m1 1861 Lovella J Morrill, m2 1865 & 1887 Ann E Hartford
FAMILY RECORD:
Samuel J Willey - s/o John Willey & Abigail Worthen; b 23 Mar 1843 Fremont
NH; d 17 Jul 1927 Fremont; m1 17 Feb 1861 at Epping Lovilla J Morrill (b c1847
Nottingham d/o John Morrill & Lydia Hall; they had one child who dy; Lovilla
ran off with one H Hall while Samuel J was away in the Civil War; on his return
from the war he m2 21 Feb 1865 at Raymond Ann E Hartford (b 1849 Fremont; d 19
May 1929 Fremont; d/o John Frank Hartford & Elizabeth H Guptill); he formally
divorced Lovilla Morrill on 12 Apr 1887, and remarried Ann E Hartford the
following April 16th in order to prevent any questions regarding the legality
of their first marriage; he served in the Civil War for about 3yrs, and was
injured in the chest & spine by the collapse of a breast-works while on picket
duty before Petersburg VA; this resulted in some permenant injuries for which
he was awarded a pension beginning in 1907; he was a shoemaker and farmer; his
wife was blind in her later years; he had four children by Ann E Hartford.
Children:
a) Georgianna H - b 4 Jun 1862 Fremont; d 5 Sep 1862; bur Leavitt Cem in
Fremont.
b) George Franklin - b 26 Nov 1866 Epping; d 21 May 1948; m Rose Ann Gagnon.
c) John Clark - b 31 Aug 1869 Fremont; d 28 Oct 1950; m Florence E West.
d) Samuel Plummer - b 1871 Fremont; d 15 Nov 1963 Manchester; m1 1896 Lilla
M Jones; m2 1903 Myrtie A Ferry.
e) Elizabeth Ann - b 15 Jul 1875 Fremont; d 17 May 1928; m Henry W Thompson.
[preliminary sketch by Laird C Towle, 12 Nov 1969].CHRONOLOGICAL ITEMS:
1861 Feb 13 - S J Willey of Epping ae 18 shoemaker b Fremont 1st marr, s/o
John Willey shoemaker b Barnstead & Abigail Worthen, m at Epping NH by James M
Godfrey JP of Epping, L J Morrill of Fremont ae 15 spinster b Nottingham, d/o
John Morrill farmer b Francestown & Lydia Hall [NHVR].
1862 Jun 4 - Georgianna H Willey b Fremont NH 1st c/o Samuel J Willey b
Fremont res Fremont shoemaker & Lovella J Willey b Fremont [NHVR].
1862 Aug 11 - Samuel J Willey ae 19 b Fremont res of Epping enlisted in 11th
NH Volunteer Reg; credited to Epping; enlisted 11 Aug 1862; mustered in as priv
28 Aug 1862; apptd corporal; must out 4 Jun 1865; d 12 Mar 1925? or 1926?
Fremont NH; the 11th NH left Concord 11 Sep 1862 and went to Wash DC via Nashua
Worcester, Philadelphia & Baltimore; they served at Harper's Ferry where they
joined Burnsides forces; they fought at Fredericksburg, Antietam, the
Wilderness, and in the Mississippi Campaign under Burnside [Cogswell, 11th NH
Reg of Volunteers, 1891].
1865 Feb 21 - Samuel J Willey of Epping NH ae 21 shoemaker b Fremont, s/o
John Willey shoemaker b Barnstead & Abigail Willey b Fremont, m at Raymond NH
by Wilson S Abbott JP, Ann E Hartford of Fremont ae 18 b Fremont, d/o John F
Hartford shoemaker b Fremont & Sarah B Hartford b N Berwick ME [NHVR]. Note
that Annie apparently names her step-mother as her mother in this record. See
the John F Hartford file. His first wife, Elizabeth Guptill d 1853 & shortly
thereafter he marr Sarah B Guptill, perhaps a sister of Elizabeth. This
suggests that John F Hartford and his two wives may all have been from Berwick
ME [Laird C Towle].
1865 Feb 21 - Mr Samuel J Willey of Epping marr Miss Ann E Hartford of
Fremont in Raymond per Exeter News-Letter of 27 Feb 1865 [Chipman, N E Vital
Rec from the Exeter News-Letter, 1859-1865, p265].
1869 Aug 31 - John Clark Willey b Fremont NH 2nd c/o Samuel J Willey b
Epping NH ae 29 res Fremont shoemaker & Annie E Hartford b Fremont ae 23; rec'd
& recorded 30 Aug 1942, "copied from family Bible" [NHVR].
1870 - Fremont NH - census
22/23 Samuel A Willey ae 25 m laborer b NH
Annie E Willey ae 20 f keeping house b NH
George F Willey ae 4 m school b NH school
John C Willey ae 1 m b NH
1875 Jul 15 - Ann E Willey b Fremont NH 1st [sic] c/o Sam'l J Willey b
Fremont res Fremont laborer & Ann E Willey b Fremont [NHVR].
1880 - Fremont NH - census
Samuel J Willey ae 37 head shoemaker b NH
Annie E Willey ae 31 wife keeping house b NH
Geo F Willey ae 13 son b NH
John A Willey ae 10 son b NH
Samuel P Willey ae 8 son b NH
Elizabeth A Willey ae 4 dau b NH
1887 Apr 12 - Samuel J Willey & Lovilla J Willey of Fremont were divorced,
they had m at Epping 17 Feb 1861, libelant male, adultery [NHVR].
