History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Part 159

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis
Number of Pages: 1168

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The first church edifice was erected in 1822 on High Street, and was enlarged in 1834. The pres- ent house of worship, on Main Street, was completed in 1842, and dedicated in the summer of that year.

St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church .- Prior to 1874 Mass was said in this town by priests from Nashna and Keene. In that year, however, Rev. P. Holahan located in the town as pastor, and remained until 1876, when he was succeeded by the present pastor, Rev. Edmund Buckle. The church edifice was dedicated May 14, 1876. It was erected at a cost of about five thousand dollars.

CHAPTER IV.

PETERBOROUGH-(Continued).

Medical llistory-Peterborough Academy-The High School-First Na- tional Bank-Savings-Bank-The Press-Masonic-I. O. of O. F .- Town-House-Manufactures-Post-Office-Population.

Medical History.1-DR. JOHN YOUNG was the first physician who practiced in Peterborough. His early history and life is but little known. He was born in Worcester, Mass., June 2, 1739, and studied his pro- fession with Dr. Green, of that town. He was con- sidered one of the best read men of his day, and the community held him in very high esteem for his medical knowledge and skill.

He came to Peterborough about 1764. He there sustained the reputation of being one of the best physicians of his day, and was extensively employed in all this and the surrounding community.

Although Dr. Young continued in a full practice, he became very poor, probably from two canses,-one being the small fee and slow pay which he was com- pelled to accept in the then new country, and much of that must come in the way of farm produce, as there was not much money in the community; the other being the habit of intemperance, which be- came strong with him, in consequence of which he was obliged to ask help from the town in his latter years. He had two wives and ten children. He died of a cancer of the face, after a long illness, February 27, 1807, aged sixty-eight years.

DR. KENDALL OSGOOD came to Peterborough in 1788. He was a well-educated gentleman, but was not successful in his profession. The history of the town speaks of him as being a man of considerable means, acquired while acting as surgeon in a pri- vateer during the last part of the Revolutionary War; but his great pomp and show in dress, etc., led the

1 By John II. Cutler, M.D.

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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

good people, clad in their coarse, home-spun material, to soon tire of him. He died August 19, 1801, aged forty-five years.

DR. JONATHAN WHITE, son of John White, Sr., was educated as a physicion. He studied with Dr. John Young, and completed his studies in Boston. The blight of intemperance rested on his early career, and closed his professional life almost as soon as begun. He died miserable and degraded at Carlisle, Pa., having enlisted as a common soldier in the War of 1812.

DR. DAVID SMILEY was born in Haverill, Mass., April 10, 1760, and came to Peterborough in 1782. He married Miss Rachael Johnson, of this town. In 1793 he began the study of medicine with Dr. Stephen Jewett, of Rindge, and his practice commenced almost simultaneously with his studies. Though not fully educated, his practice extended over a large country, and he enjoyed the confidence of the best families. He retired from practice when the infirm- ities of age compelled him to, and died October 3, 1855, aged ninety-five years and six months.

DR. THOMAS H. BLOOD came to Peterborough some time previous to 1798, and left town about 1801, and removed to Massachusetts, where he was State Senator and brigadier-general in the State militia.

DR. JOHN MUSSEY came to town in 1800. He never practiced much, though a regularly educated man. He died January 17, 1831, aged eighty-five years and four months.

DR. THOMAS PEABODY is remembered by the elder people as a "Tramp Doctor," with a secret remedy which he called his "Arcanum," supposed to be a preparation of antimony. With his secret remedy he dispensed his skill equally to man and beast. He died in Greenfield November 6, 1822, aged fifty-seven years.

Dr. WILLIS JOHNSON was born in Sturbridge, Mass., December 21, 1786, and came to town in 1808, and remained till 1814, when he removed to Mason, and died in 1859, aged seventy-three years. He always enjoyed the confidence of the community.

