Washington County Biographies

Personal Paragraphs of Exeter

N - S

Source The History of Washington & Kent Counties
Written by J. R. Cole published in 1889 by W. W. Preston & Co.


Reverend George R. Northup, born in 1821 in Exeter, is a son of John, whose father, Anthony, was a son of Zebulon Northup. Mr. Northup was ordained as a Calvinist Baptist preacher in 1856. He has preached twenty-seven years in succession. The last five years he has had no regular charge. He was married in 1848 to Frances E. Peckham, who died in 1852. He was married to his present wife, Esther P., in 1854. They have two children: Imogene, now Mrs. Charles H. Cook, and Lillian, now Mrs. Thomas R. Rathbun. They have lost eight children.

 

George W. Palmer, born in 1859 in Richmond, is a son of William H., whose father, Amos, was a son of Reverend Phineas Palmer, His mother was Caroline C, daughter of William Peckham. Mr. Palmer is a farmer, owning nearly six hundred acres of land. He built the house in which he now lives in 1886. He was married in 1883 to Melissa D., daughter of Seth W. Terry, who is a son of Moses, and he a son of Seth, whose father, Seth Terry, came from Dartmouth during the revolution. Mr. Palmer is a republican and a member of Queens River church.

 

Elisha P. Phillips was born in 1827 at Plainfield, Conn. He is a son of Elisha P. and grandson of Nathaniel Phillips. His mother was Mary, daughter of Benjamin Northup. Mr. Phillips owns the lower mill at Millville, built by Job Reynolds & Son in 1834. They rented it the most of the time from then until Job died in 1852. There had been a store connected with the mill property since the time the mill was built. At the death of Mr. Reynolds, in 1852, Mr. Phillips bought the lower mill and store, which he still owns. The mill was burned in 1886, and rebuilt in 1887. He was married in 1848 to Lucy, daughter of Job Reynolds. She died in 1887. He has been a member of the general assembly three terms, in the town council about seventeen years, and superintendent of schools several years. He is a republican. He has been a member of Exeter church about forty years.

 

William G. Rose, born in 1821 in Exeter, is a son of George W. and grandson of James Rose. He was a woolen manufacturer until about ten years ago, when he engaged in farming. He has lived in Exeter, near Slocumville, since 1873. He has ' been a member of the town council several years and was in the legislature in 1857. He was married in 1844 to Martha F. Dixon, who died in 1863. They had eight children, seven of whom are now living. He was married again in 1866 to Mary A. G. Tillinghast, widow of Thomas W Tillinghast. Mr. Rose is master of Exeter Grange, No. 12, P. of H. He is a democrat.

 

Caleb H. Sherman was born in 1833 in Exeter. He is a son of Eber, whose father, Eber, was a son of Eber Sherman. His mother was Catherine, daughter of Stephen Gardner. Mr. Sherman is a farmer, occupying the homestead of the Shermans, which has been owned by four generations. He has taught school about twenty-five terms. He attended the Greenwich Academy three terms. He has been in the town council several terms. He was married in 1871 to a daughter of Gideon Brown. They have one son, Caleb W.

 

Eber J. Sherman was born in 1846 in Exeter. His father, grandfather and great-grandfather were named Eber. Mr. Sherman is a farmer, and has lived in Exeter all his life, except four years spent in North Kingstown. He was married in 1865 to Lydia H., daughter of Jonathan Record, who was born in 1800 in Newport and came to Exeter in 1861, where he lived until a short time before his death, which occurred in 1878. Mr. and Mrs. Sherman have seven children : Samuel E., Jonathan R., William T., Robert J., Charles H., Mary C. and Lydia R. Jonathan Record was a house carpenter until 1838, and from that time until 1861 was a merchant.

