History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire, Part 154

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 154
USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 154

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).

Ebenezer Spaulding was born in Nottingham West, N. H. (now Hudson), March 27, 1750, and at the age of twenty-two removed to the southeast part of Lempster, where he settled. The region where he lived was then, and for many years afterward, considered a part of Washington, and he frequently held office in Washington. He married Amy, Roundy, of Lempster, January 16, 1777. He removed to East Washington in 1807 and died July 1, 1808. His widow lived to the remarkable age of one hundred years, and died January 8, 1859. They left a large family of children, whose descendants are widely scattered. Eben- ezer Spaulding was a soldier in the Revolution, and was engaged in the battles of Bunker Hill and Ticonderoga.

Although far removed from the seat of war, Washington sent a goodly number of men to fight for liberty during the War of the Revo- lution. William Mann, Nathan Mann and

Abel Merrill were enrolled in the First New Hampshire Regiment, April 1, 1777, and served three years, being discharged March 20, 1780. Asa Jackson was enrolled in the First New Hampshire Regiment April 18, 1781, and was discharged the following December. Wil- liam White was also enrolled in the same regi- ment January 1, 1777, and was discharged January 1, 1780, after a service of precisely three years. Ebenezer Spaulding, William Proctor, John Safford and Jonathan Brockway also rendered valuable service to their country during the struggle for independence. Many of the early settlers of the town had partici- pated in the battles of the Revolution before their settlement here. The Severances, Jacob Wright, the Davises, William Graves, Asa Pitts and Stephen Mead had all been actively engaged in the service of their country.

Probably no family has occupied a more prominent position in town during the period of a hundred years than the Healy family.

Joseph Healy, a son of John and Mary (Wright) Healy, was born in Newton, Mass., August 21, 1776, and removed to Washington with his parents in 1778. They settled in the southwest part of the town on a farm which is now deserted. During the most of his life he was engaged in agricultural pursuits, though for a time he was proprietor of the hotel at the centre of the town. He always resided in Washington, and during his active life was much engaged in public service. Besides fill- ing the various town offices to great acceptance, he also was a member of the State Senate in 1824, and was a member of the Governor's Council from 1829 until 1832. In 1825 he was chosen to represent his district in the Con- gress of the United States, where he remained four years. During his long life he was active in all measures which tended to promote the welfare of the town. He died October 10, 1861, aged eighty-five years.

John P. Healy, a son of Joseph Healy, was born in Washington December 28, 1810. He

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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

graduated at Dartmouth College in 1835, and afterward studied law with Daniel Webster, in Boston, Mr. Webster and his father being on very friendly terms. Not long after his admis- sion to the bar, in 1838, he became associated with Mr. Webster in the practice of law, and continued to be his partner until Mr. Webster's death. He served as representative in the Massachusetts Legislature 1840, 1849 and 1850, and was a member of the State Senate in 1854. He was appointed judge of the United States District Court for the district of California dur- ing Fillmore's administration, but declined the honor. In 1856 he was chosen city solicitor for Boston, which office he held without inter- ruption twenty-five years. In 1881 he was appointed to the newly-created office of corpora- tion council for Boston, which office he held at the time of his death. He died suddenly, Jan- uary 4, 1882. The other sons of Joseph Healy, viz .: Henry, Langdon and Sullivan W., were, during their residence in town, prominent citi- zens. With the exception of Langdon, who now resides in Brooklyn, N. Y., all are now dead.

The early settlers, as a rule, realized the im- portance of religious instruction, and long be- fore a settled minister was employed the preach- ing of the gospel was maintained, at least a part of the time, at the town's expense. For many years a tax was assessed for the support of the gospel ministry, but not until about the year 1801 was permission granted to each denomin- ation to draw its share of the money raised for religious purposes. In the autumn of 1779, at a public town-meeting, it was voted to extend a call to Rev. George Leslie to settle in town as a minister of the gospel. A committee, con- sisting of Joseph Rounsevel, Samuel Copeland, Archibald White, Ebenezer Jaquith and John Safford, was chosen to make proposals for his settlement. They reported to the town that they should invite him to settle on the following terms : His salary should be fifty-five pounds per year so long as he should supply the pulpit,

and that as pay he should receive rye at four shillings per bushel, Indian corn at three shil- lings per bushel, pork at four pence per pound; beef at two and one-half pence per pound, and other food and clothing sufficient to equal his salary. He was also, according to the grant of the town, to receive two hundred acres of land for himself and his heirs.

