Hillsborough County
NHGenWeb
The Town of Hollis lies in the southern part of the county, and is bounded as
follows: On the north by Milford, Amherst and Nashua; east by Nashua; south by
Massachusetts, west by Brookline and Milford.
Nearly all the territory
embraced within the bounds of the present town of Hollis originally comprised a
portion of the old town of Dunstable, which was granted by Massachusetts, October
16, 1673 (O.S.), and embraced the present town of Tyngsborough, the east part of
Dunstable, a narrow gore on the east side of Pepperell and a tract in the
northeast part of Townsent, Mass., and the towns of Litchfield, Hudson, portions
of Londonderry, Pelham and nearly all the present towns of Nashua and Hollis and
parts of Amherst, Milford and Brooklin, in New Hampshire.
December 28,
1739, the westerly portion of Dunstable was erected into a separate and distinct
precinct by the government of Massachusetts, and went by the name of West
Dunstable until April 3, 1746, when, in answer to a petition from the
inhabitants, about one-half of it was incorporated with full town privileges by
the Governor and Council of the province of New Hampshire, and named Holles.
In The History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire (1885), D. Hamilton
Hurd discusses the origin of the Hollis name as follows: "I think there can be
no reasonable doubt about the origin or orthography of this name. Benning
Wentworth was Governor of the province, and owed his position to Thomas Pelham
Holles, Duke of New Castle, who was colonial secretary. It is well known that
Governor Wentworth named many of the towns in this State in honor of his
friends, sometimes when the inhabitants had petitioned to be incorporated with a
name of their own choosing, they preferring to accept a name which was
distasteful to them rather than incur the Governor's displeasure, and perhaps
refused to grant their charter. As to the orthography of the name of the Duke of
New Castle, I think John Farmer is mistaken in writing it Hollis, as there are
manuscript documents in the office of the Secretary of State to which the duke
signed his name, 'Holles New Castle.' That the town was named for him I think
there can be no question; and because of his ignorance and detestable character,
its citizens were justified in changing it to Hollis, as they evidently did to
perpetuate the name of Thomas Hollis, the benefactor of Harvard College." --I.
W. Hammond.
In referring to this matter, Judge Worcester says: "Within my
remembrance, there has been much controversy upon the question whether the name
of Hollis should be spelt with the letter i or e in the last syllable, and also
as to the person in whose honor the town was named. Mr. Farmer, in his
'Gazetteer of New Hampshire,' spells it with an i, and tells us that the name
was either derived from the Duke of New Castle, whose family name was Hollis, or
from Thomas Hollis, a distinguished benefactor of Harvard College, Mr. Farmer
spelling both names 'Hollis'. Hon. J. B. Hill, in his history of Mason, says the
name was derived from that of the Duke of New Castle, whose family name was
Holles, Mr. Hill using the letter e in the last syllable. From the best evidence
at my command upon the question, I have no doubt that Mr. Hill is correct, both
in the orthography of the name and also in that of the person for whom the town
was called. In the original record of the town charter, now at Concord, and in
the copy of the charter on the Hollis record, the name is spelt Holles. In the
town records for the twenty-five years and more before the War of the Revolution
the name occurs hundreds of times, and, so far as I have seen, is uniformly
spelt Holles, as in the charter, and is so spelt in the in the New Hampshire
Laws published as late as 1815."
Danl Emerson 2 - 0 - 2 - 0 - 0
Benja Austins 2 - 0 - 3 - 0 - 0
Jeremiah Ames 2 - 0 - 2 - 0 - 0
John Atwell 2 - 2 - 1 - 0 - 0
William Adams 1 - 2 - 3 - 0 - 0
Benja Abbot 1 - 2 - 2 - 0 - 0
Nehemiah Barker 2 - 1 - 3 - 0 - 0
Oliver Bowers 1 - 1 - 2 - 0 - 0
Abraham Boynton 1 - 2 - 5 - 0 - 0
David Burge 1 - 1 - 2 - 0 - 0
William Brooks 2 - 2 - 4 - 0 - 0
Francis Blood 1 - 4 - 3 - 0 - 0
Danl Bailey 1 - 1 - 2 - 0 - 0
Danl Bailey Jr. 1 - 0 - 4 - 0 - 0
Joel Bailey 1 - 1 - 2 - 0 - 0
Aaron Bailey 1 - 1 - 2 - 0 - 0
Ezra Baldwin 1 - 1 - 2 - 0 - 0
Robt Colburn 1 - 5 - 4 - 0 - 0
Nathl Colburn 1 - 1 - 4 - 0 - 0
Benja Colburn 2 - 1 - 7 - 0 - 0
Elijah Clark 1 - 2 - 3 - 0 - 0
James Colburn 1 - 8 - 3 - 0 - 0 [*Ann's note: a printed version reports 1 rather than 8, but I read this entry as an 8 for Free white males under 16 years.]
