By Muriel Bristol | October 25, 2026
John Varney was born in Dover, NH, August 1, 1749, son of James and Abigail (Frye) Varney.
John Varney and his brother, James Varney, have been described as early settlers of West Milton.
This was soon followed by quite a rush of settlers to the west side of the town, Daniel Hayes, Caleb Wakeham, Enoch Varney, Samuel Nute, William Wentworth, William Tuttle, Ichabod Hayes, James Hayes, Ebenezer Coursan, and Stephen Meseron [Meserve] being among the first. Jeremiah Cook, Dudley Burnham, Jotham Nute, Otis Pinkham, Ephraim Plumer, John Twombly, James Varney, John Varney, William Mathes, and others coming soon after.
John Varney married in Rochester, NH, October 1, 1793, Mary Wentworth, both of Rochester, NH. Rev. Joseph Haven performed the ceremony. She was born in Rochester, NH, October 8, 1756, daughter of William and Hannah (Hayes) Wentworth.
(The known children of John and Mary (Wentworth) Varney were: John Varney (1798-1799), Polly Varney (1798-1799), Hannah Varney (1801-)).
Son John Varney and daughter Polly Varney, twins, were born in Milton, circa Jun 1798.
Daughter Polly Varney died in Milton, May 18, 1799, æ. eleven months. Son John Varney died in Milton, June 15, 1799, æ. one year.
John Varney headed a Rochester, NH, household at the time of the Second (1800) Federal Census. His household included one male aged 26-44 years [himself], one female aged 26-44 years [Mary (Wentworth) Varney], and one female aged 16-25 years. (See Northeast Parish in the Second (1800) Federal Census).
John Varney died in Milton, July 11, 1806, ae. fifty-seven years, six months.
Wd [Widow] Mary [(Wentworth)] Varney headed a Milton household at the time of the Third (1810) Federal Census. Her household included one female aged 45-plus years [herself], and one female aged under-10 years. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of James Varney and Jonathan Nute. (See Milton in the Third (1810) Federal Census).
John C. Varney married in Milton, December 7, 1818, Abigail P. Varney, he of Milton and she of Farmington, NH. Harvey Morey performed the ceremony.
Daughter Hannah Varney married in Milton, October 14, 1819, John Clements Varney. He was born in Rochester, NH, July 17, 1796, son of Moses and Ann (Clements) Varney.
J.C. [John C.] Varney headed a Milton household at the time of the Fifth (1830) Federal Census. His household included one male aged 30-39 years [himself], one female aged 20-29 years [Hannah (Varney) Varney], one male aged 10-14 years [Seth Varney], one female aged 5-9 years [Mary A. Varney], one male aged under-5 years [George W. Varney], one female aged under-5 years [Hannah A. Varney], and one female aged 70-79 years [Mary (Wentworth) Varney]. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Hopley Varney and Jas [James] Varney.
Mary (Wentworth) Varney died in Milton, October 2, 1836.
John C. Varney headed a Milton household at the time of the Sixth (1840) Federal Census. His household included one male aged 40-49 years [himself], one female aged 30-39 years [Hannah (Varney) Varney], one male aged 20-29 years, one female aged 15-19 Years, one male aged 10-14 years, one female aged 10-14 years, one male aged 5-9 years, and one male aged under-5 years. Three members of his household were engaged in Agriculture. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Eliphalet How and Ira Varney.
John C. Varney, a farmer, aged fifty-four years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Seventh (1850) Federal Census. His household included Hannah [(Varney)] Varney, aged fifty years (b. NH), Mary Varney, aged twenty-seven years (b. NH), Eli Varney, a farmer, aged nineteen years (b. NH), Charles L. Varney, a farmer, aged sixteen years (b. NH), Laura E. Varney, aged six years (b. NH), and Charles Furber, a farmer, aged twenty-seven years (b. NH). John C. Varney had real estate valued at $1,000. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Ira Varney, a farmer, aged forty-seven years (b. NH), and Daniel Hayes, a farmer, aged sixty-nine years (b. ME).
John C. Varney, a farmer, aged sixty-four years (b. NH), headed a Milton (“West Milton P.O.”) household at the time of the Eighth (1860) Federal Census. His household included Hannah [(Varney)] Varney, aged fifty-nine years (b. NH), Charles L. Varney, a shoemaker, aged twenty-four years (b. NH), Hannah A. [(Varney)] French, aged thirty-two years (b. NH), Erven S. French, aged twelve years (b. NH), and Ellen B. French, aged nine years (b. NH). John C. Varney had real estate valued at $1,000, and personal estate valued at $500. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Seth W. Varney, a famer, aged forty years (b. NH), and Eli Varney, a farmer, aged twenty-eight years (b. NH).
John C. Varney, a farmer, aged seventy-three years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Ninth (1870) federal Census. His household included Hannah [(Varney)] Varney, keeping house, aged sixty-nine years (b. NH), and Charles L. Varney, works for shoe factory, aged thirty-three years (b. NH). John C. Varney had real estate valued at $1,000, and personal estate valued at $300. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Gilbert Shorey, a farmer, aged forty-three years (b. NH), and Eli Varney, a farm laborer, aged thirty-nine years (b. NH).
John C. Varney, a farmer, aged eighty-three years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Tenth (1880) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Hannah [(Varney)] Varney, at home, aged seventy-nine years (b. NH), and his son, Charles Varney, at home, aged forty-four years (b. NH). John C. Varney was “feeble from age,” and Hannah Varney was “injured from a fall.” Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Albert Wallace, a farmer, aged twenty-nine years (b. NH), and [his son,] Eli Varney, a farmer, aged forty-nine years (b. NH).
Daughter Hannah (Varney) Varney died of dropsy in Milton, March 18, 1882, aged eighty-one years, one months, and nineteen days. John C. Varney reported her death.
DEATHS. In Milton, Mar. 18, Hannah Varney, aged 81 years and 2 mos. (Farmington News, March 24, 1882).
Son-in-law John C. Varney died of cancer in Milton November 26, 1882, aged eighty-six years. He was a widowed farmer.
DEATHS. In Milton, Nov. 26, John C. Varney, aged 86 years, and four months (Farmington News, December 1, 1882).
References:
Find a Grave. (2011, December 31). John Varney. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/82754009/john-varney
Find a Grave. 2011, December 31). John Varney. Retrieved from
Find a Grave. (2021, June 3). John C. Varney. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/228127230/john-c-varney
Find a Grave. (2011, December 31). Mary Wentworth Varney. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/82754041/mary-varney
Find a Grave. 2011, December 31). Polly Varney. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/89120326/polly-varney
