USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 2
USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 2
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Wild flowers abound everywhere. The space of this article will not permit us to mention but few of the species of vegetation with which the Creator has made glad our fields and forests.
SOIL AND STAPLE PRODUCTIONS .- Natur- ally, in a county so greatly diversified in eleva- tion by valleys, plains and hills, we should find the soil varying materially ; even the intervale lands along the several streams bear very little similarity in fineness or productiveness. Often we see the lesser streams dividing lands of striking dissimilarity and of natural fertility.
The intervale lands along the Connecticut River are proverbial for grain-growing capa- city. Some of the finest farms in the entire State are found in the four towns bordering upon this stream. Along the Ashuelot Valley are extensive plains, whose soils widely vary, and, lacking the dense fogs of the former stream, is subject to later frosts in the spring and earlier in the autumn. Many fine farms, however, are found along this stream. The uplands are of a granitie nature, and, as a general rule, far less productive than in former times ; much of it is too rough for cultivation, and is better adapted to the growing of timber than of grain. The plain lands are easier to cultivate, but require the best of husbandry to produce satisfactory results.
Judicious drainage has converted many un- sightly, worthless swamps into the best of grass lands.
The census of 1880 conveys an idea of the county staple productions. With 2836 farms, embracing an area of 233,845 acres of improved land, there was grown 14,165 bushels of barley, 2416 bushels of buckwheat, 150,788 bushels of Indian corn, 90,774 bushels of oats, 3958 bushels of rye, 2666 bushels of wheat, 55,660 tons of hay, 214,809 bushels of potatoes, 141,218 pounds of tobacco, and orchard pro- duets to the value of $57,877. These farms supported 4109 horses, 7 mules, 2222 working oxen, 7792 milch eows, 13,147 neat-stock, 24,296 sheep and 4788 swine.
The stock products for the year were 128,670 pounds of wool, 181,281 gallons of milk, 732,610 pounds of butter and 63,376 pounds of cheese.
6
HISTORY OF CHESHIRE COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
Notwithstanding the large amount of grain grown within the county, the consumption of Western grain has yearly been steadily and heavily increasing.
MANUFACTURES .- Cheshire County is, to a considerable extent, engaged in manufactures ; the southern portion of the county especially so. Here the wooden-ware business found its early home and abiding-place, contributing largely to the prosperity of several towns. The waters of the Ashuelot and of its tributary streams move a large amount of cotton and woolen machinery, while the manufacture of pottery, shoes, leather, paper, lumber and ma- chinery receives considerable attention, con- siderable investment and the employment of many people. At Walpole is located an extensive brewery. The census of 1880 enumerated 317 manufacturing establishments in this county, with an invested capital of $3,758,815, giving employment to 4523 hands, whose wages amounted to $1,299,427. The total value of raw material used was $4,502,889, and the total product was $7,768,943.
COURTS AND COUNTY BUILDINGS .- From the division of the county, in 1827, Keene has been the shire-town of Cheshire County. Here the Inferior Court held its first session in October, 1771, and the Superior Court in September, 1772. These first sessions were, undoubtedly, held in the old meeting-house that stood in the northeast corner of Central Square and opposite Gerould's block. For ten years following the erection of the present Congregational Church, in 1786, the courts were held therein. The centre pews and seats were removed temporarily during the session, and a bench and a table, called a bar, substi- tuted for the use of the judges and lawyers.
The first building especially erected for the purpose of a court-house stood near the old meeting-house, and was built in 1796. It was built mainly through individual enterprise. It rendered service for twenty-eight years, when it was sold, moved and converted into dwellings. The next court-house was erected in 1824-25. Its site is now occupied by the north end of Gerould's block and the block of F. F. Lane, Esq., upon the corner of Central Square and
Winter Street. The county, for the considera- tion of five dollars, secured a deed of this site, of Joseph Dorr, March 20, 1824, with a stipu- lated condition that the lot should be used for county purposes only. The condition having been broken, a suit was brought against the county for the recovery of the lot and building thereon by the owner of the reversionary right, Samuel Wood. This suit was protracted for six years. Finally, at the March term, 1856, Wood's executors secured judgment, and the lot passed from the possession of the county.
