History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 157

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia [Pa.] J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1520

USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 157
USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 157

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The love of kindred, always so noticeable a charac- teristic of Mr. Wadleigh, became much more marked towards the last of his days. This peculiar feature, which not unfrequently manifests itself, is always gratifying, yet painful for relatives to observe, indi- cating, as it does, this return to our earliest affec- tions, this coming back to where we started from, that our life-circle is nearly completed. Whenever we shall detect this change in ourselves, it will not require the knowledge that our seventy allotted years are already past to tell us that the end of our life is near.

With a modesty remarkable in a man of his ac- knowledged and recognized ability, Erastus Wadleigh never sought distinction or preferment. Here, in our quiet town, he was content to pass his whole life; here he gave his interest, and here he gained what so many sons and daughters of Sutton have sought elsewhere, and some have failed to find,-competence, influence, friendship, true regard.

He was married three times. His first wife, who was the mother of his children, was Almira Challis, married Feb. 21, 1839, daughter of Timothy Challis ; born October 15, 1815, and died July 14, 1842. His only surviving child is Milton B. Wadleigh, who lives on and owns the old Wadleigh homestead, which re- mains unimpaired and undivided, though greatly en- larged, and is one of the finest farms in Sutton. His second wife was Mary W. Flanders, who died May 4, 1865. His third wife was Olive Holmes, widow of Dr. Dimond Davis. She died November 1, 1880.

TRUMAN PUTNEY.

It is valuable to preserve for coming generations, in connection with the history of events, something of the personality of those who, at various times and in various ways, have been representative men, and have taken their part as actors in those occurrences which, when recorded, become to future readers the history of the past, and the history of Sutton would be incomplete without a record of the life of Truman Putney.

Hazen Putney, the son of Joseph Putney, of Hop- kinton, married Susan Page. He was a farmer and tanner, and also added harness-making to his other trades, and was a respected and industrious citizen. The children of this worthy couple were Mary N., who married Carlos G. Pressey, and had one child, George H .; Lydia E., married Walter W. Stone (chil- dren,-Edwin C. and Charles H.) ; Almira M., mar- ried Jacob S. Harvey (their children are Walter, Fred. P. and Albert) ; and Truman.

Truman Putney, the youngest child of Hazen and Susan (Page) Putney, was born in Sutton, N. H., July 4, 1828. Like most of the sons of New England farmers, he attended the district schools of his native town, and also endeavored by his assistance to aid his father in his labors. His education was supplemented

Truman utwory

TAM INSTITUTE OF ANIPICAN GENEALOGY 407 Souti Dearborn Street CHICAGO, ILL.

Robert Lane

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SUTTON.

by the advantages of a school at Washington, N. H., where he was for a short time. The young man made the most of his opportunities, and, before reaching his majority, he commenced business-life by serving as clerk for his brothers-in-law, C. G. Pressey & Jacob S. Harvey, who were merchants. After a few years Mr. Harvey sold out his share of the business to Mr. Putney and went to Texas, and later Mr. Putney pur- chased Mr. Pressey's interest and continued merchan- dising in his own name for some years.

Mr. Putney married Lydia A. Woodward, of Sut- ton, daughter of Jonathan Woodward. They had two children,-Cora Belle, who died at the age of seven years, and Fred., who was born September 4, 1855. Mrs. Putney died March 2, 1875, and he married Frances E., daughter of P. S. H. Gile. She died February 8, 1879, and Mr. Putney married, February 28, 1880, Mrs. Lydia M. Nelson, daughter of Emery Bailey.

In April, 1878, Mr. Putney took his son, Fred., into partnership, under the firm-name of Truman Put- ney & Son.

About 1881, Mr. Putney's health becoming impaired from his long-continued devotion to business, and oh- taining no relief from medical aid, and believing that a change of climate might accomplish the desired result, accompanied by his wife, he went to Colorado Springs, where he rapidly grew worse, and died Sep- tember 30, 1882. His body was interred in Sutton. The funeral services were conducted in exact accord- ance with his previously made arrangements.

Entering into trade early in life, Mr. Putney devel- oped a manhood well worthy the imitation of young men. For nearly thirty-five years he continued the same business in the same place. He had a natural aptitude for commercial transactions, and by honesty, perseverance and industry he was prospered. By in- tegrity, years of fair dealing and a strict adherence to his word he built up a character of solidity, and never dared malice or envy whisper aught against his name or his broad Christian charity. In his business relations he was widely known, and his uniform courtesy and kindly manners won for him many friends, both in financial and social circles. He was a leading man in the town, and many, among all classes, sought his counsel and advice, and he was ever ready with his generous aid for any good object, and for a long period took an active part in every- thing tending to promote the growth and prosperity of the town.

