Haselton Barn

By Ruth M Parker

Photos courtesy of the Hudson Historical Society

For many years prior to his passing in 1802 Abraham Page, Jr. (also known as Captain Abraham Page) owned and occupied a farm on Bush Hill Road.  Mr. Page and his wife did not have children but they brought up Nathanial Haseltine after he was 12 years old.  In 1795 Nathanial bought the farm from Mr. Page; payment being 234 pounds and a life lease on the premises – thus Mr. Page assured himself and his wife of living quarters and support for the duration of their lives.  Nathanial Haseltine married Rachel Smith that same year and soon thereafter they changed the spelling of their name to Haselton.

According to Kimball Webster in his History of Hudson, NH, there were 2 houses on this Page/Haselton farm as early as 1793. The first was the one built and occupied by Mr. Page; later (by 1836) removed from this farm to Hamblett Avenue in Hudson Center on the east side of and facing the common.

This is an early photo of the second house on this farm; built adjacent to the barn perhaps as early as 1793.  First occupied by Nathanial Haselton, became home to 4 generations of Haseltons. The first was Nathanial and his wife Rachel.  The second was his son, Luther, and his wife Polly Ladd Smith; then George W(ashington) and his wife Lora Poor; and fourth, Arthur W. and his wife Mary McCoy.

Arthur W. and Mary were married in 1891 and lived here until about 1895 when they built and occupied  the present farm house on the opposite side of the road.  George W. Haselton remained in the old house until his passing in 1906; at which time ownership passed to his heirs.  In 1942 the house and barn were sold to Ben Brintenal and just 3 years later again sold, this time to Ray Lathan and a group of businessmen who had  purchased Benson’s Animal Farm. Between 1906 and 1942 the house and barn had various occupants and uses.  By 1945 the house was dismantled and the materials used to build a smaller home on Ferry Street.  The barn remains today and is part of the Benson Park property.

This is one of the earlier photos in our collection at the Historical Society; presented to us by a member of the Haselton Family.  In this photo we see the Haselton Barn and adjacent house before the addition of the cupola.  This photo is undated but according to the Benson’s Historic Structures Report prepared in 2003 for The Town of Hudson, NH the cupola along with other additions to the barn were completed between 1885 and 1910.

For more information on the history of Benson Park or the town of Hudson, please visit Remember Hudson NH When ... or the Hudson Historical Society.