USA > Vermont > Essex County > Gazetteer of Caledonia and Essex Counties, Vt. 1764-1887 > Part 56
USA > Vermont > Caledonia County > Gazetteer of Caledonia and Essex Counties, Vt. 1764-1887 > Part 56
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93
In 1880 Lunenburgh had a population of 1,038. In 1886 the town had nine school districts and ten common schools, taught during the year by two male and fifteen female teachers, to whom was paid an average weekly salary, including board, of $6.93 to the former, and $5. 15 to the latter. There were 248 scholars, two of whom attended private schools. The entire amount raised for school 'purposes was $1,587.42, while the total expenditures were $3, 168.64, with F. D. Hale, superintendent.
LUNENBURGH is a fine, pleasant post village, located on a beautiful plateau in the eastern part of the town. It is one of New England's pleasantest vil- lages, is greatly admired for its surrounding beautiful scenery, and is becom- ing quite famous as a summer retreat. The summer resident is well taken care of here in the pleasant homelike hotels. Mail is received twice daily from South Lancaster, N. H., M. V. B. Vance, stage proprietor and mail carrier. The village has two churches (Congregational and Methodist), a half dozen stores, a wagon shop, grist-mill, three blacksmith shops and about thirty dwellings. Dr. H. A. Cutting's library and mineralogical cabinet here is. probably unequaled as a private collection in the state.
SOUTH LUNENBURGH (p. o.) is a hamlet in the south part on Connecticut river.
Silsby's lumber mills, on the outlet of Neal's pond, were built by Joshua Silsby in 1867. They give employment to thirty hands and turn out about 2,000,000 feet of lumber per year.
The first settlement was made in what was supposed to be the north- eastern part of the town, in 1764, by David Page, Timothy Nash and George Wheeler. It was subsequently ascertained, however, that these settlements were located over the line in Guildhall. They brought their grain and pro- visions from Northfield, Mass., in canoes, a distance of more than 150 miles ; and during the Revolutionary war they were in a continual state of alarm, and frequently annoyed by the Indians and Tories, who killed their cattle, flooded their houses and carried a number of their inhabitants into captivity, as we have detailed in the earlier pages of this work.
It is difficult to determine when the first settlement was made in the present limits of the town, but probably as early as 1768, by Uriah Cross, Thomas
Chas . W. King.
46 L.
TOWN OF LUNENBURGH.
Gustin and Ebenezer Rice, who made their log huts near the bank of the Connecticut. In 1791 the population had increased to 119 souls. The sub- sequent growth may be seen by reference to the census table on another page. The town was organized September 11, 1781, and David Hopkins was the first town clerk.
Ebenezer Lane came to Lunenburgh, from Hanover, N. H., about 1792, located on the place now owned by Mrs. Joseph Powers, married, first, Jane Lester, who bore him three sons and one daughter, and second, Annie Green, who bore him five sons and two daughters. He built the house where George W. Hill now lives, and died in 1827. His son Erastus was born in 1783, married Olive, daughter of Benjamin Balch, and had born to him three sons, namely, Erastus, born in 1815, Sylvenus, born in 1819, and William B. Syl- venus married Martha Balch, in 1840, and reared six sons and three daugh- ters, of whom Miranda (Mrs. George W. Hill) and Frank E. reside in this town. George W. Hill was born in Danville, Vt., in 1842, moved to Con- cord at the age of four years, and when sixteen years of age came to this town. He served in the late war, in Co. K, 8th Vt. Vols., three years and eight months, and was severely wounded September 4, 1862. He married Miranda Lane in 1875, and has one son and two daughters, Harry S., Clara M. and Ella M.
