USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Chester > History of Chester, New Hampshire, including Auburn : a supplement to the History of old Chester, published in 1869 > Part 20
USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Auburn > History of Chester, New Hampshire, including Auburn : a supplement to the History of old Chester, published in 1869 > Part 20
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SAMUEL DANA BELL, son of Gov. Samuel and Mehitable M. (Dana) Bell, was born at Francestown, 9 Oct., 1798; graduate at Harvard College, 1816; admitted to the bar, 1820; practiced at Meredith Bridge (now Laconia) 1820, and in Chester 1821-1830; in Concord 1830-1839; in Manchester 1839-1868; representative from Chester 1825, 1826; solicitor of Rockingham County, 1823; Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, 1848; associate Justice of the Superior Court, 1849-1858; Chief Justice 1859-1864; died at Manchester, 31 July, 1868. Dartmouth College conferred the degree LL. D. upon him, 1854.
SAMUEL NEWELL BELL, son of Judge Samuel Dana and Mary H. (Healey) Bell, was born at Chester, 25 Mar. 1829; graduate at Dart- mouth College, 1847; practiced law in Manchester; representative to Congress, 1871-73; 1875-77; died at North Woodstock, 8 Feb., 1889. JOHN JAMES BELL, son of Judge Samuel Dana and Mary H. (Healey) Bell, was born at Chester, 30 Oct., 1827; graduate at Har- vard Law School, with the degree LL. B. 1847; practiced in Nashua, and Milford, Carmel, Me., and Exeter; representative to New Hamp- shire legislature, 1883, 1885, 1887, and 1891. Dartmouth College conferred upon him the degree A. M .; died at Manchester, 22 Aug., 1893.
JAMES BELL, son of Gov. Samuel and Mehitable M. (Dana) Bell, was born at Francestown, 13 Nov., 1804; graduate at Bowdoin College 1822; admitted to the bar 1825; practiced at Gilmanton, Exeter and Gilford; representative from Exeter, 1846; delegate to the New Hampshire constitutional convention from Gilford 1850; United States senator from New Hampshire, 1855-1857; died at Gilford, 26 May, 1857.
GEORGE BELL, son of Hon. Samuel and Lucy Giddings (Smith) Bell, was born at Chester, 24 June, 1829; graduate at Dartmouth College, 1851; admitted to the bar 1854; practiced in Manchester till 1860; author of Digest of the Decisions of the Superior Court 1858; removed to Cleveland, Ohio; served in Civil War; died in Cleveland, Ohio, 2 Sept., 1864.
LOUIS BELL, son of Hon. Samuel and Lucy Giddings (Smith) Bell, was born at Chester, 8.Mar. 1837; student at Brown University but did not take his degree; admitted to bar 1857; practiced at Farm- ington 1857-1862; captain of first company of the First Regiment N. H. Volunteers, Civil War; died at Wilmington, N. C., 15 Jan. 1865.
CHARLES HENRY BELL, son of John and Persis (Thom) Bell, was born at Chester, 18 Nov. 1823; graduate at Dartmouth College, 1844;
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admitted to the bar; practiced in Chester, Somersworth and Exeter. Assistant secretary Constitutional convention 1850; speaker of House of Representatives 1860; president of senate 1864; United States senator 1879; Governor of New Hampshire 1881-1883; president constitutional convention 1889 Dartmouth College conferred upon him the degree LL. D. 1881 ; died at Exeter, II Nov. 1893.
PERLEY S. CHASE, son of Josiah and Abigail (Shaw) Chase, was born at Chester, 8 Nov. 1817; graduated at Brown University 1842; admitted to the bar; practiced in an old building where the Crawford house now stands; and at Concord and Lawrence, Mass .; died at Medfield, Mass., 17 Jan. 1897.
NATHANIEL L DEARBORN, son of John Sanborn and Mary (Emerson) Dearborn, was born at Chester 15 June, 1781; admitted to the bar in 1806; practiced at Pembroke, Deerfield and Northwood; died at Northwood, 12 Sept. 1860.
