USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > History of Strafford County, New Hampshire and representative citizens > Part 83
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B., who is the wife of George L. Freeman, chief engineer for the Sawyer & Molton at Portland, Me., and has four children-Emily, Alice, Barbara and George, Jr. ; and Ralph W., who is a student in the Nute High school. Mr. Kimball and family are members of the Congregational church, of which he has been a trustee for eight years. For the past seventeen years he has been treasurer of the local lodge of the A. O. U. WV., and belongs also to the Knights of Pythias, at Milton.
ORLANDO R. WIGGIN, one of the best known and busiest contractors and builders at Dover, has been established at No. 65 Park street since 1892. He is a native of Barrington, N. H., born November 11, 1858, and is a son of George and Sophia (Hayes) Wiggin.
George Wiggin was born at Durham, N. H., a descendant of Thomas Wiggin, who was born in England and at an early day settled at Rocking- ham, N. H. George Wiggin has spent the greater part of his life at Bar- rington, the birthplace of his wife, and followed farming. He is now de- ceased.
Until he was nineteen years of age, Orlando R. Wiggin lived on the home farm near Barrington and attended the country schools and also Frank- lin Academy. When twenty years old he began to learn the carpenter trade, with the firm of Clark & Tibbetts, then well known builders at Dover, and remained through his apprenticeship and as a journeyman. He then went into building and contracting and has been more than ordinarily successful, having a large amount of important local construction work to his credit.
Mr. Wiggin married Miss Mary L. Morrison, of Dover, and they have five children : Roy E., Warren E., Thomas H., Ida M. and Donald D. Of his parents' children the following survive: Mary A., who is the widow of Joshua M. Ham, of Dover; Samantha, who is the wife of Melvin Hall, of Barrington; George W., also of Barrington; James I. and Orlando R., both of Dover; Elmer E., of East Barrington; and Charles F., of Springvale, Me. Mr. Wiggin is a Republican, as is his father, and has served two years as a councilman from the Second Ward, city of Dover, and for two years as an alderman from the same ward. He belongs to Mount Pleasant Lodge of Odd Fellows, and Olive Branch Lodge, Knights of Pythias, both of Dover. A reliable business man and public-spirited citizen, Mr. Wiggin enjoys a large measure of public esteem.
HENRY H. CLIFFORD, a well known and respected citizen of Dover, N. H., now living retired from active business life, was born in Dover, September 18, 1862, a son of Stewart and Margaret A. (Hawkins) Clif-
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ford. His father, now deceased, was a native of Plum Island, Mass .; his mother of Dover, N. H., where she is now residing at the age of 85 years with the subject of this sketch. Stewart Clifford was a well known business man of Dover in his day, for many years being the proprietor of a dyeing establishment. In politics he was a Democrat, and he was of English ancestry.
Henry H. Clifford was reared to manhood in Dover and educated in its public schools. When a young man he learned the trade of baker at Charles- town, Mass. Subsequently returning to Dover, he entered the employ of B. S. Hodgkins, a well known baker and caterer, with whom he remained 2 years. He then bought out his employer's business and carried it on him- self for over a quarter of a century, retiring in 1910, after accumulating a fair competency. His success was self-earned and he is now regarded as one of the substantial citizens of Dover. In politics he is a Republican and in the fall of 1912 was a candidate for county commissioner, polling a large vote and being defeated by a narrow margin only. He is a member of Moses Paul Lodge, A. F. & A. M., of Dover, and belongs also to the local lodge of Knights of Pythias. Progressive and public-spirited, he has a wide circle of friends and enjoys the confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens generally.
Mr. Clifford married Mary J. Lee, a native of Isles of Shoals, N. H., and they have one daughter, Margaret M., who is a student at the New Hamp- shire State Normal School, at Plymouth, N. H. Mrs. Clifford, who is a daughter of Thomas Lee, late of Portsmouth, N. H., is a lady of fine literary ability, having won a national reputation as an authoress of juvenile books and stories, the latter being gladly accepted by some of the leading and high class magazines. She was awarded a diploma from the National Press Association of Indianapolis, having completed the story-writing course of study of the association and passed with the highest credit. She was for- merly a member of the Woman's Club of Dover. Mrs. Clifford and daugh- ter are prominent members of Dover's best social circles.
MOSES G. CHAMBERLAIN, proprietor of the Chamberlain Stock farm, containing 300 acres and situated one and one-half miles southwest of Milton Mills, N. H., was born on this farm January 15, 1862, and is a son of Samuel G. and Elizabeth (Fall) Chamberlain.
Samuel G. Chamberlain was born also on the above farm, a son of Samuel N. Chamberlain and a grandson of Moses Chamberlain, who was the first of the family to own this property. He was born on a farm in Strafford county, one mile south of the homestead, and came to the town of Milton in early manhood. Here he reared his family and the land has
SAMUEL G. CHAMBERLAIN
BARD B. PLUMMER
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remained a family possession ever since. Samuel G. Chamberlain married Elizabeth Fall, who was born at Lebanon, Me., and they had four children : Alexander H., who is foreman of a mill at Union, N. H .; Adelia E., wife of C. W. Lowe; Frederick M., who is employed by the Boston Ice Company at Milton, and Moses G. The mother of the above mentioned family died at the age of sixty-seven years, but the father lived to be eighty-four years old. Their burial was in the Milton Mills cemetery.
Moses G. Chamberlain was educated in the town of Milton and in the village of Milton Mills. All the Chamberlains have been farmers to some extent, and Moses G., the youngest son, remained on the home place and continues the agricultural activities in which his father and grandfather also prospered. A large portion of the land is devoted to pasturage; milk production is a leading industry, a morning shipment of 100 quarts being made daily to Boston. Also about one thousand cords of lumber have been cut and shipped from the place. Mr. Chamberlain keeps his property in fine order, cultivates about fifty acres and breeds high grade cattle. In him the Grange at Milton Mills has a valuable member, for he is deeply inter- ested in all progressive agricultural movements, and at present he is treasurer of the local body.
Mr. Chamberlain married Miss Arthie E. Junkins, who was born at Union, N. H., a daughter of the late James H. Junkins. They have one daughter, Blanche E., who is the wife of A. F. Walker. Mr. and Mrs. Walker reside also on the farm. They have one son, Burton Moses Walker. Mrs. Chamberlain belongs also to the Grange and assists in promoting the social affairs of the order. Like his late father, Mr. Chamberlain is identified with the Republican party.
BARD B. PLUMMER, one of the selectmen of the town of Milton, Strafford County, N. H., owns and resides upon a farm of 200 acres, located on Plummer Ridge, three and one half miles north of the village of Milton. He is a representative of one of the county's oldest families, one that became established here in the very early colonial days. Mr. Plummer has always been actively identified with all that relates to the welfare and progress of his home community and county, and frequently has been called upon to serve in official capacity by his fellow citizens. He is of the fourth generation of Plummers to be born and reared in his present home, the date of his birth being June 18, 1846. He is a son of Enoch W. and Orinda (Ayers) Plummer.
Francis Plummer, the first of our subject's ancestors in this country, was born in Wales in 1594. In 1634, he crossed to America in the sailing vessel, "Elizabeth Dorcas," settling in what now is Newbury, Mass. He and
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his wife became parents of the following children, the three oldest of whom were born in Wales, all being reared in Newbury : Samuel, Joseph, Hannah and Mary. Samuel, next in line of descent to Bard B. Plummer, married Mary Bidfield, by whom he had twelve children: Samuel, Mary, John, Ephraim, Hannah, Sylvania, Ruth, Elizabeth, Deborah, Josiah, Lydia and Bathusa. This family was probably reared in Newbury. Ephraim Plummer married Hannah Jaques and their children were Mary, Hannah, Samuel, Elizabeth, John, Ruth, Daniel, Richard, Bidfield, Sarah and Emma. Richard Plummer, next in line of descent, was married to Elizabeth Beard, by whom he had five children: John, Samuel, Bidfield, Thomas and Sarah. Of the family last named, John Plummer married Elizabeth Titcomb and they had four children-Joseph, Beard, John and Betsy.
