HISTORY OF GILSUM, CHESHIRE COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE ---------------------------------- ---------------------------------- Information located at http://www.nh.searchroots.com On a web site about GENEALOGY AND HISTORY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE and its counties TRANSCRIBED BY JANICE BROWN Please see the web site for my email contact. ---------------------------------- The original source of this information is in the public domain, however use of this text file, other than for personal use, is restricted without written permission from the transcriber (who has edited, compiled and added new copyrighted text to same). ======================================================== TAKEN FROM TWO SOURCES: 1. History of Cheshire and Sullivan Counties, New Hampshire Philadelphia: J.W. Lewis & Co., 1886, 1073 pgs. 2. Gazetteer of Cheshire County, N.H., 1736-1885 by Hamilton Child, Syracuse, N.Y.: H. Child, 1885, 882 pgs. page 207 & 164 HISTORY OF GILSUM NH GILSUM lies in the northern-central part of the county, in lat. 43 degrees 1' and long. 4 degrees 50'. In outline it is similiar to that of a carpenter's square, bounded north by Alstead and Marlow, east by Stoddard and Sullivan, south by Sullivan and Keene, and west by Surry. It was originally granted, under the name of BOYLE, to JOSEPH OSGOOD and his associates, December 30, 1752. No settlements were made under this grant, through fear of Indians, until so late a date that the charter was forfeited. But notwithstanding this, in March 1761, BENJAMIN BELLOWS bought of Rebecca Blanchard, widow of Joseph Blanchard, of Dunstable, Mass, the "Rights he had in Boyle," for 67 pounds 10s. "sterling money." This deed conveyed twenty-six rights, and also mentions the names of the original owners. Four days after, March 28, 1761, he also bought of Theodore Atkinson of Portsmouth, for 60 pounds, 15s. sterling, 27 more rights. On the 1st of May 1761, he sold 18,000 acres for 1,350 pounds "lawful money" to Samuel Gilbert Esq. Josiah Kilburn, Thomas Sumner, Jonathan Smith and Joseph Mack, all of Connecticut. These five men doubtless sold shares to those who subsequently became associated with them as proprietors of Gilsum, though no record of such sale has been found. THOMAS SUMNER, in "behalf of himself and other proprietors in the town of Boyle," petitioned Gov. Benning Wentworth for a new charter of the township, January 25, 1763. This petition was favorable received, and a new charter was granted, changing the name of the township to GILSUM, on the 13th of the following July. At the first meeting of the proprietors, Thomas Pitken Jr was chosen moderator; Clement Sumner, proprietor's clerk; and Samuel Gilbert, treasurer. The name Gilsum, tradition says, was given in settlement of a dispute as to whether the town should be named Gilbert or Sumner, after the respective proprietors thus named. The first syllable of each of the names were united, forming GIL-SUM as a compromise. [Samuel Gilbert and Thomas Sumner's families were reportedly connected by marriage]. It was found that the easterly point of the town extended over the Mason "curved line," which passed through the town, identical with the present boundary line between stoddard and Marlow and between Gilsum and Stoddard. This led to a long controversy between the proprietors of Gilsum and the Masonian proprietors. On June 20, 1797 a bill was passed by which Gilsum lost all the territory east of the line, which made the boundary line between it and Stoddard. Scarcely a year had elapsed from the giving of the charter, when, in the call for a proprietor's meeting, July 16, 1764, was inserted an item "to see if said proprietors will vote and set off the west end of said town of Gilsum as far east as the top of the mountain." This mountain is now called Surry mountain, and lies on the boundary line between Surry and Gilsum. A petition was presented the legislature to have a new township formed, July 4, 1768, which was granted March 2, 1769, and on the 9th of the following month Surry was incorporated. Eighteen years later the township lost another large tract from its southeastern corner, which left it with its present angular outline. On the 22d of August 1786, a peititon signed by a number of residents of Keene, Stoddard, and Gilsum was presented to the legislature, praying that portions of those towns and of Nelson be formed into a new township. This petition was also granted, and on the 27 of September 1787, the township of Sullivan was incorporated. No changes have been made from that time except in 1873, when a few acres on the north side of the river were taken from Sullivan, and reannexed to Gilsum, so