USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Antrim > History of the town of Antrim, New Hampshire, from its earliest settlement to June 27, 1877, with a brief genealogical record of all the Antrim families > Part 40
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WILLIAM BROWN, no doubt son of Samuel and Susannah Brown, which Samuel bore the name " Doctor," lived in Bradford, Mass., 1734, and died in Chester, 1794, came here from Chester in 1786, and settled the Dea. Woods farm. His house stood on the opposite side of the road from the present house. Was selectman in 1791. His first wife, Anna -, died of spotted fever Feb. 25, 1812. His second wife was Mrs. Sally Hooker of Danvers, Mass. He died in 1830, aged eighty-four. Children : -
1. SAMUEL, [b. in Chester, July 28, 1782 ; m. Betsey Atwood ; lived on homestead ; afterwards several years east of Camp- bell's pond. The house there never had a public road to it, and has been gone for a long period. Samuel Brown d. in 1853. Children : -
Susannah, (b. Jan. 4, 1806, d. 1823.)
Lucinda, (b. in 1807 ; m. 1st, John McClintock in 1827; 2d, Jerome Strickland in 1837 ; 3d, Amasa Fairbanks, and now lives in Washington.)
Amanda, (b. in 1808, m. Jotham Moore in 1829, d. Feb. 17, 1857.)
Daniel N., (b. in 1810, m. Jane Morrison in 1836, and lives in Drewsville.)
William, (b. in 1812, m. Mary Atwood in 1834, d. in Hills- borough Lower Village Oct. 23, 1859.)
Eliza A., (b. in 1815, was 2d wife of Jotham Moore, and d. Oct. 21, 1860.)
Samuel, Jr., (d. in infancy.)
Almira, (b. in 1819, m. Rev. Amon S. Tenney in 1840, and d. in Hillsborough Nov. 17, 1860.)
Samuel, Jr., 2d., (d. in infancy.)
John S., (b. in 1823, m. Maria Strickland in 1849, and lives in Hillsborough.)
Stephen A., (b. Jan. 8, 1826 ; m. 1st, Hannah Strickland in 1850; 2d, Mrs. Louisa F. (Winship) Hall Oct. 9, 1876 ; has been extensively engaged in the tannery business at Hillsborough Lower Village for many years.)
Harriet, (d. in infancy.)
Orren C., (b. Sept. 3, 1830, m. Rebecca A. Temple, and lives in Enfield.)]
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GENEALOGIES.
2. JOHN, [all that is known of him is that he m. and d. in Salem, Mass.]
3. POLLY, [b. June 16, 1785, m. Andrew Taylor, son of Dea. John Taylor, Oct. 11, 1815, and d. May 28, 1828.]
4. WILLIAM, Jr., [went to Salem, Mass., in early life, m. and d. there. ]
5. JAMES, [b. in Antrim Sept. 22, 1788, m. Lydia Flint in 1816, and had a son, James, b. here March 27, 1817. He seems to have moved soon after to Wales, N. Y. He d. about 1835.]
6. BETSEY, [b. Nov. 25, 1792 ; m. 1st, Samuel Dunlap, April 19, 1814 ; 2d, Ammi Buck, Nov. 12, 1822.]
7. DANIEL, [b. May 6, 1796 ; m. Nancy Appleton of Deering ; built the Dea. Woods house, but moved to Hillsborough in 1833.]
8. LUCY ANNA, [daughter of 2d wife, b. April 30, 1816.]
WILLIAM BROWN, brother of the first John Brown of Antrim, named above, came here from Deering several years later than John, and lived in a house in the deep valley at the foot of Coolidge hill on the west. He seems to have been the first on that spot, and lived there till 1802, when he moved to Rochester, Vt. William Brown married Mary Lampson, had twelve children, and died in Hancock, Vt., June 10, 1828, aged sixty-seven. His wife died July, 1861, aged one hundred and two years and six months. The record in their family Bible runs back one hundred and twenty-two years. Children, of whom we can learn little more than their names, were :-
