USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Manchester > Willey's semi-centennial book of Manchester, 1846-1896, comprised within the limits of the old Tyng Township, Nutfield, Harrytown, Derryfield, and Manchester, from the earliest settlements to the present time > Part 12
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THE HOVEY FAMILY.
T' "THE earliest tradition of the name of Hovey in America, as remembered by the descendants, is the arrival of three brothers who came from England and settled in New England, one in Mas- sachusetts, one in Vermont, and one in Connecticut. They were young men, all mechanics, and soon reared families and made reputations of sterling character and acquired an influenec which has been sustained by all their descendants. The earliest recorded date of a birth in the family name in this country is that of Samuel Hovey, Jr., born in Windham, Conn., March 7, 1743. Joseph Hovey was born at Ipswich, Mass., Dee. 17, 1762, and was deseended from the brother who settled in that state. He was a sea captain; he located in Londonderry and died on his farm near Derry Depot, where the late John Merrill lived and died. His children were : Joseph, Jr., John, Isaae, James, Sallie, Betsey, Lueretia, Charlotte, Euniee, Robert, and Charles. Joseph, Jr., died at the same place. He left two sons and two daughters : Joseph, Wil- liam, Paulina (Mrs. Merrill), and Sarah. John was a meehanie; he married Abigail Dustin, and was the owner of three places in Londonderry,-one in the Crowell neighborhood, the Joslin farm near Derry Village, and the farm at the Baptist ehureh (the Corning settlement). He moved to Marietta, O., in 1839 and died there in 1851. His wife died in that place in 1884. Eight children were born to them : John D. (who was a teacher in western Ohio), Albert G. (who went to Oregon in 1850), Milton (arehiteet and builder, deceased, Marietta, Ohio), James B. (merehant in Marietta), Frank S. (merehant and aeeountant, died in Oregon), George T. (arehiteet and builder in Marietta), Abbie D., the youngest (Mrs. Sprague of Marietta), and Mary W. (the oldest of the children, married Rev. Dr. Mather of Delaware, O.). Isaae Hovey was a physician at Atkinson, N. H. He left one son, Isaae. James, who died in Boston, left one son, James, deceased in Illinois. Sallie married E. Dan- forth. Lueretia and Charlotte remained unmar- ried. Euniee married a Mr. Goueh of Boston, and Betsey was also married. Robert and Charles left families in New England.
Albert G., son of John and Abigail (Dustin) Hovey, was born in Londonderry in 18 --. Ilis father, who was a farmer, carpenter, contractor and builder, was a very able and energetie man. He constructed several of the prineipal buildings in Londonderry, including the Baptist church, and had a wide reputation as a master at his trade and a man of scrupulous integrity. His wife, Abigail Dustin, who was a highly educated woman for her time, died at the age of nearly ninety at Marietta, O. Albert G. Hovey attended the common sehools of his native town, and among his companions at the Eakin schoolhouse, near Derry Village, he well remembers the names of Eakin, Ealcy, Carr, Carl- ton, Cheney, Belloa, Perkins, Page, MeMurphy, and others. At the Barelay sehool his sehool- mates ineluded Adams, Dickey, Boise, Watts, MeGregor, Perkins, Annis, Anderson, Crowell, and Briekett, and at the Corning sehool there were Corning, Pillsbury, Jackson, Nesmith, Davis, Mor- rison, Annis, and Richardson. Mr. Hovey went with his parents to Ohio in 1839, and in 1850 he went to the Pacific coast, loeating in Oregon, where he has sinee resided. Although he has never sought honors or office, he has held many places of publie trust in his adopted state. He has been elerk of the courts, mayor of the city of Eugene, state senator, three times a delegate to Republican national conventions, and in 1892 was appointed by President Harrison on the Board of Visitors to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Mr. Hovey is a member of the Board of Regents and treasurer of the State University of Oregon. He is president and chief owner of the Lane County Bank, established at Eugene, Oregon, in 1882. Mr. Hovey is married and has two sons and one daughter. Although warmly attached to his adopted state, he retains a fond remembrance of his native town and the highest regard for all her people, both early and later acquaintances. In a recent letter to the publisher of this work he says : "I beg to say that so far as the soil of Lon- donderry is eoneerned, it is the poorest country I have ever known inhabited by such a noble people."
