USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > History of Strafford County, New Hampshire and representative citizens > Part 69
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WILLIAM SAWYER, a scion of one of the old and representative families of Dover, in which city he spent his life, was born July 24, 1849 and died May 17, 1913. His parents were Thomas E. and Elizabeth (Moody) Sawyer.
Thomas E. Sawyer was born November 21, 1798, in Dover, where his name is yet publicly commemorated in the handsome school building, located on Fifth street. His death took place February 27, 1879. He was a bril- liant member of the Dover bar, a man of sterling worth and was at one time mayor of Dover. In 1813 he married Elizabeth Watson, who died in 1847. He later married Elizabeth Moody, who was a native of Effingham, N. H.
William Sawyer was reared at Dover and had many educational and social advantages. His business and family interests were centered here and this city remained his chosen home. He was affiliated with the Republi- can party and was a liberal supporter of the Methodist Episcopal church. For a number of years he was identified with the Improved Order of Red Men.
On September 22, 1882, Mr. Sawyer was married to Miss Sarah Ran- dall, of Conway, N. H., a daughter of Nathaniel and Mehitable M. (Brough- ton) Randall, both of whom were natives of Conway and both are now de- ceased. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer: Jessie, who is the wife of Ben P. Brierly, of Stratham, N. H .; Edith B., who resides with her mother at Dover; and Thomas E., who is a resident of Frank- lin, N. H. Mrs. Sawyer occupies the family residence at No. 14 St. John street, Dover. She and her daughter belong to the Episcopal church and they take part in many of the pleasant social activities of this old city, where the family name has been known and respected for generations.
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HON. FRANK B. PRESTON, of Rochester, who is one of the city's representative men, both in business and public affairs, was born at Straf- ford Bow Lake, February II, 1856, and is a son of Wingate T. and Mary J. Preston. They had four children, Mrs. Cyrena A. Rand, of South Ber- wick, Me., Frank B. and George W. of Rochester, and Alberton D., of Barrington. The mother died several years ago, and the father died March, 1913, aged 82 years.
Frank B. Preston had excellent educational training, attending school at Strafford, Barrington, Franklin Academy, Dover, N. H., West Lebanon Academy, Lebanon, Me., and New Hampton Literary Institute and Com- mercial College, New Hampton, N. H. He has been a contractor and builder in Rochester for 15 years. For the next 15 years, he was manager and part owner with Governor Samuel D. Felker of the Rochester Lumber Com- pany. For the past six years, he has been interested in real estate and lumber, exclusively, having an office in Dodge Building.
He was elected moderator of Barrington in 1881. He was married to Miss Fannie C. Foss in 1881, and moved to Rochester, where he has resided ever since. They have three children, Vinton W., who married Ada E. Mason; Mary Florence, a graduate of Rochester High School, and of New Hampton Literary Institute, also a student of Bates College, and Verne F. a member of the senior class of the Rochester High school.
He was elected moderator of Rochester for 1887, he also served as moderator at the state election in 1888, at which election he was elected a member of the Constitutional Convention from Ward 6. He was one of the Presidential electors on the Democratic ticket in 1900. He has served four years upon the school board as a member from Ward 2, namely, 1909- 1910-19II-1912, and since then as president of the board. He was elected a delegate to the State Constitutional Convention for 1912, from Ward 2, without a dissenting vote.
He was elected Mayor of Rochester, for the year 1913, and was re-elected to serve for the year 1914, without opposition, all parties uniting upon him. In politics he has always been a Democrat, and for six years was a member of the Democratic State Committee. He was elected in 1904, and every year since, corresponding secretary and manager of the Gafney Home, and at present is a trustee of that institution. He was elected president of the People's Building Loan Association in 1907, and has held the position ever since. For several years, he has been a trustee of the New Hampton Lit- erary Institution. He is a Free Baptist, and has served as director for several years, and at present is president of the society. Fraternally, he is identified with the Odd Fellows at Rochester, a member of the Rebekah Lodge, also
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a member of the Rochester Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, and one of New Eastern New Hampshire Pomona Grange.