1. JOSEPH.
7. SARAH.
2. SAMUEL.
8. HANNAH.
3. DAVID.
9. BETSEY.
4. WILLIAM.
10. POLLY.
5. JOHN.
11. NANCY.
6. DANIEL.
12. MEHITABLE.
ISAAC BROWN, son of Stephen and Eunice (Proctor) Brown of Sudbury, Mass., was born in Mason in 1794. Isaac married Sarah Flagg, came here in the fall of 1819 and located at the end of the road in what is known as "The City," moved to Temple in 1849, and is now living there in vigorous old age. His oldest child was born in Temple. The others were born in this town : -
1. HARRIET, [b. June 20, 1819, m. Rev. Joseph B. Hill Aug. 26, 1845. Mr. Hill was graduated at Harvard College in 1821. His father, Rev. Ebenezer Hill, was pastor of the Congrega-
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GENEALOGIES.
tional Church in Mason sixty-four years, and d. in 1854, aged 89. Rev. Joseph Hill was some years a teacher, studied law, and was admitted to the bar; afterwards became a Christian, abandoned the law, was ordained to preach, and in August, 1840, became colleague with his aged father in the pastorate at Mason. In 1847 'he went to Colebrook and was pastor there ten years, then at West Stewartstown five years, for two of which he was also school commissioner for Coos county, then moving his family to Temple he went at once to the army in the service of the Christian commission. Was accidentally killed by the cars as he was trying to jump onto a moving train at Chatta- nooga, Tenn., June 16, 1864.]
2. MARY ANN; [b. Oct. 27, 1822, m. James H. Walton in 1852, and lives in Temple. George B., a twin brother, d. in infancy.]
4. ISAAC P., [b. Dec. 12, 1825, and died in infancy.]
5. ADNA, [b. Dec. 11, 1826, m. Mary Newton Sept. 10, 1850, lives in Springfield, Vt., and is a manufacturer of woolen- machinery.]
6. ADDISON, [twin brother of Adna; carpenter by trade ; m. Kate Hale of New York city ; after a time moved to Macon, Mo., but returned to Temple in poor health and d. there in 1870.]
7. NATHAN A., [b. in 1833 ; m. Sarah Brown, his cousin, Sept. 19, 1857, and is now a farmer in Temple.]
8. SARAH A., [twin sister of Nathan, m. Charles A. Bales in 1874, and lives in Wilton.]
ARTEMAS BROWN, brother of Isaac, born in Sudbury, Mass., in 1802, came here from Temple in 1823 to work at cooper's trade, onto the James Nesmith place west of the pond. Afterwards bought the Eben- ezer Goodhue place (settled by Wiley), but in the course of a few years settled on the Puffer place, where he spent more than half his life. Was found dead in his yard May 31, 1875. Mr. Brown acquired a large prop- erty, was the most extensive land-owner in Antrim, hospitable, popular, eccentric, full of jokes, hard-working, old-fashioned in tastes and habits, and HONEST. He once offered the writer all the berries he might ever want, but added : "I don't want you to come berrying on the Sabbath day !" Mr. Brown married, first, Rhoda Robinson Oct. 30, 1827, who died in 1843 ; second, Almira Goodhue of Hancock in 1844. Children : -
1. SARAH, [child of 1st wife, b. in 1836, m. Nathan A. Brown Sept. 19, 1857.]
A
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GENEALOGIES.
2. GEORGE, [child of 2d wife ; b. in 1846 ; m. Sophia L. Barney of Hancock ; inherits the land estate of his father ; lived some years on Isaac Brown place, but moved the house of his father onto the stand of the Dea. Fletcher house, and with enlargements and valuable improvements now occu- pies the same. His excellent wife d. Sept. 29, 1877, leaving two children, one Charles Artemas, b. in 1873, the other a new-born babe. The new road cut across the meadow direct from Clinton to his new house, was used almost for the first time at the funeral of his wife.]
3. ALVIN, [b. in 1849 ; m. Josie M. Dustin Aug. 29, 1872; lived in Nashua some years, but returned and built on the Isaac Brown place.]
