History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and representative citizens, Part 93

Author: Hazlett, Charles A
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold
Number of Pages: 1390

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chiefly given to his professional duties. He belongs to the Masonic order, the Knights of Pythias, the Odd Fellows and the Grange.

Mr. Tobey married Miss Emma J. Morrison, a daughter of Josiah H. Morrison of Portsmouth. They became parents of one child, Emily Laighton Tobey, born March 20, 1909. Mrs. Tobey died July 3, 191I. Mr. Tobey is a member of the Unitarian Church, his wife having be- longed to the Christian Science Church. He resides at the Rocking- ham hotel. He is a member of the Portsmouth Athletic Club.

WILLIAM ALLEN ODELL, a well known and respected citizen of the town of Greenland, owner of a good farm of 100 acres, was born in this town, April 20, 1859, a son of George W. and Elizabeth (Libby) Odell. The father of our subject was a native of Hampton, N. H., and son of Dr. George Odell, in his day a well known physician. Mrs. Eliza- beth Odell was a daughter of Storer Libby, and was born in Scarboro, Me. The father, George W. Odell, was in early life a speculator, and in later years a farmer .. He and his wife are both now deceased and are buried in Greenland. They had three children: George E., of Green- land; Samuel T., who is employed in the navy yard at Portsmouth ; and William Allen, whose name appears at the head of this sketch.

William Allen Odell acquired his education in the common schools, after which he took up farm work, in which he has since been engaged. He has resided in the town of Greenland all his life up to the present time, and in addition to owning the farm of 100 acres above mentioned, he leases other land for his operations, employing usually about eight hands. He is a Republican in politics and is now serving as selectman and as fire warden of the town.

Mr. Odell was married in 1893 to Catherine Pickering, a native of Greenland, N. H., and daughter of William J. and Josephine (Holt) Pickering. Her father, a native of this town, was a farmer, while her mother was from Georgia. Their children were: Mary E .; Lucy, who died when seventeen years of age; Josephine, widow of the late Frank J. Scammon; Catherine, wife of the subject of this sketch, and Edwin. Mr. and Mrs. Odell have two children, Dorothy Lancaster, who is a student at Mt. Holyoke College, and Elizabeth P. The family attend the Congregational Church. They are thrifty and prosperous people and have a wide circle of friends in this town and the vicinity.

ERVIN T. TREFETHEN, who has always been engaged as a prac- tical machinist, is junior member of the well known firm of Chadwick and Trefethen. He has been a resident of Portsmouth, New Hamp- shire, for seven years, and in that time has made many friends and acquaintances.

Mr. Trefethen was born in Eliot, Maine, October 30, 1852, and is a son of Ephraim and Parmelia (Laugley) Trefethen, and a grandson of Archelaus Trefethen. The last named and his brother, Daniel, were proprietors of an old packet line between Boston and Dover, New Hampshire. Ephraim Trefethen was a native of Dover, New Hamp- shire, and his wife was born in Lee, New Hampshire. He was a sea- faring man and lived at Merrimac, Massachusetts, at the time of his death as did his wife, both being buried at that place. Religiously they were members of the Baptist Church. Their children, four in number, were: Frank; George; Florence, wife of Mark Winkley ; and Ervin T.

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Ervin T. Trefethen pursued a course of study in the grade and high schools, after which he took up the trade of machinist, which he always has followed. He was superintendent of a machine shop in Boston for several years prior to coming to Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Here he has been associated with Mr. Chadwick for seven years.

Mr. Trefethen was married in 1888 to Miss Nellie E. Raad of Ports- mouth, a daughter of Leondas F. and Elizabeth (Head) Raad .. Her father was also a machinist by trade. She is one of a family of six children, the others being: Estella, Mary, Frances, Arthur, Elizabeth and Katherine. In religious attachment Mr. and Mrs. Trefethen are devout members of the Methodist Church, and he is president of the church board of trustees in Boston.

DR. ZACHARIAH WILLIS KEMP, principal of Sanborn Academy at Kingston, N. H., was born April 12, 1855, at Otisfield, Me. His parents were Charles E. and Sybil J. (Wardwell) Kemp. The father, born at Gorham, Me., August 15, 1830, was a successful farmer; he died in Decem- ber, 1907. The mother, born in Otisfield, Me., December 24, 1835, is now a resident of that place. They were the parents of six children, of whom four are now living. The origin of the Kemp family is found in England, having been traced back to 1380, when flourished John Kemp, an ecclesiastic of the English church, who later, during the reign of Henry V, held the sees of Rochester, London and York, became archbishop of Canterbury and Lord High Chancellor, and was created Cardinal by the title of St. Rufina. The first of the family to come to America, as far as there is any record, landed here about the year 1700, and settled at Groton, Mass. Ebenezer Kemp, Dr. Kemp's paternal grandfather, fought for American independence and was wounded at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Another ancestor, Col. Brad- street, was in the British expedition to Prince Edward's Island.

