USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > History of Strafford County, New Hampshire and representative citizens > Part 78
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Father Tetreau was then assigned as assistant pastor under Father Rich- ards of St. Charles church, at Dover, remaining there one year, and being then appointed assistant pastor at St. Aloysius church, at Nashua. N. H., in which position he remained four years. He then came to St. Leo's at Gonic. This church was built in the autumn of 1891, the first resident priest being Father Larocque. His successors have been Fathers A. Lessard, Melancon, Godin and the present pastor, Father Tetreau. This is a nice little parish, Father Tetreau having 105 families under his spiritual care. He impresses a visitor as an earnest Christian man of broad sympathies, and many of the plans he has in view will be beneficial not only to his church but also to the community at large.
JOSIAH P. JENNESS, who occupies a very responsible position as super- intendent of the American Woolen Company Sawyer Mills at Dover, has
REV. HORMISDAS TETREAU
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been identified with these mills almost his entire business life. He was born April 23, 1867, and is a son of Stephen A. and Hannah (Cook) Jenness, the former of whom was born at Rochester, and the latter in Somersworth, N. H. For many years they were residents of Dover.
Josiah P. Jenness was twelve years old when his father died. He at- tended the public schools of Dover until old enough to become self supporting, when he secured a position in the Dover postoffice, under Postmaster Joshua Varney, where he remained for three years. He was in his twentieth year when he became a clerk in the Sawyer Woolen Mills at Dover and served in this capacity in the main office for six years, then becoming assistant super- intendent under Superintendent T. M. Clark for six years. On account of poor health he was out for two years. He then returned as clerical employe for the Sawyers, and after the American Woolen Company took charge was made paymaster, which position he held five years, then becoming superin- tendent. In his political activities Mr. Jenness supports men rather than parties, being a man of broad outlook and true appreciation of good citizen- ship. He is a thirty-second degree Mason, a member of the Grand Lodge of Masons of the State of New Hampshire and is a past master of Strafford Lodge. He is widely known in the fraternity and not only is past district deputy grand master of the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire but is grand representative of the Grand Lodge of the states of Arkansas and Michigan.
Mr. Jenness was married first to Miss Caroline M. Meserve, a daughter of Samuel Meserve, of Dover. His second marriage was to Miss Mary O. Franklin, of Dover and one daughter survives, Pauline F. Mr. Jenness mar- ried for his third wife, Miss S. Maud Libby, daughter of Frank M. Libby, of Dover, N. H., and they have one daughter, Olive .A. Mr. Jenness and family are members of St. John's Methodist Episcopal church at Dover, of which he was treastirer for a number of years. The family is well known in the city's pleasant social life.
HON. JOHN KIVEL*, one of the associate justices of the superior court of the state of New Hampshire, and a highly esteemed resident of Dover, was born in the latter city April 29, 1855, a son of Patrick and Catherine Don- augher Kivel. Graduated from the Dover high school in 1871, he later attended Dartmouth college, from which institution he was graduated in 1876. He studied law in Dover with the late Frank Hobbs, was admitted to the bar in 1879, and has since practiced his profession in the different counties of the state with marked success. From 1887 to 1893 he served as county solicitor for Strafford County and was a member of the State Board of License Com- missioners from March 29, 1903, to May 26, 1913, when he was appointed to his present position on the bench.
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On October 12, 1879, he was united in marriage with Miss Eva G. Ennis, a daughter of Albert Ennis. Judge Kivel and family are members of St. Mary's Catholic Church and they reside at No. 40 Cushing street, Dover. He is a trustee in the Strafford Savings bank and in politics is a Democrat.
JAMES LUCEY, boss carder and foreman of the carding and picking department of the Gonic Manufacturing Company, at Gonic, N. H., has been identified with the woolen mill industry almost all his life. He was born at Queenstown, County Cork, Ireland, October 1, 1848, and is a son of James and Mary (Walsh) Lucey. Seven of their nine children were born in Ire- land and James was three years old when they came to America and secured a home in the city of Boston, Mass., where the elder James Lucey became a landscape gardener.
