USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Andover > History of the town of Andover, New Hampshire, 1751-1906, Part I > Part 36
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REV. STEPHEN PILLSBURY,
son of Rev. Stephen Pillsbury, was born in Hebron in 1824. Mr. Pillsbury was in business in Cilleyville and Potter Place in An- dover in 1852. He was licensed to preach by the Baptist Church at New London. He preached in Dunbarton in 1863 and 1864, and was ordained there as a Baptist minister in 1864. He re- mained there until 1866, when he went to Mt. Holly, Vt., remain- ing as pastor there until 1869. He was a student at the Newton Theological Institute 1869 to 1871 and pastor at Lee, Mass., 1871- 74. His health failing, he moved to California. where he died at Fresno April 28, 1892.
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SAMUEL HOLDEN ROBBINS
was born in Thomaston, now Rutland. Me. (see family), about 1799. He was a young soldier in the war of 1812-15 and later became a Free Will Baptist minister. He came to Andover dur- ing the great revival period, 1818-25, and was instrumental in forming and maintaining the Free Will Baptist Church. He preached in this town, more or less, for many years and was a temporary minister on many occasions in the neighboring towns. In his later years he lived on a small farm on the Fourth N. H. Turnpike, at the junction with the road from East Andover to West Salisbury. He died September 11, 1876. aged 77.
REV. EDWARD B. ROLLINS.
Edward B., son of Eliphalet Rollins, was born in 1793. He was a soldier in the War of 1812 and became an active preacher of the Christian denomination soon after his return from the army. He was a strong, healthy, resolute man and possessed a powerful voice, which, in his early work as an evangelist, could be heard easily at the distance of a mile. His career as a min- ister is perhaps best presented in the following statement over his signature :
"I entered the ministry of the Gospel in 1815, since which time I have traveled and preached in twenty-three of the states of the American Union and four of the British Provinces, and have delivered over 14,000 public discourses. And at the age of nearly four score years I find myself able to preach every day, and feel the delight in proclaiming the unsearchable riches of Christ that I have for more than half a century past."
He was the editor of several newspapers in Vermont and Mas- sachusetts. Soon after he returned from his service in the army he assisted in the building of the house of Richard Potter at the Potter Place.
REV. HARVEY CALVIN SAWYER.
Mr. Sawyer was born in Andover, attended Proetor Academy a few terms and completed a four years' course of study at the New Hampshire Conference Seminary at Tilton in June, 1894; preached at the Congregational Church at Andover Center 1892-
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94. He was a local preacher for six years. In April, 1894, he entered the N. H. M. E. Conference on trial and was stationed at North Salem, N. H., for one year and then transferred to Mun- sonville.
REV. ELIJAH SHAW.
Elijah, son of Elijah and Deborah (Nudd) Shaw, was born in Kensington December 19, 1793; married, June 16, 1818, Lydia, daughter of Dea. William True of Andover. Mr. Shaw became a minister of the Christian Church March 31, 1814. He came to Andover and held his first meeting in a barn June 24, 1814. He came to Andover again October 31 and on November 1, 1814, baptized four persons, one of whom afterwards became his wife. In 1815 he made an extensive preaching tour in New Hamp- shire. In 1816 he made the first of several preaching tours to New York. From these tours he frequently returned to Andover but made no prolonged stay. After about eleven years' absence, preaching in many places in New York, Ohio and Canada, he returned to New Hampshire and for some time held meetings in Andover, Boscawen, Deerfield and Sanbornton. He was for a short time in charge of the Christian Church in Salisbury, Mass., and in April. 1830. took charge of the church at Portland, Me. He subsequently was in charge of churches in Durham, N. H., Fall River, Mass., and Franklin, N. H. In 1835 moved to Exeter, N. H., and became editor of the Christian Journal. In 1840 he resumed his former life of traveling and preaching in Massachusetts. New Hampshire and Canada. On August 29. 1843, in conjunction with four other ministers, he held a notable service on the summit of Kearsarge. In 1846 he became the agent of the N. E. Missionary Society, but in little more than a year his health failed under the strain of extra work and was never restored. He died May 5. 1851, leaving a widow and four children.
REV. NEHEMIAH DODGE SLEEPER.
