USA > New Hampshire > Men of progress; biographical sketches and portraits of leaders in business and professional life in and of the state of New Hampshire > Part 3
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ELLIS, BERTRAM, Editor of the Daily and Weekly Sentinel, Keene, was born November 26, 1860, in Boston, Massachusetts, son of Moses and Emily (Ferrin) Ellis. On the paternal side he is of Eng- lish descent through the Walpole (Massachusetts) branch of the Ellis family. On the maternal side
BERTRAM ELLIS.
he is descended from the Ferrins of Londonderry, New Hampshire, a Scotch-Irish stock. He attended the common schools of Keene, fitted for college at the Keene High School. and was graduated from
Harvard in 1884. After graduation from the Har- vard Law School in 1887, he entered the law office of Evarts, Choate & Beaman in New York, being admitted to the New York Bar in 1888. From that year to 1890 he practised his profession in Denver, Colorado, for a part of the time in partnership with L. C. Rockwell. He was called home to New Hampshire by his father's death. Becoming inter- ested in newspaper work he joined the Sentinel in 1891, and two years later became its editor. He was an Aide on Governor Busiel's staff in 1895 and 1896, and in the following year served as a Repre- sentative to the Legislature from Ward Four, Keene. He held the important post of Chairman of the Ap- propriations Committee and there won much praise for his labors for economy in state expenditures. In politics he is a Republican, and has been President of the Keene Young Men's Republican Club for the last five years. He is a trustee of the Elliott City Hospital ; a member of the Keene Board of Educa- tion ; Secretary for New Hampshire of the Harvard Law School Association, and a member of the Wentworth, Monadnock Cycle, and Country Clubs of Keene. Mr. Ellis was married on June 20, 1894, to Margaret Louise Wheeler, of Minneapolis, Min- nesota.
FARRINGTON, JAMES, Physician, Rochester, one of the oldest and best known practitioners in the state, was born in Conway, New Hampshire, June 10, 1822, son of Elijah and Lois L. (Farring- ton) Farrington. On the paternal side his great- grandfather was Stephen Farrington of Andover, Massachusetts, who married Apphia Bradley, and his grandfather was Jeremiah Farrington of Con- way, who married Molly Swan of Fryeburg, Maine. On the maternal side his grandfather was Samuel Farrington of Hopkinton, New Hampshire, who married Miriam Eastman of Concord. His early education was acquired at Fryeburg, Bridgton, and Limerick Academies. He began the study of medicine in 1841 with Dr. Ira Towle in Fryeburg, under whose instruction he remained till 1846. In 1844 he attended a course of lectures at Dartmouth College, and in 1847 was graduated from the Medi- cal Department of the University of New York. In March of the same year he was graduated from Dr. Whittaker's Medical School. Dr. Farrington began the practice of his profession in Rochester in 1847, being associated with his uncle, James Far- rington, M. D., one of the most distinguished and successful medical men of his day in New Hamp-
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shire, a Member of Congress and an influential citizen. Upon the death of his uncle in 1859 he succeeded to the entire practice and has continued it until the present time. lle has been for many
JAMES FARRINGTON.
years a member of the Strafford District Medical Society and the New Hampshire Medical Society. and has prepared essays on many subjects of pro- fessional interest. He was elected President of the Rochester National Bank in 1892, after service of many years as a Director of that institution, and a Trustee of the Norway Plains Savings Bank. For more than forty years he has been a Mason, and he has filled many important offices. He served as High Priest of Temple Chapter in Rochester for eight years, having been elected at its organization. He is also a charter member of Palestine Com- mandery. Knights Templar. Ile became a mem- ber of the Motolina Lodge, Odd Fellows, in 1848. In politics he is a Democrat. He has held several of the more important offices in the town, and in 1863 represented Rochester in the Legislature. In 1889 he was a member of the Constitutional Con- vention. He was elected a member of Governor Tuttle's Council, holding this office in 1891 '92. On February 27. 1851. he married Harriette Louise Chase. Two children have been born to them : Nellie Florence ( Farrington) MeDuffer, and Josephine Chase ( Farrington) Sanborn.
