Marden's Corner

Marden's Corner was the crossroad through Epsom for nearly one hundred and fifty years, part of the old Gilmanton Road and the First New Hampshire Turnpike. What is now Route 28 was often referred to as the road from Pittsfield to Pembroke, with the southern portion in deeds called Long Falls Road and River Road. The intersection was replaced by the Epsom Traffic Circle which is located just east of Marden's Corner. Route 4 replaced the old Canterbury Road. This book uses the county maps of 1858 and 1892 to identify the various families that lived on the roads leading to Marden's Corner.

There were three branches of Marden's that settled in the area. The family and descendants of William Marden and wife Mary (Norris) of Portsmouth, who came to Epsom after 1790, located mostly on Route 28 north. The family of Joseph Marden and his wife Mary (Rand) of Rye, settled near Route 4 west; and descendants of Nathan Marden, who was one of the original proprietors on Center Hill, lived primarily of Route 28 south. Another prominent family in the area was that of Nathan Bickford, a son of Thomas and Olive Bickford of Gossville.

The Saturley farm

Benjamin Lake - Stephen B. Batchelder

This farm was south of the current Granny Howe Road covering the area of Cross Road (in deeds as the Saturley Road) to Route 4.

The Saturley family traces back to Jacob Saturley of Hampton Falls and his wife Sarah Sanborn. The couple's children are found in the town's vital records: Joseph P. born 1766, married first in 1791, married Mary Lamprey, and second at Chichester, Mehitable Leavitt; Lucy, born 1769, married at Chichester in 1797, Nathan Marden, resided at Chichester; Susannah, born 1770, married at Epsom in 1798, Osgood Perkins; Sally, married in 1792, Moses Seavey, resided Chichester; Jacob, born 1775, died unmarried in 1798. Jacob died in 1776 at Pittsfield, and his wife Sarah married second in 1781 at Hampton, James Mann of Seabrook, resided Epsom, where he died in 1789.

James Mann and Sarah moved to Epsom living on lot 122 in the fourth range. No deed exists showing the property being purchased, but a description of the lot appears in his probate papers (Rockingham County 5463) when his widow is given her thirds: Land beginning at a stake and stones at the easterly end of the lot #122 in the fourth range of lots in Epsom, thence running north to the northerly line, thence running north west to Chichester line, thence on Chichester line to a stake and stones, thence running to the first mentioned bounds with a 2 rod road running through said thirds where the path now goes as far as the house and barn, also a garden spot beginning at the northwest corner of the house, thence running on the line to the reserve above mentioned, the said privilege is to accommodate the other two thirds of the house and land for the widow's thirds of the buildings to have the southeasterly room of the house, also a privilege to the kitchen, fire place and flue oven, also the privilege of the chamber over the above mentioned room, likewise a privilege in the kitchen to the chamber stairs and cellar stairs with one third part of the cellar, also ten feet of the east end of the barn and privilege of the barn floor. Sarah settled her husband's estate and sold her portion, along with the rest of the property, to her eldest son from her first marriage, Joseph Saturley, in 1790, who is given in the deed as already 'of Epsom.' He moved to Epsom with his wife Mary Lamprey, who he married at Hampton in 1791. There is a possibility he had a daughter Lucy, but nothing is known of her, they did have a son in 1793, John Lamprey Saturley. Mary died in 1796 and Joseph P. married second at Chichester in 1798, Mehitable Leavitt, daughter of Edmund Rand and Mehitable (Edmunds) Leavitt.

Joseph and Mehitable made the farm their homestead, paying for about 110 acres of land and buildings through 1824. The following year the taxes on the land and buildings are split between Joseph and his son John L. Saturley. John Lamprey Saturley married at Chichester in 1815, Mehitable Hook, daughter of Thomas and Mary (Leavitt) Hook of Chichester. The couple had children: Joseph P., born about 1816, Mary J. Bartlett, daughter of Joseph Chase and Abbie (Batchelder) Bartlett of Center Harbor and Epsom; Mary L., born 1816, married in 1834, Benjamin Lake of Chichester, son of Robert and Hannah (Blake) Lake; and Sarah Elizabeth, born about 1820 and married at Chichester in 1844, Stephen B. Bartlett, brother to Mary J. who had married Joseph P. Saturley. John Lamprey Saturley died in 1849, and his wife Mehitable sometime after 1870.

By 1847 the Saturley land was taxed to Joseph Saturley and Benjamin Lake. In 1848 John L. sold his portion of the farm of several tracks to John Lake of Chichester, who the same day transferred the property to Joseph P. (seen also as Joseph T.), the son of John Lamprey Saturley who moved to Chichester. The deed included the ell part of the dwelling house on said premises, the westerly or old barn and the sheds adjoining the same excepting the south easterly joint thereof, also the hog house north of the dwelling house and the wood shed standing in front or easterly of the dwelling house. The tax information for 1850 and 1851 show the property being divided between Benjamin Lake and Stephen Bartlett who had married the Saturley daughters of John L. Saturley, with no Saturley's being taxed. Joseph and his wife Mary sold 75 acres, including all the crops on the same together with one half of the buildings thereon what is called the new part thereof, to True Edmunds of Chichester, though the property in the tax records was still divided by Benjamin Lake and Stephen Bartlett and Edmunds is not mentioned.

Stephen and Sarah Bartlett deeded part of the homestead back to the widow Mehitable in 1855, described in part as reserving one undivided half of a part of said premises owned by Benjamin Lake, also reserving the part of the buildings owned by said Lake and the shoemaker shop owned by said Bartlett also a part of the orchard owned by said Benjamin Lake, meaning to convey all the buildings on said premises except the reserved above. The same day, Mehitable deeded land in Epsom bounded northerly by Canterbury road, easterly by the road leading from said Canterbury to the turnpike by the dwelling house of Benjamin Lake and westerly by Chichester line, reserving a certain part of said premises owned by Benjamin Lake, also one undivided half of the garden situated opposite the buildings on said premises on the easterly side of the road leading by said Lake's dwelling, back to Stephen Bartlett, releasing him from 'any liability he is under to me for my maintenance or support'.  The deed excepted the one undivided half owned by Benjamin Lake, the part of the buildings he owned, part of an orchard, and the shoemaker shop owned by Stephen. The transactions, according to the tax information, left Stephen B. Bartlett 19 acres with buildings, and Joseph Saturley 6 acres with buildings, and Benjamin Lake owning about 65 acres and buildings.

Joseph P. and Mary J. (Bartlett) Saturley had children: Abby J., born abt. 1849 and married at Epsom in 1868, Eliphalet Wiggin, son of James and Hannah (Howe) Wiggin; John Lester, born 1851 and married at Epsom in 1881, Annie L,. Stevens; and Angie Mary, born 1853, married at Chichester in 1872, Albert S. Cass, son of Levi and Elizabeth B. (Philbrick) Cass of Epsom. Their son deeded his parents land and buildings in Chichester for their use during their natural lives in 1871. Joseph P. died in 1872, his wife Mary in 1903.

Benjamin Lake and his wife Mary L. (Saturley) had children: Henry Gale, born1834, married Emma Cate at Pembroke in 1858; Louisa Jane, also seen as Jennie, married first at Manchester in 1858, Charles Robie, and second, John M. Bliss, she died in Boston in 1891; Sarah Maria, born 1843, married at Pembroke in 1868, John F. (or D.) Mason; Mary Etta, born 1845, married at Pittsfield in 1863, Franklin V. Osgood; Alonzo, born 1849, married Betsy Welch, resided Massachusetts; Ann Melissa (1) born and died 1852; and Annie Melissa (2), born 1855, married at Epsom in 1877, Burleigh Ayer Marden of Epsom, son of Samuel B. and Eleanor S.  (Young) Marden. Benjamin deeded all his Epsom and Chichester real estate to Rufus S. Marden and George W, Mason in 1891. His wife died in February of that year, and he died in 1893, and both are buried in a family cemetery on Granny Howe Road in Epsom.

From 1857 to 1888, Stephen B. Bartlett was taxed for 19 acres and his home on the Saturley lot. Stephen and his wife Sarah (Saturley) had children: John Frederick, born 1845, seen in 1850 census with the family, resided Rhode Island; Elbridge W., born 1849, seen in 1850 census with the family, moved to Washington State; Charles F., born 1850, perhaps married Ella Wilbur, moved to Rhode Island; George Washington, born 1852, married Sarah E. Bartlett of Northwood in 1876, resided Epsom; Sarah Jane, born 1853, married in 1873, Edwin F, Towle of Northwood; Lucy A., married in 1873, Henry H. Bean; Abba E,, born 1859, married in 1882, John F. Batchelder of Laconia; and Augustus Simeon, born 1862, married Antoinette Irons at Providence, Rhode Island, February 20, 1883. His wife died in 1880 and he married second in 1889, Sarah M. Stewart.

Sarah E. (Saturley) Bartlett died in 1880, her husband Stephen B. died in 1890.  His second wife, Sarah, deeded the homestead to his heirs, John F. Bartlett of Providence, RI; Elbridge Bartlett of Washington; Charles F. Bartlett of Lincoln, RI; George W. Bartlett of Northwood, NH; Sarah Towle of Northwood, NH; Lucy A Bean and Albin E. Batchelder of Concord, and Augustus S. Bartlett of Providence, RI.

David Howe family/James Wiggin

According to the Revolutionary pension file of David Howe, he was born 'in Ipswich aforesaid in said Massachusetts, where he lived until he enlisted in the said service of the U.S. and after he left said service he removed from said Ipswich to said Epsom in the State of New Hampshire where he has lived ever since.' By deed he was of Epsom when he bought land in lot 120, and the following year purchased land in lot 119. In 1784 at Northwood, he married Hannah Marden, daughter of Joseph and Abigail Marden of Epsom. In 1790 he had one son and possibly a daughter in his Epsom household, and bought additional land in 1794 and 1799, parts of lots 123 and 124. He bought land and buildings from Joseph Marden in 1797, five acres, but the lot number is unknown as is the deed of Marden's purchase from a David Watson. The property was the homestead of Joseph (his father-in-law), and in 1804, Howe sold 2 acres with buildings to Daniel Marden, in lot 119, the same 'which is expressed in a mortgage deed from this father Joseph Marden.' Tax records show David Howe in 1806 owned 147 acres, but not taxed for any buildings.

There are two known children of David and Hannah (Marden) Howe: Abigail, who married at Chichester in 1812, Moses Cheney, who resided near Thornton, NH; and Jacob, born 1787 at Ipswich, MA and married at Chichester in 1807, Eunice Lake, daughter of Thomas and Rebecca (Blake) Lake of Chichester.

Hannah (Marden) Howe died in 1803, and David married at Epping, NH, February 5, 1805, Sally Knowles. The date of marriage comes from her application of Revolutionary War benefits. She was still living in Epsom in 1850 when she had in her household a Charlotte Batchelder, age 40, and Kilburn Newton age 7.  John Colburn Newton was born about 1842 in Epsom, son of John and Sarah (How) Newton. No marriage record has been found for John and Sarah, though her death record gives her birth as Epsom, and father, David Howe. He age at death gives her year of birth as 1813. John Kilbrun Newton married at Pembroke in 1868, Susie Flanders. John and Sarah also had a son David (middle initial W. or H.) who married at Manchester in 1865, Addie J. Dutton. According to census records, there was also a daughter Mary A., born about 1841, of whom nothing more has been found. It is unknown whether Charlotte, born about 1810, was a possible daughter of David and Sally.

David Howe died in 1840, and the estate passed to son Jacob by will. By 1815, Jacob Howe is taxed for 91 acres with buildings, which grew by 1846 to 150 acres, and the heirs of David, taxed for buildings and no land. The 1840 US Census shows David and his wife Hannah with an unknown male, and Jacob with a large household of eight children. Whether and where David and Hannah were living remains unknown, but was probably somewhere north of the old Canterbury Road. It would appear that his homestead was bought by James Martin of Epsom and Norris Cochran of Pembroke, as in 1859, they sold to Moses Chamberlain of Chichester, part of the homestead farm of David Howe, deceased, land lying upon the northerly side of Canterbury road and bounded southerly by  by said Canterbury road, westerly and northerly by land of John S. Drake and easterly by land of Jonathan Marden containing 50 acres with the buildings thereon. The Chamberlain's sold 40 acres, reserving the buildings, to David H. Marden in 1868.

Jacob had a homestead on the south side of the turnpike (Route 4) on the Chichester town line. Jacob's first wife Eunice died in 1816, leaving his eife with four minor children: Hannah, born 1808, married at Candia, NH in 1835, James Wiggin, son of Nathaniel and Sally (Haynes) Wiggin of Epsom; Sally, born 1810. married in 1834, Jonathan Kendall, resided Lowell, MA; David, born about 1811, married a Sarah Locke, resided Lowell, MA and later Woodstock, CT; and Joseph S., born about 1813, married at Lowell, MA in 1837, Nancy Ayer, where the couple resided.

After the death of his first wife Eunice, Jacob married Martha Lake, daughter of Robert and Hannah (Blake) Lake, at Epsom in 1817. The couple had additional children: George W, born about 1818, married Mary Staniels of Chichester: Eunice Lake, born 1819, married Hazen K. Leavitt of Chichester where they resided; Benjamin, born about 1821, died possibly 1846 in Epsom, unmarried, though records also show a child of a Benjamin Howe died in 1860, which could be the Benjamin G. Howe from Hopkinton; Josiah Drake, born 1823, died Epsom in 1885, who was on the town poor farm in 1860; Crosby, born 1825, of whom nothing is known and perhaps died young; Andrew Jackson, born about 1827, died 1847, unmarried; John Rowell, born 1829, married at Chichester in 1854, Mehitable Kelley Haines, daughter of Malachi and Sally (Kelley) Haines of Chichester; Julia Ann, born abut 1831, married in 1851, Herbert T. Sanborn of Chichester, she died in 1851 and is buried in the small cemetery near the house; Jacob, born about 1833, perhaps died 1854, of whom nothing more is known; and Martha Ann, born about 1836, married at Dover in 1858, Andrew Pierce Card.

