John Haven Nealley was born in So. Berwick, Me. on Aug. 4, 1853 the son of Benjamin and Abbie (Pray) Nealley. He attended Bryant & Stratton Commerical College in Portland, Me. He came to Dover in 1871 and worked in the dry goods store of his brother B. Frank Nealley, and in 1893 he purchased the business from his brother. He served as a Representative to the Legislature (1889-90), as mayor of Dover (1904-05) and as a state senator in 1907. He married Sept. 12, 1877, Miss Emma C. Cushing daughter of Thomas H. and Caroline (Torr) Cushing of Dover. John and Emma lived at 230 Washington Street in the house that had been built by her father. They had no children. John H. Nealley died Dec. 6, 1928 his wife Emma died in August of the same year.
Photograph from Dover Public Library archives, text from Marston, Robert, Dover, NH: People, Businesses and Organizations: 1850 to 1950. Dover, NH, 2004.