IO0
EZRA W. BARTLETT.
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D ENIS A. HOLLAND was born in St. John, N. B., June 17, 1863, and when but a child with his parents removed to this city, where he was educated in the public and parochial schools, including the old high school, corner of Lowell and Chestnut streets. After concluding school life he became bookkeeper for McQuade Brothers and afterward entered the employ of Wilson & Rand as book- keeper, where he continued under ex- Couneilman Cox, who succeeded Wil- son & Rand. In 1887 he embarked in the coal business with J. H. DeCourey, sell- ing his interest to Mr. DeCourcy in April, 1894. He is now condueting a general business agency, including fire and life insurance, real estate brokerage and business inci- dental thereto. His offices are at 30 and 32 Opera Block. Mr. Holland served as a director in the Man- chester Board of Trade in 1892 and 1893, for five years was secretary of the Democratic Granite State Club, and is now its vice presi- dent. He is a member of St. Joseph's Cathedral, Knights of Columbus, Ancient Order of United Workmen, Amoskeag Veterans, and Derryfield Club. May 12, 1887, he married Nellie S., daugh- ter of John DeCourcy of North Weare, N. H. Three children have been born to them : Gertrude DeCourcy, Mary Isabella, and Theodore Vincent. Mr. Holland is considered one of the most reliable and capable of Manchester young busi- ness men,
DENIS A. HOLLAND.
THE NEW CITY HOTEL is a magnificent four-story brick structure, located on Elm street, Nos. 1128 to 1138. Electric cars to and from the depot, Massabesic lake, and all other parts of the city, pass the door every few minutes. The central location of the hotel makes it one of the most desirable and convenient stopping places in the city. The house was opened about four years ago by Charles H. Perkins, who was succeeded by Fred Cotton in 1895. Un- der the new manage- ment many improve- ments have been in- augurated, a score of new rooms having been added. The house has practically been refitted and re- furnished, and there is no modern im- provement for the convenience, com- fort, and pleasure of guests that it does not possess. The house has upwards of seventy-five sleep- ing rooms, single and en suite. The par- lors, sleeping rooms, halls, and corridors are large and ele- gantly furnished, and cleanliness is one of their chief virtues. The handsome din- ing room, located on the first floor, has a seating capacity for one hundred. Mr. Cotton has equipped the dining room with electric fans, and aside from being cool and comfortable, it presents an inviting and attractive appearance. The New City Hotel has become widely and popularly known for its first class service and excellent accommodations. It is in all respects up to date, and has a very large patronage. (See cut of hotel and portrait of proprietor, page 344.)
NUTFIELD IN THE REVOLUTION.
S PRUNG from a hardy raee of warriors who for generations had battled for eivil or religious rights, and in whom the love of liberty amounted to a passion, the deseendants of the Nutfield settlers eould not have been otherwise than in- tensely patriotie in the Revolution. Indeed, the first aet of open resistance to British authority and arms in the eolonies was committed by a little band of Londonderry men. Long before the battle at Lexington, while the British troops were sta- tioned in Boston, four soldiers deserted and joined friends in Londonderry. Their hiding place having been revealed by a Tory, an English offieer with a detachment of soldiers was sent to arrest them. The deserters were soon found and marehed baek toward Boston, but the faet quiekly beeame known in the town, and a party of young men, led by Captain James Aiken, pursued and overtook them a few miles from Haverhill. Passing the British soldiers on the road, the eaptain suddenly drew up his men in front of them and eommanded the off- eer to deliver his prisoners. The order was obeyed, and the four soldiers returned with their liberators to Londonderry and beeame residents of the town, no further attempts being made for their arrest. That was the spirit manifested by the men of Nut- field before the outbreak of hostilities, and the warlike frenzy that seized the town when the news came from Lexington in April, 1775, ean easily be imagined. Men stopped their work instantly to earry the word from one seetion of the town to another, and in a few hours all who eould bear arms were assembled on the common, near the meeting-house. A large volunteer company was formed from the two companies of militia and started at onee to join the American troops near Boston, their aceoutrements, ammunition, and pro- visions being forwarded to them afterward. Of this company George Reid, who subsequently be- eame distinguished, was ehosen eaptain ; Abraham Reid, first lieutenant ; James Anderson, ensign and seeond lieutenant ; John Patten, quartermaster ser- geant ; Daniel Miltimore, John Nesmith, Robert Barnet, John Maekey, sergeants ; James MeCluer, Robert Boyes, Joshua Thompson, George McMur- phy, eorporals; Robert Burke, drummer ; Thomas
Inglis, fifer. The privates in the company were : Matthew Anderson, Robert Adams, Samuel Ayres, Hugh Alexander, John Anderson, Alexander Brown, William Boyd, John Campbell, Thomas Campbell, Peter Christie, Solomon Collins, Ste- phen Chase, William Diekey, James Dunean, Samuel Diekey, John Ferguson, John Head, Asa Senter, Samuel Houston, Jonathan Holmes, Peter Jenkins, John Livingstone, Hugh Montgomery, John Morrison, James Morrison, Joseph Maek, Martin Montgomery, Robert MeMurphy, William MeMurphy, William Moore, Robert Maek, David MeClary, Arehibald Maek, James Nesmith, James Nesmith, Jr., William Parker, Joshua Reid, William Rowell, Thomas Roaeh, Abel Senter, Samuel Thompson, John Vanee, Hugh Watts, Thomas Wilson, John Patterson, Henry Parkinson, Samuel Stinson, John Smith, Richard Cressey, James Moore, and six men from Windham.
In August, 1776, a company, eommanded by Captain John Nesmith, was raised in which were thirty-nine men from Londonderry. Of these the new enlistments were : Samuel Cherry, ensign ; Solomon Todd, sergeant ; Michael George, drum- mer ; Timothy Dustin, fifer, and John MeClurg, William Rogers, Robert MeCluer, James Ewins, Robert Boyes, Jr., John Orr, Samuel Rowell, John Humphrey, John Cox, Edward Cox, John Ander- son, Jr., Thomas White, Ephraim White, James Moor, Samuel Eayers, John Ramsey, David George, Jonathan Gregg, Abner Andrews, Alexander Craige, William Colby, Patriek Fling, William Adams, James Boyes, Jr., Jonathan George, Charity Killieut, and John Laneaster, privates; with these additional enlistments in Deeember, 1776 : Jonathan Wallaee, William Lyon, Moses Watts, Thomas MeClary, Jesse Jones, Arthur Nesmith, John Todd, Benjamin Nesmith, James Hobbs, Nathan Whiting, Benjamin Robinson. David Marshall, William Burroughs.
In 1777 and 1778 about fifty men enlisted. many of whom had previously seen service ; in 1779 there were seventeen enlistments ; in 1780, thir- teen ; in 1781, thirty. The town voted, in Mareh, 1777, to " raise a bounty of eighteen pounds ster- ling for each man that is now wanting to make up
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our complement of men," and in April the bounty was increased to thirty pounds sterling. In Jan- uary, 1778, the selectmen were authorized to pro- vide for the families of soldiers belonging to the town. During the entire struggle of eight years, Londonderry not only furnished her full propor- tion of regular troops, but the repeated emergen- cies which called for special aid were met with readiness. According to the census taken in 1778, there were in the town of Londonderry four hun- dred and four males between the ages of sixteen and fifty, and sixty-six of these were in the army, - a larger number than from any other town in the county. Portsmouth sent only fifty men, and there was but one town in the state which contrib- uted more soldiers than Londonderry; that town was Amherst, which sent eighty-one. London- derry paid for bounties a larger sum than any other town, and it is believed that, including volun- teers and recruits for the continental line, she ac-
tually furnished a greater number of soldiers than any other town. Her list of distinguished officers, headed by Generals Stark and Reid, includes Colonel William Gregg, Captain Daniel Reynolds, and Lieutenants McClary and Adam Taylor. Lieutenant McClary, who was killed at Benning- ton, was the only man from Londonderry who lost his life in battle during the war.
