Fowler District and
In 1732 the proprietors of Epsom selected the 20 original home
lots, and each resident of
FOWLER DISTRICT - MARTIN FAMILY
Samuel Martin was born at Pembroke in 1762, son of William and
Hannah (Cochran) Martin. He married in 1790 Sarah Cochran, daughter of Major
James and Mary (McDaniel) Cochran of Pembroke. According to the History of
Pembroke, the children were: Mary, married James Cochran; Thomas, who married a
Sarah Brown; James, born at Pembroke in 1799 and married there in 1822, Elsie
Bailey; Noah, born at Epsom July 26, 1801, married at Somersworth, NH, Mary
Jane Woodbury, and resided at Dover; and Nancy Cochran, born at Epsom in 1805
and married at Epsom, Samuel B. Bixby of Vermont.
NOAH MARTIN, Governor
|
|
|
Gov. Noah Martin, State House Portrait |
Notable of the family was son Noah who served a term as Governor
of New Hampshire. Two biographies, one from the 20th Century Biographical
Dictionary of Notable Americans, and a second from History of Belknap and
Noah Martin was born on July 26, 1801 in
Epsom, New Hampshire, son of Samuel Martin, a shoemaker of probable
Scotch-Irish descent, and Sally (Cochran) Martin. He had seven brothers and sisters: Mary,
Thomas, James, Elizabeth, Caroline and Nancy Martin. He married on Oct. 25,
1825, Mary Jane Woodbury, daughter of Dr. Robert Woodbury of
Politically, he was a Jacksonian
Democrat, and as such was elected to the
As Governor, Noah Martin proposed a state Agricultural Commission and urged
that agriculture came under the responsibility of state educational
institutions and cautioned the legislature against chartering competitive
railroad lines where there was enough business to support only one, urging them
to make railroads penally responsible for loss of
life or injury through carelessness. He was an advocate for private rather than
state ownership of public utilities and natural resources.
He was Governor of
NOAH MARTIN, M.D.
The active and energetic family of Martin has impressed itself on many
nationalities, and those bearing that name have attained eminence in various
fields of honor and usefulness. The American family goes back through
Scotch-Irish stock to the time when France and Scotland were so intimately
connected, and, perhaps, to the time when William, the Conqueror, marshaled his
adherents and retainers for the bloody battle of Sanguelac
or Hastings, which decided the fate of England and changed the course of
civilization, for on the list of those who accompanied him were several of the
name. In
Early in the eighteenth century, when the stalwart and
freedom-loving defenders of Londonderry, Ireland, emigrated to America to found
a new Londonderry in a land where religious persecution should not seek their
blood, Nathaniel Martin, the earnest man, with Margaret Mitchell, his wife, and
son William, were among the early settlers who made a home in this wild and
strange country. Nowhere in America have been found more honest virtues or more
sterling qualities than were in this notable settlement, and the descendants of
these people may well look with pride upon their Scotch-Irish ancestry.
William (2) was born in 1712; married Hannah Cochrane. Their
children were Mary, James, Nathaniel, William, Robert, Samuel and Hannah.
Samuel (3), born May 26, 1762; married Sally, eldest daughter of Major James Cochrane,
of
Noah Martin, M.D., was studious from early life, and, his tastes leading him in
that direction, he elected to follow the study of medicine, and persevered
through many difficulties until he had acquired a thorough classical and
professional education. After the usual attendance at the district schools and
private tuition of Rev. Jonathan Curtis, he became a pupil at
In politics Dr. Martin was Democratic, of that honest and stable Jacksonian type which holds the object of the nation to the
paramount good of the people. With but little ambition for political
preferment, he was not always able to resist the importunities of political and
personal friends, and was often brought forward for political office. He was
elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives in 1830, 1832 and 1837,
to the New Hampshire Senate in 1835 and 1836; and in 1852 and 1853 he was
elected to the highest office of the State, that of Governor. Dr. Martin was
elected a member of the Strafford District Medical Society in 1835, and was
chosen its president in 1841 and 1842; a member of the State Medical Society in
1836, and its President in 1858; and a member of the American Medical
Association in 1849. He was one of the founders of the
In all the various relations of life, the kindliness of heart of Dr. Martin, his
gentlemanly and unostentatious manner and his pre-eminent abilities won him
warm friends and admirers. Never was a man more conscientious in the discharge
of official duties or private trusts, and never could the evil-minded find
aught against his integrity or the purity of his motives.
James Martin, Noah’s brother, inherited the homestead, where with his wife
Elsie raised children: Sally, born 1822, married in 1842, Jonathan C. Sleeper;
Samuel, born 1828, did not marry and died in 1916; James, born 1830, married at
Epsom in 1854, Hannah Fowler, daughter of Symonds and Lucinda (Holt) Fowler of
Epsom, moved to St. Louis; Thomas, born 1832 of which nothing more is known. In
1832 he petitioned to the legislature to have his land annexed to Pembroke. It
was referred to the committee on towns and parishes. It was then
submitted in 1833 and rescheduled for the following year, but
evidently it was not resubmitted. Though an entry in minutes for the town
of
Samuel Martin 1828-1916
Prominent among the families dating back to the pioneer
settlements of this section of the State, and members of which have in every
generation have been agriculturists, is that from which Samuel Martin traces
his ancestry. This branch of the Martin family is "Scotch-Irish," -
that is, they were of Scotch lineage, born on Irish soil, - and it was
necessary that a people of one nationality and born on alien soil should have a
distinctive name, hence the appellation of "Scotch-Irish." The
line of descent to Samuel is Nathaniel (1), William (2), Samuel (3), James (4),
Samuel (5). William (2), born in 1712, the
great-grandfather of Samuel, accompanied his parents to America when very
young, and his childhood was passed amid the privations incident to the pioneer
life of the new country, and in the labor of robust, persevering and
adventurous man, of sterling worth, and much esteemed. His mother, Margaret
(Mitchell) Martin, was a true-hearted woman, who did not hesitate to follow her
husband into a new and almost uninhabited region, and to brave the hardships
appertaining, if there they could only find that which their firmly-fixed faith
so strongly desired': "Freedom to worship God." William (2) attained
manhood, inherited the qualities of his parents, became "a tiller of the
soil," and, in due time, married Sally, eldest daughter of Major James
Cochrane of Pembroke. He followed the occupation of his father, that of
farming, and also learned the shoemaker's trade. He made his
home in Pembroke, and was an industrious and honored citizen. He
died July 6, 1828. His children were Polly, Thomas, James (4), Noah (see
biography of Dr. Martin) and Nancy. James (4) was born in Pembroke, N. H., July 1, 1799. He was a resident of Epsom, where he had a
large farm, which he cultivated. Intelligent and thoughtful, he kept himself
cognizant of matters pertaining to public affairs, held numerous town offices
and also served as representative for the town of
Their children were Sally (born December 25, 1822, now Mrs.
Sleeper; has four children), Samuel, James (born January 5, 1830; now residing
in
Samuel Martin, eldest son of James and Elsie (Bailey) Martin, was born in Epsom
January 28, 1828. From a mere lad until he was fourteen years of age Samuel
worked at farming, assisting his father in his labors. He then went to Dover,
N. H., and made his home for three years with his uncle, Dr. Noah Martin,
afterwards Governor, who kindly gave him the opportunity of availing himself of
the valuable instruction of the eminent John R. Varney, whose enthusiasm in
this calling was such as to inspire his pupils to laudable endeavor and
friendly rivalry, and of whom the historian writes: "He left a record of a
life of true manliness, consistency and purity."
