USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > The story of Essex County, Volume IV > Part 25
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It is natural that a man of his keen intel- ligence and standing in the business life of the community should be actively inter- ested in civic affairs, and in this respect Mr. Ober has taken more than an average part. In politics he supports the principles of the Republican party, tempering party allegiance with an independent outlook on political problems.
On November 18, 1918, in Lynn, he mar- ried Mable A. Dickson, who was born in Lynn, the daughter of Samuel E. and Alice (Burgess) Dickson. Mrs. Ober was edu- cated in the Lynn public schools and is well known for her work in religious circles and women's organizations. Mr. and Mrs. Ober have one child, a son, Richard T. Ober, who was born on September 21, 1921. The fam- ily are communicants of the Episcopal Church of Swampscott.
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JOSEPH FRANCIS REANDO, for more than forty years a shoe pattern maker of Lynn and founder of the present firm of Reando and Stewart, is descended from early American and Canadian Stock. He was born on May 31, 1876, in Lynn, the son of Joseph M. Reando who was born in Mon- treal, Canada, on January 12, 1854, and died in Wells, Maine, on August 11, 1932, and Lydia M. (Annis) Reando, who was born in Wells, Maine, on September 9, 1858, and now resides in Sanford, Maine. Joseph M. Reando was a son of Joseph M. Reando, a native of Canada, and a ship builder of Montreal, where he died. Joseph M. Reando, father of Joseph Francis Reando, was en- gaged in the leather remnant business in Lynn. He was active in city affairs and served as a member of the City Council in 1887. Joseph F. Reando, on his mother's side, is a descendant of Captain Stephen Annis, an officer in the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, and his grand- father, also named Stephen Annis, was born in Wells, Maine, and died in Lynn. He was a farmer and married Theodosia Dorrill, born in Maine and died in Lynn.
Joseph F. Reando was graduated from Lynn Grammar School in 1889, attended Lynn High School three years, and then became associated with his uncle, John C. Bailey, of Lynn, who had begun a shoe pattern business shortly after the Civil War, when patterns were made by hand. Mr. Reando soon mastered the trade and after three years left his uncle's business to acquire experience in the employ of other firms. In 1910 he returned and became a partner of his uncle, the firm name being changed to Bailey and Reando. Three years later Herbert A. Stone was admitted to partnership, and as Bailey, Reando and Stone the firm continued until Mr. Bailey's retirement in 1919. The enterprise became Reando and Stone, and upon Mr. Stone's
retirement in 1926 Mr. Reando formed a partnership with William B. P. Stewart. The firm is located at No. 614 Washington Street, and manufactures boot and shoe pat- terns which are distributed over the entire country and are favorably known to the shoe industry.
He is a member of the Ionic Club of Swampscott, and the American Pattern Makers Association. Mr. Reando is well known in Masonic circles, holding member- ship in Mount Carmel Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; the Scottish Rite bodies of Boston up to and including the Consis- tory in which he has received the thirty- second degree ; also Aleppo Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, Boston. In politics he is a Republican and his religious affiliation is with the Metho- dist Episcopal Church.
On July 29, 1900, he married Lucy B. Howard, a native of Boston and the daugh- ter of Joshua P. and Lucy (Rhodes) How- ard, of Lynn, both deceased. Joshua How- ard was proprietor of the Howard Express Company of Lynn. Mrs. Reando was edu- cated in the Lynn public schools and is a member of the Park Street Baptist Church. She is well known to women's organiza- tions and is active in the support of welfare and charitable causes. Although Mr. Re- ando's business is in Lynn, the family resi- dence is in Swampscott.
FRED HERBERT BEAN-For nearly a decade Fred Herbert Bean has occupied a prominent place in the business life of the city of Lynn, where today he heads one of the foremost ice cream manufacturing com- panies as president, treasurer and general manager. His firm, known as the Fred H. Bean Company, serves the territory between Beverly and Boston and limits itself almost exclusively to the wholesale business.
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Mr. Bean was born in South Berwick, Maine, April 5, 1891, the son of Jenson H. and Elizabeth (Witham) Bean. His father, who engaged in the jewelry trade through- out his business life, was also a native of South Berwick, having been born there De- cember 16, 1853, the son of Louis and Clara (Downs) Bean. Louis Bean was a station- ary engineer in Berwick, Maine, and served in the Union Army during the Civil War. Fred Herbert Bean's mother, Elizabeth Witham, was the daughter of Josiah and Susan (Plate) Witham. Her father, who was a farmer, was born in Acton, Maine, and died in West Milton, while her mother was born in Alton, New Hampshire, and died in Farmington.
