USA > Vermont > Windham County > Londonderry > The history with genealogical sketches of Londonderry > Part 12
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"CAPTAIN" EDWARD AIKEN was a son of William, and grandson of Ed- ward Aiken who emigrated from Ireland to Londonderry, N. H.
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Genealogical Sketches
He came to Kent a year or two later than his cousin Deacon Edward and settled on the border of the "Great Pond," now known as Lowell Lake, where he cleared a farm and, in connection with the "Deacon," erected the first mill in town, at the outlet of the pond. Later, with his son Daniel, he built the first mill on West River in this town, practically on the same site now occupied by the mill of William Brothers.
He was one of the five petitioners for the grant of the tract later called "Aiken's Gore," at the southwest corner of the town, being the southerly end of a tract formerly known as Virgin Hall; was one of the grantees, and the only one of the petitioners so named, in the grant by the State Legis- lature. Like "Deacon Edward," but in less degree, he was one of the most prominent men in town, and remained a resident until his death, Dec. 15, 1790, in the 63d year of his age. He was buried in the family plot in what later became a public cemetery, once a part of his homestead farm, now called "Lowell Lake Cemetery." As to his descendants our information is but scanty and unsatisfactory. A few years after his death a Town Meeting was called "at the house of Mrs. Martha Aiken"; and it seems practically certain that this was his old home and she was his widow.
He had three sons, Jonathan, William and Daniel; and there is record of the marriage of one Edward Aiken and Elizabeth Perry, "both of London- derry," July 10, 1809, and there seems to be ground for assuming that he, too, was a son of Capt. Edward. Real estate records indicate that there were also two daughters: Jenny and Mary, but positive assertion cannot be made as to the last three named, nor is the order of birth of his children known.
Jonathan was one of the two men whom the town, at a meeting on March 21, 1782, voted to hire "to go into the service" (in Revolutionary War); and appears to have succeeded his father in the ownership of the old home- stead for, in 1798, the town voted to accept a gift from him of one acre of land "for a Burying place, where the Ground has Been Broke for that purpose," which tract, though not described by any definite boundaries, was a part of his father's old farm in which members of the family and others had been buried.
Previous to this time, and at the date of his father's death, he appears to have been a resident of Manchester, Vt., for he is so described in a deed executed by him a few days after Capt. Edward's death, when recorded deeds indicate his children made partition of a part, at least, of his real estate. Later he again had his home in Londonderry and was the first "Inn- keeper" here, his "Inn" standing near the site now occupied by "Hotel Wantastiquet" at the North Village.
In 1800, he sold practically the whole territory now embraced in that village to one Miltimore who succeeded him as proprietor of the inn and also of the mill which his father and brother had established there.
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During some part of the time he managed and operated that mill he had his home at the farm about a mile above the South Village, called the "Lower Aiken place." now occupied by Leon Jaquith.
It is said his first wife was Nancy McCormick, of Windham, who died leaving two sons. Later he married Margaret Jameson, of Manchester, Vt. Further knowledge of him and of his descendants is lacking.
William married Nancy Witherspoon and lived on the farm later known as the Holland Howard place. now abandoned, in the northeast part of the town. They had two children: Edward (familarly known as "Ned"), and Mary. Upon the death of his brother Daniel they took their nephew, John, into their family. His son, "Ned," married - Stiles and had a daughter Nancy, who married Henry Stockwell. of Brattleboro. His daughter Mary was a deaf mute and never married. She spent her life in Londonderry.
Daniel married Mary Jameson, of Manchester. Vt. and had seven chil- dren: Edward. Mar. 18, 1797: James. Dec. 9, 1801; Daniel, July 20. 1803; Jonathan, Oct. 22, 1805; Mary, Mar. 14, 1808; William, July 20, 1810, and John. Feb. 9. 1813. Both Daniel, the father, and his wife died in 1813, but few days intervening between their respective deaths, and the family of children was broken up. Their home was at the "Stone Chimney place" westerly of the Geo. M. Tuttle farm, on the old abandoned highway once leading to Winhall Hollow, and their graves in the "Middle-town Ceme- tery.
Edward fiken and Hannah Day were married Oct. 29, 1820 and the groom was, as seems practically certain, son of Daniel and Mary (Jameson), both of whom appear to have survived him, as did his wife and a young son, Warren, who became a ward of Lewis Howard, husband of his aunt Mary.
Nothing more definite is learned of his history.
Jonathan, son of Daniel, went to Boston, while yet a boy, married and lived there, being for many years a member of the police force of that city. He had four children: Daniel, George, Frank and Caroline but none of them ever lived in Londonderry.