At the age of three years, Z. Willis Kemp began attending country school, walking the distance to and from his home, about a mile each way. He continued to do so until he was eighteen years old, at which time he began teaching, in order to earn enough money to pay his way through college. He studied one term at Hebron Academy, and then entered Bridge- ton Academy, from which he was graduated in 1879. Entering Bowdoin College in 1880, he completed the prescribed course and was graduated from that institution in 1884, with the degree of A. B. He then taught for one year at Norway, Me., being principal of the high school there. Being elected principal of the high school at Fairhaven, at an increase of $400 a year in his salary, he accepted the position and was there four years. He then left to accept the position of vice-principal of the Tabor Academy at Marion, Mass., where he taught Latin for four years. After this he went to the French-American College at Springfield, Mass., as professor of Latin, and after being there two years was elected dean of the college. In 1901 he came to Kingston, N. H., to become principal of the Sanborn Academy, which position he has retained for the last thirteen years. Since he took charge of this institution the number of students has been increased from 75 to 140, and there are now eight teachers. In 1912 Dr. Kemp conferred honor upon the Academy by having his team win the state championship in debate. He received the degree of A. M. from Bowdoin College in 1887, and that of Ph. D. from Illinois Wesleyan University in 1895. He belongs to the college fraternity known as Theta Delta Chi.

Z. WILLIS KEMP

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Dr. Kemp was married, December 24, 1885, to Miss Mary L. Boynton, a daughter of Gardner B. and Sarah G. Boynton, of Norway, Me. Her father, now deceased, was a prosperous tanner of that town, and a Civil war veteran. Her mother is still living.

Dr. and Mrs. Kemp are the parents of eight children, as follows: Ida B., wife of Arthur B. Grant, of South Poland, Me .; Charles W., married, who is principal of Colebrook Academy, at Colebrook, N. H .; Marion T .. unmarried, a graduate of Bates College, class of 1911; Sybil M., unmarried, a graduate of Brown University, 1914; Alice B., unmarried, a graduate of Sanborn Academy, 1914, who won first prize from the New Hampshire Peace Society for an article on "Peace;" Ralph B., now a freshman at Sanborn Academy; and Ruth H., and Robert D., who are attending public school:

Dr. Kemp is a Republican in politics. He belongs to the Masonic Order, in which he is a past master, and to the Odd Fellows, in which he is a past grand; he is also a member of the New Hampshire Peace Society. Mrs. Kemp belongs to the Eastern Star, and to the Rebekahs, being past matron in the former lodge and past grand in the latter. She and her husband attend the Congregational church. They are people of culture and refine- ment, who take a warm interest in the moral and material development of the community in which they reside, and whose aid and influence may usually be enlisted on behalf of any worthy cause.

WALTER COSTELLO, proprietor of a glazing shop at No. 35 Daniel Street, is a well known and highly esteemed citizen of Ports- mouth, New Hampshire, where he has resided for a period of fifty-three years.

Mr. Costello was born in Ireland, November 25, 1840, and is a son of Patrick and Julia (Tangney) Costello, both natives of Ireland. The other children of this family were named: Jeremiah, John, Morris, Pat- rick, Margaret and Ellen.

Walter Costello was a small child when brought to this country, and for a time he was enrolled in the public schools of Boston. When about fifteen years of age, he began working in a sash and blind shop in that city, and this has continued to be his business ever since, in connection with the glazing business. He has an established reputation for reliability of service, and has an extensive patronage.

Mr. Costello was married July 28, 1861, to Miss Ellen Griffin, who was born in Ireland and is a daughter of John and Margaret Griffin. Their children were as follows: John, Raphael L., and Charles L. The two last named are the only survivors, both residing in Portsmouth. In religious belief the family is Catholic. Walter Costello is independent in politics, but takes an earnest interest in all movements for the better- ment of the city.

RAPHAEL L. COSTELLO, son of Walter and Ellen (Griffin) Costello, is a prosperous merchant of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, being owner and proprietor of the R. L. Costello Seed Store at No. 115 Market Street. He carries a comprehensive stock of goods, including garden, lawn, dairy and poultry supplies, blankets, whips, incubators and brooders, paints and nursery stock. The store occupies six floors, with about 6,000 square feet of space, and also a store room in the rear.

