NH Tidbits: Merrimack’s Special (Police) Officer Division

Photo of Merrimack NH’s Police Chief, Edmund O’Leary. from the annual town report. Colorized.

On May 11, 2013 the Merrimack (NH) Police Department held an Open House and special event to honor all of the men and women who had served the town as police officers, special officers, auxiliary officers and constables. According to the local news story, “On July 1 of 2013, after 113 years of service to the town, the ‘Special Officer Division’ was designated out of service.”   A plaque noting the names and dates of service from 1905-2013 was unveiled. [Editor’s note: actually constables go back 275 years (from 2021) to 1746]”

May 11, 2013, Merrimack Police Dept. Honor Guard; ceremony to honor the town’s Special Police Force and Constables.

According to the MPD’s web site’s department history, “Merrimack Annual Reports show that as far back as “1893. . . the town had some sort of Law Enforcement in place….in 1893…the town …had a resident appointed to serve as a Law Enforcer…There were two men named to that post which was titled ‘Constable and Ballot Clerk’–Lewis J. Read and G.E. Blanchard … In 1940 the town Police Dept was formed with a Police chief [Edmund O’Leary].” [see rest of history and list of Chiefs of Police on that site]and Patch news service story from that event

There were of course many ‘law enforcement’ men elected or appointed prior to 1893. In fact at Merrimack NH’s first town meeting ‘William Datton’ [Dutton] was chosen as first Constable of the new township. Early constable responsibilities included the collection of rates and taxes for the town.  In 1853 the local directory noted that the Deputy Sheriff, M. McConihe lived in Merrimack along with several Justices of the Peace. These early justices of the peace were responsible to arrest and arraign those who violated moral or legal standards. In the early 19th century they handled crimes that included drunkenness, adultery, and public disorder.

May 11, 2013, Police Bagpipers at Merrimack NH honor event.

In addition, the New Hampshire State directory and gazetteer shows for the following years that the constables were:
1907: Constables. Lewis W. Parker, A.A. West, Fred Shonyo
1910: F.W. Longa
1912: H.E. Linscotte, F.J. Shonyo
1913: H.E. Linscotte, F.J. Shonyo

+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_

The following is copied/abstracted from the Merrimack (NH) Police Department plaque unveiled in 2013. I attended that ceremony and took photographs of the event.

Honor Plaque, Merrimack NH, 2013

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
DEDICATED TO THE MEN & WOMEN
WHO SERVED THE MERRIMACK POLICE DEPARTMENT
AS SPECIAL OFFICERS, AUXILIARY OFFICERS
& CONSTABLES
FROM 1905-2013
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

((Note: Names listed below as they are on the actual plaque; those names found out of order are in correct order in this list. Years shown are reported years of service to Merrimack NH’s law enforcement.))

[Information in brackets is added by Janice W. Brown, either to include people left off the plaque or to add biographical information]
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Abbott, William S. (1928-36 & 1939)
Adams, Vernon (2005)
Alford, Walter (2002-05)
Atkins, A.S. (1905-07)
Avedisian, Scott (2009-11)
Barrett, Patricia (1980)
Barrett, Steven (1982-83)
Bennett, Alba J. (1948-53)
Bennett, Fred (1935-39)
Berg, John (1974)
Bergeron, Michael (2000)
Bereron, Richard (2004-06, 2008)
Breault, Bernie (1969-79)
Berriault, Robert (1980)
Berry, Agnes (1974-79)
Berry, James (1974-77)
Blanchard, George (1902, 1905-07)
Bolduc, Randy (2005)
Bresse, Edmund (1977-80)
Briggs, Mark (1977)
Broad, Garnet (1953-57)
Brown, Darin (2002-14)
Bujold, Donald (1967-71)
Burns, Kevin (1977-79)
Buker, Charles (1965-66)
Buker, Harold (1953-65)

