John P. Thurston of Derry, NH Biography from A History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire (1915)

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

Page 1076

   JOHN P. THURSTON, a well known citizen and veteran of the Civil
War, residing in Derry, was born in Merrimack county, N. H., Oct. 25, 1843,
a son of John J. and Eunice N. (Andrews) Thurston.  He was reared in his
native county and at the age of seventeen enlisted in Company F, Fourth
N. H. Regiment of Volunteer Infantry, being mustered into service at Man-
chester, N. H., in September, 1861.  With his regiment he went to Wash-
ington, where they were armed, and thence proceded to Annapolis.  Under
Sherman they took Port Royal and erected barracks there, remaining about
three months.  They went to Florida, where they took Fernandino, St.
Augustine and Jacksonville.  They were next ordered to Beaufort, S. C., and
while there took part in an expedition to Pocatalago and took that place.
Here Mr. Thurston was struck in the groin by a minie ball.  Their next
scene of operations was Foley Island and numerous other islands on the
coast, which they took, also taking part in the assault of Ft. Wagner and in
the reduction of Ft. Sumter.  They then returned to Beaufort, and thence
went to Gloucester Point and Bermuda Hundred, where they destroyed the
railroad.  Their next move was to White House Landing, from which point
they opened up communication with Grant's army at Cold Harbor.  Return-
ing again to Bermuda Hundred, they crossed the river and assisted in taking
the outer works of Petersburg, capturing some prisoners.  After manning
the trenches in front of Petersburg for a while they were sent to Deep Bot-
ton, where Mr. Thurston was taken ill with fever and ague and taken to the
hospital, where he was at expiration of his term of service.  He was then
discharged and returned to his home.  He served throughout with the rank
of private and was never wounded but on the occasion above referred to,
when he was in the hospital a short time.
   After his return from the war Mr. Thurston found work at the shoe-
maker's trade.  Coming to Derry about 1874, he here worked for Col. Pills-
bury in his shoe factories from the time the Colonel started business until
he sold out, since which time he has been practically retired, residing at his
home in Derry.  He is a member of Wesley B. Knight Post, G. A. R., of
which he is Post Commander, Post Quartermaster and is now Post Chaplain,
and takes an intelligent interest in the welfare and progress of the community
in which he lives.  His religious affiliations are with the Methodist Episcopal
Church.

Pages 1077 and 1078 contained a portrait for a different biography.

Page 1079

Mr. Thurston was married about 1874 to Miss Mary I. Stott, of New
Market, this county, whose grandfather was an English soldier serving in
Canada.  Mrs. Thurston died in 1891. She was the mother of one child,
Florence M., who is the wife of Arthur P. Nichols, of Derry.