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@ENEAUOGY   COLUECTION 


NEW  ENGLAND  FAMILIES 

GENEALOGICAL  AND  MEMORIAL 

A  Record  of  the  Achievements  of  Her  People  in  the  Making  of  Commonwealths  and  the 
Founding  of  a  Nation 


COMPILED    UNDER   THI 


WILLIAM   RICHARD   CUTTER,   A.   M. 

ic-Gcnea 
logical    Society.      Mi 


England  Hi 
;sachusetts. 


WILFRED  HAROLD  MUNRO,  L.  H.  D. 

Professor  of  History,  Brown  University;  Presi- 
dent of  Rhode  Island  Historical  Society;  ex- 
Governor  Society  of  Colonial  Wars.  Rhode 
Island. 

GUY  POTTER  BENTON,  D.  D.,  LL.  D. 

President  of  the  University  of  Vermont;  Sec- 
retary and  Treasurer  National  Association  of 
State  Universities;  Elector  of  the  Hall  of 
Fame;  Author  of  "The  Real  College."  Ver- 
mont. 


ORIAL    SUPERVISION    OP 

SAMUEL  HART,  D.  D.,  D.  C.  L. 

Dean  of  Berkeley  Divinity  School;  President 
of  Connecticut  Historical  Society.  Connecti- 
cut. 

AUGUSTUS  FREEDOM  MOULTON,  A.  M. 

Ex-President  and  Historian  Maine  Society, 
Sons  of  the  American  Revolution;  Member  of 
Roard  of  Overseers  Bowdoin  College;  Member 
of  Council,  Maine  Society  of  the  Colonial  Wars; 
Member  of  Standing  Committee  Maine  His- 
torical   Society.      Maine. 

JOHN  REYNOLDS  TOTTEN 

Editor  of  "New  York  Genealogical  and  Bio- 
graphical  Record."     New   York. 


ILLUSTRATED 


THE  AMERICAN  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY  (Inc. 
NEW  YORK  BOSTON 

1916 


etf>V\C 

Cfl*rW,  sue*1 


•vw«rt 


2210 


Both  justice  and  decency  require  that  we  should  bestow  on  our  forefathers  an 
honorable  remembrance — Thucydidcs 


1  or;  irfio^ 


BIOGRAPHICAL 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


DAWES,  Henry  L., 

Eminent    Constructive    Statesman. 

Henry  Laurens  Dawes,  whose  services 
as  a  national  constructive  legislator  are 
commemorated  in  various  notable  and 
highly  useful  enactments  by  the  national 
legislature,  was  born  in  Cummington, 
Massachusetts,  October  30,  1816,  and  died 
February  5,  1903,  son  of  Mitchell  and 
Mercy  (Burgees)  Dawes.  He  was  of 
English  ancestry,  of  a  family  which  ad- 
hered to  the  house  of  Stuart  during  the 
Cromwellian  times,  and  came  into  favor 
at  the  restoration  of  Charles  II.  The  an- 
cestor of  Senator  Henry  L.  Dawes  estab- 
lished himself  in  Boston  about  the  year 
1700. 

Henry  L.  Dawes  began  his  education 
in  the  common  schools,  then  entering 
Yale  College,  from  which  he  was  gradu- 
ated in  the  class  of  1839.  After  leaving 
college  he  spent  two  years  teaching 
school.  Subsequently  he  became  editor 
of  the  "Greenfield  Gazette,"  and  still  later 
of  the  "Adams  Transcript."  Meantime 
he  studied  law  in  the  office  of  Wells  & 
Davis,  at  Greenfield,  Massachusetts,  and 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1842,  begin- 
ning his  practice  at  North  Adams;  in 
1864  he  removed  to  Pittsfield,  Massachu- 
setts. In  1848-49  he  was  a  member  of  the 
lower  house  of  the  State  Legislature;  in 
1850  of  the  State  Senate;  and  in  1852 
was  again  returned  to  the  lower  house. 
In  1853  he  was  a  member  of  the  Constitu- 
tional Convention  of  Massachusetts;  and 
in  1853  and  to  1857  was  United  States 
District  Attorney  for  the  Western  Dis- 
trict of  Massachusetts.  He  was  nine 
times  successively  elected  to  the  National 


House  of  Representatives,  his  term  of 
service  beginning  in  1857  and  ending  in 
1875,  he  declining  to  be  a  candidate  for 
a  tenth  term.  His  congressional  service 
covered  the  entire  troublous  period  pre- 
ceding the  Civil  War,  and  the  whole  of 
that  momentous  struggle.  A  Whig  in 
early  life,  he  became  a  Republican  at  the 
founding  of  the  party,  and  he  was  among 
the  most  virile  forces  of  the  nation  in  op- 
posing the  encroachments  of  slavery,  and 
in  the  maintenance  of  the  Union  when 
the  national  existence  was  at  stake.  The 
positions  which  he  occupied  during  those 
days  give  eloquent  attestation  of  his  abil- 
ity and  integrity.  In  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives he  was  chairman  of  the  com- 
mittee on  elections  through  the  difficult 
war  and  reconstruction  periods ;  and  at 
other  times  rendered  distinguished  serv- 
ice as  chairman  of  the  committees  on 
appropriations,  and  ways  and  means.  He 
was  among  the  foremost  in  the  advance- 
ment of  many  important  measures.  He 
was  the  father  of  the  Weather  Bureau 
and  the  National  Fish  Commission,  hav- 
ing provided  the  legislation  for  their 
establishment,  and  procured  the  neces- 
sary appropriations;  and  the  tariff  bill  of 
1872  was  passed  by  the  House  as  he 
drafted  it,  and  without  amendment.  While 
a  congressman,  he  twice  declined  a  seat 
on  the  bench  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  his 
State. 

Mr.  Dawes  was  elected  to  the  United 
States  Senate  in  1875,  to  succeed  Senator 
Washburn,  who  had  been  appointed  to 
fill  the  vacancy  occasioned  by  the  death 
of  Hon.  Charles  Sumner.  Mr.  Dawes 
was  reelected  in  1881  and  again  in  1887, 
his  service  closing  March  3,  1893.    In  that 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


body  his  service  was  most  useful,  in  vari- 
ous highly  responsible  committee  posi- 
tions— on  the  committees  on  appropria- 
tions, civil  service,  the  fisheries,  Revolu- 
tionary claims,  naval  affairs,  and  Indian 
affairs.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the  com- 
mittee on  public  buildings  and  grounds, 
and  it  was  upon  his  initiative  that  the 
Washington  monument  in  the  national 
capital  was  carried  to  completion.  Mr. 
Dawes,  however,  is  chiefly  known  for  his 
service  as  chairman  of  the  committee  on 
Indian  affairs  for  fifteen  years.  He  re- 
ported and  secured  the  enactment  of  the 
first  bill  providing  for  Indian  education. 
In  1887  he  wrote  and  secured  the  passage 
of  the  act  called  the  Indian  Severalty  Law 
which  conferred  land  in  severalty  and 
citizenship  on  the  American  Indians. 
This  is  sometimes  called  the  Indian 
Emancipation  Act,  and  on  this  account 
"Dawes  Day"  is  celebrated  at  Hampton. 
When  he  retired  from  the  Senate  in  1893, 
he  was  appointed  chairman  of  the  Com- 
mission to  the  Five  Civilized  Tribes  of 
Indians — popularly  known  as  the  Dawes 
Commission — and  which  position  he  occu- 
pied until  his  death.  While  an  uncompro- 
mising Republican  in  politics,  he  enjoyed 
the  respect  of  all  parties,  and  was  the 
personal  friend  of  every  President  from 
the  time  of  his  first  election  to  the  legis- 
lature to  the  end  of  his  service.  He  was 
a  man  of  independent  thought  and  action, 
and  his  ability  as  a  speaker  was  equalled 
by  his  ability  as  a  writer.  For  four  years 
at  Dartmouth  College  he  was  lecturer  on 
"United  States  History  during  the  Past 
Fifty  Years."  In  1869  the  degree  of  Doc- 
tor of  Laws  was  conferred  upon  him  by 
Williams  College,  and  in  1889  by  Yale 
University. 

He  married,  May  1,  1844,  Electa  A. 
Sanderson,  of  Ashfield,  Massachusetts, 
daughter  of  Chester  and  Anna  (Allis) 
Sanderson ;  children  :  I.  Thomas  Sander- 
son, born  February  24,   1848,  died  Sep- 


tember 7,  1849.  2-  Anna  Laurens,  May 
14,  185 1 ;  a  prominent  author,  greatly  in- 
terested in  educational  and  sociological 
matters ;  a  member  of  the  Massachusetts 
board  of  managers  of  the  World's  Colum- 
bian Exposition,  also  of  board  of  lady 
managers  of  the  Louisiana  Purchase  Ex- 
position at  St.  Louis;  published  several 
books,  her  subjects  being  mainly  educa- 
tional and  political.  3.  Henry  Laurens, 
born  April  13,  1853,  d'ed  April  16,  1854. 

4.  Chester  Mitchell,  born  July  14,   1855. 

5.  Robert  Crawford,  born  January  21, 
1858,  died  September  3,  1859.  6.  Henry 
Laurens,  born  January  5,  1863. 


DODGE,  General  Grenville  M., 
Soldier,  Civil  Engineer. 

General  Grenville  Mellen  Dodge,  a  dis- 
tinguished soldier  of  the  Civil  War  and  a 
civil  engineer  of  masterly  ability,  was 
born  in  Putnamville,  Danvers,  Massachu- 
setts, April  12,  1831,  son  of  Sylvanus  and 
Julia  T.  (Phillips)  Dodge. 

He  attended  a  public  school  in  winter, 
meanwhile  working  industriously  in  vari- 
ous employments.  He  devoted  his  leisure 
hours  to  study,  and  in  1845  was  able  to 
enter  Durham,  (New  Hampshire)  Acad- 
emy. The  following  year  he  entered  Nor- 
wich (Vermont)  University,  a  military 
college,  and  graduated  from  the  college 
as  a  civil  engineer  in  1850,  and  from  Cap- 
tain Partridge's  Military  School  in  185 1, 
taking  his  diploma  in  the  scientific  course. 
He  began  his  active  career  at  Peru,  Illi- 
nois, where  he  engaged  in  surveying.  In 
the  winter  of  185 1  he  entered  the  service 
of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  Company, 
and  made  surveys  for  that  road  between 
Dixon  and  Bloomington,  Illinois.  He 
then  became  connected  with  the  engineer 
corps  of  the  Rock  Island  railroad,  and 
soon  afterward  was  commissioned  to  sur- 
vey its  Peoria  branch.  While  thus  en- 
gaged he  wrote  a  letter  home,  which  was 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


published,  prophesying  the  building  of 
the  first  Pacific  railroad,  and  indicating 
its  general  lines  across  the  continent,  a 
line  which  in  later  years  he  constructed. 
Under  the  directions  of  Mr.  Dey  he  made 
the  surveys  of  the  Mississippi  &  Missouri, 
now  the  Chicago,  Rock  Island  &  Pacific 
railroad,  from  Davenport  to  Council 
Bluffs,  Iowa,  and  he  was  assistant  engi- 
neer during  the  construction  of  the  road 
from  Davenport  to  Iowa  City.  In  1853 
he  made  a  reconnaissance  west  of  the 
Mississippi  river  with  a  view  of  deter- 
mining the  location  of  a  Pacific  railroad, 
and  the  bill  authorizing  the  construc- 
tion of  the  Union  Pacific  railroad,  which 
was  adopted  by  Congress  in  1862,  was 
largely  based  upon  his  surveys  and 
reports.  November  11,  1854,  he  removed 
to  Council  Bluffs,  Iowa,  and  engaged 
in  mercantile  pursuits.  Later  he  estab- 
lished the  banking  house  of  Baldwin  & 
Dodge,  which  was  finally  merged  in  the 
Pacific  National  Bank,  with  Mr.  Dodge 
as  president,  and  this  institution  became 
the  present  Council  Bluffs  Savings  Bank, 
of  which  his  brother,  N.  P.  Dodge,  later 
became  president.  From  1853  to  i860 
he  continued  his  surveys  for  the  Union 
Pacific  railroad  under  the  patronage  of 
Henry  Farnham  and  Thomas  C.  Durant, 
and  was  connected  with  all  the  railroad 
interests  in  Iowa  and  Nebraska. 

In  1856  he  organized  and  equipped  the 
Council  Bluffs  Guards,  of  which  he  was 
elected  captain,  and  in  1861,  at  the  out- 
break of  the  Civil  War,  he  tendered  its 
services  to  the  Governor  of  Iowa,  it  being 
one  of  the  first  companies  in  the  State  to 
respond  to  President  Lincoln's  call  for 
troops  for  the  suppression  of  the  rebel- 
lion. This  proffer  was  declined,  it  being 
deemed  inexpedient  to  withdraw  troops 
from  the  western  border  of  Iowa  on 
account  of  threatened  Indian  disturb- 
ances. Early  in  1861  Captain  Dodge  was 
appointed  on  the  staff  of  Governor  Kirk- 


wood,  who  sent  him  to  Washington  City, 
where  he  obtained  six  thousand  stands  of 
arms  and  ammunition  for  the  use  of  Iowa 
troops.  While  engaged  upon  this  errand 
the  Secretary  of  War  offered  him  a  cap- 
taincy in  the  regular  army,  but  this  he  de- 
clined, whereupon  Secretary  of  War  Cam- 
eron telegraphed  Governor  Kirkwood 
recommending  that  Captain  Dodge  be 
made  colonel  of  an  Iowa  regiment.  Gov- 
ernor Kirkwood  at  once  commissioned 
him  as  colonel  of  the  Fourth  Regiment, 
Iowa  Infantry,  and  authorized  him  to  re- 
cruit and  complete  its  organization  at 
Council  Bluffs.  A  fortnight  later,  Colo- 
nel Dodge,  with  his  regiment,  was  in 
active  service  in  northern  Missouri. 
When  the  Army  of  the  Southwest  was 
organized  under  General  S.  R.  Curtis, 
Colonel  Dodge  was  assigned  to  the  com- 
mand of  the  Fourth  Brigade,  Fourth 
Division,  and  he  led  the  advance  in  the 
capture  of  Springfield,  Missouri.  He  was 
engaged  in  the  battle  of  Pea  Ridge,  where 
he  was  wounded,  and  where  his  gallant 
conduct  brought  him  promotion  to  the 
rank  of  brigadier-general.  November  15, 
1862,  he  was  assigned  to  the  command  of 
the  Second  Division  of  the  Army  of  the 
Tennessee,  and  was  actively  engaged 
thereafter  against  the  Confederate  forces 
under  Forrest  and  Roddy  in  West  Ten- 
nessee and  Mississippi.  With  two  divi- 
sions of  the  Sixteenth  Army  Corps  he 
joined  General  Sherman  at  Chattanooga 
on  May  4,  1864.  He  was  commissioned 
major-general  May  22,  on  the  recom- 
mendation of  General  Grant,  in  recogni- 
tion of  his  services  during  the  operations 
about  Corinth  and  in  the  Vicksburg  cam- 
paign. He  took  part  in  all  the  operations 
of  General  Sherman  which  culminated  in 
the  fall  of  Atlanta,  and  on  August  19  fell 
dangerously  wounded,  and  was  sent  home 
as  soon  as  he  was  able  to  be  moved. 
While  exhibiting  all  the  traits  which 
mark  the  accomplished  soldier  and  gen- 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


eral  in  conduct  in  campaign  and  battle, 
General  Dodge's  engineering  skill  was 
also  of  vast  advantage  to  Generals  Grant 
and  Sherman,  who  relied  upon  him  in 
large  degree  for  the  rebuilding  of  many 
large  railroad  bridges  which  had  been 
destroyed  by  the  Confederates,  and  which 
were  necessary  for  providing  subsistence 
and  munitions  of  war  to  the  army.  This 
splendid  service  was  never  forgotten  by 
Generals  Grant  and  Sherman,  both  of 
whom  paid  fervent  tribute  to  General 
Dodge  in  their  "Memoirs,"  as  well  as  by 
word  of  mouth  in  presence  of  military 
assemblages  subsequent  to  the  war.  Re- 
turning to  duty  after  recovering  from  his 
wound,  General  Dodge  was  assigned  to 
the  command  of  the  Department  of  Mis- 
souri, relieving  General  Rosecrans  on  De- 
cember 2,  1864.  General  Dodge  subse- 
quently took  command  of  all  the  United 
States  forces  serving  in  Kansas,  Colo- 
rado, Nebraska,  Utah,  Montana  and  Da- 
kota, west  of  the  Missouri  river,  and  con- 
ducted an  aggressive  and  successful  cam- 
paign against  the  Indians.  At  the  con- 
clusion of  these  operations,  at  his  own 
earnest  request,  he  was  relieved,  and  May 
30,  1866,  his  resignation  was  accepted. 

In  July,  1866,  the  Republicans  of  the 
Fifth  Congressional  District  of  Iowa 
nominated  General  Dodge  for  Congress, 
an  honor  which  was  entirely  unsought. 
In  Congress  he  was  recognized  as  an 
authority  on  all  questions  relating  to  the 
army,  and  he  was  active  in  formulating 
and  promoting  the  bill  to  reduce  the  army 
to  a  peace  footing,  and  in  other  important 
military  legislation.  He  declined  a  reelec- 
tion to  Congress  in  order  to  give  his  sole 
attention  to  his  duties  as  chief  engineer 
of  the  Union  Pacific  railroad.  He  planned 
the  iron  bridge  across  the  Missouri  river 
between  Council  Bluffs  and  Omaha,  and 
in  one  year  directed  the  locating,  building 
and  equipment  of  five  hundred  and  sixty- 
eight  miles  of  road.     May   10,   1869,  he 


witnessed  the  consummation  of  his  great 
purpose,  the  uniting  of  the  Union  Pacific 
with  the  Central  Pacific  at  Promontory 
Point,  Utah,  eleven  hundred  and  eighty- 
six  miles  from  the  eastern  terminus  on 
the  Missouri  river.  In  1871  General 
Dodge  was  appointed  chief  engineer  of 
the  California  &  Texas  Railway  Construc- 
tion Company,  and  he  built  the  Texas  & 
Pacific  railroad  from  Shreveport,  Louisi- 
ana, to  Dallas,  Texas,  and  from  Marshall 
via  Texarkana  to  Sherman.  He  also 
made  the  preliminary  surveys  to  deter- 
mine the  thirty-fifth  parallel  route,  and 
partially  built  eastward  some  two  hun- 
dred miles  of  road. 

In  1874  General  Dodge  visited  Europe, 
primarily  on  account  of  his  health,  and 
until  1879  he  spent  a  portion  of  each  year 
abroad.  During  this  period,  at  the  solici- 
tation of  President  Grant,  he  met  the 
German  and  Italian  engineers  engaged  in 
building  the  St.  Gothard  tunnel,  and  also 
examined  the  system  of  internal  improve- 
ments in  various  parts  of  Europe.  In 
January,  1880,  he  organized  the  Pacific 
Railway  Improvement  Company,  of 
which  he  became  president,  and  com- 
pleted a  large  section  of  the  Texas  & 
Pacific  road.  He  was  subsequently  presi- 
dent and  promoter  of  various  railroad 
organizations  in  the  United  States  and 
Mexico.  In  1871  and  1886  the  Chinese 
government  invited  the  aid  of  General 
Dodge  in  carrying  out  certain  internal 
improvements,  but  he  declined.  After 
the  Spanish-American  war  he  surveyed 
various  railroad  routes  in  Cuba.  It  is  not 
too  much  to  say  that  no  man  of  his  day 
contributed  so  much  to  the  establishment 
of  transcontinental  railroads,  and  he  was 
to  the  last  a  constant  inspiration  to  rail- 
road projectors  and  builders  throughout 
the  land. 

General  Dodge  enjoyed  the  distinction 
of  being  the  last  surviving  corps  com- 
mander of  the  old  Army  of  the  Tennessee, 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


which  was  organized  and  long  command- 
ed by  Grant,  who  was  succeeded  by  Sher- 
man. General  Dodge  was  an  original 
member  of  the  Society  of  the  Army  of 
the  Tennessee,  and  was  its  president  after 
the  death  of  General  Sherman  until  he 
himself  passed  away.  He  was  vice-presi- 
dent of  the  Grant  Monument  Association, 
and  he  was  commander  of  the  Military 
Order  of  the  Loyal  Legion  of  the  State  of 
New  York  in  1897-98.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Union  League,  Colonial,  United 
States  and  other  clubs,  and  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic.  He  was  a  dele- 
gate-at-large  from  Iowa  to  the  National 
Republican  Conventions  at  Philadelphia, 
Chicago  and  Cincinnati,  and  took  an 
active  part  in  every  presidential  cam- 
paign beginning  with  that  which  resulted 
in  the  first  election  of  Lincoln,  and 
throughout  his  life.  When  war  was  de- 
clared against  Spain  in  1893,  General 
Dodge  was  proffered  by  President  Mc- 
Kinley  a  commission  as  major-general, 
which  he  declined  on  account  of  his  years 
and  professional  duties.  After  the  war  he 
was  appointed  one  of  the  commissioners 
to  investigate  the  conduct  of  the  War 
Department  during  the  war  with  Spain. 
He  always  took  an  active  interest  in  his 
alma  mater,  the  Norwich  (Vermont)  Uni- 
versity, which  he  long  served  as  trustee, 
and  Dodge  Hall  was  built  and  donated 
by  him  to  the  institution.  In  191 1  he 
wrote  in  large  part  and  published  a  "His- 
tory of  Norwich  University,"  in  three 
spacious  and  well  illustrated  volumes.  He 
was  an  honorary  member  of  the  New 
York  Society  of  Vermonters.  He  died  at 
Council  Blufifs,  Iowa,  January  3,  1916. 


TYLER,  William  S., 

Distinguished   Educator    and   Anthor. 

William  Seymour  Tyler,  one  of  the 
foremost  classical  scholars  and  educators 
of  his  day,  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania, 
born   at   Harford,    Susquehanna   county, 


September  2, 1810,  son  of  Joab  and  Nabby 
(Seymour)  Tyler,  of  English  descent. 

He  was  a  student  for  one  year  at  Ham- 
ilton College,  and  then  entered  Amherst 
College,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in 
1830.  From  1830  to  1834  he  was  a  tutor 
in  Amherst.  He  was  for  two  years  a 
theological  student  at  Andover  and  under 
Dr.  Skinner,  of  New  York,  and  was 
licensed  to  preach  in  1836.  He  did  not, 
however,  take  up  pastoral  work,  for  he 
was  immediately  appointed  Professor  of 
Latin  and  Greek  at  Amherst  College,  and 
afterwards  of  Greek,  which  position  he 
filled  for  sixty  years.  Harvard  College 
conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Divinity  in  1857,  an^  tnat  °f  Doctor 
of  Laws  in  1888,  and  he  received  the  lat- 
ter degree  from  Amherst  College  in  1871. 
He  was  at  times  president  of  the  board 
of  trustees  of  Williston  Academy,  East- 
hampton,  Massachusetts ;  of  Mount  Hol- 
yoke  Seminary  at  South  Hadley,  Massa- 
chusetts ;  and  of  Smith  College  at  North- 
ampton, Massachusetts,  and  was  known 
as  the  trusted  adviser  of  the  founders  of 
these  institutions.  Among  his  publica- 
tions are :  "Germania  and  Agricola  of 
Tacitus,  with  Notes  for  Colleges"  (1847)  ! 
"Histories  of  Tacitus"  (1848)  ;  "Plutarch 
on  the  Delay  of  the  Deity,"  with  Pro- 
fessor H.  B.  Hackett  (1867)  ;  "Theology 
of  the  Greek  Poets"  (1867)  ;  Premium 
Essay,  "Prayer  for  Colleges"  (1854;  re- 
vised and  enlarged  repeatedly)  ;  "History 
of  Amherst  College"  (1873;  revised  and 
continued  to  1891  in  1895)  !  ar,d  "The 
Olynthiacs  of  Demosthenes,  with  Notes" 
(1893).  He  also  contributed  extensively 
to  quarterlies  and  monthlies,  chiefly  on 
classical  subjects. 

Professor  Tyler  was  married,  in  1839, 
to  Amelia  Ogden  Whiting,  a  great-grand- 
daughter of  Jonathan  Edwards,  once 
president  of  Princeton  College,  and  a  dis- 
tinguished theologian.  They  had  four 
sons :     Mason  Whiting,  a  practicing  law- 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


yer  in  New  York  City;  William  Well- 
ington, a  mechanical  engineer  at  Dayton, 
Ohio;  Henry  Mather,  Professor  of  Greek 
at  Smith  College,  Northampton,  Massa- 
chusetts; and  John  M.,  Professor  of 
Biology  at  Amherst  College.  Professor 
Tyler  died  at  Amherst,  Massachusetts, 
November  19,  1897. 


CLAFLIN,  William, 

Governor,  National  Legislator. 

William  Claflin,  twenty-third  Governor 
of  Massachusetts,  was  born  at  Milford, 
Massachusetts,  March  6,  1818,  his  father 
being  a  tanner  in  comfortable  circum- 
stances. 

He  first  attended  the  district  schools, 
and  was  obliged  to  run  errands  and  labor 
on  week  days  out  of  school  hours,  while 
on  Sundays  he  was  held  to  the  strict 
religious  discipline  of  those  times.  After 
five  or  six  years  of  this  rigid  training,  he 
was  sent  to  the  Milford  Academy.  While 
attending  that  institution,  his  father  tore 
out  the  vats  of  his  tannery,  replacing 
them  with  machinery  for  the  purpose  of 
making  boots  and  shoes.  This  was  the 
first  boot  and  shoe  manufactory  in  Massa- 
chusetts, and  in  this  William,  then  in  his 
fourteenth  year,  spent  his  spare  hours 
and  vacation  days,  working  hard  at  the 
bench.  After  completing  his  preparation 
for  college  at  the  Milford  Academy,  he 
entered  Brown  University,  in  his  fifteenth 
year,  his  privilege  of  further  schooling 
being  obtained  only  at  the  earnest  solici- 
tation of  his  mother.  On  her  death,  one 
year  later,  his  father  persuaded  the  son, 
owing  to  his  ill  health,  to  leave  college, 
and  put  him  again  in  the  shoe  shop.  Later, 
in  1837,  the  father  rented  for  the  son  a 
small  shop  in  Ashland,  Massachusetts,  in 
which  the  latter  worked  so  hard,  early 
and  late,  that  within  a  year  he  was  pros- 
trated with  typhoid  fever.  After  his  re- 
covery he  went  to  St.   Louis,  Missouri, 


where  he  established  a  boot  and  shoe  shop, 
which  his  father  stocked  for  him  for  two 
years,  and  he  conducted  the  business  so 
successfully  that  he  took  the  entire  man- 
agement upon  himself,  and  built  up  a 
large  business. 

Mr.  Claflin  was  a  strong  anti-slavery 
man,  and  his  sentiments  were  strength- 
ened by  what  he  witnessed  in  St.  Louis, 
then  a  great  slave  mart.  On  one  occa- 
sion, seeing  a  handsome  young  colored 
man,  his  wife  and  daughter,  offered  for 
sale,  he  and  his  partner  bought  them,  and 
set  them  free  at  once,  thus  giving  great 
offence  to  the  slaveholding  element  of  St. 
Louis.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Free- 
soil  party,  and  during  the  Kansas  troubles 
the  St.  Louis  manufactory  was  several 
times  threatened  with  destruction  by  a 
mob. 

In  1846  Mr.  Claflin  committed  his  St. 
Louis  business  to  partners,  and  returned 
to  Massachusetts,  devoting  himself  to  the 
extension  of  the  boot  and  shoe  manufac- 
turing business,  establishing  factories  and 
tanneries  in  many  parts  of  the  country, 
and  employing  several  hundred  opera- 
tives, the  yearly  sales  of  the  firm  amount- 
ing sometimes  to  $2,000,000.  Mr.  Claflin 
continued  an  ardent  advocate  of  the  Free- 
soil  and  anti-slavery  cause,  working  earn- 
estly for  its  success.  In  1849  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  Massachusetts 
House  of  Representatives  on  this  particu- 
lar issue,  serving  until  1852.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Massachusetts  Senate  in 
i860  and  1861,  and  during  the  latter  year 
was  president  of  that  body.  On  the  out- 
break of  the  Civil  War,  so  many  debtors 
of  his  St.  Louis  house  failed  to  settle  their 
accounts  that  Mr.  Claflin  lost  thereby 
about  $50,000,  a  very  large  amount  in  that 
day,  but  the  house  met  every  engagement, 
and  the  business  was  soon  again  in  a 
flourishing  condition.  He  was  chairman 
of  the  Republican  State  Central  Commit- 
tee for  seven  years,  a  member  of  the  Re- 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


publican  National  Committee,  and  its 
chairman  from  1869  to  1872.  In  Novem- 
ber, 1865,  he  was  elected  Lieutenant- 
Governor  of  Massachusetts  on  the  ticket 
with  Alexander  H.  Bullock,  and  at  the 
following  election  the  same  ticket  was 
reelected.  When  Governor  Bullock  re- 
tired, Mr.  Claflin  was  elected  to  succeed 
him,  and  he  filled  the  gubernatorial  office 
during  the  years  1869,  1870  and  1871  with 
distinction  and  ability.  It  is  believed  that 
he  saved  millions  of  dollars  to  Massachu- 
setts through  his  veto  of  the  Boston, 
Hartford  &  Erie  railroad  bills,  the  man- 
agement of  the  South  Boston  flats,  the 
Hoosac  tunnel,  and  other  State  projects. 
Later,  he  served  as  a  representative  in 
the  Forty-fifth  and  Forty-sixth  Con- 
gresses (1877-83),  in  the  first  of  which  he 
was  a  member  of  the  committee  of  the 
District  of  Columbia,  which  reported  sub- 
stantially the  present  government  of  the 
district,  that  has  proved  of  inestimable 
value  to  the  people  of  Washington  and 
the  country.  He  was  one  of  the  original 
founders  of  the  Massachusetts  Club, 
organized  in  1855,  which  celebrated  his 
seventieth  birthday  in  March,  1888.  at 
which  time  he  was  its  president.  He  was 
a  prominent  member  of  the  Methodist 
church. 

In  1841  he  married  Miss  Harding,  of 
Milford,  Massachusetts,  who  died  in  1842, 
after  bearing  him  a  daughter.  In  1845  he 
married  Miss  Davenport,  of  Hopkinton, 
Massachusetts,  daughter  of  S.  D.  Daven- 
port. He  died  at  Newton,  Massachusetts, 
January  5,  1905. 


BALL,  Thomas, 

Famous   Sculptor. 

Thomas  Ball  was  born  at  Charlestown, 
Massachusetts,  June  3,  1819,  son  of 
Thomas  and  Elizabeth  (Hall)  Ball.  He 
attended  the  Mayhew  school  in  Boston, 
but  the  death  of  his  father  in   1831  cut 


short  his  education,  and  he  apprenticed 
himself  to  a  wood-engraving  company. 
Before  the  expiration  of  the  first  year  of 
his  service  he  began  to  study  portrait 
painting,  his  first  productions  being 
miniatures  in  oil ;  and  he  also  painted 
same  life-sized  portraits,  that  of  his 
mother  gaining  the  first  prize  at  an 
exhibition  of  the  Boston  Mechanics'  As- 
sociation. During  this  time  he  was  a 
member  of  the  Handel  and  Haydn  So- 
ciety, frequently  appearing  as  a  soloist 
in  their  concerts,  and  in  185 1  the  society 
presented  him  with  a  watch  and  a  purse 
containing  one  hundred  dollars  in  gold,  as 
"a  tribute  to  his  vocal  merits."  The  first 
of  his  more  ambitious  paintings,  "Christ 
in  the  Temple  with  the  Doctors,"  was 
exhibited  at  the  Baltimore  Academy,  and 
gained  him  an  honorary  membership, 
and  also  a  medal  at  an  exhibition  at 
Washington.  This  subject  was  pur- 
chased by  the  American  Art  Union,  as 
was  also  his  "King  Lear." 

He  now  decided  to  devote  himself  to 
sculpture.  Almost  his  first  work  in  clay, 
the  head  of  Jenny  Lind,  the  famous 
Swedish  songstress,  was  an  acknowledged 
success,  and  his  cabinet  busts  became 
popular.  His  first  life-sized  bust  was 
that  of  Daniel  Webster,  which  he  finished 
just  before  the  death  of  that  statesman. 
This  creation  produced  a  great  sensation, 
and  Ames  and  Harding  both  painted  their 
celebrated  portraits  from  it.  In  October, 
1854,  he  married  Nellie  Wild,  of  Boston, 
and  with  his  bride  visited  Florence,  Italy, 
where  his  first  public  order  was  executed, 
"The  Signing  of  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence," after  Trumbull's  painting,  for 
one  of  the  panels  of  Greenough's  statue 
of  Franklin ;  and  in  1885  he  also  produced 
his  "Shipwrecked  Sailor-boy,"  a  bust  of 
Napoleon,  a  statuette  of  Washington 
Allston,  and  a  figure  of  Pandora.  In  1856 
he  returned  to  Boston,  where  he  modelled 
his  second  panel  for  the  Franklin  statue, 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


"The  Signing  of  the  Treaty  of  Peace  in 
Paris."  Among  his  busts  are  those  of 
Henry  Clay,  Rufus  Choate,  Dr.  Peabody, 
William  H.  Prescott,  Henry  Ward 
Beecher;  and  President  Lord,  of  Dart- 
mouth, and  that  institution  conferred 
upon  Mr.  Ball  the  degree  of  A.  M.  In 
1859  he  received  the  order  for  his  eques- 
trian statue  of  Washington,  in  Boston. 
In  1S65,  on  the  occasion  of  his  return  to 
Florence,  Mr.  Ball  was  presented  with  a 
purse  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars  by  the 
King's  Chapel  congregation,  Boston,  he 
having  sung  as  basso  in  the  quartette 
choir  of  that  house  of  worship  for  fifteen 
years.  In  1866  he  executed  a  statue  of 
Edwin  Forrest  as  "Coriolanus"  for  Phil- 
adelphia, and  in  1867  his  "Eve  Stepping 
into  Life,"  and  "La  Petite  Pensee."     In 

1873  he  revisited  America,  and  received 
the  commission  for  the  marble  statue  of 
Governor  John  A.  Andrew  for  the  State 
House  in  Boston.  After  this  came 
"Love's  Memories,"  and  "St.  John,  the 
Evangelist,"  which  Hiram,  Powers  con- 
sidered  Mr.    Ball's   best   work.     During 

1874  he  modelled  the  emancipation  group 
for  the  city  of  Washington,  and  in  1875- 
76  he  completed  a  duplicate  of  the  group 
for  Boston,  as  well  as  the  colossal  statue 
of  Daniel  Webster  for  Central  Park,  New 
York,  erected  at  a  cost  of  sixty  thousand 
dollars.  His  next  work  was  a  statue  of 
Charles  Sumner,  and  the  School  street 
(Boston)  statue  of  Josiah  Quincy.  He 
next  modelled  a  small  group  represent- 
ing Thomas  Jefferson  presenting  to  John 
Adams  the  draft  of  the  Declaration  of 
Independence,  and  a  figure  of  the  Christ 
with  a  little  child,  which  was  very  highly 
approved  by  the  Italian  sculptor,  Dupre. 
In  1882  he  produced  his  "Paul  Revere's 
Ride."  In  1883  he  again  visited  America, 
where  he  modelled  busts  of  Hon.  Mar- 
shall Jewell  and  Phineas  T.  Barnum.  He 
returned  to  Florence  a  few  months  later, 
and   employed   himself    during  the   next 


two  years  in  producing  ideal  medallions 
and  portrait-busts,  and  in  modelling  small 
statues  of  Lincoln  and  Garfield.  In  1885 
he  modelled  the  statue  of  Daniel  Webster, 
presented  to  Concord,  New  Hampshire, 
by  B.  P.  Cheney,  and  unveiled  in  that 
city  June  17,  1886.  His  next  work  was 
the  "David,"  which  he  modelled  in  the 
winter  of  1885-86,  and  afterwards  put 
into  marble  for  Edward  F.  Searles,  of 
Great  Barrington.  In  the  autumn  of  1886 
he  completed  the  large  statue  of  Phineas 
T.  Barnum.  In  1889,  when  the  sculptor 
was  visiting  Boston,  Mr.  Searles  gave 
him  the  commission  for  his  colossal 
statue  of  Washington  for  the  town  of 
Methuen,  Massachusetts.  The  children 
figures  at  the  feet  of  the  statue  represent 
the  sculptor's  grandsons.  Mr.  Ball  pub- 
lished in  1891,  an  autobiography  entitled, 
"My  Three-Score  Years  and  Ten,"  and 
numerous  lyrics  and  minor  poems.  In 
1905  he  resumed  his  palette,  to  complete 
a  painting,  "Christ  in  the  House  of 
Martha  and  Mary,"  begun  in  1853,  and 
which  he  had  laid  aside  when  he  took  up 
sculpture.  In  his  later  years  he  main- 
tained a  studio  in  New  York  City,  and 
resided  in  Montclair,  New  Jersey.  He 
died  December  11,  1911. 


EDDY,  Mary  M.  B.  G., 

Founder  of  Christian  Science. 

Mary  M.  Baker  Glover  Eddy,  founder 
of  the  Church  of  Christ  (Scientist),  was 
born  at  Bow,  New  Hampshire,  July  21, 
1821,  and  died  December  3,  1910,  daugh- 
ter of  Mark  and  Abigail  B.  (Ambrose) 
Baker,  of  Scotch  and  English  descent. 
Among  her  ancestors  were  General  John 
MacNeil,  of  battle  of  Lundy's  Lane  fame  ; 
General  Henry  Knox,  distinguished  Revo- 
lutionary officer ;  and  Captain  John  Love- 
well,  active  in  the  Indian  troubles. 

As  a  child  she  was  delicate  in  health, 
and  was  educated  privately,   and  at  the 


/a^i^ 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Ipswich  (New  Hampshire)  Seminary. 
She  was  said  to  be  in  advance  of  others 
of  her  age ;  was  versed  in  Latin,  Greek, 
Hebrew  and  French ;  and  delighted  in 
abstruse  and  metaphysical  studies,  her 
favorite  subjects  being  natural  philosophy 
and  physical  and  moral  science.  Her 
parents  removed  to  Tilton,  New  Hamp- 
shire, where  at  the  age  of  twelve  she  was 
received  into  the  Congregational  church, 
to  which  she  remained  devoted  until  she 
organized  the  Church  of  Christ  (Scien- 
tist). Mrs.  Eddy  was  a  confirmed  invalid 
for  a  number  of  years  of  her  early  life, 
and  in  October,  1862,  she  went  to  Port- 
land, Maine,  to  consult  with  Dr.  Phineas 
P.  Quimby,  who  was  treating  disease  by 
mental  methods,  and  by  which  she  was 
greatly  benefited ;  and,  as  a  result,  a 
friendship  sprang  up  between  the  two 
which  continued  until  the  death  of  Dr. 
Quimby  in  1866. 

In  1867  Mrs.  Eddy  formulated  her  doc- 
trines of  Christian  science,  and  began  to 
teach  "The  Science  of  Mind  Healing" — 
that  mind  is  divine;  mind  is  all;  that 
sin  and  sickness  are  delusions  of  "mortal 
mind."  The  treatment  consists  in  the 
assertion  that  sickness  is  not  a  reality, 
but  only  a  "belief,"  and  the  acceptance  of 
this  view  by  the  patient  is  the  cure  sought 
for.  Christian  Science  proclaims  the  un- 
realty  of  matter  and  of  the  body,  while 
mental  science,  the  philosophy  of  Dr. 
Quimby,  admits  the  validity  of  the  body 
as  veritable  expression,  but  recognizes  its 
susceptibility  to  mental  influence.  In 
1870  Mrs.  Eddy  published  her  first  work, 
"The  Science  of  Man,"  which  was  after- 
wards incorporated  in  "Science  and 
Health,  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures" 
(1875).  This  book  is  the  textbook  of  the 
organization,  and  is  the  foundation  of  its 
theory  and  practice.  It  has  passed 
through  more  than  a  hundred  editions, 
having  been  frequently  revised,  and  it  is 


read  in  conjunction  with  the  Bible  at  the 
Sunday  services  in  every  Christian 
Science  church  in  the  United  States  and 
in  many  foreign  countries.  She  labored 
incessantly  for  many  years,  performing 
many  seemingly  miraculous  cures,  and 
making  no  charge  until  necessity  obliged 
her  to  limit  the  countless  calls  made  upon 
her.  In  1876  Mrs.  Eddy  organized  the 
first  Christian  Science  Association.  In 
1881  she  received  a  charter  from  the  Mas- 
sachusetts Legislature  for  the  Metaphy- 
sical College  of  Boston,  of  which  she  be- 
came the  president.  The  students'  course 
of  study  here  comprised  twelve  lessons  in 
about  three  weeks,  for  which  they  were 
charged  $300.  The  college  was  closed  in 
1889,  having  numbered  about  four  thous- 
and students  on  its  rolls.  She  was 
ordained  a  minister  of  the  Gospel  in  1879, 
and  received  a  charter  for  the  "Church 
of  Christ,  Scientist,"  the  same  year.  The 
church  was  organized  in  Boston,  and  she 
became  its  pastor.  Previously  she  had 
received  a  call  to  a  Boston  pulpit,  and 
filled  it  with  great  acceptance.  Her  work 
had  now  increased  so  rapidly  that  most 
of  the  prominent  cities  and  towns  in  the 
United  States  had  a  Christian  Science 
society,  or  one  or  two  Christian  Science 
churches  holding  religious  services,  and 
the  movement  spread  to  other  countries. 
In  1892  Mrs.  Eddy  donated  a  lot  of  land 
in  Boston  valued  at  $20,000,  to  an  incor- 
porated body  called  the  "Christian 
Science  Board  of  Directors,"  upon  which 
was  erected  in  1894  a  church  edifice 
known  as  "The  Mother  Church,"  at  a 
cost  of  $200,000,  and  of  which  she  was 
pastor,  and  later  became  pastor  emeritus. 
She  presented  to  the  Christian  Science 
Church  at  Concord,  New  Hampshire, 
(her  place  of  residence),  a  church  edifice 
costing  $200,000.  She  originated  a  form 
of  church  government  without  creed, 
liberal,    and    aiming   to   be    universal,    to 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


promote  the  brotherhood  of  man,  to  have 
one  God  (one  Mind),  one  faith,  one  bap- 
tism.   The  tenets  of  this  church  are : 

First:  As  adherents  of  Truth  we  take  the 
Scriptures  for  our  guide  to  eternal  life.  Sec- 
ond: We  acknowledge  and  adore  one  Supreme 
God.  We  acknowledge  His  Son,  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  Man  in  His  image  and  likeness.  We 
acknowledge  God's  forgiveness  of  sin  in  the 
destruction  of  sin,  and  His  present  and  future 
punishment  of  "whatsoever  worketh  abomina- 
tion or  maketh  a  lie."  We  acknowledge  the 
atonement  of  Christ  as  the  efficacy  of  Truth 
and  Love,  and  the  way  of  salvation  as  demon- 
strated by  Jesus;  casting  out  evils,  healing  the 
sick  and  raising  the  dead — resurrecting  a  dead 
faith  to  seize  the  great  possibilities  and  living 
energies  of  the  divine  Life.  Third:  We  solemnly 
promise  to  strive,  watch,  and  pray  for  that 
Mind  to  be  in  us  which  was  also  in  Christ 
Jesus;  to  love  the  brethren,  and  up  to  our  high- 
est understanding  to  be  meek,  merciful,  and 
just,  and  live  peaceably  with  all  men. 

Mrs.  Eddy  writes  in  "Science  and 
Health :" 

No  analogy  exists  between  the  hypotheses  of 
agnosticism,  pantheism,  theosophy,  or  spiritual- 
ism, and  the  demonstrable  truths  of  Christian 
Science.  Electro-magnetism,  hypnotism,  and 
mesmerism  are  the  antipodes  of  Christian 
Science.  As  a  result  of  Christian  Science, 
ethics  and  temperance  have  received  an  im- 
pulse, health  has  been  restored,  and  longevity 
increased.  If  such  are  the  present  fruits,  what 
may  not  the  harvest  be,  when  this  Science  is 
better  understood?  Medical  theories  virtually 
admit  the  nothingness  of  hallucinations,  even 
while  treating  them  as  disease.  Ought  we  not, 
then,  to  approve  any  cure  effected  by  making 
the  disease  appear  a  delusion  or  error?  It  is 
not  generally  understood  how  one  disease  is  as 
much  a  delusion  as  another.  But  Jesus  estab- 
lished this  foundational  fact,  when  Truth  cast 
out  devils  and  the  dumb  spake. 

Mrs.  Eddy  established  the  first  period- 
ical in  Christian  Science,  "The  Christian 
Science"  Journal,"  in  1883,  and  gave  it  to 
the  National  Christian  Science  Asso- 
ciation in  1889,  whose  official  organ  it 
became,  and  of  which  she  was  editor  for 


several  years.  In  1898  she  founded  the 
"Christian  Science  Sentinel,"  and  in  1902 
"Der  Herold  der  Christian  Science."  She 
founded  every  leading  organization  of  the 
movement  in  the  last  quarter-century  of 
the  history  of  Christian  Science.  The 
National  Christian  Scientists'  Association 
has  a  large  membership.  In  1889  Mrs. 
Eddy  was  invited  to  become  a  member  of 
the  Victoria  Philosophical  Institute  of 
London,  England,  and  was  made  a  life 
member.  She  was  awarded  a  grand  prize 
and  a  diploma  of  honor  by  the  French 
government,  as  the  founder  of  "Christian 
Sciences,"  and  also  received  decoration 
as  an  Officier  d'  Academic  Mrs.  Eddy 
made  a  home  on  Commonwealth  avenue, 
Boston,  Massachusetts,  and  also  at 
Pleasant  View,  Concord,  New  Hampshire. 
She  was  an  exceedingly  busy  woman,  the 
most  of  her  time  being  devoted  to  the 
propagation  of  the  science  which  she  had 
established.  Mrs.  Eddy,  in  "Science  and 
Health,"  says :  "I  have  set  forth  Chris- 
tian Science,  and  its  application  to  the 
treatment  of  disease,  only  as  I  have  dis- 
covered them.  I  have  demonstrated  the 
effects  of  truth  on  the  health,  longevity, 
and  morals  of  men,  through  mind ;  and  I 
have  found  nothing  in  ancient  or  in 
modern  systems  on  which  to  found  my 
own  except  the  teachings  and  demonstra- 
tions of  our  great  Master  and  the  lives 
of  prophets  and  apostles."  Mrs.  Eddy's 
published  works  are  as  follows  :  "Science 
and  Health,  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures" 
(1875,  and  many  later  editions)  ;  "Chris- 
tian Healing"  (1886) ;  "People's  Idea  of 
God"  (1886) ;  "Unity  of  Good"  (1891)  ; 
"Rudimental  Divine  Science"  (1891)  ; 
Retrospection  and  Introspection"  (1892)  ; 
Communion  Hymn,  Feed  My  Sheep,  Mis- 
cellaneous Writings"  (1896)  ;  "Christ  and 
Christmas"  (1897)  >  "Pulpit  and  Press" 
(1898)  ;  "Christian  Science  versus  Pan- 
theism" (1898) ;  "Message  to  the  Mother 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Church"  (1900) ;  "Our  Leader's  Message" 
(1901)  ;  "Truth  versus  Error"  (1905). 

She  was  first  married,  December  12, 
1843,  to  George  Washington  Glover,  an 
architect,  of  Wilmington,  North  Caro- 
lina, who  died  suddenly  of  cholera  in  May 
of  the  following  year.  She  then  returned 
to  New  England,  and  fourteen  years  later 
she  was  married  to  a  Dr.  Patterson,  a 
dentist,  of  Franklin,  New  Hampshire, 
from  whom  she  was  divorced  in  1865.  In 
1877  she  was  married  to  Asa  G.  Eddy,  of 
Lynn,  Massachusetts,  who  died  suddenly 
in  1882.  She  had  one  son  by  her  first 
husband. 


DODGE,  Thomas  H., 

Lawyer,  Inventor,  Philanthropist. 

Thomas  H.  Dodge,  a  man  of  versatile 
and  most  useful  talents,  was  born  at 
Eden,  Lamoille  county,  Vermont,  Sep- 
tember 2"j,  1823,  and  died  February  19, 
1910. 

He  attended  the  public  schools  of  Eden 
and  Lowell,  Vermont,  and  Nashua,  New 
Hampshire,  and  completed  his  education 
by  taking  special  courses  in  the  Literary 
Institute  of  Nashua,  New  Hampshire,  and 
the  Gymnasium  Institute  of  Pembroke, 
New  Hampshire.  He  then  entered  a 
cloth  manufactory,  and  made  a  mastery 
of  the  business.  At  the  same  time  he 
gave  evidence  of  considerable  mechanical 
ability,  and  made  several  practical  inven- 
tions of  great  utility,  including  a  printing 
press  for  printing  from  a  continuous  roll 
of  paper;  and  an  improvement  to  the 
hinge-bar  mowing  machine,  which  came 
to  be  used  throughout  the  civilized  world, 
saving,  as  has  been  estimated,  the  labor 
of  two  million  men  every  haying  season. 
During  this  same  period  he  wrote  and 
published  a  work  entitled  "A  Review  of 
the  Rise  and  Progress  and  Present  Im- 
portance of  the  Cotton  Manufactures  of 
the  United    States."     Meantime,    among 


other  studies,  he  had  given  E-tluitioii  to 
the  law,  and  from  1851  to  1854  he  devoted 
himself  entirely  to  its  study,  under  the 
direction  of  able  instructors  who  were 
practitioners  at  the  local  bar,  and  in  due 
time  he  was  admitted  to  practice  and 
engaged  in  professional  business  in 
Nashua,  New  Hampshire.  He  had,  how- 
ever, barely  entered  upon  practice  when 
he  was  appointed  to  a  position  in  the 
examining  department  of  the  United 
States  Patent  Office  in  Washington  City, 
and  subsequently  became  examiner  and 
chairman  of  the  board  of  appeals.  As  an 
incident  of  his  life  at  this  period,  while 
giving  full  attention  to  his  professional 
duties,  his  observance  of  the  embarrass- 
ment frequently  arising  from  want  of 
system  in  the  Post  Office  Department  in 
return  to  writers  of  uncalled-for  letters. 
he  devised  a  plan,  of  which  on  August  8, 
1856,  he  submitted  to  Postmaster-General 
James  Campbell  a  Written  detailed  state- 
ment. For  a  long  time  this  was  either 
ignored  or  opposed  by  department  offi- 
cials and  many  members  of  Congress,  but 
eventually  found  adoption,  in  practically 
the  form  observed  at  the  present  time. 
In  1858  Mr.  Dodge  resigned  his  position 
in  the  Patent  Office  to  engage  in  the 
practice  of  patent  law,  was  admitted  to 
practice  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
United  States,  soon  took  rank  among  the 
first  patent  lawyers  in  the  country. 

In  1864  Mr.  Dodge  took  up  his  resi- 
dence in  Worcester,  Massachusetts, 
where,  in  addition  to  caring  for  an  im- 
portant patent  law  practice,  he  became 
interested  in  various  large  manufacturing 
enterprises.  He  also  came  to  be  esteemed 
as  a  most  public-spirited  citizen,  and 
liberally  supporting  its  churches  and 
other  institutions.  The  Natural  History 
Society  was  one  of  his  principal  bene- 
ficiaries. To  the  city  of  Worcester  he 
gave  a  beautiful  and  valuable  thirteen 
acre  grove  tract  of  land,  known  as  Dodge 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Park;  and,  although  not  a  member  of  the 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  he  presented  to  it 
ten  acres  of  land  in  the  city  of  Worcester 
as  a  site  for  the  Massachusetts  Odd  Fel- 
lows' Home,  and  upon  which  was  subse- 
quently erected  the  imposing  edifice 
known  by  that  name.  His  death  was 
regretted  by  the  entire  community. 


LOWELL,  John, 

Lawyer,   Jurist. 

John  Lowell  was  born  in  Boston,  Mas- 
sachusetts, October  18,  1824,  son  of  John 
Amory  and  Susan  (Cabot)  Lowell.  He 
was  a  grandson  of  John  Lowell,  author 
(1769-1840);  a  great-grandson  of  John 
Lowell,  statesman  (1743-1802),  and 
cousin  of  James  Russell  Lowell,  the  poet. 

His  early  education  was  received  at 
Ingraham's  private  school  in  Boston,  and 
later  he  entered  Harvard  College,  where 
he  was  graduated  in  1843.  He  studied 
law  in  the  office  of  the  Lorings,  in  Boston, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1846. 
Engaging  in  the  practice  of  his  profession 
in  Boston,  he  was  thus  occupied  there 
until  March  11,  1865,  when  he  was 
appointed  by  President  Lincoln  United 
States  District  Judge  for  the  District  of 
Massachusetts,  the  same  court  over 
which  his  great-grandfather  was  the  first 
judge  to  preside,  being  appointed  by 
Washington.  On  December  18,  1879,  he 
received  an  appointment  to  the  bench 
of  the  United  States  Circuit  Court,  which 
office  he  held  until  his  resignation,  May 
1,  1884.  He  gained  special  prominence  as 
an  authority  on  the  law  relating  to  bank- 
ruptcy, patents  and  admiralty,  and  pre- 
pared the  draft  of  a  bankruptcy  bill 
which  was  introduced  into  Congress  in 
1882.  The  Woodbury  patent  case  was 
decided  by  him,  involving  interests  of 
nearly  $40,000,000.  His  decisions  have 
been  published  in  two  volumes  (1877), 
and  he  also  wrote  a  treatise  on  the  law 


of  bankruptcy,  published  in  1899,  after 
his  death.  After  his  retirement  from  the 
bench  he  engaged  in  private  practice,  and 
at  the  time  of  his  death  was  serving  as 
chairman  of  the  State  Commission  on 
revision  of  the  taxation  laws. 

Judge  Lowell  was  married,  in  Boston, 
Massachusetts,  May  18,  1853,  to  Lucy  B., 
daughter  of  George  B.  and  Olivia  (Buck- 
minster)  Emerson.  He  died  at  Brookline, 
Massachusetts,  May  14,  1897,  survived  by 
two  sons,  John  and  James  A.  Lowell, 
both  lawyers,  of  Boston. 


WESSON,  Daniel  Baird, 

Manufacturer,  Inventor. 

Daniel  Baird  Wesson  was  born  in 
Worcester,  Massachusetts,  May  1,  1825, 
son  of  Rufus  and  Betsey  (Baird)  Wesson. 
His  earliest  American  ancestors  came 
from  England  and  settled  in  New  Hamp- 
shire about  171 1.  His  father  was  an 
early  manufacturer  of  wooden  plows,  and 
subsequently  a  farmer. 

Young  Wesson  was  educated  in  the 
public  and  high  schools  of  his  native  city, 
and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  entered  the 
shoe  factory  of  his  brothers,  Rufus  and 
Martin  Wesson.  Finding  this  business 
distasteful,  he  apprenticed  himself  to  his 
oldest  brother  Edwin,  a  rifle  manufac- 
turer at  Northboro.  After  having  served 
a  three  year  apprenticeship,  he  remained 
in  his  brother's  employ,  subsequently  re- 
moving with  him  to  Hartford,  Connec- 
ticut, where  he  became  superintendent 
and  later  a  partner  in  the  business. 

Upon  the  death  of  his  brother,  Daniel 
B.  Wesson,  he  formed  a  partnership  with 
Thomas  Warner,  a  master  armorer,  of 
Worcester,  also  becoming  interested  in  his 
brother  Frank's  gun  factory  near  Graf- 
ton. Mr.  Wesson  later  removed  to 
Charlestown,  Massachusetts,  to  become 
superintendent  of  the  Leonard  Pistol 
Manufacturing  Company,  but  when  that 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


establishment  removed  to  Windsor,  Ver- 
mont, he  entered  the  employ  of  Allen  & 
Luther.  He  devoted  his  evenings  to 
mechanical  study,  and  invented  a  practical 
cartridge  with  percussion  cap  combined. 
At  this  time  he  became  identified  with 
Cortland  Palmer,  of  New  York,  inventor 
of  an  improved  bullet,  and,  while  study- 
ing this  invention,  Mr.  Wesson  made  an 
improvement  upon  it  for  which  he 
received  a  patent.  This  improvement 
was  the  addition  of  a  steel  disk  upon 
which  the  hammer  could  explode  the  ful- 
minate, thus  doing  away  with  the  primer. 
In  1853  he  formed  a  partnership  with 
Horace  Smith,  at  Norwich,  Connecticut, 
and  there  worked  out  the  principles  of  the 
firearm  now  called  the  Winchester  rifle. 
Disposing  of  their  patents  to  the  Volcanic 
Arms  Company,  Mr.  Smith  retired  from 
the  business  in  1855.  Mr.  Wesson  then 
became  superintendent  of  the  Volcanic 
Arms  Company  (to  which  the  Winchester 
Arms  Company  subsequently  succeeded) 
and  under  its  auspices  he  first  put  into 
use  the  practical  self-primed  metallic 
cartridge  used  during  the  Civil  War. 
Also  about  this  time  he  succeeded  in  per- 
fecting a  revolver,  the  principal  feature 
of  which  was  that  the  chambers  ran 
entirely  through  the  cylinder.  Upon  the 
reorganization  of  the  Volcanic  Arms 
Company,  Mr.  Wesson  resigned,  and  in 
1856  entered  into  business  with  Mr.  Smith 
in  Springfield,  Massachusetts,  where  they 
began  manufacturing  Mr.  Wesson's  new 
invention  with  a  force  of  twenty-five 
workmen.  In  i860  the  firm  built  a  factory 
employing  six  hundred  workmen,  and 
during  the  Civil  War  supplied  the  United 
States  government  with  many  thousand 
small  arms  for  both  infantry  and  cavalry. 
Ten  years  later  they  received  a  contract 
to  supply  the  Russian  government  with 
two  hundred  thousand  rifles,  which  took 
them  four  years  to  fill.  Mr.  Smith  retired 
from  the  business  in  1873,  but  it  was  still 


continued  under  the  old  firm  name  of 
Smith  &  Wesson.  Mr.  Wesson  invented 
a  number  of  improvements,  the  most 
important  being  the  automatic  cartridge- 
shell  extractor  and  the  self-lubricating 
cartridge.  He  also  introduced  the  ham- 
merless  safety  revolver,  the  hammer  being 
placed  entirely  within  the  lock-frame,  and 
the  trigger  being  so  set  it  could  not  be 
pulled  except  at  the  time  of  firing,  thus 
obviating  the  possibility  of  accidental  dis- 
charge. In  1883-87  Mr.  Wesson's  sons, 
Walter  H.  and  Joseph  H.  Wesson,  were 
taken  into  partnership.  Mr.  Wesson  was 
president  of  the  Cheney-Bigelow  Wire 
Works,  and  a  founder  of  the  First  Na- 
tional Bank  of  Springfield,  of  which  he 
later  became  a  director. 

He  was  married  to  Cynthia  M.,  daugh- 
ter of  Luther  Harris,  of  Northboro,  Mas- 
sachusetts, and  had  four  children.  He 
died  at  Springfield,  Massachusetts,  Au- 
gust 5,  1906. 


ENDICOTT,  William  Crowninshield, 

Lawyer,   Jurist,    Cabinet   Officer. 

William  Crowninshield  Endicott  was 
born  in  Salem,  Massachusetts,  November 
19,  1826,  son  of  William  Putnam  and 
Mary  (Crowninshield)  Endicott.  He 
was  descended  directly  from  Governor 
John  Endicott,  who  came  to  Salem  in 
1628,  and  on  his  mother's  side  was  a 
grandson  of  the  Hon.  Jacob  Crownin- 
shield, who  was  a  well  known  member  of 
Congress  in  the  early  part  of  the  last 
century. 

Mr.  Endicott  was  educated  at  the 
Salem  schools,  and  in  1843  entered 
Harvard  College,  from  which  he  was 
graduated  in  1847,  the  year  in  which  he 
attained  his  majority.  Soon  after  gradu- 
ating he  studied  law  in  the  office  of  Na- 
thaniel J.  Lord,  then  the  leading  member 
of  the  Essex  county  bar,  and  in  the  Har- 
vard Law  School  at  Cambridge.    He  was 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


called  to  the  bar  in  1850,  and  entered 
upon  the  practice  of  law  in  Salem  in  185 1. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Common  Council 
of  Salem  in  1852.  In  1853  he  entered  into 
a  law  partnership  with  Jairus  W.  Perry 
(then  well  known  throughout  the  coun- 
try as  the  author  of  "Perry  on  Trusts") 
under  the  firm  of  Perry  &  Endicott. 
From  1857  to  1864  he  was  solicitor  of  the 
city  of  Salem.  In  1873,  after  nearly 
twenty  years  of  an  active  and  leading 
practice  at  the  Essex  county  bar  although 
a  Democrat,  Mr.  Endicott  was  appointed 
by  a  Republican  Governor,  William  B. 
Washburn,  as  Associate  Justice  of  the 
Supreme  Judicial  Court  of  Massachusetts, 
which  position  he  held  until  the  autumn 
of  1882,  when  he  resigned,  and  then  spent 
a  year  or  more  in  Europe.  In  1884  he 
was  the  Democratic  candidate  for  Gov- 
ernor of  Massachusetts,  and  was  defeated. 
In  1885  he  became  Secretary  of  War  of 
the  United  States  in  President  Cleveland's 
administration,  and  held  office  through- 
out Mr.  Cleveland's  term.  Mr.  Endicott 
was  president  of  the  Peabody  Academy  of 
Science  in  Salem,  which  position  he  held 
from  1868,  and  was  a  member  of  the 
corporation  of  Harvard,  and  one  of  the 
trustees  of  the  Peabody  Education  Fund. 
He  was  married,  December  13,  1859,  to 
Ellen,  daughter  of  the  late  George  Pea- 
body, of  Salem,  and  had  a  son  and  daugh- 
ter.   He  died  May  6,  1900. 


CLARKE,  Thomas  C, 

Civil  Engineer. 

Thomas  Curtis  Clarke  was  born  at 
Newton,  Massachusetts,  September  6, 
1827,  son  of  Samuel  and  Rebecca  Parker 
(Hull)  Clarke,  a  brother  of  Rev.  James 
Freeman  Clarke,  of  Boston,  Massachu- 
setts, and  sixth  in  direct  descent  from 
Thomas  Clarke,  mate  of  the  "Mayflower," 
born  in  1599. 

He  was  educated  at  the   Boston  Latin 


School  and  at  Harvard  College,  from 
which  he  was  graduated  in  1848,  and 
being  the  class  poet.  He  studied  hydraulic 
engineering  under  George  R.  Baldwin,  of 
Woburn;  architecture  under  Edward 
Cabot,  of  Boston ;  and  railroad  engineer- 
ing under  Captain  John  Childe,  of  the 
United  States  Engineers.  He  was  for 
twelve  years  engaged  in  a  variety  of 
railroad  work — in  Alabama,  on  the 
Mobile  &  Ohio  railroad;  in  Canada,  as  a 
resident  engineer  of  the  Great  Western 
railway;  in  Hamilton,  on  the  Port  Hope 
&  Peterboro  railway;  on  the  government 
survey  of  the  Ottawa  river,  and  the  erec- 
tion of  government  buildings  in  Ottawa. 
He  practiced  as  civil  engineer  for  fifty 
years,  his  specialty  being  bridge  engineer- 
ing. One  of  his  earliest  bridges  was  that 
over  the  Mississippi  river  at  Quincy,  Illi- 
nois, built  in  fifteen  months  for  the  Bur- 
lington railroad.  His  strong  point  at  this 
time  was  foundation  and  mason  work,  and 
he  was  one  of  the  first  American  engi- 
neers to  use  concrete  on  a  large  scale. 
After  the  completion  of  the  Quincy  bridge 
he  formed  the  firm  of  Clarke,  Reeves  & 
Company,  of  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania, 
which  became  one  of  the  leading  bridge 
concerns  in  the  United  States,  having  con- 
structed over  one  hundred  miles  of 
bridges  and  viaducts,  among  which  the 
most  noted  are  the  Girard  avenue  bridge 
of  Philadelphia,  and  the  great  Kinzua 
viaduct  on  the  Erie  railway  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, 310  feet  high.  He  was  one  of  the 
original  members  of  the  Union  Bridge 
Company,  which  in  a  short  time  after  its 
formation  in  1884  became  one  of  the  larg- 
est bridge  building  concerns  in  the  world. 
In  1888  he  built  the  Poughkeepsie  bridge 
over  the  Hudson  river,  and  in  1890  the 
famous  Hawkesbury  bridge  in  New  South 
Wales,  Australia,  the  first  bridge  that 
was  built  abroad  by  Americans.  After 
his  withdrawal  from  the  Union  Bridge 
Company  he  continued  to  practice  as  con- 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


suiting  and  designing  engineer,  being 
employed  by  the  city  of  New  York  on  the 
Third  avenue  and  Willis  avenue  bridges 
over  the  Harlem  river.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  British  Institution  of  Civil  Engi- 
neers, from  which  he  received  the  Tel- 
ford medal  and  premium  ;  the  American 
Society  of  Civil  Engineers,  of  which  he 
was  president  in  1896-97;  the  Century 
Association,  and  the  American  Philo- 
sophical Society.  Mr.  Clarke's  profes- 
sional work  was  marked  by  breadth  and 
solidity  of  learning,  fine  intelligence,  and 
the  most  scrupulous  care  and  fidelity.  His 
capacity  for  sustained  application  was 
extraordinary,  and  was  maintained  to  the 
end  of  his  life. 

He  was  married,  May  7,  1857,  to  Susan 
H.,  daughter  of  John  D.  Smith,  of  Port 
Hope,  Canada,  and  had  three  sons  and 
three  daughters.  He  died  in  New  York 
City,  June  15,  1901. 


HITCHCOCK,  Edward, 

Educator. 

Edward  Hitchcock  was  born  in  Am- 
herst, Massachusetts,  May  23,  1828,  son 
of  the  Rev.  Edward  and  Orra  (White) 
Hitchcock,  and  grandson  of  Justin  and 
Mercy  (Hoyt)  Hitchcock  and  of  Jarib 
White,  of  Amherst. 

He  was  prepared  for  college  at  Willis- 
ton  Seminary,  and  was  graduated  from 
Amherst  College  in  1849,  ar,d  from  the 
Harvard  Medical  School  in  1853.  He  was 
teacher  of  chemistry  and  natural  history 
in  Williston  Seminary,  1853-61,  and  Pro- 
fessor of  Hygiene  and  Physical  Education 
at  Amherst  from  1861  until  his  death. 
He  aided  his  father  in  the  State  geological 
survey  of  Vermont  in  1861,  and  in  the 
preparation  of  the  report.  He  was  elected 
a  trustee  of  Mount  Holyoke  College  and 
of  Clark  Institute  for  the  Blind,  and  was 
president  of  the  American  Association  for 
the  Advancement  of  Physical  Culture,  be- 
MASS-Vol  ni-2  ] 


sides  holding  several  offices  in  medical 
societies.  He  was  a  member  of  the  State 
Board  of  Health,  Lunacy  and  Charity 
from  1879  until  his  death.  He  received 
the  honorary  degree  of  LL.  D.  from  Am- 
herst in  1899.  He  is  the  principal  author 
of  "Anatomy  and  Physiology"  (1852), 
and  the  author  of  numerous  pamphlets  on 
anthropometry  and  physical  culture. 

He  was  married,  in  1854,  to  Mary, 
daughter  of  David  Judson,  of  Bridgeport, 
Connecticut.     He  died  February  15,  1911. 


HOSMER,  Harriet  G., 

Accomplished  Sculptor. 

Harriet  Goodhue  Hosmer,  the  fore- 
most woman  sculptor  of  her  day,  was 
born  at  Watertown,  Massachusetts,  Octo- 
ber 9,  1830,  daughter  of  Dr.  Hiram  and 
Sarah  Watson  (Grant)  Hosmer,  and 
granddaughter  of  Governor  Grant,  of 
Walpole,  New  Hampshire. 

Delicate  in  her  childhood,  she  was  early 
encouraged  in  a  course  of  physical  train- 
ing, and  she  became  an  expert  in  rowing, 
skating  and  riding.  She  received  her 
literary  education  at  Lenox,  Massachu- 
setts, where  she  carried  out  an  early  pro- 
pensity to  model  in  clay,  and  studied  art 
under  Stevenson.  To  further  qualify  her- 
self for  the  profession  she  had  chosen,  she 
took  a  course  of  anatomical  instruction 
in  the  St.  Louis  (Missouri)  Medical  Col- 
lege. She  travelled  alone  through  the  far 
west,  visiting  the  Dakota  Indians  and 
ascending  a  steep  cliff  on  the  Mississippi 
river,  which  was  thereafter  called  "Mount 
Hosmer,"  and  now  forms  a  part  of  the 
town  of  Lansing,  Iowa.  On  returning  to 
the  east  she  took  lessons  in  modelling  in 
Boston,  and  practiced  the  art  at  home. 
She  made  a  reduced  copy  of  Canova's 
"Napoleon,"  and  followed  it  with  "Hes- 
per,"  an  ideal  head,  exhibited  in  Boston 
in  1852.  With  her  father  she  visited 
Rome  in    November,    1852,  and    studied 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  worked  in  the  studio  of  John  Gibson, 
the  English  sculptor.  Here  she  copied 
from  the  antique,  and  executed  ideal 
busts  of  "Daphne"  and  "Medusa,"  which 
were  well  received  by  art  critics.  In  1855 
she  completed  "Oenone,"  her  first  life- 
size  figure.  Her  statue  of  "Puck,"  mod- 
elled in  the  summer  of  1855,  established 
her  reputation  at  home,  and  she  was 
favored  with  orders  for  at  least  thirty 
copies.  She  followed  it  with  "Will-o-the- 
Wisp,"  a  companion  figure.  She  com- 
pleted "Beatrice  Cenci,"  a  reclining 
figure,  for  the  St.  Louis  Public  Library  in 

1857,  and  a  monument  placed  in  the 
church  of  San  Andrea  del  Frate,  Rome,  in 

1858.  She  completed  her  "Zenobia,"  a 
superb  colossal  statue  in  1859,  after  two 
years  of  assiduous  labor.  This  was  suc- 
ceeded by  her  statue  of  Senator  Thomas 
H.  Benton,  that  was  cast  in  bronze,  and 
placed  in  Lafayette  Park,  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri. Her  "Sleeping  Fawn"  was  ex- 
hibited at  Dublin,  Ireland,  in  1865,  and  at 
Paris  in  1867,  and  was  eight  times 
repeated.  She  also  executed  a  companion 
piece,  the  "Waking  Fawn."  She  executed 
two  fountains,  a  Siren  and  Cupids,  which 
were  purchased  by  Earl  Brownlow,  of 
England ;  and  twin  fountains  of  a  Triton 
and  Mermaid's  cradle  for  Louisa,  Lady 
Ashburton ;  two  statues  for  the  Prince  of 
Wales ;  a  statue  of  the  Queen  of  Naples 
as  the  "Heroine  of  Gaeta ;"  a  monument 
to  Abraham  Lincoln,  and  a  gateway  to  an 
art  gallery  in  England.  She  had  a  faculty 
for  designing  and  constructing  machinery, 
and  devised  the  expedient  of  coating  a 
rough  plaster  cast  with  wax  and  working 
out  the  finer  details  in  that  substance. 
She  did  all  her  work  in  Rome.  In  1894 
she  presented  to  the  Art  Museum  of 
Chicago,  Illinois,  a  cast  of  the  clasped 
hands  of  Robert  and  Elizabeth  Barrett 
Browning,  made  in  1853,  and  for  which 
she  had  refused  $5,000  in  England.  Her 
home  was  in  Cambridge,  Massachusetts. 
She  died  February  21,  1908. 


CHAMBERLAIN,  Daniel  H., 

Lawyer,  Jurist,   Litterateur. 

Daniel  Henry  Chamberlain,  jurist,  and 
forty-seventh  Governor  of  South  Caro- 
lina (1874-76),  was  born  in  West  Brook- 
field,  Worcester  county,  Massachusetts, 
June  23,  1835,  son  of  Eli  and  Achsah 
(Forbes)  Chamberlain,  and  descendant  of 
William  Chamberlain,  who  settled  in 
Billerica,  Massachusetts,  in  1765. 

His  early  life  was  passed  in  work  on 
his  father's  farm  and  in  attendance  in  the 
common  schools  of  his  native  town.  In 
1849-50  he  spent  a  few  months  at  the 
Amherst  (Massachusetts)  Academy,  and 
in  1854  passed  part  of  a  year  at  Phillips 
Academy,  Andover,  Massachusetts,  teach- 
ing school  each  winter  during  1852-56. 
He  then  entered  the  high  school  in  Wor- 
cester, Massachusetts,  where  he  com- 
pleted his  preparation  for  college ;  but 
being  without  sufficient  means  to  go  on, 
he  remained  a  year  as  teacher  in  the  same 
school,  and  in  1859  entered  Yale  College, 
from  which  he  was  graduated  three  years 
later  with  the  highest  honors  in  oratory 
and  English  composition.  Upon  the  com- 
pletion of  his  college  course  he  entered  the 
Harvard  Law  School,  but  remained  there 
only  until  the  fall  of  1863,  when  he  could 
no  longer  resist  the  duty  of  entering  the 
army.  He  received  a  commission  as  lieu- 
tenant in  the  Fifth  Massachusetts  Cavalry 
Regiment,  a  regiment  of  colored  volun- 
teers, and  served  until  the  close  of  the 
Civil  War. 

After  the  war  he  located  in  South  Caro- 
lina, and  in  the  fall  of  1867  was  chosen  a 
member  of  the  constitutional  convention 
called  under  the  Reconstruction  Acts,  and 
in  January,  1868,  took  his  seat  in  that 
body,  and  served  upon  its  judiciary  com- 
mittee and  as  an  influential  member  in  all 
its  deliberations.  He  so  acquitted  himself 
in  these  duties  that  all  the  friends  of  the 
new  constitution  desired  him  to  be  one  of 
the  State  officers  who  were  to  establish  in 


18 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


practical  operation  the  new  organization 
of  government.  The  office  of  Attorney- 
General  being  in  the  line  of  his  profes- 
sion, was  the  only  one  he  would  consent 
to  take,  and  to  this  he  was  chosen,  holding 
it  for  four  years  continuously.  He  was 
elected  Governor  of  South  Carolina  in 
1874,  and  served  until  April,  1877.  In  the 
election  of  1876,  although  he  had  been 
ardently  supported  by  the  Democratic 
party  of  the  State  from  the  moment  of  his 
advent  as  Governor,  the  same  party  bit- 
terly and  violently  opposed  his  reelection, 
on  the  alleged  ground  of  his  obnoxious 
associates  and  supporters.  The  result  of 
the  election  was  contested,  and  Governor 
Chamberlain  held  his  office  until  a  month 
after  the  inauguration  of  President  Hayes, 
whereupon,  after  the  removal  of  the 
troops  which  had  been  stationed  at  Co- 
lumbia for  the  support  of  the  Governor, 
he  withdrew  from  the  office. 

Removing  to  New  York  City,  Governor 
Chamberlain  resumed  the  practice  of  his 
profession.  In  1899,  on  the  foundation  of 
the  Law  School  of  Cornell  University,  he 
became  non-resident  Professor  of  Amer- 
ican Constitutional  Law.  He  was  a  fre- 
quent contributor  to  leading  periodicals, 
such  as  the  "North  American  Review," 
"Harvard  Law  Review,"  "Yale  Law 
Journal,"  "New  Englander,"  "Yale  Re- 
view," "American  Law  Review,"  and 
"American  Historical  Review."  His  mis- 
cellaneous writings  and  addresses  include 
"Relation  of  Federal  and  State  Judiciary," 
"Constitutional  History  as  Seen  in  Amer- 
ican Law,"  "Tariff  Aspects  with  Some 
Special  Reference  to  Wages,"  "Limita- 
tions of  Freedom,"  "Imperialism,"  and 
many  more  on  similar  topics.  He  received 
the  degree  of  LL.  D.  from  Harvard  Col- 
lege in  1864;  that  of  M.  A.  from  Yale  Col- 
lege in  1867 ;  and  that  of  LL.  D.  from  the 
University  of  South  Carolina  in  1872. 
Mr.  Chamberlain  was  a  member  of  the 
American  Social  Science  Association,  the 


National  Civil  Service  League,  the  Amer- 
ican Archaeological  Institute,  and  of 
several  other  scientific  and  social  asso- 
ciations. 

He  was  married  at  Washington,  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia,  December  16,  1869,  to 
Alice,  daughter  of  George  W.  Ingersoll, 
of  Bangor,  Maine.  He  died  April  13, 
1907. 


SCUDDER,  Samuel  H.( 

Scientist,  Author. 

Samuel  Hubbard  Scudder,  a  pupil  of 
Louis  Agassiz  and  an  accomplished 
naturalist,  was  born  in  Boston,  Massa- 
chusetts, April  13,  1837,  son  of  Charles 
and  Sarah  Lathrop  (Coit)  Scudder,  and 
a  brother  of  the  Rev.  David  Coit  Scudder, 
a  Congregational  minister  who  died  a 
missionary  in  India,  and  of  Horace  Elisha 
Scudder,  a  well-known  author,  and  one  of 
the  editors  of  the  "Atlantic  Monthly.' 

He  was  graduated  from  Williams  Col- 
lege in  1857,  and  from  the  Lawrence 
Scientific  School  of  Harvard  College  in 
1862.  He  was  strongly  attracted  to  the 
work  done  in  the  Museum  of  Comparative 
Zoology,  and  became  an  assistant  to  Louis 
Agassiz,  remaining  in  that  position  until 
1864.  During  the  years  from  1862  to 
1870  he  was  also  secretary  of  the  Boston 
Society  of  Natural  History,  its  custodian 
from  1864  to  1870,  and  its  president  from 
1880  to  1887.  In  1879  he  was  appointed 
assistant  librarian  of  Harvard  College, 
remaining  until  1885.  The  following  year 
he  became  paleonotologist  of  the  United 
States  Geological  Survey  in  the  division 
of  fossil  insects.  He  was  a  member  of 
many  scientific  societies ;  was  chairman 
of  the  section  on  natural  history  of  the 
American  Association  for  the  Advance- 
ment of  Science  in  1874,  and  elected 
general  secretary  of  the  association  in 
1875  i  accepted  the  office  of  librarian  of 
the    American    Academy    of    Arts    and 


19 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Sciences  in  1877,  remaining  until  1885; 
and  in  1877  was  elected  a  member 
of  the  National  Academy  of  Sciences. 
Mr.  Scudder  made  a  specialty  of  ento- 
mology, and  as  an  authority  on  butter- 
flies and  fossil  insects  was  without  a 
superior,  the  insects  of  New  Hampshire 
were  reported  upon  by  him  officially.  The 
specimens  collected  by  the  Yellowstone 
expedition  in  1873  was  submitted  to  him. 
He  also  examined  and  reported  on  the 
material  gathered  by  the  National  Geo- 
logical Survey  made  by  Lieutenant 
Wheeler  and  Dr.  Ferdinand  V.  Hayden, 
and  likewise  that  of  the  British  North 
American  Boundary  Commission,  and  the 
Canadian  Geological  Survey.  During  1883- 
85  Mr.  Scudder  was  editor  of  "Science," 
published  in  Cambridge,  under  the  shadow 
of  Harvard  University.  His  reports  on  var- 
ious subjects  would  easily  form  a  library 
by  themselves  as  indicated  by  his  bibli- 
ography, collected  by  George  Dimmock, 
which  down  to  1880  included  more  than 
three  hundred  titles.  A  list  of  his  most 
important  works  embraces :  "Catalogue 
of  the  Orthoptera  of  North  America" 
(1868);  "Entomological  Correspondence 
of  Thaddeus  William  Harris"  (Boston, 
1869) ;  "Fossil  Butterflies"  (Salem,  1875)  ; 
"Catalogue  of  Scientific  Serials  of  all 
Countries,  including  the  Transactions  of 
Learned  Societies  in  the  Natural  Physical, 
and  Mathematical  Sciences,  1633-1876" 
(Cambridge,  1879) ;  "Butterflies ;  Their 
Structure,  Changes,  and  Life  Histories" 
(New  York,  1882) ;  "Nomenclator  Zoolo- 
gicus:  An  Alphabetical  List  of  all  Generic 
Names  that  have  been  employed  by 
Naturalists  for  Recent  and  Fossil 
Animals"  (Washington,  1882)  ;  "Syste- 
matic Review  of  Our  Present  Knowledge 
of  Fossil  Insects"  (1886)  ;  the  "Winnipeg 
Country ;  or,  Roughing  it  with  an  Eclipse 
Party,  by  a  Rochester  Fellow"  (Boston, 
1886) ;  "The  Fossil  Insects  of  North 
America,  with  Notes  on  Some  European 


Species"  (1890),  in  two  large  quarto 
volumes  with  sixty-three  plates.  The 
edition  was  limited  to  one  hundred  copies, 
and  judged  to  be  the  most  extensive  work 
on  fossil  insects  ever  published. 

He  married  Jeannie  Blatchford,  of 
Cambridge,  Massachusetts.  He  died  May 
11,  1911. 


CAPEN,  Elmer  H., 

Clergyman,  Educator. 

Elmer  Hewitt  Capen  was  born  in 
Stoughton,  Massachusetts,  April  5,  1838, 
son  of  Samuel  and  Almira  (Paul)  Capen. 
In  1856  he  entered  Tufts  College,  and 
while  still  an  undergraduate  he  was  elect- 
ed from  his  native  town  to  the  Massachu- 
setts Legislature,  where  he  served  during 
1859-60,  being  by  some  years  the  young- 
est representative  in  the  house.  He  was 
graduated  with  his  class  from  Tufts  Col- 
lege in  i860,  studied  law,  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  1864,  and  practiced  one  year. 
He  then  took  up  theological  studies,  and 
in  1865  was  ordained  a  minister  in  the 
Independent  Christian  Church  of  Glou- 
cester, Massachusetts,  and  subsequently 
occupied  pulpits  in  St.  Paul,  Minnesota, 
and  in  Providence,  Rhode  Island. 

In  1875  he  resigned  pastoral  work  to 
accept  the  presidency  of  Tufts  College. 
Under  his  administration  the  financial 
resources  of  the  institution  were  greatly 
augmented,  the  number  of  instructors 
increased  more  than  fivefold,  the  number 
of  buildings  more  than  threefold,  and 
many  beneficial  changes  were  introduced. 
In  addition  to  the  work  of  administration, 
he  conducted  the  department  of  Political 
Science,  and  supplied  the  college  pulpit. 
He  was  president  of  the  New  England 
commission  on  college  admission  exami- 
nations from  its  establishment  in  1885. 
He  was  for  twenty  years  a  trustee  of  the 
Universalist  General  Convention,  and 
from  1888  a  member  of  the  Massachusetts 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


State  Board  of  Education.  He  was  presi- 
dent of  the  Citizens'  Law  and  Order 
League,  and  in  1888  was  a  delegate  to 
the  Republican  National  Convention. 
He  contributed  to  magazines,  encyclo- 
pedias and  histories,  and  wrote  the  article 
on  the  "Atonement,"  in  the  Universalist 
section  of  the  Columbian  Congress  of 
Religions.  He  delivered  the  oration  at 
the  unveiling  of  the  monument  in  Boston, 
Massachusetts,  to  John  B.  O'Reilly,  June 
20,  1896.  Mr.  Capen  died  in  Medford, 
Massachusetts,  March  22,   1905. 


HUDSON,  John  E., 

Lawyer,  Scientist. 

John  Elbridge  Hudson  was  born  in 
Lynn,  Massachusetts,  August  3,  1839,  son 
of  John  and  Elizabeth  C.  (Hilliard) 
Hudson,  and  a  descendant  of  Thomas 
Hudson,  who  came  from  England  to  the 
Massachusetts  Bay  Colony  about  1630. 
Upon  the  farm  of  Thomas  Hudson,  in 
Saugus,  Massachusetts,  the  first  iron 
works  in  the  United  States  were  estab- 
lished in  1642.  His  maternal  great-grand- 
father, the  Rev.  Samuel  Hilliard,  was  a 
Universalist  minister,  and  was  a  soldier 
of  the  Revolution,  serving  at  Bunker  Hill 
and  Bennington.  His  other  maternal 
great-grandfather,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hall,  a 
Congregationalist  minister  at  Sutton  for 
sixty  years,  married  Elizabeth  Prescott, 
daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth  Prescott, 
of  Concord,  Massachusetts. 

John  Elbridge  Hudson  was  graduated 
from  Harvard  College,  Bachelor  of  Arts, 
in  1862  (valedictorian),  and  was  tutor  in 
Greek  at  Harvard,  1862-65.  He  took  the 
Bachelor  of  Laws  degree  in  1865,  and 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1866,  and 
entered  the  law  office  of  Chandler,  Shat- 
tuck  &  Thayer,  of  Boston.  In  1870  he 
became  a  partner  in  the  firm,  under  the 
style  of  Chandler,  Thayer  &  Hudson, 
afterward    Chandler,    Ware    &    Hudson. 


In  1878  the  firm  dissolved,  and  he  went 
into  practice  for  himself.  In  1880  he  be- 
came office  counsel  for  the  American  Bell 
Telephone  Company  in  Boston ;  on  June 
25,  1885,  he  was  chosen  solicitor  and  gen- 
eral manager;  on  November  29,  1886,  he 
was  chosen  director  of  the  company  and 
made  its  vice-president,  and  on  April  1, 
1889,  he  was  chosen  its  president,  and 
held  this  office  until  his  death.  He  was 
also  president  of  the  American  Telephone 
and  Telegraph  Company.  He  was  a  fel- 
low of  the  American  Academy  of  Arts 
and  Sciences,  and  a  member  of  the  Amer- 
ican Antiquarian  Society,  the  corpora- 
tion of  the  Massachusetts  Institute  of 
Technology,  the  British  Association  for 
the  Advancement  of  Science,  the  New 
England  Historic-Genealogical  Society, 
of  which  he  was  vice-president ;  the  Colo- 
nial Society  of  Massachusetts,  the  Bos- 
tonian  Society,  the  Lynn  Historical  Soci- 
ety, the  American  Institute  of  Electrical 
Engineers,  the  Bar  Association  of  the 
City  of  Boston,  and  the  Virginia  His- 
torical Society. 

Mr.  Hudson  contributed  to  Jaw  re- 
views, and  with  George  Fred  Williams, 
edited  volume  10  of  the  "United  States 
Digest"  (1879).  The  analysis  of  the  law 
as  first  made  in  this  volume  was  followed 
in  a  large  number  of  the  digests  and 
indexes  in  general  use  throughout  the 
United  States,  and  became  the  basis  of 
the  classification  adopted  for  the  Century 
edition  of  the  "American  Digest." 

He  was  married,  August  23,  1871,  to 
Eunice  W.,  daughter  of  Wells  and  Eliza- 
beth (Pickering)  Healey,  of  Hampton 
Falls,  New  Hampshire.  He  died  at  Bev- 
erly, Massachusetts,  October  1,  1900. 


EMMONS,  Samuel  F., 

Geologist. 

Samuel  Franklin  Emmons,  geologist, 
was  born  in  Boston,  Massachusetts, 
March  29,  1841,  son  of  Nathaniel  H.  and 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Elizabeth  (Wales)  Emmons,  and  a  de- 
scendant of  Thomas  Emmons,  of  New- 
port, Rhode  Island,  1638,  and  Boston, 
Massachusetts,  1648. 