Benja Cummings 2 - 2 - 4 - 0 - 0
Wilder Chamberlin 1 - 1 - 1 - 0 - 0
Richard Clark 1 - 0 - 2 - 0 - 0
Jona Danforth 2 - 4 - 4 - 0 - 0
Jona Dix 1 - 0 - 2 - 0 - 0
Robt Darrah 1 - 2 - 2 - 0 - 0
Amos Eastman 2 - 0 - 2 - 0 - 0
Amos Eastman Jr. 2 - 5 - 4 - 0 - 0
Jona Eastman 2 - 1 - 3 - 0 - 0 [*Ann's note: Free white males under 16 years may be 7 rather than 1]
Timothy Emerson Jr. 1 - 4 - 3 - 0 - 0
Thomas Emerson 3 - 4 - 1 - 0 - 0
Timothy Emerson 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0
Moses Emerson 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0
David Eames 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0
Abigail Farmer 1 - 0 - 3 - 0 - 0
Ebenr Farley 2 - 3 - 7 - 0 - 0
Stephen Farley 1 - 3 - 4 - 0 - 0
William French 1 - 1 - 6 - 0 - 0
Nehemiah French 1 - 1 - 5 - 0 - 0
Ruth Farley 0 - 4 - 4 - 0 - 0
David Dumlee 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0
Jonas Flagg 3 - 1 - 4 - 0 - 0
Eleazar Flagg 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0
Edward Foster 2 - 3 - 5 - 0 - 0
Jonas Green 1 - 2 - 3 - 0 - 0
Joseph Hood 2 - 2 - 4 - 0 - 0
John Hale 2 - 2 - 4 - 0 - 0
Shabriel Hobbard 1 - 1 - 2 - 0 - 0
Phineas Hardy 2 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0
Phineas Hardy Jr. 1 - 2 - 3 - 0 - 0
Jesse Hardy 1 - 0 - 3 - 0 - 0
Saml Haden 2 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0
Levi Hardy 2 - 2 - 3 - 0 - 0
Moses Hardy 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0
David Holden Jr. 1 - 1 - 1 - 0 - 0
Job Harris 1 - 0 - 2 - 0 - 0
James Jewett Jr. 2 - 1 - 1 - 0 - 0
Enoch Jewett 1 - 3 - 4 - 0 - 0
Hannah Kendrick 1 - 1 - 2 - 0 - 0
Mary Kendrick 1 - 2 - 2 - 0 - 0
Abner Keyes 1 - 2 - 8 - 0 - 0
Nathl Leeman 1 - 1 - 3 - 0 - 0
Oliver Lawrence 4 - 1 - 3 - 0 - 0
Peleg Lawrence 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0
Abraham Leeman 1 - 0 - 3 - 0 - 0
Joseph Lesley 2 - 1 - 3 - 0 - 0
Asa Lovejoy 1 - 1 - 5 - 0 - 0
Ephraim Lund 1 - 2 - 4 - 0 - 0
Abigail Lea. 1 - 0 - 3 - 0 - 0
Danl Merrill 2 - 1 - 2 - 0 - 0
Jacob Moor 1 - 2 - 3 - 0 - 0
Zebulon May 1 - 2 - 3 - 0 - 0
Stearns Needham 2 - 2 - 3 - 0 - 0
Benja Nevins 1 - 2 - 3 - 0 - 0
Joseph Nevins 1 - 2 - 7 - 0 - 0
John Nutting 1 - 2 - 4 - 0 - 0
Solomon Peirce 3 - 3 - 4 - 0 - 0
Syas Prockter 1 - 3 - 4 - 0 - 0
Moses Prockter 2 - 2 - 2 - 0 - 0
Joseph Pike 1 - 2 - 5 - 0 - 0
Josiah Parker 4 - 1 - 2 - 0 - 0
Eleazar Parker 3 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0
Thomas Patch 2 - 3 - 5 - 0 - 0
Thomas Powers 1 - 1 - 3 - 0 - 0
Benja W. Parker 1 - 1 - 1 - 0 - 0
Jona Parker 1 - 1 - 1 - 0 - 0
William Read 2 - 3 - 4 - 0 - 0
Joshua Read 1 - 2 - 4 - 0 - 0
Benja Rogers 1 - 2 - 1 - 0 - 0
William Read Jr. 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0
Saml Smith 1 - 2 - 3 - 0 - 0
Jona Spaulding 3 - 3 - 5 - 0 - 0
Silas Spaulding 1 - 2 - 5 - 0 - 0
John Shed 1 - 1 - 4 - 0 - 0
William Tinney 3 - 3 - 5 - 0 - 0
Noah Wright 2 - 3 - 1 - 0 - 0
David Waltingsford 2 - 4 - 6 - 0 - 0
Ebenr Wheeler 2 - 1 - 2 - 0 - 0
Thada Wheeler 2 - 5 - 2 - 0 - 0
Benja Wright 1 - 2 - 5 - 0 - 0
Joseph Woodbury 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0
Leonard Whiting 2 - 1 - 5 - 0 - 0
Oliver Willoughby 1 - 2 - 1 - 0 - 0
Saml W. Youngman 1 - 2 - 1 - 0 - 0
Saml Abbot 1 - 0 - 2 - 0 - 0
Busby Ames 1 - 5 - 4 - 0 - 0
George Abbot 1 - 1 - 2 - 0 - 0
John Ames 2 - 3 - 5 - 0 - 0
Moses Boynton 2 - 0 - 5 - 0 - 0
Ephraim Burge 1 - 2 - 3 - 0 - 0
Solomon Blood 3 - 4 - 6 - 0 - 0
Josiah Blood 2 - 3 - 4 - 0 - 0
Elnathan Blood 3 - 1 - 6 - 0 - 0
Ebenr Ball 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0
Ebenr Ball Jr. 2 - 3 - 4 - 0 - 0
William Ball 1 - 2 - 1 - 0 - 0
John Ball 1 - 2 - 4 - 0 - 0
David Brown 2 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0