James married Esther Richardson, who bore him four children: Albert, Alonzo, Walter and Martha (order uncertain). His second wife was Mrs. Lovina Brown. There was no child of this second marriage, and James re- mained a resident of Londonderry until his death, May 17, 1882. His son Albert went to Boston, married there and had a family of nine children; of whom four were Charles Francis, D.D., George Edward, Lucy Ellen and Cora Frances. Most, if not all, the others died quite young. Alonzo and Walter enlisted in Co. C., 6th Vt. Vols. in the Civil War. Alonzo died of dis- ease while in service and Walter served a little over three years, returned to Londonderry on discharge, later married Eliza A. May, moved to Dover Vt. and there died without issue.
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Martha married John T. Landman and resided on a farm in this town, where all her children were born. These were: Emma, married Edward Young and died in Wardsboro; Fred U., Superintendent of Schools at Wolf- boro, N. H .; Elbert A., a physician at Plaistow, N. H .; Carrie, who died, unmarried, in Londonderry, and Nina, who married Reverend Thomas Scammon and lives at Wolfboro, N. H.
Mary married Lewis Howard of Londonderry and spent her life in town. Her children were: Caroline, who married Samuel Albee and moved "out west"; Eliza, married Sem Pierce, Jr. and lived here until her death (see Pierce Family Sketch); Lewis Kirk, who went to Chelmsford, Mass. and there married and remained till his death; Elnora, who married Doctor A. B. Bixby with whom she lived in this town for many years, moving then to Poultney, Vt. where she died. She had a son who died in infancy, and a daughter, Salome, who married Doctor Ross of Bennington, Vt .; George .A., who married Henrietta Cole and died without issue; and Delia E., who married Hon. James L. Martin, had two sons and a daughter, none of whom survived childhood, and died in this town.
Daniel evidently survived his father and died unmarried. In 1837, his brothers, James, Jonathan, William and John, joined in a quit-claim deed to the husband of their sister Mary, conveying their interest in a tract of fifty acres described as "set off in the division of Captain Daniel Aiken's estate to Daniel Aiken, his son, and which descended to us (grantors) by heirship on the death of said Daniel Aiken. later of Londonderry."
No reference being made to their brother Edward indicates that he had previously, and prior to the division of the estate, deceased.
William is said to have gone, following his parents' death. to Westmore- land, N. H. into thefamily of one Alexander Vesey, by whom he was adopted. He married Eunice Vesey, of Westmoreland, and remained a resident of that town thereafter. His children were: Cordelia. Frances, Mary Caroline, William C., Charles L., Clara E. and Herbert B. none of whom ever be- came residents of Londonderry.
John was a nursing infant when his father and mother died and was taken by his uncle William, and aunt Nancy (Witherspoon) with whom he lived for a time, but for how long is not known. He married Rosamond Hall and had two children: Hiland, who died in his youth, and Ann R., who married Charles W. Chase whom she and a daughter. Rose A., survived. Both Ann R. and Rose A. died here, on the same place where John. the father and grandfather had died Feb. 10, 1890.
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Allen
The Allen name was early represented in Londonderry by two families, very probably of the same original stock though they made no claim of re- lationship here.
In 1793, one Joseph Allen took deed of land in Londonderry, being on the road now leading from the top of "Stowell Hill" to Clarksville, later known at different dates as the Amos Davis place and as the Leonard Howard farm. In the following year (1774) his son Nehemiah purchased an adjoining tract. They both came from Taunton, Mass. immediately or very soon after the dates mentioned and both lived on the farm covered by these two purchases until their respective deaths. Joseph's wife was Mary ("Molly") - - - and they had other children than Nehemiah, but how many cannot be learned. It is said that Joseph and his wife both died in 1813, victims of the "spotted fever" which was epidemic in this locality that year, but no records of their death is to be found.
Nehemiah married Lurana -, evidently prior to his coming to town, and they had a son, Ethan, born there Nov. 18, 1796. Nehemiah held vari- ous town offices and at the time of his death, in 1800, was collector of taxes. His widow, as administratrix of his estate, was licensed by the Probate Court to convey to his father a part of the farm upon which they had lived, and which they cleared, conditioned, as set forth in the license, "upon the said Joseph Allen & his wife Molley acquitting all their right and title to the re- mainder of said farm." She made the conveyance authorized and returned to Taunton where she was residing in 1803. There is no evidence or proba- bility that she ever resumed residence here and nothing more is known as to her son Ethan, nor in fact as to others of this family of Allens, save that sundry deeds on record clearly indicate that Joseph and Mary had sons Noah, Ira and Ephraim; the two first named having been residents for a short time in town but Ephriam, though once a land owner here, is not believed to have ever resided in Town. Noah was a resident landowner in 1808 and so remained until 1816 when he conveyed his land to his brother Ira. Beyond this no more is known about him. Ira continued as a resident landowner until the fall of 1820 when he moved to "Upper Canada."
