HISTORY OF HARRISVILLE, 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 210 & 175 HISTORY OF HARRISVILLE NH HARRISVILLE lies in the extreme eastern part of the county, in lat. 42 degrees 57' and long. 4 degrees 59', bounded north by Nelson and Hancock, the latter in Hillsborough county, east by Hancock and Peterborough, south by Dublin and west by Roxbury and a portion of Marlboro. This is the youngest township in the county, having been incorporated as late as July 2, 1870, its area being made up of territory taken from the southern part of Nelson and the northern part of Dublin. The extreme length of the town, east and west, is nearly eight miles, and its greatest width, north and south, from to and a half to three miles, comprising an area of about 10,000 acres [description of boundary lines in original document but not included here.] Milan Harris, Darius Farwell and Milan W. Harris were authorized to call the first town meeting, which was held on the 13 August 1870. Samuel D. Bemis was chosen moderator; Stephen L. Randall, clerk; and Darius Farwell, Samuel D. Bemis and George Wood were chosen selectmen; and Hon. Milan Harris was chosen agent of the town to act with the selectmen in the settlement of affairs with the towns of Dublin and Nelson. At the annual town meeting in 1871, the following were the town officers: Samuel D. Bemis, moderator; Stephen L. Randall, clerk; Darius Farwell, Samuel D. Bemis, selectmen; Hon. Milan Harris, representative to the legislature. [years 1872-1884 in original document, not included here]. The surface of the territory thus described is rough and uneven, being situated on the height of land between the Connecticut and Merrimack rivers, though the soil is generally good and yields fine crops. There are several natural ponds in different parts of the town, while the water privileges are excelled by few, if any, to be found. The mills at Harrisville are situated on a small stream called North branch or Nubanusit river, which, discharging its waters into the Contoocook, at Peterborough, nine miles distant from Harrisville, has a fall of over 600 feet. This stream is fed by large ponds lying in the towns of Hancock, Nelson and Harrisville, which have been dammned at their outlets, and now flow several thousand , including the original ponds. From Spottwood pond, in Nelson, ten feet can be drawn in Long pond, which is over four miles in length. Fourteen feet can be drawn from Long pond into Harris pond, which is at the head of the river at Harrisville. From these statements one may obtain some idea of the excellence of the water-power. POPULATION / DESCRIPTION In 1880 Harrisville had a population of 859 souls. In 1884 it had five school districts, five common schools and one graded school... There were 162 pupils attending the schools, twenty-four of whom were pursuing the higher branches, taught by one male and eight female teachers, to whom was paid an aggregate salary of $782. HARRISVILLE is a handsome post-village located in the central part of the town, about 1,300 feet above the ocean, thus being, probably, the most elevated ground in New England boasting such extensive manufacturing facilities. Up to 1830 the village went by the name TWITCHELL'S MILLS, but at that time it was given its present name by MILAN HARRIS, in honor of his family. Aside from its manufactures, the village has ample mercantile facilities, one church (Congregational), postoffice, telegraph office, graded school, etc. and about one hundred dwellings and 500 inhabitants. The village formerly laid on the line between Nelson and Dublin, on lot thirteen range ten, of the latter town. This lot was first settled about 1774 by Abel Twitchel, who built a grist-mill and saw-mill, immediately after settling, both under one roof. This building was subsequently burned, and soon after rebuilt. At an early date, also, JASON HARRIS built here a blacksmith and trip-hammer shop. On the same stream in 1799, Jonas Clark built and put in operation a clothing-mill, or a mill for fulling and dressing cloth. In this mill Mrs. Clark spun linen thread by water-power, a single thread at a time. Mr. Clark sold his mill to James Horsley in 1804, and removed with his family to Shipton, Canada, where he remained until 1819 then returned to Dublin. A machine for carding wool was set up in the grist-mill by Bethuel Harris and Abel Twitchell, before Mr. Clark sold out. This machine is supposed to have been the second one that was run in the United States. Messrs. Harris and