History Of The "Old High School" 1828-1840
by Charles Wells Chapin






        WILLIAM E. BONTECOU.— Was a clerk in a drug store in Boston, Mass., two years, and then went to New York as clerk, in the same business until 1848, and thence to Springfield, Mass., in business under the firm of Bontecou & Thayer, druggists, until 1851, when he went to Buffalo, N.Y., and engaged in the patent medicine business. In 1853 he accepted a position to take charge of a wholesale drug house in Toldeo, Ohio, and soon after went into a retail house as a partner, remaining there three year. Owing to the ill effects of the climate upon his health, he retired from the place and went to New York, where he was a clerk, and engaged in business until 1862. During the late are he was appointed (1862) assistant surgeon in the navy — the gun-boat "Cayuga" five guns, Napoleon Harrison lieutenant-commanding, on which he served one year, engaged in blockade duty off the coast of Louisiana until he joined Admiral Farragut's fleet for the attack on New Orleans. He was on board of the "Cayuga" during the action; she was the flag ship of Admiral Bailey, who was in command of the Second Division, which was in advance, led by the "Cayuga," in the passage of the forts and up the river. Being badly damaged the vessel was ordered to New York for repairs, and being put out of commission, he resigned his office, but was soon after appointed to the frigate "Savannah," on which he served six months, then resigned. He went to California, in 1867, was a clerk in San Francisco, Cal., over two years. He then opened a drug store in Austin Nevada, which he sold out, and then engaged in silver mining over a year in Nevada. He is now engaged in stock ranching, which occupation he has followed for the last twenty years. He resides at Santa Rosa, Ca.

        EDWIN E. BLISS. — Graduate of Amherst College, 1837; Andover Theological Seminary, 1839-42; ordained missionary, 1843; a missionary at Trebizond, Turkey, 1843-52; at Marsovan, 1852-56; at Constantinople, since 1856, where he now resides.


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