History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 178

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 178
USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 178

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Joseph Jones was a citizen in 1813, but does not appear in earlier lists.

Abel, Samuel and Daniel Kimbal and George Keniston were assessed, but the time and place of their settlement is not certain. Later, Mr. Kimbal lived north of Samuel F. Gilman.

Elder John Knowles settled on the south part of Liberty Hill and became the minister of a church organized in that part of the town. He also preached at Gilford village and other places. He was a farmer at the same time and a man of high standing. His sons, John D. and Elbridge, became ministers also. The former preached at various places and embraced Second Adveutism, The latter was settled at the Province Road Church, a Free-Will Baptist. Wil- liam, another son, lived at different places, and was a while the miller at the Hoyt (then Morrill's) Mill. Another son became a Shaker at Canterbury. The family and name is but limitedly known at the present time.

Colonel Samuel Ladd came to Meredith Bridge and bought of Stephen Gale his mill and mill privilege. This mill was built about 1775 on the Meredith side and was carried away by a freshet in 1779. In 1780, Colonel Ladd rebuilt the mill on the Gilford side, and also built a dwelling-house, which was the first one at that place, and has ever since been known as the Mill-House. The dam built here proved insufficient to withstand the pressure of so great a volume of water. It was carried away three times (in three successive years) after Colonel Ladd built it and once before. The mill was burnt in 1788 and rebuilt and enlarged, with machinery for sawing added to that for grinding. With heroic courage, he established the milling business at this place. Dudley Ladd con- tinned the enterprise, and Jonathan appears taxed in 1813.

John Lamprey settled near the Alton line and built a saw-mill on a small stream near his house. His was the only family of that name in Gilford at that time, but at a later date a family of the name located at Meredith Bridge. He was a man of great strength and endurance. His sons were John, Rich- ard, Samuel and Reuben, who settled in different places. The family is but limitedly represented at the present time here.

Winthrop, Moses and Vowell Langley appear in the lists, and their location was in the north west part of the town, and the name is not now common.

The Leavitt family is reckoned as among the early comers into town. Stephen is said to have come in 1785, and Jonathan in 1793. The particular families that have located in town, besides Jonathan's and Stephen's, were those of Reuben, Jonathan, Jr., Lieutenant Samuel and Miles, all on the Lake- Shore road ; and Benjamin, Stephen, Jr., and Jacob, all on the Intervale; Miles Jr., in the Miles River Valley; Nehemiah, Samuel, Jr., and Jonathan (the Little) and Levi, elsewhere in town. The family grant was a large one, and the descendants are widely dispersed and variously connected. Fred- erick Lewis is in the list, but his location is uncertain. Joseph and Benjamin Libby settled on the Oaks road, and later, Elias occupied the place. The family was of good repute, and is still there. Levi Lovit was one of the earliest settlers, first lo- cating near Black Brook, then near Governor's Is- land, after a short residence in Meredith; his trade was that of basket-making, and the sons followed the same business. Ephraim Mallard settled early at Meredith Bridge, and carried on the cabinet and furniture business ; and he was for many years moder- ator at town-meetings, and was a man of distinction, and trustworthy. Was representative, and held sev- eral other offices in the gift of the people. The only other family of the name was that of Henry, a brother, who lived at the centre and eastern part of the town, in different houses. James McCoy was brought to town by Captain S. F. Gilman, by whom he was brought up, and near whom he lived. He had the care of the burying-ground in that part of the town, and was thought to have magic power, or art, to cure the toothache. His family and name have not been known in town for some years.

Elder Richard Martin came to Gilford in the year 1796. Four years previous, in 1792, two meeting- houses were begun in what was then called, as a whole, the Upper Parish, viz .: the Province Road and the Gunstock meeting-houses. The one was intended as a Second Parish Congregational Church; and, as the Baptist interests and cause was pushed in the Lower Parish, to a separation the Upper Parish Church (being built by common taxation, or town aid) was to be for the free use of Baptists also, and even of any other dissenting parties or bodies. The Baptists were conceded the use of the church a portion of the time, and to the occupancy of the church for that part of the time Elder Martin was invited by the Baptist party, as he had been ordained the year previous, at Lee, as a Baptist preacher. He settled on the lot next to the church. It is not stated that this lot was the one regularly reserved as a parsonage lot. It partly abutted on the lot set apart, in 1780, for the minis- terial support, viz .: No. 10, in the thirteenth range, and the one on which the village is mostly situated.

