History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire, Part 83

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 83
USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire > Part 83

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).

hard, but had a rare judgment and in a high degree, what is known in New England as “ fac- ulty." He was captain of a cavalry troop of militia, and a strict disciplinarian. Democratic in politics, he represented Westmoreland in the State Legislature in 1850 and 1851. He was intrusted with the management and settlement of many estates, and was often selected as guardian to orphan children. He was select- man for the years 1830 to 1839, and held a commission of justice of the peace, and in all these various positions he discharged his duties faith- fully and to the satisfaction of his constit- uents.

Mr. French was very systematic, industrious, economical, prudent and temperate, and so hon- est that everywhere he was known and marked for his sterling integrity. A strong man, of positive nature, he enjoyed to a high degree the confidence, friendship and love of the citi- zens of his native town, than whom none were more highly reverenced. He was an attendant of the Congregationalist Church, of which his wife was a valued member, and contributed largely to the support of the gospel. In all affairs of public interest in town he was an ac- tive force, and worked zealously in all fields which his judgment told him were of usefulness. He died May 13, 1862. His wife survived him many years, shedding the light of a Chris- tian example, and surrounded by the care and ministrations of kind and loving children until, in the fulness of time she, too, was gath- ered to her rest, December 19, 1884.

IN MEMORIAM. AZUBAH ALBEE FRENCH, DAUGHTER OF ICHABOD AND LONA ALBEE.

WIFE OF ABIJAH FRENCH. BORN IN WESTMORELAND, N. H., FEBRUARY 21, 1795.

WENT HOME TO HEAVEN DECEMBER 19, 1884. AGED 89 YEARS, 9 MONTHS, 28 DAYS.

Mrs. Azubah French died at her home in West- moreland the 19th of December at 6 o'clock in the

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afternoon, at the advanced age of eighty-nine years and ten months. By the death of this estimable lady, the oldest inhabitant of the town passed away. But few remain with whom she was associated in mid- dle life, when she had an extensive acquaintance and was much respected by all. She possessed many sterling qualties-good sense, prudent in speech, an obliging neighbor. She was kind to the poor and always ready to visit the sick and administer to their wants. Her thoughtfulness of the welfare of others, her charities and kindliness of heart, will long be re- membered by the people of her native town. Although feeble for some years, her last illness was of short du- ration. She had ten children, five of whom died in infancy, two in their childhood years, and one cut down by disease in the midst of her youthful days. Only two survive her-Mrs. Almira A. Chamberlain, of Westmoreland, and Jotham A. French, of Keene. Mrs. French's life was one of untiring industry. She never ate the "bread of idleness." She looked well to the ways of her own household, trained her children in the paths of morality and religion, and they in turn have been dutiful and faithful to her, sparing no effort to make her declining years pleasant and happy. She united with the Congregational Church in July, 1831, and she has always been a consistent and worthy member. Only one survives her who was a member of the church at the time she united with it. S.

" BLESSED ARE THE DEAD WHO DIE IN THE LORD." The last link (save that of a dear sister) that binds my heart to the maple-shaded home of my youth is broken. Our mother has gone. There is a sadness in the thought that I no longer have a mother here on earth. But I cannot murmur, for she was spared to us far beyond the allotted "three-score years and ten." In her departure one more of the life-long resi- dents of Westmoreland has passed the silent river and joined the happy throng of saints on the other side, and is now united to the loved ones who had gone before. At the age of twenty years she married, and lived with her husband forty-seven years, when, at the age of seventy-two, he passed away. They lived a happy life, though clouded by the loss of eight children during those many years of conjugal affection. For the last twenty-two years our mother has lived in the loneliness of widowhood, though sus- tained by the consolations of that religion which, for fifty-three years, has been the rule of her life. In 1873 my sister's family moved into the old home to care for her and guide her footsteps gently down the decline of life. Never did she fully recover from the loss of her son-in-law, who was suddenly stricken down four years ago in the prime of life. His kindness and

devotion were cherished to the very last. The death of her granddaughter, a short time before, also made a visible impression upon her gradually failing strength, and when, sixteen months before her death, in consequence of a fall, she could only get about her room in a wheel-chair, it became apparent that the sands of her life had nearly run out. On the seventy- fifth anniversary of her birth many of the relatives and friends gave her a pleasant surprise, celebrating the joyous occasion with music, supper, reading of a poem, ete., and have repeated it for the last fourteen years, with the exception of two years, when sickness in the family prevented. Several of those who were present at these annual gatherings have dropped one by one from the circle, but she was spared to see ninety years, save two months. In the hundreds of visits that I have made during the past twenty-three years, she has invariably met me with a mother's cordial greeting, and, on leaving, gave me a parting kiss, say- ing, "Good-bye. Come and see me again." Those oft-repeated words were the last that fell upon my ear from her lips. While I have been truly thankful that a kind Providence prolonged her life to a ripe old age, she has been only "waiting and watch- ing " for the welcome summons, "Come unto me and I will give you rest."

