USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > Claremont > History of the town of Claremont, New Hampshire, for a period of one hundred and thirty years from 1764 to 1894 > Part 33
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HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.
EDWIN A. CHARLTON,
Son of Walter Charlton, was born in Littleton, September 29, 1828, and at an early age came with his father's family to Clare- mont. He graduated at Dartmouth College in 1854. He was for a time principal of Claremont academy, and taught in other schools. He was the author of the historical part of the book entitled "New Hampshire As It Is," published in 1855. He lives at Brodhead, Wis., and is editor of the Brodhead Inde- pendent.
RT. REV. CARLTON CHASE, D. D.,
Son of Charles Chase, a well-to-do farmer, was born at Hopkin- ton, February 20, 1794. He graduated at Dartmouth College second in his class, in 1817. During the last year of his college course he was baptized at Hopkinton, and united with the Episco- pal church. He read theology at Bristol, R. I., under the direc- tion of Bishop Griswold; was made a deacon in December; 1818; from May to July, 1819, he officiated at Springfield, Mass., and in September of the same year commenced his work at Bellows Falls, Vt., officiating one third of the time in St. Peter's church, Drewsville, N. H., for a year or more, after which his whole time was given to Immanuel church, Bellows Falls. He was ordained priest by Bishop Griswold, in Newport, R. I., on September 28, 1820. In 1839 he received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from the University of Vermont. He continued rec- tor of Immanuel church until April 7, 1844. On October 4, 1843, Dr. Chase was elected bishop of the diocese of New Hamp- shire. He removed to Claremont early in 1844, and in addition to his duties of bishop took charge as rector of Trinity church the first Sunday after Easter of that year, which he continued until 1863, when he relinquished it by reason of infirmities consequent upon advancing age, and the requirements of the diocese. He was consecrated bishop of the Protestant Episcopal church in the state of New Hampshire, in Christ church, Phila- delphia, by the Rt. Rev. Philander Chase, D. D., on Octo- ber 20, 1844. He died at his residence in Claremont on Janu-
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ary 18, 1870. His funeral took place on the twenty-fifth, in Trinity church, and was attended by Bishops Williams, of Con- necticut, and Bissell, of Vermont; many Episcopal clergymen of this and other states; the clergymen of the town; the Ma- sonic fraternity, of which he had been for many years a revered member, and a large concourse of citizens of the different de- nominations, who loved him for his tolerance, uniform kindness, and many virtues.
ARTHUR CHASE
Was born at Bellows Falls, Vt., October 31, 1835. He was a son of Bishop Carlton Chase; graduated at Norwich University in 1856; read law with George Ticknor, in Claremont; gradu- ated at Cambridge Law School and was admitted to the bar in 1859. He was never much in the practice of his profession. He died suddenly November 20, 1888.
DANIEL CHASE
Came from Sutton, Mass., to Cornish, and removed from the latter place to Claremont in 1792. He kept a tavern on the north side of Sugar river, in a house next west of the Colonel Dexter place, and owned and drove a stage to Windsor, Vt. In 1794 he built the house on the south side of the river and opened it as a tavern the next year, which was known until after his death, which occurred December 2, 1840, as Daniel Chase's Tavern, and since April, 1841, as the Sullivan House. Mr. Chase was a Freemason, and in his hall this fraternity held their regular meetings for many years. He had thirteen children born to him while he kept this tavern. His oldest daughter was the wife of Austin Corbin, of Newport, and the mother of Austin Corbin, the New York banker and railroad official.
DUDLEY T. CHASE,
Son of Col. Leebbeus Chase, was born in Cornish, April 2, 1823. He fitted for college at Kimball Union Academy; gradu-
BELA CHAPIN.
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ated at Dartmouth College, and received the degrees of A. M. and A. B. in 1848; attended Yale Law School in the summer of 1847; read law with ex-Gov. Carlos Coolidge and Warren Currier, at Windsor, Vt .; admitted to Windsor county, Vt., and Sullivan county bars in 1849, and as counselor, attorney, proctor, and solicitor at the United States circuit court, at Wind- sor, in 1859. He was located at Windsor and was in the active practice of his profession in Windsor and Sullivan counties from 1849 to 1863. In the latter year, on account of his impaired health, he gave up practice and removed to Claremont, where he has since been engaged in farming.
