Francis Augustus Faulkner, second son of Francis Faulkner and Eliza Stevens, was born in the homestead, on West street, in Keene, February 12, 1825. He early showed a decided inclination for books and study. and after attending the public schools in old Keene academy, he, in 1841, went to Philip Exeter academy to finish his […]
John Symonds was born in Hancock, N. H., May 18, 1816, and spent his boyhood in that town. In 1836 he commenced work as an apprentice with Elijah Reed, at his tannery in Hancock, and was employed there and at other places till 1841, when he began the tanning business himself, at South Antrim. But
The first known ancestor of the Dunbar family in America was Robert Dunbar, a Scotchman who, circumstances indicate, was one of the Scotch prisoners sent over to the Massachusetts Colony in 1652, by Cromwell after the battles of Dunbar and Worcester. It is certain that this Robert Dunbar was the ancestor of the Dunbars of
Abijah Wilder, son of Andrew, was born November 28, 1750, and came to Keene, from Lancaster, Mass. He was a noted mechanic and a deacon in the Congregational church for thirty-four years. He died January 8, 1835. Azel, the youngest of six children, was a manufacturer of spinninG.wheels, married Elvira, daughter of John and Sarah
Dexter W. Gilbert was born in Walpole, July 19, 1832, attended the common schools and the Saxtons River seminary, Walpole academy and Mount Caesar seminary, was a teacher for several years in the public schools in New England and New York, and a house carpenter by trade. He has resided in Massachusetts, New York, wasconsin,
Thomas Spaulding, a native of New Ipswich, Mass., married Hannah Brown, of Concord, about s800. He was a carpenter by trade, and built the first church erected in Hancock, Hillsborough county. He moved to Dublin, from Hancock, and from there to Sullivan. He reared a family of ten children-seven sons and three daughters. Only one
Dea. Luke Joslin, born in Stoddard, December 22, 1797, married Lydia, daughter of Samuel Foster, of Stoddard, November 24; 1824. They lived in `Leominster Corner” until 1840, when they moved to a farm near the village. He held many offices of trust while in town, and was a deacon of the Congregational church for some
Augustus M. Rice was a soldier in the Rebellion, serving first in the 1st Mass. Cav., second in Co. I, 92d N. Y. Vols.. third in Co. F, Mass. H. A., and fourth in Co. C, 53d Mass. Vols. He was honorably discharged after having been in the army four years and three months. He
Silas Hardy was born in Nelson, April 3, 1827, and made his home there till twenty-nine years of age. He graduated at Dartmouth in 1855, taught the following year, in Foxcroft academy, Me., studied law in the office of Hon. Levi Chamberlain, at Keene, and was admitted to practice, at Newport, N. H., September, 1858.
John Holbrook, son of John, was born in Uxbridge, Mass., August, 17, 1788. He married Mercy Hill, came to Swanzey in 1802, and located in the southern part of the town on the farm now owned by Israel Gun. He was a carpenter and wheelwright, and died in 1838. Five of his ten children are
Henry Coolidge was born in Massachusetts, July 1.4, 1787, and married Calista Pond, who was born September 18, 1791. He came to Keene when quite young, and clerked in Fosters store at Ash Swamp, for a time. He was clerk of the court of common pleas for many years. He was very highly respected, and
Keene, as is known to many through the sketches of Mr. Frank Whitcomb, has a very interesting Masonic history. A year had not elapsed after Free Masonry had been welcomed to New England before New Hampshire was blessed with its light. During the early days of Free Masonry in this country there were two Grand
Nathan Wood, son of Joshua, who was one of the early settlers of Keene, was born here May 31, 1800. He was a blacksmith and farmer, married Lorinda Ruggles, of Rutland, Vt.. and bad born to him four children, as follows: Susan E.. widow of Hon. J. J. Allen, Jr., lives in town; Nathan, died
1. William Henry Harrison2 Woodbury, son of Rufus1 and Charlotte (Knapp) Woodbury, was b. in Northfield, Vt., May 1, 1842; m. May 22, 1866, Ora Ann Dodge Hale, b. Montpelier, Vt., Sept. 24, 1848, dau. of John P. and Susan W. (Going) Hale. He was a soldier in the War of the Rebellion; res. Newport
Joseph B. Abbott, son of Daniel, was born in Surry, August 1, 1835. His grandfather, Daniel Abbott, settled in Surry, in 17- was a tailor, married Lucy Harvey, of Surry, in 1794, and reared four children. He went to aid in suppressing the outbreak near Lake Champlain in 1812, and was never heard from again.
Godfrey Nims was the first one of the Nims family known in this country, the earliest record extant giving his marriage, in Northampton, Mass., November 28, 1677. His son Ebenezer removed to Deerfield, Mass., a short time previous to 1702, and at the destruction of that town, February 29th, 1703-04, he and Sarah Hoit were
Gen. James Wilson, Jr., who inherited not only the practice but the great talents of his honored father, was born in Peterborough, March 18, 1797. His early years were passed in his native town. His educational advantages were such as were obtained in a country town at that time. He had the misfortune to lose
The Cheshire County Agricultural Society has grounds here, twenty-six acres in extent, with all the buildings and accessories necessary to a firstclass exhibition, which annually is made. In laying out the grounds the forest trees were permitted to stand along the avenues where the cattle pens are located, so that visitors may view the specimens
William Albert2 Wilson, son of Harvey1, m. May 1, 1875, in Keene, by Rev. W. O. White; Etta Elvira Kingsbury, b. in Sullivan, Oct. 25, 1857, dau. of Victor Good, and adopted dau. of George and Hannah Elvira (Hale) Kingsbury. She m. (2), Ralph Miner Kittson. Mr. Wilson d. in Nelson; res. both Nelson and
KEENE, as a city, was brought into existence by an act of the legislature, approved July 3, 1873, incorporating the same, subject to the acceptance, by a majority of votes, of the city charter so enacted. In March, 1874, the act was accepted by a vote of 783 to 589. The new government was duly
