Compiled by Russell Bastedo
State Curator
1998

Governor Samuel Dinsomoor, Jr. (1849, 1850, 1851). Dinsmoor (1799-1869) was born at Keene (NH). He graduated from Dartmouth College with the Class of 1814, aged fifteen, read law with his father and was admitted to the New Hampshire Bar in 1818. A year later he accompanied New Hampshire's hero of the War of 1812, General James Miller, west to Arkansas Territory. Miller was the first Governor of the Territory; Dinsmoor was his legal assistant. When Miller returned to New Hampshire as an invalid (1823), Dinsmoor returned to Keene and set up law practice.

Dinsmoor achieved political visibility when in 1825 he was made one of two commissioners to accompany General Lafayette around New Hampshire. A year later Dinsmoor became Clerk of the State Senate (served 1826,1827, 1829, 1830). As the son of a prominent state politician (his father was Governor in 1831, 1832, and 1833), Dinsmoor was not an unknown.

After 1830 Dinsmoor was made Cashier of Keene's Ashuelot Bank, which the elder Dinsmoor headed. When his father died, Dinsmoor became President of the bank. In 1849 the Democrats asked Dinsmoor to be their candidate for governor; he won, and repeated in 1850 and 1851.

Governor Dinsmoor worked with his legislatures to require universal military service in the militia for all white males aged 18-45, but active duty was eliminated except in case of war, invasion or other public emergency. He was concerned about the power of corporations, saying the state which created cor-porations had the right to control them, and he called for full disclosure by the state's railroads. After his years as governor Dinsmoor retired to Keene, continuing with Ashuelot Bank until his death in 1869.

Location: State House, Second Floor, Corridor, West Face, Beginning at Room 208
Portrait by Plumer Prescott, 1878; Presented by brother (1879)