HISTORY OF ROXBURY, 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 --- & 377 HISTORY OF ROXBURY NH [EXCERPTS ONLY] ROXBURY, the smallest town in the county, both in regard to area and population, lies in the central part of the county, in lat. 42 degrees 57' and long. 4 degrees, 51', bounded north by Sullivan and Nelson, east by Nelson and Harrisville, south by Marlboro and Keene, and est by Keene and Sullivan. The town was formed from parts of Nelson, Marlboro and Keene, containing an area of six thousand acres, and was incorporated December 9, 1812. The surface of the territory is exceedingly broken and uneven -- almost a continual succession of rocks and hills. Why the name of Roxbury was chosen by its wise fathers were are unable to state; but should suppose that "Rocks-bury" would have been more appropriate, and all its rocks are not buried at that. Still, there are many farms in its narrow valleys susceptible of a high degree of cultivation, its numerous hill slopes afford many broad acres of fine grazing land, and even its ancient rocks afford a generous revenue, for here are to be found most excellent granite quarries. And not alone in a pecuniary sense is the little town valuable--its very roughness affords a variety of natural scenery whose picturesqueness and even grandeur is remarkable. Here was born, and here among these hills received his first inspiration, Joseph Ames, the celebrated artist and portrait painter to the Pope of Rome. The north branch of the Ashuelot forms the boundary line between the town and the township of Keene, while Roarding brook waters the southern part of the town, empyting into the Ashuelot in the southwestern corner of the township, affording several mill privileges in its course. In the eastern part of the town, lying partly in Nelson, is Woodward pond, covering an area of several hundred acres. Another small pond lies in the southern part of the town, extending into Marlboro. Plumbago is the only mineral of importance that has been discovered. The best grade of granite is found in the southern part of the town, where the first quarry was opened by MATTHEW NIMS. Other individuals and companies have operated the quarries, one of whom quarried granite for use in erecting the capitol building at Albany, NY. POPULATION AND DESCRIPTION 1880-1884 In 1880 Roxbury had a population of 126 souls. In 1884 it had three school distrcits and three common schools, its school-houses, including furniture, etc. being valued at $1,000. There were thirty-two pupils attending the schools, taught by five female teachers during the year, at an average monthly salary of $21.00. The entire amoung raised for school purposes during the year was $268.87, while the entire amount expended was $237.70. FIRST TOWN MEETING The first town meeting in Roxbury was held January 1, 1813, when the following officers were elected: Robert Emes, moderator; Solomon Kingsbury, town clerk; Solomon Buckminster, Daniel CUmmings and Matthew Nims, selectmen; and Eli Clark, constable; all taking the oath of office before Josiah Robbins, justice of the peace. The first representative was Solomon Buckminster, elected March 8, 1814. June 15, 1820, Samuel Griffin and his estate were severed from Nelson and annexed to thsi town. By an act passed July 1, 1868 the entire town of Roxbury was annexed to Keene: PROVIDING, said act should be adopted by a majority vote in each town. The act, however, was not adopted, and Roxbury remains as it was. There is now no postoffice in the town, though there formerly was one located where the Congregational church stands, corner roads 16 and 17, but was discontinued about twenty-five years ago. Gideon Newcomb was the first postmaster. At this point, also, there was at one time a store, several dwellings, and quite encouraging promise of a village. A physician, Dr. Sargent, was the first merchant, and was succeeded by a Mr. Evans, from Peterboro. John and Gideon Newcomb were the first blacksmiths, and manufactured gimlets when they first came into use. Grosvenor Brooks was also a blacksmith here. It is uncertain who was the first child born in the town afters its incorporation; but Jonathan Parker was born here February 10, 1813, and about the same time also occurred the births of Franklin Holman, ELiza Buckminster and Gilman Nims. **** BIOGRAPHIES OF EARLY SETTLERS AND PROMINENT CITIZENS **** JOHN AND EBENEZER NIMS were the sons of GODFREY NIMS, of Deerfield, Mass. They were the ancestors of the family of this name in Keene. Godfrey had eleven children, all of whom, with the exception of the two sons mentioned, and one daughter, were destroyed while captives after the raid on Deerfield, in 1704. EBENEZER NIMS married Sarah Hoyt, while