BRYANT.
ELIAS P. BRYANT, son of Elias and Elizabeth (Ingalls) Bryant, born in Stoneham, Mass., July 17, 1806, married Susannah B. Wilson of Francestown, came here and bought the Dea. Barachias Holt farm, April, 1834. The house stood a few rods south of Capt. James Wilson's, and very near the East brick church. Mr. B. moved back to Francestown in 1836, where he now resides. Children: -
1. SUSAN M., [b. in Antrim Nov. 22, 1835, d. aged 30.]
2. MARY J., [now Mrs. Benj. R. Rowe, of Stoneham, Mass.]
3. ELIAS A., [b. in Washington in 1840, m. Leander E. French of Reed's Ferry ; lives in Francestown.]
4. SARAH A., [b. in 1844.]
5. CHARLES P., [b. in Francestown in 1849.]
6. SAMUEL E., [b. in 1851.]
7. JOSEPH W., [b. Nov. 11, 1854.]
8. JESSE E., [d. aged 6.]
SAMUEL I. BRYANT, brother of above, born Aug. 27, 1808, mar- ried Hannah F. Butterfield of Francestown in 1828; came here in April, 1834, and opened a store in part of his brother's house (Barachias Holt place), where he continued in trade about three years, then moved to Francestown, thence to Stoneham, Mass., where he now resides. Chil- dren: -
1. ELIZABETH, [b. in Stoneham, Mass., Sept. 7, 1829, d. aged 14.]
2. SARAH F., [b. in Francestown in 1832 ; now Mrs. C. S. Nash, Stoneham, Mass.]
- 3. HANNAH M., [b. in Antrim Feb. 17, 1835, d. aged 20.]
4. SAMUEL I., JR., [b. in Francestown in 1839, m. Mary J. Dunck- lee ; lives in Stoneham, Mass.]
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386
GENEALOGIES.
ELIHU BRYANT, known in Antrim as John E. Bryant, also brother of above, was manufacturer of shoes, and was also in company with Samuel I. in trade at East Antrim. Married Mary Steele May 1, 1838. Soon after, he moved to Stoneham, Mass., thence to Geneseo, Ill. Was an able and excellent man, and was deacon in the Congregational Church. He closed his business on account of failing health, and moved to Brook- lyn, N. Y., but continued to decline, and died there Feb. 18, 1869, aged fifty-six. Only one child survives him, Robert A. Bryant, born March 19, 1842 ; married Emma North of Meriden, Conn., in 1868, and is now of Wenonah, N. J.
BRYER.
JOHN A. BRYER, son of Jonathan K. and Maria (Annis) Bryer of Groton, was born in Gilford, Sept. 1, 1846. He married Deemie E. Bailey of Rumney, June 13, 1869, and came to Antrim in 1870, buying the house and shop formerly owned by Dimond Twiss, in Clinton Village, where he carries on the blacksmith business. Mr. Bryer served in the army, being a volunteer in the Fourth N. H. Regiment. He passed through nine battles uninjured, but was slightly wounded by a sharp- shooter's bullet while in camp before Petersburg.
D. PARKER BRYER, brother of John A., was born in Groton, Dec. 29, 1850. He came to Antrim in the fall of 1870; married Mary F. Sawyer, daughter of Edmond Sawyer, June 20, 1872, and succeeded Mr. Sawyer as blacksmith at North Branch. Their children are : -
1. MYRTA MAY, [b. Dec. 5, 1874.]
2. WALTER A., [b. Oct. 20, 1877.]
BUCK.
