Nath WhiteNath White
In 1852 he made his first step in political life, being chosen by the Whigs and Free-soilers to represent Concord in the state legislature. He was an Abolitionist from the start; a member of the Anti-Slavery society from its inception. His hospitable home was the refuge of many a hunted slave,—a veritable station on the under-ground railroad, where welcome, care, food, and money were freely bestowed, and the refugees were sent on their way rejoicing. The attic of his house and the hay-mows of his stable were the havens of rest for the persecuted black men.
In all works of charity and philanthropy, Mr. White was foremost or prominent. He was deeply interested in the establishment of the New Hampshire Asylum for the Insane and the State Reform School; in the Orphans' Home, at Franklin, which he liberally endowed; and the Home for the Aged, in Concord, which was his special care. The Reform club of Concord, though not an eleemosynary institution, received substantial benefits from his generosity; and to him, in a great measure, it owed its very existence during the reaction which followed the first enthusiasm.
Besides his extensive interest in the express company, his farm,—which is one of the most highly cultivated in the state,—his charming summer retreat on the borders of Lake Sunapee, and his real estate in Concord, he was interested in real estate in Chicago, in hotel property in the mountain districts, in railroad corporations, in banks, in manufacturing establishments, and in shipping. He was a director in the Manchester & Lawrence, the Franconia & Profile House, and the Mount Washington railroads, and in the National State Capital Bank; a trustee of the Loan and Trust Savings Bank of Concord; also of the Reform School, Home for the Aged, and Orphans' Home, and other private and public trusts.
In 1875, Nathaniel White was candidate for governor, of the Prohibition party; and he had a vast number of friends in the Republican party, with which he was most closely identified, who wished to secure his nomination for the highest honor within the gift of a state, by the Republican party. In 1876 he was sent as a delegate to the Cincinnati convention, which nominated Mr. Hayes for president. During the summer of 1880, he was placed by his party at the head of the list of candidates for presidential electors. With all these honors thrust upon him, Nathaniel White was not a politician, although firm in his own political convictions. The office sought the man, and not the man the office.
Nathaniel White was blessed in his marriage relations. His history is incomplete without a narration of the perfect union, complete confidence, and mutual trust and assistance between him and his wife, during a married life of nearly half a century. November 1, 1836, he was married, by Rev. Hubert Bartlett, of Laconia, to Armenia S., daughter of John Aldrich, of Boscawen, who survives him. Mrs. Armenia S. White is of good old Quaker stock, descending, in the sixth generation, from Moses Aldrich, a Quaker preacher who emigrated to this country in the seventeenth century and settled in Rhode Island: and on the maternal side, from Edward Dotey, a pilgrim who landed in the Mayflower. She was born November 1, 1817, in Mendon, Mass., her parents removing from Rhode Island at the time of their marriage. In 1830, she went with her parents to Boscawen, where she lived until her marriage. Mrs. White has been her husband's companion and helper in every good work.
Their children are John A. White, Armenia E. White, wife of Horatio Hobbs, Lizzie H. White, Nathaniel White, Jr., and Benjamin C. White, whosurvive. They lost two children,—Annie Frances and Seldon F.; and adopted one,—Hattie S., wife of Dr. D. P. Dearborn, of Brattleborough, Vt.
In early life Mr. White joined the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He belonged to no other secret society. Anti-slavery societies, temperance societies, charitable and benevolent societies, woman suffrage and equal rights societies, and the Universalist society,—in all of these both husband and wife were deeply and equally interested. During the first four years of their married life, on account of Mr. White's occupation, they boarded; for eight years they lived on Warren street; since 1848, until the death of Mr. White, in their residence on School street. Here they have meted out generous and refined hospitality to the humble slave, the unfortunate, and to the most illustrious guests who have honored Concord by their visits.
Nathaniel White died Saturday, October 2, 1880, having nearly completed the allotted span of three score years and ten. He was stricken down suddenly, although, with his usual business foresight, he seems to have been prepared for the change.
Among the tributes to his worth which were called out by his death was a letter by Hon. H. P. Rolfe, which presents a just and fair estimate of his character, as follows:—
"I remember Mr. White even before you became acquainted with him. I can see him now, as in the early morn, in the dim light before the dawn of day, he drove up over the frozen hills of Boscawen, through the drifting snows, buffeting the bleak winds, and standing erect upon the footboard of his sleigh, with his six frost-covered steeds well in hand. I remember him as in the late afternoon or early evening he went dashing down those fearfully steep hills, called "Choate and Gerrish hills," with his Concord "coach and six," loaded down with sixteen and eighteen passengers, and no break to resist the fearful pressure upon a single pair of wheel-horses. He then had the same quiet, reserved manners that marked the man all through his long, busy, and useful life. There was no noise, no brag, no bluster, no profanity, no tobacco, no rum! He was mild in speech, pleasant in address, gentle in conduct, quiet in action, diligent in business, constant in season and out, and faithful to all his trusts; and every thing he did came fully up to the measure of his responsibility.
"I remember Mr. White even before you became acquainted with him. I can see him now, as in the early morn, in the dim light before the dawn of day, he drove up over the frozen hills of Boscawen, through the drifting snows, buffeting the bleak winds, and standing erect upon the footboard of his sleigh, with his six frost-covered steeds well in hand. I remember him as in the late afternoon or early evening he went dashing down those fearfully steep hills, called "Choate and Gerrish hills," with his Concord "coach and six," loaded down with sixteen and eighteen passengers, and no break to resist the fearful pressure upon a single pair of wheel-horses. He then had the same quiet, reserved manners that marked the man all through his long, busy, and useful life. There was no noise, no brag, no bluster, no profanity, no tobacco, no rum! He was mild in speech, pleasant in address, gentle in conduct, quiet in action, diligent in business, constant in season and out, and faithful to all his trusts; and every thing he did came fully up to the measure of his responsibility.
'His life was gentle; and the elementsSo mixed in him, that Nature might stand upAnd say to all the world, "This was a man."'
'His life was gentle; and the elementsSo mixed in him, that Nature might stand upAnd say to all the world, "This was a man."'
"The wealth he possessed, and which he distributed with such a generous hand, came from no ancestral estates. He made his wealth, and he made himself, and he was emphatically 'the architect of his own fortune.' He honored his father and his mother, and his days were lengthened in the land; and if he had lived till the 17th day of February, 1881, he would have filled up the number of days which the Psalmist has assigned to manly life. His example in youth, in manhood, and in mature age is a valuable legacy to the young man who shall try to imitate it."To his wife and children he has left a memory as fragrant as devotion, tenderness, and love could make; and in the hearts of his other kindred he has planted a grateful remembrance, which will find a habitation there as long as their lives shall last. The beauty, gentleness and sweetness of his domestic life were only appreciated by those who saw him at home, in the bosom of his family, and partook of his genial hospitality.