Twitchell purchased the clothing-stand of Mr. Horsley, and united the business of carding woll and dressing cloth in one building. In 1822 Bethuel and Cyrus Harris erected what was known as the brick mill. As soon as it was finished, Milan Harris put in machinery for manufacturing woolen cloths, which were dressed by B. and C. Harris. Subsequently a company was formed consisting of the three Messrs. Harris. This company was dissolved in 1832. The first power-looms that were started in Harrisville were put in operation by Milan Harris in 1823-1824. In 1832 and 1833 Milan Harris and A.S. Hutchinson built the "Upper Mill," as it was called, on the site of the old grist-mill and saw-mill. This was the mill subsequently operated so many years by Milan Harris in the manufacture of doeskins. In 1846 and 1847, Cyrus Harris formed a company, and under his superintendence a large granite building was erected; but his health failed about this time and he died April 4, 1848. The property soon after sold to Josiah Colony & Sons of Keene and June 28, 1850 they were incorporated and the mills given their present name, Cheshire Mills. Josiah subsequently sold his interest to his sons, who, in 1859-60 built the brick portion of the mill, made many additions and improvements, and purchased and built a number of tenements in the village. The sons are all now deceased and the property it owned by Josiah T. and Horatio Colony, of Keene. The original mill is of split granite, 111x42 feet, three stories and an attic, while the brick portion is 75x42 feet, three stories, basement and attic, while there are several auxiliary buildings fully supplied with machinery. The mill is operated by two of the "John Humphrey Machine Col's turbine wheels, with a 120 horse-power engine in reserve. They have 48 broad looms, nine sets of cards, and spinning machinery to correspond. They manufacture all-wool flannels, exclusively, of all widths, turning out over 1,100,000 yards per annum, employing about 100 hands. POTTERSVILLE (p.o.) aka West Harrisville is a hamlet located in the southwestern part of the town, its name being derived from the extensive potteries that once thrived here [for brown earthenware] Clay of excellent quality is found here, and the business was commenced by David Thurston in 1795. Jonathan Flood Southwick, from Danvers, Mass, purchased Mr. Thurston's shop, and continued the business til his death, when it passed into the hands of Jedediah K. Southwick. The non-intercourse and embargo acts, and the war with England, gave such an impluse to the manufacture of this kind of ware, that some eight or ten shops were built in the vicinity. From the close of the war, in 1815, [the cheapness of English white-ware and the low price of tin-ware drove it almost entirely from the market] however, the business began to decline, and finally became one of the things of the past. The name of the first workman in the village was Felton, who came from Danver's Mass. [Sixty years ago brown earthen-ware was a kind of currency. Farmers in the vicinity of the potteries were glad to exchange their surplus products for it. They carried the ware to various parts of this and adjoining States and exchanged it for cash or such articles as were needed in their families]. According to another source the first person to engage in the business was Felton, from Danvers, Mass, and the last was John Clark of East. Cambridge, Mass. The village is better known as West Harrisville, since the building of the Manchester and Keene Railroad through the town in 1878, and the naming of the station by the latter name. EAST HARRISVILLE (p.o.) is a hamlet located in the southeastern part of the town. THE HARRISVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY, located at the village, was established about 1877 [in March 1887 at its annual meeting, this library was established and the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars was appointed for the purchase of books; this, with two hundred dollars donated by individuals, was taken by the committee chosen by the town, consisting of Aaron Smith, Cyrus H. Hayward and Edwin P. Hunt, and four hundred and forty-five volumes were purchased]. It has about 1,100 volumes, with George F. Tufts and Edwin P. Hunt, trustees, and Miss Belle Hutchinson,librarian. For the first three years a room in the house of John T. Farwell was occupied for the library, and Mrs. M.J. Farwell appointed librarian. In 1880 Henry Colony Esq. of Keene, a former resident of the town, gave a