Governor of New Hampshire. He was a civil engineer who was instrumental in drawing the blueprint of the city streets in Manchester, New Hampshire in the 1830s and 1840s. After being an engineer for a railroad, he was sent on July 4, 1838 to Manchester to substitute for an ill civil engineer at the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company; the position soon became permanent. He was sent to Scotland and England to learn about various machines that could make muslin to be used in the New Hampshire mill. Besides developing the streets, he also built a dam, dug a canal, and organized the first Unitarian Society. Politically, he was the Republican state representative from 1859 to 1864 and a state senator from 1864 to 1866, being President in the last year. As a Republican, he later served from 1872 to 1874 as the 34th Governor of New Hampshire; he succeeded the 33rd Governor James A. Weston , who was a Democrat, and Weston, as the 35th, succeeded him. He was a principal figure in creation of the Manchester waterworks, gas light company and public library. In addition, he served as president of the Blodget Edge Tool Manufacturing Company, New England Cotton Manufacturers' Association, now the National Textile Association and New Hampshire Fire Insurance Company. He was awarded an honorary Master of Arts degree from Dartmouth College. He married Charlotte Smith Webster in 1842; they had four children before she died in 1852 leaving him as a widower for the rest of his life.
Governor of New Hampshire. He was a civil engineer who was instrumental in drawing the blueprint of the city streets in Manchester, New Hampshire in the 1830s and 1840s. After being an engineer for a railroad, he was sent on July 4, 1838 to Manchester to substitute for an ill civil engineer at the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company; the position soon became permanent. He was sent to Scotland and England to learn about various machines that could make muslin to be used in the New Hampshire mill. Besides developing the streets, he also built a dam, dug a canal, and organized the first Unitarian Society. Politically, he was the Republican state representative from 1859 to 1864 and a state senator from 1864 to 1866, being President in the last year. As a Republican, he later served from 1872 to 1874 as the 34th Governor of New Hampshire; he succeeded the 33rd Governor James A. Weston , who was a Democrat, and Weston, as the 35th, succeeded him. He was a principal figure in creation of the Manchester waterworks, gas light company and public library. In addition, he served as president of the Blodget Edge Tool Manufacturing Company, New England Cotton Manufacturers' Association, now the National Textile Association and New Hampshire Fire Insurance Company. He was awarded an honorary Master of Arts degree from Dartmouth College. He married Charlotte Smith Webster in 1842; they had four children before she died in 1852 leaving him as a widower for the rest of his life.
Bio by: Linda Davis
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