Mr. Proctor was born at East Andover and passed his youthful days in the district schoolhouse, on the farm and in his father's blacksmith shop, where he learned the rudiments of the machinists' trade. At the age of eighteen he went to Seekonk,R. I., where he found employment with a blacksmith at $18 per month, staying there until he reached his majority.
While in Seekonk he faithfully sent a portion of his wages each year to his father. In 1826 he went to Providence, R. I., and found work at finishing machinery, at which he earned $1.33 per day. At the end of eleven years he had a capital of about $3,000. In 1840 he was associated with three other men in a company known as The Eagle Screw Company, for the manufacture of wood screws. A rival company was organized in 1845. but the Eagle Company continued its prosperity, and in 1851 produced 8,000 gross of screws per day. In 1858 the two companies were consolidated under the title of the American Screw Co., with a capital of one million dollars, and a daily production of 30,000 gross of screws. In these various companies Mr. Proctor had held the position of superintendent of machinery, and he owned a generous amount of the stock of the new company. By this time he had, by unusual industry, well regulated economy, exemplary habits and judicious investments, acquired a handsome fortune for those days, and he decided to return to Andover and enjoy once more the freedom of life in the country.
From this time until his death his life was one of great activity and liberality, actuated by his desire for the improvement and development of his native town. Mr. Proctor expended large sums of money in improving farms and buildings in and around the center village and at Cil- leyville. He contributed several thousand dollars towards extinguishing the war debt of the town, gave $5.000 for educational purposes in the town, was a generous supporter of the cause of liberal religion and contributed to the funds of the Chandler Scientific Department of Dartmouth College. He was interested in the establishment of manufacturing industries and was active in the development of the water power at the site of the present name factory and at Cilleyville. The Proctor House, which he built, furnished and owned till it was destroyed by fire, was probably the most popular, complete and attractive hotel in this section of the state. It was crowded with guests during the summer and rooms were engaged nine months in advance.
In politics Mr. Proctor was an ardent Democrat. He was a representative in 1861 and 1862 ; a delegate to the Democratic national convention in 1868 and a state senator in 1875.
History of the Town of Andover, New Hampshire, 1751-1906: 1751-1906 By John Robie Eastman, George Edwin Emery Published 1910 Printed by the Rumford Print. Co. Andover (N.H.) 450 pages Page 427-8
While in Seekonk he faithfully sent a portion of his wages each year to his father. In 1826 he went to Providence, R. I., and found work at finishing machinery, at which he earned $1.33 per day. At the end of eleven years he had a capital of about $3,000. In 1840 he was associated with three other men in a company known as The Eagle Screw Company, for the manufacture of wood screws. A rival company was organized in 1845. but the Eagle Company continued its prosperity, and in 1851 produced 8,000 gross of screws per day. In 1858 the two companies were consolidated under the title of the American Screw Co., with a capital of one million dollars, and a daily production of 30,000 gross of screws. In these various companies Mr. Proctor had held the position of superintendent of machinery, and he owned a generous amount of the stock of the new company. By this time he had, by unusual industry, well regulated economy, exemplary habits and judicious investments, acquired a handsome fortune for those days, and he decided to return to Andover and enjoy once more the freedom of life in the country.
From this time until his death his life was one of great activity and liberality, actuated by his desire for the improvement and development of his native town. Mr. Proctor expended large sums of money in improving farms and buildings in and around the center village and at Cil- leyville. He contributed several thousand dollars towards extinguishing the war debt of the town, gave $5.000 for educational purposes in the town, was a generous supporter of the cause of liberal religion and contributed to the funds of the Chandler Scientific Department of Dartmouth College. He was interested in the establishment of manufacturing industries and was active in the development of the water power at the site of the present name factory and at Cilleyville. The Proctor House, which he built, furnished and owned till it was destroyed by fire, was probably the most popular, complete and attractive hotel in this section of the state. It was crowded with guests during the summer and rooms were engaged nine months in advance.
In politics Mr. Proctor was an ardent Democrat. He was a representative in 1861 and 1862 ; a delegate to the Democratic national convention in 1868 and a state senator in 1875.
