USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Windham > The history of Windham in New Hampshire (Rockingham country). 1719-1883. A Scotch settlement (commonly called Scotch-Irish), embracing nearly one third of the ancient settlement and historic township of Londonderry, N.H > Part 74
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689
GENEALOGIES : JONATHAN NESMITIN.
granddaughter of John Dinsmoor1, the emigrant, of Windham. In the Revolutionary struggle he was a true patriot, and did val- iant service. Though an old man, he rallied to the defence of his country at the first call, marched with the minute-men, and par- ticipated in the battle of Bunker Hill. He d. July 19, 1793, æ. 74 yrs. 11 mos. Children, b. in Londonderry : -
12. James8, b. 1744; m. Mary MeClure, and was an elder in the West Parish church in Londonderry.
CHILDREN.
1. Martha', m. James Wallace, and had thirteen children.
2. Mary4, died.
3. Isaac4, m. Mary MeClure, and had ten children.
4. Roberts, m. Roxana -, and had three children.
5. Jamest. m. Lucinda Sonthard; two children.
6. Margaret4, m. David Morrison ; no children.
7. Sarah4, m. Samuel Wilson ; had eight children.
William-Morrisons, m. Harriet Willis: had three children : Maria5, Sarah5, and Hon. James-W. Nesmiths, who was U. S. Senator fromn Oregon. He was b. in 1820; in 1846, m. Pauline Goffe, and now resides, in affluent circumstances, in Dixie. Oregon. His father, William-Morrison, d. at St. Charles, Mo .. Nov. 25, 1839.
13. Jonathan8, h. Londonderry, August, 1759; rem. to An- trim permanently in 1778; was an elder and a prominent man in the town. He mn. Eleanor8. dau. of Adani2, of Londonderry, N. H., and granddaughter of John Dickey1, of Londonderry, Ireland. She was b. Jan. 1, 1761; d. Sept. 17, 1818 ; he m. 2d, Mrs. Sarah (Wetherbee) Hamblin, of Concord, Mass., who d. Jan. 1852. He d. Oct. 15, 1845.
CHILDREN.
1. James4, b. Oct. 5, 1783: d. in Waukon, Ja., 1862; ten children.
2. Jeans, b. May 14, 1787 : m. John Dunlap; d. March 29, 1835.
3. Thomas-1).4, b. March 22. 178 : d. in Antrim, Sept. 10, 1841. He in. Martha Weeks; m. 2d, Nancy Gregg; nine children. Ilis dan.
Martha' m. Isaac-P. Cochran, of Windham. (See Cochran family. ) 4. Adams, b March 5, 1792; m. Rebecca Dale: d. in Beverly, Jan. 15, 1865.
5. Mary-D.4, b. 1794; d. min. April 6. 1874.
6. Margaret4. b. May 4, 1726: d. vnm. 1827.
Isabel. b. March 6, 1798; d num. March 8, 1862.
Hon. George-W.4, b. Oct 23, 1800; graduated at Dartmouth College, 1820: m. Mary-M. Brooks. Commenced practice of law at Franklin; was judge of the supreme court of N. H. Has filled many responsible and honorable positions. The degree of LL.D. was conferred by Dartmouth College ; he is one of the ablest men in New Hampshire.
9. Robert4, b. Feb. 20, 1803; d. Feb. 9, 1812.
14. Robert®, b. Londonderry; m. Jane Anderson, and had five children : Thomas+, James+, Cyrus4, Betsey4, and Martha'.
15. Margaret3, b. Londonderry ; m. Hugh Moor, and rem. to Buxton, Me .; six children : Margaret, Mary4, Elizabeth+, Jane', Sarah4, Jonathan4.
690
GENEALOGIES : ARTHUR NESMITH3.
16. Elizabeth3, b. Londonderry; m. James Cochran, of Wind- ham. (See Cochran family.)
17. Mary8, b. Londonderry ; m. James McClure, of Acworth ; nine children were b .; then rem. to Charlestown, N. H., and sub- sequently to Waldo, Me. Children : Mary4, Martha4, Nesmith4, Sally4, Robert4, John4, Thomas4, Margaret4, and Elizabeth4.
