USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > Dover > Dover, N.H., its history and industries issued as an illustrated souvenir of...twenty-fifth anniversary of Foster's Daily Democrat, descriptive of the city and its manufacturing and business interests > Part 11
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Mr. Hall died Oct. 31, 1898.
Gen. William Davis Sawyer.
GEN. WILLIAM D. SAWYER.
William Davis Sawyer was born No- vember 22, 1866. He is the eldest son of Hon. Charles H. and Susan Ellen (Cow- an) Sawyer. General Saw- yer was edu- cated in the public schools and grad u a t e d from the Phillips Academy, Andover, in 1885. He pursued his studies at Yale Univer- sity and re- ceived the degree of A. B. from that institution in 1889, imme- diately tak- ing up a bus- iness career in connection with the Saw- yer Woolen Mills, in which he has held the responsible position of Treasurer since 1891. Gen. Sawyer is a Director of the Portsmouth & Dover R. R. and was Quar- termaster General on the staff of Governor John B. Smith, with the rank of Brigadier General. He has always taken a deep in- terest in politics and has been a delegate to the Republican National Convention
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of 1896, member of the committee to notify President Mckinley of his nomina- tion, member of the Republican State Committee since 1890 and of the Exec- utive Committee of same in 1896. Gen. Sawyer is also a member of Moses Paul Lodge No. 96 A. F. and A. M., Belknap Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, Orphan Council, St. Paul Commandery, Knights Templar, and of the Amoskeag Veterans of Manchester. He is also a member of the following clubs : Bel - lamy Club, Dover; Der- ryfield Club, Manchester ; Pisc a taqua Yacht Club, Kittery ; Uni- versity, Yale and Wool Clubs of New York city. Gen. Sawyer married Susan Gertrude, daughter of Hon. Joshua G. Hall and has two chil- dren, Jona - than and Eliz- abeth Bige-
low.
Charles Henry Fish.
CHARLES H. FISH.
Charles H. Fish, Agent of the Cocheco M a n ufactur- ing Company, was born in Taunton, Mass., a son of Captain F. L. and Mary (Jarvis) Fish. After receiving his edu- cation Mr. Fish entered the machine shops of the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company in Manchester, and from that time has been actively engaged in manu- facturing. He was appointed agent of the Cocheco Company's Mills and Print Works September 1st, 1895, succeeding Mr. John Holland.
Colonel George H. Peirce.
Colonel George H. Peirce was a native of this city, where he was born February 15, 1829, and always had his home. Educated among us, early identifying him- self with the business interests of Dover, growing with its growth, and always ac- tively interested with whatever in his view tended to its prosperity and progress, few men became better known, and few acquired and retained through life a wider i per- sonal popular- ity and influ- ence. A man of generous impulses, lib- eral and open- hearted, not without his faults, but pos- sessing many marked excel- lencies and sterling traits of character. Possessed of excellent judg- ment, great energy, and rare. business qualifications , he was a thor- oughly active, enterprising and progres- sive man. In his opinions he was out- spoken, and no one ever had reason to doubt his po- sition on any question. Nevertheless he retained the regard of those whom he opposed, and seldom lost his friends while continually drawing new ones around him.
From his early youth he was actively engaged in business, commencing in partnership with his brother, Andrew Peirce, now of St. Louis, and the late Thomas Stackpole of this city, as whole- sale merchant on Dover Landing, and
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afterwards continuing the firm with Elisha Jewett, of South Berwick, Me. His at- tention, however, was early called to rail- road construction, in which he first en- gaged, as early as 1850, on the extension of the Cocheco Railroad from Farmington to Alton Bay. In 1852, in company with Elisha Jewett and William Flynn, he took a large contract on the Southbridge and Blackstone Railroad, now a part of the Air Line from New York to Boston ; and about the same time he became en- gaged in the Saratoga and Sackett's Har- bor Road, running large- ly through the wilderness of Northern New York. He afterwards became inter- ested in many large con- tracts on va- rious roads, including among others the Fall River and Newport, the extension of the Con- cord & Ports- mouth to Manchester , the Little Rock and Fort Smith, Ark. Railway, the extension of the Boston & Maine to Portland, and the Portsmouth and Dover. In the last two he had as partners Messrs. Flynn and Charles B. Gardner of this city. Colonel Peirce's largest contract was for the construction of the European and North American, at a cost of $7,500,000. He subsequently sold out his interest in this. He had nearly completed the Portsmouth & Do- ver road at the time of his decease, Sept.
COLONEL GEORGE H. PEIRCE.
