USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > History of Strafford County, New Hampshire and representative citizens > Part 51
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began newspaper work four years after he took the law business, and under favorable conditions, February 10, 1883; for thirty years Judge Wells has conducted a model weekly newspaper, "The Somersworth Free-Press." Dur- ing those three decades no item of local news worthy of record has escaped being recorded in "The Free-Press;" its files give a complete history of what has happened. That is not all; his editorial comments on affairs, local, state and national, have a crisp good sense and appreciative humor which wins the favor of his readers, regardless of their politics or religious belief. At three score years Judge Wells is in the prime of his usefulness, and it is hoped "The Tattler" will furnish two columns for the first page of the "Free- Press" during another decade, at least ; then he can dispense with his "Forty Years Ago" column.
JOEL FITHIAN SHEPPARD, proprietor of the National Wood- working Machine Company, Dover, N. H., an important industry of this place, was born at Quincy, Mass., April 15, 1884, and is a son of Eben Wallen and Frances (Pratt) Sheppard. The parents reside at Quincy, where the father is a coal merchant.
Joel F. Sheppard prepared for college in the public schools and was grad- uated at Cornell University in the class of 1907, earning his degree of mechan- ical engineer, and in the same year engaged with the International Steam Pump Company, of Cambridge, Mass., being engineer in charge of tests and inspections. He continued with that company until April, 1910, when he bought the wood-working machinery plant of the John A. White Company, at Dover, N. H., and operated it until June, 1911, in September of the same year starting the Dover Machine Works. In February, 1913, he purchased the National Wood-working Machine Company's interests at Manchester, moving the plant to Dover and establishing here what promises to be an industry of the utmost importance to this section.
Mr. Sheppard married Miss Francis Bather, a native of England, and daughter of George Bather. Mr. Sheppard has many pleasant social con- nections, which indicate a genial disposition and a large measure of popu- larity, these including membership in the Portsmouth Country Club, the Bellamy Club, his old Greek letter college fraternity, the Quincy Yacht Club of Quincy. Mass., and the Middlebrook Golf Club, in which last named organ- ization, as a member of the executive committee, he has charge of all match games.
EDGAR A. LEIGHTON, who for the last thirteen years has held the responsible position of cashier of the Somersworth National Bank, is a scion
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of an old New England family, both his paternal and maternal ancestors having been among the earliest settlers of Dover. Among them was Thomas Edgerly, who was prominent among those who resisted the Mason claims in 1684, an account of which controversy may be found in an early chapter of this volume.
On the paternal side the immigrant ancestor of the subject of this sketch was Thomas Layton (or Leighton), who was born in 1604, probably at Edinboro, Scotland, as his father was Prof. Alexander Leighton, of Edin- boro University, a distinguished theologian. He was a brother to Robert Leighton, Archbishop of Glasgow, distinguished in English history.
Dr. Alexander Leighton, the father of Thomas, a Scotch divine and physician, was born at Edinboro in 1568. He became professor of moral philosophy in that university, but afterwards went to Leyden and took his doctor's degree. He then visited London, where he had a rectorship, until he lost it by incurring the displeasure of King Charles I, through his opposi- tion to that monarch's tyrannical methods of raising money and his tyranny in matters of religion. He published two books, one entitled, "Zion's Plea Against Prelacy," and the other an appeal to parliament, "The Looking Glass of the Holy War." This so angered the King that Dr. Leighton was summoned before the "Star Chamber Court" and there convicted. He was fined $10,000 and degraded from the ministry. He was sentenced to stand in the pillory, to be publicly whipped; he had an ear sliced off, his nostril slit, and the letters "S. S." (sower of sedition) burned into his cheek, and then, after a week of pain and fever in jail, was again let out to undergo a similar mutilation on the other side. Nor was that all. Scorched and bleed- ing, he was sent back to prison, where he remained eleven years, or until the tyranny which had crushed him had fallen before the growing power of the puritans. He died insane in 1644.
In the histories of England by Froude and Hume frequent mention is made of a Richard Leighton, who, it is thought, was the father of Alexander, and who was one of the commissioners appointed under Thomas Cromwell, in the reign of Henry VIII, to investigate the monasteries, with a view to their suppression-a scheme of Henry's, which was ultimately carried out. 380 of the smaller monasteries being put down by act of parliament, and their revenues of 100,000 pounds placed at the King's disposal.
