History of the few owners of the house:
THE HARVEYS
John Lovell Harvey appears to be the first known owner of the location of the house if we use as reference a map of West Stewartstown dated 1861.
On the Census of 1850, John L Harvey (b.1818, Canterbury, d. 1887 at age 69), now 32, a farmer/carpenter1 (also call “Joiner”), lives in Stewartstown with his wife Mariah Eliza Harvey Loomis2 (b.1827, Colebrook, d. 1913 at age 86), now 23, George Gilman 20, Coriden Farr 22 a doctor, and his 1 year old daughter Ellah Farr. John is possibly a descendant of Jonathan Harvey, Stewartstown settler in 1820, but records are not available to confirm it. He is likely related to Harris H. Harvey, also a carpenter and also living in Stewartstown; they are named together on many transactions of the time.
On the 1860 Census, John L Harvey, now 41, carpenter, lives in West Stewartstown with his wife Maria 32, and their daughter Adah Marie 7 (b.1853, Stewartstown). After the birth of a son, Arthur Anson, the family moves to Colebrook between 1861 and 1870.
On the Census of 1870, still a carpenter, John lives in Colebrook with his wife Maria E, his daughter Adah, now 18 and school teacher, and Arthur A, now 9 (b.1861, d. 1936).
On the Census of 1880, John, 62, a building painter, lives in Colebrook with his wife Maria, 52, and Arthur 18. In 1883, Arthur marries Emma Belinda Piper. Emma (b.1864, d.1941) is the 3 year older sister of Thomas W Piper, who becomes owner of the house in 1892.
April 23, 1897, John L Harvey’s daughter Ada (Adah) M Bailey (married in 1874 with Christopher Sargent Bailey) dies postpartum of “puerperal fever”, one week after the death at birth of her son on April 18, 1897.3 It was her seventh delivery.
Of interest, on the Census of 1900 and 1910, after the death of John in 1887, his wife Maria lives in the household of Christopher Bailey (widower of her daughter Ada).
Source:
West Stewartstown Villages, New Hampshire 1861 Old Town Map by H.F. Walling. Available on line: https://shop.old-maps.com/new-hampshire/towns/coos-co-nh-1861-town/west-stewartstown-villages-new- hampshire-1861-old-town-map-custom-print-coos-co/
Censuses, available on line: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GBSC-9PHC? i=9&cc=1473181&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AM7WG-96Z
History of Coös County, New Hampshire by Georgia Merrill Drew;
Syracuse N.Y.: W.A. Fergusson & Co., 1888, 1888, 1018 pgs. Available on line: http:// www.nh.searchroots.com/documents/coos-history/towns/History_Colebrook_NH.txt
1John L. Harvey and Harris H. Harvey living in West Stewartstown, are both named in the New England Business Directory and Gazetteer, 1856, page 501, under the section “Carpenters”. Available on line: https://books.google.com/books? id=bk7rIIhvXwQC&pg=PA501&lpg=PA501&dq=john+Lovell+harvey+west+stewartstown+nh&source=bl&ots=c44YUCZBk1&sig=ACfU3U 1HaTIfsswzL3TAqmPGK8rf2AcekA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjzxZyAnOz1AhXEmeAKHRnYA6gQ6AF6BAgmEAM#v=onepage&q=jo hn%20Lovell%20harvey%20west%20stewartstown%20nh&f=false
2‘’William Loomis (b.1801, d. 1892, at age 92), is the youngest child of Joseph Loomis (Joseph Loomis (b.1766, d. 1869). Joseph came to Colebrook from Connecticut in 1800 with his wife Anna Bissell (b. 1763, m. 1789). Maria Eliza Loomis (b. 1827, d. 1913 at age 86) is the daughter of William Loomis and Harriet Thompson (b.1805, d.1895, at age 90).
3Available on line: Colebrook Annual report, February 15, 1898. Available on line:http://colebrookareahistoricalsociety.weebly.com/ uploads/7/6/5/4/7654500/1898_colebrook_town_report_births_marriages_and_deaths.pdf
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THE HALLS
Jane Hall Goodwin and her husband Hubbard Chandler Hall from Maine:
On the Census of 1870, Jane Hall Goodwin 39 (b.1831. d.1906. m.1851), lives in the town of Penobscot, ME, with her husband Hubbard Chandler Hall 45 (b.1824, d.1894), a lumberman, Evelyn Addie 13 (b.1856, d.1907), Carrie G 11 (b.1858, d.1944), Jennie 7 (b.1862, d.1926), Eliphalet 4 (b.1866, d.1951), and newborn Charles (b.1870).
In 1875, Jane Hall Goodwin 43, and her husband Hubbard Chandler Hall1 51, a lumberman, purchase the large three story house. They are relocating from Penobscot, Maine. In 1880, Jane and Hubbard live in the house with 4 of their 6 children; 2 daughters, Caveno2 21 and Jennie 18, both school teachers in Stewartstown, and 2 sons, Eliphalet (Alaflet) 14 and Charles 11. Their oldest daughters, Evelyn 24 and Carrie 22, decide to stay in Maine and, soon after, will get engaged, and soon take to husband. In 1881, Carrie relocates closer to the family, to Colebrook, with her husband William Adam Lomas (Loomis). In 1884, Evelyn relocates to Boston, MA, with her husband Harvelin Gates. Jane’s daughter, Caveno, dies before getting married. In 1881, Jennie marries Dr. Frank Henderson in Stewartstown. In 1888, Eliphalet marries Elisabeth Currier in Colebrook.
Hubbard, a lumberman, came soon after logging started on the Connecticut River with the first drive taking place in 1868. Log-floaters would move lumber on the Connecticut River from the surrounding forests to the water-powered sawmill and pulp mills of the area and downstream. The last long drive was in 1915 as railroad gradually took over at a lower cost.
Hubbard was more than a simple lumberman. The Essex County Herald, October 17, 1879, reports on road work on Route 3 done by Hubbard Hall: “The new road from West Stewartstown to Clarksville and Stewartstown center, built by Mr. Hubbard Hall, is now completed, and is, as we are informed accepted by the town. This was a much needed change in the road.”
By 1890, the kids have all grown up and left, only Charles, 26 years old, the cadet of the family, remains and still single. In 1892, Jane and Hubbard Hall sell the house to Thomas W Piper 27, a successful grocery salesman, and to his recently married wife Mary Piper Cole 21. Thomas buys the house with the help of his parents William Piper and Olive Alice Piper Keysar, who will live with them and rent part of the house.
After selling the house in 1892, Jane and Hubbard will relocate to Massachusetts where their oldest daughter Evelyn lives. Two years later, in 1894, Hubbard dies at age 70, from “consumption and heart disease”.
In 1894, Charles 30, marries Lizzie Jane Clark in Phillipston, MA, and brings her to West Stewartstown. In 19003, Jane 70, widowed, lives in Stewartstown, in the household of her son Charles 30, a “butcher” and later a “groceries merchant”, and his wife Lizzie 32 (Eliza E. Clark from MA), and their two daughters, Helena Ernest (b.1895) and newborn Vivian Carrie. Jane will live to the age of 76 (d.1906).
1 One of the ancestor is John Hall (b. 1645-d. 1697) living in Dover, NH. His ancestors all lived in NH until Hubbard’s father Lot Hall relocated to Gray, Maine. The ancestor’s research for Jane Goodwin stops at her father Stephen Goodwin from Kennebec, Maine.
2 Note: Caveno was not on the census of 1870?
3 As is well known, the 1890 census is missing, destroyed by fire in 1921.
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THE PIPERS
In 1894, the house is owned by Thomas W Piper (b.1867, Stewartstown, d.1921). At the age of 23, in 1890, Thomas marries Mary Cole (b.1871, d.1894) and subsequently, one year after her death, in 1895, he marries Viola “Ola” Thrasher (b.1869, d.1916) daughter of George Thrasher and Phoebe Fuller from Colebrook. One year after Viola’s death, in 1917, he marries Mary G Deyette (widow, b.1878) in Canaan, VT.
On a historic picture of the house from 18941, after the death of Thomas’ first wife and before his second marriage with Viola Thrasher, we recognize Thomas’ father, William Piper (b.1826, d.1896) who died two years after the picture was taken. Also present is Thomas’ mother, Olive Alice Keysar 62 (b.1832, d.1916, m.1851), and Thomas’ older brother, Fred Bill Piper, and Thomas’ future wife Viola “Ola” by his side.
On the 1850 Census, William’s father, Thomas Piper is 52 (b.1798, Tuftonborough, NH, d. 1873, Stewartstown), a farmer, lives in Stewartstown with his second wife Esther Beecher Piper 54 (b.1796 Connecticut, d.1879 Stewartstown). Thomas’s first wife was Emily Williams, b. 1802, and died December 14, 1825, the day after William’s birth. With them, live their children, William Piper 24 born in Connecticut, and his sibling all born in Stewartstown: Loring Gilbert George 22, Emily W 20, Hiram M 17, Esther P 13, Arvilla 10, and the mother-in-law Lucy Beecher 89. His parents live next door: Samuel Piper 79 (b.1771, Tuftonborough, d.1854) and his wife Rebecca Piper Copp 81 (b.1769, d.1857, m.1794). It is in 1815 that Samuel moved his family to Stewartstown. Their children were all born in Stewartstown.
On the 1860 Census, William Piper 33, a farmer, lives in West Stewartstown with his wife Olive A 28. They have 4 children: Frank (1855-1873), 8, Almeda (1854-1934), 6, Fred B (1857-1927), 2. Thomas (died at birth 1859). Later came Emma Belinda in 1864, and the Thomas W in 1867. In 1870 and 1880, the family lives in Canaan; at the time, Thomas is attending school.
Unfortunately, The Census of 1890 is not available2. But, review of Land Records reveals that Thomas takes a mortgage with his first wife Mary for the house in Stewartstown in 18923. The Land Records indicate the purchase from Jane Hall and her husband Hubbard.
On the 1900 Census, Thomas W 33, a grocery salesman, lives in Stewartstown with his second wife Viola and his mother Olive (and a boarder Louis Norcott). In 1898, They suffered the neonatal death of their son named “Piper”.
In 1900, Thomas will own a two-story building located on Main Street where was Jacobs' store in 1892, just next to Ida A. Shurtleff Store and Lyman Otis Shurtleff’s drugstore. His store is on the first floor and he rents the second floor. The building will burn down in 1905. More details on the page: History of West Stewartstown 1892 .
As per a story reported in the journal The Essex County Herald, February 03, 1905. Source: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ : “Last Friday morning, about 4 o’clock, fire was discovered in the basement of the Bartlett drug store, on Main Street, West Stewartstown. The firemen responded quickly to the alarm, and soon had three streams of water turned on. The flames spread rapidly to the store of Thomas W. Piper, on the west, and to the dwelling house of Mrs. E. M. Blanchard on the east. Mrs. Roger Taylor had rooms over the drug store, and everything was burned, with no insurance. The entire building with contents was consumed. The tenement over T. W. Piper's store was occupied by Israel Guertin. They were away from home and their goods were all burned, with no insurance. This building, with entire stock was also consumed. Most of the goods were removed from the dwelling of Mrs. Blanchard. Her house and ell were burned, but the barn was saved. Insurance light.”
On the 1910 Census, Thomas W 42, a retail salesman, still lives in the house in West Stewartstown, with Viola “Ola” 41; they have one daughter Olive “Olie” S (born in 1904), now 6 years old. They live with Thomas’ mother Olive A, 78. According to the census, they own their house “free of mortgage”. They sell the house to the Barbour’s around 1915, where Dr. Barbour will established is practice. The Pipers relocate to Canaan. in 1916, Thomas suffers the loss of both his wife Viola and his mother Olive. Viola dies February 03, 1916, from a “septicemia following an operation for gallstones”4. Olive dies 40 days later, at the age of 84.
