History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire, Part 50

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 50
USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 50

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).

During his numerous surveys he had several encounters with the Indians, in which his war experience came well to hand. The hardships from cold, from hunger and exposure during this pioneer service in the railways of the great plains, were such as few men have experienced. As an engineer, Colonel Greenwood had few peers in his profession. No obstacle that nature had interposed, as it were, in frolicsome mood, in the canons and mountains of the West, deterred this engineer of science, of skill and daring, and railroad trains now run securely where before the wild mountain sheep feared to climb. The skillful capitalists who built these wonderful railroads of Colorado well appreciated his worth, and when the Sullivan and Palmer

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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Companies undertook the International and Interoceanic Railroads from the City of Mexico to the Pacific coast, Colonel Greenwood was called as the most reliable man to locate the great work. It was while engaged in his work in Mexico that he was murdered near the public highway, at Rio Hondo, Mexico, on Sunday, August 29, 1880.

The following letter received by General Stanley gives the details : " Colonel Greenwood was on his way to the capitol from his camp near Toluca, accompanied by Mr. Miller, engineer, and a servant, to pass the Sabbath with his family. About nine miles from Mexico, near Rio Hondo, he stopped at an inn. Here there were a number of men, who, seeing his horse, laid a plot to obtain possession of it. They rode ahead some distance, where they remained am- bushed; and when Col. Greenwood approached alone, having ridden on ahead of his compan- ion and servant, they rushed out upon him, hoping that the frightened horse would throw his rider, and, in that way, they might obtain possession of the animal. This plot failed, and their only way to obtain the horse was to murder its master. His body was found on the roadside by Mr. Miller, a ball having pierced the right hand and body, leaving the impression that he had been shot while in the act of drawing his revolver. His horse, carbine and revolver were taken, but his watch and money were found upon his person. The assas- sins were probably disturbed in their act of plunder. His body was brought to the capitol and placed in the American Cemetery. The sad event was deeply deplored by every one here, where, by his many virtues, he had gained many warm friends.

"P. H. MORGAN, U. S. Legation. " Mexico, November 23, 1880."

Thus perished all that was mortal of this earnest, good and brave man, who had seemed to have a charmed life, escaping the bullets of his enemies in war, passing unharmed through numerous attacks of Indians, enduring hardships only relatively.

from cold and hunger from which few could have survived. In the spring of 1882 his remains were brought from Mexico, and placed in the cemetery at Dummerston, Vermont.

Colonel Greenwood was a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, and had surveyed and superintended the construction of over 3000 miles of railroad. This was a great work for one man to do, only forty-eight years and a few months old at the time of his death. This quiet man, almost bashful in his modesty, had realized the object of his youthful ambition, and made himself a great engineer. His works are a monument to his great worth as a soldier, and as a man of practical science he was among the first.

But there must be something said concerning Colonel Greenwood's domestic life, which was especially felicitous. May 19th, 1857, he married Evaline, daughter of Joel Knight, Jr., and Fanny Duncan (daughter of Dr. Abel Duncan, of Dummerston, Vermont), the fam- ilies of Knight and Duncan being among the most prominent and respected families in the town. Mr. and Mrs. Greenwood had no chil- dren, but adopted a beautiful little girl, who died some years ago. Her death was a great grief to them. In 1873 he purchased the farm which had been the property of the Knight family for several generations, and it is now the home of Mrs. Greenwood.

Mr. and Mrs. Greenwood found in each other congeniality, sympathy and help. In war and in peace, wherever it was possible for her to reach him, by sca or by land, she was always near to cheer and encourage him with the love and devotion of the true wife.

LUTHER HEMENWAY.

The records of the lives of many of our New England men may seem humble and unpretend- ing when compared with those more brilliant and world-renowned, but they are such The farmer, the manu-

