Charles F. Gerry
Charles Frederick Gerry | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Sudbury, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | September 4, 1900 (aged 77) Sudbury, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, legislator, author |
| Years active | 1858–1900 |
| Known for | President of Hyde Park Savings Bank; Massachusetts legislator; author of Meadow Melodies |
Charles Frederick Gerry (June 3, 1823 – September 4, 1900) was a prominent American entrepreneur, legislator, and author.
Early life
Born in Sudbury, Massachusetts to parents Charles and Orisa Gerry, he completed his studies at Wesleyan University. Following graduation, he pursued a career in education, teaching at both the Boston Mercantile Academy and Fort Hill School.
Business career
Gerry shifted from education to the insurance industry in 1858. He held the position of general agent for the John Hancock Life Insurance Company in Boston between 1863 and 1873, after which he became a special agent for the New England Life Insurance Company. In 1871, he was appointed as the inaugural president of the Hyde Park Savings Bank.
Political career
In 1877, Gerry served as a representative for Hyde Park in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. After relocating to Sudbury, he represented that town along with nearby communities in the House during 1880. Subsequently, from 1881 to 1883, he was a member of the Massachusetts Senate.
Writing
Gerry was an active contributor of poetry to publications such as the Boston Evening Transcript, Our Young Folks, and the Massachusetts Ploughman. His poetry collection titled Meadow Melodies was published by Lee & Shepard in 1888.
Personal life and death
In 1852, he married Martha Ann Clough from Canterbury, New Hampshire, who herself was a writer and served as editor of the Boston Olive Branch. The couple had four children. Gerry passed away on September 4, 1900, in his hometown of Sudbury.