USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire > Part 124
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Thomas R. Clement, assistant surgeon, Tenth Regiment, New Hamp- shire Volunteer Infantry, October 26, 1863; honorably discharged September 17, 1864.
James S. Manlove, Company K, Sixth Regiment, New Hampshire Vol- unteer Infantry, October 14, 1863.
William 11. Gage, Company I, Sixth Regiment, New Hampshire Volun- teer Infantry, March 31, 1864,
Charles H. Thompson, Company I, Seventh Regiment, New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry, October 15, 1863.
George Beford, Company K, Eighth Regiment, New Hampshire Volun- teer Infantry, September 1, 1863 ; killed at Bayou De Glasre, La., May 17, 1864.
William Hunt, Company C, Eighth Regiment, New Hampshire Volun- teer Infantry, September 1, 1863.
Madison Colby, Company K, Eleventh Regiment, New Hampshire Vol- unteer Infantry, December 12, 1863.
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MASON.
Alonzo Carter, Company D, Eleventh Regiment, New Hampshire Volun- teer Infantry, December 12, 1863 ; wounded July 27, 1864.
Francis Bernard, Company I, Twelfth Regiment, New Hampshire Vol- unteer Infantry, December 11, 1863.
John Grant, Company K, Twelfth Regiment, New Hampshire Volun- teer Infantry, December 11, 1863; transferred to United States navy April 29, 1864.
Thomas Ganigan, Company K, Twelfth Regiment, New Hampshire Vol- unteer Infantry, December II, 1863.
James M. Iloward, Company C, Twelfth Regiment, New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry, December 10, 1863.
William Kingsland, Company I, Twelfth Regiment, New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry, December 10, 1863.
George Lansing, Company K, Twelfth Regiment, New Hampshire Vol- unteer Infantry, December 11, 1863.
William Meaney, Company E, Twelfth Regiment, New Hampshire Vol- unteer Infantry, December 11, 1863; wounded May 6, 1764.
George Nichols, Company D, Twelfth Regiment, New Hampshire Volun- teer Infantry, December 11, 1863 ; transferred to United States navy April 29, 1864.
Louis Schafft, Company C, Twelfth Regiment, New Hampshire Volun- teer Infantry, December 12, 1863 ; wounded June 3, 1864.
John Tupper, Company E, Twelfth Regiment, New Hampshire Volun- teer Infantry, December 10, 1863.
James Abbott, Troop G, First Regiment, New Hampshire Volunteer Cavalry, April 5, 1864; missing November 12, 1864.
Charles S. Cheeney, Troop G, First Regiment, New Hampshire Volunteer Cavalry, March 31, 1864.
Louis Curtois, Troop G, First Regiment, New Hampshire Volunteer Cav- alry, March 31, 1864.
James Dailey, Troop D, First Regiment, New Hampshire Volunteer Cav- alry, June 25, 1864.
James Eastman, Troop D, First Regiment, New Hampshire Volunteer Cavalry, April 30, 1864.
Elton Harrington, Troop M, First Regiment, New Hampshire Volunteer Cavalry, March 22, 1864.
Joseph Arquette, Troop M, First Regiment, New Hampshire Volunteer Cavalry, March 25, 1864.
John Marsau, Troop M, First Regiment, New Hampshire Volunteer Cav- alry, March 25, 1864.
Henry Goodwin, Company A, Eleventh Regiment, April 5, 1864. Charles Burles, Company 1, Seventh Regiment, September 21, 1864. John Staw, Company I, Seventh Regiment, September 22, 1864. Thomas Fletcher, Company E, Seventh Regiment, September 22, 1864. Edward Prial, Company A, Ninth Regiment, August 25, 1864 ; missing at Poplar Grove Church, Va., September 30, 1864. Peter Baker, Company C, Ninth Regiment, August 26, 1864. John L. Blance, Company F, Fifth Regiment, September 13, 1864. Charles H. Dogherty, Company B, Fifth Regiment, September 17, 1864. Thomas Florence, Company A, Fifth Regiment, August 17, 1864. Joseph French, Company A, Fifth Regiment, August 19, 1864. Daniel Finn, Company B, Fifth Regiment, September 1, 1864. Walter Jones, Company I, Fifth Regiment, September 13, 1864. Joseph Marshall, Company F, Fifth Regiment, August 18, 1864. Edward McGuire, Company F, Fifth Regiment, August 19, 1864. Thomas McGuire, Company F, Fifth Regiment, September 2, 1864. John Mahoney, Company F, Fifth Regiment. September 3, 1864. John Mountain, Company K, Fifth Regiment, September 19, 186-1. William Il. Rand, Company E, Fifth Regiment, August 25, 1864. John Sweeney, Company F, Filth Regiment, August 31, 1864. Sydney A. Barrett, veteran, regular army, August 31, 1864. James Gilson, veteran, regular army, September 23, 1864. Thomas Dunham, veteran, regular army, September 21, 1864. James Smith, veteran, regular army, September 15, 1864. Jacob Johnson, veteran, regular army, September 20, 1864.
