History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire, Part 149

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 149
USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 149

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).

Lewis Howard, when about twelve years of age, with most of the young people of that vicinity, made a profession of religion, and was baptized ; but he, with many others, soon became somewhat indifferent to religious matters, and for many years the profession he had made exercised but little influence on his life, and he gave little thought to religious duty. June 26, 1826, he married Sally Stone, an estimable woman, who was born in Grantham, August 28, 1804. Mrs. Howard was a woman of rare intellectual and physical qualities, and a well-chosen helpmate ; and for more than half a century the streams

361

SPRINGFIELD.

of their lives were united in one peaceful current, broken only by the death of Mrs. Howard, October 21, 1877. Soon after their marriage they removed to Springfield, N. H., where Mr. Howard taught school, farmed and was considerably engaged in public business. While here he was honored with the office of selectman two years, and was one year chairman of the board, an office of considerable responsibility, as in those times there were no supervisors, treasurer, or overseers of the poor, other than the selectmen. While living in Springfield he renewed his religious pro- fession, his wife also uniting with him in an attempt to lead a life of service to the Saviour. After a residence of five years in Springfield he had an opportunity to sell his farm to advantage, and returning to Grantham, purchased a part of his father's farm, which then consisted of one hundred and fifty acres ; here he lived six years, until he entered the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church,and left his home in Grantham for new fields and different scenes. It was while living in Gran- tham that the anti-slavery question began to assume proportions. Mr. Howard was among the first in this section to espouse the cause of human liberty, and this proved to be a turning-point in his life. The discussson waxed warm, party feeling ran high on the subject, meetings were held and the question discussed pro and con in its various phases. Mr. Howard joined in the public debate, and here were first developed the latent powers he posse sed for public oratory. His advantages for an education were limited, indeed, so far as school- ing went, but he was blessed with studious, reading parents, and they taught him at home the rudi- ments of an education, and inspired in him a love of books; and books became his teachers. By the time he was twenty years of age he was qualified to teach, and did so winters till he was thirty-six years of age. So, when he became a public speaker he had a mind well stored with the kind of knowledge which could serve him. He became a candidate for the Legislature on the Anti-Slavery ticket, but of course was defeated, as the doctrine was at that time very unpopular

among the masses, and its advocates were regard- ed as fanatics and dreamers. In July, 1839, he was received on probation as a minister in the New Hampshire Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and was stationed at Deer- ing to preach one-half the time at Deering and the other half at Hillsborough Bridge.

We cannot devote space to refer at length to the various pastorates he has so worthily filled ; but the following is in brief a synopsis of his fields of labor, taken seriatim: Deering, Pembroke, Chi- chester, Sandown, Bristol, Haverhill ; then for two years had charge of the boarding department of New Hampshire Conference Seminary and Female College at Tilton ; then to Claremont, Nashua (Chestnut Street Church), then to Dover, after which he was for four years presiding elder on the Concord District, then Nashua (Lowell Street), Salem, Haverhill, Mass., Suncook, Lisbon, Ply- mouth, Antrim, Contoocook, Warren, Webster, Contoocook, after which he was superannuated (1879); he then removed to Springfield, where he now resides, having supplied the pulpit in that town most of the time for five years. During all the long years of h's ministry it is said of him that no church ever diminished under his hands in num- bers or finances. He has won and held the respect and esteem of the intelligent class of the community wherever he has been stationed. His children are Emma Oryntha, born in Springfield, May 4, 1828, married W. M. Kempton, and died May 17, 1879, leaving three children ; Alonzo Dearborn, born in Springfield, February 17, 1832, married H. Augusta Jewett, November 27, 1855 (they have a son and daughter); Daniel Edson, born in Grantham, June 23, 1835, married Susan M. Pat- terson, August 18, 1858 (has one son); Nancy Elvira, born in Grantham, August 27, 1837, died in Haverhill, N. H., July 16, 1848.

Mrs. Howard died at Contoocook, October 21, 1877. Mr Howard married, as his second wife, March 25, 1879, Mrs. Ferona Clement, the widow of Solomon Clement, who died in Springfield, Au- gust 3, 1872, and daughter of Dr. Abner Johnson, who was born in Grantham, 1783; commenced the

362

HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

practice of medicine in Springfield, 1816 ; removed to Massachusetts, 1835, where he resided until near his death, which occurred at Derry, N. H., July 29, 1872. Dr. Abner Johnson was a promi- nent citizen of Springfield, respected and honored by his townsmen, who still cherish his memory. His daughter Ferona's first marriage was with Samuel Soden, December 28, 1841. He died of consumption, March 18, 1844. Their son, Arthur H. Soden, was born April 23, 1843, and is now (1885) doing business in Boston. Her second marriage was with Solomon H. Clement, October 17, 1848. Mary, their daughter, was born in Hartford, Vt., February 26, 1851; married Horace C. Metcalf, February 26, 1885, of Walpole, Mass., where they now reside. After a long life spent in the service of God, the Rev. Lewis Howard is passing the autumn of his days pleasantly, hope- fully and cheerfully, blessed with good health, good friends and a good conscience.

