USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Northfield > History of Northfield, New Hampshire 1780-1905: In Two Parts with Many Biographical Sketches and. > Part 57
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63
CLARA VEASEY, b. at N. June 14, 1855; m. Clifton Tilton of New Hampton, Nov. 2, 1872. They had two children, Ralph and Nellie. Mrs. Tilton d. March 22, 1883.
SARAH ELIZABETH VEASEY, b. at N. June 14, 1858; m., Nov. 2, 1882, Mead Boynton of Meredith. She d. Feb. 9, 1894.
HISTORY OF NORTHFIELD.
WADLEIGH I.
JONATHAN WADLEIGH was b. at Kingston March 2, 1755, O. S. He m. - Greenough of Canterbury and had one son. He enlisted from Hampstead, as did his two brothers, and the three fought side by side at Bunker Hill. He came soon after to the north fields of Canterbury and bought land on the northwest side of Bean Hill, where be built a log house. He was a brickmaker and the presence of clay suitable for his use probably determined his location. During his absence in N. his wife and child remained with her parents In Canterbury and. when he went to take her to his new home, she was mortally sich and d. soon after.
In 1776 he brought to the little home a second wife, Abagail East- man of Hampstead. Some two years later he moved down to the Morse place, nearer his brick yard, where she d. July 30, 1794. They had nine children.
He m. (third), Mrs. Little of Sutton, whose maiden name was Russell, and spent the remainder of his life in Gilmanton. Mr. Wad- leigh was a prominent man In the new town, was a relative of the Morse and Ambrose families, and served a term in the Legislature as representative.
Second Generation.
(Child of Jonathan and - Greenough Wadleigh.)
THOMAS WADLEIGH, b. at Kingston Nov. 21, 1774; m., June 16, 1808. Rachel Gile of N. and had a son. He was bodyguard and clerk for Squire Glidden and always accompanied him, on horseback, as he often carried large sums of money. His name appears on the early records of the town, and he bought the 40-acre school lot on Zion's Hill and other lands.
(Children of Jonathan and Abagail Eastman Wadleigh.)
JONATHAN EASTMAN WADLEIGH, b. at N. March 17, 1777; m. (pub.). March 28, 1801, Sally Buswell of Hampstead, and took up his abode there. The birth of five children is duly recorded and he was one of the selectmen in 1807-'08. He d. at Concord, Mass., where he was a farmer. He had previously been a hotel keeper at Hampstead and Haverhill.
BENJAMIN WADLEIGH, b. April 10, 1780; m. - - Smith, sister of David Smith of East N., and removed to Canada. They had a family of children, several of whom were stricken with spotted fever. The neighbors called it the plague and advised a young boy, the only well one in the family, to flee for his life. This he proceeded to do, and came to N. and was the only one to survive.
SUSANNA WADLEIGH, b. April 13, 1781; m. John Wadleigh, her cousin, and removed to Genesee County, N. Y. She d. at Oxford, O., Feb. 1. 1847.
818
GENEALOGIES.
PETER WADLEIGH, b. at N. April 2, 1779; m., Nov. 18, 1802, (first), Mrs. Alice Glidden, widow of William Smith, and had two sons and. a dau. She had three sons by the previous marriage. (See Smith gen.)
He m. (second), Mrs. Jane Gorrell, widow of Francis Smith. It is said that he m. two widow Smiths and settled both their estates. Mrs. Wadleigh d. in 1858, and he d. Nov. 16, 1856.
He became a judge of the Court of Sessions and was a learned man. He was largely instrumental in the establishment of Merrimack County. His trials were great events and often filled not only the dooryard but the orchard as well. He was a wise and practical man and an honored citizen.
EBENEZER WADLEIGH, b. July 16, 1785; m. Huldah Elkins Ewer of Gilmanton and resided there. They cared for his parents in old age. They had two sons, Ebenezer Eastman Wadleigh, Jr., and Curtis Elkins Wadleigh, a posthumous child. He had, it is said, a great desire to go to sea and, his wish not being considered, was not to be found one day when called to dinner. He took a trip to the West Indies and, returning, took his place at the same work he left and answered a similar call as though not a day had intervened.