Politically, he affiliated with the Republican party, and represented Sutton in the New Hampshire Legis- lature. He was appointed postmaster in 1861, and held the office until his death. For many years he held the office of town treasurer, and other official positions within the gift of his fellow-citizens, and all these duties he discharged with his characteristic fidelity.

Mr. Putney was not a member of any church, but his religion was exemplified in his life. His principles

were Christian, and his sympathy, kindness and accord with the people of Christ were shown by his liberal contributions for the support of the gospel. His temperament was cheerful and sunny, always seeing the silver lining of the dark cloud.

By his death Sutton lost a valued citizen, and all who knew him cherish his memory with reverent regard.

DR. ROBERT LANE.

Dr. Robert Lane was born at Newport, N. H., April 2, 1786. He studied medicine with Dr. Tru- man Abel at Claremont. He first settled in the prac- tice of his profession in New London, moving to Sutton about 1810. He married Mary Kelsey, of Newport, January, 1807. They had three children, -- Elizabeth, who married Dr. James R. Smiley, of Grafton; Mary, who died when two years old ; and Adelaide, who married George W. Ela, of Concord. June 10, 1812, his wife died, and Dr. Lane returned to New London for residence, but continued to occupy the same field of practice. During the first years of his practice he spent the winter months in attend- ing medical lectures at Harvard and Dartmouth, and in 1814 received his degree of M.D. from the latter college.

Close application to the study and practice of his profession, continued through several years, told up- on his health, and in 1817 he gave up practice for a season of rest. He went South, and, after visit- ing most of the Southern States, accepted an appoint- ment as surgeon in the expedition of General Jack- son against the Indians and Spaniards in Florida. After the capture of Pensacola he was stationed there for a short time and then was ordered to Mobile, Ala., and placed in charge of the military hospital at that post. In the summer of 1820 he resigned his position in the army and returned to Sutton to settle permanently. He bought a farm near the North village and the rest of his life was spent in the routine work of a country physician and in farm- ing.

The breaking out of the War of the Rebellion re- awakened his military ardor, and it was with keen regret that he felt the infirmities of age bearing too heavily upon him to permit his acceptance of the responsible position in the service which was tend- ered him. Towards the close of the war he was ap- pointed by the Governor an examining surgeon in the preparation of the draft rolls, and, as it did not take him from the State, he was able to perform the duties of the office. He continued in active prac- tice until he was eighty years old. In the spring of 1872 he fell upon the floor, crushing the bones of one hip, from the effectsof which accident he died May 3d, aged eighty-six years.

For more than fifty consecutive years Dr. Lane was an influential citizen of Sutton. As a physician,

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HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

he stood in the first rank among his contemporaries. He loved his profession and gave to it the best efforts of a clear and vigorous intellect. Beginning prac- tice with a better preparation than was common at that day, he was a life-long student, both of books and in the line of original investigation. He re- garded his profession as a field for unlimited research and study and held it to be the physician's first duty to be always learning. He was gifted by na- ture with the special qualifications of a good surgeon, and the circumstances of his army connection gave him unusual facilities for the study of surgery. Up- on his return to New Hampshire he gave special at- tention to that branch of his profession, and soon became widely known as one of the best surgeons of the State. His reputation as a physician was also far more than local; and, in addition to his home practice, which embraced all the towns adjoining Sutton, he almost always had patients under his care in more distant towns. Professionally, he may be said to have belonged to the county rather than to the town of his residence.

In the midst of his professional work, Dr. Lane found time for the watchful supervision of his farm. He was a devoted lover of New Hampshire soil, and stoutly maintained that it was the equal of any asa field for progressive and profitable agriculture. In this pur- suit, also, he was a close student of books and of nature, and in his efforts to harmonize book farming and prac- tical farming he was a generation in advance of his time. He was fond of experiments and held many pecu- liar theories; but these were the result of a careful study of the soil and the crops with which he had to do, and for the most part experience proved them correct. At a time when New Hampshire farming was generally the practice of a blind routine, his work was based upon an intelligent study of the nat- ural laws which governed it.