FOSTER. JosHus L .. is the oldest of a fam- ily of five brothers, viz .: Joshua Lane, Joseph Ad- dison, Daniel Kittredge, Lucius Augustus, and Rinaldo Brackett, sons of Daniel Kittredge and Lydia (Lane) Foster. The father died in 1869, the mother in 1875. All the brothers are now living except Daniel K., who died December 13. 1897. Joshua L., for whom this writing is intended, was born at Canterbury. New Hampshire, October 10, 1824. When about three months old his parents moved to Chichester. New Hampshire, to reside with his mother's father. Joshua Lane, and there on the Lane homestead he was reared. The father being a noted school teacher of those days, at- tended well to his early private instruction, then sent him for several years to the district school and from there, later on, to Pittsfield Academy. He continued there for four years, and had all the advantages of that first rate institution. He then spent about two years at Gilmanton Academy, then returned for two or three terms to Pittsfield and completed his academic education. Ile remained on the home farm for a few years, then being of a mechanical turn he learned the carpenter's and builder's trade to which he devoted himself for two or three years more. But this not being satisfac- tory he went away to study architecture and geo- metrical drawing under the instruction of Professor Benjamin Stanton of New York. After completing this course he married Miss Lucretia Ann Gale of Upper Gilmanton, now Belmont, and returned to his parental domicil for an intended permanent home. But it did not satisfy and he soon after moved to Concord and opened an architect's office where he pursued that profession until the panic of 1857 came on, which brought his and almost every other kind of business to a standstill. He had, meanwhile, been a frequent contributor to the newspapers, and having attracted public attention in that way he was urged to enter the editorial field, and with the late Dr. Joseph II. Smith bought the Dover Gazette in 1858, entered into partnership with Edwin A. Hills, son-in-law of Dr. Smith, under the firm name of Foster & Hills, and conducted the paper for about three years when Mr. Foster sold his interest to his partner and a few months later returned to his architectural profession at Man- chester, but only for a short time, until January. 1863. when, on the urgent solicitation of leading Democrats of the State, he went to Portsmonth where no Democratic paper was then published, and started the weekly States and Union. Later in
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connection with the same he began the issue of the Daily Evening Times with such pecuniary aid as was obtainable in those fateful days. It was con- ceded by all that he made exceedingly vigorous Democratic journals in accord with the principles insisted upon by Democratic patrons and backers. These papers were continued with unabated vigor until June, 1870, when Mr. Foster sold out to a couple of his employés, and about a year later returned to Dover where-the Gazette having been discontinued-he started the publication of Foster's Weekly Democrat, the first issue appearing Janu- ary 1, 1872. It made a sensation by the vigor of its editorial and local departments, and soon gained a
JOSHUA L. FOSTER.
large circulation. But a weekly paper having too long vacations between the issues, he decided to start a daily and the first number of Foster's Daily Democrat was issued on June 18, 1873. It had a hard struggle for several years. With the Democratic leaders and managers it did not always agree, and never hesitated to manifest its dissent when the editorial convictions required it. Its independence caused party opposition and other papers were started at different times for the avowed purpose of crushing out the Daily and Weekly Democrat, but they utterly failed in their work. With the very effective aid of his two sons, George J. and Charles G .. well educated and practised in
the business, the Daily has been pushed onward until no better and more successful newspaper exists in the State, and none anywhere has a future more secure. In 1885, soon after the inauguration of Grover Cleveland as President, disagreeing with his politics, the Daily Democrat came out squarely against his administration, boldly espoused the Republican side in politics and has ever since maintained its position with all the ability and vigor at command. The twenty-six years of laborious effort in this enterprise have been rewarded with sufficient success so that a worldly competence for the veteran editor and his family is assured. No one has wielded a more virile pen, and his strength and abilities as a political writer are conceded by all and never challenged to his detriment. Mr. Foster never had any desire or ambition for public office, but has always declined all tenders of the kind. He has, however, been elected unanimously for three successive seven year terms a member of the Board of Trustees of the Dover Public Library, one of the most successful institutions of the kind in New England. He has represented the political party to which he belonged repeatedly in State and other conventions and in platform committees, where he has had the satisfaction of seeing his ideas and principles generally prevail. His aim has always been to hold his party to sound princi- ples rather than adopt any temporizing policy under the alluring but baseless promise of party success. So far as office is concerned he insists, as he always has through his newspaper life, that the editorial sanctum with its duties and responsibilities is the best office in the world ; that it furnishes opportuni- ties for the exercise of more influence and power than any other, and therefore satisfies his aspira- tions. The writer of this has always known Edi- tor Foster, is conversant with the history of his life, and could write a book full of interesting inci- dents· of his somewhat long and varied career, but feels that the space here allotted is necessarily limited to the more important points. His news- paper work for the last forty years has been an open book for everybody, and with it the public is familiar. He is very much in the habit of thinking for himself and writing and printing his honest con- victions with a clearness and emphasis of expression not to be misunderstood and pretty sure to attract the public attention. He reads nearly everything worth reading so that his newspaper life has been a continuous education and he is, therefore, well fitted for his work. Quick of thought, he is a ready
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writer of ample vocabulary and unyielding persist- ence. Ilis long experience in the profession enables him to easily determine what is suitable or unsuitable for publication, and his decision settles it. A wife, the two sons before named, and two daughters. Lucia Ella, and Ena Veille (both married. the former to Mr. Mercer Goodrich of Boston. the latter to Mr. Fred J. Whitehead of Dover) comprise his family. Although now ad- vanced beyond the allotted years of man, yet at this Christmastide A. D. 1897. his mental faculties are unimpaired. as strong and clear as ever, and his presence is plainly manifest in the editorial col- umns of the Daily Democrat.