Mr. Bean, of this review, received a gen- eral education in the public schools of Do- ver, New Hampshire, was graduated from the high school there and later attended the Dover Business College. He early exhibited a desire to be independent and this is clearly reflected in the fact that as far back as his grammar school days he was already making his way by selling evening newspapers and during his vacations was employed by a retail grocery concern. Shortly after com- pleting his studies he became associated with the Beckwith Box Toe Company of Dover, and with this organization which he served for seven years, he was first assigned to the office and latter was advanced and placed in charge of the packing room and shipping department. He next became asso- ciated with the Brown Beckwith Company, a baking and ice cream manufacturing con- cern located in Dover. It was more than chance that he was placed in charge of the ice cream division, for subsequent events have proved that it was the turning point in his career. He remained for three and a half years in this work and then went to Newport, Rhode Island, to establish the ice cream plant for the Aquidneck Dairy, which
he directed and supervised for a period of eighteen months. In 1923 he came to the city of Lynn and purchased a controlling in- terest in the Lynnwood Ice Cream Com- pany, organizing this concern as the Fred H. Bean Company, which he heads today, and of which he is the sole owner.
Though his interest has been centered on business he has found time to take a part in the social and civic life of the city. He is a member of the Lynn Chamber of Com- merce, the New England Association of Ice Cream Manufacturers, and the National As- sociation of Ice Cream Manufacturers. He is a member of Stafford Lodge, of Dover, New Hampshire, Free and Accepted Ma- sons, and of Olive Branch Lodge, No. 6, of the Knights of Pythias. In politics he is a Republican and attends the Baptist Church.
LOUIS H. HAMEL-The L. H. Hamel Leather Company, of Haverhill, Massachu- setts, is one of the important manufactur- ing concerns of its kind in the United States. It was founded in 1916 by Louis H. Hamel as a very small affair but, when two years later he was joined by his brother, Arthur A., it began a period of growth that has since continued.
Louis H. Hamel was born in Exeter, New Hampshire, on August 31, 1898, the son of Anthony J. and Agnes M. (Comeau) Hamel, both natives of Haverhill. He was educated in the schools of Haverhill, and at an early age set out to make his livelihood. It was while Mr. Hamel was attending school that he received a great part of the experience that helped him to start in business at an early age. He sold ice cream and candy in the shoe factories after school hours and, in addition to this, during the baseball and football seasons he owned and operated a tonic and ice cream stand at Tilton's Tower. When Mr. Hamel left school at fourteen
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years of age, to go to work in a shoe fac- tory, he continued to sell tonic and ice cream on Saturdays and Sundays, until about a year before his venture in the leather busi- ness.
Mr. Hamel began his industrial career with Webster and Webber, at Haverhill, with whom he began to acquire his remark- able knowledge of leather through learning the trade of shoe cutting. After two years he became an employee of the Hartman Shoe Company of Haverhill, Massachusetts, and so continued until March of 1916. He had never been able to accumulate any great sum of money, but at the age of seven- teen he left his job and made a start in the leather business. His capital consisted of ninety-seven dollars and he managed to rent a little shop, at No. II Washington Street, Haverhill, Massachusetts, where he started a cutting and trimming business, which was restricted to cutting shoe trimmings from leather remnants, utilizing for the most part odds and ends of material.
During the latter part of 1917, the busi- ness was moved into larger quarters at No. 100 Washington Street, where one floor was occupied. The business that was conducted from that period until 1920 consisted prin- cipally of dealing in upper leather and the cutting of shoe trimmings.
In 1920, Louis H. Hamel induced his brother, Arthur A., who had worked for him since 1918, to go into business with him. and a new and better start was made. Additional floor space soon became necessary in the building then occupied, and the entire four floors of ths building were taken over. Dur- ing 1921, a small tannery was purchased in Peabody, Massachusetts. After two years, the expansion of activities required removal to a still larger plant, which was provided in a large concrete constructed building at No. 117 Essex Street, Haverhill. At this location 20,000 feet of floor space was used
at first, but gradually more space was taken over and a separate building, erected by the Hamel Company, became necessary to pro- vide the required space.
