USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Gazetteer of Cheshire County, N.H., 1736-1885 > Part 34
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Francis French was born in 1817, and married Julia A., daughter of Sam- uel Walker, of Rockingham, Vt., who bore him three children, Annette J. Helen S., and Emily C. Mr. French is quite extensively engaged in the manufacture of carriages, and also somewhat interested in railroading, having helped to build the Boston, Winthrop & Shore railroad, of which he is one of the directors. He was one of Keene's first city councilmen, representing the first ward.
Reuben Stewart was born in Montgomery county, N. Y., January 22, 1819. In 1838 he was engaged in mercantile business in Saratoga county, which oc- cupation he continued until 1840, when he became a contractor in making the enlargement of the Erie canal, New York, also in building the Croton Water Works, at Harlem, N. Y., and the Hartford & New Haven R. R., at New Hartford and Meriden. During the building of the Cheshire railroad,
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he was engaged as clerk, paymaster and foreman of contractors. Since 1848, he has been in the employ of the Cheshire Railroad Co., being successively as freight-clerk, chief-clerk, general ticket-agent, general freight-agent, cashier, auditor, assistant superintendent, and, in 1864, he was appointed superintend- ent, which position he held until 1878. Since then he has been general manager, and clerk of the corporation. He has served the city of Keene two years as mayor, and two years as alderman. He married Caroline E. Cowles, of Saratoga county, N. Y., in 1842, and has had born to him six children, five of whom are living, as follows: Mary E., who married H. D. Rolfe, of Pittsburg, Pa., Ida L., who married George A. Brown, of Keene, C. Janette, who married T. W. Towle, of North Attleboro, Mass., Kate I., who married Rev. G. W. Rigler, of Salem, O., and M. Louisa, who married G. F. Weston, of Providence, R. I.
John Houghton Fuller was of a family which, during his childhood, emi- grated from Lunenburg, Mass., to Walpole in this county, sometime during the last decade of the last century. He passed his youth in Walpole, and began active life in a country store, first in Chesterfield, then in Winchester, and then in Keene, where he soon engaged in wool-dealing, which became the main business of his after life. While living at Winchester, he was called to act as adjutant-general of the government forces stationed at Portsmouth during the closing season of the war of 1812, and it was then, too, that he married a daughter of Rev. Ezra Conant, by whom he had three sons and three daughters. He was the principal promoter and first president of the Winchester bank, of the Ashuelot railway, and of the Keene Five Cent Sav- ings bank. He reclaimed, at great expense, the large area of waste-land in Keene, lying north of Cross street, and between Court and Washington streets, laid out and built streets, located a school reservation, and aided many homeless families to secure homes upon wise and practical terms. He died suddenly in the winter of 1869, at the age of seventy-seven years, leav- ing a reputation denoting the highest type of the old New England character, and a well to do estate, that was in no way tainted or fused by any false rights or measures.
Edward Pittsinger was born in West Hampton, Mass., November 29, 1821. In 1846 he went as brakeman on the Connecticut River railroad, where he continued one year, then became conductor from Springfield to Holyoke. In 1851, when the Ashuelot railroad was opened, he became conductor on that road, in which position he has since continued.
Dr. S. M. Dinsmore was born in Antrim, N. H., June 22, 1836, graduated as an M. D. March, 1860, from Columbian university, of Washington, D. C., practiced medicine in Sullivan and Hillsboro counties for twenty years, and located in Keene in 1881, where he now resides.
Hon. Daniel Newcomb is first mentioned in the annals of Keene as a del- egate to a county convention, held at Walpole, in 1780, of which he was clerk. He was born in Norton, Mass., in 1746, graduated at Harvard college, in
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1768, settled in Keene in 1778, and commenced to practice law in 1783. In 1790 he was appointed chief judge of Cheshire county court. He was a justice of the superior court of judicature, from April 6, 1796, to 1798. In 1800 he was elected the first state senator from Keene, and resigned Novem- ber 21, of the same year. In 1805 he was again elected. He died July 14, 1818. His house, at the south end of Main street, is still known as the "Judge Newcomb house." It was mainly through his efforts, and those of Noah Cooke, that the first court-house was built, in 1796.
Hon Peleg Sprague became prominent in Keene, in 1792. He was born in Rochester, Mass,, December 10, 1756, graduated at Dartmouth college, 1787, and settled in Keenc. He was elected to Congress in 1797, to fill a vacancy, and was re-elected in 1799. He was taken sick, resigned, returned, and died April 20, 1800.