RUPERT G. BISHOP was born in King's County, Nova Scotia, August 7, 1843, son of Leander L. and Rebecca ( Burbridge) Bishop, but his ances- tors were good, old Connecticut stock, of the Bishop family of New Haven, whose forbears were among the first settlers from England in that ancient and historic town. Leander L. was son of Peter Bishop, Jr., and his wife Amy Bishop of New Haven, Conn., and Peter, Jr., was son of Peter Bishop, Sr., and his wife Phebe Hamilton of New Haven. Peter, Sr., was born in New Haven about 1730, and his Bishop ancestors had lived there from the beginning of things in that town. In June, 1755, Peter, Sr., and three brothers were privates in a company of Connecticut militia which were serving under Governor Shirley of Massachusetts, in the land and naval armament which he sent from Boston to the head of the Bay of Fundy, where they captured the French forts and took military possession of the land of Acadia, and later the Acadians were driven from the land and scattered all along the New England coast, and the Atlantic coast of the Southern States. Longfellow, in his beautiful poem, "Evangeline," tells the story of their banishment and cruel sufferings.
In this expedition the Bishop brothers became acquainted with the fine Acadian farms, whose broad and fertile meadows are diked to keep out the high tides that are characteristic of the arms of the Bay of Fundy. After the Acadians had all been deported, and the Bishop brothers had completed their term of military service, the four brothers emigrated from New Haven to Nova Scotia and settled in King's county. They took with them four New Haven girls for wives, and were allotted farms where the Acadians had dwelt. Peter Bishop took Phebe Hamilton for his wife, and they raised a family of 16 children, boys and girls, and some of their descendants are farmers in Acadia today. His sons all came back to New Haven, Conn .. to select girls for their wives; his son Peter made choice of Miss Amy Bowles, daughter of one of the old families of that town, and they com- menced housekeeping where the French had vacated. It may be they lived on the identical farm from which Longfellow's heroine, Evangeline, was deported, but his grandson in Dover is not informed in regard to that point in history, but he never gets weary reading Longfellow's delightful poem in which is a description of Benedict Bellfontaine's farm where Evangeline lived.
Peter Bishop, Jr., was born about 1770, and he and his good wife died in King's County. Their son Leander L., father of the subject of this
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sketch, was born in 1813. He learned the trade of carriage builder. and was engaged in that occupation in King's County, Nova Scotia, until about 1870, when he removed to the Pacific Coast and settled at Tacoma, Wash- ington. His wife, Rebecca Burbridge, was daughter of Jolin and Abby (Fitch ) Burbridge of King's County, and grand-daughter of Col. John Bur- bridge, an officer of the English Army, who had settled in Nova Scotia when he retired from the army.
Rupert G. Bishop had none of the educational advantages now given the children and youth, but his parents sent him to a small private school conducted at Kentsville, near his home, and as soon as old enough to be trusted with tools he learned the carpenter trade under an uncle, James Burbridge, with whom he remained for several years. It was in 1870 that Mr. Bishop came to the United States, finding work at his trade in the city of Boston, Mass., working, according to the custom of the time, as a journey- man and became a contractor and builder in that city and vicinity. In 1878 he came from there to Dover, soon finding an excellent business field here and has continued until the present, having been concerned in many large building contracts in Strafford county and is noted for his strict integrity in his business transactions.
Mr. Bishop married Mrs. Ellen Smith, widow of Mark Smith, formerly of Dover, daughter of Peletiah and Comfort (Chase) Daniels of Strafford, near Bow Pond. Mrs. Daniels was a native of Vermont; Mr. Daniels was a great grandson of Joseph Daniels of Portsmouth, who settled in Bar- rington before the Revolution. Mr. and Mrs. Bishop have no children. He has never held any public office or aspired to hold any, nor is he a member of any secret society, but his fellow citizens esteem him as one of the best of men; he is a willing and liberal contributor to worthy charity, and gives a helping hand to all causes of public morality.
BERT WENTWORTH, justice of the peace and notary public, with offices at No. 44 Fourth street, Dover, is well known all over Strafford County and far beyond. He has acceptably filled many public offices and aside from these has won an interstate reputation as a scientific expert on finger prints and the Bertillon measurements, the accepted systems of identi- fying criminals. He was born at Dover, January 4, 1857, and is a son of George T. and Olive A. (Whitten) Wentworth.
George T. Wentworth was a life long resident of Dover, by profession a lawyer, and all his mature life he was active in public affairs. He was appointed postmaster of Dover by President Zachary Taylor and was sub- sequently reappointed by President Fillmore. He was a man of fine natural
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ability and of engaging personality. His death took place when he was in his 59th year.