STICKNEY BUCK, son of Simeon and Mary (Goss) Buck, was born in Windsor, in 1803; married Maria Wood, and came here in 1838; lived on the George McIlvaine place and other places in town, but left Antrim in 1849. He is said to have moved thirty-three times; now lives in Eyota, Minn. Children: -
1. EMILY M., [b. Feb. 19, 1830, d. unm. in 1852.]
2. WILLIS S., [b. May 31, 1831, m. Alzora C. Richardson, and lives in Rochester, Minn.]
3. FRANK A., [b. Aug. 27, 1833, m. Nellie M. Bolin, and d. in Eyota in 1869.]
4. ELMINA .S., [b. Oct. 11, 1835, m. Q. B. Cutler, and d. in Min- neapolis, Minn., in 1872.]
5. ELVINA M., [twin sister of Elmina S., m. George M. House, and lives in Minneapolis. ]
6. CLARK S., [b. May 16, 1837 ; is a mechanic ; m. Almie I. Clark of Hancock, and lives in Minneapolis.]
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GENEALOGIES.
. 7. DAVID W., [b. March 5, 1839, m. Emma L. Farmer, and lives in Eyota.]
8. GEORGE G., [b. Feb. 16, 1841, m. Addie A. Glidden, and lives in Eyota.]
9. ALBERT C., [b. June 12, 1843, lives unm. in White City, Kan.]
BUCKMINSTER.
BENJAMIN M. BUCKMINSTER, son of Solomon and Hannah (Rice) Buckminster, came here from Marlborough in 1834, and bought the place now owned by Capt. Leander Smith. He was a shoemaker by trade. His first wife, Hannah Hardy of Nelson, to whom he was married in 1819, died in 1848, and was the mother of all his children. For his second wife he married Mrs. Lucy (Rice) Osgood in 1854. He moved to Peterborough in 1860, and died there in 1873, at the age of eighty-one years. His children that lived to maturity were : --
1. SOLOMON R., [b. in 1820, m. Betsey K. Boutelle of Hancock in 1844. He lived in the house now owned by Rev. W. R. Cochrane, and was leader of the Center choir (Presbyterian Church) several years. In 1854 he moved to Reading, Mass., from thence to Bear Valley, Minn., in 1858, where he died in 1861, leaving but one child : -
Charles E., (b. in 1845, m. Emma J. Ambler in 1866, and now lives in Chester, Minn.)
Joseph, (b. May 2, 1853, d. at the age of four months, and was buried in the cemetery at Antrim Center. )]
2. HANNAH M., [b. in 1821, d. at the age of 20 years.]
3. ELISABETH H., [b. in 1825, m. Baker Pratt, and d. Sept. 13, 1860.]
4. SARAH L., [b. in 1827, m. Charles Boutelle of Hancock in 1850, who then came to Antrim, from whence he moved to Bear Valley, Minn.]
5. HARRIET W., [b. in 1837, m. Dr. Geo. S. Nelson of Boston, and resides in that city.]
BENNETT S. BUCKMINSTER, son of Peter D. and Abigail (White) Buckminster, was born in Roxbury, Sept. 4, 1824, came to Antrim in 1850 as a clerk in Woodbury's store, married Nancy J. Mckean in 1857, who died in 1866. In 1869 he married Mrs. Fannie B. Bradford (daughter of John Dane of Francestown), and now lives at South Village. Was many years clerk at Woodbury's store, and is now partner in the same.
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GENEALOGIES.
BULLARD.
CALVIN BULLARD was born July 28, 1813. His father, Benjamin, was son of Benjamin of Oakham, Mass., married Ruth W. Woodace, and settled in Society Land, now Bennington, where now George Colby lives.
Calvin came here in 1849, occupied the Gibson house, South Village, which he still owns, and moved to Peterborough in November, 1870. He married, first, Mary Jane Dunlap, Nov. 27, 1834; second, Mrs. Jane (Morrison) Dresser, Nov. 6, 1852; third, Mrs. Laura E. Wilson, June 16, 1870.
Calvin Bullard's only child, Mary Frank, was born March 5, 1836, and married Eben Woods of Bennington in 1855. I have learned since this writing, that Benjamin Bullard of Oakham was the son of Capt. Silas, who was the son of Capt. Jonathan, both men of high character and abil- ity. The family was first known in Weston Mass. Edward Everett, on his mother's side, was of this stock.
