History of Pembroke, (Merrimack County) New Hampshire United States of America

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Biographies:

Byron M. Cutcheon, representative, was born in Pembroke, N.H., May 11, 1836; son of James and Hannah (Tripp) McCutcheon; grandson of Frederick MeCutcheon, a Revolutionary soldier, and Anne (Brown); and a descendant of Phedris McCutcheon of Barrington, N.H., 1720-1751. He removed to Ypsilanti, Mich., in 1855, and Was graduated from the University of Michigan in 1861, with the degree of A.B., receiving that of A.M. in 1866. He was principal of the Ypsilanti high school, 1861-62, and in the latter year entered the Union army as captain in the 20th Michigan infantry, rising by promotion to the ranks of major, lieutenant-colonel and colonel. He was brevetted colonel and brigadier-general for "conspicuous gallantry," 1864-65, and received the medal of honor from congress for distinguished bravery; was twice wounded at Spottsylvania Court House; was assigned to the command of the second brigade, 1st division, 9th army corps, Army of the Potomac, in 1864, and was mustered out in 1865. He studied law at Ypsilanti, Mich., and was graduated in law at the University of Michigan in 1866, practising at Manistee, Mich., until 1883. He was a member of the board of control of railroads of Michigan, 1866-83; was presidential elector, 1868; city attorney, 1870-71; county attorney, 1873-74; regent of the University of Michigan, 1875-83; postmaster of Manistee, 1877-83; and a Republican representative in the 48th, 49th, 50th and 51st congresses, 1883-91, being defeated for the 52d congress. In the 51st congress he was chairman of the committee on military affairs. In 1891 he was appointed by President Harrison civilian member of the U.S. beard of ordnance and fortification, of which Gen. John M. Schofield was president, and served as such until March, 1895. He was an editorial writer on the Detroit Tribune until May, 1896, when he resumed the practice of law, having removed in 1891 to Grand Rapids, Mich.

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

Edgar AlLen Kimball, soldier, was born in Pembroke, N.H., Jan. 3, 1822. He became a printer in the office of the Baptist Register at Concord, N.H., and from there went to Woodstock, Vt., working in the office of the Spirit of the Age, a Democratic paper, of which he later became owner and editor. On the outbreak of the war with Mexico he was commissioned captain in the 9th U.S. infantry, April 9, 1847. He was brevetted major for gallant and meritorious conduct at Contreras and Churubusco, Aug. 20, 1847, and distinguished himself at Chapultepec by scaling the walls of the stronghold, and after cutting down the flag that floated from the citadel, with the assistance of Maj. Thomas L. Seymour, he received the surrender of the castle. After the cessation of hostilities he opened communication with Vera Cruz, and on his return to the City of Mexico be acted as paymaster of the departing troops, and was himself mustered out at Fort Adams, R.I., Aug. 26, 1848. He accepted a position on the New York Herald, and was appointed weigher in the New York custom-house by President Pierce in 1853. In 1861 he was commissioned major of the 9th New York volunteers, better known as Hawkins's Zouaves. The regiment was first sent to Fort Monroe, and afterward to Newport News, where it formed a part of General Mansfield's brigade on the peninsula. The regiment accompanied General Burnside's expedition to North Carolina, and Kimball led his regiment in storming the Confederate fort on Roanoke island, Feb, 7,1862. For making this, one of the most brilliant charges of the war, he was promoted lieutenant-colonel, Feb. 14, 1862. He took part in the battle of New Berne, N.C., March 14, 1662; succeeded to the command of the regiment, April 3, 1862, and led in the reduction of Fort Macon, N.C., April 25, 1862. His regiment was then assigned to the Army of the Potomac, forming a part of the 1st brigade, 3d division, 9th army corps. He led his regiment in the battles of South Mountain, Sept. 14, 1862; Antietam, Sept. 17, 1862, and Fredericksburg, Dec. 15, 1862. In February, 1863, the division was moved to Newport News, and on April 11, 1863, the 9th New York was ordered to Suffolk, Va., where Colonel Kimball was shot and killed by Col. Michael Corcoran, who declared he had been detained by Kimball when endeavoring to pass through the line on urgent business. He died at Suffolk, Va., April 12, 1863.

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

Thomas Wallace Knox, author, was born in Pembroke, N.H., June 26, 1835. His father, who was a farmer, died in 1839, and Thomas was sent to the Mayhem, school in Boston. He returned to New Hampshire in 1845 and worked on a farm, attending school during the winters. In 1851 he left the farm, became a shoemaker's apprentice, and saved enough money to enable him to attend school. He soon became a teacher in a district school, and in 1858 he secured the position of principal in an academy at Kingston, N.H. He removed to Denver, Colorado, in 1860, was a reporter on the Denver Daily News, and at the outbreak of the civil war he enlisted in the army and was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of Colorado troops. He was war correspondent for the New York Herald, and his articles were published in book form under the title of "Camp Fire and Cotton Field" (1866). He was wounded in a skirmish and removed to New York, where he became a prominent journalist. His first trip around the world was made as a newspaper correspondent in 1866. On this trip, while in Siberia, he travelled 3600 miles in sledges and 1400 miles in wagons, ending his journey in Paris in 1867. Accounts of his travels were published from time to time in the journals, and were republished in book form under the title "Overland through Asia" (1870). A second book entitled "Backshsesh" (1875) was equally successful. He was the first representative of the western associated press in New York, and supplied telegraphic correspondence to the leading western papers for several years. He was appointed Herald commissioner at the Vienna exhibition in 1873, and took that opportunity to travel through Crimea, Greece, Asia-Minor, Palestine, Egypt and Nubia. In 1875 he went to Ireland with the American rifle team and telegraphed the score of the international rifle match at Dollymount, by means of a device invented by himself, and which he afterward perfected and sold to the U.S. government for use in transmission of weather maps. In 1877 he made another trip around the world, visiting Japan, China, Siam, Java, India and Egypt, and arriving in Paris in 1878. The King of Siam invested him with the Order of the White Elephant for his book "Siam and Java" (1880), accompanying the order with an autograph letter stating that it had never before been conferred on an American. Colonel Knox was a member for many years and a director and secretary of the Lotus club. Besides the works mentioned, he is the author of: Underground Life (1873); John (1879); The Boy Traveller Series (14 vols., 1880-94); How to Travel (1880); The Young Nimrods in North America (1881); Pocket Guide for Europe (1882); The Yonng Nimrods in Europe, Asia and Africa (1883); Pocket Guide aronnd the World (1883); The Voyage of the Vivian (1884); Lives of Blaine and Logan (1884); Marco Polo for Boys and Girls (1885); Robert Fulton (1886); Life of Henry Ward Beecher (1887) ; Decisive Battles since Waterloo (1887); Dog Stories (1887); Horse Stories (1889); Teetotaler Dick (1890); A Close Shave (1892); The Republican Party and its Leaders (1892); Darkness and Daylight (1892); The Siberian Exiles (1893); The Talking Handkerchief (1893); The Lost Army (1894); John Boyd's Adventures (1894); Captain Crane (1895); A Boy's Life of General Grant (1895); Hunters Three (1895); In Wild Africa (1895); The Landor the Kangaroo (1896). He died in New York city, Jan. 6, 1896.

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