T THE FIRST ROAD in Nutfield, joining the two villages, is thus referred to in the records of Feb. 13, 1720: "A by-way laid out from the bridge below the sawmill, from thence running sou-easterly by Mr. Gregg's hous, from thence turning more easterly, along by James Clark's new hous, & so up by James Neasmath's & so along as the old way as far as the cast corner of Robert Wear's fence." Dec. 16, 1725, the selectmen in- dorsed the road as laid out, and voted that it be " two rods wide & to be open & common without
SOME CATHOLIC INSTITUTIONS IN MANCHESTER.
RESIDENCE OF BISHOP BRADLEY.
ST. PATRICK'S ORPHANAGE FOR GIRLS.
ST. JOSEPH'S ORPHANAGE FOR BOYS.
MOUNT ST. MARY'S ACADEMY.
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gates & bars." About the same time the English Range road was laid out, and in 1724 the road to " Ammasceegg Falls" was laid out by Captain James Gregg and William Aiken. The roads from the East Church in Derry to the pond, and that running south by the cemetery, and also the high- way across the Double Range south of Westrun- ning brook were all laid out by the selectmen June 1, 1723. The Aikens Range road, four rods wide across the Aiken lots and two rods wide through the village to the mill, was laid out Nov. 6, 1723; the Chester road, Nov. 17, 1723 ; the highway between Derry village and the Depot, in 1737 ; the Londonderry turnpike, in 1806 ; the road in Londonderry running east to meet the Aikens Range road, June 19, 1730 ; and the main road across Londonderry, east and west to Litch- field, in 1744 ; and from Dissmore's Corner north to the Baptist Church, in 1745. Some of the highways that were laid out were never built, and for years they were nothing more than bridle-paths.
JAMES WEBSTER was born in Atkinson, N. H., Sept. 22, 1799. He was descended from sturdy New England stock that had inhabited that part of the country for many years. His father with his family, including the subject of this sketch, moved to Derry in 1816, and purchased the farm in the southeastern part of the town known as the " Wood place," which still remains in the possession of a grandson. James Webster was married Jan. 22, 1829, to Maria Eayrs of Dun- stable (now Nashua) at Newburyport, Mass., where the bride then lived. The newly married couple returned to the paternal home in Derry and con- tinued to reside there ever afterward. One half the property was deeded to James, who carried on the farm, sharing the house with his parents and one brother until their death. Nine children were born to him : James Henry, H. Maria, Charles P., Sarah A., George A., Ellen A., Mary F., Julia S., and John E. Two have died ; the others are mar- ried. The mother was born April 4, 1808, and died May 14, 1875. The father died Aug. 19, 1881. Such is the record of a most worthy and happy family life, uneventful though it was in great or strik- ing deeds. He was captain of a military company,
and the title always clung to him. He never sought for office. He was a man of sturdy integ- rity, of genial manner, of dignified bearing, and sympathetic heart. He and his wife were mem- bers of the Congregational church for many years. Both were best known and appreciated in their happy home, but when they passed away there was a great void in neighborhood and town, recognized by a host of loving friends. His home was one of generous hospitality, from which no stranger was
:
JAMES WEBSTER.
ever turned away hungry, and where the call of suffering was never unheeded. The loss of his wife, a devoted companion for more than forty-six years, was a blow from which Mr. Webster never recovered ; but with a fortitude born of true Chris- tian faith his native sunny temperament still lighted up his household. At a ripe old age he passed away, with loving hands to minister to his wants, yielding up a life rich in the fruitage of the good and true.
