USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > History of Strafford County, New Hampshire and representative citizens > Part 47
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carried through the campaign of meeting house construction, financial and otherwise, resigned in May, 1858. His successor was the Rev. Daniel Poor Cilley, a grandson of Gen. Joseph Cilley of Nottingham, a speaker and pastor of unusual merit who put the church and society into high standing among the churches of the Free Will Baptist denomination. Mr. Cilly served nearly three and a half years, when he resigned to accept the appointment of chap- lain of the Eighth New Hampshire Regiment of Volunteer Infantry and soon joined his regiment and left with it for the war. He inherited the martial spirit of his illustrious ancestors and served faithfully with his regiment to the close of the war, going with the men into every engagement the regiment was called upon to participate in.
The Rev. Ezekiel True was Chaplain Cilley's successor, and he served from Nov. 1, 1861, to March 1, 1866, and was very successful in calling out large audiences at the Sunday services. At a meeting held on the 17th of the month the society voted to give their old pastor, Chaplain Cilley, a call to become their pastor again, as he had returned from missionery work in the South and was then a resident of Farmington. He accepted and served about six months, when he was obliged to resign on account of ill health ; his service in the army had broken his bodily powers badly. His successor was Rev. S. N. Tufts, who served until Oct. 1, 1870. Mr. Tufts was succeeded by Rev. George M. Park, who served until Nov. 1, 1874. During Mr. Park's pastorate the meeting house was enlarged, the interior much adorned, and a new bell tower and spire were added. Mr. Parks was a great worker and left the society almost free from debt. He received ninety-two persons to the church-seventy-four by baptism. Mr. Parks' successor was Rev. David H. Adams, who served until Oct. 31, 1878. During his pastorate still further improvements were made by the introduction of a plant for steam heat for the meeting-house and vestry. The Rev. C. A. Bickford succeeded Mr. Adams and served till Oct. 31, 1880. The Rev. David H. Adams, who had been preaching at New- market accepted a call to return to Farmington in 1881, and served several years. Since then the church has prospered under a series of able pastors.
CHAPTER LXIII HISTORY OF FARMINGTON (III)
FARMINGTON'S SHOE MANUFACTURERS
In 1836 Elijah H. Badger came to Farmington and commenced the manufacture of shoes, known at that time as Natick Sale work, that place being then the banner town in the country for the manufacture of this peculiar grade of goods, brogans. He continued in business about one year, when he became financially embarrassed, and left town not to return again. About this time Martin L. Hayes commenced in a small way the manufacture of shoes. He continued increasing his business until he was regarded as the largest manufacturer of shoes in the state, and from the time he commenced business he continued it almost without interruption through life. Mr. Hayes was a native of Farmington, and he always manifested a lively interest in the welfare of his town. To Mr. Hayes more than any one else the town is indebted for the beautiful shade trees in the village. He commenced the example by setting fruit and shade trees on his own grounds; others soon followed his example; the result gave the streets a beautiful and attractive appearance. Mr. Hayes never attempted to monopolize business, but encour- aged other manufacturers to come to Farmington and settle. About 1838 or 1848, George M. Herring started in the shoe business here. He came from Natick, Mass. He was successful in his venture and continued in the business during his life time. He not only manufactured shoes but also took a lively interest in public affairs, both religious and political, and contributed much to advance what he thought beneficial to the community at large. Much credit is due him for the enterprise and energy which characterized him through life. His energy drew attention to this town as a good place for others to locate their shops, and Boston merchants began to invest their capital here in the shoe business. Mr. J. F. Roberts, backed financially by Boston money. was the next to open a shoe shop in the village.
Mr. Roberts was a man much respected both for his energy and honesty. He continued but a short time, for his health failed him, and he, too, was soon numbered among those whose business history was short and honorable.
