NYPL RESEARCH LIBRARIES
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erf ^Massachusetts
Biographical Genealogical
Compiled with Assistance of the Following
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
WILLIAM RICHARD CUTTER
Former Librarian of Woburn Public Library;
Historian of New England Historic-Genea-
logical Society; Author of "History of Arling-
ton," "Bibliography of Woburn," "History of
the Cutter Family," etc.
EUGENE C. GARDNER
Member of American Institute of Architecture,
etc.; Author of "Homes and How to Make
Them," and other popular works; Lecturer,
and frequent contributor to leading magazines
and newspapers.
HARLAN HOGE BALLARD, A. M.
Librarian of Berkshire Athenaeum and Mu-
seum; Secretary of Berkshire Historical Soci-
ety; Author of "Three Kingdoms;" "World of
Matter;" "Translation into English, Hexameters
of Virgil's Aeneid;" Joint Author "American
Plant Book;" "Barnes' Readers;" "One Thou-
sand Blunders in English."
REV. JOHN H. LOCKWOOD, A. M.
Member of Connecticut Valley Historical Soci-
ety, and Western Hampden Historical Society;
Author of "History of the Town of Westfleld,
Mass."
HON. ELLERY BICKNELL CRANE
Charter Member, ex-President and for fifteen
years Librarian of Worcester Society of Antiq-
uity, and Editor of its Proceedings; Author of
"Rawson Family Memorial," "The Crane Fam-
ily," in two volumes, "History of 15th Regi-
ment in the Revolution," and Compiler of a
Number of Genealogies of the Prominent Fam-
ilies of Massachusetts. Member of the New
England Historic-Genealogical and other His-
torical Societies.
CHARLES FRENCH READ
Clerk and Treasurer of Bostonian Society;
Director of Brookline Historical Society; Sec-
ond Vice-Presiclent of Mass. Soc. S. A. R. ;
Chairman Membership Com. Mass. Soc. Colo-
nial Wars; Member Board of Managers, Mass.
Soc., War of 1812; Treasurer of Read Soc. for
Genealogical Research.
ROBERT SAMUEL RANTOUL
Ex-President of Essex Institute; Member of
Massachusetts Historical Society; ex-Repre-
sentative and ex-Mayor of Salem.
E. ALDEN DYER, M. D.
President of Old Bridgewater Historical Soci-
ety; President of Dyer Family Association.
ILLUSTRATED
191b
THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY (Inc.)
NEW YORK BOSTON
RC
CHICAGO
THE NEW YORK
PUBLIC LIBRARY
364887A
ASTOR, LENOX AND
TH.DEN FOUNDATIONS
R 1928 i,
Both justice and decency require that we should bestow on our forefathers
an honorable remembrance Thucydides
BIOGRAPHICAL
f f i i t<uuu
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'
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
GUILD, Curtis, Jr.,
Journalist, Governor, Soldier.
Curtis Guild, Jr., forty-third Governor
of Massachusetts (1906-1908), was born
in Boston, Massachusetts, February 2,
1860, son of Curtis and Sarah Crocker
(Cobb) Guild. His father was the foun-
der of the Boston "Commercial Bulletin."
lie was educated at Miss Lewis' pri-
vate school, Roxbury, at Chauncy Hall
School, Boston, and at Harvard College,
where he obtained his first journalistic
experience as editor of the "Crimson" and
"Lampoon," showing marked literary
ability. He was graduated with highest
honors in 1881, receiving special mention
in English literature and composition,
French literature and history. After a
protracted tour in Europe he entered upon
an engagement with the "Commercial
Bulletin" as collector and traveling agent,
subsequently served in every department
and rose to the position of editor, and in 1884
he was admitted to partnership with his
father and uncle. It was he who made
the statistics on wool in "The Bulletin"
so accurate as to be considered authorita-
tive by the government of the United
States and by the trade throughout Amer-
ica, England, Europe and Australia.
Upon the death of his uncle and the re-
tirement of his father in 1902, he became
sole owner of "The Bulletin," and has
since conducted its policy. He engaged
in politics at the age of twenty-one, tak-
ing the stump as a speaker, and serving
as treasurer and chairman of his ward
committee. In 1895 ne was elected chair-
man of the Republican State Convention,
and in 1896 was a delegate-at-large to the
Republican National Convention and was
one of its vice-presidents. He was active
as a campaign speaker in ten of the cen-
tral western states in 1896, and in 1900 he
accompanied Theodore Roosevelt from
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to New York
City, besides covering Vermont, Maine
and Massachusetts.
In 1902 he was the Republican candi-
date for Lieutenant-Governor of Massa-
chusetts, and was elected in November
of that year. Within thirty-six hours of
his inauguration he was called to the
chair of Acting Governor in the absence
of Governor Bates from the State. After
serving as Lieutenant-Governor until
1905, he was in that year nominated for
Governor, and was elected by a plurality
of 22,558 and in the following year he was
reflected by the increased plurality of
30,233. His third election followed in
1907 with a plurality of 104,000, his vote
being more than double that of the next
highest candidate. Governor Guild's ad-
minstration was marked by the passage
of more new legislation than that re-
corded under any previous Governor, his
reforms being largely of a humanitarian
character.
He was interested in military matters
from the time he entered a military school
in his youth, and was major of the acade-
my battalion. He later became an officer
in the Harvard Rifle Corps, and a mem-
ber of Troop A, First Massachusetts
Cavalry, advancing to a commission.
Governor Greenhalge offered him a staff
appointment, and Governor Wolcott ap-
pointed him inspector-general of rifle
practice with the rank of brigadier-gen-
eral. The day after the sinking of the
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
"Maine," he asked the Governor to file
his name as a volunteer for service in the
expected war ; and the Governor sent him
on a special mission to Washington to
learn what would be expected of Massachu-
setts in the event of hostilities breaking
out. As a result of his information Mas-
sachusetts placed her troops in readiness,
and her regiments and naval brigade
were, under call of the President, the first
to report at a national rendezvous, fully
armed and equipped, even to medical
stores, ammunition, and other sup-
plies. Colonel Guild at once enlisted as
first lieutenant and adjutant of the Sixth
Massachusetts Regiment, and was soon
appointed inspector-general, with the
rank of lieutenant-colonel. In addition to
all the regular duties of an inspector-gen-
eral he acted as a drillmaster, and also
served a part of the time as chief ord-
nance officer. lie inaugurated a new
method of weekly inspection reports, by
which on a tabular view, the corps com-
mander was informed every Monday
morning of the exact condition of every
command in his corps, both as to health,
drill, sanitation, food, and equipment, and
this action received the official endorse-
ment and approval of the inspector-gen-
eral of the army in his annual report for
that year. Colonel Guild broke up the
fever camp at Miami, arranged the camp
sites at Savannah, framed the Savannah port
regulations and attended to the disciplin-
ing of pilots ; quelled a mutiny in one of
the western regiments; and accompanied
the army as inspector-general. He acted
as chief of secret service when the Span-
ish inhabitants were living in daily fear
of massacre at the hands of Cuban guer-
rillas ; investigated all claims for land
damages, and reformed the slaughter
house system of Havana province. He
was offered a colonial commission by the
President but declined, as he did also the
proffer of the First Assistant Postmaster-
Generalship. He was also offered the
chairmanship of the National Civil Serv-
ice Commission, which he likewise de-
clined. He received seventy-five votes
for the vice-presidential nomination in
the Republican National Convention of
1908. He was Special Ambassador to
Mexico in 1910, and was appointed Am-
bassador to Russia, July 21, 1911, serving
until 1913
Besides his regular newspaper work, he
has occasionally contributed to such maga-
zines as "Life," the "Atlantic Monthly,"
the "North American Review," "Scrib-
ner's" and "Harper's." He received the
honorary degree of LL. D. from Holy
Cross College and from Williams Col-
lege. At its 35Oth jubilee in 1909, the
University of Geneva, Switzerland, be-
stowed its historic honorary degree of
S. T. D. upon him for services in the pro-
motion of public morality ; and the king
of Italy conferred the decoration of grand
officer of the Crown of Italy in 1908. in
recognition of Massachusetts legislation
procured by him for the protection of
emigrants from fraudulent bankers and of
legislation for the protection of children
from the padrones. He has also been the
recipient of the Grand Cordon Order of
St. Alexander Nevski (Russian). In 1912
he was the orator at the Memorial Day
Services at the tomb of General Ulysses
S. Grant, at Riverside Drive, New York.
He is a member of the Boston Chamber
of Commerce, the Masonic fraternity
(thirty-third degree), the Press, Algon-
quin, Nahant, Country, Tavern, Boston,
and Middlesex clubs, and the Massachu-
setts Republican Club, of which he was a
founder, and the president in 1901 ; also
the Civil Service Reform Association,
American Forestry Association, Society
of Colonial Wars, Society of Foreign
Wars, Sons of the American Revolution.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
and Military and Naval Order Spanish-
American War.
He was married, at Boston, Massachu-
setts, June i, 1892, to Charlotte H.,
daughter of E. C. Johnson.
MOODY, William Henry,
Statesman, Government Official.
Hon. William Henry Moody was born
on a farm at Newbury, Essex county,
Massachusetts, December 23, 1853, son of
Henry L. and Melissa Augusta (Emer-
son) Moody, of a family old and substan-
tial in New England, many of whose
members made honored names in litera-
ture, domestic economics, evangelism and
the ministry. The founder in the colonies
was William Moody, a native of Wales,
an iron worker, who with his wife and
one son settled at Newbury, Massachu-
setts, in 1635. The line of descent to Wil-
liam H. Moody is traced through Wil-
liam's son Samuel and his wife, Mary
Cutting; their son, William, and his
wife, Mehitabel Sewall ; their son, Dea-
con Samuel, and his wife, Judith Hale ;
their son, Captain Paul, and his wife ;
their son, William, and his wife, Abigail
Titcomb, who were the grandparents of
William H. Moody.
William Henry Moody graduated from
Phillips (Andover) Academy in 1872, and
from Harvard in 1876, receiving the de-
gree of A. B. He was a brilliant but not
persistent student, and had a great fond-
ness for outdoor sports, especially base-
ball. After graduation from college he
took up the study of law in the offices of
Richard H. Dana, of Boston. In 1878 he
applied for examination for admission to
the bar, but the committee learned that
he had spent only eighteen months in law
study and declined to examine him, the
customary course of training being three
years. He insisted however, upon being
heard, and after the test the committee
conceded that young Moody was the best
prepared student they ever had examined.
He entered upon the practice of his profes-
sion in Haverhill, and his business soon
became large and reasonably profitable.
His first political office was that of city
solicitor, 1888-90, and the duties of which
he discharged most creditably. He was
then made United States District At-
torney for the Eastern District of Mas-
sachusetts, serving until the death of
General William Cogswell, member of
Congress from the Sixth Massachusetts
District, in 1895, and whose successor he
became in the latter part of the session
of the Fifty-fourth Congress, and was re-
elected in 1896, 1898 and 1902. In Con-
gress he served upon the committees on
appropriations, expenditures in the De-
partment of Justice, insular affairs, trans-
portation of mails, and upon various
special committees. His service on the
committee on appropriations was especi-
ally valued because of the thoroughness
with which he mastered the details of its
very great number of items and his pre-
paredness to answer inquiries concerning
them, made on the floor of the House.
He very ably opposed making the Coast
and Geodetic Survey an appendage of the
military establishment, giving most con-
vincing reasons for his position. He drew
the provision which became a law that
prevents the federal departments from
establishing pension lists for incompetent
clerks, and he favored the bill which pro-
vides for our eight-hour day on govern-
ment work. All of his debates were clear
and decisive in form and full of facts.
On May I, 1902, when John D. Long
resigned as Secretary of the Navy, Mr.
Moody was appointed by President
Roosevelt to be his successor, and resigned
his seat in Congress to accept the ap-
pointment. In the Navy Department his
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
first move was one which transferred
mere routine duties to subordinates. He
advised the establishment of an ample
naval base at Guantonamo, Porto Rico,
in order to give to the United States more
easy mastery of the Caribbean Sea, and
the Panama Canal when completed ; and
he also established a naval base at Subig
Bay, in the Philippines. He induced
Congress to double the number of cadet
appointments to the United States Naval
Academy at Annapolis, in order to pro-
vide competent officers for the increasing
number of new ships then being added
to the navy ; and secured the establish-
ment of the first joint army and navy
board for the purpose of simplifying and
harmonizing the work and operations of
these two branches of national defense.
He also conceived and put into practice
the plan of a squadron formation to take
the place of individual cruises by the vari-
ous warships. On July i, 1904, when
Philander C. Knox succeeded Mr. Quay
in the United States Senate, Mr. Moody
succeeded him as Attorney-General. In
this office he found a number of ex-
tremely important cases pending. Like
his predecessor, he personally appeared
before the courts in most of them and
was very successful ; and he inaugurated
the practice of having a representative
of the department participate in every
case that involved the general welfare.
While prosecuting the beef trust cases at
Chicago, he coined the now popular ex-
pression of "immunity bath," which was
intended to ridicule the theory of the de-
fendants that a corporation could avoid
punishment for wrongdoing, if one of its
officers should visit Washington on occa-
sion and make confession. He said to the
court: "Washington will become the Al-
satia to which they can resort for immu-
nity for their offenses. Instead of run-
ning away from a subpoena, they will run
toward the government agent and serve a
confession on him. Washington will be-
come a great resort not only in winter but
in summer. All the people who are violat-
ing the laws may go there at intervals
and obtain immunity. Thus the law
under which we are acting becomes a li-
cense to commit crime." Attorney-Gen-
eral Moody secured a decision from the
United States Supreme Court to the
effect that officers of a corporation cannot
refuse to testify on the plea that they may
incriminate the corporation ; and that
they cannot withhold books and papers
from investigation in proper legal pro-
ceedings. He secured a decision which
broke up what was known as "peonage"
in the south, and also one requiring all
railroads to equip their rolling stock with
safety couplers. At this same time he
carried on preliminary investigations into
various trusts, tobacco, salt, fertilizer,
drug, and numerous other combinations
in restraint of trade that were held to be
in violation of the Sherman anti-trust law,
or the Elkins rate law. He also instituted
in 1906 the famous suit of the govern-
ment against the Standard Oil Company.
Upon the retirement of Justice Henry B.
Brown, on December 17, 1906, Mr. Moody
was selected by President Roosevelt to be
an Associate Justice of the United States
Supreme Court, which office he held until
his retirement on account of ill health on
November 20, 1910. In 1904 he received
the degree of LL, D. from Amherst and
Tufts colleges. Mr. Moody's political
affiliations are with the Republican party.
He is unmarried.
SPRAGUE, Gen. Augustus B. R.,
Distinguished Soldier, Public Official.
Edward Sprague, the English progeni-
tor of this family, was a resident of Up-
way. County of Dorset, and a fuller by
6
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
trade. He married Christiana .
Their children were: Ralph, Alice, Ed-
ward, Richard, Christopher, William (2).
Three of these children, Ralph, Richard
and William, in company with John En-
dicott came to Salem in 1628 in the inter-
ests of the Massachusetts Bay Company,
and were the founders of Charlestown.
He died in 1614.
William Sprague (i), son of Edward,
was born in England, married Millesaint,
daughter of Anthony Eames, in 1635. He
lived in Charlestown until 1636 and then
became one of the first settlers of Hing-
ham, where he was active in public
affairs. Their children were : Anthony,
born September 2, 1635 ; John, baptized
April, 1638 ; Samuel, baptized May 24,
1640; Elizabeth, baptized May 2, 1641;
Jonathan, baptized March 20, 1642 ; Per-
ses, baptized November 12, 1643; Joanna,
baptized December, 1644; Jonathan (2),
born May 28, 1648 ; William, born May 7,
1650; Mary, baptized May 25, 1652; Han-
nah, baptized February 26, 1655. Wil-
liam Sprague died October 26, 1625 ; his
wife February 8, 1696.
Jonathan (2), son of William (i), was
born at Hingham, May 28, 1648; married
Mehitable, daughter of William and
Elizabeth Holbrook. In 1672 they re-
moved to Mendon and before 1680 they
located in Providence, Rhode Island, hav-
ing received from his father, at his death,
sixty acres of land in that place. For six-
teen years he was a member of the House
of Deputies, 1695-1714; speaker of the
House in 1703; member of the town
council, 1705-1712 ; clerk of the Assembly
in 1707. In 1703 he with two others was
appointed to draw up the methods and
procedure of the court of common pleas.
Their children were: Jonathan, William
(3), born April 2, 1688; Patience; Joan-
na ; Mary ; daughter, married Ebenezer
Cook.
He, Jonathan (2), died probably in
Smithfield, Rhode Island, September,
1741.
William Sprague (3), son of Jonathan
(2), was born at Providence, April 2,
1688; married, November 16, 1714, Ales
or Alice Brown who was born July 31,
1691. He was captain in the Second
Regiment Providence County Militia in
1732. He gave the land for the Baptist
church at Smithfield August, 1738. Their
children were : Nehemiah (4), born October
5, 1717; Alice, born October 28, 1721;
Sarah, born February 10, 1722-23; Sam-
uel, born September 12, 1724; Peter, born
September 12, 1726; Joshua, born July 3.
1729.
He married (second) Mrs. Mary Wall-
ing, August 26, 1/44. He died in Smith-
field, December 20, 1778.
The dates in this branch that differ
from those in General Sprague's pam-
phlet are from corrections made by him
after the work was published.
Nehemiah Sprague (4), son of William
(3), was born in Smithfield, formerly part
of Providence, October 5, 1717; married
April 16, 1738, Mary Brown. Their chil-
dren were: Elias (5), born June 16, 1744;
Nehemiah, born January 20, 1750.
Elias Sprague (5), son of Nehemiah
(4), was born in Smithfield, June 16, 1744.
He was a Quaker. He married August 5,
1764, Mercy, daughter of Joseph Bassett
and Ales Sprague Bassett. She was born
October 25, 1744. They removed to
Douglass, Massachusetts, about 1788.
Their children were: Jonathan (6), born
December 9, 1765; Theodate, born Janu-
ary 4, 1768; Amy, born October 6, 1769;
Benjamin, born April 10, 1771 ; Lavina,
born August 12, 1773; Stephen, born No-
vember 18, 1775 ; Preserved, born Octo-
ber 17, 1777; Thankful, born October 19,
1779; William, born June 3, 1782; Alice,
born August 29, 1784; Elias; Lucina ;
child, unnamed.
Elias died in Douglass. February 15.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
1799; his wife November 5, 1835, in
ninety-second year.
Jonathan Sprague (6), son of Elias (5),
was born in Smithfield, December 9, 1765 ;
married (first) August 12, 1785, Patience,
daughter of Robert Pixley or Pidgeley, of
New Grafton, Massachusetts. She was
born November 7, 1765, and died Decem-
ber 14, 1801. Their children were: Sarah,
born December 3, 1785; Nehemiah, born
June 17, 1787; Mercy, born January 7,
1789; Federal Constitution, born Octo-
ber 16, 1790; Amy, born October 14, 1792;
Daniel, born August 4, 1794; Preserved,
born April 4, 1795 ; Lee (7), born Febru-
ary 7, 1798; Patience, born March i, 1800;
Jonathan, Jr., born October 6, 1801.
Second marriage of Jonathan (6) was
to Keziah, daughter of Daniel and Keziah
Torrey, of Sutton, Massachusetts. She
was born there April 19, 1770, and died in
Douglass, May 10, 1844. Their children
were: Almira, born May 4, 1803; Philin-
da, born June 30, 1805 ; Elias, born March
21, 1807; Emeline.
Jonathan (6) died in Thompson, Con-
necticut, October 29, 1815, leaving ninety-
seven grandchildren. Both he and his
wife, Patience, were buried in the Friends'
burying ground in South Douglass, Mas-
sachusetts.
Lee Sprague (7), son of Jonathan (6),
was born at Douglass, February 7, 1798;
married (first) Olive How Williams, May
21, 1831. She was born in Pomfret, Con-
necticut, November 27, 1803, and died
in Ware, Massachusetts, November ir,
1822; married (second) in Ware, Sep-
tember 8, 1824, Lucia, daughter of Dea-
con Eli Snow and Alice Alden. She was
born .in Ware, April 28, 1805, and died in
Worcester, December 4, 1864. Her father
was in the fifth generation from Nicholas
Snow, who came to Plymouth in the ship
"Ann" in 1621, and married Constance
Hopkins, a "Mayflower" pilgrim. Lucia's
mother, Alice, was in the fifth generation
from John Alden and Priscilla Mullins,
who came over in the "Mayflower."
Their children of whom three only lived
to maturity were : Olive Williams, born
June 12, 1825; Augustus Brown Reed,
born March 7, 1827; Caroline Florella,
born July i, 1829.
Married (third) May 8, 1866, Mary A.
Bradley, born July 20, 1808.
Lee (7) was for many years a merchant
in Worcester and died there September 9,
1877.
Augustus Brown Reed Sprague (8),
son of Lee (7), was born in Ware, March
7, 1827; married (first) December 23,
1846, Elizabeth Janes, daughter of Sam-
uel Rice and Eliza Shepard. She was
born January 25, 1826, and died in Wor-
cester, February 20, 1889. Their children
of whom three only lived to maturity
were: Josephine Elizabeth, born Decem-
ber 19, 1851 ; married Edward H. Knowl-
ton, of Worcester, October 16, 1872, and
died there December 7, 1879, leaving one
child, Howard Sprague Knowlton, born
March 4, 1878. He was graduated from
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, class of
1898, and married, October 17, 1901, Alice
Frances Conant. Carrie Lee, born April
17, 1858, was graduated from Worcester
High School, class of 1877, and died Au-
gust 28. 1877. Fred Foster, born October
24, 1864: married, April 12, 1892. Adaline
Estelle Sprague, born in Worcester, July
15, 1858. He died July 16, 1906. She died
November 10, 1914.
Second marriage of Augustus Brown
Reed was October 23, 1890, to Mary Jen-
nie, daughter of William Cawthorne Bar-
bour and Martha Ann Kimball. (See
Kimball genealogy.) She was born Sep-
tember 24, 1857, and was graduated from
Worcester High School, class of 1877.
At the time of her marriage she held the
position of assistant librarian of the Free
8
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Public Library of Worcester. Since then
she has been active in social, church and
charitable life. She was president of the
League of Unitarian Women in 1908 and
1909, and president of the Worcester
Woman's Club in 1909 and 1910. She is
a member of these clubs, of the Worces-
ter Art Society and the Alliance Fran-
caise. Only child of second marriage :
Alice Alden, born in Worcester, Septem-
ber ii, 1893.
General Augustus Brown Reed Sprague
died at Worcester, May 17, 1910.
General Sprague was educated in the
public and private schools of Ware and
East Douglass. Circumstances compelled
him to abandon his preparations for col-
lege, and in 1842 he came to Worcester,
entering the employ of H. B. Claflin who
afterward became the great New York
merchant. Not long after he became as-
sociated with his father in the grain busi-
ness under the name of Lee Sprague &
Company, where he remained until the
outbreak of the Civil War. Joining the
City Guards at the age of seventeen, he
began a military career that made him of
service to his country in her greatest
need ; rising rapidly from the ranks to
the position of adjutant of the Eighth
Regiment, later becoming major and in-
spector on the staff of the Commander of
the Fifth Brigade, Third Division, Mas-
sachusetts Volunteer Militia, which posi-
tion he held at the time of the attack on
Fort Sumter.
At the first call of President Lincoln
for troops, he was unanimously elected to
the captaincy of the Worcester City
Guards, known thereafter as Company A,
Third Battalion of Rifles, Major Charles
Devens, commander, and left for the seat
of war April 20, 1861, reaching- Annapolis
by transport from New York, and was
sent to reinforce Fort McHenry. As senior
officer he commanded the battalion and
brought it back to Worcester in August,
as Major Devens had been called to the
command of the Fifteenth Regiment.
Identifying himself at once with the or-
ganization of the Twenty-fifth Regiment,
he was commissioned its lieutenant-colo-
nel on the 9th of September. Before leav-
ing for the front Lieutenant-Colonel
Sprague was presented with a magnificent
sword and belt by his own command, and
later with a valuable horse and equip-
ments, Hon. Alexander H. Bullock mak-
ing the presentation for the donors. The
Twenty-fifth Regiment was part of the
famous Burnside expedition, and with it
he served until November 11, 1862, par-
ticipating in its battles and skirmishes,
and was officially reported for "bravery
and efficiency" in the engagements at
at Roanoke Island, and Newbern. At this
time, November n, he was promoted to
be colonel of the Fifty-first Massachu-
setts, and by special request of General
Foster, commanding the department,
Colonel Sprague, with his new regiment,
returned to North Carolina and partici-
pated in the engagements of Kinston,
Whitehall and Goldsboro. At the time of
Lee's advance resulting in Gettysburg,
this regiment with others left Newbern
to reinforce General Dix at White House
on the Pamunkey, and then returned to
Fortress Monroe for transportation to
Massachusetts, its term of service having
expired. But learning here that Lee's
army was north of the Potomac, Colonel
Sprague telegraphed the Secretary of
War, offering his regiment for further
service. It was accepted and ordered to
Baltimore, thence to Maryland Heights,
joining the Army of the Potomac near
Williamsport, Maryland, Lee occupying
the hills opposite ; and only returned to
Massachusetts when Lee was rapidly re-
treating into Virginia. The return of the
Fifty-first was an event in the history of
ENCYCLOPEDIA OE BIOGRAPHY
Worcester. The muster out came July
27, 1863.
He was commissioned again, February
i, 1864, as lieutenant-colonel of the Sec-
ond Massachusetts Heavy Artillery. He
served with it in Southern Virginia and
North Carolina, commanding the regi-
ment in its field service, moving with Gen-
eral Schofield's command to open com-
munications with General Sherman at
Goldsboro, North Carolina. He was dis-
charged September 20, 1865, at Galloupe
Island, previous to which he was com-
missioned colonel of the regiment. He
served nearly four years, and Congress
gave him the brevet rank of brigadier-
general of volunteers to date from March
13, 1865, for "gallant and meritorious
service during the war."
During this long service of three years
and nine months he gained the approba-
tion of his superior officers and earned the
lifelong regard of his comrades. In later
years his association with his former com-
rades brought him, true pleasure. In 1868
he was commander of the Department of
Massachusetts, Grand Army of the Re-
public, and in 1873-74 he was quarter-
master-general of the national encamp-
ment of the Grand Army of the Republic.
Post No. 24, of Grafton, Massachusetts,
was named in his honor. He was a char-
ter member of the commandery of the
State of Massachusetts, Military Order of
the Loyal Legion of the United States, of
which he was junior vice-commander in
1868 and commander in 1908-09. He was
president of the Fifty-first Regiment As-
sociation from its organization, and in
1889 this body presented to him a magnifi-
cent gold, diamond studded Grand Army
of the Republic badge, and in 1903 pre-
sented an oil painting of his wartime por-
trait to the Worcester County Mechanics'
Association, who hung the painting in
Mechanics' Hall.
After the war was over General Sprague
returned to civil life and served the pub-
lic in offices of trust for nearly half a cen-
tury. In 1859 and 1860 he was a member
of the common council and of the board
of aldermen in 1871, city marshal in 1867,
and resigned to accept the office of col-
lector of internal revenue for the eighth
Massachusetts district, which office he
held from March 4, 1867, to July I, 1872.
During this time his collections amounted
to about four million dollars. On the
death of Hon. J. S. C. Knowlton, sheriff,
he was appointed his successor, July 5,
1871, and afterwards was elected for six
successive terms of three years each.
Soon after taking the office the Worces-
ter prison was rebuilt and greatly en-
larged to accommodate the increasing de-
mands. After its completion, the sheriff
took personal supervision and began that
work which he and his friends justly re-
gard as a public benefit and a distin-
guished advance in the improvement of
modern prisons. The whole system of
accounts was revised as well as the diet
table in both this institution and in Fitch-
burg over which the sheriff has entire
control. He did away with the shaving
of heads and the wearing of parti-colored
garments, believing them unnecessary in-
dignities imposed upon short-term pris-
oners. Food of better quality, in greater
variety and at a less cost was furnished
and prepared by the best hygienic prin-
cipals of cooking. Better clothing and
bedding were added, and later the library
greatly increased by many new and care-
fully selected books. This work is due
to the untiring efforts of General Sprague,
who for years devoted himself to search-
ing out the latest and best improvements
in the prisons of this and other States.
That this work was appreciated by the
commissioners of prisons may be seen in
their yearly reports, where they call the
10
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Worcester county prisons the model pris-
ons of the Commonwealth. While hold-
ing this office he was offered by Governor
Long the wardenship of the State prison
and urged to accept it, but declined in
order to carry out his plans in his own
county.
In December, 1895, he was elected
mayor of Worcester, and reflected the
following year. During his administra-
tion the new City Hall was built, and he
laid the cornerstone with Masonic cere-
monies and served on the building com-
mittee until it was virtually completed.
For many years he was treasurer of the
Putnam & Spragne Furniture Company
at the corner of Maine and Central streets.
He took an active part in the develop-
ment of several of the larger corporations
of the city, and at the time of his death
was president of the Worcester Electric
Light Company, of which he had been a
director from the start. He was also
president of the Mechanics' Savings Bank.
His administrative ability and business
acumen always made him valuable to
Worcester's business life.
Although he laid no claim to literary
ability, he was a lifelong student of his-
tory, and he left a notable collection of
historical papers, letters and other ma-
terial, which will be eventually preserved
in the American Antiquarian Library. He
published an account of the Burnside ex-
pedition to North Carolina, and a gene-
alogy of his branch of the Sprague family,
and took much pleasure in tracing family
history. His library is a storehouse of
interesting books, portraits and memen-
toes.
The finest thing about General Sprague
was not, however, his war record not his
work as sheriff, not his service as mayor,
not his success in the business world. It
was his character that made him agree-
able, useful, effective and beloved. He
had a nameless charm that drew men to
him and held them as friends. A man of
striking personality, his military carriage
attracted instant attention. Fearlessness
was his characteristic. Every friend knew
of some incident of his courage in time of
danger. But his warlike qualities lay
deep, for his voice was low, his ways
gentle, his courtesy often spoken of as
belonging to the old school unfailing.
His life was long and full of varied ex-
periences. At heart he was an optimist
and a philosopher. He bore suffering,
death, bereavements and other great sor-
rows without asking others to share his
grief. His heart aches and he had more
than his share were borne with a smiling
face. He rarely spoke ill of anyone, and
his voice and purse were ever ready to
help those in need. Hundreds of his old
comrades in arms who held him in deep
affection and many men in many walks
of life could testify to his unfailing gen-
erosity and kindness.
He was a welcome guest at the social
gatherings of young men or old, for he
loved the social atmosphere, and he was
not afraid to indulge temperately and in
reason in all the good things of life. Some-
how he seemed never to have lost his
youth, and even after his eightieth birth-
day was younger in act and thought than
many men a third his age. He made an
admirable presiding officer, and had al-
ways a fund of stories which provoked a
laugh but never carried a sting. So, too,
in his business ability he retained to the
last his youth and progressiveness. En-
dowed with foresight in business matters,
able to grasp the details of every business
with which he was connected, his remarks
at board meetings were always listened to
with respect and his opinions carried
weight. No man loved Worcester more
and none gave himself more freely to its
service. He never lost his place in the
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
hearts of her people and he will be re-
membered with love and affection until
the last of those who knew him have al?<>
passed away.
(The Kimball Line).
Richard Kimball (i), of the parish of
Rattlesden, County Suffolk, England,
came to America in the ship "Elizabeth"
of Ipswich, sailing with his wife and chil-
dren April 30, 1634. He settled in Water-
town and his home was near the corner
of Huron avenue and Appleton street, in
what is now Cambridge. Removing to
Ipswich he was granted a house lot and
forty acres beyond North River. He
owned a share in Plum Island, as well as
other land, and became influential in town
affairs. He married (first) Urusula Scott,
daughter of Henry Scott, of Rattlesden,
England. Their children : Abigail ; Henry,
born 1615 ; Elizabeth, born 1621 ; Richard,
born 1623; Mary, born 1625; Martha, born
1629; John, born 1(131; Thomas, born
1633; Sarah, born 1635; Benjamin (2),
born 1637; Caleb, born 1639.
Second marriage of Richard (i) was to
Margaret Dow, widow of Henry Dow, of
Hampton, New Hampshire, October 23,
1661.
He, Richard (i), died June 22, 1675,
aged eighty years. His will was dated
March 5, 1674, and proved September 28,
Benjamin Kimball (2), son of Richard
( i), was born in Watertown. 1637. He was
at Salisbury, Massachusetts, 1662, and at
Rowley, 1663. He was a farmer and
wheelwright and was on the first board
of overseers of Bradford. He married,
April, 1661, Mercy, daughter of Robert
and Ann Hazcltine. Their children:
Anna, born December 23, 1661 ; Mercy,
born December 27, 1663; Richard, born
December 3, 1664; Elizabeth, born July
24, 1669; David (3), born July 26, 1671 ;
Jonathan, born November 26, 1673 ; Rob-
ert, born March 5, 1675-76 ; Abraham,
born March 24, 1677-78 ; Samuel, born
March 28, 1680; Ebenezer, born June 20,
1684; Abigail, born June 20, 1684.
He died June n, 1695, and the grave-
stones of himself and wife are in the old
Bradford cemetery.
David Kimball (3), son of Benjamin
(2), born in Bradford, July 26. 1671, mar-
ried (first) Elizabeth Gage, daughter of
John Gage, of Ipswich. She was born
March 12, 1674. Their children: Han-
nah, born September 15, 1695; Samuel,
born January 14, 1697; Hannah, born
March 10, 1698; David, born 1700; Rebec-
kah, born August 16, 1703; son, born No-
vember 7, 1/05 ; Jeremiah (4), born Octo-
ber 15, 1707; Aaron, born June 7, 1710;
Elizabeth, born January 14, 1712-13;
Abraham, born February 18, 1715.
Second marriage of David (3) to Ruth
, born 1682, was about 1717. She
died March 14, 1770. Their children:
Ruth, born September, 1717; Abigail. born
April 28, 1719.
He died at Bradford, June 14, 1743.
Jeremiah Kimball (4), son of David (3),
was born in Bradford, October 15, 1707, and
lived there and in Warner and Hopkinton,
New Hampshire. He married, January
20, 1732, Elizabeth Head. Their children,
all born in Bradford: Elizabeth, born
April 2, 1733; Sarah, born July 28, 1734;
Jeremiah, born July 25, 1735 ; James, born
November 8, 1736 ; Reuben, born April 17,
1738; David (5), born December 10. 1739;
John, born January 22, 1741 ; Betty, born
January, 1743; Mary, born April 18, 1744;
Moses, born September 6, 1746; Sarah,
baptized March n, 1749; Abraham, born
April 17, 1748; Phebe, born July 3, 1751;
Richard, born January i, 1753.
He died May, 1764, and was buried at
the old fort in Warner, New Hampshire.
David Kimball (5), son of Jeremiah (4),
12
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
was born at Bradford, December 10, 1739.
He lived there and in Boxford. He was a
soldier from Bradford, in the Revolution
and served in Sergeant Abel KimbaH's
company on the Lexington Alarm, and in
1775 was in Captain Nathaniel Gage's
company ; James Frye, colonel. He mar-
ried Abigail Buswell. Their children:
Hannah; David, born April 12, 1760;
James, born November n, 1761 ; Nicholas,
born September 28, 1763; Benjamin (6),
born August 28, 1765; Micajah, born No-
vember 24, 1767; Sarah, born November
17, 1/69; Jane, born June 21, 1772; Han-
nah, born May 10, 1775 ; Daniel, born Sep-
tember 3, 1777; Amos; Persis ; Iddo, born
July 14, 1782.
He died shortly before September 4,
1804.
Benjamin Kimball (6), son of David
(5), was born* at Bradford, August 28,
1765. He married Sarah Carleton. Their
children: Fred, died at age of six; Rich-
ard (7), born January 30, 1793.
He died in 1825. In his will he gave half
his real estate to his son Richard and the
other half to Richard's four children.
Richard Kimball (7), son of Benjamin
(6), was born in Bradford, January 30. 1793.
He lived there and in Millbury and later
in Worcester, where he and his cousin.
Osgood Bradley, were engaged in the
manufacture of cars. Later he went to
Philadelphia, where he became one of the
leading car manufacturers of the country.
While in Worcester the family lived in
the colonial house on Front street, built
by. William. Hovey about 1818, and which
was then considered one of the most ele-
gant and costly dwellings in the town,
and which later became the home of the
Bradley family, and was torn down when
the present Chase building was erected.
In Philadelphia Mr. Kimball built the
first white marble faced house, erected on
Logan Square, where he lived until he
returned to New England a few years be-
fore his death.
He married Almira, daughter of Isaac
Parker and Mary Loud, of Andover. She
was born November 26, 1793 or 1794, and
died at Marlboro, Massachusetts, May 16,
1886, and is buried at Millbury, Massa-
chusetts. He died at Lancaster, Massa-
chusetts, December 30, 1868, and is also
buried at Millbury. Their children: i.
Almira Maria, born April 12, 1819; mar-
ried, April 17, 1845, Sumner Goss. He
died at Millbury, August 11, 1887; she
died there, December 10, 1889. 2. Mary
Jane, twin, born July 15, 1821; married
Sylvester Howe, of Philadelphia. She
died April 30, 1844. 3. Martha Ann (8),
twin, born July 15, 1821, at Bradford. 4.
Charlotte, born March 18, 1823, at Brad-
ford ; married William, H. Merrill. He
was born at Newburyport, May 27, 1817.
and died at Wilmington, Delaware, De-
cember, 1888. 5. Sarah Elizabeth, born
at Millbury, Massachusetts, October 15,
1825 ; married George Emery Hunter, of
Oakham, November 24, 1847, at Worces-
ter. He was born October 15, 1823. She
died at Kansas City, Kansas, January 16,
1881. 6. Margaret, born January 26, 1828,
died at Southboro, November 29, 1901.
Martha Ann (8), daughter of Richard
Kimball (7), was born at Bradford, July 15,
1821. She married, September 10, 1845,
William Cawthorne Barbour, at Worces-
ter. He was born in New York City, June
29, 1812. Mr. Barbour was one of the
prominent real estate men in Worcester
and developed large sections of land along
Southbridge and Shrewsbury streets and
other outlying parts of the city. He was
a liberal contributor and a loyal supporter
of Plymouth Congregational Church, and
one of its founders. He died February
18, 1895. She died August 4, 1909. Their
children : i. William Francis, born Febru-
ary 22, 1849 I married, December 23, 1869,
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Anna M. Furneaux, of Lincoln, Nebraska.
She was born July 13, 1851, and died at
Kansas City, Kansas, February 7, 1898.
He died at Avinger, Texas, April 24, 1911.
2. Charles A., born June 10, 1855 ; married
Flora L. Grimes, of Pinckney, Michigan.
3. Mary Jennie (9), born at Worcester,
September 24, 1857; married, October 2;,.
1890, General Augustus Brown Reed
Sprague, of Worcester (see Sprague
genealogy).
LOWELL, Abbott L.,
President of Harvard University.
Abbott Lawrence Lowell was born in
Boston, Massachusetts, December 13,
1856, son of Augustus and Katharine
Bigelow (Lawrence) Lowell, and brother
of I'ercival Lowell, the astronomer. His
first American ancestor was Percival
Lowell, who sailed in the "Jonathan"
from Worcestershire, England, in 1639,
and settled at Newbury, Massachusetts.
The line of descent is traced through his
son John ; his son John, who married Han-
nah Proctor ; their son Ebenezer, who
married Elizabeth Shailer ; their son, Rev.
John, who married Sarah Champney, and
was the first Lowell to graduate at Har-
vard College (1721) ; their son John, who
married Sarah Higginson ; their son John,
who married Rebecca Amory ; their son,
John Amory, who married Susan C.
Lowell, and their son Augustus, who was
the father of him of whom this narrative
treats.
Hon. John Amory Lowell was the first
trustee of the Lowell Institute, and Judge
John Lowell was a direct ancestor of
Francis Cabot Lowell, one of the chief
founders of the cotton manufacturing in-
dustry in Massachusetts ; of John Lowell,
Jr., the founder of Lowell Institute, and
of James Russell Lowell, the poet. Presi-
dent Lowell's mother was a daughter of
Abbott Lawrence, a former United States
Minister to England.
Abbott Lawrence Lowell graduated
from Harvard University in 1877, with
the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He was
especially proficient in mathematics, and
also distinguished himself in athletics,
having won on one occasion both the mile
and three-mile race in the same afternoon.
After two years at Harvard Law School
and one year in the law offices of Messrs.
Russell & Putnam, of Boston, he received
the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1880.
Admitted to the bar, for seventeen years
he practiced law in partnership with his
kinsman, Francis Cabot Lowell, Fred-
erick Jesup Stimson being a member of
the firm the last six years. Retiring from
the bar in 1897 he became a lecturer at
Harvard University, and in 1900 was,
made Professor of the Science of Govern-
ment ; in 1903 being made Eaton Pro-
fessor, which chair he filled until 1909.
He displayed such qualities of business
ability, tact and executive force in the
conduct of his various duties that in 1909,
when President Eliot resigned, Mr.
Lowell was chosen by the University cor-
poration as his successor. In his in-
augural address on October 6, 1909, Presi-
dent Lowell said : "A discussion of the
ideal college training would appear to
lead to the conclusion that the best type
of liberal education in our complex
modern world aims at producing men
who know a little of everything, and
something well." Soon after entering
upon the presidency, he introduced a radi-
cal change in the college elective system
by abandoning the plan of unlimited elec-
tives, and providing for a considerable
amount of work by the student in some
one field and the general distribution of
other subjects under the direction of the
faculty. From the moment President
Lowell began his teaching at Harvard he
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
impressed both students and colleagues
with his forceful personality. His ele-
mentary course in government was con-
sidered the most stimulating line of in-
struction, as well as the most popular,
given to under-graduates. Professor
Lowell's writings have won him inter-
national recognition as one of the few
high authorities on the history and science
of government in the English-speaking
world. They include "Transfer of Stock in
Corporations," in collaboration with Judge
Francis C. Lowell (1884) ; "Essays on
Government" (1889) ; "Governments and
Parties in Continental Europe" (1896);
"Colonial Civil Service" in collaboration
with Prof. H. Morse Stevens (1900) ; "The
Influence of Party Upon Legislation in
England and America" (1902), and "The
Government of England" (1908). He was
a member of the Boston school committee
and the executive committee of the Mas-
sachusetts Institute of Technology, and
is now a member of the Massachusetts
Historical Society, American Academy of
Arts and Letters, a fellow of the Amer-
ican Academy of Arts and Sciences ; cor-
responding member of the British Acad-
emy ; honorary member of the Royal Irish
Academy; and a member of the Phi Beta
Kappa fraternity. He has been a trustee
of the Lowell Institute of Boston since
1900, and of the Carnegie Foundation for
the Advancement of Teaching since 1910.
In connection with the Lowell Institute
he has full financial management of the
trust, selects the lecturers, and in all ways
carries on the affairs of the institute in
the service of public education. He re-
ceived the honorary degree of Doctor of
Laws from Williams College in 1908;
from Columbia, Princeton, Yale, Louvain
and Dartmouth in 1909; and that of Doc-
tor of Philosophy from Frederich Wil-
helm University, Berlin, 1910.
He was married, June 19, 1879, to Anna
Parker, daughter of George G. Lowell, of
Boston, also a descendant of the above-
mentioned Judge John Lowell.
ANGELL, George T.,
Philanthropist.
George Thorndike Angell was born at
Southbridge, Massachusetts, June 5, 1823,
son of George and Rebekah (Thorndike)
Angell. His father was for many years a
clergyman at Southbridge, where he died
in 1827; his mother, a woman of saintly
character, was a daughter of Lieutenant
Paul Thorndike, of Tewksbury, Massa-
chusetts.
In 1842 he entered Brown University,
and in the following year Dartmouth Col-
lege, where, partly through his own
efforts and in part aided by his mother,
he went through the course to gradua-
tion in 1846. He began the study of law
in Boston, with Justice Richard Fletcher,
of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts,
and at the same time teaching in a Bos-
ton school. In 1849 he entered the office
of Charles G. Loring, a distinguished
counsellor of the Massachusetts bar, and
also studied at the Harvard University
Law School. Being admitted to the bar
in 1851, he formed a copartnership with
Judge Samuel E. Sewall, of Boston, and
was soon engaged in a large and lucrative
practice. In 1864 several cases of ex-
treme cruelty to animals appealed to his
sensibilities, and led him to provide by
will that a portion of his property, after
his decease, should be devoted to circu-
lating in schools and elsewhere informa-
tion tending to secure for them a higher
protection. In 1868 Mr. Angell entered
upon the real work of protecting animals
in Massachusetts, and, with Mrs. William
Appleton and others, founded the Massa-
chusetts Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals, of which he was
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
elected president. Realizing the neces-
sity for education along humane lines, he
established "Our Dumb Animals," the
first periodical of its kind in the world,
and his society printed and circulated two
hundred thousand copies of its first num-
ber. In 1869 he visited Europe, partly
for the restoration of his health, but
largely in the interests of the humane
cause which he held so important. He
was received most cordially by the Brit-
ish Royal Society for Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals, before which he laid
his plans, and before which he related a
history of the work already accomplished
in the United States. In England he
urged the Royal Society to establish "The
Animal World," and the Baroness Bur-
dette-Coutts to form the Ladies' Humane
Educational Committee of England, an or-
ganization which soon came to give a wide
circulation to humane literature and edu-
cation in Great Britain. In 1869 Mr.
Angell attended and took an active part
in the Congress of the Societies of the
World at Zurich, Switzerland, and in his
reports to that body declared that the
purpose of the Massachusetts Society was
to unite all religious and political bodies
on one platform, not only to insure the
protection of animals, but also to prevent
crimes, unnecessary wars, and all forms
of violence. In 1870 he organized the
Illinois Humane Society in Chicago.
Subsequently he visited the western and
southern States and aided in organizing
many similar societies. In 1882 he organ-
ized in his Boston offices the American
Band of Mercy, which in a few years
numbered over 27,000 branches. Since
1869 Mr. Angell wrote numerous pam-
phlets, magazine and newspaper articles
on the protection of animals and other
humane subjects; and addressed many
audiences as far south as New Orleans
and as far west as North Dakota, among
which were the legislatures of several
States, conventions of clergymen, teach-
ers and others, large union meetings of
churches, scientific meetings, and univer-
sities, colleges and schools. In 1889 he
obtained from the Massachusetts Legis-
lature the incorporation of the American
Humane Education Society, the first or-
ganization of its kind in the world, which
has employed missionaries, given numer-
ous large prizes for humane essays, stor-
ies, etc., and printed more than 117,000,-
ooo pages of humane literature in a single
year.
Mr. Angell was an honorary member of
numerous European and American soci-
eties, humanitarian and scientific. As a
member of the American Social Science
Association he gave much time to the in-
vestigation of the increase of crime in
the United States and to the means of
preventing it, delivering many lectures be-
fore conventions and associations in large
cities, besides writing for the newspapers
on the same subject. He also gave much
time and money to investigating and pub-
lishing information in regard to the sale
of poisonous and adulterated foods and
other articles, and in advocating the or-
ganization of public health associations.
Mr. Angell was president of the American
Humane Education Society, the Massa-
chusetts Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals, and the American
Band of Mercy, since their formation, and
gave to them, thousands of dollars to aid
in carrying on their work. As editor o
"Our Dumb Animals" he sent that paper
each month to every newspaper office in
North America, north of Mexico, also to
nearly all the professional or educated
men of his own State, to members of Con-
gress and officials in the various States,
and to humane societies throughout the
civilized world. Many of his publications
have been translated into foreign lan-
guages, both European and Asiatic.
In 1872 Mr. Angell was married to Mrs.
16
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Eliza A. (Mattoon) Martin, of North-
field, Massachusetts, who was of great
assistance to him in his humane work.
He died in 1909, and his demise was
noted with regret throughout the civilized
world.
JOHNSON, John Lovell,
Manufacturer, Financier.
For many centuries the family of John-
son had resided on the same farm in
Nordfjord, Norway, the property descend-
ing from father to son, where they lived
and died. Iver Johnson, son of John John-
son, was born February 14. 1841, on this
homestead, where he spent his early
years. He was accustomed from child-
hood to hard labor and long hours, but
was an ambitious boy and sought to per-
fect himself in a trade where even longer
hours were required. At the age of six-
teen he began an apprenticeship at gun-
making in Bergen, Norway, where he was
compelled to be in the shop from five
a. m. to nine p. m. in summer, and from
six a. m. to eight p. m. in winter. His
educational opportunities were closely
limited, amounting to about three months
of the year while in his native town, and
supplemented by instruction in the Sun-
day school which combined secular with
religious instruction in Norway. Having
finished his apprenticeship in 1862, young
Johnson became a journeyman, and was
thus employed in Christiana, Norway, for
one year. He then determined to seek his
fortune across the Atlantic, where oppor-
tunities were much greater, and in 1863
he came to America and settled in Wor-
cester, Massachusetts, where so many of
his countrymen have since located. He
was in the vanguard of the Scandinavian
emigration to the United States which
owes many of her best citizens to this
class of people. When Mr. Johnson ar-
rived in America the Civil War was in
Mass-5-2 17
progress, and he at once found demands
for his services in gunmaking. For eight
years he was employed in the gunshops
of Worcester, during which time he
saved his wages, and became familiar
with the language and the ways of the
country. In 1871 he started in business
for himself in partnership with Martin
Bye, under the name of Johnson, Bye &
Company. With their savings and good
credit as capital, they started in a small
way in a single room in a Church street
building. From this beginning developed
one of the greatest establishments in the
line of gunmaking and the manufacture
of sporting goods in the country. After
two years the firm was compelled to move
its quarters, and occupied a building on
Central street, known formerly as the
Armsby Building, where they had two
rooms and employed fifty hands. After
another two years the firm purchased the
building, and as business grew gradually
extended its occupation until, in 1881,
they used the whole building. In 1883
Mr. Johnson bought the interest of his
partner, and the business was thereafter
conducted under the firm name of Iver
Johnson & Company. Mr. Johnson was an
inventive genius, and devised patterns for
bicycles and small firearms, which he had
covered by patents. He did all kinds of
drop forging, polishing and nickleplating,
and was constantly devising new ma-
chines and implements for the market,
employing the best improved machinery
in use in the factory. This concern has
always had a reputation for keeping up
with the times in both machinery and
methods. His goods were already well-
known throughout this country, and
agencies were soon found necessary in
Canada and Mexico. In 1885 the manu-
facture of bicycles was begun from the
designs of Mr. Johnson. A year later the
product amounted to a thousand bicycles
a year, and within five years had in-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
creased to fifteen thousand a year. The
Iver Johnson Bicycles still command a
large scale and form an important feature
of the business of the establishment. As
the business continued to grow, the de-
mand for space was such that Mr. John-
son went to Fitchburg, where he selected
a most desirable location. He purchased
the plant of the Walter Heywood Chair
Manufacturing Company, and on this,
with additions, has constructed one of the
largest industrial institutions of the city
of Fitchburg. The Iver Johnson's Arms
and Cycle Works now comprise five brick
buildings and several wooden ones, with
a floor space of some two hundred thou-
sand feet, equipped with all modern appli-
ances and machinery. With large whole-
sale depots in New York, San Francisco
and St. Paul, and branches in England,
Germany and Australia, they cover about
all the world. Expert and skilled me-
chanics and metallurgists are employed,
and laboratories maintained for testing
chemically and mechanically. Iver John-
son arms and bicycles are known through-
out the civilized world, and everywhere
it is known that the company lives up to
the motto of the founder "honest goods at
honest prices." It is claimed that the
output of small firearms and shotguns of
this concern is greater than that of all
other small firearms manufactured in the
country. Mr. Johnson's sons became as-
sociated with him in the business, and
since his death have continued and ex-
panded the same, which has enjoyed un-
interrupted prosperity and growth. The
ideas of the founder have been extended
and developed and the business has
grown in every direction. Mr. Johnson
passed away at his home in Fitchburg,
August 3, 1895, an d was buried in Wor-
cester.
For some time after removing his fac-
tory to Fitchburg, he continued to make
his home in Worcester, but his later vears
18
were spent in the neighborhood of the
plant. While a resident of Worcester, he
was a member and director of the Sover-
eign's Cooperative Store and of three co-
operative banks. He was president for
many years of the Equity Cooperative
Bank Company, and vice-president of the
Home Cooperative Bank. He was a trus-
tee of the Fitchburg Savings Bank, and
director of the Fitchburg National Bank,
also of the Fidelity Cooperative Bank of
Fitchburg. He was a close student of
economic questions, and served on a com-
mittee of manufacturers who testified be-
fore the finance committee of the Senate
concerning the tariff when legislation
was under consideration. His confidence
in American institutions was greatly
strengthened by his observation abroad,
in 1884, when he made an extended trip
to his native country and many of the
manufacturing centres of England and
the Continent. He was a Republican, but
never had time to accept public office.
He was a prominent Free Mason and
Knight Templar, having advanced to the
thirty-second degree, and was a noble of
the order of the Mystic Shrine. A gener-
ous and philanthropic citizen, Mr. John-
son was ever ready to contribute of his
means in promoting the various charities
in Worcester and Fitchburg, and other
influences calculated to promote the wel-
fare of his fellow men. He married, April
9, 1868, Mary Elizabeth Speirs, daughter
of John and Janet (Adams) Speirs, of
Norwich, Connecticut. Children : Janet
Bright, died young; Frederic Iver, edu-
cated at the Worcester Academy; John
Lovell. mentioned below; Walter Olaf,
graduate of the Drexel Institute of Phil-
adelphia ; Mary L. Otto.
John Lovell Johnson, second son of the
late Iver Johnson and Mary Elizabeth
(Speirs) Johnson, was born June 26, 1876,
in Worcester, Massachusetts. His edu-
cational training was acquired in the
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
grammar schools of Worcester, the Fitch-
burg High School, the Worcester Poly-
technic Institute and the Bryant & Strat-
ton Commercial College of Boston. After
leaving school he entered the business of
his father, with which he has since been
actively identified. He is president of
Iver Johnson's Arms & Cycle Works, The
Johnsonia, Inc., of Fitchburg, Massachu-
setts, and of the Iver Johnson Sporting
Goods Company, of Boston, Worcester
and Fitchburg. He is also prominently
identified with various other financial con-
cerns, being first vice-president of the
Fitchburg Bank & Trust Company, and
a member of its executive committee ;
vice-president of the Fitchburg Mutual
Fire Insurance Company, and a member
of its executive committee ; trustee of the
Fitchburg Savings Bank, and a member
of its board of investment ; director of
the Fitchburg Cooperative Bank, of which
he is a member of the finance committee;
director of the Merchants' National Bank
of Worcester ; director of the Boston
Casualty Company, and on its finance
committee, and director of the Merchants'
National Bank of Boston. In political
faith Mr. Johnson is a stalwart Republi-
can, and has been active in the councils
of that party. He served as a member of
the Board of Aldermen of Fitchburg from
1901 to 1903, and was president of the
board in 1902-03 ; State Senator from the
Third Worcester Senatorial District in
1907-08, and a member of the Governor's
Council from the Seventh District in
1909-10. In religious belief Mr. Johnson
is an Episcopalian. He is an active and
influential member of the Masonic organi-
zation, holding membership in Charles
W. Moore Lodge, Free and Accepted Ma-
sons, of Fitchburg, of which he is past
master ; Thomas Chapter, Royal Arch
Masons, and Jerusalem Commandery, No.
19, Knights Templar, of Fitchburg, and
has attained the thirty-second degree in
Scottish Rite Masonry, being a member
of the Massachusetts Consistory. He is
also a member of Aleppo Temple, Ancient
Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine,
of Boston, and of Fitchburg Lodge, No.
847, Benevolent and Protective Order of
Elks, past exalted ruler. Mr. Johnson is
a member of the Worcester County Me-
chanics' Association, the Fitchburg Board
of Trade and Merchants' Association. So-
cially he is a member of various clubs,
holding membership in the Home Market,
Algonquin, Boston City clubs, and the
Boston Athletic Association, all of Bos-
ton ; the Worcester and Tatassit clubs, of
Worcester ; the Fay, the Alpine, and the
Sportsman's clubs, of Fitchburg; the
Country Club of Leominster ; the Watatic
Club of Ashburnham ; the Republican
Club of Massachusetts, and the Worces-
ter County Republican Club. He was
treasurer of the Republican State Com-
mittee. He has just been elected delegate
to the National Republican Convention
for the Third District. He attends divine
worship at Christ (Protestant Episcopal)
Church of Fitchburg. Mr. Johnson is un-
married and lives at the Johnsonia, Fitch-
burg. and "Flo Fields." Lancaster, Mas-
sachusetts.
HAVEN, Gilbert,
Distinguished Divine, Philanthropist.
Rev. Gilbert Haven, D. D., bishop of
the Methodist Episcopal church, was born
at Maiden, Massachusetts, September 19,
1821, son of Gilbert and Hannah (Burrill)
Haven, grandson of Jotham and Martha
(Belknap) Haven, and descended from
Richard and Susanna Haven.
He attended the public schools in Mai-
den, Massachusetts, and at the age of
fourteen became a clerk in a dry goods
house in that town. His desire for a bet-
ter education moved him to give his spare
time to study, and in 1839 he entered the
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Wesleyan Academy, at Wilbraham,, Mas-
sachusetts. In 1840 he entered upon a
clerkship in a store in Boston, and later
took employment in the house of Tenney
& Company. Business pursuits and social
life had little charm for him ; his disposi-
tion led him to further study, and in 1842
he reentered Wesleyan Academy to com-
plete his preparation for college, passing
thence to Wesleyan University, Middle-
town, Connecticut, at the fall term of the
first year. During his college course he
taught school during the long vacations,
and after his graduation in 1846 he con-
tinued to teach until 1851. He was admit-
ted to the New England Conference of
the Methodist Episcopal church on trial
in April, 1851, and was at once appointed
to a charge at Northampton, Massachu-
setts. In 1853 he was admitted into full
connection with the conference, and re-
ceived deacon's orders. He held a pas-
torate at Wilbraham, Massachusetts,
1853-55 1 at Westfield, Massachusetts,
1855-57, a d at Roxbury and Cambridge-
port, 1857-60. In 1861 he entered the
Union army as chaplain of the Eighth
Massachusetts Regiment for a period of
three months, and passed the remainder
of the year in charge of a church in New-
ark, New Jersey. In 1862 he traveled in
Europe, and on his return home in the fol-
lowing year was settled as pastor of the
North Russell Street Church, in Boston.
Mr. Haven's sympathies were with the
colored people ; he declined to recognize
the color line in any way, and expressed
his views freely in the religious press as
concerning the proper attitude of the
Methodist Episcopal church in the South ;
and being appointed missionary at Vicks-
burg, Mississippi, he refused to minister
to the colored people separately.
Mr. Haven contributed freely to the
religious and occasionally to the secular
press, and in 1867 he was elected editor of
"Zion's Herald," the organ of New Eng-
land Methodism. His editorial conduct,
which continued to 1872, was judicious
and capable, and brought "The Herald"
to a leading place in religious journalism.
In 1868 he became a member of the Gen-
eral Conference, and in 1872 was elected
bishop. As a presiding bishop he was
eminently successful, having a strong per-
ception of the equities of debate, and
evincing much tact and courtesy, yet firm-
ness ; and in the general business of his
office he was also unusually successful.
Notwithstanding all this multiplicity of
affairs, he did not permit his pen to be
idle. His contributions to the press were
filled not only with glowing descriptions
of scenery, but with skillfully painted pic-
tures of men and manners, as were also
his hundreds of private letters. Out of
his episcopal visit to Mexico grew his
book, "Our Next Door Neighbor; or. a
Winter in Mexico" (1875). He also wrote
two journals relating to his experiences
as bishop. He advocated the admission
of the Indians to the rights of citizenship,
and was stern in his denunciation of the
anti-Chinese sentiment. He was deeply
interested in the cause of education in the
South, and indefatigable in his efforts to
advance the interests of its schools. He
raised in various ways $7,000 for the pur-
chase of the site of Clark University at
Atlanta, Georgia, and $10,000 more for
the university building. He himself gave
largely to \Vesleyan University, to Bos-
ton University, to the People's Church.
Boston, and to the church at Maiden,
Massachusetts; but to the schools and
churches of the south he gave with an
unmatched liberality. He founded the
Mexican mission of the Methodist Epis-
copal church, formally visiting President
Lerdo to inform him as to the aims and
scope of the proposed work and to obtain
from him the promise to welcome the
20
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
new mission and to protect the mission-
aries in the enjoyment of their civil rights.
He published: "Lay Representation in
the Methodist Episcopal Church ; Its Jus-
tice and Expediency" (1864) ; "The Pil-
grim's Wallet ; or, Scraps of Travel in
England, France and Germany" (1865);
"National Sermons; Sermons, Speeches
and Letters on Slavery and Its War"
(1869) ; "Our Next Door Neighbor; or, a
Winter in Mexico" (1875) ; "Father Tay-
lor, the Sailor Preacher" (with Thomas
Russell, 1872). "Christus Consolator,"
with notes was published by his son, Wil-
liam Ingraham Haven (1873). He was
married, in 1851, to Mary, daughter of
George Ingraham, of Amenia, New York.
He died at Maiden, Massachusetts, Janu-
ary 3, 1880.
PIERCE, Otis N.,
Manufacturer, Financier.
The origin of this name and nineteen
English generations are described else-
where in this work, together with Cap-
tain Michael Pierce, American immi-
grant.
(II) Ephraim, apparently third son of
Captain Michael Pierce, resided for a time
at Weymouth, Massachusetts, whence he
removed to Warwick, Rhode Island,
where his first child was born. He was
made freeman of the colony at Provi-
dence, May 3, 1681, and died September
14, 1719. His will, made July 18, 1718,
was proved September 23, 1719, in War-
wick. He married Hannah, daughter of
John Holbrook, and had children: Azri-
kim, born January 4, 1671 ; Ephraim s men-
tioned below; Michael, 1676; Rachel,
1678; Hannah, 1680; Experience, 1682;
John, 1684; Benjamin, 1686.
(III) Ephraim (2), second son of Eph-
raim (i) and Hannah (Holbrook) Pierce,
was born in 1674, and resided in Swansea
and Rehoboth, Massachusetts. He mar-
ried Mary Low, and their children were :
Mial, mentioned below ; Mary, born No-
vember 16, 1697; David, July 26, 1701;
Elizabeth, May 30, 1703; Clothier, May
24, 1728; Ephraim.
(IV) Mial, eldest child of Ephraim (2)
and Mary (Low) Pierce, born April 24,
1693, lived in Warwick, Rhode Island,
and in Swansea and Rehoboth, Massa-
chusetts, and lived to be ninety-four years
of age, dying October 18, 1786. He mar-
ried Judith Ellis, born 1686, daughter of
Judge Ellis, died October 6, 1744. Chil-
dren : Ephraim, born November 9, 1712;
Wheeler, July u, 1714; Nathan, Febru-
ary 21, 1716; Mary, October 18, 1718; Ju-
dith, October 21, 1720; Mial, March 24,
1722; Job, April 25, 1723; Caleb, June 8,
1726; Joshua, mentioned below.
(V) Joshua, youngest child of Mial and
Judith (Ellis) Pierce, lived in Rehoboth
and Swansea, and married March 24, 1748,
Mary Horton. Children : Shubael ; Israel ;
Henry, born 1750; Barnard, mentioned
below ; William ; Joshua ; Sarah ; Silence ;
Hannah ; Mary.
(VI) Barnard, fourth son of Joshua
and Mary (Horton) Pierce, born Febru-
ary 4, 1764, lived in Rehoboth, where he
died May 5, 1842. He married, January
14, 1786, Mary Rounds, born November
12, 1767, daughter of Chace Rounds, died
November 16, 1849. Children: Jeremiah,
born August 29, 1786 ; Mary, December 15,
1788; Nathaniel R., January i, 1792; Han>-
nah M., November 19, 1794; Barnard,
March 15, 1797; Charles M., August 9,
1799; Otis N., mentioned below; Chase
(or Chace) R., May 12, 1805 ; Bradford S.,
June 14, 1808; Mary A., May 7, 1811.
(VII) Otis Norton, fifth son of Bar-
nard and Mary (Rounds) Pierce, born
February 3, 1803, lived in New Bedford,
Massachusetts, where he died June 23,
1856. He married, November 4, 1828,
21
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Susan Grinnell Cross, born May 25, 1805,
died May 24, 1865. Children: Andrew
G., born August 9, 1829 ; Sarah, August
14, 1831 ; Benjamin F., September 30,
1833; Elizabeth H., April 22, 1837; Otis
N., mentioned below; Ellen N., February
26, 1842.
(VIII) Otis Norton (2), third son of
Otis Norton (i) and Susan Grinnell
(Cross) Pierce, was born October 28,
1839, at New Bedford, and was educated
in the public schools of his native place.
After leaving the high school he entered
the employ of the Wamsutta Mills. For
a number of years he held the position of
chief clerk there, and with the New Bed-
ford & Taunton Railway Company, hold-
ing his position with the latter until the
railroad was sold. In 1880 he went to
Fall River as treasurer of the Border City
Manufacturing Company. He was there
two years, during which time he built a
new mill of 40,000 spindles, doubling its
capacity. In 1882 he was the leading
spirit in the organization of the Grinnell
Manufacturing Corporation, and he was
elected treasurer and returned to New
Bedford. He was treasurer of the Grin-
nell Manufacturing Corporation from that
date until a few years ago, when he was
elected president, succeeding the late Ed-
ward Kilburn. This mill has a capacity
of 128,000 spindles and manufactures cot-
ton fabrics of very fine texture, of both
plain and fancy weaves. It has been one
of the most successful corporations of
New Bedford, always paying good divi-
dends, and its stock sells at a large
premium. In 1890 Mr. Pierce was one of
the corporators of the City Manufactur-
ing Company, and became its first presi-
dent, serving a short time, when he re-
signed. He is a director of the Mer-
chants' National Bank, and vice-presi-
dent, a trustee and one of the board of
investment of the Five Cents Savings
Bank. He is a member of the Wamsutta
and New Bedford Country clubs, of the
Arkwright Club of Boston, and of the
Home Market Club of Boston. Mr. Pierce
married (first) in 1870, Anna, daughter of
Elisha (3) Thornton, died February 7.
1907. He married (second) April 27.
1909, her sister, Mary A. Thornton (see
Thornton VI).
(The Thornton Line).
Among the early families of Rhode
Island is that of Thornton, which con-
tinued to be identified with the State for
many generations, and which has sent out
representatives to other States through-
out the Union, who have brought credit
to the name, and worthily served their
fellows in many capacities.
(I) John Thornton was an early settler
in Newport, Rhode Island, and in 1639
was in the employ of John Coggeshall, of
that town. He was one of the twelve
members of the First Baptist Church who
founded the organization October 12,
1648, but removed to Providence, where
he was living in 1679 and died 1695. In
1680 he served as deputy to the General
Assembly, and between 1683 and 1692
deeded his lands to his sons. Children :
John, mentioned below ; Thomas, Solo-
mon, Elizabeth, Sarah, James, Benjamin,
William.
(II) John (2), son of John (i) Thorn-
ton, was born in Rhode Island, and died
in Providence, that State, January 9, 1716.
He was a taxpayer there as early as 1687,
and his will, dated December 29, 1715,
was proved January 18, 1716. The in-
ventory of his estate, including seven
neat cattle, and various utensils, amount-
ed to thirty-seven pounds and two shill-
ings. He married Dinah, daughter of
John and Hannah (Wickenden) Steere.
born about 1665, died before 1716, and
thev had children: Tohn, born about
22
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
1690; Josiah, Dinah, Stephen, Ruth, Dan-
iel, Elihu, Ebenezer, mentioned below, all
born at Providence.
(III) Ebenezer Thornton, son of John
and Dinah (Steere) Thornton, lived in
Smithfield, Rhode Island. He was mar-
ried by William Arnold, justice of the
peace, of Smithfield, to Ruth Smith, born
April 9, 1709, in Providence, daughter of
Benjamin and Mercy (Angell) Smith.
Children : Rachel, born April 8, 1733 ; Ste-
phen, July 7, 1/35; Ruth, March 9, 1737;
Daniel, June 8, 1739, died September 5,
1748; Ebenezer, March 31, 1742; Phebe,
September 23, 1744; Elisha, mentioned
below; Mary, September 23, 1750.
(IV) Elisha, fourth son of Ebenezer
and Ruth (Smith) Thornton, was born
June 30, 1748, in Smithfield, and died De-
cember 31, 1816. He was a member of
the Friends' Society of Smithfield. He
married, ist of 4th month, 1773, Anne
Read, born 4th of 3rd month, 1756, daugh-
ter of John and Hannah (Farnum) Read
(see Read V). She died 5th of 5th month,
1866, and was buried in the Friends' yard,
Upper Smithfield, Rhode Island. Chil-
dren: Rachel, born I7th, 7th month, 1774;
Stephen, 6th of 4th month, 1776, died I9th
of 5th month, 1790; Moses, 22nd of 2nd
month, 1778; Elisha. mentioned below;
Daniel, 2nd of 2nd month, 1782; John,
28th of 3rd month. 1784; Anne, 23rd of
4th month, 1786; Mary, 3rd of 7th month,
1788; Hannah, 26th of nth month, 1790,
died igth of 3rd month, 1853 ; Phebe, 25th
of I2th month, 1/92; George, loth of loth
month, 1795, died 4th of 1st month, 1797;
James, 2nd of 7th month, 1797; Lydia,
24th of 4th month. 1799.
(V) Elisha (2), third son of Elisha (i)
and Anne (Read) Thornton, was born
nth of 4th month, 1780, in Smithfield,
Rhode Island, resided in New Bedford,
Massachusetts, and died August 3, 1854,
in Brooklyn, New York. He married, Oc-
tober 31, 1804, Rebecca Russell, daughter
of Humphrey and Bethia (Eldredge) Rus-
sell, of Dartmouth, Massachusetts (see
Russell V). Children: Joseph Ricket-
son, born August 8, 1805 ; Sarah Ann, No-
vember 15, 1806; John Russell, October
8, 1808; Gilbert Russell, December 31,
1810; Mary B., January 15, 1814; Elisha,
mentioned below; Rebecca, March 16,
1817; Daniel, April 28, 1819; Virginia
Russell, July u, 1821.
(VI) Elisha (3), fourth son of Elisha
(2) and Rebecca (Russell) Thornton, was
born August i, 1815, in New Bedford,
Massachusetts, and in the schools of the
place acquired his education. His father
and older brother, John R. Thornton,
being druggists, Elisha followed in their
footsteps, becoming skilled in business
under their direction. In time Elisha be-
came established in business for himself
on North Water street. Later on he be-
came successor to his father and brother
at the old stand and conducted the bu-
ness for many years. He became one of
the owners of the Thornton block, which
was erected on the site of his former place
of business and later became known as
the Standard building. Subsequently he
carried on his business on the northwest
corner of Union and Second streets, and
he opened a second store on the corner of
Union and Purchase streets. For a period
Mr. Thornton had associated with him in
business the late William L. Gerrish, the
style of firm being Thornton & Gerrish.
On January i, 1873, both stores were dis-
posed of to Messrs. C. H. and H. A. Law-
ton, he himself retiring from business.
First a Whig, then a Republican in his
political affiliations, Mr. Thornton was
active and zealous in politics. He was for
years chairman of the Republican city
committee. In the year 1857 he repre-
sented his ward on the board of aldermen.
He was six times elected a county com-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
missioner, holding such office at the time
of his demise ; and for several years he
was chairman of the board. His first elec-
tion to the office of county commissioner
was as the successor of John Baylies, who
died in 1863. One has only to read be-
tween the lines of this outline of the life
of Mr. Thornton to judge of his standing
with the people of not only New Bedford,
but Bristol county, for through his long
official relation he had become well known
all over the county. He was universally
esteemed and respected. Mr. Thornton
died July 24, 1879, at his home on Cottage
street, New Bedford. Mr. Thornton mar-
ried Mary Howland Allen, of New Bed-
ford, daughter of Thomas and Phebe
(Howland) Allen, and she survived him
many years, dying in June, 1900. Chil-
dren: Anna, born September 30, 1839,
died in infancy; Edward B., March '
1841, resides in Pawtucket, Rhode Island;
Thomas A., October 4, 1843, resides in
New Bedford ; Anna, mentioned below ;
William, March 9, 1849, resides in Brook-
lyn, New York; Charles, August 13, 1851,
died December 25, 1856; Mary A., men-
tioned below.
(VII) Anna, daughter of Elisha (3)
and Mary H. (Allen) Thornton, was born
January 30, 1846, and became the wife of
Otis Norton (2) Pierce, of New Bedford
(see Pierce VIII).
(VII) Mary Allen, daughter of Elisha
(3) and Mary H. (Allen) Thornton, was
born August 29, 1858, and became the sec-
ond wife of Otis Norton (2) Pierce (q. v.),
of New Bedford.
(The Read Line).
The name of Read is found not only in
England, where it has been common from
the time surnames came into use and as a
clan name before that time, but in Ire-
land, Scotland, and various countries on
the continent of Europe. The name at
present is spelled generally in three ways
Reed, Reid and Read. The genealogy
of the Read family of Kent, England,
dates back to 1139 to Brianus de Rede, of
Morpeth, on the Wensback river, in the
north of England.
(I) Colonel Thomas Read, of distin-
guished ancestry in England, came to
New England with Governor Winthrop
and others in the great fleet of 1630, and
settled at Salem, Massachusetts, where he
was made a freeman in that year. It is
supposed by those who have written of
him and his family that he was a son of
Sir Thomas Read and Mary Cornwall, of
Brocket Hall, in Hertfordshire. His pa-
ternal grandfather had been clerk of the
Green Cloth, and his maternal grand-
father was Lord of Shropshire. His elder
brother was a baronet. Colonel Read had
a grant of three hundred acres of land in
Salem in 1637, there being but four in the
town having as large a grant. He was a
prominent man in the colony, was a colo-
nel in the militia as early as 1643, prob-
ably of that rank previous to coming to
New England, and in 1660 was a colonel
in the British army at the Restoration of
Charles II. He died in England in the
year 1663, and his son Abraham settled
his estate. The Christian name of his
wife was Alsea, and their children were :
Thomas, Jacob and Abraham, all of whom
were probably born in England.
(II) Captain Thomas (2) Read, son of
Colonel Thomas (i) and Alsea Read, born
in England, came to New England likely
with his father and family. It is thought
he lived at one time in Lynn. He was
appointed ensign in 1647, was made cap-
tain, and had several ten-acre lots granted
him in Salem. His children were: Sus-
anna, baptized September 23, 1649; John,
May 13, 1655, died young; Remember,
April 26, 1657; Jacob, December 22, 1658,
died young; Sarah, born March 15, 1660,
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
died young ; John, August 21, 1662 ; Jacob,
mentioned below; Sarah, October 14,
1665. The father probably died shortly
after the birth of the youngest child, as
his wife was soon after known as Widow
Mary.
(III) Jacob, son of Thomas (2) and
Alary Read, born June 7, 1663 ; married,
in December, 1693, Elizabeth Greene, and
their children were: Aaron, born 1694, in
Salem, Massachusetts ; John, December
26, 1695; Mary, 1697; Jacob, February 4,
1699; Jonathan, mentioned below; Sarah,
May 15, 1703; Elizabeth, March 13, 1704.
(IV) Jonathan, fourth son of Jacob and
Elizabeth (Greene) Read, born January
12, 1701, in Salem; married (first) Mary
Hanson, (second) January i, 1744, Sarah
Kemper. Children of first wife: Benja-
min, Hanson, Daniel, John, Jacob and
William (born in 1729). Of second wife:
Oliver and Aaron. Several of the sons of
the first marriage appear to have settled
in the State of Rhode Island, or nearby.
One of the sons, Jacob, died in October.
1749, in Smithfield, Rhode Island.
(V) John, son of Jonathan and Mary
(Hanson) Read, died in Mendon, Massa-
chusetts, 20th of the nth month, 1823,
and was buried in the Friends' yard. He
married, 24th of the 4th month, 1755, Han-
nah Farnum, daughter of Moses Farnum,
of Uxbridge, Massachusetts. Children:
Anne, mentioned below; Abigail, born
i2th of 3rd month, 1758; Rhoda, 24th of
5th month, 1760 ; Ruth, gth of 7th month,
1762; Rachel, igth of gth month, 1764;
Hannah, 3oth of loth month, 1766; David,
i5th of ist month, 1769; George, 3Oth of
6th month. ^771 ; Lydia, i8th of 7th
month, 1773.
(VI) Anne, eldest child of John (4)
and Hannah (Farnum) Read, was born
4th of 3rd month, 1756, and became the
wife of Elisha Thornton, of Smithfield,
Rhode Island (see Thornton IV).
(The Smith Line).
(I) John Smith, called John Smith, Jr.,
to distinguish him from another of the
same name, was born in 1619, in England,
and was in Plymouth as early as 1643,
when his name appears on the list of
those able to bear arms. He took the oath
of fidelity in 1684, and was a resident of
Dartmouth in 1686. He died March 15,
1692. He married (first) March 4, 1649,
Deborah Rowland, daughter of Arthur
Howland, of Marshfield, Massachusetts,
a brother of Henry and John Howland,
all of whom were ancestors of a large
progeny in America. He married (sec-
ond) Ruhamah, daughter of Richard
Kirby. Children of first marriage : Haza-
diah, born January 11, 1650; John, Octo-
ber i, 1651 ; Josiah, April 16, 1652; Elea-
zur, April 20, 1654; Hezekiah, February
8,1656. Of second marriage: Mehitable ;
Hannah ; Sarah ; Deborah ; Deliverance,
mentioned below ; Judah ; Gershom ; Elia-
shib.
(II) Deliverance, son of John and Ru-
hamah (Kirby) Smith, born probably i'
Dartmouth, died there June 30, 1729. His
wife's name was Mary, and they had chil-
dren : John, born July u, 1693; Deborah,
July 13, 1695; Anna, December 16, 1696;
Alice, October 29, 1698; Peleg, May 22,
1700; George, mentioned below; Hope,
January 28, 1703; Humphrey, April 13,
1705; Mary, January 14, 1707; Abigail,
April 10, 1709.
(III) George, third son of Deliverance
and Mary Smith, was born August 27,
1701, in Dartmouth, and died there July
17, 1/96. He married, January 31, 1726,
Elizabeth Allen, daughter of Increase
Allen, of Dartmouth, son of Ralph Allen,
elsewhere described. Children: Abigail,
married Abraham Slocum ; Elizabeth,
born May 22, 1729, married William
Ricketson ; Deliverance, mentioned be-
low ; George, January I, 1736, married
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Phebe Thornton ; Increase, married Eliza-
beth Barker.
(IV) Deliverance (2), eldest son of
George and Elizabeth (Allen) Smith,
born in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, lived
in that town, and married, May 26, 1756,
Hannah Smith, daughter of Jonathan and
Phebe (Smith) Smith, granddaughter of
Gershom and Rebecca (Ripley) Smith,
and great-granddaughter of John Smith,
above mentioned. Children: Phebe, bor;
September 13, 1757, died November, 1776;
George, June 20, 1760; Abigail, Septem-
ber 30, 1764; Elizabeth, mentioned below.
(V) Elizabeth, youngest child of De-
liverance (2) and Hannah (Smith) Smith,
was born January i, 1767, became the
wife of Captain Nathaniel (2) Howland,
of Dartmouth, and died March 31, 1856
(see Howland VII).
(The Howland Line).
Many branches of the Howland fam-
ily are covered in this work. Elsewhere
appears a history of Humphrey Howland,
his son Henry, the pioneer immigrant and
the latter's son, Zoeth Howland.
(IV) Nathaniel, eldest child of Zoeth
and Abigail Howland, was born October
5, 1657, in Duxbury, and settled in Dart-
mouth, Massachusetts, where he was
often selectman, beginning in 1699, and
was among the foremost in social, relig'-
ious and political matters. He was a
grand juror in 1702, moderator, 1721, and
tythingman in 1726, often on important
committees ; was a minister of the
Friends' society and of the town. With
his uncle, Samuel Howland, he was the
owner of lot six in Freetown, which they
divided April 16, 1678. His residence
was on the north side of the road from
New Bedford to Russell's Mill, in Dart-
mouth, on the west side of the brook
which crosses this road. The inventory
of his estate included the homestead,
valued at 530, and other property at
1,790. He died May 3, 1723. He mar-
ried, in 1684, Rose, daughter of Joseph
and Sarah Allen, of Dartmouth. Joseph
Allen was a son of Ralph Allen, who is
described at length on another page.
Children : Rebecca, born October 25,
1685; John, June 14, 1687; James, April
18, 1689; Sarah, January 15, 1691 ; George,
mentioned below ; Mary, June 23, 1697 ;
Content, October 20, 1702.
(V) George, third son of Nathaniel and
Rose (Allen) Howland, was born Febru-
ary 4, 1694, in Dartmouth, where he was
a farmer and prominent in politics and
the Friends' Society. He married, in
1724, Hannah Aiken, of Westport, Mas-
sachusetts. Children : Joseph, mentioned
below ; Sarah, married Henry Howland.
(VI) Captain Joseph Howland, only
son of George and Hannah (Aiken) How-
land, was born May 16, 1732, in Dart-
mouth, and married there, July 9, 1764,
Bathsheba, daughter of Seth and Ruth
(Lapham) Sherman, born May 22, 1741,
in Dartmouth. Children : Nathaniel,
mentioned below, and Sarah, born June
5. 1/69-
(VII) Captain Nathaniel (2) Howland,
only son of Joseph and Bathsheba (Sher-
man) Howland, was born June 13, 1768,
and was a mariner in command of vessels
sailing from New York to foreign ports.
He retired to a farm in Dartmouth, was
an active member of the Friends' Society,
and was representative of the town of
Dartmouth in the general court when he
died at Boston, March 30, 1830. He mar-
ried, December 26, 1790, Elizabeth,
daughter of Deliverance (2) and Hannah
(Smith) Smith, of Dartmouth (see Smith
IV), born January I, 1767, died March 31,
1850. Children : Captain Joseph, died
March 14, 1815; Hannah A., born Janu-
ary 19, 1793; Phebe Smith, mentioned be-
low; George S., October 20, 1796; Sarah,
26
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
April 21, 1/99; Bathsheba, July /, 1800;
Thomas I., March 7, 1802; William S.,
May 12, 1804; Humphrey H., May 12,
1805; Elizabeth A., August 12, 1806;
Caroline, November 15, 1808.
(VIII) Phebe Smith, second daughter
of Captain Nathaniel (2) and Hannah
(Smith) Howland, was born November
13, 1794, became the wife of Thomas
Allen, and died June 7, 1881 (see Allen
VII).
(The Russell Line).
The first of the line in New England
was John Russell. He and his wife Doro-
thy were residents of Marshfield as early
as 1642 or 1643, where according to the
town records Mr. Russell was elected
constable. In February, 1644, he was
granted land, was made a freeman by the
General Court at Plymouth in June, 1644,
and in the fall of that year was granted
thirty acres of land. He is mentioned in
the summer of 1645 as among those who
were willing to support a school, and in
1646 he was chosen one of the committee
to the next court. He was chosen in
1648 one of the raters, and in that same
year he was surveyor of highways of
Marshfield. Seven years later he was
chosen grand juryman. In March, 1661,
he bought from the attorney of Miles
Standish his share of the town of Dart-
mouth, for the sum of forty-two pounds ;
and in the deed is called "John Russell
of Marshfield." It has been thought by
some and so stated that Mr. Russell was
a son of Ralph Russell, of Pontypool,
Monmouthshire, Wales, who came to
Braintree, Massachusetts, and from there
went to Taunton, Massachusetts, in 1652,
to build iron works in company with the
brothers, James and Henry Leonard. It
has been stated that Ralph later went to
Dartmouth and started a forge at Rus-
sell's Mills, and was the ancestor of the
Russells of that town. "On this point,"
says Barrett Beard Russell, in his article
on the descendants of John Russell, of
Dartmouth, in the "New England His-
toric and Genealogical Register" of Octo-
ber, 1904, "I have been unable to find
any proof that he was the father of John,
or that he built the aforesaid forge." John
Russell is thought to have been born in
1608. He died i3th of 2nd month, 1695.
His wife, Dorothy, died I3th of I2th
month, 1687. Children : John ; Martha ;
Dorothy, died or was buried in Marsh-
field, January 13, 1658; Joseph, men-
tioned below.
(II) Joseph, son of John and Dorothy
Russell, was born May 6, 1650, probably
in Marshfield, died December n, 1739.
His wife Elizabeth, born March 6, 1657,
died September 25, 1737. Children: Jo-
seph and John (twins), born November
29, 1679; William, May 6, 1681 ; Mary,
July 10, 1683; Joshua, January 26, 1686;
Rebecca, January 3, 1688; Benjamin, May
17, 1691; Seth, April 7, 1696; Sarah.
(III) Joseph (2), son of Joseph (i)
and Elizabeth Russell, was born Novem-
ber 29, 1679, in the fort house at Russell's
Orchard, Dartmouth, where the citizens
had assembled for protection from the
Indians. The name of his first wife was
Sarah, and he married (second) (permis-
sion of the Friends' meeting, igth of 5th
month, 1703), Mary, daughter of Abra-
ham Tucker, and granddaughter of
Henry Tucker. There was one child of
the first marriage, Sarah, born May 24,
1702. Children of second marriage:
Mary, born June i, 1704; Abraham,
March 19, 1706; William, December 20,
1708; Abigail, March 19, 1711 ; Caleb, Au-
gust 9, 1713; Martha, June 24, 1716; Jo-
seph, mentioned below ; Mary, December
20, 1723; Patience, October 8, 1727.
(IV) Joseph (3), son of Joseph (2)
and Mary (Tucker) Russell, was born
October 8, 1719, and married, July 5,
27
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
1744, Judith Rowland, born ist month,
I4th day, 1725, daughter of Barnabas
Rowland, of Dartmouth (see Rowland
IV). Children: Barnabas, born 26th of
3rd month, 1745; Rebecca, 3Oth of 2nd
month, 1747; Patience, loth of ist month,
1749; Martha, I4th of 2nd month, 1751;
Elizabeth, ist of 8th month, 1753; Abra-
ham, 26th of 2nd month, 1756 ; Humphrey,
mentioned below, Gilbert, 2nd of 8th
month, 1760; Mary, pth of nth month,
1762; Judith, 26th of ist month, 1764.
(V) Humphrey, third son of Joseph
(3) and Judith (Howland) Russell, was
born I7th of 5th month, 1758, and died
December 9, 1836. He married, 2gth of
3rd month, 1780, Bethia Eldredge, daugh-
ter of Isaiah and Sarah Eldredge. Chil-
dren : John Wady, born July 22, 1781;
Sarah, August 28, 1785; Rebecca, men-
tioned below; Gilbert, February 14, 1789.
(VI) Rebecca, second daughter of
Humphrey and Bethia (Eldredge) Rus-
sell, was born May 22, 1787, and married,
October 31, 1804, Elisha (2) Thornton
(see Thornton V).
(The Allen Line).
Elsewhere in this work appears an ex-
tended history of George Allen, immi-
grant ancestor of a large family and his
son, Ralph Allen. Both resided in Sand-
wich, Massachusetts.
(III) Ebenezer Allen, son of Ralph,
married Abigail, and had children : Mary,
born October 27, 1682; Philip, February
28, 1684; Zebulon, May 26, 1687; Eben-
ezer, January 16, 1690; Sarah, June 9,
1692; James, mentioned below; Hannah,
August 10, 1697 : Seth, July 28, 1703 ; and
Abigail, December 16, 1705.
(IV) James, fourth son of Ebenezer
and Abigail Allen, was born November
30, 1695, and died sometime between
April 4, 1767, when his will was made,
and April 29, 1771, when it was probated.
He married Mary Akin, daughter of John
Akin, of Portsmouth, Rhode Island.
Their children were: Zebulon, married
(intentions published October 25, 1738)
Hannah Allen; Prince, mentioned below;
Deborah Butler; John, married (inten-
tions published November 19, 1757)
Rhoda Allen ; Ebenezer, born December
16, 1/27, married, October 28, 1749, Sus-
annah Gatchell ; Mary, married (inten-
tions December 21, 1739) Benjamin
Briggs; Elizabeth, married, May 10, 1744,
Daniel Cornell ; and Thomas, married (5n-
tions published June 21, 1741) Mary
Allen.
(V) Prince, second son of James and
Mary Allen, born March 6, 1718, died Oc-
t'Vuer 9, 1778. He married, June 18, 1742,
at Falmouth, Deborah Butler, born May
i. 1724. They became the parents of
children as follows : Thomas, born Janu-
ary 5> I 743- married Judith Kirby ; Oba-
diah, June 26, 1745, married (first) in
1766, Phebe Hussey, and (second) in
1772, Ruth Almy ; Lucy, September 23,
1748, married Timothy Howland; Eliza-
beth, November 28, 1751, married (first)
Barnabas Kirby, and (second) Joseph
Rogers, of Marshfield ; Hannah, April 2,
1754; James, mentioned below; Mary,
January 21, 1759, married Jonathan How-
land ; and Edy (Edith), July 7, 1761, mar-
ried Joseph Russell.
(VI) James (2), son of Prince and
Deborah (Butler) Allen, was born Octo-
ber 20, 1757, died November 30, 1820. He
married, June i, 1785, Sarah Howland,
daughter of Gideon and Sarah (Hicks)
Howland. Children: William H., born
February 8, 1786, married, January i,
1807, Ruth Parker; Susan, February 22,
1788, married, February 5, 1809, Samuel
Hussey ; Joseph Howland, September 22,
1789, died March 4, 1852, married, June
25, 1812, Sarah Howland, daughter of
John and Reliance; Gideon, May 29, 1791,
28
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
married (first) Hannah Howland and
(second) Betsey H. Nye ; Gilbert, June
22, 1/93, died March 20, 1861, married
February 15, 1817, Eliza W. Barney,
daughter of Griffin and Bathsheba Bar-
ney; Thomas, mentioned below; Judith,
September i, 1797, married George S.
Howland, son of Nathaniel and Elizabeth
(Smith) Howland; Sally, September 4,
1799, died October 4, 1806; Sylvia, born
April u, 1802, died August 29, 1803;
Lucy, born February 12, 1804; James,
July 13, 1805, married Martha Russell,
daughter of Charles and Martha (Tilling-
hast) Russell; Sylvia and Lucy (twins),
June 19, 1808, the former married George
Howland, Jr., and the latter died young;
Frederick Slocum, August 16, 1812.
(VII) Thomas, fifth son of James (2)
and Sarah (Howland) Allen, was born
September 8, 1795, and married Phebe
Smith Howland, daughter of Captain Na-
thaniel (2) and Hannah (Smith) How-
land (see Howland VII).
(VIII) Mary Howland, daughter of
Thomas and Phebe S. (Howland) Allen,
became the wife of Elisha (3) Thornton,
of New Bedford (see Thornton V).
NEWCOMB, Nathaniel,
Manufacturer, Philanthropist.
The name of Newcomb is said to be of
Saxon origin, "Combe" signifying a low
situation, a vale, between two hills. New-
comb is defined by Hallowell as "stran-
gers newly arrived," but the family of
this name, who trace back to Hugh New-
come, of Saltfleetby, County Lincoln, in
the reign of Richard Coeur de Lion (1189-
92), are not parvcnucs in this or any
other sense. The name is doubtless the
same as Newcombe, though the locality
from which it is derived is unknown. In
early records in this country the name is
found written Newcom, Newcome, New-
comb, Newcombe, Newcum, Newkum,
Newkom, Newckum, Nucom, Neccome,
Nucomb, Nuccombe, Nucum, etc., in
some instances in two or more ways in
the same document. Now it is usually
spelled Newcomb. The records of bap-
tisms, marriages, etc., at Saltfleetby,
where the family has been seated seven
hundred years, begin in 1558, and are
written in Latin. In these records the
name is written Newcomen.
(I) Francis Newcomb, the ancestor
of a numerous family in America, came
to New England in April, 1635, in the
ship "Planter," probably from St. Albans.
in Hertfordshire, a few miles north of
London, England. He was thirty years
old, and with him came his wife, Rachel,
aged twenty ; daughter, Rachel, aged two
and a half; and son, John, aged nine
months. They lived in Boston about
three years, and then settled at Mount
Wollaston, afterwards called Braintree,
and in that part now Quincy, Massa-
chusetts, where he died May 27, 1692.
His gravestone in Braintree says, "aged
one hundred years," the town records,
"accounted one hundred years old ;'' his
age was doubtless about eighty-seven
years. He owned several tracts of land
in Braintree. His wife, Rachel, was ad-
mitted to the First Church at Boston, De-
cember 28, 1635, and transferred to the
Braintree church, March 5, 1684-85. Chil-
dren : Rachel, born in England, 1633 ;
John, 1634; Hannah, born in Boston;
Mary, April i, 1640, in Braintree; Sarah,
June 30, 1643, m Braintree; Judith, Janu-
ary 16, 1645, in Braintree; Peter, men-
tioned below; Abigail, July 16, 1651;
Leah, July 30, 1654; Elizabeth, August
26. 1658.
(II) Peter, second son of Francis and
Rachel Newcomb, was born May 16, 1648,
in Braintree, and died there May 20.
1725. He was a farmer in his native
town, fence viewer in 1693, field driver in
1694, highway surveyor in 1698-99, 1702-
29
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
03 and 1706; tythingman in 1710-11, and
was admitted to the Braintree church,
March 4, 1/23. He married (first) in
Braintree, June 26, 1672, Susannah,
daughter of Richard and Sarah Cutting,
of Watertown, Massachusetts. She was
dismissed from the Watertown church to
the Braintree church, June n, 1674. He
married (second) Mary Humphrey, a
widow, who died in 1738, leaving a
will. She was appointed administratrix
under his will, and afterward his son
Peter. Children, born in Braintree: Su-
sannah, June 22, 1674; Rachel, baptized
October 31, 1675; Peter, born May 5,
1678, died young; Rachel, baptized Au-
gust 15, 1680; Sarah, March 4, 1683;
Jonathan, mentioned below ; Peter, July
29, 1689; Richard, May 14, 1694; Richard,
born March 17, 1704
(III) Jonathan, second son of Peter
Newcomb, was born March i, 1686, in
Braintree, was a yeoman, owning several
tracts of land in that town. He removed
in March, 1728, to Norton, Massachu-
setts, where he bought land January 22,
1727, and more in 1728 and 1742. In
1721 he was a field driver in Braintree;
constable in 1724; fence viewer in 1728.
He was a soldier in the French War, and
died in the service in the expedition
against Louisburg, Canada, before No-
vember. 1745. His wife, Deborah, died in
November. 1780, aged ninety-five years.
Children : Jonathan, born May 13, 1711;
Deborah, May 16, 1713; Joseph, men-
tioned below, William, July 21, 1721;
Judith, February 23, 1724; Samuel, Sep-
tember I, 1726; Sarah, never married.
(IV) Joseph, second son of Jonathan
and Deborah Newcomb, was born July
2. 1716, in Braintree, but removed to Nor-
ton with his parents when twelve years
old. He served in the old French War,
first, in 1749, in Z. Leonard's company,
Raynham. and in 1757 in S. Witherell's
company of Norton. His will disposed
of about six hundred and fifty acres of
land, and his personal estate inventoried
at 1,286 6s 8d. He married (intentions
published), October 3, 1745, Judith Pratt,
daughter of Josiah Pratt and Tabitha
Smith, the latter the daughter of Nicholas
Smith. Children: Joseph, born June 28,
1746; Sarah, October 14, 1748; Samuel,
December i, 1752; Anna, April 15, 1/56;
Asa, December 15, 1759; Annas, March
25, 1762; Josiah, mentioned below.
(V) Josiah, youngest child of Joseph
and Judith (Pratt) Newcomb, born April
14, 1764, was a farmer during his lifetime
in Norton. He was a soldier in the Con-
tinental army in the Revolution, enlisting
July 27, 1780, in Captain John Allen's
company of Colonel Carpenter's regi-
ment. He married (first) (intentions pub-
lished October 17, 1782), Rebecca God-
frey, of Easton, born there September 27,
1765, died September 25, 1831, daughter
of Joseph and Rebecca (Tisdale) Godfrey
(see Tisdale VI). He married (second)
in 1834, Charlotte Forrest. Children, all
by first marriage: Becca, born February
29. 1784; Josiah, December 22, 1785; Na-
thaniel, April 12, 1797; Anna, March 17,
1799.
(VI) Nathaniel, second son of Josiah
and Rebecca (Godfrey) Newcomb, was
born April 12, 1797, in Norton, and died
there November n, 1876. In the public
schools of his native town he laid the
foundation to which subsequent study
and observation added in making a well-
informed man of affairs. At the age of
seventeen years he engaged with his
brother-in-law, Simeon Presbrey, in a
cotton mill in Stoughton, where he mas-
tered the details of cotton manufacture
and the rudiments of business. His in-
dustry was unusual and he early de-
veloped a conservative and prudent char-
acter. He early established himself in
business in his native town, in the manu-
facture of cotton thread, which was in-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
terrupted by the burning of his mill De-
cember 31, 1831. He then purchased the
right of manufacture of wadding, under
the patent of James Beaumont, and until
his retirement in 1861, continued in the
production of wadding and batting, with
unvarying success. Mr. Newcomb was
the foe of waste and of idleness, and him-
self set the example of continued effort,
which resulted in the accumulation of a
very comfortable fortune. Because he
was known as a man of caution, his ad-
vice was Often sought by business men.
The profits of his business were used in
its development and growth. He often ex-
pressed a wish to bestow upon his native
town, the scene of his successful career,
some memento, and this wish was carried
out by his surviving daughter in 1882,
by the gift of the present town hall, as a
memorial of her father. A man of strong
and positive character, Mr. Newcomb en-
tertained settled convictions, but never
expressed an opinion without previous
and mature reflection. Politically, he sus-
tained the Democratic principles and poli-
cies, but shunned any sort of public pre-
ferment. His success was the natural de-
velopment of his business force and cour-
age, and he enjoyed the respect of esteem
of those who came within the circle of
his influence. Of genial and social na-
ture, his friendships were spontaneous
and continuous.
He married, April 7, 1823, Betsey,
daughter of General Thomas and Esther
(.Newland) Lincoln, of Taunton, Massa-
chusetts (see Lincoln V). She was born
February 10, 1795, and died August 16,
1878. In 1873, Mr. and Mrs. Newcomb
celebrated their golden wedding anniver-
sary, in the midst of a large gathering of
friends, assembled from many and re-
mote localities. They were the parents
of two children : Betsey Thomas, the
senior, born April 5, 1825, became the
wife of William A. Hayward. of Milford.
Massachusetts, and died in New York,
June 2, 1884. They were the parents of
one daughter, Harriot B. Hayward, who
married Charles Minchew, of Taunton,
and she is now a widow, residing in Nor-
ton, Massachusetts. The junior, Harriot
Augusta, born January 3, 1833, resides
in Norton.
(The Lincoln Line).
Hingham, Massachusetts, is distin-
guished as the home of all the first set-
tlers of the surname Lincoln. From these
pioneers are descended all the colonial
families of the name, including President
Lincoln and more than one governor and
man of note in all walks of life. The sur-
name was variously spelled Linkhorn,
Linkoln, Lincon, and was common in old
Hingham, in England, for more than a
century before immigrant ancestors made
their home in Massachusetts. The origin
or meaning of the name has been a theme
of discussion. Some have maintained
that it is a relic of the Anglo-Saxon-Nor-
man Conquest period, when, near some
waterfall (Anglo-Saxon "lin") a colony
( Roman "colonia") was founded, thus
giving Lincolonia or finally Lincolnshire.
Eight of the name were among the first
settlers of Hingham, coming thither from
Wymondham, County Norfolk, England.
Three brothers, Daniel, Samuel and
Thomas, came with their mother, Joan.
There were no less than four named
Thomas Lincoln, adults and heads of
families, all doubtless related. They were
distinguished on the records and in local
speech by their trades. They were known
as Thomas, the miller; Thomas, the
cooper; Thomas, the husbandman, and
Thomas, the weaver. There was also
Stephen Lincoln who came with his wife
and son, Stephen, from Wymond, Eng-
land, in 1638. This name is spelled also
Windham and Wymondham.
(I) Thomas Lincoln, the miller, was
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
born 1603, in Norfolk county, England.
He came to Hingham, Massachusetts, in
IO 35> was ne f the proprietors the same
year, drew a house lot of rive acres at
Hingham, July 3, 1636, on what in now
South street, near Main, and later drew
lots for planting. Before 1650, he had re-
moved to Taunton, Massachusetts, and
had built a grist mill there on Mill River
at a point in the very heart of the present
city, near the street leading from the rail-
road station to City Square. It is said
that King Philip and his chiefs once met
the colonists in conference in this mill.
He served in Taunton on the jury in
1650; was highway surveyor there in
1650 and the largest land owner. He be-
came one of the stockholders in the fa-
mous Tauntou iron works, established
October, 1652, as a stock company.
Among other stockholders were Richard
Williams, Richard Stacy and George
Watson. These works were operated
until 1883, and the dam and foundation
still mark one of the most interesting
sites in the history of American industry.
Thomas Lincoln gave land in Hingham
to his son, Thomas, who sold it October
ii, 1662, specifying the history of the
transactions. His will was dated August
23, 1683, when he stated his age as about
eighty years. The will was proved March
5, 1684. He married (first) in England,
and (second) December 10, 1665, Eliza-
beth (Harvey) Street, widow of Francis
Street. Children : John, baptized Febru-
ary, 1639, married Edith Macomber ;
Samuel, mentioned below ; Thomas, Feb-
ruary, 1638, at Hingham ; Mary, at Hing-
ham, October 6, 1642, married William
Hack and Richard Stevens ; Sarah, De-
cember, 1645, married Joseph Wills, of
Taunton, and settled in Scituate.
(II) Samuel, second son of Thomas
Lincoln, the miller, was born at Hing-
ham, England, or vicinity, and baptized
in Hingham, Massachusetts, in 1637. He
settled in Taunton, Massachusetts, had a
wife, Jane, and the following children:
Samuel, Hannah, Tamson, Elizabeth,
Ebenezer, Rachel, John, Thomas and
Daniel.
(III) Samuel (2), eldest child of Sam-
uel (i) and Catherine Lincoln, was born
June 1, 1664, in Taunton, and resided in
that town, reaching the age of seventy-
five years. He married Experience,
daughter of Jonathan and Experience
Briggs, of Taunton, and had children :
Ambrose, Samuel, Ebenezer, Experience,
Elizabeth, Nathaniel and Benjamin.
(IV) Ambrose, son of Samuel (2) and
Experience (Briggs) Lincoln, resided in
Taunton, Massachusetts, and married,
January 7, 1744, Hannah Clapp, born
March 4, 1719, in Dedham, daughter of
Thomas (4) and Hannah (Felch) Clapp,
of Walpole, Massachusetts (see Clapp
V). Children: Hepsibah, married Solo-
mon Witherell; Rachel; Ezekiel ; Am-
brose; Thomas, mentioned below; and,
perhaps, Hannah and Mary.
(V) General Thomas Lincoln, third
son of Ambrose and Hannah (Clapp)
Lincoln, was born September 4, 1759, in
Taunton, and died August 10, 1836, in
Norton. He was much occupied in civil
affairs and won his military title by serv-
ice in the War of 1812, in which he was
very active and efficient. Most of his life
was spent on the farm in Taunton on
which he was born, and he was long a
justice of the peace. From 1812 to 1821,
inclusive, he was a member of the board
of selectmen, was representative to the
General Court in 1815 and 1816 and often
a delegate to State conventions. At the
age of eighteen years he was a private
soldier in Captain Snow's company of the
Revolutionary army. In 1791 he was
captain of a militia company, and was
commissioned major of the State militia
September 3, 1795. From 1805 to May
18, 1809, he was successively lieutenant-
-~ :
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
colonel and colonel, and on the latter date
was commissioned brigadier-general of
the Bristol county brigade. During the
embargo in 1807 he was in command of
the Third Regiment of the Bristol county
brigade, with rank of lieutenant-colonel.
Having passed through every grade from
captain to commander of a brigade, he
resigned in 1814, receiving his discharge
May iQth of that year. A capable and
efficient officer, he retired with honor, and
in the enjoyment of the esteem and re-
gard of officers and men. He married
October 24, 1/84, Esther Newland, born
May 23, 1766, in Norton, daughter of
Amos and Esther (Briggs) Newland, of
that town (see Newland IV). Children:
Thomas, born July 10. 1785, died at Sac-
kets Harbor, September 16, 1813; Esther,
April 9, 1/87; Amos, May 3, 1789; Hepzi-
bah, April 5, 1791 ; Rachel, February 20,
1793; Betsey, mentioned below; Char-
lotte, March 13, 1797; Timothy, March 7,
1799; Theodore Leonard, March 13, 1801 ;
George Morey, September 8, 1803 ; Han-
nah Clapp, March i, 1807; Mary, March
14, 1812.
(VI) Betsey, fourth daughter of Thom-
as and Esther (Newland) Lincoln, was
born February 10, 1795, in Taunton, and
became the wife of Nathaniel Newcomb,
of that town (see Newcomb VI).
(The Tisdale Line).
This name is not as numerously repre-
sented in America as many others, but it
is among the earliest and has contributed
many useful citizens. Its connection with
the settlement and development of Cen-
tral New York has been an honorable
one, and it is still associated with the
annals of the region. It appears in the
early New England records with various
spellings, such as Tisdall, Tisdel, Tisdell
and numerous other forms. The English
arms of the family represent an arm pass-
ing through a crown holding a javelin.
Mass-5-J 33
Among the earlier generations were El-
kanah Tisdale, a noted lawyer, and Na-
than Tisdale, an eminent classical scholar
and teacher of Lebanon, Connecticut.
The family has its part in the various
wars, incident to the building and preserva-
tion of the Union, and in civil affairs has
taken no mean part.
(I) John Tisdale, ancestor of nearly all
now bearing the name in this country,
was born in England, 1615-20, and settled
in Duxbury, Massachusetts, 1636. He
was styled "yeoman," and his name
appears on the list of planters and pro-
prietors. He brought suit in court, June
7, 1636, against Stephen Hopkins for an
assault and battery by which Tisdale was
dangerously wounded, and Hopkins was
fined five pounds and costs. He was ad-
mitted an inhabitant of Duxbury, 1638;
was among those able to bear arms ac-
cording to the list of 1643; constable,
1645 - removed to Taunton, where he was
living December 26, 1651, when he bought
lands of William Brett, at Duxbury. In
Taunton, he was constable in 1659; was
among purchasers of Taunton North Pur-
chase, 1668; selectman, 1674; deputy to
Plymouth General Court, same year. He
was murdered by Indians in King Philip's
War, June 27, 1675. His wife, Sarah,
died December, 1676. His will, proved
November 2, 1676, bequeathed to sons,
John, James, Joshua and Joseph; to
daughters, Elizabeth, Sarah, Mary and
Abigail. The court made note in its rec-
ord that the two younger sons had en-
dangered their lives in protecting the
property. The estate was divided by
agreement between these sons and the
three sons-in-law, John Smith, James
Dean and Nathaniel French. His inven-
tory amounted to one hundred and fifty
pounds. He owned land at Taunton and
near Assonet. He married Sarah Walker,
born 1618, died December, 1678, daughter
of Widow Walker, of Rehoboth. Chil-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
dren : John, born in Duxbury, died 1677 ;
James, born 1644, resided in Berkeley;
Joshua, 1646, lived in Taunton ; Joseph,
mentioned below ; Elizabeth, married
John Smith ; Sarah, married James Dean ;
Mary, born Taunton, died there May 18,
1731 ; Abigail, married Edward Bobbett.
Each of the four sons named his eldest
son for himself.
(II) Joseph, fourth son of John and
Sarah (Walker) Tisdale, was born 1656
in Duxbury, and inherited a large estate
from his father, located in that part of
Taunton which became Norton, on which
he settled. There he died 1721-22. He
married in August, 1681, Mary Leonard,
born August 2, 1663, daughter of Major
Thomas and Mary (Watson) Leonard, of
Taunton. Children: Joseph, mentioned
below; Elkanah, born 1684; Mary, 1686,
married Joseph Winslow, of Swansea ;
Hannah, 1688, married William Hodges,
of Norton ; Sarah, 1690, married Thomas
Reed, of Dighton ; Abigail and Elizabeth
(twins), the first married Ephraim Hay-
ward, of Bridgewater, and the second,
Elkanah Leonard, of Middleboro.
(III) Joseph (2), eldest child of Joseph
(i) and Mary (Leonard) Tisdale, was
born 1682 in Taunton, where he lived,
and died in 1739. He married there,
March 13, 1707, Ruth, daughter of John
and Bethiah (Frye) Reed, born 1685-86,
died in August, 1748. Children, men-
tioned in will : Job, Joseph, Loved, Seth,
Ebenezer, Simeon, Bathsheba, Mary and
Hannah.
(IV) Seth, son of Joseph (2) and Ruth
(Reed) Tisdale, was born about 1715, in
Taunton, and married Rebecca, daughter
of Nathaniel and Hannah (Deane)
Hodges. Children, recorded in Norton :
Rebecca, mentioned below ; Seth, born
March 5, 1749; Phebe, November 14,
1753; Reuben, April 29, 1757; John and
Molle (twins), March 25, 1759; Sarah.
November 27, 1762.
(V) Rebecca, eldest child of Seth and
Rebecca (Hodges) Tisdale, was born
March 21, 1746, in Norton, and was mar-
ried, September 30, 1762, to Joseph God-
frey, of Easton, Massachusetts.
(VI) Rebecca, daughter of Joseph and
Rebecca (Tisdale) Godfrey, born Sep-
tember 27, 1765, in Easton; was married
(intentions published October 27, 1782,
in Norton) to Josiah Newcomb, of Nor-
ton (see Newcomb V).
(The Newland Line).
The early records of New England are
very meagre regarding this name, and the
burning of the Taunton records over fifty
years ago makes it impossible to learn
definitely of many things concerning the
family. There was an Anthony Newland
in Salisbury, Massachusetts, in 1650, but
he disappeared from the records there
and is supposed to have removed to
Taunton. William Newland went from
Lynn, where he must have stayed a very
short time, to Sandwich, Massachusetts,
in 1637, and was made a freeman of the
colony there in 1641. He was representa-
tive to the General Court in 1642-43-44,
but was disfranchised October 3, 1655,
for kindness to Quakers. He married,
May 19, 1648, Rose Hathaway, whose
children of record were: Mary, John and
Mercy. This was, probably, a second
marriage, as he must have been an adult in
1637, when he was of record as a citizen.
It is quite possible that the next men-
tioned was his son.
(I) Jeremiah Newland was a resident
of Taunton as early as 1657, had a wife,
Katherine, and sons, Anthony, mentioned
below, and Benjamin, born about 1675.
Undoubtedly there were others, of whom
no record can now be found.
(IT) Anthony, son of Jeremiah and
Katherine Newland, was born August i,
1657, in Taunton, and lived in Norton,
formerly a part of Taunton. He married,
34
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
December 10, 1682, in Taunton, Esther,
daughter of Jonah (or Jonas) and Con-
stance (Lincoln) Austin, of that town.
(III) josiah, son of Anthony and
Esther (Austin) Newland, resided in
Norton, where he married, February 12,
1730, Abigail Grover, baptized December
12, 1714, daughter of Ephraim and Mary
Grover, of that town. Children, of Nor-
ton record: Abigail, born November 12,
1730; Josiah, 1732, died young; Jonathan,
January 30, 1734; Amos, mentioned be-
low; Josiah, December 27, 1740; Sarah,
April 8, 1742; David, May 27, 1752.
(IV) Amos, third son of Josiah and
Abigail (Grover) Newland, was born
June 9, 1738, in Norton, and married
there, May 2, 1765, Esther Briggs, born
September 5, 1740, in Norton, daughter
of Phineas and Esther (Finney) Briggs,
of that town. Only one child of this mar-
riage is recorded in Norton.
(V) Esther, daughter of Amos and
Esther (Briggs) Newland, was born May
13, 1766, in Norton, and was married,
October 24, 1784, to General Thomas Lin-
coln, of Taunton (see Lincoln V).
(The Clapp Line).
(I) Nicholas Clapp, progenitor of the
family, lived at Venn Ottery, Devon-
shire, England. Three of his sons and
one daughter, wife of his nephew, Ed-
ward Clapp, came to America. His
brother, William Clapp, lived at Sal-
combe Regis, England, and besides his
ton, Edward ; another son, Roger Clapp,
immigrated to America, and settled in
Dorchester. The family genealogy gives
the name of Richard instead of Nicholas.
Children: Thomas, mentioned below;
Ambrose, lived and died in England ;
Richard, remained in England ; Pru-
dence, came to New England, married
her cousin, Edward Clapp; Nicholas,
born in Dorchester, England, 1612; mar-
ried Sarah, daughter of William Clapp ;
John, came to Dorchester, as well as
Nicholas.
(II) Thomas, son of Nicholas Clapp,
was born in England in 1597. He arrived
from Weymouth, England, July 24, 1633,
and in 1634 was at Dorchester, where
Nicholas and John had settled. He was
admitted a freeman at Dorchester in 1636,
moved to Weymouth, Massachusetts, as
early as 1639, and lived on the farm later
owned by Hon. Christopher Webb. In
1640 he removed to Scituate, Massachu-
setts, was deacon of the church there in
1647, and was admitted a freeman of
Plymouth Colony, June 5, 1644. He was
deputy to the General Court in 1649;
overseer of the poor in 1667 ; a useful and
eminent citizen. His farm was in the
southwest part of the town near Stock-
bridge's mill pond, later owned by Calvin
Jenkins. He died April 20, 1684, aged
eighty-seven years. His will was dated
April 19, 1684, stating that he was in his
eighty-seventh year, bequeathing to wife,
Abigail, children : Thomas, of Dedham ;
Samuel, Increase, and four daughters.
Children : Thomas, mentioned below ; In-
crease, born May, 1640, probably; Sam-
uel; Eleazer, moved to Barnstable, killed
March 15, 1676, by Indians; Elizabeth,
maried Captain Michael P. Pierce ; Pru-
dence, unmarried; John, born October
18, 1658, died 1671 ; Abigail, January 29,
1660.
(III) Thomas (2), eldest child of
Thomas (i) and Abigail Clapp, was born
March 15, 1639, in Weymouth, Massa-
chusetts, settled at Dedham, Massachu-
setts, living in that part incorporated in
1724, as Walpole, and was a housewright.
His will was dated December 14, 1688,
and proved January 29, 1691. He mar-
ried, September 10, 1662, Mary Fisher, of
Dedham, born January 23, 1644, daugh-
ter of Joshua and Mary Fisher. Chil-
dren, born in Dedham : Thomas, men-
tioned below; John, February 29, 1666;
35
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Joshua, 1667; Mary, December 13, 1669;
Eleazer, November 4, 1671; Abigail;
Hannah; Samuel, August 21, 1682.
(IV) Thomas (3), eldest son of Thom-
as (2) and Mary (Fisher) Clapp, was
born September 26, 1663, in Dedham, and
was a farmer in his native town, residing
in the house purchased by his father,
which stood on his share of the paternal
estate as divided by will. He was also
the owner of several other parcels in the
town. He died January 28, 1704, and was
survived by his wife, Mary, who married
(second) Mr. Jennery. Children : Thom-
as, mentioned below; Mary, born about
1689; Deborah, 1691; Mehitable, 1694;
Stephen, 1700; Hannah and Elizabeth.
(V) Thomas (4), eldest son of Thomas
(3) and Mary Clapp, was born about
1686, in Dedham, and was only seventeen
years old when his father died. The re-
sponsibility of the family devolved large-
ly upon him, and he was made guardian
of his brother and five sisters on com-
ing of age. He was an industrious and
enterprising man and left at his death,
February 18, 1741, an estate inventoried
at 1,505 175. 9d. He married, January
4, 1715, in Weston, Massachusetts, Han-
nah Felch, daughter of John and Eliza-
beth Felch, of that town. Two children
are recorded in Dedham, but none in
Walpole, where he lived; Thomas, born
November 5, 1715, and Hannah, men-
tioned below.
(VI) Hannah, eldest daughter of Thom-
as (4) and Hannah (Felch) Clapp, was
born March 4, 1719, in Dedham, and be-
came the wife of Ambrose Lincoln, of
Taunton (see Lincoln IV).
WOOD, Oliver B.,
Printer and Publisher.
William Wood was the immigrant an-
cestor of Oliver B. Wood, the printer and
publisher of Worcester, and of Ernest
Freeman Wood and George Farrar Wood,
of Winchendon, Massachusetts.
William Wood was born, according to
Shattuck, the Concord historian, in Derby-
shire, England, 1582. He is believed to
have come to New England early to col-
lect material for the book, "New Eng-
land's Prospects," an enthusiastic de-
scription of the new country, responsible
perhaps for much of the emigration from
England after its publication in London
in 1636. William Wood again came to
America in 1638 with his nephew, Hon.
Thomas Flint, and settled in Concord.
The hrst mention of the Indian name of
Concord in print was found in this book
of W r ood's. He died May 14, 1671, and
was buried at Concord. His age was
given at the time of death as eighty-one
years. His will, dated September 15,
1670, named the three children given
below. They were born in England, viz. :
Michael, see forward ; Ruth, married Cap-
tain Thomas Wheeler, the valiant Indian
fighter ; Abigail, married at Concord,
March 24, 1607, Stephen Hosmer.
(II) Michael Wood, the only son of
William Wood, was born in England and
came probably in 1628 with his father to
Concord. He made his home there on
what is now Main street, beyond the
south branch of the river. His near
neighbors were Obadiah Wheeler, Ed-
mund Wigley and Goodman Dakin. He
was admitted a freeman, May 13, 1674.
He married Mary - , who survived
him. Children of Michael Wood and his
wife, Mary, were : Abraham, settled in
Sudbury, was father of Deacon Nathan
Wood, born March 24, 1723, who re-
moved in 1756 to Westminster, and who
had fifteen children and many descend-
ants there ; Abigail, born at Concord,
April 10, 1642; Thomas or Thompson;
John; Nathaniel, died March 7, 1661-62;
Mary, died April 4, 1773; Jacob, born
36
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
March 3, 1661-62, married Mary Wheeler,
1697; Isaac, see forward.
(III) Isaac Wood, son of Michael
Wood, was born in Concord, Massachu-
setts, about 1670. He married (first)
Mary - , (second) Elizabeth - ,
who died May 12, 1717, and (third) Su-
sannah Bisco, both of Concord, April 26,
1722. She survived him. He died Janu-
ary ii, 1740-41. The only child on record
of Isaac and Mary was : Mary, born at
Concord, March 17, 1689-90. The only
child on record of Isaac and Elizabeth
was : Elizabeth, born April 8, 1693. The
children of Isaac and Susannah Wood
were : Michael, see forward ; Samuel,
born April 22, 1728; Susannah, born Au-
gust 19, 1732.
(IV) Michael (2) Wood, son of Isaac
Wood, was born in Concord, Massachu-
setts, July i, 1724. He settled in Lunen-
burg- where he married (first) Martha
Platts, daughter of Abel Platts, who was
the first settler of Rindge, New Hamp-
shire. He married (second) August 21,
1764, Lois Wilson, of Lunenburg. Chil-
dren of Michael and Martha Wood were :
Isaac, see forward ; Mary, born Novem-
ber i, 1749; Elizabeth, born April 20,
1751, married Daniel Graegg, of Rindge,
New Hampshire ; Hannah, born January
18, 1754-
(V) Isaac (2) Wood, eldest child of
Michael (2) Wood, was born in Lunen-
burg, Massachusetts, September 7, 1746.
He was a Revolutionary soldier. He and
his cousin, Abel Platts, Jr., were in the
company of Captain Nathan Hale at the
Lexington Alarm, April 19, 1775. He
probably was in the service again. He
was a mason by trade and also conducted
his farm. He settled at Rindge, New
Hampshire, 1772, on the farm now or
lately owned by his descendants, Jonas
and John E. Wood. He held positions
of public honor and trust. He was select-
man of Rindge in 1785-86. He married.
January 11, 1770, Elizabeth Hartwell,
born April 14, 1751, daughter of Jonathan
and Elizabeth (Tarbell) Hartwell. She
died November 20, 1819, and he died Jan-
uary 5, 1836, aged eighty-eight years. All
their children except the eldest were born
in Rindge, viz. : Amasa, born in L,unen-
burg, September 2, 1771 ; Jonathan, see
forward ; Jonas, born December 30, 17/4,
resided at Lenox, New York; Isaac, born
November 30, 1776; Betty, born October
ii, 1778, died young; Ruth, born Novem-
ber 7, 1780, married Benjamin Lovejoy;
David, July 19, 1783; Betty, born Sep-
tember 10, 1785, married Stephen Emory,
of Rindge; Caleb, born July i, 1789, died
1807; Susan, married, March 9, 1826,
Deacon John W. Bemis ; Eunice, married,
May 3, 1830, Captain Joseph Hartwell, of
Lunenburg.
(VI) Jonathan Wood, son of Isaac (2)
Wood, was born in Rindge, New Hamp-
shire, April 17, 1773. He married (first)
April 10, 1797, Dolly Jones, born May 28,
1777, daughter of Enos Jones, born in
Lunenburg, July 4. 1/42. Enos Jones
was the son of W''illiam and Sarah
( Locke) Jones. William Jones at the
time of his death owned one-half of the
Bluefield or Bellows grant in Ashburn-
ham, Massachusetts, and in 1761 Enos
Jones removed to that town and settled
on this tract. He was a descendant of
Lewis Jones, through Captain Josiah
(II); Josiah (III); William (IV), who
settled in Lunenburg; Enos (V). Jona-
than Wood settled in the north part of
the town of Ashburnham. His wife died
there January 18, 1818. He married (sec-
ond) December 21, 1820, Sarah (Lake")
Robinson, daughter of Henry and Pru-
dence Lake, of Rindge, and widow of
Ezra Robinson. She married (third)
Amos Stearns; (fourth) May 19, 1842,
Josiah Hartwell, of Fitchburg. Jonathan
Wood died September I, 1825. Children
of Jonathan and Dolly Wood were: i.
37
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Zulima, born November 30, 1799; mar-
ried, 1823, Asa Dunn, of Fitchburg. 2.
Laura, born June 20, 1801 ; married, April
22, 1823, John Vose, of Leominster. 3.
Dolly, born February 2, 1803; married,
April 8, 1823, Zacheriah Parker, Jr., of
New Ipswich. 4. Elnathan, born Sep-
tember 20, 1804, died July 29, 1829. 5.
George, born September 29, 1805 ; mar-
ried, September 16, 1827, Luana Law-
rence. 6. Betsey, born June 25, 1808;
married, February 6, 1827, Luther Per-
kins, of Wethersfield. 7. Zoa, born Janu-
ary 24, 1810, died September 7, 1822. 8.
Lurena, born December 12, 1812; mar-
ried, January 16, 1831, Freeman Walcott.
9. Hartwell, born October 27, 1815; mar-
ried, 1841, James Snell ; she died January
i, 1843, ar >d he died July 26, 1846. 10.
Jonas J.. born January i, 1818; married
(first) 1852, Lucy Wood, of Mason, New
Hampshire; she died November 4, 1853;
married (second) Lydia Parker, of Law-
rence ; she died August 12, 1859; he re-
moved in 1860 to Winchendon, where he
died October 13, 1863. Children of Jona-
than and Sarah Wood were : Eunice K.,
born March 22, 1824, married George P.
Ward, son of Alvan Ward, of Winchen-
don ; Eliphalet S., see forward.
(VII) Eliphalet S. Wood, son of Jona-
than Wood, was born in Ashbtirnham,
Massachusetts, February 2, 1825. He re-
sided in his native town until 1866, when
he removed to Winchendon. He was ex-
press agent there from 1866 to 1886. He
was deputy sheriff from 1870 for many
years. He was prominent in town affairs
and filled the offices of constable and
overseer of the poor. He married, Sep-
tember 20, 1846, Susan H. Farrar, born
June 24, 1826, daughter of John Farrar,
who was born April 15, 1784, and was
the son of Jacob Farrar, of Concord,
who married, December 20, 1810, Calle
Stearns, daughter of William Stearns.
Calle (Stearns) Farrar died March 26,
1843, leaving eight children. Mr. Farrar
married (second) March 13, 1844, Lucy
Houghton, daughter of Robert and Sarah
(Jones) Houghton, of Leominster and
Winchendon. Children of Eliphalet S.
and Susan H. Wood were: I. Ella Medi-
na, born September 23, 1847; married,
May 25, 1876, John E. Wakefield ; resides
at 474 Grove street, Worcester ; he was
a wrench manufacturer at 89 Exchange
street; died April 20, 1910. 2. Frank A.,
born Alay 9, 1850, died March 2, 1851. 3.
George Farrar, see forward. 4. Calle A.,
born July 30, 1855 ; married. January 20,
1876, John W. Beaman, of Winchen-
don, son of William Beaman. 5. Oliver
Brooks, see forward. 6. Walter L., born
October 17, 1859, died June 25, 1864. 7.
Ernest Freeman, see forward. 8. Cora
Etta, born April 4, 1867.
(VIII) George Farrar Wood, son of
Eliphalet S. Wood, was born at Winchen-
don, Massachusetts, August 21, 1851. He
removed with his parents to Ashburnham
at an early age, and was educated in the
common schools of that town. He re-
moved to Winchendon with his parents
in 1866. He attended public schools there
and was two years in the high school.
He also took a course in the business
college of Bryant & Stratton, of Boston.
He began his business life in the employ
of C. C. Parker, of Winchendon, proprie-
tor of a general store. At the end of
three years he bought the business of Mr.
Parker. The store was located in the
Tucker Rice Block, just above the rail-
road station. Two or three years later
the store was removed to its present loca-
tion in the block built by himself and
father. After his father's death he bought
the interests of the other heirs in the
building and is now the sole owner. Mr.
Wood attends the North Congregational
Church at Winchendon. He is a member
of Manamonack Lodge, No. 121, Inde-
pendent Order of Odd Fellows; Watatic
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Tribe, Improved Order of Red Men ;
Avon Club, and Winchendon Country
Club. In politics he is a Republican. He
married, August 25, 1874, Alice Harriet
Merrill, born February 2, 1849, daughter
of Edwin S. and Harriet (Hand) Merrill.
Mrs. Wood died January iS, 1905. Her
father was postmaster of Winchendon for
forty years. The children of George
Farrar and Alice Harriet Wood were :
Marguerite and Ethel Harriet; Mar-
guerite is now deceased.
(VIII) Oliver Brooks Wood, son of
Eliphalet S. Wood, was born in Ashburn-
ham, Massachusetts, February 7, 1857.
He attended the public schools in Win-
chendon, and at the age of twelve began
to work in a printing office there. With
the exception of five years spent in at-
tending school, he has been actively en-
gaged since then in the printing business.
When a young man he became foreman
of the newspaper and job office of the
"Franklin County Times" at Greenfield,
Massachusetts. He worked later in offices
in Fitchburg and Chicago. In 1878 he
returned east and took charge of the job
printing establishment of Edward R.
Fiske, in Worcester, one of the largest
printing establishments in the city. In
1880 he engaged with Sanford & Com-
pany, stationers and printers, Worcester,
as foreman of their printing department.
In 1882 he purchased a half interest in the
business which was conducted thereafter
under the firm name of Sanford & Wood.
A few months later he became the sole
owner and has carried on the printing
business with marked success to the
present time. In 1894, having outgrown
the old quarters on Maple street, he re-
moved to the commodious Graphic Arts
Building, No. 25 Foster street, where his
establishment occupies the entire fifth
and sixth floors. Branch offices are main-
tained in Boston and New York. In 1912
the business was incorporated under Mas-
sachusetts laws under the name of the
Commonwealth Press, Oliver B. Wood,
president and treasurer, E. H. Marsh,
vice-president, and Hamilton B. Wood,
secretary and assistant treasurer. They
make law and mercantile printing a
specialty, and the work of the office has
always maintained a high reputation for
excellence and accuracy. Mr. Wood is
connected with several Masonic, military,
social and other organizations in Wor-
cester, and has been president of the
Worcester Typotheta. In politics he is
a Republican. Mr. Wood married, Octo-
ber 19, 1882, Jennie Chase Flagg, of Graf-
ton, Massachusetts (see Flagg VII).
Their children are : Olive Marguerite,
Roger Hamilton, deceased, Hamilton
Brooks, and Gladys Jeanette.
(VIII) Ernest Freeman Wood, son of
Eliphalet S. Wood, was born at North
Ashburnham, Massachusetts, June 18,
1863. When he was three years old he
removed with his parents to Winchen-
don, Massachusetts, where he was edu-
cated in the public schools. After three
years' course in the high school he en-
tered the employ of the American Ex-
press Company. A few years later he re-
ceived an appointment to the position of
Winchendon agent of the American
National Express Companies, but at the
present time is retired from business pur-
suits. Mr. Wood held the appointment
of deputy sheriff for Winchendon after
his father, but resigned at the end of a
year. He attends the North Congrega-
tional Church at Winchendon. In poli-
tics he is a Republican. He is a mem-
ber of Artisan Lodge, Free and Ac-
cepted Masons, of Winchendon ; North
Star Chapter, Royal Arch Masons ; of
Naumkeag Council, Royal Arcanum ; of
Watatic Tribe, Improved Order of Red
Men ; of the Avon Club and Winchendon
Country Club. He married, October 10,
1888, Elizabeth Clara Bennett, daughter
39
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
of Charles N. and Elizabeth (Tryon)
Bennett. Her father was a carpenter
and contractor at Manchester, Vermont.
She is a well-known soprano soloist. She
has been the leading soprano for twelve
years at the North Congregational
Church, and she was for two years in a
similar position in the Leominster Con-
gregational Church. The children of
Ernest Freeman and Elizabeth Clara
Wood : Madeline Bennett, born Febru-
ary 6, 1890; Elizabeth Nelson, born June
12, 1892.
(IX) Hamilton Brooks Wood, son of
Oliver Brooks Wood, was born in Wor-
cester, Massachusetts, May 28, 1889. He
was educated in the public and high
schools of his native city, graduating in
the class of 1906, having taken a promi-
nent part in athletics and music, and then
entered Williams College, from which in-
stitution of learning he graduated in the
class of 1910. He was a member of the
college football team (playing centre)
and college track team, leader of the
College Glee Club in 1909-10, member of
the Mandolin Club, Banjo Club, orches-
tra, choir, author of several of the college
songs, was class marshal, an honor elec-
tive for the senior year, one of the
editors of the "Williams College Song
Book," and is permanent life secretary of
his class. He is a member of the Zeta
Psi fraternity and Gargoyle Society of
Williams College. In the summer of
1906 he entered upon his active business
career in the composing room of the
printing establishment of the Common-
wealth Press, remaining for a period of
two years, and at the present time (1916)
is serving in the capacity of secretary and
assistant treasurer of the Commonwealth
Press, incorporated in 1912 under Massa-
chusetts laws, with Oliver B. Wood,
president and treasurer, E. H. Marsh,
vice-president, and Hamilton B. Wood,
secretarv and assistant treasurer. He
was a member of the mixed quartette at
the Westboro Congregational Church
from the fall of 1914 to the spring of 1916,
and is a member of the Worcester County
Musical Association, Worcester Publicity
Association, of which he is a director
(1916), Quinsigamond Club, Worcester
Country Club, Worcester Fish and Game
Club, Worcester Commercial Travelers,
and Worcester County Mechanics' Asso-
ciation.
Mr. Wood married, November 26, 1912,
Helen Osgood Bradley, born in Worces-
cester, Massachusetts, June 16, 1888,
daughter of John Erving and Emma
M. (Dingley) Bradley (see Bradley),
and they are the parents of one child,
Elizabeth, born January 18, 1915. Mrs.
Wood attended the public and high
schools of Worcester, graduated in class
of 1906 as a Grade A pupil (first class),
ihen entered Smith College, and gradu-
ated with the degree of A. B. in class of
1910; was a member of the Phi Kappa
Psi, and president of the "College Settle-
ment" for one year, this being a junior
honor. She is a member of the Congre-
gational church.
(The Flagg Line).
The family name is found in the Eng-
lish records spelled (as it was by the
earlier members in America) Flegg. An-
other form is Flegge, used often in Eng-
lish records, and we also find Flag, Flege,
Flegh, Fleght, Fleggh and Flight. And
it is not until about 1700 that we find it
spelled Flagg. At that time the family in
New England seems to have generally
adopted this form. Tradition says that
the family had its origin in one Rowl
Flegg, a Norman viking, who ravished
the eastern coast of England and made a
settlement in Norfolk about 868. The
family has been traced many generations
in England before its arrival in this coun-
try. It is of undoubted Norman origin,
40
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
as in the early generations it is used with
the French prefix de. In the latter part
of the twelfth century, the family of De
Flegg was seated in the County of Nor-
folk on the east coast, where are found
the hundreds of East and West Flegg,
and where they held grants of land in the
reign of Henry II. In the southeast
corner of Norfolk there is a dense Dan-
ish settlement, occupying the hundreds
of East and West Flegg. The Norse
word Flegg (Danish, Vlak) means flat,
and this territory occupies a space some
eight miles by seven, well protected on
every side by the sea. That the family
was not of Saxon origin is indicated by
its residence in this Danish settlement
and its affiliation with Norman families
so soon after the reign of William the
Conqueror. It is probable that it was
of either Danish or Norman origin and
took its name from the Danish hundreds
when it held grants of land, De Flegg
meaning of Flegg. In the reign of King
Stephen, East and West Flegg were
granted by him to his nephew. Henry,
then abbot, and the monks of St. Ben-
nett. Flegg Hall, the seat of the family in
Norfolk in feudal times, was occupied by
Sir John De Flegg, lord in the right of
Margaret, his wife. In the reign of
Henry II. the family had an interest in
the town of Winteron. At this time there
were living in the County of Norfolk two
brothers, Alger and Henry De Flegg.
The latter was prior of Norwich in 1168,
and the former was living in 1160. Henry,
son of Alger De Flegg, of Flegg Hall and
Hickling in the hundreds of West Flegg
in 1204, is mentioned in records in the
first year of King John, 1199, as holding
patents to three divisions of land. Sir
John, son of Henry De Flegg. had wife
Beatrix, and three sons : Sir John, Thom-
as and William. Sir John Flagg sold the
family estate and went on crusades. His
son, Thomas Flagg, of Swafield, County
Norfolk, England, 1241, had by wife
Dionisia sons Roger, Arthur and Wil-
liam. The latter was the father of Henry,
1320. The last named may have been the
father of the next mentioned.
(I) William Flegg died in 1426, leav-
ing sons, \Villiam and Thomas.
(II) Thomas Flegg, second son of Wil-
liam Flegg, resided in County Norfolk,
where he died in 1471.
(III) William (2) Flegg, son of Thom-
as Flegg. resided in Swafield, County
Norfolk, in 1521, in the reign of Henry
VIII., and had five sons: William, Rich-
ard, Thomas, John and James.
(IV) Richard Flegg, surviving son of
William (2) Flegg, resided in Shipdham,
County Norfolk, and left a will which
was proved May 28, 1587, in which he
mentioned his wife Margaret. They had
children: William, Richard, John. Alice
and Ralph.
(V) John Flegg, third son of Richard
and Margaret Flegg. resided in Foxham,
County Norfolk, and made a will dated
September 3. 1613, proved in Norwich,
February 15, 1617. He married Aveline,
widow of J. Robinson, deputy of Ben-
nington, and had children: Allan, Bar-
tholomew and Rebecca.
(VI) Bartholomew Flagg, second son
of John and Aveline Flegg, of Whin-
bergh, had a wife Alice, and sons: Sam-
uel, Thomas, Francis and John.
(I) Thomas (2) Flagg, second son of
Bartholomew and Alice Flagg, was bap-
tized in 1615, at Whinbergh, and sailed
for America in 1637, being then twenty-
one years of age, and settled in Water-
town, in the province of Massachusetts
Bay. He came as a servant of Richard
Carver from Scratby in the hundred of
East Flegg, a few miles north of Yar-
mouth. Tradition says that a love affair
brought him from England, and he may
have registered as a servant of Richard
Carver in order to avoid the difficulties
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
which were thrown in the way of immi-
gration to the non-conformist colonies of
New England. He settled at Watertown
as early as 1641, and was selectman there
in 1671-74-75-76-78-81-85-87. He was pro-
prietor of two lots in 1644, one of which
covered twenty acres previously granted
to John Rose, and the other a home-stall
of six acres. He was not the original
grantee of either. His home-stall was in
the extreme southwest part of Water-
town, one-half mile north of the Charles
river and not far from the present town
of Waltham, being on the Sudbury road,
now Main street. He was never admitted
freeman, but was released from training
before 1660 by paying the company five
shillings per annum, and was fully re-
leased by the court, April 5, 1681, when
his eldest son was forty years old. He
lost an eye by the accidental discharge of
a gun previous to 1659, and died Febru-
ary 6, 1698. He was probably buried in
the old graveyard of Watertown, the
only cemetery previous to 1704. He mar-
ried soon after his arrival, but nothing
can be learned of this event, save that
his wife's baptismal name was Mary.
Children: John, born June 14, 1643; Bar-
tholomew, February 23, 1645 ; Thomas,
April 28, 1646; Gershom ; Michael, March
23, 1651; Eleazer, May 14, 1653; Eliza-
beth. March 22, 1655 ; Mary, June 14,
1657; Rebecca, September 5, 1660; Ben-
jamin, mentioned below; Allen, May 16,
1665.
(II) Benjamin Flagg, seventh son of
Thomas and Mary Flagg, was born June
25, 1662, in Watertown, was an early pro-
prietor of Worcester, where he died May
3, 1741- He was admitted a freeman,
April 19, 1690. He married, September
26, 1690, Experience Child, born Febru-
ary 26, 1676, daughter of Richard and
Mehitable (Dimmick) Child, of Water-
town, died 1747. Children: Benjamin,
mentioned below ; Experience, born May
5, 1693; Abigail, April 16, 1695; Bar-
tholomew, November 16, 1698; Elizabeth,
December 28, 1699; Gershom, July n,
1702; Ebenezer, January 21. 1706; Rich-
ard, May 30, 1708.
(III) Benjamin (2) Flagg, eldest child
of Benjamin (i) and Experience (Child)
Flagg, was born August 25, 1691, in
Watertown, was captain of militia, select-
man and second sheriff of the county,
dying while the incumbent of that office
at Worcester, June 12, 1751. He married,
January 25, 1716, Elizabeth Fiske, born
June 24, 1692, in Watertown, daughter of
Nathaniel and Mary (W T arren) Fiske,
granddaughter of Nathan Fiske, who
settled at Watertown in 1642 with his
wife Susanna. Elizabeth (Fiske) Flagg
died at Worcester, November 30, 1760.
Children: Elizabeth, born May 24, 1717;
Abigail, married Samuel Hubbard ; Ben-
jamin.
(IV) Colonel Benjamin (3) Flagg, son
of Benjamin (2) and Elizabeth (Fiske)
Flagg, was born August 23, 1723, in Wor-
cester, where he filled many town offices,
and died October 8, 1818. He was cap-
tain of a company of minute-men which
marched on the Lexington Alarm, serv-
ing seven days. His son, Benjamin, born
1746, was a sergeant of the same com-
pany. Benjamin (3) Flagg was an officer
of the Worcester county militia, proposed
by the Legislature, January 12, 1776, and
was commissioned February 2, of the
same year. He was lieutenant-colonel of
Colonel Samuel Denny's (First Worces-
ter County) regiment in this service, and
subsequently under the same commander,
regiment marched August 19, 1777, to re-
inforce the northern army. He died
October 8, 1818. From the epitaph on his
tombstone we learn that he was select-
man from 1766 to 1777. inclusive, and an
original member of the American Politi-
cal Society. The Worcester "Spy" of
October 14, 1818, contained the following
42
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
obituary : ''A distinguished Revolution-
ary Patriot deceased in this town on the
8th inst., Col. Benj. Flagg aged 95, the
oldest man in this town. His remaining
posterity are four children, forty-one
grand children and eighty-three great-
grand-children. At this advanced age he had
outlived many more of each generation.
Few have lived so long and descended to
the grave more respected." He married
Abigail Chadwick, born November 24,
1725, in Watertown, daughter of John
and Hannah Chadwick, and they had
sons: Benjamin, Aaron and Phineas.
(V) Aaron Flagg, son of Colonel Ben-
jamin (3) and Abigail (Chadwick) Flagg,
was born in 1/69, died in 1836.
(VI) Samuel Curtis Flagg, son of
Aaron Flagg, was born in 1813, and lived
in Grafton, Massachusetts, where he died
October 22, 1886. He married, Novem-
ber 23, 1836, in Grafton, Elizabeth Wood
Meriam, born January 9, 1816, in that
town, daughter of Tarrant and Anna
(Kimball) Meriam. Children: Anna
Elizabeth, born January 17, 1839; Caro-
line Augusta, March 5, 1843, died 1846;
Caroline L., January 11, 1847; Ida
Frances, December 17, 1850; and Jennie
Chase, mentioned below.
(VII) Jennie Chase Flagg, youngest
child of Samuel Curtis and Elizabeth
Wood (Meriam) Flagg, was born March
23, 1857, in Grafton, and became the wife
of Oliver Brooks Wood, of Worcester
(see Wood VIII).
LINCOLN, Theodore G.,
Esteemed Citizen.
The family of Lincoln is among the
oldest in this country, early established
in Hingham. Massachusetts, where sev-
eral brothers were among the pioneer im-
migrants, and where there were several
bearing the name of Thomas. The early
generations of this family, the ancestry
of Theodore Gary Lincoln, of Taunton,
are described at length elsewhere in this
work. The immigrant ancestor was
Thomas Lincoln, the miller, whose sec-
ond son, Samuel, born at Hingham, Eng-
land, or in that vicinity, settled in Taun-
ton, Massachusetts. His eldest child was
Samuel (2) Lincoln, born in Taunton,
and lived in that town, where he reached
the age of seventy-five years. He mar-
ried Experience Briggs, of Taunton, and
their eldest son was Ambrose Lincoln,
who resided in Norton, Massachusetts,
formerly a part of Taunton. He married
Hannah Clapp, and they were the parents
of General Thomas Lincoln, a conspicu-
ous officer in the War of 1812, whose
service is detailed at length on another
page.
(V) Theodore Leonard Lincoln, fourth
son of General Thomas and Esther ( New-
land) Lincoln, was born March 13, 1801,
in Taunton, and his long life was passed
amidst congenial surroundings, until his
death July 14, 1887. In boyhood he was
wont to assist in the labors of the pater-
nal farm, giving a few months of each
year to study at the neighboring district
school. He prepared for college at Phil-
lips Andover Academy, and at the Uni-
versity Grammar School in Providence.
At the latter institution he was under the
instruction of Jesse Hartwell, afterwards
president of Mt. Lebanon University.
His college course at Brown University
was completed in 1825, after which he
read law in the office of the late Theophi-
lus Parsons, of Taunton, and was ad-
mitted to the bar in 1828. In college he
was a classmate of the late Barnas Sears,
president of Brown University from 1855
to 1867. After a few years in the practice
of law, in Taunton, Mr. Lincoln suc-
ceeded to the estate of his father in North
Taunton, where he engaged in agricul-
tural pursuits during the remainder of his
life. For more than half a century he
43
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
lived upon the paternal homestead, en-
joying the respect and esteem of his con-
temporaries. He is described as a gentle-
man of the old school, who found de-
light in domestic life, and cared not for
public honors. For several years he
served as justice of the peace, but could
not be prevailed upon to accept any other
public office. He sustained in every way
the dignity and character of the family,
for which his ancestors were noted. He
married, October 16, 1831, Belinda Gary,
and they were the parents of the follow-
ing children, all born in Taunton : Belin-
da L., born December 14 (town record
December 12), 1832, died January 5, 1907.
married Rev. Charles A. Snow ; Caroline.
June 4, 1834, married Henry P. Crocker,
and lives at North Raynham ; Fanny,
September 26, 1836, died January 30,
1864; Theodore Gary, mentioned below;
Jane, January 23, 1842, married Gustavus
L. Wilbur; Henry F., August 14, 1844,
married Edna A. Lothrop ; Daniel, De-
cember 3, 1848. living in North Taunton,
unmarried.
(VI) Theodore Gary, eldest son of
Theodore L. and Belinda (Gary) Lin-
coln, was born June n, 1839, in Taunton,
and was educated in the local school of
North Taunton and fitted for college at
Bristol Academy. Following in the foot-
steps of his father, he entered Brown
University, but was prevented by ill
health from completing the course. He
began his business career in a store con-
ducted by Mr. Farnham, at \Yhittenton,
Massachusetts, and later engaged in
farming in North Taunton. Returning
to business he entered the shipping de-
partment of the Taunton Tack Company,
of whose plant he became in time super-
intendent, and continued with this estab-
lishment for a period of eleven years,
ending in 1889. In 1884 he moved his
residence from North Taunton to Ingalls
street in the city of Taunton, where he
continued until 1889, when he bought a
tract of sixty-five acres, with residence at
No. 215 County street, in which he spent
the balance of his days. He was a man
of domestic taste, and took much pleasure
in constructing the excellent set of build-
ings upon his homestead. A man of
sound character and clear mind, he was
respected and esteemed by all who came
under his influence. In political principle
a stanch Republican, but he never aspired
to public station. His death occurred at
his home on County street, April 28, 1907.
A man of outspoken opinions and the
most unimpeachable integrity, Mr. Lin-
coln exercised great influence in the com-
munity where he lived. He was a lover
of justice, and all his actions and words
were guided by the highest principles.
He was much devoted to his family, and
endeavored to start his children in life
with the most advantageous surround-
ings and the best instruction in sound
principles. Mr. Lincoln married, March
18, 1862, Sarah Ellen Lothrop. born
March 24, 1840, daughter of Cornelius W.
and Eleanor (Smith) Lothrop. Mrs. Lin-
coln was educated in Taunton, at Whea-
ton Seminary of Norton, Massachusetts,
and Pierce Academy, of Middleboro,
Massachusetts. For three years she was
a teacher in the Taunton schools. She
is a descendant of one of the oldest fami-
lies of Plymouth and Bristol counties
(see Lothrop VII). Children:
i. Frederick Theodore, born April 26, 186.?,
His education was supplied by the schools of
Taunton. including the high school, followed by
a four years' course at Harvard University, from
which he was graduated in 1886. After leaving
college he engaged in teaching at Bristol Acad-
emy, Taunton, Massachusetts, where he died
May 18, 1889. He married, April 13, 1888,
Helena E. Wilbur, daughter of Silas and Emily
(Leach) Wilbur, of North Raynham, and they
were the parents of a daughter, Emily Ellen,
44
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
born April 19, 1889, died May 12, 1889. Mrs.
Lincoln married (second) William B. Dean, of
Taunton.
2. Louis Lothrop, born November i, 1870, was
educated in the public schools of Taunton, and
at the School of Mechanic Arts in Boston. He
is now president of the Leonard & Baker Stove
Company, of Taunton. He married, June 27,
1901, Flora Frances Hall, born December 13,
1877, daughter of Anthony and Frances (Sta-
ples) Hall.
3. Alfred Newland, born December 15, 1871,
passed through the high school at Taunton, and
is now manager of the homestead farm on
County street, one of the largest dairy farmers
in Taunton, keeping about twenty-five head of
cattle. His mother and sister share the home-
stead with him as a residence.
4. Frank Oscar, born January 21, 1874, was
educated in the high school of Taunton, and is
now western agent for the Morse Twist Drill
Company, of New Bedford, with headquarters
at Chicago. He married, September 21, 1897,
Cora A. Padelford, born January 18, 1876.
They have a daughter, Dorothy Eleanor, born
December 9, 1902.
5. Helen Beatrice, born July 18, 1876, resides
(in the homestead, is deeply interested in genea-
logical studies, a member of Lydia Cobb Chap-
ter, Daughters of the American Revolution, of
Taunton, and also of the Taunton Woman's
Club.
(The Lothrop Line).
The Lothrop family is an old one of
Massachusetts. The name Lowthrop,
Lothrop or Lathrop is derived from Low-
thorp, a small parish in the wapentake of
Dickering, East Riding of Yorkshire,
England, four and a half miles northeast
from Great Driffield, and a perpetual
curacy in the archdeaconry of York. The
church there was an ancient institution,
said to have been built about the time of
Edward III.
(I) Mark Lothrop was born in Eng-
land, and was a kinsman of Thomas
Lothrop, who settled in Beverly, Massa-
chusetts, was a prominent officer there,
and left no issue. Mark Lothrop was in
Salem before 1642, in which year his
name appears on the list of proprietors.
He was formally accepted as an inhabi-
tant of Salem, December u, 1643, by the
vote of the selectmen. At that time he
made request for some ground near to his
kinsman, Thomas Lothrop. One week
later he was granted a "spot of medow"
near Wenham. He had a grant of land
May 17, 1652; in 1657 was one of the pro-
prietors of the town of Bridgewater, Mas-
sachusetts, and had been living there a
year or more. He took the oath of fidel-
ity in 1657, was a constable in 1658, and
for twenty-five years thereafter was a
prominent citizen, acting on the jury, the
grand jury, as surveyor of highways and
on committees to lay out new roads. He
died at Bridgewater, October 25, 1685,
and his son Samuel was administrator.
I li> three sons were all admitted freemen
in 1682. Children: Elizabeth, married
Samuel Packard ; Samuel, mentioned be-
low ; Mark, born 1660, died in the Phipps
expedition to Quebec in 1690 ; Edward,
died unmarried 1682.
(II) Samuel, son of Mark Lothrop,
born about 1660, in Bridgewater, Massa-
chusetts, was reported of age and pro-
prietor of Bridgewater in 1682. He was
impressed for service in 1675, but was
not called upon to fight in the war, the
constables who impressed him being fined
instead because he was unfit for duty
probably under age. His will was dated
April 11, 1724, and he calls himself "old."
He bequeathed to Mary Keith, Josiah's
wife ; to his sons, Samuel, John, Mark
and Joseph, also Edward, executor. Sam-
uel Lothrop married Sarah Downe, and
their children were: Mary, born October
28, 1683, at West Bridgewater; Samuel,
May 17, 1685; John, October 15, 1687;
Mark, mentioned below ; Sarah and Jo-
seph (twins), June 5, 1693; Edward, July
7, 1697.
(III) Mark (2), third son of Samuel
and Sarah (Downe) Lothrop, was born
45
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
September 9, 1689, in Bridgewater, and
settled in Easton, Massachusetts, on land
conveyed to him by his father. He was
one of the proprietors of that town when
incorporated, was active in founding the
first church of Easton, was selectman
four years, and declined to serve after a
fifth election, in 1643. He married, March
29, 1722, Hannah Alden, born February
i, 1696, daughter of Deacon Joseph (2)
and Hannah (Dunham) Alden, grand-
daughter of Joseph (i) and Mary (Sim-
ons) Alden, great-granddaughter of John
Alden and Priscilla (Mullins) Alden, of
the Mayflower Colony. He had three
sons : Jonathan, mentioned below ; Jo-
seph, born March 23, 1725; Seth, July /,
1729.
(IV) Jonathan, son of Mark (2) and
Hannah (Alden) Lothrop, was born
March u, 1723, in Easton, was a deacon
of the church, prominent in town affairs,
and died in 1771. He married, April 13,
1746, Susannah Johnson, born 1723,
daughter of Solomon and Susannah (Ed-
son) Johnson. Children: Susannah, born
October 3, 1748, died December 17, 1748;
Susannah, died young; Mary, May 8,
1753 ; Jonathan, July 13, 1755 ; Sarah, Jan-
uary 29, 1758; Solomon, mentioned be-
low; Susannah, November 2, 1766.
(V) Solomon, youngest son of Jona-
than and Susannah (Johnson) Lothrop,
was born February 9, 1761, in Easton,
where he resided until after 1801, when
he removed to Norton, Massachusetts,
and died there October 19, 1843. He mar-
ried Mehitable, daughter of Cornelius
White, of Taunton, born 1759, died Sep-
tember 14, 1832. Children : Celia, born
August 30, 1784; Howell, mentioned be-
low ; James, June 29, 1789; Solomon, June
17, 1791 ; Mehitable, June 23, 1793 ; Susan,
May 22, 1795 ; Darius, April 4, 1797 ; Dan-
iel, January 9, 1801.
(VI) Howell, eldest son of Solomon
and Mehitable (White) Lothrop, was
born April 16, 1787, in Easton, where he
was a farmer, and engaged for some time
in the manufacture of straw braid. He
died in Taunton, Massachusetts, June 9,
1857. He married (first) Sally, daughter
of Captain Timothy and Sarah (Smith)
White, of Taunton, born September 2,
1784, died September 2, 1822 (see White
V). He married (second) Nancy C.
Phillips, a widow, daughter of Ambrose
Lincoln, of Raynham, born June 9, 1790,
died November 10, 1842. He married
(third) November 25, 1845, Mary Wil-
bur, a widow. Children : Sally Maria
White, born January 9, 1810, died in
twentieth year ; Cornelius White, men-
tioned below ; Melinda M., August 5,
1814, died at the age of six months;
Laura Elizabeth, June 17, 1816, married
Joseph S. Paull ; Susan, December 5, 1818,
married William Eddy ; Lucy, twin of
Susan, married Alden Woodward, of
Taunton, and they removed to New
Castle, Pennsylvania ; Mary, died at the
age of three months; Mary L., June 18,
1826, married Lloyd Wilbur; Warren
Howell, December 10, 1829; Sarah C.,
August 9, 1834, married John Bassett.
(VII) Cornelius White, eldest son of
Howell and Sally (White) Lothrop, was
born March 28, 1812, in Easton, and early
in life engaged in the manufacture of
straw braid. He invested in lands, be-
came a large farmer, and died December
8, 1847, as the re sult of the bursting of a
circular saw in a sawmill which he was
operating in Raynham, in association
with his brother-in-law, Lloyd Wilbur.
He married a widow, Eleanor Lincoln,
daughter of James Smith, of Taunton.
She died in Taunton, November 25, 1872.
Children: i. Charles Henry, born Sep-
tember 3, 1831, was a physician practic-
ing at Lyons, Iowa. 2. Thomas Jackson,
born March 2, 1834, graduated at Har-
vard College, was admitted to the bar at
Taunton in 1858, was quartermaster of
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
the Fourth Massachusetts Regiment,
which participated in Banks disastrous
expedition up the Red River during the
Civil War. While in Louisiana he was
appointed port commissary at Brashear
City, in that State. In 1863 he was elect-
ed representative from Taunton, and the
following year was elected treasurer of
Bristol county, filling that position nine
years. He was for several years treas-
urer of the Old Colony Historical Society,
eighteen years on school committee of
Taunton, and was one of the organizers
of the Prohibition part}" as a. political
movement in Massachusetts. He married
Caroline Prescott. 3. Sarah Ellen, men-
tioned below.
(VIII) Sarah Ellen, only daughter of
Cornelius White and Eleanor (Smith)
Lothrop, was born March 24, 1840, in
Taunton, and was married, March 18,
1862, to Theodore G. Lincoln, of Taun-
ton (see Lincoln VI).
(The White Line).
(I) Nicholas White, undoubtedly a na-
tive of England, was a freeman of Dor-
chester, Massachusetts, in 1643, ar >d pur-
chased land there in 1647. He married
Susanna, daughter of Jonas and Frances
Humphrey, of Dorchester.
(II) Nicholas (2), eldest son of Nich-
olas (i) and Susanna (Humphrey) White,
lived in Taunton, probably on Dean
street, was a large landowner, and died
in Norton, January 18, 1728. He married,
December 9, 1673, Ursula, daughter of
William and Ursula Macomber.of Marsh-
field, Massachusetts.
(III) Thomas, son of Nicholas (2) and
Ursula (Macomber) White, lived on the
northerly side of Prospect Hill, in Taun-
ton, where he died late in the year 1730.
He married Abigail, daughter of John and
Joanna (Thayer) Crossman, born Octo-
ber 7, 1690, died January 22, 1767.
(IV) John, second son of Thomas and
Abigail (Crossman) White, resided on
the east side of Scadding's Pond, was a
large farmer, and died January 26, 1806.
He married, May 30, 1746, Mary, daugh-
ter of Nicholas and Jerusha (Leonard)
Smith, of Taunton, born February 21,
1/28, died after December 6, 1806.
(V) Captain Timothy White, fourth son
of Thomas and Mary (Smith) White, was
born in 1761, was a farmer on the easterly
side of Scadding's Pond, and was a sol-
dier of the Revolution. He was a pri-
vate in Captain Isaac Thayer's (Inde-
pendent) company, Colonel Thomas Mar-
shall's regiment, from July 10, 1776, to
January i, 17/7. He was in Captain
Isaac Leonard's company. Colonel John
Hathaway's regiment, marched April,
1777, to Tiverton, serving twenty-two
days. Later he became a member of
Captain Matthew Kendall's company,
Colonel John Daggett's regiment, from
January 9 to April i, 1778, serving two
months and twenty-four days at Rhode
Island, regiment raised for three months'
service. He was in Captain Jacob Haw-
kins' company, Colonel John Jacobs'
regiment, eleven days from June i, 1778.
He was a member of Captain Peletiah
Eddy's company under Colonel Hatha-
way, from March 23 to April 15, 1779, at
Rhode Island. He was a corporal in Cap-
tain Jacob Haskins' company, Colonel
Abial Mitchell's regiment, from July 27
to October 31, 1780, three months and
six days, regiment raised to reinforce the
Continental army for three months. He
died February 24, 1842, in Taunton. He
married (first) November 7, 1782, Sarah,
daughter of Seth and Sarah (Cobb)
Smith, of Norton, born November 8, 17.58,
died January 14, 1832, in Taunton.
(VI) Sally, eldest daughter of Timo-
thy and Sarah (Smith) White, was born
September 2, 1/90, in Taunton, and was
47
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
married, April 3, 1809, to Howell Loth-
rop, of Easton, Massachusetts (see Loth-
rop VI).
(The Wilbur Line).
(I) Samuel Wildbore was born in Eng-
land, and is believed to have come to this
country before 1633, with his wife and
several children. The Christian name of
his first wife was Ann, and reliable ac-
counts mention her as a daughter of
Thomas Bradford, of Lancaster, York-
shire, England, from which part of the
dominion Samuel himself is said to have
come. His second wife was Elizabeth,
widow of Thomas Lechford. The year
of Samuel's birth is not known, but he
died September 29, 1656. He was made
freeman in Boston in 1633, and with his
wife Ann was admitted to the church in
December of the same year. In 1634 he
was assessor of taxes, and on November
20, 1637, was one of the several disarmed
"in consequence of having been seduced
and led into dangerous error by the opin-
ions and revelations of Mr. Wheelwright
and Mrs. Hutchinson," and therefore
being given license to depart the colony
he took up his place of abode in the
colony of Rhode Island. He is next re-
corded in Portsmouth, Rhode Island,
where on March 7, 1638, he was one of
eighteen who entered into the following
compact : "We, whose names are under-
written do here solemnly in the presence
of Jehovah incorporate ourselves into a
Bodie Politick, and as he shall help, will
submit our persons, lives and estates,
unto our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of
Kings, and Lord of Lords, and to all
those perfect and most absolute laws of
his given us in his holy word of truth,
to be guided and judged thereby." It is
evident that Samuel Wildbore was a per-
son of some consequence in the planta-
tion at Portsmouth, for in 1638 he was
president at a public meeting, upon
notice, and in the same year was chosen
clerk of the train band. In 1639 he was
made constable and given an allotment of
a neck of land lying in the great cove,
containing about two acres. In 1640 he
and Ralph Earle, who seems to have been
in some way associated with him, were
ordered to furnish the town of Newport
with new and sawed boards at eight
shillings per hundred feet, and half-inch
boards at seven shillings, to be delivered
at the "pit," by the water-side. On
March 16, 1641, he was made a freeman
in Portsmouth, became sergeant of militia
in 1644, and in 1645 returned with his wife
to Boston. On November 29, 1645, Sam-
uel Wildbore and his wife were received
unto the church in Boston, and in a depo-
sition made May 2, 1648, he made oath
that when he married the widow of
Thomas Lechford he received no part of
her former husband's estate. In 1655 he
was again in Portsmouth, but at the
time of making his will he lived in Taun-
ton and at the same time had a house in
Boston. His will was recorded in both
Massachusetts and the Plymouth colony.
That instrument bore date April 30, 1656,
and was admitted to probate November
i following, which fact determines the
year in which he died. His property was
inventoried at 282 pounds, 19 shillings,
6 pence. His children, all by his first
marriage, were : Samuel, Joseph, Wil-
liam and Shadrach.
(II) Shadrach, youngest son of Sam-
uel and Ann (Bradford) Wilbur, was
born in 1632, and inherited from his father
real estate and other property, settling in
that part of Taunton which afterward be-
came Raynham, Massachusetts. He was
a man of wealth and influence for his
time, held several important trusts, rep-
resented his town in the provincial gov-
ernment, and served as town clerk for
thirty-five years in succession. He died
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
in February, 1698. He married (first)
Mary Dean, who died March 27, 1691,
and (second) September 16, 1692, Han-
nah (Bass), widow of Stephen Paine.
She died in 1696. Children : Mary, born
March 18, 1662, died in thirteenth year;
Samuel, April i, 1663; Rebecca, January
18, 1665; Hannah, February 24, 1668, died
at the age of seven years ; Joseph, men-
tioned below ; Shadrach, December 5,
1672; John, March 7, 1675; Eleazer, July
i, 1677; Benjamin, July 23, 1683.
(III) Joseph, second son of Shadrach
and Mary (Dean) Wilbur, was born July
27, 1670, in Taunton, now Raynham, and
died in 1720. He married Mehitable
Dean, born October 9, 1671, daughter of
John and Sarah (Edson) Dean, died 1757.
Children : Joseph ; Jedediah ; Josiah ; Me-
hitable, died 1796.
(IV) Joseph (2), eldest child of Joseph
(i) and Mehitable (Dean) Wilbur, born
in Raynham, married, in 1698, Mary Hall,
daughter of Joseph and Mary (Bell) Hall,
and granddaughter of George Hall. She
was born 1696. Two children are known :
Joseph, mentioned below, and Mary, wife
of Ebenezer Leach, of Bridgewater, Mas-
sachusetts.
(V) Joseph (3), son of Joseph (2) and
Mary (Hall) Wilbur, born in Taunton,
married, January 19, 1754, Mary Stearns,
daughter of Jonathan and Experience
(Lincoln) Stearns, descended from Isaac
and Mary (Barker) Stearns, of Water-
town, Massachusetts. Isaac Stearns came
from the parish of Nayland, Suffolk, Eng-
land, embarking April 8, 1630, in the ship
"Arabella," which arrived at Salem, Mas-
sachusetts, June 12, 1630. He was among
the founders of Watertown, admitted
freeman May 18, 1631, and several years
served as selectman. He became a large
landholder, and died June 28, 1671. He
married Mary Barker, daughter of John
and Margaret Barker, of Stoke Nayland,
Mass 5 4 49
Suffolk, England. Their second son,
Isaac (2) Stearns, was born January 6,
1633, in Watertown, where he was made
freeman in 1665. He settled in Cambridge
Farms, now Lexington, where he died
August 29, 1676. He married, June 24,
1660, Sarah, daughter of Captain Richard
and Elizabeth Beers. Captain Beers was
one of the original proprietors of Water-
town, commanded a company in King
Philip's war, and was killed in battle with
the Indians at Northfield, Massachusetts,
September 4, 1675. Isaac (3) Stearns,
son of Isaac (2) and Sarah (Beers)
Stearns, resided in Stoughton, Massachu-
setts, married Elizabeth Stone, and was
the father of Jonathan Stearns, who was
the father of Mary Stearns, wife of Joseph
(3) Wilbur. Children: Joseph; Abisha ;
Isaiah ; Mary, married David Paine ; Han-
nah, mentioned below ; Michal, married
Benjamin Wilier; Abigail, married Eph-
raim Knapp ; Zeruiah, married Levi
Woodworth ; Narvine, married Uriah
Willis.
(VI) Hannah, daughter of Joseph (3)
and Mary (Stearns) Wilbur, was born in
Taunton, Massachusetts, where she was
married by Rev. William Nelson, July 28,
1774, to James Smith, who was born 1750,
died April 5, 1825, son of George and
Lydia (Reed) Smith (see Reed IV).
(The Reed Line).
(I) William Reade, supposed to be the
son of William Reade and Lucy Henage,
born in 1605, probably at Maidstone, near
London, sailed from Gravesend, in the
county of Kent, England, in the "Assur-
ance de Lo," in July, 1635, for America.
He settled in Weymouth, Massachusetts,
and was made a freeman September 2,
1635. His residence was on the west side
of the present Middle street, near the
junction of Charles street, which he pur-
chased in 1636. In the first division of
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
lands at Weymouth he received eighteen
acres, and he purchased ten and one-half
acres March 25, 1644. He was representa-
tive to the general court, December 7,
1636, and September 6, 1638, and served
as "townsman" or selectman, November
26, 1651. He was dead in 1658. In the
same year that he sailed from England
there came on the ship "Alice" Avis Dea-
con, then nineteen years old, and soon
after her arrival she was married to Wil-
liam Reade, whom she survived. Chil-
dren: Margaret, born 1636; Hannah,
1637; William, October n, 1639; Esther,
May 8, 1641 ; Ruth, 1642; Thomas, 1645;
Mary, 1647; John, 1649; James, men-
tioned below.
(II) James, youngest child of William
and Avis (Deacon) Reed (Reade), born in
Weymouth, Massachusetts, where he
made his home, and died July 21, 1726.
He married, April 18, 1683, Susanna
Richmond, daughter of John Richmond,
born November, 1661, in Bridgewater,
Massachusetts, died August 18, 1725. He
served in Captain Johnson's company, in
King Philip's war, and later, while resid-
ing in Taunton, Massachusetts, was a
member of the military company. He
was the father of nine children.
(III) Thomas, son of James and Sus-
anna (Richmond) Reed, born about 1684,
married (first) March i, 1707, Mary Fi-
field, in Boston, and (second) September
14, 1709, Sarah Niles. Child of first
marriage: James, born September 6, 1707.
Children of second marriage : Sarah, born
May 12, 1711 ; Mary, May 2, 1714; Lydia,
mentioned below.
(IV) Lydia, daughter of Thomas Reed,
and child of his second wife, Sarah Niles,
was born June 28, 1720, in Braintree,
Massachusetts, and died April 16, 1767.
She was married, December 6, 1739, by
Rev. Thomas Clapp, in Taunton, to
George Smith, born about 1715, died in
Taunton about 1790. Children: George,
who died 1769; Keziah, married, January
24, 1765, Josiah White, Jr.; Lydia, mar-
ried Abraham Nash ; James, mentioned
below ; Elizabeth, married, September 6,
1744, Joseph Hayward ; Israel, settled in
Petersham, Massachusetts; Thomas, mar-
ried, November 22, 1795, Rachel White,
and settled in Chester, Windsor county
Vermont.
(The Smith Lines).
The destruction of the vital records of
Taunton has made extremely difficult and
in most cases impossible the discovery of
the history of early generations in that
town.
(I) Nicholas Smith is described in the
"History of Norton" as "a step-child of
Farmer Smith of Taunton." He was born
February 21, 1672, and lived in Norton,
where he married (first) before 1713,
Mercy Howland. He married (second)
January 21, 1725, Jerusha Leonard, of
Taunton. He is said to have had twelve
children. The following are recorded in
Norton: Hannah, born April 25, 1713;
Mary, September 25, 1714; Solomon, Sep-
tember 15, 1717; Benjamin, October 14,
1725; Mary, Israel and Marcy (triplets),
February 21, 1728; Nicholas, March 28,
1731. Seth Smith, who was probably a
brother of Nicholas Smith, possibly a son,
resided in Norton, and was married, Sep-
tember 20, 1725, in Weston, Massachu-
setts, to Elizabeth Allen, of that town,
born March i, 1701, eldest child of Eben-
ezer and Elizabeth (Eddy) Allen, a de-
scendant of W'alter Allen, who was born
in England about 1615, was a hatter by
trade, and came to Massachusetts as early
as 1640, settling in Newbury, whence he
removed, in 1652, to Charlestown. He
was a proprietor of Watertown, and left
an estate worth 312 pounds, including
farms in Sudbury, Charlestown and
Haverhill. His second son, Daniel Allen,
born about 1649, died at Sudbury in 1706.
He resided successively in Charlestown,
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Watertown, Lancaster and Sudbury. He
married, about 1658, Mary Sherman, of
Watertown, daughter of Rev. John Sher-
man, the third minister of that town. He
was born in Durham, England, December
26, 1613, graduated at Trinity College,
Cambridge, in 1629, receiving the degree
of Master of Arts, 1633, and after resid-
ing a time in Watertown removed to New
Haven, Connecticut, where he was a mag-
istrate. He again returned to Watertown,
where he became a minister, and died Au-
gust 3, 1685. Ebenezer Allen, fifth son
of Daniel and Mary .(Sherman) Allen, was
born December 26, 1674, in Watertown,
and married, April 2, 1700, Elizabeth
Eddy. They were the parents of Eliza-
beth Allen, wife of Seth Smith, of Norton.
Children: David, born August 22, 1726;
Timothy, January 24, 1728; Josiah, No-
vember 26, 1732; Seth, mentioned below;
Jonathan, July 23, 1736.
(II) Seth (2), fourth son of Seth (i)
and Elizabeth (Allen) Smith, was born
September 13, 1734, in Norton, and died
in that town, September 9, 1813. He was
a soldier of the Revolution, serving as a
private in Captain Seth Gilbert's (Sec-
ond Norton) company, of Colonel John
Daggett's regiment of Massachusetts
militia, marched April 19, 1775, on the
Lexington alarm, serving ten days. He
was subsequently a member of Captain
Silas Cobb's company, Colonel Timothy
Walker's regiment, appearing on a mus-
ter roll dated August i, 1775, enlisted
April 29 of that year, served three months
and ten days, return dated October 6,
1775. He subsequently gave a receipt
for a bounty coat dated Braintree, De-
cember 21, 1775. He is probably the Seth
Smith called Seth (2) in Captain Seth
Smith's detachment of matrosses, enlisted
June 3, discharged June 9, 1778, service
nine days including travel (forty-eight
miles) home, detachment marched June
3 from Norton to Freetown, Massachu-
setts, under order of Brigadier-General
Godfrey. In a list of men gathered by
James Leonard, mustermaster for Bris-
tol county, Seth Smith appears as hav-
ing served at Rhode Island, under Colo-
nel Daggett, date June 29, 1778. He
was also a sergeant in Captain Joseph
Cole's company, of Colonel John Jacobs'
regiment, from July 4, 1778, serving five
months and twenty-nine days at Rhode
Island, term ending January I, 1779- He
married (first) October 10, 1754, Sarah
Cobb, born March 21, 1738, in Norton,
daughter of William and Ann Cobb, died
May 13, 1768. He married (second) Sep-
tember 19, 1769, Esther Dean, born Sep-
tember 19, 1/38, in Norton, daughter of
William and Esther Dean, died Decem-
ber 8, 1787. He married (third) Lois
Fisher (intentions published May 28,
1788). She died August 18, 1794, and he
married (fourth) February 18, 1795, Mrs.
Anna Hodges. Children of first marriage :
Daniel, born March 6, 1755; Seth, Octo-
ber i, 1/56, was a soldier of the Revolu-
tion; Sarah, mentioned below; Abishar,
May 8, 1761; Lois, September 17, 1763;
Anne, January 12, 1766. Of second mar-
riage: Esther, July 31, 1770; Lucy, Sep-
tember 4, 1774.
(Ill) Sarah, eldest daughter of Seth
(2) and Sarah (Cobb) Smith, was born
November 18, 1758, in Norton, and mar-
ried, November 7, 1782, Captain Timothy
White, of Taunton (see White V).
There were many bearing the name of
Smith in Taunton, and it is much to be
regretted that no record can be discovered
showing their line of descent. Among
these was George Smith, who married
Lydia Reed, and lived in Taunton (see
Reed).
James, son of George and Lydia (Reed)
Smith, born 1750, in Taunton, died there
April 5, 1825. He was a soldier in the
war of the Revolution, according to tradi-
tion. There was a multitude of James
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Smiths in the Revolutionary army.
James Smith married, July 28, 1774, Han-
nah Wilbur, daughter of Joseph and Mary
(Stearns) Wilbur, of Taunton (see Wil-
bur V). Children: James, born January
28, 1775, married Phebe Shelly, of Rayn-
ham, Massachusetts ; Uriah, October 20,
1776, married Mareda Field; George, Oc-
tober 2, 1778, married Pamelia Field;
Simeon, October 25, 1780, died February
7, 1801 ; Hannah, April 23, 1783, died Sep-
tember 4, 1861, married (first) Salmon
Lincoln, (second) Jacob White; Eleazer,
November 10, 1786, married Margaret
Willis, and settled in Onondaga county,
New York; Polly, November 27, 1788,
married, March 31, 1816, Eleazer Phillips;
Lydia Reed, September 30, 1790. died
June 16, 1874, married, January 22, 1809,
Daniel Leonard; Wilbur, April 28, 1793,
married Abigail Phillips, and settled in
Michigan; Keziah, March 6, 1796, died
1833, married (first) January 13, 1813,
Rufus Eddy, (second) December 18, 1826,
Nathaniel Presho ; Eleanor, mentioned
below; Sally, April 7, 1800, married, May
15, 1817, Dennis Field.
Eleanor, fifth daughter of James and
Hannah (Wilbur) Smith, was born
March 10, 1798, in Taunton, and died
there November 25, 1872. She married
(first) March 16, 1816, Timothy Lincoln,
of that town. She married (second) Cor-
nelius W. Lothrop, of North Taunton
(see Lothrop VII). Child of first mar-
riage: Timothy Morton, born July n,
1817, married, May 31, 1837, Lucinda
Lincoln. Children of second marriage:
Charles Henry, born September 3, 1831,
died February 8, 1890, married (first)
September, 1856, Sarah E. Loring, (sec-
ond) May 6, 1872, Sarah V. Naille ;
Thomas Jackson, March 2, 1834, married,
August 24, 1856, Catharine Prescott Web-
ster; Sarah Ellen, mentioned below.
Sarah Ellen, youngest child of Cor-
nelius W. and Eleanor (Smith) Lothrop,
was born March 24, 1840, and married,
March 18, 1862, Theodore G. Lincoln, of
Taunton (see Lincoln VI).
WILCOX, Thomas,
Man of Affairs, Public Official.
The Wilcox family, which was repre-
sented in the present generation by the
late Thomas Wilcox, for many years a
prominent resident of New Bedford, dates
back to an early period in English his-
tory. One "Wilcox or Wilcott" is re-
corded as furnishing three men at arms
at the battle of Agincourt, and another
of the name is of record as court physi-
cian to King Charles. In the eighteenth
century a member of the family served as
a bishop of the Church of England and
dean of Westminster Abbey, and several
branches of the family are known to her-
aldry. In this country the name is found
on some early records, namely James-
town, Virginia, 1610; Cambridge, Massa-
chusetts, 1636; and Portsmouth, Rhode
Island, 1656.
(I) Daniel Wilcox, the earliest known
ancestor of the line herein followed, had
a grant of fifteen acres of land at Ports-
mouth, Rhode Island, December 10, 1656,
where he resided until 1664, when he pur-
chased a house in Dartmouth, in which
place he was constable in 1665, and sub-
sequently changed his place of residence
to Tiverton, residing there at the organi-
zation of the town, March 2, 1692. He
married, November 28, 1661, Elizabeth
Cook, daughter of John and Sarah (War-
ren) Cook, the former a "Mayflower"
passenger, and their children were : Dan-
iel, Mary, Sarah, Stephen, John, Edward,
Thomas, Lydia and Susanna. Daniel
Wilcox, father of these children, died July
2, 1702, survived by his widow who-
passed away December 6, 1715.
52
PUBLIC
ASTO-
-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
(II) Edward Wilcox, fourth son of
Daniel and Elizabeth (Cook) Wilcox,
was a resident of Tiverton, Rhode Island,
and there spent his active and useful
career, his death occurring in the year
1718. He married Sarah Manchester,
daughter of William and Mary (Cook)
Manchester, who bore him four children :
Josiah, of whom further ; Ephraim, born
August 9, 1704; William, December 26,
1706; and Freelove, December 18, 1709.
(III) Josiah Wilcox, son of Edward
and Sarah (Manchester) Wilcox, born
September 22, 1701, was a lifelong resi-
dent of Tiverton, and a man of influence
in community affairs. He married Pa-
tience - , and their children, natives
of Tiverton were : Edward, born October
29, 1719; Thomas, December 19, 1720;
Gideon, December 17, 1722; Benjamin,
January 3, 1726; Daniel, January 6, 1727;
Jeremiah, June i, 1729; William, of whom
further; Sarah, September 8, 1734; and
Barden, April 10, 1739.
(IV) William Wilcox, son of Josiah
and Patience Wilcox, was born February
12, 1731, and resided in the family home-
stead at Tiverton, in the affairs of which
town he took a keen interest, performing
to the best of his ability the duties de-
volving upon him. His wife, Elizabeth
Wilcox, bore him three children, whose
births occurred in Tiverton, namely:
Thomas, of whom further; Abner, born
about 1760; Pardon, born January 12,
1764. William Wilcox, father of these
children, died January 20, 1816.
(V) Thomas Wilcox, son of William
and Elizabeth Wilcox, was born August
28, 1757, died May 26, 1843. He was an
active participant in the Revolutionary
War, and was perhaps the Thomas Wil-
cox who was a member of Captain Carr's
company, Colonel Lippitt's regiment, in
the fall of 1776, and in that same year
served in Colonel Elliott's regiment. One
Thomas Wilcox, of Tiverton, was sta-
tioned at different times during the war
near Howland's Ferry, in Tiverton. He
was an active factor in the expedition of
1777 to capture General Prescott, and at
his death it was thought that he was the
last of that adventurous band of forty
who under Colonel Barton captured the
British officer named and conveyed him
safely to Warwick, Rhode Island, on July
9, 1777. Thomas Wilcox married Keziah
Bennett, who bore him eleven children :
i. Joseph, of whom further. 2. Philip. 3.
David Bennett, who was a resident of
New Bedford, married Hannah Smith.
4. Thomas, who was a resident of Fall
River. 5. John. 6. Daniel, who was a
resident of Tiverton, married Elizabeth
Seabury. 7. Robert, resided in Pawtucket,
Rhode Island. 8. Maria, died young. 9.
Anne, married John Wilcox. 10. Mary,
or Polly, married Eleazer Almy. u.
Sarah, died unmarried.
(VI) Captain Joseph Wilcox, son of
Thomas and Keziah (Bennett) Wilcox,
was born December 18, 1782, in Tiver-
ton, Rhode Island, died in New Bedford,
Massachusetts, October 13, 1868. He
was reared and educated in his native
place, residing there until shortly after
the year 1800, when he removed to New
Bedford, his place of residence for the
remainder of his days. He was a whaling
master, from which occupation he derived
a comfortable livelihood. In 1834 he
erected the house in Middle street, New
Bedford, which continued to be the resi-
dence of his son, Thomas Wilcox, during
his life. He married (first) Rebecca Per-
kins, daughter of Henry Perkins, who
actively participated in the Revolution-
ary War, enlisting from Boston, from
which city he subsequently removed to
Dartmouth, Massachusetts. He married
(second) Elizabeth Perkins, a sister of
his first wife, and she lived to within five
months of her one hundredth birthday,
her death occurring November 3, 1881.
53
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Children of Captain Joseph Wilcox, first
two by first marriage, the remainder by
second marriage : Joseph ; Henry, died in-
fancy ; Henry Perkins, died in infancy ;
Thomas, of whom further ; Rebecca, died
aged about twenty-two years.
(VII) Thomas (2) Wilcox, son of Cap-
tain Joseph and Elizabeth (Perkins) Wil-
cox, was born in New Bedford, Massachu-
setts, July 10, 1822, died at his home in
that city, February 8, 1913. His early
education was obtained by attendance at
the public and private schools of his
native city, and this knowledge was sup-
plemented by attendance at the Friends'
Academy, in New Bedford. He began
his active business career by accepting a
clerkship in the store of J. B. Wood &
Company, New Bedford, who were en-
gaged in the whaling and ship chandlery
business, and so continued until 1844, in
which year he engaged in the whaling
business, devoting his entire time and at-
tention to that pursuit for a period of six-
teen years, until 1860, achieving a large
degree of success by his industry and
skill. Subsequent to the last year men-
tioned he was occupied in various busi-
ness enterprises, all of which yielded a
lucrative means of livelihood. In addi-
tion to his every-day labor, which he per-
formed in an efficient manner, he served
on the board of directorates of the Me-
chanics' National Bank, at New Bedford,
and of the Liberty Hall Association, of
which he was a member for many years.
He was also a member of the board of
investment of the New Bedford Five
Cents Savings Bank, these connections
testifying to his popularity and fitness for
such office. He was a member of the
common council of New Bedford for two
years, one year president of that body,
and for a similar period of time was a
member of the board of aldermen, the
duties of these various positions being
performed by him in a highly commenda-
tory manner. His death was a distinct
loss to the community, depriving it of a
man of energy, character and worth,
whose prosperity came to him as the re-
ward of earnest, persistent, resolute effort,
guided by sound judgment and supple-
mented by keen discrimination.
Mr. Wilcox married, December 12,
1866, Emily K. Wilcox, daughter of Dan-
iel and Elizabeth (Seabury) Wilcox, of
Tiverton, Rhode Island, granddaughter
of Thomas and Keziah (Bennett) Wil-
cox, above-mentioned. She is still living
at her home in New Bedford, active in
mind and body, a lady of the old school,
cultured and refined, having for nearly
half a century lived a happy wedded life,
greatly devoted to her husband and home.
(The Seabury Line).
The Seabury family, of which Mrs.
Emily K. Wilcox is a lineal descendant,
traces back to the seventeenth cen-
tury, the name having undergone many
changes in spelling, namely : Sebury, Sa-
berry, Saberrey, Sabury and Seabury.
(I) John Seabury, the first of the name
of whom we have definite information,
was a resident of Boston, Massachusetts,
in which city his death occurred prior to
the year 1662. His wife, Grace Seabury,
bore him two sons, John, who went to
the Barbadoes, and Samuel, of whom fur-
ther, and several daughters, of whom
there is no record.
(II) Samuel Seabury, son of John and
Grace Seabury, was born December 10,
1640, died August 5, 1681, in the prime of
life. He was a physician by profession,
an expert in his chosen line, and in early
manhood removed to Duxbury, Massa-
chusetts, where he was engaged in active
practice. His will gave to his son Sam-
uel his landed property in Duxbury ; to
son Joseph "those great silver buttons
which I usually wear ;" to son John "my
birding piece and musket. I will that
54
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
my negro servant Nimrod (valued at
twenty-seven pounds) be disposed of
either by hire or sale in order to bring
up my children, especially the three
youngest now born." He married (first)
at Weymouth, November 9, 1660, Pa-
tience Kemp, who died October 29, 1676.
Children: Elizabeth, born September 16,
1661, who probably removed from the
town, as in her mother's will she was
given a negro girl Jane and a cow "if she
returns;" Sarah, born August 18, 1663;
Samuel, born April 20, 1666; Hannah,
born July 7, 1668; John, born November
7, 1670; Grace and Patience, twins, born
March i, 1673. He married (second)
April 4, 1677, Martha Pabodie (or Pea-
body), daughter of William and Eliza-
beth (Alden) Pabodie, and granddaugh-
ter of John and Priscilla (Mullins) Al-
den. Children : Joseph, of whom fur-
ther ; Martha, born September 23, 1679;
and John, who married, December 9, 1697,
Elizabeth Alden.
(III) Joseph Seabury, son of Samuel
and Martha (Pabodie, or Peabody) Sea-
bury, was born June 8, 1678. He re-
moved to what is now Little Compton,
Rhode Island, and there spent the re-
mainder of his days, his death occurring
there on August 22, 1755. He married
there, September 25, 1701, Phebe Smith,
who died April 21, 1715, many years be-
fore his demise. Their children were:
Samuel, born June 5, 1702; Martha, Feb-
ruary 7, 1/04; Joseph, December 2, 1705;
Benjamin, of whom further ; Sion, March
17, 1713; Mary, April 17, 1715.
(IV) Benjamin Seabury, son of Joseph
and Phcbe (Smith) Seabury, was born
January 20, 1708, died in 1773. He mar-
ried, in 1733, Rebecca Southworth, born
December 22, 1708, daughter of Edward
and Mary Southworth. Their children
were: Mercy, born August 13, 1734;
Mary, January 25, 1736; Rebecca, twin
of Mary; Ruth, November 26, 1739; Ben-
jamin, January 24, 1743; Fobes, March
29, 1/45, died June 4, 1746; Gideon, March
i, 1747, died October 29, 1827; Constant,
of whom further ; and Isaac, November 3,
I75I-
(V) Constant Seabury, son of Benja-
min and Rebecca (Southworth) Seabury,
was born June 19, 1749, died in January,
1807. He married, in 1775, Susanna
Gray, who bore him eight children, as
follows: Isaac, born March 19, 1776, died
October 20, 1850; Phebe, born May 13 or
2 3> J 77'^ William, born May 23, 1780;
Hannah, born July 29 or 24, 1782 ; Bridget,
born September 14, 1784; Ichabod, born
November 18, 1786; Robert, born July
10, 1789; and Elizabeth, of whom further.
(VI) Elizabeth Seabury, daughter of
Constant and Susanna (Gray) Seabury,
was born November 16, 1792, in Little
Compton, Rhode Island, and married
Daniel Wilcox, son of Thomas and
Keziah (Bennett) Wilcox (see Wilcox
V). They were the parents of eight chil-
dren. Their daughter, Emily K., became
the wife of Thomas (2) Wilcox (see Wil-
cox VII).
SMITH, William T.,
Business Man.
In the early days, most of the inhabi-
tants of Martha's Vineyard obtained a
livelihood from the sea, engaged in fish-
ing or in commerce. The Smith family
was no exception to the rule, and a large
number "went down to the sea in ships."
Thomas Smith, born 1697-98, died April
13, 1765, was probably the father of Cap-
tain Nathan Smith, who was born 1731,
and died in Tisbury, November 15, 1805.
His wife, Parnell, was born in February,
1736, and died January 21, 1812.
(I) Captain David Smith, born 1756-
57, died October i, 1818, in Tisbury, is
supposed to have been a son of Nathan
and Parnell. He married (first) January
55
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
22, 1778, Sarah Skiff, born 1758, was
buried July 13, 1787, in Edgartown. Their
sons, George and Jeremiah, died in in-
fancy. He married (second) November
13, 1788, Mariah Allen, of Tisbury, born
1758-59, died March I, 1820, in that town.
(II) Captain David (2) Smith, son of
David (i), was born in April, 1781, in
Tisbury, and died August 2, 1819, on
board his vessel in Vineyard Sound,
while returning from a voyage to the
south. He married in Tisbury, Decem-
ber 25, 1806, Charlotte Dunham, born
1785, died February 20, 1820, daughter of
Shubael and Charlotte Dunham.
(III) Shubael Dunham Smith, son of
David (2) and Charlotte (Dunham)
Smith, was born in September, 1811, in
Tisbury, as shown by his gravestone
there. He married Jane C. Beecher, a
native of Edgartown, Massachusetts, as
shown by Tisbury records, and their first
two children were born in New Bedford,
the others at Holmes Hole, now Vineyard
Haven, Massachusetts, namely: Sarah S.,
September 29, 1835, now deceased; Fran-
ces H., November 12, 1836, now deceased;
Helen, September 27, 1838, now deceased ;
William C. and a twin, whose name is
not preserved, May 26, 1841, the former
now living in New York ; Shubael D.,
mentioned below; Naomi B., January 9,
1847, now deceased; Anna, July 18, 1849,
died in infancy; and Laura and Law-
rence, twins, both now deceased, the lat-
ter a physician in Haverhill, Massachu-
setts, where he died.
( IV) Shubael Dunham (2), second son of
Shubael Dunham ( i ) and Jane C. ( Beecher ,
Smith, was born December 20, 1844, at
Vineyard Haven, town of Tisbury, Mas-
sachusetts, where he lived until the age
of sixteen years, attending the public
schools of that village. In 1860 he re-
moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts,
where he was employed as a clerk by the
firm of Allen & Bliss, continuing only a
short time. After a considerable period
of employment with a Mr. Packard in the
grocery business, he became a clerk in
the Central Union Association Store, con-
tinuing- in that employ for a period of
forty years. Through long application
and the passage of time his health became
impaired, and in 1905 he retired from
active business, passing the remainder of
his life in retirement at his home on Mill
street, New Bedford. There he died April
4, 1915, and was buried in Oak Grove
Cemetery. In early life he was a member
of Acushnet Lodge, Independent Order
of Odd Fellows, and became a charter
member of Pacific Lodge of that order of
New Bedford, in which he continued in
good membership until his death. He
married, December 27, 1869, Lydia A.
Tucker, born in South Dartmouth, Mas-
sachusetts, daughter of Abner R. and
Lydia A. (Chase) Tucker, of that town
(see Tucker IX). She was educated
in the public schools and a private acad-
emy.
(V) William Tucker Smith, only child
of Shubael D. (2) and Lydia A. (Tucker)
Smith, was born August 10, 1873, in New
Bedford, and was educated in the public
schools of that city. After attending the
high school for nearly four years, he
left his studies to embark on a busi-
ness career, becoming a clerk in the
waterworks department of New Bed-
ford, at the age of seventeen years, re-
maining in that capacity for about one
year. In 1898 he went on the road as a
traveling salesman for the S. Cottle Com-
pany, manufacturers of gold and silver
novelties, and later with the Wilcox Sil-
ver Plate Company of Meriden, Connec-
ticut, now merged in the International
Silver Company. For eighteen years he
has continued this engagement, with busi-
ness headquarters in Memphis, Tennes-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
see. He married Linnie O. Smith, of Col-
lierville, Tennessee, and they have two
children : Margaret Tucker and Drayton
Beech er.
(The Tucker Line).
There were several of this name among
the pioneers of New England, and the
progeny of two have been extensively
traced. Willielmus Tucker, of Thornley,
County Devon, England, had arms grant-
ed in 1079. He married Josea, daughter
of William Ashe, of County Devon, and
they had children : George, Thomas, John
and Josea. The eldest son, George
Tucker, resided in Milton, near Grave-
send, and married Maria, eldest daughter
and coheir of John Hunter, of Gaunte.
Children : George, Nicholas, Tobias, Dan-
iel, Mansfield, Martha, Elizabeth and
Hester. George (2), the eldest son, mar-
ried Elizabeth, daughter of Francis
Stoughton, of Cragford. Children : George,
John, Robert, Henry, Hester, Elizabeth,
Maria, Anna, Sara and Martha.
( I ) Robert Tucker, third son of George
(2) and Elizabeth (Stoughton) Tucker,
born 1 60.2, is supposed to have come to
this country with a company from Wey-
mouth, England, with Rev. Dr. Hull, to
Weymouth, Massachusetts, where he was
in 1675. He later removed to Gloucester,
where he was recorder, and where it is
probable that some of his children were
born. He returned to Weymouth and
held several important offices there.
About the time the town of Milton was
incorporated (1662) he removed thither
and purchased several adjoining lots on
Brush Hill, embracing in all about one
hundred and seventeen acres, and border-
ing on lands that his son James had pur-
chased some time previously. He was
active in the church, and was town clerk
for several years and deputy to the gen-
eral court. He married Elizabeth Allen,
and died March u, 1683.
(II) Henry Tucker, of Sandwich, was
born about 1627, probably in Kent, Eng-
land, and is supposed to have been a son
of Robert Tucker, died in Dartmouth,
April 22, 1694. In 1669 he purchased from
William Allen, of Sandwich, for fifteen
pounds, a one-third share of Dartmouth.
At this time he was living in Milton,
which increases the probability that he
was a son of Robert Tucker, who also
lived in Milton at that time. He was a
member of the Society of Friends, and
the record of his marriage and the births
of his children appear in the Newport
Friends' records. He married, in Janu-
ary. 1654, Martha, whose family name was
not recorded. She died November 9,
1697. Children: Abraham, mentioned be-
low; John, born August 28, 1656, died
July 2, 1751 ; Martha, July 14, 1659, died
September 9, 1697; Hannah, July 25,
1662; James, March 16, 1666, died March
28, 1689; Mary, August 16, 1668, married,
May 6, 1690, Samuel Perry, born 1664, in
Sandwich, died July 16, 1716; Sarah, Sep-
tember 20, 1674.
(III) Abraham, eldest child of Henry
and Martha Tucker, was born October 30,
1653, and died March 16, 1725. He mar-
ried (first) October 26, 1679, Mary Slo-
cum, died September 21, 1689. He mar-
ried (second) November 26, 1690, Han-
nah Mott, died December 15, 1731. Chil-
dren : Henry, mentioned below ; Mary,
born February i, 1683, married, 1703, Jo-
seph Russell ; Martha and Patience
(twins), November 28, 1686, former mar-
ried George Thomas ; Abigail, December
21, 1688, married, August 10, 1710, Joseph
Chace ; Elizabeth, August 24, 1691, mar-
ried, March i, 1715, James Barker; Sarah,
April 23, 1693, married, August i, 1717,
Edward Wing; Content, March 12, 1695,
married, October 18, 1722, Benjamin
Wing ; Abraham, March 5, 1697 ; Joanna,
October 14, 1699, married (first) John
57
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Russell, Jr., (second) Robert Barker;
Ruth, December 16, 1701, married, July
10, 1/29, Nicholas Davis; Hannah, April
22, 1704, married, August 22, 1734, James
Green.
(IV) Henry (2), eldest child of Abra-
ham and Mary (Slocum) Tucker, was
born October 30, 1680, and married Phebe
Barton. Children : Susanna, born April
8, 1706, died October 29, 1716; Mary, May
12, 1708, married John Wing; Patience,
August 31, 1710, married John Russell;
Henry, February 8, 1713; Benjamn, Au-
gust 24, 1716; Abraham, mentioned be-
low.
(V) Abraham (2), youngest child of
Henry (2) and Phebe (Barton) Tucker,
was born December 16, 1718, and married
(published October 21, 1738) 'Rebecca
Russell. Children : Patience, born Octo-
ber 19, 1739, married John Ricketson ;
Benjamin, mentioned below ; Rebecca,
November n, 1743, married Samuel
Shove; Phebe, December i, 1745, died
September 12, 1747; Henry, March 2,
1754-
(VI) Benjamin, eldest son of Abraham
(2) and Rebecca (Russell) Tucker, was
born September 19, 1741, and married
(first) October 27, 1763, Sylvia Ricket-
son. He married (second) March 19,
1778, Sarah Barney. Children of first mar-
riage : Abraham, born June 17, 1764;
Hannah, November 24, 1766, married
Collins Smith; Patience, March 5, 1769,
married Stephen Sisson ; Phebe, May 17,
1772, married James Tucker. Of second
marriage: Henry, mentioned below;
Sylvia, June 19, 1780, married Abraham
R. Maxfield; Griffin, July 31, 1786; Sarah,
June 8, 1793; Benjamin, September 19,
1796.
(VII) Henry (3), son of Benjamin
Tucker, and child of his second wife,
Sarah Barney, was born November 22,
1778, in Dartmouth. He married Edith,
daughter of Daniel and Edith (Potter)
Howland, of Dartmouth (see Howland
IV). Children: Sylvia, Phebe, Hum-
phrey G., Abner R., Daniel, Henry, Jo-
seph, Joshua, John.
(VIII) Abner Ricketson, son of Henry
(3) and Edith (Howland) Tucker, was
born in North Dartmouth, and went to
sea very early in life, becoming a master
mariner. He was lost at sea in the fifty-
second year of his age, while rounding
Cape Horn in a typhoon. He married in
Dartmouth, Lydia A. Chase, a native of
that town, daughter of Elihu and Joanna
(Sherman) Chase. She died at the home
of her daughter, Mrs. Shubael D. (2)
Smith, in New Bedford, and was buried
in Oak Grove Cemetery. Children : Ab-
ner H., deceased; Lydia Ann, mentioned
below; Edith H., resides in New Bedford,
Massachusetts, unmarried.
(IX) Lydia Ann, daughter of Abner R.
and Lydia A. (Chase) Tucker, was born
February 2, 1844, and married, in 1869,
Shubael D. (2) Smith (see Smith IV).
(The Howland Line).
Many branches of the Howland family
are described in this work. Elsewhere
will be found the history of Humphrey
Howland, whose three sons were pioneer
settlers of Plymouth county, Massachu-
setts, of the son Henry Howland, and
his son, Zoeth Howland.
(IV) Nicholas, youngest child of Zoeth
and Abigail Howland, was the owner of
much real estate in Dartmouth, includ-
ing Gooseberry Neck, at the north of Buz-
zard's Bay, and operated a tannery. His
homestead was west of the Apponeagan-
sett meeting house, on the opposite side
of the road. He held various town
offices in Dartmouth, and died there be-
fore July 7, 1722, when his will was ad-
mitted to probate in the Bristol county
probate office. The inventory of his
UB *Atti
"^4*^.
"* -.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
estate valued the real property at 3,427
pounds, besides a house, bark mill and
tan vats valued at 1,550 pounds. He mar-
ried, December 26, 1697, Hannah, born
June 27, 1679, daughter of Lieutenant
John and Hannah (Timberlake) Wood-
man, of Little Compton. Children: Abi-
gail, born November 3, 1698; Mary, Sep-
tember 21, 1700; Rebecca, April 9, 1702;
Samuel, February 20, 1704; Nicholas,
July 13, 1706; Hannah, September 10,
1708; Joseph, October 24, 1710; Daniel,
mentioned below ; Benjamin, November
30, 1716; Job, September 26, 1719; Edith,
married Daniel Russell, of Dartmouth.
(V) Daniel, fourth son of Nicholas and
Hannah (Woodman) Howland, was born
September 28, 1712, in Dartmouth, where
he made his home, and married (first)
June 2, 1741, Mary, daughter of Eleazer
and Deborah (Smith) Slocum. She died
August 14, 1742, and he married (second)
September 13, 1745, Edith Potter, who
died May 13, 1815. There was one child
of the first wife, Mary, born May 28,
1742. Children of second wife: Luthan,
born November 15, 1746; Phebe, Febru-
ary 6, 1749; Mary, May 18, 1750; Caleb,
April 19, 1752; Joshua, October 27, 1754;
Daniel, September 3, 1759; Edith, men-
tioned below.
(VI) Edith, youngest child of Daniel
and Edith (Potter) Howland, was born
September 30, 1762, in Dartmouth, and
married Henry (3) Tucker, of Dartmouth
(see Tucker VII).
STONE, Reuben S.,
Successful Manufacturer.
The surname Stone may have been de-
rived through the probable fact that the
original ancestor of the family lived near
f. large stone. The court roll of the
manors of Bovills and Piggotts, in Ard-
leigh, England, contains an entry in the
Latin language dated in the reign of
Henry V., 1416. On the day of Mars
next after the festival of the Holy Trinity,
in which the names of various persons
then living in the vicinity are mentioned,
among them occurred one designated Wil-
lelmiatte Stone (William at the stone).
This person is referred to as not being
present at a Court Baron, for which de-
linquency he, among the others named,
is fined.
(I) Symond Stone, the earliest known
ancestor of this branch of the Stone
family, made a will on May 12. 1506, the
record of which is on the parish records
of Much Bromley, England. The will
was proved February 10, 1510; he be-
queathed to his son Walter his tenement
in Ardleigh, and as Ardleigh is in the
immediate vicinity of Much Bromley, it
would appear that this first Symond was
a descendant of the William at the stone,
mentioned above. In a court roll of 1465,
in the reign of Edward IV., reference is
made to three fields called Stoneland.
(II) David Stone, son of Symond
Stone, lived also at Much Bromley,
County Essex, England, early in the
sixteenth century.
(III) Symond (2) Stone, son of David
Stone, also lived at Much Bromley. He
married Agnes - .
(IV) David (2) Stone, son of Symond
(2) or Simon and Agnes Stone, was born,
lived, and died at Much Bromley. He
had a wife Ursula. It has been positively
proved that he, and not Rev. Timothy
Stone, as formerly supposed, was the
father of the two American immigrants,
Gregory and Simon, mentioned below.
(V) Simon Stone, son of David (2)
and Ursula Stone, was the immigrant an-
cestor of this branch of the family in
America. He was born in Much Brom-
ley, County Essex, England, where he
was baptized February 9, 1585-86. Be-
59
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
fore 1624 he and his wife moved to
Boxted, a few miles from Much Bromley,
and from Boxted, he and his family are
believed to have come to this country.
On April 15, 1636, the father, aged fifty,
mother, aged thirty-eight, and five chil-
dren, embarked from London on the ship
"Increase," Robert Lee, master, for New
England, after receiving permission from
the government to leave England for
America. They settled first in Water-
town, Massachusetts, having forty acres
of land along the banks of the Charles
river, south of the present Mount Auburn
Cemetery ; it is believed that a part of
his farm is now covered by the cemetery.
Simon Stone was admitted a freeman,
May 25, 1636, with his brother Gregory,
who emigrated at the same time ; was
selectman from 1637 to 1656, and a dea-
con of the church for many years One
of the pear trees planted by him is said
to have borne fruit for two hundred and
fifty years, and was still vigorous in 1899.
Mr. Stone became a prominent real estate
owner, and according to tradition built
a large house, colonial in style, which
served as a home for his descendants for
six generations, but was finally destroyed
by fire. He married (first) August 5, 1616,
Joan or Joana Clark, daughter of William
Clark, and their two eldest children were
baptized in Bromley, England, the others
being born in Boxted. He married (sec-
ond) about 1654, Sarah, widow of Rich-
ard Lumpkin, of Ipswich, Massachusetts.
She also came from Boxted, County
Essex, England, and left a will dated
March 25, 1663. Simon Stone died in
Watertown, September 22, 1665. Chil-
dren by first wife: Frances, baptized Jan-
uary 20, 1618-19; Mary, October i, 1621,
died young; Ann, born 1624; Simon,
mentioned below; Mary, 1632; John, Au-
gust 6, 1635 ; Elizabeth, April 5, 1639,
died young.
(VI) Simon (2) Stone, son of Simon
(1) and Joan (Clark) Stone, was born in
1631, in Boxted, England, and died Feb-
ruary 27, 1708. He and his brother John
divided the real estate left by their father,
Simon keeping the homestead for his
home. He was deacon of the church and
held various public offices. For several
years he served as selectman, and was
town clerk for ten years. From 1678 to
1684, inclusive, he was representative to
the General Court, and in 1686-89-90 one
of the original proprietors of Groton,
Massachusetts. In 1662 he owned an
eighteen-acre right in Groton, increasing
his holdings there in 1670 to more than
eighty-seven acres, although he may not
have lived there. He married Mary
Whipple, daughter of Elder John W r hip-
ple. an early settler of Ipswich, Massa-
chusetts. She was born in 1634, died
June 2, 1720. Children : Simon, born
September 8, 1656 ; John, mentioned be-
low ; Matthew, February 16, 1659-60;
Nathaniel, February 22, 1661-62, died
same year; Ebenezer, February 27, 1662-
63; Mary, 1665; Nathaniel, 1667; Eliza-
beth, October 9, 1670; David, October 19,
1672 ; Susanna, November 4, 1675 ; Jona-
than, December 26, 1677.
(VII) John Stone, second son of Simon
(2) and Mary (Whipple) Stone, was born
July 23, 1658, in Watertown, and settled
in Groton, Massachusetts, with his
brother. Deacon Simon Stone. No record
of his death appears. He married Sarah
(Nutting) Farnsworth. Two of their
children are recorded in Watertown,
namely: John, born March 23, 1699;
James. January 23, 1701. His family also
included Joseph, and probably several
others, who do not appear on the Groton
records.
(VIII) Joseph Stone, son of John and
Sarah (Nutting-Farnsworth) Stone, was
born about 1705-07, in Groton, where he
died. The year in the record of his death
has been worn or torn away from the
60
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
records, but his age is stated at seventy-
five years. He married, May 9, 1728,
Mary Prescott, born April 29, 1711, died
April 5, 1793. daughter of Jonas and
Thankful (Wheeler) Prescott, of Con-
cord, Massachusetts, later of Groton.
Children : Joseph, born December 30,
1729; Mary, August 28, 1731; Sybil,
October 16, 1733; Isaac, December 25,
"735; Jonas, November u, 1737; Sarah,
February 4, 1740; Silas, February 11,
1742; Lydia, April i, 1744; Simon, No-
vember i, 1746; Amos, July 24, 1749;
Samuel, mentioned below; Thankful, No-
vember 10, 1754.
(IX) Samuel Stone, seventh son of
Joseph and Mary (Prescott) Stone, was
born November 7, 1751, in Groton, and
resided in Gardner, Massachusetts, where
he died November 19. 1831. A large por-
tion of the lands in Gardner were at one
time owned by members of the Stone
family, including Samuel. He married
Martha Wilder, who was born April 21,
1756, in Sterling, Massachusetts, and died
in Gardner, September 30, 1846, in her
ninety-first year. Children : Eunice, born
March 17, 1778; Samuel, June 30, 1779;
Joseph, June 8, 1781 ; Jacob, April 22,
1783; unnamed daughter, December 15,
1785; Martha, December 26, 1786; Ben-
jamin and Olive (twins), January 20,
1789; Mary, February 28, 1790; Abra-
ham, December 29,1792; Dulcinia, March
: 7' !795; unnamed son, April, 1797;
Marion, July 13, 1799.
(X) Benjamin Stone, fourth son of
Samuel and Martha (Wilder) Stone, was
born January 20, 1789, in Gardner, lived
in that town, and died at South Gardner,
October 20, 1849. He lived for many
years on the paternal homestead, which
he sold to his son Ai, and removed to
South Gardner. He married (first) Lucy
Wheeler, born July 27, 1789, in Gardner,
died there, September 19, 1836. He mar-
ried (second) Susan Rolf. Children, all
born of the first marriage : Leonard, Au-
gust 31, 1815, died three years old; Ai,
mentioned below ; Calvin, November 28,
1819, died in sixteenth year; Albert, June
30, 1822, died twenty-two years old;
Leonard, March 3, 1825, died in Califor-
nia ; Sampson, May 18, 1827, died at
Chelsea, Massachusetts, November 31,
1871 ; Lucy, January 28, 1831, died in
Gardner, June 25, 1887 ; Judson, July 26,
1834, died twenty-two years old, at New-
bury Ohio.
(XI) Ai Stone, second son of Benja-
min and Lucy (Wheeler) Stone, was
born August 25, 1817, in Gardner, and
died there, October 21, 1877. He was
educated in the public schools of his
home town, and early in life engaged in
the manufacture of chairs. His factory
was burned in 1839, and he subsequently
engaged in the lumber business. Fol-
lowing 1860 he lived on the farm which
had so long remained in the family. A
supporter of the Congregational church,
a Republican in politics, he led a quiet,
industrious life, and did not mingle in pub-
lic affairs. He married, December 15, 1845,
Harriet Hadley, born September 25, 1828,
in Ashburnham, Massachusetts. Chil-
dren: i. John, born in 1847, ln Gardner;
married Ella Bemis, and resides in Athol,
Massachusetts ; they have sons Harry
and Milo. 2. Reuben Sylvester, men-
tioned below. 3. Lucy, married Arthur
Reed, resided in Manchester, New Hamp-
shire ; and has a son and daughter, Ellery
E., born in Winchendon, Massachusetts,
and Bertha, born in Gardner, Massachu-
setts.
(XII) Reuben Sylvester Stone, second
son of Ai and Harriet (Hadley) Stone,
was born April 12, 1849, m Gardner,
where he grew up and received his pri-
mary education in the public schools. He
attended the high school at Leominster,
and began business life as a manufacturer
of chairs at Ashburnham, where he con-
61
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
tinned three years. Removing to Win-
chendon, Massachusetts, he was engaged
as a carpenter and builder for eight years.
Having a desire to learn something of
western life, he removed to Dubuque,
Iowa, where he was engaged for a year
in prospecting for lead ore. Following
this he spent two years in the gold mines
of California and then returned to his na-
tive town. For a period of eight years
he was in the employ of the Dunn Manu-
facturing Company, makers of chairs, and
in 1887 engaged in the same business on
his own account, in partnership with Al-
fred Wyman, under the title of Stone,
Wyman & Company. This continued
five years, and in 1892 he was engaged
by the Heywood Brothers & Wakefield
Company, one of the largest chair manu-
facturers of the world, about one year,
being superintendent of one of their fac-
tory buildings. In 1893 ne formed a
partnership with Charles Nichols, under
the style of Nichols & Stone, and four-
teen years later this was incorporated as
Nichols, Stone & Company. The con-
cern employs about one hundred and fifty
people in the manufacture of chairs, and
under ordinary business conditions ex-
ports a large part of its product. Mr.
Stone is president of the corporation, and
devotes his entire time to the welfare of
the business. He is a Congregationalist
in religion, and a member of Hope Lodge,
Free and Accepted Masons, of Gardner ;
of Gardner Chapter, Royal Arch Masons,
and of Ivanhoe Commandery, Knights
Templar, of Gardner. He is a member of
Aleppo Temple, Ancient Arabic Order
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of Boston,
and of the Gardner Boat Club. Both Mr.
and Mrs. Stone are members of Jessa-
mine Chapter, No. 75, Order of the East-
ern Star, of Gardner, of which Mrs. Stone
is past worthy matron. Of enterprising
and progressive character Mr. Stone has
taken an active interest in the welfare of
the community, and in political faith is a
Republican.
Mr. Stone married, April 17, 1872,
Mary A. Raymond, born October 7, 1849,
in Gardner, daughter of Asa W. and Su-
san (Thurston) Raymond. They have
one son, Albert Henry Stone, born Octo-
ber 8, 1882, in Gardner. He graduated
from Gardner High School, from Dean
Academy, and later attended Dartmouth
College. He is a director in the corpora-
tion of Nichols, Stone & Company, and
general manager of the business. He mar-
ried Mattie Jones, born October 15, 1884,
in Charlestown, Massachusetts, daughter
of George S. and Caroline Warren (Proc-
tor ) Jones. They were the parents of
two children, both of whom died in in-
fancy.
BUTLER, Charles E.,
Lawyer.
The Butler family is said to be Irish
or Norman-Irish in origin, although there
are in Cheshire and Yorkshire several old
established families of this name. They
may, however, have been branches of the
great Irish family. The surname is said
to be derived from the French form with
the same meaning, '"Botiler," a wine mer-
chant or Butler. The king's butler, or
[>inccrna rcgis, was an officer of consider-
able importance, answering to the post of
collector of customs in modern ports.
The origin of the great Irish family of
Butler is a vexed question. They have
been variously deduced from Herveius, a
companion of William the Conqueror
from the illustrious De Clares and from
a brother of Thomas a Becket, archbishop
of Canterbury. The name, however, is
a corruption of the Norman-French term
applied to the office of the king's butler,
which was conferred upon Theobald, sur-
named "le botiler," by Henry II., and re-
mained hereditary in his descendants for
62
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
many generations. In those centuries the
upper classes in England were French
speaking, and were largely Norman in
blood, and the surnames dating from that
time are either purely French in origin
or are Anglo-Saxon terms that have been
given a slightly French turn.
The ancestors of the Butlers, on the
paternal side, crossed to Ireland in the
twelfth century, and sought alliances
with the Milesian houses of their own
station, transmitting the family name to
their descendants in both a Norman and
a Gaelic form. In the thirteenth century
what is now called Tipperary was formed
into the "county palatine of Ormond
under the Butlers, who thus became so
powerful that different branches of them,"
says "O'Hart's Pedigrees," "furnished
many of the most distinguished families
in Ireland. " The Butlers were earls, mar-
quises and dukes of Ormonde. Their war
cry, which also became their motto, as in
many Gaelic families, was "Butler Abu,"
"abu" or "aboo" being the Irish or Gaelic
word for "victory." Their arms, accord-
ing to the description given in "O'Hart's
Pedigrees" were : Or, a chief indented
azure. Crest : In a ducal coronet, or, a
plume of five ostrich feathers ; or, a fal-
con arising out of the last. In the case
of the English families bearing the name
the patronymic has probably been de-
rived in a similar way from the Norman-
French word denoting occupation. Pos-
sibly, also, in America there are families
of French origin among the Butlers,
whose names was originally Botiler,
which became anglicized into Butler.
Justice Butler, ancestor of the Butler
family, lived in New Haven, Connecticut,
where he was born 1760. He was a de-
scendant of Deacon Richard Butler, who
came to this country in 1633 from Brain-
tree, County Essex, England. Richard
Butler became a freeman at Cambridge,
Massachusetts, May 14, 1634, and a mem-
ber of the Rev. Thomas Hooker's church
at Hartford, Connecticut, in 1642. With
his brother William, he was among the
first settlers at Hartford, receiving six-
teen acres of land there in the first di-
vision. He was a deacon in the first
church there, and occupied successively
the positions of juror, selectman, deputy
to the General Court, and clerk of the
General Court. He lived in Hartford on
the south side of the Little river, and
owned a house, lot and other lands in
Wethersfield. He was twice married, the
name of his first wife remaining un-
known, and he married (second) Eliza-
beth Bigelow, prior to coming to Hart-
ford. She died February 26, 1656, while
his death occurred August 6, 1684. They
had eight children, five of them sons, all
born at Hartford. Justice Butler was de-
scended from one of these sons of Rich-
ard Butler. Justice Butler married Lucy
Davis.
Henry Butler, son of Justice and
Lucy (Davis) Butler, was born at
New Haven, Connecticut, 1785, and con-
tinued to live in New Haven, where he
was a prominent figure in mercantile cir-
cles. Later he moved to Richmond, Vir-
ginia. He married, in 1807, at New
Haven, Rebecca Green, born in New
Haven in 1788, a daughter of Samuel
Green, born in 1744, died in 1799, and
Abigail (Buell) Green, born at Killing-
worth, Connecticut, in 1749, died in Rich-
mond, Virginia, in 1819. Abigail (Buell)
Green was descended in the fourth gen-
eration from William Buell, the Ameri-
can pioneer, and patriarch of the family.
William Buell, Bewelle or Beville, was
born in Chesterton, Huntingdonshire,
England, about 1610. Emigrating to
America as early as 1630, he settled first
at Dorchester, Massachusetts, and in
1635 joined the first company that went
westward to found the town of Windsor,
in 1641, and after 1664 lived in Killing-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
worth, where he died in 1720. In the old
records he is especially set down as "gen-
tleman," was an extensive land owner,
and was honored by his fellow citizens
by election to many positions of trust and
responsibility. By his marriage, in 1662,
to Deborah Griswold, who was born in
1646, died in 1719, Samuel Buell allied
himself to another of the great Colonial
families of Connecticut. His wife was a
daughter of Edward Griswold, of Wind-
sor, brother of Governor Matthew Gris-
wold. The Griswold family is descended
from Humphrey Griswold, of Greet, Lord
of the Manor. Their ancestors came
originally from Cambridgeshire, where
they were established as early as 1135.
The grandparents of Abigail (Buell)
Green were Benjamin Buell, of Killing-
worth, who was born in 1686, died in
1725, and Hannah (Hutchinson) Buell,
of Hebron, whom he married in 1710.
The parents of Abigail (Buell) Green
were John Buell, born in Killingworth in
1717, died in 1752, and Abigail (Chat-
field) Buell, daughter of John Chatfield.
Several of the sons of Henry and Rebecca
(Green) Butler have occupied command-
ing positions in the commercial and pro-
fessional life of New York City. The
eldest son, George B., who was born in
New Haven, Connecticut, in 1809, died in
New York in 1886, is well remembered as
one of the proprietors of the "New York
Journal of Commerce," and secretary and
attorney of the Hudson River Railroad
Company. His son, George Butler, was
the distinguished artist, one of the fore-
most American painters of his generation.
Charles E. Butler, son of Henry and
Rebecca (Green) Butler, was born at
Richmond, Virginia, in 1818, died at his
residence on East Sixty-ninth street, New
York City, May i, 1897. After complet-
ing his classical education he began the
study of law under the preceptorship of
Jonathan Prescott Hall, an eminent mem-
ber of the New York City bar, and under
his able guidance he completed his studies
and laid the foundation for his future
successful career as a lawyer. He was
admitted to the bar and in association
with his former preceptor, Jonathan P.
Hall, practiced in New York until 1842.
He was then twenty-four years old and
so rapidly had he advanced in his profes-
sion that in 1842 he became an associate
of William M. Evarts, who was also a
young man, just beginning a career that
terminated so brilliantly. The young
men practiced very successfully from the
very beginning and as Butler and Evarts,
the firm became well-known among the
brightest of the younger lights of the
New York bar. The years brought them
further honors as lawyers of great ability,
and in 1852 Charles F. Southmayd was
admitted, the firm becoming Butler,
Evarts & Southmayd. Mr. Butler retired
from the firm in 1859 and the firm which
he founded eventually became Evarts,
Choate & Sherman, now composed of
sons of the earlier members.
Mr. Butler specialized in admiralty
law, becoming an authority in that branch
of legal practice. His written opinions
and arguments made in some of the most
noted cases are regarded as standards
founded on the most vital principles of
admiralty law. While he nominally con-
tinued in practice until his death, he did
not continue closely in practice after 1879
but spent much of his time at his beauti-
ful country estate at Stockbridge, Massa-
chusetts. He was president of the New
York Bar Association, one of the foun-
ders of the Union League in New York,
and an early member of the Century
Club, a membership he never relin-
quished. His life was a long, honorable
and useful one, and when it terminated at
the age of seventy-nine years he was the
last survivor of the early firm, Butler,
Evarts & Southmayd. During the Civil
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
War he was active on the "Sanitary Com-
mission," the forerunner of the "Red
Cross'' movement of to-day.
Charles E. Butler married Louisa
Clinch, \vho died in 1852. He married
(second) Susan R. Sedgewick. Children
by first marriage: Prescott Hall, an emi-
nent lawyer and later member of the firm
founded by his father, married Cornelia
Stewart Smith ; Maxwell Evarts ; Rosa-
lie, who died in 1907, a well-known char-
itable worker ; Helen C. ; Virginia ; Lil-
lian, who married John Swarm, of Eng-
land.
MORTIMER, Edmund,
Man of Enterprise.
The name of Mortimer is one of the
most ancient names known among the
peerage of England, and is traced to
Roger de Mortimer, said to have been a
relative of William the Conqueror. He
had a son Ralph, who participated in the
battle of Hastings in 1066 under that
monarch, and became Baron of W r igmore
Castle, Herefordshire. His wife was Mil-
licent, and they had a son Hugh, who held
Wigmore, Cleobury and Bridgenorth. He
rebelled against Henry II. He married
Maud, daughter of William Longespee,
born in Normandy, died at Cleobury, 1185.
his son Roger resided in Wales, and
died in 1215. He married (first) Milli-
cent, daughter of Robert Ferrers, Earl of
Derby; (second) her niece, Isabel. Sir
Ralph Mortimer, son of the latter, mar-
ried Gladys Ddu, and was the father of
Roger Mortimer, born 1225-26, died Octo-
ber 28, 1282, in Kingston. He fought in
Gascony and Wales with Edward III. in
the baron's war. He planned the escape
of Prince Edward, and commanded a divi-
sion of his army in the battle of Evesham ;
was sheriff of Hertfordshire. He married
Maud, daughter and co-heir of William
Mass 5 5
de Braos, Lord of Brecknock. Their son,
Edmund Mortimer, born 1255, married
Margaret, daughter of William de Fen-
deles, and died 1303. Their son, Roger
Mortimer, born April 29, 1286, was a
favorite of Queen Isabella ; was Earl of
Mard and Baron Mortimer of Wigmore.
He married, before 1308, Joan, daughter
of Peter de Genevil, Lord of Trim, Ire-
land. His great-grandson, Edmund Mor-
timer, married Philippa, heiress of Lionel,
Duke of Cleveland, third son of King Ed-
ward III. The last of the title was Lord
Edmund Mortimer, who died in 1434. A
descendant of this family, Richard Morti-
mer, born in Cleckheaton, England, De-
cember 25, 1791, came to New York in
1816, and his descendants have been re-
siding in that vicinity. The name is found
for several centuries in the vicinity of
Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England, where
John Mortimer, Esq., married Catherine,
daughter of Joseph and Ann (Yorke)
Houlton, was living in 1623. John Mor-
timer, Esq., born about 1760, married
Frances, daughter of John and Margaret
(Galbraith) St. Barbe. Edward Horlock
Mortimer, of Bellefield House, near Trow-
bridge, England, was a magistrate for
Wilts, and married, January 26, 1/83,
Eliza, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth
(Lewis) Bythesea, of Week House.
The family of Mortimer herein de-
scribed was founded in America by Ed-
mund Mortimer, who came from Trow-
bridge, England, and lived in Rochester,
New York. He was twice married. The
children of his first marriage were Carrie
and Alfred ; those of the second, Mary
and Helen. Alfred Mortimer, son of Ed-
mund Mortimer, married Eudora Craig,
and they had children: Frederick Craig;
Bessie ; Edmund and Ambrosia.
Edmund Mortimer, son of Alfred and
Eudora (Craig) Mortimer, was born Jan-
uary 17, 1876, in Chicago, Illinois, and re-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
moved with his parents to Waterville,
Maine, at the age of three months. He
attended the public schools and Coburn
Classical Institute, and on leaving school
went to sea before the mast on the bark
"St. James," which sailed from New York
to Hakodate, Japan. After a voyage of
eighteen months he returned to New
York as first mate, and then engaged in
business in New York City in association
with W. R. Grace & Company, a very
large foreign commission house. In 1901
he established himself in business at
Worcester, Massachusetts, founding the
Edmund Mortimer Fertilizer Company,
which later became the Coe-Mortimer
Company, and is now in the American
Fertilizer Trust. In 1908 Mr. Mortimer
disposed of his interest in this business,
and removed to Grafton, Massachusetts,
where he has since been engaged in farm-
ing and fruit culture, on a very large
scale. He also grows considerable quan-
tities of hay, and throughout the year
maintains from ten to twelve men upon
his estate. During the peach growing
season he employs one hundred and forty
men, and during the past year produced
thirty thousand baskets, or about twenty
thousand bushels of peaches. He is also
a large producer of small fruit. Mr. Mor-
timer is a man of great energy and enter-
prise, and is ever active in promoting the
interests of the community where he may
be located. He is politically a Democrat,
but is ever the friend and admired repre-
sentative of all in his constituency. He
is at present assessor of the town of Graf-
ton, and was a member of the council of
Governor Walsh, elected by a combina-
ton of Democrat and Progressive votes in
1914. For three years, 1911-12-13, he was
a member of the board of selectmen of
Grafton, and was chairman of the board
in the latter year. He is a trustee of Am-
herst Agricultural College, appointed in
1915 for a period of ten years. He is very
active in the Masonic fraternity, and has
attained the Knight Templar degree. Be-
fore his removal to Massachusetts he
served as a private in the Seventh Regi-
ment, National Guard of the State of
New York.
He married, October 22, 1900, Migno-
nette Smith, born February 8, 1876, in
Kansas City, Missouri, daughter of Wil-
liam A. and Nellie (Shouse) Smith, of
Kansas City (see Smith IX). Children
of Edmund Mortimer and wife : Migno-
nette, born October 3, 1901 ; Eudora, Feb-
ruary 23, 1903; Edmund, January 4, 1906;
Myrtle, October 5, 1913 ; Rose, August
29, 1915.
(The Smith Line).
( I ) Henry Smith came from County
Norfolk, England, to New England, in
1638, in the ship "Diligent." with his wife,
three sons, two daughters, and three male
and two maid servants. He lived some
time at Weymouth, Massachusetts, was
made freeman March 13, 1639, was repre-
sentative in the General Court two years,
and in 1643 settled at Rehoboth, Massa-
chusetts, where he died in 1649. His
wife Judith survived him and made her
will October 24, 1650, in which are named
son Henry and daughter Judith, and
another daughter whose married name
was Hunt, three children of her son John,
and her son Daniel.
(II) Ensign Henry (2) Smith, son of
Henry (i) and Judith Smith, born in
England about 1635, was buried in Reho-
both, Massachusetts, November 24, 1676.
There he married, November 29, 1657,
Elizabeth Cooper, who was buried De-
cember 3, 1690. Children: Joshua, men-
tioned below ; John, born August 6, 1661 ;
Elizabeth, December 7, 1663 ; Judith, Feb-
ruary 17, 1665; Thomas, June 15, 1667;
Mary, November 22, 1670; Henry, De-
cember 4, 1673 ; Abigail, November, 1676.
66
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
(III) Ensign and Deacon Joshua Smith,
eldest child of Ensign Henry (2) and
Elizabeth (Cooper) Smith, was born Octo-
ber 2, 1658, in Rehoboth, where he made
his home, and died December 10, 1745. He
married there, February 9, 1688, Mary
Peck, born September 15, 1664, in See-
konk, died February 7, 1755, daughter of
Nicholas and Mary (Winchester) Peck.
Children : Rebecca, born February 3,
1690; Elizabeth, December 8, 1691;
Henry, mentioned below; John, October
10, 1695; Sarah.
(IV) Deacon Henry Smith, eldest son
of Joshua and Mary (Peck) Smith, was
born October 14, 1693, in Rehoboth,
where he passed his life, and died Febru-
ary 2, 1754. He married, December 5,
1716, Ruth Burr, who died November 30,
1747. Children: Simon, mentioned be-
low; Ruth, born April 2, 1720, died June
4, 1720; Mary, July 4, 1721; Henry and
Ruth (twins), April 12, 1725; Betsey,
May 24, 1729; Benjamin, March 4, 1731;
Ebenezer, June 26, 1735; Eleazer, March
24, 1737-
(V) Simon, eldest child of Henry and
Ruth (Burr) Smith, was born November
25, 1717, in Rehoboth, where he died De-
cember 23, 1745. He married, March 27,
1740, Sibbell Ormsbee, born July i, 1718,
in Rehoboth, daughter of Daniel and
Ruth Ormsbee. Children : Simon, men-
tioned below; Amos, born January 12,
1743; Henry, October 26, 1744.
(VI) Simon (2), eldest child of Simon
(i) and Sibbell (Ormsbee) Smith, was
born April 2, 1741, in Rehoboth, and set-
tled in Barrington, Rhode Island, where he
made his home until he died at sea in 1780.
He served the colonies in the Revolu-
tionary War, being a member of Captain
Thomas Allen's company in a battalion
enlisted May 19, 1777. He married in Bar-
rington, May 3, 1779, Rachel Tiffany,
born September 22, 1748, in Warren,
Rhode Island, daughter of Ephraim and
67
Esther Tiffany, granddaughter of Eben-
ezer Tiffany and great-granddaughter of
Humphrey and Elizabeth Tiffany, who
resided in Rehoboth as early as 1664.
There was only one child of this mar-
riage.
(VII) Samuel, only child of Simon (2)
and Rachel (Tiffany) Smith, was born
November 23, 1779, in Barrington, Rhode
Island, and there married, August 18,
1805, Lucy Armington. Children, of Bar-
rington record : Elizabeth, born Novem-
ber 23, 1805; Lucy, April 4, 1808; Sus-
anna Kent, January 18, 1811; Charlotte
Townsend, October 3, 1813; Samuel Wat-
son, mentioned below ; Rachel Tiffany,
January 6, 1819.
(VIII) Samuel Watson, only son of
Samuel and Lucy (Armington) Smith,
was born January 23, 1816, in Barrington,
Rhode Island, and lived in Cincinnati,
Ohio. There he married Mary Wooley.
Children : William Armington, Edward,
Lucy A., Lydia D. and Samuel W.
(IX) William Armington, eldest child
of Samuel Watson and Mary (Wooley)
Smith, was born December 29, 1849, m
Cincinnati, and lived in Kansas City, Mis-
souri. He married Nellie Shouse, born
April 5, 1855, in Fisherville, Kentucky.
Children: i. Mignonette, wife of Ed-
mund Mortimer, of Worcester. 2. Myrtle,
resides on Stoneland Road, Worcester.
She was educated in the high school,
graduating in the class of 1898, and at
Wellesley College, from which she was
graduated in 1902. After pursuing the
medical course of Tufts College, she was
graduated Doctor of Medicine in 1905,
and is now engaged in practice in Worces-
ter. 3. William Armington, resides in
Seattle, Washington. He married Beulah
Rich, who died in May, 1913, as the result
of an automobile accident. They had two
children : Dorothy and Robert. 4. Drake
Louis, died in infancy.
(X) Mignonette, eldest child of Wil-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
liam A. and Nellie (Shouse) Smith, was
born February 8, 1876, in Kansas City,
Missouri, and graduated from the high
school in 1894, and from Wellesley Col-
lege, Bachelor of Arts, in 1898. She was
married, October 22, 1900, to Edmund
Mortimer, of Worcester (see Mortimer).
ALLEN, Thomas,
Journalist, Philanthropist.
This is an old family name that as Al-
leyne, Allyn, Allan and Alien existed in
England as far back as the thirteenth
century. The earliest known ancestor is
Alanus De Buchenal, 1272-1307, who held
the Lordship of Buchenal in Stafford-
shire. The Allen or Allyn families were
very numerous in New England, even in
the first years of the settlement of the
colonies. They were of English blood for
the most part. There were three Allen
families in ancient Windsor, Connecticut,
one of Scotch ancestry and two of Eng-
lish, both spellings Allen and Allyn being
in use. Thomas, Samuel and Matthew
Allyn, all brothers, came to this country
at the same time. They were sons of
Samuel Allyn, of Branton, Devonshire,
and of Chelmsford, Essex county, Eng-
land. Their parents seem to have come
over also, but little is known of them.
"Ould Mr. Allyn" died at \Vindsor, Sep-
tember 12, 1675. "Old Mrs. Allyn" died
there, August 5, 1649. One or both of
these records doubtless pertain to the
parents of the Allyns. The descendants
of Deacon Thomas and Matthew spelled
the name Allyn, while those of Samuel
herein traced use the form Allen.
(II) Samuel (2) Allen, son of Samuel
(i) Allyn, was baptized in Chelmsford,
County of Essex, England, in 1586. He
came to America with the original Brain-
tree Company in 1632, as did doubtless
the other brothers, and perhaps the par-
ents. Prior to 1644 Samuel Allen re-
moved to Windsor, Connecticut, where
he was buried April 28, 1648, aged sixty
years. He lived for a time in Cambridge,
Massachusetts, and after his removal to
Windsor held many public positions of
trust. His widow removed to Northamp-
ton, Massachusetts, where she married
(second) William Hurlburt. and died No-
vember 13, 1687. Samuel (2) Allen left
a small estate consisting of house and
home lot in East Windsor, meadow and
farm land, personal property, including a
musket and sword, which would indicate
military service. Children: Samuel, men-
tioned below; Nehemiah, married, 1664,
Sarah Woodford, sister of Hannah, wife
of his brother Samuel, and was the great-
grandfather of General Ethan Allen, of
Revolutionary fame, through his son
Samuel ; John, married Mary Hannum ;
Rebecca; Mary; Obadiah.
(Ill) Samuel (3) Allen, eldest child of
Samuel (2) Allen, was born 1634, prob-
ably in Braintree, and in 1657 settled at
Northampton, Massachusetts, where he
was assigned a home lot on King street,
at the corner of Back lane, now Edwards
street. This continued in the possession
of his descendants to 1805. He was made
a freeman in 1683, and died in Northamp-
ton, October 18, 1719. He married, No-
vember 29, 1659, Hannah, daughter of
Thomas and Mary ( Blott) Woodford, of
Northampton. Children : Hannah, born
February 12, 1661, married Nathan Alex-
ander; Thankful, March 3, 1664, died un-
married ; child, died March 22, 1665 ;
Sarah, born July 28, 1668 ; son, February,
1671 ; Joseph, September n, 1672, died in
Northampton, December 27, 1/03; Chloc,
1674; Samuel, mentioned below; Eben-
ezer, July 31, 1678; Thomas, February,
1681 ; Mindwell, February n, 1683, mar-
ried (first) Thomas Holton, of North-
ampton, (second) Daniel Chapin, and
died October 21, 1758.
(IV) Deacon Samuel (4) Allen, son of
68
REV THOMAS ALLEN.
1799
ASTO V
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Samuel (3) and Hannah (Woodford)
Allen, was born July 6, 1675, in Northamp-
ton, resided next door to Jonathan Ed-
wards, the noted divine, was long a dea-
con in the church, and died March 29,
1739. He married, February 20, 1699,
Sarah, daughter of Isaac and Rebecca
(Clark) Rust, born May 29, 1675, died
September 8, 1746. Children : Jonathan,
born 1700, died 1780 in Middletown ;
Sarah, December 5, 1701, married, Janu-
ary 2, 1727, Jonathan Miller; Samuel,
died young; Samuel, August 4, 1706, set-
tled in Marlboro, died 1755; Joseph, men-
tioned below; Hannah, December i, 1714,
married Elias Lymon, a Revolutionary
soldier ; Experience, married Daniel
Clark, died before 1754.
(V) Joseph Allen, third son of Deacon
Samuel (4) and Sarah (Rust) Allen, was
born April 5, 1712, was a friend of Jona-
than Edwards, and one of the nineteen
who stood by him in the contest with his
parishioners. He settled on King street
in the homestead of his grandfather, and
died there, December 30, 1779. This was
long occupied by his widow, and became
known as the Betty Allen House. It was
several times enlarged and torn down
about 1900. He married, November 22,
1733, Elizabeth Parsons, born March 25,
1716, daughter of Noah and Mindwell
(Edwards) Parsons. She survived him
more than twenty years, and died June
10, 1800. Children: Joseph, born October
12, 1735, settled in Pittsfield and was a
soldier of the Revolution ; Jonathan, De-
cember 15, 1737, a major in the Revolu-
tion; Sarah, baptized May 11, 1740;
Elizabeth, September 7, 1741, died 1742;
Thomas, mentioned below; unnamed,
born 1745 ; Phineas, February 23, 1746,
died July 30, 1765 ; Moses, September 14,
1748; Solomon, February 16, 1751, major
in the Revolution; Elisha, November 12,
1752; Elijah, December i, 1754; Eliza-
beth, March 6, 1757, married May 17,
1779, Thomas Craig; Eunice, November
5, 1758, married, October 23, 1777, Sam-
uel Breck, a merchant of Northampton.
(VI) Rev. Thomas Allen, third son of
Joseph and Elizabeth (Parsons) Allen,
was born January 18, 1743, in Northamp-
ton, and became noted as "the fighting
parson" of the Revolution. He received
a legacy from his great-uncle, Thomas
Allen, which enabled him to pursue a
college course, and graduated from Har-
vard College in 1762. He studied the-
ology with Rev. Dr. Hooker, of North-
ampton, and was ordained pastor of the
Congregational church in Pittsfield, April
18, 1764. He was the first clergyman sta-
tioned there, was pastor forty-six years,
during which time three hundred and
forty-one persons were admitted to the
church. He was chaplain of the Revolu-
tionary forces at Ticonderoga in 1776,
and in Westchester county, New York, in
1777. After a prayer at the battle of Ben-
nington he fired the first shot in that
memorable battle. Preceding the engage-
ment he advanced in front of. the Ameri-
can forces and exhorted the Tories, who
were opposed to them, to lay down their
arms, and was fired upon. Returning to
the ranks he opened the battle and did
valiant service, his brother, Joseph, load-
ing the gun so that there would be no
delay in his firing. He believed the cause
of the Continentals to be just, and en-
tered into the struggle for independence
with all the ardor and energy which char-
acterized the leaders in that conflict. He
is described as a man of "middle height,
slender and energetic, and elastic move-
ments." He was simple and courteous,
zealous, warm in his attachments, and
frank in reproof. In 1774 he was chair-
man of the committee of correspondence
of Pittsfield, and his example and inspira-
tion were of great influence among his
fellow citizens. He was opposed to aris-
tocracy and monarchy, and thus readily
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
joined in the cause of the patriots. A
true Congregationalist, he was an earnest
and powerful preacher, and enjoyed the
love and esteem of the parish and town,
and his memory is still venerated by the
citizens of Berkshire. He died Febru-
ary 11, 1810, in Pittsfield. He married,
February 18, 1768, Elizabeth, daughter of
Rev. Jonathan and Elizabeth (Metcalf)
Lee, of Salisbury, Connecticut, a descend-
ant of Governor Bradford, of the Plym-
outh Colony, born September 4, 1747,
died March 31, 1830. Children: i. Thom-
as, born March 16, 1769; graduated at
Harvard, 1789; was admitted to the bar,
1792; a prominent lawyer; representa-
tive in 1805, and died during his second
term in that office, May 22, 1806. 2. Jona-
than, born January 29, 17/1, died in sec-
ond year. 3. Jonathan, mentioned be-
low. 4. Elizabeth, born February 8, 1775,
married William P. White, a merchant of
Boston, and died in 1798, in London,
England. 5. George Washington, born
April 22, 1777, died 1781. 6. Clarissa,
born July 12, 1779, married, March 4,
1805, as his second wife, John Breck,
and died December 6, 1831. 7. George
Washington, born August 9, 1781, died
November 5, 1820, in Georgia. 8. Cap-
tain Samuel, born January 2, 1784; par-
ticipated in many battles, and died Au-
gust 10, 1811, at Ogeechee, Georgia. 9.
Rev. William Allen, D. D., born January
2, 1784; graduated from Harvard, 1802;
was ordained to succeed his father as pas-
tor of the church in Pittsfield, October
10, 1810; was dismissed at his own re-
quest, February 25, 1817; was a profes-
sor in Dartmouth College from 1820 to
1839; he was one of the compilers of the
"American Biographical Dictionary"; re-
moved to Northampton, Massachusetts,
in 1839, and engaged in literary work un-
til his death, July 16, 1868. 10. Love,
born July 8, 1786, married, in 1811, Gen-
eral Eleazer W. Ripley, speaker of the
Massachusetts House of Representatives,
brigadier-general of the United States
army, 1814; representative in Congress,
1836, died 1839; she died September 11,
1820, at St. Louis, Missouri, n. Solo-
mon Metcalf, born February 18, 1789;
graduated at Middlebury College, 1813,
Andover Theological Seminary, 1814, was
professor of ancient languages there, and
died September 23, 1817, unmarried. 12.
Dr. Elisha Lee, born December 8, 1792;
was associate surgeon of the United
States army, and died September 5, 1817,
at Pass Christian, Louisiana, unmarried.
(VII) Jonathan Allen, third son of
Rev. Thomas and Elizabeth (Lee) Allen,
was born March 23, 1773, and died in
May, 1845. He was educated in the pub-
lic schools under the tutorship of his
father, and engaged in mercantile busi-
ness in 1795. He served in both houses
of the State Legislature, was one of the
founders of the Berkshire Agricultural
Society, and one of its early presidents.
He married (first) (published August 4,
1800) Elizabeth Marsh, born September
9. 1776, in Dalton, Massachusetts, daugh-
ter of Perez and Sarah (Williams) Marsh,
died 1805. He married (second) Novem-
ber 26, 1807, Eunice Williams Lamed,
born August 9, 1791, died March 17, 1868,
daughter of Darius and Eunice (Marsh)
Larned. Children: I. George Washing-
ton, born about 1801 ; was a colonel in
the United States army, and died at Vera
Cruz, Mexico, in 1848. 2. Charles James
Fox, born about 1803, baptized Septem-
ber 23, 1826, died in 1861, while United
States appraiser at the port of Boston. 3.
Eliza, died two years old. 4. Frank Wil-
liams, died twenty-nine years old. 5.
Thomas, mentioned below. 6. Francis
Sedgwick, born July 15. 1815, died No-
vember 17, 1842, in Pittsfield. 7. Robert,
died one year old. 8. Catherine, died six
days old. 9. Mary Larned. born July 3,
1822, married Thomas S. O. Sullivan. 10
70
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
William, born August 24, 1824, was chief
paymaster of volunteers in the United
States army, in the Civil War, with the
rank of colonel. n. Elizabeth Love,
born October 9, 1826, married, in 1851,
Henry Gurdon Marquand, a wealthy mer-
chant of New York City. 12. Alaria Mel-
ville, born March 16, 1831, married, in
1863, Benjamin R. Curtis, of Boston,
judge of the Superior Court of the United
States, author of law reports. 13. Robert,
born February 8, 1834, unmarried.
(VIII) Thomas (2) Allen, fourth son
of Jonathan Allen, and child of his second
wife, Eunice (Williams) Allen, was born
August 29, 1813, in Pittsfield, and died
April 8, 1882, at the national capital. He
graduated at Union College in 1832, and
located in New York City, where, in 1833,
he became editor of the "Family Maga-
zine. " He aided in the compilation of a
digest of New York court decisions, and
in 1837 established at Washington a peri-
odical known as the "Madisonian." In
1842 he removed to St. Louis, Missouri,
and in 1858 founded the banking firm of
Allen, Copp & Nesbit. He was the leader
in the construction of the St. Louis &
Iron Mountain Railroad, which was sold
in 1881 to Jay Gould for two million
dollars. For four years Mr. Allen served
as a member of the Missouri State Sen-
ate, and was representative in Congress
in 1880. Mr. Allen remembered his na-
tive place in a gift of the Athenaeum
Building, the construction of which cost
fifty thousand dollars. He was one of the
original trustees of this institution under
its charter of incorporation, March 24,
1871, and was elected president on the
formal organization. May 13, 1872. On
that day he joined with Mr. Plunkett in
deeding to the institution the Agricul-
tural Bank Building of Pittsfield. In De-
cember, 1873. Mr. Allen addressed a letter
to his associates offering to erect a suit-
able building at his own personal cost.
not exceeding $50,000, and make a free
gift of it, if satisfactory assurance was
given within a reasonable time that a
sufficient sum would be raised to free the
site from encumbrance and maintain the
Athenaeum in perpetuity. At the town
meeting of 1874 a vote was passed to pay
off the mortgage upon the Athenaeum
ground and to provide for the mainte-
nance of a free library and the care of the
building. Thereupon the trustees en-
larged the grounds to a frontage of 144
feet and a depth of over 99 feet, and the
Athenaeum remains to-day a lasting
monument to the generosity and public
spirit of Mr. Allen. He married, July 12,
1842, Ann Clementine Russell, of St.
Louis, who survived him, and died Janu-
ary 27, 1897, in Pittsfield. Children: I.
Elizabeth Lamed, born August 12, 1843,
married, about 1869, William Rhind Don-
aldson. 2. Frances Mary, died in first
year. 3. William Russell, born January
19, 1849, resides in Pittsfield. 4. Thom-
as, born October 19, 1849, m St. Louis ;
graduated at the Royal Academy of Dus-
seldorf, Germany, in 1877, established a
studio in Boston in 1880, and has pro-
duced many valuable paintings. 5.
George Washington, born March 31,
1852; is vice-president and treasurer of
the East St. Louis Locomotive & Ma-
chine Shops. 6. Bradford, born August
27, 1854, died thirty years old in St. Louis.
7. Annie Lee, born October 6, 1857, mar-
ried, August 29, 1893, Louis Chauvenet.
8. Grace, born June 27, 1860, died in
fourth year. 9. Alice Maud, born June
2, 1864, married (first) Charles Atwater,
(second) Louis Lombard.
BOWKER, Charles Watson,
Successful Business Man.
In the early records in this country the
surname Bowker is also spelled Boucker,
Boucher, Buker, Booker and Bouker.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Dearie's "History of Scituate, Massachu-
setts," states that James Bowker-, the first
of the family in that town, was of Swedish
ancestry. But other facts tend to show
that the Bowker family came from Eng-
land. The family historian is convinced
that James Bowker, of Scituate, was a
son of Edmund Bowker, of Dorchester.
The remote ancestry may have been
Swedish, however.
Another Bowker family settled early in
New Jersey and a Buker and Booker fam-
ily, probably of the same stock as the Mas-
sachusetts family, settled early in Maine.
John Bowker, said to have been from
England, was in York, Maine, about 1707,
and tradition says that he had a brother
who settled further east. He married
Hester Adams, daughter of Thomas
Adams, of York, and had eight children,
1713-28. Edward Booker settled about
1638 in York county, Virginia, and there
is a record of a power of attorney that
he gave to his brother-in-law, Richard
Glover, in Holland. From him the Vir-
ginia Bookers are descended.
(I) Edmund Bowker, the pioneer of
the Massachusetts Bay family, settled in
Dorchester, Massachusetts, and in 1646
was a member of the Artillery Company
of Boston. He was born as early as 1630
and presumably lived during his youth
with relatives in Dorchester. He wii
nessed a contract between Nathaniel
Wales and Thomas Tolman, of Dorches-
ter, February i, 1657. He married Ellen
Smith, who died in Dorchester, March
21, 1659-60. In Savage's "Genealogical
Dictionary" it is stated that he married
Mary Potter. His widow Margaret mar-
ried at Medfield, January 26, 1668-69,
Thomas Holbrook, of Sherborn. These
records indicate that he married three
times. He went to Sudbury in 1658 or
soon afterward, as shown by the attempts
of Dorchester to make him pay minis-
terial rates there, after he had left the
town. He died at Sudbury in March,
1666-67. Children: i. James, who is
said to have come from Sweden, in the
"History of Scituate," and settled in
Scituate about the time of King Philip's
War, is believed by other authorities to
be a son of Edmund; children: James,
Mary. Lazarus, Elizabeth and Edmund.
2. John, mentioned below. 3. Elizabeth,
born July 3, 1659. 4. Edmund, born De-
cember 13, 1661 ; lived at Sudburv ;
drowned March, 1706; married, March
29, 1688, Sarah Parmenter ; their son
John was appointed guardian of his
brother Daniel in 1717; they had also a
son Edmund ; this family settled among
the first at Hopkinton. 5. Mary, born at
Sudbury, April 15, 1665.
(II) John Bowker, son of Edmund
Bowker, was born about 1652, in Dor-
chester, and died at Sudbury, August 27,
1721, aged seventy years. He lived in
Sudbury ; was admitted a freeman in
1685, and his later years were spent in
Marlborough. He married. February 8,
1678, Mary Howe, who was born June 30,
1659, at Watertown, died September 29,
1723, daughter of Abraham and Hannah
(Ward) Howe. In his will John Bowker
bequeaths to wife Mary, daughter Rachel,
grandson Josiah, sons Asa and Ezekiel,
daughters Hannah Bowker. Mary Gates
and Martha Fairbanks : also three grand-
children ''now living with me, notwith-
standing their father hath had his full
portion already in his lifetime." Chil-
dren, born at Marlborough: John, men-
tioned below ; Martha, born March 6,
1685; Mary, twin of Martha: Ezra, died
June 25, 1690; Asa, born November 22,
1691, married Martha Eager; Ezekiel,
born November 5, 1693, married Abigail
Rice: child, born December 19, 1695;
child, born March 25, 1698; Hannah,
born September 21, 1699. married Ger-
shom Howe; Rachel, born September 9,
1702, died April 12, 1754, unmarried.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
(III) John (2) Bowker, son of John
(1) Bowker, was born at Marlborough,
September, 1679, and died about 1710.
His children, after his death, went to live
with their grandfather. Records show
that he lived in Marlborough, Southbor-
ough, Westborough and Stow. He died
in Stow. He married Ruth Howe, who
married (second) - - Cloyes. He left
no will and in the settlement of his estate
only the names of his father and wift,
Ruth, are mentioned. Children : John
mentioned below ; Josiah ; child, probably
a daughter.
(IV) John (3) Bowker, son of John
( 2 ) P.owker, was born in Marlborough or
vicinity about 1/05. He married, at
Westborough, June 7, 1731, Freedom
Bigelow, born February 14, 1710, daugh-
ter of John and Jerusha (Garfield) Bige-
low, granddaughter of Joseph and Sarah
(Gale) Garfield. Her father, John Bige-
low. was born May 9, 1675, son of Samuel
and Mary (Flagg) Bigelow. lie was
captured by Indians, October 5, 1705, and
with Thomas Sawyer taken to Canada,
where they built for the French the first
saw mill. Freedom was named to cele-
brate his release from captivity. Samuel
Bigelow, his father, was born October 29,
1653, married, June 3, 1674, Mary Flagg,
daughter of Thomas and Mary Flagg;
was a leading citizen of Watertown,
deputy to the General Court in 1708-10.
John Bigelow, mentioned elsewhere in
this work, was the father of Samuel Bige-
low, and pioneer ancestor of all the Bige-
lows in this country. John Bowker lived
in "\Yestborough and Shrewsbury. The
hirths of his children, Silas. John and
Betty, are recorded in both towns. The
"History of Shrewsbury' 1 states that he
moved there in 1741. He finally located
in Petersham. His will was dated at
Petersham, August 3, 1796, bequeathing
to children, Betsey Briant, Persis Fair-
banks, Silas, Solomon ; children of son
John and sons Ezekiel and Jotham. He
died in 1797. Children, born at Westbor-
ough and Shrewsbury : Silas, mentioned
below; Betty, born February 9, 1734-35;
John, born October 26, 1736 (his brother
Jotham was appointed administrator, Au-
gust 20, 1781, wife Elizabeth) ; Sarah,
born August 5, 1738; Benjamin, born De-
cember 26, 1/40, died at Shrewsbury, Au-
gust 9, 1742; Solomon, born March 25,
1743; Persis, born October 13, 1744, mar-
ried, February 29, 1792, Jabez Fairbanks;
Ezekiel, born December 23, 1746; Jotham,
deputy sheriff of Worcester county, mar-
ried Patty Whitney.
(V) Silas Bowker, son of John (3)
Bowker, was born at Westborough. May
29, 1733. He removed to Petersham when
a young man and after 1775 located in
Royalston near Priest Brook in the
easterly part of the town. He was a
soldier in the Revolution in Captain John
Oliver's company, Colonel Nathan Spar-
hawk's regiment, September 28 to Octo-
ber 18. 1777, twenty-eight days, reinforc-
ing the northern army at the taking of
General Burgoyne. He married, Janu-
ary 17, 1760, Bethia Ward. Children,
born at Petersham : Samuel Ward, born
December 16, 1760, lived on the farm
known as the Hadley place, Royalston,
between the farms of Lyman Stone and
Clarence Stone; Sarah, born February 28,
1763, died August 16, 1776; Abigail, born
Tune 21, 1765; Francis Bernard, born
July 30, 1770, moved to Paris, New York,
in 1798; Stephen Bigelow, mentioned be-
low; Nancy, born July 7, 1775, married
- Stanley, died at Henderson, New
York, in 1840.
(VI) Stephen Bigelow Bowker, son of
Silas Bowker. was born at Petersham,
December 25, 1772, and died in Royals-
ton, October 30, 1833. lie married, Sep-
tember 12, 1789, Submit Grover, of Graf-
ton, who died February 17, 1857, aged
seventy-nine years. Children: Silas, born
73
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
January 17, 1800, died May 30, 1820; Na-
thaniel, mentioned below.
(VII) Nathaniel Bowker, son of Ste-
phen Bigelow Bowker, was born at
Royalston, July 26, 1808, died July 22,
1861, aged fifty-three years. He was a
farmer on the homestead and also en-
gaged in lumbering and in the meat busi-
ness. He was a member of the famous
militia company of Royalston, each of
whom was six feet or more in height and
two hundred pounds or more in weight.
He married, at Royalston, November 9,
1830, Philenia Wheeler, who was born at
Chesterfield, New Hampshire, September
30, 1804, died August 14, 1885, daughter
of Peter and Sarah (Hubbard) Wheeler,
grandaughter of Peter and Olive (Davis)
Wheeler. Olive Davis was a daughter of
Captain Simon Davis. Peter Wheeler,
Sr., was born at Concord, February 4,
1732-33, son of Hezekiah and Sarah
(Fletcher) Wheeler, grandson of Wil-
liam and Hannah (Buss) Wheeler, and
great-grandson of George Wheeler, of
Concord, the immigrant. Children of
Nathaniel Bowker : Stephen B., born
March 8, 1833, died May 23, 1878; Silas
W., born June I, 1835, died June 17, 1835 ;
Lucia Amelia, born May i, 1838, died
July 28, 1890, married Edwin W. Hadley,
son, Charles W. Hadley, born July 10,
1862, married Allie E. Bishop; Charles
Watson, mentioned below. Interments
are all in the old cemetery in the middle
town of Royalston, Massachusetts.
(VIII) Charles Watson Bowker, son
of Nathaniel Bowker, was born at Royals-
ton, June 15, 1841, on the Bowker farm a
mile and a half east of Royalston Center
on the Winchendon road. His only
schooling was obtained at the old North-
east district school. When he was but
twelve years old, his father put him in
charge of a meat market at Winchendon
in the Amasa Whitney Block and he
boarded at the American House. When
he was fifteen, he used to help his brother
Stephen B. get the cattle home from pas-
ture and then help him butcher until ten
o'clock at night. To avoid the flies and
heat, the butchering was done at night in
the summer season. No ice was used.
After two hours of sleep he was called at
midnight for breakfast. His horses were
ready and his cart loaded with fresh
meat. He drove to South Orange through
Athol, a distance of fifteen miles, arriving
about five in the morning. He then sold
his stock of meat from a cart in South
Orange, North New Salem, New Salem,
West Orange, Wendall and Irving. The
cattle were bought of farmers in Royals-
ton and vicinity. In one of his trips
he remembers vividly having his horse
stopped by a rattlesnake while climbing
Salem Hill. On alternate days he went
home having two hours of sleep one night
and six the next. Owing to the illness of
his father he returned to work on the
farm. He was but twenty years old when
his father died. For a few years he was
in the pail and lumber business with his
brothers-in-law, William and Joel Sibley, at
New Boston, Massachusetts. In April, 1867,
he bought the grain business of J. A. Rob-
bins, of Winchendon, afterwards selling
a half-interest to Woodcock & Sawyer
who later sold their share to C. L. Beals,
the firm name then becoming Beals &
Bowker. Mr. Bowker made his home in
Winchendon until 1873, when he sold out
his interests in the business and engaged
in the produce business in Worcester.
His business prospered and was ex-
tended. He became one of the leading
commission merchants and best known
business men of the city. For many
years his business was located at 24
Washington square. His son, George A.
Bowker, became a partner and subse-
quently Charles Watson Bowker, Jr., an-
other son, was admitted to the firm, which
for many years was C. W. Bowker &
74
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Company. In 1911 the business was in-
corporated under the name of C. W.
Bowker & Company, and since that time
the store has been at 122-124 Central
street. Mr. Bowker is president of the
corporation, George A. Bowker, treas-
urer, and C. W. Bowker, Jr., assistant
treasurer and clerk. The company does
an extensive wholesale and retail busi-
ness in hay, grain, feed and straw. Mr.
Bowker invested his surplus shrewdly in
Worcester real estate and at the present
time is one of the large real estate owners
of the city, having sixty-nine apartments
besides a business block in Washington
square and another on Central street in
which his business is located. From 1885
to 1895 Mr. Bowker owned the Beryl Hill
farm in Royalston and his family spent
the summers there. He raised thorough-
bred Guernsey cattle and when he sold
the farm his entire herd was bought by
ex-Vice-President Morton for his stock
farm at Rhinecliff, New York.
Mr. Bowker is a member of no organi-
zations nor clubs. In politics he is a Re-
publican and he has always taken a keen
interest in party and municipal affairs,
though he has never accepted public
office. Though not a member, he has
been one of the largest contributors to
the building fund and support of the Park
Congregational Church. He gave also of
his time and experience on the building
committee ; contributed half the cost of
the organ ; presented three memorial
windows and the weather vane and pul-
pit furniture. When the church debt was
paid he subscribed $900 on condition that
the balance be raised, and his gift virtu-
ally saved the church from foreclosure
sale.
He married (first) January I, 1863,
Nancy A. Sibley, who was born at Win-
chendon, daughter of Joel and Rhoda
(Alger) Sibley, of New Boston, Massa-
chusetts (see Sibley VI). She died in
August, 1870. He married (second) Sep-
tember 12, 1871, Susan Baker Upham,
who was born in Royalston, September
30, 1844, daughter of Daniel Winthrop
Upham (see Upham VIII). Children by
first wife: i. John Bradley, mentioned
below. 2. Charles Alfred, born Febru-
ary 24, 1867, died April 24, 1873. Chil-
dren by second wife : 3. Harrison Win-
throp, born June 10, 1877, graduate of
Worcester Classical High School, 1897,
and of Harvard College, 1901, and of
Harvard Law School, 1904; admitted to
the Massachusetts bar in 1904 ; since then
has been practicing law in Worcester,
having offices in the Slater Building;
member of the Harvard and Economic
clubs, the Credit Men's Association, the
Worcester and Massachusetts Bar asso-
ciations. 4. George Arthur, mentioned
below. 5. Lena May, born at Royalston,
July 24, 1885, graduated from Mt. Hoi-
yoke College in 1908, member of the Phi
Beta Kappa, the honorary society ; mar-
ried, July 15, 1915, Charles Goodwin Hill,
treasurer of the Phenix Plate Company,
of Worcester (see Hill VIII). 6. Charles
Watson, mentioned below.
(IX) John Bradley Bowker, son of
Charles Watson Bowker, was born at
Royalston, March 12, 1865. His early
years were spent on the homestead in his
native town. In 1873 he came with his
parents to Worcester where he was edu-
cated in the public schools, graduating
from the Worcester High School in 1884.
He was for several years associated in
business with his father in the wholesale
provision and produce store. He was
elected auditor of the city of Worcester,
June 6, 1898, to serve the unexpired term
of John F. Howell, deceased, and was
regularly reflected to this office by the
City Council until he resigned in 1905.
He became business manager of the
"Worcester Telegram," April i, 1905, and
has held that position to the present time.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Mr. Bowker was secretary and treasurer
of the Central Massachusetts Poultry As-
sociation in 1891-92; secretary and treas-
urer of the Worcester Milk Association,
1893-94; secretary of the Massachusetts
Farmers' and Cattle Owners' Associa-
tion in 1895 ! secretary and treasurer of
the Worcester County Agricultural So-
ciety, 1893-98; secretary of the Xew Eng-
land Milk Producers' Association, 1898.
He is a member of the Worcester Horti-
cultural Society, of the Worcester County
Mechanics' Association and of Worcester
Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, in which
he has held the various offices excepting
that of Master. In politics he is a Repub-
lican.
He married, October 12. 1886, at Wor-
cester, Martha Ann Thayer, born No-
vember 14, 1867, daughter of Enoch and
Martha Ann Thayer, of Hopkinton, Mas-
sachusetts. Children: i. Marion Thayer,
born July 26, 1887; married, October 12,
1911, Frank Roys, graduate of the Wor-
cester Polytechnic Institute, in which he
is now an instructor. 2. Harold Sawyer,
born December 7, 1888; is now teller
in the savings department of the Mer-
chant's National Bank; married, June 2,
1913, Susan Upham ; child ; Bradley
Thayer, born July 25. 1914.
(IX) George Arthur Bowker, son of
Charles Watson Bowker, was born in
Worcester, June 4, 1881. He was edu-
cated in the Worcester public schools and
in the Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
In 1903 he became a partner of his father
and since the business was incorporated
he has been treasurer of C. W. Bowker
& Sons. He is a member of the Eco-
monic Club, the Worcester Driving Club
and of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity of
Worcester Polytechnic Institute. In poli-
tics he is a Republican. He married,
Tuly 31, 1913, Grace M. Oakes, daughter
of John W. Oakes, of \Vorcester.
(IX) Charles Watson Bowker, Jr., son
of Charles Watson Bowker, Sr., was born
at Royalston, September n, 1888. He
attended the public schools in Worcester,
graduating from the Classical High
School in 1906. After taking a post-
graduate course in the high school, he
entered Dartmouth College, from which
he was graduated in 1911 with the degree
of Bachelor of Arts. He is a member of
the Kappa Sigma fraternity and treas-
urer of its house corporation. He was
circulation manager of the college pub-
lication "The Jack-o-Lantern." Since
graduation he has been with his father
and brother in C. W. Bowker & Sons,
Incorporated, of which he is clerk and as-
sistant treasurer. He is a member of the
Worcester Chamber of Commerce, the
Worcester Horticultural Society, the
Dartmouth Lunch Club and is a director
of the Worcester Poultry Association.
He married, September 12, 1914, Dorothy
White, of Yonkers, New York.
(The Sibley Line).
(I) John Sibley came from England in
1629 in the Higginson fleet in the ship
"Fleet," and settled in Salem. In 1637 he
lived at Jeffrey's Creek, now Manchester.
He died in 1661. He married Rachel
Pickworth, daughter of John Pickworth.
Children: Sarah, born in Salem, baptized
September 18, 1642; Mary, baptized Sep-
tember 8, 1644; Rachel, baptized May 3,
1646; John, baptized May 4, 1648: Han-
nah, baptized June 22, 1651 ; William,
baptized September 8, 1653 ; Samuel,
baptized April 12,1657; Abigail, baptized
Tuly 3, 1659; Joseph, mentioned below.
(II) Joseph Sibley, son of John Sibley,
was born about 1655, at Salem. He was
a fisherman and was once impressed in
the British navy. All his five sons settled
in Sutton. He married Susanna Follett,
daughter of William Follett. Children :
Joseph, born November 9, 1684; John,
September 18, 1687; Hannah, baptized
76
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
May 9, 1695; Samuel, 1697; William,
mentioned below ; Benjamin, born Sep-
tember 19, 1703.
(III) William Sibley, son of Joseph
Sibley, was born in Salem, September 7,
1700; settled in Sutton as early as 1731 ;
died there, October 18, 1763. He was a
soldier in the Indian wars. He married,
July 4, 1726, Sarah Dike. Children: Wil-
liam, mentioned below ; Elijah, born
October 30, 1728; Sarah, August 23, 1730 ;
Daniel, January 31, 1733; David, Octo-
ber 3, 1736.
(IV) William (2) Sibley, son of Wil-
liam ( i ) Sibley, was born at Sutton, May
4, 1727. He served in the Indian wars.
He married (first) December 26, 1751,
Rebeckah Southworth, of Waltham ; (sec-
ond) May i, 1755, Huldah Kenney ;
(third) January 24, 1765, Hannah Stock-
well. Child by first wife: William, men-
tioned below. Children by second wife:
Huldah; David, died young; Mehitable.
Children by third wife : Noah, born May
4, 1766; Hannah, May 4, 1767; Joel. May
31, 1/74; Rebecca, April 29, 1776, died
young.
(V) William (3) Sibley, son of Wil-
liam (2) Sibley, was born in Sutton, in
1753, and died at Royalston, June 22,
1808. He settled first in Grafton. He
was a soldier in the Revolution in Cap-
tain John Putnam's company, Colonel
Ebenezer Learned's regiment in 1775.
He married. February 14, 1782, Abigail
Fay, born 1759, died July 20, 1838. Chil-
dren : Southworth, born June 25, 1788;
Chloe, May 26, 1791 ; Simeon, September
21, 1793; Joel, mentioned below; Wil-
liam, December 19, 1800.
(VI) Joel Sibley, son of William (3)
Sibley, was born at Grafton, December
28, 1796. He removed to Royalston with
his father and manufactured shingles and
pails. J. B. Sawyer was his partner for
a time. He died in 1863. In politics he
was a Democrat ; in religion a Unitarian.
He served the town as assessor, member
of the school committee and trustee of
the cemetery. He married (first) Demis
Walker, of Winchendon ; (second)
Walker; (third) Rhoda Alger, of Win-
chendon. Children by first wife: Elvira,
married J. B. Sawyer ; Horace ; George ;
Maria, married F. S. Hale. Children by
third wife: William; Joel, merchant in
Winchendon ; Charles ; Lovina, married
Benjamin P. Peabody, of Worcester ;
Nancy A., married Charles W. Bowker
(see P.owker VIII).
(The Upham Line).
(I) John Upham, the immigrant, came
from England with his wife and children
and sister in 1635 a d settled at Wey-
mouth. He was magistrate ; selectman,
1645-47, and deputy to the General Court.
He removed to Maiden where he was
also commissioner; moderator, 1678-80, at
eighty-three years of age, and for twenty-
four years served as deacon. He died
February 25, 1681, aged eighty-four
years.
(II) Lieutenant Phineas Upham, son
of John Upham, was born in 1635, at
Weymouth. He located at Maiden and
in 1672 was one of the Maiden men hav-
ing land granted in Worcester. He was
a lieutenant in King Philip's War and
was mortally wounded in the Swamp
Fight. He married Ruth, widow of Ed-
ward Wood. She died January 18, 1(196-
97. He died in October, 1676.
(III) Nathaniel LTpham, son of Lieu-
tenant Phineas Upham, was born in 1661,
at Maiden, and died November n, 1717.
He was a sergeant. He married Sc'.rah
Floyd, who died October 14, 1715. Roger
F. Upham, of Worcester, is descended
from his son Noah.
(IV) Nathaniel (2) Upham, son of Na-
thaniel (i) Upham, was born in 1685;
married, February 6, 1706, Mary Tu thill,
of Boston. He lived at Maiden.
77
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
(V) Nathaniel (3) Upham, son of Na-
thaniel (2) Upham, was born in 1715;
married, November 4, 1736, Rebecca Dill;
lived at Leicester, Massachusetts. Chil-
dren : Daniel, Nathaniel, Thomas, Me-
hitable and Rebecca.
(VI) Daniel Upham, son of Nathaniel
(3) Upham, was born December i, 1743,
died October 3, 1812; married, in 1765,
Sarah Sprague, born November 3, 1749,
died September 26, 1812. Children:
Mollie, born October 11, 1766, died Sep-
tember 9, 1812; Sarah, born August 28,
1767, died June 19, 1850; Phebe H., born
April 7, 1772, died September 29, 1812;
Barnard, born June 16, 1774, died No-
vember 28, 1824; John, mentioned below;
Rebecca D., born December i, 1778, died
March 29, 1840; Daniel, born March 21,
1781, died January 31, 1868, married Mary
Savage; Joseph, born June 23, 1783, died
June 15, 1866; Joshua, born April 7, 1786,
died October 23, 1812; Samuel, born July
2, 1788, died September 27, 1866; Roxa,
born August 12, 1791.
(VII) John (2) Upham, son of Daniel
Upham, was born August 3, 1776, and
died May i, 1827. He married (first)
April 10, 1800, Patty Holbrook, who died
October 15, 1812, aged thirty-four years.
He married (second) October 12, 1814,
Susanna Baker, daughter of Samuel
Baker (see Baker V). She married (sec-
ond) Captain Asa Turner. Children by
first wife : Horace Sprague, born April
25, 1801 ; John Milton, October 9, 1803;
Martha Holbrook, February 26, 1808;
Mary Hutchinson, February 21, 1810;
Elizabeth Fairbanks. Children by second
wife : Joseph Emerson, December 9, 1815 ;
Daniel Winthrop, mentioned below ; Sam-
uel Baker, September 28, 1819, died May
10, 1892; Joshua Nelson, August 5, 1822;
Charles Wellington, September 19, 1824.
died July 31, 1907.
(VIII) Daniel Winthrop Upham, son
of John (2) Upham, was born December
22, 1817, died in 1851. He married, Au-
gust 19, 1840, Mehitable Edson Clark,
born April 17, 1819, died March 4, 1901.
She married (second) November, 1854,
W'illiam A. Willoughby and had one
child, Charles Clark Willoughby, born
July 5, 1857. Children of Daniel and
Mehitable Edson (Clark) Upham: Susan
Baker, born September 30, 1844, married
Charles Watson Bowker (see Bowker
VIII) ; Elmira Jane, born March 2, 1849,
died January 2, 1892. Mehitable Edson
Clark was a daughter of Eber and Sarah
(Chase) Clark. Sarah Chase, born March
i, 1792, was a daughter of David and
Sarah (Raymond) Chase, granddaughter
of Edward Raymond, son of Paul Ray-
mond. David Chase was born in Sutton,
March 10, 1761, died March 27, 1816;
married, October 17, 1786, Sarah Ray-
mond, born September 26, 1765, died in
Royalston, November 3, 1848. Francis
Chase, father of David Chase, married
Mary Perkins, June 12, 1760; was a
soldier in the Revolution, died January
16, 1791, aged fifty-five years. Philip
Chase, father of Francis Chase, was born
September 23, 1688; married, April 17,
1712, Mary Follansbee. John Chase,
father of Philip Chase, was born Novem-
ber 2, 1655, married Elizabeth Bingley.
May 23, 1677. Aquila Chase, father of
John Chase, was the immigrant, born
1618. at Chesham, England, died at New-
buryport, Massachusetts, December 20,
1670; settled in Hampton, New Hamp-
shire, 1639, removed to Newbury, Massa-
chusetts, 1646 ; married Anna Wheeler,
daughter of John Wheeler, of Hampton.
His English ancestry for many genera-
tions has been traced.
(The Baker Line).
(I) Edward Baker, the immigrant, was
born in England and sailed with Gov-
ernor Winthrop in April, 1630, and be-
came one of the first settlers of Lynn,
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Massachusetts. He was admitted a free-
man, March 16, 1038. In 1657 he moved
to Northampton, where he had grants of
land and lived there for many years "a
respected and influential man.'' Return-
ing to Lynn, after settling his sons Joseph
and Timothy in Northampton, he died at
Lynn, March 16, 1687. His will is dated
October 16, 1685. He married Joan
, who died April 9, 1093. Chil-
dren: Joseph; Mary, born April I, 1642;
John, 1645 ; Timothy, 1647 ) Thomas,
1653 ; Edward, mentioned below.
(II) Edward (2) Baker, son of Ed-
ward (i) Baker, was born at Lynn, about
I0 55-5 y - He married there, April 7, 1685,
Mary Marshall. Children, born at Lynn :
Edward, born April 19, 1688, died young;
Sarah, born January 18, 1689; Sarah, Jan-
uary 13, 1690; Rebecca, October I, 1692;
Edward, January 4, 1694, died young;
Edward, mentioned below ; Ruth, August
15, 1696; Ruth, July 7, 1699; Elizabeth,
March 29, 1702 ; Joseph, November 9,
1704; Marshall, March 5, 1707-08.
(III) Edward (3) Baker, son of Ed-
ward (2) Baker, was born at Lynn, July
16, 1695. He was one of the first settlers
in YVestborough. He married, at Marl-
borough, November 22, 1721, Persis
Brigham, daughter of Samuel and Eliza-
beth (Howe) Brigham. Children, born
at Westborough : Samuel, mentioned
below; Solomon, born January 3, 1723-
24 or 1724-25; Persis, November 8, 1726;
Abigail, November 4, 1728; Hepzibah,
March 22, 1729-30; Elizabeth, March 28,
!734; Joseph, May 19, 1736; Levenia,
May 23, 1738; Ezra, May 21, 1740; Mary,
July 19, 1746.
(IV) Hon. Samuel Baker, son of Ed-
ward (3) Baker, was born at Westbor-
ough, August 27, 1722, died May 4, 1795.
He settled in Bolton in the part now Ber-
lin, buying in 1765 a tract of two hundred
acres on Baker's Hill. He built the two-
story house lately owned by J. Henry
Sawyer on the south slope of Wataquo-
dock Hill. He hurried with the troops to
Lexington, April 19, 1775. He opposed
Shays Rebellion and was assaulted on his
way from the court house. He was one
of the seven delegates to the Worcester
convention in 1789 and voted for the
State constitution ; senator 1780-93 except
two years; judge of the Court of Com-
mon Pleas, 1775-95 J councillor at the
time of his death. The town history says
that he reflected "more honor on the town
than any other man in its history.'' He
married (first) November 24, 1747, Su-
sanna Taintor, born December 18, 1720,
daughter of Simeon Taintor. She died
April 14, 1781, and he married (second)
April 20, 1786, Mary Bigelow, a widow,
who died at Worcester in 1825. Children
by first wife born at Bolton : Susanna,
1748; Persis, born February 24, 1750-51;
Samuel, mentioned below ; Edward, June
15, 1755; Abel, August 8, 1757; Mary,
May 5, 1760; Betty, March i, 1703.
(V) Lieutenant Samuel (2) Baker, son
of Hon. Samuel (i) Baker, was born at
Bolton, July 3, 1753, and died June 22,
1825 (gravestone in Center graveyard).
He was a soldier in the Revolution in
Captain Artemas How's company, on the
Lexington Alarm; sergeant in 1775-76;
corporal in Captain Joseph Sargent's
company, 1777, and in Captain Jonathan
Houghton's company, Colonel Smith's
regiment. He removed to Templeton in
1807. He married, at Bolton, May 25,
1780, Hannah Bush, of Marlborough.
She was born June 14, 1760, died August
n, 1831. Children: Samuel, bom April
n, 1781, died May 31, 1839; Susanna,
September 19, 1782, married John Up-
ham (see Upham VII) ; Artemas, April
4. 1/84, died April, 1840; Eli, March 19,
1786, died February i, 1804; Joseph, Jan-
uary 28, 1788; Levi, February 15, 1790,
79
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
died December 3, 1874; Jonas, December
21, 1791; Calvin, November 22, 1/9-;
Luther, January 12, 179-; infant, Decem-
ber n, 1/9-; Hannah, January 31, 1799;
infant, May 24, 1800; Oliver, July 17,
1801 ; Otis, July 27, 1803, at Templeton.
HILL, Charles Goodwin,
Manufacturer.
Abraham Hill, the immigrant ancestor,
was born in England in 1615, and died
in Maiden, Massachusetts, February 13,
1670. He settled in Charlestown as early
as 1636, was admitted to the church
there, June 3, 1639, an d made a freeman,
May 30, 1640. He kept mill for one John
Coitmore, and held various town offices.
In 1646 he sold his house in Charlestown
and moved to Maiden, where he was
licensed by the General Court to keep an
ordinary from time to time afterward.
His tavern was on the east side of the
Great road near the junction of the Med-
ford road. The bridge known as Hill's
bridge was named after him. (Governor
Isaac Hill of New Hampshire was a de-
scendant). After his death the tavern
was kept by his widow, Sarah Hill, until
1679, when her son Jacob succeeded her.
Sarah, the wife, the daughter of Robert
Long, was admitted to the church, Sep-
tember 10, 1644, and died February 13,
1670. Children, born at Charlestown and
Maiden: Ruth, January 2, 1640: Isaac,
mentioned below ; Abraham, born Octo-
ber i, 1643; Sarah, August 19, 1647, died
in infancy; Sarah, October 12, 1649;
Mary, May 9, 1652; Jacob, March, 1657.
(II) Isaac Hill, son of Abraham Hill,
was born at Maiden, October 21, 1641,
and died there, February 23, 1721. In
1681 he succeeded his brother Jacob as
tavern keeper at Maiden, and continued
in the business until 1698, possibly later,
for in 1708 he entertained ministers at his
house. He was admitted a freeman in
1690 and served the town as selectman
in 1689, 1692, 1693, 1694, 1702 and 1706.
In 1698 he represented the town at Gen-
eral Court. He married (first) in June,
1666, Hannah Hayward, daughter of
Samuel Hayward, who died April 25,
1679. He married (second) Sarah Bick-
ell, January 12, 1680. Children, all born
in Maiden: By first wife: Isaac, born
June 16, 1670. By second wife: Moses,
mentioned below ; Tamazin, born Decem-
ber ii, 1685, united in marriage by Rev.
Mr. Wigglesworth, November 23, 1/03,
with Phineas Upham, son of Deacon
Phineas Upham ; Abraham, born March
22, 1688; Isaac, December i, 1693
(III) Aloses Hill, son of Isaac Hill, was
born in Maiden, August i, 1682, and died
there, July 21, 1743. On May 1 1, 1710,
he was elected schoolmaster, but appears
to have served only a month or so. In
1727 he was on the town committee, and
in 1733 was sealer of weights and meas-
ures. He also was a tavern keeper, leav-
ing his tavern to his son Isaac, who kept
it for many years. He married, Decem-
ber i, 1708, Sarah Parker. Children, all
born at Maiden: Jacob, August 9, 1710;
Tabitha, July 13, 1712; Sarah, September
4, 1714; John, June 10, 1718; Isaac, men-
tioned below.
(IV) Isaac (2) Hill, son of Moses Hill,
was born in Maiden, March 30, 1723, and
died there, June 22, 1764. From 1747
until his death he kept the principal
tavern of the town, and the town records
show that all town meetings and other
public functions were held at his tavern.
At his death his widow continued the
business until her son Charles became of
age, with her second husband, James
Kettell, deputy sheriff and keeper of the
jail, whom she married in June, 1766, as
landlord. At this time John Adams put
up at the "Sign of the Rising Eagle," as
the Hill tavern was known. Children,
all born at Maiden : Charles, April 5,
80
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
1746; Lydia, February 26, 1749; Eliza-
beth, March 11, 1753; Sarah, September
29, 1754; Charles, mentioned below.
(V) Charles Hill, son of Isaac (2) Hill,
was born at Maiden, February 21, 1756,
and died there, April 29, 1804. A soldier of
the Revolution from Maiden in Captain
Benjamin Blaney's company at the Lex-
ington Alarm, he served later in Captain
Nailer Hatch's company of Colonel Wil-
liam Bond's regiment, ranking as cor-
poral. Later he served in Captain Ste-
phen Dana's company, Colonel Macin-
tosh's regiment, March 20 to April 5,
1776, and again later at Point Shirley in
Captain Blaney's company (page 870,
volume vii, "Massachusetts Soldiers and
Sailors in the Revolution"). Hill's Tav-
ern was the principal one of the town and
the town history makes frequent mention
of Charles Hill as one of its most impor-
tant citizens and landlord from 1777 until
his death in 1804. In 1857 a portion of
the land occupied by Hill's Tavern was
purchased by the town for a Town Hall
site, and the old tavern building, which
it is thought was built in 1657, although
it is likely that many of the timbers used
at this time were from an earlier struc-
ture, was moved to Irving street. Many
interesting stories of his sheltering slaves
are told, especially one slave, Peter Nas-
sau, from Martinique. He married, De-
cember 18, 1777, Mary Wait. Children,
all born in Maiden: Charles, October n,
1778; Isaac, May 16, 1780; John Dexter,
December 21, 1781 ; Polly, January 28,
1784; Sally, November 3, 1785; Lydia,
January 7, 1790; Rebecca Wait, Decem-
ber 7, 1791; Patty, November 28, 1/93;
Benjamin Goodwin, mentioned below.
(VI) Benjamin Goodwin Hill, son of
Charles Hill, was born at Maiden, De-
cember i, 1795, and died there, Septem-
ber 2, 1868. He always resided in Maiden
and was active in public affairs, serving
as representative to the General Court in
1842 and on the committee to sell the
meeting house in 1845. 1 '850 he was
on the finance committee of the Bi-Cen-
tennial celebration of the town, and was
the first master of Mount Vernon Lodge,
Free Masons, 1857-58. He married at
Charlestown, September 2, 1828, Martha
Myrick Teel, born March 27, 1802, at
Charlestown, died May 30, 1851, at Mai-
den, daughter of Gershom and Mary
(Myrick) Teel. Children, all born at
Maiden: George Goodwin, June 14, 1829;
William Henry, December 28, 1830;
Charles Augustus, mentioned below ;
Isaac Adelbert, September 27, 1836;
James White, August 25, 1838; Martha
Elizabeth, September 14, 1840; Mary Car-
oline, November 5, 1850.
(VII) Charles Augustus Hill, son of
Benjamin Goodwin Hill, was born at
Maiden, June 17, 1834, and died at
Worcester, Massachusetts, January 20,
1909. He received his early education in
the public schools of Maiden, and at the
age of eighteen entered the employ of
Fuller, Devroe & Company, wholesale
dealers in dairy products, Boston, as
bookkeeper. In 1860 he came to Worces-
ter and was employed in the office of
Jerome Marble & Company, dealers in
paints, oils and chemicals, becoming four
years later a partner in the firm. In 1870
he engaged in business for himself, form-
ing a partnership with H. M. Hedden and
founding the Phenix Plate Company, for
the manufacture of ferrotype plates and
other photographic products. The part-
nership was dissolved a few years later,
and Mr. Hill continued the business
until his death as sole owner. For
many years he was a director of the
Mechanics' National Bank and trustee of
the Mechanics' Savings Bank. He was
a thirty-second degree Mason, member of
Boston Commandery, Knights Templar,
Mass 5 6
8 1
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
and other Masonic bodies of Boston. He
married, November 17, 1868, Emily J.
Aldrich, born at Willington, Connecticut,
daughter of Hosea and Mary (Chard)
Aldrich, of Charlton. Their only child
was Charles Goodwin Hill, mentioned be-
low.
(VIII) Charles Goodwin Hill, son of
Charles Augustus Hill, was born in
Worcester, Massachusetts, August I,
1881. He graduated from the Worcester
Classical High School in 1901 and re-
ceived the degree of Bachelor of Arts
from Harvard College in 1905. He be-
came associated in business with his
father and since the death of his father
has continued the business as treasurer
and general manager of the Phenix Plate
Company, manufacturers of ferrotype
plates and similar goods in large quan-
tities and variety. On July 15, 1915, he
married Lena May Bowker (see Bowker
VIII). He is a member of Worcester
Country Club and Harvard Club of
Worcester.
LOCKWOOD, Rev. John Hoyt,
Clergyman, Antiquarian.
It is as an earnest, devoted and efficient
minister of the gospel that Mr. Lockwood
has attempted to achieve a worthy career
during thirty-five years of active service.
His deep interest in civil, political, educa-
tional and philanthropic affairs has al-
ways been proven by word and deed. He
has ever sought the welfare of humanity
in each of those fields rather than self-
aggrandizement. However, it is not alone
by what he has done that results must be
measured ; but by the influence his ad-
mirable life has had upon others. His
counsel has never failed those who sought
it, and their number is legion, and his
sympathetic and fatherly advice has
helped to spread the noble doctrine which
his entire life exemplifies. Tender and
loving in the home circle, his heart is no
less filled with love toward all humanity.
His family is an honorable one, and a
few words concerning it are in place
here. The name of Lockwood is of very
ancient origin, and is found in Domesday
Book, compiled at the order of William
the Conqueror. Burke's "General Armory"
gives the Lockwood arms, as derived
from the Rev. Richard Lockwood, rector
of Dingley, Northampton, England, in
1530, thus: "Argent a fesse between three
martlets sable." Crest: "On the stump
of an oak tree, erased proper a martlet
sable." Motto: Tutus in undis ("Secure
against the waves"): AV cede ("Break
rather than bend"). In the historical rec-
ords of Connecticut it appears that many
Lockwoods were in the Colonial and Rev-
olutionary wars. Forty-two officers of
this name were in the Revolutionary
War, besides many privates in the army
and navy. The Tories in and about Nor-
walk, Greenwich and Fairfield said :
"They could not endure the notoriously
rebellious Lockwood tribe," but after
years a grandson and a granddaughter
healed the breach. These same Lock-
woods had been burned out, plundered,
and had their harvests destroyed by the
British, and distressed in many ways.
The record adds that the General Assem-
bly reported their taxes abated. They
were called the "Fighting Lockwoods."
Robert Lockwood came from England
in 1630 in Governor Winthrop's fleet, and
settled at Watertown, Massachusetts,
where his first six children were born and
their births recorded. He was made a
freeman, March 9, 1636. He removed to
Fairfield, Connecticut, about 1646, and
died there in 1658. He was made a free-
man of Connecticut, March 20, 1652, and
was appointed sergeant at Fairfield, in
May, 1657. He sold to Bryan Pendleton
82
'
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
all the land granted him by the town, also
four acres of remote meadow and one
acre of patch meadow, September 29,
1645, to Edward Garfield, ancestor of the
late President James A. Garfield. He left
no will and his estate was administered
upon by his widow Susanna. The court
decided that the widow should have one-
third of the estate, the ten children the
remainder. Susanna Lockwood gave evi-
dence in a witch case, May 13, 1654, at a
court held in New Haven, and stated she
was present when Goodwife Knapp was
hanged for a witch. She subsequently
married Jeffrey Ferris ; she was the
daughter and heir of Richard Cutts, Esq.,
and died at Greenwich, Connecticut, De-
cember 23, 1660. Children: Jonathan,
married Mary, a daughter of his step-
father, Jeffrey Ferris ; Deborah ; Joseph ;
Daniel ; Ephraim, see forward ; Gersham,
who was the principal carpenter and
builder in Greenwich, held many impor-
tant public offices, and married Lady
Ann Millington, of England, daughter of
Lord Millington ; John ; Abigail, married
John Barlow ; Sarah ; Mary, married Jon-
athan Huested.
Ephraim Lockwood, son of Robert and
Susanna (Cutts) Lockwood, was born in
Watertown, Massachusetts, December 6,
1641. He was a young lad when he re-
moved to Connecticut with his father,
and settled in Norwalk, where he was ad-
mitted a freeman, October 13, 1669. He
married, June 8, 1665, Mercy Sention
(now written St. John), daughter of Mat-
thias Sention, of Norwalk. Children :
John B. ; Daniel, married Charity Clem-
ents ; Sarah, married John Platt ; Eph-
raim ; Deacon Eliphalet, married Mary,
daughter of John Gold, of Stamford;
Deacon Joseph, married Mary Wood,
daughter of John Wood, of Stamford ;
Lieutenant James, married Lidia Smith ;
Edmund ; Mary, married Joseph Gain-
sey ; Abigail, married
Cook. Both
Eliphalet and James were members of
the General Assembly of Connecticut.
Isaac Lockwood, a grandson of Eph-
raim and Mercy (Sention) Lockwood,
was a soldier in the War of the Revolu-
tion during its entire period.
Hanford N. Lockwood, son of Isaac
Lockwood, went from Danbury, Connec-
ticut, to Troy, New York, with his fam-
ily, in 1810, was a leading merchant there
during sixty years, and for a time mayor
of the city. He married Rachel Wild-
man, of Danbury. Their goods for the
new home were carried in an ox-cart to
Fishkill, and thence by sloop up the Hud-
son river.
Charles N. Lockwood, son of Hanford
N. and Rachel (Wildman) Lockwood,
married Mary Elizabeth Fry, daughter of
Deacon John and Eliza (Wildman) Fry,
of Danbury, Connecticut.
Rev. John Hoyt Lockwood, in the ninth
generation from Robert, son of Charles
N. and Mary Elizabeth (Fry) Lockwood,
was born at Troy, New York, January 17,
1848. Until 1860 he attended the public
schools of his native city, and he was
then prepared for entrance to college at
the Troy Academy, at which he was a
student for a period of four years. Ma-
triculating at Williams College at the age
of sixteen years, he was graduated in the
class of 1868 with the degree of Bachelor
of Arts ; the degree of Master of Arts was
conferred upon him three years later by
the same institution. In the meantime
he had also been pursuing a course of
study at the Princeton Theological Semi-
nary, from which he was graduated in
the class of 1871. Early in 1870 he had
been licensed to preach by the Presbytery
of New York in New York City, and a
few months later we find him doing home
missionary work in Southern Minnesota
through his summer vacation, during
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
which time he organized a Presbyterian
church at Wells, in that State. He was
ordained to the ministry, November 15,
1915, by the Classis of Cayuga and in-
stalled as pastor of the Reformed Church
of Canastota, New York. April 28, 1873,
terminated this charge, and shortly after-
ward he became pastor of the New Eng-
land Congregational Church of Brooklyn,
New York, from which he resigned De-
cember 31, 1878. He assumed the duties
of the pastorate of the First Congrega-
tional Church of Westfield, Massachu-
setts, April i, 1879, being formally in-
stalled the following May 14. The bi-
centennial of the church was celebrated
in that year, and the historical sermon
which Rev. Mr. Lockwood preached on
that occasion was later published in book
form. After Mr. Lockwood assumed
charge, the church maintained a steady
growth in attendance and membership.
He always laid special emphasis on pas-
toral work while making earnest prepara-
tion for his service in the pulpit. As a
preacher he was interesting and effective,
increasing in power with advancing years.
To the Sunday school Mr. Lockwood de-
voted especial time and care, discharging
the duties of superintendent during ten
years, and so attractive did he make its
classes and every phase of its work, that
the number of its members was greater
than ever before in its history. The
church needed better equipment for its
varied enterprises, and in 1894 a $20,000
chapel was erected as an addition to it,
the money for this purpose being mostly
raised through the personal efforts of
Mr. Lockwood.
He enters into the sorrows of other
men with keen and sympathetic apprecia-
tion, his words of cheer often healing the
wounds by their very gentleness and
grace. Educational, missionary and be-
nevolent matters also have occupied a
goodly share of the time of Mr. Lock-
wood, and he is ever foremost in the
ranks of those who have the improve-
ment and development of the town at
heart. In connection with these ideas he
has held a number of public and semi-
public offices. For a number of years he
was a member of the Westfield school
committee, during a part of the time serv-
ing as chairman of this body. Since soon
after his arrival in town he has been a
member of the board of directors of the
W r estfield Athenaeum, and a member of
the board of trustees of the Westfield
Academy Fund, of which he is now vice-
president. He served a term of three years
as a member of the board of visitors of
Williams College, and has hardly missed
attendance at the annual commencement
since his graduation nearly fifty years
ago. For many years he has been a mem-
ber of the Connecticut Valley Historical
Society, an active organization in this
region. He is a trustee of the Young
Men's Christian Association College of
Springfield ; and is an associate editor of
the "Encyclopedia of Massachusetts Bi-
ography." In his political opinion he is
an Independent Republican.
At the conclusion of twenty-seven years
of service, Mr. Lockwood resigned the
active duties of the pastorate in West-
field, and was by vote of the church
made pastor emeritus, May 14, 1906.
Soon afterward he removed to the neigh-
boring city of Springfield, where he has
continued to make his home, though re-
turning often to Westfield.
The research in local history demanded
in preparing his bi-centennial sermon
soon after entering upon his work in
Westfield inspired an interest in town
affairs which has deepened with the pas-
sage of time. No adequate history of the
town having been produced, Mr. Lock-
wood long ago registered a purpose to
supply the deficiency should it ever be-
come possible for him to do so. For ten
84
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
years past he has been finding great sat-
isfaction in prosecuting that task, delving
far and wide into Colonial and Revolu-
tionary archives for facts related to the
town's birth and progress during nearly
two hundred and fifty years. He hopes
to have the history ready for publication
ere long.
