Sketches of Successful New Hampshire Men
to the proprietorship of the "Rising Sun." The writer remembers Capt.
Seth Richards as a man of great personal activity and tact in business,
of irreproachable integrity in all his transactions with his fellow-men
through a long and busy life, genial and benevolent, a downright
gentleman of the old school, and in his departure leaving a place in the
social and business affairs of this community exceedingly difficult to
fill. He was often called by his fellow-citizens to fill town offices
and places of trust and responsibility, and was chosen as a
representative to the state legislature in 1833.
After leaving the hotel he turned his attention to the mercantile
business, and was for some time a clerk in the store of Erastus Baldwin,
one of the earlier merchants of the town. In 1835, when the Cheneys
retired from Newport, he purchased their stock and trade, and the "old
stand," and continued the business successfully for many years, or until
about the year 1853, when he became interested in the Sugar River
flannel-mills,--of which we shall have more to say hereafter,--and
finally retired from active life about the year 1867.
Captain Richards married, April 8, 1817, Fanny Richards, of Dedham,
Mass., and to them were born, in the years from 1818 to 1834, two sons
and six daughters. In regard to the family of Seth and Fanny Richards,
we may say that no more pleasant and hospitable home ever opened its
doors in Newport. They died in the faith and communion of the
Congregational church. Fanny died August 11, 1854. Seth died October 30,
1871.
Of the children of Seth and Fanny Richards, was Dexter, born September
5, 1818, who is more particularly the subject of this sketch. Tracing
his genealogy, we find him in the eighth generation from Edward in the
line of the American Richardses. To say that Dexter Richards was born
with a silver spoon in his mouth would belie the facts in the case; but
to say that he comes through a worthy line of ancestors, and that he
inherits their good and noble qualities and best abilities, will meet
our case at the threshold. He has some time said that he never had any
childhood or youth, in the common acceptation of the term; that in his
early years his parents were in moderate circumstances, and, being the
eldest son of a family mostly daughters, he was called to work, and
think of ways and means for promoting their welfare. While other lads of
his age were engaged in their sports and pastimes, or enjoying public
occasions like the old-fashioned trainings and musters, Fourth-of-July
celebrations, or town-meetings and court days, he early manifested a
natural tact for business, by engaging in some juvenile enterprise by
which to turn an honest penny with the crowd.
The public school in district number two afforded him an opportunity for
learning the rudiments of knowledge, which was eagerly improved, summer
and winter, as he could be spared from other duties. When about eighteen
years of age he finished his education, so far as schools are concerned,
with a term or two at a high school in Lebanon, under the tutelage of
the late eminent Prof. Edmund R. Peaslee. Mr. Richards has, therefore,
never been through with what is termed a regular course of study, and
comes to us with no diploma from college or hall. The most important
part of his education has been acquired outside the schools, in the
great university of active life, and is of the most practical character.
Politically, he was reared in the Democratic faith; but, when the union
of the states was assailed, the action of the Democratic party in regard
to the great questions of that day not being in accord with his views he
withdrew from it, and affiliated with the Republican party, just then
commencing its career. The ranks of this great party, that has for more
than twenty years dominated in this country, were greatly augmented and
strengthened by such acquisitions from the Democratic party; men who
arose in their might, declaring the patriotic sentiment of their old
leader and hero, Andrew Jackson,--"The Union must and shall be
preserved."
In regard to his public career, Mr. Richards was many times, when quite
a young man, elected to serve on the board of selectmen. In the years
1865, 1866, and 1870, he represented the town in the state legislature.
In 1871 and 1872 he was a member, from this district, of the executive
council, and about that time a delegate to the Republican national
convention at Philadelphia, that nominated General Grant for his second
term of the presidency. In 1876 he was a delegate to the convention for
revising the constitution of the state; and, so far as his official
course is concerned, from the beginning it has been distinguished by
eminent ability and the strictest integrity. The "spoils," so-called,
have never been his object in accepting offices of trust at the hands of
his constituents. He has found his reward more in the faithful and
conscientious performance of his duty.
In regard to the business career of Mr. Richards, we may say it has been
characterized by great industry and enterprise, on a basis of good
judgment, and in a spirit of fair dealing throughout. We have already
alluded to his early inclination to buy and sell and get gain in a small
way, as a boy, and in this respect the child foreshadowed the man.
During the years of his minority he was the faithful and efficient
coadjutor of his father in all his plans and purposes, and particularly
so when Capt. Seth Richards succeeded to the mercantile business at the
old Cheney stand, about the year 1835. In the management of this
business the son was a most important factor, and on coming of age
became a partner with his father. The business was well managed and
profitable, and with it came prosperity to the Richards family, and to
Dexter Richards the foundation and assurance of future successes in
life. About the year 1853, Richards & Son came to be interested in a
flannel-mill in Newport, that, possibly, had not heretofore been very
successfully managed. The history of this concern may be briefly stated
as follows:--
The Sugar River mills were built in 1847, by Perley S. Coffin and John
Puffer. About the year 1853, Richards & Son (Dexter) succeeded by
purchase to the original interest of John Puffer, then owned by D. J.
