USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Chester > History of old Chester [N. H.] from 1719 to 1869 > Part 50
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Nathan and Elizabeth's 5th child was Nathan, b. April 9, 1780, m. Mary Simonds, dau. of Capt. P. Richardson's wife, and lived
611
GENEALOGY - WEBSTER.
with Capt. R. He d. March 30, 1815. The wid. m. John L. Glidden, and d. Dec. 19, 1863.
NATIIAN WEBSTER, the grantee, had also : -
III. STEPHEN, b. Feb. 18, 1717-18. He lived on No. 131, O. H., subsequently owned by Jona. Norton, John Norton and Josiah Seavey. He must have been one of the earliest settlers in that part of the town. He moved to Candia and was a petitioner for the charter. His wife was Rachael. Children : -
1. David, b. Dec. 12, 1738, who went first to Hollis, then to Plymouth, N. II .; was in the French war, andl was very active during the Revolution; was a colonel, and was sheriff of Grafton county. (See N. H. Hist. Soc. Coll. Vol. 7, pp. 132, 133, 254, 263, 264, 269, 291 and 292; also Adj .- Gen. Rep., Vol. 2, 1866, p. 352.) There were also : -
2. Stephen; 3. Lydia; 4. Sarah; 5. Amos. Rachael, the wife, d. 1754. STEPHEN m. Sarah Clongh and had: - 6. Daniel, and 7. Rachael.
NATHAN, the grantee, had also : -
IV. ABEL, b. July 2, 1726; m. Hannah Emerson, probably of Haverhill. He lived on the homestead for a time. Children: -
1. Nathan, who m. Lydia Richardson, dau. of Daniel R.
2. Phebe, m. Josiah Bradley, Jr. HIe d. at Mr. B.'s, Feb. 14, 1801.
NATHAN, the grantee, also had a dau .: -
V. MARY, m. Benaiah Colby. His will, dated March, 1746, proved Oct. 29, 1746, in which he gave his sons the lots on which they lived, and other lands. The homestead has been owned by Moses Haselton, Josiah Haselton, who built the present house in 1812, and Lewis Kimball.
COL. JOIIN WEBSTER, son of SAML. and Mary, b. Aug. 9, 1714, came to Chester about 1735. He settled on H. L. 76, which has been subsequently owned by Simon Berry, and by his son-in-law, Lt. Wm. Wilson, and his son Daniel and now by Mr. Blackstock. It is said that he opened the first store in town about 1750, in a part of his house. March 20, 1753, he purchased of James Var- num the II. L. No. 28, first settled by Sampson Underhill, with five rods of the ten-rod way where Bachelder's hotel now is, and built the present house, and kept a store, and I think a tavern. He was also surveyor of highways in 1743, and selectman in 1744, and representative several years. He was an energetic business man, and was very active during the Revolution; was muster- master, and sometimes advanced money for bounties to the sol- diers. (See Coll. N. H. Hist. Soc., Vol. 7, pp. 65, 116, 162, 171, 188, 189, 219 and 222.) He m. Hannah Hobbs, Nov. 29, 1739. Children : -
612
HISTORY OF CHESTER.
1. Mary, b. June 2, 1741; d. 1760.
2. Hannah, b. 1743; d. 1763.
3. Sarah, b. Nov. 14, 1745, m. Dr. John Wingate; lived on the Webster place, but went to Maine; d. 1810.
4. Anna, b. Feb. 4, 1749, m. Josiah Flagg; d. May 1, 1799.
5. Elizabeth, b. 1752; d. 1754.
6. John, b. March 13, 1754, graduated at Dartmouth, 1778. He studied theology and preached awhile, but through diffidence gave it up. He resided in Chester, was a deacon, and I think traded awhile and removed to Franklin, Vt., where he was greatly esteemed, and d. Jan. 17, 1838, a. 83. Hle m. Rebecca Webster, May, 1782, and had Sarah Wingate, b. 1783.
