USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > History of Rockingham and Strafford counties, New Hampshire : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 90
USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > History of Rockingham and Strafford counties, New Hampshire : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 90
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 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137 | Part 138 | Part 139 | Part 140 | Part 141 | Part 142 | Part 143 | Part 144 | Part 145 | Part 146 | Part 147 | Part 148 | Part 149 | Part 150 | Part 151 | Part 152 | Part 153 | Part 154 | Part 155 | Part 156 | Part 157 | Part 158 | Part 159 | Part 160 | Part 161 | Part 162 | Part 163 | Part 164 | Part 165 | Part 166 | Part 167 | Part 168 | Part 169 | Part 170 | Part 171 | Part 172 | Part 173 | Part 174 | Part 175 | Part 176 | Part 177 | Part 178 | Part 179 | Part 180 | Part 181 | Part 182 | Part 183 | Part 184 | Part 185 | Part 186 | Part 187 | Part 188 | Part 189 | Part 190 | Part 191 | Part 192 | Part 193 | Part 194 | Part 195 | Part 196 | Part 197 | Part 198 | Part 199 | Part 200 | Part 201 | Part 202 | Part 203 | Part 204 | Part 205 | Part 206 | Part 207
MILITARY RECORD, 1861-65.
Simon P. Fifield, 2d N. H.
William H. Quimby, 2d N. H. John S. Sweatt, 3d N. H. Frederic Silloway, 3d N. H. Daniel P. Senver, 3d N. H. Samnel E. Moore, 3d N. H. Josiah F. Hunt, 3d N. H. George W. Collins, 4th N. H. Levin B. Martine, 4th N. H. George E. Schelling, 4th N. H. Andrew J. Collins, 4th N. H. George F. Quimby, 4th N. H. Edwin S. Brown, 4th N. H. Elbridge G. Towle, 4th N. H. John Nickett, 4th N. H. Frank Monihan, 4th N. H. Andrew J. Johnson, 4th N. H. George Davis, 5tlı N. H. Andrew J. Davis, 5th N. H.
Timothy Littlefield, 6th N. H. George Crosbury, 6th N. H .; Osborne P. Webster, 7th N. H. Alexander Durant, 7th N. H. George W. Bean, 7th N. H. Jamea W. Marshall, 7th N. 11. Benjamin Silloway, 7th N. H. David S. Davis, 7th N. H. John Silloway, 7th N. H. John C. Coons, 7th N. H. Perley P. Chase, 14th Mass. George Stevens, 14th Mass. Hazen Davis, 14th Mass. Joseph Nickett, 14th Mass. George P. Lowry, 14th Mass. Frank Nickett, 14th Mass.
Stephen M. Bragdon, 5th Mass. Josiah B. Gale, 12th Mass. Samuel Curtis, 12th Mass. William P. Chase, 1st Mass. Jolın O. Davis, 11th Mass. Henry L. Patten, 20th Mass. Warren A. Webster, 22d Maaa. Simon S. Johnson, 22d Masa. Stephen S. HInse, 28th Mass.
Edmund Q. Brown, Ist Cav.
Addison Griffin, Ist Cav. John T. Crosbury, Ist Cav.
John Bellowa, Ist Cav.
George M. Keezer, Ist Cav.
John W. Qnimby, 1st Cav.
Charles Tibbets, Ist Cav.
Samnel Goodwin, Ist Cav. John A. Follet, 1st C'av.
Charles R. Schelling, 99th N. Y.
Howard DeRochemont, 5th Coon.
William M. Simonton, 11th Me.
Joseph H. Flagg. Daniel L. Goodwin.
Nathaniel C. Brown, 7th N. H.
Elihu T. French, 7th N. H.
Thomas Martin, 7th N. H. Hiram F. Davis, 7th N. H.
John Colby, 7th N. H.
John Lucy, 7th N. II. William G. Wilson, 7th N. H.
George S. Wetherell, 8th N. H. Calvin D. Wetherell, 8th N. H.
Abraham Sanborn, 9th N. H. Henry Davis, 9th N. H. Stephen M. Judkins, 9th N. H. Charles H. Webster, 9th N. H. Joel S. Collins, 9th N. H. : Joel Judkins. 9th N. H. Hiram Glines, 9th N. H. Benjamin Severance, 9th N. H.
