USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Peterborough > History of the town of Peterborough, Hillsborough county, New Hampshire > Part 56
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63
William Bruce, b. New York, May 7, 1834 ; m., June 19, 1872, Margaret L. Norton ; r. Baldwin, Queen Co., L. I.
Cornelia Luqueer, b. New York, Oct. 18, 1835 ; m., Sept.
16, 1857, Edward J. Kilbourne ; ch., David Wells, Alanson Jermaine, Cornelia Edna ; r. New York City. Elizabeth M., b. July 5, 1838 ; m., June 17, 1872, Elbert Floyd-Jones, So. Oyster Bay, L. I.
Jeremiah, b. May 30, 1843 ; d.
Francis T. L., b. Jan. 24, 1845 ; d. Oct. 9, 1848, æ. 3 yrs., 8 mos.
Frederick Augustus, b. Nov. 7, 1847 ; d. in New York, Jan. 20, 1875, æ. 24 yrs.
Clarence Beverly, b. Dec. 8, 1850 ; r. New York City.
Frederick A., b. Feb. 8, 1796 ; d. June 29, 1818, æ. 22 yrs. He was a skilful machinist. The following anecdote deserves to be recorded in relation to him : When he had been sent to see the weaving of cotton cloth by the water-loom, at Waltham, Mass., and had gained admission, by a permit from Patrick Jackson, one of the employés at the factory, who showed him the new works, said to Mr. Jackson, "Don't send such young men to inspect our machinery, if you do not want all our processes mastered and adopted elsewhere."
Maria, b. March 30, 1797 ; d. June 15, 1798, æ. I yr., 2 mos.
76 77 ¡Samuel G., b. Aug. 23, 1799 ; m., Ist w., Sarah D. Abbot ; 2d w., Elizabeth Dow.
75
Journal Smith
283
HENRY SMITH.
78 . 79
t Albert, b. June 18, 1801 ; m., Feb. 26, 1828, Fidelia Stearns.
t William S., b. Dec. 14, 1802 ; m., Ist w., Margaret Stearns ; 2d w., Mary Miller.
80
Alexander H., b. Aug. 5, 1804 ; m. Sophronia Bailey, Charlestown, Mass. ; five ch. ; only two survive, Jona- than, who lives in St. Louis, Mo., and Eliza, in Cin- cinnati, O. She d. in Cincinnati, O., July 15, 1848, æ. 43 yrs., 2 mos. He d. at St. Louis, Mo., Novem- ber, 1858, æ. 54 yrs.
81
Elizabeth M., b. Aug. 8, 1806 ; m., Sept. 8, 1830, Rev. L. W. Leonard, D.D., of Dublin ; ch., (1) William S. ; (2) Ellen E. She d. Sept. 13, 1848, æ. 42 yrs. He m., 2d w., Mrs. Elizabeth D. Smith, Exeter, wid. of Samuel G. Smith, March 25, 1851. He d. at Ex- eter, Dec. 12, 1864, æ. 74 yrs.
Sarah Jane, b. Sept. 16, 1808 ; m., 1843, Abraham W. Blanchard, of Boston ; one ch., Catharine Ellen. He d. Maria, b. Aug. 30, 1810 ; d. May 19, 1812, æ. 1 yr., 8 mos.
Mary Soley, b. Sept. 11, 1812 ; d. Aug. 14, 1822, æ. 10 yrs.
Ellen, b. Jan. 23, 1815 ; m. William H. Smith, Sept. 13, 1843.
JONATHAN SMITH, Jr. He was graduated at Harvard University in 1819, studied law with Hon. Levi Lincoln, Worcester, and settled in Bath, N. H. He soon became a prominent man. He represented the town in the Legislature. He was a promising and rising man at the time of his death, and had already attained a high legal standing in the State. Always slender in health, a pulmonary disease became fastened upon him, which a winter's residence in the warm climate of the West Indies failed to remove or alleviate ; he d. Aug. 10, 1840, æ. 42 yrs., II mos. He m. Hannah P. Payson, dau. of Moses P. Payson, Esq., of Bath. She d. May 18, 1838, æ. 28 yrs.
86 87 88
Ariana E., b. May 29, 1831 ; d. Sept. 20, 1837, æ. 6 yrs., 3 mos.