2013 Merrimack Police Department chief and officers at attention.

Cameron, Nicholas (2006)
Canavan, Matthew (2005)
Carpenter, Mary (1979-80)
Carroll, Frank B. (1905)
Carter, Robert (1904 & 1915)
Center, Leon (1926-28 & 1933-40)
Ciarla, Joseph (1973)
Clement, Richard (1981-82)
Collier, James M. (1923-25)
Coner, Brian (1980)
Connell, Timothy (1986-87)
Connelly Jr., James (1996-99)
Cook, George E. (1917)
Cornwell, Lawrence C. (1944)
Cossette, Darren (1989-92)
Cox, Herschel (1957 & 59)
Cox, John (1977-79)
Cross, Bradford (1977)
Cunningham, Walter D. (1921-22 & 1929-32)
Datton, William [Dutton] (1746) [Not shown on plaque]
DeiPapa, Peter (1973)
Demers, Andrew (1977)
Demyanovich, John (2002-10)
Devine Jr., Joseph (1999)
Dillon, Theodore (1994-97)
Doty, Alan (1978-95)
Doty, Lawrence (1984-95)
Dowling, Christopher (1998-2001)
Dudash, John (1993-95)
Dudash, Michael (1982)
Dumont, Richard (1977)
Dunn, Arthur (1980-95)
Dutton, Tom, (1953-59 & 1967-68)
Dwyer, Daniel (1969)
Emmons, William (1973-77)
Engelhart, Leonard (1961-62)
Estey, Kenneth (1953)
Fariole, Walter (1963-69)
Felski, Gerry (1982-85)
Fisher, John (1988)

Wall of Honor in Merrimack Police Dept. Photographs of former police chiefs. 2013 by J.W. Brown

Flanders, Frank R. (1920-34)
Flanders, Frank (1953-62) (67-69)
Flanders, Harold (1951-79)
Flemming, Karl (2002-03)
Fontaine, Paul (1973)
Fortune, Roland (1969-75)
Gagnon, Brandon (2010-12)
Gauthier, Joseph D. (1925-27)
Gavin, Robert (1974)
Geas, John (1983-85)
Gehling, Phyllis (1974-80)
Goodie, Michael (2006-07)
Goodridge, Joseph (1993-97)
Goodwin, Sam (1982-85)
Gosselin, Danielle (2000-2001)
Greenleaf Jr., Harry D. (1957-65)
Gudzinowicz, William (2007)
Hall, Frank 1951-53)
Hamel, Philip (1966)
Hanks, Scott (1984)
Hartford, Wayne (1980-82)
Hayes, Patrick (1979-80)
Heath, Floyd (1963-65)
Hill, Adam (1999-2000)
Houle, Elzear (1958-65)
Hudson, Lois (1974-78)
Hunter, Lisa (2002-03)
Hurst, Albert (1968)
Ingerson, Roy (1973-79)
Irwin, Kevin (1981-82)
Jacques, Daniel (2007)
Johnson, Edwin S. (1969)
Jones, Frank P. (1994)
Judge, Matthew (1981-82)
Junkins, albert (1949-52)
Kain, Joseph “Ed”(1982-85)
Kelleher, Robert (1999)
Kennedy, Richard (1988-92)
Kershaw, Lee (1975-76)
Ketchie, Ronald (1978-79)
Killkelly, Dean (1983-88)
Krasinski, Steven (2008)
Kurzweil, Scott (1993)
Kwiecznski, Walter (1986)
L’Hereux, Robert (1973-80)
Lacquerre, Matthew (1997)
LaFrance, Paul (1976)
Lambert, Michael (2008-09)
Lamy, Dennis (1984-85)
Latorre, Michael (1983)
Lemoyne, G. (1979)
Levesque, Brian (1998-99)
Levierge, Ronald (1985)
Lindbom, Daniel (2002-03)

[Linscotte, Herbert E. (1912-1913) not listed on plaque] [Additional notes: Herbert Elmer Linscott was b 26 June 1885, the son of Augustus & Annie (Weaver) Linscott in Maine. He married Florence E. Morse, dau of James W. & Ella (Ireland) Morse on 28 Nov 1907 in Merrimack NH. They lived in South Merrimack.]

