Gazetteer of Grafton county, N. H. 1709-1886, Part 14

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Syracuse, N. Y., Syracuse Journal Company, Printers
Number of Pages: 1266

USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Gazetteer of Grafton county, N. H. 1709-1886 > Part 14

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John L. Foster. - (See Lisbon.)

Elbert Carroll Stevens, son of Grove S. and Lydia (Wilson) Stevens, was born in Piermont, N. H., November 10, 1847. He was educated in the com- mon schools of Haverhill and at Meriden academy. His legal education began when he was thirteen years of age. His father was sheriff of the county, and he served as court messenger, and in that capacity acquired a large share of his very considerable legal knowledge. He was subsequently a student in the office of the Hon. N. B. Felton, and finished his course with George W. Chapman. In August, 1871, he was admitted to the bar. In 1873 he came to Littleton, and formed a partnership with the late Hon. Evarts W. Farr, a relation which was dissolved in 1878, since which time Mr. Stevens has been in practice alone, with the exception of a brief period, when Edgar M. Warner was in company with him. Mr. Stevens possesses a legal intuition, which leads to accurate conclusions, and enables him, without ap- parent labor, to rapidly dispose of business. Indeed, his peculiar nervous organization renders continuous application to study well nigh impossible. Before settling down to the law, Mr. Stevens had been in business at the West and Southwest. He married, July 26, 1875, Miss J. Augusta Stevens, of Lit- tleton. They have no children.

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William Henry Mitchell, the junior member of the law firm of Bingham, Mitchells & Batchellor, was born at Wheelock, Vt., September 18, 1856, and received his education in the common schools and in the Littleton high school. In 1877 he entered the office with which he has ever since been connected, and was admitted to the bar at Concord, March 19, 1880. He was at first employed by the firm as an attorney, but in July, 1882, was admitted as a partner. Mr. Mitchell devotes himself largely to the practical branch of the profession. He is studious and painstaking in the preparation of his cases, and well versed in the law applicable to the case in hand. He possesses great industry and a practical judgment which is seldom at fault. For some years he has taken much interest in educational matters, and has served his town as superintendent of school committee, and for six years was a member of the board of education for Union school district. Politically, he is an active member of the Democratic party, and one of its youngest leaders. He is a sagacious and conservative adviser, who has no selfish ends to subserve, and is always content with securing success for the party to which he belongs and to which he gives loyal, zealous and faithful service.

Edgar Aldrich was born at Pittsburg, N. H., February 5, 1848. His edu- cation was acquired in the common schools of his native town and at Cole- brook academy. In 1866 he began the study of law in the office of Ira A. Ramsey, in Colebrook, N. H., and in March 1868, was graduated from the Ann Arbor law school. The following August he was admitted to the bar at Colebrook, and opened an office in that town. In 1870 he became a mem- ber of the law firm of Aldrich & Shurtleff, and in 1875 was the senior member of the firm of Aldrich & Parsons. In January, 1881, he came to Littleton and formed a partnership with Hon. George A. Bingham, which continued until June, 1884, when Judge Bingham was appointed to the bench. May I. 1882, Daniel C. Remich became a member of the firm under the name of Bingham, Aldrich & Remich. Upon the withdrawal of Judge Bingham the junior members continued the business as Aldrich & Remich. October 5, 1872, Mr. Aldrich was united in marriage to Miss Louise M. Remick, sister of his present law partner. They have a son and a daughter.

Before attaining his majority Mr. Aldrich became an ardent politician, and after coming to the bar was appointed solicitor of Coos county by Governor Straw, and continued in the position until the fortunes of the party suffered an eclipse. When his party resumed power Governor Cheney again made him the prosecuting officer of his county. After coming to Littleton he devoted himself entirely to his professional work until November, 1874, when he was elected a member of the General Court, and upon the assembling of tlie leg- islature in June following he was elected speaker of the House of Representa- tives, and discharged the duties of the position with eminent satisfaction to that body. In his profession Mr. Aldrich is regarded as a leader among the younger members of the bar. He has a strong legal mind and unusual re- serve power. Indeed, it requires more than an ordinary occasion to call forth

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his best efforts. He does not like to be hurried, but when pressed is very apt to reach the goal.

