Benjamin ROLFE

Other Events and Attributes:

• Education: 1727; Graduated from Harvard College

Notes:

Excerpt from "Descendants of Thomas Hale": Benjamin, graduating at the age of 17, seems to have gone almost immediately to "Pennacook," where he spent his life as the leader of the infant settlement and afterwards of the town. He was "clerk of the proprietors of Pennacook" in 1731, and continued so till 1770. Was for many years town clerk of Rumford. In 1737 was clerk of the commissioners to determine the boundary line between Mass. and New Hampshire, of which commission his father was a member. In 1745 he held the commission of Colonel. He ws the first representative of Rumford in the General Assembly of New Hampshire, and repeatedly held the same office afterwards, and during his life-time held almost every responsible office in the town in the gift of his fellow-citizens. He lived a bachelor till near 60 years of age.

Benjamin married Sarah WALKER in 1769. Sarah was born on 06 Aug 1739 in Rumford, Massachusetts; died on 10 Jan 1792 in Concord, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Col. Paul ROLFE was born on 04 Aug 1770 in Rumford, Massachusetts; died on 28 Jul 1819 in Concord, Merrimack Co., New Hampshire; was buried in Old North Cemetery, Concord, Merrimack Co., New Hampshire.

Notes:

Excerpt from "Descendants of Thomas Hale": Henry Rolfe lived and died in Newbury Oldtown, and is buried in the burying- ground there, his name on the gravestone being spelled Rolph, though it is believed he uniformly spelled it Rolfe. He ws a man of handsome estate, a leading man in the town, and as his gravestone records "for many years in commission for the Peace and member of ye Gen Court of this Province." He was one of the original proprietors of "Pennacook," afterwards Rumford, and now Concord, N.H., under the charter granted by the Province of Mass., and was evidently the master spirit among them, as his son, Col. Benjamin, afterwards was in the town. With a few others he passed the winter of 1726-7 there, the first winte spent there by white men. Dr. Bonton, in his Histgory of Concord, says "tghey suffered severly from cold and for want of suitable provisions, and were relieved by friendly Indians dwelling there." He was usually moderator in the meetings of the proprietors and their agent before the Legislature of Mass. He was one of the commissioners of Mass. in 1637 for running the boundary line between that province and New Hampshire.

Henry married Hannah TOPPAN in 1705. Hannah (daughter of Lieut. Jacob TOPPAN and Hannah SEWALL) was born on 04 Mar 1679 in Newbury, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]