7. Samuel, b. Feb. 15, 1757, m. a dau. of John Robie, and went to Newport, N. H.
Hannah d. Nov. 20, 1760. Col. Webster m. (2) wid. Sarah Smith of Hampton, Nov. 17, 1762. She had two Smith children : Sarah, m. Edward Robie, and Hannah, m. Dr. Thomas Sargent. Children : -
8. Toppan . Webster, b. July 22, 1765, m. a niece of Rev. Mr. Flagg and had several daughters. He lived on H. L. No. 7, the William Healey place where Mr. Orcutt now lives, and built the present house. He was a trader and introduced Henry Sweetser into town as a clerk, and John Porter, the first lawyer, to collect his debts. Webster failed and went to Newburyport; thence to Washington, and was for a long period engaged in the general post-office, and d. there.
9. Mary, b. May 6, 1768, m. William Hicks, who was a gold- smith, and built the house where Woodbury Masters now lives. She d. April, 1790.
10. Elizabeth, b. 1771, m. Dr. Ben. Kittridge; d. Sept., 1802.
11. Edmund, b. 1773; lived and traded at the homestead; d. unm. May 12, 1801.
Col. Webster d. Sept. 16, 1784. His wife d. April 30, 1795.
WEEKS.
WILLIAM WEEKS was of Greenland; m. Susannah Haynes. He d. Sept., 1821, a. 76; she d. May 31, 1845, a. 94. He was a car- penter and lived in Portsmouth until the war; came to Chester, and purchased of Parker Carr; lived on Add. No. 72. Chil- dren : -
John, William and Bennin, went to Bangor, Me. ; Mary, m. Ed. Moore Preston; Susan, m. James Calef; Noah, b. 1790, in. Char- lotte Quimby, lives on the homestead.
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GENEALOGY - WEST.
WELLS.
JACOB WELLS was an early settler in Chester, and lived on Add. lot No. 39, about 80 rods southwest of Chester Street.
TITU'S WELLS had an amendment opposite Elliott's, southeast of the cross-road to the parsonage lot. He was there in 1730.
LT. THOMAS WELLS of Amesbury bought of Eldad Ingalls, H. L. No. 61, in 1729. He is said to have m. Elizabeth, eldest dau. of Capt. Ingalls, b. 1709, and he is named as an heir in settlement of Capt. Ingalls' estate in 1760. The name of his wife is Hannah on the record. He was a man of note in Chester, and a large landholder. His will was dated Dec. 27, 1768, and proved May 8, 1769. Legatees: - son, 1. Winthrop, who m. Dolly, dau. of William Healey, and settled first in Candia on No. 37, 3d D. ; sold Dea. Nathl. Burpee, and went to Plymouth, N. H. 2. Thomas. 3. Henry, lived in Sandown. 4. Reuben, and 5. Samuel, had the homestead and were executors. 6. Ebenezer. 7. Peter. 8. Sarah Carr, and 9. Phebe Wells. His homestead, lying in Chester, con- tained 100 acres. 'He had 170 acres in Goffstown, and 400 in New Chester. There was another Thomas Wells, probably the son above named, whose wife was Ruth, who was killed by John Tolford, Dec. 27, 1773.
WEST.
WILKES WEST came from Beverly when about 21 years of age. He m. Phebe, dau. of Lt. Ebenezer Dearborn, Aug., 1762. He settled on Gov. Shute's H. L., where A. S. Dearborn lately lived, and was a carpenter and cabinet-maker. His shop stood about where the Baptist church stands. He was at the battle of Ben- nington ; d. April 10, 1830, a. 94. Children: -
1. Esther, d. young.
2. Molly, B. 1762, m. Jesse, son of Joshua Hall, went to Camp- ton.
3. Joseph, d. young.
4. Nason, d. at Plymouth.
5. John, d. at Beverly.
6. Jackson, d. at Greenfield.
7. Thomas, was in the army, 1812.
8. Joseph, b. Feb., 1779, m. Polly, dau. of Jeremiah Rand ; lived on the homestead.
9. Henry H., b. Sept. 5, 1781, was a seventh son, famous for curing king's evil; m. Sarah Rogers; lived at Hall's Village; had · a large family.
Phebe d. 1783. Wilkes m. (2) Hannah, dau. of Dea. Matthew Forsaith; she d. 1793. Children: -
614
HISTORY OF CHESTER.
10. Esther, m. Caleb Towle of Hawke, 1809.
11. Phebe D., b. 1788, m. Joseph, son of Joseph Morse, 1806.
12. Hannah, m. William Kelsey, 1808.
13. Sally, m. Thadaw Hemmingway, 1814.
WHITE.