that the south bank of the Ashuelot now forms the town line, from a few rods below Collin's factory till it strikes the west line of Sullivan. It now contains about 9,400 acres. The surface of the town is rough and uneven, the lowest point being where the river enters Surry, 618 feet above tide water, and the highest point in the east end, near the Stoddard line, about 1,480 feet above the ocean. The summit of the hill east of the town line, near the south end of Surry Mountain, is nearly the same height, and the top of Mansfield hill and the height in C.B. Hayward's pasture, southeast of the Converse place, do not fall fifty feet below the west line of the town, crossing the line near the foot-bridge below William Kingsbury's, runs along the eastern slope of Surry mountain, passing a little west of the summit at the south end. This mountain we describe in a sketch of Surry. Near the east line of the town, next to Sullivan, is a remarkable ledge facing the west, called Bearden. From the perpendicular, and in some places overhanging, ledges at the summit, some tremendous force has rent large masses of rock and thrown them one upon another in every conceivable form of disorder. Under and upon these rocks are numberless holes and dens, some of considerable size, now popular with hedge hogs, but formerly shelter to wolves and bears, especially the latter. The rocks are mostly irregular in shape, as well as in size and position, but in some places are wedged together almost like masonry. One obelisk, some twenty feet long and three and one half feet square, and nearly as regular as if wrought by a stone-cutter, was apparently caught while falling, and remains with one end held fast by overlying rocks, while the other extends some twelve feet horizontally, almost like a beam projecting from the side of a building. Huge rocks or hundreds and even thousands of tons, are found with the shelving under side hollowed into countless cavities, with the appearance of having been long subjected ot the action of falling water. At the foot of Bearden lies a small swamp, the principal source of Beaver brook, which runs thence in a southerly direction through Keene. About forty rods southwest from the Bearden ledges, where precipitous rocks rise on either hand, it falls over beds of green moss, forming a beautiful cascade. Along the banks of this brook, and in some other localities, are gravelly ridges of an artificial appearance, called "kames," and are supposed by geologists to have been dropped by melting ice. The Ashuelot river enters the town from Marlow, in the northeastern part, flows a southwesterly course, then a northwesterly into Surry. It has many tributaries from the north and south, and affords some good mill privileges. Hemenway brook, one of the tributaries, about a mile from the village, affords another handsome waterfall. Scattered over the surface of the town are many remarkable boulders, relics of the drift period. The largest of these is called Vessel rock, and lies near the center of the town. It is forty-five feet in length, thirty-two in breadth, and twenty-five feet in height. Its name is derived from its resemblance to a vessel. On the hill northwest of the old Ballard place are several of remarkable size, the largest being 15 feet in length, 13-1/2 in breadth and 13 high. The soil of the town is mostly rocky and heavy, strong to produce grass-like crops, but not well adapted to corn and the higher kinds of cultivation. It abounds in the usual varieties of vegatation found in granite regions and damp soils. It is probably that the fauna and flora are quite rich in the number of species, as the limit of white oak touches the southwestern corner, and the boundary between the Canadian and Alleghanian fauna passes through the town. The territory was originally covered with a heavy growth of hemlock, beech, birch, maple, spruce, ash, poplar, bass-wood or linden and a sprinking of red oaks and large white pines. Geologically, Gilsum was formed in what Professor Hitchcock calls the "Atlantic, or Gnessic Period," and suffered no special change till the "Mica Schist Period," when the eastern half was covered with a new formation. The scratches of the "Glacial Period," lie in a south easterly direction. Like other hilly regions, it is not wanting in variety of minerals. The prevailing rock is a coarse granite, interspersed with smaller specimens of the stone common to such a formation. Crystals of tourmaline and quartz are frequently met with, and occasionally small specimens of Beryl. Garnets are abundant. After a shower, the village street, as well as many other roads, are noticeable red with innumerable garnets of the finest quality, but so minute