John C. MeDaniels, 9th N. H. Alfred P. DeRochemont, 9th N. H. Oren S. Silloway, Ist N. H. Battery. Frank Center, 1st N. H. Battery. C. Fred. Myers, sharpshooter. Daniel Colcord, 14th Mass. Richard H. Davis, 14th Mass.
Marcus M. Bartlett, 14th Mass. George A. Bartlett, 14th Mass. William J. Bartlett, 14th Mass. George P. Severance, 14th Mass. John W. Swett, H4th Mass. Moses E. Smith, 14th Mass. Warren P. Shaw. Joseph George.
Capt. Benjamin Kimball, 1817. Capt. Daniel Peaslee, 1816.
No choice, 1819. No choice, 1820. David Bartlett, 1821.
Capt. Daniel Peaslee, 1822.
No choice, 1823. Col. William Webster, 1824-25. No choice, 1826.
John Webster (3), 1862-63.
Jesse P. Marshall, 1864-65. No choice, 1866. William C. Webster, 1867.
Albert Brown, 1868.
Charles B. Clark, 1869.
John Page, 1837.
Moses Sanborn, 1838.
Daniel Wadliegh, 1874-75.
Ora P. Patten, 1876.
John Calef, 1845.
Samnel Webster, 1845-47.
| Gideon Webster, 1848. No choice, 1849.
Gideon Webster, 1850.
380
HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
A mos George, 48th Mass.
Franklin B. Goodwin. Otis Tucker.
Robert George, 48th Mass.
Isaiah Tucker, 7th N. H.
Elbridge G. Collins.
Daniel P. De Rochemont, Mass.
50th Moses Chase.
Gilman Crane, 11th N. H.
Charles A. Davis, 50th Mass.
William A. Cheney, 5th N. H.
George Huse, 11th N. 1).
Edward L. Cheney, 5th N. H.
S. B. T. Goodrich, 7th N. H.
John T. Webster, 5th N. H.
John Peirce, 48th Mass.
James W. Silloway, 5th N. H.
Janies Peirce, 22d Mass.
George B. Dudley, 5th N. H.
Frank Prescott, 48thi Mass.
John W. Huyt, 5th N. H.
Thomas Geer.
Obadiah S. Collins, 5th N. H.
John P. Bean, 11th N. H.
John A. Webster, 6th N. H.
Jeremiah T. Curtis.
The quota of Kingston was 150 men ; 152 were put in. This list con- tains 118. Re-enlisted soldiers and substitutes, residence unknown, 24.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
DR. THOMAS BASSETT.
In early English history the Bassett family is promi- nently mentioned as important actors. During the reign of Henry III. (A.D. 1262), according to Hume's History of England, we find Philip Basset appointed to the highly important position of "justiciary" of the realm. Lord John Basset and Ralph Basset were also men of mark in the fierce civil contests and agitations of that period. The first-known American ancestor of Dr. Thomas Bassett was Rev. (John?) Bassett, his great-grandfather. He was a Baptist clergyman, and was driven from Massachusetts Colony with Roger Williams. He afterwards became pastor of a church at Providence, R. I. His son John married Jan. 25, 1757, Sarah Shepard, daughter of Thomas Shepard, who was son of Jacob and Mercy Shepard, of Dor- chester, or Wrentham, Mass, and settled in Sharon, Mass., whence he moved about 1780 to what is now Goffstown, N. H. He afterwards went to Weare, N. H., where he died in 1810, about eighty. Ile was a tall, robust man, of great powers of endurance, and was highly esteemed for his probity and strength of character. He reared a family of ten children, of whom Thomas was second son and fourth child. This Thomas was intended for the ministry, and pre- pared for college under instruction of Rev. Thomas Gair, settled minister of the Baldwin Street Baptist Church of Boston. On the death of Mr. Gair, in 1790, he relinquished all idea of a professional life on account of the poor state of his health, and engaged in merchandising in Atkinson, N. H. He after a few years removed to Deerfield (Sonth road), and for a number of years was merchant there. He moved to Londonderry about 1804, was a trader there also, and was a resident of that town until his death in 1816. He was a lifetime member of the Baptist Church, a Republican in political belief, never cared for office, was a quiet, reserved, unostentatious man, very ex- emplary in his conduct and strict in his morals. He served his day and generation well, and stood high in the estimation of the community. He married Su-
-
sanna McGregor, of Derry, N. H. They had five children, of whom Thomas and David (who reside in Derry) are the only ones now living.
