(kviCMClO .
AGZ.
;
OJU*L
nqicl0peitta gf Massachusetts
Biographical Genealogical
Compiled with the Assistance of a
Capable Corps of Advisers and Contributors
ILLUSTRATED
THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY (Inc.)
NEW YORK PUBLISHERS CHICAGO
EC
THE NEW YORK
PUBLIC LIBRARY
364884A
ASTOR, LENOX AND
T1LDEN FOUNDATIONS
R 1S28 L
Both justice and decency require that we should bestow on our forefathers
an honorable remembrance Thucydides
BIOGRAPHICAL
THE
PUBLIC LIBR1RT:'
,
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
MAYO, Alfred Nye,
Head of Important Indnstries.
The late Alfred Nye Mayo, who was a
man of enterprise and worth, closely
allied with many of the leading industries
of various cities of the State of Massachu-
setts, of which he was a native, traced his
lineage back many centuries, he having
been a worthy descendant of an honored
English family, the line of descent being
as follows :
(I) John Mayo, born in England, a uni-
versity graduate and a minister of the
gospel, who came to New England about
1638, and settled in Barnstable, Massa-
chusetts. In 1639 a teaching elder of the
church over which Rev. John Lothrop
was the settled pastor. He was admitted
a freeman in 1640, and was settled pastor
of the church at Eastham. In 1655 he was
called to the Second Church of Boston,
or what is now the Old South Church, as
its first pastor, he being followed by Dr.
Increase Mather, with whom he was long
associated. In 1673 he resigned the pas-
torate of the Second Church, and in 1676
died in Yarmouth, Massachusetts. His
wife, Tamsin, whom he married in Eng-
land, died in Yarmouth in 1682. Their
five children, born in England, were as
follows : Hannah, married Nathaniel Ba-
con, of Barnstable ; Samuel, a seafaring
man, long master of a vessel trading be-
tween Boston and Cape Cod ports, was
one of the early settlers of Oyster Bay,
Long Island, but later settled in Boston,
Massachusetts, where he died in 1663 ;
John (2), of further mention; Nathaniel,
who represented Eastham in the General
Court in 1660, and died in 1662, married
Hannah, daughter of Governor Thomas
Prence, of Plymouth Colony, and reared
a large family; Elizabeth, married Joseph
Howes, of Yarmouth.
(II) John (2) Mayo, son of Rev. John
(i) and Tamsin Mayo, was taken to East-
ham, with his father, but later returned
to Barnstable, where, as per town records,
he was living in 1672. He married Han-
nah Reycroft (perhaps this name is Le-
craft). They were the parents of nine
children: John, born December 15, 1652;
William, October 7, 1654; James, Octo-
ber 3, 1656; Samuel, August 2, 1658; Eli-
sha, November 7, 1661 ; Daniel, Janu-
ary 24, 1664; Nathaniel, April 2, 1667;
Thomas, June 24, 1670, died in infancy;
Thomas, of further mention.
(III) Thomas Mayo, son of John (2)
and Hannah (Reycroft) Mayo, was born
in Barnstable, Massachusetts, July 15,
1672. In 1695 he was residing in East-
ham, Massachusetts, and by wife Mary
had daughters, Mary, Mercy, Hannah,
and an only son Noah.
(IV) Noah Mayo, son of Thomas and
Mary Mayo, was living in Truro, Massa-
chusetts, at the time of his marriage to
Mary Cushing, that marriage occurring
some time during the period 1742-43.
They moved to Provincetown, Massachu-
setts, but his eldest child, Noah (2), was
born in Truro.
(V) Noah (2) Mayo, son of Noah (i)
and Mary (Cushing) Mayo, was born
about 1743-44. In 1764 he married Hope
Rich. They were the parents of seven
children: Noah, born in 1767, died in
Truro in 1809; Nehemiah Doane, born
1769, married Malatiah Rich; Thomas,
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
born 1772, married Sarah Rich ; Mary,
born 1774, married Zoheth Smith; John
(3), of further mention; Jane, born 1784,
married Moses Paine ; Samuel, born 1787,
married, in 1810, Tirzal Wiley, of Well-
fleet.
(VI) Captain John (3) Mayo, son of
Noah (2) and Hope (Rich) Mayo, was born
in 1776, at either Truro or Provincetown,
Massachusetts, authorities conflicting. He
early began following the sea, and during
the second war with Great Britain was a
successful blockade runner. Later he re-
tired from the sea, although he was a cap-
tain for many years, and settled on a farm
in Truro, where he died, aged about
eighty years. In 1798 he married Hannah
Rich, who lived to the great age of ninety-
six years. They were the parents of
seven children : John, Alfred, Timothy,
Amaziah, of further mention ; Susan, mar-
ried an Atwood, of Truro; Hannah, and
Noah.
(VII) Amaziah Mayo, son of Captain
John (3) and Hannah (Rich) Mayo, was
born in Truro, Massachusetts, June 4,
1812, and died in Springfield, Massachu-
setts, January 8, 1892. He was educated
in the public schools and in Wilbraham
Academy, later serving a four years' ap-
prenticeship at the carpenter's trade. He
became a building contractor before he
was thirty, and in 1842 located in Spring-
field, Massachusetts, where he erected
many high-class residences and public
buildings. Among the latter class may be
named the William Rice Library build-
ing, State Street Methodist Episcopal
Church, Springfield High School, and
other school buildings, also the Woman's
Reformatory at Sherborn. He owned con-
siderable real estate in Ward I, which he
laid out in streets, also improving that
section by the erection of many resi-
dences. He gave particular attention to
the development of North Chestnut street,
he owning considerable property thereon.
He was a Republican in politics, and a
member of the Methodist Episcopal
church.
Amaziah Mayo married, April 16, 1843,
Hester A. R. (Nye) Mayo, widow of his
brother Alfred, a sea captain who was lost
at sea. Mrs. Mayo was born in Chatham,
Massachusetts, August 14, 1820, daughter
of Isaiah and Keziah (Rider) Nye. Isaiah
Nye in his early years was a merchant of
Chatham, and later was a United States
deputy collector of customs and registers
of deeds. He and his wife were members
of the Methodist Episcopal church. They
were the parents of a son and six daugh-
ters, Hester A. R. Mayo being the last
survivor. Isaiah Nye died in May, 1835,
his wife the following September. Mr.
and Mrs. Amaziah Mayo were the par-
ents of three sons : Alfred Nye, of fur-
ther mention ; Amaziah (2), born in 1846,
a brick manufacturer of Springfield,
married Sarah White, of New Hamp-
shire; Charles Sumner, born in 1858, be-
came agent of the Merrimac Paper Mill,
at Laurence, Massachusetts, and moved
to that city ; all now deceased.
(VIII) Alfred Nye Mayo, son of Ama-
ziah and Hester A. R. (Nye-Mayo)
Mayo, was born in Springfield, Massachu-
setts, March 19, 1844, and died June 26,
1912. He left school at the age of
eighteen to enlist in the Union army, serv-
ing about one year, receiving an honor-
able discharge in 1863. Upon his return
to Springfield in 1863, he entered the em-
ploy of Smith & Dickinson, dealers in
paper stocks. Three years later Mr. Mayo
bought Mr. Smith's interest, and for fif-
teen years was a partner in that business.
He then organized the firm, A. N. Mayo &
Company, a firm of which he was long the
active managing head. He was also pres-
ident of the Dexter P. Lilley Company, of
Indian Orchard ; president of the Spring-
THTwi^r
PUBLIC
. ST ai,
A&iur
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
field Brick Company ; president of the
Standard Brick Company, of Springfield ;
president of the Fisk Rubber Company, of
Chicopee Falls; treasurer of the Knox
Automobile Company, of Springfield ; di-
rector of the Union Trust Company of
Springfield ; attendant of the First Congre-
gational Church, and member of the parish
committee ; trustee of the Wesson Me-
morial Hospital. He was long a member
of E. K. Wilcox Post, Grand Army of the
Republic, and of the Nayasset Club and
Springfield Country Club.
Alfred Nye Mayo married, December
21, 1870, Julia Billings, of Springfield,
daughter of Horace E. Billings, son of
Solomon Billings, son of John and Eunice
(Cooley) Billings. Mrs. Mayo died June
6, 1915. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred
Nye Mayo: Alice Billings, born in March,
1872, married Harry G. Fiske, whose
sketch follows ; Ada Frances, born May
13, 1874, married Edward Owen Sutton,
whose sketch also follows : Emily Steb-
bins, born October, 1881, married Rev.
William P. Schell, of Harrisburg, New
'York, now of New York City.
FISK, Harry George,
Manufacturer, Man of Affairs.
In Springfield, Massachusetts, the name
Fisk has long been an honored one,
George C. Fisk, Lucius I. Fisk, and Noyes
W. Fisk being men of the highest grade
and official heads of important enter-
prises. They were sons of Thomas Trow-
bridge Fisk, a farmer and business man
of Hinsdale, New Hampshire. A new
generation is now upholding the honor
and prestige of the family name, and con-
ducting the affairs of the corporations
which these three Fisk brothers founded
and developed. One of these men of the
present day, Harry George Fisk, treas-
urer of the Fisk Rubber Company, located
at Chicopee Falls, is one of the well
known and prominent business men of
Springfield. His line of ancestry is as
follows :
(I) Lord Symond Fiske, grandson of
Daniel Fisc, was Lord of the Manor of
Standhaugh, Parish of Laxfield, County
of Suffolk, England, lived in the reigns of
Henry IV. and VI. (1399-1422). He mar-
ried Susannah Smyth, and after her death
he had wife Katherine. Symond Fiske, of
Laxfield, will dated December 22, 1463,
proved at Norwich, February 26, 1463-64,
died in February, 1464. He was survived
by five children : William, Jeffrey, John,
Edmund, and Margaret.
(II) William Fiske, eldest son of Sy-
mond Fiske, born in Standhaugh, County
of Suffolk, England, lived in the reigns of
Henry VI., Edward IV., Richard III., and
Henry VII. He died about 1504, and was
survived by his wife, Joan (Lyme) Fiske,
who died in 1505, and left seven children:
William, Augustine, Simon, Robert, John,
Margery, and Margaret.
(III) Simon Fiske, son of William and
Joan (Lyme) Fiske, was born in Lax-
field, England, date unknown. He mar-
ried Elizabeth , who died in Hales-
worth, June, 1558. In his will made July
10, 1536, he desired to be buried at the
chancel end of the Church of All Saints,
in Laxfield. He died in the town in June,
1538, leaving (living or dead) ten chil-
dren : Simon, William, Robert, Joan,
Jeffrey, Gelyne, Agnes, Thomas, Eliza-
beth, and John.
(IV) Simon (2) Fiske, son of Simon
(i) and Elizabeth Fiske, was born in
Laxfield, England. The name of his wife
and date of his marriage are not known.
He died in 1605. His children were:
Robert, John, George, Nicholas, Jeffrey,
William, Richard, Joan, Gelyne, Agnes.
(V) Robert Fiske, son of Simon (2)
Fiske, was born in Sandhaugh, England,
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
about 1525. He married Mrs. Sybil
(Gould) Barber. For some time he was
of the Parish of St. James, South Elm-
ham, England. His wife was in great
danger in the time of the religious persecu-
tion, 1553-58, as was her sister Isabella,
originally Gould, who was confined in the
Castle of Norwich, and escaped death
only by the power of her brothers, who
were men of great influence in the county.
Robert Fiske fled from religious persecu-
tion in the days of Queen Mary to Gen-
eva, but returned later and died in St.
James in 1600. His sons were: William,
Jeffrey, Thomas, and Eleazer. The latter
had no issue, but the progeny of the other
three sons, in whole or in part, settled in
New England. Besides these sons there
was a daughter Elizabeth, who married
Robert Bernhard ; their daughter married
a Mr. Locke, and was the mother of the
celebrated John Locke, the English phi-
losopher.
(VI) William (2) Fiske, eldest child
of Robert and Sybil (Gould-Barber)
Fiske, was born in Laxfield, England, in
1566. He married Anna Austye, daughter
of Walter Austye, of Fibbenham, Long
Row, in Norfolk, England. After her
death he married Alice . He is de-
scribed as of St. James in South Elmham,
and it is said of him that he fled with his
father from religious persecution. He
died in 1623. Children by his first wife :
John, Nathaniel, Eleazer, Eunice, Han-
nah, Esther (sometimes called Hester).
The youngest child, Mary, seems to have
been of the second wife.
(VII) Nathaniel Fiske, second son of
William (2) and Anna (Austye) Fiske,
was born in Ditchingham, England, and
resided in Weybred. He married Alice
(Henel) Leman. Children: Nathaniel
and Sarah.
(VIII) Nathaniel (2) Fiske, son of Na-
thaniel (i) and Alice (Henel-Leman)
Fiske, was born in Weybred, England.
There is a tradition in the family that he
died on the passage to New England. He
married Dorothy Symonds, daughter of
John Symonds, of Wendham. Children :
John, Nathan, Esther, Martha.
(IX) Nathan Fisk, son of Nathaniel
(2) and Dorothy (Symonds) Fiske, and
the American ancestor, was born in 1615,
and died in Watertown, Massachusetts,
June 21, 1676. He settled in Watertown
as early as 1642, his home lot being on the
north side of the Sudbury road. He was
admitted a freeman, May 10, 1643, ar >d
was selectman in 1673. The maiden name
of his wife, Susannah, is unknown. Chil-
dren: Nathan, John, David, Nathaniel,
Sarah.
(X) Nathaniel (3) Fisk, son of Nathan
and Susannah Fisk, was born in Water-
town, Massachusetts, July 12, 1653, died
there in September, 1735. He was a
weaver. He married a Mrs. Mary (War-
ren) Child, born November 29, 1651,
daughter of Daniel Warren, of Water-
town, and widow of John Child. Chil-
dren: Nathaniel, Hannah, John, Sarah,'
Lydia, Mary, Elizabeth, Abigail.
(XI) John Fisk, son of Nathaniel (3)
and Mary (Warren-Child) Fisk, was born
in Watertown, Massachusetts, March 17,
1682, died in Sherburne, May 8, 1730. He
married, in Sherburne, July 31, 1706, Ly-
dia Adams, daughter of Moses and Lydia
(Whitney) Adams. Children : John,
Lydia, Isaac, Daniel, Lydia, Peter, Abi-
gail, Nathaniel.
(XII) Isaac Fisk, son of John and
Lydia (Adams) Fisk, was born in Sher-
burne, Massachusetts, April 24, 1714, died
December 22, 1799. He was a skilled
weaver, residing in Worcester, and later
in Framingham. He married Hannah
Haven, daughter of Richard and Lydia
(Whitney) Haven, of Framingham. She
died February 21, 1800. Children: Isaac,
EXCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Hannah, John, Richard, Daniel, Moses,
Lydia, Moses.
'(XIII) Hon. John (2) Fisk, son of
Isaac and Hannah (Haven) Fisk, was born
in Framingham, Massachusetts, in 1741,
always made Framingham his home, and
there died December 17, 1819. He lived
near the Isaac Warren place on the Silk
Farm, and built the house of Rufus
Brewer. For years he was justice of the
peace, for twelve years was a selectman,
and for six years represented his town in
the Massachusetts Legislature. He mar-
ried Abigail Howe, born in 1752, died in
April, 1829. Children : Nat, Thomas,
Sally, John Boyle, Susanna, Sally, Ed-
ward, Nancy, William, George.
(XIV) Thomas Fisk, second son of
Hon. John (2) and Abigail (Howe) Fisk,
was born in Framingham, Massachusetts,
March 22, 1/74, and died in Chesterfield,
Massachusetts, July 25, 1861. He was left
totally deaf and dumb by an attack of
scarlet fever at the age of two years, and
never regained hearing or speech. Yet he
acquired an education, and was a success-
ful farmer of Chesterfield, New Hamp-
shire. At the age of fifty years he was
admitted to the school for deaf mutes in
Hartford, Connecticut, for the term of one
year. He made rapid progress and ac-
quired knowledge that was of great use to
him during the remaining years of his
life. He married, in Westmoreland, New
Hampshire, Lucinda Trowbridge, of Pom-
fret, Connecticut, born in 1782, died April
14, 1869. They were the parents of two
sons, Thomas Trowbridge, of further
mention ; and John B., who inherited the
home farm in Chesterfield. His daugh-
ters were : Lucinda D. and Mary Ann.
(XV) Thomas Trowbridge Fisk, son
of Thomas and Lucinda (Trowbridge)
Fisk, was born in Chesterfield, New
Hampshire, November 27, 1806, and died
in Hinsdale, New Hampshire, June 17,
1861. He grew up on the farm, and later
became a farmer on his own account, and
also conducted an express and trucking
business, and later with his son, Lucius
I., began the manufacture of soap in a
small way. Later this became his main
business and he developed it to large pro-
portions. He married Emily H. Hildreth,
born in Chesterfield, November 28, 1806,
died in Hinsdale, January 6, 1849, both
she and her husband being buried in Pine
Grove Cemetery there. She was a woman
of strong character, deeply devoted to her
family. Mr. and Mrs. Fisk were the par-
ents of three sons: i. George C., who
was president of the Wason Car Com-
pany, married Maria Ripley. 2. Lucius
I., born in 1833, died in Springfield, Au-
gust 18, 1880; engaged with his brothers
in the manufacture of soap ; married Eva-
line E. Raymond. 3. Noyes W., of fur-
ther mention.
(XVI) Noyes W. Fisk, youngest son
of Thomas Trowbridge and Emily H.
(Hildreth) Fisk, was born in Hinsdale,
New Hampshire, May 15, 1839, died Jan-
uary 21, 1901. When thirteen years of
age he entered the general store of Fred-
eric Hunt, in Hinsdale, as a clerk, remain-
ing there four years. The next two years,
1856-1858, he was employed in Northamp-
ton as bookkeeper for Thayer & Sargent,
going thence to Springfield, Massachu-
setts, as bookkeeper for E. B. Haskell &
Sons, grocers. In 1862, he enlisted in
Company A, Forty-sixth Regiment, Mas-
sachusetts Volunteer Infantry, and after
serving out his term of enlistment was
honorably discharged. He returned to
Springfield and there engaged in business
as a grocer and provision dealer, continu-
ing until 1867, when he began the manu-
facture of lampblack. Soon after begin-
ning the latter business his building at the
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
corner of Chestnut and Ringold streets
was destroyed by fire. The following
year, 1868, he entered into a partnership
with his brothers, George C., and Lucius
I., in the manufacture of soap, and until
1880, they continued as a firm. In that
year Lucius I. Fisk died and the business
was incorporated as The Fisk Manufac-
turing Company, George C. Fisk, presi-
dent, Noyes W. Fisk, clerk and treasurer.
The company became the largest manu-
facturers of soap in New England, and
ranked among the largest in the United
States. Noyes W. Fisk continued active
in business until his death, being one of
the organizers of the Fisk Rubber Com-
pany ; a director of the Chicopee National
Bank; Springfield Wood- Working Com-
pany, and the Hampden Paint Works. He
was a man of diversified tastes and inter-
ests, and outside the business world was
well known and very popular. He was a
trustee of the School of Christian Work-
ers ; director of the Masonic Mutual In-
surance Company ; member of the Win-
throp and Nayasset clubs, was affiliated
with lodge, chapter, and commandery of
the York Rite of the Masonic order, and
had also attained the thirty-second degree
in the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite.
He was also a member of the Grand Army
of the Republic, and of Memorial Congre-
gational Church. He loved animals,
horses and dogs particularly, and owned
some very fine horses. He was intensely
public-spirited, represented Ward I in
Common Council for seven years, and for
ten years was a member of the Board of
Water Commissioners. He was loyal in
his friendships, and just and generous in
all his intercourse with men, and a man
genuinely respected.
Noyes W. Fisk married, August 25,
1862, Emmeline G. Adams, of Hinsdale,
New Hampshire, daughter of Oliver and
Fanny (Stearns) Adams. They were the
parents of an only son, Harry George, of
further mention, and of an only daughter,
who died in infancy.
(XVII) Harry George Fisk, only son
of Noyes W. and Emmeline G. (Adams)
Fisk, was born in Springfield, Massachu-
setts, May 5, 1873. He was graduated
from the Springfield High School, class of
1892, and later the Massachusetts Insti-
tue of Technology, class of 1896. He then
became associated with the Davis Electri-
cal Works in Springfield, and continued
with that company until the fall of 1899,
when, with others, he organized The Fisk
Rubber Company, of which Noyes W.
Fisk, his father, was the first president,
and Harry G. Fisk, treasurer. The com-
pany purchased the Spaulding & Pepper
plant at Chicopee Falls and began busi-
ness. Here they continued some years,
then built the present Fisk plant, which,
although it occupies the same site, is
greatly enlarged, being one of the largest
and most complete manufacturing plants
in the United States, the acme of perfec-
tion in industrial architecture. The com-
pany employ several thousand hands and
ship rubber goods to all parts of the
world, though they are best known as
manufacturers of automobile tires, their
annual output in this line going far into
the millions. The name Fisk has become
a sure guarantee of high quality for these
goods, their aim being to make the best
automobile tire on the market. The gen-
eral office structure of this immense plant
is one of the finest in the country. Each
of the officers has an office commensurate
with the importance of his position in this
gigantic business. Yet, imposing as are
the executive headquarters, it is for the
comfort of its employees that the greatest
care and attention have been given. All
of its manufacturing departments are as
8
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
light and airy as scientific construction
can make them, and every precaution has
been taken for the health and welfare of
the workers and the efficiency of their
work. In fact, nothing has been left un-
done to make this the most up-to-date
plant in the country. During the entire
history of the Fisk Rubber Company,
1899-1919, although there have been sev-
eral reorganizations, Mr. Harry G. Fisk
has held the treasurer's office continu-
ously.
The Fisk Manufacturing Company, an-
other large concern in which Mr. Fisk has
been interested, was incorporated by the
Fisk brothers in 1880, and this became a
prosperous soap manufacturing concern,
Harry G. Fisk succeeding his uncle,
George C. Fisk, as president. He con-
tinued executive head of that corporation
until its sale (1919) to the American Tex-
tile Soap Company, of which Mr. Fisk is a
director. He is president of the Knox
Motor Company; president of the Spring-
field Brick Company ; treasurer of the
Federal Rubber Company, which is con-
trolled by the Fisk Rubber Company ; was
treasurer and one of the owners of the
Steere Organ Company ; director of the
Union Trust Company, also of the Mas-
sachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Com-
pany ; and an organizer and a director of
the Eastern States Exposition Company.
Like his uncle, George C. Fisk, he is an
enthusiastic breeder of blooded cattle, his
preference being for Guernseys, and at his
stock farm, "Watchuette," at East Long-
meadow, he has a fine herd.
During the time the United States was
engaged in the World War, Mr. Fisk was
chairman of the Springfield Food Conser-
vation Committee, took an active part in
public safety movements, and warmly
championed the various Liberty Loan and
other "drives" of the war peried, serving
as chairman of the executive board, dis-
trict No. I. He is a Republican in poli-
tics, member of the Springfield Chamber
of Commerce, Rotary Club, Springfield
Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, Morn-
ing Star Chapter, Royal Arch Masons,
and Springfield Commandery, Knights
Templar. He is also president of the Col-
ony Club, the most select club of Massa-
chusetts if not in the United States, and
member of the Nayasset and Country
clubs, of Springfield, the Union League,
of New York, the Athletic Club, of
Boston, and the South Congregational
Church.
Mr. Fisk married, January 24, 1900,
Alice Billings Mayo, of Springfield, daugh-
ter of Alfred Nye and Julia (Billings)
Mayo. Mr. and Mrs. Fisk are the par-
ents of two sons and two daughters : Julia
Mayo, born March 15, 1903; Noyes Mayo,
born February 16, 1907; Charlotte Mayo,
born February 9, 1909, died in infancy;
Alfred Mayo, born March 16, 1910.
SUTTON, Edward Owen,
Official of Knox Motor Company.
This branch of the Sutton family is de-
scended from Joseph Sutton, whose father,
John Sutton, was of Lincolnshire, Eng-
land. Prior to his coming to Massachu-
setts, Joseph Sutton resided on Long
Island, thence moved to Port Chester,
New York, founding the family of which
Edward Owen Sutton, of the sixth gen-
eration, is representative. In England the
Suttons are traced to a Robert Sutton,
who in 1506 was a high sheriff. The coat-
of-arms of the family is as follows :
Anns Argent on a chevron between three an-
nulets gules as many crescents or.
Crest Head couped ermine, collared gules, gar-
nished and ringed or, on the collar three annulets
of the last.
Motto Fidelis usque ad mortem.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
(I) Joseph Sutton, son of John Sutton,
was born in 1685, and died aged eighty
years. He married Mary Sands, and they
were the parents of nine children : Joseph,
of North Castle, died aged eighty years,
married Deborah Haight, of Chappaqua ;
Caleb, died aged eighty years, married
Abby Pell ; James, of Croton Valley, mar-
ried Elizabeth Brown ; William, of Cro-
ton Valley, died aged eighty-six years,
married Dorcas Clapp ; Richardson, of
further mention ; Abby, married Robert
Field; Mary, married Samuel Palmer;
Sophia; Jerusha, married Benjamin Field.
(II) Richardson Sutton, fifth child of
Joseph and Mary (Sands) Sutton, was
born in Croton Valley, Westchester
county, New York, July II, 1732, died
July n, 17/6. He married Elizabeth
Quimby, and they were the parents of
eleven children: Esther, born March 15,
1752, married Joseph Totten ; Moses, born
March 15, 1756, married Rebecca Under-
bill ; Daniel, born May 22, 1758, married
Phoebe Hulsted ; Deborah, born Tune 17,
1760, married Zopher Griffin; Robert, of
further mention ; Samuel, born January
22, 1764, married Sarah Underbill, daugh-
ter of Abraham Underbill ; Phoebe, born
August 27, 1765 ; Mary, born March 7,
1767; Jerusha, born September 2, 1768;
Abigail, born December 12, 1770, married
Benjamin Underbill ; Frances, born De-
cember 13, 1772.
(III) Robert Sutton, fifth child of Rich-
ardson and Elizabeth (Quimby) Sutton,
was born April 5, 1762. He married Sarah
Underbill, born in 1771, died in 1840.
They are the parents of nine children :
Phoebe, Mary, Thomas, Deborah, Gula,
married John Mott ; Abbey, married a Mr.
Carpenter ; Lydia, married Walter Haight ;
Leonard and Jane.
(IV) Leonard Sutton, son of Robert
and Sarah (Underbill) Sutton, was born
in Yorktown, New York, and died in
Bedford, New York, in 1890. He married
Lydia J. Haviland, of Quaker Hill, New
York, born 1814, died 1885.
(V) George Haviland Sutton, son of
Leonard and Lydia J. (Haviland) Sutton,
was born in 1839, and died in Springfield,
Massachusetts, in August, 1913. After
preparation in public and private schools,
he entered Union College (now Univer-
sity), Schenectady, New York, and was
there graduated in 1865. After gradua-
tion he taught school in Madison (Con-
necticut) Seminary, and later was asso-
ciated with N. W. Harris & Company,
investment brokers of New York City.
Later Mr. Sutton located in New Haven,
Connecticut, where for a number of years
he was engaged in the insurance business.
Later he became a manager of agencies
with the Mutual Life Insurance Company
of New York, located in Springfield, Mas-
sachusetts. He retired from business in
1899. Mr. Sutton was a man of social,
friendly nature, and greatly beloved. He
was deeply interested in the cause of edu-
cation and accomplished a great deal to-
ward its advancement. He married, in
1866, Mary Elizabeth Owen, who died in
1891.
(VI) Edward Owen Sutton, son ot
George Haviland and Mary Elizabeth
(Owen) Sutton, was born in Bedford,
New York, August 8, 1871, but when very
young his parents moved to New Haven,
Connecticut. There he prepared in the
public schools, finishing in high school in
Massachusetts, then entered Sheffield
Scientific School, Yale University, whence
he was graduated, class of 1891. After
graduation from Yale, Mr. Sutton entered
the service of the Mutual Life Insurance
Company, of New York, in Springfield, of
which he finally became manager. He
later resigned and became a member of
the firm of Sutton, Allis & Richards, gen-
eral agents for the Massachusetts Mutual
10
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Life Insurance Company, of Springfield,
Massachusetts. He continued in the in-
surance business for twenty years, 1891-
1911, then became indentified with the
Knox Motor Company, as director and
treasurer, and this association has con-
tinued until the present (1921). While in
the insurance business as head of Sutton,
Allis & Richards, Mr. Sutton was presi-
dent of the Life Underwriters' Associa-
tion of Western Massachusetts, and chair-
man of the finance committee of the
National Association of Life Underwriters.
He was also director, trustee, and presi-
dent of the Union Relief Association, and
also treasurer of the Wesson Memorial
Hospital for fifteen years. He is a mem-
ber of Springfield Lodge, Free and Ac-
cepted Masons, the Colony and Spring-
field Country clubs, and his religious
affiliation is with the South Congrega-
tional Church.
Mr. Sutton married, May 13, 1902, Ada
Frances Mayo, of Springfield, daughter of
Alfred Nye and Julia (Billings) Mayo.
(See Mayo VIII.). Mr. and Mrs. Sut-
ton are the parents of four children :
Emily Mayo, born September 6, 1904;
Alfred Mayo, born January 10, 1906;
Owen Mayo, born September 26, 1908;
Haviland Mayo, born October 2, 1912.
BIRNIE, William Perkins,
Head of Biraie Paper Company.
This name is rare in the genealogical
records of the United States, the family
herein reveiwed being probably the only
Birnie family in New England, though a
widely scattered but not numerous fam-
ily, spelling the name Birnie, is found in
various states.
(I) The ancestor in the line of William
Perkins Birnie, president of the Birnie
Paper Company, of Springfield, Massa-
chusetts, is his grandfather, George Bir-
nie. who was born in Aberdeenshire, Scot-
land, came to the United States in 1827,
and died in Morristown, New Jersey, in
August, 1828. George Birnie was a con-
tracting stone mason in Scotland, and
after coming to the United States to join
his son George, he settled in Morristown,
having secured a contract for stone con-
struction on the then building Morris and
Essex canal. A year later he died, leaving
the execution of his contract to his son,
Alexander, a young man of twenty-five
years. George Birnie married Ann Iniry,
in Scotland, and they were the parents of
twelve children, seven of whom grew to
mature years: i. George, the first of the
family in the United States. 2. Alexan-
der, born in Porto Bello, Scotland, asso-
ciated with his father in business. 3.
Euphemia, married William Ross, and re-
sided in Batavia, New York. 4. Joseph.
5. Catherine, married (first) Alexander
Ross, (second) George Robb, of Genesee,
Wisconsin. 6. Ann, married William
Lemon, of Oxford, Ontario, Canada. 7.
William, of further mention. Mrs. Ann
Birnie survived her husband and died in
1840.
(II) William Birnie, youngest son of
George and Ann (Inery) Birnie, was born
in Porto Bello, Scotland, November n,
1818, and died in Springfield, Massachu-
setts, December 2, 1889. He was nine
years of age when brought to the United
States by his parents, and in Morristown,
New Jersey, and New York City, he at-
tended the public schools. In due season
he learned the stone cutter's trade, became
an expert workman, and in after life would
point with pride to certain capstones and
capitals he had cut. After leaving New
York City, he became associated with his
brother Alexander, becoming his general
outside manager on the important con-
tracts he had taken after completing the
stonework on the Morris and Essex canal
ii
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
from the Delaware river to tide water at
Newark, New Jersey. While yet asso-
ciated with this brother, William Birnie
executed the first independent contract he
had ever taken, doing work in Chester,
Massachusetts, which netted him $1,000.
While engaged on that contract he be-
came acquainted with Azariah Boody,
Daniel L. Harris, and Anasa Stone, men
with whom he later held close and im-
portant relations, joining with them in
1842 in handling the Howes Truss Bridge
patent. This firm built nearly all the
bridges on the Richmond & Danville rail-
road in Virginia, the Providence & Ston-
ington railroad in Rhode Island, and the
Harlem River railroad in New York, Mr.
Birnie doing the mason work. He also
built the water shops and raceway, and
laid the foundations of the United States
Armory at Springfield, Massachusetts.
With D. D. Warren and Willis Phelps he
built eight miles of the Springfield & New
London railroad, and with others did the
bridge work at Northfield and other
places on the Vermont Central, and the
Vermont & Massachusetts lines. He was
also connected with other noted builders
of his day in Western railroad construc-
tion, and several men who later became
prominent contractors gained their experi-
ence under William Birnie. To Harris &
Birnie in close competition with other
builders, The Philadelphia-Wilmington &
Baltimore Railroad Company awarded
the contract for the great bridge across
the Susquehanna at Havre de Grace, but
later the company became alarmed at the
magnitude of that undertaking and paid
Harris & Birnie $5,000, and all expenses
already incurred, to stop work. Harris
& Birnie built the Agawam foundry on
Liberty street, Springfield, now occupied
by the Springfield Foundry Company.
They also built the stone' arch and canal
at the water shops. With Dr. Josiah B.
Weston, Mr. Birnie bought the govern-
ment property on Mill river, now owned
by the Springfield Waste Company. Bir-
nie & Weston also owned the Nayasset
Paper Company, which they later sold to
the New Hampshire Paper Company.
After his practical retirement from the
contracting field, Mr. Birnie was for a
time interested in shoe manufacturing,
and from 1855 until 1865 he devoted much
of his time to cattle raising at his North
Chestnut street farm, specializing in Ayr-
shires, gaining a national reputation. He
was then a member of the Massachusetts
State Board of Agriculture, and actively
identified with the Hampden County Ag-
ricultural Society. As an expert in Ayr-
shire cattle, he was chosen one of the
judges at the cattle show at the Centen-
nial Exposition, held in Philadelphia, in
1876. He later began as financial man-
ager of the firm, Goodhue & Birnie, con-
tractors, his first contract with Mr. Good-
hue involving the putting up of a $100,000
bond for the faithful execution of a con-
tract with the city of St. Albans, Ver-
mont. This firm specialized in the con-
struction and installation of water-works
systems, and so well known were they
that they performed that service for sixty
cities and towns and did a part of the
work in twenty others. Thomas N.
Birnie, a son of William Birnie, was asso-
ciated with the firm of Goodhue & Birnie,
which operated as far South as Jackson-
ville, Florida, West to Streater, Illinois,
and all through the New England States.
Mr. Birnie continued active in the busi-
ness until his death, the last years of his
life being very successful, pleasant ones.
He built about twenty houses upon his
land at Brightwood, a suburb of Spring-
field, and owned considerable farm and
city property.
Mr. Birnie cast his first presidential
vote in 1840 for William Henry Harri-
12
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
son, and his late vote in 1888 for Benja-
min Harrison, he having gone from the
Whig to the Republican party upon the
formation of the latter. In 1857 he was a
member of Springfield Common Council,
and again in 1860. In November, 1862,
he made a trip to the Massachusetts
troops at the front, and despite many
obstacles gave the men a genuine Thanks-
giving dinner for which he was held in
grateful remembrance. He was a man of
strong religious convictions, and was an
attendant at the services of the First Con-
gregational Church for many years, but
later attended South Church. He was a
man of most genial, friendly nature, true
as steel, upright and honorable to a fault,
and highly esteemed.
William Birnie married (first), Febru-
ary 4, 1841, Sarah L. Perkins, born in
Becket, Massachusetts, September 8, 1822,
died January 12, 1850, daughter of Ori-
gen Augustus Perkins, of Becket. They
were the parents of four sons: i. George
Augustus, died young. 2. Henry Champ-
lin, died young. 3. Charles Alexander,
lives in Virginia. 4. William Perkins, of
further mention. Mr. Birnie married
(second) Martha Noyes Perkins, born in
Salem, Connecticut, December 22, 1825,
died October 15, 1871, daughter of Henry
Perkins, of Lyme, Connecticut. They
were the parents of seven children: I.
Henry Perkins, died young. 2. Thomas
Noyes, died February 26, 1906. 3. Sarah
Perkins, twin with Thomas N., born Sep-
tember 19, 1854, resided in Springfield
until her death. 4. Douglas Putnam, mar-
ried Lucia L. Meigs, and resides in Wash-
ington, D. C. 5. Alfred, born in Spring-
field, March 13, 1858, died January 26,
1909 ; was a paper manufacturer, long as-
sociated with his brother, William P., in
the Birnie Paper Company; he married
Louise E. Burke, of Springfield. 6. Don-
ald, deceased, married Minnie I. Jobson,
and resided in Springfield ; one son, Ed-
mund J., now in Yale College ; during the
World War joined the Royal Air Force.
7. Walter, a sketch of whom follows. Mr.
Birnie married (third) Harriet Stowe
Chapin, born February 8, 1808, daughter
of Marvin and Rebecca (Stowe) Chapin,
now deceased. They were the parents of
three children: I. Grace Chapin, married
Carl L. Stebbins, and resides in Spring-
field. 2. Rebecca, a resident of Spring-
field. 3. Marvin Chapin, married Mabel
F. Galagar, and resides in Springfield.
(Ill) William Perkins Birnie, young-
est child of William and Sarah L. (Per-
kins) Birnie, was born in Becket, Mas-
sachusetts, December 24, 1849, the house
in which he was born being the first his
father owned. In 1852, his parents moved
to Springfield, Massachusetts, and in that
city yet resides. He was educated in the
Springfield schools and Massachusetts
State Agricultural College, his father
serving the last named institution as a
trustee. After completing his studies,
William P. Birnie went West as far as
Kansas, but soon returned to Springfield
where for two years he engaged in the
wholesale boot and shoe business under
the firm name, Hickson & Birnie. At the
end of that period he became associated
with his father in the construction and in-
stallation department of water systems for
cities and towns, and in railroad construc-
tion. For five years he remained with
Goodhtie & Birnie, his father's firm, then
formed a partnership with his brother
Alfred, and organized the Birnie Paper
Company, with offices in the Birnie busi-
ness block in Springfield, continuing until
the destruction of that block by fire in 1892.
The company then erected a new plant in
Brightwood, resumed business as a firm,
continuing until 1905, then incorporated
under the old name, The Birnie Paper
Company, William P. Birnie the first, and
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
yet (1920), the only president of the com-
pany, his brother, Alfred, treasurer and
general manager until his death. Mr.
Birnie, in addition to his duties as presi-
dent of the Birnie Paper Company, is a
director of the Springfield Water Com-
pany. Mr. Birnie is a Master Mason of
Rosewell Lee Lodge, Free and Accepted
Masons ; and has attained all degrees of
the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite up to
and including the thirty-second. He is
also a Noble of Melha Temple, Ancient
Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.
In politics he is a Republican, and is now
an attendant of the South Church.
On August 30, 1874, Mr. Birnie mar-
ried Mary W. Matthews, of New York,
who died January 10, 1915, daughter of
John and Ann (Maxfield) Matthews.
Children: I. Mary Louise, at home. 2.
John Matthews, born September 5, 1878;
a graduate of Williams College, A. B.,
1901, and Harvard Medical College, M.
D., 1906, and until 1917 a successful prac-
ticing physician of Springfield. When the
United States joined in the World War
and called for volunteer physicians, Dr.
Birnie offered his services, went into
training at Fort Ethan Allen, was in In-
dianapolis, Indiana, several months, then
went to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, thence to
camp in South Carolina, sailing for France
in July, 1918, and reached the battlefront
at Verdun. He rose in rank through suc-
cessive promotions to first lieutenant, to
captain, to major, and to lieutenant-col-
onel, being in charge of the sanitary de-
partment of four field hospitals and many
ambulances. He returned to his native
country in 1919, and is now (1921) m
practice in Springfield.
BIRNIE, Walter,
Financier, National Legislator.
Walter Birnie, son of William and
Martha Noyes (Perkins) Birnie (q.
v.), was born in Springfield, Massachu-
setts, October 5, 1871. He completed
public school courses in Springfield, and
attended Phillips Andover Academy and
Yale Scientific School of New Haven. He
later followed the paper business with the
Birnie Paper Company, and when the
same was incorporated he became secre-
tary and director of the corporation. Upon
the death of his brother Donald he suc-
ceeded him as assistant-treasurer, his pres-
ent position. Mr. Birnie is a member of
the advisory committee, and a director of
the Springfield Boys' Club, of which he
was president for three years ; member of
Springfield Lodge, Free and Accepted
Masons; the Colony and Country clubs,
Yale Alumni Association, Sons of the
American Revolution, South Congrega-
tional Church, and is a Republican in
politics.
Mr. Birnie married, April 18, 1900, Lo-
raine Field Hart, of Albion, New York,
daughter of Hon. E. Kirke and Louise
(Sanderson) Hart. Mr. and Mrs. Birnie
are the parents of two sons: Walter
Hart, born July 2, 1909; and William
Alfred Hart, born August 4, 1910.
E. Kirke Hart, father of Mrs. Birnie,
the only son of Elizurand Loraine (Field)
Hart, was born in Albion, Orleans county,
New York, April 8, 1841, and died at his
home on Main street in the same village,
February 18, 1893. He was educated in
the village public schools and in old Al-
bion Academy, his education of a prac-
tical business character, embracing a lib-
eral range of the sciences and the English
classics. He spent two years in Michigan
and Illinois, after finishing school, and for
a few months of that period was with the
forces of General Harney, employed
against the Mormons. He then returned
to Albion, and in February, 1860, became
bookkeeper of the Orleans County Bank.
He continued as bookkeeper until 1865,
14
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
when the Orleans County National Bank
superceded the Orleans County Bank, E.
K. Hart then becoming teller of the new
bank, later becoming cashier, and as his
father's residuary legatee becoming the
principal stockholder and succeeding him
as president, a post he ably filled until
his death.
A Republican in politics, Mr. Hart gave
much time to the public service. In 1871,
he was elected assemblyman, serving in
the house on the committee of ways,
means and banks. He was the Demo-
cratic nominee for Congress from the dis-
trict composed of Orleans and Monroe
counties, and was elected and served on
committees on banking and currency, and
revision of the laws. In local affairs he
took a deep interest. He repeatedly
served as trustee of the village, was a
member of the Board of Education for a
number of years, and also commissioner
of Mt. Albion Cemetery. He also secured
for Albion the location of a House of
Refuge for Women.
Mr. Hart married, June 10, 1863, Louise
Sanderson, of Alton, Illinois. Children:
Charles E. ; E. Kirke (2) ; Emma ; Loraine
Field, wife of Walter Birnie, of Spring-
field ; and Louise Sanderson Hart.
BIRNIE, William Adams,
Retired Head of Important Business.
William Adams Birnie, of Middlefield
and Springfield, Massachusetts, son of
Alexander Birnie, is a representative of
an old Scotch family.
Alexander Birnie, son of George
and Ann (Inery) Birnie (q. v.), was born
in Short Hills, near Aberdeenshire, Scot-,
land, in 1803, and there resided until 1827,
in the meantime acquiring a practical edu-
cation and serving an apprenticeship at
the trade of stone cutter. In the latter-
named year he accompanied his parents to
this country, locating with them in Morris
county, New Jersey, where he completed
a contract assumed by his father and him-
self. He then began an independent
career as a contractor, his first work being
the building of the Boston & Providence
railroad, and this was followed by the
building of a bridge across the Passaic
river. In 1832 he took up his residence in
Berkshire county, Massachusetts, where
he continued his contracting operations,
building a section of the Western railroad
(now the Boston & Albany), his contract
being the section between Chester and
Washington. In 1842 he moved to New
York State, purchased an estate at Hast-
ings-on-the-Hudson, and erected a stone
mansion in which he resided for two dec-
ades. After disposing of this property,
he purchased the adjoining estate and
thereon erected a brick mansion and be-
gan the beautifying of the grounds, his
plans including an artificial fish pond.
While holding a drill which was being
used to make a hole for blasting the rock,
a hammer, weighing thirteen pounds,
which was being used by the man striking
the drill, broke and flew, striking him a
blow from which he died two days later,
August 13, 1858, thus cutting off a pros-
perous and successful business career.
During his residence in Scotland, he affili-
ated with the Masonic order.
He married, in 1836, Mary Spring
Adams, who was born in Providence,
Rhode Island, in 1807, and died in Lud-
low, Massachusetts, aged seventy-five
years, daughter of Joel and Azubah
(Whitney) Adams, of Providence, Rhode
Island, her parents natives of Worcester
county, Massachusetts. Seven children
were born to Mr. and Mrs. Birnie, as fol-
lows : i. George, died in childhood. 2.
Alexander, Jr., died in childhood. 3.
Mary Ann, deceased, who was the wife of
James Haviland, of Ludlow, Massachu-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
setts 4. George Alexander, born May
29, 1842, married (first) Julia W. Carroll,
(second) Ellen Bowen. 5. Sarah Eu-
phemia, deceased, who was the wife of
Andrew Bryant. 6. William Adams, see
following paragraph. 7. Catherine, de-
ceased, who was the wife of Charles A.
Dresser, of New York City, New York.
William Adams Birnie, fourth son of
Alexander and Mary Spring (Adams)
Birnie, was born at Hastings-on-the-
Hudson. He attended the schools
of Hastings, Tarrytown, Yonkers, all in
Xew York State, and completed his stud-
ies by a course in the New York Univer-
sity. Following in the footsteps of his
grandfather and father, he learned the
trade of stone mason, and throughout his
active career has been identified with
stone construction work, in which he
achieved success. He is now retired from
active business pursuits, and spends much
of his time on his country estate in Mid-
dlefield, Massachusetts, from which is ob-
tainable one of the most beautiful views
in the Berkshire Mountains. Mr. Birnie
is a member of the Order of Free and Ac-
cepted Masons.
Mr. Birnie married, 1915, Annie E. Ful-
ler, born in Springfield, Massachusetts,
daughter of Charles and Saphronia K.
Fuller.
BIRNIE, Alexander Cullen,
Man of Enterprise.
George Alexander Birnie, the first
son of Alexander and Mary Spring
(Adams) Birnie (q. v.), to reach mature
years, and father of the subject of this
sketch, was born in Becket, Massachusetts,
May 29, 1842. He was an infant in arms
when his parents moved to Hastings,
New York State, and there his youth was
passed. He attended Hastings schools, a
private school at Longmeadow, Massa-
chusetts, and a school in New York City.
He obtained his first position with C. L.
Cole, lumberman of Springfield, whom he
served as clerk for two years, then occu-
pied similar positions with Bemis & Call,
hardware dealers. He next began busi-
ness for himself as a manufacturer of
shoes in company with J. R. Hixon, they
operating as Hixon & Birnie for two
years. Mr. Birnie then retired from the
firm, and for eighteen months was in the
grain business with his brother, William
A. Birnie. His next position was fore-
man of a gang of men engaged in building
the acqueduct for Springfield's water sup-
ply, later he served as traveling salesman
for Peck & Baker, continuing until his
health gave way. He then located in Lud-
low, Massachusetts, engaging for a time
in farming.
After regaining his health, Mr. Birnie
was deputy marshal of the United States
District Court in Brooklyn, New York,
under United States Marshal Harlow. He
filled that position for seven years, then
returned to Ludlow, accepting a book-
keeper's position with Whitcomb >% Com-
pany, of Springfield. Later he became
associated with the Ludlow Manufactur-
ing Company, with whom he remained
for a short period of time. He was elected
treasurer of the Ludlow Savings Bank
upon its incorporation, and served until
February i, 1918, when he resigned.
Mr. Birnie is a Republican in politics.
In 1892 he was appointed postmaster of
Ludlow, remaining until 1914, with the ex-
ception of four years. During his term the
office grew in importance from a fourth-
class to a second-class office. From 1898 to
1920, he served Ludlow as justice of the
peace. He was appointed trial justice in
1908 and still holds that office. He served
as a member of the school committee for
16
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
aine years, was treasurer of Ludlow Hos-
pital three years, and its president until
resigning the honor in February, 1918.
He is a member of the Congregational
church.
George A. Birnie married (first), April
20, 1865, Julia W. Carroll, of New York
City, who died the following year, leaving
a child, who met accidental death at the
age of five years. Mr. Birnie married
(second) Ellen Bowen, of Springfield,
Massachusetts, daughter of Cullen and
Susan (Haskell) Bowen. Mr. and Mrs.
Birnie are the parents of three children :
Mary E., died in infancy ; Mary Adams ;
Alexander Cullen, of further mention.
Alexander Cullen Birnie, only son
of George Alexander and Ellen (Bowen)
Birnie, was born in Brooklyn, New York,
February 25, 1877. He was young when
his parents moved to Ludlow, Massachu-
setts, and in Ludlow public schools he
obtained his early educational training.
He was also a student at Wilbraham
Academy and Massachusetts Agricultural
College. He began business life with the
construction department of the Chester &
Becket railroad, and going thence to the
engineering department of the Boston &
Albany railroad. Later he was concerned
in the construction of the Suburban Street
railway at Syracuse, New York, and still
later was assistant superintendent of con-
struction on the Duluth & Iron Range
railroad, his headquarters at Two Har-
bors, Minnesota. He was resident engi-
neer at the building of the Montville
branch of the New London Northern rail-
road ; was general manager of the Spring-
field Construction Company for two
years ; with the United Construction Com-
pany of Albany, New York, as chief of all
steel erection, and in that connection was
concerned with the building of the bridge
at Lake Carnegie", Princeton, New Jersey.
Mass 10 2
For three years Mr. Birnie was with Mace
Moulton, of Springfield, as constructing
engineer of steel work, and was engaged
on the plans for the bridge across the
Connecticut river at Springfield to replace
the old bridge. In 1905 Mr. Birnie located
in Ludlow, and there for two years en-
gaged in concrete construction work. In
1907 he admitted his brother-in-law to a
partnership, the business being conducted
under the firm name, A. C. Birnie & Com-
pany, later becoming the Birnie, Adams
& Ruxton Construction Company, the
latter company the builders of the Hamp-
den railroad with the exception of the
straight grading. Mr. Birnie sold his in-
terest in Birnie, Adams and Ruxton Con-
struction Company, to E. J. Ruxton, and
in the fall of 1913 organized the Birnie
Sand and Gravel Company and conducted
it as an individual enterprise until April,
1915, when a voluntary trust was formed,
under the same name, and of this Mr.
Birnie is assistant treasurer and general
manager. The company's product sup-
plants broken stone in a large amount of
construction work, and is shipped by
trucks, electric and steam railroads all
over this section as far East as Boston,
north to East Windsor, Vermont, west
to Detroit, Michigan, and to all intermed-
iate points. Mr. Birnie has served as a
member of the Ludlow Board of Select-
men and on the town finance committee.
He is an attendant of the Universalist
church, a Republican in politics, and a
member of several societies.
Mr. Birnie married, July i, 1901, Mary
Ruxton, of Ludlow, and they are the par-
ents of five children, three of whom are
living, the two eldest dying in infancy.
Those living are : Marie Ellen, born May
3, 1910 ; Catherine Martha, born June 8,
1916; Alexander Ruxton, born June 2.
1919.
17
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
TRASK, John Low Rogers, D. D.,
Clergyman, Man of Great Talent.
When on March 23, 1915, Dr. Trask
passed to his reward, he left a record of
usefulness and devotion as a minister of
the gospel which to his family is a precious
heritage. He was a man of strong per-
sonality, and his fine quality of manhood
and his influence as minister and citizen
was very strong and a power for good in
the communities he served as pastor.
During his long term as pastor of Spring-
field Memorial Church, he was held in
high esteem and he drew large congrega-
tions to the services of that church. He
possessed a marvelous power of descrip-
tion, and had a happy faculty of present-
ing gospel truths in an attractive man-
ner. His years in the active ministry of
the Congregational church numbered
thirty-six, and these were spent as pastor
of but three churches, the Second Church
of Holyoke, Trinity Church of Lawrence,
and Memorial Church of Springfield, all
in Massachusetts.
(I) Dr. Trask was a descendant of Os-
mond Trask, a brother of William Trask,
and early settler of Salem, Massachusetts.
Mary Ellery (Rogers) Trask, mother of
Dr. Trask, was a descendant of Rev. John
Rogers, the first president of Harvard
College in 1684. His ancestry on both
sides includes men of prominence in reli-
gious, public and military life, his great-
grandfather, Ebenezer (2) Trask, 1741-
1814, serving with the "minute-men" who
marched with Lieutenant Peter Shaw's
company on the "Lexington Alarm,"
April 19, 1/75. Osmond Trask, the
founder of this branch of the Trask fam-
ily in New England, was born in Eng-
land about 1626, and was a planter in
- alem prior to 1649. He moved to Bev-
lv, Massachusetts, later in life, was con-
there, and died in 1676. His first
wife, Mary, died January 2, 1663, their
marriage being recorded as occurring
January i, 1650. He married (second),
May 22, 1663, Elizabeth, daughter of John
Gaily. By his first marriage there were
thirteen children, including a son John,
who was the fourth child and second son.
It is through him that descent is traced.
(II) John Trask was born in Salem,
August 15, 1658, died in Beverly, Massa-
chusetts, May 13, 1720. He married
(first) Christian Woodbury, who died
June 3, 1689; he married (second). Octo-
ber 30, 1690, Mary Dodge. He married
(third), 1692-93, Elizabeth, who died in
Beverly, November 26, 1715. The line is
traced through Ebenezer, the youngest
child of the third wife and eleventh in
order of birth of John Trask's children.
(III) Ebenezer Trask was born about
the year 1705, and died in 1779, his estate
being settled December 6 of that year. He
was a house carpenter by trade, and was
in the Revolutionary War, serving in Caleb
Dodge's company, which marched on the
alarm of April 19, 1775. He married, at
Beverly, March 5, 1729, Mary Rix, and
they were the parents of eleven children,
the eighth a son, Ebenezer, of whom fur-
ther.
(IV) Ebenezer (2) Trask was born in
Beverly, Massachusetts, June 12, 1741,
and there died, March 9, 1814. He was a
soldier of the Revolution, a private of
Lieutenant Peter Shaw's company, the
"minute-men" who fought the battle of
Lexington, April 19, 1775. He married,
January 31, 1765, Betty Dodge, of Wen-
ham. They were the parents of eleven
children, all born in Beverly, Massachu-
setts. The line continues through Joseph,
the seventh child.
(V) Joseph Trask was born April 21,
1776, and settled in Gloucester, Mas-
sachusetts. He married (first) Sarah
Dodge; (second) Susanna Harvey.
18
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
(VI) Joshua P. Trask, eldest son of
Joseph Trask and his second wife, Su-
sanna (Harvey) Trask, was born in Glou-
cester, Massachusetts, July 23, 1805, and
died there in September, 1862. He was in
business for a few years at Hampden,
Penobscot county, Maine, but later re-
turned to Gloucester, where the remainder
of his life was passed. He took an active
part in public affairs, and having some
legal education, was appointed the first
judge of Gloucester's Municipal Court.
A just and upright man and well informed
citizen, he took part in every movement
for the welfare and benefit of the town,
his public spirit, coupled with a resolute,
aggressive nature, enabling him to accom-
plish a great deal for the public good. The
cause of temperance particularly appealed
to him, and several societies, who pro-
moted that cause, owe their inception to
his interest. He was also the leader in
the agitation which brought about the
establishment of a public library in Glou-
cester. He married, December 14, 1830,
Mary Ellery Rogers, born in April, 1803,
daughter of William and Elizabeth (Low)
Rogers. William Rogers was an officer
of the United States Customs Depart-
ment, a school teacher for many years, a
soldier of the Revolution, and a direct de-
scendant of the first president of Harvard
College, Rev. John Rogers. Joshua P.
and Mary Ellery (Rogers) Trask were
the parents of: William P.; Charles A.;
Susan E. ; Elizabeth R. ; John Low
Rogers, of whom further; and Mary A.,
twin to John Low Rogers, who is still
living, in Boston, the only one left of the
family.
(VII) John Low Rogers Trask, son of
Joshua P. and Mary Ellery (Rogers)
Trask, was born in Hampden, Maine, De-
cember 19, 1842, died in Hartford, Con-
necticut, March '23, 1915. He was edu-
cated in Gloucester public schools, Dum-
mer Academy, Byfield, Massachusetts,
Atkinson (New Hampshire) Academy,
and Williams College, receiving his A. B.
from the last-named institution at gradu-
ation with the class of 1864. Choosing
the ministry he began studies in divinity
at Princeton Theological Seminary, then
went to Andover Theological Seminary,
after which he was called to the pastorate
of the Second Congregational Church of
Holyoke. He was ordained at Holyoke,
December 4, 1867. He continued pastor
for the Second Church for sixteen years
and was a great factor in the development
of that church. He was a very able
preacher, sympathetic and well beloved.
His prayers are remembered even to this
day, for in time of trouble he was the
most sympathetic and lovable friend. He
came to the church at an important epoch
in its history, when Holyoke was growing
rapidly in population and in wealth. Into
the expanding life of this congregation, he
put all the enthusiasm and energy of
youth, the moulding influence of a vigor-
ous and versatile mind and a warm heart.
With the aid of his amiable and accom-
plished wife he did a great and enduring
work. During his ministry of sixteen
years, the longest in the history of the
parish up to that time, the city of Holyoke
nearly quadrupled its population, increas-
ing from 5,648 to 21,961 in 1880. The
church grew steadily in membership,
benevolence and influence in the commun-
ity. There were several years of marked
religious interest, and numerous addi-
tions, notably in 1870, when ninety-one
were received into this community, sixty-
four on confession of faith, and in 1879,
when seventy-seven were admitted, thirty-
six on confession. The membership rose
from 163 at the time of Dr. Trask's ordi-
nation to 504 at the close of the year when
he resigned.
During his pastorate there was a large
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
and continual increase in the amounts
contributed for benevolence, and steady
growth in the Sunday school and the
various organizations within the parish.
Also during his pastorate at the church,
the Articles of Faith and Covenant were
changed (1872). the substance of the sim-
pler creed adopted by the National Coun-
cil at Plymouth, June 22, 1865, being sub-
stituted for the old and elaborate confes-
sion. While he was pastor, the young
men of J. S. McElwain's Sunday school
class began the work in Parsons Hall,
which resulted in the erection of Grace
Chapel, on Main street, in the fall of that
year. Dr. Trask had been very active in
all measures connected with the church,
but in the fall of 1881 his health failed and
after a year's rest, to the profound regret
and sorrow of the congregation, he re-
signed, November 23, 1882. His letter
of resignation was filled with tender
memories and grateful affection, expressed
in the clear and pleasing style so char-
acteristic of him. During his pastorate he
raised funds for the purchase of the site
of the present church edifice, and was one
of the founders of the Holyoke Public
Library.
After resting and recovering his health,
Dr. Trask accepted a call from Trinity
Congregation Church of Lawrence, and
in 1884 was installed its pastor. He spent
four years with that congregation, then
resigned, toured Europe during the late
summer, and upon his return was called
to the Memorial Church of Springfield,
Massachusetts. That church, classed as
Union Evangelical, is entirely unsectar-
ian in its government, and aspires to meet
the spiritual needs of all. He began his
pastorate in 1888, and until 1903 he was
the spiritual head of the congregation,
greatly beloved by all with whom he came
in contact. A parish house was erected
during his term and one of the largest
Sunday schools in the city, and the larg-
est Christian Endeavor Society grew up
under his ministrations. In 1903 weight
of years caused his resignation and he re-
tired from the active ministry to his home
at No. 55 Marengo Park, Springfield, Mas-
sachusetts.
For more than twenty-one years, Dr.
Trask was secretary of the board of trus-
tees of Mount Holyoke College. He was
for many years chaplain of the Massachu-
setts Chapter of the Sons of the American
Revolution, and was a member of the "T"
Club, and the Congregational Club of
Springfield, and the Winthrop Club of
Boston. When the city of Gloucester
celebrated its 25oth anniversary in 1892,
Dr. Trask was chosen orator to deliver
the address of the day. He was a member
of the New England Historic-Genealogi-
cal Society ; and Phi Beta Kappa fra-
ternity. The degree of A. M. was con-
ferred upon him by Williams College in
1867, and the degree of D. D. was con-
ferred upon him by the same college in
1889.
Dr. Trask married, August i, 1871, Ab-
bie J. Parker, born September 21, 1846,
died in 1915, daughter of Daniel Hardy
Parker of Dunbarton, New Hampshire.
Dr. and Mrs. Trask were the parents of a
son and two daughters: I. Frederick
Parker, born July 13, 1872, a graduate of
Amherst College, 'class of 1896. He mar-
ried Catherine Davies, and has a son,
Parker Trask. 2. Elizabeth Rogers, a
graduate of Mount Holyoke College, class
of 1898, studied music and language
abroad, and was a well known lecturer on
art. 3. Mary Ellery, a graduate of Smith
College, class of 1900, married, in Novem-
ber, 1903, Paul H. Loomis. They are the
parents of two children : Ellery Trask,
and John Dwight Loomis.
20
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
BELLAMY FAMILY,
Divines, Authors, Journalists.
This family has been noted in litera-
ture, journalism, and the professions from
its earliest settlement in Connecticut,
where Rev. Joseph Bellamy, D. D.,
founded a school of theology, down to
Charles Joseph Bellamy, editor and pub-
lisher of the Springfield "Daily News,"
who died December 12, 1910. The "Daily
News" was founded by Charles Joseph
and Edward Bellamy, both now deceased,
and to its upbuilding Charles J. gave the
greater part of his life, although he had
trained for, and was in, law practice when
more as a diversion than with serious
intent the Bellamy brothers launched
"The Penny News." But once the im-
portance of this undertaking was realized,
he entered into it with vigor and with
wonderful success. He combined an ex-
ceptional degree of literary talent with
business ability, and as editor and busi-
ness manager of the paper he was a pro-
nounced success. The decided literary
ability which he possessed was a heritage
from scholarly forebears, there being
many men of culture and learning in the
family, beginning with Rev. Joseph Bel-
lamy, D. D.
Rev. Joseph Bellamy was born in New
Haven, Connecticut, in 1719, died March
6, 1790. He was a graduate of Yale Col-
lege, class of 1735, and in 1740 was or-
dained pastor of the church at Bethlehem,
Connecticut. He became a zealous, reli-
gious worker, and during a revival of
religion in 1742, preached almost daily in
different parts of Connecticut, Massachu-
setts, and New York. He later opened a
theological school at Bethlehem, and ap-
plied his mind to writing books for the
use of his pupils. Among them were :
"True Religion Delineated," first printed
in 1750; it passed through several edi-
tions and reached a high degree of popu-
larity as a monument of learned scholar-
ship and unusual logical acumen ; also
"Dialogues on Theron ;" "Aspasia and
Paulinus ;" "Sermons on the Divinity of
Christ;" "The Millenium and the Wisdom
of God in the Permission of Sin ;" "Essay
of the Gospel ;" "The Great Evil of Sin ;"
"The Law Our Schoolmaster;" "Early
Piety Recommended ;" "A Letter to Scrip-
tureista ;" "The Nature and Glory of the
Gospel;" "Four Dialogues Between a
Minister and a Parishioner ;" and a trea-
tise on "Half-Way Covenant." The care-
ful research and wide reading displayed
by all of them indicate the truly inductive
method by which he sought to train the
minds and habits of his students. He was
accustomed to give them questions in
theology to be answered by their own
thinking and research. Through his
friend, Dr. John Erskine, of Edinburgh,
he received from Aberdeen University the
degree of D. D.
Rev. Rufus King Bellamy, great-grand-
son of Rev. Joseph Bellamy, D. D., was
born about 1815, in Connecticut, died at
Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, November
16, 1886, he also the son of a minister.
Rufus King Bellamy, after completing his
classical and theological study, was or-
dained a minister of the Baptist church,
and for thirty-five years was the settled
pastor over the church at Chicopee Falls.
He was a man of learning, piety, and in-
fluence, of forceful character, and very
useful. He married Maria Louise Put-
nam, born in 1817, died September II,
1892, daughter of Rev. Benjamin Putnam,
a leading Baptist clergyman of his day,
and one of the early pastors of the First
Baptist Church of Springfield, a descend-
ant of the celebrated General Israel Put-
nam of Revolutionary fame. Rev. Rufus
21
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
King; and Maria Louise (Putnam) Bel-
lamy were the parents of four sons: i.
William H., who died at the age of
twenty-six. 2. Frederick Putnam, a prom-
inent attorney of Brooklyn, New York. 3.
Edward, born at Chicopee Falls, Massa-
chusetts, March 26, 1850, died in 1898. He
was admitted to the bar at Springfield,
Massachusetts, but did not practice, be-
coming, in 1871, an editorial writer for the
New York "Evening Post," and subse-
quently for the Springfield "Union." In
1877 ne went to the Sandwich Islands, re-
turning in 1878, and the same year pub-
lished his first novel, "A Nantucket Idyl."
This was followed by two others, and in
1888 by "Looking Backward," a book
which has had an extraordinary circula-
tion. The work has been translated into
German, Danish, French, and other lan-
guages, and in England it is said the sales
are as large as in America. 4. Charles
Joseph, of further mention.
Charles Joseph Bellamy, fourth son of
Rev. Rufus King Bellamy, was born at
Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, May 7,
1852, died at his home on Central street,
Springfield, Massachusetts, December 12,
1910. He was educated in the public
schools of Chicopee Falls, going thence to
Williston Seminary, there completing a
three years' course, with graduation in
1872. He then spent a year at Harvard
University, and a similar period was de-
voted to astrological and philosophical
research. In 1874 he began the study of
law with Leonard & Wells, two promi-
nent attorneys of Springfield, and in 1876
Mr. Bellamy was admitted to the Hamp-
den county bar. For about five years he
practiced law at Chicopee Falls, but his
love for writing was gradually luring his
love from the law. He wrote several
novels including: "The Breton Mills;"
"An Experiment in Marriage ;" "Were
They Sinners ;" "A Moment of Madness ;"
"The Way Out ;" and later, "The Return
of the Fairies," which was acclaimed and
used in the public schools of Springfield
and other cities. He also wrote "Every
Man His Own Lawyer," and the "Won-
der Children."
In 1880, Mr. Bellamy and his brother
Edward, then an editorial writer on the
Springfield "Union," established a tri-
weekly paper, which was known as "The
Penny News," that paper making its first
appearance February 24, 1880. The
brothers had little intention of devoting a
great deal of their time to the new adven-
ture, but the little sheet was received with
such favor that they decided to continue
it as a daily, the first issue as such being
May 13, 1880. Thereafter, the publishers
began to enlarge and improve the paper,
the subscription list and the advertising
patronage being very satisfactory.
Later, Edward Bellamy, having with-
drawn from the enterprise to devote him-
self entirely to literature, Charles J.
assumed sole control, and the "Daily
News," as the paper was renamed, became
one of the successes of journalism. In
1894 a new home for the "News" was
erected and later a job printing plant
acquired, which Mr. Bellamy built up and
supervised. Since then the "News" build-
ing has been enlarged and the equipment
is modern and complete. Could he have
devoted all his time to his duties as editor
he would have attained a rank in keep-
ing with his literary ability, but the task
of building up the business side of his
paper, as well as directing the editorial
policy, developed such a fascination for
him that he found equal enjoyment in his
dual roles of editor and business-manager.
As an editorial writer, Mr. Bellamy pos-
sessed grace and style, and he was master
of a remarkable vocabulary. His writ-
22
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
ings were distinguished by freshness and
clearness of thought and by deep insight
into any subject which he was handling,
and by special force in analytical treat-
ment. He wrote direct and to the point,
and his editorials were notable, not alone
for their brilliancy as writings, but for the
research and marshaling of details that
often entered into them. He was aggres-
sive, but not bitter in denunciation. Keen-
est sympathy and charming sentiment
went into subjects demanding these qual-
ities. There was never any doubt as to
the point which he wished to emphasize.
Although a long-time Democrat, and a
firm believer in its platform, Mr. Bellamy
never believed it necessary to abuse his
opponent, nor to indulge in bitter person-
alities in his political writings.
He had an extraordinary capacity for
work. He wrote fluently and without ap-
parent effort, and when many men who
shoulder such heavy responsibilities would
be thinking about rest and recreation, Mr.
Bellamy was wont to take up his time
with other duties. He was of an inven-
tive turn, and busied himself in his few
leisure hours until a few years before his
death in creative work of that nature.
Often he had wished that he were able to
devote more time to this field His energy
seemed inexhaustible, and no detail of his
business was too small for his considera-
tion. '
The public of Springfield well know how
assiduously the "Daily News" pressed for
reforms, for municipal improvements, for
justice towards all classes, for progres-
sive measures in every department of
civic life. Mr. Bellamy once wrote edi-
torially : "In very many cases our urgency,
oftentimes resented, has been triumphant
in accomplishing the desired ends. In
many cases the struggle is still on and our
zeal is unabated after a score of years.
But the criterion by which we would be
judged is by the popular verdict as to the
honesty of our contentions and the disin-
terestedness of our course. We dare to
hope that we shall also have with us a pre-
ponderating popular feeling that in most
cases we have been right in our conten-
tions, whether it has yet proved success-
ful or not."
Social in nature, Mr. Bellamy was a
member of the Nayasset and Country
clubs, was an interested member of the
Board of Trade, and won to himself dur-
ing his long newspaper career the loyal
support of a host of friends. With his
employees he enjoyed the friendliest of
relations, and to his friends and em-
ployees his death came as a personal loss.
Mr. Bellamy married, in 1879, Imogene
Cooper, of the same family as Peter
Cooper, the philanthropist. Mrs. Bellamy,
a talented, cultured lady, survived her
husband but a year. Mr. and Mrs. Bel-
lamy were the parents of a daughter,
Louise Imogene, now deceased, who mar-
ried W. D. Mason, Jr., and of a son,
Charles Joseph (2) Bellamy, of whom
further.
Charles Joseph (2) Bellamy was born
at Chicopee Falls, March 8, 1892. He
came to Springfield in 1893, when an in-
fant, and was educated in the Springfield
public schools ; Springfield High School ;
the Middlesex School in Concord ; the
Hotchkiss School, Lakeville, Connecticut,
and Yale University, graduating from
Yale in 1913 with the degree of B. A.
After graduation he entered the business
offices of the "Daily News," founded and
developed by his father, continuing until
the sale of that journal to the Springfield
"Republican."
At the entrance of he United States
into the World War Charles J. (2) Bel-
lamy enlisted, and was sent to Officers'
23
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Training Camp at Plattsburg, New York,
April 13, 1917, and remained there until
November 27, 1917, when he was commis-
sioned first lieutenant. He was assigned
to Camp Devens, Massachusetts, where
he was commissioned captain, but on ac-
count of the signing of the armistice he
was discharged from the army in Decem-
ber, 1918, and has since been connected
with the Daily News Company. He is
president of that company, and is also
editor of that paper. He is a member of
the Colony, Nayasset and Springfield
Country clubs, Delta Kappa Epsilon fra-
ternity, and other organizations, social
and fraternal.
Mr. Bellamy married, June i, 1918,
Edith Meyer, of Montclair, New Jersey,
daughter of John and Ida (Booth) Meyer.
SHUART, William Herbert,
Head of Important Industry.
William Herbert Shuart, the subject of
this sketch, is of Dutch and English de-
scent. Family tradition has it that the
first paternal ancestor from Holland set-
tled in New Jersey somewhere about two
hundred years ago, but the earliest ances-
tor of whom anything definite is known
was Johannis Shuart. In 1773 he pur-
chased a tract of land consisting of several
hundred acres in the town of Plattskill,
Ulster county, New York, and for many
years was engaged in extensive farming.
Johannis Shuart married for his second
wife Rachel Garrison, and they were the
parents of a son, Abraham, of whom fur-
ther. They later removed to Western
New York.
(II) Abraham Shuart, son of Johannis
and Rachel (Garrison) Shuart, was born
in Ulster county, New York, in 1/89, and
died in 1854. He was one of the pioneer
settlers in Mendon, Monroe county, New
York, and resided there until his death,
at the age of sixty-five years. He was the
owner of a large farm, and was one of the
prosperous, substantial agriculturists of
the Mendon section. He married Betsey
Rail, and they were the parents of Denton
Gregory, of whom further.
(Ill) Denton Gregory Shuart, son of
Abraham and Betsey (Rail) Shuart, was
born in Plattskill, Ulster county, New
York, February 9. 1805. and died in
Honeoye Falls, Monroe county. New
York, August 28, 1892. He was educated
in the school and academy of his neigh-
borhood, thus obtaining a practical educa-
tion. In the year 1826 he took up the
study of law in New York City, and in
1831 was admitted to the bar. Shortly
afterward he located in Monroe county,
New York, and began the practice of law
in Honeoye Falls, a milling and manufac-
turing village, situated sixteen miles from
Rochester. He acquired high standing at
the Monroe county bar, and for nearly
half a century was one of its prominent
attorneys. In November, 1851, he was
elected surrogate of Monoe county and
served in that office for four years, being
the first surrogate of that county to be
elected by the people. Mr. Shuart was one
of the founders and trustees of Genesee
College at Lima, New York, which later,
through his influence, and that of others,
was removed to Syracuse, New York, and
became the nucleus of Syracuse Univer-
sity. He took a prominent part in Mon-
roe county politics. He was a man of
substance, and later in life, aside from his
professional duties, engaged quite exten-
sively in agricultural pursuits. He main-
tained his residence at Honeoye Falls,
where his death occurred at the age of
eighty-seven years.
Denton Gregory Shuart married, Sep-
tember 18, 1837, Mary Elizabeth Barrett.
w^
t#&l
-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
born in Oneida county, New York, Sep-
tember 30, 1818, died May 10, 1881. She
was a daughter of Stephen and Lois
(Day) Barrett, and a descendant of Hum-
phrey Barrett, who was born in England
in 1592, located in Concord, Massachu-
setts, in 1639, was made a freeman in
1657, and died in November, 1662, aged
seventy years. His widow, Mary Barrett,
in her will of June 15, 1663, probated Oc-
tober 20, 1663, names sons, John and
Humphrey, Jr. The latter-named was
born in 1630, was made a freeman in 1662,
and was appointed a representative in Oc-
tober, 1691. He married Mary Potter,
daughter of Luke and Mary Potter, and
had sons, Joseph and Benjamin. The line
traces through the son Benjamin, born in
1681 ; his son, Stephen, born in 1720; his
son, Stephen, born in 1753; his son,
Stephen, born in 1793 ; his daughter, Mary
Elizabeth, wife of Denton Gregory Shu-
art. Mr. and Mrs. Shuart were the par-
ents of four sons: I. Denton Barrett,
born in 1842, died in 1866. 2. William
Herbert, of whom further. 3. Clarence
Allison, born November 15, 1856, a promi-
nent attorney of Monroe county, New
York, and now occupying the law offices
so long conducted by his father. 4. Irv-
ing J., born July 7, 1860; now a resident
of Chicago, Illinois, representing the
Western interests of the Springfield
Glazed Paper Company, of which he is
vice-president.
(IV) William Herbert Shuart, second
son of Denton Gregory and Mary Eliz-
abeth (Barrett) Shuart, was born in
Honeoye Falls, Monroe county, New
York, September 21, 1852. He acquired
his early education in the public schools
of his native place, prepared for college
at Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, Lima,
New York, and was graduated from Syra-
cuse University with the degree of Bache-
lor of Arts in the class of 1875. Deciding
upon the profession of law, he began his
studies in his father's office and later was
a student in Rochester, New York. He
was admitted to the bar in 1878 and at
once began to practice in Rochester, there
continuing until 1897, when he located in
Springfield, Massachusetts, and became
the president of the Springfield Glazed
Paper Company, of which he is its head
at the present time (1921). He is also
president of the Glazed and Fancy Paper
Manufacturers' Association. For several
years he was a director and vice-president
of the Springfield Chamber of Commerce,
and during the war served two terms as
its president. He was also one of the
early supporters of the Chamber of Com-
merce of the United States.
Among the organizations and clubs of
which Mr. Shuart is a member are the
Society of Colonial Wars, the New
England Historic-Genealogical Society,
the Connecticut Valley Historical So-
ciety, the Rochester (N. Y.) Historical
Society, the Century Club of Springfield,
of which he is president (1921), Colony
Club of Springfield, and also the Rotary
Club, of which he is a former president.
He is a member of Christ Church
(Springfield, Mass.), of which he is a
vestryman, and his family are also mem-
bers of that church.
Mr. Shuart married Nella Sumner Phil-
lips, of Springfield, Massachusetts, her
middle name in honor of the famed states-
man, Charles Sumner, who was a friend
of her father's. Mrs. Shuart is a daugh-
ter of Smith Robinson and Ida M. (Bis-
sell) Phillips. She was a student of Smith
College in the class of 1882. Mr. and Mrs.
Shuart are the parents of three children :
i. Christine, born December n, 1884;
graduated from Smith College in the class
of 1907; married, May 6, 1915, Karl
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
R. Hammond, assistant treasurer of the
Springfield Glazed Paper Company, son
of Dr. Charles H. and Mary Tracy Ham-
mond, of Nashua, New Hampshire. They
have a son, William Bartlett Hammond,
born October 25, 1918. 2. John Denton,
born November 16, 1894 ; prepared for
college at Choate School, Wallingford,
Connecticut, and entered Williams Col-
lege in the class of 1918. In February,
1917, he joined the first naval unit organ-
ized from a college for war service and
later was assigned to the U. S. Crusier
"Chester." He was on that ship for seven-
teen months' continual overseas service,
during the World War, attaining the rank
of ensign, and later was appointed junior
lieutenant in the Naval Reserve. He was
relieved from service in the spring of 1919.
At the present time (1921) he is secretary
of the Springfield Glazed Paper Company.
He married, April 30, 1917, Harriet Dick-
inson, daughter of Henry and Stella
(Paige) Dickinson, of Springfield, and
they are the parents of two children, John
Denton, born April 29, 1918; Barbara
Phillips, born June 26, 1920. 3. Kath-
arine Barrett, born June 20, 1899; mar-
ried, December i, 1920, A. Stuart Pratt,
Jr., son of A. Stuart and Josephine
(Stewart) Pratt, of West Newton, Massa-
chusetts. They have a son, A. Stuart
Pratt, 3rd, born September 30, 1921.
MARSH, Col. John F.,
Civil War Veteran, Manufacturer.
In the death of Colonel Marsh, Janu-
ary 10, 1915, Springfield lost a highly val-
ued citizen, one who linked the present
with those periods in history, the Mexi-
can War, the California gold fever of 1849,
and the Civil War. In all of these Colonel
Marsh participated, and with his legisla-
tive service, his long and successful busi-
ness career, and with numerous other
activities, he passed a most remarkable
life. He possessed an excellent memory,
and he was freely interviewed by repre-
sentatives of the press, numerous inter-
views upon his experiences being printed.
His greatest business achievement was
the founding and developing of the Spring-
field Glazed Paper Company, of which he
was treasurer and manager until his re-
tirement in 1909. For forty years he was
prominent in Springfield's business life,
and he had almost completed the eighty-
seventh year of his life.
Colonel John F. Marsh was born, Feb-
ruary i, 1828, at Hudson, New Hamp-
shire, the son of Fitch Pool and Mary J.
(Emery) Marsh. His grandfather, Sam-
uel Marsh, was among the early settlers
of West Nottingham, now Hudson. The
paternal descent was from George Marsh,
who came from Norfolk, England, in 1635,
and settled in Hingham. On his mother's
side, Colonel Marsh's ancestors were
Scotch-Irish, prominent in Colonial days.
He was educated in the public schools of
his native town, and at Crosby's Literary
Institute, in Nashua, New Hampshire.
His youth was spent on his father's farm,
but early in life he manifested much inter-
est in the militia, and his great ambition
was to enter" the Military Academy at
West Point. He failed to get the appoint-
ment, and in the spring of 1847, he en-
listed in Captain Joseph Bower's com-
pany, of the Ninth United States Infantry,
for the Mexican War. The regiment
landed in Vera Cruz in July of that year,
and a month later he was in the command
of General Franklin Pierce, afterwards
President of the United States. The army
marched into the interior, and a month
later joined General Scott at Pueblo.
Four days later they marched towards
the Valley of Mexico. The nineteen-year-
26
! ASTOB.
'T7t.DSM
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
old boy received his first practical train-
ing in warfare in the battles of Contreras,
Cherubusco, on August 19 and 20 ; Molino
del Rey, September 8: Chapultepec, the
Garitos, the City of Mexico, on the I2th,
I3th, and I4th.
After being mustered out in August,
1848, Colonel Marsh returned to New
Hampshire, intending to enter Exeter
Academy, but sickness prevented this and
he taught school at Hudson. This prosaic
occupation did not hold him long as, hav-
ing caught the "gold fever," he sailed for
Galveston, Texas, in January, 1849, on tne
"William F. Davis." After a few days at
sea, some of the party got together, de-
posed the captain and chose young Marsh
to direct the crew. The journey overland,
from Galveston to the gold lands, took
four months and was made with great dif-
ficulty and danger because of hostile In-
dians and Mexicans, and lack of food.
Colonel Marsh remained one year on the
Pacific slope and had good sucess, for he
came East with several thousand dollars.
He returned soon after to California and
established a trading post.
In 1855 he was appointed by the Presi-
dent a special agent in the postal service
between New York and San Francisco.
In 1856 he settled in Hastings, Minne-
sota, and was appointed postmaster there
by President Pierce, in whose brigade he
had served in the Mexican War. He was
mayor of Hastings from 1859 to 1861.
When the Civil War broke out he en-
listed, June 17, 1861, and was appointed
first lieutenant of the Sixth Wisconsin
Infantry, afterwards part of the "Iron
Brigade" of the Army of the Potomac,
and was made a captain in October of that
year. On August 28, 1862, he was wounded
in the knee at the battle of Gainesville.
Promotion came again on September 11,
when he was appointed lieutenant-colonel
of the Twelfth New Hampshire Infan-
try. A severe wound, received May 3,
1863, at Chancellorsville, compelled him
to retire from field service, and on Janu-
ary 22, 1864, he was made lieutenant-
colonel of the Veteran Reserve Corps.
His service during the last year of the
war was on General Casey's board, con-
vened for the examination of candidates
for commission in the military service, and
he also performed special service in the
Inspector General's Department.
He was commissioned colonel of the
Twenty-fourth United States Colored In-
fantry, April 20, 1865, but this he declined,
as he doubted the expediency of employ-
ing freed slaves as soldiers. On March
13, 1865, he was brevetted colonel for
"gallant and meritorious conduct" at the
battle of Chancellorsville. On August 16,
1867, Colonel Marsh resigned from the
army, and in November, 1868, was ap-
pointed United States pension agent at
Concord, New Hampshire. He soon re-
tired from this position to engage in the
manufacturing of surface-coated papers
at Nashua. In 1874 he moved to Spring-
field and established the Springfield
Glazed Paper Company, of which he was
treasurer and general manager until his
retirement, as before stated.
Proof of the high regard with which his
military record was viewed was given in
July, 1898, when he was requested by the
Volunteer Aid Association of Massachu-
setts, and the Local Association in this
city, to go to San Diego, Cuba, with sup-
plies for our soldiers and to report their
condition and wants. Though over sev-
enty years old, Colonel Marsh undertook
this mission and carried it to a successful
close, accepting only the thanks of the
association in return.
In 1899, at the urging of his friends, he
was a candidate for and elected represen-
27
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
tative from the Fourth Hampden District,
and was elected to the Senate for two
terms, 1901 and 1902. The length to
which a bare summary of Colonel Marsh's
activities run show what a crowded life
he led. He was of the old stock. His was
the physical constitution and adventurous
spirit of his Pilgrim ancestors. His spirit
was clearly military, and he was a thor-
ough soldier, personally brave, a stern dis-
ciplinarian, but just and kind in his judg-
ment. His men respected him, and the
duties reposed in him by his superiors
were shown by his rapid rise in rank, and
by the special missions for which he was
engaged. The word "positive" is most
descriptive of his character. He was fond
of his friends and he had many of them,
but he was marked by a certain reserve
that kept him from forming new friend-
ships easily. He was a member of the
Masonic order, and of the Military Order
of the Loyal Legion of the United States.
Colonel Marsh married (first) Harriett
Warren, of Hudson, New Hampshire ;
(second) Ida M. Phillips, of Springfield.
She died in May, 1911. A son, Frank W.
Marsh, and a daughter, Xella S. (Phillips)
Shuart, both of Springfield, survived him,
the latter the wife of William Herbert
Shuart. (See preceding sketch).
BARKER, John Francis,
Manufacturer, Inventor.
The family from which Mr. Barker de-
scended, was of English origin. Ephraim
Barker, great-grandfather of John Francis
Barker, and immigrant ancestor of this
branch of the family, was a native of Eng-
land, from whence he emigrated, in com-
pany with his brother, Richard Barker, to
the New World, prior to the year 1/52.
Richard Barker went West, where all
trace of him was lost. Ephraim Barker,
after his marriage to Hannah Grove,
which occurred February 27, 1752. located
in Pomfret, Connecticut, and there spent
the remainder of their days. Their chil-
dren were: i. William, born November
18, 1753; participated in the battles of
Lexington and Bunker Hill. 2. Hannah,
born September 15, 1754. 3. John, of
whom further. 4. Ephraim, born Febru-
ary 28, 1759. 5. Nathan, born June 8,
1761; served in the Revolutionary War;
married, November 27, 1/83, Lydia Bar-
ker. 6. Calvin. 7. Dolly.
(II) John Barker, second son of
Ephraim and Hannah (Grove) Barker,
was born in Pomfret, Connecticut, De-
cember 18, 1756, and his death occurred in
Stoddard, New Hampshire, March 15,
1834. He enlisted in the Continental
army for service during the Revolutionary
War, was an active participant in the bat-
tles of Lexington and Bunker Hill, and
was present at Saratoga when General
Burgoyne surrendered. He accompanied
Benedict Arnold on the trip to Quebec,
was one of the troops under command of
General Sullivan in his Indian Campaign,
also under command of Colonel Alden at
Cherry Valley, in which battle that noted
colonel lost his life. Mr. Barker married
(first), July 9, 1786, Esther Richardson,
born at Leominster, Massachusetts, died
at Stoddard, New Hampshire, July 17,
1806. He married (second), December 2,
1806, Mrs. Sally (Guild) Warren. Chil-
dren of first wife: I. John, born January
24, 1788, at Leominster, Massachusetts;
married, January I, 1815, Susan Bigelow;
he died March 15, 1834. 2. William, born
October 20, 1789; married Phebe Rose;
he died April 30, 1854. 3. Franklin, born
July 12, 1790, died in Stoddard, April 12,
1799. 4- Sally, born May 23, 1792. 5.
Cephas, born December 7, 1793; married,
February 20, 1821, Mary Jewett; he died
28
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
August 10, 1857. 6. Cicero, twin of
Cephas, married, August 19, 1817, Mary
Satterly ; he died June 22, 1870. 7. Bet-
sey, born July 4, 1795 ; became the wife
of Moody Tyler ; she died May 30, 1877.
8. Albermarle, of whom further. 9. Lor-
enzo, born January 16, 1799, died, unmar-
ried, July 20, 1845. IO - Louise, twin of
Lorenzo, born January 16, 1799, died same
day. ii. Ephraim, born February IO,
1801 ; married, September 15, 1825, Lydia
Vinton; he died September 13, 1875. I2 -
Franklin, born April n, 1803; married,
April 15, 1826, Betsey Blood; he died July
13, 1858. 13. Almira, born December 8,
1804; married, May 21, 1834, Daniel Rus-
sell ; she died February 3, 1885. 14. Na-
than, born June 25, 1806, died July 21,
1806. Children of second wife : 15. Sam-
uel Guild, born October 16, 1807 ; mar-
ried (first), May 18, 1837, Sarah Towne ;
(second), November 29, 1865, Phebe
(Myers) Sears, a widow. 16. Luman,
born July 8, 1809, killed at a house-raising
in Port Eulo, Wisconsin, April 18, 1859.
17. Mary, born December 2, 181 1 ; mar-
ried, April 18, 1837, Eliphalet Fox 18.
Harriet Newell, born January 7, 1819 ;
became the wife of - Worcester.
(Ill) Albermarle Barker, sixth son of
John and Esther (Richardson) Barker,
was born in Stoddard, New Hampshire,
June 13, 1797, and died at Newton Upper
Falls, Massachusetts, April 18, 1848.
After completing his studies in the schools
adjacent to his home, he served an ap-
prenticeship at the trade of blacksmith,
but did not follow this for any consider-
able period, owing to the fact that during
his young manhood he had a severe fall,
which resulted in the complete paralysis
of his lower limbs, and during the re-
mainder of his life he was an invalid. He
married Abigail A. Francis, of Marble-
head, Massachusetts, born July 17, 1800.
Children: i. Albermarle. born in Lex-
ington, Massachusetts, March 13, 1825;
went in the ship "Edward Everett," to
California, in 1849, to join his brother
William F. ; was a successful miner and
cattle owner. 2. William Frederick, born
June 19, 1827; went to California, in
1848, in the ship "Leonore," among the
first company of about three hundred
men ; at the end of two years he was one
of only six survivors, and lay ill of the
fever alone ; he was found and brought
back to health by a stranger ; was taken
once by a party of Indians and escaped
after a terrible struggle with his three
captors, having killed them all ; his left
arm was disabled and he was cut in many
places ; returned in 1879 to Springfield,
Massachusetts, and later settled in the
State of Washington, where he was a
farmer ; he married Kittie Chambers, who
bore him four children : William, George,
Ida, and John. 3. Horace Rice, born June
27, 1829, in Lexington ; he learned the
trade of machinist with his brothers in
Otis Pettee's shop in Newton Upper
Falls, and later was owner of the H. R.
Barker Machine Shop in Lowell ; he
served as alderman of Lowell ; he mar-
ried Martha M. Merritt, who bore him
two children : Louise Ardelle, and Ber-
tha Estelle ; he died in Lowell, in Septem-
ber, 1886. 4. Abigail Ann, born June 12,
1831. 5. Sarah Adelia, born February 12,
1834. 6. Ellen Amanda, born in Need-
ham, May 13, 1836. 7. John Francis, of
whom further. 8. Louise Maria, born
January 12, 1841. All these children are
deceased.
(IV) John Francis Barker, youngest
son of Albermarle and Abigail A. (Fran-
cis) Barker, was born in Needham, Mas-
sachusetts, December 16, 1839, and died
November 25, 1919. His education was
very meagre, owing to the fact that he
29
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
was deprived of a father's care by death
at the early age of nine, when he discon-
tinued his studies in order to earn his own
livelihood, being employed on a farm.
Later, he again took up his studies, but
they were discontinued altogether, as far
as attending school was concerned, at the
age of twelve. His next employment was
with Brown & Company, of West New-
ton, his duty being to drive a two-horse
express between West Newton and Bos-
ton, and in this capacity he served for one
year. Shortly afterward he went to
Lowell and secured employment in the
machine shop conducted by his brother,
Horace R. Barker, and at the age of fif-
teen he owned a complete set of tools and
was in command of a force of men. After
a residence of four years in Lowell, he re-
moved to the city of Philadelphia, Penn-
sylvania, and there resided and was
employed until the year 1862, when he
returned to his native State, locating in
Springfield, where he took charge of the
pipe-works in the water-shops of the Na-
tional Armory, holding that position for
four years. He then became superin-
tendent of the newly organized Portable
Gas Works Company of Springfield, for
the manufacture of portable gas machines.
A year later, in July, 1867, finding their
machinery impracticable, they reorgan-
ized as the Springfield Gas Machine Com-
pany, under patents planned by Mr. Bar-
ker, for machines of a different style. He
was fortunate in that he did not have to
wait long to have his patents granted, and
the company was organized with a capi-
tal of $25,000, Mr. Barker's patents being
valued at $15,000. At the expiration of
two years, during which time the business
was eminently successful, the firm of Gil-
bert, Barker Company purchased the
business of the Springfield Gas Machine
Company, in which Mr. Barker was inter-
ested until 1869, in which year he went to
New York City, entered into partnership
with C. N. Gilbert, and they established a
store chiefly for the sale of the goods of
the Springfield Gas Machine Company.
In September, 1869, Gilbert, Barker &
Company purchased the plant at Spring-
field, Horace R. Barker, of Lowell, and
W. S. Gilbert, of Cohoes, being added to
the firm. In 1870 the firm was incorpo-
rated as the Gilbert & Barker Manufac-
turing Company, Mr. Barker being treas-
urer and manager. In 1884 Mr. Gilbert
retired from the business and Mr. Barker
became president. The company manu-
factures machinery which converts crude
petroleum, as well as distillants, into gas-
eous form, extensively used for heating
and lighting. The business has done so
much towards revolutionizing the fuel
and lighting industries of New England
that many enterprises remain in the East
which would otherwise have removed
West, where cheaper fuel could be ob-
tained. Mr. Barker held between fifty
and sixty patents, all marking important
eras in the development of the business,
which has led to an enormous trade,
amounting to more than $3,000,000 yearly.
Mr. Barker was a member of Hampden
Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of
Springfield ; Morning Star Chapter, Royal
Arch Masons; Springfield Council, Royal
and Select Masters ; Springfield Com-
mandery, Knights Templar ; belonged
to all the Scottish Rite bodies, up to and
including the thirty-second degree ; also
Melha Temple, Ancient Arabic Order
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; was also a
member of the Masonic Club, and Hamp-
den Lodge, Independent Order of Odd
Fellows. He was one of the charter mem-
bers of the Rod and Gun Club, later
merged into the Winthrop Club. He was
formerly a member of the Amabelish Fish
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
and Game Club, limited to thirty-five
members, which leased from the Canadian
government a tract of land on the Ama-
belish river and lake, the club house being
built on an island, and was a member of
the Home Market Club, of Boston, of
which he was one of the vice-presidents.
Mr. Barker was a Republican in politics,
and his family attend Hope Church.
Mr. Barker married (first) in Lowell, in
March, 1858, Laura B. Pierce, born in
April, 1840, died in May, 1884, daughter
of George Pierce, a jeweller, of Lowell.
He married (second), November 26, 1888,
her sister, Jennie F. Pierce. Children of
first wife: i. Frederick Francis, born
June 17, 1859, accidentally drowned at the
age of seven. 2. Amelia Maria, born April
27, 1865; became the wife of Wheeler H.
Hall, secretary of the Massachusetts Mu-
tual Life Insurance Company. 3. John
Francis, born October 18, 1879. Children
of second wife: 4. Horace Richard, born
March 9, 1890; during the World War
he was in the service of the United States,
located at Camp Jackson. 5. Laura Fran-
cis, born September 29, 1896, at home.
FLAGG, George A.,
Public-Spirited Citizen.
George A. Flagg, of Springfield, Massa-
chusetts, comes of an old English family.
The name is found in the English records
spelled Flagg, Flegge, Flag, Flege, Flegh,
Fleght, Fleggh and Flight. The family
has been traced back many generations in
England prior to its coming to New Eng-
land, and is undoubtedly of Norman
origin.
Thomas Flagg, the founder of the fam-
ily in New England, was baptized in 1615,
at Whinbergh, and in 1637, at the age of
twenty-one, he came to New England.
He settled at Watertown, Massachusetts,
in 1641, owned considerable land, and was
selectman several terms between 1671 and
1687. He died February 6, 1698. He
married, in Watertown, soon after his
arrival, Mary . They were the par-
ents of nine sons, their fifth, \Villiam,
killed by the Indians in 1675. Descent is
traced through John, the second son.
John Flagg was born in Watertown,
Massachusetts, June 14, 1643, and there
died, February 6, 1697. He was admit-
ted a freeman October n, 1682, served as
constable and tax collector in 1685. He
married, March 30, 1670, Mary Gale, and
they were the parents of a son, John (2).
John (2) Flagg was born in Watertown,
Massachusetts, November 6, 1677, and
there made his home. He married twice,
his second wife, Sarah Hagar, the mother
of Asa, great-great-grandfather of George
F. Flagg, of Springfield.
Asa Flagg, son of John and Sarah
(Hagar) Flagg, was born November 18,
1712. He married and was the father of
Asa (2) Flagg, who settled in Royalston,
Massachusetts, and later in Fitzwilliam,
New Hampshire. He was a traveling
minister. He married a Miss Cheeney.
William Flagg, the son of Asa Flagg,
was born in Royalston, Massachusetts,
March 31, 1789, died October 16, 1839, in
Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire. He was
reared in the family of a man named
Waite, and later became a landowner and
farmer of Fitzwilliam, where he lived
nearly his entire life. He married, Octo-
ber 31, 1812, Sophia Forrestall, born May
14, 1793, died April 17, 1867, daughter of
Jesse and Martha (Gibson) Forrestall.
Jesse Forrestall, son of John and Thank-
ful (Jones) Forrestall, was born June 25,
1756, died October 12, 1824. He married
Martha Gibson, of Hopkinton, Massa-
chusetts, born March 29, 1753, died March
31, 1844. William and Sophia (Forrest-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
all) Flagg were the parents of thirteen
children : Sarah Lovell, Josiah Waite,
Nancy Birt, John Sabin, Mary Damon,
Lucy Blandon, Charles Wright, William
Frederick, Asa Cheney, George Austin,
of further mention ; Harvey Preston, Har-
riet Melinda, and Ellen Sophia.
George Austin Flagg, tenth child of
William and Sophia (Forrestall) Flagg,
was born in Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire,
August 29, 1829, died in Springfield, Mas-
sachusetts, May 26, 1906. He was edu-
cated in the district school, and resided for
a time in Watertown, then, about 1850,
removed to Springfield, Massachusetts,
where he worked with his uncle at farm-
ing for a time, then started a retail ice
business in a small way, gradually ex-
tending it until he eventually controlled
the retail ice business of Springfield, em-
ploying thirty to forty men and thirty
horses.
For twenty years Mr. Flagg continued
in the ice business, then disposed of his
business. He then engaged in real estate
operations, buying large unimproved areas
on State, Catherine, and Tyler streets,
upon which he built residences. In 1864
he built a residence for himself on State
street. He set out the trees adjacent to
his land on State street, bringing them in
from the woods, and lived to see them grow
into handsome, stately shade trees, adding
much to the beauty and attractiveness of
the street. He was a director of the
Chapin National Bank, a Republican in
politics, and an attendant of the services
of Olivet Church until its destruction by
fire, he then transferring his support to
the Unitarian church.
George A. Flagg married (first), in 1859,
Harriet Mosely, of Springfield, born in
1833, died in 1887, daughter of Edward
E. and Eliza (Van Horn) Mosely. He
married (second), in 1893, Annie Dibble,
who died in 1908. Children all by first
marriage: Frederick M., of Longmeadow,
Massachusetts ; Minnie L., married Wil-
liam E. Stibbs, whom she survives with
children, Franklin, Marion, and Dorothy;
Alice E.. married Fred A. Eldred, and has
a son, Robert M. ; George Forrestall, of
further mention ; Harriet V., and Ida C.
George Forrestall Flagg, youngest son
of George Austin and Harriet (Mosely)
Flagg, was born in Springfield, Massachu-
setts, October 10, 1869. He was edu-
cated in the public schools of the city, fin-
ishing with graduation from high school,
class of 1889. Immediately after leaving
school he became associated with his
father in the real estate business, father
and son continuing in business together
until death removed the senior partner in
1906. Since then George F. Flagg has
conducted the business alone.
Mr. Flagg married, May 27, 1902, Jes-
sie Amelia Jones, of Athol, Massachu-
setts, daughter of Edward Francis and
Louise (Leonard) Jones. Mr. and Mrs.
Flagg are the parents of two sons : George
Austin (2), born November 23, 1906;
Forrestall Frederick, born March 14, 1911,
died February 17, 1913.
HYDE, Henry Cleveland,
Manufacturer.
Although born and reared in the Mid-
dle West, Henry Cleveland Hyde, assist-
ant treasurer of Barney & Berry, Inc., has
passed a good part of his business life in
the city of Springfield, New England be-
ing the ancestral home of the Hydes until
the seventh generation in this branch,
when Oliver Moulton Hyde removed to
Detroit, Michigan. There his son, Louis
C. Hyde, former postmaster of Spring-
field, 1898-1914, was born. Henry C., son
of Louis C. Hyde, was also born in De-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
troit, but, like his father, he too sought
the ancestral home, and is as closely iden-
tified with Springfield and New England
as a native. The Hyde family embraces
a long line of distinguished men in both
England and the United States. Sir Nich-
olas Hyde, Earl of Clarendon, was chief
justice of the King's church, and Edward
Hyde, Earl of Clarendon, was lord chan-
cellor at the Restoration, and grandfather
to two English queens, Mary and Anne.
In the United States descendants of Wil-
liam Hyde are numerous and are found in
high position in the walks of American
life.
(I) William Hyde, the founder, came
from England to New England about
1633, and for a time was a resident of
Newton, Massachusetts. He is believed
to have gone to Connecticut with Rev.
Thomas Hooker, in 1636, and to have set-
tled at Saybrook. He was one of the orig-
inal proprietors of Norwich, Connecticut,
in 1660, and is recorded as the holder of
several town offices. He died at Nor-
wich, January 6, 1681, a man of consider-
able wealth. He left a son, Samuel, of
whom further ; and a daughter, Hester.
(II) Samuel Hyde was born about
1637, died in 1677. He settled at Nor-
wich, West Farms, Connecticut, and fol-
lowed agriculture all his life. He married
Jane Lee, daughter of Thomas Lee. Their
daughter Elizabeth was the first white
child born in Norwich, Connecticut.
(III) William (2) Hyde, third son of
Samuel and Jane (Lee) Hyde, was born
at Norwich, Connecticut, in January, 1670,
died August 8, 1759. He was a man of
wealth and influence, a magistrate of Nor-
wich, and a member of the Colonial Legis-
lature. He married Anne Bushnell, who
died July 8, 1745.
(IV) Rev. Jedediah Hyde, fifth son of
William (2) and Anne (Bushnell) Hyde,
Mass 10 3
was born at Norwich, Connecticut, June
2, 1712, died there, September 26, 1761.
He was an ordained minister of the Con-
gregational church and preached at
"Beams Hill." He married (first), July
1 7< 1733. Jerusha Perkins, daughter of
Deacon Joseph and Martha (Morgan)
Perkins, of Norwich. She died February
8, 1741, leaving four children. He mar-
ried (second), May 17, 1742, Jerusha
Tracy.
(V) Captain Jedediah Hyde, only son
of Rev. Jedediah and his first wife, Jeru-
sha (Perkins) Hyde, was born at Nor-
wich, Connecticut, August 24, 1735, died
at Hyde Park, Vermont, May 29, 1822.
He was an officer in the Revolutionary
army. At Bunker Hill he was lieutenant
in Captain Coit's company, and during
the action received a slight wound. He
afterward commanded a company in the
regular army. Captain Hyde married
(first), January 28, 1761, Mary Waterman,
daughter of Asa and Lucy (Hyde) Water-
man, of Norwich, his second cousin. She
died September 2, 1780, her husband then
being away on military duty. He married
(second) Elizabeth (Brown) Parker,
widow of David Parker. They settled in
Hyde Park, Vermont, of which town he
was an original proprietor. There in the
town which bore his name he continued a
farmer until his death.
(VI) Pitt William Hyde, fifth son of
Captain Jedediah and his first wife, Mary
(Waterman) Hyde, was born in Norwich,
Connecticut, December 29, 1776, died May
29, 1823, at Sudbury, Connecticut. He
married, October 19, 1796, Mary Kil-
bourne, of Castleton, Vermont, daughter
of James and Mary (Crampton) Kil-
bourne. Mrs. Hyde died at Sudbury,
March 3, 1813, and Mr. Hyde married
(second), November 4, 1813, a widow,
33
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Mrs. Rebecca (Sherman) Gaige, of Fer-
risburg, Vermont.
(VII) Oliver Moulton Hyde, third son
of Pitt William and his first wife, Mary
(Kilbourne) Hyde, was born March 10,
1804, died in Detroit, Michigan, in 1870.
He became a merchant of Castleton, Ver-
mont, later going to Mount Hope, New
York, where he operated a blast furnace.
In 1840 he moved to Detroit, Michigan,
and there became prominent in public life,
serving Detroit as mayor and as collector
of customs for several years. He married
Julia Anne Sprague, daughter of Daniel
Sprague, of West Poultney, Vermont.
Children: William Pitt; Charles H. ;
Henry Stanley; Harriett S. ; and Louis
C., of whom further.
(VIII) Louis Cavelli Hyde, youngest
son of Oliver Moulton and Julia Anne
(Sprague) Hyde, was born in Detroit,
Michigan, October 31, 1849, died in
Springfield, Massachusetts, December 9,
1918. His name was in honor of a friend
of his father's, Dr. Louis Cavelli, a diplo-
mat sent by the French government to
this country to confer with Lewis Cass,
then governor of Michigan. Dr. Cavelli
remained in the United States for several
years, and a warm friendship existed be-
tween him and Oliver M. Hyde. The boy,
Louis C., was early placed under private
tutors in Detroit, Michigan, but later he
was sent to Leicester Academy (Massa-
chusetts), whence he was graduated, class
of 1863. He was associated with his
father until the latter's death in 1870, he
then beginning the study of law, continu-
ing four years under the direction of Dick-
inson & Chambers, of Detroit. He came
to Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1876,
and formed a connection with the
Wason Manufacturing Company, soon be-
ing made clerk of the corporation, and
later secretary. These relations existed
for many years. At one time he was also
associated with the Springfield Steam
Power Company, and later in life was
treasurer of the Barney & Berry Com-
pany, Inc., and a director of the Spring-
field National Bank.
In politics, Mr. Hyde was a consistent
Republican. In 1890 he represented Ward
No. i, in Common Council, and the fol-
lowing two years he was a member of the
Board of Aldermen. During his first year
of service he -was secretary of the city
property committee, and during his in-
cumbency the Pynchon, Buckingham and
Carew streets schoolhouses were erected.
In 1896 he was chairman of the Central
High School Building Commission. In
1898 he was appointed postmaster of
Springfield, an office he held continuously
until 1914, when he gave way to Presi-
dent Wilson's appointee. He was incom-
parably one of the best officials who
ever held that position. The business of
the office greatly expanded with the city's
rapid growth in population during his
long administration, yet the office facili-
ties kept pace and the most progressive
policy prevailed. His gracious personal-
it}- won him many friends, and he com-
manded the respect of everyone who came
in contact with him.
After his retirement from the postmas-
tership in 1914, Mr. Hyde was sought
especially to supervise the management of
estates. He was appointed administra-
tor of the Everett H. Barney estate before
Mr. Barney's death, and at the same time
served as treasurer of Barney & Berry,
Inc. He gave a great deal of his time to
that estate and to the affairs of the cor-
poration. He was also trustee of the
George M. Atwater estate ; executor of
the David M. Atwater estate ; executor of
the George C. Fisk estate ; executor of the
Henry S. Hyde estate; and the estate of
34
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Mrs. Harry S. Dickinson was settled by
him. In the aggregate the settlement of
these estates imposed heavy responsibili-
ties upon Mr. Hyde, they representing a
property value of several millions of dol-
lars. In his business relations he was a
man of conspicuous probity, and served
faithfully, as well as efficiently, in the
many positions of trust which he filled.
Mr. Hyde was a charter member of
Springfield Lodge, Free and Accepted Ma-
sons ; and member of Morning Star Chap-
ter, Royal Arch Masons. His clubs were
the Masonic, Colony, and Nayasset, and
for a long time he was secretary of the
Charity Ball Committee whose annual
affairs were once the most brilliant of the
year. In local charities his aid was never
sought in vain, and in all the varied forms
of war work after the United States en-
tered the Wold War conflict he was most
helpful, although all his support was given
in a very quiet, unostentatious manner.
Mr. Hyde married, in 1870, Mary Cleve-
land, who died in Springfield, daughter of
Ira B. and Clara (Cole) Cleveland, of
Flint, Michigan. Mrs. Hyde was richly
endowed naturally, was thoroughly edu-
cated, and highly cultured. She pos-
sessed a rare and charming personality,
and numbered many friends among the
older Springfield families. She was a de-
voted member of Christ Episcopal Church,
and deeply interested in its many socie-
ties, and in several charitable organiza-
tions. A keen sense of humor was coupled
with her refined manners, making her a
delightful companion. Mr. and Mrs. Hyde
were the parents of : Henry Cleveland, of
whom further ; Harriet, the wife of Philip
Delano Hawkins ; and Dorothy, who died
at the age of twenty-one.
(IX) Henry Cleveland Hyde, of the
ninth American generation, only son of
Louis Cavelli and Mary (Cleveland)
Hyde, was born in Detroit, Michigan,
February 15, 1872. His parents came to
Springfield in 1876, and in that city he
completed public school courses of study,
finishing with high school. His first busi-
ness position was with the Agawam Na-
tional Bank of Springfield, and for eleven
years he continued with that bank. He
then went West, and in Saginaw, Michi-
gan, became identified with the Porter
Cedar Company, the business of that com-
pany being the manufacture of railroad
ties and the getting out of telephone and
telegraph poles. For fifteen years Mr.
Hyde continued with that company, its
treasurer and member of the board of
directors. In 1915 he returned to Spring-
field, and has since been identified with
the manufacturing firm, Barney & Berry,
Inc., as assistant treasurer.
Mr. Hyde married, October 14, 1898,
Emma Wing Inshaw, born February 12,
1875, daughter of Richard Bates and Mary
(Poole) Inshaw. Mr. Inshaw, a guns-
smith and engraver, came from England
to the United States, locating first in New
York City, but afterwards in Chicopee,
Massachusetts. Mr. and Mrs. Hyde are
the parents of two sons : Louis Cutter,
born in Saginaw, Michigan, November 2O,
1911; and Richard Inshaw, born in Spring-
field, Massachusetts, May 26, 1916.
LEWIS, Charles Cottrell,
A Leader in Business World.
In all that tended to make noble man-
hood, Charles C. Lewis, a late resident of
Springfield, Massachusetts, was rich. En-
dowed by nature with a temperament
keenly sensitive to joy and sorrow, to
humor and pathos, he lived in close touch
with his fellowmen in those things which
make life brighter and better. He was an
important factor in the business circles of
35
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
the city, and along the lines of earnest,
persistent and honorable endeavor he
steadily advanced until he occupied an
honorable position in trade circles and
enjoyed a handsome income from a busi-
ness which was built upon energy, indus-
try, enterprise and integrity.
William H. Lewis, father of Charles C.
Lewis, was a resident of New London,
Connecticut, from whence he removed to
the State of California, where he con-
tracted a fever and his death occurred in
1862. He married Ann Elizabeth Case,
and three children were born to them,
namely: William F. ; Charles Cottrell, of
this review; and Harry. These children
are all deceased.
Charles Cottrell Lewis was born in
New London, Connecticut, March 13,
1859. He attended the public schools of
New London for a few years, but left his
studies at an early age in order to assist
his mother in the maintenance of the fam-
ily, this devolving upon her after the
death of her husband, which occurred
when Charles C. was only two and one-
half years of age. While attending school,
Charles C. Lewis was employed in a book
store in New London, part time, and
when fourteen years of age, entered the
employ of Dudley & Stevens, of New
London, who were engaged in the iron
and steel industry. During the thirteen
years he remained in their employ, he ac-
quired a thorough knowledge of the busi-
ness and also gained confidence in his
ability to conduct an enterprise of his
own, which he did in the year 1886, com-
ing to Springfield, Massachusetts, for that
purpose. The iron and steel business,
which he started in a small way, increased
in volume and importance and was event-
ually incorporated under the name of
Charles C. Lewis Company, of which he
was the president and treasurer. The
business of the company was strictly
wholesale iron and steel, and included
heavy hardware. It was established at
No. 30 Lyman street, and continued in the
same building up to the time of his death.
He left it in a flourishing condition. In
1898 he served one term as alderman, his
tenure of office noted for efficiency, and
on three occasions he was requested to
become the candidate for mayor of Spring-
field, but declined the honor. He was a
member of the Board of Trade of Spring-
field, a member and vice-president of the
American Iron, Steel and Heavy Hard-
ware Association ; a member of the Me-
gantic Club of Megantic, Maine ; the Pub-
licity Club ; the Nayasset Club ; the
Springfield Club ; the Oxford Club ; and
Springfield Lodge, Free and Accepted
Masons, of which he was chaplain. He
held membership in the Faith Congrega-
tional Church.
Mr. Lewis married, October 7, 1891,
Irene Pratt, born in Springfield, Massa-
chusetts, July 15, 1869, daughter of
Charles Adams and Clara (Crossett)
Pratt, granddaughter of Orrin and Irene
(Richmond) Pratt, of Ashfield, great-
granddaughter of Ellis and Myra Ann
(Griswold) Pratt, of Ashfield, and great-
great-granddaughter of Josiah and Sally
(Copeland) Pratt, and of Major Joseph
Griswold, of Buckland. Children of Mr.
and Mrs. Lewis: i. Donald Balles, born
October 6, 1892, died December 5, 1902.
2. Dorothy Jeanette, born February 29,
1900 ; married, October 2, 1920, Clifford
Slater Wheeler, born in Springfield, Mas-
sachusetts, May 27, 1892; he saw service
in the French army under General Milan
Stefanic, serving as captain on his staff.
3. Richmond, born March 19, IQOI. 4.
Ann Elizabeth, born January 29, 1903.
Charles Cottrell Lewis died at his home
in Springfield, May 4, 1915. His loss to
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
society, to the business world, and to his
family, will long be felt and deeply
mourned. He was a manly man, actu-
ated in all he did by the highest principles
and a broad humanitarian spirit, and his
memory is hallowed by the love and re-
gard which he engendered in the hearts of
all who knew him.
PHELPS, Mary Elizabeth,
Member of Important Family.
The American ancestor of this branch
of the Phelps family was William (2)
Phelps, the son of William, son of John
Phelps, born about 1520, and his wife,
Joan. William (i) Phelps was baptized
in Tewkesbury Abby Church, England,
August 4, 1560, and died in 1611. His
eight children were born in Tewkesbury,
William (2) being fifth in order of birth.
William (2) Phelps was baptized at
Tewkesbury Abby Church, August 19,
1599, died in Windsor, Connecticut, his
will being probated July 26, 1672. He
came to New England with his wife and
six children in the "Mary and John," sail-
ing from Plymouth, England, March 20,
1630, landing at Nantasket, now Hull,
Massachusetts, May 3oth, following. He
was one of the founders and first settlers
of Dorchester, and took an active part in
town affairs. He was a member of the
first jury which tried a case in New Eng-
land. He was constable in 1631 ; deputy
to the general Court, 1634-1635 ; and in
the fall of 1635 moved to Windsor, Con-
necticut, which was ever afterwards his
home. General William Phelps was one
of the six men forming the first town
meeting in Windsor, and on May i, 1637,
presided at a court which ordered "an
offensive war against the Pequots." He
was a magistrate from 1639 to 1643, then
again from 1645 to J 649; in 1651 he was
deputy, and again was magistrate from
1656 to 1662. In 1641, he was governor
of the Windsor colony. That he was a
man of property is evidenced by the high
pew rent that he paid. Not being able to
prove his title to the land he bought from
Sehat, an Indian, he paid for it a second
time. His farm, north of the Mill River
Valley, was inundated by the great flood
of 1639, an d soon afterward he moved
further north and settled on what is
known as Phelps meadow. His first wife,
whom he married in England, died in
1635, and he married (second), in 1638,
Mary Dover, who came from England in
the "Mary and John." By his first mar-
riage there were six children, and by the
second marriage two. The eldest and only
son of William (2) and Mary (Dover)
Phelps was Lieutenant Timothy, the head
of the second generation.
(II) Lieutenant Timothy Phelps was
born in Windsor, Connecticut, September
i, 1639, died in 1719. He lived on the old
homestead in Windsor, on land purchased
by his father from the Indians. He was
made a freeman May 2, 1664; in May,
1690, was chosen lieutenant of the Wind-
sor train band ; and in May, 1696, the sol-
diers elected him captain, the court ap-
proving the choice. In 1709 he was com-
missioned lieutenant by the General
Court, and in Queen Anne's War he
served in Captain Matthew Allyn's com-
pany. Captain Matthew Allyn led a com-
pany from Windsor in the campaign
against Quebec. Lieutenant Timothy
Phelps married, March 19, 1661, Mary
Griswold, born in Windsor, baptized Oc-
tober 13, 1644, daughter of Edward Gris-
wold, of Killingworth, Connecticut. She
died several years earlier than her hus-
band. They were the parents of twelve
children, decent in this line being traced
through the eldest son, Timothy (2).
37
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
(III) Timothy (2) Phelps was born in
Windsor, Connecticut, November i, 1663.
He married, November 4, 1686, Mary
Crowe, and in 1690 moved to Hebron,
Connecticut. The line continues through
their son, Charles Phelps, of whom
further.
(IV) Charles Phelps was born in Heb-
ron, Connecticut, July 26, 1702. He mar-
ried, February 26, 1726, Hepzibah Stiles,
their son, Zuriah, being head of the fifth
generation.
(V) Zuriah Phelps was born in Heb-
ron, Connecticut, April 3, 1/29, but prior
to 1754 he and his wife Dorothy settled in
Lyme, Connecticut, where their son, Eli-
jah Phelps, was born.
(VI ) Elijah Phelps was born May 13,
1754. He married, August 16, 1775, Mary
Gibbs, and in 1/79 moved to Wilbraham,
Massachusetts. Later, he lived in Wind-
sor, Connecticut, and in 1818 made Mor-
risonville, New York, his home, there
residing until his death. May 16, 1823.
He marched on the "alarm" at Lexing-
ton April 19, 1775, and later enlisted in
the Continental army for three years.
(VII) Henry Phelps, son of Elijah
Phelps, the patriot, and his wife Mary
(Gibbs) Phelps, was born in Wilbraham,
Massachusetts, April 21, 1/97, died in
Windsor, Connecticut, February 17. 1875.
He was a large land owner of Windsor,
and an extensive grower of tobacco. He
married. December 12, 1819, Rachael
Jacobs. They were the parents of seven
sons and a daughter : Edgar; Ebenezer;
Mary, who went to Mendocino, California ;
William Jacobs, head of the eighth gener-
ation ; Nathaniel ; Samuel ; Abraham,
and Henry E.
(VIII) William Jacobs Phelps, third son
and fourth child of Henry and Rachael
(Jacobs) Phelps, was born in Windsor,
Connecticut, January 12, 1838, died in
Springfield, Massachusetts, April 21, 1882.
He attended Windsor, Connecticut, pub-
lic schools and there spent his youth.
Quite early in life he left home and came
to Springfield, Massachusetts, where he
entered the employ of the Connecticut
River Railroad Company, rising in rank
until he became general passenger agent,
a position he held for many years, until
he resigned and went South, holding posi-
tions with other companies. He devoted
his entire mature life to the railroad busi-
ness and was a thorough master of the
duties of his position. He attended the
First Congregational Church, and was
a man highly respected and esteemed
wherever known. He married, in 1866,
Elizabeth Fowler Cooley, of Springfield,
daughter of Ralzs Man and Harriet So-
phia (Ashley) Cooley, who were married
October 17, 1833, in Springfield. Mrs.
Phelps survived her husband until De-
cember 23, 1914. Mr. and Mrs. Phelps
were the parents of three daughters:
Mary Elizabeth, Harriet Christine, and
Rachael Jacobs Phelps, all born in Spring-
field, Massachusetts, and all now residing
at No. 131 Florida street, in their native
city.
DICKINSON, Henry Smith,
Manufacturer, Civic Official.
The Dickinson family, of which Henry
Smith Dickinson, now deceased, but for
many years a well-known and highly re-
spected citizen of his native city, Spring-
field, was a member, is of many genera-
tions' residence in the New England
States, and in the Old W T orld dates back
to an early period, an account of which
follows :
The Scandinavian Earls trace their de-
scent from the noblest and most heroic of
the ruling dynasties of the North, and
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Ivan. Prince of the Uplands in Norway,
was the father of Eystein, who had issue,
Rogenwald and Mulahule. Rogenwald
was a supporter of King Harold Harfagr
and assisted him in obtaining the mastery
over all the other independent Norwegian
chiefs. One of his sons, Rollo, founded
the line of Sovereign Dukes of Normandy,
and was ancestor to William the Con-
queror. (Burke's "Extinct Peerages,"
page 492).
About eleven centuries ago there ap-
peared at the court of Halfdan Hiulbein,
king of Norway, a soldier of fortune,
named War. He was said to have been
originally a shepherd. One day he was
captured by a roving band of Northmen
and carried off to sea. After a series of
adventures, he made his appearance at the
Norse King's court, about the year 700.
Being of handsome presence, he became a
great favorite with the king, who made
him general of his army, Prince of the Up-
lands, and in 725 bestowed upon him
in marriage his daughter, Eurittea, the
heiress of the realm. Halfdan died in 725,
leaving his crown to his grandson, Ey-
stein. Ivan was regent during his son's
minority. Eystein reigned until 755 and
left Harold Harfagr successor, and an-
other son Rogenwald. Among other
issues, Rogenwald left Rolf, or Rollo, the
most adventurous prince of his age, who
overran Normandy in 910. His sixth and
youngest son, Walter, received the town
and castle of Caen as his inheritance. His
great-grandson, Walter de Caen, accom-
panied William the Conqueror to Eng-
land. From Walter de Caen, later Wal-
ter de Kenson (taking the name of his
manor in Yorkshire) comes Johnne Dy-
konson, of further mention.
Johnne Dykonson, freeholder, of Kings-
ton-upon-Hull, Yorkshire, died in 1316.
William Dykenson, freeholder of Kings-
ton-upon-Hull, Yorkshire, died in 1330-31.
Hugh Dykensonne, freeholder of Kings-
ton-upon-Hull, Yorkshire, died 1376. An-
thoyne Dickensonne, freeholder of Kings-
ton-upon-Hull, Yorkshire, died in 1396.
Richard Dickenson, freeholder of Kings-
ton-upon-Hull, Yorkshire, died in 1441.
Thomas Dickinson, freeholder of Kings-
ton-upon-Hull, Yorkshire, died in 1475.
Hugh Dickinson, freeholder, died 1509.
William Dickinson, freeholder of Kenson
Manor, Yorkshire, died in 1546. John
Dickinson, who settled in Leeds, York-
shire, died in 1554. William Dickinson,
who settled in Bradley Hall, Stafford-
shire, died in 1605. Thomas Dickinson,
clerk, Portsmouth Navy Yard, from 1557
to 1587, died in 1590. William Dickinson,
who settled in 'Ely, Cambridge, died in
1628.
Nathaniel Dickinson, born in Ely, Cam-
bridge, 1600. In A. D. 1628-29, the aspect
of public affairs in England became more
threatening than ever. Charles I. dis-
missed his Parliament and tried govern-
ing without one, introducing a system of
tyranny which eventually brought him to
the block. His inquisitorial policy was
to extinguish Puritan opinions and to
punish by imprisonment and death all
who deviated from established ceremonies.
Reared in the traditions of a race which
for six centuries had braved tyranny,
from the Norman Rufus to the unfortunate
Charles Stuart, is it any wonder that the
same spirit led the stern Puritan, Nathan-
iel Dickinson, at this time to seek the
wilds of America?
In 1630 the London Company, of Mas-
sachusetts Bay, transferred itself and the
entire government of its colonists to its
American settlement, and in June, 1630,
John Winthrop, chosen governor by the
Massachusetts Company, with his fleet,
the "Arabella," "Talb'ot," "Ambrose," and
.19
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
"Jewell," bearing three or four hundred
colonists, two of whom were Nathaniel
Dickinson and his wife, arrived in Salem,
Massachusetts. Some "resolved to set
down at the head of Charles River,"
others "relinquishing Salem, shipped their
goods to Charlestown, Watertown, and
Roxbury." Nathaniel Dickinson is said
to have settled in Watertown, where John,
Joseph, and Thomas were born, and where
he remained until 1635-36, when he re-
moved to Wethersfield, Connecticut, and
our American record begins.
To any one who has made a study of
American genealogy, the name of Nathan-
iel Dickinson is a household word. Set-
tling with his wife, Anna (Gull) Dickin-
son, in Wethersfield, Connecticut, in A.
D. 1636, he took front rank. He was a
member of the first Board of Selectmen,
representative to the General Assembly
from 1645 to I 6s6, recorder for twenty
years in Wethersfield, deacon in the
church throughout his life. In 1659, he
removed with his family to Hadley, Mas-
sachusetts, where he was no less a leader.
As shown above, he was one of the origi-
nal committee sent to lay out the town,
was first recorder there, assessor, town
magistrate, member of the Hampshire
Troop, one of the members of the first
board of trustees of Hopkins Academy.
"An intelligent and influential man, and
one qualified to do public business, as
well as a man of substance, rating with
the highest in the division of lands." He
owned, east of the "Great River" at Hart-
ford, one hundred acres in the tract called
"Maubuc Farms." This was sold on or
before the removal to Hadley. With him,
from W r ethersfield to Hadley, removed
his minister, Mr. Russel, who gave per-
manent concealment to Generals Whalley
and Goff, two members of the High Court
of Justice that condemned Charles I.
George Richard Dickinson, a descend-
ant of this family, and father of Henry
Smith Dickinson, was a native of Reads-
boro, Vermont, born December 15, 1832,
and died in Springfield, Massachusetts,
December 29, 1887, in the prime of life,
aged fifty-five. He was reared and edu-
cated in his native town, and during his
young manhood removed to Holyoke,
Massachusetts, the center of the paper
trade, where he engaged in the paper busi-
ness. By the exercise of ability, energy,
and perseverance, he succeeded so well
in this enterprise that he was enabled to
establish a business of his own, which,
growing to large proportions, finally be-
came the George R. Dickinson Paper
Mill, later absorbed by the American
Writing Paper Company. In due course
of time he became an active and influen-
tial citizen of his adopted city, and was
elected, on the Republican ticket, to the
office of alderman of Holyoke, in which
capacity he rendered efficient service. He
held membership, as did also his wife, in
the Methodist Episcopal church, in the
affairs of which they took an active inter-
est. George R. Dickinson married (first),
January n, 1859, Mary Jane Clark, born
in Framingham, Massachusetts, February
5, 1839. They were the parents of Henry
Smith, of further mention. Mary Jane
(Clark) Dickinson died September 30,
1863. George R. Dickinson married (sec-
ond) her sister, Harriet Andrews Clark,
June 25, 1864. After his death his second
wife and widow married William W.
Stewart, a retired business man of Fall
River, Massachusetts. She died in Peter-
sham, Massachusetts, October 15, 1915
Henry Smith Dickinson, son of George
Richard and Mary Jane (Clark) Dickin-
son, was born in Springfield, Massachu-
setts, September 26, 1863. He attended
the local schools, where he received a
40
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
practical education, and later began his
business career in the employ of his father
at his mill in Holyoke, where he obtained
a thorough knowledge of the paper mak-
ing industry, which line of work he fol-
lowed during the active years of his life,
serving for a number of years as president
of the George R. Dickinson Paper Mill
Company, and after the merger with the
American Writing Paper Company, afore-
mentioned, served as their agent in the
city of Boston. He was an active, ener-
getic, progressive man, alive to every
opportunity that presented itself, not in
business circles only, but in the realm of
politics as well, and was chosen to fill the
responsible office of mayor of Springfield,
serving during the years 1897-98, the
period of the Spanish-American War, his
term of service being noted for efficiency
and progress in every detail. He was an
attendant of the South Congregational
Church, Springfield, as was also his wife.
Mr. Dickinson married, in Cleveland,
Ohio, March 2, 1885, Stella Emily Paige,
born in West Springfield, Massachusetts,
October 31, 1862, and died in South Fram-
ingham, Massachusetts, March 17, 1902.
She was a daughter of William Henry and
Laura Ann (Tubbs) Paige. W'illiam H.
Paige, who died in Cleveland, Ohio, in
1885, served for fifteen years as superin-
tendent of the well-known Wason Car
Shops, of Springfield. He was a brilliant
man, a noted inventor, and developed
many things in connection with railway
equipment ; he was the first to develop
the idea of a sleeping car, and at the
Wason Car Shops built one of the first
sleeping cars made in this country ; in
1882, he went to Cleveland, Ohio, to
establish a factory for the manufacture of
a special patented car wheel he had de-
veloped ; and he and his family finally
traveled to Cleveland in the sleeper he had
built, living in the car for three weeks
after arriving in that city. The death of
his wife occurred in Springfield, Massa-
chusetts, in 1917. Four children were
born to Mr. and Mrs. Dickinson: i.
George Richard (2), born February 8,
1890, educated in Springfield schools, in
the Hotchkiss school, Lakeville, Connec-
ticut, and in Williams College, which he
attended for one year. Since then he has
resided in Springfield. At the declaration
of war with Germany, he enlisted in the
2nd Massachusetts Infantry, which later
formed a part of the io4th United States
Infantry, and was discharged at Camp
Devons, Ayer, Massachusetts, April 28,
1919. 2. Henry Raymond, of further men-
tion. 3. Stuart Winthrop. a sketch of
whom follows. 4. Harriet Andrews, mar-
ried John D. Shuart, a sketch of whom
follows.
Henry Raymond Dickinson, second son
of Henry Smith and Stella Emily (Paige)
Dickinson, was born in Springfield, Mas-
sachusetts, June 12, 1891. His prepara-
tory education was received in the schools
of his native city, and this was supple-
mented by a course of study in the Hotch-
kiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut, and
a one-year term in Williams College, he
leaving before graduation in order to
engage in business pursuits. His first
employment was with the Phelps Publish-
ing Company, where he was engaged for
a period of two years, at the expiration of
which time he entered the service of the
Springfield Institution for Savings, serv-
ing that institution in the capacity of as-
sistant paying teller until 1918, when he
resigned. He gives his political allegi-
ance to the Republican party, but aside
from exercising his right of franchise,
takes no active part in public affairs. He
holds membership in the Springfield Coun-
try Club. In 1920 he removed to Peter-
sham, Massachusetts, where he is resid-
ing at the present time (1921).
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
DICKINSON, Stuart Winthrop,
Volunteer for World War.
Prominent among the young represen-
tative men of Springfield, Massachusetts,
is Stuart Winthrop Dickinson, third son
of Henry Smith and Stella Emily (Paige)
Dickinson (q. v.), whose birth occurred
in Springfield. Massachusetts, August 31,
1893.
His preliminary education was obtained
in the schools of his native city, and ad-
vanced studies were pursued in the well-
known Phillips Andover Academy, the
knowledge thus acquired thoroughly qual-
ifying him for an active business career.
His first position was in the offices of the
Massachusetts Life Insurance Company,
in Springfield, where he remained until
the United States declared war against
Germany, when he displayed his spirit of
patriotism by becoming a member of the
National army, and in September, 1917,
was sent to Camp Devens, Ayer, Massa-
chusetts, where he was trained for active
service. He did not have the opportunity
to go "over there," but despite this he "did
his bit'' for his country in her hour of
need, and received his honorable dis-
charge at Camp Devens, April 28, 1919.
SHUART, John Denton,
In Naval Service in 'World War.
John Denton Shuart, only son of Wil-
liam Herbert and Xella Sumner (Phillips)
Shuart, a sketch of whom appears else-
where in this work, was born in Roches-
ter. New York, November 16. 1894. He
was a student in the Springfield High
School, the Choate School in Walling-
ford, Connecticut, and in Williams Col-
lege, where he was pursuing an advanced
course of study at the time the United
States Government declared war against
Germany.
In February, 1917, he joined the
first college unit in the East, this be-
ing the unit from Williams College, for
war service, enlisted in the Naval Reserve,
was assigned to the sub-marine chaser
"Arcady," and in August, 1917, trans-
ferred to the scout cruiser "Chester." He
enlisted as an ensign and later was pro-
moted to the rank of junior lieutenant.
The "Chester"' was employed in convoy
work for seventeen months between Eng-
land and Gibralter. One of the most inter-
esting encounters which the "Chester"
had, was a fight, in September, 1918, with
the submarine "U-53" which, previous to
the entry of the United States in the war,
had crossed to this country and attacked
and sunk several fishing vessels off Nan-
tucket. The "Chester" was unharmed,
but the "U-53" was practically put out of
commission. In January, 1919, Mr. Shu-
art, with his comrades, was ordered home
and placed on the inactive list. Since his
return from the scene of conflict, Mr.
Shuart has acted in the capacity of pur-
chasing agent for the Springfield Glazed
Paper Company, he also being a member
of the board of directors of this corpora-
tion. He is a member of the Young
Men's Christian Association, of the
Springfield Country Club, and of the Psi
Upsilon college fraternity.
Mr. Shuart married, April 30. 1917,
Harriet Andrews Dickinson, only daugh-
ter of Henry Smith and Stella Emily
(Paige) Dickinson, born February 13,
1895. She was educated at Miss Porter's
School, in Springfield, at Fairmont Acad-
emy, Washington, D. C., and at Miss
Capen's School, in Northampton, Massa-
chusetts. Two children have been born
to Mr. and Mrs. Shuart : John Denton,
Jr.. born April 29, 1918, while his father
was in the service, and he was ten months
old when his father returned from the seat
of war ; and Barbara Phillips, born June
26, 1920.
42
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
GRIFFIN, Solomon Bulkley,
Journalist, Man of Affairs.
Forty years managing editor of the
"Springfield Republican," and for more
than a quarter of a century one of the best
known men in the newspaper world of the
United States, Mr. Griffin, who has now
retired to private life, enjoyed, in addi-
tion to his celebrity as a journalist, a na-
tional reputation by reason of his activity
in public affairs and his keen insight into
matters political.
The Griffuds of Welsh history are re-
garded by many antiquarians of the pres-
ent day as Griffins, or Griffiths. A strong
tradition which has come down through
the different lines says that the last prince
of Wales, Llewellyn ap Griffith ap Llew-
ellyn. is the progenitor of all. One of
these, in a record connected with the
tower of London, is called a Griffin. The
Virginia Griffins, who are descended from
Cyrus Griffin, of the Provincial Congress,
have the same tradition. The name has
been and is still spelled both Griffin and
Griffing, the form having varied in the
course of the successive generations.
(I) Jasper Griffin, who was born about
1648, in Wales, emigrated as a youth to
the American colonies. In 1670 he was in
Essex county, Massachusetts, and in 1674
in Marblehead. About 1675 he settled in
Southold, Long Island, where he passed
the remainder of his life. His wife, whose
name was Hannah, is said to have been a
native of New England. They were the
parents of eighteen children. Jasper Grif-
fin died in Southold, April 17, 1718, his
wife having passed away April 20, 1699.
(II) John Griffin, son of Jasper and
Hannah Griffin, probably died in 1714 or
(III) John (2) Griffin, son of John (i)
Griffin, was born in 1710, and was an
early settler of what is now Riverhead,
Long Island. During the Revolutionary
War he removed with his family to Lyme,
or Middletown, Connecticut. He married
(first) Sarah Paine, who died September
12, 1761. He married (second) Anna
Sweezey, daughter of Richard and Abiah
Sweezey, of Riverhead. John Griffin died,
tradition says, in Guilford, Connecticut.
(IV) James Griffin, son of John (2)
and Sarah (Paine) Griffin, was born in
1746. He married (first), about 1769,
Nancy Overton, of Southold, who died in
1784. He married (second) Charity Top-
ping. James Griffin died about 1791.
(V) Nathaniel Griffin, son of James
and Nancy (Overton) Griffin, was born
March 15, 1780, in Middletown. Connec-
ticut, and in April, 1803, went to Mastick
to take charge of the estate of Christo-
pher Roberts, son of Dr. Roberts, of West
India fame, who was then in college. Mr.
Griffin resided in Ouogue, and was an
elder and leader in the Presbyterian
church. He married (first), in 1802, Eliz-
abeth Lincoln, daughter of Lemuel and
Deborah (Culver) Lincoln, of Southamp-
ton township, Long Island, who died in
1805. He married (second), in 1811, Azu-
bah Herrick, daughter of Nathaniel and
Elizabeth Herrick, of Ouogue. Mr. Grif-
fin died August 28, 1832, and his widow
survived him many years, her death oc-
curring January 24, 1861.
(VI) Dr. Nathaniel (2) Griffin, son of
Nathaniel (i) and Azubah (Herrick)
Griffin, was born December 28, 1814. He
graduated from Williams College in the
class of 1834. He studied theology at
Princeton Theological Seminary, and in
1837 was licensed to preach by the Pres-
bytery of Long Island. He was for a time
pastor of the Presbyterian church at
Delhi, New York. He was called to Wil-
liams College as tutor, and later became
43
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
professor and librarian. He received from
Lafayette College the degree of Doctor of
Divinity. He married, in 1839, Hannah
Elizabeth Bulkley, daughter of Major
Solomon Bulkley, of Willamstown, and a
descendant of the Rev. Peter Bulkley,
founder of Concord, Massachusetts, and
its first minister. Dr. Griffin died in Wil-
liamstown, October 16, 1876.
(VII) Solomon Bulkley Griffin, son of
Dr. Nathaniel (2) and Hannah Elizabeth
(Bulkley) Griffin, was born August 13,
1852. He entered as sophomore in Wil-
liams College, and became associated with
the class of 1872. In 1881, after nine years
of journalistic work, he was given the
honorary degree of Master of Arts. His
editorial experience might be said to have
begun during his student days inasmuch
as he had been one of the editors of the
"Vidette," the college weekly. In 1907
he was made L. H. D., and in 1919 Am-
herst College conferred upon him the
degree of Doctor of Laws.
In July, 1872, Mr. Griffin became a mem-
ber of the editorial staff of the "Spring-
field Republican," receiving his first news-
paper training under the elder Samuel
Bowles, and serving an apprenticeship as
a reporter. In 1878, when the new Re-
publican Company was formed to succeed
the old firm of Samuel Bowles & Com-
pany, Mr. Griffin was made managing edi-
tor and one of the board of three direc-
tors. At one time or another he filled
every position in the editorial department.
During his long tenure of the office of
managing editor, he was constantly en-
gaged in editorial writing, also exercising
a general oversight of the work of other
departments, his experience and sound
judgment being large factors in maintain-
ing journalistic standards. As an editor
he was progressive and alert, quick to
adopt the best of new methods, but always
holding fast to what had stood the test
of time, and thus tempering courageous
progress with a wise conservatism. In
advancing the growth and maintaining
and strengthening the character of the
"Republican" no man exercised greater or
more lasting influence.
Always keenly interested in politics,
Mr. Griffin has attended most of the Na-
tional and State conventions of the last
forty years, his insight into political con-
ditions creating for him a reputation
which extended throughout the United
States. His skill as special correspondent
of the "Republican" at political conven-
tions and on other occasions was of ines-
timable value both to the paper and the
general public. In 1885, while spending
a long vacation in Mexico, when Porfirio
Diaz was at the height of his power, Mr.
Griffin wrote notable letters to the "Re-
publican." These were published in 1886
under the title "Mexico of To-day."
Especially noteworthy were a series of
letters on the Irish question written for
the "Republican" in 1887, when Mr. Grif-
fin was in Europe with Judge William S.
Shurtleff, of Springfield.
In politics Mr. Griffin was an Independ-
ent. In January, 1912, he published in
the "Atlantic Monthly" an article of his-
toric interest, entitled "The Political Evo-
lution of a College President," a study of
Woodrow Wilson's ideas of political lead-
ership as applied through the governor-
ship of New Jersey and since made famil-
iar to the United States and the world.
He was a strong advocate of Woodrow
Wilson's election and reelection to the
presidency.
Among the business interests of Mr.
Griffin are the Hampshire Paper Com-
pany, of which he is president, nnd the
Carew Manufacturing Company, of which
he is vice-president, both of Holyoke,
44
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Massachusetts. He is also officially con-
nected with other enterprises, including
the South-worth Company, of Mittineague,
Massachusetts, in which he holds the
office of director.
Twice Mr. Griffin was chosen alumni
member of the board of trustees of Wil-
liams College, and is now a permanent
member of that body. He is also a mem-
ber of the advisory board of the Pulitzer
School of Journalism. His clubs are the
Authors' and Century, of New York, and
the Colony, Nayasset, Winthrop and
Country, of Springfield. He belongs to
the Kappa Alpha Society.
Mr. Griffin married, November 25, 1892,
Ida M. Southworth, daughter of John H.
Southworth, of Springfield, and they are
the parents of two sons : Bulkley South-
worth, and Cortlandt Brooke, both of
whom were in the aviation service during
the World War. The elder son is city
editor of the "Republican," and the
younger is connected with the Carew
Manufacturing Company, of South Had-
ley Falls.
In January, 1918, Mr. Griffin completed
forty years' of service as managing editor
and director of the "Republican," and in
March, 1919, he resigned these positions.
He received at the time many apprecia-
tive letters from men of note all over the
country, and from among the numerous
press notices which partook of the same
character we select the following, which
appeared in the "Republican :"
Solomon Bulkley Griffin, a member of the staff
of the "Republican" since 1872, and for many
years its managing editor, has retired. Mr. Grif-
fin, after being in the harness nearly forty-seven
years, seeks relief from the burdens of daily
newspaper work and proposes to devote his atten-
tion to matters of personal concern. In the long
period of his service, notable in American jour-
nalism, there have worked under him and been
trained under him many men now occupying news-
paper positions of influence and responsibility
throughout the country, who hold him in grateful
affection.
Mr. Griffin's work has passed into his-
tory and forms a chapter of honor in the
annals of the journalism of the United
States.
ADAMS, G. Frank,
Enterprising Citizen.
G. Frank Adams, now, 1920, vice-pres-
ident of the Chicopee National Bank, of
Springfield, who for nearly thirty years
was prominent in the steam heating busi-
ness of that city, comes of an English
family. It traces back to Henry Adams,
ancestor of John Adams, second president
of the United States, who was honored by
his distinguished descendants by their
erecting a handsome monument in Brain-
tree. Massachusetts, the inscription on
one side being as follows: "To the mem-
ory of Henry Adams, who came from
Devonshire, England, with his eight sons,
and settled near Mt. Wollaston." One of
the sons returned to England. After
taking some time to explore the country,
in the vicinity of Wollaston, four of the
sons removed to Medfield and the neigh-
boring towns, two to Chelmsford, one
only, Joseph Adams, remaining in Mt.
Wollaston. He was later an original pro-
prietor of the township of Braintree, in-
corporated in 1639.
Of these sons, Samuel Adams, born in
England, married, May 10, 1643, Rebecca
Graves, and they had a son from whom
John Adams, of Marlboro, Connecticut,
descended.
(I) This John Adams was born in
Marlboro, Connecticut, April 9, 1733, and
died at the home of his son John in Wil-
braham, March 28, 1828, aged ninety-five
years. He married, May i, 1755, Sarah
Skinner, born November 25, 1735, died
45
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
November 5, 1818, aged eighty-three
years. They were the great-great-grand-
parents of George Francis Adams, of this
review. John and Sarah (Skinner) Adams
were the parents of five children : Lydia,
born June 4, 1756, died March 15. 1817;
Sarah, born September 3, 1757; John, of
further mention ; Huldah, born January
28, 1769; David, born June 25, 1772.
(II) John (2) Adams, son of John (i)
and Sarah (Skinner) Adams, was born in
Marlboro, Connecticut, May 9, 1760, and
died March 3, 1826. In 1784 he and his
wife made a journey to Wilbraham on
horseback, she riding behind him on a
pillion. Here he settled, and in 1798 built
a house that is still standing. John (2)
Adams was a blacksmith and operated his
own shop in Wilbraham. He married,
July i, 1784, Rebecca Skinner, born May
4, 1760, died May 6, 1842. Children:
John, of further mention ; Roderick, born
August 25, 1787, died August 18, 1836;
Sally, born June, 1791, died November 13,
1845; Amelia, born March 23, 1/95, died
1827; David, born January n, 1797, died
October 19, 1886.
(III) John (3) Adams, son of John (2)
and Rebecca (Skinner) Adams, was born
in YVilbraham, Massachusetts, October 5,
1785, died September 21, 1850. During all
his active life he was a farmer of Wilbra-
ham. He married Betsy King, born in
1786, died August 2, 1867. They were
the parents of two children : George, of
further mention ; and Harriet.
(IV) George Adams, only son of John
(3) and Betsy (King) Adams, was born
in Wilbraham, Massachusetts, in 1815,
died April 20, 1852. He was a farmer of
Wilbraham until the end of his short life
of thirty-seven years. He married Nancy
P. Vining, of Wilbraham, born in 1817,
died November 13, 1869, leaving an only
son, G. Frank (George Francis).
(V) G. Frank Adams, only son of
George and Nancy P. (Vining) Adams,
was born in Wilbraham, Massachusetts,
March 16, 1845. He was educated in
the public schools and academy of Wil-
braham. He resided in Wilbraham
during his youth, locating in Spring-
field, Massachusetts, in 1862, holding
a clerical position at the Armory dur-
ing the Civil War. He then became inter-
ested in the steam heating and plumbing
business, and followed this successfully
for nearly thirty years, retiring in 1898.
In the year 1909, he was elected vice-
president of the Chicopee National Bank,
of Springfield, of which he had been a di-
rector since 1902, and this position he also
holds. He is also a trustee of the Spring-
field Institution for Savings, clerk of that
corporation, and has been connected with
various other corporations in an official
capacity. He is a member of the Masonic
order, and is a past high priest of Morning
Star Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, and
past commander of Springfield Com-
mandery, Knights Templar. His clubs
are the Nayasset and Winthrop. He was
president of Springfield Masonic Hall As-
sociation for a number of years.
Such is a brief review of some of the
incidents in the life of one who has won
success by deserving it, and who has
achieved for himself a prominent position
among the business men of his adopted
city, and is highly esteemed among a
large circle of associates and personal
friends.
BEMIS, Howard R.,
Official of Important Corporations.
Howard Rodgers Bemis, president of
the Bemis & Call Company, and treasurer
of the Fiberloid Company, of Indian
Orchard, comes of an early New Eng-
46
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
land family of English descent. He is
one of Springfield's native sons, and,
through his long connection with the
business interests of that city, is one of
her well known business men.
(I)John Bemis, the first known ances-
tor of this line, was a resident of Dedham,
County Essex, England, where his death
occurred, June 28, 1604. He was the
father of seven children, as follows : Isaac,
Luke, Mary, James, Susan, Joseph, and
Abraham.
(II) Joseph Bemis, son of John Bemis,
and the immigrant ancestor of the family,
was born in Dedham, County Essex, Eng-
land, in 1619. He was reared and edu-
cated there, and upon attaining his
majority emigrated to the New World,
locating in Watertown, Massachusetts.
He was a blacksmith and farmer, and
served the town as hayward, collector of
taxes, member of school committee, and
selectman in 1648-73-75. His wife, Sarah
Bemis, bore him nine children: Sarah,
Mary, Joseph, Jr., Ephraim, twin of Jo-
seph, Jr. ; Martha ; Joseph, of whom fur-
ther ; Rebecca, Ephraim, John. Joseph
Bemis (father) died August 7, 1684. His
widow died in 1712.
(III) Joseph (2) Bemis, third son of
Joseph (i) and Sarah Bemis, was born
in Watertown, Massachusetts, December
12, 1651. He later changed his place of
residence to Westminster, same State,
then called Narragansett No. 2, and there
resided until his death, August 7, 1684. in
his thirty-third year. He participated in
King Philip's War, a member of the com-
pany commanded by Captain James
Oliver, and his son, Joseph Bemis, Jr.,
received a grant of land for his father's
services in that struggle. His wife, Anna
Bemis, bore him four children, as follows :
Joseph, Mary, Philip, of whom further ;
and Thomas.
(IV) Philip Bemis, second son of Jo-
seph (2) and Anna Bemis, was born in
Watertown, Massachusetts, about 1700,
and lived to a venerable age. He was the
third permanent settler in Westminster,
Massachusetts, locating there in 1738. He
was also a resident of Cambridge, Massa-
chusetts. He married, November 21, 1723,
Elizabeth Lawrence, and his children, six
in number, were born in Cambridge, as
follows: i. Philip, Jr., baptized Novem-
ber 13, 1726; married, February 22, 1749,
Lydia Dix. 2. William, of whom further.
3. David, baptized July 30, 1729, died
1813. 4. Abigail, baptized July 25, 1731,
died young. 5. Edmund, baptized Octo-
ber 22, 1732, died December i, 1736. 6.
Zaccheus, baptized July 25, 1736, died
1805.
(V) William Bemis, second son of
Philip and Elizabeth (Lawrence) Bemis,
was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts,
and baptized November 13, 1726. He
married (first), probably at Princeton,
1755, Regina Wilder, daughter of Joshua
and Sarah (Keyes) Wilder, of Princeton.
He married (second), November 12, 1772,
Abigail Annis, who died at Harvard, De-
cember, 1823, or January, 1824. Children
of first wife, born at Westminster: i.
William, born July 29, 1756, died October
10, 1764. 2. Philip, born November 9,
1757, died October 4, 1764. 3. Elizabeth,
born April 17, 1759; married, November,
1780, Jonathan Phillips. 4. Joshua, born
March 19, 1761. 5. Regina, born January
30, 1763, died March 8, 1763. 6. William,
born November 10, 1764, died July 25,
1776. Children of second wife: 7. Re-
gina, born June 3, 1/73. 8. Stephen, of
whom further. 9. Annis, born Septem-
ber i, 1776; married, March n, 1794,
Joseph Beaman. William Bemis, father
of these children, died in Weston, Novem-
ber 8, 1801.
47
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BiOGRAPHY
(VI) Rev. Stephen Bemis, eldest son of
William and Abigail (Annis) Bemis, was
born in Westminster, Massachusetts, Sep-
tember 10, 17/4. He completed his com-
mon school education by a course in
Dartmouth College, from which he was
graduated in 1798, and he was ordained to
the ministry at Harvard, Massachusetts,
June 3, 1802. For the following twelve
years, he was pastor of the church at
Harvard, exerting a wholesome influence
over his parishioners, and at the expira-
tion of that time, owing to failing health,
was obliged to relinquish his labors in
that line. Thereafter, until his death, he
was prominently identified with public
affairs. He married (first), at Chicopee,
Massachusetts, February 13, 1802, Soph-
ronia Chapin, daughter of Captain Phineas
and Sabina (Wright) Chapin. She died
September 10, 1804. He married (sec-
ond), April 20, 1808, Susanna Chapin,
who died October 5, 1810. He married
(third), December 8, 1811, Mrs. Rejoice
(Wetherbee) Olds, widow of Dr. Warren
Olds. She died January 29, 1856. Chil-
dren of first wife, born at Harvard: I.
Stephen Chapin, of whom further. 2.
Sophronia, born July 23, 1804, died March
27, 1842 ; married Deacon John Pendle-
ton. Children of second wife : 3. Daniel
Chapin, born May i, 1809, died September
16, 1828. 4. William Lawrence, born
September 21, 1810, died April 17, 1877;
married (first), December 27, 1836, Eunice
G. Chapin; (second), November 8, 1849,
Mary Campbell Ames, widow of Nathan
P. Ames, and daughter of Robert Bayley.
Children of third wife : 5. Lathrop, born
October 13, 1812, died October 2, 1813. 6.
Abigail, born December 18, 1813, died
July 14, 1894; married, October 10, 1836,
George Whitney. 7. Catherine, born Oc-
tober 16, 1817, died January 24, 1892 ;
married Caleb Warner. Rev. Stephen
Bemis died at Harvard, Massachusetts,
November n, 1828.
(VII) Hon. Stephen Chapin Bemis,
only son of Rev. Stephen Bemis and his
first wife, Sophronia (Chapin) Bemis, was
born in Harvard, Massachusetts, Novem-
ber 28, 1802. His mother died when he
was about two years old, and after this
sad event he and his baby sister were sent
to live with their grandparents in Chico-
pee, at that time a part of Springfield, and
remained until his father's second mar-
riage, in 1808, then returned to his father's
home in Harvard. He attended school in
that city, and was also under the instruc-
tion of his father. In the spring of 1817,
when fourteen years of age, he began his
business career as clerk for his uncle, Cap-
tain Joseph Pease, who kept a country
store on Chicopee street. About this time
his father wrote him: "One thing is cer-
tain that in my present circumstances it
will be impossible for me to afford you
much assistance. Having given you as
good an education as I could, and your
time, I must leave you under providence
to make your way in the world as well as
you can. Be sober, industrious, honest,
faithful and frugal. On these virtues your
success and prosperity depend."
From the beginning, Stephen C. Bemis
developed remarkable aptitude for trade
and business. He was ambitious, active,
impatient to get ahead, and so restless at
times that his father needed to caution
him. His uncle had other business which
engaged a large part of his attention, and
Stephen C. took almost the entire charge
of the store. In 1819, he got the "sea
fever" and wanted to go as a sailor, but
his father would not give his consent and
persuaded him to relinquish the idea. In
1821, in a letter to his father, he expressed
his desire to go to a larger place and se-
cure employment in a store where more
48
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
business was done and where he could
learn more. Accordingly, in that year, he
went to Hartford and entered the employ
of Lemuel Swift, wholesale and retail
grocer. His employer was a hard master
and he had to work from sunrise until 9
P. M. and sometimes to 12 P. M., and this
hard work brought on a debility that he
could not throw off. He was obliged to
give up this position, and thereupon re-
turned to Chicopee. In 1822, when nine-
teen years of age, he formed a partnership
with his uncle under the firm name of
Pease & Bemis, which continued for two
years, when the senior partner withdrew,
selling his interest in the firm to Sylvester
Chapin, and Mr. Bemis and Mr. Chapin
formed a new company under the name of
Chapin & Bemis. After a few months
Mr. Bemis purchased his partner's inter-
est and immediately formed a new part-
nership with Chester W. Chapin. They
retained the firm name of Chapin Bemis
and conducted the business for two years,
when Mr. Chapin was obliged to with-
draw on account of ill health. Although
this partnership was of short duration the
friendship formed was lifelong, and in
after years the fortunes of the two were
united in various ways and enterprises.
Mr. Bemis kept an interest in the old
store for a number of years, as well as in
other stores established in Willimansett
and Cabotville, with different men as
partners.
In 1829, Mr. Bemis organized the Wil-
limansett Manufacturing Company, and
was elected agent and treasurer. The
company bought a water privilege in Wil-
limansett and built a factory and board-
ing houses for the employees. It manu-
factured wool cards, tools and small
hardware. In this venture Mr. Bemis was
the pioneer in hardware manufacture in
the Connecticut Valley. The business
Mass 10-4 49
was conducted successfully for ten years
or more, and its products gained a wide
reputation. In recognition of their supe-
riority, silver medals were awarded the
company at a number of industrial fairs.
In 1844, the tool manufacture was trans-
ferred to Springfield, where Mr. Bemis,
in company with Amos Call, conducted it
at Mill river. In 1855, the business was
incorporated and became known as the
Bemis & Call Hardware and Tool Com-
pany, which is one of the successful in-
dustries of Springfield at the present time.
In 1843, M F - Bemis moved to Springfield,
and in addition to manufacturing tools
engaged in the retail hardware business.
In 1853, he gave the management of this
business to his eldest son, and devoted
himself more exclusively to the coal and
iron business which, in company with
Chester W. Chapin, under the firm name
of S. C. Bemis & Company, he had first
engaged in about 1845. He applied him-
self closely to business until 1868, when
on account of ill health, brought on by
constant care and overwork, he withdrew
from all active pursuits.
Mr. Bemis, during his lifetime, held
many public offices and places of trust.
In his inaugural address as mayor of
Springfield in 1862, at the beginning of his
second term, he said:
I have been a citizen of Springfield for the last
forty-five years, and during that period I have
received many marks of confidence and regard
from my fellow-citizens. I believe I have been
elected to almost every office within the gift of the
town or city, from the lowest to the highest.
His first official duties date back to
1824, when he was appointed postmaster
at Chicopee. He held this office until
1834, when it was removed to Williman-
sett. He was tax collector in 1824, and
again in subsequent years; fire warden
for a long term of years ; member of the
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Legislature, 1837; assistant engineer of
the fire department, 1846-47-48: select-
man before the town became a city ; jus-
tice of the peace; alderman, 1856-57-58;
and mayor of the city in 1861-62. In poli-
tics he was first a Whig, but in 1838 he
went over to the Democratic party, and
thereafter was an earnest supporter of
Jeffersonian democracy. He was looked
upon as one of the "old war horses" of his
party. Several times he was delegate to
Democratic National conventions. In
1854 he was nominated for Congress, and
was also candidate for lieutenant-gov-
ernor in 1859. His attitude in respect to
national affairs immediately preceding the
Civil War may be understood by quoting
from his inaugural address as mayor of
Springfield, January 7, 1861 :
While our granaries are full to overflowing
our storehouses filled with merchandise, and our
capitalists with an abundance of means to transact
the business of the country a mighty change has
come over us. The smith is resting on his anvil,
the noise of the shuttle has ceased, the sound of
the grinding is low. Many of our mechanics are
out of employment, and our workshops partially
or entirely closed. With all the elements of pros-
perity and abundance, why does this state of things
exist, and to what cause can we attribute the pres-
ent stagnation of business? Is it not to be found
in forgetfulness among the people of their obli-
gations to the Constitution under which we live?
of a tendency to new theories and abstractions,
and an adoption of fanatical ideas which are at
war with the great principles which have so long
bound us together as a brotherhood of states ' If
so, whether it be the North or the South, let errors
be corrected in a spirit of concession ; let the coun-
sels of good and conservative men prevail and save
us from an anarchy and civil war. ' But,
after all, if Liberty shall prove to be but another
name for Treason, and a conflict must ensue, then
I trust we have hosts of men like Scott and Wool
and Anderson who will, let what may come, see
that the Stars and Stripes are triumphant, and
that traitors and their abettors may read their
doom !
Mr. Bemis stood resolutely with Presi-
dent Lincoln for the suppression of the
Rebellion and preservation of the Union.
In his second inaugural address, January
6, 1862, he said in part :
In this crisis, we must stand by the government
we should combine all our energies to suppress
the rebellion * * * there should be no fretful
and unavailing complaints, but all should go heart-
ily into the work of restoring our national Con-
stitution to its just supremacy. Let the govern-
ment be sustained in its endeavor to restore its
authority over the thirty-four states. This can be
done in no other way than by united action, brav-
ery and fidelity among the people, and the officers
and soldiers of our army ; thus will traitors be
humbled and snarling fanatics silenced.
With the breaking out of the war Mr.
Bemis, as mayor, applied himself with un-
swerving patriotism and untiring energy
to the multiplied duties of his office. Never
did the fiery enthusiasm of his nature
show to better advantage than during
those early rebellious days, when he bent
his whole soul to the furthering of the
national cause.
Mr. Bemis was one of those earnest,
fearless men who went straight to the
mark in all his operations, and no one had
occasion to misunderstand or doubt his
meaning. He won success through a
clear head, hard work, and unswerving
purpose, and when he made a stand on
any question everybody knew where to
find him. In manner he was quick and
impulsive, at times almost passionate in
his vehemence ; but those who knew him
best were keenly aware of the warm,
affectionate heart and ready sympathy
that were so easily enlisted in behalf of
the suffering and needy. Mr. Bemis
joined the old church on Chicopee street,
in i8j6, and retained his membership
therein to the end of his life. Early ties
were too strong to be severed, and at his
request he and his wife were buried in the
cemetery on Chicopee street.
Mr. Bemis married, December 25, 1828,
Julia Emeline Skeele, born July n, 1809,
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
died April 25, 1900, daughter of Otis and
Kezia (Chapin) Skeele, of Chicopee. Chil-
dren : I. Stephen Augustus, born in Chic-
opee, September 27, 1830, died in Spring-
field, June 13, 1897; married (first), at
Boston, February 8, 1855, Frances Ann
Lewis, daughter of Alonzo Burdick and
Lucy Ann Lewis ; Mrs. Bemis died Octo-
ber 2, 1869; Mr. Bemis married (second),
at New Bedford, October 10, 1876, Mrs.
Emma Theora (White) Collins, widow of
Charles M. Collins, and daughter of Wil-
liam G. and Betsey White. Children by
his first wife : i. Infant daughter, born
April 17, 1857, died August 2, 1857; ii.
Lilly Chapin, born April 7, 1859, died May
26, 1863 ; iii. Frank Augustus, born No-
vember 29, 1862. Child by second wife:
iv. Florence, born June 8, 1879. 2. Wil-
liam Chaplin, of whom further. 3. Arthur
Irving, an account of whom appears in the
following sketch. 4. Julia Emeline, born
in Willimansett, February 26, 1838, died
in Springfield, April 25, 1905 ; married, in
Springfield, November 8, 1860, Warner
Fassett Sturtevant, son of Warner C. and
Abigail (Lyon) Sturtevant; he died Octo-
ber 27, 1906. Children : i. Minnie Abi-
gail, born July 10, 1861 ; ii. Robert Ham-
ilton, born November 3, 1864, died Sep-
tember 26, 1865 ; iii. Royal Bassett, born
January 27, 1868; iv. Julia Bemis, born
August 12, 1874. 5. Thomas Otis, born in
Willimansett, August I, 1840, died in
Springfield, June 22, 1903 ; married, No-
vember 18, 1863, at Springfield, Sarah
Ellen Bascom, daughter of Daniel Collins
and Sarah Bascom. Children: i. Mabel
Collins, born January 23, 1867; ii. Emma
Wilcox, born November 8, 1870. 6. Ed-
ward Fitzgerald, born in Springfield, May
8, 1843, died March 7, 1844. 7. Kate
Chapin, born in Springfield, May 30, 1846;
married, in Springfield, October 23, 1872,
Howard Ashley Gibbs,' son of Jarvis W.
and Tryphena (Mann) Gibbs. Children:
i. Ralph Bemis, born December 26, 1875,
deceased ; ii. Edith, born December 14,
1879. 8. Henry Skeele, born in Spring-
field, October 23, 1850, deceased; married,
in Pittsfield, May 21, 1873, Henrietta Su-
sanna Kelly, daughter of Patrick and
Eliza Kelly. She was born in Pittsfield,
April 25, 1848. They have no children.
Mr. Bemis, father of these children, died
in Springfield, Massachusetts, February
12, 1875.
(VIII) William Chaplin Bemis, second
son of Stephen Chapin and Julia Emeline
(Skeele) Bemis, was born in Williman-
sett, Massachusetts, November 16, 1832,
and died in Springfield, Massachusetts,
October 26, 1904. When he was eleven
years of age his parents removed to
Springfield, and his education, which was
begun in the schools of his native town,
was completed in the public schools of
Springfield. In 1855, in early manhood,
he was one of the organizers of the Bemis
& Call Hardware and Tool Company, be-
ing elected to serve in the capacity of
treasurer of the same, which position he
held until his death, in addition to that of
president of the company from 1897 unt il
his death, having been elected to that high
position upon the death of William K.
Baker. His other business connection was
trustee of the Hampden Savings Bank.
He also served in a similar capacity for
the Asbury Church. He was a man of
judgment, enterprise and integrity, highly
esteemed by all with whom he was
brought in contact.
Mr. Bemis married, December 25, 1856,
in Springfield, Emily Olive Rodgers,
daughter of Aaron D. and Olive R. (Leon-
ard) Rodgers, and granddaughter of
Thomas Rodgers. She died October 9,
1912. Children: i. Edwin Leonard, of
whom further. 2. William Stephen, born
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
November 24, 1860, died March 23, 1895 ;
married, January i, 1885, Adella E. Mark-
ham ; children : i. Emily Eveline, born
April 25, 1888; ii. Aline Markham, born
December 1 1, 1889; iii. Helen, born April
10, 1892. 3. Howard Rodgers, of whom
further. 4. Belle, born November i, 1872,
died February 24, 1874. 5. Chester
Chapin, born August 6, 1879, died Febru-
ary n, 1880.
(IX) Edwin Leonard Bemis, eldest son
of William Chaplin and Emily Olive
(Rodgers) Bemis, was born in Springfield,
Massachusetts, November 17, 1858. He
attended the public schools of his native
city, including the high school, which he
attended for two years, and then pursued
a one-year course in the Springfield Col-
legiate Institute. He entered the employ
of Mclntosh & Company, manufacturers
and jobbers of boots and shoes, with
whom he remained for a period of seven-
teen years, serving in the capacities of
clerk, traveling salesman, and in higher
offices that required considerable skill and
judgment in the handling thereof. In
1894, he became a stockholder in the
Bemis & Call Hardware and Tool Com-
pany, later being elected to the office of
secretary, which position he still (1921)
fills. He is affiliated with the Congrega-
tional church, and is an independent Re-
publican in politics. His Masonic con-
nections are as follows : Member of
Roswell Lee Lodge, Free and Accepted
Masons ; Morning Star Chapter, Royal
Arch Masons ; Springfield Council, Royal
and Select Masters ; Springfield Com-
mandery, Knights Templar; and Melha
Temple, Ancient Arabic Orders Nobles
of the Mystic Shrine. He also holds mem-
bership in the Xayasset Club.
Mr. Bemis married, in Springfield,
April 14, 1886, Carrie Alice Vose, born in
Westfield, Massachusetts, daughter of
Roger and Calista Vose. Child, Marion
Vose, born in Springfield, August 24, 1889.
(IX) Howard Rodgers Bemis, third
son of William Chaplin and Emily Olive
(Rodgers) Bemis, was born in Spring-
field, Massachusetts, March 5, 1867. His
early studies were pursued in the school
in the vicinity of his home, and this was
supplemented by a course in the Spring-
field High School. His first employment
was with Mclntosh & Company, manu-
facturers and jobbers of boots and shoes,
Springfield, where he remained for two
years. The following year he was an
employee of Cutler & Company, grain
dealers, North Wilbraham. In 1886 he
entered the employ of the Bemis & Call
Hardware and Tool Company, Spring-
field, in the capacity of time-keeper, and
shortly afterward he acquired an interest
in the business. Upon the death of his
father, in 1904, he succeeded to the offices
so capably filled by him, president and
treasurer, and held these offices for many
years. In addition to the above, he is at
the present time (1921) filling the offices
of treasurer of the Fiberloid Company, of
Indian Orchard, Massachusetts; director
of the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insur-
ance Company, the Union Trust Com-
pany, Hendee Manufacturing Company,
and the United Manufacturing Company,
and vice-president of the Hampden Sav-
ings Bank. He is a member of Faith
Congregational Church, the Colony Club,
Nayasset Club, Springfield Country Club,
and Union League Club, of New York.
His Masonic connection is with Roswell
Lee Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons ;
Morning Star Chapter, Royal Arch Ma-
sons; Springfield Council, Royal and
Select Masters ; Springfield Commander}-,
Knights Templar; and Melha Temple,
Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mys-
tic Shrine.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Mr. Bemis married, in Springfield, Jan-
uary 8, 1889, Helen Elizabeth Kenyon,
born in Springfield, daughter of Silas L.
and Ella A. (Crosby) Kenyon, and grand-
daughter of John Crosby. Mr. and Mrs.
Bemis are the parents of one child, Wil-
liam Chaplin, of whom further.
(X) William Chaplin (2) Bemis, only
child of Howard Rodgers and Helen
Elizabeth (Kenyon) Bemis, was born in
Springfield, Massachusetts, December 3,
1891. The public schools of his native
city and the Allen School afforded him
the means of securing a preparatory edu-
cation, and he completed his studies by a
course in Dartmouth College, from which
institution he was graduated in 1915. His
business experience has been gained in
the employ of the Fiberloid Company, of
Indian Orchard, Massachusetts, of which
he is at the present time (1921) assistant
to the general manager. He holds mem-
bership in Roswell Lee Lodge, Free and
Accepted Masons, and the Country Club.
Mr. Bemis married, February 12, 1916,
Dorothy S. Stearns, daughter of James P.
and Gertrude (Nelson) Stearns, of Spring-
field, Massachusetts, and they are the
parents of one child, Howard Kenyon,
born October n, 1917.
BEMIS, Charles Arthur,
Official in Important House.
(VIII) Arthur Irving Bemis, third son
of Hon. Stephen Chapin and Julia Eme-
line (Skeele) Bemis (q. v.), was born Jan-
uary 18, 1835, died December 2, 1893.
After completing his education he became
associated with his father in the coal and
other businesses in which he was engaged
in Springfield, but in later years he be-
came a partner with his brother, William
C. Bemis, of the Bemis & Philipps Coal
Company, later with the Bemis & Call
Company, continuing with that company
until his death. Arthur I. Bemis married
Anna Parker, and they were the parents
of seven children: Harry, died in infancy;
Charles Arthur, of further mention ; Fred-
erick I. ; Grace P., married F. T. Buchan-
non, of Detroit, Michigan ; Fanny Anna,
married Everett E. Stone, of Boston ;
Maud, married John W. B. Brand ; Lu-
cinda S., married Frank G. Hodgkins.
(IX) Charles Arthur Bemis, son of Ar-
thur Irving and Anna (Parker) Bemis
(q. v.), was born in Springfield, Massa-
chusetts, November 3, 1861. He was edu-
cated in public and private schools of
Springfield, and began his business life as
clerk in a general store of Longmeadow.
A year later he entered the employ of the
Mclntosh Boot & Shoe Company as clerk,
but later and for ten years was "on the
road" for that company as a traveling
salesman. In 1889 Mr. Bemis became as-
sociated with the Charles C. Lewis Hard-
ware Company as bookkeeper, and has
since been continuously connected with
that company. He is a member of its
board of directors, and since 1915 has
been assistant treasurer and manager. He
is a member of the Springfield Rotary
Club, and an attendant of the Baptist
church.
Mr. Bemis married (first) Belle M.
Kirby, of Brownsville, Virginia, who died
in 1897. He married (second) Lucinda F.
Day, of Northampton, Massachusetts.
Children of first marriage : i. Eleanor S.,
married Clifton Plumb, of Meriden, Con-
necticut, and they have two sons, Richard
and Theodore Chapin. 2. Chapin T., born
in 1897; educated in Springfield schools
and Wilbraham Academy, and for two
years was engaged with the Charles C.
Lewis Hardware Company; he then en-
listed in the United States Naval Reserve,
and was assigned to duty on the "Benson-
53
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
hurst" in patrol work off Long Island
Sound ; was rated as a first-class seaman ;
since his return has been with the Charles
C. Bemis Hardware Company as a travel-
ing representative ; he married Dorothy
Pease.
STEARNS, Charles Ashley,
Member of Important Family.
All the surnames "Stearns," "Sterns,"
"Sternes," "Strans," are variations of the
English family name "Sterne." That fam-
ily bore arms, that of the Archbishop of
York, 1664-1683, being the oldest of the
various arms borne by the Sterne family.
Arms Or a chevron between three crosses flory
sable.
Crest A cock starling proper.
(I) The American ancestor, Isaac
Stearns, was born in the parish of Nay-
land, County of Suffolk, England, and
came April 8, 1630, in the ship "Ara-
bella," his fellow passengers being Gov-
ernor Winthrop, Sir Richard Saltonstall
and Rev. George Phillips. The "Ara-
bella" arrived at Salem, Massachusetts,
June 12, 1630. Isaac Stearns did not re-
main at Salem, but settled at Watertown,
where he had a home lot, in 1642. In
1647, he and Mr. Biscoe were appointed
by the selectmen "to consider how the
bridge over the river shall be built." This
is the first mention of a bridge over the
Charles river, at Watertown. Isaac
Stearns was a man of thrift and industry,
his land holdings amounting in all, to four
hundred and sixty-seven acres. He died
June 28, 1671. He married Mary Barker,
who died April 2, 1677, daughter of John
and Margaret Barker, of Stoke, in Nay-
land, Suffolkshire, England. She accom-
panied her husband to New England with
their two daughters, Mary and Ann, and
their elder son, John. Five children were
born to them after their arrival in New
England: Isaac (2), of further mention;
Sarah, married Deacon Samuel Stone ;
Samuel, born April 24, 1638, died August
3, 1683 ; Elizabeth, married Samuel Man-
ning; Abigail, married Deacon John
Morse. Isaac Stearns is the progenitor of
Charles Ashley Stearns, of Springfield,
Massachusetts, descent being traced
through Isaac (2) Stearns, who was the
first New England born child of Isaac and
Mary (Barker) Stearns.
(II) Isaac (2) Stearns, son of Isaac (i)
and Mary (Barker) Stearns, was born in
Watertown, January 6, 1632, died August
29, 1676. He married, June 24, 1660,
Sarah Beers, and settled at Cambridge
Farms, now Lexington. His wife sur-
vived him and married (second), July 23,
1677, Thomas Wheeler, of Concord. Chil-
dren : Sarah, born January 15, 1662 ; mar-
ried, December, 1678, John Wheeler;
Mary, born October 8, 1663, married, Jan-
uary i, 1694, John Cutler; Isaac (3), born
August 26, 1665, married Elizabeth Stone ;
Samuel, of further mention; Abigail, mar-
ried, November 29, 1792, Samuel Hallo-
well; she died May 11, 1709; John, born
1675; died in Bedford, Massachusetts,
June 14, 1734.
(III) Samuel Stearns, son of Isaac
(2) and Sarah (Beers) Stearns, born
January n, 1668, was accidentally killed.
November 19, 1721. His wife, Phoebe,
moved in 1730, to Littleton, New Hamp-
shire. Children: Sarah, married Wil-
liam Wheeler; Mary, married John
Powers ; Abigail, married Joseph Tem-
ple ; Samuel, settled in Hollis, New
Hampshire ; Ruth, married Oliver Liver-
more ; Phoebe, married Mr. Cummings ;
Rebecca, married Mr. Whittemore ;
Thomas, of further mention ; John, mar-
ried (first) Rebecca Dean; (second)
Molly Corey; Joseph, baptized April 15.
1715; Benjamin, married Mrs. Mary War-
ren, a widow.
54
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
UV; Thomas Stearns, son of Samuel
and Phoebe Stearns, born, July 4, 1710,
lived in Littleton, New Hampshire, and
was eminent for his Christian virtues. He
married (first) Abigail Reed, the mother
of three sons : Ebenezer, John and Jo-
siah. By his second marriage he had
daughters, Abigail and Mary, both of
whom died young. He married (third)
Mary Heald, of Chelmsford, who died
April 22, 1809. Children of the third mar-
riage : Noah, died unmarried, one of the
most intelligent, influential men of Lit-
tleton ; Abigail, lived with her brother,
Noah, and died unmarried ; Lydia, mar-
ried Joshua Cheever Fowle; Molly, mar-
ried Silas Smith ; Samuel, a soldier of the
Revolution ; Levi, married Elizabeth
Goodrich.
(V) Hon. Josiah Stearns, son of
Thomas and Abigail (Reed) Stearns, was
born in Littleton, New Hampshire, July
18, 1747, and settled in Lunenburg, where
when the tidings of the fight at Lexing-
ton reached him, he marched his men to
meet the invaders, and served his country
with sword and pen. In 17/6, he was a
member of the committee of public safety,
and at different times filled every office
of importance in the town. He married,
March 6, 1769, Mary Corey, born March,
1750; died December 28, 1828. He died
in Lunenburg, April 6, 1822. Children:
Luther, married Mary Hall ; Susanna,
died aged twelve years ; Arabel, born
June 17, 1/74; Mary, married Hon. Ed-
mund Gushing; Thomas, married Pris-
cilla Gushing; Elizabeth, married Major
Levi Houghton ; Sarah, married Captain
James Patterson ; Oliver, of further men-
tion; Susanna, married Joseph Bicknel ;
Ann, married Benjamin Snow, a widower.
(VI) Oliver Stearns, son of Hon. Josiah
and Mary (Corey) Stearns, born March 4,
1786, died in Dracut, Massachusetts, 1826.
He was a graduate of Harvard College,
1808, studied law, and settled in Ames-
bury, Massachusetts, where he became a
man of importance. He was a represen-
tative in 1819, and was highly esteemed
as a lawyer. He married in 1810, Dorcas
Varnum, daughter of Hon. J. B. Varnum,
of Dracut. Children : Anne Dorcas, mar-
ried Freeman Huggins ; Charles Oliver,
married Adeline Eastman ; Susan Maria
Corey, married Joseph Chandler ; George
Parker, died April 20, 1845; Luther, of
further mention ; William Henry, mar-
ried Mary Ann Durent; Laurens, died
May 21, 1846; Mary Elizabeth, born Jan-
uary 7, 1825.
(VII) Luther Stearns, son of Oliver
and Dorcas (Varnum) Stearns, was born
August 17, 1820, in Dracut, died Sept. 17,
1917. He was an engineer on the Boston
and Albany railroad for forty years. He
married Mary Alvord, and had children :
Mary, died an infant; Neal, died at the
age of fifty; Albert, died in 1913; George,
died young; Charles Ashley Stearns, of
further mention ; James P., in Spring-
field.
(VIII) Charles Ashley Stearns, son of
Luther and Mary (Alvord) Stearns, was
born in Springfield, Massachusetts, No-
vember 28, 1865. He was educated in the
city schools, and has long been asso-
ciated with the Springfield Fire and
Marine Insurance Company. He mar-
ried, April 20, 1892, Carrie Emery Cooley,
daughter of Reuben Valorous and Rose
M. (Shaw) Cooley.
(The Cooley Line)
(I) Benjamin Cooley, the American
ancestor of Mrs. Charles A. Stearns, was
an early settler in that part of Spring-
field, called "Longmeadow." From him
are descended all of the name in this
country, claiming early Colonial descent.