History of the Town of Andover, New Hampshire, 1751-1906: 1751-1906 By John Robie Eastman, George Edwin Emery Published 1910 Printed by the Rumford Print. Co. Andover (N.H.) 450 pages Page 427-8
Mr. Proctor was born at East Andover and passed his youthful days in the district schoolhouse, on the farm and in his father's blacksmith shop, where he learned the rudiments of the machinists' trade. At the age of eighteen he went to Seekonk,R. I., where he found employment with a blacksmith at $18 per month, staying there until he reached his majority.
While in Seekonk he faithfully sent a portion of his wages each year to his father. In 1826 he went to Providence, R. I., and found work at finishing machinery, at which he earned $1.33 per day. At the end of eleven years he had a capital of about $3,000. In 1840 he was associated with three other men in a company known as The Eagle Screw Company, for the manufacture of wood screws. A rival company was organized in 1845. but the Eagle Company continued its prosperity, and in 1851 produced 8,000 gross of screws per day. In 1858 the two companies were consolidated under the title of the American Screw Co., with a capital of one million dollars, and a daily production of 30,000 gross of screws. In these various companies Mr. Proctor had held the position of superintendent of machinery, and he owned a generous amount of the stock of the new company. By this time he had, by unusual industry, well regulated economy, exemplary habits and judicious investments, acquired a handsome fortune for those days, and he decided to return to Andover and enjoy once more the freedom of life in the country.
From this time until his death his life was one of great activity and liberality, actuated by his desire for the improvement and development of his native town. Mr. Proctor expended large sums of money in improving farms and buildings in and around the center village and at Cil- leyville. He contributed several thousand dollars towards extinguishing the war debt of the town, gave $5.000 for educational purposes in the town, was a generous supporter of the cause of liberal religion and contributed to the funds of the Chandler Scientific Department of Dartmouth College. He was interested in the establishment of manufacturing industries and was active in the development of the water power at the site of the present name factory and at Cilleyville. The Proctor House, which he built, furnished and owned till it was destroyed by fire, was probably the most popular, complete and attractive hotel in this section of the state. It was crowded with guests during the summer and rooms were engaged nine months in advance.
In politics Mr. Proctor was an ardent Democrat. He was a representative in 1861 and 1862 ; a delegate to the Democratic national convention in 1868 and a state senator in 1875.
History of the Town of Andover, New Hampshire, 1751-1906: 1751-1906 By John Robie Eastman, George Edwin Emery Published 1910 Printed by the Rumford Print. Co. Andover (N.H.) 450 pages Page 427-8
While in Seekonk he faithfully sent a portion of his wages each year to his father. In 1826 he went to Providence, R. I., and found work at finishing machinery, at which he earned $1.33 per day. At the end of eleven years he had a capital of about $3,000. In 1840 he was associated with three other men in a company known as The Eagle Screw Company, for the manufacture of wood screws. A rival company was organized in 1845. but the Eagle Company continued its prosperity, and in 1851 produced 8,000 gross of screws per day. In 1858 the two companies were consolidated under the title of the American Screw Co., with a capital of one million dollars, and a daily production of 30,000 gross of screws. In these various companies Mr. Proctor had held the position of superintendent of machinery, and he owned a generous amount of the stock of the new company. By this time he had, by unusual industry, well regulated economy, exemplary habits and judicious investments, acquired a handsome fortune for those days, and he decided to return to Andover and enjoy once more the freedom of life in the country.
From this time until his death his life was one of great activity and liberality, actuated by his desire for the improvement and development of his native town. Mr. Proctor expended large sums of money in improving farms and buildings in and around the center village and at Cil- leyville. He contributed several thousand dollars towards extinguishing the war debt of the town, gave $5.000 for educational purposes in the town, was a generous supporter of the cause of liberal religion and contributed to the funds of the Chandler Scientific Department of Dartmouth College. He was interested in the establishment of manufacturing industries and was active in the development of the water power at the site of the present name factory and at Cilleyville. The Proctor House, which he built, furnished and owned till it was destroyed by fire, was probably the most popular, complete and attractive hotel in this section of the state. It was crowded with guests during the summer and rooms were engaged nine months in advance.
In politics Mr. Proctor was an ardent Democrat. He was a representative in 1861 and 1862 ; a delegate to the Democratic national convention in 1868 and a state senator in 1875.
History of the Town of Andover, New Hampshire, 1751-1906: 1751-1906 By John Robie Eastman, George Edwin Emery Published 1910 Printed by the Rumford Print. Co. Andover (N.H.) 450 pages Page 427-8
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