He  prepared  for  college  at  the  private 
Latin  school  of  Epes  S.  Dixwell,  in  Bos- 
ton, Massachusetts,  then  entering  Har- 
vard College,  from  which  he  was  gradu- 
ated in  1861.  In  1861-66  he  studied  min- 
ing engineering  and  geology  at  the  ficole 
Imperiale  des  Mines  at  Paris,  and  at  the 
Bergakademie,  Freiberg,  Saxony,  and 
subsequently  visited  various  mining  dis- 
tricts of  France,  Germany  and  Italy.  In 
1867-77  ne  was  attached  as  geologist  to 
the  United  States  geological  exploration 
of  the  fortieth  parallel  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Clarence  King.  This  was  de- 
signed to  report  upon  the  mineral  re- 
sources of  the  region  to  be  opened  up  by 
the  transcontinental  railways  then  in 
course  of  construction.  A  belt  of  coun- 
try over  one  hundred  miles  wide,  and 
always  including  the  railway,  extending 
across  the  Cordilleran  system  from  Cali- 
fornia to  Nebraska,  a  distance  of  nearly 
one  thousand  miles  was  mapped  topo- 
graphically and  geologically,  the  results 
being  published  in  several  quarto  vol- 
umes and  two  large  atlases.  In  the 
course  of  the  work,  Mr.  Emmons  was 
instrumental  in  exposing  the  diamond 
swindle  of  1872,  the  "mine"  being  located 
within  the  area  surveyed,  near  the  junc- 
tion of  the  boundary  lines  of  Utah,  Wyo- 
ming and  Colorado.  He  was  engaged  in 
cattle  ranching  in  Wyoming  in  1877-79, 
and  in  the  latter  part  of  the  latter  year 
became  geologist  for  the  newly  organ- 
ized United  States  Geological  Survey, 
which  later  became  a  bureau  of  the  In- 
terior Department.  In  this  position, 
which  he  held  until  his  death,  he  gave 
special  attention  to  the  economic  side  of 
his  profession,  or  the  application  of  geo- 


logical methods  to  the  development  of 
ore  deposits.  He  published  geological 
maps  and  reports  on  the  mining  districts 
of  Leadville,  Ten  Mile,  Silver  Cliff,  Gun- 
nison county  and  the  Denver  basin  in 
Colorado;  of  Butte,  Montana,  and  super- 
vised similar  reports  on  Aspen,  Colo- 
rado; Mercur  and  Tintic,  in  Utah,  and 
the  Black  Hills,  in  South  Dakota;  and 
contributed  many  papers  to  scientific 
journals  on  the  theory  of  ore  deposition, 
the  precious  metal  industry,  etc.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  National  Academy  of 
Sciences,  and  treasurer  from  1902 ;  the 
Geological  Society  of  America,  and  presi- 
dent in  1903;  the  International  Congress 
of  Geologists,  and  vice-president ;  asso- 
ciate fellow  of  the  American  Academy  of 
Arts  and  Sciences ;  fellow  of  the  London 
Geological  Society ;  member  of  the  Amer- 
ican Institute  of  Mining  Engineers,  and 
vice-president ;  the  Colorado  Academy  of 
Sciences;  and  honorary  member  of  the 
American  Philosophical  Society,  and  the 
Helvetique  des  Science  Naturelles.  He 
was  general  secretary  of  the  Fifth  Inter- 
national Congress  of  Geologists,  which 
met  in  Washington,  D.  C,  in  1891.  He 
was  author  of  the  following  works :  "De- 
scriptive Geology  of  the  Fortieth  Parallel 
Region"  (with  Arnold  Hague)  ;  "Statis- 
tics and  Technology  of  the  Precious 
Metals"  (with  George  F.  Becker) ;  "Ge- 
ology and  Mining  Industry  of  Leadville, 
Colorado;"  "Geological  Guide  Book  of 
the  Rocky  Mountains ;"  "Geology  of 
Lower  California;"  "Geological  Distribu- 
tion of  the  Useful  Metals  in  the  United 
States ;"  "Progress  of  the  Precious  Metal 
Industry  in  the  United  States  ;"  "Geology 
of  the  Denver  Basin  in  Colorado;"  "Ge- 
ology of  Government  Explorations;" 
"Theories  of  One  Deposition,  Histori- 
cally Considered ;"  "Biography  of  Clar- 
ence King." 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF   BIOGRAPHY 


Mr.  Emmons  was  twice  married ;  his 
first  wife  was  Weltha  A.  Steeves,  who 
died  in  1888;  his  second,  Sophie  Dallas 
Markoe,  who  died  in  1896.  He  died 
March  28,  191 1. 


CAPEN,  Samuel  B., 

Man  of  Affairs,  Philanthropist. 

Samuel  Billings  Capen  was  born  in  Bos- 
ton, Massachusetts,  December  12,  1842, 
son  of  Samuel  Childs  and  Ann  (Billings) 
Capen.  His  earliest  American  ancestor, 
Bernard  Capen,  was  a  settler  at  Dorches- 
ter, Massachusetts,  as  early  as  1630,  and 
was  the  progenitor  of  all  of  this  name  in 
New  England.  Captain  John  Capen 
(1612-92),  son  of  Samuel  Childs  Capen, 
was  for  over  fifty  years  an  officer  in  the 
colonial  militia,  was  a  selectman  of  the 
town,  representative  in  the  General 
Court,  town  clerk,  and  for  thirty-three 
years  deacon  of  the  church  in  Dorches- 
ter. The  line  runs  through  his  son  Pre- 
served, his  son  John,  his  son  Christopher, 
and  his  son  Samuel,  the  father  of  Samuel 
Childs. 

Samuel  Billings  Capen  was  educated 
in  the  old  Quincy  Grammar  School  and 
the  English  High  School  of  Boston.  In 
1858  he  entered  the  employ  of  Went- 
worth  &  Bright,  carpet  dealers,  and  in 
1864  he  was  admitted  to  partnership. 
The  name  of  the  firm  has  been  succes- 
sively William  E.  Bright  &  Company, 
William  E.  Bright  &  Capen,  and  Torrey, 
Bright  &  Capen,  and  in  1895  the  busi- 
ness was  incorporated  as  the  Torrey, 
Bright  &  Capen  Company.  Mr.  Capen 
was  long  identified  with  the  educational 
and  political  life  of  Boston.  He  served 
as  a  member  of  the  school  committee 
(1889-93)  ;  was  president  of  the  Boston 
Municipal  League,  which  he  assisted  in 
organizing  in  1894;  and  second  vice- 
president  of  the  National  Municipal 
League,  organized  in   1894.     He  was  an 


active  worker  in  church  and  charitable 
causes,  and  for  more  than  thirty  years 
taught  a  young  men's  Bible  class  in  the 
Central  Congregational  Church  at  Jama- 
ica Plain.  He  was  chairman  of  the 
Eighth  International  Sunday  School  Con- 
vention held  in  Boston  in  June,  1896,  and 
in  October,  1899,  he  was  elected  presi- 
dent of  the  American  Board  of  Commis- 
sioners for  Foreign  Missions.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Boston  Indian  Citizen- 
ship Committee  for  over  twelve  years; 
president  of  the  Congregational  Sunday 
School  Publishing  Society  (1882-99)  ; 
chairman  of  the  finance  committee  of  the 
Massachusetts  Home  Missionary  Soci- 
ety, and  a  director  of  the  American  Con- 
gregational Association  ;  member  of  the 
Pilgrim  Association,  of  which  he  was 
president  in  1894;  the  Boston  Chamber 
of  Commerce,  and  the  Congregational 
Club,  of  which  he  was  president  in  1882. 
He  received  the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts 
from  Dartmouth  College  in  1893,  and 
that  of  Doctor  of  Laws  from  Oberlin  and 
Middlebury  colleges  in  1900. 

He  was  married,  December  8,  1869,  to 
Helen  Maria,  daughter  of  Dr.  John  W. 
Warren,  of  Boston,  and  had  one  son  and 
one  daughter.    He  died  January  29,  1914. 


PAYNE,  Henry  Clay, 

Man  of  Affairs,  Cabinet  Official. 

Henry  Clay  Payne  was  born  at  Ash- 
field,  Massachusetts,  November  23,  1843, 
son  of  Orrin  Pierre  and  Eliza  Etta 
(Ames)  Payne.  His  ancestors  were 
among  the  earliest  settlers  of  Braintree, 
Massachusetts,  and  several  of  them 
served  in  the  Revolution. 

He  was  educated  at  Shelburne  Falls, 
Massachusetts,  receiving  excellent  aca- 
demic training.  In  1863  he  volunteered 
for  service  in  the  Union  army,  but  was 
rejected  for  physical  disability.  He  then 
went  to  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin,  and  en- 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


tered  the  wholesale  dry  goods  house  of 
Sherwin,  Nowell  &  Pratt.  About  five 
years  later  the  competition  of  greater 
aggregations  of  capital  led  him  to  take 
up  the  insurance  business,  in  which  he 
was  very  successful.  In  1875  ne  was 
appointed  postmaster  of  Milwaukee,  and 
held  the  office  until  1885.  He  proved  his 
great  efficiency,  and  made  the  office  one 
of  the  models  in  the  entire  service,  and 
accomplished  more  than  any  other  per- 
son in  the  development  and  perfecting 
of  the  administration  of  the  money-order 
departments,  especially  with  relation  to 
the  service  with  foreign  countries.  He 
had  entered  actively  into  politics  at  an 
early  age,  and  came  to  be  known  as  a 
masterly  spirit.  He  was  for  years  secre- 
tary or  chairman  of  the  Wisconsin  Re- 
publican State  Central  Committee ;  was 
for  a  quarter  of  a  century  a  member  of 
the  Republican  National  Committee 
(1880-1904),  and  was  for  eight  years 
chairman  of  the  executive  committee; 
four  years  vice-president  of  the  National 
Committee  and,  after  the  death  of  Sena- 
tor Hanna,  its  chairman.  His  wide 
knowledge  of  the  grafters  and  heelers  of 
his  party  and  of  their  methods  enabled 
him  to  check  the  disbursement  of  money 
for  futile  and  illegitimate  purposes. 
Upon  leaving  the  Milwaukee  post  office, 
he  embarked  actively  in  timber  land,  tele- 
phone, townsite,  street  railway,  electric 
and  gas  light,  municipal  heating,  bank- 
ing, and  other  business  enterprises,  in  all 
of  which  he  was  uniformly  successful. 
He  was  appointed  one  of  the  three  re- 
ceivers of  the  Northern  Pacific  railway 
in  1893,  and  for  nearly  three  years  was 
engaged  actively  in  administering  its 
affairs,  passing  through  the  trying  litiga- 
tion and  vituperation  that  grew  out  of 
the  injunction  issued  by  Judge  Jenkins 
to  prevent  the  employees  from  striking. 
In  1900  he  advocated  the  adoption  of  a 


plan  to  base  representation  in  Republican 
national  conventions  upon  the  Repub- 
lican vote  cast  for  President,  instead  of 
upon  population,  but  the  clamor  which 
arose  in  the  South  against  it  led  him  to 
abandon  the  effort  to  carry  it  into  prac- 
tice. He  at  first  favored  the  nomination 
of  Elihu  Root  for  Vice-President  on  the 
ticket  with  McKinley  in  1900,  but  as  Mr. 
Root  thought  that  he  ought  to  remain  in 
the  cabinet  as  Secretary  of  War,  he 
turned  his  attention  to  Theodore  Roose- 
velt, then  Governor  of  New  York.  Mr. 
Roosevelt  wrote  to  Mr.  Payne  that  he 
preferred  the  office  of  Governor  to  that 
of  Vice-President  and  Mr.  Payne  made 
two  special  journeys  to  Albany  for  the 
purpose  of  bringing  about  a  change  of 
mind.  When  he  found  that  he  could  not 
convert  Mr.  Roosevelt,  he  set  about 
solidifying  the  western  delegations  in  be- 
half of  his  plan,  feeling  confident  that 
nominating  him  for  Vice-President  would 
strengthen  the  national  ticket  in  the  west 
and  make  New  York  safely  Republican. 
Mr.  Roosevelt  became  President  in  Sep- 
tember, 1901,  and  Charles  Emory  Smith 
having  resigned  the  portfolio  of  Post- 
master-General, Mr.  Payne  was  selected 
to  fill  the  vacancy.  At  this  time  Mr. 
Payne  was  not  in  good  health.  He  had 
returned  shortly  before  from  an  extended 
cruise  in  the  Mediterranean  only  slightly 
improved ;  but  as  he  loved  the  postal  ad- 
ministration, he  accepted  the  appoint- 
ment. He  took  keen  delight  in  quietly 
bringing  about  administrative  reforms 
that  gave  better  service  to  the  public  and 
lighter  burdens  to  employees  and  tax- 
payers. He  concluded  parcels  post  con- 
ventions with  Japan,  Germany,  and  sev- 
eral other  nations ;  organized  the  postal 
service  into  fifteen  "battalions,"  and  the 
rural  free  delivery  into  eight  "battalions," 
each  with  its  own  head ;  gave  to  litera- 
ture   for    the    blind,    free    transmission 


24 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


through  the  mails ;  and  made  numerous 
improvements  in  the  administration  of 
city  post  offices.  He  undertook  to  place 
letter  boxes  on  the  street  cars  of  the  en- 
tire country,  but  the  labor  unions  pro- 
tested so  vigorously  that  to  do  so  would 
make  the  street  car  lines  United  States 
mail  routes  and  therefore  interfere  with 
their  prerogatives  of  tying  them  up  by 
strikes,  that  he  was  compelled  to  aban- 
don this  exceedingly  meritorious  plan  for 
giving  much  better  service  to  the  public. 
He  had  not  been  long  an  incumbent  of 
the  post  office  department  before  charges 
of  malfeasance  in  office  on  the  part  of 
old  and  trusted  employees  began  to  ap- 
pear, and  an  investigation  was  conducted 
by  the  Postmaster-General  through  his 
fourth  assistant.  Mr.  Payne  had  been 
urged  to  be  a  candidate  for  United  States 
Senator,  and  the  west  would  have  sup- 
ported him  for  Vice-President  in  1900, 
but  Mr.  Payne,  believing  that  he  pos- 
sessed no  peculiar  fitness  for  any  office 
except  that  of  Postmaster-General,  and  de- 
clined all  tenders,  only  to  reach  the  goal 
of  his  ambition  just  as  health  was  break- 
ing, and  to  find  the  office  the  theatre  of 
turmoil,  crimination  and  revolution.  He 
called  the  Republican  National  Conven- 
tion to  order  at  Chicago,  June  21,  1904, 
and  then  went  on  a  second  cruise  for  the 
benefit  of  his  shattered  health,  but  too 
late.  He  died  in  Washington  City,  Octo- 
ber 4,  1904.  Secretary  John  Hay  said  of 
Mr.  Payne  that  he  had  never  met  a  man 
of  more  genuine  honesty  and  integrity, 
a  man  absolutely  truthful  and  fearless  in 
his  expressions  of  what  he  believed  to 
be  true.  He  was  a  man  of  such  remark- 
able uprightness  and  purity  of  character 
that,  judging  other  people  by  himself,  he 
was  slow  to  believe  evil  of  anyone.  Pres- 
ident Roosevelt  said  of  Mr.  Payne  that 
he  was  "the  sweetest,  most  lovable  and 
most  truthful  man  I  ever  knew." 

He  was  married  at  Mount  Holly,  New 


Jersey,  October  15,  1867,  to  Lydia  Wood, 
daughter  of  Richard  Van  Dyke,  of  New 
York  City,  but  left  no  children. 


WOLCOTT,  Roger, 

Legislator,  Governor. 

Roger  Wolcott,  Governor  of  Massa- 
chusetts, was  born  in  Boston,  Massa- 
chusetts, July  13,  1847,  son  of  Joshua 
Huntington  and  Cornelia  (Frothingham) 
Wolcott;  grandson  of  Frederick  and 
Elizabeth  (Huntington)  Wolcott  and  of 
Samuel  Frothingham,  and  great-grand- 
son of  Joshua  Huntington,  and  of  Oliver 
Wolcott  (1760-1833). 

He  was  graduated  from  Harvard  Col- 
lege, Bachelor  of  Arts,  1870,  and  was  a 
tutor  there  1871-72.  He  studied  law  in 
the  Harvard  Law  School,  and  received 
the  Bachelor  of  Laws  degree  in  1874.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Boston  Common 
Council,  1876-79,  and  a  Republican  rep- 
resentative in  the  State  Legislature, 
1882-84.  He  refused  to  support  the 
Blaine  and  Logan  ticket  in  1884,  and 
started  a  reform  movement  in  the  Repub- 
lican party  of  Massachusetts.  In  1891  he 
was  chosen  first  president  of  the  Young 
Men's  Republican  Club,  the  outgrowth 
of  his  labor  for  reform.  He  was  Lieu- 
tenant-Governor of  Massachusetts,  1892- 
95,  becoming  Governor  on  the  death  of 
Governor  Greenhalge  in  1896,  and  was 
elected  Governor  in  1896,  1897,  and  1898, 
after  which  time  he  declined  further 
reelection.  He  also  declined  a  position 
on  the  Philippine  Commission  in  1899, 
and  an  appointment  as  United  States 
Ambassador  to  Italy.  He  was  a  trustee 
of  Harvard  University,  1885-1900,  and  re- 
ceived the  honorary  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Laws  from  Williams  College  in  1897. 

He  was  married,  September  2,  1874,  to 
Edith,  daughter  of  William  Hickling 
Prescott.  He  died  in  Boston,  Massachu- 
setts, December  21,  1900. 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ROCHE,  James  Jeffrey, 

Journalist,  Author,  Poet. 

James  Jeffrey  Roche  was  born  at 
Mountmellick,  Queens  county,  Ireland, 
May  31,  1847,  son  of  Edward  Roche,  an 
able  mathematician,  and  Margaret  Doyle, 
his  wife.  The  family  settled  in  Prince 
Edward  Island  in  the  year  of  the  son's 
birth,  and  there  he  was  instructed  by  his 
father,  and  later  took  a  classical  course 
at  St.  Dunstan's  College,  Charlottetown, 
and  where  at  the  age  of  fifteen  he  aided 
in  editing  the  college  weekly.  In  his 
youth  he  had  a  fair  share  of  spirited  ad- 
venture, and  encountering  of  odd  char- 
acters and  scenes,  of  which  he  took 
sharp  observance.  In  1866  he  went  to 
Boston,  and  for  a  time  was  engaged  in 
commercial  pursuits.  Already  married, 
in  1883,  he  became  assistant  editor  of 
the  "Boston  Pilot,"  a  position  for  which 
he  was  well  adapted.  A  man  of  activ- 
ity, eminently  social,  interested  in  all 
public  matters,  sensitive  and  independ- 
ent, Mr.  Roche,  without  any  premedi- 
tation or  affectation,  performed  much 
energetic  and  brilliant  work.  In  1886 
he  published  "Songs  and  Satires,"  a  dis- 
tinct success,  and  an  earnest  of  health- 
ful and  unhurried  growth ;  and  this  was 
followed  by  "The  Story  of  the  Fillibus- 
ters,"  in  1891.  In  the  same  year,  on  the 
death  of  John  Boyle  O'Reilly,  Mr.  Roche 
became  chief  editor  of  the  "Boston  Pilot," 
and  he  published  a  biography  of  his 
friend  and  fellow-laborer.  In  1895  he 
wrote  "Ballads  of  Blue  Water,"  and  this 
was  followed  by  "His  Majesty  the  King," 
in  1898,  and  "By-ways  of  War"  in  1904. 
He  was  elected  secretary  of  the  Papyrus 
Club,  January  1,  1885,  and  was  chosen 
president  January  4,  1890.  He  was  also 
a  member  of  the  Botolph  Club.  He  was 
United  States  Consul  at  Genoa,  Italy, 
from  1904  to  1907,  and  in  the  latter  year 


was  transferred  in  the  same  capacity  to 
Berne,  Switzerland.  He  died  the  next 
year. 

In  the  words  of  a  literary  associate, 
"Mr.  Roche  was,  first,  a  scrivener  and 
chronicler,  utterly  impersonal,  full  of  joy 
in  deeds,  a  discerner  between  the  ex- 
pedient and  the  everlasting  light,  wholly 
fitted  to  throw  into  enduring  song  some 
of  the  simple  heroisms  of  our  American 
annals.  We  bid  fair  to  have  in  him  an 
admirable  ballad-writer,  choosing  in- 
stinctively and  from  affection  'that  which 
lieth  nearest,'  and  saying  it  with  truth 
and  zest.  His  muse,  like  himself,  is 
happy  in  her  place  and  time;  none  too 
much  at  the  mercy  of  sentiment,  coming 
through  sheer  intelligence  to  the  conclu- 
sion of  fools,  and  going  her  unvexed 
gypsy  ways  with  an  "all's  well!'  ever  on 
her  lips." 


WALKER,  James, 

Clergyman,  Educator. 

The  Rev.  James  Walker,  nineteenth 
president  of  Harvard  College,  and  whose 
services  were  of  incalculable  value  to  that 
institution,  was  born  in  Burlington,  Mas- 
sachusetts, then  a  part  of  Woburn,  Au- 
gust 16,  1794.  He  was  graduated  from 
Harvard  College,  Bachelor  of  Arts,  1814; 
Master  of  Arts,  1817,  and  at  the  Divinity 
School  in  1817.  From  1818  to  1839  he 
was  pastor  of  the  Unitarian  church  at 
Charlestown.  He  was  successful  as  a  pas- 
tor and  lecturer,  and  did  much  good  in 
advocating  and  encouraging  school  and 
college  education.  He  was  a  close  stu- 
dent of  literature  and  philosophy,  and 
from  1831  to  1839  was  editor  of  the 
"Christian  Examiner,"  the  official  organ 
of  the  Unitarian  church.  In  1839  he  was 
chosen  Alford  Professor  of  Moral  and 
Intellectual  Philosophy,  Natural  Religion, 
and  Civil  Polity  at  Harvard  College ;  was 


26 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


an  overseer  of  Harvard,  1825-36,  and  a 
fellow,  1834-53.  He  was  acting  presi- 
dent, 1845-46,  and  president  from  Febru- 
ary 10,  1853,  to  January  26,  i860,  suc- 
ceeding President  Sparks,  who  had  re- 
signed. He  received  from  Harvard  Col- 
lege the  honorary  degrees  of  Doctor  of 
Divinity  in  1835,  and  of  Doctor  of  Laws 
in  i860;  and  from  Yale  that  of  Doctor  of 
Laws  in  1853. 

Harvard  College  had  gained  rapidly  in 
public  favor  as  well  as  in  efficiency,  during 
the  administrations  of  Presidents  Everett 
and  Sparks,  and  it  was  during  the  term  of 
the  latter  that  the  office  of  regent  was 
created,  and  President  Sparks  in  the  divi- 
sion of  duties,  had  made  the  office  of 
president  less  trivial  as  to  functions,  and 
to  operate  more  as  a  balance  wheel  in  the 
complicated  machinery  of  the  college,  and 
to  bear  upon  the  education  and  moral 
well-being  of  the  students  at  large,  rather 
than  to  fill  the  chair  of  higher  professor- 
ship. He  alone,  among  all  the  presidents 
of  Harvard  in  its  earlier  days,  directed 
his  attention  to  each  class  in  the  several 
departments,  attending  at  least  one  exer- 
cise in  each  term,  and  informing  himself 
of  the  condition  of  every  department  in 
the  university,  and  bringing  himself  into 
intimate  personal  relation  with  every 
officer  and  teacher.  The  custom  thus 
established  afterward  became  the  rule 
of  the  university,  and  as  President 
Walker  had  as  a  member  of  the  faculty 
been  a  witness  of  its  effective  working, 
he  was  well  prepared  to  carry  forward 
the  reform.  The  personal  attachments 
he  had  formed  as  Alford  Professor,  he 
retained  and  enlarged  as  president,  and 
at  the  same  time  won  the  undivided  sup- 
port of  his  associates.  Among  the  im- 
provements introduced  during  his  admin- 
istration were  the  erection  of  the  Apple- 
ton  Chapel,  Boylston  Hall,  and  the  Gym- 
nasium, and  the  Museum  of  Comparative 


Zoology  was  also  founded  in  his  time. 
He  resigned  his  office  in  i860,  and  en- 
gaged in  literary  pursuits.  He  left  his 
valuable  library  and  $15,000  in  money  to 
the  college.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Massachusetts  Historical  Society,  and  a 
fellow  of  the  American  Academy  of  Arts 
and  Sciences  of  Boston.  He  published, 
among  numerous  sermons,  lectures  and 
addresses,  three  series  of  lectures  on 
"Natural  Religion,"  and  a  course  of 
Lowell  Institute  lectures  on  "The  Philos- 
ophy of  Religion ;"  "Sermons  Preached 
in  the  Chapel  of  Harvard  College ;"  "A 
Memorial  of  David  Appleton  White," 
and  a  "Memoir  of  Josiah  Quincy."  After 
his  death  a  volume  of  his  "Discourses" 
was  published.  He  was  the  editor  of  sev- 
eral college  textbooks. 

He  died  in  Cambridge,  Massachusetts, 
December  23,  1874.  A  mural  monument 
was  erected  to  his  memory  in  Harvard 
Church,  in  Charlestown,  May  14,  1883. 


SUMNER,  Edwin  V., 

Distinguished   Army   Officer. 

General  Edwin  Vose  Sumner,  who  as 
a  soldier  of  the  old  school  made  a  distin- 
guished record  during  both  the  Mexican 
and  Civil  wars,  was  born  in  Boston,  Mas- 
sachusetts, January  30,  1797;  son  of 
Elisha  (1760-1839)  and  Nancy  (Vose) 
Sumner;  grandson  of  Seth  ;  great-grand- 
son of  Colonel  Seth ;  great-great-grand- 
son of  William ;  great-great-great-grand- 
son of  Roger,  and  great-great-great- 
great-grandson  of  William  and  Mary 
Sumner,  who  came  to  Dorchester,  Mas- 
sachusetts Bay  Colony  from  Dorchester, 
England,  in  1636.  William  Sumner,  the 
immigrant,  served  in  the  General  Court 
of  Massachusetts  for  thirteen  years.  His 
maternal  grandfather.  Colonel  Joseph 
Vose,  was  descended  from  Robert  Vose, 
an  early  settler  of  Milton,  Massachusetts. 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Edwin  Vose  Sumner  was  educated  at 
Milton  Academy,  Massachusetts.  He 
was  appointed  lieutenant  in  the  Second 
United  States  Infantry  in  March,  1819, 
and  served  in  the  Black  Hawk  war.  He 
was  advanced  to  a  captaincy  in  the  Sec- 
ond Dragoons  in  1833,  and  for  some  years 
served  on  the  Indian  frontier.  He  was 
given  command  of  the  School  of  Cavalry 
Practice  at  Carlisle,  Pennsylvania,  in 
1838.  In  1846  he  was  commissioned 
major,  and  as  such  took  the  field  in 
Mexico.  In  April,  1847,  he  led  the  noted 
cavalry  charge  at  Cerro  Gordo,  where  he 
was  wounded,  and  was  brevetted  lieu- 
tenant-colonel for  conspicuous  gallantry. 
At  Contreras  and  Churubusco  he  com- 
manded the  reserves,  and  at  Molino  del 
Rey  checked  the  attack  of  5,000  Mexican 
lancers,  winning  the  brevet  of  colonel, 
and  receiving  special  praise  from  General 
Worth  for  skill  and  courage.  He  com- 
manded the  brigade  of  horse  in  the  occu- 
pation of  the  City  of  Mexico,  which  post 
he  held  until  January,  1848.  He  was 
commissioned  lieutenant-colonel  of  the 
First  Dragoons,  July  18,  1848.  From 
185 1  to  1853  he  commanded  the  Depart- 
ment of  New  Mexico.  Later  he  visited 
Europe  for  the  purpose  of  observing 
foreign  cavalry  discipline  and  drill.  He 
was  promoted  to  colonel  of  the  First 
Cavalry  in  1855,  and  was  in  command  of 
Fort  Leavenworth,  Kansas,  in  1856, 
where  he  incurred  the  displeasure  of  the 
Secretary  of  War  and  was  removed.  In 
July,  1857,  he  led  an  expedition  and  de- 
feated the  Cheyenne  Indians  at  Solomon's 
Fork.  He  was  commander  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  the  West,  1858-61. 

In  1861  he  was  senior  colonel  of  cavalry 
in  the  United  States  service.  He  was 
chosen  to  escort  President-elect  Lincoln 
from  Springfield  to  Washington.  On 
March  16,  1861,  President  Lincoln  ap- 
pointed him  brigadier-general  in  place  of 
General  David  E.  Twiggs,  removed,  one 


of  the  first  military  appointments  made 
by  President  Lincoln,  who  said:  "It  is 
the  best  office  in  my  gift."  General  Sum- 
ner was  ordered  to  supersede  General  Al- 
bert Sidney  Johnston  in  the  command  of 
the  Department  of  the  Pacific,  and  he  is 
credited  with  saving  California  to  the 
Union.  Being  anxious  for  more  active 
duty  he  was  recalled,  and  in  March,  1862, 
was  attached  to  the  Army  of  the  Poto- 
mac and  given  command  of  the  First 
Army  Corps.  He  commanded  the  left 
wing  at  the  siege  of  Yorktown ;  was  sec- 
ond in  command  to  McClellan  in  the 
whole  Peninsular  campaign,  and  fought 
at  Williamsburg.  At  Fair  Oaks  his  celer- 
ity in  crossing  the  Chickahominy  enabled 
him  to  support  McClellan  before  Long- 
street  could  arrive  with  his  Confederates. 
He  commanded  his  corps  in  the  Seven 
Days'  battles,  and  was  twice  wounded. 
In  recognition  of  his  services  on  the 
Peninsula  he  was  commissioned  major- 
general  of  volunteers,  and  brevet  major- 
general  in  the  United  States  army,  to 
date  from  May  31,  1862.  On  the  re- 
organization of  the  army  he  was  assigned 
to  the  Second  Corps,  and  was  soon  after 
wounded  at  Antietam.  In  the  charge  of 
the  right  grand  division  under  Burnside, 
he  crossed  the  river  at  Fredericksburg 
against  his  judgment,  summoned  the 
town  to  surrender,  and  made  the  attack 
on  Marye's  Heights,  December  13,  1862. 
Relieved  at  his  own  request,  January  28, 
1863,  on  General  Hooker's  appointment 
to  the  chief  command,  he  was  presently 
ordered  to  the  Department  of  the  Mis- 
souri, but  on  his  way  thither  died  at  Syra- 
cuse, New  York,  March  21,  1863,  express- 
ing his  loyal  patriotism  with  his  last 
breath.  "He  was  a  grand  soldier,  full  of 
honor  and  gallantry,"  and  probably  the 
oldest  man  to  fill  with  entire  efficiency  so 
conspicuous  a  military  position  as  he  did 
during  the  Civil  War. 


28 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ALLEN,  Charles, 

Lawyer,    Jurist,    Congressman. 

Charles  Allen,  a  jurist  of  commanding 
ability,  and  whose  legal  decisions  were 
regarded  as  peculiarly  able,  was  born  in 
Worcester,  Massachusetts,  August  9, 
1797.  He  was  educated  at  Harvard  Col- 
lege, from  which  he  was  graduated,  stud- 
ied law,  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1821, 
and  began  practice  in  Braintree,  soon  re- 
moving to  Worcester,  which  was  his 
place  of  residence  throughout  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Massachusetts  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives for  four  terms  between  1829 
and  1840,  and  of  the  State  Senate  in  1835, 
1838  and  1839.  In  1842  he  was  a  member 
of  the  Northeastern  Boundary  Commis- 
sion which  paved  the  way  for  the  famous 
Ashburton  treaty  which  saved  the  United 
States  and  Great  Britain  from  impending 
war.  In  the  same  year  he  became  judge 
of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  holding 
his  seat  upon  the  bench  for  three  years. 
In  1847  he  declined  to  be  a  candidate  for 
the  Supreme  Court.  He  was  elected  by 
the  Free-Soil  party  to  the  Thirty-first  and 
Thirty-second  Congresses  (1849-51),  and 
in  the  latter  year  became  editor  of  the 
"Boston  Whig,"  afterwards  "The  Repub- 
lican." In  1853  he  was  a  member  of  the 
State  Constitutional  Convention.  In  1859 
he  became  Chief  Justice  of  the  Superior 
Court  of  Sussex  county,  remaining  upon 
the  bench  until  1867,  when  he  resigned. 
He  was  a  delegate  to  the  Peace  Congress 
of  1861,  called  to  avert  if  possible  the 
then  threatening  civil  war.  He  died  in 
Worcester,  Massachusetts,  August  6, 
1869. 


STOWE,  Calvin  E., 

Clergyman,   Educator.   Author. 

The  Rev.  Calvin  Ellis  Stowe  was  born 
at  Natick,  Massachusetts,  April  6,  1802, 
English    descent.      His    father   dying 


of 


when  he  was  six  years  of  age,  he  was 
early  apprenticed  to  a  papermaker.  Hav- 
ing attracted  attention  by  his  passion  for 
reading  and  investigation,  he  succeeded 
by  friendly  aid  in  securing  a  scholarly 
education  and  was  graduated  from  Bow- 
doin  College,  Brunswick,  Maine,  in  1824, 
with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts,  re- 
ceiving that  of  Master  of  Arts  in  1827. 
From  1825  to  1828  he  was  a  student  at 
Andover  Theological  Seminary,  during 
which  time  he  translated  Jahn's  "Hebrew 
Commonwealth"  (Andover,  1828,  Lon- 
don, 1829).  In  1828  he  became  editor  of 
the  "Boston  Recorder,"  the  oldest  relig- 
ious paper  in  the  country,  and  served  as 
such  for  two  years,  meantime  making  a 
translation  of  Lowth's  "Lectures  on  the 
Sacred  Poetry  of  the  Hebrews." 

In  1830  he  entered  upon  his  career  as 
a  university  teacher  and  preacher,  and 
was  Professor  of  Latin  and  Greek  at 
Dartmouth  College,  New  Hampshire,  to 
1833 ;  of  Biblical  Literature  in  Lane  The- 
ological Seminary,  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
l833-5°;  of  Natural  and  Revealed  Relig- 
ion in  Bowdoin  College,  1850-52,  and  of 
Sacred  Literature  in  Andover  Theolog- 
ical Seminary  from  1852  to  1864,  when 
he  retired  on  account  of  failing  health 
and  settled  at  Hartford,  Connecticut.  In 
1837  he  made  an  extensive  tour  in  Europe 
in  order  to  investigate  the  various  sys- 
tems of  elementary  instruction,  and  pub- 
lished on  his  return  a  "Report"  (Harris- 
burg,  Ohio,  1838)  and  an  "Essay"  (Bos- 
ton, 1839).  He  received  the  honorary 
degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  from  Miami 
University  and  from  Indiana  University 
in  1837,  and  from  Dartmouth  College  in 
1839.  He  was  the  author  of:  "Intro- 
duction to  the  Criticism  and  Interpreta- 
tion of  the  Bible"  (1835)  ;  "The  Religious 
Element  in  Education"  (1844);  "The 
Right  Interpretation  of  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures" (1853);  "Origin  and  History  of 
the  Books  of  the  Bible,  both  Canonical 


29 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  Apocryphal"  (1867).  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Old  Testament  Company  and 
of  the  American  Committee  on  Bible  re- 
vision. 

He  was  married  in  Portland,  Maine,  in 
1832,  to  Eliza,  daughter  of  Rev.  Bennett 
Tyler;  she  died  in  1834.  In  January, 
1836,  he  was  married  to  Harriet  Eliza- 
beth, daughter  of  Rev.  Lyman  Beecher. 
As  the  author  of  "Uncle  Tom's  Cabin" 
she  acquired  a  world-wide  reputation. 
She  bore  him  four  sons  and  three  daugh- 
ters. Dr.  Stowe  died  in  Hartford,  Con- 
necticut, August  22,  1886. 


STEARNS,  William  A., 

Clergyman,   Author,   Educator. 

William  Augustus  Stearns,  fourth  pres- 
ident of  Amherst  College,  was  born  at 
Bedford,  Massachusetts,  March  17,  1805. 
His  father,  Rev.  Samuel  Stearns,  of  Bed- 
ford, and  both  his  grandfathers  were  min- 
isters of  the  gospel,  and  his  brothers  were 
well  known  as  distinguished  preachers 
and  teachers. 

He  was  prepared  for  college  at  Phillips 
Academy,  Andover,  and  was  graduated 
from  Harvard  College,  Bachelor  of  Arts, 
1827,  and  Master  of  Arts,  1830.  He  then 
entered  Andover  Theological  Seminary, 
from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1831. 
Among  his  classmates  were  Professor 
Felton  and  the  Rev.  Dr.  Sweetser.  He 
was  ordained  to  the  Congregational  min- 
istry, December  14,  1831,  and  was  pastor 
of  the  Prospect  Street  Church,  Cam- 
bridgeport,  Massachusetts,  from  1831  to 
1854,  retiring  in  the  latter  year  on  account 
of  having  been  chosen  president  of  Am- 
herst College,  to  succeed  the  Rev.  Ed- 
ward Hitchcock,  resigned.  He  adminis- 
tered the  affairs  of  the  college  until  his 
death,  his  administration  being  especially 
memorable  for  a  succession  of  donations 
and  bequests  amounting  in  the  aggregate 


to  nearly  eight  hundred  thousand  dollars, 
making  it  a  period  of  large  and  liberal 
foundations.  Even  the  Legislature  shared 
in  the  prevailing  generosity,  and  upon 
the  provision  that  the  college  should 
establish  three  free  scholarships,  which 
was  immediately  done,  the  sum  of  $25,000 
was  paid  over  to  it  between  the  years  of 
1861  and  1863.  During  the  latter  year 
the  Legislature  made  another  especial  ap- 
propriation of  $2,500  to  the  department 
of  natural  history.  The  presidency  of  Dr. 
Stearns  was  also  the  period  of  scholar- 
ships and  prizes.  At  its  commencement 
there  was  not  a  single  scholarship  save 
the  distribution  of  the  income  of  the 
charity  fund,  which  really  constituted  so 
many  ministerial  scholarships.  The  first 
scholarship  at  Amherst,  therefore,  was 
established  in  1857,  by  Eleazer  Porter, 
of  Hadley.  The  only  prizes  that  had 
existed  previous  to  this  were  those  for 
elocution,  which  had  been  merely  nomi- 
nal. Under  President  Stearns  a  number 
of  regular  prizes  were  established.  Six 
college  edifices  were  built  during  his 
term  of  office.  The  style  and  character 
of  these,  as  compared  with  the  former 
buildings,  has  led  to  the  comment  that 
Dr.  Stearns  found  the  college  brick  and 
left  it  marble.  Meanwhile  the  curricu- 
lum kept  pace  with  the  more  material  ad- 
vancement. Three  new  departments — 
hygiene  and  physical  education,  mathe- 
matics and  astronomy,  and  Biblical  his- 
tory, interpretation  and  pastoral  care — 
were  all  established  under  Dr.  Stearns, 
and  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  college 
and  of  the  community  was  encouraged 
and  strengthened  by  a  number  of  relig- 
ious revivals.  Among  these,  that  of  1858 
exceeded  all  others  in  power  and  interest, 
leaving  less  than  twenty  in  the  whole 
college  undecided  in  their  convictions. 
As  a  natural  result  of  this  moral  awaken- 
ing the  general  tone  of  the  college  was 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


bettered  in  every  way.  Dr.  Stearns  was 
the  author  of:  "Infant  Church  Member- 
ship" (1844);  "Infant  Church  Members' 
Guide"  (1845);  "Life  and  Select  Dis- 
courses of  the  Rev.  Samuel  H.  Stearns" 
(1846)  ;  "Discourses  and  Addresses" 
(1855);  and  "A  Plea  for  the  Nation," 
posthumous  (1876).  Dr.  Stearns  died  at 
Amherst,  Massachusetts,  June  8,  1876. 


THOMAS,  Benjamin  F., 

Lawyer,   Jurist,   Congressman. 

Benjamin  Franklin  Thomas  was  born 
in  Boston,  Massachusetts,  February  12, 
1813,  a  grandson  of  Isaiah  Thomas,  noted 
as  the  Revolutionary  wartime  editor  of 
the  "Massachusetts  Spy." 

When  he  was  six  years  old  his  parents 
removed  to  Worcester,  where  he  had  his 
early  educational  training.  He  then  en- 
tered Brown  University,  from  which  he 
was  graduated  at  the  early  age  of  seven- 
teen. He  studied  law  in  Cambridge,  and 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  on  his  coming 
of  age,  and  entered  upon  practice  in 
Worcester.  He  held  several  local  offices. 
In  1842  he  was  a  member  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts House  of  Representatives,  and 
was  subsequently  Commissioner  of  Bank- 
ruptcy. From  1844  to  1848  he  was  judge 
of  probate  of  Worcester  county.  He  was 
a  Whig  in  politics,  and  was  a  presidential 
elector  in  1848,  supporting  General  Tay- 
lor's candidacy  for  the  presidency.  He 
was  called  to  the  bench  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  Massachusetts  in  1853,  and 
adorned  the  position  until  1859,  when  he 
resigned  and  resumed  the  practice  of  law, 
establishing  his  office  in  Boston.  He  was 
elected  as  a  Conservative  Unionist  to  the 
first  Congress  of  the  Civil  War  period 
(March,  1861,  to  March,  1863).  In  1868 
he  was  nominated  as  Chief  Justice  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  State,  but  the 
Council  failed  to  confirm  the  nomination, 


and  he  devoted  the  remainder  of  his  life 
to  his  law  practice.  He  was  a  man  of 
much  ability,  and  given  to  historical  and 
antiquarian  pursuits.  He  was  at  one 
time  president  of  the  American  Anti- 
quarian Society  of  Worcester,  and  wrote 
a  memoir  of  its  founder,  Isaiah  Thomas, 
who  was  his  grandfather.  He  published 
a  "Digest  of  the  Massachusetts  Laws 
Concerning  Towns  and  Town  Officers" 
(1845),  ar>d  a  number  of  pamphlets.  He 
received  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws 
from  Brown  University  in  1853,  and  in 
the  following  year  from  Harvard  Uni- 
versity. He  died  in  Salem,  Massachu- 
setts. September  27,  1878. 


LAWRENCE,  Amos  A., 

Philanthropist. 

Amos  Adams  Lawrence  was  one  of 
those  strong  characters  who  made  possi- 
ble the  peopling  of  Kansas  with  an  anti- 
slavery  element  strong  enough  to  save 
that  region  from  pro-slavery  domination 
in  the  bloody  times  there  previous  to  the 
breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War. 

He  was  born  in  Boston,  Massachusetts, 
July  31,  1814;  son  of  Amos  and  Sarah 
(Richards)  Lawrence,  and  grandson  of 
Samuel  and  Susanna  (Parker)  Lawrence 
and  of  Giles  and  Sarah  (Adams)  Rich- 
ards. He  was  prepared  for  college  by 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Jonathan  F.  Stearns,  then 
entering  Harvard  College,  from  which 
he  was  graduated  Bachelor  of  Arts  in 
1835,  and  Master  of  Arts  in  1838.  He 
first  entered  upon  a  mercantile  business, 
but  soon  interested  himself  in  larger  con- 
cerns, becoming  a  leading  manufacturer 
of  cotton,  and  president  and  director  of 
several  banks  and  industrial  corporations 
in  Massachusetts.  He  became  associated 
with  Eli  Thayer  and  others  in  the  coloni- 
zation of  Kansas  by  Free-soilers  in  1853, 
and  was  treasurer  of  the  Emigrant  Aid 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Association,  an  organization  which  fur- 
nished the  means  for  settlers  to  migrate 
from  New  England  to  Kansas,  and  to 
which  he  was  a  most  liberal  contributor. 
He  was  twice  nominated  for  Governor 
of  Massachusetts  by  the  Whigs  and 
Unionists.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil 
War  he  aided  in  recruiting  the  Second 
Massachusetts  Volunteer  Cavalry  Regi- 
ment. His  benefactions  to  educational 
institutions  were  many  and  continuous. 
He  built  Lawrence  Hall  for  the  Epis- 
copal Theological  Seminary  in  Cambridge 
at  a  cost  of  $75,000,  and  was  its  treas- 
urer for  several  years.  He  was  also  treas- 
urer of  Harvard  College,  1857-63,  and  an 
overseer,  1879-85.  In  1846  he  gave  $10,000 
for  the  establishment  of  a  literary  insti- 
tution in  Wisconsin,  then  called  "The 
Lawrence  Institute  of  Wisconsin,"  and 
situated  at  Appleton.  He  secured  the 
Appleton  Library  fund  and  gave  over 
$30,000  toward  the  support  of  the  insti- 
tution, which  was  rechartered  in  1849  as 
Lawrence  University.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Soci- 
ety. The  town  of  Lawrence,  Kansas, 
was  named  in  recognition  of  his  services 
in  making  Kansas  a  Free  State. 

He  was  married,  in  1842,  to  Sarah  Eliz- 
abeth, daughter  of  the  Hon.  William 
Appleton,  and  their  son  William  became 
seventh  Protestant  Episcopal  Bishop  of 
Massachusetts.  He  died  in  Nahant,  Mas- 
sachusetts, August  22,  1886. 


TALBOT,  Thomas, 

Manufacturer,  Governor. 

Former  Governor  Thomas  Talbot,  of 
Massachusetts,  was  a  native  of  the  State 
of  New  York,  born  at  Cambridge,  Wash- 
ington county,  September  7,  1818,  son  of 
Charles  and  Phoebe  (White)  Talbot, 
grandson  of  Joseph  White,  of  Temple- 
more,  and  of  William  Talbot,  who  came 


to  America  in  1807,  and  with  his  son 
Charles  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
broadcloth.  He  was  of  Irish  descent,  one 
of  his  ancestors  being  Thomas  Talbot, 
first  Earl  of  Shrewsbury. 

His  father  dying  when  he  was  six 
years  of  age,  his  mother  removed  soon 
after  to  Northampton,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  began  attending  the  common 
schools.  When  twelve  years  of  age  he 
went  to  work  in  a  woolen  mill,  where  he 
continued  until  1835,  when  he  entered 
the  employ  of  his  brother  Charles,  who 
had  established  a  broadcloth  factory  at 
Williamsburg,  Massachusetts.  He  was 
master  of  all  the  mechanical  processes 
of  manufacture,  and  in  1838  he  was  made 
superintendent  of  the  factory,  also  attend- 
ing school  in  the  intervals  of  his  labors. 
In  1840  he  became  a  partner  of  his 
brother,  the  factory  being  removed  to 
Billerica,  Massachusetts.  They  pros- 
pered from  the  outset  and  enlarged  their 
facilities  from  time  to  time,  in  a  few  years 
becoming  wealthy  manufacturers  on  a 
large  scale. 

Thomas  Talbot  was  repeatedly  elected 
to  the  State  Legislature,  and  from  1864 
to  1869  was  a  member  of  the'  Governor's 
Council.  He  allied  himself  with  the  Re- 
publican party  at  its  formation  in  1856. 
In  1872  and  1873  he  was  elected  Lieu- 
tenant-Governor of  Massachusetts,  and 
when  Governor  William  B.  Washburn 
was  sent  to  the  United  States  Senate  in 
1874,  Mr.  Talbot  succeeded  him  in  the 
executive  chair.  His  course  as  Governor 
was  marked  by  fearless  and  sturdy  de- 
votion to  what  he  believed  to  be  right. 
He  refused  to  sanction  a  bill  passed  by 
the  Legislature  repealing  the  prohibitory 
law  of  the  State,  and  this,  with  some  of 
his  other  official  acts,  among  them  the 
approval  of  a  law  making  ten  hours  a 
legal  day's  labor,  caused  his  defeat  by  a 
small  majority  when  he  was  a  candidate 


32 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


for  Governor  in  1874.  He  carried  with 
him  into  retirement,  however,  the  deep 
and  sincere  respect  of  the  better  classes, 
and  when  he  was  again  a  candidate  in 
1878  he  was  elected  by  a  majority  of 
15,000  over  the  other  candidates  in  the 
field.  He  served  until  January  1,  1880. 
His  last  years  were  spent  in  Billerica, 
to  whose  interests  he  was  sedulously  de- 
voted. He  was  an  ardent  friend  of  edu- 
cation, a  devout  Christian,  and  a  fre- 
quent and  generous  contributor  to  all  de- 
nominations. Industry,  prudence  and 
energy  were  his  dominant  characteristics, 
and  the  source  of  his  success.  His  career 
was  throughout  a  pure,  useful  and  honor- 
able one.  He  received  the  degree  of  Doc- 
tor of  Laws  from  Harvard  University  in 
1879. 

He  was  twice  married,  (first)  in  1848, 
to  Mary  H.  Rogers,  of  Billerica,  who 
died  in  1851,  and  (second)  in  1855,  to 
Isabella  W.,  daughter  of  Joel  Hayden, 
of  Williamsburg,  Massachusetts.  He 
died  in  Lowell,  Massachusetts,  October 
6,  1886. 


SANGER,  George  P., 

Lawyer,    Jurist,    Author. 

George  Partridge  Sanger  was  born  at 
Dover,  Norfolk  county,  Massachusetts, 
November  27,  1819,  son  of  Ralph  and 
Charlotte  (Kingman)  Sanger.  His  earli- 
est American  ancestor  was  Richard  San- 
ger, who  came  from  Hingham,  England, 
to  Hingham,  Massachusetts,  in  1636.  His 
grandfather,  Zedekiah  Sanger,  was  a  dis- 
tinguished classical  scholar,  teacher  and 
clergyman.  He  was  graduated  at  Har- 
vard in  1771,  and  received  the  degree  of 
D.  D.  from  Brown  University  in  1807. 
Ralph  Sanger  was  graduated  from  Har- 
vard in  1808,  studied  divinity,  and  was 
pastor  at  Dover,  Massachusetts,  for  more 
than  fifty  years.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  Massachusetts  Legislature ;  became 
iiASS-voi.  in-s 


chaplain  of  the  State  Senate  in  1838,  and 
received  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity 
from  Harvard  in  1857. 

George  Partridge  Sanger  was  prepared 
for  college  by  his  father,  and  at  the 
Bridgewater  Academy  in  1833-34.  After 
teaching  in  the  district  school  at  Dover 
in  1834,  and  at  Sharon  in  1835,  ne  entered 
Harvard  College  in  1836,  from  which  he 
was  graduated  in  1840.  For  two  years 
following  he  taught  a  private  school  at 
Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire.  In  1842 
he  was  appointed  proctor  at  Harvard 
College,  where  he  also  entered  the  Law 
School,  receiving  the  degrees  of  Bachelor 
of  Laws  and  Master  of  Arts  in  course. 
In  1843  ne  became  tutor  in  Latin,  served 
as  such  until  1846,  and  was  afterward  for 
several  years  a  member  of  the  committee 
for  examination  of  the  undergraduates  in 
Latin.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Boston 
bar  in  1846,  and  formed  a  partnership 
with  Stephen  H.  Phillips,  of  Salem,  Mas- 
sachusetts. In  1849  he  was  appointed 
assistant  United  States  District  Attorney, 
continuing  during  the  Taylor-Fillmore 
administration.  In  January,  1853,  Gov- 
ernor Clifford  appointed  him  on  his  mili- 
tary staff,  and  in  the  following  October 
he  became  district  attorney  for  the  Suf- 
folk district,  this  last  appointment  neces- 
sitating his  removal  from  Charlestown 
to  Boston,  where  he  resided  until  1867, 
when  he  removed  to  Cambridge.  While 
in  Charlestown  he  served  for  two  years 
as  a  member  of  the  board  of  aldermen. 
In  the  summer  of  1854  he  was  appointed 
by  Governor  Washburn  as  a  judge  of  the 
Court  of  Common  Pleas,  which  position 
he  filled  with  ability  until  that  court  was 
abolished  in  1859,  when  he  resumed  the 
practice  of  law  in  Boston.  From  1861  to 
1869  he  served  again  as  district  attorney 
for  Suffolk  county,  in  i860  being  also  a 
member  of  the  Boston  common  council. 
He  was  president  of  the  John  Hancock 
Mutual    Life    Insurance    Company   from 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


the  time  of  its  organization  until  1873. 
In  1873  he  was  a  member  of  the  lower 
house  of  the  Legislature,  and  in  June  of 
that  year  was  appointed  by  President 
Grant,  United  States  Attorney  for  the 
District  of  Massachusetts;  and  was  re- 
appointed by  President  Hayes  in  1877, 
and  by  President  Arthur  in  1882.  At  the 
expiration  of  his  last  term  of  service,  in 
1886,  he  returned  to  the  general  practice 
of  law  in  Boston.  Judge  Sanger  spent 
much  time  in  writing  on  legal  and  other 
topics.  From  1848  until  1862  he  was  edi- 
tor of  the  "American  Almanac  and  Re- 
pository of  Useful  Knowledge ;"  he  was 
editor  of  the  Boston  "Law  Reporter"  for 
many  years,  and  editor  of  the  "Statutes 
at  Large"  from  1855  to  1873.  In  i860  he 
and  Judge  Richardson  were  appointed  by 
the  State  Legislature  to  prepare  and  re- 
vise the  publication  of  the  "General  Stat- 
utes," with  which  labor  they  were  occu- 
pied annually  until  1882. 

Judge  Sanger  was  married,  December 
14,  1846,  to  Elizabeth  Sherburne,  daugh- 
ter of  Captain  William  Whipple  and 
Eleanor  Sherburne  (Blunt)  Thompson, 
of  Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire.  He 
died  at  the  residence  of  his  son,  at 
Swampscott,  Massachusetts,  June  3,  1890. 
Four  sons  survived  him,  all  graduates  of 
Harvard :  John  White,  William  Thomp- 
son, George  Partridge,  and  Charles  Rob- 
ert Sanger. 


HIGGINSON,  Thomas  Wentworth, 

Reformer,  Author. 

Thomas  Wentworth  Higginson,  a  lead- 
ing spirit  among  the  reformers  of  his  day, 
and  a  prolific  author,  was  born  in  Cam- 
bridge, Massachusetts,  December  22, 
1823,  son  of  Stephen  and  Louisa  (Stor- 
row)  Higginson,  and  a  descendant  of 
Rev.  Francis  Higginson  (1588-1630).  His 
mother  was  the  daughter  of  a  British 
naval    officer,    who    was    imprisoned    at 


Portsmouth,  Maine,  during  the  American 
Revolution,  and  afterward  married  a 
Portsmouth  maiden  of  the  Wentworth 
and  Appleton  families. 

Thomas  Wentworth  Higginson  was 
prepared  for  college  at  the  private  school 
of  William  Wells,  then  entering  Harvard 
College,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in 
1841.  He  then  taught  for  a  time  in  Mr. 
Weld's  school  at  Jamaica  Plain,  Massa- 
chusetts, later  becoming  a  private  tutor 
in  the  family  of  his  cousin,  Stephen  Hig- 
ginson Perkins,  of  Brookline.  His  first 
intention  was  to  become  a  lawyer,  but 
he  abandoned  it  to  study  theology,  and 
entered  the  Harvard  Divinity  School,  from 
which  he  was  graduated  in  1847.  His 
first  charge  was  in  Newburyport,  where 
he  was  pastor  of  the  First  Religious  Soci- 
ety until  1850.  He  became  somewhat  un- 
popular because  of  his  anti-slavery  views 
and  his  active  interest  in  politics,  espe- 
cially as  he  allowed  himself  to  be  nomi- 
nated for  representative  in  Congress  in 
1848.  After  resigning  his  pulpit  he  re- 
mained two  years  in  Newburyport,  teach- 
ing classes,  writing  for  the  newspapers, 
and  organizing  evening  schools.  In  1852 
he  was  called  to  the  Free  church  of 
Worcester,  Massachusetts,  and  remained 
with  it  until  1858,  when  he  abandoned 
the  ministry  to  devote  himself  to  literary 
work. 

His  activity  in  the  anti-slavery  cause, 
led  to  his  indictment  at  Boston,  Massa- 
chusetts, in  1854,  in  connection  with 
Theodore  Parker,  Wendell  Phillips  and 
others,  for  the  murder  of  a  deputy  United 
States  marshal  while  they  were  seeking 
the  rescue  of  the  arrested  fugitive  slave, 
Anthony  Burns,  but  the  defendants  were 
all  discharged  by  reason  of  a  flaw  in  the 
indictment.  In  1856  he  went  to  Kansas 
to  assist  in  organizing  the  Free  State 
movement,  and  later  became  the  friend 
and  confidant  of  John  Brown,  of  Osawo- 
tomie.    He  was  well  acquainted  with  the 


34 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


leaders  in  John  Brown's  raid  on  Harper's 
Ferry,  and  was  generally  credited  with 
being  engaged  in  an  enterprise  to  rescue 
John  Brown ;  but  this  has  been  shown  to 
be  incorrect.  Mr.  Higginson  wished  to 
arrange  one,  but  Brown  absolutely  re- 
fused; his  wife  was  brought  from  North 
Elba,  Mr.  Higginson  hoping  that  she 
would  persuade  him,  but  he  would  not 
receive  her.  What  he  did  do,  which 
probably  gave  rise  to  the  story,  was  to 
arrange  an  expedition  to  rescue  Stevens 
and  Haslett  when  imprisoned  at  Charles- 
ton, Virginia,  awaiting  execution.  Mr. 
Higginson  with  some  twenty  companions 
stayed  a  week  at  Harrisburg,  under  com- 
mand of  Captain  Montgomery,  of  Kan- 
sas, awaiting  an  opportunity ;  but  the 
plan  had  to  be  abandoned  because  of 
snowfalls  making  detection  certain ;  so, 
at  least,  Captain  Montgomery  thought. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  Civil  War  Mr. 
Higginson  recruited  a  company  of  infan- 
try in  Worcester  for  the  Fifty-first  Regi- 
ment Massachusetts  Volunteers,  and  was 
commissioned  captain.  Later  he  was  made 
colonel  of  a  regiment  of  freed  slaves, 
which  he  recruited  in  South  Carolina — 
the  first  regiment  of  such  material  to  be 
mustered  into  military  service  of  the 
United  States.  He  was  wounded  at  Wil- 
ton Bluff,  South  Carolina,  in  August, 
1863,  and  the  following  year  was 
obliged  to  resign  on  account  of  disability. 
He  then  resumed  his  literary  work,  re- 
siding at  Newport,  Rhode  Island,  until 
1878,  when  he  returned  to  Cambridge, 
Massachusetts.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Legislature  of  Massachusetts  and  chief 
of  the  Governor's  staff,  1880-81,  and  a 
member  of  the  Massachusetts  Board  of 
Education,  1881-83.  He  was  State  Mili- 
tary and  Naval  Historian  from  1889  to 
1891,  and  in  this  capacity  he  compiled 
"Massachusetts  in  the  Army  and  Navy" 
(two  volumes).     He  was  long  an  earnest 


1255027 

advocate  of  woman's  suffrage,  the  higher 
education  of  women,  and  the  advanced 
education  of  the  young  of  both  sexes. 
He  was  particularly  pronounced  in  favor 
of  the  advancement  of  women,  believing 
that  "a  man's  mother  and  wife  are  two- 
thirds  of  his  destiny."  He  was  a  volu- 
minous writer,  and  perhaps  no  author 
has  contributed  more  frequently  to  the 
higher  class  of  American  periodicals  ;  sev- 
eral of  his  books  are  made  up  of  essays 
which  first  appeared  in  the  "Atlantic 
Monthly."  As  a  historian  he  has  written 
much  for  both  old  and  young,  and  sev- 
eral of  his  books  have  been  translated 
into  French,  German,  Italian  and  modern 
Greek.  In  1896  he  presented  uncondition- 
ally to  the  Boston  Public  Library  his 
"Galatea  collection  of  books  relating  to 
the  history  of  woman,"  numbering  about 
one  thousand  volumes.  He  was  elected 
a  member  of  the  Massachusetts  Histor- 
ical Society  and  of  the  American  Histor- 
ical Association,  and  a  fellow  of  the 
American  Academy  of  Arts  and  Sciences. 
Harvard  University  conferred  upon  him 
the  degrees  of  Master  of  Arts  in  1869  and 
Doctor  of  Laws  in  1898,  and  the  Western 
Reserve  University  gave  him  that  of  Doc- 
tor of  Laws  in  1896. 

He  was  the  author  of:  "Thalatta" 
(with  Samuel  Longfellow,  1853)  ;  "Out- 
door Papers"  (1863)  ;  "Malbone,  an  Old- 
port  Romance"  (1869) ;  "Army  Life  in  a 
Black  Regiment"  (1870);  "Atlantic  Es- 
says" (1871) ;  "The  Sympathy  of  Relig- 
ions" (1871,  translated  into  French)  ; 
"Oldport  Days"  (1873)  !  "Young  Folks' 
History  of  the  United  States"  (1875), 
translated  into  French,  1875,  Italian  and 
German,  1876;  "History  of  Education  in 
Rhode  Island"  (1876);  "Young  Folks' 
Book  of  American  Explorers"  (1877); 
"Short  Studies  of  American  Authors" 
(1879)  ;  "Common  Sense  About  Women" 
(1881),  translated  into  German;  "Life  of 


35 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Margaret  Fuller  Ossoli"  (1884) ;  "Larger 
History  of  the  United  States"  (1885) ; 
"The  Monarch  of  Dreams"  (1886),  trans- 
lated into  French  and  German ;  "Hints 
on  Writing  and  Speechmaking"  (1887); 
"Women  and  Men"  (1888) ;  "Travellers 
and  Outlaws"  (1889);  "The  Afternoon 
Landscape"  (1890);  "The  New  World 
and  the  New  Book"  (1891) ;  "Life  of  the 
Rev.  Francis  Higginson"  (1891) ;  "Con- 
cerning All  of  Us"  (1892) ;  "Such  As 
They  Are,"  poems  (with  his  wife,  Mary 
Thacher  Higginson,  1893) ;  "English  His- 
tory for  Americans"  (1893) ;  "Massachu- 
setts in  the  Army  and  Navy"  (official 
State  publication);  "Book  and  Heart: 
Essays  on  Literature  and  Life"  (1897)  ; 
"Tales  of  the  Enchanted  Islands  of  the 
Atlantic"  (1898) ;  "Cheerful  Yesterdays" 
(1898);  "Old  Cambridge"  (1899);  "Con- 
temporaries" (1899) ;  "A  Reader's  His- 
tory of  American  Literature"  (1903); 
"Part  of  a  Man's  Life"  (1905);  "Life  of 
Stephen  Higginson,  Member  of  Conti- 
nental Congress"  (1907);  "Carlyle's 
Laugh  and  Other  Surprises"  (1909) ;  be- 
sides several  translations  and  edited 
works,  and  numerous  contributions  to 
periodical  literature. 

Mr.  Higginson  married  (first)  Mary 
Elizabeth  Channing,  his  second  cousin, 
a  woman  of  strong  character  and  much 
individuality,  who  was  the  original  of 
"Aunt  Jane"  in  his  story  "Malbone."  His 
second  wife  was  Mary  (Thacher)  Hig- 
ginson, niece,  by  marriage,  of  Professor 
Henry  W.  Longfellow,  and  author  of 
"Room  for  One  More"  and  "Seashore 
and  Prairie."  Mr.  Higginson  died  in 
1911. 


TROWBRIDGE,  John  Townsend, 

Author. 

John   Townsend   Trowbridge,    author, 
was  born  in  Ogden,  New  York,  Septem- 


ber 18,  1827,  son  of  Windsor  Stone  and 
Rebecca  (Willey)  Trowbridge,  grandson 
of  Daniel  and  Prudence  (Badger)  Trow- 
bridge and  of  Alfred  and  Olive  (Cone) 
Willey,  and  a  lineal  descendant  of  Thomas 
Trowbridge,  who  brought  his  wife  and 
two  sons  to  America  from  Taunton,  Eng- 
land, in  1634,  and  settled  in  Dorchester, 
Massachusetts,  removing  to  New  Haven, 
Connecticut,  in  1639.  Windsor  S.  Trow- 
bridge (father)  was  one  of  the  first 
settlers  of  Ogden,  Monroe  county,  New 
York,  in  1812,  and  followed  the  occupa- 
tion of  farming. 

John  Trowbridge  attended  the  common 
schools  of  the  neighborhood  during  the 
winter  months,  the  remainder  of  the  year 
assisting  his  father  with  the  work  of  the 
farm.  He  taught  himself  the  rudiments 
of  French,  Greek  and  Latin,  in  which  he 
later  became  proficient.  During  the 
winter  of  1844-45  ne  served  in  the  capac- 
ity of  teacher  in  a  classical  school  at 
Lockport,  New  York,  and  in  the  latter 
named  year  removed  to  Lisle,  Illinois, 
where  for  one  year,  1845-46,  he  taught 
school  and  performed  farm  work,  princi- 
pally the  raising  of  wheat,  and  in  1846 
returned  to  Lockport,  New  York,  where 
he  filled  the  position  of  teacher  in  the  dis- 
trict school  for  one  year,  1846-47.  In  May 
of  the  latter  named  year  he  removed  to 
New  York  City,  having  decided  to  devote 
his  life  to  literature.  He  made  the  ac- 
quaintance of  Major  Noah,  through 
whose  influence  he  became  a  contributor 
to  the  "Dollar  Magazine"  and  other  publi- 
cations. In  August,  1848,  he  removed  to 
Boston,  Massachusetts,  and  there  wrote 
for  the  "Olive  Branch,"  the  "Yankee 
Blade,"  the  "Carpet  Bag,"  and  other 
weeklies.  In  1850  he  edited  the  "Yankee 
Nation,"  published  under  the  firm  name 
of  J.  T.  Trowbridge  &  Company,  and 
afterward  was  an  associate  editor  of  the 
"American  Sentinel,"  in  which,  during  the 


36 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


temporary  absence  of  the  proprietor,  Ben 
Perley  Poore,  in  1851,  he  published  an 
editorial  on  the  fugitive-slave  law  that 
offended  subscribers  on  both  side  of 
the  question,  and  materially  assisted  in 
bringing  the  paper  to  an  untimely  end. 
For  several  years  he  wrote  under  the  pen 
name  of  "Paul  Creyton,"  and  became 
widely  and  favorably  known  as  a  writer 
of  popular  tales  and  a  delineator  of  New 
England  life.  His  first  book,  "Father 
Brighthopes,  or,  an  Old  Clergyman's  Va- 
cation," was  published  in  Boston  in  1853, 
and  was  followed  by  others  in  quick  suc- 
cession, forming  what  is  called  the 
"Brighthopes  Series,"  consisting  of,  be- 
sides the  above  named,  "Burr  Cliff,  its 
Sunshine  and  its  Clouds,"  "Hearts  and 
Faces,"  "Iron  Thrope,"  and  "The  Old 
Battle-Ground."  Martin  Merrivale,  his 
X  Mark,"  was  published  in  1854.  He 
visited  Europe  in  1855,  writing,  while  in 
Paris,  "Neighbor  Jackwood,"  which  has 
been  called  "the  pioneer  of  novels  of  real 
life  in  New  England,"  and  which  was 
subsequently  dramatized  and  produced  at 
the  Boston  Museum,  where  his  spectacu- 
lar piece,  "Sinbad  the  Sailor,"  also  had  a 
successful  run.  He  made  a  western  jour- 
ney in  1857,  writing  letters  for  the  "New 
York  Tribune"  over  the  signature  of 
"Jackwood;"  he  was  one  of  the  original 
contributors  to  the  "Atlantic  Monthly," 
which  made  its  first  appearance  in  No- 
vember, 1857,  and  "Vagabonds,"  his  most 
successful  poem,  first  appeared  in  its 
pages  in  1863,  and  in  the  following  year 
"Cudjo's  Cave"  was  published,  and  in 
less  than  a  week  thirteen  thousand  copies 
were  sold.  From  1870  to  1873  he  was 
managing  editor  of  "Our  Young  Folks,' 
and  he  was  also  a  contributor  to  the> 
"Youth's  Companion,"  1873-88,  and  to  the 
"Knickerbocker,"  "Putnam's,"  "Atlantic 
Almanac,"  "Hearth  and  Home,"  and 
other  periodicals.     He  again  visited  Eu- 


rope, remaining  from  1888  to  1891.  He 
received  the  honorary  degree  of  Master 
of  Arts  from  Dartmouth  College  in  1884. 
Among  the  publications  not  already  men- 
tioned are:  "The  Drummer  Boy,"  "The 
Three  Scouts,"  "The  South,  a  Tour  of  its 
Battle-Fields  and  Ruined  Cities,"  "Neigh- 
bors' Wives,"  "Coupon  Bonds  and  Other 
Stories,"  "The  Jack  Hazard  Series,"  "The 
Silver  Medal  Series,"  "The  Tide-Mill 
Series,"  "A  Start  in  Life,"  "Biding  His 
Time,"  "Adventures  of  David  Vane  and 
David  Crane,"  "The  Kepi  Gatherers," 
"The  Scarlet  Tanager,"  "The  Fortunes  of 
Toby  Trafford,"  "Woodie  Thorpe's  Pil- 
grimage," "The  Satin-Wood  Box,"  "The 
Lottery  Ticket,"  "The  Prize  Cup,"  "Two 
Biddicut  Boys,"  and  "My  Own  Story." 
His  poems  are :  "The  Vagabonds,"  "The 
Emigrant's  Story,"  "The  Book  of  Gold," 
"A  Home  Idyl,"  and  "The  Lost  Earl." 
In  connection  with  C.  E.  Cobb  he  wrote 
"Heroes  of  '76;  a  Dramatic  Cantata 
of  the  Revolution,"  published  in  1877. 
Many  of  his  shorter  productions  were 
favorite  "speaking  pieces"  for  schoolboys 
before  and  during  Civil  War  days.  The 
best  known  of  his  verse  was  his  humor- 
ous poem,  "Darius  Green  and  his  Flying 
Machine,"  written  in  1870.  When,  forty 
years  later,  he  first  saw  an  aeroplane  in 
flight,  he  remarked,  "I  never  dreamed 
when  I  wrote  that  poem,  that  such  a 
thing  as  a  flying  machine  was  even  a 
possibility  in  my  lifetime."  John  Bur- 
roughs said  of  him :  "He  knows  the  heart 
of  a  boy  and  the  heart  of  a  man,  and  has 
laid  them  both  open  in  his  books." 

Mr.  Trowbridge  married  (first)  May  9, 
i860,  Cornelia,  daughter  of  John  Warren, 
of  Lowell,  Massachusetts  ;  (second)  June 
4,  1873,  Ada,  daughter  of  Alonzo  E.  and 
Sarah  (Emery)  Newton,  of  Arlington, 
Massachusetts,  where  Mr.  Trowbridge 
made  his  permanent  home  in  1865.  He 
died  there,  February  12,  1916. 


37 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


BOWEN,  Joseph  Abraham, 

Active  Factor  in  Community  Affairs. 

The  Bowen  family  settled  in  various 
towns  in  the  vicinity  of  Rehoboth,  in 
Connecticut,  Massachusetts,  and  Rhode 
Island.  Some  are  descended  from  Oba- 
diah  Bowen  and  Thomas  Bowen,  sons  of 
Richard  Bowen,  who  also  settled  at  Re- 
hoboth. The  Woodstock,  Connecticut, 
family  of  Bowens  is  descended  from  Grif- 
fith Bowen,  of  Boston.  The  records  of 
this  section  are  incomplete  and  it  is  im- 
possible to  trace  some  of  these  families 
correctly.  In  1790  Eleazer,  James  and 
Oliver  Bowen  were  heads  of  families  at 
Thompson,  Connecticut,  John  and  Joseph 
in  an  adjoining  town.  At  the  same  time 
there  were  Bowens  in  Cranston,  Foster, 
Glocester  and  Smithfield,  Rhode  Island. 

Richard  Bowen  came  from  Kittle  Hill, 
Glamorganshire,  Wales,  to  this  country, 
about  1638,  lived  for  a  time  at  Weymouth 
and  settled  at  Rehoboth,  Massachusetts. 
He  was  a  proprietor  and  town  officer  in 
Rehoboth,  and  was  admitted  a  freeman, 
June  4,  1645.  His  first  wife  bore  the 
name  of  Ann  and  the  second  Elizabeth. 
He  was  buried  February  4,  1674,  and  in 
his  will  dated  June  4,  1673,  he  bequeathed 
his  property  to  his  wife  and  children.  His 
widow  was  buried  in  1685.  Children: 
William;  Obadiah,  mentioned  below; 
Richard ;  Thomas ;  Alice,  who  married  a 
Wheaton;  Sarah,  married  Robert  Fuller; 
Ruth,  married  George  Kendrick. 

John  Bowen,  probably  a  descendant  of 
Richard  Bowen,  mentioned  above,  first 
appears  in  Freetown,  Massachusetts,  as 
early  as  1739,  where  his  marriage  is  re- 
corded July  3,  1739.  His  wife,  Penelope 
(Borden)  Bowen,  was  the  widow  of  Ste- 
phen Borden,  and  daughter  of  John  and 
Mary  (Pearce)  Read,  of  Freetown,  born 
October  12,  1703,  granddaughter  of  John 
Read,  of  Freetown,  and  great-grand- 
daughter of  John  Read,  one  of  the  first 


settlers  of  Newport,  who  came  according 
to  tradition  from  Plymouth,  England. 
John  Read,  Jr.,  was  for  thirty-five  years 
town  clerk  of  Freetown,  and  three  times 
representative  in  the  General  Court  (see 
Read).  Mrs.  Bowen  had  six  children  by 
her  first  marriage,  and  two,  Nathan  and 
John,  by  the  second.  After  her  death  Mr. 
Bowen  married  (second)  Sarah  Gray. 
John  Bowen  became  a  large  land  owner 
in  what  is  now  the  southern  part  of  Fall 
River,  then  a  part  of  Tiverton,  and  his 
homestead  is  still  standing,  though 
greatly  changed,  on  South  Main  street 
near  what  was  formerly  known  as 
Bowen's  Hill.  His  will  is  dated  May  13, 
1789. 

Nathan  Bowen,  son  of  John  and  Pene- 
lope (Read-Borden)  Bowen,  was  born 
April  4,  1740,  in  Tiverton,  and  lived  in 
Freetown.  In  1790  his  family  at  Free- 
town comprised  six  members.  He  mar- 
ried (first)  November  11,  1762,  Hannah 
Cook,  born  June  25,  1741,  daughter  of 
John  and  Martha  (Wood)  Cook  (see 
Cook  VI).  He  married  (second)  Nancy 
Read.  He  died  November  9,  1825.  His 
children  by  the  first  marriage  were: 
Elizabeth,  born  September  24,  1763,  mar- 
ried Jonathan  Borden ;  Bathsheba,  Feb- 
ruary 20,  1765,  married  Paul  Sherman ; 
Susanna,  February  5,  1767;  Ruth,  No- 
vember 7,  1768;  Rhoda,  November  7, 
1770,  married  David  Babbitt;  Abraham, 
mentioned  below;  Phebe,  March  5,  1775; 
Martha,  July  31,  1777,  married  Richard 
Borden ;  Nathan,  July  7, 1782,  died  young. 
By  the  second  marriage :  Joseph,  born 
May  20,  1797,  died  November  29,  1806; 
Paul,  March  5,  1800,  removed  to  Cayuga 
county,  New  York.  Nathan  Bowen  is  of 
record  as  performing  service  in  the  Revo- 
lution, being  a  member  of  Captain  Henry 
Brightman's  company,  Colonel  Hatha- 
way's  regiment,  which  marched  on  the 
alarm  of  August,  1780,  service  in  Rhode 
Island. 


38 


sf.  ^ 


x^y  6/^z^^e^^ 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Hon.  Abraham  Bowen,  eldest  son  of 
Nathan  and  Hannah  (Cook)  Bowen,  was 
born  March  2,  1773,  in  Freetown,  and 
owned  a  tract  of  land  which  extended 
from  Bedford  to  Elm  streets  and  from 
the  harbor  to  the  Watuppa  pond.  He 
was  prominent  in  public  affairs,  was 
selectman  of  Fall  River  in  1806  and  again 
in  1817,  and  representative  to  the  General 
Court  in  1804,  1807-08  and  1821.  On  the 
establishment  of  the  post  office  at  Fall 
River  in  181 1,  its  location  seemed  unsatis- 
factory to  many  and  it  was  removed  two 
years  later  to  Steep  Brook,  which  at  that 
time  and  for  some  time  after  was  a  strong 
rival  of  Fall  River  in  business.  In  1816 
the  office  was  reestablished  at  Fall  River 
and  Mr.  Bowen  was  appointed  postmas- 
ter, filling  that  office  for  eight  years,  until 
his  death,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  his 
son,  James  G.  Bowen,  who  was  in  office 
until  1831,  and  who  was  otherwise  promi- 
nent in  the  busines  life  of  Fall  River — 
was  at  one  time  selectman  of  the  town. 
It  was  at  Abraham  Bowen's  suggestion 
that  the  name  of  the  town  was  changed  in 
1804  from  Fall  River  to  Troy,  which  name 
continued  in  use  until  1833.  Mr.  Bowen 
was  among  the  pioneers  in  the  cloth-mak- 
ing industry  in  Fall  River,  being  a  promo- 
ter of  the  Fall  River  manufactory  in  1813, 
and  was  one  of  the  eight  incorporators 
of  Pocasset  Manufacturing  Company  in 
1822.  He  was  one  of  the  three  incorpora- 
tors of  the  Watuppa  Reservoir  Company, 
the  other  two  being  Oliver  Chace,  Sr., 
and  Dexter  Wheeler.  His  hospitable  home 
was  located  at  the  northeast  corner  of 
Main  and  Bedford  streets,  where  he  fre- 
quently entertained  prominent  and  dis- 
tinguished guests.  Mr.  Bowen  died 
March  9,  1824.  He  married  Ruth  Graves, 
born  August  6.  1769,  daughter  of  James 
and  Hope  (Borden)  Graves,  of  Provi- 
dence, and  granddaughter  of  Richard 
Borden,  of  Fall  River.  She  died  August 
4,  1824,  surviving  her  husband  but  a  short 


time.  Children :  James  G.,  born  Decem- 
ber 2,  1795;  John,  September  15,  1797, 
died  July  16,  1801 ;  Amanda  Malvina 
Fitz  Allen,  September  22,  1799,  married, 
January  2,  1823,  John  C.  Borden ;  Zepha- 
niah,  April  13,  1801,  died  September  7, 
1820;  Abraham,  mentioned  below;  Jen- 
nette,  September  16,  1805,  married  Dr. 
Jason  Archer;  Nathan,  May,  1808,  died 
young;  Ruth  Victoria,  December  22, 
1809,  or  1810,  married  Dr.  William  H. 
Webster  ;  Aldeberanto  Phoscofornia,  June 
6,  181 1,  married,  April  19,  1829,  Andrew 
C.  Fearing,  of  Botson,  and  died  at  Ware- 
ham,  Massachusetts. 

Abraham  (2)  Bowen,  fourth  son  of 
Hon.  Abraham  (1)  and  Ruth  (Graves) 
Bowen,  was  born  August  26,  1803,  in  Fall 
River,  and  lived  sixty-two  years  in  one 
house,  which  he  built  on  Rock  street.  He 
was  occupied  in  teaming  and  was  en- 
gaged in  the  shipping  and  grain  business 
as  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Read  & 
Bowen.  He  was  also  for  a  long  time  a 
printer  and  publisher,  editing  a  news- 
paper styled  "All  Sorts."  He  died  in 
Somerset,  Massachusetts,  January  24, 
1889.  He  married  in  Fall  River,  Febru- 
ary 15,  1827,  Sarah  Ann,  daughter  of  Ma- 
jor Joseph  Evans  and  Sybil  (Valentine) 
Read,  a  direct  descendant  of  John  Read, 
of  Newport.  She  died  in  Somerset,  July 
3,  1891.  Her  father,  Major  Joseph  E. 
Read,  was  long  prominent  in  the  military 
affairs  of  Freetown,  and  after  his  removal 
to  Fall  River  served  several  years  as  rep- 
resentative to  the  General  Court  of  Mas- 
sachusetts. He  was  also  special  commis- 
sioner for  Bristol  county  (see  Read  VI). 
Children  of  Abraham  (2)  Bowen:  1. 
Ellen  A.,  born  February  15,  1830,  mar- 
ried, September  17,  1873,  A.  J.  Bealkey, 
and  died  May  1,  1900,  no  issue.  2.  Joseph 
Abraham,  mentioned  below.  3.  Sarah  V., 
born  December  8,  1839,  in  the  house  built 
by  her  father,  where  she  has  always  re- 
sided. 


39 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Joseph  Abraham  Bowen,  only  son  of      and  was  buried  in  Oak  Grove  Cemetery, 


Abraham  (2)  and  Sarah  Ann  (Read) 
Bowen,  was  born  October  10,  1832,  in 
Fall  River,  and  spent  his  early  days  in 
his  native  city,  attending  private  and 
public  schools.  After  his  eighth  year  his 
time  was  divided  between  study  and  work 
in  his  father's  printing  office.  In  1849  he 
entered  the  Fall  River  High  School  as  a 
member  of  the  first  class,  and  engaged  in 
business  on  his  own  account  in  1856,  when 
he  established  a  coal  business  located  at 
Morgan's  wharf  at  the  foot  of  Walnut 
street.  Later  he  purchased  what  was 
known  as  Slade's  wharf,  now  Bowen's 
wharf,  and  still  later  a  half  interest  in 
Morgan's  wharf,  after  which  his  business 
was  carried  on  at  both  wharves.  Through 
his  energy,  business  capacity  and  in- 
dustry he  developed  an  extensive  and  suc- 
cessful business,  which  he  continued  ac- 
tively more  than  fifty-three  years.  He 
caused  much  dredging  to  be  done  at  his 
wharf  at  heavy  expense,  and  it  was  he 
who  made  the  initial  movement  for  the 
improvement  of  Fall  River  harbor.  Mr. 
Bowen  was  active  in  public  affairs  and 
served  in  both  branches  of  the  city  gov- 
ernment, being  a  member  of  the  Common 
Council  in  1862-63  and  of  tne  Board  of 
Alderman  in  1869-70.  He  was  chairman 
of  the  committee  to  consider  the  advis- 
ability of  establishing  waterworks  for  the 
city,  and  after  the  analysis  of  various 
sources  of  water  supply  he  made  the  re- 
port of  that  committee.  As  one  of  the 
first  board  of  water  commissioners  he 
took  an  active  part  in  the  construction  01 
the  waterworks  system,  and  was  for  two 
years  president  of  the  board  of  trade.  He 
was  a  director  in  a  number  of  cotton  in- 
dustries, was  most  active  in  promoting 
the  business  interests  of  the  city,  and  was 
among  its  most  highly  esteemed  and  re- 
spected citizens.  He  died  at  his  summer 
home  in  Warren,  Rhode  Island,  Septem- 
ber 30,  1914,  in  his  eighty-second  year, 


Fall  River.  He  married,  January  19, 
1865,  in  Fall  River,  Fanny  Maria  Corey, 
who  was  born  in  that  city,  August  21, 
1840,  daughter  of  Jonathan  and  Clarissa 
(Bennett)  Corey  (see  Corey  VII  and 
Bennett  VI).  They  were  the  parents  of 
two  children,  both  born  in  Fall  River: 
Joseph  Henry,  mentioned  below;  Fanny 
Corey,  October  17,  1869,  who  was  gradu- 
ated from  the  Fall  River  High  School  in 
1886  and  from  Smith  College,  Northamp- 
ton, Massachusetts,  in  1890.  Both  Mrs. 
Bowen  and  her  daughter  are  members  of 
Quequechan  Chapter,  Daughters  of  the 
American  Revolution,  of  Fall  River. 

The  Fall  River  "News,"  in  commenting 
upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Bowen,  under  date 
of  September  30.  1914,  editorially,  said: 

In  the  death  of  Joseph  A.  Bowen,  Fall  River 
loses  another  of  its  business  leaders.  Just  as  he 
was  about  to  finish  the  eighty-second  year  of  his 
life,  Mr.  Bowen  was  called  to  cease  from  his 
earthly  activities  and  relationships  and  to  pass 
into  the  eternal  life.  He  was  in  a  family  line  that 
dates  back  almost  to  the  beginning  of  our  history 
as  a  separate  community.  His  ancestry  included 
several  of  the  families  which  have  been  promi- 
nent in  the  life  of  Fall  River,  including  the  Bor- 
dens,  Durfees,  Winslows,  and  others.  The  son  of 
a  printer,  in  whose  office  he  worked  in  his  early 
years,  a  member  of  the  first  class  in  our  high 
school,  he  struck  out  in  a  new  line  of  business  in 
which  he  persisted  throughout  his  long,  active 
and  useful  life.  For  almost  three-score  years  he 
had  been  engaged  in  the  business  of  a  coal  dealer, 
in  which  he  made  a  large  success.  Early  in  his 
active  life,  he  started  a  movement  for  the  im- 
provement of  the  harbor  of  Fall  River  and 
himself  expended  large  sums  for  dredging  to  en- 
able boats  of  deep  draught  to  come  up  to  his 
wharves.  Shipping  of  his  own  brought  coal  to  his 
yards. 

Not  only  for  sea-going  facilities  do  we  owe 
much  to  Mr.  Bowen's  energy  and  foresight,  but 
also  for  our  water  works  system.  As  a  member 
of  the  city  government,  he  agitated  the  question 
of  establishing  such  a  system  and  was  made 
chairman  of  a  committee  to  consider  its  advis- 
ability. He  wrote  the  report  of  the  committee, 
and  upon  the  adoption  of  its  recommendation  he 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


was  made  a  member  of  the  first  board  of  water 
commissioners  and  took  an  active  part  in  the  de- 
velopment of  the  plans. 

For  two  years  Mr.  Bowen  was  president  of  the 
Fall  River  Board  of  Trade.  He  was  also  director 
of  several  cotton  manufacturing  concerns.  Thus 
he  has  had  an  important  part  in  developing  Fall 
River  from  its  early  days  to  its  present  condition 
of  business  and  municipal  life.  In  making  that 
life  what  he  thought  it  ought  to  be  and  might  be- 
come, he  was  always  an  interested  and  many 
times  a  valuable  contributor.  He  felt  that  the 
welfare  of  the  church  was  essential  to  the  wel- 
fare of  any  community,  and  he  therefore  gave 
that  his  cordial  and  earnest  support.  During  the 
most  or  all  of  his  life,  he  and  his  family  were 
identified  with  the  work  of  the  Central  Congrega- 
tional Church  in  its  financial,  social  and  spiritual 
affairs.  His  departure  will  add  another  to  the 
severe  losses  which  that  church  has  sustained  in 
recent  years. 

With  a  wide  acquaintance,  both  within  and 
without  the  city,  energetic  and  discerning,  kindly 
in  spirit  and  benevolent,  Mr.  Bowen,  veteran  coal 
dealer,  valuable  citizen,  interested  and  helpful 
churchman,  will  be  not  a  little  missed,  even 
though  his  state  of  health  had  already  removed 
him  from  close  connection  with  public  and  busi- 
ness affairs. 
Resolutions  on  Death  of  Joseph  A.  Bowen. 
At  a  meeting  of  the  Pocahontas  Operators'  As- 
sociation, held  at  Bluefield,  West  Virginia,  Octo- 
ber 6,  191 4,  the  following  resolutions  were 
adopted : 

It  is  with  feeling  of  profound  sorrow  and  deep 
regret,  that  we  learn  of  the  death  of  Mr.  Joseph 
A.  Bowen,  of  Fall  River,  Massachusetts,  which 
occurred  September  30,  1914. 

In  the  death  of  Mr.  Bowen,  the  Pocahontas 
Operators'  Association  has  lost  a  true  and  sincere 
friend.  He  purchased  in  the  year  1883,  through 
Messrs.  Castner  &  Co.,  Limited,  of  Philadelphia, 
the  first  cargo  of  Pocahontas  coal  shipped  from 
Norfolk,  Virginia,  to  New  England,  which  he 
distributed  to  the  cotton  mills  throughout  Fall 
River,  Massachusetts,  and  continued  handling 
Pocahontas  coal  up  to  the  time  of  his  death. 

Mr.  Bowen  was  a  man  of  pleasing  personality 
and  sterling  integrity.  As  a  friend  he  inspired 
confidence  and  esteem,  and  it  is,  as  such  a  friend, 
that  we  admired  him  and  deeply  mourn  the  loss 
we  have  suffered  by  his  death. 

It  is  therefore  resolved  that  this  expression  of  our 
feelings  be  entered  on  the  minutes  of  our  associ- 
ation  and  copies   of   same   be   published   in   the 


Bluefield  "Telegraph,"  the  "Black  Diamond,"  and 
the  "Coal  Trade  Journal"  as  well  as  a  copy  for- 
warded with  our  deepest  sympathy,  to  the  mem- 
bers of  his  family. 

(Signed) 
Philip  Goodwill,       C.  W.  Boardman, 
Harry  Bowen,  Jenkin  Jones, 

William  D.  Ord,      W.  H.  Thomas, 
Jairus  Collins,  Morriss  Watts, 

G.  S.  Patterson,        D.  H.  Barger, 
Isaac  T.  Mann,         William  J.  Beury. 
John  J.  Lincoln,  John  T.  Tierney, 

Secretary.  Chairman. 

The  Coal  Trade  Journal,  Nov.  18,  1014. 

Joseph  Henry  Bowen,  only  son  of 
Joseph  Abraham  and  Fanny  M.  (Corey) 
Bowen,  was  born  March  18,  1866,  in  Fall 
River,  was  graduated  from  the  Fall  River 
High  School  in  1883,  from  Phillips  Exeter 
Academy  in  1884,  and  from  Harvard  Uni- 
versity in  1888.  After  leaving  college 
Mr.  Bowen  became  associated  in  the  coal 
business  with  his  father,  with  which  he  is 
still  connected.  The  firm  has  also  been 
interested  in  shipping,  being  agents  for 
coasting  schooners  engaged  in  the  coal 
carrying  trade.  He  married,  June  19, 
1890,  Mary  S.  Whitney,  daughter  of  Ed- 
ward H.  and  Jennie  (Hooper)  Whitney, 
of  Cambridge,  Massachusetts,  where  she 
was  born  November  16,  1868.  They  have 
children,  all  born  in  Fall  River:  1.  Joseph 
Whitney,  born  May  18,  1891,  attended 
the  Fall  River  High  School,  graduated 
from  Phillips  Exeter  Academy  in  1908, 
and  from  Harvard  University  in  1912, 
and  is  now  associated  with  his  father  in 
the  coal  business ;  he  married,  November 
16,  191 5,  Florence  Horton,  daughter  of 
Melvin  Borden  Horton,  of  Fall  River.  2. 
Harold  Corey,  born  May  26,  1896,  at- 
tended the  High  School  and  Phillips 
Exeter  Academy,  now  an  assistant  in  the 
coal  business.  3.  Edward  Hooper,  born 
October  14,  1899,  attended  the  Fall  River 
High  School,  and  is  now  at  Phillips 
Exeter  Academy. 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


(The  Cook  Line). 

