USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Peterborough > History of the town of Peterborough, Hillsborough county, New Hampshire > Part 51
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Nancy Curtis, b. April 7, 1787 ; m. Abel Gibbs ; 2d hus., Samuel Maynard.
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Roxanna, b. Aug. 18, 1792 ; unm. ; d. June, 1874, æ. 82 yrs.
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HORATIO N. PORTER, a race distinct from the above, was b. March 8, 1811 ; m. Harriet Nay, dau. of Maj. Samuel Nay, of Sharon, March 31, 1835. He d. Sept. 9, 1852, æ. 41 yrs. He was engaged in staging and carrying the United States mail for some years, up to the time of his death.
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¡Samuel Nay, b. March 7, 1837 ; m. Jane H. Steele, March 20, 1861.
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SAMUEL N. PORTER. He m. Jane H. Steele, dau. of Edwin Steele, March 20, 1861. He is a dentist, and took the degree of D.D.S., conferred by the Dental Col- lege at Philadelphia, and now practises his profession in town. Chosen town clerk in 1869 ; town treasurer, 1873, '74,'75,'76.
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Frank Irving, b. Dec. 12, 1861 ; d. Aug. 8, 1862, æ. 8 mos. Fred Howard, b. Sept. 29, 1864.
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THE POWERS FAMILY.
Of WILLIAM POWERS we know very little, only that he came to town quite early and bought his place, being a
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WILLIAM POWERS.
part of Capt. Thomas Morison's mill-farm, on which he built a house and erected clothing-works, and lived here, doing more or less work at his trade for twenty-five years. But he became very poor, and gave up his farm to the town for his support, which was sold to T. K. Ames, in 1815, and afterwards by him to Franklin Mears. Of his family we know little or nothing ; no one living remem- bers anything of them ; they must have left town early in the century. Mr. Powers was a clothier by trade, and the first in town. We do not know whether he died here or not, nor when. It is a family entirely distinct from the one which follows.
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WHITCOMB POWERS was b. in Hollis, April 17, 1756, and d. in Peterborough, Nov. 19, 1826, æ. 70 yrs., 7 mos. He m., Ist w., Feb. 24, 1780, Keziah Loring, b. in Lex- ington, April 19, 1761. All the ch. by first w. d. young. She d. March 16, 1790, æ. 28 yrs., 10 mos. ; m., 2d w., April 21, 1791, Miriam Bond, Dublin, b. July 6, 1768 ; d. Dec. 20, 1839, æ. 71 yrs., 5 mos.
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Polly, b. July 6, 1792 ; d. Oct. 15, 1792, æ. 9 mos. Polly D., b. Jaffrey, June 29, 1793 ; m. Riley Goodridge, Nov. 8, 1830.
Miriam B., b. Nov. 17, 1795 ; m. Collins H. Jaquith, Sept. 17, 1816; ch., (1) Ziba C .; (2) Mary O .; (3) Edwin F .; (4) Jonas H .; (5) Elbridge A .; (6) Ame- lia M .; (7) Sarah M .; (8) Alfred ; (9) Frederick P. ; (10) Addison B .; (II) Sanford A .; r. Keene; now Oakfield, N. J.
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Nabby, b. May 22, 1798 ; d. Nov. 9, 1800, æ. 2 yrs., 5 mos. Betsey M., b. June 21, 1800 ; m. Charles M. Howe, Dec. II, 1823.
Mehitable B., b. Sept. 2, 1802 ; unm. ; d. Nov. 25, 1873, æ. 71 yrs.
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Lydia A., b. April 28, 1805 ; m. Hugh Smith, Septem- ber, 1837 ; he d. 1843 ; m., 2d hus., James Williams, October, 1855.
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Francis W. G., b. June 27, 1808 ; m. Elizabeth Hunt, Oct. 22, 1855 ; d. May 30, 1871, æ. 63 yrs. She d. May 23, 1870, æ. 52 yrs.
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William M., b. July 23, 1811 ; m. Mary Clark, Sept. 10, 1838 ; r. Council Bluffs, Ia.
Stephen F., b. July 11, 1814 ; d. April 20, 1815, æ. 9 mos.
THE PRENTICE FAMILY.
I NATHANIEL, PRENTICE, a clothier by trade, was the son of William H. and Sarah Edes Prentice, b. Dec. 15,
ELIJAH PUFFER.