The present court-house lot was secured in five different purchases,-namely, from Henry Coolidge, April 13, 1840, two thousand six hundred square feet for nine hundred dollars ; from Abijah Wilder a lot north and west of above-named lot, July, 1848, for one thousand dollars; again of the same party, in 1857, an additional tract for two thousand dollars ; and, in 1858, another tract. Having secured a lot, the county proceeded to ereet the present house. Commenced in 1858, it was completed in Feb- ruary, 1859, at a cost of nearly twenty-eight thousand dollars. Thomas M. Edwards, ot Keene, Nelson Converse, of Marlborough, Sam- uel Isham, of Gilsum, were the committee having the supervision of its erection. Gridley J. F. Bryant was the architect and Joel Ballard the contractor. This building, although considered at the time amply sufficient for all coming wants of a court-house, still already it is appar- ent that more room will be required in the not distant future. In 1884 the county erceted a spacious, costly, and elegant jail upon lots pur- chased of J. H. Elliot, long known as " the old glass-factory lot." When this lot is com- pleted and adorned as contemplated, together with all the conveniences and extras that a lib- eral outlay of money could procure in the plans of the buildings, then the convict class will in- deed have a most elegant residence. Upon the opening of the new jail the House of Correction was removed from Westmoreland and located therein. Without enumerating the names of the several justices of the several courts, we will give a list of the several elerks of courts as being more particularly identified with the county,-
7
GENERAL HISTORY.
CLERKS OF COURTS. Common Pleas.
Simeon Jones, October, 1771, to April, 1775. Thomas Sparhawk, April, 1779, to September, 1812. Salma Hale, September, 1812, to April, 1834.
Superior Court of Judicature.
George King, 1772 to 1778. George Atkinson, 1778 to 1780.
Samuel Shurburne, 1780 to October, 1781.
Nathaniel Adams, October, 1781, to October, 1816. For Both Courts.
Salma Hale, May, 1817, to April, 1834.
Henry Coolidge, April, 1834, to April, 1843.
Leonard Biseoe, April, 1843, to December, 1857.
Edward Farrar, December, 1857, to the present ‹late.
JUDGES OF PROBATE.
Simeon Olcott, from 1771 to 1775.
Thomas Sparhawk, from 1775 to 1789.
John Hubbard, from 1789 to 1802. Abel Parker, from 1802 to 1823.
Samuel Dinsmore, from 1823 to 1831.
Aaron Matson, from 1831 to 1835.
Frederick Vose, from 1835 to 1841.
Larkin Baker, from 1841 to 1864.
Silas Hardy, from 1864 to 1874.
Harvey Carlton, from 1874 to 1876.
Josiah G. Bellows, from 1876 to the present date.
REGISTERS OF PROBATE.
Thomas Sparhawk, 1771.
Ichabod Fisher, 1775. Micah Lawrence, 1785. Samuel Stevens, from 1793 to 1823.
Frederie A. Sumner, from 1823 to 1827.
Asa Parker, from 1827 to 1833.
Elijah Sawyer, from 1833 to 1847.
George F. Starkweather, from 1847 to 1851.
George W. Sturtevant, from 1851 to 1857.
Calvin May, Jr., from 1857 to 1859.
Silas Hardy, from 1859 to 1863. George Tieknor, from 1863 to 1866. Allen Giffin, from 1866 to 1871.
Frank H. Hics, from 1871 to 1873.
Dauphin W. Buckminster, from 1873 to 1880.
Henry O. Coolidge, from January, 1880, to the present date.
REGISTERS OF DEEDS.
Josiah Willard, from 1771 to - -. James Campbell, from - to 1824. Lewis Campbell, from 1824 to 1837. John Foster,1 from 1837 to 1838. Charles Sturtevant, from 1838 to 1845. Isaac Sturtevant, from 1845 to 1846.
Barton Skinner, from 1846 to 1852.
Charles Sturtevant, from 1852 to 1853.
Harvey A. Bill, from 1853 to 1855.
Charles Sturtevant, from 1855 to 1859. Calvin May, from 1859 to 1862.
Isaac W. Derby,? from 1862 to 1864,
John J. Allen from 1863 to 1883.
Charles C. Buffum, from 1883 to present date.
HIGH SHERIFFS.
Previous to 1878 this office was appointive. Subse- quent to this date Ralph Holt held the office from June, 1879, to January, 1880.
Horace A. Perry, from 1880 to the present date.
ROAD COMMISSIONERS.