The other, or second, family in Londonderry bearing the name Allen likewise had a Joseph as its first representative here. He, too, came from Taunton, Mass., or its vicinity, according to the claims of his descendants. He purchased land in the extreme northwest part of the town, taking deed Feb. 18, 1803 in which instrument he is described as "Joseph Allen of Londonderry." This land, or the larger part of the tract, remained in his
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Genealogical Sketches
family for three generations and until the death of his grandson Serrel Allen, by whose name the farm is still locally known.
Here Joseph, promptly following his purchase, began with his own unaid- ed hands the clearing of the virgin forest and established his home in a log house built in what is now the pasture lot a few rods southerly from the present farm buildings.
The family traditions from his day down through all the years have held that he was kin to Ethan Allen, the renowned leader of the "Green Moun- tain Boys," and while records fail to afford positive proof of the claimed relationship, enough is found to warrant belief that the claims and tra- di tions of the family in this respect are well founded.
In 1907, the ALLEN MEMORIAL was published by Orrin Peer Allen of Palmer, Mass. Therein were traced the descendants, or a part of them, of Samuel Allen who was a resident of Windsor, Conn. in 1640 and was one of two brothers who came to Chelmsford, Mass. in 1632.
This Samuel had a son Nehemiah who had a son Samuel and the last named had a son Joseph. This Joseph married Mary Baker and had a family of six sons and two daughters; Ethan and Ira being respectively the oldest and the youngest, and both numbered among the fathers and founders of Vermont. From Heber, the third of Joseph's sons, these Londonderry Allens claim to have sprung. He was born in Cornwall, Conn., Oct. 4, 1743, and married Sarah Owen, of Salisbury, Conn. Mar. 17, 1768. In 1771 he removed from Salisbury to Poultney, Vt. and was the first Town Clerk of that town. He rendered worthy service, both civil and military, to the "Grants" and the state of Vermont in its infancy, and died at Poultney, Apr. 10, 1782, having had five children: Heber, Sarah, Joseph, Lucy and Heman.
Of these children ALLEN MEMORIAL gives but the slightest record. It gives the date of Heber's birth as June 16, 1769; that of Sarah as "1771"; as to Lucy only her name appears, while the birth of Heman is given as Feb. 23, 1779. In the case of Joseph the only statement made is: "History unknown." This Joseph "fits in" with the traditions of the local family, dating far back of the publication of the MEMORIAL and is fully believed to be the same Joseph Allen who in termed "Junior" in the deed of 1803 before mentioned. The term "junior" was, doubtless, given for purpose of dis- tinguishing him from that Joseph who had then been here for about ten years and lived but a mile distant from the land conveyed, and had no reference to actual relationship between them.
This second Joseph spent the remainder of his life on the farm which he had here cleared, dying May 15, 1855 at the age of 83 years. This would fix the date of his birth as in 1772, a date in harmony with the claim that he was the next born child of Heber after Sarah, born in 1771. Coupled with the fact that he told his grandchildren that they had relationship to the
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The History of Londonderry
renowned Ethan, this seems to well warrant the belief, if not the assertion, that the relationship suggested actually existed.
His wife was Abigail Cobb and their children were: Mercy, May 30, 1796; Serrel, Jan. 31, 1798, and Joseph, Sept. 10, 1806, all of whom he sur- vived.
Mercy married John Davis and died in town, in 1855, childless.
Serrel married Dolly Richardson and had a daughter, Abigail, and two children who died in very early infancy. He died Jan. 21, 1829 in this town.
Joseph married Betsey Adams of Rockingham and they had four daugh- ters and one son : Hannah, July 4, 1827; Serrel, Dec. 12, 1829; Nancy, Oct. 15, 1831; Lucy, Mar. 30, 1836; Mercy, Mar. 19, 1842.
Hannah married Hiram Davis and had a large family. They removed a little later than 1870 to Nebraska.
Serrel married Rachel C. Reynolds by whom he had two children: Jo- seph, born May 15, 1851, and Alice M., born July 8, 1859; and after her death married Addie M. (Stowell) Marden, widow of Frank H. Mar- den, and occupied the old Allen homestead until his death in 1905.
Nancy married Gilbert Davis, but had no children.