Jacob owned 150 acres of land in 1847, and the following year sold 75 acres, a part of the farm on which he was living, to his son Joseph S. and son-in-law Hazen K. Leavitt. In 1851 Edward Edmunds of Chichester deeded to Jacob all his interest to land 'on which the said Jacob Howe lives and resides together with the buildings thereon, land formerly owned by David Howe, bounded northerly by the turnpike road.' The connection of Edmunds to Howe is unknown. Joseph S. mortgages and deeds property to his brother David, both living at Lowell, MA.  David then makes a bond to his father: I David Howe shall faithfully provide Jacob Howe with good and sufficient meals, drinks, clothing and lodgings in the house the said Jacob now lives and occupies and render  aid and suitable care at all time in sickness and in health and when sick furnish necessary medicine and medical advice and assistance, also the said David shall let the said Jacob Howe have the use and occupancy of the east part room in said house for his sole use and a privilege to pass to the cellar, chamber or any other part  of the  house when necessary, also furnish him with wood suitably cut to keep his fires in said east room, also pay to the said Jacob three dollars in money if requested every three months to be for his use and benefit and agree to live peaceably and quietly with said Jacob to render his declining days as happy and comfortable as possible during the said Jacob's natural life, in consideration the said Jacob has deeded to the said David a parcel of land in Epsom by his deed May 8, 1851. David quitclaims the property back to his brother in 1852, and Joseph S. sells it to James Wiggin, husband of his sister Hannah, in 1854, 90 acres with buildings being 'all the land on the lot on which Jacob Howe now lives.'

James Wiggin and Hannah (Howe) had children: daughters Eunice and Elizabeth who died young; James, died 1860, Jacob H., died 1862; Hannah, who married a Leonard Evans; Eliphalet, born about 1848, married at Epsom in 1868, Abby J. Saturley, daughter of Joseph P. and Mary J. (Bartlett) Saturley; and Nathaniel, born 1850, married at Chichester in 1871, Mary Anna Hill.

James Wiggin died in 1860, and left the homestead to his son Eliphalet, usually referred to as Life Wiggin. Life and his wife Abby had one stillborn child, and he died in 1874 and was buried in a small cemetery near the house. His widow sold the property in 1879 to James Varney of Chichester, who in turn sold the lot in 1883 to Jeremy S. Sanborn of Chichester, 70 acres with buildings reserving the right of burial in the cemetery to Abbie, widow of Eliphalet, and Hannah, widow of James Wiggin. Jeremy S. sold the property in 1886 to his brother Augustus L. with the same burial reservations. Augustus L. Sanborn sold the property to Lillie M. Wells and Fred C. Davis of Epsom in 1913, and David became sole owner in 1936. Davis sold the property to Edward E. Bartlett of Epsom in 1943.

Hopkinson and Mason farm

In 1992 NH Department of transportation survey, the Mason house was 'built circa 1800, originally a 1 1/2 story cape, which was raised circa 1895 and a new first story built under it. It is now a vernacularly 2 1/2 story bay house oriented laterally to the highway. Particularly significant are the agricultural outbuildings associated with this house. These include an attached barn, carriage shed, chicken coop, blacksmith shop and slaughter house.' Joseph S. Howe appears to sell a portion of the Howe farm in 1850 to Mark Marden and William P. Silver. In 1851 William P. Silver appears to be living on the lot when he mortgages the property of 14 acres with buildings, and sells the property 'being the farm now occupied by us' in 1854, to David M. Knowles and John Griffin Jr., of Epsom under the firm of Griffin and Knowles, subject to two mortgages.

William Putney Silver was born in Dunbarton, NH and married Mary Jane Marden, daughter of Samuel and Betsey (Emerson) Marden of Epsom. Their family included: William Cosmos, born about 1841; Martha Ann, born about 1844; Asenath Clementina, born 1848; Ella Derexa, born about 1857; and Frank H., born about 1861. The family moved from Epsom to Concord.

About 1855 the family of John Hopkinson left their home on Black Hall Road for this new property. The deed does not appear to be recorded, but tax documents show the lot was of 14 acres with buildings. In 1858 the occupant appears as John F. Hopkinson, though it was his parents who resided on the farm. The family resided in Pittsfield in 1830 and were in Epsom by 1840.

John Hopkinson was of Deerfield, and married at Loudon in 1824, Hannah F. Ring of Deerfield, and the family included: John F., born 1825, married Delia C. Slides, date and location unknown; George C., born 1828, died unmarried at Concord in 1904; Joseph, born 1831, died at Epsom unmarried in 1865; Mary A., born at Pittsfield in 1832, married at Epsom in 1851, Jonathan Marden, son of Samuel and Betsey (Emerson) Marden; Abigail Sarah, born at Pittsfield in 1837, died unmarried at Concord in 1914; and Livermore Prescott, born 1845, married at Providence, RI in 1868, Elizabeth Briggs, where they resided and he died in 1901, his wife in 1918.

John Hopkinson died in February 1882, his wife Hannah the following March. The disposition of the property is a little uncertain. The relationship of the Hopkinson's remains a mystery, and in 1870 Marsh is listed as a servant in the Hopkinson household, and died in 1872. His heirs, daughter Mary and widow of their son Geogre, sold property to Sarah M. Mason in 1885. She is shown taxed by 1888 for buildings and 7 acres, half the size of the original lot.  George C. Hopkinson sold land and buildings to Morrill Bickford of Epsom in 1884, shown as the original 14 acres. Morrill Bickford sold his home on Route 28 south in 1887, and had moved to a smaller house in Gossville in 1883, so it is doubtful that he occupied the house. He sold the property to George W. Mason in 1895.

John F. Mason of Conway married Sarah Maria Lake at Pittsfield in 1868. She is found at a boarding house with her first son George Walter in 1870. John F. died in 1877 and his widow Sarah in 1880 is living next to John and Hannah Hopkinson with sons George Walter, Charles Freeman and Walter Mason. George Walter was born in1869 and married at Chichester in 1893, Minnie R. Bickford, daughter of Francis A. and Florence J. (Gray) Bickford; Charles Freeman was born in 1871 and married at Chichester in 1894, Mabel F. Jones of Pittsfield, and in 1903, Mary Bickford; and Walter, born 1875, died at Epsom in 1884. The lot eventually was reduced in size and deeded from Sarah M. Mason to son George W. in 1895. George and his wife Minnie had the following children: Harley Lendall, born 1893, died in 1899; Della May, born 1895; Gertrude May, born 1898, married at Northwood in 1914, Leslie E. Reynolds; Harris Samuel, born 1900, married at Grafton, NH in 1925, Viola K. Doe; Ruby Natalie, born 1903, married at Enfield, NH in 1921, Frank. B. Hatch; Clayton Frank, born 1905, married at Epsom in 1935, Esther Louise Waterhouse, daughter of Daniel C. and Mertie L. (Marden) Waterhouse of Epsom; Ethel Esther, born 1907, married at Chichester in 1926, John B. Dennis; Viola Maud, born 1910, married at Chichester in 1926, Wilfred E. Mack; Anjelour Florence, born 1912, married at Concord in 1932, Alvin Richard Davis; and Celia Cynthia, born 1918, married at Chichester in 1935, John Robert Brown, son of Robert Mason and Maude Augusta (Burnham) Brown of Epsom.

The homestead passed from George W. Mason to his son Clayton Frank Mason and stayed in the family until 1985.

Charles T. Marsh, John B. Dennis home

Joseph S. Howe sold off part of the Howe farm in 1850 through various deeds to Mark Marden and William Silver. A 14 acre portion was eventually owned by John Hopkinson by 1855, and prior to that, a small 3/4 acre lot was sold with buildings by Mark Marden on March 22nd, 1852. This property was sold by George W. Marden 2nd and his wife Esther J. to Charles T. Marsh in 1855, who is shown as the resident in the home on the county map of 1858.

Charles T. Marsh of Concord married at Epsom in 1854, Judith C. Bickford, daughter of Samuel B. and Abigail (Critchett) Bickford of Epsom. There are two known children: George, born in Epsom in 1857 and married at Chichester in 1882, Grace M. Watson; and Mary Ella (or Etta), born at Concord in 1861, died unmarried at Epsom in 1895.

The house and lot were described by the NH Department of Transportation as follows: A 1 1/2 story knee wall, side hall house oriented with its gable end to the highway. Attached to the house is a shed and small barn or shop. A small chicken coop is located to the north. This house sits on the 3/4 acre lot with which it has always been associated.

Marsh sold the lot and home to Rufus S. Marden in 1862, who according to the deed, was where Rufus was residing. A month later it was sold to Henry G. Lake, and sold back to Charles T. Marsh in 1868. Charles T. Marsh died in 1872, his wife Judith in 1878. Their son George died in 1884, and the following year his widow Grace and his sister Mary E. as heirs, sold the 3/4 acre land and buildings to Sarah M. Mason. By 1889 is was in the hands of Jonathan and Sarah E. Marden who sold the property in 1889 to Eliza W. Marden.

The 1892 county map gives the occupant as E. P. Winkley. He was the son of Ebenezer P. and Eliza (Whitcomb) Winkley. Ebenezer died in 1870, and his widow Eliza married at Pittsfield in 1882, Mark Marden of Epsom, as his fourth wife. Ebenezer P. and Eliza had children: George Washington, born 1846, married Nancy E. Baker at Epsom in 1866, daughter of William M. and Sally (Tripp) Baker of Epsom; Lizzie S., born about 1852, married at Concord in 1875, Lewis A. Guptill; Eben P., born at Concord in 1857, died unmarried in 1937; and William W., born about 1839 who died at age 5.

Eliza (Whitcomb) Winkley Marden sold the home to her daughter Lizzie Guptil of Berwick Maine in 1895, who in turn sold it a month later to Sarah M. Mason. The lot was likely inherited by her son George W. Mason, who in 1928, sold the property to his son-in-law John Beacher Dennis, who married in 1926 his daughter Ethel Esther Mason.

Jonathan Marden/Charles W. Davis

The NH Department of Transportation historic district survey suggests the smaller houses on the west side of Brimstone Hill were built in the 1850's. The third house on the north side of Route 4 heading east in 1858 is owned by a J. Marden.

Mark Marden owned the land and sold a small part with a house to Henry A. Marden in October of 1849. He was the son of Jonathan and Sally (Moulton) Marden, and married about 1850, Adsaline C. Lake of Chichester. The couple had children: Mary Ella, born 1853 and married at Concord in 1901, Charles H. Elliott; Alfred Lake, born 1859, died 1865; and Guy Carroll, born 1868, died unmarried at Concord in 1956.

Henry chose not to keep the house and sold it to Jonathan Marden 2nd of Epsom in May of 1850, son of Samuel and Betsey (Emerson) Marden. In 1879 he bought from his brother Mark an additional 5 acres, excluding a blacksmith shop on the property.

Jonathan Marden, born 1826, married at Epsom in 1851, Mary A. Hopkinson, daughter of John and Hannah F. Ring of Epsom, whose family included: Truman R., born 1852, died 1862; Frank W., born 1854 of whom nothing more is known; Delia T., born about 1861, died unmarried in 1929; and Mary F., born 1862, about whom nothing more is known. Jonathan married second in 1878, Nancy L. Goss, who died in 1887, and married third in 1888, Sarah E. Fields.

Jonathan and his third wife moved to Black Hall Road in 1888, and sold his home to his brother Joseph in January of that year,

Joseph was born in 1821, and married at Manchester, NH in 1845, Mary E. D. Rowell, and the family included: Alonzo D., born 1846, married at Epsom in 1871, Ann Fowler, daughter of Symonds and Lucinda (Holt) Fowler of Epsom; Melissa, born 1848, married Charles W. Sleeper;  Joseph W., born 1850, died unmarried in 1917; Betsey Annie, born 1852, married at Concord in 1870, Charles E. Robbins; Dora Agnes, born 1854, married at Epsom in 1878, Charles H. Prescott; Sarah Maria, born 1857, married at Concord in 1876, Henry William Hillson; Mary Eunice, born about 1861, married at Loudon in 1880, Henry A. Blaisdell; George B., born about 1865, died unmarried in 1891; and Charles M., born 1867, married first in 1889, Mabel Florence Clark, second about 1894, Cora M. Stearns, and third in 1919, Regina Roberge. The family was living in the area of Slab City in the 1860 US Census. Joseph died in 1890, his wife Mary in 1895.

After the death of Mary in 1895, the heirs, Joseph W. Marden of Epsom, Alonzo Marden and Julia Marden of Allenstown, Maria Hillson and Henry Hillson of Concord, Eunice Blaisdell and Henry Blaisell of Loudon, all in New Hampshire and Melissa R. Sleeper and Charles Sleeper, Dora A. Peabody and George Peabody all of Manchester, sold the property to their brother Charles M. Marden, who after a few days, on July 19, 1895, sold it to Rufus S. Marden. Marden only owned the property a couple months when he sold the land in September, to Charles W. Davis of Chichester. Davis and his wife Sarah F. Ordway's family included: Mertie J. (1),born 1881, died 1882; Charles H., born 1883; William E., born about 1884; Eva J., born 1886; Fred C., born 1888; Etta N. born 1891; Myrtie J. (2), born 1894; Olin Leroy, born 1896; Oscar W., born 1899; and Ida May, born 1901.

In 1936, the children of Charles W. and Sarah, deeded the homestead to their mother. Sarah died in 1942 and left the home to her daughter Myrtie J. Davis, who sold the home in 1962 to Clarence Van Slyke.

Aaron P. Marsh home

There were two homes on the south side of Brimstone Hill, the first to the west was the home of Aaron P. Marsh. Aaron married at Loudon, NH in 1834, Sarah Ann Marden, daughter of Samuel and Betsey (Emerson) Marden of Epsom. The couple lived in a home on the land of her parents, paying taxes on the home, but not the land, from 1847. He bought land from Mark Marden, brother of his wife, in 1852, part of lot 122, 3 3/4 acres, and began paying taxes on land and buildings that same year. Aaron and Sarah Ann had children: Cyrus Addison, born about 1836, died during the Civil War at Memphis, TN in 1864; Emeline, born 1838, married at Epsom in 1855, Elbridge A. Twombley; Joseph Warren, born 1841, married a Margery Stowe; Francena J., born 1844, married Daniel D. Hall; Sherman B., born 1845, died unmarried in 1870; George Frank, born 1847, married at Lowell, MA, Mary A. Jewett; Monroe, perhaps also known as Nathan, born 1850, died 1858; Hiram Orison, born 1852, married in 1874 at Concord, Helen Z. Gilfillan; David K., born 1854, married at Barnstead in 1872, Sadie M. Carr; and an unnamed female born and died in 1858.

Aaron P. Marsh moved his family to Barnstead and sold the Epsom home to George Washington Marden (by deed as George W. Marden 2nd), another brother to his wife, in November of 1862. About 1875, George W. Marden moved the house from its Route 4 location to Route 28 south. George H. Yeaton, as a part of his Epsom memoirs, relates: George W. Lane of Chichester, using several yoke of oxen in moving the house, moved the main house all intact. At the time George W. Lane moved the house the roads were all dirt roads, sandy in may places, so it was a long hard haul to the top of “Brimstone Hill”. It is said that when George W. Lane arrived on the morning agreed upon to move the house, he came from his home forgetting to bring the necessary chains and that George W. Marden was quite upset over this oversight of Mr. Lane. But chains were procured and the house was moved to its present location, where it has remained for nearly ninety years.