as to be unavailable for the jeweler. Mica has been extensively quarried a short distance north of the town line in Alstead. Hornblende and actinolite are not rare. On the "minister lot" in the south part of the town, is a large quartz ledge, from which fine specimens of rose quartz have been taken. Other smaller "white ledges" are found in several parts of the town. POPULATION/DESCRIPTION In 1880 Gilsum had a population of 664 souls. In 1884 it had seven school districts and seven school buildings. THere were 159 pupils, 15 of whom were pursing the higher branches, taught by one male and eight female teachers, at an average monthly salary of $30 for the former and $25.60 for the latter. GILSUM is a handsome post village, located on the Ashuelot, at the inner angle of the "carpenter's square." IT has a beautiful location, surrounded by hills and lying about 780 feet above sea level. It has one church (Congregational), three stores, one hotel, two woolen mills, a saw-mill, two blacksmith shops and about fifty dwellings. PHYSICIANS--the first physician in Gilsum was Abner Bliss. Among other physicians were Benjamin Hosmer, Henry Kendrick, Obadiah Wilcox, J.E. Davis, B. Palmer, Isaac Hatch, Dudley Smith, T.S. Lane, G.W. Hammond, K.D. Webster, C.C. Bingham, C.F. Kingsbury, A.H. Livermore, M.E. Loveland, A.R. Gleason and L.A. Loveland. MERCHANTS/MANUFACTORIES: [names of them only mentioned here; some history found in original document]: JOHN S. COLLIN'S WOOLEN MILL, THE GILSUM WOOLEN CO.'s MILL, Rice, Rawson & Co's tannery; Samuel W. Dart's saw, planing and grist- mill; George W. Newman's saw mill; The Cheshire Mica Company; George W. Taylor's mop-holder shop; Adam & Dart's saw mill. FIRST SETTLEMENT: Of the first settlement in Gilsum, Silvanus Hayward, in his "History of Gilum," speaks as follows:-- "The Kilburns hve always claimed to have been the first settlers in Gilsum. So far as I know every Gazeteer or similiar work names Josiah Kilburn as the first settler. A counter tradition has been met in looking up materials for this history. It is believed the following record gives a full and fair statement of the case: Josiah Kilburn was in company with a Mr. Ford in a large tannery and shoe manufactory in Glastonbury, Conn. THey were prosperous in business, and had accumulated considerable wealth for those times. Mr. Kilburn having the old English idea that real estate was the only property to give a man a position, was very anxious to buy land. Hearing of this town- ship for sale, he sent up men to look over the grounds. When they got here, they were taken in hand by agents of Colonel Bellows, who first bewildered them by wandering in the woods, and then kept them travelling three days in Surry meadows. Thinking that had gone over a large tract of country, they returned and reported that it was a level town, "without a stone large enough to throw at a bird." Encouraged by this report, Mr. Kilburn joined with Samuel Gilbert and others in the purchase of 18,000 acres, May 1, 1761. In a deed given by him, the same year, he calls himself of Hebron, Conn. In November 1762, he writes himself John Kilburn of Keene. Before finding this deed, I met with the tradition that he supposed the log cabin that he first built was in Keene. It was within a few rods of the town line, on the spot marked 1 on the map. This deed fixes the time of his coming from Connecticut in the fall of 1762. His son Ebenezer came with him. They spent the winter and the following summer in clearing the land, building a barn, and preparing their cabin to receive their families. They then returned to Connecticut, and in the spring of 1764, brought up their families, with a large herd of cattle and sheep and several horses." "The following tradition of a still earlier settlement is from George Hammond, Esq. of Bennett's Corners, NY who received it from his Aunt Rachel (Bill) Baxter, a niece of Deacon Kilburn's wife, and an 'extremely particular and accurate person.' In that first winter of 1762-63, the Kilburns not having raised any crops the summer before, came near starvation. Guided only by the marked trees of the beaver hunter, they went through the heavy forest near where Ebenezer Isham settled, to a spot the beavers had cleared in the lowland known as the old Hammond meadow, where they cut some swale grass for their oxen. Hearing afterwards that a settler in the northwest part had raised some rye, Mr. Kilburn started on snow-shoes to visit his neighbor and purchase a bag of rye. He followed the Indian trail to near where Calvin May once lived, and then struck for the high land and tried to discern the smoke of the settler's cabin, but could see none, and became nearly discouraged. He