USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > History of Strafford County, New Hampshire and representative citizens > Part 53
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Mr. Emery married Miss Mary E. Stillings and they have two children : Elfreida C. and Esther L., whose ages are respectively eight and three years. Mr. and Mrs. Emery attend the Congregational church. In politics he is a Democrat and has often proved his party loyalty. Fraternal life has interested him and he belongs to the Masons, the Order of Eastern Star and to the Odd Fellows and Rebekah lodges, being officially connected with these organizations.
MIAH BUCHANON SULLIVAN, M. D., one of the most prominent members of the medical profession in Dover, N. H., was born May 29, 1857, one of the family of ten children of Jeremiah and Rebecca (Gillman) Sullivan. He began his education in the public schools, afterwards attended the Towle Acad- emy, and later the University of New York, from which institution he was graduated in 1881. Beginning the practice of his profession in Lewiston, Me., he remained there, however, but a short time, removing in the same year to Dover. Here he has built up an excellent practice and is widely recognized, both in and out of the profession, as one of the most able physicians and sur- geons in the county. He is a member of the Medical Society of New Hampshire and of the Strafford County Medical Society, and is fraternally identified with the Elks and the Knights of Columbus. He is also a director in the Merchants Savings Bank. He served as chairman of the committee of credentials, and also as one of the committee on Work at the Elks' convention held at Mil-
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waukee, Wis. In addition to the societies above named Dr. Sullivan belongs to the New York Medico-Legal Association and to the American Medical Society. He is a close student and keeps well abreast of his profession at all times, investigating every new discovery in medical or surgical science and using the most modern methods in his own large practice. He has been very successful and as a citizen is held in high esteem.
Dr. Sullivan was united in marriage, February 2, 1897, with Miss Mary X. Holden, a daughter of William Holden, a prominent citizen of Baltimore, Md. They have two children-Marie T. and James H. He and his family are members of the Catholic Church, and they have a pleasant and commodious residence at No. 61 Silver street. The Doctor's office is located at 430 Central Avenue, Dover. Dr. Sullivan's daughter unveiled the Elks monument at Pine Hill cemetery, November, 1913.
EVERETT J. GALLOWAY, a member of the well known law firm of Pierce & Galloway, lawyers, of Dover, N. H., was born in Lynn, Mass., March 29, 1877, a son of John H. and Julia (McCarthy) Galloway. His father was an expert shoe operator in one of the large shoe factories for which the city of Lynn is famous. The subject of this sketch, after attending the common schools, completed his literary education in the Portsmouth (N. H.) high school, where he made a good record in scholarship. For a short time he fol- lowed his father's occupation, but in 1903 he began the study of law in Dover in the office of W. S. Pierce. Admitted to the bar in 1908, he has since been successfully engaged in general law practice, becoming a member of the firm of Pierce & Galloway in 1908. This firm has a good reputation in the pro- fession, and a considerable amount of law business passes through their office in the course of the year. Mr. Galloway is affiliated fraternally with the Knights of Pythias (Lodge No. 89) ; the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, No. 184, and the New England Order of Protection. July 13, 1903, he married Miss Myrtie E. Smith, a native of Dover and daughter of Newton C. and Laura A. Smith.
HENRY DOW, now deceased, for many years was one of the substantial and representative men of Dover. He was born at Dover, on the site of the old Strafford bank, and always made his home in his native place, where he died in 1889, at the age of eighty-nine years. He came into life with the beginning of the century that was notable in many respects, and throughout his long period of existence took a deep interest in the progress and development made.
In the schools of Dover Mr. Dow received his boyhood educational training and from there entered Exeter Academy, later becoming a student at Harvard
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College. Subsequently he engaged in the study of medicine but when the time came for him to begin the practice of his profession he discovered that his incli- nations lay in a different direction, in fact that agriculture made a greater appeal to him. Therefore the collegian and physician became a farmer and for many years interested himself in the cultivation and improvement of his fertile acres lying in the vicinity of Bellamy, Strafford county. He was never an active politician but gave his continued support to the Republican party.
