After

lature, and, in 1860, as mayor of Portsmouth. retiring from the federal service he was for a time associated with Hon. Daniel Marcy and Hon. Richard Jenness in commercial operations, but for some years past has been wholly retired from business.

EDWIN A. PETERSON.

Edwin A. Peterson, son of Adrian A. and Frances (Bell) Peterson, born in Portsmouth September 10, 1828, died in Greenland October 11, 1892.

He attended school in Portsmouth until about sixteen years old, when he went to New York city as a clerk in the carpet firm of Peterson & Humphrey, the senior member of the firm being his brother, Andrew A., with whom, four years later, he was associated in business in the same line, continuing for many years with great success. About twenty years ago he retired from business and established his home in Greenland, where he afterwards resided.

Mr. Peterson was a director of the Portsmouth Trust and Guarantee Company, and of the New Hampshire National Bank in Portsmouth, of which he was also president from 1882 to 1890. He represented the town of Greenland in the state legislature in 1877 and 1878, and was at one time the Democratic nominee for councillor in the old first district. He married Miss Valina V., daughter of the late Abram Q. Wendell of Portsmouth, who survives him, with three children, Edwin J. of Greenland, and Mrs. Harry Salter and Wendell J. of Brooklyn, N. Y.

JOHN FARR.

John Farr, one of the oldest and best known residents of northern New Hampshire, who was born in Littleton, May 22, 1810, died in that town October 12, 1892.

In early life Mr. Farr was engaged in mercantile business, commencing as a clerk in the general store of W. C. & A. Brackett in Littleton village. Subsequently he was in trade for himself, and later was engaged with Redington & Gould. Meeting with business reverses he removed to Glover, Vt., where he remained two years, but returned and took up the study of the law in the office of the late Hon. Henry A. Bellows, afterwards chief-justice of the supreme court, and was subsequently in legal practice

with his brother, William J. Bellows, and still later alone. Previous to his residence in Vermont he had served as selectman in Littleton, and he was also for five years sheriff of Grafton county. He was a county commissioner in 1862 and again in 1868. He was the first president of the Littleton National Bank, serving for many years in that capacity, and still later as a director, and it was while sitting in a chair at the bank that he finally passed away. He was three times married, and leaves a widow, three sons and three daughters, all but one daughter being the children of the first wife. The sons are George, one of the proprietors of the Oak Hill House, John, Jr., of Orlando, Fla., and Charles A., a merchant of Littleton ; and the daughters, Mrs. James A. Page of Haverhill, Mrs. B. F. Page and Miss Stella B. Farr of Littleton. The late Major Evarts W. Farr was a son of the deceased.

HON. JACOB BENTON.

Jacob Benton, a leading lawyer at the Coös bar, long prominent in public life, was killed, by being thrown from his carriage, in Lancaster, September 29, 1892.

He was a son of Samuel S. and Esther (Prouty) Benton, born in Waterford, Vt., August 19, 1814. He was educated in the academies at Lyndon, Peacham, Newbury and Manchester, Vt., and commenced the study of law with Heaton & Reed, at Montpelier, in 1841. In the fall of that year he became the principal of the academy at Concord Corner, Vt., and continued law study with Hon. H. A. Bellows. Two years later he removed to Lancaster, which was ever after his home. He completed his study with General Ira Young of Lancaster, and was there admitted to the bar, forming a partnership in practice with General Young, which terminated with the death of the latter.

He practiced alone for many years, but had the late Hon. Ossian Ray as a partner from 1855 to 1865, and Josiah H. Benton, Jr. from 1867 till 1871.

He was active in political life, as a Republican, for many years, and served in the legislature as a representative from Lancaster in 1854-'55-'56. He also represented the old third district in congress from 1867 till 1871.

In 1860 he married Louisa Dwight, daughter of General Neal Dow of Portland, Me., by whom he is survived.

THE GRANITE MONTHLY

VOL. XIV. DECEMBER, 1892.

NO. 12.

THE GRANGE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.

BY N. J. BACHELDER.

Of the many farmers' organizations brought into existence in recent years for advancing the interests of husbandry, none have achieved so great success or assumed such a permanent character as the Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry. The foundation of the organization was laid in the city of Washington, D. C., by seven men, whose names have since become household words throughout the country. The names of those men, which are always spoken with reverence and respect, are, William Saunders, John Trimble, F. M. McDowell, J. R. Thompson, W. M. Ireland, O. H. Kelley and A. B. Grosh. These men were connected with the agricultural department of the United States, and thus had an opportunity of knowing the needs of the agricultural class, and realized the necessity of some organization, the work of which could be brought into closer contact with the farmers than was possible through a national or state department. After

NOTE. The frontispiece herewith presented includes portraits of six present and past officers of the New Hampshire State Grange, who by their zeal and devotion, in one direction or another, have contributed more than any others to the strength and progress of the order in the state.

PAST MASTER WILLIAM H. STINSON was born on the old Stinson homestead in Dunbarton, July 21, 1851. He was educated at Appleton Academy, Mont Vernon (now McCullom Institute), and Pembroke Academy; taught school, was chosen town clerk of Dunbarton at 21 years of age, and subsequently served as town treasurer, chairman of the board of selectmen, and member of the school committee. He was a member of