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1755, in Boston. He re. to New Ipswich in 1778, and commenced his business there ; was the first clothier in town. He m. Anna, dau. of Benjamin Hoar, the third settler in New Ipswich, b. Feb. 25, 1760. He d. in Peterborough, March 15, 1825, æ. 70 yrs. She d. in Peterborough, Nov. 8, 1824, æ. 64 yrs. He came to town early in the century, and carried on the clothing business in Samuel Smith's shop.
William H., b. New Ipswich, Jan. 22, 1781 ; m. Sally Whipple ; r. Boston.
Nancy, b. New Ipswich, Feb. 22, 1783 ; m. Isaac Pack- ard, Stoughton, Mass.
Polly, b. New Ipswich, May 12, 1785 ; m. Aaron Salter, paper-maker ; ch., (1) William; (2) Sarah Jane ; (3) Mary Ann ; d. May 26, 1826, æ. 41 yrs.
Nathaniel, b. April 2, 1787.
Alfred, b. Sept. 2, 1789 ; d. Jan. 18, 1790.
John, b. Feb. 18, 1791 ; d. Nov. 21, 1802, æ. II yrs.
Alfred, b. May 5, 1793.
Patty, b. Sept. 27, 1795 ; d. April 15, 1838, æ. 43 yrs.
Sumner, b. April 28, 1798 ; d. Sept. 18, 1843, æ. 45 yrs. Lona, b. Sept. 18, 1800 ; m. James Perham, March 6, 1825 ; re. to Indianapolis, Ind., 1834. She d. June 18, 1846, æ. 46 yrs. He d. 1862. He left a large family. All settled in the West.
Lucy, b. June 20, 1803 ; d. August, 1806, æ. 3 yrs.
THE PRIEST FAMILY.
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JABEZ B. PRIEST (Dr.) came to town as a practitioner of medicine, in 1816, and continued in the same till his death, Aug. 17, 1826, by the epidemic dysentery of that year ; æ. 36 yrs. He attained a large business, and was quite successful as a physician. He m. Fanny Moore, dau. of John Moore, April 4, 1820.
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Charles B., b. Jan. 25, 1821 ; d. Aug. 29, 1826, æ. 5 yrs. John M., b. April 26, 1825 ; d. Aug. 22, 1826, æ. I yr., 3 mos.
THE PUFFER FAMILY.
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ELIJAH PUFFER was b. in Norton, Mass., Aug. 18, 1738, and d. at Peterborough, Feb. 28, 1816, æ. 78 yrs. He m., May 20, 1764, Elizabeth Jackson, b. in Abing- ton, Mass., June 19, 1744 ; d. in Peterborough, April 7, 1822, æ. 78 yrs. They probably came to Peterborough
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ELIJAH PUFFER.
soon after their marriage in 1764. They first lived on a place north of Gen. David Steele's. In 1786, he ex- changed this farm for the farm now occupied by the fam- ily, in the north-west part of the town. Elijah Puffer was one of a family of twelve children. He was out in the French war, and at one time was stationed at Fort Cum- berland.
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Matilda, b. Jan. 26, 1765 ; d. Feb. 28, 1771, æ. 6 yrs. Polly, b. Aug. 25, 1766 ; d. Nov. 30, 1790, æ. 24 yrs.
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Betsey, b. Aug. 11, 1768 ; m. John Nay.
Esther, b. Dec. 18, 1770 ; d. Feb. 27, 1801, æ. 31 yrs.
Elijah, b. Feb. 25, 1773 ; d. July 29, 1777, æ. 4 yrs., 6 mos.
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Samuel, b. Jan. 13, 1777 ; d. ; æ. 12 dys.
Matilda, b. April 3, 1778 ; d. ; æ. 14 dys.
Elijah, b. July 16, 1779 ; m., March 29, 1802, Betsey Wares ; r. Colchester, Vt., and d. there.
t William, b. April 15, 1781 ; m., Ist w., Nancy Howe ; 2d w., Mrs. Syrena C. Nay.
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Sally, b. Jan. 10, 1783 ; unm. ; d. November, 1868, æ. 85 yrs.
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John, b. Nov. 3, 1786 ; d. May 1, 1787, æ. 6 mos.