For thirteen years he was a selectman of
Springfield, serving with Miles Morgan
55
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
and James Pynchon. He died, August
17, 1684. His wife, Sarah, died August 23,
1684. Children: Bethiah ; Obadiah of
whom further ; Elakin ; Daniel ; Sarah ;
Benjamin ; Mary ; and Joseph.
(II) Obadiah Cooley, son of Ben-
jamin and Sarah Cooley, was born, Sep-
tember 27, 1646, died September 3, 1690.
He married, November 9, 1670, Rebecca
Williams, who survived him, and mar-
ried (second) John Warner. She died,
October 18, 1715. They were the parents
of seven children, descent in this branch
following through Obadiah (2) Cooley,
the fourth child.
(III) Obadiah (2) Cooley, son of
Obadiah (i) and Rebecca (Williams)
Cooley, was born in Springfield, Massa-
chusetts, August i, 1678; died, October
6, 1764. He bought land in Springfield,
on the west side of the "Great river," in
1730, and in 1738 purchased of Benjamin
Ball three acres of land on the bank of
the river, later known as the "Isaac Hum-
iston place," where he died. He married,
January 22, 1702, Dorcas Hale. They
were the parents of six sons : Obadiah
(3), Noah, Moses, David; Abel, a Revolu-
tionary soldier; and Jacob.
(IV) Jacob Cooley, son of Obadiah (2}
and Dorcas (Hale) Cooley, was born
November 19, 1720, died September 24,
1807. He settled in Springfield, Massa-
chusetts, where he married Abigail Cha-
pin, of the ancient Chapin family of
Western Massachusetts, and reared a
family of sons and daughters.
(V) Earl Cooley, son of Jacob and
Abigail (Chapin) Cooley, was born in
Springfield, in 1757, died November 15,
1809. He was a farmer and land owner,
his farm in Springfield, now in that part
of the city occupied by the county jail.
His farm house, in which the last years of
his life were spent, was for a long time an
old landmark, standing at the corner of
York and Main streets. He married, No-
vember 29, 1871, Amy Stebbins, who sur-
vived him, and married (second) Cap-
tain Hitchcock. Children of Earl and
Amy (Stebbins) Cooley: Samuel, of fur-
ther mention ; Jacob, Edward, Earl, Har-
vey, Betsey, Amy, and Sophia.
(VI) Samuel Cooley, eldest son of Earl
and Amy (Stebbins) Cooley, was born in
Springfield, October 16, 1782; died in
1863. He grew up at the home farm, in
Springfield, but after arriving at man's
estate, bought a stage route between
Springfield and Wilbraham which he op-
erated for many years, becoming a well-
known and very popular stage driver.
When railways came, he retired and be-
came a farmer. He spent the last years of
his life at Springfield, although he died at
the home of his son, Thomas, in South-
wick. During the War of 1812, he vol-
unteered and served in the American
army. He married, January 16, 1804,
Ruth Ferry, born January 2, 1874. died
in 1875, daughter of Thaddeus Ferry, a
fife major in the army. Mrs. Cooley was
a woman of intelligence and energy, re-
taining these traits until the close of her
life, although a nonagenarian. Children:
Alvah, born February 10, 1805 ; Edmund,
born June 24, 1808; Samuel (2), born No-
vember 24, 1809; Ruth, born September
.24, 1811; Thomas, of further mention;
Barnabas, born December 13, 1815.
(VII) Thomas Cooley, son of Samuel
and Ruth (Ferry) Cooley, was born June
6, 1813, died December 16, 1868. He
married September 20, 1837. Elvira Ste-
vens, born March i, 1813, died June 10,
1888. Children: Reuben Valorous, of
further mention ; Marie Antoinette, born
June 22, 1842. died December i, 1842;
Samuel Dexter, born August 31, 1843,
died September, 1910; Charles Eno, born
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
August 25, 1848, died May 11, 1912;
Thomas Jerome, born July 27, 1850.
(VIII) Reuben Valorous Cooley, eldest
son of Thomas and Elvira (Stevens)
Cooley, was born in Southwick, Massa-
chusetts, January 18, 1839, died in Water-
town, Connecticut, February 25, 1906. He
was educated in the district school and
until the Civil War was in the employ of
Mr. Atwater in Springfield, where he
learned the carpenter's trade, and worked
on the Memorial Church. He enlisted in
the Union army, and served until the end
of the war, having an honorable military
record. After the war ended, he returned
to Springfield, where, for a time he was
a proprietor of a restaurant. Later he
became a hotel proprietor, having hotels
in Northampton, Westfield, Litchfield,
Massachusetts, and Waterbury, Connec-
ticut; also in Springfield, Massachusetts,
he conducted the Waverly Restaurant.
After retiring from business, he went to
Waterbury, Connecticut, there residing
with his son until his death. He was a
member of the Mt. Moriah Lodge, Free
and Accepted Masons of Westfield ; In-
dependent Order of Odd Fellows ; and the
Improved Order of Red Men. He mar-
ried (first), September, 1866, Rosa M.
Shaw, of Danamora, New York, born
September 19, 1842, died December 2,
1877, daughter of Darius P. Shaw. He
married (second) Lizzie C. Camp, and
resides in Brooklyn. Children of first
marriage : Carrie Emery, married Charles
Ashley Stearns; George M., born 1868,
died 1870; Annie Louise Cooley, who
married George Davy, of Detroit. Chil-
dren of second marriage : Harry Camp
Cooley, born April 12. 1883, now living at
Cleveland, Ohio ; he married Ruth Turner
and has a son, Harry Turner Cooley, born
January 10, 1909; and a daughter, Ruth
Alice Cooley, who resides with her mother
in Brooklyn.
SMITH, George W. V.,
Art Connoissenr, Public Benefactor.
The history of art in the city of Spring-
field, if written, would center largely
around George Walter Vincent Smith, col-
lector of that wonderful gathering of
treasures which he presented to the city
through the City Library Association,
February 7, 1914, and which bears his
name as its legal title, "The George Wal-
ter Vincent Smith Collection.
Mr. Smith's father, George Wilson
Smith, youngest of the thirteen children
of Abijah and Eunice (Chatfield) Smith,
was born in Derby, Connecticut, Septem-
ber 2, 1807, and died in January, 1835. He
was a man of education and literary abil-
ity, a successful journalist, an intimate
friend of Robert Hoe, the inventor of the
Hoe printing press, and during his short
life of twenty-seven years was editor,
printer, and publisher. He married, Sep-
tember 29, 1831, Sarah Henrietta Wheeler,
of Trumbull, Connecticut, daughter of
Amos Hawley and Huldah (Mallett)
Wheeler. Her father was a graduate of
Yale, in the class of 1804, and a lawyer of
ability, who settled in Trumbull, in March,
1810. He represented Trumbull in the
General Assembly from 1814 to 1816.
George Walter Vincent Smith, the only
child of George Wilson and Sarah H.
(Wheeler) Smith, was born June 14, 1832,
in New York City. He was left father-
less at the age of two and one-half years,
his early training depending upon the fine
quality of his gentle mother's mind.
Under the influence of her well-balanced
nature he developed into the man of re-
fined and artistic tendencies, to whom
Springfield owes so much of that which
is high and ennobling in art.
Upon the death of his father, his
mother removed to Bridgeport, Connec-
ticut, in 1835, and there he attended the
57
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
school of Warren \V. Sellick until he en-
tered the Seminary in Amenia, Dutchess
county, New York. At the age of
eighteen, he entered business life as a
clerk with the importing house of Bab-
cock, Gould & Company, New York City,
with whom he remained six years. Dur-
ing this time he was offered, but declined,
a partnership in this firm. At the expir-
ation of the six years, he resigned from
this position, and formed the firm of
Stivers & Smith, carriage manufacturers.
This period of his business career was
cast in strenuous times. Hardly had the
firm made a beginning, when the financial
crashes of 1857, with their attendant
panics, swept the country. But this did
not discourage Mr. Smith ; he pressed
resolutely forward, holding his own even
in the dark and troublesome days of the
Civil War, until January i, 1867, when he
withdrew from the firm.
During all this time he was developing
the artistic ideas of a connoisseur. Mr.
Smith, like most collectors, started his
collection with paintings, making his first
purchase in 1852. Gradually his interests
broadened, and fine bronzes and ivories
were added to it. One day in passing a
small shop in lower New York, where
curios were dealt in, he chanced to see a
bowl and a pilgrim bottle, in a curious
ware, which was entirely unknown to him.
Upon investigation, he learned they had
been brought to this country from China
by an old sea captain. The rare beauty
of these two pieces attracted him, and
they were the beginning of his now fam-
ous cloisonne collection.
The passion for art during these years
had grown too strong to make the mere
rolling of dollars longer attractive, so at
the early age of thirty-five, he retired from
an active and prosperous career to devote
the balance of his life to the cultivation of
his aesthetic tastes, and to the gratifica-
tion of his keen love of the beautiful. He
entered the field at a most favorable time.
The millionaire collector had not arrived,
the professional or amateur was rara avis.
He gave himself unreservedly to the lux-
ury of study and collecting in the Old
World. Twelve years were spent by him
abroad, travelling widely and meeting ar-
tists and connoisseurs, thereby gaining a
liberal art education. His keen judgment
and love of color, form, and texture, made
him an expert in the valuation of art, es-
pecially Chinese and Japanese, and his
collection of cloisonne, jades, lacquers,
porcelains, bronzes, ivories, and of curios
is conceded to be one of the most unique
and representative in America.
Through Mr. Smith's influence, the
first noteworthy exhibition of paintings
was held in Springfield, in 1878, and as a
proof of the local interest it aroused, it
was noted at the time that out of fifty-
six paintings exhibited, thirty-six were
sold as a result, and the art exhibition be-
came an annual affair in Springfield.
Mr. Smith's own collection was growing
constantly, and from 1882 to 1887 Mr. and
Mrs. Smith were abroad continuously,
and many articles of great value were
added to the collection, which now
reached large proportions. He greatly
desired that it might become a means of
enjoyment and art education to the people,
and when in 1889 the City Library Asso-
ciation of Springfield was discussing plans
to enlarge the facilities of the public
library, he proposed to bequeath his col-
lection to the association, on condition
that a suitable fireproof structure be built
in which to preserve and display it. He
also offered to guarantee its perpetual
care by a suitable endowment, and Mrs.
Smith proposed to give her valuable col-
lection of laces and embroideries, on the
same conditions. The association ac-
cepted the gift upon the terms proposed :
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
the building was erected ; the collection
installed and opened to the public, in
1896. Meanwhile, and up to the present,
1920, under the care of Mr. Smith, the col-
lection has been steadily gaining in size
and completeness. The formal deed of
gift, by which the collection became for-
ever the possession of the Springfield City
Library Association, was executed Febru-
ary 7, 1914. The collection of treasures
including as the deed recites : "A very
valuable, choice, and extensive collection
of ceramics, bronzes, paintings, arms,
textiles, lacquers, cloisonne, enamels, sil-
verware, furniture, laces, books, manu-
scripts, jades, and many other art objects
and curios," represents the chief life work
of George Walter Vincent Smith and his
wife, and is given by them jointly to be
used for the pleasure and instruction of
the present and future generations. The
legal title by which the collection is
known is "The George Walter Vincent
Smith Collection." Mr. Smith, despite
his eighty-eight years, retains and exer-
cises his function of supervisor and di-
rector of the collection ; adding to it, im-
proving it, and doing everything he deems
possible for the betterment of his life gift
to the public.
A man who has given the wealth of
his life endeavors for others ; who, pos-
sessed of marked genius, has devoted it
with energy and assiduity to so worthy a
field of activity, and who, while in the
full possession of his powers and facul-
ties, has had the altruistic spirit, to place
the total result of these labors at the ser-
vice of his followers for all time to come,
would naturally win many encomiums.
Among the many which have found voice,
the following from the Springfield "Re-
publican" is quoted :
To his honor will stand a monument, whose
beauty is infinitely varied, enduring almost beyond
the reach of thought, the teacher of generations
unborn, giving pleasure to eye and heart and in-
creasing the cunning of hands not to be num-
bered. The spiritual appeal will be there forever.
A writer of books can put his single soul with its
message between covers. Mr. Smith has gathered
for us this faithful work of thousands of souls
as expressed in superior craftsmanship. Through
him, they are to teach us. As a master in appre-
ciating them, he has assembled a noble company
for our service. This is what Mr. Smith has done
with his life and money, and he has done well.
Few men have built upon foundation so enduring,
so worthy of respect, of tribute and gratitude.
The following is also a quoted expres-
sion of the esteem and appreciation of his
fellows :
His name is indisseverably linked with a public
benefaction, splendid alike in its artistic and its
monetary worth. He has given to the city a
priceless collection of works of an ancient and
medieval art and artisanship. The munificence of
the honored donor cannot be measured by terms
of art, or as money. Rather shall it be measured
by this, that he gave his life to the city that he
loves.
While Mr. Smith has followed with
such singleness of purpose his chosen vo-
cation of collecting, he has found time and
place for many other activities. He has
been a member for fifty years of the Union
League Club, New York City ; also of the
Japan Society of America ; the American
Association of Museums ; the American
Federation of Arts ; the National Geo-
graphic Society; United States Chamber
of Commerce ; Springfield Chamber of
Commerce ; Colony Club ; Nayasset Club ;
Unity Men's Club ; and is an honorary
member of the Springfield Art League;
and honorary member of the Rotary Club.
He was elected a member of the Order
of William Pynchon of the Publicity Club,
of Springfield. This is an honor conferred
by the club upon citizens of Springfield
who have served the city in a notable
manner. In politics, Mr. Smith is a Re-
publican, and when twelve years of age
was marshal of the Henry Clay's Boys'
59
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Club, and has always voted the Republi-
can ticket. In church relation, he is an
Episcopalian.
Mr. Smith married, June 22, 1869, Belle
Townsley, daughter of George Reuben
and Mary Ann (Hitchcock) Townsley, of
Springfield, Massachusetts. In his wife,
he found not only a congenial and sym-
pathetic companion, but also an able co-
adjutor, Mrs. Smith's interest in collect-
ing being second only to that of her hus-
band. They decided to make Spring-
field their home, and in 1871 the first in-
stallment of the now famous collection
was brought to the city, which has since
been its home and the home of its owners.
To young men who would be successful
Mr. Smith gives this word :
Choose your companions with care, seeking
those of principle and character, rather than those
of wealth. Be sincere and honest, observe the
"Golden Rule," and believe that there are other
things more productive of happiness than the ac-
quiring of great wealth.
These are no theorist's words, but the
utterances of a man speaking out of the
fulness of experience, and recommending
virtues which he has personally tested and
possesses.
SMITH, Samuel Finley, M. D.,
Physician, Civic Official.
Dr. Samuel Finley Smith, of Indian
Orchard, Massachusetts, has been in prac-
tice there nearly a half century, having
located in that town in 1873, and is there
highly regarded as a physician, and citi-
zen. He comes of an old English family.
(I) Lieutenant Samuel Smith, ances-
tor of Dr. Samuel F. Smith, was born in
England, about 1602, and April 3, 1634,
sailed for New England on the ship
"Elizabeth." He settled first in Salem,
Massachusetts, where he was admitted a
freeman, September 3, 1634; was a pro-
prietor in 1638, but later was a citizen of
Wethersfield, Connecticut, going thence
to Hadley, Massachusetts, where he held
important offices both in church and
State. He died about 1680, aged seventy-
eight. Descent in the line of Dr. Samuel
F. Smith is through the fifth child of
Lieutenant Samuel and Elizabeth Smith.
(II) Ensign Chileab Smith, son of
Lieutenant Samuel and Elizabeth Smith,
was born in New England, and died
March 7, 1731, aged ninety-five years. He
was admitted a freeman in 1673, and in the
Colonial military service gained the rank
of ensign. He married, October 2, 1661,
Hannah Hitchcock, who died August 31,
1733, aged eighty-eight, daughter of Luke
Hitchcock, of Wethersfield, Connecticut.
They were the parents of four children
born between 1662 and 1668, this review
following through Ebenezer, the fourth
child, and third son.
(III) Ebenezer Smith, son of Ensign
Chileab and Hannah (Hitchcock) Smith,
was born July n, 1668, and died about
1716. He was a weaver by trade. In
October, 1691, he married Abigail Brough-
ton, and they were the parents of ten chil-
dren, descent in this line being traced
through Deacon John, fourth child, and
second son.
(IV) Deacon John Smith, son of Eben-
ezer and Abigail (Broughton) Smith, was
born May i, 1699, and died in Granby,
Hampden county, Massachusetts, June
17, 1774. He resided in the south pre-
cinct of Hadley, and there was a collector
for the church, a deacon and selectman
for five terms. Later he moved to Granby,
where he died. Deacon Smith married
(first), August 14, 1724, Rachel Smith,
who died September 20. 1724, daughter
of John Smith. He married (second),
April 6, 1727, Mary Dickinson, who died
March 5, 1781, daughter of William B.
Dickinson.
(V) Deacon Nathan Smith, only son
60
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
of Deacon John Smith and his second
wife, Mary (Dickinson) Smith, was born
about 1/31, and died August 21, 1811.
He lived in Granby, Massachusetts, and
was one of the influential patriots of the
town. He was a member of the Revolu-
tionary county convention held at North-
ampton, and in 1777 was representative to
the General Court. In 1771 his estate was
rated among the largest in Granby. He
married Eunice Smith, who died Septem-
ber 19, 1822, daughter of James Smith.
They were the parents of sixteen chil-
dren, including a son Samuel, the four-
teenth child.
(VI) Samuel (2) Smith, son of Deacon
Nathan and Eunice (Smith) Smith, was
born in Granby, Massachusetts, August
4, 1775, and died ninety-four years later,
in 1869. He married in 1799, Mehitable
Burnett, and they were the parents of
eleven children, born in Granby. Descent
is traced through his sixth child, Sam-
uel (2).
(VII) Samuel (3) Smith, son of Sam-
uel (2) and Mehitable (Burnett) Smith,
was born in Granby, Massachusetts, De-
cember 22, 1808, and died August 5, 1890.
He lived on the homestead at Granby,
taught school, engaged in farming, and
was prominent in church and town affairs.
For many years he served as assessor of
taxes, and as member of the school com-
mittee ; was representative to the General
Court in 1863, and a member of the com-
mittee in charge of the Massachusetts
Agricultural College, of Boston Society of
Natural History, and the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology. At the time of
his election to the General Court, he re-
ceived every vote cast in the district, a
most remarkable fact. He served the
Granby Church for twenty years as dea-
con, and the Sunday School twenty-seven
consecutive years as superintendent. He
married, December 7, 1835, Maryett
White, who died December 15, 1888,
daughter of Luther and Abigail (Preston)
White, of Granby. Maryett White was a
descendant of Elder John White, who
came in the ship "Lion" in 1632, descent
being through the Elder's son, Jonathan
White ; his son Deacon Nathaniel White ;
his son, Daniel White, and his wife, Han-
nah Bagg; their son, Jacob White, and his
wife Amy Stebbins ; their son Luther
White and his wife Abigail Preston ; their
daughter, Maryett, wife of Deacon Sam-
uel Smith. Deacon Samuel and Maryett
(White) Smith, were the parents of nine
children: I. Eliza Thayer, wife of Cap-
tain William B. Clark, who was killed in
the Civil War, October 24, 1864. 2. Rob-
ert Morrison, a soldier of the Union, serv-
ing in Company K, Thirty-fourth Regi-
ment, Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry.
He was slightly wounded at New Market,
Virginia, in May, 1864, and at the battle
of Piedmont, Virginia, was so severely
wounded as to be unfit for field duty.
He was retained in the service on light
duty until honorably discharged June 15,
1865. 3. Lucretia Marie, born May 19,
1841, died August 26, 1842. 4. Marietta,
married Charles S. Boynton. 5. Henry
Neal, died aged three years. 6. Samuel
Finley, of further mention. 7. Abby
White, married John H. Chandler. 8.
Henry Martin, died young. 9. Emma
Clarinda, married John H. Chandler. She
and the doctor only are living.
(VIII) Dr. Samuel Finley Smith, sixth
child of Deacon Samuel (3) and Maryett
(White) Smith, was born in Granby,
Hampshire county, Massachusetts, July 17,
1847. After finishing public school study
with courses of study at South Hadley
High School, he entered Wesleyan Acad-
emy, Wilbraham, finishing with gradua-
tion in 1868. The following autumn he
61
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
entered Amherst College, but about one
year later left Amherst, and began study
in the medical department of the Uni-
versity of Michigan, whence he was grad-
uated M. D., March 26, 1873. Soon after-
ward he located in Indian Orchard, the
Eighth Ward of Springfield, Massachu-
setts, and there he has continued in gen-
eral practice during the forty-seven years
which have since intervened. Could the
record of this nearly half century of his
profession be written in detail, it would
reveal a life of self sacrifice, of devotion to
duty, but crowned with a success, not to
be measured by the usual standard of pro-
fessional honor which he has won in
abundance in addition to this. He is rich
in the regard of his fellow-men.
He is a member of Springfield Academy
of Medicine ; Hampden District Medical
Society ; Eastern Hampden Medical Asso-
ciation ; Massachusetts Medical Society ;
and the American Medical Association,
and his standing is high among his pro-
fessional brethren, and his relations most
pleasant. He is affiliated with Roswell Lee
Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons ; also
the Indian Orchard Lodge, Free and Ac-
cepted Masons ; \Yallamanump tribe, Im-
proved Order of Red Men ; this has now
affiliated with Qusamequin tribe of
Springfield; and the Independent Order
of Foresters. In iS/6, when a candidate
for Springfield Common Council, he was
the nominee of both parties.
Dr. Smith married, June 27, 1877, Alice
Kimball, born February 27, 1853, died
February 5, 1890, daughter of Rev.
George P. Kimball, of Chicago. Their
only child, Neal Kimball Smith, born Jan-
uary 10, 1879, died November i, 1879.
Dr. Smith is a member of the Evangelical
Church of Indian Orchard, and was also
superintendent of the Sunday school, 1873
to 1883.
PARSONS, Charles Henry,
Man of Great Enterprise.
Charles H. Parsons, vice-president of
the Springfield Chamber of Commerce,
chairman of public affairs of the same or-
ganization, and extensively engaged in
real estate operations in his native city,
represents a family that has been resident
in this country since the year 1635. The
greater number of its members were resi-
dents of the State of Massachusetts, and
actively interested in promoting the wel-
fare and development of the communities
where they made their homes.
(I) Cornet Joseph Parsons, the immi-
grant ancestor, was born in England,
about 1613, and with his brother Ben-
jamin, is said to have been a passenger
on the ship, "Transport," sailing from
Gravesend, England, early in July, 1635.
It is also said that he was a fellow-pas-
senger with William Pynchon, in 1630,
was with him in the neighborhood of
Boston, went with him to the Connecticut
Valley, and was a protege of Pynchon.
As he was only seventeen years of age
when Pynchon founded Agawam, his name
does not appear on the records of the early
Colony except as a witness to the Indian
deed given to William Pynchon and
others of the lands adjacent to the fork
of the Agawam and Connecticut rivers.
This was only sixteen years after the
landing of the Pilgrims, at Plymouth, and
only six years after the first settlement
of Boston. The date of his arrival in the
Colony of Massachusetts Bay, and the
location of his home in England, are not
definitely known. He was the justice of
the peace and witnessed the deed trans-
ferring vast tracts of land to the white
settlers, bearing date, "July 15, 1638."
The consideration for it, received by the
Indians, was eighteen fathoms of wam-
pum, eighteen hatchets, eighteen knives,
62
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
eighteen coats, eighteen hoes, and the
land extended on both sides of the Con-
necticut and Agawam rivers to the falls.
No other record or part, in the formation
and conduct of the business of the Colony
appears until 1642, when he left Spring-
field, and viewed the plantation "Nolt-
wog" as a site for a new town above the
falls. This, in 1662, became the town ot
Northampton. He did not settle there
permanently at this time, as he was a
surveyor of lands in Springfield, in 1646-
47, and was one of the fifty-two land
owners of the town of Springfield. He
also held the office of overseer of fences
in 1650, and was selectman of the town in
1651. In 1662 he, with others, purchased
the plantation at "Noltwog," which in-
cluded a large tract of valuable land, and
commanded an extensive trade in furs of
the beaver and other fur-bearing animals.
He became proprietor of the place by right
of purchase, and was made the first se-
lectman of the town ; he was very prom-
inent in town and church affairs. That
these cares were onerous, is evidenced by
the fact that he asked, in 1656, to be re-
leased from the cares of office for one
year, in consideration of paying into the
town treasury the sum of twenty shil-
lings. In 1655 ne purchased from William
Pynchon, for twelve pounds sterling, to be
paid annually, the sole right to trade in
beaver and other furs in the Connecticut
Valley, and the trade was large. The
Pynchon estate realized four hundred
pounds, and five hundred pounds for the
privilege. In 1668 he successfully main-
tained a saw mill, after other holders of
the privilege had made a failure of the
enterprise. In 1664 he was a member of
the committee to fix the conduct of the
Indians so they should not work on the
Sabbath Day, and shall not "pow wow"
on the settlement, or get drunk. He \vas
a member of Captain John Pynchon's
Hampshire County Troop, in King
Philip's War, 1672-78, and he was made
cornet of troop, October 7, 1678. In 1679
he was made a member of the Ancient
and Honorable Artillery Company, of
Boston ; and he served in the early French
and Indian Wars, in the Colony of Massa-
chusetts Bay.
Cornet Joseph Parsons married, No-
vember 26, 1646, Mary Bliss, daughter of
Thomas Bliss, of Hartford Colony, and
granddaughter of Thomas Bliss, of Bil-
stone parish, Devonshire, England. She
was born in England, in 1620, and died in
Springfield, Massachusetts, January 29,
1712, after having reached the ninety-
second year of her age. Cornet Joseph
Parsons died in Springfield, October 9,
1683, to which place he had removed from
Northampton, on account of Indian trou-
bles. The years of widowhood of Mary
(Bliss) Parsons, were twenty-nine. Chil-
dren of Cornet Joseph and Mary (Bliss)
Parsons: I. Joseph, of further mention.
2. John, born 1649; married Sarah Clarke,
daughter of Lieutenant Clarke, of North-
ampton, December 23, 1675, 3. Samuel,
born 1652; settled in Dunham, Connecti-
cut, 1706. 4. Ebenezer, born 1655 ; the first
white child born in Northampton ; was
killed by the Indians in King Philip's
War, at Northfield, September 8, 1675. 5.
Jonathan, born June 6, 1657, died October
16, 1684. 6. David, born April 30, 1659. 7.
Mary, born June 27, 1661 ; married (first),
October 15, 1685, Joseph Ashley, of
Springfield; (second), March 2, 1699, Jo-
seph Williston. 8. Hannah, born 1663 ;
married, January 6, 1687, Rev. Pelatiah
Glover, of Springfield. 9. Abigail, born
September 3. 1666; married, February 19,
1689, John Colton ; she died soon after,
leaving one child, who married Francis
Griswold, of Windsor, Connecticut. 10.
Hester, born 1672; married Joseph Smith,
of Greenwich, Connecticut Colony.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
(II) Joseph (2) Parsons, eldest son of
Cornet Joseph (i) and Mary (Bliss) Par-
sons, was born in Springfield, Massachu-
setts, November i, 1647. He was one of
the earliest lawyers of Western Massachu-
setts, was justice of the peace at North-
ampton, for several years ; judge of the
Hampton County Court, for twenty-three
years, from October 16, 1696. He was
deputy to the General Court twelve years
from Northampton, and two years from
Springfield, beginning 1693. He inherited
valuable lands in Boston and in North-
ampton, and was a man of unusual prom-
inence. He married, March 17, 1669,
Elizabeth Strong, daughter of Elder John
and Abigail (Ford) Strong. She was
born in Windsor, Connecticut, February
24, 1648, died in Northampton. Massachu-
setts, May 12, 1736. They celebrated
their golden wedding anniversary. Chil-
dren of Joseph and Elizabeth (Strong)
Parsons: i. Joseph, of further mention.
2. John, born January n, 1674. 3. Eben-
ezer, born December n, 1675; married,
December 15, 1703, Mary Stebbins, and
died in 1744. 4. Elizabeth, born Febru-
ary 3, 1678. 5. David, born February I,
1680; was graduated at Harvard College,
A. B., 1705, A. M., 1715; Yale, A. B.,
1705, A. M., 1708; was ordained to the
Congregational ministry, and was minis-
ter at Maiden, Massachusetts, 1708-21,
and at Leicester, Massachusetts, 1721-35.
and died in Leicester, 1743; he married
Eunice Wells, of Wethersfield, Connecti-
cut, and they had nine children. Their
son, David Parsons, was graduated at
Harvard College, A. B., 1729. A. M.. 1732;
was first minister of the first church, Am-
herst, Massachusetts, from November 6,
1739, until he died in 1781. His son,
David Parsons, Jr., born in Amherst, Jan-
uary 28, 1749, was graduated at Harvard,
A. B., 1771, A. M., 1774, and received the
honorary degree of D. D. from Brown
University, Providence, Rhode Island, in
1800. He was minister in Amherst as
successor to his father, from October 21,
1782, and died in Amherst, in 1823. His
children were : i. Dr. Ezekiel William
Parsons, of Colchester, ii. David, an ar-
tisan, of Amherst. iii. Prudence Stod-
dard, who married Rev. Marcus Smith, of
Rensselaerville, New York. iv. Thomas,
a merchant in New York City. v. Harriet,
married (first) Rev. Royal Washburn ;
and (second) Hon. David Mack, of Am-
herst. vi. Francis, attorney-at-law, Hart-
ford, Connecticut, vii. Mary, married
Rev. William Williams, who was first a
clergyman and then a physician, in Salem.
viii. Caroline, ix. Sophia, married Rev.
Silas Aiken, of Boston, x. William, a
physician in Canaan, Connecticut, xi.
James, graduate of Amherst, A. B.. 1830;
instructor in Savannah, Georgia, where he
died in 1833, at the age of twenty-eight
years. 6. Jcsiah, born January 2, 1682;
married, June 22, 1710, Sarah Sheldon;
and died April 12, 1768. 7. Daniel, born
August, 1685; married, June 17, 1709,
Abigail Corley, of Springfield, Massachu-
setts. 8. Moses, born January 15. 1687;
married, January 20, 1710, Abigail Ball,
and lived in Durham, Connecticut. 9.
Abigail, born January I, 1690. 10. Noah,
born August 15, 1692.
(Ill) Joseph (3) Parsons, eldest child
of Joseph (2) and Elizabeth (Strong)
Parsons, was born in Northampton,
Massachusetts, June 26, 1671. He was
graduated from Harvard College. A. B..
1697, A. M., 1700, the first of the name of
Parsons to graduate from Harvard, his
example being followed by forty of the
name, up to 1899. He was married, in
1701, to Elizabeth Thompson, daughter of
Dr. Benjamin Thompson, of Roxbury,
Massachusetts, and granddaughter of Rev.
William Thompson, of Braintree, Massa-
chusetts. He was ordained to the Con-
64
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
gregational ministry, and his first pastor-
ate was in Lebanon, Connecticut ; his sec-
ond in Salisbury, Massachusetts, of which
church he took charge in 1718. He died
there, March 13, 1738. Joseph and Eliza-
beth (Thompson) Parsons had five chil-
dren, including Joseph, of further men-
tion.
(IV) Rev. Joseph (4) Parsons, son of
Joseph (3) and Elizabeth (Thompson)
Parsons, was born in Salisbury, Massa-
chusetts, in 1702. He was graduated from
Harvard College, A. B., 1720, A. M., 1723;
was ordained to the Congregational min-
istry in Bradford, Massachusetts, June 8,
1716, was minister of the church there all
his ministerial life, and died there, May
4, 1765. He was married in 1729, to Fran-
ces Usher, daughter of Hon. John Usher,
lieutenant-governor of New Hampshire,
who was a son of Hezekiah and Elizabeth
(Symmes) Usher. He published an elec-
tion, ordination, and an artillery election
sermon in 1744. Children of Rev. Joseph
and Frances (Usher) Parsons: i. Fran-
ces, born in 1730; died in Epping, New
Hampshire, October 7, 1808. 2. Eliza-
beth, born 1731; died 1733. 3. Joseph,
born October 5, 1733; graduated Harvard,
A. B., 1752, A. M., 1755; was a Congre-
gational minister in Bradford, Massachu-
setts ; married Sarah Williams, daughter
of Rev. W. and Abigail (Leonard) Wil-
liams, of Walton, Massachusetts, grand-
daughter of Rev. John Williams, of Deer-
field, Massachusetts, the "Redeemed Cap-
tain," and great-granddaughter of Deacon
Samuel Williams, of Roxbury, and of
Rev. Eleazer Mather, of Northampton,
Massachusetts, and great-great-grand-
daughter of Robert Williams, and of Dea-
con William Park, of Roxbury, Massachu-
setts. 4. Thomas, of further mention. 5.
Samuel, born 1737; died in Cornville,
Maine, 1807. 6. John, born 1740; died in
South Berwick, Maine, 1775. 7. William,
Mass 10 5 65
born 1741 ; died 1742. 8. William, born
1743; died in Alfred, Maine, August 4,
1826. 9. Sarah, born 1745 ; died in Par-
sonsfield, Maine, 1800. 10. Edward, born
1747; was adjutant in the American Rev-
olution ; and died in 1776.
(V) Thomas Parsons, fourth son of
Rev. Joseph (4) and Frances (Usher)
Parsons, was born in Bradford, Massa-
chusetts, September 18, 1735. On Au-
gust 5, 1771, he was granted a township of
land, in York county, Maine, by the pro-
prietors, claiming it under the will of
Mrs. Bridget Phillips, and under his di-
rection it was surveyed, by Joseph Cram,
of Exeter, New Hampshire, in the autumn
of the same year. He did not, however,
settle on the land until 1784, when he re-
moved his family from Leavittstown (now
Effingham), New Hampshire, near the
northwestern border of his Maine tract,
which became Parsonsfield. He was made
moderator of the town meeting held in
Leavittstown, New Hampshire, in March,
1784. He erected a dwelling house, the
first pretentious building in the town of
Parsonsfield, the same year, and became
a resident of the town of which he was the
leading proprietor, before August, 1785,
as he was, on August 19, 1785, moderator
and chairman of the first board of select-
men of the newly incorporated town of
Parsonsfield, the town meeting being
held in his house. He married (first)
Anna Poor, of Andover, Massachusetts, in
1757. She died in Leavittstown, May 24,
1783, aged forty-four years. He married
(second) Lucy Bradbury, of Saco, Maine.
She died in 1811. Children of Thomas
and Anna (Poor) Parsons, born in South-
ampton, Massachusetts, and Leavitts-
town, New Hampshire: i. Thomas, Jr.,
born 1759. 2. Stephen, born 1760; died
1764. 3. Joseph, born 1762; married
(first), 1785, Lydia Lord; (second), 1800,
Abigail Adams. 4. Enoch, born 1764;
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
died 1782. 5. Stephen, born 1766; married,
1787, Abigail Moore, of Stratham, New
Hampshire ; he died September 6, 1836. 6.
Nancy, born 1769; married (first) Josiah
Pearse, (second) a Mr. Holmes. 7. John
Usher, born 1771 ; married, in 1802, Mrs.
Susan Savory, of Kennebunk; died Octo-
ber 13, 1825. 8. Sarah, born 1773 ; married
(first) Asa Pease, of Newmarket, and
(second) John Leavitt. 9. Mary, born
1775 ; married Major John Leavitt, of Ef-
fingham, New Hampshire; died December
20, 1856. Children of Thomas and Lucy
(Bradbury) Parsons: i. Elizabeth Usher,
born 1/87; married Luther Emmerson ;
died October n, 1857. 2. Susan, born
1788; married, in 1808, Richard F. Dow, of
Wakefield ; died August 2, 1837. 3.
Thomas Bradbury, born February 11,
1789; officer of United States Navy, 1808;
sailing master of the privateer brig, "Gen-
eral Armstrong," under Captain Samuel
Chester Reid, in Fayal Harbor, Azores,
1812, when he shared with Captain Reid
the honors of the victory over the boats of
the British Squadron, which exploit has
gone into history, as the most daring sea
fight of a vessel under the American flag,
in the War of 1812. 4. Abigail, born 1790;
married, in 1807, Isaac M. Parker; died
November 20, 1848. 5. William, of
further mention. 6. Lucy, born 1792;
married Isaac B. Chesley; died in March,
1884. 7. Lucinda, born 1795; died Janu-
ary 27, 1796. 8. Sylvester, born 1796 ; mar-
ried Abigail Pickering, of Greenland ; died
August 7, 1860. 9. Lucinda, born 1798;
married David T. Levy, M. D., of Wolfs-
boro ; died August 31, 1877. 10. Samuel,
born 1801 ; married, in 1828, Mary B.
Allen ; died December 22, 1869.
(VI) William Parsons, son of Thomas
and Lucy (Bradbury) Parsons, was born
in Parsonsfield, Maine, in 1791. After his
marriage to Sarah S. Dearborn, in 1813, he
removed to Concord, New Hampshire,
and in 1836, to Springfield, Massachusetts,
where he conducted a grocery business,
and where he died, April 15, 1876.
(VII) William Henry Parsons, son of
William and Sarah S. (Dearborn) Par-
sons, was born in Concord, New Hamp-
shire, February 4, 1822, and removed with
his parents to Springfield, Massachusetts,
in 1836, where he attended school, and as-
sisted his father in the grocery business
Later he learned the mason's trade. He
began his career as a dealer in real estate
in 1843. His sons became associated with
him in the real estate business. He mar-
ried, September 20, 1848, Sarah A. Wood,
of Northampton, Massachusetts, and they
had five children, three of whom survived,
namely : Harriette E., wife of Justin D.
Parks, of Westfield; Charles H, and Wil-
liam F., of Springfield. Mr. Parsons died
at his home in Springfield, March 10, 1907,
aged eighty-five years, sixty-four of these
years having been spent in Springfield,
helping to build up the city. He left, be-
sides his widow, a daughter, and two sons,
six grandchildren, as follows : William
H. Parks and Mrs. Greta McElwain, chil-
dren of Mrs. Harriette E. Parks ; Marvel
and Russell Parsons, children of Charles
H. Parsons; and Gladys and \Villiam Ed-
ward Parsons, Jr., children of William E.
and Grace (Blake) Parsons. He also had
two great-grandchildren. Edmund and
Katharine Parks, children of his grand-
son, William H. Parks. His only social
affiliation outside his family circle, was
the Winthrop Club. Mrs. Parsons, wife
of William Henry Parsons is deceased.
(VIII) Charles Henry Parsons, son of
William Henry and Sarah A. (Wood)
Parsons, was born in Springfield, Massa-
chusetts, June 18, 1864. He attended the
schools of his native city, and after com-
pleting his studies, learned the trade of
carpenter, and at the age of eighteen
years, began assisting his father in the
66
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
real estate business. He purchased land,
erected houses thereon, and then disposed
of them at advantageous prices. He also
was actively interested in the cold stor-
age business, and in addition to erecting
the Springfield City Market, he erected the
plant for the Eastern States Cold Storage
Company, in Springfield, and large plants
in Albany, New York, Jersey City, New
Jersey, and East Boston, Massachusetts,
which he operated successfully. He
served as president of the Eastern States
and Boston Terminal Refrigerating Com-
pany, and was its general manager some
years, and then retired from its active
management, but is still serving as a direc-
tor of this, and also of the Eastern States
Refrigerating Company, of Springfield,
but devotes the greater portion of his time
to his extensive real estate interests. Mr.
Parsons has also served as treasurer of
the Napier Saw Works, of Springfield.
He is also serving in the capacity of vice-
president of the Springfield Chamber of
Commerce ; chairman of public affairs of
the same, and during the War was chair-
man of the Civilian Relief Committee,
whose operations were conducted in
Hampden county. He is a member of
Hampden Lodge, Free and Accepted
Masons ; Morning Star Chapter, Royal
Arch Masons ; Springfield Council, Royal
and Select Masters ; Springfield Com-
mandery. Knights Templar. He is also
a member of the Nayasset and Country
Clubs, and was chairman of the first
Springfield Planning Commission, holding
this office three years.
Mr. Parsons married, September 25,
1885, Addie M. Marvel, of Hartford, Con-
necticut, daughter of Joseph E. and Sarah
G. (Hodges) Marvel. Children: i. Mar-
vel H., born August 23, 1889; during the
Mexican trouble on the Border, he offered
his service to the Government and enlisted
as a member of the Cavalry Troops, Na-
tional Guard ; during the World War he
went to Plattsburgh, New York ; later to
Fort Monroe, as instructor, and was pro-
moted through the various ranks to major ;
went overseas in the capacity of major, and
later returned and was commissioned cap-
tain of Heavy Artillery, stationed at Camp
Eustis. He married (first) Ruth White-
side, by whom he had one child, Marvel,
Jr. He married (second) Nellie Whler, of
Alexandria, Virginia. 2. Russell C., born
April 20, 1893 ; president and manager of
Parsons Brothers Company, of Spring-
field ; married Gertrude Ingram, of Minne-
apolis, Minnesota ; they are the parents
of one child, William Henry (2), born
June 27, 1917.
WALLACE, and Allied Families, Vaille,
Underwood,
This article is a history of the Wallace
and Vaille families. Andrew B. Wallace,
who for nearly half a century has been the
proprietor of one of the largest dry goods
emporiums in Western Massachusetts, is
of Scotch descent. He married Miss
Madora Crosby Vaille, daughter of Dr.
Henry Robert Vaille, who was for many
years a prominent physician of Spring-
field ; he was by birth an Underwood, but
in 1835 petitioned the Legislature to
change his name to Vaille. He was the
son of Thaddeus Underwood, a descend-
ant of Joseph Underwood, the founder of
the family in America.
The Underwoods are of distinctively
English descent. The origin of the name is
apparent from some of the more ancient
forms of spelling of the name : Underwode,
Underode, Underwoode, Under the Wode
and Under the Wood. The earliest trace
of the documents is found as far back as
1177 in the genealogy of Underwood of
Bixley, Norfolk, in the Harleian Manu-
scripts in the British Museum. The
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
principal Underwood families of England
are those of Heilfordshire, Hereford, and
of Bixley and Hevringham, Norfolk. The
arms in all these families are strikingly
alike and would seem to indicate a com-
mon origin. The arms of Underwood of
Bixley are as follows:
Arms Sable on a fess ermine between three
annulets or, a lion passant sable.
Crest A hind's head or, encircled by a wreath
vert.
(I) The branch herein traced dates in
New England from Joseph Underwood,
founder of the Watertown family. He
came from England in 1637, at twenty-
three years of age, settling in Hingham,
but later going to Watertown, where he
was admitted a freeman in 1645. He mar-
ried Mary Wilder, daughter of the widow
of Thomas Wilder. Mrs. Thomas Wilder
came to America from Lancashire, Eng-
land, in 1638, bringing three children, Ed-
ward, Elizabeth, and Mary. They settled
at Hingham, Massachusetts, and Mary
married Joseph Underwood. Mary
(Wilder) Underwood died December 13,
1658, and he married (second), April 29,
1665, Mary How, of Dorchester. Joseph
Underwood died February 16, 1676-77,
aged about sixty-two years. He was the
father of the following children : Mary,
born April 13, 1645, married, May 18,
1670; Isaac Onge; Martha; Joseph (2), of
further mention ; Sarah ; Hannah, mar-
ried, in October, 1680, John Gibson ; Eliza-
beth, married, September 13, 1693, Wil-
liam Bull, his second wife; Thomas, born
October 11, 1658, married Mary Palmer.
(II) Joseph (2) Underwood was born
at Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1650,
and his will was probated April 7, 1691.
He lived for a time in Reading, later re-
turning to Watertown. His first daugh-
ter, Mary, and his first son, Joseph (3),
were born in that town. He married,
about 1672, Elizabeth , and they
were the parents of nine children : Mary,
born June 13, 1673; Joseph, died in in-
fancy ; Elizabeth, born May 8, 1679, mar-
ried May 20, 1700, Nathaniel Cutler, of
Reading, Massachusetts; John, born
March 6, 1677, married Rebecca Shattuck ;
Joseph (3), of further mention; Joshua,
born January 31, 1683, married, January
1 3' I 77. Mercy Fairbanks, of Sherborn;
Jonathan, born in 1685, of Boston ; Mary,
born May 9, 1687; Hannah, baptized April
13, 1690, married, in 1709, Daniel Rich-
ardson.
(Ill) Joseph (3) Underwood was born
at Watertown, Massachusetts, May 29,
1681, and his will was probated January
14, 1762. He was a subscriber to the Cov-
enant in 1727, when the church at West-
ford, Massachusetts, was formed from the
church at Chelmsford. He had lived in
Reading until 1715, then moved to West-
ford, where he died, January 29, 1761. He
was active in all public affairs and a man
of character and influence. He was a
farmer and owned a large tract of the best
land near the Centre. He was also inter-
ested in the settlement at Litchfield,
New Hampshire, although he did not re-
move there. He married, May 27, 1707,
in Reading, Massachusetts, Susannah
Parker, born December 29, 1687, daughter
of Nathaniel and Bethiah (Polly) Parker,
of Reading. They were the parents of
thirteen children ; Joseph (4) ; Thomas,
who died at the age of twenty-three
years; Mary, married Colonel Buckley;
Elizabeth, born February 2, 1714, married
May 21, 1735, Joseph Fletcher, and
moved to Barnstable ; Jonathan, of further
mention; Amy, married James Spaulding;
Ruth, married Joseph Read; Phineas,
born January 3, 1722, settled in Merri-
mack, New Hampshire ; Timothy, lived at
Chelmsford, Massachusetts ; Susannah,
died in childhood; John, founder of the
Westford branch, a soldier of the Colonial
68
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
army, married Hannah Wright ; Bethia,
married Oliver Prescott ; James, of Merri-
mack, and Litchfield, New Hampshire.
(IV) Jonathan Underwood was born
at Westford, Massachusetts, January 22,
1716, died at Marlboro, Vermont, Octo-
ber i, 1794. He moved from Westford to
Suffield, Connecticut, where he owned a
large tract of land in 1754, and there lived
until 1776, when he moved to Marlboro,
his home until death. He married, in
1739, Hannah Richardson, of Medway.
They were the parents of eight children :
Hannah, married Samuel Hildreth, of
Chesterfield, New Hampshire; Jonathan,
born in 1744, married Deborah Morgan;
Susannah, born in 1747, married Simeon
Adams, of Suffield, Connecticut, a soldier
of the French and Indian War, captured
by the Indians and carried to Connecticut;
Phineas, of whom nothing is known ; John,
born July 30, 1752; Samuel, born July 22,
1754, at Suffield; Thaddeus, of further
mention ; Oliver, died young.
(V) Thaddeus Underwood was born in
Suffield, Connecticut, in 1760, and died at
Marlboro, Vermont, September 8, 1840.
He was a farmer at Marlboro. He mar-
ried Mary Farr, daughter of Daniel Farr,
of Boylston, Massachusetts, who survived
him several years and died at Westmins-
ter, Vermont. They were the parents
of following children : Arethusa, mar-
ried Moody Tenny ; Samuel, born Decem-
ber 27, 1790, married Orpha Fisher;
Thaddeus (2), born December 7, 1796,
married Phoebe Joy ; Lewis, born January
8, 1799; Gralia, married Zina Goodale;
Richardson, born February 8, 1801, never
married ; Fanny, married Simon Phillips,
of Newfane, Vermont; Bennett, born
April 17, 1807, married Restas Ann Good-
ell ; Ozni, of further mention.
(VI) Ozni Underwood, youngest child
of Thaddeus and Mary (Farr) Under-
wood, was born July 27, 1809, at Marlboro,
Vermont, died in Springfield, Massachu-
setts, July 15, 1885. He spent his boy-
hood in Marlboro at the homestead farm,
prepared for college in the public schools
of Marlboro and Brattleboro, and later en-
tered Williams College, whence he was
graduated, class of 1835. After gradua-
tion he was appointed principal of the
town high school, located on School
street, he having the distinction of being
the first and only principal that school
ever had ; because of its location it
was soon discontinued. He then became
principal of the high school in Spring-
field. After teaching a time, the young
man began the study of medicine, his pre-
ceptor being the eminent Dr. Joshua
Frost, of Springfield. He completed his
professional education at Pittsfield Med-
ical College, and after receiving his M. D.
from that institution, began practicing in
Longmeadow, but did not long remain
there, removing to Springfield, where he
succeeded to the practice of his old pre-
ceptor, Dr. Frost, becoming eminent in
his profession, continuing for over forty
years. Later he studied in Paris, France.
In 1835, as explained farther on, he peti-
tioned the Massachusetts Legislature for
permission to change his name ; this was
granted and from that time onward he
was known as Dr. Henry Robert Vaille.
He was a skillful physician and surgeon,
making a specialty of obstetrics. He pos-
sessed the confidence of a very large clien-
tele and was held in the highest esteem.
During the Civil War he was in the ser-
vice of the Christian Commission, at the
front for a time, and in 1862 was assistant
surgeon of the I2th Regiment, Massachu-
setts Infantry, on duty in the military hos-
pitals at Middletown, Maryland, for three
months, caring for the wounded soldiers
from the battles of South Mountain and
Antietam.
Dr. Vaille early became a member of
69
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
the church, and all his life was true to the
obligations of good citizenship. Until the
founding of the Republican party he was
a Whig, and was later affiliated with the
new party. He was city physician for a
long time, and also a member of the
school board. He was a member of the
District Medical, and of the Massachu-
setts Medical societies, taking a deep in-
terest in both. His last years were spent
in retirement, and he died in 1885. He
was highly spoken of by the press of that
day for his professional skill and his
worth as a citizen at his Springfield
home, and at his death the medical socie-
ties and other organizations passed resolu-
tions of respect to his memory. The Dis-
trict Medical Society, in a memorial to
the good doctor, described him as "one
who ever maintained the honor and
worked for the interests of legitimate
medicine."
Dr. Vaille married (first), June 25, 1838,
Anna Pitman, who died in 1847, daughter
of the Rev. Benjamin H. Pitman, of Al-
bany, New York, and at this time Dr.
Vaille changed his name. The Rev. B. H.
Pitman was a man of strong prejudices
and thoroughly orthodox, and at some
time an Underwood had come under the
ban of his displeasure and he would not
consider for a moment his daughter taking
that name. As there was no objection to
the young man personally, a change of
name was decided upon and he applied to
the Legislature and received permission,
when Ozni Underwood became Dr. Henry
Robert Vaille. Dr. and Mrs. Vaille be-
came the parents of two sons : Henry R.,
deceased, and Thomas P. Dr. Vaille mar-
ried (second), in 1849, Sarah Wilkinson
Lewis, of Walpole, who survived him,
and died at the age of eighty-nine years.
Mrs. Vaille was a member of the Congre-
gational church, and a woman greatly
esteemed for her charming social quali-
ties and womanly grace. She died in
Springfield, in 1913. Dr. and Sarah W.
(Lewis) Vaille were the parents of four
sons and one daughter : Frederick Ozni,
born July 28, 1850, married Harriet Wol-
cott, and resides in Denver, Colorado ;
Frank W., born December 7, 1854, resides
in Seattle, Washington, superintendent of
a railway mail service division of the
Northwest, married Juna Boaz, of Indian-
apolis ; Madora Crosby, of further men-
tion ; Howard T., born February 26, 1861,
married Martha Elder, of Pittsburgh, and
resides in Denver, Colorado.
(VII) Madora Crosby Vaille, only
daughter and third child of Dr. Henry
Robert Vaille and his second wife, Sarah
W. (Lewis) Vaille, was born in Spring-
field, Massachusetts, May 15, 1857. She
married, June 25, 1883, Andrew Brabner
Wallace, of the firm of Forbes & Wallace,
of Springfield, Massachusetts, of whom
further.
Andrew B. Wallace was born in New-
burg, Fifeshire, Scotland. March 27, 1842,
son of David and Christina (Brabner)
Wallace, the former named a representa-
tive of an ancient and honorable Scotch
family. He was a dealer in wood, a mem-
ber of the Town Council, a member of the
Presbyterian church, and a man of in-
fluence in his town. He died in 1894.
Andrew B. Wallace attended school in
his native town until the age of fifteen
years, then was apprenticed to a dry
goods merchant for a term of four years.
When that term expired, in 1862, he left
home and went to Stirling, going thence
to Glasgow, remaining in those two cities
until 1867, when he came to the United
States, locating in Boston, Massachusetts.
Being an experienced dry goods clerk, and
before coming over, well known, he was
hired by a Boston firm, Hogg, Brown and
Taylor, while in Glasgow. From Boston
Mr. Wallace went to Pittsfield, Massa-
THE NEW YORK
PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTSR, LENOX
TTt-DSN
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
chusetts, where for four years he was a
member of the firm of Smith & Wallace.
That firm continued in business until
1874, when Mr. Wallace withdrew and
moved to Springfield, Massachusetts,
there founding the dry goods firm of
Forbes & Wallace. That firm has pros-
pered and has now (1920) become the
leading dry goods house in Western
Massachusetts, a large business having
been developed. They erected, in 1920, a
building in place of their present store at
Nos. 392-94-96-98 Main street, which when
completed will give them a unified eight
story and basement store with the present
Main street front and extending down
Vernon street. The building is of the
most modern type of steel frame and fire-
proof construction. The outside is faced
with gray brick and Indiana limestone,
corresponding with the present Vernon
and Pynchon street buildings. One of the
conspicuous features of the new store is
a vestibule entrance at the center front,
faced with Vermont marble and bronze, the
entrance being banked with display win-
dows and cases. Large show windows
occupy the entire Main street front, and
also extend two hundred feet on the Ver-
non street side of the store. The store
extension adds four additional floors to
the space already in use, with a total of
forty thousand square feet of floor space,
which makes possible extensive expan-
sion for many departments. A spacious
new waiting-room, rest-room, and art gal-
lery on the fifth floor is one of the new
attractions. On the fourth floor the
added space gives room for a necessary
enlargement of the store's private fur
storage plant. Main offices are on the
second floor, stock-rooms on the third and
seventh floors, and the first floor includes
a lady's hair-dressing and manicuring de-
partment, and specialty shop for chil-
dren's hair-cutting.
Mr. Wallace is also head of a syndicate
known as the Consolidated Dry Goods
Company, with stores in Pittsfield, North-
ampton and North Adams, Massachusetts,
and Schenectady and Poughkeepsie, New
York, five stores. In addition to these
Mr. Wallace is interested in a number of
Springfield corporations, including the
Warwick Bicycle Company, the Spring-
field Knitting Company, the Pettis Dry
Goods Company of Indianapolis, the
Springfield Electric Light Company, the
Denholm & McKay Dry Goods Company,
of Worcester, the Springfield Loan and
Trust Company, of which he was an in-
corporator and director, and the Massa-
chusetts Mutual Life Insurance Com-
pany, of which he is also a director.
A Republican in politics, Mr. Wallace
has always been interested in all that per-
tains to the public good. He was for
years, and now is, one of the auditors of
the city. He is a member of the Congre-
gational church, having served on the
parish committee for many years. He
was a member of the building committee
in charge of the erection of the Young
Men's Christian Association in Spring-
field, and long served the association as a
director.
Mr. Wallace married (first) Jean Mil-
ler, of Scotland, and they were the parents
of a son, Robert M., a merchant of Spring-
field ; he married Ellen Dudley, and they
were the parents of three children: Janet,
Dudley, and Dorcas. Mr. Wallace mar-
ried (second) Madora Crosby Vaille, and
they were the parents of five children : I.
Andrew Brabner, Jr., born August 26,
1884; married Florence Woods, and has
a son, Andrew Brabner (3), and a daugh-
ter, Barbara. 2. Douglas Vaille, born No-
vember 27, 1885 ; married Mary Robinson,
and has two sons, John R., and Mack Fos-
ter. 3. Madora, born July 30, 1887 ; mar-
ried Douglas H. Thomson, and has three
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
children : James McArthur, Madora and
Douglas H., Jr. 4. Ruth, born February
21, 1890, attended the MacDuffie School
for Girls in Springfield, Miss Porter's
School in Farmington, and spent two
years in study abroad ; married, October
31, 1920, Laurens McGregor Demarest, of
Newark, New Jersey, son of Mrs. Daniel
Demarest, of Montclair, New Jersey ; the
ceremony was performed by the Rev. Dr.
Neil McPherson, pastor of the First Con-
gregational Church, of Springfield, Massa-
chusetts. Mr. Demarest is a graduate of
Yale, class of 1893, and is now president of
the American Machinery and Equipment
Corporation of Newark, New Jersey.
They will make their home in East
Orange, New Jersey. 5. Norman, born
February 24, 1893; married Marjorie Rob-
bins, and has three children: Marjorie,
Laurens, and Johanne.
McCLENCH, William Wallace,
Head of Great Insurance Company.
The life of William Wallace McClench,
of Springfield, Massachusetts, president
of the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insur-
ance Company, has been a very busy one
since his graduation from college in 1875,
and has been one of constant progress in
professional eminence and official position.
His rise as a lawyer and business man
has been through natural ability and ener-
getic prosecution of the duty in hand.
His record from student to that of presi-
dent of one of the largest insurance com-
panies in Massachusetts shows to the
fullest extent his ability both as a business
and a professional man.
William W. McClench is a great-grand-
son of John McClench, who came from
Glasgow, Scotland, and settled in Merri-
mack, New Hampshire, where his name
is seventeenth on a list of selectmen of
thnt town, which office he is believed to
have held prior to the Revolution. His
first wife was a Miss Riddle, of Bedford,
Massachusetts, and they were the parents
of : John (2), of further mention ; Joseph,
and Rachel. By a second marriage his
children were : Samuel and Nancey.
John (2) McClench died at the age of
seventy-four and was buried at Fayette,
Maine. He was a lieutenant-colonel of
New Hampshire Militia, and a farmer,
living in Fayette at the time of the birth
of his son, Joseph. He married Sarah
Hutchinson, who died in Fayette, at the
age of eighty-three, daughter of Captain
Solomon Hutchinson, of Bedford, New
Hampshire, a direct descendant of Gov-
ernor Hutchinson. They were the parents
of nine children : Sarah, Lucinda, Abigail,
John, Joseph Underwood, of whom
further ; Elizabeth, Mary, Susannah, and
Benjamin F.
Joseph Underwood McClench was born
in Fayette, Maine, August 24, 1813, died
in Chicopee, Massachusetts, December 9,
1895. He continued at the home farm
until attaining his majority, obtaining his
education in the meantime in the district
school. In 1834 he left home and jour-
neyed to Boston, where he obtained a
position as hotel clerk.. From Boston he
went to Chicopee in 1837, Chicopee then
a part of Springfield and known as Cabot-
ville. There he engaged in business as a
dealer in meats and ice, gave close atten-
tion to his dual lines and prospered
abundantly, retiring in 1887, after half a
century of uninterrupted business life.
He was a man of sympathetic, generous
nature, and his books revealed the fact
that accounts aggregating thousands of
dollars were out-standing without any at-
tempt to collect them, as the attempt
would distress the debtors, pinched by
poverty or distressed by sickness.