DEA. WILLIAM WHITE (not the grantee of that name) was b. in England in 1687. ' His father was a glover, and removed with him to Londonderry, in Ireland, while he was an infant. His father was wounded in the siege of that city, in 1668 and 1669. He came to this country in 1725, and resided in Londonderry, in the double range, until about 1733, when he came to Chester and settled on II. L. No. 126, where Josephi Webster now lives. His name first appears in Chester records on the Presbyterian protest, March 28, 1735. Ile was a linen weaver. He m. in Ireland, and his wife d. before arriving in this country. Children : -
I. Henry, resided in Litchfield; was a mariner; d. at HIalifax about 1755.
II. James, was a mariner; d. unmarried.
III. Jane, m. Patrick White and lived at Peterborough.
After William came to Chester he min. Jane, dau. of Robert Graham. Children :-
IV. Robert, lived in Goffstown and New Boston.
V. Darid, m. (1) Mary, dau. of Robert Gordon; m. (2) Mary, dau. of Patrick Melvin. He lived on No. 71, 2d P., 2d D., first back some 60 rods from the present road, on the first path to the pond, then where the writer lives. IIe d. 1776. The widow ni. Stephen Merril; d. July, 1833. They had a large family, the old- est of whom. Samuel, m. Huldah, dau. of Elijalı Heath; lived on the homestead and at the Neck; d. Jan., 1827.
VI. and VII. Thomas and William, the first twins born in Chester. b. March 4 (O. S.). 1740. Thomas d. umn. William resided on the homestead. He was appointed Major in 1775; Lt. Col. in 1784; was muster master in 1777 and 1778; Justice of the Peace in 1791; Senator of District No. 3 in 1806, '7 and '8. He in. (1) Mary, dau. of Robert Mills, Jan. 24, 1764. Children :-
1. Janc. 2. Jonathan. 3. Susannah, b. 1768. m. Jonathan Quimby, 1790. 4. Robert. 5. Mary. 6. Elizabeth. 7. Ann. They mostly went to Belfast, Maine.
Mary d. Dec. 24. 1780, a. 43. He m. (2) Elizabeth Mitchell, Sept. 17, 1782. Children: -
8. William, b. 1783, grad. at Dartmouth in 1806; was a lawyer. 9. John, b. 1785. 10. Thomas, d. unm. 1830. 11. Sarah, b. June, 1790, d. 1825. 12. James, b. Sept. 2, 1792, grad. at Dartmouth ; was a lawyer. (The above, excepting Sarah, went to Maine.)
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GENEALOGY - WILSON.
13. David M., b. 1795, d. in Chester. 14. Olif. b. 1798, d. July 22, 1826. 15. Lavina, b. 1800, d. unm. July 10, 1836; all in Chester. 16. Benjamin, b. Aug 24, 1807, is now at Ballard Vale.
William d. Nov. 9, 1829. Elizabeth d. April 3, 1832, a. 71.
WHITTIER.
REUBEN WHITTIER was probably from Newtown and early settled on lot No. 30, O. II., in Raymond. . His wife was Mary, and they had eleven children on Chester records :- 1. Moses, b. 1740. 2. Richard, b. 1743. 3. Josiah. b. 1747. 4. Reuben, 1749. 5. Mary, b. Sept. 17, 1751, m. Charles Moore, Jr., d. about 1830. 6. Joseph, b. 1752. 7. Daniel, b. 1753. 8. Deborah, b. 1755. 9. Sarah, b. 1756. 10. Mirriam, b. 1757. 11. Phineas, b. 1758.
MARK WHITTIER, b. July 26, 1746, came from Newtown about 1798, to Chester Woods, now Hooksett. He m. Elizabeth San- born, b. April 13, 1755; d. Oct. 4, 1830. He d. Aug. 1, 1824. Children : -
1. Joseph, b. June 21, 1774, came to Chester at the same time his father did, and settled on No. 113, 4th D., at what has been the Clark tavern, and owned a large tract of land. He m. Sarah Whitaker. He d. Aug 19, 1845: she d. July 31, 1851, a. 74. They had two sons, Joseph and Samuel.
2. Mark, b. Sept. 15. 1776, m. Betsey Dustin, dau. of Dr. John Dustin. of Martin's Ferry, May 2, 1806. She was b. Jan. 16 1780. They settled in Boscawen (now Webster). Ile d. April 26, 1838; she d. Feb. 14, 1865. They had four children: George, Betsey, Olive and Moses.
