Sketches of Successful New Hampshire Men
committee, sparing no pains to make the occasion successful; and his
enthusiasm and zeal stimulated that of others. After the battle of
Gettysburg and of the Wilderness, he went to the front and gave
efficient aid in caring for the sick and wounded. One result of exposure
to the burning sun and malaria of the battle-field was the first serious
illness of his life. In that same year, when the importance of good
municipal government was felt to be superior to partisan considerations,
at the solicitation of men prominent in both parties, Mr. Smyth allowed
his name to be used as a candidate for mayor the fourth time. He was
elected practically without opposition, and his election had the desired
effect, to give confidence to all classes and stability to the financial
standing of the city.
It has been noticed that he was thought of before this as a possible
candidate for governor, and the feeling had so strengthened that in 1865
he was nominated for that office, his chief competitor in the convention
being the late Hon. Onslow Stearns. The nomination proved a very popular
one, and after an active canvass he was elected by a majority of over
six thousand, the highest given to any man for twenty-four years. Such
support was very gratifying to the governor-elect; but, nevertheless, he
felt that he had undertaken no light task. The state debt, which
heretofore in times of peace seldom exceeded a few thousands, had now
arisen to millions. Moreover, loans must be made in competition with
other states and with the general government. State bonds were hard to
sell at any price, and all the time expenditures were going on. In less
than three months from Governor Smyth's inaugural message he had raised,
by personal solicitation, largely from banks at Manchester, over one
million of dollars, and the credit of the state, strained but not
impaired by its patriotic efforts, was firmly re-established. Much time
in this year was occupied in the reception and discharge of returning
soldiers, and from June until Christmas day, when the last regiment was
mustered out, the state echoed to the tread of the home-coming veterans.
Governor Smyth's correspondence at this time reveals great care taken
for the needs of the men, for inmates of military hospitals, or for
companies unnecessarily detained in camp. In this busy period he found
time to make brief practical speeches at Portsmouth, Milford, and
various other places, each of them calculated to draw attention to the
resources and credit of New Hampshire, and to foster a healthy
confidence in our ability to overcome every difficulty. He also
delivered in Concord the annual address before the New England
Agricultural Society, the late Govs. Andrew of Massachusetts and
Buckingham of Connecticut, with other N. E. governors, being present,
and highly commending the address. This year Governor Smyth was made one
of the corporators of the national asylums for disabled soldiers, and
served on the committee whose duty it was to arrange the working
details, with Gen. Grant, Admiral Farragut, Gen. Butler, Surg.-Gen.
Barnes, Hon. H. J. Raymond, ex-Gov. Todd, and Admiral Davis.
In 1866 he was unanimously nominated for re-election as governor, and,
as before, chosen by a handsome majority. Some events of the second year
are of much interest. The appointment of Dr. Bouton as state historian,
resulting in the preservation and publication of the Provincial Records,
was a peculiarly fitting act; laws in regard to the river fisheries were
carried into effect; and initial steps taken toward the foundation of
the Agricultural College, of which Gov. Smyth is at this date a trustee
and the treasurer. The financial and executive report of the two years'
work is very concisely given in the valedictory address of June 6, 1867.
On two occasions the governor spoke briefly at the annual dinner of the
sons of New England, at Delmonico's in New York, and was very warmly
received. Some of the most influential and respectable papers of the
state advocated his nomination for a third term; he, however, definitely
declined the honor in a letter to the _Statesman_. He was a delegate at
large to the Republican national convention which renominated Gen.
Grant, and was also a member of the last constitutional convention of
New Hampshire. In 1866 he was chosen, by vote of congress, one of the
managers of the military asylums for six years, other members of the
board being Hon. R. J. Oglesby of Illinois, Gen. B. F. Butler, Hon. L.
B. Gunekel of Ohio, Jay Cooke of Philadelphia, and Gen. Martindale of
New York, with the President, Secretary of War, and Chief-Justice, _ex
officiis_, any one of whom had authority to admit to the Homes on
application being made in due form. The proper discharge of these duties
involved a vast amount of correspondence, much travel, and constant
care. Gov. Smyth was re-elected for a second six years' term in 1872,
and was vice-president of the board. In 1878, the house being
Democratic and the senate nearly a tie, Gen. Shields was proposed as his
successor, but failed of an election. Two years later, however, the
Democracy were able to unite on a successor.
Since the close of his term as governor, he has delivered addresses on
several occasions,--one before the Vermont State Agricultural Society,
another at the dedication of a soldiers' monument at Washington, N. H.,
and, later, the "Oration to the Unknown Dead," delivered on "Decoration
Day" before Louis Bell Post No. 3, G. A. R., in 1880; and in 1881, an
address on a similar occasion, at Rochester, N. H.