(I)  Captain  Thomas  Cook,  the  pro- 
genitor of  the  Cook  family  in  America, 
was  born  probably  in  Essex,  England,  in 
the  year  1603,  and  emigrated  to  New 
England  in  1635-36,  settling  first  in  Bos- 
ton, Massachusetts.  From  there  he  went 
to  Plymouth  Colony  at  Taunton,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  was  an  original  proprietor 
of  the  town  in  1637.  He  was  there  with 
his  son,  Thomas  Cook,  in  1643.  Probably 
both  moved  to  Portsmouth,  Rhode  Island, 
early,  where  he  was  called  "captain;"  in 
1659  was  commissioned  to  survey  the 
west  line  of  the  Colony  of  Rhode  Island. 
In  1637  Captain  Thomas  Cook  united 
with  a  company  of  fifty-four  persons  and 
purchased  from  the  Teliquet  Indians  the 
township  known  as  Taunton  and  with 
other  purchasers  was  an  original  proprie- 
tor of  the  city  of  Taunton.  In  1643  he 
disposed  of  his  interests  in  Taunton  and 
removed  with  his  family  to  the  town  of 
Portsmouth,  originally  called  Pocasset, 
on  the  island  called  Rhode  Island.  On 
the  5th  of  October  of  that  year  he  was 
voted  on  and  received  as  an  inhabitant  by 
the  council  of  the  town.  His  lot,  after- 
ward known  as  the  "home  lot"  of  Captain 
Cook,  was  situated  on  the  eastern  shore 
of  the  island  in  the  seaport  of  Ports- 
mouth, six  miles  from  Newport,  and  there 
he  established  the  first  "homestead"  of 
the  Cook  family  in  America.  After  a 
period  of  two  hundred  and  thirty-three 
years,  in  1876,  all  that  was  visible  of  the 
old  "homestead"  was  the  well  and  re- 
mains of  the  cellar  and  chimney  of  the 
house  on  the  river  bank  a  few  rods  from 
the  wharf.  While  there  he  acquired  other 
lands  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  the 
homestead  contained  (including  the  ad- 
joining land  of  his  son,  John)  about  two 
hundred  acres.  In  1664  Captain  Thomas 
Cook  was  elected  deputy  member  of  the 
General  Assembly  of  the  colony  from 
Portsmouth,  the  assembly  then  holding 


its  sessions  at  Newport,  Rhode  Island. 
Captain  Thomas  Cook  lived  through  the 
famous  King  Philip  War  and  survived 
all  the  devastations  and  damages  to  him- 
self, family  and  property,  his  place  now 
known  as  "Glen  Farm."  He  was  twice 
married,  the  Christian  name  of  his  second 
wife  being  Mary,  born  about  1605,  mar- 
ried in  England  in  1626.  He  died  Febru- 
ary 6,  1677,  and  his  will,  proved  June  20, 
J677,  gives  to  wife,  son  John  and  grand- 
children. His  children  were:  Thomas, 
mentioned  below;  John,  born  163 1 ; 
Sarah,  1633 ;  George,  1635. 

(II)  Captain  Thomas  (2)  Cook,  son  of 
Captain  Thomas  (1)  Cook,  born  1628, 
was  brought  to  America  in  1635,  landing 
in  Boston.  With  his  family  he  removed 
to  Taunton  in  1637,  ar>d  thence  to  Ports- 
mouth in  1643,  there  spending  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life.  He  was  considered  a 
man  of  substance  and  distinction  at  Ports- 
mouth, where  he  was  a  freeman  in  1655. 
In  1658  he  acquired  land  in  Tiverton,  this 
being  the  first  introduction  of  the  Cook 
family  there.  He  married  Mary,  daugh- 
ter of  William  and  Dionis  Havens,  and 
his  children  were:  Thomas,  John,  George, 
Stephen,  Ebenezer,  Phebe  and  Martha. 
He  died  in  1670-72. 

(III)  Captain  John  Cook,  second  son 
of  Captain  Thomas  (2)  and  Mary 
(Havens)  Cook,  born  1652,  and  died 
October  1,  1727.  He  was  a  freeman  in 
1668.  He  was  a  noted  Indian  fighter, 
being  a  lieutenant  of  a  Rhode  Island  com- 
pany of  which  John  Almy  was  captain 
and  Roger  Golding  ensign,  and  in  1704 
the  General  Assembly  passed  an  act 
granting  Captain  John  Cook  compensa- 
tion for  military  services  rendered  to  the 

colony.    In  1680  he  married  Mary , 

and  they  lived  in  Portsmouth  and  Tiver- 
ton, Rhode  Island,  his  dwelling  at  Tiver- 
ton being  a  large,  fine  house  for  the  times. 
Their  children  were  :  Thomas,  mentioned 
below;   John,  born  1685,  married  Eliza- 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


beth  Little;  Peleg;  George,  1690,  mar- 
ried Jane  Weeden;  Joseph,  1692;  Sarah, 
1694;  Phebe,  1696;  Mary,  1698;  De- 
borah, 1700,  married  Benjamin  Tallman ; 
Martha,  1702,  married  Benjamin  Sher- 
man; Patience,  1704,  married  Constant 
Church,  of  Freetown. 

(IV)  Thomas  (3)  Cook,  son  of  Captain 
John  and  Mary  Cook,  was  born  about 
1683.  His  children  were  :  Oliver,  born  in 
17°5>  John,  in  1707;  Thomas,  1710; 
Phebe,  1712;  Mary,  1714;  Elizabeth, 
1716;  Martha,  1718;  Bathsheba,  1720; 
Sarah,  1722. 

(V)  John  (2)  Cook,  son  of  Thomas 
(3)  Cook,  born  in  1707,  married,  April 
10,  1732,  Martha  Wood,  of  Dartmouth, 
daughter  of  Daniel  and  Elizabeth  (Ric- 
ketson)  Wood,  born  April  13,  1712.  Their 
children  of  Tiverton  town  record  were: 
Elizabeth,  born  February  5,  1735-36  (also 
of  Dartmouth  record)  ;  Rebecca,  March 
17,  1738;  Bathsheba,  September  17,  1739; 
Hannah,  mentioned  below;  Pardon,  June 
28,  1743;  Paul,  June  5,  1745;  Caleb, 
March  20,  1747;  Bennet,  April  4,  1749. 

(VI)  Hannah  Cook,  fourth  daughter  of 
John  (2)  and  Martha  (Wood)  Cook,  was 
born  June  25,  1741,  and  became  the  wife 
of  Nathan  Bowen,  of  Fall  River  (see 
Bowen). 

(The  Read  Line). 

The  Read  family  is  one  of  the  oldest 
and  best  known  families  of  this  section  of 
New  England.  The  first  of  the  name  in 
New  England  was 

(I)  John  Read,  who  was  a  cordwainer 
by  trade,  according  to  tradition,  as  is  his 
coming  from  Plymouth,  England.  He 
came  to  this  country  and  was  an  inhabi- 
tant of  Newport,  Rhode  Island.  He  had 
children  :  John,  Ebenezer  and  Oliver. 

(II)  John  (2)  Read,  son  of  John  (1) 
Read,  born  in  Newport,  Rhode  Island, 
settled  in  Freetown,  Massachusetts, 
where  he   married  Hannah  ,  who 


died  April  12,  1727,  aged  eighty-four 
years.  He  was  a  cordwainer  by  trade, 
operated  a  tannery,  reared  his  sons  to  the 
same  occupation,  which  continued  through 
four  generations,  and  late  in  the  eight- 
eenth century  the  business  was  bought 
out  by  Sarah  Read's  husband,  Enoch 
French.  It  had  become  a  large  establish- 
ment at  Troy,  now  called  Fall  River. 
John  Read  had  children:  Hannah,  Joseph 
and  John.    He  died  in  January,  1721. 

(III)  John  (3)  Read,  son  of  John  (2) 
and  Hannah  Read,  lived  in  Freetown, 
where  for  some  thirty  years  he  was  town 
clerk.  He  married  (first)  Mary,  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Mary  (Tallman)  Pearce. 
She  died  May  6,  1726,  and  he  married 
(second)  Susannah  Brownell.  Children: 
Mary,  born  November  19,  1690,  married 
Samuel  Forman ;  John,  June  12,  1694, 
married  Mrs.  Sarah  Borden ;  Thomas, 
May  9,  1696;  Hannah,  October  12,  1697; 
William,  September  9,  1699;  Oliver, 
October,  1701,  married  Martha  Durfee ; 
Penelope,  October  12,  1703,  married 
(first)  February  3,  1726,  Stephen  Borden, 
and  (second)  July  3,  1739,  John  Bowen ; 
Jonathan,  January  23,  1705,  married  Hope 
Durfee  ;  Joseph,  mentioned  below  ;  Sarah, 
February  1,  1709;  Nathan,  February  23, 
171 1  ;  Susannah,  February  27,  1715,  mar- 
ried Joseph  Borden. 

(IV)  Joseph  Read,  sixth  son  of  John 
(3)  and  Mary  (Pearce)  Read,  born  March 
5,  1708,  married,  January  25,  1732,  Grace 
Pray,  and  they  resided  in  Freetown,  Mas- 
sachusetts. Children:  William,  men- 
tioned below;  Benjamin,  born  November 
I5>  x733-  married  Sarah  Evans;  Hannah, 
December,  1734;  Joseph,  1736,  married 
Mary  Cornell. 

(V)  William  Read,  eldest  child  of 
Joseph  and  Grace  (Pray)  Read,  born  in 
1732,  married  (first)  December  3,  1761, 
Ruth  Evans,  born  in  1742,  (second) 
Dorothy,  born  in  1745,  daughter  of  Dea- 
con Samuel  Read.     She  died  December 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


25,  1813.  Children  of  William  and  Ruth 
(Evans)  Reed:  Elizabeth,  born  July  3, 
1763,  died  April  8,  1848,  married  Simeon 
Burr,  of  Easton;  Rebecca,  born  July  14, 
1765,  died  in  1796,  married  Guilford 
Evans;  Ruth,  born  April  27,  1767,  mar- 
ried Robert  Porter,  of  Freetown;  Wil- 
liam, born  July  15,  1769,  married,  January 
28,  1798,  Prudence  Valentine;  Sarah, born 
July  15,  1769,  married  James  Wrighten- 
ton,  of  Freetown;  Thomas,  died  young; 
Rachel,  born  July  1,  1773,  married,  May 

26,  1796,  Anson  Bliffins,  of  Freetown,  a 
master  mariner;  John,  born  July  5,  1775, 
married,  in  1799,  Rosamond  Hathaway; 
Joseph  Evans,  mentioned  below;  Amy 
W.,  born  January  3,  1779,  married,  Octo- 
ber 23,  1803,  John  Hathaway;  Nancy, 
born  October  8,  1781,  married  Ezra 
Davol ;  Phebe,  born  October  4,  1783,  mar- 
ried Henry  Brightman,  of  Fall  River. 

(VI)  Joseph  Evans  Read,  third  son  of 
William  and  Ruth  (Evans)  Read,  born 
September  13,  1776,  married,  January  17, 
1803,  Sybil  Valentine,  born  in  Freetown, 
Massachusetts,  daughter  of  William  and 
Sybil  Valentine,  and  a  descendant  of  one 
of  the  most  prominent  and  well-known 
families  of  Boston  and  Freetown  (see 
Valentine  IV).  Joseph  E.  Read  removed 
with  his  family  from  Freetown  to  Fall 
River,  where  he  located  and  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  life.  Here  both  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Read  died.  Their  children  were: 
William;  Joseph;  Paddock  Richmond; 
Sarah  Ann,  mentioned  below;  Rachel, 
married  Benjamin  Weaver,  of  Fall  River; 
James;  Frank;  Henry;  Caroline,  who 
married  Milton  A.  Clyde. 

(VII)  Sarah  Ann  Read,  daughter  of 
Joseph  Evans  and  Sybil  (Valentine) 
Read,  became  the  wife  of  Abraham 
Bowen,  of  Fall  River  (see  Bowen). 

(The  Corey  Line). 

(I)  William  Cory,  of  Portsmouth, 
Rhode    Island,    died    1682.      He  was    a 


carpenter  and  miller,  had  a  grant  of  eight 
acres  of  land,  December  10,  1657,  was 
made  freeman,  May  18,  1658,  and  had 
one-third  share  of  Dartmouth  in  1669. 
He  had  a  house  and  land  in  Portsmouth, 
which  he  leased  in  1662.  He  was  a  jury- 
man in  1671,  and  on  a  committee  of  four 
appointed  April  4,  1676,  to  have  care  of  a 
barrel  of  powder  and  two  great  guns  be- 
longing to  the  town.  He  was  a  member 
of  a  court  marshal  at  Newport,  August 
24,  1676,  to  try  certain  Indians  for  of- 
fences ;  was  deputy  to  the  General  Court 
in  1678-79  and  1680,  and  was  succes- 
sively lieutenant  and  captain  of  the  mili- 
tia. His  will  proved  February  24,  1682, 
disposed  of  land  to  each  of  his  sons  and 
gave  ten  pounds  in  cash  to  each  of  his 
daughters.  He  married  Mary  Earl, 
daughter  of  Ralph  and  Joan  (Savage) 
Earl,  and  they  had  children:  John,  men- 
tioned below;  William,  resided  in  Ports- 
mouth, where  he  died  1704;  Mercy,  mar- 
ried (first)  Cornelius  Jones,  (second) 
Charles  Gousales ;  Anne ;  Thomas,  died 
1738,  in  Tiverton;  Margaret,  died  young; 
Mary,  married  Thomas  Cook;  Caleb, 
died  1704,  in  Dartmouth ;  Roger,  died 
1754,  in  Richmond,  Rhode  Island;  Joan, 
married  a  Taylor. 

(II)  John  Cory,  eldest  child  of  Wil- 
liam and  Mary  (Earl)  Cory,  resided  in 
Portsmouth,  East  Greenwich  and  North 
Kingstown,  and  died  in  1712  in  the  latter 
town.  He  was  granted  land  in  Ealst 
Greenwich,  May  7,  1679;  was  freeman  at 
Portsmouth  in  1686,  and  had  ten  acres  of 
land  laid  out  to  him  in  East  Greenwich  in 
that  year.  He  purchased  ninety  acres  of 
land  there  for  forty  pounds,  April  4,  1705, 
and  sold  twelve  acres  for  ninety  pounds 
six  days  later.  He  sold  fifty  acres  April 
16th  of  the  same  year  for  three  hundred 
and  fifty  pounds.  He  was  living  in  Ports- 
mouth, October  4,  1707,  when  he  deeded 
ninety  acres  with  a  house  in  East  Green- 
wich to  his  son,  William.    Before  the  end 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


of  that  year  he  was  deputy  from  Kings- 
town in  the  General  Court.  His  will  was 
proved  July  14,  1712.  His  wife,  Elizabeth 
Cory,  survived  him  and  died  after  1713. 
Children:  William,  John,  Elisha,  Joseph 
and  Thomas. 

(IV)  Thomas  Corey,  grandson  of  John 
Cory,  of  Portsmouth,  was  born  August 
12,  1731.  He  married,  March  13,  1755, 
Elizabeth  Briggs,  daughter  of  Oaleb 
Briggs,  son  of  Richard  Briggs,  and  grand- 
son of  John  Briggs.  Children,  recorded  in 
East  Greenwich  ;  Joseph,  born  December 
7,  1755,  married  Sarah  Briggs ;  Susannah, 
born  October  12,  1760;  Benjamin,  men- 
tioned below. 

(V)  Benjamin  Corey,  youngest  child 
of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  (Briggs) 
Corey,  was  born  December  3,  1763,  in 
East  Greenwich,  and  married  there 
Lucy  Briggs,  daughter  of  William  and 
Levinia  (Sweet)  Briggs,  of  North  Kings- 
town (see  Briggs  IV).  Children:  Wil- 
liam; Eunice;  Benjamin;  Thomas,  died 
young ;  Thomas  Green,  settled  at  Tyrone, 
New  York;  Jonathan;  Timothy,  died 
young. 

(VI)  Jonathan  Corey,  son  of  Benja- 
min and  Lucy  (Briggs)  Corey,  was  born 
March  30,  1793,  in  East  Greenwich,  where 
he  grew  up,  receiving  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  the  town.  In  early 
manhood  he  became  a  teacher  and  was 
engaged  in  this  occupation  at  various 
points  in  Rhode  Island,  Connecticut  and 
New  York.  Later  in  life  he  was  inter- 
ested in  mercantile  and  mechanical  pur- 
suits. On  May  6,  1832,  he  was  married 
to  Clarissa  Bennett,  and  a  few  years  later 
settled  in  Fall  River,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  built  a  house  which  was  ever 
after  his  home,  in  what  is  now  a  business 
section  of  the  city.  He  died  April  7, 
1866,  and  is  buried  in  Oak  Grove  Ceme- 
tery. His  wife,  who  was  born  September 
14,  1806,  in  Foster,  Rhode  Island,  daugh- 


ter of  Thomas  and  Tryphena  (Crossman) 
Bennett,  of  that  town,  died  at  Fall  River, 
January  27,  1888,  and  was  buried  beside 
her  husband.  Children:  1.  Lucy  Emily, 
born  June  23,  1836,  married,  November 
16,  1863,  Rev.  Charles  A.  Votey,  a  Bap- 
tist minister;  they  now  live  in  Detroit, 
Michigan,  and  have  one  daughter,  Clara 
Corey  Votey,  born  February  18,  1869,  a 
teacher  in  Detroit.  2.  Fanny  Maria, 
mentioned  below.  3.  and  4.  Caroline 
Adelia  and  Harriet  Marinda,  twins,  born 
September  15,  1843;  tne  former  died  July 
10,  1844;  Harriet  Marinda  Corey  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Fall 
River,  including  the  high  school ;  for  a 
number  of  years  she  was  a  faithful  and 
efficient  teacher  in  the  schools  of  that 
city;  after  the  death  of  her  parents  her 
home  was  with  her  sister,  Mrs.  Joseph  A. 
Bowen;  she  died  November  4,  1911,  and 
is  buried  in  the  family  lot  at  Oak  Grove 
Cemetery. 

(VII)  Fanny  Maria  Corey,  second 
daughter  of  Jonathan  and  Clarissa  (Ben- 
nett) Corey,  born  August  21,  1840,  be- 
came the  wife  of  Joseph  Abraham  Bowen, 
of  Fall  River  (see  Bowen). 

(The   Bennett   Line). 

(I)  Samuel  Bennett  was  a  cooper,  re- 
siding in  Providence  and  East  Green- 
wich, died  in  the  latter  town,  September 
4,  1684.  He  was  general  sergeant  of  the 
colony  in  1652  and  purchased  a  house 
with  a  lot  and  orchard  in  that  year.  He 
was  a  freeman  in  1655  ar,d  was  paid 
twenty  pounds  for  services  as  sergeant, 
October  27,  1656.  He  was  a  commis- 
sioner in  1657,  was  a  grand  juror  in  1661, 
and  sold  land  in  1666.  He  subscribed  to 
the  oath  of  allegiance,  May  31,  1666,  was 
deputy  in  1668,  1674  and  1678.  He  was 
granted  one  hundred  acres  of  land  in 
East  Greenwich,  May  1,  1678.  His  will, 
proved  at  Providence,  October  23,   1684, 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


left  a  large  amount  of  land,  giving  to 
each  of  his  sons  a  farm.  The  inventory 
of  his  personal  property  amounted  to 
sixty-two  pounds,  ten  shillings.  His  wife 
Anna  survived  him  and  married  (second) 
Moses  Forman,  she  died  after  1705.  Chil- 
dren: Edward;  Elizabeth,  married  Ed- 
ward Inman;  Samuel,  mentioned  below; 
William;  Benjamin;  Priscilla,  married 
Stukeley  Westcott. 

(II)  Samuel  (2)  Bennett,  second  son 
of  Samuel  (1)  and  Anna  Bennett,  resided 
in  East  Greenwich  and  Coventry,  Rhode 
Island,  and  died  April  15,  1745.  He  was 
a  carpenter  by  trade,  was  a  freeman  in 
1685,  grand  juror  in  1688,  and  lieutenant 
of  the  military  and  deputy  to  the  General 
Court  in  1690.  He  married  (first)  Janu- 
ary 2,  1689,  Sarah  Forman,  who  died  Au- 
gust 2,  1697,  in  East  Greenwich.  He  mar- 
ried (second)  April  25,  1699,  Desire 
Berry,  who  died  March  9,  1714.  His 
third  wife,  whom  he  married  in  1715,  bore 
the  name  of  Rachel.  Children  of  first 
marriage :  Samuel,  mentioned  below ; 
Sarah,  born  January  31,  1693;  Hannah, 
April  27,  1697.  Children  of  second  mar- 
riage: Elizabeth,  November  19,  1699; 
Benjamin,  born  November  7,  1701 ;  John, 
October  15,  1703;  William,  May  15,  1706; 
Priscilla,  October  7,  1708;  Mary,  April 
2,  171 1  ;  Desire,  February  12,  1713. 

(III)  Samuel  (3)  Bennett,  eldest  child 
of  Samuel  (2)  and  Sarah  (Forman)  Ben- 
nett, resided  in  East  Greenwich,  and  had 
a  wife  Mary.  One  child  is  recorded  there, 
Hannah,  born  July  18,  1718. 

(IV)  Samuel  (4)  Bennett,  son  of 
Samuel  (3)  and  Mary  Bennett,  born 
about  1710-11,  in  East  Greenwich,  and 
resided  there.  He  married,  August  3, 
1732,  Hannah  Wade.  They  resided  in 
Foster,  Rhode  Island,  and  Killingly,  Con- 
necticut. Children:  Zadock,  born  Au- 
gust 13,  1733;  Nathan,  mentioned  below; 
Mary,  September  6,  1736;  Hannah,  Octo- 
ber 13,  1738;  Jean,  October  10,  1740,  died 


November  5,  1846;  Eunice,  February  14, 
1743;  Betty,  May  11,  1744;  Lydia,  No- 
vember 6,  1746;  Jean,  March  19,  1749, 
died  August  16,  1759;  Elijah,  November 
3-  1753- 

(V)  Nathan  Bennett,  second  son  of 
Samuel  (4)  and  Hannah  (Wade)  Ben- 
nett, was  born  December  23,  1734,  in 
Foster,  Rhode  Island,  and  lived  probably 
in  Killingly,  Connecticut. 

(VI)  Thomas  Bennett,  son  of  Nathan 
Bennett,  of  Foster,  Rhode  Island,  mar- 
ried Tryphena  Crossman,  daughter  of 
Asahel  and  Olive  (Bliss)  Crossman. 
Children:  Clarissa,  Asahel,  Nathan, 
Tryphena  C,  Roxanna,  Thomas  B., 
Olive  Rosella,  Lydia  Almira,  Marcelia 
Meritta,  Pardon  Erastus,  William  Henry, 
Ann  Eliza  and  Susan  Maria. 

(VII)  Clarissa  Bennett,  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Tryphena  (Crossman)  Ben- 
nett, married,  May  6,  1832,  Jonathan 
Corey,  of  Fall  River  (see  Corey  VI). 

(The  Valentine  Line). 

(I)  John  Valentine,  said  by  good 
authority  to  be  a  son  of  Francis  Valen- 
tine, lived  for  a  time  in  Boston.  He  is 
said  by  one  authority  to  have  been  a 
second  cousin  of  Thomas  Valentine.  He 
married  Mary  Lynde,  of  Boston,  daugh- 
ter of  Samuel,  and  granddaughter  of 
Simon  Lynde.  The  former  was  admitted 
to  the  Ancient  and  Honorable  Artillery 
Company  of  Boston  in  1691,  and  the  latter 
in  1658.  Simon  Lynde  was  born  in  Lon- 
don, in  June,  1624,  and  came  to  Boston, 
about  1650.  He  was  the  son  of  Enoch 
and  Elizabeth  (Digby)  Lynde.  He  mar- 
ried, February  22,  1652-53,  Hannah  New- 
gate (or  Newdigate).  daughter  of  John 
Newgate,  who  was  a  hatter  in  Boston,  in 
1632.  She  was  born  June  28,  1635,  and 
died  December  20,  1684,  in  the  same 
house  in  which  she  and  the  most  of  her 
twelve  children  were  born.  He  died  No- 
vember 22,  1687.     He  was  an  owner  of 


46 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


land  in  Freetown,  owning  three  of  the 
original  twenty-six  lots  in  the  Freeman's 
Purchase,  two  and  one-half  of  which  fell 
within  the  limits  of  Fall  River  when  the 
latter  town  was  set  off  from  Freetown  in 
1803,  and  equalled  five-twenty-sevenths  of 
the  town.  These  three  lots  he  gave  to 
his  son,  Samuel,  who  was  a  merchant  in 
Boston.  Elizabeth  Digby  was  from  a 
distinguished  family  in  England,  as  was 
the  Lynde  family,  Enoch  Lynde  being  a 
shipping  merchant  in  England,  where  he 
died.  John  Valentine  held  the  office  of 
advocate-general  of  the  Admiralty  Court 
at  the  time  of  his  death,  in  1724.  He  was 
a  lawyer  of  distinguished  learning  and 
integrity.  He  is  also  said  to  have  been 
an  aggressive  and  agreeable  speaker. 
Samuel  Lynde  was  a  member  of  the  first 
church  in  Boston.  He  died  October  2, 
1721.  His  will  was  dated  July  20,  1720. 
Through  the  Lynde  family,  John  Valen- 
tine inherited  valuable  property,  and  he 
was  one  of  the  wealthy  citizens  of  Massa- 
chusetts. The  children  of  John  and 
Mary  (Lynde)  Valentine  were:  Samuel, 
mentioned  below;  Elizabeth,  born  Feb- 
ruary 22,  1704,  married  James  Gooch ; 
John,  born  November  8,  1706,  died  Sep- 
tember 24,  171 1,  in  England;  Edmond, 
born  January  16,  1709,  died  January  30, 
1710;  Thomas,  born  August  3,  1713,  mar- 
ried Elizabeth  Gooch ;  Mary,  born  March 
23,  1714,  married  a  Durfee ;  Edmond,  2d, 
born  October  22,  1717,  died  July  4,  1730. 
(II)  Samuel  Valentine,  eldest  child  of 
John  and  Mary  (Lynde)  Valentine,  was 
born  December  28,  1702,  probably  in 
Boston,  and  died  in  Freetown,  March  14, 
1781.  He  married  (first)  in  Tiverton, 
Rhode  Island,  June  25,  1729,  Abigail  Dur- 
fee, born  in  Tiverton,  died  in  Freetown, 
July  13,  1765,  daughter  of  William  and 
Mary  Durfee,  of  Tiverton,  and  grand- 
daughter of  Thomas  Durfee,  born  1643, 
who  came  in  1660  to  America  from  Eng- 
land,   and   died   at    Portsmouth,    Rhode 


Island,  July,  1712.  He  married  (second) 
Rebecca  Hall,  of    Swansea,  in    October, 

1766.  His  son,  William  Durfee,  born 
about  1673,  died  in  Tiverton,  1727.  He 
had  a  wife  Ann,  and  daughter  Abigail, 
born  about  1710,  who  married  Samuel 
Valentine,  as  above  noted.  The  children 
of  Samuel  Valentine  were:  Lynde,  born 
March  18,  1730,  married  Sarah  Evans,  of 
Freetown,  and  died  September  10,  1773; 
Samuel,  born  in  1731,  married  Mary 
Evans,  of  Freetown,  and  died  July  14, 
1768;  Joseph,  married  Hannah  Strange, 
of  Freetown ;  Mary,  married  Nathaniel 
Bliffins,  of  Swansea,  December  29,  1757; 
Lucy,  born  February  20,  1740,  married 
Philip  Hathaway,  of  Freetown ;  William, 
mentioned  below ;  John,  born  April  29, 
1743,  married  Hannah  Winslow,  of  Free- 
town; David,  born  October  2,  1745,  mar- 
ried Hannah  Hathaway,  of  Freetown ; 
Abigail,  born  September  25,  1746,  married 
Luther  Miles,  of  Freetown. 

(III)  William  Valentine,  son  of 
Samuel  and  Abigail  (Durfee)  Valentine, 
was  born  March  17,  1741,  in  Freetown, 
and  died  there  December  2,  1801.  He  was 
a   farmer,  and   married  there,   March   8, 

1767,  Sybil  Winslow,  born  September  7, 
1748,  in  Freetown,  died  in  Fall  River, 
May  20,  1816,  daughter  of  George  and 
Phebe  (Tisdale)  Winslow.  The  children 
of  William  and  Sybil  (Winslow)  Valen- 
tine were :  Lucy,  born  May  7,  1768,  mar- 
ried Harvey  Simmons,  and  died  March 
17,  1841  ;  Phebe,  born  June  16,  1771,  mar- 
ried (first)  Luther  Winslow,  and 
(second)  John  Perrit  Webb,  and  died 
February  5,  1856;  Lois,  married  Benja- 
min Brown,  of  Freetown  ;  Prudence,  born 
May  8,  1777,  married  William  Read,  of 
Freetown,  and  died  November  15,  1843; 
Sybil,  mentioned  below;  Mercy,  married 
Frederick  Winslow,  of  Fall  River;  Sally, 
married  Edmond  French,  of  Berkley; 
Edmond,  died  aged  twenty-two  years. 

(IV)  Sybil  Valentine,   sixth   daughter 


47 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


of  William  and  Sybil  (Winslow)  Valen- 
tine, was  born  December  19,  1779,  in 
Freetown,  and  died  July  5,  1857,  in  Fall 
River.  She  married,  January  17,  1803,  in 
Freetown,  Colonel  Joseph  Evans  Read,  of 
that  town  (see  Read  VI). 

(V)  Sarah  Ann  Read,  daughter  of 
Colonel  Joseph  Evans  and  Sybil  (Valen- 
tine) Read,  was  born  April  17,  1804,  and 
became  the  wife  of  Abraham  Bowen,  of 
Fall  River  (see  Bowen  VII). 

(The  Bliss  Line). 

The  Bliss  family  seems  to  be  descended 
from  the  Norman  family  of  Blois,  gradu- 
ally modified  to  Bloys,  Blyse,  Blysse, 
Blisse,  and  in  America  finally  to  Bliss, 
dated  back  to  the  time  of  the  Norman 
Conquest.  The  name  is  not  common  in 
England.  The  coat-of-arms  borne  by  the 
Bliss  and  Bloys  families  is  the  same : 
Sable,  a  bend  vaire,  between  two  fleur-de- 
lis  or.  Crest :  A  hand  holding  a  bundle 
of  arrows.  Motto :  Semper  sursum.  The 
ancient  traditions  of  the  Bliss  family 
represent  them  as  living  in  the  south  of 
England  and  belonging  to  the  class 
known  as  English  yeomanry  or  farmers, 
though  at  various  times  some  of  the 
family  were  knights  or  gentry.  They 
owned  the  houses  and  lands  they  occu- 
pied, were  freeholders  and  entitled  to  vote 
for  members  of  Parliament.  In  the  early 
days  they  were  faithful  Roman  Catholics, 
but  later  after  England  had  become 
Protestant  they  became  Puritans  and  be- 
came involved  in  the  contentions  between 
Charles  I.  and  Parliament. 

(I)  Thomas  Bliss,  the  progenitor,  lived 
in  Belstone  parish,  Devonshire,  England. 
Very  little  is  known  of  him  except  that 
he  was  a  wealthy  landowner,  that  he  be- 
longed to  the  class  stigmatized  as 
Puritans  on  account  of  the  purity  and 
simplicity  of  their  forms  of  worship,  that 
he  was  persecuted  by  the  civil  and 
religious  authorities  under  the  direction 


of  Archbishop  Laud,  and  that  he  was  mal- 
treated, impoverished  and  imprisoned  and 
finally  ruined  in  health,  as  well  as  finan- 
cially, by  the  many  indignities  and  hard- 
ships forced  on  him  b)»  the  intolerant 
church  party  in  power.  He  is  supposed 
to  have  been  born  about  1550  or  1560. 
The  date  of  his  death  was  1635  or  about 
that  year.  When  the  Parliament  of  1628 
assembled,  Puritans  or  Roundheads,  as 
the  Cavaliers  called  them,  accompanied 
the  members  to  London.  Two  of  the  sons 
of  Thomas  Bliss,  Jonathan  and  Thomas, 
rode  from  Devonshire  on  iron  grey 
horses,  and  remained  for  some  time  in 
the  city — long  enough  at  least  for  the 
kings  officers  and  spies  to  learn  their 
names  and  condition,  and  whence  they 
came,  and  from  that  time  forth  with 
others  who  had  gone  to  London  on  the 
same  errand  they  were  marked  for  de- 
struction. They  were  soon  fined  a  thou- 
sand pounds  for  non-conformity  and 
thrown  into  prison  where  they  remained 
many  weeks.  Even  old  Mr.  Thomas 
Bliss,  their  father,  was  dragged  through 
the  streets  with  the  greatest  indignity. 
On  another  occasion  the  officers  of  the 
high  commission  seized  all  their  horses 
and  sheep  except  one  poor  ewe  that  in 
its  fright  ran  into  the  house  and  took 
refuge  under  a  bed.  At  another  time  the 
three  brothers,  with  twelve  other  Pur- 
itans, were  led  through  the  marketplace 
in  Okehampton  with  ropes  around  their 
necks  and  fined  heavily,  and  Jonathan 
and  his  father  were  thrown  into  prison 
where  the  sufferings  of  the  son  eventually 
caused  his  death.  The  family  was  unable 
to  secure  the  release  of  both  Jonathan 
and  his  father,  so  the  younger  man  had 
to  remain  in  prison  and  at  Exeter  he 
suffered  thirty-five  lashes  with  a  three- 
corded  whip  which  tore  his  back  in  a  cruel 
manner.  Before  Jonathan  was  released 
the  estate  had  to  be  sold.  The  father 
and  mother  went  to  live  with  their  daugb- 


48 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ter  who  had  married  a  man  of  the  Estab- 
lished Church,  Sir  John  Calcliffe.  The 
remnant  of  the  estate  was  divided  among 
the  three  sons  who  were  advised  to  go 
to  America  where  they  might  escape 
persecution.  Thomas  and  George  feared 
to  wait  for  Jonathan  who  was  still  very 
ill  and  left  England  in  the  fall  of  1635 
with  their  families.  Thomas  Bliss,  son 
of  Jonathan  and  grandson  of  Thomas  (1) 
Bliss,  remained  with  his  father,  who 
finally  died,  and  the  son  then  came  to 
join  his  uncles  and  settled  near  Thomas. 
At  various  times  their  sister  sent  from 
England  boxes  of  shoes,  clothing  and 
articles  that  could  not  be  procured  in  the 
colonies,  and  it  is  through  her  letters 
long  preserved,  but  now  lost,  that  knowl- 
edge of  the  Devonshire  family  was  pre- 
served. Children :  Jonathan,  mentioned 
below;  Thomas,  born  in  Belstone,  Eng- 
land, about  1585  ;  Elizabeth,  married  Sir 
John  Calcliffe,  of  Belstone ;  George,  born 
1 591,  settled  at  Lynn  and  Sandwich,  Mas- 
sachusetts, and  Newport,  Rhode  Island ; 
Mary  or  Polly. 

(II)  Jonathan  Bliss,  son  of  Thomas 
Bliss,  of  Belstone,  was  born  about  1580 
at  Belstone,  died  in  England  in  1635-36. 
On  account  of  his  non-conformity  views 
he  was  persecuted  and  suffered  heavy 
fines,  eventually  dying  at  an  early  age 
from  a  fever  contracted  in  prison.  Four 
children  are  said  to  have  died  in  infancy 
and  two  grew  up :  Thomas,  mentioned 
below ;  Mary. 

(III)  Thomas  (2)  Bliss,  son  of  Jona- 
than Bliss,  of  Belstone,  England,  was 
born  there,  and  on  the  death  of  his  father 
in  1636  he  went  to  Boston,  Massachu- 
setts, and  from  there  to  Braintree,  same 
State.  He  next  went  to  Hartford,  Con- 
necticut, and  finally  to  Weymouth,  Mas- 
sachusetts, whence  in  1643  ne  joined  in 
making  a  settlement  at  Rehoboth.  He 
was  made  freeman  at  Cambridge,  May  18, 
1642,  and  in  Plymouth   Colony,  January 

MASS-Vol  III — 4  A 


4,  1645.  In  June,  1645,  ne  drew  land  at 
the  Great  Plain,  Seekonk ;  in  1646  he  was 
fence  viewer;  surveyor  of  highways  in 
1647.  He  died  at  Rehoboth  in  June,  1649, 
and  is  buried  in  the  graveyard  at  Seekonk, 
Massachusetts,  now  Rumford,  East 
Providence,  Rhode  Island.  His  will  was 
proved  June  8,  1649.  His  wife's  name 
was  Ide.  Children:  Jonathan,  mentioned 
below;  daughter,  married  Thomas  Wil- 
liams; Mary,  married  Nathaniel  Harmon, 
of  Braintree ;  Nathaniel,  seems  to  have 
left  no  descendants  of  the  Bliss  name. 

(IV)  Jonathan  (2)  Bliss,  son  of  Thomas 
(2)  and  Ide  Bliss,  was  born  about  1625  in 
England,  and  in  1655  was  made  freeman 
of  the  Plymouth  Colony.  He  was  ap- 
pointed "way  warden"  at  the  town  meet- 
ing in  Rehoboth,  May  24,  1652,  and  May 
17,  1655,  was  on  the  grand  jury.  He  was 
a  blacksmith,  was  made  a  freeman  in  Re- 
hoboth, February  22,  1658,  drew  land, 
June  22,  1658,  and  was  one  of  the  eighty 
who  made  what  is  known  as  the  North 
Purchase.  He  married,  1648-49,  Miriam 
Harmon,  probably  a  sister  of  his  sister's 
husband.  He  died  in  1687.  The  inven- 
tory of  his  estate  was  sworn  to  May  23, 
1687;  the  magistrate  was  the  famous  gov- 
ernor, Sir  Edmund  Andros.  Children: 
Ephraim,  born  1649;  Rachel,  December 
1,  1651;  Jonathan,  March  4,  1653,  died 
same  year;  Mary,  September  31  (sic), 
1655;  Elizabeth,  January  29,  1657; 
Samuel,  June  24,  1660;  Martha,  April, 
1663 ;  Jonathan,  mentioned  below  (some- 
times recorded  Timothy)  ;  Dorothy,  Jan- 
uary 27,  1668;  Bethia,  August,  1671. 

(V)  Jonathan  (3)  Bliss,  fourth  son  of 
Jonathan  (2)  and  Miriam  (Harmon) 
Bliss,  was  born  September  17,  1666,  and 
died  October  16,  1719.  His  name  was 
sometimes  recorded  Timothy.  He  was  a 
man  of  standing  and  influence  in  Reho- 
both and  held  various  town  offices.  It  is 
said  that  he  gave  the  land  for  the  old 
cemetery  about  two  miles  south  of  Reho- 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


both  Village  whereon  a  church  was  built. 
He  married  (first)  June  23,  1691,  Miriam 
Carpenter,  born  October  26,  1674,  died 
May  21,  1706,  daughter  of  William  and 
Miriam  (Searles)  Carpenter.  Her  brother 
Daniel  married  Bethia  Bliss,  her  hus- 
band's sister.  Jonathan  Bliss  married 
(second)  April  10,  1711,  Mary  French,  of 
Rehoboth,  who  married  (second),  as  his 
third  wife,  Peter  Hunt,  and  died  Decem- 
ber 10,  1754,  aged  seventy.  Children: 
Jonathan,  born  June  5,  1692,  died  May  3, 
1770;  Jacob,  March  21,  1694;  Ephraim, 
December  28,  1695,  died  young;  Elisha, 
October  4,  1697;  Ephraim,  August  15, 
1699;  Daniel,  mentioned  below;  Noah, 
May  18,  died  September  20,  1704;  Miriam, 
August  9,  1705.  Children  of  second  wife  : 
Mary,  November  23,  1712;  Hannah,  Jan- 
uary 7,  1715;  Bethiah,  May  10,  1716; 
Rachel,  August  10,  1719. 

(VI)  Daniel  Bliss,  sixth  son  of  Jona- 
than (3)  and  Miriam  (Carpenter)  Bliss, 
was  born  at  Rehoboth,  January  21,  1702, 
died  August  25,  1782.  He  married,  Janu- 
ary 26,  1725,  Rev.  David  Turner  officiat- 
ing, Dorothy  Fuller,  of  Rehoboth,  born 
in  Rehoboth,  July  12,  1706,  died  there 
January  7,  1778.  Dorothy  Fuller  was  the 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Dorothy  (Wil- 
marth)  Fuller,  granddaughter  of  Samuel 
and  Mary  (Ide)  Fuller,  great-grand- 
daughter of  Robert  and  Sarah  (Bowen) 
Fuller.  Dorothy  Wilmarth  was  the 
daughter  of  John  and  Ruth  (Kendrick) 
Wilmarth,  granddaughter  of  George  and 
Ruth  (Bowen)  Kendrick.  Sarah  (Bowen) 
Fuller  and  Ruth  (Bowen)  Kendrick  were 
the  daughters  of  Richard  Bowen,  one  of 
the  original  settlers  of  Rehoboth  (see 
Bowen).  Children,  born  in  Rehoboth: 
Daniel,  November  16,  1726;  Dorothy, 
January  13,  1729,  married,  April  12,  1752, 
Elisha  Allen;  Jacob,  February  16,  1732; 
Noah,  mentioned  below ;  Ruth,  October 
23,  1736;  Bethiah,  July  18,  1738;  Joseph, 
May  3,  1742;  Sibbell,  October  2,  1745. 


(VII)  Noah  Bliss,  fourth  son  of  Daniel 
and  Dorothy  (Fuller)  Bliss,  was  born 
October  24,  1734,  in  Rehoboth,  and  mar- 
ried there,  March  18,  1756,  Alithea 
Drowne,  of  Rehoboth. 

(VIII)  Olive  Bliss,  eldest  daughter  of 
Noah  and  Alithea  (Drowne)  Bliss,  was 
born  May  15,  1765,  and  died  August  27, 
1815.  She  married,  May  5,  1785,  Asahel 
Crossman,  of  Taunton,  Massachusetts, 
who  was  a  direct  descendant  of  Robert 
Crossman,  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of 
Taunton.  Asahel  Crossman  was  a  Revo- 
lutionary soldier.  He  responded  to  the 
Lexington  Alarm  of  April  19,  1775,  and 
served  at  the  siege  of  Boston.  He  was 
corporal  in  1776,  in  Captain  Zebedee 
Redding's  company,  Colonel  Josiah  Whit- 
ing's regiment,  and  in  1778  served  under 
Captain  Samuel  Fales  in  Rhode  Island. 
He  died  at  Foster,  Rhode  Island,  Janu- 
ary 30,  1837.  Through  descent  from  this 
Revolutionary  soldier,  Mrs.  Joseph  A. 
Bowen,  of  Fall  River,  and  her  daughter, 
Miss  Fanny  Corey  Bowen,  are  affiliated 
with  Quequechan  Chapter,  Daughters  of 
the  American  Revolution,  of  Fall  River 
(see  Bowen).  The  children  of  Asahel 
and  Olive  (Bliss)  Crossman,  all  born  in 
Foster,  Rhode  Island,  were:  Asahel, 
Tryphena,  Alithea,  Olive,  Ephraim  and 
Ezra,  twins. 

(The   Brlggs  Llnel. 

(I)  John  Briggs,  of  Kingstown  and 
East  Greenwich,  Rhode  Island,  was  clerk 
of  a  military  company  in  Kingstown, 
May  20,  1671,  and  the  same  day  sub- 
scribed to  the  oath  of  allegiance.  With 
five  others  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land 
at  Quohessett  in  Narragansett  from  the 
chief  sachem  of  the  Indians,  January  1, 
1672.  Ten  days  later  he  purchased  fifty- 
seven  acres  in  Kingstown  for  five  pounds, 
and  in  the  following  year  was  made  a 
freeman.  He  was  constable  in  1687,  in 
which  year  he  was  taxed  five  shillings  and 


50 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


eight  pence.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
Frances  died  after  1697.  Children: 
Thomas,  died  in  East  Greenwich,  1736; 
Daniel,  died  there,  1730;  John,  born  Janu- 
ary 25,  1668;  James,  February  12,  1671  ; 
Frances,  died  in  twenty-first  year;  Rich- 
ard, mentioned  below ;  Robert,  born  No- 
vember 13,  1678;  Mary,  September  2, 
1681 ;  Ann,  September  2,  1683 ;  Sarah, 
April  12,  1685. 

(II)  Richard  Briggs,  fifth  son  of  John 
and  Frances  Briggs,  resided  in  Kings- 
townand  East  Greenwich,  and  died  in  1733. 
His  personal  property  was  inventoried  at 
four  hundred  and  eighty-four  pounds,  in- 
cluding bonds  of  one  hundred  and  ninety- 
eight  pounds,  fourteen  shillings,  horse 
valued  at  twenty-six  pounds  and  cattle  at 
eighty-three  pounds.  His  will  made 
March  29,  proved  April  28,  1733,  left  to 
his  son  John  the  homestead  farm  and 
lands  to  sons  Caleb  and  Francis.  He 
married  (first)  December  23,  1700,  Su- 
sanna Spencer,  born  December  1,  1681, 
daughter  of  John  and  Susanna  Spencer, 
of  Newport  and  East  Greenwich,  died 
before  1726,  probably  before  1720.  His 
second  wife,  Experience,  died  in  1733. 
Children  of  first  marriage  :  Richard,  born 
October  17,  1701  ;  Francis,  mentioned  be- 
low; Audrey,  August  10,  1705;  Susanna, 
December  31,  1707;  John,  February  8, 
1709;  Sarah,  February  27,  1710;  Caleb, 
February  2,  1713;  Ann,  October  25,  1715. 

»  By  second  marriage  :  Mary,  January  27, 
1727;  Philip,  November  7,  1728;  Daniel, 
March  29,  1730;  Alice,  February  17,  1732. 

(III)  Francis  Briggs,  second  son  of 
Richard  and  Susanna  (Spencer)  Briggs, 
was  born  October  27,  1703,  in  East  Green- 
wich, and  lived  in  that  town,  where  he 
married,  October  17,  1725,  Mercy  Mat- 
teson,  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Martha 
Matteson,  born  April  28,  1707,  in  East 
Greenwich. 

(IV)  William  Briggs,  son  of  Francis 
and  Mercy   (Matteson)   Briggs,  lived  in 


North  Kingstown.  He  married  in  East 
Greenwich,  May  20,  1759,  Levinia  Sweet, 
daughter  of  Timothy  and  Sarah  (Mat- 
teson) Sweet,  of  East  Greenwich  (see 
Sweet  VI). 

(V)  Lucy  Briggs,  daughter  of  William 
and  Levinia  (Sweet)  Briggs,  became  the 
wife  of  Benjamin  Corey,  of  East  Green- 
wich (see  Corey  V). 

(The  Sweet  Line). 

The  surname  Sweet  is  identical  with 
Swett,  Sweat,  Sweete  and  is  variously 
spelled  in  the  early  records.  The  Sweet 
family  is  of  ancient  English  lineage  and 
has  produced  many  distinguished  men. 
The  Rhode  Island  family  has  had  many 
prominent  surgeons,  not  only  in  Rhode 
Island,  but  in  Massachusetts  and  New 
York.  The  family  is  noted  for  its  "natural 
bone-setters,"  exhibiting  to  a  remarkable 
degree  hereditary  skill  in  this  line  of  pro- 
fessional work. 

(I)  John  Sweet  was  born  in  England, 
and  came  early  in  life  to  Salem,  Massa- 
chusetts. He  was  doubtless  related  to 
John  Sweet  or  Swett,  who  settled  in 
Newbury  among  the  pioneers  and  whose 
descendants  have  mostly  spelled  the  name 
Swett.  It  is  doubtful  as  to  which  of  the 
Johns  killed  the  famous  wolf  dog  of  Gov- 
ernor John  Endicott.  He  left  Salem  in 
1637  and  settled  in  Providence,  Rhode 
Island,  where  he  had  a  grant  of  land  in 
1637  and  died  in  the  same  year.  After- 
ward his  widow  received  another  grant 
of  land  there.  Rev.  Hugh  Peters,  of 
Salem,  wrote  in  a  letter  dated  July  1, 
1639,  of  the  widow  and  certain  others, 
that  they  had  "the  great  censure  passed 
upon  them  in  this  our  church  and  that 
they  wholly  refused  to  hear  the  church, 
denying  it  and  all  churches  in  the  Bay  to 
be  true  churches"  etc.  John  Sweet's 
widow  married  (second)  Ezekiel  Holli- 
man.  Her  will,  dated  July  31,  1681,  gave 
among  other  bequests  all  her  interest  in 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


the  house  at  Warwick  to  her  son-in-law, 
John  Gereardy,  and  her  daughter  Re- 
newed. Children:  John,  mentioned  be- 
low ;  James,  born  in  England,  1622,  died 
in  Kingstown,  Rhode  Island,  1695 ;  Re- 
newed, married  John  Gereardy. 

(II)  John  (2)  Sweet,  eldest  child  of 
John  (1)  Sweet,  was  born  about  1620  in 
England,  and  died  in  1677  at  Newport; 
Rhode  Island.  He  was  owner  of  a  grist 
mill  at  Patowomut,  in  Rhode  Island, 
burned  by  the  Indians  in  1675  in  King 
Philip's  War,  was  admitted  a  freeman  in 
1655,  and  took  the  oath  of  allegiance,  May 
20,  1671.  His  wife  Elizabeth  was  born 
in  1629  and  died  in  1684.  She  deposed, 
September  18,  1684,  that  she  was  aged 
forty-five  years,  and  that  after  the  war 
she  returned  with  the  children  to  Pato- 
womut. Children :  John  ;  Daniel,  of  War- 
wick; James;  Henry,  mentioned  below; 
Richard,  of  West  Greenwich ;  Benjamin, 
of  East  Greenwich ;  William,  of  East 
Greenwich  ;  Jeremiah  ;  and  a  daughter. 

(III)  Henry  Sweet,  fourth  son  of  John 
(2)  and  Elizabeth  Sweet,  resided  in  East 
Greenwich,  and  had  a  wife  Mary.  The 
following  children  are  recorded  in  East 
Greenwich:  Henry,  born  March  11, 
1682;  John,  March  24,  1684;  Joseph, 
March  7,  1687 ;  Benjamin,  March  29,  1690; 
Mary,  February  10,  1692  ;  Johannah,  Feb- 
ruary 13,  1695;  William,  August  1,  1698; 
Eals  and  Ruth  (twin  daughters),  July  10, 
1700;  Elizabeth,  February  25,  1704;  Sus- 
anna, May  17,  1706;  Griffin,  September 
15,  1709;  Hannah,  February  8,  1712. 

(IV)  Joseph  Sweet,  third  son  of  Henry 
and  Mary  Sweet,  was  born  March  7, 
1687,  in  East  Greenwich,  in  which  town 
he  resided.  He  married,  March  26,  1709, 
Rachel  Edmunds,  probably  daughter  of 
Andrew  and  Mary  (Hearndon)  Edmunds, 
of  Providence,  born  about  1689.  Chil- 
dren: Henry,  born  August  9,  1710;  Tim- 
othy, mentioned  below ;  Joseph,  October 


12,  1715;  Jedediah,  July  12,  1718;  Ebe- 
nezer,  October  27,  1720;  Joshua,  Feb- 
ruary 25,  1723. 

(V)  Timothy  Sweet,  second  son  of 
Joseph  and  Rachel  (Edmunds)  Sweet, 
was  born  May  27,  1713,  in  East  Green- 
wich, in  which  town  he  lived.  He  mar- 
ried, December  22,  1734,  Sarah  Matteson, 
born  April  13,  1710,  daughter  of  Henry 
and  Judith  (Weaver)  Matteson.  Chil- 
dren not  recorded.  Family  records  show 
that  the  following  was  his  daughter. 

(VI)  Levinia  Sweet,  daughter  of  Tim- 
othy and  Sarah  (Matteson)  Sweet,  mar- 
ried William  Briggs,  of  North  Kingstown 
(see  Briggs  IV). 


GARDNER,  Eugene  C, 

Architect,   Legislator,   Author. 

An  analysis  of  the  life  record  of  the 
late  Eugene  C.  Gardner,  one  of  the  most 
notable  citizens  of  Springfield,  a  student 
of  civic  problems  and  a  well-known 
author,  shows  that  keen  discrimination 
and  unflagging  industry  constituted  the 
principal  elements  in  the  success  which 
crowned  his  efforts.  He  was  a  familiar 
figure  on  the  streets  of  Springfield  and  in 
the  elder  society  of  that  city.  His  was  a 
character  of  the  admirable  New  England 
type,  in  which  independence  of  thought 
and  speech  matched  principle  and  honor 
of  action,  and  a  cultivated  mind  joined  a 
practical  sense  in  making  effective  his 
strong  bent  toward  bettering  things  in 
the  interest  of  the  people. 

Eugene  C.  Gardner  was  born  in  Ashfield, 
Massachusetts,  March  28,  1836,  son  of 
Bela  and  Lucy  (Barber)  Gardner,  grand- 
son of  John  Barber,  who  came  to  this 
country  with  Samual  Slater,  founder  of 
the  Slater  cotton  mills  in  Providence, 
Rhode  Island,  and  a  lineal  descendant  on 
the  paternal  side  of  a  family  who  left 
Hingham,  Massachusetts,  in  the  middle 


52 


g.  c.^ 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


of  the  eighteenth  century  to  live  in  West- 
ern Massachusetts  for  several  genera- 
tions, generally  followed  the  occupation 
of  farming. 

Eugene  C.  Gardner  spent  his  early  life 
in  Ashfield  assisting  with  the  work  of  the 
home  farm  and  attending  the  district 
school  and  Ashfield  and  Conway  acade- 
mies. He  learned  the  trade  of  mason  and 
for  a  time  worked  as  a  journeyman 
mason  in  New  Ipswich,  New  Hampshire, 
then  went  to  Florence,  whither  his  par- 
ents had  removed.  The  family  were  Uni- 
versalists  in  their  religious  associations, 
and  upon  their  removal  to  Florence  they 
became  connected  with  the  Free  Reli- 
gious Society  of  that  place,  which  was 
then  ministered  to  by  famous  speakers 
from  all  around  the  country.  Abolition- 
ism found  its  home  there,  and  in  that 
atmosphere  Mr.  Gardner  grew  up  and  his 
character  was  developed.  After  his  mar- 
riage, in  1858,  he  and  his  wife  went  West 
and  the  following  four  years  he  served  as 
principal  of  the  Tallmadge  Academy  at 
Akron,  Ohio.  He  then  returned  to  Flor- 
ence, but  in  the  following  year,  1863, 
opened  an  office  in  Northampton,  Massa- 
chusetts, as  a  surveyor  and  architect,  and 
so  continued  until  1868,  when  he  removed 
to  Springfield,  same  State,  and  entered 
into  partnership  with  Jason  Perkins. 
Five  years  later  this  connection  was  dis- 
solved and  Mr.  Gardner  continued  in  the 
same  line  of  business  on  his  own  account. 
In  1888  he  admitted  his  son,  George  C. 
Gardner,  and  George  R.  Pyne  into  part- 
nership, and  Mr.  Pyne  remained  a  mem- 
ber of  the  firm  until  1901,  and  from  that 
time  until  the  death  of  the  senior  mem- 
ber, February  7,  1915,  the  father  and  son 
conducted  the  business  under  the  name 
of  E.  C.  &  G.  C.  Gardner.  During  the 
earlier  years  of  the  business  before  the 
latter  partnership  was  formed,  Mr.  Gard- 
ner designed  many  buildings,  largely 
houses  and  what   was  then   the   largest 


mill  in  the  country  in  ground  space  of  the 
Willimantic  Knitting  Company  at  Willi- 
mantic,  Connecticut,  and  by  1887  he  had 
made  plans  for  buildings  in  all  but  two 
of  the  States  and  Territories  of  the 
United  States.  The  important  buildings 
in  this  region  which  he  planned  during 
this  period  and  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death  include  the  Springfield  Hospital, 
the  Republican  Building,  the  Hotel 
Worthy,  the  Park  Congregational  Church 
in  West  Springfield,  the  J.  H.  Appleton, 
Homer  Foot  and  Joseph  H.  Wesson 
houses  in  Springfield,  the  James  A.  Rum- 
rill  house  in  New  London,  Connecticut, 
the  Morgan  Envelope  Building  on  Harri- 
son avenue  and  a  dozen  or  more  Spring- 
field school  buildings.  During  the  winter 
of  1886-87  he  opened  an  office  in  Atlanta, 
Georgia,  and  designed  the  Grady  Memo- 
rial Hospital  in  that  city.  After  a  year 
in  Europe  he  returned  to  Springfield,  and 
during  the  winters  of  1888-89  conducted 
an  office  in  Washington,  D.  C.  During 
this  period  he  also  made  plans  for  the 
Holyoke  Hospital,  hospitals  in  Glouces- 
ter and  South  Framingham,  the  Merrick 
mills  in  Holyoke,  the  William  Whiting 
house  in  Holyoke.  When  the  Boston  & 
Albany  railroad  was  building  a  series  of 
new  stone  stations,  Mr.  Gardner  made 
plans  for  a  number  of  them.  Some  of 
the  public  and  semi-public  building  of 
Springfield  designed  by  Mr.  Gardner 
and  his  son  since  they  entered  into  part- 
nership are  the  Science  Museum,  the 
Chestnut  Street  School,  the  New  Street 
Railway  building,  the  Technical  High 
School,  Faith  Church  and  the  Hitchcock 
building.  In  other  places  are  the  State 
Hospital  in  Westfield,  the  Westfield  Nor- 
mal School  dormitory,  the  Gilbert  Memo- 
rial Library  at  Gilbertville. 

Mr.  Gardner  was  a  member  of  the  Leg- 
islature from  the  Third  Hampden  Dis- 
trict of  1901  and  declined  to  be  a  candi- 
date for  a  second  term.     Mr.  Gardner's 


53 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


writings  for  "The  Republican"  have 
formed  a  great  part  of  his  service  to  the 
public.  He  was  the  first  of  architects  to 
really  advise  and  assist  people  in  building 
and  furnishing  and  then  taking  care  of 
their  own  houses.  The  ready  and  easy 
grace  and  wit  of  his  writing  combined 
with  the  actual  presentation  of  facts 
made  this  accessory  gospel  of  domesticity 
practical.  Besides  these,  Mr.  Gardner's 
letters  to  "The  Republican"  on  all  mat- 
ters of  public  concern  and  questions  of 
art  and  beauty  of  the  city  and  country ; 
his  pleasant  essays  of  nature,  and  not 
infrequently  ventures  into  rhythmical 
and  poetical  thought,  have  shown  the 
versatility  and  brightness  of  mind  which 
always  found  a  receptive  audience.  He 
was  the  author  of  "Homes  and  How 
to  Make  Them,,"  "Illustrated  Homes," 
"Home  Interiors,"  "House  That  Jill 
Built,"  "Town  and  Country  School 
Houses,"  and  "Common  Sense  in  Church 
Building."  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Boston  Society  of  Architects  and  the 
American  Institute  of  Architects. 

The  sojourn  in  his  home  of  three  of  the 
boys  placed  by  the  Chinese  government 
in  American  homes  more  than  forty  years 
ago  to  be  educated  in  our  schools  and  our 
ways  and  ideas  was  an  extremely  inter- 
esting experience  to  Mr.  Gardner  and 
his  wife,  who  became  the  good  friends 
and  wise  guides  of  these  high-bred 
youths,  and  were  remembered,  and  are 
to  this  day  remembered,  by  them  and 
their  families.  All  three  became  notable 
men  in  their  own  country.  Tong  Shao  Yi 
was  acting  viceroy  of  Pechili  province 
under  Yuan  Shi  Kai,  when  the  Boxer 
rebellion  broke  out ;  he  was  subsequently 
appointed  envoy  to  Tibet,  and  before  he 
had  assumed  his  duties  was  appointed 
ambassador  to  Great  Britain,  but  prefer- 
red to  go  to  Tibet.  He  is  now  Minister 
of  Foreign  Affairs,  under  China's  new 
Republic.    Liang  Yu  Ho  began  his  serv- 


ice to  his  government  as  vice-consul  in 
Korea,  became  consul,  practically  gov- 
ernor, of  Mukden,  in  Manchuria,  and 
afterward  head  of  the  Chinese  railroad 
system.  Wong  Yu  Chiang  became  a 
prosperous  merchant.  These  Chinese 
gentlemen  showed  their  estimate  of  the 
valuable  influences  of  the  Gardner  home 
by  sending  four  boys  of  the  second  gen- 
eration who  became  in  1905  members  of 
the  Gardner  household  and  remained  for 
several  years,  later  attending  college  in 
this  country.  These  men  have  now 
returned  to  China  and  are  occupying 
prominent  official  and  business  positions. 
Still  more  recently  two  daughters  of  Tong 
Shao  Yi  boys  received  the  benefit  of  Mr. 
Gardner's  hospitality  in  the  same  way. 
Two  of  these  elder  pupils,  Tong  Shao  Yi 
and  Liang  Yu  Ho  visited  Mr.  Gardner  in 
the  course  of  travel  through  this  country. 
Mr.  Gardner  married,  September  7, 
1858,  Harriet  Bellows  Hubbard,  a  native 
of  Ashfield,  Massachusetts,  daughter  of 
John  Hubbard,  of  New  Ipswich,  New 
Hampshire. 


GORDON,  Lyman  Francis, 

A  Factor  in  the  Industrial  Life  of  Worcester. 

The  Gordon  clan  has  a  record  back  to 
the  time  of  Malcolm  III.  Burke  says: 
"George,  the  fifth  Duke  of  Gordon,  chief 
of  the  distinguished  clan  of  Gordon,  died 
May  28,  1636,  when  the  dukedom  became 
extinct  and  the  Marquisate  of  Huntley 
passed  to  his  kinsman  the  Earl  of  Aboyne. 
His  Grace's  sisters  and  co-heirs  were 
Charlotte,  Duchess-dowager  of  Rich- 
mond; Madelina,  married  (first)  Sir 
Robert  Sinclair,  bart.,  and  (second) 
Charles  Fyshe  Palmer  of  Luckley  Park. 
Susan,  duchess  of  Manchester;  Louisa, 
marchioness  of  Cornwallis ;  Georgianna, 
duchess-dowager  of  Bedford.  The  diver- 
gent branches  of  Gordon  of  Huntley  were 
the  Gordons  of  Abergeldie,  the  Gordons 


""} 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


of  Gight,  the  old  Gordons  of  Chinz,  from 
whom  John  Taylor  Gordon,  Esq.,  M.  D., 
the  Gordons,  Earls  of  Aboyne,  now  mar- 
quesses of  Huntley,  etc.  Arms:  (i) 
Quarterly,  azure  three  boars'  heads  erased 
gules ;  three  for  Gordon ;  (2)  or  three 
lions  heads  erased  gules  langues  azure  for 
Badenoch  ;  (3)  or  three  crescents  a  double 
tressure  gules  for  Seton ;  (4)  azure  three 
cinquefoils  argent  for  Frazer.  Crest:  In 
a  ducal  coronet  or  a  stag's  head  and  neck, 
affrontee  proper  attired  with  ten  tynes  of 
the  first.  Supporters :  Two  deerhounds 
(i.  e.  Greyhounds  argent  each  gorged 
with  collar  gules  charged  with  three 
buckles  or.  Motto  above  the  crest: 
Bydand.  Below  the  shield :  Ammo  non 
astutia.  The  most  ancient  of  the  eighty- 
five  coats-of-arms  borne  by  the  family  is 
described:  Azure  three  boars'  heads 
couped  or.  The  three  boars'  heads  appear 
in  most  of  the  Gordon  arms.  The  head 
of  the  clan  is  the  Marquis  of  Huntley  and 
one  of  his  ancestors  raised  the  first  regi- 
ment of  Gordon  Highlanders.  Gordon 
Castle  is  the  family  seat.  The  badge  of 
the  family  is  Ivy.  War  cry :  A  Gordon  ! 
A  Gordon ! 

(1)  Alexander  Gordon,  the  first  of  this 
family  in  America,  was  born  in  Scotland. 
Alexander  Gordon  fought  in  General 
Monk's  army  which  was  overcome  while 
fighting  for  King  Charles  at  the  battle 
of  Worcester.  He  was  one  of  Cromwell's 
prisoners  of  war  sent  to  this  country  in 
the  ship  "Liberty,"  Captain  John  Allen, 
who  at  the  time  was  a  leading  shipmaster 
out  of  Charlestown.  He  bought  land  at 
Concord,  Massachusetts,  and  began  to  cut 
timber  there.  He  emigrated  to  New 
Hampshire  in  1660,  landing  at  Ports- 
mouth, and  ascending  the  Pisctataqua 
and  Swamscott  rivers,  settled  on  Little 
river,  a  tributary  of  the  Swamscott  in  the 
township  of  Exeter.  He  married  a  daugh- 
ter of  Nicholas   Lysson,  a  townsman  of 


Exeter,  as  the  selectmen  of  that  day  were 
called.  Mr.  Gordon  died  in  1697,  his  wife 
Mary  surviving  him.  Children :  Eliza- 
beth, born  February  23,  1664,  died  March 
15,  1696-97,  married  Thomas  Emerson; 
Nicholas,  born  March  23,  1665-66,  died 
1748;  Mary,  born  May  22,  1668;  John, 
October  26,  1670,  married  Sarah  Allen; 
James,  July  22,  1673,  died  1717,  married 
Abiah  Redman;  Alexander,  December  1, 
1675,  died  1730,  married  Sarah  Sewell; 
Thomas,  mentioned  below;  Daniel,  mar- 
ried Margaret  Harriman. 

(II)  Thomas  Gordon,  son  of  Alexander 
Gordon,  was  born  in  Exeter,  New  Hamp- 
shire. He  was  a  soldier  in  Captain  John 
Oilman's  company  in  Queen  Anne's  War, 
1710.  He  married  (first)  November  22, 
1699,  Elizabeth  Harriman,  of  Haverhill, 
born  November  20,  1675,  died  1721.  His 
second  wife,  whose  name  is  now  un- 
known, was  the  mother  of  his  two  young- 
est children.  He  resided  in  Exeter  and 
gave  his  name  to  Gordon  Hill  in  the  west- 
ern part  of  the  town.  He  died,  accord- 
ing to  family  tradition,  in  1760,  aged 
eighty  years.  Children  by  first  wife: 
Timothy,  born  August  19,  1700,  died  Sep- 
tember 5,  1700;  Thomas,  August  24,  1701, 
died  August  27,  1772,  married  Mary 
Scribner  and  Deliverance  Eastman ; 
Diana  or  Dinah,  January  26,  1703,  mar- 
ried Benjamin  Magoon ;  Daniel,  Decem- 
ber 1,  1704;  Abigail,  May  28,  1707,  married 
John  Roberts;  Benoni,  1709,  died  Octo- 
ber, 1769,  married  Abigail  Smith;  Timo- 
thy, mentioned  below ;  James,  married 
Lydia  Leavitt ;  Hannah,  married  Jacob 
Smith.  Children  by  second  wife:  Na- 
thaniel, married  Elizabeth  Smith ;  Benja- 
min, married  Mary  Magoon. 

(III)  Timothy  Gordon,  son  of  Thomas 
Gordon,  was  born  in  Exeter,  New  Hamp- 
shire, March  22,  1716,  died  March  30, 
1796.  He  lived  in  Brentwood,  New 
Hampshire.      During   the    Revolution   he 


55 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


was  a  Loyalist,  but  took  no  active  part 
in  the  war.  He  was  blind  during  his  last 
years.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
church.  He  married  Maria  Stockbridge, 
daughter  of  Abraham  Stockbridge,  of 
Stratham,  New  Hampshire.  She  was 
born  July  21,  1725.  Children:  Abraham, 
married  Miriam  Bartlett ;  Mary,  born 
October  22,  1753;  Hannah,  December  4, 
1756;  Timothy,  mentioned  below;  Maria, 
married  Joseph  Sanborn ;  Elisha,  April 
11,  1763;  Anna,  married  Eli  Bunker; 
John,  born  January  11,  1766. 

(IV)  Timothy  (2)  Gordon,  son  of  Tim- 
othy (1)  Gordon,  was  born  at  Brentwood, 
New  Hampshire,  December  30,  1757,  died 
January  16,  1836.  He  is  buried  in  the 
cemetery  on  the  plains,  Newburyport. 
When  he  was  but  seventeen  years  old  he 
and  three  other  lads  of  the  sarae  neighbor- 
hood joined  General  John  Stark's  com- 
mand. At  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  he 
exchanged  with  a  dead  soldier  his  fowl- 
ing piece  for  a  Queen  Anne  musket.  He 
took  part  in  the  battles  of  Bennington, 
White  Plains,  Stillwater  and  Saratoga. 
He  was  in  later  life  a  pensioner  for  his 
service  in  the  Revolution.  He  married, 
January  23,  1782,  Lydia  Whitmore,  born 
October  10,  1763,  died  January  12,  1835, 
daughter  of  David  and  Lydia  (Giddinge) 
Whitmore,  granddaughter  of  Joseph  and 
Elizabeth  (Flagg)  Whitmore;  great- 
great-granddaughter  of  Joseph  Whit- 
more. Lydia  Giddinge  was  a  daughter  of 
Jacob  and  Lydia  (Bartlett)  Giddinge; 
granddaughter  of  Joshua  Giddinge,  a  son 
of  John  Giddinge,  born  1638,  died  1691,  of 
Ipswich.  Lydia  Bartlett  was  a  daughter 
of  Daniel  Bartlett  and  granddaughter  of 
Richard  Bartlett,  of  Newbury.  Elizabeth 
Flagg  was  a  daughter  of  Ebenezer  Flagg 
and  granddaughter  of  Gershom  Flagg,  a 
soldier  from  Woburn  in  1690,  killed  in 
action.  After  his  marriage,  Mr.  Gordon 
made  his  home  in  Newbury,  Massachu- 
setts.     Children    of    Timothy    Gordon: 


56 


William,  born  May  17,  1783;  Lydia,  De- 
cember 11,  1785;  John  Stockbridge,  De- 
cember 23,  1786;  Charles,  September  5, 
1788;  Nathaniel,  December  7,  1792; 
Timothy,  March  10,  1795  ;  Ebenezer,  men- 
tioned below ;  Harriet  Porter,  August  2, 
1804. 

(V)  Ebenezer  Gordon,  son  of  Timothy 
(2)  Gordon,  was  born  in  Newbury,  Belle- 
ville, Massachusetts,  February  28,  1797, 
and  died  December  29,  1855,  in  Madbury, 
formerly  part  of  Dover,  New  Hampshire. 
His  death  was  due  to  an  accidental  fall 
from  his  sleigh.  He  was  a  machinist  by 
trade.  For  a  few  years  he  followed  farm- 
ing in  Franklin  county,  Maine.  He  was 
an  Odd  Fellow  and  his  lodge  had  charge 
of  the  funeral.  He  married,  March  20, 
1827,  in  Dover,  New  Hampshire,  So- 
phronia  Anderson,  who  was  born  in  Free- 
port,  Maine,  February  28,  1807,  and  died 
May  7,  1888,  daughter  of  Joseph  and 
Elizabeth  (Pote)  Anderson,  granddaugh- 
ter of  James  and  Mary  (Dill)  Anderson, 
and  great-granddaughter  of  Jacob  Ander- 
son. The  Andersons  came  to  this  country 
from  Dungannon,  County  Tyrone,  Ire- 
land. Elizabeth  Pote  was  a  daughter  of 
William  and  Mary  (Washburn)  Pote, 
granddaughter  of  Gamaliel  Pote,  born  at 
Falmouth,  Maine,  in  1721,  died  1790,  and 
Miriam  (Irish)  Pote.  Gamaliel  Pote  was 
a  soldier  in  the  Louisburg  expedition. 
Mary  Dill  was  a  daughter  of  Enoch  and 
Ruth  (Parsons)  Dill,  granddaughter  of 
John  Dill.  Ruth  Parsons  was  a  daughter 
of  Elihu  Parsons.  Children  of  Ebenezer 
Gordon:  1.  George  Augustus,  born  July 
17,  1828,  at  Dover;  graduate  of  Dart- 
mouth College  in  1846;  assistant  civil 
engineer  in  the  Atlantic  Cotton  Mills  at 
Lawrence,  became  engineer  of  the  Lewis- 
ton  Water  Power  Company  at  Lewiston, 
Maine,  in  185 1,  editor  of  the  "Lawrence 
Sentinel,"  1855-57,  and  of  the  "Mercury," 
Charleston,  South  Carolina,  1857-60, 
agent    of    mines    in    Lumpkin    county, 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Georgia,  in  i860,  assistant  quartermaster 
of  the  State  of  Georgia  in  1864,  in  later 
years  a  genealogist  of  note,  recording 
secretary  of  the  New  England  Historic- 
Genealogical  Society,  1893-1910;  died 
May  31,  1912;  married,  October  16,  1857, 
Ann  F.  Gordon,  born  at  Mansfield,  Mas- 
sachusetts, April  20,  1832;  children: 
Agnes,  born  January  21,  1859;  Lysson, 
November  5,  1861 ;  Nathaniel  Batchelder, 
August  11,  1864;  Margaret;  Harry  Hunt- 
ly.  2.  Mary  Jane,  born  March  8,  1829. 
3.  Eben,  born  January  21,  1831.  4.  Lydia 
Maria,  born  November  11,  1833.  5. 
Albert  Anderson,  mentioned  below.  6. 
Ellen  Maria,  born  August  7,  1838.  7. 
Anna  Augusta,  born  November  24,  1842. 
8.  Hattie  Frances,  born  May  8,  1850. 

(VI)  Albert  Anderson  Gordon,  son  of 
Ebenezer  Gordon,  was  born  at  Farming- 
ton,  Maine,  January  30,  1836.  He  at- 
tended the  public  schools  at  Dover,  New 
Hampshire,  and  learned  the  trade  of  ma- 
chinist at  Lewiston,  Maine.  He  was 
employed  in  New  York  City  and  Mans- 
field, Connecticut,  before  coming  to  Wor- 
cester in  1859.  During  most  of  the  time 
since  then  he  has  been  connected  with 
the  Crompton  Loom  Works.  He  was 
foreman  and  superintendent  for  many 
years  and  is  still  active  in  the  present 
corporation,  the  Crompton-Knowles 
Loom  Works.  He  is  a  life  member  of 
Montacute  Lodge,  Free  Masons,  and  a 
member  of  Worcester  Chapter.Royal  Arch 
Masons,  Hiram  Council,  Royal  and  Select 
Masters,  and  of  the  Worcester  Soci- 
ety of  Antiquity  and  the  Worcester  Hor- 
ticultural Society.  He  married,  January 
6,  1 861,  at  Worcester,  Ann  Eliza  Bridges, 
born  March  17,  1840,  at  Leicester  (see 
Bridges  VII).  Children:  I.  Lyman 
Francis,  mentioned  below.  2.  Nancy 
Gertrude,  born  April  15,  1863,  graduate 
of  the  Classical  High  School,  Worcester, 
active  in  the  First  Baptist  Church, 
teacher  in  the  Sunday  school.    3.  Albert 


Anderson,  mentioned  below.  4.  George 
Crompton,  mentioned  below.  5.  Charles 
Sumner,  mentioned  below.  6.  Isabel 
Wyman,  born  January  4,  1878,  graduate 
of  the  Classical  High  School,  Worcester, 
and  of  the  Lucy  Wheelock  School,  Bos- 
ton ;  member  of  the  First  Baptist  Church 
and  teacher  in  the  kindergarten  of  the 
Sunday  school ;  member  of  the  Woman's 
Club;  secretary,  vice-regent  and  in  1912- 
14  regent  of  Colonel  Timothy  Bigelow 
Chapter,  Daughters  of  the  American 
Revolution. 

(VII)  Lyman  Francis  Gordon,  son  of 
Albert  Anderson  Gordon,  was  born  in 
Worcester,  November  14,  1861.  He  at- 
tended the  public  schools  of  his  native 
city  and  entered  Worcester  Academy  in 
the  fall  of  1875.  With  a  natural  gift  for 
mechanics  and  inherited  skill  he  turned 
naturally  to  a  technical  education  and 
became  a  student  in  the  Worcester  Poly- 
technic Institute,  from  which  he  gradu- 
ated in  the  mechanical  engineering  de- 
partment in  the  class  of  1881.  During 
the  following  year  he  was  employed  in 
the  engineering  department  of  the  United 
States  Central  Railway  in  California.  He 
then  entered  the  employ  of  F.  A.  Robbins 
&  Company,  San  Francisco,  manufac- 
turers of  presses  and  dies.  In  November, 
1883,  he  returned  to  Worcester  and  a 
month  later  formed  a  partnership  with 
H.  Winfield  Wyman  under  the  firm  name 
of  Wyman  &  Gordon  for  the  manufacture 
of  drop  forgings.  Mr.  Wyman  was  a 
friend  and  fellow  student  of  Mr.  Gordon 
and  the  partners  worked  with  the  utmost 
harmony  and  success.  Beginning  oper- 
ations with  a  dozen  hands  in  a  building 
at  the  corner  of  Bradley  and  Gold  streets, 
the  partners  laid  the  foundations  for  one 
of  the  great  industries  of  the  city.  Special- 
ties of  original  design  in  the  form  of  small 
tools  found  customers  among  the  builders 
of  textile  and  other  machinery  and  in  a 
small    way    among   the    railroads.     The 


57 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


loom  works  furnished  a  considerable  part 
of  the  work  for  the  plant  at  first.  The 
growth  of  the  bicycle  business  gave  new 
opportunities  for  the  firm  and  for  a  time 
rail  bonds  for  electric  roads  were  an 
important  specialty.  But  the  develop- 
ment of  the  automobile  caused  a  wonder- 
ful expansion  in  the  business.  The  part- 
ners early  realized  the  possibilities  of  the 
motor  car  and  provided  the  equipment 
necessary.  The  art  of  producing  such 
parts  as  crank  shafts  and  steering 
knuckles  was  developed  in  advance  of 
competitors  and  carried  to  a  high  degree 
of  efficiency.  Mr.  Gordon  gave  his  ability 
and  energy  both  to  manufacturing  and 
selling  the  output  of  the  firm.  The  plant 
was  increased  from  time  to  time  by  addi- 
tions to  the  original  building  and  another 
plant  established  in  Cleveland,  Ohio,  in 
the  heart  of  the  automobile  manufactur- 
ing industry.  After  the  death  of  Mr. 
Wyman  in  1905,  the  business  was  incor- 
porated. Mr.  Gordon  was  president  and 
treasurer;  Harry  G.  Stoddard,  vice- 
president  ;  and  George  F.  Fuller,  general 
manager.  In  1915  The  Wyman  &  Gordon 
Company  employed  more  than  500  skilled 
mechanics  and  the  plant  had  a  floor-space 
of  200,000  square  feet.  The  capital  was 
$300,000.  The  company  has  held  the 
foremost  place  in  its  special  line  of  manu- 
facturing drop  forgings  for  automobiles 
during  the  past  ten  years. 

Mr.  Gordon  was  also  a  director  of  the 
American  Thermos  Bottle  Company  of 
New  York,  the  Library  Bureau  of  New 
York,  the  Merchants  National  Bank  of 
Worcester,  and  member  of  the  Chambers 
of  Commerce  of  Worcester  and  Cleve- 
land, the  Union  Club  of  Cleveland,  the 
Worcester  Club,  the  Tatnuch  Country 
Club,  the  Worcester  Automobile  Club, 
and  the  Worcester  Country  Club.  He 
was  a  trustee  of  Worcester  Academy,  and 
an  active  member  of  the  First  Baptist 
Church  and  the  Young  Men's  Christian 


58 


Association.  He  was  a  thirty-second  de- 
gree Mason,  a  member  of  Morning  Star 
Lodge,  Free  and  Accepted  Masons ;  Wor- 
cester Chapter,  Royal  Arch  Masons; 
Hiram  Council,  Royal  and  Select 
Masters;  Worcester  County  Command- 
ery,  Knights  Templar;  Worcester  Lodge 
of  Perfection;  Goddard  Council,  Rose 
Croix;  Northern  Massachusetts  Con- 
sistory, and  Aletheia  Grotto.  He  was 
liberal  with  his  wealth  and  gave  gener- 
ously to  the  church,  to  charity  and  every 
project  calculated  to  make  Worcester 
better  and  happier. 

Mr.  Gordon  resided  for  many  years  on 
Germain  street.  During  the  past  ten 
years  he  had  a  summer  home  on  the  old 
Norcross  estate  at  Grafton.  At  the  time 
of  his  death  he  had  nearly  completed  a 
magnificent  residence  on  Salisbury  street, 
Worcester.  He  died  at  Grafton,  Decem- 
ber 20,  1914. 

An  editorial  in  the  "Worcester  Gazette" 
at  the  time  of  his  death  perhaps  best 
expresses  the  relations  of  Mr.  Gordon  to 
the  city: 

One  of  the  most  commanding  figures  in  Wor- 
cester's industrial  life  passes  from  its  activities 
by  the  death  of  Lyman  F.  Gordon.  He  was  a 
master  builder  among  master  builders.  His  ability 
was  recognized  by  all  his  associates.  It  was 
through  his  talents  and  untiring  devotion  that  the 
city  came  to  possess  an  industry  which  has  at- 
tained a  name  nation-wide  because  of  its  high- 
grade  products.  When  we  reflect  that  The  Wy- 
man &  Gordon  Co.  grew  from  the  humblest  of 
beginnings  and  consider  the  place  which  it  has 
won,  talent  seems  hardly  the  characterization  to 
give  Mr.  Gordon's  abilities.  There  was  genius  in 
his  business  methods.  They  were  a  blessing  to 
Worcester.  His  death  gives  a  sharper  poignancy 
to  those  who  knew  him  best;  for  Mr.  Gordon 
was  still  a  young  man,  but  fifty-three,  and  in  the 
natural  prospect,  his  years  of  usefulness  should 
still  have  been  many  and  of  greater  fruitfulness 
even  than  those  that  preceded.  Rare  business 
ability  was  not,  however,  Mr.  Gordon's  sole  char- 
acteristic. He  was,  indeed,  something  more  than 
the  man  of  business,  absorbed  in  its  details,  to  the 
shutting  out  of  the  larger  things  of  life.    He  was 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


the  citixen,  always  interested  in  the  things  that 
good  citizenship  signifies  in  its  larger  aspects.  He 
believed  in  and  worked  for  the  church  as  an  insti- 
tution which  advances  human  welfare.  The  char- 
itable side  of  his  nature  was  great  and  most  sym- 
pathetic but  never  displayed  to  win  the  multi- 
tude's applause.  It  was  rare,  indeed,  that  his  left 
hand  knew  the  good  which  his  right  had  wrought 
His  early  going  from  among  the  activities  of  men 
leaves  a  void  in  the  social  and  industrial  life  of 
Worcester  that  prompts  depressing  reflection. 
But  "God  fills  the  gaps  of  human  need."  If  the 
loss  which  Worcester  has  sustained  through  the 
death  of  Lyman  F.  Gordon  shall  be  made  good 
through  the  years  to  come,  it  will  be  because  of 
the  high  example  as  a  worker  and  a  citizen  which 
he  leaves  as  an  inspiration  to  us  all. 

Among  the  various  tributes  to  Mr. 
Gordon  from  the  organizations  to  which 
he  belonged,  none  expresses  more  fitly 
his  character  than  that  of  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association,  from  which 
we  quote : 

We  miss  his  kind  and  cheerful  presence.  His 
courtesy  and  helpfulness  toward  all  those  with 
whom  he  came  in  contact  are  cherished  memories. 
His  calm  and  unruffled  spirit  was  a  potent  ex- 
ample. His  firm  grasp  of  essential  facts  and  his 
quick  and  accurate  judgment  have  been  a  most 
valued  guide  and  help.  His  true  Christian  char- 
acter, his  modesty  and  self-forgetfulness  have 
been  a  constant  inspiration.  His  work  in  this 
association  was  always  done  with  efficiency, 
promptness  and  great  joy.  His  hopes  and  plans 
for  the  future  were  high  and  broad.  The  Lord 
will  not  suffer  his  work  to  fail,  but  we  can  not 
but  feel  that  the  future  of  our  association  would 
have  been  more  perfectly  accomplished  had  he 
remained  longer  with  us.  In  his  personal  rela- 
tions with  his  fellow  workers  he  was  always  the 
Christian  gentleman.  In  civic  life  he  was  ever  a 
force  for  righteousness  and  clean  living.  In  busi- 
ness life  he  was  diligent,  resourceful,  successful. 
In  the  church,  he  was  faithful  to  his  high  calling 
in  Christ  Jesus. 

The  journal  of  the  Worcester  Polytech- 
nic Institute  said : 

Mr.  Gordon  was  very  much  interested  in  all  de- 
velopments of  the  Institute  and  was  for  two  years 
a  member  of  the  executive  committee  of  the 
Alumni  Association,  resigning  a  year  ago  in  order 


that  he  might  be  released  from  as  many  cares  as 
possible.  While  on  the  committee  he  always  took 
a  strong  positive  position  on  all  questions  that 
would  mean  the  greater  upbuilding  of  the  Insti- 
tute, and  was  especially  interested  in  Alumni  De- 
velopment work.  It  was  in  a  great  measure  due 
to  his  advice  while  a  member  of  the  committee 
that  the  purchase  of  the  two  pieces  of  Art  Mu- 
seum property,  adjoining  the  Institute  property 
along  Park  avenue  was  made  by  the  alumni,  thus 
making  it  possible  to  have  a  separate  baseball 
field  in  connection  with  the  development  for  phy- 
sical exercise  at  the  Institute.  He  was  also  one 
of  the  few  men  who  came  forward  at  the  last 
moment  and  increased  their  subscriptions  to  the 
alumni  movement  so  that  it  was  made  possible 
for  the  secretary  to  announce  at  the  June  Com- 
mencement in  1913  the  completion  of  the  $200,000 
pledging. 

He  married,  February  19,  1889,  Prue 
Louise  Cox,  daughter  of  Garland  Pineo 
and  Charlotte  Ann  (Borden)  Cox  (see 
Cox  VIII).  Children:  1.  Winfield,  born 
November  28,  1889;  attended  Bancroft 
School  (private),  Worcester,  Massachu- 
setts, Montclair  Academy,  Montclair, 
New  Jersey,  Bryant  &  Stratton  Com- 
mercial College,  graduated  class  of  1914; 
worked  in  chemical  laboratory  of 
Wyman  Gordon  for  one  year  at  Worces- 
ter; on  March  1,  1916,  went  to  Cleve- 
land, Ohio,  opening  the  insurance  firm  of 
Gordon  &  Vaile  in  the  New  England 
building  on  Euclid  avenue;  this  firm 
handles  life,  accident,  liability  and  com- 
pensation insurance ;  member  of  First 
Baptist  Church,  Worcester ;  member  of 
Cleveland  Chamber  of  Commerce.  2. 
Forrest,  born  February  5,  1893 ;  attended 
Miss  Fitch's  Kindergarten  at  Worcester, 
Bancroft  School  (private),  for  one  and  a 
half  years  was  a  pupil  of  University 
School  at  Cleveland,  Ohio;  he  is  a 
member  of  Worcester  Country  Club, 
member  of  First  Baptist  Church,  Wor- 
cester. 

(VII)  Albert  Anderson  Gordon,  Jr., 
son  of  Albert  Anderson  Gordon,  was  born 
at   Worcester,    February    16,    1865.      He 


59 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


attended  the  public  schools  of  Worcester 
and  graduated  from  the  high  school. 
After  graduating  from  the  Worcester 
Polytechnic  Institute  in  1886,  he  taught 
manual  training  for  three  years  in  St. 
Paul,  Minnesota.  He  then  returned  to 
Worcester  and  for  several  years  has  been 
superintendent  of  the  Crompton  & 
Knovvles  Loom  Works.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Economic  Club  of  Worcester  and 
of  the  American  Society  of  Mechanical 
Engineers.  He  is  a  thirty-second  degree 
Mason,  a  member  of  Morning  Star 
Lodge,  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  ;  Wor- 
cester Chapter,  Royal  Arch  Masons; 
Hiram  Council,  Royal  and  Select 
Masters ;  Worcester  County  Command- 
ery,  Knights  Templar;  Worcester  Lodge 
of  Perfection;  Goddard  Council,  Rose 
Croix ;  the  Northern  Massachusetts  Con- 
sistory, and  the  Aletheia  Grotto.  He 
married,  November  10,  1895,  Caroline 
Sweetser,  daughter  of  Samuel  Stillman. 
Children:  1.  Catherine  Sweetser,  born 
March  15,  1898.  2.  Albert  Anderson,  3d., 
born  January  25,  1901.  3.  Frances,  born 
January  29,  1904. 

(VII)  George  Crompton  Gordon,  son 
of  Albert  Anderson  Gordon,  was  born  at 
Worcester,  August  20,  1872.  He  received 
his  early  education  in  the  public  schools 
of  his  native  city  and  entered  Worcester 
Polytechnic  Institute,  from  which  he 
was  graduated  in  1895.  He  was  employed 
first  at  Lowell,  Massachusetts,  then  by 
the  American  Steel  &  Wire  Company,  in 
Worcester,  and  by  the  Charlton  Wire 
Company  at  Charlton.  He  was  afterward 
for  a  time  in  the  Carpenter  Steel  Com- 
pany at  Reading,  Pennsylvania,  and  later 
with  The  Wyman  &  Gordon  Company, 
Worcester.  He  is  now  vice-president  of 
the  Park  Drop  Forge  Company  of  Cleve- 
land, Ohio.  He  married,  January,  1912, 
Marion  Shriver  Ward. 