ADIN B. BULLARD, son of Benjamin and Rosanna (Wilkins) Bul- lard, and grandson of Benjamin who married Ruth Woodace, was born in Bennington in 1845, and married Augusta Slie of Truro, Mass. He came to South Antrim in 1874. His children are : -
1. AUGUSTA, [b. in 1868.]
2. JOHN I., [b. in 1873.]
JOHN L. BULLARD, brother of Adin, was brought up by Dea. James Boyd, and married Ruth H. Hackett Feb. 28, 1878.
BURNHAM.
Walter Le Ventre went to England as a friend and follower of William of Normandy in 1066. In 1080, when England was surveyed and divided, this Walter was made a lord, and granted the Saxon vil- lage of Burnham in Norfolk county, taking the name of Walter de Burn- ham. This property remained in the family and name until about 1700. Many of the records and dates are lost, but the descendants have been traced thus : The first generation of which we have any positive knowl- edge commences with, -
ROBERT BURNHAM, born in Norwich, Norfolk county, Eng., in 1581. In 1608 he married Mary Andrews, and had seven children, three of whom came to America : Dea. John of Essex, Mass., Robert of Dover, and Thomas, mentioned below. Benjamin, the youngest son, born in 1621, went to the East Indies where he amassed a large fortune, purchased one hundred and fifty acres of land, now in the heart of Lon- don, which he willed to the three brothers in America. This property is now valued at seventy millions and has never been distributed. Of the second generation, -
Thomas Burnham, son of Robert and Mary (Andrews) Burnham, was born in England in 1623, and came to America in 1635, with his brothers John and Robert, in ship " Angel Gabriel," which was wrecked on the
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389
GENEALOGIES.
coast of Maine. He settled in Chebacco, now Essex, Mass., and was out in the Pequot expedition. In 1645 he married Mary Tuttle, was select- man in 1647, and deputy to general court from 1683 to 1685 inclusive. He had twelve children, and died in 1694. Of the third generation, -
John Burnham, son of Thomas and Mary (Tuttle) Burnham, was born in 1648, and settled on part of his father's estate. He married Elizabeth Wells, had nine children, and died in 1704. Of the fourth generation, -
Thomas Burnham, son of John and Elizabeth (Wells) Burnham, was born in 1673, and settled on his father's land, which is still in possession of his descendants in Essex, Mass. He had six children, and died in 1748. Of the fifth generation, -
Stephen Burnham, son of Thomas, mentioned above, married Mary Andrews, and settled in Gloucester, Mass. The date of his death is unknown. He had thirteen children, one son, Nathaniel, being the father of Dea. Epps and Dr. Israel Burnham of this town .. Another son of the sixth generation, --
Joshua Burnham, son of Stephen and Mary (Andrews) Burnham, was born in Gloucester, Mass., in 1754. He had ten children, none of whom are living. One of them was the late Abel Burnham of Mont Vernon. Another of the seventh generation is identified with Antrim, coming here some years later than his cousins, Dea. Epps and Dr. Israel Burn- ham, as will be seen by the following record : -
THOMAS BURNHAM, son of Joshua, was born in Milford in 1783, married Rachel Conant in 1807, and came to Antrim in 1821, occupying the Madison Tuttle farm until 1837, when he moved to Hillsborough, where he died in 1856. His wife died in Nashua in 1871, at the age of eighty-seven. Their children are : -
1. ALBERT G., [b. in 1808. He learned the tanner's trade with Dea. Little ; m. Fannie Simonds, and now lives at Hills- borough Upper Village.]
2. SELINA D., [b. in 1810, and m. Phinehas Reed of Litchfield. ] 3. DR. ABEL C., [b. in 1812; m. Caroline Dascomb, and has been for many years a trusted and successful physician at Hillsborough Bridge.]
4. ORNA B., [b. in 1814, and lived with Hon. Jacob Tuttle for many years. He m. Melinda Gould of Lyndeborough, and lived awhile on the Dr. Cleaves place, then on the James Boutwell place, and is now living in Acworth. He had one child : -
Henry F., (b. in Antrim, m. Jennie A. Kennedy, and lives in Acworth.)]
