USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > History of Strafford County, New Hampshire and representative citizens > Part 68
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C. W. Lowe married Miss Adelia Chamberlain, and they have one son, H. C. Lowe. He was born and attended school at Milton Mills, N. H., later taking a business course at Dover. His first employment was in a railroad
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freight house. In preparation for the undertaking business he attended the Boston Embalming School, but prior to that had worked for seven years with a local undertaker. He married Miss Eva Webber and they have two children : Robert and Elizabeth. C. W. Lowe and son are identified with the Republican party politically and fraternally with the Odd Fellows, and the younger member of the firm belongs also to the Grange, the Red Men and to the American Mechanics. As reliable business men and excellent citizens they stand high in public regard.
BENJAMIN TYLER RICHARDS, one of Rochester's respected cit- izens, now retired, residing at No. 220 North Main street, was born at Lynn, Mass., April 27, 1835, and has spent his entire life in the New England states. He attended the village schools in boyhood but as soon as old enough took his place on the shoemaker's bench to learn the trade. At that time no one had even dreamed of the present great shoe factories with their special- ized machinery, able to turn out thousands of completed footwear a day, and he learned the trade in the old way and with the old instruments. Now hand-made shoes are a luxury while then they were a necessity. Mr. Richards continued to live at Lynn until he was 30 years of age. In 1855 he went to Redfield, Kennebec county, Me., which was his home for thirteen years and during eleven years of this time he was postmaster of that city and for seven years town clerk. He returned then to Lynn, Mass., where he remained for eight more years and then came to Rochester as foreman in the shoe-cutting department of a factory belonging to F. W. Breed of Lynn, Mass. Mr. Rich- ards continued in this capacity until about 1901, when he retired, after a busy and useful life.
Mr. Richards was married in early manhood to Miss Marilla M. Elliott, of Readfield, Me., and five children were born to them: David Elliott, who is unmarried and lives at Kansas City; Elizabeth, who is the widow of Ben- jamin Router, of Lynn, Mass., resides at Rochester and has one daughter, Mildred, who is the wife of William Jenness, and two grandchildren (great- grandchildren of our subject), Lloyd and Natalene Jenness; William Tyler, who is a resident of Lynn, Mass., married Elma Newhall and they have five children, Florence, Grace, Hazel, Chester and Ruth, Grace being the wife of Daniel McDonald and the mother of one daughter, Lillian; Marilla, who died at the age of 18 months; and Isabelle, who is the wife of John H. Shep- pard and has six children-William, Harold, Marion, Frances, Gladys and Mary.
For many years Mr. Richards took a very active interest in Republican politics, casting his first vote in 1856, and while a resident of Maine was active
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in his support of Hon. Anson P. Morrill, who was elected to the United States Congress in 1860. Since residing at Rochester Mr. Richards has merely voted as he has deemed right for a good citizen. He attends the Universalist church, cherishing a kindly creed and exemplifying it in his life. Since 1864 Mr. Richards has been a Mason, uniting with the fraternity in Maine, and is a member of the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Council at Rochester.
EUGENE C. FOSS, manager of the Henry Evans & Co. Hardware Com- pany, at No. 43 Main street, Rochester, N. H., is recognized as a thoroughly experienced business man and a citizen of worth. He was born at Tufton- boro, N. H., February 18, 1866, and was educated in his native place. At the age of 18 years Mr. Foss came to Rochester and entered the employ of F. WV. Emery & Co., as a clerk. Later, in the same capacity, he was with Ira B. Moore & Company, No. 55 Hanson street, for 19 years. Mr. Foss then went to Dover, where, for 18 months he was connected in business with J. Herbert Seavey, returning then to Rochester and for six months prior to associating himself as junior partner and manager of his present firm, was with the firm of Berry & Shorey. Thus almost all of his business life has been spent at Rochester and here his other interests are centered.
Mr. Foss was married to Miss Fannie L. Clark, a daughter of Jacob Clark, of Rochester, and they have had two children: Bernice, who is a school girl of twelve years; and Irvin, who died at the age of four years. The family home is at No. 33 Leonard street. In politics Mr. Foss is active in the Demo- cratic party and is a member of the city council representing the Sixth Ward, which has a normal Republican majority. He is a member of the Masonic fra- ternity, belonging to Blue Lodge and Chapter at Rochester and to the Eastern Star. For 26 years he has been a member (a charter member) of Rumanitt Tribe No. 9, Red Men and is G. T. Sachem of the state of New Hampshire (year of 1913), belonging also to the local Grange. He is a man of genial personality and has a wide circle of friends.
