History of Francestown, (Hillsborough County) New Hampshire United States of America

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Biographies:

Aaron Draper Shattuck, artist, was born at Francestown, N.H., March 9, 1832; son of Jesse and Harriet (Williams) Shattuck; grandson of Stephen and Lucy (Richardson) Shattuck and of ?? and Mary (Davis) Williams, and a descendant of William Shattuck, the original progenitor of all bearing the name in America. He was educated in Lowell, Mass., received private instruction in Boston, Mass., 1850?52, when he began to study art in the National Academy of Design, New York, becoming an Academician in 1861, and its recording secretary in 1867. On June 4, 1860, he married Marion, daughter of Samuel and Pamela (Chandler) Colman of New York. He invented he "Shattuck" stretcher frame for artists' canvas. His pictures include: Study of Grasses and Flowers (1856); White Mountains in October (1868); Sunday Morning in New England (1873); Sheep and Cattle in Landscape (1874); Autumn in Stockbridge (1876); Granby Pastures (1877); Cows by the Meadow Brook (1881); Cattle (1882), and Peaceful Days (1884).

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Levi Woodbury, jurist, was born in Francestown, N.H., Dec. 2, 1789; son of Peter (1767-1839) and Mary (Woodbury) Woodbury; grandson of Peter (a soldier in the French and Indian and Revolutionary wars) and Elizabeth (Dodge) Rea Woodbury and of James and Hannah (Trask) Woodbury, and a descendant on both sides of Jolla Woodbury, who came from Somersetshire, England, in 1625, to Cape Ann, removing to Maumkeag (Salem) in 1626. James Woodbury served in Colonel Bagley's regiment of Massachusetts Rangers in the Lake George campaign, and also at Louisburg, Quebec and Heights of Abraham, where he was wounded. Peter Woodbury (1767-1839) came from Amherst (now Mount Vernon) to Francestown about 1785, where he established himself as a merchant; represented the town in the legislature, and was state senator two years. Levi Woodbury was graduated from Dartmouth, A.B., 1809, A.M., 1812; studied law in the Litchfield (Conn.) Law school, in Boston, Mass., and Exeter, N.H.; was admitted to the bar in 1812, and practised in Frances-town, N.H., 1813-16. He was clerk of the state senate, 1816; judge of the supreme court of New Hampshire, 1817; removed to Portsmouth in 1819: was governor of New Hampshire, 1823-24, and speaker of the state legislature, 1825, winning the sobriquet of "Rock of the New England Democracy." He was elected U.S. senator as a Democrat, serving, 1825-31; declined his election as state senator, March 7, 1831, and served as secretary of the navy in President Jackson's cabinet, April, 1831-June, 1834, when he was transferred to the treasury department, where he continued to serve by re-appointment from President Van Buren until March 3, 1841. He meanwhile declined the chief-justiceship of the supreme court of New Hampshire; again served as U.S. senator, March 4, 1841-Nov. 20, 1845, when, having declined the British mission, he was appointed by President Polk justice of the U.S. supreme court, in place of Joseph Story, deceased, his nomination being confirmed by the senate, Jan. 3, 1846. He was mentioned for the presidency in 1851. Judge Woodbury continued in office until his death. He was married in 1819, to Elizabeth W., daughter of Asa Clapp of Portland, Maine, and their son, Charles Levi (1820-1898), was U.S. district attorney for Massachusets, 1858-61, and edited, with George Minot, "Reports of Cases argued and determined in the Circuit Court of the United States for the First Circuit." containing the decisions of Judge Levi Woodbury (3 vols., 1847-.52). The honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred upon Judge Levi Woodbury by Dartmouth in 1823, and by Wesleyan in 1843. He was co-editor with William H. Richardson of the "New Hampshire Reports" (1816 et seq. See: "The Writings of Hon. Levi Woodbury, Political, Judicial and Literary," selected and arranged by Nahum Capen (3 vols., 1852). He died in Portsmouth, N.H., Sept. 4, 1851.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

James Bell, senator, was born at Francestown Hillsborough county, N.H., Nov. 13, 1804, son of Samuel Bell, governor of New Hampshire. He was graduated at Bowdoin college in 1822, studied law with his brother, Samuel Dana, and at Litchfield, Conn., was admitted to the bar in 1825, and practised his profession at Gilmanton, Exeter, and Gilford, N.H. He served a term in the state house of representatives in 1846, was a member of the state constitutional convention, 1850, and received the Whig nomination for governor of the state in 1854, and again in 1855, but failed of an election; was elected U.S. senator in 1855, holding his seat until his death, which occurred at Laconia, N.H., May 26, 1857.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor