USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Hampton Falls > History of the town of Hampton Falls, New Hampshire : from the time of the first settlement within its borders, 1640 until 1900 > Part 53
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The house where Horace A. Godfrey lives was built by Aaron M. Gove, son of Jeremiah, about 1835. He was a blacksmith and his shop stood upon what is now Mr. Godfrey's lawn, near where there had been a blacksmith shop for many years before. Mr. Gove had previously lived on the south road where Warren B. Pervear now lives. He died about 1850. John W. Dodge owned and occupied
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the place for a number of years. Horace A. Godfrey, son of Jere- miah, has lived here since 1868. He has been a postal clerk since 1876, running much of the time from Boston to Bangor. He mar- ried Emelena, daughter of John Philbrick of Seabrook. One of the stables where the stage horses were kept was situated between Mr. Godfrey's house and the house now occupied by Albert Elkins. It was demolished about, 1850.
South of the stable seem to have been one and probably two houses, where a number of different families lived. Archelaus and Tobias Lakeman were carpenters and lived there. Men of this name were rated from 1747, and perhaps before, until 1761. Soon after leaving Hampton Falls Tobias Lakeman kept the Portsmouth jail. He showed some Quakers who were imprisoned for heresy a great deal of kindness, allowing them to go home on their prom- ise to return in season for trial. They kept their word. Embold- ened by this he let a "gentleman" debtor go on a like promise. He did not come back. The debt was large, and the jailer was stripped of his property and dismissed from office. He and his family were reduced to penury. He became insane, but was harmless, and wan- dered about, going a number of times each year to Ipswich, his native place, where he had relatives. He was shown a great deal of kindness by every one, especially by the Quakers, whom he had once befriended. He was not allowed to suffer, and lived to be ninety years old. Tobias Lakeman ceased to be rated here after 1756. Lieut. Joseph Raymond, also a carpenter, lived there, and married Hannah Dodge in 1184. He was rated for a few years previous to 1791, when the name disappears. Jacob Satterly, a carpenter, lived here, and married, in 1739, Susanna Steward, probably sister of Jonathan. He was rated here from 1765 till 1789. He removed to Newburyport, where he died of yellow fever in 1796. At that time forty-four persons died of yellow fever in Newburyport. In Portsmouth, there were ninety-six cases, fifty-five of which proved fatal. Catherine Satterly married Nathan Sanborn of this town in 1133, and removed to Epping about 1750.
The house occupied by Albert W. Elkins was built by Caleb Til- ton, who came from Chichester and had charge of the stables. He was a descendant of the Tiltons of this town. He married Lucy, daughter of James Sanborn, kept a tavern here for a number of years, and was the last one that did business about the hill. He died in 1876, aged eighty-one years. He had three sons. all deceased. Otis W. married a daughter of Eli Lamprey, lived in Sheffield, Ill.,
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and was engaged in buying horses for the government during the war. Enoch J. was engaged in trade in the store for a number of years previous to 1870, was postmaster from 1861 to 1866 and from 1869 to 1870, and afterward engaged in the grocery business in Iowa. On his return he was for many years in business in New- buryport. He married Helen, daughter of James Brimner, and died in 1885. His family live in Newburyport ; John S. lived upon the homestead, and married Annie, daughter of Nathan Fellows of Kensington. He died in 1875. His family live in Kensington. Albert W. Elkins, who is a carpenter, now owns and occupies the premises. William O., son of John S. Tilton, was killed in a bicycle collision in 1898.
A house was built in 1837 by Warren Dockham, who came from Barnstead. He lived here for a number of years, and afterward lived in Newburyport, where he died a few years since. His son David W. lives in West Newbury, Mass. The house was owned and occupied by George S. Merrill, son of Aaron, who married a daugh- ter of Charles Johnson, and died in January, 1897. He had a daughter who married Nahum Swain of Exeter.
The house built by George H. Dodge, and at times occupied as a parsonage by the Baptist society, was afterward owned and occu- pied by James D. Janvrin, son of Joshua. He died from injuries received from being run over by a loaded team in 1887. The house is now occupied by his son C. E., who is a butcher.
A house was built in 1812 by Dudley Dodge, son of Nathaniel Hubbard Dodge. He died in 1835, and was succeeded by his son George II., who was an enterprising business man. He was engaged in the manufacture of cotton batting. His mill was destroyed by fire in 1847, and was quickly rebuilt. He was a di- rector of the Manchester & Lawrence Railroad for many years, and its president for a time, and was also president of the Weare bank at the time of his death. He was a prominent member of the Bap- tist church, and paid much of the expense of repairing the house in 1859. He was a man of much public spirit. He was a repre- sentative in 1839 and 1840, member of the state senate in 1846, delegate to the constitutional convention in 1850, and died in 1862. His son George D. lives in Hampton Falls, and was a candidate for governor on the temperance ticket in 1880. Oliver and Wil- liam H. were lawyers in Dover. John H. lived in Madbury. Three daughters who were unmarried lived in Philadelphia. The premises were sold in 1880 to Mrs. Mary E. Elkins, whose son Ben-
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RESIDENCE OF MRS. JOHN W. DODGE. See page 589
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jamin W. is the present occupant. He married Isabel, daughter of George C. Brown.
The house now occupied by George D. Dodge was built in 1836, and occupied by Mrs. Eliza Dodge, daughter of Dudley Dodge and widow of Isaac Dodge of Waterville, Me. She had one daughter, who married Wells W. Healey. Mrs. Dodge afterward married Simon Winslow, who came here from Newmarket. He was repre- sentative in 1850 and 1851, and died in 1864.
A house was built about 1840 by Rev. J. W. Poland, who preached at the Baptist church. He married a sister of Richard Dodge. He afterward preached in Massachusetts; in his later years at Goffs- town, N. H., where he died in 1880. He was much interested in agricultural matters, and a frequent contributor to the agricultural press. John W. Dodge lived here for a number of years. Lowell F. Merrill, son of Aaron, has lived here for thirty years. He mar- ried a daughter of David M. Leavitt of Hampton, and has two sons and one daughter. She married Charles J. Merrill, who came from Newburyport. Lowell F. Merrill died October 4, 1899.
The house now occupied by Mrs. J. W. Dodge, and built about 1787, was the homestead of Nathaniel Hubbard Dodge, who came from Wenham, Mass., in 1768. He bought the mills of Col. Jona- than Moulton, and built the dams, which after a hundred years" service are now in good condition, having needed little repair dur- ing that time. He was representative in 1793, and a member of the first constitutional convention. He died in 1830, aged ninety- two. His son John married Sarah Dodge, and died in 1816, aged forty-five. Richard Dodge, son of John, succeeded to the owner- ship and operated the sawmill. He married Clarissa Lock. He was engaged in the Labrador fisheries and other enterprises. He was prominent in the Baptist church, and died in 1864. His only son, John W., was a graduate of Brown University. He spent a number of seasons at Labrador in the fisheries and carrying of passengers. He was the first cashier of the Weare bank. For sev- eral years he was conductor on the Mt. Washington Railroad, and afterward landlord of the Tiptop house. He died in 1875. His wife continued to keep the house for a number of years after his death. She now lives upon the homestead. His son Arthur M. was engaged in the hosiery business at Tilton and Hampton Falls, and afterward studied medicine at Harvard Medical School. His daughter Mary married Walter Aiken of Franklin; Clara, Prof. Charles R. Brown of Newton Theological Seminary ; Hattie, George
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C. Healey of this town; Daisy, Rev. Mr. White of Nashua. Jessie is unmarried. John W. Dodge married Harriet Dunklee of Con- cord. He was representative in 1846 and 1847.
