Isaac N. Blodgett (1838 - 1905)
Born at Canaan (NH); died at Franklin (NH).
Lawyer, state legislator, jurist.
Portrait by Daniel Strain, n.d.
Presented to the State, date unknown

Isaac Blodgett worked on the family farm and attended the district school, then Kimball Union Academy. Blodgett's older brother Caleb, Jr. attended Dartmouth College (Class of 1856), but Isaac wanted to go straight to the study of the law. At age nineteen (1857) Isaac began reading law with William P. Weeks, of Canaan. Then almost at once he entered the law office of Hon. Anson S. Marshall, at Concord. Blodgett was admitted to the New Hampshire Bar on December 4, 1860. He had already had a good deal of experience analyzing cases and legal decisions, as well as preparing writs, deeds and even cases for trial.

As a new lawyer Blodgett opened a law office at Canaan, succeeding to the business space formerly used by Mr. Weeks. The downtown of Canaan had been badly damaged by the arrival of the railroad, in 1847; little by little Blodgett built up his practice, staying at Canaan until 1867.

In 1867 Blodgett moved with his wife (Sarah A. Gerould, of Canaan) and daughter to Franklin (NH), where Blodgett and Austin F. Pike formed the firm of Pike & Blodgett. The firm was successful, and handled many of the cases pending in Merrimack, Belknap and Grafton counties. Blodgett prepared cases for trial, while Pike argued the cases in court.

Blodgett was a Democrat, and he served four terms in the State House of Representatives (1871, 1873, 1874, and 1878). He served a term in the State Senate (1879) and was a delegate to the State Constitutional Conventions of 1876, 1889, and 1903.

As a State Representative and in the State Senate, Blodgett served on the Judiciary Committee. He coped responsibly with the wholesale revamping of state patronage and the redrawing of districts when the Democratic regime of James A. Weston carried the state in 1874. He also coped responsibly with the Republicans' jettisoning of the Democrats' changes when the Republicans regrouped and came back to power in 1876. Blodgett managed to maintain the respect of both political parties during these years of political turmoil - a not insignificant achievement.

In 1880 Justice George A. Bingham resigned from the State Supreme Court to run as a Democrat for the United States House of Representatives. Bingham's bid failed, and he hoped to be reappointed to the Court; but Blodgett was instead appointed an Associate Justice (on November 30, 1880).

Blodgett served on the State Supreme Court until July 21, 1902, and he served as Chief Justice 1898 - 1902. Compelled to retire because of age limitations, Blodgett was soon elected Mayor of Franklin (NH). He held this post until 1905, when he was asked to be the Democrats' candidate for governor. Blodgett declined the honor and died a few months later (November 27, 1905).

Reference: William M. Chase, "Isaac N. Blodgett". Proceedings of the Bar Association of...New Hampshire, volume 2 (1904 - 1908), pp. 523 - 536. (Concord, 1904-1909.)