Moses Payson, b. May 29, 1833 ; m., Dec. 6, 1869, Catha- rine Smith, dau. of Dr. Albert and Fidelia Smith ; have r. in Marion and Montezuma, Ind., and Tuscola, Ill. ; now in Newark, O .; three ch., Anna Perley, b. Sept. 19, 1871, at Marion ; Albert, b. at Tuscola, Ill., March 3, 1873; Edith Payson, b. in Newark, O., March 16, 1876 ; d. Aug. 4, 1876, æ. 4 mos., 18 dys. Henry, b. Sept. 18, 1835 ; d. at Chicago.
82 83 84 85 39- 64
284
WILLIAM H. SMITH.
89
William H., b. Aug. 29, 1837 ; d. July 27, 1845, æ. 7 yrs., 10 mos.
39- 67
JOHN SMITH. He succeeded his father on the home- stead. He has held important offices in town, -was selectman 1838, '39, '40, and Representative in 1859, '60. He is one of the deacons in the Congregational (Unita- rian) Church. He sold his farm in 1873, and removed to the village, where he now lives. He m., Sept. 2, 1834, Susan, dau. John Stearns, of Jaffrey, b. May 30, 1809. She d. Jan. 9, 1870, æ. 60 yrs.
Mary Frances, b. Jan. 7, 1836 ; r. Chicago. John S., b. Nov. 27, 1837 ; m. -; r. Chicago.
Jonathan, b. May 26, 1840 ; d. July 30, 1841, æ. I yr., 2 mos.
Jonathan, b. Oct. 21, 1842 ; graduate Dartmouth Col- lege, 1870. Studied law, and is now practising in Manchester.
Susan P., b. Oct. 13, 1844 ; m., 1873, Eugene Lewis ; r. Moline, Ill.
Caroline, b. March 3, 1847 ; teacher in public schools in Chicago.
Jeremiah, b. July 2, 1852.
SAMUEL G. SMITH. He was first the agent of the Phoenix Cotton Factory in Peterborough, afterwards of a factory at Warren, Md., and lastly at South Berwick, Me., where his health entirely failed. He d. at Peter- borough, Sept. 9, 1842, æ. 43 yrs., of a bronchial con- sumption, in the very vigor of his manhood. He had been absent from Peterborough some twelve or fourteen years, and returned on a visit but a few weeks before the dread summons came. Most of his life had been spent in the manufacture of cotton, in which business he is said to have acquired great skill, and to have equalled the best manufacturers of his day. He was a self-made man ; his early opportunities for an education had been limited, and had there been no self-culture, there would have been no man. By his own, and almost unaided, efforts, he made himself a mathematician, became a great and general reader, and had acquired a large fund of knowledge. He was a man of rare excellence of character, of great purity of life, - the very soul of honor and integrity. His memory is embalmed in many hearts that will not soon forget him. He bore his last sickness, which was long, with great fortitude, and died calmly, in the firm hope of a better state of existence hereafter.
90 9I 92 93 94 95 96 40- 77
Buffords Lith Boston
Lamb Abbot Smith
285
ALBERT SMITH.
.
He m., Ist w., Sarah D. Abbot, dau. of Rev. Abiel. Abbot, D.D., b. June 22, 1801. She d. June 11, 1831, æ. 30 yrs. He m., 2d w., Elizabeth Dow, dau. of Jere- miah Dow, of Exeter, who survived him, and m., 2d hus., Rev. L. W. Leonard, D.D., of Dublin, March 25, 1851.
Samuel Abbot, b. April 18, 1829.
He was graduated at Harvard University in 1849, and was prepared for the ministry at the Cambridge Divinity School, and settled over the Unitarian society in Arlington, June 27, 1854, where he remained till his death. He d. of a malarious fever contracted at Norfolk, Va., where he had gone on missionary service to the army. He returned with the fever upon him, and d. May 20, 1865, æ. 36 yrs.
He was a man of rare excellence of character, and was greatly esteemed as an able and sympathizing pas- tor. His people manifested the most sincere sorrow and regret at his death, and look back to him as one of the sainted ones of the earth. He was cut off in his prime and in the midst of his greatest usefulness. Soon after his death, a beautiful volume, entitled Christian Lessons and a Christian Life, containing an extended biography and numerous extracts from his writings, was published by Prof. E. J. Young.