Mr. McClench was senior deacon of the
Chicopee Universalist Church ; chairman
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
of the Standing Committee of the church ;
a member of the Masonic order; and of
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows ;
a Whig and later a Republican ; chief en-
gineer of the volunteer fire department
for a few years ; and assessor of taxes.
He was extremely fond of reading, the
Bible and poetical works his favorites.
Mr. McClench married, in Chicopee,
January 5, 1845, Mary Ann Johnson, born
in East Weare, New Hampshire, Decem-
ber 14, 1819, died in Springfield, Massa-
chusetts, September 5, 1908, daughter of
John and Phoebe (Kimball) Johnson, and
a descendant of Edmund Johnson, who
came from Wales in 1635 and settled in
Winnicumet, New Hampshire. Edmund
Johnson and his wife Mary were the par-
ents of sons : Peter, John and James,
descent being traced to Mrs. McClench
through Peter and Ruth (Moulton) John-
son; their son, Edmund, and his wife,
Abigail Green ; their son, Obadiah, and his
wife, Judith Brown; their son, Edmund,
and his wife, Hannah Collins; their son,
Robert, and his wife, Abigail Peaslee ;
their son, John, and his wife, Phoebe
Kimball ; their daughter, Mary Ann, mar-
ried Joseph Underwood McClench, and
they were the parents of four children :
John W., Joseph F., Cora Belle, and Wil-
liam Wallace, of further mention.
William Wallace McClench was born at
Chicopee, Massachusetts, April 6, 1854.
He completed public school study with
high school graduation, class of 1871, and
the following fall entered Tufts College,
whence he was graduated A. B., class of
'75. For one year after graduation he
taught in Hitchcock Free Academy at
Brimfield, Massachusetts, and the follow-
ing year was principal of the Ware High
School. While teaching, he began the
study of law, and in 1877 entered the law
offices of Sterns, Knowlton & Long, of
Springfield, and in October, 1878, was ad-
mitted to the Hampden county bar. Soon
after his admission, he opened a law office
in Chicopee and for eleven years was
there associated in law practice with Mr.
Stearns, head of the firm under which
Mr. McClench studied. In 1889 he moved
his law practice to Springfield, becoming
a member of the firm, Wells, McClench &
Barnes, his partners Judge Gideon Wells
and Jonathan Barnes. That association
continued until 1893, and in January of
that year Mr. McClench formed a partner-
ship with F. H. Gillett, the Congressman
from Massachusetts, and as Gillett & Mc-
Clench they continued in practice until
1898. During the years 1893-1898 Mr.
McClench was associated with Judge
Wells as associate counsel for the Massa-
chusetts Mutual Life Insurance Com-
pany, and when in 1898 Judge Wells'
death created a vacancy, the associate
counsel was promoted to the post of gen-
eral counsel for the company.
The duties of associate and general
counsel were performed by the incumbent
of the office to the great satisfaction of
the board of directors, and in 1899 Mr.
McClench was elected a director, and in
1905 second vice-president. His years of
service, beginning in 1893, had so famil-
iarized him with life insurance law, cus-
tom and procedure, that upon the death of
John A. Hall, president of the company,
William W. McClench was elected his
successor, October 28, 1908. As president
of the Massachusetts Mutual, one of the
leading life insurance companies of the
United States in stability, fairness of
policy contract, and efficiency of manage-
ment, Mr. McClench fills a highly im-
portant place in the world of finance and
investment. From 1898, when Mr. Mc-
Clench gave up private practice until the
present (1920), he has devoted himself
entirely to the interests of the company,
and under his executive management the
73
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
same high standards prevail that have al-
ways distinguished the Massachusetts
Mutual. He is also a trustee of the
Springfield Institution for Savings.
During his career at the bar, Mr. Mc-
Clench was for several years a member of
the Board of Bar Examiners, and by ap-
pointment of the Supreme Judicial Court
of Massachusetts, sat as a delegate in the
Universal Congress of Lawyers and Ju-
rists, assembled in St. Louis in 1904. He
is a member of the American Bar Asso-
ciation ; ex-president of the Springfield
Board of Trade ; trustee of Tufts College,
his alma mater; a director of the American
Telephone and Telegraph Company ;
member of Phi Beta Kappa, Zeta Psi ;
American Historical Association ; Ameri-
can Academy of Political and Social
Science ; Chicopee Lodge, Free and Ac-
cepted Masons ; and of the Unitarian
Society of Springfield. His clubs are:
the Republican of Massachusetts, the
Union League and the University of New
York, and various clubs in Springfield.
His first vote was Republican. For
several years he was chairman of the
Chicopee School Board, and a member
of the Registration Board. For some
years he was associate justice of the po-
lice court, and in 1890 was the nominee of
the Democratic party for mayor of Chico-
pee. In 1891 both parties united upon
him as a candidate, and he was chosen
Chicopee's second mayor. He was an ad-
mirer and staunch supporter of Grover
Cleveland during his term of prominence
in National politics, but when the Free
Silver heresy engulfed the Democratic
party, he returned to his Republican alle-
giance. In 1892 he was the Democratic
candidate for district attorney for the
'Western District, comprising Hampden
and Berkshire counties.
Mr. McClench married, December 8,
1880,. Katherine Amanda Hill, born in
Chicopee, December 8, 1858, only daugh-
ter of Sylvester Bradley and Catherine A.
(Blauvelt) Hill. Sylvester B. Hill was
born in Alexandria, New Hampshire, and
for many years was associated with the
Ames Manufacturing Company, of Chico-
pee, as contractor and otherwise. Mrs.
Catherine A. (Blauvelt) Hill was born in
Nyack, New York. Mrs. McClench is a
member of the Woman's Club, the Cos-
mopolitan Club, and is an ex-regent of
Mercy Warren Chapter, Daughters of the
American Revolution. Mr. and Mrs. Mc-
Clench are the parents of three children :
i. Marion Hill, a graduate of Smith Col-
lege, 1903, now connected with the
Woman's Department of the Detroit
agency of the Massachusetts Mutual Life
Insurance Company. She is an ex-presi-
dent of the College Club of Springfield,
and member of the Daughters of the
American Revolution. 2. Cora Christine,
educated at Smith College, and during the
World War was engaged in government
work in the Medical Department. She is
now engaged in hospital work. 3. Don-
ald, born March 5, 1895, prepared in
Springfield Technical High School, Phil-
lips Exeter Academy, and graduated from
Tufts College, B. S., class of 1919. In
March, 1917, he enlisted in the United
States navy, attaining the rank of ensign.
After taking a special course at the United
States Naval Academy at Annapolis, he
was commissioned lieutenant, and was
assigned to sea duty, sailing to South
American and African ports. During the
participation of the United States in the
war, he was stationed at Pernambuco,
Brazil, on duty at the office of the censor
of cables.
BEEBE, Henry Jared,
Head of Important Industry.
Jared Beebe became the first manu-
facturer of the Beebe family when, in
74
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
1866, he erected a small woolen mill in
Holyoke, Massachusetts. He later became
very prominent in the textile industry,
perhaps being best known as the president
of the Farr Alpaca Company. In 1880
his son, Henry Jared Beebe, became his
father's business associate, and as Beebe
& Son, they continued in woolen manu-
facture. Henry Jared Beebe brought
about the consolidation of the Monson and
Holyoke mills under the management of
Beebe, Webber & Company, and when
his son, Henry Jared (2) Beebe, com-
pleted his years of educational prepara-
tion, he was admitted to the business as a
representative of the third generation to
own and manage the business, which since
1914 has been known as the Holyoke
Worsted Mills, Henry J. (2) Beebe,
treasurer.
Henry J. Beebe, of Springfield, Massa-
chusetts, proprietor of the Holyoke
Woolen Mills, of Holyoke, comes of an
old English family. The surname Beebe
is of ancient origin, the archives showing
that the family in England descended
from two Norman Knights, Richard and
William de Boebe, who came in the train
of William the Conqueror. They were
granted lands in Warwickshire, where a
descendant, John Beebe, during the Civil
War took sides with Parliament against
the Stuarts. This exposed him to later
execution and with others they settled
elsewhere, one branch of the Beebes set-
tling in Roxbury, Massachusetts.
(I) John Beebe, the founder of this
branch in New England, was born in
Broughton, Northampton, England. In
April or May, 1650, accompanied by five
children he sailed for New England. His
will was written on shipboard and indi-
cates that he died the same day, May 18,
1650, as he writes: "Being by God's
good hand brought on a voyage towards
New England to sea and there smitten by
the good hand of God, so as that expecta-
tion is for my chaynge." His wife, Re-
becca, died in England, leaving eight chil-
dren ; the sons: John (i), deceased;
Thomas, Samuel, and Nathaniel, all set-
tled in New London, Connecticut; John
(2), went to Hadley, Massachusetts.
This branch traces through Samuel Beebe,
the third child.
(II) Samuel Beebe was baptized at
Broughton, England, June 23, 1633.
Lands were granted him at New London,
Connecticut, December 2, 1651, and at
later dates. He married (first) Agnes,
daughter of William Keeney; (second)
Mary Keeney, a sister of his first wife.
Samuel Beebe moved to Plumb Island,
and there died early in 1712, as letters of
administration were granted his widow
Mary, and his son Samuel, April 6, 1712,
at Southold, Long Island, New York.
Descent is traced through Jonathan
Beebe, his seventh child.
(III) Jonathan Beebe was born in New
London, Connecticut, in 1674, died in
East Haddam, Connecticut, October 12,
1761. He settled at Millington, Connecti-
cut, town of East Haddam, leaving New
London in 1704. He also owned property
in Colchester, and was a man of conse-
quence in his town. He married (first)
Bridget Brockway, born at Lyme, Janu-
ary 9, 1671, died April 5, 1756, daughter
of Wolstan and Hannah (Briggs) Brock-
way. He married (second) October 4,
1759, Elizabeth Staples, a widow of Mill-
ington, "each aged about eighty years"
at the time of their marriage. Descent is
traced through William, second son of
Jonathan Beebe, of the third generation.
(IV) William Beebe was born in New
London, Connecticut, about 1700, died in
East Haddam, Connecticut, January 29,
1799. By wives Phoebe and Eleanor he
had nine children, Silas, his second son,
being next in line of descent.
75
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
(V) Silas Beebe was born in East Had-
dam, Connecticut, in 1728. He married
(first) Elizabeth Emmons ; (second)
Esther Cone. Two of his sons, Silas and
Nathaniel, died in New York State. Ansel,
their second son, is next in line.
(VI) Ansel Beebe married Charlotte
Arnold, and had sons: Ansel (2); and
Jared, of further mention.
(VII) Jared Beebe was born in Mon-
son, Massachusetts, in 1814, died in
Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, July 3,
1876. He was engaged in manufacturing
all his mature years, he being associated
first with Holmes, Reynolds & Company,
in Somerville, Connecticut. In 1860 he
left Somerville and came to Holyoke,
Massachusetts, where he built a small
woolen mill and began business for him-
self. The small mill of 1860 was suc-
ceeded in 1863 by one of four stories, em-
ploying two hundred and fifty hands. In
connection with his son-in-law, George B.
Holbrook, Mr. Beebe erected the factory
of the Beebe & Holbrook Paper Company,
in which he was largely interested, as he
also was in the Farr Alpaca Company, of
which he was one of the founders. He
was a director of the Agawam Bank, but
was essentially a manufacturer, and
gave to the textile industry the best of his
great powers of mind and body.
Mr. Beebe married Mary Stacy, a de-
voted member of the First Baptist Church
of Springfield. They were the parents of
seven children : Maria Louisa, who mar-
ried Joel S. Webber; Henry Jared, of
further mention ; Mary Laura, who mar-
ried E. W. Chapin, of Holyoke; Frank;
Ellen, who married George B. Holbrook ;
Nellie R., who married E. D. Robbins ;
Carrie, who married the Rev. George E.
Merrill.
(VIII) Henry Jared Beebe, eldest son
and second child of Jared and Mary
(Stacy) Beebe, was born in Monson,
Massachusetts, July 3, 1843, died Novem-
ber 6, 1919. He attended the public
schools of Monson, finishing his studies
at Wilbraham Academy, whence he was
graduated, class of 1860. His first posi-
tion in the business world was with R. B.
Johnson, a clothing dealer of Holyoke, his
parents having moved to that city in 1860.
He was also in the employ of Wells &
Younglove, in Chicopee, and from 1861 to
1864 was with his father, who was be-
coming known as a successful woolen
manufacturer. In 1864 he became New
York representative of O. H. Sampson &
Company, of Holyoke, and in 1868 was
elected treasurer of the Springfield Silver
Plate Company. In 1870 he again be-
came associated with his father, they buy-
ing the North Monson Woolen Mills,
which they operated under the firm name
of Beebe & Son. In 1876, Jared Beebe, the
senior partner, withdrew, the firm then
becoming Beebe, Webber & Company,
this bringing the North Monson and Hol-
yoke mills under one management, and
so continued until 1914, then was sold.
The mills of Beebe, Webber & Company
produce doeskins and cassimere cloth in
large quantities. In 1871 Henry J. Beebe
was elected a member of the board of di-
rectors of the Farr Alpaca Company, a
position he held as long as his health per-
mitted, his honored father having also
been a member of the board and president
of the company. Henry J. Beebe was also
a director of the Holbrook Paper Com-
pany, the First National Bank of Spring-
field, and was vice-president of the Na-
tional Automatic Weighing Machine
Company, which is now out of business.
He later retired from the heavier burdens
of corporation management, but always
retained lively interest in all.
Mr. Beebe was a charter member of
the Nayasset Club, and also was a mem-
ber of the Winthrop Club. In 1880 and
fr
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
1881 he was a member of the Aldermanic
Financial Committee, and in 1881 was a
delegate to the Republican State Con-
vention. His religious affiliation was with
the First Congregational Church of
Springfield.
Mr. Beebe married (first) Othalie
Vaughn, who died in 1874, daughter of
George Vaughn, of Springfield. He mar-
ried (second) Kate Elizabeth Olmstead,
of Springfield. Children of Henry J. and
Othalie (Vaughn) Beebe: Henry Jared
(2), of further mention ; Albert Augustus,
and Arthur Vaughn, twins, the latter
dying in April, 1920. Henry Jared Beebe
died November 16, 1919.
(IX) Henry Jared (2) Beebe, of the
ninth generation of the family founded in
New England by John Beebe, was born
in Springfield, Massachusetts, March I,
186", and there has spent his life, a busi-
ness associate with his father since his
school days ended. He completed public
school courses, then at once entered the
woolen mills of Beebe, Webber & Com-
pany, a business founded by his grand-
father and developed by his father and
with which he is yet connected. Since
1914 the business has been conducted
under the corporate title, the Holyoke
Worsted Mills, of which his father was
president, Henry J. (2) Beebe, treasurer.
Mr. Beebe is a member of the Colony and
the Springfield Country clubs.
Mr. Beebe married, October 12, 1892,
Mary Bryan, of Titusville, Pennsylvania,
and they are the parents of three children :
i. Henry O., born December 25, 1893,
educated in Springfield public schools, and
the Berkshire School of Sheffield, Massa-
chusetts, and from 1917 until 1919 was in
the military service of his country, being
attached to the Fifty-sixth Pioneer In-
fantry, ranking a sergeant. He was hon-
orably discharged in May, 1919, and is
now with his father. 2. Margaret C, born
January 18, 1897. 3. William J., born
February 3, 1899, died March 19, 1916.
The family home is at No. 42 Ridgewood
place, Springfield.
BOSWORTH, Homer Lyman,
Man of Enterprise.
In studying the lives and character of
prominent men we are naturally led to in-
quire into the secret of their success and
the motives that prompted their action.
Success is a question of genius, as held by
many, but it is not rather a matter of ex-
perience and sound judgment? For when
we trace the career of those who stand
highest in public esteem, we find in nearly
every case that they have risen gradu-
ally, fighting their way in the face of all
opposition. Self-reliance, conscientious-
ness, energy, honesty these are the traits
of character that insure the highest emolu-
ments and greatest success. To these
may we attribute the success that has
crowned the efforts of Homer L. Bos-
worth, a descendant of a family that has
been seated in this country since the year
1634. Bosworth and its variations, Bose-
worth and Bozworth, are ancient English
surnames derived from a place name.
(I) Edward Bosworth, immigrant an-
cestor, was a native of England, where
he was reared, educated and grew to man-
hood, and in 1634 emigrated to the New
World, sailing on the ship, "Elizabeth
Dorcas," which landed at Boston, Massa-
chusetts. He died son afterward, and his
remains were interred in a cemetery in
Boston. His widow, who accompanied
him to this country, died at Hingham,
Massachusetts, May 18, 1648. They were
the parents of five or six children, among
whom was Jonathan, mentioned below.
(II) Jonathan Bosworth, second son of
Edward Bosworth, was born at Coventry,
England, about 1611, died at Swansea,
77
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Massachusetts, in July, 1676. He was a
tailor by trade, which line of work he
followed in Cambridge, Massachusetts,
where he was a proprietor; also in Hing-
ham, whither he removed about 1637, and
in Swansea, whither he removed about
1660, and where he spent the remainder
of his days. His wife, Susannah Bos-
worth, bore him fourteen children, among
whom was Jonathan (2), mentioned
below.
(III) Jonathan (2) Bosworth, eldest
son of Jonathan (i) and Susannah Bos-
worth, was born at Cambridge or Hing-
ham, Massachusetts, about 1638-40, died
at Rehoboth, Massachusetts, in 1687. He
accompanied his father upon his removal
from Hingham to Swansea, and there re-
sided until about 1680, in which year
he removed to Rehoboth. He married, at
Swansea, July 6, 1661, Hannah Howland,
daughter of John and Elizabeth (Tillie)
Howland, and granddaughter of John
Tillie. John Howland came in the his-
toric "Mayflower" as steward for Mr.
John Carver, signed the compact, and
took an active part in the early explora-
tions. He settled at Plymouth and was
a town officer and a partner in the trading
company of the colony ; was prominent in
the church and assisted in the ordination
of Rev. John Cotton, Jr. Hannah (How-
land) Bosworth died in Swansea in 1687.
Their children, born at Swansea, were as
follows : Mercy, born May 30, 1662 ;
Hannah, born November 5, 1663 ; Eliza-
beth born June 6, 1665, died July 31, 1676 ;
Jonathan, born December 24, 1666, died
1680; David, born September 15, 1670;
John, mentioned below; Jabez, born Feb-
ruary 14, 1673; Ichabod, born March 18,
1676; Jonathan, born September 22, 1680.
(IV) John Bosworth, third son of
Jonathan (2) and Hannah (Howland)
Bosworth, was born in Swansea, Massa-
chusetts, April 6, 1671, died prior to
March 2, 1724-25, and was buried in the
One Hundred Cove Cemetery at Reho-
both, Massachusetts. He served as sur-
veyor of highways in Barrington, Rhode
Island, and in 1719 in the State of Massa-
chusetts. He married, in Swansea, June
16, 1702, Elizabeth Toogood, born Sep-
tember 25, 1682, daughter of Nathaniel
and Elizabeth Toogood. They were the
parents of eight children, namely : Na-
thaniel, mentioned below; John; David;
Oliver ; Elizabeth, who became the wife of
John Thomas ; Mary ; Hannah ; Lydia.
(V) Nathaniel Bosworth, son of John
and Elizabeth (Toogood) Bosworth, was
born in Swansea, Massachusetts, and died
at Sandisfield, Massachusetts, in 1807.
He and his brother David removed to
Lebanon, Connecticut, about 1733, as
shown by various deeds, and he was a
resident there until 1780, when he re-
turned to his native State, locating in
Sandisfield, where he was one of the
founders of the church. Nathaniel Bos-
worth married, at Lebanon, Connecticut,
in 1733, Bethia Hinckley, born in 1713,
died in 1749, daughter of Gershom and
Mary (Burt) Hinckley, and a lineal de-
scendant of John and Samuel Hinckley,
and Thomas and Rev. John Lothrop. Mr.
and Mrs. Bosworth were the parents of
at least one child, Jabez, mentioned below.
(VI) Jabez Bosworth, son of Nathaniel
and Bethia (Hinckley) Bosworth, was
born in the State of Connecticut, in 1742,
and died at Sandisfield, Massachusetts, in
1827, having removed to that town prior
to the Revolutionary War, in which he
took an active part, serving in the capac-
ity of corporal in Captain Jacob Brown's
company, Colonel John Fellow's regi-
ment, which marched on April 21, 1775, in
response to the "Lexington Alarm,"
serving fifteen days ; also acted as ser-
geant in Captain Kasson's company,
Colonel Israel Chapin's regiment, for a
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
period of three months, serving at Clav-
erack and along the Hudson river ; and
sergeant in Captain Samuel Walcott's
company, Colonel John Brown's regi-
ment, during the months of June and
July, 1/77, reinforcing the Northern
army. Sergeant Bosworth married Re-
becca Moody, who bore him seven chil-
dren, as follows : Ichabod, mentioned
below ; Bethia, Osmon, Amos, Jabez,
Stephen, and Roswell.
(VII) Ichabod Bosworth, eldest son of
Jabez and Rebecca (Moody) Bosworth,
was born in Sandisfield, Massachusetts,
December 25, 1765, died January 15, 1837.
He gave his attention to agricultural pur-
suits, conducting his operations on a farm
located in Otis, Massachusetts, the prop-
erty lying at the intersection of the town
lines of Otis, Tyringham and Monterey.
He was a man of good judgment, perse-
verance and thrift, and his labors were re-
warded with success. He married, Febru-
ary 4, 1790, at New Marlborough, Massa-
chusetts, Lucretia Harmon, born April 5,
1770, at New Marlborough, died April 26,
1833, daughter of Jonathan and Lucretia
(Bosworth) Harmon, granddaughter of
Samuel and Deborah (Winchell) Har-
mon, great-granddaughter of Nathaniel
and Mary (Skinner) Harmon and Joseph
and Sarah (Taylor) Winchell, and a de-
scendant of the old and honored Harmon
family of Sumeld, Connecticut. Jona-
than Harmon, father of Mrs. Bosworth,
was born in July, 1744, and died August
7, 1828. He was a soldier in the Revolu-
tion, private in Captain Zenas Wheeler's
company, Colonel John Ashley's regi-
ment, July and August, 1777, marching to
Fort Edward, New York. Mr. and Mrs.
Bosworth were the parents of at least one
child, Lyman, mentioned below.
(VIII) Lyman Bosworth, son of Icha-
bod and Lucretia (Harmon) Bosworth,
was born in Otis, Massachusetts, Decem-
ber 31, 1790, and died there May 9, 1875.
After completing his studies in the com-
mon schools of the neighborhood, he fol-
lowed in the footsteps of his father as to
his occupation in life, having been reared
on a farm and thus becoming familiar
with the details of farming operations.
He was energetic and progressive, hence
his labors yielded him a goodly return in
the shape of general products. The house
in which he resided and in which his chil-
dren were born remained standing until
the year 1907, when it was demolished.
He, like his ancestors, took an active in-
terest in military affairs, participating in
the War of 1812. Mr. Bosworth married
(first) Sarah Waite, born September n,
1799, died September 27, 1853, daughter
of John and Sarah (Wilder) Waite, and
granddaughter of Elverton Waite and
Joseph and Hannah Wilder. John Waite
was a captain in the Revolution and lived
in what is now Sandisfield ; was the
father of ten children, namely : John W. ;
Sarah W. ; Henry Wilder, mentioned
below; Homer Lyman, mentioned below;
Benjamin Rush ; Virgil ; Charles ; Mary
E., wife of Major William Streeter, of
Rochester, New York ; Charles R., of
Melksham, England ; and George L., of
Tyringham, Massachusetts. The last two
children were born of his second mar-
riage.
(IX) Hon. Henry Wilder Bosworth,
eldest son of Lyman and Sarah (Waite)
Bosworth, was born in Otis, Berkshire
county, Massachusetts, April 2, 1832, died
in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1917.
His education was obtained by attendance
at the district schools and the New York
Conference Seminary at Charlotteville,
New York, where he prepared for en-
trance to Yale College, but was obliged to
relinquish that course on account of trou-
ble with his eyes. He then returned to
Otis, took an active and prominent part
79
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
in politics, and was chosen by his fellow-
citizens to serve as representative to the
General Court from the district consisting
of Otis, New Marlborough and Sandis-
field, also served on the committee on
valuation, and took part in the legislative
action of that first critical year of the
Civil War, 1860. Early in his adminis-
tration, President Lincoln appointed John
Z. Goodrich, of Stockbridge, collector of
the port of Boston, and shortly afterward
Mr. Bosworth was appointed an inspector
in the Boston Custom House, in which
capacity he served for three years, and he
was also employed for a time in the office
of the fifth auditor of the United States
Treasury Department. After the cessa-
tion of hostilities between the North and
South, Mr. Bosworth returned to his na-
tive city and turned his attention to the
study of law, at which he labored assidu-
ously with such good result that at the
expiration of six months he passed a
special examination creditably, and was
admitted to the Hampden county bar in
Lenox in 1866. He thereupon opened an
office for the active practice of his pro-
fession in Springfield, Massachusetts, and
in the following year, 1867, entered into
partnership with William S. Greene, this
relation continuing for eleven years, until
the decease of Mr. Greene. For the fol-
lowing five years he conducted his prac-
tice of law alone, then took as a partner
Charles H. Barrows, which business rela-
tion continued for six years, which
brought him up to the year 1889. Prior
to this year, in 1885, Mr. Bosworth again
entered public life, being appointed by
Governor George D. Robinson one of the
special justices of the Springfield police
court to fill the vacancy caused by the
resignation of Major Samuel B. Spooner.
In 1889, by appointment of Governor
Oliver Ames, Judge Bosworth succeeded
Hon. Gideon Wells as judge of the Spring-
field police court, holding that responsi-
ble office for many years, his decisions
being always honored, he being thor-
oughly qualified for dispensing justice
without the thought of fear or favor.
He attended the South Congregational
Church of Springfield, gave his loyal sup-
port to the candidates of the Republican
party, and held membership in the "T"
Club, of Springfield, a literary organiza-
tion.
Mr. Bosworth married, March 8, 1866,
Mary E. Hall, daughter of the Rev.
Thomas A. and Mary L. (Strong) Hall, of
Otis, Massachusetts. They were the
parents of two children: Henry H., born
in Springfield, March 16, 1868, married,
June 21, 1898, Grace Sherman Wright;
and Charles W., born in Springfield, Au-
gust 28, 1871.
(IX) Homer Lyman Bosworth, sec-
ond son of Lyman and Sarah (Waite)
Bosworth, was born in Otis, Massachu-
setts, May 26, 1834. He attended the
schools of Otis until he was fifteen years
of age, the knowledge thus gained being
supplemented by a course at a private
school located in Stockbridge, by a
course in the State Normal School at
Westfield, which he attended for one
year, by a course at Williston Seminary
at Easthampton, and by a course in book-
keeping at a commercial school in Bos-
ton, thus being thoroughly qualified to
enter upon an active business career.
His first employment was as clerk in a
wholesale flour and grain store in Boston,
but one year later he was obliged to re-
sign on account of illness and return to
his home in Otis. About the year 1857,
having an idea that the West offered
greater opportunities than the East, he
went thither and for a time sold subscrip-
tion books in the State of Missouri, from
whence he removed to the State of Illi-
nois and for several years taught a school
80
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
near Dixon, that State. Later he was
appointed deputy to the county clerk in
Dixon, in which capacity he served for
one year. His next occupation was in a
store in Dixon, and upon the failure of
this enterprise he removed to Sterling,
Illinois, where he again turned his atten-
tion to the teaching profession. April 20,
1864, Mr. Bosworth was called to Wash-
ington, D. C, and entered the fifth audit-
ing department of the government. He
later became a regularly appointed treas-
ury clerk, which position he filled for
seven years, and he was employed in
Washington when President Lincoln was
assassinated. Mr. Bosworth resigned his
office in Washington in the latter part of
1871, and on October 19, 1872, sailed for
Europe where, with others, he established
factories for the making of condensed
milk, he remaining in England for thir-
teen years, then returned to his native land,
arriving here on October 19, 1885, and
from that time to the present, a period of
thirty-five years, has been practically re-
tired from active life. He was associated
with the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk
Company, was general manager of the
English plant, which under his able man-
agement doubled its output. Mr. Bos-
worth was located at Chippenham, Wilt-
shire, near Bath, England, and although
the London office of the company was of-
fered to him he preferred to remain where
he was.
In addition to the above mentioned lines
of activity, Mr. Bosworth serves as di-
rector of the Springfield Fire and Marine
Insurance Company, being the oldest
member of that board in point of years ;
was a director of the Springfield Gas Com-
pany, and is a trustee of the Institution
for Savings. He is the owner of consider-
able valuable real estate at Hyannisport,
on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where he
spends his summers, his winters being
Mass 106
spent in Florida. He is an enthusiastic
hunter and fisherman, finding pleasure
and relaxation in these healthy out-of-
door sports, and is also an expert golf
player, having won many prizes at the
latter sport. He is an attendant of the
South Congregational Church, a member
of the Colony Club, was a member of the
Fishing Club of the North Branch, and
is now a member of the Anglers' Club of
the South Branch.
Mr. Bosworth married, October 27,
1870, Delia Evelyn Rood, of Canaan, Con-
necticut, born November 8, 1842, daugh-
ter of W. W. Rood. They are the par-
ents of two children: I. Mary Evelyn,
born July 27, 1871, who became the wife
of Hinsdale Smith, they the parents of
two children : Hinsdale, Jr., and Evelyn
Smith. 2. Anne Waite, born October 25,
1876, who became the wife of Dr. Harrie
W. Greene, now deceased, they the par-
ents of one child, Lorna Greene.
GILL, James D.,
Enterprising Citizen, Art Connoisienr.
James D. Gill, of Springfield, dealer in
fine arts, an authority in the world of
art, is a man of excellent business
ability, who has recognized his oppor-
tunities and utilized them for the
benefit of the community in which he
lives as well as for his own advantage.
His opinions are valued in business and
art circles, and his cooperation has been a
stimulus which has carried various enter-
prises forward to success. Upon every
question of public interest he takes a pro-
nounced stand, and he ranks with the
public-spirited, progressive men of his
city. This statement is also true of his
son, James M. Gill, and they are con-
temporaries in worthy deeds as well as in
business life.
The American ancestor, Bartholomew
81
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Gill, born in County Clare, Ireland, in
1819, died in Cleveland, Ohio, August 8,
1905. He came to the United States when
a ooy of fourteen years and located in
Hinsdale, Massachusetts, where for a time
he followed the occupation of farming.
He then entered the employ of the Boston
& Albany railroad and for many years he
continued with that corporation. He re-
tired several years prior to his death and
made his home with a married daughter
in Cleveland, Ohio. He married Mary
Dwyer, born in 1821, died in 1870. They
were the parents of four sons and a daugh-
ter: James D., of further mention ; John
D. ; Thomas E. ; Nancy, who married
George P. Comey ; and George C., presi-
dent of the Holyoke National Bank.
James D. Gill, son of Bartholomew and
Mary (Dwyer) Gill, was born in Hins-
dale, Berkshire county, Massachusetts,
June 27, 1849. The public schools and the
local academy furnished him with the
advantages of a practical education, and
during his school years a considerable
portion of his spare time was utilized in
some employment which brought him
financial return. During one summer he
was regularly employed on the farm of
George T. Plunkett, and drove a milk cart
through the village. During the spring
months he bought maple sugar, which he
sold on the cars between Hinsdale and
Pittsfield. In 1867 he left Hinsdale, tak-
ing a position in the retail department of
the paper and notion business conducted
by Lewis J. Powers, of Springfield, con-
tinuing until the business was sold to
Charles W. Clark, with whom Mr. Gill
remained until 1871. During this time he
had acquired a thorough and practical
knowledge of this line of business, and
decided to branch out independently. He
formed a partnership with the late Fred-
erick R. Hayes, under the firm name, Gil!
& Hayes, operating under this name until
1876, when Mr. Gill became the sole pro-
prietor. Gradually the business was given
over to the sale of original paintings by
American artists solely, and the name of
Mr. Gill has become known in this coun-
try and Europe as that of one of the lead-
ing art dealers, especially in connection
with American art. It became his habit
to have annual exhibitions in the month
of February, all of the work shown on
these occasions coming directly from the
artists' studios. The galleries in which
these exhibitions were held were erected
especially for the purpose and their con-
struction has been along the best models.
Mr. Gill has done much for American art,
in which he is a firm believer, a belief
which his visits to the art galleries of
Europe strengthen. Mr. Gill's interest is
not, however, confined solely to his busi-
ness affairs, but whatever affects the so-
cial and political life of his city has his
close attention, and this has been evi-
denced by the admirable manner in which
he has discharged the duties of the various
public and semi-public offices he has held.
His political affiliations are with the Re-
publican party, and he was president of
the Harrison and Morton Battalion in
1888 ; president of the City Republican
Club from 1890 to 1893; chairman of the
Republican County Committee of Hamp-
den county about six years, prior to re-
signing from office ; was vice-president of
the National League of Republican clubs
for Massachusetts in 1894; represented
his ward in the Springfield City Council
in 1880 and 1881 ; and was a member of
the Board of Aldermen in 1883. He is a
member of the Winthrop and Nayasset
clubs ; De Soto Lodge, Independent Order
of Odd Fellows ; and Springfield Lodge,
Free and Accepted Masons. He was ap-
pointed by President McKinley to the office
of Collector of Internal Revenue for the
Third District, and has held the office for
82
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
sixteen years. A letter received by Mr.
Gill from the Secretary of the Treasury
compliments him on the efficiency of his
office. For some years his home has been
in Beverly, Massachusetts.
Mr. Gill married, November 16, 1874,
Evelyn Louise Clyde, born July 29, 1852,
daughter of Milton Adams and Caroline
V. (Read) Clyde, granddaughter of John
and Mehitable (Sargent) Clyde, great-
granddaughter of Hugh Clyde, and great-
great-granddaughter of Daniel Clyde, the
Clydes an early New Hampshire family.
Mr. and Mrs. Gill are the parents of a
son, James Milton Gill, of whom further.
James Milton Gill was born in Bristol
Ferry, Rhode Island, August 24, 1875, but
was educated in Springfield, Massachu-
setts, public schools, finishing with grad-
uation from high school, class of 1895.
After completing his school years, he en-
tered the employ of the George C. Gill
Paper Company, owned by his uncle, first
going in the factory, later was in the office
department and went "on the road" in the
interests of the company. Later, he re-
signed to become manager of the Spring-
field Paper Company, with mills at Rain-
bow, Connecticut. This preparatory busi-
ness experience was all valuable in an
educational sense, and in 1902 Mr. Gill en-
gaged in the ice business in Springfield,
organizing the Springfield Consolidated
Ice Company, which was later reorganized,
he having purchased the Springfield Ice
and Coal Company and also the business
of Burger & Taft, the two largest con-
cerns in the ice business and merged them
under the title of the Springfield Ice Com-
pany, of which Mr. Gill is president.
Through these developing changes Mr.
Gill was the leading spirit and is the pres-
ent efficient chief executive of the com-
pany. He is also president of the Peerless
Hand Cuff Company, the largest manu-
facturers of hand cuffs in the United
States.
As a citizen, Mr. Gill bore his share of
public responsibility, and from May i,
1913, until May I, 1916, was chairman of
the Springfield board of police commis-
sioners. Politically, he is a Republican.
His clubs are the Nayasset, Rotary, Win-
throp, and Springfield Country.
Mr. Gill married, October 23, 1901, Jose-
phine Mary Wright, of Springfield, daugh-
ter of Andrew J. and Mary (Case)
Wright. Mr. and Mrs. Gill are the par-
ents of three children : Barbara, born
October 12, 1906; Clyde, born August 9,
1908; and Marjorie, born June 6, 1915.
TUCKER, Edward Hutchins,
Head of Large Paper Industry.
Edward Hutchins Tucker, president of
the H. W. Carter Paper Company, of
Springfield, comes from a manufacturing
family, his father, David K., and his
grandfather, Richard Tucker, both being
interested in the Tucker & Cook Manu-
facturing Company and in other New
England industries.
The first American ancestor in this
branch was John Tucker, who came from
England in Colonial days and settled in
Saybrook, Connecticut. He married, and
his grandson, John (2) Tucker, was born
in Saybrook, Connecticut, March 20, 1785.
John (2) Tucker married, in 1810, Eliza
Beckwith, born June 15, 1797, daughter of
Elisha Beckwith. They were the parents
of ten children, including a son, Richard,
of whom further.
Richard Tucker, son of John (2) and
Eliza (Beckwith) Tucker, was born in
Saybrook, Connecticut, February 20, 1812,
and died in Conway, Massachusetts, in
1889. He attended public schools until
fifteen years of age, then became a cotton
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
mill employe, continuing such until reach-
ing legal age. He was variously employed
until 1846, when he became a traveling
salesman for the Rogers Silver Company,
and in 1858 moved to Conway, Franklin
county, Massachusetts, there beginning
the manufacture of cotton warp in a small
way. In 1861 he admitted his son-in-law,
Chelsea Cook, as a partner, and in 1862
they bought the Howland & Morse mill,
refitted it and operated both mills, their
warp becoming well known on the market.
Eighty hands were employed in the two
mills at that time, but that number was
increased when in 1876 they began the
manufacture of ball knitting cotton, later
known and popular as Tucker & Cook's
knitting cotton. A branch factory was
established in Springfield, and in addition
to these plants Mr. Tucker was a partner
in the firm of Maynard, Damon & Tucker,
of Northampton, manufacturers of tapes
and bindings. Mr. Tucker was a success-
ful manufacturer, and attained promi-
nence in his business, and from a small
beginning he acquired a large fortune.
Mr. Tucker was for eight years post-
master of Conway, Massachusetts, and for
ten years was a director of the Conway
National Bank. For twenty years he was
a member of the Methodist Episcopal
church, and liberal in his donations to
church and charity. In politics he was a
Republican.
On November n, 1831, when but nine-
teen, Richard Tucker married Delia R.,
daughter of Deacon Silas Walden, the
bride not yet out of her teens, her birth
date July 25, 1812. She died in 1891.
They were the parents of three children :
Julia R., married Chelsea Cook (his first
wife); David K., of further mention;
Richard M., a merchant of Conway.
David K. Tucker, eldest son of Richard
and Delia R. (Walden) Tucker, was born
in 1834, died in Springfield, Massachu-
setts, May 15, 1894. He was educated in
the public schools, and spent the years of
his minority at home as his father's assist-
ant. His first individual business venture
was made in gentlemen's furnishing
goods, his store being located in Wil-
limantic, Connecticut, but in 1878 he
located in Springfield, Massachusetts, as
agent for the Tucker & Cook Manufactur-
ing Company, a corporation founded by
Richard Tucker, in Conway, Massachu-
setts, in 1858. At the time David K.
Tucker came to Springfield as agent the
company was operating two plants for the
manufacture of cotton yarns, one in Con-
way, the other in Springfield. Mr. Tucker
was rated a wise, energetic business man,
who was identified with Tucker & Cook
until his death.
Mr. Tucker married Mary A. Hutchins,
of Malone, New York, born in 1837, and
they were the parents of four children :
Delia, married Charles W. Roane, of
Springfield ; Frederick A., a manufacturer
and a founder of the present Carter Paper
Company, married Delia C. Hamilton;
Homer K., salesman and manufacturer,
married Emily Howard ; Edward Hut-
chins, of further mention.
Edward Hutchins Tucker, son of David
K. and Mary A. (Hutchins) Tucker, was
born in Willimantic, Connecticut, March
10, 1875, but in 1878 he was brought by
his parents to Springfield, Massachusetts,
that city having since been his home, and
since leaving school, the scene of his busi-
ness activities. He was educated in
Springfield grammar and high schools and
in business college, his business life be-
ginning with Cutler & Porter, wholesale
shoe dealers, of Springfield. He remained
with that firm two years, then for eight
years was associated with his father, who
was the Springfield agent for the Tucker
& Cook Manufacturing Company. From
that company he went to the H. W. Car-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
ter Paper Company as manager of the
Berkshire Paper Company, located at
North Adams, Massachusetts. He re-
mained in that position six years, then
was appointed manager of the H. W. Car-
ter Paper Company, with headquarters in
Springfield, a position he capably filled
until 1912, when he was elected president
of the company, a position he is most ably
filling at the present date (1921 ).
Mr. Tucker is a member of Greylock
Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of
North Adams, Massachusetts ; Spring-
field Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of
Springfield ; and in the Ancient Accepted
Scottish Rite has attained the thirty-sec-
ond degree. He belongs to all York Rite
bodies, and in 1920 was eminent com-
mander of Springfield Commandery. He
is also a noble of Melha Temple, Ancient
Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic
Shrine ; through the services of a patriotic
ancestor he holds membership in the Sons
of the American Revolution ; is a member
of the Congregational church ; and in po-
litical preference is a Republican. His
clubs are the Masonic, Nayasset, Country,
Publicity, and Automobile, all of Spring-
field. His residence is at Longmeadow.
Mr. Tucker married, November 20,
1895, Anna M. Gladden, of Springfield,
Massachusetts, daughter of Theodore E.
and Harriet C. (Bartlett) Gladden. Mr.
and Mrs. Tucker are the parents of two
daughters : Madeline G., born November
16, 1899; an d Ruth, born February 28,
1904.
BEARSE, Leon Henry,
Respected Citizen.
Barnstable county, the southwestern
extremity of Massachusetts, includes Cape
Cod, and the town of Barnstable includes
a number of villages, among them Hyan-
nis ; the capitol of the county is Barn-
stable, a port of entry, long an important
maritime centre. The Bearse family were
early settlers in this vicinity of Barn-
stable, and were for several generations
hardy mariners and masters of ships. The
first of the family in New England was
Austin B. Bearse, who came from Eng-
land in April, 1638, being then twenty
years of age. He settled in Barnstable
with the first company in 1639, and
through his sons, Joseph and James, be-
came the ancestral head of a large family
bearing the name then spelled both
Bearse and Beace. He also had nine
daughters and they intermarried with the
Hall, Hamblin and Nichols families of
Barnstable, and his descendants bearing
these names are yet numerous on Cape
Cod. In Barnstable he owned meadows
and uplands, also two islands still known
as Bearse's Islands. He was admitted a
freeman, May 3, 1652, was grand juror in
1653 and 1662, and surveyor of highways
in 1674. He became a member of the
Rev. Mr. Lothrop's church, April 29, 1643,
was a man of good standing in his com-
munity, an industrious farmer, and taught
his large family the virtues of industry
and right living. He died about the year
1686.
Benjamin Bearse, of the third genera-
tion, was one of the early settlers of Hyan-
nis, and interested in the fisheries of the
town, in which occupation he was very
successful. His son, Augustine Bearse,
made his home in Hyannis, where he was
head of a whaling fishery and owned the
try works there. Both he and his father
were buried in Hyannis. It is from this
race of seafaring men that Leon H.
Bearse, of Springfield, son of George
Henry Bearse, and grandson of Captain
Richard Bearse, is descended.
(I) Captain Richard Bearse was born
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
in Barnstable, Massachusetts, and there
died about 1855. He was a mariner all his
life, and rose to the command of ships
which he sailed on many seas. During
the War of 1812 he was captured by the
British and confined in Dartmoor prison,
England. He married Betsy - , and
they had sons : Richard, Oliver, and Wil-
liam, all of whom were sea captains ;
George Henry, of further mention ; James,
died in Porto Rico.
(II) George Henry Bearse, son of Cap-
tain Richard and Betsy Bearse, was born
in Barnstable, Massachusetts, 1824, and
died in Springfield, Massachusetts, in
1897. He learned the carpenter's trade,
which he followed in Barnstable until the
Civil War. During the war he was con-
nected with the sutlers department at St.
Augustine, Florida. In 1865 he located in
Springfield, Massachusetts, bringing his
family in 1866, and there residing until
death. He was employed as a journey-
man carpenter by D. L. Swan for nine
years, then became a contractor and
builder, under his own name, conducting
a very successful business until his pass-
ing away in 1897, at the age of seventy-
three years. He was a man of industrious
and quiet life, devoted to his home and
family. A member of the Baptist church,
and a man highly respected. He married
Deborah Howland, of Plymouth, Massa-
chusetts, born in 1830, died May 29, 1905,
daughter of John and Ruth Howland, and
a descendant of John Howland, of the
"Mayflower." They were the parents of
four children : Leon Henry, of further
mention ; Sophia, died in 1868 ; Oliver
Lewis, died July 16, 1896; Mary Louise,
married a George Stokes ; she now re-
sides in Boston, Massachusetts.
(Ill) Leon Henry Bearse, eldest child
of George Henry and Deborah (How-
land) Bearse, was born in the village of
Hyannis, town of Barnstable, Massachu-
setts, January 30, 1850, and is now (1921)
living in the city of Springfield, Massa-
chusetts. He was educated in the town
schools of Hyannis, finishing his studies
in Springfield High School, the family
moving to that city in 1866. When
through his school years, he learned the
carpenter's trade under his father's in-
struction, and was so engaged for five
years. He was then for fifteen years
employed by Barney & Berry, the well-
known skate manufacturers, as a fore-
man in the erection and installation of
machinery and its care in operation. He
also was in charge of Air. Barney's
beautiful grounds and residence on Pecau-
sic avenue. Later he was connected with
the Springfield "Republican" as distribu-
tion agent for wards seven and eight, his
duties also being to receive all moneys
due the paper in his district. For eleven
years he held that position and most capa-
bly performed its duties. He then gave
this up and since then has had a fruit farm
of thirty acres at West Granville, although
residing in a house on Boston road,
Springfield, which he built in 1917. He has
eighteen acres of land, the cultivation of
which furnishes him employment. He is
a member of Hampden Lodge, No. 27,
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, which
he has served as trustee for nine years, is
a Republican in politics, and a member
of the State Street Baptist Church.
Leon H. Bearse married, January 10,
1870, Harriet E. Hollister, of Long-
meadow, Massachusetts, daughter of Gil-
son D. and Mary Ann (Cooper) Hollis-
ter. Mr. and Mrs. Bearse are the parents
of two children: i. Frederick Alfred,
born in February, 1871 ; he began life as
a newsboy in Springfield, bought the right
of distribution of the center of the city
for the sale of the "Republican," and
86
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
eventually, with his father, controlled the
sale of the "Republican" throughout the
entire city ; later he entered public life,
served in City Council, then on the Board
of Aldermen, several terms then in the
State Legislature, and for seven years,
1913-1920, held the office of treasurer of
Hampden county and is still holding that
important position, being elected in 1917
for five years. He married, March 17,
1891, Etta Bartholomew, and they are
the parents of a son, Richard Clarence,
born September 10, 1899. 2. Richard
Henry, born January 16, 1874; enlisted in
the United States army and served for a
time in the Spanish-American War ; he
died in a military hospital, August i,
SMITH, Charles Boardman,
Man of Enterprise.
For sixty-seven years Charles B. Smith
was engaged in business in New Orleans,
New York, and Hartford, and all through
that period maintained his personal and
firm credit unimpaired. He was a de-
scendant of Joseph Smith, of an English
family, who resided in Hartford, Connec-
ticut, where he married, April 20, 1656,
Lydia Huitt, daughter of Rev. Ephraim
and Isabel Huitt. Her father, Rev.
Ephraim Huitt, who was ordained a min-
ister of the Gospel at Wraxall, Kent-
worth, England, came from there in 1639
to Boston, Massachusetts, locating in
Windsor, Connecticut, August 17 of that
year.
The line of descent from Joseph Smith
was through his son, Simon Smith, born
in Hartford, Connecticut, October 2, 1662,
who married, May I, 1689, Hannah Haley,
widow of John Haley, and daughter of
Samuel and Mary (Leonard) Bliss, of
Springfield. He lived in Springfield, Mas-
sachusetts, for a time, but later removed
to Hartford, Connecticut. He was the
father of Ebenezer Smith, born in 1703,
who was the father of William Smith,
born 1740, who was the father of Nor-
mand Smith, born November 4, 1772. The
latter was a saddler and dealer in leather
goods of various kinds. A copy of his
advertisement in the Hartford "Courant,"
date of October u, 1794, is preserved and
shown. The location of his store was six
rods north of the Court House, that sec-
tion then a rural community but now a
populous part of a beautiful modern city.
The business he founded more than a cen-
tury ago is still carried on. Normand
Smith was a lovable character, highly
esteemed as business man and citizen. He
married (first), in Wethersfield, Connecti-
cut, November 23, 1795, Mary Boardman,
daughter of Captain Charles and Abigail
(Stillman) Boardman, born October 31,
1772, in Wethersfield, died in that town
August 3, 1820, leaving children : Nor-
mand (2) ; Deacon Thomas, died in 1882 ;
Rev. James A., died in 1882; Charles
Boardman, whose useful, honorable life is
the inspiration of this review ; Henry ;
Maria; Martha; Caroline A., and Mary
Anne. Mr. Smith married (second) Bet-
sey Kingsbury. They had a son, Dr. An-
drew Kingsbury Smith, a surgeon of the
United States army, who retired in Feb-
ruary, 1890, with the rank of colonel, and
died in New York in 1899. Mr. Smith
married (third) Lucy Morris, and she left
sons: Jonathan Trumbull, who made his
home in New York ; and Morris W., of
New York City, later of New Hartford,
Connecticut, and New Orleans.
Charles Boardman Smith was born in
Hartford, Connecticut, July 30, 1811, and
died at his home, No. 66 Forest street, in
the city of his birth, February 5, 1900. He
was educated in the graded and high
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
schools, and at ? Lenox (Massachusetts)
boarding school. He acted as an assistant
to his honored father, a saddler and leather
goods dealer, until twenty-two years of
age. In 1833 he became a member of tlje
firm of Smith, Hubbard & Company, a
New Orleans, Louisiana, concern, which
was established in that city in 1816 as a
branch of the Hartford house of T. Smith
& Company, one of the oldest houses in
the Southwest. Subsequently, in 1835, he
returned to Hartford and began a long
and successful business career in the firm
of what was later Smith, Bourn & Com-
pany, but at that period known as T.
Smith & Company. This firm, the oldest
in the United States, engaged in the sad-
dlery business in 1794. During this time
Mr. Smith had retained his interest in the
Southern house, and in 1870 he withdrew
from the New Orleans firm of Smith &
Brother, as the house was then styled,
having previously opened a branch of the
Hartford house in New York under the
name of J. T. Smith & Company, at No.
40 Warren street, the firm name later
being changed to C. B. Smith & Company,
later Smith, Worthington & Company,
they having an office in New Jersey and
a factory in Hartford.
Mr. Smith was one of the early mem-
bers of the Pearl Street Congregational
Church, which he attended until 1866,
when he became a member of the Asylum
Hill Congregational Church, and one of
its liberal supporters. He was a man of
great benevolence, and retained through
his long period of business activity the re-
spect of his employees, all of whom had
for him the highest regard. He was never
an office seeker, declining all positions
that might call him from his chosen field.
When a young man he was identified with
the Putnam Phalanx, which later became,
and is still known as, the Governor's Foot
Guard. He was a notable figure in Hart-
ford, and although nearly ninety years of
age, he was able to be out until within ten
days of his death. He was a man of great
executive ability, stood over six feet in
height, and his work was memorable in
every way.
Charles B. Smith married (first), No-
vember 5, 1844, Frances M. Humphrey,
daughter of Lemuel Humphrey, of Hart-
ford. He married (second), October 3,
1855, Eliza A. Thayer, of Westfield,
Massachusetts, who died November 30,
1915, daughter of Deacon Lucius F.
Thayer. One daughter by the second
marriage survives him, Frances Eliza,
widow of Ira Miller, of Westfield, a
sketch of whom follows.
MILLER, Ira,
Head of Large Business.
Ira Miller, who for many years was one
of the prominent and successful business
men of Westfield, being at the time of
his death president and manager of the
United States Whip Company, of that city,
was born in Cadiz, Kentucky, and died
December 14, 1915, a son of James Quinn
and Susan (Raglan) Miller. Ira Miller
had received an appointment to the United
States Military Academy at West Point,
and while he was on his way to enter that
institution Fort Sumter was fired upon,
and the opening scenes in the Civil War
were enacted. The Southern Senators
resigning their seats, all appointees to the
academy from the South were recalled,
and Ira Miller entered the Confederate
army, serving under the command of Gen-
eral Forest. At the conclusion of the war
he was engaged in a number of lines of
business in Louisville, Kentucky, and as
a young man came to New York City,
where he was employed by the saddlery
xs
i ! I
OR.
I.DKN
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
firm of C. B. Smith & Company. He was
associated with this firm until he came
to Westfield, where he took an active part
in and became finally president and gen-
eral manager of the United States Whip
Company. Mr. Miller was a man of
strong business ability, and his sterling
qualities of character and integrity did
even more for him than win him worldly
success.
Mr. Miller married, October 3, 1883,
Frances Eliza Smith, daughter of Charles
Boardman Smith, whose sketch pre-
cedes this (for a detailed review of his
life see "History of Representative Men
of Connecticut"). Children of Mr. and
Mrs. Miller: i. Charles Boardman, a
graduate of Harvard ; musically educated
in Paris, France ; now residing near Port-
land, Oregon ; married Alvine Beaulieu.
2. James Raglan, a graduate of Yale, A.
B., 1907, and from Johns Hopkins Uni-
versity, received degree of M. D., 1911;
studied in Munich, Germany, three years ;
at Fryesburg, one year; Vienna, one year;
then was assistant to Dean Williams, of
Johns Hopkins University ; practiced in
Hartford until the entrance of the United
States in the World War, then entered the
army, ranking as first lieutenant, and
serving with the American Expeditionary
Forces, later receiving the rank of captain ;
after the war was over, he located in Hart-
ford, Connecticut, where he has since
been engaged in the active practice of his
profession ; he married Elizabeth Wells,
of Detroit; children: Katherine Van
Heusen, Frances Thayer, and Elizabeth
Raglan Miller. 3. Preston Thayer, who,
at the outbreak of the war with Germany,
enlisted in the United States army, hav-
ing trained at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and
attained the rank of sergeant ; at the
close of the war he returned to Westfield,
where he is now associated with the
Westfield Machine Company ; he married,
October 25, 1918, Anna Isabelle Bemis, of
Springfield. 4. Susan Elizabeth, married
Kent Wadsworth Clark, manager of the
Oriental Hotel at Koby, Japan ; they have
one son, Kent Wadsworth Clark, Jr.
FIELD, Henry Alonzo,
Insurance Actuary.
In the branch of Henry A. Field, of
Springfield, Massachusetts, descent is
traced to Roger Del Feld, born in Sow-
erby, England, about 1240. He was a
descendant of Sir Hubertus De La Feld,
who went to England with William the
Conqueror in 1066, he belonging to the
family of the Counts De La Feld who
trace back to the middle age, about the
sixth century, their estates being in Col-
man, a village in Alsace, near the German
border of France. The line from Roger
Del Feld is through his son, Thomas, of
Sowerby, England; his son, John, of
Sowerby ; his son, Thomas, of same place ;
his son, Thomas Del Feld, of Bradford ;
his son, William Feld, of Bradford; his
son, William Feld, of East Ardsley, Eng-
land ; his son, Richard Feld, "husband-
man of the parish of Ardeslowe ;" his son,
John Field, a distinguished pioneer in the
cause of science, particularly astronomy ;
his son, Zachariah Field, of the eleventh
English generation, and the founder of
this branch of the family in New Eng-
land.
(I) Zachariah Field was born in East
Ardsley, Yorkshire, England, in 1596, and
died in Hatfield, Massachusetts, in 1663.
He came to New England in 1629, and
settled in Dorchester, Massachusetts, but
in 1636 went to Hartford, Connecticut,
remaining there until 1659, when he
moved to Northampton, Massachusetts,
where he engaged as a merchant, trading
89
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
with the Indians. Later he settled in Hat-
field, which was his home until death. He
married, about 1641, Mary , who
died about 1670. They were the parents
of five children, the fourth a son, Samuel.
(II) Sergeant Samuel Field, son of
Zachariah and Mary Field, was born
about 1651 in Hartford, Connecticut, and
was slain by the Indians while working
in the fields at Hatfield, June 24, 1697. He
was a sergeant in the Turner's Falls fight,
May 19, 1676, and a prominent, influential
man in Hatfield, holding many town
offices. He married, August 9, 1676,
Sarah Gilbert, daughter of Thomas and
Catherine (Chapin) Gilbert, of Spring-
field. They were the parents of eight
children, their eldest son, Samuel, of
whom further.
(Ill)) Deacon Samuel (2) Field, son
of Sergeant Samuel (i) and Sarah (Gil-
bert) Field, was born in Hatfield, Massa-
chusetts, September 27, 1678. He moved
to Deerfield in 1706, and there died Au-
gust 25, 1762. He was one of the twenty-
two men who came from Hatfield and
were engaged in the Meadow fight in the
unsuccessful attempt to rescue the three
prisoners taken by the French and In-
dians at the destruction of Deerfield, Feb-
ruary 29, 1704. He was wounded in a
fight with the Indians, August 25, 1725.
He was a deacon in the church, and a
prominent man of Deerfield, respected
and honored by all. He married, January
10, 1706, Mrs. Hannah (Edwards) Hoyt,
daughter of Joseph Edwards, widow of
David Hoyt, who was killed by the In-
dians in the Meadow fight. Mr. and Mrs.
Samuel Field were the parents of six chil-
dren, their fourth child a son, David, of
whom further.
(IV) Colonel David Field, son of Dea-
con Samuel (2) and Hannah (Edwards-
Hoyt) Field, was born in Hatfield, Massa-
chusetts, January 4, 1712, and died in Deer-
field, April 19, 1792. He settled in Deer-
field, where he was engaged in mercantile
life, also in trading with the Indians of
the Mohawk Valley. During the Revo-
lution he held notes and accounts receiv-
able for nearly $20,000 and never realized
six cents on the dollar from them. He
was a member of the first Congress that
met in Concord, Massachusetts, in 1774,
also of the Congress that met in Cam-
bridge in 1775, and a member of the Mas-
sachusetts Council of Safety, which gave
a commission to Benedict Arnold author-
izing him to raise four hundred men to be
known as the Berkshire regiment for the
expedition against Fort Ticonderoga. He
was commissary general under General
Stark at the battle of Bennington. August
16, 1777, and for a time was in command
of a regiment, the Fifth Hampshire Com-
pany, his appointment voted by the Mas-
sachusetts House of Representatives,
January 31, 1776, concurred in by the
Council, February 8, 1776, and his com-
mission as colonel dated the same day.
He resigned his command, February 20,
1778. Colonel Field married, in 1740, Mrs.
Thankful (Taylor) Doolittle, born July
18, 1716, daughter of Thomas Taylor, and
widow of Oliver Doolittle. They were
the parents of nine children, Rev. Samuel
Field, the eldest, of whom further.
(V) Rev. Samuel (3) Field, son of Col-
onel David and Thankful (Doolittle)
Field, was born in Deerfield, Massachu-
setts, September 14, 1743, and died in Con-
way, Massachusetts, September 17, 1800.
