USA > New Hampshire > New Hampshire men. A collection of biographical sketches, with portraits, of sons and residents of the state who have become known in commercial, professional, and political life > Part 20
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261
ROSECRANS W. PILLSBURY.
T HE name of Pillsbury, made conspicuous in former generations, loses none of its lustre in passing from father to son. Rosecrans W. Pillsbury, son of Col. Wm. S. Pillsbury, was born at Londonderry, September 18, 1863, and was educated in the public schools and at Pinkerton academy at Derry, and entered Dartmouth college with the class of 1885, remaining there for one year, when he was compelled by ill health to retire from a scholastic occupation. Upon regaining his strength, Mr. Pillsbury entered his father's counting-room and assumed charge of the book-keeping of the large business of the Derry shoe factory. Finding this distasteful, however, he began the study of law in the office of Drury & Peaslee at Manchester, continuing it at Boston university, and was admitted to the bar, and is now practising his pro- fession with the firm of Crawford & Pillsbury at Derry Depot. Mr. Pillsbury has been actively interested in politics, and has been honored by the Republican party with repeated elections to the state central committee, and in 1889 sat in the constitutional convention, the youngest member of that body. He has frequently served as modera- tor in his town, and was tendered by Governor Smith an appointment as judge advocate general upon his personal staff, an honor that Mr. Pillsbury declined. In addition to his law practice Mr. Pillsbury is in- terested in various manufacturing enterprises, and gives some of his attention to agriculture, being devoted to the breeding of high-class trotting stock, his farm "Woodmont," beautifully situated in Lon- donderry, numbering in its stud some of the finest and best bred colts in the state. Mr. Pillsbury was married December 10, 1885, to Annie E. Watts of Manchester, and has two children.
262
COL. FRED ALBERT PALMER.
C OL. FRED ALBERT PALMER, of Derry, is a native of that town, and was born February 2, 1855. He is the son of William C. Palmer and Mary A. Hanson, and was educated at Pinkerton acad- emy, Derry, the " alma mater" of so many of New Hampshire's most noted men. He began his business career as a clothing dealer, and for twelve years followed that occupation with marked success, being at the close of that period at the head of one of the most extensive and remuner- ative stores in southern New Hampshire, and retiring from that business only to seek a larger field for his efforts as general agent of the Granite State Provident association of Manchester, with whom he has been engaged for the past few years, and for whom he has done an incalcul- able service in presenting the claims and the merits of the organization in many parts of the land. Colonel Palmer's military title is due to the fact that he was a member of Governor Goodell's staff, serving as aide- de-camp, with the rank of colonel. Colonel Palmer is one of the bright. alert, agressive young New Englanders of the day. Carrying with him into every branch of endeavor the honest fearlessness of youth and the intense practicability of a man of sense, Colonel Palmer has merited the measure of good fortune that has fallen to him.
263
FRED NELSON CHENEY.
F RED NELSON CHENEY is another of those young men who have come to New Hampshire from another state. Mr. Cheney was born in Arcola, Washington county, Minnesota, July 9, 1858, and is the son of Frederick Porter Cheney and Louisa Hill. He was edu- cated in the Orleans Liberal institute at Glover, Vt., and in the Barton academy and graded school at Barton, Vt., and until the age of eighteen worked upon a farm and attended school. He then began as clerk in a country store, and for five years was thus employed. For the next five years he was engaged as manager of a clothing store, and in 1887 entered the service of the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York at Manchester, in the firm of R. H. & F. N. Cheney, engaging with his brother as the special agent, and working up a large and valuable clientage, which he still retains, although in 1889 he assumed, still in partnership with his brother, the general agency of his company for the district covering the territory embraced by the states of New Hampshire and Vermont. Mr. Cheney possesses all the requisites for a successful insurance man, keen and alert, progressive, persistent, popular, he maintains himself with ease amid the fierce competitions of insurance circles. Fully in touch with the requirements of his calling, aided by a bright and cheerful courtesy, supported by unflagging zeal in the pursuit of new business and the maintenance of old alliances, he has made for himself a position in the front rank.
264
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REUBEN H. CHENEY.
