History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Part 80

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

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Thomas+ Shirley, born 1789; died May 13, 1834. He was a teacher, and died at Satassia, Miss., aged forty-five years. He never married.

Daniel M+. Shirley, born 1791; died August 23, 1855; married Jane Moore, daughter of Robert Moore, of Bristol. He was a farmer, and lived on a part of the original homestead farm on Shirley Hill, the house on which, still standing, was the second two- story frame house built in town. Their children were,

Robert M., born November 24, 1819; died April, 1883 ; married Margaret Dodge, of Goffstown.

Nancy, born December 26, 1823; married Gilman Shirley ; children,-Alma, born 1849; Frank, born March 29, 1854; Clinton, born October 6, 1857.

Mary, born May 10, 1826; died December 1, 1869; married Ephraim Heald; children, -George, born 1849; Hattie, born July 8, 1852.

Joseph, born April 22, 1831; married Nellie Niles, of Bombay, N. Y .; children, -Ardello, born 1859; died 1865; Delbert, born 1861; Jennie, born 1869; Delmay, born 1871; Hattie, born 1875.

Harriet, born April 2, 1835; married Sylvanus D. Johnson ; children,-Cora Belle, born February 10, 1859, died July 12, 1859; Horace Shirley, born Oc- tober 22, 1867, died October 12, 1869; Shirley Moore, born January 8, 1869; Helen Inette, born February 2, 1871.

Daniel, born September 26, 1838; married De Ette Sackett, of Potsdam, N. Y .; children,-James, born February 23, 1876; Emma De Ette, born July 4, 1879.

Horace, born March 19, 1841; enlisted in Company G, Sixteenth New Hampshire Volunteers; drowned in Vermillion Bayou, La., April 17, 1863, at the age of twenty-two. He was one of the thousands of noble and patriotic youths who gave their lives to their country in the war which saved the Union and freed the slave.

James' Shirley, born May 5, 1794; died August 8, 1863. He graduated at Dartmouth College, read law at Albany, N. Y., but soon left for Augusta, Ga., re- suming studies and having charge of an academy there. He began practice at Florence, Ala., and pursued it at Huntsville, Ala., but finally settled at Vicksburg. His character was unblemished, his be- nevolence exalted and his loyalty to the Union un- I compromising. It was at his plantation that the

E. e. Phiney

329

GOFFSTOWN.

interview occurred between Generals Grant and Pem- berton, which led to the surrender of Vicksburg. He married, first, Harriet, daughter of James Walsworth, of Norwich, Conn., in 1820. In 1835 he married Adeline, daughter of Abraham Quincy, of Boston, Mass. James Jay, oldest son of James and Harriet Shirley, was born in 1825; died 1852. His widow, Harriet, and daughter, Emma (Mrs. Andrew Criddle), reside in Clinton, Miss. Children by second mar- riage,-Frederick, born 1836, died 1873, unmarried. Quincy, born 1848; graduated at West Point ; died 1879; he married Margaret Parks. Alice, born 1844; married General John Eaton, United States commissioner of education; their children are,- James Shirley, born 1868; Elsie, born February 6, 1871; John Quincy, born 1873.

John+ Shirley, born 1797; married Margaret Hous- ton ; lives at Suspension Bridge, N. Y. Children,- Alfred, born 1819; married Jane Woodbury. Maria, born 1827; married Andrew Kimball ; their children, -Lauron H., born 1850; Emma J., born 1852, died 1876; Ella F., born 1854, died 1877; Clara M., born 1857, died 1881; George A., born 1859; John S., born 1855, died 1861; Gilman, born September 20, 1823, married Nancy Shirley; member of Company G, One Hundred and Twelfth New York Volunteers, killed in battle of Cold Harbor, Va., June 2, 1864. John Shirley, died May 10, 1885; married Susan Parker, of Hooksett; children,-Josephine, born 1849; Charles, born 1850; Quincy, born 1858; Susey, born 1862; Mary Jane, born 1823, married Griggs Hol- brook, member of One Hundred and Seventieth New York Volunteers, died in Andersonville prison ; mar- ried, second, Joseph H. Stevens, died 1880; chil- dren,-Margaret Abbie, born 1866; Alice Maria, born 1868; John Hadley, born 1870; Fred Hodgman, born 1873; married, third, Andrew Kimball. Sarah, born 1836; married Matthew Dolphin; died 1869; chil- dren,-George Alfred, born 1867; Carrie Shirley, born 1869. Margaret, born 1840; married James Cooper, 1863; children,-Thomas Shirley, born 1865; John Maxwell, born 1867; Ella Margaret, 1869; Robert James, 1871 ; Mary Emma, 1874.