James Lucey, the younger, attended school at Baladvale and also at Lawrence and then entered a woolen mill and subsequently was employed at different places in woolen mills in Massachusetts prior to entering the army during the Civil war. He served twenty months as a member of Com- pany M, Second Mass. Heavy Artillery, and when the war was over returned to his former place of employment, the South Groveland Mills, at South Groveland, Mass. From there he came to Gonic, May 11, 1880, becoming boss carder, with eight men in his department and has continued in this position, now having 18 men under his direction and supervision. Mr. Lucey has shown that he not only has the technical knowledge necessary for this position, but that he also possesses the other qualities that are demanded in a satisfactory superintendent in order that the work may be expedited without complaint or friction.
Mr. Lucey married Miss Hannah T. Donahue, who was born in Ireland, a daughter of John and Mary (Cronan) Donahue. They have had nine children-John F., David J., James E., Mary A., Anna T., Margaret M., Agnes A., Stephen D. and Celia Rose. Of the above three are deceased- Mary A., Stephen D. and Celia Rose. Mr. Lucey and family are members of St. Mary's Catholic church. In politics he is a Republican. He belongs to Division No. 2, A. O. H., of Rochester, and is past commander of the G. A. R. Post at Rochester. The family residence is at No. 66 Church street, Gonic.
ELISHA RHODES BROWN, third son and fourth child of Colville Dana and Mary Eliza (Rhodes) Brown, was born in Providence, R. I., 28th March, 1847. The family removed to Dover, N. H., in 1850, and he has con- tinned to reside in this city ever since, being practically a native of the city. He was educated in the public schools here, and although not a college graduate
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he is a well read and scholarly man, having a large and carefully selected library at his house. He began his business life, as many of his ancestors did, as clerk in a store; as such he served four years in the dry goods store of Trickey & Bickford, in Dover. On Ioth December, 1867, Mr. Brown commenced his banking career as teller in the Strafford National Bank, with which he has been connected continuously for nearly forty-five years. He served as teller eight years. January 1, 1876, he was elected cashier. Ten years later, 12th January, 1886, he was elected one of the directors of the bank; June 30, 1890, he was elected vice-president; April 26, 1897. he was elected president, which office he has held continuously to the present time (1914). Mr. Brown was elected one of the corporators of the Strafford Sav- ings Bank, 25 March, 1876; trustee 31 March, 1883; vice-president 24 March, 1890; president 21 October, 1891, which office he has held continuously to the present time.
Mr. Brown has been a busy and efficiently hard worker in connection with these banks, but outside of that he has been actively identified with many other important enterprises. He was director in the Manchester and Lawrence, Dover & Winnipiseogee, West Amesbury Branch, Eastern New Hampshire and Portsmouth and Dover Railroads. He is now director of the Concord & Portsmouth Railroad and Maine Central Railroad. He was director of the Cocheco Manufacturing Company at the time of its sale to the Pacific Mills Company. In these various directorships he was an active member of the companies, and his good judgment and keen foresight had much influence in their successful management. His ability as a banker and business manager are widely known.
Governor Sawyer and Council appointed Mr. Brown the Commissioner for New Hampshire, 5 February, 1889, to attend the celebration of the Centennial of the Inauguration of Washington as President of the United States. In the Constitutional Convention of this year he was a delegate from Ward Four in this city.
He was an active member and president of the old Dover Library and when the Dover Library was merged in the Dover Public Library he was made one of the trustees, which position he has held continuously to the present time. Franklin Academy was established here in 1818 and for three-quarters of a century was a flourishing institution and did good work in the higher education of the boys and girls of Dover. In its later years Mr. Brown was president of the trustees. About 1900, the school was closed, the building and grounds were sold and the proceeds properly invested. Later when the subject of having a Public Library building and a High School building erected was under consideration, it was largely
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through his influence and good judgment that the funds of the institution were invested in the purchase of the Hon. William Hale estate on Locust street, and donated to the city for the perpetual use of the library and the school. So the funds of the Academy continue to be used for purposes of education.
Mr. Brown is and has been for several years, vice-president of the New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, in which official position he has done much good work in Dover and vicinity, in the protection of dumb animals that were being cruelly treated by their owners, and by his vigorous enforcement of the law against them.
