Onslow Stearns

Stearns was born in Billerica, Massachusetts on August 30, 1810. He attended the local schools of his hometown, and moved to Boston, where he clerked in several stores in preparation for a business career.

After moving to Concord, Stearns established himself in business. Starting as a construction contractor in partnership with his brother, Stearns eventually became a manager and executive, and was active in several different railroads, including the Lowell and Nashua, Northern Railroad of New Hampshire, Vermont Central Railway, and Old Colony Railroad.

In 1857 Stearns received the honorary degree of Master of Arts from Dartmouth College.

Stearns became active in politics as a Republican, serving in the New Hampshire State Senate from 1862 to 1864. He served as the Senate's President pro tempore in 1863, and was a Delegate to the 1864 Republican National Convention.

Stearns ran successfully for governor in 1869 and was reelected in 1870. During his time in office the state created a board of agriculture, taxes and deficits necessitated by New Hampshire's participation in the American Civil War were lowered, and the state government continued to promote the development of railroads and manufacturing business.

After leaving office Stearns retired from politics and resumed his business interests. He died in Concord, New Hampshire on December 29, 1878, and was buried in the Blossom Hill Cemetery in Concord.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/67067893/a-noted-man-gone/ |title=A Noted Man Gone |newspaper=The Boston Globe |location=Concord, New Hampshire |page=1 |date=1878-12-30 |access-date=2021-01-06 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Stearns' daughter Mary was the wife of General John R. Brooke. His daughter Grace was the mother of General Onslow S. Rolfe.{{cite web |last=Symroski |first=Charles A. |url=http://apps.westpointaog.org/Memorials/Article/5849/ |title=Obituary, Onslow S. Rolfe, 1917 |website=westpointaog.org/ |publisher=West Point Association of Graduates |location=West Point, NY |access-date=September 30, 2016 |archive-date=October 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161001221026/http://apps.westpointaog.org/Memorials/Article/5849/ |url-status=dead }}

{{reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20050305222558/http://www.state.nh.us/nhdhr/glikeness/steaonsl.html Stearns at New Hampshire's Division of Historic Resources]
• [http://www.nga.org/cms/home/governors/past-governors-bios/page_new_hampshire/col2-content/main-content-list/title_stearns_onslow.html Onslow Stearns] at [http://www.nga.org/ National Governors Association]
• {{Find a Grave|6681015}}
• [https://archive.org/details/memorialofonslow00stea Memorial of Onslow Stearns, Concord, N. H.] 1879.

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{{s-bef|before=Walter Harriman}}

{{s-ttl|title=Republican nominee for Governor of New Hampshire|years=1869, 1870}}

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{{succession box |title=Governor of New Hampshire | before=Walter Harriman | after=James A. Weston | years=1869–1871}}

{{succession box |title=President of the
New Hampshire Senate | before=William H. Y. Hackett | after=Charles H. Bell | years=1863}}

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Category:1810 births

Category:1878 deaths

Category:Republican Party governors of New Hampshire

Category:American Unitarians

Category:People from Billerica, Massachusetts

Category:Presidents of the New Hampshire Senate

Category:Republican Party New Hampshire state senators

Category:19th-century members of the New Hampshire General Court

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