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HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY

This store had its inception December 6, 1913, and has already estab- lished itself in the good will of the people, giving every evidence of great future development. A force of five men is employed, and two auto trucks are in daily use.

Raphael L. Costello was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Octo- ber 3, 1879, and here he attended the common schools. This was sup- plemented by two years in high school, after which he became identified with the seed business, which has claimed his attention throughout his business career. Possessed of energy, ambition and good judgment, his success is assured.

IRVING ROLSTON, postmaster at Greenland, N. H., and the owner of some fine property in this town, was born in Nova Scotia, August 9, 1877, a son of Andrew and Evangeline (Densmore) Rolston. His parents still reside in their native land, where the father, formerly a blacksmith, is now retired. Their children were Emerson, Lillian, Lorne, Harvey and Irving.

Irving Rolston left Nova Scotia at the age of eighteen years, first going to Medway, Mass., where he found work at the blacksmith's trade, in which he had had some previous experience. His education had been acquired in the common schools of his native land. In 1899 he came to Greenland and started a blacksmith's shop here, which he conducted until his appointment to his present position as postmaster, under civil service rules, on April 1, 1914, to succeed George A. Norton. In addition to performing the duties of this office, he does some farm- ing and fruit growing, and, as already stated, is the owner of a fine property. In politics he is a Democrat, but uses judgment in casting his vote. He has served as tax collector and is now treasurer of the school board.

Mr. Rolston was married in 1899 to Miss Florence J. Duntley, who was born in Greenland, N. H., and is a daughter of Lorenzo D. and Susan E. (Dearborn) Duntley. Her father was a well known merchant of Greenland, carrying on business here for forty-five years. He and his wife have four children-George W., Frank, Curtis W. and Flor- ence J.

Mr. and Mrs. Ralston are the parents of two children, Frank G. and Russell A. The family attend the Congregational Church, while Mr. Ralston belongs to the Odd Fellows (including the Encampment) and to the Grange.

FRED SEATES TOWLE, M. D., the third son and child of Charles Augustus and Maria (Seates) Towle, was born at Boston, Mass., De- cember 28, 1863. He was educated in the Boston public schools and was graduated from the medical college of Columbian University in the class of 1893. After a post-graduate course in the hospitals of New York City, and a years' practice in his native city, he took up his abode in Portsmouth, N. H., where he has since remained.

Dr. Towle's father was born in Canaan and his mother in Ossipee. and he is a descendant of a long line of New Hampshire ancestors. He has been city physician and chairman of the board of health of Ports- mouth ; surgeon-general on the staff of Governor George A. Ramsdell in 1897-99, and was chosen by the electorate of the First Counciller

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District as a member of the Governor's Council during the administra- tion of Governor John McLean.

Dr. Towle is surgeon of the staff of the Portsmouth Hospital; a member of the New Hampshire Surgical Club, the American Medical Association, the Portsmouth Medical Society, the Strafford County Med- ical Society, the Rockingham County Medical Society and the New Hampshire Medical Society. He belongs to the Masonic order in all of its branches and has attained the thirty-second degree. He is a mem- ber of the various bodies of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Knights of Pythias. Dr. Towle is also a member of the Sons of the American Revolution and is an ex-president of the Warwick Club of Portsmouth. Dr. Towle married Martha Perry of Boston. They have one son, Charles Augustus Towle.

CHARLES FRED DUNCAN, a prominent shoe merchant of Ports- mouth, New Hampshire, has conducted a store at No. 9 Market Street for a period of seventeen years. He has an extended acquaintance throughout this vicinity and his enterprise is a thriving one, four clerks being employed to wait upon the trade.

Mr. Duncan was born in the navy yard at Kittery, Maine, February 28, 1861, and is a son of Charles L. and Mary J. (Higgins) Duncan. The father is now living a retired life at Kittery, Maine, and his wife, now deceased, was buried at that place. Charles L. Duncan spent his active business life in the employ of the United States Government. He was for a time a gunner in the navy, and was a machinist in the navy yard at Portsmouth at the time of birth of our subject. He has always been a Republican in politics, and he and wife attended St. John's Episcopal Church. They reared the following children: Nellie F., wife of W. J. Rogers ; Charles Fred ; William B. ; and Frank C. Duncan.