Mr. Dow married Mrs. Mary Edna ( Hill) Gray, a daughter of Nathaniel R. Hill, of New Hampshire, and widow of George Frederick Gray, to whom Mrs. Dow was married in October, 1875. Mr. Gray was born at Dover, N. H., where he died in 1880, survived by three children: George, who is an illus- trator, with a studio in Boston, Mass .; and Ruth and Charles, twins. George Frederick Gray was prominent in politics in Strafford county and was once a member of the state senate. He was widely known also in journalism and as editor of the Dover Gazette and as contributor to the Herald, was one of the pioneer and progressive newspaper men of this section.
HON. JAMES WALTER TWOMBLY, formerly a member of the New Hampshire State Legislature and a leading factor in politics in Strafford county, is the oldest contractor engaged in the business at Dover, a member of the firm of Nathaniel Twombly & Son. He was born at Dover, N. H., August 2, 1859, and was educated in the public schools and at Reedfield College, where he was a student in 1877-'78.
After his return from college, J. W. Twombly, in 1882, became associated with his father in contracting and building, at Dover, under the firm name of Nathaniel Twombly & Son. He has continued in the business ever since and has erected many of the most substantial business houses and residences at Dover. He has ever been an active and interested citizen, zealous for Dover's good name as a business situation as well as an ideal location for homes, and during his two years as city alderman and two years as a member of the city council, lent his assistance to every movement of a public-spirited character that promised substantial results. His record was appreciated by his fellow cit- izens and he was elected a member of the General Assembly from the Fourth Ward, Dover.
In 1882 Mr. Twombly married Miss Juliet Perkins of Wells, Me., a daugh- ter of Charles and Susan E. Perkins, the former of whom was a retired sea captain and hotelkeeper of Wells Beach, Me. Mr. and Mrs. Twombly had one child who died in infancy. He is a member of Mt. Pleasant Lodge, F. & A. M., and belongs also to the Elks and the Royal Arcanum.
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FRANK P. COLEMAN, who has been the efficient superintendent of Pine Hill cemetery at Dover for the past twenty-two years, is well known over Strafford county. He was born at Durham, N. H., in 1852, the youngest of a family of twelve children, his parents being Oliver and Mehetable (Clark) Coleman. The father died when aged forty-seven years, having been a farmer all his mature life. Frank P. Coleman was reared by his mother, being but four years old when his father died. He attended school at Durham and Dover, N. H., and at Linden, Vt., and then was variously engaged prior to being appointed a member of the police force at Dover. In 1889 he was made super- intendent of the tract set apart for cemetery purposes and Pine Hill cemetery has practically been entirely developed through his care, taste and good judg- ment. Its beautiful hillside situation was recognized by early settlers and in 1717 the second meeting-house ever constructed at Dover was built on this hill, by public subscription. When Mr. Coleman took charge of the cemetery he had only seven lots under special care, while now he has a fund of $60,000 to make use of for cemetery improvement. It is a beautiful spot, one that reflects credit both on Mr. Coleman and the city.
Mr. Coleman married Miss Lillie Philpot, who died in 1888, leaving one daughter, Florence R., who died when nineteen years old. His second mar- riage was to A. Minnie Hall, who died in 1901, leaving one child, Francena H., who is the wife of Eddie Gill, of Melrose, Mass. In politics Mr. Coleman is a Republican. He belongs to the Odd Fellows at Mt. Pleasant and the Encamp- ment and is major of the order of Patriots Militant of New Hampshire. He is a member and a trustee of the Pierce Memorial church at Dover.
HON. CHARLES H. FOSS, mayor of Dover, N. H., is one of the prominent business men of this town, being interested extensively in real estate and insurance, and acting also as agent for the foreign steamship companies. He was born in Rochester, N. H., April 2, 1851, one of a family of two children born to Andrew and Abigail ( Place) Foss. The father, Andrew, who was a farmer, died December 29, 1904, his wife, the mother of our subject, having passed away nearly four years previously, on February 4, 1901. Their remains rest in the old farm cemetery at Rochester, N. H.