1845 .- Barton Skinner, Jonathan K. Smith, Asahel I. Humphrey.
1846 .- Jonathan K. Smith, Aaron P. Howland, Daniel W. Farrar.
1852 .- Augustus Noyes, Jonathan S. Adams, Jon- athan Harvey, Jr.
1853 .- Augustus Noyes, Lanson Robertson, Samuel Slade, Jr.
1854 .- Samuel Slade, Jr., Laban Riee, Edmund Jones.
1855 .- Nelson Converse, Arvin Aldrich, John Sy- monds. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
John A. Prescott, 1857; Lanson Robertson, 1858; Willard Adams, 1859; Samuel Atherton, 1860; Aaron P. Howland, 1861; Jonathan S. Adams, 1862; Sum- ner Knight, 1863; Zebulon Converse, 1864; David A. Felt, 1865; Sumner Knight, 1866; H. O. Coolidge, 1867; Franklin H. Cutter, 1868; Joshua B. Clark, 1869; Aaron Smith, 1870; John Humphrey,3 1871; Alonzo A. Ware, 1872; Willard Bill, Jr., 1873; Joseph B. Abbott, 1874; Charles H. Whitney, 1875; George C. Hubbard, 1876; Charles R. Sargeant, 1877; Gard- ner C. Hill,4 1878.
Subsequent to the change of the Constitution the following have been elected :
1878 .- Charles R. Sargeant, Gardner C. Hill, Levi .1. Fuller.
1880 .- Levi A. Fuller, Joseph B. Abbott, George IV. Stearns.
1882 .- Joseph B. Abbott, George W. Stearns, Al- fred W. Burt.
2 Resigned in 1863 and John J. Allen was appointed in his place November 10th. lle was elected in 1864 and re- signed in 1883.
3 Resigned, and Aaron Smith was appointed to the va- cancy.
4 Prior to the constitutional change of 1878 the county commissioners held their office for a term of three years, and one was elected annually to fill the vacancy of a re- tiring member. At the present time three are chosen biennially.
1Appointed to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of Lewis Campbell.'
HISTORY OF CHESHIRE COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
TOWNS.
INCORPORATION.
FIRST CALLED NAME. 1767 1773 1775 1783 1786
1790
1800
1810
1820
1830
1840
1850
1860
1870
1880
Alstead
August 6, 1763
New Town
130
232 317 943
1111
1661
1694
1611
1559
1454
1425
1318
1213
1037
Chesterfield
February 11, 1752.
No. 1.
365
747' 874.1378|
1535
1905
2161
1839
2110
2046
1765
1680
1434
1289
1173
Dublin. .
·
March 29, 1771 .
Monadnock, No. 2.
255
305
608 658
901
1188
1184
1260
1218
1075
1088
1096
930
456
93
214
870
1038
1240
1301
1167
1229
1366
1482
1294
1140
1187
128
139
178
305
298
484
513
601
642
656
668
676
590
663
Harrisville
July 2, 1870. .
158
220
303
330
522
634
740
890
937
1141
1903
1312
1342
1868
Jaffrey .
August 17, 1773.
Monadnock, No. 2.
303
351 1049
1235
1341
1336
1339
1354
1411
1467
1453
1256
1267
Keene .
April 11, 1753
Upper Ashuelot.
430
645 756 1093'
1314
1645
1646
1895
2374
2610
3392
4320
5971
6786
93
275
322
618
786
1185
1142
766
822
831
1877
915
1017
1387
77
156
207|
252
313
543
566
597
645
626
708
813
716
701
338
745 864
1250
1380
1390
1290
1391
1301
1165
1128
1015
868
669
Rindge.
February 11, 1768.
Monadnock, No. 1.
298
604
542
759
1143
1196
1226
1298
1269
1161
1274
1231
1107
936
Roxbury .
December 9, 1812 .
215
224
453
563
701
1148
1203
1159
1006
1105
944
667
553
220
488
516
582
555
496
468
376
347
382
Surry .
May 9, 1769.
208
215
448
569
564
570
539
481
556
389
318
326
Swanzey .
July 2, 1753.
Lower Ashuelot
320
536
647
957 1000
1157
1271
1716
1816
1755
2106
1798
1626
1661
Troy .
June 23, 1815
Great Falls, or }
308 549
658
1245
1743
1894
2020
1979
2015
2034
1868
1830
2018
Westmoreland . February 11, 1753.