SAMUEL EMERSON, son of John and Elizabeth (French) Emerson, was born at Chester, 4 Feb. 1792; graduated at Dartmouth College 1814; studied law in the office of Amos Kent; commenced practice in Sandwich in Sept. 1817; removed to Moultonborough; solicitor for Carroll County 1851 to 1855; state senator 1859; died at Sandwich, 4 Mar. 1872.
RUSSELL M. EVERETT, son of Aaron and M. Nellie (Marden) Everett, was born in Boston and came to Chester in 1875. He lived here till 1887; educated at Walnut Hill School, and at Chester Academy; and at Phillips Andover Academy; graduated at the New Hampshire State College 1891; admitted to the bar in New Jersey ; practices as a "Patent Lawyer"; resides in Bloomfield, N. J.
EDMUND FLAGG, son of Josiah, was born 13 July, 1787; graduated at Dartmouth College, 1806; read law with Hon. Daniel French; practiced in Wiscasset, Me., 1810; register of probate for Lincoln County 1812; died at Santa Cruz, West Indies, 14 Dec., 1815.
DANIEL FRENCH, son of Gould and Dorothy French, was born at Epping, 22 Feb. 1769; educated at Phillips Exeter Academy and at Dover under the instruction of Rev. Robert Gray; studied law in the office of William K. Atkinson of Dover; practiced at Deerfield and Chester from 1798; postmaster at Chester 1807; county solicitor 1808; attorney-general of New Hampshire 1812; died at Chester, 15 Oct., 1840.
HENRY FLAGG FRENCH. [See Biographies].
GERRY WHITING HAZELTON. [See Biographies].
JOHN FRANK HAZELTON, son of William and Mary (Cochrane) Hazelton, was born at Chester, 9 May, 1836; graduated at Union College, Schenectady, N. Y., 1859; studied law in the office of his brother Gerry at Columbus, Wis .; admitted to the bar at Madison, 1861; editor of the Columbus Journal; recruited a company of volun- teers 1862, of which he was captain; assistant Quarter-master and Major; practiced law in Albany, N. Y., 1865-1868; deputy collector of Internal Revenue for Schoharie County 1868 to 1878; United States Consul to Genoa, Italy, 1878-1883; U. S. Consul to Hamilton, Canada, 1883-1885; died at Sharon Springs, N. Y., Aug., 1921.
AMOS KENT, son of Joseph and Jane (Moody) Kent, was born at Newbury, Mass., 16 Oct. 1774; graduated at Harvard College, 1795; admitted to the bar 1798; practiced at Chester, 1799 to 1824; state senator 1814 and 1815; judge of the Court of Common Pleas 1816; died at Chester, 18 June 1824.
CHARLES WARREN KIMBALL, son of Lewis and Eleanor (Elkins) Kimball, was born at Chester, 26 Oct., 1847; graduated at Harvard
JACOB CHASES HORSE BLOCK 1752
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JOSEPH WARREN CHASE, IN HIS 88TH YEAR, AND THE LAST OXEN OWNED IN THE TOWN. GREAT GRAND-SON OF JACOB CHASE.
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College, 1871; admitted to the bar in New York State, 1874; practiced law in New York City and at Penn Yan, N. Y .; district attorney for Yates County, N. Y., for two terms of six years; resides in Penn Yan, N. Y.
HERBERT SEWALL KIMBALL, son of Lewis and Eleanor (Elkins) Kimball, was born at Chester, 10 Mar., 1857; graduated at Columbia College, 1881 ; admitted to the bar in New York 1884; died at Chester, 28 July, 1889.
ARTHUR LIVERMORE, son of Samuel and Jane (Brown) Livermore, was born at Londonderry, 26 July 1766; came to Chester 1793; prac- ticed law at Chester, Concord and Holderness; representative from Chester, 1794 to 1796; administered a cow-hiding to "Lord" Timothy Dexter, then an inhabitant of Chester, 1796; died at Campton, I July 1853.