DAVID P. GOODHUE.

The genealogy of David P. Goodhue is David Putney Goodhue, son of Jacob and Mary (Ager) Goodhue; Jacob Goodhue, son of Seth and Eliz- abeth (Cogswell) Goodhue; Seth Goodhue, son of Jacob and Joanna (Story) Goodhue ; Jacob Good- hue, son of John and Ann (Cogswell) Goodhue ; John Goodhue, son of William and Hannah (Dane) Goodhue; William Goodhue, son of Wil- liam and Margery (Watson) Goodhue, who came from Assington, Suffolk County, England, to America in the year 1635 and settled in what is now called Ipswich, Mass.

David Putney Goodhue was born in Dunbarton, Merrimack County, N. H., January 10, 1838. He was the youngest of ten children and lived at home with his father until he was twenty-one years of age, except when away to work or at- tending school. In the spring of 1838, his father moved to Wilmot, N. H., where he resided for about fourteen years, when he moved to Boscawen, N. H., where he resided until the time of his death in February, 1866. After moving to Bos-

cawen, he worked six months in a year for Hale Atkinson, of Boscawen, for six years, during which time he only lost from two to five days' work from each year. During the winter he at- tended Elmwood Institute, on Boscawen Plains, two miles distant from his home, where he walked night and morning, however inclement the weather might be. After this he taught school three terms in Boscawen and one term at Sanbornton Square. When twenty-one years of age, he commenced the study of medicine with Dr. E. K. Webster, of Boscawen. He attended medical lectures at the University of Vermont and at Dartmouth College. From the last named place he received the degree of M.D. in 1863, after which he attended lecturcs in Philadelphia.

He was appointed acting assistant surgeon in the United States Navy, January 4, 1864, and re- ported to Boston for duty, from which place he was ordered to the " North Carolina," at Brooklyn, until the " Chenango " was ready for sea.

April 15, 1864, the " Chenango " sailed from New York, but, before reaching Sandy Hook, one of the boilers exploded, severely scalding thirty- four men and officers, twenty-eight of whom died within a short time, although no one was killed instantly.

The " Chenango" going out of commission April 21st, he was ordered to the " Nereus " the same day, and on the 23d sailed for the blockade off Fort Fisher (Wilmington), where he remained until September, when the " Nereus " came North and acted as convoy to one of the California steamers to Aspinwall and back.

The " Nereus " having to be repaired, he was detached from her, October 4th, and was ordered to the " Maumee," which sailed the same day. After cruising off the coast a few weeks, the " Maumee" joined the squadron off Fort Fisher, where she re- mained during both attacks and the capture of the fort.

Dr. Goodhue was on shore duty at the fort for three days after it was captured. He then went with the " Maumee " up the river to Wilmington. After this the " Maumee " came to Hampton

Cham David

363

SPRINGFIELD.

Roads, and then up the James River, being the first gunboat up the river from Dutch Gap to Richmond. The " Maumee " was then ordered to Philadelphia, where she went out of commission, and the officers and men were detached, June 17, 1865, and placed on waiting orders. He was hon- orably discharged from the United States service Oct. 9, 1865.

On his return home, his father being sick, he remained with him until his death, in February, 1866.

On February 19, 1866, Dr. Goodhue came to Springfield, where he has since resided.

On November 14, 1867, he was married to Abby J. Davis, of Springfield, the only child of Joseph Davis, Jr., and Elizabeth S. Davis. Mr. Davis was appointed a recruiting officer during the war and has been one of the prominent men in Springfield, being for several years one of the selectmen and collector of taxes, besides holding other offices.

To Dr. and Mrs. Goodhue four children have been born,-David Henry, born October 20, 1868 ; Libbie Abbie, born February 10, 1874 ; Laurette May, born March 13, 1882, and died April 10, 1882; Lucia Frances, born October 5, 1883.