He m., June 27, 1854, Maria Edes, dau. of Samuel and Maria Edes ; ch., (1) Abbot E., b. Sept. 20, 1855 ; (2) Maria Ellen, b. Feb. 13, 1857 ; (3) George A., b. Oct. 15, 1861 ; (4) Samuel H., b. April 5, 1864.
Ellen Parker, b. July 12, 1837 ; d. at Exeter. Sarah Abbot, b. July 7, 1839 ; m. John L. Dearborn ; r. St. Louis.
Ednah Dow, b. May 12, 1841 ; m. Knight Cheney ; r. South Manchester, Ct.
ALBERT SMITH, M.D., LL.D. He was fitted for col- lege at Groton Academy, from twelve to fifteen years of age, and, returning home, there was such a depression of business succeeding the war of 1812 that his father could not then send him to college, and he went to work in his cotton-factory, where he continued five years to superintend the spinning. In September, 1821, he en- tered Dartmouth College, having kept up his studies as well as he could by himself during this interval, without any additional schooling. He was graduated in 1825, having assigned to him in the commencement exercises an oration on the "Navigation of the Connecticut River."
For a few years, he was clerk of the Phoenix Factory,
98 99
100 40- 78
97
286
ALBERT SMITH.
and assisted in his father's business till his failure in 1829, when he decided to study the medical profession. He attended medical lectures at Bowdoin Medical School, at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, and at the Dartmouth Medical College, and took his degree at the latter institution in 1833. He first commenced business in Leominster, Mass., where he re- mained from 1833 to 1838, and then removed to Peter- borough, where he continued his practice as long as his strength permitted. He was appointed Professor of Materia Medica and Therapeutics in the Dartmouth Medical College in 1849, where he continued to lecture annually till his resignation in 1870. He has since been appointed professor emeritus of the same branch. In 1857, he delivered his course of lectures before the Ver- mont Medical College, Castleton, Vt., and also the same course at Bowdoin Medical School in 1859. The hon- orary degree of LL.D. was conferred on him by Dart- mouth College in 1870, and also an honorary M. D. by the Rush Medical College, Chicago, in 1875. He has also been elected an honorary member of the New York Medical Society. He has published a lecture on Hip- pocrates, also one on Paracelsus and a commemorative discourse upon the death of Dr. Amos Twitchell, besides various articles in the medical journals from time to time, and the transactions of the New Hampshire Medi- cal Society. He m., Feb. 26, 1828, Fidelia Stearns, dau. of John and Chloe Stearns, of Jaffrey, b. Oct. 25, 1799.
Frederick Augustus, b. June 18, 1830. He was fitted for college at New Hampton Academy, and was gradu- ated at Dartmouth College in 1852. His habits and tastes leading him to the medical profession, he pur- sued it with much zeal and earnestness, attending his medical lectures at the Dartmouth Medical College and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York, and taking his degree at the former institution. He subsequently spent one year at the hospitals on Blackwell's Island as an assistant, by which he had well prepared himself for his profession. He located himself at Leominster, Mass., in August, 1856, and d. there suddenly of an affection of the heart, Dec. 20, 1856, æ. 26 yrs. He was a highly cultivated, refined, and promising young man, and bade fair to make his mark in the world. He m. Frances Gregg, of Belle- ville, N.J., June 18, 1856. Susan S., b. Feb. 4, 1832 ; d. at Leominster, April 20, 1836, æ. 4 yrs.
IO2
287
JEREMIAH SPALDING.
103
Catharine, b. Dec. 5, 1837 ; m., Dec. 6, 1869, M. Payson Smith ; ch., (1) Anna Perley, b. Sept. 19, 1871, at Marion, Ind. ; (2) Albert, b. March 3, 1873, at Tus- cola, Ill. ; (3) Edith, b. Newark, O., March 16, 1876; d. Aug. 4, 1876, æ. 4 mos., 18 dys ; r. Newark, O.
40- 79
WILLIAM SYDNEY .SMITH, a paper-maker at Peter- borough, and in 1829 at Belleville, Canada West. He returned to Peterborough, and has remained here since. All his children were b. in Canada. He m., Ist w., Nov. 18, 1834, Margaret Stearns, b. March 18, 1805. She d. in Belleville, March 20, 1851, æ. 46 yrs. ; m., 2d w., in Peterborough, Mary Miller, dau. of Matthew Gray. He d. at Peterborough, Sept. 26, 1875, æ. 72 yrs.