3. Abigail, b. Dec. 21, 1778; d. Feb. 8. 1838.
4. Dearborn, b. May 19, 1781, m. (2) Rosanna Aiken, wid. of Alexander McGregor, and lived on the Simeon Carr place, in Hooksett. He moved to Londonderry, and was killed by the cars Jan. 26, 1850.
5. Dolly, b. Feb. 24, 1784, unm. ; lived in Hooksett; d. Oct. 10, 1850.
6. Samuel, b. Apr. 18, 1786, lived in Newtown; d. Jan. 17, 1864. 7. Mary, b. July 29, 1788. d. Nov. 20, 1815.
8. Jonathan, b. Feb. 7, 1792, mn. (1) Charlotte P. Abbott, of . Andover, Mass. They had two children, Elizabeth and Charles M. He m. (2) Rhoda Whittier, wid. of John Jones. Lived in Hooksett on the Carr place till 1837, then on the Rowe place in the village ; went to Plymouth in 1853, and d. Sept. 14, 1868.
9. Reuben, b. Oct. 4, 1796, d. March 16, 1797.
WILSON.
The earliest tradition that the Wilsons have is that a father, James Wilson, and four sons,-I. William, II. James, III. Robert,
616
HISTORY OF CHESTER.
and IV. Hugh,-came over from Ireland and settled in Chester; but in some tables of longevity there is a James Wilson who died in 1739, aged 100. This father could not have been near as old at that time. Then the names of three James Wilsons are attached to the Presbyterian protest, June 23, 1736, so it is nearly certain that the grandfather, an old man of nearly 90, came over with the family.
JAMES, the father, was in Stratham in 1728, and purchased H. L. 49 and 112, on which he settled. In May, 1732, he bought of James Basford one-eighth of the old saw-mill. In Nov., 1732, he deeded the two home lots to his son Hugh, in consideration of maintaining him and his wife.
I. WILLIAM WILSON was in Stratham in 1727. He was fence- viewer in 1728, selectman in 1729 and 1730. IIe settled on H. L. No. 40, where his great-grandson Asa now lives. His will was dated Aug., 1761; proved June 27, 1764; legatees, his wife, Rob- ert, Martha Steel, James, Elizabeth Mitchell, Jane Moore, Mary Craige and William,
1. Robert, first settled on the cross-road on Add. Lot, No. 100; then on No. 102. IIe was a very prominent man in Chester. HIe built the first mill at Oswego; was active during the Revolu- tionary war; was for a season one of the Committee of Safety. (See Coll. N. H. Hist. Soc., Vol. 7, pp. 43, 90 and 319.) He was representative from 1776 to 1780. His will is dated Ang. 8, 1791; proved Nov. 16, 1791. IIe d. Oct., 2, 1791. He m. Jane Aiken, Nov. 13, 1759. She d. Sept. 29, 1821, a. 86. Children : -
1. John, b. Sept. 7, 1760, m. Elizabeth, dau. of Enoch Colby; lived on part of the homestead. He d. March 8, 1837; she d. Sept. 29, 1831. 2. Jonathan, 1762; went to Belfast, Me. 3. Mary, b. 1763, m. William, son of Charles Moore, d. 1819. 4. Susannah, b. 1765, m. Jeremiah Towle. 5. William, b. 1768, m. Abigail, dau. of Joseph Knowles, in 1793; lived on the homestead; went to Corinth, Vt. 6. Margaret, b. 1769, in. Morrice Gibbons, and Thomas Wilson; d. 1861. The Gibbons children, - Betsy, m. Richard Basford; Sophia, m. John Robie; Snsan, m. Samuel Wilson. 7. Anna, b. 1771, m. Joseph Richardson. 8. Nathaniel, d. young. 9. Sarah, b. Feb. 11, 1777, m. Nathan Knowles; d. Sept. 20, 1806. 10. Elizabeth, unm .; d. 1812.
2. Martha, mn. David Steel of Londonderry.
3. James, d. unm.
4. Elizabeth, m. a Mitchel.
5. June, m. Charles Moore, Sen.
6. Mary, m. a Craige of Londonderry.
7. William, lived on the homestead; m. his cousin Martha, dau. of James Wilson. He d. Sept. 23, 1825, a. 89 years, 6 months. Children : -
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GENEALOGY - WILSON.
1. Mary, m. David Mills. 2. Benjamin, lived on the homestead ; m. (1) Rebecca Hunkins, 1780; m. (2) Judith Brown, 1794; the parents of Asa now living on the place. He d. Feb., 1819; she d. March 10, 1864, a. 95 years, 6 months. 3. Joshua, went to Salis- bury, Mass. 4. Martha, umm .; d. 1862, a. 88.
II. JAMES WILSON settled on H. L., No. 103, where Jacob Green lately lived. A James Wilson, probably his father, was tythingman in 1729. He m. Mary, dan. of John Shirley. He d. April 16, 1791; she d. 1792. His will proved Dec. 21, 1791. Leg- atees, his wife Mary, David, James, Edward, Jane, Martha, Elizabeth and Mary Ann.
1. David, lived on Add. Lot No. 111, where Joseph Richardson afterwards lived; went to Danville, Vt.
2. James, b. 1750; lived on the homestead; m. Hitty, dau. of Levi Whitman; had Phebe, m. Jacob Green. He d. 1824; she d. 1854, a. 77.
3. Edward, settled first on Add. No. 100; went to Canada.
4. Jane, unm.
5. Martha, m. William Wilson.
6. Elizabeth.
7. Rebecca, m. John Wilson.
8. Susan, m. Capt. Daniel Todd.
9. Mary Ann, m. Thomas, son of Thomas Shirley.
III. ROBERT WILSON of Stratham bought half of Geo. Jaffrey's right in Chester, in 1725, and the other half of the II. L., No. 147, in 1729. He m. Ann, dau. of John Shirley, 1733. Children : -
1. Ann.
2. Mary, b. July 8, 1739, m. John Carr and settled in Candia.
3. John, lived on the homestead; m. Rebecca, dau. of James Wilson ; d. 1804. The wid. m. Timothy Wells.
4. Robert, b. 1744, settled in Candia on No. 112, 2d P., 2d D.
5. William, b. 1753, lived before marriage in Candia, on 121, 2d P., 2d D .; m. Phebe, dan. of Simon Berry ; lived on H. L. No. 76; d. 1824; she d. 1819. Children: -
Mary, m. Alexander Gordon of Windham; Daniel, m. Mehit- abel Phelps; lived on the homestead and on H. L. 57, where John Powel first lived; d. 1863; Jane, m. Benj. Mills; Phebe, m. David Worthen; William, went to Woburn, Mass.
IV. HUGH WILSON lived on H. L. No. 49; d. March, 1790. Children : -
1. Samuel, b. 1750, lived on the homestead, unm.
2. Anna, b. 1752, m. Joseph, son of Archi. Dunlap, and went to Goffstown.
3. Sarah, b. 1755, m. a Tolford, and went to Boscawen.
4. Thomas, b. Dec. 13, 1757, m. Agnes, dau. of Thomas Ander-
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HISTORY OF CHESTER.
son. She d. 1803. He m. (2) Margaret Wilson, wid. of Morrice Gibbons. He lived in Candia on 34, 2d P., 2d D. He d. 1808; she d. 1861. Children: -
Jane, m. Jno. Wason; d. 1805 ; Sarah, m. Thos. Lane; Margaret, m. Samuel Ferren; Samuel, m. Susan Gibbons; John; Cyrus; Jane, m. Benj. Hills.
Rev. JOHN WILSON is said to have been b. in Ulster County, Ireland, in 1709. He entered the University of Edinburgh. The . Hon. S. D. Bell has his Latin grammar. IIe came to this country in 1729, and collected a small church and congregation of the Scotch Irish, and was ordained in 1734. He lived on H. L. No. 12, on the southwest end, on what was then the " Road to Haver- hill." In 1735 he bought II. L. No: 119, except 5 acres owned by Sylvanus Smith where Capt. Shaw's house stands. The Presby- terian meeting-house stood near the southeast end of it. He m. Jane or Jean Wilson, the widow of Thomas Glen. Glen d. March 18, 1744. They had one dau., Ann, m. William Mills. Jean d. April 1, 1752, a. 36. He d. Feb. 1, 1779. His will was dated April 26, 1760; proved June 1, 1779. It represents that he was weak of body. It gives all of his property to his daughter Ann if she should arrive at age or marriage. Should she die the property was to be sold; Sister Elizabeth Ellerson to have £8 sterling; brother James of Coleraine, inn-holder, to have £60 sterling; the residue to brother Thomas of Thurlow, parish Bally Rally, and sister Martha Taylor of -, in. Ireland; they paying cousin Ann Miller £10 sterling. Capt. James Shirley and Sylvanus Smith, executors. Smith was dead, Shirley declined, and Ann was appointed.