FOWLER, HERSCHEL JOSEPH. Box Manufac- turer. Keene, was born in Alexandria, New Hamp- shire. April 23. 1849. son of Thomas L. and Nancy M. (Giles) Fowler. On his father's side he traces his descent from Abner Fowler, born in Kil- karney. Munster county, Ireland, in 1635, who came to America when a young man and settled in Salisbury. Massachusetts. His great-grandfather. Abner Fowler, was a soldier in the Revolution, and his grandfather, David Fowler, fought in the War of 1812 and was wounded at Lundy's Lane. On the maternal side he is descended from Captain Liceness, who came to this country with Lafayette, served under him in the Revolution, and at its close settled in Stratham. New Hampshire. When his men returned to France the Captain paid them off, taking in return the then almost worthless securities of the United States. Mr. Fowler was educated in the common schools of his native town and in the academies at Chesterfield, New Hamp- shire, and Newbury, Vermont. In 1866 he entered the drug store of Howard & Holman in Keene, remaining there three years. He was a year in the clothing and dry goods store of Whitcomb & Dun- bar in that city, and for a time was employed in a clothing store in Milford, Massachusetts. He had a year's experience in a variety store in Medford, Minnesota. In 1876 he bought his father's lumber and stave mill in Chesterfield, which he carried on until 1883, when in company with J. C. Joslin he built a new mill and began the manufacture of lock-corner wood packing boxes. About two years later Mr. Joslin retired from the business. In 1885 Mr. Fowler engaged in the manufacture of pails. an undertaking he conducted until the spring of 1886, when through circumstances over which he had no control, he was obliged to give up business
temporarily. In July of that year he was employed by the late Ansel Dickinson to establish and man- age a box business at Ashuelot. New Hampshire. In May. 1890, he leased the box mill of E. Munsell at Swanzey Factory; and in November, 1892, he removed his business to Beaver Mills, Keene, where it is still located. employing twenty-five to thirty-five hands in the manufacture of lock-corner wood packing boxes. In May, 1893, he bought and sub-divided a portion of the Governor Hale property in Keene, laid out streets, and built houses. He was elected a Supervisor in Chester- field in 1885. In 1895 he represented Ward One of Keene in the Common Council. and a year later
HERSCHEL J. FOWLER.
was elected an Alderman; reelected in 1897. In politics he is a Republican. Ile is a member of Lodge of Temple, Free and Accepted Masons. Mr. Fowler has been twice married; first on Sep- tember 11, 1876, to Ella M. Carpenter, who died May 24. 1887: a daughter. Nellie C., died May 20, 1887. On February 7. 1892, he was a second time married to Madella Byam. Ile has two living children : Fred H. and Grace E. Fowler.
HHILL,, GARDNER CALER, Physician, Keene, was born in Winchester, New Hampshire, March 20, 1829), son of Caleb and Polly ( Howard) Hill. He received his early education in the public schools
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of his native place, and afterwards attended the academies at Chesterfield and Swanzey, New Hampshire, and at Saxton's River, Vermont. He was graduated from the Castleton Medical College
GARDNER C. HILL.
