History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and representative citizens, Part 124

Author: Hazlett, Charles A
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold
Number of Pages: 1390

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BURTON E. DAVIS, who is successfully engaged in the farming and poultry business in Salem, N. H., is one of the wide-awake and progressive men of the community. He was born at Bethel, Vt .. December 20, 1873, a son of Clark S. and Harriett (Towne) Davis. He is a grandson of Samuel and Desire (Chamberlain) Davis and a great-grandson of Samuel and Sally (Coffin) Davis.

Samuel Davis, the grandfather, born in Weathersfield, Vt., May 12, 1812, was a millwright and lumberman. He moved to Bethel, Vt., in 1829 and lived there at the time of his death on May 1, 1886. September 30, 1839, he married Desire Chamberlain, who was born in Stockbridge, May 30, 1800, a daughter of Isaac and Azubia ( Bailey ) Chamberlain. Their children were as follows: Clark S .; James S., born in Bethel, August 28, 1845, who resides in Vassalboro, Me .: and Abby, who died aged thirteen years.

Clark S. Davis, the father of Burton E., was born in Bethel July 17, 1840, and died January 17, 1904. On April 17th, 1866, he married Harriet M., daughter of Enos and Martha (Holden) Town. She was born in Barre, Vt., April 21, 1841. They had three children: Willis Clark, born June 10, 1867, who died in October, 1907; Fred Lincoln, born May 9, 1871, who died in November, 1911, and Burton Enos, born December 20, 1873. Clark S. Davis was a farmer and stock raiser, making Jersey cows his specialty. He was also a large contractor and dealt extensively in wood and lumber and for nine years had the contract to saw all the wood for the Central Vermont Railroad. He had charge of the roads in his native town for fifteen years.

Burton E. Davis attended the public schools and remained on the home farm until he was twenty-seven years old. He then located at Stillwater, where he resided two and a half years. At the end of that time he took the civil service examination and in 1904 was appointed to the railway mail

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service. He continued in that occupation until 1911, when he gave it up to settle on his farm in Salem, N. H., where he is now engaged in farming and raising poultry. He was a trustee of the public library for three years and in 1913 was elected selectman, being at the present time chairman of the board. In 1912-1913 he was master of the Grange. He has charge of build- ing the state road in Salem.

March 5, 1896, Burton E. Davis married Miss Annie Miller, a daughter of George M. and Amelia (Hammond) Miller, and they have two daughters : Edna, born April 12, 1898; and Grace, born September 22, 1900. Mr. Davis and his family belong to the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he is one of the trustees.

FRED FERNALD, M. D., the leading physician and surgeon of the town of Nottingham, was born in this town September 17, 1874, a son of John E. and Sarah A. (Thompson) Fernald. His immigrant ancestors came to this country from England, settling in Portsmouth, N. H. John E. Fernald, the doctor's father, was born in Nottingham, N. H., in 1830 and died in 1895. He was a well known and respected citizen, and, although not caring for pub- lic office, did at one time accept that of selectman and served efficiently. His wife Sarah, born December 12, 1833, is still living and resides in Nottingham.

Fred Fernald was the youngest of the five children born to his parents. He attended the public schools of Northwood and was graduated from the Seminary in 1895. Then, after two years spent at Bowdoin College, in 1898 he entered Baltimore Medical College, where he was graduated M. D. in 1900. In 1903-4 he took post graduate work at the Johns Hopkins Medical College, Baltimore. He then came to Nottingham and opened an office, and has since remained here, having built up a large practice. He is a member of the County, State and National Medical Societies, and was president of the Rockingham County Medical Society in 1913. For the last sixteen years he has been a member of the local board of health. He is a close student and keeps well abreast of his profession in its various branches. His professional ability and genial manners have made him one of the most popular physi- cians in the county.

Dr. Fernald was married, December 29, 1904, to Elizabeth WV., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph N. Cilley, of Nottingham, and he and his wife are the parents of six children-Elizabeth Cilley, Josephine, Frederick Long- fellow. Mary Louise, Joseph Nealley and John Thompson Fernald. The three eldest are attending the public schools of Nottingham. Mrs. Fernald is a member and was the first regent of the Else Cilley Chapter of Nottingham, D. A. R. Dr. Fernald is a republican in politics and he and his wife and family affiliate with the Universalist church.

JOHN E. WEBSTER, who is serving his thirteenth year as tax col- lector of Derry, N. H., has been a life long resident of this community where" he has an extended acquaintance. He was born in Derry, in 1846, and is a son of James Webster. The latter came to Derry as early as 1815, and fol- lowed farming for many years.