Mr. Brown stands very high in the Masonic orders, being a member of Moses Paul Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; Belknap Chapter of Royal Arch Masons; Orphan Council, Royal and Select Masters; St. Paul Commandery, Knights Templar, all of Dover. In Scottish Rite Masonry he has taken all the degrees up to and including the Thirty-second degree, and is a member of the New Hampshire Consistory, of Nashua. His various other duties have not given him time to hold official positions in these organizations, but he has for many years been a loyal supporter of them all. He has also for many years been a member of Wecohamet Lodge of Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
In politics Mr. Brown is, and always has been, a Republican, having cast his first vote for General Grant for president in November, 1868. He is still firm in the faith of the well established principles of that party. In religion he is a Congregationalist, having joined the First Church in Dover July 5, 1873; in 1885 he was elected one of the deacons of the Church; he still retains that office but retired from active service in 1911. In his official relations Mr. Brown has rendered invaluable assistance in the man- agement of financial affairs of this very ancient Church, and when he retired from active service as deacon the Church gave him a highly complimentary and perfectly just vote of thanks, at a large meeting of the members.
When the Wentworth Home for the Aged was established by the munifi- cence of Hon. Arioch Wentworth of Boston, in 1898, Mr. Brown was elected one of the trustees and has held that office continuously to the present time. The first President of the incorporators was Mr. Joseph Brown Sawyer. On the death of Mr. Sawyer in 1908, Mr. Brown was elected to fill the vacancy, and now holds the office. The Wentworth Home has a fund of over $200,000 and is one of the most prosperous and best managed institutions of the kind in New England. There are at present thirty members cared for at the Home.
Mr. Brown was one of the founders and has always been a liberal sup-
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porter and member of the official board of the Dover Children's Home, located in a large brick building on Locust street. In this from thirty to forty children are cared for, educated, and, at the proper age, placed in good families to be brought up to manhood and womanhood and become good citizens.
Formerly the Pine Hill Cemetery was managed by a committee of the City Council; a change was made in the City Charter, and several years ago the management was placed in the control of a board of trustees and Mr. Brown was elected one of the members of the board, which office he has held continuously to the present. In this connection his duties have not by any means been sinecure. Under the direction of the trustees the cemetery has been greatly improved and much enlarged. It is now one of the beautiful spots of the city, and Mr. Brown as trustee has done his full share of the work in the planning and financing the improvements.
Mr. Brown's Ancestors and Kinsmen .- Mr. Brown inherits his character and business ability from worthy ancestors. His father, Colville Dana Brown, was born in Providence, R. I., 4 July, 1814. He came to Dover in 1850 and for a number of years was an expert calico printer in the Cocheco Print Works, whose products commanded the best prices in the country. Shortly after the Civil War began he entered the government service and was an official in the Commissary Department to the end of the war, serving faithfully and efficiently. Soon after the close of the war he was appointed Superintendent of the Government Grounds in Washing- ton, D. C., which important position he held until his death, 2 January, 1898.
Mr. Brown's grandfather, John Brown, was a successful merchant in Providence, and was son of Elisha Brown, also a successful merchant in that city. He was son of Deputy-Governor Elisha Brown, who was born in Providence in 1717 and died in that city in 1802. His wife was Mary Harris. He was one of the leading business men of Providence, a member of the Rhode Island General Assembly a number of years and Deputy Gov- ernor 1765, 1766 and 1767.
James Brown, an elder brother of Deputy Governor Elisha Brown, is best remembered by his four sons, Nicholas, Joseph, John and Moses, who in the Providence annals are known as the "Four Brothers." A brief notice of each may be of interest, so is here given.
Nicholas was left an orphan at the age of ten years, and the youngest, Moscs, was but seven months old when his father died, 27 April, 1739: but they had a remarkable mother, who brought the boys up to be staunch Baptists and keen business men. Nicholas followed mercantile pursuits and
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thereby acquired a very ample fortune. He was liberal with his wealth and a generous benefactor of Rhode Island College.
Joseph Brown, second of the four brothers, was likewise engaged in business and in manufacturing and acquired sufficient wealth to permit him to follow his natural taste for science. He became an expert in the knowl- edge of electricity. He was also proficient in astronomy. He was a warm friend of Rhode Island College, of which he was one of the trustees for several years, and during the last two years of his life he was Professor of Natural Philosophy, serving without pay.