finally halloed at the top of his voice, and great was his joy to hear an answer, and in a short time, hungry and fatigued, he found the cabin, got a bushel of rye, and after rest and food, returned to his home." "This cabin was that of Jonathan Bliss, on the farm now owned by Dennis Keefe. From this tradition the claim is made that Jonathan Bliss was the first settler in Gilsum." [The conclusion I have reached (of the substantial accuracy of which I have no doubt) is the follwing: Mr. Bliss came early enough to get a crop of rye in 1762, while Mr. Kilburn came the fall after. Jonathan Bliss was therefore the first settlers by a few months; but returned to Connecticut, remaining there several years, and permanently located in Gilsum in 1769." Settlers must have arrived quite rapidly, for in 1767 the town had a population of 128 souls, 139 in 1773 and 178 in 1775. Sketches of some of the early settlers of the town will be found in the sketches of the several towns which received part of Gilsum's original territory. The date of the first town meeting is not known, as the early records were lost. The first of which there is any knowledge, however, was held at the house of JONATHAN SMITH, August 26, 1766. JOSIAH KILBURN built the first framed house, near the present residence of E. Nelson Gunn. The first death was that of Jemima, wife of Ebenezer Kilburn June 24, 1765. The first road laid out was on April 16 and 17, 1764, which is now the principal road running from Keene to Alstead, through what is now Surry. The first wheeled carriage that ever came to town, was Dr. Adams's of Keene, about 1810, and the first owned here was by Mr. Hammond, one or two years later. The first grist-mill was built by Aaron Chapin previous to 1765, where the mill now stands below Shaw's Corner in Surry. The first store was kept by JOHN MARK, who also kept the first tavern. In 1792 his charge for lodging was 6d, and for keeping a horse overnight 9d. The first blacksmith in what is now Gilsum was THEODORE PRESTON, who located here in 1776. The first physician was DR. ABNER BLISS. The first postmaster was established at Gilsum in 1828, with CHILION MACK, postmaster. The first school-houses were built in 1794. FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH--located at Gilsum village, was organized by a council convened for the purpose, Oct 27/28, 1772 with 18 members, The first church building was erected and dedicated in 1794, Rev. Elisha Fish being the first pastor (installed May 29, 1794). Their church building, erected in 1834 is the successor of one built in 1793/94. It cost about $1,200. The society now has fifty members, with Rev. George W. Rogers, pastor. The society has also a Sabbath-school with 150 scholars, Robert Cutbert superintendent. THE METHODIST CHURCH-- A Methodist Church was organized here in 1843 by Rev. Samuel S. Dudley and in 1848 a house of worship was erected at a cost of fourteen hundred and fifty dollars. The church was disbanded in about 1874, and the house sold to the town. Rev. John Gove was probably the first preacher of this faith here in 1801. The late Bishop Elijah Hedding preached here in about 1806. THE BAPTISTS also held services here for some time, but the church is now extinct. A Christian CHurch also once existed in Gilsum, and also a branch of the Mormon Church, or "Latter-Day Saints," both extinct. WAR OF THE REVOLUTION During the war of the Revolution Gilsum had no Tories to report. Col. Ashley's seventh company, numbering fifty-seven men, almost all of whom belonged in Gilsum and Surry, marched to the relief of Ticonderoga in June 1777. Another regiment, under Col. Moses Nichols, the 9th company, comprising forty men, was about half from Gilsum and Surry. This company joined the Continental army at Saratoga, and was in the battle of Bennington, where three of their number, Michael Metcalf, Joshua Fuller, and William Wood, were killed. Once source states that twenty men were furnished during the War of the Revolution, as follows: David Abraham, David Adams, Peter Beebe, David Bill, Stephen Bond, Iddo Church, Thomas Church, Josiah Comstock, Samuel Crame, Joseph French, Isaac Griswold, Brooks Hudson, Zadoc Hurd, Ebenezer Kilburn, Capt. Elisha Mack, Thomas Morse, Jesse Smith, Ananias Tubbs, Frederick Tubbs and Samuel White. WAR OF 1812 In the War of 1812, no demand for soldiers was made from Gilsum till September 1814, when Governor Gilman ordered the "whole militia to hold themselves in readiness to march at a moment's warning." A detatchment from 23 regiments was ordered to "march to Portsmouth immediately." Gilsum was called on to furnish 7 men. The captain of a Gilsum company was BENJAMIN WARE. SOLOMON MACK was sergeant