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HISTORY OF BELKNAP COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

A forty-acre lot, on the south end of the second divi- sion of such lots, was, in 1771, assigned, apparently, for each of the two Upper Parish ministerial supports, and another one hundred acre lot in Tioga, No. 13 of the seventh range, so that the two North Parish enter- prises seemed to have their provisions made for sup- port. Perhaps the Baptists did not claim exclusive right to this; hence Mr. Martin did not settle on it. He built his house conveniently near to the church as it were, forty rods.

When measures were taken to install him by the Baptists he dissented from the Calvinistic feature of their articles of faith, being an Immersionist, but not a Calvinist. He therefore became a preacher of that party, which also rejected the Calvinistic sentiments and which was organized into an Anti-Calvinistic Baptist Church, agreeing substantially with the preachings of Benjamin Randal and John Buzzell and which had already been termed the Free-Will Baptists.

He exercised his ministry with and for this class of people, in this and adjoining places, for a little more than twenty-five years, nntil his death, in 1824. He was a man endeared and faithful. He cultivated his farm, and, with his sons, carried on some business in the line of tanning, as did his brother-in-law, James Follet, who was settled by his side. His family in- cluded two sons-Richard, Jr., and John L .- and a daughter, who married George Saunders. These were persons of marked power. Richard was efficient as a ready lay preacher, and John L. as a propagator of doctrines differing from those held by the father, and more coincident with the Universalist faith. He was prominent in public civil affairs while he re- mained a citizen of Gilford, from which he emigrated after the death of his father, and was of honorable standing elsewhere. Richard, Jr., lived at Lake village, or near there, for many years, and left a danghter.

Aaron Martin, of another lineage, was a manu- facturer of paper at Meredith Bridge, in the days of its beginning. His paper-mill, located on the Gilford side, was burnt, and ceased operations many years ago, and the mannfactory has not been rebuilt or the work resumed by other adventurers.

The Martin name has not been on the lists in later years.

Lieutenant Samuel B. Mason and Ephraim Mason are in the lists. Mason located near the lake, east from Governor's Island. The family, once of some standing, has not remained to the present.

Caleb Marsten came to town in 1793, and settled east of the Intervale, on the Mountain road. He was a man of leading ability, a leader in meetings, and improved his gifts as lay preacher, and was deacon of the first church. He had but one son, Captain Caleb O., who was a prominent citizen, and several dangh- ters, who became well connected; and, though the name has disappeared, the lineal descendants are

many, and preserve the qualities of the parent stock. Some of the best elements of society are traceable to this source.

James Merrill settled on the Intervale, and from this family was Major J. Q. Merrill descended. The family had but few members.

Another brother settled south of Folsom's Mills, and was a farmer.

John Meloon was an early settler and miller at the Morrill grist-mill.

A son, Waldo, emigrated to Bear Island, and the name is no longer known here.

John Mooney came from New Durham, and settled near Alton, on the Mountain road. He was a man of standing and property. He had a large family ; his sons were Benjamin, Burnham, Joseph, Stephen (who was a preacher among Adventists) and Charles. The estate is still held in the name, and many of the descendants live in the vicinity.

The Morrill families are prominent among the in- habitants. These are not from the same stock, and are located in different parts.

Barnard Morrill came early from Brentwood ; worked with Jeremiah Thing and learned the tan- ning business. Mr. Thing's residence and business was on Liberty Hill. Afterwards Mr. Morrill located at Hoyt & Smith's mill, on the ministry lot, and carried on the tanning and shoe business. Subsequently he purchased the mill and the grist-mill and the ministry lot, and carried on the large part of the business of the place. He was esquire and captain and a leading man in his times. He had but one son, General J. J. Morrill, who continued his business, enlarged it and, in company with other men at different times (in the tanning department only), prosecuted it for many years by steam-power. The lumbering interests have all the time engaged their special attention. The property held by them has been large, and located in different parts of the town and elsewhere. Farming, and on an improved plan, has been successfully and continuously conducted, and profitably.

Jonathan Morrill settled in the upper part of the Miles River Valley, at the natural pond included in the Foster's Pond flowage. The descendants, a large family of sons, settled in the immediate vicinity, called the Morrill Neighborhood. They have gained wealth by industry and economy, and still hold their numbers and standing.

James Morrill settled near the mountains ; Zebedee, near the Jewetts; Samuel and John D., at the foot of Mount Major, and afterwards elsewhere.