Improving these favorable circumstances, the young man acquired quite a
proficiency in the studies pursued. Returning to Epsom, he remained a year, and
would try his fortune in another field of labor, and went to
dealers, to whom he gave faithful service for several more years,
until, in 1851, he returned to his native place, preferring its pure air,
pleasant surroundings and quiet, rural occupations, and commenced farming and
lumbering in company with his father. Since his death Mr. Martin has added one
hundred and sixteen acres to his farm, while he has a large holding of real
estate (two hundred acres) in Allenstown.
Mr. Martin is a consistent and unswerving Democrat, and as such
represented his town in the Legislature of 1868-69. He is an honorable and
estimable citizen, and has been elected to many offices of trust; has served as
selectman for twelve years and town treasurer nine years, faithfully performing
the duties entrusted to him.
Inheriting a strong physique from his sturdy Scotch ancestry,
together with many excellent characteristics of heart and mind, Mr. Martin is a
representative farmer and worthy descendant of those men of activity, earnest
labor and endurance who were important factors in the formation of the American
character.
The family farm of a house, 3 barns and a shed were lost to a
chimney fire May 9, 1903. Samuel died in
FOWLER DISTRICT - Thomas Martin
On the 1858 map there is home belonging to T. Martin, northwest of
the Martin homestead property. According to town tax records, it appears that
the home was rented, though likely owned by Thomas Martin. The property
consisted of a house on 80 acres of land and was taxed to Thomas starting about
1852 when it was in the care of Jonathan Hamlet. The next year it appears in
the care of Samuel Brown Jr., and in 1857, David Dickey Jr., he and his family
residing there to at least 1860 where he also appears at the location in the US
Census of 1860. The census of 1870 shows the family of Thomas Cofran, who buys the property in 1871. In 1872 it is sold
by Cofran to George P. Little of Pembroke, and he
appears there on the map of 1892. There are no buildings mentioned on the
property when Little sells the land to Philip Fowler
of Epsom in 1906.
Thomas Martin Cofran (seen in earlier
records as Cochran) married a Pearn (unknown) in 1851
and had children Samuel M.,; Edward Abbott, who
married Maxie M. Esther Hartford, daughter of James
S. and Esther J. (Cate)
FOWLER DISTRICT - Lovejoy Family
Reuben Sanborn bought lots 3 and 4 and sold a portion of the lots
to Abner Evans of Epsom in 1765, described as laying
on the westerly side of Suncook River being part of the lots No. 3 and 4 in the
first range which lots I purchased at public auction being part of that land
which was sold for the building of the Meeting house at Epsom, containing one
third part of said lots laying in the middle of said lots to contain 75 acres
bounded on the north easterly side on land owned by Reuben Sanborn and on the
southwesterly side of land owned by James Woods of Epsom. Two years later,
Evans then of Gilmanton, sold the 75 acres to Nehemiah McDaniel, Robert
McDaniel Jr., and John Cofran Jr., all of Pembroke.
The trio kept the property with John McDaniel selling 40 acres of the lot to
Nehemiah McDaniel in 1791. In 1804, Nehemiah sold all his Epsom property to
Nehemiah Cochran of Pembroke, no buildings being mentioned in the transaction.
Nehemiah Cochran apparently settled on the land which he sold as
‘the farm and all the land I purchased of Nehemiah McDaniel’ to Zebediah Lovejoy of Pembroke in 1813. Zebediah
was one of three sons born to Caleb Lovejoy and was born in Pembroke in 1778.
He married first, Sally Fowler, daughter of Symonds and Hannah (Weeks) Fowler of
Epsom who lived just to the north. Zebediah and Sally
had two sons, John, born 1801, married Mary Green, daughter of Jabez and Anna (Smith) Green of Jug City, resided at
Pembroke; and Herbert, born in 1806, married at Epsom in 1834, Hannah Critchett, daughter of Benoni and
Sarah (Marden) Critchett of
Epsom. Zebediah’s first wife died in 1831, and he
married second Sarah Marden, widow of Benoni Critchett, the mother of
his son Hebert’s wife. Zebediah died in 1847, his
second wife in 1861. The homestead passed to son Hebert, who with wife
Hannah had the following family: Henry C., born 1837, married at Epsom in 1870,
Maria M. Belknap; James Warren, born 1840, married at Epsom in 1864, Mary Abbie Kimball; Sarah Elizabeth, born 1843, died 1846; Dyah (Diah), born 1847, married
Emma Coat, a Civil War veteran, died at a disabled volunteer soldiers home in
Maine in 1911; and Jennie Cynthia, born 1856, died 1862.
Herbert and Hannah deeded half of the family home of 60 acres to
son Henry C. Lovejoy in 1871. Herbert died in 1880, his wife Hannah in 1903,
both being buried in the family cemetery shared with the Fowler family. Henry
C., a Civil War veteran and his wife Maria raised their family on the homestead
which included: Herbert ‘Bert” Belknap, born 1871, married first at Concord in
1893, Alma E. Watson who died in 1901, married second at Concord in 1906,
Carrie E. Woods, and third in 1914, Mary E. Bennett; James G., born 1872 of
whom nothing more is known; Jennie M. Lovejoy, born 1872, married at Epsom in
1895, Charles E. Hastings; and George Henry, born 1876, married at Epsom in
1899, Alice E. Austin.
The Lovejoy homestead stayed in the family, and in 1915, George
Henry Lovejoy, living in
FOWLER DISTRICT - Schoolhouse District 8
School District No. 8 was taken off the Short Falls District No.
4, and first appears in town records in 1830 with James Martin being its
Prudential Committee. Through the years the committee members included Samuel
M. Green, Samuel Fowler, Herbert Lovejoy, William Fowler, Rufus Baker, Samuel Martin,
Henry C. Lovejoy, Benjamin Fowler, and Thomas M. Cofran.
The first mention of any teachers comes from the superintending school
committee information when Mary S. Green was the instructor with a compliment
of 22 students. The school got a mention in the diary of Reverend Moses A. Quimby when he relates March 1, 1851. ‘Closed
my school in the Fowler district. I have had a pleasant school of about
20 scholars and have kept some 12 weeks. I hope I have done some good.’ Other
than the yearly allotment of funds each year, no additional information appears
until the school report in 1861. At that time there were 10 students in each of
the summer and winter terms. C. Jennie Clough was the teacher both terms, who
according to the report was mild, gentle and ‘moves with ease in the school
room.’ The population of the school remained small when in 1880 the instructors
were Alice E. Ladd and Mary I. Dearborn. The final school year was 1888 when
the school was closed and the students rejoined the Short Falls District in
1889. The school house was later moved to Pembroke, used as a hen house and
later being destroyed by fire.
FOWLER DISTRICT - Fowler Family
There were three Fowler homesteads in the Fowler District. Two
houses, side by side, were owned by Samuel and son Simonds
in 1858, and in 1892 by Benjamin and nephew Blanchard H. Fowler. The third
residence was further north up the
The original Fowler to settle in Epsom was Symonds Fowler of Newmarket and his wife Hannah Weeks. His first purchase was
in 1770 when he bought lot No. 4 in the second division of 100 acres, next to
Symonds Fowler married Hannah Weeks in Greenland in 1756, and had
for a family: Hannah, born 1757, died 1760; Susanna, born 1760, married at
Pembroke in 1782, John Jenness; Symonds, born 1762,
died 1764; Hannah, born 1764, married first about 1784, David Robinson, and
second at Pembroke in 1787, Joshua Phelps; Abigail, born 1767, married at Epsom
in 1791, Nathan Libbey, resided Epsom; Benjamin, born
1769, married at Pembroke in 1795, Mehitable Ladd and
resided there; Sally, married in 1801 as his first wife, Zebediah
Lovejoy and resided just south of the homestead; Samuel, married at Epsom in
1804, Betsey Davis, daughter of Samuel and Abigail (Brown) Davis of Epsom;
Polly, born 1777, married at Epsom in 1803, Samuel Learned; Esther, born at
Epsom in 1780, married in 1803, Reverend Asa Merrill;
and Winthrop, born 1788 at Epsom and married there in 1810, Abigail Davis,
sister to Betsey Davis who married his brother Samuel.
Simond’s oldest son Benjamin was deeded 2 pieces
of land from the homestead which he deeded to his brother Samuel in 1799 being
‘all the title in the estate of my father Simond
Fowler.’ According to tax records, Simonds owned 211
acres the last year he was taxed in 1801. The following year the homestead
appears taxed to his son Samuel, but by deed Samuel received part of his
father’s farm in 1808, as did son Winthrop. Simonds
Fowler died in 1821, his wife Hannah before him in 1807, both buried in a
family cemetery shared with the Lovejoy’s on the homestead. Samuel is taxed for
the homestead through 1828 when his son Simonds
appears on the tax rolls.
Samuel and his wife Betsey raised the following children: Symonds,
born 1805, married in 1828, Lucinda Holt; William, born 1809 and married at
Piermont, NH in 1833, Salome Stickney; Fanny, born 1811, married in 1832,
Samuel Preston Yeaton, son of John and Rebecca
(Bickford) Yeaton; Susan, born 1816, married Rufus D.
Scales; and Sally, married Levi Robinson and resided at Jug City.
The 1830 census indicates that Samuel resided at the original
homestead, and son Simonds probably built the house
next door west of the homestead of his father. Samuel died in 1860, having been
preceded in death by his second son William in 1858. His widow, second wife
Abigail deeded one half of the homestead to son Simonds,
the other half to the children of the late William: Mary, Esther M., Asa Stickney, William and Kate. The deed also allowed the
widow Abigail to occupy the dwelling house during the remainder of her natural
life. She died in 1887. A few months later, Salome, widow of Simond’s brother William, as
guardian of her children, sold the shares of Asa
Stickney, William J. and Kate to their Uncle Simonds.
By 1858, Samuel and son Simonds were
living in the two adjacent houses, and William was living at the house north on
the
Simonds and his wife Lucinda had children:
Hannah, born 1828, married at Epsom in 1854, James Martin, resided at St.
Louis; William, born 1832, married at Epsom in 1856, Sarah E. Kelley of
Pembroke; Benjamin, born 1834, married at Epsom in 1864, Sarah M. Brown of
Epsom, daughter of Samuel and Sally F. (Cochran) Brown; Betsey, born 1836,
married in 1857, Jason R. C. Hoyt; Ann, married at Epsom in 1871, Alonzo D. Marden of Epsom, and died one year later, no children; and Abbie, married at Epsom in 1872 as his second wife, Joseph
G. Whidden, resided at Boston. On the 1892 map, the
two side by side homes were owned by Benjamin and Blanchard H. Fowler, and the
Benjamin and his wife Sarah raised four daughters and lived at the
original homestead. Their daughters were: Vesta
Grace, born 1865, married at Epsom in 1892, John Martin Gile
and resided at Hanover; Sarah Edith, born 1868, married at Epsom in 1896,
Charles Rand Dutton; Annie Lucinda, born 1872, married at Winthrop, MA James
Edwin Sleeper, resided Wisconsin; and Alice Maud, born 1875, married at Epsom,
1898, Walter H. Tripp, son of James H. and Sarah Locke (Moses) Tripp.
Benjamin deeded the homestead to his son-in-law Charles R. Dutton
and daughter (Sarah) Edith F. in 1902, being 100 acres with all the buildings,
stock, carriages and tools with the right of use of occupancy during his
natural life. His wife Sarah died in 1894, and he died in 1911. Daughter Alice
M., who married Walter H. Tripp, removed the house from its original site to
William and his wife Sarah raised the following children:
Blanchard Holt, born 1857 and married at Epsom in 1891, Annie M. Tripp,
daughter of Warren and Katie M. (Bickford) Tripp; Philip, born 1861, married at
Allenstown in 1890, Lizzie F. Johnson; Lizzie, born 1864, married at Deerfield
in 1889, James Luther Bickford; Georgia Abbie, born
1873 and married at Epsom in 1897, Burt French of Deerfield; Ida M., born 1877,
died unmarried at Concord in 1962; and Florence Lue,
born 1879, married at Epsom in 1898, Frederick W. Yeaton.
William and his son Philip owned the homestead on the
FOWLER DISTRICT - Jonathan Goss Farm
The Jonathan Goss farm was on the west side of the
Samuel Goss was one of two known sons of Nathan and Deborah
(Allen) Goss, the other being Joseph Goss. Samuel married in 1779 Abigail
Lucas, and had the following children: Susan Jane, of which nothing is known;
Daniel L., born about 1780, married at Epsom in 1802, Abigail Locke Chapman,
daughter of Simeon and Mary (Blake) Chapman, resided on Sanborn Hill; Deborah,
born about 1789, married a David Campbell; Nathan, born 1782, married at Epsom,
Dolly Grant, daughter of John and Dorothy (Foss) Grant; Abigail, born about
1786, married at Epsom in 1807, Samuel Whitney, resided for a time at Short
Falls; Samuel, born about 1790, married at Northwood in 1815, Susan G. Towle, daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Wallace) Towle; Jonathan, born 1793, married in 1816, Sally Yeaton, daughter of William and Hannah (Towle)
Yeaton; Nancy L. born 1795, married in 1820, Eben Lane of Chichester; and
John, born about 1798, married at Epsom in 1827, Eliza H. Wallace, daughter of
Joseph Chase and Betsey (Sanborn) Wallace of Epsom and later Concord.
Samuel Goss was a Revolutionary War pensioner, and after the death
of his first wife in 1824, married as her third spouse, Elizabeth Gordon.
Samuel died in 1831,
Jonathan and his wife Sally raised the following family on the
homestead: Noah, born and died in 1819; William, born 1820, married first Maryetta Abbott in 1846, and second Sally R. Randall in
1894 as her second husband, her first spouse was John K. Crockett; Hannah Y.,
born 1821, married at Chichester in 1847, Nathaniel
S. Edmunds; Nancy L., born 1829, married first, Edward Edmunds of Chichester, second in 1871, Jeremiah Mack, and third in
1878, Jonathan Marden; Sally G., born 1831, married
at Epsom in 1848, Jefferson A. Edmunds, son of Edward and Betsy (Lane ) Edmunds,
brother to Nathaniel S.; Mary C., born 1835, married George W. Morse of Loudon;
and Andrew J., born 1836, married in 1880 Lucy Barnhouse,
and died in Arizona.
Jonathan sold the family farm to James A. Yeaton
of Epsom in 1857. James had married Martha A. Randall in 1858, and after her
death in 1869, married Annie R. Crockett, daughter of the second wife of
William Goss and her first husband, John K. Crockett. Yeaton
sold the farm back to Jonathan, then Jonathan's son
William moved the family home, and the burials to Gossville.
Ann Clark was a daughter of James Clark and Hannah (Robinson), who
married Samuel G. Tower of Boston in 1830. In 1872 she wrote a letter to her
brother David who had moved to
Brothers Levi and Benjamin Robinson were sons, according to
"The Robinson Scroll" genealogy, of Joseph and Elizabeth (Fifield) Robinson of Stratham. According to
After Benjamin and Levi got settled in their new home Benjamin
sent to Stratham with his carriage and got his mother to make them a visit.