both were captaives in Canada, and their eldest son, Ebenezer, was born while there, February 14, 1713. DAVID NIMS, second son of Ebenezer, was born in Deerfield, Mass. March 30, 1716, came to Keene in 1737, and was probably the first one of the family there. He married Abigail Hawks, and was the first town clerk and the first town treasurer of Keene, being appointed May 2, 1753, and serving many years. LIEUT. OR DEA. ZADOC NIMS, DAVID, and ALPEHUS, sons of David, raised families. ASAHEL NIMS, their brother, was killed at the battle of Bunker Hill, aged twenty-six. CAPT. ELIAKIM NIMS, son of David Sr., lived to the age of ninety years. DAVID NIMS JR. was born in Deerfield, Mass, Oct. 29, 1742 (O.S.). The farm on which Brigham Nims, of Roxbury, now lives, was deeded to David Nims Jr., by his father, December 12, 1763, and at that time was bounded on the east by the east line of the township. He settled there in 1768, having built a house on the land, with board windows made to slide in grooves. He married Jemima Carter, of Lancaster, Mass., during the same year, and reared a family of ten children, of whom five sons and three daughters married and had families. Two of these, Sally Nims and Lucy Nims, married respectively, Calvin Chapman and James Wright. The former had two sons, K.B. and Henry, who live in Keene. David, son of Mrs. James Wright, lives in Walpole, his brother Nahum and his sister Eliza, who married Levi Smith, reside in Keene. MATTHEW NIMS, the third child of David Jr., was born in 1773, upon the place where his son Brigham now resides. He married Lucy Brown, December 2, 1802, reared a family of eight children, has held various local offices and was chosen to represent Roxbury, but declined. He died June 11, 1849, and his widow died February 10, 1871. Of his children, Hiel died at the age of twenty-two; Ruel had three children, viz: Ainsworth M., Sumner and Marcy C., the latter of whom resides in Keene. He built and kept a store in Nelson, and was a justice of the peace. He died at Keene in 1879. Kendall, who never married, spent his life in Roxbury, was town clerk about fifteen years, was selectman, a justice of the peace, town representative, and held other offices. He was fife-major of the militia and died May 20, 1876. Brigham, who was born on the farm which he now occupies, June 11, 1811, is a farmer and has always been interested in town and church affairs. He has been school superintendent several years, representative two years, and has held all of the other offices the town affords, excepting town clerk. He has also been a justice of the peace several years. He married Susan S. Gould, of Stoddard, and has three children, viz: Clara S. (Mrs. Byron S. Knight) of Marlboro, David B., who has been selectman and is tax collector, and susan M. Gilman married Charlotte Stone, of Nelson, and has six children as follows: Albert G., Laura L. (Mrs. G.E. Whitney), Lucy M. (Mrs. W.P. Carlton), Ellen E. (Mrs. Hiram Houghton), all of Keene, Sarah E. (Mrs. O.D. Beverstock) of Munsonville, and Rev. Granville Nims of Walton NY. Gilman was a farmer here, held the offices of selectman, representative, etc., and was paralyzed by a stroke of lightning, the effects of which caused his death, August 31, 1883. Laura M. married Rev. Luther Townsend, and has no children. Rufus F. married Abbie A. Farwell, of Nelson, and had three children, two of whom died young, and the other, Abbie S., married Jonathan S. Gleason, and lives in Illinois. Lucy C., married Charles H. WHitney of Nelson, had one son, Charles R., and one daughter, who died young. C.H. Whitney and wife now reside in Keene. GIDEON PHILLIPS, a native of Smithfield, R.I. and a soldier in the Revolution came from Rutland, Mass. soon after his marriage and located near where the meeting-house now is. His brother, RICHARD PHILLIPS came about the same time and located about a mile east of him. The former reared six sons and three daughters, all living to maturity, and died here at an advanced age. RICHARD, who also served in the Revolution, a portion of the time on board a privateer, had a family of four children, only two of whom, George W. and Olive, grew to adult years. In the autumn of 1780 he moved to Dublin, where he died in 1834, aged seventy-nine. RICHARD, second son of Gideon, was born in Roxbury, April 14, 1800, married his cousin, Olive Phillips. He was an musician, devoted much of his time to that profession, and helped to furnish music at thirty-one musters in one season. He lived to the age of seventy-four years, having brought up one son, William, now of Roxbury, and one daughter, Mrs. Freelove Southern of Dublin. DEA. REUBEN PHILLIPS, son of Gideon, was deacon of the Congregational Church in Roxbury