18. Sally3, b. Londonderry ; m. Daniel Anderson, of London- derry; eight children : George+, Elizabeth4, Jane4, James4, Mary4, Sarah4, Margaret4, and Isaac4.
19. Arthur2 [4] (James1). He was b. in Londonderry, April 3, 1721, and m. Margaret, dau. of John1 and Elizabeth (Dinsmoor; Hopkins, of Windham, the emigrants. He built the Robert Nes- mith house in Londonderry (now Derry). It stood west of the M. & L. R. R, and was near the "old block house" in which the early settlers used to gather at night for protection against the Indians. On this farm he lived and died. It was supposed that he emigrated to Maine, but later investigation proves this to be incorrect. Children, b. in Londonderry : -
20. Mary3, m. Mr. Ramsay, and settled in Greenfield, N. H.
21. John3. He was a valiant soldier in the Revolutionary war. He was in Capt. George Reid's Co. at the battle of Bunker Hill; afterwards he commanded a company in the expedition to Canada, and also served at Rhode Island, under General Sullivan, after which he left the service on account of ill health, and died after the end of the war. He m. Jane Reid, and had one child, who did not long survive him.
22. James3, served in the Revolutionary army ; afterwards settled in Bedford. It is uncertain about his family; but it is asserted that they rem. to Maine.
23. John2 [7] (James1). He was b. in Londonderry, N. H., Feb. 6, 1728. He settled on the homestead in the "South Range." He m. Elizabeth, sister of Gen. George Reid, and d. 1815, æ. 87 yrs .; she d. 1793, æ. 64 yrs. Children, born in Lon- donderry : -
24. James3, b. 1758; rem. to Antrim in 1778; was an elder in the church, and a useful and respected citizen. He m. Eliza- beth Brewster, of Francestown, in 1781; m. 2d, Charlotte Walker. He had nine ch., and d. 1845, æ. 87 years.
25. Arthur3, rem. to Antrim about 1784, and m. Polly Dun- can, May 30, 1793; was an elder in the church. In 1816 he rem. to New Portage, Ohio, and d. in 1823, æ. 63 years. He had nine children. He was a fine singer, and led the singing in Antrim for thirty years. On one occasion he was greatly annoyed by the loud, unmelodious singing of his brother, Dea. James Nesmith. He reached over the pew tops, and with his cane gave him a poke, saying : "Deacon Jamie, Deacon Jamie, I wish you would sing in the spirit, for you do make an awfu' noise in the flesh !"
26. John8, b. 1766; lived on the homestead in Londonderry, till his death in 1844. He m. Susan Hildreth ; she d. 1813, æ. 36;
691
GENEALOGIES : BENJAMIN NESMITH :.
eight children ; he m. 2d, Lydia, dau. of Deacon Sargent, of Wind- ham ; she d. April 19, 1856, æ. 76. Children : John-P.4, Isabella4, Susan-H.4, Samuel-H.4, James-P.4, Mary4, Thomas4, Elizabeth4, Albert-S.4, and Charles-E.4
27. Ebenezer3, m. Jane Trolter.
28. Thomas3, d. 1815, a .. 40.
29. Elizabeth8, m Dea. James Pinkerton, of Londonderry. Six children : Isabella4 and James, d. in infancy ; Betsey4, m. John Aiken, and d. 1837 : Janet, m. Joshua Aiken, his brother ; Mary-B.4, m. Capt. William Choate ; and Clarissa4, in. Robert-E. Little.
30. Marys, m John Miltimore, of Reading, Penn.
31. Janes, m. 1797, Hugh Anderson, of Londonderry ; 3 ch .: William4, John-N.4, and Elizabeth-N.4
32. Benjamin2 [10] (James1). He was the youngest son of James Nesmith, the emigrant, and was b. Sept. 14, 1734. He m. Agnes, dan. of Col. James Gilmore, of Windham, in 1763; re- moved to Belfast, Me., in 1773-4, and was among the early set- tlers of that town; this was about the time of the large exodus from Windham and Londonderry to that place. In 1776, soon after the breaking out of the Revolutionary war, on account of the close proximity of the British army, they fled from that town, and slept in the woods every night for a fortnight. They remained in Londonderry till 1783, when he and his family returned to Belfast, " while the surges of the Revolution were rocking them- selves to rest." He d. Sept. 18, 1800, æ. 66 yrs. Children, all born in Londonderry, except Mary : -
33. James3, b. May, 1764; m. Sept. 1, 1795, Naney Gilmore, of Londonderry, and d. March 4, 1811.
CHILDREN.
1. Charlotte4, m. Mr. Cunningham, of Montville, Me.
2. A danghter, living in California.
3. James4, lives in New York, N. Y.
4. Benjamin4, res. near Madison, Wis.
34. Benjamin3, mn. Martha Houston, and had 4 ch. He m. 2d, Hannah Morrill; 6 ch. He was a master ship-builder in Bel- fast, Me. He and his brother Thomas3, and their sisters Jenny3 and Mary3, with their mother, emigrated to Pittsburg, Penn. ITis ch. were: Nancy4, Esther4, Benjamin4, Martha+, Jonathan4, David4, Elmira4, Mary4, and Charles4.
35. Elizabeth3, m. Capt. James Miller of Londonderry. Ch. : James4, d. ; Jonathan4, Elizabeth4, Benjamin4, Mary4, David-HI.4, d .; Thomas4. Mary4 m. Capt. Benjamin Crooks, who d. 1855. The rest of the family res. in or near Pittsburg, Penn.
36. Jenny3, m. Dr. William Crooks, of Meriden, N. H. He d. leaving ch. : Nancy-G.4, John-Benjamin4, and Horatio-Wilson4. She m. 2d, Jacob Rollings, and had one ch., Mary-Jane4.
37. Jonathan3, was a sea-captain, and d. of yellow fever. He m. Sally Crosby, and left one ch., who d. in infancy.
692
GENEALOGIES : THOMAS NESMITH2.
38. Mary8, m. Thomas Algo, from Ireland; no ch.
39. Thomas3, the youngest son, m. Susan Davidson, and d. leaving two sons. He m. 2d, Sally Cargill, who had six ch. She d., and he m. 3d, -; ch .: Alfred4, Thomas4, Susan+, Abby4, James4, Benjamin4, Sallie4, and Elizabeth4. He was living re- cently with his dau., Mrs. Sallie Pratt, in Bellville, Wood County, West Va., at the age of 84.
40. Thomas2 [9] (James1), was ancestor of the Nesmiths of Windham. Ile was next to the youngest son of James Nes- mith1, the emigrant, and was b. in Londonderry, March 26, 1732. He m. 1761, Annis, dau. of James and Jennet (Taggart) Wilson, and granddaughter of Alexander Wilson, of Lon- donderry. Both her father and grandfather came from over the sea. She was b. Sept. 23, 1743. They settled in Windham, and the house in which they lived stood a few rods in front of the present house of Horace Berry; a depression in the ground marks the old cellar. The young couple commenced their wedded life there, and they dwelt together in peace and harmony till death sundered the ties which bound them together. Of industrious and economical habits, they accumulated a large property, for those days, and their house was ever the home of the poor and needy. In the full vigor of his powers, and in the strength of his manhood, he d. Nov. 30, 1789, in his 58th year. She survived him thirty-four years, and d. Jan. 4, 1824, æ. 81 yrs. Children, b. in Windham :
41. John3 [44], b. March 29, 1762; m. Lucy Martin ; d. Feb. 20, 1806.
42. Elizabeth3, m. Jonathan Wallace. They lived in the English Range, Derry, and in 1814 rem. to Essex, N. Y., near Lake Champlain.
CHILDREN.
1. John4, is supposed to have died in Canada.
2. Jonathan+, settled in French's Mills, N. Y., practised law ; died leaving no children.
3. Betsey4, went to Fond du Lac. Wis
4. Annis+, went to Fond du Lac, Wis. ; m. a Mr. Mandel, and had children.
5. Samuel+, d. in Derry, leaving children.
6. Nesmith+, lived on the home farm in Essex, N. Y.
7. James+, went from home young ; never heard from; supposed to have been lost at sea.
43. James3, d. in early life.
44. John3 [41] (Thomas2, James1), b. March 29, 1762. He m. Lucy, dau. of Capt. Jacob Martin. Hle succeeded his father on the homestead in town, and with him lived his aged mother. The home farm was large, consisting of some 400 acres, part of which is now in the possession of his descendants.