Between the houses of Lowell Merrill and Mrs. Dodge, upon the land of Edwin Janvrin, was a house in the early settlement of the country, the site of which is still to be seen. We have no knowl- edge as to who lived there. Tradition says it was a tavern, as it was situated upon what at that time was the main road. This seems quite probable. It may have been the Georges tavern, whose location has been in dispute.
Nearly all the land in the triangular piece bounded by the New- buryport road on the east, the Dodge road on the west, and the Falls river on the south, was owned by Benjamin Swett. In 1763, his daughter Annie married Dr. Joshua Chase, who was rated from 1764 till after 1773. Dr. Chase's daughter Polly married James Janvrin in 1786. James Janvrin was son of John, who was the schoolmaster here. He rated from 1757 to 1767. In 1756 he was paid sixty-three pounds to keep the grammar school in this town. No one at that time could keep the grammar school who was not qualified to fit scholars for Harvard College. John Janvrin after- ward lived in Seabrook. The name of James Janvrin appears upon our record in 1812 and not after 1822. Hle had two sons, David and Joshua. David lived upon the homestead, married Mary Towle of Hampton, and died in 1878. He had one son, Edwin, who with his son Bertram is engaged in the lumber business. Edwin Janvrin was representative in 1883. Joshua Janvrin built a house on the south end of the farm next the Falls river. He mar- ried a daughter of Nathaniel Hubbard Dodge, and died in 1875. His wife died in 1888, aged ninety-two. Nathaniel Hubbard Dodge was born in 1738. His daughter, Mrs. Janvrin, died in 1888, making a span of the two lives of one hundred and fifty years. Joshua had one son, James D., already mentioned, and three dangh- ters. This place was sold to David M. Whittier, who came from Scotland. After his death the place was owned by John Bishop for a number of years. Mrs. Aiken purchased the place and pre- sented it to the Baptist church for a parsonage in 1894. Joshua Janvrin's barn was burned in 1845.
The house just over the bridge, known as the "mill house," was built by Dudley Dodge and intended for the residence of those who operated the clothing mill. It was occupied by Johnson, Ham,
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Goodhue, and others. It has been occupied by tenants for many years. A small out-building was burned there in 1885.
On the south side of the Falls river and near the top of the hill lived Judge Henry Green. He was the ancestor of the Greens, who have sinee lived in the town. He was here as early as 1653. He received a grant of land in 1648 in consideration of his building a water mill. He built the first mill at the place since known as "Dodge's mills." He was a prominent man in his time, having been a member of the council from 1685 until 1689 and from 1692 to 1698; chief justice of the court of common pleas in 1697 and 1698. As a judge he was unpopular, having acted in the interest of Mason and Cranfield against the land owners. He died August 5, 1700. Capt. Jacob Green, in 1700, took down the old mill and built a new one, the town granting him the same privilege his father had had. In 1679, Henry Green had permission to put in a sec- ond dam above the mill. Jacob Green died in 1726. Nathan Longfellow came from Newbury in 1712, married Mary, daughter of Capt. Jacob Green, in 1713, and probably lived here. Capt. Jacob Green gave his property to Nathan Longfellow, his grandson and son of Nathan Longfellow, 1st, who continued to own the mills until 1764, when he sold them to Col. Jonathan Moulton. Green Longfellow, son of Nathan, 1st, died of small-pox in 1760. Jona- than, another son, married Mercy Clark in 1731 and moved to Nottingham. Abigail, daughter of Nathan, 1st, married Benjamin Brown and lived in South Hampton; Anna married Nehemiah Brown of Kensington.
Near Ram hill lived a family named Lang. The slight rise in the road has since been called Lang's hill. The name of Lang appears as early as 1743 and disappears before 1787. We do not find that any of the name ever held any office in the town. Stephen Lang married a daughter of Meshech Weare, and among his chil- dren was Nabby, who lived at the Weare place and died in 1864. Other children lived in North Hampton or Stratham.
In a house which stood near Merrill's slaughter house lived John Hardy, son of Bradbury. He was rated from 1801 to 1825. He was one of the soldiers who went from this town to Portsmouth in the war of 1812 and 1814.
William and Gyles Fifield, supposed to have been brothers, came from Newbury to Hampton in 1639, and settled upon what is known as Sandy lane. Gyles married Mary, daughter of Abraham Perkins, in 1652, and removed to Charlestown, Mass., in 1757. In
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1713, Mary, daughter of his son Richard, married Samuel Adams, a rich merchant of Boston. She was the mother of Gov. Samuel Adams, the patriot. William became prominent in Hampton, and owned what has since been known as the Fifield farm on the south road. His son Benjamin married Mary Colcord and succeeded his father. Early in August, 1706, upon a Sabbath morning, as he was coming from his pasture on horseback, he was killed by some Indians who were lying in ambush, and a lad, who was his kinsman, was carried away. He was killed near a large rock, and the farm is now called "Indian Rock farm," because of this event. He was about sixty years old. His son Jonathan lived here, and married Hannah Wait. He was town clerk from 1735 to 1759; selectman, in 1720, 1723, 1728, 1732, 1737, 1741, 1742, 1743, 1745, 1747, and was prominent in all town matters. He was not less prominent in the church, where he was deacon for many years, and was succeeded by his son Lieut. George, who married Mary, daughter of Elisha Marston of Hampton. He was selectman in 1789, 1792, 1795, and rated for the last time in 1805. His son Richard, first rated in 1795, married a daughter of Samuel Lane, and lived where Levi E. Lane now lives. He removed to Piermont about 1819. Some of his descendants live in that vicinity and in Vermont. His son Jonathan lived upon the homestead, and was rated from 1799 until his death in 1818. He married, first, Sarah, daughter of John Brown of Scabrook, and had one daughter, Mary, who married Joshua Janvrin of Seabrook. She had one daughter, Josephine, who married William Beckman. His second wife was a Fogg, and had three children, George and Sophronia, who were unmarried, and Clarissa, who after her sister's death married Joshua Janvrin, and had one son. Lieut. George had three daughters. One mar- ried David Garland of Hampton; another, David Chase of this town; a third, Betsey, married Dudley Dodge. She was the pioneer of the Baptist church in this town, and died in 1855. John Fifield, son of Benjamin, was living in Kingston in 1726. The name be- came extinct in this town in 1844. Samuel Batchelder, son of Moses, bought the farm in 1846, made extensive improvements upon the buildings, and brought the land, which was badly run down, to a high state of cultivation. He married Abigail, daughter of Jacob Noyes of Seabrook. He was largely engaged in handling ship and other heavy timber, and died in 1858. He had a son Samuel, who died in Kensington in 1896, and a daughter, who married John Boody. After Samuel Batchelder's death the farm was owned by his brother, John T., for a number of years, and sold in 1886 to George F. Merrill of Newburyport, who was son of Enoch,
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who married Hannah Moulton of Newburyport and has four chil- dren. Samuel Batchelder was an original abolitionist, and was firm and steadfast in that belief until his death.
In a house which stood near the gravel pit at Bennett's bridge lived John Smith, who came from Rye and married Nancy, daugh- ter of James Sanborn. His name does not appear upon the record. He died in 1846. The house was removed in 1851. He had four daughters, one of whom married Benjamin Henderson; one, Walter Dow, and one, John C. Gove. Lucy was unmarried. All are de- ceased.
A family named Bennett lived near the bridge where the Falls river crosses the road. The name of Bennett appears as early as 1747, and continues until 1841. Caleb, Jeremiah, and Edward lived here.
Where Andrew J. Chase lives was the homestead of David Per- kins, who died about 1810. Two of his sons lived in this town. Capt. Nathaniel, who lived upon the homestead, built the house about 1806. He married a daughter of James Janvrin. His brother Joseph lived where Dr. Sanborn lives and was prominent in town affairs. John L., son of Captain Perkins, lived at the turnpike. Other sons removed to Maine. His daughter married Gen. C. A. Nason. The premises were afterward owned by Chevey Chase, son of Daniel. His wife was a Fogg. He had two sons and several daughters. Andrew J. lives upon the home place. He went to California in 1849. Chevey P. lives at Fogg's corner.
