USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Sutton > The history of Sutton, New Hampshire: consisting of the historical collections of Erastus Wadleigh, esq., and A. H. Worthen, part 2 > Part 24
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In 1854 he visited several of the Western states, and finally in 1855 established his home at the Falls of St. Anthony, in Minnesota. Here he went into the hardware trade, and by his energy and fair dealing built up the largest business in that line in the state. He took an active interest in the affairs of the territory and state of Minnesota. Mr. Pillsbury has never been a politician. His popularity, however, in consequence of his business reputation, was such that he has fre- quently been called upon to occupy positions of honor and trust. From 1863 to 1875 he was continuously elected to the state senate, notwith- standing the fact that a majority of his constituents belonged to the political party opposed to him. No man exerted a wider influence in the legislature of his state than he did. He was a wise counsellor and a safe legislator. In 1875 he was elected governor of the state, and again in 1877 and 1879, the term of office being two years. This is the only instance in which any man has been elected governor of Min- nesota more than twice. No man has ever occupied the governor's chair who has had the confidence of the people to the extent that Mr. Pillsbury has done. During his term of office the grasshopper scourge visited the state. In some portions the crops were entirely destroyed, causing great suffering. During the cold winter months Mr. Pillsbury visited in person, incognito, those afflicted districts, in order to ascertain the condition of the people. He found them in great distress, hun- dreds of families being destitute of food, clothing, and other neces- saries of life. He at once, at his own expense, relieved their present needs, and upon his return home published to the people the story of the destitution and suffering he had witnessed. He offered to person- ally take charge of contributions of food and clothing that should be made, and to forward the same to the suffering families. The people had so much confidence in his representations that they at once began to send in liberal contributions of money and articles of food and clothing, thus meeting his appeals in the most gratifying manner. The governor and his excellent wife were kept busy almost night and day for some time in packing boxes of clothing and other material to be forwarded, until he gave notice that no more was needed. From that day to the present time Mr. Pillsbury has been regarded by those
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HISTORY OF SUTTON.
people as their friend, and they have never forgotten his kindness and his sacrifices for them.
Mr. Pillsbury has always been a friend to the poor and laboring classes : the worthy poor have never appealed to him in vain. He is a generous and public-spirited man, and has done a great deal, and per- haps as much as any one, to advance the interests of the state.
At the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion Mr. Pillsbury lent. the weight of his influence in raising men to enter the service of the country. He was mainly instrumental in raising three regiments of volunteers. In 1862 he, with a few others, raised and equipped a mounted company for service against the Indians. At a time when a large number of our efficient men had gone to the war, these Indians suddenly banded together, and at once commenced to massacre the whites. In a few days they put to a cruel death fifteen hundred de- fenceless men, women, and children.
In 1863 Mr. Pillsbury was appointed agent of the State University. At that time the institution was by bad management hopelessly, as it was at that time thought, in debt, and but for Mr. Pillsbury and one or two others the property would have been lost by foreclosure and judgments. Mr. Pillsbury at once went to work to compromise mat- ters, and to save the institution if possible. After a long and tedious process he finally succeeded in settling up its affairs, and thus saving it. He has ever since been identified with the university as president. and agent. It is conceded by all who had a knowledge of its affairs that had it not been for his efforts Minnesota would not to-day have such a magnificent institution of learning)
In the year 1889 further action was taken on this important matter, accounts of which were extensively current in the public print. The following are selected for insertion here, the first from the Kearsarge Independent and Times, of Warner, April 26, 1889, and the second from the Minneapolis Tribune, of June 3, 1889 :
" EX-GOVERNOR JOHN S. PILLSBURY.
" The Minnesota papers, the Pioneer Press, Star, Tribune, Journal, and others, have strong words in praise of a notable event which occurred in St. Paul, April 16th.
