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 62
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78
3. DEA. PARKER, [b. Jan. 6, 1803 ; m. Roxanna Child of Sharon, Vt .; is now deacon of a Congregational Church in Meta- mora, Ill.]
4. LOVE K., [b. June 20, 1804 ; m. John Obrien, Esq .; lived in Groveland, Ill., and d. there in 1871.]
5. JANE L., [b. Dec. 21, 1805, m. Harry Waters of Lebanon, and d. in Groveland, Ill., in 1838.]
39
610
GENEALOGIES.
6. DELIVERANCE, [b. Dec. 5, 1807 ; probably d. in infancy.]
7. WILLIAM L. S., [b. July 29, 1809, and d. Sept. 20, 1810.]
8. JOSEPH T., [b. April 29, 1811, m. Phoebe Morse of Boscawen, and d. at Pleasant Hill, Mo., in 1870.]
9. JOHN M. W., [m. Mellissa Barton of Manchester, Vt., and now lives in Chester, Vt.]
10. DEA. LEVI P., [m. Mary A. Parmenter from England; is now deacon of a Congregational Church in Cazenovia, Ill.]
SUMNER MORSE, son of Zelotus and Lydia (Clark) Morse, was born in Thetford, Vt., in 1821 ; married Susan Springer of Colebrook, and came here from Hillsborough in 1870. He built his house near the south end of Main street, South Village, in 1876. The children are: -
,
1. CHARLES S., [d. in 1873, aged 19.]
2. ALFARETTA, [b. Aug. 30, 1855.]
3. JAMES N., [b. July 21, 1858:]
MOULTON.
JOSEPH MOULTON, son of Cutting and Judith (Emery) Moulton, was born in Parsonfield, Me., in 1791. His father was born in New- bury, Mass., in 1748. He came here in 1826 and built the house now oc- cupied by James Wilson. He married Ruth Messer of Newport in 1815, who died in 1841, aged forty-four. Shortly before her death he moved to Hillsborough, but came back to Antrim and married Polly Barker, April . 13, 1843, and bought the Adam Dunlap place, where he died in 1864. His widow died in 1872, aged seventy-five. The adult children of Joseph and Ruth (Messer) Moulton were: -
1. SOLON W., [b. March 5, 1817, in Newport ; m. 1st, Sarah Spears of Waterville, Me., May 5, 1840; 2d, Huldah J. Hinkley of Lewiston, Me., Dec. 17, 1854, and d. in that place Nov. 13, 1877. Was a merchant in that city. His two children, Walter and Ruth, both d. young.]
2. MARTHA J., [b. in Newport Feb. 20, 1821; m. 1st, Walter Brooks of Milford, March 31, 1842; 2d, James T. Fields of Nashua ; d. Oct. 30, 1879. Was sick three years, and blind two years, yet d. in great resignation and peace.]
3. LUCETTA M., [b. June 20, 1826, in Antrim, and now lives in Lowell.]
4. LUCRETIA M., [b. in Antrim Dec. 4, 1828; m. 1st, George O. Lathe in 1844 ; 2d, Oliver Fiske, A. M., of Tewksbury, Mass., in 1859.] -
5. REV. JOSEPH, [b. in Antrim Aug. 12, 1834 ; m. Sarah J. Fox in 1865, and succeeded his father on the homestead. He
611
GENEALOGIES.
was colporteur in the service of Bible and missionary socie- ties fourteen years ; moved to Cushing, Me., in 1873, and is now pastor of Methodist churches in Cushing and South Waldoborough, Me. His children are : - Arthur S , (b. in Antrim in 1867.)
Ruthie Florence, (b. in Antrim in 1869.)
Agnes Lucetta, (b. in Maine in 1874.)]
MUNHALL.