When they got in sight of their place his mother asked him where the
chimney was. He told her that they had taken it in,
they always took it in when they were expecting rain. Joseph and Benjamin
were born in this house I have described. They went to a spring to get water
and just before uncle Joseph was born, grandmother was going for water with
mother in her arms and there was a great bear at the spring drinking - she went
into the house and waited till grandfather came and got it for her.
Levi married at Brentwood in 1781, Elizabeth Fifield,
who was born October 27, 1752, and had the following family: Hannah, born 1782
at Nottingham, married in 1807 as his second wife, James Clark of Allenstown;
Joseph, born 1784 at Epsom, married Sally Stickney; Benjamin, born 1786,
married at Newbury, MA in 1809, Betsey Poor; David, born 1789, married at Salisbury,
MA in 1811, Elizabeth Paine; Levi, born 1791, married at Chichester
in 1823, Lucy M. Critchett, she married second after
his death, Theophilus Wells; and Eliza, born 1793,
married at Hooksett in 1828, Levi Buntin.
Levi and Elizabeth sold the family home in 1828 to Benjamin and
Betsey Parker of
Though the home had a new owner, Levi and his wife continued to
occupy the dwelling. Parker sold the house in 1839 to Jonathan Goss of Epsom, '
it being the same farm on which Levi Robinson now lives.'
Rufus Baker was a son of Stephen and Hephzibah
(Kelley) Baker, who married at
Charles F. Stevens and Alma Orvilla
Merriam (Worth) Stevens had children: Grover Thurman, born 1889, married at
Deerfield in 1923, Hilda F. Meloon; Mary Ida, born in
1890, married at Epsom in 1910, as his first wife, Edwin L. Bunker; Albert
Hiram, born 1893, married Alice V. Dow at Epsom in 1917; Bertha Hazel, born
1895; and Charles Dustin, born 1900, married at Manchester in 1918, Marie E.
Warren.
Charles F. Stevens died in 1900, and his wife Alma married Ivory Hersom. She sold the homestead to her son Albert H. Stevens
in 1921, land and buildings containing 25 acres. Albert and Alice resided at
the home with their son Carroll Dustin Stevens.
Benjamin Robinson's family is unknown. The History of Sanbornton
gives his wife as Sally Cass, daughter of Moses and Hannah (Cilley)
Cass. The Robinson Scroll genealogy gives his first wife as Mary with three
children, and that his second wife was Sally Cass.
In 1807 Benjamin deeded his share of the original family farm to
his brother Levi, and was taxed for 104 acres and buildings valued at 70
dollars. The next year, Jabez Green was taxed for 100
acres and buildings valued at 100 acres. Though no deeds appear to be recorded,
Jabez Green had purchased the Benjamin Robinson farm.
Benjamin purchased land from John Critchett in 1807,
which he sold to William Rowe in 1815, the last year he appears on the Epsom
tax rolls. A final deed to Rowe in 1817 gives Benjamin being then of
Jabez Green was born at
The house on the lot that Benjamin Robinson built for his parents, was sold by Jabez to his
son Jonathan in 1816 along with an additional 25 acres. The 25 acres was sold
by Jonathan in 1819 to Joseph Robinson (a son of Levi) and the house to his
brother Isaac S. Robinson. The house changed hands several times, being
owned by Levi Brown Jr. in 1821, and James Babb of
Epsom in 1823.
One undivided half of the farm was sold by Jabez
Green to his son Samuel M. Green in April of 1841, and Jabez
died a few months later in October. His wife died in 1849. Samuel chose not to
keep the family farm, selling it in 1853 to Stephen Baker of Pembroke.
Stephen Baker was born in 1796, son of Joseph and Hannah (Haggert) Baker. He married about 1823, Hephzibah Kelley of
Pembroke, and raised for a family: Adline Whittemore, born 1824, married Sylvanus
Adams; Elsie Head, born 1827, married Carpenter Stevens Kelley; Rufus, born
1829, married at Concord in 1851, Lavina Heath,
daughter of Reuben and Mary (Sanborn) Heath; Hannah, born 1831, married at
Pembroke in 1850, John F. Leaver; Rachel Kelley, married William Richard Worth,
son of Richard Tripp and Olive (Holt) Worth; James, born 1837, married at
Gilmanton in 1864, Abbie A. Hanscom,
daughter of Lemuel E. and Elizabeth (Babb) Hanscom; Mary Ann, born 1840, married at Concord in 1863 as
hsi first wife, Hiram Chase Worth, brother to William
who married his sister Rachel, she died 1880 and he married second,
Lizzie McLain; and Emily Jane, born 1845, married at Epsom in 1863, James
Worth, son of Samuel and Sarah (Fife) Worth.
In 1864, Stephen deeds to his son James, the farm of 125 acres,
buildings and contents in consideration that he provide for his parents and
they are allowed continued use of the family homestead. Stephen Baker died in
1869, his wife in 1881.
James Baker and his wife Abbie had two
children: Edward Stephen, born in 1869, married Louise M. Babb and resided in
The heirs of Jim O. Baker, Hazel May, and Herbert James, Howard
Samuel, sold the property to the Bailey Lumber Company of Allenstown in
December of 1926. Edgar Lavallee of Pembroke bought
the property in 1929, selling out in 1946 to Albert H. Stevens. Albert sold the
home to his son Carroll D. Stevens the following year.
|
|
|
David Clark |
James Clark bought several tracts of land near his father in law,
Levi Robinson. The land was on the west side of the range road and included 46
acres bought from John Critchett in 1809; 50 acres
from Nathan Goss that belonged to his father Samuel in 1812; and 10 acres from
Samuel Goss Jr. in 1816. None of the deeds mention any buildings, and it is
assumed James Clark built the house on this site.
James Clark was born in Allenstown in 1770, son of Ichabod and Elizabeth (James) Clark. He married first at
Pembroke in 1800, Anna Cochran, daughter of John and Margaret (McDaniel)
Cochran. His wife Anna died in 1806 after having two children: Hazen Kimball,
born 1800 and married at Chichester in 1822, Lydia Jenness; and James M., born 1802, married Mary J. Jenness, sister to
James Clark sold to his son David, ten acres together with all the
buildings thereon being the same land and building where I now reside. David
moved to
David Clark attended Epsom schools, and sometime after 1830, along
with his brother Dustin Clark, left Epsom for
David Clark, as did so many others, decided to seek new fortune in
The S.S. North America was built by Lawrence and Sneeden in
David Clark, somewhere on a beach in Mexico, two days after the
wreck, writes to his beloved wife and children (freely transcribed from his
diary) - Feb. 27 - pleasant and expecting to get to Acapulco sometime in the
night, and wouldn't you know Mrs. Clark, that about eleven at night we ran
ashore on the coast of Mexico, and there we pounded all night. They got a line
on shore and we began going ashore about 4 in the morning. I stayed on the old
craft until about 9. We all got ashore safe and commenced a
He concludes for the day, and resumes the letter from
Those passengers with money were able to book passage on other
ships, those who did not did the best they could to find there way either back
east or to
David Clark returned to
John Clark acquired additional land, and with his father's
homestead, owned 125 acres. John and wife Rebecca's family included: Ann Maria,
born 1840, married at Concord in 1859, Orison Batchelder;
Mandana J., born 1843 at Lowell, MA, married Capt.
John F. George; Ellen Frances, born 1846, died 1840; and John Henry, born
1850, married Lucy C. Hosmer. John Clark died in
February of 1857, and in November of that year, the administrator of his
estate, Winthrop Fowler, sold the 125 acres and buildings to Hannah M. Clark,
wife of John's brother, Dustin Clark. Dustin and his wife sold 37 acres with
the home, known as the John Clark place, to David Robinson in 1863. The
following year, David sold the house to Rufus Baker. Rufus owned the property
for three years, selling it in 1867 to his brother James and John Heath. After
another three year span, Baker and Heath sold their halves to Hiram C. Worth,
who had married Mary Ann Baker, sister to Rufus and James.