Gilman+ Shirley, born 1799; died at Gilmanton Academy, Franklin County, Ala., August 18, 1822, aged twenty-three ; unmarried.

William+ Shirley, born 1802; died at Courtland, Franklin County, Ala., August 25, 1824, aged twenty- two.

Robert M4. Shirley, born January 5, 1808; married Sophia McCutehins, born April 15, 1805, died De- cember 6, 1870; married, second, Lucretia Houston, born July 20, 1820. For fifty years Mr. Shirley was one of the prominent farmers and business men of the county. He is now retired from active business, and in his retirement, as in his active life, is distin- guished for his kindness, integrity and liberality. He was a seventh son, famous for curing king's evil. Children (by first wife),-

James Quincy5, born November 14, 1829; married Elmira MePherson, of Bedford; educated at New Lon- don; went to California in 1850, at the age of twenty ; engaged in mining and stock-raising in California, Idaho, Utah and Oregon; a pioneer and successful operator in the latter business. At the early age of twenty-one he drove a large herd of cattle from Council Bluffs to San Francisco.

Mary Helen5, born May 23, 1839; married Freder- ick Eaton, dry-goods merchant of Toledo, Ohio; child, Helen, born August 5, 1866, died April 13, 1876.

Abigail Frances5, born November 21, 1844; married Colonel James B. David, of Amherst; resides in Somerville, Mass .; child,-James Quincy, born May 30, 1874.

EDWARD CARLTON SHIRLEY5, born December 5, 1834, in Goffstown, N. H .; married Amanda Malvina Baldwin (April 24, 1862), daughter of Deacon Nahum Baldwin, of Manchester; children,-Mary Vicksburg6, born July 4, 1863, the day of the fall of Vicksburg; Robert Lawrence6, born May 12, 1868; Florence Sophia6, born February 17, 1871.

Colonel E. C. Shirley is one of the best known and most prosperous farmers in the State. He tills the homestead farm on Shirley Hill, which he has in- proved and brought to a high state of cultivation. His occupation is that of his immediate and remote ancestry in an unbroken line, and which has so strik- ingly conduced to longevity in this family. His home combines the attractiveness of rural life and the hap- piness of the domestic circle, united with a generous hospitality and troops of friends. Colonel Shirley was educated in the district school until he was eighteen years of age, and was then sent to New Hampton, where he remained until the breaking up of that school. He then went with Professor Knight to New London, where he remained three years. After leav- ing school, Colonel Shirley went to California in 1856, where he remained two years, engaged in var- ious employments. Returning to New Hampshire, he was engaged in lumbering operations until 1862, when his father moved to Manchester, leaving the homestead to his care and possession. Colonel Shir- ley has always taken an active interest in military and agricultural affairs. He has held a commission as second lieutenant in the Amoskeag Veterans, aid- de-camp to Governor P. C. Cheney, with the rank of colonel, and on "New Hampshire Day," at the Cen- tennial at Philadelphia, was officer of the day. He was also assistant quartermaster on the staff of Brig- adier-General Clough, New Hampshire National Guard. He is a member and trustee of the New England Agricultural Society, and for three years was chief marshal at the exhibitions. He is also a member of the New Hampshire Agricultural Society, and chief marshal at four exhibitions. He is also one of the founders of the Piscataquog Valley Agri- cultural Association.

330

HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

LEMUEL NOYES PATTEE.

The subject of this sketch was born in Massachu- -etts, February 5, 1804. His parents, while he was very young, removed to Goffstown, N. H., and in this romantic and beautiful village he passed his boyhood days. He attended the public school, and there re- ceived the foundation for an education on a more ex- tended scale than was to be acquired in the district school.

While yet of tender years he was placed in the office of Judge Charles H. Gove (then a resident of that town), and under the private tuition of that distin- guished jurist became fitted for the discharge of the responsible duties of later life. Mr. Pattee, after leav- ing the office of Judge Gove, worked as a farmer dur- ing the summer months for several years, and during the winter taught in the district schools of several of the adjoining towns with a good degree of success.

In 1827 he married Vashti L., daughter of Joseph and Margaret Little, of Goffstown. They had one child,-Mary F., who was born March 29, 1828, and was married to John B. Woodbury, of Antrim, N. H., March 6, 1849.

Mr. Pattee was the proprietor of a country store for several years, and in this department of industry achieved a good degree of success.

In 1842 he was elected register of Probate, and in September of that year removed to Amherst, N. H., at that time the county-seat of Hillsborough County,

where, for ten years, he discharged the duties of that responsible office with rare intelligence.

