Benjamin Smith & Mary Lucretia Mclaughlin

The LANE Tavern in Sanbornton (1902)

Benjamin Smith, my 3rd great grandfather, and father of Marshall Burke Smith, was born in Sanbornton, New Hampshire December 16, 1817.  The description of Sanbornton at the bottom of the page was written in that same year, 1817, and published in the New Hampshire Gazetteer.  Benjamin worked as a farmer in that town for his entire life.  He married a girl from Weld, Maine, Mary Lucretia Mclaughlin on December 27, 1859.  Mary was born on December 24, 1835.

They raised three children, Willis Benjamin, Marshall Burke, and Hope Beatrice. Willis and Hope stayed in New Hampshire and Marshall moved for a time to Canada and then to Billerica, Mass.

Benjamin died at the age of 75 on January 22, 1893.  After Benjamin's death, Mary lived in Derry, NH with her Daughter Hope and three grandchildren (children of Marshall B. Smith), Vinton, Marguerite, and Russell until the time of her passing on June 20, 1923 at the age of 87.  Both Benjamin and Mary are interred at the Bay Baptist cemetery in Sanbornton. 

SANBORNTON - in the S.W. part of Strafford county, was incorporated in 1770, and 
contains 2,884 inhabitants; bounded N.W. by New Hampton, N.E. by Meredith, E. by the 
Great bay, which divides it from Gilford, S.E. by Gilmanton, S. by Winnipiseogee lake, 
and W. by Pemgeway river, which divides it from Salisbury, Andover, and new Chester; 
this river unites with Winnipiseogee lake in the S.W. part of the town, at which place the 
confluent streams become the Merrimack river.  The bays and rivers, which almost 
encircle this town measure nearly 30miles, and the bay between this town and Meredith is 
3 miles wide.  Salmon brook pond is the only pond in this town, and is 130 rods long and 
50 wide.  Salmon brook mountain is in Sanbornton.  Republican ridge connects this town 
with Salisbury and Union bridge unites it to Gilmanton.  
 There are in this town 3 religious societies, 2 of Baptists and 1 of 
Congregationalist, each of them owning a handsome meeting house.  Rev. J. Woodman 
The first minister in this town was ordained in 1771.  The present ministers are Rev. J. 
Bodwell, Elders Crocket and Cheney.  Sanbornton has 11 grain mills, 13 sawmills, 3 
clothing mills, 2 carding machines, 1 nail factory, an oil mill, a distillery, and 6 trading 
stores.