USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Swanzey > The history of Swanzey, New Hampshire, from 1734 to 1890 > Part 50
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Since then (1874), he has resided most of the time in Europe, and has been under the care of several distinguished physicians who have allowed him even to practise the piano but very little on account of the excitement which it produces. His business house in Boston during all these years had, as before, gone on steadily and prosper- ously, no misfortune ever having happened to it; and, except one year when he had a partner, and about two years when he was a very sick man, he has been the chief manager, sending his orders every week to Boston from Europe or Africa or wherever he happened to be, and having detailed reports sent from the store to him also every week. He has resided and travelled most of the time in Europe ;
GW &Stratton
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passing the summers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and winters in southern France, Italy, Sicily, and two winters in Egypt, for the benefit of his health, which required a warm, even and sunny climate.
He went up the Nile 550 miles, to Luxor, Thebes and Karnak, where are the grandest ruins in Egypt. During these years he has partly recovered the strength he lost so suddenly in 1874, but is not yet strong enough to undertake a musical composition of any lengthi.
It has been seen that he has been an extensive traveller, has crossed the Atlantic ocean twenty-six times.
In 1885 hie established a Free Public Library and Art Gallery in his native village at a cost of little over ten thousand dollars. The building is not a large structure, but a very solid one built to last many hundred years. It is Roman architecture designed by Mr . Stratton from studies made by him of architecture in Italy ; is 40 feet long, 25 feet wide with arched ceiling 22 feet high ; has four large windows arranged to give the most perfect light for the pictures. The two pillars of the portico are of red granite, highly polished, made in Aberdeen, Scotland, especially for the building ; the founda- tion is of large piece of squared stone sunk two feet below hard pan. It is thoroughly fire-proof, being almost entirely of brick, stone and iron ; the walls are eighteen inches thick of brick of the best quality ; the floor is of large slabs of marble resting npon piers which are sunk as deep as the foundation. At the opposite end of the room from the entrance, in a niche made for the purpose, is an excellent marble bust of Mr. Stratton, made by the distinguished American artist in Rome, Italy, Mr. Franklin Simmons, at a cost of over $550.00, including the pedestal.
The library contains over 2,400 volumes, most of them the best in the English language. Being an educational institution, care was taken to have good selections of works on the sciences, books of travel, biographies of great men, histories, several volumes in differ- ent languages ; there are two large volumes, a German publication on art and architecture giving over two thousand illustrations, excel- lent engravings of celebrated paintings, statuary and architecture of every description, almost everything of importance back to the great temples and pyramids of Egypt 4,000 years ago. There are over two hundred pieces of sheet music, carefully selected as teaching pieces for young people, which are given out for two weeks, the same as books, and according to a Boston reviewer no other institution in our country has done this. The Art Gallery contains 220 pictures which Mr. Stratton collected during his travels in Europe and Africa.
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They are most interesting and instructive, exhibiting the great ca- thedrals, palaces and towers of Europe ; the ruins of the old aqueducts, colosseum, baths, tombs, etc., of Rome ; the temples, mosques and pyramids of Egypt are among the collection.
On the 28th and 30th of Sept. and 2nd of Oct., 1886, Mr. Stratton gave three lectures on Europe and recitals of classical music for the piano in the Library building which were well attended and proved interesting and instructive. The followingis the list of the music which Mr. Strat- ton played, without the assistance of notes, during the three evenings :
BEETHOVEN .- Grand Sonata Pathetique; Andante from Symphony No. 5; Sonata in G, No. 10, Opus 14, No. 2, first and second move- ments.
MOZART .- Sonata in B flat, No. 4, Andante ; Gloria from 12th Mass. SCHUBERT .- Serenade.
MENDELSSOHN .- Priest's March, from "Athalia ;" Rondo Capric- cioso in E minor, Opus 14 ; Concerto in D minor, No. 2, second and third movements.