William Brown 1 - 1 - 2 - 0 - 0
William Brown Jr. 2 - 1 - 1 - 0 - 0
Eliphalet Brown 1 - 5 - 1 - 0 - 0
Jacob Blood 1 - 0 - 5 - 0 - 0
Abel Brown 1 - 2 - 3 - 0 - 0
Joshua Boynton 2 - 3 - 1 - 0 - 0
Benja Boynton 1 - 1 - 5 - 0 - 0
Thomas Bradley 1 - 3 - 4 - 0 - 0
Abel Blood 1 - 1 - 3 - 0 - 0
Danl Blood 2 - 5 - 4 - 0 - 0
Josiah Conant 2 - 3 - 1 - 0 - 0
Abel Conant 1 - 2 - 3 - 0 - 0
Saml Connery 1 - 2 - 4 - 0 - 0
Timothy Cook 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0
Stephen Connery 1 - 1 - 4 - 0 - 0
Saml Craft 1 - 2 - 2 - 0 - 0
Phineas Douglas 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0
Joshua Davis 1 - 4 - 3 - 0 - 0
Reuben Dow 3 - 0 - 2 - 0 - 0
Ralph Emerson 2 - 0 - 4 - 0 - 0
Danl Emerson 1 - 3 - 3 - 0 - 0
Caleb Farley 3 - 1 - 3 - 0 - 0
Caleb Farley Jr. 1 - 6 - 2 - 0 - 0
Timothy French 2 - 0 - 2 - 0 - 0
Isaac French 2 - 2 - 5 - 0 - 0
John Ghoss 1 - 4 - 5 - 0 - 0
John Goodhue 1 - 1 - 5 - 0 - 0
Sarah Goodhue 1 - 1 - 1 - 0 - 0
Ephraim How 1 - 3 - 3 - 0 - 0
David Holden 1 - 2 - 2 - 0 - 0
Jona Hobbard 1 - 0 - 6 - 0 - 0
Joseph Haskell 1 - 3 - 2 - 0 - 0
Nehemiah Hardy 2 - 3 - 2 - 0 - 0
Isaac Hardy 1 - 1 - 1 - 0 - 0
Fifield Holt 1 - 0 - 2 - 0 - 0
Fifield Holt Jr. 2 - 1 - 4 - 0 - 0
Nathl Jewett 2 - 1 - 2 - 0 - 0
Stephen Jewett 2 - 0 - 3 - 0 - 0
Stephen Jewett Jr. 1 - 1 - 5 - 0 - 0
Saml Jewett 1 - 0 - 2 - 0 - 0
James Jewett 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0
Jacob Jewett 2 - 2 - 6 - 0 - 0
Jacob Jewett Jr. 1 - 2 - 3 - 0 - 0
Saml Johnson 1 - 1 - 5 - 0 - 0
Thomas Jaquith 1 - 4 - 3 - 0 - 0
Israel Kenny 2 - 2 - 7 - 0 - 0
Danl Lovejoy 2 - 1 - 4 - 0 - 0
Danl Moor 1 - 3 - 3 - 0 - 0
Nathn Phelps 1 - 2 - 4 - 0 - 0
John Phelps 1 - 3 - 5 - 0 - 0
William Pool 2 - 0 - 3 - 0 - 0
Richard Peirce 3 - 2 - 4 - 0 - 0
Samson Powers 1 - 4 - 5 - 0 - 0
Francis Powers 2 - 2 - 4 - 0 - 0
Saml Runnels 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0
James Rideout 2 - 1 - 6 - 0 - 0
James Rideout Jr. 1 - 1 - 2 - 0 - 0
Nathl Rideout 1 - 3 - 3 - 0 - 0
Nehemiah Ranger 2 - 3 - 2 - 0 - 0
Zachh Shattuck 3 - 0 - 2 - 0 - 0
Zachh Shattuck Jr. 1 - 4 - 5 - 0 - 0
Joseph Stearns 1 - 3 - 3 - 0 - 0
Edward Spaulding 1 - 0 - 2 - 0 - 0
Jacob Spaulding 1 - 0 - 2 - 0 - 0
Abel Shipley 2 -4 - 5 - 0 - 0
Emerson Smith 3 - 2 - 5 - 0 - 0
John Smith 1 - 2 - 4 - 0 - 0
Benjamin Sanders 2 - 4 - 3 - 0 - 0
Jona Sanders 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0
Nathl Shattuck 1 - 2 - 3 - 0 - 0
John Senter 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0
Edward Taylor 2 - 0 - 3 - 0 - 0
Asahel Twist 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0
Moses Thurston 1 - 1 - 2 - 0 - 0
Jesse Wyman 2 - 1 - 2 - 0 - 0
Saml Willoughby 1 - 4 - 6 - 0 - 0
Noah Worcester 3 - 3 - 5 - 0 - 0
Nehemiah Woods 2 - 0 - 3 - 0 - 0
Jonas Woods 1 - 1 - 4 - 0 - 0
Lemuel Wright 1 - 5 - 2 - 0 - 0
Uriah Wright 2 - 3 - 3 - 0 - 0
Saml Wright 1 - 3 - 5 - 0 - 0
Joseph Wheat 2 - 1 - 8 - 0 - 0
William Wood 1 - 3 - 5 - 0 - 0
Solomon Wheat 3 - 2 - 3 - 0 - 0
Elisha Wright 1 - 0 - 3 - 0 - 0
Thomas Wheat 2 - 0 - 3 - 0 - 0
Josiah Wheat 1 - 0 - 2 - 0 - 0
John Willoughby 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0
James Willoughby 2 - 0 - 2 - 0 - 0
Jonas Willoughby 1 - 1 - 2 - 0 - 0
Benja Warren 1 - 1 - 2 - 0 - 0
Nicholas Youngman 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0
Jabez Youngman 1 - 2 - 1 - 0 - 0
Stephen Runnils 1 - 1 - 5 - 0 - 0
Benja Parker 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0
Joseph Heywood 1 - 0 - 2 - 0 - 0
Benja Farley 1 - 1 - 2 - 0 - 0
Saml French 1 - 0 - 2 - 0 - 0
Isaac B. French 1 - 2 - 4 - 0 - 0
Sarah Hunt 1 - 1 - 5 - 0 - 0
Unice Mosher 1 - 1 - 5 - 0 - 0
Priscilla Blood 1 - 0 - 2 - 0 - 0