The ancient house was demolished a few years ago. It was a roomy old place, consisting of 17 rooms, with a store attached, and a large hall connected with it, which was a famous place for
TUM
NY
THE
0. Jack M. Nesmith
693
GENEALOGIES : JOHN NESMITH4.
balls and dances in " ye olden time." A respectable assortment of goods, such as is nsnal in country places, was kept in the store, and a good business done. Mr. Nesmith was successful as a basi- ness man. He had just returned from Newburyport, where he had purchased goods, when he was taken with his last sickness, of which he died in a few days, at the age of 44 yrs. His death occurred Feb. 20, 1806, leaving a widow and nine children. His wife was b. in Ipswich, Mass., Nov. 17, 1765, and d. at her dangh- ter's, Mrs. John Patten's, in Derry, Feb. 20, 1837. She pos- sessed remarkable business ability. Though lame, and obliged to use a crutch, she was able to perform more than the most of women. Her portrait, now in possession of descendants, pictures a face beautiful in expression and of strongly marked character. With the aid of her sons she carried on the store for a few years, until her second marriage with Dea. Daniel McKeen, of Derry, in 1813. She took her two younger children with her to her new home, the others remaining on the homestead with the grand- mother. After the death of Deacon McKeen, Nov. 4, 1820, she returned to her old home, where she remained till near the close of life. Children, b. in Windham : -
45. Jacob-Martin4 [54], b. Sept. 20, 1786; res. Windham ; d. Jan. 21, 1863.
46. Thomas+ [63], b. Sept. 7, 1788; res. Lowell, Mass. ; d. July 31, 1870.
47. Betsey4, b. April 30, 1791 : d. Jan. 18, 1836; m. Alexan- der Park. (See Park family.)
48. John4 [70], b. Aug. 3, 1793; res. Lowell, Mass. : d. Oct. 15, 1869.
49. James-Wilson4 [85] b. May 28, 1796; m. Eliza-G. Par- ker; res. Derry, N. H .; d. April 29, 1881.
50. Lucy4, b. Nov. 13, 1798; m. Dec. 3, 1829, John Patten. He was b. Oct. 15, 1798; d. Dec. 19, 1866; farmer ; res. Derry, N. H. She d. April 22, 1848. Children: one d. in infancy ; Elizabeth5, b. Sept. 16, 1830.
51. Annis4, b. Jan. 16, 1801 ; m. Dec. 27, 1827, William Da- vidson, b. July 19, 1802, and lived in west side of Windham till about 1835; they rem. to Pike (near Wiscoy), N. Y., and bought a large farm. Both dead. She d. March 31, 1877. (See David- son family.)
52. George-Reid4 [88], b. March 14, 1803; res. Wiseoy, N. Y .; d. Aug. 21, 1882.
53. Jonathan-Wallace4, b. Oct. 28, 1805; m. Mary Manton, of Providence, R. I .: settled in New York, N. Y., and was in commission business. He died in Somerville, Mass., Nov. 2, 1847, æ. 42 yrs. No children.
54. Col. Jacob-M.+ [45] (John3, Thomas2, James1). Col. Ja- cob-M. Nesmith was b. in Windham, Sept. 20, 1786. He resided on the old family homestead until he was about 34 years of age, when he purchased the Robert Park farnı, one mile south and one half
694
GENEALOGIES : COL. JACOB-M. NESMITH+.
mile from Windham village, to which he moved April 19, 1820, and where he resided during the remainder of his life, following the honorable occupation of a farmer. In early life he loved the military service, and devoted much attention to it; he passed through the several grades until he reached the position of colo- nel, and commanded the 8th Regt. N. H. Militia. In 1814 he m. Margaret, dan. of Dea. Robert Dinsmoor, the . "Rustic Bard," with whom he lived nearly 45 years. She was b. May 18, 1787, and d. Dec. 4, 1858, æ. 71 yrs. He d. Jan. 21, 1863, æ. 76 yrs. Children, b. in Windham : -
55. Elizabeth5, b. Aug. 19, 1815; d. Dec. 31, 1846. She m. Ebenezer-T. Abbot. (See Abbot family.)
56. John5, b. Jan. 30, 1817. Ile was a trader, and carried on business in Dover, N. H. He m. Martha, daughter of David Gregg, of Derry, who d. childless. He m. 2d, Sept. 13, 1848, Lydia-A. Richardson, of Dover, N. H., b. March 20, 1821, who d. Jan. 19, 1854, leaving two children. He m. 3d, Charlotte-K .- A. Richardson, who d. Dec. 20, 1870. He was judge of the police court in Dover, 1875-76. He d. June 9, 1876.
