History of Bethlehem, (Grafton County) New Hampshire United States of America

Our database does not include an historic photo for Bethlehem, (Grafton County) New Hampshire, do you have one you would like to contribute? Contact Us!

Biographies:

James Hall, paleontologist, was born at Hingham, Mass., Sept. 12, 1811; son of James and Susanna (Dourdain) Hall. His parents were natives of Lancashire, England. His father, a woolen manufacturer, removed his family to the United States in 1809 and settled in Hingham. The son was graduated from the Rensselaer Polytechnic institute, Troy, N.Y., in 1832; was assistant professor of chemistry and natural sciences there, 1832-54; professor of geology, 1854-76, and professor emeritus, 1876-98. In 1836 the geological survey of the state of New York was organized and Professor Hall was appointed assistant to Ebenezer Emmons, geologist of the second district. In 1837 he was appointed by Governor Marcy state geologist for the fourth geological district, and in 1843 was given charge of the paleontological work, retaining the title of state geologist. He was married in 1838 to Sarah Amelia Maris, daughter of John Aikin of Duchess county, N.Y. In 1855 he accepted from Sir William E. Logan, government geologist of Canada, the charge of the paleontological survey of that dominion, but he was induced by Agassiz, Dewey, Dana and other eminent scientists to remain in Albany. He was appointed state geologist of Iowa by Governor Grimes, serving, 1855-57; was elected state geologist of Wisconsin in 1857, was a commissioner on the geological survey of the state, 1857-60; and principal of the geological commission in 1860. On the re-organization of the New York state museum in 1866 he was appointed director. He was elected one of the fifty foreign members of the Geological society of London in 1848, and correspondent of the academy of sciences of Paris in 1884; a charter member of the National academy of sciences, organized in 1863; formder and president of the International congress of geologists held in Philadelphia in 1876; vice-president representing the United States at its session in Paris in 1878, in Bologna in 1881, and in Berlin in 1885, and president in Washington in 1891, and in St. Petersburg in 1897. He was a founder of the American association of geologists organized in Philadelphia in 1840, out of which grew the American association for the advancement of science of which he was president in 1856. He was president of the Albany institute in 1878; the first president of the Geological society of America, 1888, and a member of the American society of naturalists. He received from the king of Italy the title and decoration of Commander of the Ordes des Santi Maurizio i Lazzaro in 1882; received the quinquennial Walker grand prize of $1000 from the Boston natural history society in 1884; the Hayden Memorial medal from the Academy of natural sciences in 1888, and the Wellaston medal from the Geological society of London in 1858. He received the degrees of A.M. from Union in 1842, M.D. from the University of Maryland in 1846, and LL.D. from Hamilton in 1863, from McGill in 1884 and from Harvard in 1886. His published writings include: Geology of New York, Part IV. (1843); Natural History of New York: Paleontology, Vols. I. to XIII. (1847-94), prepared by the state at a cost of over $100,000; Expedition to the Great Salt Lake (1852); United States and Mexico Boundary Survey (1857); Geological Survey of Iowa (1858-59); Graptolites of the Quebec Group (1865); and Volume IV. of the U.S. Geological Exploration of the 40th Parallel (1877). He died at Bethlehem, N.H., Aug. 7, 1898.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Edward Cooke, educator, was born in Bethlehem, Grafton county, N. H., Jan. 19, 1812. He was graduated at Wesleyan university, Middletown, Conn., in 1838; taught natural science in Amenia (N.Y.) seminary, 1838-40; and was principal of Pennington (N. J.) seminary, 1840-47. In 1843 he joined the New Jersey conference of the Methodist Episcopal church, was transferred to the New England conference in 1847, and was stationed at Saugus, Charlestown and Boston, Mass., until 1853, when he was transferred to the Wisconsin conference and appointed president of Lawrence university, which office he held until 1860. He was a member of the board of regents of normal schools in Wisconsin, 1857-60; pastor of the Summerfield church in Milwaukee, 1859-60, and in 1861 was transferred to the New England conference and served as a member of the board of examiners of Harvard university. He was stationed at Cambridgeport, Mass., 1861-62, and in Boston in 1863. He was principal of Wesleyan academy, Wilbraham, Mass., 1864-74, and president of Claflin university and state agricultural college at Orangeburgh, S. C., 1874-84. He removed to West Newton, Mass., in 1884. Harvard conferred upon him the degree of S.T.D. in 1855. He died at Newton Centre, Mass., Sept. 18, 1888.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

George Washington Gile, soldier, was born in Bethlehem, N.H., Jan. 25, 1830. On April 23, 1861, he enlisted in the volunteer army for three months and was promoted 1st lieutenant of the 22d Pennsylvania infantry and served till Aug. 7, 1861. He re-entered, Sept. 16, 1861, and was made major of the 88th Pennsylvania volunteer infantry; was promoted lieutenant-colonel, Sept. 1, 1862, and colonel, Jan. 24, 1863. He served in the defence of Washington, and in the army in Virginia and from Oct. 1, 1861, to Sept. 17, 1862, in the Army of the Potomac. He was in command of his regiment from Bull Run, Aug. 27, 1862, to Antietam, Sept. 17, 1862, when he was wounded. He was honorably discharged on account of disability, March 2, 1863. He was commissioned major in the veteran reserve corps, May 22, 1863; was promoted colonel, Sept. 29, 1863; commanded a brigade in the defence of Washington, D.C., July 10-13, 1864, and for his service in assisting to repel the attack of Gen. Jubal A. Early on Fort Slocum, he was brevetted brigadier-general. He commanded the garrison of Washington, 1864-65; commanded the inaugural escort to President Lincoln, March 4, 1865; his funeral escort, April 17, 1865; and was general officer of the day when Sherman's army was reviewed, May 24, 1865. He was on duty in the bureau of refugees, freedmen and abandoned lands in South Carolina, 1865-67, and was honorably mustered out of the volunteer service, Jan. 24, 1867. He was appointed 1st lieutenant in the 45th U.S. infantry to date from July 28, 1866, and promoted captain, Feb. 4, 1868. He received the brevet of captain in the regular army, March 2, 1867, for the second battle of Bull Run; that of major on the same date for the battle of South Mountain, and that of lieutenant-colonel for the battle of Antietam. He was again on duty in the bureau of refugees, freedmen and abandoned lands in South Carolina from Jan. 5, 1867, to Oct. 10, 1868; in Florida to July 5, 1870, and in Washington, D.C., until retired, with the full rank of colonel, Dec. 15, 1870. He was reduced through consolidation of the army to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, March 3, 1875. He died in Philadelphia, Pa., Feb. 26, 1896.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor