1896

Our classmate Ben Couch passed away at the Margaret Pillsbury Hospital in Concord, N. H., on November 4. His funeral was attended by a large representation of the influential men of New Hampshire in the fields of business, law and politics.

Ben came to Dartmouth from Concord, N. H., along with "Ching" Cummings and Nat Foster. He entered heartily into the class and college activities and in his senior year was manager of the baseball team and leader of the banjo-mandolin section of the Glee Club. His college societies were Sigma Xi and Sphinx. After graduation from Harvard Law School he began the practice of law in his home town. On November 8, 1900, he married Gertrude A. Underhill, whose death he survived by three months.

At the time o£ his death, in addition "to carrying on the work of his own office, Ben was actively identified with many business enterprises. He was president of the Northern Railroad of New Hampshire, vice president and director of the United Life and Accident Insurance Co., treasurer and director of the Concord Gas Co., trust officer and director of Mechanics National Bank, director of New England Fire Insurance Co., director of New Hampshire Fire Insurance Co., and was active in many service and business organizations. He early interested himself in public affairs and acted as trustee for the State Hospital for thirty-two years. He was re-elected to the New Hampshire State Legislature five times and was chairman of the judiciary committee of the House for four sessions.

On April 1944 Ben resigned as the first chairman of the State Board of Appeal of the Selective Service system, after discharging the duties of that office for three years.

An editorial in the Concord, N. H„ Monitor says in part, "In his wide-spread business connections in this community and through his long association with public and charitable associations, Ben Couch performed many a community chore well. It was the great number and variety of his responsibilities which helped to tire him and make his death come sooner than it might have. He would not give up his work. Mr. Couch leaves a lot of tasks which others must now pick up."

In 1941 in recognition of his exemplification of the kind of citizenship which makes this country strong, the College awarded Ben the honorary degree of Master of Arts.

The class and the College have suffered a great loss in his passing.

Judge Louis "Cox and your secretary represented the class at the funeral service.

Secretary and Treasurer, 21 Forest Rd., Cape Elizabeth, Me.