JOHN MUNHALL came here from Flushing, Long Island, in 1862; married Eliza T. Fitzgerald of Keene, the same year, and moved on to the William Parker place, the house having been moved thither in 1857 from the place east of Thomas Flint's. His children are : -
1. WILLIAM HENRY, [b. March 22, 1863.]
2. MARY ELISABETH, [b. Aug. 5, 1867.]
3. ANNIE JOSEPHINE, [b. Sept. 2, 1874.]
MUZZEY.
JOHN MUZZEY, son of Dimon and Mary (Waldron) Muzzey, and grandson of John and Priscilla (Johnson) Muzzey, was born in Weare Oct. 23, 1799. His older brother, Johnson Muzzey, was killed going home from church in Weare. The harness broke, and the horse ran, and he was thrown with such violence against the wall, that his skull was broken in, and the bones of his broken arms protruded through his coat- sleeves ! John Muzzey married Elisabeth P. Duncan, daughter of Dea. Josiah Duncan, Nov. 27, 1821. He lived in several places in town, and died on the Zadok Dodge place, dropping dead in the field, July 8, 1866. Children : -
1. JAMES H., [b. Jan. 28, 1823 ; m. Joanna Fletcher in 1846; lived here subsequently a few years, and then moved to Bunker Hill, Ill., where he d. Feb. 19, 1858. Three daugh- ters were b. in Antrim, thus : -
Caroline C., (b. Sept. 21, 1847 ; unm. ; lives at Bunker Hill, Ill. )
Mary A., (b. Oct. 23, 1850; m. Abram Turk, a farmer near Bunker Hill, Ill., June 1, 1876.)
Eva J., (b. Oct. 26, 1853 ; m. Dr. William Furgerson May 2, 1876, and lives in Swanwick, Ill.)]
2. SABRA A., [b. Feb. 17, 1825; m. Luke Thompson, April 18, 1844.]
3. HIRAM, [d. in childhood.]
4. ELECTA, [b. Jan. 31, 1831 ; m. Samuel Maynard of Peter-
1
612
GENEALOGIES.
borough ; was m. on her death-bed, and lived just one week, dying Dec. 1, 1852.]
5. HIRAM W., [b. Oct. 13, 1833 ; m. Emma M. Holdaway of Stanton, Ill. ; lives in South Village ; no children. ]
6. FRANKLIN J., [b. in Hillsborough, Nov. 25, 1835 ; m. Martha J. Holdaway, sister of above, in 1860; is a machinist ; has worked at almost everything done in Antrim shops ; has generally lived in or near South Village ; has children : - Eugene, (b. in Bunker Hill, Ill., March 17, 1861.)
Nellie B., (b. in Antrim, March 7, 1863 )
Nina Maud, (b. June 24, 1866.) H. Carlton, (b. Nov. 24, 1867.)]
7. MARIANNE, [b. Feb. 22, 1840 ; d. in infancy. ]
8. LOAMMI, [b. May 4, 1843; d. in infancy.]
NAHOR.
DAVID NAHOR, son of James and Jane (Nichols) Nahor, was born in Litchfield, April 25, 1766; married Esther Peabody of Hudson ; and moved to Hancock from Litchfield in 1800. He lived near Antrim line, on what is called " Nahor Hill." He moved, to Antrim March 31, 1834, and lived seven years where Mrs. Joy now lives. Was appointed justice of the peace from this town, as he had been, probably, years before in Hancock. In the spring of 1841, he went to his son's in Peterborough, . and in just five weeks from the day he went he died, the event of death occurring May 2. His children were :-
1. DAVID, JR., [b. Dec. 9, 1794, in Litchfield ; was clerk in a store in Boston five years ; at the age of 27 he went to New Orleans, and that is the last known of him.]
2. MARY, [b. Sept. 29, 1796 ; m. Charles Cavender March 26, 1818; d. aged 25.]
3. ESTHER, [b. in Litchfield, Sept. 6, 1798 ; d. in infancy.]
4. SARAH, [b. in Hancock, Oct. 19, 1800 ; m. Sanford Adams of Westborough, Mass., March 19, 1829 ; d. Aug. 22, 1876.]
5. JAMES, [b. Aug. 13, 1802; d. March 17, 1829.]
6. ESTHER, [b. April 25, 1804; m. James Robb of Stoddard, March 27, 1834.]
7. LEONARD, [b. Dec. 8, 1806 ; m. Marinda Tenney of Hancock, April 7, 1837 ; d. April 23, 1878.]
8. HANNAH B., [b. Dec. 4, 1810; m. Nathaniel Flint of this town, Nov. 24, 1837; d. in Lexington, Mass., July 22, 1852.]
613
GENEALOGIES.
NAY.
This name was originally spelled " McNee." Dea. William McNee was born in Ireland in 1711; came from Roxbury, Mass., and settled in Peterborough in 1752, and died in 1789. He had a son, Dea. William McNee, Jr., whose son William was the father of Maj. Samuel Nay of Sharon.
SAMUEL NAY, son of Maj. Samuel and Mary (Felt) Nay of Sharon, was born in that town May 19, 1818; married Nancy B. Vose; and came to Antrim in 1849, on to the Thomas Vose place (west of the pond). He moved to Clinton in 1856, and now lives at South Village. His children are : -
1. FRED L., [b. Sept. 5, 1848 ; m. Maggie P. Heath, Jan. 13, 1870, who d. in 1873. June 9, 1874, he m. Stella E. Brack- ett, and lives at South Village. He is a photographer and painter. The drawing of the old church in this book was by his hand. He has one child : -
Harry E., (b. Aug. 6, 1872.)]
2. CHARLES P., [b. Sept. 3, 1853 ; m. Lizzie A. Crosby of Peter- borough, June 30, 1874; is a blacksmith by trade, and lives at South Village, having children : -
Archie N., (b. July 31, 1875.) Ethel C., (b. March 28, 1878.)]
3. MORRIS E., [b. May 7, 1864.]
4. SAMUEL V., [b. April 6, 1866, and d. Aug. 20, 1872.]
NESMITH.
JAMES NESMITH, one of the signers of the memorial to Gov. Shute March 26, 1718, and one of the proprietors of Londonderry, was also one of the original sixteen that first struck for settlement on the soil of that ancient town April 22, 1719. He was a strong man, worthy of respect, and honored by his associates. Was appointed elder of the West Parish Presbyterian Church, at its formation in 1739. The date of his death was 1767, and his age seventy-five. He married, in Ireland, in 1714, Elisabeth, daughter of James McKeen and Janet Cochran. This Elisa- beth McKeen was sister of Janet McKeen, Dea. Isaac Cochran's mother. She died in 1763, aged sixty-seven. The Nesmiths lived in the valley of the Bann in Ireland, and emigrated to that place from Scotland in 1690. Dea. James Nesmith had two children in Ireland, and seems to have buried the eldest child there. Seven children were born to them in America. The names of all were : Arthur, buried in infancy in Ireland; James, born in Ireland in 1718; Arthur, born in Londonderry April 3, 1721; Jean, born March 12, 1723; Mary, born Jan. 24, 1726; John, born Feb. 11, 1728; Elisabeth, born Jan. 8, 1730; Thomas, born March 26, 1732; Benjamin, born Sept. 14, 1734.
614
GENEALOGIES.
James Nesmith, Jr., the son born in Ireland, was born early in 1718, just before embarking for America, and was brought over in his mother's arms. He married Mary Dinsmore and settled in the northern part of Londonderry. Though an old man when the Revolutionary war broke out, he went with all his heart into the struggle against the British ; marched among the minute-men at the first call, and was a participant in the battle of Bunker Hill. He had children : James, Jonathan, Robert, Elisabeth, Mary, and Sarah; and died where he settled, July 15, 1793. Of these six children, we will only say as follows: James, the oldest, was born in 1744; married Mary McClure (Parker's History is wrong in say- ing Martha); was elder in the West Parish Church; left children, - Wil- liam M., Robert, Isaac, James, Martha, Jane W., and Margaret, - of whom William M., the first nymed, married Harriet Willis, and was father of Hon. James W. Nesmith, long U. S. Senator from Oregon. Senator Nesmith was born in 1820, married Pauline Goffe in 1846, and now lives in wealth and honor at Dixie, Ore. The second child of James, Jr., was Jonathan of Antrim; Robert, the third child, married Jane Anderson; Elisabeth, the fourth child, married James Cochran of Windham; Mary, the fifth child, married James McClure of Acworth; and Sarah, the sixth, married Daniel Anderson of Londonderry.
