George Francis Dow

http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n50026976

George Francis Dow, one of the leading historians

and antiquarians of New England, died at Topsfield,

June 5, 1936. He was born at Wakefield, N. H.,

January 7, 1868, the son of George Prince and Ada

Bingham (Tappan) Dow. After an education in public

and private schools, in 1885 he entered the wholesale

metal business in Boston, with the firm of Farrar,

Simpson & Co., where he rose steadily in the esteem of

his firm. Always endowed with strong leanings toward

local and Essex County history, in 1898 he retired from

commercial activities and was elected secretary of the

Essex Institute of Salem, of which he had been a member

for six years. For twenty years, as director of its

museum and editor of its publications, he gave a large

part of his life to this important institution and

notably increased its prestige throughout the country.

It was during his term of office that he aided in bringing

out the many valuable volumes of vital records of

Essex County, and edited the four volume "Diary of

William Bentley," because of its broad scope of subjects

and unusual index, one of the most valuable of

early New England diaries.

In 1918 he retired as an officer of the Essex Institute,

and in the following year was elected curator of the Society

for the Preservation of New England Antiquities.

Here he officiated for the remainder of his life, serving

as curator, director of its museum, and editor of its

nationally known magazine, "Old-Time New England."

In 1894 he founded the Topsfield Historical Society,

serving as secretary and treasurer of the Society, and

1936.] Obituaries 125

editor of its publications. When the "Parson Capen"

house came into the posssssion of the Society, he was in

charge of the restoration. Because of his knowledge of

early New England architecture he was often consulted,

and had charge of the restoration of a number of eighteenth

century houses for individuals and historical

societies throughout New England. He also designed

the Pioneers' Village at Salem. In 1922 he organized

the Marine Research Society at Salem and edited its

long and valuable series of publications. As an author

he wrote or edited the following volumes: "The Holyoke

Diaries," 1911; "Two Centuries of Travel in Essex

County," 1921; "Sailing Ships of New England" (with

John Robinson), 2 volumes, 1922-1924; "Pirates of the

New England Coast," 1923; "Domestic Life in New

England," 1925; "Whale Ships and Whaling," 1925;

"The Arts and Crafts in New England," 1927; "Slave

Ships and Slaving," 1927; "The Diaries and Letters of

Benjamin Pickman," 1928; "The Sailing Ships of New

England," 1928; "Every Day Life in the Massachusetts

Bay Colony," 1935. He also contributed many articles

to historical and literary magazines.

Mr. Dow was a member of the Massachusetts

Historical Society, the New England Historic Genealogical

Society and many other historical organizations.

To the American Antiquarian Society he was elected

in 1910 and was one of its most useful members. He

invariably attended its meetings and contributed to

its Proceedings in 1922 a paper on "William Bentley,

the Salem Diarist." He married, June 1, 1920, Miss

Alice G. Waters, for many years librarian of the

Essex Institute, who survived him. The writer of this

sketch has claimed him as a valued friend for many

years. His enthusiasm for historical research and his

unbounded zeal and activity were a source of encouragement

to all those with whom he was brought in

contact.

c. s.B.

Obituary in American Antiquarian Society October 1936