Amos Morrill carried on the wool-carding business at Hoyt's Mills at one time, which business was transferred to the fulling-mill below, on the same stream, and carried on by other parties.

Benjamin and Henry and Uriah Morrison were citizens at early times, the latter being minister of the Baptist Church when it worshiped in the Gun-

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GILFORD.

stock meeting-honse, or in the school-house and other places in the vicinity, as that was their custom for many years before the church was built at Lake village. He came from Somersworth to supply the Baptists in the Upper Parish, then organized into the Second Church, and placed under his care in 1811. He lived near the Locklin, in the house afterwards occupied by Dr. Josiah Sawyer. He died in 1817, after a pastorate of about six years, and his wife died soon after this, in 1819, and the family did not remain in town afterwards.

The other Morrison families were not long con- tinued in town, save that of James and Abram. Benjamin is said to be of Deerfield.

The Morrison family located on Liberty Hill, of whom Mrs. Barnard Morrill, Esq., was descended (viz., Jonathan Morrison, who was a Revolutionary soldier), emigrated elsewhere, and was succeeded by John Stevens. (He lived awhile, after leaving Gilford, in Tuftonborough, N. H.)

James Morrison succeeded to his father's estate at Meredith Bridge, and was a teacher at times, and afterwards carried on the wool-carding business at Meredith Bridge, in the old Parker warp-mill, and added fulling and dressing of cloth to his business, and was succeeded in the business by the Buzzells,- father and sons. He left no family, and was a man of good ability and decided character.

Abram Morrison, his brother, has long been a busi- ness man at the same place. He kept the Eager Hotel from 1846 to 1857, the Willard from 1857 to 1868, and since then a livery-stable, and succeeds to the homestead and brother's residence.

Captain John Moody was assessed but not definitely located. The Moody family and name was known to the Lower Parish, and not, save as land-holder, here.

Jacob Morse settled on the border of Alton, near two sons,-Abner and David,-whose families still remain. They were industrious farmers.

Dr. George W. Munsey, in boyhood, lived with Samuel Blaisdell. In youth he studied at Dummer's Academy, in Newbury, Mass., and was a teacher ; when a young man, married Hannah Barton, of Epsom, and afterwards practiced medicine in Moul- tonborough, Centre Harbor and Gilford, living in several places in this town, as at David Hale's, on the Oaks road, near the Alton line, on the Pond road, and at two places in the Centre village. He was a practitioner of no ordinary ability and skill; but, having a large family to support and an unremuner- ative practice, peculiar to those days, was often in straitened circumstances. He had good powers of oratory, and after the Washingtonian movement, led by John Hawkins, he lectured on temperance as a reformed man. He lived past his four-score, and his wife to her one hundredth year. Of his sons, Barton is a physician of the eclectic practice and the homœ- opathic principle. His skill as a practitioner and handiness as an artisan are beyond doubt. He early

worked at the jeweler's business, and in that showed rare inventive ability. His travel has been extensive, both in this and in other countries, and his attain- ments are commensurate.

The other sons were George W., Benjamin, William, Amos Prescot and David Hall. Of these, George W., first, and afterward Amos Prescot and David Hall worked at the trade of shoe-making; and William and Benjamin, who emigrated to Cape Ann, were in trade and business there. Of the six daughters, four remain living, and are active in their spheres. One of these is the wife of Rev. Josiah Gilman, of Lynn, Mass.

Josiah and Robert Moulton are early tax-payers, but tradition fixes not their habitat ; and John C., of Meredith Bridge, was of prominence as postmaster, trader and later as a manufacturer. He began busi- ness at Lake village, where he was burnt out. His social and political and official standing has been high.

Captain Jonathan Nelson was tax-payer, but his habitat nncertain.

Captain John S. Osgood settled near Samuel Jew- ett's, and Samnel located on Liberty Hill; Prescot at Meredith Bridge. The name and family was of some standing. In later years Enoch Osgood (wheel- wright) lived at Gilford village, and Dr. Osgood (dentist) practiced his profession at Laconia.

Of Micajah Osborne, only his assessment is men- tioned.

John and Joseph Odlin have been citizens and tradesmen in recent times.

A Page family, that of a soldier in the War of the Revolution, wassettled near Daniel Hoyt's. The house and family soon disappeared, but Henry Page, of San- down, was a tax-payer for many years, and then ceases that name altogether.

Captain Rufns Parish is tax-payer for Cynthia Parish.

William Peasley also is a tax-payer, though prob- ably non-resident.