CHILDREN.
1. Charlotte-E.6, b. Aug. 20, 1850; m. Frank-P. Shepard, July 30, 1879, and res. Dover; teacher.
2. John-J.6, b. July 9, 1849 ; d. May 17, 1862.
57. Robert-D.5, b. Sept. 20, 1818. Left Windham when 20 years of age ; has been a woolen goods manufacturer at different times in Massachusetts, Maine, and New Hampshire, and for the last sixteen years in Pennsylvania, three years in Meadville, and thirteen in Johnston, where he is superintendent of a large estab)- lishment, and where he res. He m. Jan. 20, 1848, Nancy-H., dau. of Benjamin and Nancy (Cummings) Osgood, of Westford, Mass., where she was b. Feb. 21, 1821.
58. Jacob-Alpheus5, b. July 31, 1820 ; was absent from Wind- ham for several years, living in Lowell, and also in Chelmsford, Mass., where he was in trade. He returned to town, and took the home farm upon which his father, Col. Jacob-M. Nesmith, lived. Upon this he still res. He m. June 12, 1851, Mary-A., dau. of Barnet and Jane (Wilson) Hughes, of Windham, and grand- daughter of John Hughes, the emigrant ancestor of that family. She was b. July 8, 1821, and d. Dec. 8, 1857, leaving two children. He m. 2d, April 28, 1859, Elizabeth-C., dau. of Horatio-A. Smith. of Medford, Mass .; she was b. Sept. 8, 1821; one son.
CHILDREN, BORN IN WINDHAM.
1. Charles-C.6, b. March 6, 1852; m. 1875, Josephine-A. Hamblin; res. Boston, Mass.
2. Mary-A.6, h. Nov. 28, 1857; m. Nov. 2, 1881, Thos .- Y. King, b. Lamoine, Me., Nov. 6, 1856; res. Waltham, Mass.
3. Jacob-A.6, h. July 26, 1864 : res. Windham.
59. Thomas5, b. July 25, 1822; farmer; res. Tewksbury,
Ny
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Thomas Nesmith.
69.
GENEALOGIES : SAMUEL-MARTIN NESMITH ;.
Mass. He m. Sept. 26, 1858, Frances-A., dau. of Rufus Crane, of East Windsor, Ct.
CHILDREN, BORN IN TEWKSBURY.
1 Franklin-Ellsworth", b. Nov. 9, 1861.
2. Henry-Irvings, b. Ang. 24, 1864.
3. Elizabeth-Frances3, b. July 19, 1866.
60. William-Edward5, b. Jan. 22, 1825. His early life was spent in manufacturing cotton goods in Massachusetts and New Hampshire; is now a farmer, and res. in Bow, N. H., where he has held town offices, and was appointed enumerator of the cen- sus in 1880. He m. Feb. 1, 1852, Sarah-L .- M., dan. of W .- S .- McDaniel, of Freedom, N. H., where she was b. Feb. 6, 1825.
CHILDREN.
1. Edward-M.6, b. Manchester, N. II . April 26, 1854: graduated at Bos- ton University, 1881.
2. George-A.6, b. at Bow, June 3, 1856; teacher.
Flora-M.6, b. Bow, May 6, 1858.
4. Mary-E.G. b. June 19, 1863 ; d. Ang. 14, 1865.
61. Samuel-Martin5, was b. March 19, 1827. He lived at home until eighteen years of age; then removed to Dover, N. H., where he resided for five years; then removed to Charles- town, Mass. (now Boston), where he has since resided ; was five years a member of the city government, three years as council- man and two years as alderman ; now an officer at Boston City Hospital. He has always taken a deep interest in the prosperity of his native town, and at the dedication of the Town Hall, in 1868, was present and made an interesting address. He m. Dec. 30, 1851, Mary-Ann, dan. of Charles and Louise (Foss) Paul : she was b. in Dover, N. H., Oct. 22, 1829.