The L. H. Hamel Leather Company now utilizes about 200,000 square feet of floor space, and the equipment of the plant is most modern and efficient. The company distributes its products all over the United States and Canada, and reaches a number of foreign countries. The executives and offi- cials of the corporation in 1934 are as they have been since the incorporation of the company, consisting of Arthur A. Hamel, president ; Louis H. Hamel, treasurer, and Herbert C. Hamel, clerk. The corporation was reorganized and capitalized at $500,000 in 1928, and is reputed to be the largest pro- ducer of linings in the United States.
Louis H. Hamel made his way to success by sheer determination and hard work. That he is gifted is unquestionable. He has in- vented many machines for the processing of sheepskins and glazed kid, and has been active in devising better methods in the industry. A man of thirty-six years of age, he is recognized as one of the younger lead- ers in the leather industry. In 1933, when the National Recovery Act provided for the establishment of groups to set up codes in the varied industries of America, Mr. Hamel was made a member of the executive com- mittee of the Sheepskin Division of Tanning and was prominent in the meetings in the National Capital and other cities, in which a final solution of the difficulties inherent in establishing a fixed code were solved.
Fraternally, Louis H. Hamel is affiliated with the Knights of Columbus and Haverhill Country Club. He is past president of the Haverhill Kiwanis Club and he is serving his third term as director of the Haverhill Chamber of Commerce.
In 1923, Louis H. Hamel was married to Dorothy A. Berry, of Raymond, New Hamp-
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shire, daughter of Edward E. and Bessie Berry. Mr. and Mrs. Hamel are the par- ents of six children: 1. Virginia D., born March 25, 1924. 2. Gloria A., born January 30, 1926. 3. Claire L., born December 31, 1927. 4. Patricia A., born March 24, 1929. 5. Marilyn R., born May 3, 1931. 6. Louis H., Jr., born June 30, 1934.
ARTHUR A. HAMEL-As one of the younger prominent industrial leaders of Ha- verhill, Massachusetts, Arthur A. Hamel is not only personally popular but also serves the city in many ways as one of its public- spirited citizens. He was born in Haverhill, December 17, 1896, a son of Anthony J. and Agnes M. (Comeau) Hamel. After complet- ing his education he became associated with his brothers, Louis H. Hamel and Herbert C. Hamel, to form the concern now known as the L. H. Hamel Leather Company. He has been the president of this company since its incorporation, and has had a great deal to do with the remarkable expansion this concern has made from a small and unimpor- tant member of Haverhill's industries. To him was assigned the task of selling and distributing the products of the Hamel Com- pany, and in this capacity he has traveled all over the American Continent and to some foreign ports. In recent years the selling end has been the outstanding, and the weak- est link in the success of any industrial con- cern. To Arthur A. Hamel's rare talents is given much of the credit of keeping the plant working to capacity in the very lean years since 1929. A brief account of the Hamel Leather Company is given in con- nection with the review of the life of Louis H. Hamel. which accompanies this.
In addition to being the president of the L. H. Hamel Leather Company, Arthur A. Hamel is also vice-president of the Lamb- skin Tanners Association, and is one of the leaders in the American sheepskin trade and
organization. Among his clubs are the Pen- tucket and the Haverhill County clubs, and he is a member of the Haverhill Chamber of Commerce.
In 1926, Arthur A. Hamel married Pauline M. Little, of Haverhill, and they are the par- ents of two children: I. Stanley A., born August 4, 1927. 2. Dana A., born April 5, 1931.
CARL WILLIAM ROLIN-For the past forty-one years Carl William Rolin has been in the sheet metal business in Lynn, a voca- tion he learned as a boy in his native Sweden.
Mr. Rolin was born September 8, 1871, the son of Nelse Parson and Bina Rolin, both natives of that country. His father, who was the son of Peter Anderson Rolin, a farmer, was a butcher and later a cattle dealer in Sweden. Mr. Rolin was educated in the public schools of Sweden and when he had completed his studies there he be- came associated with his uncle, Anton Ro- lin, who taught him the copper and sheet metal trade. He remained with his uncle for five years and then journeyed to Den- mark where he continued in his trade for a year. He returned to his country then and twelve months later was making his way to the United States, where he arrived on March 3, 1892. Shortly after landing he settled in Rockport, Massachusetts, and was there three months. In June of that year he became associated with the L. A. May Company of Lynn, as a sheet metal worker and later worked for Thomson and Hous- ton, a concern which was absorbed by the General Electric Company. He remained under the new management and maintained a position with this firm for the next eleven years, when he became affiliated with Nich- ols and Drown, plumbing and heating con- tractors located at No. 23 Central Avenue, Lynn, Massachusetts. After working for
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this organization he and Percy B. Mayo bought it and organized a new firm under the name of the General Engineering Com- pany. This partnership moved the business to Oxford and Willow streets, where it re- mained for two years, when the partners sold it. A brief time after this Mr. Rolin formed a partnership with Rufus O. Morse, and the two engaged in business under the name of Rolin and Morse, with their offices located at No. 43 State Street. They moved their sheet metal concern to the corner of Washington and Railroad avenues and later to the present location at No. 357 Wash- ington Street.
