USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > Biographical review : containing life sketches of leading citizens of Stafford and Belknap countries, New Hampshire > Part 47
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After receiving his elementary education, Frederick A. Orne attended the high school at West Milton. He then engaged in the boot and shoe trade, with which he has been con- nected ever since. He has been engaged in manufacturing in Haverhill, Mass., and in Union, this State, and has also carried on large retail stores at Rochester, N. H., and Worcester, Mass. As a rule, his time is fully occupied with his business, but he has taken a keen interest in politics. He was elected to the legislature 1897-98, where he is the first
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Republican sent by this town in forty years. It is also worth noting he was the first candi- date in the history of the town who carried the full vote.
Mr. Orne's first marriage was made with Emma Tasker, of Dover, daughter of Horace Tasker. Frederick T. Orne, who was born of this union, is now deceased. Mr. Orne next married Jennie Springfield, a daughter of Woodbury Springfield, of Rochester, and she became the mother of three sons, one of whom, Charles W. Orne, of Boston, survives her. A third marriage was contracted with Mattie E. Ayers, of Portsmouth. Of late years Mr. Orne has spent his winters in that city. He is a member of the Unitarian church. Lib- eral-minded and of generous disposition, a stanch supporter of the Republican principles, and interested in all questions touching the public weal, he is much esteemed by all who know him.
EBECCA WEBSTER (WEEKS), WILEY, M.D., a prominent medical practitioner of Laconia, and a na- tive of Gilford, Belknap County, was born March 20, 1848, daughter of John G. and Sarah (Wecks) Weeks. Her paternal grand- father was for many years engaged in the dry- goods business in Boston. John G. Weeks, a native of Portsmouth, N. H., was graduated from Gilmanton Academy. He was a thor- ough business man, and for a number of years did an extensive business as a hatter at Gil- ford, where he died at the age of eighty-three. He was a member of the Methodist church of that town. Sarah, his wife, was a daughter of his uncle, Benjamin Weeks, and was born in Gilford. They had twelve children, of which number seven are living.
Rebecca Webster Weeks Wiley was named for her father's mother, who was a connection
of Daniel Webster. Her early education was further advanced by a course at Gilford Acad- emy and Tilton Seminary. In 1868 she was married to the Rev. Frederick L. Wiley, a clergyman of the Free Baptist church. Mr. Wiley graduated with the class of 1868 in the Theological School, which was then at New Hampton, N.H., but is now a part of Bates College. He has held several important pas- torates, notably in Bath, Me., Whitefield, and Concord, N. H. His work has been chiefly of a missionary and literary character, helping the building up of weak and debt-encumbered churches. Not having a strong constitution, his health broke down under the strain of his labors, and he was obliged to relinquish his pastorates, but continues other departments of his professional work. Mrs. Wiley worked hand in hand with her husband, and it was through their combined efforts that over nine thousand dollars of church debts have been raised and paid. He occupies several impor- tant secretaryships in his denomination. Mrs. Wiley in 1879 began a course in medicine at the Boston University, from which she was graduated in 1882, having completed a three years' course, all that was then required. She has the distinction of being the first regularly graduated lady physician north of Concord. Shortly after obtaining her diploma she came to Laconia, and entered upon her profession. Nothing daunted by the contempt and ridicule with which she was first received, she per- severed and at length won due recognition as a homeopathic physician. She now possesses a practice which is probably as large as that of any physician in the city. She is a mem- ber of the Massachusetts and New Hampshire Homeopathic Medical Societies, and of the Amercian Institute of Homeopathy.
Mr. and Mrs. Wiley have one son, Maurice G. Wiley, who graduated in the Southern
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Homeopathic Medical College at Baltimore, Md., with the class of 1894. He assists his mother in her constantly increasing practice, having an office in the building where hers is located.
OSEPH WARREN is prominently identified with the agricultural and manufacturing interests of Rochester. He was born July 12, 1857, in the town of Pembroke, son of Hugh T. and Lydia A. (Moore) Warren, and is a descendant of Gen- eral Joseph Warren, who lost his life at the bat- tle of Bunker Hill. The paternal grandfather, Hugh Warren, formerly of Canterbury, N. H., is now one of the most prosperous farmers in the State of Michigan, having a valuable homestead property in the town of Hartford. Hugh T. Warren has been a lifelong resident of Pembroke, N.H., where he is still actively engaged in agricultural pursuits, including the raising of fine stock, dairying, and lumbering. In the latter business he buys standing tim- ber, manufactures it into lumber, which he sells in large lots. His wife, a native of Loudon, this State, bore him eight children, of whom there are living: Hugh M., a wood and lumber dealer in Pembroke; Edith, the wife of B. J. Fellows, of Suncook, N. H. ; Foster, who resides on the home farm; and Joseph, the subject of this biography. The father retired from business some time ago, leaving the active management of his farm and other industries to his eldest son, Hugh M., who is now sole proprietor of the lumber busi- ness. He has never held public office, but has always supported the principles of the Demo- cratic party.