DAVID PILLSBURY, son of Benjamin and Sally (Eaton) Pillsbury, was born at Raymond, 17 Feb. 1802; graduated at Dartmouth College 1827; admitted to the bar 1830; practiced at Chester and Concord; representative from Chester 1842 to 1844; died at Concord, 25 May 1862.
DAVID QUIGG, son of Abel Quigg, was born at Litchfield, 17 Dec., 1834; graduated at Dartmouth College, 1855; practiced law in Chicago, Ill. He was Lt. Col. of 14th Illinois Cavalry, Civil War.
WILLIAM MERCHANT RICHARDSON, son of Capt. Daniel and Sarah (Merchant) Richardson, was born at Pelham, 4 Jan. 1774; graduated at Harvard College, 1797; practiced at Portsmouth and Chester to which he removed in 1819; United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire 1814; chief justice of New Hampshire 1816; died at Chester, 23 Mar. 1838.
JAMES SHIRLEY, grandson of Dea. Thomas Shirley, was born at Goffstown, 5 May, 1794; graduated at Dartmouth Couuege, 1818; teacher and lawyer; died at Vicksburg, Miss., 8 Aug., 1863.
JOHN MAJOR SHIRLEY, son of John Shirley, was born at Sanborn- ton, 16 Nov., 1831; received an honorary degree A. M., at Dartmouth, 1865; lawyer; died at Andover, 21 May, 1887.
WILLIAM WHITE, son of Col. William and Elizabeth (Mitchell) White, was born at Chester, 13 May, 1783; graduated at Dartmouth College, 1806; read law with Amos Kent; practiced in Maine; died at Belfast, Me., 17 June, 1831.
JAMES WHITE, son of Col. William and Elizabeth (Mitchell) White, was born at Chester, 2 Sept., 1792; graduated at Dartmouth College, 1818; practiced law in Maine; died at Belfast, Me., 24 Dec., 1870.
PHYSICIANS.
PARKER MORSE, son of Capt. Abel Morse of Chester, born there 20 Apr., 1715; graduated at Harvard College 1734; studied medicine and practiced at Woodstock, Conn .; died 1773.
JOHN FLAGG, son of Rev. Ebenezer and Lucretia (Keyes) Flagg, was born at Chester, 24 Feb., 1743; graduated at Harvard College 1761 ; studied medicine; practiced in Lynn, Mass .; died 27 May, 1793.
MATTHEW FORSAITH, son of Dea. Matthew Forsaith, studied medicine and went as a physician on board a man-of-war and died at sea in 1777.
THOMAS SARGENT, son of Rev. Christopher Sargent of Amesbury and Methuen, was born at Amesbury, 22 July, 1766; removed to Chester about 1777; studied medicine; practiced in Chester till 1819; removed to Hartford, Lower Canada.
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HISTORY OF CHESTER
JONATHAN HILLIARD SHAW, son of Cornet David and Abigail (Smith) Shaw, was born 1784, practiced medicine; died Sept., 1821.
BENJAMIN KITTRIDGE, a native of Tewksbury, Mass., settled in Chester as a physician in 1790; died there in 1830.
RUFUS KITTRIDGE, son of Dr. Benjamin and Elizabeth (Webster) Kittridge, was born in Chester, 21 Nov., 1794; studied medicine with his father ; physician in Chester till 1849; removed to Cincinnati, Ohio. RUFUS JAY KITTRIDGE, son of Dr. Rufus and Sally T. (Underhill) Kittridge, was born at Chester 1828; graduate at Dartmouth College, 1847 and at Jefferson Medical College; physician in Chester ; died 1850.
JOHN ROGERS, son of Maj. William and Abigail Rogers, was born at Newbury, Mass., 24 May, 1787; graduate at Dartmouth College 1816; Dartmouth Medical School, 1819; practiced in Chester; re- moved to Boscawen; died 5 Jan., 1830.
NATHAN PLUMMER, son of Nathan and Mary (Palmer ) Plummer, born 16 Aug., 1787; studied medicine with Dr. Robert Bartley of Londonderry; came to Chester 1818; died in Auburn, 1871.
