William Buffum from Walpole As It Was and As It Is (1880)

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Surname: BUFFUM
Source: Walpole As It Was and As It Is by George Aldrich, 
        The Claremont Manufacturing Co., Claremont, N.H., 1880, page 216-218

BUFFUM, WILLIAM. Joseph Buffum came to Westmoreland, from Rhode Island, in 1784; and 
settled in the south part of the town. He married Sally Haskell, of Lancaster, Mass., and had seven 
sons, who all possessed the family traits of strong mind, persistent will and good common sense. 
Joseph, jr., was a graduate of Dartmouth, studied law, and early in life was a member of the Cheshire 
bar, and Postmaster at Keene. In 1818 he was elected member of Congress from this State, for one 
term, but refused a re-election, it is said, on account of the distaste he had for the corruption and 
dishonesty seen in Congress, and in and around Washington. On his return from Washington he settled 
down on the paternal homestead, and spent a long life there; a recluse in a measure, avoiding all female 
society but his mother's, and seldom appearing off his farm for any other than the most urgent reasons. 
He had his books and papers for company, and was one of the most intelligent men in town. He was a 
man of good abilities, and strictly honest. William, the forth son, was born July 25 1793, and came to 
Walpole in 1816, and soon after established himself in the mercantile business, in which he continued till 
he died, October, 1841. He married March 1, 1820, Mary Ann D., dau. of Thomas Gordon, of 
Sterling, Conn., and step-dau. of Gen. Amasa Allen of this town. His children were
I. William G., b. April 11, 1822.
II. Rufus E., b. Feb. 22, 1824; graduated at Dartmouth in 1844; studied law in Cambridge, Mass., 
and was admitted to the bar in that state. He m. Eliza M. Farley in 1846, and had five ch., two 
of whom are living; Gordon C. and Ogbourne E.; m. 2d, Clara, dau. of Jonas and Sarah 
(Labaree) Tufts, of this town, Jan., 1878, and lives in Humbolt, Tenn.
III. Joseph H., b. Feb. 8, 1826; m. Laura S., dau. of Ashbel Wheeler of Chesterfield, N.H.-issue, 
one dau., Laura, b. 1856.
IV. George Dixon, b. July 7, l828, resides in California.
V. Edward Wheaton, b. Oct. 11, 1830; graduated at the law school in Cambridge, Mass. and was 
admitted to the bar in Cheshire county at the October term of 1852, and in the following 
January went to California, where he has resided ever since.
VI. Sarah Ann H., b. September 4, 1832.

BUFFUM, DAVID, the seventh son of Joseph, was b. April 15,1803 and came to W. in 1820 and 
went into the store of his brother William, where he remained three years as clerk, and at the expiration 
of that time became a partner, under the style of W. & D. Buffum, and continued fourteen years, when 
he formed a copartnership with Thomas H. Seaver. This firm continued three years. In 1840 Henry H. 
Baxter was his partner six months, when he took Francis Bellows as a partner. This firm dissolved at the 
expiration of four years, and from 1844 to 1850 he was in business alone. In 1861 he took his son 
Thomas in as a partner which partnership continued five years. In 1828 he was captain of the rifle 
company in this town, and was Lieutenant-Colonel of the 20th regiment in New Hampshire in l829-30. 
He was a member of the General Court in 1849-50, and also of the Convention called to revise the 
State Constitution, in 1876.

Mr. Buffum has exercised a marked influence in the civic interests of the town the past fifty years, 
although he has held but few town offices. His long business life and good judgement have admirably 
fitted him to give counsel to his townsmen in their multifarious private dealings, which has been often 
sought. When the War of the Rebellion broke out, although a strong Democrat, he was one of the first 
to sustain the government, in furnishing men and means to suppress the Rebellion. In December, 1829, 
he married Mary Hubbard, daughter of Hon. Thomas and Eleanor (Foster) Bellows, by whom he has 
two children,
I. Thomas Bellows, b. Sept. 8, 1830; m. Ann Rebecca, daughter of Frederick and Mary Ann 
(Watkins) Kilburn (See Ap.)
II. Ann Reynolds, b. Aug. 29, 1834.