William D. Dow, an influential resident of Cornish, was born here, September 10, 1857, son of Lucius Harmon and Lucelia A. (Smith) Dow. Grandfather Jeremiah Dow, who was born in the State of Vermont, had a family of nine children.
Lucius Dow, born in Plainfield, N.H., in 1820, was educated in the common schools of that town and at Kimball Academy. After his marriage he came to Cornish, and here rented a farm, on which he spent the rest of his life. He was a leading Democrat; but, though keenly interested in the affairs of the town even up to the time of his death, he was never an aspirant for office. He was Orthodox in religion, and he attended the Congregational church. His first wife, Lucelia, daughter of Cyrus and Hannah Smith, bore him five children-Abbie, William, Fred, Mary, and Martha. His second wife, christened Isabella Tracy, a daughter of Edward and Alvira Nutting, is now deceased. Abbie Dow, born October 10, 1853, married William Harlow, a well-known farmer of Cornish, and has one child, Leroy H. Harlow, born July 6, 1888. Fred Dow was educated in the common schools and at Kimball Academy in Plainfield. After leaving school he went into Jewett’s grocery store as a clerk, remaining a year. He then went to Chicago, Ill., and obtained employment with the large commission house of which he is now a partner. He married Mattie Gamble, of Chicago, and has one son. His sister, Mary Dow, is the wife of Dr. William Cain, now of Cambridge, Mass. Martha Dow married Louis Quimby, of Unity, N.H., a groceryman, and has two children.
William D. Dow worked at farming for a year after leaving school. In 1888 he went to California, where he remained two years, engaged in farming and baling hay. He returned East on account of the poor health of his father and for the purpose of taking charge of the farm. Upon the death of his father he succeeded to the farm, and has since conducted it. He has never been an aspirant for public office. However, last year, when a candidate for Selectman, he lacked but two votes of election. He is a prominent member of the grange of Cornish. The first of Mr. Dow’s two marriages was contracted with Hattie A. Weld, and the second, which took place November 20, 1892, with Norah E. Crosby, of Croydon, N.H. The second wife, the present Mrs. Dow, is a daughter of Gilman and Eleanor R. (Lear) Crosby. She has a daughter, Hattie E. Dow, born August 17, 1896.