Charles H. Foss, after attending the public schools for the usual period, became a student at Austin Academy, at Strafford, N. H., and afterward at the Eastman National Business College, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y. On reach- ing maturity he found employment in the office of Sawyer Woolen Mills, at Dover, N. H., where he was soon made cashier and paymaster, and he remained connected with that industry for twenty-seven years, or until 1899. He was then for three years collector of taxes, after which he engaged in his
CHARLES H. FOSS
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present business. He has been successful as a business man and has also taken a prominent part in local politics, having been elected on the Republican ticket to various important offices. He served on the common council of Dover during the years 1883 and 1884; was alderman in 1891 and 1892; a member of the school board from 1895 to 1900 and collector of taxes in 1900, 1901 and 1902. He was twice elected to the Legislature from the Fourth Ward, serv- ing during the sessions of 1909 and 1911. He also served as street and park commissioner, being appointed in March, 1912, by the Hon. Dwight Hall for a three years' term and when elected mayor resigned from that body, being elected in November, 1912, and taking office in January, 1913.
Mr. Foss is also prominent in the Masonic fraternity, being a member of Strafford Lodge No. 29, A. F. & .\. M .; Belknal Chapter No. 8, R. A. M .; Orphan Council No. 1, R. & S. M., and St. Paul Commandery, K. T .; also of Major Waldron Council No. 989, Royal Arcanum. He was married Sep- tember 20, 1875, to Miss Carrie Garside, daughter of Walter Garside, and he and his wife are the parents of a son, Walter. The family attend the Methodist Episcopal Church and are identified with various social activities of Dover.
RALPH HOUGH, a well known and respected resident of Dover, now retired, who for forty-five years was an active factor in the industrial life of the city, was born August 15, 1824, in Manchester, England. His parents, Thomas and Catherine (Keniston) Hough, came to America with their family in 1826, landing here after a voyage of nine weeks in a sailing vessel. Locating in Dover, Thomas Hough found employment in the Cocheco Print Works, and afterward died. The children of the family comprised eight sons and two daughters.
Ralph Hough, who was but a babe of two years at the time of the family's advent in this country, was well brought up and acquired his education in the common schools of Dover. He began industrial life at the early age of 10 years, beginning a five years' apprenticeship in the Cocheco Print Works. Dur- ing the first year he was paid at the rate of fifty cents per day, sixty-two cents during the next two years, and a further increase during the succeeding two years. The next eighteen years of his life were spent as a journeyman in the same establishment, during which time he acquired a thorough and accurate knowledge of the entire business. Having by his industry and ability gained the confidence of his employers, he was then appointed foreman of the print room, which position he held for twenty-two years, acquitting himself with fidelity to his charge and earning the good will of his associates and those over whom he had supervision. He then retired after forty-five years of consecu-
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tive service with this company, a record of which he may justly be proud. He has also been a director of the Cocheco National Bank.
A stanch Republican in politics, Mr. Hough formerly took an active part in public life. His wide popularity was made manifest ou various occasions. From 1859 to 1866 he was a member of the Common Council of Dover, rep- resenting Ward 2, which is now called Ward 1. In 1884 he was a member of the State Legislature, and in 1885 and 1886 he served as county commissioner, being chairman of the board. For several years he was a lieutenant in the Strafford Zouaves, a popular military organization. He is a Blue Lodge Mason and also belongs to Wecohamet Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Dover.
On February 4, 1849, Mr. Hough married Miss Sarah Delany, a fair English girl, whose birthplace was but a few miles from his own. She came to this country in 1825 with her parents, John and Margaret ( Farrell) Delany, who settled in Dover. It is an interesting and noteworthy fact that Mr. Hough and his wife, when babies, were rocked in the same cradle. They have been the parents of four children, namely : Belle, who married Otis E. Waitt : Harry ; Alice, wife of James Harrison, who resides with her parents at No. 16 Fifth street, Dover ; and Sarah J., who is now deceased. Mr. Hough, who is now in his ninetieth year, is still hale and hearty, a conspicuous example of the value of good habits, backed by a sound heredity. He and his wife are members of the Episcopal church, he being the only survivor of those who were members at the time he joined it. He is also the only one now alive of those public officials who served the city of Dover contemporaneously with himself.
FRED M. BUNKER, a leading business man of Dover, conducts his gro- cery store at No. 10 Broadway, and a second store at No. 67 Fifth avenue, where he deals in coal, wood, hay, grain, lime, cement, sewer pipe and farm implements. He was born at Durham, N. H., in 1861, and is a son of William Henry and Abbie (Thompson) Bunker. The father was a farmer in Strafford county, where he was born and where he died at the age of forty-nine years. He married Abbie Thompson and they had two children, Mrs. Mary J. Delaney and Fred M.