"The journey at last is o'er, And the struggles and toils are past, And the holy angels who led her on, Till the fight was fought And the victory won, Have carried her home at last."

J. A. FRENCH.

HASKELL BUFFUM.

The Buffum family has in many generations of the past been mostly agriculturists, indus- trious, careful individuals, doing their duties well in the sphere of life to which they were called. Here and there one of the family has drifted into other fields, professional, commer- cial or scholastic, and shown capabilities and powers which have won success, but the greater number have been "tillers of the soil." They have been men of good judgment, active tem- perament, broad and liberal in their views, and have performed their share of the publie mat- ters of the town. This family is of English descent. Robert Buffum emigrated to America

Haskell Buffum

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from Yorkshire, England, and settled in Salem, Mass., where his name was recorded in 1638. He died in 1679. His wife, Thomasine, was born in 1606, died in 1688. They had seven children. Their son Caleb, born in Salem, 1650, married Hannah, daughter of Joseph Pope, who came to America at the same time with Robert. Caleb died in 1731. Benjamin, son of Caleb, born 1686, married a Buxton. Joseph, his son, born 1717, died 1796, married Margaret Osborne, born 1719. Their son, Jo- seph, born in Smithfield, R. I., 1754, emigrated to Westmoreland in 1784, and lived in the south part of the town, and was a farmer. He married Sally, daughter of Elias Haskell, of Lancaster, Mass. They had seven sons, all of whom inherited the strong mind, persistent will and good common sense for which the family has ever been remarkable. Joseph Buffum lived in the latter part of the eighteenth century, when the demand was to live, and the question "how?" was answered by being brave, active and vigorous. All of these traits Mr. Buffum possessed, and with a wife having the same spirit as a helper, the children of this worthy couple were strong mentally as well as physically. Mr. Buffum died in Westmoreland in 1829; his wife survived him, dying Septem- ber, 1848.

Joseph, the oldest of these seven child- ren, was graduated at Dartmouth College, became a lawyer, was a member of Congress in 1818, and, at one time, postmaster at Keene, and a man of marked ability, dying unmarried. Sewell married Fanny Atherton, of Chesterfield; they had two children, George and Frances A. Erasmus married Hepsy Thayer, of Westmoreland ; their children were Solon (of Staten Island), Alba, James, Sally, Mary and Jewett E. William married Mary Ann, daugh- ter of Thomas Gordon, of Sterling, Conn; their children were William G., Rufus E., Joseph H., George D., Edward W. and Sarah Ann. Haskell. Solon, who died young. David, who married Mary, daughter of Hon. Thomas and

Eleanor (Foster) Bellows; their children are Thomas B. and Ann Reynolds.

Haskell Buffum, the fifth son of Joseph and Sally (Haskell) Buffum, was born in Westmore- land, September 29, 1795. A farmer's son, and one of a large family, he was early obliged to labor, and his opportunities for school educa- tion were limited to the district school, sup- plemented by one term at Chesterfield Academy. But a farmer's life does not necessarily include a life which excludes time for thought and reading; on the contrary, a farmer has ample time to think and digest what he has read; for, as an old writer has well said, "a few books well studied and thoroughly digested nourish the understanding more than hundreds but gargled through the mouth," and, through life, Mr. Buffum carefully improved his opportu- nities for reading and observation. He worked on his father's farm until he was about twenty- seven years old, then purchased one adjoining, and, with the care of his own place, superintend- ed his father's for many years, and was a dil- igent, persevering, hard-working and successful farmer.

In April, 1820, Mr. Buffum married Seloma, daughter of Jonathan Wood. Mrs. Buffum was a woman of good thought, an almost unfailing memory, bright and cheerful in her manners and disposition. She died December, 1883, aged eighty-four years and three months.

