This page provides 69 of 261 biographical sketches found in the Croydon History by Edmund Wheeler, Croydon, N.H., 1866: Proceedings at the centennial celebration, June 13, 1866. These biographical sketches are for those surnames starting with the letter J-P.
See surnames starting with: A-C, D-I, R-W
Jacobs
WHITMAN JACOBS, son of Rev. Whitman Jacobs, of Royalston, Mass., came to Croydon about the year 1777, and settled near the south line of the town, south of C. K. Fletcher’s farm, but subsequently built where Mr. Fletcher now lives. From him have descended the Jacobses. He was a shrewd financier, and died possessed of a large estate.
His son LUTHER settled on Stow Hill, and left quite a family. ELI married Jerusha Whipple and removed to Vermont, and was a worthy deacon and valuable citizen. HANNAH married John Ferrin.
PAUL JACOBS, son of Whitman Jacobs, was born in 1783. He married Prudence, daughter of Jonah Stow. He was a man of great energy of character, and was eminently practical in his views. He was one of the largest and best farmers in town, often kept a dairy of thirty cows, and other stock in proportion. He brought to town several choice breeds of cattle and sheep. He was the main instrument in getting the river-road through from . the Flat to the East Village-a deed that entitles his memory to the respect of all after-generations of his townsmen. He built a factory at the Flat for the manufacture of potato starch. The same year in which he died-not living to quite complete the work-he built the church at the Flat, at his own expense, at a cost of some two thousand dollars, and gave it to the Universalist Society-thus attesting both his religious faith and his generosity. He was Selectman in 1832, and Representative in 1831 and 1835. He died September 16, 1854, aged 71 years.
Kempton
EPHRAIM KEMPTON, the father of the Kemptons, came early to Croydon and purchased some four hundred acres of land, covering all the grounds where the Flat is now situated, and built near the residence of Capt. Nathan Hall. He never attained to great wealth, and was unassuming in his manners.
ROLLINS A. KEMPTON, fifth son of Col. Calvin Kempton, was born Oct. 29, 1826. In addition to the district school, he received the instructions of his father at home, who was an experienced and most faithful teacher, and had been for thirty years Superintending School Committee of the town.
His early life was full of poverty and discouragements. At the tender age of nine years he followed his mother to her grave, and was thus deprived of her guardian care and sympathy. His father had been a large farmer and extensive wool-grower, but the revulsions of 1837 swept away his fortune and left him a poor man, with a large family, and hard labor and few privileges was the lot of the son. At twentyone, with a coarse freedom suit, a five-dollar gold piece, and a father’s blessing, he started out in the world. He first went to Lowell, but here his utmost labor would barely pay his board. So, one pleasant morning, with seventy-five cents in his pocket-all the money he had left after paying his bills-he started for Lawrence, and his trip to the “new city” represents most graphically the discouragements which sometimes beset a young man while starting out in the world: Arriving there he found he had no friends, no money, and no employment. For two days he sought most earnestly for something to do, battling against rain, and cold, and hunger, and every step had been a failure, and he had been to Methuen and met there the same result. At the end of that time however, nothing daunted, he returned to Lowell full of “pluck,” determined “to be somebody ” yet. He subsequently learned the joiner’s trade. In 1851, he married Maria J. Reed, of Northfield, Vt., and commenced business at Lawrence. At the end of eleven years he owned eight double tenement houses, and a steam mill, and had been a member of the city government. In 1862 he removed to Boston, where he now resides, and is a partner in three dry goods stores, with an estimated property of nearly one hundred thousand dollars-illustrating in his life the truth of the old maxim that, “A bad beginning makes a good ending.”
WILLARD C. KEMPTON, son of Col. Calvin Kempton, was born Oct. 13, 1840. He labored on the farm at home until 1858. He then attended school at Newport and Kimball Union Academies until 1861, when he commenced the study of medicine with his uncle, Dr. W. Clough, of Pittsfield, Mass. He attended lectures at Berkshire and Hanover Medical Colleges. He went to the war as a hospital steward, but was subsequently appointed successively Assistant Surgeon of a colored regiment, of the second Reg. N. H. Vols., and of the Freedmen’s Bureau. He married Elvira M. Johnson, of Springfield, N. H., and is now in the practice of his profession at Mansfield, Kansas.
