Nahum Josiah Bachelder (September 3, 1854April 22, 1934) was the 49th
governor of New Hampshire
The governor of New Hampshire is the head of government of New Hampshire.
The governor is elected during the biennial state general election in November of even-numbered years. New Hampshire is one of only two states, along with bordering Verm ...
from 1903 to 1905. He was a farmer and
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
politician from
East Andover, New Hampshire
East Andover is an unincorporated community in the town of Andover in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The center of the community forms the East Andover Village Center Historic District.
The village is located on the east shore ...
,
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. Bachelder lived at and operated his family farm throughout his life, was a leader in the
Grange
Grange may refer to:
Buildings
* Grange House, Scotland, built in 1564, and demolished in 1906
* Grange Estate, Pennsylvania, built in 1682
* Monastic grange, a farming estate belonging to a monastery
Geography Australia
* Grange, South Austral ...
, and served a single term as Governor of
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
.
He became politically active when he joined the Grange, a farmers' advocacy group, in 1877. Bachelder became Master of the local Grange for
Merrimack County. He was appointed to New Hampshire's State Board of Agriculture, and served from 1887 until 1913, remaining in this post even through his two years as governor.
Bachelder was elected as the Master of the State Grange in 1891 and held the post until he resigned to become governor in 1903. After his term as
Governor of New Hampshire
The governor of New Hampshire is the head of government of New Hampshire.
The governor is elected during the biennial state general election in November of even-numbered years. New Hampshire is one of only two states, along with bordering Verm ...
, he served as the Master of the National Grange. He died on his farm in East Andover in 1934 and is buried in the Proctor Cemetery in
Andover
Andover may refer to:
Places Australia
* Andover, Tasmania
Canada
* Andover Parish, New Brunswick
* Perth-Andover, New Brunswick
United Kingdom
* Andover, Hampshire, England
** RAF Andover, a former Royal Air Force station
United States
* Ando ...
.
Biography
Bachelder was an eighth-generation descendant of the Rev.
Stephen Bachiler
Stephen Bachiler (About 1561 – 28 October 1656) was an English clergyman who was an early proponent of the separation of church and state in American Colonies. He is also known for starting such settlements as Hampton, New Hampshire.
Early life
...
, who settled at
Hampton, New Hampshire
Hampton is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 16,214 at the 2020 census. On the Atlantic Ocean coast, Hampton is home to Hampton Beach, a summer tourist destination.
The densely populated central part ...
in 1632. Nahum was the oldest child of William A. and Adeline (Shaw) Bachelder. His boyhood was passed upon the family farm in East Andover, and his early education was at
Franklin Academy and the
New Hampton Institute
New Hampton School is an independent college preparatory high school in New Hampton, New Hampshire, United States. It has 305 students from over 30 states and 22 countries. The average class size is eleven, and the student-faculty ratio is five to ...
.
After a brief experience in teaching, Bachelder devoted himself to practical
agriculture
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
, gaining success as a market gardener and dairyman. In 1877 he joined Highland
Grange
Grange may refer to:
Buildings
* Grange House, Scotland, built in 1564, and demolished in 1906
* Grange Estate, Pennsylvania, built in 1682
* Monastic grange, a farming estate belonging to a monastery
Geography Australia
* Grange, South Austral ...
at
East Andover and later became its Master. In 1883 he was chosen secretary of the state Grange and filled that position for eight years, being then promoted to the office of Master.
Bachelder served for two terms as a member of the executive committee of the National Grange and was also a national lecturer and served on the legislative committee.
In 1887 Bachelder was elected as successor to James O. Adams as Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture. He was also responsible for the office of Commissioner of Immigration, which was established in 1889 and later merged into the State Board of Agriculture. He was an official of the state Cattle Commission since its organization, the work of which included keeping the
livestock
Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to animals ...
of the state free from contagious diseases. He was secretary of the Grange State Fair at
Tilton and, later, of the state fair at
Concord
Concord may refer to:
Meaning "agreement"
* Pact or treaty, frequently between nations (indicating a condition of harmony)
* Harmony, in music
* Agreement (linguistics), a change in the form of a word depending on grammatical features of other ...
.
Bachelder assisted Governor
Frank W. Rollins in the establishment of
Old Home Week
Old Home Week or Old Home Day is a practice that originated in the New England region of the United States similar to a harvest holiday or festival. In its beginning in the 19th–20th century it involved a municipal effort to invite former resid ...
s in New Hampshire.
Bachelder received the
honorary degree
An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...
of
Master of Arts
A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...
from
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College (; ) is a private research university in Hanover, New Hampshire. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, it is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Although founded to educate Native A ...
in 1891. He was a member of the University and Wonolancet clubs of Concord, the Derryfield Club of
Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
, and of the Kearsarge lodge, A. F. and A. M. He attended the
Congregational Church
Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...
.
He was married on June 30, 1887, to Mary A. Putney of
Dunbarton. They had two children, Ruth, born May 22, 1891, and Henry, born March 17, 1895. In addition to their farm estate at East Andover they maintained a winter home in the city of Concord.
Author of "Gems of the Granite State", a souvenir picture book of the summer resorts in New Hampshire./>
References
External links
Bachelder at New Hampshire's Division of Historic Resources
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bachelder, Nahum
1854 births
1934 deaths
Republican Party governors of New Hampshire
American Congregationalists
Farmers from New Hampshire
People from Andover, New Hampshire