Stephen Pearly was settled at Meredith Bridge, where he was in trade, and stocked a store at James Follet's, and by clerks carried on a business some years. He was a tax-payer in the early years of the town; a man of distinction and enterprise at the village where he lived. The family included Dr. John L. Pearly, of some note as a practitioner and as a citizen of Mere- dith and Laconia.

The Piper family was settled first in the south- eastern part of the town, and the names of Nathaniel and Thomas are the only ones in the early tax-lists. Alfred lost an arm and lived many years at Mere- dith Bridge.

Henry Plummer came early to Gilmanton. Henry, Jr., settled at the base of Mount Minor, or the Piper Mountain ; he was a mason by trade. William or Billy Plummer is in the list, and Jesse Plnmmer also lived near the mountain. The heirs of Hannah

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HISTORY OF BELKNAP COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Plummer are also in the list of the assessed. Thomas and Moses are found dwelling on the Oaks road on the homestead, and Thomas later at the Plains and in Lake village. He was a wheelwright and worked at that trade many years, and died at an advanced age and left no family. Moses left two sons, Thomas and James, who were active business men, bnt lived at different places. James was hotel landlord and tradesman.

Joseph and Israel Potter settled early in the vicinity of Gilford village. They were brothers, held good lots and their families remain to this day. They came directly from the Lower Parish, where Samuel Potter settled in 1783. Their families were not large and they both worked at shoe-making. In the second generation these families were large, through Joseph, Jr., of one, and Thomas of the other. The late Adjn- tant John M. and Thomas D., of Boston, being of considerable note as traders and manufacturers, rep- resent these families respectively.

Jonathan Prescot came to Gilmanton in 1793, and died in 1809. Jonathan, of the third generation, son of Timothy, was tax-payer in 1813. Horatio G. was also a citizen at the same time, and did business at Mere- dith Bridge, and was the first postmaster there, in 1824. The office was named simply Gilford, though sometimes kept on the Meredith side.

Richard Palmer is assessed in 1808, but his habitat is uncertain.

Jacob Quimby was a resident at one time near the Intervale.

Lieutenant Philbrook Rand settled near Abel Hunt's in 1790, and north of Gunstock Hill, and im- proved some excellent land. The family still occupy the old homestead, and Simon, his son, has been a prominent citizen. Joseph Rand lived awhile at the village, and removed from the town in its first years. The Rand family was not large. George Rand was once a resident, but emigrated early, and Samuel also.

Benjamin Richardson appears to be an inhabitant in 1813. Habitat nncertain.

Joseph Robberts, from New Durham, settled in the Mooney neighborhood, and was, by trade, a tailor. He carried on also farming, and had a large family, of whom Charles and Joseph are successful' business men in Boston,-dealers in iron and ma- chinery. They wrought at blacksmithing before leaving Gilford. The family has gone from the homestead, and settled in various places.

The Rollins name, so common in Alton, had one representative in Gilford in John Rollins, who is taxed for property near the Alton line. Elder John Rollins, from Moultonborongh, preached a while, succeeding Richard Martin.

The Rowe family is quite extensive, and was early settled in the place. Ezekiel and Jacob came in 1796. Jeremiah appears soon after, and Richard and Samnel; also Jeremiah (2d and 3d), and Joseph. They settled in the south part of the town, near

Liberty and Cotton's Hills. Kelley Rowe was after- wards a Baptist preacher, though never ordained. Benjamin Rowe came from Brentwood in 1816, and worked at the wool-carding business, at the Upper Mill, near Hoyt's saw-mill, and also at the Lower Mill, whither the machinery was removed. He also car- ried on farming, brick-making and the making of farming implements, as wheels, plows, rakes, etc. He lived to be nearly one hundred years old; was a teacher of vocal music and a drummer in early life. His oldest son, Hon. John M., was long engaged in the quarry business, at Frankfort, Me., and resides still there. Another son, Benjamin F., was professor of elocution, teaching that department at Bowdoin College and elsewhere, and died yonng. The members of this family were all excellent singers and musicians.

Moses Rowell settled on the Oaks road, between the Weirs and Upper Weirs, and had two sons, Jacob and Philip. These three families are nearly extinct; the name is not left.

Jacob Rundlet (sometimes spelled Ranlet) settled near Governor's Island, and was a man of influence, and held the office of deacon. The family name is lost, though a lineal descendant represents the family. Theophilus Ranlet is the only other one of the name on the tax-list.

