Silsby FAMILY of Sullivan County, NH

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SILSBY FAMILY of Sullivan County, NH
Transcribed and contributed to Genealogy Trails by Janice Farnsworth - Farns10th@aol.com
Source: History of Charlestown, NH - Fort 4 by Rev. Henry H. Saunderson pub 1876,
Claremont, NH

p.546
The first occurence of the name Silsby in the history of Charlestown (NH) is in connection with the scenes of the Revolution. Henry Silsby was a member of Capt. Abel Walker's company with which he marched in Feb. 1776 to Quebec. Three of the name were in Capt. Walker's Co. No. 1, Col. Benjamins Bellows' regiment, with which, in the spring of 1777 he marched to Ticonderoga. These were: Lazedell Silsby (now written as Lasell) one of the sergeants of the company, Julius Silsby, lst Corporal, and Eliphaz Silsby, private (see also the History of Acworth, NH)

Julius Silsby settled at Charlestown and married soon after the close of the Revolution. He m. Rebecca Putnam dau of Deacon Ebenezer Putnam and wife Mary Putnam. She b. May 25, 1759.

Isaac Silsby, son of Julius and Rebecca (Putnam) Silsby b. Jan 23, 1787 m. Dec 9, 1809 Anna Langley b.June l3, 1787. Isaac Silsby settled in Charlestown and was for many years one of its most enterprising citizens. He was lst Selectman, also representative of the town in 1835. He d. Dec 24, 1850 age 63 - he had been engaged in fulfilling a contract on what was then called the Western Vermont Railroad. Wishing to spend Christmas with his family he started out on the 24th to return home. A deep snow had fallen and the roads were diffi-cult. At length he came to a badly drifted portion of the way over which he was told he could not pass. But being a man of great energy he told his informers he thought he could, or at least, he could try. But making the attempt, his horse almost immediately floundered in the snow and he was obliged to get out of the sleigh for the purpose of helping the horse out. He had scarcely stepped into the snow before he was observed to fall. They went to him and he was dead. Instead, therefore, of gladdening his family by his presence at Christmas, they were saddened by the tidings of his death. The children of Isaac Silsby as follows:

1. Isaac Silsby Jr. b. Sep l0, 1808 m. (l) Margaret Price of Newport, RI. He m. (2) Susan Claxton of Washington, D.C. (she born in England)
2. Emily A. Silsby b. Sep l5, 18l0 m. George Olcott, Sr.
3. Maria Silsby b. June 17, 18l2 m. Richardson Robert-son.
4. Harriet Silsby b. Dec 8, 18l4 m. Charles Hapgood of Bellows Falls in 1834.
5. Esther Silsby b. April 17, 1817 m. (l) Marcus Dougherty of Marlboro, NY in 1836. He died and she m. (2) Russell Hyde of Bellows Falls.
6. Anna Langley Silsby b. July 7,1823 m. Samuel L. Wilder, Jr. She d. Jan 18, 1856.
7. Caroline Silsby b. Dec 7, 1826 m. Frederick Porter of Springfield, VT.
8. Elizabeth Silsby b. Sep 22, 1828 m. Charles H. West of Charlestown, NH

p. 709

Colonel Ithiel Homer Silsby, who died at Newton, MA in the summer of 1874, left a will which contains several provisions of such interest to the town of Charlestown NH as to require notice in this work (book).

Colonel Silsby was a native of Acworth, NH and Mrs. Silsby was also of that town. Both taught school at Charlestown and both succeeded not only in gaining the strong attachment of their scholars but of the people; and that the attachment of our citizens to Mr. Silsby was most warmly and heartily returned, we have most incontrovertible evidence afforded us in his generous and noble bequest. While in Charlestown he also became involved in the business of keeping a hotel, which he afterwards so honorably followed, and which was one means of opening his way to the large possessions which, as he contemplated life as about closing, he so bountifully and appropriately distributed. From Charlestown, NH he went to Saratoga where he became connected with the United States Hotel and from Saratoga he removed to Boston and kept with great acceptance for many years the United States Hotel there. He aferwards kept the Winthrop House, his interest in which he sold out a little before the great fire. Newton, MA had been for some time prior to his death, his home. The following is the 8th clause of his will which contains the provision to which reference above has been given:

8. "I give ten thousand dollars to the town of Charlestown, N.H. in trust, upon the conditions and for the purposes as follows, viz: That said town shall accept the trust and that said town will expend eight of the said ten thousand dollars in erection of a building of face brick with stone trimmings, one and one half stories high, the entrance of said building to be in the center on the front thereof, with a room on each side for books and a reading room and over all a large room or hall."

The said building shall be calle the Silsby Public Library which name in raised letters shall be cut in granite on the front of said building. And that the said town shall expend the remainder of said ten thousand dollars in the purchase of suitable books for a Free Public Library and that said town shall keep said library for the full use of all the inhabitants of Charlestown under reasonable rules and regulations and shall also permit said hall to be used for lectures, lyceums and similar purposes under like rules and regulations"

"It is my wish that said building shall be place on the Briggs Lot once so called, on the corner of Main Street and the street that runs back to the old common, the front of said building to be on Main Street where Mr. Briggs and Mr. Gorden once had their law offices."

"This my gift to the town of Charlestown is in gratitude to its inhabitants who received me, a poor boy, in kindness, and ever treated me with consideration and hospitality, and for whom, and for the beautiful old town wherein they live, I have many pleasant attachments; and I trust and hope this library will be of service to many of my old pupils and their descendants."