13, 1873. Had he lived he would un- doubtedly have had the contract for the Great Falls and Conway extension from Great Falls to Dover. In politics Col- onel Peirce was always a Democrat, yet he often voted independently and never blindly followed party dictation in the support of bad nominations. He was twice the candidate of his party for Rail- road Commissioner, running ahead of his party in both elections. He also repre- sented Ward 3, in which there was an anti - Demo- cratic major- ity of 162-a result that was due in part to his well- known views on rail- road questions identified with the pros- perity of Do- ver, but alto- gether more to his great personal pop- ularity.
Charles Francis Sawyer.
Charles Francis Saw- yer,second son of Charles H. and Susan E. (Cowan) Saw- yer, was born in Dover Jan.
16th, 1869. He was educated in the Dover public schools, at Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass., and Yale University. He entered the employ of the Sawyer Woolen Mills in 1889 and is now superintendent and director of that company, has served in both branches of the Dover City Gov- ernment, also in the New Hampshire Na- tional Guard as 2nd Lieutenant of Com- pany D, Ist Regiment and Captain and
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Commissary on the Brigade Commander's staff. He is a member of the First Par- ish (Congregational) church, also a mem- ber of Moses Paul Lodge, Belknap Chap- ter, Orphan Council, and St. Paul Com- mandery K. T .; is a Past Eminent Com- mander of St. Paul Commandery and is at present an officer in the Grand Com- mandery of New Hampshire. Mr. Saw- yer is a member of Dover Grange and of the Bellamy Club. He married Jan. 29th, 1895, Gertrude Child, daugh- ter of Hon. H. WV. Severance of San Fran- cisco.
Granite State Park.
Granite State Park was purchased in the spring of 1896 from the Strafford County Agri- cultural Soci- ety by Frank A. Christie for Hon. Frank Jones. Mr. Jones is Pres- ident of the Granite State Park Associa- tion and is also largely inter- ested in the Readville and Rigby tracks. In May of the same year Mr. Christie be- gan making improvements. Two feet of thoroughly ground and fine-screened loam was spread on the track which is now such that horses and colts can be worked out without any possibility of getting sore feet. Three hundred new horse sheds have been built providing the most excellent conveniences for the sta- bling of horses. A steel water tower 93 feet high with a tank holding 30,000 gal-
lons of water has been erected, thus en- suring a plentiful supply of pure water which is conveyed throughout the Park by means of four inch pipes. Mr. Jones has also remodeled and enlarged a capa- cious house within the park and has fur- nished and equipped it as a first-class hotel and clubhouse. The Park Tavern as it has been named, has become most popular with horsemen and its success is assured. It is lighted by electricity and heated by S team throughout and every at- tention is paid to the require- ments of own- ers and train- ers of horses.
CHARLES FRANCIS SAWYER.
The first race meeting was held in August, 1897. On the first day it was used, Gentry went a mile over it in 2.04 3-4, the last half in I.OI. The Horse Review, in speaking of the horse "Gazette," says : " Last season he paced a suc- cession of staunch and game races. At Portland, Me., August 20, he won a great six-heat contest, taking the last three heats in 2.11 I-4, 2.09 1-4, 2.10 1-4, beating seven horses. This he followed up by a wonderful eight-heat victory at Dover, beating the pacing queen Lottie Loraine, and four others in a tremendous contest, and taking the third, fourth and eighth heats in 2.09, 2.10 1-2, 2.10 3-4. His eighth heat in 2.10 3-4, driven by Tom Maish at Dover, stands as the best on
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GRANITE STATE PARK.
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record. In this race Lottie Loraine paced a mile in 2.07 3-4, which was at that time within one second of the world's record for mares." Marion Mills paced a mile over this track in 2.06 1-4. The track measures 7 inches over a mile, and has one of the finest hub rails of any track in the country.
Granite State Park is without doubt to- day, all points considered, the best mile track in the world over which to condi- tion and race horses. There is a decided change in the grade of each quarter which is thought very desirable for conditioning horses. The roads in four different di- rections are perfect for road work. The track is on high land bordering on a beautiful sheet of water known as "Willands Pond." Frank A. Christie, the Treasurer and Manager of the Associ- ation, has done much to bring about the present excellent state of affairs. He has worked indefatigably to make the track as near perfection as possible, and the success which has attended his capa- ble management is best evidenced by the large list of entries at each meeting.
