USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Exeter > History of the town of Exeter, New Hampshire > Part 35
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Nathan North came to Exeter to practise medicine in the latter part of the last century, and remained about twenty years. He is represented as a man of sense and ability, with a competent knowledge of his profession, and became the attending physician of the principal families of the town. But he was not proof against the prevailing convivial fashions of the time, and at length fell into habits of inebriety, which, of course, seriously interfered with his practice. In the year 1815 Dr. North removed from the town, and is said to have abandoned his pernicious habits, and maintained a high standing in his profession afterwards.
William Perry was a son of Nathan Perry of Norton, Massa- chusetts, and was born December 20, 1788. He prepared himself for college in part at an academy, of which his brother Gardner was then principal, at Ballston, New York, and entered Union College, but at the close of his freshman year migrated to Harvard College, where he took his degree in 1811. While an undergrad- uate, in 1808 he made a trip down the Hudson river in Fulton's first steamboat, the " Clermont." Ile studied medicine with Dr. James Thacher of Plymouth, and afterwards in Boston under the instruction of Drs. John Gorham and John Warren. By the latter he was recommended to a few gentlemen of Exeter who had applied to him to advise them of some promising young physician to settle in the town. He accordingly opened his office there in 1814. His progress at first was obstructed by the resident medical men who were naturally jealous of a young competitor ; but before long his professional learning and correct habits with his industry
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and ability opened his way to a wide practice, which he retained even to old age. It reached to the remotest parts of the county and sometimes beyond it. It was, of course, very laborious, and not what would in these times be called lucrative. But it was sufficient for his needs, and enabled him to live as he desired, to educate his family, and to realize a handsome competeney.
Dr. Perry was of an inquiring and inventive bent; and was not content to follow outgrown methods. He contrived new appli- ances for the treatment of injuries, and devised new remedies for disease, and gained much reputation thereby. He was one of the earliest of the medical men of the State to agitate the project of establishing an Asylum for the Insane, which has since been accomplished in so admirable a manner. In 1835, after delivering a course of lectures before the students of the Bowdoin Medical College, he was offered a professorship there, but declined it.
An account of his enterprise in the manufacture of potato starch, has already been given in a former chapter.
For much more than half a century Dr. Perry was the principal physician and surgeon, not only in the town, but in the section. In all difficult cases which arose in the neighboring places, he was the natural consulting authority. In surgical operations, espe- cially, his experience was large, and his opinion was of the greatest weight. Ile was often called into court, to give testimony as an expert in important causes. He was decided in his opinions, but he based them on authorities and the soundest reasoning. Cross examination never shook his testimony, but rather brought out fresh support for his views.
He was a conscientious and positive man. He strove always to discern the right course, and then pursued it unswervingly. IIe tolerated no temporizing, and still less anything approaching to a compromise of principle. People always knew where to find him. He was sometimes involved in differences with others, but he marched straight on, and in the end won the respect of even his antagonists, for his honesty and uprightness. He lived to the age of ninety-six years.
An old age like Dr. Perry's was something to be desired. Free from nearly all the infirmities incident to advanced life, his mem- ory and judgment for the most part unclouded, in the midst of relatives and friends, and of a community who valued and respected him, he passed his later years in serenity and peace. He was gratified by the respect and consideration everywhere
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shown him. At the last two presidential elections his fellow citi- zens of the town with one accord refrained from voting, until he cast the first ballot. On his later birthdays his old patients and friends called on him to wish him health and happiness, and to present him tokens of their love and good will. And when his long life was brought to a close, the community, as one man, sin- cerely mourned the loss of him who had so long been a faithful and valued leading character in the town.