SILAS KEMPTON, son of Jeremiah, and grandson of Ephraim, the first settler ; after carrying on a successful tanning and shoe business at the Flat, removed to Newport, where he is now engaged in farming.
JONAS C. KEMPTON, son of Ephraim, and grandson of Ephraim senior, the early settler of the town, removed to Nashua and became a confectioner. He has amassed a fortune and been twice honored by his adopted city with a seat in the Legislature.
Kidder
WILLIAM WALLACE KIDDER, son of Amos and Lucinda Barton Kidder, was born Aug. 11, 1845, studied medicine with Williams Barton, M. D.; was with Capt. Ira McL. Barton, as orderly in the 5th Reg. N. H. Vols., and also in the 9th Reg. N. H. Vols.
Loverin
JOHN LOVERIN came to this town from Springfield, N. H.; married a sister of Capt. Edward Hall, settled on the G. W. Cain place, and died a wealthy farmer.
KIMBALL LOVERIN, son of John, has been a successful farmer.
Marsh
SAMUEL MARSH, from whom have descended the Marshes, came early to town and settled near the Four Corners. His wife, who had long lived in the family of a physician, and had become skilled in the “healing art,” kept the first primitive “Apothecary’s Shop” in town. Besides her knowledge of medicine she was noted for her mechanical ingenuity. The old ” dies,” with which she used to print the ladies’ calico dresses, are still in being, as also the “pillion” on which she visited her patients. The husband died in 1832, aged 94; the wife in 1834, aged 90 years.
SAMUEL MARSH, Jr., was father of ELOM, one of the Vice-Presidents at the Celebration, a successful farmer at Westmoreland, N. H.,-of JOHN L. who moved to Jefferson County, N. Y., where he has been elected a Representative and exerted much influence, and ORREN who was educated at Norwich University and went to Oregon.
DELLAVAN D. MARSH, son of WILLIAM, and grandson of Samuel, was born May 8, 1818. He studied medicine with Willard P. Gibson, of Newport, and John S. Blanchard, of Cornish; attended lectures at Woodstock, Vt., and at Hanover, N. H., and graduated from the Medical Department of Dartmouth College in 1834. He commenced practice at Mount Desert, Me., the same year, but in 1837 returned to Croydon, where he has since remained in the practice of his profession. He has taken a deep interest in agriculture. He introduced the North Devon cattle, and in 1848 was Treasurer of the County Agricultural Society. He has been often elected to town offices, and in 1839 and 1840 was elected Treasurer of Sullivan County. His daughters are graduates from Meriden. He died in 1866.
WM. H. MARSH, a brother, is a merchant in Boston.
Melendy
EBENEZER and JOHN MELENDY, twins, came to this town from Worcester County, Mass., and were among the earliest settlers.
ELBRIDGE and ALONZO MELENDY, sons of John, after struggling against all the embarrassments of early poverty, settled at Cohoes, N. Y., where they have met with a deserved success. Alonzo carried off the medals at school, and fitted himself for a successful teacher-studying by the light of pine knots gathered in the woods.
WILLIAM E. MELENDY, Son of SIBLEY, a soldier in the war of 1812, was born Jan. 2, 1819. In 1845, he removed to Springfield, N. H., where he shared in a good degree the confidence of the community. He was Postmaster six years, Selectman two, and Representative two. Since 1853, he has been engaged in mercantile business. In 1863, he moved to West Andover, N. H., where he now resides. He married Martha P., daughter of Ziba Cooper.
Merrill
SAMUEL MERRILL, the father of the Merrills, married Fannie Bancroft, a great-aunt of George Bancroft the historian. She is still living. He died in 1827, leaving a large family of small children.
JOSHUA B. and SHERBURN MERRILL, sons of Samuel Merrill, spent the earlier part of their lives at the homestead, east of Spectacle Pond. To their early struggles with poverty they owe much of those resolute wills, which have enabled them to make after-progress in the business world. The former has for several years represented Barnstead in the Legislature, and the latter has represented Colebrook.
SENECA MERRILL, a younger brother, connected with Sherburn in business at Colebrook, where they have become wealthy, has held several county offices. One of the daughters married William B. Leavitt, a scientific man and astronomer at Grantham.