5. HENRIETTA B., [b. in 1816, m. Bradley Hall of Chesterfield, and d. in 1872.]
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GENEALOGIES.
6. G. ERICKSON, [b. in 1819; m. 1st, Abby Baldwin of Hills- borough ; 2d, Martha J. McClintock of Hillsborough, and now resides in that town on Bible Hill.]
7. E. HATCH, [b. in this town in 1823; m. Maria Keyes of Washington ; was for many years a noted stage-driver, and now lives at Hillsborough Bridge. ]
8. ORAMUS W., [b. in Antrim in 1827, and m. Ellen M. Harts- horn of Amherst.]
Of the seventh generation, the first identified with this town is : -
EPPS BURNHAM, son of Nathaniel and Mary (Burnham) Burn- ham, who both came from Essex, Mass., was born in Greenfield Aug. 17, 1781, married Sarah Cavender of Greenfield in 1806, and came to Antrim the same year. He bought and moved onto the Dea. Aiken farm in South Village, now owned by Mr. Whittum. In 1816 he was chosen elder in the Presbyterian Church, being elected before his union with the church, though no doubt in expectation of it. He served in this capacity until his removal to Concord in 1838, when he was immediately elected to the same office in the South Congregational Church in that city, which place he retained until his death in 1847. He was a. good man, a valuable citizen and church-member. A contemporary says of him : "Dea. Burnham was a strong and efficient man." The children are : -
1. CHARLES C., [b. Sept. 23, 1807, and d. July 10, 1813.]
2. FRANKLIN W., [b. July 2, 1810, and m. Mary Keysar of Can- terbury in 1833, who d. in 1839. In 1840 he m. Fidelia Cross of Northfield, and now resides in Concord. He has one daughter married and living with her parents.]
3. SARAH A., [b. March 28, 1812. In 1836 she m. James Pev- erly of Canterbury, who was for many years a prominent merchant in Concord, where his wife now lives. In 1873 he went to Europe with their only child, Helen Peverly, and d. in Edinburgh, Scotland, the same year. At that time the daughter became acquainted with Peter Carr of Liverpool, England, whom she afterwards m., and now resides in Liv- erpool, having two children.]
4. CHARLES C., [b. Feb. 26, 1815, m. Elizabeth Ham of Canter- bury, and now resides in Hopkinton, where he holds the office of deacon in the Congregational Church. He has four children living, one of whom, Frederick Burnham, is a physician in Orford.]
5. EPPS, [b. Aug. 15, 1817, and d. at the age of twenty years.]
6. NATHANIEL, [b. Nov. 12, 1819, m. Harriet Youngman of Wil- mot, and now resides in Dorchester.]
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GENEALOGIES.
7. MARY E., [b. Jan. 15, 1823, and d. at the age of three years.] 8. EMILY JANE, [b. Sept. 25, 1824, m. Walter Abbott of Lowell, Mass., in 1849, and resided in Concord, where Mr. Abbott was a prominent citizen. He d. in that city in 1868, and his widow now resides with her nephew, Dr. Fred Burn- ham, in Orford.]
DR. ISRAEL BURNHAM, brother of Dea. Epps Burnham, studied medicine at Hartford, Conn., and came to this town about the first of 1817, as the successor of Dr. Adams. He moved into the Dea. Aiken house, then just vacated, and planted with his own hand in 1817 the noted poplar-tree now standing at the door. Dec. 11, 1817, he m. Fanny Baldwin, and in 1820 bought the place and built where Elijah Kimball now lives. He was a valuable citizen and highly esteemed, continuing the practice of medicine until 1848, when he gave up to Dr. Hubbard, and died the following year, July 9, 1849, at the age of fifty-seven. At his death he left a small fund to the Presbyterian Church, of which he was a member. He had three children : -
1. FANNY W., [b. June 2, 1819, m. Dr. M. W. Atwood Oct. 10, 1843, and settled at New Hudson, N. Y., where he d. after some years, and she came back to her father's and d. Feb. 22, 1849.]
