Published in Concord, New Hampshire by the Rumford Press 1901
Call. # R 974.21 M644 R
Dexter S. Burnham, son of Deacon Francis and Mary ( Fletcher )
Burnham,
was born in Greenfield, Nov.18,1819, where his early life was passed.
His
education was obtained in the district school of his native town,and
New
Ipswich Academy. He engaged in teaching for several years after leaving
school.
Coming to Milford in 1844, he first engaged in business with the late
Leonard Chase, with whom he kept a general Country store in the brick
building
now occupied by John McLane. In1847 he accepted the position of clerk
and
paymaster for the Souhegan Manufacturing Company, which position he
held
for nine years. Subsequently, and for a short time, he was in business
with Matthias F. Crosby as successors of the firm of F.& F. Crosby.
For thirteen years he traveled through New England as commercial
salesman
for New York firms, when this method of selling goods was in its
infancy
. Closing his business as a commercial traveler he opened a drug and
hardware
store in Milford, under Eagle hall, which he conducted successfully for
nearly twenty years, and until compelled by ill health to retire in
1889.
Mr. Burnham was a man of scholarly tastes and for several years was
a trustee of the public library, and a member of the board of
education,
a part of the time its chairman. He was elected a trustee and auditor
of
the Milford Savings Bank in 1872, promoted to president in 1876, which
office he held until August, 1892, a few months before his decease.
From
the time he came to Milford he was an active, interested, and
consistent
member of the Congregational church; for many years superintendent of
the
Sunday-school and for nineteen years clerk of the church. After four
years
of gradually failing health he died Dec. 12, 1892.
In June, 1848, Mr. Burnham was united in marriage to Harriet M., eldest
daughter of Deacon Freeman and Harriet Crosby. Three daughters
were
born to them, Mary Frances, who died in infancy, Sarah F., now the wife
of George B. French of Nashua, one of the leading lawyers in the
state, and Harriet F., who resides with her mother. Elizabeth F.
Burnham,
a niece, was early given a daughter's place in the home. She became the
wife of H.S. Packard and died in Philadelphia, Pa., in
1889.
Deacon Freeman Crosby, the father of Mrs. Burnham, has been spoken of
in
connection with a sketch of Capt. Josiah Crosby and his
descendants.
His wife, the mother of his children, was the daughter of Joseph
Crosby,
and a woman of unusual strength of character.
Mr. Burnham spent his life, after he had fitted himself to enter upon
its active duties, in Milford. Although not born in town the town
is better for his having lived so long in it. Possessed of good
mental
powers and a good practical education, he subordinated everything to
right
thinking and right doing. He was uniformly found upon the right
side
of every moral question.