Metcalf
SAMUEL METCALF, after serving in the French and Revolutionary armies for seven years, came to this town from Franklin, Mass., and settled at Brighton, and was the progenitor of the Metcalf family in town.
DEA. ABEL METCALF, his oldest son, settled in Newport, and was the father of REV. KENDRICK METCALF, Episcopal clergyman at Geneva, N. Y., and Professor in the Geneva College, of SILAs, a successful farmer and man of political note at Newport, and of THERON, a popular -merchant in Boston.
CAPT. OBED METCALF, his second son, was active in town and church affairs, was father Of STEPHEN, a prominent farmer at Haverhill, N. H., and grandfather of HENRY H., a lawyer, and CARLOs G., physician, sons of Joseph.
SAMUEL METCALF, his third son, was father to ALEXANDER, a wealthy farmer and justice at Northfield, Min., who married Anna, eldest daughter of Col. Nathaniel Wheeler, and grandfather of SAMUEL METCALF WHEELER, a distinguished lawyer at Dover, N. H.
Morse
SAMUEL MORSE, Esq., a native of Dublin, N. H., graduated at Dartmouth College in 1811, and studied law with Hon. Geo. B. Upham, of Claremont. He came to Croydon in 1815, and opened the first and only law office ever in town. He was Representative for the year 1834, and a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1850. He died Jan 1, 1865, aged 81 years.
Nelson
JOHN NELSON, one of the early settlers, lived on the turnpike north of Four Corners; was intrusted to some extent with the management of town affairs, and has many descendants.
Newel
JEREMIAH NEWELL, one of the early comers to Croydon, settled at Ryder Corner, and was an extensive farmer, tidy, energetic and proud. His “Hack,” the first in town, was an object of great interest to the” little folks.” He was father to JEREMIAH, who was for a long time a popular sheriff at Newport, of PARKER N., merchant at Newport, and now at Princeton, Ill., of BENJAMIN, merchant and speculator, also at Princeton, Ill., and grandfather of THANKFUL M., daughter of David, a lady of uncommon energy and business talent-late wife of Shepherd L. Bowers, Esq., of Newport.
Newton
PHINEAS NEWTON, one of the early settlers, lived in the famous ” Old Stone House,” on the glebe lot south of the original Whitman Jacobs place.
Partridge
ELISHA and SIMEON PARTRIDGE came from Franklin, Mass., and were among the first settlers. The former married a sister of Timothy Winter and settled on Winter Hill. The latter settled on the B. Brown place, near the Flat. They were valuable citizens, and occupied honorable positions in town.
ELISHA PARTRIDGE, Son of Elisha, is a farmer, and has much musical talent.
Paul
LUKE PAUL, son of Daniel, came into Croydon at twentytwo years of age, and married Sally Cooper, daughter of Samuel Cooper, and settled on the ” old Gibson farm,” on Baltimore Hill, and was an enterprising and prosperous farmer.
Perkins
MARSHALL PERKINS, son of James Perkins-who came to Croydon from Leominster, Mass., in 1815, and built the grist-mill, saw-mill and carding-machine at the Flat, and who was for many years a successful business man-was born May 13, 1823. He studied medicine and graduated at Cambridge Medical College, in 1850, at the head of his class. He soon after settled at Marlow, N. H., where he now resides, and is doing a successful business. He married a daughter of Amos Fisk, Esq., the leading merchant of Marlow. He was for three years during the war Assistant Surgeon in the 14th Regt. N. H. Vols.
Powers
EZEKIEL POWERS, son of Lemuel and Thankful Leland Powers-a lady of uncommon intellect-was born in Grafton, Mass., March 27,1745; was one of the party who came to Croydon in the spring of 1766, for the purpose of surveying land and making other preparations for a settlement, and settled here the following year. He was conspicuous principally on account of his great physical strength and his inventive genius. Among his many other inventions, he first introduced the practice of “ridging” green-sward for the purpose of raising Indian corn,-and the “looped” sled so generally used since by the lumbermen of Croydon, and the sheet-iron pans of our sugar-makers of today are of his invention. He purchased some six hundred acres, covering the land of the East Villa, and the meadows above.