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facturer and the mechanic each has his place in the structure of society, and it requires the different individualities to give beauty and finish to the whole. For more than a century the name of Hemenway has been a familiar and respected one in the town of Marlborough, and among the old and leading manufacturers, who deserve especial mention, is Luther Hemenway. The name is variously spelled on old records, as Hemingway, Hemmenway, Heninway, etc. The family was among the early settlers of Framing- ham, Mass., and was also of those who served their adopted country in her long and success- ful Revolutionary struggle with England. Ebenezer Hemenway, of Framingham, married Hannah Winch, May 17, 1711. Samuel, born in Framingham, August 3, 1724, married Hannah Rice. Their son, Ebenezer, born in Framing- ham, May 26, 1760, married, in 1786, Ruth, daughter of Amos and Mary (Trowbridge) Gates. She was born February 12, 1768. In 1787, Ebenezer Hemenway removed with his young wife to commence a life of activity and establish a home in Marlborough, N. H., and settled on what is now known as the Franklin Smith place. He took an intelligent interest in all the public movements of the town, giving of his time and means to forward the prosperity and welfare of its citizens. Congregationalist in his religious belief, he was a member of that church for more than forty years. He was a man of sound judgment, Christian integrity, and was universally respected. He died Octo- ber 27, 1839. His widow died October 18, 1854. Luther, son of Ebenezer and Ruth (Gates) Hemenway, was born in Framingham January 2, 1787, and came to Marlborough with his parents when but six months old. He married, for his second wife, October 26, 1813, Eliza Cummings, of a family well-known and honored in New Hampshire. He was a black- smith by trade, and had a shop in Marlborough, and was familiarly known as Captain Hemen- way. He was a stanch man, an old-time Whig, interested in educational affairs, and was one of

the number who formed the Social Library Association. He removed to Jaffrey, where he died February 13, 1872.

Luther Hemenway, youngest son of Luther and Eliza (Cummings) Hemenway, was born in Marlborough January 15, 1827. He mar- ried, December 7, 1853, Mary C., daughter of Joshua and Eliza (Rice) Davis, of Roxbury. Their children were Mary Lizzie, born August 6, 1859, died September 26, 1860; George A., born October 28, 1861, was drowned August 21, 1864; Fred. D., born April 30, 1860 (he received the educational advantages of Cushing Academy, Ashburnham, and Commercial Col- lege, Boston); and Katie M., born September 27, 1871, died November 5, 1872.

Luther Hemenway's education was acquired at the district schools, supplemented by two terms at Melville Academy, Jaffrey, to which place his father had removed. He improved his time and opportunities to the best of his ability, and remained with his parents until he was twenty-one years old, when he left home to engage in business pursuits, and came to Marlborough March 1, 1848, where he estab- lished himself with his brother Charles, and commenced making clothes-pins, having pre- viously invented a machine by which the man- ufacture was facilitated and cheapened. He remained with his brother two years and was then employed by Mr. Snow in the manufacture of boxes and toys. After continuing with him for about two years Mr. Snow failed, and Mr. Hemenway, by his prudence, economy and fore- thought, having laid up some money, he pur- chased the stock, and with a partner, E. M. Eveleth, under the firm-name of Eveleth & Hemenway, continued the business until 1861, some nine years, when Mr. Eveleth sold his interest to Mr. Hemenway, and he carried on the manufacture alone for four years. Geo. G. Davis was associated with him for a time, the firm-title being L. Hemenway & Co. Mr. Hemenway has also been engaged in other branches of manufacturing and is still doing

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something in the line. He started life with a determination to accomplish something and to do honest work, and now he can feel that he has earned the right to rest, or at least to enjoy the success of his hard, unwearied labors of many years.

Mr. Hemenway is a member of the Indepen- dent Order of Odd-Fellows, and has been an active worker and officer of the order, his mem- bership dating baek over thirty years. As to his polities, prior to our Civil War he was a Democrat, but voted for James A. Garfield, and may now be considered an Independent Repub- lican voter. He is versed in the business affairs of the town, having served its interests as select- man for several years, and held other minor offices. His religious faith is that of the Uni- versalists.

Mr. Hemenway is characterized by modest and unassuming manners, strong attachments, great love for his friends, and is a good neighbor, loyal citizen and a worthy example of what perseverance, diligence and fidelity can accom- plish. He belongs to that class of New Eng- landers who, while unostentatious and unpretend- ing, are yet the true benefactors of the commu- nity in which they live, in that they add to the material prosperity of their respective localities, and leave behind them tangible results of their life's work.

CHARLES O. WHITNEY.

In the year of our Lord 1634, John Whit- ney embarked in the " Elizabeth and Ann " from England for the shores of New England. He settled in Watertown, Mass., and his sons were John, Richard, Nathaniel, Thomas and Jonathan. Many of their descendants settled in Framingham, Mass., and, about the middle of the eighteenth century, several families mi- grated from Framingham, Mass., to New Hamp- shirc.

