Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 5.djvu/377

 THE

��GF-^ANITE MONTHLY,

A NEW HAMl^STIIRE MAGAZINE

Devoted to Literature, Biography, History, and State Progress.

Vol. Y. AUGUST, 1882. Ko. 11.

SAMUEL HART EDES, ESQ.

��BY JOSEPH \V. PARMELEE.

THK true glory of a state depends now, as it ever has, upon the energy and intelligence of its citizens in seizing upon all outlying and positive advan- tages, and overcoming and converting, so far as possible, all disadvantages of situation and condition to the general welfare.

In a crusade against the natural and untrained forces found in a wilderness susceptible of being utilized for the advancement of the state, there must be pioneers and leaders to inspire a feeling of courage and the hope of success in the minds of the grand army of followers always ready and willing to be influenced and directed.

Among those of the current generation who are in this way exerting a wide-spread and healthful influence upon the business progress and general wel- fare of this section of New Hampshire, and particularly the county of Sullivan, we come to the pages of the Granite Monthly with the name of Samuel Hart Edes, a native, and life-long citizen of the town of Newport.

In regard to the genealogy of the Edes family, we quote from the "History uf Peterborough, N. H., prepared by Albert Smith, xM. D., LL. D.," published in 1876.

THE EDES FAMILY.

"This family traces its descent from one of the eastern counties of England as far back as 151 7. The genealogy has been carefully traced with great labor and research, by Richard S. Edes. esq., of Bolton, Mass. and Henry Edes, of Cam- bridge, Mass. It was a family of a good deal of standing in society.

Samuel Edes son of Nathan, came to Peterborough, N. H., in 1799, after all his children were born. He was born in Needham, Mass., October 15, 1753, and died in Peterborough. July 10, 1845, aged ninety-two years. His first wife, Elizabeth Raker, died before he came to Peterborough, and was the mother of all his children. His second wife, Sarah Hutchinson, died in Peterborough, October 20, 18 16, aged sixty-four years. His third wife was widow Mary Eaton. She died June 4, 1864, aged eighty-nine years. Mr. Edes was in ths battle of Lexington. He reported himself and seventeen others as being sepa- rated from his companions, and being exposed to great danger thereby. The night before the battle of Bunker Hill he was employed all night in driving oxen, and was not allowed to speak above a whisper. He always lived on the same place in the town, the same as occupied by his son Isaac Edes."

Amasa Edes, the tenth of the twelve children of Samuel and Elizabeth (Baker) Edes, and grandson of Nathan, was born in Antrim, March 21, 1792. He was graduated at Dartmouth College in 181 7. He studied law at Belfast,

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