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skill in the elucidation of principles and the presentation of evidence.

During these years of his activity in Washington Mr. Baker jealously guarded his rights of citizenship, and scrupulously exercised them, never failing to attend town meeting and other elections in Bow, his legal residence, and exerting himself without stint to forward Republican political success in New Hampshire.

He gained his military title by service as judge advocate general, with the rank of brigadier general, on the personal staff of Governor Moody Currier in 1886 and 1887.

In 1890 he was nominated by acclamation as the candidate of the Republican party for state senator in the Merrimack district, then one of the closest and most hard fought in the state, and won by a decisive majority and by twice the plurality which his party's candidate for governor received in that district.

General Baker was made chairman of the judiciary committee of the upper branch of the legislature and in that capacity did splendid service in separating the wheat of desirable enactments from the large amount of chaff that came up from the lower house. He was chairman, also, of the important joint special committee on the revision, codification and amendment of the public statutes.

In 1905 General Baker yielded to the desire of his townsmen and returned to the legislature as the representative from Bow in the house, where he served on the judiciary committee and was chairman of the committee on national affairs, an honor that was appropriate in view of what had in the meantime transpired. Returning to the House for a second. term in 1907, Mr. Baker was made chairman of the judiciary committee at this very important session, when a fresh start was being made in state progress, and thus was able to inaugurate valuable work along several lines, notably that of uniformity in legislation between New Hampshire and other states.

But in the interval between his service in the two branches of the state legislature, General Baker had enjoyed and deserved the higher honor of two terms in the national legislature at Washington, representing there the Second New Hampshire Congressional District, which he redeemed at the election of 1892 from Democratic possession, even though that was a Democratic year with Cleveland elected president, supported by a large congressional majority.

Inspection of the Congressional Record shows that General Baker was an active and aggressive member of the minority and that in the lively debates of those days he held his own well, profiting not a little from the knowledge and experience which his years of life in Washington had given him. In this Congress, the 53rd, he was assigned to the committees on agriculture and on militia.

In 1894 he was re-elected by a greatly increased plurality and in the 54th Congress was recognized by appointment on the judiciary committee, becoming chairman of one of its important sub-committees. In this Congress, as in its predecessor, General Baker made several eloquent and thoughtful speeches upon important issues which were widely circulated and met with appreciative and discerning praise.

As a speaker, whether in court, in congress or on the stump, Mr. Baker is clear, convincing and interesting, free from bombast, cheap humor and appeals to prejudice, and never failing to win the respect and consideration of his hearers.

Another important public service by General Baker was his representation of the town of Bow as its delegate to the convention of 1902 to propose amendments to the constitution of the state. In this convention he was chairman of the committee on rules and a member of the committee on modes of amendment. He took a very prominent part in the work of the convention, proposing some of the most important amendments that

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were considered and presenting views which were, perhaps, in advance of the public sentiment of the time, but which since have been shown to be sound and desirable.

It is highly fortunate for the state, as well as for his immediate constituency, that General Baker was again available for choice as delegate to the convention which will assemble at Concord in June of the present year to consider further amendment of the constitution. The unanimous choice of his town as its representative in the gathering, he will go into the convention with a record unsurpassed by any on the honorable roll for experience, equipment and reputation. His name is mentioned frequently and favorably in connection with the presidency of the convention, a position which he would fill with great credit to himself and great benefit to the state.

While General Baker always has been a loyal and "regular" Republican, believing in the principles of the party and devoted to its success, he was one of the first to see the necessity for some reforms within its New Hampshire organization and to revolt. against the domination of the Boston & Maine railroad in the state. Largely because he was ahead of his time in this matter, his candidacies for the United States Senate in 1901 and 1907 were unsuccessful, although in them he gave fresh proof of his courage, capacity and true patriotism.

No man has a more sincere love for, and a deeper interest in his native. state than has General Baker for and in New Hampshire; a fact which he has demonstrated in many ways, not the least of which is his intelligent study of her history. Long active in the work and councils of the New Hampshire Historical Society, he was its vice-president from 1903 to 1907 and its president in 1907 and 1908.