CHILDREN.
1. Charles-Irving6, b. June 14, 1857 ; m. Dec. 30, 1880. Mary-L. Caswell ; she was b. in Boston, June 7, 1857.
2. Mary-Louise®, b. Dec. 5, 1859 ; d. Aug. 7, 1862.
3. Samuel-Dinsmoor', b. Aug. 24, 1862.
62. James-Irving5, b. Nov. 26, 1829. He m. Aug. 19, 1858, Lucretia-H., dau. of Jacob Gregg, of Johnson, Vt. He was brought up upon the farm in Windham, subsequently became a machinist, and for the last twenty years has in different localities been engaged in the hotel business, in which he is still occupied ; res. Brighton, Mass.
CHILD.
1. Hattie-A.6, b. Lowell, Mass., Nov. 4, 1860.
63. Col. Thomas+ [46] (John3, Thomas2, James1), was b. in Windham, Sept. 7, 1788. Being named for his grandfather, he was especially dear to the heart of his long-widowed grand- mother, with whom much of his early life was spent. His edu-
696
GENEALOGIES : COL. THOMAS NESMITH+.
cation was such as could be obtained from the district schools, and the high school, now Pinkerton Academy, in Derry, taught at that time by Mr. Samuel Burnham.
His father dying at the age of forty-four, leaving a family of nine children, his mother decided to continue the store which her husband had opened in one of the rooms of their own house. In this additional labor she had the assistance of her older boys, and here Thomas remained until about 1810, when he went into business for himself.
The importation of linen in those days being altogether inade- quate to the demand for it, the thread, as well as cloth, was spun and woven in various households throughout the country towns. Through this home industry, Thomas thought he saw a way to lay the foundation of a fortune. Buying a horse, and one of the primitive two-wheeled carts then in use, he collected the thread, carried it home to his grandmother to color, and his sisters to make into skeins; then took it with the cloth to Lynn, . and other large towns, where it found a ready sale. By this means, at the end of a few years he had accumulated six thou- sand dollars, and could enlarge his business somewhat. He hired a room, in 1815, of Robert Clark, near the meeting-house in Wind- ham, in which he opened a store with his brother John, with whom he was associated as long as he remained in active busi- ness. During this period of his life he took an active part in the town affairs of Windham, and acted as town clerk in 1821.
In 1822, Mr. James Nesmith took the Windham store, and the brothers, Thomas and John, removed to Derry, occupying the old store of Patterson & Choate, now a dwelling-house. It was during this period of his life that Mr. Nesmith met Lucinda Fay, whom he married May 20, 1832. She was then in Derry as prin- cipal of the Adams Female Seminary, and was a woman possess- ing a fine, strong religious nature, as well as much personal beauty. She was the daughter of Winslow and Betsey (Colburn) Fay, and was born at Lebanon, N. H., June 12, 1810, and was educated at Miss Grant's school in Ipswich, Mass.
Mr. John Nesmith after this went into a commission business in New York City, where he was soon joined by Thomas, but they remained there only a short time. The Livermore estate in Lowell was advertised for sale, and the brothers decided at once to purchase it and live permanently. in that city. Mr. Nesmith was never afterwards connected with any active business outside of his own private affairs. What Mr. Nesmith's special charac- teristics were, may be told in a few words by an old friend and neighbor: "To great diligence, he through life added sound judgment and forethought, which produced very remarkable results of gain with small percentage of loss. He accumulated a large estate, but only by regular business transactions. He defrauded no man and left no enemies. His integrity was not questioned, and his moral and courteous bearing made him a
697
GENEALOGIES : COL. THOMAS NESMITH !.
pattern man in business affairs, a good citizen and neighbor, a gentleman in social life." When he went to Lowell, manufactur- ing corporations and city institutions were just assuming tangible form. He was a member of the city government the first two years of its existence, and helped forward many enterprises that were struggling into being. He never sought official position, or cared to be a leader in affairs.
