Compiled by Russell Bastedo
State Curator
1998

Samuel D. Felker (1913-1915). Born Gonic (Rochester); Rochester lawyer/businessman. In state politics from 1891.

Samuel Felker (1859-1932) was educated at Rochester public schools and New Hampton Institute (1878). He graduated from Dartmouth College (A.B., 1882), received his law degree from Boston University Law School (1887), and was admitted to the New Hampshire Bar the same year.

Felker was a Democrat in an overwhelmingly Republican city. He began his political career by being elected to represent Rochester at the 1889 state constitutional convention. In 1890 he was elected to the State Senate from a Republican district, in an election so close that an appeal was carried to State Supreme Court for decision. He served as mayor of Rochester for two terms (1896, 1897), and as city solicitor for 14 years (1899-1913). In 1912 Felker was the state Democratic Party nominee for governor, and he won a close popular election which was confirmed in the legislature. He was the first Democrat elected governor in New Hampshire in almost fifty years.

Governor Felker concentrated on running a tight fiscal ship. A major event of his administration was the commissioning of a statue of Franklin Pierce for the State House lawn. Pierce was the only United States President from the state but he had been a Democrat. The statue, by Augustus Lukeman, was commissioned in 1913 and dedicated on November 25, 1914, while Felker was still governor. The statue was separated from the others on the State House lawn in a rumored arrangement with Republicans; it stands separate but equal, facing Main Street but off the lawn.

Upon retiring from office, Felker was appointed municipal judge of Rochester by the incoming governor, and he served in that position 1915/30 when he reached age 70 and had to retire.

Location: State House, Second Floor