Hiram Chase Worth, son of Richard Tripp and Olive (Holt) Worth and
his wife Mary Ann had one daughter, Alma Orvilla
Merriam Worth, born 1864 and married about 1888, Charles F. Stevens of
Winthrop Fowler was the youngest son of Symonds and Hannah (Weeks)
Fowler, born at Epsom in 1788. He married at Epsom in 1810, Abigail
Davis, daughter of Samuel and Abigail (Brown) Davis. She was a sister to Betsey
Davis who married
Winthrop and Abigail's family included: Hannah, born 1810 and died
in 1821; Abigail, born 1812. died 1814; Abigail (2) born 1815, married in 1840,
Daniel Philbrick Locke; Betsey, born 1818, married in
1838, Edward Kimball; Samuel, born 1821, married at Epsom in 1843, Elvira Ann Critchett, daughter of James and Sally (Green) Critchett, resided at Short Falls; Symonds, born 1823, died
1827; Winthrop, born 1825, died 1825; Winthrop (2), born 1827, married at Epsom
in 1860, Ann Lydia Locke, daughter of Ephraim and Sarah Cram (Dyer) Locke; and
Nancy, born 1830, married in 1859, Timothy Drew of Pembroke.
The family name of Fowler received prominent mention in the annals
of the literature and government of
In 1514, Catharine of Aragon was entertained by Edward Fowler, and
at his castle received the joyful news of the defeat of the Scottish army at
Flodden Field. John Fowler, in 1547, was a member of the household of Edward VI.,
and it was through his influence that the royal assent was given to the
marriage of Lord Seymour to the Princess (afterwards Queen) Elizabeth. William,
who died 1614, was one of the poets to the court of James VI. Christopher was a
prominent English clergyman; born in 1611; left the established Church in 1641
to join the Presbyterians. Edward was made bishop of
Thomas Haskell sold the farm to Jonathan H. Riggs of
John Clark died the following year and his estate was sold by his
administrator, Winthrop Fowler, to the wife of his brother Dustin, Hannah M.
Clark, with the widow Rebecca relinquishing her rights to Dustin Clark. Dustin
and his wife resided at
Jefferson A. Edmunds Farm
When Winthrop Fowler sold his Epsom farm it contained 80 acres.
After it was purchased by Haskell and Riggs and owned by Asa
Chamberlain, Chamberlain sold a portion of the farm to Jefferson A. Edmunds.
The deed did not provide a detailed description, and stated that it was land
with buildings bounded on the north by
The James W. Fowler House
The James W. Fowler home sat south of the entrance to
McClintock did not come to Epsom and was still listed as a widow
of Kensington when she sold her holdings to Samuel Yeaton
of Epsom in 1832. Samuel Preston Yeaton, born in
1806, son of John and Rebecca (Bickford) Yeaton of
Epsom, settled on the property about the time he married, December 1832, Fanny
Fowler, daughter of Samuel and Betsey (Davis) Fowler. They had four children: Ernest
Thomas, who probably died young; Emily Jane, born 1834, married Moses Burnham Critchett at Epsom in 1858 as his first wife, moved to
Minneapolis; Susan Fowler, born 1837, married at Epsom in 1861, Warren D. Foss;
Albert Henry, born 1844, married first at Suncook in 1875, Della Abbie Jones, and after her death in 1876, married Annie B.
Gage; and Frank Walter, born 1852, married in
1873, Etta Pickering.
Samuel and Fanny sold the homestead farm on which the said Samuel Yeaton now resides reserving the road running through the
same leading to Pembroke by the dwelling house of said Jefferson A. Edmunds and
the road leading to Pembroke by the dwelling house of said Samuel Yeaton, to James W. Fowler of Epsom in 1867.
James W. Fowler was born December 10, 1844, a son of Samuel and
Elvira Ann (Critchett) Fowler. He married at Epsom in
1868, Ruhamah J. Locke, daughter of Ephraim and Sarah
Cram (Dyer) Locke of Epsom and Pembroke. Her sister Ann Lydia married Winthrop
Fowler Jr. of Epsom and Pembroke. James W. and Ruhamah
did not have any children. The couple sold their home in 1879, half to Philip
F. Holt of Pembroke, whose daughter Ida M. married his brother Horace; and one
half to his brother Horace. Horace and his wife Ida Mary (Holt) had two
children: Clayton H., born 1880 who married Hazel Wells, daughter of Edgar E.
and Laura A. (Flint) Wells, and he died in 1924; and Martha Susan, born
1890, married at Epsom in 1912, Ernest George Dowst,
son of George and Nettie Jane (Fife) Dowst. Horace
died in 1914, and his heirs, wife Ida and daughter Martha S. (Dowst), sold 'the homestead farm of James W. Fowler' to
Fred C. Fife and Martha's husband, Ernest G. Dowst.
Fife and Dowst established the Riverside Poultry farm
which was located across the road from the house, next to Webster Park at
Samuel Fowler Farm
Edward Critchett came to Epsom in 1784
with most of his children all ready of age. With his wife Abigail Gordon,
daughter of Benoni and Abigail (Smith) Gordon, they
had a family of seven: Mehitable, married at Epsom in
1794, Joseph Worth as his first wife, and she died about 1798; John, married a
Mary Lucas, owned and sold much of the land of his father; Abigail, married an
unknown Lang; Mary, married Benjamin Quimby of
Kingston and resided in Maine; Thomas, born 1772, married at Epsom in 1793,
Margaret Wallace, daughter of Ebenezer and Sarah (McGaffey)
Wallace; Sarah, born about 1775, married at Epsom in 1792, Richard Tripp; and Benoni, born 1781, married at Epsom in 1799, Sarah Marden, daughter of James and Sarah (Worth) Marden.
Shortly before his marriage, Thomas Critchett
bought part of lot No. 8 in the first range and second division consisting of
60 acres. The lot was originally bought by Andrew McClary,
and sold by his widow in 1784 to Ephraim Locke, who sold it in 1784 to his son
Samuel. It was Samuel who sold the lot to Thomas Critchett.
He added to his holdings in 1801 buying from Joseph and Hannah Worth 20 acres
in lot No. 7, the house and barn thereon excepted which buildings the said
Worth has liberty to remove or dispose of at any time within two years from
this date. In 1808 he bought of his brother John, 50 acres, also part of lot
No. 7 in the first range, second division. It is on this lot that Thomas built
his homestead farm. With his wife Margaret they raised the following family:
James, born 1795, married at Epsom in 1823, Sally Green, daughter of Jabez and Anna (Smith) Green of Jug City; Sarah, born 1797,
married at Epsom in 1816, William McMurphy, son of
James and Margaret (Graham) McMurphy; Edward, born
about 1799, left Epsom and is known only by being named in the will of his
father; Hannah W., born 1801, married at Epsom in 1827, Samuel Plumer Cilley, son of Col. Daniel
and Hannah (Plumer) Cilley
of the Cilley Hotel at Gossville;
Mehitable, born 1804, married at Epsom in 1822, the
Reverend Silas Green, son of Jabez, resided near the Critchett homestead; Jane Wallace, born 1806, married at
Epsom in 1828, Nehemiah Knox of Pembroke; a child born 1809, died 1816; and
Thomas, married at Charlestown, MA in 1841, Eliza Conn, resided at
Massachusetts.
