Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 10.djvu/89

 Ho7i. Aretas Blood.

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��of Isaac Proctor, a soldier of the Revolution, and settled in Windsor, Vt. He died in Waltham, Mass., in 1876; she died in 1865. Both were active members of the Congreofational church.

8. Aretas Blood, son of Nathaniel and RoxellUua (Proctor) Blood, was born in Weathersfield, Vt., October 8, 1816.

It will be seen by the foreafoinsr line of ancestors that Mr. Blood is a direct descendant of those sturdy Puritans who in the old country maintained their rights by force of arms, and planted a colony here on the bleak shores of New PLngland to obtain religious toleration. They had to defend their homes from a cruel and treacherous foe, and later to withstand the encroachments of a ty- ranical government across the ocean. Their courage and foresight laid the foundations of our free and beautiful New England of to-day. They gave to us the school, the church, the town-meeting, — the basis of our pros- perity. We are also indebted to them for sound and health}^ bodies, and minds relieved from superstition and ignorance. From his ancestors Mr. Blood inherited man}' sterling qualities, — good judgment, sound common-sense, executive ability of a very high order, courage to undertake herculean tasks, the perseverance to conduct them to a successful termi- nation, and the requisite caution to keep him from embarking in any save safe enterprises.

When Aretas Blood was three years old his parents removed to Windsor, Vt., where he remained until seven- teen years of age, improving the meagre advantages afforded by the

��common schools of those days. He was then apprenticed to the trade of blacksmith, which he worked at about two years and a half, and then be- came a machinist. In 18-10 he jour- neyed to Evansville, Ind., where he worked at his trade until June 17, 1841, when he started eastward in search of employment. He travelled on, however, still in quest of work, and it was not until he reached North Chelmsford, Mass., that he found employment for his ready and willins: hands. After remaining there a short time, he subsequently went to Lowell as a machinist in the Lowell Machine- shop. Here he remained seven years, and then went to Lawrence, where he commenced the manufacture of ma- chinists' tools for the large machine- shop then in process of erection at that place. Here the character of the man asserted itself. His ability demanded greater scope, and soon after he assumed the management of the establishment there, and began the manufacture, by contract, of tools, turbine-wheels, locomotives, stationary engines, and other ma- chinery. His untiring energy had at last found its reward : he was mas- ter of the business. September 7, 1853, he went to Manchester and es- tablished the Vulcan Works, under the name of Bailey, Blood & Co., for the manufacture of locomotives. Business was first commenced in Me- chanics' row, but in the spring of 1854 buildings were erected on the present location, and in the same year the com pan}' was incorporated as the Manchester Locomotive Works, with Oliver W. Bailey as agent. He was succeeded in 1857 by Mr. Blood, who has since resided in Manchester,

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