This contains a transcription of the William W. Dinsmore of Alstead, NH biography from Biographical Review Volume XXIII: Containing Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of Cheshire and Hillsboro Counties, New Hampshire, Biographical Review Publishing Company, Boston, 1897.
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WILLIAM W. DINSMORE, a leading resident of Alstead and a native of this town, was born February 12, 1857, son of John G. and Mary E. (Spencer) Dinsmore. The great-grandfather, Thomas Dinsmore, who was the first of the name in this part of New Hampshire, and who settled in Alstead as a farmer, took a leading part in public affairs, and was generally respected. His wife was a Green. Calvin Dinsmore, the grandfather, was born in Alstead, and died there at the age of seventy-five years. He was a farmer and a blacksmith, and one of the leading men of the town. He was universally beloved because of his genial and kindly manners, and was known by everybody in the place as “Uncle Calvin.” He was active in town affairs and one of the liberal supporters of the Universalist church. His wife, in maidenhood Lucy Walker, was born in Langdon, and lived to be seventy-eight years old. They had a family of ten children.
John G. Dinsmore, the third child of his parents, was born in Alstead, January 29, 1817, and died December 1, 1892. He worked as a farmer until he came of age, when he bought a smithy, and worked at the blacksmith’s trade for twenty-three years. Then he engaged in the wholesale flour and grain business, which he carried on for three or four years, when he was obliged to retire from active life. He was always interested in public affairs, and was more or less closely associated with the administration of the town business. A member of the Congregational church, he was an active working in that body and one of its generous supporters. His business relations were always characterized by strict honesty, and he was everywhere known as a man of absolute integrity. His wife’s father had been a director and the president of both the Charlestown National Bank and the Connecticut River National Bank for many years at the time of his death.
William W. Dinsmore was an only child. After receiving his education in the town schools and at Barre Academy, of Barre, Vt., he began his business life as clerk in a grocery story at Keene, where he remained for two years. At the end of that time he returned to Alstead, and entered the flour and grain business, in which his father was at that time engaged. He has remained here since, assisting his father, who was in feeble health, in the management of his business interests. Since the death of the latter he has been engaged in settling the estate and looking out for the property. He is an attendant of the Congregational church, and takes an interest in the affairs of the town. He has held the office of Tax Collector for the past six years. Mr. Dinsmore married N. Emma Emerson, of this place, who was born September 15, 1857.