(VII)  Dr.    Charles    Sumner    Gordon, 


son  of  Albert  Anderson  Gordon,  was 
born  at  Worcester,  July  1,  1875.  He  re- 
ceived his  education  in  the  public  schools, 
Worcester  Academy,  class  of  1894,  and 
the  Harvard  Dental  School,  1897.  He 
practiced  his  profession  for  a  year  in 
Gloucester,  Massachusetts,  returning  in 
1900  to  Worcester,  where  he  has  since 
practiced.  His  offices  are  at  377  Main 
street.  He  is  a  member  of  Delta  Sigma 
Delta,  Worcester  Country  Club,  and  of 
the  executive  board  of  the  Worcester 
Academy  since  191 1.  He  married,  March, 
1903,  Emma  Jessie  Dyer,  daughter  of 
Edwin  J.  and  Emma  (Southern)  Dyer, 
of  Dorchester,  Massachusetts. 

(The  Bridges  Line). 

(I)  Edmund  Bridges,  the  immigrant 
ancestor,  was  born  in  England  in  1612. 
He  embarked  in  the  ship  "James"  from 
London  to  New  England  in  July,  1635. 
He  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade.  He  set- 
tled in  Lynn,  removed  to  Rowley,  later  to 
Ipswich  and  Topsfield.    He  died  January 

13,  1684.    He  married  (first)  Alice , 

and    (second)    Mary   ,   who    died 

October  24,  1691.  Children  by  first  wife: 
Edmund,  mentioned  below;  Mehitable, 
born  March  26,  1641 ;  Edward,  Faith, 
Elizabeth,  John,  Josiah,  Bethiah,  Mary. 

(II)  Edmund  (2)  Bridges,  son  of  Ed- 
mund (1)  Bridges,  was  born  about  1637. 
He  married,  January  11,  1659-60,  Sarah 
Towne.  Children :  Edmund,  born  Octo- 
ber 4,  1660;  Benjamin,  January  2,  1664- 
65;  Mary,  April  14,  1667;  Hannah,  June 
9,  1669;  Caleb,  mentioned  below. 

(III)  Caleb  Bridges,  son  of  Edmund 
(2)  Bridges,  was  born  June  3,  1677,  at 
Salem,  died  at  Farmingham.  He  married, 
November  26,  1700,  Sarah  Brewer.  Chil- 
dren: Bathsheba,  born  January  19,  1703, 
died  1734;  Hackaliah,  mentioned  below; 
Caleb,  August  24,  1708;  Martha,  March 
28,    1710;    Bethiah,    February    14,    1713; 


60 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Benjamin,  September  17,  1714;  Sarah, 
August  26,  1716;  David  and  Jonathan, 
March  19,  1720. 

(IV)  Hackaliah  Bridges,  son  of  Caleb 
Bridges,  was  born  May  30,  1705.  He 
married,  November  11,  1728,  Sarah 
Rugg,  daughter  of  Jonathan  Rugg.  Chil- 
dren: James,  born  June  2,  1729;  Hacka- 
liah, born  1739;  Benjamin,  mentioned  be- 
low ;  Sarah,  Nathan,  Jonathan. 

(V)  Benjamin  Bridges,  son  of  Hacka- 
liah Bridges,  was  born  April  27,  1740,  and 
died  January  26,  1814.  He  married,  Oc- 
tober 11,  1764,  Esther  Parker,  who  died 
February  18,  1819,  daughter  of  Timothy 
and  Keziah  Parker.  Children :  Timothy, 
born  October  8,  1765  ;  Sarah,  May  6,  1768 ; 
Nathan,  November  26,  1772;  Martin, 
mentioned  below. 

(VI)  Martin  Bridges,  son  of  Benjamin 
Bridges,  was  born  January  27,  1779,  and 
died  November  5,  1832.  He  married,  De- 
cember 2,  1801,  Urana  Bridges,  born 
April  4,  1780,  died  November  5,  1832, 
daughter  of  Hackaliah,  Jr.  and  Elizabeth 
(Underwood)  Bridges.  They  were 
cousins.  Her  father  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Revolution.  Children:  Hastings,  born 
October  7,  1802;  Emory,  January  11, 
1806;  Almira,  March  25,  1809;  Sumner, 
mentioned  below;  Timothy,  September, 
1823  or  1825. 

(VII)  Sumner  Bridges,  son  of  Martin 
Bridges,  was  born  at  Leicester,  January 
4,  1813,  and  died  at  Worcester,  November 
19,  1887.  He  married,  October  30,  1834, 
at  Leicester,  Nancy  Draper,  born  May  5, 
1813,  died  August  10,  1854,  daughter  of 
Zenas  and  Jemima  (Allen)  Draper, 
granddaughter  of  John  and  Rebecca 
(Muzzy)  Draper,  great-granddaughter  of 
James  and  Mehitable  (Whiting)  Draper. 
James  Draper  was  the  fifth  of  the  same 
name  in  direct  line  from  the  Puritan 
founder  of  the  family.  Children  of  Sum- 
ner Bridges:     Lyman,  born  January  15, 


1836;  Francis,  April  7,  1838;  Ann  Eliza, 
March  17,  1840,  married  Albert  Ander- 
son Gordon  (see  Gordon  VI). 

(The  Cox  Line). 

(I)  The  first  of  this  family  in  America 
was  William  Cox,  a  native  of  England, 
who  settled  in  that  part  of  Maine  called 
Pemaquid,  and  was  the  ancestor  of  a 
numerous  family,  many  members  of 
which  settled  in  various  parts  of  Maine. 
After  residing  many  years  on  the  eastern 
shore  of  the  Kennebec,  he  was  driven 
away  in  1677  by  Indian  depredations,  and 
resided  a  long  time  in  Salem,  where  he 
died  about  1720.  There  he  married  for  his 
second  wife  Hannah,  daughter  of  Andrew 
and  Mary  Woodbury,  of  Salem,  born  May 
1,  1664.  According  to  tradition  he  came 
from  Bristol,  England,  where  the  family 
flourished,  and  which  town  gave  its  name 
to  Bristol,  Maine.  He  was  in  Pemaquid 
as  early  as  1625.  He  had  three  sons, 
William,  John  and  Thomas,  the  latter  of 
whom  took  the  oath  of  freedom  at  Pema- 
quid, July  27,  1674,  and  was  a  man  of 
some  quality  among  his  townsmen.  He 
removed  to  Boston. 

(II)  John  Cox,  son  of  William  Cox,  was 
born  about  1658,  died  November  25,  1742, 
buried  at  Dorchester,  Massachusetts,  tl 
made  an  important  deposition  at  Boston, 
September  18,  1736,  in  which  he  gave  his 
age  as  seventy-eight  years,  making  the 
date  of  his  birth  1658.  He  stated  that  he 
lived  on  the  east  side  of  the  Kennebec, 
then  called  Pemaquid,  from  whence  the 
settlers  were  driven  by  Indians  in  King 
Philip's  War,  1676.  Early  in  life  he 
adopted  the  calling  of  fisherman  and 
finally  settled  at  Dorchester,  Massachu- 
setts, and  had  land  there  November  23, 
1742.  He  was  assigned  to  seat  No.  7  in 
the  first  meeting  house  in  Dorchester, 
May  10,  1698.  On  April  4,  1721,  he  bought 
land  at  Dorchester  of  the  selectmen,  on 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Squantum  Neck,  bounded  on  the  south 
and  east  by  the  sea  and  on  the  north  by 
the  land  of  Widow  Pope  and  in  this  deed 
his  occupation  was  stated  as  fisherman. 
He  was  called  "shoreman  and  fisherman" 
in  a  deed  dated  May  5,  1736,  conveying 
the  same  property.  He  married  Susanna, 
daughter  of  John  and  Margaret  Pope. 
She  owned  the  covenant  and  was  baptized 
at  Dorchester,  May  29,  1692.  Their  first 
five  children  were  baptized  March  5,  1693, 
and  the  other  children  afterward,  at  Dor- 
chester, the  First  Church:  Margaret, 
Mary,  Sarah,  John,  mentioned  below ; 
Thankful;  William,  born  May  22,  1694; 
James,  baptized  April  18,  1696;  Ebenezer, 
May  10,  1696;  Elizabeth,  born  August  27, 
1697;  Thomas,  baptized  May  9,  1698; 
Susanna,  November  29,  1698,  married 
Enoch  Wiswall;  Joseph,  August  4,  1700; 
Submit,  March  28,  1703,  married  Thomas 
Maudsley,  Jr. ;  Benjamin,  April  1,  1706. 

(Ill)  John  (2)  Cox,  eldest  son  of  John 
(1)  and  Susanna  (Pope)  Cox,  was  born 
about  1690,  and  was  baptized  at  Dor- 
chester, March  5,  1693.  He  and  his  wife 
owned  the  covenant,  August  9,  1713. 
They  lived  at  Dorchester  until  1729, 
when  they  removed  to  Falmouth,  now 
Portland,  Maine,  and  he  was  received  into 
citizenship  in  the  place  of  Thomas  Cox, 
perhaps  his  uncle,  deceased.  John  Cox 
received  several  grants  of  land  in  the 
town,  some  of  which  included  what  is 
now  the  corner  of  Middle  and  Pearl 
streets,  Portland,  Maine.  Portions  of  this 
property  remained  in  the  possession  of 
John  Cox's  descendants  until  a  very  re- 
cent date.  He  was  in  the  fishing  business' 
and  while  on  a  trip  to  Pemaquid  Falls, 
near  his  ancestral  home,  lost  his  life  in  a 
conflict  with  the  Indians,  May  22,  1747. 
A  single  sentence  from  Drake's  narrative 
of  the  incident  shows  the  character  of 
Captain  Cox :  "All  retreated  except  Cap- 
tain John  Cox,  who  stood  his  ground  and 
was  killed."    Captain  Joseph  Cox,  a  resi- 


dent of  Falmouth,  was  also  killed  in  the 
same  fight.  John  Cox  married,  December 
11,  1712,  Tabitha  Davenport,  born  May  3, 
1688,  daughter  of  Ebenezer  Davenport. 
Children:  James,  born  September  11, 
1713,  died  February  25,  1718;  Josiah,  June 
28,  1715;  Tabitha,  February  14,  1718, 
married  Joshua  Moody ;  John,  mentioned 
below;  Dorcas,  June  17,  1721,  married 
Enoch  Wood;  James,  June  17,  1723; 
married  Catharine  Grant;  Esther,  bap- 
tized January  9,  1726;  Mercy  or  Martha, 
November  9,  1729;  Thankful,  born  1731, 
married  Samuel  Hodgins. 

(IV)  John  (3)  Cox,  third  son  of  John 
(2)  and  Tabitha  (Davenport)  Cox,  was 
born  August  3,  1719,  at  Dorchester,  and 
was  therefore  about  ten  years  old  when 
his  father  and  family  removed  to  Fal- 
mouth. He  was  loyal  to  the  king  and  the 
government,  but  he  waited  until  after  the 
Revolution  before  he  decided  to  abandon 
his  home.  He  settled  then  in  Cornwallis, 
Nova  Scotia,  where  many  descendants 
have  lived  since,  and  his  grant  of  land 
was  dated  in  1764.  He  died  in  Nova 
Scotia  about  1802,  aged  eighty-three.  He 
married  (first)  September,  1739,  Sarah 
Proctor,  by  whom  he  had  nine  children, 
through  whom  the  old  Cox  family  of 
Portland  is  descended.  He  married 
(second)  May  20,  1760,  in  Christ  Church, 
Boston,  Sarah  Bodkin.  Children  of  first 
wife :  Keziah,  married  William  Simonds 
and  Dan  Pineo;  Sarah,  married  Josiah 
Cox;  Dorcas,  married  Captain  Jonathan 
Paine;  Karenhappuch,  married  Peter 
Thomas ;  Martha,  married  Peter  Farrier 
and  Samuel  Butts ;  Mary,  married  Cap- 
tain Joseph  Means ;  Nancy,  married 
Samuel  Huston;  Josiah,  born  1756; 
Samuel.  Children  of  second  wife :  Eliza- 
beth, baptized  at  Christ  Church,  May  1, 
1763;  Susannah,  born  January  1,  1764; 
Thomas,  born  1765;  Julia,  born  May  9, 
1767,  died  unmarried;  Harry,  mentioned 
below;  John,  died  young;  John,  married 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Lucy  Harris;  Gerritt,  married  Lucy 
Comstock ;  Charles,  married  Olive  Ken- 
nedy ;  Samuel,  married  Anne  Bishop ; 
Betsey,  married  John  Hamilton. 

(V)  Captain  Harry  Cox,  son  of  John 
(3)  and  Sarah  (Bodkin)  Cox,  was  born 
at  Falmouth,  about  1768,  and  lived  in 
Nova  Scotia.     He  married,  December  19, 

1793,  at  Cornwallis,  Susannah  Eaton, 
born  June  24,  1769,  in  that  town,  daugh- 
ter of  David  and  Deborah  (White)  Eaton. 
Children :      Paulina,    born    October    23, 

1794,  married  Charles  Starr,  of  Illinois; 
Harry,  born  April  9,  1796,  lost  at  sea; 
George,  January  20,  1798;  Sarah,  March 
20,  1800;  Arthur,  April  4,  1802;  Susan- 
nah, March  17,  1804;  John  A.,  July  3, 
1806;  Judith,  September  30,  1808;  and 
Garland,  mentioned  below. 

(VI)  Garland  Cox,  youngest  child  of 
Captain  Harry  and  Susannah  (Eaton) 
Cox,  was  born  January  13,  1810,  in  Corn- 
wallis, where  he  made  his  home.  He 
married  (first)  Eliza  Keziah  Pineo  and 
(second)  Mrs.  James  Coffill.  Children  by 
first  wife:  Louisa,  married  John  W. 
Taylor,  of  Horton,  Nova  Scotia ;  Garland 
Pineo,  mentioned  below ;  Rev.  George 
Davenport,  Baptist  minister  at  Bear 
River,  Nova  Scotia,  married  Ada  David- 
son, of  Hansport,  Kings  county,  Nova 
Scotia,  whom  she  survived;  Rev.  Joseph 
H.,  married  Adelia  E.  Davidson,  of  Corn- 
wallis; Rev.  Obadiah  Erastus,  pastor  of 
Trinity  Baptist  Church,  Brooklyn,  New 
York,  married  (first)  Emily  Miller, 
(second)  Mary  Penney,  a  widow. 

(VII)  Garland  Pineo  Cox,  son  of 
Garland  and  Eliza  Keziah  (Pineo)  Cox, 
was  born  in  Kings  county,  Nova  Scotia, 
in  1838.  He  attended  the  grammar  school 
in  the  vicinity  of  his  home,  and  later 
learned  the  trades  of  carpenter  and  ship- 
builder, following  these  lines  in  Nova 
Scotia  and  Boston,  Massachusetts.  He 
was  employed  as  head  carpenter  at  the 
City  Hospital,   Boston,  for  eight  years, 


and  then  entered  the  employ  of  the  Allen 
Steamship  Company,  continuing  until 
he  was  accidentally  killed  on  March  20, 
1880,  by  falling  down  a  hatch  on  one  of 
the  vessels  of  that  line.  He  was  an  active 
worker  in  the  Harrison  Avenue  Baptist 
Church,  Boston,  and  was  a  member  of 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 
He  married  Charlotte  Ann  Borden, 
daughter  of  Wellington  and  Lavinia 
(Martin)  Borden  (see  Borden  VII). 
Children:  1.  Lila,  born  January  22,  i860; 
married  (first)  Samuel  Holt,  (second) 
James  Dahl,  (third)  John  McDowell;  by 
her  first  husband  she  had  three  children : 
Walter  E.,  Frank  E.,  and  Eva,  who  died 
in  infancy;  by  her  second  husband  she 
had  two  children:  Edward  and  Elsie; 
by  her  third  husband  she  had  a  daughter, 
Eunice.  2.  Prue  Louise,  mentioned  be- 
low. 3.  Fred  Starr,  born  March  17,  1864, 
at  Cornwallis,  Nova  Scotia;  a  carpenter 
and  builder;  now  living  at  Hyde  Park, 
Massachusetts ;  married  Mary  Elizabeth 
Stuyvesant,  children:  Fred  Starr,  Jr., 
Prue  Louise,  Ralph  Wilbur,  Annie  Eliza- 
beth, Ethel  G.,  Grace  E. 

(VIII)  Prue  Louise  Cox,  second  daugh- 
ter of  Garland  Pineo  and  Charlotte 
Ann  (Borden)  Cox,  was  born  in  Corn- 
wallis, Nova  Scotia,  and  became  the  wife 
of  Lyman  Francis  Gordon,  of  Worcester, 
Massachusetts  (see  Gordon  VII). 

(The   Borden   Line). 

Borden  is  an  ancient  English  surname. 
The  coat-of-arms  is  described :  Azure  a 
chevron  engrailed,  ermine,  two  bourdens 
or  pilgrims'  staves  proper  in  chief  and  a 
crosslet  in  base  or.  Crest :  A  lion  ramp- 
ant above  a  scroll  argent  on  its  sinister 
foot  holding  a  battle  axe  proper.  Motto : 
Palma  vcrtuti.  The  surname  is  taken  from 
the  place-name  Borden,  a  town  in  County 
Kent.  Various  explanations  of  the  origin 
of  the  name  itself  are  given.  There  were 
Bordens  or  Bourdons  in  the  army  of  the 


63 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Conqueror.  Simon  de  Borden  of  Borden 
Manor,  sometimes  called  Borden  Court  or 
Hall,  resided  there  in  the  reign  of  King 
John,  who  was  crowned  in  1199.  The 
family  became  distinguished  in  Kent,  and 
was  prominent  among  the  landed  gentry. 

(I)  Richard  Borden,  the  American  im- 
migrant, of  County  Kent,  England,  came 
to  America  in  the  ship  "Elizabeth  and 
Ann"  in  1635,  accompanied  by  his  wife 
Joan  and  two  children.  In  1636  he 
went  from  Boston  to  Portsmouth,  Rhode 
Island,  and  was  one  of  the  founders  of 
the  town.  He  was  admitted  a  freeman, 
March  14,  1641.  He  held  various  offices. 
He  was  assistant  treasurer,  1653-54; 
general  treasurer,  1654-55  ;  commissioner, 
1654-56-57,  and  deputy  to  the  General 
Court,  1667-70.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Society  of  Friends.  He  died  June  25, 
1671,  and  was  buried  in  the  Friends'  bury- 
ing ground  at  Portsmouth.  His  will  was 
dated  May  31,  1671.  His  wife  died  at 
Portsmouth,  July  16,  1688.  Children: 
Thomas,  born  in  England;  Francis,  born 
in  England ;  Mathew,  mentioned  below ; 
John,  born  September,  1640,  at  Ports- 
mouth ;  Joseph,  1643 1  Sarah,  1644 ;  Sam- 
uel, 1645  ;  Benjamin,  1649 ;  Amie,  1654. 

(II)  Mathew  Borden,  son  of  Richard 
Borden,  was  born  at  Portsmouth,  May 
16,  1638,  died  July  5,  1708.  It  is  recorded 
by  the  Friends  of  Newport  that  he  was 
the  first  child  born  of  English  parents  in 
Portsmouth.  He  held  various  town  offices, 
and  was  a  faithful  member  of  the  Society 
of  Friends  and  his  house  was  the  meet- 
ing place  for  many  years.  He  married, 
March  4,  1670,  Sarah  Clayton.  Of  his 
children  six  are  mentioned  in  his  will, 
dated  March  23,  1705.  He  died  while 
visiting  in  Boston,  and  was  buried  in  the 
burial  grounds  of  the  Friends  at  Lynn. 
His  widow  died  April  15,  1735,  aged 
eighty-two  years.  Children  born  at  Ports- 
mouth :  Richard,  mentioned  below  ;  Mary, 


September  20,  1674 ;  Mathew,  August  14, 
1675;  Joseph,  July  18,  1678;  Sarah,  De- 
cember 29,  1680;  Ann,  January  5,  1682; 
Thomas,  April  10,  1685 ;  Abraham,  March 
29,  1690 ;  John,  August  29,  1693. 

(III)  Richard  (2)  Borden,  son  of 
Mathew  Borden,  was  born  at  Portsmouth, 
October  25,  1671.  He  married  Innocent 
Wardell.  His  homestead  was  on  the  four- 
teen or  fifteen  great  lots  on  the  main  road, 
about  a  mile  from  the  east  shore  of  Mount 
Hope  Bay  and  two  miles  and  a  half  south 
of  the  City  Hall  in  Fall  River.  These  lots 
contained  two  hundred  acres  each  and 
extended  a  mile  from  the  shore.  He 
bought  lands  also  at  Tiverton,  Rhode 
Island.  In  1714  he  and  Joseph  Borden 
bought  of  Colonel  Benjamin  Church  and 
son  Constant  twenty-six  and  a  half  shares 
in  the  mill  lot  and  Fall  River  stream. 
Richard  Borden  became  sole  owner  after 
the  death  of  his  brother,  the  other  shares 
having  been  previously  secured.  The  Fall 
River  property  was  managed  largely  by 
his  sons,  Thomas  and  Joseph,  who  settled 
there.  He  bought  other  real  estate  at 
Fall  River,  and  when  he  died  he  was  one 
of  the  largest  owners  there.  His  prudence 
and  foresight  thus  established  the  for- 
tunes of  his  descendants  who  succeeded 
to  the  property.  He  deeded  to  his  sons 
half-interests  in  the  property  he  intended 
to  bequeath  to  them  and  confirmed  the 
deeds  in  his  will.  His  will,  dated  Febru- 
ary 12,  1731,  was  proved  July  18,  1732. 
Children:  Sarah,  born  July  31,  1694; 
John,  December  24,  1695 ;  Thomas,  De- 
cember 8,  1697;  Mary,  January  29,  1700; 
Joseph,  November  4,  1702;  Samuel,  men- 
tioned below;  Rebecca,  July  16,  1712. 

(IV)  Samuel  Borden,  son  of  Richard 
(2)  Borden,  was  born  October  25,  1705,  in 
Rhode  Island.  He  had  a  fair  education 
in  the  district  schools  and  acquired  a 
knowledge  of  surveying,  probably  of  his 
father.  Indeed,  it  seems  that  each  genera- 


64 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


tion  of  the  family  learned  the  art  of  sur- 
veying, in  turn,  as  a  part  of  their  youthful 
training.  He  was  appointed  by  Governor 
Shirley  to  survey  the  lands  and  give  loca- 
tions to  the  settlers  in  Nova  Scotia,  from 
which  the  French  had  been  expelled.  The 
Acadians  were  exiled  in  1755.  In  1760 
Samuel  Borden  went  to  Nova  Scotia,  but 
it  is  not  known  how  long  he  stayed.  His 
son  Perry  settled  on  land  granted  to  Sam- 
uel Borden.  He  returned  to  Fall  River 
and  followed  farming.  His  will  was  dated 
September  1,  1769,  proved  at  Tiverton, 
December  7,  1778.  He  married  Peace 
Mumford  in  Exeter,  Rhode  Island.  Chil- 
dren: Joseph,  born  October  14,  1736; 
Perry,  mentioned  below;  Benjamin,  1740; 
Ann,  March  8,  1743;  Abigail,  married 
Joseph  Durfee ;  Edward,  married  Eliza- 
beth Borden. 

(V)  Perry  Borden,  son  of  Samuel 
Borden,  was  born  at  Tiverton,  Rhode 
Island,  November  9,  1739.  He  was  edu- 
cated there.  He  also  learned  surveying. 
In  order  to  effect  the  resettlement  of 
Acadia,  from  which  the  neutral  French 
had  been  ruthlessly  banished,  Governor 
Shorley  offered  a  farm  to  every  settler 
and  during  the  winter  of  1759  a  company 
of  one  hundred  and  fifty  was  formed  in 
New  England  and  located  in  Nova  Scotia. 
Perry  went  to  assist  his  father  and  de- 
cided to  settle  there.  The  settlers  landed 
June  8,  1760,  at  what  is  still  called  the 
town  plot,  though  the  town  was  never 
built.  The  place  was  named  Cornwallis 
from  the  British  general  who  commanded 
troops  in  that  section.  Perry  Borden 
bought  from  time  to  time  and  became  the 
owner  of  much  valuable  land,  the  rise  in 
value  of  which  made  all  his  sons  independ- 
ent. He  married  (first)  September  6, 1761, 
Emma  Percy,  who  died  December  2, 1765. 
It  is  said  that  she  was  a  daughter  of  a  Brit- 
ish officer.  He  married  (second)  October 
22,  1767,  Mary  Ellis,  born  May  25,  1745, 
mass- Vol  in— 5  65 


died  in  1831.  Children:  Samuel, born  Sep- 
tember 1,  1762;  Joseph,  June  3,  1764; 
Lemuel,  September  26,  1768 ;  David,  Janu- 
ary 28,  1770;  Jonathan,  July  29,  1771 ; 
Perry,  February  17,  1773;  Joshua,  men- 
tioned below;  William,  January  13,  1777; 
Benjamin,  April  28,  1779;  Edward,  Au- 
gust 9,  1781  ;  Abraham,  January  18,  1787. 

(VI)  Joshua  Borden,  son  of  Perry 
Borden,  was  born  in  Nova  Scotia,  Decem- 
ber 3,  1774,  died  March  10,  1854.  He 
married,  in  1809,  Charlotte  Fuller,  born 
January  22,  1788,  died  March  31,  1872. 
Children,  born  at  Horton,  Nova  Scotia : 
Sophia  Charlotte,  born  October  23,  1809; 
Joshua  W.,  mentioned  below;  George  W., 
December  20,  1816;  Silas  Hiram,  Septem- 
ber 9,  1818;  Charlotte  Ann,  April  29,  1822, 
died  February  28,  1828. 

(VII)  Joshua  W.  Borden,  son  of 
Joshua  Borden,  was  born  at  Horton, 
Nova  Scotia,  October,  1813,  died  May  30, 
1891.  He  married,  at  Horton,  Lavinia 
Greenough,  February  17,  1837.  Children 
born  at  Horton :  Charlotte  Ann,  born 
May  25,  1838,  married,  November  17, 
1858,  Garland  Pineo  Cox  (see  Cox  VII)  ; 
William  Joshua,  April  30,  1840;  Matilda 
Amelia,  April  29,  1842 ;  George  Frederick, 
August  2,  1844;  Edward  Perry,  July  17, 
1846;  James  Martin,  November  18,  1848; 
Cassie  Burbidge,  December  29,  1850; 
Herbert  Huntington,  April  19,  1853; 
Caroline  Olive,  July  28,  1856;  Ella  Al- 
berta, January  19,  1858;  Arthur  Henniger, 
March  31,  1861. 


EDDY  Family. 

William  Eddye,  A.  M.,  was  vicar  of  the 
Church  of  St.  Dunstan,  of  the  town  of 
Cranbrook,  County  Kent,  England.  He 
was  a  native  of  Bristol,  and  received  his 
education  at  Trinity  College,  Cambridge, 
England.  He  was  vicar  from  1589  to 
1616,  died  November  23,  1616,  and  was 
buried  in  the  Cranbrook  churchyard.    He 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


left  the  financial  affairs  of  his  parish  in 
better  order  than  before,  and  collected 
and  arranged  the  loose  registers  dating 
back  from  1588  in  a  new  parchment  book, 
about  eighty  of  the  pages  beautifully  en- 
grossed and  illuminating  three  title  pages, 
one  for  births,  one  for  marriages  and  the 
third  for  deaths.  The  book  is  still  in 
existence  at  the  vicarage.  He  married 
(first)  November  20,  1587,  Mary  Foston, 
daughter  of  John  Foston,  who  died  Sep- 
tember, 1573.  She  died  July,  161 1,  leav- 
ing an  infant,  Nathaniel,  who  died  nine 
days  after  she  died.  He  married  (second) 
in  1614,  Elizabeth  Taylor,  widow.  Chil- 
dren of  first  marriage :  Mary,  born  Sep- 
tember, 1 591  ;  Phineas,  September,  1593; 
John,  March,  1597;  Ellen,  August,  1599; 
Abigail,  October,  1601 ;  Anna,  May,  1603 ; 
Elizabeth,  December,  1606 ;  Samuel,  men- 
tioned below;  Zachariah,  March,  1610; 
Nathaniel,  July,  161 1.  Child  of  second 
marriage:   Priscilla,  born  1614. 

(II)  Samuel  Eddy,  son  of  William  and 
Mary  (Foston)  Eddye,  was  born  May, 
1608,  and  died  1685.  On  August  10,  1630, 
with  his  brother  John  he  left  London, 
England,  in  the  ship  "Handmaid,"  Cap- 
tain John  Grant,  arriving  at  Plymouth, 
Massachusetts,  October  29,  1630,  settled 
there,  and  on  January  1,  1632,  was  made 
freeman.  On  November  7,  1637,  three 
acres  of  land  in  Plymouth  were  set  off  to 
him,  and  in  1641  six  acres  of  land  and 
thirty  acres  of  meadow  were  set  off  to 
him.  On  April  3,  1645,  he  sent  his  son 
John  to  live  with  Francis  Gould  until  he 
should  come  of  age.  His  wife  was  fined, 
October  7,  165 1,  for  wringing  out  clothes 
on  Sunday,  but  later  the  fine  was  re- 
mitted. She  was  summoned  before  court, 
May  1,  1660,  to  answer  for  traveling  on 
Sunday  from  Plymouth  to  Boston,  and 
declared  that  she  went  there  on  that  day 
because  of  the  illness  of  Mistress  Saffin. 
She  was  excused,  but  admonished.     On 


May  9,  1631,  Samuel  Eddy  purchased  a 
house  at  Spring  Hill,  at  the  end  of 
Main  street,  in  Plymouth,  of  Experience 
Mitchell,  and  sold  it  in  1645.  He  was  one 
of  the  original  purchasers  of  Middleboro, 
Massachusetts,  and  owned  much  land  in 
other  places.  In  1631  his  assessment  was 
half  that  of  Captain  Standish,  and  in  1633 
it  was  the  same.  His  wife  Elizabeth  died 
in  1689.  Children :  John,  born  December 
25>  J^37 ;  Zachariah,  mentioned  below ; 
Caleb,  1643;  Obadiah,  1645  !  Hanna,  June 
23,  1647,  died  young. 

(III)  Zachariah  Eddy,  second  son  of 
Samuel  and  Elizabeth  Eddy,  was  born  in 
1639,  an<i  died  September  4,  1718.  In 
1646  he  was  bound  out  to  John  Brown,  a 
shipwright  of  Rehoboth,  until  he  was 
twenty-one  years  old.  He  was  pro- 
pounded as  freeman,  June  16,  1661,  and 
on  June  7,  1665,  was  granted  twelve  acres 
of  land  between  his  land  and  the  Whet- 
stone Vineyard  Brook.  At  that  time  he 
was  living  in  Plymouth.  On  July  10, 
1667,  he  purchased  thirty  acres  of  land 
adjoining  the  land  on  which  he  lived,  as 
well  as  other  lands,  and  was  a  farmer. 
His  house  was  situated  on  the  twelve 
acres  granted  him,  near  what  was  the 
"Eddy  Furnace,"  in  1840.  He  moved  to 
Middleboro,  where  he  lived  for  a  time, 
and  then  settled  in  Swansea,  Massachu- 
setts. He  married  (first)  May  7,  1663, 
Alice  Padduck,  born  March  7,  1640,  died 
September  24,  1692.  He  married  (second) 
Widow  Abigail  Smith,  whose  daughter 
Bethiah  married  Caleb  Eddy,  son  of  Zach- 
ariah Eddy.  Children:  Zachariah,  born 
April  10,  1664;  John,  October  10,  1666; 
Elizabeth,  August  3,  1670;  Samuel,  June 
4,  1673;  Ebenezer,  February  5,  1675; 
Caleb,  September  21, 1678  ;  Joshua,  Febru- 
ary 21,  1680;  Obediah,  mentioned  below; 
Alice,  November  28,  1684. 

(IV)  Obediah  Eddy,  seventh  son  of 
Zachariah    and   Alice    (Padduck)    Eddy, 


66 


^/'jwiu-U  &dc/', 


y 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


was  born  September  2,  1683,  in  Plymouth, 
or  Middleboro,  and  lived  in  Swansea, 
Massachusetts,  where  he  was  undoubt- 
edly a  farmer.  He  married,  December  9, 
1709,  Abigail  Devotion.  Children:  Con- 
stant, born  September  7,  1710;  Ichabod, 
June  1,  1713;  Olive  or  Alice,  February  24, 
1715;  Mary,  November  10,  1716;  Abigail, 
October  14,  1721 ;  Hannah,  January  23, 
1723;  Job,  mentioned  below;  Azariah. 

(V)  Job  Eddy,  third  son  of  Obediah 
and  Abigail  (Devotion)  Eddy,  was  born 
July  23,  1726,  in  Swansea,  and  lived  in 
that  town  with  his  wife,  Patience  (Phil- 
lips) Eddy,  of  Middleboro.  Children: 
Ann;  Preserved,  born  July,  1748;  Hope- 
still,  December  17,  1749;  Patience,  Janu- 
ary 8,  1752;  Job,  December  23,  1753; 
James,  December  30,  1755 ;  Zachariah, 
April  29,  1758;  Elizabeth,  March  22,  1760; 
John,  May  28,  1763;  Richard,  September 
8,  1765  ;  Joshua,  mentioned  below. 

(VI)  Joshua  Eddy,  youngest  son  of 
Job  and  Patience  (Phillips)  Eddy,  was 
born  April  7,  1767,  in  Swansea,  lived  in 
that  town,  and  married  Isabel  Baker,  of 
Dighton,  Massachusetts.  Children:  Fran- 
cis, mentioned  below ;  James,  born  Sep- 
tember 22,  1798;  Wanton,  March  3,  1800, 
died  young;  Joshua,  August  28,  1802; 
Joseph,  February  13,  1804;  Ebenezer, 
September  4,  1805;  Jabez,  July  1,  1808; 
Mary  Ann,  May  3,  1810;  Stephen,  Octo- 
ber 10,  181 1 ;  Wanton,  September  26, 1813. 

(VII)  Francis  Eddy,  eldest  child  of 
Joshua  and  Isabel  (Baker)  Eddy,  was 
born  in  April,  1797,  in  Swansea,  and  died 
February  1,  1863,  at  his  home  on  Bank 
street,  in  Fall  River,  Massachusetts.  His 
body  was  laid  to  rest  in  Oak  Grove  Ceme- 
tery of  that  city.  He  was  a  butcher  in 
Fall  River,  where  he  spent  most  of  his 
active  life,  among  the  first  retail  meat 
dealers  in  the  city,  a  well  known  and  re- 
spected citizen.  He  married  in  Attleboro, 
Massachusetts,  July  8,  1827,  Betsey  Wil- 


marth,  born  July  21,  1799,  daughter  of 
Learned  and  Betsey  (Lane)  Wilmarth,  of 
that  town  (see  Wilmarth  V).  She  died 
in  Fall  River,  November  26,  1873,  an^ 
was  laid  to  rest  beside  her  husband  in 
Oak  Grove  Cemetery.  Children,  men- 
tioned below. 

1.  Francis  W.  Eddy,  born  October  30, 

1830,  died  in  Fall  River,  July  5,  1898.  He 
married  Sarah  J.  Gardner,  daughter  of 
John  and  Harriet  H.  (Davis)  Gardner, 
and  had  children:  Frank  Albert,  born 
October  20,  1852,  and  Elvira  N.,  March 
4,  1862.  She  married,  March  26,  1884, 
John  B.  Nichols,  of  Fall  River,  a  grand- 
son of  Galond  and  Huldah  (Martin) 
Nichols,  of  Rehoboth.  Their  eldest  son, 
Charles  B.  Nichols,  was  born  August  28, 

1831,  in  Rehoboth,  where  he  lived  with 
his  wife,  Sarah  H.  Their  eldest  child  was 
John  B.  Nichols,  born  December  1,  1859, 
in  Rehoboth,  where  he  lived  as  a  boy, 
attending  the  district  school,  and  work- 
ing on  his  father's  farm  until  eighteen 
years  of  age.  He  then  served  a  term  at 
the  plumbing  and  tinsmith  trade  with 
George  H.  Davol  &  Company,  of  Fall 
River.  In  June,  1893,  he  purchased  the 
business  of  C.  A.  Wyatt,  located  at  the 
corner  of  Third  and  Rodman  streets,  Fall 
River,  and  has  since  continued  success- 
fully as  a  dealer  in  stoves,  glass,  tin  and 
woodenware,  and  conducting  a  general 
plumbing  business.  He  has  made  a  spe- 
cialty of  installing  heating  apparatus,  and 
has  placed  plants  in  many  public  and  pri- 
vate buildings  in  the  city,  notably  those 
of  the  Episcopal  church  on  Rock  street, 
and  the  Emergency  Hospital.  Children: 
Sarah  Frank,  born  December  1,  1885; 
Nettie  Waite,  December  5,  1888;  Alton 
Eddy,  August  21,  1892;  Mildred  Baker, 
July  5,  1894;  Milton  Bailey,  July  24,  1897. 

2.  Caroline  Elizabeth  Eddy, born  June  10, 
1833,  married,  October  16,  1890,  Jerome 
Brown  Westgate,  who  was  born  Novem- 


67 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ber  9,  1823,  in  Swansea,  Massachusetts. 
He  was  a  mason  by  trade  and  well  known 
as  a  contractor  and  builder  of  Fall  River, 
where  he  died  April  24,  1902,  and  was 
buried  in  Oak  Grove  Cemetery.  He  was 
a  member  of  St.  Paul's  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  and  of  the  Masonic  and 
Odd  Fellows  fraternities,  being  identified 
with  the  latter  for  over  fifty  years,  and 
served  as  deputy  sheriff  of  Bristol  county. 
Mrs.  Westgate  was  for  many  years  en- 
gaged in  the  millinery  business  in  associa- 
tion with  her  sister,  and  after  the  latter's 
death  continued  the  business  with  Mrs. 
Ashley,  under  the  name  of  Eddy  &  Ash- 
ley. She  is  active  in  the  social  life  of  her 
home  city,  has  been  prominent  in  pro- 
moting the  cause  of  temperance  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Women's  Christian  Temper- 
ance Union  of  Fall  River.  She  is  also  an 
active  member  of  the  Unitarian  church  of 
Fall  River. 

3.  Chloe  Jeannette  Eddy,  born  June  4, 
1837,  established  in  1866  the  millinery 
business  at  Fall  River,  which  she  con- 
ducted until  her  death,  October  II,  1914. 
She  married  Andrew  Jackson  Wade,  of 
Fall  River. 

(The  Wilmarth  Line). 

Among  the  freemen  of  the  town  of 
Rehoboth,  Massachusetts,  in  1658,  were 
John  Willmarth  and  Sergeant  Thomas 
Willmarth.  Both  appear  in  the  contribu- 
tors to  the  expenses  of  King  Philip's  War, 
after  which  the  former  seems  to  drop  out 
of  the  records.  In  a  list  without  date, 
showing  grants  of  land  made  about  1643, 
appears  the  name  of  Thomas  Willmarth 
as  having  the  lot  originally  granted  to 
Isaac  Martin,  valued  at  fifty  pounds.  In 
a  drawing  made  June  22,  1658,  Thomas 
Willmarth  received  lot  No.  13  in  the 
meadows  on  the  north  side  of  the  town. 
He  was  a  grantee  of  land  in  the  north 
purchase  allotted  May  26,  1668.  He  gave 
six    pounds    twelve    shillings    and    three 


pence  to  the  support  of  King  Philip's 
War  in  1676,  to  which  Thomas  Will- 
marth, Jr.,  was  also  a  contributor.  It  is 
probable  that  Jonathan  Willmarth  was  a 
son  of  Sergeant  Thomas  Willmarth,  but 
there  is  no  evidence  to  establish  the  rela- 
tion. 

(I)  The  first  record  of  Jonathan  Wil- 
marth appears  in  his  marriage,  December 
29,  1680,  in  Rehoboth,  to  Esther  Peck, 
born  January  7,  1658,  daughter  of  John 
Peck.  He  appears  in  the  list  of  those 
participating  in  the  Narragansett  expedi- 
tion, at  which  time  the  name  is  spelled 
for  the  first  time  Wilmarth.  It  was  previ- 
ously written  Wilmouth.  A  list  of  the 
inhabitants  and  proprietors  of  Rehoboth, 
made  February  7,  1689,  includes  the  name 
of  Jonathan  Willmarth,  also  Thomas 
Willmarth,  Jr.  Children  of  Jonathan  Wil- 
marth :  Esther,  born  November  28,  1681 ; 
Rebecca,  August  30,  1683 ;  Daniel,  De- 
cember 7,  1685;  Elizabeth,  April  3,  1688; 
Jonathan,  August  5,  1690;  Margaret,  Au- 
gust 31,  1692;  Stephen,  April  16,  1695; 
Thomas,  February  22,  1698;  Nathan, 
mentioned  below;  Nathaniel,  April  15, 
1706. 

(II)  Nathan  Wilmarth,  fifth  son  of 
Jonathan  and  Esther  (Peck)  Wilmarth, 
was  born  December  17, 1700,  in  Rehoboth, 
and  lived  in  that  town,  where  he  married, 
November  29,  1722,  Mary  Stacy,  probably 
a  daughter  of  Ensign  Henry  and  Rebecca 
Stacy.  Children:  Nathan,  mentioned  be- 
low; Esther,  born  December  31,  1724; 
Mary,  February  2,  1726;  Elkanah,  July 
22,  1727;  Ichabod,  November  7,  1731,  died 
same  month  ;  John,  May  10,  1733. 

(III)  Nathan  (2)  Wilmarth,  eldest 
child  of  Nathan  (1)  and  Mary  (Stacy) 
Wilmarth,  was  born  November  3,  1723, 
in  Rehoboth,  and  lived  in  Attleboro, 
Massachusetts.  There  he  married  (first) 
December  6,  1748,  Mary  Titus,  born  Feb- 
ruary 8,   1726,  in  Rehoboth,  daughter  of 


68 


Jpercnte  LS.    Jyeltc^cite 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Benjamin  and  Hepzibeth  (Hemenway) 
Titus.  He  married  (second)  August  19, 
1756,  in  Rehoboth,  Rebecca  Brown.  Chil- 
dren of  first  marriage :  Daniel,  mentioned 
below;  and  Benoni,  born  September  25, 
1/54- 

(IV)  Daniel  Wilmarth,  elder  son  of 
Nathan  (2)  and  Mary  (Titus)  Wilmarth, 
was  born  December  16,  1749,  in  Attle- 
boro,  and  served  through  several  enlist- 
ments as  a  Revolutionary  soldier.  He 
was  a  corporal  in  Captain  Moses  Will- 
marth's  (Ninth)  company,  Colonel  John 
Daggett's  (Fourth  Bristol  County)  regi- 
ment, which  marched  on  the  alarm  of 
April  19,  1775,  served  six  days.  He  was 
also  in  Captain  Alexander  Foster's  com- 
pany of  Colonel  Thomas  Carpenter's  regi- 
ment, from  July  27  to  August  12,  1778, 
seventeen  days,  in  an  expedition  to  Rhode 
Island.  He  served  in  Captain  Moses 
Willmarth's  company,  Colonel  Isaac 
Dean's  regiment,  which  marched  July  31, 
and  was  discharged  August  1,  1780,  ten 
days,  on  a  Rhode  Island  alarm.  No  rec- 
ord of  his  marriage  is  discovered,  but  the 
following  children  are  recorded  in  Attle- 
boro :  Learned,  mentioned  below  ;  Nathan, 
born  February  10,  1775  ;  Hannah,  Novem- 
ber 15,  1777;  Waitstill,  September  18, 
1779;  Cynthia,  December  22,  1781 ;  Dan, 
May  15,  1785;  Hipsa,  September  22,  1788; 
Mira,  July  30,  1790;  Benoni,  August  23, 
1793- 

(V)  Learned  Wilmarth,  eldest  child  of 
Daniel  Wilmarth,  was  born  February  10, 
1773,  in  Attleboro,  and  died  May  5,  1841. 
He  married,  in  Norton,  Massachusetts, 
April  9,  1795,  Betsey  Lane,  born  there 
June  6,  1755,  daughter  of  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Ephraim  (3)  and  Elizabeth 
(Copeland)  Lane,  of  that  town  (see  Lane 
VII).  Children:  Learned,  born  Septem- 
ber 8,  1797;  Betsey,  mentioned  below; 
Beeby,  July  5,  1801 ;  Calvin,  March  14, 
1804;  Clement,  January  26,  1806;  Polly, 
February   17,    1808;   Ephraim,   April   27, 


1810;  Dan  and  Hannah  (twins),  April  13, 
1812;  Chloe  L.,  July  7,  1815;  C.  Ferdi- 
nand, March  13,  1818. 

(VI)  Betsey  Wilmarth,  eldest  daugh- 
ter of  Learned  and  Betsey  (Lane)  Wil- 
marth, was  born  July  21,  1799,  in  Attle- 
boro, and  was  married,  July  8,  1827,  to 
Francis  Eddy,  of  Fall  River,  Massachu- 
setts (see  Eddy  VII). 

(The  Lane  Line). 

(I)  William  Lane  probably  came  from 
the  western  part  of  England.  He  was  a 
resident  of  Dorchester,  Massachusetts,  as 
early  as  1635,  and  received  grants  of  land 
there  in  1637.  His  will,  proved  July  6, 
1654,  mentions  his  children,  but  no  wife. 
Children,  all  probably  born  in  England: 
Elizabeth,  Mary,  Avis  or  Avith,  George, 
mentioned  below;  Sarah,  Andrew. 

(II)  George  Lane,  son  of  William 
Lane,  was  an  early  settler  in  Hingham 
and  at  the  first  division  of  land,  Septem- 
ber 18,  1635,  was  granted  a  house  lot  of 
five  acres.  He  also  had  a  grant  of  ten 
acres  at  "Nutty  Hill,"  and  thirteen  shares 
in  the  common  lands.  He  was  a  shoe- 
maker and  resided  on  what  is  now  North, 
near  Beal  street.  He  was  a  selectman  in 
1669-78,  and  died  June  11,  1689.  His  will 
was  dated  October  16,  1688,  and  proved 
August  20,  1689.  He  married  Sarah 
Harris,  who  died  at  Hingham,  March  26, 
1695,  daughter  of  Walter  and  Mary 
(Frye)  Harris.  Her  father  came  to  Wey- 
mouth in  1632.  Children,  all  born  in 
Hingham:  Sarah,  March,  1638;  Hannah, 
February  24,  1639 ;  Josiah,  May  23,  1641  ; 
Susannah,  June  23,  1644  ;  John,  mentioned 
below;  Ebenezer,  August  25,  1650;  Mary, 
April  11,  1653;  Peter,  July  21,  1656. 

(III)  John  Lane,  second  son  of  George 
and  Sarah  (Harris)  Lane,  was  born  Janu- 
ary, 1648,  and  died  at  Norton,  Massachu- 
setts, November  23,  1712.  He  was  known 
in  Hingham  as  John  Lane,  the  shoe- 
maker, and  was  constable  there  in  1689. 


69 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


About  1694  he  removed  to  Norton,  and 
settled  near  the  boundary  between  Nor- 
ton and  Attleboro.  He  was  taxed  in  Attle- 
boro,  November  12,  1696,  one  pound  for 
paying  the  town's  debt  of  five  pounds  fif- 
teen shillings  and  one  pence,  and  was 
chosen  grand  juryman,  March  22,  1697. 
In  1710  he  was  rated  in  Norton  for  build- 
ing the  first  meeting  house,  and  was  on 
the  committee,  June  12,  1711,  to  secure 
incorporation  of  the  precinct  of  Norton. 
He  married  (first)  June  4,  1674,  Mehit- 
able,  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Jane  Ho- 
bart,  born  July  4,  1651,  died  February  15, 
1690.     He  married  (second)  about  1693, 

Sarah  ,  who  was  admitted  to  the 

church  at  Norton  in  1718,  and  died  No- 
vember, 1727.  Children  by  first  marriage : 
Samuel,  born  March  15,  1677;  Priscilla, 
March  5,  1680;  Mary,  April  3,  1682; 
Asaph,  July  21,  1685  >  child.  Children  by 
second  marriage :  Ephraim,  mentioned 
below;  John,  born  February  18,  1696; 
Sarah,  January  11,  1698;  Benjamin,  Feb- 
ruary 15,  1699;  Sarah,  June  22,  1701 ; 
Melatiah,  June  18,  1703;  Elizabeth,  July 
29,  1705 ;  Ebenezer,  April  6,  1707. 

(IV)  Ephraim  Lane,  son  of  John  and 
Sarah  Lane,  born  June  24,  1694,  in  Reho- 
both,  was  admitted  to  full  communion 
with  the  church  in  Norton  in  1715,  and 
was  tithingman  in  1719.  He  married, 
January  10,  1717,  Ruth  Shepperson,  who 
united  with  the  church  in  Norton  in  1718; 
she  was  a  daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth 
Shepperson,  of  Attleboro,  Massachusetts. 
Children :  Ephraim,  mentioned  below ; 
Elkanah,  born  April  1,  1719;  Ruth,  April 
13,  1721,  died  young;  Ruth,  January  n, 
1723;  Jonathan,  February  25,  1724;  Abi- 
gail, September  11,  1727;  Samuel,  Sep- 
tember 30,  1730. 

(V)  Ephraim  (2)  Lane,  eldest  child  of 
Ephraim  (1)  and  Ruth  (Shepperson) 
Lane,  was  born  September  30,  1717,  and 
died  in  1800,  aged  eighty-two  years.  He 
was  admitted  to  the  church  in  1734,  was 


made  tithingman  in  1745,  and  kept  a  pub- 
lic house  from  1754  to  1767.  He  married, 
September  21,  1738,  Mehitable  Stone,  who 
joined  the  church  in  1742.  Children: 
Ephraim,  mentioned  below ;  Nathaniel, 
born  June  15,  1743;  Isaac,  May  9,  1745; 
Mehitable,  June  3,  1747,  died  young; 
Anne,  July  21,  1752;  Mehitable,  January 
5.  1755 ;  Chloe,  February  4,  1757;  Polly, 
May  27,  1762. 

(VI)  Lieutenant-Colonel  Ephraim  (3) 
Lane,  eldest  child  of  Ephraim  (2)  and 
Mehitable  (Stone)  Lane,  was  born  July 
9,  1740,  and  died  in  April,  1826.  He  kept 
a  public  house  from  1768  to  1773.  He 
was  lieutenant-colonel  in  Colonel  Dag- 
gett's regiment,  called  out  by  the  Lex- 
ington Alarm,  April  19,  1775;  was  ap- 
pointed first  captain  of  Norton  artillery 
company,  October  31,  1776;  was  lieu- 
tenant-colonel of  Thomas  Carpenter's 
regiment,  Rhode  Island  service,  July  21 
to  September  9,  1778;  was  town  treasurer 
from  1787  to  1788;  selectman  from  1789 
to  1794.  He  married,  February  19,  1764, 
Elizabeth  Copeland,  of  Norton,  daughter 
of  Benjamin  and  Sarah  (Allen)  Cope- 
land;  she  died  January  12,  1818.  Chil- 
dren: William.,  born  April  7,  1765  ;  Elijah, 
April  16,  1767;  Isaac,  May  28,  1769;  Dan- 
iel, April  22,  1771 ;  Betsey,  mentioned  be- 
low; David,  August  15,  1777;  Allen,  Feb- 
ruary 16,  1780;  Calvin,  March  11,  1782; 
George,  July  26,  1786;  Sarah,  October  29, 
1789. 

(VII)  Betsey  Lane,  eldest  daughter  of 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Ephraim  (3)  and 
Elizabeth  (Copeland)  Lane,  was  born 
June  6,  1775,  and  married  Learned  Wil- 
marth,  of  Attleboro  (see  Wilmarth  V). 


BORDEN,  Charles  Frederick, 

Business  Man,  Active  in  Religions  Affairs. 

The  origin  and  history  of  this  name  and 
the  early  generations  of  the  family  are 
given  at  length  elsewhere  in  this  work. 


70 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Richard  Borden,  the  founder  of  the  family 
in  America,  was  the  father  of  John  Bor- 
den, whose  son,  Richard  (2)  Borden,  was 
the  father  of  Thomas  Borden.  Richard 
(3)  Borden,  son  of  Thomas  Borden,  lived 
in  what  is  now  Fall  River,  where  his  son, 
Thomas  (2)  Borden,  was  born  and  re- 
sided. 

(VII)  Joseph  Borden,  eldest  child  of 
Thomas  (2)  (q.  v.)  and  Mary  (Hathaway) 
Borden,  was  born  November  16,  1777,  in 
Fall  River,  where  he  spent  his  life,  and 
died  March  16,  1842.  He  married,  in  Fall 
River,  November  20,  1800,  Hannah  Bor- 
den, whose  parentage  has  not  been  dis- 
covered. Their  children  were:  Seth,  born 
January  26,  1802;  Bailey  H.,  August  12, 
1804;  Isaac,  October  5,  1806;  Ardelia, 
August  17,  1808;  Mary  R.,  June  17,  1810; 
Joseph,  mentioned  below. 

(VIII)  Joseph  (2)  Borden,  youngest 
child  of  Joseph  (1)  and  Hannah  (Bor- 
den) Borden,  was  born  September  26, 
1812,  in  Fall  River,  and  was  a  prominent 
and  useful  citizen  of  that  city.  For  sev- 
eral years  he  managed  the  city  farm; 
served  as  a  member  of  the  City  Council, 
and  to  the  affairs  of  the  Second  Baptist 
Society  no  member  was  more  attentive ; 
he  was  a  deacon  of  that  congregation. 
He  died  July  12,  1895.  He  married  Amy 
Hathaway,  born  April  30,  1814,  died  April 
4,  1893.  Children :  Mary  M.  D.,  born  Au- 
gust 31,  1835;  Stephen  B.,  September  3, 
1838;  Angenetta,  June  2,  1841 ;  Joseph 
F.,  August  4,  1843;  Hannah  G.,  February 
18,  1846;  Emma  C,  February  18,  1849; 
James  W.  M.,  January  16,  1851 ;  Charles 
Frederick,  mentioned  below ;  Seth  A., 
November  15,  1857,  living  in  Fall  River. 

(IX)  Charles  Frederick  Borden,  fourth 
son  of  Joseph  (2)  and  Amy  (Hathaway) 
Borden,  was  born  September  24,  1854,  in 
Fall  River,  and  died  January  12,  1905,  at 
his  residence  on  Lincoln  avenue  in  that 
city.  He  was  reared  among  refining  in- 
fluences, and  was  established  in  life  on 


solid  foundation.  His  attendance  at  the 
public  school  was  confined  to  the  gram- 
mar grades  and  the  high  school.  He 
early  set  out  as  a  wage  earner,  becoming 
a  bookkeeper  for  Davis  Brothers.  His 
evidenced  capacity,  his  excellent  manners 
and  industry  soon  attracted  the  attention 
of  Robert  K.  Remington,  who  offered  the 
boy  a  situation,  which  was  gratefully  ac- 
cepted. Young  Borden  sought  to  make 
himself  useful  to  his  employer,  and  gave 
close  and  faithful  attention  to  the  details 
of  his  office  work.  This  brought  steady 
promotion,  and  in  a  comparatively  short 
time  he  became  the  confidential  assistant 
of  his  employer.  Because  of  his  familiar- 
ity with  every  detail  of  the  business,  he 
was  often  left  in  charge  during  the 
absence  of  the  proprietor,  who  gave  much 
attention  to  philanthropical  work.  Follow- 
ing the  death  of  Mr.  Remington,  in  1886, 
Mr.  Borden  became  a  partner  of  his  son, 
Edward  B.  Remington,  the  firm  being 
known  as  Borden  &  Remington,  continu- 
ing the  busines  established  by  its  founder. 
They  conducted  a  very  large  trade  in  mill 
supplies,  and  every  year  found  the  busi- 
ness increased.  The  death  of  Mr.  Borden, 
early  in  his  fifty-first  year,  cut  short  a 
most  promising  business  career.  Like  his 
predecessor  and  benefactor,  he  was  deeply 
interested  in  religious  and  moral  work, 
and  was  among  the  most  active  members 
of  the  Central  Congregational  Society. 
In  1900  he  was  selected  for  president  of 
the  Fall  River  district  of  the.  Massachu- 
setts Sunday  School  Association,  and 
gave  active  service  in  this  capacity  for 
four  years,  until  failing  health  compelled 
his  resignation.  He  was  the  first  of  the 
district  executives  to  bring  about  the  em- 
ployment of  a  salaried  secretary  to  look 
after  the  details  of  district  work,  and  this 
placed  his  district  in  the  front  rank  of  the 
State  movement.  Mr.  Borden  was  a 
member  of  the  executive  committee  of 
the    Massachusetts    and    Rhode    Island 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Young  Men's  Christian  Association.  To 
him  belongs  the  credit  of  the  employment 
of  the  secretary  of  boys'  work,  a  depart- 
ment of  the  greatest  usefulness  to  the 
organization  in  the  cooperating  states. 
Through  his  earnest  effort  a  suitable  home 
for  the  association  at  Fall  River  was  pro- 
vided, a  large  portion  of  the  building  fund 
being  secured  through  his  influence  and 
personal  effort.  Mr.  Borden  served  the 
association  most  acceptably  as  a  director, 
and  his  ideas  pervaded  the  preparation 
and  application  of  plans  and  decorative 
ideas  in  the  construction  of  the  building. 
He  was  interested  in  various  industries, 
was  president  of  the  City  Coal  Company 
of  New  Bedford,  a  director  of  the  Fall 
River  National  Bank,  and  of  the  Colum- 
bia Life  Insurance  Company.  In  every 
relation  of  life  he  was  faithful,  competent, 
efficient  and  upright,  and  these  qualities 
brought  to  him  the  affection  and  esteem 
of  a  large  number  of  friends. 

Mr.  Borden  married  (first)  January  8, 
1880,  Annie  Lincoln  Remington,  daugh- 
ter of  Robert  K.  and  Elizabeth  Allen 
(Thatcher)  Remington.  She  died  July  2, 
1895.  Mr.  Borden  married  (second)  Feb- 
ruary 20,  1901,  Bertha  Frances  Vella, 
daughter  of  Joseph  Franklin  and  Emma 
Frances  (Soule)  Vella,  of  Lynn,  Massa- 
chusetts (see  Soule  VIII,  and  Vella  be- 
low). There  were  four  children  of  the 
first  marriage:  I.  Ida  Eastman,  who  mar- 
ried Charles  F.  Webb,  of  Worcester,  Mas- 
sachusetts ;  she  died  January  4,  1915,  the 
mother  of  children :  Annie  Elizabeth, 
George  Daland,  Charlotte  Gail,  Charles 
Frederick,  who  died  young,  and  Borden 
Gail  Webb.  2.  Robert  Remington,  treas- 
urer of  the  Borden  &  Remington  Com- 
pany, who  married,  April  12,  1909,  Helen 
Shove,  daughter  of  Charles  M.  Shove,  and 
has  three  children:  Margery,  born  De- 
cember 26,  1909;  Robert  R.,  Jr.,  July  7, 
1912;  Richard  Shove,  in  December,  1914. 
3.  Edward,  a  cloth  broker  in  Fall  River. 


4.  Charles  Frederick,  who  married,  April 
26,  1914,  Ethel  Cabot,  of  Milton,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  they  have  one  son,  Charles 
F.,  Jr.  Mrs.  Bertha  Frances  (Vella)  Bor- 
den survives  her  husband,  and  resides  at 
the  family  home  in  Fall  River.  She  is  a 
granddaughter  of  Nicholas  Vella,  born 
May  25, 1812,  in  Malta,  Italy.  He  came  to 
America  and  settled  in  East  Bridgewater, 
Massachusetts,  where  he  married,  Octo- 
ber 20,  1833,  Bethiah  Churchill,  born  May 
11,  1816,  in  Hingham,  died  June  18,  1854, 
daughter  of  Levi  and  Cynthia  (Packard) 
Churchill,  of  Hingham  (see  Churchill 
VII).  They  had  children:  Joseph  Frank- 
lin, mentioned  below ;  William  Wallace, 
born  March  19,  1837;  Volanca,  Novem- 
bers, 1840;  Henry  Washington,  May  10, 
1842;  Levi  Churchill,  July  10,  1845; 
Samuel,  November  17,  1847. 

Joseph  Franklin  Vella,  eldest  child  of 
Nicholas  and  Bethiah  (Churchill)  Vella, 
was  born  at  East  Bridgewater,  Massachu- 
setts, July  30,  1835.  He  was  educated  in 
the  public  school  of  his  native  place  and 
after  leaving  school  learned  the  business 
of  manufacturing  boots  and  shoes.  In 
1853  he  went  into  business  for  himself  in 
Lynn  and  continued  prosperously  in  this 
line  until  1871.  From  his  practical  ex- 
perience during  these  years  he  became 
convinced  of  the  need  and  advisability 
of  a  light  symmetrical  wooden  heel 
which  should  be  especially  adapted  for 
ladies'  boots.  As  a  result  of  this  convic- 
tion and  some  experiments,  in  1871  he 
began  the  manufacture  of  wooden  heels. 
These  heels  met  requirements  and  the 
business  venture  became  an  instant  suc- 
cess. The  Star  Heel  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany grew  from  this  beginning  and  was 
organized  with  the  latest  improvements 
and  appliances  necessary  for  business. 
The  heels  are  made  in  all  the  latest  styles, 
covered  with  kid,  ooze,  canvas,  satin,  silk 
or  velvet. 

Mr.  Vella  was  known  to  the  trade  and 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


among  his  friends  as  a  quiet  unostenta- 
tious man  deeply  interested  and  thor- 
oughly skilled  in  his  business,  his  reputa- 
tion being  of  the  highest.  From  young 
manhood  he  was  an  earnest,  faithful 
member  of  the  First  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  deeply  interested  in  its  projects 
and  progress,  and  sincerely  conscientious 
in  his  Christian  living.  For  several  years 
he  was  reelected  on  the  board  of  trustees 
and  being  devoted  to  the  interests  of 
young  men,  he  taught  a  large  class  of 
them  in  the  Sunday  school  during  the 
years  they  were  developing  and  becoming 
established  in  life.  He  married,  Novem- 
ber 19,  1856,  in  Lynn,  Emma  Frances 
Soule,  of  that  town,  born  June  4,  1838, 
daughter  of  Enoch  and  Lydia  (Munroe) 
Soule,  of  Lynn  (see  Soule  VII).  Chil- 
dren :  Bertha  Frances,  mentioned  below  ; 
Emma  Lillian,  born  September  30,  1863, 
died  August  5,  1864;  Joseph  F.,  Decem- 
ber 25,  1866,  died  January  25,  1867; 
Nellie  Mabel,  October  14,  1868;  Emma 
J.,  October  7,  1874,  married,  July  2,  1901, 
Leland  H.  Shaw,  and  they  reside  in 
Poughkeepsie,  New  York,  the  parents  of 
three  children :  Harvey  Vella,  born  Au- 
gust 13,  1904,  died  August  21,  1909; 
Emily  Porter,  born  September  19,  1908; 
and  Leland  Howard,  born  November  4, 
1910.  Mr.  Vella  was  a  devoted,  exem- 
plary  husband  and  father.  He  found  his 
chief  pleasure  in  promoting  the  happiness 
of  his  family.  After  a  five  years'  period 
of  semi-invalidism  from  paralysis  he  died 
July  12,  1899,  and  was  buried  in  the 
family  lot  in  Pine  Grove  Cemetery,  Lynn. 
Bertha  Frances  Vella,  eldest  child  of 
Joseph  Franklin  and  Emma  Frances 
(Soule)  Vella,  was  born  October  30.  1861, 
in  Lynn,  and  became  the  wife  of  Charles 
F.  Borden,  as  above  noted.  Mrs.  Borden 
has  been  long  very  active  in  Sunday 
school  work  in  Massachusetts.  The  fol- 
lowing article  by  Rev.  N.  T.  Whittaker, 
D.  D.,  in  "Representative  Women  of  New 


England,"  published  by  the  New  England 
Historical  Publishing  Company,  in  1904, 
gives  a  fair  review  of  her  noble  and  effici- 
ent work : 

After  graduating  with  honor  from  the  excellent 
public  schools  of  Lynn,  she  enjoyed  a  thorough 
training  for  the  work  of  a  teacher  in  the  State 
Normal  School  of  Salem,  where  she  displayed  such 
aptness  for  teaching  that,  although  the  youngest 
member  of  her  class,  she  was  chosen  by  her  in- 
structors to  teach  a  class  of  children  at  the  gradu- 
ation exercises.  Two  years  of  successful  teach- 
ing followed  in  historic,  classic  Concord,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  then,  to  the  great  regret  of  the  Con- 
cord School  Board,  she  yielded  to  a  call  to  return 
to  her  native  city,  and  later  became  the  honored 
principal  of  one  of  its  primary  schools,  where 
she  developed  remarkable  tact  in  controlling,  in- 
teresting, and  enthusing  the  children  under  her 
care.  In  1892,  yielding  to  the  unquestionable  call 
of  God,  she  resigned  her  position  as  principal, 
and  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  William  N.  Harts- 
horn, of  Boston,  one  of  the  best  American  Sun- 
day school  workers,  entered  the  ever-broadening 
field  of  Christian  service  as  primary  secretary  of 
the  Massachusetts  Interdenominational  Sunday 
School  Association,  the  first  woman  of  the  Union 
elected  as  a  State  primary  secretary.  In  this 
office  Miss  Vella  developed  great  abilities  as  a 
public  speaker,  beauty,  clearness  and  helpfulness 
as  a  writer,  and  genius  as  an  organizer.  In  her 
public  addresses  she  always  aroused  and  held  her 
audiences  and  stirred  them  to  profound  gratitude 
toward  God  for  His  love,  and  to  sincere  deter- 
mination to  utilize  to  the  best  of  their  abilities 
their  opportunities  to  teach  His  truths  to  their 
children.  Her  influence  over  children  seemed 
irresistable.  The  irrepressible  were  checked,  the 
listless  aroused,  all  became  absorbed  in  her  teach- 
ing. She  made  the  Bible  a  perfect  delight  to  the 
little  ones,  the  love  of  Christ  a  living  reality,  and 
the  desire  to  serve  Him  controlling. 

Miss  Vella  has  been  a  potent  factor  in  organiz- 
ing the  evangelical  Sunday  schools  of  Massachu- 
setts into  district  associations  that  hold  annual 
conventions  and  other  gatherings,  unifying,  har- 
monizing and  intensifying  all  the  vital  interests 
of  the  Sunday  schools  of  Massachusetts.  She 
also  organized  and  supervised  the  work  of  thirty- 
five  Primary  Teachers'  Unions,  conducted  regu- 
larly the  Boston  Primary  Teachers'  Union  and 
another  in  Lynn  every  Saturday,  and  on  Sunday 
superintended  her  own  Primary  Deparment  in  the 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


historic  Lynn  Common  M.  E.  For  twelve  years 
she  was  unanimously  reelected  Primary  Superin- 
tendent each  year  and  has  seen  her  department 
develop  into  Beginners'  Primary  and  Junior  De- 
partments with  a  membership  of  two  hundred  and 
forty-five. 

In  addition  to  her  work  in  Massachusetts  Miss 
Vella  has  given  great  impetus  to  the  Sunday 
school  cause  by  her  addresses  at  annual  State 
conventions  in  all  the  New  England  States,  in 
several  Central  States,  and  at  annual  Sunday 
School  conventions  in  the  provinces  of  Quebec, 
Ontario,  Nova  Scotia,  and  New  Brunswick;  at 
the  International  Conventions  held  at  St.  Louis  in 
1893,  at  Boston  in  1896,  at  Atlanta  in  1899,  and  at 
the  World's  Convention,  London,  England,  in 
1898.  At  St.  Louis  in  1893  Miss  Vella  was  elected 
Secretary  of  the  International  Primary  Teachers' 
Union.  She  held  this  office  three  years,  then  re- 
signed on  account  of  the  growth  of  Massachu- 
setts work  and  was  elected  Vice-President  of  the 
International  Union  for  three  years,  when  she  re- 
signed, in  1899. 

Miss  Vella  is  also  the  author  of  several  Sunday 
school  concert  services  and  of  two  children's  song 
books,  "Song  and  Study  for  God's  Little  Ones" 
and  "Bible  Study  Songs,"  which  are  justly  having 
a  wide  circulation. 

At  the  close  of  1900  Miss  Vella  resigned  her 
position  as  State  Primary  Secretary  of  Massachu- 
setts, and  soon  after  she  was  married  to  Mr. 
Charles  F.  Borden,  a  merchant  of  Fall  River. 
Mr.  Borden  is  a  member  of  the  State  Committee 
of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  and 
President  of  the  Fall  River  District  Sunday 
School  Association. 

Since  her  marriage  Mrs.  Borden  has 
lost  none  of  her  interest  in  the  forward 
movements  of  the  Sunday  school  cause. 
She  superintends  the  junior  department 
and  serves  as  chairman  of  the  instruc- 
tion committee  of  Central  Congregational 
Bible  School,  Fall  River.  She  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  district  executive  committee 
and  president  of  the  Elementary  Sunday 
School  Teachers'  Union  of  the  district. 
"While  we  recognize  the  value  of  all  God- 
appointed  agencies  for  the  redemption  of 
our  race,  we  sincerely  believe  that  in  the 
Sabbath  school  lie  the  grandest  possibili- 
ties, which  will  be  realized  only  when  all 
our  children  shall  be  taught  of  the  Lord." 


The  following  extracts  from  resolu- 
tions adopted  unanimously  by  the  execu- 
tive committee  of  the  Massachusetts  Sun- 
day School  Association  show  the  high  ap- 
preciation felt  for  Mrs.  Borden  and  her 
work: 

She  has  organized  the  primary  teachers  into 
associations  for  mutual  and  helpful  intercourse 
and  for  the  interchange  of  plans  and  purposes  in 
deparment  effort,  and  has,  by  her  lesson  studies, 
her  literary  work,  her  song  books— that  have 
effectively  touched  many  young  lives — and  her 
spirit  of  devotion  and  unselfishness,  and  her  ex- 
alted Christian  character,  lifted  the  Primary  De- 
partment to  a  higher  plane  of  active  and  useful 
living;  and  she  has  awakened  a  new  and  abiding 
interest  in  the  general  work  as  represented  by  the 
State  Association.  Her  influence  in  the  work  for 
the  children  has  not  been  confined  to  our  own 
State,  but  has  extended  far  beyond  our  borders, 
reaching  all  parts  of  our  country.  The  wealth  of 
her  resources,  her  ripe  experience,  and  her  sym- 
pathy have  been  freely  and  generously  distributed 
where  the  most  good  could  be  accomplished.  We 
extend  to  her  our  best  wishes  for  the  future,  and 
pray  that  God's  choicest  blessings  may  ever  attend 
her  and  her  work. 

Mrs.  Borden  is  a  member  of  the  Fall 
River  Woman's  Club,  the  Women's  Chris- 
tian Temperance  Union,  and  is  active  in 
promoting  the  interests  of  the  Young 
Men's  and  Young  Women's  Christian 
Associations  and  all  charitable  and  be- 
nevolent works. 

(The  Soule  Line). 

(I)  George  Soule  was  born  in  England, 
and  came  in  the  "Mayflower"  to  this 
country.  He  was  the  thirty-fifth  signer 
of  the  famous  compact,  and  was  entered 
on  the  passenger  list  as  an  apprentice  of 
Governor  Edward  Winslow.  As  early  as 
1623  he  was  granted  in  his  own  right  land 
at  Plymouth,  and  in  1633  was  admitted  a 
freeman  and  was  a  taxpayer.  He  was  a 
volunteer  for  the  Pequot  War  in  1637, 
and  had  various  grants  of  land  at  Powder 
Point.  In  1638  he  sold  his  Plymouth 
property  and  moved  to  Duxbury  in  Myles 


74 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Standish's  company,  being  a  founder 
there,  was  one  of  the  earliest  selectmen, 
and  often  served  in  that  and  other  offices. 
He  represented  the  town  in  the  Gen- 
eral Court  in  1642-45-46-50-51-54.  When 
Bridgewater  was  set  off  from  Duxbury 
he  was  one  of  the  original  proprietors,  but 
soon  afterward  sold  his  rights  and  sub- 
sequently became  one  of  the  earliest  pur- 
chasers of  Dartmouth  and  Middlebor- 
ough.  He  was  a  commissioner  of  court 
in  1640,  and  was  on  the  important  com- 
mittee for  the  revision  of  the  colony 
laws  with  Governors  Prince.  Winslow  and 
Constant  Southworth,  showing  that  he 
must  have  been  a  man  of  superior  intelli- 
gence and  education.  Winslow  mentions 
him  among  the  ablest  men  of  the  colony. 
He  married,  in  England,  Mary  Beckett, 
who  came  in  the  "Ann"  in  1621,  in  com- 
pany with  Barbara  Standish,  Patience  and 
Fear  Brewster.  Governor  Bradford  tells 
us  that  he  had  eight  children.  His  wife, 
Mary,  died  in  1677.  He  died  in  1680,  one 
of  the  last  of  the  Pilgrims  to  die.  His 
will  was  dated  August  11,  1677,  proved 
March  5,  1680.  Children:  Zachariah, 
Mary,  George,  Susanna,  John,  Nathaniel, 
Elizabeth,  Benjamin. 

(II)  John  Soule,  son  of  George  and 
Mary  (Beckett)  Soule,  was  born  about 
1632,  and  was  the  eldest  son,  according 
to  his  father's  will ;  he  died  in  1707,  aged 
seventy-five  years.  He  served  as  sur- 
veyor of  highways,  1672,  1694;  grand 
juryman,  1675-76-77-78-83-84;  arbitrator 
between  Marshfield  and  Duxbury,  and 
Plymouth  and  Duxbury,  1698,  involving 
land  disputes;  witness  to  the  Indian  deed 
of  Bridgewater,  December  23,  1686.  In 
1653  ne  was  involved  in  a  quarrel  with 
Kenelm  Winslow  "for  speakeing  falsly  of 
and  scandalicing  his  daughter  in  carying 
divers  fake  reports  betwixt  Josias  Stan- 
dish  and  her."  He  was  fined  ten  pounds 
and  costs  of  two  hundred  pounds,  June  8, 
1654.       He     married     Hester,     probably 


daughter  of  Philip  and  Hester  (Dews- 
bury)  De  la  Noye,  the  French  Protestant, 
who  joined  the  Pilgrims  in  Holland.  No 
other  person  of  her  name  was  born  in 
Duxbury  who  could  have  been  his  wife. 
She  was  born  in  1638,  died  September  12, 
1733.  Children :  John,  Sarah,  Joseph, 
Joshua,  Josiah,  Moses,  Rachel,  Benjamin, 
Rebecca. 

(III)  Moses  Soule,  son  of  John  Soule, 
lived  in  Duxbury,  near  Island  Creek,  in 
the  eastern  part  of  the  town.  Little  is 
known  of  him.  He  died  in  1751,  being 
well-to-do  for  the  times  and  owner  of 
much  land.  His  personal  property  was 
appraised  at  £736,  16s.  and  5d.  There  is 
no  record  of  his  wife.  Children :  Isaac, 
Cornelius,  Barnabas,  Ruth,  Ichabod, 
Elsie,  Gideon,  Deborah,  Jedediah. 

(IV)  Barnabas  Soule,  son  of  Moses 
Soule,  was  born  in  1705,  in  Duxbury,  and 
settled  about  1742  in  North  Yarmouth, 
Maine,  where  his  elder  brother,  Cornelius, 
and  his  younger  brother,  Jedediah,  also 
settled.  In  1745  he  purchased  the  home- 
stead of  the  former.  With  his  wife  he 
was  received  in  the  First  Church  of  North 
Yarmouth,  August  30,  1742,  by  public 
profession.  He  died  April  8,  1780,  and 
was  buried  in  the  old  graveyard,  over- 
looking the  town  of  North  Yarmouth  and 
Casco  Bay.  He  married,  in  1737,  Jane, 
daughter  of  Jacob  and  Elizabeth  (Stock- 
man) Bradbury,  of  Salisbury,  Massachu- 
setts, baptized  August  4,  1718,  a  great- 
granddaughter  of  Rev.  John  Wheelwright. 
Children:  Moses,  mentioned  below;  John, 
born  March  12,  1740;  Cornelius,  June  28, 
1743;  Sarah,  September  4,  1745;  Eliza- 
beth, October  28,  1747;  Mercy,  Novem- 
ber 27,  1749;  Samuel,  June  16, 1752;  Jane, 
September  27,  1755 ;  Barnabas,  March  25, 
1758. 

(V)  Moses  (2)  Soule,  eldest  child  of 
Barnabas  and  Jane  (Bradbury)  Soule, 
was  born  August  9,  1738,  and  resided  in 
Freeport,  Maine,  where  he  was  for  many 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


years  a  deacon  of  the  church.  He  mar- 
ried, July  24,  1760,  Nancy  Hewes,  born 
about  1736,  died  September  27,  1812. 
Children:  Mary,  married  David  Wilson; 
William,  mentioned  below;  John;  Moses, 
born  December  28,  1769;  Jane,  July  6, 
1772;  Charles. 

(VI)  William  Soule,  eldest  son  of 
Moses  (2)  and  Nancy  (Hewes)  Soule, 
was  born  July  17,  1764,  in  Freeport, 
where  he  made  his  home,  and  died  Octo- 
ber 6,  1826.  He  married,  in  1787,  Sarah, 
daughter  of  Ambrose  and  Elizabeth 
(Newhall)  Talbot,  of  Lynn,  Massachu- 
setts, born  December  10,  1769,  and  died 
April  11,  1856.  Children:  Bethiah,  born 
June  20,  1789,  died  1809 ;  Sarah,  January 
1,  1791 ;  William,  November  25,  1794; 
Elizabeth,  November  1,  1797;  Enoch, 
mentioned  below;  Micajah,  August  20, 
1802 ;  Joanna,  December  28, 1805  ;  Samuel, 
November  30,  1807;  Bethiah,  June  2, 1809. 

(VII)  Enoch  Soule,  second  son  of  Wil- 
liam and  Sarah  (Talbot)  Soule,  was  born 
May  10,  1800,  in  Freeport,  Maine,  and  re- 
sided in  Lynn,  Massachusetts,  where  he 
died.  He  married  in  Lynn,  November  20, 
1822,  Lydia  Munroe,  of  Lynn,  born  No- 
vember 12,  1806,  died  there  February  27, 
1851,  daughter  of  George  and  Martha 
(Richardson)  Munroe.  Children:  Julia 
Ann,  born  April  24,  1824,  married  George 
Churchill,  both  now  deceased ;  Adoniram 
Judson,  December  20, 1825,  now  deceased  ; 
Lydia  Lincoln,  December  22,  1828,  died 
February  19,  1843;  Adeline  Augusta,  June 
30,  1831,  now  deceased;  Eliza  Ellen, 
March  2,  1834,  died  April  15,  1843;  Emma 
Frances,  mentioned  below;  Lydia  Ellen, 
August  3,  1844,  unmarried,  now  living  in 
Lynn,  Massachusetts. 

(VIII)  Emma  Frances  Soule,  fifth 
daughter  of  Enoch  and  Lydia  (Munroe) 
Soule,  was  born  June  4,  1838,  in  Lynn, 
and  became  the  wife  of  Joseph  Franklin 
Vella,  of  that  town  (see  Borden  IX). 


(The  Churchill  Line). 

Like  a  majority  of  English  families  of 
renown  the  Churchills  trace  their  lineage 
to  a  follower  of  the  Norman  Conqueror, 
and  in  France  their  ancestral  line  goes 
to  a  much  remote  period.  During  the 
eleventh  century  Wandril  de  Leon,  a 
scion  of  a  noble  family  and  a  son  of  Giles 
de  Leon,  became  Lord  of  Coureil  (now 
Courcelles)  in  the  province  of  Lorraine. 
He  adopted  Corcil  as  his  family  name; 
married  Isabella  de  Tuya  and  had  two 
sons:  Roger  and  Rouland.  Roger  de 
Coureil  accompanied  William  Duke  of 
Normandy  to  England ;  participated  in 
the  conquest,  and  for  his  services  was 
granted  lands  in  Dorset,  Somerset,  Wilts 
and  Shropshire.  He  married  Gertrude, 
daughter  of  Sir  Guy  de  Toray,  and  had 
three  sons :  John,  Hugh  Fitz-Roger  and 
Roger  Fitz-Roger.  John  de  Coureil,  son 
of  Roger  and  Gertrude  (de  Toray)  de 
Coureil,  married  Jane  de  Kilrington,  and 
their  son,  Bartholomew,  was  knighted 
during  the  reign  of  King  Stephen  (1135- 
1154)  as  Sir  Bartholomew  de  Cherchile. 
William  Churchill,  the  seventh  in  line  of 
descent  from  Roger  de  Coureil,  of  France, 
was  the  first  to  adopt  this  form  of  spell- 
ing the  name.  These  gleanings  will  serve 
as  a  brief  summary  of  the  early  history  of 
the  Churchills  in  England. 

(I)  John  Churchill  belonged  to  one  of 
the  branches  of  the  family  constituting 
the  posterity  of  the  above  mentioned 
Roger,  but  his  immedate  ancestors  are  as 
yet  unknown  as  are  also  the  date  and 
place  of  his  birth.  According  to  a  list  of 
the  male  inhabitants  of  Plymouth,  Mas- 
sachusetts, between  the  ages  of  sixteen 
and  sixty  years,  made  in  1643,  he  was  then 
residing  there  but  there  is  no  record  of 
his  arrival.  He  purchased  a  farm  of  one 
Richard  Higgins  in  1645  >  was  admitted 
a  freeman  of  the  colony  in  165 1;  bought 
another  tract  of  land  in  1652  lying  in  that 


76 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


part  of  Plymouth  then  called  Willingly 
and  on  the  deed  of  conveyance  he  is 
styled  "Planter."  His  death  occurred  in 
Plymouth,  January  i,  1663.  On  Decem- 
ber 18,  1644,  he  married  Hannah  Pontus, 
who  was  born  in  either  Holland  or  Eng- 
land in  1623,  daughter  of  William  and 
Wybra  (Hanson)  Pontus,  who  arrived  in 
Plymouth  as  early  as  1633.  The  children 
of  John  and  Hannah  (Pontus)  Churchill 
were:  Joseph,  born  1647;  Hannah,  Octo- 
ber 12,  1649;  Eliezer,  April  20,  1652; 
Mary,  August  I,  1654;  William,  men- 
tioned below;  John,  1657. 

(II)  William  Churchill,  third  son  of 
John  and  Hannah  (Pontus)  Churchill, 
was  born  1656,  in  Plymouth,  and  died  in 
Plympton,  October  5,  1722.  He  inherited 
lands  in  Plympton,  then  Punkatussett,  a 
part  of  old  Plymouth,  and  was  among  the 
first  settlers  there.  He  and  his  wife  were 
members  of  the  Plymouth  church.  He 
married,  in  Plymouth,  January  17,  1683, 
Lydia  Bryant,  daughter  of  Stephen  and 
Abigail  (Shaw)  Bryant,  died  February  6, 
1736,  in  her  seventy-fourth  year.  Chil- 
dren, born  in  Plympton:  William,  men- 
tioned below;  Samuel,  April  15,  1688; 
James,  September  21,  1690;  Isaac,  Sep- 
tember 16,  1693 ;  Benjamin,  1695  ;  Lydia, 
April  16,  1699;  Josiah,  August  21,  1702; 
Mehitable. 

(III)  William  (2)  Churchill,  eldest 
child  of  William  (1)  and  Lydia  (Bryant) 
Churchill,  was  born  August  2,  1685,  in 
Plympton,  where  he  continued  to  reside 
at  the  place  called  "Rocky  Gutter,"  and 
died  February  3,  1760.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  church  with  his  wife,  and  was 
several  times  representative  from  the 
town  in  the  State  Legislature.  He  mar- 
ried, January  4,  1704,  Ruth  Bryant,  born 
1685,  daughter  of  John  Bryant,  died  April 
T7<  I757»  'n  Plympton.  Children:  Eben- 
ezer,  born  October  18,  1705 ;  Hannah, 
October  23,  1707;  David,  mentioned  be- 
low; Rebecca,  January  8,  1712;  William, 


December  15,  1714;  Ruth,  September  14, 
1715;  Nathaniel,  May  11,  1718;  Abigail, 
July  II,  1720;  Ichabod,  September  24, 
1722;  Sarah,  February  7,  1725;  Joanna, 
May  22,  1727. 

(IV)  David  Churchill,  second  son  of 
William  (2)  and  Ruth  (Bryant)  Churchill, 
was  born  November  4,  1709,  in  Plympton, 
where  he  resided,  built  a  residence  which 
is  still  standing,  and  died  September  27, 
1785.  He  married,  in  1728,  Mary  Magoon, 
who  died  April  18,  1785.  Children:  David, 
mentioned  below;  Hannah,  born  June  17, 
1733;  William,  November  20,  1739;  Elias, 
August  7,  1742;  James,  May  24,  1746. 

(V)  David  (2)  Churchill,  eldest  child 
of  David  (1)  and  Mary  (Magoon) 
Churchill,  was  born  August  9,  1729,  in 
Plympton,  where  he  lived  for  a  time,  and 
late  in  life  removed  to  Hingham,  Massa- 
chusetts, where  he  died  February  23, 1812. 
He  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution,  in 
Captain  Thomas  Loring's  company, 
which  marched  to  Marshfield  on  the  Lex- 
ington Alarm,  April  19,  1775.  He  mar- 
ried (first)  February  1,  1750,  Jane  Ellis, 
who  died  August  21,  1775,  probably  a 
daughter  of  of  Samuel  and  Mercy  Ellis. 
He  married  (second)  Lurania  McFar- 
land.  Children  of  first  marriage  :  Hannah, 
born  June  14,  1752;  Molly,  July  21,  1754; 
Jane,  August  30,  1756;  Elias,  January  26, 
1759;  Levi,  July  4,  1761,  died  1775  ;  Patte, 
March  12,  1764;  Sylvia,  February  21, 
1767;  David,  May  18,  1771.  Children  of 
second  marriage:  David,  June  11,  1778; 
Levi,  mentioned  below  ;  Thaddeus,  March 
18,  1782;  Jesse,  August  28,  1784;  Asaba, 
February  19,  1787;  Rufus,  October  10, 
1789;  Lydia,  married  Mott  King;  Otis, 
died  young. 

(VI)  Levi  Churchill,  fifth  son  of  David 
(2)  Churchill,  and  second  son  of  his  sec- 
ond wife,  Lurania  (McFarland)  Churchill, 
was  born  February  20,  1780,  in  Plympton, 
and  resided  in  Hingham,  where  he  died 
in   1843.     He  married   (first*)   September 


11 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


19, 1799,  Cynthia  Packard,  of  East  Bridge- 
water,  Massachusetts,  who  died  in  1832. 
He  married  (second)  October  20,  1833, 
Adeline  C.  Wright,  of  Plympton.  Chil- 
dren of  first  marriage:  Asaba,  born  Au- 
gust 9,  1801 ;  Levi,  March  5,  1803 ;  Lu- 
rania,  April  17,  1804;  Luther,  April,  1805; 
Abisha  S.,  October  13,  1807;  Cynthia, 
January  27,  1809;  Sarah  C,  March  9, 
181 1 ;  David,  June,  1812;  William  Mor- 
ton, August  24,  1814;  Bethiah,  mentioned 
below;  Elizabeth,  January  6,  1818;  Ben- 
jamin Pierson,  February,  1820;  George, 
May  5,  1821.  Child  of  second  marriage: 
Ethan  S.,  January  11,  1835. 

(VII)  Bethiah  Churchill,  fifth  daugh- 
ter of  Levi  and  Cynthia  (Packard) 
Churchill,  was  born  May  II,  1816,  in 
Hingham,  and  became  the  wife  of  Nichol- 
as Vella,  of  East  Bridgewater,  Massachu- 
setts (see  Borden  IX). 


KNOWLES,  Edwin  Hiram, 

Banker,  Retired  Citizen. 