1887 Apr 16 - Samuel J Willey of Fremont ae 44 shoemaker b Fremont 2nd marr,
s/o John Willey, m at Fremont NH by Charles W Follett JP of Fremont, Annie E
Hartford of Fremont ae 38 housewife b Fremont 1st marr, d/o John F Hartford
[NHVR].
1887 Apr 16 - Samuel J Willey of Fremont shoemaker b Fremont ae 44 s/o John
Willey, marr at Fremont by Rev Chas W Follett of same, Annie E Hartford of
Fremont housewife b Fremont ae 38 d/o John F Hartford, his 2nd & her 1st marr
[Fremont Annual Report].
--------------------
1900 Jun 2 - Fremont NH - census:
27/28 Samuel J Willey head m b Mar 1841 [sic] ae 59 m 33y NH/NH/NH farmer
owns farm
Ann E Willey wife f b Nov 1846 ae 53 m 33y 4 child/4 living
NH/NH/MA
Samuel P Willey son m b Jan 1871 ae 22 widower NH/NH/NH teamster
Cora B Willey gdau f b May 1895 ae 5 NH/NH/NH
Charles E Willey bro m b Dec 1874 ae 25 single NH/NH/NH day laborer
Elizabeth Thompson dau f b Jul 1875 ae 24 m 11y 1 chold/1 living
NH/NH/NH
Henry W Thompson son-in-law m b Dec 1867 ae 32 m 11y ME/ME/NH day
laborer
Fred G Thompson gson m b Feb 1900 3/12 NH/ME/NH
--------------------
1927 Jul 17 - Samuel J Willey d Fremont ae 84 b Fremont s/o John Willey &
Abigail Worthen [Fremont Annual Report].
1927 Jul 17 - Samuel J Willey d Fremont ae 84-3-24 arterio Sclerosis,
shoemaker, b 23 Mar 1843 s/o John Willey b Fremont farmer & Abigail Worthen b
Fremont [NHVR].
1927 Jul 17 - Samuel B [sic] Willey d Fremont ae 84, the town's last veteran
of the Civil War [Exeter News-Letter 22 Jul 1927].
1927 Jul - Fremont - The last Civil War veteran in town, Samuel B [sic]
Willey, d at his home on Beede Road last Sunday morning; his health had long
been impared; he was b Fremont 1843; marr Ann E Hartford in 1864 & had 4
childred: George, John & Plummer, and dau Mrs Lizzie Thompson of Plaistow; they
all survive him as well as his widow & several grand & great grandchildren; the
funeral was held at the home at 2pm Tuesday,, and was conducted by Rev Mr
Little of Epping; burial in North Side Cem; the GAR commital service was
performed by a Civil War veteran & his wife, Charles True of Chester; WWI
veterans, Albert Fuller, George Bassett, Walter Blye & Howard French
constituted the firing squad [Exeter News-Letter 22 Jul 1927].
1929 May 19 - Ann E Willey d Fremont ae 80 b Fremont d/o John Hartford
[Fremont Annual Report].
1929 May 19 - Ann E Willey d Fremont ae 80, b Fremont 23 Nov 1842 d/o John
Hartford, widow of Samuel J Willey [NHVR].
1929 May 19 - Ann E Willey, wid/o Samuel J Willey, d Fremont ae 80-5-26
[Exeter News-Letter 24 May 1929].
1929 May 19 - Fremont - Mrs Ann Willey passed away at the home of her son
Plummer Willey on Beede Road [Exeter News-Letter 31 May 1929].
1929 May 21 - Fremont - Mrs Ann Willey, wid/o Samuel J Willey, d at the home
of her son Plummer Willey last Sunday morning; had lived with him since the
death of her husband 2 yrs ago; had been cared for by the son's wife, Mary A
Beede Willey; AW was b Fremont 23 Nov 1848 & always lived in Fremont; she is
survived by two other sons, George of Canaan NH & John of Fremont, 8
grandchildren & 6 grea grandchildren, & other relatives; funeral at the Plummer
Willey home with Rev Mr Mitchell of the Adventist church in Exeter presiding,
tomorrow afternoon at 1pm; Mrs Willey was a memb of the Advent church of West
Epping; burial in Leavitt Cemetery in North Fremont [Exeter News-Letter 24 May
1929].MISCELANEOUS ITEMS:
Leavitt Road Cemetery, Fremont NH, all the Willey inscriptions:
John Willey - Co A 11th NH Inf.
Abigail Willey - d 23 Feb 1871 ae 70y.
-----
Georgeanna d/o S (E oe F?) & L J Willey, d 5 Sep 1862
-----
Samuel J Willey - b 23 Mar 1843; d 17 Jul 1927; Co A 11th Reg NH Vols.
Ann E Hartford, his wife - b 23 Nov 1848; d 19 May 1929.
John C Willey - b 1869; d 1950.
-----
Samuel P Willey - b 1871; blank.
Myrtie A, his wife - b 1875; d 1904.
-----
Henry H Willey - b 1861; d 1919.
Alfred F Willey - b 1894; d 1950.
Bessie P, his wife - b 1896; d 1978.
--------------------
Samuel Willey was struck by lightning, but survived; he was an officer in
the northern army in the Civil War; my clearest memory of him is riding on a
white horse in the Memorial Day parade [Gerald C Towle, 1983].