Ebenezer Wadleigh d. of malignant erysipelas, as did his youngest sister, Betsey, March 15, 1845.
ABAGAIL WADLEIGH, b. Sept. 6, 1787; m. (pub.), Oct. 14, 1810, John Heath of Hampstead. She resided, after her mother's death in 1794, with her uncle, Peter Eastman. Mr. Heath d. in 1858. She d. Nov. 7, 1874. They had five dau. and one son.
POLLY WADLEIGH, b. Nov. 1, 1790; m. Jubulah Fullerton of Woodstock, Vt., a jeweler at Buffalo, N. Y. He was pressed into the service in the War of 1812. They were in great peril at the siege of Black Rock and fled the city three days before it was burned, going with her brother-in-law to their home in Vermont. Mr. Fullerton contracted fever while scouting and d. soon after. She returned to N. with two dau. and m. (second), Capt. Isaac Glines. (See Glines gen.) She d., at 82 years of age, in the same room where she was b.
BETSEY WADLEIGHI, b. April 9, 1793; d. at Gilmanton March 15, 1845. She and her brother, Ebenezer, d. the same day.
Third Generation. (Child of Thomas and Rachel Gile Wadleigh.)
HORACE WADLEIGH, b. at N .; m. Sally Wright and resided at Belmont village. They had no children. She d. in 1893 (?) and he d. some two years previously.
(Children of Peter and Alice Glidden [Smith] Wadleigh.) (B. at N.)
EPHRAIM SMITH WADLEIGH, b. June 26, 1803; m., Nov. 8, 1823, Mary Elizabeth Smith, b. Sept., 1804. He resided on his father's estate, which has had but two owners.
814
HISTORY OF NORTHFIELD.
Mr. Wadleigh was often in the counsels of the town and was fis representative in 1845 and 1846, and was very proud to carry in kis pocket & bull'seye watch, which his father and grandfather hed carried during previous sessions. He d. June 1, 1888. She d. in Sagt, 1904. .
MARY WAPLEIGH, b. May 2, 1805; m., March, 1826, John W. Merrill and resided at East N. They removed later to Columbia, where she d. April 18, 1878. He d. there Sept. 2, 1879. They had three children, one of whom, John, resides at Lakeport.
.. CHARLES JOSEPH WADEMINH, b. Feb. 27, 1816; m., Oct. 19, 1847, Janette Ramsey of Button. He was a tinsmith, with a house and shop on Elm St. They had four children, all of whom d. in infancy. He d. at N. Jan. 14, 1864. She removed to New Hampton, where she d. in 1902 (?).
(Child of Ebenezer and Huldah Ewer Wadleigh.)
EBENEZER WADLEIGH, JE, b. at Gilmanton; m. - Mktins and had a son, Elkins Wadleigh, a prominent man in Salem, Mass.
· Fourth Generation. (Children of E. 8. and Mary E. Smith Wadleigh.)
OLIVE ALIOS WADLEIGH, b. May 24, 1848; . m., Jan. 1, 1885, Peter K. . Gile of N. (See Gile gen.) They were farmers at Franklin and now reside on the Wadleigh homestead.
ADELAIDE PHILIPS WADLEIGH, b. Doc. 14, 1855. She is a nurse of 15 years' experience in all the New England states.
SMITH GLIDDEN WADLEIGH, b. 1857; m., 1883, Flora Getchel of Washington, Vt. He conducted a meat business at Tilton for some years, selling out in 1883 to R. M. Couch. He is night watchman at G. H. Tilton's Hosiery Mill. They have three children. (See errata.)
ANN ELIZABETH WADLEIGH, b. July, 1861; m., 1888, William J. Sager of Penacook. He has been blind since childhood but in spite of his limitations is a good carpenter, farmer and expert piano tuner. He was educated at Perkins Institute, South Boston, Mass. They have three children: Minnie D .; and Albert S. and George, twins, b. Sept. 20, 1890.
