USA > New Hampshire > Coos County > Lancaster > History of Lancaster, New Hampshire > Part 53
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Irving W. Drew .- Irving W. Drew was born in Colebrook, Jan. 8, 1845, of excellent parentage and one of a large family of children. He inherited a generous store of common sense. He fitted for college in the schools at home, at Colebrook academy, and Kimball Union Academy, graduating from the latter in 1866, and from Dartmouth in 1870, and immediately entered the law office of Ray & Ladd. In 1871 he was admitted into partnership with Ray & Heywood. His partners since then have been C. B. Jordan, Philip Carpenter, and Will P. Buckley. He soon developed into a strong man, and has been growing till now. He is a logical, analytical, persuasive speaker before jury, courts, and upon the platform. He is engaged in much important litigation in and out of New Hampshire, and his advice and services are often sought in large business transactions running up into millions of dollars. He
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THE LEARNED PROFESSIONS.
has been an ardent political worker for others, but declined that sort of preferment for himself. He has often refused to be a candidate for congress, but did once consent to be state senator, making an admirable record. He has been delegate to four Democratic national conventions and was major in the Third regiment, New Hampshire National Guard. In November, 1869, he married Miss Carrie B. Merrill, daughter of Hon. S. R. Merrill of Colebrook. He is generous, active and efficient in all good work and projects for his town. He has a large library which is in constant use.
Chester Bradley fordan came to Lancaster from Colebrook, where he was born Oct. 15, 1839, to take the office of clerk of the court June 1, 1868. He served as such clerk until Oct. 23, 1874. In the meantime he had been reading law and November, 1875, was admitted to the bar. In May, 1876, he was made a member of the firm of Ray & Drew, and has been with Mr. Drew ever since. In 1881 he was admitted to the federal courts.
He was elected town representative in 1880, by one majority, making a net gain for his party in town that year of IOI votes. Although it was his first year as a legislator, he was unanimously nominated by the Republican caucus for speaker of the house and elected by a handsome vote.
In 1867 Governor Harriman offered him a place on his staff, but it was declined, but in 1872 he served on the staff of Governor Straw. In 1881 Dartmouth college conferred upon him the degree of A. B. In 1883 he was made an honorary member of the Third regiment of New Hampshire National Guard; a member of the Webster Historical Society of Massachusetts; in 1884 of the Seventh New Hampshire Veteran Association ; has long been a member of the New Hampshire Historical Society ; for several years first vice-presi- dent of the Grafton and Coös Bar Association; is the oldest member -save six-in time of service of Evening Star Lodge of over 100 Masons; has held position in one or the other of the Lancaster banks ever since the National was established, and is a member of the Sons of the Revolution. In the fall of 1896 he was elected state senator from the first district by a very large vote, and unanimously chosen president of that body.
In the thirty years of his residence in Lancaster he has done what he could for the town, and no town-meeting except one, has been held in which he has not borne his part. July 19, 1879, he married Miss Ida R. Nutter, a Lancaster girl.
He has rendered efficient public service and his home life and intercourse with the people of the town have been worthy of the commendation and good-will that have followed them.
William H. Shurtleff. Mr. Shurtleff began the study of law in Lancaster in 1862, but dropped it to enter the war service in 1864.
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HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
He, however, completed his studies upon his return from the service, and was admitted to practise in 1866. He practised in Colebrook until 1892, when he located in Lancaster, and is now associated with Edmund Sullivan in the practice of his profession, in addition to holding the office of fish and game commissioner. He is a man of good sense and judgment, and a genial soul, socially.
Will P. Buckley came from Littleton to Lancaster seven years ago, soon after graduating from Dartmouth, where he held high rank as a scholar and an athlete. He united with the firm of Drew, Jordan & Buckley, and is a member yet. He is strong mentally and physically, and although a young man is in the forefront of the lawyers of the state. He has a quick, discerning mind full of logic and analysis. He is a thorough scholar, easily mastering and remembering any literary subject. His distinctions are finely yet practically drawn, and he is, withal, very popular among all classes. He married Miss Lizzie F. Drew in 1891.
Edmund Sullivan began his practice in Lancaster in 1891, and formed a partnership with W. H. Shurtleff, under the firm name of Shurtleff & Sullivan. He was born here, is getting a good business, and is bright and active. He is thorough in his work.
Merrill Shurtleff was admitted to the bar in 1896. He also is a Dartmouth graduate and a young man of excellent character and abilities. He is with Drew, Jordan & Buckley, where he has been ever since leaving college. He has been a close student, is a good lawyer, and will be heard from in the near future. He married in June, 1897, Miss Emily Porter, one of Lancaster's many good girls.
