DOCTORS

The early history of the medical fraternity in Goffstown is, to a great degree, shrouded in obscurity; little or no record is to be found of some of the early practitioners; and of those with whose names our fathers were familiar, the Lethean waves of oblivion have for so many years rolled over their records, that by the present generation they are forgotten, or nearly so.

Dr. Carr, in the "History of Hillsborough County," in speaking of the early settlers says: "Mrs. Walker, wife of Alexander Walker, the old town clerk, extracts teeth, and is the obstetrician of the settlement." There are legendary stories of her extracting teeth for her neighbors, and if all reports are to be credited her dentistry did not afford an especially painless amusement.

Who the earliest practicing physicians in Goffstown were is a matter of doubt.

Physicians born or spent the early years of their lives in Goffstown, but practiced elsewhere. For reference to the following seen genealogy: William Dinsmore, Charles F. Carr, dentistry, Joshua Martin, dentistry, Solon S. Robie, dentistry, George C. Blaisdell, Charles H. Harriman, John L. Burnham, Harry W. Newell, Charles E. Newell, David W. Parker.

LAWYERS WHO PRACTICED IN GOFFSTOWN

For many of the following sketches reference was made to The Bench and Bar, by Charles H. Bell, and Lawyers of Goffstown, by Hon. David A. Taggart in the Granite Monthly, May, 1890:

JOHN GOVE, eldest son of Dr. Jonathan and Mary (Hubbard) Gove, was born in New Boston February 17, 1771. His father came to Goffstown from New Boston in 1794, where he gained a widespread reputation as a physician and polished gentleman. John graduated from Dartmouth in the class of 1793; read law with William Gordon of Amherst; was admitted to the bar September, 1796. He was the first lawyer to settle in Goffstown, where he remained until about 1802, when he removed to Chillicothe, Ohio, where he died, unmarried, in 1802.

THOMAS JAMESON, son of Hugh and Christine (Whitehead) Jameson, was born in Dunbarton May, 1771; his parents emigrated from Ulster, Londonderry County, in Ireland, in 1746, and first settled in Londonderry, and subsequently moved to Dunbarton, and located upon the farm which was for many years in the Jameson family, afterwards known as the George Ryder farm. His early ancestors were Scotch, emigrating to Ireland from Argyleshire, Scotland, and are said to have taken a part in the defense of Londonderry, Ireland, during the siege of 1689. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1797, and was admitted to the bar in 1803, studying his profession with Baruch Chase of Hopkinton; he practiced law in Goffstown from 1803 to the time of his decease June 10, 1813; he married Isabella McGaw, born October 5, 1777, daughter of Robert and Martha (Means) McGaw and resided where Charles B. Carr now lives in Goffstown Village.

JOSIAH FORSAITH, son of Dea. William and Jane (Wilson) Forsaith, was born in Deering, December 14, 1780; graduated from Dartmouth College in the class of 1807, in the same class with Jonathan Aiken. He read law in the office of George B. Upham and Caleb Ellis of Claremont; was admitted to the bar and established himself at Goffstown in 1810, where he remained until 1823, when he removed to Newport, where he continued the practice of his profession until his decease March 30, 1846. He was honored by his townspeople by election to office, and represented Newport in the legislature; was financially successful in his profession; married October 6, 1822, Maria Southworth of Hingham, Mass., and to them five children were born.

JONATHAN AIKEN, son of James and Elizabeth (Pinkerton) Aiken, was born in Londonderry June 19, 1784; graduated from Dartmouth College in the class of 1807, and studied law in the office of Josiah Forsaith. He began practice of his profession in Goffstown in 1813, and continued the same in this town until 1839. He removed to Peoria, Ill., where he died August 28, 1839.

ISAAC GATES was born in Charlestown, Mass., May 7, 1777; graduated from Harvard College in 1802; admitted to the bar in 1808 in Cumberland County, Maine, and began practice in Brunswick in that state. In 1814 he came to Goffstown, where he remained for about two years. He afterwards practiced in Lynn and Harvard, Mass.

JOHN HANCOCK SLACK, son of John and Betsey Ide Slack, was born in New London June, 1789; graduated from Dartmouth College in the class of 1811; studied law with Moses P. Payson of Bath, John Harris and Baruch Chase of Hopkinton; was admitted to practice in 1817, and practiced at Andover, Pembroke and Goffstown, and probably in other places. It is said of him that he was unable to gain a living by the practice of his profession, and he engaged in teaching. He taught in Georgetown, D. C., Fairfax, and Loudoun Counties, Virginia, where he died August 2, 1857; was mentioned as an excellent scholar and successful instructor.

DAVID STEELE, son of John and Polly (Wilson) Steele, was born in Peterborough December 2, 1795; graduated from Dartmouth College in 1815; studied his profession with James Wilson of Keene, and first practiced at Deerfield in 1819, but after six months removed to Goffstown. See genealogical sketch.

JOHN STEELE See genealogy.

CHARLES FREDERICK GOVE, son of Dr. Jonathan and Polly (Dow) Gove, and half brother of John before mentioned, was born in Goffstown May 13, 1793. See genealogy.

SAMUEL BUTTERFIELD, son of John and Naomi (Stevens) Butterfield, was born in Goffstown January 16, 1793. See genealogy.

GEORGE W. MORRISON, son of James and Martha (Pelton) Morrison, was born in Fairlee, Vt., October 16, 1809. See genealogy.

SAMUEL UPTON, son of Daniel and Asenath (Teel) Upton, was born in Wilmot September 12, 1824. See genealogy.

NEWTON H. WILSON, son of Thomas and Mary (Mills) Wilson, was born in Dunbarton January 4, 1846; married December 25, 1872, S. Jennie Page of Manchester; student at Dartmouth College 1867 to 1870; read law with Clark and Huse of Manchester 1870-71 and 1872; admitted to Hillsborough County bar; practiced law in Goffstown from 1877 to 1880; municipal judge of city of Manchester; removed to Duluth, Minn., about 1890, where he has since been engaged in his profession.

DAVID ARTHUR TAGGART, son of David M. and Esther (Wilson) Taggart, was born in Goffstown June 30, 1858. See genealogy.

ALFRED WILLIS POORE, son of Edgar and Victoria (Greer) Poore, was born in Sauk Center, Minn., Dec. 15, 1881. See genealogy.

LAWYERS BORN IN GOFFSTOWN WHO PRACTICED ELSEWHERE

MINISTERS

Goffstown's native ministry: JAMES AIKEN, Congregationalist, son of Jonathan and Nancy (Patterson) Aiken, born November 14, 1810. See genealogical record.

GORHAM CROSS, Congregationalist, son of Theodore and Susanna Jackman Cross, was born October 4, 1808. His parents moved to Philadelphia, N. Y., in 1820. Preparatory studies in a select school and academy; licensed to preach in 1839; ordained an evangelist by the Black River Association at Turin, N. Y., June 16, 1840; preached in various places in the state of New York, including Renssalaer Falls and Richville, where he died May 10, 1895; married first, September 13, 1831, Sophia Murdock, daughter of Samuel and Lois Temple Murdock of Townshend, Vt.; she died May 31, 1873, at Richville; second, November 20, 1877, Mrs. Anna Eliza McCraig of Plattsburg, N. Y.; she died February 20, 1889, at Richville, N. Y.

HORACE EATON, Baptist, son of David and Betsey (Hadley) Eaton, was born October 5, 1811; studied for the ministry at the New Hampton Institution in 1841; held pastorates in various places in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. See genealogical record.

WILLIAM HADLEY EATON, A. M., D. D., Baptist, son of David and Betsey Hadley Eaton, and brother of Horace above named, was born September 4, 1818; graduate of Brown University, class of 1845, Newton Theological Institution, 1848. See genealogical record.

ROGER ELA, Baptist, was born 1804. When seven years of age his parent moved to Wells, Me., and in 1827 he was licensed to preach at East Pond, Me.; ordained at New Sharon, Me., October, 1832; intinerant preacher, preaching a part of the time here and a part of the time there in various sections of Maine for twenty-five years. His las known record was at Stark, Me.; married Emily M. Carlton of Frankford, Me., who died August 26, 1859, at Fayette, Me.

JAMES BRYANT HADLEY, Congregationalist, son of Thomas and Phebe Bryant Hadley, was born February 8, 1805; graduated from Amherst College, 1833, and Andover Theological Seminary, 1836, and licensed to preach by the Andover Association the same year. See genealogical record.