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John, b. March 13, 1791 ; m., April 9, 1818, Susan Moors ; d., February, 1862, at Indiana ; ch., (1) John ; (2) Susan.
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WILLIAM PUFFER. He succeeded his father on the homestead. He m., Ist w., Nancy Howe, dau. Samuel Howe, Dec. 29, 1818. She d. Feb. 18, 1845, æ. 44 yrs., 8 mos. ; m., 2d w., Mrs. Syrena C. Nay, wid. of B. Allen Nay, Oct. 18, 1845. He d. March 1, 1870, æ. 88 yrs.
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Elizabeth Ann, b. May 7, 1821 ; m. John Averill, Nov. 5, 1845.
Edwin, b. March 17, 1823 ; unm. ; r. North Weare. William W., b. Dec. 12, 1827 ; unm .; r. California. +Alvah, b. Jan. 8, 1837 ; m. Delle E. Parker.
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ALVAH PUFFER. He occupies the homestead. He m. Delle E. Parker, dau. John Parker, June 6, 1861.
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Mary E., b. Dec. 2, 1867. Myra L., b. Aug. 14, 1869 ; d. Aug. 7, 1870, æ. I yr. Minnie F., b. April 8, 1871 ; d. Nov. 10, 1872, æ. I yr., 7 mos.
2I Grace L., b. March 6, 1874.
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CHARLES R. RICHARDSON.
THE RICHARDSON FAMILY.
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SAMUEL RICHARDSON (Dr.), son of Ebenezer and Rhoda Coolidge Richardson, was b. in Newton, Mass., Jan. 13, 1795. He studied medicine with Drs. Kidder, of Townsend, Mass., and Spaulding, of Amherst, and attended medical lectures at Dartmouth Medical College, Hanover. He commenced his practice in Peterborough, 1820, and after practising here about twenty years, he removed, about 1839, to Watertown, Mass., where he now resides. He m. Mary Kidder. She was b. in Townsend, and d. in Watertown, Oct. 9, 1861; m., 2d w., Sarah M. Barnard, June 23, 1873.
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Ebenezer Coolidge, b. April 25, 1821 ; m. Clara R. Hart- well; Nov. 5, 1847 ; ch., (1) Mari Aneta, b. Feb. 4, 1849 ; m. Marshal O. West, Sept. 4, 1873 ; r. Dan- bury, Ct .; (2) Carrie V., b. Sept. 19, 1852 ; m. E. Howard Baker, June 19, 1873; r. Ware, Mass .; (3) Harriet G., b. Nov. 3, 1854; (4) Lottie H., b. March 29, 1857 ; (5) Mattie R., b. July 11, 1861 ; (6) Edward C., b. July 2, 1870 ; d. May 22, 1872, æ. I yr., 10 mos. He studied the medical profession, and took his degree at Harvard University Medical Department, 1842, and is now a practising physician in Ware, Mass., in high standing in the community.
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Harriet C., b. May 18, 1823 ; m. Symmes Gardner, Bos- ton, December, 1842 ; ch., (1) Frank, b. June 13, 1846 ; d. April 6, 1850, æ. 3 yrs., 9 mos. ; (2) Charles Bart- lett, b. March 31, 1850 ; m. Abbie Walker, June 6, 1872. Mrs. Gardner d. in Paris, France, March 4, 1870, æ. 46 yrs., 9 mos. Symmes Gardner d. Sept. 6, 1873.
Sarah E., b. April 1, 1829 ; d. July 29, 1834, æ. 5 yrs.
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REUEL RICHARDSON, son of Abijah and Elizabeth Richardson, of Dublin, a race distinct from the above, was b. in Peterborough, Sept. 2, 1793, and d. in town, Aug. 4, 1873, æ. 79 yrs., II mos. He came to Peter- borough to live in 1820, and bought a farm in the north- west part of the town, where he remained till his death. He m. Betsey Davis, b. April 6, 1798, of Hancock, May 31, 1821.
Fane, b. April 22, 1822.
Betsey, b. Nov. 26, 1823 ; d. May 13, 1828, æ. 4 yrs., 5 mos.
4 ¡ Charles R., b. July 10, 1827 ; m., Sept. 10, 1850, Mary Eliza Fay.
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MARY E. RICHARDSON.