R EUBEN HOWARD CHENEY, reversing the general practice. came to New Hampshire from the West. He was born in Ar- cola, Washington county, Minnesota, February 14, 1856, the son of Frederick Porter Cheney and Louisa ( Hill) Cheney. He was educated at the Orleans Liberal institute at Glover, Vt., at Barton academy, and the graded schools at Barton, Vt. Prior to his sixteenth year he worked upon a farm and attended schoch. For two years after he was clerk in a country store, and then held a clerkship in a railroad office, resigning to be freight division agent of the Northern, the Concord, and the Boston & Lowell railroads. In 1886 he resigned these duties to accept a position as special agent for the Mutual Life Insurance company of New York, making his headquarters in Manchester. In 1869, upon the death of the company's manager for this state, Mr. Cheney's capacity had so impressed itself upon the officers of his company, that he was appointed general agent, which position he now shares with his brother, Fred. N. Cheney, under the name of Cheney & Cheney, supervising not only the work of the company for New Hampshire, but also that tran- sacted in Vermont. Mr. Cheney is a man of careful habits of business. A long clerical training has fitted him for the minute duties of a super- intending insurance agency, although in the active work of the insurance world he has but few equals, as may be judged from the rapid promotion that has attended his efforts in this line of work. He was a young man when he came to his present responsible position, and the vigor of his young manhood at once exerted itself, and impressed itself upon those under his supervision. Ilence the rapid growth of his business is not to be marvelled at. It is the logical result of the earnest and conscien- tious endeavor of a young man, ambitious for himself, yet devoted to his employers, for such a man is Mr. Cheney.
265
ENOCH L. C. COLBY.
F NOCH L. C. COLBY was born in Henniker, January 15, 1854, the son of Benjamin Colby and Martha Cleveland Childs. Study- ing first in the common schools, he later attended the Henniker and Francestown academies, taking a regular course in the latter institution and graduating with credit. Following his graduation he engaged as a teacher in the public schools. When he was nineteen years of age he began a mercantile career in a country store at Henniker, and for five years was thus employed, and then engaged in farming, lumbering, buying and selling cattle, and later on returned to mercantile life in Manchester and afterward in Laconia, where he now resides. For the past four years he has been engaged in the insurance business, as special and supervising agent for the Hartford Life and Annuity Insurance company. In this latter calling, Mr. Colby has found what has proven to be his opportunity, and he has grasped it with all of its possibilities, developing them to the utmost and achieving in the few years that he has followed his new pursuit a remarkable success, rising to a command- ing position among his competitors and growing constantly in the es- teem of the corporation to whose interests he devotes his labors. Dur- ing Mr. Colby's residence in Henniker he was honored with an election to several town offices, and discharged the duties of the same always with fidelity to the people whom he represented. Mr. Colby's profes- sion is one in which success can be attained only by the most con- stant and faithful labor. It permits no laggards within its ranks, and those who win must win by force of character as well as of intellect. That Mr. Colby has been enabled to achieve the present successful re- sult, is attributed to the symmetry and perfection of his qualities.
266
COL. JOHN J. DILLON.
C OL. JOHN J. DILLON was born in London, England, October 25, 1841, and at the age of twelve years became a sailor, follow- ing) the sea for about ten years, and visiting during that time nearly every country on the globe. In the course of his travels in 1863 he found himself in the United States, then in the midst of war, and he volunteered as a private in the Fourth regiment of New Hampshire vol- unteers. His term of service lasted two years, one year of which was spent in Libby prison, Andersonville, Florence, and other rebel prison- pens. At the close of the war he settled in Manchester, where he has lived practically ever since. Upon being mustered out of the federal service Colonel Dillon entered the New Hampshire National Guard, serving in various capacities and companies until 1884. when he was com- mander of the First regiment, and in that year resigned his commission. During nearly all of the years from the close of the war until 1880. Colonel Dillon was employed by the Amoskeag corporation, and in the year last mentioned became local agent at Manchester for the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance company, of Milwaukee, Wis., being promoted one year thereafter to be its general agent for the state of New Hamp- shire, which position he now maintains with increasing success each year, being considered one of the most conservative managers, and at the same time most progressive, in this hotly contested field of activity. He also represents the American Casualty Insurance Company, of Bal- timore, Md. In politics, Colonel Dillon is a pronounced Republican, and in religion is a Universalist. He is an active member of the Grand Army of the Republic, is an Odd Fellow, and a Granger, and in all parts of the state is known and welcomed for his unflagging good nature and urbanity.
267
CHARLES C. DANFORTH.
C HARLES CARROLL DANFORTH was born in Amherst, April 12, 1831, and is a son of Joel C. and Betsy P. (Andrews) Dan- forth. His parents removed to Concord and he was educated in the schools of that city. At sixteen years of age he went to Nashua, and there attended an academy and was engaged as a clerk in the post-office by his uncle. In 1858 he went West, and for several years was in the employ of the Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad. He returned to New Hampshire in 1871, and has since resided at Concord, being engaged in the general insurance business, and is now, as for several years past, a member of the firm of Morrill & Danforth. In Freemasonry he first saw light in Rising Sun lodge, No. 39, Nashua, N. H., February 17, 1859; was exalted to the degree of Royal Arch Mason in Madison chapter, No. 4, Madison, Wis., May 17, 1859 ; created a select master in Madison council, No. 3, Madison, May 21, 1859 ; created a Knight Templar in Robert Macoy commandery, No. 3, Madison, June 3, 1859 ; and received the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite degrees, 4 to 32 in- clusive, in Wisconsin consistory, Milwaukee, at the time of its organiza- tion, August 7, 1863. He was created a sovereign grand Inspector-gen- eneral (33ยบ) and elected an honorary member of the Supreme council of the northern Masonic jurisdiction at New York, September 18, 1889. He also received the Royal Order of Scotland, at Boston, in 1891. During his residence in Wisconsin he was the incumbent of several state offices in Masonry. On his return to New Hampshire he affiliated with lodge, chapter, council, and commandery of Concord, filling several offices in chapter and council. In Mount Horeb commandery, after serving in subordinate offices, he was elected commander in 1884 and 1885. After several years of service in various offices of the Grand command- ery he was elected grand commander in 1889. In the Grand lodge he has been grand steward and chairman of the committee on creden- tials.
268
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CHARLES E. STANIEI.S.
T HE life of Charles E. Staniels is a record of great activity. He was born in Lowell, Mass., December 27, 1844, the son of Edward Langmade Staniels and Ruth Bradley (Eastman) Staniels. He was educated in the Boston public schools, at Pembroke academy, and at the Roxbury (Mass. ) Latin school, and in 1861 began a business career with a mercantile house in Boston. In 1865 Mr. Staniels became a commercial traveller, following that occupation for twenty years, trav- elling throughout the United States and Canada in the interests of one of the largest firms in the country, and winning a thorough acquaintance with men and affairs in all parts of the land. In 1886 he retired from this calling to become district superintendent of agencies for the Con- necticut Mutual Life Insurance company, establishing his headquarters at Concord. In this field of endeavor, despite Mr. Staniels's few years of service, he has already won honor and enviable fame, and has taken a high rank among the brilliant and brainy men who have devoted their lives to the insurance business. As an evidence of the esteem with which Mr. Staniels is held by his associates, may be mentioned the fact that he has been chosen president of the New Hampshire Life Under- writers' association, and for two years was a member of the executive committee of the National Life Underwriters' association Mr. Staniels has also been president of the White Mountain Travellers' association, the largest of its kind in the United States, is a member of the advisory board of the life insurance department of the Auxiliary Congress of the World's fair, and has just been chosen president of the New Hampshire Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. He was also invited to address the National Life Underwriters' convention at Cleveland, in September, 1893, upon technical subjects. As an in- surance man Mr. Staniels is thoroughly posted in all the details of the profession. His facile pen contributes frequently to the columns of business and secular journals.
269
DR. HENRY MARBLE.