CHARLOTTE B. WADLEIGH, b. 1865; m., 1884, James McKeng of Stan- stead, P. Q. They resided for a while at Seattle, Wash., and, later, at Arlington. They had two children, Leland and Mansfred. She d. at N. May 22, 1898. The family now resides at Stanstead.
NOTE .- The two brothers who were at Bunker Hill were Thomas and John. The latter joined the Shakers and was a prominent member .. He d. at Canterbury April 26, 1852, aged 95.
815
GENEALOGIES.
WADLEIGH II.
JAMES DEARBORN WADLEIGH, b. Feb. 8, 1792; m., July 27, 1816, Phebe Chase of Sanbornton, b. Aug. 26, 1793. They resided for some years opposite the old meeting-house at the Centre, in a house erected by Charles Glidden, Esq. After the business there was removed to San- bornton Bridge, he sold his farm to Elisha Lougee and moved to San- bornton, where he was a carpenter and farmer. In 1853 or 1854 they removed to Wisconsin, where both d. They had three children.
Second Generation.
POLLY WADLEIGH, b. at Sanbornton June 14, 1817; d., Oct. 11, 1821. CHARLES JAMES WADLEIGH, b. Feb. 8, 1824; m., April 14, 1846, Ann Maria Gage. He was a farmer in Manterville, Minn., and d. Nov. 21, 1874.
MARENDA T. WADLEIGHI, b. July 26, 1829; m., Aug. 2, 1849, Shadrach T. Smith, a blacksmith in Franklin and, later, in Carson, Minn.
WATSON I.
JOHN P. WATSON, b. at Warner April 8, 1837, came from Boscawen to N. about 1872 (?). He m. Sarah A. Watson, b. at Salisbury April 5, 1848, and bought the Blaisdell farm, near the Pond schoolhouse. They had three dau., but one of whom was b. at N.
He was in the employ of the various hosiery mills, taking their goods out to seamers far and near. They suffered the total loss of their farm buildings by fire in 1879. They were worthy, Christian people. He d. at Allenstown Aug. 27, 1901. She now resides in Boscawen.
Second Generation.
ETTA WATSON, b. at Boscawen; m. Bert Lovejoy of Barrington and had three children. She was, before her marriage, employed at the New Hampshire Insane Asylum. She d. Dec. 31, 1901.
EMMA WATSON, b. at Boscawen, Feb., 1872; m., May, 1905, Edwin Sawyer, and resides at Mast Yard, Concord.
SARAH E. L. WATSON, b. at N. Nov., 1884; m., Sept., 1904, Willie Davis of N. They reside on the Watson homestead.
WATSON II.
JOHN S. WATSON came from Scotland to N., July, 1883. He was b. at Galashiels, Dec. 16, 1853. He m., March 15, 1881, Elizabeth Ander- son, b. at Galashiels, April 26, 1859. He was a machinist in his native country. He is employed at the Tilton Woolen Mills. They have two children.
.
16
HISTORY OF NORTHFIELD.
Second Generation.
ANDREW SMELL WATSON, b. at Yonkers, N. Y., Feb. 15, 1882; d. at 1. Jan. 10, 1891.
SOPHIA ANDERSON WATSON, b. at N. June 27, 1887, resides with her arents and is a member of the sophomore class of Tilton Seminary.
WATTS.
JOHN M. WATTS came to N. from Concord in 1879 and established a tone cutting business below the freight depot. He put in place the tone watering troughs, set milestones and assisted in the erection of he Tilton memorial arch and the library building His health fail- ng, he sold out to Mr. Laws of Concord and removed to a farm in franklin, where he d. in Sept., 1885.
Second Generation.
PAUL WATTS is in the employ of the United States as rural delivery lerk at Franklin Falls.
FLORENCE M. WATTS resides in Wilkesbarre, Pa. MARION WATTS lives at Franklin Falls.
