History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire, Part 113

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis
Number of Pages: 1200

USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 113
USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 113

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).

THE REV. JAMES B. HOWE was born in Dor- chester, Mass., March 31, 1773. He graduated at Harvard College in 1794. He was ordained deacon November 25, 1817, by the Rt. Rev. Alexander V. Griswold, and priest by the same May 14, 1819. He was instituted rector of Union Church, Claremont, September 15, 1819, at a salary of seven hundred dollars. He resigned his parish August 4, 1843. He then resided in Boston about a year with his children, often

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officiating in Christ Church and in other churches where his services were needed. He died of apoplexy in a railroad car at Albany, N. Y., September 17, 1844, while on a journey to Indiana to visit his children.

COLONEL DAVID DEXTER was born in Smith- field, R. I., was a lineal descendant of Gregory Dexter and Rev. Chas. Brown of Providence R. I. He was a Captain in 1776 of Colonel Lip- pitt's regiment. Soon after the close of the war, probably between 1780 and 1790, he came to Claremont, married and had several children. In 1800 he and his brother Stephen erected a dam across Sugar River, at the upper fall, put up suitable buildings for grist, saw and oil mills and a scythe shop, all of which were run by water. This scythe shop was the first established in these parts, and was a great wonder in those days. The scythe business was continued until 1824, and the other branches of business above named by the brothers until the death of David in 1831, when they were succeeded by the late Moses Wheeler, a son-in-law of David. The Dexters subsequently became interested in other manufacturing enter- prises in Claremont. Colonel David Dexter was an enterprising and influential citizen of the town for about fifty years. He was one of the Select- men of the town for thirteen years, between 1800 and 1818, and chairman of the board every year from 1810 to 1818, both years included ; repre- sentative in the New Hampshire legislature in 1814, and each succeeding year up to and includ- ing 1820 ; moderator of town-meeting many times, and a Director in the Claremont Bank several years.

COLONEL BENJAMIN TYLER, one of the first settlers of Claremont, before mentioned in con- nection with water power, etc., was a man of great prominence in various ways, was the in ventor and patentee of the Tyler Tub Wheel, the first Tub Wheel ever made, it was the only one that could be used under low heads of water. At one time he owned all the water power of Sugar River in Claremont. There was a demand for grist- mill stones, and in looking about for rock suitable

for making them, he found it on Ascutney mountain, in Vermont, and bought a large tract of land on the south side of that mountain where was an abundance of the rock required, and entered into the manufacture of mill-stones, which he carried on for several years. He also manufactured scythes most extensively for those days. His works were on the south side of Sugar River, at West Claremont. After his death his two sons, Benjamin, Jr., and John succeeded to the business. They invented and manufactured a machine for thrashing grain and rice, and went south with it. This was the first threshing machine ever made.

AUSTIN TYLER, son of Ephraim Tyler, Jr., and grandson of Colonel Benjamim Tyler before men- tioned in this history, was born in Claremont, January 6th, 1790. He was one of the most active, enterprising and public spirited men in town in his time. He was several times a repre- sentative in the legislature, chairman of the board of Selectmen, and held other important town offices. He died August 12th, 1844.

DR. LEONARD JARVIS was born in Boston, June 22, 1774; graduated at the Boston Latin School and studied medicine with his uncle, Dr. Charles Jarvis, of Boston. He came to Clare- mont and commenced the practice of his profession in the fall of 1795. He was quite famous as a physician and surgeon, and, for about twenty years, had a large practice in Claremont and sur- rounding towns. After that he engaged exten- sively in sheep breeding, wool growing and manu- facturing, but was often called in consultation with other physicians as long as he lived. He died February 9, 1848.

AMBROSE COSSIT, was born in Claremont on August 28, 1785; was a son of Ambrose Cossit, and, at the time of the Centennial celebration, July 4, 1865, the subject of this notice was the oldest native citizen in town. He was president of the Claremont Bank from its organization, in 1848, until the organization was changed to Clare- mont National Bank, in 1864. He was appointed side or county justice of the courts for Sullivan county, January 8, 1833, and held that position

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until the office was abolished by the remodeling of the courts in 1855. He died April 7, 1866.