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Mr. Roberts was succeeded by his two brothers, George E. and Henry L. Roberts, who remained together a few years, when they dissolved, and each continued by himself. Henry L. is still doing business in town, while George E. has for the last eight or ten years been retired. About the same time that Mr. J. F. Roberts commenced manufacturing, Messrs. Alonzo and J. O. Nute commenced and continued together a few years, when J. O. withdrew. Alonzo remained in business, and has been continually engaged since, except a brief period in which he was in the army of the Union. Mr. Nute was one of those enterprising men who may always be found at the front in any enterprise he believes to be for the interests of his town. They were among the largest, if not the largest, manufacturers in town. Among others who were early identified in the business of our town were Luther Wentworth, H. B. Edgerley, and Israel Hays. Mr. Wentworth continued a short time, but failing health compelled him to retire from active business, and disease soon took him from our midst. H. B. Edgerly still continues, and has been continually identified with the business for the past thirty years. Mr. James B. Edgerly, the present very efficient cashier of the Farmington National Bank, was associated with Mr. H. B. Edgerly, for a few years. The name of the firm under which Mr. Edgerly does business at present is, H. B. Edgerly & Son. Mr. Israel Hays is still in the manufacture, and his firm is I. Hays & Son. Mr. William Johnson was one of the early comers to our town to engage in manufacturing. He has since moved to the West, where he is engaged in shoe business, but not manufacturing.
Mr. N. T. Kimball and John L. Platts were also among those who were early identified with the shoe interest here. Mr. Platts removed to Dover, N. H., where he still resides, but he is not now doing shoe business. Mr. Kimball moved to Rochester, N. H., where he continued in business until his decease. Mr. John H. Hurd, later of Dover, N. H., is a native of Farming- ton. Mr. Hurd commenced and continued manufacturing in Farmington for many years, when he moved to Dover, where he continued in business, and the name of his firm was John H. Hurd & Son. The late C. W. Thurston, of Dover, formerly did business in Farmington, and continued here until the great fire of 1875, which consumed his factory, together with a great deal of other property in our town. Mr. E. F. Jones manufactured shoes a number of years in town, at first in company with George A. Jones, who did a nice business, and was actively engaged many years. Mr. Daniel W. Kimball and John M. Berry were the active manufacturers for C. W. Thurston before his factory was destroyed. After that Mr. Kimball engaged in manu- facturing for a Boston house, and did a nice business. Mr. Berry was
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actively engaged in business since he commenced in 1870, and his factory now is one of the largest in town. Mr. Berry was the only manufacturer in town who made long leg, crimped, and treed boots. He manufactured shoes in the winter and boots in the summer. Mr. E. C. Kinnear was one of the largest manufacturers in town for a number of years. He continued here for some ten or twelve years, when he moved to Dover, and continued the manufacture until 1880, when he moved to Rockland, Mass. Mr. A. E. Putnam commenced manufacturing in Farmington in 1878. He manufactured for a Boston house. J. F. Cloutman commenced in 1854, and continued actively engaged in business a half century. He commenced the manufactur- ing of brogans, and continued in that branch of manufacture for nine years. After that time he made a different class of goods, manufacturing women's, misses', and children's light sewed goods, made of grains, glove, kid, calf, goat, and kid, lastings, etc. The value of the product of J. F. Cloutman's factory in some years reached nearly one-half million dollars.
J. F. Cloutman brought the first wax-thread sewing-machine ever used for shoe work in the state into Farmington, about 1855. He was the senior partner of the firm of Cloutman & Bingham, 147 Summer street, Boston. Mass. When manufacturing shoes commenced in Farmington there was no machinery used at all. Soles were cut from the sides of leather by hand, using a straight edge and pattern to mark the size of the sole. The heel lifts were cut out with knife and pattern. The inner soles were pegged on to the last, and made to fit the last by hand and the use of a knife. Upper patterns were made of pine wood generally, and bound with flat zinc about three-eights of an inch wide. The uppers, after being cut, were sent into the country to be closed and made ready for the bottomer. The closing was done on the old-fashioned clamp, and the thread was prepared in the old- fashioned way, putting two or three threads together and waxing with the old-fashioned ball of wax by hand. The bottomer did all of his work by hand, and in fact from the beginning the shoe was made entirely by hand, without the aid of machinery. Today the methods are entirely changed. Machinery is used to cut the soles; it is used to prepare the heels; it is used to mould the soles that they may the better fit the shape of the last; it is used by niany to last the shoe; it is used to tack the outer sole on the shoe after lasting it; it is used in pegging, sewing, or nailing; it is used in leveling the bottom; it is used in putting the heel on; it is used in smoothing or shaving the heel; it is used in trimming the front edge of the shoe; it is used to set or burnish the front edge and heel; it is used to buff or scour the bottom preparatory to finishing it ; and in fitting or stitching the upper it is used from the beginning to the finish. Even the button-holes are worked in silk by
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machinery, and one operator can make from 2,500 to 4,000 button-holes per day. Machinery has made it possible to produce a much nicer boot or shoe, for a much less price, and in many cases one-half the cost, than under the old methods. In 1854 it was considered a fair business for one manufacturer to manufacture ten cases per week, or 600 pairs per week, and twenty cases, 1,200 pairs per week, was considered a great business. Today there are a great many factories that produce from two to three thousand pairs each per day. The manufacturers of this town manufactured in 1881 about fifty thousand cases, or about one million five hundred thousand pairs, the value of which is probably about two million dollars. Farmington has always been the largest shoe manufacturing town in the state, and continues pros- perous in the business. The shoe manufacturers of Farmington probably pay out annually in cash for labor $500,000, and furnish employment for from 1,000 to 1,200 people.