Mr. Lockwood has been from the time
of his entrance to college a devoted mem-
ber of the Kappa Alpha Society, the old-
est of the Greek letter organizations of
our American colleges. He is a charter
member of the Connecticut Valley Con-
gregational Club, having served as its
president in 1888, soon after its organiza-
tion. He has been since 1882 a member
of the Connecticut River Valley Theo-
logical Club, composed of ministers of
various denominations living within fifty
miles of Springfield, its active member-
ship being limited to twenty at any one
time. He has been for many years an
enthusiastic golfer, was a charter member
of the Tekoa Golf Club of Westfield, and
for ten years past has been a member of
the Springfield Country Club. Of other
clubs in Springfield, he is a member of
the Winthrop Club, president of the
Reality Club, secretary of The Club. He
is also a member of the University Club
of New York, and the Western Hampden
Historical Society.
Mr. Lockwood, on July 19, 1871, mar-
ried Sarah L., daughter of Dr. Ezra P.
and Sarah M. (Comstock) Bennett, of
Danbury, Connecticut, who made her
radiant and gracious personality a benefi-
cent force in each of his three parishes.
She died on January 9, 1908. Three chil-
dren are living: William Andrew, Wil-
liams, '96, a lawyer in New York City ;
Annie Elizabeth, wife of Ralph H. Davi-
son, of Ballston Spa, New York, and
Lucy Bennett, Vassar, 1907, living in
Springfield.
BICKFORD, Ernest Armand,
Manufacturer.
John Bickford, the immigrant ancestor,
was born in England about 1612. He set-
tled in Dover, New Hampshire, and from
him are descended all of the early families
of this name in New Hampshire. His
descendants have been numerous in
Dover, Newington, Durham, Rochester
and other towns in that section. He
bought land, July 17, 1645, of Darby
Field, of Oyster River (Dover), then in
the tenure of said Bickford with a lot of
five or six acres adjoining on the land
towards the creek on the side towards
Little Bay, except the strip on said creek
in possession of Thomas Willey. He was
a taxpayer in Dover from 1645 to 1672.
No record of his marriage or death has
been found. Most writers have confused
the record of John, Sr., and John, Jr. He
was admitted a freeman in 1655. Chil-
dren: John, born as early as 1640; Jo-
seph, was taxed at Oyster River in 1675 ;
George, of Marblehead, was possibly a
son (see Driver genealogy, page 245).
George was the ancestor of the Bickfords
and Beckfords of Essex county, Massa-
chusetts.
(II) John (2) Bickford, son of John
(i ) Bickford, was born 1635-40. He lived
at Bloody Point, near Dover, from 1662
to 1672; was taxed at Oyster River in
1675; died before 1697. His inventory
was dated November 8, 1697. His wife
Temperance died before 1697. He and
wife Temperance deeded to their son
Thomas "all my house lands lying at ye
poynt of Oyster River." He afterward
moved to the Newington shore, where he
owned several tracts of land, one at
Bloody Point, one at Fox Point and an-
other along the point where he estab-
lished himself. His children and grand-
children intermarried with the principal
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
families of Newington, the Harrisons,
Dowings, Knights, Pickerings, Coes, Fur-
bers and others. His wife's name Tem-
perance often reappears in the records of
his descendants. Children: i. Thomas,
born in 1656; captain, constable at Oyster
River in 1692; had a garrison in his house
in July, 1694, at Durham Point and alone
defended it against an Indian attack by
shouting orders to the imaginary de-
fenders to deceive the enemy and firing
as fast as possible ; was paid for board of
soldiers in 1695-96; his will is dated Octo-
ber 31, 1/06; he married, at Dover,
Bridget Furber, daughter of John Fur-
ber; children mentioned in his will: Jo-
anna, John, Joseph and Eleanor ; also
wife Bridget. 2. Joanna, married John
Redman, Jr., who brought an action, Sep-
tember 28, 1697, to compel his brother,
Thomas Bickford, to present the will
of his father for probate (the will, ac-
cording to the deposition of Joanna,
"was left with her mother Temperance
to keep and when God was pleased to
take away her speech she gave it to her
brother Thomas Bickford n or 12 months
ago." Administration of the will was
granted to the son Thomas). 3. Hannah,
born November 5, 1665. 4. Benjamin,
mentioned below. 5. John, married Eliz-
abeth, daughter of Jeremy Tibbetts; chil-
dren recorded at Dover: Martha, born
July 23, 1692; Thomas, May 18, 1694;
John, March 10, 1698; Thomas, January
i, 1702; Joseph, March 8, 1705-06.
(Ill) Benjamin Bickford, son of John
(2) Bickford, was born October 20, 1672,
and died at Newington, New Hampshire,
in 1725. He was a planter at Newington.
His will was dated April 4, 1724, and
proved June 2, 1725. The witnesses were
Robert Pike, Peter Greeley and James
Jeffry. Children, mentioned in the will :
Benjamin, Thomas, mentioned below;
John, Joseph, Mary, Abigail, Elizabeth
and Deborah.
(IV) Thomas Bickford, son of Benja-
min Bickford, was born at Newington
about 1700. He married Sarah .
He could hardly have been old enough to
be the Thomas Bickford who was mar-
ried by Rev. William Allen, of Greenland,
to Sarah Simeson (Simpson), July 26,
1711. Children of Thomas and Sarah
Bickford were baptized in the Newing-
ton Church, December 17, 1736, as fol-
lows: Thomas, Benjamin, Joseph, Sam-
uel, Ichabod, Sarah and Eleanor. Three
more, Ebenezer, Jonathan and Joanna,
were baptized there October 18, 1741. Of
these sons, Jonathan, Joseph and Eben-
ezer, settled at New Durham, New
Hampshire. The town of Alton was
formed in part from New Durham and
among the signers of the petition for in-
corporation in 1788 we find the names of
Benjamin, Abraham, Andrew and Eleazer
Bickford. John, Eleazer and Joseph, sons
of Thomas Bickford (III), grandsons of
John (II), were among the proprietors of
New Durham (see New England regis-
ter, 1907). In 1790 Jonathan, Joseph and
Ebenezer were heads of families in New
Durham, which was settled in 1770 and
incorporated in 1794. Ebenezer married,
April 21, 1776, Susanna Cook, of Med-
bury.
(V) Jonathan Bickford, son of Thomas
Bickford, lived at Alton. In 1790 he had
one son over sixteen in his family, while
Joseph had no sons and Ebenezer had one
under sixteen.
(VI) Joseph Bickford, son or nephew
of Jonathan Bickford, grandson of
Thomas Bickford (IV), was born in New
Durham or Alton.
(VII) Richard Bickford, son of Joseph
Bickford, was born in Alton and married
Elmira Young. He was a merchant at
Alton. Children : John Charles, men-
tioned below ; Joseph ; E. J., born 1832,
married - - Roberts, and is living at
Alfred, Maine.
86
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
(VIII) John Charles Bickford, son of
Richard Bickford, was born at Alton,
New Hampshire, August 17, 1836, and
died in October, 1908, at Worcester, Mas-
sachusetts. He was educated in the com-
mon schools, and in his youth worked on
the farm and in the mills. About 1854
he came to Boston, where he worked at
the trade of shoemaker. He was in the
employ of B. F. Sturtevant & Company,
operating and installing pegging ma-
chines in shoe factories. Afterward he
worked in various boot and shoe factories
in Stoughton, Natick, Brookfield and
North Brookfield, Massachusetts. In the
sixties he engaged in manufacturing shoes
in Marlborough, in partnership with John
Clenant, under the firm name of Bick-
ford, Clenant & Company. Thence he
went to Berlin, Massachusetts, where he
manufactured shoes for a Boston concern
until the factory was burned about 1881.
Coming to Worcester he started in busi-
ness again in the firm of Bickford, Stet-
son & Company, afterward Bickford &
Bliss. His partner was Edward M. Bliss,
who afterward established a slipper busi-
ness in Worcester. The factory of Bick-
ford & Bliss was on Mechanic street in
the building now occupied by the Plaza
Theatre. The firm was dissolved in 1894.
Mr. Bickford started in business again in
partnership with Walter A. Sweet under
the name of Bickford & Sweet in a build-
ing at Washington square on the site of
the new Union Station. In 1901 the
plant was moved to the top floor of the
American Card Clothing Company's
building, on Grafton street, formerly
occupied by the Hill Envelope Company.
Since 1912 the firm has owned and occu-
pied the spacious factory built by David
Cummings for a shoe factory, at 60 King
street John C. Bickford retired from
business in January, 1900, when his son
succeeded him, the firm name remaining
unchanged. The firm has made a spe-
cialty of the manufacture of slippers in
great variety and has maintained a high
reputation in the trade for the excellence
of its products. In April, 1916, the firm
of Bickford & Sweet consolidated with
the William H. Wiley & Son Company
of Hartford, Connecticut, under the name
of the Wiley-Bickford-Sweet Company, a
Massachusetts corporation.
Mr. Bickford married, in 1865, Sarah
Metcalf Hebard, born May 30, 1840,
daughter of Adrian A. and Abigail F.
(Bates) Hebard (see Hebard VII). She
was born in Sturbridge, but the family
removed to Brookfield when she was
quite young. Their only child was Ernest
Armand, mentioned below.
(IX) Ernest Armand Bickford, son of
John Charles Bickford, was born at Ber-
lin, Massachusetts, November 23, 1872.
He attended the public schools in his
native town, the Clinton High School and
the Worcester Classical High School and
was graduated from the Worcester Poly
technic Institute in 1894 with the degree
of Bachelor of Science. He became asso-
ciated with his father in the slipper busi-
ness in September, 1894, and succeeded
him as partner in the firm of Bickford &
Sweet in January, 1900. He is first vice-
president and works manager of the cor-
poration he is connected with. Mr. Bick-
ford is a member of the Worcester Cham-
ber of Commerce. He is a member of the
Adams Square Congregational Church, of
which he has been deacon and member of
the standing committee and for many
years the treasurer. In politics he is a
Republican.
He married, June 5, 1895, Alice Bertha
Grossman, who was born at Fitchburg,
July 29, 1872, daughter of Frank Harri-
son and Lelia Ward (Farwell) Grossman.
Her father and mother are living at Fitch-
burg. Children : Dorothy, born March 2,
1896, student in Mt. Holyoke, class of
1919; John Grossman, born May 5, 1898,
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
student in Phillips Andover Academy;
Franklin Armand, horn September 3,
1899; Miriam, born September 30, 1900;
Sarah Marjorie, born March 19, 1902;
Richard Herbert, born August 20, 1907 ;
Roger Murray, born February 23, 1910;
Harrison Howe, born August 28, 1914.
(The Hebard Line).
(I) Robert Hebard, the immigrant an-
cestor, was born in England in 1612, and
died in Beverly, Massachusetts, May 7,
1684. He was at Salem, Massachusetts,
as early as 1646. His trade is given as
salt-maker, also as brick-layer. He owned
thirteen acres of land at Salem in 1659,
afterward removing to Beverly. He and
his wife Joan joined the church, May 3,
1646. She died in 1696. Children: Marie,
born November 27, 1641 ; John, January
24, 1643; Sarah, September 26, 1644; Jo-
seph, baptized May 7, 1648; Robert, men-
tioned below ; Joanna, baptized February
23, 1651; Elizabeth, born May 6, 1653;
Abigail, May 6, 1655; Samuel, June 20,
1656.
(II) Robert (2) Hebard, son of Robert
(i) Hebard, was baptized May 7, 1648.
He lived at Beverly and Wenham and in
1700 settled at Windham, Connecticut,
where his sons, Robert and Joseph,
located in 1698. He was a man of great
activity and energy. His estate was ad-
ministered in the court at Hartford, Oc-
tober 2, 1710. He died at Windham, April
29, 1710. He married Mary Walden,
daughter of Edward Walden, of Wen-
ham. She died March 7, 1736, aged
eighty-one years. Children : Mary, born
August 18, 1674; Robert, mentioned be-
low ; Joseph, mentioned below ; Nathaniel,
mentioned below ; Ebenezer, born May,
1682; Martha, February, 1684; Josiah,
1686; Hannah, 1691 ; Sarah, 1694; Abigail,
1694 ; Lydia, 1699.
(III) Robert (3) Hebard, son of Rob-
ert (2) Hebard, was born June, 1676, and
died at Windham, June 26, 1742. He
married Mary Reed, who died March 7,
1763, aged seventy-six years. Children:
i. John, born October 30, 1704; married
Martha Durkee, September 22, 1725;
lived at Canterbury, Connecticut. 2. Rob-
ert, born April 30, 1706; married (first)
Ruth Wheelock, sister of President Elea-
zer Wheelock, November 6, 1730; (sec-
ond) Joanna Cleveland, May 12, 1760;
lived at Windham and died there April
12, 1771. 3. Josiah, born September 30,
1708, died December 19, 1733. 4. Samuel,
born May 2, 1710, died November 29,
1792; lived at Windham; married (first)
January, 1738, Lydia Kingsley, who died
April 16, 1747; (second) September 27,
1748, Mary Burnett, who died April 8,
1809. 5. Mary, born December 14, 1711 ;
married Samuel Lawrence. 6. Joshua,
born October i, 1713; married Ruth Boss;
lived at Windham and Hampton, Ver-
mont, and died December 19, 1788. 7.
David, born March 19, 1716; married
(first) Elizabeth Swain; (second) Dor-
cas Thorpe ; farmer in Killingly. 8. Mar-
tha, born September 9, 1718, died Septem-
ber, 1723. 10. Seth, born April 19, 1724.
(Ill) Joseph Hebard, son of Robert
(2) Hebard, was born May 15, 1677. He
married Abigail Kendall. Children, re-
corded at Windham : Abigail, born March
15, 1699; Josiah, February 9, 1701; Jo-
seph, January 15, 1703; Mary, 1705; Jo-
anna, June 25, 1707; Jemima, August 16,
1711; Mehitable, September 29, 1713;
Ruth, September 30, 1717; Moses, April
10, 1719, lived at Windham and Stur-
bridge, Massachusetts, died March, 1813,
married, March 3, 1744, Hannah Mur-
dock.
(Ill) Nathaniel Hebard, son of Robert
(2) Hebard, was born in 1680, died at
Windham, April 26, 1725. He married
Sarah Crane. Children, born at Wind-
88
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
ham: Nathaniel, born January 30, 1/03;
Samuel, born and died July 21, 1/04;
Anna, born May 30, 1705; Deborah, May
28, 1/07; Nathaniel, October 23, 1709;
Jonathan, twin of Nathaniel ; Paul, March
4, 1712; Zebulon, February 20, I7H;
Sarah, June 27, 1717; Elisha, December
ii, 1719; Gideon, May 2, 1721, died May
2, 1804.
(IV) Sergeant Eliezer Hebard be-
longed to this family and served in the
French War from Windham. He was a
grandson of Robert Hebard (II), but no
record of his birth has been found. He
was a soldier in Captain Ezekiel Pierce's
company in 1755 and in Captain Robert
Durkee's company of Windham, a ser-
geant in 1761. A Widow Elizabeth died
of old age at Sturbridge, January 10, 1813,
aged eighty-six years, and it is believed
that she was the mother of Eliezer, men-
tioned below, and widow of Sergeant
Eliezer.
(V) Deacon Eliezer (2) Hebard, son
of Sergeant Eliezer (i) Hebard, was born
in Windham in 1748 or 1749. and died at
Sturbridge, February 22, 1831, aged
eighty-three years, according to one rec-
ord, eighty-four according to another. He
was of Lebanon, Connecticut, January 12,
1785, when he bought land of Thomas
Gould at Sturbridge. In 1790 there were
but two of this family reported in the
census from Sturbridge, Moses, and Elie-
zer, who had seven in his family, includ-
ing three males over sixteen. His wife
Elizabeth died May 4, 1825, aged seventy-
nine years.
(VI) Eleazer Hebard, son of Eleazer
or Eliezer (2) Hebard, was born at Wind-
ham, Connecticut, April 23, 1774, and
died at Sturbridge, April i, 1842. He
married at Sturbridge, March 3, 1803,
Violet Walker, who died September 3 or 4,
1830, aged forty-four years. Children, born
at Sturbridge : Emily, born December 5,
1803, died September 27, 1866; Anson W.,
born January 15, 1805, died January 19,
1805 ; Cylinda, born February 7, 1806,
died December 9, 1847; Lucinda, born
June 13, 1808; Violet, born June 30, 1810,
married Thomas Rice, Jr. ; Elizabeth,
born April 19, 1812, died September 20,
1861 ; Adrian A., mentioned below;
Jerusha, born October 16, 1816, married
Thomas Rice, Jr., of Newton Lower
Falls; Lucius, born August 7, 1818, died
in Worcester, December 2, 1853, married
Eunice Fiske ; Merriel Lucy, born August
26, 1820, died December 23 or 24, 1833;
Josiah Franklin, born April 12, 1833, lived
in North Brookfield.
(VII) Adrian A. Hebard, son of Elea-
zer Hebard, was born at Sturbridge,
March 27, 1814; married, November I,
1838, Abigail F. Bates. Children, born
at Brookfield : Sarah Metcalf, born May
30, 1840, married John Charles Bickford
(see Bickford VIII); Everett A., born
March 29, 1845 > Dwight F., born January
1 6, 1848.
(The Fairbanks Line).
(I) Jonathan Fairbanks, born in Eng-
land, died at Dedham, Massachusetts, De-
cember 5, 1668. His wife Grace died Oc-
tober 28, 1673.
(II) John Fairbanks, son of Jonathan
Fairbanks, married, January 16, 1641,
Sarah Fiske, who died September 26,
1683. He died November 13, 1684.
(III) John (2) Fairbanks, son of John
(1) Fairbanks, was born December 7,
1643, married, January i, 1672, Hannah
Whiting, born December 17, 1651, died
June 14, 1706. He died September 14,
1706.
(IV) John (3) Fairbanks, son of John
(2) Fairbanks, was born in 1677, and died
June ii, 1709; his wife Elizabeth died
August ii, 1709.
(V) John (4) Fairbanks, son of John
(3) Fairbanks, was born February 28,
89
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
1/06, and died May 19, 1754. He married,
July 20, 1729, Jane Ware, who died June
17. I75S.
(VI) Asa Fairbanks, son of John (4)
Fairbanks, was born May 30, 1731, and
died October 3, 1809. He married Sarah
Pond, who died July 2, 1801. He was
a captain in the Continental army,
marched his command to Concord on the
Lexington Alarm, April 19, 1775, and was
afterward in Colonel Daggett's regiment.
(VII) Asa (2) Fairbanks, son of Asa
(i) Fairbanks, was born June 3, 1/58,
died August 29, 1803. He married, No-
vember 13, 1/84, Julietta Metcalf, daugh-
ter of James and Abial (Haven) Metcalf,
and a descendant of Michael Metcalf and
George Barber, pioneers in this country.
(VIII) Jersha Fairbanks, daughter of
Asa (2) Fairbanks, was born January 6,
1786, and died May 10, 1863. She mar-
ried, April 7, 1805, Lyman Bates, born
January 6, 1782, died October 7, 1857, son
of Ezekiel and Abigail (Legg) Bates.
Ezekiel Bates, born 1738, died Septem-
ber 5, 1816; married, April 9. 1/67, Abi-
gail Legg, born 1744, died December 18,
1797. The daughter of Lyman and
Jerusha (Fairbanks) Bates, Abigail F.
Bates, born March 20, 1818, died Janu-
ary 12, 1890, married, November i, 1838,
Adrian A. Hebard (see Hebard VII).
SHERER, Charles T.,
Man of Enterprise.
The Sherer family was originally from
England, but for several centuries
branches have been located also in Scot-
land and Ireland. The name belongs to
a large class of British surnames, derived
from the trade of an ancestor at the time
of adopting family names ; doubtless as
early as the year 1200. The name is also
spelled Sharer, Shearers, Shearer and
Sherar. There is reason to believe that
the American branch of the family be-
longs to the family that located very early
at Campsie in Stirlingshire, Scotland. The
parish register shows that William Sherer
had a son William baptized there in 1651.
Robert and Janet Sherer had the follow-
ing children baptized at Campsie : Rob-
ert, May, 1655 James and Janet, Febru-
ary 6, 1657; John, February, 1660. James
and Janet Sherer had Janet baptized No-
vember 2, 1657. Robert and Janet Sherer
had: John, February 19, 1690; Margaret,
August 19, 1696. We know that the first
settler in America was born in Antrim,
from the record of his gravestone. The
name does not appear in the early records
of the Scotch settlement in Ulster, Ire-
land, and it is likely that they located
there but a few years before coming to
New England. In 1890 there were a few
of the family still residing in Ulster.
Four children of this name were born
there in that year.
(I) James Sherer, the American pio-
neer, came to this country about 1720
with the Scotch Presbyterians from
Ulster, Ireland, and in 1720 he located at
Union, Connecticut. He doubtless came
with the colonists who founded London-
derry, New Hampshire, and may have
been there for a time. In 1726. however,
he came with the Nevins family to The
Elbows (now Palmer), Massachusetts,
which was largely settled by the Scotch
or Scotch-Irish, as they are commonly
called, moving westward from Worces-
ter, Massachusetts, where a colony set-
tled. James Sherer was born in 1678 and
his gravestone declares that he was born
in County Antrim, Ireland, and that he
died January 21, 1745, in his sixty-seventh
year. The gravestone of his wife states
that she died July 7, 1750, in her seventy-
fifth year and that she was born in Derby
county, Ireland. (Derbyshire is in Eng-
land and she was doubtless a native of
90
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
England, but married in Ireland). James
Sherer had a farm in the central part of
Palmer. He was one of the petitioners
from The Elbows to the Governor and
General Court in 1732 to have the titles
of land confirmed. It seems the settlers
had bought lands of which the titles
proved defective, lacking the authority
of the General Court. Among other
farms granted and confirmed in answer
to the petition was a hundred acres to
James Sherer. His farm was east of the
Cedar Swamp brook and south of Deacon
Sedgwick's farm. The proprietors of the
town held their meetings at his house for
many years. He was on the committee
to collect money and pay the minister,
Rev. Mr. Harvey, who was ordained Au-
gust 23, 1731, in Sherer's house. Chil-
dren, said to have been born in Ireland:
John, died in 1802, settled in Brimfield,
near Palmer, a soldier in the Revolution ;
James; William, mentioned below.
It is likely that William Sherer, for-
merly president of the New York Clear-
ing House, was of the same branch. In a
letter written May 13, 1895, he stated that
his grandfather, David Sherer, when aged
eight years, came in company with his
parents and four brothers to Boston about
1760. David Sherer enlisted in the Revo-
lution and served three years. He settled
at Derry, New Hampshire, and before his
children were of age moved to Montrose,
Pennsylvania. Dr. William Sherer was
father of the writer. Another letter states
that the family came in the ship "Admiral
Hawk" in 1769; that crippled by storms
the vessel put in at Halifax ; that David
enlisted in the Revolution at the age of
eighteen ; married Thompson ; re-
moved in March, 1816, to Montrose,
Pennsylvania, with six children and died
there in 1850-51. It is probable that they
found relatives in Pennsylvania also. The
Sherer family was among the early set-
tlers of Centre county, Pennsylvania.
There is a Sherer coat-of-arms. The
motto is : Hostis Honorarc Inzndia.
(II) William Sherer, son of James
Sherer, was born 1725-30, probably in
this country, but possibly before 1720.
He married, at Palmer, June 30, 1754,
Jerusha - . He located in Green-
wich, then Ouabbin, about 1763. His
original homestead in what is now the
town of Enfield has remained in the pos-
session of his descendants to the present
time and is now owned by Charles T.
Sherer, of Worcester. The deeds dated
1766 are still in the possession of the
family. An old engraving of the farm
showing it as it appeared fifty years ago
was published in the "Connecticut Valley
History" illustrating the history of the
town of Enfield. It was then owned by
Lyman J. Sherer. Children born at Pal-
mer : i. William, born June 18, 1755, was
a soldier in the Revolution from Green-
wich in Captain Joseph Hooker's com-
pany. 2. Reuben, mentioned below. 3.
James, born September 8, 1761. Born at
Greenwich, probably: Charles, married
Ann - - and had a son Reuben, born
August 19, 1795. William may have had
other children, probably several daugh-
ters. William, Sr., or Jr., married. Au-
gust 18, 1781, Eleanor Kent, of Green-
wich; and June 30, 1792, Jerusha Pierce,
of that town.
(III) Reuben Sherer, son of William
Sherer, was born at Palmer, May 25,
1759, and died at Greenwich, August 2,
1821, aged sixty-two years. He married,
at Greenwich, November 17, 1781, Anna
Field, sister of "Squire" Robert Field,
a prominent citizen. She died July 31,
1813, aged fifty-one years. An old lilac
bush on the Sherer farm she brought
from her home in Warren, Massachu-
setts, and planted when a bride. Reuben
and his brother William served in the
same company in the Revolution, in Cap-
tain Elijah Dwight's company, Colonel
9 1
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Ruggles Woodbridge's regiment in 1777.
Their cousins, John and William Sherer,
of Palmer, also served in the war. Chil-
dren of Reuben and Anna (Field) Sherer:
i. Reuben, born July 9, 1783, settled at
Rockland, Maine, and died there, Janu-
ary 27, 1863; married Sabra Parsons (see
"History of Rockland'' j. 2. Abigail, born
February 23, 1785 ; married Charles Dan-
forth and settled in Ohio. 3. Robert
Field, born September 30, 1786. 4. Sam-
uel, born August 23, 1788; settled in
Thompson, Ohio, married and had- a
large family. 5. James, mentioned be-
low. 6. Parks, born October 7, 1792. 7.
Charles, married Ruth Gleason and lived in
West Brookfield.
(IV) James Sherer, son of Reuben
Sherer, was born at Greenwich, Massa-
chusetts, November 24, 1790, and died at
Prescott, November i, 1843. He married
Betsey Wood, who died February 20,
1844, at Prescott, aged fifty years, daugh-
ter of Captain Solomon and Huldah
(Simmons) Wood. Her father was a
native of Middleborough, Massachusetts.
Children of Solomon Wood : Betsey, born
September 9, 1791, mentioned above;
Mary, September 18, 1797; Huldah, De-
cember 3, 1799; Silvia, August 9, 1802;
Ransom, October 20, ; Sylvanus,
June 24, 1809; Perez, married Harriet
Shaw. The only child of James and Bet-
sey Sherer was Joseph, mentioned below.
( V) Joseph Sherer. son of James Sherer,
was born at Enfield, October 28, 1817,
and died October 17, 1850, at Enfield.
He was educated in the district schools.
He followed farming in Prescott and En-
field. He married Roxanna Marble, born
in 1820, died May i, 1913. daughter of
Rufus and Sarah (Putnam) Marble (see
Putnam and Marble lines). She was a
second cousin of General Israel and Gen-
eral Rufus Putnam, of the Revolutionary
War. Children: i. Charlotte Putnam,
born June 27, 1841, a teacher in the
public schools of Springfield, Southbridge
and Natick, Massachusetts ; now living
on Gates lane, Worcester. 2. Charles
Thaddeus, mentioned below. 3. Orinda
(Orie), born July 9, 1845; married
Charles French, of Billerica, Massachu-
setts, a clothing dealer in Providence;
daughter married Charles Barrett. 4.
George Lyman, born December 31, 1847,
died August 4, 1867, buried at Lawrence,
Massachusetts. 5. Sarah Louise, born
March 13, 1851; married Frank Henry
Stiles, of Feeding Hills, Massachusetts,
who was for many years with the firm of
Lord & Taylor, New York City ; he died
February 14, 1907, at South Framing-
ham ; she is living at No. 104 Brookline
street, Worcester.
(VI) Charles Thaddeus Sherer, son of
Joseph Sherer, was born at Prescott,
Massachusetts, June 30, 1843. ^ e at>
tended the public schools in Enfield.
When he was seven years old, after the
death of his father, he went to live with
an uncle. A year later he went to live
with his mother at Charlton and there
began an apprenticeship at pegging shoes
in the shop of Julius Monroe. After a
year and a half he went to work for his
cousin, William Goodell, where he was
employed at the regular boy's stint in
shoemaking, pegging twenty pairs a day.
Thence he went to Indian Orchard where
he worked for two years in a mill. For a
time afterward he was with his mother in
Springfield. In his seventeenth year he
went to work on a farm at Wallingford,
Connecticut. Before he was of age, how-
ever, he returned to Springfield and be-
came a clerk in the dry goods store of
Samuel Bigelow. Here he found his
vocation in life and demonstrated his
great natural ability as a salesman.
He was afterward employed in the
Tinkham store and in Norton Mc-
Knight's. He left the dry goods busi-
ness to become one of the proprietors of
92
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
the old Hampden House in Springfield
under the firm name of Gillett & Sherer.
From the beginning the business proved
highly successful. The hotel attracted
the best people of the city and for the
first and only time in its history the old
hotel was profitably conducted. After a
few years, however, on account of dis-
agreement over the rental of the build-
ing, the firm was dissolved, and Mr.
Sherer became a salesman for the firm of
Atkins & Remick, of Boston. A year and
a half later the firm failed and Mr. Sherer
was employed to wind up the affairs of
the concern.
When he was twenty-four years old he
started in business in Fall River under
the firm name of Sherer & Rice, but a
year later he sold out to good advantage
to his partner. For another year he was
engaged in buying flour, apples and other
produce of the West. For twenty years
he was a jewelry buyer in Providence.
He bought a farm at Fayville, but after
a few years it was taken for one of the
Boston water supply basins. Under the
name of C. T. Sherer & Company, he be-
gan business as a dealer in dry goods at
Fall River. His store was at the corner
of Fourth and Pleasant streets. From
time to time he leased adjoining property
and enlarged his place of business. He
continued in business until 1901 when he
sold out and devoted his attention entire-
ly to the Worcester interests. He made
a specialty of buying the entire stock of
merchants that were embarrassed or go-
ing out of business and during his time
bought more than one hundred and sixty
such stocks. As his children grew to ma-
turity each of them was given a position
of responsibility in the management. In
April, 1900, he purchased the business of
the Hamilton Dry Goods Company of
Worcester. His energy and striking
appeals to the public soon made his store
in Worcester one of the largest and most
successful department stores of the city.
In 1904 a corporation was formed under
the title of C. T. Sherer Company, of which
Mr. Sherer was president; his son-in-law,
Herbert W. Estabrook, secretary, and his
son, Joseph F. Sherer, treasurer and man-
ager. Mr. Sherer was afflicted with
blindness a few years later, and though
his general health has remained excellent
he has been obliged to retire from an
active part in the management of the
store. He continued, however, to manage
the old homestead farm at Enfield and
large real estate interests in Worcester.
He is now dividing his time between En-
field and Worcester where he has an at-
tractive home at Cherry Valley. Mr.
Sherer is a Republican in politics.
Though not active in the church he has
been exceedingly generous when fortune
has permitted it. During the great strike
at Fall River he furnished six hundred
thousand meals to the unfortunate of the
city, and during a previous strike he fed
more than a thousand daily for a time.
Mr. Sherer married Charlotte Miriam
Wesson, born April 18, 1845, at Shrews-
bury. Children: I. Alice Miriam, born
lanuary 30, 1870; married Herbert W.
Estabrook (see Estabrook). 2. George
Edwin, born October 4. 187.1, died young.
3. Edith May, born August 24, 1874. 4.
Joseph Forest, born at Newtonville,
March 5, 1879, treasurer and manager
of C. T. Sherer Company. 5. Orie Wes-
son, born at Southboro, October 9, 1884;
teacher in the Art Museum School, Al-
bany, New York.
ESTABROOK, Herbert W.,
Business Man.
Richard Prouty was born in England,
and settled about 1667 in Scituate. Mas-
sachusetts. He fought in King Philip's
War and was granted land for services
by the General Court, July 21, 1676, and
93
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
name placed on "records of valient men."
He married, in 1676, Damaris, daughter
of Lieutenant James and Ann (Hatch)
Torry, born in Scituate, October 26, 1651.
(II) Isaac Prouty, son of Richard
Prouty, was born at Scituate, Massachu-
setts, November 18, 1689. He married,
October 11, 1711, Elizabeth Merritt.
Their six sons and a daughter settled in
Leicester (now Spencer).
(HI) James Prouty, son of Isaac
Prouty, born in Scituate and baptized
September 6, 1/30, married Mary Dins-
more, June 25, 1765. Served in expe-
dition to Fort William Henry in 1757.
Records also show he was one of the
minute-men who marched at the Lexing-
ton Alarm, April 19, 1775, and served
fifteen days; also enlisted May 3, 1775,
in Captain Nathaniel Winslow's com-
pany. General John Thomas's regiment,
and served until December, 17/5. Died
May 3, 1813.
(IV) Reuben Prouty, son of James
Prouty, born at Spencer, December 18,
1771 ; married Sarah Bartlett, of Marl-
boro, Vermont, in 1793.
(V) Dwight Dinsmore Prouty, son of
Reuben Prouty, was born at Spencer,
June n, 1804, died at Spencer, November
2 7. l &79- He was a manufacturer of
boxes in Spencer and a contractor in the
shoe factory of Isaac Prouty. He mar-
ried Harriet Blanchard.
(VI) William Brainerd Prouty, son of
Dwight Dinsmore Prouty, was born in
Spencer, April 29, 1833, died April 3,
1908. He was a miller and shoemaker
and for many years a cutter in the Isaac
Prouty shoe factory. He married Sarah
Allen, daughter of Pliny Allen. Chil-
dren: Sarah Elnora. born July 28, 1861,
married Rev. Austin H. Herrick; Walter
A., born July 5, 1866; Herbert William
(adopted name Estabrook), mentioned
below.
(VII) Herbert William, Estabrook
(Prouty), son of William Brainerd
Prouty, was born at Spencer, May 9, 1874.
He was adopted in infancy, after the death
of his mother, by George Drury Esta-
brook, a friend of the family, of Natick
and Paxton. He attended the public
schools of Natick, graduating from the
high school in 1892. After a post-gradu-
ate course in the high school, he entered
the Massachusetts Institute of Technolo-
gy, leaving at the end of the second year
to engage in the dry goods business in
the store of Charles T. Sherer at Fall
River, Massachusetts, and has been as-
sociated with Mr. Sherer in business to
the present time. He came to Worcester
in 1901 and after the business was incor-
porated, he and his brother-in-law, Joseph
F. Sherer, became the principal owners.
Mr. Estabrook is vice-president of the
company. He is a thirty-second degree
Mason. In politics he is a Republican ;
in religion an Episcopalian. He married,
January 17, 1900, at Fall River, Alice
Miriam Sherer, born January 30, 1870,
daughter of Charles T. Sherer (see
Sherer). Children: Miriam Wesson, born
April 8, 1907; and Allen Laidlaw, born
August 28, 1909.
(The Marble Line).
(I) Samuel Marble, the immigrant an-
cestor, came to New England, before
1660, probably from Scotland, if tradition
is to be believed. He was a brick mason
by trade. He took the freeman's oath,
February 11, 1678. He lived at Andover.
He married. November 26, 1675. Rebecca
Andrews, of Andover. Children : Samuel,
born 1660 ; Enoch ; Freegrace, mentioned
below: Noah; Daniel; Job, 1695; Re-
becca, twin of Job.
(II) Freegrace Marble, son of Samuel
Marble, was born in Andover in 1680,
and died at Sutton, September 30, 1775,
aged ninety-five years (gravestone). He
was among the first settlers of Sutton,
94
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Massachusetts. He was also a mason
and is said to have worked on the old
State House, Boston. He was on the
committee in charge of the school lot,
1725; on a committee to enlarge the
meeting house in 1741 and had been on
the committee to build the first meeting
house ; and on a committee to treat with
Rev. David Hall to supply the pulpit. He
married Mary Sibley, of Sutton. Chil-
dren: Mary, born April 4, 1721 ; Samuel,
April 27, 1/23; Enoch, mentioned below;
Rebecca, March 10, 1729; Malachi, Sep-
tember 25, 1736.
(III) Enoch Marble, son of Freegrace
Marble, was born at Sutton, November
25, 1726, died January 12, 1815. He mar-
ried, January 9, 1750, Abigail Holland.
She died January 15, 1815. Children,
born at Sutton: John, May 10, 1751;
Alpheus, August 7, 1753; Daniel, Decem-
ber 17, 1755; Thaddeus ; Aaron; An-
tipas ; Enoch ; Rufus, mentioned below ;
Sally, married Peter Putnam ; Persis ;
Betsey.
(IV) Rufus Marble, son of Enoch
Marble, was born at Sutton, 1775-80. He
married, April 14, 1798, Sarah Putnam,
baptized May 17, 1778, daughter of Colo-
nel John and Mary (Hall) Putnam, the
former named born at Middleton, August
2 5- '735' died June 13, 1809; married,
April 13, 1/58, Mary, daughter of the
Rev. David Hall, D. D. Colonel Putnam
was a captain in the Revolution and
afterward a colonel of militia. Children
of Colonel and Mrs. Putnam: Joseph,
born December 25, 1758; Stephen, April
5, 1761; Elizabeth, July 31, 1763; John,
June 27, 1766, physician; Charles, No-
vember 10, 1768; Deborah, May 3, 1773;
Rebecca Hall, baptized July 4, 1776;
Sarah, above mentioned ; Joseph Hall,
April 5, 1780; Rebekah Prescott, April
16, 1783. The daughter of Rufus and
Sarah (Putnam) Marble, Roxanna, mar-
ried Joseph Sherer (see Sherer).
(The Harrington Line).
(I) Robert Harrington, the founder of
this family, was an early settler of Water-
town and one of the first proprietors.
Deacon Thomas Hastings gave him a
homestall and it is thought was related
to him. He was admitted a freeman,
May 27, 1663. He held various town
offices and was a prominent citizen. His
homestead was bought December 24,
1684, of Jeremiah Dummex, of Boston,
and comprised two hundred and fifty
acres on the Charles river. He died May
ii, 1707, aged ninety-one years. His will
was dated January i, 1704-05. He mar-
ried, October i, 1649, Susanna George,
born in 1632, died July 6, 1694, daughter
of John George. Children : Susanna,
born August 18, 1650; John, August 24.
1651; Robert, August 31, 1653; George,
November 24, 1655, killed by the Indians
at Lancaster, 1675-76; Daniel; Joseph;
December 28, 1659 ; Benjamin, January
26, 1661-62; Mary, January 12, 1663-64;
Thomas, mentioned below ; Samuel, De-
cember 18, 1666; Edward, March 2, 1668-
69; Sarah, March 10, 1670-71; David.
June i, 1673.
(II ) Thomas Harrington, son of Robert
Harrington, was born at Watertown,
April 20, 1665, died March 29. 1712. He
was admitted a freeman, April 18, 1690.
His will was dated March 27, 1712,
proved April 6. He married Rebecca
(Bemis) White, widow of John White
and daughter of John Bemis. Children :
Ebenezer, born June 27, 1687; Susanna,
November 17, 1688; Rebecca, 1690;
Thomas, mentioned below ; George, Au-
gust 31, 1695.
(III) Thomas (2) Harrington, son of
Thomas (i) Harrington, was born at
Watertown, January 14, 1691-92. He
married (first) Abigail - , and settled
in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she
died March 4, 1717. He returned to
Waltham (part of Watertown) and mar-
95
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
ried (second) Mary . His will was
dated at Waltham, January 31, 1739,
proved October 15, 1750. From 1719 to
1737 he kept an inn at Waltham. Chil-
dren : Thomas, mentioned below ; Timo-
thy. January 30, 1715-16, graduated at
Harvard College, 1/37, settled as minister
at Swanzey, New Hampshire, and later
at Lancaster, Massachusetts ; Daniel,
January 15, 1720-21 ; Abigail, January 12,
1726-27.
(IV) Thomas (3) Harrington, son of
Thomas (2) Harrington, was born at
Cambridge, September 29, 1713. and set-
tled in Shrewsbury, where he died April
15, 1791. He married, at Watertown, Au-
gust 27, 1737, Grace Warren. Children:
Thomas, born December 23, 1738, died
young; Jonathan, January 16, 1741. died
young; Jonathan, February n, 1742, died
young; Elijah, January 27, 1745. father
of Captain Thomas ; Jonathan, mentioned
below; Daniel, September 3, 1761.
(V) Jonathan Harrington, son of Thom-
as (3) Harrington, was born at Shrews-
bury, May 18, 1759, and died there, April
6, 1842. He was a soldier in the Revolu-
tion and late in life a pensioner. He mar-
ried (first) 1783, Sarah Pratt, daughter of
Elnathan Pratt. She died February 16,
1813, aged forty-nine years, and he mar-
ried (second) 1814, Susanna Penniman,
of Charlton, Massachusetts, who died
November 17, 1825. Children born in
Shrewsbury by his first wife : Martin,
January 3, 1784; Daniel, mentioned be-
low; Luke, February 17, 1788; Abigail,
December 7, 1/89; Emery, October 18,
1791 ; Adam, October 20, 1793; Schuyler,
April 17, 1796; Calvin, October 24, 1808.
by second wife: Salem, August 19, 1815;
Jackson, December 10, 1816.
(VI) Colonel Daniel Harrington, son
of Jonathan Harrington, was born at
Shrewsbury, November 2, 1785. He was
colonel of a Massachusetts regiment and
a citizen of distinction. He went West
96
and died in 1844 in Illinois. He married,
in 1808, Zillah Harrington, born August
23, 1784, daughter of Adam Harrington.
Children: Adam, born January i, 1809;
Henry Henderson, mentioned below;
Hannah Rozan, May 9, 1822.
(VII) Henry Henderson Harrington,
son of Colonel Daniel Harrington, was
born at Shrewsbury, October 24, 1811.
He married Cornelia Bush Wesson,
daughter of Rufus Wesson (see Wesson
VI) (intentions filed January 8, 1833).
He lived at Shrewsbury, where he was a
prosperous farmer. He died September
3. 1879, and his widow died May 20, 1903.
She resided for many years with her son
Gilbert H. Children, born at Shrews-
bury : Francis Henry, born August 8,
1833; Emma J., March 18, 1844; Gilbert
Henderson.
(The Wesson Line).
The Wesson or Weston family origi-
nated in England, the founder coming
from Normandy at the time of the Con-
quest and receiving at that time valuable
estates in Staffordshire and other coun-
ties.
(I) John Wesson or Weston, founder
of the family in this country, was born
in 1630 or 1631 in Buckinghamshire, Eng-
land, and died in Reading, Massachu-
setts, about 1723. About 1644, when he
was only thirteen years old, his father
being dead, he sailed as a stowaway in
a ship bound for New England, and in
1648, at the age of eighteen, he was a
member of the church at Salem. He re-
moved to Reading, now Wakefield, about
1653, and became a leading citizen. He
accumulated one of the largest estates in
the town. His farm adjoined Meeting
House square extending southerly. He
was a pious Puritan and his gravestone
states that he was one of the founders of
the church at Reading. He served in
King Philip's War. He married, in 1653,
Sarah Fitch, daughter of Zachariah Fitch,
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
of Reading, and their marriage was the
first recorded in Reading. Children :
Sarah, born July 15, 1656; Mary, May 25,
1659; John, March 8, 1661 ; Elizabeth,
February 7, 1662; Samuel, mentioned be-
low ; Stephen, December 8, 1667 ; Thom-
as, November 20, 1670. Most of the facts
about the family are taken from a manu-
script left by John Wesson, Jr.
(II) Samuel Wesson, son of John
Wesson, was born at Reading, April 16,
1665. He married, about 1688, Abigail
. Children, born at Reading: Abi-
gail, born June 7, 1690; Samuel, men-
tioned below.
(III) Samuel (2) Wesson, son of Sam-
uel ( i ) Wesson, was born at Reading,
August 21, 1691. He went to Framing-
ham, and there married, May 7, 1711,
Martha Haven, daughter of Nathaniel
Haven. He died in 1713 and his widow
married (second) January 12, 1716, Isaac
Cousins, and died the following year.
Samuel Wesson had one child, John, men-
tioned below.
(IV) John (2) Wesson, only son of
Samuel (2) Wesson, was born at Fram-
ingham, December i, 1712. He moved as
early as 1749 to Grafton, near the Suttor
and Worcester lines, and in that year
bought nine acres in Sutton and other
tracts in the vicinity, in Grafton, Worces-
ter and Sutton, part of which was set off
as Millbury and part called the Gore was
annexed to Worcester in 1785. He was
a soldier in the Revolution in Captain
Joseph Winch's company, Colonel Sam-
uel Rullard's regiment in 1777. He mar-
ried (first) January 22, 1740, Ruth Death,
born April 20, 1711, daughter of Henry
Death. He married (second) August 24,
1757, Rebecca Daniel; (third) December
17, 1764, Mary Davis. Children by first
wife: Samuel, born at Sherborn, July 14,
1741; Abel, mentioned below: Levi ;
Joel, mentioned below ; John ; Silas,
Mass-5-7 1)7
soldier in the Revolution, killed at Que-
bec, December 31, 1775.
(V) Abel Wesson, son of John (2)
Wesson, was baptized June 9, 1745, and
died at Grafton, November n, 1825. He
married, May 27, 1767, Sarah Drury, who
died July 31, 1835, aged eighty-six years.
Children: Abner, died May i, 1800, aged
twenty-three years; Cene, born 1787,
died April 22, 1803; Nancy, married
Daniel Harrington.
(V) Joel Wesson, son of John (2)
Wesson, was born about 1746, at Fram-
ingham. He lived for a few years during
the Revolution at Brookfield, but during
most of his life in Worcester. He owned
much real estate and was one of the
largest tax payers. He was a juror in
1785, member of the school committee
in 1787. He was a plow maker b'y trade.
Joel and Levi Wesson deeded to their
brothers, John and Samuel, certain lands
in the Gore and the deed gives the names
of the children of John Wesson. Joel
Wesson sold his farm in North Brook-
field, June 25, 1789, to his brother John.
Joel Wesson married Hannah Bigelow,
born July 3, 1748, died December 19,
1829. daughter of Joshua Bigelow. Chil-
dren : Huldah, Hannah, Mary, Sewell,
Joel, born April 7, 1775; Rufus, men-
tioned below.
(VI) Rufus Wesson, son of Joel Wes-
son, was born in 1786, in Worcester, on
the old homestead at the Gore. He was
a farmer and owned much real estate.
He bought what is still known as the
Wesson place near Lake Quinsigamond,
of Lewis Baird, March 7, 1814. He was
also a plow maker. He was fence viewer
in 1816, highway surveyor and collector
of taxes in 1825, and served in the Graf-
ton militia company. He married, at
Worcester, September 18, 1808, Betsey
Baird, daughter of Daniel Baird. Chil-
dren, recorded at Worcester: Cornelia
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Bush, born January 28, 1810; married
Henry Henderson Harrington (see Har-
rington VII); Martin, shoe manufac-
turer, Springfield ; Edwin, rifle manufac-
turer at Northboro and Hartford, Con-
necticut; Betsey, born January 26, 1814;
Rufus, mentioned below ; Charlotte, Sep-
tember 3, 1819; Jane, May 8, 1823 ; Daniel
Baird, May 8, 1825, manufacturer of fire-
arms, Springfield, partner in the famous
firm of Smith & Wesson, now controlled
by his sons; Franklin, November 8, 1828,
rifle maker, California ; Frances, August
8, 1830.
(VII) Rufus (2) Wesson, son of Rufus
(i) Wesson, was born at Worcester, May
17, 1815. He began to work on the farm
and also learned the trade of plow mak-
ing. In 1844 he began to manufacture
shoes in South Shrewsbury and built up
a large business. In 1848 he established
a factory on Front street, Worcester, and
prospered. In 1851 he removed to Peoria,
Illinois, where he continued in the shoe
business. In 1854, after a financial re-
verse, he returned to Worcester and
started again on Waldo street opposite
the police station, where he carried on a
successful business until 1870, when he
retired. He married, July 23, 1840, Miri-
am, daughter of Colonel Daniel Harring-
ton. She died in Chicago in 1851. He
married (second) in 1851, Mrs. Jennie
(Burtnett) Kendrick, of Kenosha, Wis-
consin, and she died in 1856 without
issue. He married (third) in 1858, Sophia
Goddard, daughter of Deacon Nathaniel
Goddard, of Millbury. Children by first
wife: i. James Edwin, born at Grafton,
lune 14, 1841, shoe manufacturer, Wor-
cester; married. January i, 1865, Anna
Eudora Stoneberger. 2. Charlotte Miriam,
April 18, 1845, at Shrewsbury, married
Charles T. Sherer (see Sherer). Children
by third wife: 3. Alfred, July 18, 1863, of
the Howard-Wesson Engraving Com-
pany, Worcester. 4. Walter Gale, October
14, 1865, partner of James Edwin W'es-
son since 1905.
GRINNELL FAMILY.
Since the early settlement of Newport
and Portsmouth, Rhode Island, shortly
after i'>3<S, the Grinnells have been identi-
fied with Rhode Island and Massachu-
setts history, the earlier generations liv-
ing largely in the towns of Newport
county, Rhode Island, and for the past
hundred and more years branches of this
southern Rhode Island family have been
representative of the best citizenship in
the old Massachusetts town of New Bed-
lord.
(I) Matthew Grinnell, of Huguenot
ancestry, the name in France being known
as Crenelle, came to America, and his
name is in a long list of inhabitants of
Newport admitted after May 20, 1638.
lie died before 1643, m which year his
\vidow. Rose, married Anthony Paine.
She married (third) James Weeden.
Children of Matthew Grinnell : Matthew.
Thomas, Daniel and a daughter.
( J I ) Daniel Grinnell, son of Matthew and
Rose Grinnell, born about 1636, resided in
Portsmouth and Little Compton, Rhode
Island, in which latter town he was liv-
ing as early as 1687. He bought land in
16^6 and was made a freeman in 1657 ;
was for several years juryman and served
as constable. He married Mar}' Wodell,
born in November, 1640, daughter of
William and Mary Wodell, and had chil-
dren : Daniel; Jonathan, born 1670; Rich-
ard, mentioned below.
(Ill) Richard Grinnell, youngest child
of Daniel and Mary (Wodell) Grinnell,
born 1675, resided in Little Compton, and
bought several tracts of land, over two
hundred and sixty acres, between 1701
and 1721. He died July i, 1725. He mar-
ried. May 25, 1704, Patience, born 1681,
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
daughter of James Emery, died March
10, 1749. Children: George, born Janu-
ary 25, 1/05; William, March 19, 1707;
Rebecca, December 16, 1710; Elizabeth,
May 21, 1713; Patience, August 24, 1715 ;
Richard, March 8, 1717; Ruth, April 3,
1719; Daniel, mentioned below; Sarah,
May 6, 1723.
(IV) Daniel (2) Grinnell, fourth son of
Richard and Patience (Emery) Grinnell,
was born April 20, 1721, and married,
May 31, 1741, Grace Palmer, born Janu-
ary 18, 1720. Children, of Little Comp-
ton town record, according to Arnold,
were: Ruth, born February 14, 1744;
Alice, January 14, 1746; Aaron, October
22, 1747; Moses, December 3, 1751 ; Bet-
sey, March, 1754; Cornelius, mentioned
below; Susanna, June 24, 1761.
(V) Captain Cornelius Grinnell, son of
Daniel (2) and Grace (Palmer) Grinnell,
was born February 11, 1758, and located
at New Bedford about 1780. In 1810 he
established the house of Fish & Grinnell,
New York, which was the first American
firm to start a regular line of packets to
Liverpool and London ; and the house,
under the name of Grinnell, Minturn &
Company exists to the present day. Cap-
tain Grinnell served his country both on
land and sea in the war of the Revolu-
tion. He was a vessel owner and com-
mander and built a number of ships, one
of which, the "Euphrates," built in 1803,
was famous in her day. She had a long
history and was destroyed by the "Shen-
andoah" in the Pacific in 1864. For the
entire sixty years of her use she was in
the hands of the Grinnell family. Cap-
tain Grinnell had good business talents,
and his capacity for devotion to mer-
cantile pursuits was transmitted to his
sons. He died April 19, 1850, at New
Bedford, in his ninety-third years. He
married, in 1/85, Sylvia Howland, a
woman of lovely character, daughter of
Gideon and Sarah (Hicks) Howland (see
Howland VI). She died August i, 1837.
Children: Cornelius, mentioned below;
Joseph, born November 17, 1788, was a
member of Congress from 1843 to l &5 1 >
Sylvia, August n, 1791, married William
T. Russell; William P., September i,
1797; Henry, February 18, 1799, resided
in New York, and became a very distin-
guished man, in 1850 equipping at his
own cost an Arctic expedition in search
of Sir John Franklin, and in 1853, associ-
ated with George Peabody, sending out a
second expedition, while he was a gener-
ous contributor to the Hayes and Polaris
enterprises, and a lasting memorial to
him is Grinnell Land, named in his
honor; Abraham B., June 14, 1801, died
in young manhood ; Moses H., March 23,
1803, was a resident of New York, identi-
fied with the Grinnell, Minturn & Com-
pany line of packets, and like his brothers,
Joseph and Henry, became very promi-
nent, numbering among his warmest
friends Daniel Webster, U. S. Grant and
Washington Irving, and he himself being
a member of Congress from 1835 to 1841,
president of the New York Chamber of
Commerce in 1843, president of the
Phenix Bank and of the Union Club, and
commodore of the New York Yacht Club ;
Francis H., August n, 1805; James M.,
October 30. 1807.
(VI) Cornelius (2) Grinnell, eldest
child of Captain Cornelius (i) and Sylvia
(Howland) Grinnell, was born February
8, 1786, at New Bedford, and when a
young man went to New York, where he
became a partner in the commission busi-
ness. Later he returned to New Bedford,
and purchasing a farm known as Potom-
ska, about ten miles from that place, for
a few years was engaged in the raising of
fine merino sheep. In about 1828 he re-
moved to New Bedford and erected the
house adjoining the residence of the late
Frederick Grinnell, and there died in
1830. He married (first) June 26, 1808,
99
3G4887A
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Eliza Tallman Russell, daughter of Gil-
bert and Lydia (Tallman) Russell. She
died in 1827, and he married (second)
Mary Russell, sister of his first wife. She
survived him a number of years, dying
at White Sulphur Springs, Virginia,
while there on a visit. Children all born
of first marriage: Eliza R., July 3, 1809,
died unmarried ; Lawrence, mentioned
below; Mary R., January 28, 1813, mar-
ried, October 30, 1844, Henry Holdredge,
a commission merchant in New York;
Joseph G., October 3, 1815; Edmund,
March 6, 1817, married, March 3, 1842,
Mary Wood, was a plantation owner,
and died in Tennessee; William R.,
March 10, 1819, married, June 8, 1847,
Charlotte Irving, followed agricultural
pursuits and died in Aurora, New York ;
Frank, died in infancy ; Frank, born 1821,
now a farmer near Yellow Springs, Ohio,
married, December 8, 1846, Marion John-
son ; Susan R., March 23, 1823, unmar-
ried, and resided at New Bedford until
her death in July, 1908; Cornelia, March
19, 1825, married, October i, 1846, Na-
thaniel P. Willis, and lived in Washing-
ton, D. C., where she died, the mother of
Grinnell (in business in New York),
Bailey (in Washington), Lillian (mar-
ried Robert Boit, of Brookline, Massa-
chusetts) ; and Edith (widow of Law-
rence Grinnell and living in Brookline,
Massachusetts).
(VII) Lawrence Grinnell, eldest son
of Cornelius (2) and Eliza T. (Russell)
Grinnell, was born April 17, 1811, in
New Bedford, and received his educa-
tion in private schools and at the Friends'
Academy under John H. W. Page. In
1829 he went to New York to enter the
counting room of Fish, Grinnell & Com-
pany, and remained there three years.
Upon reaching his majority he returned
to New Bedford and went into busi-
ness at the corner of First and Grinnell
streets, in the manufacture of sperm oil
and candles. At the same time he en-
gaged in the commission business and
was ship agent of several vessels, among
them the famous "Euphrates," the barks
"Persia," "Joshua Bragdon'' and "Wave-
let." He was alone in business until his
brother Joseph became a member of the
firm a few years later. In 1843 ne be-
came agent for the Mutual Life Insur-
ance Company of New York, a position
he held for nearly fifty years. After the
large fire in 1859, the largest in the his-
tory of New Bedford, he was appointed
agent of the Liverpool & London &
Globe Insurance Company, but not until
1870 did he make the insurance business
his occupation. In 1876 he took his son.
Richard W., as a partner, under the name
of Lawrence Grinnell & Son. After the
latter's retirement in 1883 he formed
partnerships with (at different periods)
Joshua C. Hitch and John H. Pedro. In
1846 Mr. Grinnell became treasurer of
the New Bedford & Taunton Railroad
Company, and held that position until
April i, 1873. He then successively be-
came treasurer of the New Bedford rail-
road until 1876, and of the Boston, Clin-
ton & Fitchburg railroad until 1878. In
his political faith he was a staunch Re-
publican, and had been so from the for-
mation of the party, previous to that be-
ing a W r hig. He was deeply interested
in municipal politics, and served as a
member of the common council two
years. In April, 1861, he was appointed
by President Lincoln customs collector
at New Bedford, and held that office from
May i, 1861, to March i, 1870. Mr. Grin-
nell was one of the best known citizens
of New Bedford, and was a worthy rep-
resentative of the old and honored family
to which he belonged. He died Decem-
ber 14, 1893, after a decline in health
covering two years. He married, Octo-
ber 8, 1835, Rebecca Smith, daughter of
Richard Williams. She died October 8.
100
^/vtm.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
1893, an active member of the Unitarian
church. Children : Frederick, born Au-
gust 14, 1836, now deceased; Laura W.,
February 7, 1840, died November 12,
1842; Mary Russell, September 22, 1843,
died October u, 1874, unmarried; Rich-
ard Williams, mentioned below; Nina,
November 12, 1851, died the same day.
(VIII) Richard Williams Grinnell,
junior son of Lawrence and Rebecca
Smith (Williams) Grinnell, was born Jan-
uary 10, 1846, and died December 23,
1900. He attended the Friends' school
and Brown University, and was for a
time associated with his father in the in-
surance business, later being a partner
with his brother Frederick, in Provi-
dence, in the manufacture of fire extin-
guishers, being vice-president of the
Providence Steam & Gas Pipe Company.
He also was connected with the inven-
tions perfecting the sprinkler, and col-
laborated with his brother in producing
many patents which made the Grinnell
name so well known in this field of manu-
facture. Ill health caused Mr. Grinnell
to give up active business, and for some
years he resided in California, but in 1896
he returned to New Bedford, where he
resided until his death. He married
Leonora S. Gardner, born November 29,
1843, daughter of Dr. Johnson and Phebe
L. (Sisson) Gardner, of what is now East
Providence, and she died November 20,
1904 (see Gardner VI). Children: i.
Rebecca Williams, born October 6, 1875.
2. Mary Russell, November 17, 1877. 3.
Harold Duncan, January 24, 1880, a
graduate of Harvard, class of 1903, and
now an architect, residing at Pittsfield,
Massachusetts.
(The Gardner Line).
The surnames Gardner and Gardiner
have the same origin, and the spelling
Gardener is also found. This family in
the State of Rhode Island, members of
which have been most prominent and in-
fluential there from the beginning, is as
ancient as are the settlements there.
(I) George Gardner, believed to have
been the son of Sir Thomas Gardiner,
knight, was born in England, in 1601, and
died in Kings Town, Rhode Island, in
1679. He was admitted an inhabitant of
Aquidneck (Rhode Island) September i,
1638, and in 1640 was present at a Gen-
eral Court of election. His name is found
on the records often from that time until
his death, and it was spelled Gardner,
Gardiner and Gardener. He married
(first) about 1640, Herodias (Long)
Wickes, and (second) Lydia Bolton,
daughter of Robert and Susannah Bol-
ton. The children by the first wife were :
Benoni, born about 1645 ; Henry, about
1647; George, about 1649; William, in
1651 ; Nicholas, in 1654; Dorcas, in 1656;
and Rebecca, in 1658; and the children
by the second marriage were: Samuel,
mentioned below; Joseph, Lydia, Mary,
Peregrine, Robert, and Jeremiah.
(II) Samuel Gardner, son of George .
Gardner and his second wife, Lydia Bol-
ton, lived in Newport, Rhode Island. In
1687 he removed to Freetown, Massachu-
setts, and in 1693 he purchased with
Ralph Chapman a farm at Mattapoisett,
now South Swansea, Massachusetts, of
Ebenezer Brenton. He moved to the
latter place, lived there the remainder of
his life, and died December 8, 1696, leav-
ing a widow. He married Elizabeth,
widow of James Brown, and daughter of
Robert Carr, of Newport, who survived
him. His children were : Elizabeth, born
in 1684, died September 24, 1754, married
Edward Thurston, of Newport ; Samuel,
mentioned below ; Martha, born Novem-
ber 16, 1686, died October 27, 1763, mar-
ried Hezekiah Luther ; Patience, born
October 31, 1687, married Thomas Crans-
ton ; and Sarah, born November I, 1692,
married Samuel Lee.
101
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
(III) Samuel (2) Gardner, eldest son
of Samuel (i) and Elizabeth (Carr)
Gardner, was born October 28, 1685, and
died February 10, 17/3. He was married,
December 6, 1/07, by Governor Samuel
Cranston, to Hannah Smith, who was
born December 20, 1688, and died No-
vember 16, 1768, daughter of Philip and
Mary Smith. Their children were : Eliza-
beth, born November u, 1708, married
Ambrose Barnaby ; Mary, born October
26, 1710, married Barnard Hill; Samuel,
born October 30, 1712, died young: Sam-
uel (2), born February 17, 1717, married
Content Brayton ; Peleg, mentioned be-
low ; Patience, born February 17, 1721,
married Dr. John Turner; Hannah, born
in 1724, died December 24, 1811, married
Caleb Turner; Sarah, born in 1726, died
February 29, 1808, married John Mason ;
Edward, born April 22, 1731, died in
1795, married Esther Mason ; and Martha,
who married Job Mason.
(IV) Peleg Gardner, son of Samuel
(2) and Hannah (Smith) Gardner, was
born February 22, 1719, and died August
10, 1789. He married, December 20,
1739, Hannah Sweet, daughter of James
and Sarah (Stephenson) Sweet, of Pru-
dence Island, who died October 7, 1792.
Their children were: Sarah, born March
7, 1741; Mary, October 11, 1742; Ed-
ward, February 19, 1747; James, men-
tioned below; Alexander, March 10, 1750;
Joseph, August I, 1752, died in infancy;
Joseph (2), January 7, 1754; John, April
24, 1755; Phebe, May 18, 1756; Hannah,
January 1 1, 1759; Samuel, June 15, 1760;
Caleb, September 27, 1762; Job, July 8,
1764; and Parthenia, March 16, 1767.
(V) James Gardner, son of Peleg and
Hannah (Sweet) Gardner, was born Au-
gust 27, 1748, and married (first) January
24, 1771, Prudence Chase, he then being
of Swansea, and she of Rehoboth, Mas-
sachusetts. He married (second) Susan-
nah (Tripp) Johnson. The children of
the first marriage were : Martha, born
January 19, 1772; Sarah, June 15, 1773;
Mary, June 5, 1776; Marcy, February 28,
1778; Prudence, February 17, 1780;
James Sweet, March 8, 1782; and of the
second marriage : Ambrose, January 25,
!/95 Susannah, October 16, 1797; and
Johnson, mentioned below.
(VI) Dr. Johnson Gardner, youngest
child of James Gardner, and child of his
second wife, Susannah Tripp, was born
November 22, 1799, in Rehoboth, Massa-
chusetts, and reared in his native town,
where he was in early life engaged in
teaching school. He commenced the
study of medicine with Dr. Usher Par-
sons, of Providence. At twenty-one years
of age he entered the Medical Depart-
ment of Brown University, and was
graduated therefrom in 1824. After
graduation he furthered his medical
studies with Dr. Levi Wheaton, at Provi-
dence, with whom he remained for two
years, where in 1826 he commenced the
practice of his profession, and from that
time on until the early forties he was one
of the most successful and prominent
physicians in that city. In about 1842
he removed to Seekonk (now East Provi-
dence), where he devoted considerable
time to agricultural pursuits, and became
a prominent member and for a time presi-
dent of the Bristol County Agricultural
Society, and as well became active and
prominent in political affairs. He was
a lifelong Democrat, and was several
times chosen a member of the Massachu-
setts House of Representatives and also
of the State Senate. He was chosen a
member of the Governor's Council in
1852, serving during the administration
of Governor Boutwell. Subsequently he
was appointed by Governor Briggs, of
Massachusetts, as one of the three com-
missioners to settle the local boundary
line between that State and Rhode Island,
and his report was given the preference.
1 02
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
In the winter of 1853-54 Dr. Gardner re-
turned to Pawtucket. At the breaking
out of the Civil War in 1861, he was ap-
pointed examining surgeon of recruits by
President Lincoln and Governor James
Y. Smith, of Rhode Island, and opened
an office on Benefit street, Providence.
He continued to discharge the duties of
this position until recruiting closed, and
also through these years enjoyed consid-
erable practice. Some two or three years
after the war closed, owing to failing
health, he relinquished his practice in
Providence and returned to Pawtucket,
where he passed away December 12,
1869. He was one of the oldest members
of the medical fraternity in Rhode Island,
rounded out his three-score and ten years,
and was widely and favorably known in
that State as well as in Massachusetts,
and he was always noted lor his polite-
ness, geniality and courtesy. He mar-
ried, June 8, 1829, Phebe Lawton Sisson,
of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, only child
of Aaron Sisson, and to this union were
born the following children: John Aaron,
born April 10, 1830, who was a prominent
member of the bar of Rhode Island, and
died in Providence, March 26, 1879. Elea-
nor Phebe, born February 4, 1832, who
married Joseph H. Bourne, and died
in Providence. Josephine Amelia, born
October 7, 1833, married Lyman B.
Frieze, and died in Providence. Ruth
Almy, born February 19, 1836, died April
20, 1845. Adalaide Victoria, born Janu-
ary i, 1838, died April 27, 1845. Walter
Scott, born September 9, 1839, who was
a manufacturer of Pawtucket, Rhode
Island. Leonora Susan, mentioned be-
low. Clarence Tripp, born October 24,
1844, who was one of the leading physi-
cians of Providence, and passed away at
his summer home at Seaconnet, Rhode
Island, May 23. 1907.
(VII) Leonora Susan Gardner, daugh-
ter of Dr. Johnson and Phebe Lawton
(Sisson) Gardner, was born November
29, 1842, and became the wife of Richard
Williams Grinnell, of Providence. (See
Grinnell VIII).
(The Rowland Line).
A history of Humphrey Howland, of
his son, Henry Howland, progenitor of
a large progeny in this country, and his
son, Zoeth Howland, appears elsewhere
in this work.
(IV) Benjamin Howland, second son
of Zoeth and Abigail Howland, was born
May 8, 1657, in Duxbury, and died in Dart-
mouth, Massachusetts, November 12,
1727. He was a prominent member of
the Apponegansett Friends' Meeting, was
a farmer, and owned what is known as
Round Hills farm in Dartmouth, still in
possession of a descendant. In 1697 ne
was selectman and assessor, in 1698 sur-
veyor of highways, and in 1709 was con-
stable. He was appointed treasurer of
the Friends' Monthly Meeting Fund, No-
vember 19, 1705. He married, June 23,
1684. Judith Sampson. Children : Abi-
gail, born January 30, 1687; Benjamin,
January 30, 1689; Isaac, March 30, 1694-
Desire, October 20, 1696; Barnabas
mentioned below ; Lydia, December X.
1701.
(V) Barnabas Howland, third son of
Benjamin and Judith (Sampson) How-
land, was born November 16, 1699, at
Round Hills farm, and died February 19.
1773, in Dartmouth. He was imprisoned
in 1759 for "refusing to go to war," as
dictated by his Quaker tenets. He mar-
ried (first) June 30, 1724, Rebecca, daugh-
ter of John Lapham, of Dartmouth, born
October 5, 1707, died November 7, 1736.
He married (second) June in, 1750, Pene-
lope, widow of Jedediah Allen, of Dart-
mouth. Children: Judith, born March
14, 1725; Benjamin, June 25, 1727; Eliza-
beth, March 20, 1730; Sylvia, April 28,
103
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
1732; Gideon, mentioned below; Lydia,
September 9, 1735.
(VI) Gideon Howland, second son of
Barnabas and Rebecca (Lapham) How-
land, was born May 29, 1734, at Round
Hills farm, where he lived. He married,
May 25, 1753, Sarah, daughter of Captain
Thomas and Judith Hicks. Children:
Rebecca, born December 21, 1754; Wil-
liam, May 13, 1756; Cornelius, May 13,
1758; Judith, April 9, 1760; Joseph, June
8, 1762 ; Lydia, December 14. 1763 ; Sylvia,
mentioned below; Sarah, May 2, 1767;
Desire, November 19, 1768; Gideon, Au-
gust 4, 1770; Gilbert, June 13, 1772; John
H., February 8, 1774; Pardon, January i,
1777.
(VII) Sylvia Howland, fourth daugh-
ter of Gideon and Sarah (Hicks) How-
land, was born August 4, 1765, was mar-
ried, 6th of the 5th month, 1785, to Cor-
nelius Grinnell, and died August I. 1837
(see Grinnell V).
(VII) Captain Gideon (2) Howland,
fourth son of Gideon (i) and Sarah
(Hicks) Howland, was born August 4,
1770, in Dartmouth, commanded whaling
ships, and was also a shipping agent,
spent his last years at New Bedford,
where he was a member of the firm of
I. Howland Jr. & Company, and died
there, September 2, 1847. He married,
November 29, 1/98, Mehitable. daughter
of Isaac (3) and Abigail (Russell) How-
land, born about 1779, descended from
Zoeth Howland, through his son Benja-
min, grandson Isaac, great-grandson,
Isaac (2) Howland, father of Isaac (3),
who was the father of Mehitable. They
were the parents of two daughters, Sylvia
Ann and Abby Slocum. The latter mar-
ried Edward Mott Robinson, and was
the mother of Hetty Howland Robinson,
who became the wife of Edward H.
Green. Hetty Green, the wealthiest
woman in New York, lately deceased.
enjoyed the income from a large property
bequeathed to her by her aunt, Sylvia
Ann Howland, who controlled an estate
of over two million dollars, and died un-
married.
MIX, Clifton Henry, D. D.,
Clergyman.
The Mix family is of old English an-
cestry. The surname is variously spelled
Meek, Meeks and Mix and there are half
a dozen coats-of-arms, indicating that
the family was of some importance in
various branches at an early date. Tra-
dition says that the pioneer in America
came from London.
(I) Thomas Mix, the immigrant, set-
tled as early as 1643 in New Haven, Con-
necticut. In 1649 he married Rebecca
Turner, daughter of Nathaniel Turner,
who came to Massachusetts in 1630, set-
tled in New Haven and was a captain
and magistrate. The Mix family has
been prominent in New Haven from the
first. Thomas Mix died in 1691, leaving
a substantial estate. Children : John,
born 1649; Nathaniel, September 14.
1651 ; Daniel, mentioned below; Thomas,
August 30, 1655 ; Rebecca. January 4,
1658; Abigail, 1659; Caleb. 1661 ; Sam-
uel, January n. 1663; Hannah, June 30,
1666; Esther, November 30, 1668; Ste-
phen, November i, 1672.
(II) Daniel Mix, son of Thomas Mix,
was born at New Haven, September 8,
1653. When a young man he moved with
his brother John to Wallingford, Connec-
ticut. The name of Daniel Mix appears
on the tax list of Wallingford in 1701.
He married (first) May 2, 1678, Ruth
Rockwell, daughter of John and Sarah
(Ensign) Rockwell. She was born March
5. baptized March 11, 1654. John Rock-
well, her father, was born in England,
July 18, 1627, and died at Windsor, Con-
104
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
necticut, September 13, 1673; married,
May 6, 1651, Sarah Ensign, daughter of
the pioneers, James and Sarah Ensign.
Deacon William Rockwell, father of John
Rockwell, married, April 14, 1624, in
England, Susan Capen, daughter of Ber-
nard Capen, deacon of the church at Dor-
chester, Massachusetts. He married (sec-
ond) Deborah - . His first wife died
before 1741. Children by first wife:
Thomas, born March 25, 1679; Lydia,
July 22, 1682; Daniel, mentioned below.
(III) Daniel (2) Mix, son of Daniel
(i) Mix, was born at Wallingford, July
i, 1685, and married there, May 28, 1712,
Lydia Irwin or Ervin (also given Avery
in family records). Children (from two
lists in Wallingford history): Benjamin,
born August 13, 1713; Deborah, March
17, 1715; Lydia, September 21, 1716;
Hannah, January 20, 1718; Ruth, Octo-
ber 5, 1719; Benjamin, December 11,
1720; Enos, March 29, 1722; Sarah, April
21,1723; Isaac, mentioned below ; Martha,
July 18, 1725; Joanna, March 13, 1726;
Timothy, December 28, 1727; Daniel,
March 31, 1730; Jeremiah, November 12,
1737-
(IV) Isaac Mix, son of Daniel (2)
Mix, was born at Wallingford, November
5. 1724 (also given June 7, 1723, and No-
vember 5, 1727), and died at Sangerfield.
New York, September 28, 1803. He re-
moved to West Hartford, Connecticut,
thence, after 17/4, to New Hartford,
Litchfield county, Connecticut, where he
was living in 1790, according to the first
census. Later in life he removed to New
York State. He was a soldier in the
Revolution in Captain Ebenezer Bis-
sell's company, Seventeenth Regiment,
under Colonel Huntington, in i"7<x He
married Damaris Olmstead, baptized at
West Hartford, October 4, 1730, daugh-
ter of Stephen Olmstead. She died at
Sangerfield, June n, 1795. Stephen
Olmstead. her father, was born at Hart-
ford, January i, 1694, died October 14,
1776; married, June 29, 1723, Sarah Mer-
rill, who was baptized January 17, 1696-
97, daughter of John and Sarah (Marsh)
Merrill, a descendant of Governor John
Marsh, Governor John Webster and Rich-
ard Lyman, another prominent pioneer.
Thomas Olmstead, father of Stephen
Olmstead, was born at Hartford, was one
of the founders of the Second Church ;
married Hannah Mix, who was born June
30, 1666, daughter of Thomas Mix, men-
tioned above. Captain Nicholas Olm-
stead, father of Thomas Olmstead, was
baptized at Great Leighs, Fairsted, Eng-
land, February 15, 1612, and died August
31, 1684; served in the Pequot War and
commanded a company in King Philip's
War; a leading citizen of Hartford; mar-
ried, September 28, 1640, Sarah Loomis,
daughter of Joseph and Mary (White)
Loomis. James Olmstead, father of Cap-
tain Nicholas Olmstead, was baptized at
Great Leighs, settled at Cambridge, Mas-
sachusetts, and was one of the founders
of Hartford ; his father was James Olm-
stead and his grandfather James Olm-
stead. Children of Isaac Mix: Sarah,
born November 4, 1750, died September
23, 1762; Isaac, September 6, 1752; Ben-
jamin, December 22, 1755; Nabby, June
8, 1761; Damaris, February 5, 1764;
Sarah, November 16, 1766; Chauncey,
November 18, 1768; Giles, mentioned be-
low; infant, died March u, 1774.
(V) Giles Mix, son of Isaac Mix, was
born at West Hartford, August 24, 1771,
removed to New Hartford, and when a
young man went to Oneida county, New
York. He married, October 4, 1792, Mary
Stancliffe, who died in Pennsylvania, Sep-
tember 25, 1856, aged eighty-five years,
four days. Children: Ira, mentioned be-
low; Damaris, born August i, 1795, died
young; Polly, July 31, 1797, died January
27, 1867; Sophia, March 6, 1/09: Hiram,
April 22, 1801, died in Michigan, Septem-
105
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
berg, 1878; Sophia, June 13, 1805; Giles,
January 19, 1807; Benjamin, July 6, 1808;
Harriet, twin of Benjamin; Damaris,
February 13, 1811 ; Louisa, April 20, 1813,
died July 18, 1848.
(VI) Ira Mix, son of Giles Mix. was
born August 4, 1793, at Sangerfield, New
York, and died November 12, 1870, at
Auburn, Fayette county, Iowa. He mar-
ried, March 4, 1818, Anna Kelsey, born
February 8, 1799, died at Auburn, Iowa,
July 12, 1870. Children: Mary Ann, born
April 5, 1820; Sarah Ann, March 28,
1823; Hiram Andrew, mentioned below;
Clarissa B., February 22, 1828; Lucy M.,
July 5, 1829, died May 8. 1882; Harriet,
August 22, 1831, married Lee Gates;
Henry E., July 22, 1840.
(VII) Hiram Andrew Mix, son of Ira
Mix. was born at Oriskany, New York,
August 28, 1825, and died October 9,
1901, at Gouverneur, New York. For
many years he was in business as a car-
penter and builder at Richville, New
York. He married, at Richville, New
York, May n, 1858, Betsey Bigelow
Phelps, who was born May 20, 1831,
daughter of Alfred S. and Jerusha (Bos-
worth) Phelp?. She is now living with
her son. Rev. Dr. Clifton H. Mix, of
Worcester. Her father was born No-
vember 18, 1806, died May 13, 1882.
Captain Samuel Wright Phelps, father
of Alfred S. Phelps, was born at Lancas-
ter, Massachusetts, February 18, 1785 ;
married. July 6, 1806, at Sterling, Betsey
Bigelow ; was a soldier in the War of
1812, commanding a company at the
battle of Sacketts harbor. Abishai Phelps,
father of Captain Samuel Wright Phelps,
was born at Lancaster, August 12, 1746,
died there. February 20, 1817; married,
April 22, 1770, Catherine Richardson,
born September 22, 1752, died February
8, 1826. Robert Phelps. father of Abishai
Phelps, was born in Andover, Massachu-
setts, May 8. 1699, died March 10, 1749.
at Lancaster. He was a son of Edward
and Ruth (Andrews) Phelps and grand-
son of Edward Phelps, the immigrant.
Jerusha Bosworth, born May 12, 1801,
died 1885, at Morristown, New York,
is buried at Richville, New York, was a
daughter of Osman Bosworth. He was
born at Sandisfield, Massachusetts, April
21, 1770, and died there. He married,
November 17, 1796, Jerusha Walker, and
she died June 12, 1832, aged sixty years,
lacking a month. Jabez Bosworth. father
of Osman Bosworth, was born at Middle-
town, Connecticut, March 12, 1/42, died
August 2. 1827; he was a soldier in the
Revolution.; settled at Sandisfield; mar-
ried Rebecca Moody, who was born De-
cember 12, 1742, and died December 9.
1827. Nathaniel Bosworth, father of
Jabez Bosworth, was born at Swansea,
Massachusetts, 1709. died at Sandisfield,
October 25, 1807 ; lived also at Middle-
town and Lebanon, Connecticut, and was
one of the founders of the town of Sandis-
field ; married, November 22, 1733, Bethia
Hinckley, who died January 21, 1749.
John Bosworth, father of Nathaniel Bos-
worth, was born in Swansea, in 1672, died
September 20, 1719, at Swansea. Jona-
than Bosworth, father of John Bosworth,
was born at Hingham, in 1639, and mar-
ried Hannah Howland, daughter of John
Hovvland. who came in the "Mayflower"
and his wife, Elizabeth, daughter of John
Tilley, both of whom also came in the
"Mayflower." He was a son of Jonathan
Bosworth and grandson of Edward Bos-
worth, the immigrant, and his wife Mary.
Betsey Bigelow, who married Samuel
W. Phelps. was a daughter of Elias and
Abigail (Myrick) Bigelow. granddaugh-
ter of Joseph and Mercy (Pratt) Bige-
low, great-granddaughter of Joseph and
Thankful (Robinson) Bigelow; great-
great-granddaughter of Joshua and Eliza-
beth (Flagg) Robinson. The father of
Joshua Bigelow was the immigrant, John
1 06
EXCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Bigelow. Children of Hiram Andrew
Mix: Abigail, died young; Samuel
Wright, farmer at Heuvelton, New York ;
Luella Maud, married William J. Rogers,
of Antwerp, New York, where they are
now (1916) residing; Webster Lynde ;
Clifton Henry, mentioned below; Fred.
(VIII) Rev. Dr. Clifton Henry Mix,
son of Hiram Andrew and Betsey Bige-
low (Phelps) Mix, was born at Richville,
St. Lawrence county, New York, July 6,
1866. He attended the public schools in
his native town, and after being em-
ployed for two years in a drug store he
entered Ives Seminary, Antwerp, New
York, where he prepared for college. In-
stead, however, of pursuing his education
at this time, he entered the work of the
Young Men's Christian Association, be-
coming general secretary of the associa-
tion at Clifton Springs, New York, serv-
ing in that capacity for two years. In
1888, when he left Clifton Springs, the
association voted :
That the faithful and efficient discharge of
his duties and the kind, gentle and Christian
spirit manifested by Mr. Mix in his general
intercourse, have endeared him, not only to
members of the association, but also to the com-
munity, and especially the Christian commu-
nity, at large.
He then engaged in similar work at
Auburn, New York, for a period of two
years, and the following resolutions were
passed when he resigned from this posi-
tion :
That we would hereby record our grateful
appreciation of the efficient and self-sacrificing
work he has accomplished for our young men.
In fact we can scarcely see what could have
been done which he has not done. By his ener-
getic and unpretentious work he has won not
only the respect but the warm personal regard
of this entire board of managers as well as of
the association and the community generally,
and we would unite in wishing him the full
measure of prosperity which we know he richly
merits in any field of labor to which he may
in future be called.
His next charge along the same line
was at Yonkers, New York, where he
also remained for two years, and when he
resigned on account of ill health the asso-
ciation made the following minute :
It is with profound regret that the resigna-
tion of Clifton H. Mix as general secretary of
this association is accepted. His term of serv-
ice here has been short, extending only over
six months, but in that time he has made a
deep impression on the spiritual life of the asso-
ciation and won all its directors and members
as his warm friends. His exceptional abilities
for the work made it all the more a source of
regret to us that, under the advice of physi-
cians, he is compelled to seek rest for a season.
His natural aptitude for this work, his
ability as a public speaker, his enthusi-
asm and personality brought him a career
of great usefulness and success in this
work.
After a period of rest, Mr. Mix entered
Syracuse University in 1893. ^ n n ' s nrst
year there he became the leader of a
remarkable religious awakening among
both students and faculty. The move-
ment is perhaps best described in the
language of one of the professors in the
"Northern Christian Advocate," Febru-
ary 20, 1895 :
A Great Awakening. A condition of relig-
ious activity is in progress in Syracuse Uni-
versity which can hardly be characterized by
other than the above caption. Indeed it may
be doubted whether ever before in the history
of the university anything comparable with it
has been known. A spiritual revival prevails
of a most unique and profound character. It is
unique in its nature and methods. With little
of excitement or demonstration it has spread,
like the hidden leaven, until almost the entire
body of students has been strangely moved.
With the least possible of the hortatory ele-
ment, almost the only factors of human power
obvious have been the simple exposition of the
word of God, prayer and testimony. It is pro-
107
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
found in that the depths of personal conscience
have been moved by a power other than human.
* * There has been no mincing of matters,
there lias been none of the clap-trap of sensa-
tionalism. The entire movement has been
characterized by a deliberation, an unfaltering
fidelity to plain straightforwardness and an in-
vincibleness of faith worthy of the most heroic
annals of the church. The work began as a
union meeting of the Y. M. and Y. W. C. A.
for prayer and consecration preparatory to the
"Day of Prayer for Colleges." After several
such preliminary meetings had been held the
feeling grew that it should ultimate in results
other than nominal, and steps were taken to
definitely organize for the work of revival.
Prayers have been gloriously answered; faith
has realized its victory, but the end is not yet.
Every service seems to deepen in fervor and to
widen in influence.
At these meetings Mr. Mix conducted
all the services and spoke daily most
effectively. While a student he continued
religious work by supplying as pastor of
the State Street Methodist Church in
Fulton. The "Fulton Times" says of his
work in this new church:
He entered upon the pastorate with great
energy. The congregations soon began to tax
the capacity of the church, attracted by his
earnest preaching and fearless presentation of
the truth. He organized all the departments
of the church. Special evangelistic services
were held during the winter (1895) resulting in
over thirty conversions. As a fruit largely of
his zealous labors, the membership doubled.
But at the end of the year the church
had grown so large that Mr. Mix relin-
quished the work and another pastor was
called. On account of ill health, Mr. Mix
left college in his senior year. In 1911
he received the degree of Doctor of Di-
vinity from Syracuse University. He ac-
cepted a call to the First Congregational
Church at Cliftondale, Massachusetts, in
1901, and was formally ordained and in-
stalled, May 28, 1902. At the end of a
pastorate of four years, he came to Wor-
cester in March, 1905, as pastor of the
Pilgrim Congregational Church. He re-
signed, in March, 1914, after an exceed-
ingly pleasant and successful pastorate of
nine years. Not only the leaders of his
congregation but many prominent clergy-
men and business men of other parishes
wrote letters expressing their apprecia-
tion of his service and regret at the ter-
mination of his pastorate. An editorial
from the "Worcester Gazette" comment-
ing on his resignation expresses the pub-
lic sentiment :
The unexpected resignation of the pastor of
Pilgrim Church will occasion regret in other
hearts than those of his own parish. He has
ever been so devoted to everything which
makes for the good of the public, his absence
will be sensibly felt. While instant in season
and out for the welfare of his immediate charge,
he has never failed in proving himself a power
for uplifting when the demand has come for
men who are fearless in the cause of right, re-
gardless of sect or race. Worcester has need
of just such men and parts from them unwill-
ingly when they deem it desirable to leave.
Notwithstanding the wording of his letter of
resignation, there are not a few, beyond the
confines of his south-end church, who hope that
some plan may be evolved whereby he may ob-
tain his needed rest and yet remain among us.
While some may scoff at the idea of a minis-
ter's wearing out, others are well aware of the
terrible draft on the vital functions that the
preparation of sermons for an exacting and
critical audience and the unceasing rounds of
pastoral duties make. * * After two such
predecessors, the young man who came to the
pulpit and ministrations of the church might
have been thought to face unusual burdens, but
there was no faltering, no hesitation for a day
even; the progress was onward and upward
from the start and whatever the outcome of the
letter of resignation, there can be only one
voice as to the continued success of Dr. Mix's
pastorate.
Dr. Mix preached the third Baccalaure-
ate sermon at Clark College. He has
written extensively for various publica-
tions. For many years he was a member
and vice-president of the Congregational
1 08
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Club and director of the City Missionary
Society. He is fond of historical research
and has collected a library of rare and
valuable books. Most interesting is his
collection of works relating to Abraham
Lincoln.
He married, July 9, 1896, at Canton,
Pennsylvania, Miriam Adelia Guernsey,
daughter of George A. and Miriam J.
(Wright) Guernsey. Hiram Guernsey,
her grandfather, married Maria Watrous.
Joseph Guernsey, father of Hiram Guern-
sey, was born in 1772, married Sarah
Rexford. John Guernsey, father of Joseph
Guernsey, was born at Waterbury, Con-
necticut, October 28, 1734, lived at Ame-
nia and Saratoga, New York; married,
March 24. 1757, Azubah Buell. John
Guernsey, father of John Guernsey, was
born at Stamford, Connecticut, April 6,
1709, and settled in Amenia ; married,
November 28, 1733, Anne Peck, daughter
of Deacon Jeremiah Peck. Joseph Guern-
sey, father of John Guernsey, was born at
Milford, Connecticut, January 13, 1674;
married Elizabeth Disbrow ; his father,
Joseph Guernsey, born about 1650, mar-
ried Hannah Cooley, daughter of Samuel
Cooley, the immigrant, and Joseph Guern-
sey was a son of John Guernsey, the im-
migrant, who came to Milford as early as
1639. Mrs. Mix is also a descendant of
the Wright family, pioneers of North-
ampton, Massachusetts ; the Rockwells,
Gilletts, Griswolds, Loomis, Lyman.
Phelps, Porter, Hawkes, Peck and other
well-known and distinguished colonial
ancestors.
Mrs. Mix prepared for college in the
Canton High School and at Dickinson
Seminary, Williamsport, Pennsylvania,
and graduated with the degree of Ph. B.
at Syracuse University in 1893. She is
a member of the Alpha Phi fraternity and
of the Phi Beta Kappa. After graduating
and until she married she was an instruc-
tor of music at Syracuse University.
Children: i. Donald Guernsey, born at
Canton, Pennsylvania, May 15, 1897, stu-
dent of Worcester North High School,
class of 1916. 2. Margaret Miriam, born
August 22, 1899, at Canton, Pennsylva-
nia, student at Northfield Seminary, class
of 1918. 3. Katharine, born at Clifton-
dale, Massachusetts, March 16, 1902. 4.
Robert Clifton, born August u, 1903, at
Lynn, Massachusetts.
SWEET, Walter Ansley,
Manufacturer.
The Sweet family history in England
and Wales dates back many centuries.
The seat of the armorial branch of the
family was at Trayne in the time of Ed-
ward VI. and subsequently at Oxton,
Devonshire. The coat-of-arms is de-
scribed : Gules two chevrons between as
many mullets in chief and a rose in base
argent, seeded or. Crests : A mullet or
pierced azure between two gilly flowers
proper. On the top of a tower issuing
proper an eagle with wings endorsed or
in the beak an oak branch vert. The
surname of Sweet is identical with Swete,
Swett, Sweat and Sweete and is variously
spelled in the early records.
(I) Isaac Sweet, according to family
tradition, lived in Wales, but the Sweet
family is found at an early date in vari-
ous sections of England. Isaac Sweet
did not emigrate, but his widow and three
sons came to this country. Children :
Thomas, died without issue ; John, men-
tioned below ; James.
(II) John Sweet, son of Isaac Sweet,
was born in Wales, as early as 1600, and
came to Salem, Massachusetts, in 1630.
In 1632 his land at Salem is described in
the records and the name Sweet's Cove
was given to an inlet near his residence.
In 1637 he received a grant of land in
Providence, Rhode Island, moved thither,
and died there. Children : John, born
109
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
1620, died 1677, lived at Warwick; James,
mentioned below ; Renewed, married John
Gereardy.
(III) James Sweet, son of John Sweet,
was born in Wales, in 1622 ; came with
his father to Salem and removed to
Rhode Island. He lived in Warwick, but
settled later in North Kingston near
Ridge Hill. He was a commissioner in
l6 53-5S-59; freeman in 1655; juror in
1656. He sold land at Warwick to Thom-
as Green in 1660 and 1682. In 1686 he
deeded his rights to land in Providence,
"as my father John Sweet was one of the
first purchasers thereof." He married
Mary Green, daughter of Dr. John Green,
surgeon, who came to New England in
1635. Children: Philip, born July 15,
1655; James, May 28, 1657; Mary, Feb-
ruary 2, 1660; Benoni, mentioned below;
Valentine, November i, 1667; Jeremiah,
January 6, 1669; Renewed, July 16. 1671 ;
Sylvester, March i, 1674.
(IV) Dr. Benoni Sweet, son of James
Sweet, was born March 28, 1663, at North
Kingston. He is described as a man of
polished manners and great influence in
the community. He was commissioned
captain in the Colonial service. He was
a natural bone-setter and was called
"Dr." Sweet, practicing extensively the
reduction of dislocations, and he appears
to be the first of a family famous for the
art and practice of bone-setting. He was
baptized at St. Paul's Church, Novem-
ber 8, 1724, and the succeeding Easter
was elected vestryman, an office he filled
until his death. He died July 19, 1751, at
North Kingston, in his ninetieth year.
Dr. McSparren preached the funeral ser-
mon ''and buried him in the cemetery of
his ancestors." He married Elizabeth
Sweet, daughter of Samuel Sweet. Chil-
dren, born at North Kingston : James,
mentioned below; Margaret, born 1690;
Benoni, 1692; Mary, 1696; Elizabeth,
1700; Thomas, 1703.
(V) James (2) Sweet, son of Dr. Be-
noni Sweet, was born at North Kingston,
in 1688. He married Mary Sweet, daugh-
ter of Benoni Sweet, Jr. Children: Be-
noni, born 1715 ; Eber, 1716 ; James, 1719;
Elisha, 1721; Freelove, 1723; Job, men-
tioned below ; Elizabeth, 1729.
(VI) Job Sweet, son of James (2)
Sweet, was born at North Kingston, in
1724, and became very prominent and
distinguished as a bone-setter. During
the Revolution he was called to Newport
to reduce dislocated bones of some of the
French officers, an operation beyond the
skill of the army surgeons. lie was on
one occasion called to New York City to
set the dislocated hip of Theodocia Burr,
daughter of Colonel Aaron Burr. He
made the journey in a sailing vessel, and
his success in the case rather discomfited
the New York surgeons who had failed
to reduce the dislocation. In early life
he settled near Sugar Loaf Hill, South
Kingston. He married (first) Jemima
Sherman, who died shortly afterward.
He married (second) Sarah Kingsland.
Child by first wife: Abigail, born 1751.
Children by second wife, born at South
Kingston: Rufus, born 1753; Jeremiah,
mentioned below; Gideon, 1758; James,
1760; Benoni, 1762; Jonathan, 1765;
Margaret and Lydia, twins, 1767: Han-
nah, 1770; Sarah, 1774.
(VII) Jeremiah Sweet, son of Job
Sweet, was born in South Kingston, Feb-
ruary 4, 1757, and died aged eighty-seven
years. He was a soldier in the Revolu-
tion and was granted a pension, Decem-
ber 14, 1832. In 1840 the census shows
that he was living at Glocester, aged
eighty-three years. His great-grandson
says of him : "He was a strong-built man,
six feet tall with broad shoulders some-
what rounded and he used to wear a
homespun coat with a cape. The coat
reached to his knees. His wife never
weighed more than 96 pounds, and in
no
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
later years they were called Uncle
Jerry and Aunt Dorcas. In her old age
Dorcas was blind, but she could recog-
nize her great-grandchildren when they
clasped her hands. They lived with my
grandfather during their last years and
occupied a large room in which there was
a fireplace and a large old-fashioned clock
that I well remember." Jeremiah Sweet
was a leading citizen of the town, kept
the general store and mill. He was a
powerful man physically. He married
Dorcas Darling, who was born December
7, 1/58, died January 6, 1845. Children:
Timothy, mentioned below ; Mary, mar-
lied Darius Durfee ; Anna, married (first)
Mowry Peckham, and (second) Duleus
Blois; Dorcas, died young; Elizabeth,
married David Page.
(VIII) Timothy Sweet, son of Jeremi-
ah Sweet, was born at Glocester, Rhode
Island, January 10, 1781. He resided in
the western part of the town. He was
a farmer and large land owner and to
each of his six sons he gave a farm when
they married. On his homestead he had
a blacksmith shop and a cider mill. He
built a saw mill on his wood lot at the
source of the Pawtucket river, the first
mill privilege on the stream, and gave his
sons the privilege of cutting and market-
ing lumber to get their family supplies.
He built a large house having a kitchen
twenty feet long. The white maple table
was twelve feet long and in haying time
accommodated twenty men at meals. He
was for many years deputy sheriff. He
was five feet seven inches in height, of
a sturdy frame and broad shoulders. He
and his wife were widely known as
"Uncle Tim" and "Aunt Nabby." He
died November 17, 1845. He married,
May 29, 1803, Abigail Page, born August
7, 1782, died January 23, 1845. Children:
i. Solomon, mentioned below. 2. Jere-
miah, born December 19, 1805; farmer;
married Arvilla Irons. 3. Joseph R.,born
September 30, 1808; farmer at Gloces-
ter ; married Paulina Saunders. 4. Free-
love, born April 3, 1811 ; married Robert
Saunders, and lived in Glocester. 5. Ste-
phen S., born October 14, 1812; had a
farm and mill in Glocester; married Fan-
ny Farrow. 6. Dorcas, born February 9,
1815, died August 20, 1834. 7. Thomas,
born January 6, 1817; farmer of Gloces-
ter ; married Amy Wade. 8. Timothy,
born January 25, 1820, died October 25,
1822. 9. Darling Eddy, born April 4,
1822; was a farmer; married (first) De-
borah Hannah Wade, (second) Mary j.
Wellman ; died suddenly at Providence.
(IX) Solomon Sweet, son of Timothy
Sweet, was born at Glocester, February
15, 1804, died January 27, 1876. He was
a blacksmith and farmer at Glocester and
North Foster. In 1842 he took part in
the Dorr Rebellion. From the beginning
of the Republican party he was an active
supporter of the same. For years he was
a justice of the peace and was entrusted
with the settlement of many estates. He
was a deacon of Morning Star (Free
Will) Baptist Church and one of its most
liberal supporters. The church edifice
was erected on his farm. He was a man
of great piety and exemplary character.
He married (first) December 30, 1827, at
Foster, Harriet Hopkins, born December
21. 1805, at Foster, died in 1836, daughter
of Jeremiah Hopkins; married (second)
Eliza Thurber; married (third) February
21. 1841, Sally Steere, daughter of Asahel
and Olive Steere. Children by first wife:
i. Henry Wilkinson, born June 30, 1828,
died aged thirteen years. 2. Timothy,
born September 13, 1829, died August 16,
1831. 3. Samuel Edwin, born February
10, 1831, died August 26, 1881 ; learned
the trade of mason in Providence, went
to Illinois, later to Minnesota and thence
to Topeka, Kansas, where he was the first
mason and where he afterward estab-
lished an ice business and prospered. 4.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
George Hopkins, born September 19,
1832 ; mason by trade, worked in Illinois
and later in Providence ; grocer in Pas-
coag and Providence ; engaged in the ice
business in Topeka ; removed to Wichita,
Kansas, where he plastered the first house
built there ; removed to Los Vegas, New
Mexico, thence to Los Angeles, Califor-
nia ; San Marcial, New Mexico ; and fi-
nally to Topeka, Kansas ; his eldest son,
Arthur, is vice-president of the Denver
& Rio Grande Railroad ; Howard is a
ranchman ; and Fred, a grocer. 5. Esek
Johnson, mentioned below. 6. Mowry
Peckham, born July 24, 1835; went to
California in 1858; died in San Francisco,
aged sixty years ; was a carpenter and
milk dealer. 7. Child, died in infancy.
Children by second wife : 8. and 9. Chil-
dren, died in infancy. 10. and 11. Chil-
dren, died in infancy. 12. Ellen Eliza-
beth, died, unmarried, aged fifty years.
13. Solomon Steere, resides in Foster,
Rhode Island, on the homestead, is a
lumber dealer and farmer; married Alma
Saunders.
(X) Esek Johnson Sweet, son of Solo-
mon Sweet, was born at Glocester, Rhode
Island, November 29, 1833. He attended
the public schools and the North Scitu-
ate Seminary. At the age of twenty he
began to teach school. During the sum-
mer he worked in the saw mill and on the
farm. After two years he entered the
Porter, Hammond & Alvord Commercial
College at Providence and graduated in
November, 1857. In 1858 he became a
partner of I. A. Randall in the firm of
Randall & Sweet at Dayville, Connecti-
cut, dealers in dry goods and crockery,
but after six months sold out to his part-
ner and started a general store at Gloces-
ter on the Providence and Hartford turn-
pike. Two years later he removed his
stock to East Putnam. Connecticut, where
he kept a general store during the Civil
War. In 1865 he located in Pascoag,
Rhode Island, where he kept a store for
four years. He then sold out and became
a partner of William S. Johnson in the
wholesale fancy goods and notions trade,
continuing for one year. Afterward he
was in the sewing machine business for a
time. In 1870-71 he had a dry goods
store in South Providence and later a
provision store there. In 1876 he came
to Stafford, Connecticut, and for a year
was clerk in the store of L. W. Crane :
afterward clerk in the store of Wing
&' Hendrick, dry goods dealers. West
Windsor, and for Briggs & Bennet at
Sterling, Connecticut. In June. 1878, he
entered the employ of John Brown as
clerk. Since 1879 he has been a mason
and builder in Stafford and has done a
vast amount of reliable and satisfactory
work. Among other contracts he built
the library building, Johnson's block and
Raker's block. For forty years has been
a singer in church choirs and for fourteen
years was tenor of the Congregational
church at Stafford. He taught singing
schools at Glocester, Foster and Scituate
and at Putnam and Thompson, and at
the present time, although at an ad-
vanced age, he still retains his beautiful,
clear voice in all its sweetness. He
taught public schools at Glocester, Foster
and Scituate, Rhode Island ; Killingly.
Sterling, Putnam and Stafford, Connecti-
cut, and in Teskilwa, while in the West,
for a year. Mr. Sweet has been assessor
and burgess of the borough of Stafford
Springs. He was formerly for many
years a Republican, but is now a Pro-
hibitionist in politics. He is a member of
the Baptist church and was formerly ac-
tive in Sunday school work ; he now at-
tends the Congregational church. He is
a member of Granite Lodge, No. IT. Free
and Accepted Masons, of Harrisville,
Rhode Island ; of the Temple of Honor,
Good Templars, and Sons of Temper-
ance. Mr. Sweet, although eighty-three
IT2
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
years of age, drives a Ford automobile
and was for a time the oldest person in
Connecticut to hold a license to drive a
car.
Mr. Sweet married (first) May 6, 1857,
Eunice Caroline Page, born September
23, 1833, died July 15, 1865, daughter of
Stephen and Mary Page, of Stafford,
Connecticut. He married (second) Jan-
uary 18, 1868, at Pascoag, Rhode Island,
Mary Frances (Warner) Hopkins, widow
of Stephen Hopkins and daughter of John
Warner. He married (third) October 26,
1876, Sarah Ann Kenyon, born August 2,
1839, at Sterling, daughter of Hanson
and Eliza (Cahoone) Kenyon. She had
a brother, George P. Kenyon ; half-
brothers, Gorton, Stephen, William and
Charles Kenyon ; and half-sisters, Abbie,
Mary Eliza, and Nancy Maria Kenyon.
Children by first wife: i. Clifford Allen,
born September 15, 1858, at Scituate ;
mason; residing at Monson; married,
March 24, 1881, at East Providence, Jes-
sica F. Bucklin, born July n, 1859,
daughter of James P. and Annie E.
(French) Bucklin, of East Providence;
children: Maud Caroline, born 1882, at
Stafford Springs, valedictorian of her
class at Monson Academy, now librarian
of Monson Public Library ; Annie Buck-
lin, born 1884, at Stafford Springs, mar-
ried Herbert Bryce and has three chil-
dren : Sara Louise, born 1886, at Brim-
field, graduate of Mt. Holyoke College,
school teacher in New Jersey ; Alice
King, born 1888, graduate of Monson
Academy, teacher and dietitian ; Carl
Louis, born 1890, graduate of .Monson
Academy, manager of the Woolworth
Store, Lebanon, New Hampshire ; Mari-
on Ethel, born 1898, graduate of Monson
Academy, class of 1916. 2. Walter An-
sley, mentioned below. Child by third
wife: 3. Frederick A., born March 12,
1879; painter by trade, now representing
Mass 5 8
the Chautauqua Desk Company with
headquarters at Springfield.
(XI) Walter Ansley Sweet, son of
Esek Johnson Sweet, was born at East
Putnam, Connecticut, October 30, 1862.
He received his early education in the
public schools of Pascoag, North Foster
and East Providence and in the private
school of Miss Sally E. Ellery at Staf-
ford Springs, Connecticut. He also at-
tended the public schools at Stafford
Springs. After the death of his mother,
he lived for a number of years with his
grandfather, and while at school he lived
with an aunt. He began his career as
clerk in a dry goods store in Stafford
Springs. In his sixteenth and seven-
teenth years he worked in a flock mill
and in the satinet mill of the Mineral
Springs Manufacturing Company. After-
ward he was employed in the Warren
Woolen Company mill at Stafford
Springs, and later as clerk in a grocery
store. When he was nineteen his aunt
died and he went to Hartford, Connecti-
cut, remaining for a short time. Since
January, 1883, he has made his home in
Worcester, Massachusetts. He was clerk
for Charles F. Sampson, a boot and shoe
dealer, located in the Clark Building,
now occupied by the Boston Store. Mr.
Sampson's store was afterward on the
site of the present Knowles Building.
Subsequently Mr. Sweet held a similar
position in the employ of Charles E.
Davis & Company, whose store was in
the Burnside Building, and of his part-
ner, Ezra A. Day, who succeeded the
firm of Charles E. Davis & Company. He
continued in this business until February
16, 1894, when he became a partner in
the firm of Bickford & Sweet, slipper
manufacturers. The business of the firm
was located first in Washington square,
then on Grafton street. Since 1912 the
business has been located in the spacious
"3
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
factory built by David Cummings for a
shoe factory at No. 60 King street. His
partner, John Charles Bickford, retired in
January, 1900, and his son, Ernest Ar-
mand Bickford, took his place, the firm
name remaining unchanged. The busi-
ness has been highly prosperous and for
a number of years the firm has been
among the foremost manufacturers in its
line of business, the largest producers of
slipper soles of the kind they make in the
country. In 1916 a large brick addition
to the factory was erected. In April,
1916, the firms of Bickford & Sweet and
William H. Wiley & Sons Company, an-
other large slipper sole and overgaiter
concern of Hartford, joined forces, in-
corporating under the name of The Wiley-
Bickford-Sweet Company, having a capi-
talization of $300,000, common, and $50,-
ooo preferred stock. Of this new com-
pany, J. Allen Wiley, of Hartford, is
president ; Ernest A. Bickford, vice-presi-
dent ; William H. Corbin, of Hartford,
treasurer ; Mr. Sweet, assistant treasurer
and clerk; these four being the directors.
This combination is the largest in the
country making this class of goods. Mr.
Sweet is a member of the Worcester
Chamber of Commerce, the Economic
Club, the Credit Men's Association, the
Publicity Association, and is treasurer of
the National Felt Shoe Manufacturers
Association. He is also a member of
Worcester Council, Royal Arcanum. He
has recently built a new residence at No
25 South Lenox street.
Mr. Sweet married (first) May 22, 1884,
Annie E. Sprout, daughter of Bradford
E. and Lucia (Train) Sprout. She died
December 22, 1886. He married (second)
April 27, 1892, Lizzie Elnora Batchellor,
daughter of Silas H. and Sarah Field
(Holman) Batchellor. Her father has
been a building contractor in Worcester
for more than fifty years, and her mother
is one of the most wonderful planners
and workers. Child of first marriage:
Robert Bradford, born March 13, 1885,
died May 10, 1885. Children of second
marriage : Ruth Page, born April 20.
1894, graduate of the South High School
and student for two years at Mt. Holyoke
College, from which she graduated A. B.,
1916; Clifford Batchellor, born June 27,
1898, student in Mercersburg Academy,
Pennsylvania, class of 1919.
STARBUCK, A. A., M. D.,
Physician.
On the roll of eminent women physi-
cians in Massachusetts appears the name
of Dr. A. A. Starbuck, of Springfield,
who holds a leading place in the ranks
of the fraternity. She is scrupulously
correct and conscientious in the discharge
of all obligations, her excellent qualities
being appreciated by those who come in
close association with her. She is a
woman of great kindness of heart, using
her profession to alleviate the sufferings
of mankind, giving her services cheer-
fully in the interest of the poor and af-
flicted, and being possessed of great
strength of character and a strong per-
sonality, has a wide circle of friends.
Dr. Starbuck was born in Riverside,
Massachusetts, November 3, 1878, daugh-
ter of George and Elizabeth J. (Holmes)
Starbuck. On the paternal side she is a
direct descendant of Christian Coffin and
Edward Starbuck, who purchased and
settled Nantucket. Massachusetts. On
the maternal side she numbers among her
ancestors Richard Mower, a native of
England, who came to New England in
the ship "Blessing" in 1635 and settled in
Lynn, Massachusetts ; Thomas Jewell,
born in England in 1600, who was
granted, in 1639, one hundred and twenty
acres at Mount Miller, now Braintree,
Massachusetts ; and Nathaniel Holmes,
who settled in Londonderry, New Hamp-
114
QJ-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
shire. From this ancestry Dr. Starbuck
has inherited many noble traits of char-
acter which have eminently qualified her
for her chosen life work, and which have
also gained for her a reputation of which
any woman might well be proud.
Dr. Starbuck acquired her preliminary
education by attendance at the public
school of Turner's Falls, Massachusetts,
later was a special student at Tufts Col-
lege, Medford, Massachusetts, during the
years 1897-98, then matriculated at Bos-
ton University, from which institution of
learning she received the degree of Bache-
lor of Arts in 1902, and that of Doctor of
Medicine in 1906, and during her colle-
giate course held membership in Phi
Kappa and Kappa Gamma fraternities,
and was senior librarian proctor. During
the years 1906-07 she served an intern-
ship at the Massachusetts Homeopathic
Hospital, thus supplementing the knowl-
edge heretofore gained by practical ex-
perience, and this thoroughly prepared
her for an active and successful career.
She located for practice in the city of
Springfield, her patronage increasing
steadily year by year, the result of her
thorough, exhaustive and accurate knowl-
edge of her profession. She is familiar
not only with the principles of medical
science but she is also most accurate in
her diagnosis of diseases, and in the ap-
plication for her scientific knowledge of
the needs of the physical system. She
has also served in the capacity of super-
intendent of Wesson Memorial Hospital,
her tenure of office extending over the
years 1908-09, the duties of the institution
being performed in a highly commend-
able manner, meriting the approbation of
all concerned. Dr. Starbuck has always
been an earnest student, and despite the
demands made upon her time by her
various responsibilities has found time
to read and study sufficiently to keep
abreast of the times in the theories and
practice of medicine and surgery. She
holds membership in the Massachusetts
Homeopathic Medical Society, Western
Massachusetts Homeopathic Medical So-
ciety, Massachusetts Surgical and Gyne-
cological Society, Springfield Academy of
Medicine, Tuberculosis Society of Spring-
field, and Springfield College Club, in all
of which she takes a keen and active in-
terest, and is also a member of the Daugh-
ters of the American Revolution and
Adelphi Chapter, Order of the Eastern
Star. She is a Unitarian in religion.
Aside from the high reputation which
Dr. Starbuck enjoys as the result of her
efficiency in her particular line of work,
she is one of the most prominent, re-
spected and useful members of the com-
munity in which she resides. She has
long been actively identified with religi-
ous and charitable work, and is known
as a woman of warm sympathies and as
an earnest supporter of every enterprise
that tends to promote the general wel-
fare.
HILDRETH, Charles Elbridge,
Manufacturer.
Sergeant Richard Hildreth, the immi-
grant ancestor, was born in the north
part of England in 1615, died in 1688.
He settled first in Cambridge, Massachu-
setts, and was admitted a freeman, May
10, 1643. He removed to Woburn, an
adjacent town, and was later one of the
grantees of Chelmsford, Massachusetts.
By 1663 he had had no less than eight
grants of land, amounting altogether to
one hundred and five acres. The "His-
tory of Westford" says :
The Hildreth homestead was about midway
between the centre and south villages of
Chelmsford. This family also spread into West-
ford. A tract of land containing about 500
acres on the east side of the town came into
their possession. It is not easy to give the
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
exact boundaries. It included the houses with
land attached of Augustus Bunce, George Por-
ter Wright, the Drew Brothers (Thomas and
George), Isaac G. Minot and Julian Hildreth.
Providence Meadow was its northwest limit
and the house oi Edward Symmes stands not
far from the east border. The Hildreths also
took up two or three farms south and east of
Tadmuck Hill or that spur of it known as
Prospect Hill. Four or five houses there were
at one time known as "Hildreth Row." Rich-
ard Hildreth had a special grant of 150 acres of
land from the General Court in 1663 on account
of having lost the use of his right hand, pre-
sumably in the service. He was accused in
1670 by Rev. John Fiske, of Chelmsford, of
having used "reproachful speech concerning the
church" and was disciplined by the church.
Previously he had been charged by Deacon
Esdras Reade in 1656 and 1661 with the use of
similar "seditious language" and was ordered
to appear before the church authorities, but he
refused to obey the order. His will was dated
February 9, 1686, and proved some time after
his death in 1688. He left land in Chelmsford
to his son Ephraim, who was then living in
Stow, including the homestead and seven acres
north of Great Pond, eighteen acres south and
seventeen acres east of it.
who
He married (first) Sarah -
died in 1644; (second) Elizabeth - ,
who died at Maiden, August 3, 1693, aged
sixty-eight years. Children by first wife:
James, born at Woburn, 1631 ; Ephraim.
Children by second wife, born at Wo-
burn: Elizabeth, September 21, 1646;
Sarah, August 8, 1648. Born at Chelms-
ford : Joseph, April 16, 1658; Persis, Feb-
ruary 8, 1660; Thomas, February I, 1662;
Isaac, mentioned below ; Abigail, married
Moses Parker.
(II) Isaac Hildreth, son of Richard
and Elizabeth Hildreth, was born in July,
1663, at Chelmsford. He was living in
Woburn in 1695 and it is believed that he
removed to Stow. He married Elizabeth
. Children born at Woburn : Per-
sis, November 25, 1691 ; Joanna, Novem-
ber 16, 1695 ; also Isaac, mentioned be-
low, and probably other children.
(III) Isaac (2) Hildreth. son of Isaac
(1) and Elizabeth Hildreth, was born in
1700 or there abouts, in Stow or vicinity,
and was among the early settlers of the
town of Petersham, Worcester county,
Massachusetts. His son Isaac succeeded
to his homestead. The earliest authentic
list of the proprietors of Petersham contains
the name of Isaac Hildreth (spelled Hill-
drake). Isaac Hildreth deeded to his son
Isaac, Jr., land in Petersham, November 28,
1753. Children: Isaac, born about 1725,
lived and died in Petersham ; Samuel,
mentioned below ; John, lived at Peter-
sham, married Elizabeth Farr, of Ches-
terfield, New Hampshire ; Elizabeth, mar-
ried, November 4, 1762, Jonas Davis, of
Chesterfield ; Jonathan, settled in West-
moreland, New Hampshire, as early as
1751, coming from Petersham, moved to
Chesterfield about 1763; Edward, settled
in Chesterfield, married Sarah Whitney ;
William, settled in Chesterfield.
(IV) Samuel Hildreth, son of Isaac
(2) Hildreth, was born in 1735, in Stow
or vicinity. He settled in Chesterfield
before 1767 on the farm now or lately
owned by Hermon C. Harvey, formerly
by Marshall H. Day. Samuel Hildreth
was selectman of Chesterfield in 1776-78.
He served in the Revolution in Captain
Isaac Baldwin's company, Colonel John
Stark's regiment as shown by a pay roll
dated August i, 1775. (New Hampshire
State Papers, Revolutionary Rolls, I, p.
51.) He signed the Association Test and
certified to the list as selectman, June 12,
1776. (New Hampshire State Papers
XXX, pp. 31-33.) He died in 1812 in his
seventy-seventh year. He married (first)
in 1759, Hannah Farr, who died at Ches-
terfield, in December, 1785, aged forty-
five years. The Farr or Farrar family
came from Stow to Petersham with the
early settlers. Hannah (Farr) Hildreth
died before 1787, as shown by the fact
that she did not sign the following de-
scribed deed, but her interests were rep-
116
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
resented by her husband. Samuel Hil-
dreth, Daniel Fair, Edward Hildreth, 2d,
and Sarah his wife, Mary Farr, all of
Chesterfield, New Hampshire, and Pa-
tience Farr, of Boylston, Massachusetts,
quitclaimed to Samuel Farr, of Boylston,
all their rights as heirs-at-law of their
father "Daniel Farr." whose homestead is
described as in the "north part of Shrews-
bury, now Boylston," the deed being
dated April 26, 1787, and witnessed by
Jonathan Hildreth and Samuel Hildreth,
Jr., at Chesterfield and recorded at Wor-
cester. Children : Leah, born October 4,
1760; Samuel, October 25, 1762; Daniel,
May 18, 1765, died 1871 ; Isaac, men-
tioned below; Hannah, October 29, 1769;
Susanna, October 2, 1771, died 1774; Joel,
December 28, 1772, married Anna Bow-
ker; Susanna, July 8, 1776; Elijah, July
7, 17/9; Daniel, September 30, 1781, mar-
ried Susanna Fairbanks ; Persis, July 8,
1782, married John Rugg.
(V) Isaac (3) Hildreth, son of Samuel
and Hannah (Farr) Hildreth, was born
at Chesterfield, New Hampshire, Septem-
ber 19, 1767, and died there, May 14, 1812.
He married, in 1790, Hannah Farr, daugh-
ter of Abraham Farr. Children: Elsie;
Samuel ; Royal, mentioned below ; Phi-
linda ; Hannah, married Alpheus Stew-
art, of Brattleboro, Vermont.
(VI) Royal Hildreth, son of Isaac (3)
and Hannah (Farr) Hildreth, was born
at Chesterfield, in 1801, and died in 1834,
aged thirty-three years. He removed to
Brattleboro, Vermont, but returned in
1831 to Chesterfield. He married Adaline
Gerry, who was of the same family as
Elbridge Gerry, signer of the Declaration
of Independence, Governor of Massachu-
setts, and Vice-President of the United
States. She married (second) Jonathan
Sawyer, and moved with her husband
and children to Worcester. Children of
Royal Hildreth : George G., an under-
taker in Worcester; Samuel Elbridge,
mentioned below ; Bradley G., deceased,
resided in Philadelphia ; Isaac, lived in
Worcester.
(VII) Hon. Samuel Elbridge Hildreth,
son of Royal and Adaline (Gerry) Hil-
dreth, was born at Brattleboro, Vermont,
December 8, 1829. After the death of his
father when he was but five years old, he
went to live with an aunt in Connecticut,
remaining there until he was sixteen and
attending the public schools. He then
came to Worcester and went to work in
a printing office. After six months, how-
ever, he entered the employ of Alexander
and Sewall Thayer in the old Court Mills
and learned the trade of machinist. After-
ward he worked for Samuel Flagg until
1854, when the Merrifield building in
which the shop was located was de-
stroyed by fire. Then came a period of
nearly twenty years in the employ of the
late L. W. Pond. In this business, which
grew to be one of the largest in the coun-
try in its own field, Mr. Hildreth was an
important factor. His mechanical ability
was constantly in evidence in improve-
ments in the machinery manufactured.
He secured various patents on drills and
planers. He rose to positions of greater
responsibility from time to time, becom-
ing a foreman and eventually superin-
tendent. In May, 1873, he engaged in
business on his own account, buying a
third interest in the business of P. Blais-
dell & Company, and in this firm he con-
tinued active to the end of his life. The
company manufactured machine tools in
large variety and took rank among the
foremost in that line of business. At the
time of his death his partners were John
P. Jones and Enoch Earle.
Mr. Hildreth was not only a leader in
the industrial life of the city, but one of
the most prominent men in public life.
In 1866 he began his service in the city
government as common councilman from
Ward Three. During the following years
117
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
he was a member of the Board of Alder-
men. In 1872 he represented the city in
the General Court. He was an active and
consistent Republican in politics and as
candidate of his party was elected in 1882
mayor of the city. In his administration
he manifested the same practical sense
which had characterized the conduct of
his own business and retired from the
office with an enviable record. During
his administration the Millbury street
school house was built at a cost of $31,-
503, and the Winslow street school en-
larged at a cost of $16,413. Tatnuck
brook was taken for an additional water
supply and the work completed at a cost
of $223,574, making the total cost of the
water system to that date, $1,603,988.
The Pine Meadow sewer was completed
at a cost of $15,000. The city purchased
the first steam roller for use in the high-
way department. Electric lights were
first used in the streets. Police station
No. 2 was established in the "Island" dis-
trict.
Mr. Hildreth was elected to the school
committee from Ward Seven in 1887 and
continued to hold this office until he died.
His devotion and efficient service in this
office were exemplary. To the subject of
manual training he devoted himself with
characteristic energy and marked suc-
cess. He was a member of the Worces-
ter County Mechanics' Association and
in 1885-86 its president ; of the Worcester
Society of Antiquity; the Brigade Club
and of the Order of United American
Workmen. He was a member of the
local lodge, Knights of Pythias, and had
taken thirty-two degrees in the Scottish
Rite Masonry, being a member of the
blue lodge, chapter, council and com-
mandery in Worcester and various other
Masonic bodies in Boston. He was a
member of Piedmont Congregational
Church. He died, after a short illness,
June 25, 1893.
The following paragraph is from the
tribute to his memory by his former pas-
tor :
He had an instinct for work. He had untir-
ing patience. His broad shoulders in his days
of health invited responsibility. He loved his
city; he loved his country; he loved his fellow-
men, and as opportunity offered, private or pub-
lic, his highest ambition was to serve them in
all that was noblest and best. He made for
himself a clean record.
He married, in 1852, Matilda Coleman
Howe, daughter of William B.Howe. Of
three children, but one, Charles Elbridge,
mentioned below, survived infancy.
(VIII) Charles Elbridge Hildreth, son
of Samuel Elbridge and Matilda Coleman
(Howe) Hildreth, was born at Worces-
ter, Massachusetts, October 19, 1866. He
attended the Woodland street public
school and graduated from the Classical
High School in 1888, president of his
class. He was president of the Sumner
Club, the high school debating society,
for two years. He entered Amherst Col-
lege, from which he was graduated in the
class of 1892. While in college he sang
in the Glee Club and in the quartette
in the college choir. He was a member
of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity. In his
senior year he was manager of the "Am-
herst Student." He won the Kellogg
prize in the declamation contest in his
sophomore year and the second prize in
the Hyde contest in oratory in his senior
year. At commencement he was chair-
man of the committee on committees
After graduation he learned the trade of
machinist in the shops of his father's
firm, P. Blaisdell & Company. He studied
drafting for six months under the in-
struction of A. M. Powell of the Wood-
ward-Powell Planer Company. He suc-
ceeded to the interests of his father in the
firm. In 1905 he bought the shares of
his partners and consolidated the busi-
118
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
ness with that of the Whitcomb Manu-
facturing Company and the Whitcomb
Foundry Company. In October of the
same year the Draper Machine Tool
Company was also absorbed. The new
corporation was called the Whitcomb-
Blaisdell Machine Tool Company. A.
W. Whitcomb is president; Mr. Hil-
dreth is vice-president and treasurer. In
October, 1913, he purchased the interest
of Mr. Whitcomb and became president
and general manager. The capitalization
is $350,000. Ernest T. Clary, secretary
of the Worcester Trust Company, is clerk
of the company, and a director. The
company employs five hundred hands and
and rank among the leading manufac-
turers of lathes and planers in this coun-
try.
Mr. Hildreth was president of the
Worcester High School Alumni Associa-
tion after leaving college. He was secre-
tary and later president of the Worcester
Metal Trades Association. He was for-
merly a member of the National Council
of the National Metal Trades Associa-
tion. He is the general manager of the
National Machine Tool Builders' Asso-
ciation, a director of the Worcester Elec-
tric Light Company, a member of the
Worcester Mechanics' Association, and
of the Chamber of Commerce, serving on
the board of directors, and was formerly
a director of the Board of Trade and of
the Young Men's Christian Association.
He is a member of the Worcester Coun-
try Club ; the Worcester Automobile
Club, of which he was the president ; the
Worcester Golf Club, of which he was
the president for five years; Quinsiga-
mond Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons ;
Eureka Chapter, Royal Arch Masons ;
and Worcester County Commandery.
Knights Templar. He served three years,
1892-96, in the State militia, the Worces-
ter Light Infantry. He was formerly a
member of the quartettes of the choirs
of Grace Methodist Church and Pilgrim
Congregational Church. He was for a
number of years superintendent of the
Sunday school of Piedmont Congrega-
tional Church and is now an assistant
superintendent. For two years, 1913-15,
he was president of the Men's Club of
Piedmont Church. In politics he is a
Republican and has served his party in
the city committee and as delegate to
many State and other nominating con-
ventions.
He married, September 19, 1894, Sarah
Eugenia Hill, born December 23, 1868,
daughter of William Benjamin and Sarah
Elizabeth (Carlisle) Hill, of Boston. Her
father was treasurer of the National
Manufacturing Company of Worcester.
Children: Dorothy, born October 3, 1895,
student in Bradford Academy, class of
1917; Carlisle Elbridge, born December
12, 1896, student in South High School,
class of 1915; Helen Hill, born Febru-
ary 28, 1903 ; Samuel Gurdon, born July
30, 1907.
NEWTON, Albert Emerson,
Leading Manufacturer.
Richard Newton, the pioneer ancestor
of the Newton family of Massachusetts,
was born in England about 1601. He was
one of the first settlers of the town of
Stidbury and one of its proprietors in
1639. He was admitted a freeman in
May, 1645. He was also one of the found-
ers of Marlborough, which was granted
to Sudbury proprietors, and he moved
thither in 1656, locating in the southern
part of the town, afterward set off as the
town of Southborough. The Newton
family from the first has been perhaps
the most prominent and certainly one of
the most numerous in the town of South-
borough. He married Anne (sometimes
called Hannah) Loker, daughter of Rob-
ert and Elizabeth Loker, pioneers in Sud-
119
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
bury. She died at Marlborough, Decem-
ber 5, 1697. He died August 24, 1701,
said to have been about one hundred
years old. His will is published in full
in a genealogy of one line of his descend-
ants by Rev. William M. Newton (1912,
50 pages). He was an active and useful
citizen in town and church. One of the
petitioners for the church at Marlborough
and a charter member. Children, born at
Sudbury : John, born October 20, 1641 ;
Mary, June 22, 1644; Moses, mentioned
below; Ezekiel ; Joseph, 1650; Hannah,
April 13, 1654, died March 13, 1697; Dan-
iel, December 21, 1656. At Marlborough:
Elizabeth, 1658, married Jacob Dingley ;
Sarah, married - Taylor ; Isaac, died
June 12, 1685.
(II) Moses Newton, son of Richard
Newton, was born May 26, 1646, at Sud-
bury, and died at Marlborough, May 23,
1736. During an Indian attack one Sun-
day, it is related in Hudson's "History
of Marlborough," at the time of King
Philip's war, while the people were in
church, he was wounded by a shot in the
elbow while rescuing an aged and infirm
woman who would otherwise have been a
victim of the savages. He never wholly
recovered the use of his arm. He mar-
ried (first) October 27, 1667, Joanna La-
kin (sometimes spelled Larkin), daugh-
ter of Edward and Joanna Lakin, pioneers
of Charlestown, Massachusetts. He mar-
ried (second) April 14, 1714, Sarah Jos-
lin. She died November 4, 1723, aged
sixty-three years. Children, born at Marl-
borough by first wife : Moses, mentioned
below; David, born 1672, died April 4,
1702; Hannah, born December 20, 1673;
Edward, March 23, 1676; Jonathan, Sep-
tember 30, 1679 '< Jacob, January 24, 1681 ;
James, January 15, 1683; Mercy, Febru-
ary 16, 1685; Josiah, November 19, 1688;
Andrew, died 1691 ; Ebenezer, July 26,
1692.
(III) Moses (2) Newton, son of Moses
(i) Newton, was born at Marlborough,
February 28, 1669. He lived in Marl-
borough and married there, December n,
1695, Sarah Howe, born January 28, 1675,
daughter of Isaac Howe and granddaugh-
ter of John Howe, one of the prominent
pioneers of Marlborough. Children, born
at Marlborough: Isaac, born August 24,
169 ; Beulah, February 22, 1697; Moses,
January 8, 1700; Elisha, mentioned be-
low; Sarah, October 27, 1703, died June
14, 1713; Margaret, October 29, 1705;
Aaron, September 7, 1707; Thankful, Oc-
tober 31, 1/09; Tabitha, August 9, 1711 ;
Amos, April 16, 1714; Comfort, 12,
1717; Ezekiel, May 13, 1719.
(IV) Elisha Newton, son of Moses (2)
Newton, was born at Marlborough, Oc-
tober 28, 1701, and died intestate at
Shrewsbury. He married, December 26,
1728, Sarah Tomlin, of Westborough.
She was then of Shrewsbury and he lived
there the remainder of his life. Both he
and his wife lived to the age of ninety
years. Children, born at Shrewsbury:
Elisha, born February 7, 1730; Ezekiel,
May 9, 1733; Sarah, August 25, 1734;
Mercy, November 6, 1735 ; Timothy, May
1 7- : 737- Ithamar, April 14. 1739, died in
Cape Breton expedition, August 22, 1758;
Solomon, mentioned below ; Charles, Au-
gust 28, 1742; Sarah, May 7, 1744; Persis,
July 5, 1746, died 1751 ; Mary, September
24, 1747; Moses, March 8, 1751.
(V) Solomon Newton, son of Elisha
Newton, was born at Shrewsbury, June
25, 1741, and died there May 28, 1822. He
was a soldier in the Revolution in Cap-
tain John Maynard's company, Colonel
Tacob Cushing's regiment on the Ben-
nington Alarm in 1/77. (Roll dated at
Shrewsbury ; see page 406, volume xi,
Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in
the Revolution). He married (first) at
Shrewsbury, May 18, 1762, Hannah,
1 20
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
daughter of Daniel Hastings. She was
admitted to the church in Shrewsbury in
1780, and died there November 9, 1781.
He married (second) at Worcester, Lydia
Heminway, widow of Adam Heminway,
of Shrewsbury and Worcester. She died
at Shrewsbury, March 3, 1826, aged
seventy-nine years. Children, born at
Shrewsbury by first wife : Lydia, born
August 5, 1765 ; Solomon, March 12, 1768,
died young; Daniel, April 13, 1776; Sarah,
twin of Daniel, married Luther Gould-
ing, of Worcester; Abigail, October 5,
1779, married Rufus Newell. By second
wife: Solomon, August 2, 1783; Calvin,
mentioned below ; Damaris, twin of Cal-
vin, August 14, 1792.
(VI) Calvin Newton, son of Solomon
Newton, was born at Shrewsbury, Au-
gust 14, 1792. He married there, March
24, 1812, Martha Rice, daughter of Cap-
tain John and Elizabeth (Wheelock) Rice.
Her father was born October 9, 1771,
at Shrewsbury, married, November 16,
1790, Elizabeth, daughter of Gershom
Wheelock, granddaughter of Captain
Gershom Wheelock, and great-grand-
daughter of Samuel Wheelock, of an old
Shrewsbury family. John Rice, father of
Captain John Rice, was born September
22, 1736, married Rebecca, daughter of
Timothy Fay, of another old family of
Southborough and Marlborough. John
Rice was a soldier in the Revolution on
the Lexington Alarm (page 161, volume
xiii, Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors
in the Revolution). He was son of Jacob
Rice, born 1707, in Marlborough, grand-
son of Jacob Rice, who was a son of
Deacon Edward Rice, son of the immi-
grant, Edmund Rice. Children of Calvin
and Martha (Rice) Newton, born at
Shrewsbury : William Bucklin, born De-
cember 26, 1812; Joseph, December 2,
1816; Martha, November 27, 1818; Abi-
gail, February 8, 1820; John Calvin, Jan-
uary 13, 1823; Susan, January 31, 1825;
Charles Henry, September 13, 1827;
George Albert, mentioned below.
(VII) George Albert Newton, son of
Calvin Newton, was born at Shrewsbury,
January 8, 1833, and died in Shrewsbury.
He was a farmer in his native town. He
married Sarah Jane Mahan, who was
born at Shrewsbury, September 10, 1836,
daughter of Solomon and Mary (Brig-
ham) Mahan. Her father was born at
Northborough, July 16, 1792, died at
Shrewsbury, December 28, 1873, son of
David Mahan. Children of Solomon and
Mary (Brigham)Mahan : Mary Ann Ma-
han, born and died in 1823 ; George Henry
Mahan, born December 19, 1824, died at
Shrewsbury, March 14, 1903 ; Mary Ann
Mahan, July 22, 1826, married, May i,
1841, William H. Perry; Harriet Eliza-
beth Mahan, May i, 1830, married Jonas
Cummings ; John Davis Mahan, Febru-
ary 8, 1835, married Elizabeth J. Orne ;
Sarah Jane Mahan, September 10, 1836,
married George Albert Newton, men-
tioned above ; Caroline Sophia Mahan,
July 18, 1844, died at Worcester in 1908,
married Abel O. Perry. David Mahan
was born at Worcester, April 2, 1769, died
May 19, 1837; married (first) March 15,
1788, Mary Bigsby, who died March 21,
1818; (second) December 30, 1818, Sally
Babcock. Children of David Mahan by
first wife: James Mahan, born May 25,
1789; Solomon Mahan, July 16, 1792,
mentioned above ; John Adams Mahan,
December 2, 1797; David Mahan, April 2,
1800; Isaac Mahan, March 5, 1802; Abra-
ham Mahan, July 15, 1804; Stephen Ball
Mahan, February 24. 1807; Mary Mahan,
January 22, 1813; Benjamin Franklin
Mahan. By second wife : Thomas Dana
Mahan, May 10, 1820. John Mahan,
father of David Mahan, came to Worces-
ter with William Mahan before 1757. Wil-
liam Mahan died in 1763, John Mahan in
121
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
1774. Children of John and Mary Ma-
han : Mary Mahan, born November 3,
X 757 : John Mahan, July 16, 1759 ; Samuel,
June 25, 1761; William, April 10, 1766;
David, April 2, 1769, mentioned above.
Mary (Brigham) Mahan was a daughter
of Dr. Sarauel Brigham, who was a de-
scendant of the immigrant, Thomas Brig-
ham. (Dr. Samuel, Dr. Samuel and Ann
(Gott) Brigham, Captain Samuel and
Abigail (Moore) Brigham, Captain Sam-
uel and Elizabeth (Howe) Brigham,
Thomas Brigham). Her father was a
paymaster in the Revolution. Child of
George Albert Newton : George Emer-
son, mentioned below.
(VIII) George Emerson Newton, son
of George Albert Newton, was born at
Shrewsbury, September 23, 18^7. He re-
ceived his education in the public schools
of his native town and graduated from
the high school there. During his youth
he assisted his father on the farm,. At the
age of twenty he engaged in business on
his own account as a baker in Worcester.
After a year or more he removed his
bakery to Cambridgeport, Massachusetts,
and there he continued in business until
his untimely death at the age of twenty-
three years, January 23, 1881. He mar-
ried, July 23, 1877, Emma J. Cole, who
was born at Lowell, January 10, 1855,
daughter of Samuel G. Cole. Their only
child was Albert Emerson, mentioned be-
low.
(IX) Albert Emerson Newton, son of
George Emerson Newton, was born at
Worcester, May 14, 1878. After the death
of his father, when he was an infant, his
mother removed to Lynn, Massachusetts,
where he attended the public schools.
After two years in the Lynn High School,
he entered the employ of the General
Electric Company at Lynn. During his
seventeenth and eighteenth years he fol-
lowed farming at Shrewsbury and Green-
field, New Hampshire. In November,
1897, ne came to Worcester and for six
months was an apprentice in the shops
of Prentice Brothers Company, Cam-
bridge street. He left to go to the front
in the Spanish War, as a private in the
Wellington Rifles, Company H, Second
Massachusetts Regiment. With that com-
mand he went to Cuba and took part in
the battles at Santiago, El Caney and San
Juan, and during this time was promoted
to corporal. In November, 1898, he was
mustered out and returned to his former
employers. In the draughting room,
where he was given employment at that
time, he made rapid progress and in 1900
became head draughtsman. In this im-
portant department of the industry, where
the designs for the machinery are per-
fected, he developed inventive ability of
great value to the company and within
five years had some twenty-five patents
granted, all designs and devices to im-
prove lathes and drilling machines that
were the main product of the concern.
In 1905 he was promoted to the position
of assistant manager, and had general
charge not only of the manufacturing, but
of the sales and operation of the business.
In April, 1912, Mr. Newton became
general manager and a director of the
Reed-Prentice Company, a new corpora-
tion in which was consolidated various
important concerns in the machine tool
business in Worcester, including the
Prentice Brothers Company, the F. E.
Reed Company, the Reed Foundry Com-
pany and the Reed & Curtis Machine
Screw Company. Six months later he
was elected vice-president of the Reed-
Prentice Company. The capitalization of
the corporation is $2,000,000. In the vari-
ous plants and departments of the busi-
ness one thousand five hundred men are
regularly employed. The lathes, metal
turning and drilling machinery manu-
122
^^JiioJO^-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
factured by the Reed-Prentice Company
are in universal use and stand second to
none in quality. Under the management
of Mr. Newton since the consolidation
the business has prospered and the out-
put during much of the time has been
limited only by the capacity of the plant.
The Reed-Prentice Company takes rank
among the largest industrial enterprises
of a city that has developed many of the
greatest in various lines, and its owners
and managers have contributed materi-
ally to the development and growth of
the city. To the upbuilding and success-
ful conduct of the business of Prentice
Brothers Company and subsequently that
of the Reed-Prentice Company, Mr. New-
ton has devoted himself with singleness
of purpose that has prevented outside ac-
tivities. His career affords another il-
lustration of the wonderful opportunities
of the present for the youth of ability.
In his case even his technical education
was self-acquired.
In January, 1916, the Reed-Prentice
Company acquired the Brown Cotton Gin
Company of New London, Connecticut,
manufacturers of cotton gins and print-
ing presses. Mr. Newton is also vice-
president of the Brownell Machine Com-
pany of Providence, Rhode Island, a sell-
ing corporation. In addition to the above
he has since October, 1910, been treas-
urer of the National Machine Tool
Builders' Association. He is a member
of the Worcester Chamber of Commerce,
the Metal Trades Association and the
Worcester County Mechanics' Associa-
tion, also of Monticute Lodge of Free
Masons, and a life member of the Wor-
cester Country Club, also the Worcester
Automobile Club. In politics he is a Re-
publican. He attends the First Univer-
salist Church.
Mr. Newton married (first) November
21, 1902, Alice Maude Muzzey. who died
July 25, 1906, daughter of Eugene and
Eva L. Muzzey, of Greenfield, New
Hampshire. He married (second) Sep-
tember 15, 1907, Minnie Ethel Bradley,
daughter of Martin and Annie L. Brad-
ley, of Worcester. By his first wife he
has one daughter, Dorothea Alice, born
January 5, 1904.
RICHARDSON, Albert Frederick,
Prison Reformer.
The pioneer ancestors of the Richard-
son families of New England were three
brothers, Ezekiel, Samuel and Thomas
Richardson, who were born in England,
and with Edward Converse, Edward
Johnson, John Mousall, William Learned
and a few others were the founders and
original settlers of the town of Woburn,
Massachusetts. They were also the orig-
inal members of the Woburn church,
established there in 1641. The men men-
tioned above were the commissioners
chosen by the church of Charlestown,
November 5, 1640, to commence the set-
tlement at Woburn. Ezekiel Richardson
came from England in the Winthrop fleet
in 1630 and was at Charlestown about
July 6 of that year. His home in England
was in County Norfolk, where the Rich-
ardsons had been prominent and numer-
ous for more than a century. The family
was also seated in Sussex, Surrey and
several other English counties. Thomas
and Samuel Richardson, the younger
brothers of Ezekiel Richardson, came to-
gether about 1635. Thomas Richardson
joined the church in 1635, and was ad-
mitted a freeman, May 2, 1638. The
homes of the Richardson brothers in Wo-
burn were in what is now Maiden on the
"Mystic Side."
(I) Samuel Richardson was born about
1610 in England. He was in Charles-
town, July i, 1636, joined the church
there February 18, 1638, and was admit-
ted a freeman at the same time as his
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
brother, May 2, 1638. He was highway
surveyor of Charlestown in 1636-37. The
three brothers drew lots on the Mystic
side of the river, April 20, 1638, and their
houses were built in what is now Maiden
on a street laid out in 1647 an ^ still
known as Richardson's Row, now in the
southwest part of the present town of
Winchester. Samuel Richardson was
selectman of Woburn in 1644, 1645, ^46,
1650, 1651, and in 1645 he was the largest
taxpayer. His wife Joanna joined the
Charlestown church in 1639. He died
intestate, March 23, 1658. The will of his
widow, Joanna, was dated June 20, 1666,
and proved in 1677. Children, the first
two born in Charlestown, the others in
Woburn : Mary, baptized February 25,
! 637-38; John, baptized November 12,
1639; Hannah, March 8, 1641-42, died
young; Joseph, July 27, 1643; Samuel,
May 22, 1646; Stephen, mentioned be-
low; Thomas, December 31, 1651; Eliza-
beth.
(II) Stephen Richardson, son of Sam-
uel Richardson, was born in Woburn, Au-
gust 15, 1649. He resided in Woburn,
owning land also in what is now Billerica.
He was admitted a freeman in 1690. He
died March 22, 1717-18, and his will was
dated August 15, 1713, proved April 22,
1718. His widow Abigail died September
17, 1720. He married, January 2, 1674-75,
in Billerica, Abigail \Vyman, born 1659,
daughter of Francis and Abigail (Read)
Wyman, of Woburn. Her father, and his
brother, Lieutenant John Wyman, were
among the first settlers of \Voburn, tan-
ners by trade and leading citizens for
many years. Francis Wyman was select-
man of Woburn in 1674-75; he died No-
vember 30. 1699, aged eighty-two years.
Children of Stephen Richardson : Ste-
phen, born February 20, 1675-76; Fran-
cis, January 19, 1677-78; William, De-
cember 14, 1678; Francis, January 15,
1 680-8 1 ; Timothy, December 6, 1682;
Abigail, November 14, 1683; Prudence,
January 17, 1685-86; Timothy, January
24, 1687-88; Seth, mentioned below; Dan-
iel, October 16, 1691 ; Mary, May 3, 1696;
Rebecca, June 10, 1698; Solomon, March
27, 1702.
(III) Seth Richardson, son of Stephen
Richardson, was born in Woburn, Janu-
ary 16, 1689-90. He was taxed in Med-
ford in 1711, but in the same year had
settled in Attleborough, Massachusetts,
with his brother Francis and others of his
kind. He married Mary Brown. Chil-
dren, all born at Attleborough except the
eldest : Stephen, born at Woburn, died
December 29, 1714: Seth, born March 13,
1711; Mary, October 6, 1715; Abigail,
March 24, 1717-18; Sarah, September 10,
1720; Seth, mentioned below; Phebe, Oc-
tober 17, 1725.
(IV) Seth (2) Richardson, son of Seth
(i) Richardson, was born at Attlebor-
ough, May 26, 1723. He lived in his
native town. He married Sarah French.
Children: George, married Mary Fuller;
Lydia, married Emerson Briggs ; Roxana.
married Joseph Parmenter ; Sarah, mar-
ried Thomas Braman; Silas, mentioned
below ; Nancy, Phebe, French, Rhoda,
Ira, Seth, born August 27, 1778.
(V) Silas Richardson, son of Seth (2)
Richardson, was born at Attleborough in
1762, died at Hardwick, Massachusetts,
February i, 1829, aged sixty-seven years.
He came to Hardwick with friends and
relatives after the Revolution and settled
in the northwest part of the town near
the farm of David Richards, who also
came from Attleborough. He married,
November 26, 1789, Abigail Thayer, born
at Mansfield, Massachusetts, August 9,
1767, daughter of John and Rachel (Skin-
ner) Thayer, granddaughter of John and
L-ydia (Wales) Thayer, great-grand-
daughter of John and Mary (Barr)
124
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Thayer, great-great-granddaughter of
Thomas Thayer by his wife Hannah.
This Thomas Thayer was son of the
American immigrant, Thomas Thayer,
who was born at Thornbury, England,
and settled at Braintree, Massachusetts ;
married at Thornbury, April 13, 1618,
Margerie Wheeler; died June 2, 1665.
Children of Silas Richardson : Fanny,
born May 19, 1791 ; Nabby, December 22,
1792; Seth, mentioned below; Eunice,
January 10, 1801 ; Sarah F., June 20, 1802,
or 1805; Silas Peck, January 2, 1807;
Anna F., December 13, 1813.
(VI) Seth (3) Richardson, son of Silas
Richardson, was born at Hardwick, April
17, 1799- died there June 14 or 16, 1881.
He was a farmer in his native town. He
married (intentions dated April 3, 1820)
Alice Johnson. She died February 16,
1861, aged sixty years. Children, born at
Hardwick: William, born 1820, drowned
September 28, 1852, married Louisa
Lamb ; Mary J., born 1822, died at Green-
wich, May ii, 1878, married John King;
Civilla Y., born 1826, died September 2,
1849; Alonzo Frederick, mentioned be-
low; Asa F., born 1832; Rhoda, born No-
vember, 1834, died August 14, 1835; Eliz-
abeth, married (first) Joseph Stevens,
(second) Philip Johnson; Esther, mar-
ried Stephen King; Mary, married Na-
than Stone, of Dana ; Silas, died in Libby
Prison in the Civil War.
(VII) Alonzo Frederick Richardson,
son of Seth (3) Richardson, was born in
Hardwick, 1828, and died there. He was
a farmer in his native town. He married
there, Martha Marsh, daughter of Mar-
cus Jefferson Marsh. Children: i. Wil-
liam Dexter, born July 21, 1863; married
Amelia Barry; children: Ella M., born
June 24, 1885, and Oscar S., July 5, 1891 ;
resides at Ware. 2. Mary C, born No-
vember 19, 1866; resides at Hardwick;
married George D.Warner ; child : George
D., Jr. 3. Albert Frederick, mentioned
below.