Goodridge. On the retirement of the senior Richards, in 1867, changes
were made by which the entire establishment came into possession of
Dexter Richards, Mr. Coffin retiring from the concern with a handsome
fortune.
In the prosecution of the business up to this time, the parties
interested had been singularly favored by circumstances that brought
disaster to many other firms and business men throughout our northern
towns and cities. We have reference to the great civil war that about
this time (1861-65) so much disturbed the commerce of the country. Of
the gray twilled flannels produced by the Sugar River mills, a large
stock had accumulated at this time. The goods were well adapted to the
wants of laborers, and particularly the soldiers in the Union army. The
war created a demand; prices appreciated; the machinery was kept running
night and day; the flannels found ready sale as fast as they could be
produced; and the success of the Sugar River mills was henceforth
assured. In the mean time, the establishment had been greatly enlarged
and improved, and was turning out about eight hundred thousand yards of
flannel yearly.
In 1872, Seth Mason Richards, the eldest son of Dexter Richards, a young
man just entered upon his majority, was admitted to a partnership with
his father. Enlargements and improvements have continued from time to
time, and the condition of the establishment at this date (1882) may be
stated as follows: Dexter Richards & Son, proprietors; capital stock,
$150,000. S. M. Richards, superintendent; Arthur R. Chase, secretary. It
gives steady employment to eighty-five operatives; runs eight sets of
cards, forty-four narrow looms, fifteen spinning-machines; works up two
hundred and eighty thousand pounds of cotton and wool, and turns out
annually nearly one million yards of gray twilled flannel. The
trade-mark (D. R. P.) of these goods is well known, among dealers and
others, throughout the country, and the products of the factory find
market and ready sale through commission merchants in Boston, New York,
Philadelphia, and Chicago.
Up to the year 1871, the manufacturing and agricultural interests of
Newport and the towns adjoining had achieved all the prosperity it was
possible for them to attain without railroad facilities to enable them
to compete successfully with other places in the enjoyment of such
facilities. As early as 1848, the Concord & Claremont Railroad Company
had been incorporated, and in 1850 the road had been put in operation to
Bradford. From Bradford to Claremont the rugged nature of the route was
appalling to engineers and contractors, and particularly so to
capitalists who were expected to construct the road. The enterprise here
came to a stand. Further efforts, legislative and otherwise, to continue
the work, were made without success, and for twenty-one years the
heavy-laden stages and teams continued to toil on over the weary hills,
to and fro, waiting for some able and friendly hand to establish a new
order of things, and deliver them. In the meantime, the war of the
rebellion, that had absorbed the thought and labor and capital of the
country, had come and gone, and "enterprises of great pith and moment,"
that had long slumbered, were again revived,--day dawned again upon the
Sugar River Railroad.
In the year 1866, mainly through the influence of Dexter Richards, then
a member of the legislature, and his enterprise as a citizen, the Sugar
River Railroad Company, now known as the Concord & Claremont Railroad
Company, was chartered. The means to revive and continue the building of
the road through to Claremont were furnished by the Northern Railroad
Company, aided by large assessments on the towns on the route of the
road. The town of Newport, by official act, became responsible for
forty-five thousand dollars, or about five per cent on its valuation. In
addition to this amount, the further sum of twenty thousand dollars was
required to assure the continuance and completion of the work. Of this
amount, Mr. Richards became liable for eleven thousand dollars, and
other parties interested made up the remaining nine thousand dollars.
The assurance of sixty-five thousand dollars from the town of Newport
secured the construction of the road through to Claremont beyond a
doubt. The road was soon afterward completed, and the first regular
train from Bradford to Claremont passed through Newport, September 16,
1872.
It was also through the instrumentality of Mr. Richards, that in July,
1866, the wires of the Western Union Telegraph Company were extended and
in operation to this town. Of the one thousand dollars subscribed by
citizens of Newport to secure this great facility of communication,
three-fourths of the amount were paid by him.
Mr. Richards has identified himself with the friends of education, and
Dartmouth College particularly, by the endowment of a scholarship in
that venerable and favorite institution of learning. He has also
contributed liberally to the support of Kimball Union Academy, at
Meriden, of which he is one of the trustees. He is also one of the
founders and benefactors of the Orphans' Home, at Franklin, and a
trustee of the New Hampshire Asylum for the Insane, at Concord,
benevolent institutions that are an honor to our state.
The Congregational church and society, of Newport, of which Mr. Richards
has been for many years a member, are greatly indebted to him for their