In his will, Thomas Critchett left the
homestead to his son James, and Thomas died in 1839. His son James died in
April of 1841, his mother in October of that
same year. James and his wife Sally had two daughters, Mary G., born in 1823,
and married at Boscawen in 1845, Joseph C. Baker; and Elvira Ann, born 1827,
married at Epsom in 1843, Samuel Fowler, son of Winthrop and Abigail (Davis)
Fowler. The homestead was inherited by the two daughters, and Joseph C. and his
wife Mary G., sold their interest to the farm to Samuel and Elvira Ann Fowler,
July 30, 1845. The homestead included several tracts of land and a share in the
Short Falls Mill. The property was about 120 acres with land and
buildings.
Samuel and Elvira Ann raised their family on the former Critchett homestead, and the children were: James W., born
1844, married at Epsom in 1868, Ruhamah J. Locke,
daughter of Ephraim and Sarah (Cram) Dyer, no children; Ella Maria, born 1848,
married at Epsom in 1873, James Bickford Tennant, son of Arthur and Ruth O.
(Sanborn) Tennant, resided Epsom and Concord, ran Tennant's store at Short
Falls; Charles Baker, born 1849, married Emma O. Tennant, sister to James B.
Tennant, resided for a time at Washington, D.C., two children, Alvah Tennant and Everett Arthur (1881-1883); Horace, born
1855, married at Pembroke in 1879, Ida Mary Holt, daughter of Philip Fife and Abbie Jane (Morrison Holt, two children, Clayton H. and
Martha Susan; Grace Annie, born 1860, died 1864; and Mary Josie, born 1863,
married at Epsom in 1889, Walter Stearns Rand of Deerfield, one child, Karl
Fowler Rand.
Samuel Fowler died in 1898, his wife Elvira Ann in 1911. In 1917
and 1918, all the heirs through various deeds (many of them grandchildren) sold
the homestead to the eldest son, James W. Fowler. James,
that same year, sold the homestead farm to Karl Rand, son of Walter Stearns and
daughter Mary Josie Rand. Karl Rand continued to operate the farm,
though his home was on
The former Samuel Fowler homestead was sold to George W. Allen of
Joseph Worth - Samuel M. Green home
Andrew McClary bought several of the
second division lots, which were sold for taxes to James Gray in 1780. James
Gray did not settle on the lot and held onto the property until 1801 when he
sold it to Joseph Worth of Epsom. Joseph bought his first lot of land from
Edward Critchett on August 20, 1794 of 20 acres, and
sold the same to Edward's son Thomas Critchett days
before he bought the lot of James Gray. The deed had the provision that the
house and barn thereon excepted which buildings the
said Worth have liberty to remove of dispose of at any time within two years of
this date.
The Worth family appears in the first town church records and in a
few deeds. These were noted by historian John Mark Moses, but the relationships
were unknown or incorrect. The church records show in 1766 the addition
of John Worth and his wife; in 1770, Joseph and Anna Worth from a dismissal
from Hawke; renewing of baptism in 1773 of Mary, the wife of John Worth Jr; 1770 the baptism of Joseph, son of John Worth and his
wife, and in 1772, Jonathan, son of John Worth Jr. and wife Mary. Marriages
included: 1766, Lowell Baker to Mary Worth; 1767, James Marden
to Sarah Worth; 1772, John Worth to Mary Danforth;
1794, Joseph Worth to Mehitable Critchett;
and 1799, Joseph Worth to Hannah Tripp.
Joseph Worth of
John Worth, born 1718 and who bought land
from his brother Obediah and resided in
Joseph married Mehitable Critchett, daughter of Edward and Abigail (Gordon) Critchett at Epsom on June 12, 1794. The couple had one
daughter born in 1796 who married in 1818, Jeremiah Gordon Burnham. His wife Mehitable died within a couple years of the birth of their
daughter, and he married second Hannah Tripp, daughter of Richard and Ann (McClary) Tripp at Epsom, March 13, 1799. The couple had
about six children: Joseph, born about 1800, married at Deerfield, Mary
Currier, daughter of Benjamin and Jemima (Page) Currier of Deerfield where they
resided; Richard Tripp, born 1804, married Olive Holt of Pembroke; John, born
1807, married at Lowell, MA in 1844, Marion B. Cass, moved to Wisconsin; James,
born about 1811, married Eliza Ann Langmaid, died at
Concord 1841; Samuel, born 1812, married at Pembroke in 1837, Sarah Fife,
daughter of Jeremiah and Abigail (Holt) Fife.
Joseph's wife Hannah died in 1820, and he married third at
Samuel M. Green was a son of Jabez and
Anna (Smith) Green, who married Mary Tenney and had
one daughter, Grace M., born about 1840, married Levi Kimball, and in 1880
resided
Tenney owned the old Worth
homestead for about 9 years when it was sold to Thomas M. and Pearn Cofran. It passed to James
B. Tennant and
William McMurphy was born in Epsom, the
son of William and Sarah (Critchett) McMurphy. He married at Epsom in 1850, Lucinda Maria Locke,
daughter of Benjamin Lovering and Hannah Parker
(Moses) Locke. They had children: Emma, born 1852, died 1860; Mary B., born
1853, died 1855; Anna, born 1854, nothing more known;
Jeremiah G. Burnham home
When the town sold the common land in the second division, lot 10
in the first and second range was bought by Amos Morrill. Amos was a large land
holder in Epsom, and later moved to
Jeremiah Gordon Burnham was the son of Benjamin and Elizabeth
(Gordon) Burnham. Benjamin Burnham moved from
Gilmanton to Epsom and was a veteran of the Revolution enlisting at
Jeremiah and wife Sarah had a large family: Rachel W. born 1821,
died 1831; John C., born 1822, married at Epsom in 1852, Angeline Follansbee of
Maine; Jeremiah, born 1824, married at Epsom in 1845, Chloe P. Tripp, daughter
of Jeremiah and Chloe T. (Prescott) Tripp; Joseph, born 1826, died 1831; Sally,
born 1828, died 1831; Mary M., born 1830, married at Epsom in 1849 Nathan G. Marden, son of William and Margaret (Bickford) Marden; Joseph W., born 1832, married at Pembroke in 1857,
Martha J. Worth, daughter of John and Mary (Mann) Worth; James McCutcheon, born
1835, married at Epsom in 1856, Mary Jane Wells, daughter of Theophilus and Lucy M. (Critchett)
Wells, resided in Epsom; William E., born 1838, married at Epsom in 1860, Emma
Clara Wells, sister to Lucy M. who married his brother James M.; and Sarah E.,
born 1841, married at Pembroke in 1860, Joseph Nickerson.
Jeremiah Gorden Burnham died in 1851,
his wife Sarah in 1862. The homestead passed to his oldest son John C. Burnham
by deed in 1845, being one hundred acres. John C. and his wife Angeline had
three sons: Edward J., born 1853, married Betsy Fellows and resided at
John C. Burnham, who died in 1909, deeded two tracts and the
homestead farm to his son George H. Burnham in 1894. His father continued to
live at the homestead, and after his death, his son George sold it to Morrill
D. Bickford in 1910. Morrill D. Bickford died three years later, and his widow
Eliza, and heirs Alfred P. Bickford and Grace V. Snow, sold the Burnham
homestead to James W. Fowler and Warren Tripp, both of Epsom. The men sold the
property, 150 acres, to Martin J. Hart in 1916, and in 1926 it was transferred
to May W. Hart who sold out in 1928 to Anna V. Dodd and Margaret Walsh of
The Dolloff family
Previously the known Dolloff family was
that of John of Brentwood, the information from the typescript research paper
of Henrietta Dolloff Johnson, 'The Dolloff family' at the NH Historical Society. Through just
about every deed, probate and vital record, her results for John Dolloff of Epsom was as follows:
John (4) Dolloff (Nicholas 3, Thomas 2,
Christian 1) and Elizabeth Dolloff
b. no rec. perhaps by 1746 at
d. Septe. 1813 at Epsom, N. as est was then adm.
upon.
m. probably a 1st wife bef. 1770
m. (2), "ye 24th Feb. 1788, at
b. d. after 1816..settled the est. of husband.