Joseph and Joseph Marden Jr.

Joseph Marden was an Epsom resident by the time of the 1790 census, but there are no records to prove exactly when he arrived. He was in town early enough to sell a small parcel of land to Samuel Tuck of Boston and Joseph Tuck of Epsom in 1793. He married an unknown Abigail as his first wife, and their children included: Abigail, born about 1758, married at Rye, NH in 1774, Samuel Rand, son of Samuel and Sarah (Dowst) Rand and resided in Epsom to about 1804; Sarah, born about 1759, married Moses Sanborn and resided in Vermont; Mary, born about 1761, married a David Marden; Hannah, born 1764, married at Northwood in 1784, David How, and resided in Epsom near her parents; Jane, born about 1765, married at Deerfield in 1781, Samuel Davis of Chichester; Hepsibah, born about 1767, married at Epsom in 1788, Josiah Drake of Chichester; and Joseph, born about 1769 who died young.

Joseph's wife Abigail died about 1769, and he married for his second wife, Mary Rand, widow of Samuel Hunt. Joseph and his second wife had for a family: Joseph, born 1774, married an unknown Sarah and resided with his father in Epsom; Samuel Hunt, born 1777, married, though the name of his wife remains unknown, and resided at Epsom; Jonathan, born 1780, married in 1808, Jane Hannah McCutcheon, daughter of Phedris and Ann (Brown) McCutcheon; Daniel, born 1782, married at Concord in 1804, Abigail Knowles, resided between Newburyport, MA and Epsom; and Timothy, born 1787 where he was baptized, and of which nothing more is known.

Joseph is not seen taxed for any property, but his son Joseph has 14 acres and a household in 1793. His father sold land in 1795 to Solomon Sutton, two parcels, one of one acre and one of a half acre, to be taken off the lot on which I now live. The property is in the vicinity of the Canterbury Road and the road that lead to Tripp's mill. Again, no deeds appear to record all of the transactions made by Joseph, who had obtained by 1799, 70 acres, with Joseph Jr. still owning land of 14 acres. Joseph Jr. sells his 14 acres to Samuel Hunt Marden in 1805, being part of lot 122. Joseph Marden does not appear by 1806 and probably died by that time. His son Joseph Jr. with 10 acres of land, last appears in the tax records of 1811, and had either died or moved away.

Joseph Jr. and his wife Sarah had children: Samuel, born about 1792, married  Betsey Emerson, daughter of Mark and Molly (Hutchings) Emerson of Epsom, resided Chichester and Epsom; Jonathan, born about 1796, married Mary Boyden and probably resided in Vermont; Jane, born 1799, married at Strafford, VT in 1822, Eliphalet Roberts, and is where the couple resided; Lydia, birth unknown, married a Benjamin Robinson, of which there is no further record; and Mary, born about 1806, married at Stafford, Vermont in 1823, Marvin Tucker, and removed to New York state.

Samuel and Mark Marden home

Epplesheimer

This house remains on the south side of Brimstone Hill, the last house before the top of the hill. The house was constructed about 1837 and moved back in the 1970's when Route 4 was widened. The house itself has seen renovations, and the extensive out buildings associated with the farm have all disappeared. The site was the homestead of Samuel and Betsey Marden and their son Mark Marden. Samuel and Betsey (Emerson) Marden lived in Chichester through the 1830 census, and are in Epsom by 1840. By 1846 Samuel is taxed for 20 acres and buildings valued at fifty dollars, and son Mark, 20 acres and buildings valued at one hundred dollars. The family of Samuel and Betsey included: Timothy Lyman, born 1811, married about 1835, Esther Cox, and moved to Holderness, NH; Sarah Ann, born 1815, married in 1834 at Loudon, Aaron P. Marsh and lived just west of her parents; Mark Marden, born 1818, married first at Concord in 1840, Ruth J. Silver (divorced), and second at Pittsfield in 1845, Sarah Jane Marden, daughter of Jonathan and Sally (Moulton) Marden, and married twice more; Mary Jane, born 1819, married William Putney Silver brother to Ruth J., lived in Epsom before moving to Concord; Joseph, born 1821, married at Manchester in 1845, Mary E.D. Rowell, resided across the street from his parents; Jonathan, born 1826, married at Epsom in 1851, Mary A. Hopkinson, daughter of John and Hannah F. (Ring) Hopkinson; and George Washington, born 1832, married about 1854, Esther J. Cox and resided in Epsom.

In 1854, Samuel deeded to his son Mark, his 20 acres being the homestead premises heretofore occupied by me with the buildings thereon. At this time Samuel goes to Vermont, leaving his wife and family behind. Several of his siblings had gone to Vermont, and while there he married as a second wife, an Amanda Rowell. He stayed in that state until his death in 1865. His first wife Betsey remained in Epsom where she began to be taxed for a home on 4 acres, next to her son Mark and his 20 acres and buildings worth three hundred and twenty five dollars. Betsey lived until 1874.

Mark Marden and his second wife Sarah Jane had children: Clifton L., born 1852, and died unmarried in 1871; Evelyn, also known as Eva, born 1856, married first Charles W. Marden, son of Jonathan Marden, with nothing more known of Charles W., she married second at Chichester in 1897, Frank S. Webster; and Charles E., born about 1861 and died in 1865. His wife Sarah Jane died in 1873, and Mark married third, Martha N. Dolloff, they divorced and she changed her name to Martha N. Robinson; and in 1882 at Pittsfield he married Eliza Whitcomb, widow of Eben P. Winkley. She died at Berwick, Maine in 1896. By will, daughter Evelyn A. (sole heir) received 200 dollars with the household furniture which belonged to her own mother, Sarah J. Marden at the time of her marriage to her father; also the right to part of the homestead, with his (4th) wife Eliza W. getting the rest and residue of the estate as long as she survived with daughter Evelyn (seen as Eva, married 2nd Frank S. Webster, who is seen in some records as S. Frank) inheriting after her death.

Frank S. (also seen as S. Frank) Webster and his wife moved to Barnstead and sold her father's family home to the C. S. Hall Lumber Company in 1905. Hall turned the property over in 1906 to Catherine A. Baker of Dorchester in 1906. Fred W. and Catherine A. Baker held the property about 4 years when it was sold to Roland S. Hall of Epsom in 1910. Hall sold the property to Edgar C. Annis of Raymond in 1913.

Annis continued to operate the farm, owning a chicken business at the site until 1931 when he relocated to Goboro Road, selling the farm to Frank O'Callaghan of Mt. Kisco, New York. O'Callaghan did not settle, and sold to a St. Denis in 1932, who sold the property back to Edgar Annis in 1934. In a series of owners, Annis sold in 1935 to George F. Howe, who lost the property to foreclosure in 1937, and the property was acquired in 1937 by Simeon Sharaf, and sold in 1940 to Henry O. Dahmen of Epsom. In 1953, the widow Edith M. Dahmen sold the property to Bruce K. and Ellen S. Eppelsheimer of Concord.

Marden District School

The minutes of the meetings for District No. 10, the Marden District, show they voted in September of 1851, to build a schoolhouse and wood shed and buy one acre of land of Moses W. Perkins near the milestone on the turnpike road, and the job was undertaken by Mark Marden. The location of this school was just west of the Epsom Traffic Circle, heading towards Concord.

The deed, dated December 30, 1851, was to Jonathan Marden on behalf of the school district No. 10 in Epsom, and was part of lot 123, with the provision that they occupy the land for a school house, and to revert to Moses W. Perkins should it cease to be used as a school. The school committee selected Mark Marden in the fall of 1851 to build the school house and wood shed at the cost of two hundred and twenty dollars. By 1860 there were as many as 44 students attending the school, the number falling to about 15 by 1880.  Repairs, including shingling and new paint, were done in 1861. The students of the Marden District were sent to the Gossville school starting in 1887. The school house was sold about 1893 to George G. Burnham and moved to his mill.

William Marden, Walter A. Sawyer

William Marden was born in Portsmouth shortly before his father, William, and mother, Mary Norris, moved to Epsom. He married at Newburyport, MA in 1814, Elizabeth Ellsworth. The family included: Hannah, born 1815, died unmarried at Epsom in 1890; Ebenezer Knowlton, born 1822, married at Manchester in 1845, Margaret Wilson Hoyt, resided at Epsom and later Kingston, NH; Harriet C., born about 1825, married at Pittsfield in 1845, William Sullivan Prescott, resided at Epsom and Concord, NH; Albon P., born 1829, married about 1858, Deborah C. Cate of Nottingham, resided Epsom and Strafford, NH; Mary P., born about 1833, married George W. Ham of Epsom, son of George Benson and Olive Ann (Bickford) Ham, and she died at Epsom in 1862.

By 1846 the family had 42 acres of land as their homestead, but it appears he became ill, and sold 42 acres to his son Albon P. in 1853, which Albon sold in 1864 to William S. Prescott. On August 19 of 1853, he sold to his wife, a one acre lot with a house, at the junction of the first NH turnpike road with the Gilmanton road. He died two days later. The property was taxed to his heirs, and was occupied in the 1860 and 1870 (census) by the widow Elizabeth, Albon P. with his wife Deborah and family. Albon's children included a son, William Herbert, born 1859, married first in 1895, Lizzie J. Batchelder, and second in 1909, Josie L. White. Albon's wife had married previously William B. Leighton by which she had children: Charles W., born 1841, married at Epsom in 1862, Eliza Jane Bickford, daughter of Daniel C. and Jane (Staples) Bickford, and resided in Epsom; Lauren A., born 1844, died during service in the Civil War in 1862; and Mary E., born 1849, died 1851.

The widow Elizabeth Marden (wife of William Marden Jr.,) died in 1872, and the heirs, Hannah Marden of Epsom, Harriet C. Prescott of Concord and Albon P. Marden of Pittsfield, and Deborah C. Marden, wife of  Albon P. Marden, sold the one acre lot and buildings to Mary E. Marden, wife of George W. Marden. With the death of his mother Elizabeth, Albon P. moved to Dover, leaving in the home his unmarried sister, Hannah. George W. and his wife Mary E., sold the land to James M. Gordon of Epsom, excepting the dwelling house and shed upon the westerly corner of the premises, which buildings belong to Hannah Marden, but not the land on which they stand. James M. Gordon, had married at Epsom, Carrie Ann Marden, daughter of David and Ann (Bickford) Marden. Ten years later, in 1886, James M. Gordon sold the property to George C. Knowles with the same proviso pertaining to Hannah. She died on April 25, 1890, with Benjamin Towle appointed her guardian and the town paid for her burial and coffin. The house then belonged to Knowles.

In 1898 George C. Knowles sold the one acre and house to Ellen L. Sawyer. She was the wife of James William Sawyer and widow of Frank E. Knowles, brother to George C. Knowles. One child by her first marriage, Emma Clark, born at Concord in 1877, and married in 1899, Waldo Augustus Holmes, son of Hiram A. and Caroline A. (Yeaton) Holmes. The children of James W. and Ellen L. Sawyer were: Frank William, born 1892, married first, Lena Angie Marden in 1913 at Epsom, daughter of Cyrus and Angie M. Marden and after her death, married Elizabeth Morin in 1936; and Walter A., born 1893, married at Chichester in 1924, Eliza Ida Wheeler, daughter of Frank Phillip and Lillian C. (Hilliard) Wheeler.

Emma Holmes and Frank W. Sawyer deeded their portions of the homestead to Walter A. Sawyer in 1925. The one acre lot and house was deeded from Walter A. to his son Alfred R. Sawyer in 1946, and by mortgage deed back to Walter A., who in 1950 deeded the property to his son John W. Sawyer. The building is no longer standing.

Jonathan Marden and The Elms

Jonathan Marden, born about 1798, was the second son of William and Mary (Norris) Marden, and married Sally Martha Moulton at Portsmouth in 1821. In 1825 he is taxed for a building but no land, and the following year he begins to accumulate property, and in 1850 is on a 20 acre lot with his home. By 1864 he is taxed for 63 acres and buildings valued at two hundred and seventy five dollars. His family included: John L., born 1820 and died unmarried in 1847; George W., born about 1821, married in 1855, Mary E. Lowell; Henry Augustus, born 1823, married in 1850, Adaline Carroll Lake of Chichester; Sarah Jane, born 1825, married at Pittsfield in 1845, Mark Marden, son of Samuel and Betsey (Emerson) Marden; Lydia, born about 1827, died 1834; Rufus Smith, born 1829, married Patience Jane (Jennie) A. Brewer; Martha A., born 1832, married in 1863 as his third wife,  Reverend Noah Glidden; Nancy, born  1834, died after a few days; and David H., born 1835, married at Epsom in 1865, Eliza Jane Pendergast.

Jonathan's wife Sally died in 1837 and he married second at Epsom in 1837, Lydia H. Drake, daughter of Abraham M. and Lydia (How) Drake and widow of John S. Prescott. Jonathan and Lydia had two children; James L., who died in 1842; and Sarah F., born about 1838, but is questionable as there was already still living, a Sarah from the first marriage. She appears in the family in the 1850 census, neither appear in the will of their father. James L. is buried in the family burying place.

Then there is Charles W., who apparently married, date unknown, Evelyn Marden, daughter of Mark and Sarah Jane (Marden) Marden. She married second in 1897, Frank S. Webster. Getchell, in the Marden Genealogy, places him as a son of Jonathan and Lydia. Charles W. is listed in a list of family members in a deed of Moses W. Perkin's to heirs of William Marden, granting access rights to the family cemetery in 1872. He appears in the will of his father, proved 1874, where the children seem to appear in order of birth, in which case he would have been a son from the first marriage, after the birth of Henry Augustus and before Rufus S. Marden. He does not appear in the family in any census, and appears again when his father's estate was settled when he asked that his share be paid to his wife Evelyn A. Marden, daughter of Sarah Jane Marden, deceased. Mark Marden as her guardian, signed a receipt for Charles' share. He also signed a receipt for Evelyn's own share in right of her mother Sarah Jane. There are no birth, death or marriage records.

By the census of 1850, Jonathan and his second wife Lydia were with their children George H., Rufus S., Martha, David and Sarah F., on a 20 acre lot and buildings valued at two hundred and twenty five dollars. Over the next decade he added additional land, up to 103 acres. The 1860 census showed his household with son David next to sons George and Rufus with their wives. In 1870 Jonathan and Lydia share their home with their son David and wife Eliza. Both Jonathan and Lydia died in 1874, and his will left Lydia half of his estate, to my seven children, George W., Henry A., Charles, Rufus S., David H., Sarah Jane and Martha A. Glidden, all other personal property to be equally divided, and to son David H. Marden, rest and residue. His son David sold the house with five acres in November of 1874 to George C. Knowles.

