C-1-2
Thomas Wood Gurler
Thomas was born in Marblehead, Massachusetts in 1775 and came to Packersfield with his parents, Nicholas and Betsy (Scripture) Gurler immediately after the Revolutionary War. Nicholas, Thomas’ father, died in Packersfield in 1785 and the young Thomas went to live with Samuel Griffin’s family at (D-3-6) where he later would rescue Griffin’s two young sons when the house caught fire.
In 1798 he married Susannah Pickett Farwell, daughter of John and Sarah Farwell (D-2-5), in Nelson on 15 November 1798, joined in matrimony by Samuel Griffin, Justice of the Peace. In 1800 he bought land west of Pleasant Pond (Silver Lake) to farm and built the house at C-1-2. They lived there until 1823 having ten children:
Susannah Gurler Seaver (1800 – 1882),
Betsy Gurler Harris (1802 – 1862),
Sarah (1804),
Benjamin (1806),
Sofia Griffin Gurler Aldrich (1808 – 1875 and named after the daughter of Samuel Griffin),
Lois Gurler Snow (1810 – 1861),
Sewell (1813 – 1878),
Elmira (1815),
Wealthy, a daughter, (1818)
Dianthia (1820).
All lived to adulthood.
The Gurlers moved to Keene in 1823. Susannah died in Keene in 1830; her husband in 1858. Both are buried in the Hurricane Road Cemetery there.
Following the Gurler family, Jason Harris JR, a blacksmith, succeeded on the place. Harris’ stay was short (1823-1824) as was Allan Robbins (1824-1825.) Samuel Parker came next (1825-1849) followed by his son, Samuel JR (1849 until after 1858.)