Daniel Clark Remich was born in Hardwick, Vt., January 15, 1852. He attended the common schools and academy of his town, and in 1875 began to read law in the office of Edgar Aldrich, in Colebrook, N. H. Subse- quently he pursued his studies in the offices of Aldrich & Parsons and of J. H Dudley, at Colebrook, and was graduated at the law school of Michigan university in March, 1878, and the following April was admitted to the bar at Lancaster. He began the practice of his profession at Colebrook as a member of the firm of Dudley & Remich immediately after his admission, and remained there until May, 1882, when he became the junior member of the firm of Bingham, Aldrich & Remich, of Littleton. In February, 1879, Mr. Remich married Miss Belle Loverin, of Colebrook, who died at Littleton in September. 1885. May 18, 1886, he married Lizzie M., daughter of Ben- jamin W. Kilburn.

Mr. Remich's earlier educational advantages were limited, and for nearly four years after he was eighteen years of age he worked in the cotton mills at Lawrence, Mass., but the indomitable energy which characterized all his undertakings conquered adverse fate, and he has won a position at the bar as a sound lawyer and untiring worker, who was never known to leave the traditional stone unturned that promised to lead to success.

James Waldron Remick is a brother of Daniel C. and of Mrs. Edgar Ald- rich. He was born in Hardwick, Vt., October 30, 1860. He was edu- cated in the common schools, and when nineteen years of age began the study of law under the tuition of B. F. Chapman, at Clockville, N. Y. Later he was a student in the offices of Aldrich & Parsons, at Colebrook, and of Bing- ham & Aldrich, in Littleton. He attended the Michigan university law school, whence he was graduated in 1872. The same year he was admitted to the bar at Concord, N. H., and was for two years in practice at Cole- brook and subsequently in the employ of Aldrich & Remich, at Littleton. In 1885 he formed a partnership with Hon. Ossian Ray, and opened an office for the firm in Littleton. Mr. Remick is a diligent student, an eloquent speaker, and promises to achieve distinction in his chosen profession. He is fond of literature, and has varied the monotony of professional life by en- tering the lecture field, where he has won an enviable reputation. An ardent Republican, his services have been in frequent demand upon the stump, where his brilliant advocacy of the principles of his party has been highly ap- preciated.

A number of young men have located in Littleton in practice of the pro- fession, but not to remain a sufficient length of time to become identified with the interests of the town. Among these were James Ancrum Winslow, Charles W. Bolles, David S. Whitcher, and Edgar M. Warner.

James Ancrum Winslow, son of the late Rear-Admiral Winslow, of the U. S. navy, was born in Boston, April 29, 1839. He was educated at Harvard,

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graduating in the class of 1859, pursued a course of legal study at the Uni- versity of Virginia law school, and was admitted to the bar at Boston in Sep- tember, 1861. He was for a time in practice in that city, but in October, 1867, came to Littleton, where he remained less than a year. His legal at- tainments were considerable, and he possessed a large fund of general infor_ mation. He was an accomplished public speaker, and while here took an active part in the pending political campaign, advocating the principles of the Democratic party upon the stump. He is now located at Bingham- ton, N. Y., where he has a prosperous practice.

Charles W. Bolles was born in Bethlehem, N. H., August 24, 1847. He was educated in the schools of his native town, and in the academy at New Hampton, read law with Hon. Henry W. Blair, at Plymouth, and with A. S. Batchellor, at Littleton, and was admitted to practice at Haverhill, in Septem- ber, 1877 He began his professional career at Littleton immediately after, and was for a time in partnership with A. S. Batchellor. In 1879 he removed to New York city, where he is now in practice. Mr. Bolles is a good business lawyer, a branch of the profession in which he is a specialist.

David Simeon Whitcher was born in Landaff, now Easton, November 30, 1846. He was educated at the seminary at Tilton, and at the New Hampton Literary Institution. His legal education was obtained in the offices of C. W. & E. D. Rand, and of Bingham & Mitchell, in Littleton. He was admitted to the bar at the March term, at Haverhill, in 1876, and for one year thereafter was employed as an attorney by Bingham & Mitchell. He then opened an office, and, notwithstanding the rapid encroachments of consumption, he did a considerable office business. He was, however, com- pelled to relinquish his practice, and in the summer of 1881, he retired to the home of his parents, in Easton, where he died in November of that year. He has been described by one who knew him well, as "the soul of professional honor * * absolutely free from vices of habit or pur- pose, never betraying a client, a friend, or even an enemy."