Dr. Thomas Bassett, son of Thomas and Susanna (McGregor) Bassett, was born in Deerfield, N. H., Aug. 12, 1797. His mother was a descendant of | Rev. James McGregor, who emigrated from Scotland to Ireland, and subsequently with a number of others to America, and commenced the settlement of Lon- donderry, N. II. At the age of fifteen Thomas began the studies preparatory to entering college under the instruction of his uncle, Rev. David McGregor, the settled minister of Bedford, N. H., and lived with him there three years. He then entered the Pinkerton Academy in Derry, under the tuition of Mr. Samuel Burnham, and remained at school there until the death of his father in 1816. At this time, finding himself destitute of pecuniary means, he could no longer pursue his collegiate studies, and resorted to school-keeping to obtain the object he then most de- sired, an education. He began teaching in Manches- ter, gave nnusnal satisfaction, and taught in every district in the town save one. After passing three years as teacher, he in 1821 entered the office of Dr. George Farrar, of Derry, as a student of medicine, remaining there till the fall of 1822, when he entered the private classes of Professors Mussey, Oliver, and Dana at Dartmouth College, and continued nnder their tuition until he had finished the regular course of medical instruction, and received his degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1824. In March of the next year he established himself as a physician and surgeon in Kingston, N. H., where he has since been resident. Dr. Bassett was elected in 1826, and in 1837 became a Fellow of the New Hampshire Medical Society, in which he has been censor and counselor. He has been honored with the office of justice of the peace, and has held the position of brigade major and inspector in the First Brigade of New Hampshire militia. He married, in 1828, Miranda, daughter of Samuel Spofford, and grand- daughter of Maj. Jacob Peaslee. She was born in Kingston, where her ancestors had resided for several generations.
Dr. Bassett is Republican in politics. Althongh reared in the strongest orthodox creeds, he is a pro- nounced Universalist in religion, and one of the strongest supporters of that faith. He was a constit- uent member of the First Universalist Church of Kingston, and it is largely indebted to him for its prosperity. He gave five hundred dollars towards the construction of the church edifice, thus freeing it from debt, and the beautiful sacramental service was his gift. Dr. Bassett has been a hard-working, suc- cessful practitioner in his chosen field, and has en- joyed the confidence of the ablest of his medical brethren. Positive in his nature, with an iron con- stitution to sustain his efforts, he has rarely failed to accomplish any object he has sought, and has built
Flow Bassett
mas le Chase
381
KINGSTON.
for himself a handsome competeney. Of progres- sive ideas and energetic character, he has invariably performed the duties of his different appointments with equal energy and ability.
AMOS C. CHASE.
The Chase family eame originally from England, three brothers, William, Thomas, and Aquila, being the immigrants in the early days of the colony, and from these have sprung the numerous families of that name throughout the country. Thomas and Aquila settled in Hampton and Newbury. Charles Chase, of the Aquila line, born April 30, 1755, grandfather of Amos C. Chase, was born in Seabrook, N. H., and was a hatter by trade. He came to Kingston, pur- sued his trade, married Mary, daughter of William Calef, in 1787, became a lifetime resident of the town, and had seven children attaining maturity,-Na- thaniel, Charles, Samuel, Amos, Merriam, Sarah (Mrs. Aaron Patten), Naney (Mrs. Moody Colby). He lived to a good age, was of a strong physique and vigorous constitution, was very social and genial, loved a good joke, and played many a rich practical one. His son Amos was born in Kingston, April 2, 1801, had limited advantages of education, having to work hard in the carriage-shop when very young. He became a carriage-maker, and followed it in a small way all his life. He married, July 4, 1827, Hannah P., daughter of Josiah Hook and Sarah Whittier, his wife. (This Mrs. Hook was a fair type of the class of old-fashioned New England women now almost extinct, robust, energetic, going to New- buryport, Mass. (twenty miles), to market, and far on her way at sunrise. She had comfortable wealth for those days, and as her husband died young, brought up her four children without deprivations, and trained them well in life's duties. She lived to be ninety years and three months old, keeping her health and faculties well preserved to the time of her death in August, 1869.) Mr. Chase purchased the place where his son Amos C. now resides, and farmed somewhat in connection with his trade. He was a quiet, unos- · tentatious man, a good citizen, always industrious, never idle, and provided a good living for his family, and at his death left a small property of three thou- sand dollars, the result of his economy and thrift. He was highly esteemed in his community, and when he died, aged seventy-two, Dec. 29, 1873, he was uni- versally mourned. Mrs. Chase survived him, living now, in her seventy-second year, with her son, Amos C., on the place so many years her residence. Their children were William H., now of Dakota Territory; Josiah H., for twenty-five years merchant in Minne- apolis, Minn. ; Amos Charles ; Sarah E. (Mrs. Stephen F. Nichols) ; Isaac H., merchant in Deadwood, Dak .; Mary S. (Mrs. James M. Philbrick). Of his four sons, none have ever used liquor or tobacco. This
shows the power of a thoughtful and intelligent mother in training children aright.