--------------------
Samuel Willey lead the Memorial Day parade in Fremont for many years; he is
buried in the Leavitt Cem in North Fremont; his wife Annie went blind in her
old age; she attended the Adventist Church in West Epping [Gladys (Willey,
Page) Philbrick, c1983].
--------------------
Civil War Pension Index, National Archives:
Samuel Willey, widow Nancy S, Co K 3rd NH Inf, appl 4337 cert 2379
Samuel J Willey, widow Ann E, Co A 11th NH Inf, invalid appl 304538 cert
508960; wid appl 1589680 cert 00-2-6-28 NH
Samuel L Willey, wid Lydia H, wid appl 85720 cert 49171
these are the only Samuel Willey files for NH soldiers.
--------------------
Civil War Pension file for Samuel J Willey cert 158690:
Declaration - 14 Jun 1879 - Samuel J Willey ae 36 of Fremont NH states he
was enlisted 28 Aug 18__ into Co A 11th NH Vols by Capt Horace C Bacon;
discharged at Alexandria VA 4 Jun 1865 ae 36, 5' 7.5" tall, light complexion,
brown hair, blue eyes; at front of Petersburg VA about 15 Jul 1864 was injured
in breast & spine by the caving in of a breast works in which he was doing
picket duty; has never recovered & can only work 1/2 time; lived in Fremont
since his discharge; shoemaker before & after war; post office at West Epping
NH.
Affidavit dated 26 Jun 1879 by Alonzo S Langmaid of Lee NH ae 37 & Charles E
Parks ae 37 of Epping states they were with Samuel J Willey at Petersburg, and
on duty at the time of the accident, and recall he did not return to duty for
one or two months after the accident.
Affidavit by Samuel J Willey - 2 Apr 1881, ae 37; for five years before
enlisted he was a shoemaker when not in school; since discharge has lived in
Fremont except for about 1 yr after discharge when he lived in Epping; incured
about 15 Jul 1864 while on picket duty in front of Petersburg VA when a breast
work caved in on him, injuring his breast & spine; attended by Dr Nath'l
Batchelder of Epping who is now deceased; not able to do hard work; has worked
at shoemaking and peddling since discharge.
Affidavit 8 Mar 1882 by J C N Moore, company doctor, states he treated
Willey for seveeral weeks after the accident.
Affidavit by Samuel J Willey ae 39 of Epping NH, 17 Jun 1882; cannot provide
testimony of any physician who attended him since his discharge because Dr
Batchelder d 1880, but he continues to use plasters & liniments proscribed by
him.
Another affidavit similar to above dated 8 Feb 1883; pension rejected 5 May
1883 for lack of medical evidence.
Another affidavite dated 20 Nov 1885 at ae 42.
Letter dated 25 May 1885 from Geo F Beede to Hon H[?] W Blair states the SJW
has wife & four children.
Affidavit 20 Nov 1885 by George F Willey ae 19 of Fremont, s/o SJW, states
that as far as he can remember his father could not do manual labor; that he &
his mother & younger brother, John C Willey ae 16, have often had to pick SJW
out of bed; that SJW can only work about six months out of the year.
Affidavit 27 Sep 1890 by Louisa Purington ae 48 of Epping states that she is
a sister of SJW, and that from 1865 to 1870 he lived at her house where she
tended to him, and since 1870 he has lived in Fremont.
Affidavit 5 Jul 1899 by SJW states he marr Anne E Hartford 16 Apr 1887 at
Fremont; that he was previously marr to Lovilla J Morrill who he div 12 Apr
1887; that he & Annie have living children:
George T [sic] Willey b 26 Nov 1860
John C Willey b 31 Aug 1869
Samuel P Willey b 12 Jan 1871
Elizabeth A Willey b 15 Jul 1875.
Declaration for pension - 20 Feb 1897 - by SJW ae 64 res of Fremont: states
he enrolled at Concord 28 Aug 1862 as priv in Co A 11th NH Vols; discharged 4
Jun 1865 near Alexandria VA; 5' 2.5" [sic?] tall, light complexion, blue eyes,
brown hair; shoemaker b Fremont 23 Mar 184_ [sic] res JUn 1865 to 1870 in
Epping, Jun 1870 to 1897 in Fremont.
Pension of $12/mo granted 21 Feb 1907.
Pension increased to $18/mo 18 May 1912 at ae 69.
Declaration dated 16 May 1912 notes he was b 23 Mar 1843 at Fremont.
Affidavit 21 Aug 1916 by SJW states he was b 23 Mar 1843 at Fremont; he marr
to Ann Elizabeth Hartford 11 Apr 1887 at Fremont by Charles W Follett JP; he
was first marr 1860, day & month forgotten & no official or church record
found, to Lovilla J Morrill; they div 12 Apr 1887; present wife was not
previously married; living with present wife by whom he had children:
Geo F - b 26 Nov 1866
John C - b 31 Aug 1869
Samuel P - b 12 Jan 1871
Elizabeth A - b 15 Jan 1875.
Pension increased to $30/mo 23 Mar 1918.
Appl for pension increase rejected 20 May 1925 at ae 82 while res of
Fremont.
Letter to Comm of Pensions - 30 Jul 1927 - from Ann E Willey c/o Charles
Willey RFD #2 Epping NH states she is widow of SJW, that she married him 1 yr
before the close of the war, that he died this month, and she is blind (but she
signed her name).