During his residence in Amherst he represented the town in the General Court. At the close of his service as register of Probate he removed to Antrim, in the same county, which town he also represented in the General Court.

At the June session of 1855, Mr. Pattee was elected Secretary of State, and served to June, 1858, being re-elected each year. He discharged the duties of this responsible office with singular fidelity, and, as a matter of political history, was the first Secretary of State elected under a Republican administration, Hon. Ralph Metcalf being Governor.

Mr. Pattee was an active member of the Whig party, and assisted in the formation of the Republican party, and acted with it up to the time of his death, with but one exception. Being an admirer of General George B. McClellan, he voted for him for President.

Mr. Pattee was liberal in his religious views, was a constant attendant upon and a liberal contributor to the support of public worship. He was a genial man, an interesting and fluent talker, a good citizen and much respected by all who knew him.

A beautiful portrait in oil, the gift of his widow, hangs in the office of the Secretary of State, from a copy of which the accompanying engraving was made. Mr. Pattee died April 1, 1870, aged sixty-six years, and was buried in the family lot in Goffstown, N. H.

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tions the Republican party

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Ordered's of State, from a Figurwenneing ws nal .

Lemuel A. Putter

HISTORY OF GREENFIELD.

BY S. FRANCES PEAVEY.

PREFACE.

THE task of gleaning the following items of Greenfield history has been a laborious one, on account of the scarcity of materials.

Not a single continuous history of even one family of the early settlers has been found, and only a few diaries, extending over brief periods. It is by detached fragments of family history, mostly obtained from the recollections of our oldest citizens, of incidents related to them by their ancestors, that we are enabled to lift the veil that envelops the past enough to catch fitful gleams of the domestic life of the pioneers. The motives that led to the occupancy of the then nameless wilderness are ob- scure, but seem to have been the love of adventure, a desire to be free from the conventionalities of society, and the cheapness of the land which afforded opportunities to acquire homes with slender pecuniary resources.

Had not those brave adventurers been stalwart physically, mentally and morally, they would not have dared to cope with the dangers, pri- vations and hardships that must have loomed up before them.

Armed with axe and fire, they compelled the sturdy monarchs of the forests to retire, and allow the sun and rain, combined with incessant toil, to coax from the virgin soil, clad in the sable relics of its primal oc- cupants, sustenance for themselves and their loved ones.

Bravely, hopefully and perseveringly they labored to lay the founda- tious on which their posterity might erect noble superstructures. Did they succeed ? Let our prosperous town decide. Were they happy ? The shadowy glimpses of home-life, that we catch through the long vista of years, seem to suggest an affirmative answer.

The writer would gratefully tender her thanks to those of the inhabit- ants of the town, to former residents, and to all others who have aided her by furnishing scraps of history, incidents and facts and dates, other- wise unattainable.

Miss S. FRANCES PEAVEY.

CHAPTER I.

"PETITION FOR THE SETTING OFF OF THE NORTHWEST PART OF THE TOWN, 1790.

" To the Honorable Generall Court of the State of N. II. :

" The Petition of the inhabitants of the Society Land, So Called, hunt- bly shews that your Petitioners, Living in Sd Society, Labour under many disadvantages and inconveniences by not Being in a Corporated Town, And cannot Enjoy Such Privileges as to Render their Circum- stance Agreeable. Wherefore, your Petitioners Humbly Pray that that Northwest Part of the town of Lyndeborough, of which the in- habitants hath for some years past been desirous of being better ac- commodated, May be Annexed to that part of the Society Land Lying South and Southerly of the Crotched Mountain with Lyndeborough Slip, and incorporated into a town therewith, and your Petitioners, as in Duty Bound, will Ever Pray :

" Benjamin Pollard, Stephen Gould, Alexander Parker, Robert Rod- gers, Sammel Farmer, William Glover, Duglass Robison, William Mc- Crae, Eben Farrington, Thomas Addison, John Waugh, Pyam Herrick,

Samuel Cudworth, Samuel Weeks, Oliver Holt, William Wilson, Robert Alexander, Thomas Atkison, John Chase, Timothy Cudworth, Jonathan Gillis, James Ramsey, Robert Waugh, John McMaster, Charles Caven- der, John Ramsey."

"Societyland, Apr. se 27th, 1790."