ISAAC HUBBARD, son of George Hubbard, a Revolutionary soldier, was born in Tolland, Conn., July 28, 1770. In 1778 he came with his parents to Claremont and settled on the farm in the south- west corner of the town, now occupied by Isaac H. Long, a grandson of Isaac Hubbard, and the widow of Dr. I. G. Hubbard, a son of the subject of this notice. Isaac Hubbard spent his whole life, after eight years old, on that farm. He was an extensive and successful farmer and stock raiser. He raised a celebrated ox, called Olympus, of the Short Horn Durham breed, which, when six years old, January 4, 1838, weighed four thousand pounds. The following fall this ox was taken to England by a Mr. Niles, of Boston, his name changed to " Brother Jonathan," and put on exhi- bition. From England he was taken to France and exhibited there for a time, and then returned to England, where he was slaughtered. Mr. Hub- bard was several times elected to represent his town in the New Hampshire Legislature; many years one of the selectmen of Claremont; was prominent in the Episcopal Church, and was re- garded as one of the solid and strong men of the town. He was a brother of Judge J. H. Hub- bard, of Windsor, Vt. He died January 28, 1861.

RT. REV. CARLTON CHASE, D. D., son of Charles Chase, a well-to-do farmer, was born at Hopkinton, N. H., February 20, 1794. He grad- uated at Dartmouth College, second in his class, in 1817. During the last year of his college course he was baptized at Hopkinton, and united with the Episcopal Church. He read theology at Bristol, R. I., under the direction of Bishop Griswold ; was made a deacon in December, 1818; from May to July, 1819, he officiated at Springfield, Mass., and in September of the same year commenced his work at Bellows' Falls, Vt., officiating one-third of the time in St. Peter's Church, Drewsville, N. H., for a year or more, after which his whole time was given to Immanuel Church, Bellows' Falls. He was ordained priest by Bishop Griswold in Trinity

Church, Newport, R. I., on September 27th, 1820. In 1839 he received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from the University of Vermont. He continued rector of Immanuel Church until April 7, 1844. On October 4, 1843, Dr. Chase was elected Bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire. He removed to Claremont early in 1844, and com- menced his duties as rector of Trinity Church the first Sunday after Easter of that year. He was consecrated Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the State of New Hampshire, in Christ Church, Philadelphia, by the Rt. Rev. Philander Chase, D. D., on October 20, 1844. By reason of advancing age and the requirements of the dio- cese, he resigned the rectorship of Trinity Church, June 1, 1863. He died at his residence in Clare- mont, on January 18, 1870.

THE REV. HENRY SUMNER SMITH was born in Nashua, N. H., March 15, 1801. He entered Kenyon College, at Gambier, O., but on account of the disorganized state of that institution, he did not graduate. He studied theology at Gambier ; was made deacon by Bishop Mellvaine at Gam- bier, September 7th, 1833; ordained priest at Cleveland, O., September 11, 1836, by Bishop McIlvaine. Following his ordination, Mr. Smith officiated in several small parishes in the diocese of Ohio. At Easter, 1838, he became the assistant of the Rev. James B. Howe in Union Church, Claremont, one-half of the time; the other half he officiated in Trinity Church, Cornish. In 1842 Mr. Smith officiated in Cornish and Plainfield. He became rector of Union Church, Trinity Church having been organized at the village, in 1843, and continued in this office until his death, February 16th, 1872-twenty-nine years.

DR. SILAS H. SABIN, was born at Pomfret, Conn., July 3d, 1777. At an early age he went with his parents to Windsor, Vt., and worked on his father's farm until twenty years of age, after which he fitted for college, at Haverhill, N. H., and graduated at Dartmouth College in 1803. He studied medicine with Dr. Trask, at Windsor. He commenced practice at Strafford, Vt., in 1807, subsequently at Windsor, until 1819, when he

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came to Claremont and continued in practice until 1834, at which time he retired from active prac- tice. When in Vermont he was examining sur- geon in the war of 1812. In Claremont he was superintendent of schools several years. He was a man of fine literary acquirements and wrote and published many essays on various medical topics. He died in Claremont July 29, 1850.

HON. ALONZO B. WILLIAMSON was born at Woodstock, Vt., December 20, 1815. He was educated at Woodstock, Vt., academy ; studied law in Claremont with P. C. Freeman ; admitted to the bar in 1837; practised in Claremont from 1842 to 1844; then in Cornish, N. H., about a year, when he was appointed Postmaster at Clare- mont, which office he held four years, at the end of this time he resumed the practice of his pro- fession and continued it in Claremont until his death. In 1850 he was appointed solicitor for Sullivan County, which he held five years. He was elected State Senator in 1852, and re-elected in 1853. He died March 19, 1860.