Fred M. Bunker was reared on the home farm and attended school in Dur- ham and Dover. For the past four years he has been in the grocery business but it is fifteen years since he embarked in the coal business, which he has expanded into a local industry of importance, giving employment to a number of men.
Mr. Bunker married Miss Edna Demerritt and they have two children, a son and daughter. The former, Ralph Bunker, who is associated with his father in business, married Bernice Horne and they have one son, Kenneth.
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The daughter, Blanche, is the wife of Paul Knowlton. In politics Mr. Bunker is a Republican and formerly was town supervisor of Durham. He is a member of the Knights of Malta and of Dover Grange, Patrons of Husbandry.
E. K. VARNEY, who is a member of the firm of Swett & Varney, elec- trical contractors, at No. 26 Third street, Dover, is doing an excellent business, the firm meeting the demands of a large trade. He was born at Madbury, Strafford county, N. H., in 1870, and is a son of Albert and Antoinette (Crockett) Varney. The father was also born in New Hampshire and was engaged for some years in farming but now lives retired, on Belmont street, Dover. His family consisted of three children : Annie, E. K., and Effie.
E. K. Varney attended school in his native place and then went to work on the farm but not feeling satisfied. secured a place with the General Electric Company at Lynn, Mass., and remained there seven years. When he returned to Dover he found employment with the Dover Electric Light Company and continued with them until 1909, when he started his own enterprise, being asso- ciated with E. H. Swett. Mr. Varney married Miss Clara Hill, and they have two children, Gladys and Viola. The family attends the Methodist Episcopal church. Politically he is a Republican and fraternally an Odd Fellow and Knight of Pythias.
HON. GEORGE SEWARD FROST was born at the Frost homestead, on the west side of Oyster River, July 4, 1844. He was son of William Pepperrell and Mary (Hoole) Frost. His maternal grandmother was of the distinguished Prince family of Massachusetts, and a lineal descendant of Elder William Brewster, the Pilgrim minister. The ancient spelling of the name was Ffrost, and was so used by the generations down to Judge George Seward Frost, who dropped the use of the small "f."
Judge Frost is seventh in descent from the immigrant ancestor, Nicholas Ffrost, who was born in Tiverto, "April ye 25th, 1585," and came to New England in 1632. In an old family Bible is the record of his parents in England, which says: "John Ffrost, Borne Nov'br ye 17th, 1558, near Carnbre Hill, Cornwall, Anna Hamden, Borne Oct'r ye 8th, 1565. John and Anna Married May ye 10th, 1587."
Nicholas Ffrost settled on the east shore of the Pascataqua River, in what is now Eliot, directly across the river from Dover Point, in 1634, known as Leighton's Point. His wife's name was Bertha Cadwalla. He resided there until he received a grant of land in 1651 on the south side of what is known as Frost's Hill, in Eliot, at the head of Sturgeon Creek, which is opposite the "Upper Neck" in Dover, Sturgeon Creek being on the east side of the New-
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chawannock river. The hill received its name from him, and has remained in possession of the Frost family to the present time ( 1913). He held various town offices. He died in 1663, leaving a large estate to his family.
Major Charles Frost, his eldest son, was born in Twerton, England, 30th of July, 1633. His wife was Mary Bowls, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Howell) Bowls of Wells, Me. He resided on Frost Hill, where he was killed by the Indians, July 4, 1697, as he and his family were returning from meet- ing on the Lord's day. The place where he was killed is marked with a bronze tablet placed on a boulder. Major Frost was one of the prominent and influ- ential men of the town and owned much land.
Hon. John Frost, third child and second son of Major Charles, was born March 1, 1680-81 ; married September 4, 1702, Mary, daughter of William and Margery (Bray) Pepperrell, and lived in Newcastle, N. H. He died February 25, 1732-3. In his younger days he served in the British navy and rose to be commander of a British war ship. Afterward he was a merchant at Newcastle, and was a man of influence in political circles, and was member of the gover- nor's council. His grave is still pointed out in the graveyard in that town.
Mary Pepperrell, his wife, was sister of Sir William Pepperrell. Their father settled at the Isles of Shoals in 1676, then a good fishing station. Later he came over to Kittery, married Margery Bray, and built the historic Pep- perrell mansion, which his son, Sir William, inherited. Margery's father, John Bray, built the house now standing east of the Pepperrell house. The Bray house is said to be the oldest house in Maine. Mary Pepperrell Frost was born in the Pepperrell mansion.