Dea. ADAM WILSON was the son of William Wilson of London- derry or Windham; m. Elizabeth Horner; settled on No. 126, 2d P., 2d D .; house stood near where Geo. P. Clark's eider-house now stands. She d. 1803. He went to Henniker; d. 1817, a. 93. Children: -
1. John, m. Ann, dan. of Moses Underhill; went to Corinth.
2. Dea. William, m. Janette Wilson; lived on the homestead . and in Henniker; d. in Me. She d. 1828, a. 84.
3. Margaret, m. (1) John Crawford; (2) Samuel Crombie; d. Sept., 1842, a. 87.
COL. THOMAS WILSON was b. in Londonderry or Windham ; brought up by Robert Wilson, Esq .; was in the army; m. Sarah Currier and settled on the mountain in Candia, on No. 109, 5th D .; d. 1831, a. 84. He once told me that he used to be troubled with bears and wolves; that once he heard a roaring among the cattle, and upon going to see the trouble, found a wolf hold of
619
GENEALOGY-WOOD.
one of the young cattle, and the wolf kept his hold until he came up and was about to kick him, when the wolf let go with a growl and ran away.
WITHERSPOON.
JOHN WITHERSPOON probably came from Ireland. He was in York in 1741, and bought of the Rev. John Wilson the land voted to him by the proprietors, May, 1741, bounded by Londonderry line and Gov. Wentworth's farm of 200 acres. He settled where J. M. Hall now lives, in Auburn. Children : -;
I. Daniel, lived on the homestead and sold to Josiah Hall in 1784, and went to Francestown.
II. Alexander, settled on the east half of the Wilson grant, and sold to Worthen and went to Freeport; m. the widow of James Moore.
III. James, went to Maine.
IV. David, m. Agnes, dau. of Nathl. Linn, and settled near the west corner of No. 90, 2d P., 2d D. He was an officer in the Revolutionary army. Children: -
1. John, m. Ruth Chamberlain; lived at Newbury, Vt. 2. Joseph, m. Elizabeth, dau. of Nathan Webster, 1799; d. 1806. 3. Robert, m. Hannah, dan. of Dea. James Wason. 4. Samuel, m. Susan Tinker, and went to Bedford. 5. Jesse, m. Anna, dau. of Capt. John Wason; d. at Thetford, Vt., 1836.
V. Robert, m. Sarah, dau. of Samuel Aiken, Sen., and settled on the north end of No. 74, 2d P. 2d D., and d. 1795. They had one son, John, who m. Nancy, dau. of Joseph Linn, and lived on the homestead. He sold and removed to Cabot, Vt., about 1817.
VI. Mary, m. William McDole of Goffstown.
WOOD.
NATHANIEL WOOD came from Boxford and married Elizabeth Powell, the widow of Jonathan Goodhue. She took out ad- ministration on Goodhue's estate by the name of Elizabeth Wood in 1731. They lived on the Goodhue place until 1760, when they sold to Jabez Hoit, and bought 50 acres of No. 73, 2d P., 2d D., of Jos. Basford. He d. 1773. Children : -
I. Obadiah, settled in Andover, Mass.
II. Abigail, m. James Eaton and lived in Candia; d. 1833, a. 98.
III. Nathaniel b. Aug., 1737, m. Mary, dau. of William Eaton; lived on the homestead; d. 1817; she d. 1813. Children: - 1. Betty, d. 1846. 2. George, m. Abra Smith; d. 1803, a. 33. 3. Jesse, m. Polly Davis; d. 1851. 4. Josiah, unm. on the home- stead; d. 1848, a. 71.
IV. Ruth, m. a Porter; d. in Manchester.
620
HISTORY OF CHESTER.
WORTHEN.