Mr. Sleeper was born in Andover and his educational advan- tages were limited to the district school. He became "con- verted" at the age of seventeen and began to expound his re- ligious convictions. In 1815, at the age of twenty-two. he adopted the life of an evangelist, which he continued for two
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years. On June 19, 1817, he was ordained into the ministry of the Christian denomination in Andover, at which service more than two thousand people were present. He preached in An- dover for fifteen years; in Boscawen, now Webster, seven years; one year in Concord and resided in the village of Contoocook the last twenty-five years of his life, preaching almost every Sun- day in some of the neighboring towns. In his early manhood he preached in various places in New York, New Jersey, Massa- chusetts and Vermont. He was an active, earnest preacher all of his life. On the 3d of July, 1881, he walked from his home to Davisville, Warner, a distance of two miles, and preached in the schoolhouse, on the eighty-eighth anniversary of his birth. His last visit to his native town was on June 25, 1879, to attend the Centennial celebration. He was then eighty-six years of age and he walked to Andover and back to Contoocook. He was a good minister, a lovable man, a kind neighbor and a good eiti- zen. He died October 8, 1881.
REV. JESSE THOMPSON,
son of Benjamin and Miriam (Brown) Thompson, born in An- dover December 25, 1795; licensed to preach in Andover June 12. 1820, as a member of the Christian Church; ordained as an evangelist at Andover June 7, 1821. He preached in Andover, Cooperstown, N. Y., and Burnt Hill. Saratoga County, N. Y. He soon retired to a farm near Ballston Spa, N. Y. At one time he was interested with his brother, Benjamin, in the man- agement of an infirmary in Boston and a similar establishment in Concord, N. H. He married, December 22, 1822, Maria. daughter of Samuel A. Gilbert, of Mayfield. Fulton County. N. Y. He died at Ballston Spa, N. Y., July 6, 1858.
REV. WILLIAM TRUE,
son of Deacon William and Betsey (Tucker) True, born An- dover March 12, 1795 (see family) ; educated in the common schools ; ordained as a preacher in the Christian Church at An- dover June 19, 1817; went to Brutus. N. Y., and preached there and in that vicinity till his health failed. He returned to An- dover, where he died October 11, 1818.
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HISTORY OF ANDOVER.
REV. ELIJAH WATSON.
Rev. Elijah Watson was the son of Nathan and Ruth (Hink- son) Watson and was born in Nottingham, N. H. Elijah Wat- son "experienced religion" at the age of fourteen, was baptized as one of the early converts in the Free Will Baptist Church at the age of twenty-three and he came to Andover in 1803, soon af- ter he began to preach. He was ordained at East Andover in 1803. He was a kind, sympathetic and genial man and an ac- tive, energetic preacher. With a meager equipment in educa- tion from the study of books, his zeal, honesty and simple faith made him an influence for good not only in his own denomi- nation but in every community in which he lived. He spent most of his life as a minister in Andover, but he lived two years in Newport; two years in Croyden; ten years in Sutton and eleven years in Springfield. He was a representative in the leg- islature in 1816 from Springfield. It was said, at the time of his death in 1857, that he had preached more than 7,000 sermons, attended 2,000 funerals, baptized 2,100 converts and solemnized 1,500 marriages; but, so far as now known, he kept no complete records of deaths or marriages. Soon after he came to An- dover he lived in a house standing east from the Jacob Weare house; afterward in the first house from the corner of Lakeside cemetery, on the road leading to Salisbury North road. Elder Watson preached a sermon on the summit of Kearsarge Moun- tain on the 4th of July and a very large number of people gath- ered to hear him. His subject was "The Goodness of God as Shown in Nature." He was a very large, heavy man, and in ascending the mountain he was assisted, most of the way, by a stalwart man at each arm. Afterwards Rev. Elijah Shaw preached at the same elevated point. Elder Watson died in Andover November 4, 1857.
REV. JOSIAH P. WATSON, D. D.
Mr. Watson, son of Elijah Watson, Jr., was born in Andover and was educated principally at the district schools at East An- dover and at the academy at the Center. He was ordained as a minister of the Christian Church at East Wilmot in 1856 by Revs. P. M. Hersey, John Burden anl W. H. Nason and for
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some time preached intermittently for the churches in Andover and Wilmot. He soon went West and had the pastoral charge of several churches in Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana and Ohio. He was chaplain of one of the Indiana regiments; the first presi- dent of La Grange Christian College; for several years editor of the Herald of Gospel Liberty and afterwards editor of the Sunday School Literature for the Christian denomination. He received the degree of D. D. in 1892.
REV. PETER YOUNG.
Elder Peter Young was ordained in York, Me., September 9, 180S. He began preaching in Deerfield, N. H., in 1812, where he continued until 1819, when he moved to Andover. He was influential in several revivals in Andover, where he remained as a preacher for the Christian denomination for several years.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
The First Five Settlers-JOSEPH FELLOWS, ELIAS RANO, WIL- LIAM MOREY, EDWARD LADD and SIMEON CONNOR.
