John Andrew Pickering Biography from History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire

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

Page 769

     JOHN ANDREW PICKERING, in former days a well known and
respected citizen of the town of Newington, Rockingham County, N. H., was
born in this town February 7, 1819, and died February 5, 1891, at the age
of seventy-two years lacking two days. He was a son of Joseph and Mary
(Fabyan) Pickering. After acquiring his education in the schools of his
native town he learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed nearly all his
life, for a number of years being engaged in real estate business and in build-
ing at Cambridgeport, Mass. Being a very hard worker, his health finally
failed and on the advice of his doctor he gave up building operations and re-

Page 770 

turned to the old family homestead in Newington, or, rather to a farm which
was a part of the same. To this property he added until at the time of his
death he owned about sixty acres in Newington and fifty in the town of
Portsmouth. He was a Democrat in politics, but in no sense a politician. He
was, however, always interested in town affairs and served efficiently in local
offices, including that of representative to the general assembly one term.
     He was married at Cambridge, Mass., May 29, 1844, by Rev. Dr. Steams,
to Sarah Elizabeth Mathes, who was born in Durham, N. H., November 1,
1818, a daughter of Benjamin and Comfort Mathes. She died May 23, 1895.
Their children were: Eldora A., Alfaretta A., Elizabeth F., Sarah E., John
A. K., Amanda, Alma A. (wife of George H. Henderson of Dover, N. H.),
and John Edward. Of this large family there are but four now living, three
daughters and a son. The sisters were all teachers, as was also their mother
before her marriage. The brother also has been master of schools in different
places. Of the daughters of John Andrew Pickering, Amanda was for fifteen
years a teacher in the Lewis school at Roxbury, Mass. She is the wife of
James Burnett-Pickering, who is no relation of hers, but assumed the Pick-
ering name on their marriage, which took place January 14, 1911. He is a
native of Boston, Mass., but lost his parents when a child. He was educated
in the Boston public schools and for the greater part of his life has been
engaged in farming. For the last ten years he has been a resident of Newing-
ton. While Mr. and Mrs. Pickering reside on the farm, it is to them chiefly
a place of residence, as they are engaged in the real estate business in Ports-
mouth and Dover, owning a considerable amount of property there.
     Another daughter of the subject of this sketch, Eldora, was assistant prin-
cipal of the Dillaway school at Roxbury, Mass., for about twenty years. The
family attend the Congregational church. The son, John Edward Pickering,
of Portsmouth, was married on November 20, 1905, to Agnes R. Holbrook
of that city. His three children, Roberta H., John R., and Eleanor, are the
only grandchildeen of John Andrew Pickering.