Robert Mann was chosen to wait on Mr. Leslie, who was then residing at Ipswich, Mass., and get an answer to the proposals of the town. The offer was accepted, and he re- moved to Washington in the spring of 1780 and began his labors.

George Leslie was born in Ireland about the year 1728, but came to America in infancy. He was educated at Harvard University, and set- tled in Ipswich, Mass., as a minister of the gospel in 1850, where he continued to preach until called to Washington. He is said to have been a man of much learning and ability. During his residence in Washington a professor- ship at Dartmouth College was tendered him, which he declined to accept. He continued to serve the people as pastor until his death, which occurred September 11, 1800, his pastorate having extended over a period of twenty years. The town placed a monument at his grave with the following inscription :

" Rev. George Leslie, died September 11, 1800, aged 72 years. He was a man of brilliant genius, great learning, and eminent piety and morality. This monument was erected by the town of Washington."

In 1786 work was commenced on a meeting- house at the centre of the town, which was finished in 1789. It was the building which is still in use as a town-house. The church edifice which is now occupied by the Congregational Church was erected in 1840.

Rev. John Lord was called by the town to preach in the year 1803, but remained but two and a half years. Broughton White was in- stalled as pastor December 22, 1818, and re- mained with the church twelve years. After the close of the Rev. Broughton White's pastor-

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ate, the pulpit was occupied until 1844 by several different preachers, among them Moses Gerould, Lemuel Mason and T. Darling, but none of them were settled. In 1844 Rev. John F. Griswold was called to the pastorate, and continued to supply the pulpit twenty-two years, closing his labors in 1866. His pastorate was the longest in the history of the church, exceeding that of Rev. George Leslie by two years. Mr. Griswold was a native of Green- field, Mass. He was a graduate of Yale College and of the Theological Seminary at Andover, Mass. His first pastorate was at South Hadley, Mass., where he remained a long time. He was afterward settled at Fayetteville and Hartland, Vt., where he resided when called to the pastor- ate in Washington. He removed to Massachu- setts in 1866. His death occurred at Brooklyn, N. Y., February 15, 1872. During his long residence in Washington he won a large number of friends, and his name is a familiar one to many of the younger class at the present day who never enjoyed his acquaintance.

Rev. Edward Basset succeeded Mr. Griswold, and remained two years under the employ of the Home Missionary Society. Rev. Mr. Clag- gett began his labors with the church in 1868, but death closed his pastorate in 1870. Rev. H. H. Colburn served as pastor from 1871 until 1878, though a part of his time was spent with the church in Stoddard.

Since 1878 there has been no pastor, and at times no preacher, although the church is open for preaching during the summer, and a Sabbath- school meets each Sabbath of the year. The membership of the church has diminished much, so that at present there is but one male member, and a total membership of less than twenty.

The settlement of the east part of Washington did not receive much attention prior to 1785. William Graves settled at the west part of the town, but removed, not far from 1785, to the east part of the town and built a log house in the field just west of Mason H. Carr's mill-pond, and near the rope-factory of McIlvaine &

Fletcher. He afterward built a frame house on the other side of the stream, which was after- ward the home of John Severance. Thaddeus Graves, a brother of William, settled on the old Mountain road, one mile and a half west of East Washington, and subsequently moved to the village, where he died. William and Thaddeus Graves were both natives of Sudbury, Mass., and came from that town to Washington. Wil- liam had been a soldier in the Revolution and was engaged in the battle of Bunker Hill. Ac- cording to the testimony of some, Thaddeus Graves was also a soldier of the Revolution.

Charles Brown, a native of Stowe, Mass., settled at an early date where Moses Jones after- ward lived, and where still later, his son, Simon W. Jones, resided.

Captain Jonathan Brockway had built a mill where Mason H. Carr's mill now stands, and a house near by ; and his son, Jonathan Brock- way, Jr., settled, about 1789, on the farm after- ward owned by Caleb Carr, and at present by his son, George W. Carr.

The Severances settled short distances east and west and north of the school-house at East Washington.

Caleb Woodward, who came from Bellingham, Mass., in 1787 to the west part of Washington, on or near Oak Hill, removed soon after to the farm where Jerome Hamden afterward lived, and where Deacon Francis P. Fletcher now resides

Joseph Crane came from Milton, Mass., and settled on the southeast slope of Lovell's Moun- tain about the year 1782 or 1783. He had a large family of children, all of whom except the oldest were born in Washington. His son Ziba, the only survivor of the family, still resides at East Washington at an advanced age. Most of the Cranes residing in Washington are descendants of Joseph Crane.

John Vose also came from Milton a year or two before Joseph Crane and settled very near Joseph Crane. The family gradually found their way back to Boston, Milton and that

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vicinity, and no one bearing the name of Vose has resided in town during the last fifty years. Whiting Vose, whose son, James W. Vose, is the head of the house of Vose & Sons, piano- forte manufacturers, of Boston, was born on Lovell's Mountain, where the family lived after they came from Milton.

David Taber appears to have come from Tiverton, R. I. He lived and died on the hill two miles south of East Washington. Church Taber, supposed to be a brother of David Taber, was at one time an influential citizen of the town. He resided at the southwest part of the town, on a farm now owned by Supply Barney. He was a carpenter, and is said to have done a considerable part of the work on the town-house when it was built, nearly a century ago.

Benjamin Smith, a native of South Reading (now Wakefield), Mass., came to Hillsborough, N. H., about the year 1790. He afterward, in 1807, purchased about five hundred acres of land in Washington, on the south slope of the hills two and a half miles south of Washington, including the farms afterward owned by Joshua D. Crane, Nathaniel Smith, William Ayre and William Dole. Most of the Smiths now re- siding in town are his descendants. He continued to reside in Hillsborough until about the year 1827, when he removed to Washington. He died in Salisbury, N. H., in 1854.

Lieutenant Ebenezer Wood came to Washing- ton from Littleton, Mass., about the year 1780 and settled on the farm now owned by Anson S. Powers, just west of Lovell's Mountain. He raised up a large family of eleven children, but the family is now widely scattered, John Wood and family and Elzina Wood being the only survivors in town. Ebenezer Wood was a soldier in the War of the Revolution.

Colonel Jacob Wright was a native of West- ford, Mass., in 1758. At the age of sixteen he entered the Revolutionary army as a substitute for the man for whom he was employed. After his term of service expired he re-enlisted, and, including his first term of service, was engaged

five years fighting the battles of his country. In 1783 he removed to Washington, having resided a short time previously at Hancock, N. H. He settled on the high land south of Ashuelot Pond. He resided in Washington until his death, which occurred in 1844. He was the father of four children. Many of his de- scendants fill positions of eminence and respon- sibility. Nathan Wright, a son of Colonel Jacob Wright, became a physician and practiced many years in Washington, but finally re- moved to Cambridgeport, Mass., where he died in 1853. Rev. Nathan R. Wright, a son of Dr. Nathan Wright, became a Universalist clergyman of note. He preached in Dunbarton and Hooksett, N. H., four years, and in 1843 became pastor of the Universalist Church at Washington, where he remained some years. Although advanced in age, he is still actively engaged in pastoral work at Lynn, Mass., being pastor of a parish containing four hundred and fifty families.

Colonel Carroll D. Wright, a son of Rev. Nathan R. Wright and great-grandson of Col- onel Jacob Wright, has become eminent as a statistician, having been chief of the Bureau of Statistics of Labor in Massachusetts since 1873. In the War of the Rebellion he enlisted as a pri- vate in the Fourteenth New Hampshire Regi- ment, but rapidly rose to the rank of colonel of his regiment. Colonel Wright, though a na- tive of Dunbarton, came with his father to Washington at the age of three years, and spent most of his youth in this town.

Probably the first physician who practiced in Washington was Dr. David Harris, who was in town as early as 1785, in which year he was elected town clerk, to which office he was re- elected many times. He was a fine penman, and his handwriting is clear and legible at this date, though written a hundred years ago. His fees for professional services were surpris- ingly small, being seventeen cents for a visit to any part of the town. He removed to New- port, N. H., and died May 10, 1830, aged

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twenty-eight years. Dr. David McQuesten was for many years a practitioner of medicine at the centre of the town. His practice was ex- tensive, and he won a reputation for skill throughout the whole town. He died in 1850 at the age of fifty-seven years.