DR. JOHN STARR graduated from Harvard Col- lege in 1804, and came to town in 1808 or 1809, and removed to Northwood in 1814, where he died Sep- tember 8, 1851, aged sixty-seven years.

DR. DAVID CARTER came to town in 1812, from Marlborough, and removed to Dublin in 1820, where he died in January, 1828.

DR. JABEZ B. PRIEST came to town in 1816. He married Fanny Moore, April 4, 1820, and died August 17, 1826, of epidemic dysentery, survived by his widow and two children. He attained a large prac- tice and was quite successful as a physician, his business extending over a large country.

Dr. SAMUEL RICHARDSON came to town in 1820, and was in active practice till he removed to Water- town, Mass., in 1838. He was a successful physician.

DR. WILLIAM FOLLINSBEE was born in Frances-

town December 12, 1800, and received his degree from Dartmouth College in 1825. He came to Peter- borough in 1826, and succeeded Dr. Jabez B. Priest in his practice. Ile was twice married,-first, to Hannah J. Follinsbee, second, to Rachel P. Moore. He was a man of influential standing and wealth, was president of the Peterborough Savings-Bank at his death and was sent to the State Legislature in 1842- 43. He was endowed with fine practical ability and enjoyed a large patronage until his death, which oc- curred May 30, 1867, of heart-discase, aged sixty-six years.

DR. RICHARD STELLE received his A. M. and M.D. degrees from Dartmouth College, began practice in 1826; not succeeding, left town and died at Durham, 1870, aged seventy-three years.

ALBERT SMITH, M.D., LL.D., was born in Peterborough June 18, 1801, and received his A.M. from Dartmouth College in 1825, his M.D. in 1833 and LL.D. in 1870 ; also an honorary M.D. from Rush Medical College, Chicago, Ill., in 1875. He commenced practice in town in 1838, and married Miss Fidelia Stearns, of Jaffrey, February 26, 1828, who survived him. He held the position of profes- sor of materia medica and therapeutics in the Dartmouth Medical College from 1849 to 1870, and the same at the Vermont Medical College, Castleton, for the term of 1857, and at the Bowdoin Medical College, Maine, in 1859. He was always an active member of the New Hampshire Medical Society, and was an honorary member of the New York Medical Society. He continued in practice until his death, in February, 1878, aged seventy-six years and eight monthis.

DANIEL B. CUTTER, M.D., was born in Jaffrey May 10, 1808. He graduated A.M. from Dartmouth College in 1833, and M.D. from Yale College in 1835, and commenced practice in town in 1837. He has been twice married,-first, to Miss Clementine Parker, of Jaffrey; second, to Mrs. Tryphena T. Richardson, of this town. He has been for many years on the Board of Education, and also intimately connected with the Peterborough Savings-Bank ; was a member of the State Legislature in 1852; he was made histor- ian of Jaffrey in 1872, and compiled and published an excellent history and centennial report of his native town in 1881. He has had an active and success- ful practice, and has accumulated a competency, but has of late retired from active labor.

DR. SEAVEY and DR. CHASE, homoeopathists, were in town for a short time, but no one remembers much of them.

DR. GEORGE GREELY came to town and re- mained for a short time.

OLIVER L. BRADFORD, M.D., was born in Frances- town. He graduated from the Homeopathie Medical College at Cleveland, Ohio, and came to town in 1861. He attained a large practice, but removed to Ando- ver, Mass., in 1867. He is a bachelor.

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PETERBOROUGH.

JOHN HURD, M.D., came to Peterborough from Rindge in 1860, and after remaining in town for six or eight months removed to Hillsborough. He was a man of good ability.

LEVI DODGE, M.D., was born in Francestown January, 1819, and graduated from the Homeopathic Medical College of New York City in 1865, and came to this town in 1867, where he practiced until 1873, when he removed to Fall River, Mass., and practiced until his death, January 15, 1881, aged sixty-two years. He was a man of education, character and sterling ability, and attained a good practice.