Copy of NHVR death record for Samuel J Willey who d Fremont 17 Jul 1927 ae
84-3-24; b Fremont 23 Mar 1843; shoemaker; always lived in Fremont [not true];
s/o John Willey b Fremont farmer & Abigail Worthen' buried Fremont 19 Jul 1927
in Leavitt Cemetery; Thomas Breitt undertaker.
Declaration for widow's pension - 19 Aug 1927 - by Ann E Willey ae 78, b 23
Nov 1848 at Fremont; "Samuel J. Willey was married to Lovilla Morrill before he
entered the war and during his absence, she was married to H Hall and when S.J.
Willey came home on furlough he considered he had a right to marry again,
therefore, said Samuel J. Willey married the applicant February 26, 1864.
"In after years a question came up as to whether this marriage was legal,
therefore he obtained a divorce from his first wife April 12, 1887 and
remarried the said applicant, Ann E. Willey Apr 16, 1887."
Copy of marr record from NHVR: Samuel J Willey ae 21 b Fremont shoemaker res
in Epping, s/o John Willey shoemaker b Barnstead NH & Abigail Willey b Fremont,
marr 21 Feb 1865 at Raymond NH by Wilson S Abbott JP, Ann E Hartford ae 18 b
Fremont res of Fremont d/o John F Hartford shoemaker b Fremont & Sarah B
Hartford b N Berwick ME, 1st marr for both.
Affidavit 20 Dec 1927 by Town Clerk of Fremont states that Samuel J Willey &
Annie E Hartford were married 16 Apr 1887 by Charles W Follett JP.
Affidavit 20 Dec 1927 by Clerk of the Superior Court for Rockingham Co
states that Samuel J Willey of Fremont, libellant, divorced from Lovilla J
Willey of same for adultery on 1st Tues of April 1887.
Deposition by Emily A B Hartford ae 82 of Raymond & Phineas Beede ae 85 of
Fremont states that they knew SJW since childhood, and that he & AEW had lived
together as man & wife form their first marriage 21 Feb 1854 until the soldiers
death on 17 Jul 1927.
Widow's pension of $30/mo granted 22 Aug 1927.
SLW is referred to as priv or coproral in the various records.
--------------------
Estate of Ann E Willey - Rock Co File #24401:
Petition 10 May 1929 by George F Willey of Epping, John C Willey & S Plummer
Willey both of Fremont, states that Ann E Willey widow late of Fremont d 19 May
1929 at Fremont leaving no husband and only next of kin: son George F Willey of
Epping; son John C Willey of Fremont; son S Plummer Willey of Fremont;
requested that Mary A Willey of Fremont be granted admin & that George F Beede
of Fremont be appt'd to take an inventory; Mary A Willey was so appt'd on 11
Jun 1929 with John C Willey & S Plummer Willey both of Fremont as surties with
bond of $200.
George F Beede presented his inventory on 2 July 1929; no personal property;
real estate $800 consisting of 2a with cottage house, barn & one small out
building, location not stated.
Final account was given 18 Sep 1930 by Mary A Willey; shows $208.50 paid by
John C Willey "to preserve the real estate;" plus other expenses; approved by
all interested parties, i.e., John C Willey of Fremont, George F Willey of
Canana [sic], & Samuel P Willey of Fremont.
--------------------
FAMILY RECORD:
Peter J Gagnon - b Canada c1850 s/o Joseph Louis Gagnon & Marie Ann Cote; d
Apr 1940 Chelmsford MA; m Catholic Church in Quebec 1870 to Aurelie Rosa Morin
(b Canada 1848; d 1917); removed soon after to Fremont NH; both bur St Joseph's
cem Chelmsford Lot 234 Sec G. Children:
a) Elie - b Oct 1870; m Lena ___.
b) Rose Ann - m George F Willey.
c) Josephine - b 1874; m1 Harvey Brown; m2 John Umpleby; m3 John McQuade;
she is bur in St Joseph's cem Chelmsford lot 234 sec G.
d) William J - b 26 Aug 1876; m Malvina ___.
e) Peter Jr - b 1 Oct 1878 Fremont NH; m Rose Delima "Delia" Cyr.
f) Louis Edward - b 17 Dec 1879; d 19 Mar 1880; bur Fremont.
g) Julia - b 28 Apr 1881; d 1 Sep 1966 in Lowell MA; bur St Joseph's cem
Chelmsford lot 557-8 sec R; m1 Leo Maxey, div, no ch; m2 Lester Ayers (d
Medford MA; commercial artist is Boston).
h) Lena - b 15 Aug 1885; d 22 Apr 1970 Chelmsford MA; bur St Joseph's cem
Chelmsford lot 557-8 sec R; m1 George King; m2 Burt Decature of Westford MA; no
children by either marr.
i) Alice - b 7 Oct 1886; m Warren Wright of Westford MA 19 Feb 1908 (b 11
Feb 1887; Chelmsford Town Assessor 49 yrs; owned & operated the Nichols Farm
for many yrs in South Chelmsford; both liv 1977 in apt in Chelmsford; no
children.
j) Albert J - b 14 Mar 1888; m1 Gladys Clement; m2 Emma ___.
k) Belle - b 16 Apr 1891; d 12 Aug 1975; bur St Joseph's cem Chelmsford lot
557-8 sec R; m John Daly, widower, B & M Railroad inspector of Malden MA.
l) Lena May - b 14 Jun 1910; adopted (perhaps illig d/o Lena above?; unm;
liv St Petersburg FL 1977; retired from bank.
[mss Gagnon genealogy compiled by Bernice Gagnon of Salem MA c1977].CHRONOLOGICAL ITEMS:
1880 - Fremont NH - Census - Household 60/67
Peter Gagnon - m 32 marr laborer b Canada par b Canada
Rosa M - f 32 wife marr keeping house b Canada par b Canada
Eli - m 9 son b NH par b Canada
Rosan - f 7 dau b NH par b Canada
Josephine - f 6 dau b NH par b Canada
Wm - m 4 son b NH par b Canada
Peter Jr - m 1 ... b NH par b Canada
[note: no Gagnons are listed in the 1860 or 1870 censuses of Fremont].
1884 Aug 4 - Lena Gagnon b Fremont 8th c/o Peter Gagnon ae 37 b Canada &
Arselie Gagnon ae 38 b Canada [NHVR].
1886 Apr 27 - Peter Gagnon of Fremont NH naturalized; Cert. No. 1886-11
Supreme Court, Exeter NH; formerly subject of Great Britain; arrived 10 Jan
1872; witnesses: Charles W Follett & Freeman W Follett [Naturalization card
file at National Archives].
1886 Oct 7 - Alice M Gagnon b Fremont 9th c/o Peter Gagnon ae 39 b Canada
foreman & Arselie Morin ae 40 b Canada [NHVR].
1889 Mar 14 - Albert Joseph Gagnon & Napoleon A Gagnon, twins, b Fremont to
Peter Gagnon ae 40 b Canada mechanic & Rose Arselie Morin ae 41 b Canada;
reporting physician, Albert J Gagnon of 379 Acton Rd, Chelmsford MA [NHVR].
1889 Mar 14 - Napoleon A Gagnon b Fremont s/o Peter Gagnon ae 40 mechanic b
Canada & Rosa ae 41 b Canada [Fremont Annual Report].
1891 Apr 15 - Mary B Gagnon b Fremont 11th c/o Peter Gagnon of Fremont
mechanic b Fremont & Rosa Murray [sic] of Fremont b Canada [Fremont Annual
Report].
--------------------
1900 Jun 18 - Fremont NH - census:
122/126 Peter Gagnon head m b May 1849 ae 51 m 30y Can/Can/Can day
laborer owns house emigrated 1870 30y in US
Rosa E? Gagnon wife f b Sep 1848 ae 52 m 30y 10 child/10 living
Can/Can/Can emigrated 1870 30y in US
Alice E Gagnon dau f b Oct 1885 ae 14 NH/Can/Can school
Josephine Brown dau f b Jun 1873 ae 26 divorced MA/Can/Can
Peter Gagnon son m b Oct 1878 ae 21 single NH/Can/Can shoemaker
Julia Gagnon dau f b Apr 1880 ae 20 single NH/Can/Can
Lena Gagnon dau f b Aug 1884 ae 15 NH/Can/Can
Albert J Gagnon son m b May 1887 ae 11 NH/Can/Can school
Bell U? Gagnon dau f b Apr 1891 7 NH/Can/Can school
Mitchell Gagnon bro m b Jun 1847 53 single Can/Can/Can day
laborer emigrated 1870 30y
Philof Dion uncle m b Jul 1835 ae 64 m 40y Can/Can/Can emigration
1870 30y
Delena? Dion aunt f b Nov 1824 ae 75 m 40y 6 child/4 living
Can/Can/Can emigration 1870 30y
--------------------
1917 Apr - the funeral of Mrs Peter Gagnon was held Monday from Notre Dame
de Lordes Church on Branch St in Chelmsford MA...spray of roses from Mitchell
Gagnon...wreath of roses from Mr & Mrs Willey...bearers were 4 grandsons [sic,
sons] Eli Gagnon, William Gagnon, Peter Gagnon & Albert Gagnon, and 2
sons-in-law Leo Maxy & Warren Wright...burial in fam lot in St Joseph's
cemetery [Exeter News-Letter 24 Apr 1917].MISCELANEOUS ITEMS:
Roseann - no birth record in NH Bureau of VR.
- " " " " MA " " " for period 1871-1875.
Peter Gagnon - sharpened saws at Spaulding & Frost Co in Fremont, and went
to live in Lowell in his old age [Wilma (Buzzell, Towle) Regan].
--------------------
Abstract of letter from Gladys (Willey) Philbrick to Laird C Towle: I was b
26 Sep 1902 per my birth cert from Haverhill MA; my grandfather [Samuel J
Willey] Willey received a [CW] pension; he lead the Memorial Day parade in
Fremont for many years; he died ae 81 about a month after Memorial Day c1924-5,
after I was married; he used to brag about shaking hands with President Lincoln
at Gettysburg; he said his greatgrandmother or gggm was a full blooded squaw;
the children of Peter and Rosa Gagnon were, Peter Jr, Eli, Albert, William,
Lena, Josephine, Julia, Rose Ann, my mother; Alice & Belle; Peter Jr lived in
Lowell MA & worked at a fertilizer plant; he had four daus, Blanche, Bernice &
twins Doris and ___; Eli owned a gargage in Exeter and had, Arthur, Gladys &
(Alice?); Albert m Gladys Clement of Fremont & had Lawrence & Warren; Albert m2
and had (4 daus?); William only went thru 8th grade in school, however, he
invented a machine to make [beaded] pull chains for light fixtures; William
moved to Bridgeport CT where he had a factory called Betty Bead; William had
children Bernard & Amy; Josephine married a Brown from Raymond & had son Harry;
she then div & amrried a college professor named Umpbley; Alice marr Warren
Wright and owned a large farm in Chelmsford; they sold the farm and liv in an
apt in Chelmsford in their 80s [1976]; Alice, Belle, Julia & Lena had no
children; my grandmother Anne (Hartford) Willey was a very religious person,
and attended the Adventist church; my brother Elmer [Willey] belonged to a
Moose Lodge; my brother Charlie [Willey] belonged to the Jr Order of Am
Mechanics & the Methodist church; my sister Evelyn [Willey] Young belonged to
Rebecka's; my sister Louise [Willey] belonged to the Grange; I belonged to
Pythian Sister, was President of the Dover Area AARP & delegate to the 1972
convention in Washington; I did a lot of volunteer work at Health Care Manor in
Dover; I helped get a drop-in center for the elderly [Gladys E (Willey)
Philbrick, Exeter West Apt 1, Exeter NH 03801, 2 Feb 1976].