JOHN CALVIN PATTEE, Universalist, son of John and Abigail Burnham Pattee, was born December 8, 1823; ordained by the Maine State Convention at Orono, Me., June 27, 1850. See genealogical record.

WILLIAM MITCHELL PATTEE, Universalist, son of John and Abigail Burnham Pattee, and brother of John Calvin above named was born March 11, 1833; ordained at Chester, Vt., August 1, 1861. See genealogical record.

ABRAM ADAMS ROBERTS, Unitarian, son of Abram and Mary Rix Roberts, was born July 4, 1831; studied at Hancock Academy and Brown University; graduate of Meadville Theological Seminary, Pennsylvania; ordained at Baraboo, Wis., February, 1866.

ARTHUR E. GREGG, Congregationalist, son of Charles H. and Clara (Mills) Gregg, was born October 15, 1879; educated in the schools of Goffstown, graduated from Bangor Theological seminary, 1907, afterwards one year at Harvard University, Divinity Department, as a resident graduate; ordained September 26, 1907, at Eastport, Me. See genealogical record.

COLLEGE GRADUATES

Thomas Jameson, lawyer, Dartmouth, 1797
Charles Frederick Gove, lawyer, judge, Dartmouth, 1817
James Shirley, lawyer, teacher, Dartmouth, 1818
William Taggart, lawyer, teacher, Dartmouth, 1832
James B. Hadley, clergyman, Amherst, 1833
William Butterfield, lawyer, Dartmouth, 1836
Robert H. Hall, lawyer, Dartmouth, 1836
Charles Aiken, teacher, Dartmouth, 1838
James Aiken, clergyman, Dartmouth, 1839
George P. Hadley, farmer, Dartmouth, 1840
John Dinsmore Walker, Dartmouth, 1840
William H. Eaton, clergyman, Brown, 1845
David L. Morril, lawyer, engineer, Dartmouth, 1847
J. Trask Plumer, business and literary pursuits, Brown, 1859
Kimball F. Blaisdell, business, Dartmouth, 1868
William W. Poland, college professor, Brown, 1868
David Arthur Taggart, lawyer, Harvard, 1878
John H. Gerould, college professor, Dartmouth, 1890
James T. Gerould, librarian, Dartmouth, 1895
Harry W. Newell, M. D., Dartmouth, 1895
Fred R. Davis, civil engineer, (Thayer) Dartmouth, 1895
Henry H. Stark, teacher, business, Dartmouth, 1896
Gordon H. Gerould, teacher, Dartmouth, 1899
David W. Parker, M. D., Dartmouth, 1899
Frank C. Moore, college professor, Dartmouth, 1902
Edith M. Hadley, Pomona 1900, University of California, 1902
Arthur E. Blaisdell, business, Yale, 1903
W. Lewis Roberts, lawyer, teacher, Brown, 1903
Walter S. Nesmith, teacher, Dartmouth, 1907
George A. Perley, New Hampshire State, 1908; postgraduate of Cornell 1910
Elizabeth M. Eaton, teacher, Brown, 1909
Marjorie Rowell, teacher, Wellesley, 1910
William F. Parker, merchant, Cornell University, 1911
Horace Roberts, engineer, University of Vermont, 1911
Ralph H. Hoit, business, Bowdoin, 1912
Mary S. Parker, Simmons, 1912
Harriet Gerould, Middlebury, University of Missouri
George H. Stiles, engineer, Dartmouth, 1912
Wardner R. Pattee, Connecticut Agricultural, 1915
William Brown, teacher, Dartmouth, 1916
Benjamin F. Greer, Jr., business, Waterville, 1916
Lewis Holden, teacher, Middleton, 1916
Paul C. Richards, Brown, 1917
Donald Swett, Bates, 1918
Raymond C. Greer, New Hampshire State, 1920

GRADUATES OF MEDICAL COLLEGES

William Dinsmore
Daniel Little, Dartmouth, 1827
Alonzo F. Carr, Dartmouth, 1839
Silas Walker, Dartmouth (honorary), 1842
John S. Little, Dartmouth, 1851
Charles F. George, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, 1865
George C. Blaisdell, Harvard, 1867
Frank Blaisdell, Dartmouth, 1877
Charles H. Harriman, Dartmouth, 1877
John L. Burnham, Dartmouth, 1888
Harry W. Newell
David W. Parker, Dartmouth, 1903
Charles E. Newell