Hon. Samuel Dinsmoor was a native of Windham, born July 1, 1766. He was of the Londonderry Scotch-Irish descent, great-grandson of John Dins- moor, one of the first settlers, grandson of Robert Dinsmoor, and son of William Dinsmoor. He graduated at Dartmouth college in 1789, read law, and settled in Keene, in 1792. As a young man, he was especially interested in military affairs, and organized the Keene Light Infantry, one of the finest drilled and best equipped corps known under the old militia laws. In 1808 he was appointed postmaster. In 1811 he was elected to congress, and dis- tinguished himself by favoring the war with Great Britain. On his return he was appointed collector of the direct tax, and afterwards was judge of probate. In 1821 he was elected a councilor. In 1823 he was the regular nominee for governor, but was defeated by Levi Woodbury, on an independent ticket. In 1831, 1832 and 1833, he was elected governor. He died March 15, 1835.
Samuel Dinsmoor, Jr., was admitted to the bar in 1819, but was not en- rolled as an attorney at Keene until 1823. He was the son of Gov. Samuel Dinsmoor, and was born May 8, 1799. He graduated from Dartmouth col- lege in 1815, and was associated with Gen. James Miller in the practice of law in Arkansas. In 1826 and 1827, and in 1829 and 1830, he was clerk of the senate, and postmaster several years, at one time cashier of Ashuelot bank. and later its president. In 1849, 1850 and 1851 he was governor of New Hampshire. He died February 24, 1869.
Hon. Thomas Mackie Edwards, son of Dr. Thomas Edwards, was born in Providence, in 1795, but was brought to Keene by his parents at an early age. He fitted for college with Rev. John Sabine, of Fitzwilliam, graduated at Dartmouth college, in 1813, read law with Henry Hubbard, of Charlestown, and commenced to practice in Keene. He was postmaster at Keene from 1817 to 1829, and was eight years a member of the state legislature, between the years 1834 and 1856. In the latter year he was a presidential elector. In 1859 and 1861, he was elected a representative in congress, where he served on important committees, and was distinguished for great industry, strict in- tegrity, and fidelity to the interest of his constituents. He was a thorough
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scholar, an able lawyer, and a successful financier. He possessed good judg- ment, great executive ability, much energy and perseverance. In 1845 he be- came interested in railroads, and was the first president of the Cheshire rail- road. In the same year he married Mary H. Fisk. He died May 1, 1875.
William P. Wheeler, son of Col. Nathaniel Wheeler, was born in Croyden, July 31, 1812. He was educated at Kimball Union academy, studied law at Keene, graduated at Harvard Law school, and was admitted to practice in 1842, settling in Keene. He received the degree of A. M. from Dartmouth college in 1850. For ten years he was county solicitor. In 1855 and 1857 he was candidate for congress. As a lawyer Mr. Wheeler stood high, rank- ing with the ablest in the state. In preparing a case, in examining wit- nesses, in arguing before a jury, in preparing a brief, and in arguing before the supreme court he was equally able and distinguished. He was a man of the strictest integrity, and won the confidence of all. He was warm-hearted, generous, hospitable, fluent in speech-often eloquent, sometimes sarcastic and cutting, well read and successful. He died in May, 1876.
Hiram Blake was born in Rindge, February 9, 1838, was educated at New Ipswich academy, graduated at Albany Law school, in 1862, and practiced in New York city two years. From that time Mr. Blake traveled extensively in the West, being located six years in Nebraska, and settled in Keene in 1873.
Alfred T. Batchelder was born in Sunapee, February 26, 1844, was edu- cated at New London and Tilton seminaries, and graduated at Dartmouth college in 1871. He read law with Hon. W. H. H. Allen and Hon. Ira Colby, of Claremont, and was admitted to the bar in 1874. In 1876 he was appointed register in bankruptcy, which office he held until it was abolished. In August, 1877, he settled in Keene, marrying Alice H., daughter of P. B. Hayward, April 24, 1879.
William S. Briggs is the great-grandson of Eliphalet Briggs, also of Jere- miah Stiles, both early and prominent settlers of Keene. He is grandson of Eliphalet Briggs, and son of Eliphalet Briggs. He was born September 17, 1817, and for many years was engaged in the cabinet and furniture business He represented Keene in the legislature.in 1862 and 1863, and has since been a member of the house of representatives. He has been a trustee of Keene academy and Cheshire provident institution twenty-five years, and is a director of the Cheshire National bank. From his long residence, observ- ing turn of mind, and good memory, he is well versed in the history of his- native place.