ALBERT PLUMMER, son of Dr. Nathan Plummer, was born at Chester (now Auburn) 7 Sept., 1840; graduated at Bowdoin Medical School, 1867; assistant surgeon 10th New Hampshire Vols. 1865; physician Hamilton, Minn., 1867-1895; Racine, Minn., 1895-1910; member of Minnesota legislature 1882-1883; died at Rochester, Minn., 20 Mar., 1912.
RUFUS SHACKFORD, son of Capt. Samuel and Hannah (Currier) Shackford, was born at Chester, 16 Dec., 1816; graduated at Harvard Medical School, 1845; physician in Groton and Lowell, Mass., and Portland, Me .; died 1902.
LEMUEL MAXCY BARKER, was born at Chelsea, Vt., 25 Dec., 1802; graduate at Dartmouth Medical School, 1824; physician at Chester, and Somersworth, N. H., Boston, Newburyport, Haverhill, Melrose and Malden, Mass .; member Mass. Senate; died at Malden, 17 Mar., 1881.
JOHN SELDEN PARKER, son of Rev. Clement and Rachel (Taylor) Parker (Rev. Clement was pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Chester, 1817-1825) was born at Chester, 9 July, 1824; graduated at Bowdoin Medical School, 1849; physician at Lebanon, Me., 1850-1893; Farmington, N. H., 1893-1899; representative to Maine legislature 1874; died at Providence, R. I., 18 Dec., 1910. (See Vital Records of Lebanon, Maine.)
JOSEPH REYNOLDS, son of Rev. Freegrace and Nancy (Brown) Reynolds, was born at Wilmington, Mass., 2 Aug., 1800; studied medicine with Dr. James P. Chapin of Cambridge; graduate at Har- vard Medical School, 1827; physician in Chester, 1830; and in Gloucester and Concord, Mass .; died 1872.
JOHN BELL, son of Hon. Samuel and Mehitable B. (Dana) Bell, was born at Francestown, 5 Nov., 1800; graduate at Union College, 1819; studied medicine and graduated at Bowdoin Medical School, 1823; professor of anatomy and physiology, University of Vermont, 1825; editor of N. Y. Medical and Surgical Journal; died at Thibo- deaux, La., 29 Nov., 1830.
LUTHER VOSE BELL, son of Hon. Samuel and Mehitable B. (Dana) Bell, was born at Francestown, 20 Dec., 1806; graduate at Bowdoin College, 1823; Dartmouth Medical School, 1826; physician in Derry 1831-37; superintendent of McLean Insane Asylum; honored with D. C. L. King's College, Nova Scotia, 1847; LL. D. Amherst College 1855; surgeon and major IIth Mass. Vols., 1861-1862; died at Budd's Ferry, Va., II Feb., 1862.
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JOHN BELL, son of Gov. Samuel and Lucy Giddings (Smith) Bell, was born at Chester, 19 July, 1831; graduated at Dartmouth College 1852; Medical School of the University of Pennsylvania, 1854; phy- sician at Kingston, Derry and in New York City; surgeon in 6th Cavalry, United States Army, Civil War; died at Chester 13 Nov., 1883.
CHARLES BELL, son of Gov. Samuel and Lucy Giddings (Smith) Bell, was born at Chester, 10 Aug., 1833; graduate at Brown Uni- versity, 1853; Philadelphia Medical College, 1854; physician in Concord; author of "Facts in Relation to Chester," 1720-1784, in the N. H. Historical Society Collections, vol. 7; died at Concord, 25 Feb., 1856.
HOSEA BALLOU BURNHAM, son of Miles and Salome (Hall) Burnham, born in Chester (now Auburn), 1829; took three years at Wesleyan University; studied medicine and graduated at the Medical School of University of Vermont, 1853; physician in Epping and Manchester.
JOHN SHERMAN EMERSON, son of Nathaniel F. and Clarissa (Goodhue) Emerson, born at Chester, 30 July, 1832; graduate at the Harvard Medical School, 1855; surgeon of 18th N. H. Vols., Civil War; physician in Lynn, Mass .; died in Lynn, 26 Sept., 1886.
