Joseph Cilley of Nottingham, NH Biography from A History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire (1915)

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Louise Temples - pc_genie@ix.netcom.com
Copyright. All rights reserved.

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

Source: A History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and Representative Citizens
         by Charles A. Hazlett, Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, Ill, 1915

See a portrait of Joseph Cilley at
http://www.usgwarchives.net/nh/rockingham/biopics/CilleyJosephN.jpg

Page 880

     JOSEPH CILLEY, a well to do resident of the town of Nottingham,
of which he is one of the selectmen, was born in Nottingham, N. H., Novem-
ber 21, 1878.  His parents were Joseph N. and Mary (Butler) Cilley.  His
ancestry on the paternal side can be traced back 800 years.  In the fifteenth
century, or about 1442, the family name was spelled "Cilli," when Sigismund
Cilli was emperor of Austria-Hungary.  A few hundred years later we find

[Pages 881 & 882 contained his portrait (listed above).]

Page 883

the name changed to "Cilley" by Gen. Joseph Cilley, who served with
credit in the American Revolution.  His grandson, Col. Joseph Cilley, won
fame in the War of 1812-15, and their descendants have since retained the
present form of the name.
     On the maternal side, the great-great-grandfather of our subject, Gen.
Henry Butler, took a prominent part in the Revolutionary War, and his son,
Sergeant Samuel A. Butler, in the War of 1812.  Gen. Butler is buried in
the family cemetery at Nottingham and his son Sergt. Samuel Butler in Ver-
mont.  Our subject's grandfather on the maternal side was Judge James H.
Butler, of the Court of Common Pleas of Rockingham County.
     Joseph N. Cilley, father of the present Joseph, was an attorney and farmer
and was a very prominent citizen.  He was president of the bank at New
Market, this county, served as representative in the legislature for several
terms, was for years an efficient member of the school board of his town, and
at various times held other local offices, in all of which he served with credit
to himself and benefit to the townspeople.  He was born at Nottingham, Feb-
ruary 15, 1835, and died October 1, 1900.  His wife, Mary Butler Cilley,
was born at Nottingham, N. H., November 21, 1844, and is still living, resid-
ing in Nottingham on the old Cilley homestead.  They were the parents of
two children--Joseph, the subject of this sketch, and Elizabeth W.  The latter,
who was educated in the schools of Nottingham, at Dean Academy, Franklin,
Mass., and Abbott's Academy at Andover, Mass., married Dr. Fred Fernald,
and has six children--Elizabeth C., Josephine, Frederick L., Mary L., Joseph
Nealy and John Thompson Fernald.
     Joseph Cilley, the direct subject of this review, began his education in the
local schools at the age of six years.  When he was fourteen he entered
Phillips Exeter Academy, where he was a student for one year.  He then
entered Adams Academy at Quincy, Mass., where he was graduated after
a three years' course of study, in 1898.  He subsequently spent one year at
Dartmouth College and two years at the New Hampshire Agricultural Col-
lege at Durham, N. H.  On his fathers' death in 1900 he returned home and
took charge of the home farm, where he has resided ever since.  He is a Re-
publican in politics and has served efficiently for the last seven years in the
office of selectman.
     Mr. Cilley was married, December 22, 1909, to Miss Cassie M. Hall,
daughter of Frank and Jane (Dame) Hall, of Nottingham.  They are people
of wealth and culture and move in the best society, having many friends
among the prominent residents of Nottingham and adjacent towns.  Mr. Cil-
ley's mother, whom we have mentioned as still residing here, is also a lady
of culture and strong mental faculties.  She is now serving as regent of the
Elsie Cilley Chapter of Nottingham, D. A. R., of which she was also the
first treasurer, and her daughter, Mrs. Fernald, the first regent.  Mrs. Cilley
and her daughter are members of the Universalist church.