Samuel Choate, a prominent farmer of Boscawen, was born here, February 24, 1830, son of Royal and Hannah (Sawyer) Choate, who were natives respectively of Boscawen and Salisbury, N.H. His great-grandfather, Thomas Choate, who came from Ipswich, Mass., to Boscawen about 1788, settled on the same farm and occupied the same house where the present Mr. Choate now resides. Samuel, a son of Thomas and grandfather of the present Samuel, born March 18, 1769, in Ipswich, came with his father to this farm; and the two lived King George, dated October 29, 1761, and another signed by John Langdon, bearing the dates, December 15, 1801; June 28, 1808; and September 10, 1810. He was married successively to Betsy Kimball, Nancy Jackman, and Mary Loomis, all now deceased. There was one child by the first marriage, Isaac Chandler, born in 1794, who died in 1860. By the second marriage there were five children: Royal, the father of Samuel, Jr.; Betsey, born December 9, 1797, who died in January, 1826; Anna, born April 13, 1800, who died August 28, 1862; Maria, born August 12, 1802; and Nancy, born October 22, 1804. The children of the third union were: Mary, born in 1810, who died January 7, 1827; Sophia, born in 1818, who died in infancy; and Samuel, born in 1815, who died in the same year. The father died June 12, 1847.
Royal Choate, born June 12, 1796, was a well-known farmer of Boscawen. His first wife, Hannah Sawyer Choate, died July 31, 1833. He made a second marriage with Mrs. Eliza Huckins Mewers, of New Hampton, N.H., who was born October 6, 1812, and died December 26, 1881. There were three children by the first marriage-David S., Samuel, and Nancy J. David, who was born November 28, 1827, died February 21, 1833; and Nancy J., who was born November 5, 1832, became the wife of Moses C. Sanborn, of Concord, and died November 24, 1895. Royal and Lucy were the children of the second marriage. Royal, born April 25, 1846, is now married, lives in Boscawen, and has two children-Elmer and Van Ness. Lucy, born October 3, 1849, married John F. Colby, now deceased, and lives in Boscawen. The father died March 27, 1882.
Samuel Choate received a common-school education. He worked on the farm until he was twenty-one, when the property was left in his charge by his father, who moved to another farm. He still lives on the old homestead, and owns about three hundred and sixty-five acres of land. The place is well kept by him, and has been improved by the addition of new buildings. He raises sheep, and carries on some dairy business, keeping about twenty head of cattle. In 1881 he was a Representative in the State legislature. He has been Selectman for about eight years, served as Collector ten years, and has been Supervisor. He is a member of Contoocook Lodge, No. 27, I. O. O. F., of Penacook, takes an active interest in politics, and votes the Republican ticket.
Mr. Choate was married November 3, 1859, to Caroline M. Perkins, of Georgetown, Mass., daughter of Samuel and Mahala (Marden) Perkins, the former of Deerfield and the latter of Newburyport. Mr. Perkins, who belonged to Deerfield, and was a shoemaker by trade, died January 1, 1885. His wife, who was a native of Newburyport, Mass., died in 1847. Mr. and Mrs. Choate have two children: Mary H., born July 20, 1863; and Lizzie M., born January 10, 1865. Both live with their parents. Mr. Choate is a Deacon of the First Congregational Church, and his wife is also an esteemed member of the society.