In politics, Dr. Lane was an Old-time Whig and in later years a Republican. Sutton was a stanch Democratic town, only three Whig votes being cast at its polls for several years. After awhile the num- ber of Whigs increased to thirteen, and so remained until the little band, known as " Dr. Lane and his twelve disciples," became politically famous in the region round about. In politics, as in all things, his opinions were sharply defined and tenaciously held, and he was always well informed upon current polit- ical ideas and events. He, however, had no wish for official position and little time or taste for political controversy ; but it was with pardonable pride that he at last saw his faith triumphant at home as well as in the country at large. In 1866 the Democrats failed of a majority at the annual election, and Dr. Lane was chosen the first Republican representative from Sutton to the State Legislature. He was then eighty years old and the oldest member of that Leg- islature.

The mental characteristics of Dr. Lane were

strength and breadth of view united with accuracy and minuteness in the notice of details. Aside from his profession, he was self-educated, but his educa- tion was broad and thorough. He had marked lit- erary tastes and was especially devoted to the study of the English classics. When wearied with profes- sional work he habitually found rest in the reading of standard English literature. But he took nothing for granted. Everything he read must pass the or- deal of his independent judgment. His books --- medical, agricultural and literary-were dotted along their margins with his comments and notes of approval or dissent. He possessed rare conversational gifts and a great store of anecdotes ; and, having a retentive and exact memory, his talk was an in- structive and interesting mingling of facts and quo- tations with his own argument. He was always em- ployed, fiuding his recreation in study or a change of work rather than in rest or sport. Thus the meas- ure of his long life was filled with useful activity.

The genealogy of the Lane family may be traced for several generations until lost in the traditions of the seventeenth century. The ancestors of Dr. Lane were prominent among the early settlers of Con- necticut and New Hampshire. His father, Jesse Lane, was born at Lebanon, Conn., December 1, 1746, and removed to Newport, N. H., in June, 1766. February 22, 1770, he married Hester Wright, of Killingworth, Conn., who was born October 31, 1750. He was a leading citizen among the first settlers of Newport, serving as representative three years and selectman eight years. He died at the age of seventy-two years. His family consisted of eleven children, of whom Robert was the fifth son and eighth child. Jesse Lane was the second son of Robert Lane, who was born at Killingworth, Conn., in November, 1713. He married Mary Thatcher, of Lebanon, Conn., July 4, 1744, and moved to New- port, N. H., about 1770. He, too, was active in the early history of that town, holding various town offices for many years. He was, perhaps, a son of the Robert Lane who lived in Stratford, Conn., from 1665 to 1685, and who is probably the same mentioned by Field as coming from Derbyshire, England, and making one of the first settlers of Killingworth, Conn. Tradition connects him with the loyalist Lane who aided Charles the Second.

ENOCH PAGE.

The Page family were of the pioneers of Rocking- ham County, and among the first settlers of the town of Atkinson, N. H., we find the name of Edmund Page. He was a man of note, and his descendants are among the brave and good men of their day and generation ; some served their country in the dark days of the Revolutionary War, and many have served their God, living worthy and honorable lives. July 17, 1772, there was recorded the birth of one Captain

Enoch Page

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SUTTON.

Enoch Page, in Atkinson, and about the year 1795 he married Sarah Noyes, who was boru March 12, 1774. Enoch was a carpenter by trade, and remark- ably skillful in the use of tools, besides possessing an unusual amount of energy and enterprise, and soon after his marriage he moved to Sutton, of which place he continued to be a resident during his life. He carried on farming, was also an " inn-keeper," keep- ing the old tavern located at the corner of the road leading to Sutton's Mills. In those early days the inn-keeper was looked upon as one of the " solid men " of the town, and was elected to and served in many town offices. Whatever Mr. Page did, he did well ; his farm was productive, his other business prospered and from an humble beginning he gained a com- petency by his own unaided exertions. He died October 31, 1828.

The children of Enoch and Sarah (Noyes) Page were Susanna, born April 21, 1797 (she marrried Hazen Putney, October 24, 1816, and had four chil- dren,-Mary, Lydia, Almira, Truman), and Enoch. Mrs. Page died August 8, 1855, aged eighty-one.

Enoch Page was born in Sutton October 2, 1804, and died January 14, 1882, in the seventy-eighth year of his age. He received his early education in Sut- ton, and afterwards attended Pembroke and Meriden Academies.

Mr. Page married, December 2, 1846, Hannah C. Colby, of Warner, N. H. They had six children,- 1. Daniel, died in infancy.

