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TURNER, HIRAM NEWTON. The subject of this sketch was born in Bethlehem,
New Hampshire, in 1839, son of Timothy Parker and Priscilla (BULLOCK) TURNER.
He was educated in the public schools of his native state. Endowed with
an active and resolute temperament, he was impressed with the fascinations
of a railroad career, and early entered that service.
From subordinate positions he rose successively, having been traveling
agent of the Worcester and Nashua railroad, manager of the Quebec, Ottawa,
and New England Air Line*, general freight
agent of the Boston and Lowell railroad; and later general traffic manager
of the same system.
He had occupied these executive positions with conspicuous success,
when in 1889, in his fiftieth year, he stepped aside from the path in which
he had so steadily mounted, and turned his attention to manufacturing.
With most men this radical departure would have been a dangerous,
if not a disastrous, experiment, but the mastery of details, foresight,
and knowledge of men and affairs which Mr. Turner had acquired in his railroad
experience, has won him equal success in his new field, as manager and
a director of the E. and T. FAIRBANKS company, scale manufactory of St.
Johnsbury. Mr. TURNER has added several important new products of manufacture
in addition to the general scale business.
While promoting the financial interests of this great corporation,
he has always taken a cordial and abiding interest in the well being of
its faithful employees, now more than one thousand men, as was recently
shown by reducing the working day from ten to nine hours and formerly by
granting semi-monthly payments.
He has taken a loyal interest in promoting the material interests
of St. Johnsbury, and he was formerly president of the St. Johnsbury board
of trade. He is now a director of the Concord and Montreal railroad.
In politics a zealous Republican, he has not sought or accepted
public office.
He was joined in marriage with Miss Ellen BREWSTER of Whitefield,
New Hampshire, in l861. The record of Mr. TURNER's life is an object lesson
of push, enterprise, and integrity, and his influence in his town and section
has ever been a potent factor for moral and material progress.
Source: Successful Vermonters,
William H. Jeffrey, E. Burke, Vermont, The Historical Publishing Company,
1904, pages 19-20.
Prepared
by Tom Dunn January 2003
*
[Suspect that this refers to compressed air lines for the hydraulics on
trains etc.]
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