piece of land in the most central part of the village for a site upon which to erect a building; soon after a building owned by the town in a remote part of the village was moved to this spot and fitted up.] MILLS AND MANUFACTURES [some info repeated] MANUFACTURING OF WOODEN-WARE AND LUMBER--The manufacture of wooden ware was first commenced in what is now Harrisville by George Handy and Nathaniel Greely in 1838. Mr. Greely soon sold out to Mr. Handy, who continued the business many years. Handy did a business of about $10,000 a year. About 1850 these mills were sold to Asa Fairbanks, who ran them 5 years. Samuel W. Hale, now ex-Governor Hale, came into possession of them. In 1860 he sold them to Elbridge G. Bemis, by whom they were rebuilt and much enlarged and improved. He owned them about 5 years. They are now owned by charles C. and Henry J. Farwell by whom they have been further improved and the business greatly enlarged. Just below these factories, and near the Centre village, A.E. and M.K. Perry in 1845 built a saw-mill and box-shop, and for a number of years did an extensive business in the manufacture of shoe-boxes. In 1855 this mill was destroyed by fire and rebuilt. It is now owned by Zophar Willard, who does a large business in the manufacture of clothes-pins, cloth-cases and dimension lumber. At this mill, when owned by the Messrs. Perry, a terrible accident occurred. Charles K. Mason, Esq. now one of the leading citizens of Marlborough, while attempting to adjust a belt upon a grindstone, had his left arm torn from its shoulder. In 1849 Elbridge G. Bemis, George W. Bemis and Sylvester T. Symonds erected a large wooden-ware shop just below the "Great Meadows," on the stream that takes its rise in Breed Pond, now called Silver Lake. The year following they built a saw-mill upon the opposite side of the stream. Quite an extensive business was carried on here in the manufacture of wooden-ware and lumber for a good many years, but the business is now so depressed that but little is done. These mills are now owned by S.T. Symonds, one of the original owners, and his son, Dana T. Symonds. In 1869 a new dam was built just above these mills, by the Breed Pond Company, which converts the "Great Meadows" into a reservoir. The first saw-mill in the west part of the town was built by Moses Adams, on lot eighteen, range ten. The second was erected by Eli Greenwood, and stood where the grist and saw-mill built by Lambert L. Howe, now stands. This mill was destroyed by fire in 1878. It has been rebuilt several times. In August 1826 it was carried off by a cloud burst upon Monadnock Mountain. This was the same night as the slide upon the White Mountains which caused the destruction of the Willey family; the mill was carried to the meadows below, almost intact, and from there up the stream from Breed Pond, which here intersects with it, opposite where the railroad depot now stands. There was no perceptible rise of water in the latter stream except from the water which ran up from the overflow of the stream below. In 1834 a saw-mill was built by Robert Worsly and Lyman Russell, on land of Worsly, about 1/4 of a mile above the mill just described. It afterwards passed into the hands of Nathan & Heath who added a clothes pin shop. This mill had been demolished a number of times. C&H FARWELL'S SAW MILL AND CLOTHES-PIN FACTORY, located on road 24, corner of 21, was established by them in 1871. They employ twelve men, and manufacture about 100,000 feet of coarse lumber, and about 15,000 boxes of 720 clothes-pins each, per year. S.T. SYMONDS & SONS PAIL-HANDLE & KNIFE TRAY FACTORY, located on road 15-1/2, was established by Bemis & Symonds in 1849, and came under the control of the present firm about 1879. They employ six men with the capacity for turning out 6,000,000 handles besides a large number of knife trays and pastry boards per year, and they also saw coarse lumber. SILAS HARDY'S SAW-MILL, GRIST-MILL, PAIL HANDLE and CHAIR STRETCHER FACTORY, located on road 32, was built by L.L. Howe in 1880, and sold to Mr. Hardy of Keene in 1885. He employes four men and manufactures about 200,000 feet of coarse lumber per year and 300 cords of material into chair-stock and pail handles, and also turns out 25,000 shingles and 25,000 laths. The grist-mill has one run of stones and does custom grinding. ZOPHAR WILLIARD'S SAW MILL and CLOTHES PIN FACTORY, located on road 17, was built by A.E. Perry about 1859. Mr. Williard became a half owner in 1865, and purchased the entire concern in 1876. He employs twelve men and manufactures about 25,000 feet of lumber, 15,000 boxes, containing 800,000 clothes-pins per year. CHURCHES THE EVANGELICAL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF HARRISVILLE was organized September 22, 1840 by a council composed of clergymen and delegates from the towns of Swanzey, Troy, Antrim, New Ipswich and Warwick Mass, with 31 members, the first pastor being Rev. Otis C. Whiton. Their church building was erected in 1840-43, a brick structure capable of seating 350 persons. [As of the writing of this book] the society has 51 members with Rev. George H. Dunlap, pastor. There have been added to the original 31 members, 189 others, making a total of 220, of which 169 have been removed by death and otherwise, leaving now a membership of 51, resident and non-resident. The church was organized through the instrumentality of the Harrises, there being fourteen charter memers of this name. Bethuel Harris and his sons erected a brick vestry, in which evening meetings were to be held before a church was organized, and when finished the first meeting held therein was for organizing a church. Bethuel Harris gave one-half the money for the erection of the present edifice, and Milan donated the organ, employed an organist, and made other liberal contributions from time to time. THE BAPTIST CHURCH AND SOCIETY, located at Pottersville, was organized by Elder Ballou and his son, Maturin, at the house of John Muzzey, December 7, 1785 with thirty members, the Rev. Maturin Ballou being the first pastor. In 1829 the church was re-organized and now has about seventy members. The church building was originally built in 1797, was re-modeled in 1830, and was removed and again re-modeled in 1844. It will seat 175 persons... The Sabbath-school has 60 scholars with C. Albert Seaver, superintendent. RAILROAD AND ITS EFFECT ON HARRISVILLE SEPARATING FROM DUBLIN--For a great many years the project of a railroad from some point on the line of railroad running through the eastern and central part of the State, through this town to Keene, thereby connecting the eastern and western parts by rail, was from time to time considerable agitated. Several surveys previous to the year 1870 were made, and the project was found to be entirely feasible. A company was soon formed to built the road, provided a gratuity of two hundred thousand dollars could be raised to assit them in its construction. With the exception of the town of Dublin, all the towns and the city of Keene upon the line of the road voted gratuities varying from two and one-half to five per cent on their valuations. In Dublin several town-meetings were held, and while a majority of the voters voted for the gratuity, the requisite two-thirds required by law could not be obtained. The people of the manufacturing portion of the town, which is now Harrisville, were unanimously in favor of the proposed gratuity, while those in the exclusively farming portion of Dublin, thinking that they might not receive quite as much benefit from a railroad as their neighbors in the manufacturing part of the town--a rather narrow view to take as a general rule--steadfastly refused to vote the gratuity. In consequence of this refusal, a petition was presented to the Legislature of 1870 to sever that part of Dublin and Nelson described in this chapter, and have the same contitute a new town, to be called Harrisville, in compliment to Messrs. Harris, who had been so largely instrumental in building up the manufacturing at the village; this petition was favorably considered and a charter granted in accordance, which was received by great demonstrations of joy by almost every person within the limits of the new town. On the 10th day of August, 1872, a town-meeting was held and a gratuity of five per cent was voted almost unanimously. Owing to the great business depression which soon followed, the matter was allowed to rest until 1876, when a permanent survey was completed and the work of grading commenced in August of the same year; before its completion, however, the funds of the company became exhausted, and the enterprise remained at a standstill until 1878, when the road was completed, and trains commenced to run. There are now four passenger-trains daily over the road, and a heavy business is done in carrying of freight, with the business constantly increasing. There are three depots in town--one at the east part, one at the Centre village, and one at West Harrisville. The old towns run mail stages to