Charles Fred Duncan attended the public schools at Kittery, and there received all the school training he ever obtained. Early he learned the trade of machinist in Boston, and followed it until he was nineteen, when he went on a steamboat as engineer. After one year as such, he went into the pilot house, and for a period of thirty years was captain of a passenger steamboat, or of a tow boat. During nine years of that period he was superintendent of the Bay State Dredging Company, but held license as captain and engineer. In 1897 he purchased the shoe store of J. K. Manning in Portsmouth, N. H., his present establishment, and has since continued without interrupted success at No. 9 Market Street. In connection with this store, he, for a period of five years owned and maintained a shoe store at Lynn, Mass. He has always taken a public-spirited interest in the affairs of his home community, and at the present is serving in the council of Portsmouth, having been elected on the Republican ticket for the term of 1913-1914.

Mr. Duncan was united in marriage with Miss Delia E. Crosley, a native of Boston, Mass. Her father, Thomas H. Crosley, was president of the Bay State Dredging Company. He is now deceased, as is his wife, and two children survive them: Delia E. (Duncan) ; and Fannie, wife of David Nicholson. Mr. Duncan has always been a Republican in politics. Fraternally he is a member of Blue Lodge, F. & A. M. at Ports- mouth, and of the Knights of Pythias at the same place. He and Mrs. Duncan attend St. John's Episcopal Church.

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HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY

JOHN LINCOLN WEBSTER, who for the past thirty years has been the leader of the Kingston band, was born at East Kingston, Sep- tember 7, 1860. His parents were John T. and Abbie P. (Buswell) Webster. The father was a native of Kingston and the mother of East Kingston. They had seven children, all of whom are now residents of Rockingham County. The parents are both deceased. The early ancestors of the family were from England and settled in this locality many years ago.

John Lincoln Webster was educated in the public schools of King- ston, but at the early age of six years had to make himself useful on the home farm. When he was seventeen he began work in a sawmill, his wages being six dollars per month. Later he worked for Henry Webster, receiving thirteen dollars per month, and was with him for a year and a half. He then left Mr. Webster in order to learn the trade of carriage painting, receiving at the start $1.25 per day. He followed his trade for over 35 years, during which time he finished over 600 carriages while in Manchester for the Kimball Company. He has a fine farm in Kingston and his residence is one of the best in the town.

Mr. Webster began playing in the local band at the age of fifteen years, and, as above stated, has been the leader of the Kingston band for the past thirty years. This band is recognized as one of the best in the state, and has filled many important engagements, visiting Man- chester, Boston, Haverhill, New York City and other places. In New York he played with the Manchester band at the unveiling of the Grant Monument.

Mr. Webster was first married November 17, 1881, to Mary A. Prescott, of Kingston. Of this union there were four children, namely : Bertha L., a graduate of Sanborn Seminary, who is unmarried; Walter E., now a leading merchant in Kingston; Harold P., educated in the public schools and at Sanborn Academy; and Helen L., single, a gradu- ate of Sanborn Seminary. Mrs. Mary A. Webster died in December, 1907, and on April 21, 1909, Mr. Webster married for his second wife Clara Nichols, of Kingston. Of this union there are no children. Mr. Webster is a Republican in politics, and on various occasions has been urged to accept public office, but has declined. He has been a Free Mason since he was twenty-one years old, and also belongs to the Odd Fellows and to the Grange, in which he has held all the chairs. Mrs. Webster belongs to the Rebekah Lodge and to the Eastern Star.

STEPHEN G. SLEEPER, who for many years has been engaged in agriculture in the town of Fremont, was born on the old Sleeper home- stead, about a mile and a half southwest of Epping, N. H., October 15, 1842. His father, Gardner Sleeper, born in Fremont, this county, was one of the prominent men of this locality in his day, holding many town offices and serving as representative in the legislature in 1859. He married Sarah M. McQuillan of Brentwood, and they had six children, of whom but three are now living, namely : Stephen G., the subject of this sketch; Lizzie, widow of D. Frank Fellows; and Charles E., manager of the Castle Square Hotel at Boston, Mass. Mr. Sleeper's early ancestors were English on both sides, and his paternal grandfather, Stephen Sleeper, fought against the British in the War of 1812.