Amos C. Chase was born in Kingston, N. H., March 10, 1833. He received the educational advantages of the public and academic schools of Kingston ; was early taught to work, and as soon as he was large enough to stand on a box and shave a wagon-spoke he was set at that labor. From that day to the present his life has been one of activity. When about thirteen he worked for several days digging and picking up potatoes at twenty-five cents per day, and to this occurrence may be traced his future success. Twenty-five cents represented hours of labor, exhaus- tive toil, and was not to be thrown lightly away, and on his young mind this small sum was impressed with a force and an importance sufficient to make it and its lesson alike permanent. Until fifteen he worked with an older brother on the farm, then went to learn paint- ing with Benjamin Cilley, who gave him long days of work, and at last paid him not a dollar for his season's labor. The only money he ever received came in this way : All hands had a holiday, were "going to the beach." A particular hard piece of work was to be done at a specified time, and Amos was asked by Mr. Cilley if he would stay and do it, offering to well re- ward him. Amos accepted, worked at the disagreeable task all day, performed a dollar and a half's worth of work, received Mr. Cilley's praises and one-half dollar in money. The next year Joseph B. Cilley hired him of his father, paying five dollars per week, he to board at home. Thinking this not sufficient pay, and getting no money himself, Amos was going to quit, when Mr. Cilley made a private bargain with him, adding one dollar per week to his wages, this addition to be his pocket-money.
He continued working for Mr. Cilley summers until he was twenty years old, yearly increasing his wages, and until eighteen attending school winters, his father giving him his time when twenty. He remained with Mr. Cilley the next year at less pay to acquire more knowledge of painting, and on beeom- ing of age commenced work for himself as a painter, and for the three succeeding years laid up five hun- dred dollars per year. About this time we find him interspersing his painting with carriage-making, building at first three or four wagons a year, and steadily, year by year, increasing the number up to thirty per annum by the time of his thirty-third birthday, and, with the exception of one or two years, had yearly added to his capital. In 1866 he devoted himself entirely to carriage-making, began to enlarge his business, and it from that time lias assumed importance, and rapidly and steadily in- ereased, until it to-day is the leading manufactory of Kingston, and one of the recognized manufac- tories of the county, giving employment to many in- dividuals. For the last fifteen years Mr. Chase has made an average of three hundred per year, princi- pally " Democrats" (a two-seated light wagon), Con-
382
HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
cord wagons, and Ives' buggies. In the conduct of his business Mr. Chase has shown first-class finan- cial ability. Possessing practical knowledge of every department, he has steadily adhered to the policy of using good materials and working them with skillful workmanship into substantial and durable carriages. In this he has shown wisdom. His work has given satisfaction, his reputation for relia- bility is thoroughly established, and his name as maker is a guarantee of good work in Boston and among leading dealers. He has a steady and in- creasing demand for his carriages, the celebrated William P. Sargeant, of Boston, being among his best customers. This is the result of trne repre- sentations and honest work, and dealers who buy of him once invariably become steady customers. Thus in a few years, by strict attendance to business. integrity, and honest dealing, the poor boy has be- come a man of prominence in his line, high in esteem of his townsmen, and a much wider circle of acquaint-
