Hugh Clarke Tuttle

Dover-Hugh Clarke Tuttle, 10th generation farmer, died Saturday, December 14, 2002 at his home on Dover Point. He was 81. Born in Dover on March 31, 1921, he was the second son of William Penn and Barbara Clarke Tuttle. He graduated from Dover High School in 1939 and attended Harvard University for three years until the lure of the land brought him back home one warm spring day. He studied agriculture at the University of New Hampshire while working with his father on the historic Tuttle Farm, the oldest direct-lineage family farm and business in the United States. He took over the farm upon his father’s retirement in the mid 1950’s and with his wife, opened a small roadside stand, Tuttle’s Red Barn, where fresh produce could be marketed directly to the consumer from the farm itself. His ancestor, John Tuttle, came to this country from Wales in the 1630’s and settled on his land grant, part of the present farm.

Hugh was an early advocate of good soil conservation practices and for 42 years was a Supervisor of the Strafford County Soil Conservation District. He was also a member and later Chairman of the NH State Conservation Committee, and from 1953-19588, a Director of the National Association of Soil Conservation Districts.

A supporter of business-like city government, he served as Acting City Manager for six weeks in 1961 following a change in the Dover City Charter, until an experienced manager could be hired. The following year, he was selected to fill a vacancy on the City Council and was later elected to the Council, serving six years, two years as Mayor. He was a member and later Chairman of both the Planning Board and the Water Board and spent several terms in the NH State Legislature. He was a Trustee of the Strafford Savings Bank, later Southeast Bank for Savings, until its purchase by Citizen’s Bank. In addition, he was a Director of PSNH prior to its merger with NE Utilities.

In 1984, he was awarded the Charles Holmes Pettee Medal by the UHN Alumni Association in recognition of “outstanding accomplishment and distinguished service to the state, the nation and the world” in the tradition of Dean Pettee.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Joan DeCamp Tuttle, a “city girl” whom he wed in Brookline, MA on September 30, 1943. Together they worked tirelessly to build a business and to maintain the legacy of the Tuttle Farm. In addition to raising their children, they opened their home to a steady stream of other people’s children who would come for a night and stay for years. Theirs was a house filled with laughter, prodigious story telling, warmth of a wood fire and plenty of food for all comers. During the winter months, Hugh and Joan traveled extensively with friends old and new across the United States and to many warm ports of call, always returning in plenty of time to plant the first seeds of Spring.

He was the loving father of Lucy Alger Tuttle, William Penn Tuttle III and Rebecca Tuttle Schultze, and the proud and cherished grandfather of Andrew, Molly, Grayson and Daisy Tuttle, Evan Hourihan, Katharine, Solar and Dinah Schultze, all of whose many talents, adventures and accomplishments amazed and delighted him. He is also survived by his sister, Barbara Kent and his brother Mark Tuttle, many nieces, nephews, cousins, loving friends, and by the entire “Tuttle’s Red Barn family.” All who knew him well will miss him more than words can express. He is pre-deceased by a brother, William Penn Tuttle, Jr.

In accordance with his wishes, services will be private, at the family’s convenience. In his memory, those who would honor him might get their hands nice and dirty in some good topsoil. Contributions in his name may be made to Seacoast Hospice, 662 Central Avenue, Dover, NH 03820 or to Cocheco Valley Humane Society, 262 County Farm Road, Dover, NH 03820.

Arrangements under the direction of the Wiggin-Purdy-McCooey-Dion Funeral Home, 655 Central Avenue, Dover, NH 03820 and the Oyster River Crematory, 2 Concord Road, Lee, NH 03824.