In the war of 1812-15 he was a soldier drafted from Windham. He was enlisted Sept. 15, 1814, for three months, was a third lieutenant in Capt. Nathaniel G. Bradley's company, and was stationed at Portsmouth, N. HI. During his youth he was a lover of the military service, and in May, 1820, was colonel of the 8th Regt. of N. Il. militia. But one of his benevolent acts which will cause his name to be remembered with gratitude by the peo- ple of Windham, his native town, was the founding of the Nes- mith Library. This is appropriately noticed in the chapter on Libraries. (See p. 28.1.) It was a noble, generous act, and one worthy of a more general following by the wealthy sons of other towns To the deserving poor of Lowell he left the "Nesmith Fund" of twenty-five thousand dollars, which is now in the hands of trustees, and has been of great benefit to many worthy people. He d. in Lowell July 31, 1870. Mrs. Nesmith was b. June 12, 1810; d. Dec. 18, 1852. Children : -
64. Lucinda-C.5, b. July 15, 1834; d. Ang. 5, 1834.
65. Lucy-Elizabeth5, b. May 11, 1838 ; res. Lowell, Mass.
66. Mary-Manton5, b. Feb. 18, 1841; d. Nov. 24, 1848.
67. Maria-Louisa5, b. July 18, 1844; m. Dee. 6, 1875, Walter- H., son of John MeDaniels, of Lowell, Mass. She d. Aug. 29, 1876.
68. Henrietta-Washburn5, b. June 8, 1846; m. Sept. 28, 1870, Edward Hastings, son of Henry and Sarah (Marchant) Hastings, who d. Nov. 27, 1881 ; res. Lowell, Mass.
CHILDREN.
1. Ethel, b. Oct. 31, 1871.
2. Henrietta-Nesmith6, b. Jan. 25, 1877.
69. Thomas5, b. April 27, 1848; graduated at Harvard Uni- versity, 1871. He is a director in the Hill Manufacturing Co. at Lewiston, Me., director in the Prescott National Bank and the Five Cent Savings Bank of Lowell, and has been connected with the city government for two years. Ile m. March 23, 1875, at Frankfort, Germany, Florence, daughter of Fisher-Ames and Lauretta (Coburn) Hildreth ; res. Lowell, Mass.
CHILDREN.
1. Hildreth", b. Sept. 23, 187G. 2. Thomas6, b. Jan. 4, 1879.
3. Lauretta6, b. May 2, 1881.
4. Florence", b. March 4, 1883.
770. John+ [48] (John3, Thomas2, James1). Lieut .- Governor John Nesmith was b. in Windham Aug. 3, 1793. Till his twenty- ninth year his life was intimately connected with the history of
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GENEALOGIES : LIEUT .- GOV. JOHN NESMITH+.
Windham, and he actively mingled in its affairs. He was promi nent in its politics, and acted as treasurer in 1819-20, and repre- sented the town in the General Court in 1821. In 1822 he removed to Derry. The story of his life will be found in the following article, which I take from the Annual Cyclopedia (1869), writ- ten by John-Bell Bouton :
"John Nesmith, one of the most enterprising and successful of New England manufacturers, was b. in Windham, N. H., Aug. 3, 1793; d. Oct. 15, 1869. Mr. Nesmith commenced life a poor boy, and had only the common advantages of education at that time. At fourteen years of age he was placed in a country store, and served an apprenticeship of five years, after which, in connection with his brother Thomas, he went into business for himself. As soon as their cash capital and enlarged credit would warrant the adventure, the brothers removed to New York, and built up an extensive and highly remunerative trade. In 1831, foreseeing the future importance of Lowell, Mass., as a manufacturing centre, they settled in that place, invested largely in real estate, and iden- tified themselves with every measure calculated to advance the growth and prosperity of the home of their adoption. Mr. Nes- mith's peculiar tastes and talents soon enlisted him in the manu- facture of blankets, flannels, printing-cloths, sheetings, and other textile fabrics, and from thenceforth that was his principal pur- suit. He became agent for, or as owner was interested in, mills in Lowell, Dracut, Chelmsford, Hooksett, and other places, and managed those enterprises with almost unvarying success. He was a large stockholder in the Merrimack Woolen Mills Company.
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