WILLARD D. CHASE, M.D., was born in Claremont December 4, 1836, and graduated from Harvard Col- lege in 1866. He settled in Greenfield, but removed to Peterborough in the spring of 1868, where he enjoys an appreciative patronage. He married, December 30, 1869, Miss Josephine L. Clark, of Wil- ton. He is connected with the Peterborough Savings- Bank ; has been a member of the Board of Education and Public Library committee. He is an active mem- ber of the New Hampshire Medical Society.

MARY ANN THERESA KIMBALL, M.D., was born in New Ipswich August 31, 1827, and removed, with her parents, to town in 1830. She graduated from the Boston University in 1870, and immediately com- menced practice in town where she died, June 20, 1882, aged fifty-four years and nine months; un- married. She was a strong and consistent advocate of homeopathy, and practiced it without deviation.

CHARLES F. OBER, M.D., was born in Nashua March 2, 1848. He graduated A.B. from Dartmouth College in 1873. He married Miss Jennie E. Fifield, of Milford, in June, 1875. He followed teaching in New York until 1876, when he commenced the study of medicine, and graduated M.D. from the University Medical College in 1879, and immediately commenced practice in Lowell, Mass., where he received the ap- pointment of attending physician to St. John's Hospital, and also a membership on the staff of the City Dispensary. He was elected Fellow of the Massachusetts Medical Society in 1880, and came to this town in November, 1881, where he now resides.

JOHN H. MAYO, M.D., was born in Mooretown, Washington County, Vt., May 18, 1857. He was edu- cated at the State Normal School, Randolph, and followed teaching until he commenced the study of his profession, and graduated from the Hahnemann Medical College, Chicago, Ill., February, 1882, and came to town in July, 1882, where he now enjoys an appreciative patronage. He married Miss Alice M. Gould, of Northfield, Vt., June 21, 1883.

JOHN HARRISON CUTLER, M.D.1-The Cutler family is of English origin, and was represented in this country in the early part of the sixteenth century. There is a tradition in the family,-and English rec- ords, if they do not confirm, rather favor the posi-

tion,-that Sir Gervase Cutler, who married a daughter of the Duke of Bridgewater, was the ancestor of the Cutlers who came to America, and from the records we feel assured that as early as 1635, James Cutler was in Watertown, Mass., and was an original grantee of land in the northerly part of the town, on the road to Belmont, and in 1649, James Cutler and Nathaniel Bowman purchased of Edward Goffe two hundred acres of land in Cambridge, near the Watertown line, and in 1651 he sold his share to Bow- man for thirty-nine pounds. It is probable that Cut- ler and, perhaps, Bowman moved from Watertown about this time. Cutler settled at Cambridge Farms, near the Bedford line ; a part of this farm was owned till recently by the widow of John and heirs of Leonard Cutler. This house must have been one of the first erected in the precinct.

He was born about 1606, and probably married before he came to this country. His wife, Anna, died, and was buried September 30, 1644, and he married, second, March 9, 1645, Mary King, widow of Thomas King, of Watertown, who died December 7, 1654.

He married, third, Phebe Page, daughter of John, about 1662. He died May 17, 1694, aged eighty-eight years. He had thirteen children, of whom James was in the direct ancestral line.

James Cutler (2), of Cambridge Farms, was born November 6, 1635, and married, June 15, 1665, Mrs. Lydia Wright, of Sudbury. He died July 31, 1685, aged fifty years. He had seven children, of whom Thomas was in the direct line.

Thomas Cutler (3), was born December 15, 1677, and married Sarah Stone, daughter of Samuel and Dorcas Stone. He was constable in 1719 and selectman in 1729, '31, '33 and '34. He had eight children, of whom David was in the direct line.