" Twenty-six years ago, John S. Pillsbury, a native of Sutton, and for a time a resident of Warner, as a citizen of Minneapolis became interested in the University of the State of Minnesota. It was in 1851 that the first University land grant of 46,000 acres was received, and six years later buildings were erected by mortgaging the land to raise the money. Forty thousand dollars came in this way, and mortgage bonds on the campus of twenty acres, and on the proposed buildings,
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brought $15,000 more. That was not enough, and a big floating debt was the result, and judgments, frequently obtained during the succeed- ing years, left the institution sadly in arrears in 1864. The bonds had been used for banking purposes, the banks had failed in some instances, and the bonds had been sold at 16 and 18 per cent. The prospect of a university that would ever amount to anything was small.
" In 1864 Mr. Pillsbury had been elected to the state senate. He was familiar with the affairs of the university, and he made it his busi- ness to help it out of its financial embarrassments. Judge Berry, also one of the regents, was a member of the senate. Together they tried to work out plans for a settlement of the university's financial difficul- ties. Judge Berry had considered the university lost, but was willing to do all in his power to help it out, if a way could be found. The two prepared a bill, naming three men to settle up the affairs of the institution. The men were Mr. Pillsbury, John Nichols, and Captain O. C. Merriman.
" When the agricultural grant of land was made, he secured its union with the university, and thus added greatly to its beneficent results. As governor, he gave them the wisest and most effective help. Both are doing magnificent work, and more and more winning favor in that state, and commanding the approval of the best judges in the country. Recently it has become necessary to erect another hall de- voted to science. The estimated expense was $250,000. The legisla- ture was asked for that amount, and gave only $100,000. The regents were in great trouble. A meeting of officers and friends was called in a committee-room of the state-house. There were present regents Keihle, Sibley, U. S. Senator Davis, and others, together with members of the legislature. The trying situation was considered but solved by the words of Gov. Pillsbury, who closed as follows :
" 'Gentlemen, I have thought this matter over carefully, and I have made up my mind that the work must go on. And I'll tell you how I've concluded to make it go on. If this legislature will give me some kind of an assurance that that state university shall forever remain one grand undivided institution, so that I can go down to my final rest with a feeling of security in this respect, I will donate the $150,000 necessary to the completion of the hall of science.'
" One of the papers adds,-The announcement was received with the wildest applause, which continued for some minutes. Gov. Pillsbury was deeply affected, and President Northrup sat by with tears cours- ing down his cheeks unheeded. It was a most remarkable scene. Enthusiastic remarks were made by members of the legislature, and their solemn pledges were given that they would do everything in their power to keep the University of Minnesota entire. Resolutions com- mitting the state to the policy desired by Gov. Pillsbury were ordered
57
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HISTORY OF SUTTON.
unanimously. Congratulations were showered upon Gov. Pillsbury by all present until that gentleman was entirely overcome and withdrew. Gen. Sibley exclaimed, as he grasped the hand of the generous ex- governor,-'Glory enough, for one day, my friend,' and the rest were ready to exclaim, ' So say we all of us.'
" New Hampshire may well congratulate herself on having sent such a man to the West to rear and maintain the institutions of liberty and education."
" The names of George Peabody, whose monument may be seen in Harvard and Yale, and men who within the last few years have done great service to humanity by unprecedented gifts, especially Otis, Hand, and Slater, all of Connecticut, will readily occur to you ; and I am sure that as I speak all of you are thinking of the recent noble gift to this university by our friend and neighbor, Gov. Pillsbury.