He was president of the New Hampshire Society of Sons of the American Revolution in 1902 and 1903 and again from 1908 to 1911; and has been Governor of the Society of Colonial

Wars in New Hampshire since 1908, being eligible for such offices through the gallant military service of his forebears on both sides of his ancestral tree.

General Baker is a Unitarian in religious inclination although his generous gifts for good works and right causes are not distributed on any sectarian lines. He is a member of the Masonic order, lodge, chapter, commandery and shrine, and of the Wonolancet club and other social organizations. A charming conversationalist and most agreeable companion, Mr. Baker adds much to the pleasure of any circle which he may join.

During the last few years his personality has been much in the public eye because of his confidential relations with his relative, the late Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy, the founder and discoverer of Christian Science. Mrs. Eddy placed absolute confidence in the ability, integrity and loyalty to her interests of General Baker, though he was not a member of her church; and this confidence was attested by the terms of her will in which he was made executor of her large estate, to serve without bond, having been during the last years of her life one of its trustees.

To the arduous duties and heavy responsibilities of this trust, General Baker is adding at this writing an active participation in the national political campaign, being chairman of the executive committee of the Taft League of New Hampshire, and also is devoting no little time and thought to his approaching service in the constitutional convention.

It is a pleasure to his associates, and an inspiration to the younger among them, to note the unimpaired vigor of mind and body, the result of right living, high thinking and worthy industry, with which General Baker discharges today duties as varied and important and as weighty in their demands as any he has met in the long and crowded career here briefly sketched.

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James Neal, who was ordained and installed May 22, 1805, and died July 18, 1808. There was no settled pastor from the time of Mr. Neal's death until October 27, 1813, when Rev. Ephraim Abbott took charge of the parish, continuing until dismissal at his own request, October 28, 1828. Rev. Samuel W. Clark held the ministry here from August 5, 1829, till his death August 17, 1847, and Rev.

Congregational Church, Greenland

Edwin Holt from March 8, 1848, till his dismissal, on account of ill health, January 7, 1851.

On February 25, 1852, Rev. Edward Robie, a native of Gorham, Me., was ordained and installed pastor of this church, and has here continued actively in the service to the present time.

Mr. Robie was born in Gorham, Me., April 5, 1821, and is, therefore, closely approaching his ninety-first birthday anniversary. He was the

eldest child of the late Deacon Thomas T. and Clarissa (Adams) Robie, his father being a descendant in the sixth generation from that Henry Robie, born at Castle Donington, England, February 12, 1619, who came to this country in 1639, and, after brief stops at Dorchester and Salem, Mass., settled in Exeter, where he became a member of the voluntary combination for governmental purposes, formed July 4, 1639, was for some years prominent in the affairs of the township, serving as selectman in 164950; removed, later, to Hampton where he was a leading citizen for many years, and where he died, April 22, 1688.

He fitted for college at Gorham (Me.) Academy, from which he graduated in 1836, immediately entering Bowdoin College at Brunswick, and graduating with the class of 1840, at the youthful age of nineteen years. He took the three years' course. at Andover Theological Seminary, from which he graduated in 1843, and immediately went abroad, pursuing advanced studies for two years in the University of Halle, near Leipsig, Germany. Returning home he became teacher of languages in Gorham Academy, where he continued till 1848, when he took a position as assistant teacher of Hebrew, at the Andover Theological Seminary, continuing for three years, meanwhile occasionally preaching as a supply. Indeed he had supplied the pulpit of the Greenland church for several months before his installation in the pastorate, so that the people were making no experiment in his selection, and his long continuance amply demonstrates the fact that they made no mistake.

The call to the pastorate, extended to Mr. Robie, was signed by John G. Pickering, Rufus W. Weeks and Simes Trink, committee for the parish, and John T. Parrott, William J. Pickering, and John L. Brackett, committee for the church. Eleven churches were represented by pastor and delegates, at the ecclesiastical council holden

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