Their children were Haskell W., now at Walla Walla, Washington Territory ; he mar- ried Mary Burker, of Pittsburgh, Pa .; they have five children now living. Julia married Dr. Charles Lord, of Westmoreland, and settled in Shakopee, Minn .; they have seven children. Joseph married Maria A. Ramaley, of Pitts- burgh, Pa .; of their seven children, five survive; the oldest, Dr. J. H. Buffum, is an oculist and aurist in Chicago, III. Seloma married F. W. Jenkins, of Pittsburgh, Pa. ; they have five children. Mary A. married Jason D. Wheeler, of San Francisco, Cal .; Caroline J. married Stephen H. Burt, of Westmoreland ; she died

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April 17, 1881; they had seven children. Sarah A. married John D. Ramaley, now living at St. Paul, Minn., has two children. Susan A., twin-sister of Sarah A., died aged four years. Coralinn H. married John Works (son of Aaron Works, of Westmoreland, a life-long resident of the town and a prominent man in business and social cireles); they have had three children, Mary B. (died aged nine years), Walter L. and Frederick A. It was with this daughter, Mrs. Works, that Mr. Buffum passed his declining years.

Mr. Buffum was a participant in the civil business of his native town, having been select- man and representative to the Legislature two terms. He was actively interested in the mili- tary organizations of the State, and carefully preserved his commissions of ensign, Fifth Com- pany, Twentieth Regiment of militia, received from Governor Plumer, June 30, 1819; that of lieutenant, dated March 24, 1821; and of cap- tain, August 16, 1822, signed by Governor Bell; and his honorable discharge. Mr. Buffum died in his native town, March 11, 1885, aged eighty-nine years and five months. He was at the time of his death the oldest citizen in town, and it is worthy of especial note that, notwith- standing his advanced age, he continued in full possession of his clear mentality and vigor of intellect up to the last hours of his life.

In his religious belief, Mr. Buffum was a Universalist, and from childhood a regular attendant upon church services. He was a man of courteous manners, of cheerful and humorous disposition, most temperate habits, kind and affectionate in his family relations, and at the close of life's long day he could look back to labors well performed and forward to a well- carned rest from toil.

To more than an ordinary degree Mr. and Mrs. Buffum enjoyed and deserved the love, honor and reverence of the community to whom for so many years their lives were as an open book, on whose pages naught was written but upright motives, charitable deeds, and actions

in every way consonant with the teachings of the Golden Rule. Of the best type of the ster- ling New England character of the last genera- tion, long will their memory be cherished with devotion by their descendants, and the remem- brance of their lives rest like a sweet odor and a worthy example in the minds of the dwellers in Westmoreland.

THEODORE COLE.

The Cole families of Westmoreland, N. H., are descended from John Cole, of Hartford, Conn., who came from England in 1636, was a freeman in 1647, and died in 1685. He had three sons,-John, Samuel, and Nathaniel. Of Samuel's children, Jonathan, born 1696, was the youngest, and settled in Harvard, Mass. He had three sons,-Jonathan, born 1730, who was one of the grantees of the town of West- moreland ; John, born in 1741, died 1786, set- tled in the north part of Westmoreland ; and Abijah, born 1732, married, about 1757; Sarah Kent, of Harvard, Mass., and died in Harvard, 1768, aged thirty-six years. Abijah left two sons, Abijah and Asa. Asa was born in 1768, the year of his father's death. His early boyhood was passed with an aunt, Mrs. Chamberlain, in Westmoreland. After his thirteenth year he worked with his step-father, Samuel Garfield, a millwright, at that trade, building and repair- ing many mills in numerous places in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine. In January, 1793, he married Anna Goldsmith of Harvard, Mass., and resided there for a year or more, then for seven years he made his home in Rindge, N. H., then removed to Westmore- land, and worked at his trade. He built the mills afterwards known as the Pierce Mills, and was manager of the property for a long time. About 1815 he proposed joining the colony which Ephraim Brown was organizing for a settlement in Ohio, but a severe hemorrhage compelled him to relinquish the plan. He made a trip to the coast of Maine, but without

Theodore boll

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any beneficial results, and returned to West- moreland where he died December 6, 1816, aged forty-eight years. " His wife, left with a large family of young children, proved herself a woman of abundant resource. She kept her children at home till they grew to be of ser- vice to others, when, one by one, they went their ways in life. She afterward married Amory Pollard, of Bolton, Mass., whom she survived. She died in Montpelier, Vt., Sep- tember 4, 1852, full of years, loved and honor- ed by her children and friends." Her burial- place is at Westmoreland.