JOSEPH FELLOWS.
The first settler in the territory then known first as New Breton, and afterwards as Andover, was Joseph Fellows. He was born in Newbury, Mass .; came to Kingston, N. H., thence to a point near Corser hill in Boscawen, now Webster, and from there, in the spring of 1761, to his log house, which he had just finished, on land now belonging to the William B. Emery farm at Flaghole. At that time he was thirty-two years old and had a wife and four children, one a baby, the two younger children accompanying the father and mother on the first trip to the new home. The first part of the journey proved so hard for the wife, who carried the baby in her arms, that she stopped at a settler's house in Salisbury, where she and the baby remained during the night, while Mr. Fellows, accompanied by his dog, carried the older child and his gun on to his new log house, where he spent the night. In the morning he fed the child, left it in the house with the faithful dog and went back for his wife and . youngest child. Carrying the baby and his gun, his wife fol- lowing, they completed the journey that day and established the first home in the wilderness of New Breton. His daugh- ter, Margaret, was the first white child born in this town. Mr. Fellows was of that persistent, fearless stock that has made the frontier a constantly moving line sinee this country was first settled.
A good specimen of the best type of New England pioneer, he was a farmer, hunter, carpenter, and possessed a working knowledge of other trades. He could fell the trees of the origi- nal forest and raise corn ; could trap or shoot the beaver and tan
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his skin; build a log cabin or a frame house: make a shoe, or build and run a sawmill. His height was about six feet and his weight about 160 pounds. Wiry strength and endurance rather than weight and volume of muscle were his physical peculiar- ities among his fellow pioneers. Rumors of the coming strug- gle at Lexington and Concord stirred the hearts of the men of New Breton and Mr. Fellows was among the first to hurry to the point of danger. They were too late for the opening fight, but they all did good service at Bunker Hill. He was in Capt. Eben- ezer Webster's company with Stark at Bennington and Still- water. After the war closed he devoted his energies to the im- provement of his farm and its surroundings. He set out the first apple tree in town. It stood about thirty feet from the old well on the Royal Stone farm.
It is related that, after his sons were well grown men, he built a frame house, 30 x 40 feet, on the ground. The frame was very heavy and he was advised to collect all the neighbors and have a "raising." He felt, however, that he and his sons were equal to the task and it was all raised by himself and six of his sons.
Mr. Fellows was a hardy, resourceful pioneer, a brave soldier and a good, patriotic eitizen. Fortunate the town whose first settlers were thus distinguished.
ELIAS RANO.
The second settler in New Breton was Elias Rano. He came from Kingston with his wife. Mary, and settled on the sonthern line of the town on Raccoon hill and east of the Ziba Severance farm. He built his log cabin on the southern end of lot 59 in the first range. On November 19, 1764. he sold his farm to his son, Samuel, and moved to the location now known as the Walker farm, in the first range, and east of the Joseph Ayres Rowe farm. He cleared nearly all of this farm from the original forest.
He was a rough frontiersman, not noted for a saintly temper or for conspicuous abstinence when the common "New England" beverage of that day was in question. Tradition relates that in a domestic erisis the old soldier thought his wife's hot temper would be improved by a cold bath in the well. In the attempt
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to carry out his scheme he found that the opening for the bucket in the heavy timbered platform was not suited to the generous figure of his spouse, and her temper raged anew, while he con- fessed defeat. Mr. Rano was a good soldier in the expedition against Crown Point in 1756. He was generous as well as fear- less and, altogether, a good neighbor and a useful man in the early days of the township.
WILLIAM MOREY.
William Morey, with his wife and probably six children, came from Kingston and settled at Flaghole, near where the brick house now stands. He cleared a part of that farm and then moved his family to Boston hill and was the first settler in that locality. His log house was built near where Mrs. Jonathan Cil- ley's house now stands. During the contest over the location of the second meeting-house at East Andover, Mr. Morey hoped to see it located near his farm, with a village springing up around it, in accordance with the New England custom. In that he was disappointed. He cleared a large tract of land in that vicin- ity but finally moved to Wilmot, then Kearsarge Gore, settling on what has since been known as Morey hill. His son, William, remained for several years on the paternal acres on Boston hill, but finally joined his father on Morey hill, where he raised a large family of children. Mr. Morey was an energetic, indus- trious man and a good citizen. He was a soldier in the famous campaign against Louisburg in 1745, and was in Capt. Ebenezer Webster's company with Stark at Bennington and Stillwater in 1777.