David W. Gorham was a son of Nathaniel Gorham, Jr., and was born in Canandaigua, New York, in the year 1800. He obtained his education at the Phillips Exeter Academy and at Harvard College, from which he graduated in 1821. He chose the profession of medicine, and established himself in practice in Exe- ter, and there remained until his death in 1873. Ile was a careful and reliable physician, and acquired an extensive practice, and few medical men commanded the confidence of their patients more com- pletely than he. He was an excellent man of business, liberal, but exact, and the impersonation of promptness. In 1844, on the decease of Dr. Abbot, he was chosen a trustee of the Phillips Exeter Academy, and continued in the discharge of the duties to the time of his decease. His services in that capacity were of the highest value. He was assiduous in looking after the interests of the institution, in every way. His accurate business habits and sound judgment were always a source of strength to the management. When the old academy building was burned in 1871, it was largely through his exertions and influence that it was replaced by the present beautiful and appropriate structure.
He was one of the most important members and a principal sup- porter of the Unitarian Society. He served annually as one of the executive committee, and voluntarily took upon himself the unde- sirable duties of treasurer and collector. His uniform patience, good temper and excellent system enabled him to keep the finan- cial affairs of the society in a sound condition, and thus a chief source of variance and difficulty was avoided. The minister's salary was never a day in arrear, during his term of office. His death was a heavy blow to the institutions to which he had been so helpful, and a serious loss to the community, where he was highly esteemed. Dr. Gorham married early in his professional life, Elizabeth P., daughter of Dr. Benjamin Abbot. He survived her death only about two months. Of their three children, two outlived him, Dr. William H. Gorham, who divides his time
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between Exeter and Boston, and Mary, wife of George C. Sawyer of Utica, New York.
Samuel B. Swett was a native of Boston, a son of Colonel Samuel and grandson of Dr. John Barnard Swett of Newburyport, Massachusetts, a distinguished physician. He obtained his med- ical education in New York and Paris, and came to Exeter about 1840. He had a large practice in that and the adjoining towns for upwards of twenty years, and then removed to Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, where he still resides.
William G. Perry, a son of Dr. William Perry, graduated from Dartmouth College in 1842 and after completing his medical course in this country, studied a year in France. He has been in practice in the town since about the year 1846.
In addition to the medical practitioners named, there have been many others who lived for longer or shorter periods in the town. Dr. Josiah Rollins, a native of Exeter, appears to have practised between 1750 and 1778. Dr. Selah Gridley was a resident of the town for some years before his death in 1826, though it is believed that he did little in his profession. Dr. Thomas O. Folsom, a native of the place, died in 1827, shortly after he received his degree of M. D. Dr. Abraham D. Dearborn, a son of Freese Dearborn, practised in the town a few years about the year 1840, as did also Dr. Thomas Flanders and Dr. Blodgett. Dr. Charles Warren passed more or less time in Exeter for a number of years, attending to patients. Dr. George W. Gale had at one time a considerable practice. Dr. Franklin Lane, a son of Joel Lane, began his medical life in Exeter, and at the same time was editor of The Exeter News Letter. He afterwards removed to Baltimore, Maryland, where he still lives.
Dr. George G. Odiorne, also a native of the town, commenced practice there, but afterwards went to the West. Dr. Ezra Bartlett was a number of years a practitioner in the town, and removed to Taunton, Massachusetts, where he now is. Dr. E. P. Cummings established himself in the town as a homœopath, a little time prior to the war, and then was employed in the naval service, and died in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Dr. Samuel Perham for some years passed a great part of his time in Exeter in treating certain classes of disease. Dr. Albert Carroll practised a few years in the place, but is now deceased. Dr. Charles C. Odlin, a son of Joseph Odlin, was born in the town, and pursued his profession there for several years with success, and is now located in Melrose, Massachusetts.
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Dr. Joseph M. Patch was one of the earliest medical men in Exeter to give his chief attention to dentistry which he did from 1838 to 1849. Dr. William L. Johnson afterwards practised as a dentist for something near twenty years, in the town, and then removed to Boston. He was succeeded in that branch of the pro- fession by Drs. W. D. Vinal, Mark W. Pray, Charles H. Gerrish, J. E. S. Pray and A. T. Severance. The last three are still in practice.
The physicians now in general practice in Exeter are Drs. William G. Perry, Robert Mason, Lafayette Chesley, Edward Otis, A. H. Varney, Walter Tuttle and W. B. Mack.
CHAPTER XX.
FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS.