George Clinton Knowles was a business man, and butcher by trade. He was born in Epsom in 1845, son  of David M. and Hannah (Griffin) Knowles. He married at Epsom in 1868, Martha Maria Wells, daughter of Theophilus and Lucy (Critchett) Wells. The couple had two children: Catherine Augusta, born 1869, who married in 1905, Ernest Ralph Marden, son of George Washington and Esther J. (Cox) Marden of Epsom; and Maud E., born 1878 who died unmarried in 1894. George C. Knowles died in 1898, his wife Martha in 1912. Their daughter and sole heir, Catherine A. (Knowles) Marden sold what was called 'The Elms' in 1929 to George and Katherine Decrow of New Jersey. They sold the property in 1935 to Richard D. and Mildred M. Fish of New York.

A divorce decree split the property, with Richard owning a filling station and store which he established at the new rotary on a half acre of land, and Mildred received the remaining estate of about 11 acres which included the house, barn, poultry houses and cabins. Mildred sold her portion of the estate, and it passed from William A. Meeh, to Roy Baker, and by 1954 to Howard Saturley. Mildred Fish ended up as administratrix to the estate of Richard D. Fish, and sold the store and station to Howard Saturley the same year. Saturley had the house burned down and kept the filling station, store and established a restaurant at the Epsom Traffic Circle.

Abraham W. Marden

Service Station

Abram W. Marden was a businessman and trader who started trading at Short Falls before moving his operation to Marden's Corner. He was a son of William and Mary (Norris) Marden, born about 1799 and married at Newmarket, NH in 1821, Mary B. Messer. The couple had two known children: Philip C., born about 1823, married at Bradford, MA in 1848, Louisa Buswell; and Sarah Elizabeth, born and died in 1832. Abram, also known as Abraham, received a license to sell liquor and run a tavern at Short Falls through 1827. It would appear he ran a similar business on property owned by his father William, through a quitclaim deed of 1829 where he quitclaims to him, all the buildings which I now own in Epsom situated and standing on land owned by the said William Marden, which buildings I now occupy as a tavern stand and store, consisting of one dwelling house, one stable or barn, one store and shed, all which is known by the name of the Marden Tavern. He entered into a lease agreement which involved David Sherburne, Jane Moses, Samuel Sargent of Chichester and Nathaniel Messer of Boston in 1830 for 21 acres north of his tavern. The property was deeded to his wife Mary B. from Nathaniel Messer (perhaps her father), which was deeded to Sarah Messer of Portsmouth in 1831. Abram W. is seen in several suits against him for various payments, and the property appears to change hands as a result, being owned by his brother William, who in 1840 deeds the property to brother Wendell Marden. Wendell mortgages the 21 acres and buildings to Nathan Bickford, and sells the property to William Messer, merchant of Boston in 1841.

Abraham W. Marden died in 1847 after a short and distressing illness, and his son, Philip C., in 1848 sold a building and a quarter acre of land to Nathan Marden. Mary B., widow of Abraham, deeded the family land and buildings, the 21 acres, to her son Philip in 1856.

Philip and Louisa's family included: Philip, born about 1849, seen only in the 1850 census, probably died young; Charles B., born 1850, married at Epsom in 1873, Tryphena Leighton, daughter of Zachariah and Mishal Straw (Bartlett) Leighton; Mary P, born 1855, married at Plaistow in 1887, where they resided, Warner K. Harriman; and Delia L., born 1863, married at Groveland, MA in 1889, Elihu Randall, resided in Colorado. Philip C. Marden mortgaged the property in May of !870 to Rufus S. Marden, who by November of that year acquired ownership when he sold the now 40 acres and buildings to George C. Knowles, who added the Elms to his holdings in 1874.

The heirs of George C. Knowles (wife Martha and daughter Carrie) sold the family farm in 1902 to William S.  Wells, and his wife, Lillie M. Wells. William S. Wells was born in Epsom in 1863, and married at Manchester in 1890, Lillie M. Baker, daughter of Rufus and Lavina (Heath) Baker. They had one child, Fleda Ethel, who was born and died in 1894.

After the death of her husband William, Lillie Wells sold the property to Fred C. Davis in 1936, which he sold within the year in two deeds, one to Charles N. Huckins, the second to his wife Doris E. Huckins.

Charles N. Huckins established a service station at the site of Marden's Corner, and moved the business from there to the south side of the new traffic circle. The home was leased to Roscoe (Rocky) W. Quimby who ran the service station. Quimby was the son of Frank A. and Edna F. (Bickford) Quimby, who married in 1931, Blanche M. Cilley.

Henry A. Marden

Lorna Doone Restaurant

Henry Augustus Marden was the son of Jonathan and Sally (Mouton) Marden, born in 1823. In 1857 his father sold him land containing said Henry A. Marden’s house. The small lot bordered the Suncook River on the border of the third and fourth ranges. His wife was Adaline Carroll Lake of Chichester, daughter of William and Betsey (Green) Lake, married in 1850. The children of Henry and Adaline were: Mary Ella, born 1853, married at Concord in 1901, Charles H. Elliott; Alfred Lake, born 1859, died 1865; and Guy Carroll, born 1868, died 1956, unmarried.

Henry died in 1914, his wife a year earlier. About 1938 there were plans discussed to turn Gossville into a flood plain, and Henry's son, in anticipation, had his parents and brother's graves moved from the Gossville Cemetery to Blossom Hill Cemetery in Concord. Henry sold his home in 1913 to Lovetta R. Bickler (also seen Bickley, Beckler). Lovetta was born Lovetta Rosa Plumb, Aug. 15, 1872 in Boston, daughter of Luke A. Plumb and Mary E. Morrine, her father was born in Massachusetts, her mother in Nova Scotia, Canada. She married Feb. 2, 1892 in Boston, Frank H. Beckley, son of Frank M. Beckley. The annual Epsom town report gives, Apr. 16, 1916, died Boston, Mass, Frank H. Beckler, his body brought to Gossville for burial. An application for disinterment was filed stating that Frank H. Beckler of Boston Mass, now lying in Gossville Cemetery, died age 45 years, 4 months 12 days, born Dec. 4, 1870, married, occupation printer, his body to be removed by B&M railroad to the town of Wellesley, Mass., dated Sept. 6, 1916. His widow appears in the 1928 deed as Lovetta R. Rand, though no marriage record has been found. The 1920 US Census for Natick, Mass gives Frank L. Rand, born abt. 1869, age 51 and wife Lovetta R., age 48 living on Pleasant St.  In 1923 Frank L. Rand of South Natick sells to his wife Lovetta R. Rand of said South Natick, 'a certain tract of land with the buildings thereon' on the corner of Depot and Franklin Streets in Pittsfield, NH. In the 1930 US Census, Lovetta R. Rand age 58 is living in Epsom, on Goboro Road, while Frank L. Rand is boarding in Natick, MA. Lovetta R. Rand died in Epsom Nov. 29, 1936, she is buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Wellesley, with her first husband. Frank L. Rand, died Feb. 7, 1953 in Safety Harbor, Florida, age 84. He was the son of George H. Rand and Sarah A. Ordway, and is buried in the family plot in the Gossville/Hopkinson Cemetery in Epsom.

Lovetta R. Rand sold the H. A. Marden homestead to Emma S. Brown in 1928, and Brown, as Emma S. Brown Pearce, sold the fenced in two thirds of an acre to Elliot O. and Emma Stewart of Haverhill, MA two years later, and it reverted back to Emma S. Pearce in 1933. Pearce sold the property to the trio of Charlotte E. Burr, Eveline Marshalsea and Elizabeth Davis in 1934. Elizabeth Davis, along with apparently two friends from Long Island, was the wife of Peter Davis, and a few months after the purchase, she and Peter had a child on the premises. It would seem unlikely that any of the earlier owners ran a business, and it is more likely that the trio from Long Island bought the property as a business venture and opened a restaurant, whether it was called the Lorna Doone is unknown, but that is also a likely scenario.

Carl Reed in 1938, bought the entire 2/3 of an acre, one half of Marshalsea, and the other half of the estate of Charlotte E. Burr, who had already received the Elizabeth Davis Laflamme third. Carl Reed ran the restaurant, and by 1945, moved to New Orchard Beach and sold the Lorna Doone to Howard and Irene Small. After a half dozen years the Small's sold the restaurant to John H. and Dorothy Greene of Rhode Island. During their tenure, about 1963, the building was lost to fire and the property sold to Charles N. Huckins.

Robinson - Leighton - Bartlett

The Robinson families settled at Jug City, and in 1850, Stickney bought this property and built the house.  The 1991 State Highway survey dated the house as circa 1830, but when the property was bought by Stickney Robinson, there is no mention of any previous structure. When he died, the property was left to his wife, and if not sold, to his sons. The land was in the third range and sold by the heirs of Daniel Cilley, being mostly on the west side of the Suncook River. The Cilley's also sold adjoining land to Benjamin Ferrin in 1851 which Ferrin sold to Stickney Robinson the following year.

Stickney Robinson was born about 1810, son of Joseph and Sally (Remick) Robinson. His father was killed in a tragic factory fire in Chelmsford, MA in 1830. Stickney married Miriam Ferrin, daughter of Benjamin and Polly (Hardy) Ferrin at Lowell, MA in 1837 and had children: Miriam, born 1837 and probably died young; Wheelock G., born 1839, died unmarried in San Francisco in 1914; Benjamin S., born 1840 at Lowell, MA and died unmarried at Cohassett, MA in 1876; Mary L., born 1845, died 1846; and Joseph L., born 1837, married at Laconia where he resided, in 1873, Clara A. Edwards, with one son, John Stickney Robinson.

Stickney Robinson left Epsom for work in California, crossing the Isthmus of Panama on May 1, 1857, and commenced writing a diary, part of which remains with entries to January of 1861. His son Wheelock was also in California, where he remained, with his father eventually returning to Epsom where he died in 1866. In the diary, he made a list of some of the work he did while in California, Mining, Millwright, wheelwright, carpenter, coopering, chopping, mowing, raking, pitching, mason work, thrashing, driving team, blacksmithing, running sash saw, circle saw, planning machine, matching machine, cabinet work, pattern making, stone work, Ostler Boat Building, burning coal, burning tar, splitting fence posts, painting, surveying, stitching, running Quartz Mill, shoe making, cooking, washing and mending. His wife Miriam sold her homestead to Zachariah Leighton of Strafford in 1870, containing 110 acres. She married second, Thomas White in 1880 and she died at Keene, NH in 1909.

Zachariah Leighton brought his family to Epsom from Strafford, including his wife Mishal Straw (Bartlett) and they had a family which included: Richard, born and died in 1841; James W. born 1842 and died unmarried in route home from caring for sick and wounded soldiers in the Civil War; Tryphena, born 1847, married at Epsom in 1873, Charles B. Marden, son of Philip C. and Louisa (Buswell) Marden of Epsom; Albert Richard, born 1849, married at Haverhill, MA where he resided, Eliza Jennie Martin; John Frank, married at Epsom in 1878, Catherine Harriett Bean, resided Epsom; and Horace G., born 1857, and died unmarried at Manchester in 1919. Zachariah Leighton died in 1897, and his wife before him in 1888. By will, his son Horace G. Leighton inherited and resided on the homestead, which he sold and mortgaged to George W. Bartlett in 1913.

George Washington Bartlett was a son of Stephen B. and Sarah E. (Saturley) Bartlett, born in 1852. He married Sarah E. Bartlett of Northwood in 1876, the daughter of John and Eliza  (Caswell) Bartlett. The couple had a family of 10 children: Edward E., born 1877, married at Concord in 1902, Maude B. Kelley; Franklin G., born 1878, married at Pittsfield in 1902, Bertha R. Foss; John A., born 1880, married Flora A. Corsair in 1907 at Providence, RI; William E., born 1881, married in 1907, Mary C. Goodwin, he died in 1917, and she married second in 1918, George E. Warren; Cyrus E., born 1883, died 1884; Charles Augustus, born 1884, married at Epsom, 1906, Florence E. Yeaton, daughter of Samuel Roby and Mabel E. (Stewart) Yeaton; Clara, born about 1885, died unmarried at Northwood in 1894; Harry W., born 1886, died 1887; Allie, born 1888, married first in 1911, Bessie Wasson, she died 1912 and he married second, Mabel Young, daughter of Burt D. and Lottie M. (Dempsey) Young; Anna Mae, born 1891, married at Concord in 1910, Ralph Waldo Carter; Mabel M., born 1893, married at Manchester in 1914, Floyd Chester Raub; and Horace A., born April 11. 1897, died unmarried in 1976.

George W. Bartlett died in 1918, his wife Sarah E. in 1939, and his heirs sold the homestead in 1932, to Maude B, widow of Edward E. Bartlett, and their son Clarence. The heirs included Charles A. Bartlett (son), Sarah E. Bartlett (widow of George W.), Edward E. Bartlett (son) and Mabel M. Raub (daughter) of Concord - Anna M. Carter (daughter) of Nashua - Horace A. Bartlett (son) of Merrimack, Annie C. Austin and Elsie M. Claflin of Antrim (daughters of William E., deceased), and Allie Bartlett (son) of Epsom.

Maud B., died in 1950, and her husband deeded his half of the homestead to son Clarence that same year. Edward and Maud had children, Clarence E., born 1903 and married at Concord in 1921, Amy Kaime of Barnstead; Harry A., born 1905, married at Concord in 1927, Letitia George; and daughter Ruby who married at Concord in 1928, Elmer O. Bergstrom. Clarence and Amy had two children, Frances A. and Robert E. Bartlett.

Marden - Burnham Home

Bassett

The origins of this house cannot be accurately determined. The town tax map gives the construction date as 1894, but it would appear that George W. Marden was located at this location as early as 1858. He was the son of Jonathan and Sally (Moulton) Marden, born about 1821, and married at Exeter in 1855, Mary E. Lowell. Only one known child of the couple, Frances E., born 1847, but of whom nothing more is known. His lot and home was a 4 acre lot which he mortgaged in 1866 to Eneas Ordway, which he eventually left and moved to Portsmouth. There are no deeds known of the disposition of the property in 1888 when Frank V. Osgood sells a four acre lot to John S. Campbell of Epsom. His ownership was short-lived as he sold out to Betsey C. Ladd of Londonderry in 1890. She was the wife of Andrew S. Ladd, and are shown as occupying the home on the county map of 1892.