Stephen G. Sleeper was the second child born of his parents. He began

STEPHEN G. SLEEPER

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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

attending the district school in his home neighborhood when he was about four years old, and continued to do so until he was fifteen, at which time he had to give up his studies in order to make himself useful on his father's farm, which was a large one of 500 acres. Not long after, on the breaking out of the Civil war, he was anxious to enlist and took some preliminary steps towards organizing a company at Exeter, of which he was to be first lieutenant. About this time, however, his father took him to Washington and there persuaded him to give up the idea of entering the army, procur- ing him instead a position under an uncle in the Clarendon Hotel at Wash- ington, where he remained for a year, receiving $14 per month to start with. His salary was later increased and by the end of the year he had received nearly $1,000, of which he saved nine hundred. He then returned to his father's farm, of which he became proprietor on the father's death in 1865, and here he has since resided. In 1873 he purchased 65 acres ad- joining the homestead, and still later another tract of 80 acres. His resi- dence, which stands on the 65-acre tract, was built about 200 years ago, and is in the old colonial style of architecture. It has been improved and kept in excellent condition, and is in every respect a convenient and comfort- able dwelling. Mr. Sleeper is a Democrat in politics and at various times has taken a useful and active part in public affairs. He served as selectman for fourteen years, was also a member of the school board, and in 1868 and 1869 was representative to the legislature, being elected the second time by a large majority. While a member of the House he served on the claims committee and also on the committee on military accounts.

Mr. Sleeper was married, June 2, 1877, to Emma G. Currier, a daughter of True W. and Abbie Stephens ( Whittier) Currier of Deerfield, N. H. Of this union were born seven children, as follows: Emma G., wife of Charles L. Philbrick (no children) ; Stephen Gardner, Jr., who married Miss Jessie Campbell, of Dorchester, and has two sons, Stephen G., and Donald; Mary L., wife of Ruel Goodrick, of Epping; Ethel A., wife of Charles R. Bean, of Boston; Ruth F., single, a teacher, who resides at home; Charles E., who died at the age of four weeks, and Howard, who died when six months old. All of these children, except the two who died, were edu- cated in the schools of Epping, and at Sanborn Seminary. Ethel also grad- uated at Haverhill and Kingston Academies, while Ruth is a graduate of Robinson Seminary at Exeter. All the children have taught in the same school which they attended when young. Mrs. Sleeper also taught school for thirty terms. On the maternal side she is a descendant of the noted poet Whittier. Her knowledge of educational matters is extensive and widely recognized, and she has served as a member of the town school board for nine years. She is an active worker in the Woman's Christian Tem- perance Union, of which she was vice president in 1913. Her father, True W. Currier, was prominent in political affairs and held numerous offices, while her grandfather, also named True Currier, was a soldier in the War of 1812, and her great-grandfather Whittier in the Revolutionary War. She and her husband are affiliated with the Baptist Church. Mr. Sleeper's great- grandfather, Stephen Sleeper, was the first deacon when the Baptist church was established in Brentwood. Mr. Sleeper belongs to the Masonic Order, and in politics is a democrat. He is widely known as one of the older resi- dents of the town and as a substantial and public-spirited citizen.

ALBERT E. DANIELS, proprietor of a flour mill, dealer in flour, grain and feed, and treasurer and stockholder of the Epping Handle

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HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY

Company, has been a resident of Epping, New Hampshire, little more than three years, but in that time has become firmly established in its citizenship. A man of keen business acumen and stirring activity, in common parlance "a hustler," he has made an impress upon the affairs of the community and gained the good will of his fellow men.

Mr. Daniels was born at Barrington, New Hampshire, July 26, 1878, and is a son of John C. and Cora A. (Allen) Daniels, both natives of New Hampshire. They became parents of three children. John C. Daniels is well known over Stafford county, where he always resided and was honored by election as state representative. He also served the county as treasurer.

Albert E. Daniels was the second child born to his parents, and when six years old began his attendance at school, walking a mile and a half from his home. He continued in the local school during the winter terms, at the same time helping in the work on the farm, until he was sixteen, at which time he was forced to give up school and de- vote his energies entirely to farm work. When he was nineteen, his father determined the time was ripe to start his son in business, and as a result they established a flour, grain and feed business in Rochester, N. H., as partners. This partnership continued successfully until 1910. In March, 1911, Albert E. Daniels moved to Epping and purchased the mill, flour and feed business of John Liddy & Company, which he has since conducted on a more extensive scale than before. He is inter- ested in the Epping Handle Factory, which manufactures handles of every description and picker sticks, the products being sold in every part of the United States. Mr. Daniels is active in its affairs and serves the company as treasurer.

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History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and representative citizens, Part 93

Author: Hazlett, Charles A Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold Number of Pages: 1390

Author: Hazlett, Charles A
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold
Number of Pages: 1390