Transcription of the Benjamin Floyd Family History section from Walpole As It Was and As It Is by George Aldrich, The Claremont Manufacturing Co., Claremont, N.H., 1880, page 252.
FLOYD, BENJAMIN, the progenitor of one of the old families in town, was born in Boston, Mass., Feb. 22, 1738. When the Revolutionary war broke out he entered the service of his country as a soldier, and continued three or four years. At the age of about twenty-three he married Lydia Bond, of Sturbridge, Mass., b. March 30,1742, and commenced married life in the same town, where their first child was born. He then lived about six years in Weston, Mass., and then removed to Townshend, Vt., and from thence to Walpole about 1772. He took up his abode near where his granddaughter, Eliza, now resides, and spent his days there. He was a blacksmith, and followed the business through life. He and his son Holloway made all the nails, hinges, and door-latches for the old hill meeting house. He belonged to parson Fessenden’s church, and was a constant attendant on his ministrations. He d April 22,1812. Ch. I. Polly, b. March, 1772; m. Abraham Hall, and had seven children. (See Hall.) II. James, b. Sept. 4, 1764; m Phebe, dau. of Joel anal Hannah (Thompson) Aldrich, of Westmoreland, and had one daughters Sally, who m Noah Moulton. He d. Nov. 11, 1793. III. Lydia, b. at Weston, June 1, 1768; m. Jonas Temple, of Westmoreland, and had six ch., one of whom, Pruda, d., aged about 20 years. She was buried in the cemetery at Westmoreland, and was disinterred by one Noble Orr, a medical student in town, for anatomical purposes, immediately after the burial. Orr had an accomplice, a brother student, it is said, who was a native of this town, whose name is withheld for considerate purposes. The first knowledge gained of this nefarious transaction was that a portion of her grave clothes was found on the fence enclosing the cemetery. When this discovery was made the greatest excitement prevailed throughout the town, and continued for a long time. Orr did not live many years after; [page 253] but before he died he wrote a letter to the bereaved parents, stating that the body was not dissected, but buried behind the college buildings at Hanover, N. H. The letter came too late to assuage the mother’s grief, for she was already dead and buried. IV. Benjamin Holloway, b. in Townshend, Vt., Jan. 23, 1771; m. Elizabeth Gates, May 13. 1796. Ch. 1st and 2d, Laura and Sophia, b. Sept. 12,1797. The former d. young. Sophia m. Roswell Pierce of Putney, Vt., and had six children. She resides in Lyndon, Vt. 3d, Holloway, b. 1799; m. Orpha Pierce, of Putney, Vt., and had one child. 4th, Eliza, b. March 6, 1801, and lives on the old homestead, unm. 5th, Harry, b. July 15, 1803; m. Anna Closson, of Westminster, Vt., and had three children, only one of whom survives, Emily, who m. Samuel Cobb, of Westminster, Vt. Harry Floyd has lived to see three generations of his own family, who are living at this time (1879) under the same roof with himself in Westminster. 6th, Benjamin, b. May 1,1805; d. in Mexico, unm. 7th, Almina. b. July 28, 1807; m. Joel Aldrich, and had two children: a daughter, who died in infancy, and a son, Benjamin Floyd, m. Ellen, dau. of Dr. Safford, of Westminster, Vt., and resides in Springfield, Vt., and is cashier of the Bank there. 8th, Lydia, b. March 3, 18l0; d. young. 9th, Mary H., b. Aug. 27, 1812, m. Levi Burt, and had three ch., two living, Alonzo and Mary. 10th, Laura b. 1815; d. young. Benjamin H. Floyd d. Sept. 27, 1815, and his widow afterwards married David Aldrich; the issue of this marriage was one son, David Bond, who died aged eleven years. Elizabeth Aldrich died Sept. 2, 1863, aged 87 years. V. Hannah, b. Feb., 1773; m. John Watkins, March 15,1797, and had two ch. He d. and she m. second, Ebenezer Ash, by whom she had six ch., one of whom, George, became a Congregational preacher. VI. Horace, b. March 1, 1775; m. Chloe, dau. of Nathan Watkins, and had three ch. VII. Ira, b. 1777; m. in New York, and had five ch. VIII. Hepsibah, b. Sept. 3, 1779; m. Eli Russell; issue, seven ch. (See Russell.) Elizabeth Aldrich died Sept. 2, 1863, aged 87 years.