Litchfield, Gloria (1975-78)
Longa, Fred (1912, 1915-18)
MacDowell, M. (1979)
MacKay, Gordon (1941-44)
MacKey, April (1977, 1979-80)
MacLwod, Kenneth (2001-02)
Mahan, John (1973-80)
Mailhoit, Ryan (1999-2001)
Marcotte, Michael (2004-06)
Marquis, Eric (1999)
McCalvey, Harry (1977-78)
McCalvey, Sherrie (1974-76)
McDaniel Harry (1967-69)
McDowell, Charles (1977)
McGowan, William (1991-2008)
McGuire, Sean (2006)
McKenzie, Richard (2005-06)
McRoberts, Robert (1957-58)
Medeiros, Joseph (2007-08)
Meehan, John (1977)
Mercer, David 2002-10)
Michaud, Elizabeth (1980-81)
Milligan, Michael (1979)
Murphy, Christopher (1997-98)
Murray, Michael (1987)
Nelson, Edward (1977-78)
O’Leary, Edmund (1937-39)
O’Malley, Andrew (1977)
Orleans, John (1996-99)
Pane, Edward (1993-95)
Park, Scott (1986-87)
Parker, Lewis W. (1907)
Peaslee, Bert L. (1922)
Pellegrino, Anthony (1973-84)
Pelletier, John (2003-12)
Penrod, Allen (1960-65)
Perry, Gerald (1939-52)
Peterson, Jacqueline (1975-79)
Phillips, John H. (1905)
Plourde, David (1983-85)
Poirier, Paul (1986-87)
Poisson, Michael (2007-2008)
Pouliot, Irene (1982-85)
Prentice, Thomas (1998-99)
Proctor, Daniel (1916, 1919-21)

Joseph “Pynie” Pynenburg and Edmund “Chappie:” O’Leary, Merrimack Police Dept. Colorized. Photo courtesy of Virginia Penrod.

Pynenburg, Joseph (1945-57)
Quintal, Alfred (1969)
Rafferty Jr., Daniel J. (1953-62)
Ramirez, Jose (2002)
Ranhoff, Michael (1980-81)
Raymond, Betty (1996, 1975-80)
Raymond, Ernest (1974-79)
Read, Lewis (1893)
Renaud, Edward A. (1966)
Ring, Daniel (1977-78)
Ritchie, Robert (1973)
Robeck, Brad (2003)
Roberts, A.B. (1899)
Robinson, Arnold (1973)
Roy, Denise (1991-93, 1994)
Santoro, Edward (1978)
Santoro, Robert (1978-84)
Schofield Jr., Laurance D. (1960-62)
Schofield, Mark (1978-79)
Shea, Dawn (1998-2001)
Shonyo, Fred J. (1911, 1915-19) [add 1907, 1912-1913]
Singley, William (1982-84)
Sobel, Eric (1989-97)
Soucy, William (1996-97)
Spence, Lewis (1973)
Spillane, Chris (2004-05)
St. Cyr, Timothy (2005-12)
Stavenger, Paul V. (1974)
Stimson, Kenneth (1986)
Sturgess, Thomas (1980-81)
Sullivan, Daniel W. (1903-04)
Sullivan, James (2000-05)
Tarr, Steven (1996)
Theriault, Gerard (1966-69)
Theriault, Jerry (1974-77, 79)
Theriault, Steven (1978-79)
Timmins, Arthur (1958-65)

Towne, S.E. (1893) [Additional note: This was Sylveser E. Towne, b 1 June 1865 in Peterborough NH, son of Liberty & Elizabeth H. (Rines) Towne. He m1) 3 July 1886 to Cora J. Wells, dau of William T. & Josephine Wells; divorced 1 June 1899. He m2d) 31 May 1899 in Ipswich MA to Nellie Geoghen Ayers. In 1897 he moved to Fitchburg Massachusetts, carpenter, Mason.]

Turcotte, Richard (1967-69)
Turner, Brian (1977)
Urquhart, Alan (1981-82)
Vachon, Arthur (1961-70)
Vaillancourt, Lionel (1978-79)
Vandermeer, Mary (1989-92)
Vandersyde, William (2005-06)
Venne, Arthur (1973-80)
Venne, David (1977)
Walters, Gregory (2004)
Walver, William (1977-78)
Watkins, Charles (1938)
Watkins, John I. (1941-43)
Watkins, Joseph (1935-37)

West, A.A. (1903) [add 1907] [Additional note: This was Adams Arthur (known as Arthur A.) West, son of George W. & Clara (Gardner) West, born 22 Aug 1877 in Merrimack NH and d. 8 June 1914 at St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua NH. He died of a fractured occiput bone due to a factory accident, prob the tannery. Occupation Millwright/Carpenter.]

Westholm, Jared (2005)
Whalin, Myron (1940)
Whelpley, Michael (1973-77)
Young, Paul (1985)

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-