THE REV. ISAAC G. HUBBARD, D.D., was born in Claremont, April 13, 1818, and was a son of Isaac Hubbard, Esq. He graduated at Trinity College in 1839. He passed from college into the General Theological Seminary, New York, where he spent two years, and finished the prescribed course of study with Bishop Carlton Chase. While studying with Bishop Chase he officiated as lay reader at Drewsville and Bellows' Falls, Vt. He was ordained deacon in Trinity Church, Claremont, June 25, 1845. He served his deaconate at Vergennes, Vt., and received priest's orders from Bishop Chase in March 1847. The first four years of his priesthood he was rector of a church at Potsdam, N. Y. Then for several months he was assistant of the venerable Dr. Muhlenburg, in the Church of the Holy Com- munion, New York. In March 1852, he became rector of St. Michael's Church, Manchester, N. H., where he remained until February, 1866. The field was a missionary one, demanding great self- denial, patience, energy and wisdom, and affording a large amount of work. The growth of the |

parish was real and lasting. The great visible work of Dr. Hubbard was the erection of a beau- tiful stone church and a comfortable parsonage, to accomplish which he wrought with his own hands and superintended every detail. The strain upon him was very great and produced the usual result, and in the spring of 1866, by reason of mental and bodily exhaustion, he was compelled to resign his parish, and retired to his portion of his late father's farm in Claremont for rest. In August, 1867, he was sufficiently restored to ac- cept the rectorship of Trinity Church, Claremont, where he remained until Easter, 1875. During this period he was forced, by a recurrence of his former trouble to take a rest of six months, and through the kind instrumentality of a few friends he visited Europe. Again his health failed, and when he resigned and returned to his farm he did not expect to resume priestly labors. How- ever, in October, 1876, he began services at Union Church, without making any permanent engage- ment. The Easter following he felt able to accept the post of minister in charge for a year, and re- newed the engagement at Easter, 1878. On Passion Sunday, March 30, 1878, he drove to church with his family as usual, but on his arrival did not feel able to perform service, and started to return home in a sleigh, and expired very sud- denly on the way. Dr. Hubbard was one of the trustees of St. Paul's School, Concord, for twenty years immediately preceding his death.

PARAN STEVENS, a son of Col. Josiah and Ma- tilda Stevens, was born in Claremont, September 11th, 1802. He pursued with great energy and perseverance whatever business enterprise he under- took. He had much to do from 1835 to 1837, in starting the improvement of the fine water-power afforded by Sugar River. One of the first of his business enterprsies was the keeping of the Tremont House in Claremont, which was destroyed by fire, and the loss of four or five lives, in March, 1878. He made it famous for the excellence of its enter- tainment for travelers. In 1843, when thirty years old, Mr. Stevens leased the New England House. Boston, and kept it several years. Subsequently,

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when the Revere House was built by the Massa- chusetts Charitable Association, he was selected to manage it. At that time the Revere House was the most magnificent hotel in the country, and Mr Stevens made it a success. He soon became inter- ested in the Tremont House, Boston, Battle House, Mobile, Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York, and Con tinental, Philadelphia, all coming under his general management, and he became known as the great hotel man of America, and accumulated a large fortune out of these enterprises. In 1855 and 1866 he traveled extensively in Europe. In 1867 he was appointed one of the ten Commissioners to rep- resent the United States at the grand Paris Expo- sition. The last part of his life was spent in New York. For his endowment of the High School, see notice of that institution.

CARL A. VOLK, M.D., was born in Hamburg, near Frankfort, Germany, June 18, 1812. He came to America in 1834, and settled in Ohio. He came to Claremont in 1844, and had a large prac- tice as long as he lived Dr. Volk studied in Hei- delberg, and took the degree of M.D., from Dart- mouth College in 1859. He died in Claremont March 3d, 1883.

COLONEL ALEXANDER GARDINER was born at Catskill, N. Y., July 27, 1833; fitted for college at Kimball Union Academy, Meriden ; studied law with Shea & Richardson, New York City ; admitted to the bar in that city in 1856; was in Kansas about two years during the political troubles there; came to Claremont in the spring of 1859, and opened a law-office with Edwin Vaughan ; continued in practice until September, 1862, when he was commissioned lieutenant in the Fourteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volun- teers ; promoted to major September 12, 1863, and to colonel of that regiment September 12, 1864. In the battle of Cedar Creek, near Winchester, Va., September 19, 1864, Colonel Gardiner was mortally wounded ; he remained in the hands of the enemy five hours, when the Union troops re- gained the ground and recovered the dead and wounded. He died of his wounds October 8, 1864, and his remains were buried in Claremont.

THOMAS LELAND was born at Grafton, Mass., August 5, 1784; graduated at Middlebury, Vt., College in 1809; studied law in the office of Judge J. H. Hubbard, at Windsor, Vt. ; was admitted to the bar in 1812; was in practice at Windsor until 1834, when he came to Claremont and continued in practice until his death, March 3, 1849. He represented Windsor in the Vermont Legislature one or more terms.