Harrisville, and the benefit of this and the adjoining towns can best be estimated after we consider that we were formerly twelve miles from any railroad facilities. Harrisville would not part with her railroad for ten times five per cent. **** BRIEF BIOGRAPHIES *** As Harrisville was, until so late a date, a part of Nelson and Dublin, the sketch of its early settlement, etc., is identical with that of those towns, hence to the respective sketches hereof we refer the reader. The FIRST SETTLER on the tract, however was ABEL TWITCHELL, who located where Harrisville village now is, as we have previously stated in 1774. He was the fifth son and eighth child of JOSEPH TWITCHELL of Sherborn, Mass, born May 28, 1751. He married first, Sarah Adams, dau of Joseph A., and for his second, Elizabeth sister of Jonas Clark. He died March 8, 1837, and his second wife survived him until January 13, 1846. His children, all by his first wife, were as follows: Sally, born April 9, 1775; Deborah, born August 14, 1776, married Bethuel Harris January 1, 1794; Cyrus, born March 13, 1778; Mary, born February 5, 1780; Peter, born July 10, 1781; Abel, born July 13, 1783; Betsey, born Oct 18, 1784; and Timothy A., born May 29, 1792. ERASTUS HARRIS, from Medway, Mass, located in the southern part of Nelson (now Harrisville) at an early date. He was a carpenter, owned a large farm and died in 1798, aged 84 years. His son, BETHUEL HARRIS, born 14 Aug 1769 in Medway, Mass, came on about 16 years or 17 years later, (about 1786), and located at the village [destitute of pecuniary ability. He learned the carpenter's trade, worked at that business about 5 years, when he purchsaed 280 acres of land lying partly in the town of Nelson, and partly in Dublin, mostly woodland, which, in addition to his trade, he improved for five years. His house was located on the line between the two towns, though he voted in Nelson. He married Deborah Twitchell, (daughter of Abel Twitchell of Dublin, who was the first inhabitant of this place) reared ten children, six sons and four daughter, and died in July 1851. He continued his carpentering and agricultural business until 1813, when his health failed being much troubled with sciatica. At this time he purchased water-power and a small building, and commenced, in a very limited degree, the business of manufacturing woolen goods, which, to a considerable extent, was done by hand, as power-looms and spinning were not known at that time; but in 1817 he increased the building and added machinery, putting his sons, as fast as old enough, at work in that business. In 1821 he built a large-three-story brick house, and moved from his farm down near his mill. This was the second dwelling built near this water-power. In 1825 Bethuel, in company with his oldest son, Cyrus, built a commodious brick mill and filled it with improved machinery, increasing the business of manufacturing four-fold. They continued the business for six years, when his son CYrus retired from the company; Bethuel continued alone for two years; when his son Cyrus returned and purchased a half interest, and continued the business for five years; Cyrus then retired and built a large brick store building, also a large stone mill on the water-power, next below that of Bethuel Harris in 1846-47, when, on completion of the building, his health failed. Accordingly he did not fill the building with machinery. On the 14 of April 1848, said Cyrus Harris deceased. The mill which he built went into the possession of Colony & Sons. [see other part of history]. BETHUEL was a major of militia, and held many of the town offices. He not only contributed about three thousand dollars for the erection of church buildings, but five years before his decease gave the church, for a permanent fund, twelve hundred dollars; he also presented each of his children, with a valuable slip, or pew, in the church; also he provided a family cemetery on what is called the Harrisville Island, presenting each of his children a nice and beautiful lot for their use and for their families' accounting, for slips and cemetery grounds, to nearly twelve hundred dollars. Five of his ten children are now living, viz: LAVELL HARRIS, born August 25, 1802 in Milford NH; CHARLES C.P. HARRIS, b here [Harrisville] August 20, 1807, has been a woolen manufacturer, postmaster since 1852, represented the town in 1867-68 and also held most of the other town offices; MRS. MARY HUTCHINSON of this town; MRS. SALLY HAYWARD of Peterborough NH, and MRS. LOIS PROUTY