Joseph Powers came to Lunenburgh, from New London, Conn., with his wife and two children, Edmund and Charlotte, about 1794, and moved into a log house situated just east of the dwelling in which Archibald C. Powers now resides. He had afterwards four sons and three daughters, viz .: Joseph, born in 1794, Stephen, Sabrina (Mrs. Abner Thompson), Thaddeus, Russell, born in 1807, and Mary (Mrs. Asa Smith). Russell married Louise, daughter of Archibald Chase, in 1835, and had born to him three sons and five daughters, four of whom are living, viz .. Elizabeth H. (Mrs. A. C. Hall), of Whitefield, N. H., Archibald C., born in 1845, Frank R., of Kirby, Vt., and Ellen (Mrs. H. F. Gilbert), of Concord, Vt. Archibald C. married Helen E. Dodge, in 1871, and has two sons, Harland W. and Edwin H. He lives on the homestead, on road 37. Stephen, son of Joseph, was born in 1798, married Almira Johnson, who bore him six sons and four daughters, of whom three sons are living, namely, Timothy, James and Stephen B. His son Joseph, now deceased, was born in 1834, married Orinda Dodge, in 1859, and had born to him four sons and one daughter, viz. : John D., who died in 1862, Stephen J., born in 1861, George R., born in 1864 and died in 1885, Nellie M., who died in infancy, and Marshall, who died in 1879, aged ten years. Mr. Powers died March 26, 1884. His son Stephen J. married Jennie L., daughter of Archibald Miller, in 1884, and is proprietor of Maple Grove Hotel, in the village. Stephen B., son of Stephen and Almira (John- son) Powers, was born in this town, in 1837, married Martha Thompson, in 1864, and has one son, Fred E. He was engaged in mercantile business at the village, from 1866 to 1871, and now resides on road 32.
462
TOWN OF LUNENBURGH.
Hon. Charles Wesley King .- Efforts have been made to trace the ancestry of this branch of the King family to the original stock, but without result. It is known, however, that it is of English origin ; that members of the family were early settlers of New England ; that at the time of the fitting out of the colonists of Plymouth, Mass., one John King. was interested in the pro- ject, as his name appears on the list of the so-called " merchant adventurers " of London, in 1626. In 1699 there were two military companies in Plym- outh, Mass., and the Kings are well represented on the muster-roll ; in the bloody war of the Revolution they did their part. In 1701-02 Joseph King was one of the " Plymouth & Plympton Proprietors."
Charles W. King's ascendants emigrated to Chesterfield, N. H., probably from Petersham, Mass. He is the fifth in descent from Dr. Samuel King1, who died in Chesterfield before 1800. Colonel Samuel King? settled in that town about 1773, and was one of its most conspicuous characters. In 1776 he refused to sign the " Association Test," and, in June, 1777, he was sum- moned before the "Court of Inquiry." at Keene, N. H., " as being inimical to the United States of America ;" was tried and sentenced to pay a fine, and to be confined to the limits of his farm. When the controversy about the "Grants" was at its height, he espoused the cause of Vermont, and labored strenuously to effect the union of the disaffected towns with that state ; and at one time held a commission as colonel of tlie Vermont militia. In 1781 he was a justice of the peace, and with Deacon Silas Thompson, was chosen to represent Chesterfield in the general assembly of Vermont. Ac- cording to the records of the superior court of Cheshire county, he was indicted at the same time with Samuel Davis, for attempting to break up the inferior court, in September, 1782 ; but this indictment was quashed. He was select- man in 1781 and '82, and represented Chesterfield in the general court of New Hampshire, in 1782, '83 and '84. He was a delegate to the Constitu- tional convention, held at Concord, N. H., June, 1783. He married Molly, daughter of Ephraim and Jane (Bancroft) Whitney, of Chesterfield. He died September 13, 1785. He made his will twelve days before his death, and devised the use of his farm to his parents. His estate was valued at £2,497, 9s. 4d.
Samuel King3 was a merchant in Chesterfield, N. H. He married Sarah Davis, and moved from Chesterfield to Littleton, then to Lunenburgh, Vt., where he occupied a log store, which was near the old cemetery, on the site of the Silsby blacksmith shop. Here he sold a few groceries, and New Eng- land rum, a staple article of commerce in those days, when the use of stimu- lants was more common than now, and less under the ban of society. After residing here a few years, he went to Maine, and finally settled at St. Stephens, N. B., where he died January 13, 1834.