CHARLES LELAND was a son of Thomas Leland ; born at Windsor, Vt., July 28, 1817; was educated in the schools of his native town ; studied law with his father; was admitted to the New Hampshire bar, and was in the practice of his profession at Claremont a few years. For the twenty-two last years of his life he was salesman for a New York drug-house. He died at Clare- mont March 28, 1884.

JOHN KIMBALL was born at Haverhill, N. H, September 30, 1796. He graduated at Dartmouth College, and studied law at Bath, N. H, in the office of Hon. Moses Payson, and was admitted to the bar at Haverhill. He was in practice at Claremont from 1830 to 1839, and at Putney, Vt., from 1839 to 1870. He was twice elected to the New Hampshire Senate while he lived in Clare- mont. He represented Putney in the Vermont Legislature several years ; was twice State Senator for his district, and once president of the Senate. He died at Putney February 23, 1884.

HON. PHILANDER C. FREEMAN was born at Plainfield, N. H., August 27, 1807. He gradu- ated at Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio ; studied law in the office of Judge J. H. Hubbard, at Windsor, Vt. He came to Claremont about 1838, opened an office and commenced the practice of his profession. He was a representative in the legislature from Claremont, and for several years was justice of the police court. He died April 20, 1871.

HON. MILON C. MCCLURE was born in As- worth ; graduated at Dartmouth College in 1846 ; taught in the Claremont Academy two years; was admitted to the bar in 1849; formed a law partner- ship with P. C. Freeman in Claremont, which was

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continued until his death in 1860. In 1855 and 1856 he was a member of the Governor's council ; in 1857 and 1858 he was a representative from Claremont in the New Hampshire Legislature.

DR. WILLIAM M. LADD was born in Unity in the year 1813. He graduated at Kimball Union Academy studied medicine with his uncle, Dr. Charles Perry, in Rutland, Vt .; attended lectures at the Vermont School of Medicine, where he took his degree of M.D. For the next ten years he was in the active practice of his profession at Townshend, Vt. He then came to Claremont, continued practice for a time, and then opened a drug store and continued in that business until his death, June 29, 1885. He was postmaster of Claremont for nine years, being appointed by Pres- ident Pierce. He was also commissioner of schools for Sullivan county for several years.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

DR. ALVAH R. CUMMINGS was born in Acworth, August 27, 1826. He fitted for College at Marlow and Hancock academies. He studied medicine with Dr. William Gront at Camden, Ohio, and Dr. J. N. Butler at Lempster. He attended lec- tures and took the degree of M.D. at Dartmouth College in 1852. He practiced at Topsham, Vt., and Washington, N. H., three years; in the winter of 1855-56 he attended a course of lectures at the New York Medical College, and came to Clare- mont in March, 1856, and has been in practice here since that time.

DR. T. ELWOOD PARKER was born near West Chester, Chester county, Pa., December 16, 1854; he graduated March 10, 1880, from Hahnemann Medical College, Philadelphia. He practiced at Parkerville, Pa., nearly four years, and came to Claremont in 1884. He formed a business con- nection with Dr. F. L. McIntosh.

DR. FRED. L. MCINTOSHI was born at New Marlboro', Mass., November 17, 1858; was edu- cated in Augusta, Me .; graduated at Hahnemann Medical College, Philadelphia, in 1880. He prac- ticed two years before he received his degree, came to Claremont in October, 1881, and in January, 1884, associated with him Dr. T. Elwood Parker.

DR. JAMES P. HOLT was born in Claremont, June 19, 1853, and is a son of James Holt, late sheriff of Sullivan county. He graduated at Stephens High School in June 1873. He entered the drug store of Dr. W. M. Ladd and remained there about four years, the last two years of which time and the following year he studied medicine with Dr. O. B. Way. He took a medical course at Dartmouth College and graduated there Octo- ber 30, 1877. He then commenced practice in Claremont and continued until September, 1880, when he entered the Hartford Hospital, Hartford, Conn., and was there one year-six months as as- sistant and six months as house-physician and sur- geon. At the end of this time he returned to Claremont and resumed practice. In May, 1884, he bought a half interest in the drug store of Dr. W. M. Ladd. Dr. Ladd having died he became sole proprietor in July, 1885, and continues the practice of his profession.

JOHN TYLER is a son of Benjamin Tyler, Jr., and a grandson of Colonel Benjamin Tyler, before alluded to in different connections in this history. Hle (John Tyler) was born in Claremont, April 8, 1802, and is in his eighty-fourth year, hale and hearty, with memory clear, especially of events occurring sixty years ago. He is by trade a mill- wright, though he has not worked at it for several years. He lives upon his farm at West Clare- mont, within fifty rods of the spot where he was born, and in the first frame house ever built in Claremont.

