Biography of HON. JOHN HOSLEY of Manchester NH
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On a web site about GENEALOGY AND HISTORY OF MANCHESTER NEW HAMPSHIRE 
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SOURCE: History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire 
Philadelphia: J.W. Lewis & Co., 1885
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page 135
HON. JOHN HOSLEY
John Hosley was born May 12, 1826, at the old Hosley homestead, in
Hancock, NH and is the son of Samuel and SOphia (Wilson) Hosley, being
one of a family of nine, of whom also survive Martha E., wife of
George G. Wadsworth, of Chelsea, Mass, and Lucretia J., wife of
Oliver Dearborn, of Denver, Colorado.  Mr. Hosley comes from a hardy,
thrifty, intelligent ancestry, which traces its lineage back through
the centuries to Merrie England, where the family had its origin.
His ancestors were numbered among the indomitable Puritans who sought
an asylum from persecution in America, and were of such a heroic mould
that their descendants were found battling for freedom in the War of
the Revolution.
  In tracing the genealogy of the family we find that there was a 
James Hosley born May 1, 1649, married Martha Parker, and died July 9,
1677. He was survived by a son, James, born September 4, 1675, and
died February 8, 1728, leaving a son also bearing the name of James,
who was born May 1702, and married Ennie Jervett.  A son was born to
them at Townsend, Mass., January 19, 1734, who was called James, after
his father. This son was the great-grandfather of the subject of this
sketch, and was a man of conspicuous ability.  From the published 
history of Townsend, Mass., it is learned that he was honored by being
elected to all the offices within the gift of his fellow-citizens,
including an election to the General Court, but declined the latter
distinction.  He was neither an office-seker nor a demagogue, but a man
whose worth everywhere commanded respect.  In 1775 he was moderator at
the annual town meeting, town clerk, chairman of the Board of Selectman,
and captain of the alarm list, or Minute-Men,, who fifty-three strong,
marched to the defense of Cambridge.In 1777 the General Court passes a
resolution calling for volunteers to go to the assistance of General
Gates, who was confronting Burgoyne, at Saratoga. The call met with an
enthusiastic response, and James Hosley was unanimously elected
captain of a company of seventy men, which included within its ranks
such military men of ability and notoriety as Colonel William Prescott
(the hero of Bunker Hill), Major Henry Wood, Major Samuel Stone, and
others nearly as well-known. These men would never have been
subordinate to any man unless he honored the office to which he had
been elevated. After the close of the Revoltuionary War, he moved to
Hancock NH where he purchased a farm and donated a portion of it to
the town for public use.  He left a son, Samuel, who was born July 8,
1767, and died December 20, 1826.  A merchant and farmer by occupation,
he was noted for his piety and benevolence, leaving a character worthy
of lasting and affectionate remembrance. He married Polly Dodge, and the
fruit of their union was a son, Samuel, who was born on the old
homestead in Hancock, September 28, 1802, and this son was the father of
the Hon. John Hosley, whose name appears at the had of this sketch.
He obtained an education in the common schools and the academy at
Hancock, was a farmer by occupation, and died January 10, 1871, his
estimable wife survivin ghim but six days. He was an honorable man and
an exemplary Christian.
  This brings us down to Mr. Hosley of to-day, who was brought up on his
father's farm, and gained what education the common schools of Hancock
afforded until he was twenty years of age. In 1846 he removed to
Manchester, which at that time gave little indication of its coming
importance. Mr. Hosley engaged in manufacturing and was an overseer in
the weaving department of Amoskeag Manufacturing Company. He also 
engaged in the grocery and real estate business, and in farming, and
was successful in all. He seems to have inherited the even jugement
and pronounced ability of his ancestors, and has been called to many
important positions of trust and honor by his fellow-citizens, never
failing to receive more than his party's strength at the polls whenever
a candidate. He represented his ward in the Legislature, Common Council
two years, Board of Alderman five years, and on the Board of Education
for two years. He was city tax colelctor for two years, and has been
twice elected mayor, besides holding various minor city officers. He was
a member of the National Union Convention, which met at Philadelphia
in 1865, is a prominent Free-mason, and has held the highest office in
Hillsborough Lodge of Odd-Fellows. He married, in 1854, Miss Dorotha H.
Jones, of Weare, NH, by whom had has had one child, who is married to
William M. Parsons, M.D.  They have one child, Martha S., born
April 30, 1883. It is readily seen that Mr. Hosley is a man of no common
abilities, and his performance of the duties of the various offices 
which he has been called upon to fill has ever been eminently
satisfactory. He has grown up with Manchester, as town and city, and
has done his full share in moulding its policy in governmental affairs.

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
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page 413
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THE HON. JOHN HOSLEY
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John Hosley was born May 12, 1826 in Hancock NH, of Revolutionary stock,
his grandfather having been a captain in the war of 1775. He is the son
of Samuel and Sophia (Wilson) Hosley and was one of a family of nine,
of whom also survive, Martha E., wife of George G. Wadsworth of
Franklin NH, and Lucretia J., wife of Oliver Dearborn of Manchester. He
was brought up on his father's farm and gained what education the common
schools of Hancock afforded until he was twenty years old. In 1846 he
came to Manchester and entered the employ of Moses Fellows at Goffe's
Falls as a shoe-cutter and continued with him three years. Then he
entered one of the weaving rooms in the Amoskeag Company's mills.
  He continued in the Company's employ until 1851 when he went to
California and was gone about two years. Upon his return in 1853 he went
into the grocery business in company with Jacob Nichols. After a year,
however, he became an overseer in the Amoskeag mills and continued in
that position until he was elected mayor in 1865 by the city councils
to fill the vacancy caused by the death of the Hon. Darwin J. Daniels.
In the fall of that year he was elected by the people, being nominated
as a citizens' candidate, and served through 1866. Since that time he
has been engaged in farming until 1874 when he was elected collector
of taxes by a Democratic board of mayor and alderman, which office he
now holds.
  Mr. Hosley represented ward one in the common council in 1856 and
1857, in the board of education in 1861 and 1862, in the board of
mayor and aldermen in 1863 and 1864, and was elected a member of the
latter board from ward six in 1871.  He was a member of the "national
union convention" which met at Philadelphia in 1865. He is a Free Mason
and has been chosen master of Lafayette Lodge but declined the position,
and has held the highest office in Hillsborough Lodge of Odd Fellows.
Mr. Hosley married, in 1854, Miss Dorothy H. Jones of Weare, by
whom he has had one son, Marion J., who is living.
  At a glance one sees that Mr. Hosley is a man of no common
abilities. He has grown up with Manchester as town and city and has done
his part in moulding its policy in governmental affairs. He is a man who
has heretofore and always will have a large following of men who 
believe in his wisdom, his capacity and especially his strict integrity.
His record as mayor showed well financially and his administration was
one of the most economical ones in the history of the city. He is a
genial gentleman, well versed in the courtesies of life, and a very
close and accurate observor of human nature.

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