At the close of the last evening a unanimous vote of thanks was given Mr. Stratton for his interesting entertainments, and an earnest invitation given him to give another course as soon as his health and convenience would permit.
It has been said of large styles of musical compositions that to be known out of their own country they must possess real merit. Taking this as the severe test of an operetta, it must be conceded that those of Mr. Stratton's are musical compositions of a high order. They have been published by three different music houses in London, and have been extensively performed in England, Ireland and Scotland, and calls have been made for a German translation for Germany.
About Mr. Stratton's business career he does not give much infor- mation, as he considers it of little public interest. He says, however, that he thinks it will be a satisfaction to the people of Swanzey, at least, to know that not one dollar of the money which went to pay for this Library building and its contents, was made out of any "opera- tions" in mining, real estate, railroad stocks or speculation, or in any sort of gambling whatever, of any kind; but that the funds were earned from fair profits made in his legitimate business, through hard work and study and patient waiting.
JOHN FRANKLIN STRATTON, son of William and Mary F. Stratton, was born in West Swanzey, N. H., Sept. 13, 1832. At the age of six he displayed an earnest inclination to practise music, and begged
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his father to get him a trombone, not wishing his brother George, who had been practising the clarionet a year, to make all the music in the house. His wish was gratified and soon there were two young music students in the house. About a year later, both boys having made such unexpected progress on their instruments, the father organized a little band, and with a couple of singers, set out on a concert tour which was so successful that for nearly three years they continued to travel, giving concerts in nearly all the cities and towns of any con- siderable size in the New England states and some in New York state, with good success, many places being visited two or three times. In those days, 1839 to 1842, when prodigies were scarce, the two boys were considered quite wonders to perform so well upon their instru- ments. The monotony of playing the same pieces nearly, for such a long time night after night, even in a concert room, became weari- some and in the summer of 1842 the boys prevailed upon their father to give up the concert business and it ended here. From this time until he was seventeen he resided in his native village, in Lowell and North Chelmsford, Mass. ; had become an expert performer on the E flat bugle and cornet, and before eighteen years of age was leader of the Worcester brass band and a year later was leader of the Hart- ford, Conn., cornet band. In Hartford, he had, for a time, a music store and some other business, but soon took up his residence in New York and became conductor of the Staten Island Philharmonic Soci- ety, an amateur orchestra, and had an orchestra of his own known as Stratton's Palace Garden Orchestra.
At the breaking out of our great war, 1861, he went into the man- ufacturing of band instruments which continued several years and he had little more to do with bands or orchestras or with the practice of music in any way. In 1867 he located in Maiden Lane and added to his business the general musical merchandise trade, importing from Europe where most of these goods are made. Soon after he began the manufacture of violins in Leipsic, Germany, and later built a fac- tory in Gohlis, a suburb of Leipsic, which was visited by King John, of Saxony, on July 30, 1872. After a few years the factory was sold and was occupied by a manufacturer of other goods, and Mr. Stratton returned to New York taking the general management of his whole- sale importing house of musical merchandise, to which he has contin- ued to give his attention up to the present time.
BARZILLAI STREETER was born in Cumberland, R. I., in 1760 ; mar- ried when about nineteen years of age; moved with his family from place to place during the next twenty-five years twenty-five times,
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and came to Swanzey about 1805, purchasing a small farm and house near Swanzey Pond, on the east side of the road opposite the picnic grounds, where he lived the rest of his life, a farmer and shoemaker. His four sons all lived to old age and became eminent in their several professions, a remarkable example of self-made men. Barzillai was a lawyer. Joseph B., a physician in Hartford, Pa., lived to be ninety- six years of age. Sebastian and Russell were clergymen, pioneers and leaders in the Universalist denomination. A part of their edu- cation was obtained at the common schools and at Chesterfield Acad- emy, but the larger part was wrought out as they labored on the farm or at the shoemaker's bench. The two clergymen (and perhaps the others) were eminent Latin and Greek scholars. They were the com- pilers of a hymn book extensively used in the denomination, writing many of the hymns themselves. In early life they were Baptists as were also their parents before them. Sebastian was a minister in Weare, Hopkinton and Portsmouth, N. H., also in Haverhill and Boston, Mass. In the latter place he was pastor of the church on Hanover street for forty years. During his ministry he united more than 4,000 couples in marriage.
