HISTORY OF BRADFORD, MERRIMACK 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. ---------------------------------- PLEASE do NOT link directly to this text file if you offer a web site about Bradford NH. Link instead to my web page at http://www.nh.searchroots.com/MerrimackCo/merrimack.html#Bradford ---------------------------------- 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). ======================================================== The town was first granted in 1771, the town was named New Bradford, then Bradfordton, and finally was incorporated as Bradford in 1787, the year of the constitutional convention. New Hampshire's delegation was not going to approve the constitution, but under the leadership of Bradford’s Thomas Stickney the delegation approved ratification, and, being the ninth state to do so, gave the United States its constitution. Bradford includes the villages of Bradford Center and Melvin Mills, and Lake Massasecum. SOURCE: History of Merrimack and Belknap Counties, New Hampshire; Philadelphia: J.W. Lewis & Co., 1885. =========================== ---SEE THIS LINK FOR ENTIRE DOCUMENT, the info below is only a RECAP----- http://archive.org/stream/historyofmerrima00inhurd#page/n297/mode/2up ========================== page 185 Bradford is bounded on the north by Newbury and Sutton, east by Warner, south by Henniker and Hillsborough and west by Washington. The north, south and west lines are straight. The town is longest east and west... All of these adjoining towns were settled before Bradford... A natural history, geological, plants, animals is included in the original document. page 189 May 30, 1787 the following subscribers petitioned for incorporation of New Bradford by the name of Bradford: Ebenezer Eaton, Ebenezer Colby, Daniel Cressey, Joseph Presbury, Stephen Ward, Nathaniel Presbury Jr., JohN Brown, Abram Smith, Nehemiah How, Peter How, Nathaniel Presbury, Enoch Hoyt, William Clements, Daniel Eaton, John Stanley, Isaac Davis, Joshua Andrews, Abner Ward, Moses Bailey. The act of incorporation was passed by the Legislature September 27, 1787. In October a town-meeting was held, and it was voted, Ebnezer Eaton town clerk, Daniel Cressey constable, Ebenezer Eaton, James Presbury and Simeon Hildreth selectmen; Dea. Presbury, Reuben Whitcomb, Lieut. Enoch Hoyt and Simeon Hildreth surveyors of highways; Nathaniel Presbury and Isaac Davis tithingmen; Dea. Presbury sealer of weights and measures, Nathaniel Presbury sealer of leather; Daniel Young and Isaac Davis fence viewers, Daniel Cressey surveyor of lumber.... [more in original document]. CENSUS of 1786 of Bradford NH: 128 people, 2 negroes (whole number) page 191 Visit of General Lafayette to Bradford, in a letter by Captain Miner Hawks. [see original document] page 192 Business and Industries Lawyers in Bradford NH - [more info in original] Weare Tappan (1818); Hon. Mason W. Tappan; Lawrence D. Baily (b Sutton, removed later to Kansas, a judge on Supreme Court); Moses K. Hazleton (1857); E.B.S. Sanborn (1863, removed to Franklin NH); Robert M. Wallace (from Henniker); Bartlett G. Cilley (1861); Hon. Bainbridge Wallace. Physicians in Bradford NH - [more info in original] Dr. Lyman from Warner NH; Dr. Jason H. Ames; Dr. David Mitchell of Peterborough NH; Dr. Frederick Mitchell; Dr. Harvey Studley; Dr. -- Colby; Dr. -- Weston; Dr. George H. Hubbard; Dr. Daniel F. Hale, Dr. -- Morgan; Dr. -- Fisk; Dr. -- Carleton; Dr. -- Fitz; Dr. -- Martin; Dr. Ebenezer Harriman Davis; Dr. John Milton Hawks; Dr. Samuel Woodbury Jones; Dr. Diamond Davis; Dr. Seth Straw Jones; Dr. -- Farley; Dr. C.A. Carleton; Dr. Reuben Hatch; Dr. -- Davis; Dr. -- Doton; Dr. -- Fisk; Dr. Nathaniel