Isaac Runnells settled on the Intervale at the Thomas Foster place. The name and family have not had a representative in later years.

Thomas Saltmarsh, selectman the first year of the town's corporate state, had settled at the Pond, called sometimes the Saltmarsh Pond, and sometimes Chat- tleborongh Pond, after the name of one Thomas Chattle, who had lived awhile and squatted on the opposite (south) shore of it; and he (Saltmarsh) had a good farm and good social standing. The family continued, represented by three sons, Thomas, Wil- liam and Seth, but has now disappeared.

The Sandborn, or Sanborn family, is extensive and of several distinct divisions. The numerous inhabit- ants of Sanbornton are allied. Deacon Jonathan settled at the foot of Liberty Hill, and had a good estate. He was a man of piety and influence, and his sons were Jonathan, Jacob and Joseph. The latter was a trader at Gilford village, and carried on extensively the cooperage business, making barrels for the Portsmouth market. Israel settled south of Liberty Hill, and his son was Deacon Levi, of Mere- dith Bridge, and daughter Mary, the school-mistress of those early years. Benjamin Sanborn, of another lineage, settled in the Jewett neighborhood; and his sons were Benjamin Jr., Esq., and Abial. Lowell Sanborn, of still another lineage, whose sons were Lowell, Richard and Elisha, settled near the lake, off Governor's Island ; and Samnel Gilman Sanborn, father of Captain Winborn and John G. (also a son of Lowell, Sr.), was located in the same neighbor- hood, and was a man of uncommon ability and hou- orable influence.

Janbory

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GILFORD.

Richard settled near Captain S. F. and Lieuten- ant John Gilman. He was a carpenter, as was Lowell and his sons, and also his own three sons,- Lowell, Jr., Richard, Jr., and Osgood. By these six or seven men much of the building of those days was done. Samuel and David are reckoned in the same connection. Benjamin, of Laconia, the carpenter, was of the family of Lowell ; and Benjamin, the shoe- dealer, first at Lake village and later of Laconia, was of another family. Mesheck Sanborn came later to Gilford village from Brentwood, to conduct the wool-carding and fulling business. He bought and run the Chapman (or Mingo) Mill; was afterwards post- master and store-keeper, alone and in company; was town clerk and in various places of responsibility. He had no sons, but five daughters, who are well con- nected, one of them being the wife of General J. J. Morrill, and another married Dr. A. G. Weeks. Lowell Sanborn, popularly termed Deacon Lowell, a millwright and mechanic at large, was from Gil- manton, and returned thither and was miller at Mor- rill's grist-mill awhile. Joseph Sanborn, the tailor, lived and worked at his trade near Gunstock Hill. John Sargent settled very near and to the southwest of Captain Gilman's. He had no son ; so his estate was inherited by his son-in-law, John S. Hunt. Wil- liam Sargent, drover and later a hotel-keeper at Lake village, first settled on that part of Meredith, and later of Laconia, which has been lately annexed to Gilford. He was a man of business, and had suffered the loss of an arm and an eye. George Sanders set- tled near the lake, by the Sanborns, and was a lead- ing citizen. He married the daughter of Richard Martin, had a superior farm, and a son of his, George W., still lives in town, though not on the homestead, but near by, on the Intervale, at Captain I. P. Smith's · place. S. W. Sanders, dealer in hardware at La- conia, is of another family.

Josiah Sawyer early settled on the height of land west of the Miles River Valley, and cultivated a large plant there and adjacent. His sons were Is- rael, Dr. Josiah, John and Joseph, and of these, Israel had the homestead, John settled in West Alton, Joseph in Gilmanton, and Dr. Josiah practiced med- icine in Gilford. He was a practitioner of some medical skill, though not read in the regular course. Religiously, he held deistical sentiments. The Saw- yer name is still kept, though there were but few males in the line. Seth Sawyer afterwards preached a while in the Gilford village church.

Thomas, William, Mathias and John Sewall are the individuals bearing this surname. Thomas first lived in the south part of the town, near Liberty Hill ; subse- quently he moved to the plains near Black Brook and married the widow of Samuel Bartlett; he was a drover at one time. Mathias lived near him there and also at other places, and worked at the tanning business, as did also Thomas. He lived at Gilford village at dif- ferent times and worked at Thing's and Morrill's

tanneries. William and John are supposed to have remained at the south part of the town. The family name has disappeared, thongh a lineal descendant re- mains.

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History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 178

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