Gravesite of Dixville’s First Settlers in Dixville, New Hampshire
Timothy Dix was granted land in the Great North Woods in 1805, tasked with settling it within five years. He named the town Dixville but was delayed by the War of 1812, where he died in 1813. Daniel Webster, a friend of Dix, later sought to incorporate the area. Before Dix's death, Betsey and John Whittemore settled in Dixville in 1812. They faced extreme hardships due to the remote terrain and harsh winters. Betsey died in December 1815 and John was forced to keep her body frozen until spring for burial. John then moved to Colebrook the following spring, having endured this ordeal. Dixville was not properly settled until 1865. New residents were buried in unmarked graves alongside the Whittemores. Today, the Whittemores' gravesite is preserved by New Hampshire State Parks, keeping their story alive. Dixville's small current population still finds inspiration in the lives of its first settlers.
