Returning now to Arthur, the third child of Dea. James the emigrant, we have to say that he was born April 3, 1721. He married Margaret Hopkins, and settled in the south part of Londonderry; but in later life he moved to the state of Maine. He had two sons in the Revolutionary army, one of whom, John, was a captain noted for valor and strength, but died near the close of the war from effects of excessive exposure and hardship. Of Jean and Mary, daughters of the first Dea. James, I know nothing. But John, the sixth child of the emigrant, married Elisabeth, sister of Gen. George Reed of Londonderry, settled on the first Nesmith homestead with his father, and died there in 1815, aged eighty-seven. His children were: James of Antrim; Arthur of Antrim; John, Jr., who married, first, Susan Hildreth, and, second, Lydia Sargent, and died on the homestead in Londonderry in 1844; Ebenezer, who married Jane Trotter; Thomas; Elisabeth, who married Dea. James Pinkerton; Mary, who married John Miltimore, moving to Reading, Penn.; and Jane, who married Hugh Anderson. Of Elisabeth, the emigrant's seventh child, I have no data. Thomas, the eighth child, was born March 26, 1732; married Annis Wilson, and settled in Londonderry (now the north part of Windham), and had three children: John, Elisabeth, and Thomas, Jr. Of Benjamin, the ninth child of the first Dea. James, I have no information of importance in the present undertaking.
JONATHAN NESMITH, second child of James and Mary (Dinsmore) Nesmith, and grandson of the proprietor Dea. James, was born in Londonderry, in August, 1759. He came here in May, 1774, and began to clear the farm that remained in possession of the family until 1865. He made successive clearings each year, and with vigorous hand put up his log cabin,—though only a boy of sixteen years when he began. He permanently moved here in 1778. He subsequently had to pay for the most of his land a second time. Was one of the leading spirits of the town. Was eleven years selectman, and was four times chosen representative of the town. Was always on important committees, and was known and confided in by all. He was chosen one of the elders of the Presbyterian church at its formation in 1778, though only twenty-nine years of age. For fifty years he only failed of officiating at one communion. Dea. Nesmith was a man of great sociality,—up to jokes,—genial, jolly, and good-natured; was very hospitable and benevolent; anxious for the public welfare; stoutly in earnest to maintain the faith of his fathers; a man of strong ability, good judgment, and irreproachable character. He was an honor to the town he helped to establish. His death occurred Oct. 15, 1845, aged eighty-six. His first wife was Elenor Dickey, whom he married in 1781. She was the daughter of Adam and Jane (Strahan) Dickey of Londonderry, and grand-daughter of John and Margaret Dickey, of Londonderry, Ireland. She was born Jan. 1, 1761, and died Sept. 17, 1818. He married, second, Mrs. Sarah (Wetherbee) Hamblin, of Concord, Mass. She was twelve years of age when she witnessed the battle of Lexington and Concord from her father's door. She saw those brave men fall, remembered everything, and was always fond of telling of those first blows for liberty. She died Jan. 16, 1852, aged eighty-nine. Dea. Nesmith's cabin was burned one day when the family were absent; and he used to remark, in after years, that he never felt so poor as then. Yet, undismayed, he went about building another, being generously aided by neighbors he had himself always been forward to help. After several years he put up a substantial framed house, which was burned March 4, 1841, from a spark catching on the roof. In his old age Dea. Nesmith resigned his office in the church; and it is spoken of as a remarkable scene, when he stood in the public assembly and offered his resignation, and then, with trembling voice and with uplifted and palsied hand, invoked God's blessing on his successors in coming time. His children were:—
1. James, b. Oct. 5, 1783; m. Polly Taylor April 10, 1810; cleared and settled west of the pond and west of the Steele place, on land now George Brown's,—often called the Boyd place; went thence to Solon, N. Y., in 1822, with six children. There his wife d. in 1846. In 1852 he m. 2d, Mrs. Susan Clark; moved to Waukon, Io., and d. there in 1862. He had children:—
Mary, (b. in 1811; d. in infancy.)
Mary E., (b. in 1812; m. John Stillman of Cortlandville, N. Y., in 1833; went to Waukon, Io., in 1857, where they now live.)
Rev. John T. G., (b. in 1814; studied at Cazenovia Seminary; m. Harriet N. Taylor; entered the Methodist ministry; was a faithful and able man; d. while pastor, at the age of 36.)
Hannah E., (b. in 1816; m. John Reed; moved to Waukon, Io., in 1857, and d. there in 1877.)
Abigail S., (b. in 1818; became second wife of Isaac Barker in 1847; went to Waukon, Io., in 1854.)
Mark W., (b. in 1820; d. unm., at Solon, N. Y., in 1848.)
James A., (b. in 1822; carried to Solon, N. Y., when an infant; went thence to Illinois in 1844; m. Laura Post.)