The house where the Blatchford family live was built by Andrew J. Chase, and occupied by him for a number of years. He sold it in 1870 to Nathaniel Blatchford, who came from Massachusetts. He was a butcher, did a large business, and died in 1888.
The house on the opposite side of the road was built in 1880 by Laroy Eaton, who came from Seabrook and married a daughter of Nathaniel Blatchford.
On the corner was the homestead of Jeremiah Gove, who mar- ried a daughter of Philip Pervear. His wife kept a store and did quite a business. They had a son, Jeremiah, who was father of Aaron M. and Charles C. Gove and of Mrs. Ezekiel Gove. He died in 1846. Ezekiel Gove came from Weare, and lived here until his death in 1875. His son John C. lived upon the home place, was a veterinary, and died in 1895. Another son, Charles H., lives in Exeter. Two of his daughters married Samuel Peryear. Another daughter married Charles W. Durgin, who was a soldier from this
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town in the war of the Rebellion. S. B. Pervear, son of Samuel, now lives here.
Where Warren B. Pervear lives was the homestead of Aaron M. Gove, who married Sarah Hilton. He was a blacksmith, and re- moved to the hill about 1836. He had a son Daniel, who died in early manhood. His son Frank married Sarah Wadleigh, and at one time kept a store in Hampton. Afterward he removed to New Rutland, Ill. Bradbury Hardy occupied the place until his death in 1866. He married a daughter of Daniel Pervear. Warren B. Pervear, son of Joseph, is the present occupant. He has three sons. Norris B. has been a blacksmith in Seabrook for many years; W. H., a blacksmith in Salisbury. Edwin, who married a daugh- ter of Nathaniel Blatchford, lives in a cottage house built on the homestead situated upon the cross road. One daughter married Charles P. Coombs. Norris B. and W. H. married daughters of Willliam Boynton of Seabrook.
The next house above was built in Kensington by Samuel Lam- prey, and moved to its present location by George Sherburne, who married a daughter of Jonathan Weare, in 1880. It is now occu- pied by Stephen Perkins, who came from Lebanon, Me. He mar- ried a daughter of Benjamin F. Weare.
In a small house which stood just above lived Green Hoag and his sister Ellis. Their father, Hussey Hoag, was a Revolutionary soldier. Green Hoag went with the company to Portsmouth in the war of 1812, and died about 1874. The boys used to annoy them by rolling rocks off the hill which came down against the house.
Homestead of Billy Dodge. He was son of Nathaniel H., and married Jemima Eastman of Kensington. He died in 1818. His widow married Dr. John True of Pittsfield, who lived here until his death in 1838. Josiah Smith came from Seabrook, and lived here until his death in 1870. He had three daughters, Mrs. Charles F. Chase, Mrs. Benjamin F. Weare, and Mary A., who was unmar- ried. Harrison G. Prescott from Newburyport lived here for a number of years. Charles P. Coombs, a native of Amesbury, mar- ried a daughter of Warren B. Pervear, and is the present occupant. Josiah Smith was rated from 1836 to 1870; John True, from 1821 to 1838. Mrs. True died in 1858, aged eighty-seven.
Homestead of David Chase, son of Daniel. He was selectman in 1824 and 1825; representative in 1829 and 1831, and died in 1840. His son John lived upon the home place for many years,
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and afterward moved to Hampton, where he died. Charles F. was for twenty-five years railroad station agent at Hampton Falls. He died about 1885. George A. was a blacksmith, and lived in Ken- sington. His daughters are Mrs. Newell Dow of Kensington, Mrs. Retire H. Parker of Exeter, and Miss Abigail Chase. John L. Chase, a grandson of Capt. Toppan Chase, came from Seabrook, and has lived here for many years. He died in 1899.