T. Clark, Dr. J.H. Martin; Dr. John B. Raynes. page 193 EARLY STORES -At "The Centre" -- Eben Cressy, Albert Cressy, Walter Stone, Joshua Jewett, Robert Hale, B.F. Hill, Dana Brown and William C. Hoyt kept store, that of Mr. Hale being the last. -At the "Mill Village" -- the veterand merchants of the town are Daniel Carr and Jonathan/John W. Morse....Ira Cochrane had a store and residence fronting the bridge; -- Blanchard, formerly of the firm of Baxter and Blanchard was in business under the firm name of Morse & Blanchard. Mr. Buswell dealt in clothing and Lund in saddles and harness. Among other business here were Samuel Jones, Weare Tappan, John Cochrane, Enoch Darling, Isaac Darling, Seth Straw, -- Rogers, Perley How, Rufus Eaton, John D. Wadleight, William Robbins, John B. Bailey, Josiah Morse and William A. Carr. - At "the Corner" -- among the early store-keepers at the Corner were Joel Gay from Francestown; he kept his store in the old school-building. Jeremiah page of Dunbarton, kept a store in the building now occupied by the Marshalls as a tin shop. A Mr. Stickney traded there; also Albert Cressy and Hiram Davis. Just across the street on the corner of the Warner and Sutton roads, was the well-known firm of Farley & Chase, which succceeded a Mr. Dodge. Page & Kimball's stove-shop was the next building, since occupied by -- Bates for the same purpose. Baxter & Blanchard were in the store on the corner, as were also Martin & Ames, Lyman Brockway, Ira French, Samuel Wells and Amaziah Carter, and the last to do business there were Watkins & Sawyer. There came to be a demand for a store near the depot and J.P. Marshall built one, which was first occupied by Sawyer & Martin, who were succeeded by Dan. R. Marshall, who kept a cash store and had charge of the Bradford Library, which is still kept in the rear of the store. Marshall sold to A.B. Jenny, who still continues in the trade there. Just across the railroad track is the store of the Colby Brothers. Among others in business here were Samuel Jones, -- Moore, John Kimball, Bard P. Page, Dr. -- Farley, Albert M. Chase, Hiram Blanchard, Moses E. Baxter, Robert Wallace, Henry Ames, Horace K. Martin, Freeman Brockway, George Oscar Sawyer, G.B.R. Watkins, Hiram Davis, Nat Davis, and -- Wadleigh. page 194 HOTELS [listing of several hotel keepers only a few listed here] The Presbury House, Tom Cheney tavern-stand; Cressy House; Bradford Springs Hotel. MILLS -- descriptions of several mills built in Bradford NH in original document. Also Churches and Ministries at Bradford NH in original document; Descriptions of Roads in Bradford NH and who lived on them. page 198 - PERSONAL HISTORY AND GENEALOGICAL NOTES FOR: - James H. Ames, b. 16 Dec 1796 in Fairlee VT, his bio and children. - Daniel Carr, son of Moses Carr of Newbury MA, b. 2 August 1801 who married 1) Rhoda Barlett; m2) Caroline Tappan, and their descendants - Jonathan Cheney from Londonderry who settled in the southern part of Bradford NH, and some of his descendants. - Richard Cressy, b. 5 Sep 1737 in Beverly MA; removed from Hopkinton NH to Bradford NH 11 Feb 1794; m. Susan Evans. Some of his descendants. He was a veteran of the Revolutionary War [see original document]. - Isaac Davis from Plaistow settled in Bradford about 1760; m. Katuria Woodward, list of some descendants. - Timothy Leavitt, son of William Dowlin Leavitt b. 4 February 1762; m. Elizabeth Collins. Some of his descendants. - John Felch, b. 27 June 1794 in Weare NH; m. Sally Clark, and some of his descendants. - Offin French, a soldier in the War of the Revolution, listing of his children and some of their descendants. - Farrington Hawks, son of David and