"The Petition of the Subscribers, Inhabitants of a gore of land lying between Lyndeborough and Peterborough, known by the name of Lynde- borough Gore, llumbly Shews : That your Petitioners have been en- couraged to settle in this Mountainous part of this State, in expectation of being incorporated with some Adjacent Inhabitants into a body Politic, with the same privileges that other towns enjoy,-that your petitioners and famileys Consist of Forty-one souls, and live Seven miles, or upward, from Lyndborough Meeting-house, and, in addition to the badness of Travel generally attending new Settlements, we have to cross the Petit Manadinack Mountain to attend Public worship,-that we have not power to raise any money for laying out and repairing highways or Schooling our Children, - that public Instruction in the great duties of life and the education of our Children we Esteem as a duty and Privilege, and think it of great importance, either in a Religious or political view, which we are, by our local situation, deprived of, and must so remain or quit our habitation unless relieved by the llonble General Court, -that That part of Lyndeborough that is adjacent to us lies west of the Petit Monadinock Mountains and that part of the Society land that lays South of the Crotched Mountain, and is bounded on the west by the Contoocook River can never be Accommodated in any other way than by being incorporated together with us and one Range of Lots in the Town of Peterborough, and that with them we think ourselves Able to make every Necessary provision for the enjoyment of Privileges and Advant- ages that other towns enjoy.

" Therefore we pray that your Honors would incorporate us with the Inhabitants above mentioned into a body Politic, with the same priviledges and Emmunities that are enjoyed by other Towns in this State, or Grant us Reliefe, as you in your wisdom shall see fit :

"Joseph Batchelder, Joshua Holt, Peter Pevey, Joseph S. Leverence, Thomas Pevey, Nathan Lovejoy, John Fletcher, William Blunt, John Ilolt, John Dane, Timothy Holt.

" Lyndeborough Gore, May 25tb, 1790."

Consent of Peterborough to Foregoing, 1790 .- At a legal town-meeting of the inhabitants of Peter- borough, upon the 18th day of October, 1790 :

" l'oled, to grant to the persons petitioning the General Court the east Range of Peterborough in Case they obtain from Lyndeborough and other places what they have petitioned for to be incorporated into a Town.

" Attest, THOMAS STEELE. " Town Clerk. " Peterborough, october 18 day, 1790."

Greenfield was incorporated June 15, 1791, and was composed of portions of Society Land, Peterborough and Lyndeborough, attd land between the two last- named towns, called Lyndeborough Gore.

331

332

HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Daniel Emerson, Esq., of Hollis, was authorized to call the first town-meeting. They met at the house of Mr. Daniel Gould, the 5th of July, 1791. After opening the meeting, adjourned to the meeting-house, at which town officers were chosen.

By an act passed December 28, 1791, the boundaries were changed and established. December 11, 1792, the two east ranges of lots of land in Greenfield, in that portion which, previous to the incorporation of the town, was known as Lyndeborough Addition, We're annexed to Francestown. July 4, 1872, another portion of this town was annexed to Francestown. A portion of the territory now comprised in Greenfield was settled, in 1771, by Captain Alexander Parker, Major A. Whittemore, Simeon Fletcher and others.

It has been stated that the name Greenfield was given the town by Major Whittemore.

Greenfield is situated in the southwestern part of Hillsborough County, in latitude 42º 55' north, and longitude 71~ 48'west (from Greenwich). It is bounded north by Bennington and Francestown, east by Fran- re-town and Lyndeborough, south by Lyndeborough and Temple, and west by Peterborough and Hancock.

It comprises an area of sixteen thousand nine hun- dred and four aeres, irregular in shape, nearly the en- tire border-line from northeast to southwest forming a curious succession of right angles.

It is drained by the Contoocook River, which sepa- rates it from Hancock.

The surface is broken by many hills, while two moun- rains, Crotched and Lyndeborough lie partly within it- precincts. The soil is consequently varied in char- acter, the low lands being adapted for tillage and the hillsides for grazing. Its leading industry is agricul- ture. The same influences which impart severity to its winter climate make it a welcome and healthful sum- mer retreat, easy of access since the extension of the Boston and Lowell Railroad to the place in 1874, and the Manchester and Keene in 1878.

The village consists of a church, school-house, post- office, hotel, depot, several stores and a steam-mill, together with a goodly number of neat and well-pre- served dwellings.

From its high central position it is visible miles away, at varions points, and the tops of its highest hills com- mand on threesides a grand and extensive view of the surrounding county far beyond the limits. Away to the rast, past hill and dale and village spires, rise the twin heads of the bold Unconoonues, while to the west, far across the broad intervening plain, dotted with half- concealed farm houses, Monadnock rears his symmet- rical form, towering high in air like a lofty sentinel keeping guard over the long line of approaching hills that stretch far to the northward.

