By Muriel Bristol | October 8, 2023
Theodore Lyman was born in Milton, August 23, 1812, son of Theodore C. and Dorothy (Allen) Lyman.
Future mother-in-law Lydia (Walker) Bragdon died in Milton, July 10, 1826, aged forty-seven years.
Theodore Lyman married, probably in Milton, circa 1837-38, Betsy Bragdon. She was born in Milton, in 1818, daughter of Samuel and Lydia (Walker) Bragdon. (Her younger sister, Louisa A. Bragdon, would marry in Milton, February 4, 1841, Luther Hayes, he of Rochester, NH, and she of Milton).
(The known children of Theodore and Betsy (Bragdon) Lyman were Andrew R. Lyman (1838-1906), and Samuel Lyman (1840-1856)).
Son Andrew R. Lyman was born in Milton, December 5, 1838.
Theodore Lyman headed a Milton household at the time of the Sixth (1840) Federal Census. His household included one male aged 20-29 years [himself], one female aged 20-29 years [Amanda M. ((Dixon)) Thurston) Lyman), one male aged 15-19 years, and one male aged under-5 years [Andrew R. Lyman] One member of his household was engaged in Agriculture.
Son Samuel Lyman was born in Milton, in 1840. Father-in-law Samuel Bragdon died in Milton, December 11, 1840, aged sixty-nine years, nine months.
Theodore and Betsy (Bragdon) Lyman were charter members of a Freewill Baptist Church that held its inaugural meeting in their South Milton home, May 5, 1843. He became its deacon.
A Free Will Baptist Church was organized at the house of Theodore Lyman on the fifth day of May 1843, with seventeen members, viz., Hazen Duntley, Daniel M. Quimby, Luther Hayes, William Fernald, James O. Reynolds, Drusilla [(Pickering)] Jewett, Betsey [(Bragdon)] Lyman, Mary H. Downs, Mrs. D.W. Wedgwood, William B. Lyman, Theodore Lyman, E.S. Edgerly, Dearborn Wedgwood, Phoebe [(Leighton)] Duntley, Sophia Quimby, Sally F. Downs, Mrs. A. Hubbard. Luther Hayes was chosen clerk, and Theodore Lyman deacon. Rev. William H. Waldron was the first pastor, having charge of the church about one year, and was succeeded by Rev. Horace Stanton. Mr. Stanton’s health failing he was soon obliged to resign the pastorate, and the Rev. Uriah Chase was called for a time. This church having no meeting house or suitable place for public worship, soon discontinued Sabbath meetings, but kept up prayer and conference meetings until May 1, 1850, at which time the organization became extinct. There were ten members added to the church after its organization. Although for the lack of pecuniary ability to build a meeting house and support the regular preaching of the gospel, this little church was obliged, for the time being to give up its organization, many of its members continued to feel a lively interest in the cause, and in 1859 succeeded in building the present very neat and tasty meeting-house, which was dedicated on the 25th day of December of that year (Scales, 1914).
Mother Dorothy (Allen) Lyman died in Milton, November 25, 1848, aged seventy-nine years.
Theodore Lyman, a farmer, aged thirty-eight years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Seventh (1850) Federal Census. His household included Betsey [(Bragdon)] Lyman, aged thirty-two years, Andrew R. Lyman, aged eleven years, and Samuel Lyman, aged nine years. Theodore Lyman had real estate valued at $3,500. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Luther Hayes, a lumber dealer, aged thirty years (b. NH), and Thomas Leighton, a machinist, aged sixty-four years (b. NH).
Son Samuel Lyman died in Milton, July 19, 1856.
Theodore Lyman, a farmer, aged forty-seven years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Eighth (1860) Federal Census. His household included Betsey [(Bragdon)] Lyman, aged forty-two years (b. NH), Andrew R. Lyman, a farmer, aged twenty-one years (b. NH), and Ann F. Emerson, aged fifteen years (b. NH). Theodore Lyman had real estate valued at $6,000 and personal estate valued at $1,000. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Luther Hayes, a farmer, aged forty years (b. NH), and Henry B. Scates, a farmer, aged twenty-eight years (b. NH).
Son Andrew R. Lyman married in Milton, September 7, 1862, Amanda L. Thurston, he of Milton and she of Lebanon, ME. He was a farmer, aged twenty-one years, and she was aged twenty-four years. Rev. Ezra Tuttle performed the ceremony. She was born in Lebanon, ME, circa 1838, daughter of Benjamin and Hannah (Jones) Dixon.
Milton sent Theodore Lyman and Charles Jones (1833-1893) to Concord, NH, as its NH State Representatives for the 1863-64 biennium. They were allotted 90 miles as the length of their round-trip mileage.
On the third and final day of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 3, 1863, the NH House considered a series of joint resolutions on “National Affairs.” (News reports of the Union victory at Gettysburg, PA, would not reach New Hampshire until Tuesday, July 7, 1863). The majority committee report in support of President Lincoln read as follows.
Whereas, The General Government cannot in honor negotiate for peace with traitors and rebels in arms against its rightful authority; and whereas, a permanent and lasting peace cannot be obtained except through complete and triumphant victory; and whereas, neither the President nor Congress can constitutionally entertain any proposition which has for its object the dismemberment of the Government or the dissolution of the Union; therefore,
Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened, That the State of New Hampshire pledges anew her entire resources for the integrity of the Union, the support of the Constitution, the enforcement of the laws, and the continued prosecution of the war until victory crowns our arms, and until the supremacy of the Federal Government is re-established throughout our entire country.
Resolved, That by the Federal Constitution all the powers necessary for the preservation of the Union and Government established by it are granted to that government and may be lawfully exercised to suppress the present entirely causeless and unjustifiable rebellion; and rebels against that Government and Constitution cannot rightfully claim the protection of either until they submit to the authority, and acknowledge the supremacy of both.
Whereas, The steadfast endurance, constancy and valor of the soldiers who have gone forth from New Hampshire, upon the march, in camp, and upon many a well fought field are honorable alike to themselves, and to the State, and demand her lasting gratitude; therefore,
Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened, That New Hampshire hereby most heartily thanks all her sons who have thus gone forth to aid in crushing the rebellion, and to peril their lives for the defence of Liberty and the Union.
Democrat Rep. Harry Bingham (1821-1900) of Littleton, NH, moved that the three resolutions be voted upon separately. Reps. Lyman and Jones of Milton voted with the majority of 171 representatives [60.1%] that voted in favor of the first two resolutions, rather than with the 110 representatives [39.9%%] that voted against them. The final resolution passed on a voice vote.
The much lengthier minority committee report objected to President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, as an unconstitutional seizure of private property. i.e., the slaves, his suppression of the press, the trial and banishment of former Democrat Congressman Clement L. Vallandigham of Ohio, who was leader of the anti-war “Copperheads,” as well as Lincoln’s general conduct of the war. It read as follows.
Resolved, We do solemnly, and without mental reservation, declare our fidelity to the Constitution of the United States, and to the laws of the United States made in pursuance thereof, as the supreme law of the land and we will to the best of our ability, support, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States against all of its enemies, and we demand of all public rulers and magistrates, State and National, that they shall do likewise.
2. We repudiate, as dangerous and revolutionary, the doctrine that a state of war confers upon the President of the United States, or his subordinates in authority any powers, executive, legislative, or administrative, over persons or property, above or beyond what are vested in him or them by the Federal Constitution. We admit no military necessity to justify any violation of the Constitution, which is the guide and safeguard of rulers and people alike, in peace and in war, and in all conditions of public affairs the military should ever be subordinate to this civil power.
3. That there is a manifest difference between the administration of the government and the government itself. The government consists of the civil and political institutions created by the Constitution, and to it the people owe allegiance. The administration are but the agents of the people, subject to their approval or condemnation, according to the merit or demerit of their acts.
4. That in the exercise of their right to differ with the Federal Executive, we enter our solemn protest against the Proclamation of the President of the United States, dated the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, by which he assumes to emancipate slaves in certain States, holding the same to be unwise, unconstitutional and void.
5. That we declare our determined opposition to a system of emancipation by the States upon compensation to be made out of the treasury of the United States as burdensome upon the people, unjust in its very nature, and wholly without warrant of the Constitution.
6. That we declare that the power which has recently been assumed by the President of the United States, whereby, under the guise of military necessity, he has proclaimed and extended – or asserts the right to proclaim and extend – martial law over States where war does not exist, and has suspended the writ of habeas corpus, is unwarranted by the Constitution, and its tendency is to subordinate civil to military authority, and to subvert our system of free government.
7. That we hail with pleasure and hope the manifestations of conservative sentiment among the people of the Northern States, in their elections, and regard the same as earnest of a good purpose on their part to co-operate with all other loyal citizens in giving security to the rights of every section, and maintaining the Union and the Constitution as they were ordained by the founders of the Republic.
8. Then whenever it becomes practicable to obtain a convention of all or three- fourths of the States, such body should be convened for the purpose of proposing such amendments to the Federal Constitution as experience has proved to be necessary to maintain that instrument in the spirit and meaning intended by its founders, and to provide against future convulsions and wars.
9. That the soldiers composing our armies merit the warmest thanks of the nation. Their country called and nobly did they respond. Living, they shall know a nation’s gratitude; wounded, a nation’s care; and dying, they shall live in our memories and monuments shall be raised to teach posterity to honor the patriots and heroes who offered their lives at their country’s altar. Their widows and orphans shall be adopted by the nation, to be watched over and cared for as objects truly worthy a nation’s guardianship.
10. That the arrest, imprisonment, pretended trial and actual banishment of Clement L. Vallandigham, a citizen of the State of Ohio, not belonging to the land or naval forces of the United States, nor to the military in actual service by alleged military authority, for no other pretended crime then that of uttering words of legitimate criticism upon the conduct of the Administration in power, and of appealing to the ballot box for a change of policy, (said arrest and military trial taking place where the courts of law are open and unobstructed,) and for no act done within the sphere of active military operations in carrying on the war we regard as a palpable violation of the following provisions of the Constitution of the United States:
1. Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
2. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated; and no warrants shall issue but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized.
3. No person shall be held to answer for a capital or otherwise infamous crime unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces or in the militia when in actual service in time of war or public danger.
4. In all criminal prosecutions the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law.
On Friday, July 10, 1863, Reps. Lyman and Jones of Milton joined the majority of 162 representatives [57.0%] that voted against the minority committee report, rather than the 122 representatives [43.0%] that voted in favor of it.
[Editor: For those who might be thinking that the majority numbers seem somewhat low, a Keene, NH, writer observed that week that “It may be interesting to your Vermont readers to know something [of] how the news of the late victories are being received in New Hampshire, where copperhead proclivities, as you know, prevail to a much greater extent than in old Vermont”].
Father Theodore C. Lyman died of old age in Milton, July 30, 1863, aged ninety-two years.
On Thursday, June 16, 1864, The NH House passed a resolution seeking to have the U.S. Congress propose and pass what would become in the following year the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
ARTICLE XIII. SECTION 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction. SEC. 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Rep. Jones of Milton voted with the 160 representatives [60.8%] that voted in favor of the resolution, rather than the 103 representatives [39.2%] that voted against it. (Rep. Lyman is not on record as having voted either way). The resolution passed the NH House and went on to the NH Senate. The actual Constitutional Amendment was in progress already in the U.S. Congress, and would come back to the NH House in the next legislative session.
On Wednesday, July 13, 1864, Rep. Lyman, and Rep. Jones of Milton, were among the 190 [67.4%] representatives that voted against moving the State Capitol from Concord, NH, to Manchester, NH, while another 92 [32.6%] representatives voted in favor of the move. The State Capitol remains in Concord, NH.
New Hampshire Capitol. A vigorous effort is being made to remove the State Capital from Concord, N.H., to Manchester. The Legislature is greatly excited and divided on the subject (Vermont Journal, July 9, 1864).
GENERAL SUMMARY. The New Hampshire Legislature have settled the question of the removal of their Capitol by voting by 90 majority that it remain at Concord (Union & Journal (Biddeford, ME), July 15, 1864).
On Thursday, July 14, 1864, Rep. Lyman, and Rep. Jones of Milton, were among the 229 [79.5%] representatives that voted in favor of providing relief for the creditors of the Sullivan Railroad, while another 59 [20.5%] representatives voted against providing relief for those creditors. (The Sullivan Railroad suffered serious train wrecks in 1860 and 1863).
Rep. William Little (1833-1893) of Manchester, NH, introduced a joint resolution on Saturday, July 16, 1864:
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened, That the pay of the members of the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives shall be two dollars per day, in gold, for the year 1865 and afterwards.
The NH House voted to indefinitely postpone the resolution – despite its having been reduced by amendment from $2.50 in gold to $2.00 in gold – but Rep. Hill of Manchester, NH, made a motion to reconsider. Rep. Jones of Milton, and Rep. Lyman, were among the 148 [56.3%] representatives that voted against reconsideration, while another 115 [43.7%] representatives voted in favor of reconsideration. (One may note that at least 115 of the legislators had hoped to be paid their per diem in gold, rather than in inflationary paper “Greenback” currency).
Betsy (Bragdon) Lyman died in Milton, September 22, 1864, aged forty-six years, four months.
Theodore Lyman, a farmer, aged fifty-seven years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Ninth (1870) Federal Census. His household included Susan Jenness, a housekeeper, aged twenty-nine years (b. NH). Theodore Lyman had real estate valued at $4,000 and personal estate valued at $7,655. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Henry B. Scates, a dealer in wood & lumber, aged thirty-eight years (b. NH), and a vacant building. (Hiram V. Wentworth, a shoe manufacturer, aged fifty-one years (b. NH), resided just beyond the vacant building).
Andrew R. Lyman, works in shoe factory, aged thirty years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Ninth (1870) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Amanda M. [((Dixon) Thurston)] Lyman, keeping house, aged twenty-nine years (b. ME), and his daughters, Bertha L. Lyman, at school, aged five years (b. NH), and Florance N. Lyman, at school, aged five years (b. NH). Andrew R. Lyman had real estate valued at $1,200 and personal estate valued at $200. They shared a two-family house with the household of Joseph B. Wakeham, works for shoe factory, aged forty-six years (b. NH). Their two-family house appeared in the enumeration between those of Mehitable Lyman, keeping house, aged forty-seven years (b. NH), and George Lyman, a farmer, aged forty-two years (b. NH).
Theodore Lyman, a farmer, aged sixty-seven years (b. NH) headed a Milton household at the time of the Tenth (1880) Federal Census. His household included his housekeeper, Susan A. Jenness, a housekeeper, aged thirty-nine years (b. NH). Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of James O. Reynolds, a shoe manufacturer, aged fifty-four years (b. NH), and George Lyman, a farmer, aged fifty-two years (b. NH).
Andrew R. Lyman, a stable keeper, aged forty years (b. NH), headed a Boston, MA, household at the time of the Tenth (1880) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Manda M. [((Dixon) Thurston)] Lyman, keeping house, aged thirty-nine years (b. ME), and his daughters, Bertha L. Lyman, at school, aged fifteen years (b. NH), and Florence N. Lyman, at school, aged fifteen years (b. NH), and his servant, Katherine Caunan, works in family, aged eighteen years (b. Ireland). They resided on Chestnut Hill Avenue.
Theodore Lyman died of heart disease and dropsy in Milton, August 1, 1891, aged seventy-eight years, eleven months, and nine days. He was a widowed farmer. J.W. Lougee, M.D., of Rochester, NH, signed the death certificate.
Andrew Lyman, a retired farmer, aged sixty-one years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Twelfth (1900) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of thirty-eight years), Amanda M. [((Dixon) Thurston)] Lyman, aged fifty-eight years (b. ME). Amanda M. Lyman was the mother of three children, of whom two were still living. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of George Lyman, a farmer, aged seventy-two years (b. NH), and Woodbury H. Downing, a teamster, aged thirty-five years (b. NH).
Frank Tasker, a wharf foreman, aged thirty-eight years (b. MA), headed a Boston, MA, household at the time of the Twelfth (1900) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of five years), Florence [(Lyman)] Tasker, aged thirty-six years (b. NH), Theodore L. Tasker, aged three years (b. MA), his father-in-law (married thirty-eight years), Andrew Lyman, a landlord, aged sixty years (b. NH), his mother-in-law (married thirty-eight years), Amandy [((Dixon) Thurston)] Lyman, a landlady, aged fifty-nine years (b. ME), his brother-in-law (married nine years), Alvin Smith, a milk dealer, aged forty years (b. MA), and his sister-in-law (married nine years), Bertha [(Lyman)] Smith, aged thirty-six years (b. MA). Frank Tasker rented their apartment at 81 Parsons Street. Florence Tasker was the mother of one child, of whom one was still living. Amandy Lyman was the mother of two children, of whom two were still living.
Son Andrew R. Lyman died of heart disease in Milton, September 14, 1906, aged sixty-seven years, nine months, and nine days. He had resided in Milton for fifteen years, i.e., since the death of his father in 1891, with his previous residence having been in Brighton, MA. James J. Buckley, M.D., signed the death certificate. (Burial in Newtonville, MA).
DEATHS. LYMAN – Suddenly, in Milton, N.H., Sept. 14, Andrew R. Lyman of Brighton, Mass., 67 yrs. 9 mos. Services at Milton at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 16. Also services at his late residence, 29 Bentley st., Brighton, Tuesday, Sept. 18, time given later (Boston Globe, September 15, 1906).
Benjamin F. Tasker, a foreman (ice co.), aged forty-nine years (b. NH), headed a Boston, MA, household at the time of the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of fifteen years), Florence L. [(Lyman)] Tasker, aged forty-five years (b. NH), his son, Theodore L. Tasker, aged thirteen years (b. MA), and his mother-in-law, Amanda L. [((Dixon) Thurston)] Lyman, own income, aged sixty-nine years (b. ME). Benjamin F. Tasker owned their house at 29 Bentley Street, free-and-clear. Florence L. Tasker was the mother of one child, of whom one was still living. Amanda L. Lyman was the mother of two children, of whom two were still living.
Amanda M. [((Dixon) Thurston)] Lyman, a widow, aged seventy-eight years (b. ME), headed a Boston, MA, household at the time of the Fourteenth (1920) Federal Census. Her household included her son-in-law, Francis B. Tasker, aged fifty-eight years (b. NH), her daughter, Florence L. [(Lyman)] Tasker, aged fifty-one years (b. NH), her grandson, Lyman T. Tasker, a bookkeeper (soap dealers), aged twenty-two years (b. MA), and another daughter, Bertha L. [(Lyman)] Smith, a widow, aged fifty-one years (b. NH). They resided on Bentley Street.
Daughter-in-law Amanda M. ((Dixon) Thurston) Lyman died in Newton, MA, April 5, 1929.
DEATHS. LYMAN – In Brighton, April 5, Amanda M., widow of Andrew R. Lyman. Funeral services at her late residence, 29 Bentley st., Brighton, April 8, at 2:30 p.m. (Boston Globe, April 6, 1929).
References:
Find a Grave. (2013, September 20). Samuel Bragdon. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/117393846/samuel-bragdon
Find a Grave. (2016, August 7). Andrew R. Lyman. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/167877824/andrew-r-lyman
Find a Grave. (2013, August 15). Samuel Lyman. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/115540497/samuel-lyman
Find a Grave. (2013, August 15). Theodore Lyman. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/115539802/theodore-lyman
Find a Grave. (2013, August 17). Theodore Cushing “TC” Lyman. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/115612665/theodore-cushing-lyman
General Court. (1863). Journal of the House of Representatives of the State of New-Hampshire. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=d8dHAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA5
General Court. (1864). Journal of the House of Representatives of the State of New-Hampshire. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=xjotAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA5
Wikipedia. (2023, September 28). Clement Vallandigham. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clement_Vallandigham
Wikipedia. (2023, September 27). Copperhead (Politics). Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copperhead_(politics)
Wikipedia. (2023, September 27). Emancipation Proclamation. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emancipation_Proclamation
Milton Observer 