 

George J. Sherman, born in 1820 in Exeter, is a son of Eber and grandson of Eber Sherman. His mother was Patience, daughter of George James. Mr. Sherman has lived in the town of Exeter all his life excepting two years. He is a farmer, and runs a grist mill and a shingle mill in connection with farming. His wife, Rebecca C, to whom he was married in 1841, died in 1881, leaving three daughters : Martha P , Rebecca and Estella B., all married. Mr. Sherman is a member of the First Exeter church.

 

Winfield S. Shearman is a son of Arnold C. Shearman, and grandson of Arnold, whose father, Robert, was a son of Jonathan. His mother was Hannah S., daughter of Robert Rose. His grandmother, wife of Arnold Shearman, was Catherine, daughter of Josiah Arnold. Mr. Shearman is one of five sons, and lives with his father, Arnold C. Shearman, who owns the old homestead that has been in the family for about two hundred years. Jonathan Shearman's father was also named Jonathan, and he was a son of Benjamin, whose father, Philip, was born in England and came to Roxbury, Mass., in 1633. He, with a few other men of that state, was banished from the state, and settled in 1638 in Portsmouth.

 

Eben Slocum, Jr., born in 1848 in North Kingstown, is a son of Eben, and grandson of Eleazer Slocum. His mother was Hannah Congdon. Mr. Slocum is a farmer, and has made buying and selling cattle his principal business for the last fifteen years. He has lived in Exeter Hollow since 1880. He was married in 1870 to Kate A., daughter of Jeremiah T. Knowles. They have one son, Adelbert C. M.

 

Jonathan Spencer was born in 1798 in Exeter. He is a son of Samuel, and grandson of Jonathan, whose father, Samuel, was a son of Michael Spencer. Mr. Spencer has been overseer of poor, town sergeant, and collector of taxes several years, as a republican. He was married in 1822 to Nancy, daughter of John Place. They had two children—John, who was in the war of the rebellion, in Company F, Seventh Rhode Island volunteers, and died at Camp Dennison, Ohio; and Elizabeth, now Mrs. Alvin L. Knight. Her son, Herbert E. Knight, lives with his grandfather, Mr. Spencer. He was married in 1880 to Mary Matteson. They have three children. Mr. Spencer's wife died in 1882, aged 83 years.

 

Aaron Straight was born in 1800 in West Greenwich. He is a son of Solomon, and grandson of John Straight. Mr. Straight is a farmer and has lived on the farm that he now occupies since 1831. He has been a member of the town council several years, and is a member of Arcadia Baptist church. Aaron Straight was married in 1830 to Abigail, daughter of Allen and Ruth Tillinghast. They have had three children : Albert, who died in Fairfax Seminary Hospital, in 1863 (he was a volunteer in Battery B); John T. and Abbie. Albert was married to Angeline Tillinghast, a sister of Judge Pardon Tillinghast. Abbie lives with her father.

 

Stephen Straight was born in 1814 in West Greenwich. He is a son of Solomon, and grandson of John Straight. His mother was Susan, daughter of Eldridge Austin. Mr. Straight is a farmer and has lived in this town about thirty-seven years. He was married in 1841 to Hopestill, daughter of Amos Bates. They have two children—Ann Eliza, now Mrs. William H. H. Woodmansee, and John A., who was married in 1866 to Abbie F., daughter of Royal Phillips, and has had four children: Anna F. (deceased), Stephen A. R., Ella S. A., and Elwin W. A. John A. is a farmer and has lived in West Greenwich about twenty years. He is a member of West Exeter church. Stephen is a prohibitionist. He is a member of West Exeter church.

 

James W. Sunderland, born in 1835 in Richmond, is a son of Nathaniel C. and grandson of George Sunderland. His mother was Emeline, daughter of Joseph Phillips. Mr. Sunderland is a farmer, and has lived in Exeter about thirty-five years. He has been town sergeant and constable. He was married in 1864 to Mercy B., daughter of Silas E. Moore. Mrs. Sunderland has been postmistress at Liberty since the office was established, about 1882.

 

 

 

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