(VIII) Albert Frederick Richardson,
son of Alonzo Frederick Richardson, was
born at Hardwick, March 26, 1868. He
received his education in the public
schools of his native town. In his youth
he led the typical life of hard work and
simple living on his father's farm. In his
eighteenth year he was apprenticed to a
carpenter, learned his trade and followed
it for seven years. Through the friend-
ship of Frederick W. Blackmer, then one
of the leading attorneys of Worcester,
himself a native of Hardwick, Mr. Rich-
ardson was given the job of building his
house in Worcester, and afterward he
found employment more congenial than
carpentering in the law office of Blackmer
& Vaughan, of Worcester, and he ac-
quired considerable knowledge of law
while acting in the collection department
of this law firm. In 1894 he was ap-
pointed constable of Worcester by Mayor
Henry A. Marsh and opened an office in
the State Mutual Building. He rapidly
won the confidence and goodwill of
Worcester lawyers with whom much of
his business was transacted, and, when
there was a vacancy on his staff in 1905,
Sheriff Robert H. Chamberlain appointed
him a deputy. "His entrance on prison
work," says a recent publication, "came
about in 1910-11, when the Worcester jail
was made the subject of a special legisla-
tive investigation. * * The jailor was
ousted and Sheriff Benjamin D. Dwinnell
selected Mr. Richardson, who had been a
deputy sheriff for eight years under the
late Robert H. Chamberlain, to fill his
place. He was at that time doing a fine
business as a deputy sheriff and as a con-
stable for civil business and was not keen
for the change, but when he was assured
that if he made good in the Worcester
jail, the job would be a stepping stone
125
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
for him and he would be the man in line
to follow Mr. Dwinnell as sheriff he ac-
cepted. He accepted this position with
the understanding that he should have
free rein and the privilege of acting upon
his own judgment in the conduct of his
office, and the success of his work has
amply demonstrated the value of his ideas
in this direction. He lopped off a few
official heads of jailors and assistants,
gave the jail a thorough inspection, put
it in sanitary condition, changed the feed-
ing plan, made the men employed under
him understand that the prisoners were
human beings and must be treated prop-
erly. He then began to study the prison-
ers and their needs. Tobacco had been
prohibited in the jail, but he knew that it
was smuggled in to favorites that had
money, so he let the bars down and se-
cured a supply of tobacco and clay pipes
and permitted every prisoner to enjoy a
smoke while in the cells after dinner and
after supper. This practice has been con-
tinued and has never been abused. He
put the large chapel in use evenings,
where in the past it was only used for
Sunday morning services. He had the
prisoners together there and talked to
them a few times, then had some of the
professional men of the city give talks.
Then he organized the "Shut-in" Club,
composed of the prisoners. Those among
them who were musical were permitted
to use instruments furnished by the
sheriff ; those who could sing were allowed
to do so ; those that could dance did so,
and the rest enjoyed it. From vaudeville
he advanced to light comedy and drama
and occasionally had some professional
entertainers appear. On holidays he per-
mitted the prisoners to have boxing and
wrestling bouts and furnished them with
special dinners and Christmas gifts from
funds he collected for the purpose from
citizens who gladly gave to help him to
make life worth while to those under his
care.
"During the summer, on clear Sundays,
he has had the Sunday services in the
jail yard under the blue sky and in the
sunshine and every prisoner who has a
good record for conduct for the week is
given Saturday afternoon and holiday
outings in the yard, weather permitting.
Shower baths were installed, every cell
is lighted by an electric light. He has
collected an excellent library of good
books which are given out to the men
after supper. He has established a school
for illiterates and insists on their having
one hour a day in the school, with the
result that many have left the jail able to
read and write at the end of a term.
"The feeding of meal mush and mo-
lasses twice a day has been abolished and
wholesome vegetables cultivated by the
prisoners on the four acres about the jail
and on the ten acres under cultivation in
the Mt. Wachusett reservation are given
instead with a plentiful supply of good
bread, beans, cooked with pork, and a
hearty meat or fish dinner every day, with
turkey and all the trimmings on Thanks-
giving and Christmas. He was instru-
mental in the passing of a bill giving to
prisoners the privilege to work outside on
town highways. Also, in 1916, he intro-
duced and had passed a bill for the dis-
charge of prisoners for the non-payment
of fines or allowing a prisoner who had
been fined a specified amount, and sent to
jail in default of payment, fifty cents per
day each day of confinement, with the
option at any time of paying the amount
not yet worked out, thereby giving him
his liberty.
"Medical inspection has been increased
and if a prisoner is in bad health he is
given attention and hospital treatment.
If the health of a prisoner is poor and
symptoms of tuberculosis are seen he is
126
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
given outside work to do or transferred
to the Wachusett prison camp, where he
has the benefit of living in the open air
while serving his term. During the three
years that the Princeton camp has been
established with an average of forty-two
men maintained there for six months of
the year, they have constructed eight
miles of fine macadam road in the State
reservation which is cared for by the
county. The prisoners have also hewn
out short-cut paths for pedestrians on all
sides of the mountain and have cut away
much of the underbrush besides tilling,
planting and harvesting the crops from
the ten-acre farm. * * He accom-
plished much in the way of prison re-
forms before Mr. Osborne, of Sing Sing
Prison in New York, had started. He has
made the Worcester jail the model for such
institutions and as high sheriff will have
the opportunity to extend his efforts for
the permanent good of the unfortunates."
While keeper of the jail and master of
the House of Correction, Mr. Richardson
continued in office, as is customary, as
one of the deputy sheriffs of the county.
From time to time he has been invited to
make addresses on the subject of prison
reform and his work at the jail, and he
has taken advantage of these opportun-
ities to present his ideas and secure the
support of public sentiment. He believes
that the prisoners may wisely be em-
ployed in the reforestation of waste lands.
not only for the timber that may be
grown, but to conserve the water supply
of the country. He has the support of
organizations that are interested in up-
lifting and saving human beings and of
the men and women who have been pris-
oners. Not only for a humanitarian, but
from a financial standpoint that appeals
to every taxpayer Mr. Richardson's ad-
ministration has made a wonderful show-
ing. At the end of the year, September
30, 1914, the prison camp showed a profit
of $2,700, allowing interest on the invest-
ment in a building, etc., on the mountain.
The cost per prisoner has been reduced
by good management until it is but half
the cost at many other penal institutions
and less than any other in the State.
From a total of $500 earned by the pris-
oners before his time, in the year ending
September 30, 1914, the aggregate was
$10,742, showing that the prisoners and
their families derive some benefit from
industry and outdoor work, as well as the
taxpayers. In an editorial the "Worces-
ter Gazette" said recently: "The effi-
ciency of prison labor on the highways of
the county is testified to by both Commis-
sioner Cook and other authorities who
have come in close contact with the work
done and they go on record to this effect
in the report filed with the State High-
way Commission. Whereas prisoners
working in the jail earn the county only
ten or twenty cents a day, Commissioner
Cook estimates that they earn the county
at least a dollar a day when put at the
work of road building."
Keeper Richardson of the Worcester
House of Correction also makes a favor-
able report with respect to the effect
which such work has on the men who
are engaged in it : "The out-of-door labor
keeps the men in better health, in a more
contented state of mind and reduces the
cost of their keep to the county. In the
presence of this testimony the plan of
the county commissioners to make prison
labor still more extensive in road build-
ing appears a wise one."
A record like this is not probably to be
found in connection with any other deputy
sheriff or keeper of a jail perhaps in the
United States and thus it is that we find
at the Republican primaries in 1915, he
was unanimously nominated and the
Democratic party declined to place in the
127
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
field an opposing candidate, thereby mak-
ing him the unanimous choice of both
parties. He received a flattering vote at
the election in November, when he was
elected for a term of five years. In this
office he has since served with satisfac-
tion to the people of Worcester county,
who are justly proud of the man at the
head of their penal institution.
Sheriff Richardson is a prominent Free
Mason, having taken the thirty-second
degree in the Scottish Rite, in addition
to all the York Rite degrees. He is a
member of Monticute Lodge, Free and
Accepted Masons ; of Eureka Chapter,
Royal Arch Masons ; of Hiram Council,
Royal and Select Masters ; Worcester
County Commandery, Knights Templar ;
Worcester Lodge of Perfection ; God-
dard Council, Princes of Jerusalem ; Law-
rence Chapter of Rose Croix ; Aleppo
Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and
the Massachusetts Consistory ; Aletheia
Grotto of Worcester ; and of Cherokee
Tribe, Improved Order of Red Men. He
was formerly a member and sergeant of
Company A, Sixth Regiment, of which he
was a member three years, and is now a
member of the Worcester Continentals,
in which he holds the rank of sergeant.
He married, October 22, 1902, Grace
Maude Edith Allison, who was born in
Worcester, September 17, 1869, daughter
of George and Hannah (Hussey) Allison.
Her father was a native of England ; her
mother came of old Colonial stock. Chil-
dren, born in Worcester: Madeline Lu-
cile, born October 20, 1904 ; Albert Fred-
erick, November 14, 1910.
COUCH, Franklin M., M. D.,
Physician.
Dr. Franklin M. Couch, of Dalton, died
January u, 1915, in Dalton. He was
born in Lee, May 16, 1858, a son of Brad-
ford and Lucy Couch. His early life was
spent in his native town and in North-
ampton. He attended and graduated
from Amherst College and was later
graduated from the Hahnemann Medical
College in New York City in the class of
1880. He came to Dalton the following
year and at once began practice, having
offices in the Centre Block, and here he
continued in successful practice up to
1898, when he retired.
During the time Dr. Couch was in prac-
tice in Dalton he rose to a high place in
the rank of the medical profession, and
his keen discernment and careful diag-
nosis of the cases that came under his ob-
servation, coupled with his natural abil-
ity, easily placed him in the front ranks
of his profession. This together with his
genial disposition and solicitude for the
welfare of those who were fortunate
enough to employ him,, his unbounded
sympathy, and his knowledge of human
ills and the many propensities of the
human family, made him very popular
and drew about him a wide circle of
friends. And it was a source of deep re-
gret to a large number of those to whom
he had successfully ministered for many
years when he decided to retire. His vast
numbers of friends, made while in this
profession, still retained with pride the
attachment they had for him while he
lived, and his death came not only as a
sad loss to his immediate family, but to
all who knew him, for in him they had
found a true friend and his many acts of
kindness will ever be remembered. Dr.
Couch was a member of the Park Club in
Pittsfield, the Pittsfield Country Club and
the Dalton Club. In politics he was a
Republican, and had served on the Repub-
lican town committee and had also acted
as a delegate to a number of conventions.
Dr. Couch married, June 3, 1891, Jean-
nie Laflin Crane, daughter of the late
128
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
James Brewer Crane, a pioneer paper
manufacturer of Dalton (see Crane fam-
ily). Dr. and Mrs. Couch were the par-
ents of one son, Franklin Lindley Couch,
who is now in Yale University, class of
1917. Dr. Couch had four brothers: Dr.
L. B. Couch, of New York; Elbert Couch,
of Hartford, Connecticut ; Leroy Couch,
of St. Louis, Missouri ; and Mark Couch,
of North Adams, Massachusetts, an at-
torney.
MACKINTIRE, George Winthrop,
Insurance and Banking Official.
This family was located in Salem and
Reading, Massachusetts, and in the rec-
ords of those towns the name appears
with a great multitude of spellings. The
forms most generally used by descend-
ants to-day are that at the head of this
article and Mclntyre. The descendants
are now found in nearly every State in
the Union, and are distinguished for those
New England qualities of energy and
enterprise which make for success in life.
(I) Philip Mackintire settled in Read-
ing, Massachusetts, about 1651, upon a
farm in the north precinct. Tradition
states that he was a son of Ebenezer
Mackintire, of Argyle, in the Highlands
of Scotland, and was one of many pris-
oners sent to this country, captured in
the battles of Dunbarton, September 3,
1650, and Worcester, 1651. He married,
September 6, 1666, in Reading, Mary,
whose surname is not preserved, and the
following children are recorded in Read-
ing: Philip, born March 15, 1667;
Thomas, October 15, 1668, died the same
month ; Hannah, September 20, 1669 ;
Mary, July 3, 1672 ; John, March 20, 1679;
David, June 12, 1688. There is reason to
believe that all his children are not re-
corded, and that he was father of the fol-
lowing.
(II) Jonathan Mackintire, born about
Mass 5 9 1 29
1683, lived in Reading, and married, De-
cember 6, 1705, in Ipswich, Massachu-
setts, Martha Graves, a widow.
(III) Jonathan (2) Mackintire, son of
Jonathan (i) and Martha (Graves) Mack-
intire, was born in Reading, and died
there August 18, 1810.
(IV) Jonathan (3) Mackintire, son of
Jonathan (2) Mackintire, born about
1730-35, resided in Reading, and married
(intentions entered October 17, 1757, in
Andover) Abigail Foster. His children,
recorded in Reading, were : Deborah and
Hitty, baptized February 14, 1762; Jo-
seph, mentioned below ; Ada, born 1766.
(V) Joseph Mackintire, son of Jona-
than (3) and Abigail (Foster) Mackin-
tire, was born in 1763, in Reading, and
settled in Burlington, Massachusetts. He
married Sarah Whittredge, undoubtedly
of the Reading family of that name, birth
not recorded there. Children: Daniel,
born 1790, died 1852; George, 1792, died
1851; Sarah, 1793, died same year; Jo-
seph, 1794, died 1821 ; Eliab Parker, men-
tioned below; Charles, 1799; Jesse, 1801,
died same year.
(VI) Eliab Parker Mackintire, fourth
son of Joseph and Sarah (Whittredge)
Mackintire, was born August 31, 1797, in
Burlington, and lived in Charlestown,
Massachusetts, where he died February
3, 1864. He was a deacon of the Win-
throp Church of Charlestown, and found-
ed the Boston commission firm of Mack-
intire, Lawrie & Company, dealers in
linens and damasks, with connections in
Dundee, Scotland. He adopted the pres-
ent spelling of the name, and secured a
legislative act to establish its permanency.
He married, February 20, 1822, Mary
Tufts, born May 4, 1797, died December
20, 1860. They were the parents of two
children : Mary Ann, born December 25,
1824, died 1893, and George Eliab, men-
tioned below.
(VII) George Eliab Mackintire, son of
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Eliab Parker Mackintire, was born De-
cember 2, 1833, resided at Charlestown,
Newton and Cambridge, but always
actively identified with Boston business
interests and at the time of his death asso-
ciated with a State street banking house
in the management of trust estates. He
married, December 3, 1854, Arabella W.
Barker, born November 15, 1833. Chil-
dren: George Winthrop, mentioned be-
low; Margarett Lawrie, born March 13,
1857, at Charlestown, married, February
4, 1886, John G. Taylor; Arabella Barker,
born November 26, 1858, at Charlestown.
(VIII) George Winthrop Mackintire,
only son of George Eliab and Arabella
W. (Barker) Mackintire, was born De-
cember 15, 1855, in Charlestown. As a
youth he attended the public schools of
Newton, and after leaving the high
school of that city he entered the class of
1875 at the Worcester Polytechnic Insti-
tute, but ill health prevented his comple-
tion of the course. In 1874 he went to
India, and for a period of eleven years
was connected with a banking and ship-
ping house, with branches in Calcutta,
Madras, and Batavia, in all of which cities
he lived at different times. Upon his re-
turn to America he became assistant
cashier of the Worcester National Bank,
from which he was called to the position
of treasurer of the State Mutual Life As-
surance Company of Worcester. This
position he has continued to fill, and is a
director and a member of the board of
investment of the company, and a trus-
tee of the Five Cents Savings Bank of
Worcester. Mr. Mackintire is a member
of the Commonwealth Club and the Tat-
nuck Country Club. He is a steadfast
Republican in political principle, but has
never cared for the emoluments or honors
of public office, excepting only his service
to the city as one of the commissioners
of sinking funds. He married, October
29, 1884, Mary Louise Miles, born August
20, 1858, in Worcester, daughter of
Charles Moore and Mary Elizabeth
(Holden) Miles, formerly of Rutland,
Massachusetts (see Miles VII and Holden
VII). Mr. and Mrs. Mackintire are the
parents of a daughter, Persis Louise, born
June 18, 1886, in Worcester.
(The Miles Line).
(I) John Miles was born in England
about 1617, came to New England about
1635, and was admitted a freeman at Bos-
ton, December 14, 1638. He was among
the first settlers and largest land owners
of Concord, Massachusetts, where he had
acquired four hundred and fifty-nine acres
or more, as early as March 14, 1639, a
blacksmith by trade and a farmer by occu-
pation. His residence was about three-
fourths of a mile from the Concord meet-
ing house on the road to Groton. His
first wife, Sarah, died July 18, 1678, and
late in life he married Susanna Rediat,
widow of John Rediat, of Marlboro. He
died August 26, 1693, and his widow mar-
ried (third) November 10, 1698, Wil-
liam Wilson, of Billerica, Massachusetts.
There was one child of the first marriage:
Mary, born February n, 1640, left no
issue. Children of second marriage : John,
mentioned below ; Deacon Samuel, born
February 19, 1682, married Sarah Foster,
of Littleton, Massachusetts ; Sarah, born
May 25, 1686, married Edward Putnam,
of Salem.
(II) John (2) Miles, son of John (i)
and Susanna (Rediat) Miles, was born
May 20, 1680, and lived on the paternal
homestead in Concord, where he died Au-
gust 23, 1725, in his forty-sixth year. He
was a wealthy man for his day, and left a
large estate, valued in the inventory at
over seventeen hundred pounds. He mar-
ried, April 16, 1702, Mary Prescott, born
August 4, 1685, daughter of Jonathan
130
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Prescott, and his second wife, Elizabeth
(Hoar) Prescott, and granddaughter of
John Prescott, a pioneer of Lancaster,
Massachusetts, of a family which has fur-
nished many distinguished citizens in
both the civil and military life of this
country. She married (second) John
Dodd, and died in 1777. Children: John,
born December 24, 1704, died February
4, 1781, married Elizabeth Brooks; Jon-
athan, February 13, 1706, graduate of
Harvard College in 1727, minister, mar-
ried Mrs. Catherine Barren ; Mary, Octo-
ber 18, 1709, married Thomas Jones; Eliz-
abeth, November 16, 1714, died January
2, 1716; James, August i, 1719, married
Hannah Ball ; Benjamin, mentioned be-
low.
(III) Captain Benjamin Miles, young-
est child of John (2) and Mary (Prescott)
Miles, was born November 26, 1/24, in
Concord, and was among the first settlers
of Rutland, Massachusetts, where he died
January 8, 1776. He settled on a farm on
Joyner's Hill, and was a leading figure in
the early history of the town, holding
various civil offices, and was captain of
the militia during the Indian wars. He
married, May 16, 1751, Mary Hubbard,
born October 19, 1729, in Concord, daugh-
ter of Ebenezer and Mary Hubbard. Chil-
dren, recorded in Rutland : Mary, born
May 29, 1752; Benjamin, March n, 1754;
Elizabeth, February 26, 1756; Ebenezer,
mentioned below; Sarah, August 10,
1760; Barzilla, May 24, 1763; John, Au-
gust 14, 1765, died June 29, 1766; John,
July 8, 1767; Hannah, baptized March 25,
1770.
(IV) Ebenezer Miles, second son of
Captain Benjamin and Mary (Hubbard)
Miles, was born May 20, 1/58, in Rut-
land, and made his home in that town.
He married, November 10, 1785, Molly
Hudson, of Oakham, Massachusetts, born
January 9, 1764, daughter of Joseph and
Hephzibah Hudson. Children: Hephzi-
bah Hudson, born May 24, 1787, died
September 27, 1825, unmarried ; Willard
M., mentioned below; Joseph, November
21, 1790; Sally Hosmer, April 10, 1793;
Ebenezer Hubbard, December 29, 1795,
lived in Rutland, and died there April 8,
1827; Charles, baptized April 22, 1798,
died July 21, 1798; Polly, born July 29,
1799, died March 10, 1809 ; Adelaide, bap-
tized July 27, 1803; Adin H., born and
died February 10, 1809.
(V) Willard M. Miles, eldest son of
Ebenezer and Molly (Hudson) Miles, was
born February 20, 1788, in Rutland, where
he lived and married, November 28, 1816,
Alice Browning, born there January 15,
1/91, daughter of St. James and Elizabeth
(Estabrook) Browning. Children: Mary
Elizabeth, baptized September 3, 1819;
Charles Moore, mentioned below ; James
Browning, born November 3, 1822; Ed-
ward Willard, baptized November 12,
1826; Alice Juliet, December 2, 1830;
Daniel Augustus, September 27, 1835.
(VI) Charles Moore Miles, eldest son
of Willard M. and Alice (Browning) Miles,
was baptized November 5, 1820, in Rut-
land, and married there, June 12, 1855,
Mary Elizabeth Holden, born November
6, 1832, in Rutland, died December 31,
1907, daughter of Joel (2) and Persis
Louisa (Estabrook) Holden, of that town
(see Holden VII).
(VII) Mary Louise Miles, daughter of
Charles Moore and Mary Elizabeth
(Holden) Miles, was born August 20,
1858, in Worcester, and became the wife
of George W. Mackintire, of that city
(see Mackintire VIII).
(The Holden Line).
The surname Holden, Holdin, Holding
or Houlding, is an ancient and distin-
guished patronymic in England. The der-
ivation was doubtless from a place name.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Various branches of the family bear titles
and coats-of-arms.
(I) Richard Holden was born in Eng-
land in 1609, and came to this country
in the ship "Francis," sailing from Ips-
wich, England, April 30, 1634, and set-
tling first at Ipswich, Massachusetts,
where he was for a time a land owner.
His brother, Justinian, born in 1611, came
over a year later, and settled in Water-
town, whither Richard removed soon
afterward. A manuscript family record,
written about 1800, states that the immi-
grants had brothers, Adam and William,
and an uncle, James Holden, "one of the
Lords of England," who secured their re-
lease by the sheriff who had arrested
them for attending a "dissenting meet-
ing," on condition that they would do so
no more "in that country.'' Richard
Holden resided in Cambridge, adjoining
Watertown, for a time, and Justinian also
settled there. Richard Holden sold his
place at Watertown in 1655 to J. Sher-
man, and was a proprietor of the adjacent
town of Woburn as early as 1658. He
was admitted a freeman, May 6, 1657. In
the same year he removed to Groton,
where he had nine hundred and seventy-
five acres of land in the northeasterly part
of the town, now in Shirley, part of which
was later occupied by Porter Kittredge.
His land extended on the west bank of
the Nashua river from a point near Beaver
pond to the northward. He spent his last
years with his son Stephen, to whom he
gave his real estate, March 23, 1691, call-
ing himself at that time "aged, infirm and
a widower." He died at Groton, March
i, 1696. He married, in 1640, Martha,
who died at Watertown, December 6,
1681, daughter of Stephen Fosdick, of
Charlestown. The latter bequeathed to
Richard Holden a forty-acre lot of land
in W r oburn. Children : Justinian, born
1644, resided in Billerica; Martha, Janu-
ary 15, 1645-46, married Thomas Boyden ;
Stephen, July 19, 1648, killed by a fall
from a tree at Groton in 1658; Samuel,
settled in Groton and Stoneham ; Mar
married Thomas Williams ; Sarah, mar-
ried, December 20, 1677, Gershom, Swan;
Elizabeth; Thomas; John, died young;
Stephen, mentioned below.
(II) Stephen Holden, youngest child
of Richard and Martha (Fosdick) Holden,
was born about 1658, in Watertown, and
went to Groton with his father. During
the interruption caused in the colony by
King Philip's war, he went to Charles-
town or Woburn, and several of his chil-
dren settled in Charlestown. He returned
to Groton and died there November 18,
1715. He married Hannah, daughter of
Ensign Nathaniel Lawrence, who was
deacon and deputy to the General Court
in 1693. Stephen Holden's estate was
divided among his heirs, March 19, 1719,
and the widow's estate was divided
among the same heirs, January 30, 1737.
Children : John, had children born in
Charlestown ; Stephen, married Sarah
Cresy ; Nathaniel ; William ; Simon, who
was a blacksmith ; Jonathan ; Benjamin,
mentioned below ; Rachel ; Hannah ;
Sarah ; Nehemiah.
(III) Benjamin Holden, seventh son of
Stephen and Hannah (Lawrence) Hol-
den, was born about 1690, in Groton, and
lived at Needham at the time of his mar-
riage, and afterwards in Dedham,. He
married, May 8, 1728, Hannah, daughter
of Thomas and Rebecca (Mason) Ock-
ington. He joined the First Church,
April 13, 1729, and his wife, April 2, 1738.
She married (second) June 5, 1746, Sam-
uel Bullard, of Dedham, and died in
Princeton, January 4, 1776, from the
effects of a fall, aged eighty years. Chil-
dren, born in Dedham: Benjamin, men-
tioned below; John, December 31, 1731,
died February 19, 1732; Mindwell, Feb-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
ruary 16, 1732-33, married, September 12,
1751, Samuel Farrington ; Sarah, July 13,
1735; Jerusha. baptized April 2, 1738.
(IV) Colonel Benjamin (2) Holden,
eldest child of Benjamin (i) and Han-
nah (Ockington) Holden, was born
March 10, 1729, in Dedham, baptized in
the Dedham Church, April 13, same year.
He was prominent in the town of Prince-
ton, where he settled and served as ser-
geant and lieutenant in the French and
Indian war. He was a member of the
Provincial Congress, was in the Revolu-
tion, and commissioned lieutenant-colonel
in Colonel Ephraim Dolittle's regiment,
May 19, 1775, his commission signed by
General Joseph Warren. He commanded
his regiment at the battle of Bunker Hill,
and was lieutenant-colonel of the Twenty-
seventh Foot Company under Colonel
Israel Hutchinson, his commission signed
by General Hancock, January i, 1776. He
commanded the detachment furnished
from Fort Lee by General Washington's
orders, November 14, 1776, to reinforce
Fort Washington, was wounded and
taken prisoner at that battle, and held
from November, 1776, to May, 1778. He
was a member of the Church of England.
He died at Princeton, November 24, 1820,
aged ninety-two. He married Catherine
Richards, who died July 28, 1817, aged
eighty-four years, daughter of Dr. and
Mary (Belcher) Richards. Children, born
in Princeton: Lucy, November 29, 1762,
married, December n, 1808, Captain Ad-
dison Richardson, of Salem ; Joseph, Sep-
tember 28, 1764; Catherine, April 23. 1767,
married, January 30, 1797, Ephraim Mi-
rick (2) ; Benjamin, November 19, 1769,
married, December 2, 1793, Hannah Gill;
Joel, mentioned below; John Hancock,
February 23, 1775, died March 15, 1778.
(V) Joel Holden, third son of Colonel
Benjamin (2) and Catherine (Richards)
Holden, was born in Princeton, Novem-
ber 30, 1772, died March 17, 1856, at Rut-
land. He married, February 8, 1801, Fi-
delia (Mirick) Holden, born May 25, 1770,
daughter of Caleb and Eunice Mirick, and
widow of Joseph Holden, who died Sep-
tember 23, 1798. She had three children
by her first husband. Children of Joel
and Fidelia Holden : Eliza, baptized July
14, 1802, married, December 20, 1824,
Rufus Gleason ; Joel, mentioned below ;
Lucy Richardson, baptized October 28,
iSio, died September 25, 1814 ; Lucy Rich-
ardson, October 6, 1817.
(VI) Joel (2) Holden, eldest son of
Joel (i) and Fidelia (Mirick-Holden)
Holden, was born August 21, baptized Oc-
tober 20, 1804, and died in Dayton, Ohio,
August 26, 1899. He was selectman and
captain of militia in Rutland, left Rut-
land, May 4, 1841, and located in Salem,
Montgomery county, Ohio, whence he re-
moved, August 10, 1843, to Dayton, Ohio,
where he died. He married, December
10, 1829, Persis Louisa Estabrook, born
in Rutland, May 4, 1810, died in Dayton,
May 30, 1845. Children: Eleanor Dana,
born September 15, 1830, married Samuel
N. Brown ; Mary Elizabeth, mentioned
below ; Harriet Augusta, January 24, 1835,
married David A. Houk ; Susan Maria,
March 26, 1838 ; George Warren, Septem-
ber 14, 1840.
(VII) Mary Elizabeth Holden, second
daughter of Joel (2) and Persis Louisa
(Estabrook) Holden, was born Novem-
ber 6, 1832, and became the wife of
Charles Moore Miles, of Rutland (see
Miles VI).
IVES, Dwight H.,
Man of Affairs.
Among the few families of Holyoke
who trace their ancestry back to early
Colonial times should be mentioned the
Ives family, represented by Dwight H.
133
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Ives, who has been connected with that
city in some business capacity for over
half a century. The name runs back to
the days of the Normans and to the
North of France where it is spelled
"Yves'" and where a number of families
are still to be found. The English
branches of the family trace their descent
from Guilbert Yves, who crossed the
channel from Normandy among the fol-
lowers of the Conqueror.
The first of the name to reach these
shores, so far as known, was Captain
William Ives, who came to Boston in
1635, aged twenty-eight, in the "True-
love"' from London. In 1638 he was in
New Haven, and on June 4, 1639, was one
of the subscribers to the Fundamental
Agreement, Quinnipiack, which place a
few years later became known as the
Colony of New Haven. He died early
in 1648. His two sons, John and Joseph,
pushed on northward into the wilderness
in 1670 and were among the first signers
of the Wallingford Plantation. The chil-
dren of William Ives : Phebe ; John, mar-
ried Sarah Ball ; Joseph, of whom fur-
ther; and Hannah, who became the wife
of Samuel Cook, of Wallingford. The
widow of William Ives was married
again, not long after his death, to Wil-
liam Bassett.
(II) Joseph Ives, second son of Cap-
tain William Ives, married, January 2,
1672-73 (old style), Mary Yale, born
April 1 6, 1650, daughter of Thomas Yale,
a merchant in New Haven, and Mary
(Turner) Yale, daughter of Captain Na-
thaniel Turner, who was lost in the
"Phantom Ship" which sailed from the
port of New Haven early in January,
1647, ar >d never returned. For a descrip-
tion of the "Phantom Ship" read the Rev.
John Davenport's letter to Rev. Cotton
Mather in "Mather's Magnalia." Mary
Yale was a first cousin of Governor Elihu
Yale who gave to Yale College its name,
in consequence of munificent donations
presented by him, he being at the time a
resident of London and ex-governor of
Madras of the East Indies. It was long
supposed that Elihu and Alary Yale were
brother and sister and President Stiles
so gives it, but recent careful researches
by Professor Dexter, of Yale, have proven
that the fathers of Elihu and Mary were
brothers. Joseph Ives died November 17,
1694.
(Ill) Ensign and Deacon Samuel Ives.
son of Joseph and Mary (Yale) Ives,
was born in New Haven, November 6,
1667, and died there, November 24, 1726.
He was one of the first "two deacons"
chosen in the First Society Church of
New Haven. In Rev. Trumbull's Cen-
tury Sermon it is shown that in 1718
Deacon Samuel Ives was commissioned
"ensign" and at the same time his brother
Joseph received the appointment of cap-
tain. He married, January 3, 1706, Ruth
Atwater, born December 31, 1688, daugh-
ter of Johnathan and Ruth (Peck)
Atwater. Johnathan Atwater was a son
of David Atwater, one of the original
signers of the Plantation Covenant of
Quinnipiack. Ruth Peck was a daughter
of the Rev. Jeremiah Peck, son of Deacon
William Peck, who was also an original
subscriber to the Plantation Covenant of
New Haven. William Peck, one of the
founders of the New Haven Colony, came
with his wife, Elizabeth, and his son,
Jeremiah, from England, probably in the
company of Governor Eaton, Rev. John
Davenport and others in the ship, "Hec-
tor," which arrived at Boston, June 26,
1637. Rev. Jeremiah Peck, son of Wil-
liam Peck, was born in the city of Lon-
don, England, or its vicinity, in 1623. He
came to America with his father in 1637.
He is said by Cotton Mather to have been
bred at Harvard College. In 1659 he was
134
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
appointed by the General Court of the
Colony of New Haven to take charge of
the Collegiate School (later the Hopkins
Grammar School) and "there teach the
languages and the sciences." There he
remained until 1661, having removed
from Guilford where he had been teach-
ing school, and where he also married
Johannah Kitchell, daughter of Robert
Kitchell, of Guilford. In 1668 Mr. Peck
received a call from the Presbyterian
church in Elizabethtown, New Jersey.
He accepted and was the first permanent
minister of that church. He remained
until 1678 and then returned to New
England. Elizabethtown is now Eliza-
beth. The old church was destroyed by
fire, it is believed, and a second structure
was erected upon its site, which in the
Revolution was used as a stone house
and was burned by the British. A new
house of worship, very large and impos-
ing, was erected upon the site of the old
church, which is still standing, an admir-
able relic of Revolutionary days and
architecture. It is of brick and has a
pointed spire ; the grounds embrace a
church yard for burial ; there is a spaci-
ous session room which stands upon one
corner and occupies the site of the origi-
nal school, which has grown into Prince-
ton College, whither it was removed.
The Rev. Jeremiah Peck was one of the
founders of Elizabeth and an original
signer of its Fundamental Covenant. He
owned two hundred and twenty acres of
land. His residence or house lot. con-
taining five acres, was situated in what is
now the block adjoining the church on
the north ; it was located at the corner
of Broad and West Jersey streets, and in
1678, when he left Elizabeth, he sold his
home lot. He died at Waterbury, Con-
necticut, June 7, 1699, aged seventy-eight
years. He was eminent in his profession,
and prominent in all affairs for the pro-
motion of good in the Colony. His widow
also died in Waterbury, in 1711.
(IV) Captain Jonathan Ives, fourth
son of Ensign and Deacon Samuel and
Ruth (Atwater) Ives, was born March
14, 1716-17. He was a great musician,
and he possessed a voice of so much com-
pass that it could be heard a half mile
distant. He was a farmer and inn keeper.
He removed from New Haven to Ham-
den, in 1735, then also a part of the New
Haven Colony, where he settled on the
banks of the Mill river being one of its
pioneer settlers. This was near the
present village of Ivesville ; at that time
there were no roads in the territory and
his nearest neighbor was one mile, dis-
tant. In that town he was a large land-
holder, and a representative of the dis-
trict in the Legislature, by which posi-
tion he was entitled to the affix to his
name of Hon. and Captain. The annals
of the period show that good men, strong
in character, morals and religion were
chosen as representatives in State as well
as in national affairs. Captain Jonathan
Ives married, February 19, 1737-38,
Thankful Cooper, born April n, 1/21,
daughter of Joseph Cooper, who was a
son of John (2) and Mary (Thompson)
Cooper, son of John (r) Cooper, an origi-
nal signer of the New Haven Plantation
Covenant. Captain Jonathan and Thank-
ful (Cooper) Ives were the parents of
four sons and four daughters. The sons,
Jeremiah, Joel, Jonathan and Ailing, all
served in the Revolution. Captain Ailing
Ives. named for the Ailing family, who
largely married with the Ives family, was
captured by the British and sent to Ire-
land, whence he had a very remarkable
escape. He returned to America to the
astonishment of his family and friends
who mourned for him as dead. He mar-
ried Rebekah Dickerman, of Hamden,
and their daughter. Julia Ives, re-
135
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
ceived her name in honor of the name of
the ship "Julia" which bore her father
from the capitivity of the British to the
liberty of America, the land of the free.
Julia Ives married Rev. Ezra Bradley, an
Episcopal minister, who moved to \Yest
Springfield, Massachusetts, and had for
his home the place near the Ashley
Ponds, known as the Bradley House,
where the Rev. Dwight Ives was born.
The name of Julia together with that of
the freedom ship, as it were, is perpetu-
ated in the name of Julia Bradley Ives, of
Holyoke.
(V) Jeremiah Ives, eldest child of Cap-
tain Jonathan and Thankful (Cooper)
Ives, was born in New Haven, Novem-
ber 19, 1738, died in 1825, aged eighty-
seven years. He married, in what is now
North Haven, then a part of New Haven,
June 7, 1768, Hannah Bassett, born De-
cember 26, 1739, died in West Springs,
September 14, 1803, aged sixty-four years,
the seventh and youngest child of Abram
and Mehitable (Street) Bassett, of New
Haven. The ceremony was performed
by the Rev. Dr. Benjamin Trumbull,
the historian of Connecticut during the
eighteenth century. Abram Bassett was
a son of Samuel and Mary (Dickerman)
Bassett, and grandson of William Bas-
sett, the settler, who married the widow
of William Ives, the settler, and she was
the mother of Lieutenant Samuel Bas-
sett. Abram Bassett was born Novem-
ber 9, 1692; he married, February 2,
1721, Mehitable Street, and one of their
daughters. Mehitable Bassett, sister of
Hannah (Bassett) Ives, became the wife
of Judge Samuel Bishop, of New Haven.
Jeremiah Ives engaged in farming on a
tract of land in West Springfield, Massa-
chusetts, which was in the possession of
his descendant, Dwight H. Ives, up to
1906. This tract embraced three hundred
acres.
(VI) Abraham Ives, son of Jeremiah
and Hannah (Bassett) Ives, was born in
New Haven, 1768, died in 1855. He in-
herited the tract of land above mentioned
and engaged in agricultural pursuits
throughout the active years of his life.
He married, in Ireland Parish, West
Springfield, Massachusetts, January 22,
1795, Eunice Day, who died December
12, 1844, aged seventy-four years. She
was a daughter of Joel Day, of Ireland
Parish, and his wife, his first cousin, Eu-
nice Day, daughter of Joseph and Eliza-
beth (Mattoon) Day, of Northfield, Mas-
sachusetts, and among the children of the
latter named were three who intermar-
ried with their kindred by the name of
Day. Nevertheless they produced good
stock, that even to the present time has
not degenerated. By observing the above
statement concerning William Ives and
his descendants it is shown that very
nearly all trace back by intermarriage to
the first and most prominent settlers and
founders of one of the grand colonies
sent out by England in those stirring,
startling days of the English Reforma-
tion. No band of these early immigrants
seemed so strongly combined with the
energy, spirit and power of the Puritani-
cal element as did that "Godly Company"
who settled upon the shores of the Quin-
nipiack. Among those who perished with
Captain Nathaniel Turner on the "Phan-
tom Ship'' was another ancestor of this
family, Thomas Greyson, one of the chief
and principal planters of the colony.
- Eaton was governor, John Daven-
port, minister, and Thomas Greyson, the
financier of the colonies. He embarked
on the "Phantom Ship" for the purpose
of going to England in the interest of the
Colony, whose funds were low, thus
causing a depressed condition of affairs.
Mr. Thomas Greyson was an ancestor
through the line of Hannah (Glover)
136
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Street, wife of Lieutenant Samuel Street.
She was a daughter of John and Joanna
(Daniel) Glover, the latter named a
daughter of Stephen Daniel, of Saybrook,
who removed to New Haven and married
Anna or Hannah Greyson, daughter of
Thomas Greyson. Although Mr. Grey-
son was an active merchant and an assis-
stant of the Puritan Colony, he gave land
for an Episcopal church which they
named Trinity and which stands at the
present time (1916) on the original site.
Lieutenant Samuel Street was a son of
Rev. Samuel and Ann (Mills) Street, the
latter named a daughter of Mr. Richard
Mills, one of the most prominent foun-
ders and signers of the New Haven Cove-
nant. The prefix "Mr." was a title of dis-
tinction in Colonial days and only a few
civilians possessed it. Rev. Samuel Street
was a son of Rev. Nicholas Street, who
came from Taunton, Massachusetts, to
New Haven, Connecticut, and succeeded
Rev. John Davenport.
(VII) Abraham (2) Ives. son of Abra-
ham (i) and Eunice (Day) Ives, was
born in West Springfield, Massachusetts.
August 15, 1803, died October 19, 1866.
He succeeded to the homestead whereon
his father and grandfather resided and
brought it to a high state of cultivation.
He was a prominent man in the commu-
nity, inheriting in large measure the ex-
cellent characteristics of his forbears. He
was a member of the First Baptist
Church of West Springfield, as was also
his wife. He married Harriet Knowles,
born in East Hampton, near Mt. Tom,
June 16, 1807, but resided in West
Springfield from early childhood, died
June 7, 1889, a daughter of Joshua
Knowles. They were the parents of four
children : Ann E., now deceased, was the
wife of Alvin C. Pratt; Dwight H., of
whom further; Ellen H., resides with
Dwight H.; Julia B., now deceased.
(VIII) Dwight H. Ives, son of Abra-
ham (2) and Harriet (Knowles) Ives,
was born on the paternal homestead in
West Springfield, Massachusetts, Janu-
ary 28, 1836. He attended the public
schools of his native town, and was later
a student at the Suffield Literary Insti-
tute and Holyoke Academy. For the six
years following the completion of his
studies he assisted his father in the man-
agement of the large farm which had de-
scended from his ancestor, and subse-
quently he assumed the entire manage-
ment of the same, adding adjoining land
by purchase from time to time until the
farm embraced two hundred and thirty
acres, one of the largest in that section,
and devoted principally to dairying. The
milk product was disposed of at retail in
the city of Holyoke for twenty-one years,
during which time Mr. Ives delivered
milk to his customers. He then disposed
of the retail part of the business and en-
gaged in the wholesale milk business and
in this he continued in connection with
his agricultural pursuits, doing a very
successful, profitable business, up to 1905
when he disposed of the farm. In 1897
he removed from the farm to No. 1966
Northampton street, Holyoke, which has
since been his place of residence. For
two years Mr. Ives was interested in con-
ducting a retail meat business in Hol-
yoke, but after retiring from this he be-
came associated with Edward Nether-
wood, under the firm name of Nether-
wood & Ives, and they purchased a large
tract of land at Elmwood, a suburb of
Holyoke, which was laid out in village
lots. On this tract Mr. Ives erected some
thirty houses, which he sold to good ad-
vantage, and continued in real estate
operations until 1900, when he disposed
of his interests. At the present time he
is living retired from active pursuits.
For the past fifteen years Mr. Ives has
137
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
been a director and vice-president of the
Holyoke National Bank, and for a period
of ten years has been one of the trustees
and a member of the board of investment
of the Holyoke Savings Bank. He is a
director of the Holyoke Valve & Hydrant
Company, the Irving Paper Company,
and was formerly a director of the Bui-
lard Thread Company. From 1900 to
1914 he was a member of the board of
license commissioners. He has always
been identified with the Republican party,
of which he is a staunch supporter, and
served in various capacities in city offices,
being a member of the Common Council,
and was elected in 1894 as representative
in the State Legislature, being reflected
in 1895. While serving in the latter
named capacity he was a member of the
committee on roads and bridges. In 1897
he was elected a member of the State
Senate, and served on the committee on
prisons and agriculture and was chair-
man of the committee on engrossed bills.
Mr. Ives and his sister attend the First
Baptist Church of Holyoke, and he is
connected with the Masonic fraternity,
being a member of Mt. Tom Lodge, Free
and Accepted Masons ; Mt. Holyoke
Chapter, Royal Arch Masons ; and Hol-
yoke Council, Royal and Select Masters.
Mr. Ives is an energetic and capable busi-
ness man, and through his own effort
has risen to a position of importance in
the city of Holyoke. He is ever ready to
sustain any movement calculated to ad-
vance the interests of the city and benefit
his fellow men.
WARD, Edward Dickinson,
Contractor and Builder.
The Ward family has an ancient and
distinguished English history. The rec-
ords extend back to the days of Ward, a
captain, who came over from Normandy
with William the Conqueror in 1066. The
first of the family to assume an additional
name, so far as we know, was William
de la Ward, who resided in Chester, Eng-
land, in 1175. The Wards of Yorkshire
spread gradually over the adjoining coun-
ties and the similarity of their arms indi-
cates a common origin, probably in York-
shire. The arms are: Azure, a cross
baton, or. Crest : A wolf's head, erased.
(I) William \Vard was born in Eng-
land, in 1603, probably in Yorkshire, and
deposed October 4, 1664, that he was
sixty-one years old. He came to New
England before 1639, when he was living
in Sudbury, Massachusetts ; was admitted
a freeman. May 10, 1643 '< was a deputy
to the General Court in 1644, and was for
a number of years chairman of the board
of selectmen in Sudbury and commis-
sioner to end small causes, appointed by
the General Court ; and was elected dea-
con of the church. He and eight others
were the original petitioners for the grant
of land on which Marlboro was founded.
As originally laid out the town included
not only the present city of Marlboro,
but Westboro, Southboro and Northboro.
William Ward moved to Marlboro in
1660, the year that the town was incorpo-
rated, and had a fifty-acre house lot on
the south side of the road nearly opposite
the meeting house. His lands finally ex-
tended westward to what is called Bel-
cher's pond, near which was built the
tavern of his son-in-law, Abraham Wil-
liams, who married his eldest daughter.
He suffered with the other settlers great
privations and loss during King Philip's
War. One son was slain and his build-
ings burned and cattle killed. He died
August 10, 1687, and bequeathed to his
wife, Elizabeth ; to children, John and
Increase ; to the children of his sons.
Richard and Eleazer, deceased; to his
son-in-law, Abraham Williams ; to all his
children by his two wives. His widow
died December 9. 1700, in her eighty-
138
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
seventh year. Children : John, born about
1626; Joanna, 1628; Obadiah, mentioned
below; Richard, 1635; Deborah, 1637;
Hannah, 1639; William, January 22, 1640,
died young; Samuel, September 24, 1641 ;
Elizabeth, April 14, 1643 ; Increase, Feb-
ruary 22, 1644; Hopestill, February 24.
1646; William, February 12, 1649; Ele-
azer, 1657; Bethia, 1658.
(II) Obadiah Ward, second son of
William Ward, was born in 1632, and
died in Marlboro, Massachusetts, Janu-
ary 5, 1718, aged eighty-six years. He
had lands assigned him in Sudbury in
1653 an< l a house lot of twenty-one acres
with the after divisions in Marlboro in
1660, and he moved there soon after. He
was a deputy to the General Court in 1689
from Marlboro. His first wife, whom he
married November 13, 1667, bore the
name of Mary. She died August 22, 1706,
at Marlboro, and he married (second)
Joanna Mixer, born December 14, 1666,
daughter of Isaac Mixer, of Watertown.
Children of Obadiah and Mary Ward:
Alice, born November 14, 1668; William,
mentioned below; Obadiah, September
18, 1672; Bethia, 1674, died same year;
Mary, May 4, 1676; Jane, 1677; Edmund,
January 21, 1679; Sarah, January 29,
1681, married Samuel Bartlett ; Richard,
April 26, 1683; Elizabeth, December 4,
1685, died unmarried. January 21, 1730;
Hannah, January 3, 1688; Eleazer, No-
vember 2, 1689; Prudence, 1691.
(III) William (2) Ward, eldest son of
Obadiah and Mary Ward, was born Jan-
uary 7, 1670, in Marlboro, Massachusetts,
where he resided, and where all his chil-
dren were born. In 1711 he sold out to
Samuel Morris and removed to Ashford,
Connecticut, where he purchased land in
1715 and where his son William bought
land in 1720. Jacob Ward, another son,
received a gift of lands there in 1726.
\Villiam Ward removed to Union, Con-
necticut, where he died January 8, 1731,
aged sixty-one years. His death was the
first in the town of Union. His wife,
Judith, died in Union, January 21, 1746.
Children: William, mentioned below;
Jemima, born July 5, 1693; Gamaliel,
October 2, 1694; Jacob, March 9, 1697;
Judith, March 6, 1700; Keziah, June 4,
1703; Dinah, October 2, 1704.
(IV) William (3) Ward, eldest child
of William (2) and Judith Ward, was
born June 9, 1691, at Marlboro, Massa-
chusetts, and resided in Union, Connec-
ticut, where he became a very prominent
citizen, as appears from the town records.
He was a large land owner and con-
ducted several farms. There is a large
rock on the old place with the letters
"W. W." roughly hewed on the surface,
and it is said that they were cut by Wil-
liam Ward. His will was dated August
12, 1772, and was proved October 2, 1780.
The Christian name of his wife was
Rachel. Children : Uriah, born February
24, 1715, married Elizabeth Ingraham ;
John, mentioned below; Ebenezer, April
9, 1719, married Anna Peache ; Moses,
September 16, 1722, married Eunice
Rood ; Obadiah, February 9, 1725, mar-
ried Esther Ruggles ; Rachel, April 23,
1727, married Joseph Enos ; Jesse, Au-
gust 6, 1729, married Elizabeth Abbe;
Benjamin, February, 1731, died October
19, 1741 ; Sarah, died January 13, 1740;
William, died April 23, 1735.
(V) John Ward, second son of Wil-
liam (3) and Rachel Ward, was born No-
vember 9, 1716, at Union, where he re-
sided for a short time, and removed with
his family in 1749 to Belchertown, Mas-
sachusetts, in which town he died in 1800,
aged eighty-four years. He married in
Union (first) October 10, 1739, Abigail
Walker ; (second) March 27, 1748, Abi-
gail Heath, of Tolland, Connecticut, died
at Belchertown. February 21, 1813, aged
eighty-two years. Five children were
born in Union, the remainder in Belcher-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
town. Those of the first marriage were :
Sarah, born about 1740, married Jona-
than Urade ; Dorcas, June 24, 1742. died
December 4, 1748; Eunice, December 15,
1744, married Captain Shearman, of
Brimfield, where he died without issue ;
fohn, January i, 1747, died June 20, 1747.
Those of the second marriage were :
Aaron, born October n, 1748, died No-
vember i, 1748; John, about 1749, mar-
ried Bethia Fuller; Benjamin, 1751, mar-
ried Mary Clough ; Tirzah, 1753, married
Richard Lull ; Zerviah, November 27,
1754, married Samuel Ward; Sybil, De-
cember 7, 1756, married Benjamin
Clough; Mehitable, February 6, 1/59,
married John Pease; Ruth, April 21,
1761, married, June, 1780, Guild Wilson,
of Belchertown, and resided at Hebron,
New York; Hepzibah, June i, 1765;
Beulah, August 20, 1767, married, Feb-
ruary 20, 1787, at Madison, New York,
Samuel White, of Pelham ; Moses, Octo-
ber 29, 1769, married Rachel Convers ;
Ebenezer, mentioned below.
(VI) Ebenezer Ward, youngest child
of John and Abigail (Heath) Ward, was
born July 19, 1/73, in Belchertown, where
he settled, probably in that part of the
town set off as Enfield. He married, July
7, 1/96, Rebecca Randall, of Belchertown.
Children, all born at Belchertown : Israel,
February 8, 1797, married Rachel Thayer;
Alvah, September 17, 1798, married
Louisa Shaw; John, mentioned below;
Mercy, September 10, 1801. married Sam-
uel Tinkham ; Abigail, May 8, 1803, mar-
ried Alvah Thayer; Zerviah, July 23,
1804 ; Elizabeth, February 25, 1807 ; Ben-
jamin, April 24, 1809. married Elizabeth
W. Hawks; Mary and Sarah (twins),
April 23, 1811, former married Oromel
Walker; Estes, May 3, 1815.
(VII) John (2) Ward, third son of
Ebenezer and Rebecca (Randall) Ward,
was born May 19, 1800, at Belchertown,
and lived in Enfield, Massachusetts, for-
merly part of Belchertown, and other
towns of the vicinity. He married Sylvia
H. Shaw, daughter of Asa Shaw, of En-
field, and his wife, Abigail (Hanks) Shaw,
who died November 15, 1839, in her fifty-
third year, the mother of ten children.
Sylvia H. Shaw was born March 6, 1807.
The father of Abigail (Hanks) Shaw was
Ebenezer Hanks, of Belchertown, who
married Hepsibah Ward, April 12, 1/85.
He was a soldier in the Revolution ; they
had eight children. Hepsibah Ward was
the daughter of John Ward (V), the thir-
teenth child. Children of John and Syl-
via H. (Shaw) Ward, all born in Enfield:
Charles Rockwood, mentioned below ;
Verona A. and Caroline F. (twins), April
T, 1839; Proctor L., May 23. 1841 ; Henry
W., August 19, 1847.
(VIII) Charles Rockwood Ward, eldest
son of John (2) and Sylvia H. (Shaw)
Ward, was born April 27, 1834, at En-
field, and died October 26, 1901. He was
educated in the public schools of his na-
tive town, and was a carpenter by trade.
He married Julia Ann Reed (see Reed
VIII). Children: Abbie J., born March
19, 1861. married Simon A. Norcross. of
Worcester, and has an adopted daughter;
Cora L., November 27, 1862, died at the
age of five years ; Edward Dickinson,
mentioned below ; Nellie A., December
16, 1866, married F. A. Abbott, of Wor-
cester, and has an adopted child; John
Waldo, March 11, 1868, a carpenter, mar-
ried Ida Hacker, no issue, died in Wor-
cester; Delbert E., April 5, 1870, a car-
penter, married Grace Bemis, and resides
in Worcester ; Carrie B., November 3,
1873, married George Salee, of Cannon
City, Colorado, and has a son and a
daughter, Stanley and Irene ; Albert E.,
February 13, 1875, a boat builder, resides
in New York City ; Frederick, November
3, 1878, died young.
(IX) Edward Dickinson Ward, eldest
son of Charles Rockwood and Julia Ann
140
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
(Reed) Ward, was born March 6, 1864,
in West Warren, Massachusetts, and was
educated in the public schools of Enfield,
finishing in the high school. After leav-
ing school he began working in the War-
ren Cotton Mills, where he worked in the
glazing room for a time, after which he
was transferred to the carpenter shop,
where he remained three years. He also
worked under the direction of his father,
finally becoming an expert carpenter and
builder. He worked as a journeyman
under Charles Knapp in Worcester for
two years, at which time he started in
business for himself, in partnership with
\V. F. Blanding. After five years this
partnership was dissolved, Mr. Ward
continuing in business alone until the
present time. His force at the start num-
bered six or eight men, which he man-
aged from an office at Lake View. In the
spring of 1902 he moved his offices to the
Baker Building on Foster street, \Vor-
ccster, now managing from that head-
quarters a force of from three to four
hundred men. He executes contracts all
over adjacent New England, and has won
a most enviable reputation as a reliable,
honorable builder. Among the noted
buildings erected by Mr. Ward in recent
years may be noted The Church of Christ
(Scientist) in Worcester, the buildings of
the Hamilton Woolen Company at South-
bridge, the Crompton, Knowles ; Wright
Wine Works, and the buildings of the
Central Supply Company. He is an ener-
getic and capable business man, and
handles his large and still growing forces
with consummate skill. He is held in
high esteem in the city of his adoption,
with whose expansive growth he has
been so intimately connected. In politi-
cal preference he is a Republican, and in
religious faith a Congregationalist. Mr.
Ward married. December 9, 1891, Mabel
E., daughter of Eugene Hudson and Mary
(Hickey) Kibbe, of Worcester. Children:
Mildred May, married, September 8, 1915,
Frank Hickey ; Ethel Mabel, married,
November 10, 1915, Russell Webb ; Irene
Belle.
(The Reed Line).
(I) Thomas Reed, a carpenter, resided
in Colchester, Essex, England. His will,
made in July, 1665, mentions his son
Thomas, in America.
(II) Thomas (2) Reed, son of Thomas
(i) Reed, was in Sudbury, Massachu-
setts, as early as 1654, settled in the dis-
trict known as Lanham ; was made a
freeman in 1656, and died September 13,
1701. His first wife, Catherine, died Sep-
tember 26, 1677, and he had a second
wife, Arabella.
(III) Thomas (3) Reed, son of Thom-
as (2) and Catherine Reed, was born
about 1655, in Sudbury, and died there,
July i, 1708. He married (first) May 30,
1677, Mary Goodrich, a native of Laven-
ham. near Sudbury, England. He had a
second wife, Mary. Children : Thomas,
born March 22, 1678; Mary, January 5,
1679; Rachel, June 9, 1682; Nathaniel,
died young; Elizabeth, November 16,
1687; Hannah, October 17, 1689; Na-
thaniel, mentioned below ; Isaac, Febru-
ary 23, 1704; Katherine, January 31, 1707.
(IV) Nathaniel Reed, son of Thomas
(3) and Mary Reed, was born October 6,
1702. in Sudbury, and settled in that part
of Brookfield now in the town of Warren
(formerly called Western), Worcester
county, Massachusetts. He married
Phebe Lamb, and they had children :
Reuben, mentioned below; John, born
December 14, 1732; Phebe, January 28,
1734; Lydia, March 13, 1736; Mary, Jan-
uary 30, 1738; Nathan, March 8, 1740,
died young ; Persis ; Martha, September
26, 1743; Abigail, March 17, 1746; Ruth,
January 31, 1748; Nathaniel, March 16.
1749; Eunice, August 4, 1751; Nathan,
October i, 1758.
(V) Major Reuben Reed, eldest child
141
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
of Nathaniel and Phebe (Lamb) Reed,
was born November 2, 1730, in Warren,
and died there, May 26, 1803, on the
paternal homestead, where he lived. He
was commissioned February 7, 1776, first
major of Colonel James Converse's
(Fourth Worcester County) regiment of
militia, and was also prominent in civil
affairs of the town. He married (inten-
tions published November 3, 1754) Tarn-
sin Meacham, of Enfield, Connecticut,
born February 2, 1732, daughter of Icha-
bod and Elizabeth Meacham, of that
town. Children : Reuben, mentioned be-
low ; Elizabeth, born October 26, 1757;
Nathan, July 2, 1759; Nathaniel, April 4,
1762; Joshua, January 20, 1764; Sarah,
April 29, 1768; Tamerson, July 25, 1769;
Levi. July 17, 1773.
(VI) Reuben (2) Reed, eldest child
of Major Reuben ( i ) and Tamsin
(Meacham) Reed, was born January 20,
1756, in Warren, and died there, October
24, 1817. He married (intentions pub-
lished April 18, 1779) Hannah Cheney.
Children: Daniel, born December 9. 1781 ;
Persis, Hannah, Reuben, Nathan, Waldo,
mentioned below.
(VII) Waldo Reed, youngest child of
Reuben (2) and Hannah (Cheney) Reed,
was born January 3, 1798, in Warren, and
lived in that town and Brookfield. He
married (intentions published November
23, 1822) Calista (Celestia, Selestia, Celes-
tina) Hamilton, born April 19, 1802. in
Brookfield, daughter of Seth and Mary
(Morgan) Hamilton. Children: Persis
Jane, died unmarried ; Henry Dwight,
born December 3, 1824, in Brookfield,
married Mary Nightingale Dunnakin ;
Louisa Jane, January 26, 1827, married
Norman Powers; Mary Ann, April n,
1835, in Brookfield; Julia Ann, mentioned
below; Waldo Eaton, May 6, 1839, in
Warren ; Loren G., April 4, 1843.
(VIII) Julia Ann Reed, daughter of
Waldo and Calista (Hamilton) Reed,
was born March n, 1837, in Warren, and
became the wife of Charles Rockwood
Ward (see Ward VIII).
BARNFATHER, Irving J.,
Business Man.
Among the representative men of Pitts-
held, who by close application and busi-
ness ability of a superior order have at-
tained a place of commanding influence,
should be mentioned Irving J. Barnfather,
treasurer of the Newton and Barnfather
Company, Inc., leading undertakers of
Western Massachusetts. He was born in
Pittsfield, Massachusetts, November 15,
1874, son of Andrew F. and Anna (Cot-
ton) Barnfather, grandson of William
and Ann (Frankland) Barnfather, and a
descendant of English ancestry..
(I) William Barnfather, grandfather of
Irving J. Barnfather, was a native of
Yorkshire, England, born 1797, was there
educated, married and spent his early
years and subsequently emigrated to the
United States and settled at Nassau, New
York, where he spent the remainder of
his days, devoting his attention to the
occupation of farming, which proved a
lucrative means of livelihood. He died
there, in 1869. His wife, Ann (Frank-
land) Barnfather, who was born in Eng-
land, and died in Nassau at the age of
eighty years, bore him ten children, four
of whom are living at the present time
(1916) namely: Andrew F., of whom
further; Frank B., a resident of Water-
ford, New York; Mrs. William Lowrie,
a resident of Waterford, New York ; and
Levi, who resides on the old farm in
Nassau, New York.
(II) Andrew F. Barnfather, father of
Irving J. Barnfather, was born in Nassau,
New York, September 24, 1844. He was
reared and educated there, and followed
the occupation of farming up to the age
of eighteen years. He then moved to
142
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Lebanon Centre, where he was employed
by Deacon Everest in the general store
conducted by him, and later moved to
Pittsfield, Massachusetts, where he se-
cured a position as clerk in the grocery
store conducted by L. A. Stevens, after
which he filled a similar position in the
stores of J. M. and W. P. Lee, and W. H.
Cooley, a leading grocer of this section,
entering his service in 1877 an ^ remain-
ing until 1892. He then formed a part-
nership with William E. Reid and en-
gaged in the grocery business under the
firm name of Reid & Barnfather, and this
connection was continued until July, 1911,
when he sold out his interest and retired
from active pursuits. He is a Republican
in politics, a member of the Methodist
Episcopal church, in which his wife also
held membership, Mystic Lodge, Free
and Accepted Masons, Berkshire Chapter,
Royal Arch Masons, Berkshire Lodge,
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and
the Knights of Pythias. He married
Anna Cotton, born October, 1869, daugh-
ter of Timothy Cotton, who was a woolen
manufacturer, and for many years em-
ployed by the Pontosiac Woolen Com-
pany, of Pittsfield, where he had charge
of the fulling department. Mrs. Barn-
father was the youngest of three sisters,
the only one alive at the present time be-
ing Martha C. Leonard, eighty-six years
of age. Mr. Cotton died at the age of
eighty-four years, and his wife at the
age of seventy-four years. Mr. and Mrs.
Barnfather were the parents of three chil-
dren : Walter, died aged eleven months ;
Jessie, died aged seven years ; Irving J.,
of whom further. The death of Mrs.
Barnfather occurred June 3, 1890.
(Ill) Irving J. Barnfather was reared
in Pittsfield, educated in the public
schools, including the high school, from
which he was graduated. His first em-
ployment was as clerk with the Agricul-
tural National Bank, in which capacity
he served until 1891, then accepted a
similar position with the Wilson & Read
Insurance Company and retained the
same for six years. The following three
years he was an employee of the J. H.
Butler Lumber Company then entered
the service of the Stanley Electric Com-
pany in the estimating department, con-
tinuing for three years, after which he
accepted the position of clerk of the
Board of Public Works and the Water
Department of Pittsfield, his service ex-
tending over a period of four years. In
1910 he became one of the organizers of
the Newton and Barnfather Company,
Inc., of which at the present time he is
treasurer. This company maintains one
of the finest undertaking and embalming
establishments in Western Massachu-
setts, both of its active partners, Mr.
William H. Newton, a sketch of whom
appears elsewhere in this work, and Mr.
Irving J. Barnfather, being men particu-
larly well qualified by virtue of a long
and varied business experience to con-
duct an undertaking of this nature. They
both enjoy the highest respect and
esteem not only of the business men of
Pittsfield, but of all with whom they are
brought in contact. Mr. Barnfather is a
Republican in politics, takes an active in-
terest in public affairs, and has served as
clerk of the Common Council for five
years, and as clerk of committees under
Mayor Bagg for two years. In fraternal
circles Mr. Barnfather has taken a very
active part. He is a member of Mystic
Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, and
has held all the offices, including that of
worshipful master, which office he held in
1903, the youngest presiding officer to fill
that position, having joined the lodge,
June 23, 1897. He also fills the office of
secretary, elected in July, 1909. He is a
member of Berkshire Chapter, Royal
Arch Masons, and in this has filled all the
chairs ; a member of Berkshire Council
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Royal and Select Masters ; Berkshire
Commandery, Knights Templar, of which
he was elected recorder in 1914, which
position he still holds ; Melha Temple,
Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the
Mystic Shrine ; the Royal Arcanum, in
which he has held membership for many
years, and the Park Club. He is a mem-
ber of the Methodist Episcopal church,
and has served on its board of stewards
since 1897. For many years he was a
member of the Volunteer Firemen of
Pittsfield, and is now a member of the
Veteran Firemen's Association.
Mr. Barnfather married, April 12, 1900,
Helen S. Holderness, born in Somerville.
Massachusetts, daughter of George S.
and Mary Elizabeth (Clifford) Holder-
ness, of Somerville, who are the parents
of seven other children, namely: Mrs.
George K. Kittle, of Glenbrook, Connec-
ticut ; Mrs. George A. Whiting, of Cleve-
land, Ohio; Clifford, a resident of Pitts-
field ; George R., resident of Boston ; Mrs.
Clarence E. G. Kelley, of Chicopee Falls.
Massachusetts; Mrs. Joan Merifield, of
Boston, Massachusetts ; Mrs. Carl Coz-
zio, of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Mr. and
Mrs. Barnfather are the parents of two
children: Roland C., born June 12, 1902;
Robert Irving, born June 6, 1915.
BAGG, Allen Henry,
Ex-Mayor, Prominent Business Man.
Whether the elements of success in life
are innate attributes of the individual, or
whether they are quickened by a process
of circumstantial development, it is im-
possible clearly to determine. Yet the
study of a successful life is none the less
profitable by reason of the existence of
this uncertainty, and in the majority of
cases it is found that exceptional ability was
the real secret of the preeminence which
many envied. So it appears to the stu-
dent of human nature who seeks to trace
the history of the rise of Allen Henry
Bagg, of Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
The pioneer ancestor of the Bagg
family of which Allen H. Bagg is a
worthy descendant was John Bagg, who
came to this country from Plymouth,
England, in the vessel "Safety."' He
married, in 1656, Hannah Burt, and they
were the parents of five sons, among
whom was Daniel, born in Westfield,
Massachusetts, father of David Bagg,
also born in Westfield, who was the
father of Martin Bagg, born in Westfield,
and he was the father of Martin Bagg,
Jr.. born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts,
where he spent his entire life, devoting
his attention to farming operations. He
was the father of Jedediah Bagg, a native
of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and he in
turn was the father of Edwin Bagg, also
a native of Pittsfield, Massachusetts,
where he spent his entire life on a farm,
which he cultivated and improved, for a
number of years being in charge of his
father-in-law's estate, and his death oc-
curred there in December, 1894, aged
sixty-seven years. He served as a private
in Company A, Sixty-first Massachusetts
Volunteers, for nine months, deriving his
patriotic spirit from his ancestors, a num-
ber of whom served in the Revolutionary
W T ar. He was a member of the Grand
Army of the Republic. He married
Catherine Hull, born in Pittsfield, Massa-
chusetts, daughter of Oliver S. Hull, the
family tracing back to the Quakers who
settled at Hull, Rhode Island. Mrs. Bagg
is living at the present time (1916), very
active and bright for her years, the
mother of six children, three living: Al-
len Henry, of whom further; Mrs. F. H.
Knight, of Bellingham ; William E., of
Pittsfield. She is a member of the Metho-
dist Episcopal church.
Allen Henry Bagg was born in Pitts-
field. Berkshire county, Massachusetts,
April 4, 1867. He acquired a practical
144
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
education in the public schools of Pitts-
field, making the best use of his opportu-
nities while in attendance there, complet-
ing his studies at the early age of thirteen
years, when he entered upon his active
career, which was to prove of such signal
usefulness. His entrance into business
life was as errand boy with the Pierson
Hardware Company, of Pittsfield, but he
performed these duties in such a manner
as to win the approbation and approval
of his employers, and this characteristic
of faithful performance of duty has
marked his every action from that time
to the present. He also possessed a large
amount of energy and ambition, char-
acteristics which make for s-uccess in the
business world and which advance a man
more readily than any others, and by
demonstrating his ability in every ca-
pacity in which he was employed, he ad-
vanced up the ladder, step by step, in due
course of time being appointed to the
high position of head clerk of the Pierson
Hardware Company, the onerous duties
of which office he filled efficiently and
satisfactorily, and his term of service
with that company extended over the
long period of twenty-two years, for sev-
eral of which he filled the latter position
in the business, which prospered exceed-
ingly under his competent management.
In 1902, having decided to enter upon
a different field of business activity, he
turned his attention to the real estate
business and since that time has been ac-
tively engaged in developing tracts of un-
improved land, erecting a number of
houses which he has sold or rented, and
thus has been an important factor in the
development and building up of the city
of Pittsfield. In this line of business, as
in his previous one, he brought to bear
great activity and energy of both mind
and body, and failure in any enterprise
was with him an almost impossibility, he
adding to his other qualifications quick-
Mass 5 10 I
ness of apprehension and correctness of
judgment, both essential in the latter
named undertaking. His success in his
own affairs led to his appointment as a
member of the board of trustees of the
Berkshire Savings Bank, and was chosen
to serve in the capacity of chairman of
the auditing committee, also a director of
the Third National Bank, both institu-
tions of prominence and importance in
Berkshire county.
Even as a young lad Mr. Bagg evinced
a keen interest in all public matters, and
this interest was not diminished in the
course of years, when his matured in-
tellect was better able to judge of the far-
reaching effects of wise legislation and
government. His political affiliations
have always been with the Republican
party, and has always been a close one.
As a member of the Pittsfield City Coun-
cil for two years, he amply proved his fit-
ness for public office by a conscientious
discharge of his duties, ever mindful of
the interests of his fellow townsmen, who
in turn showed their appreciation of his
services by further appointments to
higher offices in their gift. Mr. Bagg is
a man of initiative, broad and compre-
hensive in his views on all subjects sub-
mitted to him, tenacious in his opinion,
decided and firm in his judgment of men
and measures, yet nevertheless tolerant
of the opinions of others. In 1903 he in-
augurated a movement designed to nomi-
nate business men of unquestioned stand-
ing and character for the offices in the
gift of the city. In conformity with this
idea, a committee was appointed to inter-
view the desired candidates, and the
larger number of those. interviewed con-
sented to accept nomination and were in
due time elected to office. Mr. Bagg was
elected a member of the board of alder-
men of Pittsfield, in the work of which he
took a keen interest, and was elected to
the presidency of that body in 1904. In
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
1905 he was chosen for the high office of
mayor of Pittsfield, his previous public
service demonstrating clearly to his fel-
low citizens his capability and efficiency,
and so faithfully did he perform his every
duty that he was chosen to succeed him-
self twice, consecutively, serving through
the terms of 1906 and 1907, the first man
in Pittsfield to receive that honor, receiv-
ing the largest majority ever given a can-
didate up to the present time, which fact
eloquently testified to his great popular-
ity. While the incumbent of that office
he was a faithful guardian of the in-
terests and rights of the people in his
charge, and introduced many beneficial
measures, all of which contributed large-
ly toward the improvement and develop-
ment of his native city, of which he was
a representative citizen.
Mr. Bagg has always taken a deep and
sincere interest in aiding struggling
young men to make their way in the
world, and in connection with this idea
has been an active worker in the interests
of the Young Men's Christian Associ-
ation. He was instrumental in establish-
ing a Pittsfield branch of the association,
and served as a director and as recording
secretary for a period of thirteen years,
his connection with this worthy under-
taking being the means of interesting
many other citizens in the welfare of the
young men of the city. He was also a
member of the board of directors and
vice-president of the Pittsfield Cemetery
Company, and the chapel donated by the
late Mrs. Edwin Clapp was erected under
his direct supervision. His religious
membership is in the First Congrega-
tional Church of Pittsfield, to the varied
work of which he contributes both of
time and money, and he serves as chair-
man of the board in charge of the church
property. He is an active and prominent
member of the Berkshire Historical So-
ciety, being deeply interested in every-
thing pertaining to historical subjects,
and he has prepared and has at present
(1916) ready to publish a complete gene-
alogy of his family. He is equally promi-
nent and active in fraternal circles, hold-
ing membership in Mystic Lodge, Free
and Accepted Masons ; the Chapter, Coun-
cil, Commandery and Eastern Star. In the
Chapter he has filled all the chairs, being
past master of this body, in the Council
he has likewise filled all the chairs and
has been thrice illustrious master of this
body. He is a member of the Independ-
ent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he
has held all the offices, being past noble
grand and past district deputy ; the Be-
nevolent and Protective Order of Elks ;
Berkshire Chapter, Sons of the American
Revolution, of which he was president
and is now vice-president. He is also a
valued member of the Country Club and
Park Club. Mr. Bagg is an extensive
traveler, thus greatly augmenting the
knowledge gained during his many years
of active public life, and from which he
derives a wonderful amount of pleasure
and recreation. In addition to traveling
over the entire length and breadth of the
United States. Mr. and Mrs. Bagg visited
the Holy Land, Italy, Spain, Switzerland,
France, Germany, England and Egypt,
viewing with interest all the wonders and
beauties of the Old and New Worlds.
This brief resume of Mr. Bagg^'s life
proves that he is an important and in-
fluential member of society and wields a
forceful mastery by the sheer force of his
firm and decided character.
Mr. Bagg married, February 24, 1903,
Mary Campbell Clapp, born in Pittsfield,
in March, 1860. The ceremony was per-
formed in the beautiful Wendell avenue
house, purchased by Mrs. Edwin Clapp in
June, 1901. This house was built during
Civil War times by Mrs. Clapp's cousin,
Thomas G. Colt. The late Rev. W. V. W.
Davis, of the First Church, and Rev. J. E.
146
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
C. Sawyer, a former pastor of the Metho-
dist church, officiated. Mrs. Bagg was a
daughter of the late Edwin Clapp and his
wife, Mary (Martin) Clapp, daughter of
Calvin and Mary (Campbell) Martin.
Mrs. Clapp died at the age of eighty-
three; Mrs. Bagg died July 27, 1916.
Mrs. Bagg descended from four of the
oldest families of Pittsfield Clapp, Mar- '
tin, Campbell and Stockbridge whose
members had much to do with the early
history and development of that town.
The founder of the Clapp family came
from England as early as 1630 and set-
tled in the eastern part of the State near
Boston and many of his descendants still
live there. Jason Clapp, grandfather of
Mrs. Bagg, was born in Northampton, in
1783, and came to Pittsfield in 1802 and
became foreman in the carriage factory
of Lemuel Pomeroy with whom he re-
mained until 1809. In that year he pur-
chased all the land extending from West
street north to what is now the property
of the Boston & Albany Railroad and
now included in the present location of
Clapp avenue, the West block, the Bland
building, the Jones foundry and other ad-
joining buildings and here established the
Jason Clapp carriage works which was
one of the early important industries of
Pittsfield. He also built and occupied
the large Clapp homestead on the south
side of West street until the time of his
death in 1868, when for a few years it
was occupied by Phinihas Allen, Jr., who
was a son of the founder of the "Pitts-
field Sun." This property, purchased by
Jason Clapp in the early years of the
nineteenth century, was owned by Mrs.
Bagg, and by the purchase of additional
land, the building of tenement houses,
and the opening of Edwin street, named
for her father, Mr. and Mrs. Bagg did
much toward the development of this
central piece of property. Calvin Martin,
Mrs. Ragg's maternal grandfather, was a
lawyer and long one of the most promi-
nent and honored members of the Berk-
shire bar. His home was on South street
in a house that stood on the present site
of the Berkshire Museum. He, too, had
much to do with the early life of Pitts-
field and was instrumental in the organi-
zation of the Berkshire Athenaeum and
its first president, as he was also the first
president of the Pittsfield Cemetery cor-
poration. In 1900 Mrs. Clapp and her
daughter erected and presented to the
Pittsfield Cemetery corporation the mor-
tuary chapel in memory of Calvin Mar-
tin, its first president, and Edwin Clapp,
for many years a director and vice-presi-
dent. Edwin Clapp, father of Mrs. Bagg,
was associated with his father in the
carriage business. He will be remem-
bered by many of the older residents as a
man of sterling character who held many
positions of trust and responsibility in
his native town and was officially con-
nected with many of its financial and
business enterprises. He was particular-
ly interested in the old Housatonic Vol-
unteer Fire Company and one of the
small steamers now owned by the city
was for years known as the Edwin Clapp
Steamer, No. i. He was an upright citi-
zen, a good neighbor, a wise counselor
and a true friend. lie married (first)
Emily Peck, who bore him three chil-
dren, all of whom died in infancy. He
married (second) Mary Martin, who bore
him two children: Maria, who died at an
early age, and Mary Campbell, who be-
came the wife of Mr. Bagg.
Mrs. Bagg's early school days were
spent at Miss Clara Hall's school for
girls, and later she attended Miss Salis-
bury's school. Amid the surroundings
and influence of her early home life she
developed a strong character, and aided
by the able counsel of her father and
mother she formed in early life a keen in-
terest in business affairs, in which she
147
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
was most successful. She was always in-
terested in anything that made for the
good and welfare of her native place,
Pittsfield, iind was in many ways the
benefactress of those who were in need.
She loved Pittsfield and the Berkshires
and spent much time during the summer
months with her husband driving about
the county. Mrs. Bagg loved her home
and to it her friends were always wel-
come, for she loved to entertain and share
with others the pleasures of her happy
life. Blessed with a cheerful and hopeful
disposition, she could always see the
bright side of life. She was a member of
the First Church and its Ladies' Benevo-
lent Society. She was also a member of
the board of control and one of the
finance committee of the Berkshire Coun-
ty Home for Aged Women. She was
also a member of the McAll Auxiliary,
the Country Club, the Berkshire Congre-
gational Club, the Wednesday Morning
Club and the Berkshire Animal Rescue
League. Mrs. Bagg was very fond of
horses, and while almost everybody gave
up the horses for the automobile, she
never would ; she erected a watering tub
in front of her farm on West Housatonic
street in memory of Frank, the faithful
old family horse who had lived to be thir-
ty-seven years old.
BAKER, Charles Howard,
Manufacturer, Public Official.
Since 1898 a retired shoe manufacturer
of Lynn, Massachusetts, but still inter-
ested officially in Lynn business concerns,
Mr. Baker is rounding out a life of useful-
ness and honor. His business career illus-
trates most forcibly that small beginnings
are not to be despised and that perse-
verance, carefulness and thoroughness
make always for success. These traits of
his character stand out most prominently
and their value is attested by the success
with which he has conducted every enter-
prise of his life. No detail was so small
as to be overlooked and when later he
was called to positions of financial trust
and to positions of honor in City and
State these traits, so well known, caused
him to be much sought for in counsel
when plans were being worked out affect-
ing public and private interests.
Mr. Baker is one of the rapidly passing
away veterans of the Civil War, he en-
listing when a lad of seventeen years and
serving until the last shot was fired. His
service to his adopted city has been valu-
able as councilman, alderman and board
of public works official, and to his State
he has given of his strength in legislative
bodies. In every position to which he has
been called by the votes of his fellow men
lie has displayed the same qualities of
carefulness, thoroughness and devotion to
duty that were so noticeable in conducting
his private business, and now that the
evening of life is approaching and the
shadows are lengthening, he carries the
esteem and respect of the city to which
he came on his return from the army in
1865, a veteran at the age of eighteen
years.
Charles Howard Baker was born in
Solon, Maine, February 2, 1847, son of
Howard and Maria A. (Boise) Baker,
his mother a daughter of Bartholomew
Broadhurst Boise, of Skowhegan, Maine,
his father a descendant in lineal line from
Francis Baker, who came from Stratford-
on-Avon, England, to Yarmouth, Massa-
chusetts, in 1631. Charles H. Baker was
educated in the public schools of South
Weymouth, Massachusetts, which he at-
tended until a youth of seventeen, then in
June, 1864, enlisted as a drummer boy in
Company G, Fourth Regiment Massachu-
setts Heavy Artillery. He continued in
the service until the close of the war, then
with an honorable discharge returned to
private life, locating in Lynn.
148
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
He was then eighteen years of age, and
with nothing but character as an asset he
took up the actual business of life. He
entered that avenue of employment that
has been trodden by so many Lynn young
men and as a shoemaker worked for sev-
eral years. The quality of his character
was soon observed by his employers and
in much less time than is usually required
he was promoted to be foreman of a de-
partment. He mastered the detail of shoe
manufacture, and having been economical
he was in a position to become a con-
tractor, at that time the manufacturers
having stitching done by contract. He
made both reputation and money as a
stitching contractor and the next step
logically followed. In 1878 he became a
shoe manufacturer as head of the firm of
Baker & Creighton, their daily output at
the beginning being but twelve cases. But
from this small beginning grew a large
and prosperous business that had been so
well and so carefully conducted that
twenty years after their start (1898) Mr.
Baker retired. He was charter member
and for several years he was a director of
the Lynn Safe Deposit and Trust Com-
pany, that institution availing itself freely
of his business sagacity. He still con-
tinues a director of the Lynn Gas Com-
pany and has had an active part in the
up building of that most progressive com-
pany.
Mr. Baker served the city of Lynn as
member of Common Council in 1880, as
alderman in 1881 and 1882, as a member
of the State Legislature, 1883, in 1890 and
1891 as a member of the Massachusetts
Legislature ; in 1892 and 1893 as State
Senator, later on he was for three years
member of the Lynn Board of Public
Works, and in each position added to the
already proud record made as a business
man. This is Mr. Baker's record of half
a century spent in Lynn. In business life,
in city service or in State legislative halls
he has stood for all that was just, never
sacrificing principle for popularity or per-
sonal benefit of any kind. He has fairly
won the high regard of his fellow men,
and from whatever angle viewed his life
must be deemed one of most successful
effort. In political faith he is a Repub-
lican, in religious preference a Baptist.
He is a member of General Lauder Post,
No. 5, Grand Army of the Republic ; his
clubs the Oxford, Park and Republican.
Mr. Baker married, in 1872, H. Eliza-
beth, daughter of John Hoyt, of Ames-
bury, Massachusetts. Children : Perley
H., married Bessie P. Graham and has a
daughter Virginia ; C. Albert ; Fred and
Frank, twins, died in infancy ; Walter and
Willie, twins, died in infancy; Bessie
May, married Albert Whipple and has a
son, Howard Baker Whipple.
CHASE, Simeon B.,
Man of Affairs.
The surname Chase is derived from the
French "chasser," to hunt, and the fam-
ily has been prominent in England since
the first use of surnames. The seat of the
family in England was at Chesham, in
Buckinghamshire, through which runs a
rapidly flowing river called the Chess,
whence the name of the town and perhaps
also of the family. Thomas and Aquila
Chase, brothers, whose English ancestry
is traced to remote antiquity, are believed
to have been cousins of William Chase,
the immigrant ancestor, mentioned below.
Some branches of this family in America
have used the spelling Chace, but the
form in most general use is that at the
head of this article.
(I) William Chase, a native of Eng-
land, born in 1595, came to America in
Governor Winthrop's fleet in 1630, ac-
companied by his wife Mary and son Wil-
149
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Ham. He settled first in Roxbury, Mas-
sachusetts, where he became a member
of the First Church, presided over by
Rev. John Eliot, the Indian Apostle. In
the autumn following his arrival he was
propounded for freeman, and was admit-
ted May 14, 1634. About 1637 he joined
the company which established a new
plantation at Yarmouth in what is now
Barnstable county, Massachusetts. There
he served as constable in 1639, and con-
tinued to reside there until his death, in
May, 1659. In October following his
widow passed away. William Chase was
a soldier against the Narragansett In-
dians in 1645. He had two children born
after his arrival in America, namely:
Mary, May, 1637, in Roxbury, and Ben-
jamin, 1639, in Yarmouth.
(II) William (2), eldest son of Wil-
liam (i ) and Mary Chase, was born about
1622, in England, and accompanied his
father to Yarmouth, where he lived, and
died February 27, 1685. There is no rec-
ord of his wife. His children were : Wil-
liam, Jacob, John, Elizabeth, Abraham,
Joseph, Benjamin and Samuel.
(III) Benjamin, son of William (2)
Chase, lived in Portsmouth, Rhode Island,
and married Amey Borden, born May 30,
1678, daughter of John and Mary (Earle)
Borden. She died before 1716. Children:
Patience, born April 16, 1699; Elizabeth,
June 16, i/oi ; Amey, July 21, 1702; Na-
than, mentioned below ; Benjamin and
Abner.
(IV) Nathan, eldest son of Benjamin
and Amey (Borden) Chase, was born Jan-
uary 13, 1704, and lived in Portsmouth,
where he married, April 29, 1731, Eliza-
beth Shaw. Children : Borden, born Feb-
ruary 28, 1732; Holder, mentioned below;
Amey. December 6, 1734; Clark, May 2,
1736; Anna, April 12, 1738; Content, July
5, 1741; Benjamin, December 25, 1747;
Hannah. March 15, 1750.
(V) Holder, second son of Nathan and
Elizabeth (Shaw) Chase, was born Au-
gust 24, 1733, in Portsmouth, and lived in
that town, where he died in February,
1820. He married there, February 21,
1760, Freeborn, daughter of Joseph and
Sarah (Durfee) Dennis, born August 18,
1739, in Portsmouth. Children : Nathan,
died in childhood ; Sarah, born 1765, mar-
ried Benjamin Mott, of Portsmouth ; Na-
than, 1766, married Anne Sherman, of
Portsmouth, daughter of Sampson and
Ruth (Fish) Sherman; Anna, 1768, mar-
ried in Portsmouth, John Weeden, of
Jamestown, Rhode Island ; Eliza ; Bor-
den, married (first) September 12, 1802,
Sarah Folger, (second) Ruth Bunker,
both of Nantucket, Massachusetts ; Amey,
died in childhood ; Abner, born in Ports-
mouth, married there, October 5, 1803,
Deborah Chace, daughter of Benjamin
and Mary (Almy) Chace; Clark, men-
tioned below ; Freeborn, died unmarried,
November 23, 1819.
(VI) Clark, fifth son of Holder and
Freeborn (Dennis) Chase, married in
Tiverton, Rhode Island, December 26,
1811, Anne Borden, daughter of Simeon
and Amey (Briggs) Borden. Children:
Simeon B., born October 5, 1812, died No-
vember 8, 1832; Amey A., July 9, 1814,
married, January 5, 1838, Humphrey
Almy ; Borden, mentioned below ; Philip
Briggs, February 3, 1818, married Sarah,
daughter of William Earle and Eunice
(Sherman) Cook; Sarah Freeborn, Feb-
ruary 17, 1820, married Stephen Davol, of
Fall River (see Davol VII); Eliza, May
3, 1822, married Charles Fowler, of Brook-
lyn, New York ; Charles, February 2, 1824,
married Frances C. Pearce, of Bristol,
Rhode Island, and had children, Charles
and George; Nathaniel B., November i,
1825, married Louise M. Pierson, and had
children, Howard and Ethel; Alfred
Clark, March 21, 1833, married (first)
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Mrs. Clapp and (second) Ruth Anthony,
and had children, Ruth (Mrs. Hedley)
and Edmund.
(VII) Borden, second son of Clark and
Anne (Borden) Chase, was born April 5,
1816, and resided in Portsmouth, engaged
in agriculture until 1875, when he re-
moved to Fall River, Massachusetts. His
farm was one of the handsomest of the
section, and his home was noted for its
bountiful hospitality. In 1871 he engaged
in the coal business at Fall River, estab-
lishing the Fall River Coal Company, and
was subsequently for some time inter-
ested in the Globe Coal Company of that
city. For many years he was a warden
of the Church of the Ascension of Fall
River, where he died February 20, 1897.
He married in Portsmouth, December 24,
1838, Elizabeth Anthony Thomas, of that
city, daughter of Joseph and Hannah S.
(Anthony) Thomas (see Thomas IV and
Anthony IX). Children: Annie Borden,
mentioned below. 2. Frederick, born Sep-
tember 13, 1842, married (first) Louise
Tallman, of Portsmouth, (second) Edith
Snell. 3. Clark, January 10, 1846, married
Emma F. Boyd, and had children, Eliza-
beth C. ; Clark and Charles Borden. 4.
Simeon Borden, January 10, 1849, men-
tioned below.
(VIII) Annie Borden, eldest child of
Borden and Elizabeth A. (Thomas)
Chase, was born January 10, 1840, in
Portsmouth, and became the wife of Wil-
liam, H. Jennings, of Fall River (see Jen-
nings VI I ).
(VIII) Simeon Borden Chase, young-
est son of Borden and Elizabeth A.
(Thomas) Chase, was born January 10,
1849, m Portsmouth, Rhode Island, where
he spent his early years, and attended the
public schools until about eighteen years
of age. He then pursued a course in a
business college at Providence, and grad-
uating from that institution, became a
clerk in the office of the Merchants'
Manufacturing Company in Fall River,
Massachusetts. Having an enterprising
nature, and possessed of a desire to see
something of the country, he made a trip
to the west in 1870, and spent about a
year and one-half in the State of Ne-
braska. On his return to Fall River, he
resumed his employment in the office of
the Merchants' Manufacturing Company,
and again took up his duties there as
bookkeeper. In the year 1875 he accepted
a more responsible position at the Tecum-
seh Mills, of which he became treasurer,
and continued in that position until about
1882, when he resigned and returned to
the Merchants' Manufacturing Company
as treasurer of that corporation. Since
February, 1885, he has been treasurer of
the King Philip Mills, in Fall River, one
of the largest in that city, and a very old
and prosperous establishment. Mr. Chase
is a very capable and enterprising busi-
ness man, and has invested of his means
in various industries in Fall River, includ-
ing the Barnaby Manufacturing Com-
pany, of which he was president ; the
Crystal Spring Bleaching and Dyeing
Company ; the Wampanoag Mills, and the
Globe Yarn Mills. In 1898 he became
president of the Stevens Manufacturing
Company. He is treasurer and director
of the Tecumseh Mills ; president and
director of the Metacomet National Bank ;
director of the Osborn Mills, the Davol
Mills, the Merchants' Manufacturing
Company, Stevens Manufacturing Com-
pany, Boston Manufacturers' Mutual In-
surance Company, the Fall River Manu-
facturers' Mutual Insurance Company,
the North American Hat Company, and
the Samoset Company, of Valley Falls,
Rhode Island. It is thus apparent that he
has little time for matters not connected
with the business affairs of his home city.
He has never sought to mingle in public
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
matters, and accepted no official position
except that of a member of the common
council, which was his duty as a citizen.
He is now a member of the Massachu-
setts State Board of Education, by ap-
pointment of Governor Draper. For
many years he has been an earnest stu-
dent of economic questions, especially of
the tariff, and is a firm believer in the pro-
tective policy as applied to American in-
dustry. It is needless to say that he is a
Republican, and he has sought to further
the interests of his party by making
speeches in its behalf, and in other ways
furthering its interests, believing them to
be the interests of the country. He is
recognized as an able public speaker, and
has been often invited to deliver lectures
and read essays before various literary
societies of Fall River. His writings are
notable for practical insight and original
presentation of his views. Among pro-
gressive men he is known widely as a
vigorous thinker and a vigorous writer,
he naturally takes a high position in the
business circles and social life of his home
city, where he is esteemed for his high
principles, upright character and endear-
ing personal qualities. He married, March
19, 1874, Louise Whitman Hills, born No-
vember 2, 1848, daughter of John E. and
Mary (Whitman) Hills, of Fall River
(see Hills VII). Children: i. Mary Whit-
man, Mrs. William Wilson Heaton, resid-
ing at Greenwich, Connecticut ; has three
children : Mary, Chase and Sarah. 2.
Anne Borden, wife of Philip E. Tripp, of
Fall River, and they have two children,
Borden and Judith. 3. Louise S., Mrs.
George Hewitt Myers, of Washington,
D. C. ; has three children, Persis Chase,
Mary Hewitt and Louise Chase. 4. Gene-
vieve, who married Richard K. Hawes,
of Fall River, and they have one son,
Richard K., Jr. 5. Florence, married Paul
Gifford, of Fall River, and they are now
living in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
(The Hills Line).
(I) William Hills, son of Thomas and
Jane (Scarborrow) Hills, of Upminster,
Essex, England, born December 27, 1608,
came in the ship "Lyon," sailing from
Bristol, June 24, 1632, and entered the
harbor of Boston, September 16, 1632. He
became a resident of Roxbury, where he
was admitted a freeman May 14, 1634, and
removed to Hartford, Connecticut, where
he was one of the original and early mem-
bers of the First Church, bought a large
tract of land at Hoccanum (East Hart-
ford), and resided there for many years.
He probably died at Hartford in 1683. He
married (first) Phillis, daughter of Rich-
ard Lyman ; (second) the widow of Rich-
ard Risley. who died prior to October 17,
1648 ; (third) Mary, widow of John Steele,
Jr., of Farmington, who died there in
1654, daughter of Andrew Warner, of
Hadley. Massachusetts. His children, so
far as a record has been found, all born at
Hartford, were: William, mentioned be-
low; John; Joseph, baptized March 17,
1650; Benjamin; Susannah, born 1651;
Mary, 1654; Jonathan; Hannah; Sarah.
(II) William (2), son of William (i)
Hills, born about 1646, in Hartford, mar-
ried Sarah, and their children, the first
three born in Hartford, and the others
in East Hartford, were: Mary, 1667;
Phillis, 1669, married John Parsons ; Han-
nah, 1672, married William Butler; Eben-
ezer, 1676; John, 1679, married Margaret
Dix ; Esther, 1681 ; Joseph, mentioned be-
low; W T illiam, about 1690. The father
was buried at Hartford, August 15, 1693.
(III) Joseph, second son of W'illiam
(2) and Sarah Hills, was born 1683, in
East Hartford, died April 29, 1751, at
Farmington. He married Abigail Noyes,
who died September 23, 1751, at Farm-
ington. Children, all born at Farming-
ton: Joseph, born January 16, 1709;
Abraham, March 28, 1711, married Eliza-
beth Hodgkins; James, January 2, 1713;
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Sarah; Gideon, June 4, 1714; Ehenezer ; all born in Farmington : Emily, Novem-
David, mentioned below ; Esther ; Jona-
than, February 19, 1721 ; Moses, June 20,
1723; Abigail, July 19, 1725; Hannah;
\Yilliam, January 20, 1727.
(IV) David, sixth son of Joseph and
Abigail (Noyes) Hills, born September
15, 1716, in Farmington, died after June,
1790. He lived for a time in Hartford or
Fast Hartford, and in 1751 bought a
house and forty acres of land in Farming-
ton. As of that town, in 1757 he sold his
estate of one hundred and thirty-eight
acres of land, and a mansion house, in
East Hartford, to Stephen Cone, of Bos-
ton. He married Anna, daughter of Zebu-
Ion Dcming, died October 30. 1804. She
had married (first) John Hart, of New
Britain. Children of which record has
been found : Amos, mentioned below ;
Agift, born about 1747 (both in East
Hartford) ; Susannah, baptized June 22,
1748; George, June 28, 1760 (both in
Farmington).
(V) Amos, eldest child of David and
Anna (Deming) Hills, born about 1745,
in East Hartford, died in Farmington,
April 9, 1813, aged sixty-eight years. He
married, in 1773, Rachel Lewis, born in
Middletown, Connecticut, in August,
1750, died October 4, 1818. Children, the
first four born probably in East Hartford,
and the others in Farmington, were :
Rachel, March 30, 1774, died October 17.
1774; Rachel, March 19, 1775; Amos,
March 6, 1777; Mary A., November 3,
1780; James H., March 8, 1782; Sylvia,
September 20, 1783; Chauncy, mentioned
below; Katherine, March 3, 1788; a son,
born and died in May, 1790.
(VI) Chauncy, third son of Amos and
Rachel (Lewis) Hills, born December 2,
1784, in Farmington, lived in that town,
and died June 20, 1857. He married,
April 6, 1806, Susan Craig, born January
17, 1788, died August 24, 1839. Children,
ber 30, 1806; Rachel, January 17, 1808,
married Hopkins Stevens ; Frances, May
10, 1810; Mary A., died young; Mary A.,
born January 26, 1814; Reuben, Febru-
ary, 1816; Reuben L., February 21, 1818,
married Sarah A. Burrows ; Andrew, Oc-
tober 14, 1820; John E., mentioned be-
low; Amos, 1824; Chauncy, July, 1826;
Margaret Emily, February 9, 1830;
Chauncy H., July i, 1832.
(VII) John E., fourth son of Chauncy
and Susan (Craig) Hills, was born June
7, 1823, in Farmington, and died Decem-
ber 29, 1900, at Newton, Massachusetts.
He married (first) in Farmington, Mary
Ann, born in Farmington, daughter of
Judge Lemuel and Emily (Case) Whit-
man, of that town (see Whitman VI).
She died at Delaware, Ohio, April 25,
1854, and he married (second), August
18, 1860, at Fall River, Massachusetts,
Almirah Brigham Chace, a native of that
town, died March 11, 1897, m Newton,
Massachusetts. Children by first wife,
born at Delaware, Ohio: William T.,
April 25, 1847, died at Fall River, unmar-
ried ; Louise W., mentioned below ;
George H., May 24, 1851, living in Fall
River. Children by second wife, born at
Cincinnati: Minerva B., May 19, 1862,
living in Boston ; Mary Augusta, Septem-
ber, 1863, living in Boston.
(VIII) Louise W., only daughter of
John E. and Mary Ann (Whitman) Hills,
was born November 2, 1848, in Delaware,
Ohio, and became the wife of Simeon
Borden Chase, of Fall River (see Chase
VIII).
(The Whitman Line).
(I) John Whitman, of Weymouth, was
of English birth, and is believed to have
come from, Holt, Norfolkshire, which ap-
pears to have been a seat of the Whit-
mans for many years anterior. Winthrop
and his colonists came from the vicinity
153
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
of Holt and settled in Weymouth. John
Whitman came to Weymouth probably
about 1635, was made freeman March 13,
1639, town officer 1643, appointed by the
governor ensign of the train band in 1645
(probably the first military officer ap-
pointed in the town), and served as such
until March 16, 1680. May 14, 1645, he
was appointed magistrate, commissioner
to end small causes, and also was deacon
of the church, probably from the time of
its foundation, and sustained that office
until his death, November 13, 1692. May
15, 1664, he was appointed commissioner
to visit the Indians, and at various other
times filled offices of trust in the town.
He owned and lived on a farm adjoining
the north side of the highway leading by
the north side of the meeting house of
the north parish of Weymouth, and
directly against it, and extending to Wey-
mouth river. His house was near the
middle of the farm, and it is said that a
part of the building now on the place was
erected about 1680; if this date is accu-
rate, the building was occupied by the
ancestor. A portion of it was purchased
for the purpose of a memorial by Mr.
William Whitman, of Brookline, a direct
descendant in the eighth generation of
John Whitman, of Weymouth. John
Whitman had several grants of land, and
by purchase and otherwise evidently be-
came one of the most extensive land
owners in the town. It is supposed that
he married in England, and that his fam-
ily did not come to Weymouth until 1641.
He had a brother, Zachariah, who settled
in Milford, Connecticut, as early as 1639,
and by his will devised his estate at Mil-
ford to Rev. Zechariah Whitman, son of
his brother, John. Pope's "Pioneers of
Massachusetts" shows that Zachariah
Whitman, age forty, came with his wife,
Sarah, age thirty-five, and child, Zach-
ariah, in the "Elizabeth," from Wey-
mouth, England, April n, 1635. Deacon
John Whitman had children : Thomas,
born about 1629, died 1712; John, died
February i, 1713; Zechariah, mentioned
below ; Abiah (or Abijah), born 1646, died
January 28, 1728, inherited the home-
stead; Sarah, married Abraham Jones;
Mary, born 1634, died July 10, 1716; Eliz-
abeth, died February 2, 1720; Hannah,
August 24, 1641 ; Judith.
(II) Rev. Zechariah, third son of John
Whitman, was born 1644, in Weymouth,
graduated from Harvard College in 1668,
was ordained September 13, 1670, and be-
came the first minister at Point Alderton,
Nantasket or Hull, with an annual salary
of forty pounds. Marmaduke Matthews
had been preaching at Hull, but on ac-
count of "several erroneous expressions"
was admonished by the court, "which
would not grant the desire of his people
to have him return." Mr. Whitman re-
mained minister at Hull until his death,
although he had a colleague. Rev. Ezra
Carpenter, ordained November 24, 1725.
Mr. Whitman died November 5, 1726. He
attained a ripe old age in the work of the
ministry, and even when full of years his
people would not part with him entirely,
hence in August previous to his death the
town voted to pay his children twenty-
five pounds yearly for his maintenance
while he lived and did not preach. He
was a good and learned man, and it is
said that during his active life he wrote
most of the wills and legal papers for his
people in Hull. A notice of him in the
"Boston News Letter," December 15,
1726, states that "he was well esteemed
for his natural and acquired accomplish-
ments ; but especially for steady piety,
diligent zeal and faithfulness in the dis-
charge of his pastoral office ; the exem-
plariness of his conversation ; and his
patience and submission to the will of
God under his afflictions." On the death
154
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
of his uncle, Zachariah Whitman, of Mil-
ford, Mr. Whitman inherited his estate in
that town, besides the remainder of a
considerable property in lands at Stow.
October 26, 1670, Rev. Zechariah Whit-
man married Sarah, twin daughter of Dr.
John Alcock (Harvard, 1646), of Rox-
bury ; died April 3, 1715. Children, all
born in Hull: Zechariah, 1672, died 1752;
John, 1674, died February 22, 1684;
Joanna, married and lived in Boston;
Rev. Samuel, mentioned below ; Sarah,
had a second husband, Lieutenant Robert
Gould, cared for her father during his de-
clining years, and he deeded her his
homestead ; Elizabeth, died in Hull, No-
vember 19, 1708; John, born 1688; Mary,
married Nathaniel Jacobs, of Hull ;
Eunice, born April 10, 1696, died October
4. I734-
(Ill) Samuel, third son of Rev. Zech-
ariah and Sarah (Alcock) Whitman, born
at Hull, 1676, graduated at Harvard in
1696, and is said to have been a tutor
there for a short period. In 1699 he was
employed as teacher of the grammar
school at Salem, where he doubtless re-
mained till he was called to preach at
Farmington, Connecticut, at that time
one of the largest and wealthiest towns in
the State. He is mentioned as having
occasionally preached at Lancaster, Mas-
sachusetts, between 1697-1701. He was
ordained at Farmington, December 10,
1706, and remained there until his death.
He had a high repute as a clergyman, and
was much beloved by the people under
his charge. He ranked among the first
literary men of New England and was
interested in all matters of education and
culture. In 1726 he was appointed one
of the fellows of Yale College, a position
which he retained for more than twenty
years. During Mr. Whitman's ministry
the second meeting house was begun in
1709 and finished in 1714. He had by be-
155
quest one-half his father's lands in Stow,
Massachusetts, and was appointed execu-
tor of the will. His home stood on the
main street, just in rear of the present
savings bank and the property remained
in the family until after 1863. He mar-
ried, March 19, 1707, Sarah, daughter of
Rev. Solomon and Esther (Warham)
Stoddard, of Northampton, born April i,
1680, died September 10, 1755. She joined
the church at Farmington by letter, Feb-
ruary ii, 1711. Children: Rev. Elnathan,
born January 12, 1709; Solomon, men-
tioned below; Eunice, February 24, 1712;
John, December 23, 1713; Dr. Samuel,
January 13, 1716; Sarah, March 12, 1718;
Elizabeth, January 17, 1721.
(IV) Solomon, second son of Samuel
and Sarah (Stoddard) Whitman, was
born April 20, 1710, at Farmington. He
settled on a portion of the homestead, and
learned the trade of shoemaker, but ap-
parently never followed it. He was well
educated and deeply interested in all lit-
erary matters. Early in life he was ap-
pointed a magistrate by the colonial gov-
ernment, and was honored by the citizens
of his native town with offices of every
grade. In 1751 he was appointed by the
assembly as justice of the peace, an office
which he held until 1767. In 1751 he was
chosen deputy to the general assembly,
and reflected for sixteen years. In 1769
the probate court of the Farmington dis-
trict was established, and he was the first
judge appointed. He held the office of
town clerk at the age of ninety-two, and
inherited from his father large landed pos-
sessions, which he improved by careful
management, so that at his death he left
a handsome property. He married (first),
December 17, 1/36, Susanna Cole, of
Farmington, born 1715, died March 19,
1772; (second) November 19, 1772, Ruth,
daughter of John and Abigail (Stanley)
Hooker, and widow of Asahel Strong,
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
born April 16, 1708, died September 18,
1777. He married (third) July 30, 1778,
Ruth, daughter of Thomas and Mary
(Thomson) Hart, and widow of William
Wadsworth, born April 16, 1708, died
February 20, 1779. Children: Chloe, born
1737; Lemuel, August i, 1739; Solomon,
mentioned below; Elnathan, March 21,
1746; Mary, May 8, 1751, died August 10.
1751 ; Samuel, September 29, 1752.
(V) Solomon (2), second son of Solo-
mon (i) and Susanna (Cole) Whitman,
was born February, 1743, in Farmington,
and died there December 23, 1801. He
was a civil engineer or surveyor, and in-
herited a large amount of property from
his father, which he managed with good
judgment ; was a leading man in his na-
tive town. He married, February 17,
1772, Mary, daughter of Abel and Ruth
(Gridley) Thompson, born May 8, 1751,
died March 30, 1817, surviving her hus-
band over seventeen years. Children :
Almira, born May 26, 1773; Susanna, No-
vember 20, 1775 ; Polly, November 18,
1777; Lemuel, mentioned below; Samuel,
January 24, 1784; Nancy, October 8, 1787;
Solomon, September 10, 1789; Edward,
March 4, 1792; Fanny, June 20, 1794.
(VI) Lemuel, eldest son of Solomon
(2) and Mary (Thompson) Whitman,
was born June 8, 1780, in Farmington,
and entered Yale College at the age of
sixteen years, graduating in 1800. For
two years he taught in a young ladies'
seminar}' in Bermuda, and was called
home by the death of his father. He then
engaged in the study of law, with Judge
Tappan Reeves, of Litchfield, where he
had as a fellow student, John C. Calhoun,
the noted Southern statesman, and they
became warm friends, continuing thus
through life. He began the practice of
law in his native village and was active
in politics. In 1818 he was appointed
assistant judge of the superior court, and
from 1819 to 1821 was associate judge of
Hartford county court, and from 1821 to
1823 was chief judge. He was one of
three appointed to revise the statutes of
the State. In 1823 he was elected by the
Democrats to Congress, and his action in
that body was guided by the highest prin-
ciples. Without any consideration of its
effect upon his personal or political popu-
larity, he followed his judgment in every
action. After the expiration of his term
he resumed practice at home, and died
November 13, 1841. He married, July 5,
1820, Emily Case, daughter of Elisha and
Delight (Griswold) Case, born Septem-
ber 14, 1799, in West Simsbury, Connec-
ticut, died in Hartford. Children : John
C., born July 20, 1823 ; Mary Ann, men-
tioned below ; Louise Sarah, January 2,
1827; Jane Susan, December 28, 1829;
Henry Augustus, March 31, 1832; George
Frederick, September 15, 1834.
(VII) Mary Ann, eldest daughter of
Lemuel and Emily (Case) Whitman, was
born March 28, 1825, and was married,
August 5, 1846, to John E. Hills, of Farm-
ington (see Hills VII).
EARLE, Lloyd S.,
Contracting Bnildcr, Man of Affairs.
An extended history of the early gener-
ations of the Earle family appears else-
where in this work, beginning with Ralph
Earle, born in England, and doubtless
married there Joan Savage. He was in
N'ewport, Rhode Island, as early as 1638.
His second son, William Earle, resided in
Portsmouth until about 1670, when he
removed to Dartmouth, where he had a
large landed interest. He was the father
of Thomas Earle, who died at his home-
stead in Warwick, Rhode Island. His
third son, Oliver Earle, lived for a time
in New York City, where he was engaged
in the East India trade. He married Re-
156
&,
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
becca Sherman, and their second son,
Caleb Earle, was born in Swansea, Mas-
sachusetts, and lived there. He married
(first) Sarah Buffington, and (second)
Hannah Chase, of Swansea.
(VI) Weston, eldest son of Caleb and
Sarah (Buffington) Earle, was born April
18, 1750, in Swansea, where he resided
until his death, which occurred Septem-
ber 5, 1838. He was buried in the Friends'
cemetery in Somerset, Massachusetts.
He married (first) Hepzibeth Terry, (sec-
ond) Sarah Slade, (third) Martha S.
Smith. Children by first marriage : Caleb,
born February 27, 1771; Sarah, 1777;
Hepzibeth, 1778. By second marriage:
John, May 24, 1790; Slade, mentioned be-
low; Edward S., October 17, 1795. By
third marriage: Thomas G., October 19,
1823.
(VII) Slade, third son of Weston
Earle, and child of his second wife, Sarah
Slnde, was born October 16, 1791, in
Swansea, lived in Somerset, and died Sep-
tember 21, 1872, in Fall River, Massachu-
setts. He married, in 1812, Hannah,
daughter of Robert and Martha Gibbs, of
Somerset, and granddaughter of John
Gibbs, of Swansea, Massachusetts. John
Gibbs, of Swansea, was a private in Cap-
tain Peleg Shearman's company, Colonel
Thomas Carpenter's (Bristol county)
regiment, from October 13 to 18, 1775,
five days, including travel from Swansea
to Howland's Ferry, on a secret expedi-
tion to Rhode Island, at the request of
General Spencer. He was in Captain
Ward Swift's company, Colonel Free-
man's regiment, four days, on an alarm at
Dartmouth and Falmouth, September 6,
1778. He was in Captain Peleg Peck's
company under the same colonel from
August 3 to August 9, 1780, seven days,
company marched to Tiverton on an
alarm. All Swansea men were consoli-
dated in one company under Captain Peck
by order of Colonel Slade. Children :
Lloyd S., mentioned below; Gibbs, born
July 20, 1814, married Laura Carpen-
ter; George W., April 25, 1818, mar-
ried (first) Julia A. Vickery, (second)
Mary E. Case ; Slade W., January 24,
1820, married (first) Elizabeth W. Wins-
low, (second) Mary Becknell ; Hannah
J., February 19, 1824, married William
Maxim; John M., July 3, 1830, married
Lucretia A. Sinsabaugh.
(VIII) Lloyd Slade, eldest child of
Slade and Hannah (Gibbs) Earle, was
born December u, 1812, in Somerset, and
spent his youth in the town of Swansea,
whither the family had removed. Until
seventeen years of age he was occupied
in season at work on his father's farm or
that of one in the neighborhood, in the
meantime attending the schools of his
vicinity. In 1829 he went to New Bed-
ford for the purpose of learning the
mason's trade, and there served an ap-
prenticeship at it with Messrs. Pierce &
\\ heaton, contractors and builders. Four
years later, in the summer of 1834, after
completing his apprenticeship, he went to
Fall River, Massachusetts, and worked
that season for Ephraim G. Woodman.
In the fall he entered into a partnership
with his brother-in-law, Danforth Horton,
for the purpose of carrying on business
as contractors and builders. For four
years following, during the winter season,
he taught school, first in his own district
in Somerset, and later in Dighton. Messrs.
Horton and Earle did an extensive and
successful business in their line, and in
1860, after the dissolution of the firm, Mr.
Earle continued the same line of business
alone, doing a large business through the
remaining years of his active life. He
erected some of the finest mills and houses
in and about Fall River. Some of the
mills which he built, which numbered al-
most a score, were the Granite, the Amer-
157
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
ican Print Works (which were destroyed
by fire and rebuilt), Flint mills, Ameri-
can Linen mills, Shove mills, the first
Union mills, Bourne mill, Wampanoag
mill No. 2, and the Pocasset mills. He
gained a reputation as a successful con-
tractor, especially for superior work in
brick and stone and for finishing, plaster-
ing interior work. Starting in life a poor
boy Mr. Earle through his own efforts,
through his energy and industry, through
the force of his make-up, rose to position
and wealth, to occupy a most honorable
place in society and substantial and use-
ful citizenship. In politics he was a Dem-
ocrat at first, and acted with the Free-
soil party, becoming a Republican on the
formation of that party in 1856 and acting
with it thereafter. He served one term in
the common council of Fall River, and
was a representative from that city in the
General Court of Massachusetts in 1860-
61. For many years he was actively con-
nected with some of the leading enter-
prises of Fall River, and ever took a deep
interest in the public improvements of the
city. He was especially interested and
active in the moral and religious life of
the place, and was a strong advocate of
temperance, he himself never using strong
liquors of any kind or tobacco. He was
identified with the First Baptist Church
in Fall River, and was active in Sunday
school work, serving off and on through
forty or more years as a teacher in the
school. He was president of the Robeson
Mill, a director in the Shove, Wampanoag,
Robeson and Bourne Mills, for a number
of years a director of the Pocasset Na-
tional Bank, a trustee of the Citizens' Sav-
ings Bank and a member of the board of
investment of the latter institution. Mr.
Earle died August n, 1895. He married,
in 1836, Persis P. Sherman, born Janu-
ary 23, 1808, daughter of Carlton and
Sarah (Brayton) Sherman, died April
16, 1884 (see Sherman VI). Their only
child was Andrew Brayton Earle, men-
tioned below.
(IX) Andrew Brayton, only child of
Lloyd Slade and Persis P. (Sherman)
Earle, born February 27, 1837, received
his education in the public schools of Fall
River, graduating from the high school
when eighteen years of age, and from, the
time he commenced work was identified
with the grocery business. After leaving
school he clerked for several small deal-
ers until ready to engage in business on
his own account, forming a partnership
with Stephen Taber, located on South
Alain street. Mr. Earle had just with-
drawn from this association to go into
business with his father when his un-
timely death occurred, January 12, 1867,
before he had completed his thirtieth year.
He was a man of high aims and character,
and though not a church member, he held
to the tenets of Christianity and rever-
enced its doctrines. He married, August
26, 1858, Hannah E. Borden, born in Fall
River, January 5, 1839, daughter of Dur-
fee and Grace (Read) Borden, and grand-
daughter of Lemuel and Ruth (Borden)
llorden, the latter a daughter of Parker
Borden and he a son of William Borden.
Mrs. Earle died March 17, 1915, at her
home in Fall River, and was buried in
Oak Grove Cemetery. They had chil-
dren: Lloyd Brayton, born May 2, 1860,
died February 14, 1862; Emma Persis,
March 26, 1862, and died April 13, 1915,
married, June 15, 1893, Dr. Charles W.
Connell, of Fall River, and has had two
children Clarissa Earle, born May 26,
1894, and Grace, April 29, 1896, died Jan-
uary 28, 1899; Mary A., mentioned below.
(X) Mary A., younger daughter of An-
drew Brayton and Hannah E. (Borden)
Earle, was born April 21, 1864, and mar-
ried, April 29, 1886, Edwin Howard Davis,
of Somerset, born February 2, 1860, son of
58
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Baylies and Abbie (Gibbs) Davis, and he
died February 23, 1894. They had one
daughter, Persis Earle, born April 27,
1888, married, March 10, 1909, Orator
Francis Woodward, of Le Roy, New
York, and they have one daughter, Ruth
Woodward, born February 27, 1916, in
Rochester, New York, where they reside.
(The Sherman Line).
The surname of Sherman in England is
of German origin, and at the present time
in Germany and adjacent countries the
name is found spelled Schurman, Schear-
man, Scherman. It is derived from the
occupation of some progenitor, that of
cloth dresser or shearer of cloth. The
family bore the Suffolk coat-of-arms, and
probably lived in the county of Suffolk,
whence they removed to Essex in the fif-
teenth century. The name in early Rhode
Island records and in Swansea, Massa-
chusetts, is spelled Shearman. It is found
in England as early as 1420, and through
wills and other documents is traced as
follows :
(I) Thomas Sherman, Gentleman, born
about 1420, resided at Diss and Yaxley,
England, died 1493. He had a wife Agnes
and a son,
(II) John Sherman, a gentleman of
Yaxley, born about 1450, died November,
1504. He married Agnes, daughter of
Thomas Fullen. They had a son,
(III) Thomas (2) Sherman, born about
1480, died in November, 1551. He re-
sided at Diss, on the river Waveney, be-
tween the counties of Norfolk and Suf-
folk. His will mentions property includ-
ing the manors of Royden and Royden
Tuft, with appurtenances, at Royden and
Bessingham, and other properties in Nor-
folk and Suffolk. His wife, Jane, who
was probably not his first, was a daugh-
ter of John Waller, of Wortham, Suffolk.
Children: Thomas, Richard, John, Henry,
William, Anthony, Francis, Bartholomew
and James.
(IV) Henry, son of Thomas (2) Sher-
man, was born about 1530, in Yaxley, and
is mentioned in his father's will. His
will, made January 20, 1589, proved July
2 5- 1 59> wa s made at Colchester, where
he lived. His first wife, Agnes Butler,
was buried October 14, 1580. He married
(second) Margery Wilson, a widow.
Children : Henry, mentioned below ; Ed-
mund, married Ann Clere, died 1601, his
son, Edmund, was father of Rev. John
Sherman, of New Haven, Connecticut,
where Edmund died in 1641 ; Dr. Robert,
of London ; Judith, a daughter, married
Nicholas Fynce, and John, died without
issue.
(V) Henry (2), son of Henry (i) Sher-
man, was born about 1555, in Colchester,
and resided in Dedham, County Essex,
where he made his will August 21, proved
September 8, 1610. He married Susan
Hills, whose will was made ten days after
his, and proved in the following month.
Six of the sons mentioned below were
living when the father died. Henry, born
1571, died 1642; Samuel, mentioned be-
low; Susan, 1575; Edmond or Edward,
about 1577; Nathaniel, 1580, died young;
Nathaniel, 1582; John, August 17, 1585;
Elizabeth, about 1587; Ezekiel, July 25,
1589; Mary, July 27, 1592; Daniel, 1594;
Anne, married Thomas Wilson ; Phebe,
married Simeon Fenn.
(VI) Samuel, son of Henry (2) and
Susan (Hills) Sherman, was born 1573,
and died in Dedham, in 1615. He mar-
ried Philippa Ward.
(I) Philip Sherman, seventh child of
Samuel and Philippa (Ward) Sherman,
was born February 5, 1610, in Dedham,
and died in 1687, in Portsmouth, Rhode
Island. He came to America when
twenty-three years old, and settled at
Roxbury, Massachusetts, where he was
'59
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
made freeman May 14, 1634, standing
next on the list after Governor Haynes.
In 1635 he returned to England for a
short time, but was again in Roxbury,
November 20, 1637, when he and others
were warned to give up all arms because
"the opinions and revelations of Mr.
Wheelwright and Mrs. Hutchinson have
seduced and led into dangerous errors
many of the people here in New Eng-
land." The church record says he was
brought over to "Familism" by Porter,
his wife's stepfather. In 1636 he was one
of the purchasers of the island of Aquid-
neck, now Rhode Island, and on the for-
mation of a government in 1639 became
secretary under Governor William Cod-
dington. The Massachusetts authorities
evidently believed he was still under their
jurisdiction, for, on March 12, 1638,
though he had summons to appear at the
next court, "if they had not yet gone to
answer such things as shall be objected."
He did not answer this summons, but
continued to be a prominent figure in
Rhode Island affairs. He continued to
serve the public, was made freeman
March 16, 1641, was general recorder
1648 to 1652, and deputy from 1665 to
1667. He was among the sixteen persons
who were requested, on April 4, 1676, to
be present at the next meeting of the
deputies to give advice and help in regard
to the Narragansett campaign. He was
public-spirited and enterprising. After
his removal to Rhode Island he left the
Congregational church and united with
the Society of Friends. Tradition affirms
that he was "a devout but determined
man." The early records prepared by
him still remain in Portsmouth, and show
him to have been a very neat and expert
penman, as well as an edvicated man. His
will showed that he was wealthy for the
times. In 1634 he married Sarah Odding,
stepdaughter of John Porter, of Roxbury,
and his wife, Margaret, who was a widow
Odding at the time of her marriage to
Porter. Philip Sherman's children : Eber,
born 1634, lived in Kingstown, Rhode
Island, died in 1706; Sarah, 1636, married
Thomas Munford ; Peleg, mentioned be-
low ; Mary, 1639, died young; Edmond,
1641, lived in Portsmouth and Dartmouth,
died in 1719; Samson, 1642; W'illiam,
1643, died young; John, 1644, a farmer
and blacksmith in what is now South
Dartmouth, died April 16, 1734; Mary,
1645, married Samuel Wilbur; Hannah,
1647, married William Chase ; Samuel.
1648, lived in Portsmouth, died October
9, 1717; Benjamin, 1650, lived in Ports-
mouth; Philippa, October i, 1652, mar-
ried Benjamin Chase.
(II) Peleg, second son of Philip and
Sarah (Odding) Sherman, was born 1638,
in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and died
1719. He lived first in Portsmouth, Rhode
Island, then in Dartmouth, Massachu-
setts, and finally at Kingston, Rhode
Island ; was a farmer. He married, July
25, 1657, Elizabeth Lawton, daughter of
Thomas Lawton; she died 1711. Chil-
dren : Thomas, born August 8, 1658 ; Wil-
liam, October 3, 1659; Daniel, June 15,
1662; Mary, December 11, 1664; Peleg,
October 8, 1666; Ann, April 30, 1668;
Elizabeth, November 25, 1670; Samuel,
mentioned below ; Eber, October 20, 1674 ;
John, October 28, 1676 ; Benjamin, July
15, 1678; Sarah, January 25, 1680; Isa-
belle, June 3, 1683; George, December 18,
1687.
(III) Samuel, son of Peleg and Eliza-
beth (Lawton) Sherman, was born July
IT, 1672, in Portsmouth, and had a wife
Martha.
(IV) Peleg (2), son of Samuel and
Martha Sherman, was born October 27,
1700, at Tiverton, Rhode Island, died Oc-
tober 27, 1750, and married, September 5,
1730, Innocent Wodell, who died June 13,
160
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
1758. Children, born in Tiverton : Silas,
mentioned below; Sarah, July 28, 1749.
(V) Silas, son of Peleg (2) and Inno-
cent (Wodell) Sherman, was born Octo-
ber 15, 1737, at Tiverton, and married,
April 28, 1768, at Freetown, Penelope
Baggs.
(VI) Carlton, son of Silas and Penelope
(Baggs) Sherman, was born about 1775,
and died July 10, 1849, m tne seventy-
fourth year of his age. He was a cabinet-
maker by trade, and this, in connection
with farming, was his occupation. He
married in Fall River, March 29, 1804,
Sarah, daughter of James Brayton, died
January 15, 1845, aged seventy years.
Children: Benjamin B., born February 3,
1805; Zeriah A., June 15, 1806, married
Benjamin Hambly ; Persis P., mentioned
below ; Sarah Brayton, mentioned below.
(VII) Persis P., second daughter of
Carlton and Sarah (Brayton) Sherman,
was born January 23, 1808, and became
the wife of Lloyd Slade Earle, of Fall
River (see Earle VIII).
(VII) Sarah Brayton, youngest daugh-
ter of Carlton and Sarah (Brayton) Sher-
man, was born February 18, 1810, and be-
came the wife of Danforth Horton, of
Fall River (see Horton IV).
(The Davis Line).
Aaron Davis, founder of the family in
this country lived at Newport, Rhode
Island, and Dartmouth, Massachusetts,
and died after 1713. He was a mason by
trade. In 1694 he was one of the pro-
prietors of Dartmouth, and in 1698 was
ordained pastor of the First Baptist
Church at Dartmouth. His wife's name
was Mary, and they had children: Wil-
liam, mentioned below ; Joshua, of New-
port ; Aaron, of Little Compton ; Samuel,
married Sarah Albro ; John.
(II) William, eldest child of Aaron and
Mary Davis, resided in Freetown, Massa-
chusetts, where he served as a member of
the grand jury in 1697. He married,
March i, 1686, Mary, daughter of Wil-
liam and Ann (Johnson) Makepeace, of
Freetown, Massachusetts, and grand-
daughter of Thomas Makepeace, of Dart-
mouth, and his wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Mel-
lows. Children: William, born June u,
1688; Thomas, married Lydia, surname
unknown ; John ; Jonathan, mentioned be-
low ; Remembrance, married (first) Sarah
Soul, of Tiverton, (second) Sarah Fox,
of Freetown ; Joseph ; Rebecca, married
William Cole ; Elizabeth ; Abigail, mar-
ried Ephraim Hathaway, of Freetown,
December 19, 1717; Anne, married, Jan-
uary 29, 1723; Robert Evans; Hannah,
married William Gage, of Freetown ;
Ruth.
(III) Jonathan, fourth son of William
and Mary (Makepeace) Davis, was a resi-
dent of Freetown, where he married, De-
cember 24, 1730, Sarah Terry, of that
town. Children: Silas, born January i,
1732 ; Jonathan, mentioned below ; Joseph,
mentioned below; Richard, February I,
1741 ; Cornelius, January 24, 1744.
(IV) Jonathan (2), second son of Jon-
athan (i) and Sarah (Terry) Davis, was
born May 26, 1736, in Freetown, where he
died January i, 1808. Jonathan Davis was
a private in Captain Daniel Gilbert's com-
pany, Colonel Jonathan Whitney's regi-
ment, from August 2 to September 13,
1778, one month and sixteen days, includ-
ing travel, at Rhode Island. He was a
private in Captain George Lewis' com-
pany, Colonel Freeman's regiment, five
days, on an alarm at Bedford, Dartmouth
and Falmouth, December 6, 1778. He
married (first) March 20, 1757, Martha
Baggs, of Freetown, and (second) Janu-
ary 1 6, 1772, Sarah Treadwell. Children
of first marriage: Margaret, died young;
Jonathan, born January 7, 1770; probably
others. Children of second marriage:
Mass-S-ll
161
ENCYCLOF |EDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Mercy, born January 27, 1773; El eazer '
May ii, 1735; and James, mentione' d be ~
low.
(V) James, youngest known ch lld of
Jonathan (2) and Sarah (Treac lwe11 )
Davis, was born June 10, 1777, in Free-
town, and married, in 1797, Diana ^ lm ~
mons, of Somerset, Massachusetts. Chil-
dren : Baylis, mentioned below; ^ ancv '
married Barney Blossom ; Abby, w nfe ^
John Hall, and Nathan.
(VI) Baylis, son of James and Dian a
(Simmons) Davis, resided in Son lerset '
and was a member of the Baptist c nurcn
of that town. He married Nancj ^ lm ~
mons.
(VII) Captain Baylis Davis, s 10 " of
Baylis (i) and Nancy (Simmons) Davis -
was born June 18, 1826, in Somers< et ' ^ ol ~
lowed the sea, becoming a master mar '~
tier, and died September 22, 1900, ii 1 Som-
erset, in his seventy-fifth year. H e mar "
ried, June 26, 1848, Abby B. Gi bbs ' a
native of Somerset, daughter of Jo* 1 " and
Hepsibeth (Gibbs) Gibbs, and rand -
daughter of John and Jael (Chase) Gibbs -
Hepsibeth Gibbs was born Mar cn 2 5-
1787, died September 2, 1878. Mrs" Davis
was born August 27, 1828, died J anua T
22, 1895.
(VIII) Edwin Howard, son of < :a P ta in
Baylis (2) and Abby B. (Gibbs) Da vis,
was born February 26, 1860, in So mersetl
and died February 23, 1894, in Fal 1 River -
Massachusetts, in his thirty-fourt h vear
He married, April 29, 1886, M arv A -
Earle, born April 21, 1864, daug hter of
Andrew Brayton and Hannah E' ( Bor -
den) Earle, of Fall River (see Eaf le IX )-
(The Simmons Line).
This name is of Dutch origin < Jnd ' s a
contraction of the name as it first a PP eared
in this country. At the time of tfi e earlv
Dutch immigration surnames w ere not
common in Holland, and every rri an
162
his father's baptismal name, with the
syllable son added for a patronymic. Thus
it occurs that this name is derived from
Symonson. The original immigrant came
from Leyden, Holland, and thus fell
among the Pilgrims of New England.
The first settlers of New York were his
compatriots, and in the Empire State are
many ancient families still preserving
some form of the old Dutch names.
(I) Moses Simonson, or Symonson, a
native of Leyden, Holland, came to Plym-
outh, Massachusetts, in the ship "For-
tune," in 1621, and settled in Duxbury,
near Plymouth. His father was a com-
municant of the Dutch church at Leyden,
and Moses was one of the "purchasers"
which entitled him to admission to the
Plymouth church in this country, where
his children were baptized. He was made
a freeman in 1634, and served three years
later as a juryman. In 1638 he received a
grant of land in addition to one previ-
ously made. He had sons Moses and
Thomas.
(II) Moses (2), son of Moses (i)
Simonson, or Simmons as the name very
quickly was rendered by the English-
speaking people, resided in Duxbury,
where he died in 1689. He had a wife
Sarah and children : John, Aaron, Mary,
Elizabeth and Sarah, all of whom married
and reared families.
(III) Aaron, second son of Moses (2)
and Sarah Simmons, married, in 1677,
Mary Woodworth, and had children : Re-
becca, born 1679; Moses, mentioned be-
low; Mary, 1683; Elizabeth, 1686; Eben-
ezer, 1689; Lydia, 1693.
(IV) Moses (3), eldest son of Aaron
and Mary (Woodworth) Simmons, was
born in 1680, and resided in Bridgewater,
Massachusetts. He married, in 1711,
Rachel Cudworth.
(V) Constant Simmons, born about
1715-18, resided in Dighton, Massachu-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
setts, where he married, April 12, 1739,
Lyclia Phillips. Children: John, men-
tioned below; Hannah, born December i,
1740; Constant, February 5, 1742; Joshua,
October 22, 1743; Lydia, September 11,
1746; David, June 28, 1748; Jean, March
18, 1750; Rebecca, June 15, 1753.
(VI) John, eldest child of Constant
and Lydia (Phillips) Simmons, was born
July 1 6, 1/39, in Dighton, and was
married in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, by
Elder John Hicks, January 5, 1766, to
Hannah Bullock, born May 6, 1745, in
Rehoboth, daughter of Elkanah and Sarah
Bullock. John Simmons was a private in
Captain Elijah Walker's company, Colo-
nel Pope's (Bristol county) regiment,
marched December 8, 17/6, on an alarm
of that date at Rhode Island, service nine
days. He was a private in Captain Mat-
thew Randall's company, Colonel John
Daggett's regiment, January 7 to April i,
1778, two months and twenty-six days,
at Rhode Island, regiment raised for three
months' service, from January I, 1778. He
was a private in Captain Josiah King's
company under the same colonel, from
August 28 to September i, 1778, five days,
at Rhode Island, company detached from
the militia ; roll sworn at Taunton. He
was also under the same captain in Colo-
nel John Hathaway's regiment, Brigadier-
General George Godfrey's (Bristol coun-
ty) brigade, seven days, marched to
Tiverton on the alarm of August 2, 1780.
Children : Infant, died unnamed ; John,
born September 7, 1768; Elkanah, No-
vember 9, 1770; Constant, May 7, 1773;
Philip, March 29, 1775; Caleb, May 19,
1777; Gameliel, December 24, 1779; Han-
nah, May 18, 1782; Nathan, mentioned
below; Lydia, April 25, 1787.
(VII) Nathan, youngest son of John
and Hannah (Bullock) Simmons, was
born November 7, 1784, in Dighton, and
died in Somerset, Massachusetts, March
1 5< l &57- He married in Rehoboth, No-
vember 27, 1806, Nancy Pierce, who died
in Somerset, Massachusetts, June 23,
1870, said to have been ninety years of
age, daughter of Noah and Salome Pierce.
(VIII) Nancy, daughter of Nathan and
Nancy (Pierce) Simmons, was born 1808,
in Dighton, Massachusetts, and died in
Somerset, March 13, 1866. She became
the wife of Baylis Davis, of Somerset (see
Davis VI).
(The Read Line).
(I) John Reade was a cordwainer by
trade, according to tradition, as is his
coming from Plymouth, England. He
came to this country, was an inhabitant
of Newport, Rhode Island, and had chil-
dren : John, Ebenezer and Oliver.
(II) John (2), son of John (i) Read,
born in Newport, Rhode Island, settled in
Freetown, Massachusetts, where he mar-
ried Hannah, who died April 12, 1727. He
was a cordwainer by trade, operated a
tannery, reared his sons to the same occu-
pation, which continued through four
generations, and late in the eighteenth
century the business was bought out by
Sarah Read's husband, Enoch French. It
had become a large establishment at Troy,
now called Fall River. John Read had
children : Hannah, Joseph and John.
(III) John (3), son of John (2) and
Hannah Read, lived in Freetown, where
for some thirty years he was town clerk.
He married Mary, daughter of John and
Mary (Tallman) Pearce. She died May
6, 1726, and he married (second) Susan-
nah Brownell. Children : Mary, born
November 19, 1690, married Samuel For-
man ; John, June 12, 1694, married Mrs.
Sarah Borden ; Thomas, May 9, 1696;
Hannah, October 12, 1697; William, Sep-
tember 9, 1699; Oliver, mentioned below;
Penelope, October 12, 1703, married Ste-
phen Borden; Jonathan, January 23, 1705,
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
married Hope Durfee ; Joseph, March 5,
1708, married Grace Pray; Sarah, Febru-
ary i, 1709; Nathan, February 23, 1711;
Susannah, February 27, 1715, married Jo-
seph Borden.
(IV) Oliver, fourth son of John (3)
and Mary (Pearce) Read, was born Octo-
ber 14, 1701, in Freetown, where he lived,
and married in Portsmouth, Rhode Island,
December 27, 1730, Martha Durfee, born
February 20, 1702, in that town, daughter
of Thomas and Anna (Freeborn) Durfee.
Children: John, born December n, 1732;
Oliver, August 21, 1734; Mary, March 31,
1736 ; Jonathan, November 13, 1737 ; Wait,
December 6, 1739; Nathan, June 16, 1742;
Benjamin, March 28, 1744; Gideon, men-
tioned below.
(V) Gideon, youngest son of Oliver
and Martha (Durfee) Read, was born
February 5, 1746, and was dead in 1791,
when his father made his will. The lat-
ter mentioned an infant daughter of his
son Gideon, then deceased. The latter
was undoubtedly the father of the next
mentioned.
(VI) Gideon Read, born 1767-68, died
April 10, 1832. He married, April i, 1789,
Margaret Houghton, of Freetown. Chil-
dren: Patience, born July 19, 1789, died
October i, 1790; Henry, January i, 1794;
Betty, April 14, 1795; Hannah, May 29,
1798 ; Catherine, June 7, 1800 ; Grace, men-
tioned below ; John, July 10, 1804, died
September i, 1807; Hilton, May 4, 1806,
died January, 1834.
(VII) Grace, fifth daughter of Gideon
and Margaret (Houghton) Read, was
born July 9, 1802. in Freetown, and be-
came the wife of Durfee Borden, of Fall
River.
(VIII) Hannah, daughter of Durfee
and Grace (Read) Borden, was born Jan-
uary 5, 1839, and became the wife of An-
drew Brayton Earle, of Fall River (see
Earle IX). She passed away March 17,
1915, in the seventy-fifth year of her age.
MASON, Frederick,
Manufacturer, Financier.
There were several pioneer settlers
of New England bearing this name, and
the family has been conspicuous down
through the generations in various parts
of the United States for constructive
power and high moral character. Robert
Mason, born in England about 1590, set-
tled in Roxbury, Massachusetts, in 1630.
John and Sampson Mason, both formerly
soldiers of the English army, settled in
Dorchester, Massachusetts, and all three
were probably related.
(I) John Mason, born in the year 1600,
served as a lieutenant in the English army
in Netherlands, under Sir Thomas Fair-
fax. In 1632 he came to America, settling
first at Dorchester, Massachusetts, which
town he represented in the General Court,
and in 1635 removed to Windsor, Con-
necticut, with the large company that
made the pilgrimage through the wildei-
ness. He was elected a magistrate of the
Connecticut Colony in May, 1637, com-
manded an expedition against the Pequot
Indians, in which he and his famous nine-
ty men immortalized themselves by over-
throwing and destroying the power of
the Pequots. This event is commemorated
by a monument on Mystic Hill in Groton,
Connecticut, crowned by a life-sized
statue of Major Mason drawing his
sword. In 1647 ne removed with his
family to Saybrook, Connecticut, and in
1660 united with a number of distin-
guished families in the settlement of
Norwich, Connecticut, where he was
deputy governor and major-general of
the Connecticut forces. In civil life he
was also distinguished, filling various
official positions, and after a life of great
usefulness died January 30, 1672. The
name of his first wife is unknown. She
was the mother of his daughter Judith.
After her death he married (second) in
164
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
July, 1640, Anna Peck. Children: Pris-
cilla, born 1641, in Windsor; Samuel,
1644, in Windsor; John, August, 1646, in
Windsor; Rachel, 1648, in Saybrook ;
Anne, June, 1650, in Saybrook; Daniel,
mentioned below ; Elizabeth, August,
1654, in Stonington.
(II) Daniel, son of Major John Mason,
born in April, 1652, at Saybrook, died
January 28, 1/37, in Stonington, Connec-
ticut. He married (first) Margaret Deni-
son, born December 15, 1650, daughter of
Edward and Elizabeth (Weld) Denison,
of Roxbury, Massachusetts. She died
May 13. 1678, and he married (second")
October 10, 1679, Rebecca, daughter of
Rev. Peter and Rebecca (Ibrook) Hobart,
of Hingham, Massachusetts, born April
9, 1654, died April 8, 1727, granddaughter
of Edmund and Margaret (Dewey) Ho-
bart, who came to Charlestown, in 1633.
Children of first marriage : Daniel, born
November 26, 1674, in Stonington, Con-
necticut; Hezekiah, May 3, 1677, in Rox-
bury, Massachusetts ; of second marriage,
all born in Stonington : Peter, mentioned
below ; Rebecca, February 10, 1(182 ; Mar-
garet, December 21, 1683; Samuel, Feb-
ruary u, 1686; Abigail. February 3, 1689;
Priscilla, September 17, 1691 ; Nehemiah,
November 24, 1693.
(III) Peter, son of Daniel Mason, and
child of his second wife, Rebecca Hobart,
was born November 9, 1680, in Stoning-
ton. where he resided for a time, and later
removed to New London. He married,
July 8, 1703, Mary Hobart. Children, all
except first three born in New London:
Peter, born August 25, 1/04; a daughter,
September 13, 1705; Daniel, March 25,
1/07; Japhet, December 28, 1709, died
young; Mary, May 31, 171 1 ; Japhet, men-
tioned below ; Abigail, September 3, 1715 ;
Peter, December 28, 1717; Alithea, De-
cember 9, 1720.
(IV) Japhet, fourth son of Peter and
Mary (Hobart) Mason, was born Sep-
tember 30, 1713, in New London. The
family name of his wife was Chappel.
Children: Japhet, mentioned below;
Amos ; Samuel ; Naomi ; Wealthy.
(V) Japhet (2), eldest son of Japhet
Mason, was born August 19, 1742, and
married, in 1/67, Patience Hempstead,
born May 31, 1744. Children: Mary,
born February 20, 1768, died unmarried;
Daniel, June 28, 1771, died August 11,
1827. unmarried; John, April 2, 1774;
Amos, mentioned below ; Sarah, May 30,
1778; Guy, July 25. 1782, died in 1783;
Elizabeth, July 29, 1784; William, Au-
gust 30, 1786.
(VI) Amos, third son of Japhet (2)
and Patience (Hempstead) Mason, was
born May 5. 1776, and after his marriage
removed with his family to a small island
at the mouth of the Mystic river. Here
he remained for three years, and then re-
moved to the town of Stonington, where
he cultivated a small farm and worked at
his trade of blacksmith. He married,
February 6, 1803, Mary Holdredge, born
January 31, 1779, in Groton. died Septem-
ber 21, 1865, in Taunton. Children:
Amos Holdredge, born November 27,
1803, in Groton, Connecticut, died in
Taunton, Massachusetts, July 9, 1880;
Phineas, August 24, 1805, in Groton, died
in Taunton, April 2, 1880; William, men-
tioned below; Edwin, June 4, 1811, in
Groton, died in Taunton, October 17,
1853; Calvin, May i, 1814, on Ram
Island, died at Hartford, Connecticut,
May 29, 1855 : Alexander Thompson,
April it, 1816, at North Stonington, Con-
necticut, died in Taunton, November 17,
1866; Japhet, December 13, 1818, at
North Stonington, died in Taunton, De-
cember 29, 1880; Mary, September 7,
1821, at North Stonington, died in Taun-
ton, January 30, 1896.
(VII) William, third son of Amos and
Mary (Holdredge) Mason, was born Sep-
tember 2, 1808, in Mystic, and was reared
165
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
in the town of Stonington, Connecticut,
assisting in his father's shop and on the
farm receiving the benefits of the dis-
trict school for a short period in each
year. He early developed a strong me-
chanical genius, and was accustomed to
fashion toys with the aid of his father's
jack-knife, and when only eight years old
constructed skates, sleds and a jewsharp.
He also succeeded in making musical in-
struments of various kinds, and when
thirteen years of age became an operative
in the spinning room of a small cotton
factory in the town of Canterbury, Con-
necticut. After four years of this occupa-
tion, including one year in a thread fac-
tory at Lisbon, same State, he removed
to East Haddam, Connecticut. When
the complicated machines in the factories
where he had been employed needed re-
pairing, it was found that he alone could
accomplish the necessary work, and when
mills were established at East Haddam
for manufacturing thread, he was sent for
to start the machinery. At this time he
was only fifteen years of age. While
working in the mills at Canterbury he
amused himself by constructing a hurdy-
gurdy. At seventeen he entered the ma-
chine shops attached to a cotton mill in
Canterbury, and devoted three years to
learning the details of machine work.
Having completed his apprenticeship he
went to New Hartford, New York, where
he was employed in a machine shop
about six months. Returning to Canter-
bury he soon finished and set up the first
power looms in this country for the
manufacture of linen. He also con-
structed an ingenious loom for weaving
damask table cloth. With a taste and in-
clination for art, Mr. Mason now under-
took portrait painting, but his forte was
in mechanics and he soon abandoned
painting. In the year 1832 he received
an order for some diaper looms but he
had neither shop nor means to fill the
contract. However, he obtained an ad-
vance on the undertaking, and contracted
for the necessary frames at a shop in
Willimantic, Connecticut, where, with an
assistant, he aided in forwarding the
work. In the completion of this contract
he realized about ten dollars per day, and
this was the foundation of his subsequent
career in the manufacturing of machinery
on a large scale. As a result of his suc-
cess in filling the contract in 1832, his
services were sought by machinists, and
he was engaged to assist in a shop at
Killingly, Connecticut, where the con-
struction of a new device for spinning,
now well known as the "ring and trav-
eler," was under way. The proprietors
of the shop shortly failed in business, and
Mr. Mason took charge of the establish-
ment in the interest of the creditors, re-
ceiving a percentage on the work per-
formed. In the crude and undeveloped
form of the ring traveler he saw the germ
of a most important improvement, and at
once constructed a machine for turning
it out in an improved form. He re-
modeled and perfected the ''ring" and
designed a new frame in the place of the
clumsy affair previously made. The de-
mand for this machine was limited at
first, owing to the failure of the original,
but Mr. Mason's device soon acquired a
reputation which it has retained to the
present time. After two years in Killing-
ly he engaged with a firm at Taunton,
Massachusetts, which produced cotton
machinery. In the crisis of 1837 his em-
ployers failed, owing a considerable sum
to Mr. Mason. About this time he de-
vised a "speeder" or "roving machine,"
and when the Taunton Machine Shops
came into operation by new owners, Mr.
Mason was engaged as foreman of the
establishment, with his patented speeder
as a specialty of product. The great in-
vention of his life, "the self-acting mule,"
was shortly after perfected. After two
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
years of experimentation he received a
patent, October 8, 1840. About this time
a rival machine known as the "Scotch
mule" was introduced into the country,
and in the following year the "Sharp &
Roberts Mule," imported by Major Brad-
ford Durfee, made its appearance, and
was patented in this country. The latter
machine was superior to Mr. Mason's,
and he at once set himself to perfect an
entirely new machine. In this he suc-
ceeded, and received a patent October 3,
1846, for what is known among manu-
facturers as "Mason's self-acting mule."
About this time he again suffered a re-
verse through the failure of his em-
ployers, who were largely indebted to
him. and was also prostrated by illness.
On recovering his health Mr. Mason
went into business on his own account,
and became the principal owner and man-
ager of the works of James K. Mills &
Company of Boston. Prosperous times
through change in the tariff laws and the
confidence of manufacturers in his me-
chanical ability now set him on the rapid
road to success. He erected, after his
own design, the buildings in Taunton
known as the Mason Machine Works, the
largest that had been erected up to that
time for the manufacture of machinery.
The main shop was three hundred and
fifteen feet long, three stories in height,
and the rapidly increasing business re-
quired several additions within a short
time. At the present time the mills cover
nearly ten acres. For many years Mr.
Mason produced cotton and woolen ma-
chinery, machinist's tools, blowers, cupo-
la furnaces, gearing and shafting. The
branch to which most attention was given
was the manufacture of cotton machinery.
From time to time he introduced im-
provements which increased the produc-
tion and diminished the cost of cotton
fabrics. In 1852 Mr. Mason turned his
attention to the production of locomotive
engines. In 1830 the first machine of this
kind was brought from England, and
soon after Mathias W. Baldwin, of Phil-
adelphia, built the first engine made in
this country. Soon after Thomas Rogers,
of Paterson, New Jersey, constructed an
engine. Mr. Mason determined to con-
trive a new model, and in 1853 brought
out his first locomotive which attracted
attention for its workmanship and its
tasteful form, and many improvements in
detail which have ever since character-
ized locomotives constructed in this coun-
try. In 1852 Mr. Mason erected ad-
ditional buildings for the construction of
locomotives. Among his improvements
were the casting of truck wheels with
tubular spokes and rims. In 1857 he met
another reverse through the failure of
the Boston firm with which he was con-
nected, but he soon resumed business in-
dependently, continuing until 1873, when
an incorporated company was formed for
the purpose of perpetuating the business,
which has ever since been known as the
Mason Machine Works. In 1879 tne
manufacture of the Campbell Printing
Press was undertaken, and again the ca-
pacity of the shop was enlarged. In 1893
the establishment employed nearly one
thousand people. Mr. Mason died at
Taunton, May 21, 1883, and was suc-
ceeded by his son as president of the Ma-
son Machine Works. He married, June
10, 1844, Harriet Augusta Metcalf, of
Cambridge, Massachusetts, baptized Sep-
tember 17, 1826, at First Congregational
Church, daughter of Eliab Wright and
Lydia (Stedman) Metcalf. Of the five
children of this marriage three reached
adult age. Only two are now living .
Frederick Mason, mentioned below ; and
Mrs. Walter J. Clemson. residing in
Taunton.
(VIII) Frederick, only surviving son
of William and Harriet A. (Metcalf) Ma-
son, was born August 25, 1845, m Taun-
167
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
ton, and received his elementary educa-
tion in the public schools of that city. He
was subsequently a student at the High-
land Military Academy of Worcester,
Massachusetts, the Rensselaer Polytech-
nic Institute of Troy, New York, and the
Lawrence Scientific School. In 18(14, i' 1
his nineteenth year, he entered the ma-
chine shop of the Mason Machine Works,
and has continued his connection with
that establishment to the present time,
a period of forty-nine years. By industry
and faithful attention to his duties, he
secured rapid promotion, and on the
death of his father, in 1883, was made
president of the establishment. He is
also a director of the Taunton National
Bank, succeeding his father in that ca-
pacity. In 1865, in association with sev-
eral friends, Mr. Mason recruited a com-
pany of which he was commissioned lieu-
tenant, and was later made captain of
Company G, Third Massachusetts Regi-
ment of Militia, of which he was subse-
quently lieutenant-colonel. He was ap-
pointed assistant inspector-general with
the rank of lieutenant-colonel, on the staff
of Governor Rice, and was subsequently
on the staff of Governor Talbot, with the
rank of colonel. Colonel Mason has
steadfastly and consistently supported
Republican principles and has been ac-
tive in promoting good government at
home and abroad. For five years he was
a member of the city council, during two
years of which time he was its president.
He is a member of various social organi-
zations of his home city, and is a friend
of every movement calculated to advance
its interest. He married Harriet Leonard
Rounds, of Taunton, and they are the
parents of two children: i. Maurice Ma-
son, who married Sarah Grossman Sproat,
and died October 29, 1913, leaving two
children: Marguerite and William. 2.
Madeleine, now the widow of Carleton
P.rabrook, and the mother of two chil-
dren : Bettina and Leonard (see Rounds
V).
(The Ingalls Line).
(I ) Edmund Ingalls, son of Robert and
grandson of Henry Ingalls, was born
about 1598, at Skirbeck, Lincolnshire,
England, and came to Salem, Massachu-
setts, in Governor Endicott's company in
1628. With his brother Francis and four
others he commenced the settlement of
Lynn in 1629. He was a man of good
character, although the following court
record is found "20/4/1646, Edmund In-
galls was fined for bringing home sticks
in both his arms on the Sabbath day from
Mr. Holyokes rails, witnesses Joseph
(flood, Obadya fflood, Jane fflood." These
were probably jealous neighbors and it
goes to show the strict observance of the
Sabbath in those days. His name is often
found on the town records showing him
to be one of the prominent citizens. In
March, 1648, while traveling to Boston
on horseback, he was drowned in the
Saugus river, owing to a defective bridge.
His heirs recovered damages from the town.
His will was probated September 16,
1648, and his estate appraised at i 135, his
widow, Ann, being ^ole executor. His
children were: Robert. Elizabeth, Faith,
John, Henry, Samuel, Mary and Joseph.
(II) John, son of Edmund and Ann
Ingalls. was born 1625, in Skirbeck, Eng-
land. He lived in Lynn, Massachusetts,
but removed from there previous to 1687,
as would appear from the following rec-
ord : "John Ingalls of the Church of Bris-
tol. Rhode Island, 1687, late of Tiverton."
He settled next at Rehoboth, Massachu-
setts, where his death is thus recorded :
"Old John Ingalls died Dec. 31, 1721."
His will was dated April 16, i/iS, and
mentioned his sons, John and Edmund,
and two daughters, Elizabeth Crabtree
and Sarah Hayward. He married. May
26, 1667, Elizabeth Barrett, of Salem,
Massachusetts, born in England. Chil-
168
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
dren : John, mentioned below ; Elizabeth,
married Benjamin Crabtree ; Sarah, mar-
ried (first) William Howard, (second)
William Hayvvard ; Edmund.
(III) John (2), eldest child of John
(i) and Elizabeth (Barrett) Ingalls, was
born February 6, 1668, in Lynn, and was
in Mendon, Massachusetts, as early as
1700. He was residing there June 8, 1714,
when he sold land to John Lewis of Ded-
ham, probably located in the latter town.
In 1715 he sold land on the Pawtucket
river, in Rehoboth, to his brother, Ed-
mund Ingalls. There were many of this
name in Rehoboth, Wrentham and Cum-
berland, Rhode Island. No record of
John (2) Ingall's wife appears in any of
these towns. He is supposed to have
been the father of Captain Jonathan In-
galls.
(IV) Captain Jonathan Ingalls, born
.".bout 1698, resided in Taunton, Massa-
chusetts, where all his children were
born, and died about 1/76. He married
(first) Martha Reed, daughter of James
and Susannah (Richmond) Reed, and in
1735 received a legacy from her bachelor
brother, James Reed. He married (sec-
ond) Bethia, daughter of William Rich-
mond, whose wife was a daughter of
John Macomber, of Middleboro. He mar-
ried (third) October 3, 1788, Mary,
widow of Ebenezer Spooner and daugh-
ter of Captain Ebenezer and Mercy (Fos-
ter) Morton, born April 29, 1723. Chil-
dren: Bethia, born March 10, 1750; Han-
nah, June 12, 1753; Jonathan, mentioned
below; Sybil, October 15, 1759; Abiatha.
January 28, 1763; Abigail, May, 1766.
(V) Jonathan (2), son of Jonathan (i)
and Bethia (Richmond) Ingalls, was born
December 7, 1754, in Taunton, and tmr-
ried, July 2, 1776, Freelove Andrews,
born 1754, died October 19, 1843. Chil-
dren: Nancy, born January 26, 1777;
Betsey, August 12, 1778; Jonathan and
Sally (twins), April 22, 1781; Rebecca,
February 8, 1783; Benjamin, February
19, 1785; Jonathan, April 10, 1/87; Har-
riet, 1 789, died young ; Harriet, mentioned
below.
(VI) Harriet, youngest child of Jona-
than (2) and Freelove (Andrews) In-
galls, was born February 3, 1791, and be-
came the wife of Ezekiel B. Leonard, of
Taunton (see Leonard VII).
(The Leonard Line).
(I) John Leonard was of Knole, Coun-
ty Kent, England. He was born in 1479,
and died in 1556.
(II) John (2) Leonard, son of John
(1) Leonard, was also of Knole, County
Kent. He was born in 1508 and died in
1590.
(III) Samson Leonard, son of John
(2) Leonard, was the eleventh Baron of
Dacre. He was born in 1545, and died
in 1615. He married Lady Margaret
Fienes.
(IV) Sir Henry Leonard, son of Sam-
son Leonard, was the twelfth Baron of
Dacre. He was born 1569. He married
Lady Chrisogona, daughter of Sir Rich-
ard Baker, of Sissinghurst, County Kent,
England.
(V) Richard Leonard, son of Sir
Henry Leonard, was the thirteenth Baron
of Dacre, seated at Chevening. He died
in 1630. He married (first) Lady Anne,
daughter of Sir Arthur Throckmorton.
He married (second) Dorothy, daughter
of Dudley, Lord North.
(VI) Thomas Leonard, son of Richard
Leonard, was of Pontypool, Wales. He
had sons : Henry ; James, mentioned be-
low ; and Philip.
(I) James Leonard, son of Thomas
Leonard, of Pontypool, Wales, was born
in Great Britain, and came to America
about if>45. He settled first in Lynn and
later in Taunton, Massachusetts. He
was the founder of the iron works in
Saugus, near Lynn, and these were the
169
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
first iron works in America. He was not
living in 1691. In 1653 he and his brother
Henry were engaged in the manufacture
of iron in Taunton. He was a great friend
of King Philip, the famous Indian, who
used to shoot wild birds at Fowling
Pond, which was on James' property.
Leonard often entertained him at his
house, and when the town was burned,
his house was spared by the Indians.
Children: Thomas, born August 3, 1641,
at Pontypool, Wales ; James, mentioned
below; Abigail, married John Kingsley,
of Milton ; Rebecca, married, September
2, 1678, Isaac Chapman, of Barnstable;
Joseph, born about 1655 ; Benjamin, mar-
ried, January 15, 1678-79, Sarah Thresher;
Hannah, married, January 24, 1677-78,
Isaac Deane ; Uriah, born July 10, 1662.
(II) James (2), son of James (i)
Leonard, was born about 1643, m Great
Britain, and died at Taunton, Massachu-
setts, November i, 1726. He was in-
terested in iron works, and resided early
in life at Braintree, later at Taunton,
where the iron works have continued
down to the present time, and were in
his day the greatest industry in New
England, in which many people held
shares. There was a saying current in
those times: "Wherever you can find an
iron works you will find a Leonard." His
first wife, Hannah, died February 25,
1674, and he married (second) Lydia,
daughter of Anthony Gulliver, of Milton.
Massachusetts, born 1652-53. died July
24, 1705. His third wife, Rebecca, born
about 1662, died April 3, 1738, in her
seventy-sixth year. Children : Eunice,
born November 25, 1668. in Braintree;
Prudence, January 24, 1670; Hannah,
October 2. 1671 ; James, February i, 1673,
died 1674: David, May n, 1677: Lydia,
May 10, 1679; Stephen, mentioned below ;
Abigail, January 30. 1683 ; Nathaniel, Oc-
tober 18, 1675; Seth. April 3, 1686; Sarah,
September 6, 1688; Mehitable, October
24, 1691 ; Elizabeth, April 19, 1694.
(IV) Stephen, third son of James (2)
Leonard, and third child of his second
wife, Lydia Gulliver, was born December
14, 1680, and was a justice of the peace,
and judge of the court of common pleas
at Taunton, where he died March 4, 1741.
(V) Major Zephaniah Leonard, son of
Stephen Leonard, was born March 18,
1704, and died April 23, 17/6, in his sev-
enty-third year. He resided at Raynham,
Massachusetts, was a man of enterprise
and energy, and served as judge of the
court of common pleas from 1761 until his
death. He married, April 24, 1724, Han-
nah, daughter of John and Alice (Deane)
King, of Raynham, and had children :
Joshua, born January 5, 1725 ; Mary,
September 22, 1726; Prudence, March 23,
1729, died 1731 ; Silence, April 27. 1731 ;
Anna, March i. 1733; Abigail, January
3 1 - Z 735' died 1739; Zephaniah, January
J 8. 1737; Phebe, November 10, 1738, died
T 739'' Prudence, August 14, 1740; Abi-
gail, May 19, 1742; Apollos, August 3,
1744; Phebe, July 16, 1746, died 1752;
Silas, April 8, 1748; Samuel, mentioned
below.
(VI) Samuel, youngest child of Major
Zephaniah and Hannah (King) Leonard,
was born December 6. 1750, in Middle-
boro, and was a merchant in Taunton,
Massachusetts, where he died, August
25. 1807. He married (first) Mercy Bor-
roughs, who died December 27, 1789;
(second) Desire, daughter of Ambrose
Hopkins, born May 17. 1764, died 1843.
(VII) Ezekiel Borroughs. son of Sam-
uel and Mercy (Borroughs) Leonard,
was born about 17/5, in Taunton, and
was a well known citizen of that town,
where he made his home on Summer
street, in the residence now occupied by
his daughter and granddaughter. He
married Harriet Ingalls, born February
170
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
3, 1791, died May 30, 1862, daughter of
Jonathan (2) and Freelove (Andrews)
Ingalls (see Ingalls VI).
(VIII) Almira B., daughter of Ezekiel
B. and Harriet (Ingalls) Leonard, was
born January 23, 1821, and was married,
May 26, 1845, by Rev. C. H. Brigham, to
labez Sisson Rounds, of Taunton (see
Rounds IV).
(The Rounds Line).
This name appears at an early period
in various sections of Massachusetts, but
not among the pioneers. It was very
strongly represented in and about Reho-
both, Massachusetts, and descendants
have resided in the vicinity until the
present time.
(I) Jabez Rounds, the first of this
family who can be definitely located, was
residing in Swansea April 26, 1/33, at
which date he was married in Rehoboth
by Rev. John Coomer to Renew Carpen-
ter, of Rehoboth, born January 6, 1/14.
daughter of Jonathan and Desire (Mar-
tin) Carpenter. Children, recorded in
Rehoboth: Isaac, born January 23, 1734;
Jabez, January 8, 1736; Isabel!, October
23, 1737; Abigail, January, 1/40; Isaiah,
January 30, 1741; Rebeckah, March 21,
1742; Sibbel, September 10, 1744; Oliver,
mentioned below ; Rhoda, January 26,
1750; Esther, October 8, 1752; Simeon,
February 4, 1755.
(II) Oliver, fourth son of Jabez and
Renew (Carpenter) Rounds, was born
April i, 1747. in Rehoboth. and was mar-
ried, April 12, 1770, in Warren, Rhode
Island, by Rev. Jonathan Manning, to
Anna Salisbury, probably a native of that
town, not recorded there. Children :
Daniel, born June 5, 1771 ; Sybel, May i,
1773; Abigail, March i, 1775; Calvin,
October 3, 1776; Patience, March i, 1778;
Spencer and Oliver (twins), February 26,
1780; Jabez. mentioned below ; Spencer.
October 24, 1785.
(III) Jabez (2), fourth son of Oliver
and Anna (Salisbury) Rounds, was born
November 20, 1782, in Warren, and lived
in Providence, Rhode Island, where he
died April 30, 1844, aged sixty-two years.
He married, April 20, 1806, Eliza Hud-
son, who died January 3, 1849, aged sixty-
eight years, daughter of Reuben and Abi-
gail (Sisson) Hudson, of Swansea, and
granddaughter of George and Drusilla
Sisson. Children : Jabez Sisson, men-
tioned below; Abby, died young; Har-
riet, married John Drown, and died in
California ; Anna Eliza, married Albert
Hunter.
(IV) Jabez Sisson, son of Jabez (2)
and Eliza (Hudson) Rounds, was born
April 14, 1816, in Providence, and died in
Taunton, Massachusetts, August 7, 1860.
He was a well known merchant of Taun-
ton, where he established the dry goods
house now known as The N. B. Skinner
Company. He was also active in other
enterprises, and was among the corpora-
tors of the Taunton Steamboat Com-
pany, which began with a capital of
$25,000, and was also identified with the
banking interests of Taunton and other
lines of commercial pursuit. He was
among the most public-spirited citizens
of his day, and died while still in the
prime of manhood, at the age of forty-four
years. He was a man of both physical
and intellectual force and a power in the
development of his home city. He was
married in Taunton by Rev. C. H. Brig-
ham, May 26, 1845, to Almira B. Leon-
ard, daughter of Ezekiel B. and Harriet
(Ingalls) Leonard, of that town (see
Leonard VII). She is still living, at the
age of ninety-five years, and is quite
active, taking an interest in current
events, the oldest person in Taunton.
Her declining years are made happy by
the filial attention of her daughter, Mrs.
Frederick Mason. She was the mother
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
of two children : Frederick, who died at
the age of eighteen years, and Harriet
Leonard, mentioned below.
(V 7 ) Harriet Leonard, only daughter of
Jabez Sisson and Almira B. (Leonard)
Rounds, became the wife of Colonel
Frederick Mason, of Taunton, son of
William and Harriet Augusta (Metcalf)
Mason, and resides in her native city.
She is the mother of two children: i.
Maurice Mason, who married Sarah
Crossman Sproat. and died October 29.
1913. leaving two children: Marguerite
and William. 2. Madeleine, now the
widow of Carleton Brabrook, and the
mother of two children : Rettina and
Leonard.
HEALEY-ALLEN Families.
The European origin of the Healey
family is unknown. It appears very early
in New England, and has been identified
with the moral, social and material prog-
ress of that section, down to the present
day.
(I) William Healey, born 1613. was
very early at Lynn, and a short time at
Roxbury. Massachusetts, finally settling
in Cambridge, where he died November
28, 1683. He was prison keeper there
from 1674 to December 29, 1682. He
appears to have had five wives, four of
whom bore him children. In Roxbury
the following children of the first wife
are recorded : Anna, baptized July 7,
1644; Samuel, born February 14, 1645,
died young; Elizabeth, November 14,
1647. The mother of these died Novem-
ber 8. 1649, an d by the second wife he
had: Sarah, baptized February 2, 1651;
William, July n, 1652. The mother died
and he married (third) in Cambridge, Oc-
tober 14, 1653, Grace P.utterice (But-
trick). Children: Grace, born after 1654;
Mary, died young; Nathaniel, baptized
February 6, 1659; Martha, September 9.
1660. He married (fourth) August 15,
1661, Phebe, daughter of Benjamin and
Elizabeth Green. Children: Samuel, born
September 14, 1662; Paul, mentioned be-
low; Mary, baptized October 28, 1665.
He married (fifth) November 29, 1677,
Widow Sarah Brown.
(II) Paul, son of William Healey, and
child of his fourth wife, Phebe Green,
was baptized April 3, 1664, in Cambridge,
and died March 12, 1718, in Rehoboth,
Massachusetts. He settled early in Reho-
both, and was a member of the church
founded by Rev. Samuel Newman, where
his name first appears on the records in
1703. The baptism of his wife, Elizabeth,
and son, Ebenezer, is recorded there with-
out dates. He had baptized there : Janu-
ary 27, 1704, Henry, Paul. Phebe, Sam-
uel, Thomas and William ; August 28,
1704, Eliza; March 24, 1705, John.
(III) Henry, son of Paul and Eliza-
beth Healey. born about 1^95. was bap-
tized January 22, 1704, at the Newman
Congregational Church, and resided in
Rehoboth, where he maried, January II,
1722, Hannah Hunt, born there June 19,
1697, daughter of John and Martha Hunt.
Children, of Rehoboth record: Eleazer,
born January 7, 1723; Martha, March 6,
1724; Deborah, March 8, 1726, died
young; Ithamar. mentioned below; John,
June 25, 1729; Deborah, May 3, 1730;
Hannah, October 29, 1734.
(IV) Ithamar, second son of Henry
and Hannah (Hunt) Healey. was born
May 18, 1727, in Rehoboth, and probably
spent his last years in Scituate. Rhode
Island. He married in Rehoboth. March
5. 1758, Mary Thrasher, evidently a scion
of the early Thrasher family of Rehoboth.
Her birth is not recorded in that town.
Children, recorded there: John, born Oc-
tober 8, 1760; Comfort, April 15, 1762.
(V) John, son of Ithamar and Mary
(Thrasher) Healey, was born October 8,
1760, in Rehoboth, and resided in Scitu-
172
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
ate, Rhode Island, after the Revolution-
ary War. He was a soldier from Reho-
both, serving first as a private in Captain
Joseph Wilmarth's company, Colonel
John Hathaway's regiment, enlisting
March 14, 1779, discharged April 12,
same year, serving thirty days at How-
land Ferry. He was also a member of a
party gathered by James Leonard, muster
master, for nine months' service in the
Continental army, the list dated at Spring-
field, Massachusetts, October 29, 1729.
John Healey was a member of the Fourth
company, Colonel Carpenter's regiment.
He is described as eighteen years of age,
five feet, three inches in stature, com-
plexion light, hair brown, eyes blue, lie
again engaged in the service on account
of Rehoboth, entering July 26, 17/9, dis-
charged April 26, 1780, on the payroll of
men raised by Rehoboth for six months,
Continental army, in 1780; marched to
Westport July 7, 1780, discharged De-
cember 27, of that year, service six
months, including ten days' (200 miles)
travel home. He married Martha Powers.
(VI) James, son of John and Martha
(Powers) Healey, lived in North Scitu-
ate, Rhode Island, and there married
(first) December 31, 1809, Anstis Angell,
born April 13, 1786. died August 14, 1827.
daughter of Jesse and Amey (Hammond)
Angell, of Smithfield, Rhode Island (see
Angell V). Children: Angell Powers,
died in Providence ; Jesse Angell, died in
Providence ; John, mentioned below ;
Lucy and James (twins), former married
William Sherman and died 1915, aged
ninety-three years, latter was lost at sea
when a young man. He married (sec-
ond) Marcy Angell, born November 22,
1794, sister of his first wife. Children:
Albert, died at Providence ; Martha and
Marcy (twins), former died unmarried,
latter married Henry Oilman, of Dixon,
Illinois.
(VII) John (2), son of James and
Anstis (Angell) Healey, was born in
Gloucester, Rhode Island, and was edu-
cated in the public schools of Scituate.
where he took up farming in early life.
Later he learned the mason's trade, which
was his chief occupation throughout the
remainder of his days. He worked in
Providence and nearby sections, and sub-
sequently located in Greenwich, Rhode
Island, where he was engaged in building
the culverts of the Rhode Island & Ston-
ington Railroad Company, in 1845 anc l
1846. He made his home in East Green-
wich, and there continued at his trade
until the outbreak of the Civil War. He
enlisted as a member of Company E,
Twelfth Rhode Island Volunteer In-
fantry, and served nine months as a pri-
vate. He died in East Greenwich, Feb-
ruary 7. 1873, and was buried there. He
married, June 14, 1846, Sarah Burdick, of
South Kingston, daughter of Jerard and
Lucy (Sheldon) Burdick, of that town
(see Burdick V). Children: John Angell,
died young; Lucy Anstis, mentioned be-
low ; Welcome Burdick, living in Chi-
cago ; Adah Jencks, married George Kim-
ball, and resides at Warwick, Rhode
Island; Recompense, died young; John
James, of Norwich, Connecticut.
(VIII) Lucy Anstis, senior daughter
of John (2) and Sarah (Burdick) Healey,
was born in East Greenwich, and there
educated, finishing at East Greenwich
Academy. She married, February 7, 1869,
John R. Allen, of East Greenwich, son of
William and Elizabeth (Crandall) Allen.
Mrs. Allen resides on Broadway in Fall
River, in which city Mr. Allen was en-
gaged as a mill operator, and where he
died February 5, 1916. Children: Wil-
liam, died young; Welcome Lewis died
1900; John Harold, died 1888. Mrs. Allen
is actively interested in the promotion of
the social and moral progress of her home
city. She is a member of the Daughters
of the American Revolution, has been
'73
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
vice-regent and is now (1915-1916) re-
gent of Quequechan Chapter of that or-
ganization, and a delegate representing it
in the national gathering at Washington.
She is also a member of the Fall River
Woman's Club, of the Church of the As-
cension (Protestant Episcopal), and a
member of the Hospital Board of Fall
River and the Auxiliary Committee of
the Young Men's Christian Association.
(The Burdick Line).
(I) Robert Burdick was in Newport,
Rhode Island, as early as November 19,
1652, on which date he was baptized by
Joseph Torrey. He was a freeman of
the colony in 1656, and settled in Wester-
ly in 1661. As this settlement was pre-
mature he was disciplined, but appears on
the list of inhabitants of that town, May
18, 1669, and took the oath of allegiance
May 17, 1671. In 1675 he returned to
Newport, on account of the Indian wars,
and again settled in W r esterly, and there
subscribed to the oath of allegiance Sep-
tember 17, 1779. He represented the
town as deputy to the General Court in
1680, 1683 and 1685. On May 17, 1691,
he sold one hundred acres of land for iio.
and on March 8, 1692, he made an agree-
ment with his son-in-law, Joseph Cran-
dall, by which the latter was to support
Mr. Burdick during the remainder of his
life. The latter died in 1692. He mar-
ried, November 2, 1655, Ruth Hubbard,
born January n, 1640, died after 1691,
daughter of Samuel and Tacy (Cooper)
Hubbard. Children : Robert, died 1683 ;
Hubbard, mentioned below ; Thomas,
died 1752; Naomi; Ruth; Benjamin, died
1741; Samuel, died 1756; Tacy, and De-
borah.
(II) Hubbard, second son of Robert
and Ruth (Hubbard) Burdick, resided in
Westerly and Hopkinton, Rhode Island,
where he died in 1758. He was one of
thirty-four persons who purchased five
thousand, three hundred acres of vacant
land, October 2, 1711. In 1727 he was a
member of the town council. His will,
made March 19, 1752, probated April 19,
1758, disposed of property whose inven-
tory amounted to 1,486 pounds. He mar-
ried Hannah Maxson, who died about
1752. daughter of John and Mary (Mo-
shier) Maxson. Children: Hubbard,
mentioned below ; Nathaniel, born Feb-
ruary 19, 1719; John, May 19, 1721 ; Eze-
kiel.
(III) Hubbard (2), eldest child of
Hubbard (i) and Hannah (Maxson)
Burdick, was born November 24, 1716.
and lived in Westerly, where he married,
November i, 1743, Avis Lewis, born Au-
gust 8, 1725, daughter of John and Anna
(Clarke) Lewis.
(IV) Abel, son of Hubbard (2)' and
Avis (Lewis) Burdick, was born about
1750, and resided in Westerly, and mar-
ried, December 21, 1775, in Hopkinton,
Comfort Palmer, of that town. His home
was in Westerly.
(V) Jared, son of Abel and Comfort
(Palmer) Burdick, married, 1804, Lucy
Sheldon, born 1781, died 1870.
(VI) Sarah, daughter of Jared and
Lucy (Sheldon) Burdick, was married.
June 14, 1846, to John (2) Healey, of East
Greenwich, Rhode Island (see Healey
VII).
(The Angell Line).
The origin of Angell as a surname is
uncertain. Some authorities claim that
it is derived from Angel, a town in
France, and some claim it is from the
Greek word meaning "messenger." In
very ancient times it was used in connec-
tion with the Christian name, as a de-
scriptive term applied to character, and
later to show that the family was of ex-
traordinary beauty. In the Bysantine
Empire in 1185, Konstantinos Angelos
was a young man of noble family who re-
ceived his name for that reason.
174
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
(I) Thomas Angell was born in Eng-
land about 1618. There is a tradition
that he was the son of Henry Angell, of
Liverpool, England, and that at the age
of twelve he went to London to seek his
fortune. In 1631 he came with Roger
Williams in the ship "Lion" from Lon-
don to Boston, and he was then regarded
as a servant or apprentice of Williams.
He went with Williams to Salem, re-
maining until 1636. He removed with
him to Providence, Rhode Island, and
had granted him the lot fronting on
North Main street where now the First
Baptist Church, the High School house
and Angell street are situated. In 1652
and 1653 he was elected a commissioner,
and 1655 constable, which office he held
for many years. He was, as were all the
inhabitants of Providence of that day, a
farmer. He was about seventy-six years
old at the time of his death, and his will,
dated May 3, 1685, was proved Septem-
ber 18, 1685. The will of his wife Alice
was dated October 2, 1694, proved the
January following. Children : John, men-
tioned below; James, married Abigail
Dexter; Amphillis, married Edward
Smith ; Mary, married Richard Arnold ;
Deborah, married Richard Seabury ;
Alice, married Eleazer Whipple ; Mar-
garet, married Jonathan Whipple.
(II) John, eldest child of Thomas and
Alice Angell, was born in Providence,
Rhode Island, and died there July 27,
1720. For a few years he lived on the
Daniel Jenckes farm five miles from
Providence, towards Lime Rock, on the
Lewisquisit road. He removed to Provi-
dence, where he continued farming, and
was a freeman October 16, 1670. He mar-
ried, 1669, Ruth Field, daughter of John
Field. Children : Thomas, born March
25, 1672 ; John ; Daniel, mentioned below ;
Hope, 1682; James.
(III) Daniel, third son of John and
Ruth (Field) Angell, was born May 2,
1680, in Providence, in which town he
made his home, and died June 16, 1750.
He is described as a man of large frame
and possessed of great physical strength.
He was prosperous and was often in the
public service. Being naturally left-
handed, by constant practice he became
ambidextrous, and was noted as a hunter.
He made frequent trips to Boston with
team to market. On one of these trips he
was challenged by a British officer, and
finally, losing patience, agreed to fight a
duel with him with fencing clubs. How-
ever, when the time came to begin he
laid out the offender with one blow of
his fist, and was thereafter suffered to go
his way in peace. He left farms and other
property to each of his sons, and made
liberal gifts to his daughters. He mar-
ried, May 2, 1702, in Providence, Hannah
Winsor. Children: Samuel, born Decem-
ber 12, 1707; John, October 18, 1709;
Nedabiah, mentioned below; Joshua,
February 26, 1714; Mary. January 4,
1716; Job, January i, 1718; Daniel, Oc-
tober 27, 1720; Ezekiel, 1722; Waite, and
Mercy.
(IV) Nedabiah, third son of Daniel
and Hannah (Winsor) Angell, was born
April 29, 1712, and died April 19, 1786.
He resided in North Providence, in what
is now Smithfield, where he owned and
tilled a farm, and also followed his trade
of blacksmith. He was an industrious
and intelligent citizen, his wife a very
capable woman, and they reared a good
family. Many of their descendants are
now located in the West. He married
(first) June 22, 1740, Mary, daughter of
Joshua and Mary (Barber) Winsor, born
September 2, 1718, died June 9, 1758. He
married (second) November 25, 1759,
Bethiah (Luther) Hammond, widow of
Nathan Hammond, born 1727, died May
6. 1820, probably a descendant of the
Rehoboth family of Luther. Children'
Zilpha, born December 25, 1742; Jesse,
175
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
mentioned below; Jabez, October 19,
1746; Hannah, December 14. 1750; Eseck,
September 12, 1752; Mercy, January 9,
1761.
(V) Jesse, eldest son of Nedabiah and
Mary (Winsor) Angell, was born Janu-
ary 6, 1745, and resided in Smithfield,
where he married Amey, daughter of Na-
than Hammond, of that town. He went
to sea in early life, and became a master
mariner, and after several voyages he set-
tled on a farm in the southwestern part
of the town of Scituate, Rhode Island.
He had been successful as a mariner, was
a prudent and prosperous farmer and
good citizen, a soldier of the Revolution.
Children: George, born January 16, 1774;
Sarah, September 15, 1/75; Jesse, Sep-
tember 16, 1780, died at sea; Amey, Au-
gust 2, 1782; Anstross, mentioned be-
low; Samuel, December 31, 1787; Neda-
biah, February n. 1791 ; Nathan, Novem-
ber 2, 1792; Marcy, mentioned below.
(VI) Anstross (Anstis), third daugh-
ter of Jesse and Amey (Hammond) An-
gell, was born April 13, 1786, in Smith-
field, and was married, December 31,
1809, to James Healey, of North Scituate,
Rhode Island (see Healey VI).
(VI) Marcy, youngest child of Jesse
and Amey (Hammond) Angell, was born
November 22, 1794, and became the sec-
ond wife of James Healey, above men-
tioned.
BRIGGS, Artemas,
Man of Enterprise, Public Official.
The surname Briggs is from the old
Saxon word Brigg, meaning bridge, and
has been in use from the earliest times in
England. "William atte Brigge of Salle"
was mentioned in the records of Edward
I. and Edward II., about 1272, and the
Norfolk family of this name traces their
descent from him. Various branches of
the family in England have coats-of-arms
and include many distinguished men.
(I) Clement Briggs came from South-
warke, England. At any rate he made an
affidavit August 29, 1638, to the effect
that in the year 1616 he was living with
Samuel Latham on Bermundsey street,
Southwarke, England. He came to the
Plymouth Colony in New England in
1621 in the ship "Fortune." and was a
felsmonger by trade. Latham was also
a felsmonger, and doubtless taught him
his trade. In this affidavit Briggs states
that Thomas Harlow was then dwelling
with Robert Weeks at that place. Briggs
is mentioned in a letter from Governor
Bradford to Governor John Winthrop in
1631. He was in Weymouth in 1633;
acknowledged the sale of a fiece of land
at Plymouth to Robert \Veeks, August
29, 1638; shared in the division of the
common cattle, May 22, 1627; owned
land at Jones Swamp. June 3, 1639; was
an innholder at Weymouth, June 5. 1650,
and earlier. His will was proved Octo-
ber 24, 1650, bequeathing to wife and to
sons, Thomas, Jonathan, Clement, David.
Remember. The widow made her will
November 13, 1683, bequeathing to grand-
child. Clement, and to son, Remember
Briggs. He married (first) Joane Allen.
Mr. Thomas Stoughton performed the
ceremony, and was fined for the action
March i, 1631. Apparently the marriage
was properly legalized, but the magis-
trate exceeded his authority in some man-
ner. Briggs was a resident of Wey-
mouth from about 1630, though this mar-
riage was before a Dorchester magis-
trate. Clergymen were not allowed to
officiate at marriages in the early colonial
days. He had a second wife, Elizabeth.
Children of first marriage: Thomas, born
June 14, 1633; Jonathan, mentioned be-
low; David, August 23, 1640; Clement,
January 2, 1643 ; of second marriage :
John, died young; Remember.
(II) Jonathan, second son of Clement
76
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
and Joane (Allen) Briggs, was born June
14, 1635, in Weymouth, and lived in
Taunton with his wife, Experience. Two
children are recorded there, namely :
Jonathan, born March 15, 1668; David,
December 6, 1669. There were several
others, including the next mentioned.
(III) Thomas, son of Jonathan and
Experience Briggs, was born in 1680, and
settled in Taunton, where he made his
home. He married (first) in Scituate, in
October, 1702, Katurah Hatch, baptized
June 24, 1683, in that town, daughter of
Thomas and Sarah (Elms) Hatch. He
married (second) Sarah Reed.
(IV) Seth, son of Thomas and Katurah
(Hatch) Briggs, was born in Taunton,
and settled in that part of the town which
is now Dighton, Massachusetts. There
he married, September 22, 1726, Ann
Whitmarsh, of Dighton. Children : Silas,
Zepheniah, Jedediah, Nathaniel, Ann,
Welthea, Hezekiah, Olive, Bethia.
(V) Jedediah, son of Seth and Ann
(Whitmarsh) Briggs, lived in the town
of Berkley, Massachusetts, and was a
soldier of the Revolution. He was the
first lieutenant in Captain James Nicolls
(Eighth) company, Second Bristol Coun-
ty Regiment, commissioned April 26, 1776,
and was subsequently in Captain James
Durfee's company, of Colonel Thomas
Carpenter's regiment, raised from the
brigade of Brigadier-General Godfrey,
for service in the Continental army. He
was with Captain Nicolls, Colonel Ed-
ward Pope's (Bristol county) regiment,
which marched to Rhode Island on the
alarm of December 16, 1776, serving
twenty-two days, including travel to
camp at Warren and home. He again
enlisted August i, 1780, was discharged
August 7, of the same year, serving in an
alarm at Rhode Island, in the company of
Captain Abel Babbit, Colonel John Hath-
away's regiment. He married Bathsheba
Mass-5-12 177
Paull, who survived him, and died Au-
gust 25, 1842, about ninety-four years of
age. Children : Enoch, born June 30,
1770; Experience, January 8, 1772; Bath-
sheba, October i, 1773; Olive, August
23, 1/75; R uth, August 12, 1777; Jede-
diah, March 3, 1779; Nathaniel, men-
tioned below; Sylvia, January 4, 1783;
Nancy, January 13, 1785, died December
18, 1808; Artemas, August 29, 1786;
Cyrus, September 10, 1788, died October
/, 1815 ; Betsey, October 2, 1792, died De-
cember 21, 1802; Bethiah, September 21,
I794-
(VI) Nathaniel, third son of Jedediah
and Bathsheba (Paull) Briggs, was born
March 22, 1781, in Berkley, Massachu-
chusetts, and married, in Freetown, Mary
Winslow, daughter of Joseph Winslow.
After their marriage they settled in the
town of Dighton, Massachusetts. Chil-
dren : Mary Ann, married Jonathan
Briggs; Joseph; Caroline, married John
Deane Babbett ; Artemas, mentioned be-
low ; Bethsheba ; Charles Albert ; James.
(VII) Artemas, son of Nathaniel and
Mary (Winslow) Briggs, was born May
4, 1810, in Dighton, where he grew to
manhood, where he was associated for a
time with his brother Joseph in the man-
agement and cultivation of the home-
stead farm. Later he removed to Taun-
ton, Massachusetts, and took up the
blacksmith trade for a short time. In
association with his brother, Charles Al-
bert Briggs, he engaged in the grain deal-
ing business, and added flour, hay and
feed, conducting a very large business.
They had a branch establishment at
Newport, Rhode Island, and their ware-
houses were at one time among the
largest in New England. They owned
vessels and chartered others to bring
their goods from New York and else-
where, and gave occupation to the greater
part of the Taunton river fleet. After his
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
son, Lyman E. Briggs, became a partner
in the business, Artemas Briggs retired,
and his sons continued the business with
marked success. He was a man of great
activity, and could not remain idle. Soon
after his retirement he again embarked in
business and built a large grain elevator,
where he continued to conduct business,
finally turning over the same to his sons.
He erected the family home on Somerset
avenue, in Taunton, opening up Briggs
street. There he died May 23, 1876, and
was buried in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery. It
was natural that a man of his ability and
well known integrity should be desired
for the public service, but he steadfastly
refused to accept office other than that
of a member of the city council. He mar-
ried, November 27, 1834, Susan Shaw
Williams, born August 21, 1812, in Taun-
ton, daughter of Joshua and Frances
(Williams) Williams, of that town (see
Williams XIII). She died at Taunton,
1895, and was buried in Mt. Pleasant
Cemetery. She was a member of the
First Unitarian Church of Taunton. Chil-
dren: i. Mary Frances, married Dr.
Joseph Murphy, and both died in Taun-
ton. 2. Lyman Eustis, was a member of
the firm of Briggs & Company, and died
in Taunton, July 17, 1891. 3. Sarah, mar-
ried Dr. Silas D. Presbrey, of Taunton ;
and she is now deceased. 4. Susan Shaw,
mentioned below. 5. Nathaniel W., de-
ceased. 6. Ella Augusta, married Alvin
Goodwin, and died in Taunton. 7. Hora-
tio Wallace, resided in Newport, Rhode
Island, now deceased.
(VIII) Susan Shaw, third daughter of
Artemas and Susan S. (Williams) Briggs,
was born August 23, 1841, and married
Albert H., son of Frederick and Abby Ann
(Pike) Hathaway. He was a member of
the firm of Briggs & Company, and died
in Taunton, December 4, 1890, leaving no
issue. An adopted daughter, Eldora Al-
den, married Alton Le R. Hambly, son
of the late Squire H. Hambly, and resides
in Providence. Mrs. Hathaway resides
on Somerset avenue, is one of the charter
members of Lydia Cobb Chapter, Daugh-
ters of the American Revolution, of Taun-
ton, and was its first treasurer.
(The Williams Line).
This is a very ancient Welsh family,
and the origin and history of the family
is given at great length elsewhere in this
work, including the history of Richard
Williams, the founder of the line in
America.
(IX) Samuel, second son of Richard
(q. v.) and Frances (Dighton) Williams,
resided first in Taunton, and married Jane
Gilbert. Children : Seth, mentioned be-
low ; Samuel, Daniel, Mary, Sarah and
Hannah.
(X) Seth, eldest child of Samuel and
Jane (Gilbert) Williams, born 1675, was
chief justice of the County Court of Com-
mon Pleas from 1754 till 1761, the time
of his death. He married Mary Deane,
and their children were : James, men-
tioned below ; David ; Abiel ; Benjamin,
born February 25, 1721, died March 18,
1784; Mary, Elizabeth, Susanna, Rachel
and Jemima
(XI) James, son of Seth and Mary
(Deane) Williams, was born June i,
1703, and died July 10, 1/79. He was
a judge of the Court of Common Pleas
after the death of his father ; and was
also appointed register of deeds in 1746
( when the records were removed from
Bristol, then set off from Massachusetts
to Rhode Island), serving until his death.
He married Sarah Barney.
(XII) Brigadier-General James Wil-
liams, son of James (i) and Sarah (Bar-
ney) Williams, was born July, 1741. in
Taunton, and died February 5. 1826. He
rendered distinguished service as a
soldier of the Revolution. Fie commanded
a company of minute-men which marched
178
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
April 20, 1775, to Roxbury, on the Lex-
ington Alarm, discharged on the 29th of
the same month after twelve days' serv-
ice. By ballot of the House of Represen-
tatives taken February 2, 1776, he was
chosen second major of Colonel George
Williams's (Third Bristol county) regi-
ment of Massachusetts militia, and was
commissioned by concurrence of the
council February 7. He was appointed
by Brigadier-General Godfrey to muster
a body of men drafted from Godfrey's
brigade to form a regiment for the Con-
tinental army, commanded by Colonel
Thomas Carpenter. He was also a major
of Colonel Williams's regiment, dis-
charged December 31, 1776, after twenty-
five days and thirty miles' travel to War-
ren and Howland's Ferry, twenty-eight
miles. The regiment marched to Warren
by way of Rehoboth, December 8, 1776.
Colonel Williams raised a force of Bristol
county men for nine months' service in
reinforcing the Continental army be-
tween June 3 and August 31, 1778. He
was a major of Colonel Carpenter's regi-
ment, July 24 to September 10, of that
year, in an expedition to Rhode Island.
He was chosen in the House of Repre-
sentatives June 17, 1779, lieutenant-colo-
nel of Abial Mitchell's (Third Bristol
county) regiment, and commissioned on
that date. With this command he served
in Godfrey's brigade from August i to
August 7, 1780, and marched to Tiverton.
He was superintendent for Bristol county
of men raised for the Continental army.
He married (intentions published in
Raynham), May 10. 1752, Susanna Shaw,
daughter of James and Susanna Shaw.
(XIII) Frances, daughter of General
James (2) and Susanna (Shaw) Wil-
liams, was born September 27, 1767, and
died in 1841. She was married, April 5,
1791, to Joshua Williams, born March 11,
1759, died March 5, 1828, son of Benja-
min and Ann (Pope) Williams, who were
married September 20, 1745. Ann Pope
was a daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth
(Hunt) Pope, of Duxbury, Massachu-
setts, and died January 12, 1793. Ben-
jamin Williams, above named, was born
February 25, 1721, and died March 18,
1784, son of Seth and Mary (Deane)
Williams, previously mentioned in this
article. Children of Joshua and Frances
(Williams) Williams: Joshua P., born
March 5, 1792; Frances Dighton, Sep-
tember 16, 1793, married, December 12,
1812, Nathaniel L. Hood; Deborah, Sep-
tember 4, 1795, married Daniel Wash-
born; David, January n, 1797; Horatio,
November 20, 1798; Francis Dighton,
August n, 1800, married, December 22,
1824, Salome P. Stevens; James M., No-
vember 15, 1802; Elizabeth A., February
5, 1805, married, September, 1824, Wil-
liam H. Bretton; Virgil, October 30, 1807,
died young; Sarah Barney, July 4, 1810,
married, May, 1829, Charles L. Eustis;
Susan Shaw, mentioned below.
(XIV) Susan Shaw, youngest child of
Joshua and Frances (Williams) Wil-
liams, was born August 21, 1812, and
married, November 27, 1834, Artemas
Briggs, of Taunton (see Briggs VII).
(The Richmond Line).
The surname Richmond had its origin
in Brittany, France, and is derived from
the French words "riche" and "monte"
or "monde." In English history it first
appears as Rychemond, afterwards as
Richemounte and Richemonte, and ulti-
mately as Richmond. Among the various
lines of ancestors in England are found
those of the Ashton-Keynes and other
Wiltshire Richmonds ; the former for five
generations bore the alias of Webb, first
assumed by William Richmond about
1430, when he married Alice, daughter
and heiress of Thomas Webb, of Dray-
cott, Wiltshire, England. It is claimed
by some genealogists that the Richmonds
179
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
of New England (though perhaps not in
all of the branches in that region, or else-
where in America) descended through
one Roald, son of Roaldus "le Ennase,"
while others of equal celebrity state that
they descend from Alan, another son of
Roaldus "le Ennase," asserting that son
Roald had no children. The Richmond
genealogy informs us that Roaldus d^
Richmond was granted lands by the
crown in Yorkshire, and tradition has it
that this Richmond was a relative of Alan
Rufus. Alan Rufus was a kinsman of the
Conqueror, and was granted lands in
Yorkshire, where he built his castle and
was the first duke of Richmond. Tra-
dition also says that John Richmond was
born in Ashton-Keynes, and one reputa-
ble writer states that in examination of
the old church records at Ashton-Keynes
he found the date of baptism of John
Richmond, in 1597.
( I ) This John Richmond was the Amer-
ican ancestor of the particular branch of
the family to be treated of in these an-
nals, and it is believed that he came to
this country with a colony of cadets of
noble English families on the western
coast of Ireland, who had chosen this re-
mote region that they might be able to
"engage in commercial and other pur-
suits without shocking their aristocratic
relatives." It is believed that John Rich-
mond came to America in a trading
vessel, and it is known that he was en-
gaged in carrying on an extensive and
flourishing trade with Saco, Maine, in
163=;, for the records show that in 1636
he was in court with a suit brought by
him, "to collect from Thomas Lewis six
pounds and ten shillings for two barrells
of beife." In 1637 he was one of the pur-
chasers and proprietors of Taunton, Mas-
sachusetts, and there his daughter Sarah
was probably born in 1638, and his daugh-
ter Alary in 1639. From the fact that
nothing is known of him between the
years 1643 anc ^ l ^>55< it is thought that
he returned to England and took part in
the wars, for family tradition runs to that
effect, and also says that he was referred
to as Colonel John Richmond. He prob-
ably married before coming to New Eng-
land. He was away from Taunton much
of the time, and is known to have been
in Newport and other places, but eventu-
ally returned to Taunton and died there,
March 20, 1664, aged seventy years. His
children were : John, mentioned below ;
Captain Edward, born about 1632, in
England, died in November, 1696; Sarah,
about 1638, in Taunton. Massachusetts,
died 1691 ; Mary, about 1639, in Taun-
ton, died October 3, 1/15.
(II ) John (2), eldest child of John (i)
Richmond, was born about the year 1627,
before his father came to America, and
died in Taunton, Massachusetts, October
/, 1715, aged eighty-eight years. He ap-
pears to have been a man of importance
and was chosen to serve in various ca-
pacities. In 1672 he was appointed, with
James Walker, to purchase lands of the
Indians ; was a member of the town coun-
cil in i(>75-"6 and 1690, and also served as
constable, commissioner and surveyor in
March, 1677; he was distributor of ten
pounds "Irish charity," sent from Dublin,
Ireland, in 1676, to be divided among the
sufferers during King Philip's War. "He
was a member of every important com-
mittee in Taunton for the purchase, di-
vision and settlement of land and other
matters of public interest. He was in-
terested in several extensive purchases of
land from the Indians in both Massachu-
setts and Rhode Island.'' He married
Abigail Rogers, daughter of John Rogers,
of Duxbury, Massachusetts, born about
1641, died August i, 1727; both she and
her husband are buried in Taunton. Chil-
dren : Mary, born June 2, 1654, in Bridge-
water; John, June 6, 1656, in Bridge-
water, was killed by the upsetting of a
180
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
cart September 20, 1672; Thomas, Feb-
ruary 2, 1659, in Newport, Rhode Island,
died unmarried in Middleboro, December
14, 1/05; Susanna, November 4, 1661, in
Bridgewater; Joseph, Decembers, 1663,
in Taunton ; Edward, mentioned below;
Samuel, September 23, 1668, in Taunton ;
Sarah, February 26, 1671, in Taunton;
John, December 5, 1673, ' n Taunton ;
Ebenezer, May 12, 1676, in Newport ;
Abigail, February 26, 1679, in Newport.
(III) Edward, son of John (2) and Abi-
gail (Rogers) Richmond, was born Febru-
ary 8, 1665, in Taunton, and died in 1741.
In 1687 he and Joseph Richmond bought
of John Rogers, of Duxbury, one hundred
and fifty acres of land in Middleboro.
The Christian name of his first wife was
Marcy, and he married (second) May 6,
1711, Rebecca Thurston, born November
28, 1689, daughter of Jonathan and Sarah
Thurston. He had a third wife, Mary.
His will was dated June 3, 1738, and
proved December 9, 1741. Children by
first wife: Marcy, born 1693; Edward,
1695; Richard; Josiah, 1697; Nathaniel,
about 1700; Seth, mentioned below;
Elizabeth; Phebe, 1706; of second wife:
Sarah, December 20, 1712; Mary, 1714;
Priscilla, February 27, 1718; Eunice,
September 23, 1722, died young.
(IV) Seth, fifth son of Edward and
Marcy Richmond, was born in Taunton,
where he passed his life, and was deacon
of the church. He married Lydia, daugh-
ter of William Haskins, born 1714, died
September 29, 1782. Children: Edmund,
born May 7, 1738; Phebe, August i, 1739;
Seth, mentioned below; Jonathan, Au-
gust 7, 1749; Lydia, August 2, 1751;
Mary, April 20, 1754; William, August
ii, 1756; Edward, December 9, 1758;
Abigail, April 28, 1762.
(V) Seth (2), second son of Seth (i)
and Lydia (Haskins) Richmond, was
born March 18, 1746, in Taunton, and
was a soldier of the Revolution, first as
private in Captain Oliver Soper's com-
pany, Colonel Timothy Walker's regi-
ment, muster roll dated August i, 1775;
enlisted May 2, 1775, service three
months and six days ; also company re-
turns dated October 5, 1775 ; also order
for bounty coat, or its equivalent in money,
dated Roxbury, November i, 1775; also
private in Captain Joshua Wilbore's com-
pany, Colonel Ebenezer Francis' regiment,
pay abstract for travel allowance from
camp, home, etc. ; said Richmond credited
with allowance for two days' (thirty-six
miles) travel, company drafted from Taun-
ton, Raynham, Easton, Dartmouth, Free-
town, Berkley and Dighton ; warrant al-
lowed in council November 29, 1776; also
Third Company, commanded by Lieuten-
ant Noah Dean, Colonel George Williams'
regiment, service ten days, company
marched from Taunton to Warren, Rhode
Island, via Rehoboth, on the alarm at
Rhode Island of December 8, 1776; also
private Fourth Company, Colonel Gama-
liel Bradford's regiment, Continental
army, pay accounts for service from
March 6, 1777, to December 31, 1779,
residence Taunton, credited to the town
of Taunton ; also Captain James Cooper's
company, Twelfth Regiment, subsistence
allowed from date of enlistment, March
7. 1777, to June i, 1777, credited with
eighty-five days' allowance, reported
joined June 4, 1777, also same company
and regiment return dated February i,
1778, mustered by county and Continen-
tal muster masters ; also same company
and regiment, Continental army pay ac-
counts for service from January I, 1780,
to March 6, 1780. In his later years he
received a pension of fifty dollars per
year for his Revolutionary service. He
died October 16, 1826. He married, De-
cember 6, 1770, Hannah, daughter of
Deacon Joseph and Elizabeth (Hackett)
Richmond, of Middleboro, born February
17, 1750, died July 5, 1809. She was a
181
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
granddaughter of Joseph Richmond,
great-granddaughter of Joseph Rich-
mond, who was a son of John (2) Rich-
mond, above mentioned. Children : Sime-
on, born 17/1; Seth, mentioned below;
Abraham, February 22, 1777; Abigail,
December, 1787.
(VI) Seth (3), second son of Seth (2)
and Hannah (Richmond) Richmond, was
born April 28, 1773, in Taunton, and lived
in Middleboro, where he died March 23,
1860. He married (first) October 8, 1795,
Sally, daughter of Eleazer and Deborah
(Barrows) Richmond, of Middleboro, born
May 16, 1769, died 1822. Eleazer Rich-
mond was a son of Josiah Richmond, who
was a son of Edward Richmond, above
mentioned. Seth (3) Richmond mar-
ried (second) (published February 6,
1823) Keziah Edson, born 1788-89, died
June 4, 1866. Children of first wife:
Simeon, born July 4, 1796; Sally Bar-
rows, mentioned below ; Salome, Novem-
ber 12, 1801, died 1805; William Rufus,
January 30, 1804; Eliza Rowe, Febru-
ary 5, 1808; of second wife: Julia, 1824,
died 1843; Salome, 1826; Tames Edson,
1828.
(VII) Sally Barrows, eldest daughter
of Seth (3) and Sally (Richmond) Rich-
mond, was born May 16, 1799, in Middle-
boro, and married (published August 27,
1820) Lieutenant Joshua Shaw of Mid-
dleboro. who died about 1845. Children:
Sarah Richmond, mentioned below ;
Fanny Woodbury, born October 13, 1823,
married Henry Phillips, resided in Taun-
ton ; Elvira Williams, May 25, 1825 ; El-
bridge Gerry, June 25, 1826.
(VTTT) Sarah Richmond Shaw, eldest
child of Lieutenant Joshua and Sally B.
(Richmond) Shaw, was born December
10, 1821, in Middleboro, married Horatio
Alden Hackett, born April 15, 1832, and
lived in Taunton.
(IX) Myron Horatio Hackett, born
February 23, 1845, m Taunton, married
Lydia Adelaide Evans, and they were the
parents of two children Charles and El-
dora Alden mentioned below.
(X) Eldora Alden Hackett, daughter
of Myron H. and Lydia A. (Evans) Hac-
kett, was born March 24, 1873, in Taun-
ton, and was adopted by her aunt, Mrs.
Albert H. Hathaway, of that city. She
was married, November 7, 1906, to Alton
LeRoy Hambly, and resides in Provi-
dence. Children : Stafford Hathaway,
born November 2, 1907; Dorothea Alden,
December 28, 1908 ; Alton LeRoy, Jr.,
March 9, 1915. Mrs. Hambly is a mem-
ber of Gaspee Chapter, Daughters of the
American Revolution, of Providence.
CHENEY, Ray Mungar,
Representative Citizen.
In nearly every part of England this
name is found, and it has been identified
with the history of the United States
from their earliest settlement. It has
been connected, especialy in New Eng-
land, with the development of great busi-
ness enterprises, is widely and favorably
known in religious circles, in law, in
medicine, and many worthy lines of en-
deavor. Many of its representatives are
to-day filling useful places in the life of
the nation. The name of Cheney is de-
rived from the French word "Chene,"
meaning oak. and came into use origin-
ally in England or Normandy to signify
the residence probably of the progenitor.
It belongs to the same class of surnames
as Wood, Tree, Lake, Pond, Way, etc.,
and it is certain that Cheney, Chine,
Cheyney, or Cheyne, as it was variously
spelled, was one of the earliest surnames
in use in England, and was borne by men
of note. Sir Nicholas Chenney acquired
the Manor of Up-Ottery, in Devonshire,
in the reign of Henry III. (1207-72).
Thomas Cheyner, mercer, died in Lon-
don, in 1361, a man of wealth and varied
182
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
interests. Henry Cheyney, of London,
made his will, August 18, 1361. John
Cheyney was archdeacon of Exeter, July
IO > 1 379'< one f the clergy of the Litch-
field Cathedral in June, 1382; and pre-
bend of Huntingdon, March 3, 1387-88.
In the sixteenth and seventeeth centuries,
records of the Cheney family are found in
Northampton, Wiltshire, Sussex, Oxford-
shire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire,
Ilerkshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Yorkshire,
Lincolnshire, Hertfordshire, Essex and
Devonshire pretty generally diffused
throughout the country. The original
coat-of-arms, according to Burke, was:
Ermine on a bend sable three martlets or.
Crest : A bull's scalp argent. There are
other coats-of-arms of greater or less an-
tiquity, borne by the various branches.
A patient and costly search of the Eng-
lish records has not conclusively proved
the ancestry of two American immi-
grants from whom the American Cheneys
are decended. Both William and John
Cheney came to Roxbury. Massachu-
setts, and we find Cheney a rather nu-
merous name in County Essex, England,
whence many of the Roxbury settlers
came. We find the will of Robert
Cheney, of Waltham Abbey, dated Octo-
ber i, 1667, mentioning wife, Johan, ana
suns, John, Raufe, William and Robert,
and daughter, Agnes. His son John had
a son William, born in 1584 and baptized
February 21, 1^84. Boston, Massachu-
J -J '
setts, of which Roxbury is now a part,
was settled in part by immigrants from
Boston, Lincolnshire, England. It is
reasonable to suppose that the Essex and
Lincolnshire Cheneys were closely re-
lated. Their homes were not far apart
and their children bore almost identical
names. John Cheney, of Bennington in
Lincolnshire, made his will, May 24. 1621,
bequeathing to the poor of the parish, to
wife, Alice, to children and others. He
names two sons John, one distinguished
from the other by the terms "John the
elder" and "John the younger." John Cheney
was buried March 21, 1633. Children,
mentioned in the will and recorded in the
baptismal register of the parish : Frances,
baptized December 20, 1596; William,
baptized February 5, 1597; Jane, baptized
February 28, 1600; John, baptized June
30, 1605 ; Edward, baptized July 20, 1606;
Thomas, born July 25, 1607; Agnes, bap-
tized October 16, 1608; John, baptized
November 9, 1609; Richard, baptized
September 29, 1611; Elizabeth, baptized
June 2, 1614. Edward was buried De-
cember 8, 1613; the wife, Elizabeth, was
buried June 12, 1614. A Thomas Cheney
was an alderman of Boston, England, in
1585. and the family has been prominent
there for several centuries. William
Cheney, the immigrant, owned land ad-
joining Rev. John Wilson's land in Bos-
ton, Massachusetts. We know no reason
for thinking that John and William
Cheney, the immigrants, were not the
sons of John Cheney, of Bennington. a
list of whose children has just been given.
But if it were proved that the Cheneys
were of this old Lincolnshire family, the
English pedigree appears to be impos-
sible to trace. But few English pedigrees
have been conclusively proved and estab-
lished.
( T ) William Cheney, the immigrant an-
cestor, probably born in England in 1604,
was a very early resident of Roxbury,
Massachusetts Bay Colony (now in-
cluded in the city of Boston). One rec-
ord fixes the date of his death as Tune 30,
1667. and the church record gives it:
Died, "1667. month 5 day 2, William
Cheany Sen." The records show that he
was a landholder and resident at Rox-
bury before 1640. In that year or the
year before he owned twenty-four and a
half acres of land there, and there are
land deeds which show that he possessed
other tracts. His homestead lay in a
183
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
bend of the old highway, now Dudley
street, near its junction with Warren
street. In 1645 the Roxbury Free School
was founded, and the name of William
Cheney is found on the list of subscribers
to the school fund, also among the few
who specially guaranteed the town the
payment of their yearly contributions.
Late in 1664, he was chosen a member of
the board of directors, or "feofees," of
this school. In 1648 he was elected a
member of the board of assessors, and
February 23, 1653, as one of a committee
to raise a certain sum for the maintenance
of the minister. In 1654-55 he was one
of the two constables, and January 19,
r 6s6-57, was a member of the board of
selectmen. May 23, 1666, he was made a
freeman of the colony. He was admitted
to full communion of the church, March
5, 1664-65, and his wife, Margaret, April
22, 1644. After his death she married
(second) a Mr. Burge or Burges, and
was again a widow before 1679. She
spent her last years in Boston, and was
buried in Roxbury, July 3, 1686. Chil-
dren: Ellen, born in England about 1626;
Margaret, married, April. 1650, in Rox-
bury, Deacon Thomas Hastings ; Thom-
as ; William, mentioned below; John,
born September 29, 1639, in Roxbury;
Mehitabel, June i, 1643, in Roxbury;
Joseph, June 6, 1647, m Roxbury.
(11} William (2) Cheney, second son
of William (i) and Margaret Cheney,
was probably born in England, reared in
Roxbury. Massachusetts, and died Sep-
tember, 1681, in Dorchester, Massachu-
setts. He settled, about 1662, on lands
granted to his father by the colony in
what was then Dedham. In 1671 he re-
moved to Dorchester. He purchased a
homestead in Medfield, and his second
house in that town was on the north side
of Main street, near the present Bridge
street, which he sold in 1680. He mar-
ried Deborah, daughter of Deacon John
Wiswell, of Boston, who survived him
and married (second) Ebenezer Williams,
of Dorchester. His will devised property
to his widow and sons, only two of whom
survived the period of infancy. Chil-
dren: Deborah, born 1662, died 1663;
William, 1664, died the same year; De-
borah, November i, 1666; William, men-
tioned below; John, January 5, 1674, in
Dorchester; Benjamin, May i, 1677;
Abiel, November 26, 1681.
(III) William (3) Cheney, second son
of William (2) and Deborah (Wiswell)
Cheney, was born July 27, 1670, in Med-
field, and died July I, 1753, in that part
of Mendon which is now Milford, Massa-
chusetts. He appears on the list made
in October, 1695. of those pledged to sup-
port the ministry, and he and his wife
were members of the Mendon church.
He received grants of land in 1705 and
1706, making eighty acres in all. About
1706 he removed to that portion of Med-
ford which is now Milford, and was
among the signers, with his son William,
of a petition for the establishment of Mil-
ford precinct in 1741. This did not be-
come a separate town until 1780. He
sold twenty-six acres of his land in 1725,
and subsequently deeded the remainder
to his sons. He is described as a man of
high character and highly esteemed in
Mendon and Milford. No record of his
marriage has been discovered. His wife's
baptismal name was Margaret, and they
had children, born in Mendon : Margaret,
August 30, 1695; Sarah. July 15, 1699;
Hester. June 17, 1701 ; William, men-
tioned below ; Ebenezer, November 20,
1706; Abigail. September 21, 1709.
(IV) William (4) Cheney, eldest son
of William (3) and Margaret Cheney,
was born February 7, 1704, in Mendon,
and was a member of the church there
until dismissed to the Milford church in
1741. From that year until 1747. he was
clerk of the Milford precinct, and died
184
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
there, July 18, 1756. He was a joiner
by trade, and also engaged in farming,
and was a capable and thrifty man. He
married, in Dorchester, May 13, 1726,
Joanna Thayer, born August 18, 1706, in
Braintree. Massachusetts, daughter of
Nathaniel and Sarah (Wales) Thayer.
She married (second) May 28, 1760, Dea-
con Nathan Peniman. Children : Susan-
na, horn July 23, 1730; Wales, August
31, 1732; Nathaniel, February 24, 1734;
Mary, July 27, 1736; Caleb, January 12,
1739; Ebenezer, mentioned below; Abi-
gail, November 20, 1743; William, May
18, 1746; Levi. November 23, 1756.
(V) Ebenezer Cheney, fourth son of
William (4) and Joanna (Thayer) Cheney,
was born July 10, 1741, baptized July 19,
same year, in what is now Milford, and
early in life removed to Warwick, Frank-
lin county, Massachusetts, where he
served on the board of selectmen. In
1783 the town was divided, and the
section in which Ebenezer Cheney lived
became the precinct of Orange, incorpo-
rated as a town in 1810. He was a lead-
ing citizen of that town, and filled vari-
ous offices. He was admitted to full
communion in the Milford church, Au-
gust 30, 1767, and not long after removed
from the town. He died in Orange, No-
vember 14, 1828. He served as a soldier
in the French and Indian War under
Captain William Jones, with the rank of
sergeant, from April 27 to November 26,
1760, and was encamped at Ticonderoga,
where his son later served as a Revolu-
tionary soldier. He married (first) March
18, 1760, Abigail Thompson, born May
3 1 - I 7tf > - m Bellingham. Massachusetts,
and died January 16, 1776, in \Varwick.
He married (second) (intention published
October 18, 1776) Hannah Gould, born
1758. died October 10, 1828, in Orange,
aged seventy years. Children of the first
marriage: Elijah, born 1760, died young;
Ebenezer, September 3, 1761 ; Elijah,
mentioned below; Abner, November 10,
1765; Simeon, 1767, died young; Joanna,
April 16, 1768; Sarah, 1770, died young;
Abigail, married Sylvester Holbrook;
Daniel, January 7, 1774; children of sec-
ond marriage: Hannah, born August 8,
1777; Sarah, 1780; John, December 29,
1781 ; Beulah, January 26, 1785 ; Susanna,
May 10, 1786; Mark, September 29, 1788;
Luke, December 27, 1790; Lydia, July
13, 1793; Matthew, February 13, 1795;
Silence, December 5, 1800; Mary, Au-
gust 7. 1803.
(VI) Elijah Cheney, third son of Eben-
ezer and Abigail (Thompson) Cheney,
was born April 9, 1764, in Mendon, and
resided in Hinsdale, Massachusetts,
whence he removed to Franklin, Ver-
mont, early in the nineteenth century,
settling in the western part of that town,
and was killed by a fall from a wagon,
June 7, 1847. He married, January 6,
1800, Dorcas Robins. Children : Jerusha,
born October 9, 1803 ; Clarissa, Septem-
ber II, 1805; Alvin, January 10, 1808;
Sylvester Holbrook, March 26, 1810;
Lucinda, July 10, 1812; Benjamin Frank-
lin, mentioned below ; Ebenezer, July 29,
1817; Erastus, October 30, 1819; Lydia
M., August 25, 1822.
(VII) Benjamin Franklin Cheney, third
son of Elijah and Dorcas (Robins) Cheney,
was born March 28, 1814, in Franklin,
and died there, April 14, 1875. He was
an industrious blacksmith and esteemed
citizen ; a Whig in politics, and a Metho-
dist in religion. He married (first) March
31, 1841, Jane Bascom, who died April 15,
1845. He married (second) May 6, 1845,
Martha Davis, who died in April, 1866.
He married (third) in November, 1866,
Jane Davis, who survived him, and died
in July, 1883. Children of the first mar-
riage: Hannah, born April 3, 1842, in
Franklin, married, March 17, 1885, Henry
C. Pomeroy, born there, July 27, 1843;
Nelson, born July 21, 1844, died four
185
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
months old; of second marriage: Virtue
Imogene, born March 28, 1847, died *&5 2 >
Judson Marvin, mentioned below ; Ben-
jamin Franklin, January n, 1854, died
October 25, 1856.
(VIII) Judson Marvin Cheney, only
surviving son of Benjamin Franklin
Cheney and his second wife, Martha
(Davis) Cheney, was born April 6, 1848,
in Franklin, where he grew up, graduat-
ing from the high school and Franklin
Academy. He early embarked in busi-
ness as a clerk in a dry goods store of his
native town, and later became a traveling
salesman, for many years covering New
England and the Middle West. For some
time his residence was in Minnesota. For
five years he was in the United States cus-
toms' service at Island Pond, Vermont,
and he served a similar period in the Cus-
tom House at Richford, Vermont. With
these exceptions, his entire business ca-
reer has dealt with the dry goods busi-
ness, and his home is now in Syracuse,
New York. He represents a wholesale
dry goods house of that city on the road.
He is a member of the Congregational
church ; of the Masonic lodge at Frank-
lin. Vermont; also affiliating with the
commandery. Knights Templar, at Mid-
dlebury, Vermont. He is a member of
the Commercial Travelers' Association,
and acts politically with the Republican
party. He married, March 29, 1871, Sarah
Lucinda Green, born February 2, 1847, in
Franklin, Vermont, daughter of Alonzo
A. Green, died Tuly 26. 1890. at Richford,
Vermont. Children: Ray Mungar. men-
tioned below; Benjamin Hyatt, born July
26, 1880; Bessie, born 1882, at Franklin,
married Lyman F. Bailey, of Richford,
and now resides in Bakersfield, Califor-
nia : Ruth, born May 14. 1891, in Frank-
lin, died aged seven years, in Richford.
(IX) Ray Mungar Cheney, son of Jud-
son Marvin and Sarah Lucinda (Green)
Cheney, was born January 27. 1877, ' n
Mankato, Minnesota, and grew up at
Franklin, Vermont, attending the public
schools and academy, graduating from
the Richford High School. On leaving
school he served an apprenticeship of
four years in a foundry at Richford, and
was subsequently working as a journey-
man in the Lincoln Iron Works at Rut-
land, Vermont, nearly two years, after
which he spent t\vo years in the Fair-
banks Scale Company at St. Johnsbury,
Vermont. For two years he was em-
ployed by the Builders' Iron Foundry
Company at Providence, Rhode Island,
and was five years with James A. Colvin
tv Company, of Worcester, Massachu-
setts. He was four years in the service
of the General Electric Company at Sche-
nectady. New York, following which for
two years he was in charge of the Henry
Parsons Machine Company foundry at
Marlboro, Massachusetts. For a like
period he occupied a similar position at
the L. G. McKnight Machine Company's
plant in Gardner. Massachusetts, remov-
ing to Fitchburg, Massachusetts, in April.
1912, to take the position of superintend-
ent of the Union Foundry Company, of
that city. In July. 1914. he was made
manager of the entire business, which
employs nearly one hundred men. Mr.
Cheney has taken an intelligent interest
in the progress of his native land, and has
mingled in the social life of the various
communities in which he has resided. He
is a member of the local lodge of United
Workmen of America, at Gardner, Mas-
sachusetts ; Marlboro Lodge, No. 85. In-
dependent Order of Odd Fellows, of
Marlboro, Massachusetts : King David
Encampment and Canton Fitchburg, of
Fitchburg, Massachusetts. He is a Uni-
versalist in religion. He married. April
29, 1901. Isabel A. Mulhern, born May
31, 1873, in Machias. Maine, daughter of
Austin and Elsie (Randall) Mulhern.
1 86
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
WILLIAMS, Joseph S.,
Manufacturer.
This is a very ancient Welsh family,
and the origin and history of the family
is given at great length elsewhere in this
work, including the history of Richard
Williams, the founder of the line in Amer-
ica.
(IX) Joseph, son of Richard and Fran-
ces (Dighton) Williams, married (first)
Elizabeth Watson, (second) Abigail New-
land. He had children : Elizabeth, Rich-
ard, Mehitable, Joseph, Benjamin, Eben-
ezer, Phebe and Richard.
(X) Richard, son of Joseph and Eliza-
beth (Watson) Williams, born March 26,
1689, died in 1727. He married (first)
Anna Wilbore, (second) January I, 1740,
Elizabeth Merick. Children : George,
Richard and Ebenezer.
(XI) Colonel George Williams, son of
Richard and Anna (Wilbore) Williams,
was born 1717, in Taunton, died 1803, and
lived in that town, on the east side of the
Taunton River, on what is now Williams
street. He was a man of property, own-
ing a large landed estate. From the sol-
dierly qualities which he evidently pos-
sessed it seems that he served in the war
with the French in 1744-45 ; and perhaps
in the first year of the French and Indian
war. But the record thus far found of his
military service begins in 1757; he was
then ensign of a company stationed at
Fort William Henry when the French
and Indians under Montcalm invested the
place, August 3, 1757. He was sent out at
the beginning of the siege under Captain
Saltonstall, but his party was driven back,
and he himself taken prisoner. He was
released not long after, and returned to
Taunton. He rose to the rank of cap-
tain of the Third Taunton company, and
in 1772 was major of the Third Bristol
county regiment. On February 2, 1776,
he was elected colonel of this regiment by
the Legislature and commissioned Febru-
ary 7, and did good service during the
Revolution. His principal military opera-
tions were in Rhode Island, which State
was constantly harried and threatened by
the British navy. He was a prominent
member of the Taunton Committee of
Correspondence, Inspection and Safety
for several years, beginning in 1775, and
was selectman of Taunton in 1780. His
son, Richard Williams, was one of the
minute-men of the company of Captain
Jam.es Williams, Jr.. who marched to
Roxbury at the news of the battle of Lex-
ington. During the last six months of
1776 he was serving at the defense of Bos-
ton, being sergeant under Captain Joshua
Wilbore. He very likely served at other
times, but the Revolutionary rolls are not
sufficiently explicit for his identification
among the many soldiers of this name.
He married (first) January 6, 1737, Sarah
Hodges, born 1715, in Taunton, daughter
of Henry and Sarah (Leonard) Hodges,
of Taunton. He married (second) Mrs.
Nancy Dean, who died in 1797. Children,
all born in Taunton: i. Phebe, 1737, died
1813. in Taunton; married (first) John
Hart, of Taunton, son of Lawrence and
Elizabeth Hart, (second) February 15,
1759, Simeon Tisdale, of Taunton, son of
Josenh and Ruth (Reed) Tisdale, (third)
April 27, 1763, Eliphaz Harlow, of Taun-
ton, son of Eleazer and Hannah (Delano)
Harlow. 2. Sarah, 1739, died 1820; mar-
ried, April 14. 1757, Richard Godfrey, of
Taunton, son of Richard and Theodora
(Dean) Godfrey. 3. A child, 1741. died
May 5, 1750, in Taunton. 4. George, men-
tioned below. 5. Anna. 1747, died Novem-
ber 2, 1833, at Taunton ; married (first)
September 16, 1763, Elisha Godding, (sec-
ond) July 19, 1788, Jonathan French, of
Berkley, Massachusetts, son of Ebenezer
and Keziah French, of Berkley. 6. Eben-
ezer, 1751, died April 30, 1814; married,
187
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
March 7, 1769, at Raynham, Sarah Ellis,
of that town, daughter of Philip Ellis. 7.
Lydia, 1753, died March 5, 1773; married,
August 6, 1772, Isaac Tobey, of Berkley,
son of Rev. Samuel and Bathsheba
(Crocker) Tobey, of that town. 8. Rich-
ard, 1/55 or 1757, died in Taunton, 1814;
married Hannah Padelford, of that town,
daughter of Edward and Sarah (Briggs)
Padelford. 9. Abiather, June 4, 1759, died
October 4, 1760, at Taunton.
(XII) George (2), son of Colonel
George (i) Williams and Sarah (Hodges)
\Yi!liams, was born August 18, 1745, in
Taunton, and died February 23, 1814, in
Raynham. He was a man of fine personal
appearance, according to the accounts
handed down in the family, was a farmer
and owned a fine property. While it is
certain he served in the Revolution, it is
difficult to pick out his record from the
many of the same name. Possibly he
served in New York State from about the
beginning of 1776 until December, being
or becoming a sergeant in Captain James
Allen's company, Colonel Simeon Carey's
regiment. He certainly was quartermas-
ter of his father's regiment in Rhode
Island, December, 1776, and January,
1777. He married, October 2, 1766, Bath-
sheba King, born March 31, 1744, in
Raynham, daughter of Philip and Abigail
King, died May 26, 1839, in Taunton.
Children, all born in Raynham: Sarah,
July 27, 1767; George, February 26, 1769;
a son, May 6, 1771 ; Abiathar, January 8,
1773; Bathsheba, January 25, 1775; Me-
lancy, February 28, 1777; Francis, men-
tioned below; Narcissus, September 13,
1781 ; Enoch, December 29, 1783; Samuel
K., November 17, 1785.
(XIII) Francis, fourth son of George
(2) and Bathsheba (King) Williams, was
born October 13, 1779, in Raynham, and
died July n, 1868. in Newport. Rhode
Island. He inherited one of his father's
several farms, was largely engaged in
agriculture, and was a manufacturer of
bricks in Taunton for more than half a
century. He is described as a man of
large frame, well proportioned, of strong
vitality and great powers of endurance.
He possessed a strong intellect, was of
social and genial nature, and never idle.
A leader in every public enterprise of de-
velopment, he was a large employer of
labor, was interested in the establishment
of the Taunton copper works, and various
manufacturing enterprises in Wareham,
Dighton and Providence. He was among
the founders of every bank established in
Taunton during his business life, and was
also largely interested in whaling. He
did an extensive business in the prepara-
tion of oak and pine timber for ship build-
ing, and was one of the most active and
useful citizens of his time. In early life
he was a Whig in political principle, but
gave little attention to politics, as his time
was fully occupied in caring for his pri-
vate interests. He represented Taunton
in the State Legislature, and also settled
many estates. He was remarkable as a
lover of even-handed justice, was broad
and liberal in sentiment, a Unitarian in
religion. His most distinguished char-
acteristics were his energy, sound judg-
ment and keen foresight. He married,
May 6, 1804, Louisa, daughter of John
and Elizabeth (Dean) Gilmore, of Rayn-
ham, born September 30, 1782, in that
town (see Gilmore IV). Children: Fran-
cis K., William H., Martin G., George A.,
Louisa, Elizabeth D., John R., Edwin
Catherine, Alexander H. and Ruth C.
(XIV) John Reed, son of Francis and
Louisa (Gilmore) Williams, was born
June 28, 1817, in the old homestead in
Taunton, and, like all his father's children
was reared to habits of industry and
thrift. His education was supplied by the
common schools and academy, and at the
1 88
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
age of twenty years he taught one term.
On attaining his majority he went to Sa-
vannah, Georgia, where he was employed
in making the bricks subsequently used
in the erection of the famous Fort Pu-
laski. After two winters there he re-
turned to his native home, and was em-
ployed by his father until 1842. In that
year he purchased land in Taunton, on
which he resided after 1843. He manu-
factured red brick, and later fire brick and
stove linings. Beginning with his own
labor, his establishment grew until he em-
ployed some twenty men and turned out
large quantities of brick. He improved
his farm, which consisted of one hundred
acres, and in 1857 built thereon a very
handsome, commodious residence. He
was a director and president of the Taun-
ton Iron Works, a stockholder in two
banks, in cooper works and other manu-
facturing industries. Of keen mind and
progressive nature, he was generous and
filled an important place in the commu-
nity. He was first a Whig, he was later
a Republican, and was a member of the
Congregational Unitarian Church of
Taunton. He was also affiliated with
King David Lodge, Ancient Free and Ac-
cepted Masons; St. Marks Chapter, Royal
Arch Masons; and King Philip Lodge,
Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He
married Sarah, daughter of Abner and
Eleanor (Sanford) Pitts, of Taunton,
born in Taunton, where she died Febru-
ary u, 1911 (see Sanford VI). Both she
and her husband were buried in Mt.
Pleasant Cemetery, Taunton. Children :
i. John Francis, died in infancy. 2. Joseph
Sanford, mentioned below. 3. Sarah Eliz-
abeth, resides at 214 West Water street.
4. Ellen Louise, married Edward L. Bass,
and has children : Royce Edward, John
Williams, Fannie Louise. 5. Sophia Pitts,
resides with her sister. 6. John Gilmore,
who is connected with his brother in
the conduct of the stove lining manu-
facture at Taunton. He married Bertha
Frances \Yalker, daughter of Samuel
\Valker. Children : Marguerite, died in
infancy ; Gladys Gilmore. The Misses
Williams are members of Lydia Cobb
Chapter, Daughters of the American Rev-
olution of Taunton, and of the Unitarian
church. John Reed Williams died at Bos-
ton, January 12, 1890.
(XV) Joseph Sanford, eldest son of
John Reed and Sarah (Pitts) Williams,
was born in Taunton, where he resides.
He is interested in the Williams Stove
Lining Company, an extensive manufac-
turing industry of that city, and is com-
modore of the Taunton Yacht Club. He
is also a member of the Masonic frater-
nity, holding membership in Charles H.
Titus Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted
Masons, and St. Mark's Chapter, Royal
Arch Masons, both of Taunton ; St. John's
Commandery, Knights Templar, of Provi-
dence, Rhode Island; the Massachusetts
Consistory, at Boston ; and Aleppo
Temple, Order of the Mystic Shrine, Bos-
ton.
(The Sanford Line).
(I) John Sanford, the first settler by
that name in New England, was the son
of Samuel and Ellenor, of Alford, Lin-
colnshire, England. He came to Boston
in the "Lyon" in 1631, with Rev. John
Eliot, John Winthrop, Jr., and others, and
his name stands one hundred and eighth
on the list of church membership. He
was sworn a freeman April 3, 1632, and
the same year made cannoneer of the fort.
Governor Thomas Hutchinson mentioned
him among the distinguished citizens. In
1637 he was disarmed, that is, deprived
of his civil privileges because of his
support of John Wheelwright and Mrs.
Anne Hutchinson in their controversy
with the Colonial authorities. In March,
1638, he left Boston for Aquidneck, now
89
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
the island of Rhode Island, with Wil-
liam Coddington, Edward Hutchinson
and sixteen others, having made, as
the records show, "an honest purchase of
the island." He held many important
offices in the Rhode Island Colony, was
chosen constable for the year 1640 and
lieutenant January 13, 1644. The three
settlements were united by a common
charter in 1647, an d on May 21 he was
chosen assistant governor, and acted as
coroner. He was reflected general as-
sistant May 23. 1649; chosen general
treasurer of the colony May 22, 1655 ; gen-
eral recorder and treasurer on May 20,
1656; and "clarke" of the General Assem-
bly, Roger Williams having at the same
time been chosen moderator. He was re-
elected "clarke" in 1657-58; was later
deputy for Portsmouth to the General
Assembly at Newport; and October 31,
1677, one f tne committee to lay out East
Greenwich. At the time of his death he
was president of the colony. He was
married (first) about the time he went
to Boston, to Elizabeth Webb, sister of
Henry Webb. Their children were : John,
mentioned below; Samuel, baptized June
22, 1634; and Eliphalet, December, 1637.
He married (second) Bridget, daughter
of the celebrated Anne Hutchinson, and
by her had ten children.
(II) John (2), son of John (i) and
Elizabeth (Webb) Sanford, baptized June
24, 1632, was admitted a freeman at the
General Assembly held at Newport, May
17, 1653, was a man of learning and filled
high offices in the colony. He married
(first) August 8, 1654, Elizabeth, eldest
daughter of Henry Sparhurst, of Ber-
muda, died December 6, 1660. He mar-
ried (second) April 11, 1663, Mary,
daughter of Rev. Samuel Gorton, of War-
wick, and widow of Peter Green. Chil-
dren of first marriage : Elizabeth, born
July ii. 1655; Mary, August 18, 1656;
Susanna, July 31, 1658, and Rebecca, June
23, 1660. Children of second marriage:
Mary, born March 3, 1664; Eliphalet,
February 20, 1666; John, mentioned be-
low ; and Samuel, October 5, 1677.
(III) John (3), son of John (2) San-
ford, and child of his second wife, Mary
Gorton, born June 18, 1672, located in
Taunton, that is, Berkley, about 1713,
was a large land owner, and is described
in one of the records as a mason by trade.
He married, July I, 1713, Abigail Pitts,
born 1689, daughter of Samuel Pitts, of
Taunton, and granddaughter of Peter
Pitts. She received from her father a
tract of land. To John (3) Sanford and
wife were born, among other children, a
son,
(IV) George Sanford, born 1725, lived
to the advanced age of ninety-four years,
dying February 19, 1820. His wife, Mary
(or Mercy) Phillips, born 1727, died 1793.
(V) Joseph, son of George and Mary
( Phillips) Sanford, was born June 24,
1761, at Berkley, and died April 12, 1835.
According to his son John he was a man
who "possessed a strong mind in a strong
body." He taught school in his native
town for forty winters, had a reputation
for skill in navigation, algebra and other
branches of mathematics, and used to
amuse himself in winter, after he had be-
come too. old to teach, by calculating
eclipses. He was a soldier in the war of
the Revolution, serving through many
campaigns. He was a private in Captain
Zebediah Reading's company. Colonel
Josiah Whitney's regiment, serving two
months and twenty-three days, ending
August i, 1776, at Hull. He was a pri-
vate in Captain Elijah Walker's company,
Colonel John Hathaway's regiment, twen-
ty-one days, marched from Dighton to
Tiverton, April 23, 1777. In the same
year he was a private in Captain Philip
Hathaway's company, Colonel Josiah
190
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Whitney's regiment, one month and twen- Theological Seminary, in 1826, was pas-
ty-seven days at Rhode Island, roll sworn
November 28, 1777, in Suffolk county.
His name appears in the list of men mus-
tered by James Leonard, mustermaster,
to serve nine months in the Continental
army from arrival at Fishkill, dated Taun-
ton, May 19, 1778. He is described as five
feet, ten inches in height, complexion
dark, hair and eyes black, residence Berk-
ley, credited to Berkley. He was a ser-
geant in Captain Nathan Packard's com-
pany, Colonel Jacobs' Light Infantry,
from September 23 to November 25, 1779,
two months and two days, at Rhode
Island. He was a private in Captain Mat-
thew Randall's company, Colonel Abial
Mitchell's regiment, from July 29 to Oc-
tober 31, 1780, three months and four
days, regiment raised to reinforce the
Continental army for three months. He
probably served subsequently in the State
militia, as he bore the title of captain. He
married, September 27, 1785, Eleanor
Macomber, born August 3, 1763, died Au-
gust ii, 1845, daughter of James and
Rachel (Darke) Macomber, of Berkley,
Massachusetts. Children : James, John,
Eleanor (mentioned below), Alpheus,
Enoch, Joseph, Baalis and Mary. Four
of these six sons were graduates of Brown
University, James and John in the class
of 1812, Enoch in 1820 and Baalis in 1823.
They all afterward entered the ministry.
James, born May 7, 1786, was for some
years pastor of churches of the Congre-
gational denomination in the States of
New York and Massachusetts ; John, Sep-
tember 12, 1788, was pastor of the church
at South Dennis, Massachusetts, from
1818 to 1829; Enoch. November 30, 1795,
was for two years a tutor at Brown and
then pastor of the First Congregational
Church at Raynham, Massachusetts, for
twenty-five years; Baalis, July 16, 1801,
after his graduation from the Andover
tor of the Congregational churches at
East and West Bridgewater, 1850-61.
(VI) Eleanor, elder daughter of Joseph
and Eleanor (Macomber) Sanford, was
born April 29, 1791, in Berkley, and mar-
ried Abner Pitts.
(VII) Sarah, daughter of Abner and
Eleanor (Sanford) Pitts, became the wife
of John Reed Williams, of Taunton (see
Williams XIV).
(The Gilmore Line).
The early ancestry of the Gilmore fam-
ily of Southeastern Massachusetts is de-
scribed at length elsewhere in this work.
The pioneer was John Gilmore, who came
from sturdy Scotch ancestry, was born in
Glasgow about 1660. He was the father
of James Gilmore, born about 1697, in
Ulster county, Ireland, and lived in Rayn-
ham, Massachusetts. His third son, John
(2) Gilmore, was born 1730, in Raynham,
where he was a farmer, and died in 1820.
He was buried in the Gilmore family lot
in North Raynham, where a stone marks
his last resting place. He was a soldier
of the Revolution, serving as a private in
Captain Jonathan Shaw's (Raynham)
company, Colonel George Williams'
(Third Bristol county) regiment, serving
eleven days on a march to Warren by
way of Rehoboth, December 8, 1776, on
an alarm. His will made December 19,
1804, probated January 2, 1821, mentions
his wife Sarah, sons John, Joshua,
Othniel, Jonathan, David, and daughters
Sarah Villar, Mary Dean, Hannah Gushee,
Isabel Jones, Asenath Dean, Achsah Reed,
Rhoda Gilmore. His son John was made
executor of the will.
(IV) John (3), eldest child of John (2)
and Sarah Gilmore, was born about 1770,
in Raynham, where he made his home.
His intention of marriage to Elizabeth
Dean, of Raynham, was published Au-
191
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
gust 3, 1780. She died December 12, 1820,
at the age of fifty-one years, in Raynham,
and he married (second) Ruth Wilbur, a
widow, of that town, daughter of Fred-
erick Briggs. Children : John D., born
January 17, 1781 ; Louisa, mentioned be-
low ; Melvin, April 11, 1785; Laura, May
6, 1/93; Narcissus, August 14, 1797. mar-
ried Hasadiah Haskell, of Raynham ; Al-
bert, May 15, 1800.
(V) Louisa, eldest daughter of John
(3) and Elizabeth (Dean) Gilmore, was
born September 30, 1782, and married
Francis Williams (see Williams XIII).
TINKHAM-ARNOLD Families.
The Tinkham family is of ancient Eng-
lish origin. As far as known all the Amer-
ican families are descended from the first
settler, mentioned in this sketch.
(I) Sergeant Ephraim Tinkham, born
about 1606, and died June 5, 1686, came
from Ashburnham, near Plymouth, Eng-
land, in April, 1630. He probably came
in the service of Thomas Hatherly, under
indenture or contract, as many young
men did, to pay their passage. Later, he
was transferred to the service of John
Winslow, in 1634. He received a grant
of land from the town of Duxbury, thirty-
five acres, was one of the proprietors, Au-
gust 2, 1642, and became a very promi-
nent citizen both in civil and military life ;
was selectman and sergeant and held
other offices of trust and honor. He and
his wife sold a third part of a lot of land
with dwelling and other buildings which
belonged to Peter Brown, by deed of Oc-
tober 27, 1647, to Henry Thompson, of
Duxbury. He was admitted a freeman in
1670. In 1674 he was juror in a murder
case; in 1675 member of the grand in-
quest. He and William Crowell and Ed-
ward Gray were a commission in 1668 to
settle the bounds of the governor's lands
at Plaindealing. His will was dated Jan-
uary 17, 1683, ar >d proved June 5, 1685,
bequeathing to wife Mary, children Eph-
raim, Ebenezer, Peter, Hezekiah, John,
Isaac, Mary Tomson. He was one of the
twenty-six men who in 1662 bought of the
Indians the territory comprising the town
of Middleborough, and settled there. He
married Mary Brown, daughter of Peter
Brown, who came to Plymouth in the
"Mayflower." Children, born at Plym-
outh or Duxbury : Ephraim, mentioned
below ; Ebenezer, born September 30,
1651; Peter, December 25, 1653; Heze-
kiah, February 8, 1656; John, June 7,
1658 ; Mary, August 5, 1661 ; John, No-
vember 15, 1663; Isaac, April u, 1666.
(II) Ephraim (2), eldest child of Eph-
raim (i) and Mary (Brown) Tinkham,
was born August I, 1649, at Duxbury, and
died October 13, 1714, at Middleborough.
He settled in the latter town, where he
was propounded for freeman in 1682; was
constable in 1681. He married Esther
Wright, who was born in 1649 an d died
March 28, 1717, granddaughter of Fran-
cis Cook, who came to Plymouth in 1620
in the "Mayflower." He inherited his
father's house in Middleborough. Chil-
dren, born at Middleborough : John, born
August 23, 1680; Jeremiah, mentioned be-
low; Ephraim, October 7, 1682, died July
1 1. 1713 ; Isaac, June, 1685 ; Samuel, March
19, 1688.
(III) Jeremiah, second son of Ephraim
(2) and Esther (Wright) Tinkham, was
born February 13, 1681, and died April 5,
1715. He married Joanna Powell, and
lived in Middleborough.
(IV) Ebenezer, son of Jeremiah and
Joanna (Powell) Tinkham, was born De-
cember 16, 1714, died November 17, 1801 ;
he married Hannah Shaw.
(V) Isaac, son of Ebenezer and Han-
nah (Shaw) Tinkham, was born Novem-
ber 26, 1741, died April 18, 1818; he mar-
ried Lucretia Hammond, of Dartmouth,
Massachusetts.
192
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
(VI) Ebenezer (2), son of Isaac and
Sarah (Howard) Tinkham, was born De-
cember 13, 1777, died March n, 1836; he
married Harriet Morrison.
(VII) Ebenezer (3), son of Ebenezer
(2) and Harriet (Morrison) Tinkham,
was born February 11, 1813, in Middle-
boro, and died September 25, 1892, in
Attleboro, Massachusetts. He married,
April 10, 1843, in Norton, Adeline Arnold,
born 1811, daughter of Lemuel and Ann
(Hodges) Arnold, of that town (see Ar-
nold V). Children: I. Abbie Morrison,
born March 8, 1844; married (first) Ed-
ward G. Anthony, and (second) William
Sawyer, and by the first marriage there
were born two children Mabel A., now
deceased, and George Rutherford, now
living in Detroit, Michigan. 2. Frederick
Wallace, born December 24, 1845; mar-
ried Nellie Plympton, and they had one
son, Frederick, living in Seattle, Wash-
ington. 3. Howard Arnold, mentioned
below. 4. Annie Carpenter, born June 20,
1857, married Charles R. Bates, of Attle-
boro (see Bates). Mr. Tinkham married
(second) Alice Gruninger.
(VIII) Howard Arnold Tinkham, son
of Ebenezer (3) and Adeline (Arnold)
Tinkham, was born September 12, 1847,
in Norton, and married, June 17, 1879,
Elizabeth A. Arnold, daughter of David
Augustus Arnold. Children : Ruth Brow-
nell, married Frank L. Patten, of Norton;
Howard Arnold, resides at Newton Cen-
ter, Massachusetts ; he married Lucille
Hastings, and they have one daughter,
Elizabeth Hastings Tinkham.
(The Arnold Line).
The family of Arnold, according to
Somerby, is of great antiquity, having its
origin among the ancient princes of
Wales. According to a pedigree in the
College of Arms they trace from Ynir, a
paternal descendant of Cadwalader, King
of the Britons, which Cadwalader built
Abergavenny, in the county of Mon-
mouth, and its castle (which was after-
ward rebuilt by Hamlet, ap Sir Douce of
Balladon, in France), and portions of the
walls still remain. From this source
came Roger Arnold, Llanthony in Mon-
mouthshire, Esquire, the first of the fam-
ily who adopted a surname. He married
Joan, daughter of Sir Thomas Gamage,
Knight, Lord of Coytey. Mr. Arnold was
in the twelfth generation in direct line
from Ynir (above), King of Gwentland.
(I) Joseph Arnold, the immigrant an-
cestor of this branch of the Arnold fam-
ily here considered, was born in England
about 1625, and was an early settler in
Braintree, Massachusetts. He married at
Braintree, June 8, 1648, Rebecca Curtis,
who died August 14, 1693. There were
eight other Arnold pioneers in Massachu-
setts before 1650, and they were doubt-
less related to Joseph, but the relation-
ship has never been established. He re-
sided in the eastern part of Braintree, now
the city of Quincy, on what is now Quincy
avenue. He deeded his homestead to his
youngest son, Ephraim, November 25,
1696. It adjoined land of Thomas Hoi-
brook, William Cope and the ocean. His
children were: I. William, born March
16, 1649, d ' e d young. 2. John, born April
3, 1650, died young. 3. Joseph, born Oc-
tober 8, 1652, died young. 4. John, born
April 29, 1655. 5. Samuel, born August
7. 1658, died August 7, 1658. 6. Ephraim
mentioned below.
(II) Ephraim Arnold, son of Joseph,
was born in Braintree, Massachusetts,
June n, 1664; lived in that town and also
in Boston. He married Mary , and
their children were: I. Samuel, mentioned
below. 2. Mary, born October i, 1690,
married Benjamin Hammond. 3. Eph-
raim, born July 21, 1695. 4. Rebecca,
193
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
married December n, 1722, Jonathan He died in Norton in 1810, in his seventy-
French.
(III) Samuel Arnold, son of Ephraim,
was born in Braintree, January 7, 1689,
and was drowned in the Neponset river,
February 9, 1743. His body was found
the following March and buried March
23, 1743. He married September 13, 1711,
Sarah Webb, daughter of Christopher
and Mary (Bass) Webb. She was born
December 18, 1688. Their children, born
in Braintree, were: i. Samuel, born May
16, 1713. 2. Joseph, died young. 3. Mary,
born December 22, 1714, married John
Spear. 4. Sarah, born September 14, 1716,
married Benjamin Hunt. 5. Joseph, born
October n, 1718, married Mary Butts. 6.
John, born October 4, 1720, died Febru-
ary 11, 1738. 7. Moses, born June n,
1722. 8. Abigail, born February 12, 1725,
married Samuel Savel. 9. Nathaniel, born
October 18, 1726. 10. Deborah, born No-
vember 14, 1729, died December 14, 1792.
ii. David, born July 25, 1732, mentioned
below.
(IV) David, youngest son of Samuel
and Sarah (Webb) Arnold, was born July
25, 1732, in Braintree, and settled in the
town of Norton, Massachusetts, near the
Taunton line. He was a shoemaker and
manufacturer of leather, and owned a
place near Burts Brook, Norton. A sol-
dier of the Revolution, he served under
various enlistments ; was a lieutenant in
Captain Benjamin Morey's company,
Colonel John Daggett's regiment, for ten
days following the Lexington Alarm, of
April 19, 1775. He was subsequently a
private in Captain George Makepeace's
company. Colonel Daggett's regiment,
serving twenty-five days on a Rhode
Island alarm, December 8, 1776. He was
also in Captain Seth Smith's company,
Colonel Isaac Dean's (Fourth Bristol
county) regiment, from August i to Au-
gust 7, 1780, in an alarm at Rhode Island.
ninth year. He married Phebe Pratt, of
Taunton, intentions entered in Norton,
December 9, 1756. Children, recorded in
Norton: David, born December 23, 1757;
Phebe, April i, 1760; John, May 23, 1763;
Samuel, January 13, 1766; Asa, February
3, 1768; Salmon, 1771; William, March
28, 1774 : Lemuel, mentioned below ; Sally,
1778.
(V) Lemuel, seventh son of Lieutenant
David and Phebe (Pratt) Arnold, was
born September 15, 1776, baptized Octo-
ber 10, 1779, and died February 13,
1861. He married, May 18, 1801, in Nor-
ton, Ann Hodges, of that town, born April
22, 1777, daughter of Captain Jam.es and
Mary (Briggs) Hodges, died February 7,
1854. Captain James Hodges was born
April 22, 1737, in Norton, son of Nathan
and Experience (Williams) Hodges, of
Taunton, who were married, December
12, 1728, in Norton. Captain Hodges first
enlisted as a private in Captain Robert
Grossman's minute-men, Colonel Na-
thaniel Leonard's regiment, of Taunton,
which marched April 20, 1775, to Rox-
bury, Massachusetts, serving twelve days.
He was subsequently in Captain Oliver
Soper's company, Colonel Timothy Walk-
er's regiment, enlisting May 2, mustered
August i, 1775, serving three months and
six days, company return dated October
6, 1775. He was a sergeant in Captain
Matthew Randall's company, as shown
by receipt dated at Hull, June 20, 1776, for
advance payment of one month. He en-
gaged June i, 1776, with Captain Randall
in Colonel Thomas Marshall's regiment,
and served until November i, 1776, five
months. Payroll for November shows
one month and two days travel home. He
was in Captain Elisha Barney's (Tenth)
company. Colonel George Williams'
(Third Bristol county) regiment, twenty-
five days, marched to Warren, Rhode
194
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Island, by way of Rehoboth, on an alarm
of December 8, 1776, roll dated at Taun-
ton. He was also in Captain Isaac
Hodges' company, Colonel John Dag-
gett's regiment, ten days, in December,
1776, and January, 1777, marched from
Norton to Tiverton, and return, including
travel, thirty-four miles each way. Lem-
uel and Ann (Hodges) Arnold had chil-
dren : Nancy, born July 23, 1802 ; Lemuel,
December 27, 1803; Mary P., September
25, 1805 ; Laban, November 7, 1807 ; Ade-
line, July 6, 1811; William Earle, April
19, 1813; Samuel, September 17, 1815;
Charles G., September 19, 1817; Edwin
Howard, January u, 1819; David Au-
gustus, mentioned below.
(VI) David Augustus, seventh son of
Lemuel and Ann (Hodges) Arnold, was
born May u, 1823, in Norton, where he
grew to manhood, and where he attended
the public schools. During the gold fever
of 1849 ne went to California, and spent
years, returning again to his native place.
Here he engaged in the foundry business
at Meadow Brook, in the town of Norton,
and later continued in the same line of
endeavor at Pawtucket, Rhode Island, for
many years. There he continued until
his death. His body was interred in the
Arnold lot in the town of Norton. He
married in Rhode Island, Ruth Ann
Lewis, born in Midclletown, Rhode Island,
daughter of Enoch and Ruth (Brownell)
Lewis, a descendant of one of the oldest
and best known families of that State.
She died in June. 1913. at the age of sev-
enty-nine years, and was buried beside
her husband in Norton. She was a mem-
ber of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, and
a woman of fine character, widely known
and esteemed. Children : Elizabeth A.
and Lewis R. ; the latter died at the age
of thirty years. Elizabeth A. Arnold,
only surviving child of David A. and Ruth
A. (Lewis) Arnold, was educated in the
public schools of Norton and at Wheaton
Seminary, graduating from the latter in
1874. For some years she taught school
at Hope, Rhode Island. She married
Howard Arnold Tinkham, of Norton,
Massachusetts (see Tinkham. VIII). She
is a member of the Attleboro Woman's
Club and the Wheaton Alumni Associa-
tion.
BROWN, Arthur W. F.,
City Official.
There were numerous immigrants bear-
ing this name very early in New England,
scattered all along the coast, and there are
many traditions as well as much of rec-
ord concerning them. It is the tradition
of the family below described that the
original immigrant settled in Hebron,
Connecticut, but this is extremely im-
probable. It would be an extraordinary
thing to find any English immigrant
locating in an inland town of Connecticut
in the middle of the eighteenth century.
This family is probably descended from
the Plymouth family of Brown, which
was founded by John Brown, an elder
brother of Peter Brown, who came in the
"Mayflower." John Brown arrived in
Plymouth about 1630, was a resident of
Duxbury, Massachusetts, in 1636, in
which year he was made a freeman and
held various offices of responsibility. He
was among the Taunton purchasers and
also the purchasers of Rehoboth, in which
he had an interest of six hundred pounds
sterling. He owned extensive tracts along
the eastern border of Narragansett Bay.
(I) Samuel Brown, born about 1690,
was an early resident of Colchester, Con-
necticut, where he owned land in 1717,
was elected constable of the town Decem-
ber 30, of that year ; way warden, De-
cember 22, 1718, and December 11, 1721.
and fence viewer, December 14, 1724. He
195
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
married (first) August 13, 1724, Mercy
Brown, and (second) August 6, 1728,
Mary Dunham. Children, recorded in
Colchester: Samuel, mentioned below;
Abner, born March 25, 1731 ; Mary, Feb-
ruary 13, 1732. He probably removed
from Colchester to the adjoining town of
Hebron, as no further record appears of
him in the former town.
(II) Samuel (2) Brown, son of Samuel
(i) and Mary (Dunham) Brown, was
born August 17, 1729, in Colchester, and
resided in Hebron, Connecticut, where
the records show his marriage, March 28,
1768, to Prudence Sawyer. The family
tradition says he had a second wife, a
Miss Brown. It is more probable that
she was the first wife. He was always a
farmer, and late in life removed to Nor-
wich, Vermont, where he died.
(III) Isaac Brown, son of Samuel (2)
and Prudence (Sawyer) Brown, was born
about 1775, in Hebron, and accompanied
his father to Norwich, whence he went to
Bolton, Province of Quebec, Canada. He
was among the pioneer settlers of that
town, where he cleared up land and en-
gaged in its cultivation through his active
years. He married and had several sons,
among whom were Washington and
Isaac.
(IV) Isaac (2), son of Isaac (i)
Brown, was born January 22, 1799. in
Norwich, Vermont, and died in Bolton,
Canada, August 13, 1877. Throughout
his life he was engaged in agriculture,
was a man of unusual business ability,
active and public-spirited, and engaged in
stock raising in addition to the growing
of- agricultural crops. He was an active
member of the Methodist church. He
married, March 18, 1823, Clasical Bryant,
born March 18, 1806, in Enfield, New
Hampshire. Children : Sylvester G., born
January 9, 1826; Lewis G., June 8, 1828;
Franklin, mentioned below ; Isaac. Feb-
ruary 15, 1834; Osgood P., November i,
1836; Clasical Ann, September 17, 1839;
Cynthia Jane, January 21, 1845; William
R., June 8, 1848. Three of these are still
living: Clasical Ann, Cynthia Jane and
W r illiam R.
(V) Franklin Brown, third son of Isaac
(2) and Clasical (Bryant) Brown, was
born November 7, 1831, in Bolton, where
he remained with his parents until twenty-
one years of age, receiving his education
in the public schools of the town. On at-
taining his majority he went to Boston,
Massachusetts, where he remained about
three years, and returned to Bolton, where
he engaged in farming until after the
death of his wife, when he sold out and
removed to Boston. There he entered
the employ of Jordan, Marsh & Company,
extensive retail merchants, becoming head
of their silk department. He continued
there until 1865, when he went to Green-
field, Massachusetts, and conducted a dry
goods business on his own account for a
period of seven years. He then sold out
and removed to Fitchburg, Massachu-
setts, where he continued in the same line
of business until 1883. He was obliged to
retire from active business at this time
on account of failing health, and died
April 26, 1884. He was a Calvinistic Con-
gregationalist, and a member of the Ma-
sonic lodge at Greenfield, Massachusetts.
He married Helen West, born May 18,
1840, daughter of Joseph Warren West,
and a descendant of the clan McGregor of
Scotland. Two of their four children sur-
vived the period of infancy : Arthur W.
F., mentioned below, and Frank A., born
June I, 1867, in Greenfield, and married
Helen Snow, of Fitchburg, daughter of
Rev. C. H. B. Snow, an Episcopal clergy-
man, now located in New York City.
They had two children, both now de-
ceased.
(VI) Arthur Warren Franklin Brown,
96
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
second son of Franklin and Helen (West)
Brown, was born April 4, 1864, in Chel-
sea, Massachusetts, and was educated in
the public schools of Fitchburg, graduat-
ing from the Fitchburg High School. He
then entered the employ of the city of
Fitchburg in the water works depart-
ment, gaining a thorough knowledge of
its practical operation, and for many years
had charge of the inside work. In 1910
he was made superintendent of the Fitch-
burg Water Works, to which he has since
devoted his entire time, to the satisfac-
tion of officials and citizens. He is a
member of the Methodist church, and in
politics a steadfast Republican. He is
also a member of Fitchburg Lodge, No.
847, Benevolent and Protective Order of
Elks. He married (first) Mary Susan
Martin, born in Warden. Province of
Quebec, died November 7, 1895, in Fitch-
burg. He married (second) in Novem-
ber, 1913, Catherine Davis, born January
3. 1864, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire,
daughter of Lewis Gilman and Cyrena
Frances (Pierce) Davis. There were two
children of the first marriage: i. Frank-
lin Martin, born January 3, 1888, in Fitch-
burg, educated in the schools of that town
and Mount Herman School at Northfield,
Massachusetts; since 1907 he has been
engaged in canal work on the Isthmus of
Panama. 2. Bertram Arthur, born No-
vember ii, 1891, in Fitchburg; was edu-
cated in the schools of that city and the
Worcester Institute of Technology, from
which he graduated ; he married Lillian
Levallee, and resides in Worcester, Mas-
sachusetts.
KNOWLES, Francis Bangs,
Manufacturer, Philanthropist.
This old English and New England
name seems to have been represented by
three early immigrants in America. One
family was located in Rhode Island, one
in Southeastern New Hampshire, and the
other on Cape Cod. Descendants of all
have proven themselves worthy represen-
tatives of an honored name.
(I) Richard Knowles was in Eastham,
Barnstable county, Massachusetts, as
early as 1653, according to Freeman, the
historian. Previous to his moving there,
he was at Plymouth, Massachusetts,
where he married, August 15, 1639, Ruth
Bower, and at least three of his chil-
dren were born in Plymouth. Children:
Mercy, married Ephraim Doane, Febru-
ary 5, 1668; John, mentioned below ; Sam-
uel, born September 17, 1651 ; born in
Eastham: Mehitable, 1655; Barbara, Sep-
tember 28, 1656.
(II) John Knowles, son of Richard and
Ruth (Bower) Knowles, was one of the
nineteen men from Eastham who served
in King Philip's War, during which he
was killed, probably at Taunton, June 3,
1675 ; "and provision was especially made
for Apphia, widow of John Knowles, of
Eastham, lately slain in the service." He
married, December 28, 1670, Apphia,
daughter of Edward Bangs, who was an
early settler and a prominent man.
Apphia and her twin sister, Mercy, were
married the same day, Mercy marrying
Stephen Herrick; they were born Octo-
ber 15, 1651. Apphia Knowles married
(second) Joseph Atwood, by whom she
doubtless had children, as there is a
Bangs Atwood in the next generation.
Children of John and Apphia (Bangs)
Knowles: Edward, born November 7.
1671; John, mentioned below; Deborah,
March 2, 1675.
(III) Colonel John (2) Knowles, sec-
ond son of John (i) and Apphia (Bangs)
Knowles, was born July 10, 1673, and had
wife Mary. He and his wife were buried
in an old burial ground of Eastham near
the shores of the town cove. The in-
197
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
scription on the stone of his wife is as
follows : "Here Lyes Buried the Body of
Mrs. Mary Knowles, wife of Colnl John
Knowles. Died Nov. ye 7th, 1745, in the
73d Year of Her age." His gravestone is
inscribed: "Here lies buried the body of
Colnl John Knowles who departed this
life Nov. 3d, 1757, in the 8s,th Year of His
Age." He served as a member of the
General Court, and doubtless was a mem-
ber of the militia. Children : Joshua,
mentioned below; John, born 1698; Seth,
1700; Paul, 1702; James, 1704; Jesse,
1707 ; Mary, 1709.
(IV) Joshua Knowles, eldest child of
Colonel John (2) and Mary Knowles,
born 1696, was evidently a farmer, as was
his father, and also engaged in fishing,
perhaps. The family seems to have lived
near the center of the town of Eastham.
He died May 27, 1786. He was married,
March 13, 1718, by Nathaniel Freeman,
Esq., to Sarah Paine, born April 14, 1699,
died July 12, 17/2, daughter of John and
Bennet Paine. The Paine family is one
of the oldest families in the township, and
one of this line was a signer of the Decla-
ration of Independence. Children: Jesse,
born April 13, 1/23; Rebecca, May 23,
1726; Sarah, March 10, 1728; Joshua,
April 27, 1730; Josiah, May 24, 1/35;
Simeon, mentioned below : Susannah.
March 9 1740.
(V) Simeon Knowles, fourth son of
Joshua and Sarah (Paine) Knowles, was
born August n, 1737, and may have died
in Eastham before the family moved to
Hardwick. He served in the Revolution
as a private in Captain Israel Higgin's
company. Major Zenas Winslow's regi-
ment. He married Eunice Mayo, inten-
tions dated August 12, 1758, of "Simeon
Knowles and Eunis Mayo, boath of East-
ham to proseed in marriage." She was
descended from John Mayo, the first min-
ister of Eastham, and d'^d in Hardwick,
-Massachusetts, April 5, 1819, aged seven-
ty-nine years. Children, probably all born
in Eastham : Simeon, mentioned below ;
Elisha, about 1769; Phebe, died unmar-
ried, April 7, 1824; there were other chil-
dren also.
(VI) Simeon (2) Knowles, eldest child
of Simeon (i) and Eunice (Mayo)
Knowles, born August 17, 1766, died Au-
gust 22, 1823, seems to have been the
leader of the family in moving to Hard-
wick, and his mother and relatives evi-
dently accompanied him. He married
(intentions published November 10, 1787,
in Eastham) Priscilla Doane, who died
February 5, 1839, aged seventy-five years
(see Doane V). The Doane family also
were early settlers in the town. Children :
Bangs, born March 9, 1789, in Eastham.
died September 17, 1806; Simeon, men-
tioned below ; Leonard ; Edward ; Har-
riet ; perhaps other children.
(VII) Simeon (3) Knowles, second son
of Simeon (2) and Priscilla (Doane)
Knowles, was born June 22, 1791, in
Eastham, and died in Warren, Massachu-
setts, April 9, 1860. He was the first of
the family to marry outside of the old
colony in Eastham in nearly two centu-
ries, and lived about three miles northerly
from the common in Hardwick. He mar-
ried, March 14, 1814, Lucetia Newton, of
Hardwick, born January 2, 1792, died in
Warren, August 23, 1868, aged seventy-
six years, daughter of Silas and Naomi
(Washburn) Newton. Silas Newton was
born February II, 1766, and was a farmer
in Hardwick ; he was a son of Timothy
Newton, born February 28, 1728, soldier
in the French and Indian War, married
Sarah Merrick, and died July 10, 1811;
Timothy Newton was son of Josiah New-
ton, son of Moses Newton, of Marlbor-
ough, son of Richard Newton, of Sud-
bury. Children of Simeon and Lucetia
(Newton) Knowles: Laura Loraine, born
198
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
October 10, 1816, married, February 21,
1837, Rufus Washburn, Jr., of Johns-
town, New York ; Lucius James, July 2,
1819; Harriet Evaline, July 24, 1821, mar-
ried, October i, 1844, Loring Brown, of
Fitchburg; Francis Bangs, mentioned be-
low.
(VIII) Francis Bangs Knowles, the
youngest child of Simeon (3) and Lu-
cetia (Newton) Knowles, born Novem-
ber 29, 1823, received a common school
education in Hardwick, and then attended
Leicester Academy. After this he taught
school at Dana, Massachusetts, for one
term, and later for a short time at Glo-
versville, New York, when he was nine-
teen years of age. He then became a
traveling salesman for a large glove mak-
ing concern, and soon became well ac-
quainted with New England and built up
a large trade for the company in that sec-
tion of the United States. When he was
twenty-two years of age, on April i, 1845,
he entered the glove making business for
himself, later engaging in the clothing
business, until 1863, when his brother,
Lucius J., persuaded him to join him at
Warren, Massachusetts. There Lucius J.
had started loom works for the produc-
tion of narrow fabrics, though he had
been manufacturing steam pumps in War-
ren. In 1866 the firm of L. J. Knowles
& Brother moved to Worcester, Massa-
chusetts, establishing the works in Allen
Court at first. The older brother con-
tinued to live in Warren. In 1890 the
firm moved to the building now occupied
by their successors, the Crompton &
Knowles Company, having been situated
between the years 1879 and 1890 at the
so-called Junction shops. While the older
brother interested himself in the improve-
ment of the looms, Francis B. Knowles
managed the business end of the firm,
and the increase in size and prosperity of
the establishment was very rapid under
his management. The Knowles Loom
Works at his death were the largest in
the world, and covered some five acres of
floor space. A short time before he died
the business was placed in the hands of a
corporation under the name, the Knowles
Loom Works, and later, after his death,
it was consolidated with the Crompton
Company. Mr. Knowles had a wide
reputation as a keen and active business
man and as a philanthropist. He gave
generously to religious and charitable
causes, encouraged the building of Plym-
outh and Piedmont churches and gave
generous aid towards their erection. He
also helped in forming the Piedmont
Church, of which he was an original
member, a deacon, and superintendent of
the Sunday school. He also gave the site
for the Pilgrim Church, along with his
sister-in-law, Mrs. Helen C. Knowles, as
well as giving generously towards that
enterprise. Knowles Hall of Rollins Col-
lege at Winter Park, Florida, shows his
interest in the advancement of educa-
tional institutions, and to this college he
gave money for the endowment of scholar-
ships. He was the third largest giver to-
ward the building of the Young Men's
Christian Association, and was a life
member of the association. The last
check drawn by him was five thousand
dollars for the Young Women's Chris-
tian Association of Worcester. In poli-
tics Mr. Knowles was a Republican and
was always a liberal supporter of cam-
paign expenses, but his business took so
much of his time that he was unable to
serve in any public office. In religion he
was a Congregationalist, and for years he
conducted the Sunday school institutes
through Worcester county. His home
life was ideal. The house was a delight
to those interested in art and literature.
Mrs. L. J. Knowles, who has traveled ex-
tensively at home and abroad, has made
199
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
a fine collection of paintings larger than
that owned by some public galleries. Mr.
Knowles died May 15, 1890, in Washing-
ton, D. C., while on his way home from
his winter home at Winter Park, Florida,
where he had been trying to gain health.
It is a coincidence that both he and his
brother, Lucius J. Knowles, died at
Washington from the same cause, neu-
ralgia of the heart. The news of his
death came from Postmaster-General
John Wanamaker, a close personal friend.
Impressive funeral ceremonies were held
at Piedmont Church, Worcester, and he
was buried in Rural Cemetery. Shortly
after this, a memorial volume was issued.
containing resolutions issued by various
organizations including Piedmont Church
and Pilgrim Church; the directors of the
Knowles Loom Works; the Central Na-
tional Bank ; and the faculty of Rollins
College, Florida ; it also contains the
funeral addresses of the Rev. Mr. D. O.
Mears and Rev. Mr. George H. Gould.
Francis B. Knowles married (first)
December 23, 1845, Ann Eliza Poole, of
Gloversville, New York, who died Feb-
ruary 24, 1865, soon after they moved to
Warren. He married (second) April
23, 1867, Hester A. Greene, daughter of
John Reynolds and Fanny (Wightman)
Greene, of Worcester. Children of first
marriage: I. Eliza Eveline, born Janu-
ary 5, 1848, in Gloversville ; married, Sep-
tember 2, 1873, C. Henry Hutchins, of
Worcester, long identified with the
Knowles Loom Works, now president of
the corporation; their children are: Ar-
thur Knowles and Helen Mabel ; Mrs.
Hutchins died February 13, 1898. 2.
Frank Poole, born February i, 1853, in
Gloversville; married, October 2, 1879,
Alice J., daughter of George Converse
and Eleanor J. (Doane) Bigelow, of Wor-
cester; children: George Francis ; Alice
Marion, married, October 15, 1914, Dr.
James Carruthers Masson, of Rochester,
Minnesota; and Lillian. Children of sec-
ond marriage : 3. Mabel, married, June
15, 1893, Dr. Homer Gage, of Worcester;
child, Homer Gage, Jr. 4. Frances W.,
married, April 23, 1900, George Eddy
Warren, of Boston. 5. Lucius Jam.es, mar-
ried, April 6, 1904, Laura, daughter of
John R. McGinley, of Pittsburgh, Penn-
sylvania ; children : Lucius James, Jr.,
born in London, England ; and Sally Mc-
Ginley.
(The Doane Line).
The surname of Doane is identical with
the English surname Done, which is be-
lieved to be derived from the word Dun or
Dune, meaning a stronghold or fortress.
In ancient manuscripts the name is
spelled Donne, Dourn, Downe, etc. The
English home of the family is the old
Hall of Utkinton in the hamlet of Utkin-
ton, a mile north of Tarporley, where the
family settled, it is believed in the reign
of King John, 1199-1216, soon after the
use of surnames became common in Eng-
land. The coat-of-arms is described :
Azure two bars argent over all on a bend
gules three arrows argent. Crest : First
on a wreath eight arrows in saltire, four
and four, points downward or feathered
sable bended gules. Another crest: On
a wreath a buck's head erased proper at-
tired or. The family also had seats at
Dudden and Flaxyards in the vicinity.
The Done monuments in the Tarporley
church are very striking examples of the
fine arts. The pedigree of the family is
traced to Richard Done in 1199 and with-
out doubt the American progenitor was a
descendant.
(I) John Doane, immigrant ancestor,
was born in England and came to Ameri-
ca in 1629, becoming a prominent citizen
in the Plymouth Colony, where he was
given the title "Mr." indicating gentle
birth or a college education. In 1633 he
200
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
was a member of the Council and in the
same year was elected deacon. His origi-
nal grant of land at Eastham, where he
located, was because he was one of the
purchasers, but for public services he re-
ceived lands at Kingston, Rehoboth, north
of the Taunton river and elsewhere. He
was continually rendering service as
deputy to the General Court from Plym-
outh and Eastham and served on impor-
tant committees. According to his state-
ment in his will, dated May 18, 1678, he
was about eighty-eight years old. He
died February 21, 1685, aged about ninety-
five, though the inventory of his estate
states that his age was about one hun-
dred. His wife's name appears to be
Abigail. A granite marker was placed on
the site of his home at Eastham in 1869.
Children : Lydia ; Abigail, born January
13, 1632 ; John, mentioned below ; Daniel ;
Ephraim.
(II) John (2) Doane, son of John (i)
Doane, was born probably at Plymouth,
about 1635, an d died at Eastham, March
15, 1708. He went with his' father to
Eastham in 1645 an d became a prominent
citizen there. He was selectman nearly
every year from 1678 to 1700; often on
the jury and was constable from 1661 to
1693 ; receiver of excise of Eastham in
1664; justice of the Select Court in 1669;
deputy to the General Court, 1684-85, and
again in 1693-94-1702. He was a farmer,
owning much land. He belonged to the
First Church of Eastham. His will was
dated June 4, 1706. He married (first)
April 30, 1662, Hannah Bangs, born about
1644, daughter of Edward Bangs, who
came in the ship "Ann" in 1623. He mar-
ried (second) January 14, 1694, Rebecca
Pettee, whom he survived. Children,
born at Eastham : John, born March 20,
1663, died soon ; John, May 29, 1664 ; Ann,
July 25, 1666; Rebecca, May 12, 1668;
Hannah, May 12, 1669; Isaac, June 2,
1670; Samuel, mentioned below; David
Knowles, mentioned below.
(III) Samuel Doane, son of John (2)
Doane, was born at Eastham, March 2,
1673, died there, August 15, 1756, accord-
ing to his gravestone in the Herring Pond
burying ground. He lived in Eastham
and was admitted a townsman, March u,
1701-02. He was constable in 1712-13,
1713-14; tythingman in 1723; fence view-
er, 1731-32; selectman, 1731-33, and often
a juror. His will was dated April 9, 1756.
He married, December 3, 1696, Martha
Hamblen, who was born at Barnstable,
February 16, 1672-73, daughter of John
and Sarah (Bearse) Hamblen. Children:
Samuel, born October 30, 1697; Sarah,
May 15, 1699; Dinah, December 30, 1700;
Dorcas, June 15, 1703; Solomon, men-
tioned below; Simeon, December i, 1708;
Martha ; Keturah, married Jonathan
Dyer.
(IV) Solomon Doane, son of Samuel
Doane, was born at Eastham, November
8, 1705, and died there in December, 1789.
He owned a large tract of land on the
north side of the harbor in that part of
Eastham known as Nauset and part of
this estate is still in possession of the
family. He held various town offices.
His will was dated March 5, 1786. He
married, August 3, 1727, Alice Higgins.
Children, born in Eastham : Solomon,
born January 5, 1730; Noah, mentioned
below; Sarah, January 23, 1734; Dorcas,
September 16, 1735; Nehemiah, March
!?. T 737; Joseph, April 21, 1739; Isaac,
March 27, 1741 ; Betty, February 7, 1742;
Joshua, January 6, 1744-45.
(V) Noah Doane, son of Solomon
Doane, was born at Eastham, July 4,
1732, and died at Petersham, Massachu-
setts, April i, 1820. He succeeded to his
father's farm and lived on it until March
22, 1797, when he sold it to his son Zenas
and removed to that part of Petersham,
20 1
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
now Dana. Here he bought a farm of
one hundred acres of Silas Johnson and
lived there with his son Edward. The
son was a mariner, sailing each year to
the West Indies or Africa. In March,
1808, Noah Doane deeded the farm to
Edward. Noah Doane was a man of
large physique, six feet in height and of
remarkable vigor. When eighty-seven
years old, he was accustomed to spring
to the saddle of his horse from the ground
and often rode to Hardwick to visit his
daughter Priscilla. He married Bethia
Knowles, who died at Dana, April 16,
1812, aged about eighty-six years. Both
are buried in the old burying ground at
Dana. Children: Noah, born January i,
1757; Zenas, January 19, 1761; Priscilla,
December 7, 1762, married, January i,
1788, Simeon Knowles, Jr. (see Knowles
VI); Lot, May 22, 1765; Thankful;
Bangs, about 1769; Edward, December
25, 1770; Bethia, married Thomas Hop-
kins.
(III) David Knowles Doane, son of
John (2) Doane, was born at Eastham
about 1674, died November 18, 1748. He
married (first) September 30, 1701, Doro-
thy Horton. He married (second) Sarah
, who is mentioned in his will in
1738. He was a juror in 1708-09-13-14-
15-19-20-28-30 and constable in 1711-12.
He was a fanner and physician. Chil-
dren: Jonathan, John, Nathan, Eleazer,
Joshua, David, Enoch, Hannah, Keziah,
Abigail, Rachel.
(IV) Jonathan Doane, son of David
Knowles Doane, was born at Eastham,
July 7, 1/03, and died January 24, 1780.
He married, August 8. 1723, Martha Hig-
gins, and settled at Eastham. He was a
deputy to the General Court, justice of
the peace, assessor and held other offices.
(V) Elisha Doane, eldest son of Jona-
than Doane, was born at Eastham, No-
vember 24, 1724, and died about 1810 in
Spencer, Massachusetts. He was com-
missioned captain of the Sixth (Second
Eastham) Company, Second Barnstable
county regiment, April 20, 1776, and
served in the Revolution. His widow
Martha drew a pension during her later
years. She died in Spencer, November
10, 1837, aged eighty-eight. Children:
Oliver, born about 1754; Amos, 1758;
Nathan, mentioned below ; Elisha, Janu-
ary 7, 1770; Martha; Lucy.
(VI) Nathan Doane, son of Elisha
Doane, was born at Eastham, and died
about 1840 in Brookfield. He married,
May 21, 1785, Betsey Smalley, who died
August 7, 1834. He was a soldier in the
War of 1812. Children: Eight sons and
three daughters.
(VII) Cheney Doane, son of Nathan
Doane, was born at Brookfield, April 15,
1802, and died April 2, 1866. He mar-
ried Lorinda Green, of Spencer, daughter
of Ezra and Martha (Adams) Green, of
Spencer, she was born May 7, 1812, died
June 9, 1890. Children: i. Eleanor J.,
born at Spencer, June 8, 1834, married
George Converse Bigelow (see Bigelow
VII). 2. Elbridge, February 2, 1840,
soldier in the Civil War, Company F,
Fifteenth Massachusetts Regiment, 1861-
64; wounded in the battle of Gettysburg:
married Julia Barber, of Esmond, South
Dakota, and had one daughter. Alma,
born February 28, 1892, died July 17,
1916. 3. Lorenzo F., born August 13,
1842, died at St. Louis, Missouri: served
in the Civil War in Company I, Twenty-
fourth Massachusetts Regiment ; mar-
ried Mary R. Jones, born at Falmouth,
Massachusetts. March 10, 1856, daughter
of Captain Silas and Harriet B. (Robin-
son) Jones; children: Bertha Leigh
(single), born at Pawtucket, Rhode
Island, July 29. 1878; Joseph Robinson,
at Kansas City, October 2, 1882; Mary
Dorothy, at Clear LaVp. Iowa, July 22,
202
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
1886; Paul, at Denver, Colorado, Octo-
ber 12, 1887. 4. Anna Izette, born Octo-
ber 2, 1847; married Rimmon Colton
Fay, of Brookfield, February 22, 1870;
died July, 1916; children: Walter Chap-
man Fay, born at Hartford, April 28,
1872, died April 29, 1872 ; Ralph Warren
Fay, at Lincoln, Rhode Island, July 28,
1873, died September 7, 1874; Elsie Flor-
ence (single), at Brookfield, March 21,
1875 ; Arthur Colton Fay, at Pawtucket,
April 18, 1877, married recently, Alice
; George Lucius Fay, at Lincoln,
Rhode Island, August 15, 1879, married
and has two children ; Rimmon Wesley
Fay, at Milford, Massachusetts, Novem-
ber 22, iSSi, married and has one child;
Frank Homer Fay (single), at Milford,
February 14, 1883 ; Alice Eleanor Fay, at
Milford, September i, 1884, died January
10, 1885; Pauline Ruby Fay, at Milford,
September 7, 1887, married Howard
Wright, no issue; Dorothy Izette Fay,
at Ilion, New York, January 12, 1892
(single).
(The Bigelow Line).
The surname Bigelow is a variation in
spelling of some English surname. H. G.
Somerby, a prominent genealogist, be-
lieved that the American immigrant was
of the Bagley family, but the line of de-
scent that he published was afterward
proved erroneous. Francis Baguley, of
Wrentham, bequeathed to his brother,
John Baguley, in New England, in his
will dated October 20, 1656. The name
of John Bigelow was spelled Bigulah,
Biglo, and Pope gives also Bagley. There
was a Thomas Bagnally. Baguley or
Baynley, of Concord, before 1640. It is
very probable that Somerby was correct
in believing the Bigelows were descend-
ants of the Baguley family. Richard de
Baguley, Lord of Baguley, in Chester,
England, was the first known ancestor
of the line. His descendants lived in
Baguley and Ollerton, Parish Knutsford,
County Chester. Jane, widow of Ran-
dall Baguley, was buried at Wrentham,
County Suffolk, May 17, 1626, and in this
same place Francis, brother of John, died
about 1656.
(I) John Bigelow, the immigrant, was
born in England in 1617, and came to
America before 1642. The first mention
of him in the records is found at Water-
town, where, September 30, 1642, he mar-
ried Mary, daughter of John and Mar-
garet W r arren. She was born in Eng-
land and died October 19, 1691. He took
the oath of fidelity at Watertown in 1652,
and was admitted a freeman, April 18,
1690. He was a blacksmith by trade and
was allowed timber by the town for the
building of his forge. He was highway
surveyor in 1652 and 1660; constable in
1663 and selectman in 1665, 1670 and
1671. He married (second) October 2,
1694, Sarah, daughter of Joseph Bemis,
of Watertown. He died July 14, 1703.
His will was dated January 4, 1703, and
proved July 23, 1703. Children: John,
born October 27, 1643; Mary, March 14,
1648; Daniel, December i, 1650; Samuel,
mentioned below ; Joshua, November 5,
1655; Elizabeth. June 15, 1657; Sarah,
September 29, 1659 ; James ; Martha, April
i, 1662; Abigail, February 4, 1664; Han-
nah, March 4, 1666; son, born and died
December 18, 1667.
(II) Samuel Bigelow, son of John Bige-
low, was born at Watertown, October 28.
1653. He was a prominent citizen of
Watertown; innholder, 1702-16; deputy
to the General Court, 1708, 1709 and 1710.
His will was dated September 30, 1720,
and proved February 21, 1731. He mar-
ried, June 3, 1674, Mary Flagg, daughter
of Thomas and Mary Flagg. She was
born January 14, 1658, and died Septemr
ber 7, 1720. Children: John, born May
9, 1675; Mary, September 12, 1677; Sam-
203
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
uel, September 18, 1679; Sarah, October i,
1681 ; Thomas, October 24, 1683; Mercy,
April 4, 1686; Abigail, May 7, 1687; Isaac,
May 19, 1691 ; Deliverance, September 22,
1695; Hannah, May 24, 1701.
(III) Thomas Bigelow, son of Samuel
P>igelow, was born in Watertown, Octo-
ber 24, 1683. He married, July 12, 1705,
Mary Livermore, of Watertown. They
settled at Marlborough, where they lived
until about 1720, removing to Waltham,
where he died October 6, 1/56, and she
died August 14, 1753. Children: Thomas,
born April 26, 1706; Mary, September 2,
1707; Grace, February 7, 1709; Uriah,
July 15, 1711; Abraham, March 5, 1713;
Isaac, September i, 1716; Jacob, Septem-
ber i, 1717; Sarah, May 15, 1720; Josiah,
mentioned below.
(IV) Lieutenant Josiah Bigelow, son
of Thomas Bigelow, was born in Wal-
tham, July 30, 1730. Like his brothers,
Abraham and Jacob, he was prominent in
town affairs and in the militia. He was
lieutenant of the artillery company of
Weston on the Lexington Alarm, April
1 9> I 77S- He died at Waltham, July 15,
1810. He married, July 27, 1748, Mary
Harrington, daughter of Jonas and Abi-
gail (Stearns) Harrington. She was born
March 8, 1730. Children, born at Wal-
tham: William, born October n, 1749;
Anna, August 23, 1751 ; Uriah, Novem-
ber 30, 1753, died young; Converse, men-
tioned below; Mary, March 3, 1756; Al-
pheus, November 4, 1757; Eunice, mar-
ried Joseph Morse; Uriah, March 15,
1766; Thomas, August n, 1768; Sarah,
July 31, 1773.
(V) Converse Bigelow, son of Lieu-
tenant Josiah Bigelow, was born in Wal-
tham, January 20, 1755. He moved early
to Templeton and after the Revolution to
Sherborn, where he died April 23, 1829.
He was a soldier in the Revolution from
Weston in Captain Samuel Lawson's
company, April 19, 1775 ; also in Captain
Asahel Wheeler's company, Colonel John
Robinson's regiment, in 1776; corporal
of Captain Charles Miles' company, Colo-
nel Jonathan Reed's regiment at Ticon-
deroga in 1777. He married, October
8, 1778, Anna Parks, who was born
in Brighton, Massachusetts, February 5,
1756, died in Sherborn, September 9, 1843.
Children: Betsey, born July 31, 1779;
Anne, March 21, 1781 ; John, January 26,
1783; Converse, November 20, 1784; Eli-
jah, August 31, 1786; Calvin, July 27,
1788; Calvin, June 30, 1790; Sukey, April
17, 1792; Sally, February 4, 1794; Josiah,
March 22, 1/96; Amos, March 17, 1798,
died July, 1798; Amos, mentioned below.
(VI) Amos Bigelow. son of Converse
Bigelow, was born in Sherborn, June 29,
1 80 1. He was a farmer and succeeded to
his father's homestead at Sherborn. Late
in life he retired and bought a small
place in Sherborn, where he spent his last
years. He contributed much of the infor-
mation concerning his branch of the fam-
ily in the Bigelow genealogy. He mar-
ried, May 27, 1827, Lucy Stowe. born
July 27, 1809, died at Sherborn, August
29, 1885. Children: i. George Converse,
mentioned below. 2. Amos Elbridge,
born May 10, 1830; was associated in
business with his brother, George C., in
Worcester ; married Mary Pratt and had
children: Irving Elbridge (single), born
May 16, 1861 ; Grace Hawley (single),
January 12, 1864; Mary Eleanor, April 22,
1871, deceased. 3. Henry, born Novem-
ber 25, 1833; married (first) October 28,
1863, Catharine Pierce, no issue ; married
(second) Mary Cokell, no issue. 4. Ed-
mund Dowse, born December 5, 1838; re-
sides in Kansas City ; married Alzina E.
Jenkins; children: Edmund S., Lucy S.,
Florence. 5. Lucy Ann, born May 7, 1840,
died June 29, 1874, unmarried. 6. Wes-
ley, born November 16, 1847; rnanufac-
204
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
turer of furniture, Boston ; died unmar- ALLEN, Charles Lucius,
ried.
(VII) George Converse Bigelow, son
of Amos Bigelow, was born at Sherborn,
March n, 1828. He was educated in the
public schools of his native town and
learned the trade of carpenter in Dover,
Massachusetts. He built the residence
of Henry Wilson (Senator and Vice-
President of the United States) at Natick,
and the Congregational church in Sher-
born. In 1851 he came to Worcester and
engaged in business as a builder and con-
tractor. In 1860 he formed a partnership
with his brother, Amos E., under the firm
name of G. C. & A. E. Bigelow, and the
firm continued with conspicuous success
until it was dissolved in 1886. In asso-
ciation with Silas E. Batchelder the firm
built Piedmont Congregational Church.
Among other buildings constructed by
G. C. & A. E. Bigelow were: St. John's
Protestant Episcopal Church ; the Arme-
nian church, Laurel street; the Lutheran
church, Mulberry street; the F. E. Reed
shops ; various additions to the Taylor &
Farley organ works ; most of the dwell-
ings on Mt. Pleasant street ; a block on
Oread street ; three residences on Benefit
street, and one on Benefit terrace ; two
blocks on Austin street ; a business build-
ing on Front street, and others on Main
street. After the firm had been dissolved
Mr. Bigelow took the contract for build-
ing the Knowles building, corner of Main
and Chatham streets, one of the largest
and finest office buildings in the city at
the time of its erection. For about
eighteen years he was an active member
of Piedmont Church. He married in
Worcester, November 29, 1855, Eleanor
J. Doane (see Doane VII). The only
child of George Converse and Eleanor
J. (Doane) Bigelow, Alice J., born Au-
gust 8, 1856, married, October 2, 1879,
Frank Poole Knowles, of Worcester (see
Knowles VIII).
Successful Business Man.
Israel Allen, of the fourth American
generation of this branch of the Allen
family, descendants of Walter Allen, of
Newburyport, Massachusetts, purchased
a farm in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts,
upon which the father, grandfather and
great-grandfather of Charles L. Allen, of
Worcester, were born and where until
the removal of Lucius S. Allen, the father,
to Worcester in 1869 each lived his entire
life. The family has ever been prominent
as agriculturists, professional and busi-
ness men, taking an active part in public
affairs and holding responsible office. The
ancestor, Walter Allen, came to Massa-
chusetts from England.
(I) Walter Allen is first of record in
Newbury, Massachusetts, in 1640, and
may have been there earlier. About 1652
he moved to Watertown, but in 1665 sold
his lands there and bought sixty acres
near the Concord boundary, then known
as Watertown Farms, but later incor-
porated as Weston. In 1669 he bought
two hundred acres more at Watertown
Farms, but in 1673 moved to Charles-
town, where he died July 8, 1681, being at
that time possessed of lands in Water-
town, Charlestown, Sudbury arid Haver-
hill. In the old records he is variously
described as "shop keeper," "Farmour,"
"planter," and once in 1673 as a "Haber-
dasher in Hatts." His estate inventoried
three thousand and fifteen pounds, an
amount of wealth that in that day marks
him as a "capitalist." He took oath in
1677 that he was seventy-six years of age,
which would place his birth date in the
year 1601 and his age at eighty years at
death. His first wife, Rebecca, came with
him to Watertown, but her first three chil-
dren are believed to have been born in
England. He married (second) November
29, 1678, in Charlestown, Abigail Rogers.
205
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Children of first wife: i. John, a tailor,
resided in Newbury and Sudbury, and in
1676, when Sudbury was attacked by In-
dians, he was living in that town ; he was
interested in military defense, being one
of those who in 1688 took the public stock
of powder under their charge ; his first
wife, Sarah, died January 12, 1/02, his
second wife, Mary, died August 30, 1/28;
he died December I, 1711, aged about
eighty years, and left issue. 2. Daniel,
of whom further. 3. Joseph, a cooper,
lived in Watertown Farms and there died
September 9, 1721 ; he married, October
i:, 1667, Anne Brazier, who died in De-
cember, 1720, leaving issue. 4. Abigail,
born October i, 1641. 5. Benjamin, set-
tled in Lancaster, the oldest town in
Worcester county, Massachusetts, but
during the years 1675 and 1676 that town
was twice attacked by Indians and prac-
tically destroyed and he was obliged to
seek a home elsewhere ; he joined his
father in Charlestown, where he died Sep-
tember 20, 1678; his wife's name was
Hannah, who bore him three children.
(II) Daniel Allen, son of Walter and
Rebecca Allen, lived in Charlestown,
W r atertown, Lancaster and Sudbury, his
last years being spent and his death
occurring in Sudbury. His son Elnathan
settled his estate in April, 1705, that may
l)e considered about the date of his death.
He married, about 1658, Mary, daughter
of Rev. John Sherman, who was the third
minister settled at Watertown. Children :
i. Daniel, born July i, 1659, died aged
three years. 2. Rebecca, born January
15, 1661, died three days later. 3. Mary,
born 1662. 4. Samuel, born April 17,
1664. 5. Elnathan, of whom further. 6.
Thomas, born February 20, 1670, died in
infancy. 7. Abigail, married, April i,
1703. Moses Palmer, of Stonington, Con-
necticut. 8. Ebenezer, born December
26, 1674, married Anna Palmer. 9. Re-
becca, born June 2, 1677, died one year
later. 10. Elizabeth, married Joseph
Fletcher, n. Lydia, of whom, there is no
further record.
(III) Elnathan Allen, third son of Dan-
iel and Mary (Sherman) Allen, was born
in Lancaster, Massachusetts, January I,
1667, and "on October I, 1735, while
standing on the hinder end of a cart load
of stalks, his oxen started whereby he
fell off and was killed in his 6gth year."
After receiving land from his father in
Watertown in 1694 he cultivated his own
acres until about 1702, then moved to
Sudbury, where he lived and engaged in
farming until 1722. He then moved to
Hopkinton, where in 1724 he was elected
the first treasurer of that town. In 1725
he moved to Shrewsbury, Worcester
county, where he was selectman in 1730
and in 1733, and there met his accidental
death in 1735. He married, about 1694,
Mercy Rice, born January i, 1670, died
in 1727, daughter of Henry Rice. Chil-
dren: i. Obadiah, born January 19, 1695,
died in Shrewsbury, about 1781 ; he
was one of the first four sergeants of
the militia company or "train band" in
Shrewsbury and commonly known as
"Sergeant Allen." 2. Elizabeth, married,
in 1/23, Edward Newlin. 3. Anna, born
November 25, 1702, married, December
12, 1722, Amos Pratt, who was captured
by Indians at Fort Massachusetts, Au-
gust 20, 1746, died a prisoner at Quebec,
Canada, in 1747. 4. Israel, of whom fur-
ther. 5. Mary, born February 28, 1708,
died young. 6. Mary, born July 14, 1711,
died unmarried. 7. Thankful, born De-
cember 9, 1713, married, in March, 1739,
Daniel Whitney.
(IV) Israel Allen, second son of Elna-
than and Mercy (Rice) Allen, was born
in Sudbury, Massachusetts, December 20,
1705, died in Shrewsbury, where his will
was probated, April I, 1783. In his will
206
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
he bequeathed to his grandson Israel "my
gun and sword," which would indicate
official military service. He is believed to
have accompanied his father to Hopkin-
ton about 1722, going thence to Shrews-
bury in 1725. He married (first) Febru-
ary 14, 1728, Elizabeth, daughter of Dea-
con Samuel Wheelock. He married (sec-
ond) Catherine Joslin, of Westboro. Chil-
dren: i. Elnathan, of whom further. 2.
Lois, born November 21, 1732; married,
June 7, 1757, Isaac Tomlin, of Westboro.
(V) Elnathan Allen, only son of Israel
and Elizabeth (Wheelock) Allen, was
born in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, No-
vember 18, 1728, his birth place the farm
upon which descendants yet reside and
where all his life was spent and where
he died October 2, 1805. He married,
May 31, 1753, Thankful Hastings, born
October 12, 1736, died March 19, 1807,
daughter of Joseph Hastings and a great-
granddaughter of Thomas Hastings, who
settled in Watertown in 1634. Children,
all born in Shrewsbury: i. Elnathan, born
May 17, 1754, died in Brattleboro, Ver-
mont, in June, 1830, a soldier of the Revo-
lution ; he married (first) Lydia Pratt,
(second) Lydia Roberts, (third) Lois
Martin, of Brattleboro; he had two
daughters by his first wife and a son
Henry by his second wife. 2. Israel, born
August 6, 1756, died in Sterling, Massa-
chusetts, April 8, 1817, unmarried; he was
a well-known physician and prominent in
public life, serving for nine years in the
State Legislature. 3. Rhoda, born Febru-
ary 22, 1759, married Jonathan Parks,
and died in 1789. 4. Silas, born January
22, 1762, died at Leominster, Massachu-
setts, August 13, 1848; also a successful
and well-known physician ; he married
(first) Susan Thurston, of Lancaster,
(second) Mrs. Mary (Ball) Pollard, of
Sterling, and left issue by first wife. 5.
Elizabeth, born March 13, 1765, married
Russell Underwood. 6. Arbunah, born
August 18, 1/67, died in Stockbridge,
Vermont, December 14, 1856; he was a
school teacher and a preacher regularly
ordained an elder of the Baptist church ;
he married Molly Richardson, of Leices-
ter, a descendant of Thomas Richardson,
who settled in Woburn in 1640; Rev.
Arbunah Allen left sons and daughters.
7. Luther, born September 18, 1770, died
in 1771. 8. Luther, born September, 1772,
died in Sterling in 1837, a well-known
physician practicing in Sterling from 1804
until his death ; for twenty-eight years he
was town clerk and for thirteen years
served on the school board ; he married
Sally Brown and left issue. 9. Wilkes,
born July 10, 1775, died in Andover, Mas-
sachusetts, December 2, 1845; he was a
graduate of Harvard, class of 1801, a fine
classical scholar, a poet, musician, teacher
and a minister of the Unitarian church ;
he was a Free Mason of high degree and
author of a history of Chelmsford ; he
married Mary, daughter of Deacon Jam.es
Morrell, and left issue. 10. Liberty, of
whom further.
(VI) Liberty Allen, youngest son of
Elnathan and Thankful (Hastings) Allen,
was born in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts,
November 30, 1776, died on the farm both
he and his father cultivated throughout
their long lives, April 12, 1865. In early
life he taught school, succeeding to the
ownership of the farm at his father's
death, his brothers, with the exception of
Elnathan who went to Vermont, all being
professional men, three of them physi-
cians, two ministers. In 1814 he was
assessor, but farming was his great inter-
est throughout his adult life. He mar-
ried, April 5, 1800, Polly (Mary) Amadon,
born in 1777, died March 5, 1852, daugh-
ter of Philip Amadon, of Fitzwilliam,
New Hampshire. Children, all born in
Shrewsbury: I. Owen Warland, born
207
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
August 2, 1801, died in Fredonia, New
York, a manufacturer of boots and shoes,
later a dealer in the same line of goods ;
he married (first) Susan W. Bigelow,
(second) Flora Scott, and left issue by
first wife. 2. Lucius Shumway, of whom
further. 3. Augustus Amadon, born about
August 15, 1804, died in Shrewsbury, his
lifelong home, December 12, 1882; was a
painter by trade ; he married Pauline
Dean, of Sutton, who bore him four chil-
dren. 4. Thankful Hortense, born De-
cember 6, 1805, married, September 5,
1831, Artemas Perrin, and moved to
Stockton, New York, thence to Fredonia,
New York, where she died August 22,
1876, the mother of three children. 5.