Abner Bills 1 - 3 - 2 - 0 - 0
David Woods 1 - 3 - 4 - 0 - 0
Joseph Estherbroods 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0
Danl Merril Jr. 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0
Saml Leeman 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0
Mary Stedman 0 - 0 - 3 - 0 - 0
Wm. Walsted Pool 2 - 2 - 4 - 0 - 0
Timothy Sawyer 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0
David Emerson 1 - 1 - 2 - 0 - 0
Mary French 1 - 2 - 4 - 0 - 0
Timothy Bailey 1 - 2 - 3 - 0 - 0
John Stearns 1 - 2 - 3 - 0 - 0
Thomas Kemp 1 - 2 - 3 - 0 - 0
Saml Parker 2 - 1 - 1 - 0 - 0
Martha Conrick 0 - 1 - 2 - 0 - 0
Jona Hale 1 - 1 - 1 - 0 - 0
Richard Stevens 1 - 3 - 3 - 0 - 0
Christopr Lovejoy 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0
Cotton Prockter 1 - 0 - 1 - 0 – 0
Contributed 1998 Jul by Ann Mensch, transcribed from 1790 U.S. Census Population Schedules. National Archives micro copy 637, Roll no. 5.
ABBOT, CAPT. BENJAMIN was from Andover, Mass. His name was on the Hollis Tax Lists in 1750.
In 1755 he was Lieutenant in Capt. Power's company, Col. Blanchard's regiment,
in the expedition to Crown Point, and was again in the army in 1757. He was
selectman in 1752, '53 and '54. His son Benjamin was a soldier in the
Revolution. Died January 5, 1776, aet. 46.
ADAMS, WILLIAM was in West
Dunstable in 1738, and signed the petition for the charter of West Dunstable.
Married Mary Spears, May 29, 1744. Was a town officer in 1746. His son William
was a soldier at Bunker Hill and Bennington. Died August 3, 1757, aet. 39.
AMES, ENSIGN STEPHEN came from Groton, Mass. Married Jane Robbins in Groton,
in 1731. Was in West Dunstable in 1739, selectman in 1747 and 1748, and was a
soldier in the French war in 1757. Representative to the New Hampshire General
Court, in 1775, '76 and '77. His sons, Jonathan and David were soldiers in the
Revolution.
BALL, EBENEZER came from Concord, Mass. His name was on the
Hollis Tax List in 1749, and he was a soldier in the French war in 1755, in the
company of Capt. Powers. His sons Ebenezer, Nathaniel, William and John were
soldiers in the Revolution.
BAILEY, DANIEL was from Marlborough, Mass.
Settled in the part of Hollis known as Monson, about the year 1754. Himself and
three of his sons, viz. Joel, Andrew and Daniel, Jun., were Revolutionary
soldiers. Died January 15, 1798, aet. 69.
BARTON, HENRY was in West
Dunstable in 1738 and signed the petition for the charter. Was Parish Assessor
in 1741 and Collector in 1743. Died April 20, 1760, aet. 54.
BLANCHARD,
BENJAMIN is supposed to have come from Dunstable, n. H. He was in West
Dunstable, in 1743, and signed the call to Rev. Mr. Emerson. Married Kezia
Hastings Dec. 31, 1744. Was tithing-man in 1747, and selectman in 1750 and 1754.
BLOOD, ELNATHAN supposed from Groton, Mass. His name is on the first tax
list for West Dunstable, in 1740. Married Elizabeth Boyton in Groton, in 1741.
He was a soldier in the French war in 1757, and selectman in 1773.
BLOOD,
JOSIAH was from Dracut, Mass. Was in West Dunstable in 1738 and signed the
petition for the charter; was a soldier in the Revolution as was also his son
Josiah, Jr., and is supposed to have died at Ticonderoga in September, 1776.
BLOOD, NATHANIEL supposed from Groton, Mass. He was in West Dunstable in
1738 and signed the petition for the charter, and was a soldier in the French
war in 1758. Five of his sons, viz., Nathaniel, Francis, Daniel, Timothy and
Nathan, were soldiers in the Revolution, the last named of whom was killed at
Bunker Hill.
BOYNTON, DEA. JOHN supposed from Newbury, Mass. Was in West
Dunstable in 1743; parish clerk in 1744. Married Ruth Jewett of Rowley in 1745.
