Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 7.djvu/119

ASA McFARLAND. 99 the Statesman and Congregational Journal, which were afterward gathered in a duodecimo vohnne.

In July, 1851, Messrs. McFarland and Jenks purchased the Statesman, and under the imprint of that firm it continued to be published until September 30, 1871. Henry McFarland had joined the firm in January, 1858, and Asa McFarland retired in December, 1867, by reason of failure of health. He, however, often contributed to its columns, and assumed control for brief periods in vacation seasons.

As printer, publisher, editor and correspondent, Mr. McFarland held, as we have before stated, longer active service at the printer's art than any other man of Concord. This length of service has been exceeded in only a few instances, if by any, in the history of the craft in New Hampshire. Those whose terms of service most nearly parallel his are John Prentiss, of Keene, Richard Boylston & Son, of Amherst, Isaac Hill, of Concord, Charles W. Brewster, of Portsmouth, George Wadleigh, of Dover, and Simeon Ide, of Claremont.

Contemporary with him as editors of leading political journals at Concord were Isaac Hill, George G. Fogg, and William Butterfield, all eminent in their profession.

In what we have written, the origin, education, calling and business life of Mr. McFarland have been outlined — the record of an industrious and useful career. His life as an employer, citizen, leader of public opinion, and Christian gentleman, remains to be given. A third of a century going in and out with him — as a member of his household, apprentice, journeyman, partner for twenty years, in social relations for a longer period — leads the writer to essay this privilege.

Having chosen the art of printing, he sought to reach it in a high degree of excellence. He became an expert compositor and workman at the hand press, while as a proof-reader he attained the head of the profession in the state, and stood there so long as he followed the business. He always retained a fondness for the manual labor of composition, and frequently put his thoughts in type without the usual preliminary writing. His eye was trained to appreciate a well designed title, a correctly proportioned page, or an artistically arranged book or newspaper. As a business man he was noted for directness and decision of purpose, for promptness, industry, economy in methods, and integrity. He required promptness and diligence from his employees, and set an example to be followed. No business appointment was ever lost through his lack of punctual attendance.

He had a taste for local historical affairs, and became a member of the New Hampshire Historical Society in June, 1837. In August of that year he delivered an address before that society at the dedication of the Bradley monument, near St. Paul's School — erected to commemorate the massacre by Indians, in August, 1746, — which was published in the collections of the Society. He was almost continuously an officer of this Society from 1840 to 1868, serving as treasurer, recording secretary, and vice-president. He had, however, no liking for that historical writing which involves a search in musty records, or the compilation of statistics; but his reminiscences of historical and biographical events occurring within his own observation were highly interesting, and constituted a feature of the Statesman very welcome to New Hampshire people at home and abroad. In 1836 he compiled a volume of favorite poems, entitled "The Gift," 272 pages. But few copies of this book are now in existence. On the fly leaf of one of them he wrote, in 1873, as follows: "This volume was printed by me at a time when I was without much business, in a book and job printing office which I had just established. The selections are mostly my own George Kent furnishing a few. It is a volume on which I look with satisfaction, for