Lucy married Alvah Warren Pierce and had a large family. She lived at the home of a daughter on the farm, long her homestead, where her husband died, and is said to have then been the oldest person in town. (See Pierce Family Sketch.)
Mercy married Moses Barrett and had four children.
Joseph, son of Serrel and Rachel (Reynolds), married Lizzie Hilliard by whom he had two sons: Joseph W. and Gilbert Serrel. He died in this town, Jan. 31, 1881.
Joseph W. went "out West" about the time he attained his majority and the family have since had no knowledge of him.
Gilbert Serrel died unmarried.
Alice M. married Winfield S. Richardson.
Arnold
SAMUEL ARNOLD is said to have come to Londonderry in 1791. He came here under an engagement to survey lands in this town and vicinity and was so well pleased with the place and its prospects that he soon after estab- lished his home here and remained until his death, May 23, 1839. He was born Jan. 13, 1766 and was the son of David and Phebe (Pratt) Arnold, of Taunton, Mass. He built his first house, a log structure, near the top of the hill west of the present North Village, now often called "Arnold Hill." It
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stood north of the present highway leading to Peru, and in the pasture back of the school-house that crowns the hill.
Feb. 21, 1792 he married Nancy, daughter of Jeremiah and Submit Wheel- er, of Rehoboth, Mass. The exact date of their settling in the new home here cannot be fixed but it is probable that it was in the summer or fall of 1793, as Mrs. Arnold is said to have come hither on horseback bringing her oldest daughter, then an infant, in her arms.
The log house was occupied for several years and then the frame house, still standing, was erected, a little farther to the north on the westerly side of the highway leading from the top of the hill to Landgrove, and became their home which was occupied until his decease. Theirs was the first house in that part of the town though others soon settled in the same neighbor- hood. Mrs. Arnold survived her husband many years, dying in the old homestead Oct. 13, 1865, aged 95 years.
In her later years she was wont to rehearse her experiences in the earlier days when the log house was her home, telling of the many occasions when, frightened by prowling wild beasts, she fled with the children to the loft in the house, formed by a flooring of poles laid across the top of the log walls, and drawing up the ladder which gave access thereto.
On one occasion she had just prepared a kettle of "hasty pudding" for the family dinner when she was startled by seeing a hungry looking bear coming to the open door. Seizing the children she hurried them before her to the refuge in the loft and then watched bruin's proceedings by peering through the spaces in the pole flooring. The bear's stay was short and its departure somewhat hurried. Seeing the kettle of mush, or pudding, stand- ing on the floor before the firepalce the bear promptly thrust in its nose with the evident purpose of appropriating the dinner of his unwilling hostess. The pudding being still hot, a single mouthful sufficed and the bear, growling and shaking its head, fled back into the woods.
An unpublished manuscript genealogy of the family, which represents the work of years by one of the American members, makes claim of tracing an unbroken line of descent of Samuel Arnold from Sir Roger Arnold, who was, as is said, the first to assume or adopt the surname Arnold.
Sir Roger, the son of "Arnholt of Arnhold," Vichen, Wales, was born in 1462. This claim, while perhaps true, seems in some of the links of the chain to be based on conjecture or probabilities not definitely or positively estab- lished. However the fact may be respecting this matter, it is established that Joseph Arnold came to this country in June, 1635, settled in Braintree, Mass. and, April 8, 1648, married Rebecca Curtis of that town. From them descended Samuel named above, he being of the fifth generation of Arnolds in America.
He early became prominent in town affairs and, at various times, held nearly all the important town offices. He was a man of natural force both
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intellectually and physically, active, energetic and endowed with the power to readily obtain and thereafter hold the confidence and esteem not only of his neighbors but of all with whom he came in contact in practical affairs of business. He was the seventh Town Clerk, having been elected in 1799, and held the office for six years. The records during his term of office are more complete than during most of the time preceding and much of the few succeeding years, but are as difficult to read as any in the books. He was surely not skilled in penmanship. He represented the town in the Legislature of 1798 and also by successive elections from 1805 to 1809.
Upon the division of the town and in matters therewith connected he took a leading part on behalf of the portion which still retained the name of Londonderry. In fact his power and influence in these and kindred matters gave him the appellation of "King Arnold."
In time of adversity and affliction his townsmen ever knew they could rely upon him and his wife for all needed aid, so far as in their power to give. During the severe epidemic which swept over the community in 1813 the ministrations and assistance of "Squire Arnold" and "Aunt Nancy" es- pecially endeared them to the afflicted families.