Russell was a pastor in Portland, Maine, Watertown and Shirley, Mass., and Woodstock, Vt. He was the founder of the "Trumpet" newspaper, which afterwards became the great organ of the denomi- nation.
JOHN H. STREETER is an employé in the mills of East Swanzey.
STEPHEN STREETER lived on Frank H. Moore's place, but has re- moved to Westmoreland.
Rev. CLEMENT SUMNER was one of the early ministers in Keene, but afterwards removed to Arba Stearns' place in West Swanzey.
WILLIAM A. SUMNER lived at West Swanzey and worked in the mill.
AARON H. SUMNER works in a saw-mill and lives in Hinsdale.
The TAFT family have been noted carpenters and mechanics. Na- than Taft lived south of L. W. Holbrook place on a now discontin- ued road. James Sibley lived on Warren Harris place, removed to East Swanzey and went into the mill business. Zadoc L. lived on E. K. Aldrich place. He built the covered bridge at West Swanzey. T. J. Taft and James went to New York state.
IRA TAFT, a while at Graves' mills, went to Vermont.
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A. R. TAFT, both carpenter and farmer, lived on H. Bowen place. Removed to Keene, then to Worcester, Mass., and then to the "West." Giles, Lovell, Farris and Bezaleel were all carpenters and mechanics. The first two were life-long residents of Swanzey. Farris lived on J. W. Ballou place and worked for the Colonys in their mill at Keene. Bezaleel lived in Alstead. Don Carlos was a graduate of Amherst College and Union Theological Seminary, N. Y., was licensed to preach, became a teacher and preacher, and later a successful banker in Kansas.
Of the sons of Lovell, Edward is foreman in Hayward's chair fac- tory in Gardner, Mass. Fred has charge of a large carriage shop in Mass., and Don Carlos is a head carpenter for Bowdich in Framing- ham, Mass.
GEORGE W. TAFT is a teamster at East Swanzey.
ZADOC TAFT lived in this town, Keene and Richmond. He was a manufacturer of mill stones.
PELEG TAFT came from Richmond and bought the A. G. Bennett place where he died.
RUFUS TAFT, son of Rufus, resides at West Swanzey, an employé in the mills. He has represented the town in the legislature. Eph- raim F. also lived at West Swanzey, but removed to Keene. Zina G. was for several years a farmer in Illinois previous to locating where he now resides.
JOHN W. TAGGARD was a farmer on the P. E. Gay place. Re- moved thence to Walpole.
The TALBOTS, Charles, Alfred, Wesley and Lewis, are farmers and laborers. Wesley resides with his father on the old "Brown" farm.
GEORGE TALBOT lived on Josephus Handy's place ; went west several years previous to his death.
DAVID TAYLOR and family, laborers, lived in School District, No. 8. CHARLES W. TAYLOR is a farmer at West Swanzey.
ELIAS THATCHER was a farmer on the hill near Marlborough line.
BENJAMIN THATCHER lived at East Swanzey and at Factory Village. His son George was a prominent lumber man at Factory Village. He now resides in Marlborough.
DR. EZRA THAYER, a practising physician, lived in a house a little east of No. 8 School house, which was torn down about 1840. His
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son Moses located on a now abandoned farm on Winchester line west of E. Holbrook place. Aaron lived in No. 8 and was killed by a wagon passing over his body. Alexander, son of Moses, was a jeweller in Winchester and Keene. Moses, jr., went to California.
JOHN S. THAYER was a tailor in West Swanzey.