104
William A., b. in Belleville, Feb. 9, 1836 ; m. Augusta Frances Ames, dau. of Joseph H. and Mary Melvin Ames, Oct. 9, 1865. He d. by an accidental discharge of a musket, in Nebraska, Feb. 24, 1870, æ. 34 yrs. ; ch., (1) Margaret Ellen, b. Oct. 3, 1866 ; (2) Fred- erick W., b. Feb. 23, 1869.
Samuel G., b. Belleville, April 20, 1838 ; m. Dora Bas- com, of Jaffrey. A jeweller and watch-maker in Bos- ton ; two ch., Kate and Dexter.
IO5 106 107 108
Josiah P., b. Belleville, Oct. 20, 1840. Killed in battle at Fort Hudson, 1863, æ. 23 yrs.
Sydney S., b. Belleville, Feb. 8, 1843 ; d. at Alton, Ill., July 9, 1871, æ. 28 yrs., 5 mos. Elizabeth Ellen, b. Belleville, May 19, 1845 ; m. Samuel Reeder ; r. Topeka, Kansas.
THE SPALDING FAMILY.
I
JEREMIAH SPALDING came to town in 1799 ; m. Mehit- able Pearly, September, 1799. He was a blacksmith. He settled on Sharon line, south of the Shedd farm. His dwelling-house was in Peterborough, and his shop in Sharon. He did a great business at his trade for some years, and in 1832 he removed to Griffin's Mills, N. Y., and d. there. He d. March 31, 1858, æ. 83 yrs. She d. Feb. 5, 1854, æ. 75 yrs.
2 3 4
Betsey, b. Sept. 3, 1800 ; d. Nov. 8, 1821, æ. 21 yrs. Charlotte, b. Feb. 8, 1803 ; m. Henry Moore, Aug. 21, 1822 ; r. Griffin's Mills, N. Y., 1832. Jeremiah, b. May 2, 1806 ; d. Griffin's Mills, Sept. 2, 1849, æ. 43 yrs., 8 mos.
288
JOHN MILTON SPALDING.
5
John Milton,
b. Sept. 6, 1810 ;
.
6
Benjamin Franklin,
d. in Wisconsin, March, 1855, æ. 45 yrs. d. at Peterbor- ough, April 4, 1828, æ. 18 yrs.
THE SPOFFORD FAMILY.
IRA and JOHN SPOFFORD were sons of Amos and Mary Taggart Spofford, of Sharon, and grandsons of Abijah Spofford, who re. to Sharon late in life, about 1780. He probably lived with his son Samuel, whose farm was in the north-east part of the town, on very high land, which has long since been abandoned as a resi- dence.
I
IRA: SPOFFORD was b. in Sharon, Sept. 11, 1797 ; m., 1820, Marion Atwood. He lived in various places in town. He was a stone-mason. He d. March 7, 1869, æ. 71 yrs., 5 mos. She d. Jan. 15, 1875, æ. 74 yrs.
William W., b. Nov. 8, 1820 ; m. Sarah Barnes ; r. Boston. Nancy, b. Oct. 24, 1822 ; m., Ist hus., John Challis ; 2d hus., Thomas Upton.
Ira A., b. Aug. 15, 1824; m. Sabrina Twitchell, of Dublin.
Nathan Henry, b. Oct. 3, 1826 ; m. M. A. Buckingham ; r. Boston.
M. Augusta, b. April 12, 1829 ; m. Fred Farwell.
George W., b. Aug. 9, 1831 ; m. Hannah Morrison. He was educated at Exeter Academy ; was superintendent of the Foster School, Chicago, fourteen years, and on retiring he became a real estate dealer, under the firm of Spofford, Byrne & Drake, Real Estate Dealers, in which business he is now engaged. He continues to r. in Chicago ; one ch. living.
John L., b. Sept. 22, 1834; d. March 18, 1862, æ. 27 yrs., 5 mos.
Elizabeth, b. Aug. 15, 1836 ; m. Joseph Alexander. He d. 1873.
d. March 28, 1839, æ. 3 mos.
Albert,
Alvah A.,
b. Dec. 18, 1838 ; m. Ada Luthers ; d. Provi- dence, R. I., April, 1869, æ. 30 yrs.