It has five ponds, known as Hog Back, Mud Pond, Gould Pond, Bower's Pond and Pollard Pond. The last named, located in the west part of the town, is the largest, being about one mile long and one-half mile wide.

For many years it has been a favorite resort of pleasure-parties, and many a wary pickerel has been lured from its silent depths to be cooked and devoured on its shores, with that savage relish which excursion- ists rarely fail to exhibit.

For more than half a century a succession of its sons and daughters have emigrated to other parts of the country, many of whom have occupied honorable positions in the professional, business and literary world.

The habits of patient toil, frugality, self-denial and endurance, acquired through the hardy occupations of their early lives, have doubtless proved a surer pass- port to success than any inheritance of wealth could have procured.

The settlers of this town were mostly of English and Scotch-Irish descent. The Ramseys, Beans and Pattersons emigrated from the ancient town of Lon- donderry. The Holts, Abbotts and Peaveys came from Andover, Mass., and were numerous in the south part of the town.

To Chelmsford and Marblehead we are indebted for some of our earliest settlers, among whom were the Savages, Reynolds, Fletchers and others.

The early settlers were industrious and frugal, and planned with a wise reference to the future welfare of the town.

They raised large families and so trained them for life's duties that many of them have occupied honor- able positions in almost every State in the Union.

But few of the descendants of the pioneers now in- habit the town.

"August 8, 1791. At a legal meeting of said voters and others, inhab- itants of the Town of Greenfield, at the meeting-house in said town, on Monday, the 8th day of August, 1791, Chose Lient. Amos Whittemore, Moderator.

" l'oted, to raise eighteen pounds, to be laid out in preaching, the present year.

"Toted, to accept the account of the committee that was chosen to carry the matter of incorporation through the General Court.

" Toted, to raise three pounds for necessary town charges.

" l'oted, that Messrs. Joshua Holt, Benjamin Pollard and Joseph Ell- inwood be a committee to supply the desk the present year.

" Yoted, to choose three choristers ; chose JJoseph Batchelder, Thomas Pearsons and Thomas Carlton, Jr.

" Foted, to have the Psalm read one-half of the time, and the other half to sing without reading.

" Voted, to allow the constables fourpence on the pound for collecting the taxes.

" The town voted to join with the church in calling a last, to have the ('hurch organized in this town.

"JOSEPH HERRICK, T. C."

First Roads .- Roads were first laid out to accom- modate individuals, and rendered passable by cutting trees as near the ground as possible, thus clearing a space of sufficient width for teams to pass.

"A Transcript of a road leading from the centre road, so called, upon the line betwixt Thomas But- man's farm and Alexander Parker's, until it comes to said Butman's North East corner ; from thence to the North East corner of Samuel Butterfield's clearing, and south from Joseph Eaton's barn to the bridge

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GREENFIELD.

over the pond brook, as near as the land will permit. By the Selectmen of the Society, 1787."

In 1791 a road was laid out, two rods wide, begin- ning at the west line of Lyndeborongh Slip, so called; thence westerly through land of Nehemiah and Ephraim Holt, to Peterborough west line.

In 1793 another road, beginning at John Holt's house ; thence running northeasterly to the log cause- way ; thence northwesterly to the meeting-house spot.

In 1795 a road was laid out "beginning at the County road the south side of the meeting-house ; thence easterly, by marked trees on the north side of the road, through land of Samuel Weeks, Elijah Broadstreet, William Parker and Jesse Dodge, also through land of Moses Lewis to a little brook in said land; thence easterly to the road that leads to Lynde- borough."

Before 1795 a road was laid out "beginning at the easterly line of the town of Greenfield, running south- westerly to John Grant's east line, south side of Grant's house, till it strikes the road that leads by Philip Fletcher's to Lyndeborough meeting-house." Several other roads were early laid out, and used only as bridle-paths.

First Crops .- The first crop on burnt ground was rye ; the surface was as thoroughly harrowed as it could be on account of obstructions, and the seed was pecked in with a hoe around rocks, roots and stumps. The yield was usually abundant ; it was reaped with a sickle and threshed with a flail. Potatoes and tur- nips grew well on any land. Flax yielded large erops both on new and cultivated land. It was considered women's work to pull and spread it on the grass ground to rot. The early pastures yielded timothy, elover and other milk and butter-producing grasses. Corn did better on land that had been cultivated a few years.

First Mills .- Isaac Cobbett had a fulling-mill from 1820 to 1823 on land bought of Deacon David Patter- son. He had the privilege of flowing the meadow for a pond until the 10th of May. He built and lived in the house now occupied by James Lewis.

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History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Part 80

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