CHARLES H. HENDERSON, a representative citizen of Rochester, city assessor and prominent in Democratic politics, belongs to an old family of the town of Rochester. He was born on the Henderson farm, on the Farmington road, three miles northwest of Rochester Square, November 23. 1850, and is a son of Daniel M. and Ruth (McDuffee) Henderson.
Charles H. Henderson attended school at Rochester and Wolfboro and afterward took a business course in a commercial college at Poughkeepsie, N. Y. For a short time afterward he worked in a finishing shoe shop and then went with George H. Atwell, a Milwaukee dealer, and afterward was 42
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with the C. H. Fargo & Company, of Chicago, handling boots and shoes. The death of his father recalled him to Strafford county and here he has remained since settling his father's estate, making his home with his brother in the Fourth Ward, at No. 183 North Main street, Rochester. Mr. Hender- son attends the Baptist church. He is one of the assessors for the city of Rochester.
HON. FRANK B. CLARK, formerly a member of the New Hampshire State Senate and for several terms a member of the Lower House, is one of the leading business men and progressive citizens of Strafford county. He was born on the old family homestead at Canaan, Grafton county, N. H., the native place of his father and grandfather, on May 27, 1851. His parents were Robert B. and Elvira G. (Stevens) Clark.
Robert B. Clark was a son of Capt. Robert Clark, who was an officer in the New Hampshire militia and a man of local importance. Robert B. Clark passed his long and honorable life as an agriculturist. He married Elvira G. Stevens, a member of an old family of Wentworth, N. H.
Frank B. Clark was educated in the public schools of Canaan and at Tilton Seminary, Tilton, N. H. When about 18 years of age he became a salesman for the Singer Sewing Machine Company and continued with that well known house for a number of years, the last two years having charge of northern New Hampshire, with local office at Concord, N. H. He continued in the sewing machine business for four years more, having his own office at Manchester, N. H. In 1884 he came to Dover and for a number of years afterward was a successful piano salesman for the J. E. Lothrop Company. For the last 18 years he has given his attention to the lumber industry, and has become one of the best known and most successful lumber dealers in his state. He has been a member of the board of directors of the New Hampshire Lumbermen's Association since it was organized. He has additional business interests, being first vice president of the Merchants Savings Bank of Dover and also a director of the Merchants National Bank, of which institution he was one of the founders.
Mr. Clark has been equally prominent in politics and has served his con- stituents faithfully and honorably both House and Senate, in the former representing the First Ward and in the latter the 22d Senatorial District, being elected to office on the Republican ticket. In the House he was an active and influential member of the railroad committee, one of importance in this section at that time.
Senator Clark married, November 20, 1877, at Claremont, N. H., Miss Lillea M. Davis, then of Claremont, but a native of Burlington, Vt. They
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have one daughter, Alice B., who is a graduate of Smith College. With his wife and daughter Senator Clark attends the Pierce Memorial Universalist church. He is a member of the various Masonic bodies, being a 32d degree Mason and a member of Bektash Shrine at Concord. He is identified also with the Knights of Pythias at Dover and with other organizations largely social in character. The family residence stands at No. 36 Summer Street, Dover.
REV. C. S. LACROIX, pastor of Holy Rosary church, Rochester, N. H., was born in Canada in 1861. He is a son of Honora Lacroix, a Canadian, by his wife Josephine, whose maiden name was Lavoie, the father of our sub- ject being a laborer by occupation.
C. S. Lacroix, who was the youngest child of his parents, was educated in the Canadian schools and studied for the priesthood at St. Hyacinthe College, being ordained in New Hampshire by the late Bishop Bradley, December 23, 1893. He was appointed curate at Suncook, from which place he went to Manchester, N. H., and from there in 1900 he was sent as pastor to North Conway. There he remained until September, 1909, when he was appointed to his present charge in Rochester. His parish has a membership of over 1900, the church being in a flourishing condition. He is a careful pastor, zealous in his work, and has gained the love of his congregation, as well as the respect of the people of Rochester generally.
JAMES W. WALLACE, one of the best known citizens of Somersworth, where his life has mainly. been spent, was born here when this city was yet known as Great Falls. His parents were Michael and Margaret (Magner) Wallace.