BELA CHAPIN,
Born in Newport, February 19, 1829, is descended in the seventh generation from Deacon Samuel Chapin, who emigrated to this country and settled in Springfield, Mass., in 1642. His education was acquired in the public schools and Kimball Union Academy. In 1847 he came to Claremont and entered the office of the National Eagle, where he learned the print- ing business. Afterwards he worked as a compositor in Keene, Concord, and elsewhere. Then he returned to his native town, where he carried on farming a few years, then sold his farm and bought the Dartmouth Press printing establishment and bookbindery, at Hanover, where he remained as college printer until about 1870, when he sold his office and bookbindery and returned to Claremont and bought the farm where he has since lived, devoting his time to the cultivation of flowers, the raising of thoroughbred cattle, and to general farming. Mr. Chapin has employed his leisure hours among his books. He has a good library of more than a thousand volumes, which he has selected with great care, embracing standard works of history, science, and literature. He has been a discriminating reader and industrious student, and, like some other printers, has been a writer of verses. While an apprentice he wrote sev- eral short poems, which were published and commended without
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the author being known. He has been a contributor to various periodicals. Lyrics of his, with portrait and biographical sketch, are included in a large volume of American Poets, published a few years ago in Chicago, and he is also represented in vari- ous other collections - mostly published at the West. In 1883 he collected the material and compiled "The Poets of New Hampshire," a volume of eight hundred pages, which was pub- lished by C. H. Adams, Claremont, N. H., and met with a ready sale. He has made translations in Spenserian stanza from Virgil's Æneid, which have been well received, and more re- cently has completed a rhymed verse translation of the entire Eclogues of the same Roman poet. Appended is a single one of Mr. Chapin's many poetic effusions :
HYMN.
O Lamb of God, who died for all, Thou who didst die for me, In penitence on thee I call,- Give me a hope in thee.
Amid the vanities of life, Oh, keep my spirit free, From sin's allurements and from strife, And give me peace in thee.
And may I oft in worship sweet Before thee bend the knee; And do thou guide my wayward feet And grant me faith in thee.
Forgive the wrong that I have done, Of whatso'er degree ; And give me grace, thou Holy One, To spend my days for thee.
Whatever ills my life betide Whate'er is mine to see, Oh, may I still in hope abide, And rest secure in thee.
WILLIAM CLARK.
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When my departing hour is near, Oh, joyful may it be To cross death's stream devoid of fear, Upheld, dear Lord, by thee.
BURT CHELLIS,
Son of Freeman S. Chellis, was born in Claremont, September 19, 1860. He graduated at Stevens High School in June, 1878, and at Dartmouth College in 1883. He read law in the office of Hermon Holt, and was admitted to the New Hamp- shire bar in June, 1883, soon after opened an office in Clare- mont, and has since been in practice here. He was elected moderator of the annual town meetings in 1887 and 1891, and in November, 1892, for two years. In 1890 he was elected county solicitor, and re-elected in 1892.
WILLIAM CLARK,
Son of Moses Clark, was born March 9, 1819, on the old road to Newport, about three miles from Claremont village, and lived in town until his death, which occurred May 30, 1883. He worked on his father's farm, attending schools in the dis- trict a few months each year, until he reached his majority, when he engaged with Rufus Carlton in the butchering and meat business, and subsequently with Philemon Tolles, on sal- ary, and then on his own account, and with Henry C. Cowles as partner. In 1857 he disposed of his interest in the meat business and formed a copartnership with Albert H. Danforth, under the firm name of Clark & Danforth, in the wholesale flour and grain trade, which he continued until 1871. In 1853 Mr. Clark was chosen one of the selectmen and held that office fifteen years, ten of which he was chairman of the board; was county commissioner from 1864 to 1867, and town clerk from 1871 to 1873. As executor and administrator he settled several estates, - some of them large and complicated. In 1876 he was appointed judge of probate, which office he held until his death.
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HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.
IRA COLBY, .