EDWARD LADD.
Edward Ladd came from Exeter to New Breton, the next set- tler after William Morey. He bought of Joseph Rawlins of Ex- eter, August 14, 1765, lot No. 33 in the third range, containing "100 acres more or less" for "twelve pounds ten shillings law- ful money." He was a descendant of Daniel Ladd, a sturdy Scotchman, who came to New England in 1634. Mr. Ladd was the first settler in what is now the village of East Andover and built his house near the site of the house occupied by N. B. Bry-
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ant at the time of his death. He cleared the original forest from that farm and the adjoining land of W. D. Tuttle. There was born John Ladd, the first boy of white parentage born in this town. Mr. Ladd was a tanner, farmer and wheelwright-thrifty and industrious in all work that he undertook, and in later years built the house in the village afterwards owned by James Marston. He was a noted hunter and was a soldier in the "Old French War."
SIMEON CONNOR.
Simeon Connor came to New Breton from Kensington in 1766, when he was twenty years old, and settled on the southerly slope of Boston hill, where his great-grandson, Otis R. Connor, now lives. The fine elms now on the Connor estate were set out by Simeon in 1782. Besides clearing and cultivating a good farm he opened, and maintained for many years, one of the first and certainly the most commodious tavern in town. At that period lodging and rum were the principal requirements of the traveler. He usually furnished his own food, generally bean porridge or hominy, which he warmed over the open fire on the hearth of the log tavern. Mr. Connor drew the first barrel of rum into town on what was known as a "culheag," which was drawn by one horse and consisted of two long thills, generally made of hardwood saplings, the larger ends resting on the ground, strengthened by two cross bars, one not very far from the end. The load was placed near the cross bars and was not likely to be tipped over on the rough, rocky ground of the trail through the woods. Altogether it was a good vehicle for the days of no good roads. Mr. Connor was a popular landlord, of social temperament, and never watered his rum, which in those days was as freely drunk as we now drink tea and coffee. He was a good citizen and did much for the prosperity of the town in his time.
GROUP OF CITIZENS, ABOUT 1865.
From left to right, standing: George W. Thompson, John P. Carr, Jr .. John M. Shirley, George Sleeper.
From left to right, sitting: Dr. H. A. Weymouth, Royal F. Eastman, Dudley F. Langley, John Fellows, John Proctor.
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LATER RESIDENTS.
CAPT. JOSIAH BACHELDER.
Capt. Josiah Bachelder came from Hawke, now Danville, about 1782 and settled upon the farm now owned by his great-grand- son, Ex-Gov. Nahum J. Bachelder. This is one of the very few farms in town cleared by the early settlers and now owned by lineal descendants. He was an industrious farmer and active in all the duties of good citizenship.
WILLIAM A. BACHELDER.
William Adams Bachelder was the grandson of Capt. Josiah, the first settler of his name in town, who built his house on what has since been the Bachelder homestead on Taunton hill. Mr. Bachelder was born on the ancestral farm, where he died in 1902. He was a good farmer and a good citizen. He was always in- terested in all matters pertaining to the welfare of the town,. and while in politics and religion he had decided, conscientious opinions, he held his course in a quiet, unobtrusive way that never seemed to interfere with the belief or faith of others. In short, he was ever the gentlemanly gentleman of the old school.
Mr. Bachelder was deeply interested in the plan for a history of his native town and as long as his strength lasted he was ac- tive in collecting material and in suggesting fruitful sources of information.
NAHUM J. BACHELDER.
Mr. Bachelder is a descendant in the eighth generation of the- Rev. Stephen Bachiler, who was born in England in 1561 and settled in Hampton, N. H., in 1632. Mr. Bachelder was born on Taunton hill in Andover September 3, 1854, upon the farm on which he now makes his home and which was cleared by his great-grandfather in 1782. He was educated at the district schools and at Franklin Academy and the New Hampton In- stitute. He taught school for a short time and then devoted
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himself to praetieal farming. In 1877 he joined Highland Grange at East Andover and soon became its master. He was elected secretary of the state grange in 1883, holding the position for eight years, when he was chosen master. He has been prom- inent in the national grange, where he has had marked influ- enee. He has been a member of the executive committee for two terms ; has served as national lecturer and was chosen master of the national grange in 1905. Mr. Bachelder was chosen sec- retary of the state board of agriculture in 1887 and has since held that office, to the satisfaction of all who have come in con- taet with that organization. In 1902 he was elected governor of New Hampshire, serving with credit to himself, the town and the state.