BENJAMIN THOMPSON of Smithfield, R. I., had four sons who loca- ted in Swanzey : Samuel, John, Roger and Ebenezer. Samuel on C. H. Holbrook place; Roger on J. L. Starkey place, and Ebenezer on Oscar Farr place. Of the sons of Samuel, Timothy lived on C. S. Whitcomb place, and Jesse, a carpenter, at East Swanzey. John, son of John, located first at Factory village and was one of the corpo- rate members of the Manufacturing Co., at that place, and then be- came an extensive farmer on H. Forbush place, where he was suc- ceeded by his son Alvah and grandson Mowry A. The latter was a land surveyor and carpenter. Both he and his father removed to Marlboro', about 1860. Of the sons of Roger, David was a graduate of Dartmouth college, a noted school teacher and lawyer; went to the south. Ezekiel was a farmer on his father's homestead, and Moses a farmer where his son Thayer now resides. Ozro T., son of the latter, is also a farmer. Samuel Thompson, son of John, was a farmer on J. M. Cole place, as was also his son Samuel.
Capt. RUFUS, a carpenter, has lived in Girard, Pa., in West Swan- zey, and other places.
Of the sons of Jesse, Russell F. removed to Iowa and became an extensive farmer. Jesse was a car builder, and died in Worcester about 1864. Joshua Chandler is a farmer in Girard, Pa. David F. resides in Spring Prairie, Iowa, a farmer and carpenter. Lysan- der, a master mechanic, died at. South Boston, April 9, 1884.
HENRY DENMAN THOMPSON, son of Rufus, or as he is generally called, "Den Thompson," or "Uncle Josh," is probably more widely known than any other Swanzey man. Although he was born in Penn- sylvania enough of his youth and riper years were spent in Swanzey and New England to enable him to study the yankee character and delineate the same as few other men have been able to do. His plays were written by himself and have been rehearsed in the principal cit- ies of all parts of the country with remarkable success. His dwell- ing at West Swanzey and its surroundings are very attractive it being the homestead of his maternal grandfather, Dr. Henry Baxter. Mr. Thompson is genial as a companion and liberal in his benefactions.
yours truly Demman Thompson
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AMASA THOMPSON lived at Westport and was a shoemaker and lumberman.
DEA. MARTIN THOMPSON, a farmer, lived on the Martin Mason place and at Westport.
NATHANIEL THOMPSON lived on the William Ballou place. He was a noted ditcher. He built the saw-mill near his house. His son Al- bert was a merchant and prominent man in East Westmoreland ; died in 1891.
SUSANNA THOMPSON was born in Boston, Mass. ; spent many years of her early womanhood in Keene ; was actively engaged in the san- itary commission during the War of the Rebellion ; came to Swan- zey soon after that event and has since resided here, having been en- gaged in literary pursuits, writing for the press and preaching a part of the time.
WILLIAM H. THORNING is an employé in the mills at Factory vil- lage.
EPHRAIM F. TOWNE, a farmer, came from Keene and lived several years on G. W. Richardson place; removed to Rindge and died there.
NICHOLAS TRASK was a large land owner in the southwest part of the town.
EZRA TRASK lived near A. Talbot place in the west part of the town.
His sons Willard and David lived near him. The reputation of Ezra and his sons for honesty was not good.
THOMAS5 TROWBRIDGE a farmer lived on or near J. O. Gary place. His son Thomas6 lived on his father's homestead. Col. Thomas7 Trowbridge was a farmer and lived on C. E. Hill's place.
COL. JONAS TWITCHELL and his son David lived on A. G. Bennett farm and were prominent farmers. The family or descendants af- terwards lived in Northfield, Mass.
DANIEL TWITCHELL came from Richmond and lived on J. M. Cole and other places. His sons Orison and William are laborers living at East Swanzey.
JAMES UNDERWOOD was a hotel keeper and a leading man at Fac- tory village, also an extensive drover. Hiram was a farmer living where his son, George L., now resides. James E. is a prominent
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man in Toronto, Canada. Elmer A. is a hotel employé at Factory village.