(Vermont) in 1856, and took a post-graduate med- ical course at Harvard Medical College in 1866. Before commencing the practice of his profession, Dr. Hill taught school in Winchester, Swanzey, and Keene, in all about twenty terms. He began medical practice in Warwick, Massachusetts, in 1857, and remained there ten years. In 1867 he removed to Keene and has been engaged in active practice ever since. He was a member of the Common Council from Ward Four for three years, being President of that body for two years, County Commissioner for three years, County Treasurer, two years, Member of the Board of Education in Warwick, Massachusetts, for nine years, and in Keene for twenty-five years, City Physician seven years, and County Physician five years. Since April 1, 1897, he has been President of the Keene Savings Bank, and is a member of the Keene Board of United States Examining Surgeons. He is also a member of the Cheshire County Medical Society, Connecticut River Medical Society, and the New Hampshire Medical Society. In politics Dr. Hill is a Republican, and has been Chairman of Ward Four Republican Club in Keene for
twenty years. In 1856 he was married to Rebecca F. Howard of Walpole, New Hampshire. She died in 1893, and he was a second time married in 1894 to Carrie R. Hutchins of Keene. Having lost two children in infancy, named Harriet and William, he adopted three children : William H., Rebecca E., and Daisy May Hill. Of these, only William H. Hill is living.
HILLS, ANDREW JACKSON, Farmer and Me- chanic, Winchester, was born in Winchester, New Hampshire, October 20, 1851, son of Elisha and Arvilla (Dickinson) Hills. His father was born in Swanzey, New Hampshire, October 20, 1810, and died in Wellsville, New York, December 30, 1889. His mother was born in Swanzey, May 15, 1808, and died in Winchester, October 5, 1889. His paternal grandfather was Moses Hills, and his maternal grandfather, William Dickinson. His education was received in the district and village schools. He was elected to the General Court of the state for 1897-'98. Mr. Hills is a Mason, a Granger, and a member of the Eastern Star, the
ANDREW J. HILLS.
Golden Cross, and the Pilgrim Fathers. In poli- tics he is a Republican.
JACKSON, GEORGE FREDERICK, City Solicitor of Nashua, was born in Canning, Nova Scotia,
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February 14. 1864, son of James T. and Sarah R. (Smith) Jackson. His father was a descendant of William Jackson of Medford, Nova Scotia, whose father was a native of Lancashire. England. On
GEORGE F. JACKSON.
the maternal side he is a descendant of James Smith of Oldtown, Maine, his grandfather being William Smith of Windsor, Nova Scotia. Mr. Jack- son received his early education in Boston, where his parents removed when he was four years of age, in its public schools and at the Boston Com- mercial College. He began his business life in the wholesale smallware business as clerk, in a Boston house, and later was employed as travelling sales- man for some four years. He was next employed in a manufacturing company, where by accident he lost his right fore-arm. Shortly after recovering from his injuries, he entered the law office of Cap- tain H. B. Atherton of Nashua, as a student at law, where he remained for two years, after which time he entered the Boston University School of Law, and took the entire three years' course in two years. graduating with the degree of LL. B. from that institution in June. 1894. The following July he took the examination for admission to the New Hampshire Bar, standing at the head of a class of thirteen candidates. He immediately formed a co-partnership with Edward II. Wason, under the firm name of Wason & Jackson, which still con-
tinues. In January, 1897. he was elected City Solicitor of Nashua, and reelected in January. 1898. Mr. Jackson is a member of many organ- izations, among them being the Odd Fellows of Nashua, the Elks of Manchester. Knights Templar and Scottish Rite Thirty-second Degree Masonic Bodies of Boston, Massachusetts. Mr. Jackson served the State of Massachusetts in Company D, First Regiment Infantry (now Heavy Artillery) Roxbury City Guard of Boston, for five years, and is at present a member of the Ancient and Honor- able Artillery Company of Boston. In politics Mr. Jackson is a Republican.
LEET, GEORGE EDWARD, Physician, Concord, was born in Claremont, New Hampshire, March 29, 1851, son of George H. and Sarah F. (Chase) Leet. His ancestors were among the first to settle in Con- necticut, afterwards moving to Claremont, New Hampshire. He received his education in the common schools, and by the aid of private instruc- tion. He entered Dartmouth Medical College and was graduated in 1877. He began the practice of
1. 1. 1.1.1.1.
medicine in Canaan, New Hampshire, in Septen- ber, 1877, and continued in active practice there for seventeen years, when he moved to Concord. In 1893- '94 he was a member of the School Board of Canaan, also a member of the Board of Health
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MEN OF PROGRESS.
for several years. He is a member of the New Hampshire Medical Society and the White River Valley Medical Society. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge of Enfield, St. Andrews Chapter, and Washington Council of Lebanon. He is also an active member of the American Mechanics and also of the Grange, and has held offices in a number of these societies. He is a member of the Metho- dist Episcopal Society, and is a Republican. On February 14, 1878. he married Katherine E. Saw- yer, of Claremont. They have two sons: George Paul, born February 22, 1884, and Edward Don Leet, born July 25. 1887.
LIBBEY, FRED SUMNER, Lumber Dealer, Wolf- boro, was born in Wolfboro, New Hampshire, Octo- ber 17. 1865. son of Alvah S. and Abbie E. (Pray) Libbey. After graduating from the Wolfboro High School in 1883, he entered the New Hampton Literary Institution in August, 1883. He was graduated in June, 1887, giving the honorary address to his literary society, the Social Fraternity. He next entered Bates College in August, 1887,
FRED S. LIBBEY.
from which he was graduated in 1891, having the parting address to his class, of which he was President. After leaving college he was elected Principal of the Camden, Maine, High School, which position he held until September, 1895, when
the death of his father called him home to settle the estate. In October. 1896, he bought out the interest of A. J. Varney, for thirty years a partner of his father in the lumber and box business under the firm name of Libbey & Varney. In January, 1897, he and his brother, E. J. Libbey, bought the interest of the Libbey estate and are now carrying on a large and very prosperous box and lumber business under the firm name of Libbey Brothers. Mr. Libbey was elected Moderator of the town at the last election. In politics he has always been a Republican. In religion, a Free Baptist. He was married on August 27, 1892, to Sara E. Deering, of Pittsfield, New Hampshire. They have two children : Frederic Alvah and Elizabeth Louise Libbey.
LIBBEY, HENRY CLAY, Lumber Merchant, Lisbon, was born in Bethlehem, New Hampshire, August 2, 1839, son of Nathaniel and Tirzah (Lord) Libbey. His great-great-great-great-grandfather, John Libbey, was born in England about the year 1602, and came to this country about 1630 and settled in what is now Scarborough, Maine. He had twelve children. His oldest son, John Libbey, was born in England but was reared in Scarbo- rough, Maine. He took an active interest in the public matters of the town, and served as Selectman in the year 1670, also in the years 1674, 1683, and 1687. In May, 1690, he moved to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where he lived until his death. He followed the calling of miller, and was frequently chosen to fill the minor town offices. He lived to a very old age. His son, Benjamin, was born in Scarborough, Maine, June 4, 1682, moving to Ber- wick, Maine, and living there until his death. He was for many years one of the principal inhabitants of the town, being frequently placed .on the most important Town Committees, and was from 1719 to 1736 Selectman. He was one of the original Pro- prietors of Lebanon, and took prominent part in the early management of that township. He was a Deacon of the Congregational Church for thirty-six years. Mr. Libbey died November 9, 1768. His son, Charles Libbey, was born in Berwick, Maine, December 29, 1721, and married Abigail Hilton, December 27, 1744. He was a farmer, living and dying on his father's homestead. His death occurred in September, 1772. They had twelve children. His son, Captain Charles Libbey, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in Berwick, Maine, December 16, 1749, was a
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Revolutionary soldier, and settled in Lebanon in 1791. Nathaniel Libbey followed the sea in his early days, and later engaged in lumbering in Bethlehem. The subject of this sketch was the
11. C. LIBBEY.
youngest of a family of eleven children. At the age of eleven months he was left fatherless, and when he was seven years of age his mother died. He was thus thrown upon the world at an early age, and worked at different places for his board until he was thirteen, when he began doing the work of a man. He attended the common schools at White- field, but his education was very limited. At twenty years of age he bought a sawmill, paying three hundred dollars down and giving his note for twelve hundred. This, his first business venture, proved successful, and in 1871 he bought the Alder Brook mill property which he managed successfully for eighteen years, disposing of the mill to T. P. Green. He then went to Lisbon, where he has since resided. In 188; he organized the Granite State Glove Company, and became its President. This concern consolidated with the Saranac Glove Com- pany of Littleton, and Mr. Libbey is President of the same. Ile had a share in forming the Parker & Young Manufacturing Company in 1881. of which he was made President. When its establish- ment was burned in 1891, he was one of the leaders in the rebuilding. At present it is one of the
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