Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 2.djvu/355

 THE STATE SENATE OF 1879-80.

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��Greenleaf Clarke, Senator from the Rockingham District, No twenty-one, is a member of the well known Clarke family of Atkinson, children of Green- leaf and Julia (Cogswell) Clarke. The eldest brother, William C. Clarke, at- tained a high position at the bar of this state, and in addition to other im- portant offices, held the position of Attorney-General of the state from 1863 till his death in 1872. Another brother is John B. Clarke, state printer, and the well known proprietor of the Manchester Mirror. Greenleaf Clarke, the senator in question, is a farmer and occupies the old homestead in Atkin- son, upon which he was born, May 7, 1 81 6, and which ranks among the best farms in the county of Rockingham. He received a good practical education in the common schools and at the old Atkinson Academy, formerly one of the best educational institutions in the state, and at ah early period of life was somewhat prominent in politics as an active Democrat, serving in various town offices, as representative in the legislature, and as a member of the Executive Council during the last two years of the administration of the late Governor Dinsmore. Latterly he has not been prominently engaged in poli- tics or public life, though retaining .a strong interest in national questions, and changing his connection from the Democratic to the Republican party during the war period, tmtil within the last few years. In 1876 he was chosen a delegate from his town to the state Constitutional Convention and was elected representative the following year. He served in the Senate as chairman of the Committee on Incor porations and as a member of the Railroad and Agricultural Committees. He may well be designated as a "plain, blunt man," never speaking except when occasion requires and then clearly and without circumlocution.

Mr. Clarke has been largely engaged in other business aside from farming, such as lumbering, contracting, survey- ing, etc. He is a director, and was one of the grantees and surveyors of the Manchester and Lawrence Rail-

��road. In religious preference he is a Congregationalism and is also a' Royal Arch Mason.

He married, in 1855, Miss Sarah J. Noyes, daughter of Cyrus Noyes of Atkinson, by whom he has three chil- dren, two daughters and a son, Green- leaf Clarke, Jr.

Emmons B. Philbrick, of Rye, rep- resents one of the " close" political districts in the present senate — the Newmarket District, No. 22, — in which the people failed to elect : Mr. Philbrick, the Republican candidate, who had re- ceived a plurality vote, being chosen Senator by the Legislature in joint con- vention. Mr. Philbrick is a son of Josiah W. Philbrick a Rye farmer, and was born in that town November 14, 1833. He took a scientific course of study at Hampton Academy, with a view to pursuing the profession of a civil engineer ; but upon the death'of an only brother, at the earnest solicita- tion of his parents he surrendered his plans in that direction, and after teach- ing school successfully for some fifteen terms in this state and Massachusetts, settled in his old home and took charge of the farm, where he has since resided, devoting himself in the main to agricul- ture, but taking an active part in devel- oping the summer boarding interest, now an important factor in the pros- perity of his town and section. He is also engaged to some extent in survey- ing and does a large business as a jus- tice of the peace, an important item in a town like Rye where there is no lawyer located. He has been prominently connected with town affairs, although a member of the minority party in the town, holding the offices of selectman and superintending school committee, his large experience in teaching and deep interest in educational affairs giv- ing him especial qualifications for the latter position. He was a member of the last senate from the old First Dis- trict, and served as chairman of the Finance Committee in that body, which position he has also acceptably filled the present year, serving also upon the Judiciary and Election Committees.

Mr. Philbrick has been twice mar-

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