Harry B. Amey, A. B., Dartmouth ; Charles Fred Cleaveland, A. B., Dartmouth ; and Henry Percy Kent, LL. B., Boston univer- sity, were admitted to the bar in 1898. Mr. Amey removed to Milton, Mr. Cleaveland and Mr. Kent commencing practice in Lan- caster.
THE PHYSICIANS OF LANCASTER.
The first physician, so far as can be learned, that practised medi- cine in Lancaster, was Dr. Samuel White. He was located in New- bury, Vt., in 1773, and visited Lancaster professionally for several years. Dr. White died on "Jefferson Hill," Newbury, Vt., Jan. 25, 1848, aged 98 years. Dr. Francis Wilson was probably the first physician to locate here. The exact date of his coming cannot now be learned. A Dr. Chapman soon followed the example of Dr. Wilson and located here. These two attended the people in their sickness for many years. I find among the many papers left by Gen. Edwards Bucknam a receipt from one Dr. Gott, as follows: " Lunenburgh may 13th, 1783. Received of Edw'ds Bucknam one Pound, four Shillings as a gratis for my Coming up and Settling In
ELIPHALET LYMAN, M. D.
BENJAMIN HUNKING, M. D.
JACOB E. STICKNEY, M. D.
JOHN W. BARNEY, M. D.
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THE LEARNED PROFESSIONS.
the Practice of Physick in Lunenburg as witness my hand Nath'l. Gott."
(He was elsewhere referred to as " Revd. Nath'l. Gott.")
From this transaction I infer that Dr. Gott must have practised in Lancaster also. About the time of the Revolutionary War there was an old lady by the name of Stalbird living in Jefferson, who practised as a nurse and " Doctress." She was familiarly known as " Granny Stalbird." These held undisputed sway in their profes- sion in Lancaster until 1796, just a century ago this year, when Dr. Samuel Legro, an intelligent and skilful physician, came here to settle in the practice of medicine and surgery. He soon won distinction as a man of great wisdom, skill, and usefulness. He was a genial character, liked by all men. He lived to the ripe old age of 79. He left descendants who have filled many useful places in society.
In 1805, Dr. Benjamin Hunking of Newbury, Vt., located in Lancaster in the practice of his profession. He was a graduate of the medical department of Dartmouth college. He built up a very extensive practice, which he held for many years, although di- viding his time between his profession, politics, and office-holding. He was judge of probate from 1829 to 1852. During the War of 1812 he received a commission as assistant surgeon of the United States navy. He was stationed at several stations and aboard , ship during the entire period of the war. On his return from the navy he married Drusilla, daughter of Judge Everett. His life was spent in Lancaster, where he died in 1868, at the age of 86.
In 1815, Dr. Eliphalet Lyman, a native of Connecticut and a graduate of Dartmouth college, located in Lancaster and soon built up an extensive practice in medicine and surgery. He was a faithful and able physician. After many years he gave up his profession and opened an office as a justice of the peace. He was active in Masonry, and did much to promote it in Lancaster. He died at the Coos hotel of paralysis, July 19, 1858.
The next physician to locate here was Dr. Jacob E. Stickney of Maine. He came to Lancaster in 1821, and followed the prac- tice of medicine until his death in 1869. He was successful and much liked as an able physician, and a true and genial friend. He had as partner for a time Dr. George T. Dexter, of Boston, Mass. I find their card in the White Mountain Ægis of October 23, 1838, during its first year of publication in Lancaster, announcing that they offered their services to their friends and the public in medicine and surgery, and that Dr. Dexter was prepared to per- form all operations in dentistry. So far as I have been able to ascertain, Dr. Dexter was the first to practise dentistry in Lancas- ter.
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HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
In. 1843, Dr. John W. Barney of St. Johnsbury, Vt., located here, and won the recognition and confidence of the people as an able physician. For many years he held a large practice; but, like other physicians of Lancaster, he had political tastes and aspirations. In 1868 he was elected to represent the old Twelfth Senatorial dis- trict in the New Hampshire legislature. He was reelected in 1869. At a later date he went to Concord, to live, and remained there until his death in 1883. He was buried in the Summer Street Cemetery, finding a resting-place in the town he served so long and loved so well.
Dr. Freedom Dinsmore, a retired physician of considerable prom- inence, lived in Lancaster from 1846 to the time of his death in 1863.
Dr. James D. Folsom practised medicine here from 1853 to about 1870, and removed to St. Johnsbury, Vt., where he continued his work.
One Charles Going, son of Asahel the clothier, practised here for some years. A talented young man, but died from effects of intemperance at the age of twenty-six.
Dr. John W. Bucknam, a grandson of Gen. Edwards Bucknam, one of the first settlers of Lancaster, practised his profession here for some years before the War of the Rebellion; and, on the break- ing out of the war, received a commission as assistant surgeon in the famous Fifth N. H. Regiment, and was with it through the service. He died at Somersworth, in 1869.
Until 1880 Dr. Frank Bugbee enjoyed a very extensive practice here for many years. In 1880 he, with his entire family, consisting of his wife, daughter, his wife's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Barton G. Towne, met tragic deaths by poison, administered, as it was sup- posed, by a young woman living in the family. Upon the exami- nation of the contents of several of the stomachs of the victims arsenic was found in quantities sufficient to cause death.
Dr. M. R. Woodbury practised here about the same time.
Dr. Frank A. Colby was born in Colebrook in 1852, and came to Lancaster with his father, the late E. L. Colby, at the age of two years. He was educated here and at Phillips Exeter acad- emy, and received his degree of M. D. from Dartmouth college. He practised his profession here for a time, and also was in the drug trade in company with E. B. Hamblen for some years. He later sold out, and located in the practice of medicine in Berlin, where he died from the effects of an incurable trouble, which induced acute heart disease, July 15, 1896.
Dr. Oscar Worthley, formerly a surgeon in the Second Regiment N. H. Vols., located here in the practice of his profession, and con- tinued until the time of his death in 1890.
,
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THE LEARNED PROFESSIONS.
The physicians now here in the active practice of medicine and surgery are :
Dr. Ezra Mitchell, who came from Maine in 1871, and has en- joyed an extensive and profitable practice. Dr. Emmons F. Stock- well, a descendant of Emmons Stockwell, one of the founders of the town, located here in practice of medicine in 1871. He, too, has enjoyed a large and profitable practice. In 1886 Dr. W. H. Leith of Haverhill, a graduate of the Medical school of Dart- mouth college, settled here in the practice of medicine and surgery. He has met with success, and has built up a wide practice.
In the fall of 1895, Dr. H. B. Carpenter of St. Johnsbury, Vt., a graduate of Bellevue Hospital Medical College of New York city, located here in the practice of medicine and surgery, and has met with encouragement.
These physicians, so far mentioned, have all been of the regular, or allopathic school. Lancaster has had as representatives of the homœopathic school, the following physicians :
Dr. C. E. Rowell, Dr. Daniel L. Jones, and Dr. Frank Spooner. The latter two are still here in practice.
Dr. Francis L. Town, a native of Lancaster, commenced the prac- tice here about 1858, but entered the army as assistant surgeon in 1861, rising through all the grades to be colonel and assistant sur- geon-general, U. S. A. He is now on the retired list.
DENTISTS.
For many years in Lancaster, as in every other community, den- tistry consisted solely in " pulling teeth," and was practised either by the physicians, or by men of little skill and with nerve enough to use the turnkey or a pair of rude forceps. Very soon after dentistry became a specialty, the art was introduced in Lancaster by Dr. George T. Dexter, who came here from Boston, Mass., in 1838, and entered into partnership with Dr. Jacob E. Stickney, paying attention to dentistry.
The next dentist of which we have any certain knowledge was Dr. Stocking. He is referred to in a diary kept by the late Richard P. Kent as " treating teeth," and " making artificial teeth," in 1846. He practised here for some years. The next person to follow the practice of dentistry here was Dr. E. G. Cummings. He had his office at his residence in the old Deacon Farrar house, now the par- sonage of the Catholic church, and in Kent's building from 1853. After many years of successful practice he left to locate in Concord, N. H., where he has been ever since.
Dr. George O. Rogers practised the profession here for some years, and then went to China, where he enjoyed royal patronage for a period of ten years, making a fortune out of his labor. He
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HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
returned to his native country, and is located somewhere in Oregon. When he left Lancaster his place was taken by Dr. B. T. Olcott, who had studied with him. Dr. Olcott was here some years, and then removed to Keene, N. H., where he is still in practice.
When Dr. Olcott left here he was succeeded by Dr. E. B. Cush- ing, who after some few years of successful practice, left Lancaster to locate in Laconia, N. H., where he is still. Dr. Cushing was succeeded in 1881 by Dr: S. B. Wellington, who for ten years enjoyed a good business here in the same office that Drs. Olcott and Cushing had occupied-over the Lancaster National bank.
When Dr. Wellington left, his practice was taken by Dr. W. H. Thompson, who had studied with him, and had then just graduated from the Philadelphia Dental college. Dr. Thompson has enjoyed a good practice, and still remains in the old office.
About the time that Dr. Wellington began practice here, Dr. O. H. Kimball opened an office and practised for the period of fifteen years, at the end of which he retired upon his farm a few miles east of the village.
Dr. Kimball's practice was taken by Dr. A. W. Wark, who had just graduated from the Philadelphia Dental college, and who has continued in the practice to the present time with success.
DRUGGISTS.
For nearly a century Lancaster could not boast of such a thing as an "apothecary shop." In fact few New England villages of . its size, and so remote from the large cities, had such an enterprise, now so well-nigh indispensable to every community.
I find that David Page was presented with a bill for medicine, but by whom I cannot learn, amounting to 8 pounds, 13 shillings, 6 pence, under three items as follows: " To medicine for your family ; to medicine for your family and chattles; to Gum Camphor for yourself." This was probably from some merchant of the earliest period of the settlement.
Near the middle of the present century the merchants began to include in their stocks of medicines a larger variety of new drugs and proprietary remedies. The earliest inhabitants used but few remedies besides the herbs reputed to possess curative powers. Many of these were wild herbs found growing about the country, and not a few of them gained their reputation through Indian tra- ditions. After physicians began to locate here the number of drugs and proprietary remedies used increased so that the merchants brought quite large stocks of them when they made their trips to the cities for goods. In the first issue of the White Mountain Ægis, a newspaper published at Lancaster, May 22, 1838, I find this advertisement of drugs and medicines by Kent & Porter :
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THE LEARNED PROFESSIONS.
" Kent & Porter, Main street, Lancaster. Have for sale, a good assortment of drugs and medicines, among which may be found the following: Tartaric, muri- atic, proligenous, sulphuric and nitric acid ; crude antimonia ; carbonate, aqua, and spirits of ammonia; Newton's and Richardson's bitters ; Thompson's eye- water ; salt rheum, pile and itch ointment; bayberry, cascarilla, winter, peruvian and prickly ash bark ; aloes, arabic, assofoetida, guiacum, shellac, and copal gum ; senna, uva ursa, and digitalis leaves ; peppermint, wormwood, lemon, hemlock, annis, cedar, cloves, origanum, croton, harlem, spike, amber, soap, British, cas- tor, and olive oil ; Thayer's, Lamott's, Newton's, Hygean, Brandreth's, Kingley's, and Lee's pills ; Dover and James's powders ; blistering, mercurial, adhesive, Oliver's, diachylon, plasters; rosemary, senneka, columbo, gentian, jalap, San- ders, squills, snake, epicac, curcania, arrow, valerian, and pink root ; Epsom, glauber, tartar ammonia, and lemon salts; carbonate of soda; arsenic; Ander- son's cough drops ; borax ; balsam copavia ; pulmonary do .; chloride of lime ; castile soap ; calomel ; cream tartar ; cammomile flowers ; castor fiber ; corrosive sublimate ; colocynth ; cowage; coculus indicus; carbonate of iron; paragoric and propriettatis elixer ; hyoscyamus and belladonna extract; iodine; licorice ; lapis caliminus ; red lavender ; magnesia; Moore's essence of life; acetate of morphine; nux vomica; oxide bismuth ; red precipitate ; phosphate of iron ; picra ; quick silver; quinine; quassia; rheubarb; squills; sulphuric ether ; spirits of nitre ; saffron ; tincture muriatic iron ; unguentum ; white vitriol, etc., etc., etc."
A rival firm, B. H. Chadbourn & Co., had an advertisement in the same issue of the paper bearing date of May 15th, one week earlier than the first issuing of the paper, as follows :
" Preserve Your Health ! Call on the subscribers and (amongst many other very important articles), you will find the following Valuable Medicines, which are genuine : Newton's Panacea, Remedy for Dispelling Pain, Jaundice Bitters, Pul- monary Balsam, Eye Water, Cathartic Pills, Itch Ointment ; Lee's Pills ; Thayer's Pills ; Ewen's Pills ; Moors Essence of Life ; Thayer's Oil Soap ; opodeldoc ; gum camphor ; picra; Cort Peru ; Rhad Rhei ; sugar lead ; cantharides ; opium ; mag- nesia, &c., &c. All of which are genuine and of the best quality.
" They have also a few dozen of Doct. Brandreth's Pills, which they recommend to be Counterfeit, and warranted good for nothing! Honesty is the best policy. B. H. Chadbourn & Co. Lancaster, May 15."
In the same number of the paper we find the following advertise- ment :
" Pulmonary Balsam and Brandreth's Pills. Dr. Carter's Compound Pulmonary Balsam-Brandreth's Vegetable Universal Pills, and Moors Essence of Life, for sale by William T. Carlisle. Lancaster, May 22, 1838."
While many of the remedies of those early times were proprietary, it will be seen that vast quantities of drugs, in the bulk, were kept by merchants from which physicians' prescriptions, or private formulas, were filled. The parties selling drugs were not required to under- stand the properties of their goods, nor the rules governing their compounding. That was left for the physicians and the purchaser to do on their own responsibility.
In 1856, Dr. John W. Barney opened a regular drug store, the
31
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HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
first one in Lancaster. It was on the spot now occupied by Colby's drug store, on Main street. He conducted a successful business there for a number of years. He took Edward Savage into partner- ship with him, and in 1868 sold out to Savage, who continued until 1873, when he sold out to Dr. Frank Colby. Dr. Colby took his brother, Charles F. Colby, into the firm in 1876. The latter is still in the business at the same stand.
In 1868, Parker J. Noyes of Columbia came to Lancaster, and bought the two-story building erected by T. S. Hall, who married Mary Page,-the building standing on the corner of Main and Bun- ker Hill streets, where James M. Rix's bookstore was previous to the fire that destroyed his stock in 1846; which store was originally the George F. Hartwell store, standing where E. Sullivan's house now is. Mr. Noyes opened a retail drug store on a very modest scale, later buying the medicines and good will from the Kent store. His success soon made it necessary to enlarge the build- ing, and from time to time the same building has been thus added to until now it is a large structure, but still being outgrown by the healthy growth of his trade. This growth was due to the man- ufacture of medicines, not of the so-called " patent medicines," but standard remedies carried by the regular drug trade, and also for physicians. That portion of Mr. Noyes's business has been of chief importance, although he has always conducted the largest retail drug store in northern New Hampshire.
Mr. Noyes has possessed a genius for invention, in both chemical. processes and mechanical appliances. As manufacturing chemist he felt the need of improved machinery, and not finding what he needed in the market, he made it. More than ten years ago he invented a " pill machine," that still holds the first place in ma- chinery for that process. In addition to that important piece of machinery he has improved several others, adding greatly to their usefulness. The most remarkable piece of machinery used in his extensive laboratory is his " automatic forming and coating ma- chine," for the manufacture of pills and tablets. This ingeniously devised machine forms the tablet and coats it all in one machine and process .. This permits using any kind of effervescent material for coatings, such as chocolate and sugar of milk. The coatings are made by a dry process. The machine, with one attendant, turns out 5,000 tablets per hour. He is now using three of them in his laboratory, and turning out an enormous product to meet the grow- ing demands from the regular drug trade and physicians. An important feature of the business of the P. J. Noyes Manufacturing Co., which was formed with a $50,000 capital in 1889, is filling physicians' orders for their own prescriptions. Upon this new machine and its processes Mr. Noyes holds five patents. The
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FRATERNAL SOCIETIES OF LANCASTER.
mechanical work on it was done by the Thompson Manufacturing Co. of Lancaster. The P. J. Noyes Manufacturing Co. have em- ployed much of the time for the last few years as many as thirty persons in their laboratory, and just at the present time they are enlarging it by the fitting up of a large building adjoining their own building as an annex to their already large laboratory.
In 1892, Charles A. Graves opened a drug store in the Kimball block, corner of Main and Elm streets, in which he continued until the fall of 1895, when he sold out to George W. Carpenter of Lis- bon. Mr. Carpenter has conducted the business since then with success. He manufactures a few proprietary remedies, chief among which is " Merrill's Sarsaparilla," which has met with considerable favor at home and abroad.
CHAPTER XIII.
FRATERNAL SOCIETIES OF LANCASTER.
MASONS-ODD FELLOWS-KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS-CATHOLIC ORDER OF FOR- ESTERS-KNIGHTS OF THE MACCABEES-GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC- WOMAN'S RELIEF CORPS-WOMAN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION- WASHINGTONIAN TEMPERANCE SOCIETY-SONS OF TEMPERANCE-GOOD TEMPLARS-FRIENDSHIP TEMPERANCE CLUB-PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY.
MASONRY IN LANCASTER.
North Star Lodge, No. 8, A. F. & A. M .- In 1797 the fol- lowing persons, all Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons, residents of Lancaster and Northumberland, petitioned the grand lodge "to be erected and constituted a regular lodge of Free and Accepted Masons ": George Kimball, John Weeks, Mills DeForest, Thomas Burnside, Edmund Head, Jabez Parsons, Samuel Phelps, John J. French, William Cargill, Nathaniel Wales, Holloway Taylor, Josiah Sawyer, James Chamberlain, Azariah Webb, and Warren Cook.
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