by Hon. Geo. W. Nesmith

This biography is from "The History of Merrimack and Belknap Counties, New Hampshire". Edited by D. Hamilton Hurd and Published in 1885.

    Stephen Kenrick, Esq., one of the oldest and most influential citizens of Franklin, died on the morning of the 4th of August, A.D. 1884, after a lingering illness of several months.
    He was born in Haverhill, Mass., June 15, A.D. 1806; his age, therefore exceeded seventy-eight years. He was the youngest member of a family of nine children, born to John Kenrick and Sarah Colby. They were both natives of Amesbury, but became citizens of Haverhill soon after their marriage. The husband was born December 16, 1764; the wife January 25, 1771. John died by a casualty in 1806. His widow subsequently became the wife of David Marsh, and the mother of two other children, viz.: Nathaniel, of Staten Island, N.Y., deceased, and Mary, wife of Rev. G. W. Kelley, resident in Haverhill, Mass., now deceased.
    The name of Kenrick, or Kendrick, or Kendricke appears to be of early English origin. The name of John seems to have been adopted as an early favorite by the family. We find the name of John Kendrick, sheriff in London, in 1645. The same name appears as Lord-Mayor of London in 1651. John Kenrick was in Ipswich, Mass., in 1657. John Kenrick, John Kenrick, Jr., and Elijah Kenrick were among the petitioners, in May, 1678 to the Legislature, to set off part of Cambridge and to establish the town of Newton. John Kenrick, Jr., of Newton, marched from that town, and was engaged in the Lexington battle, April 19, 1775. Among the many immediate descendants of John Kenrick, of Amesbury, Mass., who were distinguished in the walks of business and professional life, were Professors Henry L. Kendrick, of West Point Academy, and John Kendrick, of Marietta College, Ohio, both first cousins, and James R. Kendrick, superintendent of the Old Colony Railroad, who was also second cousin of Stephen Kenrick, Esq. These gentlemen were all natives of the town of Lebanon, in this State, and we might enumerate many others of the same family, and their " kith and kin ", or collaterals, in different parts of the Union, as being prominent and successful business men, and highly respected in their respective localities.
    Early in this century, and prior to 1820, Timothy Kenrick, the elder brother of Stephen, had emigrated to the town of Lebanon, and established there a profitable mercantile business. He had acquired early a good education, and was known and honored by his fellow citizens as a man of integrity by several public trusts. He was town clerk thirty-seven consecutive years, and was several times elected their pepresentative to the Legislature. He was often employed in the settlement of estates of his vicinity, and was for many years director of the Northern Railroad. He well discharged these important trusts. In the meantime his brother Stephen was with his kind father-in-law, Marsh, in Haverhill, where he received good paternal protection  and the benefits of the best schools found there until he arrived at the age of fifteen years. He then was commited to the care of his brother Timothy, then of Lebanon, and was employed in his brother's store. Here he received that valuable systematic instruction which proved useful to him in after-life. We next find him for a short time in Bangor, Me. Afterwards he was engaged in trade for himself with Mr. James Howe, at Barnet, Vt.; next, for a short time, at Boscawen Plain, N. H. Then, in 1831, he formed an advantageous co-partnership with Mr. Brewer, of McIndoe's Falls village, Vt., and there continued his business until 1836, when he came to Franklin, and ever since has made his permanent residence here, identifying himself with the business of this town, and becoming one of it's most active and prosperous citizens.
    For many years he was largely interested in various railroad projects and contracts, in connection with Joseph A. Gilmore and John A. Lyon. From these enterprises he derived much profit, and became a large propietor in several railroads. He was president of the Concord and Portsmouth Railroad from about 1861 to the time of his death. For many years before his death he was president of the national bank located at Hillsborough Bridge, and was interested in its stock. He was also trustee of the Franklin Savings Bank. He took also a deep interest in the management of the prudential and financial matters of the town, occupying many of the official stations, conferred by his fellow-citizens. He was elected one of the selectmen of the town during the years 1849, 1850, 1851, 1854, and 1872. In 1859 and 1861 he represented the town in the House of Representatives in this State. For many years he was a member of the Congregational Church in Franklin, and was one of its most generous supporters.