Great Meadow
698
758
1621
2018
2066
1937
2029
1647
1546
1678
1285
1256
1103
Winchester .
. July 3, 1752
Arlington .
428
646
238
1103
1209
1413
1478
1849
2052
2065
3296
2225
2097
2444
Total population of County .
3557 7504 7642 6633 13496
19665
24348
24474 26843
[27016
26429
30144 |27434
27265
28846
SETTLEMENT .- It has been before stated that
settlement came upward from the south along
the Connecticut River ; but it was retarded, again
1884 .- Joseph B. Abbott, Alfred W. Burt, Elbridge Kingsbury.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS .- The early set- tlement of Cheshire County came from the southwar1. The Connecticut River was its highway. It had been the favorite highway of the Indian. It was the first highway of the settlers of the valley and country adjacent thereto. At first the bark canoe plied upon its waters ; then came the rude flat-boat, followed by boats of more perfected proportions, spread- ing to the breezes winged sails, and, lastly, attempts, but not of practical success, of steam- propellers. At one time boating and rafting assumed considerable proportions upon the river, but upon the construction of the railroad lines it passed away. Undoubtedly the first experiments at steamboating were made upon the Upper Connecticut as early as 1793 by Cap- tain Samuel Mory, and some years prior to Fulton's operations. In 1827 a steamer named the " Barnet" ascended the river from Hartford to Bellows Falls, creating no little curiosity as it came puffing up the river. In after-years other attempts at steamboating were made upon the Upper Connecticut, but were not of long duration.
ABORIGINAL OCCUPANCY .- That portion of the Connecticut River valley north of the Deer- field River in Massachusetts was claimed and occupied by a tribe of Indians known as the Squakheags. Their territory included Cheshire County as far as the Monadnock Mountain to the east. So far as known, it was not a strong tribe, and does not bear a conspicuous position in aboriginal history. It probably was closely allied to some of the surrounding tribes, notably with the Nashaways, who lived upon the Nashua and Merrimack Rivers. The Squak- heags continued to occupy this vicinity until 1720, when it appears that they disbanded, a large portion of whom must have passed to the northward and joined the St. Francis tribe in Canada. This tribe, in later years, in june- tion with the French, were especially active
tion, of which the sketches of the several towns relate. Tradition has handed down to us the many favorite resorts in the county which the
·
1122
·
.
117
186
511
567
721
977
1076
907
875
835
750
699
744
438
·
Richmond
February 28, 1752 .
. .
.
366
322
286
260
212
174
126
Stoddard .
November 4, 1774.
Sullivan .
September 27, 1787
676
683
759
761
767
795
Walpole
February 13, 1752 }
Bellow's Town
391
.
.
.
Hinsdale .
.
.
December 13, 1776.
Monadnock, No. 5.
October 7, 1761 .
Nelson .
February 22, 1774.
Monadnock, No. 6
Marlborough . Marlow
September 3, 1753.
Fort Dummer.
870
Gilsum
July 13, 1763
Boyle
Monadnock, No. 4.
Fitzwilliam.
May 19, 1773 .
CENSUS OF
Indians were wont to frequent for hunting and fishing purposes.
8
in spreading desolation throughout this sec-
Limerick.
.
1132
1400
676
281
9
BENCH AND BAR.
and again beaten back, mainly through the animosity and depredations of Indians. Reach- ing the mouth of the Ashuelot, it appears that it left the Great River. Reaching Upper Ashuelot (now Keene), in 1734, the same year it took root at Lower Ashuelot (Swanzey), Earlington (Winchester). Some two years after, in 1736, a settlement was made at Hinsdale, and later in the towns above on the Great River. Until the close of the Revolutionary War settlement proceeded slowly ; it then took a new impetus and proceeded rapidly.
We insert on the preceding page a census table, containing a tabulated statement showing the movement of population of the several towns in Cheshire County at each census since 1767, inclusive, with dates of incorporation and first called names.
In 1861 the tocsin of war sounded high and loud over a startled land, and the wires flashed the dread news that armed rebellion had fired upon Sumter's fated walls. In the great up- rising of the North that followed, in the defense of the nation, Cheshire County responded to every call for troops with alaerity. On South- ern soil it shed its best blood in order that the country might live. The lapse of time has dimmed in part the remembrance of the heroism of that hour, but we now enjoy the fruits of no- ble effort and of victory won. The following table shows the number of soldiers furnished by each town in response to the several calls, the number of soldiers who were killed or died in the service and the amount of municipal war loan awarded to each town,-
Killed
Towns.