Politically Dr. Goodhue is, and always has been, a Democrat. He was for several years town clerk, and afterwards town treasurer and one of the supervisors. He was chosen representative to the General Court in March, 1878, for one year, and also in November of the same year, under the re- vised constitution, for two years. He was one of the Democratic candidates for county commissioner for Sullivan County in the year 1880, and received a larger vote than any other candidate voted for on that ticket. He was for several years a mem- ber of the Democratic State and County Commit- tee, but for the past two years has not been actively engaged in politics.

Professionally he is one of the oldest and repre- sentative members of the medical profession in the northeast part of Sullivan County, having been in Springfield about twenty years. As a practi- tioner he has been very successful, both in medi-

cine and surgery, his practice extending into many of the adjoining towns. He has been a member of the New Hampshire Medical Society for more than twenty years, and is also a member of the Centre District Medical Society, having been pres- ident of this society in the year 1883. When the Board of United States Examining Surgeons was formed at Newport, N. H., he was appointed one of its members, which position he now holds.

He is respected by his brother practitioners as a man honorable in his profession and one who would scorn to do his brother wrong. He is em- phatically a believer in the " golden rule " in all things.

As a citizen he is public-spirited and liberal, be- lieving that no one lives for himself alone.

CHARLES MCDANIEL.

Charles McDaniel is descended from the Scotch McDaniels, who emigrated from the north of Ire- land to America in the early days of our colonial history. James McDaniel, the great-grandfather of Charles, is shown by the town records to have resided in Springfield, N. H., prior to 1794. He had at that time a family of four children, and the land on which he resided is now owned by Charles, having always been kept in the family. His buildings were upon the top of the hill, near what is known as the Whittemore house, in Enfield. His son John married Hannah Morse, of Kings- ton. They reared a family of five children,-Aba- gail, Sarah, Daniel, James and Hannah.

Abagail married Stephen H. Heath, and had a family of four boys, none of whom are at present living.

Sarah married Ebenezer L. Nichols. She also had four boys, only one of whom is now known to be living-Alonzo P., who resides in Manchester, . N. H.

Daniel moved to Cherry Valley, O., and mar- ried Eliza Greene ; died, leaving three children.

Hannah, the youngest of the children of John and Hannah, is now living in Enfield, N. H., the widow of the late Albert Currier. She has one

364

HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

son, Nathan Currier, a graduate of Tuffts College, and a successful teacher.

James, the second son, was born February 13, 1807. He was brought up on the farm, and worked for a time at shoemaking, but soon aban- doned it. He was an earnest student, and was better educated than most of the young men of his town. He attended the academies of Salisbury and Meriden, and spent several years as teacher, both in his native State and in New York State.

Returning to his native town, he tilled the an- cestral acres, and made this his chief pursuit through life. At his death the farm descended to his son Charles, whose only daughter still resides at home. Thus we see through five generations the original homestead of James McDaniel, the pioneer, has remained in the possession of the family. The original tract consisted of sixty acres, but the family have been thrifty, enterpris- ing and energetic, and each generation has added to the original possession till the domain now com- prises nearly a thousand acres.

James McDaniel, father of Charles, was a man of strong mental and physical mould, and in many respects, and for many years, was the leading man of his town. He married, November 24, 1833, Hittey L., daughter of Abraham and Hittey Philbrick, of Springfield. Their children were Charles, whose portrait herewith appears, and who is the author and compiler of the history of the town of Springfield, as it appears in this volume. Ann, married Samuel H. Jackman, of Sacramento, Cal., where she now resides. George, unmarried, also a resident of Sacramento, and Ella, unmar- ried, is a teacher, having taught twenty years in New Hampshire and California, and resides with her widowed mother in Springfield. James McDaniel held at various times nearly all the different offices of his town, as will be seen by ref- erence to the general history of the town of Spring field in this volume.

in religious belief, but connected with no church. He died March 4, 1873.

Charles McDaniel was born July 22, 1835, at the old homestead in Springfield. He was educa- ted at the district schools of his native town and at Andover, Canaan and New London Academies. After leaving school he farmed summers and taught winters. His first school was when he was but eighteen years of age, and from that time till he was nearly forty he taught from one to three terms per year.

He made his home with his father, and, for many years previous to the latter's death, he had practical charge of the farm and estate. Upon the decease of his father he purchased the inter- est of the other heirs to the home-farm, and has continually added to and improved it to the pres- ent time. He married, May 31, 1862, Amanda M., daughter of Samuel and Mary A. Quimby, of Springfield.

