History of Rockingham and Strafford counties, New Hampshire : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 202

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis
Number of Pages: 1714


USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > History of Rockingham and Strafford counties, New Hampshire : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 202
USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > History of Rockingham and Strafford counties, New Hampshire : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 202


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Mr. Sawyer has served in both branches of the Dover city government, was a member of the New Hampshire Legislature in 1869 and 1870, and again in 1876 and 1877, serving on the committees on rail- roads, incorporations, judiciary, national affairs, and as chairman of the committee on manufactures. In 1881 he was appointed by Governor Bell a member of his military staff, with rank of colonel. Mr. Sawyer is now acting as director of the Strafford National Bank and the Portsmouth and Dover Railroad, and trustee of the Strafford Savings-Bank. He is a mem- ber of the Masonic order, taking a personal interest


in all that concerns its prosperity. In 1867 he became ' cal judgment and remarkable energy of character ; a member of the Strafford Lodge, and was Master in 1872 and 1873. He is a member of the St. Paul Com- mandery of Knights Templar, of which he has just been elected Eminent Commander for the fourth time.


Mr. Sawyer, in 1865, was married to Susan Ellen Cowan, danghter of Dr. James W. and Elizabeth Cowan.


Mr. Sawyer is not only a man of affairs, taking a deep personal interest in the various movements of politics, finance, and industrial life, but he is a man of large reading, and is well acquainted with the best books and thoughts of the times. His judgments of men and measures are singularly free from partiality and prejudice. His conclusions are deliberately


formed, and based upon a broad comprehension of all the related facts. His sense of justice is strong, his intellectual qualities are admirably balanced. He never is otherwise than perfectly poised. With all this, he has the warmest heart, the quickest sympa- thies, great kindness of manner, and utmost geniality of spirit. In the reserve of his nature he withholds himself from all impetuous demonstrations, but when the occasion demands, his influence, his advice, his friendship are put forth with commanding effect. Nature made him on a large scale, and books and ex- perience and increasing converse with the best phases of social life are developing him into rare strength and symmetry of character.


ANDREW PEIRCE.


Andrew Peirce was born in Dover, N. H., July 31, 1814. (He was formerly called Andrew Peirce 3d.)


His paternal grandfather was born in Dover in 1761, and early in life moved to Gloucester, Mass., where he purchased lands in 1792, and in 1806 sold them and removed with his family back to Dover. He was a descendant in the sixth generation of "John Pers," of Norwich, Norfolk County, England, who emigrated to this country in 1637, and settled in Watertown, Mass.


His father was born in Gloucester in 1792, but after 1806 was a resident of Dover during the remainder of his life. He was engaged in navigation at a time when Dover was quite a distributing-point for the in- terior country. In about the year 1825 he built two schooners of about sixty-five tons each to run between Dover and Boston, one named "Dover Packet," and the other " Boston Packet." He commanded one and his brother-in-law, James Wentworth, the other. These schooners were built on his grounds near his house, located on Dover turnpike, and were hauled on trucks built for that purpose to Dover Landing and launched into the river. He was also interested in constructing the steam-mill at Dover; an owner in it, and one of its managers.


Ile was elected State senator, and held other offices of trust and honor ; he was a man of sound practi- he pursued what he deemed to be right with firmness and perseverance, and was respected and honored by all who knew him. Ilis moral character was beyond reproach; his benevolence to those in distress was not exceeded by any one of the same means.


His mother was Betsey Wentworth, born in 1791. Her paternal grandfather was Col. Jonathan Went- worth, an officer in the Revolutionary war; he was captain in Col. Poor's regiment, and also under Washington ; he was major under Col. Thomas Bart- lett, and brigade-major under Col. Stephen Evans; he was a member of the New Hampshire Legislature for three years, and colonel of the Second New Hampshire Regiment in 1789; he was a descendant


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HISTORY OF STRAFFORD COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.


in the fourth generation of Elder William Wentworth, who probably came to this country with or about the time of Rev. John Wheelwright from near Alford, England; he was one of the signers of thirty-five persons to a combination for government at Exeter, N. H., July 4, 1637; the original document is pre- served among the records of Exeter. Ile removed to Dover in 1650, and lived at or near there, save on temporary absence, during his life. The office by which he was best known was that of ruling elder, which he held for forty years.