Morton Ingalls, enlisted in the navy, but fell sick and died March 10, 1862, before joining his vessel.
NAMES OF PERSONS DRAFTED FROM MASON SEPTEMBER 2,
1863.
Jerome Davis, furnished substitute.
Otis Walters, furnished substitute. Morton L. Barrett, furnished substitute. Horace E. Davis, furnished substitute,
Joseph MeGowen, furnished substitute.
James Q. Conant, furnished substitute.
Albert Whittaker, furnished substitute.
Henry P. Adams, furnished substitute.
Marshall II. Nntting, paid commutation.
Elwin B. Hosmer, discharged for disability or other canses. William S. Merriam, discharged for disability or other causes. Edmund B. Newell, discharged for disability or other causes.
Harrison Hutchinson, discharged for disability or other canses. Benjamin F. March, discharged for disability or other causes.
Calvin Barrett, discharged for disability or other canses. Thomas Ganey, discharged for disability or other causes.
Israel D. Balch, discharged for disability or other causes.
Robert L. Cumnock, Jr., discharged for disability or other causes.
Nelson L. Barrett, discharged for disability or other causes.
Patrick Meloney, discharged for disability or other causes.
Barnard Lamb, discharged for disability or other causes.
Charles H. Nutting, discharged for disability or other causes. Elliott Merriam, discharged for disability or other causes.
Isaiah E. Scripture, discharged for disability or other causes. Franklin B. Ilolden, discharged for disability or other causes. James P. Nutting, discharged for disability or other canses.
NAMES OF THOSE WHO FURNISHED SUBSTITUTES UNDER THE CALL OF JULY 18, 1864.
Principals. Substitutes.
James L. Chamberlain.
Thomas MeGuire.
Charles P. Richardson. Edward McGuire.
James Tatt. John Mahoney.
Abel E. Adams.
Thomas Florence.
Sewall F. Adams.
Joseph Marshall.
Enville J. Emery. Joseph French.
Edwin L. Nutting. John L. Blance.
Charles E. Keyes.
Jacob Johnson.
Rufus P. Boynton.
James Smith.
James Russell.
Thomas Fletcher.
Anson J. Rideont.
David Finn.
George W. Scripture.
Peter Baker.
Barnard Lamb.
Charles Barles.
Joel II. Elliott.
Thomas Dunham.
William A. Adams.
James Gilson.
Isaiah E. Scripture.
John Starr.
John L. Taft.
John Mountain.
Amos A. Smith.
Edward Prial.
Alvah Lakin.
John Sweeney.
George L. Blood.
William Il. Rand.
Horace K. Hudgeman.
Charles H. Dougherty.
Nelson L. Barrett.
Walter Jones.
Amount paid for substitutes, $22,455; highest amount paid, $1225; lowest, 8900.
State bonnty, $300; town bounty, $600 $900
Paid by principals 140
Total average cost $1040
It appears by a report made by the selectmen to the town that bounties were paid as follows :
To three years' men, 1862 . $2,550.00
To nine months' men, 1862 2,200,00
To conscripts, 1863 2,100.00
Toconscripts, 1864 3,150,00
Substitutes, etc., 186-1 27,327.35
Services of selectmen and others 993.15
$35,620.50
Received from the government
944.00
$34,676.50
HISTORY OF GREENVILLE.
BY G. F. MERRIAM.
CHAPTER I.
THE town of Greenville is a rectangle in form, about four miles in length, by one and one-half miles in breadth, eut from the northwest corner of Mason, and otherwise bounded north by Temple and Wilton, and west by New Ipswich.
Its ontlines are from the original survey, on the cardinal points of the compass "by the needle," as was said in the grant, except the north line, which includes a gore of more than a hundred rods in width, but is also given in the old charter as "running east."
Its surface is quite undulating, rising into several hills of considerable height and attractive prospects. Of these the most prominent are the Adams, Bellows, Campbell, Dunster, Lawrence, Merriam and Barrett, the latter reaching an altitude of twelve hundred and seventy-one feet, and affording a valuable peak for the observations of the United States Coast Survey.
Its chief stream is the Souhegan River, whose de- scent is quite rapid, furnishing valuable mill sites, which are as yet but partially improved. Of these High Falls is deserving of special notice for its scenie grandeur and favorable circumstances for utilizing a great water-power. The other water courses are but trout brooks, having their source in the immediate vicinity, and known by the names of the early settlers near Davis, Hill and Shattuck.
The soil was originally a rich mould, and while most of the pastures have suffered from long grazing, the fields of the best cultivated farms still yield rich returns for careful tillage. Along the meadows and up the hillsides, near the river, the subsoil is largely clay and has to a considerable extent been wrought into bricks of the best quality and various articles of pottery. Beneath this as a foundation, cropping out in frequent ledges, suitable for quarrying, or scattered in broken masses upon the surface, is an inexhanstible supply of gneiss or granite.
The great forests of the past, as well as the younger trees growing in their place, are for the most part deciduous. A few acres of pine, with an occasional group of hemlock and yet rarer spruce, may still be found, but the maples, red, rock and white predomin-
ate, while the birch, beech, oak, ash, elm, bass and cherry abound with a sprinkling of chestnut and hickory near the southeast corner of the town.
The first New Ipswich grant included the most valu- able portion of Greenville, but subsequent charters gave this territory to No. 1, afterwards incorporated as Mason, with which parent town its history for more than a century was merged.
The earliest settlement seems to have been in the southwest corner of the town and the pioneer settler, Obadiah Parker, who soon built a frame house, "a good house and about two acres cleared " the pro- prietors' committee report to the proprietors' meeting, in Groton, Mass., October 25, 1752. On the 5th of January, 1768, this same Lieutenant Obadiah Parker, as with the nice regard of the day for military rank, he was called, was chosen to go to Portsmouth to secure the Mason charter " and distribute the money there- for." His success appears in Governor Wentworth's charter, dated August 6th of the same year, author- izing Obadiah Parker, gentleman, to call the first town-meeting, which he did by his warrant of Sep- tember 5th. At this meeting, on the 19th of the same month, he was elected moderator and one of the board of selectmen ; and it may be added that in personal presence, business capacity and Christian character he seems to have been a father of whom no town need be ashamed.
It is said that the first house erected in the village stood near the site of the town-house. It is worthy of remembrance as the birth-place of one of the noblest men that ever honored the history of the town, Deacon Merrill C. Dodge ; and after removal the structure is still standing on Temple Street opposite the residence of James Taft, Esq. It seems also from obseure records, that a mill was very early built at one of the falls of the Souhegan hard by. Certainly the pro- prietors voted November 4, 1867 and chose a com- mittee to view the roads to accommodate Slipton with power, if judged best, to lay out the roads by Mr. Barrett's mills; and in the warrant of the first town-meeting after incorporation was an article "to see if the town will, accept the road lately laid out by Mr. Thomas Barretts and Amos Dakins mills and,
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GREENVILLE.
build a bridge over the river now the water is low." And the record tells us, " Voted, to accept the road. Voted, to build a bridge." About this mill and the subsequent industries which took their motive power from the several falls of the Souhegan grew a thrifty village, known as Mason Harbor, Mason Village and sometimes Souhegan Village, until its incorporation June 28, 1872, with some of the territory naturally clinging to it and the name which it now bears.