They have had five children,-Carl died in in- fancy; Carrie died in her sixteenth year ; Cora, the only one living, born December 27, 1864, now (1885) attending the State Normal School at Plymouth ; Catie Ann died in her eighth year, and Arthur Quimby died in his sixth year. The three children, Carrie, Catie and Arthur, died suddenly of malignant diphtheria, within a few days of each other in 1879. They were bright, intelligent, lovable children, and only those parents whose hearts are bound up in love for their offspring, and who have suffered similar be- reavement, can fully conceive of the terrible blow to the grief-stricken father and mother,

Charles McDaniel was chosen superintendent of schools for Springfield soon after his majority, and has held that position, more or less continuously, to the present time, and is now an incumbent of the office. In 1862 he was chosen selectman and overseer of the poor, which office he has held re- peatedly since, and as chairman of the Board every year except the first.

He took an interest in military matters, and was captain of a company in the State militia. He During the War of the Rebellion he was ap- pointed special agent for securing volunteers for represented his town in the State Legislature, was an ardent Democrat in politics, and a Universalist | filling the quota of that town in the ranks of the

365

SPRINGFIELD.

army. He has been town treasurer several years, and was a member of the Legislature in 1868. He is a member of Social Lodge, F. and A. M., En- field, N. H., and one of its senior living members. He is also a member of the Chapter of the Taber- nacle, No. 19, Royal Arch Masons; overseer of New Hampshire State Grange, and Master of Montcalm Grange, No. 70, of Enfield. He is president of Grantham and Springfield Fair Asso- ciation, and for more than fifteen years has held a commission as justice of the peace, and has done considerable probate business in Sullivan and · Grafton Counties.

In 1885 he, with his wife and daughter, made a trip to California, and spent several months pleas- antly and profitably, visiting friends and traversing the various sections of the State, and informing

himself in regard to its products, resources and general features.

His mother has twice visited California, and has spent, in all, more than three years there. She returned with her son Charles from her last visit there, and, in course of the return trip, visited in Illinois an elder sister of hers, Mrs. Sally Flan- ders, who is now eighty-seven years of age, and, for one so advanced in years, a woman of rare vigor and intelligence, cheerful in spirit and philosphical in mental temperament. A remark of hers to Mr. McDaniel will serve to illustrate the cheerfulness of her disposition. She said, apropos of some question or remark, "that this world was good enough for her to live in; that she enjoyed life and felt content to remain here as long as pos- sible,"-a rebuke to the pessimists of the day.

HISTORY OF SUNAPEE.

BY WILLIAM C. STUROC.

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTION .- It is fortunate that in attempting to write the history of a small town, the existence of which extends back but little over a century, we are not compelled to resort to the devices of the ancient writers of general history, such as conjuring up a she-wolf or some other friendly animal to act as foster- mother to our infant founders.

The records we possess may, indeed, in some details, be imperfect, but there is enough to point out with sufficient clearness the kind of men and women who aided by their labors the founding of our little municipality of six miles square. By an examination of some fragments of a proprietors' book, and the records in pos- session of the town clerk and selectmen, and other valuable aids, the following facts, among others, are found in regard to the settlement of the town : That that part of old Cheshire County, which is now included in Sullivan County, and bears the name of Sunapee, was granted by the colonial authorities on the 7th of November, 1768, to John Sprague and others, under the name of Saville. Four years later, or in 1772, it was settled by a small com- pany of emigrants from Rhode Island, and these first settlers were soon followed by an enterprising band from Portsmouth, N. H., who passed on their journey from the sea-board up the military road to " No. 4," now known as Charlestown, and thence to the south part of Sunapee. But the names of those first settlers

have become extinct, and few, if any, of their descendants remain in town. One of the female emigrants from Rhode Island has, however, left her name on a large rock near the outlet of Sunapee Lake, and which the inhabitants still call " Granny Howard," that being her maiden- name. On this rock she was wont to sit, day in and day out, plying her hook and line for the finny tribe, long before the introduction of black bass or land-locked salmon into this beau- tiful and romantic lake. This persistent femi- nine disciple of Izaak Walton was the maternal ancestor of the Scranton family, well known in town fifty years ago. The geographical con- tour of Sunapee has remained substantially un- changed until the present day, containing, as it does, about fifteen thousand six hundred and sixty-six acres, three thousand of which are covered by the western portion of the lake.