Robert Leighton, son of Alexander, and brother of Thomas, was born in Edinborough (or possibly London) in 1611. He was educated in Edin- borough and in 1643 settled as minister of Newbottle, near that city. He then quitted the Presbyterian church for the Episcopal, was successively principal of Edinburgh University, bishop of Dunblane. and archbishop of Glasgow.
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and died in 1684. He was a good theologian, an eloquent preacher, and a pious and disinterested man. On one occasion he made this statement : "They forget a main part of the glory of the church who do not pray daily for the conversion of the Jews."
Thomas Layton (or Leighton) came to this country in 1633, landing at Salem, Mass., October 10th, from the ship "James," with about thirty colo- nists for the plantation at Hilton's Point, having been eight weeks on the voyage from Gravesend, England. The company was under charge of Capt. Thomas Wiggin, and was sent out by Lords Say and Brooke, George Willys, William Whiting and others, who in the previous year had bought a grant of the Pascataqua plantation (including Northam, or what is now Dover) from the Bristol Company. They proceeded at once to the settlement at Dover Point. In the record of those who received grants of house lots from Capt. Wiggin, on the high and beautiful lands, a mile up from the Point. appear the names of John Dame, Richard Waldern, Thomas Layton, and Rev. William Leverich, the last mentioned coming as minister of the settle- ment.
That Thomas Layton was a prominent man in the colony is evidenced by the fact that his name frequently appears in important transactions connected with the affairs of the colonists. He was a member of the "Combination for Government by ye people of Pascataqua," in 1640, with forty-one others entering a protest to the King against the efforts of Capt. Underhill to force a union of the colonists with Massachusetts. In 1648 he was the largest tax payer in the settlement, with one exception. He was selectman in 1647, 1648 and 1658. He received several grants of land, but continued to reside at Dover Neck until his death, January 22, 1672, leaving one son and several daughters. In his will he gave property to his only son and heir, Thomas (second), and to his daughters, Mary Elizabeth and Sarah. His widow, Joanna, married for her second husband, July 16, 1673, Job Clement. She died January 15, 1703.
Thomas Leighton, 2d, was born at Dover Neck, date of birth not given. Later records read that he resided at "Leighton's Hill," north of Clement's Cove, old Pascataqua Bridge, near the site of what was planned to be, the great commercial center, "Franklin City." This was one of the original grants given his father, Thomas, Ist, in 1642, and transferred by his will to his son Thomas, 2d. Thomas Leighton, 2d, married Elizabeth, daughter of Elder Hatevil Nutter. The daughters married as follows: Mary married Thomas Roberts; Elizabeth married Capt. Phillip Cromwell; Sarah was single in 1672, but may have married Philip Chesley later. Other members of the Leighton family who came to America at an early date were: John
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Leighton, 1645, who settled in Saco, Me., and Capt. Wm. Leighton, 1650, settled in Kittery, Me.
Thomas, 2d, died at Leighton's Hill, and was succeeded by his son Thomas, 3d, who lived with his father at Leighton's Hill. It is said that the property remained in the Leighton family for 200 years, or until a com- paratively recent date.
Thomas Leighton, 3d, was born about 1685. He left several children, among them David, who is in the direct line of descent to the subject of this sketch.
David Leighton -- at the family homestead at Leighton's Hill, October 14, 1730. He married Anne Chamberlin, who was born July 18, 1733. He died December 14, 1811, and his wife Anne died September 29, 1816. They left ten children, namely : Dorothy, John, Jacob, Ephraim, Jonathan, William, Elizabeth, Nancy, David, and Moses, of whom Jacob is the ancestor next in direct line.
Jacob Leighton was born July 12, 1757. He married Mary Townsend, born July 23, 1761. They had nine children-Betsey, Mary, Dorothy, Jacob, Lydia, Rhoda, Ephraim, and Hannah.
Ephraim, above mentioned, the next direct ancestor, was born November 8, 1798. When a young man he, with two companions, went to the almost unbroken wilderness of what was then known as the Second Division of New Durham, near "Merry Meeting Pond," and took up land and began to clear it for farming purposes. The cave, or what is familiarly known as "Devil's Den," was on the farm belonging to him. He married Nancy F. Edgerly, born September 23, 1796. At this point the union of the Leighton and Edgerly families brings the subject of this sketch, E. A. Leighton in straight line of descent from Col. Thomas Tash, who served in the French and Indian wars, leading a battalion against Crown Point. He was later an officer in the Revolution, thus making Edgar A. Leighton eligible as a Son of the American Revolution, as Nancy F. Edgerly, his grandmother, was a granddaughter of Col. Tom Tash, her father having married Elizabeth, the second daughter of Col. Tash.