THOMAS WORTHEN was surveyor of highways in 1743; lived where Titus Wells had lived, nearly opposite Edmund Elliott's. His will was dated 1769; proved Sept. 1, 1773. His widow, Dor- othy, d. 1803, a. 99. The legatees were wife Dorothy, grandsons Michael and Thomas, sons of David; granddaughters Sarah and Dolly; Mehitabel and Dolly, daughters of Jonathan; son Ezekiel; dau. Rhoda Fitts, wife of Ephraim Fitts, the blacksmith; Mary Clifford, Lydia Worthen; Samuel, executor and residuary legatee.
I. David m. Dorothy, dau. of Enoch Colby. Ile d. Nov. 19, 1766; the wid. m. Jacob Chase, Esq .; d. Ang. 15, 1816. He lived . on Add. No. 93, where Michael and his son David lived. Chil- dren : -
1. Michael, b. Jan. 6, 1758, m. Dorothy Brown, 1778; d. 1840, a. 82. Chil .:- Lydia, m. Aaron Whittier; Isaac, b: 1781, m. Hannah, dau. of Capt. B. True; went to Canada; Dorothy, b. March 7, 1783, m. James, son of James Wason; Betsy, m. David Currier; David, m. Jane Wilson; Lucretia, m. Joseph Day.
2. Saralı, b. 1760, m. Reuben Sanborn and went to Springfield, N. H.
3. Dorothy, b. 1763, m. Samuel, son of John Robie; went to Springfield, N. II.
4. David, b. 1765.
II. Lt. Ezekiel, m. Abigail, dau., of Samuel Bartlett, 1762; lived on H. L. No. 142; d. 1827, a. 86. Children: - Elizabeth, b. Dec. 6, 1774, m. Edmund Sleeper; Samuel; Ezekiel; Lydia; Josiah, b. June 27, 1780, m. Betsy, dau. of James Stevens, d. 1862; Jonathan, b. April 9, 1783, m. Jane, dau. of William Shan- non; d. 1825.
III. Samuel, m. Abigail Ambrose, 1769.
LONGEVITY.
There have been published at different times instances of lon- gevity in Chester, but they are not reliable. Most of them prob- ably originated from Moore and Farmer's Gazetteer of New Hampshire. The person who supplied that merely went to a few old men, and they told him what they had heard, as nearly as they recollected; but it was all tradition, and, to say the least, some of it apocryphal, the dates being uncertain and the ages probably overrated. There are included in this table persons who were natives and moved away, some of them many years before
621
LONGEVITY.
their death; others, natives of other places who spent most of their lives before coming to Chester, but died here. Of course it con- tains more than an average of the longevity, though no doubt it is very imperfect, especially in early times. G. S. indicates grave- stone ; the dates, time of death. Many of the dates and ages are not certain.
Years.
1739. James Wilson, father of James, and grandfather of William, James, Hugh and Robert, is said to have been
· 100
1747. Robert Graham, said by Col. White to be . 80
1754. James Shirley, said to be . 105
1760. Alexander Craig, said to be 98
(His will was proved Oct. 31, 1750, and therefore he could not have been so old, but his father might have have been of that age.)
1756. Jane Glen, G. S. dated March 9, 88
1762. Robert Mills, 80
Benjamin Hills, G. S. March 15, 79
1769. Rebecca, his wife, G. S. Sept. 4, 79
1772. Dea. Ebenezer Dearborn, G. S. March 15, 92
1768. Abigail, his wife, G. S. Feb. 26, 83
1772. William Healey, will proved, 82
Mary Sanborn, his wife born 1690, time of death not known, probably 1785, about . 95
1775. William Craig and wife, said to be . 100
(But he was alive in 1778, and they had a daughter Jean, died 1745, a. 16, which would not indicate so great an age of Mrs. Craig.)
1779. John Dickey, G. S. April 30, 80
Margaret. his wife, July 4, 1787, 89
1786. Samuel Aiken, G. S. Jan., . 84
His widow, 1797, about 92
William Crawford, March, over .
80
1790. Maj. John Tolford, May, . Jane McMurphy, his widow, Dec. 29, 1792. Lieut. Ebenezer Dearborn, 85
89
1791. Dea. Matthew Forsaith, Sept. 6, about Esther Graham, his wife, July, 1784, over 80
90
1792. Dea. William Tolford, Sept. 25, 92
1793. Samuel Emerson, Esq., G. S. Sept. 26, 86
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