--------------------
The Gagnon family were Parisian French that came to NH from Canada )prob
Quebec), and their children were prob b in Canada [Gerald C Towle, 1983].
--------------------
Peter Gagnon broke his back at some point, and was very bent over; he & Rosa
lived with their dau, Alice Wright, in Lowell or Chelmsford MA;
m 1909
FAMILY RECORD:
Elmer G Willey - lived in Lowell MA about 1930, and his nephew, Gerald C
Towle, lived with him while GCT attended Lowell Textile Institute; Eva Willey,
wid/o Elmer, lived in Epping next door to Evelyn (Willey) Young in 1968 [Wilma
(Buzzell, Towle) Regan].CHRONOLOGICAL ITEMS:
1909 Jun 2 - Elmer G Willey ae 19 b Fremont s/o George F Willey, marr at
Epping by Rev C W Fisher of same, Eva G Kerr ae 21 b Lowell MA d/o William G
Kerr, 1st marr for both [Fremont Annual Report].
1909 Jun 2 - Elmer G Willey ae 19 b Fremont s/o George F Willey ae 42 b
Fremont & Rose Ann Gagnon ae 36 b Lawrence MA, marr at Epping, Eva G Kerr ae 21
b Lowell MA d/o William G Kerr b Bradford MA & Nellie H Morse ae 46 b Brentwood
[NHVR].
1950 Jun 6 - Elmer George Willey d Exeter b Fremont s/o George Willey & Rose
Gagnon [Fremont Annual Report].
1960 Jun 6 - Elmer George Willey d ae 70 married b Fremont s/o George Willey
& Rose Gagnon [Epping Annual Report].
m 1909
CHRONOLOGICAL ITEMS:
1929 Jun - West Epping - Mr & Mrs Charles Willey [Charlie & Lettie], and Mrs
Nelson Page [Gladys Willey] attended the graduation exercises of their nephew,
Gerald towle, at Sanborn Seminary in Kingston on June 21st [Exeter News-Letter
28 Jun 1929, annotated by Wilma (Buzzell, Towle) Regan].
1962 Nov - West Epping - Mrs Charles Willey is a surgical patient at the
Exeter Hospital [this would be Lettie, the 1st wife of Charles Willey; they
lived on the main road to Manchester in West Epping, per Wilma Towle Regan]
[Exeter News-Letter 1 Nov 1962].
m 1917
CHRONOLOGICAL ITEMS:
1917 Dec 13 - Horace Clayton Goss ae 18 b Kingston s/o John S Goss ae 41 b
Amesbury MA & Grace M Witham ae 39 b Deerfield, marr at Brentwood, Mary Louise
Willey ae 21 b Fremont d/o George F Willey ae 52 & Rosean A Gagnon ae 49
[NHVR].
1917 Dec 13 - Horace Clifton Goss ae 18 b Kingston s/o John S Goss & Grace M
Witham, marr at Brentwood by Charles Flanders JP of same, Mary Louise Willey ae
21 b Fremont d/o George F Willey & Rosan [sic] A Gagnon [Brentwood Annual
Report].
1920 Jan 3 - Barbara Goss b Fremont 1st c/o Horace C Goss b Kingston & Mary
L Willey b Fremont [Fremont Annual Report].
1924 May 1 - Elmer Clifton Goss b Fremont 2nd c/o Horace C Goss b Kingston &
May L Willey b Fremont [Fremont Annual Report].
1954 May 29 - Horace Clifton Goss d ae 54 s/o John S Goss & Grace Witham,
non-resident who d Nottingham [Nottingham Annual Report].
1954 Jun - Fremont - word has been received of the death of Horace Goss,
husband of Mrs Louise [sic] Willey Goss [Exeter News-Letter 3 Jun 1954]. They
lived in Lowell when I was married to Gerald C Towle; her correct name is
Louisa; she was living in Dover NH recently [Wilma (Buzzell, Towle) Regan,
1954].
19__ Feb 8 - Dover - Mary Louise (Willey) Goss d ae 89 at Riverside Rest
Home; formerly of 21 Union Dr; native of Fremont, but lived over 60 yrs in
Dover; formerly a cook at the Eventide Home in Exeter & at several sororities
at UNH; family members include dau Barbara Kornreich of Miami FL, son Elmer C
Goss of Dover; two gransons; sister Gladys Philbrick of Exeter; bur in Village
Cem Fremont [Exeter News-Letter ___].MISCELANEOUS ITEMS:
Fremont Cemetery, Rt 107, Fremont Village:
John S Goss - b 1874; d 1961.
Grace M Goss - b 1876; d 1949.
Horace G Goss - b 1899; d 1954.
M Louise Goss - b 1898; d 1988.
--------------------
Mary Louise Willey - m Horace Goss. Children:
a) Barbara - b 3 Jan 1920.
b) Elmer - b 1 May 1924.
[Wilma (Buzzell, Towle) Regan].
m 1923
CHRONOLOGICAL ITEMS:
1923 Jun 23 - J Nelson Page ae 21 b Exeter 1st marr s/o Joseph B Page, marr
at Epping by Rev Wm Magwood of same, Gladys E Willey ae 21 b Haverhill MA 1st
marr d/o George F Willey [Epping Annual Report].
1923 Jun 23 - J Nelson Page ae 21 b Exeter s/o Joseph B Page ae 56 b Raymond
& Nellie F True ae 60 b Epping, marr at Epping, Gladys E Willey ae 20 b
Haverhill MA d/o George F Willey & Rose Ann Gagnon [NHVR].
--------------------
1923 Jun - West Epping - Nelson Page of this town and Gladys Ethel Willey of
Fremont were marr Sat afternoon at the bride's home; both are employed at the
Brown-Edwards Co factory, and have many friends who wish them every possible
happiness; they will begin housekeeping in rooms at the home of Mr Page's
father, Joseph B Page. 2nd article: Gladys Ethel Willey was married Saturdy at
3pm at the home of her parents, Mr & Mrs George Willey, to J Nelson Page s/o Mr
& Mrs Joseph Page of West Epping; ceremony performed by Rev Mr Magwood, pastor
of the Epping Meth church; Miss Evelyn Willey, sis/o the bride was maid of
honor, and Elmer Willey bro/o the bride was best man; the couple left on a
bridal trip, and will reside in West Epping [Exeter News-Letter 29 Jun 1923].
They lived in West Epping at the home of his father, a widower, when I knew
them; they house was a two-story, gray house near a four corners; it had a
nice yard; I recall going there several times; they often had summer picnics in
their yard, and bean-hole bean feeds in corn time; Nelson was a large, good
natured man, good looking, and very pleasant; they div sometime after 1936; he
d of leukemia a few years after they separated; he is buried in the Blake Road
cemetery; Nelson inherited the house from his father; Nelson and Pa set up
machinery in the top part of their barn and made leather wallets & pocketbooks;
this was when Ma & Pa lived in Raymond, c1931-32; they planed to go into
business, but it never materialized; I had one of the leather wallets for many
years; at that time both Gladys & Nelson worked for the Bourque Brothers She
Shop in Raymond where Pa was a machinist; the Brown-Edwards Co mentioned above
was a shoe shop in Raymond [Wilma (Buzzell,Towle) Regan].
--------------------
1923 Jul - West Epping - Mr & Mrs Nelson Page returned Sunday from their
wedding trip by auto through MA & CT [Exeter News-Letter 6 Jul 1923].
1927 Jul - Mrs Nelson Page took the 4-H girls of West Epping on a picnic to
Great Pond in Kingston [Exeter News-Letter 29 Jul 1927].
1929 Jun - West Epping - Mr & Mrs Charles Willey [Charlie & Lettie], and Mrs
Nelson Page [Gladys Willey] attended the graduation exercises of their nephew,
Gerald towle, at Sanborn Seminary in Kingston on June 21st [Exeter News-Letter
28 Jun 1929, annotated by Wilma (Buzzell, Towle) Regan].
--------------------
1976 Feb 2 - abstract of letter from Gladys (Willey) Philbrick: I was b 26
Sep 1902 per my birth cert from Haverhill MA; my grandfather [Samuel J Willey]
Willey received a [CW] pension; he lead the Memorial Day parade in Fremont for
many years; he died ae 81 about a month after Memorial Day c1924-5, after I was
married; he used to brag about shaking hands with President Lincoln at
Gettysburg; he said his greatgrandmother or gggm was a full blooded squaw; the
children of Peter and Rosa Gagnon were, Peter Jr, Eli, Albert, William, Lena,
Josephine, Julia, Alice & Belle; Peter Jr lived in Lowell MA & worked at a
fertilizer plant; he had four daus, Blanche, Bernice & twins Doris and ___; Eli
owned a gargage in Exeter and had, Arthur, Gladys & (Alice?); Albert m Gladys
Clement of Fremont & had Lawrence & Warren; Albert m2 and had (4 daus?);
William only went thru 8th grade in school, however, he invented a machine to
make [beaded] pull chains for light fixtures; William moved to Bridgeport CT
where he had a factory called Betty Bead; William had children Bernard & Amy;
Josephine married a Brown from Raymond & had son Harry; she then div & married
a college professor named Umpbley; Alice marr Warren Wright and owned a large
farm in Chelmsford; they sold the farm and liv in an apt in Chelmsford in their
80s [1976]; Alice, Belle, Julia & Lena had no children; my grandmother Anne
(Hartford) Willey was a very religious person, and attended the Adventist
church; my brother Elmer [Willey] belonged to a Moose Lodge; my brother Charlie
[Willey] belonged to the Jr Order of Am Mechanics & the Methodist church; my
sister Evelyn [Willey] Young belonged to Rebecka's; my sister Louise [Willey]
belonged to the Grange; I belonged to Pythian Sisters, was President of the
Dover Area AARP & delegate to the 1972 convention in Washington; I did a lot of
volunteer work at Health Care Manor in Dover; I helped get a drop-in center for
the elderly [Gladys E (Willey) Philbrick, Exeter West Apt 1, Exeter NH 03801, 2
Feb 1976].
