Jaquith Family in Jaffrey, New Hampshire
Benjamin Jaquith (1737-1810) son of Abraham4 and Hannah Farley, was the first of the Jaquith family to move from Massachusetts to Jaffrey, New Hampshire. He was a highway surveyor in Fitchburg in 1776, and came to Jaffrey soon after, where he continued to live for the next ten to twelve years. He owned 100 acres on lot 18, range 6, north of East Jaffrey. Between 1779-81 he served on committees to lay out highways, was a fence viewer and grand juryman in 1782, and field driver in 1785. On August 11, 1786, he sold his Jaffrey farm to Thomas Brattle of Boston, and for some years later the farm was listed on tax rolls as the Brattle farm. In early 1786, Benjamin and his wife Phebe returned to Fitchburg.
In June, 1779, Benjamin's brother Ebenezer (1732-1802)who had also been living in Fitchburg, arrived in Jaffrey with his wife, Esther --daughter of Ebenezer and Elizabeth French-- and eight children, ages 2-21. A daughter, Rispah, was born that fall, and two years later, Levi, their last child, was born. Ebenezer bought all of lot 14, range 9, where he built his house; part of lot 14, range 8, and part of lot 13, range 9. In March, 1788, he sold a part of his farm to John French of Billerica, a relative of Esther's.
The house Ebenezer began building in 1789 is still standing today and is in good repair. In the photo above, the one-story section on the left is a new kitchen, added around 1990. Behind it is a newly enclosed porch. Aside from the roofing material and possibly the "fill-in" between the two dormers, the basic two-story house is pretty much in its original condition. Even the hardware on the doors is original, except for the addition of a dead-bolt lock on the front door. Its obvious that each of the many owners have taken care to keep the house in good condition. The flooring of wide pine boards and the craftsman-quality pine woodwork around the three fireplaces glows with patina. Of interest also, is the large amount of brickwork inside the house and the unpeeled logs that make up part of the support framing that can be seen in the cellar.
The photo below shows the original front entry--now the back side of the house. The added porch behind the new kitchen is to the right.
Samuel Jaquith (1760-1803), the second oldest son of Ebenezer and Esther, lived with his parents. He was given a half-ownership of the house, probably as a result of his helping to build it and run the farm. He and his wife, Lois (Mower) had seven children, but tragically, only two lived until adulthood. At the time Samuel died in September of 1803, at only 43 years old, he left his wife and daughters Olive, age 14, Esther, 9, and son David, 8. In the fall of 1808, Olive died.
According to The History of Jaffrey by Alice Lehtinen, at a public auction held March 28, 1826, Samuel's son David "advertised his farm of 140 acres (owned 1931 by Oliver St. Pierre) with good house nearly finished," large barn, and a "good chance for brick yard." Apparently, David was the last Jaquith to own the house built by Ebenezer Jaquith in 1789.
Ebenezer's oldest son, Ebenezer, Jr., (1758-1844) came to Jaffrey with his family in 1779. He settled near his father's homestead, on the place afterward occupied by his son, Seth (1804-1866). In 1930, Alice Lehtinen wrote that the house was
" . . . now owned by Clifford. C. Baldwin. The place is west of the road to Rindge at the end of a branch road leaving the main highway near the residence and roadside stand of Arthur Baldwin."
Is this house still standing? We ran out of time when we visited Jaffrey and had to leave before we were able to finish our search. Any information you have would be very much appreciated.
Update on ... September 07, 2006