In 1771, John and Jonathan Whitney (brothers), of Framingham stock, came from

Dunstable and located in that part of Fitzwil- liam now Troy. They lived for nine years in a log house, purchased land and afterwards built a house which was constructed for a tav- ern and kept by them for eight years, during which time they did a good business and ac- cumulated considerable property. They closed their house to the public in 1788 and turned their attention to farming, and continued to- gether for a few years, then divided their farm and other business interests. Jonathan moved to Hartland, Vt., in 1810. John resided on the farm until his death, in 1829. He was a soldier in the Revolution, and was in the famous battle of Bunker Hill. His wife was Mary Jones, of Framingham.

The children of John and Mary (Jones) Whitney were Nathan, born in 1781, died in 1811 ; Polly, born 1783, married Luke Harris, died 1813; Sophia, born 1795, married Eseck Dexter, settled in the West; Lucy, born 1785, died 1794; Sally, born 1787, married George Farrar ; John, born 1789, married Augusta Fish, went West ; Betsey, born 1792, married Luke Harris, died in 1858; Luke, born 1798, married Lovina White, settled on the Woodward farm, where he died in 1841, leaving three children,-Ann E., who married, November 27, 1862, Goodhue Tenney, of Marl- borough ; Charles O .; and Francis L., a soldier in the great Civil War, who died in Washing- ington, D. C., from effeet of wounds received at Cold Harbor, June 3, 1864.

Charles O. Whitney was born May 4, 1838, in Troy, N. H. His father dying when he was but three years old, and the family being in humble circumstances, he went to live with his uncle, Ira Godding, of Troy, N. H., where he remained until he was about twelve years old, when Mr. and Mrs. Godding died and the young lad was thrown upon his own resources. Now commenced his hard struggle with the world for a living, and for the next four or five years Charles made his home in any family where his labor would suffice for his board and

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clothing. Of course, with all these adverse cir- cumstanees, he had but little time or opportun- ity for education, but contrived to get a few weeks in the winter at the district school when there was not much out-door labor. Many a boy, situated in like manner, would have been disheartened and taken to evil ways, but he plodded on with quiet, patient industry, and when seventeen years of age he went to work for Charles Carpenter, of Troy, who manufac tured rakes and also carried on a saw and grist-mill. He remained with him about two years, and afterward went to Gardner, Mass., and worked two years for Haywood Brothers in their chair manufactory. All this time Mr. Whitney was working diligently and assiduously, endeavoring to improve his mechanical skill. At the breaking out of the war, when the demand for fire-arms was largely increased, he went to Springfield, Mass., and worked for the United States government making muskets, continu- ing in this employment nearly two years. While in Springfield, November 27, 1862, he married Frances F., daughter of Hyman Bent, of Fitzwilliam, N. H. She was born October 27, 1838. In 1863 he returned to South Gardner, Mass., and was for a short time in the employ of M. Wright & Co., manufac- turers.

But Mr. Whitney had conceived the plan of furthering his business interests, and his early life of labor had taught him prudence and economy, and he now determined to start in business on his own account, and, taking Rod- eric L. Bent, his brother-in-law, into partner- ship, under the firm-title of Whitney & Bent, he began chair manufacturing and carried this on for more than three years, with a fair per- centage of profit on the capital invested. In 1866, Mr. Whitney disposed of his interest in the business and moved to Marlborough, N. H., of which place he has since been a resident.

In company with Mr. Goodhue Tenney, he bought the brick mill belonging to George Thatcher, and they began manufacturing

wooden pails, but, after three months' time, dis- posed of their stock and machinery, and, in con- nection with Dr. S. A. Richardson, D. W. Tenney and Charles K. Mason, they formed a copartnership under name of Marlborough Manufacturing Company, and in the spring of 1867 they made the first horse-blankets manu- factured in Marlborough. This manufacture proved a most important branch of industry and added much to the prosperity and growth of the town. After three years Mr. Whitney withdrew from the company, purchased land, erected a building, and, creating a new water- power, resumed chair manufacturing, which he carried on for a few years.

In 1873, Mr. Whitney, with Warren H. Clark, formed what is now known as the Cheshire Blanket Company, and fitted up the mill, in which Mr. Whitney formerly made chairs, for the manufacture of blankets, and conducted this industry. These enterprising men have added to their business from time to time, and in the spring of 1880 they greatly enlarged their manufacturing facilities by the erection of a new mill, forty by forty-five feet, two stories high, now making seven sets of machinery. They have a capital stock of $40,000 and can produce five hundred blankets a day.