Chosen deacon in 1755, and selectman in 1758, 1761, and 1762, etc. His sons John
and Jacob were soldiers in the Revolution, the last of whom was killed at Bunker
Hill. Died oct. 29, 1787, aet. 67.
BOYNTON, JR., JOHN supposed also from
Newbury. He was in West Dunstable in 1745. married Lydia jewett of Rowley, in
May 1745. His sons, Isaac and Joel, were Revolutionary soldiers.
BOYNTON,
JOSHUA was in West Dunstable in 1745, and a town officer in 1747. Three of his
sons, viz., Joshua, Jun., Benjamin and Elias, were soldiers in the Revolution.
BROWN, ENSIGN, JOSIAH came from Salem, Mass., and was in West Dunstable in
1743, and a town officer in 1747 and 1748. He was an ensign in the French war in
1758. Removed to Plymouth, N. H., in 1764.
BROWN, JOHN was also from
Salem, and was in West Dunstable in 1743 and signed the call to Rev. Mr.
Emerson. Married Kezia Wheeler October 9, 1744. Died May 6, 1776.
BURGE,
EPHRAIM was from Chelmsford, Mass. Settled in Hollis about 1760. Was a soldier
in Capt. Emerson's company in 1777. His oldest son Ephraim B., Jun., was for
many years a deacon of the Hollis church, and his sons, Rev. Josiah B. and Dr.
Benjamin B., were graduates of Harvard College. (q. v.) Died July 21, 1784, aet.
46.
CONANT, JOSIAH was from Salem, Mass. Came to West Dunstable in 1744.
Married Catharine Emerson, February, 1745. His two sons, Josiah, Jun., and Abel,
were soldiers in the Revolution, and both deacons of the Hollis church. Died
December 14, 1756, aet. 44.
COLBURN, LIEUT. ROBERT came from Billerica,
mass., was in West Dunstable in 1738, and signed the petition for the charter.
He married Elizabeth Smith in 1747. Settled in the part of Hollis known as
Monson. His sons, Robert, Benjamin and Nathan, were Revolutionary soldiers. Died
July 9, 1783, aet. 66.
CUMINGS, ESQ., SAMUEL was born in Groton, Mass.,
march 6, 1709; married Prudence Lawrence of Groton, July 18, 1732. Was in West
Dunstable in 1739 and signed the second petition for the charter. He was the
first justice of the peace in Hollis and was chosen town clerk in twenty-two
years, between 1746 and 1770. He was sergeant in Capt. Power's company in the
French war in 1755. Two of his sons, Samuel and Thomas, were loyalists in the
Revolution, and Benjamin, his youngest son, was a Continental soldier. Died
January 18, 1772, aet. 62.
CUMINGS, JERAHMAEL was a brother of Samuel
Cumings, and born in Groton, October 10, 1711. Married Hannah Farwell in 1736;
was in West Dunstable in 1738, and signed the first petition for the charter. He
was the father of Rev. Henry Cumings, D. D., the first minister of Billerica,
and of Capt. Jotham Cumings, a soldier in the French war of 1755, and an officer
in the war of the Revolution. Died October 25, 1747, aet. 36.
CUMINGS,
DEA. WILLIAM is supposed to have come from Groton, and was in West Dunstable in
1744, and chosen Deacon of the Hollis church in 1745. He was ensign in the
French war in 1755, in the company of Capt. Powers, and all his three sons,
Ebenezer, William and Philip, were soldiers in the Revolution. Died September 9,
1758, aet. 46.
DANFORTH, JONATHAN came from Billerica, and was in West
Dunstable in 1743, and signed the call to Rev. Mr. Emerson. He was a grandson of
the noted Massachusetts surveyor of the same name, and was a town officer in
1746. Died March 3, 1747, aet. 33.
DINSMORE, THOMAS came from Bedford,
Mass., was in West Dunstable previous to 1736, and was the third settler, and
lived on the farm in Hollis now owned by John Coburn on the road to Pepperell.
Died December 10, 1748.
DRURY, ZEDEKIAH was also from Bedford, and by
trade a blacksmith; was in West Dunstable in 1743, and signed the call to Mr.
Emerson. About the year 1765 he removed to Temple, N. H.
FARLEY, LIEUT.
SAMUEL came from Bedford, Mass., was in West Dunstable in 1739, and was a
petitioner for the charter. Married Hannah Brown October 7, 1744. His son
Benjamin was a soldier in the Revolution. Died November 23, 1797, aet. 79.
FARLEY, LIEUT. BENJAMIN was also from Bedford. Was in West Dunstable in 1738
and a petitioner for the charter and was the first inn keeper in West Dunstable.
He lived first on the farm now owned by T. G. Worcester, about one-fourth of a
mile south of the meeting-house. He was parish assessor in 1740 and 7141, and
selectman in 1746. Three of his sons, Ebenezer, Christopher and Stephen, were
Revolutionary soldiers. Died November 23, 1797, in his 80th year.
FARLEY,
JOSEPH came from Billerica, and was in West Dunstable in 1743. Killed by the
fall of a tree, November 24, 1762, aet. 49.
FLAGG, ELEAZER came from
Concord, mass., and was the second settler in West Dunstable. He lived in the
south-west part of the town, and during the French war of 1744 his house was
fortified as a guard house. He was parish assessor in 1742. His son John was a
soldier in the French war, 1755, and his son Jonas in that of the Revolution.