"The wealth he possessed, and which he distributed with such a generous hand, came from no ancestral estates. He made his wealth, and he made himself, and he was emphatically 'the architect of his own fortune.' He honored his father and his mother, and his days were lengthened in the land; and if he had lived till the 17th day of February, 1881, he would have filled up the number of days which the Psalmist has assigned to manly life. His example in youth, in manhood, and in mature age is a valuable legacy to the young man who shall try to imitate it.
"To his wife and children he has left a memory as fragrant as devotion, tenderness, and love could make; and in the hearts of his other kindred he has planted a grateful remembrance, which will find a habitation there as long as their lives shall last. The beauty, gentleness and sweetness of his domestic life were only appreciated by those who saw him at home, in the bosom of his family, and partook of his genial hospitality.
'Wife, children, and neighbor may mourn at his knell;He was lover and friend of his country as well.'
'Wife, children, and neighbor may mourn at his knell;He was lover and friend of his country as well.'
"It will not be out of place to insert here the language of a learned and gifted gentleman who knew Mr. White, having formed an acquaintance with him before the days of railroads, while he was driving on his route between Concord and Hanover. I refer to Prof. Edwin D. Sanborn, of Dartmouth College, who used frequently to ride on the outside of the coach with Mr. White. The following sketch was published in the LebanonFree Pressin 1859, and was part of an article entitled, 'Good Habits the Best Capital of the Young':—'I know a gentleman, now residing at the capital of New Hampshire, who, at the early age of fourteen, left the paternal roof to become a clerk in a store. Thirty years ago every store was a grog-shop. From that business he entered a hotel in a large town, where liquor was also sold. The inference would be, with most persons, that such positions were very unfavorable to temperate habits. Ruin is almost inevitable to a young man thus exposed and tempted. In the case alluded to, the lad served his apprenticeship, and saved both his money and character. He never, in a single instance, tasted liquor, or used tobacco, or handled cards or dice. He passed from the hotel to the stageman's box. He drove a coach from Concord to Hanover ten years, I think. Before the building of railroads this was one of the most exposed routes in the state. The day's journey was long, the roads were bad, and the cold was often intense. It was the common practice of stagemen to fortify themselves against the cold by large and frequent potations. They soon lost health and character. They were a short-lived race because of their intemperance. But the subject of my story was true to his principles. In cold and heat he abstained. He resisted all solicitations, and offended nobody. He was trusted by all, suspected by none. He was universally popular, always intelligent. He was both a good companion and an honest agent. He never forgot a commission, never violated a trust. He saved his wages, and supported his parents, who needed his aid. Multitudes who had occasion to travel that weary road, still remember with gratitude the pleasant speech, agreeable deportment, and excellent habits of this accomplished stageman. When the railroad took the place of the old mail-coaches, the trusted and confidential agent and owner of "the old line" was employed upon the new mode of locomotion. He soon entered into the express business, which has been constantly increasing in extent of space and in quantity of packages from the first journey of the iron horse till this hour. The honest stageman became the confidential agent of thousands who had messages or property to be conveyed over the road. With the increase of business came increase of wealth. He was no lover of lucre. Though born in humble circumstances, and trained to habits of rigid economy, he had an eye for improvements, and a heart for practical beneficence. He acquired property easily, and he gave liberally. Aged parents and needy relatives shared his liberality. He cared for the friends who were bound to him by the ties of blood first, and then for such acquaintances as needed his ready aid. From the penniless boy, without education, he has become a thrifty man of business, bestowing thousands of his hard-earned treasures upon objects of charity of his own choice. How valuable is a character thus formed and matured! Through all his varied life he has never tasted ardent spirits, or used tobacco in any form. He ascribes all his success in life to his early determination to be both temperate and honest. Such an example deserves commendation and imitation.'"These lines were written in 1859; and more than a score of years of usefulness, of duties, of benevolence, of affection, and of honor have since filled up and rounded off a life into the completeness of manhood. When he was removed from earth, death claimed a dutiful son, a tender and loving husband, an affectionate father, a devoted brother, and a constant friend."Since I came to this city, death has been constantly busy in our midst. None of us who have lived here these thirty years but have witnessed its ravages, snatching from many of us our dearest treasures. He has gathered to himself many of the gifted and the good, whose memories are still fragrant; but the sincere tributes to the memory of Nathaniel White have never been equaled, I fear never will be. No person in New Hampshire has ever had the happy combination of means and disposition to bestow such noble charities as he. I feel myself privileged, after forty years of constant friendship, to unite my tearsof sorrow and sympathy with those of his bereaved family and afflicted friends, and to lay a laurel upon the freshly made grave which covers one of earth's true noblemen."How well he filled up all the days of his years with love for and duty to his family, his kindred, and his friends; to the poor, to the downtrodden, to the slave, and to all the unfortunate of earth! He claimed no right or privilege for himself, in the wide domain of nature, that he did not want others to enjoy. Hence he insisted always that the nation should immediately strike the shackles from the slave, and let the oppressed go free. Never himself under the thraldom of rum and tobacco, he wished everybody else to be free from it. He exercised the largest liberty himself, and enjoyed perfect freedom of thought and action in religious, political, and other matters; and he desired every man and woman to do the same. Hence, when he arranged his worldly matters, he gave the ownership and sole control of his business affairs into the hands of his wife, with whom he had walked life's journey, thereby giving signal proof of his sincerity that the wife is the equal of the husband in the sight of God, and should be in the love, esteem, and regard of man. He often said that the wife, in the event of the husband's death, should maintain the same rights and the same relation to the family that the husband would if the wife were taken away. In his will he made her responsible to no court or other tribunal. She was only required to make proof of his will, in order that the ownership of all his property should vest in her. In all this he recognized the rights of womanhood as well as the rights of manhood. In this way he gave proof of his belief that the twain, man and wife, are one flesh."The Centennial Home for the Aged was the apple of his eye; and yet he made no large bequests to it himself, having perfect assurance that the wife, who had borne life's burdens with him, and shared his devotion to this noble benevolence, would be equally the author of her own charities and the almoner of his. As a business man and a citizen, his reputation ripened by integrity. It was beautified by sincere sympathy for the poor and the downtrodden; it was embellished by his generous charities; and it was endeared by his gentle and winning manners. When his final summons came, he had filled out a life of rare usefulness and of singular success."Mr. White was fifty-four years a resident of Concord. In every thing that made for her welfare he was always the foremost citizen. Many others did nobly, but he exceeded them all. In a single matter that vitally affected the city of Concord,[6]in which the writer was engaged, and in which liberal expenditures were needed, he contributed more than all the others combined; and I make mention of this because the people of Concord should know of his liberality, about which he rarely ever spoke and never boasted."In all his aspirations to make himself an honorable name, and to do good to his kindred, his friends, his country, and his race, Mr. White was most fortunate and happy in that he had the early suggestion, the prompt encouragement, the ready co-operation, and the ardent sympathy of her who for nearly half a century kept his home constantly blooming with the sweet-scented flowers of affection."Farewell, noble spirit!