Beard Plummer, son of John and Elizabeth Titcomb Plummer, was born in Rochester, N. H., to which place his father had moved from Newbury. He himself moved from Rochester to the town of Milton and located on what has since been the Plummer homestead. The old house, still standing, was remodeled in 1848, the clapboards and the nails all being hand-made. At the time Beard Plummer arrived there were but few families in the town, the accommodations were primitive and their hardships many. This hardy pioneer married Susannah Ham and their children were Jonathan, Enoch, Joseph, Betsy, John, Susan and Bard. Mr. Plummer was the first senator chosen to represent the town of Milton. Joseph Plummer, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, married Sally Brown and the names of their children were Jonathan, Caroline, Enoch W., Bard, Joseph and Sarah. All were reared on the home farm.
Enoch W. Plummer, son of Joseph and Sally (Brown) Plummer, was born on the old home place in 1815. He followed farming in a general way and erected the barn now standing on the Plummer farm. He lived to reach the age of eighty-one years, dying in 1896; his wife had died the previous year, and both were buried in the cemetery on Plummer Ridge. Her maiden name was Orinda Ayers and their marriage was blessed with seven chil- dren : John T., Joseph E., May B., Bard B., Sarah, Fannie W. and Susan. Mr. Plummer was a Republican in politics, and at one time served as repre- sentative of the town of Milton. In addition to farming, he also was owner of a half interest in a saw mill, his partner being Lewis Plummer. He was a devout christian, a member of the Congregational church, and for more than forty years was a deacon in the church, death terminating that tenure.
Bard B. Plummer has always been engaged more or less in agricultural pursuits. He has served with public spirit and with marked efficiency in various positions. He was a member of the school board five years, was
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moderator of the township school board eight years, and is at the present a trustee of Nute High School of Milton. He also is one of the trustees and is treasurer of Nute Charitable Association of the town of Milton. He was for two years high sheriff and served several years as deputy sheriff. He lias always been consistent in his support of Republican principles.
Bard B. Plummer was united in marriage with Miss Eliza Wentworth and they have four children: Lucy C., wife of George E. Fox of A ton, Me .; Bard B. Jr .; Orinda and Fannie W. Bard B. Plummer, Jr., mar- ried Ruth L. Fall and they too reside on the home farm. They have four children-Elizabeth, Ruth, Bard and Lymon. Religiously, the subject of this record is a member of the Congregational Church, of which he also is deacon, having succeeded his father to that office upon the latter's death. He is prominent as a Mason, being past master of Unity Lodge, F. & A. M., of which he was secretary nineteen years, and is a member of Columbian Chapter of Farmington, St. Paul Commandery of Dover; the N. H. con- sistory at Nashau, N. H., and the Mystic Shrine at Concord. He is also Past Patron of Unity Chapter of O. E. S., past master of Lewis W. Milton Grange of Milton, and past dictator of Lowell Lodge, Knights of Honor.
JAMES A. JACKSON, who carries on general farming in the town of Rochester, where lie and wife own 190 acres, situated three miles east of Rochester Square, on the Rochester Hill road, was born on this farin Decein- ber 9, 1851. He is a son of James, a grandson of Stephen and a great- grandson of Caleb Jackson.
Caleb Jackson, the great-grandfather, accompanied by his brother, who was a physician, came very early to the town of Rochester from Connecticut. He located on the Rochester Hill road, one mile east of the present city of Rochester, and there reared a family, five of his children reaching maturity-Samuel, Stephen, Lydia, Hannah and Clements. Nothing is known of his wife except that she came of a family named Drew and was an estimable woman. They lived to be about eighty-four years old and their burial was in the Hanson cemetery.
Stephen Jackson, the grandfather, was married first to Betsey Knight and they had one daughter, Polly. His second marriage was to Betsey Hayes, and they had three children : James; Andrew, who died at West Con- cord; and Elizabeth, deceased, who was the wife of George Hayes. The third marriage was to Betsey Place and they had one son, Stephen 2d, who died in California and was buried there. Stephen Jackson and all his wives and children now rest in the Haven Hill cenietery on the Rochester road.
James Jackson, father of James A. Jackson, was born in Rochester,
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December 2, 1815. He married Lucy Ann Marrifield, a daughter of Jacob and Lucy Marrifield, of Sanford, Me., and after marriage they settled on a part of the present home farm and here three children were born: Olive Maria, a nurse, May 14, 1847; James Andrew, subject of this sketch; and Elizabeth A., born January 29, 1857, who is the wife of E. A. Cross. The mother of the above family was born January 26, 1821, and died July 30, 1908. The father died January 11, 1900, and they rest side by side in the Haven Hill cemetery. They were kind, quiet, virtuous people and were members of the Free Will Baptist church.