Died August 14, 1757, aet. 53.
HARDY, PHINEAS came to Hollis from
Bradford, Mass. His name is first on the Hollis tax lists in 1752. He was a
soldier in the garrison at Portsmouth, N. H., in 1776, and his sons, Phineas,
Thomas, Noah and Jesse, were all soldiers in the army. Died March 7, 1813, aet.
86.
HARRIS, STEPHEN was from Littleton, Mass., and settled in what is
now the north part of Hollis about 1735. He was a petitioner for the charter of
West Dunstable in 1738, and first treasurer of West Dunstable in 1740. Died
September 20, 1775, aet. 75.
JEWETT, DEA. STEPHEN is supposed to have
come to Hollis from Rowley, Mass., in 1751, and married Hannah (Farwell)
Cumings, widow of Ensign Jerahmael Cumings, in 1752. He was chosen selectman in
1766, deacon of the Hollis church in 1770, and a delegate to the County Congress
at Amherst in 1774 and 1775. All of his three sons, Stephen, Jun., Noah and
Jonathan, were soldiers in the Revolution. Died May 23, 1803, aet. 75.
KEMP, ZERUBBABEL was born in Groton, Mass., October 12, 1705. Married Abigail
Lawrence, in Groton, November 23, 1737. Was in West Dunstable in 1743, and a
town officer in 1748.
MCDONALD, JAMES also came from Groton and was in
West Dunstable in 1739, and a signer of the second petition for the charter. He
was a town officer in 1748 and a soldier in 1777 in the company of Capt. Goss.
Died April 11, 1801, aet. 83.
NEVINS, WILLIAM came from Newton, Mass.,
and his name appears in the first tax list in West Dunstable in 1740. He was
selectman in 1771 and 1772, and moderator in 1773 and 1774. Five of his sons,
viz., William, Joseph, Benjamin, john and phineas, were Revolutionary soldiers.
Died February 15, 1785, aet. 67.
NEVINS, DAVID was from Bedford, Mass.,
and was in West Dunstable in 1738 and signed the first petition for the charter.
He was parish collector in 1741. Removed from Hollis to Plymouth among the first
settlers of Plymouth.
NOYES, DEA. ENOCH came from Newbury, Mass. His name
first appears on the Hollis tax lists in 1747. He was selectman in 1751, and
chosen deacon in 1755. His two sons, Enoch and Elijah, were soldiers in the
Revolution. Died September 1796, aet. 80.
PATCH, DEA. THOMAS was from
Groton. Married Anna Gilson in 1741, in Groton. He was in West Dunstable in
1743, and was chosen deacon in 1745. His sons, Thomas and David, were soldiers
in the Revolution. Died may 1, 1754, aet. 40.
POOL, WILLIAM was from
Reading, Mass. Married Hannah Nichols, at Reading, june 19, 1751, and came to
hollis during the French war of 1754, his name being first found on the Hollis
tax lists in 1758. He was selectman in 1771. Died in Hollis, October 17, 1795,
age 70. His oldest son, William W., was a soldier in the Revolution in 1775, and
again in 1778. James, the second son, settled in Maine, and became a successful
merchant. His youngest son, hon. Benjamin pool, born January 17, 1771, settled
in Hollis, and was many times chosen to important town offices. He was justice
of the peace from 1810 to 1822, and justice of the peace and quorum from 1822
till his decease. He was also representative to the New Hampshire General Court
from 1804 to 1809, and State senator in the years 1818, '19, '20 and '21. Beside
these three sons, Mr. Pool had eleven daughters, ten of whom lived to adult age,
and were all married, and most of them became the mothers of large families. He
died April 20, 1836, aet. 65.
POWERS, CAPT. PETER was the first settler
in Hollis. Was born in Littleton, Mass., and married Anna Keyes of Chelmsford in
1728. Settled in West Dunstable in 1730. He was parish committee in 1740 and
held many other important parish and town offices. He was the first Captain of
the West Dunstable militia, the commander of an expedition to explore the Coos
country in 1754, and captain of the Hollis company in the expedition to Crown
point in 1755. Stephen, Whitcomb and Levi, three of his sons, were soldiers in
the French war in the same company; and four of them, viz., Stephen, Francis,
Nahum and Samson were soldiers in the Revolution. Died August 22, 1757, aet. 56.
PROCTOR, MOSES came from Chelmsford, Mass. Was in West Dunstable in 1738,
and signed the first petition for the charter. He settled in the west part of
the town on Proctor hill, which was named for him. His name is found on the
first West Dunstable tax list in 1740, and he was selectman in 1749. The life of
Mr. Proctor is said to have been shortened by the bite of a rattlesnake, and he
afterwards waged so successful a war of extermination against those reptiles
that no rattlesnakes have been known in Hollis since his death. Died May 21,
1780, aet. 73.
TAYLOR, ABRAHAM was born in Concord, Mass., and came to
West Dunstable previously to 1738, and was agent of the inhabitants with Capt.
Powers in obtaining the charter. in 1740 he gave the land for the Hollis
meeting-house, burial ground and common. He was parish assessor in 1740, '41,
'42 and '43. Died June, 1743, aet. 36.
TENNY, WILLIAM came to Hollis from
Rowley, Mass. His name appears first on the Hollis tax lists in 1747. He was
selectman in 1769 and 1770. His son, Capt. William Tenny, was a soldier in the
Revolution. Died March 22, 1783, aet. 61.