Sarah (Colburn) Hawks, b. Dunstable MA 21 Apr 1770 m1) Sarah Knolwton; m2) widow Sarah Young; first settled in Hudson NH, then to Warner NH in 1796. Some of his descendants. - Stephen Hoyt, b. 30 Aug 1769 in Hopkinton NH; m. Phebe Presbury. List of some descendants. - Samuel Jones, son of John Jones, b. 12 May 1786 Hopkinton NH; removed to Bradford NH about 1809; m. Elizabeth Andrews. Some descendants. - Richard Marshall, m. Esther Pierce and removed to Bradford NH about 1787. Some of his descendants. ----page 206---- - Josiah Melvin, to Bradford NH about 1787; m. Esther Marshall, daughter of Richard Marshall. Some of his descendants. - Nathan Pierce, b. 7 Sep 1765 probably in Hudson NH; m. Phebe Cummings; some of his descendants - Nathan Piper, of Hopkinton, m. Hannah Smith; came to Bradford NH in 1808, some of their descendants. - John W. Morse, b. 10 Aug 1810 Henniker NH; m. Lucy Ann Gove. Some of their descendants. - Joseph Hartshorne, son of John and Hannah (Prince) Hartshorn, b. 12 May 1791 Amherst NH; m. Mary Ellsworth; some of their descendants. - Eleazer Steele, b. 22 Aug 1784 in Tolland CT; m. Eunice Hodgdon; some of their descendants. page 209 Military Record - Revolutionary War: The following-named men of Bradford were in the American army in the War of the Reovlution: Private Andrew Aiken, Corporal Abel Blood, Richard Cressy, John Eaton, Offin French, Jonathan Knight, Abraham Sweatt, Abram Currier. War of the Rebellion--The following are the names of the soliders who enlisted in our late Civil War from the town of Bradford, Merrimack County NH: Colonel M.W. Tappan, Dr. Cyrus M. Fisk, Moses J. Seavey, Willis Cressey, John Lynn, Charles M. Gould, Mansel Bixby, Horace Benton, Joseph C. Hoyt, George Benton, Newton Cheney, Savory Cheney, John Choate, John Eaton, Justus A. Dunbar, George F. Smith, George Sargent, Cyrus F. Jones, James Hoyt, P.B. Richards, Henry Presby, Henry Hoyt, Franklin Pierce, William West, Frank West, Ezekiel Hadley, Ai Hall, Peter Craig, Charles Tappan, Clarence Baily, Micah Howe, David Hawks, Miner Hawks, George L. Ward, Proctor D. Ward, Levi Ward, Curtis Davis, Albert Woodbury, Hollis Brockway, George Dunfield, Woodbury Barnes, Timothy Z. Smith. WAR OF 1812 -- the following is a partial list: John Harriman, John Robbins, Joseph Hartshorne, Hazen Presbury. --page 209+ BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF THESE MEN (WITH LIKENESSES)* -- John Webster Morse, son of Josiah & Betsey (Brown) Morse, b. 10 August 1806 at Henniker NH; removed to Bradford NH -- Joshua Eaton, b. 22 Dec 1817 at Bradford NH; m. Alzina Gillingham; some of their descendants. -- Jason Howard Ames, son of Jesse and Patty (Howard) Ames, b. 16 Dec 1796 at Fairlee VT; removed to NH; some of his descendants -- John Webster Marshall, son of John W. & Judith (Jackman) Marshall, b. 9 February 1835 at Salisbury NH; m. Martha J. Wadleigh; removed to Bradford NH; some descendants. -- Hiram Blanchard, b. 21 Oct 1816 in Acworth NH; m. Polly E. Gove. -- George Hart, grandson of Nicholas Lawrence, son of George and -- (Lawrence) Hart, b. 23 May 1811 at Landgrove VT; removed to Bradford NH; he m. Louisa Bailey; some descendants. -- David Durrell, son of Nicholas & Polly (Batchelder) Durrell was b. 20 July 1807 in Bradford NH: he m. Polly P. Colby; some descendants. -- Rev. Hiram Holmes, son of Joshua and Polly (Cater) Holmes, b. 3 Oct 1806 in Rochester NH, he m. Susanna Brown; removed to Bradford NH; -- John Brown, b. 1777 Henniker NH; removed to Bradford NH; m. Sarah Gregg of New Boston NH; some descendants. -- Curtis Davis, son of Daniel and Mary (Brown) Davis, b. 11 Feb 1814 in Bradford NH; he m. Martha Kemp; some descendants. (end)