JOHN TYLER (2d) is a son of John Tyler, and grandson of Colonel Benjamin Tyler. He was born in Claremont March 26, 1818. He learned the trade of millwright, serving an apprenticeship of seven years, and was then for eight years fore- man of the shop where he learned his trade. He then came to West Lebanon in 1850, for several years did a large business building mills, some- times employing fifty men. He returned to Claremont, where he has since resided, in 1872. In 1856 he invented and got patented the Iron Tyler Turbine Water Wheel, the first iron water wheel ever made, since which he has been granted

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nine patents for improvements on it. These wheels met with great favor from mill owners, and soon took the place of the old cumbrous and expensive wheels. More than five thousand of these wheels have been sold, and they are now running in most of the States and territories in the Union and in the Canadas. He is also the inventor and patentee of Tyler's Copper Cylinder Washer, for washing paper stock, and they are going into pretty general use. In 1872 Mr. Tyler built what is known as the Bible Hill Aqueduct, to supply Claremont village with pure spring water. It runs to over two hundred families.

DR. SAMUEL G. JARVIS, was born in Claremont, September 30th, 1816, and is a son of the late Dr. Leonard Jarvis. He studied medicine with the late Dr. Thos. B. Kittridge, then in practice in Claremont, and graduated at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, in 1838. Dr. Jarvis com- menced practice in Claremont in 1840, which he has since continued.

DR. ORMON B. WAY, son of Gordon Way, was born in Lempster, N. H., March 22d, 1840; came to Claremont with his parents when four years old, and has since been a resident here, except two or three short intervals. He was educated at Kimball Union Academy, Meriden, N. H .; stud. ied medicine with the late Prof. A. B. Crosby, M.D., of Hanover, N. H., and the late Dr. Nath. Tolles, of Claremont, and graduated at Dartmouth Medical College in 1865, receiving the first prize for scholarship. He was in practice about eighteen months at South Acworth, N. H., and returned to Claremont in 1867, where he has since continued in the practice of his profession. In December, 1873, he was appointed U. S. Examining Pension Sur- geon, and resigned in May, 1882. He was twice a member of the New Hampshire Legislature, and' has served more than twenty years as Superinten- ding and High School Committee

DR. CLARENCE W. TOLLES, son of the late Dr. Nathaniel Tolles, was born in Claremont, April 30th, 1845. He studied medicine with his father ; 9

graduated at Bellevue Medical College in 1868; studied one year at University Medical College, London ; was associated with his father in prac- tice until the latter's death, in June, 1879, when he succeeded to the practice of the firm.

EDWIN VAUGHAN was born at Chelsea, Vt., Sep- tember 14th, 1832. He graduated at Kimball Union Academy, Meriden, N. H., in 1855; com- menced study of law in 1854; entered the Law University at Albany, N. Y., in 1856, was admitted to the bar from that institution in 1857, and to the bar of the U. S. District Court for New Hamp- shire, in 1870. He commenced practice at Clare- mont, in company with the late Col. Alexander Gar- diner. Was married on the 20th of June, 1860, to Elizabeth L., daughter of the late Rev. S. G. Henry, of Springfield, Vt. 'Mr. Vaughan enlisted in the New Hampshire Cavalry in December, 1861, passed through the several grades and was com- missioned Captain of Co. A., of his regiment, in March, 1864. He was Assistant Provost Marshal of the 8th Army Corps the last six months of his service, and was stationed at Baltimore. He was discharged June 7th, 1865, and returned to practice in Claremont. He was a member of the New Hampshire Legislature in 1866 and 1867 ; U. S. Revenue Inspector in 1867 and 1868 ; mem- ber of the Chicago Republican Convention which nominated Gen. Grant for President in 1868; was appointed U. S. Consul at Contoocook, Canada, in April, 1869, which office he held until 1881, when he returned to Claremont, and was appointed Judge of Probate for Sullivan County, June 7th, 1883.

DR. LEONARD JARVIS, second son of Dr. Sam- uel G., and grandson of the late Dr. Leonard Jar- vis, was born in Claremont on July 29th, 1852. He graduated at Dartmouth College in 1873, and at Harvard Medical School in 1882. He was House Physician at the Lying-in Hospital, Boston, four months, and House Surgeon at Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, fifteen months. He com- menced practice in Claremont in May, 1884.

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History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire, Part 113

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis Number of Pages: 1200

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis
Number of Pages: 1200