Willard4, oldest son of Samuel and Sarah (Davis) King, was born Decem- ber 21, 1796, in Chesterfield. When his father went " down East," Willard was five years old, and was " bound out " to Judge Gates, who built the first
463
TOWN OF LUNENBURGH.
framed house, and kept the first tavern in Lunenburgh. Here Willard passed his youth, working early and late, acquiring habits of industry and frugality. During the war of 1812 he had many exciting experiences which he was fond of relating in his older years. At the age of nineteen he went to Calais, Maine, where his parents resided at that time, and remained a few years en- gaged in lumber business, but, unfortunately, his hard earned savings, amount- ing to seven hundred dollars, were lost. Returning to Lunenburgh, he pur- chased a tract of wild land on credit. This land was situated north of the old Ladd farm, three and a half miles from the village. Here he " struck his first blow " towards making a home, August 10, 1820, with no capital, as he said, " but my two hands and an axe." He worked hard, and by long hours of toil combined with economy and prudence, he acquired a comfortable home. He did not then belong to the party we now call " Prohibition," but afterwards espoused the temperance cause, was a strong advocate for its prin- ciples, and labored for the suppression of intemperance. Having been in command of an infantry company for several years, he was always known as Captain King. He was born and bred a Democrat, and held many town offices. Captain King early united with the Methodists. Their meetings were held in school houses, and oftentimes, in warm weather, in barns, and Captain King was determined to have a house of worship, and his money, energy and enterprise was the moving power towards the erection, in 1839, of the present Methodist church edifice in Lunenburgh. He was a valued and working member of this body for many years, and a liberal contributor to benevolent and charitable objects. After the death of his wife, November 7, 1856, Captain King united with the Congregational church, served as deacon for several years, canvassed Essex county for the American Bible Society, and worked zealously for Zion's cause. He was a strong, positive man, working with all his might in everything he undertook. In his life he exemplified the power of religion over the habits of the man, and, also, that perseverance and persistence in laudable efforts will be ultimately crowned with success. He died August 20, 1876. In August, 1823, Laura S. Ladd became the wife of Captain King. She was born in Chesterfield, N. H., July 10, 1799. Their children were, (1) William S., born April 26, 1824, died January 2, 1845 ; (2) an infant, born June 14, 1826, died aged six weeks and four days; (3) Charles G., born July 21, 1827, died July 15, 1832 ; (4) Sheldon L., born November 8, 1829 ; (5) Charles W .; (6) Laura A., born March 16, 1835, mar- ried Richardson B. Groves, of Concord, Vt., died October 10, 1881 ; (7) Samuel W., born March 6, 1837 ; (8) Lucia A., born April 22, 1840.
Charles W. King5 was born in Lunenburgh, November 9, 1832. His father's family was early trained to labor, had little time for recreation, and, being distant from the village, had slight temptations to idleness. The opportu- nites for education afforded by the district school were but meagre. Charles · had a few weeks of three different terms at the select school in the village, commencing school the latter part of the term after the crops were harvested.
464
TOWN OF LUNENBURGH.
During this period he boarded at home, and was obliged to walk seven miles every day, and also did many of the farm " chores." These deprivations and hardships only increased his desire for an education, and evenings, rainy days and all leisure moments were improved in reading and studying, with good results. At the age of seventeen he was "voted in " teacher in the new school-house in his district ; the school session being four months, and the number of scholars forty. He taught several winters in Lunenburgh and. Concord, and until he was twenty-two years old was never out of town to pass a night. When of age, he was chosen superintendent of the town schools, which office he held for many years, and was employed to assist in examinations of teachers at county institutes. Mr. King has been elected to and held all the various town offices. Republican in politics, as such he rep- resented Lunenburgh in the state legislature of 1874. This was also the first year's service of Hon J. L. Martin. The two labored heartily in unison to overthrow the state board of education, and were the means of abolishing it and securing the passage of the law creating the office of state superin- tendent of education. In 1878 Mr. King represented his county in the state Senate, and in 1874, and also in 1878, was appointed a member of the com- mittees on education. In January, 1879, he was elected a director of the First National bank of St. Johnsbury, Vt., and now, 1886, holds the position. He has been a trustee of Johnson State Normal school ; two years county road commissioner ; is a justice of the peace, and has been many years.
Mr. King was bred a farmer and has followed that honorable calling, and also engaged in lumbering, and has been financially successful. His judg- ment, foresight, and practicality are well known. He is clear, sure and rapid. in his conclusions and results, and has occupied responsible financial positions in large business enterprises. He has been entrusted with the management and settlement of many estates ; invested funds for parties, and taken the general supervision of their money interests, and in every work committed to his hands, in public and private life, he has worked with diligence, perse- verance and efficiency, and wholesome, practical results testify to the value of bis services. January 18, 1884, he was elected treasurer of Brown's Lumber Company, Whitefield, N. H., and now occupies that office. He is a Con- gregationalist in his religious views, and a valuable auxiliary to the church of which he is a member. Mr. King married, December 25, 1860, Jennie E. Chandler. Their children are Charles C., born May 25, 1862, and Willard G., born September 22, 1865.
In all of the years of his active business life, as farmer, lumberman, and financier, Mr. King has ever enjoyed the confidence, esteem and warm friend- ship of those with whom he has been associated, while his genial, social qual- ities and unassuming worth have made him extremely popular. Under his affability and courtesy there is a substratum of energy and decision, which, combined with a strong religious nature and great conscientiousness, holds
465
TOWN OF LUNENBURGH.
him true to the advocacy of the principles best calculated to promote the moral and intellectual advancement of the community.
Eliphalet Lyon married Jane Pond, and came to this town about 1799. His son John was born in 1770, married Lucy Bowker, and had born to him three sons and one daughter, viz .: John B., Eliphalet, Hannah, Orra and Lucy. He died in 1855. John B. was born in 1804, married Arvilla Alcott, and reared five sons and six daughters, of whom Abigail (Mrs. John Dodge), Alma H. (Mrs. Stephen Dodge), Merrill, James, Andrew J. and Warren are now living. Warren was born in 1850, married Lizzie Carter in 1873, and has one son and one daughter, Elmer E. and Virginia B. He resides on road 50.
Brazilla Snow was born in 1765, married Betsey Edson, and his children were as follows : Alden, born in 1793, Gratia, in 1794, Clarinda, in 1796, Eli, in 1797, Leland, in 1799, Zenas, in 1801, Ida, in 1803, Daniel P., in 1805, Brazilla and Betsey, twins, in 1808, Lucy, in 1811, and Lucy, in 1813. Zenas married, first, Roxana, daughter of Moses Quimby, in 1829, and reared two sons and three daughters, only one of whom is living, Herbert, of Minnesota. His wife died in 1845, and he married, second, Phebe D. Spaulding, in 1846, and has had born to him one son and one daughter, Damon D. and Roxia (Mrs. Raymond Thomas), of Dakota. Mr. Snow died in 1886. Damon D. was born in 1847, married Celia Smith, in 1866, and has two daughters, Min- nie Esther and Myrtie Bell. He lives off road 14. Daniel, son of Brazilla, married Sarah A. Perry, who has borne him five sons and five daughters, of whom two sons and three daughters are living, viz .: Chauncy N., born in 1836, Britann M., Fidelia E. (Mrs. Alden Sturdevant), of Boston, Emeline (Mrs. Alonzo Noyes), and George W., of California. Britann M. married Albert Gray, in 1874, and has two sons, Walter A. and Judson S. Daniel P. Snow died in 1886, aged eighty-one years.
John Chandler married Elizabeth Esty, and came here, from Westmoreland, N. H., about 1803. Reuben, one of his seven children, was born in 1791, married Fanny Whipple, in 1814, and reared four sons and three daughters, of whom three sons and one daughter are living, viz .: William, born in 1815, John W., of Fitchburg, Mass., Joel, of New York, and Jane E. (Mrs. C. W. King). William married, first, Eunitia Dewey, who bore him three sons and one daughter, of whom two sons reside in Rockford, Ill., the daughter died at the age of twenty-one years, and Fred H., who was born in 1859, lives at home. He married for his second wife Rhoda R. Gilbert, in 1877. Mr. Chandler has been judge of probate, side judge, selectman, town treasurer twenty years, and justice about forty years. He resides in the village, on West Main street.
Peter Johnson, came to Lunenburgh, from Westmoreland, about 1804, and had born to him four sons and two daughters, of whom Caleb, of this town, and George, of Lancaster, N. H., are living. He died March 2, 1883, and his wife died March 3, 1883. Caleb, born in 1814, married Lucy Balch, in
466
TOWN OF LUNENBURGH.
1844, who bore him three sons and two daughters, viz .: William, who lives in Iowa, Jerome, who died in 1883, aged thirty-three years, Lucy (Mrs. Lyman Morton) of Lyme, Mass., Alonzo and Belinda. Mr. Johnson resides on road 37.