Judge George Frost, fifth son of Hon. John and Mary ( Pepperrell) Frost, was born April 26, 1720. He married Margaret Weeks, daughter of Major Weeks of Greenland. He resided at Durham. He was appointed one of the justices of the Court of Common Pleas when Strafford county was organized in 1773, and for a number of years was chief justice; he was in office until 1791. He was delegate to the Continental Congress in 1776, 1777 and 1779. He was one of the council in 1781, 1782 and 1783.
George Frost, Esq., son of Judge George, was born at Durham, 3d of December, 1765. He married, April 3, 1797, Mehitable Burleigh, daughter of James and Mehitable (Sheafe) Burleigh. He was a merchant, shipbuilder and leading citizen of Durham for many years. He died in 1846.
William Pepperrell Frost, son of the last named George, was born in 1812. He married October 18, 1842, Mary Hoole. He died in 1886. He and his brother George were in partnership together at Durham many years as mer- chants and were noted for their energy, integrity and business capacity.
Judge George Seward Frost, the subject of this sketch, is one of two sons,
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of whom William Edward died at the age of 17 years. Born June 4, 1844, George S. Frost was educated in the public schools of the town, Durham Acad- emy and Phillips Exeter Academy, which latter institution he entered the last term of the junior class of 1861. Graduating that year, he remained another year at Exeter and entered the sophomore class of Harvard College, from which he was graduated in 1865 with the degree of A. D. He received the degree of A. M. in 1868. He commenced the study of law at Dover in the office of Judge Keremiah Smith, in 1866, where he remained two years. Grad- uated from Harvard Law School in 1868, he was admitted to the Suffolk County bar in Boston, July 7, 1868; practiced in Boston. July 30, 1872, he was appointed trial justice for West Roxbury, which office he held until that district was annexed to Boston in 1874; June 9th of that year he was appointed associate justice for the Boston Court for the district of West Roxbury, but declined the appointment. He was member of the Boston School Committee in 1874 and 1875, for Ward 17; declined a re-election.
November 6, 1875 he was appointed assistant district attorney of the United States for the district of Massachusetts, which office he held until November, 1877, when he resigned on account of ill health produced by over work. In all these various positions Judge Frost showed marked ability to such a degree that he received recommendations from several of the leading lawyers of Boston for an appointment as justice of the Superior Court. Had his health not given out, no doubt he would have received the appointment for which those big lawyers regarded him highly qualified. Up to this time his family had resided at Jamaica Plain.
He removed his family to Dover, N. H., in the winter of 1877-78, since when he has resided in this city. He was obliged to live a quiet life for two years to regain his health. In 1881 he was elected representative of Ward 4 for the Legislature, in which he held a high position on the Judiciary Com- mittee. June 21. 1882, he was appointed judge of the Police Court for Dover, which office he held continuously thirty-one years, until he was abolished July 1, 1913, by the District Court of Dover, which had been established by the General Court of 1913. Governor Felker appointed him judge of this new court, he and Associate Justice Edw. H. Adams of Portsmouth being the only two Republicans in the state who received such an honor from the Democratic governor. During his long service of more than thirty years Judge Frost was called upon to render many decisions of great importance, from some of which appeals were taken, but it was only in a very few instances that his decisions were over-ruled by the higher courts. He has a good, clean, high-minded record from beginning to end of his service of police court judge.
Judge Frost was delegate from Ward 4 in the Constitutional Convention
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of 1905, and served on important committees. November 8, 1888, he was elected member of the School Committee for Ward 4, and held the office con- tinuously until January, 1897, when he declined a re-election. He was chair- man of the School Committee 1895 and 1896. He has been senior warden of St. Thomas Episcopal Church about 27 years and declined a re-election. He has been a director of the Strafford National Bank 27 years ; charter member of the Bellamy Club; also a charter member of Moses Paul Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and is a 32d degree Mason. He has been a member of the New Hampshire Bar Association for more than thirty years and has done a large amount of work as a consulting lawyer. Those who consult him feel sure they will get the law straight and sound. He is one of the incorporators of the Wentworth Home for the aged, and has been one of its trustees continuously from its opening in 1898. In a word Judge Frost has been a very busy man and a very useful citizen in a multitude of ways.
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