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Mary E., b. July 31, 1829. Nancy D., b. June 11, 1832 ; d. April 9, 1874, æ. 41 yrs., 9 mos. Emeline L., b. Feb. 19, 1834. t Joshua, b. Nov. 20, 1837 ; m., Oct. 6, 1858, Almeda L. Bullard.
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CHARLES R. RICHARDSON. He resides in north-west part of town, near Barker's paper-mill. He m., Sept. 10, 1850, Mary Eliza Fay.
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Alfaretta, b. Aug. 2, 1851.
Clara E., b. April 22, 1853.
Fred, b. Feb. 13, 1855.
Emmagene L., ( b. Jan. 1, 1860.
Emegine,
Josephine M., b. Sept. 27, 1862.
Fannie f., b. October, 1868.
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JOSHUA RICHARDSON. He resides on the homestead. He m., Oct. 6, 1858, Almeda L. Bullard, b. Oct. 21, 1832.
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Flora F., b. Sept. 27, 1861.
THE RITCHIE FAMILY.
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WILLIAM RITCHIE,* William McNee, and John Taggart were among the earliest permanent settlers in town. William Ritchie and his wife, Mary Waugh, came to Peterborough for a permanent residence, probably in 1749 or '50, and perhaps a little earlier. He took up his residence in the south part of the town. His son John, b. Feb. 11, 1750, was the first child b. in town. William Ritchie was b. 1728 ; d. at Peterborough, June I, 1767, æ. 59 yrs. His wid. d. Jan. 16, 1793, æ. 69 yrs.
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John, b. Feb. 11, 1750, was the first child b. in Peter- borough. The date is, according to the town record, "John, b. Feb. II, in 1750." He was a six weeks' man in the service of the colonies, in the winter of 1776, and d. at Cambridge during this period, æ. 26 yrs. The proprietors of the town, at a meeting of the same in Peterborough, at the house of Alexander Scott, Sept. 27, 1753, "Voted, That there be granted unto John Ritchie, son of William Ritchie, Lot No. 19,
* This name was spelled by the early settlers Richey, but has of late been changed to Ritchie, which spelling has been generally adopted by the descendants.
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ROBERT RITCHIE.
containing fifty acres, to him, his heirs and assigns forever." Then follow the bounds of the lot. It does not designate why this grant is made. This note is made by Judge Smith : "First child born in Peter- borough."
Mary, b. Nov. 24, 1752 ; m. Capt. - Wilson, Cole- raine, Mass.
t James, b. March 10, 1754 ; m. Sarah Dunlap.
Fenny, b. 1756 ; d. Oct. 1, 1758, æ. 2 yrs.
Martha, b. Aug. 12, 1759 ; m. Thomas Smith ; 2d hus., George W. Miller, Coleraine.
t Robert, b. Dec. 3, 1763 ; m. Mehitable Putnam.
There was a garrison near the Ritchie place, for resort in case of danger.
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JAMES RITCHIE. He lived and d. on what is called the " Ritchie place," in the south part of the town. Mr. Dunbar says, in the church records, in recording his death, " A pious man." He d. March 6, 1806, æ. 5 1 yrs. He m., April 20, 1780, Sarah Dunlap, b. Aug. 30, 1759 ; she d. Aug. 4, 1832, æ. 73 yrs.
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William, b. March 25, 1781. He m. Clarissa Kimball. She d. at Needham ; four ch., William, James, Sophia, and Kimball. He graduated at Dartmouth College, 1804, studied divinity, and was settled in the ministry in Canton, July 1, 1807. Mr. Dunbar preached the ordination sermon, text, Luke ix., 60. He removed from Canton to Needham, where he preached many years, and where he d. Feb. 22, 1842, æ. 60 yrs. He was present at the centennial celebration of Peter- borough, 1839, and responded to a sentiment, which speech is published, and also took part in the devo- tional exercises of the occasion.
John, b. Aug. 22, 1782 ; unm. ; d. April 17, 1845, æ. 63 vrs.
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Margaret, b. March 27, 1784; m. Leonard Cragin ; r. Westminster, Vt. ; d. June 13, 1870, æ. 86 yrs. t James, b. Jan. 20, 1789 ; m. Rebecca Fletcher. Sally, b. April 22, 1793 ; m., Sept. 30, 1819, John D. Barry ; d. Chicago, June, 1870, æ. 77 yrs. ; two ch. t Robert, b. July 27, 1798 ; m. Mary Hutchinson ; r. East Jaffrey.