THE LEACH LIBRARY in Londonderry owes its origin to a fund of three thousand dollars bequeathed by David Rollins Leach, who was born in Londonderry, Aug. 8, 1806, and died at Manchester, April 1, 1878. At its next annual
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meeting the town voted to accept the bequest, chose a board of nine trustees and authorized the selectmen to build an addition to the town hall for a library room. About one thousand books were on the shelves when the library was thrown open for use, Feb. 25, 1880, and since then about one thousand more have been added, making a very creditable and useful collection. There was a
DAVID ROLLINS LEACH.
social library of several hundred volumes, kept first at the store of William Anderson, in 1830, and transferred in 1834 to the house of Robert Mack. A few years later the books were sold at auction and the proceeds divided among the stockholders. In 1858, forty residents of the town purchased a small library of about two hundred volumcs, which were later donated to the Leach library.
O UR HOME JUBILEE .- A poem written by Lucinda J. Gregg and read by Rev. J. T. McCollom at the Londonderry celebration, 1869 :
Let Nutfield today sound its merriest notes ! Let the hills and the vales catch the strain as it floats ! Ring out the loud echoes from mountain to sea, And rejoice in the day of our glad Jubilee !
From the East, from the North, from the prairies afar, From the Pine Tree domains to the southern Lone Star, We wanderers come to the cherished home-fokl, To unite in one song for the bright days of old.
A song for the true, and a song for. the brave, Who came from afar o'er the casterly wave ; One song for the lake on whose beautiful shore, Their wanderings ended, they worshipped of yore.
'Today we will sing of the brown homes they made, Where earnest hands toiled, and where loving hearts prayed ; And the home for the Sabbath, just over the way, The sacred old church, that's one hundred today.
In our jubilant song comes a sadder refrain ; - For the forms of the fathers we see not again. In their green-covered houses on yonder white hill, With the marble doors locked, they are sleeping so still !
In that glorious day when the sleepers arise, When together we go to our home in the skies, It is then we shall know - but, oh ! never till then - How much we all owe to those brave, faithful men.
Adown the long years comes a noble array ; Ah ! many are found on Fame's roll-call today. From these valleys and hills has an army of worth, Of talent and trust, gone to bless the wide earth.
Of those left at home, there is many a name, All heroic, all noble, unspoken by Fame ; - One sigh for the dead,-for the living, one song ! God bless the loved home-land that claims all the throng !
Then hail to old Derry ! its lake and its lea, Its beautiful stream winding down to the sea, Its wondrous old trees with the evergreen crest, Its fine, fertile fields, sloping green to the west !
All hail to old Nutfield ! whose broader expanse Our forefathers claimed as the years did advance ; We always shall love thee, wherever we roam, And breathe out a prayer for our earliest home.
But Time's speeding onward ; how soon in its flight Will it bear us afar and away out of sight ! How few, on another centennial day, Will return and talk over the years sped away !
But we hope, oh ! we hope, when our earth-day is done, When our tent 's taken down at life's last setting sun, On the Plains all immortal, with glory untold, We shall sing of the days that can never grow old.
HON. CYRUS A. SULLOWAY.