From Ireland, Michael Wallace, and his wife and their one daughter, came to America early in the forties. They lived for a short time at Port- land, Me., and then came to Great Falls, now Somersworth, and settled here permanently and here five more children were born, Ellen, Margaret and James W., yet surviving of the family, and all residing together in the old homestead at No. 353 Main street. One member of the family, as are the parents, is deceased-T. H., who became a man of great prominence in the Catholic church.
The Right Reverend Monseignor T. H. Wallace, whose death occurred at Lewiston, Me., November 1, 1907, at the age of 61 years, was born and reared at Somersworth. He attended the public schools, the Holy Cross Col- lege at Worcester, Mass., and spent three additional years in the Montreal Seminary, at Montreal, Can. He was a man of great talent and of churchly
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zeal and was known, valued, admired and beloved throughout New Hampshire and Maine. His influence will long be felt and his memory cherished.
James W. Wallace attended the common and high schools at Somers- worth, after which he spent two years as a student in the Holy Cross College at Worcester, Mass. With his sisters he belongs to the Holy Trinity Catholic church at Somersworth. Mr. Wallace is numbered with the substantial men of Somersworth and his good citizenship has long since been established. He has never been willing to accept public office but is one of the stanch Demo- crats of Somersworth.
CHARLES F. WORCESTER, a well known, respected and useful cit- izen of Somersworth, of which city he has been a resident for 26 years, has been identified with the Great Falls Manufacturing Company as foreman of the belt and roller shop for a long time. He was born at Ipswich, Mass., February 10, 1858, and is a son of Daniel C. and Sarah (Tenney ) Worcester, both parents being natives of Ipswich. The ancestry of the Worcester family leads back to England and the family is an old one in Lebanon, Me. The mother of Charles F. Worcester is now deceased but the father, now a ven- erable man in his eighties, still lives at Lynn, Mass.
Charles F. Worcester spent the first ten years of his life at Ipswich and then accompanied his parents when they removed to Newburyport, where he completed his education in the public school. He was about 21 years of age when he went to Haverhill, in his native state, but the wider field of business opportunity offered by Great Falls, now Somersworth, soon became apparent and he came to this city, a move he has never regretted.
Mr. Worcester has been twice married and of the three children born to his first union there are two survivors, one of these being Mrs. Blanche T. Woodman, of West Somerville, Mass. His second marriage was to Mrs. Dora (Southerland) Sanborn, of Lisbon, Me. In politics Mr. Worcester is a Republican and served one term as a selectman of Somersworth, being chairman of the board. He is identified with the order of Knights of Pythias and is serving as chancellor commander of this body. Both he and his wife attend the first Baptist church.
CHRISTOPHER MORGAN, overseer of the carding department of mill No. 2 of the Great Falls Manufacturing Company, is a man whose long ex- perience in the textile industry has qualified him for a position of responsibil- ity. He was born at Lowell, Mass., August 8, 1845, and is a son of Christo- pher and Eliza (Howard) Morgan. The father was an overseer for the
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Lawrence Manufacturing Company of Lowell, Mass., for over a half century. His death occurred in his 79th year.
Christopher Morgan attended school at Lowell until he was 12 years of age and then, like the greater number of his boy comrades, went to work in a cotton mill. He remained in the same mill at Lowell until he was 18 years of age, it being connected with the plant of the Lawrence Manufacturing Com- pany, and by that time had become expert enough to be appointed a foreman in the spinning and winding department, where he continued for seven years. He then resigned and went to Laconia, N. H., where he accepted a position as foreman of the spinning department of a hosiery mill, but later returned to his native city for a time, when he was tendered a position with a company of expert mill machinists who were preparing to go to Shanghai, China, at the request of some Chinese capitalists, to introduce occidental methods and install ginning, picking and carding machinery in mills owned by a large Chinese firm. Not only did Mr. Morgan assist and superintendent the instal- lation of this machinery but he remained as overseer of the ginning, picking and carding departments of that mill for three years. After this unusual experience he returned to America and shortly afterward-March 6, 1893- took up his present position with the Great Falls Manufacturing Company at Somersworth.