DAVID POWERS and SAMUEL POWERS, brothers of Ezekiel, were also among the earliest settlers. They were worthy citizens, and among the most popular and influential men in town, and both died of the “Spotted fever” in 1813.
REV. LEMUEL POWERS, also brother of Ezekiel, was one of the early settlers of the town. He was born at Northbridge, Mass., in 1756; married Abigail Newland, and died at Stillwater, N. Y., in 1800-leaving four children. His eldest son CYRUs married Lydia Stow, and settled at Sempronius, N. Y. In 1804 he was appointed a Justice of the Peace for Cayuga County, and in 1806 received the appointment of Judge of the County Courts, which office he filled with much ability for twenty-five years. He died in 1841. ABIGAIL, his youngest daughter, was born in 1798. In February, 1826, she married Millard Fillmore, late President of the United States. She is a lady highly respected for her intelligence, dignity and many Christian virtues. She is now a widow, and resides at Buffalo, N. Y.
ABIGAIL POWERS, daughter of Rev. Lemuel Powers, was born in 1798. In February, 1826, she married Millard Fillmore, late President of the United States. She was a lady highly respected for her intelligence, dignity and many virtues.
STEPHEN POWERS, BENJAMIN POWERS and JOHN POWERS, cousins of Ezekiel, were also among the first settlers. From the foregoing have descended most of those in town who bear the name of Powers. The Powerses were the most numerous family among the first settlers, and were distinguished for giant frames, great physical strength and vigorous intellects.
EZEKIEL POWERS, son of Ezekiel and Hannah Hall Powers, was born in 1771, and was the first male child born in town. At the age of nineteen he married Susan Rice, and subsequently Lydia Lane and Lois Barden, and had twenty-one children-four sons and seventeen daughters; fifteen of the latter grew to womanhood, and were characterized by those qualities which distinguish the Powers family. Like his father he was remarkable for great physical power. At the age of eighty he weighed 265 pounds. He had a great memory, and was a lover of fun.
MAJ. ABIJAH POWERS, son of Ezekiel Powers, one of the earliest settlers of the town, was a man instinctively inclined to leisure and social enjoyments. He was a Major in the war of 1812. He was well educated, and bad a ready judgment, and hence was enabled to fill the offices of Justice, Selectman and Representative with much credit to himself. He was the greatest story-teller the town ever produced, with the exception perhaps of his uncle, Abijah Hall, the father of Capt. Amasa Hall. With him, as with James and other members of the family, in his last days his memory was remarkably clear and retentive. He could recall with the utmost vividness all the incidents of his life, and after reading a book could repeat it word for word.
ELIAS POWERS, son of the preceding, one of the Committee of Arrangements, is a man of intelligence, a respected farmer, a lover of fun and story-telling, an adept at angling, trapping and bunting. He has served the town twice as selectman and has been county commissioner three years.
JAMES POWERS, son of Ezekiel Powers, senior, was an extensive dealer in stock and other property; was a sheriff, a ready wit, and a natural poet.
OBED POWERS, son of Col. Samuel and Chloe Cooper Powers, was born April 20, 1788. Like most boys in those early days, he received only from three to four weeks schooling each winter. At the age of twenty-two he removed to Cornish. In addition to being an active and thriving farmer, be has been extensively engaged in stone masonry -superintending in New York and Vermont, as well as his own State, some of the largest and most difficult undertakings. February 10, 1814, he was married to Cynthia Cummings; and in 1864 was celebrated their golden wedding. ‘They had five children, all thoroughly educated at Meriden, and all successful teachers. The youngest daughter, MARION W., has a decided talent for poetry, was assistant teacher at Meriden, and is now at the bead of the female department of an institution at Sydney, Ohio.
SOLOMON L. POWERS, brother of the above, after following the business of stonemason at Baltimore and elsewhere, finally became an extensive farmer at Gettysburg, Pa.; and during the famous battle a portion of the rebel army was stationed in his yard. His brothers, ARA and LARNARD, were successful farmers. The former died at Charlestown in 1865, leaving quite a fortune.