This firm is also largely engaged in the manu- facture of satinets, produces as many as twenty- five thousand yards per month, and the annual production, when running on full time, is three thousand bales.

The children of Charles O. and Frances (Bent) Whitney are Frank R., born in Gard- ner, Mass., August 29, 1866, died August 25, 1885 ; Charles W., born August 4, 1877; and Robert L., born September 10, 1880, in Marl- borough.

Politically, Mr. Whitney has always been a Republican ; has served as selectman and in various other offices. He is an attendant of the Universalist Church, and his son Frank had, at the time of his death, been assistant superin- tendent of the Sunday-school for two years.

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Mr. Whitney has been and is a man of great industry, perseverance and pluck, and to him is due, in a large measure, the improvement of the water-power in Marlborough.

He was one of twelve Odd-Fellows, mem- bers of Beaver Brook Lodge, of Keene, to form the Paquoig Lodge, which was instituted Janu- ary 13, 1869. He was also one of a committee of five to build the present Odd-Fellows' build- ing, which was occupied April 1, 1875, and dedicated the June following.

Mr. Whitney's early manhood was one of hard toil, but, by persevering efforts, from hum- ble beginnings, unaided, he has acquired a com- peteney and stands well in the esteem of his fellow-townsmen, and is a good type of the self- made men of the Granite State.

NATHAN WINCH.

The Winch family was an old and much- respected one in the early days of the town of Framingham, Mass., and emigrants from Suffolk Co., England, bearing that name appear on old records as early as 1643. In 1673, February 11, Samuel (1) Winch, of Framingham, the progen- itor of the branch now residing in Marlborough, N. H., married Hannah Gibbs. Samuel Winch was a useful and valued citizen. He was one of the original members of the church in Framingham, which was formed in 1701; he served as selectman in 1709, tithingman in 1718, and died August 3, 1718, leaving a good name. ITis son Thomas (2), born in 1694, mar- ried Deborah Gleason, October 23, 1718, settled in Framingham, where he died September 22, 1761. Thomas (3), Jr., second son of Thomas and Deborah (Gleason) Winch, was born June 25, 1723; married, December 20, 1743, Elizabeth Drury. Caleb (4), son of Thomas, Jr., was born in Framingham, September 26, 1744, married Mehitable Maynard, and in 1768 settled in that part of Fitzwilliam now Troy, N. II. IIc purchased land, on which he was obliged to fell

the trees and otherwise clear the place in order to bring it into a state of cultivation, built a log house, and became a good farmer. He owned about two hundred acres at one time. The children of Caleb and Mehitable (Maynard) Winch were Joseph, Nabby, Betsey, Thomas, John, Hetty, Nathan, Caleb, Ebenezer and William. Caleb Winch was a man of untiring energy and possessed great strength of character. He was one of the first to respond to his coun- try's call, and was a brave and patriotic soldier of the Revolution. He took part in the battle of Lexington, and was one of the attendants of the British in their inglorious retreat to Boston, and served his day and generation well. But unfortunately the memory of most of his ser- vices in defense of American liberty has per- ished with the generation of which he was an important factor. The historian of his adopted town thus writes of him : "He was an intel- ligent and useful citizen, and took a deep in- terest in all those enterprises which had for their object the improvement of his fellow-men. In nearly all of the public business of the town hie acted a prominent part, thus showing the estimation in which he was held by those who had the best means of knowing his real merits. Although not blessed with a liberal education, he possessed talents of a high order, and he has certainly left conspicuous 'footprints upon the sands of time.'" He died January 12, 1826. Nathan (5), born March 1, 1781, passed his early days with his parents on the farm, became a farmer and succeeded to the homestead. He married, first, Polly Davidson ; she died in 1834, and he married Asenath, her sister. Some time after the death of his father he sold his farm and purchased the situation long known in Troy as the " Winch Place." He resided there until his death in 1851, aged 70 years. He was a Congregationalist in religious belief, and an active, worthy citizen. His children were Nathan, Mary (Mrs. Joseph Putney), Calvin, and Arethusa (Mrs. Geo. Bucklin).