ROBERT BARBER.
Robert Barber was a dyer and cloth finisher by trade; a man of probity and sound judgment. In 1792 he went from Epping to Durham to learn his trade. He moved to Andover in 1799, thence to Wakefield in 1804. In 1806 he returned to Andover, where he became an influential citizen. He was made executor of the will of Joseph Noyes, the founder of the "Noyes School." He moved to the "River Road." in the vicinity of the school buildings, where he resided until the will was cancelled and the property reverted to the heirs. Mr. Barber then moved to Bridgewater, where he resided until his death.
At East Andover village, Mr. Barber lived where John Neal lived in 1904. His successors on that site were Capt. Willard Emery, Henry M. Bosworth, Hon. N. B. Bryant, Fred E. Putney and Hon. N. B. Bryant again. Edward Ladd built the first house on or near that site. Mr. Barber "purchased a right for a fulling mill in the year 1798" at East Andover, which he held for thirty-three years.
MAJOR JOHN WESLEY BEAN, U. S. A.
Mr. Bean was born in Vermont, but resided during most of his boyhood in Andover (see fam.). He received most of his educa- tion in the district schools and the academy in Andover. After leaving the academy he was employed in railroad work. He en-
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listed in 1861 and on October 15 was commissioned a second lieu- tenant in the 5th New Hampshire Regiment, where for three years his experience was an inseparable part of the life of that noted organization, whose reputation was second to that of no regiment in the service. He became a first lieutenant July 31, 1862; a captain January 1, 1863, and was honorably mustered out September 20, 1864. On January 20, 1867, he joined the regular army as a second lieutenant in the 35th Infantry. By the consolidation of the two regiments he was transferred to the 15th Infantry August 12, 1869. He was promoted to first lieu- tenant December 13, 1871, and to captain March 5, 1879. He was retired "for disability in line of duty" September 29, 1890, and now resides in Brockton, Mass. He was promoted to major U. S. A. April 23, 1904.
ELIZA JANE (PHILBRICK ) BLACKMAR.
Eliza Jane, sixth child of Samuel and Mary Page (Gove) Philbrick, was born on Beeeh hill and obtained her educational training at the Beech hill schoolhouse. She taught school on Taunton hill, in Taunton, Mass., and for several years in Phila- delphia. She was enthusiastic in establishing unions of the Daughters of Temperance and in organizing Sabbath schools. Later in life she was a city missionary in Boston and was noted in that city for her faithful labors in many branches of practical philanthropy. During her life as a teacher she became a suc- cessful elocutionist. On August 12, 1833, she married Rev. Joseph Blackmar. She died in Boston November 21, 1876.
Her son, Wilmon W .. born in Bristol, Pa., July 25, 1841, was a student for some time at the academy at Andover Center, a soldier in 1861-65, a lawyer in Boston and an enthusiastic and popular member of the Grand Army of the Republic. While making an inspection tonr as commander in chief of the Grand Army of the Republic he died at Boise, Idaho, July 16, 1905.
SAMUEL BLAKE.
Samuel Blake was the first man of that name in town, arriving here about 1768. He settled on and cleared the farm lately
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known as the William S. Marston place. He built the second two-story house in town. For many years he was one of the fore- most men in the town.
WILLIAM BLAKE.
William Blake was born in Kensington. His father was Thomas Blake, who removed with his family to Exeter and thence to New Breton at an early date. Thomas settled where Mr. Friend Bailey formerly lived. His son, William, became owner of the land now the farm of Fred E. Putney, formerly the home of William S. Marston. He was deacon of Mr. Bab- cock's church for many years. Deacon William's son, Lieut. William Blake, built the house now owned by Mr. Charles Henry Hilton, at the corner of the road west of Mr. Hilton's residence. Deacon William Blake was said to possess an "acute understand- ing," and was considered a model of honor and all the virtues. He was witty without being frivolous, and pious without being dull or morose. His descendants have been noted for superior intellectual powers.
ABBA BROWN.
Lieut. Abba Brown was an early and active settler in town. He was a soldier from Kensington in the French and Indian War; was in the campaign against Crown Point; enlisted 1st, Oct. 12, 1756, in Capt. John Gilman's company ; 2d, April 12, 1758, in Capt. Jonathan Sweatt's Company. He was, for that period, a large landowner in Andover. In a deed dated April 14, 1823, reference is made to his ownership at one time of lots 38, 40 and 42 in the second range, and lots 37 and 39 in the first range. His was one of the earliest two-story houses in town.
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