" It is not the first time that he has shown his generous interest in this institution ; indeed, it is owing to him that the university exists at all, for by unwearied efforts of his the university was rescued from hopeless debt, even before it was organized for the work. During all the years in which that able scholar, Dr. Folwell, the first president of the university, was laying its foundation and was wisely planning its educational work, Gov. Pillsbury was the sagacious counsellor, the earnest friend, the faithful regent, watching over the financial interests of the institution with ceaseless vigilance, ever ready to sacrifice his time, his business, and his ease to its welfare. By his kindness and charity in his daily life, by his public spirit, his wise services to the state in both legislative and executive positions, his free-handed benev- olence to the suffering people of the state in a time of great trial, and his firm and determined stand for the honor of the state in a time of great public temptation, he deserves to be remembered with gratitude by the people of this state to the remotest generation. But for no one of his many noble deeds will he be longer remembered than for this his munificent gift of $150,000 to the state and the university, at a time when the financial condition of the state made it impossible for the legislature, however well disposed, to grant to the university the money which it needed to carry forward its enlarging work. He has shown himself wise in making this gift while he lived, and might justly hope to witness in the increased prosperity of the university the fruits of his own benevolence. He has shown himself wise in estimating money at its just value-not for what it is, but for what it can do; not as something to be held and loved and gloated over, or to be expended in personal aggrandizement and luxury, but as something which can work mightily for humanity ; which can reinforce even the educational power of a sovereign state; which can enrich human minds, and can
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thus lift up into the true greatness of a noble citizenship the sons and daughters of the whole North-west."
No one act of Mr. Pillsbury's, perhaps, has done more to give him a wide and favorable reputation, in the nation as well as the state, than his course while he was governor regarding what was known as the railroad bonds. These bonds, to the amount of one or two millions, were issued in aid of railroad building, while Minnesota was a territo- ry. These roads were not built, in many instances, and in others the bonds were secured through fraud, and the people for many years repudiated the payment of them. Mr. Pillsbury was of the opinion that the bonds having been issued, and some of them being in the hands of innocent persons, it was a disgrace to the state to repudiate them. It was almost entirely through his influence that the state was brought finally to consent to a satisfactory arrangement whereby these bonds were assumed and paid, and the state saved from the disgrace of refusing to pay its obligations.
Mr. Pillsbury is at this time president of the Gull River Lumber Co., with a capital of eight hundred thousand dollars. He is treasurer of the Minneapolis Stock Yards and Packing Co., a director in several railroad corporations and banks. His administration of all the insti- tutions with which he has been connected has been honorable, wise, and conservative. He enjoys the confidence of the people to as great an extent as any one in the state.
John S. Pillsbury m. Nov. 3, 1856, Mahala F. Fisk. Children,-
(1) Susan M., b. June 23, 1863.
(2) Sadie Bell, b. Jan. 31, 1866.
(3) Alfred F., b. Oct. 20, 1869.
(1) Susan M. Pillsbury m. Sept. 23, 1885, F. B. Snyder, and lives in Minneapolis.
(2) Sadie Bell Pillsbury graduated at the State University in the class of 1888.
(3) Alfred F. is now in the State University.
Addie E. Pillsbury, adopted daughter, and by act of the legislature of Minnesota made heir-at-law equal with the other children of John S. Pillsbury, was b. Oct. 4, 1860. She d. April 2, 1885. She m. Oct., 1884, Charles M. Webster. She was finely educated, being a grad- uate of Minnesota State University, as was also her husband, a prom- ising young lawyer. She was loved and respected by all who knew her.
5. Benjamin F. Pillsbury is more identified with Sutton history than either of his distinguished brothers, from the fact that here he spent not only his youth, but many of his mature years, and took an active interest in the affairs of this town. He was elected selectman and
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HISTORY OF SUTTON.
town treasurer several years in succession. He was also elected repre- sentative to the legislature, and was held in high esteem by his fellow townsmen. He was, while in Sutton, engaged in farming, and was also in the lumber business. He was active and energetic, and his departure from Sutton was felt to be a loss to the interests of the town. In 1878 he removed to Granite Falls, Minn., where he now resides, and is engaged in the lumber business, and also in the elevator business. He is the owner of one of the finest farms in the state of Minnesota, which is his own residence, and also of other large farms, which he rents. He married Miss Susan W. Wright, of Warner. No children.