David Cutler (4), was born August 26, 1705, and mar- ried Miss Mary Tidd, daughter of Joseph and Mary Tidd. They were admitted to the church April 14, 1728. They resided on the old homestead, near the Bedford line. He was constable in 1746 and selectman in 1749, '50 and '51. His will, dated September 13, 1758, and proved February 9, 1761, mentions wife, Mary, sons,-David, to whom he gave the farm in Weston (now Warren), on which he then lived ; Joseph, to whom he gave the place in Weston on which he then resided; Solomon, to whom he gave the south- erly part of the homestead; and Thomas, to whom he gave the rest of the home farm; and daughters,- Abigail Hodgman and Mary Page.

He was a man of good property, his inventory of personal property being £373 138. 3d. He made ample provisions for his widow, providing "that Solomon and Thomas should supply her with a horse, two cows, and furnish her annually with twelve bushels of corn, four of rye, one bushel of malt, sixty pounds of beef, one hundred and twenty pounds of pork, three barrels of cider and ten cords of wood, cut up

1 By the editor.

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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

and fit for fire." He died December 5, 1760, of small-pox, aged fifty-five years. She died May 25, 1797, aged ninety-three years. They had eight chil- dren, of whom Solomon, the sixth child, was in the direct line.

Solomon Cutler (5), was born in Lexington, May 10, 1740 (not May 15th, as stated by Drs. Bond and Hud- son ).

He married, December 23, 1761, Rebecca Page, of Bedford. They removed to Rindge, N. H., probably in 1771, and were admitted to the church by letter from the church in Lexington March 21, 1772. Cap- tain Cutler lived many years as a farmer and inn- holder about one-half mile from Rindge Centre, on the Fitzwilliam turnpike, on the farm subsequently occupied by Dr. Thomas Jewett. He was styled lieutenant in 1775 and captain in 1777 and subse- quently, on account of commissions held in the home organizations. In 1777 he was a member of Captain Stone's company, which marched in response to an alarm at Ticonderoga. He was selectman in 1775, '77 and '83. His wife, the mother of eight children, died October 18, 1782, and he married, second, Hep- sebeth Bush, of Stirling, Mass., by whom he had two children.

Amos Cutler (6), the oldest son of Captain Solomon, who was in the direct ancestral line, was born Sep- tember 20, 1762, and married, December 29, 1785, Elizabeth Carlton, daughter of James and Elizabeth (Sherwin) Carlton. He always resided in Rindge. He was a farmer and held the offices of constable and sexton for many years. Many of his quaint, original sayings are not forgotten by the aged, who remember him. He died August 9, 1838, aged seventy-six. and his widow died February 14, 1859, aged ninety-three. He was the father of nine children, of whom Charles, the fifth son, was in the direct line.

Charles Cutler (7), was born November 28, 1796, and married, October 18, 1831, Melinda Wright, daughter of Abel and Zilpha (Rice) Wright, of Ashby, Mass. She was born July 22, 1805, and died August 9, 1847, having been the mother of three sons and four daughters, five of whom (two sons and three daugh- ters) survived her. He married, second, March 5, 1848, Esther Whitcomb, of Saxton's River, Vt., who is the mother of one son, Virgil M., with whom she now resides in Cambridge, Mass.

Captain Cutler was a farmer, and always resided on the "Captain Asa Sherwin place," in the north part of the town (Rindge).

He died February 15, 1864, leaving three sons and three daughters, the second of whom, John Harrison, is the subject of this sketch.

John Harrison Cutler, M.D., (8) was born in Rindge, Cheshire County, N. H., February 16, 1834, and " after receiving a liberal academical education, he commenced his professional studies under the direc- tions of Dr. O. H. Bradley, of East Jaffrey, N. H., and graduated from the University of Vermont in 1861,

having been indebted to his own industry for the means which enabled him to pursue his studies. After a brief practice in Greenville, N. H., he was appointed assistant surgeon in the army, and remained in the service until the close of the war, when he located in Peterborough, where he has continually enjoyed a liberal and appreciative patronage."

Besides his professional labors, Dr. Cutler has always taken an active interest in public affairs. As early as 1872 he became interested in the State militia, and held a commission as major-surgeon from that time until the organization of the National Guards, in 1877, at which time he received a like commission in the Second Regiment New Hampshire National Guards, and held it in active duty until he resigned, in 1884.