Eunice Sophronia, born March 21, 1807,
married, April 15, 1834, Leander Sawyer,
of Shrewsbury, and died January II, 1850,
leaving five children, one child preceding
her to the grave. 6. Mary Eliza, born
August 8. 1809; married, January i, 1835,
John W. Barton, of Shrewsbury, and died
in that town, August 9, 1864, leaving two
daughters who accompanied their father
South after the death of their mother. 7.
Keziah Cleora, born January 9, 1811, mar-
ried Timothy Ellis, of Fitzwilliam, New
Hampshire, and died in Nashua, that
State, April 23, 1843. 8. Flora Rosaline,
born January 22, 1813, married, Novem-
ber 8, 1838, Augustus F. Maynard, and
died in Shrewsbury, June I, 1881, leaving
issue. 9. Caroline Cynthia, born July 31,
1815; married, July 17, 1835, Thomas
Rice, a leather manufacturer of Shrews-
bury, and died June 10, 1861. 10. Liberty
Oilman, born November 24, 1817, died in
his native town, February 5, 1892, a vet-
eran of the Civil War; he married Sarah
Amelia Livingston, who bore him five
children. 1 1. James Appleton, born June
12, 1819, died July 21, 1852; he married
Sarah Dunn, who died without issue. 12.
Harry Edwards Whipple, born Septem-
ber 12, 1822, inherited the old Allen
homestead farm in Shrewsbury and there
spent his life ; he married, September 29,
1844, Cynthia B. Whitney, who bore him
two children ; his son Romeo inherited
the old farm that has been in the Allen
name since 1725.
(VII) Lucius Shumway Allen, second
son of Liberty and Polly (Amadon)
Allen, was born at the Allen homestead
in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, August
29, 1802, died in Worcester, Massachu-
setts, April 21, 1880. He was engaged
in the tanning business in Shrewsbury
until 1869, when he moved to Worcester,
where he was a boot and shoe merchant
until his death. He was prominent in
public life while residing in Shrewsbury,
representing his district in the State Leg-
islature both as Assemblyman and as Sen-
ator. He married, in 1828, Persis Harlow,
who died September 24, 1886, daughter
of Abner Harlow. She bore him a son,
George Lucius, of whom further.
(VIII) George Lucius Allen, only child
of Lucius Shumway and Persis (Harlow)
Allen, was born in Shrewsbury, Massa-
chusetts, March 28, 1830. He attended
the public school at Shrewsbury, Massa-
chusetts, and graduated from the Leices-
ter Academy. After leaving school he
became senior partner of the retail shoe
firm of Allen & Reed, at Worcester, then
located in the old Brinley block, which
building was replaced by the present
State Mutual Life Insurance Company's
handsome marble building. After re-
maining here for a number of years the
firm moved to 387 Main street, directly
opposite to their former location, when
the firm of Allen & Reed changed hands,
Mr. Allen becoming sole proprietor, hav-
ing bought out Mr. Reed's interests and
conducting it under the name of George
L. Allen. In 1876 Mr. Allen sold out to
J. K. Brown, who for many years con-
208
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
tinued successfully in the shoe business
of Worcester, founded by Allen & Reed.
Mr. Allen was a member of Quinsiga-
mond Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted
Masons, and the old Washington Club,
located on the corner of Main and Me-
chanic streets, and one of the most promi-
nent clubs of Worcester in its day. He
married, June I, 1857, at Holden, Massa-
chusetts, Eliza Jane Black, of Worcester,
who died June n, 1883. Children, all
born in Worcester: i. Charles Lucius, of
whom further. 2. Mamie Harlow, born
June 28, 1860, died July 17, 1877. 3. Henry
Lyon, born June 19, 1863. 4. Grace Good-
hue, born August 4, 1866. 5. Rufus Oak-
man, born March 26, 1869.
(IX) Charles Lucius Allen, eldest son
of George Lucius and Eliza Jane (Black)
Allen, was born in Worcester, Massa-
chusetts, March 6, 1858, and there his
life has been passed usefully and honor-
ably. After completing grammar and
high school courses and receiving his
diploma he entered business life as clerk
in a retail shoe store, so continuing dur-
ing the years 1877 and 1878. He spent
the years 1879 an ^ 1880 in the employ of
the Boston & Maine Railroad Company,
serving as clerk in the freight depart-
ment. In 1881 he became associated in
business with F. B. Norton, manufacturer
of grinding wheels and pottery, was secre-
tary of the Norton Emery Wheel Com-
pany until 1885, and since that year has
been general manager of The Norton
Company, active in the company's man-
agement. He was elected treasurer on
July 2, 1912, to fill out the balance of the
year, and was reflected by the stock-
holders on January 23, 1913, which posi-
tion he still retains. The Norton Com-
pany is one of New England's successful
enterprises and now is sharing in the
prosperity of the country to such an ex-
tent that their plant is running the entire
twenty-four hours of each day. Mr. Allen
has other important business interests.
He is president of the Bancroft Realty
Company, director of the Massachusetts
Employees' Liability Insurance Company,
director of the Massachusetts National
Bank, trustee of the Worcester Five Cents
Savings Bank, director of the Worcester
Morris Bank, director of the Fireman's
Mutual Insurance Company and in all
these institutions is forceful and influen-
tial in the management.
He is a thirty-second degree Mason, be-
longing to Athelstan Lodge, Ancient Free
and Accepted Masons ; Worcester Lodge
of Perfection ; Goddard Council, Princes
of Jerusalem ; Lawrence Chapter of Rose
Croix ; and Massachusetts Sovereign Con-
sistory, Ancient and Accepted Scottish
Rite. For four years he served in Com-
pany C, Worcester Light Infantry, Sec-
ond Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer
Militia and is a member of the Veteran
Association of that command.
By nature friendly and social, he is
fond of the sports of the open, is asso-
ciated with his friends in many organiza-
tions devoted to sport, social pleasures
and uplift, that best illustrate the versa-
tility of his mind and the variety of his
interest in all things manly and elevating.
His clubs are the Worcester, Common-
wealth, Commercial Travelers, County,
Economic, County Fish and Game, Tatas-
sit Canoe, all of Worcester; the Engi-
neers of Boston, and the Atlantic Tuna
Club.
Mr. Allen married at Bennington, Ver-
mont, December 23, 1886, Helen Louise
Norton, born in that city, September 20,
1863. They have a daughter, Mary
Norton, born January 10, 1888, of the
tenth American generation of the family
founded by Walter Allen, of Newbury-
port, that also in its many collateral
branches touches the oldest and best of
New England families.
Mas-5-14
2O9
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
BALL, James Rowe,
Agriculturist.
James Rowe Ball, the well-known agri-
culturist of Holyoke, Massachusetts, was
born on the homestead, where he still
lives, being in the eighth generation of
an old New England family. Seven gen-
erations of the Ball family, descendants
of Francis Ball, have lived in the Connec-
ticut River Valley and contributed to the
upbuilding of the Colony and Common-
wealth of Massachusetts. Grover Cleve-
land, twice President of the United States,
was a descendant of Francis and Abigail
(Burt) Ball, and the first President of
the United States, George Washington,
through his mother was also a Ball de-
scendant. Colonel Edwin Heman Ball
was one of the men of the sixth Ameri-
can generation who reflected great honor
upon the family name and left to poster-
ity a record of usefulness. His home was
the old homestead upon which his great-
grandfather, Benjamin Ball, settled in
1745, and where stands the "great elm
tree," an estate now owned by his son,
James Rowe Ball.
(I) Francis Ball, the founder of the
family, came to Massachusetts from Eng-
land, and in 1639 settled in Dorchester,
Massachusetts, near Boston. In 1640 he
moved to the Connecticut River Valley at
West Springfield. In 1644 he married Abi-
gail, daughter of Henry Burt, an English-
man, and an early settler of Roxbury, Mas-
sachusetts. Francis Ball was drowned
near where the North End bridge spans the
Connecticut river at what was then West
Springfield, now Holyoke, in October,
1648, at forty years of age. He left two
sons, Jonathan and Samuel, the latter
born in 1647.
(II) Jonathan Ball, eldest son of Fran-
cis Ball, was born in 1645. His father
and mother both died before he was three
years of age, and he grew up in West
Springfield. He was a man of importance,
captain of militia and active in town
affairs. He was twice married and was
the father of twelve children, six, how-
ever, dying in early life.
(III) The history of the family in Hol-
yoke begins with the settlement there of
Benjamin Ball, son of Jonathan Ball and
grandson of Francis Ball. Benjamin Ball
was born in West Springfield in 1689, and
settled in the north parish, now Holyoke,
where now is the corner of Northamp-
ton and Westfield streets, in 1745, there
securing land which is yet owned by his
descendants. At the time of his settle-
ment there were but few families in the
parish and they "forted together at night
for fear of the Indians.' 1 In the spring
of 1751 he planted the "great elm tree."
He had four sons, Benjamin, Charles,
Noah and Moses.
(IV) Lieutenant Charles Ball, the sec-
ond son of Benjamin Ball, was born in
1725, and in 1757 married Ruth Miller.
In 1777 he was one of the selectmen of
the town and took an active part in its
affairs.
(V) Charles (2) Ball, son of Charles
(i) and Ruth (Miller) Ball, was born in
1760 at what is now Holyoke, nine years
after the planting of the "great tree" by
his grandfather. He was a soldier of the
Revolution, ranking as sergeant, but was
known as Lieutenant Ball. He enlisted
April 26, 1780, was discharged December
27, 1780, after eight months on guard
duty at Springfield. He inherited the old
homestead and after his return from the
war became prominent in town affairs,
serving as moderator in 1814, also was a
representative to the State Legislature
for nine terms. He died July 3, 1838, his
wife on May 4, 1838.
(VI) Edwin Heman Ball, known as
Colonel Ball, youngest child of Lieuten-
210
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
ant Charles Ball, was born at the home-
stead in Holyoke, August 19, 1809, and
died there January 9, 1899. He spent his
entire life at the homestead which he in-
herited on the death of his father in 1838.
The upbuilding of Holyoke and his con-
nection therewith brought him wealth
and he became prominent in public life.
He served as selectman and representa-
tive from Holyoke to the State Legisla-
ture two terms and was known as "Colo-
nel Ball of Holyoke." He was a farmer,
and in politics a Democrat until the birth
of the Republican party, thereafter affili-
ating with that party. He took a great
interest in military affairs and was espe-
cially interested in the cavalry. He was a
member of the Baptist church, very hos-
pitable and generous, widely known and
highly respected. Colonel Ball married
(first) January i, 1830, Phoebe Fink, born
April 13, 1808, died March 30, 1842, the
mother of five children: i. Helen Sophia,
married, January I, 1852, James F. Allyn.
2. A son, born and died in 1833. 3. Ed-
win Heman (2), born December 9, 1833;
graduated in medicine and was a young
man of great promise, but his health failed
and he sought to regain it in another
climate, but died in Texas, March 30,
1856. 4. James Rowe, of further men-
tion. 5. Alice Evaline, born June 17,
1840; married Dr. Charles Carpenter, son
of Rev. Mark Carpenter, born in August,
1838, died March 7, 1902. Dr. Carpenter
stood at the head of his profession and
was well known. All of these children
are now deceased except James Rowe.
Colonel Ball, left a widower with young
children, married (second) Eurydice Ely,
a woman of great worth. They were the
parents of five children: I. Jube Henry,
born March 22, 1843, married Missouri
Beck and resides at Vinton, Iowa. 2.
Francis Wayland, a sketch of whom fol-
lows in this work. 3. Lucy M., died aged
ten years. 4. Charles Ely, born Febru-
ary 21, 1852; married Elvira F. Whiting,
and is now deceased. 5. Gillman Kim-
ball, born April 29, 1854; married Emma.
M. Kennedy, and is also deceased.
(VII) James Rowe Ball, son of Colo-
nel Edwin Heman Ball and his first wife
Phoebe (Fink) Ball, was born at the old
Ball homestead in Holyoke, Massachu-
setts, January 28, 1836. The old home-
stead is now his property, as it was of his
father, his grandfather, Charles Ball, his
great-grandfather, Charles Ball, and his
great-great-grandfather, Benjamin Ball,
its first owner. Three of these genera-
tions were born at the old home and it is
alive with memories of those who once
made it a centre of gayety. After his
school years in Holyoke, Worcester, Suf-
field and Vermont institutions were com-
pleted, he returned to the farm and has
devoted his life to its management. The
estate now comprises about one hundred
and seventy-five acres, is one of the most
attractive city farms that can anywhere
be found, and one to which its owner is
deeply attached. Mr. Ball, now an octo-
genarian, has never known another home
nor did his father nor his grandfather.
There the "Old Elm Tree" has spread its
sheltering branches for nearly a century
and there his heart has ever been. He is
a Republican in politics, but beyond tak-
ing part in school affairs he has accepted
no public office. He has never married.
BALL, Francis Wayland,
Successful Bnsines* Man.
(VII) Francis Wayland Ball, son of
Colonel Edwin Heman Ball and his sec-
ond wife, Eurydice (Ely) Ball, was born
at the Ball homestead in Holyoke (then
West Springfield), April 29, 1847. He
attended the schools of the town and re-
mained at the home farm until twenty
2ir
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
years of age, then became a carpenter hundred years from the present time. It
apprentice. He had a love for mechanical
work and became an expert worker in
wood. He worked for a time as a journey-
man carpenter, later became a contractor
and conducted a large business in con-
nection with extensive real estate deal-
ings. His maternal grandfather, Jube
Ely, owned a tract of land now included
within Holyoke's limits, which later came
under the ownership of Mr. Ball. He
laid it out in streets and residence lots,
erected appropriate residences which were
sold as fast as built and now the section
is one of homes ; two streets, Clark and
Gillman, being lined on both sides by
houses built by Mr. Ball. In 1907 he met
with a serious accident, which so im-
paired his physical activity that he retired
from contracting and building, since de-
voting himself to the care of his real
estate and other property interests. He
is a man of sterling character and public
spirit, worthily bearing a name long and
honored in his city.
Mr. Ball married, February 24, 1867,
Georgiana Wilbur, of Hadley, Massa-
chusetts, daughter of James and Susan
(White) Wilbur. Mr. and Mrs. Ball have
three children: i. Francis Wayland, Jr.,
born January i, 1868, now a real estate
dealer in San Francisco, California ; mar-
ried Gertrude Kent. 2. Frederick Taylor,
born June 5, 1870, now foreman for J. &
W. Jolly Company, at Holyoke; married
Effie M. Fowler, and has a daughter,
Marian F. 3. Eurydice Ely, born No-
vember 27, 1871 ; married Frederick Lein-
ing, chief clerk of the Judd Paper Com-
pany, and has a daughter, Eloise Eury-
dice.
FOWLER, Edgar Crayton,
Public Spirited Citizen.
The known history of this family in
America extends backward nearly three
was founded very early in the new colony
of Connecticut, and has many worthy de-
scendants scattered over the United States
at the present time. The Fowler coat-of-
arms is described : Azure on a chevron
between three lions passant guardant or,
as many crosses forme sable. Crest: An
owl argent ducally gorged or.
(I) Sir Richard Fowler, Knight, of
Lancaster, England, had a seal taken
from the Rycote arms. His mother was
heiress of Rycote, and through her the
estate passed to the Fowler family. The
arms are : Argent, three wolves' heads
erased gules.
(II) William Fowler, son of Sir Rich-
ard Fowler, was born about 1445 at Fox-
ley, County Bucks, England, and was
joint tenant and owner of the manor of
Cloware, formerly the home of his ances-
tor, Sir John Foxley.
(III) Roger Fowler, eldest son of Wil-
liam Fowler, born before 1500, moved to
Hisley, County Gloucester, where he died
in 1540. His will mentioned lands in
Salop, Derby, Bucks, Berks and Glouces-
ter. He married Johanna Harman.
(IV) Thomas Fowler, eldest son of
Roger and Johanna (Harman) Fowler,
was born before 1520, at Bisley, and the
names of three of his sons are known.
(V) William (2) Fowler, third son of
Thomas Fowler, was born about 1550-51,
at Bisley, and moved to an estate at Dai-
bury Lees, Derbyshire, which he prob-
ably inherited from his grandfather. He
died in 1626.
(VI) John Fowler, eldest son of Wil-
liam (2) Fowler, resided at Dalbury Lees,
where he died in 1645. He married
Frances, daughter of William Webb, of
Burntwood, Staffordshire.
(I) William (3) Fowler, son of John
and Frances (Webb) Fowler, came to
America with Rev. John Davenport, arriv-
ing at Boston, June 26, 1637. With Daven-
212
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
port he removed to Ouinnipiack, now New
Haven. Subsequently he settled in Mil-
ford, Connecticut, where he died in 1660.
(II) John (2) Fowler, son of William
(3) Fowler, died at Milford, September
14, 16/6. He married there, in 1645, Mary,
daughter of George Hubbard, who sur-
vived him nearly twenty-seven years,
dying at Guilford, Connecticut, April 13,
1703-
(III) Hon. Abraham Fowler, son of
John (2) and Mary (Hubbard) Fowler,
was born August 25, 1652, in Guilford,
and died there, September 30, 1719. He
married, August 20, 1677, Elizabeth Bart-
lett, born March, 1653, died October 4,
1742, daughter of George and Mary (Crut-
tenden) Bartlett. George Bartlett, a na-
tive of England, died at Guilford, August
3. 1689. He married, September 14, 1650,
Mary, daughter of Abraham and Mary
Cruttenden, immigrants. Abraham Crut-
tenden died at Guilford, 1683. Children
of Abraham Fowler: Abigail, born 1679;
Mary, 1681 ; Abraham, 1683, Ebenezer,
mentioned below; Daniel, 1686; Josiah.
1688; Caleb, 1690, died January, 1724;
Elizabeth, 1694.
(IV) Ebenezer Fowler, second son of
Hon. Abraham and Elizabeth (Bartlett)
Fowler, was born 1684, in Guilford, where
he resided, and died November 28, 1768.
He married, May i, 1717, Elizabeth Starr,
born November 25, 1695, died March 26,
1765. Children: Ebenezer, mentioned be-
low ; Nathaniel, born March 21, 1721;
Huldah. March 6, 1723 ; Caleb, January
21, 1726, died March 17, 1726; Caleb.
January 21, 1727; Elizabeth, May 26.
1732; Lucy, February 19, 1735; William,
August 6, 1738, died December, 1739.
(V) Ebenezer (2) Fowler, eldest child
of Ebenezer (i) and Elizabeth (Starr)
Fowler, was born January n, 1719, in
Guilford, where he died February 9, 1800.
He married Desire Bristol.
(VI) Nathan Fowler, son of Ebenezer
(2) and Desire (Bristol) Fowler, was
born November 13, 1750, in Guilford, and
there married Sarah Kimberly, who died
January 8, 1830. She was descended from
1'homas Kimberly, who was in New
Haven in 1638, and in Stratford in 1659.
He died there, 1672, having long survived
his wife Alice, who died 1659. Their son,
Nathaniel Kimberly, of Stratford and
New Haven, born 1636, died October 27,
1705. He had a wife Mary, and they
were the parents of Nathaniel (2) Kim-
berly, of West Haven, born January 4,
1667, married, September 12, 1692, Han-
nah Downs, and died November 26, 1719.
Their son, Abraham Kimberly, born
March 21, 1709, was a resident of Guil-
ford, where he died February 19, 1797.
His first wife, Mary (Sherman) Kim-
berly, died November 18, 1766. Their
daughter Sarah was the wife of Nathan
Fowler, as above mentioned. Children :
James, born March 18, 1774, married
Tempe Post, and died May 26, 1854;
Sally, October 24, 1775. married Abel
Snow ; Eunice, January 17, 1778, married
Timothy Stone, and died April I, 1790;
Nathan, June i, 1780, died December 31,
1834, married Chloe Davis; Polly, Au-
gust 4, 1782 died January 22, 1867, mar-
ried William Walkley ; Augustus, April
4, 1785, married Jerusha Blatchley; Asa,
April 28, 1787, married Polly Wilcox;
Robert, mentioned below; Roswell, No-
vember, 1794, died February 5, 1795.
(VII) Robert Fowler, fifth son of Na-
than and Sarah (Kimberly) Fowler, was
born April 7, 1793, in Guilford, and died
in 1840. He married Charlotte Weld, born
1793, in Guilford, died 1885, in Clinton.
Connecticut, a descendant of Rev. Thom-
as Weld.
(VIII) Creighton Weld Fowler, son
of Robert and Charlotte (Weld) Fowler,
was born September 18, 1815, in Guilford,
213
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
and was drowned, May 8, 1864, in the
Connecticut river. He married Nancy
Steele Cook, born March 13, 1825, daugh-
ter of John and Nancy (Steele) Cook,
died August n, 1891, in Hartford, Con-
necticut. John Cook was born 1774, and
died 1824, in Hartford. His wife, born
1782, died in Hartford. Creighton Weld
Fowler had children : Marie Antoinette,
Jeremiah Cook, and Edgar Creighton.
(IX) Jeremiah Cook Fowler, senior son
of Creighton Weld and Nancy Steele
(Cook) Fowler, was born June 3, 1850.
He married, April 20, 1870, Sophie C.
Dentlinger, a native of Esslingen, Wur-
temberg, Germany. Children: i. Julia
Emily, born February 21, 1871, in Hart-
ford, became the wife of Charles E. Whit-
ing, and has two daughters: Gladys
Fowler and Mildred Ruth. 2. Edgar
Crayton, of further mention. 3. Richard
William, born March n, 1875, in Hart-
ford, resides in Kinston, North Carolina,
where he married Minnie Lee Ashford,
and has a son, Richard William, Jr. 4.
Arthur Clifford, born March 9, 1877, in
Hartford, and resides in Toronto, Canada ;
he married Garnett Bick, and has three
children: Helen, Ford and Alan. 5.
Marion Sophie, born March 25, 1881, in
Hartford, married Frank A. Montei, and
has three children : Crayton Fowler,
Eunice and Frank A., Jr.
(X) Edgar Crayton Fowler, eldest son
of Jeremiah Cook and Sophie C. (Dent-
linger) Fowler, was born April 16, 1873,
in Hartford. He received his education
in the public and high schools of that
city. At the age of sixteen years he en-
tered the office of the Hartford Life In-
surance Company in a minor capacity,
and after six years of service became
special agent of the company in Western
New York. In January, 1899, he became
associated with the Connecticut General
Life Insurance Company as supervising
agent for New York State. In the fall of
1900 he was appointed general agent of
the same company at Bridgeport, Con-
necticut, and in August, 1902, general
agent at Buffalo. In 1908 he was elected
superintendent of agencies of the State
Mutual Life Assurance Company, at W'or-
cester, Massachusetts. On June i, 1916,
he was appointed general agent for the
State of Illinois with headquarters at
Chicago of the New England Mutual Life
Insurance Company of Boston. He is a
member of the Masonic fraternity, affiliat-
ing with Lafayette Lodge, Free and Ac-
cepted Masons, of Hartford ; Dunkirk-
Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, of Dun-
kirk, New York; Hugh de Payens Com-
mandery, Knights Templar, of Buffalo ;
and Aleppo Temple, Ancient Arabic Or-
der Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Bos-
ton.
He married, January 31, 1900, at Dun-
kirk, New York, Fanna R. Martin, born
October i, 1873, in Truckee, California,
daughter of Seth and Ellen M. (Hall)
Martin, of that town, the former a native
of Vermont, and the latter of Dunkirk.
Children: Janet, born March 19, 1901, in
Bridgeport, Connecticut ; Nancy Steele,
August 23, 1903, in Buffalo, New York ;
Edgar Crayton, 3d, June 13, 1907, in
Buffalo, New York, died October 14,
1908; Harriet Stanley, April 30, 1911, in
Worcester, Massachusetts, died January
30, 1912.
GARST, Julius, M. D.,
Physician, Legislator.
The Garst family settled in Virginia in
colonial times. Dr. Michael Garst was
born in 1815 in Virginia, and received his
medical education in the Jefferson Medi-
cal School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
He located in Dayton, Ohio, where he
practiced for many years. He died in
214
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Coon Rapids, Iowa, at the age of eighty-
five years and was buried at Boone, Iowa.
He married Maria Louise Morrison,
daughter of Thomas Morrison, of Scotch-
Irish ancestry. She died at the age of
fifty-three years at Boone, Iowa.
Dr. Julius Garst, sixth son of Dr.
Michael Garst, was born at Dayton, Ohio,
December 12, 1855. He attended the pub-
lic schools at Boone, Iowa, whither the
family removed. For two years he was a
student in the University of Illinois, for
three years in the University of Michi-
gan, one year in the College of Pharmacy,
and two years in the Medical School, from
which he was graduated in 1878 with the
degree of Doctor of Medicine. He prac-
ticed medicine at Coon Rapids, Iowa, and
North Brookfield, Massachusetts, for
twelve years. In 1889-90 he was agency
physician on the Indian reservation ad-
joining Tacoma, Washington. In 1888
he began the manufacture of Phenyo-Caf-
fein, and as the business prospered he re-
tired from practice and gave all his atten-
tion to the business, which is conducted
under the trade name of Phenyo-Caffein
Company. He removed to Worcester in
1890, and has long been located at 29
Oread street, where he carries on his pro-
prietary medicine business. Dr. Garst has
also had real estate interests at Roswell,
New Mexico and in Oklahoma.
In politics Dr. Garst is a Republican of
the progressive school. He was elected
to the General Court of Massachusetts of
1903-04. He served on the committee on
taxation, and wrote a leaflet advocating
the inheritance tax law which was subse-
quently enacted in this State. He began
to agitate the limitation of the term for
public service franchises, and wrote a leaf-
let in support of his views, which have
since been widely sought by writers on
political economy. He was elected to the
State Senate of 1913, was defeated on ac-
count of the Progressive party movement
in the following year, but elected again to
the Senate of 1915. Two of the three
measures he was instrumental in formu-
lating while in the Senate were enacted
one, applying a penalty to unlawful
charges for using a gas meter; the other,
requiring that notice of conditions of de-
posit and reissue of season railroad tickets
shall be printed on the cover of tickets.
He proposed and ably advocated a bill
relating to extension telephones, forbid-
ding excessive charges. He advocated
the Workingman's Compensation Act, an
equitable factory inspection law, and laws
to protect the health of women and chil-
dren. He has supported the movement
in legislation regulating special privileges
to prevent encroachment on public and
private rights. Dr. Garst is a member of
the American Academy of Political and
Social Science ; the American Political
Science Association ; the American Eco-
nomic Association ; the American Socio-
logical Society ; the National Municipal
League ; the Worcester Economic Club
and the Chamber of Commerce. He is a
member of the Old South Congregational
Church.
He married, May 6, 1885, Mary Emma
King, who was born at North Brookfield,
July 31, 1861, daughter of William Claf-
Hn and Emeline (Batcheller) King (see
King and Batcheller). Children: i. Amy
Batcheller, born March 19, 1886; graduate
of the South High School and attendant
at Simmons College ; married Floy Grant
Keyes, a fruit grower, Dexter, New Mex-
ico ; children : Margery and Barbara
Keyes. 2. Tyler Batcheller, died aged
eleven days. 3. Emma, born March 3,
1893 graduate of South High School and
Bradford Academy. 4. Marguerite, died
in infancy. 5. Julius Conrad, born Janu-
ary 9, 1898; died December 10, 1910. 6.
Webster, born July 5, 1900. 7. Claflin,
twin, July 5, 1900.
215
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
(The Batcheller Line).
Joseph Batcheller, founder of this fam-
ily, was born in Canterbury, England,
and came to America in 1636 with wife
Elizabeth, one child, three servants, and
his brothers, Henry, Joshua and John.
He located in Salem, later in Wenham,
Massachusetts. In 1637 he was admitted
a freeman and was the first deputy to the
General Court from Wenham. He was
one of the founders of the church at Wen-
ham in 1644. He died in 1647, intestate,
and his estate was administered by his
son Mark. Children: Mark, killed at
Wenham, December 19, 1675, in King
Philip's War; John, mentioned below;
Elizabeth; Hannah, baptized June 23,
1644.
(II) John Batcheller, son of Joseph,
was baptized at the First Church of
Salem, January 20, 1638; married, July
12, 1661, Mary Dennis, who died June 26,
1665 ; (second) May 4, 1666, Sarah Good-
ale, daughter of Robert. He died March
22, 1729. He was one of the jury in the
witchcraft cases, and in 1692 one of the
jurors who signed a statement asking for-
giveness for their errors in judgment.
His will was dated December 16, 1698.
Children, born at Wenham: Joseph, born
1662; John, January 13, 1666; Mark, May
1668, died young; Elizabeth, 1675; Eben-
ezer, 1670 ; Hannah ; Mary ; Sarah ; David,
1673, mentioned below.
(III) David Batcheller, son of John,
was born at Wenham, in 1673 ; married,
May 7, 1709, Susanna Whipple, of Ips-
wich. She died June 13, 1764. He was
prominent in the town and church of
Wenham ; town clerk, 1744-48. His will
was dated August 25, 1759. He died Jan-
uary 29, 1766. Children, born at Wen-
ham: David, April 5, 1710; Susannah,
July, 1712; Joseph, September 17, 1713;
Amos, April 6, 1727; Nehemiah, May 20,
1716; Abraham, mentioned below; Mary,
1718; Susanna, September i, 1731.
(IV) Captain Abraham Batcheller, son
of David, was born at Wenham, June 5,
1722; married, May 15, 1751, Sarah New-
ton, who was born in Westborough. He
removed from his native town to West-
borough, and after his marriage to Sut-
ton, where he bought one thousand acres
of land. He was a cooper; ensign, lieu-
tenant and captain. In 1763 he was select-
man and again in 1764-65-66-73-82. He
died January 31, 1813. Children, born at
Sutton : Abraham, March 26, 1752; Ab-
ner, September i, 1755; Vashti, January
3 r < I 757'< Joseph, November i, 1759; Ben-
jamin, November 7, 1762; Ezra, men-
tioned below; Sarah, November 16, 1766;
Amos, October 12, 1768.
(V) Ezra Batcheller, son of Abraham,
was born at Sutton, July 20, 1764; mar-
ried, January 15, 1/89, in Westborough,
Mary Day, daughter of Daniel and Sus-
anna. She was born February 14, 1761,
died December 19, 1812. He married
(second) February 17, 1814, Mrs. Ann
Mayo, who was born March 22, 1768, died
September 8, 1859. He was one of the
petitioners to the General Court for the
incorporation of North Brookfield in 1811.
He was elected the first representative,
but was unseated. He died August 31,
1827. He resided at Sutton and Brook-
field. Children: Willard, July 13, 1789;
Daniel, June 19, 1791 ; Tyler, mentioned
below; Alden, June 4, 1796; Orra, Sep-
tember 24. 1799; Ezra, July 21, 1801.
(VI) Deacon Tyler Batcheller, son of
Ezra, was born at Sutton, December 20,
1793; married, April 6, 181 , Nancy
Jenks, born August, 1796, died October 5,
1828; married (second) October 8, 1829,
Abigail Jones Lane, of North Brookfield,
born August i, 1811, died March 10, 1877,
daughter of Captain Samuel Lane. Tyler
learned the trade of shoemaker, and for
eight years worked for Oliver Ward, of
Brookfield. The history of North Brook-
field says of him :
216
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Of all men who have been citizens of North
Brookfield, none has done so much to promote
the material growth and prosperity as Deacon
Tyler Batcheller, and a history of the town
without a sketch of his life would lack an essen-
tial element. He may truly be called the
founder of North Brookfield. He lived with his
father in Sutton until April, 1802, when the fam-
ily moved to Brookfield, the second parish. His
father purchased the property which has since
been known as the "Batcheller Place." In his
fifteenth year he went to Grafton and learned
the trade of shoemaker of Nathan Johnson. At
the close of his apprenticeship there he returned
to North Brookfield, and was employed in the
establishment of Oliver Ward, who in 1810
began the manufacture of "sale shoes," the first
of the kind in the State west of Grafton. He
resided in Mr. Ward's family for eight years.
In 1819 he began business on his own account
at the Wetherbee house, so-called, which stood
on the spot now occupied by the house of Mr.
Erastus Hill. Having married the same year,
he resided there with his family, the back part of
the house serving as his manufactory. At first
his business consisted of only such shoes as he
could make with his own hands, soon, however,
taking into his service one or two apprentices
and his brother Ezra. The first shoes he made
were of a low priced quality, especially adapted
to the southern trade. These he packed in
empty flour barrels and consigned to Mr. Enoch
Train, who in those days ran a line of packet
vessels between Boston and Havana. In these
small consignments he realized a large profit.
In 1821 he purchased the Skerry house and farm
in the center of the town on the main street,
expecting to enter into possession the first of
April, but in February, 1822, his dwelling and
shop at the Wetherbee place was totally de-
stroyed by fire, and he at once removed to his
new purchase, where he resumed and continued
business in an outbuilding on the premises until
1824; that year having taken into his employ
several additional employes, he erected a small
two-story shop, which is now a part of the
immense structure known far and wide as the
"Big Shop," into which in January 1825, he re-
moved his business, and at the same date taking
into partnership his brother Ezra, enlarging the
business, which was afterwards conducted under
the firm name of T. & E. Batcheller. From
this time forward to the end of his life, the two
brothers were associated as partners through all
the changes in their business. Tyler attended
to the purchase of stock and the business
abroad, while Ezra was the efficient and popu-
lar superintendent, always at home and at his
post, giving all directions pertaining to the fac-
tory. Harmonious in all their business relations
and interests as well as in all measures devised
for the public weal, the act of one was the act
of both. They were familiarly referred to as
the Deacon and Ezra. They now added to their
business the manufacture of Batchellers' retail
brogan, an article adapted to the New England
trade; their main business was the manufacture
of goods for the southern and western trade.
Their business increased and the factory was
increased to three times its original size. Free-
man Walker was admitted to the firm and the
name changed to T. & E. Batcheller & Walker.
* * * Mr. Walker retired in 1834 and the firm
name was again T. & E. Batcheller. The busi-
ness increased, and in 1852 others were admitted
to the firm and the name changed to T. & E.
Batcheller & Co. A store having been estab-
lished in Boston, Tyler Batcheller moved his
residence to that city in 1848. The business
now amounted to $1,500,000 per annum. At the
breaking out of the Civil War a number of
southern houses were indebted to them for large
amounts, and for a time it was thought the firm
would be obliged to suspend business, but by an
amicable arrangement the business was con-
tinued, the firm paying every dollar of their
indebtedness. The consequent worry, anxiety
and disappointment at the sudden reverse of his
fortunes caused a serious illness from which
Tyler did not recover. He passed away in his
sixty-ninth year. Thus ended a life distinguished
for industry, energy, perseverance, integrity and
usefulness. Had his life been spared a few
months longer he would have seen the cloud
dispelled. He joined the First Congregational
Church in 1817 and in 1820 was elected deacon,
which office he held for twenty-eight years, until
he moved to Boston. While residing in that
city he was a member of the board of trade. He
died October 8, 1862.
Children: i. Mary Day, born Septem-
ber 12, 1821 ; married Abel Harwood. 2.
Martha Ann, December 7, 1823 ; married
Aaron D. Weld. 3. Emeline, December
22, 1826; married William C. King (see
King). 4. Harvey Jenks, August 12, 1828,
died at sea; married.
217
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
(The Claflin Line).
(I) Robert Claflin, the progenitor in
this country, was of Scotch ancestry. His
name was spelled Macklothlan, originally
Maclachlan, but soon after coming to this
country the prefix "Mac" was dropped
and the name modified to its present spell-
ing, Claflin. According to tradition he
was a Scotch soldier. He was admitted a
freeman at Wenham, November 4, 1661.
The house he built in Wenham is still
standing. He married, October 14, 1664,
Joanna Warner, daughter of John. He
died prior to September 19, 1690, when
an inventory of the estate was filed. The
receipts signed by his children for their
portions of his estate show that they then
spelled their names without the prefix,
Claflin or Clafflin. Children : Joanna,
born at Wenham, August 12, 1665 ; Rob-
ert ; Elizabeth, May 13, 1670; Priscilla,
August 22, 1672; Daniel, mentioned be-
low; Abigail, March 19, 1676; Mary, Feb-
ruary 22, 1678; Antipas, 1680.
(II) Daniel Claflin, son of Robert, was
born at Wenham, January 25, 1674; mar-
ried, March n, 1701, Sarah Edwards. He
was a tanner in his native town, remov-
ing about 1722 to Hopkinton, Massachu-
setts, where he was selectman in 1727;
treasurer in 1729 and later. His wife
Sarah died at Hopkinton, January 8, 1743 ;
he died in Framingham in 1/75. Chil-
dren: Daniel, born February 19, 1702;
Sarah, April 27, 1703; Mesheck, Novem-
ber 4, 1705; Joshua, June 8, 1707; Caleb,
December 11, 1/08; Cornelius, February
2, 1711; Robert, August 16, 1714; Eben-
ezer, mentioned below.
(III) Ebenezer Claflin, son of Daniel,
was born at Wenham, July 2, 1716; mar-
ried. May 22, 1739, Hannah, daughter of
Nathaniel and Elizabeth Smith, who came
to Hopkinton from Ipswich. He was a
soldier in the French and Indian War, in
Captain John Jones' company. His wife
died at Hopkinton, September 13, 1785,
and he died there in 1793. Children:
Hannah, born April 26, 1741 ; Ebenezer,
September 14, 1742; Dolly, 1744; Isaac,
1748; John, mentioned below; Aaron,
1753-
(IV) John Claflin, son of Ebenezer,
was born at Hopkinton, July 5, 1750. He
married, April 5, 1770, Mary Sheffield, of
Holliston (Mary (4), Isaac (3), William
(2), William Sheffield (i)). John was
a soldier in the Revolution, April 19, 1775,
in the Hopkinton company. He died Jan-
uary 28, 1838; his wife Mary died in 1821.
Children, born at Holliston: William,
mentioned below ; Amaziah. born July 5,
1773; John, June 24, 1775; Polly, August
13, 1779; Luther, October 30, 1781 ; Mar-
tin, March 24, 1784; Calvin, November
17, 1786; Moses, February 27, 1789; Han-
nah, 1791.
(V) William Claflin, son of John, was
born at Holliston, in 1772. He married,
May 1 8, 1793. Anna Underwood, who
died at Holliston, October 18, 1794. He
married (second) March 31, 1796, Sabra
Wiswell, who died October 30, 1815. He
married (third) November 13, 1817, Lois
Ripley. He died at Holliston, December
10, 1854. Child by first wife: Anna Un-
derwood, born October 7, 1794. By sec-
ond wife: William, August 3, 1797;
Erepta, September 3, 1799, married,
March 28, 1820, at Holliston, John King,
of Franklin (see King), she died at Frank-
lin, June 4, 1871, and he died there Febru-
ary 12, 1882; Mary, September 12, 1801 ;
Oliver Wiswell, September 8, 1803 ; Sabra
Wiswell. July 16. 1807; John, April 5,
1810; Horatio Seymour, April 23, 1814.
(The Jenks Line).
Rev. Dr. William Jenks, during the first
half of the nineteenth century, established
by research in the archives of Welsh and
English heraldry the following pedigree
218
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
to the date of B. C. 150. It begins with
the traditional ancestry of one of the royal
houses of Wales. The surname, of course,
did not come into use until after 1200, but
for purposes of inheritance of lands and
titles many ancient pedigrees of impor-
tant families were preserved in the ar-
chives. After Wales was subjugated, the
family removed to England, and in 1582
the ancient coat-of-arms was confirmed
to one of the family. The armorials are
described : Argent, three boars' heads
couped sable, a chief sable indented.
Crest : A lion rampant, regardant or, hold-
ing defiantly a boar's head in his paws,
sable. Motto of the shield: Modo Doini-
nus adsit. Motto of the crest (1582) :
Audax et cautiis.
Ancestry: ( I ) Edyrn M'd Gwrawl. (II)
Cunodda Wledig. (Ill) Eineon Yrth.
(IV) Cawallon (Lawhir). (V) Maelgwn
Gwynedd. (VI)Rhun. (VII)Beli. (VIII)
lago. (IX) Cadfan. (X) Cadwalon. (XI)
Cadwaladr. (XII) Edwal Lwrch. (XIII)
Rodri Molwynog. (XIV) Cyvan Tyn-
daethwy. (XV) Essylht. (XVI) Rodri
Mawr, died A. D. 877. (XVII) Cadell.
(XVIII) . (XIX) Hael Dha. (XX)
Augharad, married Tudor Trevor. (XXI)
Groun. (XXII) Cyheln, married Rhien-
gar. (XXIII) Elydau Glodrydd, born
927, killed 983, Prince of Fourth Royal
Tribe of Wales. (XXIV) Cadwgan.
(XXV) Llywelyn. (XXVI) Sitsylit.
(XXVII) Philip. (XXVIII) David.
(XXIX) Rhys. (XXX) John. (XXXI)
Jenkyn Cambray. (XXXII) John Jenkes
(about A. D. 1350). (XXXIII) Thomas
Jenckes. (XXXIV) John Jenkes.
(XXXV) Roland Jenkes. (XXXVI) John
Jenkes. (XXXVII) William Jenkes, mar-
ried Elizabeth, daughter of William
Adams. (XXXVIII) Francis Jenckes.
(XXXIX) Arthur Jenckes, born in Eng-
land. (XL) Joseph Jenks, the American
immigrant, mentioned below.
(I) Joseph Jenks (fortieth in the an-
cient English and Welsh pedigree given
above), son of Arthur Jenckes, was born
in 1602, and immigrated from, Colebrook,
in Buckinghamshire, England, in 1643,
leaving two sons to follow him when they
came of age. He settled in Lynn, Massa-
chusetts, where he had charge of the iron
foundry. He was the first to whom a
patent was issued in the colony. He took
out patents for mill improvements in
1646, and in 1647 began to manufacture
an improved scythe and snath, giving the
latter the double curve still used, and
patented his devices. He made the dies
for the first coins the Pine Tree shilling.
In 1654 he built a fire engine for Boston,
the first built in this country. In 1667 he
sought to establish a wire factory, and in
his foundry was cast the first hollow ware.
Children: Joseph, mentioned below;
George, went to Virginia; Sarah; John,
born July, 1660 ; Daniel, April, 1663 ; Sam-
uel.
(II ) Joseph Jenks, son of Joseph Jenks,
was born in 1632, and died January 4,
1717. He followed his father to Lynn,
thence to Warwick, Rhode Island, and
Pawtucket, where he built an iron forge
and became wealthy. He was assistant
in the General Assembly and counsellor
of the governor. He died January 4, 1717,
and was probably the first white man
buried in Pawtucket. He married Esther
Ballard. Children : Joseph, Elizabeth,
Sarah. Major Nathaniel, Esther, Joanna,
Rev. Ebenezer, Mary ; William, men-
tioned below ; Abigail.
(III) Hon. William Jenks, son of Jo-
seph, was born in 1674, died October 2,
1765 ; married Patience Sprague. He was
one of the committee to settle the line be-
tween the colony of Rhode Island and
Connecticut. He was president of the
county court. Children : Mercy, Esther,
Susanna, William, Patience; Jonathan,
219
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
mentioned below ; Dr. John, and Mehit-
able.
(IV) Jonathan Jenks, son of William,
was born at Pawtucket, July 4, 1707, died
April i, 1782. He moved late in life to
North Brookfield, where he died. He
married (first) Lydia Jenks; (second)
Freelove Windsor, born October 15, 1721,
died July 26, 1803, a great-granddaughter
of Roger Williams. Children by first
wife: Hannah, born September i, 1731;
Nehemiah, November, 1732; Sarah, Janu-
ary* 1 734> Susan, January, 1736; infant,
March, 1739, died young; Gideon, Febru-
ary, 1740; Esther, August, 1742; infant,
May, 1/44; Jonathan, August, 1746, chief
justice. By second wife : Nicholas, men-
tioned below; Lydia, December, 1755;
Freelove, May, 1759; Mercy, January,
1762; Freelove, October, 1765.
(V) Nicholas Jenks, son of Jonathan
Jenks, born June 13, 1752, moved with his
parents to North Brookfield during the
Revolution, and lived to the end of his
life on the same farm. He died in July,
1836. He married, December 16, 1773,
Adah Angell, born June 15, 1752, died
September 3, 1842. Children : Ruth, born
December 13, 1776, died June 15, 1820,
married Amos Harrington ; \Villiam,
March 30, 1779, died young; Rhoda, Feb-
ruary 8, 1780, died young; Charles, No-
vember 2, 1782, married Deborah Adams;
Dr. Nicholas, February 4, 1785, married
Betsey Potter; Rev. Hervey, June 16,
1787, married Hannah Slaughter; Oliver
A., May i, 1790, married Eliza Brown;
Adah, August 18, 1792, died young;
Nancy, August 26, 1796, married Tyler
Batcheller (see Batcheller), and died Oc-
tober 5, 1828.
(The Angell Line).
(I) Thomas Angell, founder of the
family, son of Henry, of Liverpool, Eng-
land, according to tradition went to Lon-
don to seek his fortune at the age of
twelve; in 1631 came with Roger Wil-
liams in the ship "Lion" to Boston, went
with him to Salem, and finally to Provi-
dence. His home lot in Providence is
now the site of the First Baptist Church.
He was commissioner in 1652-53 ; consta-
ble 1655, and for many years afterward.
He died in 1685; his wife Alice in
1694. Children: John, mentioned below ;
James, Dexter, Amphillis, Mary, Debo-
rah, Alice Margaret.
(II) John Angell, son of Thomas, was
born in Providence, and died there July
27, 1700. He was admitted a freeman
October 16, 1670. He was a farmer in
Providence. He married, 1669, Ruth
Field, daughter of John. Children:
Thomas, born March 25, 1672; John;
Daniel, born May 2, 1680; Hope, men-
tioned below ; James.
(HI) Flope Angell, son of John, was
born in 1682, died at Providence, Febru-
ary n, 1759. He held many town offices.
He lived on what is now the Asylum
farm, North Providence. He married
Lydia Olney, who died aged sixty years.
Children, recorded in Providence: Abia,
born July i, 1715; Oliver, mentioned be-
low; Lydia, May 8, 1718; Elisha, Octo-
ber 13, 1719; Mary, August 4, 1722;
Thomas, June 13, 1724; James, January
(IV) Oliver Angell, son of Hope, was
born at Providence, March 3, 1717, died
April 13, 1799. He had the asylum farm.
He was a blacksmith. He married Naomi
Smith, born October 2, 1721, died Decem-
ber 3, 1799. Children, born at Providence :
Israel, April 13, 1740; Hope, mentioned
below; Ruth, 1746; Jason, October 7,
1748; Naomi, December 27, 1755; Elisha,
February 22, 1757.
(V) Hope Angell, son of Oliver, was
born at Providence, March 28, 1742. He
also inherited the homestead at North
220
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Providence. He married Avis Olney,
born June 10, 1/48, daughter of Charles.
Children, born at North Providence :
Cynthia, October 5, 1772; Charles and
Charlotte, July 28, 1774; Deborah, May
1 5, 1776; John, June 25, 1778; Charles,
March 22, 1780; Adah, January 25, 1782;
Charlotte, May 31, 1784; Oliver, Novem-
ber 4, 1787; Samuel, August 25, 1789;
Smith, March i, 1791 ; Samuel, mentioned
below.
(VI) Samuel Angell, son of Hope, was
born at North Providence, March 28,
1793 He lived in his youth in the family
of President Messer, of Brown, who mar-
ried his aunt Deborah ; he graduated from
Brown University in 1814. He taught
school at Pawtucket five years and in the
Warren Female Seminary for ten years.
Children : Francis H., born March 2,
1818, died June 18, 1818; Manning, Au-
gust 12, 1820; child, died in infancy; Ma-
ria, September 2, 1822; James M., May
18, 1824; Sophia B., November 16, 1833;
Ruth ; Jason ; Adah, married Nicholas
Jenks (see Jenks Line); Elisha ; Naomi.
(The King Line).
(I) William King, immigrant, sailed
from Weymouth, Dorsetshire, England,
March 20, 1635, and settled at Salem. He
was admitted a freeman May 25, 1636.
He had grants of land at what is now
Beverly and Manchester. He was a mem-
ber of the First Church of Salem, but in
1637 joined the Antinomians and came
under the ban of the Puritan authorities.
His gun was taken away from him, and
later he was fined for sheltering Quakers.
He died in 1650. He married Dorothy
Hayne, born in England, about 1601, died
at Southold, New York, where her daugh-
ters were living. She sold her house and
went to Long Island in 1653. The rec-
ords at Sherburne, Dorsetshire, England,
show that William King and Dorothy
Hayne were married February 17, 1616-
17. Children: William, born about 1627,
a Quaker ; Samuel, of Southold, Long
Island; John, of Salem, mentioned below;
Mary, about 1623 ; Katherine, 1625 ; Han-
nah, 1629; Mehitable, 1635; Deliverance,
baptized at Salem, October 31, 1636.
(II) John King, son of William, was
baptized November n, 1638, at Salem.
He died before 1719. He married, Sep-
tember, 1660, Elizabeth Goldthwait,
daughter of Thomas and Rachel Gold-
thwait ; she was baptized November 20,
1647. Children: John, October, 1662;
Samuel, May, 1664 ; Captain William,
mentioned below; Elizabeth, February
16, 1671; Jonathan, February 16, 1674;
Thomas, February, 1677; Hannah, April,
1681 ; Mary, May, 1687.
(III) Captain William King, son of
John, was born at Salem in 1669. He
shared in the division of land of his
grandfather Goldthwait. He and his
brother Jonathan were among the first
settlers of Sutton, Massachusetts, and he
was one of the most wealthy and influen-
tial men of his day in that town. He also
owned land at Charlton. He died in No-
vember, 1748. He married Hannah
Cooke, daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth
(Buxton) Cooke, June 4, 1695. He mar-
ried (second) Rebecca Littlefield, of
Wells, Maine, daughter of Edmund and
Agnes Littlefield, who came from Eng-
land. Children : William ; Isaac and
Henry, mentioned below.
(IV) Captain Henry King, son of Wil-
liam, was born about 1710. He married
Abigail Green, sister of Dr. Thomas
Green, of Leicester. He was much in
public life ; representative to the General
Court and delegate to the Provincial
Congress. Children : William, born Oc-
tober 27, 1734; Samuel, February 28,
1736; John, mentioned below; Lydia,
June 17, 1739; Abigail, February 7, 1741;
221
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Hannah, February 22, 1743; Tamar, Sep-
tember 16, 1744; Mehitable, October 19,
1746; Henry, May 9, 1748; Elizabeth,
April 26, 1750.
(V) Dr. John King, son of Henry, was
born at Sutton, November I, 1737, and
died March 20, 1807. He was a self-
taught physician. He succeeded to the
practice of Dr. John Cotton (son of Rev.
John), and bought his house at Newton,
Massachusetts. He was a very useful
man, moderator many years ; selectman ;
member of the committee on correspond-
ence in 1774, and on the committee to
prepare instructions to the representative
to the General Court ; delegate to the
State Convention in 1779. He was a sol-
dier in the Revolution at the battle of
Lexington, in Captain Jeremiah Wis-
well's company, and one of the Newton
soldiers guarding Burgoyne's troops in
1778. He was deputy to the General
Court in 1792 and later. He married,
April 30, 1761, Sarah Wiswell, daughter
of Captain Noah Wiswell, of Newton.
She died in 1798, aged sixty-four years.
He married (second) April, 1799, Eliza-
beth Cookson. He lived on the east side
of the Dedham road. Children, born at
Newton : John, mentioned below ; Cap-
tain Henry, born October 28, 1763; Noah,
February u, 1766; Elijah, December 3,
1/68; Ebenezer, November 10, 1772.
(VI) John King, son of Dr. John, was
born at Newton, April 8, 1762, and died
August 17, 1824. He married, in 1/84,
Lois Jackson, daughter of Samuel Jack-
son. Children: Elijah, born July 17,
1784; Sophia, October 10, 1788; Mehit-
able, May 31, 1790; Lois, April 29, 1792;
John, December 12, 1794, mentioned be-
low; Samuel, October 22, 1796; Jackson,
November i, 1798; Frederick, July 8,
1800; Lois, March 31, 1803.
(VII) John King, son of John King,
was born at Newton, December 12, 1794.
He was a wheelwright, and lived at
Franklin, Massachusetts. He married,
March 20, 1820, at Holliston, Erepta Claf-
lin, born September 3, 1799, died at
Franklin, June | 4, 1871. He died at
Franklin, February 12, 1882. Children:
William Claflin, mentioned below ; John
Adams and George Washington, twins,
August 8, 1823 ; Albert Newell, April 6,
1826; Charles Jackson, May 25, 1829; Ed-
win Henry, November 24, 1832; Harriet
Elizabeth, December 21, 1834; Mary Ann,
June 17, 1839.
(VIII) William Claflin King, son of
John, was born at Franklin, December 31,
1820, and died - . He married Erne-
line Jenks (see Jenks). Children: Tyler
Batcheller, born September 20, 1859;
married, February 27, 1873, Anne Eich-
berg, born at Geneva, Switzerland, a law-
yer, of Boston. 2. Mary E., born July 31,
1861, married Dr. Julius Garst (see
Garst).
OWEN, Harvey M.,
Agriculturist, Stock Breeder.
The Owen family has been identified
with New England agriculture from an
early period in the settlement of that
region. John Owen, born December 25,
1624. in Wales, came to Connecticut
when a young man and settled in Wind-
sor. For some time his home was at
what was known as "Hosford's Lane,"
after which he moved up the Farmington
river, to a locality then and still known
as "Polly's Orchard," opposite the village
of Poquonock, where he died February i,
1699. He married, October 3, 1650, Re-
becca Wade, who survived him nearly
thirteen years, dying December 3, 1711.
Their youngest child, Isaac Owen, was
born May 27, 1670, in Windsor, and was
one of the first settlers at "Turkey Hills,"
in that part of Simsbury now Granby.
222
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Connecticut. He married, December 20, daughter of David McCullough, of Becket,
1694, Sarah Holcomb, who was born Feb-
ruary i, 1673, in Windsor, and died Jan-
uary 22, 1/63, almost ninety years old.
The youngest child of this marriage, Eli-
jah Owen, was born October 7, 1706, in
Simsbury, where he lived, and died Sep-
tember 22, 1741. His grave is in East
Granby burying ground, which he
donated to the church there. He mar-
ried Hannah, daughter of Brewster and
Hester (Holcomb) Higley, born Decem-
ber 17, 1717, died 1812. She married
(second) Peletiah Mills. Her eldest son,
Elijah Owen, born about 1738-39, lived
at Turkey Hills and East Otis, Massa-
chusetts. He married, March 8, 1762,
Lydia, daughter of Joel and Lydia
(Forbes) Clarke, and their eldest child
was Elijah Owen, born April 17, 1763, in
Simsbury. He was a soldier of the Rev-
olution, serving under Captain John Bar-
nard, of Hartford, in Colonel Samuel
Wyllys's regiment, from May 6, 1778, to
January i, 1779. He was residing in
Hartford county in 1832, when he drew a
pension for Revolutionary service. He
married Hannah, daughter of Nathaniel
and Hannah (Filley) Mather, born No-
vember 12, 1765, and they were the par-
ents of Elijah Owen, born at East Otis,
Massachusetts. He was a soldier of the
war of 1812, and engaged in farming at
East Otis and Hartland, Connecticut. He
died in Lee, Massachusetts, at the home
of his son Harvey. At one time he rep-
resented the town of Otis in the Legisla-
ture. His son, Harvey Owen, was born
in 1791 in Hartland, and was reared on
his father's farm in Otis, Massachusetts,
whither his parents removed when he
was a small child. He was a farmer suc-
cessively in Otis, Lee and Lanesboro, all
in Berkshire county, Massachusetts, and
died in the latter town October 20, 1873.
He married Mary Melinda McCullough,
Berkshire county. She died January 16,
1882, leaving three children, namely:
Mary Jane, wife of Fordyce W. Briggs,
of Pittsfield ; Harvey M., of further men-
tion ; and William Henry, a resident of
Pittsfield. This family was represented
in the Civil War by Captain Leander C.
Owen, and a nephew of Harvey M. Owen,
named Frank B. Owen, served in the
Spanish-American War.
Harvey M. Owen was born September
12, 1833, m Otis, and died January, 1907,
in Lanesboro. He was educated in the
public schools of Lee and Lanesboro,
meantime sharing in labors and pastimes
of rural youth. He was early accustomed
to farm labor, and was called upon as the
eldest son to take charge of the paternal
homestead farm when the failing health
of the father made it necessary. After the
death of the latter the sons continued to
manage the property in partnership until
it was disposed of in 1884. Mr. Harvey
M. Owen was one of the most thorough
agriculturists in the country, and was the
first to introduce blooded stock in Lanes-
boro. He gave considerable attention to
dairying and the manufacture of butter,
and was recognized as thorough and up-
to-date in his methods. In 1886 he be-
came manager of "Maplehurst Farm," in
Pittsfield, the property of Mrs. Thomas
Allen, widow of Thomas Allen, the Con-
gressman of this district many years,
and conducted that up to 1901, then Mr.
Owen purchased a home in Lanesboro
and resided there up to his death, 1907,
and in 1911 Mrs. Owen came to her
present home, where her father formerly
lived and where she was born.
Mr. Owen was a staunch Republican,
and served as delegate to important
county and State conventions of his party.
For thirteen years he was selectman of
Lanesboro, and in 1876 represented the
223
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Assembly district composed of the towns
of Hancock, Lanesboro, Williamstown
and New Ashford in the General Court
at Boston. At the election he received
the largest majority ever given a candi-
date in the district. Mr. Owen was an
active member of the Berkshire County
Agricultural Society, and represented it
on the State Board of Agriculture. He
married (first) Sarah C. Harrison, who
died soon after, leaving a daughter, Julia
A., who died at the age of fourteen years.
He married (second) in 1884, Grace,
daughter of Augustus Somers, of Lanes-
boro. He was a carpenter and builder,
son of Rev. Daniel Somers, born in South
Norwalk, Connecticut, whence he came
to Lanesboro when a young man. Mr.
Augustus Somers married Harriet E.
Brodie, daughter of Franklin Brodie, a
descendant of an early Scotch family of
Berkshire county. There are two chil-
dren of Mr. Owen's second marriage,
namely: Harvey A., an electrician, and
Anna S. The latter is now the wife of
Fred Frederick, of Montreal, Canada.
UNDERWOOD, William A.,
Representative Citizen.
The surname Underwood is of ancient
English origin, derived from a descriptive
name of a locality and therefore probably
not confined to one family. The coats-of-
arms of the Underwoods are similar and
the armigerous Underwoods are probably
related. The armorials of the Under-
wood family of Bixley is described: Sable
on a fess ermine between three annulets
or, a lion passant gardant sable. Crest :
A hind's head or, encircled by wreath
vert. The Underwoods of Bixley are
traced as far as 1177 in the Harleian
Manuscript. Bixley is in County Nor-
folk and 1177 was about the period when
surnames were coming into use in Eng-
land. A branch of the family located in
Weston, Hertfordshire, about 1350 and
bore a similar coat-of-arms. Branches of
the family located early in London, in
Ireland and elsewhere in England. There
were no less than six pioneer families of
Underwood in New England, namely: i.
The Watertown family, descended from
Joseph Underwood, the immigrant, set-
tled in Hingham, 1637, admitted freeman
at Watertown in 1645. 2. The Lincoln
family, mentioned below. 3. The Chelms-
ford family, descendants of William of
Concord, 1652. 4. The Boston family,
descendants of John Underwood, who
first appears on the records of Boston in
1680; had descendants in Rhode Island
and Connecticut. 5. The Newcastle, New
Hampshire, family, descended from John
Underwood and wife Temperance. They
probably came from England. He was in
Newcastle in 1714. 6. The Rhode Island
family, descended from Henry Under-
wood, of Newport, in 1665.
Thomas Underwood, of Watertown,
brother of Joseph Underwood, born in
England, came to this country in 1635,
settled first at Hingham, later at Dor-
chester and finally at Watertown in 1651.
He married Magdaline - but had no
children. He was admitted a freeman in
1637 and was deputy to the General
Court in 1636 and 1638 from Hingham
and in 1656 was selectman from Water-
town. His will was dated February 15,
1668, and proved April 7, 1668. He be-
queathed to his wife, to brother, Joseph
LTnderwood, and children of Joseph.
(I) Thomas Underwood, progenitor of
the Lincoln family, was doubtless related
in some degree to Thomas Underwood,
mentioned above. At any rate he came to
the same town about 1660 and in 1669
married Magdalen Underwood, widow of
Thomas Underwood, mentioned above.
Various accounts of the Underwood family
224
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
have confused the Thomas Underwoods one
with another and the genealogical puzzle
that they left to the family historian is
almost unique. Magdalen had two hus-
bands of the same name, but had children
by neither. Thomas (i) Underwood by
a former marriage had a son Thomas,
who was in England when his will was
made, July 19, 1679 (proved October 5,
1680). (The maiden name of his first
wife was Tilson.) In this will Thomas
Underwood returned to Magdalen prop-
erty he received from her at the time of
their marriage. She died April 10, 1687,
aged about eighty years, and her will is
on record in Suffolk. In his will Thomas
(i) Underwood is designated as gentle-
man, a word that at that time indicated
high social position of some sort.
(II) Thomas Underwood, only son of
Thomas Underwood by his first wife, was
born in England ; married Mary -
Almost the entire information that we
have of this man is contained in his
father's will and in a deed of his farm in
Lexington, March 10, 1718, to his son
Joseph, mentioned below. Thomas Under-
wood died at Lexington, February 16,
1742-43, and his wife Mary, January 15,
1742.
(III) Joseph Underwood, son of Thom-
as Underwood, was born about 1695-98,
and died intestate, April 27, 1760. The
probate papers relating to his estate men-
tioned Peter, Joseph, Joshua, Elijah, Is-
rael, Moses and Ruth, children of Joseph.
His widow Ruth died June 23, 1775, at
Lincoln, Massachusetts. Children, born
at Lexington: Joseph, mentioned below;
Joshua, baptized June 6, 1725 ; Elijah,
baptized May 5, 1728; Peter, baptized
May 25, 1729; Ruth, baptized April 4.
1731; Israel, baptized June 23, 1734;
Moses, baptized August 17, 1735; Susan-
na, baptized September 2, 1739, died in
Lincoln, February 23, 1762.
(IV) Joseph (2) Underwood, son of
Joseph (i) Underwood, was baptized at
Lexington, March 3, 1723, and died April
25, 1760, in Lexington. He married (first)
February 26, 1747, Anna Baker, of Walt-
ham, Massachusetts, who died May 30,
1749. He married (second) June 4, 1750,
Eunice Smith, born June 4, 1730, who
was admitted to the church at Lexington,
July 6, 1760, daughter of Daniel and Mary
Smith ; she married (second) January 6,
1784, Major Samuel Stone, of Ashby,
Massachusetts, and died June 18, 1805,
aged seventy-five years. Children of first
wife, born at Waltham : Samuel, men-
tioned below ; Joseph, born April 30, 1749.
Children by second wife : Eunice, born
December 10, 1751 ; Nathan, August 3,
1753; Elizabeth, August 16, 1755; Anna,
May 22, 1757; Sarah, March 25, 1759.
(V) Samuel Underwood, son of Joseph
(2) Underwood, was born at Waltham,
Massachusetts, November 21, 1747, bap-
tized at Lexington, November 29, 1747.
He removed to Halifax, Vermont, and
followed farming there until he died, May
23, 1819. He married Maria - , who
died April 12, 1832, aged eighty-two. His
home was near Coleraine, Massachusetts.
Children: Submitty, born October 13,
1770; Joseph, March 9, 1772, died May
ii, 1790; Hannah, November 16, 1773;
Eunice, January 8, 1775 ; Betsey, Septem-
ber 8, 1777, died September 23, 1785 ;
Sally, September 23, 1779; Polly; Na-
than; Moses, mentioned below; Abi ;
Amos, October 4, 1791.
(VI) Moses Underwood, son of Sam-
uel Underwood, was born 1785-95, and
settled in North Heath, Massachusetts,
about the time of his first marriage. He
was a farmer. He died there February
10, 1871. He married (first) December
31, 1816, Sarah Winn, who died April 6,
1837. He married (second) Diana Har-
ris. Children by first wife : Rhoda, born
Mass 5 15
225
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
June 8, 1818, died July 10, 1855; Samuel,
March 2, 1819, died May 22, 1844; Eunice,
May 5, 1821, died January 5, 1865, mar-
ried - Bates and lived in Davenport,
Iowa; William Winn, October 2, 1823;
Annie M., November 10, 1825, married
John Shimmons and had five children;
she died at Lawrence, Kansas, September
21, 1874; Levi, mentioned below. Chil-
dren by second wife : John H., born
March 2, 1844; Henry Martin, February
10, 1850; Mary Maria, January i, 1857;
Jennie Elizabeth, 1860; Charles Edwin,
May 15, 1862; Rose Minerva, 1864.
(VII) Levi Underwood, son of Moses
Underwood, was born March 10, 1829, at
North Heath, Massachusetts, and died at
Readsboro, Vermont, October 13, 1871.
He was a farmer at Readsboro. He mar-
ried Mary E. Davis, who was born at
Whitingham, Vermont, daughter of
Moses and Betsey (Doane) Davis, who
came from Cape Cod. Children : Wil-
liam Lewis, born in 1853; Martha Louisa,
born 1856, died in 1914; Flora; John
Amos, mentioned below ; Anna, died
aged five years.
(VIII) John Amos Underwood, son of
Levi Underwood, was born at Whiting-
ham, Vermont, January 30, 1864. Part of
his boyhood was spent in the town of
Readsboro, Vermont. He attended the
public schools of Coleraine. At the age
of eighteen years he came to Worcester,
Massachusetts, where he has since re-
sided. He has charge of the saw mill o-f
the W. H. Sawyer Lumber Company and
has been in the employ of Mr. Sawyer for
thirty years. In politics he is a Republi-
can. He married, August 25, 1887, Ellen
Josephine Ryan. Children, born in Wor-
cester: i. William A., mentioned below.
2. Andrew Ambrose, born November 8,
1889, salesman with Frank Mossburg
Company, pressed steel manufacturers,
Attleborough. 3. Mary Flora, born March
18, 1891, graduate nurse in the Massachu-
setts General Hospital. 4. Ruth Anna,
born October 25, 1893, school teacher,
Coleraine, supervisor of drawing in fifteen
district schools in the vicinity. 5. Flor-
ence Catherine, born February, 1902. 6.
Grace Ellen, May 13, 1908.
(IX) William A. Underwood, son of
John Amos Underwood, was born in
Worcester, August 29, 1888. He attended
the public schools and was graduated
from the English High School in the class
of 1906. He then took a course in the
Worcester Business Institute. He began
his business career in the cost department
of the F. E. Reed Company, where he
continued for six months. During the
next half-year he was a stenographer, em-
ployed in the office of the Goes Wrench
Works in Worcester. In March, 1908, he
entered the employ of B. S. Roy & Son,
manufacturers of card grinding ma-
chinery at 775 Southbridge street, Wor-
cester. Since 1912 Mr. Underwood has
been general manager of the business and
of the Riverside Mills which are owned
by the same firm. The partners in this
firm are Bozil S. Roy and his son, Syl-
vanus B. Roy. In politics Mr. Under-
wood is a Republican.
BROWN, Captain John C.,
Soldier of Civil War.
In the United States there are several
ancient families bearing this name, and
from among them many men of promi-
nence have arisen. The surname is of the
class called complexion names, and was
assumed by its first bearer from his com-
plexion or the color of his hair. The
large number among the pioneer settlers
of New England have left a very numer-
ous progeny. The frequent recurrence of
the same Christian names has rendered it
extremely difficult to trace the descent of
226
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
many. Happily, the line herein covered is
fairly complete and includes some promi-
nent citizens of New England, who have
earned distinction by their own merit and
ability.
(I) Nicholas Brown appears early at
Portsmouth, Rhode Island, was one o f .
those admitted an inhabitant of the Island
of Aquidneck in 1638, and was one of
the twenty-nine who signed the compact
binding them into a civil body "politicke,"
April 30, 1639. On February 4, 1646, he
had twenty acres added to his other
twenty and adjoining it, and was made a
freeman in 1655. By his will, which was
proved December 27, 1694, and of which
his grandson Tobias was executor, he
gave to his eldest son Nicholas, to son
Abraham, to daughter Jane Babcock, to
granddaughters, daughters of son Wil-
liam (deceased) and to grandson Tobias,
son of William.
(II) William Brown, of Portsmouth,
was taxed in 1680. He had children:
Martha, Jane (born 1677) and Tobias.
(III) Tobias Brown, of Portsmouth
and Little Compton, died 1734, in the lat-
ter town. He married, about 1704, Alice
Burrington, their marriage being of Little
Compton record, as are their children,
who were: John, born 1/05; Abraham,
mentioned below; William. 1709; Nich-
olas, 1710; Alice, 1711 ; Sarah, 1713: Rob-
ert, 1717.
(IV) Abraham, second son of Tobias
and Alice (Burrington) Brown, was born
1707, in Little Compton, Rhode Island,
and lived in Tiverton, where he married,
December 17, 1731, Sarah Corey, daughter
of Thomas Corey, of that town. She re-
ceived six hundred pounds by her father's
will. Children : Abigail, born February
21, 1732; Abraham, mentioned below;
Sarah, July 17, 1736; Rebecca, March 23,
1740.
(V) Abraham (2), only son of Abra-
ham (i) and Sarah (Corey) Brown, was
born January i, 1735, in Tiverton, and
married in Little Compton, March 10
1756, Abigail Wilbur, born September 7,
1734, daughter of William and Jane
(Crandall) Wilbur. Children: Isaac, men-
tioned below; Benjamin, twin of Isaac,
born October 17, 1756; Abraham, De-
cember 8, 1757; Abigail, December 15,
1759, was mother of Adoniram Judson,
the noted Baptist missionary ; Mary, July
13, 1761 ; Sarah, December 25, 1765; Wil-
liam, April 30, 1770; Pardon, January 25,
1772.
(VI) Isaac, eldest child of Abraham
(2) and Abigail (Wilbur) Brown, was
born October 17, 1756, twin of Benjamin,
and was a Revolutionary soldier, a mem-
ber of the company commanded by Briga-
dier-General William Barton, which cap-
tured General Prescott. He married, De-
cember 27, 1787, in Tiverton, Hannah
Cook, born March 13, 1764, in that town,
daughter of Jeremiah and Constant (Rus-
sell) Cook, of Tiverton (see Cook V).
Children: Abigail, born April 2, 1789;
Polly, April i, 1790; Adoniram, Septem-
ber 13, 1791; Betsey, December 7, 1796;
Abraham, mentioned below.
(VII) Abraham (3), youngest child of
Isaac and Hannah (Cook) Brown, was
born December 3, 1798, in Tiverton, and
died at Maiden, Massachusetts, Novem-
ber 14, 1888, was buried in Rural Ceme-
tery of New Bedford, Massachusetts. He
married, December 29, 1822, in Tiverton,
Almira Manchester, born January 13,
1804, died in New Bedford, Massachu-
setts, November 3, 1851, and was buried
in Rural Cemetery of that city. She was
a daughter of Captain James and Han-
nah (Almy) Manchester, of Tiverton (see
Manchester VI). Children: i. Hannah
Maria, born July 27, 1823. 2. William
Frederick, December 26, 1824. 3. Almira
Lavinia, November n, 1826. 4. John
227
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Cheney, mentioned below. 5. James
Horace, July 13 or 18, 1830. 6. Abraham
Augustus, August 21, 1832. 7. Isaac Ed-
win, June 26, 1834. 8. Thomas Wren,
April 30, 1836. 9. Clarence Ferdinand,
who died aged sixteen years. 10. Joseph
Warren Mansur, July 23, 1840. n. Mary
Elizabeth, who died young. 12. Alexan-
der Wall, November 13, 1847.
(VIII) John Cheney Brown, son of
Abraham (3) and Almira (Manchester)
Brown, was born July 22, 1828, in Tiver-
ton, removed in boyhood with his parents
to New Bedford, and was educated in the
public schools there. When civil strif.
arose in the country, he went to the de-
fence of his native land, enlisting as a
member of Company K, Seventy-third
United States Infantry, Corps d'Afrique,
afterwards United States Colored Troops,
and became captain of this company, and
later of Company G, of the same regi-
ment. He received a mortal wound in
the assault on Fort Blakely, near Mobile-
Alabama, April 10, 1865, and passed away
on the following day. He was brevetted
a major of United States volunteers o
the day of his death. The following Ic
ter was addressed to his widow by hi
lieutenant-colonel, Henry C. Merriam :
Headquarters 73rd. U. S. C. Infantry.
Blakely, Ala. April 10, 1865.
My Dear Madam: It has become my painful
duty to announce to you and your children the
death of your husband and their father. Yes-
terday, after a siege of seven days, we were
ordered to make an assault. Foremost and
bravest among us, Capt. John C. Brown, fell
mortally wounded, when he had passed over
about half the ground. He died this evening,
after considerable suffering. He was shot
through the bowels, the shot coming out two
inches to the right of the spine. He also re-
ceived a slight wound on the scalp. He was
rational to the last, and talked much of you and
of his children. He did not murmur, but
seemed to feel great joy when I took his hand
on my return from the bloody field and assured
him of our victory and thanked him for the
cool and heroic manner in which he led his noble
company on to the fray.
Capt. Brown has always been a reliable and
faithful officer, but never has his character been
so conspicuous as in the presence of danger.
Then his whole soul seemed to beam with
patriotism, and every energy of his being was
given to the full discharge of his duties. Upon
the tedious march, the siege, the bivouac and
in the stern hour of battle, his manly courage
and uniform courtesy have won for him an
affection among us, the officers of his regi-
ment, which will remain while memory lives.
Thus is added one more to that historic band,
whose deeds will live in the hearts of a grate-
ful people, and whose generous and free dis-
position, whose Christian charity and virtue as
well as cool bravery and unwavering patriotism
will live in their influence forever. We have
buried the remains of Captain Brown with mili-
tary honors, by a large oak tree, on the banks
of the Alabama, upon which is carved his name
and regiment. The oak stands close by the
right flank of our extreme right battery. a bat-
tery constructed in part under the supervision
of the deceased.
Very truly yours,
HENRY C. MERRIAM,
Lt. Col. 83d. Reg. U. S. C. Infantry.
From the New Bedford "Standard :"
Recognition of Patriotic Service. We under-
stand that the family of the late Captain John C.
Brown have received from the War Department
a commission as Brevet-Major of U. S. volun-
teers, for meritorious services at the assault
upon and capture of Fort Blakely. Alabama,
dating from the pth of April, 1865, on which day
he fell, mortally wounded, while gallantly lead-
ing his command.
He married, in New Bedford, Massa-
chusetts, December 16, 1851, Jane Eliza-
beth Taylor, born April 5, 1833. daughter
of William Howland and Elizabeth Ann
(Pitman) Taylor, of New Bedford (see
Taylor, VI). She died October 19, 1865,
in New Bedford, and was buried in Rural
Cemetery of that city. Children : Caro-
line Elizabeth, mentioned below; Edward
Sisson, a well known banker of New Bed-
ford, where he is president of the Mechan-
228
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
ics' National Bank, married Mary Eliza-
beth Gardner; Horace Manchester, a
prominent physician and surgeon in Mil-
waukee, Wisconsin, married Fanny
Louise Eldred ; Etta, died young.
(IX) Caroline Elizabeth, eldest child
of John C. and Jane Elizabeth (Taylor)
Brown, was born in New Bedford, and
was married, in 1881, to Judson Cary
Mackenzie, of Fall River, president of
the Mackenzie & Winslow Corporation,
of that city. Children : Joseph William,
born November 30, 1882, in Fall River,
Massachusetts, graduated from Brown
University, Providence, in 1904, with the
degree of Master of Arts, is in business
with his father, and resides in Fall River;
on August 23, 1916, he married Ethel
Nason Brewster, of Auburndale, Massa-
chusetts, daughter of Charles Edward
and Marion (\Viggin) Brewster. John
Brown, born January 19, 1886, in Fall
River, graduated from Brown University
in 1908, resides in Buffalo, New York, be-
ing a member of the firm of Root, Neal &
Company, machinery dealers ; he married,
in Buffalo, June 22, 1916, Florence S. Ralph,
daughter of Ben Cutler and Jean (McMil-
lan) Ralph, of that city. Mrs. Macken-
zie is a member of Quequechan Chapter,
Daughters of the American Revolution,
of Fall River, in which she served as
treasurer from 1896 to 1899, was record-
ing secretary from 1901 to 1903, vice-
president 1908 to 1909, and regent Octo-
ber, 1899, to April, 1901. She is a mem-
ber of the Fall River Woman's Club and
of the Woman's Auxiliary of the Young
Men's Christian Association ; a member
of the Woman's Board of the Union Hos-
pital, of the Woman's Union, and a lady
active in civic and charitable works.
(The Cook Line).
(I) Thomas Cook, a butcher of Ports-
mouth, was received inhabitant there in
1643, was made freeman in 1655 and died
February 6, 1674. He purchased land Oc-
tober 25, 1649, ar >d built a house, subse-
quently received a grant of eight acres,
was deputy to the General Court in 1664.
He had a second wife, Mary. There is
no record of his first wife, and only one
child is recorded.
(II) John, son of Thomas Cook, born
1631, probably in England, died in 1691,
in Portsmouth, where he resided, and
was a butcher. He received a deed from
his father of eighty acres, April 14, 1660,
was a freeman in 1655, and with Daniel
Wilcox, was given leave to operate a ferry
at Pocasset, June 3, 1668. In 1670 he
represented the town in the General
Court. His will gave one hundred and
fifty acres at Punketest to his son John,
with other land in Little Compton and
other property. To his son Joseph he
gave the homestead in Portsmouth, with
other land, a negro man Jack, and Indian
woman and boy, the latter to be set free
and given a start in life. He also gave
land to his son Samuel. He married
Mary Borden, who died before 1691,
daughter of Richard and Joan Borden.
Children : Mary, married William Man-
chester ; Elizabeth, married William
Briggs ; Sarah, married Thomas Wait ;
John, married Ruth Shaw ; Hannah, mar-
ried (first) Daniel Wilcox, (second)
Enoch Briggs ; Joseph, married Sus-
anna Briggs ; Martha, married \Villiam
Cory ; Deborah, married William Almy ;
Thomas, mentioned below.
(III) Thomas (2), youngest child of
John and Mary (Borden) Cook, was born
about 1666, in Portsmouth, and lived in
Tiverton, where he died 1736. His will
was proved June n of that year, dispos-
ing of a large amount of land and other
property, including money. The inven-
tory amounted to three hundred and one
pounds, fifteen shillings, five pence, in-
229
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
eluding much live stock, woolen and linen
wheels, and other personal property. He
married Mary, daughter of William and
Mary (Earle) Cory, and had children:
Stephen, Joseph, Chaplin, Deborah, Marv
and Amey.
(IV) Joseph, second son of Thomas
(2) and Mary (Cory) Cook, resided at
Punketest, and received lands by his
father's will. His first wife bore the name
of Lydia. He married (second) October
16, 1/33- Mary Bennett, and they had one
child, Lydia, born February 19, 1/35-
Children of first marriage : Joseph, born
September 12, 1712; Sarah, June 18, 1714;
Job, December n, 1716; Elizabeth, July
22, 1719; Anne, April 4, 1/21; Mary,
March 20, 1724; Abigail, March 21, 1726;
Jeremiah, mentioned below ; Phebe, Feb-
ruary 14, 1729; Hannah, December 14,
I73 2 -
(V) Jeremiah, third son of Joseph and
Lydia Cook, was born May 9, 1727, in
Tiverton, and resided in that town, where
he married, December 13, 1750, Constant
Russell. Children: Russell, born June
28, 1752; Ruth, July 21, 1753: Peace, June
21, 1755; Lydia, April 17, 1761; Hannah,
mentioned below.
(VI) Hannah, fourth daughter of Jere-
miah and Constant (Russell) Cook, was
born March 13, 1764, and was married,
December 27, 1787, in Tiverton, to Isaac
Brown, of that town (see Brown VI).
(The Manchester Line).
(I) Thomas Manchester was in Ports-
mouth, Rhode Island, as early as 1655,
and owned land in the town of Tiverton,
where one or more of his sons settled.
He married Margaret Wood, and they
had children: Thomas, who settled in
Portsmouth ; William ; John ; Stephen ;
Job, settled in Dartmouth, Massachu-
setts; Mary; Elizabeth.
(II) William, son of Thomas and Mar-
garet (\Vood) Manchester, was born in
1654, in Portsmouth, was made freeman
in 1675, and was one of the first settlers
in Tiverton, in 1692, when the town was
organized. There he died in 1718. He
married Mary, daughter of John and
Mary (Borden) Cook, and they had chil-
dren : John, William, Mary, Sarah, De-
borah, Elizabeth, Margaret, Amey, Su-
sannah, Rebecca and Thomas.
(Ill) John, eldest child of William and
Mary (Cook) Manchester, lived in Tiver-
ton, where he married, July 22, 1719,
Phebe Gray, born September 6, 1699, in
Tiverton, daughter of Edward (2) and
Mary (Smith) Gray, granddaughter of
Edward (i) and Dorothy (Lettice) Gray,
pioneers of Rhode Island. Children:
William, mentioned below; Philip, born
February II, 1722; John, February 12,
1724; Mary, January 23, 1726; John, April
17, 1728; Isaac, June 27, 1731, and proba-
bly several others, including Peleg.
(IV) William, eldest child of John and
Phebe (Gray) Manchester, was born Sep-
tember 9, 1720, in Tiverton, and married
there, October 7, 1742, Rebecca Cook,
born March 21, 1722, in Newport, daugh-
ter of Joseph and Hannah (Peabody)
Cook. Children: Phebe, born July 21,
1743; Gilbert, mentioned below; God-
frey, September 19, 1746; Rhody, May
11, 1748; John, November 7, 1749; Alice,
May 21, 1/53 ; Thaddeus, January i, 1756 ;
Priscilla, November 28, 1761.
(V) Gilbert, eldest son of William and
Rebecca (Cook) Manchester, was born
April 9, 1745, in Tiverton, and made his
home in that town. He was a lieutenant
in a regiment from Newport and Bristol
counties in 1775. He married in Tiver-
ton, about 1767, Mercy Durfee, born
March 11, 1745, in Tiverton, daughter of
Samuel and Mercy (Durfee) Durfee, of
that town (see Durfee III). Children:
230
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Eliphal, born December 13, 1768; James,
mentioned below.
(VI) Captain James Manchester, sec-
ond son of Gilbert and Mercy (Durfee)
Manchester, was born June 6, 1781, in
Tiverton, and married there, July 20,
1803, Hannah Almy, of Little Compton,
born March 20, 1785, in that town, daugh-
ter of Lieutenant Sanford Almy and his
wife, Lydia Gray, the latter the daughter
of Colonel Pardon Gray and Mary Brown,
who was the daughter of John and Sarah
(White) Brown (see Almy V). Children:
i. Almira, mentioned below. 2. Diana,
born June 19, 1806. 3. Lavinia, January
29, 1808. 4. Emeline, June 26, 1809. 5.
Horace, who was a lawyer in Providence.
6. Harriet.
(VII) Almira, eldest child of Captain
James and Hannah (Almy) Manchester,
was born January 13, 1804, and was mar-
ried, December 29, 1822, to Abraham (3)
Brown, of Tiverton, Rhode Island (see
Brown VII).
(The Almy Line).
(I) William Almy, born in 1601, came
from England and was an inhabitant of
Lynn, Massachusetts, as early as 1631.
He went home to England, but came
back in the year 1635, in the ship "Abi-
gail," with his wife Audry and children,
Annis and Christopher. In 1637 he was
at Sandwich, Massachusetts, where he
sold land in 1642. He had land granted
him in 1644, at Wading River, Ports-
mouth, Rhode Island, and was a free-
man in 1655. His other children were
John and Job.
(II) Job, son of William and Audry
Almy, lived in the towns of Portsmouth,
Warwick and Providence, Rhode Island,
and died in 1684. He was deputy from
Warwick in 1670 and 1672, and assistant
in 1673, : ^74 and 1675. He married Mary
Unthank, and had children : William
(died young), Christopher, William, Sus-
anna, Audry, Deborah, Catherine, John,
Mary and Job.
(III) Job (2), son of Job and Mary
(Unthank) Almy, born March 3, 1681, in
Portsmouth, resided in Tiverton, and died
January 25, 1767. He married, December
6, 1705, Bridget, daughter of Peleg and
Mary (Coddington) Sanford. Children:
Job, born March 4, 1707; Peleg, October
25, 1709; Mary, June 20, 1711; Eliphal,
August 3, 1713; Bridget, May 16, 1716;
Ann, January 28, 1718; John, mentioned
below; Job, May 15, 1722; Deborah,
March 21, 1724.
(IV) John, fourth son of Job (2) and
Bridget (Sanford) Almy, born April 18,
1720, married Hannah, who died 1765,
and their children of Tiverton town rec-
ord were : Sanford, mentioned below ;
Peleg, born January 8, 1761 ; Bridget,
September 21, 1762; John, April 16, 1764;
Cook, September 24, 1765.
(V) Sanford, eldest child of John and
Hannah Almy, was born August 28, 1759,
in Tiverton, was a sergeant from New-
port county, and received two hundred
and forty-four dollars and ninety-eight
cents for service in Rhode Island militia.
He appears on the pension roll of 1840, at
the age of eighty years, living then in
Little Compton with his son, Sanford
Almy, Jr. He married, September 27,
1781, Lydia, daughter of Pardon and
Mary (Brown) Gray (see Gray IV).
Children: George, born July 7, 1782;
John, July 17, 1783; Hannah, mentioned
below; Frederick, November 20, 1786;
Sanford, September 20, 1788; Humphrey,
August 27, 1790; Pardon, June 18, 1792;
Mary, June 16, 1794; Angelina, October
26, 1796; Clarissa, August 24, 1799;
Louisa, September 12, 1801 ; Lydia, March
7, 1804; John C, November 19, 1807;
Fanny F., March 14, 1810.
(VI) Hannah, eldest daughter of San-
231
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
ford and Lydia (Gray) Almy, was born
March 20, 1785, and married, July 28,
1803, Captain James Manchester, of Tiver-
ton (see Manchester VI).
(The Gray Line).
The Gray family of Rhode Island was
founded in America by Edward Gray, a
native of England, who came to America
among the early settlers, locating at
Plymouth. He married Mary Winslow,
daughter of John Winslow and niece of
Governor Winslow. His second wife was
Dorothy Lettice.
(II) Edward (2), son of Edward (i)
Gray, was born January 31, 1667, and re-
sided in the town of Tiverton. He mar-
ried (first) Mary Smith, and had chil-
dren: Mary, born May 16, 1691 ; Edward,
January 10, 1693; Elizabeth, January 3,
1695; Sarah, April 25, 1697; Phebe, Sep-
tember 6, 1699; Philip, mentioned below;
Thomas, February 4, 1/04; Harriet, No-
vember 3, 1/07. He had a second wife.
Mary, and children : John, born August 3,
1712; Lydia, May 13, 1714; William, July
17, 1716; Samuel, August 31, 1718.
(III) Philip, second son of Edward (2)
and Mary (Smith) Gray, born February
ii, 1702, in Tiverton, made his home in
that town south of the Nanaquacket Cove,
and there died. He married Sarah Corey,
and had children : Philip, born April 6,
1728, died young; Pardon, mentioned be-
low; Philip, April 6, 1738, died June 2,
1750.
(IV) Colonel Pardon Gray, second son
of Philip and Sarah (Corey) Gray, was
born April 20, 1737, resided in Tiverton
during the great struggle for independ-
ence, in which he took an active part. He
was major in the Second Regiment of the
State Brigade in 1775-1779; commissary
for the troops stationed at Tiverton and
Little Compton ; was Governor's assist-
ant in 1777 ; major in Second Regiment
in the county of Newport ; lieutenant-
colonel in the Second Regiment of New-
port troops, and served as judge of the
Superior Court. In May, 1776, the Gen-
eral Assembly voted to divide the New-
port county regiment into two regiments,
and put the Tiverton and Little Compton
companies into the Second Regiment, ap-
pointing Pardon Gray major. Major
Gray, afterward known as Colonel Gray,
had charge of the commissary headquar-
ters. Six companies of troops were raised
to recruit the regiments before Boston
and Major Gray was one of a committee
to equip the said soldiers according to
law, and to draw the money out of the
town treasury. This wa on June 28,
1776, at an extra session of the assembly.
Pardon Gray was an intense and devoted
patriot, and spent a large part of his
wealth in the service of his country. He
converted his own private residence at
Tiverton into commissary headquarters,
and the great brick ovens in the cellar,
where the bread was baked for the troops,
were still intact when the house was de-
stroyed a few years ago. He was a warm
personal friend of Lafayette, who visited
him while in this country, and was a cor-
respondent on his return to France. Par-
don Gray's name appears in the list of
those who voted "Yes"' on the question
of adopting the federal constitution. He
was a large landowner in Tiverton, where
he had his home, and in 1760 also pur-
chased land in Little Compton, upon
which his son settled, and which is still
in the possession of the family. The
house still located on this land, and occu-
pied by Mrs. George A. Gray, and her
daughter, is known as the "Betty Alden
Homestead," being the house in which
Betty Alden lived after her marriage. She
was the daughter of John Alden and Pris-
cilla Mullins, and was the first white child
born in the New England States. She
232
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
married William Pabodie, who was the
first town clerk of Little Compton. Par-
don Gray spent his life in Tiverton, where
he died. He was married there by Sam-
uel Hicks, justice of the peace, January
16, 1755, to Mary Brown, daughter of
John and Sarah (White) Drown, and had
children: Job, born May 14, 1756; Sarah,
May 3, 1758; Edward, July 8, 1/59; Mary,
August 30, 1/61 ; Lydia, mentioned be-
low ; Abigail, August 2, 1764 ; Philip, Feb-
ruary 2, 1766; Pardon, October II, 1767;
Hannah, May 2, 1769; John, May 20,
1772; Thomas, November 28, 1774; Mary,
November 18, 1776.
(V) Lydia, third daughter of Pardon
and Mary (Brown) Gray, was born March
15, 1763, and married, September 27, 1781,
Sanford Almy (see Almy V).
(The Taylor Line).
(I) Robert Taylor, the emigrant from
England, appeared in Newport in 1655,
giving his occupation as ropemaker, in
which year he was made freeman. In
1673 he was appointed prisonkeeper. He
married, November, 1646, Mary Hodges,
of Scituate, Massachusetts. Children:
Mary, born August 12, 1647; Ann, Feb-
ruary 10, 1650; Margaret, June 30, 1651 ;
Robert, mentioned below ; John, June,
1657; Peter, July, 1661 ; and James, who
died October 7, 1690.
(II) Robert (2), eldest son of Robert
(0 and Mary (Hodges) Taylor, was born
October 16, 1653, in Newport, died June
12, 1707, and was buried in his orchard
in Middletown. He married Deborah
Peckham, of Middletown, who like him-
self was a Quaker, and died September 8,
1742. Children: John, born September
26, 1687; Margaret, July 7, 1689; Eliza-
beth, July 26, 1691 ; Robert, November
22, 1694; Robert October 13, 1695; Deb-
orah, January 12, 1697; Thomas, Novem-
ber 2, 1699 ; Peter, mentioned below ;
Mary, November 23, 1703.
(III) Peter, fifth son of Robert (2) and
Deborah (Peckham,) Taylor, was born
March 8, 1701, in Newport, and died there
October i, 1766. He was a Quaker and a
prominent member of the Society of
Friends, doing preaching at various times.
He married, October 16, 1728, Thankful
Tripp, of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, died
October 5, 1775. Children: Deborah,
born July 28, 1729; Elizabeth, August 3,
1731 ; Ann, March 30, 1733; Robert, men-
tioned below; James, April 21, 1738;
Mary, March 27, 1740; Catherine and
Sarah (twins), February 14, 1742; Abi-
gail, August 12, 1744, died young; Abi-
gail, September 3, 1746; Martha, Septem-
ber 2, 1749.
(IV) Robert (3), eldest son of Peter
and Thankful (Tripp) Taylor, was born
December 9, 1735, in Newport, and died
there October 9, 1810. He was a tanner
by occupation and owned a large tannery
on Walnut street, west of the railroad
bridge. He was at first a Quaker in re-
ligion, but was disowned on account of
his activity in support of the Revolution-
ary War, and affiliated with the Second
Congregational Church of Newport. He
was a "Son of Liberty." He was promi-
nent in the affairs of his town, and served
as justice of the peace and in other offices,
including that of tax collector. He mar-
ried (first) December 6, 1759, Mary Pit-
man, of Newport, who died May 3, 1789,
and he married (second) her sister, Abi-
gail Pitman, born 1732, died January i.
1808. Children, all by first wife : Robert,
born February 14, 1763; Rebecca, August
20, 1/65; John, April 15, 1770; James,
mentioned below; Mary, April 15, 1773;
Peter, January 20, 1775; Horatio Gates,
September 21, 1778; Deborah, August 7,
1783-
(V) James, third son of Robert (3) and
Mary (Pitman) Taylor, was born Novem-
ber 14, 1771, in Newport, and died there
May 3, 1835. When about eighteen years
233
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
of age he taught school in Portsmouth,
and "boarded round" as was the custom.
After a winter or two there, he entered
the academy of Robert Rogers, of New-
port, as usher or assistant. Here he aided
in the instruction of William Ellery Chan-
ning, William Hunter, Philip Allen,
Washington Allston, General Wain-
wright, and others, who became distin-
guished in after life. He also acquired a
good classical education, and on leaving
the academy studied medicine with Dr.
Isaac Senter, of Newport. After about
two years he went into the business of
druggist and apothecary, in partnership
with Hon. William Hunter, in the shop
established by the latter's father, Dr. Wil-
liam Hunter, in 1/45. He continued in
business in the same shop until his death,
when he was succeeded by his son and,
after the latter's death, a grandson. James
Taylor was for several successive years
president of the town council. He fur-
nished the "Meteorological Diary," which
was published weekly in the "Newport
Mercury" for many years, and his son,
Robert James, continued it until his death.
In politics he was first a Whig, later
joined the ranks of the Republican party,
and was called upon to fill many offices
of trust and honor. Mr. Taylor married,
April 7, 1799, Ann Howland, daughter of
Captain William and Ann (Sayer) How-
land, of Conanicut, born February 18,
1772, died September 8, 1858. Children :
I. \Villiam H., mentioned below. 2. Mary
Ann, born February 18, 1801. died March
5, 1835, in Newport, unmarried. 3. George
Washington, June 7, 1803, was judge of
probate in Newport, and died there July
28, 1880. 4. Harriet, August /, 1805, died
in infancy. 5. John Howland, September
17, 1808, died May 20, 1874. in Providence,
where he had been a druggist for many
years. 6. Robert James, May 29, 1811, in
Newport. 7. Harriet Frances, May 25,
1818, died November 10, 1859, unmarried.
(VI) William Howland, eldest child of
James and Ann (Howland) Taylor, was
born January 6, 1800, in Newport, and
died in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Sep-
tember 13, 1880. He was associated with
his father as druggist until sixteen years
of age, in the meantime preparing him-
self to be a surgeon in the navy. When
sixteen years old he went to Providence,
and was employed in a drug store there,
but shortly returned to Newport, and was
appointed clerk in the custom house under
William Ellery, one of the signers of the
Declaration of Independence, then col-
lector of the port. In 1821 he was ap-
pointed deputy collector of customs at
Bristol, Rhode Island, and held this posi-
tion three years. He was in the drug
business in Providence following this
until 1829, when he was appointed deputy
collector at New Bedford, Massachusetts,
which office he filled until 1843. At this
time he accepted the secretaryship of the
Mutual Marine Insurance Company, and
filled that office twenty years, until the
expiration of the company's charter. Fol-
lowing this he became president of the
Ocean Insurance Company, which office
he held till it closed business in 1878. In
the early days of city government of New
Bedford, he served on the board of alder-
men, was for some years chairman of the
school committee, and engineer of the fire
department. From 1832 to 1856 he was
on the school committee, and the William
H. Taylor School in New Bedford is
named in his honor. He was a charter
member of the New Bedford Port Soci-
ety, and on its board of management from
its inception to his death. He was presi-
dent of the Bristol County Insurance
Company, and a charter member of
Acushnet Lodge, Independent Order of
234
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Odd Fellows, and of Annawan Encamp-
ment of the same order. Mr. Taylor was
an authority on revenue law. No one
ever questioned his probity, and he be-
queathed to his family and the commu-
nity the example of a good life. He mar-
ried, June 18, 1821, Elizabeth Ann Pit-
man, born January 6, 1798, died in New
Bedford, Massachusetts, April n, 1878.
Children : Mary Ann, born in Bristol,
March 16, 1822, married John Hobart ;
Emily Antoinette, born in Bristol, Febru-
ary 4, 1824, married Job A. T. Eddy ;
James, born in Providence, October 20,
1825, married Elizabeth J. Stoddard ; Wil-
liam, Henry, July 19, 1827, married Meri-
bah Randall ; John Pitman, born in New
Bedford, January 4, 1830, married Mary
Howland Gifford ; Jane Elizabeth, men-
tioned below ; George Alfred, born in
New Bedford, April 10, 1834, married
Mary M. Eldridge ; Harriet Gushing, Au-
gust 25, 1836, married Charles H. San-
ford; Amelia Frances, February 10, 1841,
married Samuel S. White.
(VII) Jane Elizabeth, third daughter
of William H. and Elizabeth A. (Pitman)
Taylor, was born April 5, 1833, and be-
came the wife of John Cheney Brown, of
New Bedford (see Brown VIII).
CLAFLEN, Daniel B.,
Esteemed Citizen.
The name of Claflen is found in New
England records with a multitude of spell-
ings, arising no doubt from the inability
of English-speaking people to compre-
hend the broad Scotch pronunciation of
those bearing it. Its original was Mac-
Lachlan, and sometimes appears in Mas-
sachusetts records as Mackclothlan, but
it was rapidly toned down to the present
form, in which it appears now in many
states and communities.
(I) The first representative of the fam-
ily in America was Robert MacLachlin,
who was probably among the prisoners
captured by Cromwell's army at the bat-
tle of Dunbar, many of whom were sent
to this country. He appears in Wenham,
Massachusetts, November 4, 1661, at
which date he was accepted as an inhab-
itant of the town. He was a soldier in
defense of the colonies against the French
and Indians, under Sir Edmund Andros,
received a grant of land in 1669, and was
a town officer. His house was desired by
the town for a parsonage, and he ex-
changed it for fifteen acres of land in
1673. Part of a house which he built is
still standing, and the well he dug is still
in use. The inventory of his estate, made
September 19, 1690, amounted to 101 93
6d, and the estate was increased later by
three pounds due him for military service.
He married, October 14, 1664, Joanna
Warner, supposed to have been a daugh-
ter of John Warner, an early resident of
Ipswich and one of the founders of Brook-
field, Massachusetts. Children: Joanna,
bom August 12, 1665 ; Robert (probably
born in Brookfield, no record found) ;
Elizabeth, May 18, 1670 ; Priscilla, August
22. 1672; Daniel, January 25, 1674; Abi-
gail, March 19, 1676; Mary, February 22,
1678; Antipas, mentioned below.
(II) Antipas, youngest child of Robert
and Joanna (Warner) Claflin (MacLach-
lin), was born 1680, in Wenham, and
lived a few years in Lexington, Mas-
sachusetts, where four of his children
are recorded. He received a deed of
land in Attleboro, same colony, March
i, 1715, and settled there about that
time. This tract embraced thirty-two
acres, and his holdings were increased
January 16, 1733, by purchase of all the
lands of John Sweet, of Attleboro. This
he sold back to Sweet inside of six
235
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
months. He died in Attleboro, January
21, 1756. His wife Sarah died in Sep-
tember, 17/7, supposed to have been one
hundred years old in the preceding March.
Children: Sarah, born November i, 1706;
Robert, mentioned below ; Noah, April
12, 1710; Nehemiah, September 28, 1713;
Hepzibeth, November 17, 1717; Antipas
and Ebenezer (twins), December 8, 1721.
(III) Robert (2) Claflen, eldest son of
Antipas and Sarah Claflin. was born March
13, 1708, in Lexington, and died in 1797,
in Attleboro. He was a member of the
second company of militia of the town,
but was too old for service in the Revolu-
tion. He married (first) January 28, 1737,
Ann Tolman, who died about 1742. He
married (second) published October 25,
1745, Abiah (Hodges) Follett, born 1714-
15, daughter of Nathaniel Hodges, died
June 23, 1774. Children of first marriage :
Nehemiah, born March 2, 1739; Robert,
July 3, 1741, died September 8, 1746.
Children of second marriage : Robert,
July 2, 1746; Anne, July 22, 1750; Na-
thaniel, October 26, 1751 ; Daniel, men-
tioned below.
(IV) Daniel, youngest child of Robert
(2) and Abiah (Hodges) Claflen, was
born October 15, 1755, in Attleboro, and
died there, December 10, 1822. He was
a soldier of the Revolution, serving first
in Captain Moses Wilmarth's company,
Colonel John Daggett's regiment, nine
days on the Lexington Alarm. He was a
private in Captain Stephen Richardson's
company, Colonel George Williams' regi-
ment, on a secret expedition from Sep-
tember 25 to October 29, 1777. He was
corporal in Captain Samuel Robinson's
company, Colonel Ward's regiment, on a
Rhode Island alarm, from June 21 to
July 13, 1778. He was a private in Cap-
tain Wilmarth's company. Colonel Thom-
as Carpenter's regiment, in Rhode Island,
from August 17 to September 9, 1778.
He married in Attleboro, Phebe Brown,
daughter of Noah and Deborah (Wil-
marth) Brown, born September 5, 1760,
died July 25, 1826. Children : Sally, born
February 13, 1783; Deborah, February
20, 1785; Phebe, December 22, 1786;
Daniel, September 27, 1788, died July 21,
1792; Daniel, mentioned below; Leices-
ter, December 24, 1793; Robert, May 17,
1796; Oren, July 21, 1799; Paschal
Chandler, April 24, 1803.
(V) Daniel (2), second son of Daniel
(i) and Phebe (Brown) Claflen, was born
June 23, 1792, in Attleboro, and there
spent his life, engaged in agriculture.
His home was on what is now South
Main street, where he died, July 10, 1850.
He married, September 16, 1822, Lita
Bliss, born March 8, 1797, in Rehoboth,
daughter of Abial and Rebecca Bliss of
that town, died April 6, 1883, in Attle-
boro. Children : Mary Bliss, born June
26, 1823 ; Daniel Brown, July 22, 1825 ;
Caroline Elizabeth, October I, 1828, died
June 21, 1829; Caroline Elizabeth, Octo-
ber 23, 1830; Rebecca Kent, April 25,
1833; Augustus, August 2, 1835; Phebe
Harriet. December 21, 1837, married No-
vember 29, 1860, Roswell Blackinton ;
Ellen Amanda, August 29, 1843.
(VI) Daniel Brown, eldest son of
Daniel (2) and Lita (Bliss) Claflen, was
born July 22, 1825, in Attleboro, on the
paternal farm, which he inherited and
occupied through life. He attended the
local schools, and settled down to agri-
culture upon the death of his father,
which occurred when he was twenty
years of age. Stock raising received con-
siderable attention, and he made valuable
improvements in the homestead farm, being
recognized as a progressive and success-
ful farmer and a trustworthy and useful
citizen. His death occurred July 4, 1903,
at the age of seventy-eight years, and his
bodv was laid to rest in Woodlawn ceme-
236
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
tery. A Christian in principle and prac-
tice, he was esteemed and respected, acted
politically with the Republican party,
and was much devoted to his home and
family. He married, June 2, 1857, Julia
M. Clark, born August 28, 1833, in Paw-
tucket, Rhode Island, daughter of Daniel
Russell and Maria (Eddy) Clark. She
survives him, and now resides in the fam-
ily homestead on South Main street, is a
member of the Congregational church,
and esteemed as a lady of fine mind and
devotion to all that is uplifting. Her
children : Mary, died unmarried, in her
forty-second year ; and Chester, died at
the age of twenty-four years.
(The Clark Line).
(Ij Edmund Clark came from England
and located in Lynn, Massachusetts,
about 1636. He soon removed to Sand-
wich, in the Plymouth Colony, and, later,
about 1651, to Gloucester, Massachusetts.
From 1656 to 1665 he was town clerk,
and died February 26, 1667. His widow,
Agnes, married (second) Thomas Tenny,
and died February 23, 1682. Children of
known record: Abigail, born about 1633:
John, died 1680; Joseph, mentioned be-
low.
(II) Joseph, son of Edmund and Agnes
Clark, was born November 16, 1650, in
Gloucester, and died there, November 29,
1696, at the age of forty-six years. He
married, March 27, 1682, Hannah Davis,
of Haverhill, born June 19, 1650, daugh-
ter of James and Elizabeth (Eaton) Davis.
Children: Joseph, born September 10,
1684; Edmund, died young; Abigail, De-
cember 24, 1688; Mary, March 9, 1690;
John, mentioned below ; Edmund, De-
cember 3, 1695.
(III) Deacon John, third son of Joseph
and Hannah (Davis) Clark, was born
March 6, 1692, in Gloucester, and settled
in that part of Windham, Connecticut,
now Hampton in the spring of 1719, his
being the fourth family in what is now
Hampton. His deed of land there was
dated August 29, 1718, and he occupied
the same site, engaged in agriculture, un-
til his death, which took place November
9, 1782. He first attended church at
Windham Center, traveling nine miles on
foot through the unbroken forest. One
of the incorporators of the second society
in Windham, at Windham village, June
5, 1723, he was made a deacon of that
society, August 17, 1737, and continued in
that office until his death. He was an in-
dustrious and thrifty farmer, and tenderly
cared for his parents in their old age. He
married, in Gloucester, November 17,
1718, Ruth Haskell, born December 29,
1693, in that town, daughter of John
Haskell, and granddaughter of William
Haskell, immigrant ancestor of a numer-
ous family. She died in July, 1776, in
Hampton. Children : John, mentioned
below; Stephen, born May 16, 1721;
Daniel, November 27, 1722; David, July
14, 1724; Jeremiah, March 26, 1726;
Hannah, December 14, 1727; Amos, Sep-
tember 19, 1729; Mary, August 18, 1731 ;
Jonathan, September 12, 1734; Isaac,
June 18, 1736.
(IV) John (2), eldest child of John (i)
and Ruth (Haskell) Clark, was born Au-
gust 14, 1719, in Windham, where he
made his home, and died June 19, 1771.
He married, November 12, 1747, Eliza-
beth Parker, probably a daughter of John
Parker, of Windham. She died July 14,
1801, at the home of her eldest son, in
what is now Chaplin. Children: Daniel,
born October 17, 1750; Sarah, April i,
1752; Ebenezer, June 7, 1754; John, men-
tioned below; Titus, January 25, 1758.
(V) John (3), eldest child of John (2)
and Elizabeth (Parker) Clark, was born
March 16, 1756, in Hampton, and was
killed by lightning July 9, 1818. He mar-
237
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
tied, March 7, 1793, Phebe, widow of
Jared Curtis, of Dudley, Massachusetts,
born August 12, 1766, daughter of Ele-
azer and Abigail (Mixer) Putney. About
this time they were admitted to the
church in Ashford, Connecticut. Chil-
dren: Phebe, born May 2, 1794; Daniel
Russell; Betsey and Polly (twins), De-
cember 16, 1796; Anna, February 26,
1798; Eleanor, July 8, 1803.
(VI) Daniel Russell, son of John (3)
and Phebe (Putney) Clark, was born
about 1/95, in Ashford, and when a young
man went to Providence, Rhode Island,
where he learned the trade of cabinet
making, and followed it several years in
that town. Removing to Pawtucket, he
engaged in the furniture trade, with
which he associated the business of
undertaking, and was successful. He was
a member and deacon of the Congrega-
tional church in Pawtucket, was highly
respected, a useful citizen, and died at the
age of sixty-four years. He was married
in Providence, by Rev. Mr. Wilson, Feb-
ruary 11, 1821, to Maria Eddy, born Sep-
tember 10, 1797, in Providence, daughter
of Barnard (2) and Betsey (Walker)
Eddy, of that town (see Eddy VII). She
died in Pawtucket. Children : Edwin R.,
married Deborah Brown, and died in Paw-
tucket ; Daniel A., married (first) Mary
Bliss, (second) Sarah Bellows, and died
in 1913. in California ; Julia M., mentioned
below ; two died in infancy.
(VII) Julia Maria, daughter of Daniel
R. and Maria (Eddy) Clark, was born
August 28, 1833, in Pawtucket, and be-
came the wife of Daniel Brown Claflen,
of Attleboro (see Claflen VI).
(The Eddy Line).
(I) William Eddye, A. M., vicar of the
Church of St. Dunstan, of the town of
Cranbrook, County Kent, England, from
1589 to 1616, was a native of Bristol, and
received his education at Trinity Col-
lege, Cambridge, England. He died No-
vember 23, 1616, and was buried in the
Cranbrook churchyard. He left the finan-
cial affairs of his parish in better order
than before, and collected and arranged
the loose registers dating back from 1588
in a new parchment book, beautifully en-
grossed about eighty of the pages and
illuminated three title pages, one for
births, one for marriages, and the third
for deaths. The book is still in existence
a'c the vicarage. He married (first) No-
vember 20, 1587, Mary Foston, daughter
of John Foston, who died September,
1573. She died July, 1611, leaving an in-
fant, Nathaniel, who died nine days after
she did. He married (second) in 1614,
Elizabeth Taylor, widow. Children by
first wife: Mary, born September, 1591;
Phineas, September, 1593; John, March,
1597; Ellen, August, 1599; Abigail, Oc-
tober, 1601 ; Anna, May, 1603; Elizabeth,
December, 1606; Samuel, mentioned be-
low; Zachariah, March, 1610; Nathaniel,
July. 1611. Child by second wife: Pris-
cilla, born 1614.
(II) Samuel, son of William and Mary
(Foston) Eddye, was born in May, 1608,
died 1685. He was the immigrant ances-
tor. On August 10, 1630, with his brother
John, he left London, England, in the
ship "Handmaid," Captain John Grant,
arriving at Plymouth, Massachusetts, Oc-
tober 29, 1630, settled in Plymouth, and
on January i, 1632, was made freeman.
On November 7, 1637, three acres of land
in Plymouth were set off for him, and in
1641 six acres of land and thirty acres of
meadow were set off to him. On April
3, 1645, he sent his son John to live with
Francis Gould until he should come of
age. His wife was fined, October 7, 1651,
for wringing out clothes on Sunday, but
later the fine was remitted. She was
summoned before court May i, 1660, to
238
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
answer for traveling on Sunday from
Plymouth to Boston, and she declared
that she went there on that day because
of the illness of Mistress Saffin. She was
excused, but admonished. On May 9,
1631, Samuel Eddy purchased a house at
Spring Hill, at the end of Main street,
in Plymouth, of Experience Mitchell, and
sold it in 1645. He was one of the origi-
nal purchasers of Middleborough, Mas-
sachusetts, and owned much land in other
places. In 1631 his assessment was half
that of Captain Standish, and in 1633 it
was the same. His wife, Elizabeth, died
in 1689. Children: John, mentioned be-
low; Zachariah, born 1639; Caleb, 1643;
Obadiah, 1645; Hanna, June 23, 1647,
died young.
(Ill) John, eldest child of Samuel
and Elizabeth Eddy, born December 25,
1637, in Taunton, was a blacksmith in
Plymouth in 1660, resided in Taunton in
1669, and was one of the one hundred and
five proprietors of that town in 1689. He
was a resident of Tisbury. on Martha's
Vineyard, in 1687, when he was elected
to office there, and died there, May 27,
1715- After the outbreak of King Philip's
War in 1676, he had a narrow escape from
death at the hands of the Indians. A
party of redskins observed him at work
in the field, but all had such respect for
him that none desired to fire upon him.
They finally drew lots to determine who
should kill him. While the one thus
designated was crawling along a bank to
get within firing distance, he was ob-
served by Eddy, who prepared to shoot
as soon as the Indian rose to a shooting
position. Both fired simultaneously, and
the redskin fell, mortally wounded, while
the hammer was broken from Eddy's gun
by the bullet of the former. John Eddy
married (first) November, 1665, Susan-
nah Padduck, of Dartmouth, who died
March 14, 1670. He married (second)
May i, 1672, Deliverance Owen. His
third wife, Hephsibah, died May 3, 1726,
in Tisbury. Children : Mary, born March
14, 1667, in Taunton; John, January 19,
1670; Mercy, July i, 1673; Hannah, De-
cember 6, 1676; Ebenezer, mentioned be-
low; Eleazer, October 16, 1681 ; Joseph,
January 4, 1683 ; Benjamin, 1685 ; Abi-
gail, 1687; Jonathan, December 15, 1689;
Susannah, September 18, 1692 ; Patience,
June 27, 1696.
(IV) Ebenezer, second son of John
Eddy, and child of his second wife, De-
liverance Owen, was born May 16, 1679,
in Taunton, and died in that part of the
town now Norton, in 1756. He married,
in 1702, Mary Fisher, and they had chil-
dren: Eleazer, born February 2, 1703;
Mary, November 22, 1704; Sarah, May
9, 1706; Ebenezer, April 16, 1707; Jere-
miah, mentioned below ; Obadiah, March
16, 1711 ; Samuel, August 24, 1712; Wait-
still, April 4, 1715.
(V) Jeremiah, third son of Ebenezer
and Mary (Fisher) Eddy, born February
28, 1/09, lived in Norton. He married,
July 30, 1724, Elizabeth Pierce, and they
had children: Mercy, born April i, 1725:
Peleg, December 7, 1726; Barnard, men-
tioned below; Esek, December 14, 1731;
Rhoda, June 3, 1734; Ruth, April 3, 1737;
Elizabeth; Phebe.
(VI) Barnard, second son of Jeremiah
and Elizabeth (Pierce) Eddy, was born
October n, 1729, in Norton, and married,
February 23, 1752, Lydia Eddy. Chil-
dren: Jeremiah, born 1759; Barnard,
mentioned below ; Betsey ; Rhoda ; Ruth ;
Patience; Nabby; Eunice.
(VII) Barnard (2), second son of Bar-
nard (i) and Lydia (Eddy) Eddy, born
1762, lived in Providence, Rhode Island,
where he was a carpenter, and died July
3, 1847. He married (first) October 7,
1785, Betsey Walker, born April 28, 1768,
daughter of Ephraim and Priscilla Walker.
239
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
He married (second) October 14, 1817,
Julia G., daughter of John Westcott. She
married (second) in 1852, John S. Eddy,
and died in 1865. Children of first mar-
riage: Ruth, born October I, 1786; Ste-
phen Walker, July 8, 1789; Patience, De-
cember 19, 1792; Betsey, February 13,
1795; Maria, mentioned below; child
of second marriage: James A., born De-
cember 15, 1819.
(VIII) Maria, fourth daughter of Bar-
nard (2) and Betsey (Walker) Eddy,
born September 10, 1797, was married,
February n, 1821, to Daniel R. Clark, of
Providence (see Clark VI).
FULLER, Cyrus,
Exemplary Citizen.
This is one of the class known as occu-
pative surnames, dates from the twelfth
century, or later, and has the same signi-
fication as Tucker and Walker, "one who
thickens and whitens cloth." Various
persons named Fuller have won distinc-
tion in both England and America.
Nicholas Fuller, born 1557, was a dis-
tinguished Oriental scholar; another
Nicholas Fuller, died 1620, was a promi-
nent lawyer and member of parliament ;
Isaac Fuller, died 1672, was a noted
painter; Andrew Fuller, born 1754, was
an eminent Baptist minister and writer;
Thomas Fuller, English divine and au-
thor, born 1608, was chaplain extraordi-
nary to Charles II., and a prolific writer.
A high authority said of him: "Fuller
was incomparably the most sensible, the
least prejudiced great man of an age that
boasted of a galaxy of great men." Sarah
Margaret Fuller, Marchioness of Ossobi,
born 1810, was a promient teacher, editor
and author. Melville W. Fuller, born
1833, distinguished as a jurist, served as
chief justice of the United States.
(I) Dr. Samuel Fuller came in the
"Mayflower" in 1620. He married (first)
in England, Elsie Gleslock; (second)
Agnes Carpenter; (third) Bridget Lee.
(II) Samuel (2), son of Samuel (i)
Fuller, resided in Middleboro, and mar-
ried Elizabeth Brewster. Children:
Mercy, married Daniel Cole ; Samuel ;
Experience, married James Wood ; John,
mentioned below ; Elizabeth, married
Samuel Eaton ; Hannah, married Isaac
Lewis ; Lewis.
(III) John, second son of Samuel (2)
and Elizabeth (Brewster) Fuller, was
born in 1663, in Plymouth, and died about
1710, in Middleboro, Massachusetts. He
married, about 1686, Mercy Nelson. Chil-
dren : John, mentioned below ; Mercy,
born 1693; Elizabeth; Ebenezer, Novem-
I, 1697; Jabez, 1699; Lydia, 1701; Sam-
uel, 1704; Joanna.
(IV) John (2), eldest child of John (i)
and Mercy (Nelson) Fuller, was born
March 20, 1692, in Middleboro, and died
there, April 24, 1766. He married (first)
March 26, 1719, Hannah Thompson, who
died September 20, 1760. He married
(second) Lydia (Alden) Eddy, born 1711,
died March i, 1803. Children: Hannah,
born February 7, 1720; Abigail, July I,
1721 ; John, mentioned below ; Bathsheba,
January 19, 1726.
(V) John (3), only son of John (2)
and Hannah (Thompson) Fuller, was
born September 5, 1723, in Middleboro,
lived in Halifax, Massachusetts, and mar-
ried there, December 27, 1743, Joanna
Tilson. Children : Ephraim, born No-
vember i, 1744; Thomas, mentioned be-
low; Abigail, November 26, 1747.
(VI) Thomas, second son of John (3)
and Joanna (Tilson) Fuller, was born
March 3, 1746, in Halifax, where he
passed his life, and died November 4,
1810. He married. May 25, 1769, Hannah
Ripley, born April 16, 1746, in Halifax,
daughter of Jonathan and Hannah Rip-
240
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
ley. Children : Thomas, born August 6,
1778; Cyrus, mentioned below ; Hannah;
Sylvester, February 20, 1783; Wheelock,
1787 ; Joanna.
(VII) Cyrus, second son of Thomas
and Hannah (Ripley) Fuller, was born
August 22, 1780, in Halifax, where he
spent his life in general farming, and died
February 23, 1816, at the age of thirty-
five years. He married, May 24, 1807,
in Middleboro, Massachusetts, Hannah
Leonard, who died March 26, 1862. Chil-
dren : I. Abigail, died young. 2. Recti-
na, married Micah Faxon, of Brockton.
3. Cyrus, mentioned below. 4. Lois, died
unmarried February 16, 1880. 5. Josiah
Kingman, born October 7, 1815, died in
Rockland, Massachusetts ; he married
Sarah Kingman Blanchard and had a son,
Henry, who resides in Rockland.
(VIII) Cyrus (2), eldest son of Cyrus
(i) and Hannah (Leonard) Fuller, was
born August 2, 1812, in Halifax, where he
grew to manhood and was educated in
the public schools. For some years he
continued farming on the paternal home-
stead, after which he retired from active
business and made his home in Middle-
boro, where he died February 22, 1892,
and was buried in the Thompson family
lot. A man of quiet tastes, much devoted
to his home and family, he was esteemed
and respected as a model citizen. He
married, November 28, 1841, in Middle-
boro, Mary Frances Thompson, born
April 26, 1817, in that town, daughter of
Reuel and Thankful (Wood) Thompson,
elsewhere mentioned (see Thompson V).
She was a devoted wife and mother, a
good, Christian woman, a descendant of
one of the pioneer families of Middleboro.
She was the mother of two daughters.
Mary Ann, the eldest, born September i,
1842, became the wife of Obed Ripley
of Kingston, Massachusetts, where both
died.
(IX) Laura Fuller, junior daughter of
Cyrus (2) and Mary F. (Thompson)
Fuller, was born February 24, 1845, in
Halifax, and removed with her parents to
Middleboro in the fall of 1874. In the
schools of her native town she received
instruction and also in attendance at the
North Bridgewater Academy, making
proper use of her opportunities. For
several years she was active in church
and Sunday school work, and is much
esteemed in the community. The memory
of her worthy parents and earlier for-
bears is highly cherished by her as among
her dearest possessions.
(The Thompson Line).
(I) John Thomson was born in the
northern part of Wales, in the year 1616,
and died June 16, 1696, aged nearly eighty
years. He came to this country in the
third embarkation from England, at the
age of six years, and settled in Plymouth,
where he became prominent in the affairs
of that colony. He married, December
26, 1645, Mary Cooke, born 1626, daugh-
ter of Francis Cooke, of the "Mayflower."
Children : Adam, John, Mary, Esther,
Elizabeth, Sarah, Lydia, Jacob, Thomas,
Peter, Mercy.
(II) John (2) Thompson, second son of
John (i) and Mary (Cooke) Thomson,
born 1648, was a carpenter, and died No-
vember 25, 1725, in his seventy-seventh
year. He married Mary, daughter of
Ephraim Tinkham (see Tinkham I).
Children : John, Ephraim, Thomas, Shu-
bael, Mary, Martha, Francis, Sarah, Peter,
Jacob, Ebenezer.
(III) Thomas, third son of John (2)
and Mary (Tinkham) Thompson, was
born July 29, 1688 (Middleboro records)
in Middleboro, and died in November,
1781. He was married in Middleboro,
April 25, 1732, by Rev. Peter Thacher,
to Martha Soule, born April n, 1702, in
Mass-
-16
241
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Middleboro, died there, March 18, 1772,
daughter of John and Martha Soule, of
that town, descendant of George Soule.
who came in the "Mayflower" to Plym-
outh. He was the thirty-fifth signer of
the famous compact, and was entered on
the passenger list as an apprentice of
Governor Edward Winslow. As early as
1623 he was granted in his own right
land at Plymouth, and in 1633 was a ^-
mitted a freeman and was a taxpayer.
He was a volunteer for the Pequot War
in 1637, and had various grants of land at
Powder Point. In 1638 he sold his Plym-
outh property and moved to Duxbury in
Myles Standish's company, being a foun-
der there, was one of the earliest select-
men, and often served in that and other
offices. He was a commissioner of court
in 1640, and was one of the important
committee for the revision of the colony
laws, with Governors Prince, Winslow
and Constant Southworth, showing that
he must have been a man of superior in
telligence and education. Winslow men-
tions him among the ablest men of the
colony. John, son of George Soule, set-
tled in Duxbury. He served as surveyor
of highways, grand juryman, and arbi-
trator between Marshfield and Duxbury,
and Plymouth and Duxbury, involving
land disputes. He was also a witness to
the Indian deed of Bridgewater, Decem-
ber 23, 1686. His second wife, Esther,
administered his estate. John (2), son of
John (i) Soule, was born in 1674, in Dux-
bury, and died in Middleboro, May 19,
1743, in his sixty-ninth year. He received
one hundred acres in Middleboro from his
father, deed dated July 24, 1697, the land
described as lot twenty-two in the last
division of the "Twenty-six Men Pur-
chase." His wife, Martha, born 1678, died
February 16, 1758, in Middleboro, in her
eightieth year. Their daughter, Martha,
became the wife of Thomas Thompson,
as above noted. Children: Peter, Francis.
Nathaniel, James and Thomas.
(IV) Francis, son of Thomas and
Martha (Soule) Thompson, was born
March 15, 1735, in Middleboro, where he
was a landowner and farmer in the sec-
tion known as Thompsontown, and died
December 17, 1/98. He married (first)
Rebecca Snow, who died August 27, 1766,
at the age of thirty-two years. He mar-
ried (second) December 17, 1769, Alary
Bumpas, who died December 17, 1829,
aged eighty-five years. Children of first
marriage : Martha, born November 5,
1761, died February 26, 1/71; Zilpah,
March 3, 1763; Elias, June 18, 1766; of
second marriage : Thomas, Cynthia,
Reuel, Mary and Francis.
(V) Reuel, son of Francis and Mary
(Bumpas) Thompson, was born January
4, 1/77- in Middleboro, where he was en-
gaged in agriculture through life, and
died October 3, 1851. He married, No-
vember 25, 1802, in Middleboro, Thankful
Wood, born August 23, 1777, died March
27, 1843, daughter of Israel and Pris-
cilla (Vaughan) Wood, granddaughter
of Ichabod and Thankful (Cobb) Wood.
Children: Israel Wood, born October 8.
1803 ; Anna T., born August 14, 1804,
married Isaac Thompson ; Reuel, Sep-
tember 21, 1806; Ivory Hovey, April i.
1808; Priscilla Wood, married Henry C.
Lyon, and Benjamin Franklin (twins),
July 24, 1809; Marston, born September
23, 1812; Mary Frances, mentioned be-
low.
(VI) Mary Frances, youngest child of
Reuel and Thankful (Wood) Thompson,
was born April 26, 1817, in Middleboro,
and became the wife of Cyrus (2) Fuller,
of Halifax and Middleboro (see Fuller
VIII).
(The Wood Line).
(I) Henry Wood, the founder of the
Wood family in New England, was a
242
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
native of England. He settled in Plym-
outh in 1641, in which year he bought a
house and lot there, later removed lo
Barnstable county, locating at Yarmouth,
where he remained but two years, re-
turning at the end of that time to Plym-
outh, where he remained until 1665.
About this time he became a resident of
what is now the town of Middleboro. He
was quite prominent in the affairs of the
colony, and died in 1670 in Middleboro,
a year after its incorporation as a town.
He married in the latter town, April 28,
1644, Abigail, daughter of John Jenney,
of Plymouth. Children : Samuel, men-
tioned below; Jonathan, born January I,
1649; David, October 17, 1651; Sarah;
John; Isaac; Abiel, married Abiah
Bowen.
(II) Samuel, eldest child of Henry and
Abigail (Jenney) Wood, was born May
25, 1647, in Yarmouth, and lived in Mid-
dleboro, Massachusetts, where he was one
of the founders of the church, in 1694, died
February 3, 1718, and was buried in Ne-
masket cemetery in that town. His wife
bore the baptismal name of Rebeckah,
and they had children : Henry, Ephraim,
Samuel, Mercy, Joanna, Rebeckah, Ann
and Susanna.
(III) Samuel (2), third son of Samuel
(i) and Rebeckah Wood, was born about
1684, in Middleboro, and lived in that
town, with his wife, Elizabeth, who was
the mother of his children. He appears
to have married (second) August 7,
1730, widow Sarah Howland, of Middle-
boro. Children found on record: Samuel,
born 1712; Ichabod, mentioned below,
Joshua, March 12, 1721 ; Nathaniel, April
18, 1725.
(IV) Ichabod, son of Samuel (2) and
Elizabeth Wood, was born July 13, 1719.
in Middleboro, died there, August 8, 1787,
and was buried in Nemasket cemetery.
He married in Middleboro, February 16,
1743, Thankful Cobb, born June 4, 1722,
in that town, daughter of James and
Thankful (Thomas) Cobb, died January
4, 1776, in Middleboro. James Cobb and
Thankful Thomas were married March
6, 1718, in Middleboro, and Thankful was
probably their second child, presumably
the eldest daughter. Ichabod Wood and
wife were buried in Nemasket cemetery.
(V) Israel, son of Ichabod and Thank-
ful (Cobb) Wood, was born in 1744, in
Middleboro, and died there, May 12,
1829. His wife, Priscilla Vaughan, was
born 1749, and died April 12, 1808, in
Middleboro. Both are buried in Nemas-
ket cemetery.
(VI) Thankful, daughter of Israel and
Priscilla (Vaughan) Wood, was born Au-
gust 23, 1777, in Middleboro, and was
married, November 25, 1802, to Reuel
Thompson, of that town (see Thompson
V).
BORDEN, Philip H.,
Public-spirited Citizen.
The name of Borden came into Eng-
land from Normandy with William the ,
Conqueror, and appears on the roll of
Battle Abbey as Bordoun. In the early
records it appears variously as Bourdon,
Burden, Burden, Bourden, Berden, Bir-
din and Barden. There is now a village
called Bourdonnay in Normandy, in the
Department of Muerthe, twelve miles
northeast of Luneville. Among the dis-
tinguished representatives of this name
were Amomet Bourdon, a physician of
Paris, who published a work on anatomy
in 1678. Sebastian Bourdon, born in 1616,
at Montpelier, France, was a noted
painter, who was driven out of France
by religious persecution, and found ref-
uge in Sweden. There was one of the
name who was a commander at the Battle
of Hastings in 1066, and the name has
243
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
been widely spread through England and
Scotland. "The Great Roll of Battle
Abbey," which contains the names of the
principal commanders and companions in
arms of William the Conqueror, who
fought with him at Hastings 1066, bears
the name of Blundel et Burdoun, and
from him came the name Burdon, which
early was disseminated in England and
Scotland. It is found under various forms
of spelling, this branch of the American
Borden family using the form Borden.
The founder in America, Richard Borden,
was of the Kent family, which is definite-
ly traced to Henry Borden of the Parish
of Hedcorn, in the County of Kent, Eng-
land, born about the years 1370-80, and
was doubtless a descendant of the Bor-
dens of Borden. In the eighth generation
in direct line from Henry Borden and his
descendants came Matthew Borden, born
in Hedcorn, Kent, who was a church war-
den in 1598, died in the month of Octo-
ber, 1620. His wife, Joan, bore him sons
and daughters, two of the former coming
to America, Richard and John. John Bor-
den, baptized February 22, 1606-07, came
to New England in the ''Elizabeth and
Ann," 1635, with wife Joan, son Matthew,
and daughter Elizabeth.
(I) Richard Borden, of the ninth re-
corded English generation, and the foun-
der of this American line, was born in
the Parish of Hedcorn, Kent, England,
and there baptized February 22, 1595-96,
died at Portsmouth, Rhode Island, May
25, 1671, son of Matthew and Joan Bor-
den. He married in Hedcorn church,
September 28, 1625, Joan Fowle, and
moved to the neighboring parish of Cran-
brook, in 1628. In 1637-38 they came to
America, settling at Portsmouth, Rhode
Island, where he died in 1671, his wife on
July 15, 1688. Richard Borden was a
surveyor and acquired large tracts of
land in Rhode Island and New Jersey.
He was freeman of Portsmouth, March
16, 1641 ; member of a committee to
treat with the Dutch, May 18, 1653; as-
sistant, town of Portsmouth, 1653, 1654;
commissioner, 1654-56-57; treasurer, 1654-
55 ; freeman, 1655 ; and deputy from
Portsmouth to the General Assembly,
1667, 1670. His nuncupative will was ad-
mitted to probate May 31, 1671, by the
town council of Portsmouth. Children :
i. Richard, baptized July 9, 1626. 2.
Thomas, born October 3, 1627; married
Mary Harris. 3. Francis, baptized De-
cember 23, 1628, died in Monmouth coun-
ty, New Jersey, January 19, 1705-06; he
inherited from his father considerable
tracts of land near Shrewsbury, where he
settled about 1677; he married, 4th mo.,
I2th day, 1677, Jane Vickers ; children:
Richard, Francis, Joyce and Thomas. 4.
Mary, married John Cooke. 5. Elizabeth.
6. Matthew, born May, 1638, died July 5,
1708; married Sarah Clayton. 7. John,
mentioned below. 8. Joseph, July 3, 1643.
9. Sarah, married Jonathan Holmes. 10.
Samuel, May, 1649, died in Monmouth
county, New Jersey, in 1716; married
Elizabeth Crosse ; children : Dinah, Fran-
cis, James, John, Joseph, Benjamin. 11.
Benjamin, May, 1649, died 1718, in Bur-
lington county, New Jersey. He settled
in Middletown, New Jersey, in 1672, and
there married Abigail, daughter of James
Grover, surveyor and secretary of the
Gravesend Land Company ; children :
Richard, James, Rebecca, Safety, Amey,
Joseph (a citizen of Bordentown, New
Jersey), Jonathan, David, Samuel. 12.
Amey, married William Richardson.
(II) John, fourth son of Richard and
Joan (Fowle) Borden, was born in Ports-
mouth, Rhode Island, September, 1640,
died there, June 4, 1716. He married, De-
cember 25, 1670, Mary Earl, born in
Portsmouth, 1655, died there, in 1734.
Children: Richard, mentioned below;
244
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
John, born 1675, married Sarah Earl, of
Portsmouth ; Annie, May 30, 1678, mar-
ried Benjamin Chase, of Tiverton, Rhode
Island; Joseph, December 3, 1680, mar-
ried Sarah Brownell, of Portsmouth ;
Thomas, December 13, 1682; Hope,
March 3, 1684, married William Olney,
Jr., of Tiverton; William, August 15,
1689, married Alice Hall, of Jamestown,
Rhode Island; Benjamin, settled in Vir-
ginia; Mary.
(III) Richard (2), eldest child of John
and Mary (Earl) Borden, born October
25, 1671, lived on the main road, about a
mile from the east shore of Mount Hope
Bay, and two and one-half miles south of
the city hall in Fall River, his homestead
comprising about two hundred acres of
land. At the time of his death, at the age
of sixty years, he was the largest land-
holder in the town, and one of the
wealthiest. He married, about 1692, In-
nocent Wardell, and they had children:
Sarah, John, Thomas, Mary, Joseph, Sam-
uel and Rebecca.
(IV) Thomas, second son of Richard
(2) and Innocent (Wardell) Borden, born
December 8, 1697, lived in Tiverton,
Rhode Island, where he died in April,
1740. He owned that part of the south
side of the Fall River stream which lay
below the Great Falls, and adjoining land,
down to the salt water, besides other
landed estates and outside lands. He
married, August 14, 1721, Mary, daughter
of Christopher and Meribah Gifford, born
October 6, 1695. Children: Richard,
mentioned below ; Christopher, born Oc-
tober 10, 1726; Deborah; Mary and Re-
becca.
(V) Richard (3), eldest child of Thom-
as and Meribah (Gifford) Borden, was
born in 1722, received an estate from his
father, which had been the property of
his grandfather. Though not a man of
high abilities, he foresaw the develop-
ment in prospect along the water powers
of Fall River. During the Revolution a
British force burned his sawmill and a
large quantity of lumber owned by his
sons who were operating the mill. Mr.
Borden was carried away a prisoner, with
others, and his dwelling house was
burned. He died July 4, 1795. He mar-
ried, March 12, 1747, Hope Cook. Chil-
dren: Patience, born August 9, 1747;
Thomas, 1750; Richard, mentioned be-
low ; Hope ; Betsey and Mary.
(VI) Richard (4), second son of Rich-
ard (3) and Hope (Cook) Borden, was
born in 1752, and operated, in association
with his elder brother, Thomas, the saw
mill owned by his father. He married
Patty Bowen, and they had children :
Abraham B., born July 8, 1798; Amy,
February 11, 1802, who married (first)
William Grinnell and (second) Jeremiah
Wilcox; Hannah, December 5, 1803, mar-
ried, November 24, 1824, William Cook,
died September 28, 1891 ; Richard, De-
cember 22, 1805 ; Rowena, February 8,
1808, died March 14, 1835 ; Cook, men-
tioned below; Lodowick, March 14, 1812;
Zephaniah, July 18, 1814; Andrew, De-
cember 28, 1816, died young.
(VII) Cook, third son of Richard (4)
and Patty (Bowen) Borden, was born
January 18, 1810, in that part of Tiverton,
which became Fall River, Massachusetts.
He was but eighteen years of age when
his father died, and early began to sustain
himself. For some years he was em-
ployed by a lumber firm of Fall River,
and upon deciding to engage in business
on his own account, sold out his portion
of the paternal estate. He engaged in the
lumber trade and did a very extensive and
profitable business. About 1832 he built
a residence in Tiverton, which is now in
the city of Fall River. Here he died Sep-
tember 20, 1880. He served as assessor
of Tiverton, and represented the town in
245
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
the Legislature. He married, January i,
1832, Mary A. Bessey, born August 19,
1810, in Fall River, daughter of Silas and
Avis (Borden) Bessey, died October 6,
1894. Children: Mary J., born May 10,
1833, died October 10, 1833; Mary J.,
September i, 1834, married, May i, 1853,
Dr. James W. Hartley, and lives in Fall
River; Theodore W., August 25, 1836,
married, June 10, 1859, Mary L. Davol ;
Avis A., September 14, 1838, died Sep-
tember 19, 1839; Philip II., mentioned
below; Jerome C., October 5, 1843, died
May i, 1844; Jerome C., September 30,
1845, married, June 28, 1870, Emma E.
Tetlow, daughter of John and Mary Tet-
low.
(VIII) Philip H., second son of Cook
and Mary A. (Bessey) Borden, was born
June 8, 1841, upon his father's Tiverton
estate, and was educated in Fall River
and Andover, Massachusetts, attending
Philips' Academy in the latter place. His
vacation time was employed in assist-
ing his father in business, and in time he
became a partner with his father and
brothers, and after the death of the father
succeeded to the control of the business,
which was conducted by himself and
brothers under the name of Cook Borden
& Company, from which the other
brothers withdrew, leaving Philip H. Bor-
den to conduct the business alone. Ulti-
mately he sold out the business to his
junior brother, and spent some time in
travel in his own and European countries.
He subsequently engaged independently
in the lumber trade, with yards on Rod-
man street, in Fall River, and thus con-
tinued until his retirement a short time
before his death, which occurred Febru-
ary 2, 1902, in his sixty-first year. Mr.
Borden was among the most public-
spirited citizens of his city, and filled a
large place in business affairs, as well as
those of a social and political nature.
For some time he was a director of the
Fall River National Bank. He was a
member of the First Congregational
Church, and a supporter of every under-
taking calculated to promote the moral
interests of the community and the gen-
eral welfare of the race. In 1875, 1878
and 1879 he was a member of the board
of aldermen of Fall River, and in 1892
was the Republican nominee for mayor.
In the election of that year his party was
defeated, and he thus failed of election.
He was a very active member of the
great brotherhood of Free Masons, affili-
ating with King Philip Lodge, Free and
Accepted Masons ; Fall River Chapter,
Royal Arch Masons ; Godfrey de Bouil-
lon Commandery, Knights Templar ; and
Aleppo Temple, Ancient Arabic Order
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Boston.
He inherited from, his father the generous
nature and broad sympathies which
brought to him the esteem and high re-
gard of his fellows. Many of his kind
acts were wholly unknown to the general
public. With an artistic temperament
and a keen appreciation of the beauties of
nature and art, a keen interest in historic
topics, he was an honor and ornament to
his city. He derived great pleasure from
travel and intercourse with the world at
large, and was a most delightful com-
panion and conversationalist. He mar-
ried (first) Octobers, 1861, Ruth A. Den-
nis, of Fall River, who died within a few
years. He married (second) June 12,
1883, Mrs. Bethena B. Brown, daughter
of Nathaniel and Bethena (Brightman)
Pearce, of Fall River (see Pearce VII).
(The Pearce Line).
The Pearce family is both ancient and
historic in the annals of England, the
lineage of Richard Pearce, the immigrant
to New England and founder of the fam-
ily in America, being traced to the time
246
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
of Galfred. In more recent English gen-
erations were Peter Percy, standard
bearer of Richard III. at the battle of
Bosworth Field (1485), and Richard
Percy, the founder of Pearce Hall. For
nearly two and a half centuries the Pearce
family has been identified with the politi-
cal, judicial and legislative history of
Southeastern Massachusetts. During both
the Colonial and Revolutionary periods
the name constantly recurs either in leg-
islative or military affairs.
(I) Richard Pearce (name changed
from Percy in this generation), born in
England, in 1590, married in England, his
wife's name being Martha, and was a
resident of Bristol, England. He was a
son of Richard, who resided on the home-
stead of his father, grandson of Richard
Percy, the founder of Pearce Hall, in
York, England, where he lived and died,
and great-grandson of Peter Percy, who
was standard bearer to Richard III. at
the battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.
Richard Pearce came to America in the
ship "Lyon," from Bristol, England, his
brother, Captain William Pearce, being
master of the ship. His children were :
Richard, John, Samuel, Hannah, Martha,
Sarah, William and Mary. (Captain Wil-
liam Pearce, of the ship "Lyon," was a
distinguished shipmaster. He was killed
by the Spaniards at Providence, in the
Bahamas, 1641. He is credited with being
the author of the first almanac, for 1639,
published in North America).
(II) Richard Pearce (2), son of Rich-
ard the settler, born in 1615, in England,
married in 1642, in Portsmouth, Rhode
Island, Susannah Wright, born in 1620.
Mr. Pearce died in 1678, in Portsmouth,
and Mrs. Pearce was dead at that time.
He was at Portsmouth as early as 1654,
and was admitted a freeman of the colony
from Portsmouth. His children were :
Richard, born October 3, 1643 ; Martha,
September 13, 1645 ; John, September 8,
1647; Giles, July 22, 1651 ; Susannah, No-
vember 22, 1652 ; Mary, May 6, 1654 ;
Jeremiah, November 17, 1656; Isaac, De-
cember, 1658; George, mentioned below;
Samuel, December 22, 1664.
(III) George Pearce, born 1662, in
Little Compton, died September, 1752.
He married, April 7, 1687, Alice Hart,
born 1669, died March n, 1718, daughter
of Richard and Hannah Hart. Children:
Susannah, born August 21, 1688; James,
September 4, 1691 ; Samuel, February 3,
1695 ; George, mentioned below ; Mary,
May 16, 1700.
(IV) George (2), third son of George
(i) and Alice (Hart) Pearce, was born
March 2, 1697, in Little Compton, and
died there February 22, 1674. He mar-
ried, February 20, 1717, Deborah Searl,
born November 17, 1695, died May 17,
1776, daughter of Nathaniel and Sarah
Searl. Children: Alice, born November
4, 1718, died March 28, 1796; Sarah, No-
vember u, 1720, died July 20, 1721 ; Jep-
thiah, February 20, 1722, died October 22,
1770; Temperance, January 20, 1724;
Jeremiah, December 22, 1725, died Octo-
ber 17, 1750; Nathaniel, mentioned be-
low; Sarah, January 14, 1729, died Au-
gust 28, 1780; Ruth, October 20, 1731;
Antrace, November 12, 1733 ; Deborah,
February 23, 1735, died April 25, 1795;
Rachel, April 19, 1736, died March 15,
1817.
(V) Nathaniel, third son of George (2)
and Deborah (Searl) Pearce, was born
October 13, 1727, and died February 19,
1801. He married. December i, 1751,
Sarah Rouse, born January 14, 1728, in
Little Compton, died November 23, 1812,
daughter of George and Hannah (Hors-
well) Rouse. Children: Mary, born April
20, 1754; Betsey, November 14, 1756, died
April 25, 1839; John, April 26, 1758, died
November 13, 1827; George, April 26,
247
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
1758 (twin of John) ; Nathaniel, Decem-
ber 17, 1761; Joseph, mentioned below.
(VI) Colonel Joseph, youngest child of
Nathaniel and Sarah (Rouse) Pearce, was
born January 26, 1764, in Little Com.pton,
and died August 6, 1836. He was an offi-
cer in the Rhode Island militia, serving
as lieutenant, 1/92-93; captain, 1794-95-
96-97-98, in the Newport company ; was
major from 1/99 to 1801 ; lieutenant-colo-
nel of the Tenth Regiment Militia, 1801
to 1802, and colonel in 1803-04-05-06 and
1807. He married (first) 1789, Ann Hil-
liard, born August 18, 1769, daughter of
David and Ann Mercy (Irish) Hilliard.
He married (second) November 16, 1817,
Priscilla Palmer, daughter of Joseph and
Hannah (Briggs) Palmer, born Novem-
ber 6, 1781. David Hilliard was a son of
David and Susannah (Luther) Hilliard,
and grandson of William and Deborah
Hilliard, early settlers of Little Compton.
Children of Joseph Pearce: Phebe, born
June 14, 1/92; Benjamin, December 3,
1796 ; Valentine, October 14, 1799 ; Nancy,
May 19, 1802; Joseph, November 4, 1804;
Ann Mercy, April 23, 1707; Nathaniel,
mentioned below.
(VII) Nathaniel, youngest child of
Colonel Joseph and Ann (Hilliard)
Pearce, was born December, 1810, in Lit-
tle Compton, and there grew to manhood,
following the trade of blacksmith. For
some time he was employed in New
Bedford, Massachusetts, and afterward
located in Fall River, where he engaged
in business on his own account, having a
shop at Globe Village, later on Bedford
street, near the post office, where he did
all kinds of iron work, and where he con-
tinued up to the time of his death, in 1887,
at his home on Third street His body
was interred in Oak Grove Cemetery,
Fall River. In politics he was a Repub-
lican, and he was an active and influen-
tial citizen of the community, taking a
keen interest in its progress, its people and
institutions. He married, in Little Comp-
ton, Bethena Brightman, born there,
daughter of Cornelius and Rachel (Allen)
Brightman, and granddaughter of Israel
and Bethena (Palmer) Brightman, of
Westport, Massachusetts. Israel Bright-
man was a son of Henry and Hannah
Brightman, was a soldier of the Revolu-
tion, serving as a private in Captain Wil-
liam Hicks' company, Colonel John Hath-
away's (Second Bristol) regiment, en-
listed August i, 1780, discharged August
9, same year, on an alarm in Rhode
Island. Rachel Allen, mother of Bethena
Brightman, was a daughter of Humphrey
Allen, who was also a Revolutionary sol-
dier, a private in Captain Benjamin \Yil-
cox's company, Colonel Nathainel Free-
man's regiment. He enlisted September
29, and was discharged October 29, 1777,
having served thirty days on a secret ex-
pedition through Rhode Island. Mrs.