Polly, b. Aug. 1, 1787 ; d. Dec. 22, 1795, æ. 8 yrs.
ROBERT RITCHIE. He m. Mehitable Putnam, of Lyndeboro. She d. Jan. 5, 1860, æ. 87 yrs. He .d. Nov. 23, 1832, æ. 69 yrs. He lived upon a farm on the
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ROBERT RITCHIE.
mountain, in the south-east part of the town. He received, in the distribution of his father's property, the land given by the proprietors to his brother John, for his birthright, Lot No. 19, situated on Temple line, in south- east part of the town.
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Mary, b. Sept. 17, 1804 ; unm. ; has been blind some years.
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JAMES RITCHIE. He first lived on the George Dun- can place, or the Capt. Isaac Hadley farm. He ex- changed this for a farm north of Silas Barber's, where he d. He m. Rebecca Fletcher, Sept. 16, 1810 ; she d. Feb. 21, 1872 ; he d. April 13, 1849, æ. 60 yrs., 2 mos.
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John, b. Dec. 6, 1810; m. Nancy Melvin. Fames, b. Aug. 25, 1813 ; d. Nov. 3, 1815, æ. 2 yrs. Joseph F., b. Nov. 9, 1816 ; m. Sarah R. Thorning ; d. Sept. 9, 1853, æ. 36 yrs., 10 mos.
James, b. Feb. 9, 1819 ; d. March 9, 1819, æ. I mo.
Charlotte, b. May 31, 1822 ; m. George Flanders ; r. Prairie du Sac, Sauk Co., Wis. ; one dau., Ella Jane. Charles F., b. July 18, 1827 ; r. Sumpter, Wis.
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Louisa f., b. Nov. 29, 1832 ; d. April 15, 1853, æ. 20. yrs., 4 mos.
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ROBERT RITCHIE lived in Peterborough till 1835, when he re. to Jaffrey, and purchased the Pope farm, so called ; has now sold his farm and r. in the village. He m. Mary Hutchinson, of Wilton, March 4, 1823 ; b. March 20, 1802.
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James, b. Jan. 11, 1824 ; went West ; residence unknown. Samuel, b. July 19, 1825 ; m. Caroline Jackson ; r. Charlestown, Mass.
John, b. June 21, 1827 ; unm.
Wm. Robert, b. April 16, 1829 ; unm. ; re. to California. George C., b. May 5, 1831 ; unm.
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Mary Jane, b. Jan. 20, 1833 ; m. W. H. Pratt ; he d. in the war of the Rebellion. One ch., William H., b. Sept. 1, 1860.
Alvin, b. Feb. 24, 1835. Suppose d. in war; unheard of ; enlisted in Illinois.
Darius, b. Jaffrey, Aug. 12, 1836 ; d. at Buffalo, Aug. 25, 1863, of sickness, on his way home; a soldier in the war of the Rebellion.
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Henry, b. Nov. 7, 1837 ; unm. ; killed in battle, Sept. 30, 1864.
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WILLIAM ROBBE.
Edmund F., b. Dec. 10, 1839 ; d. in hospital in Phila- delphia, Nov. 26, 1862 ; a soldier in the war of 1861. Sarah M., b. May 27, 1842 ; unm. Adelbert, b. Feb. 13, 1846.
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JOHN RITCHIE lived some years after his marriage in Peterborough, then re. to Lowell. He now r. in Platts- mouth, Nebraska. He m. Nancy Melvin, dau. of Reu- ben Melvin, b. Feb. 26, 181I.
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James Clinton, b. Nov. 24, 1845. Clara Maria, b. Lowell, July 24, 1850 ; d. Lowell, Jan. 7, 1857, æ. 6 yrs., 5 mos.
THE ROBBE FAMILY.
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WILLIAM ROBBE, by all accounts, was one of the ear- liest settlers in Peterborough. There is, however, much uncertainty in regard to his history. He was b. in Ty- rone County, Ireland, in 1692. From the town records of Lunenburg, which are in a perfect state of preserva- tion, and from the records of the church of that ancient town, by the careful examination of George A. Cunning- ham, Esq., of that town, who has kindly furnished us with these facts, we are enabled to give the following ac- count : -
"William Robbe had two wives, both m. in Ireland. His first wife's name was Elizabeth -, by whom he had one daughter, Margaret, b. Aug. 10, 1717 ; after this followed seven sons in succession, and whether this woman or his last wife, Agnes Patterson, was the mother of these sons we are uncertain. We incline to believe that his first wife died soon after the birth of Margaret, and that he soon m. Agnes Patterson, and that she was the mother of the seven sons, of whom William, the seventh, was born in 1730, and that the family emigrated to America between 1730 and '33, and during this period Mr. Robbe took up his residence in Lunenburg, for by the church records he and his wife, Agnes, were ad- mitted to full communion, July 29, 1733, and that their daughter, Elizabeth, b. Oct. 2, was baptized Oct. 14, 1733.' "
This view of the case would seem to correspond with the representation given by Mr. Dunbar in his sketch of Peterborough, 1822, probably received by him from friends then living who knew the facts.
He says, "the first fruit of Mr. Robbe's marriage was a daughter, then seven sons in succession, then another
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WILLIAM ROBBE.
daughter." All this family but the youngest, Elizabeth, was b. in Ireland. Of three of the sons we know noth- ing ; they may have died early in Ireland. We have a record of the four who came to town, John, James, Alex- ander, and William. All the race in town are descend- ants of Alexander and William. John and James left town early, and we know little or nothing of their de- scendants. Of the two daughters we know nothing. In an old Bible, in the possession of Mrs. A. P. Morrison, we find written the name of William Robbe, Townsend, April 14, 1747, and on another leaf that of Alexander Robbe, Jan. 29, 1748-9, Townsend. This would lead us to conjecture that before emigrating to Peterborough they removed to Townsend. The last tax against the family in Lunenburg is a poll-tax of John Robbe, 1743. William Robbe took up his land west of the John Little farm, constituting what was known as the Mitchell and Bailey farms, the latter of which he gave to his son John, and to William the former.
At a town meeting held March 29, 1763, it was voted " That William Robbe, called in the warrant 'Old William Robbe,' be permitted to build a seat for him- self, at his own expense, at the left hand of the pulpit, and he may sit on it as long as he pleases." He m. Agnes Patterson, in Ireland, b. 1685, who d. in Pet- erborough, Sept. 8, 1762, æ. 77 yrs. He was b. 1692, and d. Peterborough, Dec. 5, 1769, æ. 77 yrs. They are both buried in the Little Cemetery on the meeting- house hill.
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Margaret, b. Ireland, Aug. 10, 1717.
John, b. Ireland, (4) t Fames, b. Ireland, 1 Alexander, b. Ireland, 1726; m. Elizabeth Cuningham. t William, b. Sudbury, Mass., Nov. 22, 1730; m. Eleanor Craton.
Elizabeth, b. Lunenburg, Oct 2, 1733.
JOHN ROBBE. He was highway surveyor for 1760, '61, '62, '68, '69, and constable for 1772, after which his name does not appear on the town records. He prob- ably left town before the American Revolution. His father gave him land on the west side of the river, con- stituting what was long known as the Bailey farm. We find by the town records that his wife's name was Eliza- beth and the births of the following ch. are recorded.
8 David, b. Oct. 13, 1752. (9) Agnes, b. May 2, 1754.
IO Eleanor, b. March 21, 1757. (II) Andrew, b. Oct. 3, 1761.
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WILLIAM ROBBE.
I- 4 JAMES ROBBE. We know even less of him than of John. He was present at the first meeting of the town after incorporation, and was chosen a selectman for 1760, and also the succeeding year, and his name appears as a constable in 1774, after which his name does not appear. His wife's name was Jean -.
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Samuel, b. Oct. 11, 1760. William, b. April 14, 1762.
Fames, b. April 2, 1764.
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ALEXANDER ROBBE. He came to town with his father's family about 1750, from Townsend, probably, and began the place where he lived and died, known as the Daniel Robbe farm, now owned by Samuel Adams. He was a captain in the military of that day, and commanded in an alarm, in 1777, of five days ; was also mustered by Col. Enoch Hale to serve five months, 1776. He held the office of selectman seven years, viz. : 1763, '69, '71, '83, '84, '85, '86. He m. Elizabeth Cuningham, dau. of Thomas and Jenny Craton Cuningham, July 9, 1754. She d. Aug. 28, 1798, æ. 64 yrs. He d. Feb. 3, 1806, æ. 80 yrs. In the church records, Mr. Dunbar says : "Feb. 5, 1806, attended funeral of Capt. Alexander Robbe, æ. 80 yrs. Rev. Mr. Sprague offered prayers."