Dr. Austin Newton, who began the practice of medicine in Washington, studied with Dr. David McQuesten, of Washington, and with Prof. Dixie Crosby, of Hanover, and graduated at the Dartmouth Medical School in 1840. He resided in Washington until his death, which occurred in 1853. The successor of Dr. New- ton was Dr. John Q. A. French, who had pur- sued the study of medicine with Dr. Newton, and at Yale College. Dr. French soon after removed to Hillsborough, where he is still suc- cessfully engaged in practice.

Nearly a mile south of Washington Centre, on the road leading to Stoddard, Deacon Ebene- zer Jaquith settled at a very early date. He must have resided in town prior to 1778, as he held of- fice that year. He was one of the first deacons in the Congregational Church which was organ- ized in 1780. The farm has passed from the hands of the Jaquith family and is now owned by Darius Y. Barnes. Some of the descendants of Deacon Jaquith still reside in town.

Stephen Mead, who was born in the vicinity of Westford, Mass., came to Washington as early as 1780 and settled at the south west part of the town on the farm now owned by Jerry Gleason. He was a Revolutionary soldier, and one of his brothers was killed at Bunker Hill. He married a sister of Colonel Jacob Wright, who also came to Washington to reside some three years later. S. Newell Mead, a grandson of Stephen Mead, still resides in town.

The Barney family came to Washington from Sudbury, Mass., as early as 1784 or 1785, and settled at the south and west parts of the town. Thomas Barney was the oldest of the name in town. He settled on the farm where Stephen Farnsworth now resides. He had a son John, who came to Washington about 1784, and had

four sons,-John Jr., Timothy, Levi and Sup- ply, who lived in the southwest part of the town.

The Steele family came from Amherst, and re- sided at the south part of the town for a time, but finally removed to the district west of Lovell's Mountain. William Steele was thrown from his horse into a small brook near his home and was drowned. James Steele removed from Washington many years ago to Western New York. Nothing is known regarding the where- abouts of any of their descendants.

Although the town early took measures for educating its youth, by appropriating money for the support of schools, it is believed that no school-houses were built prior to 1788. By vote of the town in 1788 each district was to be allowed to build its own school-house, but it is not certain that advantage of the privilege was very soon taken. In 1797 the town voted to raise sixty pounds of lawful money to build school-houses, and chose a committee to build one at the centre of the town. Probably a house was also erected at the east part of the town about the same time, as it is certain that a school-house was standing there in 1800. In the course of time school-houses were erected in ten different districts in the town. The present number of school districts is nine, with a school house in each. The original school-houses were rude in comparison to the neat buildings now to be found in most parts of the town. A small, rough building, with small, high windows, too high to allow the pupils to look out ; a sloping floor, with seats rising one above another ; a huge open fireplace on one side of the room, and walls devoid of paint or paper, with few, if any, maps or other illustrative apparatus, give one a pretty correct idea of the school- houses of our grandfathers. The masters and mistresses of the primitive schools were a pe- culiar class, noted not only for their ability to instruct in the common branches of learning, but for their power to wield the birch. The stud- ies pursued by the majority of the pupils were reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic and ge-

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ography, while a few of the more advanced received instruction in English grammar, and, in some instances, surveying. As has been said, much attention was paid to discipline. The schools were large, and were composed of boys and girls of all sizes and ages, from extreme youth to the age of manhood and womanhood. The un- lucky boy who seriously transgressed the school- master's rules was severely flogged or compelled to stand a long time on the floor, his knees un- bent and his finger on a nail in the floor, while the girl who neglected to thoroughly learn her lesson was seated on the dunce block as a means of punishment. These methods of discipline have given way to milder measures, much to the benefit of the pupils. Some of the best re- membered of the early teachers in town were James Faxon, Edmund Davis, Alfred Gordon, Joseph W. Shedd, Solomon E. and Simon W. Jones.