Thomas W remarries in 1917. On the 1920 Census, Thomas W lives in Canaan with Mary G Deyette (widow, married name Charest), his daughter Olive A, now 15, and his three step-daughters age 16,12,11, all born “Charest” and in Canada.
Source:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS2B-TX3D?i=80&cat=284086 Land Records, County of Coos, Index 1772-1900
1“West Stewartstown Memories”, The Town of Colebrook, M/S Printing, Second Printing, July 2000.
2 The 1890 US Census was destroyed in 1921 following a devastating fire at the U.S. Department of Commerce building in Washington, DC.
3His parents, Olive and William also took a mortgage on the same date. (NH land records: Fuller. Edd C., Book 60 page 64; Page 46 Cat=284086)
4Dr. Blodgett, from West Stewartstown, as her medical attendant. More about D. Blodgett at the end of this page: West Stewartstown
THE BARBOURS
The house was acquired around 1915 by Doctor Guy William Barbour (b.1884, in Clarksville1, graduate from the Kentucky School of Medicine in 1908, d.1956), son of Libby W Barbour (1856-1926) and Evelyn Maria Parsons (1863-1903) and his wife Eva B. Drew (b.1888, d.1971, m.1909, in Colebrook), daughter of Byron W Drew2 (1863-1912) and Cora Gould (1865-1958).
Dr. Barbour had a flourishing medical practice from 1909 until his death in May 1956. His office was initially in another house on Washington St. In 1915, he relocated is office in his new house.
On the January 1920 Census, Dr. Guy W Barbour 38, lives in West Stewartstown with his wife Eva, a “school teacher”, now 31, his brother-in-law Edwin W Drew 17, and mother-in-law Cora Drew 54, widowed since 1912. Eva has only one sibling, her brother Edwin Warren Drew.
Their daughter Rachel born November 25, 1920, in Ohio, was immediately adopted by the Barbour’s (no birth certificate available).
On the 1930 Census, Dr. Guy W Barbour 46, lives in the house with his wife Eva, 42, Rachel 9, Edwin W Drew 27 (profession: “Chauffeur”), and Bertha Smith 22, a servant. His mother-in-law Cora Drew 65, now lives in Colebrook with her father John who is 92. She will come back after her father’s death. Unfortunately, in 1931, Rachel dies after two years of sickness from a brain tumor at the young age of 10.
In 1935, Edwin 32 marries Mae I Thornton 25, a school teacher from Manchester, NH. They will stay in the Barbours' house, renting the second floor of the small house.
On the 1940 Census; Dr. Barbour 56, lives in the house with his wife Eva 52, and his mother-in- law Cora Drew 75. Home value stated is $4,500. Edwin 37, a “scaler at lumber mill”, and Mae now 29, are married, renting the second floor of the “little house” (the L-wing of the house complex). Of interest, In 1942, Dr. Barbour is drafted for WW II.
Dr. Barbour died in 1956 at the age of 71 after suffering for one year of “chronic myocarditis with auricular fibrillation”.
May Drew ~1930
In 1971, Mae and Edwin Drew inherited the house after the death of Eva Barbour (at the age of 82). Ultimately, the house remained in the same family’s hands for over 100 years. Mae and Edwin never had kids. After Edwin’s death in 1982, Mae lived alone in the house until her death in 2002 at the respectable age of 92.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sources:
FamillySearch, available on line: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9RFS-W68? i=15&cc=1488411&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AMH8D-5YF
1Just north of Stewartstown.
https://archive.org/stream/historyofcooscou00merr/historyofcooscou00merr_djvu.txt
https://archive.org/details/historyofcooscou00merr/page/698/mode/2up?view=theater