Ephraim Leighton died May 18, 1847, from the effects of being thrown from a horse that he was riding. His wife, Nancy, died in Dover, November 4, 1882. They left children as follows: Nahala D., Everett W. ( father of E. A. Leighton), William A., Hiram, Caroline A., and Mary E. F.
Everett W. Leighton was born May 16, 1820, on the old Leighton home- stead in New Durham. He was a member of Company C, 13th Regiment, N. H. Volunteers, in the Civil War, and died March 14, 1863, from disease contracted in the service. He was engaged in the hard fought battle of
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Fredericksburg and in several other smaller engagements. He married Alice O. Edgerly, a straight line descendant of Thomas Edgerly, who settled at Oyster River in 1665, thus making our subject a "Northern Colonist" by both lines of descent. They left eight children, namely: Sarah L., Edgar A., Clara E., Alice A., Warren E., Adraanna, Isora Alma, and Clara B., only two of whom are now living-Edgar A. of Somersworth and Warren E. of Lewiston, Me. Clara B. (Mrs. Davis), died recently.
Edgar A. Leighton, whose name appears at the head of this article, is, as shown above, the tenth in line of descent from Richard, the pioneer. He was born March 14, 1849, on the old homestead in New Durham, N. H. When he was about two years old the family removed to Alton, N. H., where they lived for about six years, thence moving to Farmington. In 1871 he came to Somersworth to take charge of one of the departments in Nute Brothers shoe manufactory, later being associated as a partner in the general insurance business of Crawford, Tolles & Co. For the last thirteen years, as elsewhere stated, he has been cashier of Somersworth National Bank. He was married to Clara Eva Rand, of Portsmouth, N. H., in 1871. He and his wife belong to the Methodist Episcopal church, while he is a member of Washington Lodge, I. O. O. F. They inove in the best society of Somers- worth and Mr. Leighton is widely known as a successful business man, an able financier, and a patriotic citizen whose aid and influence can always be enlisted in any good and worthy cause.
DUDLEY L. FURBER, shoe manufacturer, and president of the Mer- chants' National Bank, of Dover, was born in Northwood, N. H., August 18, 1848, son of Samuel H. and Mary (Leavitt) Furber. The father was a farmer by occupation, and he and his wife were the parents of seven children, including the subject of this sketch.
Dudley L. Furber acquired his elementary education in the public schools, and afterwards attended Northwood Seminary. He then learned the trade of shoemaker, which he followed until 1883, at which time he engaged in the clothing business, meeting with good success. He continued thus occupied until 1890, when he entered into the shoe manufacturing business. He located in Dover in 1893, at which time he established his present up-to-date plant, which is doing a good business. In 1903 he became a director in the Mer- chants' National Bank, and in 1910 was made its president, which position he has since held. His connection with this bank has proved beneficial, and it is widely recognized as one of the most solid financial institutions in this part of the state.
Mr. Furber is a member of the Democratic party; he belongs to the
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Masonic Order and to the Knights of Pythias, also to the Bellamy Club. He married Miss Cora Carleton, a daughter of Captain Ralph Carleton, who served with distinction in the Civil War. The family residence is at No. 213 Washington street, Dover.
HERBERT W. OWEN, general superintendent of the Pacific Mills, Cocheco Department, at Dover, N. H., was born in the state of Connecticut, December 14, 1871, a son of Oscar G. and Harriet M. (Robbins ) Owen. The father, Oscar G. Owen, was identified with the manufacture of cotton and woolen goods, holding a position as superintendent until a few years before his death in 1909.
Herbert W. Owen, who is one of a family of three children, was educated in the public schools of Massachusetts, and when he grows to maturity he, like his father, became identified with the cotton interests. In 1901 he came to Dover, being engaged as superintendent of the cotton mills, and he continued in that position until 1908, when he was promoted to be general superintendent of the Cocheco Department of the Pacific Mills, which position he still holds. These mills, which are a branch of the Pacific Mills of Lawrence, Mass., are engaged in the manufacture and printing of cotton goods and give employ- ment to a large number of people. He is a trustee of the Strafford Savings Bank. He belongs to the Masonic order and also to the Odd Fellows.