John Brown, the third brother, was the most energetic of the four and became the wealthiest of them all, and it is said he was the first merchant in Rhode Island to carry trade to China and the East Indies. He was a leader in the party that destroyed the British sloop-of-war "Gaspee" in Narragansett Bay, on 17 June, 1772, and was sent in irons to Boston on suspicion of having been concerned in that affair, but he was released through the efforts of his brother, the Quaker member of the family. Antici- pating the war of the Revolution, he instructed the captains of his ships to freight their vessels on their return voyages with powder, so when the war began at Lexington and Concord, and the battle of Bunker Hill had been fought, and Washington assembled his army at Cambridge with only four rounds of powder for each soldier, Mr. Brown sent up a generous supply of powder from Rhode Island which enabled Washington to proceed to business in besieging Boston. After the war he served as member of Congress several years. But greatest of all, Mr. Brown laid the corner stone of the first building of Rhode Island College, now Brown University. He was one of the largest contributors and was for twenty years its treasurer.
Moses Brown, the youngest brother, was brought up in the family of his uncle Obediah, whose daughter he married. When he was twenty-five years old he became engaged in business with his three brothers, but, after ten years with them, withdrew and engaged in business by himself. He withdrew from the Baptists and became a member of the Society of Friends. Possessing large wealth he emulated his brother John, in the Rhode Island College business, and became the founder of the Friends' Boarding School in Providence, and his donations in support of it were frequent and liberal. In 1773, he manumitted his slaves and was one of the founders of the Abolition Society of Rhode Island.
There is one more of this family of brothers who deserves mention in this connection, Nicholas Brown the philanthropist, son of Nicholas, the eldest of the "Four Brothers." This son was born in Providence in 1769. He was graduated from Rhode Island College in 1786, and in 1791 the
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death of his father left him with a handsome fortune. Forming a partner- ship with his brother-in-law, Thomas P. Ives, he became a merchant, and, by his wisdom and honorable dealing, made the firm of Brown & Ives one of the most successful in the country. For many years he was a member of the Rhode Island Legislature. He was one of the most munificent patrons of Rhode Island College, which, in 1804, changed its name to Brown Uni- versity in his honor. His donations to the college amounted in all to more than $100,000. In addition to this he gave about $50,000 to other institu- tions.
Deputy Governor Elisha Brown, uncle to the "Four Brothers," was son of Reverend James and Mary (Harris) Brown, who was a noted Baptist minister of Providence. The Reverend James was son of Elder John and Mary (Holmes) Brown. Elder Brown was a noted minister and succeeded his father the Reverend Chad Brown as pastor of the First Baptist Church at Providence, the oldest Baptist Church in America. Chad Brown, the immigrant ancestor of Elisha Rhodes Brown, was an Elder in the Baptist Church. The dates of his birth and death have not been definitely ascer- tained. He died probably in 1665; but colonial records were largely destroyed during King Philip's War, ten years later, and it cannot be verified. He came over from England in the ship "Martin" and landed at Boston in July, 1638. About this time occurred the "Anabaptist heresy" and many of the Boston colonists removed to the Providence Plantations. It is probable that Mr. Brown was among these, for his tombstone, erected by the town, bears record that he was "exiled from Massachusetts for conscience sake." He probably arrived in Providence in the autumn of 1638, when Roger Williams and twelve others executed what is known as the "initial deed," assigning the land acquired by purchase from the Indians. Mr. Brown at once became a leader in the affairs of the colony, and when, after three months, the restless Williams finding that the Church would not implicitly accept his teaching, again seceded, Mr. Brown was chosen as his successor. He was formally ordained Elder in England in 1642, and assumed the pas- toral office on his return, and was in reality the first Elder of the First Baptist Church in America. Prior to his ordination serious dissensions had arisen in the colony, involving a quarrel with Massachusetts, and Mr. Brown was one of the committee appointed to make peace. He was a peace maker in various other ways and his influence in shaping the early tendencies of the colony was marked, and it is probable that, but for his resolute character and judicious management, the daring and refractory spirits that composed the colony would have come to blows on a dozen different questions of civil and religious import. So successful was he in adjusting the quarrels of
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his flock that the honorable title of "Peacemaker" was popularly accorded him.
Mary Holmes, wife of Elder John Brown, was daughter of the Rev- erend Obediah Holmes, who was the first pastor of the First Baptist Church at Newport, R. I., and a man of great influence in the business affairs of that part of the colony. He was one of the Commissioners for the General Court in 1655-58 to settle official disputes and difficulties; and again in 1676 he was Councillor for the General Assembly of the Colony in the troublesome Indian wars. It seems worthy to note that in the July (1912) number of the Journal of American History mention is made of the fact that Abraham Lincoln was a lineal descendant of Obediah Holmes, through the Lincoln family of Massachusetts.
