Nathan Bean Prescott (1827 - 1904)

Born 1827 in Candia, New Hampshire

Husband of Maria Hawley (Beardslee) Prescott — married 24 Nov 1863 in Lake County, Ohio

Descendants

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Nick Dann [send private message]

Nathan Prescott was married to a descendant of the immigrants William Beardsley and Mary Harvie.

Biography

Nathan was born in 1827. Nathan Prescott ... He passed away in 1904.^[1]

Nathan Prescott was engaged in the ice business in Boston with Albert Palmer^[2] under the name Prescott and Palmer. In 1872 the Jamaica Pond Ice Company was formed from the amalgamation of the Prescott and Palmer Ice Company and three other firms.

Pinkerton Academy, Derry, New Hampshire

Nathan Prescott was a trustee and member of the building committee for the Pinkerton Academy building in Derry, New Hampshire, first opened in 1887. John Morrison Pinkerton left his entire estate to the academy, with $30,000 earmarked as a building fund. The trustees were also authorized to spend between $30,000 and $50,000 for a new building. In 1885, the fund had reached nearly $50,000 which they believed would be enough to erect the new building. The trustees chose Lambert Packard (1832-1906). The cost of just the building alone would be slightly over $41,200. The ground breaking was held on August 1, 1885.

By early 1886, all the trustees except for Prescott were all pleased with the progress. He was upset that the building, when ready for occupation, would exceed $50,000. He argued that Pinkerton's will said the building should cost between $30,000 and $50,000; it would thus be illegal to exceed that amount by even one penny. In May 1886, he issued an injunction to stop the building until the building fund's investments totally covered the cost of the new building. The case was heard before a Manchester judge who ruled against Prescott saying that the fiduciary powers of the trustees allowed them to use other funds to enlarge the bequest.

Immediately, Nathan Prescott resigned as a member of the building committee though he remained a trustee until 1904. The trustees did decide it was indeed wise not to exceed the $50,000 bequest. To save money, the cellar would only be dug to only 8 feet and not 10 feet as called for in the original design. Further savings were realized by eliminating much of the Victorian ornamentation on and inside the building. These changes were to be the only ones made to the original Romanesque design by Lambert Packard. ^[3]

Obituary

The people of this community were shocked by the sad intelligence of the death of Mr. Nathan B. Prescott, of this village, last Monday morning. The news came by wire from Hot Springs, Ark., where Mr. Prescott died suddenly of pneumonia. He and his wife left their pleasant home here two weeks ago Tuesday for that place, where they intended to pass the remainder of the winter.

On the way to the west the train in which they were taking passage was stalled in a snow blockade some 17 hours and it is understood that Mr. Prescott took a severe cold. The body reached here Thursday afternoon and the funeral will be held at the home in this village this afternoon at 2:30.

Mr. Prescott was born in Candia 76 years ago. He received his education in that town, and when 18 years of age he learned the carpenters' trade. He worked in Candia and Manchester as a contractor and builder and finally went to Boston and engaged in the ice business where he remained for many years, succeeding remarkable well financially. He built a fine residence here some 20 years ago. After retiring from active life he came to his home here and settled quietly.

He was an active, energetic public spirited man, one who had a lively interest in all public affairs. He was one of the men interested in the organization of the Republican party. He will be greatly missed by his immediate family, by his associates and especially in the Men's league of the Central church of which he was the honored president the past year. His memory will be cherished by all of our people. ^[4]

This profile is a collaborative work-in-progress. Can you contribute information or sources?

Sources

• Beardsley Genealogy: The Family of William Beardsley, One of the First Settlers of Connecticut. Compiled and edited by Nellie Beardsley Holt and Charles Eleazer Holt. Published at West Hartford, Connecticut, 1951. Nathan is the husband of Maria Beardsley, the daughter of Dr. Henry Curtis Beardslee (Beardsley), Holt Record #662, Pg. 270.
• Ohio, County Marriages, 1774-1993: Nathan B. Prescott & Maria H. Beardslee, 23 Nov 1863, Lake County^[5]
• 1870 US Census: West Roxbury, Norfolk County, MA, 5 Jul 1870, Pg. 49^[6]
• 1880 US Census: Derry, Rockingham County, NH, ^[7]
• Find A Grave Memorial # 49392729; Nathan B. Prescott, Forest Hill Cemetery, East Derry NH, Plot: Sec 20 Greenough Ave, Plot 512, Grave 4

See also:

• Add sources here.

Footnotes

1. ↑ Information from Beardsley family researcher Nick Dann, 3 Jan 2017.
2. ↑ Albert Palmer (January 17, 1831 – May 21, 1887) was an American schoolteacher, businessman, and politician from Candia, New Hampshire, and Boston, Massachusetts, who served as mayor of Boston from January 1, 1883 to January 7, 1884.
3. ↑ Derry News: Local connections brought Vermont architect to design Pinkerton Academy
4. ↑ Source: Find A Grave memorial. Note states that this was found in an old scrapbook; source unknown.
5. ↑ Marriage Records. Ohio Marriages. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, UT
6. ↑ NARA microfilm publication M593, 1,761 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.; Roll: M593_637; Page: 359A; Image: 75576; FHL microfilm: 552136
7. ↑ Tenth Census of the United States, 1880. (NARA microfilm publication T9, 1,454 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.; Roll: 767; Page: 96A; Enumeration District: 203; Image: 0193; FHL microfilm: 1254767