votes; John McLane, of Milford, received 32 votes; and John J. Bell, of Exeter, received 8 votes. The prediction as to his eminent fitness for the place has been verified by his impartial course during the time the legislature has been in session.
Hon. Alvin Burleigh was born at Plymouth, December 19, 1842, and is therefore forty-four years old. He is entirely a self-made man, having taken care of himself ever since he was fifteen years of age. At that time he commenced working on a farm, and received as wages nine dollars a month. He then took up the tanners' trade, and learned it before the civil war broke out. When that began, although but nineteen years of age, he enlisted in company B, 15th regiment (at the same time with Senator Blair), and served in that regiment every day until it was disbanded. He was with the expedition of General Banks on the Mississippi, and participated in the siege and capture of Fort Hudson in 1863. Since the war Mr. Burleigh has been for some years an active member of the Grand Army of the Republic. He was judge advocate of the department of New Hampshire during the first year that Hon. M. A. Haynes was commander, and he is now commander of Penniman Post of Plymouth, and is on Department Commander O. C. Wyatt's staff for the current year.
After an honorable discharge from the army he resumed his trade, and became foreman of Ward & McQuesten's tannery. In 1865 he entered Kimball Union Academy, at Meriden, K. H., and was graduated there in 1867. He entered Dartmouth college the same year, and was graduated in the class of 1871. He paid his way through college by working at his trade at intervals, and teaching during vacations and a part of winter terms. In 1872, the year after leaving college, he taught the high school at Woodstock, Vt. He studied law with Hon. H. W. Blair, and was admitted to the bar in 1874, and in 1875 formed a law partnership with Mr. Blair, which was continued until 1879, when Mr. Blair retired and George H. Adams came in, and the present firm of Burleigh & Adams was established. Mr. Burleigh has had an extensive and successful law practice in the state and United States courts, and his success is due to the fact that he is a sound and well read lawyer, and possesses good common-sense and practical judgment. In manner he is calm, fair, and candid. He is well informed on all public questions, and has a wide acquaintance with men and the politics of New Hampshire. In the government of public assemblies he has had considerable experience, and shows himself thoroughly informed in parliamentary law, and gifted with that peculiar tact so necessary at times to control legislative bodies.
Mr. Burleigh has been a member of the board of education of Plymouth since its organization, treasurer of the board until his election to the speakership, and at present is its president. He is a trustee of the State Normal School. Personally he is not only a consistent advocate of temperance, but a teetotaler, evincing his interest in the cause by serving as president of a local temperance organization several terms, and refusing