thirty-nine years, and reared a family of fifteen children, of whom six sons and four daughters grew to maturity. NATHAN NYE came here, from Barre, Mass, about 1790 and located upon the farm on road 19. This place had formerly belonged to a Mr. Bank, but through financial reverses of the latter, it fell into the hands of Mr. Nye. Nathan was a shoemaker before he came to town, was twice married and reared a family of fourteen children. His son, GARDNER NYE was born August 8, 1802 on road 19. The four families of the name now residing in the town are descendants of Nathan. ELI CLARK who married Patience Stone, came to Packersfield, now Roxbury, from Hubbardston, Mass,, about 1800. His son, ELI CLARK was educated at the Phillip's Academy at Exter, and the high school at New Ipswich, and was intending to enter the ministry, but while pursuing his studies his health became impaired, and, by the advise of physicians, he went south. When he recovered, he taught school in South Carolina, where he met Mary A. Masely, whom he married, and soon after returned to Roxbury. Here he engaged in farming and in the cattle business. He held various offices of trust, and reared a family of three sons and three daughters. Of his sons, Henry C. Clark, the eldest, is in a store in Brooklyn, NY; Quincey E. Clark is a farmer, and Daniel W. Clark is a clergyman, pastor of a COngregational church in New Haven, Conn. Of the three daughters, two, Freelove and Mattie B. are teachers. SOLOMON KINGSBURY, a native of Dedham, Mass, came to this town in the year 1800, and was selectman and town clerk several years. SETH KINGSBURY, one of his two children, was born in town, was selectman eighteen years, and town representative three years. ELBRIDGE KINGSBURY, son of Seth, was born on the homestead, which he still owns, on road 5. He has been selectman sixteen years, town clerk for the past eight years, and represented his town in 1877-78. He is at present secretary of the Cheshire County Agricultural Society. JOSIAH WOODWARD was born at Worcester, Mass, Dec 16, 1766. He married twice, first Keziah Collister of Marlboro NH, February 20, 1800, who bore him four sons and one daughter, and died July 11, 1810; second, Sally M. Wakefield, June 24, 1848, who also bore him four sons and a daughter. He came to Cheshire County previous to 1800 and settled at the outlet of Woodward pond, now in Roxbury. He was engaged in farming, in the manufacture of lumber, and was in the grist-mill business. He drilled and blasted out the channel from the pond, and built the first mills ever erected there and probably the first one in the town of Roxbury. [It is probable that when he settled there is was a part of Marlboro to 1805, changed to Nelson in 1806, and Roxbury between then and 1813, judging from the records of births of his children]. He was a member of the Congregational church here, being one of its founders, and a liberal supporter of it. Of his children, Cyrus W., Josiah M., and Keziah (Mrs. Seth Wardsworth) reside in Keene, and Joseph A., his youngest son lives in this town. The latter began at the age of eighteen, to learn the carpenter's trade with his brother Cyrus, in Dublin, and about 1860 moved to Keene, where he was engaged in the sash and door business, and in the manufacture of chairs, for about nineteen years. He married twice, first, Mary Dudley of Marlboro, 1852, and second, Rachel C. Lane of Swanzey, October 13, 1857, who bore him one son, Fayette A., who is an engineer on the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Gulf Railroad. CHURCHES THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF ROXBURY was organized by a council of ministers convened for the purpose, August 15, 1816, and Rev. Christopher Paige, a graduate of Dartmouth in 1784, was installed as pastor November 21, 1816. He was dismissed March 2, 1819, through some difficulties which arose, and from that time until 1837 the church was without a settled pastor. In May of that year, however, the Rev. Alanson Rawson, who was laboring here as an evangelist, was installed as pastor. He remained until May 3, 1842, when his salary proving inadequate to the demans of an increasing family, he resigned. January 1, 1843, Rev. Ezra Adams commenced his labors here, remaining six years, when he accepted a call in Gilsum. He was succeeded by Rev. Bezaleel Smith, who remained until 1852. After him came Rev. S.H. Tolman. The society now has thirty-two members, with Rev. Joseph G. Patten, pastor. Their first church building was succeeded by the present structure, built in 1849. It will seat 250 persons and is valued, including grounds, at $1,000. The society has an interesting Sabbath-school, with Elbridge Kingsbury, superintendent. (end)