THERE are several Exeter families which settled early in the town, and are still represented there by descendants. Some of them have been more numerons, and some more conspicuous than others. A part of them have already been referred to in these pages, and others will hereafter be. The limited extent of the work forbids extended notices of many individuals.
The Dudley family in the town dates from 1650. The Rev. Samuel Dudley had no less than eighteen sons and daughters, most of whom lived to be married. They became connected with the Hiltons, the Gilmans, the Leavitts, the Lyfords, the Halls and other families, and their descendants in the vicinity are very numerous. The Christian names of Dudley and Winthrop, still widely used, indicate how extensive are the relationships of the family. Several prominent members of the family are mentioned in various connections elsewhere in this work. A fact was stated in an earlier chapter which showed the Rev. Samuel Dudley's interest in improving the breed of neat stock in the town. Since that was printed, it has come to the knowledge of the writer that the same taste has been inherited by his descendants. To this day the Dudleys are said to be peculiarly fond of fine cattle. And it is not too much to say that other qualities, which gave repute to the earlier holders of the name, have also been trans- mitted to their progeny.
Of this family, one member, Judge John Dudley, merits par- ticular notice. Born in Exeter April 9, 1725, he was brought up in the household of Colonel Daniel Gilman. Though deficient in education he engaged in trade with success, and became one of the foremost men of his day in the province. He removed to Raymond in 1766, was a representative in the Legislature and Speaker of the House, a member of the Committee of Safety, and in 1784 was appointed to the bench of the Superior Court, and
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performed the duties of the position for twelve years. His native sound understanding, sagacity and impartiality enabled him to acquit himself as a Judge to the acceptance of the bar no less than of the people at large.
The Folsom family is among the foremost in numbers. John Folsom, who emigrated from England to this country, came to Exeter between 1650 and 1660, and served the latter year as well as in 1668 as selectman of the town. His son John was a select- · man in 1691 and a representative in the provincial Assembly in 1688, 1694 and 1695. It was he who refused to attempt to collect by distress the illegal taxes levied by Governor Cranfield and his Council. Other members of the family held office in the town from time to time afterwards, but it was two of the great-grand- sons of the early settler who attained the highest distinction.
Nathaniel Folsom, the son of Jonathan and Anna (Ladd) Folsom, was born in 1726. At the age of twenty-nine he com- manded a company of the New Hampshire regiment in the expe- dition against Crown Point, and distinguished himself, as has been related on a previous page. He was appointed by the royal governor a colonel of militia, but took the popular side when the division came between the colonies and the mother country. He was a member of the Continental Congress in 1774 and was elected to the same body three times afterwards. He took part in the movement to strip Fort William and Mary of its armament in 1774, and in 1775 was honored with the responsible appoint- ment of Major General of all the New Hampshire militia, and retained it through the war. Drafts from the various regiments were often called into active service, and his duties were impor- tant and sometimes arduous, but he performed them with exem- plary fidelity.
General Folsom was also a member of the Committee of Safety, a Councillor, and a Judge of the Inferior Court. His time during the Revolution was almost constantly devoted to the public service in various capacities, and perhaps no one of the men of the time enjoyed a greater measure of the reliance of the people than he. Among his last public duties was that of presiding temporarily over the convention for framing a new Constitution of the State in 1783.
This able man and true patriot died May 26, 1790.
Samuel Folsom, his brother, was less conspicuous, but stood high in the confidence of the community. He was an innkeeper,
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and his house was on the corner of Court square and Water street, and is now occupied by Dr. George W. Dearborn. It was there that Washington partook of a collation on his visit to the town in 1789. Samuel Folsom was the lieutenant colonel of the Exeter Cadets, under Colonel John Phillips.
Charles Folsom, of a later generation, was a graduate of Harvard College in 1813, and was afterwards tutor and instructor in Italian. For several years he was chaplain and teacher of mathematics in the United States navy, and had among his pupils . David G. Farragut, afterwards the distinguished Admiral, who never forgot his obligations to Mr. Folsom, but, years afterwards, presented him with a magnificent silver vase snitably inscribed, in testimony of his gratitude. His classical scholarship was thorough and exact, and he died with the respect of all who knew him.