Asa and Anna (Goldsmith) Cole had eleven children,-Asa, who died 1872, aged seventy- nine; Richard G .- died 1864, aged sixty-nine ; Sarah wife of Asa Farnsworth, died 1832, aged 35; Benjamin died at Chagres, Panama, 1850, aged 51; Anna Goldsmith, wife of Rev. Isaac Esty died 1872 aged 70; Philena died 1859, aged 55 ; John, (a whaling captain), died 1875, aged

68 ; Susan (married, first, Elihu Whitcomb, second, Orin Pitkin), died 1883, at Montpelier, Vt., aged 74; William, died 1830, aged 19 ; Theodore and Charles, who died (from injuries inflicted by a whale, while in command of a whale-ship) 1853, aged 37.

Theodore Cole, tenth child of Asa and Anna (Goldsmith) Cole, was born in Westmore- land, N. H., May 11, 1813. At the age of nine years he went to live in the family of Abijah French, a farmer and lumberman of Westmoreland. He lived with Abijah French until the summer of 1834, working on the farm summers and attending district school in the winter. In the spring of 1835 he left Westmoreland, to embark on the sea of active life. He went to New Bedford, Mass., the place then so celebrated for its great whaling interests and engaged as a seaman under the well-known master, Captain James Maxfield. His first voyage lasted eighteen months, and among the various points of interest at which they stopped were the Azores, South Africa, Madagascar, Comoro Islands and Isle of

France. In April, 1837, he sailed under Cap- tain Shubael Hawes, ship " Frances Henrietta" (Charles W. Morgan, agent), and made a two years' voyage, going around the world, and touching at Cape of Good Hope, Van Diemen's Land, Pernambuco, etc. In the fall of 1839, he set sail under the same master (Cap- tain Hawes), in the ship " Julian," (agents Hathaway & Luce), and cruised for some time on the Atlantic, stopping at Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope. They then extended their voyage to the northwest coast of New Holland, Australia. At this point he left the "Julian," having filled the ship, and went on board the bark " Pacifie" of Fairhaven, Captain Webb. They sailed south and southeast along New Holland, touching at Hobart Town, then east by New Zealand, then around Cape Horn, touching at St. Catherina, Brazil, arriving home in January, 1842.

During all these years of seafaring life Mr. Cole had, by diligent and prompt attention to his duties, won the approval of his employ- ers and prepared the way for promotion, and at the age of thirty years he had circumnavi- gated the globe twice, and in May, 1843, as master of ship "Parachute," (Benjamin B. How- ard, agent), he began his third voyage around the world, stopping at the Sandwich Islands for recruits, thence north to the northwest coast, returned to Sandwich Islands for water, etc., thence to the South Pacific, around Cape Horn, returning to New Bedford in July, 1845.

Captain Cole was married, in August, 1845, to Livilla, daughter of Captain Wilson Gleason, a lifelong resident of Westmoreland, and in October of the same year he sailed in ship " Marengo " (agent, Jonathan Bourne), touching at Cape Verd, passing west around Cape Horn and on to the Sandwich Islands, from there to the coast of Kamtchatka. He was absent two years and eight months. In November, 1848, Cap- tain Cole sailed in ship "Cowper" (agent, B. B. Howard) on a long voyage for whales in the

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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Arctic Ocean. Mrs. Cole accompanied him. They sailed direct for Cape Verd, down the coast of South America, west around Cape Horn, from thence to the Sandwich Islands, then, leaving his wife to await his return, he steered for Behring Strait, passing in June the western extremity of Oonalaska. Hc re- mained one season in the Arctic Ocean, discov- ering the Plover Islands, July 15, 1849, although he never claimed the title or credit of a discov- erer. On his return to the Sandwich Islands, his wife rejoined him. They then sailed for Hong Kong, China, where they passed a month preparing for another Arctic voyage. From there they sailed through the Japan Sea and the Matsumai Strait, north along the coast of Kamtchatka stopping at Petropulaski, then to the Arctic Ocean, where Captain Cole com- pleted his cargo and started for home. The voyage of two years and a half, although full of interest and with opportunities of seeing many distant lands, and abounding in varied experience, was long to Mrs. Cole, and she heartily rejoiced when the spires and hills of New Bedford came in view, March 22, 1851, and she could once more stand upon land.

