New Hampshire’s First Woman Sheriff and Deputy Sheriffs: Helen Kenney of Concord, M. Jennie (Wood) Kendall of Nashua, and Lillian (Christian) Bryant of Conway

Posted on 10 August, 2015 by Janice Brown
My thanks to Ruth Speed for providing this newspaper clipping of July 18, 1944 source: Portsmouth NH Herald

July 18, 1944 source: Portsmouth NH Herald. News clipping courtesy of Ruth Speed.

Even today a woman sheriff in New Hampshire would be a rarity.  In 1906, 1939 and 1944 when the three women mentioned in this story were appointed, they were momentous occasions.  These women were not the first sheriffs in the United States, as I have found an appointment for a woman sheriff made in 1895 in Green County, Missouri [see end of this story].

In a nutshell: Helen M. Kenney of Concord New Hampshire made history being sworn in as New Hampshire’s first sheriff (of Merrimack County) on 7 September 1944.  New Hampshire’s first Deputy Sheriff was M. Jennie (Wood) Kendall in 1906 in Hillsborough County. On April 1, 1939 Mrs. Irene H. (Christian) Bryant of Conway became Deputy Sheriff of Carroll County.   [Editor’s note: My special thanks to Ruth Speed for bringing Helen Kenney’s story to my attention, and providing the newspaper clipping seen here.] Continue reading →

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The Early History of Manchester New Hampshire’s Hesser Business College (now Mount Washington College) and the Hesser Family

Posted on 6 August, 2015 by Janice Brown
Hesser updated 2 watermarked

Likeness from Granite State Magazine, July 1906

The small business school started in Manchester, New Hampshire by Joel Harter Hesser on 1 June 1900 (for the first few years called simply “Hesser School”) still exists, though it no longer bears its founder’s name. [Editor’s note: At the time of this article’s publishing, the school DID exist, but it has since closed. See details below].

In 2013 Hesser College was “relaunched” (a term borrowed directly from the college’s web site history) as  Mount Washington College, and their web site states: “today …. students are …. studying for degrees in allied health, business, communications, criminal justice, graphic design, legal, liberal studies, and psychology and for diplomas in the field of medical assistants.” It is important not to forget how the college came to be what it is today. Much credit is due to one man with a vision, who spend 45 years of his life building this school.

How synchronous this story is.  The day after I finish writing it, the Manchester Union Leader newspaper has a story: “College to Close in City–Mount Washington Officials says 500 enrolled at former Hesser College,” that it has stopped accepting students, and that it will close its Manchester Campus in 2016  [which it did]. That completely ended the history of this 100 year old school’s presence in the city of Manchester.

Updated 2017:  For those attendees and graduates looking to obtain your records and transcripts, please contact the New Hampshire Department of Education.

Continue reading →

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Manchester New Hampshire’s Premier Baseball Family: Fred and Robert “Curly” Clement

Posted on 2 August, 2015 by Janice Brown

Son and Father: Robert "Curly" Clement with his father Fred Clement, both of the Manchester [NH] Cardinals baseball team. Curly was a first baseman and Fred was the team manager in 1938 when this photograph was taken.

Son and Father: Robert “Curly” Clement with his father Fred Clement, both of the Manchester [NH] Cardinals baseball team. Curly was a talented ball player, and his father Fred was the team manager in 1938 when this photograph was taken. Photograph courtesy of Gail Wiley (Curly’s daughter, Fred’s granddaughter) and used with her permission.

In 1939 the Merrimack Valley Baseball League consisted of 11 baseball clubs, namely: Hillsboro, Peterboro, Milford, Merrimack, Londonderry, Derry [Merchants], Goffs Falls, Noa Club, [Manchester] Cardinals, International Shoe of Manchester, and the Bay State entry, Pepperell [MA]. The league officials included C.K. Johnson of Townsend MA, president; George W. Shattuck of Pepperell, 1st vice president; Fred Clement of Manchester NH, 2nd vice president, and Herbert C. Leach of Litchfield NH, secretary-treasurer. [Fitchburg Sentinel, Fitchburg MA, 12 May 1939, page 8].

That same year the opening games of this league including some form of pening [sic]  exercises. Manchester NH engaged a band and had a city official toss out the first ball. The first game was to be played at the “new” Derryfield Park field, considered to be one of the best diamonds in New Hampshire. Continue reading →

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First NH Lady Century Rider of 1893, Bicyclist, Linotypist: Maud L. (Hood) Center 1874-1958

Posted on 29 July, 2015 by Janice Brown
Medal awarded to Maud L. Hood in 1895

Medal awarded to Maud(e) Hood in 1894.  The inscription reads: “MAUDE HOOD | FIRST LADY CENTURY RIDER | NEW HAMPSHIRE | 1894 N.H.C.C. | Manchester June 1893 | June 24.  Photograph courtesy of Richard A. Davis, of Cape Elizabeth, Maine. They have since donated this medal to the Manchester (NH) Historic Association.

Before I tell you Maud Hood’s story, I should explain a few terms, and how her accomplishment was unusual and wonderful.  A Century Rider is a bicyclist who has completed a 100-mile ride.  This is a milestone nearly every cyclist strives to reach today, and century rides are fairly common.  However the feat was not common in the late 19th century for women.

Maud(e) Hood was awarded a medal in 1894 for a June 24, 1893 accomplishment of riding 100 miles during a bicycle event held in New Hampshire. NHCC possibly stands for New Hampshire Cycling Club [see photograph insert].

At the time of this award she was living at 27 Grove Street, Manchester, New Hampshire, then part of Manchester Corp. housing, as one of many immigrant workers from Scotland. Her occupation at that time was compositor [setting of type to be ready for printing] for the “Mirror” newspaper.  Continue reading →

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The Hammond Family and Their Home in Nashua, New Hampshire

Posted on 25 July, 2015 by Janice Brown
Hammond Home and physician's office on Main Street in Nashua, NH, near the corner of Pearl, circa 1903.

The Hammond home and physician’s office on Main Street in Nashua, NH, near the corner of Pearl, circa 1903.

Usually the photograph of a human face spurs me to write a story, but in this case it was one of an ivy covered building.  The Ebay description hinted that it might be located in Nashua, New Hampshire, for that is where the postcard was mailed from in 1903.  It turns out that this was well worth my attention.  The residence pictured here was the home and physician’s office of two of Nashua, New Hampshire’s well known physicians–Evan B. Hammond, and his son Charles B. Hammond. If one zooms in closely to the small building to the right, the sign reads “Dr. C.B. Hammond.”

Charles B. Hammond not only was one of the founders of Nashua’s first hospital, but also wrote the Medical History of Nashua, section in the  1897 book: “History of Nashua, New Hampshire, by Judge Edward E. Parker. On that account, citizens of Nashua have much to be grateful to him. Continue reading →

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