Children: (records not found.) accounted for in est. of father.
Ruth b. Prob. by a 1st wife..see
settlement of father's est.
JohnJr. ..b. as early as
1778/9, perhaps by first wife.
Sally (Sarah) b. abt. 1780,
Samuel..b. Oct. 10, 1784,
Mary b. d. m. Mch
24, 1811, Josiah Knowles of
Nicholas Jr. b. Dec. 5, 1794,
Nicholas Dolloff (3) married at
In the year 1795, John and his wife Mary
(Stevens), whom he married at
It would appear that the
The John Dollof purchase of
property in 1795 was not the first land purchased by a Dolloff.
In 1791 James Gray of Epsom sold two parcels of land to John Dolloff. The transaction included 83 acres in lot 83, and
37 acres in lot 84, both in the first range. The next year, Dolloff
sold the same property to Samuel Locke of Epsom. Three years later, Samuel
Locke sold back the property to John Dolloff Jr. of
Epsom on May 2, 1796, and Dolloff sold a portion of
lots 83 and 84, 40 acres, to William Tripp. In the tax list of 1797 (1796 was
not recorded), John Dolloff is taxed for 95 acres,
John Dollof Jr., 86 acres. In 1798 he sells 40 more
acres from lot 83 to John Tripp of Epsom, and the tax records only show John Dolloff with 145 acres, with John Jr. apparently selling
all his land. The Dolloff genealogy incorrectly
assumed that John Dolloff Jr. was the son of John Dolloff, but this will prove not to be the case. This
assumption also had to presume that John Dolloff was
married twice, which again, will not be the case.
As little information in the form of vital records exist for John Dolloff, there are
virtually none for his brother David - as his brother John came to Epsom, David
remained in
David Dolloff's wife was Mary West,
though there is no marriage record, nor does he appear in any 1790 census. He
was born about 1740, about 5 or 6 years earlier than his brother John. Since
all the Epsom Dolloff's came from Brentwood and sons
of Nicholas, and since his son Thomas only had two sons, John Dolloff born about 1768, can be placed as a son of David
and Mary. Additionally, a daughter
On June 11, 1801, John Dolloff Jr. was
married to Marcy (Mercy) Page at Epsom by Rev. Hazeltine, she being the daughter
of Simeon and Mehetable (Bickford) Page. By
1801, John Dolloff owned 91 acres with buildings
worth thirty dollars, and John Dolloff Jr. was taxed
for land only, 88 acres. Daniel Humphrey of Portsmouth sold 100 acres of land
in lot 81 in the third range to John Dolloff Jr. in
1803, and he began to sell off parcels: 49 acres to Joseph Brown of Epsom; 5
acres to Samuel Bickford Jr. of Epsom; 10 acres to Richard Tripp Jr. of Epsom;
35 acres to Elisha Haynes of Epsom; and an additional 13 acres to Richard Tripp
Jr. in 1804. Not all the deeds appear to be recorded, as he sells to Thomas Critchett in December 1804, a one story house in Epsom
standing on the lot 77 in the third range of lots standing on the easterly side
of the road leading from Nathaniel Sanders by Nathaniel Kenestons
to Allenstown, the same being the house where I now live. From this time
forward he pays tax on some cattle and poll, not for any buildings or land.
With whom he was residing is unknown.
Following tax and poll information year by year can help establish
family members, as all the sons at the age of 18 are added to the tax list,
paying the minimum poll. By the year 1806, Samuel Dolloff
appears, and in 1807, John Dolloff 3rd appears.
John Dolloff 3rd married at Epsom, Oct. 14,
1806, Judith B. Marden, daughter of James and Sarah
(Worth) Marden. This John Dolloff
3rd is the son of John Dolloff as will be seen when
his father's estate is settled. This correction to the Dolloff
family eliminates the unknown possible first wife of John Dolloff,
with his marriage in 1778 to Mary Stevens being his only spouse.
The 1810
In 1808 at Meredith, John and Mary (Stevens) Dolloff's
son Samuel S., married Mary Dolloff
of Raymond. He bought land from his father, 15 acres from the home lot no. 9 in
September of 1811. He would later move to Meredith.
The elder John Dolloff died in September
of 1813, his wife Mary settled his estate, and as part of such, all the children
sold their shares, and it is from these deeds the children of John and Mary can
be established. Note that with the passing of John Dolloff,
John Dolloff Jr. appears as John Dolloff
with John Dolloff 3rd appearing as John Dolloff Jr.
The transactions showing the children and widow of John Dolloff in 1814 are as follows: John Dolloff
Jr. of Epsom to Robert Knox of Pembroke; John Burnham and wife Betsy to
Robert Knox of Pembroke; Samuel S. Dolloff to Robert
Knox of Pembroke; Mary Dolloff to Robert Knox,
excepting her dower; Nicholas Dolloff of Epsom to
James McCutcheon; Josiah Knowles and wife Mary to James McCutcheon; Richard
Head and Sally his wife to James McCutcheon (note: James McCutcheon sells all
his bought shares to Robert Knox). In 1817, Floyd W. Burnham (brother to John) and wife Abigail sells his shares of the estate to
his brother Ezekiel Burnham, who in turn the next year sells them to Robert
Knox; and Ruth Dolloff sold her shares to Jabez and
The family of John and Mary (Stevens) Dolloff,
married at Brentwood, Feb. 24, 1778: Sally, born about 1780, married at an
unknown date, Richard Head of Hooksett; Mary (Polly) born about 1780, married
at Pittsfield, Mar. 24, 1811, Josiah Knowles of Pembroke; Samuel Steven, born
about 1784, married September 22, 1808 at Meredith, Mary Dolloff; John 3rd, born about 1786, married at Epsom, Oct.
14, 1806, Judith B. Marden, daughter of James and
Sarah (Worth) Marden; Ruth, born about 1789, died
unmarried at Epsom, November 7, 1824; Betsy, born about 1790, married, date
unknown, John Dow Burnham, son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Gordon) Burnham;
Nicholas, born 1794, married at Hooksett July 20, 1823, Elizabeth Otterson, resided Hooksett; and Abigail, born about 1795,
married at Epsom May 12, 1815, Floyd William Burnham, brother of John Dow
Burnham.
John Dolloff 3rd (later John Jr. after
the death of his father) continued to reside in Epsom. His household in 1820 included
he and his wife, with one son under 10, and two
daughters, one under age 10, the other between the ages of 10 and 15. His wife
Judith died in 1836, he died December 7, 1865 on the town poor farm.
John Dolloff Jr. (later John Dolloff after 1813) and his wife Mercy had by 1820 2 sons
under age 10, 1 son 10 to 15, a daughter under 10 and one daughter 10 to 15. He
died October 9, 1844, his wife Mercy in May of 1830.
The two John Dolloff families were
similar in the ages and number of children. Of these children, a John Dolloff is known as son of John and Judith who died in 1848
at
John Dolloff Homestead - Russell S. Yeaton
Amos Morrill bought three of the lots in the second division when
they were sold by the town to raise revenue. He sold lot #9 in the second range
and second division to John Dolloff of
Daughter Ruth was the only family member not to sell to either
Knox or McCutcheon, but instead sold to Jabez and
Lydia Smith of Brentwood.