Bethena (Brightman) Pearce died Au-
gust 19, 1909, in Fall River, at the ripe
age of ninety-seven years, and was buried
in Oak Grove Cemetery. She was a mem-
ber of the Congregational church. Chil-
dren : i. Anna H., who resides with her
sister, Mrs. Borden. 2. Rachel Allen,
widow of Gardner T. Dean, resides with
Mrs. Borden, and has one son, Robert A.,
a lawyer in Fall River. He married
Marion Eddy, of West Newton, Massa-
chusetts, and has one daughter, Georgi-
anna Winslow Dean. 3. Nathaniel A.,
mentioned below. 4. Bethena Brightman,
mentioned below. 5. Catharine, died at
the age of five years. 6. Orin Fowler, of
Providence, Rhode Island, married Mary
Elizabeth Blair. 7. Charles H., resides in
Fall River, married Elizabeth Tyler.
(VIII) Nathaniel A. Pearce, eldest son
of Nathaniel and Bethena (Brightman)
Pearce, resides in Swansea, Massachu-
setts. He married Mary Davis, of Fall
248
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
River. Children: i. Catharine B., mar-
ried A. Homer Skinner, resides in Swan-
sea ; has one child : Bertha Louise. 2.
Orin A., resides in New Bedford ; married
Elizabeth Buffington ; has one child: Lil-
lian. 3. Elizabeth, married William H.
B. Kendall, of Fall River; has two chil-
dren: Nathaniel P. and Anna B. 4. Lil-
lian, married Jonathan Davis, of South
Swansea. 5. Nathaniel, died in young
manhood. 6. Harry, resides in northwest
Canada ; married Annie White ; has one
child: Mildred. 7. Frank, resides in Po-
mona, Los Angeles county, California.
(VIII) Bethena Brightman, third
daughter of Nathaniel and Bethena
(Brightman) Pearce, became the wife of
Philip H. Borden, whom she survives,
and now resides on June street, Fall
River (see Borden VIII).
CRAPO, Phineas W.,
Respected Citizen.
The surname of Crapo is of peculiar
origin in this country. The founder of
the family was a French lad, cast ashore
from a wreck upon the coast of Cape Cod
about 1680. Either he was too young to
preserve his family name, or the inhabi-
tants among whom he found himself were
unable to pronounce it, and they nick-
named him Crapaud (Crapo), which is a
nickname applied often to French peo-
ple. The lad seems to have preserved his
baptismal name, Pierre, which was ren-
dered in various ways by the people
among whom he lived. It appears often
in the records of Rochester, Massachu-
setts, as Perro, and had various other
forms, but the English translation Peter
very soon came into use, so he appeared
as Peter Crapo, founder of a very worthy
and useful family in New England. He
was brought up in the family of Francis
Combes, an innholder, of North Roches-
ter, Massachusetts, and there married,
May 31, 1704, Penelope White, born
March 12, 1687, in Rochester, daughter
of Samuel, Sr., and his wife Rebecca.
The White family is descended from Wil-
liam White, a son of Bishop John White,
who came to Massachusetts on the "May-
flower," and died March 14, 1621, at
Plymouth. His son Peregrine White,
born in Provincetown Harbor, was the
first white child born in Massachusetts.
His wife, Susanna Fuller, was a sister of
Edward and Samuel Fuller, of the "May-
flower." Resolved White, eldest son of
William and Susanna (Fuller) White,
was born 1614, in Leyden, and came in
the "Mayflower" with his parents, set-
tling in Plymouth, where he died after
1680. He married, April 8, 1640, Judith,
daughter of W'illiam Vassal, of Scituate,
who died in 1670. Their third son, Sam-
uel White, was born March 13, 1646, in
Plymouth, settled in Rochester, Massa-
chusetts, where he died in 1694. His
wife's name was Rebecca, and their sev-
enth child, Penelope, was born March 12,
1687, in Rochester, became the wife of
Peter Crapo, as above noted. Children:
Francis, born October 14, 1705, married
Pashent Spooner ; Susanna, November 5,
1707, married Louis Demoranville ; Perez
(Peter), November 20, 1709, married Ann
Luce ; John, mentioned below ; Mary,
September 27, 1713, married Jonathan
Spooner; Rebecca, March 22, 1718, mar-
ried John Mathews; Hezekiah, March 12,
1720, died unmarried; Nicholas, Decem-
ber 15, 1721, married Alice Blackwell ;
Seth, May 4, 1724.
(II) John, third son of Peter and Pen-
elope (White) Crapo, was born Febru-
ary 22, 1712, in Rochester, where he lived,
and was an extensive landholder, inter-
ested with his sons in land in Freetown,
where they conducted a large lumbering
business for the time. He married, No-
vember 7, 1734, in Rochester, Sarah Clark,
249
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
born 1/14, daughter of John and Mary
(Tobey) Clark, who were married No-
vember 2, 1/09, in Sandwich. Mary
Tobey was a daughter of John and Jane
Tobey, the last named a daughter of
Thomas and Martha (Knott) Tobey, of
Sandwich. Thomas Tobey was a son of
John and Sarah Tobey, and grandson of
Thomas Tobey, born 1605, died at Plym-
outh, March 24, 1697. He was probably
from Saltash, in the Plymouth district of
England, and came in the "Ann'' in 1623
with his wife Susanna. He was deacon
of the first church at Plymouth from 1654
until his death. Children of John and
Sarah Crapo: Consider, born August 26,
1735; Elnathan, October 10, 1737; John,
February 26, 1739; Sarah, February i,
1740; Peter, mentioned below; Joshua,
June 28, 1746; Ariste (given in Roches-
ter records as Rest), December 7, 1748,
died same year; Jean, May 14, 1750;
Ariste, January 11, 1753; Mary, May 17,
1755-
(III) Peter (2), fourth son of John and
Sarah (Clark) Crapo, was born Decem-
ber 4, 1743, in Rochester, and died in
1822. At the early age of fifteen years he
served in the French and Indian war, and
was a soldier of the Revolution, begin-
ning as a private in Captain Levi Rounse-
ville's company of Freetown, which
marched at the Lexington Alarm. He
was also a private in Lieutenant Nathan-
iel Martin's militia company, Colonel Ed-
ward Pope, which marched December 8,
1776, and received pay for twenty days'
service of two pounds, ten shillings and
eight pence. In partnership with his
brother Elnathan. he engaged extensively
in lumbering, and they had a saw mill at
the head of Qwampanotig river, lying
partly in the town of Dartmouth and
partly in Freetown. They owned lands
in Dartmouth and in Troy, now Fall
River. The estate of Peter (2) Crapo
was valued at $10,000, which was a large
sum in those days. He gave $350 in cash
to each of his seven daughters, and to his
sons gave land. He married (first) No-
vember 13, 1766, Sarah West, born 1747-
48, died May 6, 1789, in Rochester. He
married (second) October 13, 1789, Con-
tent Hathaway, born 1758-59, in Free-
town, died October 27, 1826, in Roches-
ter. Children of first marriage : Azubah,
born June 8, 1768; Richard, mentioned
below; Peter, 1777; Charles, between
1770 and 1780; Reuben, mentioned be-
low; Jesse, May 22, 1781 ; Deborah, April
4, 1786. Of second marriage: Content,
Susanna, Orinda, Betsey, Sarah, Joseph
and Abiel.
(IV) Richard, eldest son of Peter (2)
and Sarah (West) Crapo, was born in
1770, in Rochester, and lived in Freetown,
Massachusetts. He married Mercy Sher-
man, born February 19, 1765, in Roches-
ter, daughter of John and Marcy (Bum-
pas) Sherman, a descendant of William
Sherman, born April 5, 1710, in Roches-
ter. He married, February 4, 1734, Mary
Dexter, born April 3, 1719, daughter of
John and Sarah Dexter, of Rochester.
Their son, John Sherman, was born Janu-
ary 21, 1736, in that town, and married
there, October 31, 1755, Marcy Bumpas,
of Sandwich, Massachusetts. They were
the parents of Mercy Sherman, wife of
Richard Crapo.
(V) John (2), son of Richard and
Mercy (Sherman) Crapo, was born Oc-
tober 5, 1789, in Freetown, lived for a
time in Tiverton, and died in Fall River,
Massachusetts, May 3, 1859. He married
(first) Mary Wardell, (second) February
28. 1817, Ruth Wardell, and (third) Lydia
C. Howard. Children : Squire, born
February 27, 1815, died in New Bedford;
Phineas W., mentioned below; Mary,
September 7, 1825, married William Col-
lins; Mercy Ann, October 15, 1828.
250
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
(VI) Phineas Wardell, second son of
John (2) and Ruth (Wardell) Crapo, was
born October n, 1822, in Tiverton, Rhode
Island, died in Westport, Massachusetts,
on January i, 1904, and was buried in
Westport cemetery. He grew to man-
hood on the paternal farm in Tiverton,
where he attended the public schools. On
leaving home he went to Fall River and
engaged in the meat business, which he
continued several years, at both whole-
sale and retail. He purchased cattle in
the Brighton Market at Boston, which In-
slaughtered for his trade. His home was
for many years in Fall River, where he
died and is buried at Westport, Massa-
chusetts. He was a reputable citizen,
popular in the community, and his suc-
cess in business was the result of his up-
right methods, industrious attention to
business, and his kindly nature, which
brought to him many friends. He mar-
ried Sarah Poole, daughter of Sirbinas
and Mary (Weaver) Poole, of Dartmouth
(see Poole). Children: Susan A., men-
tioned below; Ruth W., married Jesse I.
Davis, and died in 1893, in Fall River;
Phineas E., a farmer in Bristol, Rhode
Island; married Sylvia M. Cottle, and has
three children : John Archer Weaver,
Florence L. and Lloyd C.
(VII) Susan A., eldest child of Phineas
W. and Sarah (Poole) Crapo, was born
in Fall River, and educated in the public
schools of that city, Lapham Institute,
Scituate, Rhode Island, and State Normal
School at Bridgewater, Massachusetts.
At the age of seventeen years she took up
the profession of teaching, beginning in
the Davis School at Fall River, and con-
tinued teaching in the schools of that city
until June, 1914, when she retired. She is
among the oldest teachers in point of
service in the city, and probably the State.
Miss Crapo has always been a student
and deeply devoted to her profession, in
which she achieved a well-deserved suc-
cess, and is much interested in historical
topics.
(IV) Reuben Crapo, fourth son of
Peter (2) and Sarah (West) Crapo, was
born April 18, 1780, and married, Novem-
ber i, 1812, Cynthia M. Davol, daughter
of Abner Davol, of Westport, a well-
known Friends' preacher, who died at a
ripe old age.
(V) George Davol, son of Reuben and
Cynthia M. (Davol) Crapo, married Lo-
rena Dennis.
(VI) Mary E. Crapo, daughter of
George D. and Lorena (Dennis) Crapo,
became the wife of George A. Hicks, of
Westport (see Hicks IX).
(The Poole Line).
(I) Captain Edward Poole, born about
1609, came from Weymouth, England, in
1635, and settled in Weymouth, Massa-
chusetts, where he became a large land-
holder, and resided until his death in
1664. His wife Sarah was probably a
sister of Edmund Pinney, of Broadway,
Somerset, England, as Edward Poole
gave letters of attorney to William Par-
don to collect legacies due his wife Sarah
from Edmund Pinney and Elizabeth
Standerwick of that address, May 10,
1645. His will, probated September 26,
1664, bequeathed to wife, sons Samuel,
Isaac, Joseph, Benjamin, John, Jacob and
daughter Sarah.
(II) Captain Joseph Poole, son of Ed-
ward and Sarah, resided in Weymouth,
and, like his father, was a large landed
proprietor. He was the original owner of
the second saw mill in the town, built in
i/oo, died in Weymouth in 1706, and his
will, which was made April 1 1 of that year,
was proved May 16 following. The Chris-
tian name of his first wife was Elizabeth,
and that of his second, Mary. Children:
Elizabeth, born December 6, 1674 ; Sus-
251
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
anna, December 17, 1679; Mary, January
26, 1681 ; P>enjamin, February 9, 1682;
Margaret, April 22, 1688; Samuel, men-
tioned below ; Joseph ; Abigail and Isaac.
(III) Samuel, son of Joseph Poole, was
born in 1690, in Weymouth, and died in
1785, in South Abington. He was one
of the original settlers of Abington ; was
selectman of the town for six years, 1718-
24, and the first representative sent by
Abington to the General Court in 1735,
and for several years thereafter. He was
highly esteemed ; was moderator of the
church meeting, August 22, 1/49. His
recorded children were : Elizabeth, born
August 31, 1711; Samuel, September 18,
1713; Joseph, February u, 1716 or 1717;
Sarah, February 11, 1718. He doubtless
had other children, including the next
mentioned.
(IV) Jacob Poole probably resided in
Dartmouth. Little is known concerning
him except that he was the father of the
next mentioned.
(V) Sirbinas Poole, son of Jacob
Poole, was born February 5, 1755, and
appears as a resident of Dartmouth. He
married Lurana Lee, of Dighton. born
June 17, 1755, and their children were:
Benjamin, born June 29, 1783; Sarah,
July 28, 1785; Marcy, February 8, 1788;
Jacob, March 19, 1790; Major, July 5,
1793; Abiatha, November 20. 1795; Lu-
rana, January 3, 1799; George, November
12, 1800; Olive, April 24, 1806; Sirbinas,
mentioned below; Hannah, May 10, 1818.
(VI) Sirbinas (2), youngest son of
Sirbinas (i) and Lurana (Lee) Poole,
was born December 8, 1808, in Dart-
mouth, where he made his home. He
married Mary Weaver, daughter of Cap-
tain John and Ruth (Wilbur) Weaver, of
North Scituate, Rhode Island, and both
died in Scituate and were buried there.
Children : Sarah, mentioned below ; John
W., deceased ; Elizabeth, married Ste-
phen P. Bowen, of North Scituate, Rhode
Island; William H., died in North Scitu-
ate; Deborah, married (first) Albert Col-
vin, (second) Benjamin Gardner, (third)
Frank Parker ; Mercy, married Joseph
Davis, and is now a widow, residing at
North Scituate ; Hannah, married George
Jordan, of Providence; Stephen W., mar-
ried Amelia Frances Tucker, of North
Scituate, and resides in Swansea, Massa-
chusetts ; Charles H., died in Providence;
Ruth, married George Slade, of North
Attleboro, Massachusetts.
(VII) Sarah, eldest child of Sirbinas
(2) and Mary (Weaver) Poole, became
the wife of Phineas W. Crapo, of Fall
River (see Crapo VI).
GROSSMAN FAMILY.
The Grossman family of New England,
represented in the present generation by
Mrs. Alice Bertha (Grossman) Bickford
(the sketch of the Bickford family on pages
85 to 90), is descended from John Cross-
man, who came from Somersetshire, Eng-
land, before 1639. The family coat-of-
arms is described: Argent a cross ermine
between four escallops sable. Crest: A
demi-lion ermine holding an escallop
sable. Robert Grossman, son of John
Grossman, also lived in Taunton, where
the pioneer located ; married Sarah Kings-
bury, of Dedham, and had eleven chil-
dren.
(I) Rev. Abishai Grossman, a descend-
ant of John Grossman, was a soldier in
the Revolution. He was a resident of
Northbridge, Massachusetts, in 1776,
when he served as surgeon's mate in
Colonel Nicholas Dike's regiment in the
defence of Boston. He also served as
surgeon's mate in Colonel Nathan Tyler's
regiment from July 28 to August 8, 1780,
in the Rhode Island campaign. He be-
came a Baptist minister and was the sec-
252
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
ond pastor of the church at Chelmsford.
He was afterward, from 1789 to 1/93,
pastor of the Baptist church in Rowley,
now Georgetown. He married, March
31, 17/2, Experience Richardson, of Sud-
bury. Among their children were : Abi-
shai, mentioned below ; Betsey, born at
Chelmsford, May 9, 1783; Silas Cutler,
November 13, 1785.
(II) Abishai (2) Grossman, son of Rev.
Abishai (i) Grossman, settled in Boyls-
ton. He was a shoemaker by trade. A
deed of land that he bought in 1819 shows
that his father was then living. He mar-
ried (first) at Shrewsbury, January 28,
1794, Ruth Wheeler, and (second) at
Sherborn, August 3, 1823, Keziah John-
son. Children, born in Boylston: Polly,
born June 27, 1795; Abishai, August 2,
1796; Henry Wheeler, October 6, 1798;
Sally, February 25, 1801 ; Ruth, Septem-
ber 17, 1803 ; John Wheeler, mentioned
below; William H., August 16, 1808;
Nancy Parkman, May 6, 1811; Caleb
Strong, April 14, 1814; Lucy Pierce, June
i, 1817.
(III) John Wheeler Grossman, son of
Abishai (2) Grossman, was born at Boyls-
ton, January 9, 1806. He married Eveli-
na Phelps, of Lancaster, a daughter of
Gardner and Molly (Baldwin) Phelps,
and a descendant of Edward Phelps, the
pioneer, who settled in Andover. Chil-
dren of Gardner and Molly Phelps: Gard-
ner, born November 8, 1784; Thomas,
April 22, 1/86; Mary, June 29, 1788; Asa-
hel, Alarch 7, 1790; Lucy, December 8,
1794; David; Darius; Evelina, who mar-
ried John W. Grossman.
(IV) Frank Harrison Grossman, son
of John Wheeler Grossman, was born at
Bolton, January 12, 1846. He is a farmer
and machinist, and for many years has
been town clerk of Berlin. He married,
at Fitchburg. January 12, 1870, Lelia
Ward Farwell, daughter of Abel and
Myra (Ward) Farwell (see Farwell XII).
Children: I. Alice Bertha, born July 29,
1872; married Ernest A. Bickford, a
sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this
work. 2. Walter Ivers, born November
5, 1874; engaged in mining in Alaska. 3.
Harrison Austin, born September 21,
1876; farmer in Berlin; married Mabel
Ware; children: Walter Stanley, Evelyn,
Lyman Ware, Lelia, John, Almon and
Alberta. 4. Agnes Blanche, born July n,
1882; married Carlton Willard Howe, of
Northampton, manager of a Woolworth
store ; child, Brenda Alice, born August
20, 1915. 5. Kenneth Ward, born July
14, 1896; student in the Worcester Poly-
technic Institute, class of 1919.
(The Farwell Family).
The ancestry of the Farwell family
has been traced to Richard Farwell, who
married, about A. D. 1280, the daughter
and heiress of Elias de Rillestone, whose
estates remained in the Farwell family
until about 1500 when they passed
through an heiress to the family of Rad-
cliff. About the same time, Simon Far-
well migrated from Yorkshire to Somer-
setshire and built Bishop Hall near
Taunton, the manor house on which is
carved the Farwell arms quartered with
de Rillestone and others.
(I) Simon Farwell, descendant of Rich-
ard Farwell, died in 1545; married Julia
Clark.
(II) Simon (2) Farwell, son of Simon
(1) Farwell, of Hill-Bishop, married
Dorothy Dyer, heiress of Sir James Dyer,
judge and speaker of the House of Com-
mons. She died in 1580.
(III) George Farwell, son of Simon
(2) Farwell. was born in 1533, and died
in 1609; married Philippa Parker, daugh-
ter of John Parker. She died in 1620.
They lived at Hill-Bishop.
(IV) Sir George (2) Farwell, son of
-53
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
George (i) Farwell, died in 1647. He
married Lady Mary Seymour, daughter
of Sir Edward Seymour, Duke of Somer-
set, and brought into the family royal
Plantagenet blood. They lived at Hill-
Bishop.
(V) John Farwell, son of Sir George
(2) Farwell, married Dorothy Routh,
daughter of Sir John Routh.
(VI) Henry Farwell, son of John Far-
well, according to the Farwell Genealogy,
was one of the first settlers of Concord,
Massachusetts, and was admitted a free-
man, May 14, 1638-39. He served on
important committees of the proprietors
and town. He removed to Chelmsford.
His will was dated July 12, 1670, and his
death followed soon. By his wife, Olive,
he had children : John, born 1639 ; Mary,
December 26, 1640; Joseph, mentioned
below; Olive; Elizabeth.
(VII) Joseph Farwell, son of Henry
Farwell, was born at Concord, February
20, 1642. He removed with his father to
Chelmsford and about 1699 to Dunstable,
where he was a selectman in 1701-02-05-
10, deacon of the church and highway
surveyor in 1706. He died December 31,
1722. He married, December 25, 1666,
Hannah Learned, who was born at Wo-
burn, August 24, 1649, daughter of Isaac
and Mary (Stearns) Learned. Her father
was born in England, son of William and
Judith Learned, who came to Charles-
town in 1632 ; her mother was a daughter
of Isaac and Mary Stearns, who settled
in Watertown in 1630. Children of
Joseph and Hannah Farwell : Hannah,
born January 20, 1668; Joseph, mention-
ed below; Elizabeth, June 9, 1672 ; Henry,
December 18, 1674; Isaac; Sarah, Sep-
tember 2, 1683; John, June 15, 1686; Wil-
liam, January 21, 1688; Oliver, 1689;
Olive, November, 1692.
(VIII) Joseph (2) Farwell, son of
Joseph (i) Farwell, was born at Chelms-
ford, July 24, 1670. He removed to Gro-
ton, where he died August 21, 1740. He
married, at Chelmsford, Hannah Coburn.
Children: Joseph, born August 5, 1696;
Thomas, October 11, 1698. Born at Gro-
ton : Hannah, May 6, 1701; Elizabeth,
December 31, 1703; Edward, July 12,
1706; Mary, February 5, 1709; John, June
23, 1711; Samuel, mentioned below;
Daniel, May 20, 1717; Sarah, February
26, 1721.
(IX) Samuel Farwell, son of Joseph (2)
Farwell, was born at Groton, January 14,
1714; married, June 23, 1735, Elizabeth
Moors, born February 5, 1719, daughter
of Abraham and Elizabeth (Gilson)
Moors, of Groton. Children, born at
Groton: Samuel, born April 10, 1736;
Elizabeth, January 19, 1739; Eunice,
October 12, 1741; Abraham, mentioned
below; John, January 27, 1745; Sarah,
December 26, 1747; Lydia, August 4,
1749; Susanna, July 20, 1751; Joseph,
March 27, 1754; Isaac Moors, April 12,
i/57-
(X) Abraham Farwell, son of Samuel
Farwell, was born at Groton, August 18,
1743, and died August 29, 1829. He was
on the school committee in 1790-91-92
and held other town offices. He married
(intention dated July 14, 1770) Priscilla
Thurston, daughter of Deacon John and
Lydia Thurston. Her father. Deacon
John Thurston, was born August 19,
1723; married (first) Hepsibah Burpee,
born October 3, 1722, daughter of Eben-
ezer and Miriam (Parsons) Burpee; mar-
ried (second) April 28, 1768, Lydia Kim-
ball ; served in the French and Indian
War; resided in Lunenburg, now Fitch-
burg. Jonathan Thurston, father of Dea-
con John Thurston, was born March 16,
1701, at Newbury; married, December
10, 1722, Lydia Spoflford, born 1700; he
died September 28, 1738; lived at Row-
ley. Daniel Thurston, father of Jonathan
254
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Thurston, was born December 18, 1661 ;
married Mary Dresser, who was born
December 24, 1667, daughter of Lieuten-
ant John Dresser, of Rowley ; she died
December 7, 1735 ; he died February 18,
1738. Daniel Thurston, father of Daniel
Thurston, was the immigrant ancestor;
married Ann Pell, daughter of Joseph
Pell ; served in King Philip's War ; died
February 19, 1693. Children of Abraham
Farwell, born at Fitchburg: Samuel, born
November 10, 1772; Abraham, August
16, 1774; Josiah, February 9, 1777; Abel,
mentioned below ; Miriam, May 9, 1782 ;
Levi, October 19, 1784; Joseph, January
22, 1787. Abraham Farwell was a soldier
in the Revolution, a corporal in Captain
Ebenezer Bridge's company, Colonel John
Whitcomb's regiment of minute-men on
the Lexington Alarm.
(XI) Deacon Abel Farwell, son of
Abraham Farwell, was born at Fitch-
burg, February n, 1780. He married
(first) January 8, 1807, Sally Babcock ;
(second) January 8, 1839, Mrs. Nancy
Brown. Children by first wife, born at
Fitchburg: Samuel, born October 24,
1807; Levi, April 11, 1811; Abel, men-
tioned below ; Warren Fay, October 8,
1815; Levi, May 19, 1822; Austin Put-
nam, September 18, 1825.
(XII) Abel (2) Farwell, son of Dea-
con Abel (i) Farwell, was born at Fitch-
burg, July 12, 1812. He resided in Ash-
burnham for twenty years, removing later
to Fitchburg. He married Myra Ward,
daughter of Caleb and Mary (Rice)
Ward, granddaughter of Caleb and Re-
becca (Foster) Ward, and great-grand-
daughter of Thaddeus and Lydia Ward.
Myra Ward was born September 5, 1811.
Caleb Ward was a soldier in the Revolu-
tion in Captain Deliverance Davis's com-
pany, Colonel Asa Whitcomb's regiment.
Children of Abel Farwell : Abel Stephen,
born January 8, 1836, married Elsie A.
Howe ; Elizabeth Davis, May 26, 1837 ;
Ivers Warren, January 26, 1839; George
Goodyear, November 7, 1840, died in the
service in the Civil War; Levi Caleb,
April ii, 1843; Samuel Ward, May 31,
1845; Austin; Lelia Ward, married Frank
Harrison Grossman (see Grossman IV).
WARNER, Milton Burrage,
Attorney, Public Official.
The family represented in the present
generation by Milton Burrage Warner,
of Pittsfield, has had many honored and
honorable representatives in England for
many centuries, and more than twenty
families of this name have coats-of-arms
of different design. It is also well repre-
sented in the United States, its members
being equally prominent and honorable.
William Warner, the immigrant ances-
tor of this branch of the Warner family,
is believed to be a son of Samuel Warner,
of Boxted, Essex county, England, and
he was doubtless born in England about
1590. He was one of the pioneers at Ips-
wich, Massachusetts, one of the proprie-
tors as early as 1635, and his name
appears on a list of the proprietors in
1637. He was admitted freeman, May 2,
1638. The date of his death is unknown,
but he was living October 29, 1654.
Joseph Warner, a lineal descendant of
William Warner, the ancestor, was a
resident of Acton, Massachusetts, from
whence he removed to Fair Haven, Ver-
mont, in March, 1827. He was possessed
of some capital, and bought and sold
several farms during his six years' resi-
dence in that town, and in 1828 he pur-
chased a farm on which he resided until
the year 1833, when he removed to New
Bedford, Massachusetts. He married
Nabby (Abigail) Buttrick, and their only
children were two sons: Joseph B. and
Burrage Y. Warner. Joseph B. Warner
255
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
was one of the founders of the flouring
and feed mills of the Dennison-Plummer
Company, of New Bedford, and his
brother, Burrage Y. Warner, became as-
sociated with him in this business, which
was quite prosperous. In its earlier days
the firm was known as Warner, Denni-
son & Company. Joseph B. Warner mar-
ried, and was the father of Richard War-
ner, whose son, Joseph E. Warner, is a
member of the Massachusetts Legisla-
ture, and chairman of the ways and means
committee.
Burrage Y. Warner, youngest son of
Joseph and Nabby (Buttrick) Warner,
was born in Fair Haven, Vermont, July
24, 1828, and died at Acushnet, Massa-
chusetts, February 9, 1888. He was very
active in promoting the interests of his
town and county, and served for many
years on the board of school commis-
sioners of Acushnet. He was associated
in business with his brother, as aforemen-
tioned. Politically he was affiliated with
the Democratic party. He married Sarah
A. Peirce, born in Assonet, Massachu-
setts, in 1833, died in 1901, daughter of
Simeon and Marcia (Ashley) Peirce.
Milton Burrage Warner, son of Bur-
rage Y. and Sarah A. (Peirce) Warner,
was born in New Bedford, Massachu-
setts, August 27, 1 86 1. He was six years
of age when his parents removed to
Acushnet, and there he received his early
education in the public schools. Later
he was a student at the Bridgewater Nor-
mal School, from which he graduated in
1884, and then entered Harvard Law
School, from which he was graduated in
1891 with the degree of LL. B. In that
year he was admitted to the bar of Mas-
sachusetts, and commenced the active
practice of his profession in New Bed-
ford. He subsequently located in Dalton,
Massachusetts, and in 1895 removed to
Pittsfield, Massachusetts, where he has
since been continuously and successfully
engaged in the practice of law. He was
associated for a short time with Robert
F. Raymond, later Justice of the Superior
Court of Massachusetts, then with Byron
Weston, and in 1910 he became associ-
ated with John Barker, under the firm name
of Warner & Barker, which partnership
has extended to the present time (1916).
In 1899 and 1900, Mr. Warner was a
member of the common council of Pitts-
field ; a member of the board of alder-
men in 1901, and from 1904 to 1912, inclu-
sive, was city solicitor of Pittsfield. He
is treasurer of the Berkshire Law Libra-
ry, and trustee of Balance Rock Park.
He is a regular attendant of divine wor-
ship at the Congregational church in
Pittsfield; is a Republican in politics; a
member of the Masonic fraternity, attain-
ing the sixteenth degree in the Scottish
Rite ; a member of the Independent Or-
der of Odd Fellows, the American Bar
Association, the Massachusetts Bar As-
sociation, Thayer Law Club Association,
Harvard Law School Alumni Association,
the Park and Country clubs of Pittsfield,
the Harvard clubs of New York City and
Boston, and the Pi Eta college fraternity
of Harvard College. His chief recreations
are cross country riding, golf and tennis.
Mr. Warner is unmarried.
DAMON, Alonzo Willard,
Insurance President, Financier.
From a worthy line of New England
ancestry, Alonzo Willard Damon inherits
the temperament, intellectual force and
fidelity which have made him a leader
among the business men of the Old Bay
State. The name is of French origin,
and is found at Blois and Cherbourg,
France, in very early records. It appears
as d'Amon and Damen, and in the early
256
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
i coords of Scituate, Massachusetts, it is
spelled Daman and in several other forms.
John Damon, the immigrant, came from
County Kent, England, whence many of
the settlers of Scituate came, while a
youth, with his uncle and guardian, Wil-
liam Gilson, accompanied by his sister
Hannah. Their mother was a sister of
William Gilson. By will of William Gil-
son, John Damon inherited Gilson's resi-
dence on Kent street, Scituate, and his
lot on the "third cliff." Later he and his
sister were declared sole heirs of Wil-
liam Gilson, who died childless. William
Gilson was an educated man, and filled
important stations in the Plymouth Colo-
ny, serving in the governor's council,
1631 to 1636, with the exception of 1635.
In the Indian wars John Damon com-
manded the Scituate troops under Miles
Standish, who commanded all Plymouth
Colony soldiery. He married (first)
Katharine, daughter of Henry Merritt;
(second) Martha Howland, of Plymouth,
who survived him, and married (second)
Peter Bacon, of Taunton. Children of
first marriage : Deborah ; John, baptized
in Scituate, where he made his home,
and married Lucy Bowker, a daughter
of John and Ann (Wright) Bowker, and
their children were : Simeon, born August
25, 1781 ; Elijah, mentioned below; Lucy,
November 19, 1784; Delight Bowker, Oc-
tober 25, 1786; Daniel, November 25,
1788; Ruth, October 4, 1790; Lydia,
baptized May 22, 1791 ; Jude Litchfield,
born August 19, 1792; Samuel Litchfield,
August 9, 1794; Anna, August 12, 1796.
Elijah Damon, second son of John and
Lucy (Bowker) Damon, was born Janu-
ary I, 1783, in Scituate, where he mar-
ried, November 24, 1810, Sally Sears,
born August 21, 1784, in Scituate, daugh-
ter of Peter and Susan (Collamore) Sears,
of that town. Five children are recorded
in Scituate : Davis, mentioned below ;
Sarah, born October 15, 1814; Lucy, May
23, 1817; Hosea, April 29, 1819; Susan-
nah Collamore, May 30, 1824. Davis Da-
mon, eldest child of Elijah and Sarah
(Sears) Damon, was born July 5, 1812, in
Scituate, and lived in that part of the
town now set off as the town of Norwell.
He married, in his native town, Lucy
Damon, born June 9, 1816, daughter of
Luther and Alice (Nash) Damon, of
Scituate. Three children are recorded in
Scituate: Albert Davis, born January 29,
1840; Lucy Ann, born July 22, 1845, an d
Alonzo Willard, of further mention.
Alonzo Willard Damon was born Feb-
ruary ii, 1847, in South Scituate, now
Norwell, Massachusetts. He received his
educational training in the public schools
of Boston, where he made the best use of
his opportunities in preparing for an ac-
tive life, toward which his ambition beck-
oned. At the age of fifteen years he be-
gan his insurance career by entering the
office of the Washington Fire and Marine
Insurance Company, as a clerk. Here his
industrious application and ready grasp
of details gained the favorable notice of
his superiors and he was rapidly pro-
moted until, in 1880, he was made secre-
tary of the company. This position he
filled with notable efficiency for a period
of seven years, when he resigned to be-
come special agent of the Franklin Insur-
ance Company of Philadelphia, Pennsyl-
vania. After one year of this service he
transferred his activities to the service of
the Springfield Fire and Marine Insur-
ance Company, of Springfield, Massachu-
setts, with which he has been identified
up to the present time. As a practical in-
surance man he has few equals in the
field, and he readily advanced in position
with the company from his first connec-
tion with it. From 1891 to 1895 he filled
the office of assistant secretary, and was
elevated to the presidency in 1895. Dur-
Mass 5 17
257
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
ing his connection with it, the Springfield
Fire and Marine Insurance Company has
made rapid growth, and has come to be
the largest fire insurance organization in
the Commonwealth. To Mr. Damon is
due the credit for much of this prosper-
ity, and he is recognized among insur-
ance men of the United States as a leader
in his especial line. That this estimation
of the ability of Mr. Damon is a wide-
spread one, the following extract from an
article on the Springfield Fire and Marine
Insurance Company, which appeared in
"The Insurance Journal and New Eng-
land Underwriter," the oldest insurance
journal established and continuously
published in New England, in the issue of
March 19, 1915, will amply testify:
The results above outlined could have been
obtained only by both underwriting and execu-
tive management of the highest order. The
banner period of the company the past twenty
years has had the directing hand of President
A. W. Damon. In fact, it is not too much to
say that the remarkable success achieved has
been due directly to his masterful management,
aided, as he has always been, by a corps of able
efficient, and devoted assistants a condition
precedent to notable accomplishment. Mr.
Damon is recognized everywhere as the peer
of the ablest underwriters and company man-
agers that this country has ever produced. He
has had more than fifty years' continuous ex-
perience in insurance work, having begun as a
clerk in the office of a Boston company in 1862.
After twenty-five years' service there, during
which time he rose to the official position of
secretary of the company, he had several years'
experience in the New England field as special
agent, from which he was called to the home office
of the Springfield Fire and Marine Insurance
Company to fill the position of assistant secre-
tary, and from which he was advanced to the
presidency, as already stated, in 1895. Mr.
Damon's qualifications for the position he has
filled for twenty years with so much credit to
himself and his company are not confined, how-
ever, to his underwriting and executive ability.
He had admittedly but few if any superiors as
a financier, his notable success in handling the
company's large assets in a manner to produce
the best possible results, having won unstinted
praise from representative financiers and insur-
ance company officials in all parts of the country.
The company's annual statements of income bear
further incontrovertible witness to his exceptional
acumen in handling investments. By the work
one knows the workman.
In 1910-11 Mr. Damon served as presi-
dent of the National Board of Fire Under-
writers. His company occupies a splen-
did building in Springfield, one of the
finest in the world, devoted exclusively to
the care and prosecution of it own busi-
ness. Mr. Damon is interested in several
business enterprises of Springfield, to
whose prosperity his fine executive abil-
ity has contributed in no small degree.
He is a director of the Third National
Bank of Springfield, and a trustee of the
Springfield Institution for Saving, and
the New England Investment and Se-
curity Company. He is also a director
of the Springfield Street Railway Com-
pany, the Holyoke Water Power Com-
pany and the Cheney-Bigelow Wire
Works. Mr. Damon appreciates the duty
of every American citizen to participate
in the control of public affairs through
the ballot, but does not desire political
station. He acts with the Republican
party, and has consented to serve his
city as a member of its Sinking Fund
Commission.
Mr. Damon married, in Boston, in 1869,
Marie Snow Higgins, who died in 1871
after the birth of a son, William Sweetser,
who died in Springfield, May 24, 1892.
CASWELL, Franklin A.,
Business Man.
The Caswell family is of considerable
antiquity in Wales and the neighboring
county of Hereford, England. Sir Thomas
Caswell, a knight of the holy wars, was
buried at Leominster. Long afterward,
Sir George Caswell or Caswall had ex-
258
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
tensive estates in that section and repre-
sented Leominster in several parliaments.
He left two sons, John and Timothy. The
latter was father of George Caswell, of
Secombe Park, Hertfordshire. From this
family were descended the Caswells in
Herefordshire, Hertfordshire, Middlesex,
and elsewhere in England. The ancient
coat-of-arms of the family is described :
Argent three bars gemelles and a mullet
for difference, sable. Crest: A dexter
arm embowed in mail proper, holding a
cross crosslet fitchee or.
Richard Caswell, Esq., of London, mar-
ried Mary, daughter of Richard Slany.
Esq., of County Salop, and among their
children were Thomas and George.
(I) Thomas Caswell, immigrant ances-
tor in this country, believed to be a son of
Richard mentioned above, was one of the
first settlers of Taunton, about 1639. Ac-
cording to family tradition he came from
Somersetshire, England. All the early
Caswells of New England were descended
from him. His name is on the list of those
able to bear arms in Taunton in 1643. His
will was dated September 28, 1691, proved
September 14, 1697. Children, born at
Taunton: Stephen, born February 15,
1648; Thomas, February 22, 1650; Peter,
October, 1652; Mara, August, 1654; John,
July, 1656; Sarah, November, 1658; Wil-
liam, July 15, 1660; Hannah, July 14,
1661 ; Samuel, mentioned below ; Eliza-
beth, January 10, 1664; Abigail, October
27, 1666; Esther, June I, 1669.
(II) Samuel Caswell, son of Thomas
Caswell, was born at Taunton, January
26, 1663. Children, born at Taunton:
Samuel; Henry; Ebenezer; Nathan, men-
tioned below ; Damaris ; Mehitable ; Ruth ;
Anne ; Joanna ; Rebecca.
(III) Nathan Caswell, son of Samuel
Caswell, settled in Norwich, Connecticut.
He married, May 4, 1737, at Middlebor-
ough, Massachusetts, Hannah Shaw. He
was a soldier from Connecticut in Captain
Joshua Abel's company of Norwich, Sep-
tember 14 to December 13, 1755, and in
Captain John Perkins' company that went
to the relief of Fort Henry.
(IV) Nathan (2) Caswell, son of Na-
than (i) Caswell, was born about 1740;
settled in Norwich, where he was appren-
ticed as a tailor and served seven years.
He married, at Norwich, April 30, 1761,
Hannah Bingham. He lived for a time
at Hebron, Connecticut, and in 1765
with Israel Morey came to Orford, New
Hampshire. In 1770 they located at
Littleton, New Hampshire, formerly
called Apthorp, whence the name of Cas-
well's son, born the night that the family
arrived in the town. During the Revo-
lution he served in Captain Jeremiah
Eames's Rangers in 1776. He was elected
captain July 10, 1779. He was a farmer in
Littleton, after the war, and was elected
to various town offices. In 1803 he went
to Canada, where many of his children
had settled, and he died there at Comp-
ton, in 1824, aged eighty-four years. His
wife died at the home of her youngest
child, Alice (Caswell) Pierce, at Bromp-
ton, P. Q. Children : Nathan, born at
Hebron, Connecticut, May i, 1762; Ozias,
January 17, 1764; Ezra, mentioned below;
Andrew, July 20, 1768; Apthorp, April
12, 1770; John, June 20, 1772; Hannah,
June 10, 1774; Jedediah, July 24, 1776;
Charlotte, April 20, 1778; Anna, June 8,
1779; Daniel, January 30, 1781; Lydia,
August 31, 1783; Elizabeth, April 27,
1786; Alice, January 2, 1790.
(V) Ezra Caswell, son of Nathan (2)
Caswell, was born at Orford, September
23, 1766. He removed to Stanstead coun-
ty, Province of Quebec.
(VI) Hiram Caswell, son (possibly a
nephew) of Ezra Caswell, was born about
1785. He resided during most of his life
in Farnham, P. Q. He married Lucinda
259
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Williams, of Essex, Vermont. The Wil-
liams family came from the vicinity of
Taunton also. Children : Merritt, died at
West Shelford, Canada, June, 1893; Lor-
ing ; Ira, mentioned below ; Julius ; Ovette
and Adelaide.
(VII) Ira Caswell, son of Hiram Cas-
well, was born in the Province of Quebec,
Canada. He was a woodworker when a
young man, a wheelwright and mill-
wright in Riceburg, Canada. For a num-
ber of years he was a carriage builder. In
1872 he left Riceburg and came to Fitch-
burg, Massachusetts, where he engaged
in business as a carpenter and builder. He
erected the Stiles block, the C. H. Brown
machine shop, the residence of R. L. God-
dard at Palmer, Massachusetts, and a
large number of buildings in Fitchburg
and vicinity. He married, January 17,
1854, Jane Lambkin, who was born July
22, 1833, died February 26, 1867, daugh-
ter of Howard and Betsey (Orcutt)
Lambkin. Howard Lambkin was born
at Swanton, Vermont, August 18, 1806,
died February 5, 1892 ; Betsey Orcutt was
born April 27, 1809, and died before 1844.
Howard Lambkin married (second) April
4, 1844, Catharine M. Sornberger, born in
Canada, May 17, 1813, died August 17,
1867. Children of Howard Lambkin by
first wife: Philo Lambkin, born Decem-
ber 14, 1828; Lyman Lambkin, June 16,
1831 ; Jane Lambkin, July 22, 1833, died
February 26, 1867 ; Susan Lambkin, March
28, 1836; Caroline Lambkin, September 4,
1838, died January 7, 1913. at Fairbury,
Illinois. Children of Howard Lambkin by
second wife : Betsey Maria Lambkin,
born April 17, 1846; Charles Howard
Lambkin, November 21, 1848; Julia Zil-
pha Lambkin, November 25, 1851 ; Willis
C. Lambkin, February 22, 1857, died Sep-
tember, 1878.
Children of Ira and Jane (Lambkin)
Caswell: i. Nettie Frances, born Decem-
ber 24, 1855 ; married Henry Clark, of
Worcester. 2. Franklin Allen, mentioned
below. 3. Mary L., died in infancy. 4.
Linfield A., married, March 9, 1881, Ida
Rosella Howe, born in Westminster, De-
cember 2, 1861 ; children : Burton Lyman,
born September i, 1881, married, May 25,
1909, Lena Evangeline Rosen, born in
Boston, July 4, 1888, and has a daughter,
Caroline Ida, born February 9, 1913;
Archie Ira, born January 22, 1884, mar-
ried Elina Perkins Gay, born in Boston,
July 25, 1882, and has sons: Robert Fran-
cis, born December 20, 1911, and Russell
Gay, February 13, 1914; Edith Mary,
born August 15, 1886; Harry Linfield,
January 26, 1890, married Edith E.
Newell, born at Ashby, Massachusetts,
February 5, 1889, and has one daughter,
Florence Esther, born November 23, 1915 ;
William Avon, born August 5, 1892;
Howard Earl, born July 13, 1894, married
Annie Ethel Deary, born at Fitchburg,
July 29, 1893; Grace Ellen, born July 7,
died July 8, 1896; Ruth Jane, born July
8, 1897; Esther, born April 22, 1900; Ida,
born November 9, 1904, died May i, 1905.
5. Ella, married A. S. B. Lothrop, of Mon-
tello, Massachusetts ; daughter, Maud S.
Lothrop married Leslie Powers and re-
sides at Belmont, Massachusetts.
(VIII) Franklin Allen Caswell, son of
Ira Caswell, was born at Riceburg, P.
Q., May 6, 1857. He attended the pub-
lic schools in his native town and the
Eastwood private school at Stanbridge,
Canada. With his father's family he
came to Fitchburg in 1872 and attended
the public school there. For a few years
he worked at the trade of carpenter in
the employ of his father, and afterward
learned the trade of pattern maker in
the Putnam shop. Subsequently he en-
tered the employ of M. W. Cummings
and acquired a thorough knowledge of
the undertaking business. In 1890 he
260
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
started in business on his own account as
an undertaker and embalmer, at 34 Pearl
street. During the first ten months he
was in partnership with John Masterson,
of Anthony, Rhode Island. At the end
of that time he became the sole proprietor
of the business, which he has continued
very successfully to the present time. In
1898 he moved his place of business to
the old post office building opposite his
original location on Pearl street.
Mr. Caswell is well-known in social
and fraternal circles. He is a member of
Morning Star Lodge, Free Masons ; Eu-
reka Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Hi-
ram Council, Royal and Select Masters;
Worcester County Commandery, Knights
Templar ; Worcester Lodge of Perfection ;
Goddard Council, Princes of Jerusalem;
Lawrence Chapter, Rose Croix ; the Mas-
sachusetts Consistory and Alethia Grot-
to. He is past noble grand of Ouinsiga-
mond Lodge of Odd Fellows, member of
Wachusett Encampment and trustee of
the Odd Fellows Charitable Association,
which owns the new Odd Fellows' Build-
ing, Main street, Worcester. He is presi-
dent of the Shaffner Society, and a mem-
ber of Worcester Conclave, No. 332, Hep-
tasophs. Mr. Caswell is also active in
the church and is a member of the pru-
dential committee of the Pleasant Street
Baptist Church. He is a member of the
Massachusetts Undertakers' Association
and of the Massachusetts Social Club.
He married, December 15, 1881, Louise
Freeland Brewster (see Brewster line).
Children: I. Frank Robert, born No-
vember 7, 1882. 2. Gertrude Brewster,
March 20, 1893. 3. Marion Howard, No-
vember 7, 1894. 4. Chester Freeland, Au-
gust 20, 1897, student in Dartmouth Col-
lege. 5. Harold Allen, May 20, 1900.
(The Brewster Line).
(I) William Brewster, Sr., lived at
Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England, as
early as 1570-71, when he was on the as-
sessment list. In 1576 he was appointed
by Archbishop Sandys receiver of Scroo-
by and bailiff of the manor house. In
1588 he was appointed postmaster under
the crown. He died in the summer of
1590. By his wife, Prudence, he had a
son, William, mentioned below.
(II) Elder William (2) Brewster, son
of William (i) Brewster, was born in the
last half of the year 1566 or early in 1567,
according to a deposition that he made at
Leyden, June 25, 1699, declaring his age
to be forty-two. He matriculated at
Peterhouse, the oldest of the fourteen col-
leges of the University of Cambridge, De-
cember 3, 1580, but does not appear to
have taken a degree. He became the
"discreete and faithfull" assistant of Wil-
liam Davison, Secretary of State to Queen
Elizabeth, and accompanied his employer
to the Netherlands in August, 1585, and
served him at the court until his down-
fall in 1587. Returning to Scrooby, he is
reported to have done much good "in
promoting and furthering religion." In
1590 he was appointed administrator of
his father's estate, and succeeded him as
postmaster, an office he held until Sep-
tember 30, 1607. While in Scrooby he
lived in the house where the members of
the Pilgrim church were accustomed to
meet. When they attempted to move to
Holland in 1607 they were imprisoned at
Boston, and Brewster suffered heavily,
and afterward when the Pilgrims went
to Holland he endured many unaccus-
tomed hardships, not being so well fitted
for the hard labor that was their common
lot as most of his associates. During the
latter part of the twelve years he spent in
Holland he taught school and operated
a printing plant that he set up in Leyden.
He came with the Pilgrims to Plymouth
in the "Mayflower" with his wife and two
sons. He had been elected elder of the
261
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
church, and during its trying years in the
wilderness was chief civil adviser and
guide of the colony. His wife, Mary, died
April 17, 1627, and he died April 10, 1644.
children: Jonathan, mentioned below;
Patience; Fear; child died at Leyden,
buried June 20, 1609; Love; Wrestling,
came with his parents.
(Ill) Jonathan Brewster, son of Elder
William (2) Brewster, was born August
12, 1593, in Scrooby, and came to Plym-
outh in the ship "Fortune" in 1621 ; re-
moved to Duxbury about 1630, and was
deputy to the General Court in 1639-41-
43-44. About 1649 ne moved to New
London, Connecticut, and settled in what
was afterward Norwich, where he was
admitted an inhabitant February 25,
1649-50. He was deputy to the General
Court in 1650-55-56-57-58. He engaged
in the coasting trade and was master of
a small vessel plying between Plymouth
and Virginia and to the northward. He
was clerk of the town of Pequot, Septem-
ber, 1649, an d received his first grant of
land there from Uncas, sachem of the
Mohegans, with whom he traded. At
what is <!>!' '.i\r<\ P.rew^ter's Neck he
built a house, and the Indian deed to his
farm was confirmed by the town Novem-
ber 30, 1652. In 1637 he was military
commissioner in the Pequot War, in 1642
a member of the Duxbury committee to
raise forces in the Narragansett alarm,
a member of Captain Myles Standish's
company in 1643. He acted from time to
time as an attorney. He died August 7,
1659, and was buried at Brewster's Neck,
Preston, Connecticut. He married, April
10, 1624, Lucretia Oldham, of Darby.
She died March 4, 1678-79. Children, of
whom the first three were born at Plym-
outh, the fourth in Jones River and the
others in Duxbury: William, born March
9, 1625; Mary, April 16, 1627; Jonathan,
July 17, 1629; Ruth, October 3, 1631;
Benjamin, mentioned below; Elizabeth,
May I, 1637; Grace, November i, 1639;
Hannah, November 3, 1641.
(IV) Captain Benjamin Brewster, son
of Jonathan Brewster, was born Novem-
ber 17, 1633, in Jones River, Massachu-
setts, and died, at Norwich, Connecticut,
September 14, 1710. His father's home-
stead, which he inherited, was successive-
ly in New London, Norwich, Preston,
Groton and Ledyard. He was deputy to
the General Court in 1668-89-90-92-93-94-
95-96-97; lieutenant in 1673, ar >d captain
in 1693. He married, February 29, 1659-
60, Anna (Addis) Darte, widow of Am-
brose. She died May 9, 1709. Children:
Mary, born December 10, 1660; Anna,
September 2, 1662; Jonathan, March i,
1666-67; Daniel, mentioned below; Wil-
liam, March 22, 1669; Ruth, September
16, 1671; Benjamin, December 25, 1673;
Elizabeth, June 23, 1676.
(V) Captain Daniel Brewster, son of
Captain Benjamin Brewster, was born at
Preston, March i, 1666-67, an d died there,
May 7, 1735. He was justice of the peace
in 1717, 1720-23, 1725-28; deputy to the
General Court, 1704-19, 1721-23, 1725 and
1731 ; lieutenant in 1704 and captain in
1716; deacon from 1702 to 1710. He mar-
ried (first) December 23, 1686, Hannah,
daughter of John and Elizabeth Gager,
of Norwich, born February, 1666, died
September 25, 1727. He married (sec-
ond) December 19, 1727, Dorothy Witter,
widow of Ebenezer, daughter of Lieuten-
ant Joseph and Dorothy (Parke) Morgan.
She was born at Norwich, February 29,
1675. Children by first wife: Daniel,
born October n, 1686; Hannah, Decem-
ber 2, 1690; Mary, January 2, 1692; John,
July 18, 1695 1 Jerusha, November 18,
1697; Ruth, June 20, 1700; Jonathan,
mentioned below; Jerusha, October 15,
1710; Ebenezer, September 19, 1713.
(VI) Jonathan (2) Brewster, son of Cap-
262
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
tain Daniel Brewster, was born at Pres-
ton June 6, 1705; married, November 17,
1725-26, Mary Parish. Children, born at
Preston: Lucretia, born August 14, 1727;
Ruth, April 6, 1730; Ephraim, August 30,
1731; Jonathan, mentioned below ; Mary,
December 2, 1735 ; Lydia, March 13, 1738 ;
Hannah, March 5, 1739-40 ; Jonah, baptized
March 30, 1746.
(VII) Deacon Jonathan (3) Brewster,
son of Jonathan (2) lirewster, was born
at Preston, June X. 1734, and died, at
Worthington, April 13, 1800. He re-
moved to Worthington in 1777, and was
selectman, 1778-81, 1784-92, 1794-97; rep-
resentative in the General Court, 1788-89,
1784-87, 1793-95 ; deacon of the Congre-
gational church. He married, at Preston,
August 26, 1754, Zipporah Smith, born at
Preston, July 10, 1735, died at Worthing-
ton, January 19, 1794. daughter of Ephra-
im and Hannah (Witter) Smith, of Ston-
ington. Children : Elisha, born February
2 5- J/SS; Esther, June 8, 1757; Jonathan,
mentioned below ; Zipporah, November
15, 1761; Sarah, March 20. 1764; Jonah.
March 9, 1766; Moses, September 8, 1769;
Lydia, August 24, 1772; Hannah, Septem-
ber 14, 1777.
(VIII) Jonathan (4) Brewster, son of
Deacon Jonathan (3) Brewster, was born
at Preston, November 14, 1759, and died,
at Worthington, February 16, 1841. He
was selectman of Worthington several
years ; often moderator ; served seven
years in the General Court ; was promi-
nent as a public speaker. Children born
at Worthington: Chester, -born June 17,
1785; Esther, December 19, 1786; Lu-
cinda, October 27, 1790; Jonathan, June
14, 1793; Colonel Milton, July 8, 1795;
Rev. Joseph Marsh, November 15, 1797;
Lydia, June 7, 1801 ; Sidney, mentioned
below.
(IX) Sidney Brewster, son of Jonathan
(4) Brewster, was born at Worthington,
May 13, 1803; died, at Worcester, Massa-
chusetts, February 2, 1892. He married
Mary Dixon. Their only child was Sid-
ney Dixon, mentioned below.
(X) Sidney Dixon Brewster, son of
Sidney Brewster, married Marie Free-
land, daughter of Dr. Chester and Maria
(Austin) Freeland. Children: i. Carrie
Gertrude, married Thomas D. Jenkins,
and had two children : Helen Whittemore
Jenkins, teacher of kindergarten in the
public schools of New Haven, graduate
of Miss Wheelock's School, Boston, and
Louise Freeland Jenkins, teacher of as-
tronomy in Mt. Holyoke College. 2.
Mary Maria, died young. 3. Emma Belle,
died young. 4. Louise Freeland, married
Franklin Allen Caswell (see Caswell). 5.
Kate Howard, married Stephen B. Knowl-
ton, of Worcester, and had two chil-
dren : Sidney Knowlton and Margaret
Knowlton.
SMITH, C. Fayette,
Banker.
Dean of the banking fraternity of Hol-
yoke, C. Fayette Smith reviews a life of
fifty years spent in the banking business.
The institution of which is the honored
head and in which he began as cashier
holds a commanding position among
Western Massachusetts financial con-
cerns and is regarded as Holyoke's lead-
ing bank. Its phenomenal growth since
his connection began may be justly at-
tributed in a large degree to his clear
vision, modern progressive management
and to his personal reputation as one of
the foremost financiers of his State. With
the exception of three years passed in the
employ of the George W. Prentiss Com-
pany, wire manufacturers, he has been
engaged in the banking business from the
time he was sixteen until the present, be-
ginning as clerk in the Hadley Falls
263
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Bank. In 1897 he had reached his present
position, chief executive of the City Na-
tional Bank of Holyoke, and for twenty
years has ably guided the destinies of
that institution. He is a descendant of
William Smith, born in England, who
with four brothers and a sister settled in
Connecticut, William settling later in
Wethersfield in that State, where he died
in January, 1670, leaving nine children by
his wife, Elizabeth (Starling) Smith,
whom he married in 1644.
The line of descent from William Smith,
the founder, is through his son, Benjamin
Smith, born in Farmington, Connecticut, in
1658, a farmer and saw mill owner of
West Springfield, Massachusetts. He
died in 1738, at the good old age of eighty,
leaving sons and daughters by his wife,
Ruth (Loomis) Smith. The line con-
tinued through Jonathan Smith, son of
Benjamin and Ruth (Loomis) Smith, who
was born at West Springfield, and there
lived a strict and pious life until his
death, February 9, 1772. He married
Margaret, a daughter of Samuel Ball, who
bore him sons and daughters, including a
son, Jonathan (2) Smith, born about 1725.
He inherited the Ball homestead at West
Springfield, through his mother, and there
resided until death, leaving among his
seven children a son, Jonathan (3) Smith,
who also resided at West Springfield,
married and left a son, Jonathan (4)
Smith, grandfather of C. Fayette Smith,
of Holyoke.
This Jonathan (4) Smith was born at
West Springfield, August 27, 1790, and
resided in that part of the town now Hol-
yoke. There he followed his trade of
cooper until his death, February 27, 1845.
He married, February 27, 1816, Martha,
daughter of Joseph Ely, of West Spring-
field, a descendant of Nathaniel Ely,
through his son, Samuel Ely; his son,
Deacon Joseph Ely; his son, Joseph (2)
El}'; his son, Captain Joseph (3) Ely, an
officer of the French and Indian War; his
son, Joseph (4) Ely, a soldier of the
Revolution, who married Martha Smith,
and they were the parents of Martha, born
May 29, 1/93, died March 24, 1867, mar-
ried, February 27, 1815, Jonathan (4)
Smith.
Jonathan Moseley Smith, eldest son of
Jonathan (4) and Martha (Ely) Smith, was
born at South Hadley, Massachusetts,
March 20, 1817, died March 13, 1867. In
early life he was a farmer, but later and for
many years he operated the swing ferry. He
married, March 30, 1843, in West Spring-
field, Lucinda Warren, born November 3,
1823, died in Holyoke, November 13, 1908,
daughter of Oliver and Esther (Dickin-
son) Warren, of Amherst, Massachu-
setts. They were the parents of four chil-
dren : Emily M., deceased, was the wife
of F. L. Seaver ; Ellen S. ; Charles
Fayette, of further mention; Herbert M.
Charles Fayette Smith, eldest son of
Jonathan Moseley and Lucinda (Warren)
Smith, was born at Holyoke, Massachu-
setts, August 24, 1851. Until sixteen
years of age he attended the public
schools, and at that age he became a
clerk in the Hadley Falls Bank, a con-
nection which existed for fourteen years,
the boy becoming a man of banking ex-
perience and teller of the bank for a
number of years. At the age of thirty he
resigned his banking position to enter the
employ of the George W. Prentiss Com-
pany, but three years later returned to
his first love, the banking business, as
cashier of the City National Bank of
Holyoke, serving in that position from his
election in 1884 until 1897, when he was
elected president of the bank, a position
he now holds. In 1900 he was appointed
receiver for the Glasgow Manufacturing
Company, and after closing up all the
affairs of the old company he organized a
264
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
new corporation, the Hadley Mills, of
which he was chosen treasurer, serving
ten years. The mills of the old company
after being closed four years were re-
opened by the new company and have
since been in successful operation. He
was also president of the Holyoke Ice
Company, and deeply interested in all
that tends to promote the welfare of his
city. In political faith he is a Republi-
can, his clubs the Bay State, Holyoke
Canoe, Holyoke and Mt. Tom Golf.
TOWNE, Frank Beckwith,
Manufacturer.
Of the ninth American generation of
his family, Mr. Towne, although born in
California, has spent the years of his life
since 1881 in Massachusetts, the State in
which his American ancestor lived from
the date of his coming from England,
about 1635, until his death. The surname
Towne is an ancient English surname,
but not of frequent occurrence. It is
found as early as 1227, and again in the
reign of Henry IV.; the coat-of-arms of
the Towne family and the family name
are found on a memorial window in a
church at Kensington, County Kent. The
arms are thus described : "Argent on a
chevron sable, three crosses crosslet,
ermine."
(I) William Towne, the founder of the
family in America, was born in England
in 1600, and baptized May 21, 1603. He
married, at Yarmouth, Norfolkshire, Eng-
land, March 25, 1620, in the Church of
St. Nicholas, Joanna Blessing, and there
six of his children were baptized. He
came to New England about 1630, set-
tled first at Salem, Massachusetts, where
he had a grant of land in 1640, residing
in that part of the town called Northfields
until 1651. In 1652 he sold his Salem
property and bought land in Topsfield
where he died about 1672. His widow
died in 1682. They were the parents of
ten children, two of whom were put to
death during the infernal "witchcraft de-
lusion," which left so black a spot on the
history of Massachusetts. Children: Re-
becca, baptized February 21, 1621, ex-
ecuted for witchcraft in Salem, July 19.
1692, wife of Francis Nourse ; John, bap-
tized February 16, 1624; Susannah, bap-
tized October 20, 1625 ; Edmund, baptized
June 28, 1628; Jacob, baptized March 11,
1632; Mary, baptized August 24, 1634,
executed for witchcraft at Salem, Sep-
tember 22, 1692, wife of Isaac Estey ;
Sarah, baptized September 3, 1648;
Joseph, of further mention.
(II) Joseph Towne, son of William and
Joanna (Blessing) Towne, was born
about 1639, baptized September 3, 1649,
resided in Salem until March 22, 1690,
then moved to Topsfield, where he was a
member of the church, and died in 1713.
He married Phebe Perkins, daughter of
Thomas Perkins, of Topsfield. Children:
Phebe, born May 4, 1666, died young;
Joanna, born January 22, 1668. married
Thomas Nichols, December 15, 1694,
lived in Sutton ; Mary, born March 27,
1670; Susannah, born December 24, 1671,
married John Cummings, January 23,
1688, died September 13, 1776; Joseph, of
further mention ; Sarah, born December
30, 1675, died November i, 1760; John,
born February 20, 1678 ; Martha, born
May 19, 1680, married Isaac Leach;
Phebe, born July 23, 1685, married Mr.
Newhall ; he died June 10, 1736.
(III) Joseph (2) Towne, son of Joseph
(i) and Phebe (Perkins) Towne, was
born at Topsfield, Massachusetts, March
22, 1673, died May 28, 1757. He mar-
ried (first) Margaret Case, of Salem, No-
vember 9, 1699; married (second) Abigail
Curtis, November 5. 1707; married (third)
Mary Mower, February 21, 1730. Chil-
265
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
dren of first wife: Margaret, born Au-
gust 6, 1700, died January 5, 1757, mar-
ried Samuel Perkins, August 22, 1723;
Joseph, born December 26, 1701 ; Arche-
laus, August 31, 1703; Israel, of further
mention. By his second wife Joseph
Towne had ten children and by his third
wife one child.
(IV) Israel Towne, son of Joseph (2)
Towne and his first wife, Margaret (Case)
Towne, was born at Topsfield, Massa-
chusetts, March 24, 1705, died at Amherst,
New Hampshire, in 1791. He was one of
the early settlers of Narragansett, after-
ward named Souhegan, and incorporated
as Amherst in 1760. The first settlement
was made there in 1734. and September
22, 1741, when the church was organized,
the name of Captain Israel Towne ap-
peared. He married, May 23, 1729, Grace
Gardner, of Middletown, who died in
1803. Children: Thomas, born 1732;
Archelaus, 1734; Israel, of further men-
tion; Moses, born May 6, 1739; Gardner,
born June 6, 1741, married Abigail Hop-
kins, no issue ; Elizabeth, born May 28,
1745, died July 16, 1794; Susannah, born
May 28, 1748, married Timothy Nichols
October 2, 1779; Mary, born April 20,
1751, died August 29, 1781.
(V) Israel (2) Towne, son of Israel
(i) and Grace (Gardner) Towne, was
born at Topsfield, Massachusetts, No-
vember 16, 1736, died at Stoddard, New
Hampshire, April 28, 1813. He went with
his parents to Amherst, New Hampshire,
and there married, July 31, 1760, Lydia,
daughter of Benjamin Hopkins. Chil-
dren : Israel, of further mention ; Wil-
liam, born July 21, 1763; Gardner, May
I, 1765; Benjamin, March 23, 1767; An-
drew, July 11, 1769; Lydia, April 1 1,
1772, died August 28, 1777; Daniel, born
August 20, 1774; Hannah, August 28,
1776, died October, 1872, aged ninety-six;
married Ebenezer Bancroft, of Dunstable.
(VI) Israel (3) Towne, son of Israel
(2) and Lydia (Hopkins) Towne, was
born at Stoddard, New Hampshire, June
14, 1761, and died May 2, 1848. He mar-
ried Hannah Abbott, of Stoddard, who
died March 9, 1847. Children: Lydia,
born September u, 1781, died June 28.
1878, married Oliver Hodgman : Arche-
laus, born November 29, 1782; Israel,
of further mention ; Hannah, born Octo-
ber 9, 1786, died July 28, 1864, married
Asa Copeland, April 2, 1809; Esther, born
June 24, 1788, died August 23, 1871, mar-
ried Isaac Howe, of Milford, New Hamp-
shire, October 15, 1809; Grace, born
March 24, 1790, killed by a falling tree;
Gardner, born February 16, 1792; Eben-
ezer, August 3, 1795 ; Lucy, born August
16, 1797, died February n, 1888.
(VII) Israel (4) Towne, son of Israel
(3) and Hannah (Abbott) Towne, was
born at Stoddard, New Hampshire, No-
vember 22, 1784 or 85, died at Amherst,
New Hampshire, October 25, 1858. He
married (first) June 14, 1812, Clarissa
Weld, of Boston, born December 3, 1795,
died January 13, 1815: married (second)
July 23, 1815, Sarah L. Brazier, born June
11, 1796, died May 22, 1874. Children by
first wife: Sarah, born February 8, 1813,
died April 15, 1813; Clarissa Weld, born
October 9, 1814, married Elijah Bagnall,
of Chelsea. Children by second wife :
Maria B., born August 7, 1817: Pamelia
C., born May i, 1822, died 1887, married
Zephaniah Bassett ; Hannah C., born
April 5, 1825, died 1887, married W. Wes-
ton Wilson, July 2, 1856; Betsey Eliza-
beth B., born March 29, 1827, married
William J. Weston, February 14, 1850;
James Weld, of further mention; Emily
R., born June 14, 1832; William Henry,
May 27, 1835; Charles G., July 12, 1838.
(VIII) James Weld Towne, son of Is-
rael (4) Towne and his second wife, Sarah
L. (Brazier) Towne, was born at Am-
266
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
herst, New Hampshire, May 29, 1829. His
boyhood was spent in Amherst and Mil-
ford, New Hampshire, and he learned
the printer's trade in the office of the
"Farmers Cabinet," of Amherst. For a
short time he was a journeyman printer
in Boston, but in 1852 he journeyed to
San Francisco and engaged in the print-
ing business very successfully, being a
member of the pioneer printing firm,
Whiton, Towne & Company, later a mem-
ber of the firm, Towne & Bacon. In 1868
his health failed and he returned East,
locating at East Orange, New Jersey, act-
ing as New York resident partner of the
San Francisco paper house of Blake, Mof-
fitt & Towne.
He married (first) May 29, 1855. Cyn-
thia Cowing, who died July 8, 1875,
daughter of Joseph Gowing, of Amherst,
Mr. Towne coming from California to
claim his bride and taking her back with
him. He married (second) October 3,
1877, Rebecca Fames, of Wilmington,
Massachusetts. Children, all by first wife:
i. Arthur G., born May 12, 1856; mar-
ried, May 14, 1885, Alice Wolcott Nichols
and has James Wolcott and Arthur Wol-
cott Towne ; resides in San Francisco. 2.
Emma, born August 18, 1858; married
Hugo Richards and moved to Prescott,
Arizona. 3. Carrie, born December 18,
1861 ; married Frank W. Wilson, of East
Orange, New Jersey. 4. Frank Beckwith,
born January 7, 1865 ; married, at Lock
Haven, Pennsylvania, June 21, 1894, Har-
riet A. Peale, daughter of S. Richard and
Harriet (Alter) Peale ; child, Richard
Peale, born in Holyoke, Massachusetts,
October 5, 1899; an adopted daughter,
Barbara Boynton, born August 5, 1904.
5. Edward S., born April 18, 1866; mar-
ried at Richmond, Indiana, September 14,
1893, Joanna Maude Hogan, daughter of
John D. and Mary E. (Sands) Hogan;
they reside in Holyoke, Massachusetts,
and have a son, Herbert Sands Towne,
born October 9, 1899, at Holyoke. 6.
Charles, born in 1868, died in infancy. 7.
William, born in 1870, died in infancy. 8.
Bessie, born December 8, 1871, died 1886.
9. Joseph M., born July 7, 1875.
LAWRENCE, Hiram Bartlett,
Educator.
Among the educators of Massachusetts
who have left a name indelibly stamped
upon the community should be placed
first Hiram Bartlett Lawrence, late of
Holyoke, Massachusetts, who served the
public schools of that city for the greater
part of his useful life of seventy years, the
last thirty-eight of which were as prin-
cipal of Appleton street school, this period
covering the years from 1872 until his
death in 1910. He was the dean of the
Holyoke corps of educators and in but
few instances has his term, of active teach-
ing service been exceeded in the entire
State. Thoroughly consecrated to his
work, he was more to his pupils than a
teacher, he was their friend, their guide
and their inspiration. The good influence
he exerted over them in the school con-
tinued after they passed from under his
teachings and his memory is warmly
cherished by men and women now in the
sere and yellow leaf, who recall his deep
interest in their welfare and his many acts
of kindness. Thousands of boys and girls
passed through the Appleton street school
during those thirty-eight years and in
each he felt a personal interest, and his
ambition was that the Appleton street
school should be to them a true Alma
Mater in shaping the course of their lives.
Many of those scholars were men and
women of Holyoke when Mr. Lawrence
ended his earthly career, and it was in
response to a strong public sentiment
created by them that the board of educa-
267
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
tion renamed the Appleton street school born in Wayne, Kennebec county, Maine,
;md honored the man who had so Ion? March 8. l8jo and died at his hnmp in
and honored the man who had so long
been its head by calling it the Lawrence
School, thus officially designating it by
the name the public had long before given
it. And truly in the Lawrence School his
influence permeated every department
and inspired every teacher and every
pupil to their best endeavor.
The years spent in Holyoke schools did
not cover Mr. Lawrence's entire career as
an educator, for both in Maine, his native
State, and in New Hampshire he had been
principal of high school and academy. He
educated himself for the profession of law
and was regularly admitted to the Maine
bar, but being compelled to teach in order
to finance his college education, he de-
veloped a deep love for that profession
and after a short period of law practice
he followed the leadings of his heart and
gave himself to the cause of education.
On the paternal side Mr. Lawrence
traced his ancestry to Robert Lawrence,
who, about 1664, left England, going to
Holland, coming thence to Massachusetts
and settling at Sandwich, Barnstable
county. In this branch he traced his de-
scent to Sir Robert Lawrence, who at-
tended his sovereign, Richard Coeur de
Lion, to the Holy Land and as a Crusader
won high honors. He particularly dis-
tinguished himself at the siege of Acre
and was knighted Sir Robert of Ashton
Hall. Fifteen generations of the family
flourished in England ere the transplant-
ing to America where the name is an
equally honored one. On his mother's
side Mr. Lawrence traced to Robert Bart-
lett, who came to America on the ship
"Ann" in July, 1623, settled at Plymouth,
Massachusetts, where he was prominent
in early Colonial affairs and founded one
of the strong New England families.
Hiram, Bartlett Lawrence, son of Oliver
A. and Lemira (Bartlett) Lawrence, was
March 8, 1840, and died at his home in
Holyoke, Massachusetts, December 20,
1910. His boyhood was passed on the
home farm, the winter months being de-
voted to school work, the summer months
to farm labor. After exhausting the ad-
vantages offered by the Wayne schools he
attended Towle Academy at Winthrop,
then taught for two winter terms in Ken-
nebec county schools. He spent one year
as a student at Maine State Seminary at
Lewiston, entering Bowdoin College at
Brunswick, Maine, in 1862. He spent four
years at that institution, paying his own
way with money earned during vacation
periods. He won high honors at college
and was class orator of the graduating
class of 1866. He had decided upon the
profession of law and registered as a law
student in a lawyer's office at Gardiner,
Maine, pursuing his law studies in con-
nection with his duties as principal of the
Gardiner High School. On August n,
1866, he was admitted to the Maine bar
and he formed a partnership and began
his legal practice. Shortly afterward his
partner died, and after due consideration
and no suitable partner being available,
he decided to abandon the law and dedi-
cate his life to the profession of teaching,
in which he had already proved a success
and to which he felt strongly drawn. His
first position after arriving at that de-
cision was as principal of the Gardiner
High School, of Gardiner, Maine. After
completing his work there he next went
to Penacook Academy, New Hampshire,
where he remained until 1872, when he
was elected principal of the Appleton
street school, Holyoke, Massachusetts,
and in that position the remaining thirty-
eight years of his life were passed. Apple-
ton street school was organized in 1864
and had three principals prior to Mr.
Lawrence, he taking charge in 1872. His
268
ENCYCLOPEDIA OE BIOGRAPHY
term of service exceeded that of any
teacher ever connected with the Holyoke
schools, and in recognition of his long
and valuable service, his usefulness and
his devotion, the school is now officially
known as the Lawrence School, a fitting
tribute to his long and faithful service.
But his monument is in the hearts of all
who personally came within the circle of
his influence, and their "name is legion,"
including the youth of two generations,
there being scarcely a family of standing
in Holyoke in which one or more mem-
bers do not lovingly recall their school
years at the Appleton street school under
his instruction, training and example.
A lover of nature himself, he introduced
the nature study, Appleton street school
being the first school to form classes for
indoor and outdoor nature study. The
decoration and beautifying of school
rooms and grounds was also due to his
initiative, in fact, his progressive mind
led in all modern forms of educating the
young. He kept ever abreast of his times
and in no particular did he lag behind.
Himself a man of education and culture,
he craved the same advantages for the
youth of Holyoke, and by earnest, efficient
work he brought boards of education, par-
ents and pupils to a higher plane of
thought and accomplished much of the
desire of his heart. He was well-known
in educational circles beyond his own city
and often employed his talents as a writer
and platform speaker. He was made a
Mason in 1868, belonged to Ionic Lodge,
Free and Accepted Masons ; Psi Upsilon
fraternity, Western Massachusetts Gram-
mar Masters' Club, "The Club," of Hol-
yoke, a literary organization ; and the
Second Congregational Church. In poli-
tics he was a Republican. He was very
popular in these organizations, in fact, his
genial manner, unfailing courtesy and in-
tellectual gifts were an "open sesame" to
any circle.
Mr. Lawrence married, December 29,
1875, Mary J. Day, daughter of Horace
R. and Mary J. (Wiggins) Day. (See Day
family elsewhere in this work.) She is
a graduate of Holyoke High School, and
prior to her marriage taught in the Wil-
liam, Whiting and Appleton street schools
of Holyoke. She survives her husband
and continues her residence in Holyoke.
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence were the parents
of three children: Ray, died in infancy;
Genevieve, died at two and one-half years
of age ; Vera, wife of Raymond E. Snow,
who is connected with the office of the
chief engineer of the water department of
the city of Springfield, Massachusetts, son
of W. H. Snow, a former manager of the
Holyoke Gas and Electric Company, now
filling a similar position at New Bedford,
Massachusetts. Mr. and Mrs. Raymond
E. Snow have two children : Raymond
Lawrence and Norma.
WRIGHT, Burton Henry,
Prominent Insurance Actuary.
The Wright family was established in
Connecticut in its earliest colonial his-
tory, the immigrant ancestor having been
Benjamin Wright, who came from Bol-
ton, or Swale, in the north of England,
and settled at Guilford, Connecticut, early
in the history of that plantation. His
name does not appear in the first list of
planters who went there in 1639, but as
only the names of heads of families are
given, he may have been of the number.
He took the oath of fidelity, as shown by
the town record, May 9, 1645. 1 Sep-
tember of that year permission was
granted him by the authorities to put up
a tan mill and to take water "yt issueth
from ye waste gate provided it hurt not
ye town mill," In 1650 a list of planters
was made out, also a list of freemen, and
his name appears in the former but not
in the latter, probably because he was not
269
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
a church member. Guilford allowed only
members of its church to be freemen,
while other colonies allowed members of
any approved New England church. In
1659, four years before the survey and
allotment of land on what is now Main
street, Clinton, he was a freeman living
at Kenilworth, which later became Kill-
ingworth, and is now Clinton ; his home
here is supposed to have been nearly op-
posite the Pierce Jones place, on the old
Clinton and Westbrook road.
He was apparently a very large land-
holder, and was said to have been a
squatter on the land on the west side of
the Menunkelesue river near its mouth.
His farm included the land given to Rev.
James Fitch, then of Saybrook, by the
General Court, and this land he after-
ward bought of Fitch. For some years
he lived a solitary life on his beautiful
promontory, four miles from the nearest
white settlement, having an abundance of
oysters, fish, and clams in front, and in
the thick forests north and west of his
residence a plenty of game. In Guilford
he owned land where the Guilford Insti-
tute now stands, as well as the home on
the present corner of Main and State
streets. In 1701 he gave his land in East
Guilford to his son-in-law, Joseph Hand,
and his wife ; there is frequent mention
made of his property in Saybrook. He
was of an aggressive disposition, stoutly
defending what he thought to be right,
and frequently coming into conflict with
the authorities upon questions of opinion.
He was a Catholic, and fought under
King Charles I., coming to New England
when the latter was deposed by Crom-
well. Benjamin Wright died March 29,
1677. Children : Benjamin, lived to be a
freeman but died without heirs ; Joseph
and James, acquired considerable prop-
erty in addition to their inheritance ;
John ; Jonathan, married Asena Hand
and removed to Wethersfield ; Jane, mar-
ried Joseph Hand, of Long Island ; Eliza-
beth, married Edward Lee, or Lay, of
Guilford ; Anna, married John Walstone,
and at his death, Dr. Peter Dalltnan.
(II) James Wright, son of Benjamin
Wright, was born in 1643, died in 1727.
He and his brother Joseph had difficulty
in the division of their father's estate. In
1791 a committee appointed by the Colo-
nial General Assembly brought in their
report concerning the boundary which
was accepted by the General Assembly
and confirmed to be a final issue of all
controversy. In general terms, the land
between Killingworth and Saybrook was
made the boundary of their farms, James
holding on the Saybrook side and Joseph
on the Killingworth side. James is sup-
posed to have resided at what has been
known more recently as the Abner Kirt-
land place. The records of Oyster River
Quarter show that he was a large land-
owner, deeds of land aggregating several
hundred acres located in what is now the
town of Westbrook having been given by
him to various persons between 1720 and
1727. His wife, Hannah (Walstone)
Wright, who came from England to
marry him upon the advice of a mutual
friend, died in 1719. A memorial tablet
reciting some of these facts regarding
James and Hannah Wright is still to be
found in the Clinton Cemetery. Children :
i. James, married (first) Sarah Wise, by
whom he had a son, James ; married (sec-
ond) Judith Bushnell, by whom he had a
son, Samuel, from whom are descended
the Wrights of Pond Meadow. Two
brothers of a later generation of this
branch, Joab and John, went to New
Durham, New York; and from one of
them descended Silas Wright, Governor
of New York and United States Senator
from that State. 2. Benjamin, mentioned
further. 3. Mercy, married William Stan-
nard ; one of their descendants, Daniel
Stannard, was a resident of Westbrook.
270
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
(III) Benjamin (2) Wright, son of
James and Hannah (Walstone) Wright,
was married in 1705 to Elizabeth Hand,
of Southampton, Long Island, who, it is
asserted by some authorities, was a
daughter of Joseph and Jane (Wright)
Hand, and thus a cousin to her husband.
It is elsewhere stated that she was a
daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth
(Whittier) Hand. The date of her death
is given in the Westbrook church records
as 1/67, when she was ninety years of
age. Benjamin Wright died in 1751.
Children: Benjamin; Jeremiah; Josiah,
mentioned further ; David ; Prudence ;
Lydia and Elizabeth. There is record of
but two, Josiah, who had an estate on
Horse Hill, and David, who had a large
estate by the sea, extending to the main
road between Saybrook and Killing-
worth ; and tradition says they quarreled
over the fisheries. David, who was born
in 1716, died in 1760 of smallpox in a pest
house on Duck Island, and was buried on
his own land. His memorial is on a large
rock in the Grove at Grove Beach, Clin-
ton. Among his descendants were Jede-
diah and Oramel Wright, of Westbrook,
Edward and Doty Wright, of Clinton, and
Martha Wright, who became Mrs. Steu-
ben Lay, of Horse Hill. William Wright,
who served as Governor of New Jersey
and as United States Senator from that
State, was also one of David's descend-
ants. He had a son connected with a for-
eign legation, whose daughter was the
wife of Baron Gerold, who was at one
time ambassador from Holland to this
country, and subsequently ambassador
from Holland to Russia. She lived in
Europe ; her son, also Baron Gerold, was
minister from Holland at Washington,
and very proud of his American ancestry.
(IV) Josiah Wright, son of Benjamin
(2) and Elizabeth (Hand) Wright, was
born in 1708, and died in 1783. He lived
on what is now known as the Josiah
Wright farm, a short distance west of the
Horse Hill school house, which is a struc-
ture standing back in the fields a little
way from the present highway. It is
evident that he was a large landowner,
having in his possession nearly all of
what is now the Horse Hill district. In
1745 a petition was presented to the Gen-
eral Assembly signed by Thomas Spencer,
Michael Hill, Thomas Spencer, Jr., Josiah
Wright, Josiah Wilcox, Job Bulkley,
Daniel Edwards, and Ebenezer Platts, of
the towns of Saybrook and Killingworth,
declaring that they are sober dissenters
from the worship and ministry estab-
lished by the laws of this government ;
that they are of the persuasion of the
people called Baptists, and are true Prot-
estants, and pray for the indulgence of
this Assembly. Their petition was granted
on the condition that they take the oath
prescribed by Parliament in such cases.
These eight were doubtless among the
founders of the Baptist church at Win-
throp, which was organized in 1744, with
seventeen members. In 1735 Josiah
Wright married Rhoda Dowd, born in
1714, died in 1790, daughter of Cornelius
Dowd, of Madison ; the marriage is found
in the Westbrook church record. Chil-
dren: i. Jeremiah, born in 1738; lived on
Horse Hill just north of what is now
known as the William Burghardt house;
married Hannah Brown and had two chil-
dren : Jeremiah, and Lucretia, who be-
came Mrs. Nathan Stannard. 2.. Josiah,
mentioned further. 3. Ezekiel, occupied
part of the farm near his father's house,
living in the house afterwards belonging
to his grandson Josiah, and had children:
David, Jonathan, Josiah, Ezekiel, Mrs.
Justus Clark, Mrs. Barber Grinnell, Mrs.
William Johnson, and Mrs. Burghardt. 4.
Mary. 5. Rhoda. 6. Prudence. 7. Jane,
married David Thompson. 8. Elizabeth.
271
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
It is thought that one of these daughters
married a Mr. Burghardt.
(V) Josiah (2) Wright, son of Josiah
(i) and Rhoda (Dowd) Wright, was born
in 1 739> an d according to the Westbrook
church records, was baptized in 1740. He
died in 1832, at the great age of ninety-
three years. In 1761 he married Lydia,
daughter of Joseph Whittlesey, and they
lived in the southern part of the Horse
Hill district, at what in recent years was
known as "Uncle Ben's place." Children :
I. Martin, mentioned further. 2. and 3.
Paul and Cornelius, removed in early
manhood, the one to western Vermont,
the other to Albany, New Y'ork, both
rearing large families and having de-
scendants scattered throughout the Mid-
dle and Western States. 4. Benjamin,
passed his early life at the John Kelsey
place, in Kelseytown, and having received
as a gift all his father's property, both
real and personal, removed later to the
old home on Horse Hill. 5. Lois, had a
daughter, Lois, who married Israel Pel-
tier, having a daughter, Eliza, married
Asa Penfield. who had a daughter that
became Mrs. Bela Post, and resided in
Centrebrook, Middlesex county. 6. Hul-
dah, married Daniel de Wolfe, of the Pond
Meadow district, Westbrook, and had
three sons, Harvey, John, and Daniel ;
Harvey and Daniel became Methodist
ministers.
(VI) Martin Wright, son of Josiah (2)
and Lydia (Whittlesey) Wright, was
born in 1767, and died in 1826. He occu-
pied a house just south of the site of the
present Martin Wright house. In 1792,
he married Dolly Benjamin, who was
born about 1765, died in 1848. She came
with her father's family from Long Island
to the Connecticut shore, when the British
army took possession of New York and
the western end of Long Island, in Au-
gust, 1776. It is said that her father and
brothers were in the Revolutionary War.
Children : Richard, born 1/93, died 1872 ;
Daniel, born 1795, died 1872; Martin,
mentioned further; Russell, born 1799,
died 1885 ; Josiah, born 1803, died 1893.
Richard, Martin, and Russell passed all
their lives in the towns of Westbrook and
Clinton; Daniel resided in Westbrook;
Josiah removed, 1850-51, to Council
Bluffs, Iowa, thence in a few years to
Utah where his descendants now reside.
(VII) Martin (2) Wright, son of Mar-
tin (i) and Dolly (Benjamin) Wright,
was born in June, 1797, and died in 1883.
He was a farmer on Horse Hill and was
considered a prominent man in his day,
serving for many years as justice of the
peace. In 1820 he married Betsey Wright,
born in 1799, died in 1876, daughter of
Jeremiah and Rachel Wright. Children :
i. Charles Benjamin, born March 31, 1821,
residing in California since 1872. 2. John
Burghardt, mentioned further. 3. Amelia
Matilda, born April 26, 1825 ; married
David L. Wright and resides in Middle-
town. 4. Rachel Adelia, born August 28,
1827; married (first) Alpheus Wright, of
Westbrook, (second) a Mr. Martin, of
Boston, residing at Marshfield Hills,
Massachusetts. 5. Martin Jeremiah, born
October 26, 1829; resided in California
since 1860, where he became a prominent
citizen. 6. Cornelia Elizabeth, born Feb-
ruary 19, 1832; married Joel Northam, of
Westbrook, and after his death Eliphalet
Killam, of New Haven, residing at the
latter place. 7. Henry William, born
February 5, 1836; became a Methodist
minister, and since 1875 nas Deen con-
nected with the Detroit Conference. 8.
Alfred Mortimer, married and left de-
scendants. 9. Edgar Lester, born De-
cember 23, 1840. died January 14, 1843.
(VIII) John Burghardt Wright, son
of Martin (2) and Betsey (Wright)
Wright, was born January 28, 1823, and
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
died April 25, 1892, at Clinton, Connecti-
cut. He married Rachel Florilla Stan-
nard, of Winthrop, Saybrook town, Con-
necticut. Children: I. Edgar F., de-
ceased. 2. Elmer F., deceased. 3. O.
Scott, resides in New Haven ; married
Louise Morgan Willcox, January 6, 1870,
who bore him four children, two of whom
are living. 4. John B., married (first)
Alice Goodrich, who bore him three chil-
dren, married (second) Minnie Russell,
no issue, resides in Greene, Maine. 5.
Burton Henry, mentioned further. 6.
Jennie Estelle, married John G. Johnson,
and they have two children; resides at
No. 1347 Oak street, Washington, D. C.
7. Nellie Blanche, unmarried, resides in
Clinton, Connecticut. 8. Josephine Mary,
died unmarried.
(IX) Burton Henry Wright, son of
John Burghardt and Rachel Florilla
(Stannard) Wright, was born January 12,
1859, at Killingworth, Connecticut. His
education was acquired at the Morgan
School, Clinton, Connecticut. He began
his business career in that town, in 1878,
being employed for a year in the National
Bank. In 1879 he removed to Worcester,
Massachusetts, where he entered the em-
ploy of the State Mutual Life Insurance
Company as a junior clerk He evinced
great natural ability, and by his industry
and application rose to a more important
position in the company, receiving pro-
motion after promotion until he was ap-
pointed cashier, which position he held
for many years. Later he was appointed
superintendent of agencies for the United
States, which responsible post he con-
tinued to fill with great satisfaction until
January, 1908, when he became secretary
of the company. He continued thus until
the year 1910, and at the January meet-
ing of the board of directors he was
elected president to succeed Mr. A. G.
Bullock. Mr. Wright is a man of pleas-
ing personality and has many friends
both in business and social circles. He
belongs to a number of clubs among
which are the Worcester, Tatnuck Coun-
try, Quinsigamond and Boat clubs.
Mr. Wright married, October 18, 1892,
Margaret McLeod Shepard, daughter of
the Rev. Peter Lake and Mary Anna
(Burr) Shepard, of Saybrook, Connecti-
cut (see Shepard IX). Mrs. Wright re-
ceived her education at her father's pri-
vate school in Saybrook, where he taught
some years prior to his entering the min-
istry. Mr. and Mrs. Wright are the par-
ents of two sons : Shepard, born July 30,
1893, and John Burghardt, born Decem-
ber 12, 1897, at Worcester, Massachu-
setts.
(The Shepard Line).
(I) It is supposed that Edward Shep-
ard, ancestor of this family in America,
came from England, but no mention of
him is found prior to his appearance in
New England ; nor has any connection
been discovered between him and some
half dozen other Shepards who came to
this country about the same time. There
is no record of his marriage, but Violet
Shepard died January 9, 1648-49. The
daughter of Mary Pond married John
Blackman, and their first child was born
August 10, 1656. It is very likely, there-
fore, that Mrs. Mary Pond lived at Cam-
bridge before her marriage with Edward
Shepard, as her first husband, Robert
Pond, died in 1637. Daniel Pond, who
married Abigail Shepard, was probably
her son ; and she must have brought other
children with her to Cambridge. Edward
Shepard's name, and that of his son, John
Shepard, appear in the town and county
records in various places until 1680-81,
when his will was proved, August 20,
1680, and John sold the homestead, Sep-
tember 18, 1681, to Owen W 7 arland. That
Edward Shepard was a mariner appears
Mass 5 18
273
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
upon his own assertion in deeds and in
his will. The exact date of his death is
not known. Children : John, mentioned
further; Elizabeth, born 1629; Abigail,
1631 ; Deborah, 1633; Sarah, 1636. There
is no record of any children by Mary
Pond.
(II) John Shepard, son of Edward
Shepard, was born in England, in 1627,
died June 12, 1/07. He was made a freeman
at Cambridge, May 22, 1650; and it is
supposed that he moved to Hartford after
the birth of his son Thomas, in 1666, as
this is the last birth recorded at Cam-
bridge. The first mention of him in Hart-
ford is found in 1654. Hinman says that
he was "a man of consequence in the
colony," and he was known as Sergeant
John Shepard. He lived in Hartford on
what is now known as Lafayette street,
just south of the new State house, and
owned lands to the Wethersfield bounds.
He married (first) October i, 1649, R C "
becca, daughter of Samuel Greenhill ; she
died December 22, 1689. He married
(second) Susannah, widow of William
Goodwin, Sr., of Hartford; married
(third) September 8, 1698, Martha, widow
of John Henbury, who survived him.
Children, all by first wife: Rebecca, born
1650; John, mentioned further; Sarah,
born 1656, married Benajah Stone, of
Guilford, Connecticut; Violet; Elizabeth,
born 1660; Edward, 1662, married and
left children; Samuel, 1664; Thomas,
1666; Deborah, Abigail, and Hannah.
(III) John (2) Shepard, son of John
(i) and Rebecca (Greenhill) Shepard,
was born January 22, 1653 ; his will dated
August i, 1728, was proven April 6, 1736.
He was deacon in the South Church at
Hartford. He married (first) Hannah,
daughter of Deacon Paul Peck, (sec-
ond) Mary Benton, widow of Jonathan
Bigelow. Children: John, mentioned fur-
ther; Samuel, born 1684; Hannah, 1688;
Joseph, 1689; Rebecca, 1696; Timothy,
1697; Rebecca, 1698.
(IV) John (3) Shepard, son of John
(2) and Hannah (Peck) Shepard, was
born November I, 1681. He purchased a
house in Milford from Sylvanus Baldwin,
in 1708. He married, October 9, 1707,
Abigail, daughter of Gideon and Sarah
Allen, from the Third Church at Boston.
He probably died in 1719, and his widow
married Daniel Foote, of Stratford and
Newtown, dying in 1755. Children: John,
mentioned further; Rebecca, born 1710,
married Joseph Peck; Abigail, 1713, mar-
ried Peter Perritt ; Hannah, 1715; Timo-
thy, March 22, 1718. From these two
sons, John and Timothy, are descended
the numerous Shepards emanating from
Newtown, Connecticut.
(V) John (4) Shepard, son of John (3)
and Abigail (Allen) Shepard, was born
at Milford, October 26, 1708. He was en-
sign in 1753, having removed to New-
town about 1737. He was noted for his
fine appearance and manner, and wore
English costume until the day of his
death. He married, in May, 1732, Mary
Parson, of Derby. Children, the first
three born in Milford, the others in New-
town : Mary, 1733; Abigail, baptized
T 735 : John, baptized 1737; Simeon, born
1739; Abraham, mentioned further;
David, born 1747; Gideon, 1752; Stephen,
1753; Allen, 1756; Abigail, 1759, married
Jehiel Foote.
(VI) Abraham Shepard, son of John
(4) and Mary (Parson) Shepard, was
born in 1744, died June 13, 1832. He mar-
ried, September 9, 1769, Rhoda Ferris,
born February 12, 1752, died October 5,
1828. Children : Betty, born September
15, baptized November II, 1770; Truman,
born September n, 1772, died 1799; Laz-
arus, born October 5, 1774; Nathan, May
5, 1777; Samuel, July 10, 1779; Sueton,
October 5, 1781; Mabel, April 14, 1784;
274
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Abraham Ferris, mentioned further;
Rufus, born February 24, 1792.
(VII) Abraham Ferris Shepard, son of
Abraham and Rhoda (Ferris) Shepard,
was born March 12, 1789, died May n,
1861. He was married, at Newtown, Con-
necticut, by Rev. Dr. Burhans, to Abba
R., daughter of Peter Lake ; she was born
July 16, 1792, died February 28, 1870.
Children: i. Avis Jane, born November
23, 1813; married, October 15, 1835, Isaac
N. Hawley. 2. Sophia Caroline, born
January 29, 1815, died September 10,
1835. 3. Edson F., born December 20,
1818; married, December 15, 1841, Jane
S. Terrill; children: Edson F., born Feb-
ruary 21, 1843; married, September 14,
1864, Adelaide Street, having two chil-
dren, Caroline Beers and Jennie Eugenia;
Caroline Sophia, born October 22, 1846,
married, January i, 1868, Daniel Glover
Beers, and died August 9, 1868. 4. Peter
Lake, mentioned further.
(VIII) Rev. Peter Lake Shepard,
youngest child of Abraham Ferris and
Abba R. (Lake) Shepard, was born July
23, 1825. For some years in early life he
was a teacher and conducted a private
school at Saybrook, Connecticut. He was
ordained a deacon in holy orders, June 3,
1855, at Christ Church, Middletown, Con-
necticut, and was ordained to the priest-
hood by Bishop Williams, July 13, 1856,
at St. James Church, New London, Con-
necticut. He continued in the work of
the ministry many years. He died De-
cember 2, 1912. He married, at Wilming-
ton, North Carolina, June 26, 1855, Mary
Anna Burr, born August 25, 1830, and is
now living in New Haven, Connecticut,
in her eighty-sixth year. Children: i.
Horace Burr, born June 28. 1856, died in
July, 1883. 2. Mary Hart, born March 4,
1859; married Dwight Cutter, and re-
sides in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 3. Anna
Campbell, born January 15, 1861, died
November 10, following. 4. Margaret
McLeod, mentioned further. 5. Louis Jen-
nings, born October 8, 1865; lives in
Kansas City, Missouri; he married Mat-
tie Lloyd, of Calumet, Michigan, and has
daughters, Marjorie and Madge. 6. Fin-
ley Johnson, born October 8, 1867; now
resides in New York City ; he has gained
an eminent position in commercial affairs,
having been many years connected with
the Missouri Pacific Railroad, rising to
the position of assistant to the president ;
he married, January 22, 1913, Helen
Gould, of New York, daughter of the late
Jay Gould, the great railroad builder and
financier ; she has given much devotion
to charitable and philanthropic works,
and in 1915 Mr. and Mrs. Shepard adopted
a son.
(IX) Margaret McLeod Shepard, third
daughter of the Rev. Peter Lake and
Mary Anna (Burr) Shepard, was born
August 29, 1863, in Saybrook, Connecti-
cut, and became the wife of Burton Henry
Wright, of Worcester, Massachusetts
(see Wright IX).
PARSONS, Norman Bloomfield,
Legislator, Public Official.
The Parsons family have long been in-
timately connected with the social, politi-
cal, educational, clerical and legal progress
of New England, and their previous and
contemporary history in England is quite
as noteworthy and honorable. The fol-
lowing extract from a letter written by
one of the descendants is explanatory and
pertinent:
The Parsons family are of the same origin as
the Earl of Rosse, of Parsontown, Ireland, the
owner of the great telescope. He has acknowl-
edged his relationship to the Parsons family of
America, and has been very hospitable to the
western branch of the Parsons family who have
visited him. The Parsons family went from
England to Ireland. I have seen some members
275
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
of the family who greatly resembled the Parsons
family in America, so much so that before know-
ing of our relationship, I remarked to my sister
how greatly they resembled our uncles and
cousins. Their coat-of-arms is quite similar to
that shown as belonging to the Parsons family
of America. The last Earl of Rosse's likeness
is very like an uncle of mine. On the 4th of July,
1635, Joseph Parsons sailed with his brother
Benjamin, and others of the family, from Grave-
send, England, in the barque "Transport", Ed-
ward Walker, Master, bound for America. He
was born in Great Torrington, near Exeter,
Devonshire, England, and is supposed to be
descended from Sir Thomas Parsons, of Mil-
ton Royal, who was knighted by Charles I., in
1634. The records state that his brother, Ben-
jamin Parsons, was a grandson of Thomas Par-
sons, of Great Milton, Oxfordshire, England,
who died in 1597.
(I) Joseph Parsons, who was the
founder of the family in America, mar-
ried, November 26, 1646, Mary, daughter
of Thomas and Margaret (Ford) Bliss, of
Hartford, Connecticut. She was a native
of England, having been born there in
1620, and her death occurred January 29,
1712. Joseph Parsons died in Springfield,
Massachusetts, October 9, 1683. He was
a prominent business man, and was also
party of many of the Indian purchases,
and at his death left an extensive and
valuable estate, part of which is still in
possession of his descendants. He had
ten children, the eldest of whom was
Joseph, mentioned below.
(II) Joseph (2) Parsons, son of Joseph
(i) Parsons, was born in Springfield, No-
vember I, 1647. He was a lawyer and
justice of the peace and was the first
judge of Hampshire county court. He
was a representative from 1693 to 1700,
from 1706 to 1708, and from 1716 to 1724.
He married Elizabeth, daughter of Elder
John and Abigail Strong, of Dorchester.
She was born at Windsor, Connecticut,
February 24, 1648, and died May 11, 1736.
They had ten children, the fifth of whom
was David, mentioned below.
(III) David Parsons, son of Joseph (2)
and Elizabeth (Strong) Parsons, was born
at Northampton, Massachusetts, April 30,
1680. In 1705 he was graduated from
Harvard College, and three years later
became the third minister at Maiden,
Massachusetts. In 1721 he went to
Leicester, as first Congregational min-
ister, and his death occurred there, Octo-
ber 12, 1743. His grave is in a mowing
field north of the old meeting house. He
married Sarah Stebbins, of Springfield,
Massachusetts, and her death occurred at
the age of seventy-three years, June 17,
1759. They had five children, of whom
the youngest was Solomon, mentioned
below.
(IV) Solomon Parsons, son of David
and Sarah (Stebbins) Parsons, was born
April 18, 1726, died March 20, 1807. He
was a deacon and doctor in Leicester, and
a surgeon in the army in 1761. He mar-
ried (first) Elizabeth Taylor, born in
1734, died at the age of twenty-seven
years. They had four children of whom
Solomon, the youngest, is mentioned be-
low. He married (second) Sarah Sweet-
ser, of Paxton. He is buried in the old
cemetery of that town.
(V) Solomon (2) Parsons, son of Solo-
mon (i) and Elizabeth (Taylor) Parsons,
was born August 27, 1757, died 1831. He
enlisted in the army during the War of
the Revolution, March, 1777, being then
only nineteen years of age. He went into
active service immediately and his first
prominent battle was at the taking of
Burgoyne. On June 28, 1778, at the battle
of Monmouth, he suffered one of the most
horrible experiences of which we have a
record and it left him a sufferer through-
out his life. He never complained, how-
ever, being always fully aware of the fact
that the price he paid helped bring about
the liberty in which he was so keenly in-
terested. In 1812 Mr. Parsons came to
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Worcester and purchased a tract of more
than five hundred acres of land in the
southwestern section of the city. In ad-
dition to developing the land he had pur-
chased he gave considerable time to civic
interests. He lived in a tavern at first,
where several subsequent generations of
the family were born, and which was torn
down only a short time ago. On May 26,
1789, he married Rebecca Coburn Wes-
son, of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. She
was born in that city, February 21, 1766,
and died in Worcester in 1836. They
lived in Leicester until their removal to
Worcester in 1812. They had six chil-
dren: i. Samuel, born May 27, 1791, died
in Louisiana, August 30, 1817. 2. Eliza-
beth, born January 17, 1793. who married
Ira Bryant, of Leicester. 3. Sally, born
March 4, 1794, married Benjamin N.
Child, of Worcester, and died October 5,
1861. 4. Bloomfield, born June 8, 1796,
died at New Orleans, in 1815. 5. Maria,
born December 13, 1798, died September
19, 1804. 6. Solomon, mentioned below.
(VI) Solomon (3) Parsons, son of
Solomon (2) and Rebecca C. (Wesson)
Parsons, was born October 18, 1800, died
1893. He spent his life on the home farm
in Worcester, near Leicester, and became
very prominent in the civic life of the
city. Being aware of the obligations
which a man descended from such a dis-
tinguished family owes to his city, he
took an active part in all projects tending
to its development and growth. After
seventy years of age Solomon Parsons
visited Europe, Asia, Africa, and North
and South America. On his travels he
met Henry M. Stanley, the great African
explorer. He also visited the Holy Land.
He was part owner of a vessel and
traveled on the brig "The Florence I.
Henderson," which was named after his
oldest granddaughter in the Henderson
family. On April 16, 1828, he married
Sarah H. Child, of Cambridge, Massachu-
setts, born July 25, 1806, died in Worces-
ter at the age of seventy years. They had
seven children: i. Sarah Frances, born
January 24, 1829; married Samuel H. T.
Bennett, of Pepperell, Massachusetts. 2.
Solomon, born June 9, 1830; during the
Civil War he served as a member of Com-
pany F, Fifty-first Massachusetts Regi-
ment, and in this position, as well as in
other connections, he was recognized as a
man of unusually strong character ; on
April 21, 1856, he married Mary Smith
Gilbert, born March 29, 1835, died April
7, 1858; he died January 18, 1863; they
had one son, Albert Gilbert, born June
7, 1857. 3. Samuel Bloomfield, mentioned
below. 4. Mary Elizabeth, married Elmer
Woodard, of Winchendon, Massachu-
setts. 5. Lucy M., married Nathaniel H.
Bryant, of Newtonville, Massachusetts.
6. William Augustine, died at the age of
twenty. 7. Anna E., married Captain
Angus Henderson, of Provincetown, Mas-
sachusetts
(VII) Samuel Bloomfield Parsons, son
of Solomon (3) and Sarah H. (Child)
Parsons, was born February 24, 1832, in
the old tavern which had come into the
possession of the Parsons family in 1812.
Continuing the tradition of the family, he
early engaged in agricultural pursuits
and assisted in developing the farm even
before he had completed his education,
which was obtained in the public schools
and subsequently at the Leicester Acade-
my. It is interesting to note in passing
that one of his classmates at the latter
institution was Governor Oliver Ames.
During his academic course Mr. Parsons
specialized in surveying, and immediately
upon completing this work he decided to
leave New England for a short time and
practice surveying in the West. In 1857
he went to Kansas and Nebraska where
he was busily engaged in laying out pub-
277
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
lie lands in the two States which were
at that time at the beginning of their de-
velopment. In fact he had to undergo
many of the hardships of the pioneer and
was also frequently a witness to the law-
lessness of the ruffians who operated
throughout that section in the middle of
the last century. After a short time,
however, he returned to take up his fam-
ily duties in Massachusetts, and immedi-
ately became instrumental in bringing the
Parons estate into a much more produc-
tive condition than it had enjoyed hereto-
fore and in addition to this agricultural
work he continued practicing his profes-
sion as surveyor to a limited extent. For
more than forty years he was justice of
the peace, and he was also one of the
founders of the historic old Worcester
Rhetorical Society and the Worcester
Chapter of the Sons of the American
Revolution, whose meetings were one of
his prime interests. On December 11,
1861, he married Elizabeth L. Gibbs, of
Boylston, and they had four children: i.
Anna, born November 2, 1862, died De-
cember 9, 1909. 2. Norman Bloomfield,
mentioned below. 3. Irene Elizabeth,
born December 8, 1867, died May 23,
1911. 4. Nellie Merriam, born Septem-
ber 18, 1870, died August 25, 1871. Mr.
Parsons' death occurred on January 22,
1912.
(VIII) Norman Bloomfield Parsons,
son of Samuel Bloomfield and Elizabeth
L. (Gibbs) Parsons, was born at the fam-
ily homestead on Apricot street, Worces-
ter, September 28, 1865. He acquired his
education in the public schools and sub-
sequently in the Worcester High School.
After graduating from the latter institu-
tion he took a special course in surveying
so as to be able to assist his father. On
account of his extensive duties in con-
nection with dairying and farming, which
have always been carried on by the fam-
ily, he had very little time for surveying.
The Parsons farm up to this time had
been under a high state of agricultural de-
velopment throughout its entire area, but
Mr. Parsons has shown his foresight by
building as well as by increasing the pro-
ductiveness of the land. On Grand View
avenue he has erected several houses and
has laid out considerable property in lots
which he will sell in the near future.
Much of Mr. Parsons' time is given to
political activities in furthering the in-
terests of the Republican party. There
have been few men in Worcester who
have given their time so liberally to the
interests of the laboring classes and also
civic improvements. For three years he
was a member of the City Council and
served on the committees for water, pub-
lic health ordinances and police. The
many improvements and projects for
public buildings which he advocated
showed his deep interest in his office and
also showed the high respect he had for
its duties. He advocated better roads,
purer water supply, and a more efficient
fire department. Public parks, giving op-
portunities for amusement and exercise
for those who do not have landed estates,
and improving sanitation and the general
condition of the city were among the
many bills for which he labored. His
services were recognized as was proved
by his election in the fall of 1912 to the
State Legislature. In this body he again
attracted notice because of the conscien-
tious attention which he gave to every
bill brought before the House. Massa-
chusetts has seldom sent a man to the
capital who has been more punctual in
attendance and more enthusiastic about
his duties than Mr. Parsons. It was often
said that every bill, to whose discussion
he listened, was interpreted and amended
more comprehensively because of the
suggestions he gave after considering
278
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
the question from every point of view.
Worcester was particularly benefited by
his work in the interests of labor. Dur-
ing his second term in 1913 he was a
member of two of the most important
working committees in the House, viz. :
Counties and constitutional amendment.
Here again his diligence and ability were
easily recognized and he was looked upon
as the most beneficial member of the com-
mittees. He labored for the passing of
the law for nine hours out of eleven for
street railway employees ; the eight-hour
law for women and children ; and the new
bridge at Lake Quinsigamond. In this
latter connection he was particularly fitted
to assist the Legislature in that his engi-
neering and surveying experience, cover-
ing more than twenty years, fitted him
more competently than any other mem-
ber of the committee. He is also a mem-
ber of the Worcester County Republican
Club and served as treasurer of this or-
ganization for four years. He is also
actively interested in the activities of the
Sons of the American Revolution, of
which he and his family have been mem-
bers since its inception. He holds mem-
bership in the Knights of Pythias, Im-
proved Order of Red Men, the Chamber
of Commerce, the Worcester Mechanics'
Association and the Congregational Club.
In 1916 he was a candidate for the State
Senate from the first Worcester district.
The zeal with which he devotes himself
to any organization or project in which
he is interested is the same whether he
is serving with the minority or the con-
trolling section, and frequently the
smaller body has won its point and
placed itself at the head because of
his capable leadership and altruistic
spirit in interpreting- the issues at hand.
Worcester feels congratulated that he
maintains his residence here, and the fine
modern house which he erected in 1905
on the site of the old tavern, purchased in
1812 and erected in 1729, is one of the
most attractive residences in that section
of the city ; perhaps one of its most dis-
tinguished features is its large well
selected library.
MOORE, Philander,
Retired Business Man.
Philander Moore, a well-known and
highly respected citizen of Holyoke, Mas-
sachusetts, comes of a family whose name
appears in national history, both in the
annals of peace and war.
Major John Moore, great-grandfather
of Philander Moore, fought in the battle
of Bunker Hill, and a handsome monu-
ment erected to his honor is to be seen at
Norridgewock, Maine, the place of his
birth.
Goff Moore, son of Major John Moore,
was born in Maine about the year 176;,
and there spent most of his life of ninety-
one years, his death taking place there in
1851. He was a patriot like his father and
served his country during the Revolution-
ary War, at the termination of which he
returned to his home at Norridgewock,
Maine, and there followed agricultural
pursuits and hunting. He was twice mar-
ried, and was the father of the following
children by his first marriage: Samuel,
John, Goff, Jr. ; of second marriage :
Moses, Daniel, Robert.
Goff (2) Moore, son of Goff (i) Moore,
by his first marriage, and father of Phi-
lander Moore, was born at Norridge-
wock, Maine, February 23, 1791. He rose
to distinction in the State, both in mili-
tary and civic activities. He was the pro-
prietor of a saddlery and harness business
of substantial importance in the town of
North Anson and later in Madison,
Maine, where his personality brought him
much power and prestige. He had in-
2/9
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
herited the martial spirit, and entered
enthusiastically into the operations of
the State militia, eventually rising to the
rank of colonel. He also participated en-
ergetically and forcefully in local and
State politics, and at one time held the
postmastership at Madison, Maine. To
church affairs he gave much of his time
and substance, his hospitable entertain-
ment of the dignitaries of the church be-
ing noteworthy. Twice he married, his
first wife having been Alice Patten, and
his second Mrs. Mary Spaulding nee
Mary McLaughlin, of Stark, Maine. To
the first marriage were born eight chil-
dren: Albert, James, Philander, Jane P.,
Goff A., Maria E., Alice P., and Olive S. ;
and to the second marriage two children:
Philander, who is the subject of main
reference herein, and James. Philander
Moore is the only one living of the entire
family at the present time.
Philander Moore, son of Goff (2) and
Mary (McLaughlin-Spaulding) Moore,
was born in Madison, Somerset county,
State of Maine, July 19, 1844. In due
course he passed through the public
schools of his native town, and received
further education at North Anson Acade-
my, after which he became associated
in business with his brother, who was
a printer in North Anson, Maine, remain-
ing with him for four years. During the
next two years he filled the capacity of
clerk in a store at Anson, Maine, and
then, coming to Chicopee, Massachusetts,
was for six months employed in the store
of the well-known grocery firm of Carter
& Spaulding. His next commercial ac-
tivity was in the city of Springfield, Mas-
sachusetts, where he entered the employ
of E. B. Haskell & Sons, grocers, serving
that company until October I, 1865, then
came to Holyoke, which city has since
been his home. For a year or so he was
a clerk for W. C. Carter, and then pur-
chased an interest in the business of
Mr. Tuttle, the firm becoming known as
Tuttle & Moore. Mr. Moore continued
in the partnership for three years, at the
expiration of which time he acquired Mr.
Tuttle's interest. Some time later he
formed a partnership with Mr. Glover, the
firm name then changing to Moore &
Glover. His place of business was situ-
ated at the corner of High and Dwight
streets, where the Holyoke National Bank
now stands, and which corner Mr. Moore
owned at that time. Three years later he
purchased Mr. Glover's interest and again
became sole proprietor of the business,
which he continued to operate success-
fully until 1891 when he decided to retire.
That was twenty-five years ago, while
Mr. Moore was still able to appreciate
and find pleasure in things other than
business, consequently he has been able
to spend the intervening time profitably
in pleasure, chiefly in travel. He has been
once around the world ; has crossed
the Atlantic to Europe a number of times,
and has traveled the length and breadth
of the United States upon different trips.
Although now retired, Mr. Moore still
takes an interest in the affairs of institu-
tions with which he is associated. He has
been a director of the Hadley Falls Na-
tional Bank for thirty-five years ; is a
member of the Mount Tom Lodge, Free
and Accepted Masons, of Holyoke, in
which he has taken an interest, and for
several years was treasurer of the lodge.
He has attended the Second Congrega-
tional Church of Holyoke for fifty years.
Mr. Moore has seen Holyoke grow from
a little rural community of four thousand
to a thriving city of seventy thousand
population in the years he has resided in
it.
In 1872 he married (first) Ida A.
Grover, who was born at Portsmouth,
New Hampshire, but at the age of two
280
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
years was brought by her parents to Hoi-
yoke, Massachusetts, where her father,
William Grover, had been appointed
agent for the Hadley Mills. Her mother
was Anna P. (Bailey) Grover. Two chil-
dren were born to Philander and Ida A.
(Grover) Moore: Emily S., who died at
seventeen, and Helen P., who is married
to Aaron C. Bagg, of Holyoke, son of
E. P. Bagg. Mr. Moore's one grandchild
was christened Aaron Moore Bagg. Mrs.
Ida A. (Grover) Moore died in 1901, and
in 1911 Mr. Moore married (second)
Lydia M. Hardy, a native of Vermont.
LYMAN, Charles Perry,
Business Man, Public Official.
Back into the centuries, Charles Perry
Lyman, of Holyoke, traces his ancestry
through eight American generations to
Richard Lyman, the patriarch of all the
Lymans of America of English descent,
and through ten generations of English
ancestors to Thomas Leman, who held
land in County Wilts during the reign of
King Henry HI: of England. The name
continued as Leman until early in the
eighteenth century, when it became Ly-
man, its present form. The Lymans were
of the landed gentry, owned large estates,
bore the title of "gentleman" and inter-
married with leading families of their sec-
tion of England. They bore arms distin-
guished by a ring within a triangle quar-
tered with the Lambert armorials. Al-
though the name Leman occurs in the
Book of Domesday and is traced in male
and female line to Alfred the Great, the
authentic male line begins two centuries
later with Thomas Leman, of County
Wilts, in the reign of Henry III. in the
last half of the thirteenth century.
Richard Lyman, the American ances-
tor, sold his lands in the parish of Ongar,
Essex county, England, in August, 1631,
and sailed for America with his wife and
children on the ship "Lion." Among the
passengers on the ship was the wife of
Governor Winthrop, and John Eliot,
afterward known as the apostle to the
Indians. Ten weeks later, on November
2, the ship arrived in Boston, Richard
Lyman settling at Charlestown. Later
he joined Rev. Hooker's party and went
to Connecticut, where his name appears
on a list of the original founders of Hart-
ford, 1636. He married, in England,
Sarah Osborne.
Lieutenant John Lyman, son of Rich-
ard Lyman, the founder, settled in North-
ampton, Massachusetts, where he died
August 20, 1690, aged sixty-seven years.
He was in command of Northampton
troops at the famous Falls fight above
Deerfield, May 18, 1676. He married
Dorcas Plumb.
Moses Lyman, son of Lieutenant John
Lyman, was born in Northampton, Mas-
sachusetts, and there died February 25,
1701, aged thirty-eight years, his wife,
Ann, surviving him.
Captain Moses (2) Lyman, son of
Moses (i) Lyman, was born in North-
ampton, Massachusetts, February 27,
1689, died March 24, 1762. He married
Mindwell Sheldon.
Deacon Elias Lyman, son of Captain
Moses (2) Lyman, was born in North-
ampton, Massachusetts, September 30,
1715, died in Southampton, February 18,
1803. He was a deacon of the church,
member of the Provincial Congress, 1768,
1775, deputy to the General Court, mem-
ber of the Committee of Safety, and a
soldier of the colonies, 1745. He married
Anne Phelps.
He was succeeded by his son, Deacon
Stephen Lyman, born in Chester, Massa-
chusetts, September 8, 1742, died Decem-
ber 8, 1811. He married (first) Anna
Blair; married (second) Mrs. Anna Clark.
281
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
His son, Deacon Samuel Lyman, born
in Chester, Massachusetts, May 2, 1787,
died in 1876. He was a colonel of state
militia and served in the War of 1812.
He was a farmer of Southampton, where
he died. He married (first) October 20,
1809, Miriam Tinker, born August 8, 1790,
died January 14, 1847. He married (sec-
ond) Julia A. Marble, and had issue.
Samuel Tinker Lyman, son of Deacon
and Colonel Samuel Lyman and his first
wife, Miriam (Tinker) Lyman, was born
at Charlestown, Massachusetts, August 5,
1824, died October 3, 1901, at Holyoke.
He was educated in public schools and
Chesterfield Normal School, and for a
short time was in business in Boston.
Later he taught school at Agawam and
had a store in Huntington. In 1861 he
was appointed postmaster at Huntington,
an office he held until removing to Hol-
yoke in 1872. There in connection with
his son, Charles P. Lyman, he founded
the mercantile business of S. T. Lyman
& Son, continuing in successful business
operation until 1886, when he retired. He
was an active member of the First Con-
gregational Church, a man of high char-
acter and purity of life. He married, in
1849, Augusta, daughter of Thomas Kirk-
land. They were the parents of Eugene
K. ; Charles Perry, of further mention ;
Cassius S., superintendent of schools,
Hudson, Massachusetts; Robert H., jour-
nalist, and editor of the "New York
World."
Charles Perry Lyman, son of Samuel
Tinker and Augusta (Kirkland) Lyman,
was born in Agawam, Massachusetts, De-
cember 25, 1850. He was educated in the
public schools of Huntington, at Ripon
College (Wisconsin) and Wesleyan Acad-
emy at Wilbrciham, Massachusetts. In
1872 he joined with his honored father in
the hardware business at Holyoke, Mas-
sachusetts, under the firm name of S. T.
Lyman & Son. In 1886 Samuel T. Ly-
man retired, Charles P. Lyman continu-
ing the business most successfully until
the present time (1916). He has built up
a large business, dealing in furniture,
stoves and hardware, also conducting a
plumbing department. He is a man of
strong business ability, progressive, hon-
orable and upright, worthy of the honored
name he bears. For two years Mr. Ly-
man represented his ward in the Holyoke
City Council and takes a deep interest in
all that pertains to the welfare of his
city. He is a member of the Second Con-
gregational Church, and affiliated with
Connecticut Valley Lodge, No. 25.
Knights of Pythias, of Holyoke.
Mr. Lyman married, July 16, 1878, Jen-
nie E\, daughter of Samuel A. and Clar-
issa Louise (Smith) Judd, of Grand Rap-
ids, Michigan, her father a captain in the
Union army, killed at the battle of Fair
Oaks (see Judd family).
WHITE, Hon. John J.,
Mayor of Holyoke.
Among those whose rise in station is
due solely to their own unaided efforts is
the Hon. John J. White, the present
mayor (1917) of Holyoke, who is re-
garded by his fellow townsmen as one
who in his life exemplifies the spirit of
highest citizenship, of honor in public
life and of fidelity to public duty.
Hon. John J. White was born in Lee,
Massachusetts, January 13, 1866, son of
Martin and Winifred (Keyes) White,
natives of Ireland, the former named com-
ing to this country in young manhood,
the latter named in childhood. Martin
White located first in Lee, Massachusetts,
where he resided until 1869, then removed
to Holyoke, same state, where he spent
the remainder of his days, his death occur-
ring in 1896 at the age of fifty-five years.
282
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
He was a papermaker by trade and fol-
lowed that line of work during his active
years, thereby earning a good livelihood
for his family. He and his wife were the
parents of nine children, three of whom
are living at the present time (1916) :
Maria L., who makes her home with her
brother, John J. ; John J., whose name
heads this sketch ; George J., superintend-
ent of the White Paper Box Company.
The mother of these children died in 1901.
John J. White was educated in the
schools of Holyoke, completing his stud-
ies at the age of fourteen years, when he
accepted a position as bellboy in the
Windsor Hotel, later in the old Holyoke
House, a well known hostelry in those
days, and for a number of years he gave
his entire time and attention to the hotel
business, advancing from his first humble
position to that of clerk, the result of
ability and efficiency, and served in that
capacity in various hotels in Holyoke,
Greenfield and other places, finally re-
moving to Amherst and there became
clerk of the Amherst House, which posi-
tion he filled for one year to the satisfac-
tion of the proprietor and patrons. His
next position was as traveling salesman,
his route covering the New England
States, and in this he was also successful,
but his ambition was to conduct a busi-
ness on his own account, and accordingly,
in 1885, he inaugurated the White Paper
Box Company, in which he has since, a
period of more than three decades, been
successfully engaged, and is now serving
in the capacities of president and treas-
urer. The concern does a large business
in the manufacture of a fine line of sta-
tionery boxes, about thirty hands being
employed in the factory, which is thor-
oughly equipped with the latest improved
machinery and everything needful for the
comfort and safety of the employees. He
has directed his business interests in a
careful and conservative manner, his suc-
cess being the outcome of his well
directed labors and energy. His career
demonstrates what may be accomplished
through the possession of these qualities,
qualities which may be cultivated by all.
Mayor White entered the political
arena in 1903, when he was elected an
alderman to fill out the unexpired term of
J. J. Farrell, and was again elected in
1904-08-09-10, serving in all five years as
alderman from the Fifth Ward. His con-
scientious and faithful performance of
every duty that devolved upon him, and
the interest he displayed in serving his
fellow townsmen to the best of his ability,
led to his nomination as mayor of Holyoke,
to which high office he was elected in
1911-12-13, and again in the fall of 1915
to serve during the year 1916. During
his mayoralty, in addition to a vast
amount of improvements along all lines,
a large number of public buildings have
been erected, notable among which are
the High School Gymnasium of the Met-
calf School and the Central Engine House,
one of the best in the country, and an ad-
dition to Police Headquarters. His politi-
cal career has been such as to warrant the
trust and confidence of his constituents,
and his devotion to the public good has
been unquestioned. Such was his record
and the satisfaction that he gave that in
1916 he was again elected to serve his
fifth term, 1917.
Mayor White is equally popular in fra-
ternal and social circles, holding mem-
bership in numerous organizations and
societies, including the Royal Arcanum,
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks,
Order of Eagles, Improved Order of Red
Men, Knights of Columbus, Ancient Or-
der of Hibernians, Holyoke Club, Hol-
yoke Golf Club, Holyoke Country Club
and a number of others. He has been a
member of the Royal Arcanum for two
283
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
decades, and for the greater part of that
period he gave freely of his time to pro-
mote the interests of the organization, in
which he has held all the offices. He
represented Nonotuck Council of Hoi-
yoke at many Grand Councils, and he has
also officiated as district deputy of this
district.
Mr. White married, in 1894, Rose A.
Charest, a native of Canada. They are
the parents of three children : Gertrude,
Muriel, John J., Jr.
INGALLS, James Horace, M. D.,
Physician and Surgeon.
In the subject of this review we have
a man who has attained distinction in the
line of his profession, who has been an
earnest and discriminating student and
who holds a position of due relative
precedence among the medical practition-
ers of Worcester. He has gained a repu-
tation which many an older member of
the fraternity might well envy, and a very
liberal patronage is accorded him by rea-
son of his pronounced skill and ability.
Dr. James H. Ingalls was born in Berk-
shire, Vermont, November 25, 1879, son
of Norman and Martha (Crowe) Ingalls,
both natives of the "Green Mountain
State," and their deaths occurred when
Dr. Ingalls was a mere child, thus throw-
ing him very early in life upon his
own resources, a process which tends to
strengthen the character in an unusual
degree. Norman Ingalls was a successful
farmer, a man of influence in the com-
munity, honored and esteemed for his ex-
cellent characteristics by his fellow
townsmen. He died at the age of seventy
years. He and his wife, who died at the
age of fifty-four years, were the parents
of four children: i. William DeForest,
engaged in the monumental business at
Richford, Vermont ; married Gula Clark.
2. Elwin Leroy, a professor in the Uni-
versity of Vermont, located at Burling-
ton. 3. Jennie Eliza, who became the
wife of Frank Colburn, of Richford, Ver-
mont. 4. James Horace, of whom further.
Dr. James H. Ingalls was a student in
the public schools of Burlington, Ver-
mont, graduating from the high school,
this course affording him the means of
obtaining a practical education which
qualified him for admission to the Uni-
versity of Kentucky, located at Louis-
ville, where he obtained his medical edu-
cation and from which he was graduated
in the class of 1904 with the degree of
Doctor of Medicine. He established an
office for the active practice of his pro-
fession in Louisville, Kentucky, and there
continued one year, until May, 1908, when
he changed his place of residence to
Worcester, Massachusetts, and became
connected with the Worcester Emer-
gency Hospital, this connection continu-
ing until the fall of 1911, and during that
period he gained a practical experience
which has greatly benefited him since,
and he also rendered service that proved
valuable to the inmates of that institution
and to his professional brethren engaged
therein. In 1911 he opened an office in
Worcester and has since continued there,
being now looked upon as among the suc-
cessful representatives of the medical and
surgical fraternity of that city. His grow-
ing prominence in his profession enables
him to command a patronage which is
steadily increasing in volume and impor-
tance, and his reputation is second to
none in the city. Dr. Ingalls is a member
of the Phi Ki fraternity, a member of
Morning Star Lodge, Free and Accepted
Masons, and he has taken all the Scottish
Rite degrees, including the thirty-second ;
is also a member of Ouinsigamond Tribe,
Improved Order of Red Men, and of the
Knights of Malta.
284
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Ingalls married, January 12, 1905,
Ella McMurdo, born in Alberton, Prince
Edward Island, February 12, 1885, daugh-
ter of John and Sarah McMurdo, resi-
dents of Alberton, Prince Edward Island.
They are the parents of one child, Elwin
Leroy Ingalls, born January 27, 1908.
DUPREY, Philip Henry,
Real Estate Operator.
To this enterprising and astute gentle-
man Worcester owes much for artistic
and practical development of its real
estate possibilities and the management of
other important business operations. He
comes of French Canadian stock. His
grandfather, Henry Duprey, came from
Canada to Massachusetts, where many of
his compatriots are found in various occu-
pations among business men of the old
Commonwealth. He is now deceased, as
is his son, Joseph H. Duprey, formerly a
farmer of West Boylston, Massachusetts.
His wife, Addie Duprey, was the child of
French parents, and is now living in
Worcester. They were the parents of the
following children : Philip Henry, of fur-
ther mention ; Joseph H., head of the
Duprey-Faulman Company, dealers in
table necessities at Detroit, Michigan;
Celina, wife of Frank J. Bousquet, of
Worcester.
Philip Henry Duprey was born Sep-
tember 29, 1877, in West Boylston,
Worcester county, Massachusetts. He
received his education in the public
schools of Worcester and St. Ann's paro-
chial school, where he perfected his
knowledge of the French language, which
he speaks as fluently as English. When
fourteen years of age he left the school
room to engage in business. His first
employment was in the office of a real
estate operator, where he served as office
boy and rapidly gained a working knowl-
edge of the real estate business. On
March i, 1897, he embarked in business
on his own account, with a capital of fifty
dollars, opening a real estate office in the
Walker building, on Main street, Worces-
ter, and since that time he has been con-
tinuously and successfully engaged along
that line in Worcester. Naturally, he be-
gan as agent for property owners, nego-
tiating sales, and was successful from the
start, because he brought to his aid a
natural aptitude for business, with a
knowledge of Worcester values, and a
determination to be fair to all who had
dealings with him. He soon became, in
addition to his many real estate opera-
tions, a developer, purchasing tracts
which he laid out in lots and developed
by improvements which made them of
value to purchasers. One of his most
famous investments is known as "Hill-
croft," the largest single development
ever undertaken by any individual in
Worcester. This is practically sold out,
and ninety houses have been erected upon
it in the past four years, all except three
of which are single houses, or houses in-
tended for individual homes. Another
important tract is Indian Lake Park,
within two miles of the business centre
of Worcester, adjoining Indian Lake, ap-
proached by Grove street. Salisbury
Park, on Salisbury street, is another tract
which contains seventy-five acres. Under
the engineering of Samuel H. Pitcher &
Company, twenty acres of this has been
developed as a park. The most advanced
ideas of real estate operations are put in
effect by Mr. Duprey, and many a work-
ing man's family is happily housed under
his beneficent plan. He is a discriminat-
ing seller, and his customers are men of
character, who keep up regular payments
and easily secure their hom,es. He re-
quires a payment of ten per cent, of the
price at first, and the balance is paid in
28;
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
small installments, equivalent to the usual
rent paid for similar abodes. Not one has
yet failed to make good, thus proving the
wisdom of Mr. Duprey's plan of selection.
The worth of the individual is considered
in seeking a purchaser rather than ability
to make a large initial payment. The
most modern provisions for convenience
and sanitation are features of the houses
built by Mr. Duprey, and he is certainly
to be considered a benefactor to Worces-
ter and Worcester's workingmen. He is
the largest and most successful individual
real estate operator in Worcester, one of
the heaviest taxpayers, being assessed on
half a million dollars' worth of real estate.
He maintains a beautiful home on Ken-
wood avenue, and a summer home at Bass
Rocks, Gloucester, Massachusetts. All
his energies have been applied to the real
estate business and an insurance and
mortgage business which has naturally
followed his extensive operations in
realty. He is considered one of the lead-
ing authorities on realty values in
Worcester and is greatly sought as a real
estate expert.
He is a man of pleasing personality,
well informed, progressive, broad-minded
and charitable. Though a busy man, Mr.
Duprey feels that every citizen should
give such portion of his time as he can to
the fulfillment of civic duties, and thus
sustain the institutions under which he
lives and prospers. He is a Republican
in political principle, and has served dur-
ing the past four years as representative
of Ward One of Worcester in the City
Council, during which period he has acted
on the most important committees
finance, streets, water, education, public
buildings and military. He is president
of the Worcester Lunch Car Manufactur-
ing Company, and in addition to his other
duties has for fifteen years acted as ap-
praiser of real estate for the Worcester
Mechanics' Savings Bank, and is presi-
dent of the People's Loan Association.
He is a member of the Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks, a member and
one of the directors of the Worcester
Automobile Club, and member of the
Worcester Country Club, also the Com-
monwealth Club.
Mr. Duprey married, January 6, 1904,
Clara Frances Mulvey, of Brookfield,
Worcester county, Massachusetts. Four
daughters have blessed this union, namely :
Dorothy, Ruth, Barbara, and Mary.
LAKE, Edward Bennett,
Man of Enterprise.
The family of Lake is an ancient one
in the vicinity of Southeastern Massachu-
setts, where its representatives have re-
sided continuously through many genera-
tions. They have been noted as good
citizens, active in promoting the moral,
social and physical welfare of the com-
munities in which they have lived, and
have left their imprint as worthy repre-
sentatives of a time-honored family. Wil-
liam Lake, born about 1780, was a resi-
dent of Tiverton, Rhode Island, formerly
a part of Massachusetts, where his son.
Edward Lake, was also born. The latter
lived in Fall River, Massachusetts, where
he passed away. He married Mary Sher-
man, who was also descended from one
of New England's oldest settled families,
and they were the parents of Edward
Bennett Lake, mentioned below.
Edward Bennett Lake, son of Edward
and Mary (Sherman) Lake, was born Oc-
tober 20, 1835, in Fall River, Massachu-
setts, where his boyhood days were spent.
His educational training was acquired in
the schools of his native city. After lay-
ing aside his books he became apprenticed
to the trade of wheelwright and mill-
wright with Samuel Thurston, with
286
s F / si <fl /
u &c^i^^^) v&^/ts
r L--^
DATtO"
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
whom he spent about seven years, during
which time he worked on the water
wheels in the various Fall River cotton
mills, and in sections of Rhode Island
adjacent. Following this he was for a
time employed in the cooperage shop of
David Brayton at Fall River. In 1867 he
entered the employ of Chase, Allen &
Slade, wholesale grocers of Fall River, as
a salesman, in which capacity he con-
tinued until 1872, during which service he
had acquired a thorough and comprehen-
sive knowledge of the details of the busi-
ness. In the latter named year, in asso-
ciation with B. S. C. Gifford, he pur-
chased the interests of Nathan Chase, the
senior member of the firm, and the firm
name was then changed to Allen, Slade &
Company, under which name the business
has since been continued. At the time
Mr. Lake entered the employ of this con-
cern it was then in its infancy, but its
growth has been steady and continuous,
and to-day it is one of the largest estab-
lishments of its kind in New England. To
the interests of this business Mr. Lake
gave his undivided and untiring energy,
and continued an active member of the
same until the time of his death in 1913.
Mr. Lake was a very active business man,
successful and well-known, and noted for
his honorable and upright methods of
doing business. He was also always
active in promoting the best interests of
his native city, and every project which
had for its object the best interests of the
city and its people and institutions had
his best support. He was for a number of
years a member of the old Volunteer Fire
Department, and was also a member of
the first Steamer Fire Company in the
city of Fall River. He was also a mem-
ber of the old Fall River Artillery Com-
pany, commanded by John Sanford. The
broad mind and Christian fraternal char-
acter of Mr. Lake are shown by his active
membership in Fall River Lodge, No. 219,
Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In
political faith he was a staunch supporter
of the principles of the Republican party,
but never sought public office, preferring
to give his undivided attention to his busi-
ness and its growth, and to the surround-
ings of his home and family, to which he
was much devoted.
Mr. Lake was twice married, his first
wife, who was Elizabeth Lang, passed
away within a few years after their mar-
riage, without issue. He married (sec-
ond) January 22, 1878, Emma Frances
Gulliver, who was born in East Corinth,
Maine, daughter of Thomas and Abigail
(Chase) Gulliver. To Mr. and Mrs. Lake
were born two children, namely : Eva M.
A., and Russell Brackett Lake, who ac-
quired his early schooling in the schools
of his native city, private school of Bos-
ton, and is now a student at the Washing-
ton University Law School, of Washing-
ton, D. C. Mrs. Lake, who survives her
husband, still occupies the handsome resi-
dence on French street, Fall River, to
which she is much attached and over
which a gracious hospitality always pre-
vails, is charitable and benevolent, and
prominent in the social activities of the
city. She is an active and valued mem-
ber of the First Baptist Church of Fall
River.
Mr. Lake was a self-made man in the
truest sense of the word, his success in
life being due to his untiring energy, keen
foresight and recognized executive abil-
ity, and his position as a business man,
citizen and individual was the result of
these qualities combined with an intelli-
gent application of purpose. He pos-
sessed a genial, even temperament, was
sympathetic, charitable and warm in his
impulses, polite to all, and the friends he
made continued ever staunch ones. From
his early years his integrity, his energy,
287
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
his business capacity, had made him a
conspicuous man in the community in
which his long and active business career
had been passed, and he gave freely of his
ability, his means and his time to all
worthy enterprises. Mr. Lake passed
away at his home on French street, Fall
River, June II, 1913, honored and re-
spected by all who knew him for his ster-
ling traits of character. His remains were
laid to rest in Oak Grove Cemetery, Fall
River. Some years preceding his demise
Mr. Lake built his handsome residence
on French street, in the planning and de-
signing of which he was ably aided by his
devoted wife, and which stands as a
monument to his good taste and excellent
executive ability.
The Gulliver family, from which Mrs.
Lake is descended, is of English extrac-
tion. Thomas Marshall Gulliver came
from England and settled in Bangor,
Maine. His son, Thomas Marshall Gulli-
ver, Jr., born in that city, was a carriage
manufacturer for many years in East
Corinth, where he was well and favorably
known, and where he passed away in
1886. He married Abigail Chase, a native
of Bangor, Maine, and a descendant of
one of New England's earliest settled
families. Mrs. Gulliver died in 1892, in
East Corinth, the mother of four chil-
dren, namely: i. A daughter, who died
in infancy. 2. Sidney W., now living in
Swansea, Massachusetts. 3. Emma Fran-
ces, who is the widow of Edward Bennett
Lake, of Fall River, Massachusetts. 4.
George Emerson, who died at Lynn, Mas-
sachusetts, aged thirty years.
WHITE, Levis Guilford,
Retired Business Man.
Nicholas White, the immigrant, came
from England and settled in Dorcheser,
Massachusetts, as early as 1643, an ^ in
Milton in 1647. Before October, 1655, he
had moved to Taunton, where he became
an owner in the iron works and also of a
quarter interest in a saw mill. He was
one of the owners of Block Island and of
Taunton North Purchase, which included
Easton, nearly all of Mansfield and part
of Norton ; also of the South Purchase,
which included Dighton and part of Berk-
ley. He was well-to-do. He died in 1697.
He married, about 1643, Susanna, daugh-
ter of Jonas and Frances Humphrey, who
came from Wendover, England, to Dor-
chester about 1637; he died at Dorches-
ter. March 19, 1661-62.
(II) John White, son of Nicholas
White, was born in 1649, died September
3, 1726. He was surveyor, clerk of the
military company, selectman of Taunton
and a large owner of real estate. He re-
sided in Raynham and served on the com-
mittees to settle the boundary lines. He
married, February 24, 1679-80, Hannah,
daughter of Samuel and Susanna (Reed'*
Smith, of Taunton.
(III) John (2) White, son of John
(i) White, was born at Raynham, Au-
gust 1 6, 1 68 1, died about 1758. He was
a carpenter, surveyor and millwright ; as-
sessor, treasurer and selectman of Rayn-
ham ; built the first meeting house in
1728-29. He married, December 28, 1709,
Elizabeth, born October 31, 1691, daugh-
ter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Bell) Cross-
man. Her father, born July 25, 1667, was
a son of Robert and Sarah (Kingsbury)
Crossman, and grandson of John Cross-
man. Sarah Kingsbury was a daughter
of Joseph and Millicent (Ames) Kings-
bury, of Dedham. Elizabeth Bell was
born November 15, 1668, daughter of
James and Esther (Lugg) Bell, of Taun-
ton. John Lugg, father of Esther Lugg,
came to Boston in 1637, married Jane
Deighton, daughter of John and Jane
(Bassett) Deighton, granddaughter of
James and Ulcy Bassett, of England.
(IV) George White, son of John (2)
288
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
White, settled in Raynham ; died in 1/67.
He married, June 4, 1745, Hannah, daugh-
ter of Dr. Timothy and Hannah (Hodges)
Bryant. Her father was born at Plym-
outh, August 25, 1702; married, June 4,
1748, Hannah Hodges. Stephen Bryant,
father of Dr. Timothy Bryant, was born
at Plymouth, February 2, 1658, married
Mehitable - ; was son of Stephen
Bryant, who came from England in 1632,
was constable at Plymouth and Duxbury,
married Abigail Shaw, daughter of John
and Alice Shaw. John Shaw came in
1632 and was one of the founders of Mid-
dleborough. Hannah Hodges was a
daughter of Nathaniel Hodges, born
April 2, 1675, died March 3, 1749-50, at
Norton ; married Hannah Dean, born
April 24, 1683, at Taunton, died January
3, 1768, at Norton, daughter of John and
Sarah (Edson) Dean, granddaughter of
John and Alice Dean, of Dorchester. The
Deans came from Chard in England. The
immigrant, John Dean, was a son of Wil-
liam Dean, who died at South Chard in
1634, grandson of Walter Dean, who died
there in 1591. Sarah (Edson) Dean was
a daughter of Deacon Samuel and Su-
sanna (Orcutt) Edson, of Bridgewater.
John Hodges, father of Nathaniel Hodges,
married, May 15, 1672, Elizabeth Macy,
who died January 29, 1718-19; had a share
in the South Purchase of Taunton. Her
father, Captain George Macy, was select-
man, deputy, magistrate, married Susan-
na Street, daughter of Rev. Nicholas
Street, the immigrant, graduate of Pem-
broke College, Oxford, teacher at Taun-
ton, and pastor of the New Haven church,
had estate at Rowberton, England. Nich-
olas Street, father of Rev. Nicholas Street,
was born at Bridgewater, Somersetshire,
England, married Susanna Gilbert. Nich-
olas Street, father of Nicholas Street,
Sr., was born at Stogumber, Dorsetshire,
about 1610, married Mary ; he
was a son of Richard Street, who died
Mass-5-19 289
in 1591. William Hodges, father of John
Hodges, was captain, deacon, presiding elder
selectman, deputy, member of town coun-
cil ; married Mary Andrews, daughter of
Henry Andrews, immigrant, a deputy
from Taunton in 1639, attorney, 1640,
died 1653.
(V) John (3) White, son of George White,
was born December 23, 1749, at Raynham,
died January 16, 1834. He was a soldier in
the Revolution. He lived at Norton and
Easton. He married, February 13, 1772,
Martha, born August, 1754, died Septem-
ber 19, 1816, daughter of Josiah and Su-
sanna (Williams) Keith; granddaughter
of Josiah and Ruth (Manley) Keith, of
Easton ; great-granddaughter of Josiah
and Mary (Lathrop) Keith. Rev. James
Keith, father of Josiah Keith, Sr., was
born in or near Keith, Scotland, about
1644, educated at Marshall College, Aber-
deen, came to this country in 1661 and
was first minister of Bridgewater; mar-
ried Susanna Edson, daughter of Deacon
Samuel Edson, mentioned above. Susan-
na Williams was a daughter of Josiah and
Martha (Howard) Williams, granddaugh-
ter of Benjamin and Rebecca (Macy)
Williams, great-granddaughter of Rich-
ard and Frances (Dighton) Williams.
Frances was sister of the first wife of
Governor Thomas Dudley. Richard Wil-
liams, father of Benjamin Williams, set-
tled at Taunton and was a deputy. Wil-
liam Williams, father of Richard Wil-
liams, married (second) Jane Woodward,
December 4, 1603. He was a son of John
Williams (6), who died in 1577 (Richard
Williams (5), born 1487; John (4) and
Margaret (Smith) Williams; Thomas
Williams (3) ; Morgan Williams (2) ;
Howell Williams (i), Lord of Ribour,
progenitor of the Welsh family of Wil-
liams). Ruth (Manley) Keith was a
daughter of Thomas and Lydia (Field)
Manley, granddaughter of William Man-
ley and of John Field (2), son of John
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Field. Mary (Lathrop) Keith was a
daughter of Samuel and Sarah Lathrop,
granddaughter of Mark Lathrop, of
Salem.
(VI) Adonijah White, son of John (3)
White, was born at Raynham, June 3,
1773, died at Newton in 1857. He re-
sided on the Bay road, Easton ; was
deputy sheriff and a man of influence ;
married, February 20, 1792, Keziah, born
April 25, 1769, daughter of Elijah and
Keziah (Hayward) Howard. Elijah
Howard was selectman five years, town
clerk and treasurer eleven years, son of
Henry and Mary (Howard) Howard,
grandson of Jonathan and Sarah (Dean)
Howard, great-grandson of John and
Martha (Hayward) Howard. Keziah
(Hayward) Howard was born July 12,
1751, daughter of Edward and Keziah
(Hall) Hayward, granddaughter of Dea-
con Joseph and Hannah (Mitchell) Hay-
ward, great-granddaughter of Thomas
Hayward, one of the founders of Bridge-
water. Edward Hayward was treasurer
of Easton ; selectman ; first justice of the
peace and deacon of the First Church.
Keziah Hall was thrice married ; born
February 2, 1716-17, daughter of George
and Lydia (Dean) Hall, granddaughter
of Thomas and Katherine (Stephens')
Dean. George Hall, born January 25,
1680-81, was a son of Samuel and Eliza-
beth (White) Hall, grandson of George
and Mary Hall and of Nicholas White (i),
mentioned above. Mary (Howard) How-
ard was a daughter of Edward and Mary
(Byram) Howard, of Bridgewater ; grand-
daughter of John and Sarah (Latham)
Howard and great-granddaughter of John
and Martha (Hayward) Howard, of Dux-
bury. Mary (Byram) Howard was a
daughter of Captain Nicholas and Mary
(Edson) Byram, granddaughter of Nich-
olos and Susanna (Shaw) Byram, great-
granddaughter of Abraham Shaw, of
Dedham. Sarah (Latham) Howard was
a daughter of Robert and Mary (Wins-
low) Latham, of Cambridge. Mary was
a daughter of John and Mary (Chilton)
Winslow, and granddaughter of Edward
and Magdalen Winslow, of Droitwich,
England. James and Susanna Chilton,
parents of Mary (Chilton) Winslow,
came in the "Mayflower"' and died soon
afterward. John Winslow was born in
1597, at Droitwich, County Worcester,
England; came in the ship "Fortune;"
was brother of Governor Edward Wins-
low. Hannah (Mitchell) Hayward was
a daughter of Experience and Hannah
(Cook) Mitchell, who came to Plymouth
in 1623 ; removed to Duxbury, was town
officer, later to Bridgewater. Sarah
(Dean) Howard was a daughter of John
and Sarah (Edson) Dean; granddaughter
of John Dean, mentioned previously.