"It will not be out of place to insert here the language of a learned and gifted gentleman who knew Mr. White, having formed an acquaintance with him before the days of railroads, while he was driving on his route between Concord and Hanover. I refer to Prof. Edwin D. Sanborn, of Dartmouth College, who used frequently to ride on the outside of the coach with Mr. White. The following sketch was published in the LebanonFree Pressin 1859, and was part of an article entitled, 'Good Habits the Best Capital of the Young':—
'I know a gentleman, now residing at the capital of New Hampshire, who, at the early age of fourteen, left the paternal roof to become a clerk in a store. Thirty years ago every store was a grog-shop. From that business he entered a hotel in a large town, where liquor was also sold. The inference would be, with most persons, that such positions were very unfavorable to temperate habits. Ruin is almost inevitable to a young man thus exposed and tempted. In the case alluded to, the lad served his apprenticeship, and saved both his money and character. He never, in a single instance, tasted liquor, or used tobacco, or handled cards or dice. He passed from the hotel to the stageman's box. He drove a coach from Concord to Hanover ten years, I think. Before the building of railroads this was one of the most exposed routes in the state. The day's journey was long, the roads were bad, and the cold was often intense. It was the common practice of stagemen to fortify themselves against the cold by large and frequent potations. They soon lost health and character. They were a short-lived race because of their intemperance. But the subject of my story was true to his principles. In cold and heat he abstained. He resisted all solicitations, and offended nobody. He was trusted by all, suspected by none. He was universally popular, always intelligent. He was both a good companion and an honest agent. He never forgot a commission, never violated a trust. He saved his wages, and supported his parents, who needed his aid. Multitudes who had occasion to travel that weary road, still remember with gratitude the pleasant speech, agreeable deportment, and excellent habits of this accomplished stageman. When the railroad took the place of the old mail-coaches, the trusted and confidential agent and owner of "the old line" was employed upon the new mode of locomotion. He soon entered into the express business, which has been constantly increasing in extent of space and in quantity of packages from the first journey of the iron horse till this hour. The honest stageman became the confidential agent of thousands who had messages or property to be conveyed over the road. With the increase of business came increase of wealth. He was no lover of lucre. Though born in humble circumstances, and trained to habits of rigid economy, he had an eye for improvements, and a heart for practical beneficence. He acquired property easily, and he gave liberally. Aged parents and needy relatives shared his liberality. He cared for the friends who were bound to him by the ties of blood first, and then for such acquaintances as needed his ready aid. From the penniless boy, without education, he has become a thrifty man of business, bestowing thousands of his hard-earned treasures upon objects of charity of his own choice. How valuable is a character thus formed and matured! Through all his varied life he has never tasted ardent spirits, or used tobacco in any form. He ascribes all his success in life to his early determination to be both temperate and honest. Such an example deserves commendation and imitation.'
"These lines were written in 1859; and more than a score of years of usefulness, of duties, of benevolence, of affection, and of honor have since filled up and rounded off a life into the completeness of manhood. When he was removed from earth, death claimed a dutiful son, a tender and loving husband, an affectionate father, a devoted brother, and a constant friend.
"Since I came to this city, death has been constantly busy in our midst. None of us who have lived here these thirty years but have witnessed its ravages, snatching from many of us our dearest treasures. He has gathered to himself many of the gifted and the good, whose memories are still fragrant; but the sincere tributes to the memory of Nathaniel White have never been equaled, I fear never will be. No person in New Hampshire has ever had the happy combination of means and disposition to bestow such noble charities as he. I feel myself privileged, after forty years of constant friendship, to unite my tearsof sorrow and sympathy with those of his bereaved family and afflicted friends, and to lay a laurel upon the freshly made grave which covers one of earth's true noblemen.
"How well he filled up all the days of his years with love for and duty to his family, his kindred, and his friends; to the poor, to the downtrodden, to the slave, and to all the unfortunate of earth! He claimed no right or privilege for himself, in the wide domain of nature, that he did not want others to enjoy. Hence he insisted always that the nation should immediately strike the shackles from the slave, and let the oppressed go free. Never himself under the thraldom of rum and tobacco, he wished everybody else to be free from it. He exercised the largest liberty himself, and enjoyed perfect freedom of thought and action in religious, political, and other matters; and he desired every man and woman to do the same. Hence, when he arranged his worldly matters, he gave the ownership and sole control of his business affairs into the hands of his wife, with whom he had walked life's journey, thereby giving signal proof of his sincerity that the wife is the equal of the husband in the sight of God, and should be in the love, esteem, and regard of man. He often said that the wife, in the event of the husband's death, should maintain the same rights and the same relation to the family that the husband would if the wife were taken away. In his will he made her responsible to no court or other tribunal. She was only required to make proof of his will, in order that the ownership of all his property should vest in her. In all this he recognized the rights of womanhood as well as the rights of manhood. In this way he gave proof of his belief that the twain, man and wife, are one flesh.
"The Centennial Home for the Aged was the apple of his eye; and yet he made no large bequests to it himself, having perfect assurance that the wife, who had borne life's burdens with him, and shared his devotion to this noble benevolence, would be equally the author of her own charities and the almoner of his. As a business man and a citizen, his reputation ripened by integrity. It was beautified by sincere sympathy for the poor and the downtrodden; it was embellished by his generous charities; and it was endeared by his gentle and winning manners. When his final summons came, he had filled out a life of rare usefulness and of singular success.