JOHN T. SPOFFORD, b. in Sharon, May 28, 1807 ; m. Submit Barnes, dau. of Asa Barnes, of Sharon, April 5,
8 9 IO II
2 3
4 5 6 7
ALPHEUS SPRING.
289
1828, b. in Sharon, Jan. 4, 1808. He lived on the Boynton place, near the Samuel Morison farm. He d. March 7, 1869, æ. 61 yrs., 9 mos.
John W., b. July 28, 1829 ; d. April 12, 1830, æ. 8 mos. Caroline A., b. April 5, 1831 ; m. Charles Emery, of Jaffrey, Sept. 1, 1861 ; she d. Dec. 23, 1867, æ. 36 yrs., 8 mos. ; r. Jaffrey.
Joseph H., b. March 13, 1833 ; m. Ellen A. Hunt, Nov. 25, 1858 ; r. Dublin. She d. Oct. 27, 1875, æ 39 yrs., 6 mos.
William C. B., b. April 21, 1835 ; m. Alice E. Sander- son, of Bridgewater, Vt., Sept. 17, 1862 ; r. Harris- ville.
I6 James S., b. Jan. 23, 1837 ; m., Dec. 10, 1861, Sarah W. Stacy. He d. Aug. 31, 1864, æ. 27 yrs., 7 mos. She d. in childbirth, Feb. 16, 1865.
John W., b. May 3, 1839 ; d. in the army, Sept. 5, 1862. Longley f., b. Aug. 30, 1841 ; m., July 3, 1872, Edith Creighton.
Melissa M., b. Aug. 31, 1843 ; m., July, 1864, Lorin B. Kendall, of Westminster, Mass. ; r. Clinton, Mass.
Harriet E., b. July 18, 1845 ; m., Nov. 10, 1866, Charles Lombard, Westminster, Mass .; r. Westminster.
Marcellus E., b. Dec. 13, 1847 ; m., Dec. 13, 1872, Ab- bie E. Robbins, of Harrisville ; r. Harrisville.
2I 22
Charles H., b. Nov. 5, 1850 ; m., May 1, 1872, Clara Raymond, of Keene ; r. Conklingville, N. Y.
THE SPRING FAMILY.
I
CONVERSE SPRING was brother to Dr. Marshall Spring, of Watertown, who bought his farm for him about 1780, at which time Converse re. to town. It was the farm begun and long occupied by Deacon Samuel Moore. His wife's name was Mary, the surname un- known. He d. April 13, 1812, æ. 77 yrs. She d. May 23, 1804, æ. 60 yrs.
2 3 I- 2
t Josiah Converse, b. June 29, 1764 ; m. Betsey Clark. Silas, b. Aug. 13, 1766 ; m. Margaret Stuart.
JOSIAH C. SPRING. He succeeded his father on the homestead. He m., 1784, Betsey Clark, b. Aug. 10, 1764. He d. and she d.
4 5 6
Liba G., b. April 17, 1785 ; d. Feb. 24, 1870, in Penn. Betsey, b. June 28, 1787 ; m. Robert Morison. Alpheus, b. Sept. 12, 1789.
37
I2 I3 I4 I5
I7 18 19 20
290
CONVERSE M. SPRING.
Converse M., b. Sept. 1I, 1791. Sarah G., b. July 16, 1796; m., Oct. 12, 1824, Daniel Bickford.
Mary Ann, b. June 9, 1799 ; m., Sept. 23, 1823, Jona. Persons ; d. April 19, 1870, æ. 70 yrs., 10 mos. Horace B., b. Sept. 14, 1802.
John C., b. July 16, 1804 ; d. Feb. 6, 1854, at Wilton, &. 50 yrs.
Amelia M., b. Dec. 12, 1809 ; m. George Smith.
SILAS SPRING. He lived on the East Mountain, where he began a new place. He m. Margaret Stuart, dau. of Thomas Stuart. She d. May 27, 1858, æ. 87 yrs. He d. Nov. 16, 1839, æ. 73 yrs. He began with nothing and left a good estate.
I3 14 15 I6
Thomas, b. Feb. 20, 1795 ; m. Mary A. Sprague, Sept. 18, 1818. Two ch., Jane A. and George M. He d. at Goffstown, Aug. 25, 1864, æ. 69 yrs.
