Roger Vose 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: VOSE Source: Walpole As It Was and As It Is by George Aldrich, The Claremont Manufacturing Co., Claremont, N.H., 1880, pages 371-374 VOSE, ROGER, was born in Milton, Mass., in 1763, graduated at Harvard in the class of 1790, and came to this town soon after completing his law studies, which was about 1793-4; when he commenced the practice of his profession, and continued it till he was incapacitated by paralysis, which was several years before his death. In 1801, he married Rebecca, daughter of Col. John Bellows, one of the foremost men in town at that time. When first married he lived in the house now occupied by the Maynard sisters. It was a one-story house then. Be subsequently purchased the homestead once owned by Thomas Sparhawk, sen., where he lived to the time of his death, which occurred in 1841. He had no peculiar qualities which would distinguish him from others at the bar. He is remembered more on account of his fun-loving nature, ready repartee and colloquial witticisms, and also, from being the only member of Congress who ever hailed from this town. He was familiarly called Judge, which title came by his holding, at one time, the office of Judge in this State, before the county of Sullivan was taken from Cheshire. He was also, Judge of Probate for many years in Cheshire county. Following are a few instances of his ready wit. On one occasion when in Congress, he was sitting at a window of the Capitol pleasantly conversing with one of his southern friends, a member, when a drove of mules chanced to be passing by which arrested the attention of his southern friend, who thought the opportunity a good one to rally the Judge. He gave the Judge a gentle nudge and said: "Look Judge, look! There goes a drove of your constituents," "Yes, yes," was the ready reply, "going south to teach school and run for Congress." At another time, after removing to the Sparhawk place, which commands a near birds-eye view of the cemetery, and a beautiful distant view beyond, someone asked him if he was not lonely at his new home; "Oh no, no," he replied, "Plenty of neighbors and all very quiet, and, moreover I can look beyond the grave." "Whom are you mourning for?" asked the Judge of one of his students, who came into his office one morning dressed in black: "My sins only," answered the student: "I didn’t know you’d lost any," sympathisingly responded the Judge. He was the originator of comparing a thing to the size of a piece of chalk. He had five children born as follows: I. Frederick, b. Nov. 2, 1801. He graduated at Harvard college in 1822, and, after studying the law, commenced practice in his native town, where he continued for more than forty years. In 1833, he was elected a member of the legislature of New Hampshire, and, in 1847 and 1848, a member of the State senate. He also held many important offices of trust and honor in the town, county and state, being for many years Judge of Probate, Bank commissioner, &c. As a lawyer he had a general reputation: being considered one of the soundest and best read lawyers in the State. He seldom argued a case of much importance before a jury; but employed others to do so, on account of a constitutional timidity which he was never able to overcome. As a citizen of the town, he was public spirited, and in his private benefactions, liberal,--never allowing his left hand to know what his right hand was doing. Many have been the comforts the deserving have received at his hand. He always manifested a lively interest in the cause of public education. In his habits he was very retiring and unobtrusive, seldom ever appearing at social gatherings,-- books and numerous newspapers, being the society he valued most. In social intercourse, he was a perfect gentleman. Conversation never lagged when he was with one alone; but when several were present, he preferred rather to listen than talk. He inherited some of his father’s wit, as the following anecdote will show. On one occasion several gentlemen were sitting upon the steps of his office, when he was temporarily absent, discussing the subjects of geology, with which the Judge, as he was familiarly called, was somewhat familiar. The conversation became animated in reference to the kind of stone that formed his office steps. Disagreeing, it was agreed by the company to leave the decision to the judge, who was seen approaching, of what kind of stone it was. As he came near, one of the party said, "Judge, we have had some controversy about the kind of stone forming your door step, and as we are unable to agree we thought to abide your decision." The judge very demurely looked at the stone, with a peculiar twinkle of his eye, and said: "It’s a door stone I suppose,"--not allowing a muscle of his face to change, when the company burst into a roar of laughter. Although a peculiar man in some respects, still he had the esteem and confidence of his townsmen, and his loss was keenly felt and generally lamented. He died in Nov. 1871, in the city of New York, where he had gone to transact some important business The County court was then holding its fall session at Keene and the excitement incident to his business in court, and his being unexpectedly called to New York, produced apoplexy, which was the immediate cause of his death. II. Sophia Bellows, b. Oct. 29,1803, d. unm. Feb. 12, 1869. III. William, b. July 20, 1805; d. young. IV. Rebecca Hubbard, b. Sept. 26, 1807; m. Hon. John S. Marcy, of Royalton, Vt., and was the mother of several children; she is not living. V. Catharine, b. Dec. 19, 1809; d. unm. Sept. 2, 1875. She was the last of the blood of Col. John Bellows remaining in town.