N EW HAMPSHIRE counts among her adopted sons Dr. Henry Marble of Gorham, who is the son of Barnard L. Marble and Lucy Trask Abbott, and who was born at Dixfield, Me., September 5, 1848. Passing through the schools of Dixfield, Dr. Marble finished his education at Norwich university and at the Bowdoin Medical college, taking his degree of doctor of medicine (M. D.) in 1870, and immedi- ately settling down in the practice of his profession at Auburn, Me., removing thence to Gorham, where he has since resided and been ac- tively engaged in practice. Dr. Marble's life as a physician has been highly successful. His practice has covered the entire range of the profession and has been limited in extent of territory only by Dr. Marble's physical endurance, yet upon all that experience Dr. Marble may look back with no sense of professional or personal regret. His genial presence, his professional skill, the magnetism of his person, have brought relief to so many that it would be idle to attempt to de- scribe it. Dr. Marble's prominence in his profession is such as to have merited the attention of the incorporators of the Northeastern Life In- surance company, and upon the formation of that corporation he became its medical director, and the success of the company has been in no small measure due to his personal efforts consistent with his well earned reputation. Dr. Marble has morever exerted an active influence in the councils of his party. Though residing in a community overwhelmingly Democratic, he is frequently appointed opposition candidate for high office, and despite the disadvantages of political environment, he has always polled a handsome vote, running in every instance far ahead of his ticket, and in 1887 the Democratic town of Gorham sent him to represent it in the legislature.
270
GEORGE A. MCKELLAR.
G EORGE A. MCKELLAR is a native of South Thomaston, Me., T where he was born October 25, 1852. With his parents he re- moved to Rockland, Me., in 1857, and obtained his education in the common schools of that town, and at the Maine Wesleyan seminary, at Kent's Hill. After leaving school, Mr. Mckellar was engaged in the express business at Lawrence and Boston, and was after that engaged as book-keeper for the Corporation Supply company, of Lawrence. Then he went into railroading, and was a station agent for the Boston & Maine railroad for about fifteen years. From railroading he went into insurance, and for three years he held the general agency of the New York Life Insurance company, having his office in Concord. In 1893 he abandoned this branch of the business, and entered the field as a general insurance broker, but devoting a large share of his time to the duties of the special agency for the Granite State Provident association, a position which fell into his hands at that time. Mr. Mckellar is one of the best known and most highly esteemed insurance men in New Hampshire. It may also be added that he is on that account one of the most successful. He possesses the very qualities best needed in his line of work, and by the constant exercise of these qualities he is daily advancing himself in his profession. In the estimation of those who are associated with him, as well as those who know him either pro- fessionally or personally, he is a remarkably successful life insurance broker.
27I
CLARENCE H. WILKINS.
C' LARENCE HERBERT WILKINS, the youngest of four children of Rodney Wilkins and Harriet Lewis Ellinwood, was born in Deering, May 12, 1855, and was educated in the public and private schools of Hillsborough Bridge and at the Gaskell Business college in Manchester. His early business experience was had at Hillsborough Bridge, where, his father having died, he paid his school expenses by working during vacations for the village merchants and printer. In 1874 he graduated from the business college and entered the office of the New Hampshire Fire Insurance company, and was promoted through the clerical departments to be manager of the local department and in- spector. The outdoor work of inspecting having its charms, in 1885 he became surveyor for insurance maps, gaining valuable experience. Upon the organization of the New Hampshire Manufacturers' Mutual Fire Insurance company at Concord, in 1886, he was elected secretary and served until near the end of that year, when he resigned to become assistant secretary of the Granite State Fire Insurance company at Ports- mouth. In 1887 he was appointed special agent of that company for New York and southern New England, resigning in 1889 to take a similar posi- tion with the British America Assurance company of Canada, for New England, and in 1892 became special agent and adjuster of fire losses in New England for the United States Fire Insurance company of New York, which position he now holds. He is a member of the New Eng- land Insurance Exchange, and holds chairmanships of important com- mittees. During his residence in Manchester he became a member of Washington lodge, Mt. Horeb R. A. chapter, and Adoniram council, A. F. and A. M., was an active member and an officer of the Manchester cadets, and chief consul of the New Hampshire division League of American Wheelmen in 1883. He married, June 1, 1889, Alice, second daughter of the late Hon. David A. Warde, of Concord, and has two children.
272
IRA N. BLAKE.