THOMAS OSGOOD REYNOLDS, son of .Rev. Thomas F. and Mary (Currier) Reynolds, was born in Chester, 24 Dec., 1842; served in IIth N. H. Regt., 1862, in Civil War ; twice wounded; studied medicine; graduate Bellevue Medical College or Albany Medical College, 1866; physician in Kingston for forty-three years; died 11 Dec., 191I.
WILLIAM WHITTIER BROWN, son Ebenezer and Mary (Whittier) Brown, was born at Vershire, Vt., 28 Aug., 1804; graduate of Dart- mouth Medical School, 1835; physician in Fremont; in Chester 1834- 1845; Manchester 1846-1874; surgeon in 7th N. H. Vol. Inf. 1861-64; died at Manchester, 6 Jan., 1874.
JACOB PUTNAM WHITTEMORE, son of Jacob and Rebecca (Brad- ford) Whittemore, was born in Antrim, 10 May, 1810; graduate at Dartmouth Medical School, 1847; physician at Chester 1847-64; Haverhill, Mass., 1864; died 1873.
JAMES FRANCIS BROWN, son of James and Elizabeth (Langford) Brown, was born at Chester, 6 Sept., 1838; graduate at Dartmouth Medical School, 1865; physician at Chester, 1864-84; at Manchester, 1884-1908; died at Manchester, 29 July, 1908.
LAFAYETTE CHESLEY, son of Jonathan Chesley, was born in New York City, 4 Sept., 1827; graduate at Rush Medical College, Chicago; physician in Wisconsin; in Chester 1876-1884; died at Exeter, 23 Nov., 1898.
ARTHUR LLEWELLYN EMERSON, was born in Hermon, Me., 2 Apr. 1849; graduated at Bowdoin Medical School, 1878; physician in Manchester, 1879-83; in Chester 1883-1901; County physician 1882- 83; County treasurer ; died at Chester, 16 Aug., 1901.
RALPH HIGGINS BARKER was born in Candia, 7 Feb., 1873; graduate at Dartmouth Medical School, 1900; physician in Chester, 1900-19II ; at Derry 1911 to date.
BLANCHE A. (HAYES) BARKER, born in Groveland, 12 Feb., 1874; studied pharmacy at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy; graduate at Tufts College Medical School 1901; physician Chester 1901-19II ; at Derry 19II to date.
JAMES S. ROBERTS, born at Brookfield, 7 Jan., 1872; hospital ex- perience in the Massachusetts General and City Hospitals of Boston; surgeon for Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe R. R. company; physician
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HISTORY OF CHESTER
in Newmarket and Nashua; physician in Chester 1911 to 1916; in the volunteer medical service of United States Army; now retired.
JOSEPH C. TAPPAN, born in Washington, D. C., 31 May, 1871 ; graduate at the Medical School of the George Washington University 1899; physician in West Virginia, 1900-1903; assistant physician in Howard University ; professor there; on staff of Freedmen's Hospital 1910-12; physician in Chester 1917 to date.
JAMES SCRIBNER BROWN, son of Dr. James F. and Abbie (Scribner) Brown, was born at Chester, 30 Nov., 1871; graduate Dartmouth College 1892; Medical School, University of Pennsylvania, 1896; physician in Manchester; died at Manchester, 22 Feb., 1909.
WILLIAM WALLACE WILCOMB, son of Charles S. Wilcomb, was born at Chester, 15 Oct., 1864; graduate at Phillips Exeter Academy, 1884; member of class of 1887 at Dartmouth; graduate of Bowdoin Medical School, 1888; physician Lynn Hospital 1888-9; physician, Suncook; died 2 Dec., 1892.
WILLIAM FRANCIS FORSAITH, son of Frank and Rosa (Pingree) Forsaith, was born at Auburn, 20 Oct., 1881; graduate at Dartmouth College, 1908; Medical School of Columbia University; died shortly before receiving his degree, in New York, N. Y., 8 Apr., 1910.