and OBADIAH WARE, drummer. The captain called his company together and proposed a draft. Fourteen men at once volunteered. The seven who went were ROSWELL BARDEN, IDDO KILBURN, JOHN RAYMOND, DAVID BILL, JONAS BROWN, DAVID DORT and IRA ELLIS. A second list showing seven men from Gilsum during the War of 1812 were: Roswell Borden, Iddo Kilburn, John Raymond, David Bill, Jonas Brown, David Dort and Ira Ellis. CIVIL WAR-WAR OF THE REBELLION The Adjutant-General's report, under the date of April 30, 1865, credits Gilsum with a surplus of ten men over her quota under calls for the late war. The number enrolled as liable to military duty was 79 and it was estimated that Gilsum had 40 men then in service, in army and navy. A large number more of Gilsum men served in the war from other towns, and from other states. The whole number of three-months men furnished was 4, and for three years, 67. Eleven men were drafted, of whom 3 went into the service. Eleven citizens not drafted furnished substitutes, the town paying them $300 each-- the price of substitutes being $500 to $1,100 each. Two other citizens paid bounties, one $44 and the other $110. MILITARY RECORD 1861-61--The following were in the service from this town: Thomas W. Bingall, C.H. Wilcox, Joseph Collins, G.C.H. Deets, S.H. Howard, A.E. Howe, H.H. Nash, John A. Blake, John Howard, M.J. Howard, S.W. Bridge, E.G. McCoy, J.L. Davis, A.A. Morse, J.W. Everdon, A.R. Gleason, G.J. Guillow, Isaac W. Hammond, C.H. Harris, Franklin Nash, S.D. Nash, O. Nash, E.E. Roundy, F.W. Roundy, H.E. Wilcox, Lucius Davis; DRAFTED: Temple Baker, G.W. Bancroft, L. White, Jotham Bates, C.W. Spooner, A.H. Waldrom. The first 3 secured substitutes, the 4th paid commutation of three hundred dollars. The following were also drafted: H.L. Bates, Joel Cowee, J. Guillow, G.H. McCoy, C.E. Crouch. All but the last named secured substitutes. There were also, in addtion to the above twenty-one substitutes furnished. EARLY TOWN OFFICERS [only partial list shown here from a comprehensive list found in the original] The first town meeting of which we have any account was held August 26, 1776 with Joseph Spencer, moderator, and Obadiah Wilcox, clerk. Prior to 1789 the records of the town are missing. Timothy Dewey was clerk in 178. TOWN CLERKS FROM 1789-1885 [only partial list below]: Zadok Hurd, 1789 Robert Lane Hurd, 1790, 1791, 1801, 1802, 1803, 1804, 1805, 1811, 1812 David Blish, 1792, 1793, 1794, 1795, 1796, 1797, 1798, 1799 Josiah Hammond 1806, 1807, 1808, 1809, 1810, 1815, 1816, 1824, 1825, 1826, 1827, 1828, 1829, 1830, 1831 Elisha Fisk 1813 Obadiah Pease 1814, 1815, 1816, 1817, 1818, 1819, 1820, 1821 Luther Abbott 1832, 1833 David Brigham 1834, 1835 Israel Loveland, 1836-1844, 1846-1858 Allen Buster 1845 M.L. Goddard, elected in 1856 but removed Henry E. Rawson 1859, 1865, 1866 Ezra Webster 1860-1864, died in office Calvin Chandler 1864 REPRESENTATIVES [only partial list shown]. From 1789 to 1793 Gilsum Surry and Sullivan formed a representative district. Previous to this Gilsum had been classed with various towns. From 1795 to 1827 it was classed with Surry. Since 1825 the town has been entitled to one representative... Luther Whitney 1827 Aaron Day 1828, 1829, 1831 Josiah Hammond 1830 Jehiel Day 1832, 1834 Allen Butler 1833, 1835 John Horton 1836, 1837 David Bell 1838, 1839, 1841 David M. Smith 1840 William Kingsbury 1842 E.K. Webster 1843, 1844 F.W. Day 1845, 1846 John Hammond 1847, 1858 Samuel Isham Jr. 1849 1850 1856, 1857 Amasa May 1851, 1852 [more not included here] BIOGRAPHIES OF EARLY SETTLERS: WILLIAM BANKS was born in the part of Marlboro now Roxbury, May 13, 1802 and came to Gilsum in 1820. He is a shoemaker by trade. He has served the town as selectman and lives with his son, ELMER D. BANKS on road 2. The latter is at present one of the selectmen of the town. DR. MESSER CARMON moved to Sullivan from New Salem, about 1796 and settled near the center of the town. He practiced medicine there about thirty years and died in 1824. ELIZA CARMON, one of his two children, married Stephen Dean of Keene and died there in 1876. The other, NANCY CARMON married George Hubbard of Sullivan, and died in Gilsum at her son's residence in 1882. EZRA CARPENTER was born in Keene June 9, 1774 and died in Surry Jan 4, 1849. His son, WILLARD CARPENTER was born in Surry Nov 1, 1803 and came to Gilsum in 1865. He died January 27, 1875. GEORGE H. CARPENTER, son of Willard, now resides on road 14, is a scientific and practical farmer, and was president of the Farmer's Club in 1878. He has been selectman four years. JOHN GUILLOW was born in Gill, Mass, December 21, 1784, and came here in 1806. He studied medicine with Dr. Palmer and was called "Doctor" Guillow, but never practiced much. He married Betsey Stevens March 29, 1808 and had born to him thirteen children. His son, JOHN C. GUILLOW, was born April 7, 1813 and married Finis P. Hemenway June 21 1837 who bore him thirteen children. He is engaged in lumbering and farming, and has served the town as selectman several years. His son, LUCIUS R. GUILLOW was born February 24, 1842 and married Elizabeth Spoonner in 1862. He is a carpenter and general mechanic, has held the office of selectman, and is at present town representative. He resides on road 4. AARON HAMMOND built here about 1785. He drew the boards for his house from Swanzey, and split and shaved his own shingles and clap boards, some of which were found sound and bright 70 years after. This house was removed some years ago, to be the sugar house, owned by Mr. T.T. Clark. Mr. Hammond served the town as moderator, and was selectman four years. He was the ancestor of all the Gilsum Hammonds. AARON HAMMOND JR. lived here with his father until his death, at the early age of 34. His widow was well known as a tailoress for many years.. RACHEL HAMMOND, daughter of Aaron, was the only child in Gilsum who was born blind. Her mother took unwearied pains to instruct her, so that he learned to knit and sew. Hearing others could read, she would repeat the words after them, and called it reading. In this way she read the Bible through in course more than once. But for her blindness she would have been a woman of more than common activity and influence. JOHN HAMMOND, son of Aaron, was born in Swanzey June 26, 1773, built his house in Gilsum in 1796, and married Deborah White, May 9, 1797. He reared a family of four children as follows: John, Deborah, Phil, and Mary. He served the town four years as moderator, was selectman fourteen years, and represented Gilsum and Surry three years in the legislature. He was also justice of the peace and coroner for the county. He was a noted school-master for many years, taught singing, and was leader in the choir and played the bass viol. He died March 20, 1830. His son, JOHN HAMMOND JR. was born April 4, 1799, married Fannie W. Day, February 25, 1824, and has had born to him four children as follows: John E.W., Fannie M., Aaron D., and Leroy E. He has served the town as selectman, was twice elected to the legislature, and has also been a justice of the peace. He now resides with his son, Aaron D. The latter was born February 13, 1831, has been moderator sixteen years, selectman nine years, represented the town two years in the legislature, and is a justice of the peace. He is now engaged in the mercantile business of this town. He married Mary A. Chandler March 10, 1864. G.W. HAMMOND (one of the prominent men of the town, and an eminent physician) was a member of the Constitutional COnvention of 1850, member of the State Senate in 1855-56, and died January 30, 1872 at the age of 70 years. AMHERST HAYWARD was born in Surry November 18, 1788 and was brought up by Col. Jonathan Smith, who married his father's sister. He married Betsey Cole, Feburary 24, 1811 and for his second wife, Polly Cole June 29, 1821, and had born to him sixteen children. After living in Rockingham, Vt. for a time he returned to this town in 1815. He served the town as selectman, was deacon in the Congregational Church for 20 years, and led the choir for fift years. He died January 16, 1867. NAHUM O. HAYWARD, son of Amherst, was born September 8, 1817, married Hannah Glover Feburary 21, 1841, lived in Boston several years, and returned to Gilsum in 1846. He has had born to him four children. He is well known through the county as an auctioneer and dealer in cattle and lumber. He is frequently employed in the settlement of estates and similiar business, and is a director of the Five Cents Savings Bank of Keene. He owns a large amount of real estate, and has built several houses. He has served the town as selectman several years and is justice of the peace. SILVANUS HAYARD, son of Amherst, was born December 3,, 1828 and received his education at home, living with his uncle, Elisha S. Fish, from the age of 8-17. The only school he attended before entering college was about 2 months in 1836 and 1837, in the chamber of A.W. Kingsbury's house. The teacher was Aaron Day Jr. He attended two terms of teacher's institutes, at Keene in 1847 and 1848. Having studied Latin and Greek under the private instruction of Rev. James Tisdale, he entered Dartmouth college in August 1849, graduating July 1853. He has officiated as clergyman in various places since 1861, during which time he supplied the pulpit in his native town for four years. He married Harriet E. Eaton, a descendant of Francis Eaton, who