Sarah Edson was sister of Susanna, who
married Rev. James Keith, mentioned
above. Hannah Cook, first wife of Ex-
perience Mitchell, was daughter of Fran-
cis Cook, who came in the "Mayflower,"
and wife, Hester (Mayhew) Cook, who
came with the Mitchells in the ship "Ann"
in 1623.
(VII) Colonel Alanson White, son of
Adonijah White, was born at Easton,
March 31, 1793, died at Easton, Decem-
ber 19, 1883. He was a private in the
War of 1812 in Captain Isaac Lothrop's
company ; representative in the Legisla-
ture in 1850. He married (first) July 7,
1814, Rebecca Billings, who died Septem-
ber 2, 1857 (see Billings line) ; (second)
December 29, 1857, Mary Williams. Chil-
dren : Adonijah, born September 17, 1815;
Stella Emeline, June 16, 1818; Alanson,
March 7, 1820; Guilford, mentioned be-
low ; William Francis and Henry Frank-
lin, born October 13, 1825; Daniel Bil-
lings, November 28, 1828; Rebecca Jane,
December 12, 1830; John Davis, May 7,
1833 ; Eliza Ann, September 26, 1836.
(VIII) Guilford White, son of Colonel
290
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Alanson White, was born at Easton, Au-
gust 17, 1822, and died there, March 17,
1899. He was educated in the public
schools of his native town, at the North
Bridgewater Academy and Mr. Perkins'
school in the old chapel at Easton Center.
In early life he developed marked busi-
ness ability and was a successful shoe
manufacturer and general merchant in
Easton. At the age of thirty-five he de-
cided to gratify an ambition for the legal
profession, and in January, 1857, began
to read law in the offices of J. H. & T. L.
Wakefield in Boston. In August, 1858, he
was examined by Judge Pliny Merrick
and duly admitted to the bar in the Su-
preme Court at Boston in the following
month. In October, 1867, on motion of
George S. Milliard, United States district
attorney, he was admitted to practice in
the United States Circuit Court. He
opened an office in Boston but retained
his residence at South Easton. He took
a prominent position in his profession and
continued to practice to an advanced age.
He was highly respected and honored in
the community. In politics he was a Re-
publican, taking a leading part in public
affairs for many years. He was county
commissioner of Bristol county and rep-
resentative to the General Court. He held
other offices of private and public trust.
His son, Major Levis G. White, now has
in his possession a chair given to Mr.
White by Governor Morton. He was an
active member of the Unitarian church
He married, September 14, 1845, Olive J.
Jackson, who was born November 14,
1825, died January 3, 1892 (see Jackson
line).
(IX) Major Levis Guilford White, son
of Guilford White, was born at Easton,
January 4, 1850. He attended the public
schools, Hunt's Private School for Boys
and the Highland Military Academy,
Worcester, from which he was graduated
in 1867. He remained at the academy as
an instructor for three years. In January,
1870, he entered the employ of Walker
& Sweetser, dealers in ice, in the capacity
of bookkeeper, but six months later was
admitted to partnership, the firm name
becoming Benjamin Walker & Company.
Later he added the coal and wood busi-
ness and formed the Walker Ice Com-
pany, of which Mr. White was the sole
proprietor. In 1890 the various ice com-
panies of the city were consolidated under
a larger corporation called the Walker Ice
Company. Besides the original company
of this name, E. M. Bond & Company, A.
H. Sears & Company, the Harrington Ice
Company and the Peter Carr Ice Com-
pany became part of the new corporation,
of which A. H. Sears was president ; Mr.
White was treasurer and E. M. Bond was
secretary. The corporation owns ice
houses in Worcester, Leicester, Millbury,
Holden, Princeton, in West Rindge and
Franklin, New Hampshire. The corpo-
ration has been very successful and ranks
among the largest in these lines of busi-
ness in the State. The capital stock is
one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
The company employs a regular force of
two hundred men.
Since 1910 Mr. White has gradually
withdrawn from business activities and
has traveled much in this country and
abroad. He is a careful observer and
during his journeys has acquired a vast
amount of information relating to the
customs of foreign nations, their religion
and history, and his friends agree that
Major White is an exceedingly interest-
ing and instructive conversationalist. His
title as major by which he is generally
known has clung to him from his boy-
hood days at the military academy, where
he was commandant. At the military
school he taught a Bible class and was
easily the most popular teacher in the
291
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
academy. In religion he is a Unitarian,
a leading member of the Second Church
(First Unitarian).
In politics Mr. White is a Republican
and his name has often been suggested
for offices of responsibility, but he has
uniformly declined to accept. He is a
member of the Commonwealth Club, the
Worcester Club, the Tatnuck Country
Club, the Worcester Lodge of Elks, the
old Worcester Rifle Club and Gun Club.
He is trustee, member of the board of
investment and vice-president of the Me-
chanics' Savings Bank. His connection
with the Massachusetts Cremation So-
ciety is not generally known. With Al-
bert Brown and Dr. J. O. Marble he be-
came one of the founders of the original
society in Worcester, afterward located
in Boston and finally known under its
present name of the Massachusetts Cre-
mation Society. Though not organized
with the intention of making money, the
society has now become a dividend pay-
ing institution.
He married, January 5, 1871, Agnes
Leigh Walker (see Walker line). Their
daughter, Helen Agnes, born December
15, 1875, married Homer Earle Sargent,
a graduate of Yale University and Massa-
chusetts Institute of Technology.
(The Billings Line).
(I) Roger Billings, immigrant, married
(first) Mary ; (second) Hannah
. He came from England and was
among the early settlers of Dorchester,
Massachusetts.
(II) Roger (2) Billings, son of Roger
(i) Billings, was born November 18, 1657.
He married Sarah Paine, daughter of
Stephen and Hannah (Bass) Paine,
grandaughter of Moses and Elizabeth
Paine and of Samuel and Ann Bass.
Moses Paine lived at Braintree and was
an ensign ; Stephen Paine was sergeant
in the Boston Artillery Company. Sam-
uel Ball was a deputy to the General
Court. The second wife of Moses Paine
was Judith, widow of Edmund Quincy,
ancestor of the famous Quincy family.
(III) Joseph Billings, son of Roger (2)
Billings, was born May 27, 1681, at Dor-
chester. He married, April 4, 1706, Ru-
hamah Babcock, daughter of Benjamin
and Hannah (Daniels) Babcock, grand-
daughter of George and Mary Babcock,
of Milton, and of William and Catherine
(Greenaway) Daniels, great-granddaugh-
ter of John and Mary Greenaway.
(IV) William Billings, son of Joseph
Billings, was born September 21, 1717.
He married, December 22, 1747, Mary
Badlam ; they settled in Stoughton.
(V) Daniel Billings, son of William
Billings, was born at Stoughton, Febru-
ary u, 1748. He married, in 1777, Re-
becca Battles, daughter of John and Han-
nah (Curtis) Battles, granddaughter of
John and Martha Battles, great-grand-
daughter of John and Hannah (Hoi-
brook) Battles, great-great-granddaugh-
ter of Thomas and Hannah (Fisher)
Battles. Hannah (Curtis) Battles was
born at Stoughton, April 7, 1730, daugh-
ter of Edward and Hannah (Hay ward)
Curtis, granddaughter of Moses and
Dorothy (Ashley) Curtis. Theophilus
Curtis, father of Moses Curtis, married
Hannah Paine, daughter of Moses Paine ;
his father, Deodatus Curtis, was an early
settler in Braintree, before 1640. Doro-
thy Ashley was daughter of Edward and
Mary Ashley, granddaughter of Thomas
Ashley, born in England in 1613. Han-
nah (Holbrook) Billings was a daughter
of Thomas and Hannah (Shepard) Hol-
brook, granddaughter of John and Sarah
Holbrook, early settlers, before 1640, in
Weymouth, and of John and Margaret
Shepard, who came from England in 1635
and settled at Braintree. Hannah (Fisher)
Battles was daughter of Joshua Fisher,
born 1585 at Syleham, settled at Dedham
292
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
member of the Boston Artillery Company
in 1640, deacon and selectman, son of An-
thony and Mary (Fiske) Fisher, of Syle-
ham. Mary (Fiske) Fisher was daugh-
ter of William and Ann (Anstyle) Fiske,
of Laxfield, England (Robert (5), Simon
(4), Simon (3) and Elizabeth; William
(2); Lord Symond Fiske (i), of Lax-
field). Rebecca Billings, daughter of
Daniel (V) Billings, married Colonel Al-
anson White (see White VII).
(The Jackson Line).
(I) Abraham Jackson, the immigrant,
settled at Plymouth. He married, in 1657,
Remember Morton, who died July 24,
1707, daughter of Nathaniel and Lydia
(Cooper) Morton, granddaughter of
George and Ann (Carpenter) Morton
and granddaughter of Alexander Carpen-
ter. George Morton (or Mount) wrote a
history of the Plymouth Colony entitled
"Mount's Relation."
(II) Eleazer Jackson, son of Abraham
Jackson, was born at Plymouth, October,
1669. He married, in 1690, Hannah Ran-
som, daughter of Robert and Susanna
Ransom, of Plymouth and Sandwich.
(III) Ephraim Jackson, son of Eleazer
Jackson, was born at Plymouth, Septem-
ber 10, 1714. He resided at Wrentham
and Bridgewater. He married Lydia
Leach, granddaughter of Giles and Anna
(Nokes) Leach, of Bridgewater.
(IV) Ephraim (2) Jackson, son of
Ephraim (i) Jackson, was a soldier in
the Revolution from Bridgewater. He
married, in 1765, Bathsheba Trask, daugh-
ter of John and Penelope (White) Trask,
granddaughter of William and Ann
(White) Trask, great-granddaughter of
William and Ann (Putnam) Trask, and
great-great-granddaughter of Captain
William and Sarah Trask, the first set-
tlers. Captain William Trask commanded
a company in the Pequot War ; came to
Salem as early as 1628. Ann (White)
Trask was a daughter of Joseph and
Lydia (Rogers) White, of Mendon, grand-
daughter of Thomas White, a pioneer of
Weymouth, Massachusetts. Ann (Put-
nam) Trask was a daughter of Thomas
and Ann (Holyoke) Putnam, granddaugh-
ter of John and Priscilla Putnam (see
Putnam Family with English ancestry).
Lydia (Rogers) White was born March
27, 1642, daughter of Deacon John and
Judith Rogers, who came from England.
(V) Oliver Jackson, son of Ephraim
(2) Jackson, was born March 18. 1767,
died March 19, 1845. He lived at Bridge-
water. He married, May 6, 1807, Olive
Gurney, born December i, 1786, daughter
of Captain Zachariah and Matilda (Pack-
ard) Gurney, granddaughter of Lieuten-
ant Zachariah and Mary (Ames) Gurney,
great-granddaughter of Zachariah and
Sarah (Jackson) Gurney, of Weymouth
and Abington. Zachariah Gurney, father
of the last mentioned Zachariah Gurney.
married Mary Benson, daughter of Joseph
Benson, granddaughter of John Ben-
son, who came from Gonsham, Ox-
fordshire, England, in 1638, and lived at
Hingham and Hull, and wife Mary. Ma-
tilda (Packard) Gurney was a daughter
of William and Sarah (Richards) Pack-
ard, of Bridgewater; granddaughter of
David and Hannah (Ames) Packard,
great-granddaughter of Zacclieus and
Sarah (Howard) Packard, and great-
great-granddaughter of Samuel Packard,
who came from Windham, near Hingham,
England, in 1638, and later moved to
Bridgewater. Sarah (Richards) Packard,
born 1730, died January 4, 1806, was a
daughter of Benjamin and Mehitable (Al-
den) Richards, of Weymouth and Bridge-
water, granddaughter of Joseph and Sarah
Richards, and great-granddaughter of
William and Grace Richards, who came
from England to Plymouth, later to Scitu-
ate. Joseph Richards was in King Philip's
War; proprietor of Worcester in 1674;
293
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
settled in Weymouth. Mehitable (Al-
den) Richards was a daughter of Isaac
and Mehitable (Allen) Alden, grand-
daughter of Joseph and Mary (Simmons)
Alden, great-granddaughter of John and
Priscilla (Mullins) Alden, who came in
the "Mayflower." Priscilla (Mullins)
Alden was a daughter of William and
Alice Mullins, who came in the "May-
flower." Mehitable (Allen) Alden was a
daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Par-
tridge) Allen, and granddaughter of Sam-
uel and Ann Allen, pioneers at Braintree.
Sarah (Partridge) Allen was a daughter
of George and Sarah (Tracy) Partridge,
granddaughter of Stephen and Tryphosa
Tracy, who came in the "Ann" from Ley-
den in 1623. Hannah (Ames) Packard
was a daughter of John and Sarah (Wil-
lis) Ames, granddaughter of William and
Hannah Ames, of Duxbury, and great-
granddaughter of Richard Ames, of Bni-
ton, Somersetshire, England. Sarah
(Howard) Packard was a daughter of
John and Martha (Hayward) Howard,
mentioned above, of Duxbury. Sarah
(Jackson) Gurney was a daughter of Ed-
mund and Mary Jackson, granddaughter
of Edmund and Elizabeth (Pilkinton)
Jackson, of Boston, a freeman in 1636.
Olfve J. Jackson, born November 14,
1825, married Guilford White (see White
VIII).
(The Walker Line).
(I) Captain Richard Walker, immi-
grant, was born in England in 1592,
settled in Lynn in 1636; was captain,
deputy to the General Court ; removed to
Reading and held town offices there.
(II) Shubael Walker, son of Captain
Richard Walker, was born about 1640,
died January, 1689. He married, May 29,
1666, Patience Jewett, daughter of Joseph
Jewett, and lived at Rowley, Lynn and
Bradford. Joseph Jewett was baptized
at Bradford, England, December 31, 1609.
married there, October i, 1634, Mary
Mallinson. Edward Jewett, his father,
married at Bradford, October I, 1604,
Mary, daughter of William Taylor.
(III) Nathaniel Walker, son of Shu
bael Walker, was born October 16, 1675,
died October 25, 1721. He married Re-
becca Hazeltine, daughter of David and
Mary (Jewett) Hazeltine, granddaughter
of Robert and Mary Hazeltine, the pio-
neers. David Hazeltine was captain of
a military company, lived in Bradford.
Mary (Jewett) Hazeltine was daughter
of Deacon Maximilian and Ann Jewett,
Maximilian was a brother of Joseph, men-
tioned above, was a deputy to the Gen-
eral Court.
(IV) Obadiah Walker, son of Nathaniel
Walker, was born at Bradford, March 4,
1719-20. He married, 1745, Abigail Gerry,
daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Da-
mon) Gerry, of Lynn and Lunenburg:
granddaughter of Benjamin and Abigail
(Gould) Gerry; and great-granddaughter
of Thomas and Sarah Gerry, early settlers
in Reading. Elizabeth (Damon) Gerry
was a daughter of Thomas and Lucy Ann
(Emerson) Damon, granddaughter of
Thomas Damon, of Reading. Abigail
(Gould) Gerry, born March 28, 1672, was
a daughter of John and Abigail (Belcher)
Gould, granddaughter of John and Joan
Gould. John and Joan Gould came from
Towcester, Northamptonshire, England
about 1635.
(V) Benjamin Walker, son of Obadiah
Walker, was born February 28, 1749. He
married Eunice - - and lived in Ash-
by, Massachusetts.
(VI) Benjamin (2) Walker, son of
Benjamin (i) Walker, was born at Ash-
by, October I, 1771, and died May 16,
1836, at Barre. He settled in Barre. He
married, November 16, 1803, Nancy Lee,
daughter of Joshua and Susan (March)
Lee, granddaughter of Henry and Cath-
erine (Scarborough) Lee, great-grand-
daughter of Joseph and Mary (Woodis)
294
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Lee. Joseph Lee was a son of John Lee
(Leigh), one of the early settlers of Ips-
wich, Massachusetts. Mary (Woodis)
Lee was a daughter of Henry and Elea-
nor (Hopkinson) Woodis, of Concord,
settlers before 1650. Henry Lee was a
prominent citizen of Worcester and was
a magistrate. Because of his vigorous
opposition to the Land Bank scheme, he
was removed from office, April 30, 1741.
Lee was selectman, assessor and justice
of the peace.
(VII) Benjamin (3) Walker, son of
Benjamin (2) Walker, was born at Green-
field, Massachusetts, November 8, 1808.
He learned the trade of blacksmith at
New Salem and came to Worcester in
1834. About 1850, in partnership with
Stillman S. Sweetser, he bought the ice
business of Dr. Benjamin F. Hayward
and founded the Walker & Sweetser Ice
Company which has continued to the
present time, the leading concern in this
line of business. Mr. Sweetser retired
from the firm and Levis G. White, Mr.
Walker's son-in-law, was admitted to
partnership by Mr. Walker. After a very
successful career in business, Mr. Walker
died January 28, 1888. He was for twen-
ty-one years a trustee of the Worcester
County Institution of Savings and served
on its board of investment. He was a
trustee of the Jaques Fund (The City
Hospital) and was chairman for eight
years. From its organization in 1868
until he died, he was a director of the
Worcester Safe Deposit and Trust Com-
pany (now the Worcester Trust Com-
pany). He was city assessor for three
years ; member of the Common Council
in 1852; alderman in 1854, 1862, 1881 and
1882 ; a member of the Worcester County
Mechanics' Association.
He married, November, 1837, Charlotte
Eaton, daughter of Nathaniel Eaton (see
Eaton). Children: Charlotte E. married
Elisha D. Buffington ; Agnes Leigh, mar-
ried Levis G. White (see White IX).
(The Eaton Line).
(I) Jonas Eaton, the immigrant ances-
tor, was born in England ; settled in
Reading, Massachusetts, in 1647 or ear-
lier, and was proprietor and town officer.
He died February 24, 1673. H C married
Grace - .
(II) Lieutenant Jonathan Eaton, son
of Jonas Eaton, was born at Reading,
December 6, 1655. He married, April 2,
1691, Mary - - for his second wife.
He was selectman of Reading. He died
there, July 8, 1743.
(III) Samuel Eaton, son of Lieutenant
Jonathan Eaton, was born November I,
1702, and lived at Sudbury, Woburn and
Worcester. He married Grace - .
(IV) Thomas Eaton, son of Samuel
Eaton, was born May 25, 1739, died Au-
gust 25, 1788. He lived at Sudbury and
Worcester. He married Susanna Rice,
who died April 25, 1786, daughter of
Adonijah and Persis (Gates) Rice. Ado-
nijah Rice was the first white child born
in Worcester; he served in the French
and Indian War in 1755; removed to
Bridport, Vermont. Jonas Rice, father
of Adonijah Rice, was born at Marlbor-
ough, March 6, 1672-73; was one of the
first permanent settlers of Worcester,
married, February 10, 1701-02, Mary
Stone. Thomas Rice, father of Jonas
Rice, married Mary King. Persis (Gates)
Rice was a daughter of Jonathan and
Persis (Shepard) Gates. Simon Gates,
father of Jonathan Gates, was born in
1645, married Margaret - . Stephen
Gates, his father, was the immigrant,
lived at Lancaster and Cambridge. Mary
(Stone) Rice was a daughter of Deacon
Daniel and Mary (Moore) Stone, grand-
daughter of Deacon John and Ann
(Howe) Stone, great-granddaughter of
295
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Deacon Gregory and Lydia Stone. Greg-
ory Stone was born in England in 1592;
settled at Cambridge. Ann (Howe) Stone
was a daughter of Edward and Margaret
Howe, pioneers of Watertown. Mary
(Moore) Stone was a daughter of John
and Elizabeth (Whale) Moore, grand-
daughter of Philemon Whale. Both John
Moore and Philemon Whale were pio-
neers of Sudbury also.
(V) Nathaniel Eaton, son of Thomas
Eaton, was born in 1781. He married
Mary Duncan, born February 27, 1/83,
daughter of Captain Simeon and Mary
(Blair) Duncan. Her father was a soldier
in the Revolution and a pensioner, born
at Worcester, October 22, 1755, died
there, February 22, 1836; married, April
u, 1780, Mary Blair. Simeon Duncan,
father of Captain Simeon Duncan, was
born at Billerica, August 22, 1713; mar-
ried, August 22, 1743, Bridget Richard-
son. Mary (Blair) Duncan was born at
Worcester, September 6, 1760, died May
26, 1813, daughter of Joseph and Mary
Blair, granddaughter of Robert and Isa-
bel (Rankin) Blair. Joseph Blair was a
Royalist in the Revolution ; lived at
Worcester and Warren, died February 8,
1804; his wife died at Amherst, Massa-
chusetts, March 18, 1810. Robert Blair,
father of Joseph Blair, was born in
Aghadowey, Ireland, in 1683, lived in
Worcester, Warren and Marlborough.
James Blair, his father, owned a bleachery,
at Ballydwitt, Ireland ; married Rachel
Boyd, who died March 10, 1700. at Agha-
dowey. Abraham Blair, brother of James
Blair, took part in the defence of London-
derry. The Blairs were in Scotland be-
fore 1200, came to Ireland before 1653.
Rachel Boyd was descended from Lord
Boyd, who was guardian of James Stew-
art III. in his minority; in 1467 his eldest
son was made Earl of Antrim and mar-
ried the king's sister; in 1469 he was con-
victed of treason and fled to Oxfordshire ;
a descendant, Thomas Boyd, went from
Oxfordshire to Ireland in 1576 and set-
tled at Craig, near Ballymena. He mar-
ried Elizabeth Douglas and their son was
grandfather of Rachel (Boyd) Blair. Isa-
bel (Rankin) Blair was born in Scotland
in 1683, died at Worcester, February 10,
1765, daughter of David Rankin, who
went to Ireland from Scotland in 1685,
died at Aghadowey in 1750. Charlotte
Eaton, daughter of Nathaniel Eaton, mar-
ried Benjamin \Valker (see Walker VII).
ESTERBROOK, Willard Davis,
Representative Citizen.
This name has various spellings in
early New England records, such as
Easterbrook, Easterbrooke, Estabrook,
Estabrooke. Its representatives are now
found in the leading walks of life in every
section of the United States. They have
been especially active in professional life
and have everywhere upheld the highest
standards of civilization.
(I) Thomas Easterbrook, as his name
appears in the records, was born about
1640 in Enfield, County Middlesex, Eng-
land, and came to this country about 1660,
locating first at Concord, Massachusetts.
There he married. May 11, 1663, Sarah
Temple. Soon removing to Swansea,
Massachusetts, he was admitted an in-
habitant there, August 13, 1666, and was
selectman of the town in 1681. He was
among those who signed the agreement
between Mr. Willett and the Church of
Swansea, February 12, 1659, and died
January 28, 1721. Children: John, born
1669; Thomas, mentioned below; Eliza-
beth, 1673 ; Abraham, and probably
others.
(II) Thomas (2) Estabrook, son of
Thomas (i) and Sarah (Temple) Easter-
brook, was born 1671, in Swansea, Massa-
chusetts, died September 27, 1724, and
was buried near his father in Kickamuit
296
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Cemetery, in the town of Warren, Rhode
Island. In 1719 the town of Swansea pur-
chased from him forty acres for the pur-
pose of enlarging this cemetery. He mar-
ried Joanna, daughter of John Woodcock,
of Rehoboth, Massachusetts. Children:
Thomas, Lois, William, John, mentioned
below, Benjamin, Charles and Nathaniel.
(III) John Esterbrook, son of Thomas
(2) and Joanna (Woodcock) Estabrook,
was born about 1700, and lived in War-
ren, Rhode Island. He married and had
a son, John, mentioned below.
(IV) John (2) Estabrook, son of John
(1) Esterbrook, married (first) in Reho-
both, November 5, 1747, Abigail Abell,
born September 6, 1727, in that town,
daughter of Joshua and Rebecca (Car-
penter) Abell. He had a (second) wife,
Frances - . Children of first mar-
riage: Abell, born August 31, 1748;
Aaron, July 15, 1750. Children of second
wife: Frances, born April 9, 1753; Sarah,
August 10, 1754; Edward, mentioned be-
low.
(V) Edward Esterbrook, son of John
(2) and Frances Estabrook, was born
June i, 1756, in Warren, where he lived,
and there married, November 11, 1780,
Deborah Hill, probably a native of Dart-
mouth. Children : John, born January 9,
1782; Polly Hill, March 4, 1783; Caleb,
mentioned below ; James, November 14,
1786; Edward, May 6, 1788; Barnard,
March 9, 1790; Lydia, May 29, 1791;
Nancy, December 14, 1792.
(VI) Caleb Esterbrook, second son of
Edward and Deborah (Hill) Esterbrook,
was born September 5, 1784, in Warren,
and died August 25, 1855, in Swansea. He
married, February 26, 1809, Parthenia
Luther, of Swansea. Children: Lydia
Parthenia, born October 27, 1810; Ed-
ward, January 12, 1813; Nelson G., Sep-
tember 23, 1816; John, July i, 1819; Par-
thenia G., March 13, 1822; Willard Davis,
mentioned below ; Fanny L., August 17,
1827; Mary F., June 16, 1830; James,
November 22, 1832.
(VII) Willard Davis Esterbrook, fourth
son of Caleb and Parthenia (Luther)
Esterbrook, was born November 20, 1824,
in Swansea, and died August 30, 1855, in
Swansea. He was a carpenter by trade.
He married Deborah Simmons Wood,
born in Swansea, daughter of John Buf-
fington and Deborah S. (Luther) Wood,
of Swansea (see Wood IX). They were
the parents of two daughters : Mary
Frances, mentioned below ; and Nellie,
born July 20, 1854, died in 1872, unmar-
ried.
(VIII) Mary Frances Esterbrook, daugh-
ter of Willard Davis and Deborah S. (Wood)
Esterbrook, was born February 6, 1849,
in Swansea. She became the wife of
Israel P. Gardner, of Fall River, Massa-
chusetts, treasurer of the Fall River Sav-
ings Bank, a son of Israel and Ruth
(Peckham) Gardner. Mrs. Gardner is a
member of Quequechan Chapter, Daugh-
ters of the American Revolution, and of
the Fall River Woman's Club, and active
in the social life of the city. Children: I.
Israel Willard, a cotton broker of Fall
River, residing at Swansea Centre ; he
married Elizabeth, daughter of Clark
Chase, of Fall River, and has a son, I.
Willard, Jr. 2. Clifford, also a Fall River
cotton broker; he married Nellie Borden
and has a daughter, Elizabeth Borden
Gardner. 3. Ruth L., died August 7,
1907, while a student at school, and was
buried in Oak Grove Cemetery.
(The Wood Line).
(I) William Wood came from England
and sojourned a short time in New Eng-
land, returning to his native land, where
he published a book, entitled "New Eng-
land's Prospects." Little is known con-
cerning him, but it is quite certain that
he was the father of John Wood, men-
tioned below.
297
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
(II) John Wood was among the early
residents of Plymouth Colony, and was
the parent of two sons, who were noted
as hunters and located in the wilderness
where game was plenty. One of these.
John, is said to have penetrated to Con-
necticut, where he settled.
(III) Thomas Wood, son of John
Wood, settled in Swansea, Massachu-
setts, where he acquired an estate of sev-
eral hundred acres, and was a man of
considerable influence. He had sons,
Thomas and John.
(IV) John (2) Wood, son of Thomas
Wood, owned a mill and several farms in
Swansea, which he divided between hl
sons, Noah and John.
(V) Noah Wood, son of John (2) Wood,
was born February 9, 1/02, in Swansea,and
died there, August 22, 1787. He inherited
from his father three farms, one of which,
the homestead, is still in possession of
the family. He married Elizabeth Mason,
born June 18, 1707, daughter of Pelatiah
Mason. Children : Elizabeth, born May
4, 1734; Noah, February 17, 1736; Sarah,
June 30, 1738; Relthiah (Bethia), May
25, 1740; Aaron, mentioned below; Levi,
July 29. 1744.
(VI) Aaron Wood, second son of Noah
and Elizabeth (Mason) Wood, was born
May 4, 1742, in Swansea, and received
the homestead farm and another adjoin-
ing, from his father. There he lived, and
died July 22, 1818. He married Freelove
Mason, daughter of Pelatiah Mason, of
Swansea, born April 25, 1745. Children:
Nathan, born September 2. 1763; Sarah
Rogers, April 8, 1765; Isaac, February 5.
1767; Innocent, February 6. 1769; Eliza-
beth, September i, 1771; Levi, July 23,
1773; Molly, February 18, 1776, married
Judge Hale; Aaron, mentioned below;
Freelove, September 28, 1780; Marcy,
February 22, 1783 ; Noah Mason, No-
vember 25, 1786, died October 18, 1820.
(VII) Aaron (2) Wood, fourth son of
Aaron (i) and Freelove (Mason) Wood,
was born July 2, 1778, in Swansea, and
died May 14, 1826. He married Polly
Buffington, born April 27, 1784, in Swan-
sea, died there, March 12, 1883, daughter
of Benjamin Buffington. Children : Levi,
born May 14, 1802, married Ardelia Ann
Saunders ; John Buffington, mentioned be-
low ; Sarah, September 27, 1806; Pardon
Mason, July 28, 1808, died young; Louise,
February 2, 1810, died March 24, follow-
ing; Louise B., January 16, 1811, died
December n, following; Nathan, October
5, 1812; Benjamin Buffington, December
10. 1814; Pardon Mason, October 17,
1816, died 1854; Polly H., October 14,
1818, married William H. Wood; Ira H.,
October i, 1820; Hiram Buffington, July
23, 1822, died April 20, 1844.
(VIII) John Buffington Wood, second
son of Aaron (2) and Polly (Buffington)
Wood, was born September 7, 1804, in
Swansea. He married (first) January 22,
1828, Deborah Slade Luther, daughter of
Theophilus (4) and Mary (Mason)
Luther, of Swansea (see Luther VII).
He married (second) October 18, 1830,
Lydia Luther, born November 6, 1797,
daughter of James Luther and widow of
John B. Luther.
(IX) Deborah Simmons Wood, daugh-
ter of John Buffington and Deborah Slade
(Luther) Wood, born December 13, 1829,
in Swansea, became the wife of Willard
Davis Esterbrook, of that town (see
Esterbrook VII).
(The Luther Line).
The early generations of the Luther
family of Swansea are described at length
elsewhere in this work, including Captain
John Luther, founder of the line, and his son,
Elder Samuel Luther, captain and pastor of
the Swansea church, one of the most in-
fluential citizens of the town.
(Ill) Theophilus Luther, second son of
Elder Samuel and Mary (Abell) Luther,
298
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
was born October 9, 1665, in Swansea,
and married there, November 24, 1684,
Lydia Kinnicutt, who died in 1721. Chil-
dren : Joanna, born August 16, 1687, mar-
ried, August 28, 1728, Stephen Hix; The-
ophilus, mentioned below ; Martin, Octo-
ber 12, 1692, married Sarah Bowen ; Na-
than, May 31, 1695, married (first) June
n, 1/16, Mercy Bowen, and (second) No-
vember 4, 1733, Elizabeth Finney ; John,
June 30, 1697, married, December 19,
1721, Susanna Child; Mary, November
30, 1699, married, June 7, 1739, Isaac Hix;
Daniel, February, 1702, married, April 27,
J 737. Hannah Martin ; Oliver, March,
1704, married, March 2, 1727, Elizabeth
Read.
(IV) Theophilus (2) Luther, eldest son
of Theophilus (i) and Lydia (Kinnicutt)
Luther, was born February 12, 1689, in
Swansea. He married (first) May 18,
1718, Sarah Child, born April 3, 1693, in
Swansea, daughter of John and Margery
(Howard) Child. He married (second)
February 20, 1750, Sarah (Nelson) Cole,
widow of Edward Cole. Children, all
born of first marriage : Jeremiah, born
February 5, 1719, married, November 6,
1740, Patience Luther; John, April 17,
1721, married, August 2, 1747, Hannah
Anthony; Lydia, April 20, 1723, married,
October 31, 1741, Philip Short, Jr. ; Rhoda,
October 7, 1725, married, March I, 1753,
Nathan Peck ; Sarah, May 20, 1728, mar-
ried Nathaniel Luther; Margery. August
1 7' 1 73- married, June 14, 1750, Isaac
Luther; Hannah, May 27, 1732; The-
ophilus. mentioned below; Barnabas,
June 10, 1737, married, October 14. 1762,
Mehitable Cole; Louise, June 27, 1740,
married, October 15, 1758, John Martin.
(V) Theophilus (3) Luther, third son
of Theophilus (2) and Sarah (Child)
Luther, was born May 27, 1734, in Swan-
sea, and was a soldier of the Revolution.
He was first a private in Captain Peleg
Sherman's company, Colonel Thomas
Carpenter's (Bristol county) regiment,
stationed at Slade's Ferry, serving one
hundred and four days from January 6
to April 19, 1777, roll sworn at Taunton.
He subsequently served twenty-four days
under the same captain, in Colonel John
Hathaway's (Bristol county) regiment,
company raised to support the lines near
Rhode Island and stationed at Slade's
Ferry from April 20 to May 13, 1777. On
the day following the close of this service
he was enrolled under the same com-
manders as in his first enlistment, and
served twenty-three days as guard at
Slade's Ferry, from May 14 to June 5.
He was in Captain Peleg Peck's com-
pany, Colonel Thomas Carpenter's regi-
ment, from August 2 to 9, 1780, on an
alarm at Tiverton, Rhode Island ; roll
sworn at Rehoboth. He enlisted for three
months' service in reinforcement of the
Continental army, August 26, same year,
and served two months and eight days,
in Captain Jabez Barney's company, Colo-
nel ' Mitchell's regiment; roll sworn at
Rehoboth. He married (first) March 13,
1760, Esther Cole, born December 13,
1738, in Swansea, daughter of Benjamin
and Mary (Beverly) Cole, died April 16,
1776. He married (second) April 26, 1778,
Martha, widow of. John Eddy. He mar-
ried (third) Lovice Mace. Children of
first marriage : Benjamin, born February
8, 1761, married, October 23, 1785, Lydia
Chase; Esther, July n, 1763, married,
October 29, 1783, Isaac Sisson; Sarah,
February u, 1765, married, October 24,
1784, Colonel Benjamin Cole; Jonathan.
March 28, 1767, married (first) July 13.
1794, Rosamond Grant, and (second) No-
vember 21, 1844, Sarah C. Cory; Mary.
March 13, 1769, married, December 17,
1794, John Pearce ; Theophilus, men-
tioned below. Children of second mar-
riage: William, born November 13, 1781,
married, April 3, 1808, Nancy Gillson ;
Jeremiah ; Susanna. June 26, 1784, mar-
299
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
ried, June 17, 1802, Simeon Luther; Abra-
ham, 1785, married, April i, 1810, Eliza-
beth Luther; Martha, married Isaac Sis-
son. Child of third marriage : Mace, May
9. 1798, married, January 27, 1823, Eliza
J. Francis, and died September 14, 1882.
(VI) Theophilus (4) Luther, third son
of Theophilus (3) and Esther (Cole)
Luther, was born September 27, 1772, in
Swansea, and died there, April 25, 1856,
in his eighty-fourth year. He married,
February 19, 1/95, Mary Mason, who died
August 6, 1809. He married (second)
January 10, 1813, Mary Hathaway, who
died September 30, 1847, aged sixty-nine
years. He married (third) March 30,
1848, Abigail Wheeler. Children of first
marriage: Eunice, born November 5,
1795, married, January 18, 1847, Seth
Wood, as his second wife ; Lois, May 27,
1797, married Seth Wood; Mary, De-
cember 16, 1799, married Nathaniel Car-
penter ; Esther Cole, August 4, 1801, mar-
ried, August 19, 1829, Thomas Parker;
Theophilus, June 12, 1804, died 1821 ; De-
borah Slade, mentioned below ; Hannah
M., married, February i, 1842, Slade Gard-
ner. Children of second marriage : Na-
than, married Ruth Barney ; William,
married Rachel Towne ; Sarah, married
George Thompson ; Jonathan R., born
September i, 1817, died at sea, June 26,
1846; Letitia.
(VII) Deborah Slade Luther, fifth
daughter of Theophilus (4) and Mary
(Mason) Luther, was born July i, 1805,
in Swansea, and became the wife of John
Buffington Wood, of that town (see Wood
VIII).
GOULD, Robert Draper,
Business Man.
This is a very old family in America,
and the name has been traced for manygen-
erations in England. It has passed
through various forms of spelling such
as Goold, Goolde, Gold, Golde, but the
form Gould is that in most general use
in the present day. The name is found
in the middle of the fifteenth century in
England. Thomas Goold was born about
the year 1455, at Bovington, Parish of
Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, and
died there, in 1520. He was the father
of Richard Goold, whose son, Thomas
Goolde, born in 1500, had a son Richard
Gold, born at Stoke Manderville, about
1520. His son, Richard Golde, born about
1553, died in 1604, was the father of Zac-
cheus Gould, the patriarch immigrant an-
cestor of a very numerous progeny in this
country. There were several other im-
migrants at a very early date, but the
connection between them has not been
established by any known record.
(I) Jarvis Gould, born 1604-05, had a
house lot and five acres in llingham,
Massachusetts, July 3, 1636. This was on
the present South street, near Hersey,
and he was a member of the Hingham
Church, but later lived in Boston. He
was a shoemaker by occupation. He had
wife Mary. Two children are on record:
John, mentioned below, and Joseph, bap-
tized March n, 1649, m Boston, died 24th
of same month.
(II) John Gould, son of Jarvis and
Mary Gould, born in June, 1646, was bap-
tized in Boston, July 28, of that year, at
the age of thirty-three days He resided
in Taunton, Massachusetts, was a trooper
in King Philip's War, in 1675, again a
soldier in 1682, and died at Taunton, De-
cember 14, 1711. He married there, Au-
gust 21, 1673, Mary, daughter of Robert
and Sarah Crossman, born July 16, 1655,
in Taunton. Children: Mary, died young;
John, Hannah, Joseph, Nathaniel, Mary,
Jabez, Benjamin and Elizabeth. Joseph
and the last two removed to Kittery,
Maine.
(III) Joseph Goold, second son of John
and Mary (Crossman) Gould, was born
300
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
about 1680, in Taunton, Massachusetts,
and settled in Kittery, Maine, about 1702.
In 1709 he purchased land at Thompson's
Point, in the north part of what is now
the town of Eliot, Maine, where he died
May 10, 1762. He spelled his name Goold,
a form which has been used by many of
his descendants in Maine. He married,
about 1705, Bethiah, daughter of William
Furbish, of Kittery, and they had chil-
dren: Mary, born May 22, 1707; Bethiah.
married Richard Chick; William, mar-
ried Anna Cearles ; Samuel, resided in
Berwick, Maine; Joseph, mentioned be-
low ; Hannah, married Robert Tedy :
Sarah, married Samuel Chadbourne.
(IV) Joseph (2) Gould, third son of
Joseph (i) and Bethiah (Furbish) Goold.
was born about 1722, and was a soldier
in the Lewisburg Expedition of 1/45. He
served as selectman from 1770 to 1772,
residing on the farm inherited from his
father, and died about 1797. He married,
August 23, 1749, Ruth, daughter of Joshua
and Dorcas (Hill) Remick, of Kittery.
Children: William, a Revolutionary sol-
dier, died in the service, 1782; Joseph,
born about 1752; John, 1754, Thomas,
Robert, Dennis, Samuel, Hannah and
Ruth, all baptized February 21, 1/70.
(V) Dennis Gould, sixth son of Joseph
(2) and Ruth (Remick) Gould, was born
1765-66, in Kittery, and settled in what
is now Pittston, Maine, on the east side
of the Kennebec river. In 1803, when
Pittston was set off from Gardiner, he
paid a tax in Pittston of $5,138. He died
in Pittston, February 5, 1852, at the age
of eighty-six years. He married there,
November 17, 1794, Elizabeth Warren,
born August 29, 1778, died February 23,
1849, daughter of Peletiah and Abigail
(Tibbets) Warren. The last named was
born 1710, daughter of Solomon Tibbets,
of Lebanon, New Hampshire. Dennis
Gould had children, recorded in Pittston :
Robert, mentioned below ; Reuly, born
November 7, 1799, died 1800; Jesse, No-
vember 16, 1801, married Elizabeth
Crowell ; Relief, July 6, 1803, married
Colonel John Fairbanks, of Winthrop,
Maine; Walter, November 17, 1805, re-
moved to Mississippi; James, married
Rachel Rollins; William, born February
10, 1811, lived in Pittston ; Bartlett, Janu-
ary 17, 1814, married Catherine Cottle ;
Ellesif Ann, married Richard B. Cald-
well; Oscar R., married Martha Robin-
son.
(VI) Robert Gould, eldest child of Den-
nis and Elizabeth (Warren) Gould, was
born February 3, 1796, in Pittston, Maine,
and resided in the adjoining town of
Gardiner, where three of his children are
recorded. He married Rebecca Whitney,
and their children, recorded in Gardiner,
were: George Addison, born April i,
1822; Frances Adelia, March 30, 1825;
Henry Gustavus, April 19, 1828, died
March 19, 1910. Family records also note
a son Robert, and a daughter Sarah.
(VII) Robert (2) Gould, son of Robert
(i) and Rebecca (Whitney) Gould, was
born May I, 1836, in Gardiner, Maine,
and died in Aiken, South Carolina. He
continued to reside in Maine until he was
twenty-two years old, when he removed
to Boston, and was there engaged in the
distillery business. Thence he removed
to Aiken, South Carolina, were he spent
the remainder of his days. He married,
April 28, 1859, Mary Elizabeth Bates,
daughter of Daniel W. and Mary White
(Bugbee) Bates, of Boston. Children:
Robert Draper, mentioned below, and
Joseph Bates, born June 23, 1862, now a
commission broker in New York City,
head of the firm of Gould & Bancroft.
He married, February 20, 1884, Lura
Cady, of Boston, and has a daughter,
Molly Genevieve, now the wife of Her-
bert Bancroft, of Bellows Falls, Vermont.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
(VIII) Robert Draper Gould, senior
son of Robert (2) and Mary Elizabeth
(Bates) Gould, was born February 4,
1860, in Boston, Massachusetts. He was
educated in the public schools of that
city. For nine years he was employed in
a wholesale grocery house in Boston,
whence he removed to Fitchburg, Massa-
chusetts, in 1883. Three years later he
became a partner in the hardware firm of
I. C. Wright & Company, who were suc-
ceeded by Damon & Gould, which part-
nership continued nineteen years, at the
end of which time the business was in-
corporated under the name of the Fitch-
burg Hardware Company. Since its or-
ganization Mr. Gould has continued as
treasurer. Besides two stores in Fitch-
burg, the corporation maintains branch
stores in other Massachusetts towns, and
does an extensive wholesale as well as
retail business. Mr. Gould is active in
the social life of the city, and while in-
terested in public matters and working
for the success of the Democratic party,
he has never desired nor accepted any
political preferment. He is a member
of Aurora Lodge, Free and Accepted
Masons ; Thomas Chapter, Royal Arch
Masons; and Jerusalem Commandery,
No. 19, Knights Templar, of Fitchburg.
He has attained the thirty-second degree
of Free Masonry, and is a member of
Aleppo Temple, Ancient Arabic Order
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Boston.
He is also a member of the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows. He married
(first) June 28, 1881, Caroline E. Froth-
ingham, daughter of Nathaniel Frothing-
ham, of Boston. She died November 8,
1887, without issue, and he married (sec-
ond) April 20, 1892, Emma C. Benedict,
of Brooklyn, New York. Children:
Robert Benedict, born October 22, 1893;
Gardner Seabury, October 4, 1894; Roger,
April 7, 1900.
LOWELL, James Everett,
Business Man.
This name, according to Mark Anthony
Lower, the great English authority on
surnames, is "probably the same as Lovel,
or Lovell." Then giving the origin of
Lovell he says: "It is derived from the
Latin Lupus, wolf, thus Lupus, Loup,
Lupellus, Louvel, Lovel." The cele-
brated Hugh d'Abnucis, Earl of Chester,
surnamed Lupus, was a nephew of Wil-
liam the Conqueror, and took part in the
battle of Hastings. The ancestry from
Percival Lowle is traced back in England
for nine generations, making a continu-
ous line of twenty-two generations, about
six hundred and fifty years, or probably
more. The name Lowell is not only dis-
tinguished in literature, theology and
jurisprudence, but in all the relations of
life, and the family is justly honored, hav-
ing derived its high position by works for
the public good. The name is fixed upon
monuments which can only perish in the
wreck of all things.
(I) Percival Lowle, now Lowell, the
ancestor of the Lowells of this article,
was a native of England, but the particu-
lar locality of his birth is not certainly
known. It was undoubtedly somewhere
in County Somerset, England, where his
ancestors for more than four centuries
are recorded to have lived. He was born
1571, and his young manhood finds him
at or near Kingston-Seymour, in County
Somerset, where his father, Richard
Lowle, resided. At the age of twenty-six
he held the office of assessor of Kingston-
Seymour. We next know of him at Bris-
tol, a seaport city in the west of Eng-
land, engaged in merchandising at whole-
sale, chiefly imported wares, carrying the
firm name of Percival Lowle & Company.
In the year 1639 he cut asunder from
England, and with his family, consisting
302
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
of his wife, Rebecca, his two sons, John
and Richard, his daughter, Joan, and their
respective families, came to Massachu-
setts Bay Colony from Bristol in the ship
"Jonathan," and in June, 1639, settled at
Newbury. The history of that colony has
this item: "June, 1639, the town (New-
bury) also received a valuable addition
to its population in the persons of Mr.
Percival, Mr. John and Mr. Richard
Lowle, who had been merchants of Bris-
tol." Newbury, Massachusetts, was or-
ganized in 1642 with ninety proprietors,
of whom were Percival and John Lowle.
At that time, March 17, 1642, Percival
was a freeholder. In 1678 all citizens of
Massachusetts above sixteen years of age
were required to take the oath of allegi-
ance. Among those thus taking it were
"Perciphall," "Tho." and "Ben." Lowle.
In 1648, in a deed to Mrs. Gerrish, Perci-
val is called "Gent," meaning a person of
high station. Percival Lowle and his sons
had means when they arrived in this
country, and purchased real estate quite
extensively in old Newbury, Massachu-
setts, and vicinity. "Percefall dyed Jan.
8, 1664," at Newbury, Massachusetts,
aged ninety-three years. His wife, Re-
becca, died in Newbury, December 28,
1645. Their children were: John, Rich-
ard, and Joan or Joanna.
(II) Richard Lowell, second son of
Percival and Rebecca Lowle, was born
in England in 1602, and died in Newbury,
Massachusetts, August 5, 1682. He came
from Bristol, England, with his father in
1639, in the ship "Jonathan," landed in
Boston and settled in Newbury, Massa-
chusetts. He had a "freehold right, No.
63, in the upper common in Newbury."
In 1674 he and his wife were members of
the Newbury church. From the probate
record of June 2, 1650, it seems he was
sickly and unable to look after the in-
terest of an estate over which he was
overseer. He married (first) in England,
-, who died in Newbury,
Margaret
January 27, 1642, and (second) in New-
bury, Margaret - , born November
27, 1604. She was living as his widow in
1685-86. The children, by his first wife,
were : Percival, mentioned below ; Re-
becca, born January 27, 1642, died June i,
1662; by second wife: Samuel, 1644;
Thomas, September 28, 1649.
(III) Percival (2) Lowell, eldest child
of Richard and Margaret Lowell, was
born 1639-40, in Newbury. In a deed
made in 1670 he is called "planter." On
November 6, 1696, he conveyed property
to his son Richard, to take effect after
his (Richard's) departure for South Caro-
lina, and in 1705, being then in Newbury,
Massachusetts, he confirmed the convey-
ance. In 1709, in exchanging land with
Samuel Lowell, he is called "yeoman."
He married, September 7, 1664, in New-
bury, Mary Chandler, daughter of Wil-
liam and Mary Chandler; she died Feb-
ruary 7, 1708. He probably married (sec-
ond) in 1709, Sarah - . Children of
Percival and Mary (Chandler) Lowell
were: Richard, born December 25, 1668,
died May 29, 1749 ; Gideon, mentioned be-
low ; Samuel, January 13, 1675-76; Ed-
mund, September 24, 1684; Margaret;
Joanna.
(IV) Captain Gideon Lowell, second
son of Percival (2) and Mary (Chandler)
Lowell, was born September 3, 1672, and
died in Amesbury before 1753. He was a
cordwainer by trade, also a mariner. His
house in Amesbury was but recently torn
down. Tradition says that he opened a
street through his land in Amesbury, and
built a house for each of his seven sons
upon it. He was a sea captain, and his
wife often went with him on voyages. In
1690 he was soldier in the Canada ex-
pedition. He owned a wharf near Ames'
wharf, at the mouth of the Powow river,
where he landed his cargoes of "rhum"
and "shugar" from the West Indies, or
303
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
rice, resin and tar from the Carolinas.
"It would seem that he was a very bold
and successful voyager, as he amassed
considerable fortune. Tradition makes it
seem probable that in his voyages the
king's revenue was not always consid-
ered, nor did he hesitate to run up aside
of and board by force French or Spanish
craft as the opportunity presented." He
married (first) July 7, 1692, Miriam (or
Mary) Swett, born April 10, 1672, died
November 27, 1734, daughter of John and
Mary (Plummer) Swett, granddaughter
of Stephen Swett, and great-granddaugh-
ter of John Swett (i). Mr. Lowell mar-
ried (second) June 4, 1735, Elizabeth Col-
by, widow. Children, all by first wife :
Mary, born March I, 1693; Lieutenant
John, February I, 1697; Captain Samuel,
about 1698; Gideon, about i/oo; Stephen,
February 19, 1703; Corporal Moses, men-
tioned below; Hannah, April 11, 1707;
Joseph, about 1/09; Abner, November
29, 1711 ; Jonathan, March 24, 1714.
(V) Corporal Moses Lowell, fifth son
of Gideon and Miriam (Swett) Lowell,
was born about 1705, in Amesbury, where
he lived, and sold land there, in 1767. He
was a corporal in the expedition against
Crown Point and Fort William Henry in
1756. He married, August 6, 1730, in
Amesbury, Frances Colby, born there,
November 17, 1710, daughter of Thomas
and Frances Colby. She was living in
1749. Children: Thomas, born December
15, 1733; Moses, mentioned below; Affia.
April 21, 1741 ; Daniel, February 20, 1744;
Sylvester, May 2, 1746; Willoughby, 1749.
(VI) Moses (2) Lowell, second son of
Corporal Moses (i) and Frances (Colby)
Lowell, was born February 2, 1736, in
Amesbury, and was a shipwright in that
town. He sold his land and house and
lot there, in 1762, and about 1778 located
in Standish, Maine, with his brother Dan-
iel. About 1800, with his sons Gideon
and David and their families, he traveled
on horseback through New York, visit-
ing Syracuse and the site of the present
city of Rochester, which then had but one
house. They finally settled in the town
of Grove, Allegany county, New York,
where he died. Tradition says that he
was a soldier at the battle of Bunker Hill,
where his eldest son was killed, but the
Massachusetts Rolls do not contain his
name. He married, in Amesbury, about
1760, Miriam Knowlton. Children: Gide-
on, born September 12, 1761 ; Thomas, at
Denmark, Maine, about 1763 ; Daniel, men-
tioned below ; Jonathan, 1766 ; James, lived
in Hiram, Maine; Miriam; Betsey; Jane;
David, born May 14, 1780, in or near
Portland ; and probably Ezra and Lucy.
(VII) Daniel Lowell, fourth son of
Moses (2) and Miriam (Knowlton)
Lowell, was born June 12, 1765, probably
in Denmark, Maine, and cleared a farm
in the wilderness of that town, where the
village of East Denmark is now found.
He continued to reside on this farm until
his death, December 28, 1849. He mar-
ried, at Bridgeton, Maine, April 10, 1792,
Lucy Foster, who died August 23, 1857.
Children: Daniel, born and died in Sep-
tember, 1793; Mary, born November 24,
1794; Gideon, September 14,1796; Asahel
Foster, mentioned below ; Joanna Foster,
October 26, 1800; Edmund P., August 27,
1804; Margery W., August 21, 1808;
Francis Foster, October 24, 1811; Sarah
S., February 25, 1816; Daniel, November
9, 1818.
(VIII) Asahel Foster Lowell, third son
of Daniel and Lucy (Foster) Lowell, was
born August 25, 1798 in Denmark, and
was a farmer at East Denmark, where he
died November 19, 1869, in his seventy-
second year. He married Mehitable
Dodge, and they had children : Harriet
E., born August 7, 1825 ; Edmund P.,
June 13, 1828; Ezra P., mentioned below;
304
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Sarah M., February 27, 1836, married
George A. Small ; Deborah Deering, April
26, 1838, married Samuel Warren.
(IX) Ezra P. Lowell, second son of
Asahel Foster and Mehitable (Dodge)
Lowell, was born July 27, 1832, in Den-
mark, and resided in Worcester, Massa-
chusetts, previous to 1865. He married,
November 17, 1852, Eliza Almira Prouty
Goodell, born May i, 1827, died June 19,
iSSi, in Worcester. Children: Charles
Calvin, mentioned below, and Clarence
Byron, born November 3, 1859, died June
30, 1860.
(X) Charles Calvin Lowell, only sur-
viving son of Ezra P. and Eliza Almira
Prouty (Goodell) Lowell, was born Au-
gust 9, 1856, in Worcester, where he has
continued to reside to the present time.
He was educated in the public schools,
including the high school, and started out
in business in the employ of the Stearns
Cracker Company. Subsequently he en-
gaged in the paint business on his own
account, and has continued this line for a
period of thirty-three years, having been
thirteen years at his present location. Ik-
deals in paint and allied products, both
wholesale and retail, and has a trade ex-
tending throughout Worcester county.
He is a member of the Worcester Cham-
ber of Commerce, and is active in re-
ligious work, being a member of the old
South Congregational Church, and of the
Young Men's Christian Association. He
married (first) April 7, 1881, Fannie Jane
Moore, born 1857-58 died February 26,
1888, at the age of thirty years. He mar-
ried (second) May 20, 1889, Cora Pierce
Shepard, born in Croydon, New Hamp-
shire, daughter of Charles I. and Lucy
Ann (Waterman) Shepard. Children:
Florence Almira, born November 15,
1883, in Worcester, married Frederick
Locke Stone, and is the mother of Eliza-
beth Lowell Stone, born October 20,
1908 ; James Everett, mentioned below.
(XI) James Everett Lowell, only son
of Charles Calvin and Fannie Jane
(Moore) Lowell, was born May 23, 1887,
in Worcester, where he grew up, and re-
ceived his education in the public schools,
graduating in the classical course from
the high school in 1906. Following this
he spent three years in the Lowell Textile
School, pursuing a course in the wool
finishing department. In 1908 he became
associated with his father in the business
of paints, oils and artist's materials. He
is a member of the Vesper Country Club
of Lowell, Massachusetts, and the
Worcester Automobile and Speedway
clubs of Worcester. He married, No-
vember 22, 1913, Helen Scott Green, born
March 18, 1894, daughter of Henry L.
Green, of Worcester. They have a daugh-
ter, Virginia Green Lowell, born Decem-
ber 29, 1914.
WORDELL, Rodney D.,
Business Man.
The name of Wordell is probably iden-
tical in origin with Wardwell, which often
appears as Wardell and Wardall. The de-
scent is from a Norman family whose
English surname was taken from an old
watch tower that stood on the northern
borders of Westmoreland, where "watch
and ward" were kept, and whence signals
were given to Moothy Beacon on any in-
road of the Scotch. Hence Wardall, War-
dell and Wardwell. The arms of Ward-
well were found in a window of Bosworth
church, Leicestershire, England, with
twenty-seven other allied and kindred
families quartered upon the same escutch-
eon. The American Wardwells are un
questionably entitled to their use as an
illustration of the crusade origin of the
old Anglo-Norman family- The early
generations in America are treated at
length elsewhere in this work.
William Wordell (spelled in early rec-
Mass 5 20
305
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
ords Wodell) was of Boston as early as
1637, and died in 1693. The Christian
name of his wife was Alary, and their
eldest son, Gershom, born July 14, 1042,
married Mary Tripp. Gershom (2), son
of Gershom (i) and Mary (Tripp) Wor-
dell, resided in Tiverton, of which town
he was an inhabitant at the formation in
1692, and died September 4, 1741. He
married Sarah Mott, and their second
son, Gershom (3) Wordell, married Mary
Gage, born February 7, 1720, daughter of
Thomas and Mary (Durfee) Gage, of
Freetown.
(V) Gershom (4), eldest son of Ger-
shom (3) and Mary (Gage) Wordell, born
January 15, 1745, in Tiverton, Rhode
Island, died January 26, 1832, was a
farmer, and located at North Westport
on the farm occupied in recent years by
the late Rufus E. Wordell and family.
He married (first) July 27, 1794, Peace
ISorden, born April 18, 1774 (see Borden
V), died December 15, 1812, and (second)
Susannah, widow of Richard Wordell and
daughter of Nathaniel Soule, said to be a
direct descendant of George, one of the
signers of the Mayflower Compact, 1620.
She died in 1869, aged about ninety-five
years. Children of the first marriage :
Abram, a farmer, resided at North West-
port, was a deacon of the church there
from the time of its organization until
his death, married Anna Cowen ; Ger-
shom, mentioned below; Edmund, a
farmer on the homestead, married Lu-
cinda W. Tripp; Elkanah, a farmer in
the south part of Westport, married Ju-
dith Gifford ; Patience, married Samuel
Chase, and removed to Raymertown, New
York, where she died ; Sarah, married
Weston Gifford (see Gifford VI) ; Rachel,
married Holder Wordell, a farmer, and
resided in North Dartmouth, where she
died, Mr. Wordell, who survived her
many years, lived to be over one hun-
dred years old. Child by second wife:
Richmond, who married Susanna Hoyle,
and resided in Fall River.
(VI) Gershom (5), second son of Ger-
shom (4) and Peace (Borden) Wordell,
was born July 14, 1803, in Westport, and
was reared to farm work. At the time of
his marriage, however, he was employed
in the shipyards at New Bedford, but
later removed to Dartmouth, where he
followed farming until his removal to
North Westport in the early thirties.
There he settled on a part of his father's
farm and erected the house now standing
there and occupied by his son, Arthur B.
Wordell. At this place he spent the re-
mainder of his life, successfully engaged
at farming and market gardening, died
May i, 1882, and was buried in the Wor-
dell Cemetery at North Westport. He
married, September 16, 1827, Sylvia
Mosher, died October 3, 1868. Children :
1. Jethro M., married Nancy E. Terry,
and resided in Fall River, where he died.
2. Gideon M., mentioned below. 3. Sarah
A., is the widow of Philip H. Sanford,
and makes her home in Fall River. 4.
Gershom A., married (first) Mary Hicks,
(second) Mary Grinnell ; resided for a
time in Westport, later removing to
Robinson, Brown county, Kansas, where
he remained for seventeen years, engaged
at farming, eventually returning to Fall
River, where he lived retired until his
death. 5. Cynthia M., widow of Hum-
phrey H. Wordell, a farmer, resides at
North Westport. 6. Sylvia, died in in-
fancy. 7. Elizabeth J., wife of R. Henry
Cottle, of North Westport. 8. Mary A.,
married (first) Stephen A. Wood and
(second) Edmund L. Gifford, and resides
in Fall River (see Gifford VIII). 9. Ruth
J., married (first) Charles Cummings,
(second) Julius Brownell, and resides in
Fall River. 10. Arthur B., married (first)
Maria J. Sherman, (second) Abbie E.
Tripp ; is a farmer and resides in North
Westport.
306
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
(VII) Gideon M., second son of Ger-
shom (5) and Sylvia (Mosher) Wordell,
was born April 7, 1830, at North Dart-
mouth, and was quite young when his
parents settled at North Westport. He
was brought up to farm work, which he
has always followed, remaining at home
until his marriage, when he removed to
Little Compton, Rhode Island, settling in
the east part of the town, where he has
since made his home. Mr. Wordell has
always been an energetic and progressive
man, much esteemed for his industry and
worth, and is very active for his years.
He is a member of the local grange and
of the Baptist church. He married, Au-
gust 10, 1851 Sarah Grinnell, a native of
Tiverton, Rhode Island, daughter of Gide-
on and Sarah (Hart) Grinnell. Children:
Harriet, married Joshua N. Wordell, and
resides in New Bedford; Rodney D., men-
tioned below ; Gideon Frank, a farmer of
Westport, where he died, married Abbie
Grinnell; Gershom, of Little Compton,
married Emma Potter; James M., a
resident of Adamsville, in the town of
Little Compton, married Sarah Atherton ;
Charles A., engaged in farming and fish-
ing, and lives at Little Compton, married
Cora Grinnell ; Nelson, lives on the home
farm in Little Compton, married Ida Man-
chester.
(VIII) Rodney D., eldest son of Gideon
M. and Sarah (Grinnell) Wordell, was
born November 22, 1855, in Little Comp-
ton, and was sixteen years of age when
he went to North Westport to make his
home with his grandfather. He had re-
ceived the education afforded by the dis-
trict schools of his native locality, and
was reared to farming, which he followed
at home and with his grandfather, with
whom he remained until after he had at-
tained his majority. He then entered the
employ of D. H. Cornell, of North Westport,
a well-known butcher of the time, under
whom he obtained his first knowledge of
the business in which he was to gain suc-
cess. After two years in Mr. Cornell's
employ he went into business with Frank
E. Hathaway & Company. They did a
wholesale and retail meat business on
Plymouth avenue, in Fall River, and were
among the early dealers to introduce
western beef into this section, purchasing
from the Armour establishment when
that concern built its first fifty cars. This
partnership lasted for a period of seven-
teen years. After becoming sole owner
of the business, Mr. Wordell continued
it on his own account until October 3t,
1905, when he became manager of the
local branch of Armour & Company, be-
ing thus engaged until January i, 1910.
He then withdrew and established the
firm of R. D. Wordell & Company, whole-
sale dealers in beef. Mr. Wordell has
made a success of his business by hard
work and honorable dealing, and he has
the highest reputation for integrity and
excellent methods, a name which he has
ever sought to maintain. He has never
taken any active part in politics or public
matters, but is a Republican in opinion ;
socially he is a member of the Mount
Vernon Lodge. Knights of Pythias. He
married Elizabeth Tripp Lincoln, born
January 15, 1858, in Dartmouth, daughter
of Isaac and Sylvia (Tripp) Lincoln, of
that town (see Russell VII). Children:
Ethel Sarah, born October 22, 1881, mar-
ried William Ridings, and resides in Fall
River: Roland Durfee, September 2, 1883,
engaged with R. D. Wordell & Company
at Fall River; Verna Elizabeth, July 5,
1887; Osbert Richmond. July 30, 1889.
(The Tripp Line).
(1) Hon. John Tripp, the ancestor of
most of those bearing the name in Massa-
chusetts and Rhode Island, was born in
1610, and died in 1678. He was admitted
an inhabitant of the island of Aquidneck
(now Rhode Island) in 1636, and was
307
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
made a freeman in 1655, and a com-
missioner the same year. He was deputy
i n 1 646-54-5 5-58-61 -62-63-64-66-67-68-69-
72, and assistant, or of the Governor's
Council, in 167073-74-75. He married
Mary Paine, daughter of Anthony Paine,
and had children: John, born 1640;
Peleg, 1642; Joseph, mentioned below;
Mary, 1646; Elizabeth, 1648; Alice, 1650;
Isabel, 1651; Abiel, 1653; James, 1656;
Martha, 1658.
(II) Joseph, third son of Hon. John
and Mary (Paine) Tripp, born 1644, was
made a freeman in 1668; a member of the
Court of Trials, October 2, 1677; deputy
from Dartmouth in 1685, and a selectman
in 1686-90. He died November 27, 1718.
He married, August 6, 1667, Mehitable
Fish, daughter of Thomas and Mary Fish.
Children: John, born July 6, 1668; Thom-
as, March 28, 1670; Jonathan, October 5.
1671 ; Peleg, November 5, 1673 ; Ebenezer,
December 17, 1675 ; James, January 12,
1677; Alice, February i, 1679; Abiel,
January 8, 1681 ; Mehitable, October 9,
1683; Joseph, mentioned below; Jabez,
November 3, 1687; Mary, August 22,
1689; Daniel, November 3, 1691.
(III) Joseph (2), eighth son of Joseph
(i) and Mehitable (Fish) Tripp, was
born August 24, 1685, and died 3ist of
I2th month, 1754. He married (first)
October 12, 1709, Elizabeth Smith, who
died I4thof I2th month, 1736. He married
(second) Abigail Waite, who died gth of
9th month, 1753. Children of first mar-
riage: Abigail, born August n, 1710;
Ruth, November 6, 1712; Michael Pierce,
May 15, 1/15; Dinah, November 10, 1716",
Joseph, May 22, 1719; Benjamin, married
Martha Luther; Philip Smith, mentioned
below; Hannah, August 13, 1728. Child
of second marriage : Reuben.
(IV) Philip Smith, fourth son of
Joseph (2) and Elizabeth (Smith) Tripp,
was born April 3, 1725, and married, 7th
of 1 2th month, 1752, Sarah, daughter
of Jonathan and Peace (Davis) Wood
Children: Edmund, mentioned below;
Deborah, born February 3, 1757, married,
June 30, 1785, Peleg Chase.
(V) Edmund, only son of Philip Smith
and Sarah (Wood) Tripp, born June i,
'755. lived in Westport, and with his
wife was a member of the Society of
Friends, as were his parents. He mar-
ried, December 7, 1/80, Sarah Estes, born
March 31, 1762, daughter of Thomas and
Elizabeth (Thomas) Estes, of Ports-
mouth, Rhode Island, died in Dartmouth,
Massachusetts, July i, 1836. Children:
Abraham, born August 9, 1782; Philip,
May, 1/84; Joseph, November 23, 1/85;
Benjamin F., November 24, 1787; Eliza-
beth, November 21, 1789; Reuben, men-
tioned below ; Hannah, married Patrick
Potter; Edmund, September 19, 1797;
Daniel, July 19, 1802; Thomas E., May
ii. 1805.
(VI) Reuben, fifth son of Edmund and
Sarah (Estes) Tripp, was born in West-
port, and married, November 29, 1829,
Mary Petty, daughter of John and Re-
becca (Simmons) Petty, of Westport,
granddaughter of Peter and Rebecca
Simmons.
(VII) Sylvia, daughter of Reuben and
Mary (Petty) Tripp, was born in West-
port, and married Isaac Lincoln, of Dart-
mouth (see Russell VII).
(The Russell Line).
The ancestry of this family has been
traced to remote antiquity, and includes
many ancient royal lineages.
(I) Sigurd Hring Turstain was King
of Sweden, A. D. 735.
(II) Ermengarde, daughter Sigurd,
married, about 750. Throud, King of
Throndheim, Norway.
(III) Eisden, their son, was King of
Throndheim, 780.
(IV) Halfdan, son of Eisden, was King
of Throndheim, Sio.
308
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
(V) Eisden Glunru, son of Halfdan,
was King of Throndheim, 840.
(VI) Hilda, daughter of Eisden Glunru,
was Countess of Uplands, and married,
850, Iver, Earl of Upland.
(VII) Eisden Glunru, their son, was
Prince of Uplands, 870 a warrior and
viking.
(VIII) Rogvald, his son, was the first
recorded Earl of Moers. The first record
of him is dated 885. One of his sons was
Earl of Orkneys, and discovered the use
of peat for fuel. Another son afterwards
became Duke Robert, of Normandy.
(IX) Hrellegur or Droge, son of Rog-
vald, succeeded his father as Earl of
Moers in 896.
(X) Rollo Turstain, son of Hrellegur
or Droge, was Earl of Moers in Norway,
succeeding his father in 920.
(XI) Auslech Turstain, son of Rollo
Turstain, was made first Baron of Bric-
quebec in 934.
(XII) Turstain Fastenburgh, son of
Auslech Turstain, became Baron of Bric-
quebec about 980.
(XIII) William Bertrand, son of Tur-
stain Fastenburgh, was with his son
Hugh at the battle of Hastings, 1066. He
was a cousin of Matilda, Countess of
Flanders, and also of William the Con-
queror. He became Baron of Bricquebec
in 1028, and was the first to use the family
crest a lion rampant crowned.
(XIV) Hugh, Lord of Barreville and la
Rozel, son of William Bertrand, took the
name la Rozel from the castle he inherited
in England. He was born about 1021 in
Bricquebec, Normandy, and accompanied
his chief, the Conqueror, to England, tak-
ing part in the battle of Hastings, and
being allotted large properties in Notting-
hamshire and Derbyshire.
(XV) Richard De Rozel, son of Hugh,
was also Lord of la Rozel. He took part
in the First Crusade, and inherited a great
estate from his father.
(XVI) Hugh De Rozel, son of Richard
De Rozel, was born 1109, died 1163. He
owned a large estate, the greater part of
which he gave away to charity. He
served in the First Crusade. His wife
was a very wealthy woman.
(XVII) Robert De Russell, son of
Hugh De Rozel, was born about 1130.
He spelled the name Rozel, as well as
Russell. He was in the command of the
Earl of Chester at the battle of Lincoln,
and died about 1201.
(XVIII) Odo Russell, son of Robert
De Russell, lived on the family estate in
Berwick, England.
(XIX) John Russell, son of Odo Rus-
sell, married, 1213, Rose Bardolf, and was
one of the barons present at the signing
of Magna Charta by King John.
(XX) Sir Ralph Russell, son of John
Russell, married, about 1250, Isabel de
Newmarch. He was sheriff of Wiltshire.
He attended King Henry in 1242 in the
war with France.
(XXI) Sir William Russell, son of Sir
Ralph Russell, was born 1257, died 1311.
He married Eleanor de Aulet.
(XXII) Sir Theobald Russell, son of
Sir William Russell, was born 1304; was
killed in the attack on Helen's Point, at
the age of thirty-six years. He married
Eleanor La Tour.
(XXIII) Sir William Russell, son of
Sir Theobald Russell, was a member of
Parliament in 1338 and 1348. He mar-
ried Lady Muschamp.
(XXIV) Sir Henry Russell, son of
Sir William Russell, was a member of
Parliament from 1425 to 1449.
(XXV) Sir John Russell, son of Sir
Henry Russell, married Elizabeth Bar-
ringham. He was speaker of the House
of Commons in the second year of Henry
VI., and was again in Parliament in the
tenth year of that reign, and in 1450.
(XXVI) John Russell, Esq., son of Sir
John Russell, was keeper of the artillery
309
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
in Chisbrook Castle. He married Eliza-
beth Foxmors.
(XXVII) James Russell, Esq., son of
John Russell, Esq., was a member of
Parliament in the reign of Henry VIII.
He married Alicia Wyse.
(XXVIII) John Russell, Esq., son of
James Russell, Esq., was afterwards the
first Earl of Bedford, and his history is
familiar to all students of English his-
tory. He died March 14, 1555.
(XXIX) Lord Francis Russell, son of
John Russell, Esq., was second Earl of
Bedford. He married Margaret, widow of
John Costick, and died July 28, 1585.
(XXX) Sir Francis Russell, son of
Lord Francis Russell, married Elizabeth
Wyndham, and died at Ilighgate in 1584.
(XXXI) Edward Russell, son of Sir
Francis Russell, was third Earl of Bed-
ford, born March, 1575, died May 3, 1627.
He married, December, 1594, Lucy Har-
rington.
(I) John Russell, born about 1597, in
England, came in the ship "Defiance" to
America, and settled at Cambridge, Mas-
sachusetts, October 3, 1635, with his sons
John and Philip. He was made a free-
man March 3, 1636, surveyor of farms
1638, selectman 1642-43, clerk of writs in
1645, and constable 1648. With his son
he removed to Wethersfield, Connecticut,
in 1649, and was a freeman of that town.
May 17, 1655. There he figured in a bitter
church controversy over doctrinal points
with Rev. Henry Smith and a part of the
congregation, during which the clergy-
man died. As early as 1660, Russell was
in Hadley, Massachusetts, and was made
freeman there, March 26, 1661, and be-
came in the same year clerk of writs for
that town. He received grants of land
there, and died May 8, 1680. The name
of his first wife is unknown, and he mar-
ried (second) in Wethersfield, Dorothy,
widow of Rev. Henry Smith, first pastor
of the church at Wethersfield. His elder
son, John Russell, became second pastor
of the same church. Dorothy Russell died
December 18, 1687. Children: Joseph,
born May 6, 1650; John, 1653; Jonathan,
mentioned below ; Dorothy, died January,
1657; Mary, married John Cornell.
(II) Jonathan, son of John Russell,
married, February 5, 1678, Hassadyah
Smith, born January 11, 1650, daughter of
Lieutenant John and Deborah (Howland)
Smith. Children: Jonathan, born No-
vember 13, 1679; Deborah, January 10,
1681 ; Dorothy, May 21, 1684; James,
mentioned below ; William, October 28,
1691.
(HI) James, second son of Jonathan
and Hassadyah (Smith) Russell, was born
May 7, 1687, and married (first) 1709, Re-
becca Howland, born August 25, 1685,
daughter of Nathaniel and Sarah (Allen)
Howland, died November 8. 1727. He
married (second) 1728, Mary Howland,
born 1699, daughter of Henry Howland.
Children: Abigail, born January 25, 1712,
married Nathaniel Kirby ; James, 1716;
Paul, 1720; Stephen, mentioned below;
Susanna, 1724 ; Hannah, Julv 16, 1726, mar-
ried Walter Briggs ; Mary, married Daniel
Russell ; Elizabeth ; Sylvia, married Ste-
phen Wilcox; Deborah, married Jirah
Wilcox; Elsie; Rebecca, married Joseph
Havens ; Daniel ; William ; Rosamond.
(IV) Stephen, third son of James and
Rebecca (Howland) Russell, was born
July 23, 1722, and married, December 24,
1757, Zilpha Mosher. Children: Rebecca,
born November 18, 1758, married Wil-
liam Gifford ; William, August 22, 1761;
Clark, April 5, 1763; Stephen, mentioned
below; Sarah, December 31. 1767 ; Philip,
April 17, 1769; John, March 22, 1771;
Sylvia, February^ 12, 1773, married Luke
Bowditch ; Paul, July 23, 1778; Pardon,
1780; Philip, 1782; Edith, 1786, married
Cornelius Drew.
(V) Stephen (2), third son of Stephen
(i) and Zilpha (Mosher) Russell, was
310
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
born February 25, 1765, and married, Jan-
uary 7, 1789, Susanna Burgess. Children :
Humphrey, born 1790; Abigail, men-
tioned below; Daniel; Jeremiah, married
Marie Sampson ; Stephen ; Rebecca, mar-
ried Stephen Wordell ; Susan, married
William Winslow; Edward; Betsey, mar-
ried Samuel Wilkie; Peleg.
(VI) Abigail, eldest daughter of Ste-
phen (2) and Susanna (Burgess) Russell,
was born 1/92, and married, 1811, Ralph
A. Lincoln, born June 8, 1790. They re-
sided in North Dartmouth, Massachu-
setts, where Mr. Lincoln was engaged in
farming. He died there, March 13, 1870,
and was buried in Hicks Cemetery, North
Dighton. Children : Calvin W., married
(first) Content Winslow, (second) Peace
Tucker ; Deborah W., married Resolved
Chase, of North Dartmouth ; Barnum ;
Louisa, married Thomas Snell ; Sarah,
married Lor en Palmer ; Sophia, married
a Mosher ; Ellery C., married Betsey Jane
Allen ; James ; Andrew, married Phebe
Jane Allen, 1857; Stephen; Isaac, men-
tioned below.
(VII) Isaac, son of Ralph A. and Abi-
gail (Russell) Lincoln, was born in North
Dartmouth, where he was a farmer and
landowner, and where he died. He mar-
ried Sylvia Tripp, born in Westport,
daughter of Reuben and Mary (Petty)
Tripp, of Westport. She married (sec-
ond) Andrew P. Davis, of Westport, and
died March 17, 1915. Children: Isaac
Richmond, born 1854; Elizabeth Tripp.
mentioned below.
(VIII) Elizabeth Tripp, daughter of
Isaac and Sylvia (Tripp) Lincoln, was
born in North Dartmouth, and married
Rodney D. Wordell (see Wordell VIII).
CAMPBELL, Charles Edward,
Inventor of Note.
Great as has been Mr. Campbell's suc-
cess as an inventor of devices of com-
mercial benefit, his title of Lynn's "Elec-
trical Wizard" comes more properly from
the wonderful apparatus he has invented
and dedicated to the medical and surgical
professions for the relief of humanity
everywhere. To surgery he has given an
X-ray Transformer, X-ray Tubes and
fluoroscopic diagnostic apparatus for use
in stomach and intestinal cases. Diag-
nosis by the X-ray has revolutionized the
management of fracture cases and has
rendered possible a prompt and accurate
recognition of abnormal conditions of the
bony structure, and its use in the diagno-
sis of certain diseases is becoming more
and more general. To medicine he has
given a high frequency and electro medi-
cal apparatus with a high tension coil,
making possible the use of a high fre-
quency current that can be passed through
the human body without affecting the
sensory nerves, and with this type of coil
the various therapeutic currents may be
produced direct without the aid of cum-
bersome accessory apparatus, and recent
improvements in construction have made
it available for every class of radiographic
work. It was found by experiment with
the high frequency current that the elimi-
nation of waste from the body was in-
creased, consequently the apparatus has
been of incalculable value to the physi-
cian in reducing high blood pressure and
in helping them to realize what high blood
pressure really is. Over five thousand
physicians have installed the apparatus in
their offices all over the world and testify
that its use has prolonged the lives of
thousands of people. From the beginning
of its manufacture special attention has
been given to the development of the
Campbell Coil as an x-ray apparatus, and
while at the same time the variety and
quality of the high frequency cur-
rents has been steadily increased, its ca-
pabilities as a producer of X-rays have
also been dveloped to the point where it
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
will make the best of radiographs of any
part of the human body, and with a mini-
mum outlay of preparatory work. As
Mr. Campbell is the pioneer inventor in
that field and has already accomplished
so much, he must be numbered among
the world's great benefactors as well as
one of its electrical geniuses. This appa-
ratus was awarded the Medal of Honor at
the Pan-American Exposition, 1915, this
being the highest award given for x-ray
and electro medical apparatus.
Charles Edward Campbell is a descend-
ant of the famous Campbell of Scotland
who in the "long ago" almost ranked with
royalty, so high was the position they
held. This branch of the family settled
in Ireland, as did so many of Scotland's
noted families, and from Inniskillen, Ire-
land, came Thomas Campbell, grand-
father of Charles Edward Campbell. He
located in Lynn, Massachusetts. Through
his mother, Augusta J. (Oakes) Camp-
bell, he descends from a Quaker family
originally seated in Albany, New York,
from whence they emigrated to Nova
Scotia, their religious principles forbid-
ding them to render military service dur-
ing the Revolutionary War. His mater-
nal grandmother, a Parker, was a de-
scendant of the Barbour family of New
England.
Charles Edward Campbell was born in
Lynn, Massachusetts, January n, 1881,
son of Edward T. and Augusta J. (Oakes)
Campbell. He was educated in the public
schools of Lynn, early displaying me-
chanical genius with a decided fondness
for experimenting with electricity. Ma-
terials were not easily obtained and his
experiments were made with a glass tum-
bler, a piece of zinc obtained from under
the kitchen stove which served for a
battery, and with salt water and bits of
carbon from the electric lights. The year
and a half following the completion of his
studies was spent in a leather room con-
nected with a shoe manufactory, then for
a short time he was in the employ of the
General Electric Company. During these
years he kept up his electrical experi-
menting, making decided progress and in-
creasing in knowledge daily. Finally he
became electrician to the Lynn Theatre,
a position that gave him his days for ex-
periment and investigation Those days
were fully improved and many were the
devices he worked out for theatrical com-
panies, including spot lights, spark lights,
arc lighting lightning to produce scenic
effects, snow, water, etc. He grew bolder
in his experiments, and after a year and
a half produced a selective telephone and
central battery system. He built and in-
stalled a complete exchange switch board
for the town of Hoosac Falls, making all
the instruments and even connecting the
wires before leaving the job. He is the in-
ventor of several automatic devices for tele^
phone switch boards, and other inventions
of value for which he has taken out
patents are : Electric lighting devices for
both arc and incandescent lamps, auto-
matic switch board devices, electric clock
devices and many others, improving and
increasing the efficiency of everything he
touched. All this is in addition to his
work previously described that has won
him recognition from the medical and sur-
gical professions. In 1909 the Campbell
Electric Company was formed to handle
Mr. Campbell's inventions, with a capital-
ization of $300,000. He has been for sev-
eral years ably assisted by his brother,
Fred R. Campbell, who has been his busi-
ness manager.
One of the features of the Campbell
Electric Company is the maintaining of
a department for collection and exchange
of valuable information relative to secur-
ing best results with electric apparatus.
This department is in charge of a prac-
tical physician who has made electro-
therapy and radiography a specialty for
312
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
a number of years. The service is freely
at the disposal of its customers, and has
demonstrated itself to be of value to the
customer equal to the apparatus itself.
Although electricity has been used in
medical practice for more than a hundred
years, it is only within the last twenty-
five years that it has reached any thing-
like general use. Its present widespread
use and popularity are due largely to the
development of high frequency currents
of high voltage and a systematic study
of their therapeutic value. That they are
being used more and more by the general
practitioner almost any medical publica-
tion will certify, and there is an extensive
and well-defined field in which they are
proving of estimable value. Not yet in
the prime of life, but with a record of
such high achievement, there is every
reason to believe that the coming years
will bring to Mr. Campbell higher honors
than those he has received and that Lynn
will continued to shine in the electrical
firmament, with a brilliancy unequalled
by any other city. He is a member of Mt.
Carmel Lodge, Free and Accepted Ma-
sons, and the Benevolent and Protective
Order of Elks.
Mr. Campbell married, in Lynn, June
17, 1907, Lura Chellis. He is a man of
social, genial nature and enjoys the con-
fidence and esteem of all who know him.
CROSBY, George Pierce,
Public Official.
The surname Crosby is of very ancient
Rnglish origin, and is said to be derived
from two English words, "cross" and
"by" (bury, burgh and borough), mean-
ing the town of the cross. Crosby would
appear to have been in use from the time
when surnames were first adopted in Eng-
land. In the time of Richard III. one of
the name occupied Crosby House in Lon-
don, and that city still has a street by the
name. It is also embalmed in a number
of places in England, namely: Crosby-
upon-Eden, near Carlisle, in Cumberland-
shire ; with the villages of High and Low
Crosby ; another village in the western
division of Cumberland ; Crosby-Garrett
and Crosby-Ravensworth, in Westmore-
land ; a village in the North Riding of
Yorkshire ; a village in Lincolnshire ; and
Great Crosby and Little Crosby, suburbs
of Liverpool. In 1204 Ode de Crosseby
was constable of Tikehall in Yorkshire,
and as early as 1220 we find Simon de
Crosseby in Lancashire, where he was a
landholder. The name Simon has con-
tinued in frequent use among his descend-
ants to the present day, and he is said to
have been the progenitor of the American
family of the name. Several settlers
named Crosby came to New England
early enough to be classed among the pio-
neers, and from them sprang a hardy race
of husbandmen and frontiersmen, who
were industrious workers in peace and
hard fighters in the wars with the French
and Indians. Still later generations of
Crosbys have been foremost in business
and professional life, in philanthropic en-
deavor and in every worthy line of effort.
The name has been especially prominent
in the medical profession, and has been
closely associated with institutions of
learning, notably Harvard and Dart-
mouth. Having first been used as a place
name, it was easily adopted as a surname
by one coming from the "crosstown" or
"town built by the cross."
(I) Simon Crosby, perhaps a brother of
Thomas Crosby, of Cambridge and Row-
ley, embarked for New England in the
"Susan and Ellen," April 13, 1635. He
was at that time twenty-six years of age,
his wife Ann was twenty-five, and their
son Thomas was eight weeks old. He re-
sided at the corner of Brattle street and
313
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Brattle square, Cambridge, Massachu-
setts, nearly where the old Brattle house
now stands. He was prominent among
the pioneers, and was selectman in 1636-
38, and died September, 1639, aged only
thirty-one. The children of Simon and
Ann Crosby were : Thomas, born in Eng-
land, and Simon and Joseph, born in Cam-
bridge. Ann, after the death of her hus-
band, married the Rev. William Thomp-
son, of Braintree, before 1646, and be-
came a second time a widow at his death,
December 10, 1666.
(II) Simon (2) Crosby, second son and
child of Simon (i) and Ann Crosby, was
born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Au-
gust, 1637, died January 22, 1726, in the
eighty-ninth year of his age. He was one
of the pioneer settlers of Billerica, his
residence being on the north side of Bare
hill. He became a large landholder, was
the first innholder in the town, was a
leading citizen, and representative, 1691-
97-98. His will made June, 1717, was
proved February 26, 1725. He married,
July 15, 1659, Rachel Brackett, born No-
vember 3, 1639, daughter of Deacon Rich-
ard and Alice Brackett, of Braintree.
She was living at the date of his will.
Children: Rachel, born August 20, 1660;
Simon, mentioned below ; Thomas, March
10, i66f>; Joseph, July 5, 1669; Hannah,
March 30, 1672; Nathan, February 9,
^75 ; Josiah, November 11, 1677; Mary,
November 23, 1680; Sarah, July 27, 1684.
(III) Lieutenant Simon (3) Crosby,
eldest son of Simon (2) and Rachel
(Brackett) Crosby, was born 1663 in Hil-
lerica, and resided near the Shawshin
river in that town. His first wife. Han-
nah, died May 6, 1702, and he married
(second) March 16, 1703, Abigail (Whit-
taker) Parker, widow of John Parker. She
survived him, and died March 31, 1/55.
Children, born in P.illerica: Simon, Au-
gust 23, 1689; Abigail, January 6, :6qi ;
John, April II, 1694, died January 6, 1695-
96; John, April 18, 1696; Samuel, men-
tioned below; Hannah, June 12, 1700;
.Mary, May I, 1702; James, May 29, 1704;
Phineas, November 26, 1705; Solomon,
April 8, 1708; Nathaniel, December 31,
1710, died May 28, 1711 ; Rachel, June 7,
1712; Benjamin, December 16, 1715.
(IV) Samuel Crosby, third son of Lieu-
tenant Simon (3) and Flannah Crosby,
was born October 4, 1698, in Billerica,
died in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, Janu-
ary 23, 1749. Before 1732 he located in
Shrewsbury. He married, December 29,
1729, in Billerica, Dorothy Brown, born
there January 21, 1704, daughter of George
and Sarah (Kidder) Brown. Children:
Samuel, born February 2, 1732; Sarah,
April 21, 1734; Jabez, February 7, 1736;
Flisha, mentioned below ; Silas, Decem-
ber 9, 1740; Abigail, December 22, 1742;
Aaron, November 21, 174.4 ; Hannah, Au-
gust 29, 1747.
(V) Elisha Crosby, third son of Sam-
uel and Dorothy (Brown) Crosby, was
born January 10, 1738, in Shrewsbury, and
spent most of his life in that town. For
a short time he resided in Petersham,
where two of his children were born.
About 1779 he returned to Shrewsbury.
where both he and his wife died of small-
pox in 1792. He married (intentions en-
tered in Petersham. May, 1763) Tabitha
Harrington, of Worcester. Children:
Frederick, mentioned below ; Thomas,
September i, 1765; Lucy, July 28, 1767;
Mary, August 10, 1769; Leonard, July 10,
1771 ; Walter, September 30, 1773; Gard-
ner, August 28, 1775; Fanny, August 3,
1779; Henrietta, September 6, 1781.
(VI) Frederick Crosby, eldest child of
Flisha and Tabitha (Harrington) Crosby,
was born August 8. 1764, in Shrewsbury.
In 1790 he went to Winchenden, Massa-
chusetts, where he continued six years,
removing thence to Ashburnham, Massa-
314
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
chusetts, where he died March 21, 1840.
On settling in Ashburnham, he purchased
a farm of two hundred and fifty acres, and
there lived a life which was above re-
proach. Of quiet, unassuming character,
he was esteemed for his many good quali-
ties. He married, March 31, 1785, Mar-
tha Maynard, daughter of Captain John
and Martha (Rrigham) Maynard, of
Shrewsbury. She died in Ashburnham,
April 19, 1851. Children: Henry, born
July 18, 1/86; John, October 21, 1/87;
Elisha, April 18, 1790; Betsey, March 2,
1792; Walter, September 29, 1794: Patty.
August 8, 1796; Harriet, June 21, 1799;
Hepsibeth. April 13, 1801 ; Mary, March
28, 1803; Josiah, mentioned below; Al-
mira, May i, 1807; Caroline, December
3, 1809; Lucy, October 3, 1812.
(VII) Josinh Crosby, fifth son of Fred-
erick and Martha (Maynard) Crosby, was
born April 6, 1805, in Ashburnham, and
settled in Arlington, Massachusetts,
where he spent most of his life engaged in
agriculture, and died April 4, 1887. He
was actively interested in educational
matters and served twenty-five years as
a member of the Arlington school board.
The Crosby School in that town, erected
at a cost of fifty thousand dollars, was
named in his honor. He was a member
of the Congregational church, and politi-
cally a Republican. He married (first)
March 21, 1834, Lydia Everbeck, of Bos-
ton, who died June 8. 1841. He married
(second) December 7, 1842, Alice Ross, of
Boston, born October 10, 1823, died July,
1912, daughter of Daniel and Joan Ross.
Children of the first marriage: i. Henry
J., married Emma Nichols, and had two
children, Herbert J. and Frederick ; he
was a soldier in the Civil War. and was
later in the produce business in Boston ;
he died in Arlington, Massachusetts, Au-
gust 3, 1885. 2. Lydia M., is now the
widow of George W. Haley, and resides
in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Children of
second marriage : 3. Walter, married
Jessie Smith, and died March 27, 1914.
4. Frederick, died in infancy. 5. George
Pierce, mentioned below. 6. Alice, married
Charles E. Bowers, and died January 17,
1906. 7. Mary Frances, married Fredus
l'>. llnwe, and had one daughter, Alice S. ;
he died January n, 1909, and his widow
resides in Arlington, Massachusetts. 8.
Charles F., married Edith Denton, and
resides in Arlington, Massachusetts ; they
have children, Josiah, Frederick, Ralph
and James. 9. Edgar, living in Arlington,
Massachusetts, unmarried. 10. Arthur E.,
married Katharine Clous, resides in Ever-
ett, Massachusetts, and has two children,
Arthur F., Jr., and Alice, n. Anne, mar-
ried Frederick Abercrombie, and they
have one son, Ross Abercrombie. 12.
Herbert, who died in infancy. 13. Susan,
who died in infancy.
(Y1II) George Pierce Crosby, fourth
son of Josiah Crosby and third child of
his second wife, Alice (Ross) Crosby, was
born December 23. 1847, m West Cam-
bridge, now Arlington, Massachusetts,
and was educated in the schools of that
town, including the high school. For
many years prior to 1899 he was engaged
in the manufacture of saws. In 1879 he
located at Fitchburg, Massachusetts, and
for over twenty years was employed in
the Simonds Manufacturing Company's
plant of that city. In 1899 he was ap-
pointed assistant postmaster of Fitch-
burg under the late Charles E. Wallace,
and has held that position to the present
time. He is a member of the Royal Ar-
canum and of the Knights of Pythias. He
is affiliated with the Christian Science
Church of Fitchburg, and sustains Repub-
lican principles in politics. He married,
February 22, 1882, Adclie C. Howe, born
315
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
March 6, 1861, in Princeton, Massachu-
setts, daughter of Nicholas and Sophia
(Brainard) Howe. Children: Ruth Chad-
wick, born March 4. 1883 ; Carl Chester,
March 9, 1885, died August 28, 1898.
WHITE, Edward Nelson,
Manufacturer of Paper.
As the treasurer of the White &- Wy-
ckoff Manufacturing Company of Holyoke,
manufacturing the finest of paper and sta-
tionery, Edward Nelson White is well
known throughout the country as well as
in the community in which he lives. Not
only as a paper manufacturer but as a
man of business, interested in municipal
government and civic welfare, director of
a steamship line, and of the Cowan Truck
Company, and as a banker, he takes rank
as one of the most progressive and influ-
ential citizens of Holyoke. His ancestry
has been traced to one of the early settlers
of Taunton, Nicholas White, one of the
first manufacturers of iron in America.
(I) Nicholas White, a native of Eng-
land, located first at Dorchester, Massa-
chusetts, before 1643, when he was ad-
mitted a freeman. About the same time
he married Susanna Humphrey, daughter
of Jonas and Frances Humphrey, of Dor-
chester. He was then about twenty-five
years old. In 1647 he bought of Henry
Wolcott a tract of land in Uncaty, now
Milton, Massachusetts, cleared part of it
and built his house, but the title to his
land proved defective. Hutchinson, the
prior claimant, proved his claim and
White was ousted. White sued Wolcott
and obtained judgment, but whether
White ever collected his claim against
Wolcott, we are left in doubt. (See State
Archives, Nicholas White Genealogy, pp.
6-7). While this litigation was pending,
Nicholas White moved to Taunton, Mas-
sachusetts, some time between 1652 and
1655, and became one of the owners of the
Taunton Iron W r orks, in the operation of
which he was prominent for a number of
years. He also owned a quarter share in
a saw mill on Mill river. In 1661 he was
one of sixteen purchasers of Block Island,
but he soon sold his interests. In 1668 he
and his son Nicholas and son-in-law, Sam-
uel Hall, were of a company that bought
a tract north of Taunton, called Taunton
North Purchase and including the present
towns of Easton, parts of Mansfield and
Norton, and in 1672 they were of the com-
pany that acquired what was afterward
known as Taunton South Purchase, com-
prising Dighton and part of Berkley.
"Nicholas White was not a prominent
figure in church nor in public affairs, but
an industrious and enterprising citizen,
who in a quiet way did his full share in
converting the forests and wild lands into
fertile fields and laying the foundations of
a city in the wilderness. He was an active
participant in promoting the prosperity
of Taunton and a large owner in its in-
dustries. By energy, industry and fru-
gality he acquired a large property
amounting to about three hundred pounds
cash value, as appears from the inventory
of his estate, taken at a time when money
was scarce and property held at a low
valuation." He died in 1697 and his estate
was divided the following year among his
children, Nicholas, John, Joseph, and Eliz-
abeth. Children: Elizabeth; Nicholas;
John, born 1649; Joseph, mentioned be-
low ; child, died young.
(II) Joseph White, son of Nicholas
White, resided in Taunton on the west-
erly side of Scaddings pond. He was a
soldier in King Philip's war, and was
wounded in the Swamp Fight. He is
mentioned in the Plymouth colony rec-
ords as one of those who received boun-
316
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
ties for killing wolves. His wife Mary
died in 1/24. His eldest son, Joseph, was
appointed administrator of his estate, No-
vember 16, 1/24. Children, all born in
Taunton ; Lydia, born August 17, 1682,
married Samuel Fisher ; Joseph, Febru-
ary 13, 1683-84; Edward, March 27, 1686;
Mary, July 19, 1688; Susanna, August 8,
1690, probably died young; William, Oc-
tober 28, 1692; Nathaniel, April 25, 1695,
died young; Ebenezer, September 13,
1697; Ephraim, mentioned below; Eliza-
beth, married Thomas Story.
(III) Ephraim White, son of Joseph
White, resided in the north precinct of
Norton, now Mansfield, April 26. 1753,
when he sold a part of the homestead to
his son John. He deeded another part to
his son David, April 4, 1763, and to his
two daughters, Ruth and Mary, one-half
of his dwelling house at Mansfield, June
18, 1788, and on the same day the other
half to his son Eliab. He died before
1791, as his estate was divided April 22
in that year among his heirs, Eliab, heirs
of Ruth White, Mary White. He mar-
ried Ruth Grover, of Norton, who died
November 22, 1772, in her seventy-second
year. Children, born at Norton : Eph-
raim, born February 25, 1729; John, men-
tioned below ; Ruth, April 27, 1732 ; Mary,
June 2, 1734; David, June 26, 1736; Eliab,
January 29, 1738-39; Lydia, July 17, 1741 ;
Abiel, August 26, 1745, died January i.
1/50-51-
(IV) John White, son of Ephraim
White, was born at Norton, August i,
1730. He resided in Norton, North Pre-
cinct, where he had part of the old home-
stead. He was a cooper by trade. He
moved late in life, perhaps to New Hamp-
shire, where some of his children settled.
He married, September 5, 1751, Mary
Grover, of Norton. Children : John, born
May 13, 1752, died December 6. 1752;
Mary, October 17, 1753; Susanna, August
TI > r 755 John, mentioned below; Abiel,
August 18, 1759, soldier in the Revolu-
tion; Rachel, July 18, 1761 ; Azubah, May
23, 1763, married William Greenwood, of
Dublin, New Hampshire; Lemira, July
u, 1765; Asa, September 25, 1767, proba-
bly died young; Lucy, February 3, 1770;
Otis, May 6, 1772; Calvin, February 9,
1775, died April 26, 1782.
(V) John White, son of John White,
was born in Mansfield, formerly North
Precinct of Norton, September 18, 1757,
and died in Nelson, formerly Packersfield,
New Hampshire, December 21, 1846, aged
eighty-nine years (town record). He was
a soldier in the Revolution from Mans-
field. The Revolutionary records show
that of the three men named John White
then in Mansfield of proper age to serve
in the war, all probably took part, but it
is impossible to distinguish the record one
from another. In 1781 John White left
Mansfield and located in Nelson.
(VI) John White, son of John White,
was born at Nelson, October 24, 1782, and
died September 26, 1856, aged seventy-
four years. He was a farmer in Clare-
mont, New Hampshire, and was buried
in that town. He married, September 3,
1805, Esther \Vheeler, born January 15,
1781, died August 29, 1865, daughter of
Jacob Wheeler. Children : Abial, Ly-
man, Relief, Elm.ira, Leafy, Lurie (?).
Jonas, mentioned below.
(VII) Jonas White, son of John White,
was born at Nelson, November 11, 1822,
and died at Worcester, Massachusetts, in
IQOI. During most of his life he was a
merchant. He was prominent in public
affairs and was sheriff of Sullivan county.
He removed to Worcester in 1868 and was
active in mercantile life there until he re-
tired in the eighties. He was a dealer in
fancy goods, toys and notions, with a
317
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
store at 214 Main street. In 1871 his
house was at 5 Quincy street, Worcester.
He was a man of exemplary character,
pious, earnest in purpose, and active in
religious work. He was one of the found-
ers of Plymouth Congregational Church,
Worcester. He took a prominent part in
municipal affairs and served the city as a
member of the board of health until lie
was past eighty years of age. He was a
charter member of the Worcester Young
Men's Christian Association. He mar-
ried, June 17, 1851, Clarissa Maria Pren-
tiss, who was born in Claremont, New
Hampshire, in 1826, a daughter of Deacon
Samuel and Clarissa (Whiting) Prentiss.
Children: i. George Francis, born 1854;
resides in Worcester; married Belle
Perry ; children : Mildred and Belle. 2.
Nellie M. 3. Charles S. 4. Edward
Nelson, mentioned below. 5. Mary Jane,
resides in Worcester.
(VIII) Edward Nelson White, son of
Jonas White, was born at Claremont,
New Hampshire, July 6, 1863. Coming to
Worcester when he was but five years old
he entered the public schools of that city
and attended the high school there for
one and a half years. He began his busi-
ness career at the age of seventeen in the
offices of the Prentiss Wire Mill in Hoi-
yoke, Massachusetts. From time to time
he was advanced to positions of larger
responsibility. In 1889 he started in busi-
ness on his own account as the junior
partner of the new firm of Smith & White,
in the manufacture of stationery. The
firm began on a small scale, limited in
capital, making ruling and binding paper,
but in a short time the business grew to
a place of importance among the paper
industries of Holyoke. In 1891 Mr.
White, with J. L. Wyckoff, acquired the
interests of Mr. Smith and organized the
White & Wyckoff Manufacturing Com-
pany to continue the business, making a
specialty of high-grade stationery and
correspondence paper. The business has
scored a phenomenal success. The prod-
uct of Mr. White's company has a world-
wide reputation for style, finish and
beauty, and is in demand in all the sta-
tionery stores of this country and many
foreign countries. From time to time the
plant has been enlarged and the output
has been increased from year to year. Mr.
White has been treasurer of the corpora-
tion from the beginning. The company
has established a reputation not only for
the quality of his goods, but for its pro-
gressive methods, its model plant and ex-
cellent relations with its employees. It is
one of the great industries of which the
city of Holyoke is proud, one of the pillars
of the city's growth and prosperity. Mr.
White has not confined his attention to
the manufacture of paper. He is an
owner and director in various other in-
dustries and corporations. For many
years he has been a director of the Palmer
Navigation Company, which operates a
fleet of coasting vessels, having offices at
Portland, Maine. He is also treasurer of
the Cowan Truck Company of Holyoke.
He is a director also of the City National
Bank of Holyoke and of the Morris Plan
Hank, of that city, recently established for
the benefit of small borrowers, and is
highly respected in banking circles. His
interest in civic affairs is keen and his in-
fluence and support have been given to
every project designed to improve the
city and the welfare of its people. He has
been active in the work of the Holyoke
Chamber of Commerce and is at present
its vice-president and one of its board of
directors. As a member of the school
committee of the city he has devoted
much time to the cause of public educa-
tion. He was also at one time a member
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
of the city council of Holyoke. As a mem-
ber of the new city planning board of
Holyoke, he has given his time freely to
studying the future needs of the munici-
pality and its people. Perhaps no city
office requires men of greater foresight,
keener observation, common sense and
loyalty than membership in the planning
board. Throughout the country these
boards are at work on the problems of
various American cities and the future
will undoubtedly show the wisdom and
value of their labors.
From early life Mr. White has been
active in the church. He is a member of
the Second Congregational Church of
Holyoke, and has served for a number of
years on its parish committee and in other
offices of the parish and church. He is a
director of the Young Men's Christian As-
sociation and a generous supporter of the
various charities of the city.
Popular in social life, respected and
honored in business and public life, Mr.
White has been primarily a useful citizen.
The same qualities of character that have
made him of great value to the commu-
nity have wrought for him the rewards of
a successful and growing business. He
possesses a wide circle of friends not only
in the city of his home, but throughout
the country. He is a member of the Hol-
yoke Club, the Mount Tom Golf Club and
the Holyoke Canoe Club. His chief recre-
ations are golf, canoeing and other out-
door sports.
He married (first) 1889, Alice L. Web-
ber, born 1866, died 1890, daughter of Joel
I. and Maria (Beebe) Webber, of Hol-
yoke. He married (second) 1906, Letitia
J. Smyth. Child by first marriage, Doro-
thy Alice. By his second marriage two
children: Constance, born 1908, and Ed-
ward P., born 1909.
SMITH, George Rumrill,
Representative Citizen.
The career of George Rumrill Smith, of
Holyoke, who is now retired from active
business pursuits, enjoying to the full the
reward of years of earnest and faithful
effort, illustrates in no uncertain manner
what it is possible to accomplish when
perseverance and determination form the
keynote to a man's life. Depending upon
his own resources, looking for no outside
aid or support, he was able to provide a
comfortable home for his family and to
amass a competence for his declining
years.
The first ancestor of George Rumrill
Smith, of whom we have definite informa-
tion, was Philip Smith, a resident of South
Hadley, Massachusetts, a man of energy
and enterprise, who gained the confidence
and good will of all with whom he had been
associated, either in public or private life.
He married and among their children was
a son, Philip, of whom further.
Philip (2) Smith, son of Philip (i)
Smith, was also a resident of South Had-
ley, Massachusetts, and was engaged in
the tilling of the soil, from which occu-
pation he derived a comfortable liveli-
hood and an independence not gained in
any other line of work. He was inter-
ested in community affairs, and per-
formed well all the duties which fell to his
lot. He married - , who bore him
three children, namely : Philip, Luther, of
whom further, and Statira.
Luther Smith, second son of Philip (2)
Smith, was born in South Hadley, Massa-
chusetts, about the year 1793, and died in
Willimansett, Massachusetts, in the year
1858, aged sixty-five years. He gained a
practical education by attendance at the
common school in the neighborhood of his
home, after which he assisted with the
319
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
work of the home farm, and throughout
his active years devoted his attention to
agricultural pursuits, having been the
owner of a small farm in Willimansett,
whereon he resided until his death, and
which he had brought up to a high state
of perfection. He was quiet and reserved
in manner, deriving his greatest pleasure
from the family circle, doing all in his
power to contribute to the happiness and
welfare of those dependent upon him. He
was not unmindful of the interests of the
community, and was always ready and
willing to respond to any call for assist-
ance to the extent of his ability. He mar-
ried Susan Rum-rill, a native of South
Hadley, Massachusetts, born in 1800, died
in 1875, daughter of Asa and Rhoda Rum-
rill. Among their children was George
Rumrill, of whom further.
George Rumrill Smith, son of Luther
and Susan (Rumrill) Smith, was born in
Willimansett, Massachusetts, December
5, 1835. He attended the schools of his
native town, thereby securing an educa-
tion which prepared him for the activities
of life. During his boyhood he assisted
with the work of the farm and in thi.-.
manner built up a robust constitution, the
greater part of his time being spent in the
open air, a plan highly essential to good
health. Later he served an apprentice-
ship at the trade of brick mason, with a
concern in Holyoke, Massachusetts, but
during the panic of 1857 he went to the
State of Pennsylvania and there secured
employment in the lumber regions, his
employer being his cousin. In the fol-
lowing year, 1858, the times having once
more become normal, Mr. Smith returned
to Holyoke and once more engaged in the
work for which he had prepared himself,
and for the long period of forty years and
three months worked continuously at his
trade in that city, never being absent from
his post during that long stretch of years
but for two days, that being the occasion
of his daughter's marriage, a most re-
markable record, one deserving of espe-
cial mention. He had charge of the con-
struction of the Linden Mills, the plant of
the Merrick Thread Company, the Flat
Iron Block, in the vicinity of the depot,
and the erection of many tenement blocks,
always having a large force of men under
his control and supervision. He was ener-
getic and progressive in his ideas, active
and industrious, and well merited the suc-
cess which attended his efforts. Through-
out his manhood years he has been thor-
oughly alive to all that pertains to good
citizenship, and, although entirely devoid
of all political aspirations, is interested in
whatever has a tendency to permanently
benefit his locality. Since 1877 he has
held membership in Holyoke Lodge, No.
134, Independent Order of Odd Fellows,
has passed through all the chairs, served
as noble grand for two different terms,
was treasurer and trustee for about
eighteen years, and held office continu-
ously for thirty-two years in the order.
He is also a member of the Encampment
and of the Daughters of Rebekah Lodge.
He is a man of many sterling characteris-
tics, with a high standard of citizenship,
and with social qualities which render
him popular with his circle of friends.
Mr. Smith married, September 12, 1860,
Eunice A. Day, of Holyoke, Massachu-
setts, born September 12, 1839, daughter
of Newton and Laura (Morgan) Day.
They are the parents of one daughter,
Louise, who became the wife of Homer J.
Stratton, October, 1911 ; he was a travel-
ling salesman for the Regal Paper Com-
pany, of New Jersey, but died October 31,
191 1.
320
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
WRIGHT, Charles Morton,
Deputy Chief of Police.
To gain leadership in any field requires
that the individual give close attention to
the duties that devolve upon him, that
he study the question of management
from every standpoint, that he be con-
stantly alert to opportunities, and that
energy shall be one of his salient char-
acteristics. Possessing all these require-
ments of the successful man, Charles
Morton Wright, deputy chief of police in
Springfield, Massachusetts, is to-day one
of the leading men in his community. He
has earned for himself an enviable repu-
tation for his prompt and honorable
methods, and this has won him well de-
served and unqualified confidence. The
name of Wright is an old one. In Eng-
land, when family names were first as-
sumed, he who wrought metals was called
Smith, while he who wrought in wood
was called Wright, hence both are classed
with the English patronymics which are
derived from occupations.
Winslow Wright, father of Charles
Morton Wright, was born in Plympton,
Plymouth county, Massachusetts, in 1802,
and died in 1882. He followed agricul-
tural pursuits. He married Mary Cole, of
Plymouth, born in 1803 and died in 1883.
Children: Mary J., Winslow B., John L.,
Lydia A., AbbieW., married Samuel Sim-
mons ; Nathaniel T., William H., Samuel
C., Martha E., married Elmer Cushman ;
and Charles Morton, of whom further.
Charles Morton Wright was born in
Plympton, Plymouth county, Massachu-
setts, December 28, 1844. Until the age
of nineteen years his life was spent on the
farm of his father, and he received the
usual education of a country lad of that
period. He was an intensely patriotic
young man, and in December, 1864, en-
listed in the Twenty-fourth Unattached
Company, Massachusetts Infantry, and
served until May 20, 1865, the close of the
war, being honorably discharged at Read-
ville, Massachusetts. In March, 1866, he
came to Springfield, Massachusetts, where
for a period of three years he was in the
employ of the Wright and Emerson
Foundry Company, of which his uncle,
Josiah Wright, was the senior partner
being associated with Warren Emerson.
He then joined the police force, which
then, 1869, consisted of a chief marshal,
assistant marshal, captain and twelve
patrolmen, and served until 1871, the only
one now living of that force. From 1871
to 1876 he was again employed in the
foundry, then again joined the police
force with which he has been identified
since that time, greatly to its benefit. So
faithful and efficient was he in the dis-
charge of the duties which fell to his
share, that in 1883 he was advanced to
the position of captain under Mayor H.
M. Philips, and the following year to that
of assistant marshal. The designations
of marshal and assistant marshal have
been changed to chief and deputy chief,
and Mr. Wright has now been acting as
deputy chief since 1884. During this time
he has twice been acting chief, once when
the chief was absent on duty during the
Spanish-American War. Mr. Wright has
seen the police department grow from the
small beginning mentioned above, to the
present time, when it has upwards of two
hundred and fifteen names on its list.
Since joining the force the second time,
as noted above, Deputy Chief Wright has
served over forty years on the force,
a record probably unequalled in the his-
tory of the department. He has served
uninterruptedly, regardless of the party
which was at the head of the administra-
tion. He is a member of the E. K. Wil-
cox Post, Grand Army of the Republic ;
treasurer of the Springfield Relief Associ-
Mass-
-212
321
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
ation since its organization in 1892 ; a
member of the executive committee of
the Massachusetts State Police Associ-
ation ; a member and special agent of the
Springfield Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals. Mr. Wright is the
owner of his fine residence at No. 42 Mc-
Knight street, and also of a considerable
quantity of other real estate.
Mr. Wright married, in 1870, Martha
R. Ripley, born in Kingston, Massachu-
setts, in 1846, died in August, 1906, a
daughter of Louis Ripley. Children: i.
Charles A. L., assistant city engineer of
Springfield ; married Lillian, a daughter
of Dr. Forbes, of Chicopee, Massachu-
setts. 2. Ruth M., married (first) Carl-
ton M. Case, (second) A. D. Hollister,
and their children are: Dwight G. W.
Hollister and Donald M. Hollister; lives
in Southwick, Massachusetts. 3. Lewis
W., unmarried, is a resident of Detroit,
Michigan.
BULLOCK, William Samuel,
Public Official.
This ancient name has been traced to a
very early period in England, three hun-
dred years before the general adoption
of surnames in that country. Its coat-of-
arms is very ancient, and is characterized
by several bullocks amid other figures and
emblems. There is a family tradition
which seems rather mythical and is not
sustained by records, regarding the find-
ing of a child in a bull's manger, as the
origin of the name. This name was very
early identified with the history of New
England, and has been borne by numer-
ous prominent citizens in other States.
Among the distinguished men of the
name who are descended from a common
ancestor may be mentioned Alexander H.
Bullock, of Worcester, one-time Govern-
or of Massachusetts ; Stephen Bullock, of
Rehoboth, member of Congress under
Jefferson's administration, and his son,
Dr. Samuel Bullock, a member of the
Massachusetts Legislature; Richard Bul-
lock, a merchant of means and high stand-
ing in Providence; Nathaniel Bullock,
Lieutenant-Governor of Rhode Island in
1842 ; Jonathan R. Bullock, Lieutenant-
Governor of Rhode Island in 1860.
(I) Richard Bullock was born in 1622
in Essex county, England, and died in
Rehoboth, Massachusetts, November 22,
1667. He was accompanied in his migra-
tion to America by two brothers, one of
whom settled in Virginia. He was in
Rehoboth as early as 1643, ar >d l 6 ^ tne
town soon after 1644. The Colonial rec-
ords show that he was made a freeman in
May, 1646, but do not indicate his resi-
dence at that time. In 1656 he removed
to Newtown, Long Island, but soon went
back to Rehoboth and resided there until
his death. He was one of the fifty-eight
landed proprietors of Rehoboth. June
22, 1658, "At a town meeting lawfully
warned, lots were drawn for the meadows
that lie on the north side of the town, in
order as followeth, according to person
and estate." Richard Bullock drew No.
19, and he bought the governor's lot
valued at two hundred pounds. His name
appears on the records of the town in
1643, and he came there, it is said, with
Roger Williams. The town record re-
cites: "3Oth of the nth mo. (January),
1659, voted to agree with Richard Bul-
lock to perform the office of Town Clerk;
to give him i6s. a year, and to be paid for
births, burials and marriage besides." He
married, August 4, 1647, Elizabeth, daugh-
ter of Richard Ingraham, of Rehoboth,
and their children were: Samuel, men-
tioned below ; Elizabeth, born October
9, 1650; Mary, February 16, 1652, died
young; Mehitable, April 4, 1655; Abigail,
August 29, 1657 ; Hopestill, December 26,
322
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
1659; Israel, July 15, 1662; John, May 19,
1664; Richard, March 15, 1667.
(II) Deacon Samuel Bullock, eldest
son of Richard and Elizabeth (In-
graham) Bullock, was born August 19,
1648, in Rehoboth, and died there, March
10, 1718. He was a large landholder and
a farmer, and contributed liberally in de-
fraying the expenses of King Philip's
War in 1675-76. He married (first) No-
vember 12, 1673, Mary Thurber, of Swan-
sea, who died October 5, 1674. He mar-
ried (second) May 16, 1675, Thankful
Rouse, of Rehoboth. Child of first mar-
riage : Mary, born October 5, 1674. Chil-
dren of the second marriage : Ebenezer,
mentioned below; Thankful, born June
26, 1681 ; Samuel, November 7, 1683;
Israel, April 9, 1687; Daniel, 1689; Rich-
ard, July I, 1692; Seth, September 26,
1693.
(III) Ebenezer Bullock, eldest child of
Deacon Samuel and Thankful (Rouse)
Bullock, was born February 22, 1676, in
Swansea, Massachusetts, his birth being
the first record of the Bullock family in
that town. He married, March 29, 1698,
Sarah Moulton, and their children, of
Rehoboth town record, were : Mary, born
June 6, 1699; Mehitable, April i, 1701;
Samuel, November 17, 1703; Hugh, April
i, 1706; Aaron, 1707; Katherine, born and
died in 1707; Squier, March 4, 1708-09;
Miriam, September 30, 1711. died in 1730;
Thankful, May 23, 1714; James, August
20, 1716; Christopher, mentioned below.
(IV) Christopher Bullock, youngest
child of Ebenezer and Sarah (Moulton)
Bullock, was born April 7, 1720, in Reho-
both, Massachusetts. He lived in Cum-
berland until 1756, and removed to Scitu-
ate in that year or the following. He,
with his brothers, bought land in Royals-
ton, Massachusetts, about 1770, which
embraced lots 77, 79 and 80 in that town,
covering three hundred and forty-five
acres. It may be interesting to note in
passing that the land was valued at eight
English shillings per acre. It is situated
in the extreme northwestern corner of
the town of Royalston adjoining Rich-
mond, New Hampshire. These brothers
were of stalwart build and they were
hardy pioneers. All of them except Chris-
topher moved farther west within a few
years, and he went into the town of Rich-
mond, New Hampshire. At that time he
was an old man and he did not survive
many years. His wife was Sarah Brown,
daughter of Benjamin and Sarah (Free-
man) Brown, of Attleboro, Massachu-
setts., and their children were seven in
number, the last two born in Scituate,
namely : Jeremiah, mentioned below ;
Ebenezer, born 1749, died 1751 ; Sarah,
January 22, 1752; Nathan, April 16, 1754;
Ebenezer, February i, 1756; Catherine,
September 26, 1757 ; Christopher, Janu-
ary 22, 1761.
(V) Jeremiah Bullock, eldest child of
Christopher and Sarah (Brown) Bullock,
was born August 7, 1748, in Cumber-
land, Rhode Island, and accompanied his
parents to Massachusetts and ultimately
to New Hampshire. He remained on the
paternal homestead in Richmond until old
age, and finally died at the home of his
son Christopher, in Winchester, New
Hampshire. He married, December 22,
1771, Adah Cass, born July 16, 1750, in
Richmond, daughter of Deacon John and
Alice (Brown) Cass, of that town. Dea-
con Cass was a pioneer settler in Rich-
mond, and was the first innkeeper. Ten
children were born to Jeremiah Bullock
and his wife, namely: Nathan, 1773;
Lovel, April 16, 1775 ; Sarah, October 7,
1776; Adah, 1778, died young; Joel, May
16, 1779 ; Cass, November 10, 1781 ; Jere-
miah, July 3, 1783; Adah, November 7,
1786; Christopher, mentioned below;
Susanna, July 5, 1790.
(VI) Christopher (2) Bullock, sixth
son of Jeremiah and Adah (Cass) Bul-
323
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
lock, was born June i, 1788, in Richmond,
and died in Winchester, New Hampshire,
August 5, 1863. He removed to Winches-
ter about 1814, and resided on a farm
there, later occupied by his descendant,
William R. Bullock. He married, March
9. 1817, Hannah Punderson Mansfield,
born March n, 1795, in Winchester, died
there, December 14, 1873, daughter of
Charles and Molly (Howard) Mansfield.
She is described as a person of great in-
dustry and extraordinary memory. Chil-
dren : Emeline, born February 8, 1820,
married Charles A. Ball, of Winchester;
William R., mentioned below ; Betsey M.
(VII) William R. Bullock, only son of
Christopher (2) and Hannah Punderson
(Mansfield) Bullock, was born January
11, 1822, in Winchester, and died in that
town in 1903. During most of his life
he was engaged in manufacture, making
palm leaf hats. His product was dis-
posed of by himself in various localities
which he visited. For many years he also
manufactured framing pins and ship pins
in Dana, Massachusetts, where he erected
a factory. In his later years his attention
was chiefly devoted to farming. His re-
ligious convictions are indicated by the
fact that he attended worship at the
Methodist church. Politically a Demo-
crat, he neither sought nor accepted any
official station. He married, February 11,
1851, Sarah W. Partridge, born January
10, 1831, in Chesterfield, New Hampshire,
died 1886, daughter of Samuel and Lu-
cretia (Albee) Partridge. Children: Ellen
L., born April 24, 1857, married Eugene
McClennon; Hattie M., February 14, 1860,
married Edson F. Taft ; William Samuel,
mentioned below ; George W., March 19,
1865, has a daughter, Bertha, and son,
Harold.
(VIII) William Samuel Bullock, senior
son of William R. and Sarah W. (Part-
ridge) Bullock, was born April n, 1863,
in Winchester, New Hampshire, and was
educated in the schools of that town, con-
tinuing on the paternal farm until the age
of twenty years. For a period of four
years he was employed in a box factory in
Winchester, and was subsequently em-
ployed by Russell & Whitcomb in a box
and stave factory in West Swansea, New
Hampshire. For several years he was
employed as a teamster in West Swan-
sea, and removed to Fitchburg, Massa-
chusetts, in the fall of 1886. After three
years in the service of Fabius H. Arnold,
he entered the service of the Fitchburg
Street Railway Company, and was after-
ward a worker for one year in Simond's
saw factory. For two years he was a
patrolman in the city's police depart-
ment, six years a special officer, and two
years captain of the department. In 1903
he was appointed deputy sheriff by Gen-
eral Chamberlain, and has since continued
in that office. That he is esteemed and
trusted by his fellow citizens is shown by
the fact that he has charge of the real
estate interests of the late Andrew Whit-
ney and George A. Whitney, and of
Harry I. and Ethel W. Cook. In re-
ligious faith he is a Universalist. His
generous and philanthropic nature is in-
dicated by his connection with Philesian
Lodge, No. 40, Free and Accepted Ma-
sons, of Winchester, New Hampshire.
Both he and his wife are members of
Lady Emma Chapter, No. 27, Order of
the Eastern Star, of Fitchburg, of which
he is past worthy patron, and his wife
past worthy matron. He married, May 5,
1888, Emma C. Eaton, of Winchester,
New Hampshire, daughter of Cyrus and
Mary (Gilmore) Eaton.
SIBLEY, Fred H.,
Public Official.
Among the prominent and trusted busi-
ness men of West Springfield, who have
been honored with public office and in-
324
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
vested with the confidence of the entire
community should be mentioned Fred H.
Sibley, who is of New England ancestry,
and who has inherited in marked degree
the characteristics of that sturdy and
thrifty people.
Ezekiel Sibley, the first member of the
family of whom we have record, was a
native of Wellington, Connecticut, there
spent his active career, married, and
among his children was Elijah, also a na-
tive of Wellington, from whence he re-
moved to Westfield, Massachusetts, and
located on a farm, which he conducted
for several years, and then removed to
West Springfield, Massachusetts, where
his death occurred. He married Lucy
Lee, a native of Massachusetts, whose
death occurred in West Springfield, Mas-
sachusetts, and who bore him three chil-
dren : Henry Allen, of whom further;
Augusta A. ; Lorette, who became the
wife of Thomas Little, of Westfield, Mas-
sachusetts.
Henry Allen Sibley was born in West-
field, Massachusetts, March 9, 1835, died
in West Springfield, Massachusetts, Au-
gust 20, 1913. aged seventy-eight years.
He spent the first eight years of his life
in Westfield, and then accompanied his
parents to West Springfield. His educa-
tion was obtained at Westfield Academy
and Wilbraham Academy, and his active
career was devoted to agricultural pur-
suits, he residing on the old homestead
on Sibley avenue until 1893, when he
made his home with his son, Fred H.
Sibley. He was widely known and his
opinions regarding town affairs highly
appreciated. He was very active in poli-
tics for forty years, for many of which
he served both as selectman and assessor,
and when the separation of these offices
occurred, they being placed under sepa-
rate heads, he continued to act as asses-
sor. In 1901, owing to failing health, he
retired from the political field, but his
advice and judgment were constantly
sought and earnestly followed. He was
a staunch adherent of the Republican
party, but received the endorsement and
nomination of both parties. While not
a member of any church he frequently
attended the First Congregational Church,
being a close personal friend of its pastor,
the Rev. George W. Love. Mr. Sibley
married, in 1859, Margaret Amanda
Cooley, daughter of Rodney and Sabra
Cooley, and they were the parents of one
child, Fred H., of whom further. Mrs.
Sibley died in 1908.
Fred H. Sibley was born in West
Springfield, Massachusetts, July i, 1861.
He received his early education in his
native town, and later attended the high
school at Westfield. His first business
venture was at Denver, Colorado, in 1882,
where he engaged in the bakery and gro-
cery business with C. E. Stery, this con-
nection continuing for fourteen months,
but at the expiration of this period of
time, although the undertaking was a suc-
cess, Mr. Sibley decided to return home
and accordingly disposed of his interests.
Upon his return he associated himself
with his father in the management of the
home farm. His qualification for public
office was soon recognized by his fellow
citizens, and in 1890 he was chosen to
serve as chairman of the board of road
commissioners, and later he was honored
by being chosen to fill the offices of treas-
urer, tax collector and town clerk of
West Springfield, and was serving in
the latter named offices in 1915. He
has been actively engaged in politics for
a quarter of a century, a longer period
than any other man serving the town in
any capacity. In all his public service
Mr. Sibley has given the most complete
satisfaction and held the confidence of his
constituents so aptly placed. He is a
325
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Republican in politics, his first vote being
cast for the losing candidate at that elec-
tion, James G. Elaine. He was formerly
a member of De Soto Lodge, Independent
Order of Odd Fellows, but later took a
demit and is now a member of the West
Springfield Lodge; member of Orthodox
Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Ma-
sons ; and for the past twenty-five years
a member of the West Springfield Grange,
Patrons of Husbandry. Mr. Sibley is a
man of integrity, energy and enterprise,
public-spirited and charitable, a leading
factor in all movements for the welfare of
the community, hence one of the influ-
ential citizens of West Springfield, where
he is well known, esteemed and honored.
Mr. Sibley married, September 25, 1882,
Mary B. Whalen, born in Des Moines,
Iowa, daughter of Michael and Ellen
(Hayes) Whalen. Children : Helen Mar-
guerite, became the wife of Carl B. Smith,
of Mittineague, Massachusetts, now with
the Springfield Fire and Marine Insur-
ance Company ; Rachel May, a graduate
of Westfield Normal School, a teacher in
West Springfield; Fred H. E., a graduate
of the West Springfield High School, now
with the Gilbert & Barker Manufacturing
Company.
ERASER, Eugene B.,
Representative Citizen.
A native son and a life-long resident of
Lynn, Mr. Fraser from the age of four-
teen years has been identified with the
business life of his city. He has filled
many positions of trust in a constantly
ascending scale, in fact, his rule of life
from youth was not only honesty and
efficiency in the post he was filling, but to
familiarize himself with those of the next
higher position. Thus he was not await-
ing promotion but was fitting himself for
it. The wisdom of such a course is plain-
ly apparent and worthy of the emulation
of young men.
Eugene B. Fraser was born at Lynn,
February 19, 1869, son of William A. and
Maria A. (Collyer) Fraser, his father born
in Boston. He attended Lynn public
schools until fourteen years of age, then
left grammar school to become a grocer's
clerk. After two years in the grocery
business he entered the employ of the
First National Bank of Lynn, now the
Essex Trust Company, as messenger boy
and was promoted through the different
positions and held the position of teller
when the treasurership of the Lynn Gas
& Electric Company was offered him in
1901, a position he has most efficiently
filled, and in which he still continues. He
is also owner, president and treasurer of
the Lynn Base Ball Club, ex-treasurer of
the Chamber of Commerce, for sixteen
years was treasurer of the Republican
City Committee, and is treasurer of the
Lynn Home for Aged Men. His reputa-
tion as an able business man is of the
highest and his name is a recognized
synonym for uprightness and integrity.
Mr. Fraser is a member of all Lynn's Ma-
sonic bodies, Aleppo Temple, Nobles of
the Mystic Shrine, Boston ; is an Odd Fel-
low, an Elk, a Red Man and a Knight of
Pythias, as well as a member of the Ox-
ford, Park and other social clubs of the
city.
MARTIN, Knott Pedrick,
Retired Business Man.
The hardships and suffering a man can
endure and then recuperate and live to an
age greater than the scriptural allotment
of years is illustrated in the life of Mr.
Martin, now in his seventy-fifth year. He
was captured with one thousand and six
hundred of his brigade at Petersburg,
June 22, 1864, and for nine months was a
326
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
prisoner, suffering all the horrors of An-
dersonville and other Southern stockade
prisons, was starved, abused, poisoned by
filthy food and water, finally paroled in
an emaciated condition, in rags, sore,
bruised and sick, yet he recovered and
was able to engage in business and until
his retirement in 1909 was one of Lynn's
successful caterers to the public taste.
That he lived through that terrible ordeal
of Southern prison life was a miracle, that
he is hale and hearty in comparison with
many others of his age, is no less remark-
able. His mother lived to be ninety-four
years of age, his paternal grandmother to
the age of ninety-five and Mr. Martin bids
fair to be as wonderful an example of
longevity.
Knott P. Martin was born November
23, 1841, son of Thomas and Elizabeth
(Symonds) Martin. His youth was spent
in school attendance and in varied occu-
pation until March 10, 1862, when he
enlisted in Company M, First Regiment
Massachusetts Heavy Artillery. His early
service was in the defense of Washing-
ton, and his first important battle was
Spottsylvania, May 19, 1864, his regiment
losing three hundred and ninety-eight
men killed and wounded during one brief
hour of that battle. He also fought at
North Anna, Tolopotomay, Cold Harbor,
and Petersburg, being captured with one
thousand and six hundred other Union
soldiers, June 22, 1864, as above narrated.
They were sent to Richmond and con-
fined in the Cumberland building opposite
Libby Prison until the next morning, then
sent to Belle Isle for one week, thence to
Lynchburg, thence to that most infamous
of all prisons, Andersonville, Georgia,
commanded by General Wirtz of shame-
ful memory who later paid the penalty of
his crimes upon the gallows, denied even
a soldier's death. Andersonville, a stock-
ade prison, was an enclosure of about
forty acres in which as high as thirty-two
thousand prisoners were confined at one
time. A little stream ran through the
stockade that soon became so polluted
that it was practically a sewer, yet it was
the only water available, until during a
thunder storm the lightning struck the
stockade and started a spring of pure
water flowing, that the grateful prisoners
named "Providence Spring." A "dead
line" was established several feet inside
the stockade thus greatly reducing its
area, for armed guards ruthlessly mur-
dered with their rifles any Union man
who crossed the line or seemed about to.
A small quantity of coarse meal with
often infected pork was furnished daily,
and starvation and disease carried off
hundreds daily. Mr. Martin suffered all
the horrors of this prison pen from July
14, 1864, until the last of October, then
was sent to the Savannah stockade where
for four weeks conditions were better.
When the Federal army came the pris-
oners were taken to Blackshear, Georgia,
and concealed in the woods that they
might not be rescued. After a week of
suffering about Blackshear they were
taken to Macon, Georgia, and kept three
weeks, thence to Thomasville, Georgia,
where they spent Christmas day bare-
footed, shirtless, with barely clothing to
hide their nakedness, thence to Albany,
Georgia, finally being returned to the
terrible pen at Andersonville. There they
were kept until the last week in March,
then were sent to Jackson, Mississippi.
Not a day of this period but what each
prisoner would have welcomed death as a
friend. At Jackson they were notified
they would be returned to the Federal
lines. They were sent to Big Black, ten
miles from Vicksburg, where on April i,
1865, they were paroled. Mr. Martin was
put on board a hospital boat in a most
frightful condition, conveyed to Jefferson
327
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Barracks, Missouri, where under medical
care, sanitary surroundings, and good
nursing, he was won back to life and a
measure of health. When he was able to
write he communicated with his friends
in the North, and on the receipt of a ten-
dollar bill felt so elated that the first
thing he purchased was a can of sardines
When able to travel he was sent home
and on June 26, 1865, was mustered out,
with an honorable discharge.
When he had regained health and
strength, Mr. Martin obtained work in a
Lynn shoe factory and there continued
until 1873. I n tnat year he entered the
employ of John S. Earle, a restaurant
proprietor of Lynn, and after eleven years
of faithful service was admitted a partner.
Earle & Martin continued in successful
business from 1884 until Mr. Earle's
death in 1889, when his widow succeeded
to his share of the business. Mr. Martin
sold his interest in the business to Mrs.
Earle in 1909 and retired from active busi-
ness. He is a member of the Grand Army
of the Republic, the Anchor Club, an or-
ganization composed exclusively of Grand
Army men, the Hooker Association of
Boston, the Knights of Pythias and the
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
He enjoys a good game of base ball and
is one of Lynn's noted "fans."
Mr. Martin married, in July, 1869, Han-
nah A., daughter of William Parrott, of
Lynn. He has one son, George T. Mar-
tin.
GRADY, William Henry,
Public Official.
In every community there are a few in-
dividuals who, having a natural talent for
leadership, are supremely honored by the
confidence of their fellow citizens and are
entrusted with the conduct of affairs of
importance. Of this class, and holding a
dignified position in it, is William Henry
Grady, of Springfield, Massachusetts, who
is a formidable antagonist in any cause,
and an equally valuable friend in any
cause which has for its object improve-
ment and advancement. His natural acu-
men and thorough grasp of a situation
have been amply recognized, and honored
by election to positions of trust.
William Grady, his grandfather, died
in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and is
buried there. He was a stationary fire-
man by occupation. He married Ellen
O'Connor, who died in Lowell, where a
brother of William Grady, James Grady,
also lived with his family. Mr. and Mrs.
Grady had six children.
Michael Grady, son of William and
Ellen (O'Connor) Grady, was born in
Ireland, and was a very young child when
he came to the United States with his
parents. He served in Company G, Nine-
teenth Massachusetts Regiment, under
Captain (later General) Rice, of the regu-
lar volunteer army, and died in the hos-
pital from the effects of a wound received
at Fair Oaks, under General McClellan.
He married Catherine Harrison, born in
Ireland, in 1828, still living. She was
about one year old when her parents
came to Lowell by way of Canada. Her
father died in Illinois, while her mother
died in Ireland. A brother, William Har-
rison, who served under General Banks,
died about 1870, and is buried at Lowell.
Her parents were Edwin and Lavinia
Harrison. She married (second) - ,
and had three children, all now deceased.
By the first marriage, to Mr. Grady, there
were children : John H. ; William Henry,
whose name heads this sketch ; Ellen,
who married John Kelley, of Lowell, and
died in 1912; Margaret, married Robert
Dankard, and died in Lowell, Massachu-
setts, in 1905 or 1906; John, died in child-
hood.
328
r
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
William Henry Grady, son of Michael
and Catherine (Harrison) Grady, was
born in Lowell, Massachusetts, March 14,
1852. For a time he attended the public day
schools of Lowell, then the evening school
there, and continued his studies at the
high school in Providence, Rhode Island.
He learned the trade of paperhangingand
decorating. About 1893 ne became the
business agent for trades' unions, and has
devoted his time since then to these in-
terests and those of a similar nature. His
political affiliations are with the Demo-
cratic party, in which he has always been
active. In 1876-77 he served as a member
of the city council of Lowell, and is now,
1915, serving his fifth term as a member
of the Common Council of Springfield,
representing the second ward in recent
years, and as senior member of the body
has for several years called the meetings
to order. During this time he has served
on the city property committee, the com-
mittee to erect the fire and police depart-
ment buildings, and was on the commit-
tee to complete the Summers avenue
school and the Buckingham school, and
the committee for building the Indian Or-
chard school and the Commercial high
school, his name being on the tablet of
this and the fire station.
Throughout his business life he has
been a member of the Knights of Labor.
He has been agent for the past four years
of the local Building Trades' Association;
twice president of the Central Labor
Union ; served for a number of years on
the labor committee to attend the Legis-
lature, and organized many labor unions
in Western Massachusetts, and also at-
tended a large number of conventions of
the State Federation of Labor, and in this
organization he served as first vice-presi-
dent for one year and second vice-presi-
dent for one year. He has been a member
of the Brotherhood of Painters and Deco-
rators since its organization, and was the
first president to serve a full term in the
present local body, being elected April 12,
1893, an d since then has served five times
as president. He has attended three con-
ventions of this organization Detroit,
Cincinnati and Memphis. For the past
two years he has been secretary of the
Master Plumbers' Credit Association. He
is a member of the Sons of Veterans, a
veteran fireman, a member of Father
Matthew's Institute, a member of Father
Matthew's Society, of which he has been
county president for four years, and dele-
gate to its conventions, and is a commu-
nicant of the Roman Catholic Church of
the Sacred Heart. Mr. Grady is a total
abstainer.
Mr. Grady married Margaret T. Crow-
ley, a daughter of Timothy Crowley, in
1881. They are the parents of seven chil-
dren, three of whom died in childhood,
those surviving being: William H., mem-
ber of the fire department, secretary of
the Firemen's Aid Society, married May
Ward, and has a son, William; Nora T.,
became the wife of G. S. Henderson, and
they have a daughter, Eugenia ; Edward
F., a stationary fireman for the city public
schools ; Ruth, born in 1903.
CRONAN, Richard Augustine,
Postmaster of Chicopco, Massachusetts.
Richard Augustine Cronan belongs to
that virile and industrious race which has
borne no inconsiderable part in the de-
velopment of the United States during
the last century. His father, John Cro-
nan, came from County Cavan, Ireland,
to America, when a boy, and located in
New Haven, Connecticut. He died in
Chicopee, Massachusetts, March, 1896,
aged about sixty years. He was a car-
riage painter and removed from New
Haven to Hartford, whence he came to
329
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Chicopee, in 1872. There he was em-
ployed for many years at his trade. His
wife, Mary (Lewis) Cronan, came from
County Sligo, Ireland, when a young girl,
and is still living in Chicopee, aged seven-
ty-five years. She was the mother of ten
children, of whom five are now living,
namely: James, Helen, wife of James
Casey, of Chicopee ; Richard A., John and
Mary.
Richard Augustine Cronan was born
August 18, 1867, in New Haven, and was
four years of age when his parents came
to Chicopee. He was educated in public
and parochial schools, passing through
the grammar school, and subsequently
attending an evening course at a business
college. For a short time in boyhood he
was employed in the D wight Mills of
Chicopee, and later by the Ames Manu-
facturing Company. For some fifteen
years he was with the Overman Wheel
Company, of Chicopee Falls ; first as a
contractor and later, for several years, as
foreman. In 1898 he engaged in the
manufacture of clothing at Springfield, as
one of the proprietors of the Rosenfeld &
Cronan Pants Company. For a period of
fourteen years he was employed as a tool
maker in the United States Armory at
Springfield. Ever since attaining his ma-
jority Mr. Cronan has been active in
matters of civic duty, and has always
labored for the betterment of his home
city. He identified himself with the
Democratic party, and when Chicopee
was incorporated as a city, he became a
candidate for member of the City Coun-
cil, and was for ten years a member of
the city committee of his party, during
two years of which time he was its chair-
man. He has served as a member of the
board of registrars, and as overseer of
the poor. His appointment as postmaster
of Chicopee was made by President Wil-
son in February, 1915, to serve until 1919.
With his wife, he is interested in real
estate in Chicopee and Holyoke. Mr.
Cronan is a man of great energy, and has
prospered through his industry and pru-
dent management, and is the owner of
two residential properties on Front street,
Chicopee, one of which he occupies as a
home. His private business career has
been distinguished by its upright charac-
ter, and he believes that the same scrupu-
lous integrity should control one's man-
agement of public affairs as that which
has characterized his private dealings.
He is a student of the times, and well
informed on the topics of the day. He
and his family are communicants of Holy
Name (Roman Catholic) Church of Chico-
pee, and Mr. Cronan is a member of the
Knights of Columbus.
He married, October 9, 1894, Elizabeth,
daughter of John and Mary Dillon. John
Dillon was a native of Ireland, came to
America in early life, and was numbered
among the prominent and successful pio-
neer business men of Holyoke. Both he
and his wife, the latter born in America,
are now deceased. Mrs. Cronan is one of
a family of fourteen children, and was
educated in the parochial schools of Hol-
yoke. She is the mother of three chil-
dren: i. Helen, a graduate in the class of
1915 of the Westfield Normal School, and
now teaching in the public schools of
Chicopee. 2. Alice Elizabeth, a graduate
in the class of 1915 of the Chicopee High
School, and now a student at Smith's
College, Northampton. 3. Richard An-
thony, at present a student of the paro-
chial schools of Chicopee.
BESSOM, Richard Garner,
Contractor.
Probably the greatest compliment that
can be paid a man is that he has made
himself an honor to his nation in the great
33
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
commercial world as well as a credit to
the mercantile community in which he
lives, and this may be said in the truest
sense of Richard Garner Bessom, mason
and plaster contractor, of Lynn, Massa-
chusetts. Evenness and poise are among
his characteristics, and he is a dependable
man in any relation and in any emer-
gency ; a man ready to meet any obliga-
tion of life with the confidence and cour-
age which come of conscious personal
ability, proper conception of relative
values, and an habitual regard for what is
best in the exercise of human activities.
All in all, he is a splendid type of the
American citizen whose interests are
broad and whose labors manifest a recog-
nition of the responsibilities of wealth as
well as ability in the successful control of
commercial affairs.
The surname Bessom is the survival of
one of the numerous spellings of the sur-
name of an old Marblehead, Massachu-
setts, family, whose origin was Norman-
French. In the early records the name
was spelled Besson, Bezoon, Bezune, Bes-
som, Besume, Bisson, Bason, Basom, Bar-
sham, Batson. Bazume and Bosson. In
Marblehead, Boston and Roxbury the
final letter was as frequently "m" as "n."
From evidence accessible at present, even
the name of the immigrant is in doubt.
As early as July 22, 1646, Nicholas Bat-
son, seaman, bought a ship in Boston of
Christopher Lawson. Of his family we
know nothing, but the fact that this name
is the same as that of the first known set-
tler in Marblehead, and was also in the
same business, points to relationship, if
not direct ancestry. Then we find Rich-
ard Basin in Boston, a resident, included
in an order issued by the selectmen, Sep-
tember 30, 1695 ; his wife's name was
Elizabeth.
Richard Garner Bessom, son of Rich-
ard Van Blunt and Rachel (Gill) Bessom,
was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
February 16, 1866. He was very young
when his family removed to Swampscott,
Massachusetts, and there he acquired his
education and was graduated from the
Swampscott Grammar School. He then
apprenticed himself for a period of three
years to J. L. Whittredge to learn the
mason's trade, and when he had com-
pleted this apprenticeship remained with
Mr. Whittredge as a journeyman for a
further eight years, ample testimony as
to the high standard of the work he ac-
complished. At the expiration of this
time he established himself in the same
line of business independently, and has
been very successful in this undertaking.
He has executed some of the finest work
in his line in the city, among the build-
ings on which he did the mason and plas-
ter work being: The Goddard Block, the
Market at West Lynn, plaster work in
the Olympia Theater at Somerville, the
main wall in the Bocheller House, the
Haskell House on Ocean street, E. G.
Blood's terra cotta house at Swampscott.
and Colonel Perry's house at Swamp-
scott. In political opinion Mr. Bessom
is a Republican, and while he takes an
active part in all matters that concern the
public welfare, the responsibilities of his
business have never permitted him to
take a more than ordinarily active part in
public matters. He is a member of the
Improved Order of Red Men, the Inde-
pendent Order of Odd Fellows, Knights
of Pythias, the Masonic fraternity, York
and Scottish Rites, and Nobles of the
Mystic Shrine, in all of which he is re-
garded highly.
Mr. Bessom married, August 27, 1891,
Laura R. Meek, daughter of C. A. R.
Meek, of Lynn. Of this union there have
been children: Ruth I., a graduate of
Boston University, now engaged in teach-
ing ; Rachel U., a graduate of the Salem
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Normal School, also a teacher ; Rowena
M., now taking a business course at the
Lynn High School ; Ralph E., also a
student at the Lynn High School.
FISH, Williston,
Contracting Builder.
The family of Fish is a rather ancient
one in New England, distinguished from
the Dutch family of that name which
settled early in Newtown, New York.
Thomas Fish was an early resident of
Duxbury, Massachusetts, where he had
children recorded as follows : Thomas,
born May 22, 1700; Ebenezer, of further
mention ; Joseph, January 28, 1706 ; Lydia,
March 24, 1708; Samuel, October 18,
1710; Nathaniel, April n, 1713. The
second son, Ebenezer Fish, was born De-
cember 13, 1703, in Duxbury, and died
there, March 23, 1791. The records of the
first church of Duxbury show the baptism
of two of his children, namely : Abel, April
13, 1740 and Lydia, June 20, 1742. Many
of the pioneers of Maine came from his
section, and it is probable that he was
among them and that Jireh Fish was
among his children. Jireh Fish was born
as early as 1750 and in 1780 removed from
New Gloucester, Maine, to the town of
Leeds, same colony. He built a log house
on the south side of Dead river, and his
son Seth was the second white child born
in Leeds. Subsequently he built a frame
house north of what has ever since been
known as the "Fish Burying Ground."
Several of his sons were carpenters, and
the youngest. Jireh, lived on the home-
stead as late as 1841. Jireh Fish, Jr.,
lived in Leeds, where his intention of
marriage was published in September,
1803, to Eunice Bumpus, probably a
daughter of John and Mary (Burgess)
Bumpus, of Turner, Maine. Warren
Fish, of this family, lived for some time
in Leeds, whence he moved about 1850
to Livermore, Maine. He married (in-
tentions entered in February, 1837, m
Leeds) Irene Andrews, of Turner. One
of their sons, Austin Fish, was a soldier
of the Civil War, a member of the famous
First Maine Cavalry, which formed a part
of Sherman's army in its "march to the
sea."
Williston Fish, son of Warren and
Irene (Andrews) Fish, was born March
8, 1849, in Leeds, and was reared in Liver-
more, where he attended the public
schools. Subsequently he was a student
at Webster Academy, Auburn, Maine,
from which he was graduated after a two
years' course. Early in life he learned
the trade of brick mason with Charles W.
Dorr, of Lewiston. Maine, and when
twenty years of age went to Lynn, Mas-
sachusetts. Here he worked a short time
on the Music Hall, then in course of con-
struction by Horace Norton, and for three
years, 1869 to 1872, was employed by
James Dearborn, a builder of Lynn. In
1872, Mr. Fish moved to Woburn, Massa-
chusetts, where he lived seven and one-
half years, continuously employed in build-
ing operations. Returning to Lynn in
1879, he continued in the employ of James
Dearborn for a period of nine years. Since
1889 he has been engaged in contract
