Guide to the Piper Family Papers, 1824-1941

Collection number: MC 85
Size: 4 boxes (0.75 cu.ft.)

About the Piper Family

The Isaiah Piper (1825–1901) family lived in Factory Village (Belmont), New Hampshire from 1836. Isaiah was the son of Stephen Piper and Elizabeth Evens of Sanbornton, N.H. Isaiah’s first wife Elisabeth (nee Barney) taught school there. She died in 1864 aged 35 years, having had two children, Ahira Barney (born 1856) and Elmer Isaiah (born 1861). His second wife, Sarah Emeline Kilburn (1836–1920), gave birth to Ernest Kilburn (1871–1937) and Fred Herbert (1873–1955). Both Isaiah and Fred H. Piper were active in town government and affairs. Isaiah was the town treasurer of Upper Gilmanton (Belmont) in 1879 and selectman of Belmont during the period 1882-1885 and 1895. Fred H. Piper was selectman of Belmont from 1913-1916 and 1920-1934. He was a Representative to the General Court in 1936-1937 and trustee of the town’s trust funds in 1945-1948. His wife, Sarah E. Piper, worked as a teacher.

About the Piper Family Papers

The Piper Family Papers contain various personal papers relating to Isaiah and Elisabeth Piper and Fred H. and Sarah E. Piper. There are receipts, account books, and correspondence – including 20 letters Ahira B. Piper wrote to his parents that describe the social and cultural life of Manchester, New Hampshire, 1876-1877. The collection also contains materials relating to the Pipers’ work in Belmont’s government, such as: selectmen’s inventories, tax assessment records, vital records, receipts, correspondence, and various accounts. Also included is information regarding the First Free Baptist Church of Belmont and 48 photographs, many of which are unidentified.

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

This collection is open.

Copyright Notice

Contents of this collection are governed by U.S. copyright law. For questions about publication or reproduction rights, contact Special Collections staff.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], [Folder number], [Box number], Piper Family Papers, 1824-1941, MC 85, Milne Special Collections and Archives, University of New Hampshire Library, Durham, NH, USA.

Acquisitions Information

Purchased: Charles Apfelbaum, Mar. 1986 (Accession number: 8576)

Collection Contents

Series 1: Isaiah and Elisabeth Piper
- Subseries A: Personal Papers
- Subseries B: Town of Belmont, New Hampshire Papers
Series 2: Fred H. and Sarah E. Piper
- Subseries A: Personal Papers
- Subseries B: Town of Belmont, New Hampshire Papers
Series 3: Photographs

Series 1: Isaiah and Elisabeth Piper

Subseries A: Personal Papers

Box 1
Box 1, Folder 1		Account Book, Isaiah Piper, 1854-1857
Box 1, Folder 2		Account Book, Isaiah Piper, 1870
Box 1, Folder 3		Account Book, Isaiah Piper, 1894-1898
Box 1, Folder 4		Correspondence from Ahira B. Piper (son), 1872
Box 1, Folder 5		Correspondence from Ahira B. Piper, 1876
Box 1, Folder 6		Correspondence from Ahira B. Piper (son), 1877
Box 1, Folder 7		Correspondence, miscellaneous individuals
Box 1, Folder 8		Receipts, taxes, 1869-1893
Box 1, Folder 9		Receipts, miscellaneous, 1824-1895
Box 1, Folder 10		Miscellaneous materials

Subseries B: Town of Belmont, New Hampshire Papers

Box 1
Box 1, Folder 11		Accounts, 1878-1906
Box 1, Folder 12		Estate of Fred H. Brown: will, inventory, receipts, 1880-1893
Box 1, Folder 13		First Free Baptist Church, receipts and Sunday School records, 1868-1882, 1856(?)
Box 1, Folder 14		First Free Baptist Church, sermons preached for members of the Piper family (eulogies, etc.), 1858 and n.d.
Box 1, Folder 15		Guardianship of Eleanor Sanborn, receipts, 1887-1890
Box 1, Folder 16		Selectman’s Inventory, 1881-1883
Box 2
Box 2, Folder 1		Tax Assessments: C-F; I-N, 1845
Box 2, Folder 2		Tax Assessments, 1847
Box 2, Folder 3		Tax Assessments: A-B, 1849
Box 2, Folder 4		Tax Assessments: A-B, 1863
Box 2, Folder 5		Tax Assessments, 1864
Box 2, Folder 6		Undertaker’s Vouchers, 1886-1895
Box 2, Folder 7		Miscellaneous government documents (taxes, town meeting notices, petitions)

Series 2: Fred H. and Sarah E. Piper

Subseries A: Personal Papers

Box 3
Box 3, Folder 1		Account Book, Sarah E. Piper, 1904-1919
Box 3, Folder 2		Miscellaneous accounts, documents, etc., 1909-1941

Subseries B: Town of Belmont, New Hampshire Papers

Box 3, Folder 3		Birth, Marriage, and Death Certificates, 1919
Box 3, Folder 4		Correspondence, 1920-1922
Box 3, Folder 5		Guardianship of Cyrus B. Norris, n.d.
Box 3, Folder 6		Legal documents, 1902-1920
Box 3, Folder 7		Poor relief, receipts and communications, 1926-1927
Box 3, Folder 8		Receipts and bills, 1914-1928
Box 3, Folder 9		Tax Assessments ledger, 1925-1926
Box 3, Folder 10		Tax Assessments, 1926, 1929