After receiving his knowledge of the ele- ments in the common schools of Pembroke, Joseph Warren completed his education at the town academy, which he attended for five
years. At the age of nineteen years he spent six months in travelling in the West. In that time, finding no place more suited to his tastes than the old Granite State, he returned in the spring of 1877 to the place of his birth. After serving an apprenticeship of three years at the carpenter's trade, Mr. Warren worked for an equal length of time for Mead, Mason & Co., of Concord, N.H. He then embarked in his present business at Pembroke, where for three years he manufactured common build- ing brick. In 1884 he removed to Rochester, and, forming a partnership with George W. Anderson, continued in the same line of busi- ness until the dissolution of the firm in 1891. Since that time he has confined his work to the manufacture of hollow bricks for use in fire-proof buildings. He is doing a large business, turning out about seven million bricks annually, and in the busy season em- ploying one hundred and fifteen men. He is likewise extensively engaged in general farm- ing, making a specialty of raising hay, of which he cuts about one hundred tons each season. His farm, containing two hundred acres of land, in point of cultivation and im- provements compares favorably with any estate in this section of the county.
In August, 1879, Mr. Warren married Miss Addie Elliott, of Pembroke. They have one child, Sadie, who is still a school-girl. Mr. Warren is an influential member of the Demo- cratic party, and takes an active interest in public matters. When a candidate for the State legislature in 1886, he lacked but seven votes of election. In 1890 he was a member of the first City Council of Rochester, to which he was elected for three consecutive years, serving during that time as Chairman of the Committee on Roads, Bridges, and Re- pairs ; on the Water Board; and on the Com- mittee on Disputed Claims. Mr. Warren be-
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longs to Howard Lodge, No. 31, I. O. O. F., of Suncook; to Oriental Lodge, K. of P., of the same place; and to the Knights of the Golden Eagle of Rochester. He was a charter member of Pembroke Grange, ranking the sec- ond of the State granges in size, and which he has been instrumental in elevating to its present high position. He was also at one time a member of the Order of United Ameri- can Mechanics.
AMUEL LAMPREY, one of the best known and most successful farmers of Belmont, Belknap County, N. II., was born in the neighboring town of Gilford, N. H., May 26, 1814, son of John and Mary M. (Chase) Lamprey. His paternal grandfather, John Lamprey, Sr., who was born in Pittsfield, N. H., in 1748, was drafted during the Revolutionary War, but not drawn for service.
John Lamprey, Jr., father of Samuel, was one of the prosperous farmers and stock-raisers of Pittsfield in his day. He owned at one time a tract containing upward of two hundred and seventy-five acres, one hundred acres of which were covered with heavy timber. He was an excellent judge of horse flesh, and al- ways made it a point to keep a speedy animal for his own use. His wife, Nancy M. Chase, was a daughter of Colonel Chase, of Gilman- ton, N. H. She became the mother of nine children, as follows: Nancy, Rachel, Ruth, Mary, John, Richard, Samuel, Reuben, and another child who died young. Of these, the only survivor is Samuel, the subject of this sketch. Nancy married a Mr. Coleman, and died in 1894, aged ninety-three years. Rachel married Richard Flanders, of Alton, N. H. ; Ruth married Daniel Flanders of the same town, and lived to be seventy-two. Mary wedded James Furnell, and moved to Canada,
where she died at the age of eighty. John married Lydia Mooney, daughter of John Mooney, of Gilford, N. H. Richard married Miss Sarah Leavitt, of Alton, and Reuben married a Miss Glitten, of Gilmanton.