After graduation from Yale, in 1762, he
studied divinity under Rev. Jonathan
Ashley, of Deerfield, but later studied law
under Daniel Jones, of Hinsdale, New
Hampshire. He was admitted to the bar,
but after a time returned to Deerfield,
where he was in mercantile life. In 1771
90
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
he opened a law office in Greenfield and
also engaged in trade. The years 1774-
1776 were passed on a farm in Conway,
then he returned to Deerfield, which was
his home until May, 1794, when he re-
turned to Conway. He represented the
town of Deerfield in the General Court
for several years, and was a member
of the Massachusetts convention which
adopted the Constitution of the United
States. He was a Swedenborgian in reli-
gion, and lectured, wrote and preached in
support of that doctrine. He was a polit-
ical writer of note. He married, April 26,
1769, Sarah Childs, born in Deerfield, Sep-
tember 27, 1742, died December 3, 1831.
They were the parents of seven children,
descent in this line following through
Robert Rufus, of whom further.
(VI) Robert Rufus Field, son of Rev.
Samuel (3) and Sarah (Childs) Field, was
born in Deerfield, Massachusetts, August
22, 1771, and died there July 26, 1841. He
moved in 1791 to Conway, Massachu-
setts, and in 1796 to Phelps, Ontario
county, New York, going thence in 1800
to Geneva, New York, returning in 1809
to Deerfield, where he died. He was for
many years toll gatherer at the Deerfield
bridge, Cheapside, but his occupation was
farming. He married, January 15, 1795,
Patty Hoyt, born in 1775, died July 23,
1859, daughter of Jonathan and Abigail
(Nash) Hoyt. They were the parents of
four children, their third child, Robert
Rufus, of whom further.
(VII) Robert Rufus (2) Field, son of
Robert Rufus (i) and Patty (Hoyt)
Field, was born in Geneva, New York,
June 29, 1806, and died in Deerfield, Mas-
sachusetts. He was a manufacturer of
carriages and sleighs in Greenfield, Mas-
sachusetts, until 1838, when he moved to
Attleboro, Massachusetts, thence in 1843
to West Newton, Massachusetts, and
about 1850 returned to Greenfield. Later
he went to Columbus, Ohio, to superin-
tend the manufacture of a line of chil-
dren's carriages, but returned again to
Deerfield after a few years. He married,
May 6, 1834, Eliza Ophelia Barnard, born
May 13, 1811, died in Bernardstown, Mas-
sachusetts, November 3, 1869, daughter of
Eleazer and Abigail Barnard. They were
the parents of three sons : Frederick Bar-
nard, born October 10, 1835 ; John Adams,
of whom further ; Charles Albert, born
May 15, 1845.
(VIII) John Adams Field, son of Rob-
ert Rufus (2) and Eliza O. (Barnard)
Field, was born in Attleboro, Massachu-
setts, July 4, 1842, now deceased. He
came with his father to Greenfield, but
later removed to Deerfield, where he en-
gaged in the hotel business until burned
out. In 1880 he moved to Fort Wayne,
Indiana, there residing until moving to
Chicago, Illinois, where he engaged in the
hotel business, continuing in active busi-
ness life until his death. He married
(first), November 8, 1868, Mary A. Phil-
lips, born in Athol, Massachusetts, Feb-
ruary 22, 1848, daughter of Alonzo and
Mary A. Phillips, of Deerfield. She died,
leaving a son, Henry Alonzo, of whom
further. He married (second), October
28, 1888, Emma C. Lathe, born November
25, 1865.
(IX) Henry Alonzo Field, only son of
John Adams and Mary A. (Phillips)
Field, was born in Milford, Massachu-
setts, August 8, 1870. He was taken tc
Deerfield, in 1872, and there was educated
in the public schools and academy. At
the age of twenty (in 1890), he came to
Springfield, Massachusetts, entering the
employ of the Phillips Manufacturing
Company, continuing with that company
until they went out of business in 1898.
The next ten years, 1898-1908, he spent
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
with the Vacuum Oil Company, and in
1908 formed a partnership with B. A. Op-
penheim and as Oppenheim & Field they
have since conducted a general insurance
business very successfully. Mr. Field was
secretary of the Nayasset Club, 1898-1903,
and again 1906-1914. In 1918 and 1919
he was president of the club. He was
active in the work of Hampden Chapter of
the Red Cross, vice-chairman in 1917, and
chairman during 1918-1919. In 1919 he
was elected president of Springfield
Chamber of Commerce and served until
1920.
Mr. Field married, October 23, 1901,
Margaret Owen, of Jersey City, New Jer-
sey, daughter of Mortimer and Ann C.
(Combe) Owen.
WINSOR, Rufus Hathaway,
Expert in Textile Industry.
William Winsor, the pioneer ancestor
of the family of which Rufus H. Winsor,
of Springfield, was a worthy representa-
tive, was a native of England, emigrating
from Devonshire, and landing in Boston,
Massachusetts. Shortly after his arrival
he married, as his second wife, Betsey
Smith. He was the father of three chil-
dren, as follows: Samuel, of further
mention ; William, a jeweler by trade,
remained in Boston, where his death oc-
curred ; Peter, who went to the West
Indies, where his death occurred.
(II) Samuel Winsor, son of William
Winsor, was born May 14, 1/25. He
removed from Boston to Duxbury, Mas-
sachusetts, settled on Clark's Island in
Duxbury Bay, and the site of his house
was a few rods northwest of the present
building. Here he built several small
vessels, which he used to good advantage.
His next removal was to Captain's Hill,
where he erected a house on the southern
slope, and there spent the remainder of his
days. He married, February 18, 1746,
Rhoda Delano, and they were the par-
ents of the following children : Nathaniel,
born January 15, 1747; Joshua, of further
mention; Samuel, born August 31, 1751;
William, born January 27, 1753; John,
born August 31, 1756; James, born July
T 9> I 759> died February 21, 1767; Peter,
born August 21, 1761; Rhoda, born June
5, 1764, married, January i, 1784, Amos
Brown ; Betsey, born February 3, 1768,
married Job Sampson ; James, born March
17, 1770. Samuel Winsor (father) died
May 22, 1770, aged forty-five years, and
his widow survived him many years, her
death occurring June I, 1799.
(Ill) Joshua Winsor, second son of
Samuel and Rhoda (Delano) Winsor, was
born in Duxbury, Massachusetts, May I,
1749. He spent a long life of activity and
usefulness, honored and esteemed for his
many noble qualities of mind and heart.
He married (first) Olive Thomas, born
December 28, 1752, in Marshfield, Massa-
chusetts, died in Duxbury, same State,
daughter of Deacon Nehetniah and Abiah
(Winslow) Thomas. He married (sec-
ond) Ruth Thomas, sister of his first wife,
born June 14, 1755. He married (third)
Deborah Fish, born December n, 1756,
died May 6, 1843. Ten children were
born to Mr. Winsor, as follows: i. Lucy,
born May 17, 1775, died February 15,
1867; married Captain Samuel Delano. 2.
Charles, born December 9, 1776, died
young. 3. Judith, born September 11,
1778; married, December 10, 1795, Dr.
Rufus Hathaway. 4. Thomas, of further
mention. 5. Seth, born May 5, 1782;
married, September 30, 1802, Betsey Hunt.
6. Hannah, born May 20, 1785 ; married
Solomon Washburn. 7. Olive, born June
1 8, 1786, died young. 8. Joseph, born
May 6, 1788; married (first) Lydia Samp-
92
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
son, (second) Betsey Sprague. 9. George,
born March 14, 1790; married Alice
Turner. 10. Ellis, born May 29, 1797.
Joshua Winsor, father of these children,
died in 1827.
(IV) Thomas Winsor, second son of
Joshua Winsor, was born July 22, 1780,
and died in the year 1832. He was con-
nected with the firm of Phineas Sprague
& Company, merchants and ship owners,
of Boston, Massachusetts, whose business
was conducted along strictly honorable
lines. Mr. Winsor fulfilled the duties of
business man, citizen, husband and father
in an exemplary manner, which won for
him the respect of all who knew him. He
married, in 1802, Welthea Sprague, born
June 2, 1784, died May 15, 1855. Chil-
dren: Henry, born December ji, 1803;
Jane, born July 31, 1805; Seth, born Sep-
tember 30, 1807 ; Thomas, Jr., born Au-
gust 22, 1809; Alfred, of further mention ;
Edwin, born November 5, 1812, died aged
one year; Harriet, born May 25, 1816;
Ezbeth Hale, born April 14, 1818; Ju-
dith Sprague, born August I, 1820; Rufus,
born September 27, 1822 ; Frederick, born
October 2, 1829.
(V) Alfred Winsor, fourth son of
Thomas and Welthea (Sprague) Winsor,
was born April 9, 1811, and died Septem-
ber 16, 1871. He was a well-known mer-
chant of Boston, Massachusetts, also an
extensive ship owner, deriving a lucrative
livelihood from these lines of business.
He was active in community affairs, inter-
ested in all that concerned the good of his
section of the State, and ranked high in
commercial circles. He married, April II,
1833, Ann Maria Bird, born December 28,
1812, died August 16, 1895. Children:
Helen Maria, born February 22, 1834 ;
Mary Percival, born April 9, 1836; Alfred,
Jr., born February 4, 1838; Frank Gor-
don, born February 27, 1840; Rufus Hath-
away, of further mention ; Laura Town-
send, born June 30, 1845; Walter Thax-
ter, born November I, 1847; Amy Scott,
born October 10, 1850; Ernest, born July
18, 1852.
(VI) Rufus Hathaway Winsor, third
son of Alfred and Ann Maria (Bird) Win-
sor, was born in Dorchester, Massachu-
setts, July 16, 1843. He was educated in
the schools of Boston, Massachusetts,
Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and in private
schools, this knowledge qualifying him
for an active and useful career, which was
spent in the textile industry, serving in
the capacity of paymaster at the Chapin
Mills in Northboro and in the Ludlow
Mills in Ludlow, both in Massachusetts.
In 1898 he moved to Springfield, Massa-
chusetts, and from that time until his
death, he was practically retired. He was
a man of high character, and sterling in-
tegrity. He was a Unitarian in religion,
and a Republican in politics.
Mr. Winsor married, October 6, 1873,
Clara Ann Bartlett, of Sutton, Vermont,
born June 25, 1849, died February 23,
1918, daughter of Alfred and Anna H.
(Joy) Bartlett. (See Bartlett VII.). Chil-
dren of Mr. and Mrs. Winsor: Harriet
Bartlett, born June 24, 1875 ! Anna, born
November 21, 1876, died May 14, 1885 ;
Rufus Hathaway, Jr., born March 27,
1880, died May 21, 1885; Helen Maria,
born April 14, 1886, died March 17, 1891.
Harriet Bartlett Winsor still resides in
Springfield ; she takes much interest in
genealogy and is a member of the Daugh-
ters of the American Revolution. Rufus
H. Winsor, father of these children, died
in Springfield, Massachusetts, March 31,
1918.
(The Bartlett Line)
The Bartlett name is one of the most
ancient in England, and one of the most
distinguished in America. The original
93
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
spelling was Barttelot, and that has been
retained by the head of the English house,
Sir and Colonel Walter B. Barttelot, of
Stopham in Sussex. He traces his descent
to Adam Barttelot, who came over with
William the Conqueror, and received a
grant of land in Sussex.
(I) Robert Bartlett, the first American
ancestor, was born in England, and died
in 1676, in Plymouth, Massachusetts. In
July, 1623, he landed in the New World,
having come from Europe in the ship
"Ann." He located at Plymouth, and
Plymouth Colony gave him an acre of
land for a house lot and garden. He mar-
ried, in 1628, Mary Warren, daughter of
Richard Warren, a "Mayflower" Pilgrim.
Eight children were born to them, among
whom is Joseph, of further mention.
(II) Joseph Bartlett, second son and
child of Robert and Mary (Warren) Bart-
lett, was born in Plymouth, Massachu-
setts, in 1639, and died in 1711. He set-
tled in Manomet Ponds or South Plym-
outh, a village located about seven or
eight miles from the town proper, on the
seashore, and of late years has been a
summer resort of some note. He married
Hannah Fallowell, daughter of Gabriel
Fallowell. She died in 1710, aged seventy-
two years. The monuments of Joseph
and Hannah Bartlett are on Burial Hill,
in Plymouth, Massachusetts. They were
the parents of seven children, among
whom was Robert, of further mention.
(III) Robert (2) Bartlett, son of Jo-
seph and Hannah (Fallowell) Bartlett,
was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in
1663, date of death 1718, aged fifty-five
years. He married (first), in 1687. Sarah
Bartlett, his cousin, daughter of Benja-
min Bartlett. He married (second), in
1691, Sarah Cook, daughter of Jacob Cook.
Children of second marriage: Hannah,
born 1691; Thomas, born 1694; John,
born 1696; Sarah, born 1699; James,
born 1701; Joseph, of further mention;
Elizabeth, born 1707; William, born 1/09.
(IV) Joseph (2) Bartlett, fourth son
of Robert (2) and Sarah (Cook) Bartlett,
was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in
1704. He resided in Plymouth all his
days, and was a deacon in the church
there. He married, in 1737, Sarah Norton,
born 1705, died December 23, 1785, and
she bore him seven children, as follows :
Sarah, born 1737; Joseph, born 1738;
Thomas, of further mention ; Josiah, born
1744; Martha, born 1747; Hannah, born
1749. The father of these children died
May 30, 1783, and both he and his wife
are interred in Burial Hill Cemetery,
Plymouth.
(V) Thomas Bartlett, second son of Jo-
seph (2) and Sarah (Norton) Bartlett,
was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts,
1742, and died there in 1808. He enlisted
in the Revolutionary War, September 7,
1777, and was a private in Captain John
Bannister's company, Colonel Job Cush-
ing's regiment, and performed valiant
service. He married, 1765, Betty Bartlett,
born 1747, died September 20, 1779,
daughter of Sylvanus Bartlett, who was
a soldier during the Revolutionary War,
was with Captain Sprague's company, list
of October, 1777, and in Captain Thomas
Sampson's company, 1776. Children of
Thomas and Betty Bartlett: Betsey,
Jerusha, Daniel, Thomas, of further men-
tion ; and Deborah.
(VI) Thomas (2) Bartlett, second son
of Thomas (i) and Betty (Bartlett) Bart-
lett, was born in Plymouth, Massachu-
setts, May 19, 1771, and died in Burke,
Vermont, June 19, 1857. He moved to
Vermont at the age of sixteen, and fitted
for college with Judge Miles, of Fairlee,
Vermont. He entered Dartmouth Col-
lege, 1794, but ill health compelled him to
leave after studying there for two years.
He moved to Burke, same State, 1802, and
94
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
taught school there during that year. He
was offered and accepted the position of
town clerk, the first to fill that office, and
also served as representative of the town
to the General Assembly, being also the
first to fill that office. He married Ann
Little, and among their children was Al-
fred, of further mention.
(VII) Alfred Bartlett, son of Thomas
(2) and Ann (Little) Bartlett, was born
in Burke, Vermont, in 1816, died at age of
thirty-five, in Danville, Vermont. He at-
tended the common schools in the neigh-
borhood of his home, spent his youth in the
usual way of boys of that period, and
when a young man was elected high sher-
iff of Caladonia county, and held this
until his death in 1851. He married Anna
H. Joy, and among their children was
Clara Ann, who became the wife of Rufus
Hathaway Winsor. (See Winsor VI.).
BARRI, John Atherton,
Active Business Man.
A native son of the State of Massachu-
setts, a resident of Springfield for the
past sixteen years, and a descendant of a
French Huguenot ancestry, John Ather-
ton Barri stands out prominently among
the men who have made a success in their
business careers. His standing in the
community is due not alone to his busi-
ness prominence, but for the public-
spirited interest shown in regard to any
matter concerning the public welfare.
(I) Bartholomew Barri, immigrant an-
cestor of the branch of the family repre-
sented by John Atherton Barri, was born
in the south of France, where many of
the name reside. He was reared and
educated in his native land, and upon ar-
riving at the suitable age served in the
French navy in the Royal Marine Corps
under the famous Count De Grasse in
the year 1777. When seventeen years
of age, having decided to come to the
New World, he set sail from Marseilles,
France, and upon arriving in this country
located in Portsmouth or Newcastle, New
Hampshire, and there spent the remainder
of his days. He married Mary ,
and among their children was Philip
Bartholomew, of whom further.
(II) Philip Bartholomew Barri, son of
Bartholomew and Mary Barri, was born
in 1803. He was a resident of Ports-
mouth and Newcastle, New Hampshire,
prominent in business and community af-
fairs, and highly regarded by all who
knew him. He married three times, and
was the father of six sons and four daugh-
ters. His death occurred in Portsmouth,
New Hampshire, in 1867, aged sixty-four
years.
(III) Thomas Oliver Barri, son of
Philip Bartholomew Barri, was born in
Norwich, Connecticut, November 16,
1821. The greater part of his life was
spent in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and
he was associated with his brother-in-law,
Hiram Tucker, in the field of inven-
tion, achieving success therein. He was
a West Point graduate, and at the out-
break of the War of the Rebellion volun-
teered his services, enlisting from New
York City in 1861, and was made captain
of a company in the Eleventh Regiment
of Regulars. His regiment suffered heav-
ily in the various engagements in which
it participated, his company losing most
of its officers, and he was wounded three
times at the battle of Gettysburg, in
which struggle he also lost his life, July
3, 1863. His remains were interred in the
cemetery at Gettysburg, and his name ap-
pears on the monument erected at West
Point, New York. Captain Barri married
Fannie Howe, of Spencer, Massachusetts,
born November 26, 1831, daughter of
Elias Howe, Sr., and sister of Elias Howe,
Jr., the inventor of the Howe sewing
95
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
machine. Captain and Mrs. Barri were
the parents of three children : John
Atherton, of whom further ; Fannie Cur-
tis, who became the wife of James W.
Kirkham of Springfield, who died leaving
a son William ; Thomas, died young.
Mrs. Barri married (second) John W.
Barri, brother of her first husband. They
were the parents of a daughter, Alice
Hamilton, who became the wife of Frank
Tuffts, of Springfield ; he is now deceased.
(IV) John Atherton Barri, eldest son
of Captain Thomas Oliver and Fannie
(Howe) Barri, was born in Cambridge,
Massachusetts, February 27, 1855. He at-
tended the schools in the vicinity of his
home, the Reading, Massachusetts, High
School, and the Massachusetts Agricul-
tural College, from which he graduated in
1875. In that year he entered the employ
of the Metropolitan Bank, Boston, Massa-
chusetts, where he remained three years,
and the following year was engaged in
the lumber business. He then came to
New York City and engaged in the fer-
tilizer business, so continuing until the
year 1882, when he removed to Bridge-
port, Connecticut, and engaged in the
same business until 1894. In the follow-
ing year, 1895, he purchased the Berk-
shire Mill property located in Bridgeport,
one of the oldest mills along the Long
Island Sound, and since then has con-
ducted a wholesale and retail grain and
coal business, which has increased in vol-
ume and importance during the interven-
ing years, more than a quarter of a cen-
tury. In 1905, Mr. Barri took up his resi-
dence in Springfield, where he has con-
tinued to reside up to the present (1921).
He is a member of the Loyal Legion of
the State of Massachusetts, the University
Club, and the Sea Side Club of Bridge-
port. He is a member of the Christian
Science church.
Mr. Barri married, October i, 1883,
Mrs. Jennie (Howe) Howe, born in
Springfield, July 16, 1849, daughter of
William and Azubah (Stone) Howe, and
widow of Benjamin Porter Howe, who
died in 1879. She was a member of the
First Church of Christ (Scientist), and
greatly interested in the work of the
church, and was active in war work as a
member of the Colonial Dames. She died
April 14, 1921. She is survived by her
husband, a daughter, Mrs. William E.
Shoemaker, of Bridgeton, New Jersey,
six grandchildren, and a sister, Mrs.
Hiram Garretson, of Cleveland, Ohio.
William Howe, father of Mrs. Barri, was
the inventor of the Howe truss bridge ; he
was a resident of Springfield up to the
time of his death, 1852. He built all the
railroad bridges in the United States,
North, South, East and West. As the
railroads extended West, he continued
to keep in touch with them, building all
bridges. He also built railroad bridges
in Russia, building one from Moscow to
St. Petersburg; also built bridges in
Japan.
HAYNES, Stanford Lyman,
Leader in Civic Affairs.
In presenting to the readers of this vol-
ume the history of Stanford Lyman
Haynes, late of Springfield, we record the
account of a life that was both honorable
and useful. He was one of Springfield's
native sons, educated in her schools,
trained in business methods in his
father's establishment in that city, and
engaged there in business until his
death, a true representative of that city,
her institutions and her citizenship.
(I) Walter Haynes, the earliest known
ancestor of the line herein followed, was
born in the town of Sutton, Mandeville,
County Wilts, England, in 1583. He was
educated and grew to manhood in his
96
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
native land, there married and reared his
children, and was the owner of property
in the village of Shaston, Island of Pur-
beck, Dorsetshire. In 1638, he left South-
ampton, England, for this country, sail-
ing on the "Confidence," accompanied by
his wife, three sons, two daughters, and
three servants. He landed at Water-
town, Massachusetts and there resided
until December 22, 1639, when he removed
to Sudbury where he, with others, ob-
tained a grant. He was a linen weaver
by trade. He was made a freeman in
1640, was representative in the years
1641-44-48-51, and was one of the select-
men of Sudbury for ten years. His wife,
Elizabeth Haynes, bore him six children,
as follows : Thomas, John, Josiah, Suf-
france, Mary, and another, name un-
known, who remained in England.
(II) Josiah Haynes, third son of Wal-
ter and Elizabeth Haynes, was a native of
England, was there educated, and ac-
companied his parents upon their removal
to this country, making his home there-
after in the State of Massachusetts. He
married, November 13, 1646, Elizabeth
(Noyes) Freeman, daughter of Peter
Noyes, and widow of John Freeman.
Peter Noyes came from England in the
same ship with Walter Haynes and fam-
ily, accompanied by his three sons and
three daughters, including Elizabeth,
aforementioned. Five children were born
to Josiah and Elizabeth Haynes, as fol-
lows: Josiah, Caleb, Joshua, Deborah,
Abigail.
(III) Josiah (2) Haynes, eldest son of
Josiah (i) and Elizabeth (Noyes-Free-
man) Haynes, was born in Sudbury,
Massachusetts, April 27, 1655, died there
in 1743. He married, about 1685, Abigail
Stark, and they were the parents of four
children, among them were Josiah and
Caleb.
(IV) Josiah (3) Haynes, eldest son of
Mass 10 1 97
Josiah (2) and Abigail (Stark) Haynes,
was born in Sudbury, Massachusetts, in
1685. He married - , and was the
father of two children, namely: Joshua
and Jason.
(V) Joshua Haynes, eldest son of
Josiah (3) Haynes, was born in Sudbury,
Massachusetts, in 1707. He married
, and was the father of six children,
as follows : Joshua, Rachel, Dorothy,
John, Susannah and Silas.
(VI) John Haynes, second son of
Joshua Haynes, was born in Sudbury,
Massachusetts, in 1762. He married
, and he was the father of seven
children, as follows : Sally, Tilly, Reu-
ben, Stephen, John, David, Lyman.
(VII) Lyman Haynes, sixth son of
John Haynes, was born in Sudbury,
Massachusetts, October 13, 1803, died in
Billerica, Massachusetts, December 21,
1869. His early years were spent on his
father's farm, where his birth occurred,
and he there gained a thorough knowl-
edge of everything pertaining to farm
work, following that line of work, in addi-
tion to the making of brick, until the year
1832, when Mr. Haynes, in company with
a friend, went to Billerica with the possi-
bility of securing the contract for con-
structing the road bed for the railroad
that was being built between Boston and
Lowell. His mind was diverted from this
idea and changed into an entirely differ-
ent channel, he leasing the hotel in Bil-
lerica known as the "Corner." Later he
purchased a hotel located on Andover
street, and there remained until 1842, in
which year he exchanged the hotel for a
farm in Billerica. He resided in the vil-
lage for the greater part of ten years, con-
ducting a real estate business in partner-
ship with two other men, they being the
owners of various farms in that vicinity.
He then took up his residence on his farm,
the greater portion of the land being de-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
voted to orchard purposes, making a spe-
cialty of peaches, from the sale of which
he derived a goodly income. In politics
he was a Whig until the formation of the
Republican party, to which he thereafter
gave his allegiance. Mr. Haynes mar-
ried, May 28, 1826, at Sudbury, Massa-
chusetts, Caroline Hunt, a native of Sud-
bury, born June 9, iSoS, a daughter of
William and Thankful (Wheeler) Hunt.
She survived her husband twenty-three
years, and was the owner of property in
Springfield, No. 59 St. James avenue,
where she resided ; her death occurred
at the United States Hotel, Boston, June
8, 1882. Eight children were born to Mr.
and Mrs. Haynes, as follows: i. Tilly, of
further mention. 2. Theodore L., of
further mention. 3. Cyrus H., born July
8, 1833; married Harriet Brown. 4.
Charles Robbins, born April 17, 1836. 5.
William H., born April 21, 1838. 6. Car-
oline, born January 26, 1841 ; married
(first) Henry M. Jenkins, (second) Dan-
iel Webb ; was the proprietor of the
Broadway Central Hotel, New York City,
which was given her by her brother, Tilly
Haynes. 7. John, born September 18,
1846; married (first) Elizabeth Wiggin,
(second) Abbie Herrick, (third) Margaret
(Conner) Haynes. 8. Adeline, born May
28, 1849; married James G. Hickey ; be-
came manager of the United States Hotel,
Boston, through the will of her brother,
Tilly Haynes.
(VIII) Tilly Haynes, eldest son of
Lyman and Caroline (Hunt) Haynes, was
born in Sudbury, Massachusetts, Febru-
ary 13, 1828, died in Boston, Massachu-
setts, August 10, 1901. At the age of
fourteen, after a common school educa-
tion, he secured employment as a clerk in
a general store in North Reading, where
he remained one year, then worked for a
short time in Methuen, now a part of Law-
ivice, after which he accepted employ-
ment in a dry goods store in Waltham.
Later he entered the employ of George
W. Simmons in the well known Oak Hall
establishment in Boston, having charge of
the oil skins and other goods of that char
acter sold to sailors. In 1849 he was sent
by his employer to take charge of his
branch store in Springfield, and later in
the same year he purchased the same from
Mr. Simmons, borrowing the money from
his father, returning it at the expiration
of three months from the proceeds of his
sales. The store was located on the cor-
ner of Main and State streets, twenty by
thirty feet, and three years later he rented
the adjoining store, this being made
necessary by the increase in business. In
1855 he sold his clothing business to his
brother, Theodore L. Haynes, and de-
voted himself to his outside interests, he
having in the previous year built the large
double brick house on State street, op-
posite Merrick Park, where he resided for
a few years. In 1856 he purchased the
property on the corner of Main and
Pynchon streets, and at once began the
erection of a block that was to contain
several stores and a music hall, complet-
ing it in the following year. He increased
his real estate interests in 1862 by buying
lots on Main and Pynchon streets, where
he erected a building that now forms a
part of the Haynes block. On the night of
July 24, 1864, a fire destroyed some of his
property, but with money loaned to him
by Mr. Day, president of the Springfield
Institution for Savings, he began the
erection of a theatre and hotel on the op-
posite corner, and both were success-
fully opened by him within a year. He
then began his active hotel life, conduct-
ing the Haynes Hotel until 1876, a period
of eleven years, then leased it. He did not
again enter hotel life until 1880, when he
was induced to remove to Boston to take
charge of the United States Hotel, which
98
/'/v ^ f/f / v
// // f I
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
was not a profitable investment at the
time, but under his aggressive and pro-
gressive methods the hotel again resumed
its former prosperity. Some years later
Mr. Haynes took charge of the Broadway
Central Hotel, New York City, and built
up a reputation there that was envied
throughout the country. In addition to
his active business career, Mr. Haynes
held important public offices, the duties
of which he performed in a like creditable
manner. He was a member of the Com-
mon Council in 1864 and 1871 ; a member
of the House of Representatives in 1868-
70, the Senate in 1875-77, tne Executive
Council in 1878-79. During his first term
in the Legislature he was chairman of
the committee in charge of the rebuilding
of the State House ; in 1876 he was chair-
man of the railroad committee; in 1892 he
was appointed a member of the Metro-
politan sewerage commission. He was a
Whig and later a Republican in politics.
Mr. Haynes has been spoken of as "bluff,
genial, kindly Tilly Haynes," and the ex-
pression described the man. He followed
to the best of his ability the "Golden
Rule," and he left to the city of Spring-
field $10,000 for the improvement of the
river front and extension of Court Square.
Mr. Haynes married, in Billerica,
Massachusetts, July 16, 1852, Martha C.
Eaton, born in Salisbury, Massachusetts,
died in Springfield, March 6, 1876. They
had no children.
(VIII) Theodore L. Haynes, second
son of Lyman and Caroline (Hunt)
Haynes, was born in Sudbury, Massachu-
setts, April 2, 1830, and died in Spring-
field, Massachusetts, December 29, 1906.
He attended the public schools of Bil-
lerica, and in 1851, when in his twenty-
first year, accepted a position in the
clothing store conducted by his brother,
Tilly Haynes, in Springfield, his remun-
eration at first being his board and clothes.
Later, in partnership with Messrs. Alley
and Miller, he purchased the business
from his brother, it being then known
under the style of Alley, Haynes & Miller,
and a few years later Mr. Haynes pur-
chased the interests of his partners and
assumed the management of the business
with his brother as a silent partner. The
business soon outgrew its quarters, and a
new and larger building was erected by
the Haynes Brothers, but in 1864 this
building, together with a large part of the
stock, was destroyed by fire. In the follow-
ing year, 1865, the store again opened for
business in the new block erected by Tilly
Haynes, and at this time Theodore L.
Haynes became the sole owner. Later he
admitted his brother, John Haynes, who
added new life to the business, and it grew
in volume and importance, it being neces-
sary to add more space from time to time.
In 1875 the business was moved to the
Massachusetts Mutual building, and two
years later to a building on Main street,
the first floor only being occupied in the
beginning. In the early eighties it was
considerably extended, and in 1901 the
entire block was taken over and a new
front built. They then gave employment
to one hundred hands, this being one of
the largest firms carrying nothing but
men's furnishings in the New England
States. Every project which had for its
object the betterment of Springfield re-
ceived his cordial support, and for many
years he was an active factor in the work
of the Board of Trade, he at first supply-
ing the office for their use in his building.
He was probably the originator of the
plan which led to the development of
what is known as the McKnight district,
and he was one of the instigators of the
movement which led to the establishment
of the Home for Friendless Women and
Children, and he donated two lots which
comprised the site of the Buckingham
99
364884A
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
street home. He was a member of Hope
Church, active and prominent in the work
thereof, and was an earnest supporter of
the Republican party. He was inter-
ested in all improvements in the city and,
like his brother, contributed generously
to the Court Square extension and to the
improvement of the river front.
Mr. Haynes married (first) in Cam-
bridge, Massachusetts, February 28, 1865,
Jennie Lewis, of Utica, New York, who
died in Billerica, Massachusetts, June 3,
1867. He married (second) Laura A.
(Shaw) Blanchard, daughter of John K.
and Mary Shaw, and widow of Thomas
Blanchard, of Boston, the distinguished
inventor. Mrs. Haynes died in 1905. Mr.
and Mrs. Haynes were the parents of one
child, Stanford Lyman, of further men-
tion.
(IX) Stanford Lyman Haynes, only
child of Theodore L. and Laura A. (Shaw-
Blanchard) Haynes, was born in Spring-
field, Massachusetts, October 3, 1869,
died May 22, 1920. He attended the pub-
lic schools of Springfield, Mitchell's
Academy in Billerica, and Wilbraham
Academy, completing his studies in the
year 1886. Instead of pursuing a college
career he chose travel as a means of sup-
plementing his education and experience,
and during his extensive trips in Europe,
South America and Mexico considerably
broadened his knowledge of men and af-
fairs. He was intensely interested in the
system of extending and beautifying
European cities, and during his trips
abroad in later years collected much data,
which he hoped later to incorporate in
plans to improve and beautify Spring-
field while a member of the City Planning
Commission. His first employment was
as errand boy in the firm of Haynes &
Company, then owned by his father, his
purpose being to gain a thorough knowl-
edge of the clothing business in all its
details, and he rose in quick succession to
stock clerk, salesman, manager, being ap-
pointed to that position in 1898, and from
the death of his father, in 1906, until
within a year of his own death, was the
head of the well known clothing house of
Haynes & Company. As a business man
he was considered of excellent judgment,
and as an employer he was generally re-
spected for the considerate manner he
showed towards all in his employ.
From early manhood Mr. Haynes was
keenly interested in the welfare and
growth of his native city. He was a man
of broad vision, who saw a future for the
city of which he and his fellow-citizens
could be justly proud, and it was toward
that ideal that he always worked during
his years of service to the city as an of-
ficial and a citizen. He was anxious to
do his share and assist in elevating it to
the position he believed it to be entitled
to. In 1897 he was elected to the Com-
mon Council, in which he served two
years, declining reelection in the latter
year because of increasing business re-
sponsibilities. From 1899 to 1904 he
served on the board of directors of the
Board of Trade, now the Chamber of
Commerce, and in 1908 was appointed to
the Board of Water Commissioners, and
was one of the most interested members
of the board in the work of installing the
Borden Brook and Little River water
system. He was a trustee of the Spring-
field Hospital Corporation ; a director of
the American International College ; and
a member of the following: Finance
committee of the Springfield Safe De-
posit and Trust Company ; the corpora-
tion of the Springfield Home for the
Aged ; the executive committee of the
Connecticut River Navigation Associa-
tion, and a director and life member of
the City Library Association. He was a
member of several local Masonic bodies ;
100
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
member of George Washington Chapter,
Sons of the American Revolution ; the
Connecticut Valley Historical Society;
the Country Club of Springfield ; the Union
League Club ; and Colony Club, of which
he was a charter member ; and was vice-
president of the Nayasset Club, serving
as a member of its board of managers.
His philanthropies, which were extensive,
were carried out privately, and in every
movement for the civic welfare his name
was one of those prominently concerned.
Mr. Haynes' one hobby was golf, which
he played at every spare moment he had,
and during the winter months he often
went South to pursue his favorite pastime.
He was one of the automobile pioneers,
and at an early time was a member of the
Massachusetts Auto Racing Association.
Mr. Haynes married (first), in 1891,
Emily R. Leonard, daughter of Gran-
ville H. Leonard, of Easthampton,
Massachusetts, manager of the Nosha-
wonnuck Mills. She died October 13,
1901. Mr. Haynes married (second),
1912, Annie O. Coolidge, of Springfield.
Mr. Haynes passed away at his home in
Springfield, May 2, 1920. He was sur-
vived by his wife, one son, Laurence
Stanford, of further mention, and two
daughters, Emily and Theodosia, all of
Longmeadow. In the death of Mr.
Haynes the city of Springfield loses one
of its foremost exponents of a greater and
better Springfield. The spirit of friendly
cooperation which he showed in his activ-
ities caused his death to be mourned by
all with whom he was brought in contact.
He was gifted with a personality that won
him a host of friends, who found him the
same, under all conditions, kind, consid-
erate, loyal.
(X) Laurence Stanford Haynes, only
son of Stanford Lyman and Emily R.
(Leonard) Haynes, was born in Spring-
field, Massachusetts, June 17, 1893. His
advantages were gained by attendance at
the public schools of Springfield, also those
of Billerica, entering them at the same
age as his father, ten years ; he attended
high school of Springfield, from which he
was graduated, and Williams College,
from which he was graduated in 1915-
He gained his business knowledge in the
employ of Haynes & Company, of which
his father was the head, entering as an
errand boy, and in due course of time was
elected to the office of vice-president, de-
voting all his time and energy to the busi-
ness and ably assisting his father in the
management of affairs. Upon the death
of his father, in 1920, he succeeded him in
the office of president.
Upon the entrance of the United States
into the great World War, Mr. Haynes
offered his services to his country, which
were accepted. He went to the Officers'
Training Camp at Plattsburg, New York,
where he was made second lieutenant of
the Motor Transport Corps ; later he was
promoted to the rank of first lieutenant
and was sent to Camp Devens, located
near Ayer, Massachusetts, and later to
Buffalo, New York, having charge of the
motor truck divisions at both places. He
remained in Buffalo until his honorable
discharge from the government, Febru-
ary i, 1919. He at once returned to his
former duties, in which he has since been
engaged. In politics Mr. Haynes is a
Republican. He is a member of the
Colony Club, Nayasset Club, Springfield
Country Club, Norfolk Hunt Club, and
of the college fraternities. He is highly
esteemed for his many excellent character-
istics, and is a worthy descendant of this
old and honorable family.
Mr. Haynes married, August 18, 1917,
G. Helen Robson, of New York City,
daughter of Edward Arthur and Grace
Wilkins (Selkirk) Robson, and grand-
daughter of Peter R. Robson, both men
icr
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
being noted in the insurance business.
Edward A. Robson came to this country
from England. Two children have been
born to Mr. and Mrs. Haynes : Grace
Wilkins, born February u, 1919; and
Laurence S., Jr., born April 4, 1921.
BALL, Freelon Quincy,
Lawyer, Active in Public Affairs.
Freelon Quincy Ball, who for twenty
years has practiced his profession at
the Hampden county bar, maintaining
offices in Springfield and Monson, is a
descendant of Amos Ball, who came from
England, settling at Ipswich, Massachu-
setts. Descent follows through his son,
Thomas Ball, of Ipswich ; his son, Thomas
(2) Ball, of Charlestown, New Hamp-
shire, who was killed by the Indians in
the old fort at Charlestown ; his son, Saul
Ball, a lieutenant in the Revolutionary
army, born in Alstead, New Hampshire;
his son, Joseph Ball ; his son, Freelon
Quincy Ball ; his son, Freelon Quincy (2)
Ball.
Joseph Ball was born in Alstead, New
Hampshire, but spent his life in Acworth,
New Hampshire, whence he became very
influential, and at different times held all
the town offices. He was a justice of the
peace, and a deacon of the Congregational
church and took an active part in all af-
fairs of the community until his death at
the age of seventy-two years. He mar-
ried a Miss Hayward, of Acworth, and
they were the parents of five children :
Hiram H., a chair factory foreman of
Gardner, Massachusetts; married, and
died, leaving two children, one of whom,
Edward C. Ball, is treasurer of the
Conant-Ball Manufacturing Company ;
Carlos, a chair manufacturer of Gardner,
Massachusetts ; Laura, one of the pioneer
school teachers of New York State, died
unmarried ; Hannah, married Levi Stev-
ens, a prosperous truckman, conducting
his business in Boston until his death;
Freelon Quincy, of further mention.
Freelon Quincy Ball, son of Joseph
Ball, was born in Acworth, New Hamp-
shire, May 5, 1826. He was educated in
Acworth school, and there resided until
1857, when he went West to Charlotte,
Clinton county, Iowa, where he became
a prosperous farmer, remaining until
1896, when he returned to Massachusetts,
making his home with his son in Mon-
son until his death, eight years later,
March, 1904. He was prominent in public
and church work, a school in Davenport
being named "The Ball School," in his
honor. He held the office of town clerk.
He married Christine Petersen, born in
Sweden, her sister Rose also coming to
the United States, becoming the wife of
a prominent jeweler of Moline, Illinois.
Mrs. Ball died in Charlotte, Iowa, in 1872.
She was a member of the Baptist church,
her husband a Methodist. They were the
parents of the following: Harvey H.,
Quincy, Rose, Austin C., Herbert C.,
Freelon Quincy (2), see forward; Rose
C., Quincy H., Gordon F.
Freelon Quincy (2) Ball, son of Free-
Ion Quincy (i) and Christine (Petersen)
Ball, was born in Charlotte, Iowa, Jan-
uary 27, 1869, and there spent his youth.
He was educated in Charlotte public
schools, and in Windsor, Connecticut,
there being under the tutoring of an
Episcopal clergyman. He next came to
Hampden, Massachusetts, where he was
employed for two years, then located in
Monson, Massachusetts, where he began
the study of law under George H. New-
ton, and three years later, in 1900, he was
admitted to the bar. He began practice
at once, and has since been continuously
engaged in professional work in Spring-
field and Monson. He is the senior mem-
ber of the law firm, Ball & Lavigne, of
102
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Springfield, but also maintains private
offices and practice in Monson. He is a
member of the City and State Bar asso-
ciations.
A Republican in politics, Mr. Ball has
for many years been very active in public
affairs. He was a member of the Mon-
son Board of Assessors for seventeen
years, and chairman of the board for all
but three years of that time. For twelve
years he was a member and treasurer of
the Board of Water Commissioners ; and
was town clerk for five years. He was
elected a member of the Massachusetts
State Legislature in 1913 and in 1916, and
in 1920 was a delegate from the First
Congressional District to the Republican
National Convention held in Chicago. He
was chairman of the Election Commission
sent to the Mexican border in 1916 to
represent the soldiers voting, and as such
cast the first ballot by a voter of Massa-
chusetts when absent from the State
since the Civil War. He was a member
of the Trial Justice Commission, 1916-
1917, with Judge Hilliard, of Pittsfield,
and Judge Milliken, of New Bedford, as
associates, and is a member of the Re-
publican State Central Committee from
the Worcester-Hampden district. He
was a member of the War Industries
Board of Western Massachusetts, and
sat as a delegate in the Massachusetts
Third Congressional District Convention
in 1917; and was a member of the com-
mittee on resolutions. He was one of the
incorporators and is a trustee of Monson
Home for Aged People. He served on the
Monson Exemption Board ; is president
of the Board of Trade ; president of the
Social and Literary Club ; member of the
Universalist church ; and takes a deep
interest in the social life of his town.
Mr. Ball married (first). May u, 1892,
Jennie S. Whitaker, of Monson. They
were the parents of two children : Car-
olyn R., born November 4, 1906; and
Carlos Herrick, born May 7, 1909. Mrs.
Ball, the mother of these children, died
October 22, 1917. Mr. Ball married (sec-
ond), March 15, 1919, Lucy Palmer John-
son, of Monson, daughter of Charles and
Martha P. (Palmer) Johnson. Mr. and
Mrs. Ball are attendants of the Univer-
salist church. Mrs. Ball is a graduate of
Springfield high and Westfield normal
schools, took a special course in Simmons
College, Boston, and formerly taught in
Monson and elsewhere.
SMITH, Walter Anson, M. D.,
Specialist, Hospital Official.
Dr. Walter Anson Smith, of Shelburne
Falls, formerly of Springfield, Massachu-
setts, comes of an old New England
family.
(I) Joseph Smith, theearliestancestorof
this branch of the Smith family of whom
there is definite information, was a resi-
dent of Hartford, Connecticut, as early as
1655. Twelve years later he was admitted
a freeman of that town, where he resided
until his death, which occurred in 1689-
90; his will was dated June 13, 1689. He
married, April 20, 1656, Lydia Huit,
daughter of Ephraim Huit, of Windsor.
She died in 1677. Children of Mr. and
Mrs. Smith: Joseph, of further mention;
Samuel, born May 16, 1658, died young;
Ephraim. born September 8, 1659; Lydia,
born April 16, 1661, died young; Simon,
born August 2, 1662 ; Nathaniel, born
October, 1664; Lydia, born February 14,
1666; Susanna, born June, 1667; Mary,
born November, 1668; Martha, born 1670;
Benjamin, born July 21, 1671; Elizabeth,
born November, 1672; Sarah, born April
i, 1674; Edward, born June 19, 1677;
Mercy, born November, 1679.
(II) Sergeant Joseph (2) Smith, eld-
est son of Joseph (i) and Lydia (Huit)
103
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Smith, was born in Hartford, Connecticut,
March 16, 1657. He resided in his native
town until 1680, then removed to Hadley,
Massachusetts, where he was admitted a
freeman ten years later. He was the first
permanent settler in Hadley, continuing
his residence there until his death. In
1687 he assumed charge of a grist mill at
Mill river, and he or his sons tended the
mill for the greater part of the time during
the Indian wars. The house over the mill
had a room with a chimney, and this was
apparently the only house for a long per-
iod, but the supposition is that neither
he nor any member of his family spent the
nights there until 1726, in which year
permanent peace was made with the
Indians. About that time Sergeant Smith
and his son, Benjamin Smith, erected
small houses in that vicinity. Sergeant
Smith was a cooper by trade. In 1696 he
was appointed sealer of weights and
measures, serving in that capacity until
his death ; in the same year he was ap-
pointed meat packer and gauger of casks,
in addition to conducting an inn in Had-
ley. He was also prominent in public
affairs, serving as selectman in 1696. 1707
and 1710, and was a member of the school
committee in 1720. Sergeant Smith mar-
ried, February u, 1681, Rebecca Dickin-
son, daughter of John Dickinson. Ser-
geant and Mrs. Smith were the parents of
eight children, as follows : Joseph, born
November 8, 1681 ; John, born October
24, 1684, died August 27, 1686; John, of
further mention; Rebecca, born June n,
1689; Jonathan, born October 28, 1691;
Lydia, born September 15, 1693; Ben-
jamin, born January 22, 1696; Elizabeth,
born December 22, 1701, died February
15, 1728. Sergeant Smith died October I,
1733, and the death of his wife occurred
February 16, 1731.
(Ill) Deacon John Smith, third son of
Sergeant Joseph (2) and Rebecca (Dick-
inson) Smith, was born January 5, 1687,
in Hadley, Massachusetts. He was a
resident of that town until 1711, when he
removed to Hatfield, Massachusetts,
which was his place of residence until
1736, when he removed to Belchertown,
Massachusetts, where he spent the re-
mainder of his days and where his death
occurred in 1777. He married, in 1709,
Elizabeth Hovey, whose death occurred
in 1758. They were the parents of eleven
children, as follows : John, born Decem-
ber 21, 1710; Abner, born September 10,
1712, died November 19, 1766; Elizabeth,
born September 19, 1714; Daniel, born
1716, died at Belchertown, May 31, 1800;
Miriam, born October 30, 1718; Samuel,
born 1721 ; Joseph, died in 1803 ; Elijah, of
further mention ; Rachel, born January 4,
1727, died 1811; Sarah, born September
27, 1729; Rebecca, born May 4, 1/32.
(IV) Captain Elijah Smith, sixth son
of Deacon John and Elizabeth (Hovey)
Smith, was born in 1723 in Hatfield,
Massachusetts. He accompanied his par-
ents upon their removal to Belchertown,
Massachusetts, and in that town spent the
remainder of his days, his death occurring
April 21, 1770. He was an active partici-
pant in the French War, attaining the
rank of captain in 1756. He was a mem-
ber of the Belchertown church, which he
served as a member of the board of dea-
cons. He married, in 1751, Sibyl Worth-
ington, daughter of Daniel Worthington,
of Colchester, Connecticut. She survived
him and married (second) Reuben Smith.
She died May 26, 1828, aged one hundred
and one years. Children of Mr. and Mrs.
Smith: Asa, born 1752, died 1835; Sibyl,
married, January, 1774, Deacon Joseph
Bardwell ; Sarah W., married, in 1777,
Elijah Bardwell ; Elijah, of further men-
tion ; Elizabeth, married, April, 1778, John
Cowles, Jr. ; Etham, born December 19,
1762, graduated at Dartmouth College in
104
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
1790 ; Jacob, born 1764, died April 5, 1852 ;
William, born 1765, removed to Scipio,
New York; Josiah H., removed to Scipio.
(V) Elijah (2) Smith, second son of
Captain Elijah (i) and Sibyl (Worthing-
ton) Smith, was born in Belchertown,
Massachusetts, in 1758. He removed
from his native town to Ashfield, Massa-
chusetts, and there successfully pursued
his trades of carpenter and builder,
achieving a high degree of success. He
married a Miss Sedam, of Albany, New
York, and among their children were
Elijah, of further mention, and Elisha.
(VI) Elijah (3) Smith, son of Elijah
(2) and - (Sedam) Smith, was born
in Ashfield, Massachusetts, March 20,
1779. He married Mercy Wright, and
they were the parents of ten children, as
follows: Infant son, died January 17,
1804; Lucretia, born December 10, 1804,
died May 22, 1878; Henry Sedam, of
further mention ; Infant son, died Febru-
ary 14, 1809; Infant daughter, died July 7,
1810; Emily, born October 3, 1811, died
December 18, 1890; Appollos, born June
27, 1814, died June 8, 1886; Chloe, born
August 21, 1815, died August 23, 1832;
Elijah, born February 23, 1819, died 1894;
Jerusha, born October 4, 1823, died Sep-
tember 10, 1895.
(VII) Henry Sedam Smith, second
son of Elijah (3) and Mercy (Wright)
Smith, was born in Ashfield, Massachu-
setts, October 7, 1807. He attended the
public schools of his native town, served
an apprenticeship to the trades of carpen-
ter and builder, and became an expert in
these lines. He later developed what was
known as the Day splints used in the hold-
ing in place of broken bones and sold
them, being well known in this connec-
tion. He married Rhoda Rogers, daugh-
ter of Joseph Rogers. Seven children
were born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith, as fol-
lows : Arnold, of further mention ; Henry,
born August 15, 1835, died January 9,
1846; a son, born and died in 1837; Hor-
ace, born November 23, 1839, died No-
vember 23, 1845 ; Eliza M., born Septem-
ber 7, 1844, died September 26, 1846;
William H., born March 19, 1847; John
H., born December 18, 1848, died July 13,
1851. The father of these children died
December 22, iSSi.
(VIII) Arnold Smith, eldest son of
Henry Sedam and Rhoda (Rogers) Smith,
was born in Ashfield, Massachusetts, De-
cember 27, 1833. He was a pupil in the
public schools of Ashfield, learned the
trade of carpenter under the tuition of his
father, and his active years were spent in
the occupations of builder and contractor,
many monuments to his skill and ability
still standing in his native town and
vicinity. He married Melinda Brunson,
born March 25, 1835, daughter of Almon
and Laura (Ames) Brunson. Two chil-
dren were born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith, as
follows: i. Walter Anson, of further
mention. 2. Flora A. H., born November
9, 1857, became the wife of Clarence S.
Ward, deceased ; widow resides in Shel-
burne Falls ; they were the parents of two
children: Robert A. and Inez M. Ward.
The death of Mr. Smith occurred July 29,
1903.
(IX) Dr. Walter Anson Smith, only
son of Arnold and Melinda (Brunson)
Smith, was born in Ashfield, Massachu-
setts, June 25, 1856. The public schools
and Sanderson Academy of Ashfield af-
forded him the means of acquiring an ex-
cellent education. Having decided upon
the profession of medicine for his life
work, he matriculated at the University
of Vermont, which institution conferred
upon him the degree of Doctor of Medi-
cine in 1882. For the following six and
a half years he was engaged in active
practice in Cummington, Massachusetts,
then took a trip abroad, remaining one
105
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
year, during which time he continued his
medical studies as a private student under
the famous Lawson Tait, of Birmingham,
England, and during this period was
elected to membership in the British Med-
ical Association. The three years follow-
ing his return to the United States, Dr.
Smith spent in Hinsdale, Massachusetts,
then made another trip abroad, this time
being a private pupil of Dr. August Mar-
tin at Berlin, Germany, for six months,
and of Dr. S. Pozzi, at Paris, France, for
three months. Dr. Smith returned to his
native land in the fall of 1894, locating in
Springfield, Massachusetts, where he
made a specialty of surgery, and was well
known. In 1895 he assisted in organizing
Mercy Hospital, and for several years
served on the surgical staff. He also
served as consulting surgeon of Spring-
field Hospital, and established a very high
reputation among the members of the
medical fraternity. In 1914 Dr. Smith
went to Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts,
where he is now practically retired. He
spends his summers in the State of Maine,
and the greater part of his winters in the
State of Florida. He was the founder of
the Springfield Academy of Medicine, and
has served as its president for some years.
Dr. Smith is a prominent member of
the Masonic order, striving to exemplify
in his daily life the teachings and precepts
of that old organization, holding member-
ship in Hampshire Lodge, Free and Ac-
cepted Masons, of Haydenville, Massa-
chusetts ; Springfield Council, Royal and
Select Masters ; Springfield Commandery,
Knights Templar; and in the Scottish Rite
has attained the thirty-second degree ; and
is a member of Melha Temple, Ancient
Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic
Shrine. He was a member of the Nayas-
set Club, Schuetzen Turnverin, and other
social organizations. From 1877 to 1880,
he served as a member of Company E,
Second Regiment, Massachusetts State
Militia, and on January 24, 1905, was ap-
pointed surgeon with the rank of lieuten-
ant-colonel in the First Brigade, Massa-
chusetts Volunteer Militia. In October,
1907, when the militia came under national
supervision, he was appointed major in
the medical department, and was assigned
to duty in the First Brigade, but is now
retired. Dr. Smith is a Republican in
politics, but has never sought political
preferment, his professional duties oc-
cupying the greater part of his time.
Dr. Smith married, March 2, 1881, Mary
P. Abbe, born December 31, 1851, daugh-
ter of Erastus B. and Anne (Burbank)
Abbe. Dr. and Mrs. Smith are the parents
of one son, Walter Abbe, born March 3,
1882 ; attended Springfield High School,
from which he graduated, then pursued
a course in the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, Boston ; his first employ-
ment was with the Stevens-Duryea Manu-
facturing Company, and at the present
time (1920) is serving as employment
manager at the Greenfield Tap and Die
Works in Greenfield, Massachusetts. He
was appointed lieutenant in Company K,
Second Regiment, Massachusetts Volun-
teer Militia, also served one year on the
staff of the Second Regiment as battalion
quartermaster and commissary, and when
he retired from the militia was filling the
rank of captain in Company G. Walter
Abbe Smith married, August 17, 1907,
Clara Grover. They are the parents of
four children : Maud Louise, born Jan-
uary 15, 1909; died February 12, 1917;
Walter Arthur, born September 25, 1914 ;
Marion Grover, born February 25, 1916;
Richard Arnold, born June 13, 1920. Mr?.
Dr. Smith is a member of the Daughters
of the American Revolution through the
patriotic services of KL. ancestor, General
Seth Pomeron, but has five other Revolu-
tionary ancestors. She has been very
106
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
active and done much work along Daugh-
ters of the American Revolution lines, and
she is also a lineal descendant of William
Bradford, one of the passengers of the
historic "Mayflower."
ADAMS, Charles,
Head of World-Famous Nurseries.
After three generations in Massachu-
setts, the ancestors of Charles Adams, of
Springfield, Massachusetts, located in
New Hampshire, where eminent men of
the name served church and State. John
W. Adams, of the seventh generation, set-
tled in Portland, Maine, and became well
known there, but later he settled in
Springfield, Massachusetts, returning to
the State in which Adams is one of the
most honored of names. The J. W. Adams
Nursery Company is the outgrowth of the
life of John W. Adams, and to his sons,
Walter and Charles, president and treas-
urer of the corporation, its present devel-
opment is due.
(I) Robert Adams, born in England, in
1602, first came to Ipswich, Massachu-
setts, in 1635, bringing with him his wife
Eleanor and their two children. He lived
in Salem the first five years of his New
England residence, and followed his trade
of tailor. He moved to Newbury in 1640,
there acquiring a large farm and other
property. His wife, Eleanor, died June
12, 1677, an d he married (second), Febru-
ary 6, 1678, Sarah (Glover) Short, widow
of Henry Short. He died in Newbury,
October 12, 1682. Descent in this line is
traced through Sergeant Abraham, third
of his nine children.
(II) Sergeant Abraham Adams was
born in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1639, and
died in Newbury, in August, 1714. He
served in the Newbury train band as cor-
poral in 1685-93, and in 1703 was made
sergeant. He married, November 10, 1670,
Mary Pettengill, born July 6, 1652, died
September 19, 1/05, daughter of Richard
and Joanna (Ingersoll) Pettengill.. They
were the parents of ten children, Captain
Abraham, the third child and second son,
next in line.
(III) Captain Abraham Adams was
born in Newbury, Massachusetts, May 2,
1676, and died in Byfield, Massachusetts,
April 8, 1763. He was a mariner in early
life, making numerous voyages to the
West Indies and England as captain.
Later, his father gave him a farm above
the falls in Byfield, now Highfields, and
there he built the house long known as
the "Adams Homestead." In the house,
yet owned by descendants, are the origi-
nal deeds of the estate, two chairs brought
there by Captain Adams' bride, a sword
used at Bunker Hill, and many Colonial
and Revolutionary treasures. Captain
Abraham Adams became a successful
farmer and in time, no doubt, became
reconciled to his exchange of occupations.
He married, in December, 1703. Anne
Longfellow, daughter of William and
Anne (Sewall) Longfellow, her father
born in England, and the ancestor of
Henry W. Longfellow, the poet. They
were the parents of eleven children, and
many of his descendants served in the
Revolutionary War. Descent follows in
this line through Rev. Joseph, the eighth
child and fifth son.
(IV) Rev. Joseph Adams was born in
Newbury, Massachusetts, May 8, 1719,
and died in Stratham, New Hampshire,
February 24, 1785. He was a graduate of
Harvard College in 1742, and became "a
Zealous New Light Preacher." His con-
verts organized a church in Newburyport,
but in June, 1756, he located in Stratham,
New Hampshire, where he died. He mar-
ried Widow Mary Greenleaf, of Newbury,
their intentions published November 29,
1746. They were the parents of six chil-
107
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
dren, his second son, Dr. Caleb G. Adams,
a surgeon in the Revolutionary army, his
third son, John, a lieutenant.
(V) Lieutenant John Adams was born
in Exeter, New Hampshire, in 1758, and
died August 28, 1847. He was a first lieu-
tenant in the First Regiment, Continental
line, and until his death was in receipt of
a Revolutionary pension. He was an
original member of the Order of the Cin-
cinnati. Lieutenant Adams married, Jan-
uary n, 1788, Anne Folsom, born June 6,
1762, died about 1835, daughter of Col-
onel John Folsom and his second wife,
Martha (Higgins) Folsom. They were
the parents of eleven children, two of the
sons ministers of the gospel. Rev. John
Folsom Adams, the eldest son, is head of
the next generation.
(VI) Rev. John Folsom Adams was
born in Stratham, New Hampshire, May
23, 1790, and died in Greenland, New
Hampshire, June n, 1881. He was an
ordained minister of the Methodist Epis-
copal church, and became a member of
the New England Conference in 1812. He
filled many pulpits, became known as an
earnest, eloquent divine, and in 1840 was
made presiding elder. He continued in
the ministry until quite old, and was also
of note in political life, serving in the New
Hampshire Legislature from Stratham in
1849-50, and later represented the town of
Greenland. He lived to be ninety-one
years of age. His later years were spent
in fruit growing. When a boy he sowed
the seeds and planted an orchard, which
in 1840 produced more than 400 barrels of
Baldwin apples, and he lived to see the
trees, from which they grew, all dead and
gone. Rev. John F. Adams married
(first), February 24, 1818, Mary Lane,
born in Stratham, April 10, 1789, died
March i, 1866, daughter of Jabez Lane.
Children : Sally, Rev. Joseph A., a minis-
ter of the Methodist Episcopal church,
and first principal of the New Hampshire
Conference Seminary at Tilton ; Laura
L., Amy Mary, Lucy Hedding, and John
William, of further mention. Rev. John
F. Adams married (second), July 25, 1867,
Sarah W. (Treadwell) Lock.