Oldest son of the late Ira Colby, was born in Claremont, January 11, 1831. His parents came from Henniker, of which town his father was a native, and settled here in 1827. Both parents were of pure English descent. His father was a thrifty and highly respected farmer on Bible hill. He served the town as select- man in 1858 and 1859, and was representative in the New Hamp- shire legislature in 1872 and 1873, and died in 1873. His mother's family name was Foster, being a direct descendant from Reginald Foster, who came from Exeter, Devonshire, England, and settled in Ipswich, Essex county, Mass., in 1638. She was living in the fam- ily of her son Ira in 1894, at the age of ninety-one years. The sub- ject of this sketch was brought up on the Bible hill farm, with no advantages for acquiring an education other than those afforded by a public school in a back district, until he was seventeen years old. After this he attended Marlow academy for a time, completed his academical course at Thetford, Vt., and entered Dartmouth College in 1853, graduating in 1857. During the winters, from the time he began his academical course to that of his graduation from college and for one year thereafter, he engaged in teaching,-first in his own state, and afterward in Massachusetts and Waukesha, Wis. In 1858 he entered the office of Freeman & McClure, then the lead- ing lawyers of Claremont, as a student. After two years of study he was admitted, on examination, to the bar of Sullivan county. Mr. McClure died September 1, 1860, soon after which Mr. Free- man retired and Mr. Colby succeeded to the office and a large share of the business of the firm of Freeman & McClure. He bad as partners Lyman J. Brooks and Alfred T. Batchelder - both now of Keene - three or four years each. With these exceptions he has been alone in business and occupied the same office, in the north end of the Farwell block, for more than thirty-five years. Several young men now in successful practice have read law with him. He has been a leading member of the Sullivan county bar almost ever since his admission to it; has had a large and constantly increasing practice; been engaged - generally as senior counsel -in the trial
Fra Colby та
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of nearly every cause of any considerable importance before the courts in the county, and ranks with the first lawyers in the state as an advocate before the jury.
In politics Mr. Colby is an active and influential Republican, and being of the dominant party in town, has been honored with many offices, all of which he has filled with ability and credit. He was representative in the New Hampshire legislature in 1864, 1865, 1881, 1883, and 1887, and state senator in 1869 and 1870. He took a leading part in each branch in committees, and on the floor as a debater.
From 1864 to 1888, with the exception of two years, by appoint- ment and election, he held the office of solicitor for Sullivan county. He was delegate at large from New Hampshire to the Republican national convention in 1876. In 1889 he was appointed by the governor and council one of a commission of three to revise, codify, and amend the Public Statutes of New Hampshire, which were published in 1891. On the resignation of Judge Allen, in March, 1893, Mr. Colby was appointed associate justice of the supreme court, which position he declined.
In 1867 he married Miss Louisa M. Way, by whom he had two children,- a son and a daughter. The latter died in early child- hood. The son, Ira Gordon Colby, graduated at Dartmouth Col- lege in 1894, and is now a student in the law department of Boston University.
SAMUEL COLE
Was a graduate of Yale College in 1768, was among the earliest settlers of the town, often read the Episcopal service for several years, and was very capable and useful as an instructor of youth for a considerable period. He was a justice of the peace, and town clerk in 1771, 1772, and 1773. He died here October 19, 1777.
JOHN COOKE.
About 1779 Captain John Cooke came from Norton, Conn., with his wife, who was a Miss Godfrey, of Taunton, Mass., and five children, and bought the tavern stand and large and valuable
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meadow farm on the river road, about midway between the present village of Claremont and Windsor, Vt., which was long known as the Godfrey Cooke place, now owned by Erastus Reed. Their youngest son, Godfrey, was born here on July 22, 1780. The old tavern house was on the west side of the highway, and there it stood until 1858. After the death of Mr. Cooke, which oc- curred February 8, 1810, he was succeeded by his two sons, George and Godfrey. Under their management this tavern was famous, and said to have been the best kept one on the road between Keene and Haverhill. This was the regular stage road from Boston to northeastern Vermont.
In June, 1825, when General Lafayette was on his tour through New England, and on the way from Concord into Vermont, it was arranged that he should pass a night at this hostelry, and a. large number of Dartmouth College students were there to meet him. But by reason of the lateness of his arrival in town, he passed the night in the village, at the Tremont House. The next day, on their way to Windsor, the party called at the Cooke tavern, and Lafayette partook of some choice old wine. It was here that Paran Stevens, the famous American hotel proprietor and manager, is said to have received his first lessons in hotel keeping, under the direction of his uncle, Godfrey Cooke.
There is a family tradition that a bushel of continental money changed hands when the old tavern house was bought, which, in view of the rapid depreciation of that currency about that time, proved a fortunate venture for Captain Cooke.
The oldest daughter of Captain Cooke, Matilda, married Colo- nel Josiah Stevens, the father of Deacon Josiah, Godfrey, Alvah, and Paran Stevens, and his daughter Miranda married Samuel Fiske. Thus it will be seen that from two of Matilda Cooke's children the town has received liberal endowments to the Stevens High School and the Fiske Free Library.
In 1825 Godfrey Cooke built the house shown in the illustration, now occupied by Erastus Reed. It is on the east side of the high- way, nearly opposite the site of the old tavern house. Of Captain Cooke's direct descendants, there is but one in the third gener-
AMBROSE COSSIT.