Bert Wentworth in his boyhood attended school at Dover. He was 17 years of age when his father died and he became an employe of the Cocheco Manufacturing Company that same year, entering the print works as a student and subsequently becoming foreman of a number of departments there. For many years public life has claimed Mr. Wentworth's attention. He served seven years as deputy sheriff of Strafford County, and five years as police commissioner of Dover, under appointment of Gov. John McLane, resigning this office in order to accept that of a deputy United States marshal at Washington, D. C., his duties being confined to the District of Columbia. After 13 months in Washington his health failed, the change of climate not agreeing with him, hence he resigned his office and returned to Dover.
Mr. Wentworth was united in marriage with Miss Emma J. Wendell, a daughter of William Wendell, a well known resident of Dover, now deceased, and they have had two sons, Harry J. and Wendell L., the latter being now deceased. The former is a civil engineer connected with the Fitchburg Division of the Boston & Maine Railroad, with headquarters at Fitchburg, Mass. Mr. Wentworth is a 32d degree Mason and belongs also to the Royal Arcanum at Dover. With his wife and son he belongs also to the First Parish Congregational Church at Dover. He is deeply inter- ested in his scientific studies and when not engaged in his official duties may usually be found in his library.
EDWIN HARRIS THOMAS, one of the representative and influential men of Strafford county, has been more or less identified with the printing business since he was 17 years of age, and has been a resident of Farin- ington for the past 14 years, where he issues the Farmington News, of which he is editor and owner. Mr. Thomas was born at Lawrence, St. Lawrence county, N. Y., November 19, 1857, and is a son of Harris J. and Lucy D. (Wright) Thomas, natives of Vermont, both now deceased. The father was twice married and Edwin Harris was the youngest born of the family of four children to his first union.
Edwin Harris Thomas secured his education in the schools of Nichol- ville, N. Y., and St. Albans, Vt. He was 17 years old when he became an apprentice to the printing trade in the office of Col. Albert Clarke, at Rut- land, Vt., and after completing his apprenticeship worked in the same office as a journeyman until November, 1883, when he resigned in order to become foreman of an office at Montreal, Canada, where, after one year, he was made superintendent of the whole plant. After his subsequent return
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to Rutland, Vt., he took charge of the mechanical department of the Rutland Herald, owned by Col. Albert Clarke, on which journal he was also a special reporter for five years. Failing health caused his retirement from business for two years but in the meanwhile he assisted in establishing the Rutland Even- ing News. In November, 1899, he came to Farmington and purchased the News, which he has since issued as a weekly newspaper. It is in a very pros- perous condition, with a circulation of 1400 copies, its political policy being independent, although personally Mr. Thomas is a Republican. On many occasions he has been a delegate to state conventions and in 1912 headed his delegation for the Republican choice at that time. The job office conducted in connection with the newspaper, is a very important adjunct of the business, although its equipment with up-to-date machinery cost Mr. Thomas a large expenditure after he took charge. His office thus supplied with new type and all necessary machinery is liberally patronized, especially by the shoe factories, a large amount of printing being done for each plant. Mr. Thomas has been president of the board of trade for some years and is serving in his fourth year as president of the public library.
In 1880 Mr. Thomas was married to Miss Jennie I. Shipman, who was born August 14, 1857, third in a family of five children, her parents being of Hardwick, Vt. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas have two sons: Carl S., who is associated with his father in the publishing business; and Guy E., who is a resident of Farmington but is employed in the office of the New England Cot- ton Yarn Company, at Rochester.
For ten years Mr. Thomas was a member of the Ransom Guards, a noted military organization of Vermont. In his fraternal connection with the Masons he belongs to Fraternal Lodge No. 71 and is high priest of Columbian Chapter No. 18, R. A. M. He belongs also to Harmony Lodge No. 11, Knights of Pythias, in which order he has passed all the chairs and has served as district deputy. Both he and wife are members of the Eastern Star, of which he has been worthy patron for the past four years. They attend the Congregational church.
JAMES B. TOWLE, general farmer and dairyman, owning a valuable estate of 80 acres, situated on the Back River road, town of Dover, was born in Dover, N. H., July 2, 1856, and is a son of Jeremy B. and Mary (Nute) Towle.