"Mr. White was fifty-four years a resident of Concord. In every thing that made for her welfare he was always the foremost citizen. Many others did nobly, but he exceeded them all. In a single matter that vitally affected the city of Concord,[6]in which the writer was engaged, and in which liberal expenditures were needed, he contributed more than all the others combined; and I make mention of this because the people of Concord should know of his liberality, about which he rarely ever spoke and never boasted.
"In all his aspirations to make himself an honorable name, and to do good to his kindred, his friends, his country, and his race, Mr. White was most fortunate and happy in that he had the early suggestion, the prompt encouragement, the ready co-operation, and the ardent sympathy of her who for nearly half a century kept his home constantly blooming with the sweet-scented flowers of affection.
"Farewell, noble spirit!
'Thou 'rt buried in light:God speed unto heaven, lost star of our night!'
'Thou 'rt buried in light:God speed unto heaven, lost star of our night!'
We dismiss thee, not to the tomb of forgetfulness and death, but to a blessed memory, an unclouded fame, and to a limitless life."
We dismiss thee, not to the tomb of forgetfulness and death, but to a blessed memory, an unclouded fame, and to a limitless life."
Francis Cogswell.Francis Cogswell.
Francis Cogswellwas born in Atkinson, December 21, 1800. He died at his home in Andover, Mass., February 11, 1880. His death closed a long, honorable, and useful career. He was a gentleman of the old school, strong, steadfast, and true. God gave him talents of a high order, and he improved them all. He was honest, not from policy, but because it was his nature to be. His ambitions never clouded his convictions of duty, nor swerved him from the path which his high sense of probity and honor pointed out; and, after more than fifty years of business activity, and association with thousands of people in almost every relation in life, he could say, as he did: "I die contented. I have no ill will towards any one, and I know of no reason why any one should have any ill will against me." He loved his family with a love that never wearied and never forgot; which dared all things, suffered all things, did all things, that could make for their comfort and happiness. He loved his books. He was a stanch friend, a kind neighbor, and a generous citizen, who never left to others the duties he could discharge. In business, he was sagacious without being a schemer, patient and industrious without being a slave. He had judgment, foresight, and reliability; and he worked his way to success openly, steadily, and surely. He died universally respected and widely and sincerely mourned.
Mr. Cogswell was the son of Dr. William Cogswell, the son of Nathaniel Cogswell of Atkinson, who was born July 11, 1760, and was married to Judith Badger, July 22, 1786, the daughter of the Hon. Joseph Badger, senior, of Gilmanton, N. H., born May 15, 1766, whose children were as follows:
William, born June 5, 1787; Julia, born February 20, 1789; Hannah Pearson, born July 6, 1791; Joseph Badger, born August 30, 1793; Nathaniel, born March 5, 1796; Thomas, born December 7, 1798; Francis, born December 21, 1800; George, born February 5, 1808; John, born February 14, 1810, and died August 6, 1811.
Julia Cogswell was married to Greenleaf Clarke, of Atkinson, March 1, 1810. They were the parents of William Cogswell Clarke and John Badger Clarke, who are sketched elsewhere in this book.
Hannah Pearson Cogswell married William Badger, of Gilmanton, who was afterwards governor of New Hampshire. Their children are Col. Joseph and Capt. William, of the U. S. army.
Joseph Badger Cogswell was married to Judith Peaslee, October, 1817. They had six children, three sons and three daughters: William is a successful physician in Bradford, Mass.; Francis has been a very popular teacher, and is now superintendent of schools in Cambridge, Mass.; and Thomas is a dentist in Boston.
Rev. Nathanial Cogswell married Susan Doane, October, 1825. He was a settled clergyman at Yarmouth, Mass., a man of great influence, and his son John B. D. Cogswell has been speaker of the Massachusetts house of representatives.
William, Thomas, and George Cogswell are sketched in this book.
Francis Cogswell received his early education in the public schools and at Atkinson Academy, from which he entered Dartmouth College, where he graduated with honor in the class of 1822. Selecting the law for his profession, he prepared himself for admission to the bar at Exeter, was admitted in 1827, and commenced practice in Tuftonborough, N. H., the same year. He removed, in 1828, to Ossipee. In 1833 he removed to Dover, and was appointed clerk of the court in Strafford county. Nine years later he located at Andover, Mass., and became treasurer of the Ballardvale Woolen Company.
May 16, 1845, he was chosen cashier of the Andover bank, to which institution he devoted himself with great fidelity until he was called to the presidency of the Boston & Maine Railroad, in 1856. In this position, his systematic methods, untiring industry, ability to manage men, careful regard for the public and respect for its opinions, and stern integrity asserted themselves, to the great advantage of the corporation and the approval of its patrons; and his resignation, which he tendered in 1862, caused wide-spread regrets, which grew more and more pronounced until 1865, when he yielded to the general demand and accepted a re-election. His second term lasted until 1871, when he felt compelled to lay down the heavy burdens inseparable from the office, and retire from active life.
In addition to these, Mr. Cogswell held many other public and private trusts of great responsibility, in all of which his sterling qualities were quietly but effectively asserted. He was a director of the Andover bank for twenty years; treasurer of the Marland Manufacturing Company for twenty-two years; a trustee of Gilmanton and Atkinson academies, and of the Punchard free school at Andover; an overseer of Harvard College; and senior warden of the Episcopal church at Andover, where he was a constant worshiper for many years. Many private properties were also committed to his care; and his advice was constantly in demand by his neighbors and acquaintances.
Mr. Cogswell was a man of pronounced political views, but would never accept political honors. Prior to the war he was a Democrat; but the attempt of the southern slaveholders to destroy the Union made him an earnest Republican, and one of the strongest supporters of the loyal cause. He was chairman of Andover's war committee, and gave liberally of his means to her soldiers and their families.
Mr. Cogswell was married, June 8, 1829, to Mary S. Marland, daughter of Abraham Marland, of Andover, by whom he had eight children. Three of these—John F. Cogswell, of Andover, at the head of the well known and very successful express company of Cogswell & Co., Lawrence, Mass., Thomas M. Cogswell, of Lawrence, engaged in the same business as his brother, and Mary M., wife of William Hobbs, Esq., of Brookline, Mass.,—are living.
Joseph B. ClarkJoseph B. Clark
Joseph Bond Clark, son of Samuel and Betsey (Clement) Clark, was born at Gilford, N. H., June 21, 1823. He had four brothers and four sisters, of whom two survive,—Samuel C., a lawyer at Lake Village, and Hannah B., widow of the late William G. Hoyt, of Moultonborough. At the age of seventeen he began a preparatory course of study at New Hampton Literary Institution, and, after three years, entered Brown University at Providence, R. I., in 1844, and graduated in 1848. He then spent six years teaching in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, meanwhile qualifying himself for the profession of law, some time with the Hon. Asa Fowler, of Concord, N. H., and with Stephen C. Lyford, of Laconia, from whose office he was admitted to the Belknap-county bar in 1853. He however continued for two years longer principal of the Wolfeborough Academy, and then removed to Manchester, N. H.
Mr. Clark was soon recognized as a moving force among men, was made city solicitor in 1858-59, representative in the legislature from ward one in 1859-60, and was appointed solicitor for Hillsborough county in 1861 and again in 1866, holding the office ten years in all. In the midst of his varied activities the war broke out; he was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Eleventh Regiment, Col. Walter Harriman, and went to the front to assist in putting down the rebellion. In March of the succeeding year he was promoted to the rank of captain, and was wounded in the battle of the Wilderness, May 6, 1864. He remained with his regiment until the close of the war, and was mustered out of service in June, 1865. In 1867 he was mayor of the city of Manchester. He has been a director in the Merrimack River Bank (now First National) and trustee of the Merrimack River Savings Bank, since their organization, and is a director of the Nashua, Acton, & Boston Railroad and of the Manchester Horse-Railroad. He was for several years a director of the First Baptist society of Manchester, and chairman of the building committee, which erected probably the finest church of that denomination in the state.
In 1878-79 he represented ward three in the legislature, and was chairman of the finance committee; and was a member and clerk of the committee for the erection of the soldiers' monument in Manchester, in 1879. He married, September 12, 1862, Mrs. Mary Jane (Peabody) Smith, daughter of James H. and Roxana Peabody, of Manchester. She died August 15, 1873, leaving two children,—Mary P. and Joseph M.
This record, so brief and yet so full, will suggest better than any words the general estimation of Mr. Clark among those who know him. Undemonstrative and quiet in his manner, cautious and prudent in action, simple and temperate in habit, he is, above all, a thoughtful and patriotic citizen, whose vote is given for the best measures, and whose example lends force to his words. Conservative by nature, he is yet not slow to place himself on the side of equal justice and truth.
James Nesmith, one of the signers of the memorial to Gov. Shute, March 26, 1718, and one of the proprietors of Londonderry, was also one of the original sixteen that first struck for settlement on the soil of that ancient town. April 22, 1719. He was a strong man, worthy of respect, and honored by his associates. Was appointed elder of the West Parish Presbyterian church, at its formation in 1739. The date of his death was 1767, and his age seventy-five. He married, in Ireland, in 1714, Elisabeth, daughter of James McKeen and Janet Cochran. This Elisabeth McKeen was sister of Janet McKeen, Dea. Isaac Cochran's mother. She died in 1763, aged sixty-seven. The Nesmiths lived in the valley of the Bann in Ireland, and emigrated to that place from Scotland in 1690. Dea. James Nesmith had two children in Ireland, and seems to have buried the eldest child there. Seven children were born to them in America. The names of all were: Arthur, buried in infancy in Ireland; James, born in Ireland in 1718; Arthur, born in Londonderry April 3, 1721; Jean, born March 12, 1723; Mary, born Jan. 24, 1726; John, born Feb. 11, 1728; Elisabeth, born Jan. 8, 1730; Thomas, born March 26, 1732; Benjamin, born Sept. 14, 1734.
James Nesmith, Jr., the son born in Ireland, was born early in 1718, just before embarking for America, and was brought over in his mother's arms. He married Mary Dinsmore and settled in the northern part of Londonderry. Though an old man when the Revolutionary war broke out, he went with all his heart into the struggle against the British; marched among the minute-men at the first call, and was a participant in the battle of Bunker Hill. He had children, James, Jonathan, Robert, Elisabeth, Mary, and Sarah; and died where he settled, July 15, 1793. Of these six children, we will only say as follows: James, the oldest, was born in 1744; married Mary McClure (Parker's History is wrong in saying Martha); was elder in the West Parish church; left children,—William M., Robert, Isaac, James, Martha, Jane W., and Margaret,—of whom William M., the first named, married Harriet Willis, and was father of Hon. James W. Nesmith, long U. S. Senator from Oregon. Senator Nesmith was born in 1820, married Pauline Goffe in 1846, and now lives in wealth and honor at Dixie, Ore. The second child of James, Jr., was Jonathan of Antrim; Robert, the third child, married Jane Anderson; Elisabeth, the fourth child, married James Cochran of Windham; Mary, the fifth child, married James McClure of Acworth; and Sarah, the sixth, married Daniel Anderson of Londonderry.
Geo. W. Nesmith.Geo. W. Nesmith.
Returning now to Arthur, the third child of Dea. James the emigrant, we have to say that he was born April 3, 1721. He married Margaret Hopkins, and settled in the south part of Londonderry; but in later life he moved to the state of Maine. He had two sons in the Revolutionary army, one of whom, John, was a captain noted for valor and strength, but died near the close of the war from effects of excessive exposure and hardship. Of Jean and Mary, daughters of the first Dea. James, I know nothing. But John, the sixth child of the emigrant, married Elisabeth, sister of Gen. George Reed of Londonderry, settled on the first Nesmith homestead with his father, and died there in 1815, aged eighty-seven. His children were: James of Antrim; Arthur of Antrim; John, Jr., who married, first, Susan Hildreth, and, second, Lydia Sargent, and died on the homestead in Londonderry in 1844; Ebenezer, who married Jane Trotter; Thomas; Elisabeth, who married Dea. James Pinkerton; Mary, who married John Miltimore, moving to Reading, Penn.; and Jane, who married Hugh Anderson. Of Elisabeth, the emigrant's seventh child, I have no data. Thomas, the eighth child, was born March 26, 1732; married Annis Wilson, and settled in Londonderry (now the north part of Windham), and had three children: John, Elisabeth, and Thomas, Jr. Of Benjamin, the ninth child of the first Dea. James, I have no information of importance in the present undertaking.
JONATHAN NESMITH, second child of James and Mary (Dinsmore) Nesmith, and grandson of the proprietor Dea. James, was born in Londonderry, in August, 1759. He came here in May, 1774, and began to clear the farm that remained in possession of the family until 1865. He made successive clearings each year, and with vigorous hand put up his log cabin,—though only a boy of sixteen years when he began. He permanently moved here in 1778. He subsequently had to pay for the most of his land a second time. Was one of the leading spirits of the town. Was eleven years selectman, and was four times chosen representative of the town. Was always on important committees, and was known and confided in by all. He was chosen one of the elders of the Presbyterian church at its formation in 1778, though only twenty-nine years of age. For fifty years he only failed of officiating at one communion. Dea. Nesmith was a man of great sociality,—up to jokes,—genial, jolly, and good-natured; was very hospitable and benevolent; anxious for the public welfare; stoutly in earnest to maintain the faith of his fathers; a man of strong ability, good judgment, and irreproachable character. He was an honor to the town he helped to establish. His death occurred Oct. 15, 1845, aged eighty-six. His first wife was Elenor Dickey, whom he married in 1781. She was the daughter of Adam and Jane (Strahan) Dickey of Londonderry, and grand-daughter of John and Margaret Dickey, of Londonderry, Ireland. She was born Jan. 1, 1761, and died Sept. 17, 1818. He married, second, Mrs. Sarah (Wetherbee) Hamblin, of Concord, Mass. She was twelve years of age when she witnessed the battle of Lexington and Concord from her father's door. She saw those brave men fall, remembered everything, and was always fond of telling of those first blows for liberty. She died Jan. 16, 1852, aged eighty-nine. Dea. Nesmith's cabin was burned one day when the family were absent; and he used to remark, in after years, that he never felt so poor as then. Yet, undismayed, he went about building another, being generously aided by neighbors he had himself always been forward to help. After several years he put up a substantial framed house, which was burned March 4, 1841, from a spark catching on the roof. In his old age Dea. Nesmith resigned his office in the church; and it is spoken of as a remarkable scene, when he stood in the public assembly and offered his resignation, and then, with trembling voice and with uplifted and palsied hand, invoked God's blessing on his successors in coming time. His children were:—
1.James, b. Oct. 5, 1783; m. Polly Taylor April 10, 1810; cleared and settled west of the pond and west of the Steele place, on land now George Brown's,—often called the Boyd place; went thence to Solon, N. Y., in1822, with six children. There his wife d. in 1846. In 1852 he m. 2d, Mrs. Susan Clark; moved to Waukon, Io., and d. there in 1862. He had children:—Mary, (b. in 1811; d. in infancy.)Mary E., (b. in 1812; m. John Stillman of Cortlandville, N. Y., in 1833; went to Waukon, Io., in 1857, where they now live.)Rev. John T. G., (b. in 1814; studied at Cazenovia Seminary; m. Harriet N. Taylor; entered the Methodist ministry; was a faithful and able man; d. while pastor, at the age of 36.)Hannah E., (b. in 1816; m. John Reed; moved to Waukon, Io., in 1857, and d. there in 1877.)Abigail S., (b. in 1818; became second wife of Isaac Barker in 1847; went to Waukon, Io., in 1854.)Mark W., (b. in 1820; d. unm., at Solon, N. Y., in 1848.)James A., (b. in 1822; carried to Solon, N. Y., when an infant; went thence to Illinois in 1844; m. Laura Post.)George W., (b. in Solon, N. Y., in 1825; m. Mary C. Farrar of Fairfield, Vt.; resides at Waukon, Io.)Dr. Milton W., (b. in 1828; m. Margaret Donoughue in 1852; is now physician and druggist at Waukon, Io.)Woodbury T., (by second wife; b. in 1852; remains at Solon, N. Y.)2.Jean, now called "Jane," or "Jenny;" b. May 14, 1787; m. John Dunlap, June 26, 1807, and d. March 29, 1835.3.Thomas D., b. March 22, 1789; m. Martha Weeks, March 30, 1813; succeeded his father on the homestead. His first wife d. in 1828, aged 35, and he m. 2d, Nancy Gregg, Feb. 4, 1830. He d. Sept. 10, 1841, aged 52. The second wife d. Feb. 9, 1856, aged 63. He was known in town as "Capt. Nesmith;" was captain of the "Antrim Grenadiers," and was often marshal of the day on special occasions. He was a useful man, and d. in his prime. His children were:—Robert W., (b. May 3, 1814; m. Olive Dunlap of Bedford, June 1, 1839; settled in Jefferson, Tex., and d. at Sulphur Springs in that state, Nov. 28, 1866. He left two daughters: Oriette, now in the Metropolitan Railroad office, Boston; and Sally Y., who m. Com. Decatur Morris, and lives in Little Rock, Ark.)Jonathan, (b. Jan. 24, 1816; m. Marietta F. Morrill of Franklin, Nov. 15, 1841; inherited the homestead of his father and grandfather, sold the same in 1865, and two or three years later moved to Hancock, where he now resides. He was the last of the name in town. At one time there were three Dea. Nesmiths in town, known as "Dea. James," "Dea. Arthur," and "Dea. Jonathan," and they each had nine children,—making, with sisters and friends, nearly forty by that name in this place. Jonathan's children are: Jennie M., who was b. Sept. 23, 1842,—an excellent teacher; Thomas S., who was b. May 12, 1846, and d. at the age of three years; Fannie H., who was b. Dec. 8, 1848, and m. Frank H. Baldwin, June 19, 1876, residing in Keene; Annie M. T., who was b. Sept. 12, 1852; Abbie Isabel, who was b. Nov. 15, 1854, and d. 1856; Miles G., who was b. Sept. 26, 1857; Addie M., who was b. Jan. 27, 1860; and John S., who was b. May 5, 1863.)Sarah E., (b. Dec. 24, 1818, m. John W. Buttrick, and lives in Lawrence, Mass.)Miles, (b. Feb. 2, 1821; went to California in 1849, and was driver for the California Stage Company; the horses became unmanageable, and the wholeteam was thrown down a fearful precipice near Virginia City, Nev., by which the driver, all the horses, and most of the passengers were instantly killed. This sad event occurred in December, 1862.)Harriet F., (b. Feb. 2, 1823, m. Walker Flanders, and lives in Lawrence, Mass.)Martha J., (b. June 9, 1825; m. Isaac P. Cochran of Windham, Nov. 12, 1846.)Melvin, (b. Dec. 20, 1830; d. in Sacramento, Cal., Dec. 31, 1853.)Hiram G., (b. Feb. 18, 1833; d. in Jefferson, Tex., in 1857.)Nancy R., (b. Jan. 24, 1836, m. Josiah Melville, and lives in Nelson.)4.Adam, b. March 5, 1792; m. Rebecca Dale; settled in Beverly, Mass., and d. Jan. 15, 1865.5.Mary D., "Molly Dinsmore" on town record, b. April 11, 1794; called "Long Mary," being tall in form; a talented, respected, and Christian woman; d. unm. April 6, 1874.6.Margaret, b. May 4, 1796; d. unm. in 1827.7.Isabel, b. March 6, 1798; d. unm. March 8, 1862.8.Hon. George W., b. Oct. 23, 1800; was graduated at Dartmouth College in 1820; m. Mary M. Brooks; settled in the practice of law at Franklin; was long judge of the New Hampshire supreme court, remaining on the bench until relieved by the constitutional limitation of years. Is now president of the N. H. Orphans' Home, and trustee of Dartmouth College; is a man of noble principles and honored life, enjoying in his old age the highest confidence and esteem of men. The degree of LL. D. was conferred upon him by Dartmouth College. He stands among the best and noblest of the sons of New Hampshire, and is an honor to his native town.
1.James, b. Oct. 5, 1783; m. Polly Taylor April 10, 1810; cleared and settled west of the pond and west of the Steele place, on land now George Brown's,—often called the Boyd place; went thence to Solon, N. Y., in1822, with six children. There his wife d. in 1846. In 1852 he m. 2d, Mrs. Susan Clark; moved to Waukon, Io., and d. there in 1862. He had children:—
Mary, (b. in 1811; d. in infancy.)
Mary E., (b. in 1812; m. John Stillman of Cortlandville, N. Y., in 1833; went to Waukon, Io., in 1857, where they now live.)
Rev. John T. G., (b. in 1814; studied at Cazenovia Seminary; m. Harriet N. Taylor; entered the Methodist ministry; was a faithful and able man; d. while pastor, at the age of 36.)
Hannah E., (b. in 1816; m. John Reed; moved to Waukon, Io., in 1857, and d. there in 1877.)
Abigail S., (b. in 1818; became second wife of Isaac Barker in 1847; went to Waukon, Io., in 1854.)
Mark W., (b. in 1820; d. unm., at Solon, N. Y., in 1848.)
James A., (b. in 1822; carried to Solon, N. Y., when an infant; went thence to Illinois in 1844; m. Laura Post.)
George W., (b. in Solon, N. Y., in 1825; m. Mary C. Farrar of Fairfield, Vt.; resides at Waukon, Io.)
Dr. Milton W., (b. in 1828; m. Margaret Donoughue in 1852; is now physician and druggist at Waukon, Io.)
Woodbury T., (by second wife; b. in 1852; remains at Solon, N. Y.)
2.Jean, now called "Jane," or "Jenny;" b. May 14, 1787; m. John Dunlap, June 26, 1807, and d. March 29, 1835.
3.Thomas D., b. March 22, 1789; m. Martha Weeks, March 30, 1813; succeeded his father on the homestead. His first wife d. in 1828, aged 35, and he m. 2d, Nancy Gregg, Feb. 4, 1830. He d. Sept. 10, 1841, aged 52. The second wife d. Feb. 9, 1856, aged 63. He was known in town as "Capt. Nesmith;" was captain of the "Antrim Grenadiers," and was often marshal of the day on special occasions. He was a useful man, and d. in his prime. His children were:—
Robert W., (b. May 3, 1814; m. Olive Dunlap of Bedford, June 1, 1839; settled in Jefferson, Tex., and d. at Sulphur Springs in that state, Nov. 28, 1866. He left two daughters: Oriette, now in the Metropolitan Railroad office, Boston; and Sally Y., who m. Com. Decatur Morris, and lives in Little Rock, Ark.)
Jonathan, (b. Jan. 24, 1816; m. Marietta F. Morrill of Franklin, Nov. 15, 1841; inherited the homestead of his father and grandfather, sold the same in 1865, and two or three years later moved to Hancock, where he now resides. He was the last of the name in town. At one time there were three Dea. Nesmiths in town, known as "Dea. James," "Dea. Arthur," and "Dea. Jonathan," and they each had nine children,—making, with sisters and friends, nearly forty by that name in this place. Jonathan's children are: Jennie M., who was b. Sept. 23, 1842,—an excellent teacher; Thomas S., who was b. May 12, 1846, and d. at the age of three years; Fannie H., who was b. Dec. 8, 1848, and m. Frank H. Baldwin, June 19, 1876, residing in Keene; Annie M. T., who was b. Sept. 12, 1852; Abbie Isabel, who was b. Nov. 15, 1854, and d. 1856; Miles G., who was b. Sept. 26, 1857; Addie M., who was b. Jan. 27, 1860; and John S., who was b. May 5, 1863.)
Sarah E., (b. Dec. 24, 1818, m. John W. Buttrick, and lives in Lawrence, Mass.)
Miles, (b. Feb. 2, 1821; went to California in 1849, and was driver for the California Stage Company; the horses became unmanageable, and the wholeteam was thrown down a fearful precipice near Virginia City, Nev., by which the driver, all the horses, and most of the passengers were instantly killed. This sad event occurred in December, 1862.)
Harriet F., (b. Feb. 2, 1823, m. Walker Flanders, and lives in Lawrence, Mass.)
Martha J., (b. June 9, 1825; m. Isaac P. Cochran of Windham, Nov. 12, 1846.)
Melvin, (b. Dec. 20, 1830; d. in Sacramento, Cal., Dec. 31, 1853.)
Hiram G., (b. Feb. 18, 1833; d. in Jefferson, Tex., in 1857.)
Nancy R., (b. Jan. 24, 1836, m. Josiah Melville, and lives in Nelson.)
4.Adam, b. March 5, 1792; m. Rebecca Dale; settled in Beverly, Mass., and d. Jan. 15, 1865.
5.Mary D., "Molly Dinsmore" on town record, b. April 11, 1794; called "Long Mary," being tall in form; a talented, respected, and Christian woman; d. unm. April 6, 1874.
6.Margaret, b. May 4, 1796; d. unm. in 1827.
7.Isabel, b. March 6, 1798; d. unm. March 8, 1862.
8.Hon. George W., b. Oct. 23, 1800; was graduated at Dartmouth College in 1820; m. Mary M. Brooks; settled in the practice of law at Franklin; was long judge of the New Hampshire supreme court, remaining on the bench until relieved by the constitutional limitation of years. Is now president of the N. H. Orphans' Home, and trustee of Dartmouth College; is a man of noble principles and honored life, enjoying in his old age the highest confidence and esteem of men. The degree of LL. D. was conferred upon him by Dartmouth College. He stands among the best and noblest of the sons of New Hampshire, and is an honor to his native town.
