Frank West Rollins was an American banker, and republican politician who served New Hampshire as a governor
Background
Frank West Rollins was the fourth of the five children of Edward Henry and Ellen (West) Rollins, he was born in Concord, New Hampshire, United States, and like his father was devoted throughout his life to the upbuilding of the interests of his native state.
Education
Having received his early education in the Concord public schools and under private tuition, he was a student in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1877 to 1880. He then studied law at Harvard (1880 - 81) and in a Concord office, was admitted to the New Hampshire bar in 1882, but having little taste for the profession, soon entered the investment banking business of E. H. Rollins & Sons.
Career
He was notably successful in business, and a public-spirited citizen, serving on numerous administrative boards and directorates, charitable and educational. In 1894 he was elected for a term in the New Hampshire Senate, serving as president of that body. Four years later he was elected governor of the state, holding office from 1899 to 1901. In his inaugural message he anticipated later policies by urging a comprehensive system of good roads and a thorough study of highway construction in relation to development of the economic and scenic resources of the state. He was an efficient but unspectacular executive, although on April 6, 1899, his Fast Day proclamation stirred a local tempest by calling attention to the decadence of the churches in rural New Hampshire and implying the decadence of rural New England in general. In 1898, at a gathering of natives of New Hampshire in Boston, he initiated a movement which subsequently spread throughout the country - that of "Old Home Week. " He regarded himself as the father of this characteristically American institution and several of his addresses on the subject were subsequently collected and published. A more important activity, which he furthered while governor, and also as a private citizen, was conservation. Deeply interested in forestry, he gave generously of time and money to preserve existing forests in the White Mountains and to develop interest in reforestation in the state at large. As in the matter of highways, subsequent developments owed much to his initial efforts. He had numerous literary interests, accumulated a valuable library, contributed articles and stories to local journals, and published several novels and collections of stories; The Lady of the Violets (1897) was probably his best-known work. While his literary efforts enjoyed some temporary popularity, they were minor incidents in his career.
Personality
He had numerous literary interests, accumulated a valuable library, contributed articles and stories to local journals, and published several novels and collections of stories
Connections
On December 6, 1882, he married Katharine W. Pecker of Concord. He died in Boston, survived by his wife and one son.