Henry Alden Fifield was born 8 May 1891 in Thornton, Grafton Co. NH, son of Henry Hamilton & Cedena Victoria (Dorey) Fifield. He had several siblings including Frank H., Lillie Florence, Clifford Charles, Madeline B., Edward T., and Winston Wesley.
In the 1900 U.S. Census, he was living in Thornton NH with his parents and siblings Henry H., Cedena, Caroline, Elizabeth, Lilla and Esther. His WWI Registration form was completed in Thornton NH on 5 June 1917. At that time he stated he was a laborer in a bobbin mill for Emmons Brothers of West Thornton, was single, of medium height and stature, with black eyes and black hair.
He married 9 June 1915 in Lebanon NH to Annie (Howland) Benton, daughter of William C. & Lillian D. (Pebbles) Howland. They divorced on 13 Oct 1916 prior to his enlistment for World War I.
During that World War, Henry A. Fifield served as a Private in Co. B, 309th Infantry. He was killed in action on 19 October 1918 in Meuse France. His remains are buried in hallowed ground, in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery along with his comrades-in-arms. A cenotaph was also placed in Woodstock Cemetery, Woodstock NH. Henry A. Fifield’s name is engraved on the Roll of Honor in the Hall of Flags (Doric Hall) New Hampshire State House, Concord NH.
[Editor’s Note: this story is part of an on-going series about heroic New Hampshire men and women of World War I. Look here for the entire listing].
Additional Reading: Three Memorable Days
=====Ancestry of Henry Alden Fifield, of W. Thornton NH=====
William Fifield & Mary Batchelder(?)
Benjamin Fifield & Mary Colcord
John Fifield & Mary Webster
Benjamin Fifield, son of John & Mary (Webster) Fifield b. 2 Feb 1721 at Rumford/Concord NH, d. 8 March 1794 Concord NH. According to the History of Salisbury NH, he signed the petition to Benning Wentworth to furnish a guard for the gristmill there. He also signed the Association Test Act during the American Revolution. He married Hannah Peters who d. 8 March 1794.
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Children of Benjamin & Hannah (Peters) Fifield:
1. Mary Fifield, b. 1748; m. Eztra Carter; resided New Marlborough, Maine
2. Obediah Peters Fifield, b. 1749
3. William Fifield, b. 1751
4. Hannah Fifield, b. 1752; m. — Bagley
5. +Benjamin Fifield, b. 4 Oct 1754
6. Jonathan Fifield, b. 1756
7. Sarah Fifield, b. 1758
8. Paul Fifield, b. 1760; m. Temperance Furber; resided Maine
9. John Fifield, b. 1762; m. Phebe Fry
10. Moses Fifield, b. 1764; resided Plainfield NH
11. David Fifield, b. 1767; resided Plainfield NH
12. Shuah Fifield, b. 1769; m. Zeneth Wheeler of Concord NH; removed to New York
Benjamin Fifield, son of Benjamin & Hannah (Peters) Fifield, b 4 Oct 1754 in Rumford NH, d 15 April 1824 in Grafton Co., New Hampshire. He is buried in George Hill Cemetery near Enfield, Grafton Co., NH. He m1) Mehitable Bean. She b 21 Nov 1761 in Salisbury New Hampshire, d by 1797. He m2d) Susanna Chote/Choate of Chelsea Vt. He settled with his brother Obadiah P. Fifield in Salisbury NH. [History of Salisbury NH]
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Children of Benjamin & Mehitable (Bean) Fifield:
1. +Jonathan Bean Fifield b 4 Oct 1778 Thornton NH
2. Nathaniel Fifield, b. 1785 Salisbury NH, d. 14 Sep 1859 Salisbury Point MA; married, shoemaker
Children of Benjamin & Susanna (Chote/Choate) Fifield:
3. Mehitable Fifield, b. Abt. 1800; married C. Israel Bean.
4. George Washington Fifield, b. 15 July 1802, Enfield, NH; d. 8 October 1867, Clintonville, MO..
5. Thomas Hale Fifield, b. 15 July 1802, Enfield, Grafton Co., NH; d. 2 September 1890, South Bend, St. Joseph Co., IN.
6. Susannah Fifield, b. 1804, New Hampshire; d. Valparaiso, IN.
7. Almira Fifield, b. 1808, Enfield, New Hampshire; d. Boston, MA; m. Benjamin Franklin Chadwick.
8. Betsie Fifield, b. about 1806 and died in 1811.
Jonathan Bean Fifield, son of Benjamin & Mehitable (Bean) Fifield b 4 October 1778 Thornton NH d 24 July 1860 Woodstock NH; m. Sarah “Sallie” Pinkham. She b. 7 July 1789 Durham NH, d 31 July 1864 Woodstock NH. Buried Woodstock Cemetery, Woodstock NH.