Soldiers. and Died.
Municipal War Loan. $8,375.00
Alstead
98
..
Chesterfield.
85
20
7,416.67
Dublin
91
25
9,100.00
Fitzwilliam.
101
45
7,991.67
Gilsum
57
...
5,400.00
Hinsdale.
112
...
10,533.33
Jaffrey
119
...
9,933.33
Keene.
404
25
37,900.00
Marlborough.
56
5,600.00
Marlow.
52
18
4,866.67
Nelson.
69
6
5,981.67
Richmond
68
14
5,050.00
Rindge
86
16
8,250,00
Roxbury
17
..
1,633.33
Stoddard
66
3
5,358.00
Killed
Municipal
Towns.
Soldiers.
and Died.
War Loan.
Sullivan
26
12
2,600.00
Surry
32
6
2,666.67
Swanzey
148
5
12,325.00
Troy
54
10
4,425.00
Walpole
145
..
12,650.00
Westmoreland
82
10
7,975.00
Winchester.
134
...
12,866.67
CHAPTER II.
BENCH AND BAR.
AMONG the earliest members of the legal pro- fession in this section of New England was Elijah Williams, a native of Deerfield, Mass., who settled in Keene in 1771. During the Rev- olution his sympathies were with the mother- country, and after the battle of Lexington he joined the British in Boston. He died in Deer- field.
HON. DANIEL NEWCOMB settled in Keene in 1778 and commenced practice there in 1783. He was appointed chief judge of Cheshire County in 1790; was justice of the Superior Court of Judicature from April 6, 1796, to 1798. He was the first State Senator from Keene. He died July 14, 1818.
HON. PETER SPRAGUE was an early lawyer in Keene. He became prominent here in 1792. He was elected to Congress in 1797 and re- elected in 1799. He died in 1800.
NOAH COOKE settled in Keene in 1791, and remained in practice there until his death, on October 15, 1829. He was admitted as an at- torney in 1784.
HON. SAMUEL DINSMOOR was born in Wind- ham July 1, 1766. He graduated at Dartmouth in 1789, and settled in Keene in 1792. He was appointed postmaster in 1808, and in 1811 was elected to Congress. He held numerous positions of trust and responsibility, and was elected Governor of New Hampshire in 1831, 1832 and 1833. He died March 15, 1835.
Among those in practice in Keene from 1794 to 1813 were Hon. Samuel Hunt (member of Congress), David Forbes, Samuel West, Noah R. Cooke, Foster Alexander, Lockhart Willard,
10
HISTORY OF CHESHIRE COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
Elijah Dunbar, Samuel Prescott, Seth New- comb, E. Butterfield and Wm. Gordon.
HON. JAMES WILSON commenced practice in Keene in 1815. He graduated at Harvard University in 1789, and was admitted to the bar in 1792. In 1809 he was elected to Con- gress. He died January 4, 1839. Mr. Wilson was a lawyer of distinguished ability, and had but few equals in the State. Joseph Buffum, Jr., commenced practice in Keene in 1816. He was elected to Congress in 1819.
LEVI CHAMBERLAIN was one of the leading lawyers in New Hampshire. He held various official positions, and in 1849 was the Whig can- dlidate for Governor. He was a member of the Peace Congress in 1861. He died August 31, 1868. He was in stature tall, elegant in manner, genial and witty.
JOEL PARKER was admitted to the bar in Keene in 1817. He was appointed justice of the Supreme Court of Judicature from January 8, 1833, and was chief justice from June 25, 1838, to June 24, 1848. He was subsequently professor of law in Harvard for a period of twenty years.
The following were in practice in Keene in 1818: Noah Cooke, Samuel Dinsmoor, Foster Alexander, Elijah Dunbar, Joseph Buffum, Jr., James Wilson, Levi Chamberlain, Elijah Parker, Joel Parker, Fr. Gardner and Thomas M. Edwards. Elijah Parker was a graduate of Dartmouth College and a prominent lawyer in Keene for many years.
