Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 5.djvu/378

 342 THE GRANITE MONTHLY,

Me., with Wilson & Porter one year, and finished his studies at Keene with Hon. James Wilson, Sr. He was admitted to the bar in Cheshire county in 1822, and commenced the practice of his profession at Newport, where he still resides. He is now the oldest lawyer in the practice of law in the state. He has for many years been president of the bar in Sullivan county. After his gradu- ation from college, until he was admitted to the bar in 1822, he was a very successful teacher, and for three years the principal of the New Ipswich Academy, He afterward taught an academic school in Hancock, and was at the head of the Newport Academy for six months in the year 1823. He represented the town of Newport in the state legislature in 1834. He married Sarah Hart, of Keene, born in Chesterfield, July 5, 1795 ; died in Newport, October 18, 1869, aged seventy-four years and three months. The life of Mr. Edes has been char- acterized by unusual perseverance and industry in the practice of his congenial profession, by which he has acquired an ample competence. He has also oc- cupied a foremost place as one of the leading and influential citizens of New- port, and may still be found,— rvenerable with age (1882), at his delightful residence on Main street ; and though infirm in body, intellectually bright and cheerful, and in the enjoyment of every comfort. Longevity seems to be a constitutional quality in the Edes family, and he is now on the last decade that goes to round up the great cycle of a hundred years of human life. To Amasa and Sarah (Hart) Edes were born two sons, Joseph Warren (May 30, 1823), who died (June 8, 1828) in infancy, and Samuel Hart, of whom we are to speak.

Samuel Hart Edes, — who is more immediately the subject of this sketch, — the second son of Amasa and Sarah (Hart) Edes, was born in Newport, March 31, 1825. His early training was all that could be expected from tender and interested parents in the rearing of an only son, whose future welfare was of more importance to them than any personal ambition of their own. Under circumstances less favorable, many youths have made shipwreck of their lives for lack of an individuality, which, instead of resting upon the position achieved by the parent, asserts itself, and advances to more distinguished successes in life. After two years, — 1838 to 1840, — of preparation at that cherishing mother of so many of the youth of Sullivan county — Kimball Union Academy, — young Edes entered Dartmouth College — 1840 — and creditably passing through the stated course of instruction there, was graduated from that venerable institution in 1844, the youngest member of his class ; — returning to Newport he commenc- ed the study of law in his father's office. He married, December 30, 1847, JuHa A. Nourse, of Acworth, and settled on a farm handsomely located on Sugar river in the town of Sunapee. This was his first business enterprise. — on the land as a farmer, in connection with stock raising, and crops, thus gaining healthful experiences from actual contact with nature, valuable to any and all men in after life, whatever their profession or pursuit. This farm labor was continued through the years 1847-48-49, when he returned to Newport to perfect his legal knowledge for admission to the Sullivan County Bar (185 1). It is in order here to say that the interest of Mr. Edes, as an agriculturist, has contin- ued, and increased collaterally, with other interests of which we shall speak, to the present time. He now controls and plants some six hundred acres of land in general farming ; cuts seventy tons of hay ; keeps sixty head of cattle, mostly of Ayershire stock ; works six horses ; and employs six farm hands. He is a member of the Ayershire Breeder Association of the United States and Canada.

In the year 1856 Mr. Edes purchased the Cold Spring property lying im- mediately north of the village.

From the first settlement of the town of Newport until within a period of thirty years, our people were dependent upon inconvenient wells, and water

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