Mr. Chase married Sept. 29, 1858, Hattie E., daughter of Rev. L. Draper, a Methodist clergyman. They had two children, Alma F. and Clara N. (Mrs. J. M. San- born, of East Kingston). Mrs. Chase died Dec. 2, 1862. He married May 3, 1866, Emily A., daughter of Haynes W. Belden, Esq., a lawyer in country prac- tice at East Havens, Vt., where she was born. Their children are Charles Q., Hattie E., Harry B., and Howard. In politics MIr. Chase has been a promi- nent Republican from the organization of that party, an active and valuable worker for its suc- cess, a leader in his town, and has served several years on the Republican State Central Committee. His devotion to his business has prevented his acceptance of many offices which would gladly have been conferred on him, but in 1877 he was elected to represent his town in the State Legislature, and in 1880 was called by his district to serve as State senator. He was placed in nomination in the fall of 1882 for the important office of councillor, and a Republican nomination in his district is equivalent to an election. He served as president of Kings- ton Academy until he would serve no longer. Of unusually acute preceptions, of quick decision and great rapidity of action, Mr. Chase is one who will always make his presence felt in whatever sphere he may be placed, and from his integrity and ability all trusts will be faithfully and honorably discharged. He has never yet failed in accomplishing any object for which he has striven. Those who know him best speak highest in praise of his rare social qualities, his kindliness of heart, his business abilities, and the promptitude and dispatch with which he attends to duties devolving on him. A member of the Masonic
fraternity, the bands of brotherhood in his case encircle all who need assistance and any cause demanding aid. He is one of the most liberal supporters of the Con- gregational Church, and responds with alacrity to any call for help in educational, public, or private matters. None of the men of his section stand higher in the esteem of community, and his town gives him a very complimentary vote whenever his name appears for suffrage.
LUTHER D. PEASLEE.
Luther Dana Peaslee, son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Secomb) Peaslee, was born in Kingston, N. H., Aug. 12, 1812. His grandfather, Maj. Jacob Peaslee, whose ancestors were Scotch Highlanders, kept the old tavern four miles from Kingston Plains, in what is now South Kingston, from 1776 to 1830, which was about the period of his death. He married, first, Martha Chel- lis, and had four sons and three daughters, and all ance, and in possession of a handsome competency, settled in Kingston,-Daniel, John (married Hannah
and is now in the prime of his life, with faculties and energies in the full maturity of strength, capable of , (died, aged thirty-eight years), Lydia (married Samuel accomplishing much before the twilight of life begins to close around him.
Peaslee, of Newton, and had two children), Moses Spofford, and reared a family of four children, of whom Mrs. Dr. Bassett was one), Martha (married an Eastman, and had one child, Jacob P., who became prominent in railroad construction in various parts of the United States), Hannah (married Jonathan Bartlett, and had eight children, one of whom, James M. Bartlett, now owns and occupies the old home- stead of Maj. Peaslee). Maj. Peaslee married, second, a Mrs. Clement. They had no offspring. During the depreciation of prices at the Revolutionary war he bought/a large amount of land at merely nominal figures, and thus became an extensive real estate owner. This property rapidly increased in value, and made him very wealthy for those days. He was owner of grist- and saw-mills, and employed many men. He resembled in personal appearance and traits of character Andrew Jackson. He stood at the head and front of all matters of public interest in his town, represented Kingston in the State Legislature, was of social disposition, a great practical joker, a liberal contributor to good works, despised anything like a sham, and was universally a favorite with the people. Of vigorous physique, he lived many years, dying at the good old age of eighty-eight.