Samuel Lamprey attended the district schools in his boyhood, and resided at home until he was eighteen. He then went to Salem, Mass., where he drove an ox team for eight months, and the following spring he ob- tained employment in West Cambridge, Mass. A few months later he engaged in the trucking business in Boston, first as a teamster and later as a member of the firm of Rollins, Brown & Lamprey; and he continued in busi- ness for six years. Returning to his native State, he bought his present farm in Belmont. This property at the time of purchase was badly run down, but by hard work Mr. Lam- prey brought it up to a high state of cultiva- tion, and for many years his farm has been regarded as one of the best in this locality. He raises general farm produce, but makes a specialty of hay. He claims that the two most essential elements of success in agricult- ural pursuits are a perfect understanding of the soil to be tilled and hard work ; and it may be added that he has proved this theory to be correct. He has been thrifty as well as in- dustrious, and from his youth has observed prudent and temperate habits. He looks back with satisfaction to the day when he became an independent farmer, and has in his posses- sion some of his first crop of corn, which was harvested fifty-five years ago.
Mr. Lamprey married Deborah L. Bean, who was born in Belmont, December 12, 1833, daughter of John L. and Lydia (Bartlett) Bean. She was a woman of more than usual ability and strength of character, a thrifty and prudent housewife, and a most faithful help. mate. Mrs. Lamprey's death occurred ou
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March 7, 1896, a sad loss to her husband in his declining years. She left no children. In politics Mr. Lamprey is a Democrat.
ARTIN V. B. FELKER, a gen- eral farmer of the town of Mad- bury, Strafford County, where he owns a substantial farming property, was born February 17, 1833, in North Barrington, N. H. His parents were Levi and Sally F. (Nichols) Felker, residents for a great many years of Barrington, where the father was engaged in milling and farming.
Mr. Felker was educated in the district schools of his native town. Throughout his boyhood he worked industriously on the home farm. As soon as he was old enough he was given charge of one of the two mills owned by his father, and thereafter for several years he manufactured rough lumber, shingles, etc., and attended to the grist-mill. In 1864, leaving . the parental home, he purchased one hundred acres of his present farm, and has since been busily engaged in improving it. The rest of the farm, sixteen and a half acres, was bought by him more recently. He carries on general husbandry, including dairying, using the most approved modern methods. So far fortune has smiled upon his efforts, and every- thing about the premises indicates the pres- ence of ample means and cultivated tastes.
Mr. Felker was married March 22, 1857, to Miss Cordelia J. Locke, who was born in the town of Strafford, January 20, 1836. They became the parents of four children, namely : Henry, who resides on the home farm and assists in its care; Sarah M., now the widow of the late Frederick W. Lee, of Dover; El- lery M., a resident of Dover ; and George W., who died at the age of six years. Politically, Mr. Felker is a warm advocate of the prin-
ciples of the Democratic party, and has satis- factorily served his fellow-townsmen in many offices of trust. In 1871 he was Tax Co]- lector, a position which he is now filling. In 1872 he was elected to the State legislature from Madbury, and from 1886 until 1891 was Chairman of the Board of Selectmen. He is a member of the Dover Grange.
HARLES H. ROWE, an esteemed and prosperous citizen of Laconia, was born October 8, 1837, in Gil- manton, now Belmont, Belknap County, a son of Morrison and Sarah B. (James) Rowe. Jeremiah Rowe, the father of Morrison, was a native of that part of the town of Gilford now included in Laconia, and was quite exten- sively engaged in farming. He was twice married, the maiden name of his first wife having been Ruth Lone, and that of his second wife Ruth Seward. Besides Morrison, who was born of his first marriage, he had three other sons - Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and Charles.
Morrison Rowe was a native of Gilmanton. When twenty-one years of age, he purchased a farm of one hundred and fifty acres in Bel- mont, and thereafter was engaged in general farming and stock-raising with good success until his decease. In politics he was a Demo- crat, and was chosen to represent the town of Belmont in the New Hampshire legislature in the year 1855. In religious belief he was a Free Baptist. He died in 1868, fifty-eight years of age. His union with Sarah B. James, a daughter of Jonathan James, was blessed by the birth of a son and three daughters; namely, Mary J. Rowe, Ellen F., Charles H., and Flora A. Mary Jane married Franklin Cook, of Plymouth, N. H., with whom she afterward went to Minneapolis, Minn., where she still resides, having three children --
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Frank Cook, Ray J., and Flora E. Ellen F. Rowe married Edwin Clark, of Plymouth, N. II. and has two sons and a daughter -- Ev- erett, Mabel, and Walter. Flora A. Rowe married John F. Merrill, of Laconia. They have three sons and one daughter - Albert R., F. Carlton, Eva L., and Frederic D. Merrill.