Josiah Barnard married Mary Williams, came to Lunenburgh, from Marl- boro, Mass., about 1804, and had two sons and two daughters, viz .: Mary, now deceased, Betsey (Mrs. Levi Hartshorn), who died in 1843, John F., of Cohoes, N. H., and Levi. The last mentioned was born in this town, in 1812, married three times, first, Phebe Atherton, in 1835, who died in 1841, second, Lois Atherton, in 1846, who died in 1858, and third, Hettie P. Lewis, of Port- land. He has three daughters, namely, Lotie, Luella (Mrs. John Renfrew), of Littleton, N. H., and Emma A. Mr. Barnard resides on road IT.
Abijah Smith came to Lunenburgh in 1804, married Catherine Thomas, and had born to him two sons and four daughters. One son, Calvin, was born in this town in 1808, married Hannah Clark, and reared five sons, four of whom are living, namely, Truman L., of Boston, Cornelius A., of Lunen- burgh, Daniel W., of Lancaster, N. H., and Baxter R., of this town. Mr. Smith lives on road 14.
Isaac Thomas, son of Enoch, married Hannah Thompson, and came here in 1805, locating on the place where Timothy Powers now lives. His son Philip was born in 1805, married, first, Mary Winslow, in 1828, who bore him one son and one daughter, and died in 1841. He married for his second wife Sarah A. Winslow, sister of his first wife, in 1842, and has had born to him one son and three daughters. Daniel H., born in 1855, married Annie J. Cornish, in 1883, has two daughters, Winifred A. and Iva May, and lives on road 34.
Artemas Pierce was born in 1785, married Lucinda Stone, and came to Lunenburgh in 1806. He reared nine sons and three daughters, of whom two sons and two daughters are living, viz .: Hollis H., of Ohio, Matilda, (Mrs. Nathaniel Rice), Phebe (Mrs. Asa Lee), of West Concord, Vt., and Ezra S. The last mentioned was born in 1833, married Elizabeth Harris, in 1857, who bore him three sons and one daughter, viz .: Franklin, born in 1858, Carrie L. (Mrs. Hogan Bedell), of New Hampshire, Elden E. and Artemas. Mr. Pierce served in the late war, during which time he was severely wounded. He now resides on road II.
Samuel Bell, son of William and Mehitable (Philbrick) Bell, was born in Washington, N. H., in 1804, and came to this town with his father in 1808. He married Olive, daughter of James and Susan (Barney) Turner, in 1854, and reared two sons and two daughters, namely, Laura (Mrs. George Whipple), Wilbur, George C. and Flora May. The last mentioned, who was born in 1860, lives on road 9. .
Moses Day married Patience Ellis, came to this town, from Petersham, Mass., in 1811, and had born to him four sons and two daughters. One son, Moses, born in 1809, married Betsey Wood, who bore him two sons and three
467
TOWN OF LUNENBURGH.
daughters, only one of whom is now living, Edna (Mrs. Fred Turner), of this town. One son, Webster W., was born in 1833, married Lizzie, daughter of Henry Danison, and had born to him three sons, Daniel W., who died at the age of six years, Elmer E., of Littleton, and Harry M., who was born in 1864. Mr. Day lives on road 15.
Jeremiah Glines, son of Israel, was born in Langdon, N. H., in 1790, and was ordained as a minister in Lunenburgh, in 1827. He married Wealthy, daughter of Luther Wood, in 1827, and had born to him two sons and five daughters, viz .: Jeremiah E., of Michigan, Maria W., a teacher in St. Johns- bury academy, Laura G., widow of Thomas Rawson, of Missouri, Eliza M. (Mrs. George S. Balch), Caroline K. (Mrs. Adam Darling), of Montreal, Henry K. and Annie P., widow of Charles Porter, of Boston. Mr. Glines was a member of the legislature one term, was pastor of the Congregational church at Lunenburgh until 1848, and died September 28, 188 1, aged ninety-one years. His widow is eighty-six years of age, and resides with her daughter, Mrs. Balch.