CHARLES SARGENT UNDERHILL, son of William Burton and Sarah (Sargent) Underhill, was born at Chester, 9 Feb., 1889; graduate of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Boston, 1912; commissioned Ist Lieut., and saw service in France, 1917-1918; promoted Captain and honorably discharged 7 June, 1919; physician at Ogunquit, Maine. GEORGE C. McDUFFEE, son of Charles G. and Vena (Woodbury) McDuffee, was born at Chester, graduate of Johns Hopkins University Medical School, 1912; physician at Henniker.
EDMUND S. SIMPSON, born in Boston, 7 Feb., 1859; removed to Chester, 1871; studied medicine in the New York Homeopathic Col- lege; graduate of Medical School of Boston University 1883; physician in Boston, 1883-1902; retired from general practice.
NURSES.
MARY E. LONDERGAN, born in Haverhill, Mar. 16, 1857, educated in Chester schools. In 1882 entered the N. H. State Hospital at Con- cord, as an attendant and remained as such until the Training School for Nurses was organized in 1888, graduating in May, 1890. Since then has done private nursing in 20 towns of New Hampshire, and 6 in Massachusetts. In 1901 she crossed the ocean with a Concord family, remaining 6 months in England and Wales; crossed the ocean again in 1903 with a patient, and spent 2 months in Switzerland.
SUSAN H. EMERY, daughter of John S. and Susan (Hazelton) Emery, was born in Chester, Oct. 4, 1858, educated in Chester Schools and Bradford Academy. Graduated from N. E. Hospital, Boston, in 1889. Practiced in Boston and New York from 1889 to 1918.
JULIA M. EMERY, daughter of John S. and Susan (Hazelton) Emery, born Dec. 17, 1848. Educated in Chester Schools. Practiced nursing seven years in Connecticutt and six years in Boston.
HARRIETTE E. M. LANE, daughter of Henry H. and Emma (Tenney) Lane, born in Chester, May 24, 1882, attended Chester Schools and Pinkerton Academy. Graduated at the Elliot Hospital, Manchester, May, 1908. Was occupied six months at graduate work at the Mayo Hospital, of Rochester, Minnesota. Private cases four years. Factory nursing three years. Head nurse at Stark Mills two years. Married to H. S. Redman, Oct. 12, 1918. Has one son, Theodore.
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RACHEL H. MACKINTOSH, daughter of George and Murilla (Dun- nells) Mackintosh, born Apr. 2, 1886. Attended schools in Chester, and graduated from the Training School for Nurses, Waltham, Mass., in 1910. Has been school nurse in Waltham for the past twelve years.
LILLIAN I. MACKINTOSH, daughter of George and Murilla (Dun- nells ) Mackintosh, born Oct. 26, 1888. Attended Chester Schools, and graduated from Sanborn Seminary, Kingston, in 1907. Graduated from Maine General Hospital Training School for Nurses, Portland, Maine, in 1912. Supervvisor of Maternity Dept., and Surgical Dept., City Hospital, Worcester, Mass .; U. S. Nurses Reserve Corps during the World War. Public Health Nurse, eight years at Winchendon, Mass.
MARGARET A. WEST, daughter of Charles Henry, and Mary Jane (Stone) West, born in Chester. Educated in Chester schools, grad- uated from Hale Hospital, Haverhill, Mass., 1908. Eight years Head nurse of the maternity department of St. Luke's Hospital, San Fran- cisco. Now Superintendent Hale Hospital, Haverhill, Mass.
FANNIE M. HOOKE, daughter of James M. and Helen L. (Cutler) Hooke, born Sept. 2, 1897, attended schools in Chester, and the Lynn High School. Graduated from the Training School for Nurses, Waltham, Mass., in 1919. Engaged in private practice in Lynn and nearby cities.
EVA ELIZABETH PARKER, daughter of Samuel S., and Ellen (Hazelton) Parker, born Dec. 12, 1901. Educated in public schools of Chester and Brentwood, and at Colby Academy, New London, and Robinson Female Seminary, Exeter. Is now in training at Exeter Cottage Hospital.
