ARETAS BLOOD - BIOGRAPHY - of Manchester NH ---------------------------------- Information located at http://www.nh.searchroots.com On a web site about GENEALOGY AND HISTORY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE and its counties TRANSCRIBED BY JANICE BROWN Please see the web site for my email contact. ---------------------------------- The original source of this information is in the public domain, however use of this text file, other than for personal use, is restricted without written permission from the transcriber (who has edited, compiled and added new copyrighted text to same). ======================================================== SOURCE: History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire Philadelphia: J.W. Lewis & Co., 1885 CHAPTER V - Page 65 ARETAS BLOOD, son of Nathaniel and Roxellana (Proctor) Blood was born in Weathersfield, Vermont, October 8, 1816. When he was but three years of age his parents removed to Windsor, Vt., where he remained until seventeen years of age, improving the meagre advantages afforded by the common schools of those days. He was then apprenticed to the trade of blacksmith, which he worked at about two years and a half and then became a machinist. In 1840 he journeyed to Evansville, Indiana, where he worked at his trade until June 17, 1841, when he started eastward in search of employment. He stopped at city after city, but each time was disappointed in his hopes. He traveled on, however, still in his quest of work, and it was not until he reached North Chelmsford, Mass., that he found employment for his ready and willing hands. After remaining here a short time he subsequently went to Lowell as a machinist in the Lowell Machine-Shop. Here he remained seven years and then went to Lawrence, where he commenced the manufacture of machinist's tools for the large machine-shop then in process of erection at that place. Here the character of the man asserted itself. His ability demanded greater scope, and soon after he assumed the management of the establishment there and began the manufacture, by contract, of tools, turbine-wheels, locomotives, stationary engines, etc. His untiring energy had at last found its reward. He was master of the business. September 7, 1853, he came to Manchester and established the Vulcan Works, under the name of Bailey, Blood & CO., for the manufacture of locomotives. Business was first commenced in Mechanics' Row, but in the spring of 1854 buildings were erected on the present location and in the same year the company was incorporated as the Manchester Locomotive-Works with Oliver W. Bailey as agent. He was succeeded in 1857 by Mr. Blood, who has since resided in Manchester and has given his personal supervision to the business. The locomotive-works are located on Canal Street and cover about six acres. The machine-shop is a substantial building, parallel with Canal Street, two stories in height, four hundred and thirty feet in length and eighty-four in width. The wood-shop is also a two-story building, one hundred feet long and forty feet wide; the blacksmith- shop is three hundred and sixty-five feet long and fifty feet wide; the boiler-shop, two hundred and five feet long and fifty-two feet wide. There is also a large brick building, two hundred and thirty by thirty-six feet, for making brass castings and building steam fire- engines. In the spring of 1872, Mr. Blood purchased the steam fire-engine business of the Amoskeag Company, good-will, patents, etc., and now manufactures the "Amoskeag Engine," which is the old engine in name only, as it has been entirely remodeled and is now one of the most complete, perfect and efficient engines manufactured. There are now over six hundred and fifty of these engines in use. Here are also built all kinds of hose-carriages, fire appartus, etc. Mr. Blood has proved one of the most successful locomotive-builders in the country, twelve hundred and twenty-three having been turned out at these works. A thorough machinist and a man capable of handling a large force of men and conducting large business operations, he has commanded success, and the Manchester Locomotive Works are one of the representative institutions of manufacturing New England. Mr. Blood is also director in the Ames Manufacturing Company, of Chicopee, Mass; president of the Globe Nail Company of Boston; and treasurer of the Nashua Iron and Steel Company, which is doing the largest business of its kind in New England. He was a director in the Merrimack River Bank from 1860 until its name was changed to First National Bank in 1865; and until 1868 a director of the latter; was a director in the Manchester National Bank from 1874 until 1877, and from 1877 to present time has been president of the Second National Bank. September 4, 1845, he united in marriage with Miss L.K. Kendall, and their family consists of two children,--Nora, wife of Frank P. Carpenter, of this city, and Emma, who resides with her parents. Politically, Mr. Blood is a Republican. His first vote was cast for General Harrison, but he has been a member of the Republican party since its organization, although never an active politician. He has been twice elected alderman, and was chairman of the electors who cast New Hampshire's vote for Garfield and Arthur. ------------------- SOURCE: Manchester, A Brief Record of its Past and A Picture of Its Present, including an account of is settlement and its growth as town and city; a history of its schools, churches, societies, banks, post-offices, newspapers and manufactures; a description of its government, police and fire department, public buildings, library, water-works, cemeteries, streets, streams, railways and bridges; a complete list of the selectmen, moderators and clerks of the town and members of the councils, marshals and engineers of the city, with the state of the cote for mayor at each election; the story of its part in the war of the rebellion with a complete list of its soldiers who went ot the war; and sketches of its representative citizens; Manchester N.H.; John B. Clark; 1875 ------------------- 380 **** ARETAS BLOOD *** Aretas Blood was born October 8, 1816 at Weathersfield, VT. He is the son of Nathaniel and Roxcellana (Proctor) Blood, and one of a family of five sons and two daughters, of whom but two sons besides himself survive--Benjamin Franklin and Sewell, resident in Waltham, Mass. When three years of age, he moved with his father to Windsor, VT. There, going to school two months in the year till he was seventeen years old, he was apprenticed to the blacksmith's trade, worked at it two years and a half and then became a machinist. He left Winsor in the fall of 1840 and went to Evansville, Indiana, where he worked at his trade until June 17, 1841. Then he started eastward, stopping at all the cities on his way in search of employment, but finding none till he came to the town of North Chelmsford, Mass. Remaining there about a year, he went home to Windsor in July 1842 and stayed there until October. Then he went to Lowell, Mass., and worked seven years in the machine-shop and thence to Lawrence, where he began the manufacture of machinists' tools for the large machine- shop then in process of erection there. Two years later he removed to the shop itself and made by contract machinery of all kinds, tools, turbine wheels, locomotive and stationary engines, etc. September 7, 1853 he came to this city [Manchester NH] to establish works for the building of locomotive and became a partner in the firm of Bayley, Blood & Company, who were first located in Mechanics' Row and made there their first stationary engine, which they have still in use. The concern was first called the Vulcan Works, but new buildings were built in the spring of 1854 upon the present location of the works, the manufacture of locomotive engines was begun in the fall and the firm was incorporated that year under the name of the Manchester Locomotive Works. Olive W. Bayley then became the company's agent, but was succeeded in 1857 by Mr. Blood, who has ever since resided in Manchester and given his personal attention to the business. Mr. Blood was a director of the Merrimack River Bank from 1860 until its name was changed in 1865 to that of the First National Bank and from that time until 1868 a director of the latter. He has been since 1874 a director of the Manchester National Bank. He married in Lowell, September 4, 1845, Miss L.K. Kendall, by whom he has two children,--Nora, the wife of Frank P. Carpenter of this city, and Emma, who resides at home. Mr. Blood has proved one of the most successful builders of locomotive engines in the country, and his success has been no accident. Bred a machinist, he understands a locomotive thoroughly, and knows how it should be made in every part. Sharp and keen in business, he never takes undue risks. Like Gen. Grant, whom he is said to resemble in looks, he is able to manage large numbers of men with ease. Hence the pecuniary success of the establishment he represents. A self-made, self-relying man, he sees clearly from the beginning the result at which he aims and has the mental power and executive ability to a attain it. A very high-minded man, exceptional in private life, his word is as good as his bond, and the latter is as good as that of any man in the state. (end)