SAMUEL POWERS, Son of Col. Samuel Powers, a merchant and practical surveyor, had much native talent. He was one of the most successful teachers; had a clear intellect and a decided military genius, which was much improved by a thorough training at Norwich University. Few are the men who have more of the elements of popularity about them, or who have been more a favorite with their townsmen. Full of promise, he died in 1828, at the early age of thirty-three.
ERASTUS B. POWERS, son of Larnard and Ruby Barton Powers, and grandson of Samuel Powers, fitted for college at Meriden; graduated at Dartmouth College, and at the Law School at Cambridge, Mass., and was admitted to the bar in 1866. As a scholar he ranked high in his classes.
HAVEN POWERS, Son of Cyrus and Lydia Stow Powers, and grandson of Rev. Lemuel Powers, was born in 1817. After spending several years with his friends on a farm in Croydon, he studied law and settled at Milwaukee, Wis.
MERRITT, LEMUEL and HENRY POWERS, sons of Zadock, and grandsons of Ezekiel Powers, were clergymen in Vermont.
TIMOTHY GILMAN POWERS, son of Timothy, and grandson of Dea. Stephen Powers, is an intelligent farmer and man of influence, residing at the East Village. Married Eliza Winter, daughter of Adolphus Winter. He has been Selectman several times, and held many other offices.
DENNIS POWERS, son of David Powers, was born May 24, 1808; graduated from Amherst College, Mass., in 1835, and from Theological Seminary at Andover, Mass., in 1838. He was ordained and settled over the Congregational church and society of East Randolph, Mass., December 5, 1838. At his own request he was dismissed from this church and people April 15, 1841. On the 29th of September, 1842, he was installed as pastor of the church and society of South Abington, Mass., and remained there until 1850, when he accepted an appointment to an office under President Fillmore, and removed to the city of Washington. He was for a time Agent, and an eloquent advocate of the Colonization Society. He is now laboring again with the people of Abington, Mass.
ORLANDO POWERS, son of Capt. Peter Powers, and on the mother’s side descended from Dea. John Cooper, was born May 5, 1810. He was educated mainly at the district school. At eighteen he was apprenticed as clerk to Hiram Smart–then only merchant of Croydon-where he remained until April, 1832, when he removed to Cornish Flat-where he now lives-and commenced trade. In 1837 he was married to Cynthia L. Smart, daughter of Joseph Smart of Croydon. He has been Town Clerk of Cornish seven years, was Representative in 1844, and County Treasurer in 1849 and 1850. He was for a long time Postmaster, and has been frequently Administrator of valuable estates. He has an active temperament, and a ready business talent, is social and gentlemanly. On the breaking out of the rebellion he devoted all his means and energies to the raising of men and furnishing supplies for their families. No other one in town did so much as he for the cause.
DAVID COOPER POWERS, third son of Peter, and grandson of David Powers, was born June 30, 1822. When eight years of age he removed with his father to Cayuga County, N. Y. He received his academical education at Aurora; studied medicine with his brother-in-law, Nathaniel Leavitt, M. D., and graduated at Berkshire Medical College at Pittsfield, Mass., in 1848. He then went to California, and remained until 1850, when he returned, was married to a daughter of Samuel Ledyard, Esq., of Wayne County, and settled in the practice of his profession, at Auburn, N. Y. In 1853 he again went to California and remained two years, when he returned and removed with his family to Coldwater, Michigan, where he now resides, and is in the practice of his profession. At the breaking out of the rebellion he was appointed Surgeon of the 9th Michigan Infantry, and acted in that capacity some three years.
J. WOODWORTH POWERS, brother of Orlando, is an extensive farmer in western New York.
JACOB HAVEN POWERS, youngest son of Peter, is a thriving merchant in western New York.
Of the sisters, MARY C. married Nathaniel Leavitt, a physician, and CEMANTHA married Daniel Frye, also a physician at Deering, N. H.
DR. HORACE POWERS was the son of Urias and Lucy Powers, and was born Oct. 27, 1807. His early education was obtained in the common schools of his native town and the Academy at Newport, after finishing which he studied medicine with Dr. J. B. McGregory, of Newport, and having attended two full’ courses of Lectures at Dartmouth College under the noted and lamented Dr. Muzzey, he received his diploma of M. D. at the Medical College at Woodstock, Vt., in the spring of 1832. He was married Oct. 22, 1833, to Miss Love E. Gilman, of Unity, N. H., and settled in Morristown, Vt., where he has since resided. He has one son now living, H. Henry Powers, Esq., a graduate of the University of Vermont, and at present a leading lawyer of his county, residing in his native town. Another son, George R. Powers, died in the army in Feb., 1862.