Mr. Morgan married, first, Miss Rosella S. Badger, of Lowell, Mass., who died at Somersworth, February 3, 1912. Mr. Morgan's second marriage was to Mrs. Sarah J. (Livingston) Stevenson. She was born at Peacham, Vt., a daughter of Harvey B. and Elizabeth (Way) Livingston. While not a member of any particular church, Mr. Morgan is a willing contributor to all moral movements and worthy charities. He belongs to Libanas Blue Lodge, A. F. & A. M., at Somersworth; to Edwards Chapter, Somersworth; and St. Paul Commandery at Dover; and also to Friendship Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Hookset, N. H.
WILLARD H. KIMBALL, master mechanic, has been identified with the Great Falls Bleachery and Dye Works, of Somersworth, N. H., for many years, and maintains his home at Berwick, Me., where he is held in high esteem as a citizen. Mr. Kimball was born at Amherst, Me., March 28, 1865, and is a son of George S. and Olive (Frost) Kimball, the former of whom was born at Waterville and the latter at Mariaville, Me. The father was a farmer and once was prominent in the lumber industry.
Willard H. Kimball attended the public schools of Amherst but had no other educational advantages, having, to a large extent, provided for himself through life. In 1887 he started to work for the Great Falls Manufacturing
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Company in the firing room, from which he was promoted to the machine shop where he worked for two years. In 1891 he assisted in placing the machinery in the Great Falls Bleachery, afterward being permanently employed in the machinist's department of this plant, for five years being head machinist, and in July, 1899, was made master mechanic of the Great Falls Bleachery and Dye Works, a position of responsibility which he still holds. This fact of itself indicates that Mr. Kimball is a trusted and capable man in his line of work for only such ever attain such prominence in the great industrial plants of the present day.
In December, 1889, Mr. Kimball was married to Miss Lillian Lawrence, who died February 4, 1906, the mother of six children: Flora M., who is the wife of Omar L. Pratt, of Laconia, N. H .; and Beulah F., Earl L., Howard S., Helen M., and Ralph L., all of whom reside at home. On June 21, 1911, Mr. Kimball was married secondly to Miss Martha E. Worster, who was born at Berwick, Me., a daughter of Ebenezer Worster, formerly of Berwick. Mrs. Kimball passed away June 14, 1913. In 1887 Mr. Kimball settled at Somersworth and continued to reside there until 1895, when he removed his home to Berwick, Me., his residence being on the corner of Merriam and Berwick streets. Fraternally he is identified with the Masonic lodge at South Berwick, Me., and belongs also to Washington Lodge, Odd Fellows, at Somersworth.
WILLIAM H. CHAMPLIN, who owns and operates the largest box manufacturing plant in New Hampshire and the second largest in all New England, has his factory and planing mill on Glenwood avenue at Rochester, N. H. He was born at Warwick, R. I., and was educated there and at East Greenwich Academy. At the age of eighteen years Mr. Champlin came to Rochester and in 1906 began the erection of his first planing mill. This was destroyed by fire on October 7, 1913, with considerable loss to him, but a new mill is in course of construction, equipped with every modern facility for car- rying on the box making business, which is the specialty, and by January I, 1914, it will be in full operation. Mr. Champlin also carries on a general wholesale lumber business and gives employment to 200 men. Energy and efficiency have marked every step of his business career and undoubtedly his undertaking has a still more prosperous course in the future as long as he lives to direct its management. Many business men are the best of citizens without taking a very active interest in political matters and this is the case with Mr. Champlin. He votes the Republican ticket and lends his interest to public-spirited movements but declines to serve in public office. He is identi- fied with the Odd Fellows, and is a member of the Episcopal church.
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EDWIN W. FOLSOM, one of the old established business men of Somersworth, jeweler and optician, located at No. 17 Main street, came to Great Falls in 1874, and, practically, has been continuously in the same busi- ness stated above during all these years, and is at present in the optical busi- ness at No. 3 Main street. He was born at Acton, Me., September 29, 1849, and is a son of William P. and Lucy (Goodwin) Folsom, both of whom were born in Maine and probably were of English ancestry.
Edwin W. Folsom was twelve years old when he accompanied his parents in their removal to Springvale, Me., and some years later to East Rochester, N. H. A few years later he went to Manchester, N. H., and after serving an apprenticeship to the jeweler's trade for four years, remained there two years longer and then came to Great Falls, now Somersworth, and immediately embarked in business. He is vice president and a director in the Somersworth National Bank and is one of the city's stable and representative men of affairs.