Nathan Winch, son of Nathan and Polly

Nathan Hinch

James knowlton

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(Davidson) Winch, was born in Fitzwilliam, April 2, 1807. He improved his limited educa- tional advantages to the utmost, taught school four winters, and worked on the farm summers. He remained on the old homestead with his parents, assisting in the farm labors, until he reached his majority ; then he engaged in work in a factory for making pails, in Troy. Then, hav- ing the ambition that is characteristic of our New England boys to improve his circum- stances, he bought a water privilege in Swanzey, fitted up a building, and carried on pail manu- facturing for six years and then sold out his business. At this time, by his hard labor, unre- mitting industry, and by rigid economy, he had accumulated some money, and with the little he received from his share of the old homestead he was able to purchase a farm, which he did in Troy, and for seven years was occupied in farming. He then resumed manufacturing, and came to Marlborough in 1852, purchased a factory and continued until 1868, when he re- turned to Swanzey and was in the same busi- ness there, when his building was burned, and he removed to Marlborough and purchased an interest in his former business there, and after- wards became sole proprietor, continuing till May, 1881, when his son, George F., who is now in business, succeeded him.

During his residence in Swanzey, Mr. Winch married, October 20, 1833, Abigail Bucklin, of Wallingford, Vt. Their children were Franklin B., died aged 15 years; Adelia, died aged 7 years; Dorothea, died July 31, 1872; George B., died aged 7 years; and George F., born in 1850, married, November 6, 1873, Laura I., daughter of Gilman and Harriet (Atwood) Griffin. (They have one child, Abbie Amelia, born June 12, 1877.) Mr. Winch's first wife died April 23, 1867, and he married, second, Nancy Winzell, of Ashland, Mass .; she died January 28, 1872. His third wife was Mrs. Lucinda Scoville, daughter of Jesse and Lucy (Emery) Stone. They were married August 6, 1872.

Mr. Winch has been a man of persevering energy. Starting from an humble beginning, he entered upon manufacturing, and through it, with the labor of his hands, he has acquired a competeney. Republican in politics, he has never been a political aspirant, but has been alive to matters of public interest. He served as selectman in 1847, in Troy. His religious belief is that of the Orthodox Congregationalists, and both his wife and himself are members of the church. He is of social disposition, a good neighbor, liberal and public-spirited and a use- ful citizen, and, at the age of seventy-eight, his intellect is clear, his perception keen as that of many much younger men. In his life Mr. Winch illustrates what may be accomplished by energy, patience, perseverance and industry.

JAMES KNOWLTON.

The Knowlton family belongs to the early history of New England ; for not more than two decades subsequent to the landing of the " Mayflower" at Plymouth, Mass., and the settlement of that town by the Puritans, we find, on old records of Essex County, Mass., that John Knowlton, the progenitor of the family bearing the name, was a freeman of Ipswich, in 1641. He died in 1654, leaving children bearing the names of John, Abraham and Elizabeth. His brother Thomas was also an inhabitant of Ipswich in 1648, and married, November 24, 1668, Hannah Grew. He was a man well known and respected in the com- munity, a deacon of the church and a prison- keeper. He died April 3, 1692. John (2), son of John (1), was a resident of Wenham in 1680. Among their descendants have been many prominent men in the law, ministry and other professions. Deacon John Knowlton, probably a lineal descendant of him whose name he bore, was born in Holliston, Mass., January 24, 1745. He married Martha Jen- nings, April 20, 1769, and migrated to that part of Dublin, N. H., now known as West

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Harrisville, and became a farmer, as was the (listom of most of the pioneers in that section of the country. His wife died August 7, 1797, and he married, February 19, 1798, Elizabeth, daughter of John Wight. Their son, Luke, who was born August 1, 1801, married Mercy Bemis, December 28, 1826. He succeeded to part of the old homestead, and remained in Dublin until 1849, when he came to Marl- borough. He was a stone-mason by trade, and for many years worked with Asa Greenwood. He was a good and worthy citizen, and a member of the Universalist Church. He died December 6, 1882, in the eighty-second year of his age. He had sons, James and Luke. Luke enlisted, in 1862, in Company A, Four- teenth Regiment, New Hampshire Volunteers, and served through the war, doing his duty like a brave and patriotic citizen.

James Knowlton, oldest child of Luke and Mercy (Bemis) Knowlton, was born in Dublin, N. H., December 20, 1828. He mar- ried, May 23, 1854, Emily, daughter of Dexter and Abigail (Adams) Mason, of Dublin. She is a descendant of honorable New England families, is a lady of education and has been a successful school-teacher. Their daughter, Lilla M., was born April 16, 1857.

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History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire, Part 50

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