WALDO.
JOHN WALDO came to N. from Northwood. He was a carpenter and ame to erect a dwelling house for A. J. and J. J. Pillsbury. . After a few years' stay, during which he represented the town in he Legislature of 1888-'89, he returned to Northwood.
He d. at the Margaret Pillsbury Hospital, Concord, Feb., 1905. [is wife, Sarah Angeline Winslow, d. at Northwood two weeks later.
WEBBER.
JACOB WEBBER resided on the western slope of Bean Hill below the oseph Kimball home. The buildings long since disappeared. They rere small farmers. Their land was rocky and cold but they were uiet, contented, Christian people, who kept the Sabbath and were onstant attendants at church. No approaching shower could excuse is neighbors' wickedness in gathering their well-dried hay on the ford's Day. His cattle were the Lord's and if he sent rain to spoil heir sustenance "he wasn't going to fuss about it." He exchanged his arm, a few years later, with Rev. Benjamin Bishop of Starksboro, a laptist clergyman, and went there to live. He had a wife and one on. Mrs. Webber d. soon after their removal and he returned and m. Polly Cilley, his aforetime neighbor. They kept a wayside inn for many years.
817
GENEALOGIES.
Second Generation.
DAVID WEBBER m. Emily Buswell Abbott of N. and removed to Starksboro. After some years he went to Campton, where she d., as did their two children. He remarried and now resides in Plymouth.
WELLS.
NATHAN' WELLS was b. at N. Dec. 14, 1798. He m., Nov. 7, 1828, Jane Smith, b. at N. Jan. 25, 1799. They resided for many years in East N. on the farm now owned by Thomas Payson, and the children were b. there. He removed to Lawrence, Mass., when the city was in its infancy and was prominent in its councils, being its postmaster for many years. He d. there in 1878 and his wife d. in 1887.
Second Generation.
FRANCIS WELLS, b. Sept. 17, 1829, was a machinist in Lawrence, Mass., where he sacrificed his life to his business and d. of con- sumption Aug. 9, 1869.
NATHAN DANA WELLS, b. July 17, 1831, was educated in the Law- rence, Mass., public schools and Yale College, and later studied law. He began practice in New York City, with his home in Brooklyn, where he d. Oct. 3, 1902. His wife, Sarah Scholly, d. June 29, 1904. They had a dau., Margaret, and a son, Dana, who fills a chair in Columbia College.
MARY JANE WELLS, b. March 27, 1833, graduated from the Lawrence High School and was a teacher there for many years. She d. in 1887. CHARLES HENRY WELLS, b. Jan. 31, 1836; d., Nov. 22, 1847. BETSEY ANN WELLS, b. Feb. 13, 1838; d., April 24, 1853.
WEEKS.
GEORGE F. WEEKS came from Gilford to Bean Hill in 1876. He bought the Cofran farm, rebuilt the buildings and was a successful farmer for 15 years. He then purchased the home of John Fletcher on Bay St., where he conducted a meat business until his death, May 5, 1897. He m. Abby Shaw of Salisbury, who, with her sister, Mrs. Anna Prince, still resides at the home. Mr. and Mrs. Weeks were active in church work and were devoted members of the Congrega- tional Church. Mr. Weeks was a selectman of the town for several terms and held other important trusts.
CHARLES H. WEEKS, brother of the above, was b. at Gilford April 2, 1830; m. (second), Mary J. Quimby of Hill, b. Nov. 30, 1848. They came to N. Oct. 21, 1898, he dying here Dec. 21, 1901. They had two children.
ʻ
·818
·
Second Generation. (Children of Charles H. and Mary Quimby Weska.) (B. at West Thornton.)
TINA MAY WERKS, b. March 4, 1875; m., Sept. 21, 1993, Mills J. Bradley, b. at Bridgewater Sept. 21, 1873. They purchased the B. F. Cotran place and have three children: Maurice W., b. 1896; Either A. b. 1899; and Marion IL, b. 1903. CHARLES G. WELKE, b. May 16, 1881; d., Feb. 28, 1882.