Throughout his career at Lynn, Mr. Rolin has manifested an active interest in the social and fraternal organizations of the community. He is a member of Kearsarge Lodge, No. 217, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a member of the Vasa Order, belongs to the Lynn Chamber of Commerce, is a Republican in politics and attends the Lutheran Church.
Mr. Rolin married in Lynn, September 4, 1897, Hilda O. Lilljedahl, a native of Sweden and daughter of August and Chris- tianna Lilljedahl, and they are the parents of three children: I. Lillian Rolin, wife of Fred L. Valpey, paper box manufacturer of Malden, Massachusetts. 2. Hilding Ro- lin, graduate of Lynn English High School, now associated with his father in business and married to Elsie Johnson of Lynn. 3. Raymond Rolin, graduate of Lynn Classical High School and the Massachusetts Insti- tute of Technology, now a civil engineer in Denver, Colorado.
FRED WILLIAM TISDELL-As the manager of C. H. Tisdell and Company, Fred William Tisdell not only has con- tributed to the advancement of the corpora- tion with which he is connected, but is pop-
ular in the various activities of Lynn. Mr. Tisdell was born May 31, 1905, the son of Charles Henry and Emma (Publicover) Tisdell, the former born December 18, 1868, in England, and the latter a native of Nova Scotia, Canada, born in May, 1878. Both have been for many years residents of Lynn.
Charles Henry Tisdell learned the wood heel business with a Mr. Ross of south- eastern Massachusetts, and in 1893 estab- lished himself as a manufacturer in Lynn. His concern, now incorporated as C. H. Tisdell and Company, has specialized in the making of wood heels and the finishing of leather heels, and has supplied these to manufacturers of footwear in many parts of the United States. C. H Tisdell is one of the leading industrialists of Lynn. He is also a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, including all the Scottish Rite bodies in the Consistory, in which he holds the thirty-second degree.
Fred William Tisdell received his prelim- inary education in the grade and Lynn Classical High School, and in 1925 was graduated from Dean Academy, in Frank- lin, Massachusetts. He then attended Bos- ton University for three years, leaving to become associated with the C. H. Tisdell and Company, of which his father is the sole proprietor. Fred W. Tisdell is the gen- eral manager of the corporation. He is a non-partisan in politics and keenly inter- ested in civic affairs. His Greek letter col- lege fraternity is Phi Kappa Psi, and he was a member of the Salem Country Club for three years.
In St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Lynn, on July 1, 1933, Fred William Tisdell mar- ried Cilla Garth Holdsworth, daughter of Jowett and Ella (Garth) Holdsworth, both natives of England. Jowett Holdsworth was associated with the General Electric
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Company in Lynn, and died here in 1912. His widow, Mrs. Holdsworth, continues her residence in Lynn. Mrs. Fred W. Tis- dell is a graduate of Lynn Classical High School, class of 1924, and of the State Teach- ers College, Salem, in 1928. Prior to her marriage she taught for four years in Lynn Junior High School. She is a member of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Lynn.
HAROLD EDWARD THURSTON-In 1907, Harold Edward Thurston first entered the service of Essex County, Massachu- setts. Since that time he has assumed in- creasing responsibilities in the county gov- ernment and for the past seven years has occupied the office of county treasurer. Al- though a member of the bar, he has devoted his entire attention to his duties as a public official.
Mr. Thurston was born in North Brook- field, Massachusetts, on March 1, 1888, a son of Edward Eaton and Fannie (Ward) Thurston, the former born in this State and the latter in Nova Scotia. In 1895 he re- moved with his parents to Lynn, Massachu- setts. Edward Eaton Thurston died there in 1918. His wife survives and now makes her home with her son in Lynn.