John E. Webster received a common school education, and was a young man when in 1864 he entered the Northern Army, as a member of the First New Hampshire Cavalry. He served during six months of the Civil War, after which he received honorable discharge and returned home. He then took up farming operations, which he has always followed with much suc-

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cess, making rather a specialty of dairying. He has been active politically, being an ardent republican and at times has been called into public service. He has always served his constituents faithfully and well and is highly re- garded by his fellowmen as a whole, irrespective of party affiliation. In 1887 he represented Derry in the legislature and for three years served on the board of selectmen. He was a delegate to the last constitutional convention, and frequently has been a delegate of his party to the county, state and con- gressional conventions. He was again elected representative representing Town of Derry in State Legislature in fall of 1914.

In 1876 Mr. Webster was united in marriage with Miss Cornelia Case of Reading, Mass., and they have three children: James S .; Edward C. of South Framingham; and Nellie E., a teacher in the public schools in Derry. Mr. Webster is a member of the Masonic Order, Knights of Pythias, and Wesley B. Knight Post, G. A. R., of Derry, of which he is quartermaster and post commander. He has also been a member of the Westfield Grange, No. 37, for the past 40 years, having been one of the charter members, of whom he and Mr. and Mrs. Horace A. Hill are the only survivors.

JOAS JETTE, proprietor of the Star Laundry, a prosperous business concern of Exeter, has had many years of experience in this line and largely controls the laundry output in this city. He was born in Canada, July 19, 1860, and is a son of Joseph and Mary (Messe) Jette, and a grandson of Joseph Jette. Both parents passed their entire lives in Canada, where the father was a farmer, and both were devout members of the Catholic church. They had the following children: Joseph, Alexander, Euphrasia (wife of Louis Mathieu), Louis, August, John, Philias, Dosithe, Joas and Antoine.

Joas Jette attended school in Canada in boyhood but in his neighborhood only French was spoken and, when, at the age of twenty-three years he came to the United States, he had to learn the English tongue. He secured employ- ment in the American Screw Factory at Providence, R. I., where he worked for two years. and then came to Rockingham County and followed farming for eight years and then went into the laundry business, working for A. C. Wingate for three years before embarking in the same line for himself. He attributes his success to industry and perseverance, a thorough knowledge of the business and a settled policy to turn out only the best kind of work. The Star Laundry is equipped with modern laundry machinery and eighteen hands are employed. In addition to owning this plant Mr. Jette has a comfortable residence which stands on the corner of Hall Place and Pleasant Street, Exeter.

In 1879 Mr. Jette was married to Miss Jessie Proulx, who was born in Canada and is a daughter of Louis and Orelia (Landry) Proulx. The brothers and sisters of Mrs. Jette are: Eugene, Threffe, Emil, Philip, Mineglle, Octavia, Rose and Mary Louise. Mr. and Mrs. Jette have one daughter, Elma, who married Vertune Duffault and they have eight children : Zenobia, who is the wife of Emil Denoncourt, Irene, Blanche, Jessie, Edward and Louise, twins, Carvel and William. The family belongs to the Catholic church. He votes with the republican party and maintains fraternal relations with the Catholic Order of Foresters, The Red Men, the Foresters of America and the Canada-America Association at Manchester. Mr. Jette is a much respected citizen and during his eighteen years of business under his own name has brought much credit on the same.

JOAS JETTE

DAVID W. WHITTIER

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DAVID WOODBURY WHITTIER, proprietor of a well stocked and up-to-date dry goods and furnishing store at Raymond, N. H., was born in Deerfield, N. H., July 4, 1864. His father was Aaron George Whittier, born at Deerfield Feb. 10, 1835, whose father, Josiah Whittier, was a native of Candia, the mother of Aaron G., Hannah Heath, being a daughter of Asa Heath, of East Candia. Aaron's grandfather, Daniel Whittier, was a rev- olutionary soldier, while his son Josiah fought in the War of 1812, taking part in the battle of Plattsburg. Aaron G. Whittier, father of our subject, was educated in the academies at Tilton and New London. He was a pros- perous and substantial citizen and took an active part in politics, being a strong democrat, and was elected representative to the New Hampshire Leg- islature from Raymond, being a member of the Legislature in 1881. His death occurred Nov. 6, 1900. He married, Oct. 28, 1855, Amanda Melvina Lang, the daughter of David and Sally (Sanborn) Lang, and who was born in Candia, May 23, 1837, and died June 8, 1905. They had five children : one who died in infancy Feb. 9, 1860; Eddy, who died June 5, 1861 ; Byron S., who died July 9, 1862; David Woodbury, subject of this sketch; and Aaron Byron, born Apr. 10, 1876, who married Mary L. Heath, April 15, 1912. David W. and Aaron Byron are the only ones now living.