After finishing his elementary education, Charles H. Rowe attended the New Hampton Seminary and Gilford Academy at. Laconia. He then took up the calling of farmer in Bel- mont, beginning with sixty-five acres of land, to which he kept adding until he had a farm of three hundred acres. Since 1884 he has been principally engaged in the real estate business; also conducting a grain and grocery store at Laconia in company with his son, Daniel M., under the style of D. M. Rowe & Co., for five years. At one time he owned a twelve-acre lot that extended some distance up Court Street, out of which he gave Fair, Bay, and Charles Streets to the town, and laid out thirty-three house lots, which he has sold and built on.
In 1861 Mr. Rowe married Marietta P. Ladd, daughter of Daniel G. and Lydia (Rundlett) Ladd, of Belmont. Mr. Ladd died in 1855. His wife, Lydia, is now eighty-one years old. Mrs. Rowe died at the age of fifty-three. She bore her husband three sons - Daniel M., Leon G., and Merton C. The first two, under the style of Rowe Brothers, carry on a successful wholesale grocery busi- ness. Merton C. died in 1891, aged twenty- one years. Mr. Rowe is a Gold Democrat. For three years he was one of the Selectmen of Belmont - 1875, 1876, and 1877 --- the last year being Chairman of the Board. He served as Tax Collector of Belmont in 1872, and in Laconia received the nomination for Repre- sentative to the State legislature, but was not elected.
RA A. LOCKE, a representative farmer and stock-raiser, and one of the best- known residents of Madbury, was born September 5, 1828, in Dover, N. HI., son of Jeremiah and Elizabeth Wentworth Locke. His parents reared a family of nine children, three daughters and six sons. Three of the sons fought for the Union in the Civil War. Ira A. Locke was educated in the common schools of Dover. When sixteen years of age, he began working for himself. He spent two years learning the machinist's trade in Dover, continuing at the same labor in Manchester for a time, after which he went to Nashua, where, in a year and a half, he completed his apprenticeship. Coming from there to Dover, Mr. Locke worked as a machinist for six years. He was then employed by the New England Steam Gas Pipe Company for a year. Subse- quently, he secured a situation with the firm of Pike, Green & Co., of Boston, who sent him to Philadelphia, where he remained seven months. Returning then to Boston, he cou- tinued with the firm until the end of that season.
About forty-six years ago, with the purpose of settling himself permanently in life, Mr. Locke purchased the farm to which he brought his youthful bride and which has since been his home. In the improvement of his farm he has labored with diligence, carrying on his work systematically and after scientific methods, and has met with a success cor- responding to the amount of energy and time expended. During the late Rebellion, Mr. Locke put aside all private considerations and offered his services to his country. He en- listed in September, 1862, as a private in Company K, Eleventh New Hampshire Vol. unteer Infantry, being mustered in at Concord. He was soon after appointed hostler to Gen- eral Harriman, a position in which he had
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some startling experiences. At White Sul- phur Springs, while out on a foraging expedi- tion, he was captured by the enemy and taken to Libby Prison, where he was held for twenty-two days. He was then paroled and taken to Indianapolis, where he was kept until April, 1863, when he received an honorable discharge. Politically, Mr. Locke is a stanch Democrat.
Mr. Locke was married February 22, 1850, to Miss Lydia B. Church, who was born Oc- tober 13, 1833, daughter of Nathaniel and Patience (Hanson) Church. Mr. and Mrs. Locke are the parents of six children, namely : George A., born November 28, 1851, who now lives in Haverhill, Mass. ; Annie E., born August 19, 1853, who successively mar- ried Israel P. Church, of Dover, and Edward Andrews, and now lives in Durham; Ida, born May 10, 1858, who married Roscoe Otis, of Durham; James I., born September II, 1870, also residing in Haverhill; Frederick E., born June 24, 1871, a resident of Haver- hill; and Willis C., born March 16, 1856, who died March 3, 1861.
AMUEL H. BLAISDELL, a well- to-do farmer of Gilford, was born where he now resides, June 19, 1827, son of Philip and Judith (Sargent) Blaisdell. His grandfather, Samuel Blais- dell, who came from Kingston, N. H., to Gil- ford, when the country was new, settled in the neighborhood of Lilly Pond, where he bought of Colonel Badger eighty acres of wild land. After Grandfather Blaisdell had cleared a por- tion of the property and erected a house, his family joined him, and subsequently his , father. His sisters also settled in Gilford, and his brother Jacob engaged in farming here and reared a large family, and his descendants
are still residing in this vicinity. Samuel Blaisdell in the course of time added more land to his farm, and became quite prosper- ous. He was a blacksmith by trade, and, being the only one in this locality at that time, did a great deal of work in that line. He was a Democrat in politics, and served as Tax Collector for some time. At his death he was fifty years old. He married Abigail Osgood, and reared nine children; namely, William, John, Samuel, Philip, Elizabeth, Enoch, Aaron, Polly, and Daniel. William and John were born in Kingston. All except Samuel remained here. William became a preacher, served as. Town Clerk for twenty- five years, and later in life preached in Tuftonboro, N. H. Elizabeth married Thomas Plummer, of this town. Polly remained single. The others married and reared fam- ilies. John, Philip, and Samuel became blacksmiths.
