife, b. at Groton, Mass., Feb. 3d, 1744.
A journal commenced April 1st, 1759, and continued till Oct. 23d, 1760, gives us much information in respect to the life he led from day to day during that time. He seems to have been one of the men, who had natural gifts for the accomplishment of whatever he undertook to do. In addition to the common work of the farm, he could make yokes, ploughs, chairs, sap-troughs, canoes and almost everything else which was demanded by the circumstances or necessities of those early times. There were no settlements at this time, above Charlestown, and much of the communication with the places below, was by the river, by canoes and larger boats. Thus we find him in this way, mak- ing journeys to Northfield and other places on the river. In one in- stance he returned from Northfield to Charlestown in a single day,
583
WALKER.
which, as it was against the current of the river, must be regarded as a very good day's work.
In the latter part of the year 1760, as we learn from Day-books in possession of Samuel Walker, Esq., he left his varied kind of life, which he had been leading, to become an Inn Holder, or keeper of a house of entertainment in Charlestown. The house in which he opened this business, stood on almost a line with the Main street, directly south of the meeting-house lot, at the present time held by the south Parish. Here he continued for a long series of years to minister to the wants of man and beast, and to entertain the most distinguished personages of his time, who had occasion to pass this way and tarry for a few hours, or a few days, at Number Four. After the State was divided into counties, and the courts began to be held in Charlestown, his house became the resort of most of the legal gentlemen, whose business called them to attend them. At the court of common Pleas, held Apr. 15th, 1772, we thus find him entertaining the following per- sons at dinner ; viz., Judge Daniel Jones, of Hinsdale, Judge Bellows, Simeon Olcott, Mr. probably Rev. Bulkley Olcott, Elijah Williams then a lawyer at Keene, Mr. Strong, Mr. Wentworth and Mr. Spar- hawk of Walpole, who was at that time register of Probate. The din- ners were one shilling apiece.
The following Court bill is interesting.
Court to mug of flip, 008
Bowl of punch,
0 1s 6d
Bottle of wine,
030
66 Bottle of wine,
030
0 8s 2d
The following is the jury bill,
April 15, 1772, to two mugs flip,
014
two mugs cider,
0 0 10
66 11 dinners,
092
two mugs half cider, 0 1 0
three mugs flip,
020
Again Jan. 12th, 1774, we find the following gentlemen with the court, dining together at his house. Judge Jones, Judge Bellows, Samuel Stevens, Esq., Simeon Olcott and Benjamin West, of Charles- town, and Elijah Williams, of Keene (see account of Williams in sketch of Benjamin West). There was no liquor bill as was common
584
WALKER.
in those days, in connection with the entertainment of these gentlemen at this time.
At the session of the New-Hampshire Legislature, in Charlestown, commencing Sept. 12th, 1787, and continuing until the 29th, his excel- lency, Hon. John Sullivan, was entertained at this house. From the charges on Col. Walker's books, it would appear that the day or even- ing of this first session, must have been a very exhilarating time. The house was also patronized at the same time, by Gen. Bartlett, Col. Bellows, Col. Green, Major Whitcomb and others. The building in which this house of entertainment was kept, was moved away some years ago, to give place to the stone cottage, now owned by Samuel Walker, Esq., a grandson of the old Colonel, and stands nearly west of its former position on a new street, which has been opened, running north and south. A sign which once hung at its door, is still in posses- sion of Samuel Walker, having this inscription. " Entertainment by Abel Walker." No day books of Col. Walker connected with his house of entertainment, are found later than 1793. Colonel Walker was town treasurer, eight successive years, commencing with the year 1772, and was one of the selectmen, in the years 1787 and 1789.
In the exciting times, preceding the Revolution, Colonel Walker attracted attention by his patriotism, and succeeded in such a manner in gaining the confidence of the people, that when a committee of safe- ty was to be chosen in August, 1775, for the town of Charlestown, he was selected as one of its members. We first find him engaging in military service in 1776, in an expedition to Quebec. The following is found among his papers.
"Charlestown, Jan. 25th, 1776.
We, the subscribers, do voluntarily enlist ourselves as volunteers in the American Service to go immediately on sight under the command of Captain Abel Walker to join the continental forces at Quebec, until the fifteenth day of April next, unless sooner discharged, and to be sub- ject to such rules and orders as we may or shall receive from our su- perior officer or officers, during said term, as
Witness our Hands,
SIMON POWERS, SETH PUTNAM, JEDEDIAH RICE, JOHN JAYNES,
The last name is indistinctly written, but the above is probably cor-
585
WALKER.
rect. The following persons from Charlestown were also members of this company.
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