Harold Edward Thurston received his early education in the public schools of Lynn and later, for two years, attended business college. He began the study of law with the Rev. Albert Walkley of Mar- blehead, but on the death of his preceptor shortly afterwards, he entered Suffolk Law School. On the completion of his course of study in 1910, he was admitted to the bar. Mr. Thurston, however, has never prac- ticed. In 1907 he had entered the service of the county as a clerk and he has since remained continuously in county work. After several years, he was appointed dep- uty assistant clerk of courts. Later he be- came clerk to the County Commissioners, retaining the same duties, and in 1925 was
appointed to fill a vacancy in the office of county treasurer caused by the death of Walter Preston Babb. Serving under ap- pointment until the election of 1926, he was then returned to office by the voters of the county and in 1930 was reelected as county treasurer for a six-year term. His long ex- perience in the service of the county well qualifies him for his present position, whose duties he has administered very capably.
Mr. Thurston is well known throughout the county and enjoys the well-deserved respect of its people. He is a member of various clubs and fraternal organizations, including Damascus Lodge, Free and Ac- cepted Masons at Lynn; Glenmere Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, also at Lynn; the Ionic Club of Swampscott, the Essex Club and the Republican Club of Massachusetts. His offices are in the court- house at Salem.
On December 25, 1913, Harold Edward Thurston married Willa B. Mosher of Lun- enburg, Nova Scotia. They are the parents of two children: I. Robert Edward, born November 26, 1914, now attending Norwich University at Northfield, Vermont. 2. Har- old Arleigh, born November 6, 1924.
ROBERT WILLIAM HILL-In addi- tion to doing a large law business in asso- ciation with his firm in the city of Salem, Judge Robert W. Hill has the title of Spe- cial Justice of the First District Court of Essex. For a number of years he was presi- dent of the Special Justices Association of Massachusetts. He helped frame the char- ter for the commission form of government of Salem and in securing its adoption.
His father, Robert Ellis Hill, was assist- ant cashier of the Webster and Atlas Na- tional Bank, served on the Salem Board of Aldermen and as president of the Anti- Saloon League. He married Emily Frances Hubon. Both are now deceased.
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Robert. William Hill was born in Salem, October 6, 1882, and passed through the public schools, graduating from high school in 1900. He next entered Tufts College, which made him a Bachelor of Arts at graduation in the class of 1904. His legal training was received at Harvard Law School, where he graduated Bachelor of Laws in 1907. From 1904 to 1907, when he was making his way through law school, he was paying expenses through employ- ment in the printing and stationery business with the Berkeley Press in Boston. Ad- mitted to the Massachusetts bar in 1910, he at once entered practice as an associate of the firm of Putnam, Putnam and Bell at No. 16 State Street, Boston. In 1914 he severed that connection and returned to Salem and began practice under his own name in his native city. In 1922 he formed the law firm of Hill, Fitz and Howie at No. 70 Washington Street, Salem, which in 1934 was changed to Hill, Howie and Blake and where, with his associates, he has since done a general law business. His appoint- ment as a special justice of the First Dis- trict Court of Essex was made by the Gov- ernor in 1921, and he has since officiated in this capacity. Among his fellow-justices in the State he enjoys their esteem as shown by their retention of himself for several years in the office of president of the Spe- cial Justices Association of Massachusetts, to which post he was first elected in 1923. He is a director of the Essex County Ac- ceptance Corporation, Hytron Corporation, George W. Pickering Coal Company, and other corporations. His professional con- nections include the Salem Bar Association, Essex County Bar Association, Massachu- setts State Bar Association, and the Ameri- can Bar Association.
In political affairs his activities have been within the Republican party as to organiza- tion and, in a broader sense, in the public
service. For two years he was chairman of the Salem Republican Committee. He was a member of the Salem City Council for two years, and for three years was a member of the School Board of Salem. Much of the work of preparation of the commission charter for the city of Salem in 1912 was performed by him and it was he who di- rected the campaign successfully for its adoption. During the World War period he was government appeal agent for Salem in 1918. Since 1921 he has been an alumni trustee of Tufts College, and is now a mem- ber of its finance committee, and since 1932 president of the General Alumni Associa- tion of this college. In 1922-23 he was Dis- trict Governor of Rotary International and he is a Past President of the Salem Rotary Club. He is a thirty-second degree member in the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, and is also a member of the Knights Templar; a member of the college honorary society of Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Tau Omega . (college undergraduate) Fraternity, Essex Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Boston City Club. His immediate reli- gious connection is with the First Univer- salist Society of Salem, and, since 1925, he has been a member of its board of trustees and a chairman of the finance committee of the Universalist General Convention.
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