2. ISRAEL S., [b. June 21, 1824, m. Harriet Leggett of Canada, went to Norwalk, Conn., and d. there in 1865.]
3. GEORGE W. N., [b. May 30, 1828, m. Elizabeth Coburn of Deering Oct. 9, 1849, and d. at his father's homestead May 29, 1864, leaving children : -
George F., (b. Aug. 14, 1850, m. Florence A. Brooks of Acton Aug. 21, 1873, and now lives in Revere, Mass.)
Mary P., (b. July 7, 1852, m. William H. Derby of Revere, Mass., Nov. 17, 1874, and they now reside in that place.) Fred I., (b. Aug. 5, 1857.)
Arthur M., (b. Feb. 19, 1860.)
John M., (b. Aug. 17, 1862, and now lives in Deering.)]
BURNS.
JOHN BURNS came here from New Boston in 1774, and began the second place west of Reed Carr's on the old road. His only neighbors were on the William Stacey place and at the Branch. Maurice Lynch on the former place was in sight, but there was no road to either of them, nor even a path. He stayed here one year, then sold to his brother Robert, and returned to New Boston. These brothers, John and Robert, seem to have been sons of John Burns of New Boston. This first John was among the early settlers of that town, and signed the
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GENEALOGIES.
call to Rev. Solomon Moor in that town Aug. 25, 1767. He settled in the south part, and built a saw-mill near the foot of Joe English Hill, afterwards known in that vicinity as the Orne mills. The writer remembers the old mill when it was falling to pieces in age and neglect, as it was near his birthplace. In his riper years John Burns, Sen., moved to Francestown and died there quite aged, but no stone marks his grave, and no record can be found.
There was a John Burns in Bedford at the same time that John, Sen., resided in New Boston. These Johns were probably cousins, and their sons married sisters in New Boston. John of Bedford once went to Pennacook (Concord) for corn for his family, and on return was fired upon by the Indians in ambush at Suncook. He escaped by running, but seven bullet-holes in his shirt gave evidence of his danger !
MAJ. JOHN BURNS of Antrim was born in New Boston, Aug. 17, 1755, and died in; Whitefield May 6, 1852. His wife, Mrs. Sarah (Smith) McMarston, daughter of Dea. John Smith of New Boston, was born Dec. 26, 1752, and died June 4, 1826. Maj. Burns was out in the Revolu- tionary army, was in the battle of Bunker Hill, was also out in the war of 1812, and his military record was highly creditable. In 1843 he vis- ited Boston and went out to Bunker Hill, where sixty-eight years before he had marched in the ranks and faced the foe in deadly conflict. At the age of ninety he visited the White Mountains, -walked four miles to the top of Mt. Washington, and returned the same day. He repre- sented New Boston in the legislature, lived on the Luther Colburn farm in that town, was an energetic and live man, and held in the highest esteem. He and his family moved from New Boston in the spring of 1802. Leaving his wife in Lisbon, he and his boys pressed on to White- field, and made their clearing and put up their log house. The next spring (1803) they all moved there, making the first settlement in that now flourishing town. Maj. Burns was a cool, fearless man, loving adventure to the last. . It is related of him here that he and Moses Steele of Hillsborough went hunting up North Branch river, then an absolute wilderness, Steele on the north bank, Burns on the south. Far up the stream Steele found himself pursued by a bear, and he fled across the stream towards Burns. Bruin entered the water after him. Steele turned to fire on him, but in the motion dropped his flint into the water. He then cried to Burns to climb a tree ! But the latter coolly answered that he guessed he could take care of himself, and fired and brought the bear down ! It was a dangerous fellow, and had almost reached Steele. In 1843, at the age of eighty-eight, Maj. Burns represented Whitefield in the legislature, and was treated with great deference as the father of the House. In 1848 he made his last visit to Antrim and New Boston, mak- ing the journey of nearly one hundred and fifty miles in a wagon alone, being ninety-three years old ! Though none of his children were born here, yet we have thought best to give them :-
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