WHEELER, PETER is said to have
come from Salem, Mass., and settled in the part of Hollis known as Monson. He
was a petitioner for the charter of West Dunstable in 1738, and his name was on
the first West Dunstable tax list in 1740. He is said to have been noted in his
day for his exploits and success in hunting, especially of bears. He was a
soldier in the French war in 1755, and his sons, Ebenezer and Lebbeus, were
soldiers in the Revolution. Died March 28, 1772, aet. 67.
WILLOUGHBY,
JOHN came from Billerica. He was in West Dunstable in 1745 and was a soldier in
the French war, in the years 1755, 1757, and 1758. His son, John W., Jun., was a
captain in the war of the Revolution in the regiment of Col. Webster. Died
February 2, 1793, aet. 85.
WORCESTER, REV. FRANCIS was born in Bradford,
Mass., June 7, 1698. Married Abigail Carleton, of Rowley, in 1720. Was settled
as a Congregational minister in Sandwich, Mass., for ten years before coming to
Hollis. Removed to Hollis in 1750. Afterwards preached as an evangelist in New
Hampshire, but was nto again settled in the ministry. He was the author of a
small volume of "Meditations" in verse, written in his sixtieth year. Also of
several moral and religious essays reprinted in 1760, entitled "A Bridle for
Sinners and a Spur for Saints.' His oldest son was Dea. Francis Worcester. His
second son, Jesse, was a soldier in the French war, was taken prisoner, and died
at Montreal, in 1757. His youngest son was Capt. Noah Worcester. Died October
14, 1783, aet. 85.
WORCESTER, DEA. FRANCIS was the oldest son of Rev.
Francis Worcester. Born at Bradford, March 30, 1721. Married Hannah Boynton, of
Newbury, Mass., October 28, 1741. Came to West Dunstable in 1744. Was chosen
deacon of the Hollis church in 1746. He was selectman in Hollis six years,
moderator of the annual town meeting eleven years, and town treasurer twenty
years, between 1746 and 1768. In 1768 he removed to Plymouth, N. H., and was
deacon of the church at Plymouth; representative to New Hampshire General Court
in 1777 and 1778, and State councillor in 1780, 1781 and 1783. Died October 19,
1800, aet. 79.
WRIGHT, CAPT. JOSHUA came from Woburn, Mass., was in West
Dunstable in 1739, and signed the second petition for the charter. He was
selectman in 1749 and 1769. A soldier in the French war in 1760, and Captain of
the Hollis militia company, in 1775, and previously. His sons, Lemuel and Uriah,
were soldiers in the Revolution. Died August 5, 1776, aet. 60.
Transcribed 01 Jul 1998 by Ann Mensch extracted from History of the Town of Hollis, New Hampshire From Its First Settlement to the Year 1879 with many Biographical Sketches of It's Early Settlers, Their Descendants, & Other Residents by Samuel T. Worcester, Boston: A. Williams & Co. 1879.
My ancestor, Thomas Dinsmore, born 1704 & died Dec. 10, 1748, was among the
first to settle in Hollis, coming from Bedford, Mass., and arriving about 1733
with his wife, Hannah (nee Whitaker), born 1706 & died July 23, 1767, &
children. The year after Thomas died, Hannah was given a land grant for 2 lots
in New Hampshire when the boundaries between MA & NH were redrawn in 1749.
Thomas Dinsmore and his wife, Hannah, are buried next to each other in the Old
Churchyard Cemetery in Hollis, NH. Their son, Abraham, married Lydia (nee
Johnson), and some of their children were born in Hollis before they relocated
to Temple, NH, about 1764. I am descended from the union of Abraham & Lydia,
thru their son Zebadiah Dinsmore who was born in Hollis. – Ann Mensch – Ann Mensch
[Note: This paragraph is not a direct quote. It was constructed from various
notations posted throughout an earlier version of this website.]
Dinsmore. K. S. C. "Boston Transcript".
(7 Apr 1920). no. 7764. [Microfiche 929.05 CS42: Card 3: Mar 10-Apr 21]
Dinsmore. K. S. C., Oct. 27, 1919. "There seems to be evidence that Hannah wife
of Thomas Dinsmore of Bedford, Mass., and Hollis, N. H., was a daughter of John
Whitaker of Stow and his wife, Hannah (Ball) of Concord, married Dec. 12, 1705.
John Whitaker died testate, May 7, 1746, and his will, dated Dec. 20, 1745,
proved June 16, 1746, provides for three daughters, Mary "Steward," Lydia
Taylor, and Hannah "Densmore," besides an only son, John Whitaker, Jr. David
Whitaker was a witness. The birth of John, Jr. is recorded at Stow, May 26,
1713, but those of his three sisters do not appear.
Lydia Whitaker
married Abraham Taylor of Dunstable, Jan 21, 1730-1, and settled in Hollis,
where she died Sept. 23, 1795, aged 83. Hannah was probably the eldest child and
named for her mother; I find no record of the marriage to Thomas Dinsmore. The
daughter Mary Stewart's legacy was in the charge of Deliverance Wheeler of Stow
as trustee, and his account shows she had a child born within two years of her
father's death. Can anyone supply the name of her husband?" G. S. S."
Chandler, Charles Henry. History of New Ipswich, NH 1735-1914.