(VII) John William Adams was born
in Stratham, New Hampshire, June 20,
1828, and died in Springfield, Massachu-
setts, March 4, 1911. He was educated in
the public schools and Exeter Academy,
and for a number of years taught school
in Stratham, becoming superintendent of
schools there in 1849. He also taught in
Amesbury, Watertown and Greenland,
and gave private lessons in penmanship
two evenings a week. The next year he
moved to Portland, Maine, and there con-
tinued his interest in educational affairs,
being elected a member of the school
committee in what is now a part of Port-
land, and held the office for five years.
He planned a grammar school in Port-
land that was so advanced that later the
State adopted it as a model. Thomas B.
Reed, Maine's great statesman, at one
time taught in that school. Mr. Adams
bought thirty acres of land at Portland,
intending to start a nursery, and while
there aided in organizing the Portland
Horticultural Society, of which he was
secretary. He was also one of the pro-
moters of the street railways of Portland,
and there remained until 1865. He then
spent two and one-half years in Canada as
superintendent of the Crown Copper
Mine, at Lennoxville, Quebec. This mine
was officered by prominent men, includ-
ing J. H. Drummond, then speaker of the
Maine House of Representatives, and a
judge of the Supreme Court. Mr. Adams
made a success of the mine, but he per-
suaded the officers not to buy two other
mines, which they had planned to take
over, thereby saving the company $110,-
ooo, as the mines afterwards proved
108
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
worthless. The father of Marshall P. lins) Waterhouse, and granddaughter of
Wilder, the American humorist, also be-
came interested in the same mines. On
July 5, 1867, Mr. Adams located in Spring-
field, Massachusetts, purchasing seven
and one-half acres in the now Brightwood
section, there engaging in the nursery
business on an extensive scale. He con-
tinued interested in the North Main street
nursery with his son and son-in-law until
his death in 1911. A considerable part of
the nursery business was in providing the
materials for making attractive grounds.
Upon request, plans were drawn for land-
scape work, trees and hedges, many of
these being imported, including rhodo-
dendrons, peonies, blue spruce and tulips.
He was also a director and secretary of
the Hampden County Agricultural So-
ciety, and in 1892-93 represented Spring-
field in the Massachusetts General Court.
He was a member of Trinity Methodist
Episcopal Church ; Greenleaf Chapter,
Free and Accepted Masons, of Portland,
Maine ; the Society of the Cincinnati ; the
Hampden Harvest Club, and of several
local and national horticultural societies,
and a man everywhere highly esteemed.
Things changed considerably during
the life of Mr. Adams, many improve-
ments were made, notably, the arrival of
the bicycle, electric cars, electric lights,
telephones, automobiles, and the X-ray.
Mr. Adams planned all the construction
of the Portland horse railroad, long since
displaced by the electric system. He was
always interested in the development of
that system, which is now the most ex-
tensive in New England.
Mr. Adams married (first), in March,
1856, Charlotte Ann Wiggins, who died
in 1864. He married (second), September
5, 1865, at Portland, Maine, Sarah F. Wa-
terhouse, born at Cape Elizabeth, Maine,
March 28, 1832 (yet living, 1920), daugh-
ter of Benjamin F. and Elizabeth (Col-
Samuel and Ruth (Maxwell) Waterhouse,
of Maine. Children of John W. Adams
and his second wife, Sarah F. (Water-
house) Adams: I. Mary, born in Lennox-
ville, Canada, June 19, 1866; married
Edgar Jay Oatman, and they have one
son, Floyd Adams Oatman, born Novem-
ber 9, 1899. 2 - Walter, born in Spring-
field, Massachusetts, September 25, 1867;
now president of the J. W. Adams Nurs-
ery Company, of Springfield ; he married,
November 23, 1891, Mabel Cynthia Chap-
man, and has two daughters : Ethel L.,
born June 27, 1894; and Ruth Marion,
born April 10, 1897. 3. John Collins, born
in Springfield, December 8, 1868, died
July 17, 1870. 4. William, born in Spring-
field. December 15, 1869, died February
17, 1877. 5. Charles, of further mention.
6. Nellie, born in Springfield, October 10,
1873 ; married William C. Metcalf.
(VIII) Charles Adams, youngest son
of John William Adams and his second
wife, Sarah F. (Waterhouse) Adams, was
born in Springfield, Massachusetts, March
7, 1871. He was educated in the public
schools, and while a student in high
school was also employed on the "Spring-
field Union." Soon after completing his
school years, he became associated with
his father in tree, flower and plant cul-
ture, the business having grown to such
proportions that the founder, J. W.
Adams, found the services of both his
sons, Walter and Charles, necessary to
its proper management. With the en-
trance of the sons the partnership became
J. W. Adams & Company, and so con-
tinued until further expansion was neces-
sary. The business was then incorporated
as the J. W. Adams Company, and under
that name was conducted until the present
corporate title was adopted, the J. W.
Adams Nursery Company, Walter Adams,
President ; Charles Adams, treasurer. The
109
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
business is a large and prosperous one,
the original area of the home plant in
Brightwood being supplemented by a
farm of forty acres in Westfield, used for
the propagation of forest trees, plants and
flowers. The products of the Adams
nursery are shipped to all parts of the
United States, to Mexico, Canada, Nova
Scotia, many orders going forward in car-
load lots.
Charles Adams served the city of
Springfield four years as a member of
Council, and at the present time (1920) is
a member of the City Board of Park
Commissioners. His clubs are the Spring-
field, Rotary, and Automobile.
Mr. Adams married, November 12,
1895, Ella Belle Bostwick, of Chicopee,
Massachusetts, daughter of William Tru-
man and Olive Ella (Duley) Bostwick,
and a descendant of Arthur Bostwick
(Bostock), one of the first settlers of
Hartford, Connecticut, 1639.
William Truman Bostwick was born in
New Haven, Connecticut, February 8,
1832, and died in Chicopee, Massachu-
setts, December 24, 1915. He learned the
harness maker's trade in New Haven ;
was employed in different places until
1870, when he settled permanently in
Chicopee, where he was in charge of the
leather department of the Ames Sword
Company. He resided in Chicopee for
forty-five years, and was one of the best
known men of his community. He retired
from the employ of the Ames Sword Com-
pany after twenty-five years' continuous
service, then for twenty years, until his
death, lived a quiet, retired life. He was
a man of honorable, upright life, a mem-
ber of the Unitarian church, and of the
Masonic order. He married, in Chicopee,
May ii, 1871, Olive Ella Duley, born
there December 23, 1847. They were the
parents of two children : Ella Belle, born
May 28, 1872, now the wife of Charles
Adams ; and William Ferry Bostwick, of
Chicopee.
CALKINS, Marshall, M. D.,
Of Great Professional Attainments.
Dr. Marshall Calkins, who from 1860
until 1910 was in active practice in
Springfield, Massachusetts, was during
those years one of the most eminent phy-
sicians of his day. The American ances-
tor in this branch is Deacon Hugh Cal-
kins, born in Wales, who was a descend-
ant of William Calkins, who flourished in
the time of King John and the Magna
Charta, 1215, he a man of wealth who
must have been one of the nobles who
extorted that immortal document from
the unwilling King.
(I) Deacon Hugh Calkins was born in
Chepston, Monmouthshire, Wales, in the
year 1600. He was a radical in religion,
a non-conformist, and living in the trou-
blous times of Charles I. he was denied
that freedom of conscience and action in
religious matters which he craved for him-
self and was willing to allow others. Fi-
nally, with his wife Ann and son, John, a
child of four years, he sailed with the
Welsh Company and their pastor, Rev.
Richard Blinmair, and reached New Eng-
land, about 1639. They settled first at
Greens Harbor, now Marshfield, Massa-
chusetts, but Hugh Calkins moved to
Gloucester, where he was a member of the
first Board of Selectmen, and in 1650
deputy to the General Court. In 1651 he
moved to Connecticut, and on May 20,
1652, the records show that he was deputy
to the General Court from New London.
He became very influential, served twelve
terms as deputy, and was a deputy magis-
trate. In 1660 he moved to Norwich,
then a wilderness, owned by the Mohegan
no
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Indians, and with his son, Hugh, appears
in a list of the thirty-five proprietors of
the nine miles square ceded by the In-
dians for the sum of seventy pounds ster-
ling. He was a deputy from Norwich for
ten terms, an active worker for all meas-
ures tending to promote the public good,
and a deacon of the first church in Nor-
wich. He died in Norwich, in 1690, aged
ninety years. He left sons, John and Da-
vid, and five daughters. This branch
descends through the second son, David.
(II) David Calkins, son of Hugh Cal-
kins, was born in Gloucester, Massa-
chusetts, but went with the family to Con-
necticut, settling there and there died
November 25, 1717. He married Mary
Bliss, daughter of Thomas Bliss, of Nor-
wich, and they were the parents of nine
children, descent following through Jo-
seph, the seventh son.
(III) Joseph Calkins, son of David and
Mary (Bliss) Calkins, resided in Lyme,
Connecticut, where he executed a will
which was probated May 8, 1764. In this
will he names his wife Lucretia, sons Jo-
seph, David, Jedediah, Ezekiel, James,
and the heirs of his deceased son, Wil-
liam.
(IV) James Calkins, son of Joseph and
Lucretia Calkins, named in his father's
will, removed from Lyme, Connecticut, to
Wilbraham, Massachusetts, where in
1726 he deeded land to Stephen Strick-
land. He seems to have been a man of
substance, the records showing that he
bought and sold land quite freely. His
first wife, Lucretia, bore him four sons,
David, Oliver, William, James ; and a
daughter, Mary. He married (second),
Esther Caldwell, and they were the par-
ents of seven children.
(V) David (2) Calkins, eldest of the
children of James and Lucretia Calkins,
was born in Wilbraham, Massachusetts,
and died in Springfield, Massachusetts.
He married Chloe Colton, born January
i, 1766, died May i, 1847. They were the
parents of eleven children, descent in the
line of Dr. Calkins being through Luke,
the second son.
(VI) Luke Calkins, son of David (2)
and Chloe (Colton) Calkins, was born
' February 27, 1792, and died December 6,
1866. He was a carpenter, living in Wil-
braham, where he owned and cultivated a
small farm. He was a Democrat in poli-
tics, but an anti-slavery man, a drummer
in the local militia company, and a mem-
ber of the Universalist church. A man of
quiet, domestic tastes, he reared a family
of able sons, two of them physicians, one,
David, practicing in Monson, dying in St.
Louis, while on a travel tour in 1855, the
other, Dr. Marshall Calkins, the father of
Dr. Cheney Hosmer Calkins, of Spring-
field (q. v.). Luke Calkins married, July
26, 1812, Polly Hancock, daughter of Moses
and Wealthy (Bishop) Hancock, her
father a soldier of the Revolution, draw-
ing a pension in his last years for his
services. Polly Hancock was a descend-
ant of Nathaniel Hancock, who was also
the ancestor of John Hancock, the distin-
guished patriot of Revolutionary days.
Nathaniel Hancock, who arrived as early
as 1634, settled in Cambridge. The line
of descent from Nathaniel and Joanna
Hancock is through their son, Thomas,
and his wife, Rachel (Leonard) Hancock,
of Springfield ; their sou, John, and his
first wife, Anna (Webb) Hancock, of
Springfield; their son, John (2), and his
second wife, Abigail (Terry) Hancock;
their son, Moses, the Revolutionary sol-
dier, and his wife, Wealthy (Bishop)
Hancock; their daughter, Polly, wife of
Luke Calkins. Mr. and Mrs. Calkins were
the parents of eleven children, nine of
whom grew to adult years. One of their
in
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
children married Ambrose Colton, and
in 1909 was living in Springfield, aged
ninety-two years. The line continues
through Marshall, the youngest son.
(VII) Dr. Marshall Calkins, son of
Luke and Polly (Hancock) Calkins, was
born in Wilbraham, Massachusetts, Sep-
tember 2, 1828. While he grew up on a
farm its work was not congenial, his great
desire being for an education. He ex-
celled in mathematics, mastering all text
books used in the district school at the
age of thirteen years, then, without a
teacher and studying alone, he finished
Day's Algebra in one winter. He bor-
rowed books wherever he could, paying
for their loan in service. He always car-
ried a book in his pocket, and often was
found in the shade of a tree reading when
supposed to be at work in the fields. A
young lady, knowing his passion for
books, loaned him her botany text book,
and a new world was opened to him. He
learned the medicinal plants, and when
permitted to do so tested their value on
his brothers and sisters. At the age of
fourteen years, he had firmly resolved to
become a physician. He financed his own
way through Wilbraham Academy, three
miles away from his home, and in 1846
began the study of medicine under a re-
putable physician, who also maintained
an infirmary. He was then eighteen
years of age, and to become independent
"bought his time" of his father, agreeing
to pay him $268, the estimated value of
the young man's time until reaching the
age of twenty-one years. After several
months' study and real experience in the
"infirmary," he became a private student
and a member of the family of Dr. Calvin
Newton, president of Worcester Medical
College, and soon afterward he regularly
entered that institution as a student. He
completed the courses of study at the age
of twenty years, and instead of a degree
and diploma, which could not be lawfully
issued until he was twenty-one years of
age, he received a certificate stating that
he had passed the examinations and would
receive his diploma and degree a year
later. During that year of waiting he
practiced in Monson, and carefully con-
served his income in order to pursue a
college course of classical study. He then
entered and spent one year at Wesleyan
University (1850-51), but in the latter
year transferred to Union College (now
University) at Schenectady, New York,
there receiving his A. B. in 1853, and in
1856 his A. M. degree. He received his
M. D. from Dartmouth Medical College
in 1867, and then attended lectures at
Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia, for
one year. He at once opened an office
here and continued in active practice until
1860, when he located in Springfield. Be-
ing then thirty-two years of age, well edu-
cated and experienced in his profession,
he soon attracted a clientele, and from
that time until his retirement in 1911 his
practice was large and important. The
honors of his profession fell plentifully
upon him, and the literature of the medi-
cal profession was enriched by his pen.
In 1862 Dr. Calkins became a member
of the Massachusetts Medical Society, and
in 1869 a corresponding member of the
Boston Gynaecological Society, in that
year pursuing further studies in that city;
in 1872 he was appointed United States
pension examiner, and served until 1874 ;
in 1873 was appointed to the chair of
Physiology and Microscopic Anatomy in
the University of Vermont, a chair which
he retained without changing his resi-
dence until his resignation after five years.
He was at that time a member of the State
Medical Society, and later became a mem-
ber of the American Medical Association,
112
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
and the American Association for the Ad-
vancement of Sciences. He was for years
connected as consulting physician and
surgeon with the Springfield Hospital ;
was censor of Hampden District Medical
Society ; chairman, secretary and senior
physician of the Provident Dispensary ;
member of the Medical Board of the
Union Relief Association for Friendless
Women and Children, and was made phy-
sician emeritus to that institution. In
1875, Dr. Calkins attended the Interna-
tional Medical Congress, held in Brussels,
Belgium, and while on that tour in-
spected hospitals in England, Scotland,
France. In 1883-84 he made a protracted
tour of Europe, accompanied by his wife
and son, and in the hospitals of London
and Vienna he improved opportunities
for close observation and personal work,
attending lectures in Vienna and King's
College, London. With an exacting prac-
tice, Dr. Calkins was able to give but a
small part of his time to literary work,
yet many articles appeared from his pen.
In 1854, he completed and published the
posthumous treatise of his preceptor, Dr.
Calvin Newton, entitled "Thoroac Dis-
eases." Among his published articles are:
"Origin, Prevention and Treatment of
Asiatic Cholera," "Report of Cases of
Trichinae Spirales in Springfield." pub-
lished by the Massachusetts Medical So-
cieties in 1867; "Alkaline Sulphites and
Bisulphites," published by the Vermont
Medical Society, 1872 ; "Physiological
Basis of Objective Teaching," 1889. He
is a member of Hampden Lodge, Free and
Accepted Masons, and the Masonic Club,
but he is not socially inclined, and his
real relaxation from professional duties
was the study of modern languages. He
has ever been an honor to his profession
in the fullest sense of the word.
Dr. Marshall Calkins married, in 1855,
Mass 108
Adelaide Augusta Hosmer, born in West
Boyleston, Worcester county, Massachu-
setts, May 22, 1831, daughter of General
E. M. Hosmer, of West Boylston, Massa-
chusetts, and died in Springfield, January
2, 1909. She was a descendant of Joseph
Cheney, born in 1647, through his son,
Josiah, 1685 ; his son, Timothy, 1726, a
soldier of the Revolution; his son, Ebene-
zer, 1780, and his wife, Hannah (Plymp-
ton) Cheney; their daughter, Mary, and
her husband, Ebenezer M. Hosmer, they
the parents of Adelaide Augusta (Hos-
mer) Calkins. Mrs. Calkins became a
manager of the Home for Friendless
Women and Children in 1867, serving ten
years in that office ; was a member of the
advisory board of three women appointed
by Governor Rice, in 1877, on the State
Board of Charities ; and when that board
was abolished and its members made
trustees with direct instead of advisory
power, Mrs. Calkins served on the Board
of the State Primary and Reform Schools.
Her work was singularly useful, and while
declining reappointment in 1880, she ac-
cepted appointment on the board of auxil-
iary visitors to the State Board of Char-
ities, consisting of five women. She also
at this time accepted the responsibility of
beginning the work of placing young chil-
dren in homes in Western Massachusetts,
and visiting them quarterly. That work
she continued until 1883, when a salaried
officer was appointed, Mrs. Calkins retir-
ing. She was also identified with the
work of the Union Relief Association, out
of which grew the Hampden County Chil-
dren's Aid Society. She was one of the
organizers of a Day Nursery in 1885, to
which was added a labor bureau and an
industrial laundry, these being merged
later under one roof in a building of their
own under the name, Industrial House
Charities. In 1897 she was appointed by
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Mayor Powers a member of the first
board of trustees of The City Hospital,
later known as the Springfield Hospital,
and until her death Mrs. Calkins was a
member of this corporation. In 1886 she
was elected a member of Springfield
School Committee, holding this office
twelve years, with great benefit to the
school children of the city. She was re-
gent of Mercy Warren Chapter, Daugh-
ters of the American Revolution, which
she organized, and was deeply interested
in the special work of that order. She was
invited to sit for a portrait of herself, and
this is now hung in Mercy Warren Chap-
ter room of the Massachusetts Society in
Washington in the Daughters of the
American Revolutionary building. She
was very active in war work during the
Spanish-American War period, was a
member of the Women's Club of Spring-
field, and of the Massachusetts State Fed-
eration of Women's Clubs, which she
served for three years as a vice-president.
She was an honorary member of the
Teachers' Club, member of the Rama-
pogue Historical Society, and of the First
Congregational Church. Dr. and Mrs.
Calkins were the parents of a son, Cheney
Hosmer, whose career follows.
CALKINS, Cheney Hosmer, M. D.,
Skilled Oculist and Anrist.
Dr. Cheney Hosmer Calkins, son of Dr.
Marshall and Adelaide A. (Hosmer) Cal-
kins (q. v.), was born in Springfield, Mas-
sachusetts, November u, 1860. After
completing his preparatory education, he
began the study of medicine under his
honored father, then entered the medical
department of the University of Pennsyl-
vania School of Medicine, whence he was
graduated M. D., class of 1882. Imme-
diately afterward he accepted the post of
resident physician and surgeon to Hart-
ford Hospital, Hartford, Connecticut, a
position he held one year before going
abroad to continue medical study in
Vienna and London. In Vienna he pur-
sued special study on the ear under
Professor Politzer, and with Professor
Jaeger on the eye, receiving special com-
mendation from the professors for skillful
delicacy of manipulation. In London he
studied at the Royal Opththalmic Hospi-
tal, his professors being the eminent doc-
tors Natteship, Lawson, Tweedy, Gunn
and Couper. After his special preparation
abroad he returned to Springfield and re-
sumed practice, but continued special
studies in Boston and New York. He has
made eye and ear treatment his special
line of practice, and has been eminently
successful, and is held in equally high re-
gard by his brethren of the profession. He
was appointed oculist and aurist to the
Home of Friendless Women and Children
soon after beginning practice, and later
in Provident Dispensary, and for several
years he bore the same relation to Mercy
Hospital. Dr. Calkins is a member of
many professional societies, including the
Hampden County District Medical So-
ciety, which he served as secretary, the
New England Opththalmological Society,
Massachusetts Medical Society, Spring-
field Academy of Medicine. He is a mem-
ber of the Massachusetts Society, Sons of
the American Revolution, member of the
Springfield Country Club, Springfield Au-
tomobile Club, Republican Club. His
recreation is motoring.
Dr. Calkins married, October 30. 1893,
Alice Haile, only daughter of William H.
Haile, of Springfield, a former lieutenant-
governor of the State of Massachusetts.
Dr. and Mrs. Calkins are the parents of a
son, William Haile, born in Springfield,
January 4, 1898.
114
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
BECKWITH, Charles L.,
Official in Paper Industry.
The English ancestry of the Beckwith
family, of which Charles L. Beckwith,
vice-president of the H. W. Carter Paper
Company, of Springfield, is a worthy rep-
resentative, is traced to Sir Hugh de
Malebisse, of the time of William the
Conqueror. In 1226 the name was
changed to Beckwith, where Sir Hercules
de Malebisse married Lady Dame Beck-
with Bruce. The coat-of-arms of the fam-
ily is as follows :
Arms Argent a chevron gules, fretty or, be-
tween three hinds, heads erased, of the second.
On a chief engrailed gules a saltire engrailed be-
tween two roses or, in pale, and on a chief joined
to the dexter and sinister sides a demi fleur-de-
lis paleways or.
(I) Matthew Beckwith, born in Ponte-
fract, Yorkshire, England, about 1610,
emigrated to New England in 1635. He
located in the State of Connecticut, his
first residence being at Saybrook Point,
1635, from whence he removed to Bran-
ford, 1638, Hartford, 1642, Lyme, 1651. He
purchased large tracts on the Niantic
river, and owned the barque "Endeavor,"
the first vessel launched from New Lon-
don. He was of that class known as
planters, many of whom were men of
means. He "came to his death by mis-
taking his way of a dark night and falling
from a cliff of rocks," according to town
records, December 13, 1681. He left a
wife, Elizabeth Beckwith, and seven chil-
dren.
(II) Matthew (2) Beckwith, son of
Matthew (i) and Elizabeth Beckwith,
was born in 1637, in Saybrook Point,
Connecticut, and died in New London,
Connecticut, June 4, 1727. He was a
freeman of Waterford in 1658. He mar-
ried (first) Elizabeth - , and (second)
Elizabeth Griswold, daughter of Matthew
Griswold. He and his first wife were the
parents of eight children, among whom
was Jonah, of further mention.
(III) Jonah Beckwith, son of Matthew
(2) and Elizabeth Beckwith, was born in
New London, Connecticut, December 27,
1673, an d died in Lyme, Connecticut,
1744, whither he removed in early man-
hood, and served as deacon of the Congre-
gational church there. He married, July
12, 1701, Rebecca - , who bore him
three children : George, of further men-
tion ; Benjamin, and Jonah, Jr.
(IV) George Beckwith, eldest son of
Jonah and Rebecca Beckwith, was born in
Lyme, Connecticut, September 17, 1702,
and there died in the year 1794. He was
a graduate of Yale College, studied for the
ministry, and was ordained first pastor of
the Congregational church, Lyme, in Jan-
uary, 1730. In 1761 he was appointed
chaplain of the First Regiment, Connec-
ticut Volunteers, participating in the
French and Indian wars. He served as
moderator of the General Association of
Connecticut, 1762, at Marshfield, and at
Bristol, both in Connecticut, 1773. He
married, December, 1734, Sarah - ,
born in 1705, died in 1797. They were the
parents of three children : George, Bar-
zillai, of further mention ; and Nathaniel.
(V) Barzillai Beckwith, second son of
George and Sarah Beckwith, was born in
Lyme, Connecticut, 1736, and died in East
Haddam, same State, 1818, aged eighty-
two years. He removed to Ellington,
Connecticut, where he pursued the occu-
pation of farming, and was also a deacon
of the Congregational church there.
Later he removed to East Haddam, same
State, where he spent the remainder of
his years. He served as a sergeant in the
Lexington Alarm from East Haddam.
He married Mary Butler, whose death
also occurred in East Haddam, and they
were the parents of eleven children,
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
among whom was George, of further men-
tion.
(VI) George (2) Beckwith, son of
Barzillai and Mary (Butler) Beckwith,
was born in East Haddam, Connecticut,
February 6, 1/64, and died in Great Bar-
rington, Massachusetts, September 25,
1842. He settled in Great Barrington,
Massachusetts, about 1807, on the Stock-
bridge road. He was for many years one
of the leading men in the Congregational
church, and was familiarly called "Deacon
George." He was a valuable citizen, a
well educated man, being able to read and
write seven languages, a man of excellent
judgment, conscientious and public-spir-
ited, and exerted a salutary influence in
all the moral, religious and secular affairs
of the town. He married , and
among their children was Mark, of further
mention.
(VII) Mark Beckwith, son of George
(2) Beckwith, was born in Great Bar-
rington, Massachusetts, and died there,
in 1870. During his active career he
devoted his attention to various pursuits,
achieving success as a result of industry,
perseverance and skill. He married, in
Stockbridge, Massachusetts, April 28,
1842, Modena Spellman, a native of Hart-
land, Connecticut, and was killed in a
cyclone in the year 1870. Four children
were born to Mr. and Mrs. Beckwith, as
follows : Charles B., born 1844, married,
1869, Abbie Sullivan, and resided in
Gardner, Massachusetts ; Orson Edgar, of
further mention ; a son, died in infancy ;
Cornelia, born 1851, died 1854.
(VIII) Orson Edgar Beckwith, son
of Mark and Modena (Spellman) Beck-
with, was born in Great Barrington,
Massachusetts, June 7, 1847, ar >d died
in Springfield, Massachusetts, Septem-
ber 22, 1912. After completing his
school studies, he served an apprentice-
ship to the trade of carpenter, and
worked as a journeyman in Curtisville,
town of Stockbridge. Later he went
to Florida, where he spent a number of
years in the raising of oranges, peaches
and strawberries, and about 1903 returned
North, locating in Springfield, Massachu-
setts, where he followed the making of
automobile bodies, continuing along this
line up to within three months of his
death. He was actively identified with
the Memorial Church, serving as a mem-
ber of its board of deacons for a number
of years. He was also a member of the
New England Order of Protection.
Mr. Beckwith married, November 28,
1871, Elizabeth Adelaide Lombard, born
in Springfield, Massachusetts, September
14, 1842, daughter of Timothy Hall and
Elizabeth (Robinson) Lombard (see
Lombard, VII). Children of Mr. and
Mrs. Beckwith : Lottie Louise, married
Howard Allen Hastings, of Orange,
Massachusetts; children: Arthur Gor-
don, Allen Beckwith, Paul Starret, and
Mildred Ethel ; Charles Lombard, of
further mention ; child, died at birth.
(IX) Charles Lombard Beckwith, son
of Orson Edgar and Elizabeth Adelaide
(Lombard) Beckwith, was born in Cur-
tisville, town of Stockbridge, Massachu-
setts, February 15, 1879. He attended the
schools of his native town until the re-
moval of his parents to the State of Flor-
ida, then continued his studies in the
schools of Belleview, and after the return
of his parents to the State of Massachu-
setts completed his studies in the schools
of Pittsfield. His first employment was
in the store of Prince & Walker, dealers
in carpets and wall paper, in Pittsfield,
where he remained for a year. He then
entered the employ of Cullen Brothers,
dry goods merchants, with whom he re-
mained for a year and a half, then entered
116
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
the employ of William B. Foote & Com-
pany, engaged in the business of mill sup-
plies, where he remained for two and a
half years. In 1898 he changed his place
of residence to Springfield, Massachusetts,
and there secured employment in the of-
fice and store of Carter & Bartlett, and
for a period of six months served them as
traveling salesman. His next employ-
ment was with H. W. Carter & Com-
pany, who succeeded Carter & Bartlett,
as assistant in the purchasing division,
and later was made purchasing agent, this
promotion the result of his efforts in their
behalf. In 1906 the H. W. Carter Paper
Company was incorporated, and Mr.
Beckwith was elected to the office of sec-
retary at that time. In 1912 he was
chosen vice-president of the company, in
which capacity he has since served. In
addition to these duties, Mr. Beckwith
is a member of the board of directors of
the Hampden Cooperative Bank of
Springfield. Mr. Beckwith has taken an
active interest in the First Congregational
Church, of which he is a member; has
served as a member of the music commit-
tee, as treasurer of the Sunday school, as
president of the Young People's Society
of Christian Endeavor, as superintendent
of the Junior Young People's Society
of Christian Endeavor, and was president
of the Monday Lunch Club. He is a
member of the United Christian Temper-
ance Association, and a member of the
Kiwanis Club since its organization.
Mr. Beckwith married, June 27, 1905,
Martha Louise Shaw, of Springfield, born
in Palmer, Massachusetts, daughter of
George Franklin and Elizabeth (Brown)
Shaw. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Beck-
with: Phillis Fay, born August 8, 1906;
Sylvia Louise, born January 26, 1908;
Niel Spellman, born April 6, 1909; Eliza-
beth Joyce, born March 8, 1911 ; and Bar-
bara Fairbanks, born January 25, 1913.
(The Lombard Line)
(I) John Lombard, the immigrant an-
cestor of the branch of the family of
which Mrs. Elizabeth A. (Lombard)
Beckwith is a representative, came from
England about the year 1640, and settled
at Cape Cod, Massachusetts, from whence
he went to Springfield, same State, being
among the first settlers, and between the
years 1657 an< i 1667 received five grants
of land. He was a weaver by trade, and
served as fence viewer in 1655 and 1657.
He married, in New Haven, Connecticut,
Joanna Pritchard, daughter of Roger and
Frances Pritchard ; the date of the cere-
mony was September i, 1647. Three chil-
dren were born of this marriage : John,
born July 20, 1648, died aged twenty-four
years ; David, of further mention ; Nathan-
iel, born September 6, 1654, died Septem-
ber 20, 1654. John Lombard died May 15,
1672, survived by his wife, whose death
occurred May 19, 1692.
(II) David Lombard, son of John and
Joanna (Pritchard) Lombard, was born
in Springfield, Massachusetts, October 16
(or August 8,), 1650, and died there Au-
gust 17, 1716. He probably settled upon
land allotted his father at Long Hill, and
for more than a century and a half after-
ward this property was known as the
Lombard estate. He served in the capac-
ities of surveyor, tithingman, and con-
stable. He married Margaret Filley, who
bore him seven children, as follows :
Mary, born in 1677; Margaret, born in
1679; Abigail, born in 1682; John, born
in 1685; David, born in 1690; Ebenezer,
of further mention ; Joseph, born in 1696.
(III) Ebenezer Lombard, son of David
and Margaret (Filley) Lombard, was
born in Springfield, Massachusetts, in
1692. He resided on the old homestead
on Long Hill. He married, March 18,
1717, Rachel Loomis, born January 12,
1692, daughter of Joseph Loomis, and six
117
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
children were born of this marriage:
Rachel, Ebenezer, Joseph, Lydia, Jona-
than, and Daniel, of further mention.
(IV) Daniel Lombard, son of Eben-
ezer and Rachel (Loomis) Lombard, was
born in Springfield, Massachusetts, Octo-
ber 14, 1/32, and died there in 1795. He
was the proprietor of a country store in
Springfield and also conducted a saddler's
shop there, from which he derived a com-
fortable livelihood. He purchased the
Justin Lombard property in 1784. He
married and was the father of two chil-
dren, as follows: Daniel, Jr., born 1/64,
died 1856; and Roswell, of further men-
tion.
(V) Roswell Lombard, son of Daniel
Lombard, was born in Springfield, Massa-
chusetts. He married, October 4, 1789,
Anna Jones, born in 1772, died Septem-
ber 21, 1803, daughter of Captain Josiah
and Elizabeth (Woodbridge) Jones.
Among the children of Mr. and Mrs. Lom-
bard was Timothy Hall, of further men-
tion.
(VI) Timothy Hall Lombard, son of
Roswell and Anna (Jones) Lombard, was
born in Springfield, Massachusetts, Sep-
tember 15, 1806, and died June 2, 1889.
He married Elizabeth Robinson, born No-
vember 17, 1813, died in October, 1842,
when her daughter, Elizabeth Adelaide,
was three weeks old.
(VII) Elizabeth Adelaide Lombard,
daughter of Timothy Hall and Elizabeth
(Robinson) Lombard, became the wife of
Orson Edgar Beckwith (see Beckwith,
VIII).
DICKINSON, Oliver Hyde,
Active in Community Affairs.
Honored and respected by all, there are
few men in Springfield, Massachusetts,
who occupy a more enviable position in
commercial or agricultural circles than
Oliver H. Dickinson, not alone on ac-
count of the success he has achieved, but
also on account of the honorable, straight-
forward business policy he has ever fol-
lowed, and he has demonstrated the truth
of the saying that success is not the result
of genius, but the outcome of a clear judg-
ment, experience and sagacity.
(I) The Dickinson family is an old one
in the New England States, and the
branch herein represented traces to Gid-
eon Dickinson, who was among the early
settlers of Stonington, Connecticut, where
he was actively interested in community
affairs. His wife, Sarah (Campbell)
Dickinson, bore him six sons, as follows :
Samuel, Daniel, John Lodewick, of
further mention, Jeremiah, Gideon, Jr. and
Richard.
(II) John Lodewick Dickinson, third
son of Gideon and Sarah (Campbell)
Dickinson, was born in Stonington,
Connecticut, February 3, 1776. He was
a man of energy and enterprise, and his
life was spent in the performance of the
duties which fell to his lot. He married,
January 19, 1795, Naomi Graham, born
August i, 1775, and they were the parents
of five children, as follows: Ira, Anna,
Sarah, Asa Callender, of further mention,
and John Lodewick, Jr.
(III) Asa Callender Dickinson, second
son of John Lodewick and Naomi
(Graham) Dickinson, was born in Ston-
ington, Connecticut, June I, 1802, and
died in Detroit, Michigan, May 23, 1885.
In early life he removed from his native
city to Pulaski, New York, and in the
thirties went West, locating in Detroit,
Michigan, being among the pioneers in
that section of the United States. He was
a prospector, prospecting for marble quar-
ries in the vicinity of Lake Superior, mak-
ing his travels on foot. He succeeded in
his enterprise, and was rated among the
progressive men of his adopted city. He
118
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
married, December 22, 1827, Minerva
Holmes, who bore him eight children, as
follows : Maria Jane, Asa De Zeng, of
further mention, Jerome Goodell, Julia
Janet, Sarah Armenia, De Witt Holmes,
George Duane, and Donald McDonald, a
former postmaster general. They also
had an adopted son, George D.
(IV) Asa De Zeng Dickinson, eldest
son of Asa Callender and Minerva
(Holmes) Dickinson, was born in Pulaski,
New York, October 4, 1830, and died in
New York City, November i, 1903. He
accompanied his parents to Detroit, Mich-
igan, but his education was obtained in
the schools of Pulaski. He was for some
time employed on the express boats and
freighters on the Great Lakes, advancing
to the responsible position of captain, in
which capacity he served for a number of
years. He later became owner of a
freight boat, and with others operated a
number of freight boats on the lakes. He
was appointed as the first agent on the
lakes for the Wells Fargo Express Com-
pany. He moved to New York City in
iSSi, and entered the wholesale saddlery
and harness business and continued in
this for some years. Later he became the
credit man for one of the largest dry goods
houses in New York City. He died in this
city November i, 1903.
He married, October 24, 1860, Harriet
Sprague Hyde, born in Detroit, Michi-
gan, October 31, 1842, died in Springfield,
Massachusetts, - , 1917, she having
removed to that city after the death of
her husband. Her remains were interred
in Elmwood Cemetery, Detroit. Children
of Mr. and Mrs. Dickinson : Oliver Hyde,
of further mention; Jesse Holmes, died
in infancy ; Florence Minerva, married
Frank C. Johnson, and their children
are : Stuart, Florence, Donald ; and Asa
Don, serving as librarian in the Univer-
sity of Pennsylvania, married Helen Dick-
inson, and they have two children, Asa
and Elizabeth.
(V) Oliver Hyde Dickinson, oldest son
of Asa De Zeng and Harriet Sprague
(Hyde) Dickinson, was born in Detroit,
Michigan, March 10, 1863. He attended
the public schools of his native city, then
matriculated in the University of Michi-
gan, Ann Arbor, where he pursued a
course in chemistry, graduating in 1881.
He then went to New York City, and for
the following four years was employed in
a wholesale dry goods establishment,
gaining a thorough knowledge of that line
of work. At the expiration of that period
of time, in 1885, he changed his place of
residence to Springfield, Massachusetts,
and accepted a position as clerk in the
Stebbins Brass Company, in which
capacity he served for three and a half
years. He then engaged in business on
his own account, in the selling of seed and
the raising of plants and bulbs for nurser-
ies, all high grade fancy stock, and later,
1917, in addition, had extensive farming
interests. He began raising blooded
stock, having a farm at Hinsdale, New
Hampshire. In addition to his other busi-
ness interests, Mr. Dickinson is treasurer
of the Fisk Paper Company, located in
Hinsdale, New Hampshire. Mr. Dickin-
son is an active factor in all projects that
have for their object the betterment of
community affairs.
Mr. Dickinson married, June 20, 1888,
Isabelle Ripley Fisk, of Springfield,
Massachusetts, daughter of George C. and
Maria Emerson (Ripley) Fisk. Children
of Mr. and Mrs. Dickinson : George Fisk,
married Lena Lawrence, and they have a
son, George Fisk, Jr., and a daughter,
Barbara; Julia, married William A. Ram-
berg, and they had one child, Emily
Louise, deceased, and an adopted child,
Catherine Isabelle ; Minerva.
119
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
FOSS, George Herbert, M. D.,
Leader in Educational Work.
Along both paternal and maternal lines
of descent, Dr. George H. Foss of Spring-
field, traces to John Foss, the founder of
the family in New England, who came to
America in an English war vessel, and
while she lay in Boston Harbor managed
to get overboard unseen and swam ashore.
He later settled at Portsmouth, New
Hampshire, where he was granted land,
February 24, 1657. He was admitted an
inhabitant of Dover, New Hampshire,
January I, 1665, and on June 21, 1669, he
took the oath of allegiance. He resided
for a time at Kittery, Maine, and later
owned a house and one hundred acres in
Exeter, New Hampshire, which he sold
in April, 1671. In 1677 ne was taxed for
the minister's support in Great Island
(Rye). He and his family were members
of the Society of Friends. John Foss
made his will in Dover, December 7, 1679.
He married (first) Mary Chadbourne,
born in Boston, in 1644, daughter of Wil-
liam and Mary Chadbourne, and grand-
daughter of William Chadbourne. The lat-
ter came over with Captain John Mason to
build a mill at now South Berwick, Maine.
He married (second), January 25, 1686,
Sarah Ross, widow of James Ross. He
married (third) Elizabeth Locke, daughter
of William and Jane Berry, and widow of
John Locke, who was killed by the Indians
on Dover Plains, June 26, 1696. Children,
all by first and second marriages : John ;
Samuel, died young; Joshua, of whom
further; Elizabeth, born in Dover,
1666; Mary; William; Walter; Hannah;
Thomas; Hinkson, killed by Indians on
Dover Plains, June 26, 1696, aged seven-
teen years; Humphrey; Jemima; Samuel.
(II) Joshua Foss, third son of John
Foss, died in Barrington, New Hamp-
shire, aged ninety-nine years and six
months. He lived previously in Rye, New
Hampshire, and was one of the first se-
lectmen, serving 1726-30. He married
Sarah Wallis, daughter of Ralph and Ann
(Shortlidge) Wallis. They were the par-
ents of Thomas, Nathaniel, John, Job,
Waliis, Jane, Hannah, Mark, George, of
whom further.
(III) George Foss, son of Joshua and
Sarah (Wallis) Foss, was born in Rye,
New Hampshire, in 1721, died May 19,
1807, in Stratford, New Hampshire. He
was a soldier of the Revolution, a private
in Captain Hill's company, on Seavey's
Inland, November 5, -1775; also in Cap-
tain Josiah Parsons' company from No-
vember 6 to December 6, 1775; and in
Captain Emerson's company in 17/6, his
son George serving in the same company.
George Foss married, April 3, 1746, Mary
Marden, born September 30, 1726, died
September 13, 1806, daughter of James
and Abigail (Webster) Marden. Their
home was in Barrington, one mile from
the present Stratford line. Children :
Rachel, Judith, John, Abigail, George (2),
of whom further ; William, Richard,
James, Alary, Samuel, Nathan.
(IV) George (2) Foss, son of George
(i) and Mary (Marden) Foss, was born in
Barrington, New Hampshire, October 9,
1757. He served in the Revolutionary
War in 1776 in Captain Emerson's com-
pany, his father also being in that com-
pany. He married (first) Elizabeth Per-
kins, born in 1756; (second) Jane Hill.
The family home was in Stratford, New
Hampshire. Children by first wife : Sam-
uel Perkins, of whom further ; John,
George, Betsey. Children of second
wife : Mark and Colton Hill.
(V) Samuel Perkins Foss, eldest son of
George (2) Foss and his first wife, Eliza-
beth (Perkins) Foss, settled in Gilman-
ton. New Hampshire. He married Judith
Hill, and they were the parents of a son,
1 20
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Benjamin Hill, of whom further, and a
daughter, Nancy.
(VI) Benjamin Hill Foss, only son of
Samuel Perkins and Judith (Hill) Foss,
was born in Stratford, New Hampshire,
in 1811, and died in Pittsfield, New
Hampshire, April 15, 1888. He engaged
in farming all his active life. He married
Hepsibeth Whitten. Children: George
Washington, of whom further; Lucinda,
married Daniel Green; Mary, deceased,
married Samuel Potter; Horace; Melvin,
deceased; Betsy, married Isaac Carr;
Nancy, deceased, was for many years
housekeeper of Concord Insane Asylum ;
Myra, deceased, a school teacher, who
later invented a schiving machine for
schiving leather for shoes, went into the
shoe business in Lynn, Massachusetts,
got royalty on her machines for many
years ; this machine consisted of a knife
so placed in a machine that it would
schive or pare down the edges of leather
where two pieces were to be sewed to-
gether ; Benjamin, died in infancy ; Al-
vena, married Albert Jenkins, a carpenter.
(VII) George Washington Foss, eldest
son of Benjamin Hill and Hepsibeth
(Whitten) Foss, was born in Gilmanton,
New Hampshire, in 1838, and died in
Pittsfield, New Hampshire, January 18,
1899. His youth was spent in his native
place, but the greater part of his life was
spent in Pittsfield, where he was promi-
nent in business and a substantial farmer.
He was a man of ability and sound judg-
ment, president of a local insurance com-
pany, and as notary public for many years
did a great deal of conveyancing for the
neighborhood, drawing deeds, making
wills, etc. He was a member of the Free
Will Baptist church, and a man highly
respected and esteemed. He married,
October 8, 1875, Nellie Sarah Foss, born
in Alton, New Hampshire, January 26,
1856, died February 7, 1906, daughter of
Simon and Dorothy (Hayes) Foss, and
a descendant of John Foss, the American
ancestor, through his son Joshua. From
Joshua the line follows through his son
Mark, his son Timothy, his son Simon,
his son Simon (2), his daughter, Nellie
Sarah Foss, wife of George W. Foss.
George W. and Nellie S. (Foss) Foss
were the parents of three children : George
Herbert, of whom further ; Ella, died in
infancy; Benjamin Harry, a locomotive
engineer, of Greenfield, Massachusettts,
married Lyda - , and has children,
James Rufus and Ellen Foss.
(VIII) George Herbert Foss, eldest
son of George Washington and Nellie
Sarah (Foss) Foss, was born in Pitts-
field, New Hampshire, February 21, 18/9,
and there obtained his preparatory edu-
cation. He served five years on a United
States training ship, and in her sailed to
many of the ports of the world. Deciding
upon medicine as his profession, he en-
tered Dartmouth Medical College, there
receiving the M. D. degree with the class
of 1906. After graduation, he formed a
connection with the J. G. White Con-
struction Company, by which he became
their health director, his first assignment
being at Havana, Cuba, where that com-
pany was employing a large number of
men in the construction of docks. He was
in full charge of the health of the men,
and after the completion of the Havana
works he continued in the same relation
with the company during the construc-
tion of the great power dam at South
Vernon and Hinsdale, New Hampshire.
After the completion of that work, he
began the private practice of his profes-
sion at Alstead, New Hampshire, and
there remained three years. He then dis-
posed of his practice there, and in 1912
located at Springfield, Massachusetts,
where he has been in active successful
practice during the nine years which have
121
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
since intervened. He is a member of
the Hampden County Medical Society,
Massachusetts State Medical Society, and
the American Medical Association, keep-
ing in touch with all that is going on in
the medical world through the medium of
these societies and their literature.
Dr. Foss was a member of the Consti-
tutional Convention that revised the con-
stitution of the State of Massachusetts,
finishing that labor in 1919. He is a mem-
ber of the Springfield Board of Education,
and deeply interested in school work. He
is affiliated with Rosewell Lee Lodge,
Free and Accepted Masons ; Springfield
Lodge of Perfection of the Ancient and
Accepted Scottish Rite; the Masonic
Club ; and Amity Lodge, Independent
Order of Odd Fellows.
Dr. Foss married, June 12, 1906, Ella N.
Todd, of Boston, daughter of Charles S.
and Eliza H. (Neat) Todd. They are
the parents of two sons, who are of the
ninth generation of the Foss family in
New England : George Herbert, Jr., born
in Hinsdale, New Hampshire, September
30, 1908; and Robert Todd, born in
Springfield, Massachusetts, April 21,
1918.
FISK, Charles Everett,
Man of Enterprise.
Charles Everett Fisk, a well-known real
estate dealer of Springfield, is of English
ancestry, the family being traced to Lord
Symond Fiske, a grandson of Daniel
Fisc, who was lord of the manor of
Standhaugh, Suffolk, England, and flour-
ished between the reigns of Kings Henry
IV. and VI. He was the ancestor of Na-
than Fiske, who settled in Watertown,
Massachusetts, as early as 1642. Mem-
bers of the family founded by Nathan
Fiske have been prominent in private and
public life as clergymen, lawyers, phy-
sicians, financiers, soldiers, merchants,
teachers, professors, farmers, philanthro-
pists, and patriots. Rev. Perrin B. Fiske,
of Lyndon, Vermont, has written of
them :
Ffische, Fisc, Fiske, Fisk (spell it either way)
Meant true knighthood, freedom, faith, good qual-
ities that stay;
Brethren let the ancient name mean just the same
for aye;
Forward every youth to seek the higher good
to-day.
Among the twentieth century represen-
tative men of the family is Charles Ever-
ett Fisk, the subject of this sketch, who is
the son of Daniel Fisk, and grandson of
Simeon Fisk and his second wife, Orminda
(Barnes) Fisk. Simeon Fisk died about
1851, aged fifty years, a farmer of Deer-
field and Belchertown, Massachusetts.
He and his first wife were the parents of
a son, James B., and a daughter, Clarisa
K. Daniel Fisk, son of Simeon and Or-
minda (Barnes) Fisk, was born in Belch-
ertown, Massachusetts, in 1831, and died
December, 1901. He was educated in the
public schools, was a farmer for twenty-
five years of his active life, also a lumber-
man, purchasing timber lots, erecting saw
mills, and converting the trees into lum-
ber. He was a man of great energy and
sound judgment, his opinion of the value
of standing timber being considered final.
Consequently he was much sought for as
an appraiser and timber expert. In 1867
he moved to Barre, Massachusetts, and
there resided until his death. He was a
town surveyor of highways, member of
the school committee, an attendant of the
Congregational church. He took an ac-
tive part in town affairs all his life, and
was always ready to aid in any move-
ment for the betterment of his town. Dan-
iel Fisk married Mary Smith Blackmer, of
Belchertown, Massachusetts, daughter of
Sears Blackmer, born in Warren, Massa-
122
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
chusetts, in 1783. and his wife, Sally
(Smith) Blackmer, born the same year.
They were the parents of four daughters
and six sons : Ella, deceased ; Francis,
deceased ; Charles Everett, of further
mention; Ella (2), deceased; Lida ;
James, of Springfield ; Arthur, of Spring-
field ; Daniel, deceased; Fred, resides on
old homestead at Barre ; and Harry, of
Springfield.
Charles Everett Fisk, eldest living son
of Daniel and Mary Smith (Blackmer)
Fisk, was born in Belchertown, Massa-
chusetts, May 13, 1858, but when he was
very young his parents moved to Barre,
same state, and there the years of his
youth and early manhood were spent. He
was educated at Barre Academy, and at a
commercial college in Newark, New Jer-
sey, there completing his education, and
then for a term of four years engaged as
a teacher. He was then supervisor of in-
struction at Barre Institute for another
term of four years. In 1888 he located in
Springfield, Massachusetts, became iden-
tified with the Springfield Water Depart-
ment in 1891, and for twenty-seven years
has held this position, although upon dif-
ferent occasions he has attempted to re-
sign, but the water board has declined to
consider it.
As a dealer in real estate, Mr. Fisk has
bought, built, and sold extensively, hold-
ing at times one hundred parcels of rent-
ing property. He has long been engaged
in this line of activity, and is one of the
prominent men of the real estate business.
He is a Republican in politics, has been
chairman of the City Central Committee
of his party, attends the North Congre-
gational Church, is affiliated with Bay
State Lodge, Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, and has held all offices up to and
including that of noble grand. He is
highly esteemed by his brethren, friends
and business associates as a man whose
influence is always for good.
Mr. Fisk married, September 22, 1892,
Margaret L. Buel, daughter of Jared and
Lois M. Buel. Mrs. Fisk's mother was
born in Waterbury, Connecticut, and Mrs.
Fisk was born in Derby, Connecticut.
Mrs. Fisk takes an active part in many
organizations and clubs, being a member
of Mercy Warren Chapter, Daughters
of the American Revolution, Hampden
County Association, Hampden Indian As-
sociation, Young Women's Christian As-
sociation, and a 'rftember of other benevo-
lent associations?'
BACON, Clarence Norval,
Business Man, Art Lover.
Clarence Norval Bacon, of the firm of
Bacon-Taplin Company, of Springfield,
Massachusetts, is a member of the tenth
generation of his family in New England,
and has been a resident of Springfield
since 1895. His American ancestor,
Michael Bacon, was born about 1575. in
England, and in 1633 went from England
to the North of Ireland. In 1640, he came
to New England, and on May 23, 1640,
was proposed as a proprietor of Dedham.
Here he resided until his death April 18,
1648. He signed the famous Dedham
Church Covenant and both he and his
wife joined the church September 17,
1641. She died in Dedham, April 12, 1648.
They were the parents of sons : Michael
(2), of whom further, Daniel, and John;
and daughters: Alice, who married
Thomas Bancroft; and Sarah, who mar-
ried Anthony Hubbard.
(II) Michael (2) Bacon was born in
England, in 1608, and in 1633, accom-
panied his father to Ireland, and with his
father came to the United States in 1640,
becoming an original proprietor of Ded-
123
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
ham, Massachusetts, in that year. In
1644 he was surveyor of highways in
Woburn, and in 1648 he bought a farm in
Cambridge, near the east corner of the
town of Concord, on which, before 1675,
he built a mill. In a mortgage recorded
June 8, 1675, he was called a citizen of
Billerica, and in August, 1675, the town
of Billerica, in providing defense against
the Indians in King Philip's War, as-
signed Michael Bacon to Garrison No. 10,
under Timothy Brooks. He and his first
wife, Mary, were the parents of three
children, the eldest, and only son,
Michael (3). The mother of these chil-
dren died August 26, 1855. He married
(second) Mary Richardson ; (third) Mary
Noyes.
(III) Michael (3) Bacon, son of
Michael (2) and Mary Bacon, was born
in 1640, died at Bedford, Massachusetts,
August 13, 1/07. He was a shoemaker by
trade, but also a farmer, purchasing of
Rev. Mr. Mitchell, in July, 1682, a tract
of 500 acres originally granted by the
town of Cambridge to its pastor in 1652.
This property, afterwards known as the
Bacon homestead, included a mill and
was located on the Shawshine river. The
house built, it is said, before 1700 was
standing at a quite recent day, six later
generations of Bacons having been born
or lived on the homestead. Of the twenty-
six "minute men" from Bedford in the
Concord fight, six were Bacons. All of
this family and two others were with the
militia company in the same engagement.
The "History of Bedford" mentions the
musical ability that seems characteristic
of the family. Michael (3) Bacon mar-
ried, March 22, 1660, Sarah Richardson,
who died August 15, 1694, daughter of
Thomas Richardson. Their fourth child
and eldest son, Jonathan, is next in de-
scent in this branch of the family.
(IV) Jonathan Bacon, son of Michael
(3) and Sarah (Richardson) Bacon, was
born at Billerica, July 14, 1672, and died
January 12, 1754. He was approved to
keep an "ordinary" in 1669. He also saw
service, and with two of his brothers was
in the Indian wars with "Major Land,"
in 1706. He was a deputy from Billerica
to the General Court in 1/26, and select-
man in 1719 and 1/27. He was one of the
petitioners for the formation of the town
of Bedford, and as a principal inhabitant,
was appointed to assemble the first town
meeting, October 6, 1729, when he was
chosen a member of the first Board of
Selectmen. He married (first) January
3, 1694, Elizabeth Giles, who died in 1738,
and they were the parents of seven chil-
dren, all born in Billerica. His second
wife was Elizabeth (Hancock) Wyman,
widow of Benjamin Wyman, of Woburn.
Descent in this branch is traced through
his eldest son and fourth child, Jon-
athan (2).
(V) Jonathan (2) Bacon, son of Jon-
athan (i) and Elizabeth (Giles) Bacon,
was born December 18, 1700, and died
prior to February, 1764. He lived in Bed-
ford, Massachusetts, where he married his
wife Ruth. They came to Uxbridge,
Massachusetts, in 1733, where they pur-
chased the water power at what is now
Whitinsville ; and the record of him is in
Sutton from 1741 to 1746. He sold to his
son Jonathan 600 acres of land with mills
in Mumford, also a farm of 200 acres ad-
joining or near the larger tract, then in
Sutton. The Sutton history says "his
homestead was in that part of Sutton now
Upton." Jonathan (2) and Ruth Bacon
were the parents of nine children, includ-
ing a son James, of further mention.
(VI) James Bacon, son of Jonathan
(2) and Ruth Bacon, was born about 1735,
in Uxbridge, and later settled in Dudley,
Massachusetts, and there married, March
30, 1760, Martha Jewell, of Connecticut
124
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
family. About 1763 he removed from
Dudley to Charlton, and in 1768 to Brim-
field, Massachusetts. He was a singer of
note, and in his youthful manhood, a
teacher, and also a Revolutionary soldier.
James and Martha (Jewell) Bacon were
the parents of eleven children, the first
two born in Dudley, the next two in
Charlton, and the others in Brimfield. In
this branch, Amasa, the ninth child, is the
next in line of descent.
(VII) Amasa Bacon, son of James and
Martha (Jewell) Bacon, was born in
Brimfield, Massachusetts, June 19, 17/6,
and died there, June 10, 1855. He built
the first grist mill of Brimfield and vicin-
ity, and resided in that part of the town
known as Parksville. He married Hannah
Dodge, born April 9, 1776, died August 2,
1854. They were the parents of eleven
children : George, the fifth child, being
head of the next generation.
(VIII) George Bacon, son of Amasa
and Hannah (Dodge) Bacon, was born
at Brimfield, May 23, 1807, died June 8,
1891. He was a farmer of Brimfield all
his active years, a Unitarian in religion, a
Republican in politics. He married
(first), December 25, 1831, Eunice Lom-
bard, who died childless, August 2, 1832.
He married (second), September 24, 1834,
Mary Eliza Ferry, born in 1815, died
October 25, 1862, daughter of Hezekiah
and Hannah (Fisher) Ferry, her father
a substantial business man of Palmer, who
gave to each of his eight sons a good
farm. Hannah (Fisher) Ferry was born
in Boston, a daughter of a Revolutionary
soldier; three of her brothers were sea
captains, by name Cooley. George and
Mary E. (Ferry) Bacon were the parents
of three sons : George Norval ; John
Flavel ; and Albert Sherman, of whom
further ; and two daughters : Mar}-, who
married Seth W. Smith, and Alice Maude,
of Springfield.
(IX) Albert Sherman Bacon, son of
George and Mary E. (Ferry) Bacon, was
born in Brimfield, January 17, 1844; died
in Cambridge, Massachusetts, April 9,
1917. He was educated in the public
schools and Hitchcock Academy. He
then, for some years, conducted a general
country store at Wales, Massachusetts,
later going to Northampton, Massachu-
setts, in the same line, then to Hinsdale,
New Hampshire, where he carried on bus-
iness for some fifteen years, after which
he disposed of his business and removed
to Springfield, Massachusetts, where
he took a position with a wholesale
paper house, finally resigning and going
to Boston, where he took a position with
Carter, Rice & Company, in the same line.
He was active in that firm for twenty
years, and was an able business man. For
several years, he spent his winters in
Florida, making this his home, and from
there travelled through the southern
states and then South America. He mar-
ried, October 6, 1867, Cynthia Leonard,
of Northampton, Massachusetts, born No-
vember 13, 1842, died February 28, 1899,
daughter of William and Mary S. C.
(Everett) Leonard. Children born at
Brimfield : Fanny Gertrude, married
Edwin Packenham Ruggles, of Milton,
Massachusetts ; George Albert, a lawyer
of Springfield ; Clarence Norval, of
further mention ; Ruth Gray ; Grace
Mabel ; Jane May.
(X) Clarence Norval Bacon, of the
tenth American generation of the family
founded in New England by Michael
Bacon, and son of Albert S. and Cynthia
(Leonard) Bacon, was born at Wales,
Massachusetts, December 4, 1871. He
was educated in the schools of Hinsdale,
New Hampshire, and Northampton, Mas-
sachusetts, and during the year 1888 he
taught school in Wyndham county, Ver-
mont. In 1889 he located in Springfield,
125
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Massachusetts, engaging for a time as
bookkeeper. In 1895 he became identified
with the B. L. Bragg Company, beginning
as clerk and later becoming treasurer and
manager. His next connection was with
the Bacon & Donovan Engine Company,
of which he was treasurer, that company
becoming later the Bacon, Farnum Com-
pany C. N. Bacon, treasurer. In Au-
gust, 1915, the present Bacon-Taplin Com-
pany was incorporated, Mr. Bacon serving
as treasurer. They are selling agents for
all kinds of farm machinery, electric light-
ing systems, dairy supplies, gasoline en-
gines, and control the sale of Edison bat-
teries in the New England States. Their
plant is well equipped for the purpose it
is intended ; no better is to be found in
Western Massachusetts.