After Robert Knox acquired the Dolloff
farm, he sold it to his brother Joseph in 1818. In 1824, both Joseph Knox and
the widow Mary are paying tax on the property, with Joseph acquiring her shares
after her death. It is not clear how long Joseph stayed on the lot, as there
was a claim on the property in 1836:
NH Patriot 3-28-1836
To the Hon. Horace Chase Judge of the
Probate of Wills, &c. for the
HUMBLY shews James Wiggin, Sally Knox,
and Eliphalet Wiggin as Guardian of Henry Knox and
Albert Knox, all of Epsom in said County of Merrimack, that they are seized in
fee simple, and as tenants in common, of and in a certain real estate situated
in said Epsom, being one third part of the homestead farm formerly owned by
John Dolloff, late of said Epsom, deceased, bounded
northerly by land of Jeremiah G. Burnham, easterly by Suncook river, southerly
by land of Jeremiah Gordon and Nathan Bickford, westerly by the road leading
from Epsom to Pembroke, and is that part of said farm, which was assigned and
set off to Mary Dolloff, as her dower in said farm,
being about twenty-five acres, the said James Wiggin being owner of one
undivided eighth part, and the said Sally Knox, Henry Knox and Albert Knox, of
one undivided half, with Nathan Bickford, the heirs of Josiah Knowles and the
heirs of Jabez Smith, there being no dispute about
the title, that they cannot possess,
occupy and improve said parts to any advantage, while the same lie
in common and undivided as aforesaid, but wholly lose the profits thereof:
wherefore they pray that notice may be issued, in due form of law, and that
their said parts may be set off and assigned to them in severalty; and your
petitioners shall every pray.
JAMES WIGGIN,
SALLY KNOX,
ELIPHALET WIGGIN, Guardians for Henry and
Albert Knox.
The claim was through Sally Knox, sister to Elipahlet
and James Wiggin, who married Isaac Knox in 1818, Isaac being a brother to
Robert and Joseph Knox. Isaac died in 1834 leaving his wife Sally with minor
children, including Henry and Albert. Jabez Smith
died in 1835, and his heirs, wife
The Wiggins were children of Benjamin and Mary (Dow) Wiggin of New
Rye. James married Mary G. Philbrick (previously
unidentified) of
William Brackett was raised in the Mountain District, son of
Greenleaf and Naomi (Locke) Brackett. Born in 1814, he married at
Russell S. Yeaton was the son of Samuel
Roby and Mabel Evelyn (Stewart) Yeaton, born in 1893
and married Anna Estella Petersen in 1915. Descendants still occupy the farm.
Jeremiah Gordon -
Lot No. 8 in the second range, second division was bought by John McGaffey of Epsom and sold within a few years to the
Reverend John Tucke, Epsom's first minister, in 1771.
The widow of Rev. Tucke, Mary, sold off much of the
property that the family had accumulated included lot No. 8, which was bought
by Thomas Smith of Gilmanton. Smith married at Epsom in 1792, Mary Gordon,
daughter of Alexander and Sarah (Dolloff) Gordon.
Thomas Smith in 1797, sold part of lot 8 to Jeremiah Gordon, brother to his
wife, and a portion the same year to John Dolloff who
lived on lot 9. An Edward Smith, relationship to Thomas unknown, sold 50 acres
of lot 8 to Jeremiah Gordon in 1800.
Jeremiah Gordon was the son of Alexander and Sarah (Dolloff) Gordon and was born about 1767, marrying Susannah Marden at
Jeremiah G. Marden lived with the Gordons and by will was owner of the property after the
deaths of Susannah Gordon and sister Lydia Marden. He
sold it to Thomas Cotterell of Epsom in 1857. Cotterell was born in
Jeremiah Burnham was born August 27, 1824 at Epsom, son of
Jeremiah Gordon and Sarah (Worth) Burnham, and married at Epsom in 1845, Chloe
P. Tripp, daughter of Jeremiah and Chloe T. (
Jeremiah Burnham made this his homestead, and sold half of the
property to his son Charles R. in 1882. In 1887, Jeremiah, then of
Lucien (also seen Lucian) was the son of Reuben Heath, who for a
time lived at the old Benson Ham homestead on Route 107 next to the
Ernest sold the home in 1918 to Albin C.
Brown and Harland L. Bell of
This house is part of the Jeremiah Gordon, lot 8, second range,
second division, and was built between 1858 and 1864. At this time the lot was
owned by Jeremiah Burnham and Thomas Cotterell who
sold a half acre, with buildings, to James Worth, bordering the home of Alphonso Burnham. James Worth sold the house and small lot
after just a year to William Brackett of Epsom.
William Brackett and his wife bought the old Dolloff/Wiggin
farm (later that of Russell S. Yeaton) in 1845, selling that farm in 1880. They sold the
Joanna Gibbs Hinds married at Chichester,
in 1864, Isaac Wood Chandler, and had a least two children: Edward, born about
1861 and son William Lee Chandler, born at
George W. Pierce was born in 1844 son of Thomas and Lizzie
(Bowman) Pierce and married at
Little is known of Mable R. Mosher. She is given by deed when she
sells the property as Mable R. Cheney. In the US Census she is in
Frank E. and Helen Hurd sold the small
house and lot to George H. Morrill of
Alphonso J. Burnham homestead
The house on this lot was part of lot 8, second range, second
division that was bought by Jeremiah Gordon. Gordon lived in a home at the
north end of the lot, and also had a house on the south end, which he willed to
Alphonso J. Burnham as follows:
I give and bequeath to Alphonso J.
Burnham the following described part of the farm where I formerly lived, (near
the papers Mills in said Epsom) viz. beginning at the south westerly corner of
said farm, thence running northerly on the road fifty rods, thence easterly on
a line parallel with the south side line to the river; thence on the river to
the range way - thence on the range to land of John Tripp, thence westerly on
the side line of lot No. eight to the bounds first mentioned, the same being a
part of lot No. eight in the second range in said Epsom, together with all the
buildings thereon. The said Alphonso to have and to
hold the said property for and during the term of his natural live, and at his
decease, Sally Burnham, wife of the said Alphonso is
to have and possess the said property during her natural life, provided she
shall out live her present husband, and in case the said Alphonso
and Sally shall die without issue than the above described property is to be
applied to the use and benefit of the preaching of the Gospel of the
Congregational order in the Town of Epsom - if the said Alphonso
J. and Sally Burnham should leave children, the same shall go to them.
Jeremiah wrote his will in 1835 and died in October of 1840. Alphonso J. Burnham, a son of Benjamin and Elizabeth
(Gordon) Burnham, was born at Gilmanton in 1800 and moved to Epsom with his
parents. He married Sarah Brown at Epsom in 1840, she being a daughter of John
and Sarah (Allen) Brown of Epsom. At the time of the death of Jeremiah Gordon
he had no children, and in 1841 the Congregational Society of Epsom deeded any
interest they had to the property to Alphonso. His
first wife died within months of the marriage, and he married second Martha F.
Perkins of
In 1871 Alphonso and his wife Martha
sold their homestead to Charles R. Burnham of Epsom. Charles was the son of
Jeremiah and Chloe P. (Tripp) Burnham, born in 1848. He married at Epsom in
1869, Mary Addie Knowles, daughter of David M. and Hannah A. (
Ernestine L. Stewart sold the half acre lot with the house to her
brother Ernest L. in 1917. Ernest Lucien Heath was born in 1877, son of
Lucian and Mary A. (Hoyt) Heath. He married at
Ernest sold the home, with other tracts of land, to Howard C. and
Geraldine F. Saturley in 1945. The house was owned by
James A. Saturley, son of Howard, in 1963, and then
sold in 1968 to Arthur N. and Joan L. Foye.