David W. Whittier was educated in the schools of Raymond, being a member of the Burnham class. When seventeen years of age he began work- ing in the wood and lumber yard for his father in Manchester, N. H., and was thus occupied until 1884, in which year under President Cleveland's ad- ministration Aaron G. Whittier was appointed postmaster of Raymond, David being made chief clerk and deputy. When the government passed into repub- lican hands David entered the employ of the F. M. Hoyt Shoe Company of Raymond and worked for them three years .. He then went to Manchester and for three years was clerk for Weston and Hill in a dry goods store there. In April, 1894, he opened his present store in Raymond for the sale of cloth- ing and furnishings and has since been a leading merchant in the town, doing a prosperous business. Mr. Whittier is a Free Mason and Odd Fellow, being a charter member of Tucker Lodge, No. 99, A. F. & A. M., of which he was the first secretary and is now serving in that office. He has held the office of Grand Patriarch of New Hampshire in the latter order (Odd Fellows), which is the highest in the gift of the Encampment branch of the order, and later he served as grand representative to the Sovereign Grand Lodge, I. O. O. F., at St. Paul, Minn., in 1908, and also at Denver, Colorado, in 1909. He is also a member of the Grange, State and National; of Canton Ridgely, No. 2, Patriarchs Militant, I. O. O. F., of Manchester, and Department Council of New Hampshire, Patriarchs Militant I. O. O. F. In politics he is a democrat. At the 150th anniversary of the town of Raymond, which was celebrated July 4, 1914, Mr. Whittier took part in the grand parade, riding in the same chaise that Dr. Gould rode in fifty years before, from Raymond to Deerfield, to the home of Aaron G. Whittier when David W. Whittier was born, said Gould returning in time to take part in the anniversary exercises and report- ing the birth of the new boy. This was when the rooth anniversary was celebrated, on July 4, 1864.

On March 21, 1893, Mr. Whittier was married by Rev. J. D. LeGro, of Raymond, at Manchester, N. H., to Flora Lizzie, daughter of Amos Ingalls and Olive Gile (Severence) Pollard, of Manchester, N. H. They have no children. Mrs. Whittier is a past president in the Rebekah Assembly, I. O. O. F., of New Hampshire, and also belongs to the Eastern Star. She attends the Episcopal church.

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WILLIAM BURLINGAME, one of the leading business men of Exeter, N. H., president of the Exeter Co-operative Bank since its organization in 1892, and interested in other important enterprises, was born in Rhode Island in 1838. His parents were James and Lucy B. (Dana) Burlingame. The father, a native of Connecticut, was a minister in the Christian church, being for over fifty years pastor of the church of that denomination at Coventry, R. I., of which state his wife Lucy was a native. Their children were: Sophia, Lydia, Emily, James P., Ann Eliza, John K., Lucy, William and Mary.

William Burlingame, after beginning his education in the common schools, continued it at Greenwich Seminary, Rhode Island and at Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio, subsequently taking a commercial course. He learned the trade of carpenter and builder, also that of machinist, and then, in 1864, came to New Hampshire to take charge of building the "Brayton" engines and boilers for the Swampscot Machine Company at South New Market, N. H. When he had completed his work there he came to Exeter and had charge of a plant here until 1867. He then constructed new buildings for the Exeter Machine Works, of which concern he was the organizer, having a large interest therein. He remained connected with this company until 1909, at which time, after a long and prosperous career, he sold out his interest and has since lived a retired life, except for his connection with the bank above mentioned, and the performance of his duties as a director in the Exeter Gas Company and as a member of the board of trustees of Robinson Female Seminary, which position he has held for thirty years, being, since about 1898, president of the board. He is a republican in politics, has served at times in local offices, including those of supervisor and member of the police com- mission, and was representative to the legislature in 1877-78. He belongs to Star of the East Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and also to the Chapter at Exeter.

Mr. Burlingame was married in 1861 to Miss Josephine Shaw, of Provi- dence, R. I., who died in 1864, leaving no children. He then married for his second wife, Amy Carter, of Exeter, N. H., who died in 1875, the issue of this marriage being two children: William B., who is a teacher in Porto Rico, and James C., a contractor. In August, 1877, Mr. Burlingame was married to Harriet Grace Boyd, daughter of Colville Boyd of Providence, R. I. They are the parents of four children, namely: Harold D., who is in the employ of the Standard Steel Car Works at Butler, Pa .; Amy, a graduate of Vassar College, 1906, wife of William J. E. Sander, an attorney of Boston, Mass .; Robert A., who graduated from Lehigh University in 1908 and is chief engineer for the Canadian Steel Foundry Company, and Ella, who graduated from Simmons College, 1910, and is the wife of Henry Lewis of Portland, Me., a member of the banking firm of C. H. Gilman & Co. The family attend the Congregational church.

AVERY M. FOSTER, M. D., was born in Gray, Me., April II, 1851, a son of Moses B. and Eliza A. (Benson) Foster. His immigrant ancestors came to this country from England at an early day, settling first in Massa- chusetts, and later going to Maine. Moses B. Foster, the doctor's father, was born at Gray, Me., in 1812 and died in 1886. His wife Eliza, a native of the same place, was born in 1816 and passed away in 1892, at the age of about seventy-six years. They were the parents of eight children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the seventh in order of birth.

Avery M. Foster began his education in the village school, and subse-

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quently attended Nichols Latin School at Lewiston, Me., for two years. In 1872 he entered the State Medical College at Brunswick, Me., from which he was graduated June 8, 1875, with the degree of M. D., taking first honors in his class. He began the practice of his profession at Lincolnville, where he remained, however, only about a year and a half, at the end of that time removing to Belmont, where he stayed six years. He then spent three years in Abbott, from which place he removed to Lewiston, where he remained two years. From Lewiston, in July, 1887, he came to Candia, where he has since remained, during a period of twenty-seven years, in which time he has built up a large practice, having not only Candia, but many of the surrounding towns and country districts to supply. He has served as a member of the board of health for over twenty-five years. and belongs to the Rockingham County Medical Society and the State Medical Association.

Dr. Foster was first married, December 25, 1876, to Mary A. Drinkwater, of Lincolnville, Me. Of this union was born a daughter, Myra Isabel, who was educated in the public schools, at Pinkerton Academy, and at Smith Col- lege. She is unmarried. Mrs. Mary A. Foster died January 5, 1892, and on April 29th, 1896, Dr. Foster married for his second wife, Miss Susie A. Cate, a daughter of John P. Cate, a prominent farmer of Candia. Of the doctor's second marriage there are no children. Mrs. Foster, on the maternal side, is a descendant of the Meads, who were among the pioneer settlers of Connecticut and Vermont. Dr. Foster belongs to the Masonic order, being past master of his lodge; also to the Odd Fellows, and the Rebekahs, a branch of the Odd Fellows, to which Mrs. Foster also belongs, being past matron, and to the Grange. He is a democrat in politics and is affiliated with the Congregational church. He is well known and highly respected in this part of the county as a useful and public spirited citizen.

JOHN E. RAY, chairman of the Board of Selectmen of the town of Londonderry, where he has resided for the last twenty years, was born in Auburn. Rockingham County, N. H., in 1874, a son of James and Sarah (Leavitt) Ray. His father, now deceased, was a brick and stone mason by trade and was an old resident of this county.

John E. Ray was reared and educated in Manchester, N. H., where he worked for some time in a shoe factory. Later he followed the same occu- pation in Londonderry for a time, after which he engaged in the meat and provision business, and still later in the cattle business, doing a wholesale trade in the latter. In 1913 he sold out his meat and cattle business and entered the employ of the Annis Grain & Lumber Company, with whom he has since remained. He owns considerable real estate in Londonderry and is regarded as one of the substantial and reliable citizens of the town. He is now serving in his fifth year as chairman of the board of selectmen and has shown efficiency in handling town affairs. Mr. Ray was married in July, 1894. to Miss Anna M. Stone, of Londonderry, a daughter of James G. and Elizabeth R. (Hicks) Stone. They have three children-J. Harold, Mildred E. and George C. The family are affiliated with the Baptist church.

ARTHUR H. WILCOMB, a successful business man of Chester, N. H., of which place he is also postmaster, was born in this town December 31, 1866, a son of Charles S. and Harriet A. (Symonds) Wilcomb. On the paternal side he is a grandson of Ebenezer, and a great grandson of Aaron Wilcomb, who was born in Ipswich, Mass. Aaron Wilcomb seems to have

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migrated to Chester, as his son Ebenezer was born here about 1797. At the age of seventeen years Ebenezer Wilcomb enlisted in Capt. Samuel Aikens' (Jr.) company, for the defense of Portsmouth. He served sixty days, his brother James being corporal in the same company.

