Concord New Hampshire

Biography of Henri G. Blaisdell

Henri G. Blaisdell, an accomplished musician of Concord, N.H., was born in Dorchester, N.H., October 23, 1850, son of Pettingill and Laurette (Lillis) Blaisdell. He is originally of Scotch descent. His paternal grandfather was Sanborn Blaisdell, who was long a resident, and presumably a native, of Dorchester, in which town he was engaged in farming and where he spent his last years. He married Mehitable Sanborn. Pettingill Blaisdell, father of Henri G., was born in Dorchester in 1824. He received his education in the district schools and subsequently engaged in the business of manufacturing and selling lumber, for many years … Read more

Biography of Herman Wells Greene

Herman Wells Greene, formerly a lawyer of considerable note in Hopkinton, was born here, April 11, 1836, son of Herman H. and Ellen Chase (Little) Greene. His only brother died at the age of fourteen years; and his only sister is now the wife of a Mr. Roberts, of Philadelphia, Pa. After receiving his early education in the public schools of Hopkinton and at Pembroke and Gilmanton Academies, he became interested in the legal profession, and read law with George & Foster, of Concord, and later with Beard & Nickerson, of Boston, Mass. On his twenty-first birthday he was admitted … Read more

Biography of William Gregg Andrews

William Gregg Andrews, a prosperous farmer of Sutton, Merrimack County, N.H., was born July 7, 1834, on the farm upon which he now lives. His father was Nathan Andrews, Jr., a native of Sutton; and his paternal grandfather was Nathan Andrews, Sr., born in Danvers, Mass., in 1767, a son of Samuel Andrews. He came to Merrimack County when a young man, and in 1795 he married Hannah Gregg and at once settled upon a farm at Fishersfield. His wife was a daughter of James and Janet (Collins) Gregg, and, though lame from childhood, was energetic and industrious, and lived … Read more

Biography of Perley Oscar Folsom

PERLEY OSCAR FOLSOM, active in business and politics at Cushman, Massachusetts, in the town of Amherst, was born in Marshfield, Vermont, March 28, 1882. The name he bears appears first in history in the first half of the fourteenth century. John Foulsham, of Foulsham, was prior of a Carmelite Monastery in Warwick, England. He was a prominent ecclesiastic; and his brother, Richard Foulsham, was even more prominent. The word foule (fowl) signified bird, and the country seat of Foulsham probably took its name from its being the home (ham) of many foules (birds). (I) The first traceable ancestor of the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Albert Younglove Gowen

Gowen, Albert Younglove; born, Cleveland, May 8, 1883; son of Caleb and Gertrude Younglove Gowen; educated, Harvard College, 1907; married, Cleveland, June 2, 1909, Margaret Huntington Smith; one daughter, born July 7, 1910; went to public schools, Cleveland, studied at University School for six years; later attended St. Paul’s School, Concord, N. H., going from there to Harvard College; at completion of college course, started to work in the stone quarries of the Kelly Island Lime & Transport Co., at Kelly Island, O.; remained there six months; then came to the main office in Cleveland, and has been there ever … Read more

Biography of Rev. John Vannevar

Rev. John Vannevar, born in South Malden, now Everett, Mass., on June 23, 1857, was the youngest of three children of Aaron B. and Dorothy G. Vannevar, both of whom were born in Amherst, Mass. He lived in the place of his birth until twelve years of age, when the family moved to Summer Street, Malden. He was educated in the public schools, completing the college course in the Malden High School and graduating in 1876. He then entered Tufts College, graduating with the degree of Bachelor of Divinity in 1880, and taking a post-graduate course of one year. He … Read more

Biography of Robert Ives Lee

Robert Ives Lee. In the death of Robert Ives Lee, which occurred at Chicago, Illinois, December 19, 1911, there passed away one of the most prominent horsemen of the Middle West. He was born May 5, 1846, at Boston, Massachusetts, and was a son of the late Brev.-Brig.-Gen. William Raymond Lee III, U. S. V., A. M., A. A. S., and Helen Maria (Amory) Lee, of Amory Street, Boston, the former of whom was descended from Henry and Mary Lee. Henry Lee, the founder of the Lee family of Marblehead, Massachusetts, died at Manchester, that state, in 1675, and was … Read more

