NEW HAMPSHIRE MEN IN LOWELL. 327
Masonic circles, and is one of the chief ofificers of the fraternity in the state. He' succeeded Mr. Hosford in numerous corporate and financial trusts.
The leading; architect in Lowell is Otis A. Merrill, born in the town of Hud- son, August 22, 1844. He served three years in the Seventh New Hampshire Regiment during the late war. In 1866 he engaged in business in Haverhill, Mass., as a carpenter and builder, but removed to Lowell in 1869. For eight years past he has been engaged as an architect, in which capacity he has fur- nished the designs for many of the finest buildings in the city, including Fisk's Block, the Appleton Bank Block, Central Block, the Old Ladies' Home, and many elegant private residences, in Lowell and elsewhere.
Edward F. Watson, who has been for the past twenty-five years extensively engaged in the manufacture of bobbins and spools at the Mechanics' Mills, is a native of Nottingham, seventy-five years of age. He came to Low- ell in 1832, and commenced business as a carpenter and builder, in which ca- pacity he was engaged until f85 7, and erected more buildings than any other man in Lowell. He built the Merrimack Depot and Huntington Hall, and many of the largest business blocks in the city. Mr. Watson has served many years in the city council and board of aldermen, and two years in the state legislature. He is also a trustee and member of the investing committee of the Mechanics' Savings Bank.
Cleveland J. Cheney, superintendent of the out door work of the Lowell " Locks and Canals " company, was bora in Deering in 1823. He has resided in Lowell for the last forty years, for most of that time engaged in the service of the Locks and Canals company. He has held his present position fifteen years. He has served two years in the common council. He is a grandson of Daniel Cheney, a Revolutionary patriot, who with seven sons served in the army of In- dependence.
David Whitaker, also a native of Deering, born February 28, 1828, has resided in Lowell since nineteen years of age. He was engaged for a long time as an overseer on the Massachusetts corporation, but has been in the furniture busi- ness for the last twelve years, as a member of the firm of Offutt & Whitaker, on Central street. He is a member of the present board of aldermen.
Stephen C. Davis, of the firm of Davis & Sargent, lumber and box manu facturers on Middlesex street, is a native of Warner, fifty-two years of age. He settled in Lowell in 1851 and worked one year in a stone yard ; since then he has been engaged in his present business, first in the employ of Otis Allen, and subsequently succeeding to the proprietorship, in which he has had various partners, at different times. He has been a member of the common council for the past two years.
George A. Gordon, superintendent of advertising in the establishment of J. C. Ayer & Co., was born in Dover, July 17, 1827. He was engaged in early life in civil engineering, at Lawrence, Lewiston, Manchester, and other places. He was the first draughtsman in the employ of the Detroit Locomotive Works. He published the Lawrence Sentinel during the Buchanan campaign, and sub- sequently went south where he was engaged for three years on the editorial staff of the Charleston, S. C. Mercury. He was in Georgia during the war and was Quartermaster of the state. He was subsequenUy for some time in Virginia, but has been in his present position for the last nine years.
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