Jeremy B. Towle was born at Wolfsboro, N. H., and is still a resident of New Hampshire, having lived in Dover for almost 80 years. He married Mary Nute, who was born in Madbury, N. H., and died many years ago. Their sur- viving children are: Levi W., James B., and Hiram G., all of Dover; Edwin
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D., a practicing physician of Salem, Mass .; and Cora A., a graduate nurse of Boston, Mass.
James B. Towle was educated in the public schools of Dover, after which, for ten years, he was employed as a wool sorter in the old Sawyer Mills at Dover. He then went to South Dakota and was engaged in farming for several years and subsequently, for several years, was manager of the large dairy farm belonging to E. A. Smith, who, at that time, was roadmaster on the Boston and Maine Railroad. Mr. Towle also, for a short time, was engaged in farm- ing in Worcester county, Mass., before returning to Dover, in 1899, when he located on his own farm, where he has carried on a general farming line, including dairying, having a ready market at Dover.
Mr. Towle married Miss Georgia E. Prescott, who was born in Iowa and is a daughter of George Prescott, of near Fitchburg, Mass. Mr. and Mrs. Towle have three children: Mary T., who is a graduate of the Westminster High school and of the State Normal school at Salem, Mass .; Harriet E., who is a trained nurse, a graduate of the Massachusetts General Hospital at Boston ; and Ralph A., who is a resident of St. Petersburg, Fla. Mr. Towle gives his political support to the Democratic party.
JEREMIAH J. MORIN, M. D., whose office is located at No. 95 North Main street, Rochester, N. H., was born in Canada, May 4, 1885. His father, Louis Morin, was a Canadian who came to the United States when his son, the subject of this sketch, was but a year old. He now resides in Portland, Me., where he is engaged in the paper manufacturing industry. He married Amanda Beaubien, and they had two children, Jeremiah J. and a daughter who is now deceased.
Jeremiah J. Morin was educated in the schools of Bellows Falls, Vt., Syracuse University, and the University of Vermont, graduating from the College of Medicine in 1909. He came to Rochester in May, 1910, after spending the interval in the Hartford Hospital and at Cummington, Mass., and has already laid the foundation of a good practice, being recognized as a fully competent man in his profession. He is a member of Rochester, Straf- ford County and State Medical societies, and American Medical Association. His fraternal affiliations include membership in the orders of Maccabees, Moose, Catholic Order of Foresters, Association Canado-American, L'Union St. Jean Baptiste, Local St. Jean Baptiste, and Knights of Columbus. He married Mary B. Dailey and he and his wife are members of the French Catholic church.
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H. E. ANDERSON, M. D., physician and surgeon, with office and resi- dence at Acton, Me., and Milton Mills, N. H., inclusive, enjoys a substantial practice that covers a wide extent of country. He was born April 1, 1887, at Limington, Me., and is the only child born to Edward A. and Nettie S. (Purinton) Anderson. The mother of Dr. Anderson died at Limington, Me., in 1896. She was a daughter of Stephen Purinton, who formerly was a county commissioner of York county, Me. The father of Dr. Anderson was sheriff of York county for six years. He died at Alfred, Me., in March, 191I.
H. E. Anderson was eleven years old when his parents moved from Lim- ington to Alfred, Me., where he continued his schooling. Later he attended the Lewiston High school for two years, after which he returned to Limington and completed his academic studies there. Subsequently he had medical col- lege advantages at Boston, Brunswick and Portland, and after receiving his degree he located at Acton (Milton Mills) and has remained here, becoming a leading citizen and physician in whom great confidence is placed. He is town physician of Acton, chairman of the board of health, superintendent of schools. and town clerk of the west end of the southern part of the town of Acton. His area of practice covers Union, Middleton, Acton ( Milton Mills) Lebanon and Shapleigh and, as may be judged, his time is very fully occupied. He is affiliated with the Republican party and belongs to the leading fraternal organ- izations, being a member of Springvale Lodge No. 192, A. F. & A. M .; Miltonia Lodge No. 52, I. O. O. F .; Rebecca Lodge No. 79, and is identified also with the Milton Grange.
Dr. Anderson married Miss Abbie Small, who is a daughter of W. S. and Kate Small, of Limington, Me. Mrs. Anderson is a highly educated and talented lady and devotes much time to music, having pupils at Acton and Milton Mills. She belongs to the Sisters of Rebecca and also to the Eastern Star. Dr. Anderson and wife take a prominent part in the social activities of Acton.