Betsey C. Ladd was born Betsey E. Dotey, daughter of William and Mary A. (Jackson) Dotey. Her brother, Henry E., married first Mehitable Darling, and second, Oldis A. Priest, and lived on New Orchard Road. Andrew S. Ladd died in Epsom in 1905, his wife Betsey in 1924. After the death of her husband, Betsey sold the home to Sarah H. Heath in 1906, and she sold to Horace W. Edmunds of Epsom in 1922. Andrew and Betsey had one known daughter, Hattie E., born about 1863 and married at Londonderry in 1886, Elbirt L. Healey.

Edmunds moved to Gossville and sold the home to Eri A. Poore of Concord in 1922 who sold the home, still of four acres in 1923, to Alfred W. Burnham of Manchester. He was born in Epsom in 1877, a son of James McCutheon and Mary Jane (Wells) Burnham. He was united in marriage to Nellie Robinson Marden, daughter of Freeman and Lovina I. (Bickford) Marden at Epsom in 1896. Alfred and Nellie raised two children: Esther, born about 1899 and married Norman Chase and resided at Goffstown; and Harold, born in 1901, and with wife Mable, moved to New Jersey.

Alfred W. Burnham died in 1949, his wife Nellie in 1946, having sold their home in 1946 to Walter A. and Eliza W. Sawyer. The Sawyers continued to own the 4 acre lot and home until 1962 when it was sold to Wendell P. and Barbara (Saturley) Bassett, who maintained ownership until 2015.

Albon and Moses W. Perkins

Charles Johnson

There was no description of the property sold to Albon Perkins by David Marden in 1838. The land and buildings were purchased by David Marden from his father on April 17, 1835. Albon, born in Deerfield about 1795, married Polly W. Marden, brother to David and daughter of William and Mary (Norris) Marden. The marriage took place in Pittsfield in 1820, and the couple had for a family: Moses W., born 1821, married at Derry in 1845, Ann R. Adams; Albon W., born 1822, married at Pittsfield in 1847, Susan P. Rand, daughter of John and Judith Parsons (Gray) Rand of Goboro Road; Mary Jane, born 1826 in Allenstown, married at Epsom in 1850, Levi G. Young and resided at Short Falls; and William B., born 1933, married in 1854, Nancie E. Preston, daughter of Worcester and Nancy (Evans) Preston, he died 1862 at Falmouth, VA during service in the Civil War, and she married second, William Tripp.

Polly W. (Marden) Perkins died in 1849, and Albon married second in 1853, Mary Palmer and moved to Deerfield. In 1850 he was taxed for 60 acres and buildings valued at two hundred dollars. By 1853 it is his son Moses W. who owns the property and is taxed for 65 acres, and buildings valued at two hundred dollars. Moses W. Perkins and his wife Ann had one daughter, Martha A., born in 1854, married at Northwood in 1884, Sylvester W. Carr of Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Moses W. Perkins and his wife resided at the homestead until their deaths, Ann in 1873, and Moses W. in 1883. Their daughter sold the homestead to James Edward Eastman of Epsom in 1887.

James Edward Eastman was born in Deerfield in 1863, son of Lowell and Lydia A. (Newhall) Eastman. He married Francena M. Parker, daughter of Hiram and Lavina E. (Place) Parker at Epsom in 1885. James and Francena had three children: Alfred Parker, born 1888, married at Pittsfield in 1909, Eva M. Maxfield; Laura Marion, born 1897, married at Pittsfield in 1921, Edward G. Sargent; and Alice Frances, born 1904 and died unmarried in 1928. The couple sold their family home to the C. S. Hall Lumber Company in 1904, and the company sold the property a couple months later to Clarence H. Sanborn of Chichester, the description of the land - land with buildings bounded northerly by land of Cyrus Marden, easterly by the Suncook river, southerly by land of George C, Knowles and the highway known as the Concord turnpike, westerly by land of Charles Davis containing 65 acres, reserving the highway passing through said lot and the tract of land owned by Andrew S. Ladd about 3 acres now enclosed, and the lot of Mrs. Ellen Sawyer containing 1 acre now fenced, and premises used as a family burying ground, also the slaughter house on said premises.

Clarence Henry Sanborn was born at Chichester in 1875, and married at Chichester in 1896, Myrtie E. Batchelder, daughter of Alonzo E. and Carrie E. (Page) Batchelder of Epsom. The couple did not have any children and resided on the 3 acre lot through their natural lives, she died in 1936, and he in 1943. The administrator of their estate sold the home to Charles A. and Alma Johnson in 1944.

It is not certain as to whether or not the home was the original William Marden homestead. It was taken down in 2015.

Marden Family Burying Ground

There are two deeds associated with the Marden family cemetery. The first is from 1839 when Albon Perkins, shortly after purchasing his home, deeded the cemetery to the heirs of William Marden, his wife's father. The deed is important as not all the heirs were previously identified:

Albon Perkins of Epsom, yeoman to Jonathan Marden, yeoman William Marden Jr., joiner, David Marden, yeoman, A.W. Marden,  trader, Wendell Marden, yeoman and Israel Whitney, yeoman, all of Epsom,

Land in Epsom, part of lot 122 in the fourth range of lots, meaning the same land which is now occupied for a burying yard (except my right in common with the above relatives for the interment of myself and family) and a privilege to pass and re-pass to and from said burying ground - and excepting further a right in said burying yard to whoever may hereafter own the farm to which said burying ground is attached.

The second deed from 1872, is from the son of Albon Perkins, Moses W., who inherited his father's homestead. The deed identifies the heirs, including the children of Jonathan, son of William.

Moses W. Perkins of Epsom to Jonathan Marden, David Marden, Mark Marden, Albon Marden, Henry A. Marden, George W. Marden, Rufus S. Marden, David H. Marden, Nancy Ham, Charles W. Marden, all of Epsom and Charles Whitney of Charlestown, MA,

All right to the free and uninterrupted use of a way two rods and a half in width from the road at a point opposite the burying ground conveyed by my father Albon Perkins to Jonathan Marden and others by deed dated April 27, 1839, to the southwesterly corner of said burying ground, said burying ground being situate in Epsom and located as now fenced out and agree to remove the existing gate to the point where said way commenced as soon as the crops of the present year are harvested - said grantees all to have and enjoy the free and uninterrupted use of said way at all times for the purpose of visiting said cemetery with carriages or on foot or on horseback, and the said way is not to be ploughed up or otherwise obstructed by me, with the right to myself and the owners of the farm on which I live to use said way in common with said grantees as reserved in deed from Albon Perkins to Jonathan Marden and others aforesaid and reserving to myself and the occupants of said farm the right to remove the grass annually from said way not interrupting or obstructing the same, said grantees to have the right to use said way for any purpose consistent with the use occupation and improvement of said burying ground by erecting therein monuments or other structures, and for carrying over the same the stone and other materials for such monuments or structures and for every other purpose connected with said burying ground and to open and close the gate between said way and the road whenever using said way.

Gerald and Daisy Marden

David and Cyrus Marden

Gerald Marden

David Marden bought property on the east side of the old turnpike road leading to Pittsfield which ran to the Suncook River, land which was bought from Symonds Fowler, Arthur C. Locke, Gorham P. Rand, Caroline Rand and John Prescott. He was taxed by 1850 for 70 acres and buildings worth two hundred dollars. He continued to buy property including four tracts: first, land conveyed to David Marden by Ebenezer R. Marden and Margaret W. Marden of Epsom, in 1854; second, land conveyed to David Marden by Norris Cochran of Pembroke and Samuel Martin of Epsom, 1863: third, land conveyed to David Marden by William Ham of Epsom 1867; and fourth, land conveyed to David Marden by David H. Marden and Eliza Jane Marden of Chichester in 1874.

David Marden, born in 1808, was the youngest son of William and Mary (Norris) Marden, and he married Ann Bickford, daughter of Samuel and Sally (Pervear) Bickford. Their family included: Carrie Ann, born 1839, married at Epsom in 1865, James M. Gordon, resided Epsom; Harvey, born 1840, died in Civil War service at Beaufort, North Carolina in 1862, unmarried; Charles, born 1842, of whom nothing is known; Susan H., born 1842, married in 1869, Henry Chase Sanborn; Noyes, born 1844, married in 1868, Ella A. Morrill of Concord; Freeman, born 1846, married at Epsom in 1870, Lovina I.  Bickford, daughter of Samuel and Elvira B. (Wells) Bickford; Moses, born 1848, married in 1876, Carrie A. Roundy and resided in Massachusetts; Cyrus, born 1850, married at Chichester in 1880, Angie M. Marden, daughter of Nathan D. and Mary M. (Burnham) Marden; Levina, born 1853, died unmarried in 1876; Walter, born 1855, died unmarried in 1877; Susie P., born 1856, died unmarried in 1878; and Julaet, born in 1859 and died in 1864.

The homestead was on the east side of the old turnpike road, where they resided until their deaths, David died in 1883, his wife Ann in 1892. She is shown still at the homestead on the map of 1892. Their son Cyrus began purchasing land in 1874. In 1883, after the death of his father, his mother and his siblings (Carrie A. Gordon, Noyes Marden, Moses Marden and Freeman Marden) deeded the group of four properties that his father David had bought. Tax records of 1888 show the heirs of David Marden still owing 85 acres and buildings worth 300 dollars, and Cyrus having accumulated 151 acres with buildings. By 1892 Cyrus is living on the west side of the old turnpike road opposite the home of his mother (though Epsom tax info dates the house as built in 1844, but is not on the map of 1858). That same year, after the death of his mother, the heirs sell to Cyrus, all right as heirs of David Marden, his homestead farm containing 85 acres with buildings.

Cyrus and Angie had children: Walter Leonard, born 1881, married first at Cocnord in 1913, Etta Danforth Edmunds, second in 1934, Florence Russell; Ada florence, born 1884, married a Mr. McKay; Ethel Angie, born 1885, married at Epsom in 1906, Guy Vinton Pike, son of George Augustus and Augusta L. (Bowen) Pike; Lena Angie, born 1887, married at Epsom in 1913, Frank William Sawyer.

Angie M. Marden died in 1887, and Cyrus married second in 1891, Laura Jane Marden, daughter of Nathan G. and Mary M. (Burnham) Marden, and had one son, Gerald Lewis Marden. Cyrus died in 1935, and his children deeded the property to his second wife, who died in 1939. His son Gerald inherited his father's estate. He married at Epsom in 1916, Daisy W. Huckins, daughter of Edmund F. and Mary O. (Patch) Huckins. Gerald died in 1976 and Daisy in 1989. She sold the homestead in 1983.

Samuel Hunt Marden and Nathaniel Marden

The 1858 county map shows a home belonging to N. Marden on the east side of the old turnpike across from the entrance to the Granny Howe Road, the old Canterbury Road. It belonged to Nathaniel Marden, who appears to be a son of Samuel Hunt Marden of Epsom. Samuel H. Marden, in his will, bequeaths to his second wife Nancy, all real estate and property, excluding one bureau, for as long as she lives. Additionally, he bequeaths after her decease, the property to be divided between Nathaniel Marden and his daughter Betsey Bennett, who also gets the bureau. What is a bit of a mystery is as to why Nathaniel is not specifically specified as 'son'. A daughter Judith is bequeathed the right to live in the house. A son, Woodbury, died in 1834, and his children Samuel and Amos W., received one dollar each. Granddaughters Mary Jane, Olive and Nancy, daughters of Woodbury, also received one dollar each. Another son, Samuel, predeceased his father in 1820. The Getchell Genealogy questions whether Judith was a daughter or daughter-in-law, as that was the name of the wife of his deceased son Woodbury.

In 1850, Samuel's widow, Nancy, has in her household, Nathaniel, age 58, and Judith, age 50. None of the three are found in the census of 1860. There is also a marriage record for a Nathan Marden, resident of Epsom, to a Mary E. Ewer of Concord, at Concord, in 1847. The record, listing Nathan rather than Nathaniel, plus the fact she does not appear with him in 1850, nor any future record for her, puts in question whether this marriage pertains to this Nathaniel of Epsom.

In 1827, Samuel Marden deeds to Nathaniel, five tracts of land, being all the land I own and occupy in said Epsom. The disposition of the property is unknown, as by Samuel's will, the homestead went to his wife, and after her decease (1857) went to Nathaniel and daughter Betsey (Bennett). Tax records of 1860, show Nathaniel being taxed for 9 acres and buildings worth fifty dollars. In 1865 Nathaniel deeds to his sister Betsey Bennett, two tracts of land on both sides of the old turnpike road, with reservations - the burying Ground on said last mentioned land also reserving the westerly half of the house and the easterly half of the shed on the same, also all the personal property of which I may be possessed at the time of my decease - provided the said Betsy Bennett shall at all times during my natural life maintain and support me and provide for me at the house of Jeremiah Bennett with suitable food, drink and clothing, suitable nursing when sick and pay all doctor bills. His sister Betsey died in 1873, and in 1876, Sarah, the wife of her son William C. Bennett, who apparently gained ownership through her mother, deeded the land and buildings back to Nathaniel for and during the term of his natural life. Nathaniel died that same year. The house is no longer standing by 1892.

Jeremiah Bennett

George A. Pike

David Watson sold a 5 acre tract of land whereon I now dwell, to Joseph Marden in 1797, being a part of lot 119 in the fourth range. Joseph stayed on the site for about three years, selling the same configuration of property to David Howe and  Josiah Drake. David Howe appears as the owner when the same five acres, with no mention of any buildings, is sold to Samuel Marden of Epsom in 1809. It is not known when Samuel sold the lot, but it is taxed to Joseph Howe, a non resident, by 1846 and he continued paying on the lot through 1850. By deed Joseph S. Howe of Lowell, MA, sold land and buildings of five acres, being the same land formerly deeded by David Howe to Samuel Marden the 25th day of March 1809, to Betsey Bennett of Chichester, wife of Jeremiah Bennett. Jeremiah remains a non-resident until 1855 when he is taxed for 5 acres and buildings valued at one hundred dollars.

Jeremiah Bennett married at Chichester in 1828, Betsey Marden, daughter of Samuel Hunt Marden who bought the property in 1809. Jeremiah and Betsey had children: Emily C., born 1829, married Lafayette Sleeper; Curtis W., born 1832, married at Pittsfield in 1863, Caroline B. Green; William C., born 1839, married at Loudon in 1864, Sarah A. Drake; and Anna, born 1841 and is seen in the household in the census years of 1850 and 1860, and of which nothing more is known.