V. Sally Pillsbury m. Sept. 5, 1811, Nathaniel Cheney, of Sut- ton. They had seven children, for whom see Cheney. Their fifth child was George Sargent Cheney, b. in Sutton, Aug. 30, 1825. At the age of seventeen he went to Lowell and obtained a situation as clerk 'in a grocery store. Discharging his duties in a way that proved satisfactory to his employers and creditable to himself, he kept on, taking no backward step, till in 1848 he was able to go into grocery business himself. In this venture he was successful, and from that time till a few years since he has been in the same business, either by himself or in connection with a partner, the amount of business constantly increasing. His object in retiring from it a few years since was to be free to invest his interest and his capital in ways demanding less of his immediate personal atten- tion. The fact that Mr. Cheney, unaided, worked his way up from store boy to head proprietor in one of the largest grocery stores in Lowell, indicates plainly enough what his qualities and business abilities must have been. In public life he has held places of trust and responsibility in the city of his adoption. He has served many times on committees, has been connected with the water-supply directors and other city works. He was member of the common council in 1867, and unanimously reelected the following year ; he was chosen alderman in 1869. For many years he has served as auditor, and in 1888-'89 was elected one of the city assessors, which position he still holds. His skill as a financier is well known, and his services are much valued by the people. He has been one of the directors of the Five Cent Savings Bank since its formation, and the institution has been highly successful. He is very charita- ble, and his sympathies are always with the poor and unfortunate. To those in his employ he has been ever just and kind. In the church of which he and Mrs. Cheney are honored members he has
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shown by his course and conduct that Universalism is a good faith to live by. Of this church he has been treasurer many years, a director, and one of the committee on financial investments. Mr. Cheney's domestic relations are very pleasant, and his ever hospita- ble home is the abode of peace and plenty. A friend long acquainted with him says of him,-"Mr. Cheney is a self-made man, quick to see a point and to take advantage of it, and of unerring judgment. His relations with business men are always agreeable. He never forgets his personal manhood, nor the respect due to his fellow-men. In public and in private life he is always sure to be the honorable, reliable, Christian gentleman."
VI. Betsey Pillsbury m., 1st, Daniel Ober, of Hopkinton. They had no children. She m., 2d, Silas Rowell, of Sutton, in 1825. They had born to them two sons,-George S. and Charles Rowell. These sons are both living, Charles in Concord, and George S. in Granite Falls, Minn. Mrs. Rowell died Sept. 21, 1836.
VII. Nancy Pillsbury m. John Morse, of Amesbury, Mass. They had born to them four children.
VIII. Dolly Pillsbury m. Nathan Andrew, of Sutton. Chil- dren,-
1. Hannah J., b. Dec. 19, 1827. 2. Thomas F., b. March 31, 1831.
3. George H., b. June 19, 1833.
4. William G., b. July 7, 1835.
5. James G., b. April 23, 1837.
6 Benjamin F., b. Jan. 4, 1839.
7. Horace E. b. April 10, 1844.
[See Andrew, in "Eaton Grange."]
PORTER.
Richard Porter settled in Weymouth, Mass., 1635. He had four children, of whom John m., Feb. 9, 1660, Deliver- ance Byram. They had nine children, of whom John, b. July 2, 1667, m. Mary -, who d. March 8, 1709. Rich- ard, their 6th child, b. Jan. 8, 1705, lived in Weymouth ; he m. Jan. 29, 1729, Ruth, dau. of Dea. Samuel and Mary (Richards) Whitman, b. March 27, 1710 ; d. Sept. 13, 1759, and her husband died the same year. They had nine chil- dren, of whom Micah, 6th child, was b. Dec. 21, 1742; m.
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HISTORY OF SUTTON.
Mary (probably) Stockbridge. He d. in Canaan. She d. Jan., 1830. Children, seven in number, and perhaps more, all b. in Weymouth.