The  Knowles  family  is  a  very  ancient 
one  in  New  England.  Across  the  water, 
in  Lincolnshire,  England,  was  born  one 
John  Knowles,  who  pursued  his  studies 
at  Magdalen  College,  Cambridge.  In  1625 
he  was  chosen  a  Fellow  of  Catherine 
Hall,  where  he  had  full  employment  as  a 
tutor.  At  one  time  he  had  forty  pupils, 
many  of  whom  afterward  became  welL- 
known — some  distinguished  as  preachers, 
and  others  eminent  as  statesmen.  He  was 
for  a  period  at  the  invitation  of  the  mayor 
and  aldermen  of  Colchester  their  lecturer. 
He  came  to  New  England  in  1639,  and  in 
December  of  that  year  was  ordained  sec- 
ond pastor  of  the  church  in  Watertown, 
in  connection  with  Rev.  George  Phillips. 
In  the  early  part  of  1642  a  Mr.  Bennet 
from  Virginia  arrived  at  Boston  with 
letters  to  the  ministers  of  New  England, 
earnestly  requesting  that  they  would  send 
persons    in    to    that    destitute    region    to 


preach  the  gospel.  It  fell  to  the  lot  of  Mr. 
Knowles  to  be  one  of  those  who  went  in 
response  to  the  call  from  Virginia  to  that 
locality.  He  later  returned  to  Massachu- 
setts and  the  Watertown  Church.  In 
1650  he  returned  to  England  and  there 
became  a  preacher  in  the  cathedral  at 
Bristol,  where  he  was  useful  and  highly 
respected.  He  later  preached  in  private 
in  London.  He  is  represented  as  having 
been  "a  goodly  man  and  a  prime  scholar," 
and  died  in  1685,  at  a  good  old  age.  This 
Rev.  John  Knowles  is  believed  to  be 
the  father  of  Richard  Knowles,  the  an- 
cestor of  the  Cape  Cod  Knowles.  He 
was  of  Plymouth  as  early  as  January, 
ID37~38;  a  proprietor  in  1638-39,  and  in 
1640  had  land  at  the  head  of  George 
Bower's  meadow.  In  August,  1639,  he 
married  Ruth  Bower,  and  their  children 
were:  1.  John,  born  about  1640.  2. 
Samuel,  born  September  17,  1651,  likely 
in  Plymouth,  died  in  1737;  became  one 
of  the  most  eminent  men  in  Eastham,  for 
years  representing  his  town  in  the  Gen- 
eral Court,  and  also  serving  as  selectman ; 
married  Mercy  Freeman,  daughter  of 
John  Freeman,  of  Eastham,  died  1744.  3. 
Mehitable,  died  at  Eastham,  May  20, 
1653.  4.  Barbara,  born  1653.  5-  Mercy, 
married  Ephraim  Doane.  John  Knowles, 
the  first  named  son  of  Richard  Knowles, 
was  the  ancestor  of  the  Eastham  branch 
of  the  Knowles  family.  He  married,  De- 
cember 28,  1670,  Apphia  Bangs,  who  was 
born  October  15,  1651,  daughter  of  Ed- 
ward and  Lydia  (Hicks)  Bangs,  who 
came  from  Chichester  in  England  in  the 
ship  "Ann,"  which  landed  at  Plymouth 
the  last  of  July,  1644,  and  settled  in  East- 
ham on  Cape  Cod ;  Lydia  Hicks  was  a 
daughter  of  Robert  and  Margery  Hicks. 
Mr.  Bangs  superintended  the  building  of 
a  barque  of  forty  or  fifty  tons,  which, 
says  tradition,  was  the  first  vessel  built 
at  Plymouth ;  he  was  deputy  to  the  Colo- 
nial Court  some  five  years  and  held  many 


78 


fe^^c^V^.^^^  - 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


other  public  offices.  John  Knovvles  was 
killed  in  King  Philip's  War,  1675-76,  and 
is  referred  to  in  Freeman's  "Cape  Cod," 
provision  being  especially  made  by  the 
court  for  "Aptha,  widow  of  John  Knowles 
of  Eastham,  lately  slain  in  the  service." 
Children  of  John  and  Apphia  (Bangs) 
Knowles :  Edward,  born  November  7, 
1671 ;  John,  July  10,  1673;  Deborah, 
March  2,  1675.  From  the  sons,  Edward 
and  John,  have  descended  a  very  numer- 
ous progeny,  including  multitudes  of  men 
who  engaged  in  sea  life.  Before  the  de- 
velopment of  railroads,  all  travel  of 
people  residing  near  the  sea  was  done  by 
water,  and  there  can  be  little  doubt  that 
the  Knowles  family  of  Maine  came  from 
Eastham  in  Massachusetts. 

The  first  now  known  of  this  line  was 
Hiram  Knowles,  a  farmer,  who  resided  in 
New  Portland,  Somerset  county,  Maine. 
He  married  Mary  Churchill,  born  March 
16,  1815,  who  died  in  Richmond,  Wiscon- 
sin, while  visiting  her  daughter;  she  was 
the  daughter  of  Tobias  and  Jane  (Ever- 
ette)  Churchill,  of  New  Portland  (see 
Churchill  V).  Children:  1.  Laura,  mar- 
ried Leonard  Knowlton.  2.  Sabrina, 
married  a  Mr.  Smith.  3.  Mary,  wife  of 
A.  B.  Miner,  residing  in  Chicopee,  Massa- 
chusetts. 4.  Edwin  Hiram,  mentioned 
below.  5.  Ella,  died  in  Auburn,  Maine, 
unmarried. 

Edwin  Hiram  Knowles  was  born  Sep- 
tember 1,  1847,  >n  New  Portland,  where 
he  was  reared  on  the  paternal  farm,  and 
attended  the  local  schools.  At  the  age  of 
eighteen  years  he  went  to  Lewiston, 
Maine,  where  he  entered  the  finishing 
department  of  Lewiston  Mills,  and  in 
course  of  time  learned  all  the  branches  of 
the  manufacturing  business  carried  on 
there.  In  1871  he  went  to  Taunton,  Mas- 
sachusetts, to  accept  a  position  as  over- 
seer of  the  finishing  department  at  the 
Whittendon  Mills.  Here  he  continued 
until   1896,  when  he  resigned,  and  went 


to  Columbus,  Georgia,  to  occupy  a  simi- 
lar position  in  a  cotton  mill  there.  After 
a  period  of  seven  years  in  the  South,  dur- 
ing a  part  of  which  time  he  was  at  Con- 
cord, Georgia,  he  returned  to  Taunton, 
and  there  lived,  retired,  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  October  12,  1914,  at  his 
home  in  that  city.  His  body  was  laid  to 
rest  in  Mayflower  Hill  Cemetery.  Mr. 
Knowles  erected  a  handsome  house  on 
Warren  street,  Tauton,  where  he  spent  a 
happy  and  serene  old  age  in  retirement 
from  active  labor,  a  vacation  well  earned 
by  a  long  life  of  usefulness  and  diligent 
application.  Mr.  Knowles  was  a  master 
of  all  departments  in  the  textile  industry, 
and  was  equally  popular  with  his  em- 
ployers and  those  who  served  under  his 
supervision.  He  was  everywhere  re- 
spected as  a  gentleman  of  pleasing  man- 
ners and  most  upright  character.  His 
broad  and  sympathetic  nature  is  indicated 
by  his  membership  in  the  great  Masonic 
fraternity.  In  politics  he  was  always  a 
staunch  Republican,  and  in  1912  he  was 
elected  attendance  officer  of  the  Taunton 
public  schools,  in  which  service  he  con- 
tinued until  the  day  of  his  death.  He 
married,  September  27,  1864,  in  Lewiston. 
Maine,  Jennie  Alice  Harris,  born  August 
5,  1843,  m  Brownville,  Maine,  daughter 
of  Jacob  Waterman  and  Caroline  (Wil- 
kins)  Harris,  the  former  a  native  of 
Poland,  Maine,  son  of  William  and  Mary 
Harris.  Caroline  Wilkins  was  a  daughter 
of  George  Wilkins,  of  Brownville,  Maine. 
Mrs.  Knowles  was  ever  a  most  devoted 
wife  and  mother,  and  now  lives  on  War- 
ren street,  Taunton.  She  is  the  mother  of 
three  children:  1.  Adelbert  Harris,  born 
January  25,  1874,  now  associated  with  the 
Reed  &  Barton  Silver  Company  of  Taun- 
ton ;  he  married  Jessie  Brown,  and  they 
have  a  daughter,  Charlotte.  2.  Frank 
Elmer,  born  June  6,  1880,  is  an  attorney 
at  Taunton ;  he  married  Susan  Wood- 
ward, and  has  twin  children,  Richard  and 


79 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Ruth.  3.  Henry  Arthur,  born  December 
7,  1887,  resides  in  Medford,  Massachu- 
setts; he  married  Olive  E.  Hall,  of  Med- 
ford, and  has  two  daughters,  Mary  Ger- 
trude and  Jane  Harris. 

Resolutions  in  Memory  of  Edwin  H.  Knowles  : 
Whereas,  Edwin  H.  Knowles,  one  of  the  char- 
ter members  of  this  bank,  and  a  director  from 
1880  to  1884;  its  vice-president  from  1884  to 
1890;  president  from  1890  to  1894;  and  treasurer 
from  1894  to  1900,  departed  this  life,  October  12, 
1914,  be  it 

Resolved,  that  we,  the  directors  of  the  Me- 
chanics' Co-Operative  Bank,  hereby  express  our 
appreciation  of  the  services  which  he  rendered  in 
promoting  the  interests  of  the  bank,  especially 
during  its  early  existence,  and  the  zeal  and  fidelity 
with  which  he  performed  the  duties  of  his  vari- 
ous offices,  therefore  be  it  further 

Resolved,  that  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be 
sent  to  the  family  of  the  deceased,  and  a  copy 
spread  upon  the  records  of  the  bank. 

(The  Churchill  Line). 

(I)  John  Churchill,  born  in  England 
about  1620,  died  at  Plymouth,  Massa- 
chusetts, in  1662,  appears  first  in  Ameri- 
can records  on  the  list  of  men  able  to  bear 
arms  at  Plymouth  in  1643.  He  bought  a 
farm  of  Richard  Higgins  in  Plymouth, 
August  18,  1645,  was  admitted  a  freeman, 
June  5,  1651,  and  became  owner  of  much 
land.  He  made  a  noncupative  will,  May 
3,  1662,  proved  October  20,  1662.  He 
married,  December  18,  1644,  Hannah 
Pontus,  daughter  of  William  Pontus,  and 
she  married  (second)  June  25,  1669,  Giles 
Rickard,  as  his  third  wife ;  she  died  at 
Hobb's  Hole,  December  22,  1690,  in  her 
sixty-seventh  year.  Children:  Joseph, 
born  1647;  Hannah,  November  12,  1649; 
Eliezer,  mentioned  below;  Mary,  Au- 
gust 1,  1654;  William,  1656;  John,  1657. 

(II)  Eliezer  Churchill,  second  son  of 
John  and  Hannah  (Pontus)  Churchill, 
was  born  April  20,  1652,  in  Plymouth, 
where  he  was  made  a  freeman  in  1683, 
and  resided  on  a  part  of  his  father's 
estate,  where  the  first  house  was  built  at 


Hobb's  Hole.  He  was  granted  a  strip  of 
land  thirty  feet  wide  by  the  town  for 
erecting  wharves,  and  died  about  1716. 
His  first  wife  was  Mary,  and  he  married 
(second)  February  8,  1685,  Mary,  daugh- 
ter of  Edward  and  Faith  (Clarke)  Doty, 
born  about  1650-52,  died  December  11, 
1715.  Children  of  first  marriage:  Hannah, 
born  August  23,  1676;  Joanna,  November 
25,  1678;  Abigail,  1680;  Eliezer,  Febru- 
ary 23,  1682;  Stephen,  February  16,  1684. 
Children  of  second  marriage:  Jedediah, 
February  27,  1687;  Mary,  1688;  Elkanah, 
March  1,  1691 ;  Nathaniel,  April  16,  1693; 
Josiah,  1694;  John,  mentioned  below. 

(III)  John  (2)  Churchill,  youngest 
child  of  Eliezer  and  Mary  (Doty) 
Churchill,  was  born  September  12,  1698, 
in  Plymouth,  and  settled  in  Portsmouth, 
New  Hampshire,  where  he  died  October 
7,  1769.  He  was  a  cordwainer  by  trade, 
and  his  name  appears  in  many  land  sales 
in  Portsmouth.  The  inventory  of  his 
estate  made  October  28,  1769,  placed  its 
value  at  £129,  18s.  and  9d.  His  widow, 
Elizabeth,  sold  her  dower  right  in  the 
estate  in  1770  for  fifteen  pounds.  She 
died  about  1775.  He  married  (first)  in 
Portsmouth,  Mary,  daughter  of  Daniel 
Jackson;  she  died  December  27,  1745, 
and  he  married  (second)  Elizabeth  (Jack- 
son) Cotton,  widow  of  Thomas  Cotton, 
probably  a  sister  of  his  first  wife.  Chil- 
dren: John,  born  September  8,  1719; 
Daniel,  October  21,  1721;  Mary,  March 
4,  1724;  Ebenezer,  June  6,  1726;  Arthur, 
November  25,  1728 ;  William,  March  14, 
1732;  Sanford,  May  20,  1733;  Tobias, 
January  26,  1735 ;  Martha,  October  15, 
1737;  Elizabeth,  April  10,  1740;  Benja- 
min, October  13,  1741 ;  Joseph,  mentioned 
below. 

(IV)  Joseph  Churchill,  youngest  child 
of  John  (2)  and  Mary  (Jackson) 
Churchill,  was  born  March  25,  1744,  in 
Portsmouth,  and  was  living  there  Janu- 
ary 3,  1770,  when  he  placed  a  mortgage 


80 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


on  one-third  of  a  lot  in  Pickering  Neck, 
formerly  the  property  of  his  father.  He 
was  called  a  mariner.  He  married  Eliza- 
beth Cotton,  of  Portsmouth,  probably  the 
daughter  of  Timothy  and  Mary  Cotton, 
born  June  13,  1746.  Children:  Mary; 
John,  born  May  26,  1770;  William,  July 
9,  1776;  Daniel;  Tobias,  mentioned  be- 
low; Benjamin,  1782;  Betsey;  Martha, 
October  19,  1788. 

(V)  Tobias  Churchill,  fourth  son  of 
Joseph  and  Elizabeth  (Cotton)  Churchill, 
was  born  June  12,  1780,  probably  in 
Portsmouth,  and  settled  at  New  Port- 
land, Maine.  He  married,  in  1806,  Jane 
Everett,  born  March  12,  1786,  and  they 
had  children :  Tobias,  born  January  23, 
1807;  Mindwell,  July  13,  1808;  John, 
March  25,  1810;  Climena,  February  23, 
181 1  ;  Jane,  April  27,  1813;  Mary,  men- 
tioned below;  Caroline,  June  17,  1817; 
Emily,  May  6,  1819;  Joanna,  July  22, 
1821 ;  Lucy,  October  6,  1823;  Warren, 
September  28,  1826;  Elizabeth,  March 
28,  1828. 

(VI)  Mary  Churchill,  third  daughter 
of  Tobias  and  Jane  (Everett)  Churchill, 
was  born  March  16,  1815,  in  New  Port- 
land, Maine,  and  became  the  wife  of  Hi- 
ram Knowles,  of  that  town  (see  Knowles) . 

(The    Harris   Line). 

(I)  Thomas  Harris,  the  progenitor, 
was  probably  a  nephew  of  the  first 
Thomas  Harris,  of  Ipswich.  Little  is 
known  of  him  and  perhaps  some  facts 
credited  to  the  record  of  Thomas,  Sr., 
and  Thomas,  Jr.,  belonged  to  him.  He 
lived  at  Ipswich,  and  his  widow,  Mar- 
tha, married,  in  1683,  Samuel  Burnham. 
Thomas,  Sr.,  who  died  in  1687,  also  had 
a  wife,  Martha.  Children:  Thomas,  of 
Ipswich;  John,  mentioned  below;  Elinor; 
Aquila;   Mary. 

(II)  John  Harris,  son  of  Thomas  Har- 
ris, was  born  about  1650,  in  Ipswich, 
where  he  lived  and  died.    His  will,  dated 

MASS-Vol  III — 6  81 


July  16,  1714,  proved  November  13,  1714, 
bequeathed  to  son  Thomas  lands  at 
Gloucester,  excepting  the  lot  at  Pigeon 
Cove,  and  "that  lot  that  was  Law's;"  to 
sons  John  and  Samuel  remainder  of 
land  in  Ipswich  and  Gloucester,  Coxhall 
(Maine),  except  lot  at  Pigeon  Cove.  To 
John  he  gave  his  gold  ring  and  silver  shoe 
buckles.  He  bequeathed  also  to  four 
daughters,  mentioned  below.  The  Chris- 
tian name  of  his  wife  was  Esther,  and 
their  children  were:  I.Thomas,  barn 
about  1675,  in  Ipswich,  married  Susanna 
Sibley,  daughter  of  William  Sibley;  she 
died  January  15,  1705 ;  he  was  in  Glouces- 
ter as  early  as  November  29,  1702,  when 
his  son  John  was  born  there;  son  Wil- 
liam, born  January  10,  1705,  at  Glouces- 
ter; he  bought  land  at  Sandy  Bay, 
Gloucester,  March,  1709,  of  Richard  Tarr, 
and  again  in  1712  more  land.  2.  John, 
mentioned  below.  3.  Samuel,  perhaps, 
settled  in  Maine,  on  land  inherited  at 
Coxhall.  4.  Abigail,  married  a  Mr.  Burn- 
ham.    5.  Esther.  6.  Mary.    7.  Margaret. 

(III)  John  (2)  Harris,  second  son  of 
John  (1)  and  Esther  Harris,  was  in 
Gloucester  as  early  as  1711.  In  1720  he 
had  a  grant  of  land  near  his  home  on 
Pigeon  Hill,  Gloucester.  He  had  wife, 
Maria.  Children :  Samuel,  mentioned  be- 
low; Thomas,  married  Sarah  Norwood; 
Benjamin,  born  June  6,  1716,  died  Sep- 
tember 21,  1726;  Hannah,  October  26, 
1720;  Abigail;  Ann,  married  Jonathan 
Andros. 

(IV)  Samuel  Harris,  son  of  John  (2) 
and  Maria  Harris,  born  about  1710,  was 
a  fisherman.  His  estate  was  divided  by 
deed  dated  July  7,  1770,  signed  by  Thom- 
as Harris,  of  Gloucester;  Samuel  Plum- 
mer,  of  Gloucester,  as  attorney  for  Abi- 
gail Grover  and  Jonathan  and  Ann  An- 
dros. The  estate  is  described  as  belong- 
ing to  their  father,  who  inherited  it  from 
his  father,  "John  Harris  of  Ipswich." 
Samuel  Harris  received  land  on  the  cape, 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


on  the  west  side  of  Little  Swamp,  near 
his  own  barn,  adjoining  land  of  Caleb 
Poole  and  Jonathan  Poole.  Children: 
Samuel,  born  about  1735  ;  went  to  Maine. 
Amos,  William  and  David,  of  New 
Gloucester,  Maine,  also  appear  to  belong 
to  this  family.  They  settled  before  the 
Revolution  on  Harris  Hill. 

(V)  The  town  of  New  Gloucester,  in 
Maine,  was  settled  before  the  middle  of 
the  eighteenth  century,  and,  as  above 
noted,  three  sons  of  Samuel  Harris  were 
among  the  settlers  there.  William  Har- 
ris, born  about  1740-50,  was  a  commis- 
sioner and  assessor  of  New  Gloucester, 
elected  November  27,  1763.  He  was  sub- 
sequently surveyor  of  highways,  and  on 
September  19,  1774,  was  made  a  member 
of  a  committee  to  meet  at  Portland  and 
consider  the  threatening  condition  of 
political  affairs.  He  was  captain  of  the 
militia,  and  was  otherwise  prominent  in 
the  town.  He  was  selectman  in  1775, 
1778  and  1779.  He  was  undoubtedly  the 
father  of  John,  Silas,  Moses  Little  and 
Baron  Harris,  who  settled  in  the  adjoin- 
ing town  of  Poland,  Androscoggin  county, 
Maine,  before  1795. 

(VI)  Silas  Harris,  one  of  the  four 
brothers  who  were  pioneer  settlers  in 
Poland,  had  sons:  William,  Aretas  and 
Josiah. 

(VII)  William  Harris,  son  of  Silas 
Harris,  had  a  wife,  Mary,  probably  a 
sister  of  Daniel  Waterman,  who  came 
from  Halifax,  Massachusetts,  to  New 
Gloucester  before  1793. 

(VIII)  Jacob  Waterman  Harris,  son 
of  William  and  Mary  Harris,  was  born 
February  16,  1814,  in  Poland,  and  died  at 
Milo,  Piscataquis  county,  Maine,  Febru- 
ary 8,  1888.  He  was  a  Baptist  in  re- 
ligion, a  Republican,  and  filled  various 
town  offices  in  Milo.  In  early  life  he 
was  a  teacher,  and  was  very  unfortunate, 
having  been  burned  out  twice,  and  on 
one  occasion  a  little  daughter  was  burned 


with  his  house.  Two  daughters  died  of 
diphtheria.  He  married  (first)  Caroline, 
daughter  of  George  Wilkins,  of  Brown- 
ville,  Maine.  She  died  at  the  age  of 
twenty-five  years.  He  married  (second) 
her  sister,  Susan  Wilkins.  He  married 
(third)  Flavilla  P.  Hamlin,  born  July  4, 
1830,  in  Vassalboro,  daughter  of  Deacon 
Daniel  and  Martha  (Baxter)  Hamlin. 
After  her  death  he  married  (fourth) 
Vesta  Williams,  a  widow,  sister  of  his 
third  wife.  There  were  two  children  of 
the  first  wife:  Jennie  Alice,  mentioned 
below,  and  Caroline  P.,  wife  of  Melvin 
Bigelow,  of  St.  Albans,  Maine ;  she  now 
deceased.  Children  of  the  second  wife : 
William  Waterman,  who  died  in  Brown- 
ville,  and  Louise,  now  deceased.  Chil- 
dren of  the  third  wife :  Charles,  of  Brown- 
ville,  Maine ;  Daniel,  of  Bangor,  Maine ; 
Joseph,  deceased ;  Nellie,  wife  of  William 
H.  Richardson,  of  Milo,  Maine.  There 
was  no  issue  of  the  last  marriage. 

(IX)  Jennie  Alice  Harris,  eldest  child 
of  Jacob  Waterman  and  Caroline  (Wil- 
kins) Harris,  became  the  wife  of  Edwin 
Hiram  Knowles,  of  New  Portland  (see 
Knowles). 


FULLER,  William  Eddy, 

Jurist,  Influential  Citizen. 

This  is  one  of  the  class  known  as  occu- 
pative  surnames,  dates  from  the  twelfth 
century,  or  later,  and  has  the  same  signifi- 
cation as  Tucker  or  Walker,  "one  who 
thickens  and  whitens  cloth."  Various 
persons  named  Fuller  have  won  distinc- 
tion in  both  England  and  America.  Nich- 
olas Fuller,  born  1557,  was  a  distin- 
guished Oriental  scholar;  another  Nicho- 
las Fuller,  died  1620,  was  a  prominent 
lawyer  and  member  of  Parliament;  Isaac 
Fuller,  died  1672,  was  a  noted  painter; 
Andrew  Fuller,  born  1754,  was  an  emi- 
nent Baptist  minister  and  writer  ;  Thomas 
Fuller,  English  divine  and  author,  born 


82 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1608,  was  chaplain  extraordinary  to 
Charles  II.,  and  a  prolific  writer.  A  high 
authority  said  of  him :  "Fuller  was  in- 
comparably the  most  sensible,  the  least 
prejudiced  great  man  of  an  age  that 
boasted  of  a  galaxy  of  great  men."  Sarah 
Margaret  Fuller,  Marchioness  of  Ossobi, 
born  1810,  was  a  prominent  teacher,  edi- 
tor and  author.  Melville  W.  Fuller,  born 
1833,  distinguished  as  a  jurist,  served  as 
chief  justice  of  the  United  States. 

(I)  John  Fuller,  ancestor  of  several  im- 
migrants who  came  on  the  "Mayflower," 
lived  in  the  parish  of  Redenhall  with 
Harleston,  in  nearly  the  center  of  the  hun- 
dred of  Earsham,  County  Norfolk,  Eng- 
land. Wortwell,  an  adjacent  parish, 
shares  in  the  parish  church,  through 
which  the  division  line  passes.  He  was 
born  probably  as  early  as  1500  and  died  in 
1558-59.  There  were  living  in  Redenhall 
in  1482  and  1488  John  and  William  Fuller, 
one  of  whom  was  doubtless  father  of  John 
Fuller  (1),  whose  will  was  dated  Febru- 
ary 4,  1558-59,  and  proved  May  12,  1559, 
bequeathing  to  his  son  John  lands  in 
Redenhall  and  Wortwell;  also  to  son 
Robert  and  daughter  Alice  (Ales)  ;  and 
to  Stephen  and  Frances  Sadd.  Children : 
John  ;  Alice  ;  Robert,  mentioned  below. 

(II)  Robert  Fuller,  son  of  John  Fuller, 
lived  at  Redenhall,  was  a  yeoman  and  a 
butcher  by  trade.  His  will  was  dated 
May  19,  1614,  and  proved  May  31,  1614, 
by  the  widow,  and  June  16,  1614,  by  son 
Thomas.  He  bequeathed  to  wife  Frances 
a  place  in  Assyes,  in  Harleston  or  Reden- 
hall, for  the  term  of  her  natural  life ;  to 
son  Edward  the  same  tenement  after  his 
wife's  death ;  to  son  Samuel ;  to  daughter 
Anna;  daughter  Elizabeth  Fuller  and 
daughter  Mary  Fuller;  to  son  Thomas  a 
tenement  "wherein  now  dwell,  held  of 
Tryndelhedge  Bastoft  Manor  in  Reden- 
hall or  Harleston;"  and  mentions  grand- 
son John,   son  of  John,   deceased.     His 


wife's  baptismal  name  was  Frances,  and 
they  had  the  following  children  :  Thomas, 
baptized  December  13,  1573;  Edward, 
September  4,  1575,  came  in  the  "May- 
flower" and  signed  the  compact,  died  in 
1621,  left  an  only  son  Samuel ;  Ann,  April 
22,  1577;  Ann,  December  21,  1578;  John, 
March  15,  1579;  Samuel,  mentioned  be- 
low; Robert,  October  22,  1581 ;  Edmund, 
May  19,  1583;  Sarah,  September  4,  1586; 
Christopher,  December  15,  1588.  Several 
other  children  of  Robert  Fuller  may  have 
been  of  another  of  the  same  name.  The 
will  of  Robert  Fuller,  butcher,  mentions 
those  of  the  American  families,  however. 

(III)  Dr.  Samuel  Fuller,  of  the  "May- 
flower," progenitor  of  the  family  here 
under  consideration,  was  a  physician  of 
much  skill  and  a  man  who  was  distin- 
guished for  his  great  piety  and  upright 
character.  He  lived  in  the  Plymouth 
colony  and  died  there  in  1633.  He  mar- 
ried (first)  in  London,  England,  Elise 
Glascock,  who  died  before  1613  ;  (second) 
in  Leyden,  Holland,  April  30,  1613,  Agnes 
Carpenter,  who  was  a  sister  of  Alice  Car- 
penter, the  second  wife  of  Governor  Brad- 
ford; she  died  before  1617;  (third)  in 
Leyden,  May  27,  1617,  Bridget  Lee,  who 
came  over  in  the  "Ann"  in  1623,  in  com- 
pany with  Matthew  Fuller,  son  of  Ed- 
ward Fuller.  She  also  brought  with  her 
an  infant  child,  who  died  soon  after  she 
arrived  at  Plymouth.  Dr.  Samuel  and 
Bridget  (Lee)  Fuller  had  two  children 
born  in  Plymouth,  Samuel  and  Mercy,  the 
latter  of  whom  married  Ralph  James. 

(IV)  Rev.  Samuel  (2)  Fuller,  son  of 
Dr.  Samuel  (1)  and  Bridget  (Lee)  Fuller, 
was  born  1629,  in  Plymouth,  and  was  one 
of  the  twenty-six  original  proprietors  of 
Middleboro,  and  the  first  minister  of  that 
town,  where  he  died  August  17,  1695.  He 
had  been  educated  for  the  ministry,  and 
preached  in  Middleboro  many  years  be- 
fore his  ordination,  which   did   not  take 


83 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


place  until  1694.  His  grave  is  on  the 
"Hill"  in  Plymouth.  He  married  Eliza- 
beth Brewster,  probably  some  relative  of 
Elder  William  Brewster,  of  the  Plymouth 
colony.  She  survived  him  more  than 
eighteen  years,  and  died  in  Plympton, 
Massachusetts,  November  11,  1713.  Chil- 
dren: Mercy,  born  about  1656;  Samuel, 
about  1659 ;  Experience,  about  1661 ;  John, 
1663;  Elizabeth,  1666;  Hannah,  1668; 
Isaac,  mentioned  below,  and  Jabez,  who 
died  in  1712. 

(V)  Dr.  Isaac  Fuller,  youngest  son  of 
Rev.  Samuel  (2)  and  Elizabeth  (Brew- 
ster) Fuller,  was  born  1675,  m  Plymouth, 
and  lived  in  that  part  of  North  Bridge- 
water  which  is  now  Brockton,  Massachu- 
setts, where  he  died  in  1727.  He  was  a 
physician  of  reputation,  residing  in  Hali- 
fax, Massachusetts,  and  married,  October 
20,  1709,  Mary  Eddy.  Their  first  two 
children  are  recorded  in  Plympton,  and 
the  others  in  Middleboro:  Reliance,  born 
December  28,  1710;  Isaac,  September  24, 
1712;  Elijah,  July  23,  1715  ;  Samuel,  Janu- 
ary 29,  1718;  Micah,  January  31,  1720; 
Jabez,  mentioned  below;  Mary,  August 
23,  1726. 

(VI)  Dr.  Jabez  Fuller,  youngest  son  of 
Dr.  Isaac  and  Mary  (Eddy)  Fuller,  was 
born  May  7,  1723,  recorded  in  Middle- 
boro, and  lived  in  Bridgewater,  Massa- 
chusetts, whence  he  removed  to  Med- 
field,  same  colony.  In  1756  he  purchased 
a  homestead  farm  in  "Dingle  Dell,"  Med- 
field,  and  engaged  in  practice  in  that 
town,  where  he  died  October  5,  1781.  In 
1747  he  was  received  in  the  Medfield 
church  from  the  church  at  Bridgewater. 
He  had  a  high  reputation  as  a  physician. 
He  married  at  Boston,  May  12,  1747,  Eliz- 
abeth Hilliard,  of  that  town,  born  October 
6,  1724,  daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth 
Hilliard  (the  latter  married,  June  10, 1712, 
by  Cotton  Mather).  Mrs.  Fuller  survived 
her  husband  twenty  years,  and  died  Octo- 


ber 22,  1801.  Children,  born  in  Medfield: 
Jonathan,  mentioned  below;  John,  born 
July  28,  1750;  Elizabeth,  April  12,  1752; 
Jabez,  May  26,  1753;  Thomas,  June  27, 
1755;  Mary,  June  9,  1758;  Catherine, 
April  2,  1760;  Sarah,  February  25,  1763; 
Experience,  June  1,  1766. 

(VII)  Dr.  Jonathan  Fuller,  eldest  child 
of  Dr.  Jabez  and  Elizabeth  (Hilliard) 
Fuller,  was  born  October  3,  1748,  in  Med- 
field, and  was  a  physician,  residing  in 
Middleboro,  where  he  died  March  13, 
1802.  He  married,  August  31,  1774,  Lucy 
Eddy,  born  1757,  died  September  17,  1839, 
aged  eighty-one  and  a  half  years.  Chil- 
dren: Lucy  Eddy,  born  April  20,  1776; 
Jonathan  Hilliard,  January  9,  1779; 
Thomas,  1780,  died  young;  Sally,  Novem- 
ber 12,  1781 ;  Thomas,  January  13,  1785; 
Zachariah,  November  22,  1787;  Betsey, 
February  19,  1789;  Jabez,  mentioned  be- 
low; Seth,  December  10,  1793;  John, 
March  20,  1796;  Mercy  Freeman,  July  5, 
1798. 

(VIII)  Jabez  (2)  Fuller,  sixth  son  of 
Dr.  Jonathan  and  Lucy  (Eddy)  Fuller, 
was  born  July  18,  1791,  in  Middleboro, 
and  lived  in  Bridgewater,  Boston,  Read- 
ing and  Wethersfield,  Vermont,  dying 
July  15,  1873,  in  the  village  of  Perkins- 
ville,  in  the  last  named  town.  He  mar- 
ried, September  7,  1815,  Sarah  Hudson 
Churchill,  of  Plympton,  daughter  of 
James  and  Sarah  (Soule)  Churchill,  a  de- 
scendant of  Myles  Standish,  of  the  May- 
flower colony.  Captain  Myles  Standish, 
who  came  in  the  "Mayflower"  in  1620, 
with  his  wife  Rose,  was  born  in  England 
about  1586.  He  settled  first  in  Plymouth, 
but  soon  removed  among  the  early  set- 
tlers of  Duxbury,  across  the  bay  from 
Plymouth,  and  the  hill  rising  abruptly 
from  the  waters  of  Plymouth  bay,  upon 
which  he  built  his  house  and  lived  the 
remainder  of  his  life,  has  been  called  Cap- 
tain's Hill  to  this  day.     He  signed  the 


84 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


compact,  and  became  one  of  the  leading 
men  of  the  colony.  In  February,  1621,  at 
a  general  meeting  to  establish  military 
arrangements,  he  was  chosen  captain  and 
vested  with  the  command.  He  conducted 
all  the  early  expeditions  against  the  In- 
dians and  continued  in  the  military  serv- 
ice of  the  colony  his  whole  life.  In  1645 
he  commanded  the  Plymouth  troops 
which  marched  against  the  Narragan- 
setts,  and  when  hostilities  with  the  Dutch 
were  apprehended  in  1653,  he  was  one  of 
the  council  of  war  of  Plymouth,  and  was 
appointed  to  command  troops  which  the 
council  determined  to  raise.  He  was  also 
prominent  in  the  civil  affairs  of  the 
colony ;  was  for  many  years  assistant,  or 
one  of  the  Governor's  council,  and  when 
in  1626  it  became  necessary  to  send  a  rep- 
resentative to  England  to  represent  the 
colonists  in  the  business  arrangements 
with  the  merchant  adventurers  he  was 
selected.  He  was  a  commissioner  of  the 
United  colonies,  and  a  partner  in  the  trad- 
ing company.  His  will,  dated  March  7, 
1655,  was  proved  May,  1657.  He  desired 
to  be  buried  near  his  deceased  daughter 
Lora  and  daughter-in-law  Mary.  He  died 
October  3,  1656.  An  imposing  monument 
has  been  erected  on  Captain's  Hill,  Dux- 
bury.  Captain  Standish  is  one  of  the  Pil- 
grims known  to  every  generation  since 
and  to  the  whole  world,  partly  because 
of  his  military  prominence,  the  first  in 
New  England,  and  partly,  especially  in 
the  present  generation,  because  of  the 
poem  written  by  Longfellow,  "The  Court- 
ship of  Myles  Standish."  His  first  wife 
Rose,  who  came  with  him,  died  January 
29,  1621,  and  he  married  (second)  Bar- 
bara, surname  unknown.  Alexander 
Standish,  son  of  Captain  Myles  Standish, 
was  admitted  a  freeman  in  1648;  was 
third  town  clerk  of  Duxbury  from  1695 
to  1700,  and  died  in  Duxbury  in  1702 ;  his 
widow,    Desire,   in    1723.      His   will   was 


dated  July  5,  1702,  and  proved  August  10, 
same  year.  He  married  (first)  Sarah 
Alden,  daughter  of  John  and  Priscilla 
(Mullins)  Alden;  (second)  Desire  (Doty) 
Sherman,  daughter  of  Edward  Doty  and 
widow  (first)  of  Israel  Holmes  and  (sec- 
ond) of  William  Sherman.  Sarah,  daugh- 
ter of  Alexander  and  Sarah  (Alden) 
Standish,  became  the  wife  of  Benjamin 
Soule,  and  the  mother  of  Ebenezer  Soule, 
who  married  Silence  Hudson.  Sarah, 
daughter  of  Ebenezer  and  Silence  (Hud- 
son) Soule,  became  the  wife  of  James 
Churchill,  and  the  mother  of  Sarah  Hud- 
son Churchill,  wife  of  Jabez  (2)  Fuller, 
as  above  noted.  Her  children  were:  1. 
Fanny  Woodbury,  born  February  15, 
1818,  married,  in  1840,  Isaac  D.  Ryder, 
who  died  in  1845,  leaving  one  daughter, 
Emily  F.,  born  in  1841,  who  married  Rich- 
ard French  ;  she  died  in  1866,  leaving  one 
son,  Isaac  Ryder  French,  born  in  1863, 
living  in  the  West.  2.  Harriet  Newell, 
born  May  31,  1820,  married  Orren  Taylor, 
in  1844;  she  died  June  27,  1862,  having 
had  children,  Mylon  O.,  Ella  J.,  Rosanna 
and  Edward,  who  died  young.  3.  Flavius 
Josephus,  born  July  10,  1822,  married,  in 
1859,  Josephine  Wilson;  he  died  Febru- 
ary 14,  1864,  leaving  two  sons,  Frank  F. 
and  Frederick.  4.  Sarah  Delano,  born 
March  12,  1829,  married,  in  1853,  Simon 
Buck,  and  they  had  children,  Warren  M., 
George  H.,  Lynn  W.,  Wallace  W.  and 
Moses  P.  5.  William  Eddy,  mentioned 
below.  6.  Anna  Maria,  born  November 
25,  1835,  married,  in  1858,  J.  Martin  Bill- 
ings, and  their  children  were :  Albert 
Thomas,  William  Jabez  and  Helen  S.  7. 
Helen  Emery,  born  February  18,  1840, 
married  A.  C.  Sherwin ;  she  died  in  1891, 
the  mother  of  one  daughter,  Jennie. 

(IX)  Hon.  William  Eddy  Fuller,  sec- 
ond son  of  Jabez  (2)  and  Sarah  Hudson 
(Churchill)  Fuller,  was  born  June  30, 
1832,  in  Reading,  Vermont,  and  died  at 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


his  home  in  Taunton,  Massachusetts,  No- 
vember 9,  191 1.  For  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury Mr.  Fuller  administered  the  office  of 
judge  of  probate  and  insolvency  at  Taun- 
ton, to  the  high  satisfaction  of  the  bar 
and  of  his  constituency.  His  early  edu- 
cation was  supplied  by  the  academies  of 
South'  Woodstock  and  West  Randolph, 
Vermont,  receiving  instruction  at  the  lat- 
ter institution  from  Austin  Adams,  after- 
ward Chief  Justice  of  the  State  of  Iowa. 
In  1852,  at  the  age  of  twenty  years,  young 
Fuller  entered  Dartmouth  College,  there 
completing  his  freshman  and  sophomore 
years.  In  1854  he  entered  the  junior  class 
at  Harvard  University,  and  was  gradu- 
ated in  1856,  taking  high  rank  among 
such  contemporaries  as  the  late  Governor 
George  D.  Robinson,  the  late  Judge  Jere- 
miah Smith,  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  New 
Hampshire ;  Judge  Thomas  J.  Mason,  of 
the  United  States  Circuit  Court  of  Mary- 
land, and  Charles  Francis  Adams.  For 
three  months  after  leaving  college  Mr. 
Fuller  was  submaster  at  the  New  Bed- 
ford High  School,  and  during  the  five  suc- 
ceeding years  was  principal  of  the  Taun- 
ton High  School.  At  the  suggestion  of 
his  uncle,  Hon.  Zachariah  Eddy,  of  Mid- 
dleboro,  one  of  the  distinguished  lawyers 
of  his  day,  Mr.  Fuller  decided  to  pursue 
the  study  of  law.  This  he  began  in  the 
office  of  Chester  I.  Reed,  attorney-general 
of  Massachusetts,  and  subsequently  one 
of  the  justices  of  the  Superior  Court.  In 
April,  1863,  Mr.  Fuller  was  admitted  to 
the  Bristol  county  bar,  and  at  once  en- 
gaged in  practice  at  Taunton,  where  he 
continued  to  reside  until  his  death,  in  his 
eightieth  year.  While  in  practice  he  was 
counsel  and  an  officer  of  many  important 
corporations,  and  established  an  excellent 
record  as  such.  In  1868  he  was  chosen 
register  of  the  Court  of  Probate  and  In- 
solvency for  Bristol  county,  which  office 
he  continued  to  hold  by  successive  reelec- 


tions  until  1883,  when  he  was  appointed 
judge  of  the  same  court  by  Governor  Ben- 
jamin F.  Butler.  This  appointment  by  a 
Democratic  governor  came  as  a  matter 
of  compromise  between  the  governor  and 
his  council,  which  was  composed  of  Re- 
publicans. The  completion  of  Judge  Ful- 
ler's quarter  of  a  century  of  service  on  the 
bench  was  made  the  occasion  of  a  notable 
gathering  of  the  members  of  the  bar  from 
New  Bedford,  Fall  River,  Taunton  and 
Attleboro,  in  observance  of  the  occasion. 
This  meeting  was  held  in  the  Taunton 
Probate  Court  room,  presided  over  by 
Judge  William  S.  Woods,  of  Taunton, 
and  attended  by  many  leading  attorneys 
of  the  section.  At  the  request  of  this 
meeting  Judge  Fuller  sat  for  an  oil  paint- 
ing, which  has  been  placed  in  the  court 
room  by  the  side  of  his  predecessor,  Judge 
Oliver  Prescott.  Judge  Fuller  possessed 
in  a  remarkable  degree  those  qualities  of 
old-fashioned  courtesy  and  forbearance 
which  secured  for  him  the  lasting  regard 
and  esteem  of  all  whose  business  brought 
them  before  his  court.  While  kind  and 
considerate,  he  was  ever  firm  in  enforcing 
the  mandates  of  the  law.  When  off  the 
bench  his  companionship  was  exceed- 
ingly interesting  because  of  his  fund  of 
valuable  knowledge  and  his  readiness  as 
a  conversationalist.  He  was  regarded  by 
other  probate  judges  of  the  State  as  their 
chief  justice,  and  his  name  will  be  pre- 
served in  history  as  an  intelligent  and 
efficient  student  of  probate  law.  In  1891 
he  published  a  work  on  the  Massachu- 
setts probate  laws,  which  became  a  hand- 
book ever  since  in  use  by  the  legal  pro- 
fession throughout  the  State  and  regarded 
as  one  of  the  most  valuable  on  the  sub- 
ject. A  few  years  since  a  second  edition 
was  issued.  In  1893  he  was  chairman  of 
a  committee  of  probate  judges  appointed 
to  revise  the  rules  and  forms  of  procedure 
in  the  courts  of  probate  and  insolvency, 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  the  work  of  this  committee  was  ap- 
proved by  the  Supreme  Judicial  Court. 
The  result  of  the  labors  of  this  committee 
is  now  in  use  providing  the  forms  and 
rules  of  procedure  in  force  throughout 
the  Commonwealth.  Judge  Fuller  was 
known  as  a  model  judge  and  a  model  citi- 
zen, and  in  both  capacities  enjoyed  the 
highest  respect  of  all  who  were  privileged 
to  know  him.  Aside  from  his  interest  in 
the  legal  work  of  the  times,  Judge  Fuller 
was  the  friend  of  education,  and  rejoiced 
in  literary  and  historical  pursuits.  For 
many  years  he  was  a  member  of  the 
Taunton  School  Board ;  he  served  as  trus- 
tee and  president  of  Bristol  Academy, 
and  was  for  several  years  the  histori- 
ographer of  the  Old  Colony  Historical 
Society.  He  was  long  a  director  of  the 
Taunton  National  Bank,  and  was  vice- 
president  of  the  Taunton  Savings  Bank. 
His  home  was  on  School  street,  Taunton, 
and  his  body  rests  in  Mount  Pleasant 
Cemetery  of  that  city.  He  married,  No- 
vember 21,  1859,  in  Taunton,  Anna  Miles 
Corey,  born  April  30,  1838,  in  Foxboro, 
Massachusetts,  a  daughter  of  John  and 
Anna  (Rhodes)  Corey  (see  Corey  VI). 
They  were  the  parents  of  two  children, 
William  Eddy,  mentioned  below,  and 
Mary  Corey,  born  August  14,  1873.  Mrs. 
Fuller  and  her  daughter  occupy  the  home- 
stead on  School  street,  in  Taunton,  and 
are  among  the  esteemed  members  of  the 
society  of  that  city. 

(X)  William  Eddy  (2)  Fuller,  only  son 
of  William  Eddy  (1)  and  Anna  Miles 
(Corey)  Fuller,  was  born  August  14,  1870, 
in  Taunton,  and  is  now  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  law  in  Fall  River,  Massachu- 
setts. He  married,  September  22,  1897, 
Mary  Newcomb,  of  Detroit,  Michigan. 
Children:  William  Eddy,  3d.,  born  June 
29,  1898;  Newcomb,  September  22,  1900; 
Anna  Corey,  April  2J,  1907. 


(The  Corey  Line). 

This  was  an  early  name  in  Massachu- 
setts and  it  has  been  identified  with  the 
development  of  that  State  and  of  New 
England.  Its  bearers  have  been  people 
of  high  character  and  great  moral  worth, 
and  may  be  fitly  spoken  of  with  commen- 
dation in  the  annals  of  America.  Many 
of  the  family  were  men  of  prominence 
about  Boston  during  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury. In  the  early  records  the  name  is  vari- 
ously spelled  Cory,  Corec,  Cori,  Couree 
and  Corey.  Several  bearing  the  name 
were  soldiers  of  the  Revolution.  James 
Corey,  of  Groton.  Massachusetts,  was 
killed  in  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill.  Eph- 
raim  Corey,  of  Groton,  was  a  captain  in 
the  Revolutionary  army,  as  was  also  Tim- 
othy Corey,  son  of  Isaac  Corey,  of  Wes- 
ton. The  first  on  record  in  this  country 
was  Giles  Corey,  who  was  residing  in 
Salem,  Massachusetts,  in  1649,  with  his 
wife  Margaret.  Their  daughter  Deliver- 
ance was  born  there  August  5,  1658.  The 
mother  died  previous  to  1664,  ar>d  on 
April  n  of  that  year  Giles  Corey  married 
(second)  Mary  Britz.  She  died  August 
28,  1684,  at  the  age  of  sixty-three  years, 
and  he  had  a  third  wife,  Martha,  who  was 
admitted  to  the  church  in  Salem  Village 
(now  Danvers),  April  27,  1690.  She  was 
the  victim  of  the  terrible  witchcraft  de- 
lusion in  Salem,  and  was  apprehended  in 
March,  1692,  and  hung  on  the  following 
Thursday.  In  a  very  short  time  her  hus- 
band was  also  arrested  and  was  impris- 
oned in  April.  He  was  kept  in  confine- 
ment and  moved  about  from  one  jail  to 
another,  going  to  Boston  and  back  again 
to  Salem,  and  was  finally  executed  on 
September  19,  1692,  in  the  most  horrible 
manner  ever  used  on  the  Continent.  He 
was  pressed  to  death,  being  the  only  one 
who  ever  suffered  that  form  of  execution 
in  Massachusetts.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  first  church  of  Salem,  from  which  he 


87 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


was  excommunicated  the  day  preceding 
his  death.  Such  was  the  tenacity  of  the 
execrable  witchcraft  delusion  in  Salem 
that  this  sentence  was  not  expunged  from 
the  church  record  until  twenty  years 
after,  and  a  period  of  eleven  years  elapsed 
before  justice  was  done  to  the  memory 
of  his  wife  in  the  Danvers  church. 
Though  a  petition  for  relief  appears  in 
the  Essex  records  on  behalf  of  the  chil- 
dren, no  mention  of  their  names  is  found 
except  of  Martha,  who  made  the  peti- 
tion in  behalf  of  the  family,  and  Deliver- 
ance before  mentioned.  It  is  probable 
that  there  were  several  sons.  Jonathan 
and  Thomas  Corey  are  mentioned  as  hav- 
ing been  at  Chelmsford  at  an  early  period. 

(I)  Thomas  Corey,  who  may  have  been 
a  son  of  Giles  Corey,  of  Salem,  is  said  to 
have  come  from  Devonshire,  England. 
He  was  an  inhabitant  of  Charlestown, 
Massachusetts,  in  1658,  and  very  soon 
thereafter  settled  in  Chelmsford.  Dur- 
ing King  Philip's  war  he  served  as  a  sol- 
dier. He  married,  September  19,  1665,  in 
Chelmsford,  Abigail  Goole.or  Gould,  born 
18th  of  12th  month,  1649,  in  Braintree, 
Massachusetts,  daughter  of  Francis  and 
Rose  Goole.  Francis  Goole  lived  first  in 
Braintree  and  Duxbury,  but  was  an 
early  settler  of  Chelmsford.  Children  of 
Thomas  Corey:    John,  born  January  26, 

1667,  in  Chelmsford;  Thomas,  mentioned 
below;  Samuel,  February  6,  1670;  Abi- 
gail, 1672;  Nathaniel,  December  1,  died 
December  22,  1674;  Elizabeth,  December 
21,  1683;  Anne,  March  7,  1686,  died  April 
29,  1686. 

(II)  Thomas  (2)  Corey,  second  son  of 
Thomas  (1)  and  Abigail  (Goole  or  Gould) 
Corey,  was  born  28th  of  4th  month,  1669, 
in  Chelmsford,  and  died  in  Weston, 
Massachusetts,  March  22,  1739.  He  mar- 
ried   Hannah    Page,    born    February    10, 

1668,  in  Watertown,  daughter  of  Samuel 
and    Hannah    Page,   of   Watertown,   and 


Concord,  Massachusetts,  and  granddaugh- 
ter of  John  and  Phebe  Page,  who  came 
from  Dedham,  England,  in  1630,  and  set- 
tled at  Watertown.  Of  their  children,  all 
except  the  eldest  were  baptized  December 
29,  1723,  in  Weston,  the  youngest  being 
then  several  months  old :  Joseph ;  Han- 
nah, married,  June  27,  1734,  Joshua  John- 
son; Thomas;  Samuel;  Ebenezer;  Jona- 
than; Abigail;  Isaac,  mentioned  below; 
William. 

(III)  Isaac  Corey,  son  of  Thomas  (2) 
and  Hannah  (Page)  Corey,  was  baptized 
in  Weston,  December  29,  1723,  and  lived 
in  that  town.  He  married  there,  April  12, 
1739,  recorded  in  Waltham,  Abigail 
Priest,  born  July  3,  1719,  in  the  West  Pre- 
cinct, now  Waltham,  daughter  of  James 
and  Sarah  Priest.  Children  :  Isaac,  men- 
tioned below;  Timothy,  born  October  27, 
1741,  married,  1766,  Elizabeth  Griggs,  of 
Brookline;  Eunice,  June  27,  1744;  Na- 
than, May  18,  1747;  Elisha,  May  21,  1751. 

(IV)  Isaac  (2)  Corey,  eldest  child  of 
Isaac  (1)  and  Abigail  (Priest)  Corey, 
was  born  January  9,  1740,  in  Weston,  and 
died  in  Wayland,  or  East  Sudbury,  March 
8,  1817.  He  was  a  soldier  at  Lake  George 
in  1758,  in  Captain  Jonathan  Brown's 
company,  and  also  served  in  the  Revolu- 
tion. He  was  a  member  of  Captain  Sam- 
uel Lamson's  company  of  minute-men, 
and  served  three  days  on  the  occasion  of 
the  Lexington  alarm,.  He  was  subse- 
quently in  Captain  Jonathan  Fisk's  (Wes- 
ton) company,  Colonel  Eleazer  Brooks' 
regiment,  called  March  4, 1776,  and  served 
five  days  at  Dorchester  Heights.  He  was 
also  a  private  in  Captain  Abraham 
Pierce's  company,  of  Colonel  Brooks' 
regiment  of  guards,  from  February  3  to 
April  3,  1778,  at  Cambridge.  There  are 
several  other  items  of  Revolutionary  serv- 
ice accredited  to  Isaac  Corey,  but  it  was 
probably  not  this  individual.  He  mar- 
ried, December  9,  1762,  Ruhamah  Comey, 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


born  April  15,  1742,  in  Lexington,  Massa- 
chusetts, daughter  of  Jabez  and  Sarah 
(Johnson)  Comey.  She  died  at  East  Sud- 
bury, March  2,  1819.  Children:  Abigail, 
baptized  in  Waltham,  May  20,  1764; 
Leonard,  mentioned  below. 

(V)  Leonard  Corey,  only  recorded  son 
of  Isaac  (2)  and  Ruhamah  (Comey) 
Corey,  was  baptized  April  30,  1769,  in 
Waltham  and  was  lost  at  sea.  He  mar- 
ried, November  3,  1791,  Mehitable  Daven- 
port, born  April  22,  1771,  in  Milton,  Mas- 
sachusetts, not  recorded  there.  She  mar- 
ried (second)  May  9,  1800,  in  Foxboro, 
Massachusetts,  Roger  Sumner,  and  died 
1853,  in  that  town.  Leonard  Corey  had 
two  children:  Leonard,  baptized  1792, 
married  Ada  Skinner,  of  Mansfield,  and 
John,  mentioned  below. 

(VI)  John  Corey,  son  of  Leonard  and 
Mehitable  (Davenport)  Corey,  was  born 
September  4,  1798,  and  made  his  home  in 
Foxboro,  Massachusetts,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  the  straw  bleaching  and  hat 
manufacturing  business.  While  on  his 
way  to  New  York  he  was  lost  with  the 
ill-fated  steamer  "Lexington,"  which  was 
burned  in  Long  Island  Sound,  January 
13,  1840.  He  married,  in  Foxboro,  in  Au- 
gust, 1820,  Anna,  or  Nancy,  Rhodes,  born 
in  that  town,  July  6,  1799,  daughter  of 
Stephen  (3)  and  Anna  (Daniels)  Rhodes, 
the  last  named  the  widow  of  Nehemiah 
Carpenter,  and  daughter  of  Francis  and 
Keziah  (Rockwood)  Daniels.  She  died 
in  Taunton,  Massachusetts,  at  the  home 
of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Fuller,  December  5, 
1885  (see  Rhodes  VI).  Children:  Mary 
Malvina,  born  December  20,  1821,  died  in 
Taunton,  May  2,  1862;  Amanda  Fitzallen, 
November  2,  1826,  married,  December  3, 
1844,  Ira  Hersey,  son  of  Jacob  and  Polly 
Hersey,  and  died  in  Bridgeport,  Connec- 
ticut, December  27,  1897;  Anna  Miles, 
mentioned  below. 

(VII)  Anna  Miles  Corey,  third  daugh- 


ter of  John  and  Anna  (Rhodes)  Corey, 
was  born  April  30,  1838,  in  Foxboro,  and 
was  married,  November  21,  1859,  'n  Taun- 
ton, to  William  Eddy  Fuller,  of  that  town 
(see  Fuller  IX). 

(The   Rhodes   Line). 

(I)  Henry  Rhodes,  born  1608,  in  Eng- 
land, was  an  ironmonger  at  Lynn,  Mas- 
sachusetts, in  1640,  residing  on  the  east 
side  of  the  Saugus  river,  and  his  descend- 
ants still  remain  in  that  region.  He  mar- 
ried Elizabeth  Paul.  He  died  in  1703 
He  had  children  :  Eleazer,  born  February 
1641 ;  Samuel,  February,  1643 ;  Joseph 
January,  1645;  Joshua,  April,  1648;  Jo 
siah,  mentioned  below ;  Jonathan,  May 
1654;  Elizabeth,  1657. 

(II)  Josiah  Rhodes,  fifth  son  of  Henry 
Rhodes,  was  born  April,  1651,  at  Lynn, 
and  married,  July  23,  1673,  Elizabeth 
Coates.  He  died  December  19,  1694. 
Children:  Henry,  born  1674;  Elizabeth, 
1676 ;  Mary,  1677  ;  John,  1679,  died  young  ; 
Josiah,  1681  ;  Eleazer,  mentioned  below ; 
John,  March  22,  1685 ;  Mary,  March  26, 
1687;  Jonathan,  September  18,  1692. 

(III)  Eleazer  Rhodes,  fourth  son  of 
Josiah  and  Elizabeth  (Coates)  Rhodes, 
born  July  8,  1683,  died  1742.  He  removed 
to  Stoughton,  Massachusetts,  about  1720, 
and  was  constable  in  that  town  in  1725- 
26.  His  wife  Jemima  was  administratrix 
of  his  estate.  He  married,  November  21, 
1710,  Jemima  Preble,  born  in  York, 
Maine,  March  6,  1691.  Children:  John, 
born  September  9,  171 1  ;  Jemima,  Decem- 
ber 19,  1712;  Eleazer,  January  16,  1715  ; 
Stephen,  mentioned  below;  Josiah,  1718; 
Mary  (Lynn  vital  records  say  Sarah), 
August  24,  1719;  Joseph,  September  8, 
1721  ;  Benjamin,  1723;  Elizabeth,  May  26, 
1726;  Samuel,  April  24,  1728 ;  Joshua,  Au- 
gust 19,  1730;  Mary,  April  14,  1733. 

(IV)  Stephen  Rhodes,  third  son  of 
Eleazer   and    Jemima    (Preble)    Rhodes, 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


was  born  February  i,  1717,  and  died  Janu- 
ary 5,  1792.  He  married  (intentions  pub- 
lished October  25,  1740)  Deliverance 
Walcot,  born  November  15,  1724,  daugh- 
ter of  William  Walcot,  of  Salem,  Massa- 
chusetts, died  September  4,  1804.  Chil- 
dren :  Stephen,  Daniel,  Simeon  and  De- 
liverance. 

(V)  Stephen  (2)  Rhodes,  eldest  child 
of  Stephen  (1)  and  Deliverance  (Walcot) 
Rhodes,  born  in  1741,  died  February  1, 
1770,  and  the  inventory  of  the  estate  was 
taken  by  John  Boyden.  There  is  a  rec- 
ord of  his  having  enlisted  in  February, 
1760,  for  the  French  and  Indian  War.  He 
married,  January  18, 1764  (intentions  pub- 
lished December  29,  1763)  Mary  Boyden, 
born  May  11,  1744,  in  Walpole,  Massa- 
chusetts. She  married  (second)  Novem- 
ber 24,  1775,  Asa  Morse.  She  died  Octo- 
ber 3,  1843.  Children  of  Stephen  (2) 
Rhodes :  Millie,  married  a  Mr.  Plimpton  ; 
Mary,  born  August  24,  1767,  married 
Jesse  Pratt;  Aaron,  married  Mary  Wil- 
kinson; Stephen,  mentioned  below. 

(VI)  Stephen  (3)  Rhodes,  youngest 
child  of  Stephen  (2)  and  Mary  (Boyden) 
Rhodes,  was  born  October  17,  1769,  and 
married  (first)  April  5,  1792,  Anna  (Dan- 
iels) Carpenter,  born  March  27,  1763, 
daughter  of  Francis  Daniels,  and  widow 
of  Nehemiah  Carpenter,  of  Foxboro,  Mas- 
sachusetts. She  died  January  25,  1814. 
He  married  (second)  March  20,  1815, 
Polly  Carpenter,  who  died  April  9,  1839. 
He  died  July  20,  1852.  Children  of  first 
marriage:  Achsah,  born  April  14,  1793, 
died  October  30,  1795 ;  Stephen,  March 
I5,  1795,  died  October  24,  1874;  Susan, 
May  10,  1797,  married  Ira  Fairbanks,  died 
1864;  Anna,  mentioned  below;  Mary, 
March  20,  1804,  married  Ira  French.  Chil- 
dren of  second  marriage :  Catherine,  born 
March  12,  1816,  married  William  Payson; 
Maria,  November  1,  1817,  married  Ste- 
phen Coleman ;  Martha,  December  4, 1819, 


married  William  Hitchcock;  Elizabeth  C, 
May  20,  1824,  married  a  Mr.  Greene ; 
Sarah,  January  9,  1828,  died  January  3, 
1839. 

(VII)  Anna  Rhodes,  third  daughter  of 
Stephen  (3)  and  Anna  (Daniels-Carpen- 
ter) Rhodes,  was  born  July  6,  1799,  and 
became  the  wife  of  John  Corey,  of  Fox- 
boro (see  Corey  VI). 

(The  Churchill  Line). 

(I)  John  Churchill,  born  in  England 
about  1620,  died  at  Plymouth,  Massachu- 
setts, in  1662,  appears  first  in  American 
records  on  the  list  of  men  able  to  bear 
arms  at  Plymouth  in  1643.  He  bought  a 
farm  of  Richard  Higgins  in  Plymouth, 
August  18,  1645,  was  admitted  a  freeman, 
June  5,  1651,  and  became  owner  of  much 
land.  He  made  a  nuncupative  will,  May 
3,  1662,  proved  October  20,  1662.  He 
married,  December  18,  1644,  Hannah  Pon- 
tus,  daughter  of  William  Pontus,  and  she 
married  (second)  June  25,  1669,  Giles 
Rickard,  as  his  third  wife  ;  she  died  at 
Hobb's  Hole,  December  22,  1690,  in  her 
sixty-seventh  year.  Children:  Joseph, 
born  1647;  Hannah,  November  12,  1649; 
Eliezer,  April  20,  1652;  Mary,  August  1, 
1654;  William,  mentioned  below;  John, 
i657- 

(II)  William  Churchill,  third  son  of 
John  and  Hannah  (Pontus)  Churchill, 
was  born  1656,  in  Plymouth,  and  died  in 
Plympton,  October  5,  1722.  He  inherited 
lands  in  Plympton,  then  Punkatussett,  a 
part  of  old  Plymouth,  and  was  among  the 
first  settlers  there.  He  and  his  wife  were 
members  of  the  Plymouth  Church.  He 
married,  in  Plymouth,  January  17,  1683, 
Lydia  Bryant,  daughter  of  Stephen  and 
Abigail  (Shaw)  Bryant,  died  February  6, 
1736,  in  her  seventy-fourth  year.  Chil- 
dren, born  in  Plympton :  William,  men- 
tioned below;  Samuel,  April  15,  1688;  . 
James,  September  21,   1690;  Isaac,  Sep- 


90 


(^L^Cf^-T^^ 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


tember  16,  1693;  Benjamin,  1695;  Lydia, 
April  16,  1699;  Josiah,  August  21,  1702; 
Mehitable. 

(III)  William  (2)  Churchill,  eldest 
child  of  William  (1)  and  Lydia  (Bryant) 
Churchill,  was  born  August  2,  1685,  in 
Plympton,  and  resided  in  that  town  at  a 
place  called  Rocky  Gutter.  With  his  wife 
he  was  a  member  in  good  standing  of  the 
church,  and  was  three  times  representa- 
tive of  the  town  in  the  General  Court.  He 
died  February  3,  1760.  He  married,  No- 
vember 4,  1704,  Ruth,  daughter  of  John 
Bryant,  born  1684-85,  died  April  17,  1757. 
Children:  Ebenezer,  born  October  8, 
1705;  Hannah,  October  23,  1707;  David, 
mentioned  below ;  Rebecca,  January  8, 
1712;  William,  December  15,  1714;  Ruth, 
September  14,  1716;  Nathan,  May  II, 
1718;  Abigail,  July  II,  1720;  Ichabod, 
September  24,  1722;  Sarah,  February  7, 
1725  ;  Joanna,  July  22,  1727. 

(IV)  David  Churchill,  second  son  of 
William  (2)  and  Ruth  (Bryant)  Churchill, 
was  born  November  4,  1709,  in  Plympton, 
in  which  town  he  lived,  and  there  built  a 
house,  and  died  September  2J,  1785.  He 
married,  in  1729,  Mary  Magoon,  who  died 
April  18,  1785.  Children:  David,  born 
August  9,  1729;  Hannah,  June  17,  1733; 
William,  November  28,  1739;  Elias,  Au- 
gust 7,  1742;  James,  mentioned  below. 

(V)  James  Churchill,  youngest  child 
of  David  and  Mary  (Magoon)  Churchill, 
was  born  May  29,  1746,  in  Plympton, 
where  he  made  his  home,  and  died  March 
12,  1803.  He  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier, 
serving  as  a  sergeant  in  Captain  Thomas 
Loring's  company  at  the  Lexington  alarm, 
and  was  later  ensign  and  first  lieutenant 
in  Captain  Jesse  Harlow's  company,  sta- 
tioned at  Plymouth,  commissioned  Janu- 
ary 16,  1776.  He  was  also  a  first  lieu- 
tenant from  February  29  to  May  31,  1776, 
serving  three  months.  He  was  a  member 
of   Captain   Cole's   company,   of   Colonel 


Robinson's  regiment  from  July  26,  1777, 
to  January  1,  1778.  He  married,  October 
31,  1765,  Priscilla  Soule,  daughter  of  Ben- 
jamin (2)  Soule,  born  April  1,  1745,  died 
October  9,  1837,  granddaughter  of  Ben- 
jamin (1)  and  Sarah  (Standish)  Soule. 
Children:  Oliver,  born  April  21,  1767; 
Priscilla,  April  30,  1768;  James,  men- 
tioned below;  Isaiah,  October  5,  1773; 
Jane,  March  21,  1776;  Christiana,  Sep- 
tember 19,  1778;  Clara,  June  15,  1782; 
Harriet,  March  25,  1785,  died  young; 
Sophia,  November  3,  1787;  Harriet,  June 
18,  1791. 

(VI)  James  (2)  Churchill,  second  son 
of  James  (1)  and  Priscilla  (Soule) 
Churchill,  was  born  February  26,  1771,  in 
Plympton,  where  he  resided,  and  died  in 
March,  1803.  He  married,  February  16, 
1794,  Sarah,  daughter  of  Ebenezer  and 
Silence  (Hudson)  Soule.  She  survived 
him  and  married  (second)  Jephtha  De- 
lano, of  Duxbury.  Children :  Olive  Soule, 
born  February  n,  1795,  and  Sarah  Hud- 
son, mentioned  below. 

(VII)  Sarah  Hudson  Churchill,  second 
daughter  of  James  (2)  and  Sarah  (Soule) 
Churchill,  was  born  May  6,  1797,  and  be- 
came the  wife  of  Jabez  Fuller,  of  Ver- 
mont (see  Fuller  VIII). 


CHACE,  George  Albert, 

Enterprising  Citizen. 

The  surname  Chase  or  Chace  is  derived 
from  the  French  "chasser,"  to  hunt,  and 
the  family  has  been  prominent  in  England 
since  the  first  use  of  surnames.  The  seat 
of  the  family  in  England  was  at  Chesham, 
in  Buckinghamshire,  through  which  runs 
a  rapidly  flowing  river  called  the  Chess, 
whence  the  name  of  the  town  and  per- 
haps also  of  the  family.  Thomas  and 
Aquila  Chase,  brothers,  whose  English 
ancestry  is  traced  to  remote  antiquity,  are 
believed  to  have  been  cousins  of  William 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Chase,  the  immigrant  ancestor,  mentioned 
below.  Some  branches  of  this  family  in 
America  have  used  the  spelling  Chace, 
but  the  form  in  most  general  use  is  that 
of  Chase. 

(I)  William  Chase,  a  native  of  Eng- 
land, born  in  1595,  came  to  America  in 
Governor  Winthrop's  fleet  in  1630,  accom- 
panied by  his  wife  Mary  and  son  William. 
He  settled  first  in  Roxbury,  Massachu- 
setts, where  he  became  a  member  of  the 
First  Church,  presided  over  by  Rev.  John 
Eliot,  the  Indian  apostle.  In  the  autumn 
following  his  arrival  he  was  propounded 
for  freeman,  and  was  admitted  May  14, 
1634.  About  1637  he  joined  the  company 
which  established  a  new  plantation  at 
Yarmouth,  in  what  is  now  Barnstable 
county,  Massachusetts.  There  he  served 
as  constable  in  1639,  and  continued  to 
reside  there  until  his  death,  in  May,  1659. 
In  October  following  his  widow  passed 
away.  William  Chase  was  a  soldier 
against  the  Narragansett  Indians  in  1645. 
He  had  two  children  born  after  his  arrival 
in  America,  namely :  Mary,  May,  1637,  in 
Roxbury,  and  Benjamin,  1639,  in  Yar- 
mouth. 

(II)  William  (2)  Chase,  eldest  son  of 
William  (1)  and  Mary  Chase,  was  born 
about  1622,  in  England,  and  accompanied 
his  father  to  Yarmouth,  where  he  lived, 
and  died  February  27,  1685.  There  is  no 
record  of  his  wife.  His  children  were: 
William,  Jacob,  John,  Elizabeth,  Abra- 
ham, Joseph,  Benjamin,  and  Samuel. 

(III)  Joseph  Chase,  fifth  son  of  Wil- 
liam (2)  Chase,  resided  in  Swansea,  Mas- 
sachusetts, where  his  will  was  proved 
January  19,  1725.  He  married,  February 
28,  1694,  Sarah,  daughter  of  Sampson  and 
Isabel  (Tripp)  Sherman,  of  Swansea, 
born  September  24,  1677.  Children  :  Abi- 
gail, born  July  6,  1695  '<  Lydia,  October 
18,  1696;  Job,  January  21,  1698;  Alice, 
November  16,  1700;  Ruth,  April  15,  1702; 


Sampson,  April  1,  1704;  Isabel,  October  6, 
1705  ;  Joseph,  July  11,  1707;  Stephen,  May 
2,  1709;  Sarah,  Silas,  George,  Ebenezer, 
and  Moses. 

(IV)  George  Chase,  son  of  Joseph  and 
Sarah  (Sherman)  Chase,  was  born  in 
Swansea,  and  lived  in  that  town.  He 
married  (first)  April  2,  1737,  Lydia  Shove, 
and  (second)  Sarah  Cornell.  Children : 
George,  married,  September  2,  1759,  Eliz- 
abeth Gibbs  Weaver ;  Edward,  married, 
17th  of  4th  month,  1766,  Mrs.  Joanna 
Maxwell,  a  widow ;  Benjamin,  mentioned 
below;  Micajah,  married,  September  9, 
1779,  Hannah  Shove;  Paul,  married  Mary 
Kelly;  Sarah,  married  George  Bowen; 
Huldah,  married,  26th  of  3d  month,  1779, 
Nathaniel  Shove. 

(V)  Benjamin  Chase,  third  son  of 
George  and  Lydia  (Shove)  Chase,  lived 
in  Swansea,  and  married  (first)  Decem- 
ber 12,  1770,  Rhoda  Upton,  and  (second) 
August  11,  1776,  Sarah  Cornell.  Children 
of  first  marriage:  Enos,  born  August  14, 
1771,  married  Catherine  Palmer;  Edward, 
married  Patty  Chase ;  Benjamin,  born 
1773,  married  Betsey  Strange.  Of  second 
marriage:  Theophilus,  born  1777,  mar- 
ried Ruth  Shove;  Elkanah,  1778,  died  un- 
married; Richard,  1781,  married  Sarah 
Brown  ;  Palmer,  September  20,  1783,  mar- 
ried (first)  Mehetabel  Briggs,  (second) 
Sarah  Chase,  (third)  Lydia  Skinner  (Lin- 
coln) ;  Miller,  February  2,  1786,  married 
Mary  Chase ;  Rhoda,  married  John  Earle ; 
Robert,  mentioned  below;  Sarah,  1792, 
married  Sanford  Chaffee. 

(VI)  Robert  Chase,  tenth  son  of  Ben- 
jamin Chase,  and  child  of  his  second  wife, 
Sarah  (Cornell)  Chase,  was  born  April 
27,  1790,  in  Swansea,  and  married  (first) 
December  3,  1812,  Deborah,  daughter  of 
Antipas  Chace,  and  (second)  Ann  Gard- 
ner. Children,  all  born  of  the  first  mar- 
riage: Isaac,  November  22,  1813,  married 
Betheny  C.  Brown ;  Albert  Gordon,  men- 


92 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


tioned  below;  Baylies,  October  10,  1823, 
died  1845;  Robert  W.,  October  15,  1828, 
died  1857;  Richard,  September  7,  1831, 
died  1858;  Daniel,  May  31,  1835. 

(VII)  Albert  Gordon  Chace,  second 
son  of  Robert  and  Deborah  (Chace) 
Chase,  was  born  September  3,  181 5,  and 
was  a  ship  carpenter,  residing  in  Somer- 
set, Massachusetts,  where  he  died  Decem- 
ber 21,  1883.  He  married,  February  9, 
1842,  Sarah  Sherman  Purinton,  who  sur- 
vived him  more  than  seven  years,  dying 
April  23,  1891.     They  had  but  one  child. 

(VIII)  George  Albert  Chace,  son  of 
Albert  Gordon  and  Sarah  Sherman  (Pur- 
inton) Chace,  was  born  September  16, 
1844,  in  Somerset,  Massachusetts,  where 
his  boyhood  days  were  passed,  and  re- 
ceived his  education  in  the  public  schools 
of  that  town.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  he 
enlisted  as  a  soldier  of  the  Union  army, 
became  a  member  of  the  Second  Regi- 
ment Massachusetts  Volunteer  Militia, 
commanded  by  Colonel  Silas  P.  Rich- 
mond, of  Freetown.  He  served  through 
the  campaign  in  Northern  Carolina,  under 
General  Foster,  and  was  discharged  in 
July,  1863.  Returning  to  Massachusetts 
in  May,  1864,  he  began  his  business  career 
in  the  office  of  Charles  O.  Shove,  first 
treasurer  of  the  Granite  Mills  at  Fall 
River.  Here,  by  diligent  application  and 
best  use  of  his  time,  he  gained  thorough 
familiarity  with  the  cotton  manufactur- 
ing business  as  then  conducted.  After 
ten  years  of  service  in  a  subordinate 
capacity  he  was  elected  treasurer  and 
manager  of  the  Shove  Mills,  in  1874. 
Under  his  direction  was  built  and 
equipped  Shove  Mill  No.  1,  from  plans 
prepared  by  Mr.  Shove,  and  in  1880  Mr. 
Chace  built  and  equipped  Shove  Mill  No. 
2.  These  mills  operated  some  sixty  thou- 
sand spindles  and  about  fifteen  hundred 
looms.  In  1881  Mr.  Chace  was  elected 
treasurer    and    manager    of    the    Bourne 


Mills,  in  North  Tiverton,  Rhode  Island, 
which  position  he  occupied  until  his  death, 
October  23,  1907.  These  mills  were 
planned,  constructed  and  equipped  by  Mr. 
Chace,  with  about  forty-three  thousand 
spindles  and  some  twelve  hundred  and 
sixty  looms.  In  1889  he  established  a 
system  of  profit  sharing,  by  which  the 
operatives  participated  in  the  prosperity 
of  the  mills  in  proportion  to  their  contri- 
bution toward  their  success.  Not  long 
after  his  election  as  manager  of  the 
Bourne  Mills,  Mr.  Chace  resigned  the 
management  of  the  Shove  Mills,  but  con- 
tinued to  be  a  large  shareholder  and 
director  of  the  corporation.  For  ten  years 
he  was  a  director  of  the  Massasoit  Na- 
tional Bank,  from  which  position  he  re- 
signed in  1892.  Mr.  Chace  was  a  pioneer 
in  the  system  of  profit  sharing  now  in 
vogue  with  many  corporations  of  the 
country,  and  his  experiment  attracted 
much  attention  from  capitalists  and  labor- 
ing men.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Asso- 
ciation for  Promoting  Profit  Sharing,  and 
made  an  address  before  the  Economic 
Club  of  Boston,  February  10,  1903,  which 
was  received  with  special  favor  and  atten- 
tion. His  plans  were  already  in  opera- 
tion at  the  Bourne  Mills,  and  their  suc- 
cess entitled  him  to  this  attention.  It 
was  apparent  that  this  subject  had  re- 
ceived much  study  at  his  hands,  and  his 
treatment  of  it  was  divided  under  many 
headings,  such  as :  "Problems  and  Prog- 
ress," "Legislation  and  Invention,"  "In- 
crease of  Energy,"  "Standard  of  Living," 
"Industrial  Remuneration,"  "Profit  Shar- 
ing," "Fourteen  Years  of  Profit  Sharing," 
"The  Plan  Explained,"  "Dividends," 
"Employers'  Standpoint,"  "Profit  Shar- 
ing Profitable,"  and  "Motive."  This  ad- 
dress was  published  in  full  in  the  "Lend 
a  Hand  Record,"  edited  by  Edward  Ever- 
ett Hale  and  William  M.  F.  Round,  and 
proved  of  much  practical  value  in  guiding 


93 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


others  in  the  conduct  of  similar  philan- 
thropic and  sound  business  propositions. 
While  active  as  a  business  man  whose 
time  was  much  occupied  by  modern  prac- 
tical problems,  Mr.  Chace  was  ever  ready 
to  give  of  his  time,  means  and  influence 
in  promoting  the  welfare  of  those  about 
him.  He  was  one  of  the  projectors  of  the 
Fall  River  Boys'  Club,  and  its  president 
as  a  corporation.  He  was  at  one  time  a 
vice-president  of  the  Young  Men's  Chris- 
tian Association,  and  was  one  of  the  lead- 
ing members  of  the  First  Christian 
Church  of  Fall  River,  in  which  he  was 
several  years  a  deacon  and  during  the  last 
twelve  years  of  his  life  superintendent  of 
its  Sunday  school.  He  was  among  the 
most  liberal  financial  supporters  of  the 
church,  and  much  devoted  to  its  every 
interest.  His  mind  did  not  become  nar- 
rowed by  continued  application  to  busi- 
ness, but  was  ever  broadened  by  his  read- 
ing and  study.  He  gave  considerable 
spare  time  to  the  study  of  languages,  and 
acquired  some  knowledge  of  seven 
tongues,  although  he  was  not  generally 
known  as  other  than  a  business  man.  On 
the  Monday  succeeding  his  death,  the 
Boston  "Transcript"  published  the  fol- 
lowing from  the  pen  of  Edward  Everett 
Hale,  a  most  worthy  testimonial  to  the 
life  services  and  value  as  a  citizen  of  Mr. 
Chace : 

Mr.  George  A.  Chace,  who  died  suddenly  last 
week,  was  one  of  the  most  valuable  men  in  our 
community.  I  suppose  his  name  is  much  less 
known  than  those  of  many  noisy  men.  But  he 
was  an  unselfish  man,  of  wide  and  intelligent 
views,  who  had  rendered,  and  would  have  ren- 
dered, very  great  service  to  the  Commonwealth. 

Mr.  Chace  was  the  chief  manager  of  the 
Bourne  Mills  in  Fall  River.  I  suppose  he  had  a 
large  pecuniary  interest  in  them.  From  the  time, 
many  years  ago,  when  his  suggestions  were  recog- 
nized as  valuable,  he  had  urged  the  introduction 
of  "profit  sharing"  in  the  management  of  those 
mills — and  he  had  urged  it  so  intelligently  that  it 
had  been  adopted  there. 


This  was  the  largest  enterprise  of  that  sort— 
with  such  foundational  purposes— in  New  Eng- 
land. And  not  only  was  it  a  large  enterprise — it 
was  a  successful  one.  Whoever  really  cares  for 
the  great  improvement  in  our  social  order  which 
will  come  in  with  profit-sharing  will  have  to 
study  the  methods  of  the  Bourne  Mills  now  and 
for  many  years  past.  And  it  is  one  thing  to  say 
glibly  of  profit-sharing,  "Oh,  of  course  you  know 
that  has  been  tried— and  has  failed,"  and  quite 
another  thing  to  know  the  details  of  success  and 
to  work  out,  in  practice,  the  possibilities  of  the 
future.  The  death  of  a  great  leader  in  such  an 
enterprise  is  a  public  calamity. 

Edward  E.  Hale. 

George  A.  Chace  married,  February  9, 
1870,  Sarah  A.  Brownell,  born  June  22, 
1843,  daughter  of  Fenner  and  Eleanor 
(Albro)  Brownell,  of  Fall  River  (see 
Brownell  VIII).  She  survives  him  and 
resides  at  the  family  homestead  in  Fall 
River.  Mrs  Chace  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  Fall  River  and  Rhode 
Island  Normal  School  at  Bristol,  Rhode 
Island.  She  taught  in  Tiverton,  Rhode 
Island,  and  in  Fall  River,  where  she  was 
principal  of  the  third  school  for  some 
time.  Devoted  to  her  home  and  family, 
she  has  always  taken  a  deep  interest  in 
the  progress  and  welfare  of  her  native 
city  and  its  institutions.  She  is  the  mother 
of  two  children:  1.  Eleanor  Sarah,  born 
March  31,  1872;  graduated  from  Welles- 
ley  College,  1894,  and  from  Johns  Hop- 
kins Medical  School,  1901 ;  on  January 
23,  1907,  she  married  Dr.  Edward  Her- 
bert, of  Fall  River,  and  they  have  one 
son,  Edward,  Jr.,  born  September  19, 
1908,  and  a  daughter,  Eleanor  Sarah,  born 
February  15,  1912.  2.  Fenner  Albert, 
born  January  9,  1875 !  a  graduate  of  Har- 
vard College,  1897,  and  Harvard  Medical 
School,  1905 ;  he  married,  February  19, 
1907,  Mary  Deane  BufHngton,  daughter 
of  Charles  Darius  and  Sabrina  M.  Buffing- 
ton,  of  Fall  River,  and  they  have  one  son, 
Fenner  A.,  Jr.,  born  October  5,  1908 ;  Dr. 
Fenner   A.    Chace   is   a   director   of  the 


94 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Bourne  Mills,  director  of  the  Boys'  Club, 
member  of  the  First  Christian  Church, 
and  succeeded  his  father  as  superintend- 
ent of  the  Sunday  school. 

(The  Brownell  Line). 

This  family  is  one  of  long  and  honor- 
able standing  in  New  England,  its  coming 
to  this  section  reaching  back  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  and  more  years,  to  the 
infancy  of  the  Colonies.  The  Little 
Compton  (Rhode  Island)-\Vestport  (Mas- 
sachusetts) branch  of  the  family  here  con- 
sidered has  allied  itself  by  marriage  to 
the  first  families  of  New  England,  and  in 
several  lines  its  posterity  trace  their  an- 
cestry to  the  Pilgrims  of  the  "Mayflower" 
and  others  who  arrived  soon  after. 

(I)  Thomas  Brownell,  born  1618-19, 
came  from  Derbyshire,  England,  to  Amer- 
ica, and  was  residing  in  Portsmouth, 
Rhode  Island,  as  early  as  1639.  He  was  a 
freeman  there  in  1655,  in  the  same  year 
was  a  commissioner,  and  again  in  1661-62- 
63.  In  1664  he  was  deputy,  and  died  in 
1665.  He  married,  in  England,  in  1638, 
and  was  survived  by  his  wife  Ann,  who 
executed  an  exchange  in  real  estate  after 
his  death,  according  to  a  contract  made 
by  him.  She  died,  however,  before  the 
close  of  the  year  of  his  death.  Children : 
Mary,  born  1639;  Sarah,  died  September 
6,  1676;  Martha,  born  May,  1643;  George, 
1646;  William,  1648;  Thomas,  mentioned 
below;  Robert,  1652;  Ann,  1654. 

(II)  Thomas  (2)  Brownell,  son  of 
Thomas  (1)  and  Ann  Brownell,  was  born 
in  1650,  resided  in  Little  Compton,  and 
died  May  18,  1732.  The  inventory  of  his 
estate  amounted  to  1807  pounds,  1  shilling 
and  6  pence,  including  Negro  slaves, 
sword,  loom,  shoemaker's  tools,  fifteen 
kine  of  all  ages,  thirty-eight  sheep,  twen- 
ty-three geese,  eleven  swine,  and  hives  of 
bees.  He  married,  in  1678,  Mary  Pearce, 
born  May  6,   1650,  daughter  of  Richard 


and  Susanna  (Wright)  Pearce,  died  May 

4,  1736.  Children  :  Thomas,  born  Feb- 
ruary 16,  1679;  John,  February  21,  1682; 
George,  mentioned  below ;  Jeremiah,  Oc- 
tober 10,  1689;  Mary,  March  22,  1692; 
Charles,  December  23,   1694. 

(III)  Captain  George  Brownell,  third 
son  of  Thomas  (2)  and  Mary  (Pearce) 
Brownell,  was  born  January  19,  1685,  in 
Little  Compton,  and  resided  in  the  adjoin- 
ing town  of  Westport,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  died  September  22,  1756.  He 
was  commissioned  lieutenant  and  served 
in  an  expedition  against  Canada.  He 
married  (first)  July  6,  1706,  Mary  Thurs- 
ton, born  March  20,  1685,  in  Little  Comp- 
ton, daughter  of  Jonathan  and  Sarah 
Thurston.  She  died  February  23,  1740, 
and  he  married  (second)  April  18,  1745, 
Comfort,  widow  of  Philip  Taylor,  and 
daughter  of  Robert  and  Susanna  Dennis, 
born  March  12,  1703,  in  Little  Compton. 
There  was  one  child  of  this  marriage: 
Mary,  born  March  3,  1747.  Those  of  the 
first  marriage  were:     Giles,  born  March 

I,  1707;  Phebe,  June  19,  1708;  Mary,  No- 
vember 9,  1709,  died  October  6,  1791  ; 
George,  June  27,  171 1 ;  Thomas,  February 

II,  1713;  Elizabeth,  September  13,  1717; 
Jonathan,  March  19,  1719,  died  June  11, 
1776;  Paul,  June  12,  1721,  died  May  20, 
1760;  Stephen,  mentioned  below. 

(IV)  Stephen  Brownell,  youngest  child 
of  Captain  George  and  Mary  (Thurston) 
Brownell,  was  born  November  29,  1726, 
recorded  in  Little  Compton,  and  probably 
lived  in  Westport.    He  married,  January 

5,  1747,  Edith  Wilbor,  born  April  22,  1727, 
in  Little  Compton,  daughter  of  William 
and  Jane  (Crandall)  Wilbor.  Children : 
Phebe,  born  September  4,  1747;  William, 
mentioned  below;  Abigail,  March  15, 
1751 ;  Edith,  November  2,  1752;  Mary, 
April  or  July,  1754;  George,  October  29, 
1756;  Stephen,  March  18,  1762. 

(V)  William   Brownell,  eldest  son  of 


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ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Stephen  and  Edith  (Wilbor)  Brownell, 
was  born  July  17,  1749,  rcorded  in  Little 
Compton,  died  in  May,  1810.  He  mar- 
ried (first)  February  14,  1771,  Elizabeth 
Pearce,  born  October  19,  1751,  in  Little 
Compton,  daughter  of  Giles  and  Mercy 
(Rouse)  Pearce.  He  married  (second) 
January  8,  1778,  Eunice  Palmer,  born 
1756,  in  Little  Compton,  daughter  of  Syl- 
vester and  Amey  (Wait)  Palmer.  He 
married  (third)  November  19,  1786,  Bet- 
sey Grinnell.  Children  of  second  mar- 
riage: Elizabeth,  born  February  13, 
1779 ;  Sylvester,  July  31,  1782 ;  Humphrey, 
mentioned  below;  of  the  third  marriage: 
Eunice,  September  1,  1787;  William, 
March  23,  1789;  Walter,  September  3, 
1790;  Clarke,  October  16,  1793;  Betsey, 
December  16,  1795 ;  Stephen,  January  2, 
1798. 

(VI)  Humphrey  Brownell,  third  son  of 
William  Brownell  and  youngest  child  of 
his  second  wife,  Eunice  (Palmer)  Brow- 
nell, was  born  July  19,  1785,  recorded  in 
Little  Compton,  and  died  in  1824.  He 
married  Sarah  Head,  born  November  30, 
1789,  in  Little  Compton,  daughter  of 
Daniel  and  Hannah  (Davenport)  Head, 
of  that  town.  (See  Head  and  Davenport 
families).  The  children  of  Humphrey 
and  Sarah  (Head)  Brownell  were:  Ma- 
ria, born  March  9,  1812,  married  Charles 
Perry  Dring;  Julia  Ann,  married  (first) 
Nathan  H.  Robinson,  and  (second)  Philip 
S.  Brown ;  Fenner,  mentioned  below ; 
Hannah  Elizabeth,  married  Moses  Deane. 

(VII)  Fenner  Brownell,  only  son  of 
Humphrey  and  Sarah  (Head)  Brownell, 
was  born  April  13,  1816,  in  Little  Comp- 
ton, and  was  but  eight  years  of  age  when 
his  father  died.  He  was  early  compelled 
to  contribute  to  his  own  support,  and 
when  ten  years  of  age  was  employed  as  a 
farm  laborer  by  the  month.  Practically 
all  of  his  education  was  obtained  after  he 
had  reached  the  age  of  sixteen  years, 
about  which  time  he  went  to  Fall  River, 


Massachusetts,  and  became  an  appren- 
tice to  Thomas  Pickering  at  the  carpen- 
ter's trade.  After  five  years  he  qualified 
as  a  journeyman,  and  not  long  after  be- 
gan contracting  for  work  on  his  own 
account.  About  this  time  the  first  Tecum- 
sah  Mill  was  constructed  at  Fall  River, 
and  a  considerable  demand  for  dwelling 
houses  sprung  up.  Mr.  Brownell  was 
very  active  in  filling  this  demand,  and  not 
only  built  many  houses  in  Fall  River,  but 
did  a  great  deal  of  mill  repairing.  About 
1875  he  gave  up  his  contract  business,  but 
still  continued  to  perform  the  carpenter 
work  at  Shove  Mill  No.  2  and  Bourne 
Mill.  He  also  rebuilt  the  Wyoming 
Thread  Mill.  For  many  years  he  was  a 
director  of  the  Shove  and  Bourne  mills. 
He  was  a  liberal  supporter  of  the  First 
Christian  Church,  was  a  respected  man, 
of  quiet  habits,  who  lived  a  long  and  use- 
ful life.  He  died  at  the  home  of  his 
daughter,  Mrs.  George  Albert  Chace,  in 
Fall  River,  August  23,  1905,  in  his  nine- 
tieth year.  When  about  twenty-five  years 
old  Mr.  Brownell  married  (first)  Eleanor 
Albro,  who  lived  but  a  few  years  there- 
after, leaving  one  daughter  (see  Albro 
V).  About  1848  he  married  (second) 
Lydia  V.  Millard,  who  died  about  1890, 
leaving  a  son,  Fenner  Clifford,  now  con- 
nected with  the  Shove  mills. 