Elisha Rhodes Brown is a descendant from very distinguished ancestors on his mother's side. First of these may be mentioned Roger Williams, one of the great historical characters of New England, being the founder of the colony of Rhode Island and the pioneer of religious liberty in America. He was born in London, 1604; son of a merchant tailor; graduate of Pem- broke College, Cambridge; studied law, then studied theology, and hield ecclesiastical positions in England. Emigrated to New England with his wife Mary, arrived in Boston in February, 1631, and in April following became an assistant teacher, or minister, at Salem; later he was assistant to the minister at Plymouth. In August, 1634, he became teacher, or min- ister, at Salem, where he had been assistant. His preaching and teaching were so liberal that he incurred the hostility of the authorities of the Massa- chusetts Bay Colony. After receiving various admonitions, which he did not heed, he was formally tried by the General Court, which decreed he should be banished from the domain of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. When they were about to arrest him he made his escape into what is now Rhode Island. If the authorities had caught him they would have shipped him back to England. So, in June, 1636, Williams with four companions founded the first settlement in Rhode Island, to which, in remembrance of "God's merciful providence to him in his distress" he gave the name Provi- dence.
When government was organized the chief corner stone, laid by Williams himself, was complete religious toleration, with a view to its becoming "a shelter for persons distressed for conscience." The result was the colony speedily grew, many coming there from Massachusetts. Mr. Williams had very decided views on religious and other matters, but was tolerant toward those who entertained different views. The result was that. people came there entertaining all sorts of religious opinions, and were not slow in
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expressing them. Among the numbers were Anabaptists, that is, those who believed that persons who had been baptized (by sprinkling) in infancy must be rebaptized by immersion. So in 1639, Williams was rebaptized by one of those Anabaptists, and he in turn baptized others, and these formed the First Baptist Church in America. Nevertheless, he retained his connection with it only three or four months, and Chad Brown, who had been working with him, became the sole leader and pastor.
Mr. Williams was at various times a member of the General Assembly, and was governor several years, and deputy governor still more. He was a personal friend of Cromwell and Milton and other leading Puritans in England.
Governor Roger Williams' daughter, Mercy Williams, married Resolved Waterman; their daughter, Waite Waterman, married John Rhodes, son of Zachary Rhodes of Warwick, who was an extensive land proprietor and ofttimes a member of the General Assembly.
John Rhodes was a distinguished lawyer and the King's attorney for several years. His son was noted as Major John Rhodes of Warwick, who rendered much valuable service to the colony in the Indian wars, and was a conspicuous citizen in official affairs otherwise, being member of the General Assembly. His son, Captain Charles Rhodes, born in 1719, married Deborah Green in 1739. In early manhood he was a sea captain; later he became a noted Baptist minister. His marriage with Deborah Green connects Elisha Rhodes Brown with the very distinguished Green family of Rhode Island.
Deborah Green was the great-great-grandmother of Mary Eliza Rhodes, Mr. Brown's mother. She was the daughter of Peter Green, born in 1682, who was grandson of Deputy Governor John Green of Warwick, whose father came from Salisbury, England, and was one of the first settlers in Warwick, R. I. The Green family is one of the most noted and powerful families in that colony and state. It is stated that it has had a member in every session of the General Assembly from 1642 to 1912. One of Debo- rah Green's kinsmen was General Nathaniel Green, who ranks second only to Washington in the Revolutionary War. The connecting families between Captain Charles Rhodes and his wife, Deborah Green, down to Mary Eliza Rhodes, Mr. Brown's mother, are as follows: She is daughter of Captain Elisha Hunt and Eliza Ann (Chace) Rhodes; he is son of Captain James Peter and Sarah (Hunt) Rhodes; who is son of Captain Peter and Hester (Arnold) Rhodes, and Captain Peter is son of Captain Charles and Deborah (Green) Rhodes. These "Captains" of the Rhodes family were all active and vigorous men and have good rank among the business men of Rhode Island, where they all resided. Hester Arnold, wife of Captain Peter Rhodes,
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