Mr. Folsom was united in marriage with Miss Della Marston, who was born at Somersworth, a daughter of Thomas F. Marston, a former well known resident of Somersworth, and they have five children: Flora, the wife of Harry Graf, who is connected with the postoffice at Manchester; Ethel, the wife of Harry Campbell, who is assistant treasurer of the Dwight Manu- facturing Company of Chicopee, Mass., with main office at Boston; Nellie L., the wife of Malcom M. Mckenzie, a teacher of mechanical engineering and drawing in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston; Olive M., the wife of George B. Sargent, who is in the banking business at Boston, Mass .; and William M., who is with the Great Falls Bleachery and Dye Works, as a business student, at Somersworth. Mr. Folsom is an important factor in the business life of this city and at present is treasurer of the Somersworth Board of Trade. He is a thirty-second degree Mason and is identified with all the local Masonic bodies and belongs also to Washington Lodge, Odd Fellows, at Somersworth.
E. A. CORSON, who is one of the leading business men of East Rochester, conducts one of the largest greenhouses in Strafford county, which is located on Autumn street, while his office is at No. 60 Hanson street, Rochester. He was born at East Rochester, N. H. in 1867, and is a son of Benjamin and Mary E. (Noyes) Corson.
Benjamin Corson was born in Strafford county and in his earlier years was engaged in farming but later went into the shoe business at East Roches- ter, in which he continued practically as long as he lived, being 84 years old at time of his death. He was a quiet, industrious, steady-going man, one who did his full duty in every position in which circumstances placed him.
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E. A. Corson attended the East Rochester schools and as he was one of a large family, early began to learn a self-supporting trade. He went into a shoe factory and gradually pushed ahead until be became foreman of the cutting room. Although he became an expert in that line his real tastes lay in the direction of his present business which he started 18 years ago and has built up to large proportions, having now 6,000 feet under glass. He has so equipped his plant that he can have flowers for almost every pur- pose on demand, but his specialties are potted plants and funeral designs.
Mr. Corson was united in marriage with Miss Miriam Annie Noyes, a native of Deerfield and they have two children: Royal W., who married Miss Zilla M. Southard, of Boston, and Bertha I., who lives with her par- ents. In politics a Republican, Mr. Corson has served a term in the state legislature and is now in his second year as a member of the city council. His fraternal connections include membership in the Grange and with the Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias. With his family he belongs to the Baptist church.
FRED J. HANSON, manager and half owner of the Nutter Heel Com- pany, an important industry at Farmington, has been identified with the leather business almost all his working life and has been engaged as a manufacturer of specialties for more than 30 years. He was born at Dover, N. H., January 16, 1857, and is a son of Joseph H. and Sarah Elizabeth (Maine) Hanson, the latter of whom died in 1881, her burial being in Pine Hill cemetery at Dover. She was born at Farmington, N. H., in 1836. One of her ancestors was Parson Maine, a statue of whom stands in the public square at Rochester, N. H. On the paternal side of the original ancestor was Thomas Hanson, who came from England in 1657 and settled in Straf- ford county, N. H. three miles below Dover. Joseph H. Hanson, father of our subject, married twice. Of his first marriage six children were born, Fred J. being the second in order of birth.
Up to the age of sixteen years Fred J. Hanson attended school at Dover. Then his industrial life began, his first work being at the trade of cutting heels. In 1880 he embarked in the manufacturing business at Boston, Mass., where he remained for four years. He then sold out and came to Farming- ton, in 1885 establishing his factory here for the manufacture of soles, taps and heel lifts and heels for all kinds of shoes. The business is now con- ducted as a partnership under the style of the Nutter Heel Company, the concern occupying a three-story building and doing an extensive business. Mr. Hanson has additional interests, being a stockholder in the Farmington National Bank.
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In January, 1879, Mr. Hanson was united in marriage with Miss Edna M. Smith, who is a daughter of the late George K. and Hannah (Colomy) Smith. The father was born at Bradford, Mass., and the mother at Farin- ington, N. H. Both are deceased, their remains resting in Pine Grove ceme- tery, Farmington. Mrs. Hanson was born October 4, 1864, the seventh in a family of eight children. She is well known in many circles, belonging to the Daughters of Rebekah and to the Woman's Club, at Farmington, and being the organist of the Baptist church. While always voting the Republi- can ticket, Mr. Hanson has never consented to accept a political office for himself. His fraternal connections are with Harmony Lodge, I. O. O. F., and with Mystic Lodge K. of P., both of Farmington.
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