BIOGRAPHY OF CHARLES E. BALCH, of Manchester NH ---------------------------------- Information located at http://www.nh.searchroots.com/Manchester On a web site about GENEALOGY AND HISTORY OF MANCHESTER NEW HAMPSHIRE 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: 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 ------------------- REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS page 375-376 **** CHARLES E. BALCH *** CHARLES EDWARD BALCH was born March 17, 1834, at Francestown, N.H., and is the son of Mason and Hannah (Holt) Balch. There were, besides himself, a half-brother and half-sister, of whom the former, Mason H. Balch, survives and is living upon the homestead. His father was a farmer and his education was acquired at the district school and at Francestown Academy. In the spring of 1832 he entered the dry goods store of Otis Barton & Company of Manchester as book-keeper, in which position he remained ten years when he became clerk in the Manchester Bank and Manchester Savings Bank. When the former was succeeded by the Manchester National Bank in 1865, Mr. Balch was elected its cashier, which position he now fills. He is a trustee of the Manchester Savings Bank, having been elected in 1862, and a member of its investing committee. He is also a director and one of the finance committee of the New Hampshire Fire Insurance Company and treasurer of the Gas-Light Company. Mr. Balch married, July 30, 1867, Miss Emeline R. Brooks, of Bath, Me., daughter of the Rev. N. Brooks, now of this city. Mr. Balch is a cautious, prudent man, an excellent financier, with a mind naturally capable and sharpened by experience and trained to view things from a financial standpoint. He has always shrunk from public life and refused political honors, but enjoys to a very high degree the confidence of the public in the responsible position which he holds. He combines the attributes of a courteous gentlemen with a punctilious regard for the proprieties of life. ---------------------- SOURCE: History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire Philadelphia: J.W. Lewis & Co., 1885 page 134 CHARLES E. BALCH There is no prouder or more enduring personal record that the story of a self-reliant, manly and successful career. It declares that the individual not only understood his duty and mission but fulfilled them. The following memoir is highly suggestive of these facts: Charles E Balch was born in Francestown, N.H., March 17, 1834, and here his boyhood days were spent. He was a son of well-to-do parents, and was educated at Francestown Academy, and at the age of eighteen years began his active business career as bookkeeper in the mercantile establishment of Barton & Co., in this city. Here he remained about two years, and then accepted a clerkship in the Manchester Savings-Bank. He brought to the discharge of his new duties a peculiar fitness, which soon attracted the attention of the officers of the Manchester Bank, and upon the reorganization of this institution as a national bank in 1865, Mr. Balch was chosen its cashier, a position which he held until January 1884. He was also trustee of the Manchester Savings-Bank, the largest in the State; from 1862 he was a member of its investment coomittee, and treasurer till within a few months before his death. He was treasurer of the Manchester Gas-Light Company, a director and member of the finance committee of the New Hampshire Fire Insurance Company, and a trustee of many large estates. And in all the various positions of responsibility and trust which Colonel Balch was called upon to fill, he discharged his duties with eminent ability, and proved himself a most sagacious, careful and safe financier. He was interested in a number of vessels, one of which, a four-master schooner, the "C.E. Balch," of eight hundred and forty-three tons, was launched at Bath, Me., July 15, 1882. Colonel Balch was thoroughly alive to all interests looking to the welfare of his adopted city, and rejoiced to see it prosper, always responding to personal calls looking to this end. He did not seek political preferment, but was a stanch supporter of Republican principles. In national, State and municipal affairs he was deeply interested and had firm convictions in regard to them. The purity and uprightness of his life were conspicuous. His personal bearing to everybody was most cordial. For each of the vast number of persons hwo were brought into business and social relation with him he had always a pleasant greeting, impressing all with his affability and marked courtesy. The unflagging work which he put into his life's calling enabled him to become one of Manchester's most successful men, acquiring a handsome property. Colonel Balch was a gentleman of refined taste, high ideals of morality, and devoted to his home-life. During 883 he completed one of the most elegant residences in the city, in a delightful location, and having reached that point in his career where he could sensibly lessen his business cares, he was in a position to enjoy the fruits of an honorable and successful life. Although his death had been in a measure expected, it brought a shock to his host of friends in the city and State, who mourned Death's selection of one of the most prosperous, respected and best-known individuals in the prime of manhood. With only one secret organization was he connected, the Washington Lodge of Masons. Colonel Balch received his military title by serving two years on the staff of Governor Head. He was an accomplished equestian. He was a member of the Franklin Street Society and contributed liberally to its advancement. Mr. Balch's architectural taste, which was something unusual in a person not a professiona, is shown in his fittin gup of the interior of the Manchester banking-rooms; his plan for his own residence, which is of a classical style of architecture, and durin gthe last year of his life, the building of Cilley Block, one of the finest business blocks on Elm STreet, in Manchester. He was one of the building committee of the Manchester Opera-House. In July 1867 he united in marriage with Miss Emeline R., daughter of Rev. Nahum Brooks, who survives him. He died Oct. 18, 1884. At a meeting of the officers of Manchester Bank, October 20, 1884, several resolutions [the text of which is in the original document] were presented by Hon. Daniel Clark and adopted, [basically a brief eulogy] which were to be presented to Mrs. Balch as an expression of sympathy and appreciation. The funeral services were conducted by Rev. George B. Spalding, D.D., who spoke with great tenderness and fine appreciation. 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