Returning now to Arthur, the third child of Dea. James the emigrant, we have to say that he was born April 3, 1721. He married Margaret Hopkins, and settled in the south part of Londonderry; but in later life he moved to the State of Maine. He had two sons in the Revolutionary army, one of whom, John, was a captain noted for valor and strength, but died near the close of the war from effects of excessive exposure and hardship. Of Jean and Mary, daughters of the first Dea. James, I know nothing. But John, the sixth child of the emigrant, married Elisabeth, sister of Gen. George Reed of Londonderry, settled on the first Nesmith homestead with his father, and died there in 1815, aged eighty-seven. His children were: James of Antrim; Arthur of Antrim; John, Jr., who married, first, Susan Hildreth, and second, Lydia Sargent, and died on the homestead in Londonderry in 1844; Ebenezer, who married Jane Trotter ; Thomas; Elisabeth, who married Dea. James Pinkerton; Mary, who married John Miltimore, moving to Reading, Penn. ; and Jane, who married Hugh Anderson. Of Elisabeth, the emigrant's seventh child, I have no data. Thomas, the eighth child, was born March 26, 1732; mar- ried Annis Wilson, and settled in Londonderry (now the north part of Windham), and had three children: John, Elisabeth, and Thomas, Jr. Of Benjamin, the ninth child of the first Dea. James, I have no informa- tion of importance in the present undertaking.
JONATHAN NESMITH, second child of James and Mary (Dins- more) Nesmith, and grandson of the proprietor Dea. James, was born in Londonderry, in August, 1759. He came here in May, 1774, and began to clear the farm that remained in possession of the family until 1865. He made successive clearings each year, and with vigorous hand put up his log cabin, - though only a boy of sixteen years when he began. He permanently moved here in 1778. He subsequently had to pay for the
615
GENEALOGIES.
.
most of his land a second time. Was one of the leading spirits of the town. Was eleven years selectman, and was four times chosen repre- sentative of the town. Was always on important committees, and was known and confided in by all. He was chosen one of the elders of the Presbyterian Church at its formation in 1778, though only twenty-nine years of age. For fifty years he only failed of officiating at one com- munion. Dea. Nesmith was a man of great sociality. - up to jokes, - genial, jolly, and good-natured; was very hospitable and benevolent; anxious for the public welfare; stoutly in earnest to maintain the faith of his fathers; a man of strong ability, good judgment, and irreproachable character. He was an honor to the town he helped to establish. His death occurred Oct. 15, 1845, aged eighty-six. His first wife was Elenor Dickey, whom he married in 1781. She was the daughter of Adam and Jane (Strahan) Dickey of Londonderry, and granddaughter of John and Margaret Dickey of Londonderry, Ireland. She was born Jan. 1, 1761. and died Sept. 17, 1818. He married, second, Mrs. Sarah (Wetherbee) Hamblin of Concord, Mass. She was twelve years of age when she witnessed the battle of Lexington and Concord from her father's door. She saw those brave men fall, remembered everything, and was always fond of telling of those first blows for liberty. She died Jan. 16, 1852, aged eighty-nine. Dea. Nesmith's cabin was burned one day when the family were absent; and he used to remark, in after years, that he never felt so poor as then. Yet, undismayed, he went about building another, being generously aided by neighbors he had himself always been forward to help. After several years he put up a substantial framed house, which was burned March 4, 1841, from a spark catching on the roof. In his old age Dea. Nesmith resigned his office in the church; and it is spoken of as a remarkable scene, when he stood in the public assembly and offered his resignation, and then, with trembling voice and with uplifted and palsied hand, in- voked God's blessing on his successors in coming time. His children were : -
1. JAMES, [b. Oct. 5, 1783 ; m. Polly Taylor April 10, 1810 ; cleared and settled west of the pond and west of the Steele place, on land now George Brown's, - often called the Boyd place ; went thence to Solon, N. Y., in 1822, with six chil- dren. There his wife d. in 1846. In 1852 he m. 2d, Mrs. Susan Clark ; moved to Waukon, Io., and d. there in 1862. He had children : -
Mary, (b in 1811; d. in infancy.)