Hon. John Prentiss, the founder of the New Hampshire Sentinel, and for forty-eight years its editor, died at his residence in Court street, Friday noon, June 6, 1873, at the age of ninety-five years and three months. He came to Keene in March, 1799, at the age of twenty-one years, and estab- lished the Sentinel under many embarrassments, and with a list of subscribers numbering only seventy. His first printing office was in a low building
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standing where S. W. Hale's house now stands, and for some time afterwards in the new building south of Dr. Edwards's tavern. Subsequently (in 1825) he erected a fine block on the west side of the square, where, in connection with his son, John W., he carried on the printing, publishing and book business up to 1847, when he retired. In 1808 he built his homestead and planted the five elms in front. During his half century of active business life he held various offices of trust, serving as town clerk, town treasurer, representative in the legislature, and a member of the senate. He was also for many years president of the New Hampshire Historical Society, and during his whole life was prominently identified with religious and educational matters. After retiring from business in 1847, at which time he was one of the oldest edit- ors in the United States, he presented to each of the fourteen school districts of this town a set of the Massachusetts School Library, of thirty-eight vol- umes, and his love for and interests in the school never abated. In 1850 he traveled over Great Britain and the European continent, attending the peace conventions at Frankfort-on-the-Main, as delegate from New Hamp- shire. His interesting letters from abroad were published in the Sentinel, attracting much attention and interest. For sixty-seven years he was a prom- inent member of the Masonic fraternity, being made a Master Mason in 1806, Royal Arch Mason in 1813, and a Knight Templar in 1867. The influence for good which Mr. Pentiss exercised upon the community in which he so long and prominently figured cannot be over-estimated. Strictly temper- ate in all things, cheerful, kind and benevolent, with a disposition to encourage and aid every individual, local and general enterprise, he was ever a leading and popular citizen. He was the fearless champion of every good cause and unqualifiedly denounced every wrong and oppression wherever they ex- isted. He was firm and outspoken on all questions of public policy, and at the same time treated with deference the opinions of those who opposed him. Mr. Prentiss survived all the members of his family, except his daughters, Corinna, wife of Judge Hopkinson, of Lowell, deceased, and Pamela, wife of Judge Henry F. French, of Concord, Mass.
Lanmon Nims was born in Sullivan, February 3, 1811. He is the son of the late Asahel and Mary (Heaton) Nims, and great-great-grandson of David Nims, one of the first inhabitants of the town of Keene, the first clerk of the proprietors, and the first town clerk. Mr. Nims had comparatively few early educational advantages, but such was his diligence as a reader of history and current items of event, that he became in his maturity, a man of very ex- tensive information. Having served his apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade, with Dexter Spaulding, of Sullivan, in 1831, he continued to work in that town one year. Afterwards he went to Peterborough, where he worked as a journeyman carpenter for about eight months, and removing to Swanzey, became foreman of Virgil Woodcock's shop, and, subsequently, the first en- gineer in the region round about. At the end of a year, or a little less, he removed to Sullivan, and purchased the saw and grist-mills at East Sullivan.
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In 1836 he erected and lived in the second house built in that village, and con- tinued as a carpenter and builder, and wheelwright, in connection with his new mill business, until the year 1838. During this year he left Sullivan and took up his abode in Keene, on the Sullivan old road, where he had a saw- mill, and continued the lumber business, living in the house now occupied by Nahum Wright. In the year 1844 he moved to School street, and lived in the Comstock house, which has been lately removed to Colorade street. A year later, (1845), he built the house now occupied by Mr. Esther T. Smith, on Beaver street, and continued to live there until 1851. He was chosen selectman in 1849, and again in 1871, and assessor for the years 1873 and 1874. He has declined other political honors. In early life he was a cor- poral in the militia, and later one of the engineers of the Keene fire depart- ment. He purchased, in 1849, a shop on Mechanic street, and in 1850, es- tablished the sash, door and blind business, associating himself with Nelson N. Sawyer and Sawyer Porter, under the firm name of L. Nims & Co. In 1853 he rented the house in Pleasant street, now occupied by the register of deeds, Mr. Charles C. Buffum. During the year 1854, the former partner- ship was dissolved, and Mr. Nims continued in business alone until 1856, when the firm became Nims & Buss, (Daniel Buss). At the end of a year the firm received Cyrus W. Woodward, and the business was increased under the firm of Nims, Buss & Co. In 1859 he sold his interest to Buss & Wood- ward, and the year following went to White River Junction, Vermont, where, for a short time, he carried on the shoe-peg business ; but fire destroyed the property and left him entirely without resources. Returning to Keene, at once, he continued, for about one year and a half, to manufacture shoe-pegs in the mills known as the Fairbanks, and later as the Ashuelot mills. During the year 1861 he purchased the Phelps house, on Court street, where he now resides. Again leasing and fitting up the Mechanic street shop, in 1863, he formed a co-partnership with Samuel B. Crossfield, under the firm name of Nims & Crossfield. In the month of March, 1864, the steam boiler exploded, wrecking the buildings. In this sad disaster two workmen were killed out- right, and five seriously wounded. The firm bought the steam-mill property in 1867, and ill fortune again visited them, fire destroying the entire property. During the same year the Keene Steam Power Company erected the present steam mills, and leased them to Nims. Crossfield & Co., (Kendall C. Scott), in 1868. In 1870 Mr. Nims again sold out his interest in this business to the other partners, and bought an interest in the same property again, in 1873, the firm becoming Nims, Whitney & Co., (George E. Whitney, Nathan Whit- ney, C. Willis Morse). This industry furnishes employment for about fifty men, and for a number of years the business of the concern has amounted to from eighty to one hundred thousand dollars annually.
Mr. Nims has, by his thrift and indomitable energy, displayed even against the most trying and adverse circumstances, added to the material wealth of Keene. Of the fifty buildings he has constructed no less than thirty houses,
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the first town hall and a church, erected by him in this town alone, speak well for his skill as a workman, and indicate the habitual diligence he has always manifested in his chosen occupation.
He has been twice married, first, February 14, 1837, to Lydia, daughter of Esquire Samuel Locke, of Sullivan, by whom he had four children : Samuel, born in Sullivan, December 3, 1837; married Maria A. Chase, March 7, 1866; their one child, Adelaide H., was born April 3, 1867. Sarah Maria, born in Keene, October 31, 1842 ; married George E. Hastings March 13, 1861 ; children. Eugene Lanmon, born in Keene, June 24, 1864 ;. John Augustine, born in Nashua, July 29, 1877 ; George Everett, Jr., born in Manchester, March 10, 1879. Lydia Ann. born August 30, 1844,. married Wesley H. Wheeler, June 13, 1866; children, Lottie Maria, born February 15, 1868; Nellie Nims, born January 27, 1871, died March II, 1871; twins, Clarence Lanmon and Clara Elizabeth, born April 14, 1875 ; Clara Elizabeth died August 14, 1875. Jennie Lorette, born December 29, 1850. Mrs. Lydia Nims was born February 4, 1814,- died February 2, 1851. Mr. Nims was married again, October 28,. 1851, to Elizabeth Hosking, of Saint Austell, England, by the Rev. the Rector Dr. Clapp, of Bellows Falls, Vt. By their marriage the following children were born: Alice Elizabeth, born, January 29, 1853; married Harding R. Barber, Athol, Mass, April 18, 1883 ; has one child, Grace, born in Athol, January 17, 1884. Grace, born October 13, 1854; married Frank H. Whitcomb, September 1, 1880 ; children, Edson Gerry, born December 30, 1881 ; Ralph Nims, born October 25, 1883, Margaret, born January 1, 1885. William Arthur, born May 10, 1857. died May 27, 1865. Fred Lanmon, born March 13, 1860, died May 10, 1860. Abbie Frances, born August 14, 1863, died May 21, 1865. Mary Lorenda, born April 29, 1866. Kate Lanmon, born February 3, 1868. At the advanced age of seventy-four years Mr. Nims works every day in the shop, and is actively interested in the news of the day and the business success as in the educational and social welfare of his city.
John W. Prentiss, whose son, W. H. Prentiss. is now one of the Sentinel company, died August 17, 1863, aged fifty-eight years. The following par- agraph appeared in the Sentinel of that date :-
" John W. Prentiss, whose death is announced in another column, was a son of Hon. John W. Prentiss, the founder of the Sentinel establishment, and probably the oldest editor now living in New England. The son was the junior proprietor and editor of the Sentinel for many years previous to 1847, when he became sole proprietor, and s me five years afterwards dis- posed of his interest in it to one of the present proprietors."
Arad Fletcher, son of Arad H., was born in Chesterfield May 20, 1823, and in 1848 married Martha S. Hall, of Chesterfield, and settled in Factory village, where he worked at finishing bits and augers, until about 1853 or 1854, when his health becoming improved he moved to the center of the town, where he lived until 1868, when he moved to the county alms-house,
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located at Westmoreland, as superintendent. He served in this capacity until 1883, when he moved to Keene, where he now lives. Mr. Fletcher represented the town of Chesterfield in 1859 and 1860, and also as select- man five years. He has two sons, Frank A., who lives at Hartland, Vt., and Eddie H., who lives at home.
John Humphrey, the founder and present general manager of the Humph- rey Machine Company, was born October 12, 1834, at Lyndon, Vt., from whence, at the age of nine years, his childhood home was changed to Rindge, N. H., and, with the exception of two years, he has since been a resi- dent of Cheshire county. Not being exempt from enrollment in the great army of toilers for daily bread, he was early mustered into service in the con- flict of life, and after some experience in the grist-mill and upon the farm of his step-father, he started out at the age of twelve to find employment and gain his own livelihood. His first engagement-in the wood-ware business- continued about three years, when he accepted a clerkship in a country store for one year, after which he returned to his more congenial mechanical pur- suit, engaging with a wood-ware firm at Nelson, where, during the autumn of his second year, a failure of the water supply caused a stoppage of the mills for several weeks, which time the amateur mechanic industriously improved for the construction of a set of moulder's patterns for a new machine which he had previouly invented-sufficient instruction relative to rules for calculat- ing the shrinkage of metal, draft, (coring), etc., being obtained from the "boss" machinist at Harrisville, and by a visit to a foundry to see the processes of molding, which were kindly explained so far as requisite for the purpose by the obliging proprietor and workmen who afterwards made castings from the then projected patterns. During the progress of the pattern work the proprietor of the machine shop at Harrisville (the late Mainard Wilson), hav- ing learned of the project, volunteered a very generous proposition to have the machine built at his shop, kindly offering the inventor facilities for doing the work, so far as he might be able, by his own hands, while upon any parts where he might require aid, the skilled workmen of the shop were to assist, either by exchange of service or for other proper compensation. This favor- able offer was gratefully accepted, and in February, 1863, the work began, which after nearly three recnths persistent, but very pleasant labor, performed almost exclusively by the projector, the machine was successfully completed and put in operation in May following, when an invitation to remain at the machine shop instead of returning again to the wood-ware work, completed a series of seemingly providential incidents which directed and perchance deter- mined the later calling of the subject of our sketch. This engagement con- tinued until the decease of Mr. Wilson in December, 1864, and very satisfac- torily, as evidenced by the fact that Mr. Wilson, without selicitation or expec . tation on the part of the recipient, twice advanced his pay which had at first been fixed by Mr. Wilson considerably above the usual rates to beginners, so that at the end of the first year it equalled that of more experienced journey-
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men. Also upon the retirement of the former foreman of the shop, which oc- curred soon after the engagement in the summer of 1863, Mr. Wilson (who was not a practical machinist), delegated the charge of that department of his work to this youngest and latest engaged of his employees, who during the term engineered the building of a wood-ware manufactory and its machinery, which was considered a model mill of the times, at that time. After the de- cease of Mr. Wilson the shop was kept in operation by Mr. Humphrey until October, 1855, when he arrived at the age of twenty-one, and came into pos- session of a small patrimonial inheritance with which he purchased an interest in a machine shop at Marlboro, making an unfortunate partnership alliance, from which he became extricated about a year later with less capital and more "experience," when he removed to Keene and entered the shop of H. L. Haynes as an employee, but the work here being somewhat intermittent and uncertain, the invention and construction of special machines again be- came an employment for spare time, which soon supplied himself and others with work until the spring of 1859, while setting up one of his machines at Hartford, Vt., he was introduced to the agent of the extensive machine works then standing idle at White River Junction, a portion of which was about to be started up as a shoe peg manufactory. A favorable proposition from the agent resulted in an engagement and removal to that place, where the manu- facture of machinery was carried on until May 24, 1861, when a conflagration of the entire works brought the business abruptly to a close, but the heat of the flames had scarcely subsided when the arrival of the afternoon mail brought a letter from the assignee of Mr. Haynes (who had failed in business) inviting Mr. Humphrey to return to Keene, if possible, and take the shop, etc., of Mr. Haynes. As the acceptance of this opportune invitation ap- peared to be, not only possible, but practicable, satisfactory negotiations were made and June ist-just a week after the fire-business was again com- menced at Keene which has been continued by J. Humphrey, J. Humphrey & Co., and the Humphrey Machine Co., until the present time with a good degree of success.
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