2. Josephine, born August 1, 1848, and married, De- cember 31, 1868, George Roby, the fourth in descent from Samuel Roby (1), Ichabod (2), Samuel, Jr. (3). The Roby family were among the early settlers of New Hampshire. George Roby was born in Sutton September 21, 1834, and at the commencement of the war he enlisted in the Eleventh New Hampshire Volunteers, Company D. Mr. and Mrs. Roby have one child, Eva B., born September 14, 1870.

3. Eugene, born May 16, 1851; died August 19, 1851.

4. Martha C., born December 12, 1852, and married, May 9, 1882, George H. Littlehale, a native of Sutton, and son of Henry, and grandson of Isaac Littlehale, an old resident of Sutton.

5. Sarah, born February 24, 1856; died August 23, 1856.

6. Mary, born May 4, 1860; died July 29, 1860.

Mr. Page was a farmer, and took pride in the im- provement and cultivation of his farm, and was interested in the affairs of the town to a large extent. He was postmaster for a great many years, the post- office being in the old tavern, the latter of which his father had remodeled into a private residence, and in this house, which is now occupied by his daughter, Mrs. George H. Littlehale, both Enoch Page, Sr., and Enoch Page, Jr., died.

In politics Mr. Page was first a Democrat and afterwards a Republican, and was always found in

accord with progress, and served his native town faithfully in all the various offices to which he was elected by his townsmen, by whom he was universally esteemed. He was a leader in town matters and was honored with many public trusts. He held a com- mission of justice of the peace, and was a captain in the militia; he was town clerk from 1831 to 1838, and for the years 1843, 1852 and 1853; town treasurer for 1839, 1852, 1853, 1860, 1861 and 1862; representative for the years 1840, 1841 and 1842; county com- missioner for 1870 and 1873. Mr. Page also attended to probate business and settled a great many estates. He was a man of good judgment, unimpeached in- tegrity, unassuming and unostentatious in his manners, kind and benevolent, doing many an act of charity known only to the recipient, and, although not a member of any particular religious denomination, yet he believed in the principles of that charity which never faileth-love and good-will to all-and left to his descendants the record of an honorable and well- spent life.

CONVERSE GAGE.

The Gage family is of old and honorable English lineage. It is also of historical interest, as one of its members was the last royal Governor of Massachu- setts,-General Thomas Gage. He planned the ex- pedition to Concord which resulted in the battle of Lexington, April 19, 1775, where the initial struggle of the Revolutionary War took place.

Phineas Gage emigrated from Haverhill, Mass., and became one of the first settlers and pioneers in the town of Enfield, N. H., and married a New Hamp- shire girl, Phebe Eaton, who bore him twelve chil- dren,-Jesse married Hannah Swetland; William (deceased) married Eliza Sanborn ; Samuel (deceased) married, first, Rosamond Alden, second, Nancy Lit- tle ; George married Mary Whitford and resides in Waterford, N. Y .; Calvin (deceased) married Abigail Prescott; Hiram (deceased) married Elizabeth Green- dell, of Maine; Harry married, first, Mary Goss, sec- ond, Susan Fuller (they reside in Royalton, Vt., and have one son, Henry) ; Converse; Eliza married, first, Benjamin Collins, second, Benjamin Perley ; Amelia (deceased) ; Abigail married Francis Robbins, she re- sides in Warner, N. H .; Nancy (deceased) married Aaron Wells.

Phineas Gage was a good, old-fashioned farmer, toiling early and late, striving to care for a large fam- ily from the avails of his farm. He died September 1, 1849, in the seventy-seventh year of his age. His wife, Phebe, who was born July 4, 1776, died March 7, 1860, aged eighty-three.

Converse Gage, the youngest son of Phineas and Phebe (Eaton) Gage, was born in Enfield, N. H., June 17, 1817, and died in Sutton April 20, 1882. He was one of a family of eight sons and four daughters. His

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HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

father being an early settler, his acres were, like many others common to New England, well fitted to de- velop both mind and muscle. The constant problem to be solved by their owner is how to extort from the stony soil the necessaries of life. This problem has been solved by many, and the earth made to yield to those engaged in its cultivation something more than a subsistence, and developing in many instances both physical as well as intellectual growth. Farming is an old and honorable calling, dating back to the time of Adam, and at the present day, if more of onr young men would adopt agriculture as their work, there would be more honest and vigorous manhood and truer patriotism.