" His mother was endowed largely by nature with the varied gifts which combine the excellences of the character of woman. She moved in the circle of home, in the neighborhood, and through the range of her ac- quaintance in a mission of sympathy and benevolence which was never weary in well-doing."


At the age of twelve the subject of this sketch was employed as elerk in the store of Mr. Ira Christie in his native town, where he remained about two years, and then left to attend the Strafford Academy. Soon after he entered the store of Robert II. Palmer as clerk, on a salary at the rate of one hundred dollars per year, where he remained about six months, and then again entered the academy, and employed his leisure hours in collecting his father's freight-bills. His tastes and capacity for business developed and continued to increase, and soon he began to feel very desirous of engaging in business himself. When he was sixteen years of age he went with his father to Boston in one of his vessels, where he purchased a small stock of goods on four months' credit, his father being held responsible for the payment.


He commenced business April 22, 1834, in Dover, in what was then known as the White Building. He remained in that place about two years, when he needed more room, as the increase of business de- manded ; then he moved to one of the Watson stores on Dover Landing.


He was very successful, and before the age of twenty had a credit second to none in the State. He had quite a large wholesale, as well as retail, trade, which extended to the northern part of New Hampshire and Vermont and along the western border of Maine.


lle was married to Rebecea W. Dunnaway, of Gloucester, Mass., April 11, 1834. Up to and about this time, though the business had been transacted in the name of his father, he had the sole control ; he took account of stock in his twentieth year, deter- mined the profits from the commencement of the business, and gave his father one-half; then he started in his own name, adding a greater variety to the stock to meet the demands of country trade.


In about 1837 he felt the necessity of still more room, and Mr. Enoch H. Nutter united with him in building a brick store on Dover Landing opposite the Watson store, into which he moved about the year 1838, when his father became associated with him for about two years, and then withdrew, and his brother


Thomas was received as a partner, and continued for about two years, when he received his share of the profits and went to Boston to engage in business for himself. His father then resumed his connection with him.


Beside the above-named partners, Mr. Peiree had at different times Thomas L. Smith, Thomas Stack- pole, and his brother George, all of whom were paid their proportion of the profits when they ceased their connection with him. No real capital was placed in the business by any of the partners, except that which was made while with him.


He was also interested with his father in shipping during his business career in Dover. They sent ves- sels to Thomaston, Me., to New York, Philadelphia, and to some Southern ports. They might be called pioneers in the Texas trade, as they had vessels which plied between New York and Texas ports before the annexation of that State. They sent a vessel draw- ing a light draught of water, which was said to be the first sailing craft that ever entered Houston Harbor to lighter cotton and merchandise between Houston and Galveston.


They engaged the ship-builder, Mr. John Savill, to build the schooner "Charles Henry," named for Mr. Peirce's son.


They also built at Philadelphia a small centre- board brig of one hundred and thirty-five tons, named " Ellen and Clara," for his two daughters. This brig was under charter to the government during the Mexican war, and was wrecked near Vera Cruz during a severe gale of wind; he was also interested in the steam-mill at Dover; he bought, repaired, and en- larged the Rogers wharf and buildings on Cochecho River, which were used for the landing and storage of their goods ; he also built several houses, remod- eled and enlarged the Bridge House, which he bought of the Cocheco Manufacturing Company, in which he was living at the time he went to Boston.


Mr. Peirce's extensive business brought him in contact with most of the leading business men of Strafford County, and indeed throughout the State, and his reputation for integrity, his independent and self-reliant character, his truthfulness and candor, never thinking or caring what any one thought or said of him, conscious he was doing what he felt to be right, gave him an influence in his party which few had.


He was a Democrat; though active, he never had any desire to hold any political office, as his life was too full of busy cares to permit him to enter the po- litical arena. There was hardly a Strafford County or State Democratic Convention held in New Hamp- shire which, while he was there, he did not attend. He was once elected delegate to and attended the Democratic National Convention held in Baltimore.


In 1845, Mr. Peirce put forth his energies to organ- ize the Dover Bank under the individual liability act, which was to take the place of the old Dover Bank,


865


DOVER.


whose charter was about to expire. With earnest had several thousand bales of cotton on hand in Boston and Liverpool, which they sold within a few months after the war began. After this, though they retained their offices, they had little or no business, except to manage their vessels, dealing in merchan- efforts to accomplish this he succeeded. His father and himself subscribed about one-fifth of the capital stock. A few years later, feeling the necessity for increased banking facilities, he procured & charter and organized the Langdon Bank, subscribing to its | dise of different kinds to employ a portion of their stock, and was elected president of it. In connection time. with the Langdon Bank he also organized a Five- Cent Savings-Bank. He was the leading manager of these banks during his residence in Dover, and for some years after going to Boston.


Mr. Peirce was one of the large stockholders of the Cochecho Railroad Company, and also one of the active managers in the construction of the road. During its financial embarrassment he aided the company by indorsing their notes to a large amount.


After the road was completed and open for business he had entire charge of the operating department for several years. He took an active part in leasing the road to the Boston and Maine Railroad Company. He was a stockholder and one of the promoters of the steamer "Dover," which was run on Winnipisieogee Lake, in connection with the Cochecho Railroad.


He went to Boston Jan. 1, 1852, and connected himself with the firm of Peirce & Bacon, the mem- bers of which were his brother, Thomas W. Peirce, and George Bacon ; they were large wholesale grocers, and in connection with that business received Sonth- ern produce on commission, consisting of cotton, sugar, hides, etc. Very soon the Southern business had increased so much that they decided to discon- tinue the grocery business, and confine themselves entirely to the commission business, which was prin- cipally with Texas, though they had extensive rela- tions with other parts of the South ; probably their receipts of cotton, etc., were not exceeded by any Northern house.


They purchased and built eleven or twelve brigs and harks, which ran between Boston and Galveston, and at times chartered many others. They were also large owners in two large ships, which sailed to foreign ports.


They were early identified with the internal im- provements of Texas, and subscribed to its first rail- way, furnishing the iron therefor.


In about 1854 they commenced to export largely of cotton to Liverpool, both from Boston and directly from Galveston. This they continued to do until 1861, the commencement of the war, when their business was entirely suspended in consequence of the war, and all the vessels hitherto going South had to be laid up at the wharves in Boston.


They lost a very large amount of the debts due them at the South, but these losses were not enough to embarrass them in their financial affairs. One of their vessels was seized and sunk in Galveston Harbor.


Business was generally so paralyzed that most of their vessels remained at the wharves a year or more before there was any demand for their use. They


After the close of the war they resumed business again with Texas, and continued about a year, when they dissolved partnership, and Mr. George Bacon removed to New York, and started a similar business there.


At one time he was elected, without being con- sulted, as a reform director of the Boston and Maine Railroad, and introduced many of the reforms that were carried into effect that year in reducing the operating expenses of the road.


Just before the next election of the stockholders of the company a committee of the largest stockholders -as follows : Hon. William Appleton and William Sturgis, of Boston, John Aiken, of Andover, and one of the former presidents-invited him to take the presidency of the road, but his business would not permit him to do it. In 1857 he purchased a house on the corner of Beacon and Mount Vernon Streets, where he resided for about ten years.


On June 6, 1861, he was married, the second time, to Mary Francis Gilman, of Nashua, N. H.


Ile was very active in procuring the charter of the Dover and Portsmouth Railroad, enconntering great opposition from the railroad interests of that part of the State; and being opposed by the Governor, he spent the whole time during the session of the Legis- lature in Concord. When the bill was passed by both houses, the victory was considered a remarkable success.


At the earnest solicitation of many of his friends he left Boston in 1868, and went to Missouri to take charge of the construction and operating department of the South Pacific and Atlantic and Pacific Rail- roads.