Hon. Stephen Howe .- As history is the resume of the lives and events which are to day among the things of the present, to-morrow those of the past, mention should be made of those whose personal qualities, business enterprise and moral worth have contributed to the prosperity and welfare of the community in which their lives were passed. Of this class was Hon. Stephen Howe, a native and life-long resident of Lunenburgh. For more than a century the name of Howe has been a prominent and respected one in the town. The first emigrant of the Howe family appears in America in 1630, when Daniel came from England ; Abraham was in Roxbury prior to 1638, as he was a freeman at that date; Edward came to Watertown in 1634, and many of the name made their homes in the new country in the early part of the seventeenth century, settling in Roxbury, Watertown, Lynn, Marlborough, Lancaster and various parts of Massachusetts. Abraham Howe, of Watertown, married, March, 1658, Hannah Ward. They had ten children, of whom the two oldest were born in Watertown, the others in Marlborough, where Abraham Howe died in 1695. In 1694 he kept the inn at which the Massachusetts commissioners, who were to treat with the Mohawk Indians, lodged the first night of their journey. His daughter Mary married a Bowker ; Hannah married Eliezer Howe, in 1684, Eliezer was the grandson of John, of Warwickshire, England, and son of John, of Sud- bury, who, in 1656, petitioned for the grant of Marlborough, Mass., to which place he removed, and died in 1678. The descendants of the Marlborough Howes were among the pioneer settlers of Lunenburgh, Vt. On the char- ter granted by Benning Wentworth, in 1763, to the fourteen grantees of the town of Lunenburgh, we find the name of Ezekiel Howe, and some years later, when Lunenburgh was settled, the first town meeting was held at the house of Reuben Howe, and he was chosen representative to the General
468
TOWN OF LUNENBURGH.
Court ; Simeon and Reuben Howe were members of the first board of select- men.
Stephen Howe, born in 1767, in Marlborough, Mass., removed to Lunen- burgh, and married Judith Hunt, born July 7, 1770. Their children were ten in number, Henry, Nancy, Hollis, Stephen, Elizabeth, Mary, Samuel, Newell, Lucy, Laura. Stephen, fourth child of Stephen and Judith (Hunt) Howe, was born September 29, 1796, in the second framed house built in Lunenburgh, known as the "old Barnard house." Here his father had lived and "tilled the soil ;" here he passed his youth, manhood and old age, and, as other farmers' sons, had a maximum of labor and a minimum of learning. He made the best of his meager advantages for an education, and · taught many terms of school. He possessed much mechanical skill, was very ingenius, and worked at the trade of wheelwright until after his marriage, when he became a merchant. Mr. Howe carried on merchandising for many years and was a popular country merchant, having a high degree of business ability combined with honesty and integrity. For forty-eight years he served as town clerk, being first chosen in 1824, and was elected for the forty-ninth term the month of his death, which occurred March 14, 1873. These elec- tions were unanimous with one exception. As one of his friends said of him, " It would be hard to find an office kept in better shape than his. He was orderly, systematic, prompt and an excellent penman. He could put his hand immediately on any document wanted, and his papers arranged for court could not be excelled in neatness and accuracy. The papers he last prepared, the return of the vote for county commissioner, when in his seven- ty-seventh year, were as nicely executed as if he had been but twenty." He was an old line Whig and a Republican, and represented Lunenburgh twelve terms in the state legislature, and was a delegate to the last constitutional convention held before his death. Mr. Howe was a man of discernment and discretion, and in civil capacity he sustained some of the first offices within the gift of his fellow citizens, and ever conducted them to their approbation. In private life he was the warm and steady friend, free from every appearance of guile and dissimulation ; kind and courteous in his manners ; not given to much speech, but firm in his adherence to his convictions of the right. His religious views were those of the Congregationalists. The Hon. Stephen Howe was one of Lunenburgn's valued and estimable citizens, and his memory will long be cherished. His wife was Harriet W. Patterson, a native of the town. She died in 1871. Their children were Charles, who was born November 24, 1820, and died April 9, 1845, at the age of twenty-four years. " He was a young man universally esteemed; amiable in character ; frank, manly and honorable in all his intercourse with society." Eliza Jane was born May 3, 1826. She married James B. Brown, of Northumberland, N. H., and died August 6, 1848. Mrs. Brown was a lady of more than ordinary worth, possessing most excellent traits of character, which made her an acqui- sition to the community of which she was a beloved member.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.