Jeremiah Bennett deeded the homestead to his son Curtis W. in 1856, with Jeremiah and his wife having the use of it during their natural lives. By 1864, the size of the lot was up to 25 acres, and it appears as though Curtis sold the homestead in two parts; the first, the original 5 acres, the same land deeded by David Howe to Samuel Marden, to Solomon Crane of Pembroke; and adjoining property sold in 1881, to Robert McConnell of Chichester. Solomon Crane (or Cram) sold the five acre lot to David and Nancy Hanson of Hooksett in 1875. At some unknown point, the properties were owned by William Goss, and after his death, sold by his son John A. in 1888, to George A. Pike of Epsom, land known as 'the Bennett place.'

George Augustus Pike was born in Hillsboro in 1837, son of Justice and Mary C. (Barker) Pike. He married in Georgia in 1864, Augusta L. Bowen. The couple's children included: George Vinton, born 1864 in Georgia, married at Epsom in 1906, Ethel Angie Marden, daughter of Cyrus and Angie M. (Marden) Marden; Hattie A., born 1870, married at Epsom in 1894, William Clarence Burnham, son of James McCutcheon and Mary Jane (Wells) Burnham, resided on Black Hall Road; Charles H., born at Epsom in 1896, Eliza A. Burnham, sister to William Clarence; Guy T., born 1877, married as her second spouse, Rachel A. Wells, daughter of James L. and Abbie L. (Meserve) Wells; and Laura May, born 1886 and died the following year.

George A. Pike died in 1900, his wife Augusta L., in 1930. The homestead passed to his son George V. Pike, which he deeded to his wife Ethel A. in 1941. George V. and his wife Ethel had children: Ruth Angie, born 1907, married Edgar Stevens at Pittsfield in 1924; Guy Vinton, born 1911, married at Concord in 1933, Charla Maxfield; and Earle Wilber, born 1913, married at Penacook in 1933, Grace E. Meloon, daughter of Hermand and Grace (Rollins) Meloon of Deerfield.

George Clinton Pike died in 1948, and his widow sold the hom

Ebenezer K. Marden

Ebenezer Knowlton Marden was born in 1822, a son of William and Elizabeth (Ellsworth) Marden. He married at Manchester in 1845, Margaret W. Hoyt, and resided for a time on old Route 28 on the east side of the highway approaching the Pittsfield line. He is first shown paying town tax in 1848, and is not taxed for any property by 1855, and moves from Epsom to Kingston about 1858. In 1853 his lot and home are on 9 acres, which he mortgages to William Goss. He begins to sell off his holdings and sells the homestead being the same which I now occupy and improve, to James B. Chesley of Chichester in 1854.

Ebenezer and his wife Margaret had children: Henry S., born 1849, died unmarried in 1873 at Boston; Harriet A., born 1849, died unmarried in 1922 at Brentwood County Farm; Albon Dunlap, born 1851, married at Newton, NH where he resided, Ella Ingalls; Rhoda Ann, born 1853, married Charles R. Dearborn and resided at Greenland, NH; Albert Jonathan, born 1856, married in 1875, Susan E. Buzzell; and Bessie Ann, born 1859, married at Kingston in 1878, Lewis F. Prescott, she died in 1951. Ebenezer died at East Kingston in 1893, his wife Margaret at Exeter in 1916.

The 1858 county map shows the occupant of the house as J. Chesley. James Blake Chesley, son of John and Elizabeth (Blake) Chesley, was born in 1817 and married first Mary Jane Lake, daughter of John and Sarah (Moses) Lake of Chichester, who died in 1883. He married second at Manchester in 1888, Georgianna R. Turner. Though James B. is shown as buying the property, it is his brother John who sells the home in 1864 to  George W. Grant of Chichester. The deed gives John Chesley as the former occupant when Charles H. Carpenter purchases the house and 10 acres, selling it to Joseph Warren Morrill, also known as Warren Morrill, in 1868.

Joseph W. Morrill was from Northwood and resided in Deerfield before moving to Epsom later in life until his death. His wife was Lydia Cass, and known children were: Ann Maria, born 1835, married in 1863, George W. Edmunds of Chichester; Samuel F., born 1835, and died in 1863 while in service during the Civil War; Lydia Jane, born about 1844, married in 1861 at Chichester, Samuel M. Perry of Chichester;  Joseph W., born 1845, died in service during the Civil War; Francena (Lois ?), born 1848, married first in 1870 at Epsom, Charles Blaisdell, married second, Arthur H. Gray at Loudon in 1873, and third, Jonathan P. Emerson at Concord in 1888; William C., born 1850, married first about 1873, Sarah Lindsay, second at Manchester in 1881, Carrie Gould, and third at Loudon in 1885, Mary J. Murray; and James B., born 1856 and died unmarried in 1873.

Joseph W. Morrill died in 1887, his wife Lydia in 1889. Before she died, Lydia, with Ann M. Edmunds, Lydia J. Perry, Lois W. Emerson, and Willie C. Morrill signing, sold the homestead to William L. Hildreth in July of 1889.

William Laten Hildreth, born in Vermont about 1827, married at Epsom as her second spouse, Martha A. Randall of Barnstead. They are seen occupying the homestead on the county map of 1892. They sold out, moving to Barnstead, to Henry S. Knowles, who sold the property to George V. Pike in 1893. There is no record of the home once it became part of the Pike holdings.

William S. Prescott

The home of William Sullivan Prescott shows only on the county map of 1858, the last house in Epsom before the Chichester town line on the east side of the old turnpike road.

The land was was sold by William Marden of Epsom to his son Jonathan in 1825, and sold by Jonathan to William S. Prescott in 1848. The lot was part of lot 116 in the fourth range of lots, and was sold by Jonathan Marden to William S. Prescott in 1846. William S. Prescott pays only a poll tax in 1846, and for ten acres and buildings worth one hundred seventy dollars the following year - the same ten acres sold to Jonathan Marden in 1825.

William S. Prescott was born at Epsom in 1819, son of John Sherburne and Lydia H. (Drake) Prescott. He married at Pittsfield in 1845, Harriet C. Marden, daughter of William and Elizabeth (Ellsworth) Marden of Epsom and sister to Ebenezer K. Marden. Their family included: Ellen M. born about 1846, died 1849; Lydia F., born 1848, married Dudley F. Smith; Arianna, born 1851, married in 1874, George S. Locke, son of Elijah True and Harriet J. (Allen) Locke; Elizabeth, born about 1854, married at Concord in 1888, George N. Dutton; John William, born 1855, married at Illinois, Luella Harting; Edwin Baxter, born about 1857, married Eliza Jane Elliott, resided Concord, NH; Lester W., born 1850, married Josephine Provost; and Grace A. born about 1869, married in 1892 at Concord, NH, Henry A. Brown. William began selling his holdings from 1858 to 1863, with the house no longer showing by the county map of 1892, moving to Concord where he died in 1876, and his wife Harriet in 1887, burial at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Penacook, NH.

Albon P. Marden

Harvey J. Wells

This home is on the east side of the old turnpike road. Albon P. Marden, a son of William Marden and his wife Elizabeth, was born in 1829 and married about 1858, Deborah C. Cate, born at Nottingham, NH. In 1862 he is taxed for one cow, and in 1864, 7 acres of land but no buildings. His wife is deeded land in 1862 from William Goss, the description of the property does not give the size of the lot, and there is no mention of any buildings. The same lot is sold by Albon P. in 1874 to Samuel Bickford. Two identical deeds, one in 1889 and another in 1896, deeds land from George A. Pike to Freeman Marden, reserving a half acre burying ground. The deed included buildings. Samuel Bickford sold his lot to Harvey J. Wells in 1903, which also included buildings on a 15 acre lot, and bordered land owned by Lovina I. Marden, the wife of Freeman Marden.

Freeman Marden and his wife Lovina had a daughter, Loella M. Marden, who married in 1902, Harvey J. Wells, son of James L. and Abbie L. (Meserve) Wells. Harvey J. deeded the home to his wife Loella in 1912, and he died in 1916. She would marry second, Edwin Bunker. Loella sold the home to Alfred W. Burnham of Manchester after the death of her first husband.

Alfred W. Burnham was born in Epsom i 1877, son of James McCutcheon and Mary Jane (Wells) Burnham, and married at Epsom in 1896 at Epsom, Nellie Robinson Marden, daughter of Freeman and Lovina, and sister to Loella (Marden) Wells Bunker. Alfred W. Burnham owned the property for four years, and was still of Manchester when he sold the lot in 1920, making it unclear whether he actually ever occupied the home. The new owner was George E. Huckins. George E. was a son of Edmund F. and Mary O. (Patch) Huckins.

George E. married in 1904, Mary A. Burnham, daughter of George H. and Flora E. (Marden) Burnham. George and Mary had children: Walter Burnham, born 1904; Kenneth Malcolm, born 1906; Claude Harold, born 1907; and Arthur George, born 1909. Mary A. Huckins died in 1940, and George E. married second, Helen Mary Brown. Helen had married in 1928 at Pembroke, Alfred Goss Bickford of Epsom who died in 1945. George E. Huckins died in 1965, and his widow married third, Clyde Foster Campbell of Vermont.

The home was sold in 1937 to Frederic J. and Helen C. Shaw of Concord, and they sold in 1943 to James T. Zanis of Pittsfield.

Route 28 South 

Caswell House

George W. Marden bought the home of Aaron Marsh on the southerly side of Route 4 west of Marden's corner in 1862. About 1875, he had his home moved just south of the current traffic circle on the north side of the road. It appears the lot was not bought until 1878 from Samuel Bickford and Freeman Marden, consisting of one acre. George Washington Marden was a son of Samuel and Betsey (Emerson) Marden, born at Chichester in 1832, and married Esther J. Cox of Vermont. Their family included: Ida E., born in 1847, married at Concord in 1872, Orrin Frances Swain and resided at Concord; Addie B., born 1857, died unmarried in 1870; Olive Anna, born 1862, died unmarried in 1882; and Ernest Ralph, born 1868, married at Epsom in 1905, Catherine Augusta Knowles, daughter of George C. and Martha M. (Wells) Knowles. George W. died in 1904, his wife Esther in 1915.

Before Esther died in 1915, she sold the family home to Charlotte E. Yeaton of Boston in 1904. Charlotte Elizabeth Taylor was born in East Boston in 1861, daughter of George W. and Elmira (Davis) Taylor. She married George Dana Yeaton of Epsom September 8, 1880 in Boston. The Massachusetts marriage record gives her name as Charlotte E. Morris, daughter of Thomas F., which is contrary to the record of her birth June 27, 1861, daughter of George W. and Elmira (Davis) Taylor, and her son's death record gives her last name as Morrison, which also appears on her gravestone. Her death record gives her parents as George W. and Elmira. She leases the house to George W. Taylor, presumed her father in 1905 for the term of his natural life. He died in Epsom November 27, 1916 (his wife Elmira died at Boston, in 1870), and his daughter Charlotte died the next year.

George Dana Yeaton and his son sold the house in 1922 to Charles W. Gordon. Charles was the son of Charles S. and Nancy B. (Hill) Gordon, born at Epsom in 1851. He married at Pittsfield in 1877 Margaret G. Merrill, and had one son, Karl M. Gordon, born in 1885. The deed when Charles bought the home included a provision that he provide a suitable home on said premises to Mary E. Munt of Epsom during the term of her natural life, She is seen as Mary Mount, widow of Francis Mount of Goffstown, but any relationship to either the Gordon's or Yeaton's remains elusive. Charles sells the home to George Warwick Jr., trustee in 1926, and Mary E. Mount does the same in 1926, releasing the right to her living on the premises. Warwick sells the property to George Skinner of Epsom the same day he purchased the home.

The Reverend George Skinner was of Canada, and married Magdalen A. Cook. Their family included: Mary E., born Canada in 1889, married at Chichester in 1910, Edward Scott Edmunds, son of Noah Goss and Emma Jane (Stanyan) Edmunds; Lena, born Canada in 1897, married at Epsom in 1918, Arthur Austin Wells, resided Epsom; Lorne, born at Canada in 1898, married at Epsom in 1919, Ella May Harvey of Northwood; Jean Agnes, born 1902, Canada, married Elliot O. Stuart; and Helen M., born in Vermont, married at Epsom in 1936, John E. Loiselle.

After the death of Reverend Skinner in 1929, his widow sold the home in 1942 to Mary S. Curtis of Epsom. The house changed hands being owned by Bowman Stone in 1943, William Lee Osborne in 1948, and Paul A. and Donna Caswell in 1953.

Nathan Marden

Nathan Marden was a descendant of Deacon Nathan Marden of Epsom, who resided in Chichester, the son of Nathan and Lucy (Saturley) Marden. Born in 1805, he married Harriet Seavey, daughter of Shadrack and Susannah (Leavitt) of Chichester. The family is shown in the US Census 1840-1870 at Chichester, though Nathan is shown buying a quarter acre of land with a building from Philip C. Marden in 1848, and which appears on the county map of 1858. He is shown paying tax on the property by 1850. It is not clear when he disposed of the property, but is does not appear by 1892. The land was across and south from the Caswell house on the east side of the highway from Pittsfield to Pembroke.

Nathan and his wife Harriet began their family in Massachusetts before returning home to to take care of his mother.  They had children: Reverend Augustus Leander, born 1830, married Ameilia D. Erdman, resided mainly at Piermont, NH; Simeon (or Simon) Seavey, born 1834, married first, Persis Brown, second Angie S. Noyes, and third, Louella B. Gould; Susan M., born 1841, died unmarried in 1862; Harriet E., born 1845, died unmarried also in 1862; and John Edwin, born 1848, married first at Concord in 1872, Henrietta S. Haywood, second in 1904, Clara H. Rollins, and third in 1920, Lizzie A. Morse.

Nathan Marden died at Chichester in 1880, and his wife Harriet a year later, both buried in the Knowlton Cemetery, Chichester.

Nathan Bickford

Alfred Porter Bickford

Early on there were no homes from the Caswell house near Marden's Corner to the Bickford homestead. The new turnpike road had not been built, and the old part of the road, later Windymere Drive, did not exist. A biography detailing the life of Nathan Bickford appears in the Hurd History of Merrimack County: Nathan Bickford was born in Epsom, N. H., December 2, 1797. He was the son of Thomas and Olive (Haynes) Bickford. Thomas was a farmer, shoemaker and tanner, and at one period of his life was quite a prosperous and successful man; but most of his substance was spent before his death. He had a family of seven children, viz., - John, Mehitable, Samuel, Nathan, Daniel, Olive and Dearborn.

Nathan was born at the old Bickford homestead, near the present village of Gossville. When he was a lad of sufficient age he went to serve an apprenticeship as clothier with a Mr. Currier. His service expired when he was nineteen and he then went to Boston where he remained until his twenty-third year when he returned to his native town and bought out a clothing and carding-mill on Suncook River. He met with success in this enterprise and continued it for more than a dozen years, when, leasing his mill business to another party, he embarked in the lumber trade. At this he did, for a period of about ten years, quite a large business, rafting down the Suncook and Merrimack Rivers. In the mean time he conducted farming on a considerable scale, having purchased, about 1830, a farm lying adjacent to his mill.