Captain Cole had now for nearly sixteen years followed the sea continuously, and by his practicality, prudence and perseverance had acquired a competency, and he decided to give up his maritime profession and enjoy the well- earned fruits of his labors but being naturally an energetic man, idleness was not to his taste, and he engaged in manufacturing and mer- chandising in Brattleborough, Vt., where he re- mained until 1859, then removed to Westmin- ster, Vt., and purchased a farm and lived there about seven years, identifying himself with the affairs of the town, which he represented in the Legislature of 1862. After leaving West- minster, he resided in Keene one year, and then made his home in Waverly village, Belmont, Mass., for nine years, in order to give his chil- dren the advantages of better educational fa- cilities. In 1875 he made a pleasure trip

(prospecting) to California, Colorado and Wy- oming, then returned to Westmoreland, his na- tive place, where he has since resided, and em - ploys his leisure in farming. He was a member of the Legislature in 1881-82, as a representative of the Republican party, to which he has belonged since 1856, when he cast his vote for Fremont.

The children of Theodore and Livilla (Glea- son) Cole were Frank T., born June 22, 1853 (he is a graduate of Williams College, Mass., and of Columbia Law School, New York,) now a practicing lawyer of ability in Columbus, Ohio ; William H., born August 19, 1854, is a wheat farmer in San Joaquin County, Cal., mar- ried, June 3, 1883, Addie M. Greene (they have one daughter) ; Lucy Anna, born Febru- ary 29, 1856 (deceased) ; Sarah G., born Febru- ary 15, 1857 (died at the age of seventeen); and Richard G. born March 21, 1860 (died February 12, 1863).

Captain Cole was a sea-captain of pronounced ability, and a natural leader of men, and as shipmaster, merchant and farmer impressed others with a sense of his fitness to lead and direct, and was an important factor in the community where he resided. He improved the opportunities of his later life for reading and study, so that men of a more liberal education wondered at his extensive and ac- curate knowledge of history and general liter- ature, and his stories of the past showed observa- tion and were full of life and humor. He was an able and good counselor to younger men, who often resorted to hin for advice. Since 1876 he had been a member of the Congregational Church and contributed liberally to its support. Captain Cole was a kind husband and father, a loyal citizen and a good man. He died July 2, 1885.

OLIVER L. BRIGGS.

Of the successful men who have gone out from the " Old Granite State" to win fortune

Oliver Le Big"

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in the broad field of activity is Oliver L. Briggs, of Boston, Mass., a native of the town of Westmoreland, N. H. He comes of good Puritan stock, and in his business career has evinced many of the principles of the fore- fathers of our American republic.

Caleb Briggs, his great-grandfather, was born in Rehoboth, Mass., February 27, 1743, and married, for his first wife, Annie Luther. They had five children, two dying in infancy, and the three arriving to maturity were Delia, Lemuel and Luther. His second wife was Chloe French ; their married life continued for thirty-five years. He married, third, Mrs. Mercy Farr. Caleb Briggs came to West- moreland in 1770, where he died, in 1825, aged eighty-two years, having lived a long life of usefulness.

Lemuel, his oldest son, was born in Reho- both, Mass., in 1767, and when three years of age he removed, with his parents, to West- moreland, N. H., when the now well-cul- tivated farms were a wilderness. He passed his early life aiding his father in clearing the land and tilling the soil and preparing a place to live. He was not finely, but strongly educated, receiving an education which was the best fitted for his sphere in life, and which, while it developed the muscles, also developed the mental powers, and gave to · his descendants, a goodly inheritance of pluck, persisteney and perseverance, which enabled them to accomplish their aim in life. In 1791 he married Polly Stephens, who bore him seven children,-Polly, Lemuel, Elenor, Luther, Amasa, Philander S. and Rhoda. Lemuel Briggs died in Westmoreland in 1868, after being a resident there for nearly ninety- eight years, aged one hundred years, nine months and nine days, having served his day and generation long and well. Amasa, the fifth child of Lemuel and Polly (Steph- ens) Briggs, was born in Westmoreland, and, following the occupation of his father, became an agriculturist. He married Sally Leonard.

She was a descendant of the Leonard family, who were early settlers in Plymouth County, Mass., and prominent in England for many generations, coming from .Leonard, Lord Dacre of England, and through two lines from Ed- ward III., viz., through John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, and Thomas Plantagenet, Duke of Gloucester. Their children were Angeline (who died in infancy), Lucy and Oliver L. (twins; Lucy died at the age of twenty), Ortensia (who married John E. Vazey, and had two children, Tensia and John E.), Alonzo (married Lilian Roberts of Boston) and Ly- man (married Alice Varney, and has one child, Margery).

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History of Cheshire and Sullivan counties, New Hampshire, Part 83

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