The settlement of the town was commenced about the time the charter was granted. Messrs. Simon Baker, Isaac Cady, and William Druse being the first to spend a winter in the town. Among the earlier settlers were the family names of Burroughs, Clark, Warner, Stephens, Chandler, Beckwith, Waldo and Shepard. In 1767 the population had […]
After the township was surveyed and divided among the proprietors, a bounty of 142 was offered, for the purpose of encouraging settlement, to the first five men who, with their families, should settle within one year from that date, June, 1750. and remain one year. The same proportion was also allowed to one or more
The first baptism in town was administered in September, 1768, by Rev. Thomas Fessenden, of Walpole. In 1770 the town “chose nine men to conduct religious worship,” one of the number being appointed to procure a minister. Its 1773 a committee was chosen to select a site for building a house of worship, and the
The First Congregational Church of Alstead New Hampshire Read More »
Aaron Royce came from Rhode Island at an early day. He has four children, one son and three daughters. His son David was born in town, married Harriet Streeter, of Hinsdale. N. H., and located in Hinsdale. After living here and in different parts of New Hampshire and Vermont for severa years, he moved to
Isaac Fisher, from Framingham, Mass., located as a farmer in Stoddard He married twice, raising three sons and three daughters by his first wife and one son, Benjamin H., by his second. The latter has been a resident of this town for the past forty-nine years. He learned the cabinet maker’s trade in Keene, and,
Samuel Gilson, born about 1752, appears to have settled in Chesterfield about 1791, and is said to have been the first blacksmith at Factory Village. He died in 1826, aged seventy-four years. His son Calvin married Mehitabel, daughter of Joseph Pattridge, in 1810. Their children were Prescott W., Louisa M., Luke H., Sarah, and Joseph
In December 1790, a Calvinist Baptist church was organized at the Center, which became quite large and was for many years very prosperous. At length, in connection with the Universalist society, formed in May, 1820, they erected a church building at Alstead village and finally became extinct.
According to tradition, the first Methodist sermon preached in the town, and probably in New Hampshire, was in 1772, at the house of James Robinson, a Scotch dissenter, who settled in Chesterfield on the farm where his grandson, T. N. Robinson, now resides. Mr. Robinson, hearing from friends in New York of the zealous and
Fitzwilliam Savings bank, located in the Postoffice block, at Fitzwilliam village, was incorporated in 1871, and commenced business in 1872, with Philip S. Batchellor, president, and Milton Chaplin, treasurer. The present officers are Amos J. Blake, president, and Stephen Batchellor, treasurer. George D. Webb Granite Co.’s quarry and shops are located at the crossing of
Elijah Cooper, who came to Hinsdale at an early day, married Sarah Sanger, April 4, 1777, and reared four children, as follows: Lucy, born November 5, 1777; Elijah, born November 26, 1782; Mary, born April g, 1785; Arad, born April 10, 1787; and Pearly, the date of whose birth we are unable to give. Mr.
Peter Upton, son of Jonathan and Nancy (Whittemore) Upton, was born in Tyngsborough, Mass., October 1, 1816. He came to Jaffrey in October, 1837, and entered the store of Hiram Duncan as clerk. Two years later he was admitted to an equal partnership in the new firm of Duncan & Upton. Upon the death of
John A. Streeter, son of Adam, of Orange, Mass., came to Fitzwilliam. where he married Ruth C. Carroll, and located at Bowkerville, where be lived sixteen years. He then moved to the southern part of the town where he died. He reared a family of seven children, two sons and five daughters. none of whom
The Methodist Episcopal church, located at the village, was organized by its first pastor, Rev. Thomas L. Fowler, with sixty members, in 1859. Their church building will seat 250 persons, cost $1,300.00, and is now valued, including grounds, etc., at $3,000.00. The society now has ninety-eight members, with Rev. C. W. Dockrill, pastor. The church
Francis Allen Perry was born in Wolfboro, N. H., and while yet a child his parents removed with him to Biddeford, Maine, where his youth was passed in the acquirement of a good common school education. This supplemented with three terms at a private school fitted him for the duties of practical life. Early he
CHARLES RUFUS SKINNER AMONG the younger men whose experience in matters pertaining to state, national and educational affairs has already been quite extensive and highly beneficial to his fellow-citizens, is the Hon. Charles R. Skinner, who, on account of his official relations, is now a resident of Albany. Born on the 4th of August, 1844,
C. & H Farwell’s saw-mill and clothes pin factory, located on road 24, corner of 21, was established by them in 1871. They employ twelve men, and manufacture about l00,000 feet of coarse lumber, and about 15,000 boxes of 720 clothes-pins each, per year. S. T Symonds & Son’s pail handle and knife tray factory,
Barton Skinner, son of Timothy Skinner, of Westmoreland, was born December 19, 1801, and resided in Chesterfield from 1853 till April, 1863. He was a manufacturer at Factory Village, and was town representative in 185758. He removed to Keene, where he died February 11, 1865.
Sanford Guernsey, son of Cyril, was born in Richmond June 23, 1820. He married Lydia, daughter of John Starkey, of Richmond, January 20, 1846, she being born October 11, 1822. Mr. Guernsey moved to this town in 1867, and kept the hotel at Chesterfield Factory for thirteen years, where he now resides. He has an
Capt. Eldad Prescott, son of Benjamin, was a native of this town, and the first settler upon the farm on road 39 corner of 40. His son Oren married three times, first, Martha L., daughter of Jacob and Martha Adams, of Rindge; second, Caroline A., daughter of William T. Nutting; and third, Louisa J. Plummer,
Adin Holbrook, who served in the Revolutionary war and was at the battle of Bennington, was born in Wrentham, Mass., March 22, 1752. He came to Keene about 1777, built a sawmill in the western part of the town, and about 1780 settled upon the farm now owned by his grandson, W. H. Holbrook, on
