Charles B.H. Fessenden 1863-1869
Charles Backus Hyde Fessenden was born around 1816 in Massachusetts. According to the 1850 census, he was married to Sarah Fessenden (born in New York) and they had two children, Richard and Sarah.
At the time of the 1850 census, Fessenden was working as a lawyer in Sandwich, Massachusetts. Fessenden practiced law in Michigan for four years and in Massachusetts for ten years. He also served as U.S. Collector of Customs for New Bedford from 1853-1861. He worked as the U.S. Assessor of Internal Revenue for the same region from 1873-1876. By 1870, Fessenden is listed as living in the fourth ward of New Bedford. The 1880 census lists Fessenden’s occupation as a collector of internal revenue- his official title was U.S. Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue.