Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 6.djvu/26

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��THE GRANITE MONTHLY.

��Abigail, and to Walker Lear, son of his sister, Elizabeth Lear." He was pro- vince marshal in L69S, captain of a troop of horse and an influential member of the assembly from Portsmouth, his term of service extending, with the exception of a few years, from 1710 to 1742. The silver which formed the Christening bowl, used at the South Parish, in Portsmouth, was purchased from the £100. old tenor, which Captain Walker bequeathed to the church. My grand-uncles. George Walker Lear and Joseph Lear, moved to Saville, now Sunapee. N. H., before the Revolutionary war. and had children.

The names of Tobias Walker and George W r alker have been perpetuated. Both George Walker Lear and Joseph Lear signed the "' test Oath" of 1776, at .Saville. A deed of June 6, 17."iJ, exe- cuted by Walker Lear, and Mary, his wife, conveying a certain piece of Ji marsh or meadow ground.*' 1 on Saga- more, to Samuel Beck, " of Sagamore creek,'" and known to this day as the " Walker Lear marsh." was recently sent to me by my esteemed friend. Col. Andrew J. Beck, of Portsmouth, a de- scendant of the grantee.

The burial place of the Walkers and hears is on the Langdon or Elwyn

��farm, surrounded by a stone wall, in a beautiful grove of oaks, near tin; east line of the farm, just north of John W. Johnson's new house on Sagamore road. on land formerly belonging to the Becks.

One. of the stones which has been transferred to the Elwyn lot.* bears this inscription : "Here lies the body of Mrs. Mary Walker, wife to Captain George Walker, died June 1, 17.54, aged 02 years."

In the same lot we copied from an ancient stone the following: "Here lies buried ye body of Capt. Tobias Langdon, aged 64 years, who deceased ye 20 Feb. 1725."

Captain Langdon was born on the farm where his body reposes. His willow became the wife of Tobias Lear, as heretofore stated.

If in Portsmouth I could trace with more distinctness the chronology of the family, thus rendering the record more complete, and making available other memoranda in my possession.

More anon.

��* Probably to preserve it, as ether stones on the original ground, bearing inscriptions, had been broken.

��NEW HAMPSHIRE RAILROADS.

��BY J. W. FELLOWS.

��The importance of railroads, to the people of New Hampshire, can hardly be estimated. Probably no section of this country is benefitted and its ma- terial interests so largely and directly aided in a general manner as this state, while in some localities, the develop- ment of every important enterprise is almost entirely dependent upon railroad facilities. It has been suggested that a brief history of the different corpo- rations may be of public interest, and it is proposed, in a series of articles, to give an account of their origin, progress and influence, their connec- tions and business relations with foreign companies.

The various charters which have been granted, with their respective dates, are included in this article for convenience and reference.

��They may be arranged in three systems or groups, namely : in the eastern, the middle, and the western sections of the state. Some notice will be given of those men who were active and efficient in undertaking and promoting these enterprises, and the subject be treated in detail as far as will be of interest to the general reader.

Following is a list of charters :

1S33, jan. 1. Boston ec Ontario R. R. Co. From any point in southerly line of state, in or near Dunstable, northwardly and westerly to the westerly line of the state on Connecticut river.

1835, june 2 3- Nashua & Lowell R. R. Corporation. From any point in southerly line of state to some convenient place in or near Nashua village.

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