History of Hillsboro, (Hillsborough County) New Hampshire United States of America

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Biographies:

Nathaniel Bradley Baker, governor of New Hampshire, was born at Hillsboro, N. H., Sept. 29, 1818. He was prepared for college at Phillips academy at Exeter, and entered Harvard at the age of fifteen. After his graduation in 1839 he began the study of the law, and in 1842 was admitted to the bar and began to practise. For a time he edited the New Hampshire Patriot, but on his appointment as clerk of the court of common pleas he discontinued his journalistic work. After serving a year in this capacity he performed similar duties in the superior court of judicature for Merrimac county. He became well known in political circles, and held office as representative in the state legislature, speaker of the house, 1851-'52, presidential elector in 1852, and governor of New Hampshire 1854-'55. In 1856 he changed his residence to Clinton, Iowa. After practising his profession there for three years he was sent to the state legislature. In 1861 he was appointed adjutant-general of Iowa, which office he held until his death, Sept. 11, 1876.

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

John McNiel, soldier, was born in Hillsborough, N.H., March 25, 1784; son of Capt. John and Lucy (Andrews) McNiel; grandson of Daniel McNiel, and of Isaac Andrews, and great-grand-son of John McNiel who served in the Louisburg expedition, 1744-55, and came originally from Londonderry to Derryfield, N.H., and thence to Hillsborough. John McNiel, 3d, was commissioned captain in the 11th infantry, March 12, 1812, and major, Aug. 15, 1813. He led the regiment in the battle of Chippewa, July 5, 1814, and for his gallantry in leading a bayonet charge which won the day for the Americans he was brevetted lieutenant-colonel. He commanded the regiment in the battle of Niagara, July 25, 1814, and was brevetted colonel for distinguished valor there. He was promoted lieutenant-col-onel and transferred to the 1st infantry, Feb. 24, 1818; to the 3d infantry, Dec. 12, 1820; was brevetted brigadier-general, July 24, 1824, for ten years' faithful service in one grade; was promoted colonel and transferred to the 1st infantry, April 28, 1826, and held various posts on the western frontier. He resigned his commission in the U.S. army, April 23, 1830, and was surveyor of the port of Boston, Mass., by appointment of President Jackson, 1830-50. He was married to a sister of Franklin Pierce. Their son, John W. S. McNiel, 2d lieutenant in the 2d U.S. dragoons, was killed by Indians in Florida, Sept. 11, 1837, and their daughter Fanny, wife of Chandler E. Potter, was the first white child born on the site of the city of Chicago. Col. John McNiel died in Washington, D.C., Feb. 23, 1850.

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

Willard Parker, surgeon, was born at Hillsborough, N.H., Sept. 2, 1800; son of Jonathan and Hannah (Clark) Parker; grandson of Capt. Peter Clark, and a descendant of Abraham Parker, who emigrated from England to Massachusetts Bay colony in 1640, and settled first in Woburn and afterward in Chelmsford, Mass. His parents, who were farmers, removed to Chelmsford in 1805, and he worked on the farm and attended the public school winters until 1829. He taught in the district schools, 1819-22, and was graduated at Harvard, A.B., 1826, A.M., 1829. He taught school in Charlestown, Mass.; attended the lectures of Dr. John C. Warren, 1826-27; was assistant in the U.S. Marine hospital at Chelsea, Mass, 1827-29; studied surgery under Dr. Warren during the winter of 1828-29, and was graduated at Harvard, M.D., in 1830, and at Berkshire Medical college (Mass.) M.D., 183l. He delivered a course of lectures on anatomy in the Vermont Medical school at Woodstock, 1829-30; was professor of anatomy and surgery, Colby university, 1830-33, and in the Berkshire Medical college, 1830-33; of anatomy and physiology in Geneva college, 1834-36; professor of surgery in the Cincinnati university, 1836-37; visited Europe in 1837; settled in New York city in 1839, where he was connected with the College of Physicians and Surgeons as professor of surgery, 1839-69, professor of clinical surgery, 1870-80, and professor emeritus, 1880-84. He was twice married; first, in 1839, to Caroline Allen of Massachusetts, and secondly, to Henriette Bissell. He instituted college clinics in 1840, became a visiting surgeon to Bellevue hospital in 1847, and to the New York hospital in 1856, in the meantime establishing a large practice. He became president of the New York state inebriate asylum in 1865, succeeding Dr. Valentine Mott, and was a consulting surgeon to the Roosevelt, St. Luke's and Mt. Sinai hospitals. He was active in the organization of the New York Pathological society in 1843; of the hospital for the relief of widows and orphans of medical men in 1846, and of the New York Academy of Medicine in 1847, becoming its president in 1856. He was also influential in establishing the New York city board of health, 1864-66, and served as a member of the board. He was a member of several scientific societies of the United States and Europe. He received the degree LL.D. from the College of New Jersey in 1870. The Willard Parker hospital for contagious diseases was erected and named in his honor. His discoveries in practical surgery include the operation of cystotomy, for the relief of chronic cystitis, an operation for the cure of abscess of the appendix vermiformis and one for the laceration of the perineum during parturition. He was also the first in the country to call attention to the phenomena of the concussion of the nerves, as distinguished from that of the nerve-centres, and to report cases of malignant pustule. His monographs include: Cystolomy (1850); Spontaneous Fractures (1852); Concussion of Nerves (1856); On the High Operation for Stone in the Female (1855); Ligature of the Subclavian Artery (1864), and a lecture on Cancer (1873). He died in New York city, April 25, 1884.

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

Benjamin Pierce Cheney, expressman, was born in Hillsboro, N. H., Aug. 12, 1815; son of Jesse and Alice (Steele) Cheney. He was educated in the public schools, leaving his studies when ten years old to work in his father's blacksmith shop. In 1831 he became stage-driver, and in 1836 went to Boston as agent of the northern stage route. He went into business for himself in 1842 and organized, with Nathaniel White and William Walker, Cheney & Co.'s Express, running between Boston and Montreal. This venture was highly successful. Shortly after this another line was established, which was purchased by Mr. Cheney in 1852. He continued to buy out all competing lines until he formed the United States and Canada express company. This name was retained for more than thirty-five years, when it was merged into the American express company, of which he was made treasurer. He also held large interests in other express and railroad companies. At his death his property was estimated at nine million dollars, about seventy-five thousand dollars of which he bequeathed to various charities. He died in Wellesley, Mass., June 23, 1895.

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