CHAPTER LXIV HISTORY OF FARMINGTON (IV)
FARMINGTON SOLDIERS IN THE CIVIL WAR, VARIOUS TOWN TOPICS
Farmington has always been one of the most patriotic of towns, in peace as well as in war. For the suppression of the southern rebellion it furnished 234 men, in all departments of the service; the following are some of those who held high positions : Louis Bell, captain of Co. A, First Regiment, later promoted to colonel, killed Jan. 15, 1855; Alonzo Nute, quartermaster of the Sixth Regiment; Rev. Daniel Poor Cilley, chaplain of Eighth Regiment ; Albert W. Hayes, second lieutenant, Sixth Regiment, promoted to captain in 1862; Ralph Carlton, captain Co. I, Third Regiment; Henry A. Flint, first lieutenant Co. F, Second Regiment.
Captain Carlton was killed July 17, 1862; the Grand Army Post of Farmington was named in honor of his brave career. A fine soldiers' monu- ment has been erected on one of the most valuable lots in the village, the gift of Mr. James Bartlett Edgerly, a descendant of Col. Thomas Tash and of Col. John Waldron of the Revolution, who is a member of the Carlton post. The Woman's Relief Corps did a large amount of work in raising funds to procure the monument. The noble stature that surmounts the monument was modeled from a brother of Seth Low, who was mayor of New York several years ago. The figure very appropriately faces southward, as Farmington men faced and helped conquer the great rebellion.
As Farmington was simply the Northwest parish of Rochester during the Revolution, the war record of its citizens is given in the history of that town, but in the lesser wars of the nineteenth century were: C. B. Roberts, Timothy Davis, J. G. Watson, G. L. Whitehouse, Asa and Jeremiah Willey. whose graves are honored on Memorial Day by the Grand Army veterans.
Farmington has many fine buildings showing that it has been and is pros- perous. The spacious opera house was opened in 1881 with Sol Smith Russell as the great attraction; since then its walls have echoed to the notes of many famous people, among them: Mr. Blaisdell of Concord, Camella Urso, Walter Emerson, Emil Lubliny, Miss Hall, the Fiske jubilee singers
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and excellent orchestras, from time to time. Mr. Tompkins of the Boston theatre sent some of his best companies here who gave first class entertain- ments
Of fraternal organizations Farmington has its full share: Free Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Improved Order of Red Men and others, and the farmers are well organized and are doing good work in the Henry Wilson Grange, which has its name in honor of United States Senator and Vice-President Wilson who was born and brought up in this town.
In view of the immense amount of good in work auxiliary to the church and state and to the fraternal societies, special mention in terms of unquali- fied praise is due to several organizations of Farmington women; among the number are: Mrs. Adelaid Cilley Waldron, Mrs. L. H. Palmer, Mrs. L. A. Small, Mrs. Knox and Mrs. Thayer of lodges, and Mrs. C. W. Talpey, Mrs. J. F. Cloutman, Mrs. A. W. Shackford, Mrs. E. F. Eastman and Mrs. Larson A. Fernald, of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, and societies auxiliary to religious bodies.
Extravagance has never been apparent in the dwellings of Farmington, but a certain degree of comfort and delicate living is and has been the rule in nearly all of them, and there are few marks of destitution. The com- munity is made up largely of pure New England stock, very few foreign families have come here to dwell. As a rule every man owns the home in which he dwells.
The Farmington Savings Bank was chartered in June, 1868, and organized the same year by the choice of George M. Herring, president; Thomas F. Cooke, treasurer; G. M. Herring, A. Nute, Hiram Barker, George N. East- man, David T. Parker, H. B. Edgerly, John Barker, John G. Johnson, Daniel Pearl, C. W. Wingate, John H. Stevens, Levi Pearl, and Elijah Jenkins, trustees.
