Biographies

Ebenezer ADAMS – First person of the Adams family that settled in Barnstead. He was from Newingtonbought a lot near the north line of Barrington - near the log meeting house.

Rev. Joseph ADAMS – Was born at Braintree, MA 4 Jan 1688 or 1689 and was the eldest son of Joseph and Hannah (Bass) Adams. His father was grandson of Rev Henry Adams of England who came to this country with his family about 1630, and settled Braintree (now known as Quincy). John Adams, second President of the US was the eldest son of John Adams, the next younger brother of Rev Joseph Adams. The said Rev Joseph Adams graduated at Harvard College in 1710. During his college course he kept school in Newington NH and after taking his degree, he was invited by the people to become their minister. He accepted and was ordained in June 1715. He came from Newington to Barnstead to select a lot of land for the church about 1760. He and his companions built the meetinghouse of logs. He lived with his church and people for 68 years. He became the oldest pastor in New England, and died May 26, 1783.

John BICKFORD – John Bickford was born ca 1730, Newington NH. Owned the Dealing farm, moving there in 1765. He was lame, so superintended it on horseback and employed workmen. He was originally from Newington. When they moved there his son, John (later a Col) who was 8 years old then, drove the team but rode all the way on the tongue of the sled because he was afraid of bears. The first town meeting was held at John Bickford's house. He died May, 1804.

Col. Richard CINCLAIR – Came from Newington and established himself on a lot where Elder Nathanitel Wilson later lived and died - about 6 miles from the log church. He was the second settler. Mrs. Cinclair (so the story goes) in the absence of her husband, wearing snow shoes bought hay from Newington to Barnstead (30 miles) on a hand sled, to feed her cow. This same lady encountered a deer on the way home, killed him and brought him home as well.

Capt. Eliphalet COFFIN – one of the selectmen in 1731, and held office by renewed elections until 1735. He was also Moderator in 1733. Sources: History of Gilmanton, by Daniel Lancaster, 1845

James DEALING – The third settler of Barnstead - he built a log house. He came from Newington but left his business in Newington which was 30 miles away. He had a corn field which was invaded by bears which he was away at Newington.

John ELLIOTTT – He lived in the north, and settled in Barnstead about 1774. Tradition says he bought his corn in Durham, bringing a bushel of it home upon his shoulders - about 25 miles.

Rev. John GEORGE – Born 19 Dec 1846-7 in Warner, NH, to Charles and Margaret A. (Warren) George. He married Myra Whitney ca 1878. He is shown in the 1880 census as a clergyman in Barnstead. In 1900, in Barnstead, he and his wife are shown as school teachers. [Photo of private school students] He is shown as a notary in Centre Barnstead in the 1910 census. He died 10 Mar 1924, Barnstead, NH, and is buried at the Lower Warner Cemetery in Warner, Merrimack County. They had one son, Edward, who was born Dec 1862 in Barnstead.

Charles HODGDON, Esquire Sr. – From Newington. He settled on Province Road in 1768. His house is the first two story well finished house. He was a deacon of the church, a Justice of the Pace and for several years a member of the Convention. He had the first chaise in town. He had two sons, Benjamin and Charles. He died in 1815 ages 75.

Charles PLUMMER – Charles E. Plumer born in that part of Gilmanton which is now Belmont, Oct 29, 1831, died in Gilmanton July 27. 1906. Son of Joseph and Sally (Lamprey) Plumer. Starting his life as a poor boy, bring thrown upon his own resources by the death of his father when 14 years of age, he carried on the farm and added to it. At the time of his death was the largest landholder in Gilmanton and possibly in Belknap County. He married April 7, 1853, Mary H Moody, daughter of Stephen M Moody of Gilmanton, a direct descendant of William Moody - one of the first settlers of Ipswich and a great granddaughter of Capt. John Moody, a soldier of the Revolution. Source: The Granite Monthly: Vol 38, 1906

Honorable John G. SINCLAIR – He was born at Barnstead Parade, in the town of Barnstead NH, Mar 25, 1826, and was the only child of Charles G. and Martha G. (Norris) Sinclair of Barnstead. His ancestors were of a martial spirit and for three generations did military duty in their country's service. One of the pioneers of the town of Gilmanton, NH, was Richard Sinclair, and it is claimed that he erected the first frame house in that town. He was a soldier in the French and Indian Wars and also in the War of the Revolution. In the latter war he attained the rank of captain, though in the locality where he lived he was generally known as Colonel Sinclair. He married Polly Cilley, a sister of Col. Joseph Cilley. Their eldest son, Richard Sinclair, Jr., was one of the earliest settlers of the town of Barnstead, Like his father he was a soldier in the Revolutionary army and was an ensign in his father's company. His wife was Betsey Hodgdon, and Charles G Sinclair (father of Honorable John G.) was their only son who at the age of 17, enlisted as a soldier in the war of 1812, and for a time was clerk for General Ripley. At the sortie on Fort Erie he received a gunshot wound near the right lung which disabled him for life. He died July 1834, leaving his wife and only child (then a lad of only 8), in destitute circumstances. John G Sinclair went to the Pittsfield Academy until he was 13 years of age, and then entered the employ of Webster and peavey, merchants at Landaff, NH. The firm consisted of Hon. Samuel Webster of North Barnstead and Samuel P Peavey, a former resident of Barnstead, who had married a sister of Mrs. Sinclair. He remained at Landaff six years, and attended five terms at Newbury Seminary in Vermont where he fitted for college under the tuition of Bishop Baker and Rev Clark T. Hinman. He then ventured to start a restaurant at the corner of Hanover and Elm Streets, Manchester, NH. Soon he abandoned that and established an auction and commission business at Lawrence MA. Then having acquired a limited means returned back to New Hampshire and engaged in the manufacture of starch in Bethlehem NH. He served in the State Legislature from Bethlehem then Littleton in the legislature. He was appointed Bank Commissioner by Gov. Baker and served until the American party came into power. In 1858 and 1859 he was elected Senator from the 12th Senatorial district. Democratic Speaker of the House, and candidate for Governor in 1866, 1867, 1868. He later removed to Orlando, Orange County, Florida in 1879 where he was involved in a lucrative real estate business. Mr. Sinclair has been married twice; first to Tamar M., daughter of Col. Daniel Clark of Landaff in 1847. They had three children: Charles A., Emma S. and Martha A. His first wife died and he married Mary E Blandin, daughter of John Pierce Esq. of Littleton in 1872.