The Leavitt family was one of the earliest in the town. Samuel Leavitt was one of the selectmen in 1675, 1691 and 1696, and was a representative in the Assembly in 1685, and three subsequent years.
Moses Leavitt, his brother, was selectman in 1682, and three years besides ; representative in 1693 and three other years, and moderator seven years. Descendants of theirs have from time to time held town offices since. Dudley Leavitt, the well known compiler of the almanacs, derived his descent from the same family.
The Thing family dates also far back in the history of the town. Jonathan Thing, the first comer, was a selectman in 1658 and seven years afterwards, town clerk in 1689, and representative in 1693. Samuel and Bartholomew, his sons, held the same offices for even longer periods, and the service of the latter did not end till 1737. They were among the leading men of the town for a long period.
The Conner family was also an early one, and has produced in several generations men of prominence. Benjamin Conner was one of the shrewdest political managers of his time, and repre- sented the town in the Legislature thirteen years in succession. Daniel Conner, who is remembered by many, was a man of energy and large dealings ; and William and Charles, sons of Nathaniel Conner, a noted builder, occupied positions of trust; to say nothing of the living.
The Lyford family is another of those who have long clung to Exeter. They have not been ambitious for public employment,
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but they have led respectable, useful lives. Some of the earlier members of the family followed the sea, but most of them have settled independently upon their farms. The late Gideon C. Lyford was at one time largely engaged in trade, and always sus- tained the character of an upright, honorable dealer.
The ancestor of the Gordon family appeared in Exeter within the first half century after its settlement. He had a mill upon the Little river. His descendants occupied lands in the southwestern part of the town, and were generally farmers, except one or two who had the control of mills at King's falls. One, of a later gen- eration, George William Gordon, was appointed consul at Rio Janeiro, and was afterwards postmaster of Boston. Nathaniel Gordon, a present resident of the town, was a lawyer by profes- sion, and has been president of the State Senate.
The family of Robinsons has been somewhat conspicuous in the town. Ephraim Robinson was for a long series of years in town offices, and was apparently one of those square, uncompromising men whom any town is fortunate to entrust its interests to. Caleb Robinson rose to the rank of major in the continental service in the Revolution, and Noah Robinson to that of captain. William Robinson, the founder of the Female Seminary, was of the same blood, as was Jeremiah L. Robinson, who for a number of years was one of the active business men of the place.
The Smiths, of whom there were two or three different families in the earlier times, and perhaps more later, included several members of prominence. Theophilus Smith was a name which came to the front for two or three generations. It would, how- ever, require careful investigation to trace out the different branches of the earlier Exeter families of the name. Judge Jere- miah Smith was not connected with either. He was of Scotch- Irish descent.
The Odlin family, though not so extensive as some of those mentioned, has been a noted one in the town. The two genera- tions of ministers, and their descendants among the influential business men a great part of the time since, have done much for Exeter's advancement. William, James and Woodbridge Odlin are well remembered. The last was the founder of the chair of English in the Phillips Academy.
The families of Barker, Colcord and Dolloff have been long settled in Exeter, and those of Kimball, Shute and several others for a somewhat less time. Their members have been, generally,
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good citizens and reputable men. Want of space forbids a more extended notice of them.
Of the many individuals outside of the families spoken of, who have attained more or less prominence, brief sketches are here given of a few, of whom little or no mention has yet been made. There could be many more added, if the dimensions of the volume permitted.
Jonathan Cass was a native of Exeter, born about 1750. He was a blacksmith by trade. At the beginning of the Revolution he enlisted in the army, and served through the war, coming out at the close with a captain's commission. He then resumed his business in the town and remained for several years, when he re-entered the military service, emigrated to Ohio and attained the rank of major. He had several children born in Exeter, one of whom was the distinguished Lewis Cass, who used afterwards to pay occasional visits to the place of his nativity. The house in which he was born was upon the east side of Cross, now called Cass street.