Mary E., (b. in 1812 ; m. John Stillman of Cortlandville, N. Y., in 1833 ; went to Waukon, Io., in 1857, where they now live.) Rev. John. T. G., (b. in 1814 ; studied at Cazenovia Seminary ;
m. Harriet N. Taylor ; entered the Methodist ministry ; was a faithful and able man ; d. while pastor, at the age of 36.) Hannah E., (b. in 1816 ; m. John Reed ; moved to Waukon, Io., in 1857, and d. there in 1877.)
1
616
GENEALOGIES.
Abigail S., (b. in 1818; became second wife of Isaac Barker in 1847; went to Waukon, Io., in 1854.)
Mark W., (b. in 1820; d. unm., at Solon, N. Y., in 1848.) James A., (b. in 1822; carried to Solon, N. Y., when an infant ; went thence to Illinois in 1844 ; m. Laura Post. )
George W., (b. in Solon, N. Y., in 1825; m. Mary C. Farrar of Fairfield, Vt. ; resides at Waukon, Io.)
Dr. Milton W., (b. in 1828 ; m. Margaret Donoughue in 1852 ; is now physician and druggist at Waukon, Io.)
Woodbury T., (by second wife ; b. in 1852; remains at Solon, N. Y.)]
2. JEAN, [now called " Jane," or " Jenny ; " b. May 14, 1787 ; m. John Dunlap June 26, 1807, and d. March 29, 1835.]
3. THOMAS D., [b. March 22, 1789 ; m. Martha Weeks March 30, 1813 ; succeeded his father on the homestead. His first wife d. in 1828 aged 35, and he m. 2d, Nancy Gregg, Feb. 4, 1830. He d. Sept. 10, 1841, aged 52. The second wife d. - Feb. 9, 1856, aged 63. He was known in town as "Capt. Nesmith ; " was captain of the Antrim Grenadiers, and was often marshal of the day on special occasions. He was a useful man and d. in his prime. His children were : -
Robert W., (b. May 3, 1814 ; m. Olive Dunlap of Bedford, June 1, 1839 ; settled in Jefferson, Tex., and d. at Sulphur Springs in that State, Nov. 28, 1866. He left two daughters : Oriette, now in the Metropolitan Railroad office, Boston ; and Sally V., who m. Com. Decatur Morris, and lives in Little Rock, Ark.)
Jonathan, (b. Jan. 24, 1816 ; m. Marietta F. Morrill of Frank- lin, Nov. 15, 1841 ; inherited the homestead of his father and grandfather, sold the same in 1865, and two or three years later moved to Hancock where he now resides. He was the last of the name in town. At one time there were three Dea. Nesmiths in town, known as " Dea. James," " Dea. Arthur,", and " Dea. Jonathan," and they each had nine children, - making, with sisters and friends, nearly forty by that name in this place. Jonathan's children are : Jen- nie M., who was b. Sept. 23, 1842, - an excellent teacher ; Thomas S., who was b. May 12, 1846, and d. at the age of three years ; Fannie H., who was b. Dec. 8, 1848, and m. Frank H. Baldwin June 19, 1876, residing in Keene ; An- nie M. T., who was b. Sept. 12, 1852; Abbie Isabel, who
617
GENEALOGIES.
was b. Nov. 15, 1854, and d. 1856 ; Miles G., who was b. Sept. 26, 1857 ; Addie M., who was b. Jan. 27, 1860; and John S., who was b. May 5, 1863.)