of Alstead. MILAN HARRIS, second son of Bethual, was born January 29, 1799. He it was who did so much for the town of Harrisville, giving it its name, serving it as its first representative, etc. He received only a common school education, and before he was 21 he worked alternately on the farm and in the custom-shop, carding wool in the summer and dressing cloth for customers in the autumn and winter. At the age of 21 he taught school in Dublin and Nelson several terms. In 1821 he began the manufacture of woolen goods at Saxton's River Vt, and in 1822 began the same business here, which he continued up to September 1874. In 1829 he purchased the old Twitchell water-power at the Twitchell Pond (so called) on which was a saw and grist-mill, which he ran for one year, when he, in connection with Henry Melville of Nelson, built a commodious brick mill, three stories high, in 1883; but, before the building was filled with machinery, his partner, Henry Melville deceased. Said Harris continued in the completion of the mill and put in one set of machinery for manufacturing woolen goods, and commenced manufacturing for some 3 or 4 years, after which ALMON HARRIS, the third son of Bethuel Harris, connected himself with Milan Harris in said business, when the company was known by the name of M.& A. Harris, who continued the business successfully until 1846, when ALmon Harris retired from the company and went to Fisherville NH and built a large mill at that place and carried on the manufacturing business very successfully during his life, some 30 years. After ALmon Harris retired from the company, Milan Harris continued the manufacturing business until 1858, when the oldest son, Milan W. Harris became associated with him. The company was then known by the name of M. Harris & Co. until about 1872 when it was incorporated under the name of M. Harris Woolen Manufacturing Company, and continued until the corporation was dissolved about 1882. Milan Harris Sr. died July 27, 1884. He held several military offices, most of the town offices in Nelson; was a director of the State Foreign and Home Missionary Society, of the Ashuelot Fire Insurance Company, and of the Manchester & Keene railroad. He was also a justice of the peace, and held many positions as delegate, etc. to religious and temperance synods. He represented Nelson in the legislature four or five terms, and was two years in the state senate, was the first representative from Harrisville, and was also two years in the senate from here. Mr. Harris married Lois, daughter of Nehemiah Wright, for his first wife, May 31, 1822 who died December 10, 1842. Their children were as follows: Milan W., born September 22, 1823, died August 28, 1873; Charlotte Elizabeth, born September 27, 1825; Lucretia Jane, born March 27, 1828, became Mrs. J.R. Russell and died February 28, 1875; and Alfred Romanzo, born March 22, 1830. His second wife, Harriet Russell, he married July 20, 1843, who bore him one daughter, Harriet L., born March 9, 1850, now the wife of Samuel G. Kittredge. WILLIAM YARDLY came to the northern part of Dublin, which is now a part of Harrisville, from England in 1776, and located on the farm now owned by his grandson GEORGE. He was a farmer, married Sarah Twitchell, and reared a family of six children. He died June 1805. His son WILLIAM was born here in 1784, married Rhoda Brooks, reared a family of nine children, five of whom are now living and died in 1858. Two sons, George and John, and one daughter, Mrs. Persia Beals still reside in town. MOSES ADAMS came to what is now Harrisville from Sherborn, Mass in 1773 and died here in 1810. His son Moses was born in 1768 and lived here till his death. Moses-3, son of Moses-2 was born in 1785, reared a family of six children and died in 1873. His son, Charles W., is a builder in San Francisco, Cal [CA], Frederick M. is a lawyer and stenographer in New York, and his two daughters, Eliza and Emily, reside on the old homestead. WILLIAM BARKER came from Acton, Mass and located in Nelson in 1780. He was a soldier under General Washington, in the French and Indian war, and, with two of his sons, served in the Revolution, and was at the battle of Concord. His son THADDEUS BARKER, who came here with his father, had a family of eleven children, and died in 1843. His son CHAUNCEY BARKER, the only child now living, was born in 1809, and has lived 46 years on the place he now occupies. WILLIAM BARKER was town clerk and town representative for many years. Thaddeus also took an active part