WEDGEWOOD.
JERENTAL WEDGEWOOD's name appears frut on the N. tax Hot in 1800. He lived near the Haines place, in the east part of the town. He was a farmer and cabinet maker and manufactured the old-fashioned round tables. The house disappeared long ago but the road passing it is still called the Wedgewood road. He was a religions man and what was lacking in matter, in his long, drawn-out exhortations, was more than made up in manner, Which was an oven mixture of nasal twang and singsong drawl. I can find no data of birthe, deaths or family. but he long since learned to sing the "new song" His name dropped from the tax lists in 1826 and his estate the next year was taxed to Ziporaż Wedgewood of Canterbury, probably his wife.
WEYMOUTH.
GEORGE W. WEYMOUTH, b. at Upper Gilmanton; m. Sarah Norris of the same town, and had three children. In 1852 they came to N. and . lived on the Daniel Hills farm for several years. In 1870 they re- turned to their native town where he d. Sept. 20, 1889, and his wife d. Sept. 22, 1894.
Second Generation.
LAURINDA WEYMOUTH, b. July 11, 1835; d., Oct. 19,'1854.
WORCESTER WEYMOUTH, b. Sept. 28, 1837, was educated at the New Hampshire Conference Seminary at Sanbornton Bridge and later was employed by J. C. Norris & Co., bakers and confectioners, in Concord. He was a fine tenor singer and sang in church choirs for many years. He d. at East Cambridge, Mass., while on a visit to his sister, Feb. 11, 1869.
ARMINDA WEYMOUTH, b. May 11, 1841; m., Oct. 3, 1866, Thomas R. Cushing of East Cambridge, Mass., where they resided for several years, later removing to Belmont, where they now reside. They had four children: Amy, George W., Charlotte and Sarah.
.
GENEALOGIES.
819
WHEELER.
THOMAS C. WHEELER Was b. in Pembroke in 1808 and d. at N. in 1894. He owned the Chauncy Garvin place in East N. She still re- sides in. town. He had one son, George, who inherited the home place.
WHITCHER.
DANIEL WHITCHER, called "Shingle Weaver," lived in the east part of the town, near the town farm, also on the Colony, and had a family of four children. Belinda m. James Dearborn. Two younger girls, Judith and Julia Ann, worked in the Lowell Mills and there m.
IRA WHITCHER, b. at N .; m. Sally J. Arlin and had a large family of girls and boys, two of whom were with him in the Civil War. None of this family have lived in town for many years. After his death she m., March 31, 1875, Charles F. Hicks, and removed to Milwaukee, where she d.
Ira Whitcher had a brother, Warren, and two sisters, Artemesia and Julia Ann.
Second Generation. (B. at N.)
GEORGE IRA WHITCHER m., Aug. 9, 1857, Lucy Ann Brett of Bradford. He was in the Civil War and was credited to Sanbornton. (See Boys in Blue.)
JULIA ANN WIIITCHER, b. 1841; m. Benjamin W. Weeks and d. at N. May 31, 1890. She had two children one of whom, Fred, m. Mary Avery. (See Avery gen.)
ELIZA WHITCHER m. Buzzell Johnson and resided at Tilton.
WHIDDEN.
The farm owned for many years by the Evans family on Bean Hill was sold about 1829 to Nathaniel Huckins. He m. Irene Pollard of Hudson, b. 1805, and d. soon after, leaving it to her. She m., May 21, 1832, William Pitts Whidden, her uncle by marriage, who came there to reside. They had two children.
Seventeen years later he sold to Samuel Libby of Bow and moved to Hills St. Some years later he erected a new home nearer the vil- lage, now owned by Joseph C. Wyatt, where she d. May 5, 1862.
He m. (second), March 4, 1863, Mrs. Mary P. Chase and removed to Tilton, where she d. He d. in N. Nov. 28, 1888.
Second Generation. (B, at N.)