Eleven children were born to them: Phebe, Jan. 13, 1793; Nancy, June 12, 1794; Elizabeth, Dec. 5, 1795; Samuel Pratt, Feb. 15, 1798; Sally, March 6, 1800; Jeremiah W., May 2, 1802; Ann Frances, Apr. I, 1804; Submit, Nov. 5, 1806; Mary, Sept. 8, 1808; David, Mar. 17, 18II, and Caroline, May 5, 1813.
Phebe married John Cox, removed to Wyoming, N. Y. and there died Oct. 18, 1854.
Nancy married John Tuthill and lived in Vergennes, Ill., where she died Jan. I, 185I.
Elizabeth married Amos E. Hutchins of Londonderry. She died Jan. 4, 1879. Samuel Pratt married Betsey Hadley of Londonderry, was first postmaster at Londonderry, Vt., removed to Ellicottville, N. Y., where he died in 1868. His children were: Samuel, - 1823; Edward G., May 26, 1826; George L., Jan. 25, 1829; Mary Emeline, Nov. 5, 1831 ; Caroline E., Aug. 23, 1834, and Charles Shepard, Feb. 9, 1838.
Sally married Amos Davis and they lived on the farm near the top of Stow- ell hill on the Landgrove road, later owned by Leonard Howard, and she died at Londonderry, June 6, 1867.
Jeremiah W. married Betsey E. Stowell, of Londonderry, and spent his life in this town. He was a physician of the Thompsonian school and practiced through the countryside until his decease, June 4, 1879. His children were: Lydia J., Aug. 13, 1828; Mary J., Jan. 14, 1831; Nancy, Feb. 11, 1832; Luther Stowell, Aug. 28, 1834; Samuel H., Mar. 2, 1837; Louisa I., Nov. 23, 1844, and Elbert W., Dec. 19, 1847.
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Genealogical Sketches
Ann Frances never married. She went into the family of Jacob Leroy, of Leroy, N. Y., first as governess and later remained as companion until her deceased at which time she was upwards of 80 years of age.
Submit married Aaron P. Leland. They lived in Landgrove, Vt., and later in Cleveland, Ohio, where she died Aug. 7, 1872. She bore seven sons and one daughter, and her sons later became widely noted as hotel keepers. Mary married Mason Clough. Their home was first in Andover, Vt., and at later date in Black Earth, Wis., where she died.
David married Lydia Dudley, daughter of Gen. Peter Dudley, of Peru, Vt., and died at Londonderry, where he had spent his whole life, Jan. 15, 1881. He was a prominent man, having been a member of both branches of the state legislature, Assistant Judge of the County Court, and was Post- master from 1861 to the time of his death. He was a member of the Coun- ty Bar and for many years practiced in the courts, but his chief business was as proprietor of the "Arnold Store" which he held and managed to the end of his life. His children were: George J., May 28, 1835; Charles E., Jan. 8, 1837; Lydia Ann Frances, Apr. 26, 1839; Samuel D., Mar. 26, 1841; David Pratt, Apr. 9, 1843; Lucy Caroline (written by her later Carrie L.), June 29, 1845; Helen W., Sept. 12, 1847, and Mary E., Oct. 19, 1849.
Caroline married John Harding Leland of Londonderry and removed to Kansas. After the decease of her husband she married Ziba Dodd Wood and remained in Kansas until her death.
Children of SAMUEL PRATT ARNOLD
Samuel married Joan Chamberlain. He was a physician and had two sons. He died Feb. 9, 1869.
Edward G. married Laura P. Young and they had two children both of whom died in infancy.
George L. married Julia Riddle, had one child and died Jan. 29, 1858.
Mary Emeline married Henry H. Beach, and died in July, 1873.
Caroline E. married Chauncy J. Fox, and died in May, 1894.
Charles S. married Adeline Fraser by whom he had two children, and for second wife he married Emma Lawton.
Children of JEREMIAH W. ARNOLD
Lydia J. married O. W. Park, of Weston, Vt., and at her decease left one son and two daughters surviving, two daughters having died previous to that date.
Luther S. married Marion Wait, of Londonderry. He was a physician and spent his whole life in town. He had one son, Elmore Ferdinand, who,
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The History of Londonderry
like his father and grandfather, was a physician. He married M. Edna Merrick and practiced his profession in New York City for some years until his health failed, when he came back to the old homestead and there died. The children of Elmore F. were: Wendell Merrick, Gladys Thelma, Kenneth Tingley, George Edwin Luther, and Phyllis Marguerite all of whom survived him; and one son, Melvin Elmore, who died in boyhood. Louisa I. married Doctor J. W. Marsh and had three daughters.
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