MARY (FRENCH) TUTTLE
1840-1915
Mary C. (French) Tuttle was born in Loudon November 11, 1840, the daughter of John L. and Mary Blake (Martin) French. Her father was very prominent in Pittsfield, serving as town treasurer, tax collector and as selectman. He was cashier of the Pittsfield Bank and served as a trustee of that institution. During 1880, at the age of 77, he became the oldest census taker in the State of New Hampshire. Importantly, he provided for the funds for the new "town clock" after the great fire of 1876 which destroyed the church.
Little is known of Mary's childhood. Presumably she attended public schools in Loudon. At some point her family moved to Pittsfield but whether this was before or after her marriage is not known. On March 17, 1859 she married future governor of New Hampshire, Hiram A. Tuttle.
Her husband graduated from Pittsfield Academy, worked in a clothing store in Concord for a short while and came back to Pittsfield to manage a branch store on Water Street. In 1858, the year before their marriage, he purchased the business, with which he was associated until his death 53 years later. The business and the couple's wealth grew steadily. In 1870 they purchased the Thorndike Block, now the Union Block next to the Congregational Church and thoroughly remodeled it. In 1873 they purchased land across the street owned by Dr. Mack and erected what became known as the Tuttle Block which was destroyed by fire in May of 2001. Mr. Tuttle's clothing business grew to include sales in 13 states and Canada, employing 24 people.
Mary Tuttle
In addition, the couple had extensive interests in lumber, real estate development, banking and railroads. How involved Mrs. Tuttle was in these various ventures is unknown. Given the times, it is unlikely that she was highly involved. However, her name is on dozens upon dozens of deeds involving the numerous real estate transactions in which Hiram was involved. They were the major developers of the Chestnut, Smith, Bridge Street area of town and had extensive holdings throughout the community at various times.
Where the couple lived immediately after their marriage is not known. In 1875, however, they began construction on one of the finest residences in the Town of Pittsfield. Located at the corner of Main and Carroll Streets it became known as the Governor's Mansion after Hiram was elected governor in 1891.
On January 17, 1860 Mary gave birth to her only child, Harriet French Tuttle. Hattie, as she was known, attended Pittsfield Academy and Wellesley College. On June 19, 1889 she married Frederick K. Folsom. They had two children, Hiram Tuttle born in 1890 and Charles Edward Balch who was born in 1896. In 1903 she became the first woman to serve on the school board. She had just been reelected to the board in 1905 when, at the age of 44, she tragically passed away. This event stimulated Governor and Mrs. Tuttle to donate the Memorial School across the street from their residence to the Town of Pittsfield in her honor.
Because of her daughter's untimely death, Mrs. Tuttle was left to raise her grandchildren, Hiram, who was 15 at the time and Charles who was only nine. Hiram lived until 1946 but Charles was killed in an automobile accident when he was only 21 years old, just two years after his grandmother's death.
The month after her husband passed away in 1911, Mrs. Tuttle had to deal with a second tragedy. In the middle of the night a chimney fire started that would have completely demolished her lovely home except for the fast action of neighbors and the Pittsfield Fire Department. The fire, which started in a chimney, burned off the roof of the main building and demolished the third floor. Considerable water damage was done to the lower floors. Mrs. Tuttle, at the time 71 years of age, was taken to a neighbor's house and kept in bed under the care of Dr. Burt Carr as she was suffering from severe nervous strain. Later she was taken to the Washington House where a trained nurse cared for her.
Mary passed away at the age of 74 on April 6, 1915 of organic heart disease. She is buried next to her husband in Floral Park Cemetery in an area called Tuttle Circle. Her daughter Harriet is buried there as well.|
SOURCES |
Biographical research and written profile by Larry Berkson, Historian, Pittsfield Historical Society |
"Fire Saturday Night," The Valley Times, March 17, 1911.
"H. T. Folsom Shot to Death," The Valley Times, May 17, 1946. "Killed in Auto Accident," The Valley Times, September 14, 1917.
"John L. French," Marriage Records, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Concord, New Hampshire.
Floral Park Cemetery Records, in the possession of Larry Berkson.
Folsom, Elizabeth Knowles. Genealogy of the Folsom Family 1638-1938 (Rutland: The Tuttle Publishing Co., Inc., 1938), vol. II, p. 783-84.
"Life's Work Ended," The Valley Times, May 12,1905.
"Mary C. F. Tuttle," Death Records, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Concord, New Hampshire.
Stearns, Ezra C (ed.). Genealogical and Family History of the State of New Hampshire (New York: The Lewis Publishing Co., 1908), vol. 2, p. 485.
"The Bells of Pittsfield," The Analecta, August 17, 1888.