in town affairs, and held nearly all the offices. The family has been one of the leading ones of the town. ABNER SMITH, from Needham, Mass, came to Dublin, now Harrisville, soon after the Revolution, and lived here until his death in 1833. His son, Aaron was born in 1791 and died in 1840. DUring his life he was engaged in the manufacture of earthen ware at Pottersville. Aaron Jr. was born in 1822, and during his early life was engaged with his father in the pottery business. He was one of the selectmen thirteen years, town representative of Dublin seven years, and was county commissioner four years. He occupies the homestead on road 32. REV. ELIJAH WILLARD came here from Fitchburg, Mass and was pastor of the Baptist Church until his dead in 1839. He preached at Pottersville for a period of forty years. During his life he united 146 couples in marriage, and preached a funeral sermon four weeks before his death. His son, LEVI was born in 1795 and lived here until his death in 1860. He married Irene Knight of Sudbury, Mass who still survives him, and reared a family of thirteen children. Seven of them, Zophar, Solon, Milton B., David, Benjamin, Mrs. C.H. Nye, and Mrs. M.M. Mason, are living, located in this town. ASA FISK came to what is now Harrisville from Rutland, Mass in 1800 or 1801, and settled on the farm where his grandson, LEVI W. FISK now lives, and died there in 1829. His son, PARKER, eight years of age when he came here with his father, reared six children, only three of whom lived to maturity, and occupied the home farm until his death in October 1866. LEvI W. married May B. Priest of Hancock NH who died in 1863, and lived on the old homestead. JOSEPH MASON was born in Shelborn, Mass in 1748, reared a family of ten children, and was killed by the fall of a tree in 1806. His son SAMUEL MASON, who was known as Captain Mason, was born in 1771, reared a family of twelve children and died in 1822. His son, MERRILL MASON was born in 1816 and now resides in Marlboro. SAMUEL MASON JR. was born in Sullivan and came to what is now Harrisville when a young man, reared a family of eight children, six of whom are now living. He died in 1862. His sons, GEORGE W. and JAMES A. reside in town. WILLIAM SEAVER came from Roxbury, Mass and settled upon a farm in the southern part of Nelson in 1823, and died in 1867. He reared a family of seven children, four of whom, Charles C., Wellington W., George W., and Mrs. Lucy W. Towne, are living, all located in this town. MAJOR ABNER S.H. HUTCHINSON was born in Wilton NH December 10, 1803. He joined the militia when a young man and rose to the rank of major in the 12th NH Regt, and was captain of the Nelson RIfle Company. He married Mary, daughter of Bethuel Harris, who bore him five children, of whom ALBERT is in North Carolina, and HENRY is in Boston. His daughter, BELIE resides in Harrisville. Two sons, ALBERT AND HENRY N. are dead. A.S. HUTCHINSON came to Nelson in 1829, and began work in the mill. He was a partner four years with C.C.P. Harris in the manufacture of woolens and has been engaged in the business in various departments for fifty years. JAMES BEMIS, from Weston, Mass, settled in Dublin in 1793, where he died December 15, 1832, aged 75 years. He married first Hannah Frost of Marlboro, by whom he had one son, JONATHAN BEMIS. He next married Lois Walker of Sudbury, Mass in 1786. His children were Hannah, James, Lois, Thomas, Josiah, Betsey, Eli and Mercy. JAMES BEMIS was a soldier of the Revolution, enlisting when a boy of eighteen, and reached headquarters just before the Battle of Bunker Hill. His son THOMAS BEMIS, born in 1793, married first Sally Williams, and second Anna Knight of Sudbury Mass. His children were Sally, Elbridge G., Elizabeth J., George W. and Samuel Dana. He died at Jaffrey. SAMUEL D. BEMIS, son of Thomas, was born February 8, 1833. He has been engaged in farming, and has held the office of selectman, being chairman of the board from 1872 to 1884. He was a member of the state legislature in 1873, and a delegate to the constitutional convention in 1876. GEORGE DAVIS was born in Hancock NH in 1816. He learned the carpenter's trade, which he carried on a few years, was captain of militia there in 1842 and 1843, and owner of a grist-mill, which he operated several years. He married Julia A., daughter of Asa Greenwood, of Dublin, in 1840 and removed to Keene in 1844. He was selectman of Harrisville in 1879 and 1880, town clerk and treasurer since 1881, and was chosen representative in 1884. (end)