THE SURFACE of the town is uneven and mainly hilly ; interspersed, however, are small patches of natural meadow, which yield a kind of wire or spear-grass, that, when cut early, is eagerly eaten by hungry cattle in winter, although it has been noticed that few animals ever become fat on this kind of fodder. The hills are found, when cleared of timber, to be largely covered by " wandered " boulders, the profusion of which, strewed in particular drifts or directions, would be suggestive to the eye of the scientest, no doubt, of a period when the surface of our earth was undergoing vast and perhaps sudden changes. These erratic blocks, and the smooth and sometimes eroded

366

367

SUNAPEE.

ledges on which they now rest, speak distinctly of a time when some transporting power, equal to a mighty glacier, dropped these huge but partially rounded lumps where they now lie, as no mere marine movement could be equal to the work of placing those ponderous monuments of a time when man was unknown in the mun- dane arena where we find them. But the soil, which had accumulated with course of ages among these granite boulders, is strong and pro- ductive, and for years after its first cultivation yielded immense crops of all kinds,-rye, corn, oats, barley, wheat and grass.

THE NAME was changed in April, 1781, to Wendell, that being the name of one of the original and principal proprietors,-John Wen- dell, of Portsmouth,-and it so continued until 1850, when, by an act of the Legislature of that year, it received its present Indian cognomen- Sunapee. This latter name, which had adhered to the lake and adjacent mountain, and which seems to be, after all, the most appropriate, is alleged by connoisseurs in the aboriginal tongues to be an Algonquin word signifying goose-lake ; and there is some corroboration of that assertion in the fact that a smaller pond at the north end of the lake proper still bears the name of " goose-hole." However that matter may be, there is no doubt that the lake was at one time the resort of large flocks of wild geese, this latter fact being attested by more than one aged citizen, who, although they have passed the limit of four-score and ten, are still clear-headed and communicative.

THE CENSUS of the town, in its earlier years, shows that it increased rapidly in population, for in five years from its first grant the number of inhabitants is given as 72; in 1786 it was 195 ; in 1790, 267 ; in 1800, 355 ; in 1810, 447 ; in 1820, 603; in 1830, 637; in 1840, 795; in 1850, 787; in 1860, 778; in 1870, 808; in 1880, 897.

For almost thirteen years, or until 1781, the town was known as Saville, and was then classed with the towns of Newport and Croydon; and

a meeting was held in this town April 23, 1778, at which Benjamin Giles, Esq.,-a noted man at that time in Cheshire County,-was modera- tor and Samuel Gunnison was clerk. At this meeting Moses True, Esek Young and Samuel Gunnison were chosen selectmen of Saville. A meeting of the inhabitants was held, in con- junction with the towns of Newport and Croy- don, on the 5th of December, 1782, or a little over a year after Wendell had been adopted as the name of the town. "Benjamin Giles was chosen, by a unanimous vote, representative for the above-named towns for that year," meaning, of course, the next year, or 1783. Wendell was for several years classed with Goshen in the choice of representative, and was only able when the population reached over six hundred, or in 1824, to act alone in the choice of that officer, Thomas Pike, or Uncle Tom, as he was formerly called, being the first representative of Wendell.

The names and dates of service of the persons who followed, up to the present time, are these :

Thomas Pike, in 1825; Lieutenant John Young, in 1826-27; John Colby, in 1828; Joseph George in 1829; John Colby, in 1830; Samuel Knowlton, in 1831-32; John Colby, in 1833; Samuel Knowlton, in 1834; John Colby, in 1835; William Young, in 1836-37 ; John Colby, in 1838; Daniel George, Jr., in 1839-40; Charles Rodgers, in 1841-42; Moses F. Knowlton, in 1843-44; Hiram Sargent, in 1845-46; Bailey Pillsbury, in 1847-48; William W. Eastman, in 1849-50; John Hopkins, in 1851; Joseph G. Tucker, in 1852-53; Josiah Turner, in 1854; Samuel Wells, 1855-56; John P. Knowlton, in 1857-58; Jos- eph P. Smith, in 1859-60; Daniel George, Jr., in 1861-62; Dennis G. Knowlton, in 1863-64; William Cant Sturoc, 1865-68; Daniel A. George, in 1869-70 ; Bradford Courier, in 1871-72; Daniel C. Eastman, in 1873-74; John A Tucker, in 1875-76; Jeremiah W. Morrill, in 1877-78; John Angell, 1879-81; Lyman Colburn, in 1882-83; John M. Cooper, in 1884-85. (The latter representatives since November, 1878, be- ing elected for biennial terms, the two-year systen having been adopted by the Constitutional Conven- tion of 1876).

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

History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire, Part 149

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