Daniel Peaslee, his son, was born about 1777, and was reared a farmer. Like his father, he was always in public affairs as selectman, representative, etc., and was largely engaged in lumbering, getting out many frames for buildings and ship timber, which his teams hauled to Amesbury, Salisbury, and Newbury- port, Mass. Active and energetic in everything, he accomplished much. He was captain of a cavalry troop, in which he took great pride. Very dutiful to his parents, he was always ready to relieve suffering, especially that of widows and the fatherless. He married, about 1804, Elizabeth, daughter of Simmons
LD PEwslee
2
13
383
KINGSTON.
and Mary (Tappan) Secomb, of Newburyport, and settled near the old homestead, on the place now occupied by his son Simmons. He resided there until his death, and here were born nine children,- Sarah T. (married Humphrey Nichols, of Merrimac, Mass.), Martha C. (married Harrison Pillsbury, of Sandown), Simmons S. (married Mary Eads, of Lowell, Mass.) and Jacob C. (now of Danville, mar- ried Juliette Page, of Danville, and has two children, twins), Luther D., John C. (deceased), Mary S. (mar- ried Dr. N. K. Kelly, of Plaistow), Samuel S. (died, aged three years), and Carrie E. Capt. Peaslee was a man for his period, and filled well his station in life. He died April 10, 1832.
Luther D. Peaslee passed his childhood on the home farm, received academic education at Atkin- son and Haverhill, taught school two terms, and, not liking farm life, went with Gideon Webster, about 1833, to Holly, N. Y., and engaged in merchandising under the firm of " Webster & Peaslee." The same firmi built a store at Kendall's Corners. After three years, Mr. Peaslee purchased Mr. Webster's interest, continued trade eight months, sold out, and returned to Kingston. The young merchant showed the adap- tation to trade which has been manifested so success- fully during his entire life, and was greatly prospered. The same season of his coming East he purchased a stock of goods in North Reading, Mass., in company with Dr. Thomas Bassett, and traded there six weeks as Peaslee & Bassett, running store, hotel, post- office, etc., and doing a heavy business, then sold out, clearing two thousand dollars on investment. Re- turning to Kingston in 1840, pursued the same business there. After eighteen months Mr. Peaslee bought out the doctor, and for over forty years was in business as a merchant, and prominently connected with the business interests of Kingston, and its lead- ing merchant. (It is worthy of mention that for thirty-eight years he had for confidential clerk one of the honored and most highly valued citizens of the town, Samuel Webster, Esq.)
Shorly after his purchase of Dr, Bassett's interest, Mr. Peaslee erected the store so long his place of trade, which Bakie Brothers, his successors, now oc- cupy. At the solicitation of the Masonic fraternity he added a third story to the store, and made a con- modious and pleasant hall, where that brotherhood holds its sessions. Mr. Peaslee has not confined him- self to merchandising, but has been largely interested in farming, lumbering, and real estate operations in New Hampshire, Iowa, and Wisconsin. For three years he, with William C. Webster, did extensive lumbering business in Wisconsin, with firm-name of Peaslee & Webster. In all his varied operations Mr. Peaslee has manifested great business talent, has uniformly been successful financially, and is in the possession of valuable real estate and a handsome property, largely the result of his foresight, shrewd management, and prudence, and to-day stands high
in the estimation of the best people of his town. For over twenty years he was postmaster, has been town treasurer, and represented his town in the State Leg- lature of 1881-82. He was for years trustee of Kings- ton Academy, and has taken great interest in the cause of education. He has also been a liberal con- tributor to the Congregational Church, and always could be relied upon to assist in any measure tending to advance education, morality, or the improvement of his neighborhood, of which he may justly be called one of the solid and most reliable men.
He married, first, November, 1846, Charlotte F., daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Hoyt) Sanborn, of Kingston. (This Mrs. Sanborn died May 11, 1882, in Beloit, Wis., aged ninety-six years and six months.) Their only child died in infancy, and Mrs. Peaslee shortly followed, her decease occurring May 13, 1848. He married, second, Mary S., danghter of Col. Natlı. Clark, of Plaistow, and Betsey' Brickett, his wife. Their children were Grace B., Charlotte F., Carrie Lillie, and Mary C. (died aged six years). Mrs. Mary Peaslee died June 28, 1878, aged forty-four years. Mrs. Peaslee was a very superior woman, highly cul- tured, an amiable companion, a loving mother, fond of society, and at home in society centres.
Mr. Peaslee to-day has retired from active business, is carrying his years lightly, with a pleasant philoso- phy, and with his advancing years cheered by the com- panionship of his lovely daughter and a beloved sister, Carrie, he may well feel that his lines have fallen in pleasant places.
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.