On the opposite side of the road, a house was erected by L. L. ('hase, son of John L. He was a blacksmith and worked in the shop near the house.
Homestead of Reuben Hardy, deceased. His son Charles A. occupies the premises. He married a daughter of Richard Fogg, and has a son John engaged in trade at Exeter. Jerome lives in Newburyport. His daughter Edna has taught school in this town for many years. George L., son of Reuben, lived in Raymond. He was "boss" of a section for a long time on the Concord & Ports- mouth Railroad, and died in 1895.
On the lane south of C. A. Hardy's house is the residence of Dan- iel E. Peryear, son of Samuel. He was a soldier in the war of the Rebellion. He married a daughter of John C. Kenniston. She died in 1888. He was representative in 1892.
Where Frank Pervear lives was the homestead of Daniel Pervear. who came here from Exeter early in the present century. Daniel Pervear died in 1836. His widow died in 1859, aged eighty-three. He had six sons, Daniel, Joseph, Samuel, Burnham, Bradbury, and Meshech, and one daughter, Mrs. Bradbury Hardy. Samuel Per- vear lived here until his death. His sons were Daniel E., Samnel L., Sylvanus B., and Frank, who lives on the homestead. Samuel Pervear was twice married, to daughters of Ezekiel Gove. Frank Pervear married a daughter of Albert Young.
Homestead of Joseph Pervear, son of Daniel. He died about 1880. His sons, Mark, Stephen, and Sewell, are residents of Lynn, Mass. Warren B. lives in this town. Sylvester lives in Brent- wood. Sewell and Sylvester were soldiers in the Eleventh New Hampshire Regiment of Volunteers. Sylvester was severely wounded and lost an eye in the service. After Joseph Peryear's death the premises were occupied by Samuel L. Pervear, son of Samuel, for a number of years. He sold the place to Alexander Short, who came from Newburyport, and is the present occupant.
The house on the side of the hill was built by Ezra Fogg, son of Richard. He married Sarah, daughter of Reuben Hardy. He is
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a manufacturer of essences and extracts, a noted fox hunter, and is commonly called Dr. Fogg.
The old Hardy house was the residence of Bradbury Hardy and Jonathan, his son, who died in 1817. His sons were Green, Reu- ben, Charles, Bradbury, and George. Green Hardy lived here for many years, and died about 1882. The house has been used as a place for holding religious meetings, which were largely attended by those living in this part of the town and in other places. Jona- than's daughter Lydia married Levi Jenness. George, son of Jona- than, lived in Exeter near Newfields line. He had one son.
Above the old Hardy house on the same side of the way was the residence of Charles Hardy, son of Jonathan. He married an Ord- way from Newburyport, and died about 1885. An adopted son enlisted in the English army during the Crimean War and served ten years, returning in 1868. His name was Charles L. Hardy. He lived in Exeter for a number of years, and died about 1886.
Going down the Crank road the first house we come to was built by Burnham Pervear about 1855. In early life he was a morocco dresser and lived in Waltham, Mass. His sons were engaged in the morocco business at Lynn and became wealthy and influential citi- zens of that city. His son Burnham E. was a soldier from this town in the Eleventh New Hampshire Regiment. Horace lives in this town. John E. Hardy, son of Charles A., bought the place and repaired the buildings in 1892. A small barn was burned here about 1874. The buildings were all destroyed by fire in July, 1897.
The next is the homestead of Levi Jenness, who came from Rye and was rated here for the first time in 1835. He married Lydia, daughter of Jonathan Hardy. He built the buildings and occu- pied them until his death in 1896, at the age of cighty-three. Mrs. Jenness kept and cared for the town's poor; during the later years the poor were cared for in the towns. Mrs. Jenness died in 1894, aged eighty years. An adopted son, Edwin A., is the present occu- pant of the premises.
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