DANIEL VERRY was a mill owner and operator, also a farmer near Chesterfield, in the west part of the town. His son Horace lived near Mrs. Johnson's place. Oratus J. is a wheelwright at West Swan- zey.
ITHAMER WARD before going to Westmoreland late in life, lived at Swanzey Centre and other places, a farmer. His son, Harrison R., lived at East Swanzey and Keene. George W. resides at West Swanzey.
NAHUM W. WARD for many years has lived at Factory village. His son, Henry, is a hotel keeper in Keene.
GEORGE P. WARD for many years at West Swanzey went to Troy. He is a pail maker.
ZENAS WARE, whose ancestors came to Winchester from Franklin, Mass., moved to the Marcus Bullard place in the southwest part of the town in 1796, where he remained till his death. His son, Dea. Jonathan D., remained on the same place as a farmer till 1848, when he removed to the Col. Elisha Whitcomb farm, where his son, Alonzo A., now resides. Joel, youngest son of Zenas, was a prominent school teacher in town in his early years, after which he was a farmer in New York, and later in Illinois.
ALONZO A. WARE has been school teacher, land surveyor and farmer ; has been largely engaged in probate business ; and in addition to the town and county offices he has held, which have been already named, has been a justice of the peace since 1860. He is now president of Security Savings bank, in Winchester.
ZIBA and PHINEAS A. WARE, farmers, though living in Winchester, are closely identified with West Swanzey by church and social rela- tions. Joseph has been merchant and peddler ; lives at West Swan- zey.
DEA. DANIEL WARNER lived about midway between V. Marcy and A. G. Read places. He was a prominent man in the early history of the town. His son, Daniel, went to Washington, N. H.
EDWARD WATSON, a brick mason, lived several years on F. A. Wat- son place, but left his family and went "West." ·
RICHARD WEEKS was a farmer the last of his life on J. L. Winch place. Charles R. is a laborer, living at Westport.
alonso a. Warc.
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CAPT. THOMAS T. WETHERBEE was a farmer and blacksmith ; lived on C. E. Hills place. He was selectman, representative and justice of the peace. A few of his last years were spent with relatives in Vermont and in Westmoreland.
DANIEL WETHERBEE came from Stowe, Mass., and located on a farm, about a mile east of E. Swanzey Village; was a justice of the peace, land surveyor, and a leading man in town.
ELIJAH WETHERBEE, a mill-wright, lived and died in Marlow. Daniel lived in Marlborough. Calvin H. lived in Boston ; went early to California and became a wealthy lumberman. John lives in Charles- town, and has been a furniture dealer in Boston.
AARON WHEELER lived on O. S. Eaton place, as did his father Silas before him. He was a farmer and a noted fox hunter.
JAMES WHEELOCK, a farmer, lived on the hill east of East Swanzey. Removed to Vermont.
WILLIAM WHEELOCK lived near H. W. Leonard place, a stirring farmer and actively engaged in temperance movements. All the fam- ily have died or removed from town. George D. lives in Keene and is associated with C. Gonyou in the marble business.
LINCOLN WHEELOCK has lived both at East and West Swanzey.
CAPT. JOSEPH WHITCOMB Was at the head of a very numerous and intelligent branch of the Whitcomb family that settled in Swanzey. He first located on R. R. Ramsdell, jr., place, and then went to West Swanzey, and with his son, Joseph, built the saw and grist mill on the east side of the river. Joseph, the son, afterwards went to Grafton, Vt., where his descendants live. Of the sons of Capt. Joseph, Col. Jonathan located on M. C. Stone farm, in a house remembered by our oldest citizens as standing a little north of J. G. Huntley's. He was a farmer and merchant and active in military affairs. He was buried with military honors. His favorite horse which he had rode, being richly caparisoned, followed him to the grave, heading a procession of friends and citizens which extended the entire distance from his house to his grave in the northwest part of the old cemetery. Col. Elisha, a farmer and extensive land owner, lived on the farm now owned by A. A. Ware. He was state senator and an honored citizen; was likewise a manufacturer at East Swanzey. Gen. Philemon came later to town and occupied the Ramsdell farm, which his father vacated when he went to West Swanzey. About twenty years after he exchanged with his brother, Abijah, going himself to the mills at West Swanzey, while
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Abijah returned to the farm, remaining there a while and then remov- ing to the Deacon Warner place.