The Dr. was a Justice of the Peace in Morristown twenty-five years in succession; was a Deputy Sheriff many years, and in 1844 and ’45 High Sheriff of Lamoille County; in 1850, represented his town in the Vermont Constitutional Convention, and in 1853 and ’54, represented Lamoille County in the Vermont State Senate in 1853. He has also been a Director in the Lamoille County Bank for many years ; in 1865, being out of health, he retired from the most extensive and lucrative practice in his county.
URIAS POWERS, son of Urias Powers, was born May 12, 1791; graduated at Dartmouth College in 1818; pursued a theological course at Andover, Mass.; ordained in 1823; and after preaching in South Carolina and Virginia, he became connected by marriage with the family of a wealthy planter and settled at Big Lick, Va. He voluntarily emancipated his slaves. The rebellion dealt harshly with his once large fortune. He was the first native of Croydon who received a collegiate education.
JOSIAH W. POWERS, son of the late Urias Powers, was born June 19, 1799. He entered Dartmouth College, but before completing the full course, he left and entered the Theological Institution at Andover, Mass., where he graduated. After being ordained, he preached at Kingston, Mass. and at Kennebunk, Me. In 1839 he accepted an agency of the American Bible Society, and soon after reaching Ohio, the field of his labor, was called to his rest.
GERSHOM POWERS, son of the late John Powers, was born June 11, 1789. His early advantages were quite limited – denied even the advantages of a common school. His parents being too poor to furnish other means, his books were read and pondered by the uncertain light of the “fore-stick.” A lameness in his right arm induced him to leave the farm and turn his attention to law, the study of which he commenced at Sempronius in 1810. After completing big course, he opened an office at Auburn, and was popular and successful in his practice. He was appointed Assistant Justice of the Cayuga County Court, and after three years service in that capacity was elevated to the position of County Judge. Jan. 30, 1826, he was appointed to the control of the Prison at Auburn, and under his management the 00 Auburn System of Prison Discipline” became famous throughout the United States and Europe, as second to none on the globe. In 1829, he was chosen Representative to Congress, and declined a re-election on account of feeble health. He died Jan. 25, 1831. He was kind to his indigent relatives, beloved by all, and died a Christian.
WILLIAM POWERS, an elder brother of the preceding, was born in 1786, and his means of education were similar to those of his brother. He was assistant keeper of the prison at Auburn, N. Y. Having drawn a superior plan of a prison, he was employed by the government of Canada West to superintend the erection of a penitentiary at Kingston, and in May, 1835, was appointed Deputy Warden of said prison. He is now an extensive farmer in western New York.
Putnam
DAVID PUTNAM and CALEB PUTNAM came to this town from Sutton, Mass., among the early emigrants, and settled on the south-east slope of the Pinnacle, in a locality long known as the “Salt Box.” They were noted for a hardy constitution and great industry.
SOLOMON PUTNAM, son of Dea. David Putnam, and PETER PUTNAM, son of Caleb Putnam, though not much in office, were among our most worthy farmers.
CHARLES PUTNAM, son of Solomon, remained on the homestead, and is an extensive and thriving farmer.
JOHN PUTNAM, son of Dea. David Putnam, one of the early settlers of the town, and a Revolutionary soldier, was born November 11, 1797. He is one of the most intelligent, respected, industrious and energetic farmers in town. He has reared a large and one of the most thoroughly educated families in Croydon. He has always remained at the old homestead; he has been Selectman and Representative.
JOHN WOODBURY PUTNAM, eldest son of John Putnam, Esq., born April 6, 1819, is a man of excellent judgment and decision of character. After operating as a farmer in his native town, and going to the recent war, where he held the position of Captain, he has sold out and removed to New York. He is located on the Hudson River about sixty miles above the city of New York, on a large farm belonging to his brother-in-law, Timothy C. Eastman.