EVERETT L. CHAPMAN, M. D., of Dover, was born at Columbia. N. H., February 3, 1887, being one of the three children of William G. and Nora (Hutchinson) Chapman. His father was a dealer in timber and also engaged in the real estate business, buying and selling farms. The subject of this sketch, who was one of three children born to his parents, began his education in the public schools and also attended the high school of North Strafford, and the University of Vermont, where he was graduated in 1910 from the medical department. He then took a post graduate course in the Mary Fletcher Hospital of Burlington, Vt., and then a course in the S. R. Smith General Hospital and later in New York Lying-in Institute, of New
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York, on Aug. 11, 1911, coming to Dover, where he has already made a very favorable impression, being recognized as a competent physician and surgeon, a good citizen, and a man of agreeable personality. With such qualifications doubtless the future holds much in store for him. He is a member of the County Medical Society, the State Medical Society, and also the local medical society. He is a Republican in politics and is affiliated with the Masonic order. His office is located in the Masonic Temple.
ALPHEUS L. FAUNCE, of Somersworth, N. H., a prominent Republi- can and a veteran of the Civil war, was born at Oxford, Oxford county, Me., in 1842, and is a son of Aaron D. and Emily J. (Lennell) Faunce. The father was born in Maine and in early manhood was a mill operative. After coming to Somersworth he embarked in the undertaking business and con- tinued until his death, at the age of seventy-four years. He married Emily J. Lennell and they had nine children.
Alpheus L. Faunce attended school at Oxford in boyhood and afterward worked in a woolen mill. About 1888 he came to Somersworth and was engaged in the undertaking business until his appointment as postmaster by former President Roosevelt. In 1863 he enlisted for service in the Civil war, in Company C, 17th Maine Volunteer Infantry, serving a second enlistment in the 27th unassigned company of Maine, and being honorably discharged at the close of the war. For six years he served as deputy sheriff of Strafford county.
Mr. Faunce was married to Miss Sibelia A. Gaslin, who, at death, left no children. His second marriage was to Miss Alice Littlewood, and they have two children, Clyde L., who carries on an undertaking business here, and Nina Belle. Mr. Faunce and family attend the Methodist Episcopal church. He belongs to the Masons, Elks, and Knights of Pythias and is a member of the local post of the G. A. R.
LEWIS E. WENTWORTH,* a well known citizen of Rollinsford, N. H. where he is engaged in truck farming and poultry raising, was born in Straf- ford county, N. H., February 11, 1859, and is a son of James M. and Meribah K. (Bartlett) Wentworth.
James M. Wentworth was born at Exeter, N. H., and was quite young when his father died. His mother, with her two sons, moved then to Dover. He was early thrown on his own resources and through force of character hecame a man of standing and substance. For a number of years he worked in a manufacturing plant at Salmon Falls and was advanced in position from time to time until he was made overseer of the dressing room. Later he was employed as a machinist in a cotton mill at South Berwick, Me. His death
43
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occurred in 1882. He married Meribah K. Bartlett, who was born at Eliot, Me., and of their children two survive: Lizzie, who is the wife of George T. Clark, of Berwick, Me .; and Lewis E.
Lewis E. Wentworth attended the public schools of Rollinsford and the Salmon Falls High school. He has made truck farming, vegetable growing and poultry raising his main interests and devotes his fourteen acres of land to these industries. He makes a specialty of the White Wyandotte strain of fowls and has accommodations for a flock of 100 of these beautiful birds.
On December 28, 1895, Mr. Wentworth was married to Miss Mary P. Rollins, a daughter of Andrew Rollins, a well known citizen of Rollinsford, N. H., and they have four children : Rollins, Ellen A., Marion and Andrew. Mr. Wentworth is a member, with his wife, of the Hiram R. Roberts Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, and he belongs also to the order of the Golden Cross, at South Berwick, Me. He has long been active in the former organization and has served in many official positions. In his views on public matters he is broad-minded and has identified himself with the Progressive party.
DOWNING V. OSBORNE, who is engaged in the manufacture of shoes at Farmington, under the style of the Thayer-Osborne Shoe Company, can scarcely remember the time when he was not actively interested in his present line of industry. He was born at Rochester, N. H., April 27, 1864, and is a son of James L. and Lydia (Baldwin) Osborne. They were natives of New Hampshire and spent their entire lives at Rochester. Of their eight children, Downing V. was the seventh in order of birth.
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