--------------------
1979 Nov - Gladys Philbrick and other former presidents of the Dover NH AARP
chapter were honored at a recognition day event [Fosters Town Crier 21 Nov
1979].
1982 Nov 14 - Orin D Philbrick, 80, of 277 Water St, d at Exeter Hospital,
Court St Unit; b Kensington 19 Nov 1901; liv Exeter 10 yrs; prev lived in
Dover; retired empl of the NH Dept of Public Woks & Highways, Dover Office;
memb State Employees Assoc; family includes widow, Gladys (Willey) Philbrick of
Exeter; bro Harry Philbrick of Brentwood; sis Mrs Martha Evans of Exeter;
several nieces & nephews; bur Village Cem in Fremont [Exeter News-Letter 17 Nov
1982].
m 1923, m2 Orin Philbrick
m1 Caroline Robinson, m2 1930 Rose Evelyn Willey
CHRONOLOGICAL ITEMS:
1930 Sep 13 - Miland I Young ae 41 s/o Charles A Young b Glasgow Scotland &
Clara J Miles b Amesbury MA, marr at Franklin NH by Rev Arthur A Richards of
same, Rose Evelyn Willey ae 25 d/o George F Willey b Fremont & Rrose [sic] Ann
Gagnon b Lawrence MA [Fremont Annual Report].
1930 Sep 13 - Miland I Young ae 41 auto dealer b Sandown s/o Charles A Young
ae 58 deceased b Glascow [sic] & Clara J Miles ae 63 b Amesbury MA, marr at
Franklin NH, Rose Evelyn Willey ae 25 b Fremont d/o George F Willey res of
Canaan steam mill owner b Fremont & Rose Ann Gagnon ae 52 deceased, his 2nd
marr & her 1st [NHVR].
1931 Mar 7 - infant Young b Epping 1st c/o Miland I Young b Sandown & Rose
Evelyn Willey b Fremont [Epping Annual Report].
1933 Oct 12 - Donald Miland Young b Epping 2nd c/o Miland I Young b Sandown
& Evelyn Willey b Fremont [Epping Annual Report].
1933 Oct 18 - Donald Young d Boston MA ae 6d s/o Marland Young & Evelyn
Willey [Fremont Annual Report].
1975 Jan 26 - Richard E Young ae 54 d Exeter Hospital; res of Elm St Epping;
b Epping s/o Myland I Young & Caroline Robinson; WWII Army vet; memb Richard A
Mitchell Am Legion Post #51 & the NH Veterans Assoc; charter member of the
Epping Civic & Factfinders Assoc; member & former chief of Epping Vol Fire
Dept; memb of Epping Parent Teachers Assoc; former fire warden of Epping & memb
of the Interstate Emergency Unit; former chm of Epping Democratic Comm; served
on Epping school site comm; family includes wife Ada (Draper) Young, three
sons, Myland R of VA, Scott L & Randolph H both of Epping, two daus, Mrs David
A Castle & Mrs James Bouchard both of Epping, one gdau Ann Castle, one bro
Roland Young of Suncook; sister Mrs Leon Page of ME, step-mother Mrs Evelyn
Young of Epping, and uncle Horace Shuff of North Conway; burial in Prospect Cem
in Epping [Exeter News-Letter of 29 Jan 1975].
1985 Apr 7 - Evelyn W Young d Exeter Hospital ae 79; res at McLane Manor in
Exeter; b Fremont & lived many years in Epping; later lived at Hampton Beach &
came to Exeter 3 yrs ago; retired floorlady for Epping & Haverhill MA shoe
factories; memb Hampton Grange; wid/o Milan Young; family includes two sisters,
Mrs Gladys Philbick of Exeter & Mrs Louise Goss of Dover; a step-dau, Mrs
Rebecca Page of Hallowell ME; several step-grandchildren; two nephews & a
niece;; bur in Village Cem Fremont [Exeter News-Letter 15 Apr 1985].
m 1930
Ebenezer Marden 5 (George 4, Ebenezer 3, James 2 James 1)
b 22 Jan 1781 Chester NH; m 23 Jun 1806 Nancy or Anne 7 Colby, d/o Benaiah
Colby Jr (b 29 May 1734, m 5 Sep 1764 Chester Abigail Emerson)
George 4 Ebenezer 3 James 2 James 1
b 22 Jan 1781 Chester NH; m 23 Jun 1806 Nancy or Anne 7 Colby b 2 Jul 1781
d/o Benaiah 6 Colby Jr (b29 May 1734, m 5 Sep 1764 in Chester to Abigail
Emerson) (Lt Benaiah 5 Joseph 4 Samuel 3 Samuel 2 Anthony 1). Children b
Chester: Roxanna - b 1808 m Hills Stevens; George - b 1810 m Roxanna Sanborn;
John - b 1814 m Mary Lane; Ebenezer - b 15 Aug 1817 m Abigail Basford; James -
b 10/11 Apr 1821 ? m Elvira Morse [Jamie Towle typescript genealogy; see Caleb
Towle 3].