(VIII)  Sarah  A.  Brownell,  only  child 
of  Fenner  Brownell  by  his  first  marriage, 
became  the  wife  of  George  Albert  Chace, 
of  Fall  River  (see  Chase  VIII). 

(The  Albro  Line). 

(I)  The  Albro  family  was  founded  in 
America  by  John  Albro,  born  in  1617,  and 
died  November  1,  1712,  in  Portsmouth, 
Rhode  Island.  He  embarked  at  Ipswich, 
England,  April  30,  1634,  in  the  ship 
"Francis,"  under  the  care  of  William 
Freeborn,  whom  he  accompanied  to 
Rhode  Island  in  1638.  He  settled  in 
Portsmouth,  where  he  was  a  member  of 


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ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


the  town  council  soon  after  1649,  and  sub- 
sequently served  frequently  as  moderator 
of  town  meetings  until  very  old.  In  1660 
and  1661  he  was  a  commissioner,  was 
assistant  most  of  the  time  between  1671 
and  1686,  and  figured  prominently  in  all 
important  public  affairs.  In  1644  ne  was 
corporal  of  the  local  militia  company,  and 
rose  successively  to  lieutenant,  captain 
and  major.  He  married  Dorothy  Potter, 
born  1617,  died  February  19,  1696.  Chil- 
dren: Samuel,  born  1644;  Elizabeth,  died 
November  15,  1670;  Mar)-,  died  1710; 
John  and  Susanna. 

(II)  John  (2)  Albro,  junior  son  of  John 
(1)  and  Dorothy  (Potter)  Albro,  was 
born  in  Portsmouth,  where  he  lived,  and 
died  December  4,  1724.  He  was  one  of  a 
group  to  whom  were  granted  five  thou- 
sand acres  of  land,  in  1677,  to  be  called 
East  Greenwich.  The  inventory  of  his 
estate  amounted  to  two  hundred  and 
forty-six  pounds  eighteen  shillings  and 
seven  pence,  including  much  live  stock. 
He  married,  April  27,  1693,  Mary  Stokes, 
and  they  had  children :  John,  born  Au- 
gust 23,  1694;  Mary;  Sarah  and  Samuel. 

(III)  Samuel  Albro,  youngest  child  of 
John  (2)  and  Mary  (Stokes)  Albro,  was 
born  June  16,  1701,  in  Portsmouth,  where 
he  was  a  freeman  in  1722,  and  died  Octo- 
ber 5,  1766.  He  left  a  large  property, 
amounting  to  three  thousand  four  hun- 
dred and  fifty-five  pounds  nine  shillings, 
including  wearing  apparel  valued  at  two 
hundred  and  seventy  pounds,  money,  im- 
plements and  live  stock.  He  married,  No- 
vember 25,  1725,  Ruth  Lawton,  who  sur- 
vived him.  Children :  Samuel,  born  Feb- 
ruary 10,  1727;  Mary,  August  31,  1728; 
John,  January  30,  1730;  Daniel,  January 
J7>  I73I I  Jonathan,  January  2,  1734; 
David,  April  1,  1736;  James;  Ruth;  Eliz- 
abeth ;  Josias  and  Sarah. 

(IV)  James  Albro,  sixth  son  of  Sam- 
uel and  Ruth  (Lawton)  Albro,  was  born 
about  1738,  in  Portsmouth,  and  lived  in 

MASS-Vo!  Ill — 7 


that  town.  He  married,  April  19,  1764, 
Elizabeth  Durfee,  born  March  7,  1743, 
daughter  of  Gideon  Durfee  and  his  sec- 
ond wife,  name  not  recorded.  Children, 
recorded  in  Portsmouth :  Ruth,  born  Feb- 
ruary 28,  1765;  Samuel,  January  4,  1767; 
Gideon,  mentioned  below;  James,  De- 
cember 30,  1771  ;  Christopher  Durfee, 
May  20,  1775;  Elizabeth,  July  17,  1780; 
and  Eleanor  Durfee,  October  18,  1783. 

(V)  Gideon  Albro,  second  son  of 
James  and  Elizabeth  (Durfee)  Albro,  was 
born  January  20,  1769,  in  Portsmouth, 
and  died  in  October,  1849,  aged  eighty 
years.  He  married  (first)  in  1794,  Lydia, 
daughter  of  Joshua  and  Mary  (Cornell) 
Peckham,  of  Portsmouth,  and  they  had 
one  child,  Lydia,  born  January  3,  1795, 
and  not  long  after  the  mother  died.  He 
married  (second)  August  3,  1799,  Sarah 
Dickson,  of  North  Kingstown,  Rhode 
Island,  daughter  of  Robert  and  Martha 
Dickson.  Children  :  Rhoda,  born  Decem- 
ber 27,  1800;  Hannah,  May  6,  1802; 
Gideon,  September  23,  1803,  died  Septem- 
ber 9,  1861 ;  Elizabeth,  September  11, 
1805;  Edward,  October  27,  1808;  Gardi- 
ner, October  6,  1810;  Charles,  October  21, 
1812;  Sarah,  February  25,  1816;  James 
Durfee,  April  9,  1818;  Eleanor,  mentioned 
below;  Moses,  July  10,  1825;  Martha, 
July  15,  1826. 

(VI)  Eleanor  Albro,  sixth  daughter  of 
Gideon  Albro,  and  child  of  his  second 
wife,  Sarah  (Dickson)  Albro,  was  born 
December  15,  1820,  in  Portsmouth,  and 
became  the  wife  of  Fenner  Brownell,  of 
Fall  River,  Massachusetts  (see  Brownell 
VII). 


JACOBS,  Fernando  Cortez, 

Business   Man,    Public    Official. 

The  progenitor  of  the  Jacobs  family  of 
Hingham,  Massachusetts,  was  Nicholas 
Jacobs,  who  came  from  Hingham,  Eng- 
land, and  from  the  Jacobses  of  Hingham 


97 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


have  descended  a  great  number  of  the 
name  who  are  now  scattered  to  all  parts 
of  the  United  States.  Descendants  appear 
in  various  towns  of  Massachusetts,  in- 
cluding Dartmouth,  Somerset,  Carlisle 
and  Scituate,  and  in  Bristol  and  other 
towns  of  Rhode  Island.  The  records  of 
Newport  state  that  Joseph  Jacobs,  son  of 
John  Jacobs,  of  Cork,  Ireland,  married, 
in  Newport,  May  13,  1719,  Sarah,  daugh- 
ter of  Benjamin  and  Leah  Newberry. 
The  defective  records  of  Rhode  Island 
fail  to  locate  Justin  Jacobs,  mentioned  be- 
low. Tradition  says  that  he  was  born  in 
Rhode  Island.  A  thorough  search  of  the 
vital  records  of  the  State  fails  to  dis- 
cover any  mention  of  him. 

Nicholas  Jacobs  was  one  of  the  very 
early  planters  who  settled  in  "Bare 
Cove,"  Hingham,  Massachusetts,  prior  to 
the  arrival  of  Rev.  Peter  Hobart  and  his 
company  in  1635.  According  to  Cush- 
ing's  manuscript,  "Nicholas  Jacobs  with 
his  wife  and  two  children  and  their  'cosen' 
Thomas  Lincoln,  weaver,  came  from  old 
Hingham  and  settled  in  this  Hingham, 
I633-"  In  September,  1635,  he  had  a 
grant  of  a  house  lot  containing  three 
acres.  Other  lands  were  also  granted  to 
him  at  different  dates  for  planting  pur- 
poses. He  was  made  freeman  in  1636; 
was  selectman  in  1637;  deputy  to  the 
General  Court  in  1648-49,  and  often  en- 
gaged upon  the  business  of  the  town. 
He  died  June  5,  1657.  He  made  his  will, 
May  18,  1657,  which  was  proved  July  25 
following.  His  estate  was  appraised  at 
three  hundred  ninety-three  pounds  eight 
shillings  six  pence.  The  Christian  name 
of  his  wife  was  Mary.  She  survived  him 
and  married  (second)  March  10,  1659, 
John  Beal,  widower.  Children  of  Nichol- 
as and  Mary  Jacobs :  John,  Elizabeth, 
Mary,  Sarah,  Hannah,  Josiah,  Deborah 
and  Joseph. 

Among  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Warren, 
Washington  county,  Vermont  (chartered 


1780),  was  Stephen  Jacobs,  who  partici- 
pated in  the  division  of  lands  there  in 
1789,  securing  lot  No.  18.  Others  of  the 
name  who  drew  lots  at  the  same  time 
were  John  and  Parmela  Jacobs.  It  is 
reasonably  certain  that  Justin  Jacobs  was 
a  son  of  either  Stephen  or  John. 

Justin  Jacobs,  a  descendant  of  Nicholas 
Jacobs,  the  immigrant,  resided  in  Rhode 
Island,  and  died  in  Windsor,  Vermont. 
He  took  part  in  the  War  of  1812,  and 
assisted  in  the  capture  of  a  British  vessel, 
and  as  his  share  of  the  prize  money  dis- 
tributed to  the  captors  he  received  one 
hundred  and  twenty  dollars.  He  married, 
October  11,  181 1,  Polly  Sargent,  born 
October  12,  1793,  in  Windsor,  Vermont, 
died  in  May,  1880,  daughter  of  Moses  and 
Sarah  (Crane)  Sargent,  of  Weare  (see 
Sargent  VI).  Children:  Fernando  Cor- 
tez,  Justin,  Emily,  and  Mary  C. 

Fernando  Cortez  Jacobs,  eldest  son  and 
child  of  Justin  and  Polly  (Sargent) 
Jacobs,  was  born  January  16,  1813,  in 
Warren,  Vermont,  and  died  in  Stewarts- 
town,  New  Hampshire,  August  11,  1899, 
aged  seventy-six.  When  a  lad  he  went 
with  his  uncle,  Moses  Sargent,  to  Troy, 
New  York,  and  lived  with  him  for 
several  years,  and  then  returned  to  Ver- 
mont and  learned  the  tanner's  trade  at 
New  Haven.  In  1835  ne  went  to  Albany, 
New  York,  and  worked  at  his  trade  there 
and  in  Troy  two  years.  He  then  resided 
and  was  employed  three  years  in  Cole- 
brook,  New  Hampshire,  and  two  years  in 
Stanstead,  province  of  Quebec,  Canada, 
and  then  removed  to  Canaan,  Vermont, 
where  he  enlarged  his  business,  erected 
a  tannery,  and  carried  on  tanning  and  the 
manufacture  of  shoes  and  harness  for 
sixteen  years.  He  was  successful  in  busi- 
ness and  accumulated  property,  and  with 
his  savings  he  established  a  resort  for 
tourists  and  hunters  in  the  wild  and  de- 
lightful region  of  the  Upper  Connecticut, 
where  sportsmen  found  rare  game  and 


y8 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


fish  and  the  tourist  pure  air  and  lovely 
scenery.  In  i860  he  built  the  Connecticut 
Lake  House,  on  the  shore  of  Connecti- 
cut Lake,  in  the  town  of  Pittsburg,  Coos 
county,  which  formed  the  terminus  of  a 
carriage  drive  of  twenty-five  miles  from 
Colebrook,  and  became  headquarters  for 
sportsmen  and  lumbermen.  There  he  re- 
mained eleven  years  and  then  removed  to 
Lancaster,  where  he  spent  the  two  follow- 
ing years  farming;  then  three  years  as 
proprietor  of  the  Brunswick  Springs 
House;  and  the  next  three  years  in  the 
grocery  trade  in  Colebrook.  In  1880  he 
located  at  Stewartstown  Hollow,  where 
he  formed  a  partnership  with  Lucius 
Parkhurst  under  the  firm  name  of  Park- 
hurst  &  Jacobs,  and  conducted  a  general 
merchandise  store  until  he  retired  from 
active  business. 

Mr.  Jacobs  was  an  intelligent  and  well- 
informed  man,  and  as  active  in  public 
affairs  as  he  was  in  his  private  business. 
In  politics  he  was  first  a  Whig  and  then 
a  Republican.  From  1850  to  i860  he  was 
master  in  chancery  in  Essex  county,  Ver- 
mont, and  from  1857  to  i860  notary  public 
in  the  same  county.  He  was  postmaster 
at  Canaan,  four  years;  deputy  sheriff,  four 
years;  lister,  and  holder  of  other  offices. 
During  the  Civil  War  he  was  a  deputy 
provost  marshal ;  he  represented  Pitts- 
burg in  the  Legislature  in  1856-66;  was 
collector  and  selectman  some  years ;  was 
postmaster  at  Stewartstown,  six  years ; 
justice  of  the  peace  in  Pittsburg  from 
1861  to  1871,  and  of  Stewartstown  from 
the  time  of  his  becoming  a  citizen  of  that 
town  until  his  death.  In  his  later  life  he 
was  as  agile  and  vigorous  as  a  younger 
man,  and  retained  his  activity  and  strength 
until  a  short  time  before  his  death. 

He  married  (first)  September  7,  1845, 
Julia  A.  Cooper,  born  October  21,  1821, 
in  Canaan,  Vermont,  died  in  Canaan,  Sep- 
tember 20,  1867,  daughter  of  Judge  Jesse 
and  Sarah  (Putnam)  Cooper,  of  Canaan. 


He  married  (second)  in  Danvers,  Massa- 
chusetts, Caroline  Putnam.  Children  of 
first  marriage :  Alma  P.,  Sarah  C,  Henry 
F.,  Charles  J.,  and  Julia  Anna.  Alma  P. 
married  Captain  H.  S.  Hilliard,  of  Lan- 
caster; Sarah  C.  married  Dr.  David  O. 
Rowell,  of  Coos;  Henry  F.  married  Flor- 
ence G.  Carlton;  Charles  J.  married  Lil- 
lian Smith,  was  superintendent  of  the 
Baldwin  bobbin  mill  at  West  Manches- 
ter, and  died  in  1896;  Julia  Anna  resides 
in  Fall  River,  Massachusetts,  unmarried. 


(I)  One  historian  of  the  Sargent  family 
says :  "At  first  I  was  not  inclined  to  be- 
lieve this  William  was  our  ancestor,  or 
from  this  part  of  England.  But  since 
learning  that  the  father  of  William's  first 
wife,  'Quarter  Master  John  Perkins,'  was 
at  Agawam  in  August,  163 1,  a  short  time 
after  arriving  in  America,  and  that  he 
came  from  near  Bath,  England,  it  seems 
quite  probable  that  if  William  was  from 
there  and  with  Captain  Smith  in  1614, 
when  the  latter  landed  at  Agawam  and 
wrote  up  its  beauties  and  advantages, 
William  may  have  returned  and  induced 
John  Perkins  and  others  to  emigrate." 
The  first  record  found  of  William  Sargent 
is  in  the  General  Court  records  of  Massa- 
chusetts Colony  in  April,  1633,  where  a 
copy  of  an  act  appears  to  protect  him  and 
other  grantees  of  land  at  Agawam,  now 
Ipswich,  Massachusetts,  in  their  rights. 
The  next  record  is  that  of  his  oath  of 
allegiance  and  fidelity  in  1639.  It  is 
shown  by  records  and  deeds  that  he  was 
one  of  the  first  settlers  at  Wessacucoh, 
now  Newbury,  in  1635  ;  at  Winnacunnet, 
now  Hampton,  New  Hampshire,  in  1638; 
at  South  Merrimac,  now  Salisbury,  Mas- 
sachusetts, in  1639,  and  that  "William 
Sargent,  townsman  and  commissioner  of 
Salisbury,"  had  a  tax  rate  December  25, 
1650,  of  7s.  4d.  He  was  next  located  at 
Salisbury    New    Town,    now    Amesbury 


99 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  Merrimack,  in  1655,  where  he  resided 
until  his  death  in  1675.  He  is  believed  to 
have  married  Elizabeth  Perkins  about 
1633,  as  she  came  with  her  parents  to 
America  in  the  ship  "Lion"  in  the  spring 
of  1631.  She  died  before  September  18, 
1670,  for  William  Sargent  married  at  that 
time  Joanna  Rowell,  who  survived  him 
and  married  Richard  Currier,  of  Ames- 
bury.  The  children  of  William  Sargent 
seem  to  have  been  as  follows,  but  owing 
to  lack  and  contradiction  of  records  there 
is  uncertainty  about  them :  Mary ;  Eliza- 
beth, died  young;  Thomas,  mentioned  be- 
low ;  William ;  Lydia ;  Elizabeth,  died 
young;  Sarah,  died  young;  Sarah  and 
Elizabeth. 

(II)  Thomas  Sargent,  eldest  son  of 
William  and  Elizabeth  (Perkins)  Sar- 
gent, born  June  11,  1643,  in  Salisbury, 
Massachusetts,  died  February  27,  1706, 
was  a  farmer,  and  resided  on  "Bear  Hill." 
He  took  the  oath  of  allegiance  and  fidelity 
at  Amesbury  before  Major  Robert  Pike, 
December  20,  1677;  held  public  office,  was 
quite  a  prominent  man  in  civil  affairs,  and 
a  lieutenant  in  the  militia.  His  will  was 
dated  February  8,  1706,  and  probated  at 
Salem,  April  8,  1706.  He  married,  Janu- 
ary 2,  1667,  Rachel  Barnes,  born  Febru- 
ary 3,  1648,  daughter  of  William  Barnes, 
of  Amesbury  and  Salisbury,  died  1719. 
Both  were  buried  in  the  "Ferry  Ceme- 
tery." They  were  the  parents  of  twelve 
children,  five  of  whom  died  young,  those 
who  lived  to  maturity  being:  Mary,  born 
October  14,  1674,  married  a  Sanders : 
Thomas,  November  15,  1676,  married 
Mary  Stevens ;  William,  died  171 1 ;  Jacob, 
mentioned  below ;  Joseph,  born  January 
2,  1687,  married  Elizabeth  Carr;  Rachel, 
married  a  Currier;  John,  May  18,  1692, 
married  Hannah  Quimby. 

(Ill)  Jacob  Sargent,  son  of  Thomas 
and  Rachel  (Barnes)  Sargent,  was  born 
October  1,  1678,  in  Amesbury,  Massachu- 
setts, where  he  resided,  was  a  farmer,  and 


died  May  7,  1754.  His  will  was  dated 
June  16,  1742,  and  probated  at  Salem  in 
1754.  He  married  (first)  November  2, 
1700,  Gastret  Davis,  of  Amesbury,  born 
1676,  died  June  27,  1745;  (second)  De- 
cember 22,  1746,  Elizabeth  Baxter,  widow 
of  Daniel  Hoyt.  Children,  all  by  first 
marriage,  born  in  Amesbury:  Sarah,  Ra- 
chel, Thomas,  Annie,  Alice,  Hannah,  Ben- 
jamin and  Peter. 

(IV)  Thomas  Sargent,  third  child  of 
Jacob  and  Gastret  (Davis)  Sargent,  was 
born  March  18,  1706,  in  Amesbury,  and 
died  there  in  1778.  He  was  a  farmer  and 
spent  his  life  in  Amesbury.  He  married 
(first)  in  Amesbury,  March  26,  1728, 
Priscilla  Weed,  of  that  town,  born  1707, 
died  October  12,  1750;  (second)  April  15, 
1756,  Widow  Rebecca  (Rogers)  Blaisdell, 
of  Amesbury.  Children :  Thomas,  Jacob, 
Hannah,  Judith,  Ephraim,  Isaac,  Asa, 
Moses,  Dorcas  and  Phineas. 

(V)  Moses  Sargent,  son  of  Thomas 
Sargent,  and  child  of  his  second  wife,  Re- 
becca (Rogers-Blaisdell)  Sargent,  was 
born  January  12,  1757,  in  Amesbury,  and 
died  in  Warren,  Vermont,  August  1 1 ,  1839, 
aged  eighty-two.  He  was  a  farmer,  moved 
to  Hartland,  Vermont,  in  the  spring  of 
1789,  then  to  Windsor  in  1793,  and  to  War- 
ren in  1804.  He  enlisted  in  the  Revolution 
from  Amesbury,  May,  1775,  for  eight 
months  in  Captain  Currier's  company ;  in 
July,  1776,  six  months  in  Captain  Brown's 
company ;  in  July,  1777,  for  two  months, 
and  in  July,  1778,  for  three  months  in 
Captain  Eaton's  company.  All  these  en- 
listments were  in  Amesbury.  In  July, 
1779,  he  enlisted  from  Weare  for  three 
months  in  Captain  Dearlng's  company; 
March,  1780,  for  nine  months  in  Cap- 
tain Cheney's  company ;  July,  for  three 
months  in  Captain  Kidder's  company; 
and  October,  1781,  for  two  months  in 
Captain  Hall's  company,  making  a  total 
of  three  years.  He  was  a  pensioner,  and 
the  history  of  Weare  states  that  he  was  a 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


corporal  and  received  a  bounty.  He  was 
one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Warren,  repre- 
sented the  town  and  held  office  almost 
continuously  for  many  years.  He  mar- 
ried (first)  February  22,  1779,  Sarah 
Crane,  of  Weare,  New  Hampshire,  born 
February  6,  1761,  died  October  30,  1820, 
in  Warren,  Vermont.  He  married  (sec- 
ond) about  1821,  Widow  Ruth  Bur- 
roughs, of  Roxbury.  His  children,  all  by 
his  first  wife,  were  born,  three  in  Weare 
and  the  others  in  Windsor.  Six  children 
died  in  infancy,  one  not  given,  and  the 
others  were  :  Phineas,  born  May  30,  1780, 
in  Weare,  died  March  26,  1802;  Sarah, 
April  17,  1785,  in  Weare,  married  Samuel 
Spaulding;  Stephen  Lewis,  January  19, 
1789,  in  Weare,  married  Bridget  Shaw ; 
Moses,  March  20,  1791,  in  Windsor,  Ver- 
mont, married  Lydia  Steele ;  Polly,  men- 
tioned below;  Thomas,  May  18,  1797,  in 
Windsor,  married  Laura  Richardson. 

(VI)  Polly  Sargent,  daughter  of  Moses 
and  Sarah  (Crane)  Sargent,  was  born 
October  12,  1793,  in  Windsor,  Vermont, 
and  died  in  May,  1880,  aged  eighty-seven 
She  married,  October  11,  181 1,  Justin 
Jacobs  (see  Jacobs). 

(The   Cooper   Line). 

(I)  John  Cooper  was  born  in  England 
and  died  at  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  No- 
vember 23,  1689.  As  early  as  1639  he 
came  to  New  Haven,  and  became  a  useful 
and  prominent  citizen  of  the  colony.  He 
held  various  town  offices  and  was  on 
committees  to  settle  disputes  between 
towns  and  individuals.  He  was  con- 
nected with  the  iron  works  at  East 
Haven,  and  removed  from  New  Haven  to 
Stony  River  about  the  time  the  iron 
works  were  established  there.  Children : 
John,  mentioned  below;  Sarah,  married 
Samuel  Heminway;  Hannah,  married 
John  Potter. 

(II)  John  (2)  Cooper,  son  of  John  (1) 
Cooper,  was  baptized  May  28,   1642,  at 


New  Haven,  and  married,  December  27, 
1666,  Mary  Thompson,  born  April  24, 
1652,  daughter  of  John  and  Ellen  (Harri- 
son) Thompson.  Children,  born  at  New 
Haven;  Daughter,  November  19,  1668; 
Mary,  November  15,  1669;  John,  men- 
tioned below;  Sarah,  April  26,  1673; 
Samuel,  June  20,  1675;  Mary,  September 
4,  1677;  Abigail,  October  3,  1679;  Han- 
nah, August  10,  1681 ;  Joseph,  September 
11,  1683;  Rebecca,  1689. 

(III)  John  (3)  Cooper,  son  of  John  (2) 
and  Mary  (Thompson)  Cooper,  was  born 
February  23,  1671,  at  New  Haven,  and 
settled  at  Seymour,  Connecticut.  He  mar- 
ried Ann,  daughter  of  John  and  Lydia 
(Parker)  Thomas.  Children:  Elizabeth, 
born  February  18,  1694;  John,  July  10, 
1699;  Mary,  January  20,  1701  ;  Thomas, 
February  18,  1703;  Caleb,  mentioned  be- 
low; Jude,  August  18,  1714. 

(IV)  Caleb  Cooper,  third  son  of  John 
(3)  and  Ann  (Thomas)  Cooper,  born 
1708,  at  Seymour,  died  October  30,  1746. 
He  married,  March  13,  1735,  Desire  San- 
ford,  daughter  of  John  Sanford.  She  mar- 
ried (second)  Lieutenant  William  Sco- 
ville,  and  (third)  Deacon  Jonathan  Garn- 
sey.  Children  of  Caleb  Cooper:  Caleb 
mentioned  below ;  Jason,  born  April  18, 
1739;  Sarah,  January  26,  1744;  Olive; 
Desire,  April  27,  1746. 

(V)  Caleb  (2)  Cooper,  eldest  child  of 
Caleb  (1)  and  Desire  (Sanrord)  Cooper, 
was  born  August  16,  1736,  in  Seymour, 
and  resided  in  North  Haven,  Connecticut. 
He  married,  November  4,  1762,  Eunice, 
daughter  of  Daniel  and  Abigail  (Heaton) 
Barnes. 

(VI)  Jesse  Cooper,  son  of  Caleb  (2) 
and  Eunice  (Barnes)  Cooper,  was  born 
about  1780,  in  North  Haven,  and  resided 
in  Waterbury,  Connecticut ;  Claremont, 
New  Hampshire ;  and  Canaan,  Vermont. 
He  married  (first)  Sarah  Beach,  born 
June  4,  1783,  in  Waterbury,  daughter  of 
Joseph  and  Hannah  (Miles)  Beach.     He 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


married  (second)  Sarah,  daughter  of  Solo- 
and  Miriam  (Elmer)  Putnam,  of  Clare- 
mont,  born  February  3,  1786,  probably  in 
that  town  (see  Putnam  VI).  Children: 
John  Milton,  died  unmarried;  Beede 
Mary,  married  John  Haven  Willard ; 
Saunders  Welsh,  married  Mary  Porter; 
Eliza,  married  Joseph  Downer;  Samuel 
Beach,  married  Amanda  Bicknell ;  Thom- 
as Beach,  married  Lois  Dean ;  Nathaniel 
Beach,  died  unmarried;  Jesse,  married 
Emily  Chamberlain;  Sarah  Amelia,  mar- 
ried Elisha  Francis  Downer;  Phebe  Pot- 
ter, died  unmarried ;  Mary  Shepard,  mar- 
ried John  P.  Denison ;  Susan  Europa, 
died  unmarried  ;  Joseph  Willard,  married 
Fidelia  Perry;  Hiram  Putnam,  married 
Patience  Morgan ;  Julia  Ann,  mentioned 
below;  Emily,  married  Hiram  Harvey. 

(VII)  Julia  Ann  Cooper,  seventh 
daughter  of  Jesse  Cooper,  and  child  of 
his  second  wife,  Sarah  (Putnam)  Cooper, 
was  born  October  21,  1821,  in  Canaan, 
Vermont,  and  became  the  wife  of  Fer- 
nando Cortez  Jacobs  (see  Jacobs). 

(The  Denison  Line). 

Among  the  first  families  that  first  trod 
the  soil  of  New  England  and  bore  a  con- 
spicuous part  in  subduing  the  savage  and 
the  establishment  of  the  civilization  of 
its  time  was  that  of  Denison.  Its  repre- 
sentatives are  now  found  in  every  part  of 
the  United  States,  and  are  noted  for  fine 
minds  and  fine  character.  The  ancestor 
of  most  of  these  bearing  the  name  had  a 
most  romantic  career,  and  left  an  indeli- 
ble impress  upon  the  formative  history  of 
New  England.  He  was  of  vigorous  phy- 
sical as  well  as  mental  make-up,  and  his 
posterity  is  numerous  and  of  credit  to  its 
noble  origin. 

(I)  John  Denyson  was  living  in  Stort- 
ford,  in  Hertfordshire,  England,  in  1567, 
and  died  there,  of  the  plague,  in  1582. 

(II)  William  Denison,  son  of  John 
Denyson,  was  baptized  February  3,  1571, 


at  Stortford,  and  was  married,  Novem- 
ber 7,  1603,  to  Margaret  (Chandler) 
Monck.  He  was  well  seated  at  Stortford, 
but  hearing  of  the  promise  of  the  New 
England  colonies  decided  to  cast  his  lot 
with  the  Puritans  there.  His  eldest  son, 
James  Denison,  was  a  clergyman,  and  re- 
mained in  England.  The  parents,  with 
three  sons,  Daniel,  Edward  and  George, 
crossed  the  ocean  in  1631  and  settled  at 
Roxbury,  Massachusetts,  in  1634.  They 
bore  a  prominent  part  in  social  and  re- 
ligious life  there.  John  Eliot,  the  apostle, 
was  a  tutor  in  their  family.  William 
Denison  died  in  Roxbury,  January  25, 
1653,  and  his  wife  February  23,  1645. 

(Ill)  Captain  George  Denison,  fourth 
son  of  William  and  Margaret  (Chandler- 
Monck)  Denison,  was  born  1618,  in  Stort- 
ford, and  baptized  there  December  10, 
1620.  He  married,  about  1640,  Bridget 
Thompson,  born  September  11,  1622, 
daughter  of  John  and  Alice  Thompson, 
of  Preston,  Northamptonshire,  England. 
Mrs.  Denison  died  in  1643,  leaving  daugh- 
ters, Sarah  and  Hannah,  born  1641  and 
1643  respectively.  After  the  death  of  his 
wife  Captain  Denison  went  to  England 
and  joined  Cromwell's  army.  He  was 
severely  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Naseby, 
and  was  nursed  back  to  health  by  Lady 
Ann  Borodel,  at  the  home  of  her  father, 
John  Borodel.  As  soon  as  his  strength 
was  restored  he  married  her,  and  in  1645 
they  came  to  New  England  and  lived  in 
Roxbury,  Massachusetts,  continuing  their 
residence  there  until  1651,  when  they 
located  with  their  family  in  New  London, 
Connecticut.  Captain  Denison  distin- 
guished himself  as  a  soldier  in  the  Pequot 
war,  and  again  rendered  valuable  service 
to  the  colony  after  his  return  from  Eng- 
land, rising  to  the  rank  of  colonel.  His 
children,  born  of  the  second  marriage 
were :  John,  Ann,  Borodel,  George,  Wil- 
liam, Margaret  and  Mary. 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


(IV)  John  (2)  Denison,  eldest  child  of 
Captain  George  Denison  and  his  second 
wife,  Ann  (Borodel)  Denison,  was  born 
July  14,  1646,  and  died  in  1698.  He  mar- 
ried, November  26,  1667,  Phebe  Lay,  who 
died  in  1699. 

(V)  Robert  Denison,  son  of  John  (2) 
and  Phebe  (Lay)  Denison,  was  born  Sep- 
tember 7,  1673,  in  Stonington,  and  died 
there  in  1737.  He  married  (first)  in  1696, 
Joanna  Stanton,  who  died  in  1715,  and  he 
married  (second)  in  1717,  Dorothy  Stan- 
ton, a  widow. 

(VI)  Thomas  Denison,  son  of  Robert 
and  Joanna  (Stanton)  Denison,  was  born 
October  20,  1709,  in  Stonington,  and  died 
in  Pomfret,  Connecticut,  October  24,  1787. 
He  was  a  clergyman.  He  affiliated  first 
with  the  Congregational  church,  then  be- 
came a  Separatist,  and  subsequently  a 
Baptist,  and  ended  his  life  in  the  Congre- 
gational affiliation.  He  preached  in  New 
London  and  Windham  Center,  Connecti- 
cut.    He  married  Elizabeth  Bailey. 

(VII)  David  Denison,  son  of  Thomas 
and  Elizabeth  (Bailey)  Denison,  was 
born  October  30,  1756,  in  Stonington, 
lived  in  Pomfret,  Connecticut,  and  Guild- 
hall, Vermont,  and  died  in  the  latter  town, 
May  23,  1838.  He  married  (first)  De- 
cember 9,  1779,  Sarah  Spaulding ;  (sec- 
ond)  Ann   Paine. 

(VIII)  John  P.  Denison,  son  of  David 
and  Ann  (Paine)  Denison,  was  born  Sep- 
tember 8,  1808,  in  Guildhall,  Vermont, 
and  passed  the  latter  part  of  his  life  in 
Kansas  City,  Kansas,  where  he  died.  In 
early  life  he  was  an  associate  judge  in 
Vermont,  and  a  successful  farmer.  He 
married,  May  9,  1841,  Mary  S.  Cooper, 
daughter  of  Jesse  and  Sarah  (Putnam) 
Cooper,  of  Canaan,  Vermont  (see  Cooper 
VI).  Their  children  were:  Charles  S., 
who  died  in  Kansas  City,  Kansas ;  Fran- 
ces, who  died  young;  Henry  YVillard, 
mentioned    below ;    Nellie    S.,    now    Mrs. 


William  S.  Boylan,  of  Kansas  City;  and 
John  C,  now  living  in  Kansas  City. 

(IX)  Henry  Willard  Denison,  son  of 
John  P.  and  Mary  S.  (Cooper)  Denison, 
was  born  May  11,  1846,  in  Guildhall,  Ver- 
mont, and  died  July  3,  1914,  at  Tokio, 
Japan.  He  worked  on  the  farm,  attended 
the  common  schools,  and  also  the  acad- 
emy at  Lancaster  on  the  removal  of  the 
family  to  New  Hampshire.  As  a  school 
boy  he  gave  no  evidence  of  future  great- 
ness, leading  the  life  of  the  common  boy 
in  games,  pastimes  and  frolics.  When 
about  fifteen  years  of  age  he  entered  the 
printing  office  of  "The  Coos  Republican," 
served  his  apprenticeship  at  the  case,  and 
afterwards  worked  a  brief  time  in  Phila- 
delphia as  a  compositor.  At  this  time 
Charles  A.  Dana  was  assistant  secretary 
of  war.  Charles  A.  Dana  and  Henry  W. 
Denison  were  cousins,  and  Dana  had 
spent  a  season  during  his  college  days  at 
the  Denison  homestead ;  when  young 
Denison  became  sick  of  his  occupation  he 
wrote  Dana  for  a  job  in  Washington  and 
he  received  this  reply  :  "Come  on  at  once  ; 
no  son  of  John  P.  Denison  shall  want  for 
a  position  here  if  I  can  secure  one  for 
him."  On  reaching  Washington  he  en- 
tered the  treasury  department  at  once. 
While  a  government  clerk  he  read  law 
by  night  until  he  fitted  for  practice  and 
was  admitted  to  the  bar.  While  attend- 
ing school  in  Lancaster  he  had  formed  an 
attachment  for  Nellie  E.  Cross,  the  young- 
est daughter  of  Colonel  Ephraim  and  Abi- 
gail (Everett)  Cross.  Colonel  Cross  was 
a  man  of  some  military  reputation,  ac- 
quired in  the  days  of  Andrew  Jackson, 
when  the  martial  spirit  of  New  England 
was  more  apparent  than  prior  to  our  Civil 
War,  and  then  it  was  the  colonel  com- 
manded the  Forty-second  Regiment  of 
New  Hampshire  State  militia.  Mrs.  Eph- 
raim Cross,  the  mother  of  Nellie  E.  Cross, 
was  a  daughter  of  Judge   Richard   Clair 


103 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Everett,  of  the  New  Hampshire  bench, 
who  as  a  boy  of  seventeen  had  served  as 
one  of  Washington's  body  guard  and  was 
also  one  of  the  general's  military  family 
throughout  the  Revolutionary  War.  Her 
three  sons  were  all  in  the  Civil  War. 
Colonel  E.  E.  Cross  was  colonel  of  the 
Fifth  New  Hampshire  Volunteer  Infan- 
try, long  acting  as  a  brigadier  and  fell  at 
Gettysburg,  July  2,  1863,  at  the  head  of 
his  command,  First  Brigade,  First  Divi- 
sion, Second  Army  Corps ;  Richard  E. 
succeeded  to  the  command  of  the  regi- 
ment. Frank  was  a  lieutenant  in  the 
same  regiment.  A  son  also  of  Colonel  Eph- 
raim  Cross  by  an  earlier  wife  (Nelson 
Cross)  rose  to  the  rank  of  major-general 
by  brevet. 

In  the  fall  of  1868  young  Denison  re- 
ceived the  appointment  of  marshal  to  the 
consular  court  at  Yokohama,  Japan,  and 
in  1872  was  made  consul  to  that  port,  and 
at  the  expiration  of  his  consulship  about 
1876,  upon  recommendation  of  Hon.  John 
A.  Bingham,  United  States  minister  to 
Japan,  was  admitted  to  practice  before 
the  courts  in  that  country.  During  the 
term  of  his  practice  he  returned  to  this 
country,  and  in  1873  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Cross,  at  the  home  of  Gen- 
eral Nelson  Cross,  in  Brooklyn,  New 
York.  Soon  after  their  marriage  they  re- 
turned to  Yokohama,  Japan,  where  after 
a  lucrative  practice  at  the  bar  of  four 
years  he  was  called  by  his  Emperor  to  the 
office  of  legal  adviser  to  the  foreign  office. 
By  some  it  is  presumed  that  his  success 
in  the  settlement  of  a  suit  against  the  gov- 
ernment regarding  a  mining  claim  was 
the  reason  for  his  being  soon  thereafter 
called  by  the  government  to  this  position. 
This  office  he  held  for  thirty-four  years, 
from  1880,  and  although  he  three  times 
tendered  his  resignation  it  was  refused 
each  time.  In  July,  1907,  while  on  a  two 
years'  vacation,  he  attended  The  Hague 
conference  as  one  of  the  judges  of  that 


tribunal,  serving  his  Emperor  his  second 
term,  having  received  his  second  appoint- 
ment in  November,  1906,  as  the  legal  ad- 
viser of  the  foreign  office.  He  was  influ- 
ential in  directing  the  foreign  policy  of 
Japan  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  and  to 
his  efforts  the  wonderful  progress  of  the 
nation  is  more  due  than  to  that  of  any 
other  man.  He  was  one  of  the  best  au- 
thorities on  international  law  of  any  man 
of  his  time.  He  received  first-class  dec- 
orations of  all  the  orders  which  the  Japa- 
nese government  can  confer,  and  refused 
three  decorations  tendered  him  by  foreign 
governments. 

The  man  and  the  influence  he  exerted 
is  best  given  by  an  English  correspondent 
of  a  London  journal,  made  at  the  close  of 
the  Portsmouth  conference : 

He  is  a  modest  man,  this  Denison,  one  who  has 
always  kept  himself  in  the  background,  and  his 
work  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  is  merged,  un- 
identified, in  the  general  accomplishment  of  the 
government  which  he  serves.  Denison  prefers  the 
satisfaction  that  comes  from  work  well  done, 
rather  than  the  praise  of  the  world.  He  lives 
quietly  in  one  of  the  smaller  official  residences  in 
Tokio,  almost  a  recluse  save  to  his  intimate 
friends,  to  whom  he  is  said  to  bring  a  charming 
simplicity  of  manner,  a  splendid  measure  of 
warmth  and  geniality,  and  a  delightful  form  of 
wit  and  humor.  It  is  difficult  to  single  out  the 
particular  achievements  of  this  wonderful,  silent, 
reserved  man,  who  stands  forever  in  the  back- 
ground, but  there  has  not  been  an  important 
foreign  office  for  twenty  years  in  which  he  has 
not  been  consulted.  At  the  close  of  the  war  with 
China,  Denison  received  a  gift  of  ten  thousand 
dollars  from  his  Emperor,  and  the  thanks  of  the 
royal  family.  Mr.  Denison's  work  in  the  affairs 
of  the  Japanese  government  with  foreign  powers 
will  never  be  known,  nor  will  his  influence  among 
nations  in  bringing  about  the  late  Russo-Japanese 
treaty  ever  be  divulged,  but  it  is  well  known  that 
his  advice  has  been  adhered  to  in  most  cases  of 
complications  with  foreign  powers  and  also  in  the 
late  treaty  of  alliance  with  Great  Britain.  He  is 
one  of  the  very  few  foreigners  ever  admitted  to 
intimate  approach  of  the  Emperor,  and  his  house 
is  filled  with  costly  presents  from  his  Imperial 
Majesty. 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


In  person  Mr.  Denison  stood  a  trifle 
over  six  feet ;  of  commanding  presence, 
one  shoulder  slightly  depressed.  His  face 
was  rather  mobile,  but  exceedingly  pleas- 
ant when  lit  up  by  a  smile.  He  was  as 
gentle  as  a  child,  but  very  reserved  and 
circumspect  in  his  intercourse  with 
strangers.  His  weight  was  about  one 
hundred  and  eighty  pounds,  and  he  used 
a  cane  in  walking.  He  had  no  children. 
His  wife,  an  invalid,  spent  much  of  her 
time  at  the  baths  in  Germany,  while  her 
husband  was  busy  "sawing  wood,"  as  he 
termed  his  daily  labors.  He  was  thor- 
oughly versed  in  the  history  of  Japan  and 
full  of  Japanese  reminiscenses. 

The  New  York  "Sun"  of  July  4,  1914, 
said: 

In  accordance  with  Japanese  custom  the  news 
of  Mr.  Denison's  death  was  withheld  from  the 
public  for  several  hours  to  give  the  emperor  an 
opportunity  to  confer  upon  him  the  order  of  the 
Grand  Cordon  of  the  Order  of  Paulownia.  Mr. 
Denison  was  called  one  of  the  greatest  bene- 
factors of  Japan  in  a  statement  issued  by  the 
foreign  office  later  in  the  day.  "The  whole 
Japanese  nation,"  the  statement  concluded,  "joins 
in  the  sentiment  of  thankfulness  and  indebtedness 
for  the  distinguished  services  of  Mr.  Denison  and 
in  the  expression  of  sorrow  at  his  departure." 
On  learning  of  the  death  of  Mr.  Denison  Presi- 
dent Wilson  telegraphed  condolence  to  the  Em- 
peror of  Japan  upon  the  death  in  Tokio  of  Henry 
Willard  Denison,  an  American,  who  had  served 
the  Japanese  Government  in  the  capacity  of  ad- 
visor to  the  foreign  office  for  thirty-four  years. 
In  the  dispatch  President  Wilson  declared  that 
Denison  had  "done  honor  to  his  country  in  his 
service  to  Japan."  Mr.  Denison  saw  Japan  rise 
from  comparative  obscurity  to  a  great  world 
power.  Indeed  Japanese  statesmen  have  not  been 
slow  to  recognize  that  a  great  deal  of  their  coun- 
try's progress  was  due  to  the  quiet  little  man  from 
America  who  was  the  friend  and  confidential 
adviser  of  emperors,  the  greatest  of  the  elder 
statesmen  and  of  the  men  who  guided  Japan 
through  her  most  serious  troubles.  There  was 
not  an  important  foreign  affair  in  Japan  in  the 
last  thirty  years  in  which  the  legal  adviser  to  the 
department  of  foreign  affairs  did  not  have  a  con- 
trolling hand.    In  the  dangerous  days  of  the  war 


with  Russia  he  was  always  at  the  side  of  Count 
Mutsu,  then  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs.  At  the 
end  of  the  war  he  was  summoned  to  the  Japanese 
court,  where  he  received  a  handsome  grant  of 
money,  and  the  personal  thanks  of  the  royal 
family.  His  next  great  service  was  as  advisor  to 
the  Japanese  Government  in  the  negotiations  for 
the  first  treaty  alliance  with  Great  Britain.  He  is 
also  said  to  have  been  the  author  of  the  wonder- 
ful correspondence  from  Tokio  that  preceded  the 
war  with  Russia.  Unrecognized  by  the  world 
before,  the  world  was  quick  to  do  him  honor 
after  Portsmouth.  He  was  made  a  member  of 
the  permanent  court  of  arbitration  of  The  Hague, 
where  he  had  gone  as  technical  delegate  of  Japan 
to  the  Second  Peace  Conference.  He  also  became 
a  member  of  the  Association  de  Legislation  Com- 
paree  at  Paris.  Mr.  Denison's  decorations  in- 
cluded the  Grand  Cordon  (first  class)  ;  Imperial 
Japanese  Order  of  the  Rising  Sun,  and  the  Grand 
Cordon  (first  class)  Japanese  Order  of  the 
Sacred  Treasurer.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Union  Club  in  New  York,  and  the  Metropolitan 
in  Washington,  D.  C. 

(The  Putnam  Line). 

Putnam  is  an  ancient  English  surname, 
taken  from  the  place  name,  Puttenham. 
This  town  is  mentioned  in  the  Domes- 
day Book  (1066).  It  was  a  part  of  the 
great  fief  known  as  the  Honor  of  Leices- 
ter. The  parish  of  Puttenham  is  in  Hert- 
fordshire, near  Bedfordshire  and  Buck- 
inghamshire. The  coat-of-arms  to  which 
all  the  American  descendants  of  this  line 
are  entitled  is :  Sable,  between  eight 
crosses  crosslet  fitchee,  argent  a  stork  of 
the  last,  beaked  and  legged  gules.  Crest : 
A  wolf's  head  gules. 

(I)  Simon  de  Puttenham  is  the  first  of 
the  name  of  whom  there  is  definite  record 
in  England,  and  was  probably  the  lineal 
descendant  of  Roger,  who  held  the  manor 
of  Puttenham  under  the  Bishop  of  Baieux. 
He  lived  in  1199. 

(II)  Ralph  de  Puttenham  is  supposed 
to  have  been  son  of  Simon,  and  lived  in 
1217,  and  held  a  knight's  fee  in  Putten- 
ham. 

(III)  Richard  de  Puttenham  lived  in 
1273,  believed  to  be  son  of  Ralph. 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


(IV)  John  de  Puttenham  lived  in  1291 
in  the  manor  of  Puttenham. 

(V)  Thomas  Puttenham  lived  in  the 
time  of  Richard  I.  He  is  said  to  have 
married  Helen,  daughter  of  John  Spigor- 
nell.     He  had  sons,  Roger  and  Henry. 

(VI)  Roger  Puttenham  was  of  age  be- 
fore 1315,  and  was  high  sheriff  of  Hert- 
fordshire in  1322.     He  married  Alina. 

(VII)  Henry  Puttenham  lived  from 
about  1300  to  1350. 

(VIII)  Sir  Roger  Puttenham,  believed 
to  be  son  of  Henry  Puttenham,  was  born 
about  1320  and  died  about  1380. 

(IX)  William  Puttenham,  believed  to 
be  son  of  Sir  Roger  Puttenham,  was  of 
Puttenham  Fenn,  Sherfield,  Warbleton. 
He  married  Margaret,  daughter  of  John 
Warbleton.  Children:  Henry,  Robert, 
William. 

(X)  Henry  Puttenham  was  over  sixty 
years  old  in  1468  and  died  in  1473.  He 
inherited  the  estate  of  his  father.  He 
married  Elizabeth,  widow  of  Geoffrey 
Goodluck.  Her  will  was  dated  Decem- 
ber 25,  1485,  and  she  "desires  to  be  buried 
in  the  chapel  of  St.  Mary  the  Virgin,  in 
All  Saints  of  Isleworth." 

(XI)  William  Puttenham  was  born 
about  1430  and  died  in  1492.  He  married 
Anne,  daughter  of  John  Hampden,  of 
Hampden,  County  Bucks,  England.  In 
his  will  he  directs  that  he  shall  be  buried 
before  the  image  of  the  Blessed  Virgin 
Mary,  in  the  chapel  within  the  church  of 
the  Hospital  of  the  Blessed  Mary,  called 
the  Elsingspytell,  in  London. 

(XII)  Nicholas  Puttenham,  lived  at 
Putnam  Place  in  Fenne.  This  estate  prob- 
ably came  into  the  family  in  1315  in  the 
time  of  Roger  Puttenham.  Putnam 
Place  is  now  a  farmhouse,  and  a  railway 
station  perpetuates  the  name.  Nicholas 
Puttenham  was  born  about  1460  and  his 
will  was  made  in  1526. 

(XIII)  Henry  Putnam  was  living  in 
1526,  probably  in  Eddlesborough. 


(XIV)  Richard  Putnam  was  probably 
the  eldest  son,  and  lived  at  Eddlesborough 
and  Woughton.  His  will  is  dated  Decem- 
ber 12,  1556,  and  proved  February  26, 
1 556-57-  He  directs  that  his  body  be 
buried  at  Woughton.  Children:  John, 
mentioned  below;  Harry,  of  Woughton. 

(XV)  John  Putnam  was  of  Bovvsham, 
in  Wingrave,  and  was  buried  there,  Oc- 
tober 2,  1573.  His  wife  was  probably 
Margaret,  buried  January  27,  1568. 

(XVI)  Nicholas  Putnam  was  born 
about  1540.  He  lived  at  Wingrave  until 
about  1585,  when  he  removed  to  Stewke- 
ley.  He  inherited  property  from  his 
father  and  both  his  brothers.  His  will  is 
dated  January  1,  1597,  and  proved  Sep- 
tember 27,  1598.  He  married,  at  Win- 
grave, January  30,  1577,  Margaret,  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Elizabeth  Goodspeed. 

(I)  John  Putnam,  son  of  Nicholas  Put- 
nam, was  baptized  at  Wingrave,  County 
Bucks,  England,  January  17,  1579,  and 
inherited  the  estate  at  Aston  Abbotts. 
He  probably  lived  in  Stewkeley  with  his 
parents  until  his  father's  death,  when  he 
took  possession  of  the  estates  of  Aston 
Abbotts,  where  he  lived  until  he  went  to 
New  England,  and  was  called  husband- 
man in  1614.  He  is  supposed  to  have  mar- 
ried Priscilla  Deacon.  He  was  an  early 
settler  at  Salem,  Massachusetts,  and  ac- 
cording to  family  tradition  came  there  in 
1634.  The  first  record  of  him  is  March 
21,  1640-41,  when  his  wife  was  admitted 
to  the  church,  and  in  the  same  year  he 
received  a  grant  of  land.  He  was  a 
farmer.  His  handwriting  indicates  a  good 
education,  and  he  was  wealthy  compared 
to  his  neighbors.  Before  his  death  he 
gave  farms  to  his  sons,  John  and  Na- 
thaniel, and  probably  to  the  others  also. 
He  died  in  Salem  Village,  now  Danvers, 
December  30,  1662.  Children :  Elizabeth, 
baptized  December  20,  1612,  in  England ; 
Thomas,  mentioned  below ;  John,  July  24, 
1617,  died  young;  Nathaniel,  October  11, 


106 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1619;  Sarah,  March  7,  1623;  Phebe,  July 
28,  1624;  John,  May  27,  1627. 

(II)  Lieutenant  Thomas  Putnam,  son 
of  John  Putnam,  was  baptized  March  7, 
1615,  in  England,  and  came  to  New  Eng- 
land with  his  parents.  He  was  an  in- 
habitant of  Lynn  in  1640  ;  admitted  a  free- 
man in  1642;  selectman  in  1643;  admitted 
to  the  Salem  church,  April  3,  1643,  and 
also  received  a  grant  of  land  there.  From 
1645  to  ID48  he  was  commissioner  to  end 
small  causes  in  Lynn ;  served  on  the 
grand  jury  and  was  constable.  He  was 
the  first  parish  clerk  in  Salem  Village ; 
was  also  on  many  important  committees, 
and  was  one  of  the  most  prominent  men 
in  town.  He  was  lieutenant  of  the  troop 
of  horse,  and  his  name  headed  the  tax 
list.  His  homestead,  now  known  as  the 
General  Israel  Putnam  house,  is  still 
standing  a  little  east  of  Hathorne's  Hill 
in  the  northern  part  of  Danvers,  not  far 
from  the  asylum  and  was  occupied  by  his 
widow  in  1692.  Here  also  his  son  Joseph 
lived  during  his  opposition  to  the  witch- 
craft proceedings.  Lieutenant  Thomas 
Putnam  died  at  Salem  Village,  May  5, 
1686.  He  married  (first)  at  Lynn,  Octo- 
ber 17,  1643,  Ann  Holyoke,  who  died  Sep- 
tember 1,  1665,  daughter  of  Edward  and 
Prudence  (Stockton)  Holyoke.  He  mar- 
ried (second)  at  Salem,  November  14, 
1666,  Mary  Veren,  widow  of  Nathaniel 
Veren ;  she  died  March  16  or  17,  1695. 
Children  of  first  marriage  :  Ann,  born  Au- 
gust 25,  1645;  Sarah,  baptized  July  23, 
1648;  Mary,  born  October  17,  1649; 
Thomas,  March  12,  1652;  Edward,  men- 
tioned below;  Deliverance,  September  5, 
1656;  Elizabeth,  August  30,  1659;  Pru- 
dence, February  28,  1662.  Child  of  sec- 
ond marriage:  Joseph,  father  of  General 
Israel  Putnam. 

(III)  Deacon  Edward  Putnam,  second 
son  of  Lieutenant  Thomas  and  Ann  (Hol- 
yoke) Putnam,  was  baptized  July  4,  1654, 


in  Salem,  and  died  in  Salem  Village,  now 
Danvers,  March  10,  1747.  He  was  ad- 
mitted freeman  in  1690,  and  made  deacon 
of  the  first  church  at  Danvers,  December 
3  of  that  year.  In  one  hundred  and  eighty- 
six  years  this  church  had  twenty-five  dea- 
cons, of  whom  fourteen  bore  the  name  of 
Putnam.  Deacon  Edward  Putnam  was 
well  educated  for  his  time,  possessed 
much  literary  taste,  and  was  a  somewhat 
prolific  writer.  He  married,  June  14,  1681, 
Mary  Hale.  Children :  Edward,  born 
April  29,  1682 ;  Holyoke,  September  28, 
1683;  Elisha,  mentioned  below;  Joseph, 
November  1,  1687;  Mary,  August  14, 
1689;  Prudence,  January  25,  1692;  Nehe- 
miah,  December  20,  1693  ;  Ezra,  April  29, 
1696;  Isaac,  March  14,  1698;  Abigail,  bap- 
tized May  26,  1700. 

(IV)  Elisha  Putnam,  third  son  of  Dea- 
con Edward  and  Mary  (Hale)  Putnam, 
was  born  November  3,  1685,  in  Salem  Vil- 
lage, and  was  a  farmer  in  Topsfield,  Mas- 
sachusetts, until  about  1725,  when  he  set- 
tled in  Sutton,  Massachusetts,  where  he 
died  June  10,  1745.  He  was  prominent  in 
both  church  and  town  affairs,  served  as 
town  clerk  and  treasurer  and  representa- 
tive to  the  General  Court,  was  admitted 
to  the  church  at  Sutton  in  1730,  and  was 
made  a  deacon  in  the  following  year.  He 
married  (first)  in  Salem,  February  10, 
1710,  Hannah  Marble,  of  that  town,  who 
died  soon  after.  He  married  (second) 
February  15,  1713,  Susannah,  daughter  of 
Jonathan  and  Susan  (Trask)  Fuller,  of 
Topsfield.  Children:  Elisha,  born  De- 
cember 2,  1715;  Hannah,  baptized  Sep- 
tember 8,  1717;  Nehemiah,  born  March 
22,  1719;  Jonathan,  July  19,  1721  ;  Sus- 
anna, baptized  September  8,  1723;  Mary, 
born  June  12,  1725  ;  Stephen,  mentioned 
below;  Amos,  July  22,  1730;  Eunice,  July 
6,  1732;  Huldah,  May  25,  1734;  Rufus, 
April  9,  1738. 

(V)  Stephen    Putnam,    fourth    son    of 


107 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Elisha  and   Susannah    (Fuller)   Putnam,      object  the  welfare  and  development  of  the 


was  born  April  4,  1728,  in  Sutton,  and 
died  March  5,  1803,  in  Westminster,  New 
Hampshire,  where  he  settled  before  1661. 
He  married,  March  14,  1755,  Mary,  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Abigail  (Chase)  Gibbs, 
of  Sutton,  born  March  16,  1737.  Chil- 
dren :  Solomon,  mentioned  below ;  Mary 
Jane,  born  June  10,  1757;  Rhoda,  July  3, 
1759;  John,  May  10,  1761  ;  Gideon,  April 
I7>  l7^3>  Elisha,  May  13,  1765;  Lewis, 
resided  at  Lansingburg,  New  York  ;  Char- 
lotte, January  11,  1767;  David,  March  21, 
1771  ;  Rufus,  March  22,  1773;  Abigail, 
February  10,  1776;  Lavina,  May  5,  1780. 

(VI)  Solomon  Putnam,  eldest  child  of 
Stephen  and  Mary  (Gibbs)  Putnam,  was 
born  July  17,  1756,  probably  in  Hamp- 
shire county,  Massachusetts,  and  died  be- 
fore 1830,  in  Claremont,  New  Hampshire, 
where  he  was  a  farmer  before  1798.  He 
married,  October  20,  1779,  Miriam  Elmer, 
born  July  23,  1755.  Children:  Electa, 
born  February  24,  1781  ;  Philina,  June  31, 
1782;  Zelotus,  March  2,  1784;  Sarah,  men- 
tioned below;  Chester,  August  11,  1787; 
John,  March  30,  1789;  Sophia,  December 
17,  1790;  Mary,  August  17,  1792;  Elisha, 
July  15,  1794;  Fanny,  May  28,  1796;  Sam- 
uel, May  28,  1798;  Hiram,  March  6,  1800. 

(VII)  Sarah  Putnam,  third  daughter 
of  Solomon  and  Miriam  (Elmer)  Putnam, 
was  born  February  3,  1786,  and  became 
the  wife  of  Jesse  Cooper,  of  Claremont, 
New  Hampshire  (see  Cooper  VI). 


LOOMIS,  Harrison, 

Successful  Business  Man. 

The  Loomis  family  is  among  the  old 
and  honored  families  of  New  England, 
tracing  back  to  the  year  1638,  and  from 
that  time  to  the  present,  several  centuries, 
the  members  of  the  various  generations 
have  been  active  and  potent  factors  in  the 
movements    which    have    had    for   their 


numerous  states  in  which  they  have  taken 
up  their  abode.  In  England,  in  the  seven- 
teenth and  eighteenth  centuries,  the  name 
was  spelled  Lummas,  Lommas,  or  Lomis, 
but  in  the  nineteenth  century  it  was  uni- 
formly spelled  Lomas,  while  in  New  Eng- 
land in  the  seventeenth  century  it  was 
spelled  Lomis,  Lomys  or  Lomas,  and  in 
the  nineteenth  century  it  was,  with  few 
exceptions,  spelled  Loomis. 

Joseph  Loomis,  the  pioneer  ancestor, 
was  a  resident  of  Braintree,  England, 
where  he  followed  the  occupation  of  a 
woolen  draper.  Upon  his  arrival  in  this 
country  in  1638,  he  located  in  Boston, 
Massachusetts,  where  he  remained  one 
year.  He  then  removed  to  Windsor,  Con- 
necticut, where  his  death  occurred  Au- 
gust 17,  1652.  His  son,  Deacon  John 
Loomis,  was  born  in  England  in  1622, 
came  to  New  England  with  his  father  in 
1638,  and  died  in  Windsor,  Connecticut, 
in  1688.  He  received  a  large  grant  of 
land,  became  a  deacon  of  the  church,  and 
was  a  deputy  to  the  General  Court  of  the 
Connecticut  Colony,  1666-67,  l(>75  and 
1687.  He  married  Elizabeth,  daughter  of 
Thomas  Scott,  of  Hartford,  Their  son, 
Thomas  Loomis,  was  born  November  7, 
1651.  His  son,  John  Loomis,  was  born 
January  14,  1681.  His  son,  Jonathan  Loo- 
mis, was  born  August  13,  1722.  His  son, 
Noadiah  Loomis,  was  born  in  West 
Springfield,  August  14,  1750.  He  was  a 
farmer  and  teamster,  and  engaged  in  the 
transportation  of  supplies  and  all  kinds  of 
merchandise  from  Hartford  and  Boston ; 
assisted  in  teaming  the  iron  from  Boston 
to  Lake  Erie  for  the  purpose  of  construct- 
ing what  was  probably  the  first  light- 
house in  that  section  ;  and  who  also  served 
as  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  War. 
His  son,  Rowland  Loomis,  was  born  in 
West  Springfield,  July  7,  1781,  and  fol- 
lowed the  occupation  of  farming. 


108 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Frederick  B.  Loomis,  son  of  Rowland 
Loomis,  was  born  in  West  Springfield, 
March  ~,  1805,  and  died  in  the  same  town 
in  1893.  He  accompanied  a  party  of  sur- 
veyors engaged  in  locating  government 
lands  in  the  West,  and  assisted  in  erecting 
the  first  building  in  Marshall,  Michigan. 
He  also  visited  Chicago  when  it  was  but 
a  small  trading  post.  Upon  his  return  to 
his  native  town,  he  engaged  in  the  busi- 
ness of  moving  buildings,  and  while  thus 
engaged  he  was  hurt  by  a  falling  beam, 
which  struck  him  across  the  back,  and  re- 
sulted in  making  him  a  cripple  periodi- 
cally, and  necessitated  his  using  two  canes 
to  assist  him  in  walking  during  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life.  It  also  incapacitated 
him  for  further  active  labor.  He  took  a 
deep  interest  in  town  affairs;  served  as 
tax  collector  for  a  period  of  thirty  years, 
during  which  time  his  accounts  were  in- 
variably correct  to  a  penny,  and  served  as 
overseer  of  the  poor  many  years.  He 
married  Charlotte  Elizabeth  Wilson,  born 
in  West  Springfield  in  1818,  died  in  the 
same  town  in  1882,  and  they  became  the 
parents  of  five  sons  and  five  daughters. 

Harrison  Loomis,  son  of  Frederick  B. 
and  Charlotte  Elizabeth  (Wilson)  Loo- 
mis, was  born  in  West  Springfield,  Mas- 
sachusetts, December  20,  1840,  and  died 
there,  September  18,  1913.  Upon  the  com- 
pletion of  his  studies  in  the  public  and  pri- 
vate schools  of  his  native  town,  he  secured 
employment  in  the  United  States  Armory 
at  Springfield,  and  remained  there  two 
years.  In  1866  he  projected,  and  success- 
fully completed,  a  novel  and  somewhat 
difficult  journey  through  the  then  almost 
trackless  region  lying  beyond  the  Mis- 
souri river,  traveling  by  rail  to  St.  Louis, 
and  from  there  by  river  boat  to  Fort  Ben- 
ton, whence,  he  with  four  others,  provided 
with  mule  teams,  together  with  provisions 
for  ninety  days,  set  out  for  California 
through  a  section  of  the  country  inhabited 
only  by  Indians.  Thev  traversed  the  terri- 


tories of  Montana,  Idaho,  Utah  and  Wyo- 
ming, encountering  on  the  way  large 
herds  of  buffalo  and  antelope,  and  at  Salt 
Lake  City,  met  Brigham  Young  and 
visited  the  tabernacle.  Mr.  Loomis  trav- 
eled along  the  Pacific  coast,  and  after 
visiting  many  points  of  interest  in  Cali- 
fornia, started  on  his  return  to  the  East 
by  way  of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  stop- 
ping at  intervals  on  his  way  down  the 
Pacific  coast  to  visit  different  places  in 
Mexico.  He  traveled  upward  of  twelve 
thousand  miles,  and  during  his  trip 
through  the  territories  he  came  in  con- 
tact with  fourteen  distinct  tribes  of  In- 
dians, but  fortunately  it  was  a  time  of 
general  peace,  and  the  party  was  in  no 
way  molested.  Immediately  after  his 
return  to  West  Springfield  in  1882,  he 
bought  a  saw  mill  which  he  operated  for  a 
short  time,  and  which  he  sold  in  1907.  Sub- 
sequently he  turned  his  attention  to  the 
manufacture  of  cider  and  vinegar,  which 
proved  a  most  successful  enterprise,  his 
products  being  noted  for  their  purity  and 
strength.  He  was  a  man  of  strict  busi- 
ness principles,  honorable  and  straight- 
forward in  his  methods,  courteous  in  his 
treatment,  and  hence  merited  the  success 
which  crowned  his  efforts. 

For  many  years  he  filled  the  office  of 
assessor,  and  was  chairman  of  that  board 
up  to  the  time  of  his  death ;  for  ten  years 
he  filled  the  office  of  tax  collector;  was  a 
selectman  twenty-four  years,  during  near- 
ly all  of  which  time  he  served  as  chairman 
of  this  body  ;  he  was  associate  county  com- 
missioner twelve  years.  He  was  elected 
to  all  these  offices  on  the  Republican 
ticket,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  all  the 
flags  of  the  town  were  placed  at  half  mast. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  West  Springfield 
Grange,  Patrons  of  Husbandry,  and  for 
many  years  took  an  active  part  in  its  pro- 
ceedings. He  was  an  attendant  at,  and 
sexton  of,  the  Park  Street  Church,  and  a 
liberal  supporter  of  that  organization  in 


109 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


its  early  years.  His  wife  has  also  been  a 
member,  of  many  years'  standing,  of  this 
church.  Mr.  Loomis  was  a  public  official 
of  the  town  longer  than  any  man  who  had 
ever  lived  there,  and  took  a  deep  interest 
in  all  matters  concerning  its  improve- 
ment and  development.  He  was  a  devoted 
husband  and  a  kind  and  loving  father,  and 
all  the  time  he  could  spare  from  the  nu- 
merous important  responsibilities  he  was 
called  upon  to  assume  was  spent  in  the 
bosom,  of  his  family.  One  of  his  greatest 
pleasures  was  to  assist  struggling  young 
men  to  secure  a  firm  footing  in  their  on- 
ward struggle  to  a  successful  career,  and 
many  of  those  whom  he  thus  assisted  are 
now  at  the  head  of  important  concerns  of 
varied  nature  and  scope. 

Mr.  Loomis  married  (first)  February  3, 
1869,  Abbie  M.  Smith,  born  at  Granby, 
Province  of  Quebec,  Canada,  November  5, 
1847,  died  in  September,  1884.  He  mar- 
ried (second)  October  23,  1886,  Julia  M. 
Sullivan,  a  chum  of  his  first  wife,  and  a 
daughter  of  James  Florence  and  Mary 
(Bolster)  Sullivan,  of  Boston.  She  is  a 
woman  of  much  amiability  of  character, 
who  reared  the  children  of  the  first  wife 
with  true  affection  and  devotion,  and  was 
rewarded  by  having  them  call  her  mother, 
and  regard  her  with  true  filial  affection. 
Children,  all  by  first  marriage:  Ida  L., 
married  Frederick  Hart,  of  Pittsfield,  and 
has  a  son,  Harrison  Loomis ;  Nellie  M., 
married  Charles  Morrow,  of  Pittsfield, 
and  died  in  June,  1901 ;  Abbie,  married 
Garfield  Bassett,  of  Pittsfield,  and  has 
children :  Julius,  Dorothy,  Lolita,  and 
Donald ;  Henry  Harrison,  only  son  of 
Harrison  Loomis,  born  in  1880,  was 
drowned  at  the  age  of  eight  years,  which 
was  a  dreadful  shock  from  which  Mr. 
Loomis  never  fully  recovered.  Mr.  Loo- 
mis was  a  lover  of  flowers  and  the  old 
Loomis  place  on  the  "River  Road,"  which 
has  been  in  the  family  nearly  one  hundred 


years,  is  still  aglow  with  flowers  of  his 
planting,  and  is  always  a  beauty  spot  to 
the  hundreds  who  pass  daily.  He  abhored 
a  liar  and  his  motto  was :  "Tell  the  truth 
and  pay  your  bills." 


NICKERSON  FAMILY. 

The  name  of  the  family  of  Nickerson 
appears  to  have  been  spelled  in  various 
forms  by  the  early  generations  of  this 
family.  We  find  it  spelled  in  some  of  the 
early  records  under  the  form  of  Nichel- 
son,  Nicholson,  Nicholsons,  Nick,  Nicka- 
son,  Nickleson,  Nickelson,  Nickerson, 
Nickesson,  Nickilson,  Nickinson,  Nickol- 
son,  Nickorson,  Nickison,  Nickson,  Nicor- 
son,  Nikelson  and  Ninkerson.  The  first  of 
this  family  to  come  to  America  was  Wil- 
liam Nickerson,  who  it  is  believed  was  a 
descendant  of  William  Nickerson,  Lord 
Bishop  of  Derry,  Ireland,  whose  coat-of- 
arms,  hanging  in  the  hall  of  the  home  of 
Captain  Phineas  Adams  Nickerson  in 
Winchester,  Massachusetts,  is :  Azure  two 
bars  ermine,  in  chief  three  suns.  From  the 
beginning  of  the  settlement  of  this  family 
in  this  country  the  members  thereof  have 
figured  prominently  in  its  commerce  and 
trade  during  the  colonial  period,  and  they 
also  asserted  their  patriotism,  during  the 
struggle  for  independence ;  in  Massachu- 
setts alone  we  find  that  seventy-two  of 
the  name  of  Nickerson  served  in  the  army 
and  navy  during  the  Revolution. 

(I)  William  Nickerson  was  among  those 
who  suffered  persecution  for  conscience 
sake  in  Ipswich,  England.  He  was  born 
in  1604-06,  in  Norwich,  England,  and 
sailed  from  there  in  April,  1637,  either  in 
the  ship  "John  and  Dorothy,"  of  Ipswich, 
or  the  "Rose,"  of  Yarmouth,  in  company 
with  his  wife,  her  parents,  her  brothers 
and  sisters,  and  his  four  children.  He 
landed  at  Boston,  June  20,  1637,  and  lived 
in  Boston,  Watertown  and  Plymouth.  He 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


was  next  heard  of  at  Yarmouth  in  1641, 
was  selectman  there  in  1643,  and  deputy 
to  the  General  Court  in  1655.  While  at 
Yarmouth  he  was  fined  for  "contempt  for 
religion,"  probably  meaning  contempt  for 
Father  Mather,  as  there  appears  no  reason 
to  doubt  that  he  was  a  man  of  rectitude, 
upright,  and  of  good  moral  character.  He 
was  next  heard  of  in  Monoyick  (now 
Chatham)  where  he  purchased  of  John 
Quason,  chief  of  the  Monoyicks,  that 
territory  comprising  Chatham,  Orleans, 
Harwich  and  Brewster,  for  the  price  of 
twelve  hatchets,  twelve  hoes,  twelve 
knives,  twelve  homespun  suits,  twelve 
shillings  in  English  money,  twelve  shill- 
ings in  wampum  "and  sundry  other 
articles."  This  purchase  was  made  by 
Nickerson  without  the  consent  of  the 
government  at  Plymouth,  which  held 
grants  from  the  Crown,  and  much  legal 
strife  was  caused  thereby.  The  matter 
was  later  amicably  adjusted  to  the 
satisfaction  of  all  concerned,  Nickerson 
remaining  in  possession  of  the  land 
purchased.  He  founded  the  town  of 
Monomoy  (now  Chatham)  where  he  ex- 
ercised the  office  of  religious  teacher  for 
many  years  prior  to  the  coming  of  Rev. 
Mr.  Vickery ;  he  also  figured  largely  in 
court  proceedings,  chiefly  concerning 
titles  to  lands.  In  1670  he  was  select- 
man in  Eastham,  and  was  there  noted  for 
being  foremost  in  enterprise  and  public 
spirit.  He  died  in  Massachusetts  between 
August  30,  1689,  and  September  8,  1690, 
at  which  latter  date  his  daughter  refers 
to  him  as  being  deceased.  He  married,  in 
England,  Anne  (who  was  living  as  late 
as  1686),  daughter  of  Nicholas  and 
Bridget  Busby.  Children,  of  whom  four 
were  born  in  England :  Nicholas,  Robert, 
Anne,  Elizabeth,  Samuel,  William.,  Jo- 
seph, John,  Sarah. 

(II)   William    (2)    Nickerson,    son     of 
William  (1)  and  Anne  (Busby)  Nicker- 


son, was  born  in  Yarmouth,  Massachu- 
setts, where  he  was  baptized  June  1,  1646. 
He  lived  in  Chatham,  Massachusetts,  near 
the  site  of  Hotel  Chatham,  held  the  office 
of  clerk  and  treasurer  of  the  first  public 
meeting  held  in  Chatham,  May  12,  1694, 
and  was  a  soldier  in  King  Philip's  War 
in  1676.  Administration  was  allowed  on 
his  estate  in  April,  1719.  He  married, 
November  30,  1668,  Mercy,  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Elizabeth  (Tate)  Williams, 
her  death  occurring  in  Chatham,  April  7, 
1739.  Children:  William,  Thomas, 
Robert,  Mercy,  Elizabeth,  Judith  and 
Nathaniel. 

(III)  Robert  Nickerson,  son  of  Wil- 
liam (2)  and  Mercy  (Williams)  Nicker- 
son, was  born  about  1672,  and  lived  with 
his  wife  Rebecca  in  the  town  of  Chatham, 
where  only  one  child  is  recorded,  Elka- 
nah,  born  February  14,  1722. 

(IV)  Israel  Nickerson,  supposed  to  be 
a  son  of  Robert  and  Rebecca  Nickerson, 
was  born  about  1710-15,  and  resided  in 
Dennis,  Massachusetts,  where  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  church,  October  16,  1744. 
The  records  of  this  church  are  missing 
for  several  years  following  this  time,  and 
it  is  impossible  to  learn  whether  any  of 
his  children  were  baptized.  His  wife's 
name  was  Hannah,  and  the  town  records 
give  the  following  children :  Israel,  born 
September  2,  1741  ;  James,  mentioned  be- 
low ;  Patience,  February  16,  1749. 

(V)  James  Nickerson,  son  of  Israel 
and  Hannah  Nickerson,  was  born  Febru- 
ary 17,  1744,  and  lived  in  Dennis,  with  his 
wife  Keziah.  Children,  recorded  in  Den- 
nis:  James,  born  December  4,  1770; 
Jephtha,  mentioned  below ;  Bathsheba, 
December  2,  1774;  Patience,  October  24, 
1777 ;  Keziah,  March  19,  1780 ;  Sarah,  May 
11,  1782;  Elijah,  November  13,  1789. 

(VI)  Jephtha  Nickerson,  second  son 
of  James  and  Keziah  Nickerson,  was  born 
October  1,  1772,  in  Dennis,  and  lived  in 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Harwich,  Massachusetts.  He  married 
Thankful  Hall,  born  October  17,  1785,  in 
Harwich,  daughter  of  Gershom  and  Lucy 
(Snow)  Hall,  of  that  town  (see  Hall  VI). 

(VII)  Alexander  Nickerson,  son  of 
Jephtha  and  Thankful  (Hall)  Nickerson, 
was  born  October  19,  1810,  in  Harwich, 
and  married,  October  30,  1832,  Rebecca 
Baker.  He  died  October  6,  1881,  aged 
seventy  years,  eleven  months  and  seven- 
teen days.  Their  children  were:  Mercy 
A.,  mentioned  below;  Alexander;  Wil- 
liam Henry,  who  was  lost  at  sea  ;  Almira  ; 
John  F.,  living  at  Onset,  Massachusetts ; 
Lucy  Maria,  living  in  West  Dennis,  Mas- 
sachusetts ;  George  Edwin,  who  died  in 
infancy ;  Rebecca  Frances,  living  in  South 
Dennis,  Massachusetts. 

(VIII)  Mercy  A.  Nickerson,  daughter 
of  Alexander  and  Rebecca  (Baker) 
Nickerson,  was  born  August  18,  1834,  in 
South  Dennis,  and  became  the  wife  of 
Leander  F.  Chase,  of  Fall  River,  Massa- 
chusetts. After  his  death  she  married 
(second)  Major  Oliver  Hazard  Perry 
Howard,  a  distinguished  soldier  of  the 
Civil  War  (see  Chase  VIII). 

(The  Hall  Line). 

(I)  John  Hall  came  from  Coventry, 
England,  and  located  at  Charlestown, 
Massachusetts,  in  1630.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  first  church  there,  July  30,  1632, 
was  one  of  the  sixteen  men  with  their 
wives  who  formed  a  church  at  Charles- 
town,  November  2,  to  supply  the  place  of 
the  original  church  which  had  been  re- 
moved to  Boston.  He  subsequently  was 
in  Barnstable,  and  settled  in  Yarmouth, 
Plymouth  Colony,  in  1653.  He  had  lot 
No.  48  in  Charlestown,  in  1633,  was  made 
freeman,  May  14,  1634,  and  was  in  Barn- 
stable as  early  as  1640,  and  for  some 
years  thereafter.  His  first  wife,  Bethia, 
was  the  mother  of  two  children,  baptized 
in    Charlestown:    John,    May    13,    1638; 


Shebar,  February  9,  1640.  The  first  men- 
tioned must  have  died  in  childhood,  as  the 
following  children  are  recorded  in  Yar- 
mouth. Children  of  his  second  wife,  Eliz- 
abeth, were:  Joseph,  born  1642;  John, 
1645 1  Elizabeth ;  Gershom ;  William, 
165 1 ;  Samuel;  Benjamin;  Nathaniel; 
Elisha.  He  resided  in  that  part  of  Yar- 
mouth which  became  Dennis  in  1793  and 
his  homestead  there  was  still  owned  and 
occupied  by  descendants  in  1880. 

(II)  Gershom  Hall,  son  of  John  and 
Elizabeth  Hall,  born  March  5,  1648,  in 
Yarmouth,  died  October  31,  1732,  and 
was  buried  in  the  North  Dennis  Ceme- 
tery. He  was  a  millwright  and  settled  in 
Harwich,  Massachusetts,  where  he  was 
selectman  in  1710  and  twelve  years  there- 
after. He  represented  the  town  in  1712 
in  the  General  Court  and  twice  subse- 
quently. He  received  a  salary  for  preach- 
ing in  Chatham  and  Harwich.  He  gave 
much  land  to  his  children.  He  married 
(first)  about  1668,  Bethia,  daughter  of 
Edward  and  Rebecca  Bangs,  born  May 
28,  1650,  in  Eastham,  died  October  15, 
1696.  He  married  (second)  December  7 
of  that  year,  Martha  Bramhall,  of  Hing- 
ham,  Massachusetts,  widow  of  George 
Bramhall  and  mother  of  the  wife  of  his 
son,  Jonathan  Hall.  Children:  Samuel, 
born  1667;  Edward,  1671  ;  Bethia,  about 
1672  ;  Mary,  and  Jonathan. 

(III)  Jonathan  Hall,  youngest  child  of 
Gershom  and  Bethia  (Bangs)  Hall,  was 
born  about  1676,  was  executor  of  his 
father's  will,  inherited  the  paternal  home- 
stead on  which  he  resided,  and  was  a 
member  of  the  South  Church  of  Harwich 
in  1747.  He  married  (first)  about  1712, 
Hannah  Bramhall,  daughter  of  George 
and  Martha  Bramhall.  George  Bramhall 
came  from  England,  was  at  Dover,  New 
Hampshire,  in  1670,  at  Casco,  Maine,  in 
1678,  and  was  killed  by  the  Indians  in 
1689.     His  widow  removed  to  Hingham, 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Massachusetts,  and  became  the  wife  of 
Gershom  Hall.  Their  daughter  Hannah 
was  the  wife  of  Jonathan  Hall,  as  above 
noted.  He  married  (second)  in  1751, 
Elizabeth  Hedge,  of  Chatham. 

(IV)  Gershom  (2)  Hall,  only  known 
child  of  Jonathan  and  Hannah  (Bram- 
hall)  Hall,  was  born  October  25,  1715,  in 
Harwich,  and  resided  on  the  paternal 
homestead  in  that  town,  where  he  died 
September  7,  1784.  He  was  a  deacon  of 
the  South  Church  from  1747  to  his  death. 
He  married,  November  28,  1734,  his 
cousin,  Mary  Hall,  born  October  15,  1714, 
in  Harwich,  died  January  20,  1794,  daugh- 
ter of  Edward  and  Mary  (Stewart)  Hall, 
granddaughter  of  Gershom  (1)  Hall.  She 
owned  the  covenant  at  Harwich  Church, 
October  16,  1737,  and  was  admitted  to  full 
communion,  May  14,  1738.  Children: 
Seth,  mentioned  below;  Bethia,  baptized 
1738;  Edward,  died  young;  Edward  and 
Hannah,  baptized  May  1,  1743  ;  Jonathan, 
October  15,  1746;  Sarah  and  Jerusha. 

(V)  Seth  Hall,  eldest  child  of  Gershom 
(2)  and  Mary  (Hall)  Hall,  was  baptized 
November  13,  1737,  in  Harwich,  and  died 
October  25,  1793.  He  resided  north  of 
and  near  his  father  in  that  town.  He  was 
executor  of  the  father's  will.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  South  Church.  He  mar- 
ried, June  17,  1756,  Elizabeth  Burgess, 
born  1734-35,  in  Yarmouth,  died  Septem- 
ber 17,  1808,  in  Harwich,  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Mercy  (Covill)  Burgess.  She 
was  descended  from  Thomas  Burgess, 
born  1602-03,  was  at  Salem  about  1630, 
later  in  Lynn,  and  received  land  in  that 
part  of  Plymouth,  Massachusetts,  which 
is  now  Duxbury,  July  3,  1637.  This  was 
forfeited  by  his  removal  to  Sandwich  be- 
fore the  close  of  that  year.  He  was 
among  the  most  prominent  settlers  of  the 
town,  and  a  constituent  member  of  the 
church  organized  there  in  1638,  filled 
every  office  in  the  town,  was  several  years 

MASS— Vol.  Ill— 8  1 


deputy  to  the  General  Court,  a  large  land- 
holder, and  died  February  13,  1685.  His 
second  son,  John  Burgess,  settled  in  Yar- 
mouth, where  he  was  deputy  in  1680; 
married,  September  18,  1657,  Mary, 
daughter  of  Peter  Worden.  Their  fourth 
son  was  Samuel  Burgess,  who  lived  in 
Yarmouth  with  his  wife  Elizabeth.  Their 
eldest  child  was  Samuel  (2)  Burgess,  born 
December  9,  1704,  married,  July  25,  1730, 
Mercy  Covill,  and  was  the  father  of  Eliz- 
abeth Burgess,  wife  of  Seth  Hall.  Chil- 
dren: Tamsin,  born  1758;  Gershom,  men- 
tioned below;  Edward,  1763;  Mercy,  mar- 
ried      Kelley ;   Jonathan,    May   24, 

1768;  Elisha;  Seth;  Elizabeth,  married 
Joshua  Covell ;  Lemuel. 

(VI)  Gershom  (3)  Hall,  eldest  son  of 
Seth  and  Elizabeth  (Burgess)  Hall,  was 
born  in  1760,  in  Harwich,  where  he  lived, 
and  died  September  26,  1844.  He  mar- 
ried (first)  February  8,  1781,  Lucy  Snow, 
baptized  December,  1760,  in  Brewster, 
Massachusetts,  died  October  8,  1795,  in 
Harwich,  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Han- 
nah (Lincoln)  Snow.  She  was  a  de- 
scendant of  Nicholas  Snow,  who  came 
from  England  in  1623,  in  the  ship  "Ann," 
and  had  a  share  in  the  division  of  land  in 
Plymouth,  Massachusetts,  in  1624.  Ten 
years  later  he  removed  to  Eastham,  where 
he  was  a  prominent  citizen,  the  first  town 
clerk  and  filled  the  office  sixteen  years. 
For  three  years  he  was  deputy  to  the 
General  Court,  and  for  seven  years  select- 
man. He  married  at  Plymouth,  Con- 
stance, daughter  of  Stephen  Hopkins, 
who  came  in  the  "Mayflower"  to  Plym- 
outh in  1620.  Nicholas  Snow  died  No- 
vember 15,  1676,  in  Eastham,  and  was 
survived  nearly  a  year  by  his  wife,  who 
died  in  October,  1677.  They  were  the 
parents  of  Nicholas  (2)  Snow,  born  De- 
cember 6,  1663,  in  Eastham,  lived  in  Har- 
wich, and  married  in  Eastham,  April  4, 
1689,  Lydia  Shaw.     Their  third  son,  Na- 


13 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


thaniel  Snow,  born  October  16,  1693,  m 
Harwich,  married,  August  20,  1730,  in 
that  town,  Thankful  Gage,  born  May  21, 
171 1,  in  Yarmouth,  daughter  of  John  and 
Jane  Gage.  Their  second  son,  Thomas 
Snow,  born  November  19,  1735,  in  Har- 
wich, baptized  four  days  later  in  Brew- 
ster, died  April  27,  1790,  in  the  West 
Indies.  He  married,  January  31,  1760, 
Hannah  Lincoln,  born  April  23,  1738,  in 
Brewster,  died  May  30,  181 7,  daughter 
of  John  and  Hannah  (Hopkins)  Lincoln. 
Their  eldest  child,  Lucy  Snow,  became 
the  first  wife  of  Gershom  (3)  Hall,  as 
previously  noted.  He  married  (second) 
May  15,  1796,  Widow  Bethiah  Collins, 
daughter  of  Deacon  Edward  Hall,  born 
1760,  died  September  28,  1813.  He  mar- 
ried (third,  intentions  published  October 
6,  1815,  in  Harwich)  Jerusha,  daughter 
of  Reuben  Clark,  born  1772-73,  in  Brew- 
ster, died  October  29,  1843.  Children: 
Rosanna,  born  October  31,  1782;  Rhoda, 
March  12,  1784;  Thankful,  mentioned  be- 
low; Daniel;  Lucy,  February  18,  1788; 
Tamsin,  October  29,  1789;  Olive,  March 
18,  1791 ;  Sukey,  April  14,  1793;  Patience, 
September  16,  1795;  Gershom,,  August  19, 
1798;  Zabrina,  December  9,  1804;  twins, 
died  young. 

(VII)  Thankful  Hall,  third  daughter 
of  Gershom  (3)  and  Lucy  (Snow)  Hall, 
was  born  October  17,  1785,  in  Harwich, 
and  became  the  wife  of  Jephtha  Nicker- 
son,  of  Dennis  (see  Nickerson  VI).  After 
his  death  she  became  the  wife  of  Deacon 
Samuel  Smith,  of  West  Harwich,  Massa- 
chusetts. 

(The  Chase  Line). 

Elsewhere  in  this  volume  appears  an 
extensive  history  of  the  early  generations 
of  the  Chase  family,  beginning  with  Wil- 
liam Chase,  who  came  from  England  with 
Governor  Winthrop  in  1630,  accompanied 
by  his  wife  Mary  and  son  William,  and 
located   finally  at  Yarmouth   in   what   is 


now  Barnstable  county,  Massachusetts. 
His  eldest  son,  William  Chase,  resided  in 
that  locality,  and  was  the  father  of  Ben- 
jamin Chase,  who  lived  in  Portsmouth, 
Rhode  Island,  and  married  Amy  Borden. 
Their  eldest  son  was  Nathan  Chase,  who 
resided  in  Portsmouth,  Rhode  Island,  and 
married  Elizabeth  Shaw.  The  second 
son  of  this  marriage  was  Holder  Chase, 
born  1733,  in  Portsmouth,  where  he  lived. 
He  married,  in  1760,  Freeborn,  daughter 
of  Joseph  and  Sarah  (Durfee)  Dennis, 
natives  of  Portsmouth. 

(VI)  Nathan  (2)  Chase,  second  son  of 
Holder  and  Freeborn  (Dennis)  Chase, 
was  born  in  1766,  and  lived  in  Tiverton, 
Rhode  Island,  where  he  died  November 
12,  1827,  aged  sixty-one  years.  He  mar- 
ried Ann  Sherman,  daughter  of  Sampson 
and  Ruth  (Fish)  Sherman,  born  Novem- 
ber 18,  1770,  died  in  Newport,  Rhode 
Island,  October  22,  1852.  Children:  Han- 
nah, born  November  22,  1793;  Almy,  July 
20,  1795;  Holder,  March  17,  1797;  Eliza, 
February  25,  1799;  Mary,  September  21, 
1800;  Abby,  July  25,  1802;  Rowland,  Jan- 
uary 28,  1804;  Obediah,  mentioned  be- 
low; Ruth  Ann,  September  21,  1810. 

(VII)  Obediah  Chase,  third  son  of  Na- 
than (2)  and  Ann  (Sherman)  Chase,  was 
born  March  2,  1806,  in  Tiverton,  Rhode 
Island,  and  made  his  home  in  Fall  River, 
Massachusetts,  where  he  became  a  well 
known  citizen,  and  there  died  March  13, 
1865,  at  the  age  of  fifty-nine  years.  His 
body  lies  in  Oak  Grove  Cemetery.  He 
married  in  Tiverton,  Rhode  Island,  Julia 
Ann  Gardner,  born  there  January  25, 
1807,  daughter  of  Captain  Samuel  and 
Catherine  (Borden)  Gardner.  A  full  his- 
tory of  this  family  will  be  found  on  other 
pages  of  this  work.  She  survived  him 
and  died  in  Fall  River,  Massachusetts, 
and  was  buried  beside  her  husband.  Chil- 
dren:  Leander  F.,  mentioned  below;  Obe- 
diah Davis,  born  September  19,  1833,  died 


14 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


in  Fall  River,  1894,  was  buried  in  Oak 
Grove  Cemetery. 