Yankee courage, integrity, and judgment have won no more substantial or more splendid triumphs in the business world than are reflected from the dry-goods palace of Jordan, Marsh, & Co., a house whose grand successes have made it famous throughout the mercantile world. The foundations of this magnificent establishment were laid in 1851 and 1852, by three young men, two of whom were natives of New Hampshire. The head of the firm, Eben D. Jordan, when fourteen years old had gone up to Boston from his home in Maine, and began his business career as an errand boy, and in a short time had been promoted to a clerkship, in which position he made himself master of the dry-goods business, and while doing it became acquainted with two other young men, Benjamin L. andCharles Marsh, who had left their father's house in Chesterfield, N. H., and sought in Boston an opening in which pluck, push, and perseverance, unaided by influential friends or unearned capital, could carry them on to success.
In 1852, Messrs. Jordan and Benjamin L. Marsh established the firm of Jordan, Marsh, & Co., and the next year Charles Marsh, then a clerk in the store of Pearl, Smith, & Co., was admitted as a partner. The house began in a small way; it had behind it little but the splendid courage and the remarkable abilities of the three young partners; but these were sufficient to win a fair share of business, and a reputation which was better than money, and in a short time it was firmly established in the confidence of the mercantile world and the good will of the public. In eight years the business had grown to two million dollars per annum, and since that time it has steadily and rapidly increased, until the firm controls the dry-goods market of New England, and, in many lines, of the entire country.
The elder Marsh died in 1856, leaving his partners to carry on and complete the grand enterprises he had helped project and begin. His brother still remains to share with Mr. Jordan the triumphs of the firm. In the early days of the business, Charles Marsh was an active salesman, and was accounted one of the best ever known in Boston. Afterwards, he took charge of the wholesale department, which has since been and still is under his personal supervision.
In commercial circles and in the store he has a clearly defined and high rank as a manager, with rare combination of talents. His coolness, his thorough knowledge of the business, his level-headed judgment, and organizing and executive capacity are abundantly attested in the great and rapid growth of the wholesale business. He is a balanced man; and how necessary this quality is to success in an enterprise of this magnitude, only those who have seen houses go to wreck for lack of it can tell. The elements of personal popularity in his character, and his extensive acquaintance throughout the country, help to explain his success. For nearly thirty years his steady hand has been felt at the helm, and yet he seems to-day only in the prime of his powers.
Chas. Marsh.Chas. Marsh.
G. Byron ChandlerG. Byron Chandler
The subject of this sketch is a member of a family that has long occupied a prominent and honorable place in New Hampshire history. His parents, Adam and Sally (McAllister) Chandler, were worthy representatives of the strong-minded, able-bodied, industrious, and successful citizens who in the early part of the century tilled the farms and shaped affairs in our farming towns. They resided upon a fertile farm in Bedford, which was the birthplace of their four children. Of these, the three sons—Henry, John M., and George Byron—are all citizens of Manchester, and are now engaged in the banking business. The only daughter is dead. The boys spent their boyhood upon the farm, doing their share of the work; but their parents were solicitous that they should be fitted for some more profitable calling, and gave them all the school privileges of the neighborhood, which were afterwards supplemented by academical instruction at several state academies.
His home work, his studies at Piscataquog, Gilmanton, Hopkinton, and Reed's Ferry academies, and his duties as a teacher at Amoskeag, Bedford, and Nashua, occupied the boyhood ofGeorge Byron Chandleruntil the age of twenty-one, after which he spent one year as a civil engineer in the employ of the Boston, Concord, & Montreal Railroad.
In the spring of 1854 he decided to devote himself to a business instead of a professional career, and, coming to Manchester, entered the grocery house of Kidder & Duncklee as a book-keeper. The next year he was offered a similar position in the Amoskeag Bank, which he accepted, and filled so acceptably that eighteen months later he was promoted to the teller's counter, and remained there until the organization of the Amoskeag National Bank, in 1864, when he was elected its cashier and entered upon the discharge of the duties of this responsible position, which he still holds. That he has won in it the continuing confidence of its managers, who are among the most sagacious of financiers, and the hearty approval of its numerous owners and patrons, is the best testimony to his fidelity and efficiency. His success in this capacity led the trustees of People's Savings Bank, when it was organized, to select him as its treasurer, and the success of this institution is another reflection of his patient and skillful work. These two banks, of which he is the chief executive, are among the strongest in the country; and it is much for him to be proud of that they have grown so great in resources and public confidence during his administration.
Mr. Chandler has also been prominently, honorably, and profitably identified with many other financial enterprises which have been conspicuous for their success. He has been the treasurer of the New Hampshire Fire Insurance Company since its organization in 1870; he was for five years a director of the Manchester & Lawrence Railroad, and has been for several years its treasurer; he was a director of the Blodget Edge Tool Company and of the Amoskeag Axe Company, during their existence; and he has been for years constantlyintrusted with numerous private trusts involving the management of most extensive and important interests.
Mr. Chandler has an ample fortune, and a large income which he scatters with a free hand. He gives liberally and buys freely. The representatives of a worthy object who appeal to him for aid seldom go away empty. His residence and grounds, which occupy an entire square, are among the most costly and attractive in the city, and are noted as the home of good taste, elegance, and hearty hospitality. He is a leader in social life and active in city affairs. For several years he has been an officer of the Amoskeag Veterans, and is now president of the New Hampshire Club, composed of the leading business men of New Hampshire, which he was largely instrumental in organizing. He has read much, and traveled extensively in this country, and has a wide acquaintance with its distinguished men, and a valuable knowledge of the resources, customs, and characteristics of its several sections, which he has often been called upon to utilize for the benefit of others in lectures before schools and also in addresses before public assemblies.
From his early days Mr. Chandler has been an active member of the Unitarian Society in Manchester, and has served for years as one of its directors and president. Like other organizations with which he has been identified, this has been frequently indebted to him for liberal donations in money and a zealous support in many ways.
In 1874, the Democratic party of the Manchester district elected him to the state senate, where he served with credit to himself and the city. He declined a renomination.
In 1862, Mr. Chandler married Miss Flora A., daughter of Hon. Darwin J. Daniels, an ex-mayor of Manchester, who died in May, 1868, leaving an infant daughter, who did not long survive her mother.
His second wife, who now presides over his mansion, is the only daughter of Col. B. F. Martin, of Manchester, to whom he was married in 1870. Three children—Benjamin Martin, Alexander Rice, and Byron—are the fruit of this union. Of these, the oldest and youngest are living.