Mr. Herring held the office of president until his death, in 1875. Jan. 14, 1876, Hon. John F. Cloutman was elected president, and held the office until May, 1881, when he was succeeded by C. W. Wingate, Esq.
Mr. Cooke held the office of treasurer until his death, Nov. 1I, 1880, and was succeeded in office by William Yeaton. Mr. Yeaton's successor was Charles W. Talpey who hek the office until his death, as also did Mr. Cloutman. Among those who have served as trustees were: Charles W. Wingate, George N. Eastman, Levi Pearl, H. B. Edgerly, William W. Hayes, John F. Cloutman, Hiram Barker, Jonathan R. Hayes, David S. Parker, A. Nute, Josiah B. Edgerly, John Tuttle, John H. Barker, D. W. Edgerly, G. E. Cochrane, E. P. Nute.
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The Farmington National Bank was organized in July, 1872, with the following board of directors: George M. Herring, J. F. Cloutman, John H. Barker, H. B. Edgerly, Alonzo Nute, C. W. Thurston, Charles W. Talpey, Martin L. Hayes, Edwin Wallace; first president, G. M. Herring; first cashier. Thomas F. Cook. Mr. Herring's successor was John F. Cloutman; Mr. Cook's successor was James B. Edgerly, both of these gentlemen served until they died.
CHAPTER LXV HISTORY OF FARMINGTON (V)
NOTED MEN OF FORMER GENERATIONS
The State of New Hampshire has furnished one President of the United States, Franklin Pierce, and one Vice-President, Henry Wilson; both in the same generation; one of Concord, the other of Farmington; Pierce served from March 4, 1853, to March 4, 1857; Wilson served from March 4, 1873, until his death, Nov. 22, 1875; he was in feeble health during 1875 and died of apoplexy. That score of years 1853-1875, covers a period of the most remarkable events in the world's history, and Henry Wilson was active in it from beginning to end. New Hampshire men can never duplicate it. In fact it is doubtful if New Hampshire ever furnishes another President or Vice-President of the United States. To Farmington will ever remain the honor of being the birthplace of Henry Wilson, and his place of residence until he was twenty-one years old. Of course Henry Wilson is Farmington's most illustrious citizen. No extended biography of his career is needed here, but just a mention that he stands at the head of this town's noted men. His birthplace in this town is properly marked with a bronze tablet on a huge boulder. He was born Feb. 16, 1812 ; he died Nov. 22, 1875, in Washington, D. C. His birth name was Jeremiah Jones Colbath, but after he became of age he had the Massachusetts Legislature change it to Henry Wilson: why the change was made is not known. When he was ten years old, his parents being very poor, he was apprenticed to a farmer in Farmington to "serve his time," as was the old custom in New England. It took eleven years to finish that contract, which terminated Feb. 16, 1833. During the time he was allowed to attend the winter school in that district, about six weeks, each winter, a little over a year in the whole time, but he made good use of it in reading, writing and ciphering; also put in his spare time in the course of his duties as farmer's "hired man" to read every book that was available in Farmington, or the towns around it, and he seems to have digested the reading matter. There was no public library, neither were books very plenty. or in great variety. When his apprenticeship terminated in February, 1833.
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he took his departure from Farmington in search of other than farm work. There was no shoe shop or grange in the town at that time. After he had won national fame in the United States Senate, he spoke one evening at a public meeting in Dover. He said it was his first speech in that city, and he began his address in a reminiscent way; the writer of this was fortunate enough to be there and hear him. He said he had left Farmington, so many years before his speech, in search of work; he inquired at Rochester, no work for him there; he went to Great Falls, nothing for him there; he came to Dover and made inquiries, every employer had all the help he wanted ; he crossed the line out of New Hampshire and made inquiries at Haverhill, nothing doing. So he kept on from town to town until he reached Natick, Mass., having made the journey all the way on foot; in that town he was fortunate enough to find work in a house of a shoe maker. He went to work and learned the trade; he staid with that employer two years, and lived very frugally ; saved all the money he could and in 1835 tramped back to New Hampshire to see the folks. Strafford Academy had recently been opened ; he went to Strafford Centre, a few miles from his old home and attended the school a few terms ; this gave him a good start, as he was quick to appre- hend and diligent in his studies. It was at this academy he began to show his masterly powers as a debater; at that time the school was full of keen young men and gave Mr. Wilson all he wanted in that line : one of the great questions debated was anti-slavery. There he took his stand as an Aboli- tionist ; thirty years later he was in the United States Senate and his anti- slavery campaign was ended in a complete victory. But at Strafford he had not the remotest idea of what he and the country had to go through to set the bondmen free.
In 1838 Mr. Wilson resumed his work of shoe making at Natick, and that became his home the remainder of his life. He began his political career as a campaign speaker in 1840, advocating the election of Harrison and Tyler.
At these meetings he was introduced as the "Natick Cobbler"; the result was his brother cobblers in that town sent him to the Legislature, as their representative; and then, after an intermission he served three annual terms in the State Senate, and had won a reputation throughout the state as a Free-Soil party leader. After that he did not have much time to devote to shoe making, but the Natick cobblers stood by their chief and kept him in the public service of the state until 1855, when he was elected United States Senator; he was kept there by re-election eighteen years; then resigned to take the chair of Vice-President of the United States, and President of the Senate.
ST. THOMAS EPISCOPAL CHURCH, DOVER, N. H.
ST. JOHN'S M. E. CHURCH, DOVER, N. H.
RICKER MEMORIAL CHAPEL, PINE HILL CEMETERY, DOVER, N. H.
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Judge George L. Il'hitehouse was born in Middleton, Jan. 6, 1797; his parents were Nathaniel and Anna ( Leighton) Whitehouse. Their son George remained at home on the farm until eighteen years of age, but during the time had attended the district school of his neighborhood, and had learned some- what of surveying. When he was sixteen years old he taught a winter district school, and did so several winters following. He supplemented his common school education by attending academies.
He came to Farmington in 1824 and engaged in the grocery business. He was deputy sheriff of Strafford county from May, 1827, to May, 1833; he was register of deeds from May, 1833, to August, 1839. In the fall of that year he commenced his career as a civil engineer, by constructing a canal three-quarters of a mile long, at the headwaters of the Cochecho river in Middleton. Later he was assistant engineer for sometime in the construc- tion of the Cochecho railroad from Dover to Farmington. In 1851 he commenced the preliminary survey of the route for the Great Falls and Con- way railway; later he surveyed for the route of the Rochester and Nashua road and several other branch roads now a part of the Boston and Maine systems up to 1871. In the later years he was chief engineer for the work.
He was appointed associate justice of the court of common pleas in 1841, which office he held till 1855, when the courts were changed. Judge Whitehouse had a long, active and very efficient public career: \ land surveyor for sixty years ; civil engineer, forty years; justice of the peace and quorum throughout New Hampshire and notary public for the States of New Hampshire and Illinois, forty years; judge of. the court of common pleas, fourteen years ; deputy sheriff, six years; recorder of deeds, six years; captain of a militia company, several years; private soldier in the War of 1812, for which service he drew a pension in his old age ; he held various town offices in Middleton and Farmington ; and was representative from Farming- ton in the Legislature of 1830, and in that of 1850 and 1857.
John F. Cloutman was born in New Durham, Dec. 27, 1831; he was a son of John F. Cloutman and Patience S. Edgerly his wife, who was a daughter of Andrew Edgerly. He received a limited school education, but what the schools failed to supply he acquired by general reading and careful and intelligent observation. He worked on the farm until he was thirteen years of age, then began to learn how to manufacture shoes, and at twenty-two years of age was master of all departments of the business. In 1853 he began manufacturing shoes on his own account for Joseph Whitney & Co., of Boston, and did work for that firm nine years.
In 1862 he changed from the Boston firm and began the manufacture of shoes at Farmington, in connection with the Wallace Brothers, of Rochester,
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and was associated with them two years, and the following six or seven years manufactured on his own account. Later he was engaged with different firms but kept at the business as long as liis health permitted.
In 1862 and 1863 Mr. Cloutman represented Farmington in the Legisla- ture. In 1876 and 1877 he was State Senator. He held various town offices. Trustee and vice-president of the Farmington Savings Bank. He was member of the Masonic fraternity in which he held various official positions ; he was member of St. Paul Commandery, Knights Templar of Dover. He was district deputy grand master of the first Masonic district in New Hampshire.
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