After he relinquished the lumber business he gave his entire attention to his farm, and added to the original tract at intervals during his life. He was a man who was held in high esteem by his fellow-townsmen, and he had ample proof of their confidence by the various positions of office and trust in which they played him. He was selectman of his town for many years and held various minor offices. He was a member of the State Legislature in 1836, and throughout a long and busy life he retained the implicit confidence and sincere respect of those who knew him.

In politics he was an advocate of Free-Soil party, and upon the organization of the Republican party and up to the time of his death he affiliated with that party.

In religious matters he was a Free-Will Baptists and contributed largely to the support of that church. He was a man of large benevolence and generosity, and gave of his means freely and with unstinted hand to all worthy charities.

He married, May 12, 1823, Eliza W., daughter of Robert and Hannah (Osgood) Dickey, of Epsom. They had five children, - Susan G., born February 25, 1824; married Rev. Jonathan A. Knowles. They have two children and reside in Manchester, N. H.,Salina O., born August 5, 1829 married Captain Arthur C. Locke. One child living. She died June 2, 1877. Eliza A., born July 25, 1833; died, unmarried, December, 1878.

Morrill D., born October 3, 1836; married Eliza J. Hoyt, of Epsom, November 28, 1862. They have two bright and accomplished daughters, - Susie A. and Addie E. He was elected Representative of Epsom to the State Legislature in 1885. He has always kept up the lumber trade which was started by his father.

Alfred P. married Lizzie J., daughter of William and Maryett Goss, of Epsom. They have four children, - William P., Nathan A., Alfred G. and Harry M. He has always conducted the farm of his father.

Nathan Bickford died January 15, 1879, aged eighty-one. Mrs. Bickford still survives (1885), aged seventy-six.

In 1869, Nathan Bickford deeded the homestead farm upon which the said Nathan Bickford now resides, containing about 140 acres, to his son Alfred P. Bickford, who also went by the name of Porter Bickford. Alfred Porter Bickford married the daughter of William Goss, Elizabeth J., at Epsom in 1870. Their children included: William Pearl, born in 1871, who did not marry and died in 1946; Nathan Almont, born in 1872, and married at Epsom in 1910, Verdie Viola Veasey, as her second husband; Alfred Goss, born 1875, married at Pembroke in 1928, Helen M. Brown, who married second in 1947, George E. Huckins, and third in 1968, Clyde F. Campbell; Harry Morrill, born 1883, married at Pittsfield in 1908, Helen D. Randall; and John Goss, born 1885, married at Pittsfield in 1907, Abbie W. Sanborn of Chichester.

Alfred Porter Bickford deeded the homestead to sons Alfred G. and Harry M. in 1919, with the provision he and his wife have use of the farm during their natural lives. Porter died in 1931, his wife Eliza in 1924. Harry deeded his portion to his brother in 1931. Alfred G. Bickford and his wife had two children, Alfred G. and William H. Bickford. He sold the family homestead in 1940 to Harry Hobbs of Pembroke. Subsequent owners included Donald Colby in 1944, Lillian and Catherine Finnerty in 1947, and Theodore R. Taft in 1950.

Morrill D. Bickford House

Nathan Bickford deeded a 2 1/4 acre lot across the street from the family homestead, to his eldest son Morrill D. in 1863. The lot on the east side of the turnpike was described as the same premises that the said Morrill D. Bickford is now erecting a dwelling house thereon, provided that if the said Morrill D. Bickford shall ever sell and convey the above named premises that the said Nathan Bickford shall have the first offer of the same. Morrill had married the previous year, Eliza J. Hoyt of Northwood, daughter of Morrill and Ruth (Sargent) Hoyt. The couple had two daughters: Susie A., born 1866 and died unmarried in 1897; and Adelaide E., born 1868, and married at Winthrop, MA, Horace Wells Edmunds, a son of Jefferson A. and Sally G. (Goss) Edmunds of Epsom.

Morrill and his wife moved to Gossville later in life, and sold their home in 1887 to John K. Stokes of Concord. Stokes, a Major in the Civil War, married first Sarah J. Somers, second, Lois Mosher, and third, Cora A. Edmunds, daughter of Jefferson A. Edmunds, and brother to Horace W. Edmunds who married Morrill D. Bickford's daughter, Adelaide. John K. Stokes had one daughter with Cora, Iva Dorothy, born 1886, who married in 1914, Bret Pease of Ashland. John K. Stokes survived five years after moving to Epsom, and has a stained glass window in the old meetinghouse, formerly the Epsom Baptist Church. After his death, heirs Cora A., his wife, son Frank E., and daughter Adelaide M., sold the home to Andrew S. Ladd of Epsom. The Ladd family is living near Marden's Corner in 1892, and bought the Stokes home in 1893. Andrew S. Ladd died in 1905 and his widow Betsey C. (Dotey) Ladd sold the house to Alfred G. Bickford in 1906.

Alfred Goss Bickford died in 1945 leaving his wife Helen and two sons, Alfred G. Jr. and William H., his widow married at Chichester in 1947, George E. Huckins as his second wife. She, as guardian of her two children, and herself, sold the homestead in 1947 to Erwin Zinn of Epsom. Erwin Zinn owned the property for three years, selling the home in 1950 to John W. Mitchell of Concord, who sold out in 1954. The home has since seen nearly a half dozen owners.

Jeremiah Gordon

Jeremiah Gordon Marden

Jeremiah Gordon married at Chichester in 1791, Susannah Marden, daughter of James and Sarah (Worth) Marden. He owned a mill on the Suncook River and accumulated a large land holding in the area. Some of the purchases included 74 acres in lot 128 from Benjamin Robinson in 1811; 52 acres in lot 127 in 1811 from David Howe; and about 100 acres in lot 126 from John Yeaton and Benjamin M. Towle in 1817. He and Ezekiel Burnham partnered for a time, with Ezekiel selling part of 1ot 126 with a mill privilege to Jeremiah in 1819, and 12 acres in the same lot in 1822. In his will, he left his holdings to his wife Susannah and her sister Lydia, with Jeremiah G. Marden to inherit on their deaths. Jeremiah G. Gordon was a son of William Marden and Margaret (Bickford), born in 1815, his father having been a brother to the wife, Susannah, of Jeremiah Gordon.

The widow Susannah Gordon died in 1847, and her sister Lydia, unmarried, in 1855. In 1856 Jeremiah G. Marden began to sell off all of his inherited holdings, selling land to Samuel Fowler Jr., Herbert Lovejoy, David Marden, Robert O. Dickey and Isaiah Lane. The land from lot 126 in the fourth range appears to be south of the Nathan Bickford property. Jeremiah G. Gordon was dismissed from the Epsom Church in 1858 and moved to Wisconsin.

Robert O. Dickey

When Jeremiah G. Marden sold off his Epsom, the only property sold with buildings was to Robert O. Dickey in 1856. It was 34 acres on the westerly side of the road leading from Pembroke to Pittsfield, and by land of Nathan Bickford. It also included land across the road, being a fenced in garden spot, which also included some buildings. Robert O. Dickey leased his new farm to his father Robert Dickey during the term of his natural life.

Robert Dickey (1782-1869) was the son of David and Rachel (Hanover) Dickey of Epsom, who married at Epsom in 1803, Hannah Osgood, daughter of Colonel Samuel and Eleanor (Morrill) Osgood. Their children included: Morrill Dickey, born 1804, married at Lowell, MA in 1835, Rachel Wells of Epsom, daughter of Daniel and Lucy (Emerson) Wells; Eliza W., born 1806, married at New Hampton in 1823, Nathan Bickford, son of Thomas and Olive (Haynes) Bickford; Samuel, born 1809, unmarried; Sarah, born 1811, of whom nothing more is known; Robert O., born 1817, married at Campton, NH in 1839, Martha F. Perkins; and Hannah, born 1817, and deceased by 1894, and of whom nothing more is known. Robert died in 1869, his wife Hannah in 1867.

Robert O. Dickey married at Campton, NH in 1839, Martha F. Perkins, and they had one known child, Sarah P., born 1840, married at Epsom in 1860, Charles W. Whitney. Robert O. and his wife Martha are in Epsom in 1860, but moved to Thornton by 1870, where she died in 1872. He appears in 1880, still in Thornton, with a wife, Sarah. There is no deed showing when the property was transferred, but it was in the hands of Robert O. Dickey's brother, Morrill Dickey, by 1871. The records for the deaths of Robert O. and his wife Martha F. have not been found. Robert O. Dickey in the 1880 census at Thornton, NH is shown with a wife Sarah, so he died after 1880 and may have had a second marriage.

Morrill Dickey married at Lowell, MA, in 1835, Rachel Wells, who died two years later, not having any children. Morrill married second, Betsey Tuttle of Strafford, NH. She and Morrill had children: Monroe, born 1838, married at Campton, NH, Sarah Ann Crowell, resided Manchester, NH; Madison, born 1841, died during the Civil War in 1864; Martin Van Buren, born 1844, married first Jane M. Richardson, and second, Anna A. Murphy, resided Salem, MA; Mason F., born 1845, died unmarried at Epsom in 1868; Morrill, born 1849, married at Salem, MA where he resided, Ella Frances Nichols; Medora, born about 1851, married at Chichester, NH in 1868, George Alonzo Sanborn; Melrose V., born about 1854, died unmarried at Marblehead, MA in 1931; Melvin Washington, born 1856, married at Laconia in 1880, Ella Josephine Lawrence; and Melina Bertha, born 1859, married at Marblehead, MA, William Frances Hiller.

In 1871, Morrill Dickey, for care and use of the family farm, deeded the property to his son Morrill Dickey Jr., which included the small garden site across the road. Morrill Dickey died in 1877, and his widow Betsey, living in Marblehead, MA, sold the property to her son Morrill Dickey Jr., releasing her life interest, in April 12, of 1879. Two days later, he sold the family farm to Morrill D. Bickford, land with buildings in Epsom being part of the farm formerly owned by Jeremiah Gordon, deceased, bounded northerly by land of Samuel Bickford, westerly by land of Nathan Bickford, southerly by land of David M. Knowles and easterly by the road leading from Pembroke to Pittsfield containing 20 acres - also the garden on the easterly side of said road.

Morrill Dickey Jr. moved to Salem, MA where his wife died in 1893, and he died in 1926. Morrill D. Bickford sold the 20 acres with buildings to Freeman Marden in 1879. According to Benjamin M. Towle on his writings about the homes of Black Hall Road, houses were moved from the other side of the river where they formed one house known as the "Long House" on the Dickey place. This was on the present Route 28. It stood beyond the house built by Freeman Marden and was on the same side.

Samuel Bickford Home

The first mention of property involving Samuel Bickford is a lot of about three acres which was owned by John Wiley of Candia and mortgaged to Samuel in 1851. Wiley had bought the property from Jeremiah G. Marden, which was about three acres with buildings, bounded northerly on land of Nathan Bickford, easterly by the highway leading from Short Falls to Pittsfield, southerly and westerly on land of Jeremiah G. Marden. Though Wiley purchased the property, he is never seen in any town records as paying tax either as resident or non-resident, and would appear that Samuel Bickford ended up as owner. Bickford is taxed in 1852 for one acre with buildings, and in 1853 for 2 acres and buildings. Samuel and his wife move to Lowell, MA for a short time, paying non-resident tax for his 2 acres, and bought while at Lowell, an additional 5 acres from John Spurlin, for which he was taxed, having returned to Epsom, in 1859. He is shown on the lot on the map of 1892. In 1864 he bought two additional tracts of land from Robert O. Dickey, each containing 2 acres.

Samuel Bickford was born in 1826, a son of Benjamin and Sarah L. (Eastman) Bickford, and married at Epsom in 1847, Elivira B. Wells, daughter of John and Sally (Edmunds) Wells of Chichester. They had a son, Vincent Eugene, who was born, and died, in 1849. Their only other child was a daughter, Lovina Imogene, born in 1851, and married at Epsom in 1870, Freeman Marden, son of David and Ann (Bickford) Marden. It would appear that Samuel and his wife deeded their home to Freeman Marden, as the property with buildings bordered Freeman's house next door, and with the reservation that the premises is not to be sold or rented except with the consent of said Samuel and Elvira Bickford during their natural lives.

Samuel's wife died in 1884, and he married second at Epsom in 1884, Mary F. Cottle, widow of Frederic Gardner. He deeded his estate to his daughter Lovina I. Marden in 1892, which included several tracts of land along with the house. The deed stipulated that Samuel would have the use, possession and income of all the above described property during the term of his natural life with the right to use said property for his support should circumstance require the right to sell or dispose of any portion thereon provided by the will of Elvira B. Bickford, late of Epsom, probated Oct. 1884, also reserving to Mary Bickford, the present wife of said grantor, of the term of her natural life, or until such time as she may re-marry, the use and occupancy and income of all described properties that are in control of the said grantor at his decease.

Samuel out-lived his second wife and married for a third time, Lizzie Upton, widow of Franklin J. Fellows, at Manchester in 1904. Samuel was a Civil War veteran, and died in 1916, and his third wife Lizzie applied for his pension a few months after his death. She died in 1921.

Samuel's daughter sold her father's family home to Christine E. Garth in 1918 as a lot of 10 acres with the house. Owner's since have been Mildred McAulley (later Greenlaw) in 1930; George H. Saul in 1940; Robert L. Saltmarsh in 1955; Llewellyn M. Cushing Jr. in 1960 who sold a portion of the land to Richard M. Todd; Walter W. Hirtle in 1969; and Larry L. Champney in 1972.

Freeman Marden

Freeman Marden House

Freeman Marden lived just south of his father-in-law, Samuel Bickford. The lot was part of the Jeremiah Gordon farm that was later owned by the Dickey family. The Dickey's left Epsom, and Morrill  Dickey, living in Salem, sold the family farm to Morrill D. Bickford in April of 1879, and in December sold 20 acres of land with buildings to Freeman Marden.

Freeman Marden was born in 1846, his parents were David and Ann (Bickford) Marden of Epsom. He married at Epsom in 1870, Lovina Imogene Bickford, daughter of Samuel and Elivira B. (Wells) Bickford. The couple had three daughters: Etta Myra, born 1872, married at Concord in 1902, Emery B. Batchelder; Loella May, born 1874, married first, Harvey J. Wells, son of James L. and Abbie L. (Meserve) Wells, and after his death, married as his second spouse, Edwin L. Bunker in 1924; and Nellie Robinson, born 1878, married at Epsom in 1896, Alfred Wells Burnham, son of James McCutcheon and Mary Jane (Wells) Burnham.