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t William, b. June 19, 1755 ; m. Polly Taggart.
Elizabeth, b. Jan. 10, 1757 ; d. Nov. 29, 1757, æ. 10 mos. Alexander, b. July 6, 1761 ; d. April 17, 1778, æ. 17 yrs. Susannah, b. Dec. 4, 1765 ; m. Samuel Morrison (son of Plato), who was in the Revolutionary service seven years, for which he received a pension granted till his death. She d. Oct. 27, 1848, a. 82 yrs., 10 mos. He d. Oct. 22, 1842, æ. 81 yrs. ; c.
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Thomas, b. April 2, 1768 ; d. Feb. 22, 1793, æ. 25 yrs.
¡ Samuel, b. July 5, 1770 ; m. Betsey Scott.
t James, b. Nov. 6, 1772 ; m. Margaret Taggart, Septem- ber, 1793.
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¡ Daniel, b. April 29, 1775 ; m. Betsey Torrey.
David, b. Oct. 1, 1777 ; m. Betsey Chapman.
Elizabeth, b. April 25, 1759 ; m. Ensign John Taggart, Dublin.
Agnes, b. Sept. 21, 1763 ; m. Nathan Whittemore ; c.
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WILLIAM ROBBE (Lieut.). He was a seventh son in succession, and according to popular belief was endowed with peculiar powers to cure the king's evil, or scrofula. Mr. Robbe appears to have been an influential man in the early records of the town. We find that he was
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WILLIAM ROBBE.
selectman for eight years, 1762, '66, '74, '75, '77, '78, '85, '86, and was one year, 1776, on that most important in the town's history of all its committees, " The Committee of Safety." He held other unimportant offices as tithing- man, pound-keeper, and deer-keeper. He lived on the farm directly west of the Annan farm, so-called, it being a part of farm A, or Gridley lot.
Mr. Robbe was not conscious of possessing any powers beyond those of other men, but from the circumstance of his birth, being the seventh son in regular succession, he was in these times esteemed a gifted person, who should use his supposed powers for the good of mankind. So to his great disadvantage he devoted himself to this business ; for the cure would not come if a fee was paid. He had rather to give his patients a small silver coin - the smallest then known, a fourpence half-penny - to be worn on their necks. If Providence so favored them that they got well, they could then reward him ; but it is rare to all medical experience that such remembrances come to those who have attained health by any of the aids of the healing art! So the good man lost his money, lost his time, and spent his life in the practice of the most nonsensical mummery in the world. He presented the strange paradox of a good man practising deception as long as he lived. At one time Mr. Robbe was so oppressed by callers, and interrupted in his labor, that he removed to Stoddard. But he could not evade the sufferers who had faith in his powers, and followed him to his retreat, and annoyed him as much as ever ; and then he fancied that things did not go well with him, because he was desirous of shirking duties that Divine Providence had laid upon him ; so he returned to Peter- borough, and faithfully devoted himself to the sick and suffering for the remainder of his long life.
His powers were held in universal belief and respect. All classes resorted to him and respected him, and with- held from the delusions all that scathing sarcasm so common to the men then on the stage, with which they were accustomed to put down other follies and absurdi- ties. This delusion has never been reasoned out, never driven out by ridicule alone, but it has been done away by the progress of the times, which have outgrown it, and left it a harmless and innocent folly in which no one now has the least faith.
Mr. Dunbar* says of Mr. Robbe, in his history of the town : "He was a man of a very amiable, disinterested disposition, of modest, unassuming manners, and of in-
* Collections, Topographical, &c., relating to New Hampshire, Vol. I., No. 3, p. 136.
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SAMUEL ROBBE.
flexible uprightness. When questioned as to his extraor- dinary powers, though he acknowledged the undeniable effects which in many cases almost immediately fol- lowed the application of his hand, he would by no means pretend to assign the reason, saying that he knew no more about it than others." He m. Eleanor Craton, dau. of Jenny Cuningham by a former husband, and w. of Thomas Cuningham. She d. July 11, 1826, æ. 84 yrs. He d. June 8, 1815, æ. 85 yrs.
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