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Children of Jonathan B. & Sarah (Pinkham) Fifield:
[some info on children from Janice Oberlin Smarr at Find-a-Grave]
1. Mehitable B. Fifield, b. 1806, d. 1846
2. Sophia P. Fifield b 1809 Woodstock NH; d. 27 Sep 1885 Amesbury MA; m. Ezekiel Tuxbury.
3. Charles P. Fifield, b. 1811, d. 1896
4. Marie D. Fifield, b. 1812, d. 1888; m. — Peabody
5. Martha Pinkham Fifield, b. 1815, d. 1888; m. Symes Sawyer
6. Benjamin Fifield, b 1818 Thornton NH; d. 4 Jan 1890 Haverhill NH; married; blacksmith
7. Sarah Ann Fifield, b. 1822, d. 1909; m. — Sawyer
8. +Hamilton Harrington Fifield, b. 17 April 1829 NH
9. Margery Fifield, b. 1830, d. 1898; m. 22 Dec 1850 Lawrence MA to William Cooper, son of Richard W. Cooper
Hamilton Harrington Fifield, son of Jonathan Bean & Sarah (Pinkham) Fifield was b. 17 April 1829 NH, died 28 March 1912 in Thornton NH ; m. Caroline/Carolina Augusta Harriman. She b. 4 February 1834 and d 24 May 1908 Woodstock NH. Both buried Woodstock NH Cemetery
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1870 US Census > Woodstock > Grafton Co. VT
Hamilton H. Fifield 40
Caroline A. Fifield 35
Mary F. Fifield 6
Henry H. Fifield 5
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Children of Hamilton H. & Caroline (Harriman) Fifield:
1. Mary F. Fifield, b abt 1864 Woodstock NH; m. 29 March 1886 in NH to George E. Morrison, son of George W. & Deborah (Thorne) Morrison
2. +Henry Hamilton Fifield b 29 March 1865 Woodstock NH
Henry Hamilton Fifield, son of Hamilton Harrington & Coraline/Catherine (?Harriman) Fifield b 29 March 1865 Woodstock NH; d 29 March 1949 NH State Hospital, Concord NH; He m. 13 Sep 1888 at Thornton NH to Cedena Victoria “Dena” Dorey/Dory, daughter of Addie Dorey. She b.3 Oct 1871 Nova Scotia Canada, d 1953 in NH. He was buried in Woodstock Cemetery, Woodstock NH. Blacksmith.
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Children of Henry H. & Cedena V. (Dorey) Fifield:
1. Caroline “Carrie” Fifield b. 8 June 1890 Thornton NH; She married 25 Dec 1907 in Concord NH to George H. Stevens, son of John A. & Lillian E. (Moseley) Stevens. She married 2d) 27 January 1915 in Lebanon NH to Charles E. Shepard, son of Hastings G. & Katy (Peny) Shepard. She had at least one child, Charles Stevens.
2. +Henry Alden Fifield was born 8 May 1891 in Thornton NH [see photograph at top of page].
3. Elizabeth “Lizzie” Fifield b 18 May 1892 Thornton NH; She m 18 May 1922 in NH to Glenroy M. Howland, son of Wilfred B. & Valera (Burton) Howland. They are buried in Mad River Cemetery, Thornton NH.
4. Frank B.[Hamilton] Fifield, b. 26 May 1894 Thornton NH; d. 14 June 1894 Thornton NH, of whooping cough.
5. Lilla S. Fifield b 13 Nov 1895 Thornton NH, died young.
6. Lille Florence Fifield, b. 19 Nov 1896 W. Thornton NH (a nurse during WWI); she m. 23 October 1920 in Concord NH to Elmer E. Green, son of Edger A. & Mary E. (Shaw) Green. They lived in Woodstock NH and had daughters Joyce and Fern.
7. Esther Arlene Fifield, b. 7 Nov 1897 Thornton NH; She married 18 March 1917 in Plymouth NH to Charles H. Hutchins, son of Erwin & Iva (Thompson) Hutchins. They lived in Bow, Merrimack Co. NH and had children: Quentin, Beverly A., Fay E., Wayne E., Russell E., and Theo C. Hutchins.
8.Clifford Charles Fifield b 11 October 1900 Thornton NH; d. 27 Dec 1956 in North Woodstock NH.
9. Madeleine B. b 8 May 1904 in West Thornton, Grafton Co. NH, d. 1911
10. Clarence Stanley Fifield, b. 13 March 1906 Thornton NH, d. 18 March 1992 Concord NH; He m1st) 21 Jan 1928 in Lincoln NH to Margaret W. Boyle. He m2d) 1 October 1942 in Woodstock NH to Grace E. Merrill.
11. Edward T. Fifield, b 1909 W. Thornton NH, d. 24 March 1911 Thornton NH
12. Dorothy Geneva Fifield, b abt 1912; m. 4 May 1935 in Newbury VT to Albert Frith Williams. She m2d) — Knowlton; She m3rd) — Isom.
13. Winston Wesley Fifield b. and d. 1913
[end]
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I truly enjoy reading the stories of people from New Hampshire as I have recently started working on my family tree. I learned that my mother’s family came from Manchester and my grandmother was born there and eventually married there during WW1. My interest in WW1 and WW2 has increased as I research my ancestors and their lives during these wars. Like Private Fifield, average people doing extraordinary things! Thank you!
Interested because of early our early Grafton County families – Fifields, Beans, Stevens listed here. Will have to look back to see the relationships better, but I do want to thank you for your labors here. It is surely much effort and fun!
I noted that the Fifield families you described were all large families. Henry Alden was one of thirteen. It is too bad that he was killed in action. I was interested in that he was a laborer in a bobbin mill prior to his military service. Do you know if he labored at making wooden bobbins or if he worked to fill them with colored threads for the manufacture of fabric?
Darlene, I believe in this case that the bobbin mill in West Thornton probably manufactured the bobbins themselves. Wood would have been plentiful. The Emmons Brothers had a crew of 25-27 people working for them which would have been significant in that little town.
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