Directed by an executive staff em- bodying experience, energy and wealth, with a track having a record as one of the fastest in the land the association has acquired a reputation which they will al-
ways sustain. The purses are generous, and the conduct of its affairs, the results of its gatherings, the importance of the events, and the interest attending them together with the achievements upon the speedy and magnificent one mile track are guarantees of the honorable and pro- gressive management which is character- istic of Hon. Frank Jones in all his affairs.
Howard Gray.
Howard Gray, Super- intendent of the Cocheco Manufactur- ing Com - pany's Print Works, was born at Dor- chester, Mass. In [1883 he became con- nected with the Merri- mack Print Works at Lowell, Mass., and spent thirteen years there learning the business in all its branches. He came to Do- ver in 1895 to enter the e m ployment of the Coche- co Manufac- turing Com- pany and was appointed Superintendent of their Print Works in February, 1896.
HOWARD GRAY.
John Drowne.
John Drowne, Superintendent of the Cocheco Manufacturing Company's Mills, was born at Eaton, N.H., and received his education at the district and high schools of his native town. At the age of eigh-
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teen he enlisted in the Eighteenth New Hampshire Regiment and saw service with the Ninth Army Corps in front of Petersburg. In July, 1865, at the close of the war, he received an honorable dis- charge. The following year he entered the employment of the Atlantic Cotton Mills at Lawrence, Mass., where he re- mained until 1869 when he went to Hous- ton, Texas, to start the weaving in the Houston Mills. A year later he returned to the Atlan- tic Mills at Lawrence and remained until 1874 when he went to New Hartford, Conn. In 1876 he en- tered the ser- vice of the Wamsutta Mills, New Bedford, re- maining until 1880 when he returned to New Hartford Conn., as Su- perintend en t of Greenwood Company's Mills. He came to Dover in March, 1896, as Su- perintend en t of the Coche- co Company's Mills, a posi- tion which he has since most capably filled.
JOHN DROWNE.
Mr. Drowne is a Thirty-Second Degree Mason, Lafayette Consistory, Bridgeport, Conn., a member of Amos Beecher Lodge No. 121, New Hartford, Conn., and of Washington Commandery, Knights Tem- plar, Hartford, Conn. He is also promi- nently associated with the I. O. O. F., being a member of Monadnock Lodge, No. 145, Lawrence, Mass., and of Anna- wam Encampment No. 8, New Bedford,
Mass. He is a member of Charles W. Sawyer Post, G. A. R., Dover.
Arioch Wentworth.
Arioch Wentworth was born in Rollins- ford, just beyond the Dover boundary, June 13, 1813. He is the son of Bar- tholomew and Nancy ( Hall) Wentworth and a direct descendant of Elder William from whom have sprung the Colonial Governors of New Hamp- shire and the other illustri- ous men who bear that name. Elder William came to Dover from England in 1639 and his ancestry can be traced back to the year 1066, when William the Conqueror subdued Eng- land. Mr. Wentworth was born in the old home- stead which was granted to Elder Wil- liam 250 years ago and still remains in possession of the family. He received his early edu- cation in the schools at Dover and Rol- linsford and at the age of fourteen attend- ed the Franklin Academy, spending five winter terms acquiring knowledge. In the summer months he worked on his father's farm. Although urged by his father to prepare for college he decided to go to Boston. He felt a craving for a broader life with larger opportunities and carried out his determination. He was fortunate in securing work in a granite
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yard. Subsequently he went to work in a soapstone factory and received good pay. He was temperate and frugal, and having saved a little money went home in the fall, and added a little to it by teach- ing school through the winter.
He returned to Boston in the spring, leased the place which belonged to Mr. Blunt, his former employer, who had failed, worked energetically and entered upon and prose cute d with vigor the soapstone business, then new and un- tried. He suc- ceeded and made money. He had me- chanical gen- ius, industry, t e m perance, and economy and devoted his time to a fast growing business. Mr. Wentworth not only had. health and good habits but had a quick and clear insight into machin- ery. He in- vented or im- proved many of the ma- chines, tools and processes he had to use in his business and thus nearly doubled his profits.
ARIOCH WENTWORTH.
Mr. Wentworth next took on the mar- ble business and imported and worked about all the foreign and domestic mar- bles, 300 men boing employed in his yard. He kept increasing the business until it became the largest and most im- portant marble works in Boston. Even in his early days he foresaw the develop- ment and destiny of the city of Boston,
and rightly judged that property could not decline in a city of such promise, and already the literary and commercial metropolis of New England. And so he began at an early day to invest in real es- tate in Boston. His first purchase was a $3,000 dwelling house and he subsequent- ly purchased land for his business which then covered an acre of ground.