JAMES W. PUTNAM, son of John Putnam, Esq., was born December 15, 1822. He pursued his preparatory studies at Kimball Union Academy, and graduated at Norwich University. He received his theological training at Clinton Seminary, Clinton, N. Y., then under the direction of Rev. T. J. Sawyer. In 1848 he received the fellowship of the Universalist denomination at the New Hampshire State Convention, and in 1849 was ordained as pastor of the First Universalist Society of Danvers, Mass., where after a life of much usefulness and ever-increasing popularity, he died November 3, 1864. He had charge of the public schools in his town for many years, and was several times elected a member of the Massachusetts Legislature, in which body he took a very prominent and honorable stand.
FRANKLIN PUTNAM, son of John Putnam, Esq., was born September 8, 1833; graduated at Bowdoin College in 1859; studied law with Brown & Sewell, at Bath, Me., and commenced the practice of his profession at Kansas City, Mo., in 1861, where he died November 3, 1865.
NATHANIEL FRENCH PUTNAM, fourth son of John Putnam, Esq., was born February 2, 1839. He graduated at Bowdoin College in 1863; entered the General Theological Seminary, New York, November, 1863, graduated June, 1866; was ordained Deacon in the Protestant Episcopal Church at Claremont, May 27, 1866, by the Rt. Rev. Carlton Chase, D. D., Bishop of New Hampshire, and took charge of St. John’s Church, Poultney, Vt., July 1, 1866.
GEORGE FREDERICK PUTNAM, youngest son of John Putnam, Esq., was born November 6, 1841; received his literary training at Norwich University, and studied law with N. B. Felton, Esq., of Haverhill, N. H., and was admitted to the bar in 1866.
ELLEN PUTNAM, youngest daughter of John Putnam, Esq., a fine scholar and successful teacher, married N. B. White, Esq., a lawyer at Omaha, Nebraska.
AUSTIN PUTNAM, M. A., son of Samuel and Susan Gibson Putnam, and grandson of Caleb Putnam, was born March 6, 1809. After pursuing his studies in the district school and at Newport Academy, he entered Dartmouth College in 1825. At the close of his second year, circumstances led him to relinquish his plan of a full collegiate course, and he soon after commenced the study of law in the office of Hon. F. A. Tallmage and Charles F. Grim, Esqrs., of New York City, and completed it in the office of Hon. John P. and J. Newland Cushman, Esqrs., of Troy, N. Y., and at the Law School at Litchfield, Conn. He was admitted to the bar at Utica, in July, 1831. He immediately commenced practice at Troy, N. Y., with highly encouraging prospects. But after spending a short time in his profession, he experienced a total change in his views on the subject of religion. At what he conceived to be the call of duty he left the profession which he had chosen, and which he loved, and commenced the study of theology, under the instruction of Rev. Nathan S. S. Beman, D. D., of Troy. He was ordained at Lowville, N. Y., in 1834. After a few years of successful labor in New York City and at New Haven, he was, October 30, 1838, installed as pastor of the Congregational Church at Hamden, Conn., where he is now living. In 1843 he was married to Caroline W. Northop, daughter of Gen. Joseph A. Northop, of Lowville, N. Y. In 1844–5 he spent a year in Europe, traveling over the different countries. In 1839 he received the honorary degree of Master of Arts from Yale College. He has long been regarded as a man of rare endowments.
PROCTOR PUTNAM, son of Hiram, and grandson of Caleb Putnam, was born July 8, 1814. From eighteen to twenty-eight years of age he followed the occupation of mason — the last four years was superintendent in building the locks on the Glens Falls Feeder Canal, and Black River Canal, N. Y. In 1842 he removed to Lake County, Illinois, and purchased the farm on which he now lives. The following brief statement of his affairs will be of interest to all those who remember the once penniless boy of Croydon: He has six hundred acres of choice land valued at sixty dollars per acre, six hundred of the finest merino sheep, seventy head of cattle, and thirty hogs, besides much other property. In 1842 he married Rosilla Sargent, of Grantham, N. H.
Source
Wheeler, Edmund. Croydon, N.H., 1866: Proceedings at the centennial celebration, June 13, 1866. A brief account of the leading men of the first century … Together with historical and statistical sketches of the town… The Claremont manufacturing co. Croydon, NH. 1867.