H ON. CYRUS A. SULLOWAY, son of man of the committee on elections during his first Greeley and Betsey L. Sulloway, was born term and twice subsequently as chairman of the judiciary committee. Upon his first entry into legislative life he at once took commanding posi- tion as leader, which position he maintained with consummate ability during his entire career of legis- lative experience. His conspicuous service in this capacity gave him wide fame and great popularity throughout the state. Always an active partisan in whatever he espoused. he entered into the heated controversies that agitated the legis- lature during his mem- bership, with zeal and enthusiasm and al- ways as the central figure of the most ex- cited controversy. In the fall of 1894 Mr. Sulloway received the unanimous Republi- can nomination for congress in the first district, and at once entered upon the can- vass with his charac- teristic ardor and im- petuosity, and the re- sult was his trium- phant election by more than 6000 plurality. This was the first test of his personal and political popularity be- HON. CYRUS A. SULLOWAY. fore so large a constituency, embracing one half of the state, and the outcome justified the high expectations which his friends have long enter- tained as to his strong hold upon the favor and good will of the people of the state. As a lawyer. and especially as a jury advocate, Mr. Sulloway has achieved a most pronounced success, and his in Grafton, June 8, 1839. His youth was spent upon his father's farm, and his opportunities for acquiring a liberal education were of that restricted character common to New Hampshire farmer boys of that period. By his enterprise and zeal, how- ever, he succeeded in supplementing his dis- trict school education by an academic course at Colby Academy in New London. In 1861 he began the study of law with Pike & Barnard of Frank- lin, the senior mem- ber of which firm died while holding the of- fice of United States senator, and the junior that of attorney-gen- eral of the state. Mr. Sulloway was admit- ted to the bar at Ply- mouth in November, 1863, and soon there- after removed to Man- chester and entered into copartnership with Samuel D. Lord, under the firm name of Lord & Sulloway. This business copart- nership continued for ten years and was eminently successful, securing a wide client- age and a lucrative practice. Upon its dissolution Mr. Sulloway associated with himself Mr. E. M. Topliff, under the firm name of Sulloway & Topliff. The practice of this firm has been very extensive, and among the largest in the state. From 1873 to 1878 Mr. Sulloway was deputy collector of in- ternal revenue. He was a member of the legisla- ture in 1872, '73, '79, '91, and '93, serving as chair- future prospects, both political and professional.
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ought to satisfy the most exacting ambition. Mr. initials of the churches, were distributed to prevent Sulloway was married May 31, 1864, to Helen M., intruders. Long, narrow tables were spread in the daughter of Jonathan W. and Theodorah D. Fifield aisles, and sometimes three or four sittings, ar- ranged according to age, would be necessary, pro- tracting the services until sunset. These seasons were often attended with many conversions. of Franklin. One daughter, Belle 11., was born July 31, 1868. Mrs. Sulloway having deceased July 20, 1892, Mr. Sulloway, on May 31, 1894, married Miss Martha J. Webster of Haverhill, Mass.
W ORLDLY WISDOM and practical sagacity were prominent traits in the character of the Scotch Irishmen who settled Nutfield. Dealers in mythical corner lots and nebulous west- ern real estate and confidence men of every species would have carned but a precarious livelihood among those alert, long-headed men. The adviec of one of the elders to a young man who was about journeying into a new country is worthy to go with the celebrated counsels of Polonius to Laertes. The young man was to carry considerable silver money, and the elder said to him : "When ye come into a strange hoose, don't set doun your saddle-bags as if there was eggs in 'em, nor yet fling them doun so as to chink the coin ; but put them doun indifferently, in a corner where you can see 'em, but never look at 'em."
C OMMUNION SEASONS in the early days of the Nutheld settlement were held only twice a year and were occasions of great impor- tance to the church. In 1734 Mr. Thompson had seven hundred communicants present at one sea- son, the number including members of the church residing in other settlements and members of other churches. Communion seasons were pre- ccded by preaching on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Thursday was observed with great strictness as a sacramental fast-day, and any viola- tion of it was a serious matter. One church mem- ber was disciplined for spreading out hay to dry on a Thursday. The Monday following communion was a day of thanksgiving. These extra services gave risc to much preaching, requiring the aid of other ministers. Communicants from several churches, with their ministers and elders, often united in the sacrament on the Sabbath. Small pieces of metal eallcd tokens, stamped with the
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