STOW ELL. STRAHAN. 53; Soon after this he left the farm, and with less than ten dollars as an outfit, earned by himself, he started for a neighboring town, where he found employment for three hun- dred and sixty-five days in the year, from three o'clock in the morning till late at night, at twenty dollars per month, remitting one-half of this to his father, as he was not of age. This he did for several years. He now became acquainted with the local den- tist, determined to learn the mysteries of dentistry, and to that end apprenticed him- self for three years, his compensation being the knowledge gained, theoretical and prac- tical, and what money he might earn in the absence of his employer. Fees were not plentiful, and they were his only support, but he struggled on, working and studying, fitting himself for college until his appren- ticeship had nearly expired, when a very severe illness brought him nigh unto death. Upon his recovery he returned to his home in Peru, and there did some local practice with the few tools in his possession. He invented an automatic mallet, and a ma- chine for running an emery-wheel, out of the meagre stock of machinery within reach, which did him good service for a long time, and with which he earned money to defray his first year's expense in college. He afterwards studied in the University of Pennsylvania, and was graduated in 18S4, one of the best operators of his class. He then took a special private course in Washington, D. C, on " crown and bridge work." He practiced two years in Dalton, and then settled in Pittsfield, where he is now enjoying a very large and successful prac- tice, giving special attention to the higher branches of dentistry — crown and bridge work. Dr. Stowell is a member of the Connec- ticut Valley Dental Society, and his contri- butions to their proceedings are frequent. He has given clinics in Boston, Montreal, and New York. In September, 1887, he gave a clinic in Washington, D. C, before the dental section of the 9th international medical congress, introducing a new method of crown setting, since generally adopted. He was at this time made a member of the congress. He is also a con- tributor to dental journals and magazines. Dr. Stowell was married in Pittsfield, August 19, 1885, to Mary Adeline, second daughter of Andrew Jackson and Martha Pelmyra (Barnum) Porter. They have no children. He is an officer and member of the Masonic order, being a companion in Berkshire Royal Arch Chapter. STRAHAN, THOMAS, son of Thomas and Jean (Gordon) Strahan, was born in Scotland, May 10, 1847. His earl}' education was obtained in the schools of Arlington. He is a graduate of Cotting Academy, Arlington, and Phillips Academy, Exeter, N. H. His first connection in business was as a dealer in wall-paper, on Cornhill, Boston, 1866. He removed to Horticultural Hall building, afterwards to the corner of Washington and Franklin streets. His salesrooms are now on Park Street, Bos- ton, and his extensive factory in Chelsea. He is at present a manufacturer of, and dealer in, wall-paper. Mr. Strahan was married in Chelsea, November 28, 1867, to Esther, daughter of John T. and Esther Reed Lawrence. Of this union were six children : two liv- ing — Florence Esther and Alice Pauline, and four deceased — Harry Lawrence, Maude Louise, Madeleine Gordon, and Thomas Edwin Strahan. Mr. Strahan, although carrying on a large and successful business, has found time to engage in social and political mat- ters. He has been at the head of the va- rious organizations with which he has been connected in the city of Chelsea, where he resides. He was for two years president