Sarah E., (b. Dec. 24, 1818, m. John W. Buttrick, and lives in Lawrence, Mass.)
Miles, (b. Feb. 2, 1821; went to California in 1849, and was driver for the California Stage Company ; the horses became unmanageable, and the whole team was thrown down a fear- ful precipice near Virginia City, Nev., by which the driver, all the horses, and most of the passengers were instantly killed. This sad event occurred in December, 1862.)
Harriet F., (b. Feb. 2, 1823, m. Walker Flanders, and lives in Lawrence, Mass.)
Martha J., (b. June 9, 1825 ; m. Isaac P. Cochran of Wind- ham, Nov. 12, 1846.)
Melvin, (b. Dec. 20, 1830 ; d. in Sacramento, Cal., Dec. 31, 1853.)
Hiram G., (b. Feb. 18, 1833 ; d. in Jefferson, Tex., in 1857.) Nancy R., (b. Jan. 24, 1836, m. Josiah Melville, and lives in Nelson.)]
4. ADAM, [b. March 5, 1792 ; m. Rebecca Dale ; settled in Beverly, Mass., and d. Jan. 15, 1865.]
5. MARY D., [" Molly Dinsmore " on town record, b. April 11, 1794 ; called " Long Mary," being tall in form ; a talented, respected, and Christian woman ; d. unm. April 6, 1874.]
6. MARGARET, [b. May 4, 1796 ; d. unm. in 1827.]
7. ISABEL, [b. March 6, 1798 ; d. unm. March 8, 1862.]
8. HON. GEORGE W., [b. Oct. 23, 1800 ; was graduated at Dart- mouth College in 1820 ; m. Mary M. Brooks ; settled in the practice of law at Franklin ; was long judge of the New Hampshire Supreme Court, remaining on the bench until relieved by the constitutional limitation of years. Is now president of the N. H. Orphans' Home, and trustee of Dart- mouth College ; is a man of noble principles and honored life, enjoying in his old age the highest confidence and es- teem of men. The degree of LL. D. was conferred upon him by Dartmouth College. He stands among the best and noblest of the sons of New Hampshire, and is an honor to his native town.]
9. ROBERT, [b. Feb. 20, 1803 ; first victim of spotted fever, Feb. 9,1812.]
618
GENEALOGIES.
DEA. JAMES NESMITH of Antrim, son of John and Elisabeth (Reed) Nesmith, grandson of Dea. James and Elisabeth (McKeen) Nes- mith, and cousin of Dea. Jonathan, was born in Londonderry in 1758. He came here at the age of twenty, and began the farm which has been so long occupied by Chandler Boutwell. This he sold to. John Woodcock about 1790, and began another farm on the northeast slope of Meeting- House Hill. This was a good farm; the house was nearly down at the foot of the hill on the east fork of the old road, and he had Robert McIl- vaine for a near neighbor. Here he lived in comparative comfort for about thirty years, when, it is said, his children insisted on his building a finer house, and he erected a very large mansion. But he was unable to finish it, became embarrassed with debt, and eventually had to give up everything and move away. The large house was taken down and moved to the Branch. By help of his old neighbors, a small house was built for him in 1821 at the foot of the hill east of Henry M. Barker's, and on that spot his days were ended in the year 1845, at the age of eighty-seven. He died poor, but universally respected. He was a Revo- lutionary soldier, and was in many battles. He was chosen elder in the Center Church in 1800, and held the office till death. His pension was his principal reliance for support in his old age. Dea. James was fre- quently selectman, and was twenty-seven years town clerk; was chosen by unanimous vote, though party excitement was as great as it is now ; and it is said they would have continued him in the office if he had not fallen into the legal disqualification of ceasing to hold real estate. He used to say that his fees just about kept him in tobacco. Probably his voice helped to keep him in the office, as it was his duty in those days to publish intentions of marriage by crying them in the meeting-house on