Freeman Marden died in 1823, his wife Lovina in 1922. After the death of Freeman, his heirs, Loella M. Wells, Etta M. Batchelder and Nellie M. Burnham sold the home to Mable Y. Bartlett of Epsom. Mable was born at Lawrence. MA to Burt D. and Lottie M. (Dempsey) Young, her father owning part of the Gossville Store. She married in 1914 at Epsom, Allie Bartlett, son of George Washington and Sara E. (Bartlett) Bartlett.

The Bartlett's sold their home in 1926 to George A. Long of Maine, and the family kept the premises until 1938, when sold to Narcisse, Albert E. and Alfred R. Forest of Concord. The home has seen numerous owners: 1941, Willis C. Hutchinson; 1942, Henry Roche; 1943, Ernest G. Collupy; 1948, Gertrude Wende; 1952, Phyllis K. Orcutt; and in 1963, Richard M. and Joan A. Todd.

David M. and George C. Knowles

'Singing Hills'

The house on the west side of the Suncook Valley Highway, beautifully set on a knoll, has for many years been known as “Singing Hills.” The house is on a part of the original lot #128 in the town of Epsom, in the fourth range and is the last lot drawn in 1732 by the original proprietors. It was drawn by Nathaniel Morrill.  Many of the original proprietors did not settle in town, and such is probably the case here, as the lot could not be traced until 1787 when it was sold as part of a vendue for unpaid taxes. There were no buildings mentioned in deeds at that time. Part of lot 128 was bought for unpaid taxes by Jonathan Locke in 1787, and the next year he bought additional land in the same lot from George Sanders. The combined 54 acres was sold by Locke to Richard Tripp Jr. in 1800, who sold 74  acres in the lot to Benjamin Robinson Jr. in 1809. Finally, it was purchased in 1811 by Jeremiah Gordon.

Jeremiah Gordon sold 50 acres of the lot to John D. Burnham in 1812, who built and settled on the property. He was the son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Gordon) Burnham, whose mother was a sister to Jeremiah Gordon. He married Betsy Dolloff, daughter of John and Mary (Stevens), and there are no known children. After a decade John Dow Burnham sold 40 acres, buildings, plus all the hay in the barn and farming utensils that he owned and household furniture, to Frederick Sanborn and Jeremiah Gordon, in 1823. In 1831, it was purchased by James Critchett. There does not appear to be a recorded deed for when the property was purchased by Nathan Bickford, but they sold the property in 1841, the same year James Critchett died, to David M. Knowles.

David M. Knowles was from Pembroke where he was born in 1820, son of Josiah and Polly (Dolloff) Knowles. He married at Epsom in 1842, Hannah A. Griffin, likely daughter of Benjamin and his first wife, Deborah (Haines) Griffin of Chichester and Concord. They had children: George Clinton, born 1845, married at Epsom in 1868, Martha Maria Wells, daughter of Theophilus and Lucy M. (Critchett) Wells; Frank E., born 1848, married at Concord in 1875, Ellen L. Webber, widow of James W. Sawyer; Mary Addie, born about 1850, married at Epsom in 1869, Charles R. Burnham, son of Jeremiah and Chloe P. (Tripp) Burnham, she died Epsom, 1875; Albert J., born 1854, married first about 1892, Abbie Mary Witham, and married second at Deerfield in 1908, Josephine Lavoie. David M. Knowles and his wife Hannah both died in 1884, and his sons Albert J. and Frank E. deeded their right to the homestead to their brother George Clinton Knowles in 1886. George Clinton Knowles bought property at what is now the Epsom traffic circle, and sold the family home to Daniel N. Lewis in1896. Knowles and his wife raised the following family: two daughters, Catherine Augusta, born 1869, married Ernest Ralph Marden, son of George Washington and Esther J. (Cox) Marden at Epsom in 1905; and Maud E., born 1878, and died unmarried at Epsom in 1894.

Daniel N. Lewis was born in Maine, and married first, about 1856, Elizabeth Cole. He married second at Concord in 1889, Anna S. Jenness of Chichester, and married third at Epsom in 1890, Josephine S. Bruce. His children were from his first marriage: Audere Elinor, born 1857, married John A. Dennett; Sherman W., born at Barnstead about 1858, died unmarried in 1924; Daniel E., born about 1862, married at Concord in 1888, Minnie E. Sanborn; Irene J. born 1866, married at Malden, MA, John H. Twiss; Frank W., born about 1867, nothing more known; and Bertha E., born about 1869 at Chichester, married at Concord in 1889, Eleazer M. Jeffrey, and second at Concord in 1913, Horace J. Hartford as his second wife.

Daniel N. Lewis died in 1908, his third wife in 1907. His son Sherman W. was the administrator of the estate, and deeded the family home to his sister, Bertha Jeffrey in 1908. She continued to own the family farm until 1940 when she sold the now 20 acre lot and buildings to Earle I. Foster. Foster owned the property until 1965, the next owner being Frank Mildeberger. In 1979 it was owned by Neal Boyce.

Windymere Drive

Witham House

George C. Knowles deeded part of his land, the former Abram W. Marden home, to William S. and Lillie M. Wells. The property was part of the south end, and was sold in 1923 to Walter F. Fellows. The Fellow's resided at Lynn. MA and probably rented the home. Walter had married at Northwood, Florence V. Angier, and he died at Lynn in 1931. His widow married as her second husband, Harrison L. Birmingham, and deeded the home in 1938 to the two of them. The census of 1940 shows Leon R. Witham and family renting the house, along with his brother Lorenzo and his wife, Rose and their children. Leon, a son of Melvin W. and May Belle (Labarnes) Witham, was from Northwood, and his children according to the census, were Richard and Beverly, and his wife Pearl (Madris). Lorenzo D. Witham, born in 1915, married at Saco, Maine in 1932, Rose M. Paris, and had children: Roland M., Janice L., and Roger W. Witham.

The Birmingham's sold the home in 1956 to Roland M. Witham, son of Lorenzo and Rose. He sold the property to his mother Rose in 1966. It was sold to Ernest Pyer of Deerfield in 1984.

Photo of house taken in 1903, later home of Rose Witham.

George H. Burnham

Charles W. Gordon sold a half acre lot to George H. Burnham in 1905, with no buildings mentioned on the deed. George H. Burnham died in 1915, and his heirs, wife Flora and daughter Berta L., son Clarence W.,  and Mary A. Huckins, sold his holdings, including a mill privilege in two deeds, one to Alfred G. Goss, and a second to George E. Huckins. Included was the half acre lot, now with buildings.

George H. Burnham was the son of John C. and Angeline (Follansbee) Burnham, born in 1855. He married at Epsom in 1876, Flora E. Marden, daughter of Nathan G. and Mary M. (Burnham) Marden. Their family included: Mary A., born 1878, married George E. Huckins; Bertha L., born 1880, married at Exeter in 1925, Edwin Josiah Place; Willie, born and died 1885; Clarence W., married at Blackstone, MA. in 1911, Gertrude G. Brown, resided Massachusetts; and Arthur L. born 1888, died unmarried in Canada in 1908, apparently shot through a train window while travelling west, according to Gerald Marden. A newspaper article of St. Alban's, Vermont, in 1908 reported: a coroner's inquest over the body of Arthur Burnham, was given that he committed suicide, he had a rifle which he placed between his legs when he took his seat, when a shot rang out and he was shot between the eyes, the man's relatives at Short Falls were notified.

George Huckins and Alfred Goss maintained the property until 1936 when they sold the home to Clarence T. Cox. Clarence was born in Tilton in 1889 and married at Deerfield in 1912, Edna C. Fogg, daughter of Jerrie Currier and Hattie R. (Griffin) Fogg. There were no children. Clarence Thomas Cox died in 1969, his wife in 1972. Her estate sold the premises to Darryl Rice in 1973.

Windymere Drive - sign says "Bickford Bros. Dealers in Horses, Carriages, Sleighs and harnesses"

John Goss Bickford

Lillie M. Wells after the death of her husband William S. Wells in 1910, sold a small piece out of the pasture land of this grantor derived to the farm of which said pasture is a part under the will of her late husband, to John G. Bickford of Epsom in 1911. The deed had some highly unusual reservations:

First - that no one shall build on said ground or occupy and live in any house built thereon except John G. Bickford of said Epsom and his immediate family; Second - that no building shall be erected even by said John G. Bickford within three feet of the boundary line named in this deed; Third - that said Bickford shall neither deed, lease nor permit to occupy said premises any of the following persons: Samuel Bickford, his wife Lizzie U. Bickford nor any of their heirs of Charles Gordon aforesaid and his wife Margaret nor any of their heirs. Fourth - that this grantee his heirs and assigns shall build and support a fence.

John Goss Bickford was born at Epsom in 1885, and married at Pittsfield in 1907, Abbie W. Sanborn, daughter of Charles R. and Ida L. (Ordway) Sanborn of Chichester. They had two daughters; Clara Mae, born 1907 and married at Concord in 1928, Ernest E. Ashley, and moved to Washington State; and Goldie Adelaide , born 1909, and died unmarried at Pittsfield in 1931. The property was bought by the town of Epsom in 1954.

C.W. Burnham

Fred C. Fife

George H. Burnham bought a half acre lot from Charles W. Gordon in 1905 on the east side of the old turnpike. Three years later, Gordon sold a half acre lot on the west side to Burnham's son, Clarence W. Burnham. Clarence, born at Epsom in 1886, married at Blackstone, MA in 1911, Gertrude G. Brown. Shortly after their marriage they moved to Massachusetts, where they raised their family that included: Harold Albert, born 1912; George William, born 1913; Roscoe Arthur, born 1914; Frank John, born 1916; Rosabelle V., born 1917; Thomas Nathan, born and died in 1918; Walter Henry, born 1919; John Henry, born and died 1921; and an unnamed female, born and died in 1923.

Clarence W. Burnham, then of Millville, MA, sold the lot with buildings to Cora A. Stokes. Cora and her late husband John K. Stokes, had previously lived just south on the east side of the highway in the home built by Morrill D. Bickford. She purchased this house in 1913 and lived there with her daughter from her marriage to John K., Iva Dorothy, who was born in 1886. Iva married at Epsom in 1914, Bret Pease of Ashland, NH. Cora died in 1919, and Iva and her husband retained the home until 1929, and while living in New Jersey, sold the house to Fred C. Fife of Epsom.

Fred Clifton Fife was born in 1870, son of John H. and Mary E. (Haynes) Fife, and married first, Alice M. Wells at Epsom in 1893, who died in 1903. He married second, Ernestine M. Montminy, daughter of Peter and Nathalie M. (Dubois) Montminy at Concord in 1905. All the children were from the second marriage and included: John C., Winthrop H., Roscoe H., Mary E., Lillian E., and Raymond L. Fife. The Fife's lived for a time at New Rye, as well as Massachusetts. He deeded the home to his wife Ernestine in 1940. Fred died in 1948, his wife Ernestine out-lived him, and died in 1974.

Ernestine Fife sold the family home in 1964 to Ruth I. Shepard of Marblehead , MA. Subsequent owners include: 1967, Walter J. Desmond; 1969, Steven P. McCormack; 1973, William A. Butterworth; 1982, Donald C. Colby.

The Mills

Hiram A. Holmes wrote a history of the various mills in Epsom prior to 1900. Excerpts from his writings are in italics. At the first dam there is a 6 foot head. This mill and dam were built in 1872 by Morrill D. Bickford and William Tripp for the manufacture of lumber and boxes. H.A. Holmes was the millwright. William Tripp sold the box shop to Guy Marden who sold to George H. Burnham in 1889. About the same time Mr. Burnham bought out M. D. Bickford, added a water wheel and grist mill and is doing a thriving business.

Morrill Bickford deeded one half of his business to William Tripp in 1872, and sold the other half to George H. Burnham in 1888. It was in 1890 that William Tripp sold his portion to Guy C. Marden, 'his undivided half of mill and land shared with Morrill D. Bickford.' After three years, in 1893, Marden sold out to George H. Burnham making him full owner. The Epsom fire logs shows the saw mill and box mill being totally destroyed by fire on March 2, 1903. The heirs of George H. Burnham, being his wife, daughter Bertha, son Clarence, and daughter Mary, who married George E. Huckins, sold one half to Alfred G.  Bickford, and the other half to George E. Huckins, in 1915. Bickford and Huckins continued to operate the mill, and with the death of Alfred G. Goss in 1945, George E. Huckins sold the mill and property to George R. Wiggin of Newton, MA in 1963. Huckins died in 1965.

The water from this mill flows nearly level to the next mill pond where the dam has 8 feet of head. The first saw and grist mill at this place was built by Jeremiah Gordon. In 1817 Jeremiah Gordon and Ezekiel Burnham built a dam of timber cut on the river banks, some of the timber is still in the bottom of the dam. They also built a saw and grist mill which were washed away. Mr. Gordon built a saw mill after the company’s mill washed out and sold it to Jeremiah G. Marden. September 2, 1847 he sold to William Goss and John Clark who soon sold to Stickney and Joseph Robinson. They sold to Ariel Boynton on March 16, 1850. Boynton paid $2,500 for this mill. By September 5, 1857 the mill had again been washed away and the mill privilege was sold to Isaiah Lane.  The land was sold to Jeremiah and Ezekiel Burnham by John and Betsey Yeaton, along with Benjamin M. Towle, reserving a portion sold to the proprietor's of the Long Fall's saw mill for a mill yard. The deed when Abiel Boynton sells the mill to Samuel C. Yeaton, specifically mentions the sale with the exception of 'any buildings carried away by flood.'  It came into the hands of Jeremiah G. Marden, who sold out to Isaiah Lane of  Chichester in 1857, who sold to Benjamin and Samuel Bickford (2nd) in 1859. Benjamin deeded his portion to his brother in 1866. Capt. Noyes bought out Mr. Bickford that same year, the machinery was moved away, and the mill taken down. The mill privilege was sold to Freeman Marden on September 12, 1896. who also bought the right which M.D. Bickford owned to use the power from the dam, and built a shop for making doors, sash and general job work. Mr. Jeremiah Gordon granted to Nathan Bickford right to run a carding and fulling mill at the dam. Afterward he changed it to a shingle mill which was burned, rebuilt, and burned again. It was again rebuilt by M. D. Bickford and moved away. Jeremiah Gordon actually sold 'a mill privilege to set a fulling mill to take its beginning about two feet southerly of my grist mill,' to Ephraim Currier in 1819. Currier sold the same to Nathan Bickford in 1821. Nathan deeded this privilege to his son Morrill D. in 1859.