Ile was a large stockholder in these roads, and was elected a director, and chosen by the directors general manager of the property in Missouri. At this time eighty-nine miles of the road had been built and were in operation from Pacific City, Mo., westward to the town of Arlington, situated on the Gasconade River. From this point to Vinita, Indian Territory, a distance of about two hundred and forty-two miles, the road was constructed and fully equipped nnder his direc- tion and supervision.


Their trains went into St. Louis over the Missouri Pacific Railroad from Pacific City, a distance of thirty- seven miles. He saw the necessity of his roads con- trolling this road, and in 1870 or 1871 he arranged for himself and his friends to purchase a majority of its stock that they might control its management,


At about this time the Atlantic and Pacific Rail- I road Company arranged for the purchase and consoli-


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HISTORY OF STRAFFORD COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.


dation of the South Pacific Railroad with the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad, after which the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad leased the Missouri Pacific Railroad for ninety-nine years. This gave Mr. Peirce about nine hundred miles of railroad in Missouri and Kansas under his entire control.


Upon the completion of the construction and equipment of the Atlantic and Pacific and the South Pacific Roads, it was found that in consequence of the low price at which the bonds of the road had been sold by its early financial manager there was left upon the company a large floating debt. This debt was largely increased by the floating debt of the Mis- souri Pacific Railroad, which made a large sum to carry as a floating debt. In 1872 the financial affairs of the company were so difficult to manage, the directors desired him to take the presidency of the company, and also to continue to act as the general manager. He removed to New York, in order to manage the financial affairs of the company, and also retained his offices in St. Louis. After he moved to New York, in 1872, the condition of the finances of the country made it impossible to sell bonds to reduce the floating debt of the company, consequently he found it a difficult and laborious task to carry it, but succeeded in doing so by his personal indorsements of the notes of the company until about the 1st of November, 1875.


The unprecedented panic of 1873 increased his difficulties in carrying the large debt, but yet he was able to continue doing so till the fall of 1875. That year was the great grasshopper year in Missouri and Kansas. The terrible destruction of the crops in these States in consequence caused a reduction in the receipts of the road of about eight hundred thousand dollars. After this he was compelled to surrender, and the roads were placed in the hands of receivers about Nov. 1, 1875. They owed a floating debt of about two million five hundred thousand dollars, on which he was indorser for over one million five hun- dred thousand dollars.


Notwithstanding all kinds of opposition, the court early in September, 1876, ordered the sale of roads to take place early in the following November, mak- ing about a year that the roads were in the hands of the court. During this time a large majority of the floating liabilities were paid, and those which had not been paid at that time were paid soon after the roads were reorganized. Mr. Peirce was continued as president and general manager of the roads while they were in the hands of the receiver. His indorse- ments for this company from 1872 to 1875 amonnted to over ten million dollars. While the previous finan- cial manager paid from ten to thirteen and eighteen per cent. to carry their loans, he paid from seven to ten per cent., and not over eight per cent on an average per annum, thus saving vast sums of money. He had also been president of the Beaver Branch Railroad.


After the roads were sold, the Missonri Pacific was reorganized under its old name, and Commodore C. K. Garrison was made its president. He was an owner of one-half of its stock or more.


The Atlantic and Pacific was reorganized under the name of the St. Louis and San Francisco Railway Company. Mr. Peirce was elected its president and general manager, and conceived its plan of reor- | ganization, in which it was provided that every old stockholder of the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad should, upon surrendering his certificate of stock to the new company, receive the same number of shares of the stock of that company that were holden in the old company. This was considered quite a novel plan of reorganization of a railroad, as the custom has been for the bondholders to take possession of -- the property, the stockholders losing their stock. Mr. Peirce encountered much opposition in carrying out this point, but was determined and nnyielding, and thus succeeded in doing so.


During his connection with the road it was surveyed and located from Vinita, the present terminal point, to San Francisco, and would have been constructed but for the unprecedented financial condition of the country from 1872 to 1877, which made it impossible to sell large amounts of railroad bonds, which in this case was necessary for the construction of the road.


An association of gentlemen organized a town on the line of the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad, three | hundred miles west of St. Louis, and gave it the name of Peirce City. It is one of the most flour- ishing of the towns in Southwest Missouri. It very early had a large brick school-house, which cost nearly twenty thousand dollars; and there is a col- lege called " Peirce City Baptist College," to which Mr. Peirce has extended a helping hand.


While connected with the road it was Mr. Peirce's policy to encourage building school-houses and churches, and in all cases lands of the company were donated for them, and building material transported free or at a mere nominal price. Quite a large dona- tion of valuable land was made to the college at Springfield, Mo., which institution is now a large and prosperous one.


Mr. Peirce is a stock and bondholder in his brother's road in Texas, the Galveston, Houston and San An- tonio, and was one of the directors for several years.


He has been able to meet every financial liability and fulfill all his obligations in the severe crises through which the country has passed, from the one in 1837 to the present time.


He was potent and deliberate in maturing and de- veloping his plans, which were always independently conceived, but vigorous and active in their execution ; with a natural bent for the management of great en- terprises, he was never neglectful of the smallest de- tails.


His charities have been unostentatious but well directed, not always flowing in the regular channels,


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DOVER.


but very many can testify to the aid and encourage- ment given to young men who have found him an invaluable friend, and the unasked-for assistance given through all his life to the sick, suffering, and unfortunate, and to his responses to public calls for relief and aid to benevolent institutions.


In locating the Atlantic and Pacific Road, and during its construction, he rode on horseback and walked over every foot of the line from Gasconade River to Vinita, I. T., many times. The country was sparsely settled, and most of its inhabitants lived in log cabins containing but one room, conse- quently his resting-places were in these cabins, where he almost always met with hospitality.


Mr. Peirce retained his office as president and gen- eral manager of the St. Louis and San Francisco Road until the autumn of 1877, when, feeling symp- toms of failing health, and the necessity of seeking the quiet pleasures of a private life, he resigned his office, for the strain of several of the preceding years, added to the unremitting and diligent attention to business for about fifty years, had been very great.


He went to Clifton Springs, N. Y., where he had previously taken his family on account of his wife's ill health. There he found the quiet, regular life restful and pleasant. The relief from business cares was unspeakable. He enjoyed the country air and scenes and the fine drives in this section of beautiful country.


With the excellent advice and patient persever- ance in the well-directed treatment of Dr. Foster he has recovered his health, and feels deep and heart- felt gratitude to him and the institution which has been such a blessing to himself and his wife.


Seeing the doctor in his daily ministrations, he has admired his truly noble and unselfish character, and his life consecrated wholly to a grand work for suf- fering humanity.


Very lucrative positions have been offered Mr. ; mittee, to whom are committed such important trusts, Peirce, but he has not felt disposed to enter again upon the cares and turmoils of business life, as he has no desire to accumulate large sums of money, but rather to spend the remaining years in the en- joyment of the fruits of his labors.


A friend, in speaking of Mr. Peirce and the Sani- tarium, says,-


"Perhaps the severest test of strength and equa- nimity of character in the life of a business man comes at the point of retirement from active partici- pation in those schemes and enterprises which have for years absorbed him. This point of Mr. Peirce's history gives the final proof that his early plans were so wisely laid as to cover his whole life, making provision for useful activity in later years. With him the westering sun of a long, well-employed working-day finds him without misanthropy or dis- content, never happier in his life, with fullness of strength, busily occupied in the most beautiful work . lowliest and highest alike, are all his munificent of his life.


"Dr. Henry Foster is, like himself, of New England stock, beginning life with no capital but an inherit- ance of honesty, probity, and faithfulness, and has, with God's blessing upon years of patient, enduring, unselfish toil, achieved eminence not often attained in the medical profession.


" The doctor had reached the point in his life when the plans of years were taking their final shape, when the Sanitarium which he had founded, having grown from simple beginnings to represent invested capital of three hundred and fifty thousand dollars, with a medical staff of six physicians, with full com- plement of nurses and employés, embracing in its re- sources for healing almost all that is known to med- ical science, with its grand records of the past, its present prosperity was to be transferred by him to the care of trustees, that after his lifetime and in all the future the institution might remain a permanent blessing to suffering humanity. Just at this crisis a beneficent Providence orders the way of Mr. Peirce to Clifton Springs.




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