AMANDA ANN WHIDDEN, b. 1832; d., Dec. 18, 1840.
ORIETTE P. WHIDDEN, b. March 29, 1836; m., March 2, 1861, Henry T. Hills of N. (See Hills gen.)
.
890
HISTORY OF NOWHERE
.
.
WHITTIER.
IBAAO WHITTIER, fourth son of Joshua and Abagall Farrington Whit- tler, was b. at Londonderry May 25, 1800. He m., Nov. 1, 1827, Fannie Parker McQuesten of Londonderry, and settled as a merchant in Gode- town, where three of the eight children were b. Later they resided at Union Bridge, now Rast Tilton, where they spent some five years. On his coming to N. he parchased the Molony residence and commenced trade in a long building, with wooden shutters, where the stere of Northfeld Grocery Co. now stands. He was postmaster after the odice at the Centre was discontinued, and kept a country store, groceries, dry goods and - notions in great variety. They were constant attend- ants at the Congregational Church, of which both were members. He served the towa as its clerk for a long term of years. He d. Nov. 16, 1878. She d. at Dracut Feb. 7, 1882, aged 76. She was a lovely, Christian woman.
Second Generation.
NYRA FRANCES WHITTIER, b. at Goffstown July 19, 1829; m., Feb. 26, 1851, Joseph 8. Woods of Lebanon. They purchased the Lyford piace on Zion's Hill, where he added to farming the raising of stock horses, in which he dealt largely. He later returned to Lebanon. They had one dau., Lizzie Florence. They both d. at Lebanon. She d. Nov. 4, 1909.
ISAAC NEWTON WHITTIER, b. at Goffstown Deo. 14, 1831, inherited his grandfather's love of the sea and was killed on his vessel at the time of the French War. Young Whittier went to men when a boy and became second mate on a sailing vessel. He never returned and the date of his death is unknown.
DANIEL BRAINARD WHITTIER, b. at Goffstown Oct. 21, 1834; m., Oct. 14, 1858, Mary Chamberlain of Sanbornton Bridge. (See Physicians of N. and Boys in Blue, with portrait.)
WILLIAM C. WHITTIER, b. at Union Bridge April 15, 1836. His service for his country constituted his life work. (See Boys in Blue.) He d. at Fitchburg, Mass., Oct. 9, 1865.
MARY LIZZIE WHITTIER, b. at Union Bridge March 31, 1838; m .. Dec. 25, 1865, Calvin Richardson of Dracut, where they now reside. She was educated at the New Hampshire Conference Seminary and for two years later was a pupil of Professor Weed of Tilden Female Seminary at West Lebanon. They had two children, Florette and Fannie, both of whom d. in childhood.
Mr. and Mrs. Richardson are zealous in every good work and were largely helpful in the rebuilding and beautifying of the Central Con- gregational Church and the erection of a grange hall while he was its worthy master. The Dracut Public Library has also shared in their benefactions and labors. In 1889 they spent a year on the Pacific coast, passing from Seattle to San Diego, with stops in every city of importance by the way, in the course of which her well-written let- ters to the Lowell papers attracted considerable attention and favor- able mention.
1
821
GENEALOGIES. .
SARAH TILTON WHITTIER, b. at N. Sept. 23, 1831; m., Sept. 4, 1867, Charles Richardson of Dracut, Mass., and resides in San Diego, Cal. They have two dau., Lilla Gertrude and Fannie May, who reside at San Diego.
CORBAN CURTICE WHITTIER, b. at N. Aug. 12, 1843; m., Jan. 16, 1869, Lizzie M. Haines of Franklin, b. May 25, 1847. (See Haines III gen.) She d. at Franklin May 12, 1874. He m. (second), Nellie Thompson of Laconia, Aug. 30, 1880, is a farmer and resides at Meredith.
MARK WOODBURY WHITTIER, b. at N. Sept. 7, 1849; d. at Meredith Jan. 10, 1891.
WHICHER.