came over on the "Mayflower" November 23, 1853. He is author of the admirable "HIstory of Gilsum," from which much of this history is drawn. THOMAS HOWARD moved to Marlow from Lyme CT about 1780 and settled in the northwestern part of town. He married Hannah Beckwith and reared a family of eight children. He died in 1842, aged 85 years. His son, THOMAS HOWARD was born in Marlow in 1784, and lived there till 1837 when he moved to Gilsum, and died here in 1852. He was a farmer and a carpenter, married Parmelia Bliss of Marlsboro, and reared a family of nine children, four of whom are now living. Of these, two daughters live in Hamilton, Ont, one son James M. lives in Orange, Mass, and Francis A. resides in Gilsum. The latter has been engaged in the mercantile business for the last eight years, has been postmaster seventeen years, justice of the peace the last 23 years and is not one of the selectmen of the town. ROSWELL HUBBARD moved to Sullivan, from Northfield Mass, at an early day, and settled in the central part of the town where he died. He was a farmer, took an active part in town affairs, being known as Esquire Hubbard, and was also town representative. His son, GEORGE HUBBARD born in Sullivan September 4, 1797, resided in this town until his death in 1852. he was captain of the militia, and was also a farmer. GEORGE C. HUBBARD, one of his two children, represented Sullivan two terms in the legislature. He moved to Marlow in 1872, and in 1874 came to Gilsum. he is now one of the justices, and was county commissioner from 1876 to 1879. CHARLES FRANKLIN KINGSBURY was born in Gilsum June 11, 1824, being the third child of William and Temperance (Leonard) Kingsbury. Until the age of 20 he lived and worked on the farm, having no opportunity for an education except the public schools of not more than ten or twelve weeks each winter. He was anxious for an education, and that he might have the means to attend an academy, spring and fall he worked on the farm two or three months in summer and taught school in the winter. In 1848 he entered Norwich University, Vt. where he remained three years, and then commenced the study of medicine with Dr. James G. Murphy of Brattleboro Vt. While prosecuting his studies he was engaged much in teaching in the towns of Marlboro, Alstead and Walpole. He attended medical lectures at Woodstock Vt, and at Dartmouth Medical College, receiving his degree of M.D. in the latter institution November 1855. He practiced one year in Gilsum, four years in Stoddard and in March 1860 established himself in Lyme, Grafton County, where he as since remained. His success in the treatment of disease has brought him an extensive practice. From 1872 to 1879 he was a member of the State Board of Agriculture. In 1882 he was elected county commissioner for a term of two years. He married, in 1857, Sarah A. Pierce of Cavendish Vt, has one child, ELLA S., wife of J.W. BEAN, M.D. who associated with him in business. JAMES M. MARK, born December 23, 1787, built here about 1815, and remained until his death. LUTHER W. MARK, his son, was born March 27, 1809 and succeeded his father on this place. He served the town as selectman, married his cousin, Mary Hamilton, and had born to him two children, LUTHER W.F. MARK, and HANS MARK. He died November 3, 1863. The former (Luther W.F. Mark) was born September 15, 1834 and married Emily Z. Boynton Dec 20, 1865. He bought the place where he now resides in 1864, and has since kept a general country store. Previous to this he was a photographer. He is a justice of the peace, and also clerk of the town. GEORGE W. NEWMAN was born in Keene NH Nov 18, 1818. He has, by industry and good management, acquired a large property, and has probably built more houses in Gilsum than any other man. He is now engaged in the manufacture of lumber, in building and in farming. He has served the town as selectman, justice of the peace, etc. DUDLEY SMITH was born at Dracut Mass February 10, 1772. He was twice married, first to Hannah Graham who bore him four children, as follows: Dudley, Daniel, Dinsmore and Hannah G. He married, for his second wife, Betsey Rollins August 13, 1822, and had born to him four more children as follows: Daniel, Joseph E., Eliza A., and Elbridge. He was a cabinet maker by trade, and when he first came to the town he cleared land by day, and worked at his trade till eleven at night, and from four in the morning until daylight. In 1849 he moved to his house in the village, where he died at the gae of 83 years. He was selectman four years. His son, DANIEL SMITH, born April 14, 1825 married Martha A. Loveland December 10, 1844, who has borne him three children, Daniel E., John A., and Frederick S. (end)