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ation, Mrs. M. E. Partridge; in the fourth generation, Mrs. Charles H. Long, Mrs. George F. Long, Miss Emma F. Cooke, and Miss M. E. Partridge; in the fifth generation, Frederick S. and Mary E. Shepard, and John F. Long, all living in Claremont. Miss Emma F. Cooke is the only descendant bearing the name of Cooke. Edward A. Partridge, the husband of Mrs. M. E. Partridge, was a graduate of Dartmouth College in 1846, and as engineer, of Nor- wich University. He was an engineer on the Sullivan railroad while it was being built, and died in 1855.
AMBROSE COSSIT
Came from Granby, Conn., where he was born in 1749, to Clare- mont in 1767, when eighteen years old. He married Anna C., daughter of Samuel Cole, February 1, 1778. Before he was twenty-one years old he established a country store at what is now the corner of Broad and Chestnut streets, on the spot where Almon F. Wolcott's house now stands, and it is said brought the first barrel of flour into town. He bought the farm at the south end of Broad street, and lived there until his death, July 13, 1809. He was succeeded in the store, and as owner of the farm by his son, Ambrose-the late Judge Cossit -he by his son, John F., who spent his life there, and at his death by his only child, Henry A. Cossit, who now lives there. Ambrose Cossit, senior, was a justice of the peace, and as such, did a great deal of business, such as solemnizing marriages, making deeds, etc. He was seven times, from 1782 to 1791, elected selectman, and six times, from 1792 to 1797, town clerk.
AMBROSE COSSIT
Was born in Claremont on August 28, 1785; was a son of Am- brose Cossit, and at the centennial celebration, July 4, 1865, was the oldest native citizen in town. He was president of the Clare- mont bank from its organization, in 1848, until the organization was changed to the Claremont National Bank, in 1864. He was selectman in 1823, 1824, and 1833, representative in the New
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Hampshire legislature in 1824, and postmaster from August 30, 1842, to April 17, 1843. He was appointed side or county justice of the courts for Sullivan county, January 8, 1833, and held that position until the office was abolished by the remodeling of the courts in 1855. He died April 7, 1866.
DR. ALVAH R. CUMMINGS
Was born in Acworth, August 27, 1826. He fitted for college at Marlow and Hancock academies. He studied medicine with Dr. William Grout at Camden, Ohio, and Dr. J. N. Butler at Lempster. He attended lectures and took the degree of M. D. at Dartmouth College in 1852. He practiced at Topsham, Vt., and Washington, N. H., three years; in the winter of 1855-56 he attended a course of lectures at the New York Medical College, and came to Clare- mont in March, 1856, and has been in practice here since that time.
DAVID DEXTER
Was born in Smithfield, R. I., was a lineal descendant of Gregory Dexter and Rev. Charles Brown, of Providence, R. I. He was a captain in 1776 in Colonel Lippitt's regiment. Soon after the close of the war, probably between 1780 and 1790, he came to Clare- mont, married, and had several children. In 1800 he and his brother Stephen erected a dam across Sugar river, at the upper fall, put up suitable buildings for grist, saw, and oil mills, and a scythe shop, all of which were run by water. This scythe shop was the first established in these parts, and was a great wonder in those days. The scythe business was continued until 1824, and the other branches of business above named by the brothers until the death of David in 1831, when they were succeeded by the late Moses Wheeler, a son-in-law of David. The Dexters sub- sequently became interested in other manufacturing enterprises in Claremont. Colonel David Dexter was an enterprising and influential citizen of the town for about fifty years. He was one of the selectmen of the town for thirteen years, between 1800
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and 1818, and chairman of the board every year from 1810 to 1818, both years included ; representative in the New Hampshire legislature in 1814, and each succeeding year up to and includ- ing 1820; moderator of town meeting many times, and a director in the Claremont bank several years.
AURELIUS DICKINSON.
Mr. Dickinson was born at Granville, Mass., February 10, 1804, and died in Claremont, November 3, 1880. He lived and labored on his father's farm until twenty-one years old, when he engaged as clerk in a leather store in Hartford, Conn., where he served a few years and then established himself in the business of a country store-keeper and was quite successful. In 1835 he purchased the principal hotel at Amherst, Mass., which he kept until December, 1837, when the buildings were destroyed by fire with the most of their contents. With the insurance and the sale of the site he was not a heavy loser. In the spring of 1838 he came to Claremont and bought of the late Paran Stevens the Tremont House property, which he kept as a hotel continuously until 1850, and at intervals after that, until the buildings were burned, March 29, 1879. He was also interested in different stage lines until they were super- seded by railroads. He was one of the selectmen of the town a large share of the time succeeding 1852, and county commissioner from 1868 to 1871. Mr. Dickinson was a very careful and success- ful business man.
