BLISS, FRANCIS A., son of Abiah and Julia Ann (Sturtevant) Bliss was born in Rehoboth, Nov. 18, 1837, on the Bliss homestead on Agricultural Avenue, where several generations of the family have lived. He died Oct. 17, 1914, in his 77th year. He attended the district school and later the select school in the Village taught by Thomas W. Bicknell, through whose influence he was induced to study for a year at the Thetford Academy in Vermont. He also attended the Providence Seminary at East Greenwich, R.I. He then taught in the Hornbine and the Annawan districts in Rehoboth. This was in 1860 and ‘61. In October, 1861, he enlisted in Company I, First Massachusetts Cavalry, under Col. Robert Williams. His regiment was stationed at Hilton’s Head and the adjoining island of Beaufort, S.C., where he spent the greater part of three years. He was in several small engagements, but saw his first hard fighting at the battle of Pocotaligo, S.C. In this battle, while attempting to cut the railway between Charleston and Savannah, Mr. Bliss was severely wounded in his right arm and was off duty for two months. After three years of service he re-enlisted with many of his comrades and they were ordered to Florida, where they fought under Gen. Seymour in the disastrous battle of Olustee. In describing this battle Mr. Bliss writes: "We had 6,000 men against 15,000 of the enemy. They were entrenched behind breastworks and we in the open. For more than an hour I had to ride back and forth in rear of the line of battle, with a revolver in my hand to keep the men in the ranks. A cannon-ball struck the ground just in front and covered me over with dirt. The next instant a cannon-ball tore through the branches of a tree over my head and the branches of the tree fell on the horse; then the recall sounded." Then came the fierce battle of Palatka, Fla., after which his battalion was ordered to Virginia, where they arrived in time to participate in the battle of the Wilderness and witness the surrender of Lee.

He joined the Congregational Church in Rehoboth Village, July 4, 1858 and was ordained one of its deacons in 1877, which office he adorned for thirty-seven years. At the time of his death he had been treasurer of the Church for thirty-two years, and for eighteen years he was superintendent of the Sunday-school.