DENTISTS.
DR. SEWALL TENNEY, son of Dea. William Tenney, was born in Chester in 1842. He studied dentistry in Jamestown, New York, practised there, and at Warren, Pennsylvania a short time, and then removed to Corry, Pa., where he practised from 1866 till his death in Mar., 1882.
DR. A. A. GOLDSMITH, son of Nathan B. Goldsmith, was born in Chester, Feb. 15, 1866. He studied dentistry in Boston, and received the degree, D. D. S. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1889, and M. D. S. from the Harvard Dental School in 1891. He practised in London, England, and in New York.
DR. FRED. I. DROWN, practiced Dentistry very acceptably several years in the 80's in our village, and removed with his family to San- down.
DRUGGISTS.
ALBERT L. KIMBALL, son of Lewis and Eleanor (Elkins ) Kimball, who settled on Walnut Hill, Chester in 1842, was born Feb. 5, 1853, and went to Haverhill in 1871. He served four years in a drug store, in Haverhill, Mass., worked and studied four years more with a firm in Charlestown, Mass .; then established a pharmacy of his own on Main Street in that city in 1889, of which he is still proprietor.
JAMES FRANKLIN FISKE, son of Freeman and Emily Fiske, was born Sept. 1, 1870, attended public schools of Chester, and graduated from Colby Academy, New London. He also graduated from the pharmacy department of Purdue University, Indiana. He located in Lead, South Dakota, and later in San Diego, California.
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HISTORY OF CHESTER
CHAPTER XII. INDUSTRIAL HISTORY.
FARMING.
In the olden times everything pertaining to tilling the soil was done by hand labor. Almost every farmer kept from one to three yoke of oxen, a few cows and some of the well-to-do farmers kept a horse.
In the winter they worked the oxen in breaking roads and lumber- ing. In the spring they would get out the big wooden plow with its mould board covered with iron and hitch on four or six oxen. With three men they commenced breaking up the sod. Having broken up as much as they wished to plant, they then loosened the soil with a spike- toothed harrow. In old times-a hundred years ago-the harrows had wooden pins for teeth.
Having pulverized the soil between the rocks and the stumps, they then proceeded to furrow out the land and put the dressing into the furrows, which were made about three feet apart. Two potatoes or five kernels of corn were dropped in each hill. Three or four men working together carried on the planting. Two or more followed with an iron hoe covering the manure and the seed and frequently each tried to get to the end of the row first.
In those days the men worked ten or twelve hours for fifty cents. One man and a pair of oxen charged one dollar per day.
A great deal of the land was new and full of stumps and rocks. It took a big ox team and a number of men to cultivate it.
In the course of time cast iron plows came into use. The Doe plow is one of the best that have been used in Chester. At a later date the sidehill or swivel plow came into use. This was thought to be wonderful as one could turn the furrows all one way by changing the mould board at the end each time.
Some did good work and farmers began to push ahead as they could plow more in a day than they could with the land side plow. About the same time the disk harrow came into use. This pulverized the soil much better than the old spike-toothed harrow did.
It has also been found that horses can do better work with the disk harrow than oxen as they are slow moving animals.
Other changes went on and soon there came the sulky plow which is in general use on most of the farms in Chester today. With a good pair of heavy work horses, one man sitting on the plow and driving. With these and other implements farming is made easier than it was in olden times. With the introduction of modern machinery oxen have almost entirely disappeared from our New England farms since 1875.
Another step forward has already been taken. It is the Tractor. It saves the horses from laborious work and does the work much faster than they can. Time is money and time will bring it into more general use.
Today the sulky plow, disk harrow and corn planter have eliminated much of the hand labor.
Oats, barley, wheat and rye were sown by hand, harrowed in and smoothed with a brush. At harvest it was cut with the scythe, sickle or cradle, and thrashed out in the barn with hand flails. With the reaper and threshing machine hand labor is largely eliminated.
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