At the session of the Legislature in June, 1849, an institution of learning was incorporated in Washington, to be known as Washington Acad- emy. The same year Russell Tubbs, of Deer- ing, gave to the new institution one thousand dollars, to be used as a fund for the support of the school. In recognition of the generous gift, the name of the academy was changed to Tubbs Union Academy. In 1857 Mr. Tubbs increased the fund by an additional gift of five hundred dollars. The school was opened in the fall of 1849, with Dyer H. Sanborn as principal. He brought to the work a mind pecu- liarly adapted by nature to the work of instruc- tion, and enriched and strengthened by a liberal education. The school was a success from the start, and in the fall of 1850 one hundred and eighty-six students were in attendance. It remained under his care four years, when he was succeeded by C. G. Burnham, who remained but one term, and was himself succeeded by William Holt and Simeon D. Farnsworth, neith- er of whom remained long with the school. Since the resignation of Professor Sanborn the school has greatly declined, owing to the small amount

of funds at its command. But, notwithstanding the number of pupils has been small, and most of them residents of the town, it has accom- plished a work of great usefulness. Its present principal is Frank P. Newman, who has man- aged the school to great acceptance since 1881.

The Faxons were from Braintree, Mass. There were three brothers,-James, who first lived in a house near the soldiers' monument and afterward on the Faxon Hill, near the vil- lage ; Azariah, who lived just east of the town- house, where Dexter Ball now resides ; and Francis, who lived on the hill two miles west of the village at the centre of the town and near the place where Thomas Penniman re- sided. Azariah Faxon was engaged in trade during his residence in town. Before his death he removed to Vermont. Francis Faxon also removed to Vermont. James Faxon was a musician in the army during the Revolution. After coming to Washington he was engaged for a time in trade with his brother Azariah. He also was a noted school-teacher. His last days were spent on his farm on Faxon Hill.

The Farwell family came from Groton, Mass., soon after the year 1780, and were prominent in town for many years.

The Millens came from the vicinity of New Boston, N. H., prior to the year 1780. The family has always been prominent in town af- fairs. Some of the name are still residents of the town.

Benjamin Newman came to Washington about the year 1791, from Deering, to which town he came from the vicinity of Woburn, Mass., about the year 1776. He settled in the mountain district, near the farm known as the Dinsmore place. He was the father of eight children. His sons, Joseph and Benjamin, both spent their lives in Washington, and raised large families of children. Joseph settled on the farm now owned by Hiram Q. Hoyt, and Ben- jamin, after residing in the mountain district a while after his marriage, removed to a farm near Long Pond. Some of the descendants of

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Joseph and Benjamin Newman still reside in town.

The Draper family came into town at an early date, David Draper having married Rebecca Healey, of this town, as early as 1785. The Draper family lived near the village and gave the name to " Draper Hill," which rises just north of the village.

Jonathan Draper held office in town in 1778, and Samuel Draper also appears to have been in town in 1779.

David Danforth was another of the pioneers of the town. He came to the town at a very early date and resided at the southwest part of the town.

Probably the first lawyer to establish himself in business in Washington was David Heald, Esq. He was born in Temple, N. H., March 21, 1768, and graduated at Dartmouth College in 1793. He studied law at Northampton, Mass., and came to Washington to reside about 1800, where he remained until his death, which occurred January 2, 1841. He lived on the spot where the present house, belonging to the family, stands. He was a member of the Cheshire and Sullivan County bar forty years. He was a popular man, and represented the town in the Legislature twelve years. He was married in 1810 to Phebe Burbank, of Washington, by whom he had three children. Some years after Mr. Heald settled in Wash- ington, Abraham B. Story established himself in the practice of law at the centre of the town. He was a graduate of Brown University in the class of 1799, and was engaged a short time in the practice of law at Northwood, before he re- moved to Washington. He resided where Dex- ter Ball now resides. While a resident of the town he often held office. It is said that the present method of keeping the records of the town was introduced by Mr. Story.

The settlers at the east part of the town, although too far from the centre to fully enjoy the religious privileges which the Congrega- tionalist Church there afforded, were particular

to meet together in private houses for religious instruction and worship. Sometimes a sermon was read by one of their number, and at other times a preacher was employed, though not reg- ularly. In 1800 it was thought best to organ- ize a Baptist Church, as a majority of those interested were of that faith.

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History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire, Part 154

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