Fitchberg:Sentinel Printing Co. 1914.
The Masonian Charter, Province of
New Hampshire "Pursuant to the Power & Authority Granted & Vested in me by the
Proprietors of Lands purchased of John Tufton Mason Espr in the Province of New
Hampshire aforesaid by their Vote the 16th of June 1749, passed at their Meeting
held at Portsmouth in said Povince-- I do by these Presents give & grant unto
... all of a place called New Ipswich, Hannah Dinsmore, Peter Powers, Daniel
Emerson, David Nevens, all of Holles, ... & all in the Province of New
Hampshire, ... To them, their Heirs & Assigns, on the Terms Conditions,
Reservations & Limitations, & in the Respective Proportions, hereafter
expressed, all the Right, Title, Interest, & Property of the Grantors aforesaid,
of in & to that Tract of Land, or Township lying in the Province of New
Hampshire aforesaid and the Province of the Massachusetts Bay at the Southwest
Corner of the Township call'd No. 1, from thence North 80 degrees West 6 miles
to the SE corner of the Twp. called South Manadnock ..." Hannah Dinsmore: 2
Lots.
Gravestones photographed & recorded by Ann Mensch in July 1997.
BELL-SHATTUCK
James BELL married Elizabeth SHATTUCK in 1793 in Hollis, NH.
In 1797 they purchased land in Dunstable/Nashua and were there approximately 25
years. They had the following children: Elizabeth, James, Leonard, John, Sally,
Hannah, Hiram, Mary Catherine and George L. If anyone has any information on
this family please contact me. James was my fourth great grandfather and I
cannot figure out where he came from. Thank you so much. Annie Tanyeri, e-mail:
atanyeri@hotmail.com
FARLEY, JEWELL
I am looking for information about
the family of Thomas and Polly (JEWELL) FARLEY. Thomas was a son of Caleb and
Elizabeth FARLEY, and was born in Hollis, NH on Dec. 28, 1769. Thomas married
Polly JEWELL in Hollis on Dec. 16, 1794. Polly was born on Nov. 26, 1768 in
Dunstable to Benoni and Dorcas JEWELL. I would greatly appreciate hearing from
anyone who may be researching, or have any information about this family. Thanks
for sharing. Art Burch – Ohio aburch@isoc.net
JEWELL, HOBART, HALE
According to info in "History of Hollis New Hampshire 1730-1879": James JEWELL
of Dunstable and Sally HOBART of Hollis were married on 1801 May 31. Also,
Eleazer HALE of Dunstable and Sally JEWELL of Hollis were married on 1805 Sept.
16. Is anyone else researching these surnames? I'm researching our JEWELL
ancestry, and wish to correspond with anyone else regarding the above. Thanks
for any info. Art Burch aburch@isoc.net
FARLEY, GOULD families in Hollis.
Looking for info on Susanna Farley, aka Susan, born in Hollis, married Ambrose
Gould, Feb 17, 1802. He was born April 8, 1772 in New Ipswich, NH, d 1840. Their
daughter Susan Elizabeth Gould, was born in Hollis Nov 25, 1811, married Nathan
Kendall 1849. Thanks – Richard Merrill Scribner at rmscribner@aol.com.
AMES, FREEMAN, PARISH
AMES, Stephen (Ens.). I am a descendant of Stephen
Ames. One of his descendants, during the war of 1812, did not want to fight the
Indians and left to live amongst them. He later renamed himself "Freeman."
Looking for the "missing" link. If anyone can help, please let me know. I traced
the line backwards to Amos Freeman who married Dorcas Parish. He was from CT,
she from NY. Other family surnames are Pool, Davis, Brody. Thanks - Irene
Weimann Ireneftw@aol.com
KEMP, RANGER, RIDEOUT
Actively researching
all three families in Hollis and surrounding area during 1700's. Will gladly
share information. Thanks, Bob Young - Danbury, CT KempAssn@worldnet.att.net
STEARNS, CLARKE
Looking for identity of Daniel Stearns, aged 71 in 1833,
(b. c. 1762) at Hollis, NH. While living at Rockingham, Vt., he enlisted as a
Revolutionary War soldier (a fifer) in March, 1780, served at Royalton & Bethel,
VT, was discharged at Bethel after 9 mo. Re-enlisted Mar. 1781 for 9 mo & was
discharged at Pittsford Fort, was taken POW Jan 1782 at Chimney Pt., Lake
Champlain, while on reconnaissance. Lived after war at Arlington, Vt. & from
about 1803 at Burlington. Was he the Daniel who m. 1776 at Claremont, NH,
Jerusha, d/o Joseph Clarke, (Clarkes believed to have come from Saybrook, CT)?
This Daniel m2 at Claremont in 1820 to Lois, d/o Hezekiah Rice. Reply to: Bill
Tufts dg052@freenet.carleton.ca
STILES/TOWNSEND (posted 5 Jan 1999.)
Caleb STILES b. 1737, Middleton, MA, m. 7 Feb. 1760, Hollis, NH, Mary/Elizabeth
TOWNSEND. When & where was Mary/Elizabeth born? Was she the daughter of
Nathaniel TOWNSEND, a resident of Hollis by 1755? Caleb STILES owned land
abutting that of Nathaniel TOWNSEND in 1763. I invite e-mail from anyone with
connections to either of these lines. Thank you, Sigrid Stiles Sigstiles@aol.com
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