I RA N. BLAKE, the son of Ira Blake and Dorothy (Sanborn ) Blake, was born in Kensington, October 11, 1832. Ile attained his education in the common schools of Kensington, and at an early age began to carve out for himself the fortune that he has so successfully won. Mr. Blake has been steadfast in his occupations. He has been engaged in the shoe business during the entire course of his commercial life, beginning, after mastering the details of the business, as a manu- facturer of ladies' boots and shoes at Seabrook, removing thence to Hampton Falls, thence successively to Pittsfield and Northwood, where he now resides. Each of Mr. Blake's successive changes of location was made solely for the purpose of securing the increased capacity needed by the ever increasing demands of a steadily growing business. Under his careful supervision, aided not a little by his own labor, always sup- ported by an intricate knowledge of the business that he had taken up, Mr. Blake has reaped the reward due to care and sagacity ; no man could
more honestly boast that he had wrought out his own fortune. Mr. Blake, aside from his honors in business circles, has achieved some measure of fame in political life. He was a member of the legislature in 1881, and ten years later sat once more in the same body. In 1892 he was elected a delegate to the Republican national convention at Min- neapolis, and there he was proud to record his vote for James G. Blaine. In financial circles he has always stood high in the community, and was president of the Farmers' Savings bank for four years. The relations existing between Mr. Blake and his associates and subordinates, in a business capacity, have always been the most pleasant, a fact largely due to his own tact in his intercourse with men. Thoroughly honest him- self, he has brooked no attempts at deceit on the part of those asso- ciated with him, and has impressed the integrity of his own nature upon the men with whom he has to deal.
273
GEORGE LITTLE.
G EORGE LITTLE was born in Boscawen, now Webster, August 23, 1825. He was educated in the public schools and at Pem- broke and at Meriden. During all his life he has taken a lively interest in all affairs pertaining to the good of the town, and for many years has been counted one of the most prominent and public-spirited of her citi- zens. His early life was spent on the farm where he was born. Later he left the old homestead on " Little Hill," and was a merchant on Corser Hill, at first as a member of the firm of Pearson & Little, and later under the firm style of George Little. For many years he took a prominent part . in the political affairs of the town of Webster. He became a Republi- can when that party was formed and was president of the first Repub- lican club of the town in 1856. He served on the board of selectmen in 1861, 1862, 1863, and again for one year in 1874. He represented the town in the state legislature in 1864 and 1865. During the succeed- ing years, in which he held no office, he continued to take an active interest in political affairs, and was always prominent in the councils of his party. He has always been interested in the cause of education, and in addition to his contributions for the support of schools, served as a member of the school board the first year of the adoption of the town district system. He is a member of the Second Congregational church, to which he has always given liberal support. His business is broader than that of the country merchant, and for many years he has been almost constantly engaged in the settlement of estates. He was a justice of the peace for many years. His unquestioned integrity of character, added to sound business sense, led many of his townsmen to entrust these important matters to him. For many years he was secretary and treasurer of the Granite Mutual Fire Insurance Company, positions which he filled to the satisfaction of all associated with him in the management or interested in the success of the corporation.
274
DR. E. E. GRAVES.
A LL the manhood days of Dr. Graves have been spent in New Hampshire. His mother's family were among the pioneers of Vermont, going there from Killingworth, Conn., his father's from Greenfield, Mass. He was born at Jericho, Vt., September 9, 1847. His father died when he was only six years old, but his mother was a woman of great energy and perseverance, as well as skill and ingenuity. and he being the eldest child was not only her constant companion but chief help, and early knew something of many kinds of work. His grand- mother was famous for her knowledge of roots and herbs, and skill in their use, and from her he inherited a love of medicine, and never desired to be any other than a doctor. At fourteen he began a course of study at Essex Classical institute, and an anatomy was always among his books. He studied medicine with Dr. F. F. Hovey, of Jericho, two years, and two years with Profs. Thayer and Carpenter, of Burlington, doing labo- ratory work for four months with Prof. Peter Collier, now of New York. Graduating from Medical department of University of Vermont, June. 1868, he immediately entered the office of Dr. Walter Carpenter of Burlington. Dr. E. K. Webster, of Boscawen wishing a young man to take his place, he came there in September, 1868. just after he was twenty-one, and Boscawen is still his home. In the winter of 1876-77 he took a private course in surgery at the Harvard Medical school. Boston. He is an ex-president of the Centre District Medical society. member of the New Hampshire and American Medical societies, and of the American Public Health association. For nearly seventeen years out of the twenty-five of his practice, he has been the physician at the Merrimack county almshouse, and for several years consulting physi- cian at the Margaret Pillsbury hospital, Concord. In no sense is Dr. Graves a politician, but in 1889 he represented his town in the legisla- ture. His interest in archaology is a pastime, and he has one of the largest private collections in New England.
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