THOMAS M. EDWARDS graduated at Dart- mouth in 1813. He was born in Providence in 1795, and was brought here by his parents at an early age. He was postmaster in Keene from 1817 to 1829; was member of Legisla- ture, Presidential elector, member of Congress, and was first president of the Cheshire Rail- road. He was a prominent citizen of Keene, a thorough scholar, an able lawyer and a success- ful financier. He was a man of great energy and executive ability. He died May 1, 1875.
SAMUEL DINSMOOR, JR., son of Governor Samuel Dinsmoor, was a prominent and in- Huential citizen. He was clerk of the Sen- ate in 1826, 1827, 1829 and 1831; he was postmaster at Keene, cashier of the Ashuelot
Bank and later its president, and was Governor of New Hampshire in 1849, 1850 and 1851. He died February 24, 1869.
GENERAL JAMES WILSON commenced prac- tice in Keene in 1823. He was one of Keene's most active, prominent and esteemed citizens. Except the years 1838 and 1839, when he was a candidate for Governor (and 1833), he was in continuous service in the Legislature from 1825 to 1840. In 1828 he was Speaker of the House. He was elected to Congress in 1847 and re- elected in 1849. Upon the breaking out of the Rebellion he was offered a brigadier-general's commission, which ill health prevented him from accepting. He represented Keene in the Legislature in 1870 and 1871.
PHINEHAS HANDERSON was born in Am- herst, Mass., December 13, 1778. He studied law in the office of Hon. George B. Upham, of Claremont. Soon after his admission to the 'bar he established himself in Chesterfield, at that time one of the most flourishing towns in the State. He was president of Cheshire bar from the time of the organization of the county until his death, March 16, 1853. He removed to Keene in 1833. Hon. Levi Chamberlain speaks of him as " one of the most respected and influ- ential members of the profession, and that influ- ence was the result of his faithful, upright and able performance of duty."
The various publie trusts to which he was repeatedly called by those who knew him best show in what estimation he was held by his fellow-citizens. His only son, Henry C. Han- derson, served as captain in the war ; was after- wards postmaster in Keene, where he died in 1874. His seven daughters are still living ; two unmarried in the homestead in Keene.
(See town history of Chesterfield for additional facts.)
SALMA HALE was a well-known lawyer of Keene, highly respected and esteemed. He was deeply interested in matters pertaining to the history of Keene, and prepared the "Annals of Keene," a volume of rare interest. Beside holding other official positions, he was elected a member of Congress.
WILLIAM P. WHEELER was a lawyer who ranked with the ablest in the State. He was
P. A. Lance
11
BENCH AND BAR.
admitted to practice in 1842 and settled in Keene, where he remained until his death, in May, 1876. He was county solicitor for ten years, and in 1855 and 1857 was a candidate for Con- gress.
FARNUM FISH LANE, now the oldest membe: of the Cheshire County bar, and for several years president of the Cheshire County Bar As sociation, was born in Swanzey, N. H., March 15, 1816.
The first one of this family to settle in New Hampshire was his great-grandfather, Elkanah Lane, who came from Norton, Mass., about the middle of the eighteenth century, purchased land in Swanzey, became a farmer and was a resident of the town and left numerous de- scendants. He was a man of perseverance and sterling honesty of purpose and thought.
His son Samuel inherited the farm of his father, married -- Scott and had five sons,- Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Ezekiel and Luther,- and one daughter, Lucy. He served in the War of the Revolution, and although a man of quiet and unassuming manners, was a sturdy patriot and loyal citizen. He died about 1835, aged eighty-four years.
Ezekiel, his fourth son, was born in Swanzey in 1790. He settled on a farm ad- joining the ancestral homestead and was a life-long resident of the town. He was a kind husband, good citizen, and, like his father, a man of retiring disposition. He married, early in life, Rachel, daughter of Farnum and Rachel (Thayer) Fish. (Farnum Fish was a native of Massachusetts, but for many years a citizen of Swanzey. He was an energetic farmer and man of note, and one of the controlling spirits of the town, and with commendable public spirit endeavored to advance its interests. He received the highest respect from his fellow- townsmen, who elected him to various town offices. He held the commission of justice of the peace for many years and was a captain of militia. He accumulated consider- able property, consisting of real estate. He (lied about 1829.) Of the ten children of Eze- kiel and Rachel (Fish) Lane, eight are now living.
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