Sally, b. Oct. 27, 1797 ; unm.
Mary, b. Dec. 21, 1799 ; m. Joshua Bailey, March 2, 1824.
Eliza, b. July 3, 1806 ; d. April 9, 1829, æ. 22 yrs., 9 mos.
THE STEELE FAMILY.
I
THOMAS STEELE was the progenitor of the Steele family. . He was b. in Ireland about 1694, m., in 1715, Martha Morison, dau. of Samuel Morison, and sister to John Morison, the progenitor of the Peterborough Mori- sons. He emigrated to this country in 1718, and settled in Londonderry in 1719, and was one of the first settlers of that town.
He d. in Londonderry. She d. in Londonderry, June, 1738. They had four sons and two daughters. We have been able to account for the sons, but know nothing of the daughters.
2 3
Thomas, b. Londonderry, Dec. 25, 1721. James, b. Londonderry, March 25, 1724 ; re. to Antrim, and d. 1818 or '19, æ. 102 yrs. John, b. Londonderry ; re. to Western New York. + David, b. Londonderry, Jan. 30, 1727 ; m. Janet Little, in 175I.
4
5
I- 5
DAVID STEELE (Capt.). He came to Peterborough, probably, about 1763 ; his name occurs first on the town
7 8 9 IO II I2 I- 3
291
JONATHAN STEELE.
records in 1765, as selectman, which office he held six years, to 1780, and was moderator in 1786, '87. He was on the Committee of Safety two years, 1776 and '78, which is a full endorsement of his patriotism in those times. He began his place in town, the " Gen. John Steele farm," and raised a large and influential family. * He m. Janet Little, sister of Thomas Little, Sen. ; t she was b. in Ire- land in 1729; first resided in Lunenburg, 1738, and then, on marriage, removed to Londonderry and lived there ten years ; then, after the birth of three or four children, they removed to Peterborough, 1763.
He d. July 19, 1809, æ. 82 yrs. ; she d. Sept. 30, 1816, æ. 87 yrs.
6 7 8 9 Jonathan, b. Sept. 3, 1760.
t Thomas, b. Londonderry, March 5, 1754; m. Ann Moore. Jane, b. Londonderry, September, 1756; m. Samuel Gregg, Sharon ; d. Aug. 15, 1850, æ. 94 yrs.
t David, b. Londonderry, 1758 ; m., Ist w., Lucy Powers ; 2d w., Sarah Gregg.
A lawyer of much eminence. He studied his pro- fession with Gen. John Sullivan, after obtaining such an academic education as he could, and settled in Durham, where he continued to reside till his death. He was a popular advocate, and took a leading rank at the bar. His friends thought him too sensitively modest to claim his proper place in society. Judge Smith spoke of him as an eloquent pleader at the bar, and thought that no one could easily surpass him. He was appointed Judge of the Superior Court, by Gov. Jeremiah Smith, and after retaining the office two years resigned in 1812, and returned to his private practice. It is sup- posed that he could not afford to retain the office any longer, the salaries then being so very low.} "He gradually lost his interest in town affairs, and became unsocial in disposition, and very retiring in his habits, owing, perhaps, to some domestic infelicities. In the latter part of his life, he became interested in religious matters, and paid liberally towards the support of relig- ious societies" ; m., Jan. 23, 1788, Lydia, dau. Gen. John Sullivan, b. March, 1763 ; she d. April 9, 1842, æ. 79 yrs. He d. Sept. 3, 1824, æ. 64 yrs.
They had two children who came to maturity, (1) Janet, b. June 14, 1791 ; d. Durham, 1870, æ. 79 yrs. ; (2) Rich-
* Records of Londonderry.
t Records of Londonderry.
# Letter of J. A. Richardson, Durham, Oct. 9, 1875.
292
JONATHAN STEELE.
ard, b. Jan. 6, 1797 ; educated a physician ; graduated Dartmouth College, 1815, and M.D. 1825 ; a bright and intelligent man, but ruined by intemperance ; d. at Dur- ham, 1870, æ. 73 yrs.
Martha, b. 1763 ; m. Benjamin Mitchell.
Elizabeth, b. Peterborough, 1767 ; m. James Wilson.
Margaret, b. Jan. 3, 1766 ; m. John Smith.
10 II I2 I3 t John, b. February, 1773 ; m. Polly Wilson ; 2d w., Hep- zibeth Hammond.
5- 6 THOMAS STEELE. He began the place where he lived, his farm being a part of the farm B, laid out in the north part of the town. He was one of the best and most useful men of that day in our municipal affairs. He was a man of rare judgment and good common- sense, and his literary attainments were very creditable for his meagre opportunities. He was selectman eigh- teen years, from 1786 to 1804; town clerk nineteen years, from 1787 to 1813. No town clerk, through all its history, has presented, as to penmanship or clearness of expression, the proceedings of the town, in a record superior to his. The early settlers, in the first years of their municipal government, were very prone to change their town officers, and down to the time of Mr. Steele there was no permanency in any office in town. He spent his last years in the village, and yet to the last retained his interest in town affairs, and was always a debater in town meetings. He m. Ann Moore, dau. of Deacon Samuel Moore, and raised a large family. He d. Nov. 11, 1847, æ. 94 yrs. She d. April 29, 1838, æ. 78 yrs.
Ann, b. June 5, 1786 ; unm. ; d. April 29, 1858, æ. 72 yrs. t Jeremiah S., b. Feb. 29, 1788 ; m. Irene Felt.
Margaret, b. April, 1790 ; unm. ; d. Feb. 4, 1824, æ. 34 yrs. Jonathan, b. Feb. 8, 1792.
A graduate of Williams College, Mass., in 1811. He was a student at law with his uncle, Judge Steele, of Durham, where he completed his studies, and located himself as a lawyer at Epsom, where he resided the rest of his life. He was a modest man, and did not push for- ward as much as his abilities would warrant. He had talent for great success in his profession. Judge Nes- mith,* who was well acquainted with him, says : "He had many of the qualifications of a good lawyer ; he had good common-sense, was pretty accurate in his judg- ment of men and things, had a quick perception of every-
* Letter from Judge G. W. Nesmith, Oct. 1, 1875.
14 I5 I6 I7
JANET STEELE.
293
thing humorous, had a fine, musical voice and a toler- able knowledge of the law. I heard him occasionally argue his cases with considerable ability. His good memory enabled him to state evidence with accuracy and clearness. He and George Sullivan were engaged for the plaintiff in the case in which Ezekiel Webster fell dead, while arguing for the defendant. This occurred in April, 1829. Nothing prevented Jonathan Steele from being eminent in his profession except his appetite for intoxicating drinks." Judge Smith used to say that Jonathan Steele's pleading was beyond any music he ever heard. He m. Elizabeth McClary ; ch., (1) Charles ; (2) John ; (3) Michael M .; (4) Thomas ; (5) Elizabeth. He d. September, 1858, æ. 66 yrs.
David, b. Nov. 27, 1793 ; educated a lawyer, and settled in New Durham, where he practised his profession to 1867, when he removed to Dover, where he now r. He m. Lydia Burnham ; ch., (1) Thomas ; (2) George. The latter d. in the war of the Rebellion.
Fanet, b. Nov. 27, 1795 ; m., Oct. 1, 1829, Dr. John Ramsey, of Greenfield.
Samuel, b. Sept. 1, 1797 ; m. in Montebello, Ill., and d. November, 1860, æ. 63 yrs.
Betsey, b. Aug. 6, 1799 ; unm.
DAVID STEELE (Gen.). His farm lay just north of his father's. He m., Ist w., Lucy Powers, of Hollis, 1784. She d. Jan. 27, 1795, æ. 36 yrs. ; m., 2d w., Sarah Gregg, dau. of Maj. Samuel Gregg. She d. Jan. 15, 1822, æ. 52 yrs. He rose to be a major-general in the New Hampshire Militia, and also held important town offices ; moderator seven years to 1817. He d. March 19, 1836, æ. 78 yrs.
22 23
+ Stephen Powers, b. July 26, 1784 ; m. Jane McCoy. David, b. Sept. 30, 1787 ; m., 1838, Catharine Kendall ; A graduate of Williams College, 1810 ; studied law ; was settled at Hillsboro Bridge many years. * He was a modest, retiring man. He seemed to have a strong aversion to professional labor at the bar. He seldom spoke in court. He was considered a man of integrity, and was useful and much respected in the community where he lived. He d. Dec. 10, 1866, æ. 79 yrs. ; c.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.