Edgar Morris Warner came to Littleton from Connecticut where he had practiced his profession for some years and enjoyed numerous political hon- ors. He was born in Worcester, Mass., June 16, 1850, was graduated from Harvard law school in 1872, and admitted to the bar in September of the same year, at New London, Connecticut. Before coming to Littleton he was located at Norwich, Conn., three years, and at Central Village in Plainfield, Conn., seven years. He remained in Littleton but one year in partnership with E. C. Stevens He possessed a good legal education, but was wanting in the faculty of applying his knowledge to the case in hand. He was an honorable, high-minded lawyer, who gained many friends in this section. He is now in practice at Central Village, his former home in Connecticut.

It should be remarked that all the attorneys enumerated in this classifica- tion were bachelors while citizens of Littleton, and the three who are still liv- ing persist in remaining in that condition,

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LYME .*- Joseph H. Johnson .- The first lawyer located in this town, so far as can now be learned, was Joseph H. Johnson, who came from Keene about 1812. He continued in the practice till about 1817, when he removed to Cincinnati, Ohio. It is said that he met with an accidental death at that .city. He was a " perfect gentleman" and a man of fine intellectual endow- ment. His wife was one of the well known Keene family of Wilsons. They had two daughters and a son.

William Smith was early located here and was the successor of Mr. John- son. (See Hanover.)

Isaac Patterson was in practice here for two or three years, following Mr. Smith. Mr. Patterson came from Piermont. (See Bath.)

George M. Phelps was in practice here from 1819 to 1826. (See Bristol.)

John Frink Adams, son of Prof. E. Adams, of Dartmouth college, was in practice in this town from 1825 to 1827. He was born in Leicester, Mass., November 3, 1799, graduated at Dartmouth college in 1817, studied at the Litchfield (Conn.) law school, practiced two years at Watertown, N. Y., and before coming to Lyme, and at Mobile, Ala., from 1827 to 1853. He then removed to Washington, D. C., where he was for many years a government clerk, and died at Baltimore, Md., in 1883.

Jonathan Kitteredge was located at this place in practice from 1827 to 1836. (See Canaan.)

ORFORD.t-Hon. Abiathar G. Britton came to Orford about Septem- ber, 1796. It is understood that he came here from Fryeburg, Me., or that region, where he and the late Judge Dana met and cast lots to see which should locate in Fryeburg and which in Orford. The lot for Orford falling on Mr. Britton he soon came to this town on horse-back with his entire worldly effects in his saddle-bags. He very soon settled at what is now called Orford Street. He was admitted to the bar of the Superior Court for Graf- ton county at the November term, 1800, and was soon engaged in a lucrative practice, always taking great interest in all public affairs, being often engaged as counsel for the town. He was for many years one of the board of audit- ors of selectmen's accounts, and also moderator at the town elections, was one of the state Senate in 1816-'17, represented the town in the legislature in 1835-'36, '38, '39, '50, '51, was delegate to the constitutional convention of 1850-51. Mr. Britton was for many years one of the directors of the old Grafton bank, of which Mr. Payson, of Bath, was president, and afterwards Mr. Olcott, of Hanover. Mr. Britton was possessed of a large fund of in- formation upon all manner of subjects, which he always seemed quite will- ing to impart, especially to the younger portion of the community. He amassed a large property here, where he resided until near the close of his life. He died in, or near, Boston about 1851 or '52. Mr. Britton had two sons and several daughters.

*By Preston H. A. Claflin.

+ By Paul Lang.

7*A

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Jeduthan Wilcox, born in Middletown, Conn., 1769, received his education in the best school of that city. He moved to Hanover, N. H., in 1795, and read law with Hon. Benjamin J. Gilbert, removed to Orford and commenced the practice of law in 1803, where he ever afterward practiced his profession, till his death in July, 1838. He was a member of Congress from New Hamp -. shire from 1813 to 1817, and served in the state legislature a number of terms. Mr. Wilcox had a large practice and was connected with various business in- terests and enterprises. He maintained a commanding influence in public affairs for many years, and is entitled to a place among the foremost men of his time in the section where his active life was spent.

Leonard Wilcox, a son of the Hon. Jeduthan Wilcox, was born in Han- over, N. H., January 24, 1799, and passed nearly the whole of his life in Or- ford. He graduated with distinction at Dartmouth college in 1817, and in a few years afterwards was admitted to the bar. He was elected to the leg- islature in 1828, and represented Orford during the six subsequent years. He was again elected in 1837. In June, 1838, he was appointed one of the jus- tices of the Superior Court, which office, however, he resigned in June, 1840. In February, 1842, he was appointed by Governor Page, and in June follow- ing was elected by the legislature a senator in Congress, to serve out the un- expired time of Hon. F. Pierce, who had resigned. In December, 1847, he was appointed a circuit justice of the Court of Common Pleas, and in June, 1848, he was again appointed an associate justice of the Supreme Court, which office he held at his death, June 18, 1850. With learning of a high order Judge Wilcox combined a character for integrity, uprightness, human- ity and great soundness of judgment, which, together, rendered him an honor to the judiciary of the state.

Samuel M. Wilcox, a son of Hon. Leonard Wilcox, was born at Orford, January 29, 1829, graduated at Dartmouth college in 1847, and admitted to the bar in 1849, practiced law at Franklin, N. H., in 1849-50, at Orford in 1850-52, at Lancaster in 1852-55, Nashua in 1855-58, at Exeter in 1858-64,. and since that time at Washington, D. C.

John Rogers was one of the reliable business lawyers of Orford. He re- mained upon his father's farm until his majority. The law became his ambi- tion, and by teaching and other remunerative employment he procured means to prosecute his general and legal education. His law study was in the office of Hon. Jeduthan Wilcox, at Orford, and he secured admission to the bar at about the age of twenty-eight. He at once married and opened an office in Orford, where his business became extensive and lucrative in the department of collections. He practiced here for some twenty years, in the last of which he was a partner with Judge Wilcox. At that period various enactments had begun to operate unfavorably upon the business of collections, and Mr. Rogers- retired from practice and returned to his first love, the farm. His legal train- ing made him a useful counsellor and efficient public officer. During all his- life he was largely occupied in public affairs, and undoubtedly was a valuable

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citizen. He was a selectman, it seems, more years than any other individual in Orford. In all the relations of life he was regarded as upright and reliable. He died at Orford, December 28, 1859, at the age of seventy seven, having maintained his active and laborious habits almost to the last of his long and useful life.

Thomas B. Mann was in practice at Orford from 1850 to 1858. He is a native of the town and was educated in her schools. At the conclusion of some eight years of practice here he removed to Elizabeth, N. J., where he has since resided.

Hon. David R. Lang was in the practice of law in this place from 1864 to May 30, 1875, the date of his death. He was a son of Sherburn Lang, born at Bath, May 6, 1830. His education was at the old Newbury seminary and Dartmouth college. In 1854 he began the study of law with Hon. Harry Hibbard, at Bath. graduated at the Albany law school, and was admitted to the bar in 1857, at Haverhill. He continued in practice nearly all the time at Bath until his removal to Orford, in 1864. He married Josephine R. Smith in 1859, and five children were born to them,-Paul Lang (now an attorney at Orford), Kittie R., Edward J., David R. and Mary J. Mr. Lang was always popular among the people, and was representative from Bath in 1859 and 1860, and from Orford, 1867, 1868, 1869, and 1871. He was appointed judge of probate for Grafton county, by Governor Stearns, in 1870, and held the office until 1874, when all the judges joined the "outs" in consequence of certain election returns, favorable to the Democracy. Judge Lang was a man of "infinite jest." In conversation he was full of humor and genial enter- tainment. He always made the court-house an agreeable resort when he had a part in the proceedings himself, or had the free use of a quill while some one else was making opportunities for his jocose sallies.

Said one of the leaders of the Grafton bar, on learning of his decease : " The public have lost by his death a good man, and a judicious and influ- ential citizen ; but he will always remain with his friends, a green spot in their memories."

Charles Warren Pierce, who studied law in the office of Hon. D. R. Lang, of this place, from which he was admitted to the bar, at Concord, in 1863, was in practice here from that date until his death, February 1, 1801. He was a son of Jerediah and Deborah Heath Pierce, born August 6, 1837, at Fairlee, Vt. He was not a college graduate and his education was princi- pally obtained at Orford.

Mr. Pierce earned a high reputation for integrity in business and fidelity to all matters committed to his management professionally, or as a citizen and official. He was rather a business than a court lawyer. The people of Or- ford always had full confidence in him, making him town treasurer, represen- tative to the General Court, and an especial favorite as the custodian of trust funds and as confidential adviser. He was twice married, first, October 2, 1866, to Sarah C. Dimick, and second, December 12, 1876, to Martha Abbie How-

GRAFTON COUNTY.

ard. Two children were born to him of the first marriage, and one of the last. He was not identified with any church ; was a Republican in politics. He was connected with the law firms of Lang & Pierce and Pierce & Streeter.

Frank S. Streeter, a native of East Charleston, Vt., was in practice here some six months in 1877, a member of the firm of Pierce & Streeter. He had been a student of Hon. A. P. Carpenter. at Bath, and was admitted tothe bar in 1877, at the Haverhill March term. In the latter part of October, 1877, Mr. Streeter formed a partnership with J. H. Albin, of Concord, which continued two years. He has since been a member of the firm of Chase & Streeter at the same place. Meantime Mr. Streeter has attained an honorable standing in his profession. The firm has an extensive and lucra- tive practice. Mr. Streeter is identified with several social organizations in his city, and is representative of his ward in the legislature. In the last ses- sion of that body he held a leading rank on the Republican side, and was one of its most industrious and reliable representatives in debate and committee work. He was prepared for college at St. Johnsbury (Vt.) academy, entered Bates college, in Maine, and graduated at Dartmouth in 1874. He married Lillian Carpenter, daughter of his law preceptor, Hon. A. P. Carpenter, Novem- ber 14, 1877, and hastwo children, a son and daughter. Mr. Streeter is fortunate in the possession of a most attractive home, and he is greatly devoted to his domestic affairs. His religious preferences are Unitarian, and his politics are now and always have been positively Republican.

Emory B. Smith opened a law office here in March, 1881, but died in the following July. He was a native of New York, but came from Boston to Orford. He was about 46 years of age at the time of his death.

Paul Lang,* a son of Hon. David R. Lang, came to the bar from the office of George W. Chapman, at the March term at Haverhill, 1882. He was born at Bath, July 1, 1860, fitted for college at the St. Johnsbury (Vt.) academy, and was one year in Dartmouth. He commenced the study of law in 1879. He has been located in practice at Orford since his admission to the bar, and a member of the firm of Chapman & Lang since March, 1882. This firm has an extensive business, the proportion of causes for trial largely oc- cupying the attention of Mr. Lang. He is a Republican in politics, unmar- ried, and without any active church connections.

PLYMOUTH.t-John Porter was probably the first lawyer who settled in Plymouth, N. H. In April, 1784, he was admitted to practice in the Su- preme Court of Judicature. He continued in practice at Plymouth until 1813, when he moved to some other field of professional labor. He was sec- retary of the State Bar Association for a time and until 1793, when he re- signed. He was reported to be a lawyer of ability and learning.

Phineas Walker was admitted to the New Hampshire bar in 1796 and

*By A. S. Batchellor.

+By Alvin Burleigh.

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practiced at Plymouth until 1832. Mr. Walker was a lawyer of character and ability, and for several years was a judge of Probate of Grafton county.

Stephen Grant was admitted to the bar at the September term of the court of Common Pleas, in 1803, and practiced law in Plymouth until 1829, and again from 1844 till 1846. He died and was buried in that town.

Samuel C. Webster was a native of Plymouth, N. H. He studied law with George Woodard, Esq., and was admitted to the court of Common Pleas in 1812. It is said that he was not always on friendly terms with Judge Arthur Livermore. The latter preferred charges against him at the September term, 1817, for not entering a certain appeal upon the court docket. He was fully exonerated, however, after a careful investigation of the charges. He prac- ticed in Plymouth from 1815 till 1835. He was originally a Whig, but later in life a Democrat. He was speaker of the New Hampshire House of Rep- resentatives in 1830, and was an able and influential man. May 5, 1816, he married Catherine Russell, and in August, 1835, he died at Haverhill, N. H.

Benjamin Darling was admitted to the Grafton county bar, February term, 1815, and practiced his profession in Plymouth from that time till 1823. He was considered better qualified for office practice than the trial of cases in court, and devoted himself more especially to the former division of profes- sional work.

Nathaniel P. Rogers was born in Plymouth, N. H., June 3, 1794, the fifth child of a family of eleven. In personal appearance and moral characteris- tics he is said to have resembled, in a remarkable degree, his remote kinsman, John Rogers, who was burned at the stake in Smithfield in 1555. He gradu- ated with honors at Dartmouth college in the class of 1816, and was admitted to the bar of Grafton county at the November term of the Superior Court in 1819. From 1824 till 1839 he practiced law at Plymouth. As a lawyer he was earnest, industrious and well read ; careful in preparation and vigilant in the trial of causes. He was conscientious and faithful toward his clients, with- out giving needless offence to his opponents. His known purity of character and high regard for principal, aided by brilliant and forcible speech, made him one of the foremost jury advocates of the Grafton county bar.

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Gazetteer of Grafton county, N. H. 1709-1886, Part 14

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Syracuse, N. Y., Syracuse Journal Company, Printers Number of Pages: 1266

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Syracuse, N. Y., Syracuse Journal Company, Printers
Number of Pages: 1266