Mr. Bacon has studied music for thirty
years, and has been connected with, at dif-
ferent times, and assisted in organizing
nearly every amateur musical organization
in this city. Since its founding he has been
connected with the Springfield Symphony
Orchestra, which he was instrumental in
organizing, serving three years as its
president. He is affiliated with Spring-
field Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons ;
Morning Star Chapter, Royal Arch
Masons ; and Springfield Council, Royal
and Select Masters. He is a member of
the Rotary Club, and of the Church of
Christ, Scientist. Mr. Bacon was presi-
dent for two years of the Western New
England Hardware Dealers' Association,
president of the Western New England
Implement Dealers' Association, and di-
rector of the New England Implement
Dealers' Association.
Mr. Bacon married, September 5, 1895,
Martha Rose Mayforth, and they are the
parents of three children : Doris New-
berth, born August 7, 1900; Rosalind Al-
berta, born March i, 1902; Norval Albert,
born October 2, 1903. Mrs. Martha Pose
(Mayforth) Bacon was born in Spring-
field, Massachusetts, daughter of Conrad
and Martha Rosina (Newberth) May-
forth. Conrad Mayforth was born in Sax-
ony, Germany, in 1821, died in Spring-
field, Massachusetts, in 1877. He
learned the blacksmith's trade in Saxony,
and there remained until 1850, when he
came to the United States and located
in Hartford, Connecticut, spending the
decade, 1850-1860, in that locality. He
moved his residence to Springfield, where
he was employed in the United States
Armory and in the Wason Car shops.
His wife, Martha Rosina (Newberth)
Mayforth, was born in Saxony, in 1826,
died in Springfield in 1896, daughter of
Adam Newberth. They were the parents
of eight children : Martha Mayforth ;
Bertha Anne, married Louis Stuckert;
Matilda, deceased, married Stephen Cald-
well ; George, deceased ; Edward, de-
ceased ; Sophia, deceased, who married
Alexander Withrin ; \Villiam ; Martha
Rose, who married Clarence N. Bacon ;
and Albert.
TAPLIN, Frank Coe,
Head of Important Business.
As president of the Bacon-Taplin
Company of Springfield, Massachusetts,
incorporated in 1915, Mr. Taplin is head
of a prosperous company handling gas en-
gines and all kinds of farm machinery.
This business was founded by Frank C.
Taplin and Clarence N. Bacon (see pre-
ceding sketch), and is now in the fifth
year of operation, the stocks carried being
large and modern.
(I) Mr. Taplin is a grandson of Rev.
Horatio N. Taplin, born in Corinth, Ver-
mont, August n, 1817, died in Plymouth,
New Hampshire, January 19, 1855. Hor-
atio N. Taplin was a minister of the Meth-
odist Episcopal church, but died a com-
126
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
paratively young man. He married, in
Barre, Vermont, Susan Ketchum, born
July 26, 1818, died at Bradford, Vermont,
May 20, 1887. Her maternal grandfather
was Bradford Newcomb, born in Leb-
anon, Connecticut, November 9, 1747.
His father's mother was Jerusha Bradford
prior to her marriage, and she was a
great-granddaughter of Governor William
Bradford, who came over in the "May-
flower." Rev. Horatio N. and Susan
(Ketchum) Taplin were the parents of
five children: Susan Almira ; Henry
Gouldsburn ; Henry Thing, of further
mention; Almira Elizabeth; and Eva
Augusta.
(II) Henry Thing Taplin, son of Rev.
Horatio N. and Susan (Ketchum) Tap-
lin, was born in Plymouth, New Hamp-
shire, in 1847, an< i is. at tne a g e f seventy-
two, living in Newfields, New Hampshire.
The father died when his son was seven
years of age, and shortly afterwards the
lad was adopted by Henry Thing and
wife, and spent the years since 1855
largely in Newfields and vicinity. He has
engaged in farming, was in mercantile life
for a time, and was a farm machinery
salesman, but is now living a retired life.
He has held town office in Newfields, has
served as steward and trustee of the Meth-
odist Episcopal church, is a member of
the Masonic order of Exeter, New Hamp-
shire, and in politics is a Republican.
Henry Thing Taplin married, May 26,
1871, Annie M. Coe, born September 26,
1845, daughter of Benjamin and Louisa
(Frost) Coe.
Mrs. Annie M. (Coe) Taplin is a de-
scendant of Robert Coe, who came in the
ship "Francis" from Ipswich, England, in
1634, with wife Ann and children, John,
Robert (2), and Benjamin. According to
the receipts at the Custom House, Robert
was aged thirty-eight, his wife forty-three,
and the sons eight, seven and five respec-
tively. He settled in Watertown, where
he was made a freeman, September 3,
1638, but in 1635 or 1636 he removed to
Wethersfield, Connecticut, going from
Connecticut to Long Island, and was
sheriff in 1669-1672. The line of descent
is through Robert (2) Coe, born in Eng-
land, in 1627, who came with his parents
in 1634, settled in Stratford, Connecticut,
and died in 1659, his widow, Hannah, sur-
viving him. Robert (2) and Hannah Coe
were the parents of a daughter, Susanna,
who married John Ailing, Jr., of New
Haven, Connecticut, and of a son, John,
born May 10, 1658, who married Mary
Hawley. Their son, Joseph Coe, head of
the fourth American generation, married
a Miss Robinson, and their son, Joseph
(2) Coe, born in 1713, was the great-
grandfather of Annie M. (Coe) Taplin.
Joseph (2) Coe married Abigail Curtiss,
the line of descent continuing through
their son, Rev. Curtis Coe, born in 1750,
and his wife, Anna Thompson ; their son,
Deacon Benjamin Coe, born in 1781, and
his wife, Louisa Frost; their daughter
Annie M., who married Henry Thing Tap-
lin. Mr. and Mrs. Henry T. Taplin were
the parents of an only son, Frank Coe, of
further mention, a descendant of the
eighth American Coe generation and
tracing through his grandmother, Susan
(Ketchum) Taplin, to Governor William
Bradford of the "Mayflower."
(Ill) Frank Coe Taplin was born in
Newfields, New Hampshire, April 5, 1872,
and was educated in Newfields public
schools. As a lad he was employed on his
father's farm, but upon arriving at suit-
able age learned the machinist's trade in
Newfields. Later, on account of his
father's illness, he returned to the home
farm, remaining as long as he was needed.
Henry T. Taplin later purchased a laun-
dry in Exeter, New Hampshire, and for
a time Frank C. helped him in its opera-
127
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
tion. From Exeter, Frank Coe Taplin
went to Manchester, New Hampshire,
where he was employed in Leighton's
machine shops for about three years,
going thence to Boston with Lunt, Moss
& Company, manufacturers of gas en-
gines, remaining with that company five
years. From Lunt, Moss & Company he
went with the Olds Engine Company, of
Boston, as superintendent of the mechan-
ical department, remaining eight years'.
He then was employed in the same lirie
of work at Poughkeepsie, New York, but
he soon returned to Boston, reentered the
employ of Lunt, Moss & Company, and
eighteen months later resigned and lo-
cated in Springfield, Massachusetts.
For six months after coming to Spring-
field, Mr. Taplin was employed with the
firm of Bacon & Farnum, but six months
later, in 1915, he formed a partnership
with Clarence N. Bacon, and incorporated
as the Bacon-Taplin Company, further
particulars of which are to be found in
the preceding sketch. Mr. Taplin is pres-
ident of the company, which now has five
successful years to its credit and is a
growing corporation. Mr. Taplin is a
member of several business organizations,
is a Republican in politics, and a steward
of the Wesleyan Methodist Episcopal
Church.
Francis Coe Taplin married, May n,
1898, Marion Elizabeth Sanborn, of New-
fields, New Hampshire, daughter of John
Wentworth and Julia A. (Sandborn) San-
born. Mrs. Taplin is a descendant of
William Sanborn, born in England, in
1600, and there married Anna, a daughter
of Rev. Stephen Bachiler. Three sons of
William and Anna Sanborn, John, Wil-
liam and Stephen, came to New England
with their Grandfather Bachiler, a promi-
nent clergyman of New England. De-
scent is traced in this branch through
William Sanborn, who spelled his name
with a final "e."
(The Sanborne (Sanborn) Line).
(I) William Sanborne was born in
Brimpton, England, about 1622. He is
found in the records of Hampton, Novem-
ber 27, 1639. "Here Willi Sanborne (with
his consent) is appointed to ring the bell
before meetings on the Lord's day and
other days, for which he is to have 6d
per lotte of every one having a lotte with
in the town." He was selectman six
terms, served on many committees, was
a soldier of King Philip's War, and owned
considerable land. He married Mary,
daughter of John Moulton, of Ornsby,
Norfolkshire, England, and they were the
parents of: Mary, Mehitable, William,
Josiah, of further mention ; Mercy, Mephi-
bosheth, Sarah, and Stephen. William,
the father, died November 18, 1692.
(II) Josiah Sanborne was born about
1654 and lived at Hampton, New Hamp-
shire, and in 1728 his will, dated Novem-
ber 28, 1727, was admitted to probate.
Josiah was a well-to-do farmer, described
also as a "planter" and was part owner
of a saw mill in 1693. He was representa-
tive from Hampton in 1695, and a man of
considerable importance. He married
(first) Hannah Moulton, daughter of Wil-
liam Moulton, of Hampton. Their chil-
dren were: William (2), of further men-
tion ; Hannah, and Sarah. He married
(second) Sarah Perkins.
(III) William (2) Sanborne, oldest
child of Josiah and his first wife, Hannah
(Moulton) Sanborne, was born in Hamp-
ton, New Hampshire, March 26, 1682,
lived at Hampton Falls in 1709, and died
April 3, 1718, supposedly killed by
Indians, for in the records this entry ap-
pears : "Eliza Sanborn baptized, daugh-
ter of William Sanborn, -just after his
awful death." In deeds William (3) San-
128
*te
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
borne is described in the records as "yeo-
man," and he served in the Franch War
of 1712, in Captain Green's company. He
married Elizabeth Dearborn, daughter of
Henry Dearborn, of Hampton, and great-
great-aunt of Major Henry Dearborn of
the Continental army. Their children
were: Ezekiel, of further mention;
Rachel, Jonathan, Reuben, Abner, and
Richard.
(IV) Sergeant Ezekiel Sanborn, (the e
now being dropped) was born at Hamp-
ton Falls, New Hampshire, in 1704, died
in 1757. He served in the French and
Indian War. He married Elizabeth
Melcher. The line descends through their
son, Edward Sanborn, born in 1731, and
his wife, Elizabeth Runlet ; their son,
Moses Dalton Sanborn, born 1789, and his
wife, Abigail Prescott ; their son, Jere-
miah Sanborn, born in 1812, and his wife,
Olive C. Wentworth ; their son Rev. John
Wentworth Sanborn, born in 1848, and his
first wife, Julia A. Sanborn, daughter of
J. Munson Sanborn ; their daughter,
Marion Elizabeth Sanborn, who married
Frank Coe Taplin (see Taplin line), and
they are the parents of a daughter Olive,
born June 13, 1900, eleventh in descent
from William Sanborne.
ABBE, James T.,
Active Business Factor, Art Connoisseur.
The later James T. Abbe, for many
years an active factor in the business,
financial, political and social circles of
Springfield, his adopted city, was a
worthy representative of a family long
seated in New England, its members in
the various generations down to the pres-
ent time (1920) numbering seven, all
noted for their excellent characteristics,
participating in every worth-while event,
even to giving up their lives if need be for
the honor and integrity of their country.
Mass 109 129
(I) Thomas Abbe, the pioneer ancestor
of the branch of the family herein traced,
became a resident of Enfield, Connecticut,
as early as the year 1683, his lot being No.
n, east side, north of the south corner,
he being among the original proprietors.
He also participated in the second division
of land, his grants consisting of twelve
acres near the old saw mill and twenty
acres in the East Precinct, and subse-
quently he was granted several smaller
pieces of land, his home lot consisting of
eleven acres. He took an active interest
in community affairs, and was chosen by
his fellow-townsmen to serve in various
public offices, among these being select-
man for the years 1686-89-1706-07-09-10;
assessor, 1705; road surveyor; fence
viewer; petit juror, and member of var-
ious committees. Thomas Abbe died in
Enfield, in 1728, and left a will dated
October 12, 1720, in which he mentions
two sons, Thomas and John, and two
daughters, Sarah Geer and Tabitha
Warner.
(II) John Abbe, youngest son of
Thomas Abbe, was born in Enfield, Con-
necticut, in 1692. He was a lifelong resi-
dent of his native town, was one of the
first settlers of the upper part of King's
street, was the incumbent of several minor
offices, and was active and prominent in
all matters pertaining to the welfare of
the community, being mentioned in the
records of 1786 and 1791. He was the
father of four sons, namely : John,
Thomas, Daniel and Richard.
(III) Richard Abbe, youngest son of
John Abbe, was born in Enfield, Connec-
ticut, in 1735, and resided there all his life,
his death occurring September 20, 1807, in
his seventy-third year. He followed
agricultural pursuits as a means of liveli-
hood and, like his ancestors, filled various
public offices, discharging his duties in
a creditable manner. He was an active
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
participant in the Revolutionary War, his
name appearing on the Connecticut
records. He was commissioned ensign,
January i, 1777, resigned February 6,
1778 ; was an ensign in Captain Abner
Robinson's company, Colonel McLellan's
regiment, which was raised for one year's
service, from March, 1778, and which ap-
pears to have served in Tyler's brigade
under Sullivan in Rhode Island, August
and September, 1778; and on May 29,
1781, he joined Captain James Dana's
company, which served at Horseneck and
places adjacent, and later it joined Gen-
eral Washington while he was encamped
at Phillipsburg. Captain Richard Abbe
married, January 9, 1755, Mary Bement,
daughter of Captain Dennis and Mary
(Abbe) Bement. Her death occurred
August 14, 1821, aged eighty-three years.
(IV) Captain Richard (2) Abbe, son
of Captain Richard (i) and Mary (Be-
ment) Abbe, was born in Enfield, Connec-
ticut, March 2, 1760, and died there, August
9, 1831, aged seventy-one years. He mar-
ried, January 16, 1/82, Lydia Stevenson,
born October 20, 1764, died June i, 1844,
aged eighty years. Their children were :
i. Charles, born December i, 1785; mar-
ried, March 2, 1809, Harriet Strong. 2.
Richard, born December 30, 1787; mar-
ried, November 29, 1810, Charlotte
Bement. 3. Roswell, twin with Richard,
born December 30, 1787; married, Novem-
ber 30, 1809, Sally Olmsted. 4. Betsey,
born February 15, 1790. 5. Joshua, born
August 17, 1791 ; married Phila Pease. 6.
George, mentioned below. 7. Harriet,
born February 10, 1798, died August 19,
1825. 8. Lucinda, born February 2, 1805,
died September 25, 1827; married, Septem-
ber 17, 1821, Charles Chase, who died
March 16, 1833. 9- Lorinda, twin with
Lucinda, born February 2, 1805, died Sep-
tember 24, 1825.
(V) George Abbe, fifth son of Captain
Richard (2) and Lydia (Stevenson) Abbe,
was born in Enfield, Connecticut, Decem-
ber 24, 1794, and died in Springfield,
Massachusetts, May 22, 1858, aged sixty-
four years. He spent the greater part of
his lifetime in the town of his birth, and
in those early days boating was the prin-
cipal mode of transportation, and he en-
gaged successfully in that line of business
for many years. Later he made a decided
change in his plans, accepting the posi-
tion of agent for the New York, New
Haven & Hartford railroad at Thompson-
ville, serving in this capacity with ef-
ficiency for a number of years. Late in
life he changed his place of residence to
Springfield, Massachusetts, and there
spent the remainder of his days. He was
a man of energy, force of character and
judgment, and was esteemed by his fel-
low-citizens. Mr. Abbe married (first),
September 30, 1819, Sally Chapman, of
Tolland, Connecticut, who bore him four
children, namely : George Chapman,
James, mentioned below, Maria S., and
Warren Clifford.
(VI) James Abbe, second son of George
and Sally (Chapman) Abbe, was born in
Enfield, Connecticut, June i, 1822, died
at Springfield, Massachusetts, May 7,
1889, aged sixty-seven years. The public
schools of Thompsonville, Connecticut,
afforded him the means of obtaining a
practical education, and his first employ-
ment was in the boating business as as-
sistant to his father. This not proving
congenial to his tastes and inclinations,
and railroads beginning to supersede
boats as a means of travel, he turned his
attention to acquiring a trade, choosing
that of tinner, the details of which he
mastered by serving an apprenticeship
with a tinner in Thompsonville, after
which he established a business along that
line in the same village and also one in
HaydenvilU, conducting these with a cer-
130
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
tain degree of success until the year 1843,
when he removed to Springfield, Massa-
chusetts, and entered the employ of
Joshua Abbe, a cousin, who was also en-
gaged in the tinning business. Later he
again engaged in business on his own ac-
count, having a store for the sale of tin-
ware and stoves on the present site of the
Phoenix building. This proving a suc-
cessful enterprise, he opened stores for the
sale of the same lines of merchandise in
Chicopee, Massachusetts, and East Green-
wich, Rhode Island, about the year 1854,
but discontinued these the following year,
they not proving as lucrative as he an-
ticipated. He once more took up his resi-
dence in Springfield, then purchased the
business of his cousin, aforementioned, and
during the fifteen years that followed he
was awarded the contracts for all the tin
work of the Wason Car Company and the
Boston & Albany Railroad Company,
which was considerable, and which aug-
mented largely the profits derived from
other sources. In 1869 he erected Abbe's
block at No. 309 Main street, then ad-
mitted to partnership his only son, James
T. Abbe, and for the following eleven
years conducted business under the style
of James Abbe & Son. At the expiration
of that period of time the business was
sold to Shepard & Wilson, and the son,
James T. Abbe, went to Holyoke and en-
gaged in the envelope business. In the
following year, 1881, Mr. Shepard died,
and Mr. Abbe again secured possession
of the business and shortly afterward
closed it up. He then engaged in an en-
tirely different line of work, that of real
estate, his office being located in the block
erected by him as aforementioned. Al-
though his own business was extensive
and required considerable of his time and
attention, he was enabled to devote some
thought to outside interests, serving as
president of the Hampden Watch Com-
pany, in which he was a heavy stock-
holder ; as director of the Pynchon Na-
tional Bank; as trustee of the Springfield
Cemetery Association, and as one of the
original corporators of the Holyoke En-
velope Company. He also took an active
and helpful interest in political affairs,
was a member of the Legislature in 1876-
1877, ar >d had he so desired could have
become a candidate for the office of mayor
of Springfield, an office which he would
have filled satisfactorily to all concerned.
He was an attendant and liberal supporter
of Trinity Church, Springfield, and no
worthy charity or call for aid appealed
to him in vain.
Mr. Abbe married in April, 1848, Car-
oline E. Terry, of Thompsonville, Con-
necticut, born December 6, 1826, died
March 21, 1916, daughter of Harmon and
Emeline (Ellis) Terry, granddaughter of
Salmon Terry, and a descendant of one
of the old families of Enfield, Connecti-
cut. Children: i. James T., mentioned
below. 2. Caroline L., born December 3,
1851 ; married, October 20, 1880, Charles
D. Rood, president of the Lancaster
Watch Company, of Lancaster, Pennsyl-
vania ; children : Madeline A., born Sep-
tember 27, iSSi ; Gladys, born February
25, 1884; and Charles Dexter, born Octo-
ber 6, 1889.
(VII) James T. Abbe, only son of
James and Caroline E. (Terry) Abbe, was
born in East Windsor, Connecticut, March
16, 1849, died in Springfield, Massachu-
setts, December 15, 1907. His education
was received by attendance at the schools
of Springfield, including the high school,
Wilbraham Academy, which he attended
for one year, and Amherst College, a stu-
dent in the class of 1870, remaining until
the close of his sophomore year. From
the expiration of his college course until
1881 he was in business with his father
in Springfield, as partner, under the name
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
of James Abbe & Son, then became one
of the members of the Holyoke Envelope
Company, of which he was also one of the
organizers, the others interested being his
father and George U. Tyner, and later he
was appointed to the office of president of
same. James Abbe sold his interest in the
company to James D. Whitmore, of New
York City, who subsequently sold his
interest to George U. Tyner and James T.
Abbe, the former-named being the prac-
tical man and the latter-named having
charge of its business affairs. The build-
ing in which the company began business
was destroyed by fire in January, 1888,
after which they erected a factory on the
corner of Jackson and Main streets, the
machinery being built by the company on
its own patents, giving employment to
three hundred hands, the output being
three and a half million envelopes daily, a
larger amount than any other single fac-
tory in the United States. In August,
1898, the United States Envelope Com-
pany purchased the plant, Mr. Abbe then
discontinuing his interest therein. The
Phoenix building, in which were stores
and offices, also two apartments, was
owned by Mr. Abbe, who gave his per-
sonal supervision to its management, it
being one of the finest office structures
in Western Massachusetts, perfectly
equipped with up-to-date appliances,
every detail being carefully looked after
by its owner, who took a justifiable pride
in it.
The business judgment, acumen and
progressiveness displayed by Mr. Abbe
in the management of his extensive inter-
ests caused him to be chosen as a member
of the boards of directors of the Home
National and Park National banks, of
Holyoke, he having been one of the orig-
inal subscribers of the stock of the latter,
and of the Pynchon National Bank and
the Hatnpden Trust Company of Spring-
field. In conjunction with Oscar Green-
leaf, .H. K. Baker and W. E. Whipple, Mr.
Abbe organized the Springfield "Daily
Union," and in 1895, when the Union
Publishing Company was formed, he was
chosen to act as the executive head, serv-
ing in the capacity of president until his
death. He was an early member of the
Springfield Board of Trade, and in 1894
was chosen as its fourth president, and he
also acted as president of the Springfield
Cemetery Association, in the reorganiza-
tion of which he was instrumental. The
McKinley monument fund received his
hearty support, he being a member of the
committee to choose a suitable memorial,
and he also took an active interest in the
Springfield Public Library for many
years.
Mr. Abbe advocated the principles and
policies of the Republican party, in the
councils of which he took an active part,
but he would never allow his name to be
used as a candidate, although his qualifi-
cations would have fitted him eminently
for public office. He was widely known
as an art connoisseur and critic, was the
owner of a fine collection of paintings, in-
cluding numerous productions of the best
native and European artists, many of
which adorned his home, which also con-
tained a number of other art treasures
which were admired by all who were
fortunate to see them. He was a great
lover of animals, especially of dogs and
horses, owning some very fine specimens,
for which he paid the highest prices. He
held membership in the Nyasset Club, but
he preferred to spend his leisure time in
his home rather than in the society of even
his most intimate comrades.
Mr. Abbe married, at Springfield,
Massachusetts, March 17, 1892, Mrs. Mary
H. (Mulligan) Fuller, widow of Milton
Fuller, and daughter of John and Lydia
A. (Bridges) Mulligan (see Mulligan II,
132
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
in following sketch), John Mulligan being
at one time president of the Connecticut
River Railroad Company. Milton Fuller
accumulated a large fortune in the Penn-
sylvania oil regions. Mrs. Abbe, who
survives her husband, and who is the cen-
ter of a select circle of friends, is a native
of Springfield.
Leadership in more than one line is
seldom vouchsafed to an individual, but
the late James T. Abbe aided largely in
molding public thought and opinion in
business, political and social circles. En-
dowed by nature with strong mentality,
he carefully prepared for every duty de-
volving upon him, and with a sense of
conscientious obligation he met every re-
quirement and responsibility. An upright
manhood, a patriotic devotion to country,
and fearless loyalty to the true and the
right, these were the elements which made
Mr. Abbe prominent in the business and
political life of his adopted city, Spring-
field.
MULLIGAN, Walter Lyon,
Expert Electrician.
Among the representative business men
of Springfield, Massachusetts, should be
numbered Walter L. Mulligan, treasurer
of the United Electric Light Company of
Springfield, a representative in the fourth
generation of a family founded in Ireland,
but who have been located in this coun-
try for more than a century.
(I) John Mulligan, great-grandfather
of Walter L. Mulligan, and the pioneer
ancestor of this branch of the family, was
a native of the North of Ireland, was there
reared and educated, and in 1819 emi-
grated to the New World, making the
voyage in a sailing vessel, and upon his
arrival proceeded at once to Hartford,
Connecticut, where he spent the re-
mainder of his days. He was a machinist
by trade, an expert workman, and fol-
lowed this line successfully for many
years. He and his wife were the parents
of seven children, the line being traced
through their son, John (2), of whom
further.
(II) John (2) Mulligan, grandfather
of Walter L. Mulligan, was a native of
Hartford, Connecticut, born January 12,
1820, died in Springfield, Massachusetts,
February 22, 1898. He attended the com-
mon schools of his native city, and at an
early age, being forced by circumstances
to contribute toward his own support, se-
cured employment with Philemon Can-
field, publisher of the "Christian Secre-
tary." His work was on the old-fashioned
press, and he also distributed the paper
among the city subscribers. Realizing
that a trade would be beneficial to him in
his subsequent career, he chose that of
machinist, and became thoroughly famil-
iar with the mechanism of locomotives at
the works of William Norris in Philadel-
phia, Pennsylvania. In the summer of
1841 he accepted the position of engineer
of the steamer, "William Hall," which
was used for towing freight between Hart-
ford and Willimansett, and the following
year, 1842, served in a similiar capacity
on the "Phoenix," a passenger boat, ply-
ing between Springfield and Hartford.
He only held this position for a few
months, as in the same year he was trans-
ferred to the Boston & Albany railroad,
then called the Western railroad, and was
in their employ, as engineer, for ten years.
He had a number of exciting experiences
during his term as engineer, some pleas-
ant and some otherwise, and in 1852 was
the engineer of the special train which
carried Kossuth, the Hungarian patriot,
from Springfield to Northampton. In
1852 he was appointed to the position of
master mechanic of the Connecticut
River railroad, and sixteen years later, in
133
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
1868, was appointed superintendent of the
road, the duties of which responsible of-
fice he performed for twenty-two years,
when he succeeded Mr. Leonard as presi-
dent of the company. Mr. Mulligan was
always considerate and thoughtful of the
men under his supervision, and while ex-
acting from every one their full quota of
work, he was always ready and willing
to listen to any suggestion which would
prove to their benefit and never asking or
demanding of them what he would not be
willing to do himself, and in this way won
and retained the confidence and respect
of his subordinates. In addition to his
responsibility as head of a large railroad,
which he managed in a skillful manner,
this fact clearly proving his unusual capa-
bilities, he served the city of Springfield
in public capacity, serving during the
years 1864-65 as a member of the Com-
mon Council from Ward One, a member
of the Board of Aldermen in 1866-67-68,
from 1875 to 1877 again a representative
from his ward to the Common Council,
and had he so desired could have become
a candidate for the office of mayor. At
the time of his death he was serving as
president of the Hampden Savings Bank,
of which he was a trustee, and was also
a director in the Chapin National Bank.
M'. Mulligan married, in 1845, Lydia
Ann Bridges, daughter of Hastings
Bridges, and they were the parents of
two children: Charles Henry, of whom
further; and Mary Henrietta, who became
the wife of James T. Abbe, of Springfield
(see Abbe VII, preceding sketch).
(Ill) Charles Henry Mulligan, father
of Walter L. Mulligan, was born in
Springfield, Massachusetts, January 26,
1849. He was a student in the public
schools of his native city, graduating from
the high school in the class of 1886. In
the following year he began his business
career by entering the employ of the Haw-
kins Iron Company in the capacity of
clerk, and as a reward for his faithful and
conscientious service in their behalf was
promoted to the position of general man-
ager, performing the duties pertaining
thereto in the same efficient manner, win-
ning for himself the approbation of his
employers and the esteem and good will
of those under his supervision. His polit-
ical allegiance has always been given to
the Republican party, in the interests of
which he has taken an active part, and he
served the city of Springfield in the ca-
pacity of councilman and as a member
of the Board of Aldermen during the
years 1897-98-99. He holds membership
in the Nayasset, Winthrop and Spring-
field Country clubs, and in all matters
pertaining to the welfare of Springfield
has taken an active part.
Mr. Mulligan married, June 12, 1872,
Louise Jane Lyon, daughter of Jason
Lyon, of Thetford, Vermont, who was
the driver of a stage for Chester W.
Chapin prior to the building of the Bos-
ton & Albany railroad, later was an active
factor on this road, operated by Mr.
Chapin, and subsequently filled the posi-
tion of chief baggage master. Mr. and
Mrs. Mulligan became the parents of two
sons: I. Walter Lyon, of whom further.
2. Ralph Fuller, born February 23, 1887 ;
was a student in the Springfield schools
and the Students' League, New York
City.
(IV) Walter Lyon Mulligan was born
in Springfield, Massachusetts, July 6,
i8/S- He received his preparatory edu-
cation in the public schools of Spring-
field, including the high school, from
which he was graduated in the class of
1893, and supplemented this by a course
in Cornell University, from which insti-
tution he was graduated in the class of
1897, fully prepared for the activities of
life. He then entered the employ of the
134
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
company with which he is connected at
the present time, the United Electric
Light Company of Springfield, the date
of his entrance being December, 1897, his
position that of electrician, which he oc-
cupied for several years, giving general
satisfaction, then was promoted to the
position of assistant manager, which he
also filled satisfactorily, later received the
promotion to manager, and in (1920)
again received promotion, this time to
treasurer of the company, his present posi-
tion. His relation with the company in
various capacities now extends over a per-
iod of twenty-three years, and this fact elo-
quently testifies to his excellent business
qualifications. He is also a member of
the board of directors of the United Elec-
tric Light Company, the Bircham Bend
Power Company, and the Springfield Safe
Deposit Company. He holds membership
in Springfield Lodge, Free and Accepted
Masons ; the American Institute of Elec-
trical Engineers, the Colony Club, the
Nayasset Club, the Winthrop Club, the
Springfield Country Club, and the Rotary
Club, of which he was the first president.
Mr. Mulligan married, June 18, 1903,
Maria Foster Snow, born in Providence,
Rhode Island, daughter of J. Lippitt and
Sophronia (Earl) Snow.
BOWLES, Charles Allen,
Manufacturer, Member of Important
Family.
Charles Allen Bowles occupies a strong
position in the business and social life of
Springfield, his native city. For twenty-
two years he has been a member of Dexter
& Bowles, dealers in paper pulp and mill
supplies. He is a grandson of Samuel (2)
Bowles, founder of the Springfield "Re-
publican ;" son of Samuel (3) Bowles, who
succeeded his father; and brother of Sam-
uel (4) Bowles, the third of the name to
be concerned in the founding and upbuild-
ing of a great newspaper, which vies with
the best metropolitan journals in its news
and editorial departments.
(I) Charles A. Bowles is a descend-
ant of John Bowles, who was of Roxbury,
Massachusetts, in 1639, freeman, May 13,
1640, and a ruling elder of the church.
He was accidentally killed by a cart wheel
running over him, and was buried Septem-
ber 24, 1680. By his second wife, Eliza
Heath, daughter of Isaac Heath, who was
the mother of his children, descent in this
line is traced through John (2) Bowles.
(II) John (2) Bowles, son of John (i)
and Eliza (Heath) Bowles, was baptized
July 17, 1653, died in 1691. He was a
graduate of Harvard College, class of
1671, and was made a freeman in 1680.
He married, November 16, 1681, Sarah
Eliot, daughter of Rev. John (2) Eliot.
She died May 23, 1687, leaving a son,
John (3) Bowles. John (2) Bowles was
representative to the General Court in
1689 and 1690 and Speaker of the House.
When chosen ruling elder in 1688, it was
hoped he would preach and work with
John Eliot, the Apostle to the Indians,
but his health failed and he died March
30, 1691.
(III) John (3) Bowles, son of John
(2) and Sarah (Eliot) Bowles, was born
March 15, 1685. He was a college gradu-
ate, and a man of prominence ; he died in
1737. From John (3) Bowles, descent is
traced through his son, Joshua Bowles.
(IV) Joshua Bowles, son of John (3)
Bowles, was born in 1722, and died in
1794. Descent is traced through his son,
Samuel.
(V) Samuel Bowles, son of Joshua
Bowles, was born in 1762, and died in
1813. His son, Samuel (2) Bowles, is
next in line.
(VI) Samuel (2) Bowles, son of Sam-
uel (i) Bowles, was born in Hartford,
135
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Connecticut, September 8, 1797, and died
in Springfield, Massachusetts, September
8, 1851, he, the founder of the Springfield
"Republican," which was established in
1824, which under his son, Samuel (3),
and grandson, Samuel (4) Bowles, became
one of the greatest of American news-
papers. He learned the printer's trade in
Hartford, Connecticut, and when he came
to Springfield in 1824, he brought with
him a small hand press with sufficient type
for a village paper. The first issue of the
"Republican" was dated September 8,
1824, the sheet a folio, with six columns
on each page, 13x17 inches square. 'Its
subscription list contained three hundred
and fifty names and the advertisements
filled but one and one-half columns of the
little paper. The newspaper was a
weekly, designed for the family with a
distinct literary flavor. Samuel (2)
Bowles ran the "Republican" as a weekly
until December 4, 1844, when it became
the "Daily Evening Republican," the edi-
tor's son, Samuel (3) Bowles, having per-
suaded his somewhat reluctant father to
make the experiment. The "Daily Even-
ing Republican" was a success, and on
December 4, 1846, appeared as a morning
paper. Samuel (2) Bowles died in 1851,
but the "Republican"' lives, and under
Bowies' editorial and business manage-
ment stands as a wonderful monument to
the genius of Samuel (2) Bowles, founder
and upbuilders of the paper which in 1856,
Horace Greeley, editor of the then power-
ful New York "Tribune," named as "the
best and ablest country journal on this
continent."
Samuel (2) Bowles married Huldah
Deming, of Wethersfield, Connecticut,
who came to Springfield in 1824. They
v/ere the parents of five children : Albert ;
Julia: Samuel (3), of further mention;
Amelia ; and Benjamin F.
(VII) Samuel (3) Bowles, son of Sam-
uel (2) and Huldah (Deming) Bowles,
was born in Springfield, Massachusetts,
February 9, 1826, died in the city of his
birth, January 16, 1878. He was educated
in private school, but absorbed more in-
formation in the office of the "Republi-
can," his father's paper, with which he
was early connected. He was eighteen
years of age when he prevailed upon his
father to make the "Republican" a daily,
a risky venture, for there was not then
(1844) a daily paper in Massachusetts
outside of Boston. But the lad's judg-
ment was good and the "Republican"
prospered as an evening, then as a morn-
ing daily. In 1851, on the death of the
founder, the son Samuel (3) Bowles, be-
came editor and publisher of the Spring-
field "Republican," which was growing
rapidly in public favor.
In the columns of his paper, Samuel
(3) Bowles advocated impartial suffrage,
regardless of race, color or sex, and was
a supporter of the Republican party until
the after-war reconstruction period, when
he seriously dissented the breach widen-
ing, until 1872, when the Republican party
declared itself independent of party lines
and supported Horace Greeley, the lib-
eral and Democratic candidate. In 1876
he supported Rutherford B. Hayes, en-
dorsing his liberal Southern policy and his
advocacy of civil service reform, but Mr.
Bowles always opposed the high protec-
tive tariff principles of his party, believ-
ing that the nearer we approached free
trade the sounder would be our financial
system.
Mr. Bowles was a born newspaper man,
with a keen instinct for news and genius
for management. He started many young
men in their journalistic career and in no
other newspaper office could a beginner
so quickly gain his start. The columns
of the "Republican" were open to young
writers, and young men there first ob-
136
TOR, LENOX
SN
1 b u 1 . 10 a r r p u
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
tained an audience who afterward were
honored men of letters. Dr. John G. Hol-
land wrote during the sixteen years which
he was editorially associated with Mr.
Bowles, the popular "Timothy Titcomb
Papers," the poem, "Bitter Sweet," and
various stories for the "Republican."
Other popular contributors were: Mary
Cleinmer Ames, and "Warrington," whose
Boston letters stirred the thoughts of the
Commonwealth.
Although not a writer of books, the
newspaper sketches written by Mr.
Bowles were gathered into volumes. A
particularly popular one was his descrip-
tion of an overland journey to California
in 1865, in company with Schuyler Col-
fax and Lieutenant-Governor Bross, of
Illinois ; another, "The Switzerland of
America," a picturesque description of his
journeyings amid the mountains and parks
of Colorado in the summer of 1868. He
published a book of travel entitled "Our
New West," in 1869, and his last purely
literary work was done for the "Atlantic
Monthly," a brochure on the wonders of
the Pacific railway. He visited Europe
four times, in 1862, again in iS/o, in 1871
and still later in 1874, and had a wide ac-
quaintance among prominent men on
both sides of the Atlantic. He never held
public office, but in 1855 he signed a cir-
cular, calling a conference of leaders to
meet in Boston to aid in breaking the
power of the "Know-Nothing Party," and
when that convention met, he was chosen
its chairman. He was also for years a
trustee of Amherst College, and always
ready to aid every worthy object. He
died at the age of fifty-two.
Samuel (3) Bowles married, in 1848,
Mary Sanford Schemerhorn, of Geneva,
New York, and they were the parents of
seven children: I. Sarah B., deceased,
married Thomas Hooker of New Haven,
Connecticut. 2. Samuel (4), born Octo-
ber 15, 1851, died in 1913, who succeeded
his father as editor of the "Republican,"
founded the "Sunday Republican" in 1878,
the year he assumed the duties of editor-
in-chief, having for three years been busi-
ness manager. He continued the respon-
sible editorial head of the "Republican"
until his death, the third Samuel Bowles
to hold that responsible post. 3. Mary,
who married William H. King, of Chi-
cago, Illinois. 4. Charles Allen, of further
mention. 5. Dwight Whitney. 6. Ruth
Standish, who married W. H. Baldwin,
deceased. 7. Bessie, deceased, married
F. Donald Monroe.
(VIII) Charles Allen Bowles, of the
eighth American generation, second son
of Samuel (3) and Mary S. (Schemer-
horn) Bowles, was born in New York
City, December 19, 1861. He prepared in
Springfield public schools, and then en-
tered Sheffield Scientific School, Yale
University, and after completing his
studies there, engaged in business, becom-
ing a partner in the firm of Dexter &
Bowles, dealers in paper pulp and mill
supplies, and has since been a member of
this firm.
Mr. Bowles married, October 7, 1885,
Nellie Harris, of Rutland, Vermont,
daughter of Joel B. and Mary (Gardner)
Harris, and they are the parents of three
children: Dorothy; Charles Allen (2),
who attended the Artillery School at
Camp Zachary Taylor, preparatory to en-
tering the United States army during the
World War, and now associated with the
American Writing Paper Company, of
Holyoke, Massachusetts ; and Chester
Bliss.
WARREN, John Bliss,
Manufacturer, Man of Artistic Tastes.
The name Warren has existed in New
England from the time of the landing of
137
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
the "Mayflower" at Plymouth Rock in
1620, and has been worthily borne by men
of eminence in public, military, and pri-
vate life. The late John Bliss Warren, a
manufacturer of paper, who died in Mit-
tineague, Massachusetts, was a man
greatly esteemed as a citizen. He was a
descendant of Richard Warren, who came
in the "Mayflower." Following is the
Warren coat-of-arms :
Arms Chequy or and azure, on a canton gules
a lion rampant argent.
Crest On a chapeau gules, turned up ermine, a
wyvern argent, tail nowed, wings expanded chequy,
or and azure.
Richard Warren was a descendant of
William de Warrenne, who came to Eng-
land with William the Conqueror, to
whom he was related. The surname War-
ren is derived from Garrenne or Varenne,
a small river in the old county of Calais
or Caux in Normandy, which gave the
name to the neighboring community.
There is at present a village called Gar-
enne in the same district, and it is here
that the family had its origin, and on the
west side of the River Garenne was the
ancient baronial seat of the de War-
rennes, where ruins of the castle were
standing as late as 1832. William de
Warrenne, who came to England with
William the Conqueror, was in command
of a part of the Norman army at the bat-
tle of Hastings (1066), and as a reward
for his valor and fidelity was granted im-
mense tracts of the conquered territory.
He became the first Earl of Warren and
Surrey. His wife, Gundreda, was the
daughter of King William, and a descend-
ant of the great Charlemagne, and in one
of the ancient churchyards her tomb-
stone is yet to be seen. The Earl died
June 24, 1088, and although his gravestone
has been lost, the epitaph has been pre-
served. In 1845 the coffers containing
the remains of the Earl and his wife were
transferred to their present resting place
in the church of St. John the Baptist, at
Southover, England. From Richard
Warren of the "Mayflower" the line is
traced to John Bliss Warren through
Revolutionary ancestors, both paternal
and maternal. On the paternal side his
great-grandfather was Moses Warren, a
soldier of the Revolution, and his son,
Rev. Moses Warren, grandfather of John
Bliss Warren, was a graduate of Harvard
University, and of a Congregational
Theological Seminary, giving his after-
life to the ministry. He was the first
minister to deliver a sermon in the town
now called Hampden, Massachusetts,
then called South Wilbraham, and was
pastor of the Congregational church there
for forty years. He died in the town in
which so great a portion of his life was
spent. Mr. Warren's great-grandfather
on the maternal side was Colonel Bliss,
and as colonel of the Continental army,
was a man of strong influence ; he was a
member of the Provincial Congress eight
years ; also a member of the State Legis-
lature, and a Senator.
Rev. John Warren, son of Rev. Moses
Warren, also became an eminent clergy-
man of the Congregational church. His
daughter, Lydia, married Rev. M. Smith,
a Congregational minister of Hartford,
Connecticut. A son, Captain Aaron War-
ren, was the father of John Bliss Warren.
Captain Aaron Warren was born in
Hampden, Massachusetts, was a graduate
of Harvard University, and became a man
of large means. He married Betsey
Stacy, a daughter of "Squire" Stacy, of
Hampden. Mr. and Mrs. Warren were
the parents of three children: i. Lydia,
who married Orrie Selden, of New Haven,
Connecticut. 2. Moses H., born in Wil-
braham, January 20, 1835, now deceased;
he was a man of much public spirit, and
took a very active part in town affairs,
138
arrm
:>
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
being assessor for twelve years, school
commissioner for several years, deputy
sheriff sixteen years, and selectman three
terms ; he married, in 1857, Elizabeth
Sheldon, who died in 1870. 3. John Bliss,
of further mention.
John Bliss Warren, youngest son of
Captain Aaron and Betsey (Stacy) War-
ren, was born in South Wilbraham,
Massachusetts, in that part of the town
now called Hampden, Massachusetts,
October 13, 1840, died July 6, 1901. He
was educated in the public and private
schools, and later in life became interested
in the manufacture of paper. In connec-
tion with Royal Dickinson he purchased
the Excelsior Paper Mill at Holyoke,
which became well known as the Warren
and Dickinson Mill. After conducfhig
this successfully for several years, Mr.
Warren sold his interest to G. R. Dickin-
son, and in 1882, he built the Springfield
mill at West Ware, Massachusetts, and
there, up to the time of his death, carried
on the manufacture of book, news, manila,
and colored paper, becoming one of the
best known and most successful paper
manufacturers of this section.
Mr. Warren married, at Chicopee,
Massachusetts, September 22, 1889, Emily
A. Bell, born in Chicopee, Massachusetts,
daughter of Thomas Jefferson and Emily
(Deane) Bell, her father a grandson of
President Thomas Jefferson. Thomas
Jefferson Bell was a college graduate and
a man of wealth, residing in Hillsboro,
New Hampshire, later moving to Chic-
opee, Massachusetts, where he died.
Emily (Deane) Bell was a daughter of
Silas Deane and his wife, Elizabeth, who
was the daughter of Rev. Gurdon Salton-
stall, of New London, Connecticut. Silas
Deane was a member of the first and sec-
ond Continental Congresses. He also
drew the rules for a navy, selected and
purchased the first vessel commissioned
for service, and was appointed by Con-
gress as secret agent to France to pur-
chase supplies and munitions of war. He
was a great diplomat, and was unweary-
ing in his efforts to convince Vergennes,
the French minister of foreign affairs, of
the advantages to France of the proposed
alliance with the United States, and even-
tually induced him to send a fleet to
America. On February 6, 1778, Silas
Deane, Benjamin Franklin, and Arthur
Lee signed a treaty of commerce and
friendship with France.
Mrs. Warren, who survives her hus-
band, and who has had placed in this vol-
ume a beautiful engraving of him in com-
memoration of his many beautiful traits of
character, makes her home in Mittineague
in summer in a beautiful mansion, in
which furniture of great age and other
heirlooms of the illustrious families from
which she and her husband descend are
found. She is a member of the Congre-
gational church.
BELL, Robert,
Representative of Important Interests.
In New Hampshire, from whence came
the forbears of Robert Bell, of Spring-
field, Massachusetts, the name of Bell is
one highly honored, for it was borne by
the ninth, thirteenth and forty-first gov-
ernors of that State, and Bells have been
conspicuous in the public, professional
and business life of the State since the
coming of John Bell, the founder of the
family in New Hampshire. John Bell
was born in the vicinity of Coleraine,
County of Londonderry, Ireland, in 1678,
died in Londonderry, New Hampshire,
July 8, 1743. He must have settled in
Londonderry in 1720, as in that year he
was granted a homestead of sixty acres
in Aukens range, upon which he spent the
remainder of his life; other lands were al-
139
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
lotted him in 1722 and later, until they
aggregated three hundred acres. In 1722,
after clearing a part of his homestead and
erecting a cabin thereon, he returned to
Ireland for his wife and two daughters.
His wife, Elizabeth Todd, daughter of
John and Rachel (Nelson) Todd, and sis-
ter of Colonel Andrew Todd, was a
woman of decision and character who
survived until aged eighty-two, dying
August 30, 1771. Their youngest son,
John (2) Bell, was one of the great men
of his day, appointed a colonel in 1780;
was State Senator and general magistrate,
but a farmer all his life, never seeking
fortune but content with the good living
he earned. He was a large, powerful man,
six feet one inch in height, strong and ac-
tive, holding the wrestling championship
of his town for twenty years. He died
November 30, 1825, aged ninety-five years,
three months and fifteen days. He mar-
ried Mary Ann Gilmore, a daughter of
James and Jean (Baptiste) Gilmore. Mrs.
Bell is said to have been a great beauty in
her youth and was a woman of great pru-
dence and good sense. Their son, John
(3) Bell, was the thirteenth governor of
New Hampshire, elected in 1828, and their
son Samuel, younger brother of John (3),
was elected ninth governor in 1819, was
three times reflected, resigning to enter
the United States Senate, where he served
twelve years. Governor Samuel Bell was,
moreover, a lawyer and jurist, of whom it
was written: "His published judicial
opinions in the early volumes of the State
Reports bear testimony to his habits of
thorough and careful research, his com-
plete understanding of the rules and rea-
sons of the law, and his clear logical
habits of investigation and statement."
His son, James Bell, was twice a candi-
date for governor of New Hampshire, and
in 1857 was elected United States Sena-
tor. He also was a lawyer of high attain-
ment, of whom it was said : "No lawyer
in the State was capable of rendering a
wiser or more weighty opinion on a naked
question of law than he." This is the
family from which sprang James Bell,
the great-grandfather of Robert Bell, of
Springfield, who was born about the year
1783, a descendant of John Bell, the
founder of his family in New Hampshire.
James Bell married Mary Parmenter, and
they were the parents of a son, Thomas
Jefferson Bell, of whom further.
Thomas Jefferson Bell was born in
Washington, New Hampshire, December
23, 1808, died June 26, 1880. He was edu-
cated in the schools of Antrim, New
Hampshire, and at an early day came to
Chicopee, Massachusetts. He was an
overseer in the Cabot Mills, of Chicopee,
for many years, and also acquired farming
interests as well as cultivating his own
acres. He married Emily Deane, born at
Bellows Falls, Vermont, October 4,
1815, died March 3, 1887, granddaughter
of Silas Deane, diplomat, member of the
first and second Continental Congresses,
who drew up rules for a navy and selected
and purchased the first vessel commis-
sioned for service by Congress. He was
appointed by Congress secret agent to
France to purchase supplies and muni-
tions of war and to secure a political and
commercial alliance with that country.
He was unwearying in his efforts to con-
vince the French minister of foreign af-
fairs, Vergennes, of the advantages to
France of the proposed alliance with the
American colonies, and eventually in-
duced him to send a fleet to their assist-
ance. On February 6, 1778, Silas Deane,
Benjamin Franklin and Arthur Lee
signed a treaty of commerce and friend-
ship with France. Thomas Jefferson and
Emily (Deane) Bell were the parents of
three daughters and a son : Emily A.,
married John B. Warren, now deceased,
140
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
and resides in Agawam, Massachusetts;
Jennie, deceased; Hiram W., of further
mention ; and Clara B., who married Israel
Harmon.
Hiram W. Bell, only son of Thomas J.
and Emily (Deane) Bell, was born in Chic-
opee, Massachusetts, August 28, 1843.
After finishing grade and high school
study, he entered Williston Academy, and
was a student there during the years 1860-
1861. In 1863 he was appointed clerk at
the Springfield United States Armory, a
position he held for forty-four consecutive
years, advancing to the position of chief
clerk and retiring in 1907. He is a mem-
ber of Chicopee Lodge, Free and Accepted
Masons ; the South Congregational Church ;
and in politics he is a Republican. He
married, August 21, 1879, Cara E. Lam-
son, born in Newburyport, Massachusetts,
December 9, 1853, daughter of Stephen
and Frances (Pearson) Lamson. Mr. and
Mrs. Bell are the parents of an only child,
Robert, of whom further.
Robert Bell, son of Hiram W. and Cara
E. (Lamson) Bell, was born in Springfield,
Massachusetts, February 12, 1882. He
was educated in the public schools of
Springfield, finishing with high school
graduation, class of 1898. His first posi-
tion in the business life of his city was as
office boy with the Massachusetts Mutual
Life Insurance Company. His service
with that company was continuous until
1920, and he rose through many promo-
tions to the position of department man-
ager. On October I, 1920, Mr. Bell be-
came associated with the Fiberloid Cor-
poration, of New York, as a representative
in the West, with headquarters in New
York City.
Mr. Bell is a member of Springfield
Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, and of
all the higher Masonic bodies, including
Connecticut Valley Consistory, Ancient
Accepted Scottish Rite, in which he holds
the thirty-second degree. He is also a
noble of Melha Temple, Nobles of the
Mystic Shrine, and through his patriotic
ancestry holds membership in the Sons
of the American Revolution. His club is
the Nayasset.
Mr. Bell married, November 29, 1906,
Cora B. Bean, of Martinville, Quebec,
Canada, daughter of Silas B. and Sarah
Fidelia (Cass) Bean. Mr. and Mrs. Bell
are the parents of a son, Edwin Mont-
gomery Bell, born November 18, 1908.
The family since 1908 has resided at
Tatham Hill, in West Springfield.
FLAGG, Raymond Horatio,
Active in Community Affairs.
The progenitor of the Flagg family, of
which Raymond H. Flagg, treasurer and
director of the Commercial Trust Com-
pany, of Springfield, is a worthy repre-
sentative, was Sir Alger de Flegge, of De
Flegge Hall, Norwich, England, who was
living in 1160, A. D. His forbears were
Normans, who came to England in 1066
with William the Conqueror and were
given a portion of Norfolk county as their
fee. From Sir Alger de Flegge the de-
scent is traced through several genera-
tions to William Flegg, an earlier form
of the spelling of the name Flagg.
(I) William Flegg resided in Norfolk
county, England, and died in 1426. He
was survived by his two sons, William,
and Thomas, of further mention.
(II) Thomas Flegg, second son of
William Flegg, resided in Norfolk county,
England, where he died in 1471. His son
William is of further mention.
(III) William (2) Flegg, son of
Thomas Flegg, resided in Swafield,
County Norfolk, England, in 1521, in the
reign of Henry VIII. His family con-
sisted of five sons : William, Richard, of
further mention ; Thomas, John, James.
141
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
(IV) Richard Flegg, second son of
William (2) Flegg, resided in Shipdham,
County Norfolk, England, and left a will
which was proved May 28, 1587, in which
he mentioned his wife Margaret. They
had children : William, Richard, John,
of further mention ; Alice, Ralph.
(V) John Flegg, third son of Richard
and Margaret Flegg, resided in Foxham,
County Norfolk, England, and made a
will dated September 3, 1613, proved in
Norwich, February 16, 1617. He married
Aveline Robinson, widow of J. Robinson,
deputy of Bennington, and they had three
children : Allan, Bartholomew, of further
mention; and Rebecca.
(VI) Bartholomew Flegg, second son
of John and Aveline (Robinson) Flegg, of
Whinebergh, England, married Alice
, who bore him four sons : Samuel,
Thomas, of further mention ; Francis,
John.
(VII) Thomas (2) Flegg, second son
of Bartholomew and Alice Flegg, was
baptized in Whinebergh, near Norwich,
England, in 1615, but being a second son
he did not inherit the property. He came
to this country with Sir Richard Carver
in the ship, "John and Dorothy," in the
year 1637, and in 1642, in the company
of Sir Richard Saltonstall, was one of the
settlers of Watertown, Massachusetts.
He served as selectman there in 1671-74-
75-76-78-81-85-87. He lost an eye by the
accidental discharge of a gun previous to
1659. He married Mary - , born in
England, 1619, who bore him the follow-
ing named children : Gershom, born
April 16, 1641 ; John, born June 15, 1643;
Bartholomew, born February 23, 1645 '<
Thomas, born April 28, 1646; Michael,
born March 22, 1651 ; Eleazer, of further
mention ; Elizabeth, born March 20, 1655 ;
Mary, born June 14, 1657; Rebecca, born
September 5. 1660; Benjamin, born June
25, 1662; Allen, born May 16, 1665.
Thomas (2) Flegg died February 6, 1698.
(VIII) Eleazer Flegg, sixth son of
Thomas (2) and Mary Flegg, was born
May 14, 1653, died May i, 1722. He mar-
ried, October 10, 1676, Deborah Barnes,
and among their children were: Deborah,
born 1677; Abigail, 1679; Eleazer, of
further mention.
(IX) Eleazer (2) Flegg, son of Eleazer
(i) and Deborah (Barnes) Flegg, was
born in 1687, and died in 1745. He mar-
ried Deborah - , and among their
children was James, of further mention.
(X) James Flagg (as the name is now
spelled) son of Eleazer (2) and Deborah
Flegg, was born in Concord, Massachu-
setts, May 3, 1723, and died in Wilming-
ton, Vermont, in 1807. He was a minute-
man at the time of the Revolutionary
War. He resided in Concord until 1750,
then moved to Upton, and later to Wil-
mington, where he spent the remainder of
his days. He married, March 6, 1746,
Anna Moore, of Cambridge, Massachu-
setts, and their sixth child was John, of
further mention.
(XI) John (2) Flagg, sixth son of
James and Anna (Moore) Flagg, was
born in Upton, Massachusetts, October
6, 1758. He served in the militia in his
father's place, who was a minuteman and
needed at home, volunteering at the age
of sixteen, on the Lexington Alarm. He
actively participated in the battle of
Bunker Hill and Dorchester Heights,
served in Providence, Rhode Island, and
in Connecticut, and was with General
Washington and his troops during that
memorable winter at Valley Forge. In
1779 he was transferred to the Continental
army. He married (first), in 1785,
Thankful Hawkes, who died about eight
years later. He married (second), Janu-
ary 31, 1796, Lucy Stebbins, of Spring-
field. Massachusetts, who died in Wil-
142
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
mington, November n, 1808. Children of
second wife : John Sidney, born Decem-
ber 16, 1796, died November 20, 1799;
Horatio, of further mention.
(XII) Rev. Horatio Flagg, second son
of John (2) and Lucy (Stebbins) Flagg,
was born in Wilmington, Vermont, Janu-
ary 24, 1798, and died May 19, 1861. He
graduated from Amherst College in the
year 1825, studied theology, was ordained
to the ministry, and served in extended
pastorates in Colerain, Massachusetts. In
1851 he served Colerain in the Massachu-
setts Legislature, he having previously
been compelled to relinquish ministerial
work on account of impaired health. Rev.
Horatio Flagg married (first) Mary
Pratt, born 1796. He married (second)
Mary Coombs, of Colerain, born April i,
1813, died in October, 1893, in Florence,
Massachusetts. Children of Rev. Horatio
Flagg: Lucy C., married William A.
Dickinson ; Herbert Horatio ; Urbane
Horatio, of further mention ; Payson Jon-
athon. A peculiarity about the sons of
Rev. Horatio Flagg is the fact that all
were physicians and surgeons, all mar-
ried and all had families consisting of four
children each.
(XIII) Dr. Urbane Horatio Flagg,
second son of Rev. Horatio Flagg, was
born in Colerain, Massachusetts, August
19, 1851, and died in West Springfield,
Massachusetts, November 28, 1894. His
elementary education was received in the
Colerain public and Springfield public
schools, and Arms Academy at Shelburne
Falls, and upon the completion of these
studies he matriculated in Jefferson Med-
ical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
from which he was graduated in June,
1878. He engaged in the active practice
of his profession in West Springfield, in
October, 1878, and so continued until six
years prior to his death, when he estab-
lished an office in Springfield, and his
practice in both places increased in vol-
ume and importance with the passing
years. He was a conscientious, Christian
gentleman, in addition to a skillful and
painstaking physician, and he was highly
regarded and greatly beloved by his
patients and numerous friends. He was
a member of the various medical socie-
ties, and a member of Springfield Lodge,
Free and Accepted Masons.
Dr. Urbane H. Flagg married, June 23,
1880, Emily M. Cunliffe, of Bolton, Lan-
cashire, England, daughter of William
and Anna (Mason) Cunliffe. Children
of Dr. and Mrs. Flagg: William Hal-
lock, died aged five years ; Emily Mabel,
married Henry L. Birge, of West Haven,
Connecticut, and their children were:
Henry L., Jr., Emily Jane, Elizabeth, and
Sidney Flagg Birge ; Raymond Horatio, of
further mention ; and Ruth Elizabeth.
William Cunliffe, father of Mrs. Emily M.
(Cunliffe) Flagg, a native of England, was
connected with the manufacture of cotton
mill machinery and the introducing of it
into this country. He crossed the Atlan-
tic ocean several times, and was here prior
to the outbreak of the War of the Rebel-
lion ; he enlisted with the Union forces
from New York City, was made quarter-
master, and was injured while attempting
to save the books of the regiment from
the attacking forces.
(XIV) Raymond Horatio Flagg, sec-
ond son of Dr. Urbane Horatio and Emily
M. (Cunliffe) Flagg, was born in West
Springfield, Massachusetts, April 21, 1888.
He was a student in the town school and
the West Springfield High School, and
after completing his studies he was em-
ployed in a wholesale plumbing house, in
the capacity of bookkeeper, serving as
such for eighteen months. He then en-
tered the employ of the Safe Deposit and
Trust Company of Springfield, serving in
a similar capacity, and later as teller, his
M3
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
connection with this institution covering
the period of time between 1909 and 1915,
in which latter year he became connected
with the organization of the Commercial
Trust Company of Springfield, in the
capacity of assistant treasurer, and in 1919
was advanced to the office of treasurer,
which he acceptably fills