Philip Blaisdell, the father of Samuel II., succeeded to the possession of the homestead. He added seventy acres to the farm, tilled the soil with energy, raised considerable stock, and continued to carry on the blacksmith shop established by his father. Having given his time mainly to his farm and trade, he never aspired to public office, and died at the age of eighty-six years. His wife, Judith, who was a daughter of John Sargent, became the mother of two sons, namely : John, who died at the age of three years; and Samuel HI., the subject of this sketch. She lived to be seventy-five years old.
Samuel H. Blaisdell acquired his education in the district school. Afterward, having worked with his father in the blacksmith shop and on the farm, he succeeded to the owner- ship of the property, and now owns about three hundred acres of land, a large part of which is under cultivation. By the exercise
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of thrift and good judgment, he has been unusually successful. In his active period he gave his attention principally to the farm, preferring agricultural pursuits to the black- smith trade. He still superintends the farm in person, although he has practically retired from active labor. He married Olive Merrill, daughter of James Merrill, of Gilford. She died in 1862, leaving no children. In poli- tics Mr. Blaisdell is a Democrat, but has not taken any part in public affairs beyond casting his vote. His prosperity is the result of industry and integrity, and he is highly esteemed as an upright, conscientious man and a worthy citizen.
EORGE H. MITCHELL, a well- known stove and tinware dealer of Laconia, was born May 8, 1828, in Bradford, Hillsborough County, son of Fred- erick A. and Lucy G. (Aiken) Mitchell. His paternal ancestors, who were of Scotch-Irish nationality, emigrated to America, settling in Londonderry, N.H. His maternal grand- father was a highly respected Presbyterian Elder and a Revolutionary soldier.
Frederick A. Mitchell was a teacher in early manhood, being at one time the instructor of Horace Greeley. Later he became an allo- pathic physician, and had a large and lucrative practice in Bedford. He was a fine Bible scholar, and officiated as Deacon of the Con- gregational church. His death occurred when he was eighty years old. His wife, Lucy, was a daughter of Phineas Aiken, of Bedford, N. H., who served the community as Clerk, Selectman, and Representative. Distinguished members of the Aiken family were: Judge ยท Aiken, of Greenfield, Mass .; Judge Charles Aiken, of Colorado; the Rev. Silas Aiken, a former pastor of Park Street Church, Boston,
Mass. ; and John Aiken, who was Treasurer of the Abbott Lawrence Corporations, and who married a sister of the wife of President Pierce. Three of the seven children of Fred- erick A. are living; namely, Henry A., Mrs. M. S. Griffin, and George H. Henry A. is the proprietor of Hotel Rockaway, York Beach, Me. ; and Martha S. Griffin owns the Agamenticus House of the same place.
George H. Mitchell, the sixth child of his parents, received a common-school education. On attaining his majority, having previously learned the tinner's trade, he entered the stove and tinware business in Plymouth, N. H. Afterward he followed the same business as a wholesale dealer in Portland, Me., for about sixteen years. In 1877 he went to Boston, Mass., engaging in jobbing kitchen ware and furniture business at 71 and 73 North Street, being the senior member in the firm of Mitch- ell Brothers & Co. Importing goods from Europe, and acquiring a large New England trade, they continued the enterprise with ex- cellent financial returns for ten years. On account of failing health Mr. Mitchell then sold out. In 1871 he established his present store in Laconia, where his commercial abil- ity is also recognized.
In August, 1851, Mr. Mitchell was married to Julia A. Chase, of Belmont, N.H. They have one son, who was patriarch of Winnepe- saukce Lodge, No. 51, I. O. O. F., at the age of twenty-three, and is now the efficient foreman of his father's store. In politics Mr. Mitchell is a Republican. Fraternally, he belongs to Ancient Brothers' Lodge, No. 4, I. O. O. F., of Portland, Me., which he joined in January, 1868. In religion he is a member of the First Free Baptist Church, which he served four years on the Finance Committee. He is now Deacon, and is ac- tively interested in the general work of the
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