Biography of Charles F. M. Stark

Charles F. M. Stark, a wellknown resident of Dunbarton, Merrimack County, was born in this town, February 18, 1848, son of John and Caroline J. (Morris) Stark. He is a great-great-grandson of General John Stark, the famous victor of Bennington. John Stark, the father, was a lawyer, who practised his profession in Galena, Ill., and in New York City. He died in Washington, D.C., at the age of forty-two years. His wife, Caroline, was the youngest daughter of Thomas Morris, and a grand-daughter of Robert Morris, signer of the Declaration of Independence and first Secretary of State of the United … Read more

Biography of Charles Gilkey

Charles Gilkey, a prominent resident of Cornish, who was formerly engaged in the gunsmith business, is a native of Plainfield, N.H., born September 29, 1826. Charles Gilkey, his grandfather, born in Connecticut, was the first of the family to come to Plainfield. He came originally as agent of a wealthy Connecticut family, and remained in their employ for some time. After failing in an attempt to buy a farm with the Continental money in which his salary was paid, owing to the depreciated value of that currency then, he succeeded in leasing one from the State for nine hundred and … Read more

Biography of Robert W. Hoit

Robert W. Hoit, of Mast Yard, Concord, N.H., son of Robert B. and Hannah (Goodwin) Hoit, was born July 15, 1859, on the ancestral estate on Horse Hill, Penacook, where he still makes his home. His great-grandfather, Oliver Hoit, born in November, 1747, married first Rebecca Gerald, and second widow Rhoda Hoit Whittier. He had by his first wife fifteen children, thirteen of whom lived to maturity. Mrs. Rebecca G. Hoit died in 1808, aged fifty-eight years; and Mrs. Rhoda Hoit died in 1851. Oliver Hoit died September 11, 1827. Oliver Hoit settled in 1772 on Horse Hill in the … Read more

Biography of Nathaniel S. Drake

Nathaniel S. Drake, the treasurer and superintendent of the Drake & Sanborn Shoe Company, of Pittsfield, was born here, September 16, 1851, in the house he now occupies on Main Street, son of James and Betsey (Seavey) Drake. His genealogy is traced to Robert Drake, born in the County of Devon, England, in 1580, who came to New England with a family before 1643. Robert was one of the grantees and first settlers of Exeter. He removed in 1651 to Hampton, “where he owned and left considerable estate.” Much respected throughout his life, his death on January 14, 1668, was … Read more

Biography of Frank Gilman Edgerly

Frank Gilman Edgerly, the efficient High Sheriff of Merrimack County, N.H., was born in Meredith, N.H., on February 19, 1853. His parents were William M. and Lydia (Fogg) Edgerly. His ancestors, paternal and maternal, were of English extraction. Thomas Edgerly, the emigrant progenitor on his father’s side, came to America in 1664, settling near what is now known as Durham, N.H. Thomas Edgerly was a well-educated man, prominent in the early history of New Hampshire, being one of the Justices before whom were tried many important cases involving the civil and religious rights of citizens. Frank G. Edgerly acquired a … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Robert Henry Clark

Clark, Robert Henry; insurance; born, Cleveland, April 25, 1865; son of Henry Freeman and Eliza Crowell Clark; education, St. Paul’s School, Concord, N. H, Rouni College, M. A.; married, Cleveland, 1887, Julia Wick Bissell; one daughter, Millicent Clark; 18954898, Cleveland Trust Co.; since 1898, Casualty Insurance business; member firm Clark & Sprague; director Central National Bank; trustee Church Home and vestryman Trinity Cathedral; member Chamber of Commerce, Union, University, Country, Hunt and Automobile Clubs.

Biography of Charles Eastman Staniels

Charles Eastman Staniels, a prominent life insurance agent of Concord, N.H., was born in Lowell, Mass., December 27, 1844, son of Edward L. and Ruth Bradley (Eastman) Staniels. The father, born in Chichester, N.H., for many years was interested in the drug business, successively in Lowell and Boston, Mass. Toward the latter part of his life he removed to Roxbury, Mass., then a suburb of Boston, and died there at the age of sixty-five years. He was twice married. By his first wife there were three children, all of whom are now dead. His second marriage was made with Ruth … Read more

Biography of John Shackford Kimball

John Shackford Kimball was an enterprising lawyer of Boston and a business man of Burlington, Ia. A son of David and Abigail (Perkins) Kimball, Pembroke, N.H., April 28, 1812. His descent from Michael Kimball, who married Bettie Runnells, came through David Kimball of the second generation and David Kimball of the third, who married Abigail Perkins. The fifth generation is now represented by John Stevens Kimball. Mr. Kimball’s parents died at Pembroke when he was thirteen years old, leaving nine children-Betsey, Asa, Perkins, John Shackford, Abigail, Sarah Towle (widow of Timothy Colby, of Concord ), Joseph, Mary Lewis (widow of … Read more

Biography of William Leavitt Bennett

William Leavitt Bennett, a prominent resident of Andover, was born in the town of Loudon, this State, January 16, 1837. His grandfather, Jeremiah Bennett, formerly of Kingston, accompanied Clough, journeyed from there to Loudon, carrying his luggage and implements on a hand-barrow. Having chosen a tract of timbered land favorably situated, he felled a few trees, and built a log hut. He had been a reed-maker by trade; but, after coming to Loudon, he devoted himself to clearing his land and to tilling the soil. He gradually placed it under cultivation; and, when he died, at the ripe age of … Read more

Biography of Major Hiram Fifield Gerrish

Major Hiram Fifield Gerrish, of Concord, N.H., the present Deputy State Treasurer, was born in Boscawen, N.H., September 27, 1839. His parents, Calvin and Ann S. (Fifield) Gerrish, were both lifelong residents of Merrimack County. Major Gerrish is a descendant of Colonel Henry Gerrish, one of the early residents of Boscawen, who was an officer during the war of the Revolution, serving as Lieutenant-Colonel in Colonel Stickny’s regiment, and was present at the battles of Bennington and Saratoga. Colonel Gerrish was one of the leading citizens of his town and State, holding many positions of trust and responsibility, being conspicuously … Read more

Biography of Selden Spencer, M. D.

Dr. Selden Spencer, surgeon and laryngologist enjoying an extensive and important practice in St. Louis as a professional associate of Dr. Richard Johnson Payne, was born in this city March 23, 1873, and is a son of Dr. H. N. Spencer, a distinguished physician who passed away in August, 1915. The son was educated in the public and manual training schools of St. Louis and in St. Paul’s School at Concord, New Hampshire, before entering Princeton College, where he won his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1897. He then took up the study of medicine in Washington University and gained … Read more

Biography of Alvah Charles Ferrin

Alvah Charles Ferrin, a retired contractor and builder of Concord, who served in the United States Navy during the Civil War, was born in Plymouth, N.H., August 13, 1835, son of Daniel E. and Mary Jane (Durgin) Ferrin. His father was a native of Hebron, N.H.; and his mother was born in Buxton, Me. On the father’s side he is a descendant of Revolutionary patriots. His education, which was begun in the public schools of Lowell, Mass., where 1841, was completed when he was about sixteen years old in Hebron, N.H., to which they went in 1842. He started in … Read more

Biography of George Cook, M.D.

George Cook, M.D., a prominent physician of Concord, was born at Dover, this State, November 16, 1848, son of Solomon and Susan Ann (Hayes) Cook. His early education was obtained in the Concord High School and in Franklin Academy. In 1865 he began to read medicine with Drs. Charles P. Gage and Granville P. Conn, of Concord. Also he attended a course of lectures on medicine at Burlington, Vt., and two courses at the School of Medicine of Dartmouth College. After graduating from the last-named school in 1869, he immediately began the practice of his profession in Henniker, N.H., where … Read more