    In 1833 he married Clarissa A., youngest daughter of Captain Ebenezar Blanchard, late of Franklin, who still survives him. To them were born seven children, four of whom were removed in infancy by death. Another, Dr. Timothy G. Kenrick, died in Naples, Italy, January 29, 1879. He was born July 8, 1849; graduated at Dartmouth College in 1871; studied the medical profession, graduating at the Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New York, June 1, 1874. With much enthusiam he applied himself to the study of insanity, and to the best mode of treating and managing those affected with this unfortunate disease. His mild temper and great power of self-control, united with his skill and learning, gave him signal success in this deaprtment of his profession. He was fortunate in early securing the patronage and friendship of Dr. I. W. Barstow, the eminent manager of the Sandford Hall Asylum, at Flushing, N. Y. He had the full confidence of Dr. Barstow, and was employed by him, to the mutual advantage of both parties, up to 1876, when Dr. Kenrick was called into a larger sphere of duties as assistant surgeon in the New York State Lunatic Asylum, at Utica. It is enough to say that his success here met the expectations of his friends, and that his professional attainments commanded the respect and confidence of his associates and the managers of that institution. His life was sacrificed to the malarial climate of Naples while, in devotion to duty, he was traveling for the benefit of the health of one of his diseased and wealthy friends, who was very wisely committed to his professional care. His early, premature death brought extreme sorrow to the hearts of his parents and his many friends, who had witnessed his progress and reasonably indulged  high hopes of his future success in life. The lamentation over his loss at home was most sincere. Abroad " he was by strangers honored and by strangers mourned."
    Of the two surviving children, Stephen, the eldest, many years since removed to the West, where he has been extensively engaged in various railroad enterprises. We find him now in Wisconsin, married, but without children, and prosperous in other respects, enjoying the income of the office of general superintendent of the Fort Madison and Northwestern Railroad. He is cheerful, and apparently enjoys life well.
    The remaining child is a son, in the full vigorof life, under the name of Charles C. Kenrick, now very active, doing the labor of two men, being extensively engaged in building houses, barns, stables, shops. As a farmer, raising more hay and corn than any other person in town, improving largely, by judicious cultivation, his lands; selecting good breeds of cattle and horses, and increasing their number; giving promptly a fair day's pay to a fair day's labor, thus rewarding a large number of laborers, and expending profitably a good amount of capital daily; improving the condition of his estates, and augmenting the wealth of the town. We might here also, with propiety, refer to the extensive traffic in wood and lumber recently carried on by him, not without profit.
    During the long life of his father, Charles has enjoyed the benefit of his advice, and followed it. Thereby he gained his father's confidence, and before his death he received from him the conveyance of a large estate, under the sole obligation to render all needed aid to his aged mother in sickness and in health. This obligation his kind nature prompts him to obey to her entire satisfaction.
    We now leave the history of the children and again refer briefly to that of the father. While Mr. Kenrick was a citizen of Franklin we found him interested and well informed in the important interests of the town, State and nation. He had leisure, and opportunity to inform himselfso as to discharge intelligently his own private trusts and duties, as well as those belonging to the good citizen. His knowledge and experience, acquired by him in trade, banking and railroad affairs, were of much value to himself and useful to others. We have already alluded to his great ability in acquiring and retaining successful a large estate. We must not forget to give due credit to a diligent help-meet, in the name of his wife, who brought to him a considerable pecuniary inheritance that descended from her paternal estate. This inheritance, comin down from a worthy ancestry, would, of course, be highly appreciated. It constituted a valuable accession to the estate, now constantly increasing through the harmonius action, kind care and economy of both husband and wife. It is an acknowledged fact that the accumulation of property generally requires much patience and great mental resources; but a critical world tells us that a wise appropriation or disposition of a large estate requires the exercise of still more sagacity, good judgement and wisdom.