JOSEPH WHITCOMB, of the next generation, inherited his father's mills at West Swanzey, which soon passed into the Strattons' hands. Jonathan, son of Jonathan, lived on Mrs. S. Davis place. He was a farmer, made lamp-black, etc. John moved to Rockingham, Vt. Na- than took his father's homestead and built the house now occupied by Mrs. P. Stone. He also resided awhile at Saxton's river, Vt. Ephraim lived in various localities, the last of his life at H. S. Whitney place. He was a harness maker. The youngest daughter of Col. Jonathan married Amos Bailey. Of the sons of Elisha, his namesake went to Vermont, but returned to his father's homestead, where he died. Here also his grandson, Elisha, lived and died. David, Solomon and Asa also went to Vermont. Joseph lived at East Swanzey, owning the saw and carding mills. Philemon's sons, Jotham, Abijah, Maj. Benjamin and Job all lived at West Swanzey, and all were millers. Philemon set- tled in Faystown, Vt. ' Benjamin, son of Maj. Benjamin, was a farmer on the old homestead ; and his son, Charles S., is a farmer and team- ster. Capt. Abijah Whitcomb, son of Abijah, lived on R. R. Rams- dell, jr., farm, and afterwards removed to Claremont, where he died. His son, Benjamin F., was an overseer in one of the factories at that place. Joseph lived on Dea. Warner farm till he bought the Watson place, where the remainder of his life was spent.
Of the sons of Jonathan, Willard located in Westfield, N. Y. ; Col. Jonathan in Charlevoix, Mich., and Hiram at Sandy Creek, Mich. Roswell remained a few years at his father's homestead, then lived on F. P. Atkinson place, and for a score of years past has been at West Swanzey, a farmer, manufacturer of staves and lumber, and uniformly successful in all his ventures in business. His son, Hiram, is a whole- sale dealer in clothes and furnishing goods in Lock Haven, Pa. George E. Whitcomb was associated with his father in farming, lum- bering, and in the saw-mill till their removal to West Swanzey. Since that time he has been in the firm of C. L. Russell & Co. manufact- urers of pails, with several others in the box business, by himself, and with C. L. Russell in buying and selling timber and other estate. He has had a busy life and by energy and determination has succeeded in the acquisition of wealth. He has been a member of the New Hampshire legislature and moderator at town meetings. Arthur is now in the box business at West Swanzey. Geo. E. Whitcomb, jr., is with his father in manufacturing.
Of the sons of Nathan, Leonard lived in Vermont, on the B. F.
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Mead place, and at West Swanzey, keeping a hotel at the latter loca- tion. His son, Alanson S., has manufactured brush handles at West- port, West Swanzey and Keene. Col. Carter Whitcomb was a cloth- ier and farmer. He lived at Rockingham, Vt., and on the R. Hovey and Mrs. C. Whitcomb places, building the house at the last-named place. He took an active part in political and municipal matters. Capt. Otis, with his large family, lived at various places, but the last years of his life with his son Leonard. He was a farmer and maker of axe handles. Nathan died in Fitchburg. Capt. Alva was brought up by Nehemiah Cummings on L. W. Leach place. He was a store keeper on L. N. Howe place. Lyman went to Worcester, Mass. Jar- vis, son of Ephraim, went to Peterborough; George was a conduc- tor on railroads. The last part of his life he lived in Swanzey on H. S. Whitney place. He was a farmer, and for many years town sex- ton. Ephraim lived and died in Rutland, Vt. Elmer and Joseph, sons of Joseph, went west. The latter was a musician. Calvin is a mechanic in Worcester, Mass.
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