The citizens of the Greenville district were always prominent in the history of Mason, furnishing its first representative, Deacon Amos Dakin, when classed with Raby (now Brookline), also when Joseph Mer- riam led the list of town representatives. The organ- ization of the Second Congregational Church in Mason, afterwards the Congregational Church in Greenville, took away the three deacons of the old church,- Nathan Wood, Franklin Merriam and Simeon Cragin. And so the whole secular and sacred life of Mason before division is one in which Greenville shares most honorably.
The distance of the village from the centre of Mason in time produced the same results as have so often appeared in the change of town lines to accom- modate business centres. As usual the first impulse came from the conscience. The Baptists were the pioneers in this movement, erecting a meeting-house in the village as early as the year 1827 and or- ganizing a new Baptist Church the year following. Thenceforth, the interest and worship of the denomi- nation centered there, and the previous organization and services at Mason Centre were discontinued.
Time passed, and the fathers and mothers of Puri- tan faith and order could get ouly a part of their families and friends to their church three miles away ; hence, the organization of the Congregational Church June 3, 1847.
Nearly twenty-four years afterwards, the convenience of the manufacturing population led to a proposition on the part of James L. Chamberlin, Esq., to buy the old town-house at the centre of Mason and build in its stead, at the village, an attractive edifice, fitted up for all requisite town purposes and to be freely used for them, upon conditions which were regarded by his neighbors as generous, but which those near and be- yond the old town-house were naturally reluctant to accept. Out of this difference of opinion and conse- quent excitement of feeling an amicable way of relief was found in division, citizens on one side giving the requisite legal notice and those on the other urging the matter to a successful issue.
By the terms of its charter Greenville was to as- sume thirteen-twentieths of the liabilities of Mason, prior to separation and take besides its share of the north gore, forty-five of the two hundred eighty acre-lots laid out in the original survey of the parent town.
Samuel Haines, James L. Chamberlin and Amos Scripture were empowered to call the first town-
meeting, and upon their warrant the town organiza- tion was perfected, July 17, 1872.
Some unfortunate litigation ensued with Mason concerning the Boynton common school fund which was decided in favor of the latter town, and also as to the south line of Greenville which resulted in es- tablishing the full elaim of the young town. The most harmonious relations have ever since existed with the mother-town and the citizens of Greenville, beyond all others, rejoice in her prosperity.
During the first years of independent town history all public meetings were held in the Congregational vestry and the selectmen had their office in Mr. Chamberlin's building on the site of the town house. The desire for a town-home soon began to express itself. The Columbian Manufacturing Company made a generous offer of a gratuitous lot, near the junction of Main and New Ipswich streets, and it was once voted to accept the offer and build thereon, but the town afterwards decided to purchase land of Mr. Chamberlin and built there, in the year 1876, the present town-house. It is a substantial brick structure, secular Gothic in style of architecture, with basement and lower story for store, post-office and selectmen's room, while above are main and banquet halls with ante-rooms. It was dedicated near the close of the year,-cost, including land, about thirty thousand dollars; building committee, James L. Chamberlin, Franklin B. Heald, George C. Robbins, Henry I. Whitney and Milton H. Hardy.
The population of Greenville at its census in 1880 was ten hundred and seventy-two. Its valuation by the selectmen for the year 1885 was six hundred thou- sand four hundred and ninety-four dollars.
The principal town officers have been,-
MODERATORS.
David Millikin, 1872.
James L. Chamberlin, 1873, '74, '75, 76, '77, '78, '79, '80, '82.
George II. Livingston, 1880.
Stephen If. Bacon, 1880, '82, '83, '84, '85.
Thomas Ilays, 1884.
John Kenney, 1885.
TOWN CLERKS.
James Taft, 1872.
Eben F. Pierce, 1873, '74, '77.
G. F. Merriam, 1875, '76.
Frank E. Pierce, 1878, '80, '81, '82, '83, '84, '85.
Charles E. Marsh, 1879.
SELECTMEN.
1872 .- Andrew Henry, John Kenney, George M. Farrar.
1873 .- Henry J. Whitney, Samuel Haines, James L. Chamberlin.
1874 .- Henry J. Whitney, James L. Chamberlin, Marshall Kimball.
1875 .- Henry J. Whitney, James L. Chamberlin, James Taft. 1876 .- James L. Chamberlin, Franklin B. Heald, Milton H. Hardy. 1877 .- Franklin B. Heald, James Taft, Samuel E. Adams. 1878 .- Franklin B. Ileald, James Taft, Nathan P. Farrar. 1879 .- Stephen H. Bacon, Nathan P. Farrar, Thomas Ilays. 1880 .- Stephen H. Bacon, Nathan P. Farrar, George C. Robbins. 1881-82 .- Charles E. Ilall, Nathan P. Farrar, George C. Robbins. 1883 .- Charles E. Hall, Nathan P. Farrar, Milton HI. Hardy.
1884 .- Nathan P. Farrar, Milton H. Hardy, Bronson P. Lamb.
1885 .- George C. Robbins, William H. Sanborne, James Taft.
REPRESENTATIVES.
George F. Merriam, 1873, '74, '75. Richard Hall, 1876.
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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
Andrew Henry, 1878. Charles E. Marsh, 1880.
Stephen II. Bacon, 1882, '84.
DELEGATE TO CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. J. L. Chamberlin, 1876.
TREASURERS.
J. L. Chamberlin, 1872, '73, '74, '75, '76, '77, '78.
M. C. Dodge, 1879, '80, '81.
Bronson P. Lamb, 1882, '83.
C. E. Hall, 1884.
Orin D. Prescott, 1885.
SUPERINTENDING SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
M. C. Dodge, 1872, '73, '74, '75.
C. E. Hall, 1876, '77, '79, '81, '82, '83, '84.
C. G. Corey, 1878.
C. E. Marsh, 1878.
F. A. Newell, 1880.
G. F. Munsey, 1885.
HIGHWAY SURVEYORS.
Elisha B. Barrett, 1872.
H. J. Whitney, 1873, '74, '75, '85.
M. H. Hardy, 1876, '79, '80, '81, '82, '83, '84.
H. M. Livingston, 1877, '78.
SUPERVISORS.
1878 .- Andrew Henry, John Janes, George H. Livingston.
1880 .- George H. Livingston, Harrisou HI. Shumway, Charles E. Marsh.
1882 .- Harrison H. Shumway, Charles F. Smith, George L. BIood. 1884 .- Frank L. Peabody, Ilarrison H. Shumway, Silas A. Hays.
LIBRARIANS.
Thomas E. Marshall and Frank E. Pierce.
Business History .- In the original grant of the Masonian proprietors mention is made of two lots for encouragement of building mills. At the first draft it seems that neither of the lots selected for this pur- pose were within the bounds of Greenville, but the superior advantages of the waterfall of the Souhegan River were soon recognized and the needful arrange- ments made for building saw and grist-mills there. From Hon. J. B. Hill's " History of Mason " it ap- pears a committee was appointed at a proprietors' meeting in 1751 to make a contract for constructing mills on this privilege, the saw-mill to be completed by the 25th of May, 1752, and the corn-mill in a year from that date. This was done, but the contractor failed to fulfill his bond and a suit at law followed. The mills, however, were soon built by Thomas and Charles Barrett. At least the latter sold his interest to Deacon Amos Dakin and moved to New Ipswich, according to some authorities as early as 1764. Dea- con Dakin soon after became sole proprietor and con- tinued so until his death in 1779, when the property passed to his son, Deacon Timothy Dakin, who re- built the mills in a very substantial manner and remained the owner until 1814, when he sold them with the privilege to Major Seth King and John Stevens, Esq. From these owners they passed in time to William Durgin and were directed by John Felt until September 18, 1854, when they were pur- chased by the Columbian Manufacturing Company, to give place to one of its large factories, called No. 4.
The first dam above the bridge was made by Deacon Amos Dakin about 1788. Below this dam, on the
south side of the stream, a carding and fulling mill was built by John Everett about the beginning of the century. It was occupied by him, afterwards by Othni Crosby and others for the same purpose until the year 1829, when it was removed to give room for the present No. 1 factory building of the Columbian Manufacturing Company.
The water-power opposite on the south bank of the river was first used for a blacksmith's shop, in which was a trip hammer for the manufacture of scythes and axes. This business was conducted by Ezra Newell, and at the commencement of the century cut-nails were there made. Not far from the year 1813, a new building was erected for the manufacture of various woolen fabrics under the direction of Major Seth King. This too, afterwards passed into the possession of the Columbian Manufacturing Com- pany, and the site is now occupied by its planing- mill and repair-shop. The three mill privileges immediately below those already mentioned early came into the hands of Roger Chandler and associ- ates, who soon improved the two lower ones with the requisite dams and buildings for manufacturing pur- poses. Roger Chandler's contract with Timothy Dakin and Joseph Sanders for the building of the principal dam " and to set up a building for a cotton .factory " bears date of June 22, 1812, and pledges them to complete it all by the middle of November, while he binds himself to pay therefor at specified times one thousand and fifty dollars, the major part in cotton, yarn, or cloth, or store goods, as they may choose, at cash prices, also to furnish them with glass, nails and lime, on stipulated terms, and one barrel of New England rum at cash price. The exact date of build- ing the lower factory is uncertain, but under the names of Roger Chandler & Co., Isaacs, Taft & Co., and Mason Cotton Factory, the manufacture of yarn and cloth was here continued for many years.
In the year 1818, Loammi Chamberlin bargained for water-power of this Mason Cotton Factory Com- pany, at its upper fall, and there built a machine shop where he carried on quite extensively the manufac- ture of cotton and woolen machinery, machine tools, etc. He gave special attention to the making of power-looms and originated a valuable improvement on those in previous use. About the year 1840, in company with Captain Thomas Pierce, he secured and fitted up the mills below for the manufacture of satinets and other woolen goods. The buildings were also extended for the dying and finishing of cloth by Captain Josiah Heald. Besides, Mr. Cham- berlin erected and operated a lumber mill further down the river, while he conducted the business of blacksmithing and other important industries.
After a season the manufacture of woolen fabrics passed into the hands of Patterson, Noone & Clark. When the other partners retired John Clark con- tinued the business alone until his removal to Bos- ton left Mr. Chamberlin to resume it again. His
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GREENVILLE.
enterprise and mechanical skill made him a conspicu- ous figure in the early history of the village. He came to it in his early manhood and by his business ventures did much to quicken the life and build up the material interests of the community. For years before his death, November 24, 1853, his affairs were directed by his son, James L. Chamberlin, who afterwards, through his own active career, developed a like executive force and versatility of talent. Beyond the business responsibilities thus devolved upon him, he proceeded, in 1857, to build a more reliable dam upon the lowest mill site of Roger Chandler & Com- pany with substantial brick buildings on the east side of the river for a flouring mill. This he managed most successfully and afterwards made large additions to the mills themselves, introducing the manufacture of furniture, which grew under his care to large pro- portions and gave him an enviable reputation for excellence of workmanship, until just as he was ar- ranging for yet further expansion of the business, when he was suddenly checked by untimely accident and death May 3, 1883.
The making of twine was very profitably com- menced in the chief building of the Mason Cotton Factory during the year 1856. John Barker and the firms of Barker & Lynch, Barker & Nichols and Barker Brothers, and finally W. Jaquith, continued the business for several years. Other enterprises, at va- rious times, have taken their power from these several falls, as the manufacturing of chairs by George Kim- ball, lead pencils by Aaron Heywood, extension tables by Willard Jefts, boxes by Gray & Fuller, and brackets at the lower mill by John M. White. Then, without the use of water-power, there has been the manufacture of potash by Timothy Dakin, pot- tery by Ruel Richardson, bricks by the Chamberlins, boots and shoes by Wilson & Taft, tinware by Serip- ture & Ames, Daniel Felch and also by Nathan P. Farrar, furniture by William Sawtell, and outside the village by Nathan Woods ; while at Davis village, in the southwest corner of the town, there has been a lumber-mill at different times under the care of Cal- vin Davis and Adron Winship, with an interval, during which its power was used by Leonard Morse for the making of printers' supplies. Want of space forbids much further detail except to remark the early thrift of small industries and enterprises of those with limited capital. From the busy hive went forth many who have won distinction and wealth by the skill and character here developed. Abner Chiekering, Isaac Kimball, Asa Webber and John R. Lynch have long been at the head of prosperous blacksmiths' shops. Benoni C. Kimball, Sullivan Howard, Thomas Hays and Frederic Mansfield have been successful builders, and Benjamin Livingston & Sons have won special reputation as stone-masons. So of others if space permitted the mention of their many names.
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