Hon. Reuben Porter, son of Micah, b. Aug. 2, 1790 ; d. Aug. 3, 1879 : m. in Warner, Aug. 24, 1813, Abigail, dau. of Hon. Benjamin and Susanna (Wadleigh) Evans, b. Apr. 30, 1796; d. July 29, 1882. He was in Warner in 1812, studied medicine with Dr. Moses Long, which he practised some years in connection with Dr. Long, and then went into mercantile business. He removed to Sutton in 1822, and went to farming. He was representative in the legislature from Sutton in 1826-'8, and state senator in 1834 and 1835. He returned to Warner in 1860, where he died. He was possessed of more than ordinary intellectual power, was an ardent Universalist, an outspoken Abolitionist, and fore- most in the temperance reform movement. Children,-
I. Mary Stockbridge, b. Jan. 15, 1814; d. Sept. 12, 1882, in Warner, unmarried.
II. Susan Evans, b. Nov. 10, 1816 ; d. March 8, 1853, in Sut- ton, unmarried.
III. William, b. June 30, 1819 ; residence, Warner, unmarried.
IV. Benjamin E., b. April 19, 1821 ; d. in Mexican War, Aug. 22, 1847, unmarried.
V. Reuben, b. April 6, 1823 ; d. Feb. 10, 1830, in Sutton.
VI. Edward G., b. July 7, 1825 ; d. Aug. 12, 1858, in Sutton : m. 1849 Sophia G. Harvey. [See Harvey.]
VII. Abigail E., b. Jan. 4, 1828; d. Jan. 5, 1856, at Spring- field : m. Dr. Valentine Manahan, of New London. He has long resided at Enfield.
VIII. Margaret R., b. Sept. 28, 1830; d. Jan. 23, 1874, in Lynn, Mass. : m. Joseph Brackett, of Lynn. Child,-Mary, b. 1873.
IX. Hannah L., b. Sept. 21, 1832; m. Dec. 24, 1856, Robert Wadleigh, of Sutton, son of Thomas Wadleigh, 2d. Robert was in service during the last war, and d. in Louisiana in 1863. His wife d. in Oct., 1884, in Warner. They had one son, Thomas Edward, a promising young man, b. July 4, 1858; d. Sept. 12, 1878.
X. Micah, b. Jan. 6, 1835 ; d. Oct. 17, 1856, unmarried.
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XI. Harriet W., b. June 10, 1838 ; d. June 8, 1875 ; m. Oct. 21, 1862, J. B. Philbrick, of Deerfield. They had one daughter, Meri- bah, who m. William L.Reed, and resides in Lawrence, Mass. Mr. Philbrick d. in Warner, Oct. 2, 1863, of disease contracted during service in the war. His widow m., 2d, Oct. 31, 1869, Harrison W. Bartlett, of Nottingham. They had one® son, Jerome B., b. Aug. 26, 1870 ; d. March 8, 1872. Mr. Bartlett died by accident, 1879.
XII. Henrietta W. (twin with Harriet W.), d. Aug. 9, 1878, in Lebanon, Me. ; m. Feb., 1875, James W. Baker, of Epping. They had one son, James Edward, b. June 16, 1878.
XIII. Reuben B., b. May 31, 1840 ; found dead in the woods near Windham Junction. He was last seen alive on town-meeting day, March, 1878, and is supposed to have died on that day. He served with credit in the Louisiana campaign, being commis- sioned lieutenant, and acting captain much of the time. He came home when the war closed, and for some time operated the home- stead farm. He became prominent as a townsman, was selectman and superintending school-committee. A few years before his death he began to suffer from attacks of vertigo and consequent aberration of mind, during which he acted strangely. On the morning of the day in which he is supposed to have died he took the train at Concord, intending to go to Brentwood. He left it at Windham Junction to wait for his train for that place, and, as it is supposed, wandered into the woods, and, the weather being very inclement, cold and stormy, he, in a half insane condition, died of exposure. His body was not found till nearly three months after- wards, and then, as it was impossible to move it, it was buried where it was found. It is believed that at some future time, when it shall be safe to do so, his army friends and his Masonic brethren design to remove the remains to some place of interment more suit- able for a man who left behind him a record so creditable in many respects as did Reuben B. Porter. He m. Fanny Carner, of New York, and later of Concord. She was a great-granddaughter of Dea. Matthew Harvey, of Sutton. Children,-
1. Abby, m. 1888, A. C. Fisher, of Concord, and has two children. Residence, Greenbush, N. Y.
2. Sarah.
Reuben B. Porter m., 2d, April 3, 1877, Nancy J. Kenerson, of Nottingham. Child,-
3. Jerome W., b. Feb. 7, 1878.
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HISTORY OF SUTTON.
Reuben B. Porter and Nancy J. Kenerson were m. by Rev. W. H. Jones, of Epping.
XIV. Jerome B. Porter, b. April 18, 1844, in Sutton ; d. in Warner, June 25, 1870. He was a young lawyer of much promise, but his aspirations were cut short by his early death, of consump- tion. He was for a short period in the army in the early stage of the war.
It will be observed by the reader that though Hon. Reu- ben Porter was father of fourteen children, he had very few grandchildren born. One of these few was William, com- monly called Willie Porter, to distinguish him from his uncle William, for whom he was named. He was b. in Sutton, Oct., 1864 ; d. in Warner, Nov. 30, 1881, of quick consumption. He was a young man of much promise, and possessed of many fine qualities. He was for some time employed in the store of A. C. and L. S. Carroll, in War- ner, and was much esteemed and trusted by his employers.
PRESSEY.
Capt. William Pressey came from Haverhill to Sutton in 1773. He was b. 1743; d. March 14, 1813. His wife, Elizabeth Smiley, a native of Beverly, Mass., was b. 1735 ; d. Dec. 20, 1819. Children,-
I. Amos, b. July 18, 1767 ; d. Oct. 3, 1839.
II. Nancy, b. April, 1769 ; m. Nov. 17, 1796, Joseph Wells. No children.
III. Polly, b. June, 1771 ; m. April 12, 1792, Benjamin Wells.
IV. Ednah, b. -; m. Dec. 3, 1794, Joseph Persons.
V. John, b. Nov. 22, 1776 ; d. Aug. 17, 1858.
I. Amos Pressey m. Aug., 1787, Betsey Gillingham, of Fishers- field, b. Sept. 17, 1765; d. Nov. 14, 1853. Children, b. in Sut- ton,-
1. William, b. Nov. 22, 1788.
2. Betsey, b. April 27, 1791 ; d. June 14, 1864, unmarried.
3. John, b. March 20, 1793.
4. Mary, b. Nov, 14, 1794; d. Sept 9, 1823.
5. Clarissa, b. Oct. 7, 1796 ; d. Sept. 7, 1867, in Sutton.
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GENEALOGY.
6. Horace, b. Feb. 15, 1799.
7. Winthrop, b. Dec. 3, 1800 ; d. April 12, 1858.
8. Pickering, b. April 20, 1802 ; d. Aug. 22, 1822.
9. Sophronia, b. May 24, 1803 ; m. David Chadwick. [See same.]
10. Ebenezer Gage, b. Aug. 1, 1805; d. Sept. 6, 1880.
11. Louisa, b. May 5, 1810; d. June 30, 1887.
In making up our special notices of those who have been active in the past years of the town's history, we cannot omit Capt. Amos Pressey. Reference to the town records will show his name connected with many town affairs.
That he was often chosen moderator of town-meetings, whether annual or special, proves the recognition by his fellow-townsmen of his fitness for the position. He was for many years deputy sheriff of the county, at a period when the duties of sheriff were much more arduous than they now are. He in most instances filled the position of auctioneer at vendues, as auction sales were termed. The mere announcement that the witty Capt. Amos was to pre- side on such occasions was in itself sufficient to secure a full attendance, the occasion being such as called into play the keen and brilliant wit and peculiar power of repartee for which he was so eminently distinguished.
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