Jonathan Fletcher Family from Walpole As It Was and As It Is (1880)

Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by MLM, Volunteer 0000130. 
For the current email address, please go to 
http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00001.html#0000130
Copyright. All rights reserved.

************************************************************************
Full copyright notice - http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
USGenWeb Archives - http://www.usgwarchives.net
************************************************************************

Surname: FLETCHER
Source: Walpole As It Was and As It Is by George Aldrich, 
        The Claremont Manufacturing Co., Claremont, N.H., 1880, pages 253-255

FLETCHER, JONATHAN, the centenarian, was born in Loeminster, Mass., Aug. 29, 1753. He 
came to Walpole in 1780, when he was twenty-seven years of age and purchased fifty acres of land of 
Gen. Benjamin Bellows (to which his son afterwards made additional purchases) built himself a cabin in 
the wilderness and lived on the same place seventy-three years, where he died having attained to the 
unusual age of one hundred years five months and four days.
The census of 1840, disclosed the fact that there were but twelve persons living in the State, who were 
one hundred years old and upwards, therefore Mr. Fletcher, at his death was not only "one in a 
thousand," but one in twenty-four thousand. He is the Methuselah of our town, as no other person is 
known to have lived to that extraordinary age, although quite a number have approximated to it. He was 
in build a slender man, rather undersized, with a thin chest and somewhat stooping in carriage towards 
the close of his life. He was out a short time in the Revolutionary struggle but never in any engagement 
He was industrious when it was day, frugal in expenditure, temperate in habits, unobtrusive in demeanor, 
kind in his family and cheerful in disposition.
He voted at every presidential election, and was punctual at town meetings, and in later years was 
honored with a seat in the desk, near the town officials, on account of impaired hearing. He was fond of 
reading and read much, having read the Bible through twenty-nine times in twenty-seven years, as he 
told his son. Watts’ hymns were frequently read and from some of them he derived much consolation. 
When the Cheshire railroad was being constructed he felt afraid that he might not live to the time of its 
completion; bunt he did and stood in his doorway with dimmed eyes and .streaming locks which had 
been silvered by the frosts of ninety-six winters and witnessed the fiery steed with a long train pass over 
the ground where sixty-nine years before he felled the trees to build his first cabin. What must have been 
his musings, imagination only can paint. He retained his faculties, with the exception of hearing, to the 
last, and was as well as usual the day before he died. In the evening, while the family were unconscious 
of any special change, he calmly peacefully and without a struggle passed away.
He married Abigail Goodenow, June 11, 1781, b. Nov. 1, 1759; d. Sept. 28, 1825, they having lived 
together forty-four years. He died Feb. 2, 1854. They had a family of eight children, viz.:
I. Joanna, b. Feb. 15, 1782; m. Elias Burbank, 0ct. 11, 1801, and removed to Gaines, N. Y., 
died there leaving eight children.
II. Miriam, b. Feb. 1st, 1784; m. Daniel Plumley, Dec. 31, 1811, issue three children.
III. Polly, b. Sep. 17, 1785, m. Royal Bundy, Nov. 13, 1816, and had six ch.
IV. Levi, b. Oct. 10, 1788, d. in infancy.
V. Alvan, b July 11, 1790, m. Elizabeth Holden, Jan. 2, 1812; and lived in town some time; but 
subsequently removed to Ripton, Vt., where he died. Issue, 7 ch.
VI. Israel, b. May 26, 1792; d. July 23, 1859; m. Abigail Fuller of Athens, Vt., Apr. 4, 1826; she 
d. June 9, 1859. Ch. 1st. Henry H., b. July 28, 1827; m. Mary E. Barnes, of Jamaica, Vt., Sep. 
1854, (for ages of ch. see Ap.) 2d. Jonathan Curtis, b. Apr. 29, 1835; m. Diantha Emery, of 
Stockholm, N.Y., Feb. 10, 1860. (See Ap.)
VII. Melinda, b. July 21, 1794; m. Wm. Dunshee, Aug. 30, 1821. (See Dunshee.)
VIII. Salome, b. May 29, 1796, d. Jan. 1868 unm.