Aldrich, Samuel Nelson, son of Sylvanus Bucklin and Lucy Jane (Stoddard) Aldrich, was born in Upton, Worcester County, February 3, 1838.
His education was conducted at the Worcester and Southington, Conn., academies, and at Brown University, Providence, R. I. Subsequently he taught schools at Upton, Holliston and Worcester, Mass.
He entered upon the study of law with Hon. Isaac Davis and E. B. Stoddard, at Worcester, and completed the same at the Harvard law school. In 1863 Mr. Aldrich was admitted to the bar, and then commenced practice at Marlborough. Since 1874 he has kept an office in Boston, though retaining his residence in Marlborough and living in Boston during the winter.
In the public affairs of Marlborough Mr. Aldrich has been prominent; was for nine years on the school committee, was four years on the board of selectmen, officiating as chairman of both; has been a director of the People’s National Bank at Marlborough; president of the Marlborough Board of Trade; president of the Framingham & Lowell Railroad (now a portion of the Old Colony system), and president of the Central Massachusetts Railroad.
In 1879 Mr. Aldrich was elected to the state senate, where he served as chairman of the committee on taxation and as a member of the committee on bills in the third reading, and on constitutional amendments. In 1880 he was again a member of the state senate, serving on the judiciary committee. In 1883 he was a member of the House, and served on the judiciary committee.
In 1880 he was the Democratic candidate for Congress from the 7th Massachusetts district. In March 1887, Mr. Aldrich was appointed by President Cleveland, the assistant treasurer of the United States at Boston, which position he yet holds. Besides this, he is a member of the Suffolk bar, is in the practice of his profession, and is still president of the Central Massachusetts Railroad.
Mr. Aldrich married, in 1865, at Upton, Mary J., daughter of J. T. and Eliza A. (Colburn) Macfarland. They have a son; Harry M. Aldrich, now in Harvard.