In 1878 he was appointed, by President Hayes, honorary commissioner to
the International Exposition at Paris. Accompanied by Mrs. Smyth, he
left New York, April 24, in the steamer Russia, for Liverpool. Visiting
London and some English cities by the way, they reached Paris at the
grand opening. Soon after they left Marseilles for Alexandria, Egypt,
and from thence made a tour of the Holy Land, _via_ Cairo, Ismailia, and
the Suez canal, afterward journeying to the Levant, stopping at
Constantinople, Smyrna, Athens, and other points of interest. They were
received with uniform courtesy and attention by officials at the U. S.
legations, and particularly spoke of the interest manifested in their
welfare by Ministers Noyes at Paris, Maynard in Constantinople, Reed at
Athens, Consul-General Fairman at Cairo. Nearly everywhere they seem to
have found friends to smooth the roughness of the traveler's path; and
on their return to Paris, which they did by way of Rome, Switzerland,
and most of the continental cities, it was regarded as an exceptional
piece of good fortune to be present at the memorial celebration in honor
of M. Thiers. Ex.-Gov. Smyth was there also received as a member of the
Stanley club. While thus absent, he wrote a series of interesting
letters, which were published in the _Mirror and American_, and read
with pleasure by a large circle of acquaintances. Since returning from
the East he and Mrs. Smyth have made an extended trip into Mexico,
touching at Cuba by the way. Their experience in that land of the sun
appears to have been equally pleasant with that in other places.
The ex-governor, frequently if not always accompanied by his wife, has
visited almost every nook and corner of our own land except, possibly,
Alaska, and is therefore well qualified to make comparisons. This long
and varied experience in affairs, in acquaintance with men, and in
travel, has made him a very interesting man in conversation whenever he
chooses to indulge in the reminiscences of a not distant past. His house
abounds in tokens of travel, curious and rare bits from many lands, and
he has entertained there, from time to time, many distinguished guests.
Before local associations and to personal friends he has given some
familiar and delightful talks on what he has seen in these vacations of
a busy life. He also pays the penalty of success in other ways, which,
if flattering, are not always agreeable. His advice is daily sought, not
only, as is natural, in financial and political matters, but on matters
more remote from his habits of thought. But, whatever it may be, he
gives cheerfully, and no man more readily lends a hand to those who are
trying to help themselves.
Offices of trust also flock to one who has proved himself capable of
taking good care of his own affairs, and among appointments which he
holds at this date, not before named, are: 'director of the Concord,
Suncook Valley, and Boston & Acton railroads; director and treasurer of
the Manchester Horse-Railroad; vice-president of the New England
Agricultural Society; president and director of the Northern Telegraph
Company; treasurer of the Elliot hospital; cashier and manager of the
First National Bank of Manchester; trustee and treasurer of the
Merrimack River Savings Bank: vice-president of the American Pomological
Society. In 1866 the faculty of Dartmouth College conferred on him the
degree of A. B.
CHARLES ELLIOTT TILTON.
Charles Elliott Tilton, son of Hon. Samuel Tilton, was born in
Sanbornton, September 14, 1827, and in that part set off and
incorporated as the town of Tilton. He received his early education in
the common schools, and at the age of fifteen was put under the
instruction of Prof. Dyer H. Sanborn of Sanbornton Academy. Later he was
admitted into the Norwich University (a military school), where he
remained three years.
When war was declared with Mexico, Gen. Ransom, the president of the
university, was commissioned to raise a regiment, and induced nearly
every student to enlist, offering young Tilton the command of a company,
which honor, through the influence of his father, was declined. About
this date he left home, going to New York, where he remained with his
brother a short time.
He then sailed for the West Indies and South America in pursuit of a
fortune. At this point a business career was inaugurated which for
thirty years called for untiring labor. He visited all the islands,
prospected the Orinoco and Amazon rivers to their head waters, went
overland to Caracas and La Guayra, thence to Maracaybo, St. Martha,
Carthagena, and Chagres. Here he heard of gold discoveries in
California, and proceeded at once to San Francisco _via_ Panama. A hasty
survey of the outlook satisfied him that "merchandising" rather than
digging for gold afforded better chances for success, and on this
foundation determined to build his fortune. In 1850 he went to Oregon,
and in the succeeding year formed a copartnership with W. S. Ladd. Esq.,
for general mercantile pursuits, which continued until 1859. That his
operations were diversified and on a large scale, the public prints of
that era are ample evidence. He was interested in establishing a line of
vessels to run between Oregon and China, one of which, the "C. E.
Tilton," had made the quickest passage from New York to Oregon on record
to the present time. She was subsequently sold to the Japanese
government and by them converted into a man of war, and was finally sunk
in an encounter with the U. S. ship "Powhattan." In 1859 the
banking-house of Ladd & Tilton, Portland, was organized, so favorably
known and generally advertised during the settlement of the presidential
vote of that state in 1876. He remained a partner in this institution
twenty-one years, retiring in 1880.
In all this period Mr. Tilton was interested in many other enterprises
on the Pacific coast and frontier. Among these may be mentioned the
navigation of the Columbia and Willamette rivers. He was one of five who
controlled what has developed into the Oregon Railway & Navigation
Company, with a capital of $24,000,000. He had an interest in the
banking firm of Ladd & Bush, Salem, in the First National Bank of