three successive Sabbaths. In very pressing cases it was sometimes done twice on the same day ! The deacon's voice was not very musical, but was heavy and loud and ringing, - and everybody was sure to hear ! At the sound of the " Amen, " - high over the din of falling seats, - were thundered the words : "This is the first publishment of intention of marriage between Mr. Jacob A. B. C. and Miss Polly X. Y. Z. ! " People stopped and listened in amazement and curiosity; but it is not told us how much of the sermon this peculiar ceremony drove out of their heads! Dea. James Nesmith of Antrim married, first, Elisabeth Brewster of Francestown, in 1781; second, Charlotte Walker, youngest child of James Walker, the first settler of Bedford. His children were : -
1. JOHN, [b. Aug. 19, 1782 ; was brought up by his uncle, Dea. James Pinkerton of Derry ; old people in that town speak of him as a beautiful player on the flute ; was some years a peddler ; wandered off westward in that business in 1814, and has never since been heard of. Probably was robbed and put out of the way.]
2. ISABELLA REED, [b. Oct. 16, 1784 ; m. Prof. Joshua Holt, May 11, 1815 ; d. in 1851. Mr. Holt graduated at Dartmouth
619
GENEALOGIES.
College in 1814 ; was many years a teacher in the West, and d. in 1848, aged 60.]
3. JAMES, JR., [b. April 2, 1787 ; went when a young man to Kentucky ; was three times m. there, and d. there at the age of 52. All his children d. before him.]
4. ELISABETH, [b. Nov. 29, 1789; went as a teacher into the State of Pennsylvania; there m. Rev. George White, and they are said to have moved to Nebraska. ]
5. POLLY, [b. Jan. 1, 1793 ; was called "Short Mary," to dis- tinguish from Dea. Jonathan's Mary ; was nearly forty years a teacher ; was one of the godly and blessed ones of the earth ; d. unm. at the Branch in 1867.]
6. JEAN, [b. Sept. 23, 1795, and d. in 1800.]
7. DAVID B., [b. March 18, 1798, and d. in infancy.]
8. GEORGE REID, [b. April 18, 1801 ; was a carpenter by trade ; went to New York when young, and nothing more can be learned of him.]
9. DEA. ERASTUS, [b. June 28, 1804 ; was a woolen-manufac- turer ; learned his trade at the Branch under Reed and Wallace ; was apprenticed to them in 1818, and served seven years for his trade ; made cloth at Hillsborough and other places ; lived chiefly in Canaan ; was deacon of the Congregational Church, " a thoroughly good man. He m. Lucy Wilson of Antrim. Their only child, a promising young man, d. a few years before his father. Dea. Erastus d. in Enfield, in 1869, universally lamented.] -
DEA. ARTHUR NESMITH, brother of Dea. James of Antrim, came here somewhat later than his brother, and began the Jonathan Carr place (now Luther Campbell's) about 1784. He married Polly Duncan (daugh- ter of Hon. John), May 30, 1793; was a man of more than ordinary abil- ity; was a great reader; was frequently selectman ; and was elder in the Presbyterian Church. Dr. Whiton says that "his cheerful and uniform piety was an ornament to the Christian profession." What higher praise could be conferred ? His amiable manners and intelligence and good- ness gave him great influence, and endeared him to all. The aged re- member him with much affection. He was distinguished as a singer, and led the church music for nearly thirty years, being elected every March meeting by the town to that then important office. He is said to have kept his large and scattered choir in good order and good feeling ! What a pity he couldn't have lived two or three hundred years ! It should be added that his children and grandchildren have been notable choir-leaders in the West. To the surprise and regret of the whole town, Dea. Arthur moved to New Portage, Ohio, in 1816, hoping that a different
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.