Converse passed the early part of his life assisting his father on the farm, and availing himself of the opportunities afforded by the district schools. He married, November, 17, 1844, Cerlania, daughter of John P. and Rachel (Powers) Carroll, of Croyden, N. H. Carroll is an old and respected name. Mrs. Gage's grandfather Powers was one of the old residents of Croyden.

The children of Converse and Cerlania (Carroll) Gage were Susan E., born December 13, 1847 (she married Charles W. Purmort, of Enfield ; they have had four children,-Frank M., Herbert C., George C. (deceased) and Mabel M.); George, who died in in- fancy ; and George W., born December 12, 1853, un- married, and who, with his mother, carries on the place at Sutton.

Mr. Gage remained in Enfield for ten years after his marriage, leading the life of the hard-working farmer, which means unwearied, unremitting industry and patience ; but assisted by the sympathy, encourage- ment and aid of his wife, without which many men with the brightest of prospects for future success have utterly failed, he was prospered.

About 1854 he removed to Sutton, where he con- tinued to be a "tiller of the soil," and for nearly thirty years was a resident, taking pride in the culti- vation and improvement of his land. Here he became interested in town affairs, identifying himself to such an extent that he was elected to office, and was a se- lectman for nine years, and proved a man of under- standing and intelligence in public business. Repub- lican in politics, he represented Sutton in the Legis- lature two years. In religious belief he was a Uni- versalist, trusting rather to the God of love than the God of fear. His religion was exemplified more by practice than preaching. He was a man of genial and cheerful nature, a kind neighbor, a good citizen and enjoyed the respect and esteem of a large range of acquaintance.

JAMES R. SMILEY, M.D.

William Smiley, the grandfather of Dr. Smiley, was of Scotch-Irish origin, born in the north of Ireland in 1728. IIe was one of the first settlers of

Jaffrey, N. H., in 1758. He had ten children, two of whom, David and Robinson, were the first college graduates from the town. David became a lawyer. He married Mary Harkness, whose mother, Eliza- beth Putnam, was a relative of General Israel Put- nam, of Revolutionary fame. They had five children, only two of whom lived beyond infancy,-Mary Harkness, born July 5, 1806, married October 9, 1834, to Deacon David Fosdick, died June 25, 1864; and James Robinson, born in Bristol, N. H., June 17, 1808.

When about eight years old he moved, with his parents, to Plymouth, and two years later to Graf- ton. He graduated in 1826 from Kimball Union Academy, and entered Dartmonth the same year. In his sophomore year he left college and began the study of medicine under Dr. Reuben Muzzey, of Hanover. His studies were interrupted by ill health, but he resumed them later with Dr. Robert Lane, - of Sutton, and received his degree from the Dart- month Medical School in 1833. He practiced medi- cine four years with Dr. Lane, and in 1837 married Elizabeth Lane, and removed to Grafton. Here he lived, with two short interruptions, for nearly thirty years, building up a large and successful practice, which commanded the whole of Grafton, and por- tions of Danbury, Springfield, Canaan, Orange and Alexandria.

He was a thorough medical scholar, a close ob- server of diseases and their causes, careful and judicious in his treatment of them. He was earn- estly devoted to his profession, making himself, liter- ally, the servant of all, if only he might save life or relieve suffering. He received in return, to an unu- sual degree, the love and confidence of the people whom he served.

In Grafton all his children were born,-Adelaide Lane, Mary Elizabeth, Frances Farley, Susan Ela, Pamelia Tarbell, Robert Lane.

Dr. Smiley began, at length, to suffer from the labors of his profession, and a change became neces- sary. At the same time the failing health of Dr. Lane required the presence of Mrs. Smiley, his only surviving child. In 1866, therefore, he returned with his family to Sutton, where he has since lived, doing some business as a physician, but giving most of his attention to farming.

In 1828, Dr. Smiley received an appointment to the office of deputy sheriff of Grafton County, and to the horseback riding which its duties involved in those days he always attributed his restoration to health. He was also, about the same time, an officer in the old State militia, ranking up from ensign until he held a colonel's commision. While in active practice he was a member of the New Hampshire Medical Society, and he has been a justice of the peace for over forty years. He was an early member of the Christian Church, organized in Grafton in 1855, and for many years the superintendent of pub-

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History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 157

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Philadelphia [Pa.] J. W. Lewis & co. Number of Pages: 1520

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia [Pa.] J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1520