Charles S. Wilcomb, father of the subject of this review, was born in Chester in 1822, and died in 1905 at the advanced age of eighty-three years. He was one of Chester's prominent citizens. In early life he worked two years in a drug store in New York, and he also spent six years at sea and in the West Indies, where he was overseer of a sugar plantation, but aside from that, his life was spent in Chester, where as farmer and cooper, also mer- chant, he had a successful career. At different times he served in all the town offices, and was also elected and served as representative in the legisla- ture. For a number of years he was engaged in the cooperage business. He married Harriett A. Symonds, and they reared a family, of whom four chil- dren are now living, as follows: Charles A., a resident of Los Angeles, Cal .; Mary E., wife of Julius F. Washburn, of Putney, Vt .; Arthur H., whose name appears at the head of this sketch; and Chester J., who is pro- fessor of languages in Riverside Polytechnic Institute, at Riverside, Cali- fornia.

Arthur H. Wilcomb was educated in Chester Academy and at Phillips Exeter Academy. After completing his studies he spent two years in Spring- field, where he conducted a school of telegraphy. He then returned to Ches- ter and became assistant to his father in the latter's store. Since the father's death in 1905 he has continued the business himself very successfully. For some time also he was engaged in the evaporated fruit business, until his plant was destroyed by fire in 1902. He has various other business interests, being a trustee of Derry Savings Bank, manager and treasurer of the Chester & Derry Telephone Company, and director, clerk and auditor of the Chester & Derry Railroad Company, for which he obtained a charter while a member of the legislature. For twenty-one years Mr. Wilcomb served as postmaster of Chester, and he was recently re-appointed to the office. From 1902 to 1914 he was town treasurer, resigning that position on being appointed post- master. He was also tax collector for ten years. He has served as president of the Rockingham County Republican Club, and has been delegate to many political conventions. In 1895 he was elected to the legislature, being re- elected two years later. For many years he has been a justice of the peace and notary public. A member of the Congregational church, he has taken a useful and active part in its work, and is a trustee of the ministerial fund. His society affiliations are with Chester Grange, No. 169, P. of H., in which he has filled a number of offices; St. Marks Lodge, No. 44, A. F. & A. M., of Derry, N. H. ; Bell Chapter, R. A. M., No. 25; Mt. Nebo Council, No. 15, R. A. S. M .; and the Eastern Star.

Mr. Wilcomb was married October 15, 1888, to Sarah M. Bachelder, a daughter of David L. and Sarah (Waterman) Bachelder. Her father was a prominent citizen of Chester, N. H., serving as postmaster and as repre- sentative to the legislature. Mrs. Wilcomb was educated in this town, where she and her husband are popular members of society.

JOHN B. PAHLS, a substantial business man and well known citizen of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is proprietor of The Model Bakery, which commands an extensive patronage throughout the city. Mr. Pahls was born in Germany, October 28, 1866, and is a son of George and Angeline ( Hack-

JOHN B. PAHLS

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man) Pahls, both of whom died at Cincinnati, Ohio. The father was a cer- penter by trade. The children of the family are four in number: Henry ; William; John B., whose name heads this sketch; and Angeline, who is a sister in the convent at Oldenburg, Indiana.

John B. Pahls attended school in Germany and there at an early age learned the trade of carpenter, which he followed until he was seventeen years of age, when he accompanied his family to the United States. They located at Cincinnati, Ohio, where John learned the baking business. He was a lad of ambition and was not content to work for others. In time he established a bakery of his own in that city, and conducted it for thirteen years. In 1904, he removed to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where he has lived continuously since. The Model Bakery, of which he is proprietor is all that its name would imply. It is a model of neatness and its equipment the most modern known to the trade. Two ovens are used and the daily output totals some 2,000 loaves of bread, 150 pies, and a large assortment of cakes and cookies. Five men are employed, and a wagon makes the rounds of the streets of Portsmouth. Mr. Pahls is the owner of a fine brick business block at the corner of Daniel and Penhallow Streets, and also is owner of a fine residence in Portsmouth.

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History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and representative citizens, Part 124

Author: Hazlett, Charles A Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold Number of Pages: 1390

Author: Hazlett, Charles A
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold
Number of Pages: 1390