The Whichers came to N. very early in the history of the town and settled on the 100-acre lots, Nos. 18, 19, 26 and 54. The two former now comprise the estate of F. B. Shedd and the latter two the farms of Clarence W. and Reuben Whicher. Mr. Hunt says: "Nathaniel, the first settler, bought 500 acres around and near Chestnut Pond, which he gave to his four sons, William, Reuben, Benjamin and Jonathan." He also says: "Mr. Joseph Knowles bought his farm of Mr. Whicher for a two-year-old heifer."
Mr. Whicher was b. in Stratham Nov. 30, 1751; m., June 4, 1773, Sarah Harvey, b. at Nottingham April 11, 1748. She d. at N. May 10, 1839. He d. Dec. 30, 1810. They had other children, who re- mained behind. A description of their entry into the town is thus given: Mrs. Whicher rode on horseback, carrying her child, while he proceeded on foot, driving a yoke of oxen, with an axe on his shoulder. Another record credits them with eight children. He d. at 59 years of age.
Second Generation.
SARAH WHICHER, b. May 20, 1774; d., unmarried, at N.
BENJAMIN WHICHER was the first settler on Shaker Hill, Canterbury, where he built a small house, that has been enlarged in height and width and is now the church building. He m. and had two sons, one of whom, Benjamin W., became a Shaker elder.
ABAGAIL WHICHER, b. March 30, 1778.
GRACE WHICHER, b. May 25, 1780.
NANCY WHICHER, b. Jan 24, 1782; m. John Gilman. (See Gilman gen.)
NATHANIEL WHICHER, JR., b. Aug. 18, 1784; m. - Evans and had three dau.
MATHEW WHICHER, JR., b. Aug. 27, 1788.
MARY (POLLY) WHICHER, b. Aug. 23, 1792; m., Aug. 29, 1811, Joshua Mathes of Canterbury. She d. at Columbia Dec. 5, 1861. He d. in June, 1852. They had seven children: James M., John, Elijah, Sarah, Julia, Israel and Gideon.
21
322
HISTORY OF NORTHFIELD.
OLIVE S. WHICHER, b. Feb. 12, 1795; m. Charles Gilman. (See Gil- man gen.)
JONATHAN WHICHER, b. 1781; m. Annie Pike and settled at Franklin. He d. March 22, 1851. She d. Dec. 29, 1870, and they are both buried back of the academy at Franklin. They had seven children.
JANE PERBY WHICHER, b. Feb. 6, 1787; m. Samuel Clough. (See Clough gen.)
WILLIAM WHICHER, b. at Nottingham in 1757; m. Polly Elliott of Nottingham and had four children. He m. (second), Hannah Sanborn, b. 1767, and had 10 children. She d. Oct. 17, 1837.
BENJAMIN WHICHER, JR., b. June 26, 1776; m. Katherine Cole of Bradford, Mass., b. May 18, 1779. They lived on the Shedd place and had 10 children. Mr. Whicher, with utter disregard of fatherly duties, "folded his tent like the Arabs and quietly stole away," leaving his houseful of children and small means to his inefficient wife, who could read, write and sing better than she could care for her numerous family. With hardly an exception, they became inmates of good homes and were worthy members of society. Two of the dau. held high offices in the Shaker Community, where the mother d.
(Children of William and Polly Elliott Whicher.)
JONATHAN WHICHER, JR., m. Tamar Sawyer, dau. of Jotham, who lived on the Rand place. He d. instantly March 22, 1850.
DAVID WHICHER removed to Newburyport, Mass., when a young man. POLLY WHICHER m. Isaac Waldron of Strafford and lived and d. there. They had three sons, Daniel, Horace and William, and two dau.
WILLIAM WHICHER, b. Oct. 17, 1837; m. - Avery and removed to Epping. They had four children: Jonathan, Joseph, Caleb and Susan.
. (Children by second wife.)
JOHN WHICHER m. Relief Field and resided in Quincy, Mass. He was a stone cutter and lost an eye.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.