After his school days were over James A. Jackson remained on the home farm, which has since continued to be his home. Of the 100 acres designated as the home farm, about forty acres are tillable and Mr. Jackson has it under a fine state of cultivation. He was married June 15, 1887, to Miss Martha Elizabeth Allen, who was born August 31, 1859, on a farm on the Salmon Falls road, a daughter of Amasa and Elizabeth Allen. They have one son, Ernest Allen Jackson, born July 9, 1888, who after graduating from the Rochester High school, went into railroading and is now fireman on the B. & M. Railroad between Portland and Worcester. He married Miss Lillian Osgood and they have one daughter, Helen E. Mr. Jackson gives his political support to the Democratic party. He is justly proud of the fact that his grandfather, Stephen Jackson, was not only a reputable citizen and honest farmer, but was loyal in time of public peril and in the record preserving the names of officers of the War of 1812 may be found his as a commissioned ensign.
MRS. EMILY E. LOONEY, a highly esteemed resident of Milton, N. H., prominently identified with numerous organizations, some of them being national in character, is the widow of Hon. Charles H. Looney, for many years a leading citizen of Strafford county and formerly a member of both the lower and the upper branches of the state legislature. Mrs. Looney was born at Milton, N. H., and is a daughter of Robert and Sarah ( Hodg- don) Miller, the former of whom was born in England. After coming to America, Robert Miller resided in Boston, Mass., where he learned the tailor's trade. Then after coming to the village of Milton he was married to Sarah Hodgdon, who was born at Lebanon, Me., where her father, Isaac Hodgdon was a substantial farmer. To Robert Miller and wife three chil- dren were born: Emily E., (Mrs. Looney) ; a son who died at the age of twenty-two years; and Helen, who is the wife of Harry Scott Coles and resides in Boston.
Emily E. Looney was reared at Milton and attended school here and
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at Lebanon, where she had academic advantages. For a short time prior to her marriage she taught school. She has always maintained an interest in intellectual pursuits and has been prominent in social life. She is a mem- ber of the Rochester Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution and has been continuously interested in other patriotic organizations, particu- larly the Woman's Relief Corps, of which she was department president during 1909 and 1910. She is active also in local charities and a helpful promoter of the benevolent agencies of the Congregational church, of which she is a member. Miss Miller was united in marriage with Charles H. Looney and they had the following children: Ned Francis, who was educated at Milton and in the Lebanon Academy, married Adelaide C. Waldron and resides in Boston; Walter Eugene, who succeeded his father, in 1902, as deputy collector of customs, at Portsmouth; Robert, who, for ten years has been principal of the Milton Grammar school; and Harry, who is employed as a shoe cutter in a shoe factory at Milton.
Charles H. Looney was born at Milton, N. H., and after a busy and use- ful life passed away here in April, 1902, his burial being in Prospect Hill cemetery. He was a son of Charles Francis and Rhoda A. (Leighton) Looney. Charles F. Looney was born at Manchester, England and learned the textile trades there. After he came to Milton, N. H., he engaged in manufacturing and died here at the age of fifty-two years. The mother of the late Senator Looney was his second wife and she survived until 1906. The present family residence, on South Main street, was her old home and is, perhaps, the oldest house in the town of Milton. Charles H. Looney was engaged in a mercantile business at Milton. He early took an interest in public affairs, at the age of nineteen years being made postmaster of the village. In 1885, he was sent by the votes of the Republican party as a representative of the town of Milton to the lower house of the state legis- lature and at the next election was sent to the senate, in both legislative bodies proving that he possessed rare qualities of statesmanship. He was then appointed deputy collector of customs at Portsmouth and continued in that office until his death, with the exception of one term. He was interested also in lumbering in Maine and New Hampshire. He was the first secretary of the Nute High School and Library and was succeeded in this office by his son Walter. He attended the Congregational church and fraternally was a Mason.
HON. ANDREW KILLOREN, business man and statesman, who has been a resident of Dover, N. H., since 1856, when he was a child of three years, is one of Strafford County's best known and most popular citizens.
