HISTORY OF ALTON, BELKNAP 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). ======================================================== SOURCE: History of Merrimack and Belknap Counties, New Hampshire Philadelphia: J.W. Lewis & Co., 1885, 1108 pgs. ALTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE - ABSTRACTS ONLY GEOGRAPHY: The town of Alton lies in the eastern part of the county and is bounded as follows: North by Lake Winnipiseogee, east by Strafford County, south by Barnstead and west by Barnstead, Gilmanton and Gilford. This town was originally called New Durham Gore. It was first settled about 1770 by Jacob Chamberlain and others. In the petition of 1794, for incorporation, the citizens asked that it might be called Roxbury, but it was finally called Alton, after a town in Southamptonshire, England. Barndoor Island was annexed to the town in 1799. A portion of the town was annexed to Barnstead in 1840, and a portion to Wolfeborough in 1849. INCORPORATION OF THE TOWN. New Durham Gore was incorporated on March 31, 1794. Signers included: Leml B. Mason, Micajah Hanson, James McDuffee, Ebenezer Wentworth, Jun., Joseph Roberts, Thomas Edgerley, Jona McDuffee, Ephraim Chamberlain, Jr., John Rawlings, Thomas Dutton, Silas Buzzell, Aaron Allard, David Gildden, Moses Gilman, Samuel mccluer, Ebenezer Place, Jr., Stephen Fall, Jonathan Molton, Moses Meader, Jr., Nicholas Gildden, Thos. Bennett, Samuel Elkins, Eleazer Davis, Benja Bennett, Danl McDuffee, Jr., Robert E. Buzzel, William McDuffee, Lemuel Durrell, Ephraim Chamberlain, Jonathan Laighton, Jr., Charles Rogers, Jonathan Coffin, Samuel Rogers, Simon Clamp, Thomas flanders, Thomas Lanchlen, George Walker, Ebenezer Wentworth, Elisha Drew, Israel Stockbridge (name illegible), Jacob Chamberlain, Jr., Richard flanders, John Folsom, Benjamin Shepard, Jonathan Leighton, Thomas Edgerly, Jr., James Roberts, Joseph Chamberlain, Joseph Buzzell, Andrew Edgerly, Anthony Rawlings, Ichabod Rawlings, Jonathan Laighton (3d), Ithamar Buzel [?], James Rogers, paul Leathers, Paul Chamberlin, Ephm Roberts, Tristram Hurd, Stephen Drew, James Woster, Theoder Richards, Jeremiah Woodman, Reuben Smith. SELECTMEN in 1778 included: Joseph Roberts, Charles Rogers and Timothy Davis. SELECTMEN in 1780 included: Joseph Roberts and Eleazer Davis TOWN CLERK in 1781 was Joseph Roberts SELECTMEN in 1782 were Joseph Roberts and Jonathan Coffin TOWN CLERK in 1783 was Joseph Roberts JUSTICE OF THE PEACE in 1783 was Matthew T. Parker At the first town meeting after the town was incorporated, it was voted to build an "Orthodox Congregational Meeting-House." The frame of this church was raised in the fall of 1797, but it was never entirely finished. Meetings were held in it, however, more or less, until about 1840, when it was sold for a town-house. In 1798 the town voted to raise one hundred and sixty-six dollars for the support of the gospel ministry, and about this time the Rev. Mr. Whipple was employed to preach, and he remained two years. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES IN THIS BOOK INCLUDE: [only abstracts shown here] MAJOR GEORGE D. SAVAGE, son of Capt. Benjamin Savage, was born in New Durham, N.H. March 7, 1818. Enlisted in N.H. State Militia. In 1849 moved to Alton NH and engaged in shoemaking, and hotel-keeping (as proprietor of the Cocheco House for about 25 years). Jointed the Twelfth New Hampshire Regiment during the Civil War, and participated in the battle of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville in 1863. After returning home, from 1864 to 1880 he was deputy sheriff. In 1861-62 a member of the State Legislature. In 1866 he was elected a railroad commissioner. He died of consumption at his home in Alton, February 17, 1883 leaving five children [in 1885] -- Mrs. John W. Currier, Mrs. George F. Jones, Mrs. Charles H. Downing, George Frank and Miss Jessie Savage. [more biography and a likeness] ----------------- AMOS L. ROLLINS was born in the town of Alton, N.H. December 11, 1826. His father Ichabod Rollins, Jr. was a farmer and died when Amos was but nineteen years of age. His grandfather, also named Ichabod, was one of the earliest settlers in the town of Alton, whither he came from Newington, N.H. Amos attended the local village school. He was chosen town clerk (for 5 years). In 1862 he was elected second selectman of Alton, and in 1864 was chairman of the board of selectmen. He also held the office of moderator for twenty-one years in succession and was town treasurer for eventeen years. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention in Concord NH in 1876. He was a county commissioners for three years, treasurer of the Alton Five-Cents Savings-Bank from its organization. He married in Alton, December 25, 1851, Sarah E. Kimball. They had five children--three sons and two daughters. In 1866 he lost two of his sons aged nine and one years respectively, of diphtheria. Mrs. Rollins died April 23, 1871, leaving Mr. Rollins with a family of three children. His second marriage was to Permelia A. Pendergast, of Barnstead, N.H. June 14, 1872. On March 29, 1875 he lost his only remaining son by consumption. At present his family consists of his wife and two daughters, one of whom, the elder, is married and lives in Manchester, N.H., the youger resides with her father. [more information and likeness]. --------------------- ALONZO HAVINGTON SAWYER was born May 17, 1827 in Alton, N.H. He was the son of Hon. Daniel and Tamson (Walker) Sawyer, of that place. His grandfather, Enoch Sawyer, was one of the pioneers of Alton, being the second who built a house in what is now the village. Years later, as the village grew, and prospered, he kept an inn and a general store, and was one of the substantial men of town. His son, Hon. Daniel Sawyer, was one of Alton's principal towns men, and counselor on the staff of Ichabod Goodwin, New Hampshire's famous war Governor, represented the town in the General Court and held other offices. His only brother, Seth, was a Free-Will Bapist minister, and of his two sisters, one became the wife of Judge Ira Mooney of Belmont, and the other married a Mr. Cate of Alton. He died September 13, 1869, aged sixty-eight years. His children were Alonzo H., Ellen (afterwards Mrs. Jeremiah Jones of Alton), and Frank P., who married Jennie Farnham, and resides in Lynn, Mass. Alonzo H. was educated at New Hampton and Gilmanton Academies, and taught school at various places in NH and Maine until his twenty-third year, when he married (November 7, 1850) Martha J. Shapleigh, of Lebanon, Me. She was the daughter of Samuel and Eunice Shapleigh. After his married he went to Great Falls, N.H. and engaged in merchandising, returning to Alton after four years. He established himself as a merchant in Alton. They had one child, a son, Fred Sharpleigh Sawyer, born July 20, 1853, died May 9, 1872. Mr. Sawyer was postmaster of Alton during Lincoln's administration. He died of heart disease July 17, 1885. His widow survived him and lived in Alton. [more biography and likeness]. -------end--------------