Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 5.djvu/390

 354 THE GRANITE MONTHLY.

Elijah Bingham's family was the ninth that settled in that town. He was also known as Deacon Bingham, being deacon of the Congregational church at that place. He died there March 19, 1798, aged seventy-eight years. The inscription on his gravestone, in Lempster burying place, is as follows :

" The memory of the just is blessed. This monument is ereeted in memory of Dea. Elijah Bingham, wlio deceased March 19. A. D. 1798, in the 79th year of his age.

In the cold mansions of the tomb. How still the solitude, how deep the gloom; How sleeps the dust uneonscious— close contiiied; litit far, far distant dwells the immortal mind."

James Bingham was father of Elijah Bingham, whose name heads this arti- cle. He married first, Lima Hebbard (can not give date), who died in 1781, after the birth of a son, who was named James Hervey. James Bingham mar- ried second, Mary Willey (date?), daughter of Allen Willey, who was among the early settlers of Lempster, having removed there from Haddam (Conn.), about 1774. She was mother of Elijah Bingham under consideration. She was born at Haddam, October 30, 1763. She died at Lempster, February 21, 1840, aged seventy-six years, three months and twenty-two days. " Blessed be her memory," was added by her son Elijah to a memorial notice of her, from which these data are taken.

Elijah Bingham's ancestry and places of residence at some period of their lives, on his paternal side, so far as mentioned in this article, may be briefly and in the order of time, given thus :

Thomas Bingham, Yorkshire, England. Thomas Bingham, Norwich, Connecticut. Joseph Binyham, Norwich, Connecticut. Elijah Bingham, Lempster, New Hampshire. James Bingham, Lempster, New Hampshire.

James Bingham lived in Lempster on the paternal homestead. He was a man of much influence ; was considerably employed in public business, as one of the selectmen of his town, and otherwise locally. He was also for many years a valuable member of the New Hampshire General Court. And he was especially noted for promoting gospel order in the town where he lived. James Hervey Bingham (his son), and Daniel Webster, being intimate friends and " college-mates " at Dartmouth, the latter was of those who were ever welcome visitors at the hospitable house of James Bingham. James Bingham died at Lempster, January 7, 1826, aged sixty-seven years. The boyhood life of Elijah Bingham was not unlike that of many of the worthy sons of New England. As he^ew up he attended school, teaching at times, and diligently applied himself to study, with the view of entering Dartmouth College, which he did in September, 1818, leaving New Ipswich Academy therefor, and entering the freshmen class. In March, 1819, because of the inconveniences of then im- paired hearing — caused by scarlet fever when but three years of age — he asked and received his dismissal and left college.

A few years after this the celebrated Jonas Chickering, who had embarked in the business of manufacturer of pianos, held out inducements to Mr. Bing- ham to enter into their manufacture with him, but that industry was yet mainly untried in this country, and with the uncertainties attendant upon it, and with Mr. Bingham's mind fixed in another direction he declined to engage in the business. Mr. Chickering and Mr. Bingham remained constant friends and correspondents until Mr. Chickering's death.

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