As fast as his money accumulated he invested it in real estate and held and improved it. He has never lost faith in real estate and today he is the largest real estate holder and pays the larg- est city tax of anyone in Boston who earned his own money. Mr. Went- worth has cir- cumnavigated the globe. He has crossed the Atlantic sev- eral times and with his family has visited the principal con- tinental cities of Europe. Part of a win- ter he spent in Egypt going up the Nile and visiting all the ruins and inspecting the antiqui- ties of that historic land. When he was over eighty years of age he started with his family, five in all, for a tour of the world, via San Francisco, Japan, China and the principal countries and cities of Asia, returning via the Red Sea and Suez Canal, visiting Rome and from thence through Europe to England, sailing from Liverpool home. Mr. Wentworth saw
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nothing in his travels to compare with our own country which he terms "God's Country," and declares there is no other like it.
Mr. Wentworth has shown by his ac- tions that his heart is alive to early asso- ciations and friends. The Wentworth Home for the Aged, erected within a rifle-shot of his old homestead is a lasting monument to his munificent charity. He has donated $30,000 to this purpose alone and has also liberally endowed out of his abun- dance the Children's Home. These institutions re- ceive extend- ed notice in another part of this work.
It may be truly said that Mr. Went- worth is a ben- efactor of his race. He is a ready giver to those private charities which enlist so deeply the sympathies of true men. He gives cheerful- ly and without ostentation and this has sometimes led him to veil a generosity of character and a tenderness of feeling which are among his most striking traits. He is one of the firmest of friends, and one of the most thoroughly honest and upright of men. Well may we be proud to claim such a man as a citizen and future gener- ations will remember and revere the name of hin who has done so much to ameliorate the sufferings of the virtuous poor and solace the declining years of our aged and impecunious citizens.
George E. Schultz.
George E. Schultz was born in Alsace, Germany, coming to this country when six years of age. Upon completing his education he entered the laboratory of the Eddystone Print Works near Phila- delphia and learned textile printing and coloring. While gaining a practical knowledge of the business he studied chemistry under private tuition and at the Philadel- phia College of Pharmacy. While occu- pying a re- sponsible po- sition at Ed- dystone, he, in 1894, ac- cepted the ap- pointment of chemist at the Cocheco Print Works and was shortly after- wards promo- ted to the po- sition of col- orist.
GEORGE E. SCHULTZ.
George R. Smith, M.D.
George R. Smith, M. D., was born at Barnard, Vt., July 7, 1859, the son of Rufus B. and Mary J. Smith. He was educated in the public schools of Gaysville, Vt., and prepared for college at Goddard Seminary, Barre, Vt. He entered Tufts College, class of '84 and studied medicine at the Hahnemann Medical College, Chicago, graduating with the class of '88, and receiving his degree of M. D). from that institution. Dr. Smith began the practice of his profes-ion in Dover in June, 1888, opening an office at 378 Central Avenue, but upon the
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completion of the Masonic Temple he freely given in reply to public demands removed his office to the present handsome suite of rooms in that building, where he has 1 since remained. His patients have grown yearly more numerous, and his standing among his professional asso- ciates has been an- nually enhanced. In the community Dr. Smith stands high. I. B. Williams & Sons. He is a member of the New Hampshire Homeopathic Medi- cal Society, the Na- tional Society of Elec- to-Therapeutics, Moses Paul Lodge, A. F. and A. M., St. Paul Commandery, Knights Templar, and of the Knights of Pythias. His time has been DR. GEORGE R. SMITH.
and the alleviation of disease and suffering. Dr. Smith is still in the prime of life and for him the future presents inspiring views of hope crowned with the reward that follows faithful, meri- torious work in any line of life.
In their line of pro- duction there is prob- ably no other concern in the country so well and favorably known, and none whose pro- ducts are in more uni- versal use and demand throughout the United States, Canada and
RESIDENCE OF DR. GEORGE R. SMITH.
DOVER 1623-1898
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Europe than I. B. Williams & Sons. Their leather belting, strapping and lace leather have attained a world- wide reputation and the various brands of the firm are everywhere recognized as the highest standard of quality.
The foundation of the present business was laid by the senior partner, Isaac B. Williams, in 1842. At that time the business was con- fined to the manufacture of belting for the Cocheco Manufacturing Co. and the workshops of the concern were located in the Cocheco Mills. In 1871 Frank B. Williams was ad- mitted to partnership with his father and the firm became I. B. Williams & Son. From its inception the in- dustry prospered. The attention of manufacturers was attracted to the superior quality of belting turned out by the firm and the de- mand for their products became so great that in 1874 it became neces-
GEORGE H. WILLIAMS.
FRANK B. WILLIAMS.
sary to acquire more commodious premises to meet the demands of the trade. A large and valuable property on Orchard Street was pur- chased and was added to and re- modeled so as to afford the desired facilities. George H. Williams was taken into partnership in 1878, the style of the firm then becoming as at present, I. B. Williams & Sons.
In 1882 the premises were found to be wholly inadequate for the ever increasing output and the factory was torn down and entirely rebuilt on a much larger scale. The firm purchased an adjoining property and erected a substantial four story brick building, with a tower five stories high, containing elevators, stairways, etc. Ten years later, in 1892, another four story brick build- ing was added, and in 1896 this was supplemented by another two story building and a separate boiler house measuring 40 x 50 feet. The factory faces on Orchard street, with an ell,
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E
BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF I. B. WILLIAMS & SONS' FACTORY.
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having a frontage of 100 feet and on Waldron street of 165 feet.
The motive power is supplied by two 200 horse power upright boilers and one 225 horse power Corliss engine thus in- suring abundant power for the various machines operated. The first floor of the factory is occupied by offices and the shipping department, on Orchard street. In the rear of the same is the modern machinery for the tanning of lace leather and currying of leather. The second story is occupied by the superintendent's office, store room for finished lace leather,
the new Washington light and is steam heated throughout. Sanitation and ven- tilation are carefully looked after and each room is lightsome and kept in ex- cellent order. None but thoroughly skilled mechanics are employed in all de- partments.
The output of the factory is as follows : 1000 to 1200 butts weekly, which is manufactured into leather belting. Three tons of shoulders daily, which are curried and worked into stock for Goodyear in- ner soling, saddle flaps, welting leather and strapping and from 1200 to 1500
CURRYING DEPARTMENT.
lace finishing room, belt stretching room, straightening room, and rough leather room. The entire third floor of the building is occupied by the belting and strapping departments; the fourth floor by the lace drying rooms, belting and leather stuffing and drying rooms.
The mechanical equipment of the fac- tory is of the highest order. Every de- vice and machine looking toward perfec- tion in the production of leather belting lace leather, Goodyear inner soling, strap- ping, welting, etc., is utilized. The build- ing is lighted by gas, electricity and by
hides per week are tanned and worked into lace leather. In January, 1883, the firm commenced the manufacture of tanned and raw hide lace leather in a small way, and its superiority over other makes soon became apparent by the in- creased demand. Their raw hide lace gave such good satisfaction the firm decided that some distinguishing mark or pattern would be of advantage and adopted the trade mark " Cocheco." 'They speedily began to feel the benefit of this, consumers all over the country called for Cocheco lace, and their trade
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ROUGH LEATHER ROOM.
stock and extra heavy. For use in cotton, woolen, paper, pulp and saw mills and for main driv- ers it has no equal. The next grade Short Lap is made from the same qual- ity stock only a little lighter in weight.
commenced to double from year to year until today Cocheco lace has the widest and best reputation of any raw hide lace on the market, and is more extensively used. The firm now makes several times as much lace as the next largest concern in the country. In addi- tion to side lace they m a nufac- ture and sell mil- lions of feet of cut raw hide lace every year.
Superior, Defiance, Buckeye, Cairo. Special Light Double, Light Double and Gilt Edge Solid Round Belting, constitute the other grades made by this firm, with one exception, Dynamo. This last mentioned belt, as its name in-
The Co- checo Short Lap belting is un ex - celled, be- ing made from pure white oak bark tanned
SECTION OF BELT ROOM.
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dicates, is for use in driving electric light machinery and is of special construction, being made of the choicest pure oak tanned leather, thoroughly stretched, w ater - proofed and nothing but center stock is used in its construc- tion. This brand of belt- ing is known all over the country for its superior excel- lence in dura- bility, steady and true running qualities. They are also one of the largest manufac- turers of Solid Round Belting in the coun- try, the goods being of the highest quality.
The productions of the factory are sold not only all over this country but a
BELT ROOM LOOKING SOUTH.
considerable export business is done with Europe, Australia, China, and Japan. The firm has a large store in Chicago for the distribution of its goods throughout the northwest, also a smaller one at Cleve- land, while agencies are established in all the impor - tant cities in the Union. A competent corps of trav- eling sales- men are em- ployed,cover- ing the north, east, south and west.
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