He has for several years been an active member of the Peterborough Public Library committee, making, with his associates, important improvements in its entire system and valuable acquisitions to its literary standing. He has held the position of presi- dent of Contoocook Valley Savings-Bank since its organization, and for several years past has been a director in the Monadnock National Bank, at East Jaffrey.

At the organization of the Peterborough Improve- ment Company in June, 1884, he was made its treasurer, and has held the office since. He also holds the position of secretary and treasurer of the Monadnock Railroad Company, whose office is at Peterborough.

He was elected a member of the State Legislature for 1883 and 1884, and took an active part in its transactions. He is also an active member of the New Hampshire Medical Society. Professionally, as well as in business transactions, Dr. Cutler is an in- dependent actor, never hesitating to assume any legit- imate responsibility which may result in good; this, with the good judgment and cautious deliberation always at his command, coupled with his acute pro- fessional ability and generous sympathies in the sick- room and at the surgical table, renders him a success in all of his associations.

In society associations he attends the Congrega- tional Church, but possesses liberal views. He is a member of Altemont Lodge, and an officer in Peter- borough Royal Arch Chapter of Masons, and also a comrade (surgeon) in Aaron F. Stevens Post, No. 6, G. A. R., and a Fellow of the Webster Histori- cal Society, while his skill in horticulture and pomology has given him an early membership with the Patrons of Husbandry.

He was married, June6, 1865,-while in the army,- at Dale United States General Hospital, to Miss Martha Louise, daughter of Samuel and Hannah (Shedd) Ryan, of Jaffrey.

She was born November 30, 1845, and is the fourth generation, paternally, from Daniel Ryan, M.D., who came from Ireland as surgeon of a vessel about 1750, and settled in Tewksbury, Mass. His son, Samuel

Thu O Cutter

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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Solomon Cutler (5), was born in Lexington, May 10, 1740 (not May 15th, as stated by Drs. Bond and Hud- son ).

He married, December 23, 1761, Rebecca Page, of Bedford. They removed to Rindge, N. H., probably in 1771, and were admitted to the church by letter from the church in Lexington March 21, 1772. Cap- tain Cutler lived many years as a farmer and inn- holder about one-half mile from Rindge Centre, on the Fitzwilliam turnpike, on the farm subsequently occupied by Dr. Thomas Jewett. He was styled lieutenant in 1775 and captain in 1777 and subse- quently, on account of commissions held in the home organizations. In 1777 he was a member of Captain Stone's company, which marched in response to an alarm at Ticonderoga. He was selectman in 1775, '77 and '83. His wife, the mother of eight children, died October 18, 1782, and he married, second, IIep- sebeth Bush, of Stirling, Mass., by whom he had two children.

Captain Cutler was a farmer, and always resided on the "Captain Asa Sherwin place," in the north part of the town (Rindge).

He died February 15, 1864, leaving three sons and three daughters, the second of whom, John Harrison, is the subject of this sketch.

He was married, June 6, 1865,-while in the army,- at Dale United States General Hospital, to Miss Martha Louise, daughter of Samuel and Hannah (Shedd) Ryan, of Jaffrey.

John 16. Cutter

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PETERBOROUGH.

Ryan, M.D., came to Sharon, N. H., in 1790, and his son Samuel Ryan was a farmer and dealer in lumber, and owner of the famous Ryan Steam Mills. He was a leading man in town, holding all of its important oflices. In 1854 he removed to Jaffrey, and became prominent as a leading citizen. He was several years a selectman, and represented the town in the State Legislature in 1863-64. He was also for many years, until his death (May 5, 1876), a director in the Mon- adnock National Bank. Mrs. Ryan was a daughter of George Shedd, Esq., of Peterborough, and is still a resident of Jaffrey.

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History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Part 159

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis Number of Pages: 1168

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis
Number of Pages: 1168