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He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, August 17, 1853, a son of John and Bridget (Scanlon) Killoren. His parents, who were natives of County Sligo, Ireland, came to America in 1853, residing for a time at St. Johns, Newfoundland. Later coming to New England, they lived some time in Dover, N. H., subsequently going to Cincinnati, Ohio, where the father died. His widow, with her five sons, then returned to Dover. Of these sons Michael became a prominent merchant of Dover and also served his ward as alderman. James was a soldier in the Civil war, while John, like his brother Michael, was a prosperous merchant and served as alderman and as a member of the school board.
Andrew Killoren was reared in Dover and educated in its public schools. For a number of years he was engaged in the grocery business with his brother, and also engaged in the ready made clothing business with his brother John. Beginning to take an active interest in public affairs as a member of the Democratic party, he was elected assessor, in which posi- tion he served for two years. In November, 1886, he was elected to the New Hampshire legislature and served in the memorable session of 1887, representing Ward 5 of the city of Dover. During the session he worked hard for the bills providing for the municipal water works at Dover and for the establishment of the New Hampshire State College at Durham, both of which measures became laws.
In November, 1888, he was re-elected to the legislature and in the session of 1889 he introduced the bill known as "Labor Day," the first Monday in September, and it became a law, in consequence of which Mr. Killoren is widely known as the "Father of Labor Day in New Hamp- shire." During the same session he also introduced the bill providing that a voter moving from one ward to another in the same city should not lose his vote, which bill also passed and became a law several sessions afterward, he being practically the father of this bill also, as he was the first to intro- duce it into the New Hampshire legislature.
In 1890 Mr. Killoren was again elected to the legislature and in the session of 1891 he introduced the bill known as a "Weavers' Fine Bill," which passed the house but was killed in the senate. Elected state senator in November, 1892, from the Twenty-third New Hampshire District, after a unanimous nomination, with the largest Democratic majority ever accorded a candidate from that day to the present, he served in the following ses- sion with the ability that had already distinguished him. He amended what was known as the "Dependent Paupers Bill," which provided that the chil- dren of the dependent poor who were being cared for in the different county farms throughout the state should be placed in the orphanages of
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the denominations to which they respectively belonged at the expense of the state, and this bill became a law during that session, 1893.
In addition to the above useful activities, Mr. Killoren has also per- formed good service in the Dover city government. He served fifteen years as a member of the school board, on the board of water commissioners six years, and for three years has been chairman of the board of health. For a number of years he has been the local agent for the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York. He is a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, for a number of years was president of the local branch of that order and also served it as N. H. state treasurer. He attended three national conventions of the order, held respectively at Trenton, N. J .; Boston, Mass., and Denver, Colo. He is a member of St. Mary's Church, at Dover. With a character strongly altruistic, he is naturally public spirited and does not spare himself when he sees an opportunity to do some good service for humanity. In a business and social way he has made many warm friends who know his sincerity and appreciate the high ideals he has constantly before him and for the attainment of which he is ever striv- ing.
IRA W. JONES, who has been established in his own business at Mil- ton since 1900, is a designer of water power plants, a practical millwright and general engineer, having been specially trained for this line of work. He was born in South Milton, N. H., June 10, 1854, and is a son of George H. and Lucy Jane (Varney) Jones.
George H. Jones was born at Milton, as was his father, Joshua Jones, and now lives in South Milton, where he follows farming. He married Lucy Jane Varney, who died in 1897, when aged seventy-one years. They had four children, two sons and two daughters, the latter being deceased.
Ira W. Jones attended the district schools in South Milton and the Milton High school. Recognizing his special talent he then entered the Starr King Drawing school at Boston, Mass., where he received his tech- nical training as a draughtsman and afterward spent three years in Boston working at pattern and model making. Mr. Jones then learned the trade of millwright as a necessary adjunct to his chosen line of work and for four years devoted himself to practical effort as millwright, afterward for one year being employed with a machinery company at Worcester, Mass., as machinist and draughtsman. For the twelve succeeding years he was a salesman through New England for a business firm of Dayton, O., and afterward for eighteen months was salesman for the Holyoke Machine Company of Worcester, Mass. In 1900 hr embarked in a general engi-
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neering business for himself, having his offices on Main street, Milton, employing from ten to fifteen trained designers and draughtsmen and having contraets all over New England, the southern states and Canada. Mr. Jones is an intelligent, wideawake and progressive citizen, but not a politician. He votes with the Republican party.
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