Mr. Owen married Miss Hattie E. French, of Fall River, Mass., and they have two children, Vera H. and Oscar C. The family have a comfortable home on Locust street, and are affiliated with the Unitarian church.
FRED N. BECKWITH, superintendent of the Beckwith Box Toe Com- pany, Dover, N. H., was born at Wooster, Mass., December 9, 1886. In the public schools and at Adams academy, Mr. Beckwith was educated, and his first business experience was in the retail shoe line in which he continued three years. He then became interested in the present enterprise and has so continued.
The Beckwith Box Toe Company was established in 1904, at Boston, Mass., by Harry H. Beckwith, with eight employes and an output of 5000 pairs of box toes a day. Later Fred N. Beckwith, his brother, entered the business and in September, 1909, the plant was removed to Dover, where excellent facilities for enlargement could be secured. Here a four-story building is occupied, this company utilizing two floors and having 26,000 square feet of floor space, and in contrast to the first year of business, there are now ninety people employed and the normal output is 80,000 pairs a day. The sale territory covers the entire United States, Canada, England, France and
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Germany. The company is incorporated with a paid in capital of $25,000. H. H. Beckwith is president and treasurer and Fred N. Beckwith is super- intendent.
Harry H. Beckwith was born in Nova Scotia but was educated in the United States. He began work in a New England shoe factory and later became a traveling salesman in the same line and so continued until he estab- lished his present enterprise. He married Isabel Doris, of Somerville, Mass., and they have two children, Edwin and Isabel. They reside at Brookline, Mass. Mr. Beckwith and family attend the Baptist church.
Fred N. Beckwith devotes himself almost entirely to the affairs of the Beckwith Box Toe Company but has additional interests and is on the direct- ing board of the Dover Realty Company. His social tastes are indicated by his membership with the Portsmouth Country Club, the Bellamy Club and the Middlebrook Golf Club.
ELWILL S. SHORTRIDGE, of the C. E. Brewster Company, wholesale druggists, Dover, N. H., was born in Brookfield, N. H., September 20, 1869, son of John L. and Susan E. ( Mitchell) Shortridge, the father being a pros- perous farmer. He began his education in the country schools, subsequently attended the public schools of Dover, from which he was graduated in 1874, and then returned to his father's farm. After remaining at home for awhile he became a shoe operator, at which occupation he worked for three years. He then entered the drug business as traveling salesman for C. E. Brewster, and was thus employed until 1894, when, in company with Charles H. Bradley, he purchased the business, Mr. Brewster dying in April of that year. The business was then re-organized and conducted as the C. E. Brewster Company until 1900, when it was incorporated, with a capital stock of $20,000. The present officers are : C. E. Cartland, president; E. L. Corson, vice president and secretary ; E. S. Shortridge, treasurer and general manager. The concern occupies a three-story building, on a site 40x90 feet, and sells to the trade within a radius of 75 miles around Dover. Mr. Shortridge is also a trustee of the Strafford Savings Bank and president of the Dover Realty Company. He is a 32d degree Mason, belonging also to the Mystic Shrine, to the Knights of Pythias, and to Lodge No. 184. B. P. O. E.
E. E. ROBERTS, one of Dover's most highly respected citizens, now living somewhat retired and occupying his comfortable residence on Sixth street, was born at Lumber City, in Telfair county, Ga., February 4, 1837, and is a son of Elijah and Susan G. (Taylor ) Roberts.
Elijah Roberts was born in Ossipie, N. H., and came to Rochester in early
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manhood. He was a natural mechanic and although he never had the chance to learn the trade of millwright, followed the same successfully for many years. It was during the five years that he and wife lived in Georgia, where he built mills throughout Telfair county, that his son, E. E. Roberts, was born. He was employed for many years in the factories and saw mills at Rochester, Somersworth and Dover, spending the greater part of his life in Strafford county. He died in 1857, at Oxford, Me. He married Susan G. Taylor, who was born in Maine and lived to be eighty-three years of age. Of their eight children there are two survivors : E. E., of Dover, and Mrs. Anna A. Hurd, of Rochester.