LEMUEL DOLE,
Son of David Dole, was born at Washington, October 20, 1814. He is a direct descendant from Richard Dole, who came from Eng- land and settled in Newbury, Mass., in 1639. All of the Doles in this country, so far as known, are descendants of this Richard. Lemuel came to Claremont in 1842 and bought a farm in Pucker- shire and has resided in town since then. He lives now about a mile north of the village, on the east road to Cornish Flat. He has three sons, all living in town,-George W., engaged in the grocery
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business ; Levi R., in the meat business; and Frank H., a farmer on the old Parmer Johnson farm on the west side of Green mountain.
EDMUND DOLE,
Son of David and brother of Lemuel Dole, was born at Washing- ton, January 11, 1817. He came to Claremont about 1850 and bought a farm in Puckershire, on the road to Newport, and has since resided there. He had two sons,- Charles H., who lives with his father, and John A., who died at Jamestown, Dakota, a few years ago.
THE DUSTINS.
According to Dr. N. Bouton's History of Concord, Thomas Dus- tin married Hannah, the oldest of fifteen children of Michael and Hannah Emerson, December 3, 1677. They had thirteen children, and their descendants in New Hampshire are quite numerous. It was this Hannah Dustin who became famous nearly two hundred years ago. During an incursion made by Indians upon Haverhill, Mass., on the 15th of March, 1697, a party attacked the house of Thomas Dustin, captured Mrs. Dustin in bed with an infant seven days old, and her nurse, Mary Niff, dashed out the brains of the infant against a tree and set fire to the house. The captives were marched through the wilderness to the home of the Indians on a small island at the junction of the Contoocook river with the Merri- mack, near where the village of Penacook now is. In the night, when the Indians were asleep, the two captive women, with the assistance of a boy who had been captured at Worcester, Mass., some time before, killed ten of the Indians by striking them upon the head, and the three captives escaped and returned to Haverhill. On the 21st of the following April the three went to Boston, car- rying with them the scalps of the Indians and other evidences of the exploit, and received as a reward from the General Court fifty pounds, and many valuable presents from others. A few years ago a monument was erected upon this island to the memory of Han- nah Dustin, and to mark the spot where, according to common tradition, this tragedy was enacted.
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TIMOTHY DUSTIN,
A son of Thomas and Hannah Dustin, was born in Haverhill, Mass., September 14, 1694, and died in 1775. He had three sons, - Eliphalet, and Thomas and Timothy - twins.
THOMAS AND TIMOTHY DUSTIN,
Twins, sons of Thomas 2d and grandsons of Thomas and Hannah Dustin, were born in 1745. They came to Claremont about 1770 and bought a tract of land on the south side of Sugar river, nearly opposite the site of the carpet factory, where they carried on brick- making for many years. They also owned, on the north side of the river, the farm afterward owned by Moody Dustin and that known as the Norton place. Timothy occupied the former and Thomas the latter. Thomas was married to Sarah Barron, July 31, 1783, and they had ten children. Timothy was married to Eunice Nut- ting, August 17, 1773, and they had nine children. Timothy Dus- tin, his wife, and one daughter, died within twenty days, in Febru- ary and March, 1813, of spotted fever.
MOODY DUSTIN,
A son of Timothy and great-grandson of Thomas and Hannah Dustin, was born in Claremont, November 19, 1780, and died here August 29, 1860. He married Lucy Cowles, April 8, 1807, and they had nine children - three sons and six daughters. He settled on the farm on Green mountain now owned by Peter Haubrich, where he lived until 1834, when he removed to the farm at West Claremont, afterward owned by his son, the late Mighill Dustin, and now by the latter's daughter, Mrs. Charles Keith. Of the sons, William, born December 2, 1811, died at Summer Hill, Ill., October 12, 1873. Timothy, born July 18, 1823, died in Illinois, August 7, 1846. Of the daughters, Sarah M., born June 3, 1808, married William Haven, of Newport, and died there Feb- ruary 17, 1865. Alvira, born December 14, 1809, is the wife of Timothy B. Rossiter, of Claremont. They were married May 31, 1835, and both were living in 1894. Mary, born November 9,
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