Enoch Poor was born in Andover, Massachusetts, and distin- guished himself in his early manhood by making a run-a-way match with his wife. He was an enterprising ship-builder and merchant in Exeter when the War of the Revolution broke out. All eyes were turned to him, as one of the natural leaders. He was resolute, brave, and accustomed to command. Appointed colonel of the third New Hampshire regiment in the continental line, he justified by his conduct the most favorable expectations that were formed of his military talents. Lafayette chose him in 1780 after his appointment as brigadier general, to lead a brigade in his corps of Light Infantry. His death occurred that year in New Jersey. The accounts of the time attributed it to bilions fever, but recent investigations point to a duel with a brother officer, as the cause. In the army the "point of honor," as it was termed, led to many fatal meetings between those who should have turned their weapons only against the common enemy. Gen- eral Poor was highly esteemed by Washington and by Lafayette. Nearly fifty years after his death the latter visited Concord, New Hampshire, and partook of a collation there as the nation's guest. On being called on for a toast he gave "the memory of Light Infantry Poor and Yorktown Scammell ;" a graceful compliment to the State which sent those Revolutionary heroes into the service of the country.
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Colonel John Rogers was one of the most enterprising and in- fluential men of his day in Exeter. A few of the principal people used to govern the place then. They nominated officers, deter- mined what improvements were necessary, and arranged all the town business ; and the majority of the voters fell in with their plans without objection. Of these leaders Colonel Rogers was for many years the ruling spirit.
He was a son of Judge Nathaniel Rogers, and was born .July 2, 1787, at Newmarket. He received his education at the Phillips Exeter Academy, and was appointed in 1808 cashier of the old Exeter Bank, and so continued for twenty-two years. He was also the colonel of the fourth regiment of militia. For fourteen years from 1817 he was chairman of the board of selectmen. He was interested in the manufacturing companies, in tanning, in morocco dressing, and, indeed, in almost too many of the move- ments for the improvement of business in the town.
Colonel Rogers was a large, fine looking man, of courteous manners, and was exceedingly popular. He was three times married, his first two wives being daughters of Colonel Nathaniel Gilman, and his last a daughter of Rev. Jacob Cramn. He died in July, 1837, leaving a widow and six children, two of whom are still living, Frances, the widow of John Chadwick of Exeter, and Jacob Rogers of Lowell, Massachusetts.
James Burley was born in the town in 1784, and was a promi- nent character for many years. He early manifested a great apti- tude for military exercises. For a long time he commanded a uniformed company, was colonel of the fourth regiment of militia, and published a work on military tactics in 1820. For some years he was the landlord of the hotel nearly opposite the First church, and afterwards was chosen cashier of the Granite Bank, an office which he held to the time of his death, in 1850. He was a man of prompt and resolute character, and was highly respected for his integrity and honor. He held repeatedly the office of moderator and selectman. He was twice married, and his sons and step-son were among the early residents in Chicago, Illinois.
Samuel Hatch was long a prominent figure in the political affairs of the town. He was a cabinet-maker and dealt in furniture. A Democrat of positive faith, he lived in the days when his party opposed granting to railroads the right of way over private lands. He was thoroughly honest and of no small ability. He was once chosen representative to the Legislature, though a majority of the
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voters belonged to the opposite political party ; and was twice a member of the State Senate. He had several sons, who were well educated, but none of them settled in Exeter. One of them, Daniel G. Hatch, was a judge in Kentucky.
Seth Walker was born in Portsmouth August 29, 1756. Early in the Revolution he joined the army, and was at the siege of Boston. He afterwards entered a privateer and was captured by a British man-of-war. He retired from the service with the rank of captain, and afterwards had the command of a regiment of militia. Early in the present century he was elected Register of Deeds for the county of Rockingham and took up his residence in Exeter. In those days when they found a good officer they kept him ; and Colonel Walker held the Registership nearly thirty years, without opposition. He, and his daughters, who assisted him in his office, filled a great succession of volumes with their clerkly chirography, and Colonel Walker became known through- ont all the county. His conduct in his official as well as in his private capacity was above reproach. A year or two before his decease he removed to Derry, where one of his daughters resided.
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