In early boyhood E. E. Roberts attended the village school at Rochester, afterward studied one year at Saco, Me., and subsequently was given three academic terms at Lebanon, Me. When fifteen years of age he began to give his father valued assistance in his mill-building work, helping during the sum- mer seasons and attending school in the winters. He continued this work under his father's supervision until the latter's death, when he engaged with other lumber men. For three years he worked under Burges & Butterfield and was then made foreman at East Rochester in the work of installing ma- chinery. He went then to Hyde Park and built the tube mill there, remaining one year, returned then to East Rochester and during the following year built a mill there. In the next year he built a mill at Gonic, for five years being continuously engaged in constructing these important mills. In 1871 Mr. Roberts came to Dover and for three years worked as a journeyman with the Cocheco Company. He then spent one year in the meat business at Lawrence, Mass., and in 1875 became a master mechanic for the Cocheco people, con- tinuing in that capacity with the same company, for twenty-one years, severing this relation on August 8, 1896. Since then Mr. Roberts has been interested in handling timber tracts. He is a self-made man, assuming heavy responsi- bilities when only a boy which he subsequently honorably discharged, among these being the paying off of a mortgage on his father's farm, which amounted to $650.
Mr. Roberts married Miss Martha L. Herrick, who is survived by two children: Fred E. and Mrs. Clara L. York. He was married (secondly) in 1894, to Miss Ellen N. Cavenaugh. He has always been a man with settled religious convictions and attends the Methodist Episcopal church. Politically he is a Republican and fraternally a Mason.
ALBERT P. SHERRY, attorney-at-law and city solicitor of Dover, was born in Dover, N. H., February 28, 1879, one of the family of two children of Michael and Ann (McLin) Sherry. The father, Michael Sherry, is a
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native of England of Irish descent. The subject of this sketch graduated from both the public and parochial schools of this city. To earn a livelihood he then learned the trade of barber at which he worked until 1905. He began the study of law under Dwight Hall in 1902 and in 1905 was admitted to the bar. After practicing law for two and a half years in Nebraska, he came to Dover in 1909, where he has since continued in the practice of his profession, having an office in the Strafford National Bank Building. A Republican in politics, he was elected city solicitor of Dover, on that ticket, in 1911 and has ably administered the affairs of the office. He has achieved a gratifying success, which has been self-earned, and is widely respected as a citizen.
Mr. Sherry married Miss Abbie E. Sullivan, a native of Ireland and daughter of Peter and Julia (Sullivan) Sullivan. He and his wife are members of the Catholic church, and they reside at No. 662 Central Avenue. Mr. Sherry is also affiliated with the Knights of Columbus; Div. I, A. O. H., and the Royal Arcanum.
REV. THOMAS E. REILLY, pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church, of Dover, N. H., was born at Concord, N. H., December 23, 1858, one of the family of five children of Bernard and Mary (Lynch) Reilly. Both parents were natives of Ireland.
The subject of this sketch began his education in the public schools of his native town and later attended the seminary in Montreal, and also the St. Theresa Seminary at Three Rivers. Immediately after finishing his classical course he was ordained to the priesthood, at Portland, Me., by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Healy. He was first stationed at Concord, N. H., in the capacity of assistant priest, under the Rev. J. E. Barry, remaining there until October, 1884. He was then assigned to the cathedral at Manchester, N. H., this being in December, 1886, and from thence he was assigned to a parish at Newmarket. On October 1, 1911, he was assigned to his present position as pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church, Dover, and has since remained here. This church has a very fine interior. The church contains a population of 3125 people, while the parochial school, taught by the Sisters of Mercy and Christian Brothers, has between five and six hundred pupils.
HON. JOHN RILEY VARNEY, in former years one of Dover's most noted citizens-a man whom all delighted to honor-was born in Dover, N. H., March 26, 1819. His parents were James Bowdoin and Sarah ( Byles) Varney, and he was a descendant in the eighth generation of William Varney, or Varnie, of Ipswich, Mass., the immigrant ancestor of the family, who died in Salem, Mass., in 1654. William's son, Humphrey, was "received an inhabitant" in
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Dover, N. H., August 4, 1659. He married Sarah, daughter of Elder Edward and Catherine (Starbuck) Varney. Their son, Peter Varney, married Mary Hussey as early as 1720. Their son, Moses Varney, born about 1724, was married in 1750 to Esther Chick. Among their children was Moses Varney, born May 10, 1762, who married in 1782, Mercy Cloutman. Of their ten children was James Bowdoin Varney, born in Rochester, N. H .. July 17, 1784. who died in Dover, March 22, 1838. He married Saralı Byles, daughter of John and Mary ( Hanson) Riley, of Dover, and they were the parents of seven children, of whom the fourth-born was John Riley Varney, the subject of this sketch.
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