(VIII)  Leander  F.  Chase,  elder  son  of 
Obediah  and  Julia  Ann  (Gardner)  Chase, 
was  born  November  10,  1830,  in  Tiver- 
ton, Rhode  Island,  where  he  spent  his 
active  life,  and  died  October  3,  1890,  and 
was  buried  in  Oak  Grove  Cemetery.  His 
education  was  supplied  by  the  public 
schools  of  his  native  city,  and  after  leav- 
ing his  studies  he  learned  the  trade  of  car- 
penter with  his  father  and  continued  for 
many  years  as  a  contracting  builder  in 
Fall  River,  where  he  was  known  for  his 
upright  methods,  his  industry  and  sound 
judgment.  He  married  at  South  Dennis, 
Barnstable  county,  Massachusetts,  Feb- 
ruary 9,  1854,  Mercy  A.  Nickerson,  born 
August  18,  1834,  in  that  town,  daughter 
of  Alexander  and  Rebecca  (Baker)  Nick- 
erson, granddaughter  of  Jephtha  and 
Thankful  (Hall)  Nickerson,  of  Harwich, 
Massachusetts,  and  great-granddaughter 
of  Gershom  Hall.  Children:  1.  William 
Everett,  died  at  the  age  of  six  years.  2. 
Frank  Herbert,  died  young.  3.  J.  Etta, 
born  in  Fall  River,  educated  in  the  pub- 
lic and  high  schools  of  that  city,  and  for 
several  terms  was  a  teacher  in  the  public 
schools  of  Fall  River;  she  married,  No- 
vember 9,  1893,  James  W.  Cross,  a  well 
known  business  man  of  Fall  River,  and 
has  children  :  Eunice  Howard,  Ida  Chase, 
J.  William,  Mercy  A.  and  James  Julian. 
After  the  death  of  Mr.  Chase  his  widow 
married,  in  September,  1894,  Major  Oli- 
ver Hazard  Perry  Howard,  of  whom  fur- 
ther. Mrs.  Howard  is  still  quite  active, 
and  is  a  member  of  the  First  Christian 
Church  of  Fall  River,  in  whose  Bible 
class  she  is  an  active  member. 

Major  Oliver  Hazard  Perry  Howard 
was  born  July  22,  1836,  in  Providence, 
Rhode  Island,  son  of  William  and  Han- 
nah (Corey)  Howard.  He  was  educated 
in  the  public  schools,  and  during  the  Civil 


War  enlisted  as  a  soldier  of  the  Union 
army.  In  1861  he  became  a  member  of 
the  Second  Rhode  Island  Regiment  at 
Providence,  and  served  under  General 
Burnside.  He  was  injured  during  the 
battle  of  Bull  Run,  and  following  his  re- 
covery was  promoted  to  be  a  corporal.  At 
the  battle  of  Malvern  Hill,  in  1862,  he  re- 
ceived injuries  which  caused  him,  to  be 
temporarily  discharged.  He  reenlisted 
in  December,  1862,  in  the  Forty-seventh 
Massachusetts  Regiment,  under  General 
Banks.  With  this  regiment  he  saw  much 
active  service  and  for  meritorious  con- 
duct during  the  battles  in  which  he 
figured  he  was  promoted  to  be  sergeant. 
At  the  battle  of  Port  Hudson  Major  How- 
ard saw  so  many  of  his  fellow  soldiers 
killed  that  the  ranks  were  practically 
wiped  out  and  the  remnants  of  the  once 
fine  regiment  were  assigned  to  the 
Eighty-third  United  States  Volunteer  In- 
fantry. At  Port  Hudson  Major  Howard 
was  seized  with  illness  and  forced  to  re- 
sign. After  his  recovery  he  again  en- 
listed in  the  Thirty-seventh  United  States 
Colored  Infantry  at  Fort  Fisher.  He  was 
serving  with  that  organization  when  Wil- 
mington, North  Carolina,  was  captured, 
and  General  Cook  rewarded  Major  How- 
ard by  assigning  him  to  the  post  of  pro- 
vost-marshal of  the  city  of  Wilmington 
for  several  months.  Major  Howard  grad- 
ually rose  through  the  different  ranks  and 
was  appointed  first  lieutenant,  April  7, 
1865,  for  his  gallant  and  faithful  service 
during  the  war.  His  promotion  to  cap- 
tain came  in  June,  1866,  and  in  February 
of  the  following  year  he  received  his 
honorable  discharge.  He  had  participated 
in  about  fifteen  battles.  On  April  1,  1868, 
Major  Howard  received  his  commission 
as  brevet  major.  He  was  justly  proud  of 
this  honor  and  the  commission  occupied 
a  position  in  a  frame  in  his  home.  It  was 
signed  by  President  Andrew  Johnson, 
15 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  Secretary  of  War  Edwin  M.  Stanton. 
Major  Howard  made  his  home  in  Fall 
River,  where  he  was  a  prominent  mem- 
ber of  Richard  Borden  Post,  No.  46,  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Episcopal  church,  and  was  one 
of  the  charter  members  of  St.  John's 
Episcopal  Society,  and  served  as  senior 
warden  of  this  body.  He  married  (first) 
Ellen  Douglas,  who  died  January  27, 
1893,  ar,d  he  married  (second)  September 
20,  1894,  Mercy  A.  Chase,  widow  of  Lean- 
der  F.  Chase,  who  survives  him.  Major 
Howard  died  December  9,  191 1,  at  his 
home  on  Second  street,  Fall  River,  and 
was  buried  in  Oak  Grove  Cemetery. 


HARRIS,  Henry  Francis, 

Influential.  Public  Spirited  Citizen. 

The  Welsh  custom  of  adding  to  a  name 
the  father's  name  in  possessive  form  to 
distinguish  one  from  another  of  the  same 
Christian  name  was  the  origin  of  this 
patronymic.  In  the  short  four  centuries 
that  surnames  have  prevailed  in  Great 
Britain,  time  has  sufficed  to  make  many 
changes  and  modifications  in  the  form  of 
all  classes  of  words,  and  names  are  no 
exception  to  the  rule.  In  the  Welsh  ver- 
nacular, William  was  "David's,"  Harry 
was  "John's,"  and  David  was  "William's," 
and  thus  we  have  Davy's  (Davis),  John's 
(Jones),  William  and  Harris,  all  among 
the  most  common  of  Welsh  names.  The 
Harris  family  of  whom  this  article  gives 
some  account  was  among  the  earliest  in 
New  England,  has  contributed  much  to 
the  advancement  of  this  region  and  of  the 
nation,  and  is  now  found  in  connection 
with  all  worthy  endeavors.  It  has  been 
especially  active  in  the  fields  of  invention 
and  pioneer  development.  Almost  every 
State  has  found  the  name  among  those  of 
its  pioneer  settlers,  and  it  has  spread  from 
the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific. 


(I)  Thomas  Harris,  born  in  Deal,  Kent 
county,  England,  came  to  this  country 
with  his  brother  William  in  the  ship 
"Lyon,"  from  Bristol,  England,  Decem- 
ber 1,  1630.  Roger  Williams  was  also  a 
passenger,  and  they  landed  at  Lynn,  Mas- 
sachusetts Bay  Colony.  On  August  20, 
1637,  or  a  little  later,  he  and  twelve  others 
signed  the  following  compact:  "We, 
whose  names  are  hereunder,  desirous  to 
inhabit  in  the  town  of  Providence,  do 
promise  to  subject  ourselves  in  active  or 
passive  obedience  to  all  such  orders  or 
agreements  as  shall  be  made  for  public 
good  of  the  body  in  an  orderly  way  by  the 
major  assent  of  the  present  inhabitants, 
members  incorporated  together  into  a 
town  of  fellowship,  and  such  others 
whom  they  shall  admit  unto  themselves, 
only  in  civil  things."  On  July  27,  1640, 
he  and  thirty-eight  others  signed  an 
agreement  for  a  form  of  government.  On 
September  2,  1650,  he  was  taxed  one 
pound.  In  1652-53-54-55-56-57,  1661-62- 
63,  he  was  commissioner;  in  1654,  lieu- 
tenant; 1655,  freeman;  1656,  juryman. 
Bishop's  "New  England  Judged,"  pub- 
lished in  London,  in  1703,  has  the  follow- 
ing with  reference  to  July,  1658: 

After  these  came  Thomas  Harris  from  Rhode 
Island  into  our  colony  who  Declaring  against 
your  Pride  and  Oppression,  as  we  would  have 
liberty  to  speak  in  your  meeting  place  in  Boston, 
after  the  priest  had  ended.  Warning  the  people 
of  the  Dreadful,  terrible  day  of  the  Lord  God, 
which  was  coming  up  on  that  Town  and  Country, 
him,  much  unlike  to  Nineveh,  you  pulled  down 
and  hall'd  him  by  the  Hair  of  his  Head  out  of 
your  meeting,  and  a  hand  was  put  on  his  mouth 
to  keep  him  from  speaking  forth,  and  then  had 
before  your  Governor  and  Deputy,  with  other 
Magistrates,  and  committed  to  Prison  without 
warrant  or  mittimus  that  he  saw,  and  shut  up  in 
a  close  room,  none  suffered  to  come  to  him,  nor 
to  have  provisions  for  his  money;  and  the  next 
day  whipped  with  so  cruel  stripes  without  shew- 
ing any  law  that  he  had  broken,  tho'  he  desired  it 
of  the  Jaylor,  and  then  shut  up  for  Eleven  days; 
:6 


m 


l/Vl/^ 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


more,  Five  of  which  he  was  kept  without  bread 
(Your  Jaylor  not  suffering  him  to  have  any  for 
his  money  and  threatened  the  other  prisoners 
very  much  for  bringing  him  a  little  water  on  the 
day  of  his  sore  whipping)  and  all  this  because  he 
could  not  work  for  the  Jaylor  and  let  him  have 
Eight  Pence  in  Twelve  Pence  of  what  he  should 
earn ;  And  starved  he  had  been  in  all  probability, 
had  not  the  Lord  kept  him  these  Five  days,  and 
ordered  it  so  after  that  time  that  food  was  so 
conveyed  him  by  night  in  at  a  window,  by  some 
tender  People,  who  tho'  they  came  not  in  the  Pro- 
fession of  Truth  openly,  by  reason  of  your 
Cruelty,  yet  felt  it  secretly  moving  in  them  and 
so  were  made  Serviceable  to  keep  the  Servant  of 
the  Lord  from  Perishing,  who  shall  not  go  with- 
out a  reward.  And  tho'  he  was  in  this  State  of 
Weakness  of  want  of  Bread,  and  by  torturing  his 
body  with  cruel  whippings,  as  aforesaid,  and  tho' 
the  Day  after  he  was  whipped,  the  Jaylor  had 
told  him  that  he  had  now  suffered  the  Law,  and 
that  if  he  would  hire  the  Marshall  to  carry  him 
out  of  the  Country  he  might  be  gone  when  he 
would;  Yet  the  next  Sixth  Day  in  the  morning 
before  the  Sixth  Hour,  the  Jaylor  again  required 
him  to  Work,  which  he  refusing,  gave  his  weak 
and  fainting  body  Two  and  Twenty  Blows  with  a 
pitched  rope;  and  the  Nineteenth  of  the  Fifth 
month  following,  Fifteen  cruel  stripes  more  with 
a  three-fold-corded  whip  knotted  as  aforesaid. 
Now  upon  his  Apprehension,  your  Governor 
sought  to  know  of  him  who  came  with  him  (as 
was  their  usual  manner)  that  so  ye  might  find  out 
the  rest  of  the  company,  on  whom  ye  might  Ex- 
ecute your  Cruelty  and  Wickedness,  and  your 
Governor  said  he  would  make  him  do  it ;  but  his 
Cruelties  could  not.  Nevertheless  they  soon  were 
found  out  (who  hid  not  themselves  but  were 
bold  in  the  Lord)  viz:  William  Brend  and  Wil- 
liam Ledd,  etc. 

In  1664-66-67, 1670-72-73  he  was  deputy 
to  the  General  Court;  in  1664-65-66-69, 
member  of  the  town  council,  and  on  Feb- 
ruary 19,  1665,  ne  drew  lot  7,  in  the  divi- 
sion of  the  town  lands.  August  14,  1676, 
he  was  on  a  committee  which  recom- 
mended certain  conditions  under  which 
the  Indian  captives,  who  were  to  be  in 
servitude  for  a  term  of  years,  should  be 
disposed  of  by  the  town.  April  27,  1683, 
he  made  the  statement  that  about  1661, 
being  then  a  surveyor,  he  laid  out  a  three- 


acre  lot  for  his  son  Thomas,  at  Pauqua- 
chance  Hill,  and  a  twenty-five-acre  lot  on 
the  south  side,  etc.  June  3,  1686,  he  made 
his  will,  which  was  proved  July  22,  1686, 
his  son  Thomas  being  appointed  execu- 
tor, and  his  sons-in-law,  Thomas  Field 
and  Samuel  Whipple,  overseers.  Thomas 
Harris  died  in  Providence,  Rhode  Island, 
June    7,     1686.      He    married    Elizabeth 

,   who  died   in   Providence,   Rhode 

Island.  Children :  Thomas,  of  further 
mention  ;  Mary  ;  Martha. 

(II)  Thomas  (2)  Harris,  eldest  child 
and  son  of  Thomas  (1)  and  Elizabeth 
Harris,  was  born  about  1638,  in  Provi- 
dence, Rhode  Island.  On  February  19, 
1665,  he  had  lot  49,  in  a  division  of  lands. 
In  1671-79,  1680-81-82-85,  1691-94-97, 
1702-06-07-08  and  1710  he  was  a  deputy 
of  the  General  Court,  and  in  1684-85-86, 
member  of  the  Town  Council.  July  1, 
1679,  ne  was  taxed  eight  shillings  nine 
pence,  and  September  1,  1687,  fourteen 
shillings  nine  pence.  July  21,  1708,  he 
made  his  will,  which  was  proved  April 
16,  171 1,  the  executors  being  his  wife,  M. 
Elizabeth  (Tew)  Harris,  and  his  son 
Henry.  He  married,  November  3,  1664, 
M.  Elizabeth  Tew,  born  October  15,  1644, 
died  January  11,  1718,  daughter  of  Rich- 
mond and  Mary  (Clarke)  Tew,  of  New- 
port, Rhode  Island,  and  they  had  chil- 
dren :  Thomas,  of  further  mention  ;  Rich- 
ard, Nicholas,  William,  Henry,  Amity, 
Elnathan,  Joab,  Mary. 

(III)  Thomas  (3)  Harris,  son  of 
Thomas  (2)  and  M.  Elizabeth  (Tew) 
Harris,  was  born  in  Providence,  Rhode 
Island,  October  19,  1665,  and  died  in  the 
same  town,  November  1,  1741.  He  was 
a  deputy  to  the  General  Court  in  1718, 
and  member  of  the  Town  Council,  1716- 
1724,  inclusive.  His  will  was  proved  Jan- 
uary 18,  1742,  by  which  Henry  was  to 
receive  the  homestead,  etc. ;  Thomas,  the 
land  where  he  then  dwelt,  etc. ;  Charles, 


[17 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


the  land  in  Scituate,  with  house  in  Glo- 
cester;  and  Gideon,  one  hundred  acres 
near  Alum  Pond,  Glocester,  and  land  in 
Scituate  with  a  small  dwelling.  He  mar- 
ried Phebe  Brown,  who  died  August  20, 
1723,  and  they  had  children:  Wait,  born 
April  21,  1694;  Phebe,  December  16,  1698; 
John,  September  17,  1700;  Henry,  Octo- 
ber 5,  1702;  Thomas,  October  21,  1704; 
Charles,  of  further  mention ;  Gideon,  born 
March  15,  1714;  Lydia,  June  9,  1715. 

(IV)  Charles  Harris,  son  of  Thomas 
(3)  and  Phebe  (Brown)  Harris,  was  born 
in  Providence,  Rhode  Island,  in  1709.  He 
married,  March  19,  1748,  at  North  Scitu- 
ate, Rhode  Island,  Mary  Hopkins.  Chil- 
dren :  Henry,  who  married  Rhoda  Smith, 
and  left  her  a  widow ;  Amy ;  Gideon,  of 
further  mention  ;  Nancy,  Stephen,  Joseph, 
Oliver,  Mercy,  George. 

(V)  Gideon  Harris,  son  of  Charles  and 
Mary  (Hopkins)  Harris,  was  born  in 
Rhode  Island  after  1748.  He  married 
Rhoda  (Smith)  Harris,  the  widow  of  his 
brother  Henry,  and  had  seven  children. 

(VI)  Henry  Harris,  son  of  Gideon  and 
Rhoda  (Smith-Harris)  Harris,  was  born 
August  2,  1787.  He  married  (first)  Ber- 
nice  Randall,  and  (second)  Waty  Smith, 
who  was  a  remarkable  type  of  true  New 
England  womanhood,  possessing  a  strong 
and  noble  character,  and  who  gave  to  her 
children  an  excellent  rearing.  Children 
by  second  marriage  :  Alsaide  ;  Linus  Mon- 
roe ;  Gideon,  died  prior  to  1889,  married 
Sophia  Roper,  who  died  March,  1916; 
Mary  Smith,  who  was  the  widow  of  Al- 
fred Whiting,  died  in  Worcester  in  the 
spring  of  1904;  Charles  Morris,  of  fur- 
ther mention ;  Thomas  Henry,  living  at 
Canada  Mills,  Holden,  Massachusetts ; 
Otis  Braddock,  died  prior  to  1889;  Whip- 
ple Burlingame,  a  resident  of  Three 
Rivers,  Palmer,  Massachusetts. 

(VII)  Charles  Morris  Harris,  son  of 
Henry   and   Waty    (Smith)    Harris,   was 


born  in  Providence,  Rhode  Island,  Au- 
gust 3,  1822,  and  died  in  Boston,  April 
24,  1889.  Through  his  mother  he  was  a 
grandson  of  Captain  Jonathan  Smith,  of 
Revolutionary  fame,  who,  tradition  says, 
stood  fully  six  feet  in  height  and  com- 
manded a  company  each  of  whom  was  of 
that  or  greater  stature.  Mr.  Harris  was 
also  a  descendant  of  that  John  Smith,  of 
Dorchester,  who  was  banished  for  his 
divers  dangerous  opinions,  and  who  re- 
moved from  the  Massachusetts  Bay 
Colony  to  Rhode  Island  at  the  request  of 
Roger  Williams,  who  wanted  him  as  a 
miller,  and  he  was  ever  afterwards  known 
as  "Smith  the  miller."  Shortly  after  his 
birth,  the  parents  of  Charles  Morris  Har- 
ris removed  to  Scituate,  Rhode  Island, 
where  he  was  reared.  Until  he  was  thir- 
teen years  old  he  attended  the  common 
schools  for  eight  weeks  in  summer  and  a 
like  term  in  winter,  and  later  attended 
two  short  winter  terms,  completing  his 
schooling  when  he  was  fifteen  years  old. 
From  the  age  of  six  to  that  of  fourteen 
years  his  time  out  of  school  was  given  to 
labor  in  the  Richmond  Cotton  Mills, 
twelve  to  fourteen  hours  daily,  at  the 
pitiful  wage  of  one  cent  an  hour.  One 
dollar  and  a  quarter  a  week  was  the  high- 
est wages  he  received  until  he  was  almost 
of  age,  when  he  was  paid  six  dollars  and 
fifty  cents  a  week.  During  this  period  he 
had  gone  from  the  Richmond  Mills  to  the 
Sprague  Mills,  at  Smithfield,  Rhode 
Island,  thence  to  the  Blackstone  Mills,  at 
Mendon,  Washington,  and  to  Woon- 
socket,  Rhode  Island,  and  was  thoroughly 
and  practically  conversant  with  every  de- 
tail of  the  cotton  milling  industry,  capa- 
ble of  conducting  every  process  from  the 
handling  of  the  raw  material  to  the  final 
finishing  of  the  product. 

In  the  spring  of  1842,  when  he  was 
twenty-two  years  of  age,  he  engaged  in 
thread  manufacturing  on  his  own  account, 


118 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


in  partnership  with  David  S.  Wilder.  In 
the  autumn  of  the  same  year  they  re- 
moved to  West  Boylston  and  purchased 
a  small  mill  at  Central  Village,  where 
they  began  the  manufacture  of  satinet 
warps.  They  also  leased  a  mill  at  Lovell- 
ville,  in  the  town  of  Holden,  which  they 
also  operated  in  connection  with  that  at 
Central  Village.  In  1845  ne  became  asso- 
ciated with  his  brothers,  Linus  Monroe 
and  Gideon,  and  a  brother-in-law,  Alfred 
Whiting,  who  had  bought  the  Holt  Mill, 
at  what  was  then  called  Holt's  Village, 
but  later  Harrisville.  Under  the  firm 
name  of  L.  M.  Harris  &  Company,  they 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  cotton 
cloth,  and  built  up  a  thriving  business. 
The  factory  was  destroyed  by  fire  about 
1851,  but  rebuilding  was  begun  within 
thirty  days  after  the  disaster,  and  in  less 
than  a  year  the  new  factory  was  in  suc- 
cessful operation  and  with  increased 
capacity.  In  1857  Mr.  Harris  bought  an 
interest  in  a  cotton  mill  at  Poquonnock, 
Connecticut.  His  beginning  was  inaus- 
picious. The  first  year  he  lost  six  thou- 
sand dollars,  but  he  only  redoubled  his 
effort,  and  with  such  success  that  two 
years  later  he  had  made  good  his  loss 
and  was  worth  twelve  thousand  dollars 
more  in  addition.  Early  in  i860  he  sold 
his  Connecticut  interests  and  bought  an 
interest  in  a  factory  at  Savage,  Howard 
county,  Maryland,  where  he  remained 
nearly  two  years.  In  the  fall  of  1861  he 
returned  to  the  factory  of  L.  M.  Harris 
&  Company,  remaining  until  1863.  In 
that  year  he  and  his  brother,  Linus  M. 
Harris,  bought  one-half  of  the  stock  of 
the  West  Boylston  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany at  Oakdale.  This  was  then  as  it  is 
to-day  one  of  the  most  important  manu- 
facturing institutions  in  the  State.  In 
1814  it  received  from  the  Commonwealth 
of  Massachusetts  a  special  charter  under 
which  it  was  authorized  to  manufacture 


"cotton  and  woolen  clothes  and  fine 
wire."  On  coming  into  this  corporation, 
Mr.  Harris  became  general  manager  and 
treasurer,  and  he  served  as  such  with 
conspicuous  ability  for  a  period  of  twen- 
ty-six years,  which  terminated  with  his 
death. 

Mr.  Harris  married,  on  Thanksgiving 
Day,  1848,  Emily  Dean,  born  in  Sterling, 
Massachusetts,  November  9,  1823,  died 
August  6,  1892,  who  was  residing  in  West 
Boylston  at  the  time  of  her  marriage.  She 
was  a  direct  descendant  of  Thomas  Dud- 
ley, second  governor  of  the  Massachu- 
setts Bay  Colony.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Har- 
ris were  born  three  children:  1.  Henry 
Francis,  of  further  mention.  2.  Charles 
Morris,  Jr.,  for  several  years  prior  to  his 
father's  death  superintendent  of  the  West 
Boylston  Manufacturing  Company  Mills  ; 
he  died  November  10,  1892,  aged  forty 
years,  leaving  a  widow,  two  sons  and 
three  daughters.  3.  Emily  Armilla,  died 
March  11,  1892,  at  the  age  of  thirty-five 
years ;  she  married  (first)  Lyman  P. 
Goodell,  by  whom  she  had  one  son,  Ros- 
coe  Harris  Goodell,  who  married  Helen 
Peabody,  daughter  of  Frederick  F.  Pea- 
body,  of  Evanston,  Illinois ;  she  married 
(second)  Alonzo  R.  Wells,  and  had  a  son, 
Ray  Dean  Wells. 

(VIII)  Henry  Francis  Harris,  eldest 
child  of  Charles  Morris  and  Emily  (Dean) 
Harris,  was  born  on  the  family  homestead 
in  Harrisville,  West  Boylston,  Worcester 
county,  Massachusetts,  August  19,  1849, 
and  died  at  his  home,  No.  67  Lincoln 
street,  Worcester,  Massachusetts,  Janu- 
ary 14,  1915.  He  was  a  student  in  the 
East  Mountain  Institute,  South  Wood- 
stock, Vermont;  in  Worcester  and  Lan- 
caster academies ;  and  after  a  four  years' 
course  at  Tufts  College,  was  graduated 
valedictorian  of  the  class  of  1871,  the  de- 
gree of  Bachelor  of  Arts  being  conferred 
upon  him.     He  then  studied  in  the  Har- 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


vard  Law  School  for  six  months,  and  in 
the  law  office  of  Hartley  Williams  in 
Worcester  for  one  year.  He  then  entered 
the  Boston  University  Law  School,  where 
he  was  a  member  of  the  class  of  1873,  the 
first  class  to  be  graduated  from  this  insti- 
tution, and  was  awarded  the  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Laws.  While  attending  the 
law  lectures  at  the  Boston  University,  he 
was  also  reading  law  in  the  office  of  John 
A.  Loring,  of  Boston,  and  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  of  Suffolk  county,  in  December, 
1873.  On  January  1,  1874,  he  commenced 
the  active  practice  of  his  profession  in 
the  city  of  Worcester,  having  an  office 
with  Adin  Thayer,  and  then  with  Mr. 
Thayer's  son,  Charles  M.  Thayer,  up  to 
1915,  when  the  law  firm  of  Thayer,  Smith 
&  Gaskell  was  formed,  and  Mr.  Harris 
opened  an  office  on  another  floor  of  the 
State  Mutual  Building.  In  1880  he  was 
made  assistant  treasurer  and  director  of 
the  West  Boylston  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, first  located  at  West  Boylston  and 
after  1895  at  East  Hampton.  In  May, 
1889,  he  was  elected  treasurer,  his  father 
having  died,  and  he  held  that  office  for 
thirty  years,  until  1909,  when  his  law 
business  demanding  more  attention  he  re- 
signed, continuing  only  as  a  member  of 
the  board  of  directors.  He  was  at  one 
time  president  of  the  L.  M.  Harris  & 
Company  Manufacturing  Company,  hav- 
ing been  a  director  from  the  time  of  its 
organization  in  1890.  He  was  one  of  the 
busiest  men  of  Worcester  and  was  con- 
nected with  many  of  its  financial  activ- 
ities, and  was  counsel  for  many  of  its 
banks  and  trust  companies.  He  was  a 
director  of  the  Old  Worcester  Safe  De- 
posit and  Trust  Company  from  1892,  and 
at  the  time  of  his  death  was  a  director  of 
the  Worcester  Trust  Company,  a  trustee 
of  the  People's  Savings  Bank,  and  from 
1892  a  director  of  the  First  National  Fire 
Insurance  Company.     He  was  a  trustee 


of  the  Worcester  City  Hospital  from 
1896,  of  the  Massachusetts  Homeopathic 
Hospital,  Worcester  Home  for  Aged 
Women,  Dean  Academy,  and  Worcester 
Academy  until  his  death,  and  he  also 
served  on  the  school  boards  of  both  West 
Boylston  and  Worcester.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  Boylston  Lodge,  Ancient  Free  and 
Accepted  Masons,  and  served  as  master 
of  the  lodge,  1889-90;  member  of  Eureka 
Chapter,  Royal  Arch  Masons,  and  of 
Worcester  Commandery,  Knights  Tem- 
plar. His  interest  in  art  made  him  an 
active  member  of  the  Worcester  Art  Mu- 
seum, and  his  interest  in  field  sports  was 
exhibited  on  the  links  of  the  Worcester 
Golf  Club,  of  which  he  was  a  member. 
Professionally  he  held  membership  in  the 
Worcester  County  Bar  Association,  the 
Worcester  County  Alumni  Association  of 
the  Boston  University  Law  School.  He 
was  also  a  member  of  the  Chamber  of 
Commerce  of  the  city  of  Worcester.  He 
was  chairman  of  the  board  of  trustees  of 
the  First  Universalist  Church  of  Worces- 
ter, at  which  he  was  a  regular  attendant. 
He  visited  Europe  frequently,  and  his  last 
two  trips  over  the  Continent  were  made 
in  an  automobile. 

Mr.  Harris  married,  May  17,  1883, 
Emma  Frances  Dearborn,  daughter  of 
William  F.  and  Mary  J.  (Hurd)  Dear- 
born, of  Worcester,  Massachusetts.  She 
was  graduated  from  the  Worcester  High 
School  in  the  class  of  1878,  and  studied 
vocal  music  under  Madame  Cappiani,  and 
during  her  early  married  years  her  voice, 
of  most  excellent  quality,  was  heard  in 
the  Universalist  church  choir,  of  which 
she  was  director,  and  frequently  in  con- 
certs. Children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harris: 
1.  Rachel,  born  in  Worcester,  Massachu- 
setts, December  11,  1887;  was  graduated 
at  the  Classical  High  School  in  the  class 
of  1904 ;  she  then  matriculated  at  Smith 
College,  class  of  1909;  she  married,  Octo- 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ber  10,  1912,  James  Herbert  Johnson,  son 
of  Edwin  and  Leah  (Warren)  Johnson, 
of  Worcester,  and  their  daughter,  Natalie, 
was  born  in  the  family  home  in  Worces- 
ter, June  25,  1913,  also  a  second  daughter, 
Priscilla  Alden,  born  August  16,  1915.  2. 
Dorothy  Dudley,  born  in  Worcester, 
March  22,  1890  ;  after  a  three  years'  course 
in  the  Classical  High  School,  she  com- 
pleted her  school  training  at  Bradford 
Academy,  where  she  was  graduated  in 
the  class  of  1909 ;  she  married,  February 
15,  1911,  Harold  Paul  Buckingham,  son 
of  George  Beecher  and  Abbie  (McFar- 
land)  Buckingham,  of  Worcester,  and 
their  daughter,  Dorothy  Buckingham, 
was  born  January  4,  1912,  and  their  son, 
Warren  McFarland  Buckingham,  was 
born  July  26,  1913.  The  family  home  on 
Lincoln  street  has  been  given  in  memory 
of  her  late  husband  by  Mrs.  Harris  to 
the  working  women  of  Worcester  for  a 
club  house.  It  is  to  be  known  as  the 
Harris  Memorial  Club  House  and  is  a 
fitting  tribute  to  a  useful  and  noble  life. 


CODDING,  Charles  Bradford, 

Business  Man. 

Charles  Bradford  Codding  was  born  at 
Campbell,  near  Brockton,  in  Massachu- 
setts, May  7,  1844.  His  father,  a  cabinet- 
maker of  excellent  reputation,  married 
Ruth  Chase,  of  that  vicinity,  and  when 
Charles  B.  was  still  a  child  the  small 
family  moved  to  Taunton,  where  he  was 
educated  at  the  public  schools.  After 
being  graduated  from  the  Taunton  High 
School,  young  Charles  B.,  at  the  age  of 
nineteen,  went  to  Boston,  where  he 
started  his  business  career,  working  up 
from  the  lowest  step  of  the  ladder  to  the 
head  of  the  firm  in  the  business  he  repre- 
sented. He  began  his  experiences  at  the 
wholesale  boot  and  shoe  house  of  Winch 
Brothers,  on  Milk  street,  which  at  that 


time  was  situated  on  the  site  where  the 
present  post  office  building  is  now  located. 
Through  his  integrity  and  honest  energy 
he  rapidly  rose  to  the  place  of  bookkeeper, 
then  traveling  salesman  in  the  districts 
of  Massachusetts  and  New  York,  and 
later  on  to  one  of  the  chief  buyers  of  the 
house.  At  the  age  of  thirty  he  married 
Mary  E.  Smith,  of  Bangor,  Maine,  de- 
scendant of  the  Abbott  Lawrence  family, 
who  proved  to  be  an  efficient  encourager 
in  his  enterprises. 

In  1876  Mr.  Hosmer,  who  had  mean- 
while become  a  member  of  the  firm  of 
Winch  Brothers,  withdrew  his  interests, 
forming  a  new  establishment,  with  Mr. 
Codding  and  two  others  of  the  younger 
men  of  the  house,  known  as  the  firm  of 
Hosmer,  Codding  &  Company.  After 
some  years  of  successful  outcome,  Mr. 
Hosmer  retired,  leaving  Mr.  Codding  as 
the  financial  manager  of  the  house.  In 
189S  the  business  was  incorporated,  plac- 
ing Mr.  Codding  at  its  head  as  manager 
and  treasurer.  From  then  on  it  developed 
to  such  an  extent  that  its  quarters  on 
Federal  street  needed  the  additional  space 
in  the  adjoining  building,  which  was  ac- 
cordingly annexed  for  that  purpose.  On 
account  of  the  efficiency,  steadfastness 
and  honest  principles,  Mr.  Codding's 
career  as  a  business  man  stands  out  as  an 
example  to  all  young  men  wishing  to  pur- 
sue that  course  of  training,  for  from  hav- 
ing started  at  the  lowest  place  in  a  large 
business  concern,  he  earned  his  way,  step 
by  step,  up  to  the  very  highest  place,  giv- 
ing the  best  of  forty-four  years  of  his  life 
to  establish  a  flourishing  business  of  his 
own,  and  revealing  a  character  deserving 
much  merit.  He  had  become  affiliated 
with  hundreds  of  shoe  dealers,  from  all 
parts  of  the  country,  and  reaped  the  re- 
spect and  confidence  of  a  wide  circle  of 
business  friends  and  social  acquaintances. 
His  unostentatiousness  in  regard  to  the 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


many  instances  where  he  lent  a  helping 
hand  was  a  beautiful  trait  of  character, 
which  fittingly  blended  with  his  simple 
and  pure  domestic  life,  and  his  great  love 
for  all  that  was  beautiful  in  art  and  nature. 
Mr.  Codding  was  a  member  of  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity,  of  the  Knights  Templar, 
the  Oxford  Club  of  Lynn,  the  city  where 
he  made  his  home,  besides  being  an  active 
member  of  the  various  organizations  con- 
nected with  the  boot  and  shoe  trade  of 
America,  in  all  of  which  he  was  looked 
up  to  with  the  highest  esteem.  After  a 
short  and  serious  illness,  Mr.  Codding 
died  at  his  home  on  April  2,  1904,  leaving 
a  widow  to  survive  him. 


DWINNELL,  Major  Benjamin  D., 

Banker,  Veteran  of  Civil  War. 

Tradition  differs  as  to  the  origin  of  this 
family,  some  saying  it  was  Scotch,  and 
others  French  Huguenot.  One  branch  of 
the  family  has  supposed  that  the  Dwinells 
came  from  France,  where  a  Count  Dwinell 
was  settled  near  La  Rochelle.  The  spell- 
ing of  the  surname  has  always  varied. 
Even  at  the  present  day  we  find  his  de- 
scendants called  Dwinell,  Dwinnell  and 
Dwinel.  The  surname  as  written  in  the 
town  records  of  Topsfield,  where  the  pio- 
neer settled,  has  the  following  variations  : 
Dewnell,  Duenell,  Doenell,  Donell,  Dun- 
ell,  Dwinnill.  But  the  best  authority  is 
that  of  Rev.  Joseph  Capen,  of  Topsfield, 
who  spelled  the  name  Dwinell  on  his 
records  from  1684  to  1725.  The  name 
Michael  was  also  spelled  in  divers  ways. 

(I)  Michael  Dwinell  was  born  about 
1640,  and  appears  in  Topsfield,  Massachu- 
setts, where  he  died  about  1717,  his  will 
being  proved  in  March  of  that  year.  He 
was  possessed  of  considerable  property, 
owning  land  in  Wenham  and  Middle- 
town.  Very  little  can  be  discovered  in 
the  records  concerning  him.     His  wife's 


name  was  Mary,  and  they  had  children : 
Mary,  born  1668,  married  John  Hovey ; 
Michael,  mentioned  below;  Thomas,  born 
November,  1672,  married  Dinah  Brims- 
dell;  John,  1674,  married  Mary  Read; 
Elizabeth,  April,  1677,  died  October  29, 
1759,  unmarried;  Magdalen,  1679,  mar- 
ried James  Holgate,  March,  1703,  at 
Salem,  Massachusetts ;  Joseph,  January, 
1682,  married  Prudence  ;  Susan- 
nah, 1685,  married  Killum,  before 

1710;  Johanna,  1688,  married  Nathaniel 
Hood,  of  Lynn,  October  16,  1706. 

(II)  Dr.  Michael  (2)  Dwinell,  eldest 
son  of  Michael  (1)  and  Mary  Dwinell, 
was  born  December  5,  1670,  in  Topsfield, 
and  died  there  December  24,  1761,  aged 
ninety-one  years.  He  was  the  first  physi- 
cian in  the  town  of  Topsfield,  and  was 
many  years  a  prominent  citizen  of  that 
town.  It  is  impossible  to  learn  where  he 
prepared  for  practice,  but  it  was  un- 
doubtedly with  some  other  physician  in 
that  vicinity.  He  had  five  wives,  the  bap- 
tismal name  of  the  first  being  Hannah, 
which  is  all  that  is  preserved  concerning 
her.  He  married  (second)  December  20, 
1724,  Elizabeth  Fisk,  born  September  15, 
1704,  in  Wenham,  Massachusetts,  daugh- 
ter of  Joseph  and  Sarah  (Warner)  Fisk, 
died  March  26,  1730.  He  married  (third) 
Elizabeth  Cave,  who  died  in  February, 
1737.  He  married  (fourth)  July  6,  1737, 
in  Salem,  Charity  Cotton,  who  died  No- 
vember 8,  1752.  He  married  (fifth)  Feb- 
ruary 1,  1753,  Widow  Mary  Balch.  His 
will  dated  July  17,  1753,  mentions  wife 
Mary;  sons  Michael,  Stephen,  Jacob; 
daughters  Sarah  Foster,  Mary,  Hannah 
and  Abigail  Dwinell,  and  granddaughter 
Esther,  wife  of  David  Balch.  Children  of 
the  first  marriage :  Thomas,  born  October 
3,  1693,  married  Mary  Perkins ;  Sarah, 
1694,  married  Abram  Foster,  of  Ipswich; 
Mary,  1702;  Michael,  mentioned  below; 
Stephen,    1708,   married   Abigail    Harris; 


/3  AA 


^A 


m 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Hannah,  1710,  married  John  Bower; 
Jacob,  1715,  married  Keziah  Gould;  Abi- 
gail, 1719,  married  Humphrey  Deering ; 
children  of  the  second  marriage:  Benja- 
min, born  November,  1726,  married  Mary 
Este;  Thomas,  August,  1729;  children  of 
the  third  marriage:  Samuel,  born  1731 ; 
Elizabeth,  October,  1733. 

(III)  Michael  (3)  Dwinell,  second  son 
of  Dr.  Michael  (2)  and  Hannah  Dwinell, 
was  born  January  7,  1706,  in  Topsfield, 
and  died  while  a  soldier  of  the  French 
and  Indian  War,  in  1755.  He  was  one  of 
the  four  men  from  Topsfield  in  that  war. 
He  married,  September  2j,  1727,  in  Salem, 
Lucy  Towne,  of  Topsfield,  who  died  April 
15,  1764,  "an  aged  woman."  Children: 
Bartholomew,  mentioned  below ;  Lucy, 
born  March  28,  1730,  married  William 
Moneys;  a  child,  died  August  3,  1731  ; 
Hannah,  born  February  17,  1732,  married 
James  Meragin,  of  Marblehead ;  Michael, 
January  6,  1735,  married  Martha  Averill ; 
a  child,  died  1739. 

(IV)  Bartholomew  Dwinell,  eldest  child 
of  Michael  (3)  and  Lucy  (Towne)  Dwin- 
ell, was  born  August  5,  1728,  in  Topsfield, 
and  baptized  in  the  church  there,  October 
24,  1736.  He  was  an  early  settler  in 
Keene,  New  Hampshire,  where  he  was  a 
farmer,  and  died  November  21,  1801.  He 
married  in  Wenham,  March  19,  1752, 
Sarah  Moulton,  born  there  January  5, 
1733,  daughter  of  John  and  Hannah  (Kil- 
lain)  Moulton,  of  that  town,  died  1822,  in 
Keene.  Children:  Hannah,  born  October 
29,  1753,  married  William  Towne,  1777; 
Michael,  November  28,  1755,  died  1755 ; 
Sarah,  September,  1757;  Lucy,  January, 
1760;  Bartholomew,  March,  1762,  married 
Rebecca  Towne;  Anna,  December,  1763, 
married  Ezekiel  Graves ;  Huldah,  March 
17,  1768,  married  Jonathan  French,  June, 
1787;  Lydia,  September  8,  1769,  married 
Israel  Hill,  June,  1789;  Michael,  men- 
tioned below. 

(V)  Michael  (4)  Dwinnell,  third  son  of 


Bartholomew  and  Sarah  (Moulton)  Dwin- 
ell, was  born  November  12,  1771,  in  Tops- 
field,  and  was  a  child  of  about  twelve 
years  when  he  went  with  his  parents  to 
Keene,  New  Hampshire.  He  removed 
from  Keene  to  Charlestown,  New  Hamp- 
shire, where  he  died.  He  married  (first) 
Lydia  Towne,  born  March  24,  1775,  in 
Rindge,  New  Hampshire,  daughter  of 
Francis  and  Phebe  (Towne)  Towne,  of 
Rindge.  He  married  a  second  wife  in 
Charlestown.  Children  of  the  first  mar- 
riage :  Francis,  mentioned  below ;  Polly, 
born  1800,  married  Lorin  Morse ;  Har- 
riet, 1801,  married Sawyer;  Lydia, 

1803,   married   Powers;   Candace, 

1806;  Clarissa,  1810,  married Stew- 
art; Clarinda,  unmarried;  Thursa,  died 
unmarried ;  children  by  the  second  mar- 
riage :  Warren,  and  a  daughter  Sally. 

(VI)  Francis  Dwinnell,  eldest  child  of 
Michael  (4)  and  Lydia  (Towne)  Dwin- 
nell, was  born  July  26,  1798,  in  Keene, 
and  grew  up  on  his  father's  farm  in  his 
native  town,  attending  the  district  schools 
adjacent  to  his  home.  He  became  a  farmer 
in  Charlestown  and  died  in  that  town,  in 
October,  1843.  He  married,  August  26, 
1 82 1,  Nancy  Tarbell,  of  Walpole,  New 
Hampshire.  Children:  1.  Elithea  Dud- 
ley, born  November  18,  1822,  married 
Abram  Downer  Hull,  October  24,  1848; 
died  June  16,  1852.  2.  Martha  Ann  Jud- 
son,  born  January  17,  1829,  married  Amos 
Leander  Doane,  April  2,  1850,  of  Worces- 
ter, Massachusetts.  3.  Rebecca  Dean, 
born  January  28,  1832,  died  October  5, 
1848.  4.  Benjamin  Dudley,  mentioned  be- 
low. 5.  William  Tarbell,  born  August  25, 
1836,  married  (first)  Margaret  Elizabeth 
Auld,  February  18,  i860;  she  died  Febru- 
ary 17,  1874;  married  (second)  Agnes 
Louise  Greenman,  November  3,  1874 ;  she 
died  May  2,  1894;  married  (third)  Mar- 
tha Elizabeth  Long,  June  4,  1895  !  ne  died 
in  March,  1914,  in  Mulhall,  Oklahoma. 

(VII)  Benjamin  Dudley  Dwinnell,  eld- 


[23 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


est  son  of  Francis  and  Nancy  (Tarbell) 
Dwinnell,  was  born  September  14,  1834, 
in  Charlestown,  New  Hampshire,  and  re- 
ceived his  early  education  in  the  public 
schools  there.  After  spending  one  year 
in  a  printing  office  in  Claremont,  New 
Hampshire,  he  settled  in  Worcester,  Mas- 
sachusetts, where  he  began  his  career  as 
clerk  in  the  hardware  store  of  C.  Foster 
&  Company.  The  outbreak  of  the  Civil 
War  aroused  his  patriotic  sentiments  and 
he  enlisted  in  1862  in  the  Fifty-first  Mas- 
sachusetts Regiment,  of  which  he  became 
quartermaster,  receiving  his  commission 
from  Governor  Andrew  with  the  rank  of 
first  lieutenant.  At  the  expiration  of  the 
first  term  of  enlistment,  he  became  first 
lieutenant  and  quartermaster  in  the  Sec- 
ond Regiment  Massachusetts  Heavy  Ar- 
tillery in  1864,  of  which  General  A.  B. 
R.  Sprague  was  then  lieutenant-colonel. 
This  regiment  saw  active  service  in  Vir- 
ginia and  North  Carolina,  and  Lieutenant 
Dwinnell  was  brevetted  major,  a  title  by 
which  he  was  thereafter  known.  He  was 
mustered  out  of  the  service  in  September, 
1865,  and  immediately  engaged  in  the 
lumber  and  turpentine  trade  in  the  South, 
where  he  continued  several  years.  Re- 
turning to  Worcester  he  became  assistant 
postmaster  of  the  city  under  General 
Josiah  Pickett,  and  in  1875  was  appointed 
jailer  and  master  of  the  House  of  Correc- 
tion at  Fitchburg.  For  thirty-nine  years 
he  continued  in  this  responsible  position 
under  various  succeeding  sheriffs,  and 
was  very  popular  with  the  county  officers, 
and  administered  the  institution  to  the 
satisfaction  of  the  community.  In  1908 
he  was  appointed  sheriff  of  Worcester 
county  to  fill  the  unexpired  term  of  Gen- 
eral Robert  H.  Chamberlain,  resigned, 
and  the  following  year  was  elected  sheriff 
of  Worcester  county  for  a  term  of  five 
years,  and  has  continued  to  fill  that  posi- 
tion  to  the   present  time.     He  has   also 


served  as  a  member  of  the  City  Council 
of  Fitchburg  for  two  years.  Politically 
he  has  always  been  a  Republican.  He  is 
a  director  of  the  Worcester  Mutual  Fire 
Insurance  Company  of  Worcester,  and  of 
the  Burbank  Hospital  of  Fitchburg,  and  a 
trustee  of  the  Fitchburg  Savings  Bank. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Loyal  Legion,  and 
of  E.  V.  Sumner  Post,  No.  19,  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic,  at  Fitchburg ;  and 
is  prominent  in  the  Masonic  fraternity, 
being  a  member  of  the  Morning  Star 
Lodge,  of  Worcester;  Thomas  Chapter, 
Royal  Arch  Masons,  and  Jerusalem  Com- 
mandery,  Knights  Templar,  of  Fitchburg. 
He  is  a  faithful  attendant  of  divine  wor- 
ship at  the  First  Baptist  Church. 

He  married,  December  19,  1861,  Ellen 
Adelaide  Shepard,  daughter  of  Russell 
Rice  and  Sarah  (Hill)  Shepard,  of  Wor- 
cester. She  died  in  Fitchburg,  January 
30,  191 1.  Children:  1.  Florence  Russell, 
born  January  12,  1864,  married,  June  29, 
1892,  John  Herbert  Daniels,  of  Fitchburg, 
and  has  children :  Ellen  Shepherd,  born 
June  10,  1893 ;  George  Eaton,  May  17, 
1896;  Florence  Dwinnell,  November  15, 
1900.  2.  Josephine  Hill,  born  May  19, 
1870,  died  March  23,  1871.  3.  Clifton 
Howard,  born  March  13,  1873;  a  gradu- 
ate of  the  Worcester  School  of  Tech- 
nology ;  is  now  first  vice-president  of  the 
First  National  Bank  of  Boston;  he  mar- 
ried Elisabeth  Adamson  Marshall,  daugh- 
ter of  John  Knox  Marshall,  of  Brookline, 
Massachusetts,  and  has  children:  Sabina 
Adamson,  born  August  II,  1903;  Clifton 
Howard,  October  12,  1905  ;  Marshall,  Sep- 
tember 28,  1907;  Elisabeth,  March  24, 
191 1.  4.  Irving  Francis,  born  February  3, 
1877  ;  three  years  a  student  at  the  Worces- 
ter School  of  Technology ;  is  now  second 
assistant  clerk  of  Courts  of  Worcester 
County;  he  married,  March  11,  191 1, 
Stella  Anna  Woodward,  daughter  of  Fred- 
erick Francis  Woodward,  of  Fitchburg. 


124 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


LONG,  John  D., 

Statesman,  Cabinet  Official. 

John  Davis  Long  was  born  October  2j, 
1838,  in  Buckfield,  Oxford  county,  Maine, 
and  is  the  only  surviving  child  of  Zadoc 
and  Julia  Temple  (Davis)  Long.  His 
father  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts, 
who  removed  to  Maine.  He  was  de- 
scended from  James  Long,  an  early  set- 
tler in  North  Carolina  (died  1682).  Miles 
Long,  of  the  fifth  generation,  grandfather 
of  John  D.  Long,  born  in  North  Carolina, 
removed  to  Massachusetts. 

John  Davis  Long  acquired  his  earlier 
literary  education  in  the  public  schools 
and  the  academy  at  Hebron,  Maine,  in 
the  latter  fitting  for  college  under  the 
instruction  of  the  principal,  Mark  H. 
Dunnell,  afterward  a  member  of  Con- 
gress from  Minnesota.  He  entered  Har- 
vard College,  and  was  graduated  A.  B. 
in  1857,  second  in  his  class,  and  author 
of  the  class  ode  which  was  sung  at  com- 
mencement. For  two  years  after  leaving 
college  he  served  acceptably  as  principal 
of  Westford  Academy.  He  then  entered 
the  Harvard  Law  School,  also  studying 
in  the  office  of  Sidney  Bartlett  and  Peleg 
W.  Chandler,  of  the  Boston  bar.  He  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1861,  and  at  once 
entered  upon  practice  in  Buckfield,  Maine. 
Six  months  later  he  removed  to  Boston, 
and  formed  a  law  partnership  with  Still- 
man  B.  Allen.  Later  he  was  associated 
with  Alfred  Hemenway.  Soon  after  en- 
tering upon  practice,  he  took  up  his  resi- 
dence in  Hingham,  where  he  still  lives. 

In  1875  Mr.  Long  was  elected  to  the 
General  Court  from  the  Second  Plymouth 
District,  and  was  three  times  reelected ; 
during  the  legislative  sessions  of  1876-77- 
79  he  was  speaker  of  the  house,  being  the 
unanimous  choice  of  that  body  in  his  sec- 
ond term.  In  1877,  at  the  Republican 
State  Convention  in  Worcester,  he  was 
mentioned  for  the  governorship,  but  his 


name  was  withdrawn.  At  the  convention 
in  the  following  year  he  received  two  hun- 
dred and  six  votes  for  the  gubernatorial 
nomination,  not  sufficient  to  make  him  a 
candidate,  and  he  was  presented  for  the 
lieutenant-governorship,  to  which  he  was 
elected.  In  1879  he  was  elected  Gov- 
ernor, to  succeed  Governor  Talbot,  his 
principal  opponent  being  General  Benja- 
min F.  Butler,  with  John  Quincy  Adams 
and  the  Rev.  Dr.  Eddy  as  minor  political 
adversaries.  In  1880  he  was  the  unani- 
mous choice  of  the  convention  for  re- 
nomination,  and  at  the  election  he  re- 
ceived a  vote  unprecedented  in  a  guber- 
natorial contest  in  Massachusetts  in  any 
other  than  a  presidential  election  year. 
He  was  again  elected,  and  served  in  all 
three  years.  In  1884  he  became  a  mem- 
ber of  Congress,  and  by  reelections  served 
in  the  Forty-eighth  to  the  Fiftieth  Con- 
gresses, then  declining  further  renomina- 
tion,  and  returning  to  his  law  practice. 
In  Congress  he  was  one  of  the  strongest 
figures  on  the  Republican  side,  serving 
on  various  important  committees,  and  in 
every  station  exhibiting  the  highest  qual- 
ities of  leadership.  He  also  exercised  a 
potent  influence  in  various  conventions  of 
his  party,  both  State  and  national. 

Mr.  Long  was  called  to  the  cabinet  of 
President  McKinley  as  Secretary  of  the 
Navy,  immediately  following  the  inaugu- 
ration of  that  great  executive,  and  was 
retained  in  that  capacity  by  President 
Roosevelt,  serving  from  March  6,  1897, 
until  May  1,  1902,  when  he  resigned  and 
returned  to  his  law  practice,  in  which  he 
still  continues  as  a  member  of  the  law 
firm  of  Long  &  Hemenway,  Boston. 
Since  leaving  the  cabinet,  he  has  not  been 
occupied  with  public  duties  except  as 
they  pertained  to  his  immediate  commun- 
ity. For  several  years  he  was  a  member 
of  the  Massachusetts  State  House  Con- 
struction Commission.  He  is  president 
of  the  board  of  overseers  of  Harvard  Col- 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


lege,  a  member  of  the  Massachusetts  His- 
torical Society,  a  fellow  of  the  American 
Academy  of  Arts  and  Sciences,  and  presi- 
dent of  the  Massachusetts  Total  Absti- 
nence Society.  In  1901  he  presented  to 
the  town  of  Buckfield,  Maine,  the  Zadoc 
Long  Free  Library,  as  a  memorial  of  his 
father.  He  received  the  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Laws  from  Harvard  University  in 
1880,  and  from  Tufts  College  in  1902. 

"As  a  man  of  letters,"  says  a  recent 
biographer,  "Governor  Long  has  achieved 
a  reputation.  Some  years  ago  he  pro- 
duced a  scholarly  translation  in  blank 
verse  of  Virgil's  'Aeneid,'  published  in 
Boston  in  1879.  It  has  found  many  ad- 
mirers. Among  his  other  literary  pro- 
ductions may  be  mentioned  his  'After- 
Dinner  and  Other  Speeches,'  'The  Repub- 
lican Party,  Its  History,  Principles  and 
Policies,'  and  'The  New  American  Navy,' 
the  latter  in  two  volumes.  His  inaugural 
addresses  were  masterpieces  of  art,  and 
the  same  may  be  said  of  his  speeches  on 
the  floor  of  Congress,  all  of  them  polished, 
forceful,  and  to  the  point.  *  *  *  Mr. 
Long  is  a  very  fluent  speaker,  and,  with- 
out oratorical  display,  always  succeeds  in 
winning  the  attention  of  his  auditors.  It 
is  what  he  says,  more  than  how  he  says 
it,  that  has  won  for  him  his  great  popu- 
larity on  the  platform.  *  *  Amid  pro- 
fessional and  official  duties,  he  has  also 
written  several  poems  and  essays  which 
reflect  credit  upon  his  heart  and  brain." 

Mr.  Long  married  (first)  September 
13,  1870,  Mary  (Woodward)  Glover,  born 
in  Roxbury,  June  25,  1849,  died  in  Bos- 
ton, February  16,  1882.  He  married  (sec- 
ond) May  22,  1885,  Agnes  Peirce,  born  at 
North  Attleboro,  January  3,  i860. 


MEYER,  George  von  Lengerke, 

Cabinet  Official,  Diplomatist. 

George    von    Lengerke    Meyer,    whose 
distinction  it  has  been  to  hold  two  port- 


folios in  the  cabinets  of  two  presidents, 
and  to  also  discharge  an  important  diplo- 
matic mission,  was  born  in  Boston,  Mas- 
sachusetts, June  24,  1858,  sonof  George 
Augustus  and  Grace  Ellen  (Parker) 
Meyer.  His  father,  a  native  of  New  York 
City,  was  a  prominent  merchant  of  Bos- 
ton ;  his  mother  was  a  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam Parker,  of  Boston,  and  a  grand- 
daughter of  Bishop  Samuel  Parker,  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  diocese  of  Massa- 
chusetts. 

He  began  his  education  in  private 
schools  in  his  native  city,  then  entering 
Harvard  College,  from  which  he  was 
graduated  in  1879.  Thereafter  for  .two 
years  he  was  engaged  in  the  office  of 
Alpheus  H.  Hardy,  commission  merchant, 
and  then  became  a  member  of  the  firm  of 
Linder  &  Meyer,  East  India  merchants, 
established  by  his  father  in  1848.  His 
business  activities  became  many,  as  presi- 
dent of  the  Ames  Plow  Company,  of  the 
New  England  Electric  Transportation 
Company  and  of  the  Essex  Agricultural 
Society;  as  director  of  the  Old  Colony 
Trust  Company,  the  National  Bank  of 
Commerce,  the  Amoskeag  Manufacturing 
Company,  the  Amory  Manufacturing 
Company,  and  the  Electric  Corporation ; 
also  as  treasurer  of  the  Boston  Lying-in 
Hospital.  With  most  of  these  his  active 
interest  ceased  in  1899. 

His  connection  with  public  affairs  be- 
gan in  1889,  when  as  a  Republican  he  was 
elected  to  the  common  council  of  Boston 
for  a  term  of  two  years,  and  in  which  he 
served  on  the  committees  on  finance, 
water,  laying  out  and  widening  streets, 
and  on  the  Charles  river  bridges.  In 
1891  he  was  an  alderman  from  the  Fourth 
District  of  Boston.  He  was  successively 
elected  five  times  to  the  Massachusetts 
House  of  Representatives,  serving  for  one 
year  as  chairman  of  the  committee  on 
railroads,  and  being  elected  speaker  in 
three  consecutive  years.  In  1898  he  was 
26 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


made  chairman  of  the  Massachusetts 
board  of  managers  connected  with  the 
Paris  Exposition.  From  1898  to  1904  he 
was  a  member  of  the  Republican  National 
Committee.  Under  appointment  by  Presi- 
dent McKinley  he  served  as  Ambassador 
Extraordinary  and  Minister  to  Italy, 
1900-1905.  In  the  latter  year  he  was  sent 
to  Russia  in  the  same  capacity  by  Presi- 
dent Roosevelt,  who  recalled  him  in  1907 
to  take  the  position  of  Postmaster-Gen- 
eral, and  which  he  retained  until  the  close 
of  the  Roosevelt  administration.  On  the 
accession  of  President  Taft,  Mr.  Meyer 
was  appointed  Secretary  of  the  Navy, 
from  which  position  he  retired  with  his 
chief  on  the  election  of  President  Wilson. 
Mr.  Meyer  has  been  an  overseer  of 
Harvard  University  since  191 1,  in  which 
year  he  received  from  that  institution  the 
honorary  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Athletic,  Botolph  and 
Somerset  clubs  of  Boston.  He  was  mar- 
ried, in  1885,  to  Alice,  daughter  of  Charles 
H.  Appleton,  of  Boston. 


GREEN,  Samuel  Swett, 

Litterateur. 

Samuel  Swett  Green,  of  great  literary 
activity,  was  born  in  Worcester,  Massa- 
chusetts, February  20,  1837.  He  is  a  son 
of  the  late  Dr.  James  Green,  of  Worces- 
ter, and  a  nephew  of  Dr.  John  Green,  the 
principal  founder  of  the  Free  Public  Li- 
brary of  Worcester.  He  is  descended 
from  Thomas  Green,  who  came  to  this 
country  early  in  the  seventeenth  century. 
Mr.  Green's  mother  was  Elizabeth  Green, 
daughter  of  Samuel  Swett,  of  Boston  and 
Dedham.  Through  her  mother,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Dr.  John  Sprague,  of  Boston,  she 
was  descended  from  Ralph  Sprague,  who 
came  to  Charlestown  in  1629.  from  Up- 
way,  Devonshire,  England.  Through  his 
great-great-grandfather,    General    Timo- 


thy Ruggles,  Mr.  Green  is  also  descended 
from  Rev.  John  Woodbridge,  one  of  the 
earliest  settlers  of  Newbury,  and  from 
Mr.  Woodbridge's  wife's  father,  Thomas 
Dudley,  the  second  governor  of  the  colony 
of  Massachusetts  Bay.  Rev.  John  Wood- 
bridge  was  the  brother  of  Rev.  Dr.  Ben- 
jamin Woodbridge,  whose  name  stands 
first  on  the  list  of  graduates  of  Harvard 
College.  Through  the  same  ancestor,  Mr. 
Green  is  descended  from  John  Tilley,  his 
wife  and  his  daughter,  Elizabeth,  wife  of 
John  Howland.  These  four  ancestors 
came  to  this  country  in  the  "Mayflower." 
The  first  school  attended  by  Samuel  S. 
Green  was  that  of  Mrs.  Levi  Heywood, 
at  Worcester ;  later  he  was  taught  by  the 
late  Mrs.  Sarah  B.  Wood,  then  passing  to 
the  public  grammar  school  under  the 
charge  of  Mr.  Caleb  B.  Metcalf.  Going 
next  to  the  high  school,  where  he  gradu- 
ated in  1854,  he  entered  Harvard  College. 
Among  his  classmates  there  were  two 
other  graduates  of  the  Worcester  High 
School — Eugene  Frederick  Bliss,  for  most 
of  his  life  a  citizen  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio; 
and  Lieutenant  Thomas  Jefferson  Spurr, 
who  was  mortally  wounded  at  the  battle 
of  Antietam.  Mr.  Green  graduated  from 
Harvard  College  in  1858.  In  the  early 
part  of  the  summer  of  1859  he  sailed  from 
Boston  for  Smyrna,  and  before  returning 
home  in  the  same  vessel  visited  Constan- 
tinople. Remaining  two  years  in  Worces- 
ter on  account  of  ill-health,  he  resumed 
his  studies  at  Harvard  University  in  the 
autumn  of  1861,  and  graduated  from  the 
Divinity  School  in  1864.  He  visited 
Europe  again  in  1877,  1902,  1904  and  1906, 
and  added  in  1905  to  extensive  travels 
previously  made  in  this  country,  a  visit 
to  Alaska.  During  the  Civil  War  and 
while  in  the  Divinity  School,  Mr.  Green 
was  drafted  for  service  in  the  army,  but 
was  debarred  from  entering  it  by  delicate 
health.    He  took  the  degree  of  Master  of 


127 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Arts  at  Harvard  University  in  1870,  and 
June  28,  1877,  was  chosen  an  honorary 
member  of  the  Phi  Beta  Kappa  society  by 
the  chapter  of  the  order  connected  with 
the  same  university.  In  1864  Mr.  Green 
became  bookkeeper  in  the  Mechanics'  Na- 
tional Bank  of  Worcester,  and  later  was 
teller  in  the  Worcester  National  Bank, 
which  latter  position  he  held  for  several 
years.  He  was  offered  the  position  of 
cashier  of  the  Citizens'  National  Bank,  to 
succeed  the  late  Mr.  John  C.  Ripley,  but 
declined  it;  as  he  also  declined  a  place  in 
the  Worcester  County  Institution  for 
Savings. 

Mr.  Green  became  a  director  of  the 
Free  Public  Library,  January  1,  1867,  and 
four  years  later  became  librarian,  which 
position  he  held  until  1909,  when  he  was 
made  librarian  emeritus.  The  library 
grew  rapidly  in  size  and  use  under  his 
care.  A  feature  is  the  remarkably  large 
proportion  of  books  that  are  employed 
for  study  and  purposes  of  reference.  Mr. 
Green  is  regarded  as  an  authority  among 
librarians  in  respect  to  matters  relating 
to  the  use  of  libraries  as  popular  educa- 
tional institutions,  and  the  establishment 
of  close  relations  between  libraries  and 
schools.  He  was  a  pioneer  in  the  work 
of  bringing  about  inter-library  loans  and 
in  a  large  use  of  photographs  and  engrav- 
ings in  supplementing  the  value  of  books. 
He  set  the  example  of  having,  in  a  library, 
talks  about  books  on  specified  subjects, 
and  conducted  interesting  experiments  in 
bringing  the  users  of  the  circulating  de- 
partment and  the  children's  room  under 
the  influence  of  the  best  works  of  art. 

Mr.  Green  was  one  of  the  founders  of 
the  American  Library  Association,  of 
which  he  is  a  life  fellow.  He  was 
for  several  years  chairman  of  the  finance 
committee  of  that  body,  and  its  vice- 
president  for  1887-89  and  1892-93.  In 
1891    he    was    chosen    president    of    the 


association,  and  presided  at  the  annual 
meeting  held  that  year  in  San  Francisco. 
He  was  in  1896  the  first  president  of  the 
council.  He  is  an  original  fellow  of  the 
Library  Institute,  founded  in  1905,  an 
organization  composed  of  a  limited  num- 
ber of  the  most  distinguished  librarians 
of  the  country.  Mr.  Green  was  a  dele- 
gate of  the  American  Library  Association 
to  the  International  Congress  of  Libra- 
rians held  in  London  in  October,  1877, 
was  a  member  of  the  council  of  that  body, 
and  took  an  active  part  in  the  discussions 
carried  on  in  its  meetings.  Before  the 
close  of  the  Congress,  the  Library  Asso- 
ciation of  the  United  Kingdom  was 
formed,  of  which  Mr.  Green  was  chosen 
an  honorary  member  in  July,  1878.  He 
presided  for  a  day  over  the  World's  Con- 
gress of  Librarians  held  in  Chicago  in 
1903,  and  at  a  meeting  of  the  American 
Library  Association  held  at  Chicago  Uni- 
versity the  same  year.  Mr.  Green  was  a 
vice-president  of  the  International  Con- 
gress of  Librarians  held  in  London  in 
1897.  In  1890  he  was  appointed  by  the 
Governor  of  Massachusetts  an  original 
member  of  the  Free  Public  Commission 
of  the  Commonwealth,  and  was  reap- 
pointed in  1894,  1899  and  1904.  Mr. 
Green  was  one  of  the  founders  and  the 
original  first  vice-president  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Library  Club.  He  was  for  many 
years  a  member  of  the  committee  of  the 
overseers  of  Harvard  University  to  make 
an  annual  examination  of  the  library  of 
the  university,  occupied  a  similar  posi- 
tion in  connection  with  the  Boston  Pub- 
lic Library  for  a  single  year,  and  began 
in  1887  to  deliver  annual  courses  of  lec- 
tures as  lecturer  on  "Public  Libraries  as 
Popular  Educational  Institutions'  to  the 
students  of  the  School  of  Library  Econ- 
omy connected  with  Columbia  College, 
New  York  City.  He  also  lectured  at  the 
Library  School  after  it  became  an  institu- 
28 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


tion  of  the  State  of  New  York,  and  was 
chosen  a  member  of  a  committee  to  ex- 
amine the  school  in  both  places. 

As  librarian  of  the  Free  Public  Library, 
Mr.  Green  gained  for  himself  and  his 
library  a  wide  reputation.  In  "The 
Worcester  of  1898"  it  is  said  of  him  that 
"his  purpose  has  been  from  the  first  to 
make  the  Public  Library  an  instrument 
for  popular  education  and  a  practical 
power  in  the  community."  To  this  end 
he  has  written  and  spoken  much  during 
the  past  twenty-five  years,  and  his  efforts 
and  advice  have  influenced  in  no  slight 
degree  library  methods  and  administra- 
tion throughout  the  United  States.  The 
library  methods  of  Worcester  have  been 
studied  in  the  Department  of  the  Seine, 
in  which  the  city  of  Paris  is  situated  ;  and 
Mr.  Green's  advice  has  been  sought  by 
the  Educational  Department  of  the  Eng- 
lish government.  The  Free  Public  Li- 
brary of  Worcester  has  also  been  de- 
scribed at  great  length  by  a  German 
scholar  as  an  example  worthy  to  be  fol- 
lowed in  that  country,  in  advocating  the 
introduction  of  popular  libraries,  such  as 
we  have  in  the  United  States,  into  Ger- 
many. There  is  a  picture  of  the  interior 
of  the  children's  room  of  the  Free  Public 
Library  in  a  recent  Danish  pamphlet  writ- 
ten by  Andr.  Sch.  Sternberg,  of  the  Free 
Public  Library  Commission  of  Denmark." 
Mr.  Green  was  chosen  a  fellow  of  the 
Royal  Historical  Society  of  Great  Britain, 
May  8,  1879,  and  on  April  28,  1880.  a 
member  of  the  American  Antiquarian  So- 
ciety. Since  October  22,  1883,  he  has 
been  a  member  of  the  council  of  the  lat- 
ter organization.  He  was  also  elected  a 
member  of  the  American  Historical  Asso- 
ciation immediately  after  its  formation. 
He  was  an  early  member  of  the  Colonial 
Society  of  Massachusetts  and  of  the 
American  organization  known  as  the  De- 
scendants   of    Colonial    Governors.      Mr. 


Green  is  a  life  member  of  the  New  Eng- 
land Historic-Genealogical  Society,  and 
was  for  several  years  a  member  of  the 
Archaeological  Institute  of  America,  and 
of  the  committee  on  the  School  for  Class- 
ical Studies  at  Rome.  He  is  a  correspond- 
ing member  of  the  National  Geographical 
Society  and  of  the  Historical  Society  of 
Wisconsin.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Bunker  Hill  Monument  Association,  and 
for  several  years  was  a  fellow  of  the 
American  Geographical  Society,  and  a 
member  of  the  American  Social  Science 
Association.  He  has  been  a  manager  of 
the  Sons  of  the  Revolution,  and  was  a 
charter  member  and  the  first  lieutenant- 
governor  of  the  Society  of  Colonial  Wars 
in  Massachusetts,  presiding  at  its  first 
general  court  and  the  dinner  which  fol- 
lowed it.  Mr.  Green  is  a  member  of  the 
Society  of  Mayflower  Descendants,  and 
of  the  Old  Planters'  Society.  He  has  been 
a  member  of  the  University  Club,  Boston, 
from,  its  organization,  and  was  an  original 
member  of  the  Worcester  Club,  the  St. 
Wulstan  Society,  and  the  Worcester  Eco- 
nomic Club.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the 
old  organization,  the  Worcester  Associa- 
tion for  Mutual  Aid  in  Detecting  Thieves. 
October  12,  1882,  Mr.  Green  was  chosen 
a  member  of  the  board  of  trustees  of 
Leicester  Academy,  to  fill  the  vacancy 
caused  by  the  resignation  of  Rev.  Edward 
H.  Hall,  on  his  removal  from  Worcester 
to  Cambridge.  In  1886  he  assisted  in  the 
formation  of  the  Worcester  High  School 
Association,  and  was  chosen  its  first  pres- 
ident, and  reelected  to  the  same  position 
in  1887.  In  the  summer  of  1886  he  was 
chosen  president  of  the  Worcester  Indian 
Association  and  held  the  office  for  two 
years. 

Mr.  Green  has  been  president  of  the 
Worcester  Art  Society.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  a  committee  of  three  asked  by  the 
late   Mr.   Salisbury  to  consult  with  him 


MASS— Vol  III— 9 


129 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


about  arrangements  for  founding  the 
Worcester  Art  Museum,  and  to  aid  him 
in  the  choice  of  the  list  of  corporators. 
When  the  museum  was  organized,  he  was 
offered  a  position  as  trustee,  but  declined 
to  accept  it.  Mr.  Green  has  been,  from 
the  beginning  of  the  organization,  secre- 
tary of  the  Art  Commission  of  the  St. 
Wulstan  Society.  He  has  been  very  in- 
fluential in  promoting  interest  in  the  fine 
arts  in  Worcester  by  means  of  exhibitions 
which  he  started  in  the  Public  Library 
building,  and  by  the  installation  in  the 
library  of  a  large  collection  of  the  best 
photographs  of  the  old  and  more  modern 
masterpieces  in  painting  and  sculpture. 

Mr.  Green  was  also,  at  two  different 
times  and  for  several  years,  treasurer  of 
the  Worcester  Natural  History  Society, 
and  for  many  years  a  trustee  of  the 
Worcester  County  Institution  for  Sav- 
ings. In  1903  Mr.  Green  was  made  sec- 
ond vice-president  of  the  Worcester  Har- 
vard Club  (which  not  long  before  he  had 
helped  to  form) ;  and  in  1904,  first  vice- 
president.  For  several  years  he  has  been 
a  member  of  the  corporation  for  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  Home  for  Aged  Men. 
Mr.  Green  formerly  wrote  constantly  for 
the  "Library  Journal,"  sending  an  article 
to  the  first  number,  and  has  made  many 
contributions  to  the  proceedings  of  the 
American  Antiquarian  Society.  He  has 
also  written  papers  for  the  "American 
Journal  of  Social  Science,"  the  "Sunday 
Review"  of  London,  and  other  period- 
icals. Two  books  by  him  were  published 
by  the  late  Frederick  Leypoldt,  of  New 
York,  namely,  "Library  Aids,"  and  "Li- 
braries and  Schools."  Both  were  printed 
in  1883.  The  former  work,  in  a  less  com- 
plete form,  had  been  previously  issued  by 
the  United  States  Bureau  of  Education 
as  a  circular  of  information.  At  the  re- 
quest of  the  secretary  of  the  Board  of 
Education  of  Massachusetts,  Mr.  Green 


wrote  an  appendix  to  his  forty-eighth 
annual  report  on  "Public  Libraries  and 
Schools,"  which  was  afterwards  printed 
as  a  separate  pamphlet.  A  paper  by  him 
on  "The  use  of  pictures  in  the  public  libra- 
ries of  Massachusetts"  was  printed  as  an 
appendix  to  the  eighth  report  of  the  Free 
Public  Library  Commission  of  Massachu- 
setts. Mr.  Green  has  made  many  ad- 
dresses and  read  a  number  of  papers  on 
library  and  other  subjects.  Among  the 
earliest  of  these  are  "Personal  Relations 
Between  Librarians  and  Readers,"  a  paper 
which  was  presented  to  a  meeting  of  libra- 
rians who  cam,e  together  in  Philadelphia 
in  October,  1876,  and  formed  the  Amer- 
ican Library  Association  (of  this  paper 
two  editions  have  been  printed  and  ex- 
hausted). It  was  made  the  subject  of 
editorials  in  several  Boston  and  New 
York  newspapers,  and  the  plans  of  con- 
ducting a  library,  described  in  it,  were 
regarded  at  the  time  of  its  appearance  as 
novel  and  admirable ;  "Sensational  Fic- 
tion in  Public  Libraries,"  a  paper  read 
July  1,  1879,  at  one  ot  tne  sessions  of  the 
meetings  of  the  American  Library  Asso- 
ciation, held  in  Boston  that  year  (this 
paper  was  also  printed  in  pamphlet  form 
and  widely  distributed) ;  "The  Relations 
of  the  Public  Library  to  the  Public 
Schools,"  a  paper  read  before  the  Amer- 
ican Social  Science  Association,  at  Sara- 
toga, in  September,  1880  (this  address 
was  printed  in  the  form  of  a  pamphlet, 
and  has  been  widely  read  and  very  influ- 
ential in  awakening  an  interest  in  work 
similar  to  that  described  in  it,  in  America 
and  abroad);  papers  and  an  address  on 
subjects  similar  to  the  one  last  men- 
tioned, read  or  delivered  at  meetings  of 
the  American  Library  Association  in  Cin- 
cinnati and  Buffalo,  at  Round  Island,  one 
of  the  Thousand  Isles  in  the  St.  Law- 
rence river,  in  San  Francisco,  and  at  a 
meeting  of  the  Library  Section  of  the  Na- 


130 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


tional  Educational  Association,  at  a  meet- 
ing in  Washington.  Other  important 
papers  by  Mr.  Green  on  questions  in 
library  economy  are  "The  Library  in  its 
relation  to  persons  engaged  in  industrial 
pursuits ;''  "Opening  Libraries  on  Sun- 
day ;"  "The  duties  of  trustees  and  their 
relations  to  librarians  ;"  "Address  as  Pres- 
ident of  the  American  Library  Associa- 
tion ;"  "Inter-library  loans  in  reference 
work  ;"  "Adaptation  of  libraries  to  consti- 
tuencies," printed  in  vol.  i.  of  the  report 
of  the  United  States  Commissioner  of 
Education  for  1892-93;  "How  to  encour- 
age the  foundation  of  libraries  in  small 
towns ;"  and  three  closely  connected 
papers  entitled  "Discrimination  regard- 
ing 'open  shelves'  in  libraries,"  "What 
classes  of  persons,  if  any,  should  have 
access  to  the  shelves  in  large  libraries" 
and  "Lead  us  not  into  temptation."  Ad- 
dresses have  been  printed  in  pamphlet 
form  that  were  made  at  the  opening  of 
library  buildings  in  Newark,  New  Jersey, 
Rindge,  New  Hampshire,  North  Brook- 
field  and  Oxford,  Massachusetts  (the  ad- 
dress of  welcome  at  the  dedication  in  1904 
of  the  building  of  Clark  University  Li- 
brary was  printed  in  the  "Publications" 
of  the  library).  He  made  remarks  at  the 
Library  School  in  Albany  and  in  two  or 
three  Massachusetts  towns  favoring  the 
purchase  of  books  for  grown-up  immi- 
grants in  the  languages  to  which  they 
have  been  accustomed.  He  wrote  "A 
History  of  the  Public  Libraries  of 
Worcester"  for  the  "Worcester  of  1898," 
and  earlier  for  Hurd's  "History  of 
Worcester  County."  He  was  chairman  of 
a  committee  to  supervise  the  portion  of 
that  history  relating  to  the  town  and  city 
of  Worcester. 

The  first  account  of  the  methods  in- 
troduced by  Mr.  Green  in  the  conduct  of 
the  Free  Public  Library  in  Worcester, 
which  was  printed  in  form,  was  presented 


as  an  appendix  to  his  annual  report  as 
librarian  for  the  year  1874-75,  copies  of 
which  were  sent  to  the  Exposition  in 
Philadelphia  in  1876.  It  was  afterwards 
reprinted  at  the  request  of  the  directors 
of  the  Free  Public  Library  for  distribu- 
tion. In  the  fourth  report  of  the  Free 
Public  Library  Commission  of  Massachu- 
setts, Mr.  Green  wrote  on  "Libraries  and 
Schools,"  in  the  fifth  report,  on  "Loaning 
reference  books  to  small  libraries,"  in  the 
seventh  report,  "On  the  use  of  libraries 
by  children,"  and,  as  stated  above,  in  the 
eighth  report,  "On  the  use  of  pictures  in 
libraries."  He  also  wrote  portions  of  the 
reports  of  the  Free  Public  Library  of 
Worcester,  while  a  director,  and  has  writ- 
ten nearly  the  whole  of  the  reports  (ex- 
cepting the  presidents'  reports)  while 
librarian.  He  wrote  sketches  of  the  lives 
of  such  librarians  as  William  Frederick 
Poole  and  John  Fiske  for  the  American 
Antiquarian  Society's  proceedings.  The 
more  elaborate  historical  papers  which 
have  been  prepared  by  Mr.  Green  are : 
"Gleanings  from  the  Sources  of  the  His- 
tory of  the  Second  Parish,  Worcester, 
Massachusetts,"  read  at  a  meeting  of  the 
American  Antiquarian  Society,  held  in 
Boston,  April  25,  1883,  and  "The  Use  of 
the  Voluntary  System  in  the  Maintenance 
of  Ministers  in  the  Colonies  of  Plymouth 
and  Massachusetts  Bay  during  the  earlier 
years  of  their  existence,"  an  essay  which 
formed  the  historical  portion  of  the  re- 
port of  the  council  of  the  American  Anti- 
quarian Society,  which  Mr.  Green  pre- 
sented to  that  society  at  its  meeting  in 
Boston,  April  28,  1886.  Both  of  these 
papers  have  been  printed  in  a  form,  sepa- 
rate from  the  proceedings  of  the  society 
for  which  they  were  written.  The  latter 
was  highly  praised  by  the  distinguished 
student  of  early  ecclesiastical  history  in 
Massachusetts,  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  Henry 
Martyn   Dexter.     Other   interesting  and 


131 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


valuable  historical  papers  by  Mr.  Green 
are  "Bathsheba  Spooner,"  "The  Scotch- 
Irish  in  America,"  "The  Craigie  House," 
and  "Some  Roman  Remains  in  Britain." 
He  also  has  written  for  the  American  An- 
tiquarian Society,  and  the  Colonial  Soci- 
ety, elaborate  sketches  of  the  lives  of 
Pliny  Earle  Chase,  George  Bancroft,  Ed- 
ward Griffin  Porter,  Andrew  Haswell 
Green  and  Benjamin  Franklin  Stevens. 


DRAPER,  George  O., 

Manufacturer,  Inventor. 

George  Otis  Draper,  of  world-wide 
fame  as  a  manufacturer  and  inventor,  was 
born  at  Hopedale,  Massachusetts,  July  14, 
1867,  son  of  General  William  Franklin 
and  Lydia  Warren  (Joy)  Draper,  and  a 
descendant  of  James  Draper,  who  came 
from  England  about  1648  and  served  as 
captain  in  King  Phillip's  war  of  1675. 
From  him  the  descent  runs  through  his 
son  James,  who  married  Abigail  Whit- 
ney ;  their  son  Abijah,  who  married  Alice 
Eaton;  their  son  Ira,  who  married  Abi- 
gail Richards ;  and  their  son  George,  who 
married  Hannah  Thwing,  and  was  the 
grandfather  of  George  O.  Draper.  Gen- 
eral William  F.  Draper,  father  of  George 
Otis  Draper,  was  founder  of  the  mam- 
moth industries  which  have  made  the 
fam,ily  name  famous ;  he  was  a  man  of 
masterly  ability,  served  through  the  Civil 
War,  attaining  the  rank  of  brevet  briga- 
dier-general, was  a  member  of  Congress, 
and  Ambassador  to  Italy. 

George  Otis  Draper  was  educated  at 
public  and  private  schools,  and  at  the 
Massachusetts  Institute  of  Technology, 
where  he  completed  a  four  years'  course 
in  1887.  Upon  leaving  that  famous  school 
he  began  working  through  various  ma- 
chine shop  grades,  thus  learning  the  prac- 
tical application  of  mechanical  theories. 
In  January,   1889,  he  bought  a  small  in- 


terest in  the  partnership  of  George  Draper 
&  Sons,  of  which  his  father  was  presi- 
dent; he  later  acquired  a  larger  interest 
by  investment  of  earnings,  and  came  to 
be  one  of  the  largest  stockholders  in  the 
Draper  Company,  the  largest  manufac- 
turers of  cotton  machinery  in  this  coun- 
try. He  also  became  associated  with  the 
management  of  numerous  machine  shops, 
textile  industries,  quarries,  mines,  etc. 
His  success  as  a  specialist  in  patent  de- 
velopment and  other  branches  of  manu- 
facture has  perhaps  been  unequalled  at  a 
like  age.  During  the  various  absences  of 
his  father  in  Washington  and  in  Europe, 
the  direction  of  the  inventors  and  inven- 
tions which  have  made  the  Draper  Com- 
pany famous  came  under  his  personal 
charge,  and  at  the  father's  death  he  suc- 
ceeded to  the  management  of  the  busi- 
ness. He  is  now  officially  connected  with 
some  twenty-five  different  corporations 
engaged  in  textile  manufacturing,  quarry- 
ing and  mining.  He  has  given  much 
attention  to  the  development  of  inven- 
tions in  connection  with  these  industries, 
and  has  taken  out  more  than  a  hundred 
patents,  including  mechanical  devices  and 
improved  details  of  the  Northrop  loom, 
the  most  wonderful  labor-saving  textile 
invention  since  the  cotton  gin,  and  is  re- 
garded as  an  expert  authority  on  all  per- 
taining to  patents,  especially  in  the  line 
of  cotton  manufacturing  machinery. 
Manufacturers  in  nine  foreign  countries 
pay  royalty  for  the  use  of  Mr.  Draper's 
inventions,  as  they  control  a  field  of  appli- 
cation with  the  Northrop  loom  in  which 
foreign  manufacturers  take  a  special  in- 
terest. Mr.  Draper  is  president  of  the 
Draper  Realty  Company,  the  Draper- 
Hansen  Company,  the  Michener  Stowage 
Company,  the  Sapphire  Record  and  Talk- 
ing Machine  Company,  the  Draper- 
Latham  Magneto  Company,  the  Scholz 
Fireproofing  Company,  the  Farrington 
132 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Company,  the  Phillips  Manufacturing 
Company,  and  the  Hilton  Manufacturing 
Company. 

Air.  Draper  is  cosmopolitan  in  every 
sense,  well  read,  widely  traveled,  exten- 
sively acquainted,  and  constitutes  a  type 
of  American  intelligence  and  energy  both 
in  thought  and  in  application.  He  is  the 
author  of  "Searching  for  Truth''  (1902); 
"Still  on  the  Search"  (1904)  ;  "More" 
(1908)  ;  and  has  written  many  technical 
treatises  on  the  manufacture  and  use  of 
cotton  machinery.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
National  Association  of  Cotton  Manufac- 
turers ;  a  director  of  the  American  Civic 
Association ;  and  a  member  of  the  Na- 
tional Civic  Federation.  His  clubs  are 
the  Home  Market  of  Boston ;  the  Metro- 
politan of  Washington ;  and  the  Oakland 
Country,  Engineers',  Technology,  and 
Theta  Graduate,  of  New  York.  He  mar- 
ried, April  28,  1892,  at  Lexington,  Ken- 
tucky, Lily,  daughter  of  Henry  T.  Dun- 


GREEN,  Samuel  Abbott,  A.  M.,  M.  D., 
LL.  D. 

Physician,  Litterateur,  Author. 

Samuel  Abbott  Green,  A.  M.,  M.  D., 
LL.  D.,  who  has  gained  national  distinc- 
tion as  physician,  academician,  litterateur, 
historian,  antiquarian,  and  whose  service 
in  the  field  as  a  surgeon  during  the  Civil 
War  merited  the  military  honors  be- 
stowed upon  him,  was  born  in  Groton, 
Massachusetts,  March  16,  1830,  son  of 
Dr.  Joshua  and  Eliza  (Lawrence)  Green. 

The  Green  family  genealogy  leads  di- 
rectly back  to  Percival  and  Helen  Green, 
who  sailed  from  London  for  New  Eng- 
land in  1635,  and  in  1636  were  living  in 
Cambridge,  Massachusetts.  Throughout 
the  generations  between  that  of  Percival 
Green  and  the  present,  the  family  appears 
to  have  been  of  high  standing  and  intel- 


lectual inclination  ;  many  of  its  members 
have  been  in  the  church  ministry,  and  Har- 
vard University  has  been  the  alma  mater 
of  the  main  branch  of  the  Green  family  for 
more  than  three  centuries,  the  Rev.  Joseph 
Green  having  graduated  there  in  1695, 
Joshua  Green  in  1749,  Joshua,  his  son,  in 
1784,  and  Dr.  Joshua  Green,  father  of 
Samuel  Abbott,  in  the  class  of  1815. 

Samuel  Abbott  Green,  after  he  had 
passed  through  Groton  Academy,  now 
Lawrence  Academy,  entered  Harvard 
College,  from  which  he  graduated  A.  B. 
in  the  class  of  1851.  His  study  of  medi- 
cine was  begun  in  Boston  immediately 
after  graduation,  under  the  preceptorship 
of  Dr.  J.  Mason  Warren,  and  was  con- 
tinued by  a  course  of  lectures  at  Jeffer- 
son Medical  College  in  Philadelphia,  and 
at  the  Harvard  Medical  School,  where  he 
graduated  with  the  M.  D.  degree  in  1854; 
also  receiving  the  A.  M.  degree  from  the 
college.  Further  professional  study  in 
Paris,  Berlin  and  Vienna  was  followed  in 
due  course  of  time  by  the  practice  of 
medicine  in  Boston.  During  the  years 
1858  and  1861  he  served  as  one  of  the  dis- 
trict physicians  for  the  City  Dispensary. 
On  May  19,  1858,  he  was  appointed  by 
Governor  Banks  surgeon  of  the  Second 
Regiment  Massachusetts  Militia.  Im- 
mediately on  the  outbreak  of  the  Rebel- 
lion he  was  commissioned  assistant  sur- 
geon of  the  First  Massachusetts  Regi- 
ment, being  the  first  medical  officer  of 
the  State  to  be  mustered  into  the  three 
years'  service.  He  was  promoted  to  the 
surgeoncy  of  the  Twenty-fourth  Massa- 
chusetts Regiment  on  September  2,  1861  ; 
to  which  regiment  he  remained  attached 
until  November,  1864,  during  this  period 
however  serving  on  the  staffs  of  various 
general  officers.  He  had  charge  of  the 
hospital  ship  "Recruit,"  in  General  Burn- 
side's  expedition  to  North  Carolina,  and 
later  of  the  hospital  steamer  "Cosmopoli- 


\?>3 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


tan,"  on  the  coast  of  South  Carolina ;  was     fever.     In  1896  the  degree  of  Doctor  of 


chief  medical  officer  at  Morris  Island  dur- 
ing the  siege  of  Fort  Wagner,  in  the 
summer  of  1863 ;  was  post  surgeon  at 
St.  Augustine  and  Jacksonville,  Florida ; 
thence  he  was  sent  toVirginia.and  was  with 
the  army  at  the  capture  of  Bermuda  Hun- 
dred, in  May,  1864;  was  acting  staff  sur- 
•  geon  in  Richmond  for  three  months  after 
the  surrender  of  the  city;  and  in  1864 
was  brevetted  lieutenant-colonel  for  "gal- 
lant and  distinguished  service  in  the  field 
during  the  campaign  of  1864."  In  Febru- 
ary, 1862,  Dr.  Green  established  a  ceme- 
tery on  Roanoke  Island,  one  of  the  first 
general  burial  places  for  Union  soldiers 
during  the  war. 

After  the  war,  Dr.  Green  was  superin- 
tendent of  the  Boston  Dispensary  from 
1865  to  1872.  In  1870  he  was  appointed 
by  Governor  Claflin  a  member  of  the 
commission  chosen  to  care  for  disabled 
soldiers.  From  1871  to  1882  Dr.  Green 
was  city  physician  of  Boston ;  in  1860-62 
and  1866-72  he  was  a  member  of  the 
school  board;  from  1868  to  1878  was  a 
trustee  of  the  Boston  Public  Library, 
and  during  the  last  year  of  this  period 
served  as  acting  librarian.  In  1882  he 
was  mayor  of  the  city  of  Boston,  a  post 
of  honor  his  election  to  which  demon- 
strated his  popularity  with  the  people  as 
well  as  with  those  of  his  own  station. 
In  1885-1886  he  was  a  member  of  the 
State  Board  of  Health,  Lunacy,  and  Char- 
ity. Dr.  Green  was  an  overseer  of  Har- 
vard University  for  thirty  years,  1869-80 
and  1882-1900;  has  been  a  trustee  of  the 
Peabody  Education  Fund  since  1883,  and 
secretary  of  the  board ;  and  from  1885 
to  1888  he  was  the  acting  general  agent, 
in  the  place  of  Dr.  Curry,  who  had  been 
appointed  Minister  to  Spain.  In  1878  he 
was  chosen  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Experts  authorized  by  Congress  to  inves- 
tigate the  causes  and  prevention  of  yellow 


Laws  was  conferred  upon  him  by  the 
University  of  Nashville.  Dr.  Green  is 
one  of  the  vice-presidents  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Historical  Society,  and  for  forty- 
eight  years  since  1868  has  been  librarian 
of  the  society.  He  has  been  president  of 
the  Channing  Home,  a  hospital  for  con- 
sumptives ;  is  a  fellow  of  the  Massachu- 
setts Medical  Society,  and  a  member  of 
the  Boston  Society  for  Medical  Improve- 
ment, of  the  American  Philosophical  So- 
ciety of  Philadelphia,  and  of  the  Ameri- 
can Antiquarian  Society.  Other  offices 
of  trust  and  honor  have  fallen  to  his 
charge,  including  membership  on  the 
board  of  trustees  of  Lawrence  Academy 
in  Groton,  his  native  town.  His  deep  in- 
terest in  that  historic  place  has  been 
shown  in  many  ways,  particularly  in  the 
numerous  historical  essays  and  books  he 
has  written  bearing  upon  the  history  of 
the  town.  His  researches  in  all  historical 
matters  have  been  so  thorough  and  accu- 
rate as  to  establish  his  writings  perma- 
nently an  authority  for  future  historians. 
Among  his  contributions  to  the  nation's 
literature  are :  "My  Campaigns  in  Ameri- 
ca," translated  from  the  French  of  Count 
William  de  Deux  Ponts  (Boston,  1868) ; 
"Account  of  Percival  and  Helen  Green, 
and  of  Some  of  Their  Descendants" 
(1876)  ;  "Epitaphs  from  the  Old  Burying 
Ground  in  Groton"  (1878)  ;  "The  Early 
Records  of  Groton,  1662-1707"  (1880); 
"History  of  Medicine  in  Massachusetts" 
(Boston,  1881) ;  "Groton  During  the  In- 
dian Wars"  (1883) ;  "Groton  During  the 
Witchcraft  Times"  (1883)  ;  "The  Boun- 
dary Lines  of  Old  Groton"  (1885)  ;  "The 
Geography  of  Groton",  prepared  for  the 
use  of  the  Appalachian  Mountain  Club 
(1886)  ;  "An  Historical  Sketch  of  the 
Town  of  Groton"  (Boston,  1891)  ;  "Gro- 
ton Historical  Series"  (forty  numbers, 
1884-1891)  ;  "Groton  During  the  Revolu- 


134 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


tion"  (1900) ;  "Ten  Fac-simile  Reproduc- 
tions Relating  to  Old  Boston  and  Neigh- 
borhood" (1901);  "Three  Military  Dia- 
ries Kept  by  Groton  Soldiers  in  Different 
Wars"  (1901);  "Ten  Fac-simile  Repro- 
ductions Relating  to  New  England" 
(1902)  ;  "Ten  Fac-simile  Reproductions 
Relating  to  Various  Subjects" ;  "Three 
Historical  Addresses  at  Groton"  (1908)  ; 
"John  Foster,  the  First  Engraver,  and  the 
First  Boston  Printer"  (1909).  In  ad- 
dition to  the  above-mentioned,  Dr.  Green 
is  the  author  of  numerous  other  mono- 
graphs and  articles  on  historical  and  anti- 
quarian subjects. 

The  Venezuelan  Order  "Bust  of  Boli- 
var" was  bestowed  upon  Dr.  Green  by  the 
President  of  Venezuela  in  recognition  of 
distinguished  service  rendered  to  that 
nation  by  the  eminent  physician. 


WRIGHT,  Edgar  Francis, 
Actire  Citizen. 

Several  centuries  ago  when  men,  in 
order  to  distinguish  themselves  more 
readily,  took  surnames,  many  assumed  the 
name  of  the  art  or  craft  at  which  they 
worked.  "Wright"  originally  denoted  a 
workman,  an  artificer,  a  maker,  and  was 
a  designation  usually  applied  to  those 
who  wrought  in  wood,  as  smith  was  ap- 
plied to  those  who  worked  in  metal.  It 
is  highly  probable  that  almost  every  per- 
son bearing  the  name  Wright  as  his 
original  surname  is  descended  from  an 
English  ancestor,  who  was  an  artificer. 
As  the  name  could  have  been  and  was 
assumed  by  any  artificer  who  chose  to  do 
so,  it  follows  that  there  may  be  numer- 
ous families  whose  origin  is  not  identical. 
Hence  in  this  country  there  are  several 
lines  of  this  name  not  of  the  same  descent. 
The  name  appears  early  in  the  Colonial 
records,  and  has  been  borne  by  many 
distinguished  citizens,  both  in  Colonial 
and  recent  times. 


(I)  John  Wright  was  born  in  England 
in  1601,  and  died  in  YVoburn,  Massachu- 
setts, June  21,  1688,  aged  eighty-seven. 
He  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Wo- 
burn,  and  a  subscriber  to  the  compact  of 
1640.  He  was  a  selectman  except  two 
years,  from  1645  to  1664,  a  representative 
in  1648,  and  a  deacon  of  the  First  Church 
of  Woburn.  His  wife  Priscilla  died  April 
10,  1687.  Their  sons  were  John  and  Jo- 
seph, probably  born  in  England,  not 
recorded  in  Woburn.  Three  daughters 
are  recorded  there :  Ruth,  born  April  23, 
1646;  Deborah,  January  21,  1649;  Sarah, 
February  16,  1653. 

(II)  John  (2)  Wright,  son  of  John  (1) 
and  Priscilla  Wright,  was  born  in  1630, 
and  died  April  30,  1714,  in  Woburn.  He 
lived  a  few  years  in  Chelmsford,  bat  re- 
turned to  Woburn,  where  he  and  his 
brother,  Joseph,  were  presented  to  the 
grand  jury  for  neglect  of  the  chur<  h  ordi- 
nance of  infant  baptism,  and  in  various 
ways  giving  encouragement  to  the  Bap- 
tists. He  married,  May  10,  1661,  Abigail 
Warren,  born  October  27,  1640,  in  Wey- 
mouth, daughter  of  Arthur  Warren,  died 
April  6,  1726,  in  Woburn.  Children: 
John,  mentioned  below ;  Joseph,  born  Oc- 
tober 15,  1663;  Ebenezer,  Noveinl  er  11, 
1665;  Jacob,  July  2,  1667;  Abigail,  June 
23,  1668;  Priscilla,  December  3,  1671 ; 
Josiah,  March  10,  1674;  daughter  (name 
torn  from  records),  November  21,  1678; 
Samuel,  July  11,  1683;  Lydia,  November 
23,  1686;  all  born  in  Chelmsford. 

(III)  John  (3)  Wright,  eldest  child  of 
John  (2)  and  Abigail  (Warren)  Wright, 
was  born  June  10,  1662,  in  Chelmsford, 
and  died  in  that  town,  October  14.  1730. 
He  married  there  (first)  April  13,  1692, 
Marie  (Mary)  Stephens,  born  about  1672, 
daughter    of    John    and    Elizabeth    (Hil- 

dreth)  Stephens,  of  Chelmsford,  died  there 
October  29,  1701.  He  married  (second) 
Hannah    Fletcher,    born    September    14, 

135 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1666,  in  Chelmsford,  daughter  of  Samuel 
and  Margaret  (Hailstoane)  Fletcher,  of 
that  part  of  Chelmsford  now  Westford. 
Children  of  first  marriage :  John,  born 
January  24,  1693,  died  three  months  old; 
Ebenezer,  December  17,  1693 ;  Edward, 
May  13,  1695 ;  Jacob,  mentioned  below ; 
Henry,  January  10,  1700;  John  and  Mary 
(twins,  former  died  December  2,  1701, 
latter  October  29,  1701).  Child  of  second 
marriage :  Thomas,  born  September  27, 
1707,  recorded  in  Chelmsford.  There  were 
two  other  children  of  the  second  wife : 
Hannah  and  Simeon,  not  in  birth  records 
of  Chelmsford,  probably  born  in  West- 
ford. 

(IV)  Jacob  Wright,  fourth  son  of  John 
(3)  and  Mary  (Stephens)  Wright,  was 
born  January  21,  1698,  in  Chelmsford,  and 
settled  in  the  north  part  of  that  town. 
No  record  of  his  marriage  appears.  By 
his  wife  Abigail  the  following  children  are 
recorded  in  Westford:  Jacob,  born  April 
2,  1719,  died  young;  Sarah,  1721  ;  John, 
1723;  Ephraim,  February  7,  1726;  Mary, 
February  4,  1728;  Sarah,  1730;  Jacob, 
1732;  Pelatiah,  1734;  Joseph,  mentioned 
below;  Benjamin,  1738,  died  1741. 

(V)  Joseph  Wright,  sixth  son  of  Jacob 
and  Abigail  Wright,  was  born  1736,  in 
Westford.  He  married  (first)  Dorothy 
Heald,  born  1732,  in  Westford,  daughter 
of  Thomas  and  Sarah  (Butterfield)  Heald. 
He  married  (second)  in  1774,  Hannah 
Kemp,  born  April  12,  1748,  in  Billerica, 
Massachusetts,  daughter  of  Jasori  and 
Hannah  Kemp.  Children  of  first  mar- 
riage: Joseph,  born  1758,  died  at  White 
Plains  while  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution, 
in  1777;  Dorothy,  1761  ;  Reuben,  1763; 
Asa,  mentioned  below  ;  Abel,  1770;  Phebe, 
1773.  Children  of  second  marriage: 
Hannah,  born  1776;  Joseph,  1778;  Ruth, 
1781  ;  Joel,  1783;  Jacob,  1786. 

(VI)  Asa  Wright,  third  son  of  Joseph 


and  Dorothy  (Heald)  Wright,  was  born 
1767,  in'  Westford,  where  he  resided.  He 
married,  in  1787,  Betsey  Patch,  born 
1766,  in  Westford,  daughter  of  Isaac  and 
Elizabeth  Patch,  and  granddaughter  of 
Isaac  and  Joanna  (Butterfield)  Patch,  of 
Groton,  Massachusetts.  Children :  Bet- 
sey, born  1787;  Joseph,  mentioned  be- 
low; Huldah,  1791 ;  Salathiel,  1794; 
Rhoda,  1796;  Asa,  1798;  Sophia,  1802. 

(VII)  Joseph  (2)  Wright,  eldest  son  of 
Asa  and  Betsey  (Patch)  Wright,  was 
born  1789,  in  Westford,  and  settled  in 
Nashua,  New  Hampshire,  with  his  wife 
Mary. 

(VIII)  Joseph  (3)  Wright,  son  of  Jo- 
seph (2)  and  Mary  Wright,  was  born 
1815,  in  Nashua,  where  he  died  January 
20,  1892.  He  married  Susan  Blanchard, 
born  1824,  in  Nashua,  died  April  24,  1884, 
daughter  of  Jacob  Blanchard.  Children  : 
Charles,  died  young;  Clarissa  Emeline ; 
Jonathan,  enlisted  in  the  War  of  the  Re- 
bellion, at  Nashua,  November  29,  1861,  in 
Company  C,  Eighth  New  Hampshire 
Regiment,  and  was  killed  at  Port  Hud- 
son, Louisiana,  January  14,  1863;  Fri- 
land  ;  Edward  ;  John  ;  Harriet ;  Elizabeth  ; 
Abigail ;  Sophronia  ;  Henry  George,  found 
dead  near  the  Acton  railroad  tracks, 
thought  to  have  been  murdered;  Ella 
Frances,  married  Joseph  Bowers,  of  Lynn, 
Massachusetts ;  Georgianna,  wife  of  John 
Rolo,  of  Nashua. 

(IX)  John  Wright,  fifth  son  of  Joseph 
(3)  and  Susan  (Blanchard)  Wright,  was 
born  January  12,  1847,  in  Nashua,  where 
he  grew  up,  receiving  his  education  in  the 
public  schools.  He  early  learned  the 
cooper's  trade,  at  which  he  was  occupied 
in  Nashua  and  Brookline,  New  Hamp- 
shire. He  enlisted  as  a  soldier,  August 
27,  1864,  in  the  First  Regiment  of  Heavy 
Artillery  from  Nashua,  and  was  mustered 
out  June   15,   1865.     Owing  to    impaired 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


health,  he  has  been  several  years  retired 
from  active  life,  and  now  resides  in 
Nashua.  He  is  a  steadfast  supporter  of 
Republican  principles  in  the  conduct  of 
public  affairs.  He  married  Elvira  Rob- 
bins,  born  October  9,  1854,  in  Nashua, 
daughter  of  Jesse  and  Rebecca  (Blanch- 
ard)  Robbins.  Children:  Archibald,  born 
March  1,  1873,  living  in  Nashua;  Alvin, 
June  17,  1874,  living  in  Peppered;  Stella, 
August  8,  1876,  married  Daniel  Dunbar, 
and  they  reside  in  Fitchburg;  Rose,  Sep- 
tember 25,  1879,  married  Charles  Rob- 
bins,  and  they  reside  in  Peppered ;  Edgar 
Francis,  mentioned  below  ;  Fanny  E.,  No- 
vember 22,  1885,  married  Henry  Latush, 
and  they  reside  in  Peppered ;  Chester, 
March  12,  1890,  died  at  birth ;  Ethel,  May 
11,  1892,  married  Edward  Senical,  and 
they  reside  in  Nashua;  Sadie,  February 
13,  1894,  died  young. 

(X)  Edgar  Francis  Wright,  third  son 
of  John  and  Elvira  (Robbins)  Wright, 
was  born  July  25,  1881,  in  Brookline.  New 
Hampshire,  and  attended  school  at  Pep- 
pered, Massachusetts.  There  he  was 
employed  five  years  by  Dr.  William 
Heald  and  removed  to  Fitchburg,  Massa- 
chusetts, in  1 901.  With  the  exception  of 
two  years  spent  in  the  west,  his  home  has 
been  in  that  city  to  the  present  time.  He 
learned  the  trade  of  machinist  with  the 
Putnam  Machine  Company,  of  Fitchburg, 
and  continued  in  its  employ  until  r9?2, 
when  he  engaged  with  the  Fitchburg 
Hardware  Company,  and  has  charge  of  its 
warehouses  and  the  automobile  depart- 
ment. He  is  an  attendant  of  the  Metho- 
dist church,  and  is  independent  of  party 
organization  in  politics.  He  married.  Sep- 
tember 25,  1906,  Blanche  Sfa  Moulton,  of 
Athol,  Massachusetts,  daughter  of  Arthur 
Woods  and  Delia  Dulcena  (Fiske)  Moul- 
ton. Children :  Gwendolyn  Esfa,  born 
June  14,  1908;  Arthur  Moulton,  October 
31,  1913,  both  born  in  Fitchburg. 


BARRETT,  Leon  Jefferson, 

Prominent  Citizen. 

The  surname  Barrett  belongs  to  a  very 
ancient  and  honorable  English  family. 
The  progenitor  came  from  Normandy 
with  William  the  Conqueror  in  1066,  and 
his  name  is  enrolled  in  Battle  Abbey. 
The  first  record  of  the  family  in  this 
country  is  of  Robert  Barrett,  who  was 
engaged  in  the  Maine  fisheries,  which  led 
to  permanent  settlements  along  Winter 
Harbor  and  Cape  Porpoise  as  early  as 
1639  under  Walter  Barrett  and  others  of 
Bristol,  England.  Robert  and  James 
Barrett,  of  Charlestown,  were  probably 
sons  of  John  Barrett,  Sr.,  of  Wells,  Maine, 
according  to  good  authority.  John  Bar- 
rett was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Wells, 
and  was  probably  related  to  Walter  and 
Robert,  mentioned  above. 

(I)  Thomas  Barrett,  the  pioneer  an- 
cestor of  this  family,  came  to  America 
from  England,  between  1635  and  1640, 
and  settled  at  Braintree,  Massachusetts. 
He  was  one  of  the  thirty-two  residents  of 
Braintree  to  whom  the  Massachusetts 
General  Court  granted  10,000  acres  of 
land  in  Warwick,  Rhode  Island,  but  the 
grant  was  overruled  in  England.  He 
signed  the  Warwick  petition  in  165 1.  He 
and  his  son,  Thomas,  who  had  moved  to 
Chelmsford,  Massachusetts,  before  March, 
1660,  purchased  a  house  and  fifty-two 
acres  of  land  in  Chelmsford  on  Robbin 
Hill,  April  10,  1663,  and  he  settled  there 
soon  afterward.  He  died  at  Chelmsford, 
October  6,  1668.  He  married,  in  Eng- 
land,    Margaret    ,     who     died     at 

Chelmsford,  July  8,  1681.  In  his  will, 
dated  March  1,  1662,  and  proved  October 
6,  1662,  wife  Margaret  named,  also  sons, 
John,  Thomas,  Joseph.  Children:  John; 
Thomas,  mentioned  below ;  Mary,  mar- 
ried Shadrack  Thayer ;  Margaret,  mar- 
ried Joseph  Parker,  of  Groton ;  Joseph, 
died  December  17,  171 1,  in  Chelmsford. 


t37 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


(II)  Thomas  (2)  Barrett,  son  of 
Thomas  (1)  Barrett,  was  born  in  Eng- 
land, and  died  in  Chelmsford,  Massachu- 
setts, December  8,  1702.  He  spent  most 
of  his  life  in  Chelmsford,  deeding  his  real 
estate  to  his  sons  before  he  died.  He 
married  (first)  at  Braintree,  September 
14,  1655,  Frances  Woolderson,  of  Brain- 
tree.     She  died  at   Chelmsford,   May  27, 

1694.    He  married  (second)  Mary , 

whom  he  mentions  in  a  deed  dated  De- 
cember 10,  1700.  Children,  all  by  first 
wife:  Martha,  born  September  17,  1656; 
Mary,  April  17,  1658.  Born  at  Chelms- 
ford; Margaret,  March  31,  1660;  Moses, 
mentioned  below ;  Mehitable,  April  12, 
1665  ;  Anna,  December  7,  1668. 

(III)  Moses  Barrett,  son  of  Thomas 
(2)  Barrett,  was  born  at  Chelmsford, 
March  25,  1662,  and  died  there,  Novem- 
ber 28,  1743.  In  171 1  he  received  a  grant 
of  fifty-two  acres  of  land  in  Woodstock, 
Windham  county,  Connecticut,  and  re- 
moved thither  soon  afterward.  He  deeded 
property  to  his  son,  Moses,  Jr.,  March  10, 
1712.  He  had  other  land  granted,  Sep- 
tember 11,  1725,  at  Woodstock.  He  mar- 
ried, September  10,  1684,  Hannah  Smith, 
daughter  of  John  Smith,  of  Dorchester, 
Massachusetts.  (See  page  259,  vol.  42, 
New  England  Genealogical  Register). 
She  was  baptized  September  7,  1651,  died 
April  6,  1745,  in  Chelmsford.  Children  : 
Moses,  mentioned  below;  Thomas,  re- 
mained in  Chelmsford,  died  there,  ]:■'. 
9,  1761. 

(IV)  Moses  (2)  Barrett,  son  of  Moses 
(1)  Barrett,  was  born  in  Chelmsford, 
October  27,  16S5,  and  died  about  1757  in 
Connecticut.  In  1705  he  was  captured  by 
Indians,  but  redeemed  later.  He  bought 
land  of  Joseph  Barrett,  October  24,  1707; 
of  Jacob  Warren,  November  2,  1710;  of 
Joseph  Barrett,  Jr.,  January  21,  1714,  and 
sold   all    his   holdings    at    Chelmsford   to 


Richard  Gookin,  May  1,  1718.  In  that 
year  he  removed  to  Killingly,  Conncc 
ticut,  where  he  had  been  admitted  one 
of  the  proprietors  soon  after  171 1.  He 
next  went  to  Woodstock,  where  he 
bought  land  near  Mill  River  of  Nathaniel 
Wight,  March  13,  1722.  He  served  on  the 
committee  to  build  the  school  house,  and 
on  March  18,  1756,  signed  the  church 
covenant.  In  1756  he  signed  a  memorial 
against  the  minister  at  Woodstock.     He 

married  (first)  Sarah ,  who  died  in 

1719;  married  (second)  March  15,  1720, 
Abigail  Trott,  who  died  August  22,  1749. 
Children  by  first  wife,  four  born  in 
Chelmsford,  two  in  Killingly:  David, 
born  February  18,  1709-10;  Hannah,  No- 
vember 2,  171 1  ;  Oliver,  November  2, 
1713;  Smith,  mentioned  below;  Benoni 
and  Moses   (twins),  August  17,  1719. 

(V)  Smith  Barrett,  son  of  Moses  (2) 
Barrett,  was  born  at  Chelmsford,  Janu- 
ary 2,  1715-16,  died  June  11,  1786.  He 
removed  to  Woodstock,  and  resided  east 
of  Woodstock  Pond  and  Mill  River  in 
Southern  Woodstock.  He  was  a  school 
master  of  note.  He  married,  in  April, 
1738,  Mary  Spalding,  born  September  15, 
1717,  died  November  13,  1S00,  daughter 
of  Samuel  and  Susanna  Spalding.  Chil- 
dren:  Samuel,  born  March  15,  1739; 
Hannah,  August  8,  1740,  baptized  Sep- 
tember 28,  1740;  Daniel,  mentioned  be- 
low; Priscilla,  born  November  17,  1743; 
Thomas,  born  November  15,  1745,  bap- 
tized December  15,  1745  ;  Ephraim,  born 
May  24,  1747  ;  Martha,  born  May  11,  1749, 
baptized  May  21,  1749:  Priscilla,  born 
February  18,  1751.  baptized  February 
27,,  1751;  Thomas,  born  May  5,  1754; 
Ephraim,  born  February  5,  1756,  baptized 
April  4,  1756;  Mary,  born  October  16, 
1759,  baptized  November  25,  1759;  Smith. 

(VI)  Daniel  Barrett,  son  of  Smith  Bar- 
rett, was  born  in  Woodstock,  March  4, 


138 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1742,  and  died  July  22,  1S07,  in  that  town. 
He  inherited  the  homestead  in  the  south- 
east corner  of  Woodstock,  adjoining 
Thompson.  He  took  the  freeman's  oath 
at  the  first  town  meeting  of  Thompson, 
June  21,  1785.  He  married  (first)  in 
Killingly.  March  11,  1765,  Huldah  Eli- 
thorpe,  born  March  13,  1739,  died  June 
8,  1774,  daughter  of  Henry  and  Mehitable 
(Aspinwall)  Elithorpe  ;  (second)  in  Kill- 
ingly,  April  16,  1775,  Mercy  Manley ; 
(third)  in  Dudley,  Massachusetts,  Sep- 
tember 18,  1777,  Mary  (Wiley)  Dodge, 
died  May  3,  17S0,  daughter  of  John 
Wiley;  (fourth)  in  W'oodstock,  Novem- 
ber 16,  1780,  Jemima  (Inman)  Benson, 
born  December  14,  1748,  died  February 
7,  1827,  daughter  of  Edward  Inman. 
Children  by  first  wife,  born  at  Killingly : 
Smith,  mentioned  below ;  Anna,  born 
February  20,  1768;  Millicent,  February 
2,  1770,  died  March  14,  1777;  Daniel,  April 
17,  1772.  Child  by  second  wife,  born 
at  Killingly:  Thomas  Manley,  March 
20,  1776.  Child  by  third  wife,  born  at 
Killingly:  Aldrich  Wiley,  April  6,  1779. 
Children  by  fourth  wife:  Edward  In- 
man, September  10,  1781  ;  Mary,  Septem- 
ber 25,  1782;  Simon,  February  21,  1784; 
Andrew,  October  5.  r'85. 

(VII)  Smith  (2)  Barrett,  son  of  Daniel 
Barrett,  was  born  at  Woodstock,  Con- 
necticut, July  2,  1766,  died  April  10,  1837. 
He  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution,  Octo- 
ber, 1781,  in  Captain  Robbins'  company, 
Colonel  Samuel  McClellan's  regiment,  on 
a  tour  of  duty  at  New  London  and 
Groton,  Connecticut.  In  1790,  according 
to  the  first  federal  census,  he  was  living 
at  Woodstock  and  had  in  his  family  one 
son  under  sixteen,  a  wife  and  daughter. 
Ephraim  John,  Daniel,  Joseph  and  Han- 
nah Barrett,  all  of  this  family,  were  also 
heads  of  families  in  W'oodstock,  accord- 
ing to  that  census.  About  1795  Smith 
Barrett  removed  to  Belchertown,  Massa- 


chusetts. Smith  Barrett  married,  at 
Pomfret,  Connecticut,  October  4,  1787, 
Abigail  White,  born  April  16,  1767,  in 
Pomfret,  died  November  29,  1825,  in 
Belchertown,  daughter  of  James  and 
Jemima  (Town)  White.  Children  (from 
family  record  of  George  Fisher,  Belcher- 
town, Massachusetts):  Millicent,  born 
March  12,  1789,  died  September  26,  1814; 
Calvin,  mentioned  below ;  Thomas,  Au- 
gust 21,  1792,  died  August  7,  1832; 
Lucinda,  January  22,  1795,  died  March 
9,  1800;  Polly,  October  12,  1796;  Charles, 
October  23,  1798;  Leonard,  November  24, 
1S01  ;  Nancy,  November  5,  1804,  died  July 
23<  J833 ;  Amanda,  January  20,  1807 ; 
Lucy,  March  19,  1810,  died  February  10, 
1829. 

(VIII)  Calvin  Barrett,  son  of  Smith 
(2)  Barrett,  was  born  at  Woodstock, 
Connecticut,  June  10,  1790,  died  Novem- 
ber 4,  1857,  at  Belchertown.  He  lived  for 
about  fifteen  years  in  Springfield,  Massa- 
chusetts, afterward  at  Belchertown  in 
that  State.  He  married,  in  Palmer,  Octo- 
ber 16,  181 1,  Abigail  Clough,  born  Octo- 
ber 3,  1792,  in  Stafford,  Connecticut, 
daughter  of  Timothy  and  Susan  (Orcutt) 
Clough  (see  Clough  V).  Children: 
Smith  ;  Enos,  whose  widow  by  a  second 
marriage,  resides  at  No.  416  Gregory 
street,  Bridgeport,  Connecticut ;  Horace, 
mentioned  below ;  Calvin,  Jr.,  who  died 
from  injuries  caused  by  the  explosion  of 
a  fluid  lamp  at  Springfield. 

(IX)  Horace  Barrett,  son  of  Calvin 
Barrett,  spent  his  youth  in  South  Belcher- 
town on  the  homestead.  He  enlisted  in 
the  Civil  War,  and  afterward  he  served 
in  the  United  States  army.  Little  is 
known  of  his  works,  though  it  is  known 
that  he  was  an  artist  in  oil.  He  died  in 
Iowa,  at  the  Marshaltown  Soldier's 
Home.  He  married  Mary  Hutchinson, 
who  was  living  in  1914  in  the  family  of 
Charles   Whiting,   Northampton,    Massa- 


'39 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


chusetts,  age  eighty  years.  Children : 
John  Bunyan,  mentioned  below ;  Abigail, 
married  Benjamin  Phelps,  a  jeweler  in 
Northampton;  Etta,  married  Dwight 
Mather,  a  mason  contractor;  Ella,  mar- 
ried Granville  G.  Gates,  an  accountant, 
son  of  General  Gates,  of  the  Civil  War; 
Minnie,  married  Charles  Whiting,  part- 
ner of  Dwight  Mather,  who  continued  the 
business,  after  the  death  of  Mr.  Mather, 
for  many  years. 

(X)  John  Bunyan  Barrett,  son  of  Hor- 
ace Barrett,  was  born  in  Belchertown, 
Massachusetts,  October  19,  1850.  He  at- 
tended the  public  schools  in  Monson,  and 
Monson  Academy.  He  was  of  a  mechani- 
cal turn  of  mind  and  was  employed  for 
some  years  in  the  Remington  Arms 
Works  at  Ilion,  New  York,  removing 
thence  to  New  Haven,  where  during  the 
remainder  of  his  active  life  he  held  a  re- 
sponsible position  with  the  Winchester 
Repeating  Arms  Company  as  a  factory 
inspector.  He  lived  in  North  Haven,  re- 
tiring from  active  business  owing  to  ill 
health  at  the  age  of  fifty  years.  He 
made  his  home  after  his  retirement  in 
Belchertown,  Spencer  and  Worcester, 
Massachusetts,  and  in  1916  he  is  living 
in  the  latter  named  place,  an  invalid.  In 
religion  he  is  a  Congregationalist,  and 
in  politics  an  Independent.  He  married 
Adella  Arthermise  Clough,  at  Ilion,  New 
York  (see  Clough  VIII).  Children:  Leon 
Jefferson,  mentioned  below ;  Beatrice 
Adella,  born  July  6,  1887,  at  New  Haven, 
Connecticut,  married,  at  Belchertown, 
August  2,  1905,  George  A.  Webster,  of 
Saco,  Maine ;  she  has  one  daughter, 
Adella  Webster,  born  August  1,  1906,  at 
South  Lee,  New  Hampshire. 

(XI)  Leon  Jefferson  Barrett,  son  of 
John  Bunyan  Barrett,  was  born  at  Ilion, 
New  York,  January  12,  1877.  He  at- 
tended the  public  schools,  and  the  private 
school  of  Joseph   Gile,   of  New   Haven, 


Connecticut.  He  entered  the  employ  of 
the  Winchester  Repeating  Arms  Com- 
pany as  a  machinist's  apprentice,  after  he 
left  school,  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  and  he 
followed  his  trade,  and  in  1902  he  be- 
came mechanician  in  the  Sheffield  Scien- 
tific School  of  Yale  University.  This 
proved  his  opportunity,  as  it  opened  a 
way  to  obtain  more  education,  and  his 
associates  also  were  of  great  benefit  to 
him.  In  1905  he  decided  to  change  his 
occupation  and  started  upon  his  career 
in  the  insurance  business,  as  district  man- 
ager of  the  John  Hancock  Life  Insurance 
Company  at  New  Haven.  A  year  later 
he  became  the  agency  director  of  the 
Underwriters  Agency  Company  in  New 
Haven,  a  prosperous  corporation,  of 
which  F.  C.  Bushnell  and  R.  S.  Wood- 
ruff (the  latter  then  governor  of  Connec- 
ticut) were  his  backers.  A  year  later  he 
resigned  his  position,  but  remained  on  the 
board  of  directors,  and  he  accepted  a 
more  lucrative  offer  of  the  general  agency 
of  the  Connecticut  Mutual  Life  Insurance 
Company,  with  headquarters  at  Bridge- 
port, Connecticut.  A  year  and  a  half 
later  he  was  elected  inspector  of  agencies 
of  the  Home  Life  Insurance  Company  of 
New  York.  In  this  office  his  duties  re- 
quired him  to  travel  extensively,  and  he 
made  a  wide  acquaintance  among  insur- 
ance men.  In  June,  1909,  he  entered 
into  partnership  with  Benjamin  Bigelow 
Snow,  under  the  firm  name  of  Barrett  & 
Snow,  as  general  agents  of  the  State  Mu- 
tual Life  Assurance  Company  of  Worces- 
ter, Massachusetts.  This  firm  is  one  of 
the  largest  in  New  England,  and  the 
business  has  steadily  grown  each  year. 
His  hobby  is  his  machinist  trade,  in 
which  he  has  always  kept  up-to-date.  He 
is  vice-president  and  treasurer  of  John 
Bath  &  Company,  Inc.,  of  Worcester, 
manufacturers  of  precision  tools,  gauges 
and  grinding  machinery.  He  is  a  past 
140 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


master  of  Corinthian  Lodge,  No.  103, 
Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  Northford, 
Connecticut,  and  a  member  of  all  the  Ma- 
sonic bodies,  including  Pulaski  Chapter, 
No.  26,  of  New  Haven,  Connecticut ;  Jeru- 
salem Council,  of  Bridgeport,  Connecti- 
cut ;  Hamilton  Commandery,  No.  5, 
Knights  Templar,  of  Bridgeport ;  Wor- 
cester Lodge  of  Perfection,  fourteenth 
degree ;  Goddard  Council,  Princes  of  Je- 
rusalem, sixteenth  degree ;  Lawrence 
Chapter,  Rose  Croix,  eighteenth  degree, 
Worcester;  Massachusetts  Consistory, 
thirty-second  degree,  Boston ;  Palestine 
Temple,  Nobles  of  the  Mystic  Shrine, 
of  Providence,  Rhode  Island ;  Aletheia 
Grotto,  No.  13,  of  Worcester.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Adams  Square  Congre- 
gational Church,  and  the  Congregational 
Club,  of  Worcester,  Massachusetts.  In 
politics  he  is  an  Independent.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Commonwealth  Club, 
Worcester;  Worcester  Automobile  Club; 
Worcester  County  Club  ;  Leicester  Coun- 
try Club  ;  Worcester  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce ;  Worcester  Publicity  Association. 
Mr.  Barrett  married,  May  26,  1896, 
Martha  Sackett  Hyde,  born  at  North 
Haven,  Connecticut,  January  13,  1877, 
daughter  of  Lyman  Munson  and  Eliza- 
beth Gertrude  Hyde  (adopted)  (name 
prior  to  adoption  Givens).  Children: 
Ellen  Elizabeth,  born  May  19,  1898,  at 
Westville,  New  Haven,  Connecticut ;  Vir- 
ginia Bernice,  born  March  17,  1900,  at 
North  Haven,  Connecticut;  Leone  Mar- 
tha, born  at  North  Haven,  Connecticut, 
September  7,  1903. 

(The  Clough  Line). 

(I)  John  Clough,  the  first  of  the  family 
in  this  country,  was  born  in  England  in 
1613  and  sailed  for  America  in  the  ship 
"Elizabeth"  in  1635.  The  name  was 
formerly  pronounced  and  often  spelled 
Cluff.  John  Clough  made  a  deposition  in 
1691,    giving    his    age    as    seventy-seven 


years,  thus  confirming  approximately  his 
age  as  given  at  the  time  of  emigration. 
He  lived  in  Boston  for  a  few  years.  The 
General  Court,  March  13,  1638-39,  granted 
to  John  Clough,  of  Boston,  a  lot  of  land 
at  Salisbury,  the  record  showing  that  he 
had  served  an  apprenticeship  of  some  sort 
for  four  years.  In  1639  he  settled  at  Salis- 
bury and  became  one  of  the  proprietors. 
He  was  a  house  carpenter  by  trade.  In 
1640  he  had  another  grant  of  land.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  church,  and  on  May 
18,  1642,  was  admitted  a  freeman.  In 
1650  he  took  the  oath  of  fidelity  and  was 
a  commoner  and  taxpayer  in  Salisbury. 
He  died  July  26,  1691,  and  his  will  was 
proved  November  3,  1691.     He  married 

(first)  Jane ,  who  died  January  16, 

1679.  He  married  (second)  January  15, 
1686,  Martha  Cilley  or  Sibley.  Children 
by  first  wife :  Elizabeth,  born  December 
16,  1642;  Mary,  July  30,  1644;  Sarah, 
June  28,  1646;  John,  mentioned  below; 
Thomas,  May  29,  165 1  ;  Martha,  March 
22,  1654;  Samuel,  February  20,  1656-57, 
married  Elizabeth  Brown. 

(II)  John  (2)  Clough,  son  of  John  (1) 
Clough,  was  born  at  Salisbury,  March  9, 
1648-49.  He  also  settled  in  Salisbury  and 
followed  farming.  He  took  the  oath  of 
allegiance  in  1677  and  was  admitted  a 
freeman  in  1690.  He  married,  November 
13,  1674,  Mercy  Page,  who  died  January 
26,  1719.  Her  will  was  dated  in  May, 
1718,  and  proved  May,  1719.  He  died 
April  19,  1715,  and  his  will  dated  in  April 
was  proved  in  May,  1715.  Children,  born 
in  Salisbury:  Benoni,  born  May  23,  1676; 
Mary,  April  8,  1677 ;  John,  June  30,  1678 ; 
Cornelius,  May  7,  1680;  Caleb,  October 
26,  1682;  Joseph,  October  14,  1684;  Sarah. 
April  5,  1686;  Jonathan,  mentioned  be- 
low; Mercy,  March  17,  1690;  Moses, 
March  26,  1693;  Aaron,  December  16, 
1695 ;   Tabitha,  February  12,  1697-98. 

(III)  Jonathan    Clough,    son    of   John 
4i 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


(2)  Clough,  was  born  at  Salisbury,  April 
11,  1688,  and  he  was  living  in  1715,  when 
his  father's  will  was  made.     He  married 

Hannah  and  they  were  members 

of  the  Salisbury  church,  July  3,  1715.  He 
moved  to  Quinatisset,  now  Thompson, 
Connecticut.  Larned's  history  of  that 
town  says:  "In  1722  Henry  and  Ebenezer 
Green  sold  to  Jonathan  Clough  of  Salis- 
bury a  hundred  acres  of  land  running 
southeast  of  a  little  footpath  leading  from 
Fort  Hill  to  Simon  Bryant's."  (Vol.  I,  p. 
180,  Winham  County.)  He  was  one  of 
the  proprietors  of  the  town  and  was 
eighth  on  the  list  of  the  founders  of  the 
church.  He  had  at  least  four  children: 
Jonathan,  mentioned  below;  John,  joined 
the  church  in  1742;  Obadiah,  joined  the 
church  in  1746;  Ruth. 

(IV)  Jonathan  (2)  Clough,  son  of  Jon- 
athan (1)  Clough,  was  born  about  1715. 
He  joined  the  Thompson  church  in  1738. 
He  married  and  removed  to  Belchertown, 
where  he  died  at  the  age  of  ninety-four 
years.  Children,  born  in  Belchertown : 
Dan,  married  and  had  children:  Desire, 
Jonathan,  and  Abner,  born  1805 ;  Timo- 
thy,   mentioned    below;    John,    married 

(first)    Sarah   ;     (second)    Louisa 

,   and    had   children:    Sarah,   born 


1796,  Keziah,  1798;  Charlotte,  1800;  Cla- 
rissa, 1802;  Lovisa,  1804;  Sophronia, 
1805;  Nancy,  181 1;  Ann  Jane,  1814; 
John,  1816;  Mary,  1818. 

(V)  Timothy  Clough,  son  of  Jonathan 
(2)  Clough,  was  born  at  Thompson,  about 
1750;  removed  to  Ludlow,  Hampden 
county,  and  thence  to  Belchertown.     He 

married  Lucy .    Children  :  Abigail, 

born  1792,  married  Calvin  Barrett  (see 
Barrett  VII);  Susan,  born  1794;  Han- 
nah, 1797;  Olive,  1801 ;  Candace,  twin  of 
Olive;  Timothy,  1804;  Jonathan,  men- 
tioned below  as  John  (VI),  May  22,  1806; 
Daniel,  1808;  Daniel,  181 1. 

(VI)  John  (2)  Clough,  son  of  Timothy 


Clough,  was  born  at  Ludlow,  Massachu- 
setts, May  22,  1806.  He  was  a  blacksmith. 
He  married  Elmira  Levins,  date  Decem- 
ber 1,  1824.  Children:  James  M.,  born 
May  10,  1826,  Belchertown,  Massachu- 
setts; Jefferson  Moody,  1st,  born  Janu- 
ary 26,  1828,  at  Belchertown,  Massachu- 
setts; Jefferson  Moody,  2nd,  mentioned 
below;  Elmira  C,  born  October  21,  1831, 
at  Belchertown ;  Timothy  L.,  born  De- 
cember 6,  1833,  Belchertown;  Guernsey 
A.,  born  April  28,  1835,  Belchertown; 
Mercy  O.,  born  October  17,  1838,  Belcher- 
town ;  Henri  S.,  born  July  9,  1842,  Palmer 
Depot;  Emily  M.,  born  March  28,  1846, 
Belchertown ;  George  R.,  born  March  27, 
1849,  Springfield;  Mary  Adella,  born  De- 
cember 23,  1850,  New  Hartford. 

(VII)  Jefferson  Moody  Clough,  son  of 
John  (2)  Clough,  born  November  29, 
1829,  at  Gerry,  New  York,  became  one  of 
the  foremost  mechanical  experts  of  his 
time.  He  first  became  prominent  while 
superintendent  of  the  Remington  Arms 
Company  at  Ilion,  New  York,  where  he 
perfected  the  famous  Remington  Type- 
writer, for  which  he  received  a  royalty  of 
fifty  cents  on  every  machine  made  for 
many  years,  later  he  perfected  the  Ham- 
mond &  Yost  Machines,  and  was  paid 
handsomely  for  this  service.  Among 
other  inventions  was  the  first  practical 
cotton-gin,  which  brought  cotton  within 
the  reach  of  all  classes  of  people,  and  also 
his  ability  manifested  itself  in  the  manu- 
facture of  fire  arms.  He  was  for  many 
years  after  leaving  the  Remington  Arms 
Company  associated  as  superintendent  of 
the  Winchester  Repeating  Arms  Com- 
pany in  New  Haven  at  a  very  large 
salary.  He  was  offered  at  one  time  a 
large  sum  of  money  by  the  Chinese  gov- 
ernment to  undertake  the  building  of  fire 
arms  in  China,  but  this  he  did  not  accept. 
His  life  was  busy  and  fruitful,  and  in  his 
seventy-fifth  year  he  built  and  perfected 


142 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


the  Clough  Mauser  Gun,  which  was 
bought  up  for  the  purpose  of  preventing 
its  manufacture.  He  retained  a  large 
interest  in  it,  however,  but  did  not  live  to 
see  it  exploited.  He  died  January  16, 
1908,  at  Belchertown,  Massachusetts.  He 
married.  September  20,  1852,  Ellen  Eliza- 
beth Debit,  at  Springfield,  Massachusetts. 
She  was  born  September  25,  1829,  and 
died  at  Belchertown,  Massachusetts,  No- 
vember 28,  1904.  Children :  Adella  Ar- 
thermise,  mentioned  below ;  Jefferson 
Moody,  Jr.,  born  April  2,  1855,  at  Duck- 
ville,  in  Palmer,  Massachusetts ;  Jeffer- 
son Budd,  son  of  Jefferson  Moody,  Jr., 
born  1886,  died  February  3,  1897. 

(VIII)  Adella  Arthermise  Clough, 
daughter  of  Jefferson  Moody  Clough, 
born  at  Monson,  Massachusetts,  Septem- 
ber 13,  1853,  married,  January  20,  1875, 
John  Bunyan  Barrett  (see  Barrett  IX). 
Children :  Leon  Jefferson  Barrett,  born 
at  Ilion,  New  York,  January  12,  1877; 
and  Beatrice  Adella  Barrett,  born  July 
6,  1887,  at  New  Haven,  Connecticut. 


HAMMOND,  Richard  Hill, 

Head  of  Important  Industry. 

The  original  spelling  of  this  family 
name  was  Ham.  Andrew  Hill  Hammond 
had  his  name  legally  changed  from  Ham 
to  Hammond.  The  immigrant  ancestor 
was  William  Ham,  who  came  from  Eng- 
land in  1646,  and  settled  in  Exeter,  New 
Hampshire,  removing  to  Portsmouth  in 
the  same  colony  in  1652.  He  received  a 
grant  of  land  consisting  of  fifty  acres  on 
Freeman's  Point,  just  above  Portsmouth 
Bridge.  He  died  in  1672  and  his  will  was 
proved  at  Exeter  and  is  now  in  the  ar- 
chives at  Concord.  He  bequeathed  his 
estate  to  his  daughter,  Elizabeth  Cotton, 
and  to  his  grandsons,  William,  John  and 
Thomas  Ham.  It  is  known  that  he  had 
two  children :  Matthew,  mentioned  be- 
low, and  Elizabeth. 


(II)  Matthew  Ham,  son  of  William 
Ham,  died  before  1672,  the  date  of  his 
father's  will.  It  is  presumed  that  the 
three  grandsons  mentioned  in  his  father's 
will  were  sons  of  Matthew;  William, 
John  and  Thomas. 

(III)  John  Ham,  grandson  of  William 
Ham,  was  born  in  1649.  He  was  a  tax- 
payer in  Dover,  New  Hampshire,  in  1665. 
His  first  homestead  was  at  "Tolend"  near 
the  second  falls  of  the  Cocheco,  but  later 
he  had  a  farm  on  Garrison  Hill  at  Dover. 
He  was  juror  in  1688;  lieutenant;  town 
clerk  in  1694.  His  will  was  proved  at 
Exeter.  He  married,  in  1667,  Mary  Heart, 
daughter  of  John  Heart,  of  Dover.  She 
died  in  1706,  and  he  died  in  1727.  Chil- 
dren :  Mary,  born  October  2,  1668 ;  John, 
1671 ;  Samuel;  Joseph,  June  3,  1678; 
Elizabeth,  January  2,  1681  ;  Tryphena ; 
Sarah  ;  Mercy  ;  Benjamin,  mentioned  be- 
low. 

(IV)  Benjamin  Ham,  son  of  John 
Ham,  was  born  in  Dover,  1693.  He  in- 
herited his  father's  farm  near  Garrison 
Hill  and  received  one  full  share  in  the 
common  lands  in  1732.  The  farm  on 
which  he  lived  was  purchased  of  Peter 
Coffin  in  1698  and  the  original  deed  and 
part  of  the  original  farm  were  at  last 
accounts  still  owned  by  a  lineal  descend- 
ant. He  was  a  constable  in  1731  ;  sur- 
veyor of  highways  in  1738.  In  1757  he 
and  twelve  others  voted  against  building 
a  new  meeting  house  at  Pine  Hill,  Dover. 
He  married,  in  1720,  Patience  Hartford, 
daughter  of  Nicholas  Hartford.  She 
joined  the  First  Church  in  1737.  Chil- 
dren :  William,  mentioned  below ;  Mary, 
born  October  8,  1723;  John,  1736;  Pa- 
tience, baptized  March  25,  1739;  Eliza- 
beth, baptized  December  10,  1749. 

(V)  William  (2)  Ham,  son  of  Benja- 
min Ham,  was  born  at  Dover,  November 
25,  1722.  He  joined  the  First  Church  of 
Dover,  January  3,  1742.  He  removed  to 
Rochester,    New    Hampshire,    and    died 

143 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


there  in  1800.    Children  :  Charity  ;  Benja-      was  a  surveyor  and  mathematician.  From 


min,  born  1753;    William,  May  8,  1757; 
Francis,  May  3,  1763;  Ephriam;  Eleanor. 

(VI)  William  (3)  Ham,  son  of  Wil- 
liam (2)  Ham,  was  born  at  Dover,  May 
8,  1757.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolu- 
tion. The  Revolutionary  Rolls  of  New 
Hampshire  (p.  109,  Vol.  III.)  show  that 
William  Ham  was  a  sergeant  in  Captain 
Daniel  Jewell's  company,  Colonel  Thom- 
as Bartlett's  regiment  in  1780.  His 
brother  Ephraim  was  in  the  same  com- 
pany. He  probably  served  also  in  1781 
and  possibly  in  1776  from  Portsmouth 
(see  Vol.  I,  New  Hampshire  Revolution- 
ary Rolls,  pp.  447,  540).  He  settled  finally 
in  Gilmanton,  New  Hampshire,  and  died 
there  in  1843.  He  married  Anne  Meader. 
Children:  Miriam,  Sarah,  Eli,  Ezra,  men- 
tioned below. 

(VII)  Rev.  Ezra  Ham,  son  of  William 
(3)  Ham,  was  born  at  Gilmanton,  March 
7,  1797.  He  was  a  Freewill  Baptist  min- 
ister and  also  a  farmer,  living  in  Lower 
Gilmanton.  He  married  Mercy  Prescott 
Hill,  daughter  of  Andrew  W.  and  Mary 
P.  (Ham)  Hill  (see  Prescott).  Children: 
Mary  A.,  born  February  22,  1825;  Wil- 
liam P.,  November  6,  1826;  Lemuel  M., 
March  29,  1828;  Andrew  Hill,  mentioned 
below;  Enos  H.,  March  13,  1832;  George 
E.,  April  16,  1834,  living  in  Worcester; 
James  C,  June  29,  1837;  Dr.  Otis  F., 
April  4,  1839;  Ezra,  July  30,  1842;  Mercy 
Elizabeth,  September  23,  1848,  resides  at 
No.  121  Powell  street,  Lowell. 

(VIII)  Andrew  Hill  Hammond,  son  of 
Rev.  Ezra  Ham,  was  born  in  Alton,  New 
Hampshire,  August  3,  1830.  During  his 
infancy,  his  parents  removed  to  Gilman- 
ton, where  his  early  years  were  spent  on 
the  farm  and  where  he  attended  the  dis- 
trict school.  At  the  age  of  nine  he  went 
to  live  with  his  grandparents  in  the  Gore 
district  of  his  native  town  and  while  there 
was  for  several  years  under  the  tuition  of 
his   uncle,  Jonathan   Prescott  Hill,  who 


his  uncle  he  derived  a  love  of  study  and 
books  that  lasted  as  long  as  he  lived. 
After  he  returned  to  his  father's  home  at 
Gilmanton,  he  attended  the  academy.  At 
the  age  of  eighteen  he  began  to  learn  the 
trade  of  iron  molder  at  Manchester,  New 
Hampshire,  and  afterward  followed  that 
trade  at  Laconia,  New  Hampshire.  In 
185 1  he  came  to  Worcester  and  found 
employment  in  the  malleable  iron  works 
of  Waite,  Chadsey  &  Company.  After- 
ward he  worked  in  the  foundries  of  God- 
dard,  Rice  &  Company  and  William  A. 
Wheeler.  He  had  musical  gifts  which  he 
cultivated  while  working  in  the  foundries, 
studying  under  S.  R.  Leland,  Albert  S. 
Allen  and  E.  S.  Nason  and  himself  be- 
came a  proficient  teacher  of  music.  One 
of  his  early  experiences  was  a  trip  west 
to  teach  singing  schools  in  the  Ohio  and 
Mississippi  valleys,  returning  through 
Chicago,  which  was  then  a  small  village. 
He  continued  to  study  music  and  ob- 
tained a  position  in  the  organ  reed  fac- 
tory owned  by  Augustus  Rice  and  Ed- 
win Harrington,  beginning  on  wages  of 
seventy-five  cents  a  day.  His  mechanical 
ability  and  knowledge  of  music  soon 
made  him  of  great  value  to  the  concern, 
however.  He  originated  new  methods 
and  appliances  which  increased  the  quan- 
tity and  improved  the  quality  of  the 
product  and  was  soon  placed  in  charge  of 
the  manufacturing  department.  Subse- 
quently the  firm  became  Redding  &  Har- 
rington and  the  new  firm  contracted  with 
Mr.  Hammond  for  all  the  inventions  and 
improvements  that  he  should  introduce. 
In  a  short  time  he  was  given  a  third  in- 
terest in  I  he  business  in  lieu  of  his  con- 
tract, and  afterward  he  bought  out  his 
partner*  and  became  the  sole  owner. 

In  1868  Mr.  Hammond  built  his  first 
factory  at  the  present  site  on  May  street 
and  from  time  to  time  made  additions 
until   it   became   the   largest   organ   reed 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


factory  in  the  world.  It  was  equipped 
with  special  machinery  devised  by  the 
owner,  and  the  Hammond  organ  reeds 
have  been  for  many  years  a  standard 
product  known  and  used  in  all  parts  of 
the  world.  The  making  of  reeds  is  a  dis- 
tinct business  from  organ  building  and  is 
confined  chiefly  to  factories  in  Worcester 
and  Chicago.  Mr.  Hammond  continued 
to  the  end  of  his  life  in  active  business, 
though  on  account  of  his  health  the  man- 
agement of  affairs  was  left  largely  to  his 
son  during  the  last  ten  years.  He  died 
at  his  home  in  Worcester,  March  i,  1906. 

Mr.  Hammond  was  a  lifelong  student 
and  took  great  pleasure  in  his  library. 
He  took  a  keen  interest  in  public  affairs 
and  when  a  young  man  was  active  in  the 
anti-slavery  movement.  He  joined  the 
Free  Soil  party  when  it  was  formed  and 
afterward  became  a  Republican.  He  de- 
clined to  accept  public  office  himself,  but 
always  did  his  full  duty  as  a  citizen, 
giving  loyal  support  to  his  party. 

He  married,  in  i860,  Rhoda  Maria  Bar- 
ber, born  September  5,  1840,  died  May  21, 
1891.  She  was  gifted  with  rare  business 
ability  and  to  her  judgment  and  coopera- 
tion Mr.  Hammond  attributed  much  of 
his  material  success  in  life.  She  was  a 
daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Ann  Maria 
(Collins)  Barber.  Her  father  was  born 
in  Wardsboro,  Vermont,  in  1804,  and  died 
in  Worcester  in  1867.  Her  mother  was 
of  the  Collins  family  of  Southboro,  Mas- 
sachusetts, where  she  was  born  July  6, 
1816,  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Polly 
(Chamberlain)  Collins;  she  died  in  1904. 
Benjamin  Barber  was  a  stone  cutter  and 
contractor  and  became  substantially  suc- 
cessful in  business.  He  married,  Novem- 
ber 20,  1838,  Ann  Maria  Collins,  and  they 
had  five  children:  Rhoda  Maria  (Mrs. 
Andrew  Hill  Hammond)  ;  Warren,  died 
young;  Emery  Perry,  born  August  29, 
1846,  deceased ;  Linda  Frances,  born  Au- 
gust 12,  1851,  married  Albert  E.  Peirce, 

MASS-Vol  III— 10 


of  Worcester,  now  of  Evanston,  Illinois; 
Benjamin  Allen,  born  December  23,  1855, 
treasurer  of  the  J.  Russel  Marble  Com- 
pany, Worcester,  very  prominent  in  musi- 
cal circles,  a  gifted  singer.  Children  of 
Andrew  Hill  Hammond:  I.  Charles  War- 
ren, died  in  infancy.  2.  Nellie  (Eleanor) 
Prescott,  born  April  26,  1866,  graduate  of 
Oxford  University,  England;  graduate 
of  Chicago  University.  3.  Alice  Bar- 
ber, born  January  16,  1868,  married 
Clarence  B.  Shirley,  of  Boston.  4.  Robert, 
died  young.  5.  Richard  Hill,  mentioned 
below.  6.  Mabel  Florence,  graduate  of 
Radcliffe  College. 

(IX)  Richard  Hill  Hammond,  son  of 
Andrew  Hill  Hammond,  was  born  at 
Worcester,  January  6,  1871.  He  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  and  at  the 
Worcester  Polytechnic  Institute.  He  be- 
came associated  in  business  with  his 
father,  and  in  1892  when  the  corporation 
was  formed  he  became  general  manager 
and  assistant  treasurer.  Since  then  he 
has  had  the  entire  responsibility  of  the 
business  and  since  the  death  of  his  father 
has  been  president  of  the  Hammond  Reed 
Company.  Under  his  management  the 
business  has  continued  to  hold  its  place 
among  the  substantial  industries  of  Wor- 
cester. Mr.  Hammond  is  well-known  and 
popular  among  the  younger  business  men 
of  the  city.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Tat- 
nuck  Country  Club  ;  the  Worcester  Coun- 
try Club;  Quinsigamond  Lodge,  Free 
and  Accepted  Masons;  Eureka  Chapter, 
Royal  Arch  Masons;  Worcester  County 
Commandery,  Knights  Templar;  the  Na- 
tional Association  of  Manufacturers.  He 
is  a  Republican  in  politics,  but  not  active 
in  party  affairs. 

(The  Prescott  Line). 

The  coat-of-arms  of  the  Prescott  family 
of  Dryby,  Lincolnshire,  England,  is  de- 
scribed: Ermine,  a  chevron  sable  on  a 
chief  of  the  second  two  leopards'  heads, 


145 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


or.  Crest:  Out  of  a  ducal  coronet  or  a 
boar's  head  and  neck  argent  bristled  of 
the  first.  Prescott  was  the  name  of  a 
market  town  in  Lancashire. 

(I)  James  Prescott,  of  Standish,  Lan- 
cashire, to  whom  the  ancestry  has  been 
traced,  was  required  by  an  order  of 
Queen  Elizabeth,  dated  August,  1564,  to 
keep  in  readiness  horsemen  and  armor. 
He  married  a  daughter  of  Roger  Stan- 
dish.  Children:  James,  mentioned  be- 
low; Roger,  Ralph,  Robert,  William, 
John. 

(II)  Sir  James  (2)  Prescott,  son  of 
James  (1)  Prescott,  married  Alice  Moli- 
neaux.  He  was  created  Lord  of  the 
Manor  of  Dryby,  Lincolnshire,  and  had 
the  arms  described  above  granted  to  him. 
He  died  March  1,  1583.  Children:  John, 
mentioned  below ;  Ann. 

(III)  John  Prescott,  son  of  Sir  James 

(2)  Prescott,  was  born  at  Dryby.  Chil- 
dren :  William ;  James,  mentioned  below. 

(IV)  James  (3)  Prescott  son  of  John 
Prescott,  was  born  and  lived  at  Dryby. 
Children :  Mary,  baptized  1631 ;  John, 
1632;  Anne,  1634;  James,  mentioned  be- 
low.   And  others,  names  unknown. 

(V)  James  (4)  Prescott,  son  of  James 

(3)  Prescott,  was  the  American  immi- 
grant; left  Dryby  in  1665  and  settled  in 
Hampton,  New  Hampshire.  He  had  a 
farm  in  what  is  now  Hampton  Falls  on 
the  road  to  Exeter,  lately  owned  by  Wells 
Healey.  He  was  admitted  a  freeman  in 
1678.  In  1694  he  was  one  of  the  original 
patentees  of  Kingston  and  was  moderator 
of  town  meetings  there  in  1700-01.  He 
died  November  2,t,  1728.  He  married,  in 
1668,  Mary  Boulter,  born  at  Exeter,  May 
15,  1648,  daughter  of  Nathaniel  and  Grace 
Boulter.  Her  father  was  born  in  Eng- 
land in  1626 ;  lived  in  Hampton  and 
Exeter.  She  died  at  Kingston,  October 
4,  1735,  aged  eighty-seven.  Children: 
Joshua,  born  March  1,  1669:  James,  Sep- 


tember 1,  1671 ;  Rebecca,  April  15,  1673; 
Jonathan,  August  6,  1675  ;  Mary,  June  II, 
1677;  Abigail,  November  19,  1679;  Tem- 
perance, twin  of  Abigail;  John,  men- 
tioned below;  Nathaniel,  November  19, 
1683. 

(VI)  John  (2)  Prescott,  son  of  James 
(4)  Prescott,  was  born  at  Hampton,  No- 
vember 19,  1681,  died  in  1761.  He  was 
in  His  Majesty's  service  in  1707  and  also 
in  Captain  Davis's  scouts  in  1712.  He 
married,  August  8,  1701,  Abigail  Marston, 
born  March  17,  1679,  died  December  30; 
1760,  daughter  of  James  and  Dinah  (San- 
born) Marston,  of  Hampton.  Children: 
John,  born  August  15,  1702;  Rebecca, 
August  19,  1704;  Lydia,  November  30, 
1706;  Hon.  Benjamin,  September,  1708; 
James,  April  11,  1711;  Abigail,  April  29, 
1713;  Nathaniel,  July  25,  1715  ;  Abraham, 
May  20,  1717;  Jedediah,  mentioned  be- 
low; Josiah,  October  2,  1721. 

(VII)  Jedediah  Prescott,  son  of  John 
(2)  Prescott,  was  born  June  1,  1719,  died 
July  24,  1793.  He  lived  at  Exeter,  now 
Brentwood,  then  Deerfield,  New  Hamp- 
shire, and  Monmouth,  Maine.  He  mar- 
ried, November  12,  1741,  Hannah  Batch- 
elder,  born  October  23,  1720,  died  1809, 
daughter  of  Samuel  (3)  (Nathaniel  (2), 
Rev.  Stephen  (1)  Batchelder)  and  Mary 
(Carter)  Batchelder.  Children,  born  at 
Brentwood:  Josiah,  May  11,  1743;  Eliza- 
beth, January  5,  1745;  Jedediah,  Septem- 
ber 20,  1746;  Abigail,  May  11, 1748;  Mercy, 
mentioned  below ;  Rev.  John,  October  29, 
1753;  Samuel,  September  5,  1759;  Ruth, 
March  12, 1761 ;  Jesse,  September  24, 1763 ; 
James,  February  23,  1765;  Elijah,  July 
25,  1766. 

(VIII)  Mercy  Prescott,  daughter  of 
Jedediah  Prescott,  was  born  at  Brent- 
wood, October  30,  1751,  died  at  Gilman- 
ton,  New  Hampshire,  October  4,  1797. 
She  married,  March  10,  1778,  Dr.  Jona- 
than Hill,  born  at  Stratham,  August  11, 


146 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1742.  He  studied  medicine  with  Dr. 
Weeks,  of  Hampton  Falls,  practiced  at 
Gilmanton  Ironworks  village,  and  died 
there  June  6,  1818.  He  married  (second) 
March,  1798,  Betsey,  widow  of  Jeremiah 
Bean,  of  Candia,  sister  of  Judge  Ebenezer 
Smith,  widow  of  Josiah  Prescott.  Chil- 
dren :  Andrew  Wiggin  Hill,  mentioned 
below;  Jonathan  Hill,  born  October  31, 
1 781;  Sarah  Hill,  May  8,  1785;  child, 
died  young. 

(IX)  Andrew  Wiggin  Hill,  son  of  Dr. 
Jonathan  and  Mercy  (Prescott)  Hill,  was 
born  at  Gilmanton,  February  10,  1779, 
died  September  11,  1864.  He  married, 
February  25,  1800,  Mary  P.  Ham,  born 
at  Rochester,  resided  at  Alton  and  Gil- 
manton. She  died  December  4,  1862. 
Children:  Mercy  Prescott  Hill,  married 
Ezra  Ham  (see  Ham-Hammond  line) ; 
Elizabeth  R.  Hill,  October  3,  1802 ;  Jona- 
than P.  Hill,  March  27,  1809;  James  Hill, 
April  21,  1815;  Andrew  Wiggin  Hill, 
July  31,  1819. 


BICKFORD,  Orlando  Ephraim, 

Bmlneii  Mam,   Public   Official. 

The  name  of  Bickford  was  early  estab- 
lished in  New  England,  and  has  been 
identified  for  centuries  with  the  history 
of  New  Hampshire.  In  this  family  the 
baptismal  name  of  Thomas  occurs  very 
frequently,  and  it  is  quite  probable  that 
the  more  recent  immigrants  of  the  name 
were  allied  to  the  old  English  family, 
which  settled  in  Dover,  New  Hampshire, 
in  the  earliest  period  of  its  history.  Ac- 
cording to  the  history  of  Wolfeboro,  New 
Hampshire,  John  Bickford  was  an  immi- 
grant from  England,  who  settled  very 
early  in  that  town.  He  was  not  disposed 
to  aid  in  the  warfare  upon  the  American 
colonies,  and  to  escape  conscription  in  the 
army,  left  his  native  land,  and  finally  set- 
tled in  Wolfeboro. 


(II)  Jonathan  Bickford,  son  of  John 
Bickford,  was  a  millwright  and  farmer, 
and  settled  on  lands  recently  occupied  by 
his  grandson  in  Wolfeboro.  He  married, 
February  7,  1799,  Abigail  Roberts,  of 
Dover,  and  they  had  sons,  James  and 
Thomas. 

(III)  Thomas  Bickford,  son  of  Jona- 
than and  Abigail  (Roberts)  Bickford,  was 
born  April  27,  1806,  in  Wolfeboro,  and 
early  left  that  town.  Among  the  early 
settlers  in  Hill,  New  Hampshire,  a  town 
adjoining  Alexandria,  was  a  Bickford, 
who  came  from  the  shores  of  Lake  Win- 
nepesaukee,  and  it  is  reasonable  to  as- 
sume that  the  settler  of  the  name  in 
Alexandria  was  from  the  same  section, 
and  that  he  was  the  Thomas  Bickford, 
born  1806,  in  Wolfeboro.  He  died  in 
early  life,  and  his  widow  afterward  mar- 
ried a  man  named  Flint,  and  died  Septem- 
ber 17,  1878,  in  Waterville,  Massachu- 
setts. There  are  no  Bickford  births  re- 
corded in  Alexandria  previous  to  1850. 
Family  records,  however,  locate  the  birth 
of  the  next  mentioned  in  that  town. 

(IV)  Thomas  (2)  Bickford,  son  of 
Thomas  (1)  Bickford,  was  born  March  7, 
1827,  in  Alexandria,  resided  in  Franconia, 
New  Hampshire,  and  died  in  Winchen- 
den,  Massachusetts,  December  20,  1891. 
He  was  but  a  small  child  when  his  father 
died.  Most  of  his  active  life  was  spent 
in  Winchenden,  where  he  was  for  twenty- 
five  years  surveyor  of  highways.  He  was 
a  good  business  man,  of  exceptional  judg- 
ment, and  did  an  extensive  business  in 
the  purchase  and  sale  of  timber  lands. 
He  was  an  active  member  of  the  Metho- 
dist church,  in  which  he  served  as  trustee 
and  participated  in  all  its  works.  Politi- 
cally he  was  a  Republican.  He  married, 
in  Lisbon,  New  Hampshire,  October  24, 
1850,  Martha  Parks  Battles,  born  Novem- 
ber 4,  1829,  in  Landaff,  New  Hampshire, 
died  January  20,  1890,  daughter  of  Noah 

147 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  Martha  (Parks)  Battles.  Children: 
Lucie  J.  M.,  born  December  14,  1854,  died 
June  17,  1910,  unmarried;  Elizabeth  Al- 
mira,  December  6,  1863,  married  Andrew 
B.  Smith,  of  Winchenden,  and  has  a 
daughter,  Vivian  Martha  Smith,  born  De- 
cember 1,  1891 ;  Orlando  Ephraim,  men- 
tioned below. 

(V)  Orlando  Ephraim  Bickford,  only 
son  of  Thomas  (2)  and  Martha  Parks 
(Battles)  Bickford,  was  born  July  8, 1870, 
in  Winchenden,  Massachusetts,  and  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  of  that 
city,  including  the  high  school.  When 
nineteen  years  of  age,  he  was  in  charge 
of  the  state  highway  in  that  town,  and 
thus  continued  for  five  years.  In  1894 
he  removed  to  Fitchburg,  Massachusetts, 
and  became  master  mechanic  of  the  Fitch- 
burg &  Leominster  Electric  Street  Rail- 
way, which  position  he  filled  for  twelve 
years,  to  1906.  Since  that  time  he  has 
conducted  a  livery  business  and  auto 
garage  in  Fitchburg.  He  is  president  of 
the  Bickford  Auto  Company,  and  agent 
for  the  sale  of  the  "Chevrolet"  automo- 
biles. He  is  an  attendant  of  the  Unitarian 
church,  being  a  member  of  the  parish.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity, 
holding  membership  in  Aurora  Lodge 
and  in  Lady  Emma  Chapter,  Order  of 
the  Eastern  Star,  of  which  his  wife  is  also 
a  member.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  and  the 
Royal  Arcanum.  Politically  a  Republi- 
can, he  is  interested  in  the  welfare  of  the 
community  where  he  lives,  and  has  served 
as  constable  and  highway  surveyor.  He 
married,  January  11,  1893,  Effie  I.  Ellis, 
born  November  5,  1871,  in  Fitzwilliam, 
New  Hampshire,  daughter  of  Ivory  War- 
ren and  Emeline  V.  (Metcalf)  Ellis,  of 
that  town  (see  Ellis  VIII).  Children  of 
Orlando  E.  Bickford :  Dorothy  Ellis,  born 
January  25,  1904;  Ivonnetta  Lillian,  June 
4,  1907. 


(The  Ellis  Line). 

In  the  Welsh  the  name  is  derived  from 
"Aleck's,"  the  possessive  form  adopted  in 
many  names  of  similar  origin.  Instead  of 
saying  William's  David,  the  Welsh  used 
the  expression  "David,  William's,"  and 
this  usage  gave  rise  to  such  names  as 
Evans,  Jones  (John's),  Edwards,  Harris 
(Harry's),  and  so  through  the  long  cate- 
gory. Many  immigrants  of  the  name  are 
found  of  early  record  in  New  England, 
the  first  being  among  the  Puritans  of 
Plymouth.  Another  family  springs  from 
Dedham,  and  both  sent  out  a  large 
progeny. 

(I)  John  Ellis  appears  in  Dedham, 
Massachusetts,  as  early  as  1641,  and  was 
made  a  freeman  there,  June  2,  1641 ;  he 
was  one  of  the  thirteen  original  proprie- 
tors of  Medfield,  which  was  formerly  part 
of  Dedham,  and  was  the  thirteenth  signer 
of  the  Dedham  Covenant,  and  attended 
the  first  town  meeting.  His  home  lot 
was  on  Main  street  in  Medfield.  He 
served  seven  years  as  selectman  of  the 
town,  and  died  there  April  2,  1697.  He 
may  have  been  a  brother  of  Thomas  Ellis, 
of  Medfield,  and  perhaps  also  of  Richard, 
Joseph,  and  Ann  Ellis,  of  Dedham,  emi- 
grants from  the  Old  World.  He  married 
(first)  at  Dedham,  November  10,  1641, 
Susanna  Lumber,  who  died  at  Medfield, 
April  4,  1654;  he  married  (second)  June 
16,  1655,  in  Medfield,  Joan,  widow  of 
John  Clapp,  of  Dorchester.  After  her 
marriage  to  John  Ellis,  she  was  dismissed 
from  the  Dorchester  church  to  the  Med- 
field church.  She  survived  her  second 
husband  nearly  seven  years,  and  died  in 
Medfield,  March  2,  1704.  Children  of  first 
wife:  John,  mentioned  below;  Susanna, 
married  Matthias  Adams ;  Hannah,  born 
April  9,  1651,  in  Medfield,  the  first  white 
female  in  that  town,  married  Samuel 
Rockwood;  Samuel,  born  May  24,  1660; 
Joseph ;   Eleazer,  April  24,  1664. 


148 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


(II)  John  (2)  Ellis,  eldest  child  of 
John  (i)  and  Susanna  (Lumber)  Ellis, 
was  born  April  26,  1646,  and  resided  on 
the  west  side  of  the  Charles  river  in  Med- 
field,  where  he  died  November  14,  1716. 
He  married  (first)  February  1,  1678, 
Mary  Herring,  and  (second)  in  Boston, 
April  7,  1698,  Mary  Hill,  of  Sherborn, 
Massachusetts.  She  survived  him  nearly 
sixteen  years,  dying  October  25,  1732. 
Children:  John,  born  February  5,  1679, 
married  Hannah  White,  and  lived  in 
Medfield ;  Joseph,  mentioned  below ; 
Mary,  March  7,  1686,  married  (first) 
Zachary  Partridge,  and  (second)  John 
Barber;  Sarah,  March  7,  1688,  married 
Nathaniel  Wight ;  Hannah,  April  4,  1688, 
married  John  Taylor;  Samuel,  July  14, 
1699,  only  child  of  the  second  wife,  mar- 
ried Dorothy  Hall  and  lived  in  Medway. 

(III)  Joseph  Ellis,  second  son  of  John 
(2)  and  Mary  (Herring)  Ellis,  was  born 
December  5,  1681,  in  Medfield,  and  died 
September  29,  1754.  He  resided  many 
years  in  Wrentham,  where  most  of  his 
children  were  born,  nearly  all  of  them 
baptized  in  Medfield.  He  was  one  of  the 
grantees  of  Keene,  New  Hampshire, 
under  the  Massachusetts  charter  of  1733, 
where  two  of  his  sons,  Joseph  and  Gideon, 
were  among  the  earliest  settlers  and  be- 
came grantees  under  the  New  Hampshire 
grant.  No  record  of  his  marriage  has 
been  discovered,  but  his  wife  bore  the 
baptismal  name  of  Cathrain  and  died  Jan- 
uary 20,  1760,  in  Medfield.  He  had  chil- 
dren born  in  Wrentham :  Joseph,  men- 
tioned below;  Gideon, born  June  29,1714; 
Sarah,  December  16,  1721 ;  William,  bap- 
tized in  Medfield,  October  20,  1723;  John, 
born  February  28,  1727,  in  Wrentham, 
baptized  May  7,  following,  in  Medfield ; 
Asa,  born  November  3,  1729,  in  Wrent- 
ham ;  Asa,  baptized  in  Medfield,  May  3, 
1730. 

(IV)  Joseph  (2)   Ellis,  eldest  child  of 


Joseph  (1)  and  Cathrain  Ellis,  was  born 
July  14,  1712,  in  Wrentham,  and  was  one 
of  the  grantees  of  the  town  of  Keene, 
New  Hampshire,  where  he  was  an  early 
settler  and  finished  his  days.  He  married, 
January  13,  1741,  in  Wrentham,  Malatiah 
Metcalf,  born  there  February  25,  1722, 
daughter  of  Michael  and  Abial  (Colburn) 
Metcalf.  Children  :  Timothy,  born  April 
10,  1742;  Amos,  March  2,  1744;  Martha, 
January  31,  1746;  Henry,  mentioned  be- 
low; Bathsheba,  March  7,  1750;  Abial, 
June  26,  1753;  Elizabeth,  September  7, 
1755;  Esther,  April  8,  1758;  Lewis,  Au- 
gust 19,  1762;  Lucrecia,  November  23, 
1764. 

(V)  Henry  Ellis,  third  son  of  Joseph 
(2)  and  Malatiah  (Metcalf)  Ellis,  was 
born  February  15,  1748,  in  Wrentham, 
and  lived  for  a  short  time  after  attaining 
manhood  in  Lancaster,  Massachusetts, 
whence  he  removed  to  Keene.  before 
1772.  He  was  a  member  of  a  militia 
company  there,  August  7,  1773,  and  was 
among  the  signers  of  a  remonstrance 
against  inoculation  from  smallpox,  No- 
vember 22,  1776.  He  was  a  signer  of  the 
association  test,  and  his  name  appears  on 
the  payroll  of  Captain  William  Hump- 
hrey's company  under  Colonel  Wingate, 
organized  to  join  the  northern  army  in 
the  Continental  service.  His  advance 
bounty  and  first  month's  wages  amounted 
to  ten  pounds,  one  shilling.  He  first  set- 
tled on  a  farm  in  the  western  part  of  the 
town,  which  he  sold,  and  purchased  a 
farm  at  the  north  end  of  the  village  of 
Keene,  on  which  he  resided  seven  years, 
near  the  "Old  Sun  Tavern."  He  pur- 
chased a  large  tract  on  the  west  side  of 
the  river,  three  miles  north  of  the  village, 
which  he  cleared,  and  on  which  he  built 
a  large  house,  which  is  still  standing, 
though  much  modernized.  This  was  one 
of  the  best  farms  in  the  county,  and  there 
he  resided  until  his  death  in  August, 
49 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1838.  Because  of  his  great  piety  and  ex- 
emplary life,  he  was  called  deacon,  though 
there  is  no  record  of  his  having  held  such 
office  in  the  church.  He  was  a  very  in- 
dustrious man,  of  even  temper,  and  uni- 
versally esteemed.  He  married  Meletiah 
Thayer,  of  Mendon,  Massachusetts,  about 
1771.  This  marriage  is  not  recorded  in 
Keene  or  Mendon,  or  any  of  the  towns 
adjoining  the  latter,  nor  is  her  birth  and 
parentage  discoverable.  She  was  a  very 
energetic  woman,  a  good  housekeeper, 
and  contributed  much  toward  her  hus- 
band's success.  When  they  first  settled 
in  Keene  she  sold  her  wedding  shoes  to 
buy  apple  trees  to  be  planted  on  the 
farm.  Later,  when  her  husband's  plow 
point  became  broken,  she  rode  a  horse 
fifty  miles  to  Mendon  to  procure  a  new 
point,  which  was  not  then  attainable  any- 
where in  Cheshire  county.  She  spun  and 
wove  both  wool  and  flax,  and  thus  pro- 
vided for  the  comfort  of  her  family  She 
died  April  30,  1850,  aged  ninety-eight 
years,  according  to  the  Keene  records. 
Children:  Kezia,  born  December  3,  1772; 
Pamelia,  March  27,  1775;  Archaeleus, 
October  17,  1777;  Samuel,  mentioned  be- 
low;  Milla,  September  10,  1783. 

(VI)  Samuel  Ellis,  second  son  of 
Henry  and  Meletiah  (Thayer)  Ellis,  was 
born  March  15,  1780,  in  Keene,  and  suc- 
ceeded his  father  on  the  paternal  home- 
stead in  that  town,  later  removing  to 
Stockbridge,  Vermont,  where  he  re- 
mained but  a  short  time,  and  about  1813- 
14,  settled  in  Fitzwilliam,  New  Hamp- 
shire, where  he  died  October  18,  1826. 
His  wife,  Cynthia,  born  June  25,  1778, 
died  May  16,  1870,  was  a  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Mary  Randall,  of  Fitzwil- 
liam. Children :  Samuel  G.,  born  Decem- 
ber 4,  1806;  George  W.,  mentioned  be- 
low; Beulah  P.,  1810,  died  1820;  Timo- 
thy, July  2.  181 1 ;  Cynthia,  June  30,  1813; 
Rufus  Randall,  1815;   Abijah,  1817;  Eli- 


jah Wiles;   Mary,  1820,  died  1821 ;   Beu- 
lah Pond,  1822,  died  1827. 

(VII)  George  Washington  Ellis,  sec- 
ond son  of  Samuel  and  Cynthia  (Ran- 
dall) Ellis,  was  born  March  4,  1808,  in 
Keene,  and  died  April  27,  1885,  in  Fitz- 
william. He  married  (first)  August  24, 
1837,  Bethiah  Ellen,  daughter  of  Levi  and 
Margaret  (Blake)  Pratt,  born  March  6, 
1818,  died  September  13,  1870.  He  mar- 
ried (second)  December  10,  1873,  Martha 
Harriet  Alynie  French.  Children,  all 
born  of  the  first  marriage :  George  H., 
born  August  24,  1838;  Edward  Bailey, 
November  11,  1839;  Ivory  Warren,  men- 
tioned below ;  Ira  W.,  February  19,  1843  > 
Elliott  Franklin,  November  28,  1844; 
Harriet  Martha,  October  6,  1846;  Wil- 
liam Orry,  April  2,  1848;  Charles  Pratt, 
November  13,  1849;  Addie  Maria  and 
Abbey  Eliza  (twins),  March  8,  185 1 ; 
Sarah  Jane,  November  28,  1853 ;  Maria 
Ann,  November  26, 1857 ;  Fred  Ellsworth, 
1861,  died  1862. 

(VIII)  Ivory  Warren  Ellis,  third  son 
of  George  Washington  and  Bethiah  E. 
(Pratt)  Ellis,  was  born  in  December, 
1840,  in  Fitzwilliam,  New  Hampshire, 
where  he  passed  his  life,  and  died  July  2, 
1880.  He  married,  in  1866,  Emeline  V. 
Metcalf,  born  July  8,  1849,  m  Rindge, 
New  Hampshire. 

(IX)  Effie  I.  Ellis,  daughter  of  Ivory 
Warren  and  Emeline  V.  (Metcalf)  Ellis, 
was  born  November  5,  1871,  in  Fitzwil- 
liam, and  became  the  wife  of  Orlando  E. 
Bickford,  now  residing  in  Fitchburg, 
Massachusetts  (see  Bickford  V). 


RICE,  George  Maury, 

Chemist.  Inventor. 

Edmund  Rice,  the  immigrant  ancestor, 
was  born  in  Barkhamstead,  England,  in 
1594,  and  came  to  New  England  probably 
early  in   1638.     He  settled  in   Sudbury, 


150 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Massachusetts,  and  was  a  proprietor 
there  in  1639.  The  village  plot  of  Sud- 
bury, now  Wayland,  was  laid  out  in  the 
fall  and  he  was  one  of  the  first  to  build 
his  house  there  on  Old  North  street,  near 
Mill  Brook.  He  received  his  share  in 
the  river  meadows,  divided  September  4, 
1639,  April  20  and  November  18,  1640. 
He  shared  also  in  all  the  various  divisions 
of  upland  and  other  common  lands,  re- 
ceiving altogther  two  hundred  and  forty- 
seven  acres.  He  built  a  second  house  in 
the  south  part  of  the  town  of  Sudbury  be- 
tween Timber  Neck  and  the  Glover  Farm 
near  the  spring.  He  sold  land  there  to 
Thomas  Axtell  and  Philemon  Whale, 
both  of  whom  built  houses  there.  He 
sold  his  house,  September  1,  1642,  to  John 
Moore,  and  on  September  13,  1642,  took 
a  six-year  lease  of  the  Dunster  farm  on 
the  east  shore  of  Lake  Cochituate.  He 
bought  land  between  the  farms  of  Mary 
Axtell  and  Philemon  Whale  and  his  son 
and  thus  located  his  homestead  at  Rice's 
Spring.  Then  he  bought  Mr.  Whale's 
house  and  nine  acres,  forming  the  nucleus 
of  the  Rice  homestead,  which  he  finally 
sold  to  his  son  Edmund  and  which  was 
occupied  by  his  descendants  down  to  a 
recent  date.  He  leased  for  ten  years, 
September  26,  1647,  the  Glover  farm, 
which  is  within  the  present  limits  of 
Framingham.  He  bought,  April  8,  1657, 
the  Jennison  farm,  extending  from  the 
Dunster  farm  to  the  Weston  line,  and  on 
June  24,  1659,  he  and  his  son  bought  the 
Dunster  place.  Besides  these  grants  and 
purchases,  he  received  from  the  General 
Court  fifty  acres  of  land  near  the  Beaver 
dam  in  1659.  He  was  a  prominent  citizen 
and  well  educated,  as  shown  by  various 
legal  documents  in  his  handwriting  still 
in  existence.  He  served  on  the  first  com- 
mittee of  the  town  to  divide  the  meadows  ; 
was  selectman  in  1639,  1644.  and  after- 
ward from  time  to  time ;  was  deacon  after 


1648;  deputy  to  the  General  Court  in 
1654-56,  and  one  of  the  petitioners  for  the 
town  of  Marlborough,  in  which  he  re- 
ceived a  house  lot  and  whither  he  moved 
in  1660.  He  surveyed  and  laid  out  Indian 
lands  for  the  earlier  settlers.  He  died 
May  3,  1663,  according  to  one  record.  In 
1914  his  grave  was  uncovered  at  Way- 
land,  Massachusetts,  and  a  large  flat 
stone  bearing  his  initials  "E.  R."  was  dis- 
covered proving  beyond  doubt  the  iden- 
tity of  his  grave.  It  was  customary  in 
these  days  to  bury  the  dead  six  feet  below 
the  surface,  and  cover  it  with  a  large  flat 
stone  in  order  to  protect  the  corpse  from 
being  dug  up  by  devouring  wolves  that 
was  a  pest  to  the  country.  He  stated  his 
age   as   sixty-two  in    1656.      He   married 

(first)  in  England,  Tamazine ,  who 

died  June  13,  1654.  He  married  (second) 
March  1,  1655,  Mercy  (Heard)  Brigham. 
Children,  all  by  first  wife:  Henry,  born 
in  1616;  Edward,  1618;  Thomas,  men- 
tioned below ;  Matthew,  married  Martha 
Lamson ;  Samuel,  married  Elizabeth 
King;  Joseph,  born  1637;  Lydia,  married 
HughDrury;  Edmund;  Benjamin,  born 
May  31,  1640;  Ruth,  married  S.  Wells; 
Ann,  Mary. 

(II)  Thomas  Rice,  son  of  Edmund 
Rice,  was  probably  born  in  England.  He 
married  Mary  ,  and  lived  in  Sud- 
bury until  1664,  when  he  moved  to  the 
adjacent  town  of  Marlborough,  where  he 
died  November  16,  1681.  His  family  was 
remarkable  for  the  longevity  of  the  chil- 
dren. An  interesting  but  not  entirely  ac- 
curate account  of  the  family  appeared  in 
the  "Boston  Gazette,"  December  26,  1768. 
His  will  was  dated  November  11,  1681, 
and  proved  April  14,  1682.  He  be- 
queathed to  Thomas,  Peter,  Nathaniel 
and  Ephraim.  His  widow's  will  was 
dated  May  10,  1710,  and  proved  April 
11,  1715.  Children:  Grace,  died  at  Sud- 
bury, January  3,  1653-54;   Thomas,  born 


151 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


June  30,  1654;  Mary,  September  4,  1656; 
Peter,  October  24,  1658;  Nathaniel,  Janu- 
ary 3,  1660;  Sarah,  January  15,  1662; 
Ephraim,  April  15,  1665 ;   Gershom,  May 

9,  1667;  James,  March  6,  1669;  Frances, 
February  3,  167071 ;  Jonas,  March  6, 
1672-73;  Grace,  January  15,  1675;  Elisha, 
mentioned  below. 

(III)  Elisha  Rice,  son  of  Thomas  Rice, 
was  born  December  11,  1679.  He  resided 
in  Sudbury.    He  married  there,  February 

10,  1707-08,  Elizabeth  Wheeler,  born  at 
Concord,  February  7,  1685-86,  daugh- 
ter of  Obadiah  and  Elizabeth  (White) 
Wheeler,  granddaughter  of  Obadiah  and 
Susannah  Wheeler,  of  Concord,  and  of 
Resolved  and  Judith  (Vassall)  White. 
Resolved  White,  born  at  Leyden  in  1615, 
was  a  son  of  William  and  Susanna  (Ful- 
ler) White  who  came  in  the  "Mayflower." 
Peregrine,  the  first  white  child  born  at 
Plymouth,  was  a  brother  of  Resolved. 
Judith  Vassall  was  a  daughter  of  William 
and  Ann  (King)  Vassell.  William  Vas- 
sall was  a  prominent  citizen  of  Marsh- 
field  and  Scituate;  was  an  assistant  in 
the  Massachusetts  Bay  Colony.  Elisha 
Rice  had  a  thirty-acre  grant  of  land  in 
Worcester  in  1718;  was  a  proprietor  in 
1719,  and  his  fifth  child  was  born  in  Wor- 
cester. He  returned  to  Sudbury,  how- 
ever, and  died  there  in  1761.  Children: 
Eliakim,  born  February  27,  1709;  Elisha, 
March  2,  1711,  died  young;  Elisha,  No- 
vember 3,  1713;  Julia,  March  30,  1716; 
Silas,  November  7,  1719;  Elijah,  men- 
tioned below;  Zebulon,  January  5,  1725. 

(IV)  Elijah  Rice,  son  of  Elisha  Rice, 
was  born  March  5,  1722,  at  Worcester  or 
Sudbury,  and  died  at  Holden  in  1818 
in  his  ninety-seventh  year.  He  was  a 
"minute-man"  in  the  Revolutionary  War 
and  George  M.  Rice  has  the  certificate. 
He  resided  in  Shrewsbury  in  what  is  now 
Boylston,  but  removed  to  Holden  after 
his   children   were   born.     His   will   was 


dated  April  8,  1799,  proved  April  7,  1818. 
He  married,  November  23,  1748,  Huldah 
Keyes,  born  April  19,  1727,  died  at 
Holden,  March,  1799,  a  daughter  of 
Ebenezer  and  Tamar  (Wheelock)  Keyes, 
granddaughter  of  Deacon  Thomas  Keyes, 
of  Shrewsbury,  and  of  Deacon  Samuel 
Wheelock.  Children,  born  at  Shrews- 
bury :  Elijah,  mentioned  below ;  Lois, 
born  September  19,  175 1 ;  Tryphena 
(twin),  died  young;  Joseph  (twin),  died 
young;  Ebenezer,  born  March  12,  1756; 
Zerviah,  August  6,  1760;  Lettice,  married 
Thomas  Davis ;  Huldah,  married  Asa 
Raymond. 

(V)  Elijah  (2)  Rice,  son  of  Elijah  (1) 
Rice,  was  born  at  Shrewsbury,  September 
11,  1749.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolu- 
tion, a  private  in  Captain  James  Davis's 
company  of  minute-men,  Colonel  Doo- 
little's  regiment  on  the  Lexington  Alarm, 
April  19,  1775.  He  married,  November 
10,  1771,  Relief  Williams,  of  Princeton, 
at  Lancaster,  Massachusetts,  and  they 
settled  at  Holden,  whence  he  removed  to 
Shrewsbury  in  January,  1799.  He  died 
at  Shrewsbury,  January  3,  1827;  his 
widow,  Relief,  at  Newton,  Massachusetts, 
at  the  home  of  her  daughter,  Azubah 
Pratt.  Children,  born  at  Holden :  Joseph, 
born  January  19,  1773;  Tryphena,  April 
28, 1774;  Nahum,  October  27, 1775  ;  Lucy, 
July  25,  1777;  David,  March  8,  1779; 
Martin,  March  8,  1781 ;  Huldah,  Decem- 
ber 28,  1782,  died  young;  Azubah,  Au- 
gust 14,  1784;  Elijah,  mentioned  below; 
Alexander,  December  27,  1788;  Olive, 
October  6,  1790;  Abner,  September  7, 
1792;   Lois,  resided  in  Boston. 

(VI)  Elijah  (3)  Rice,  son  of  Elijah  (2) 
Rice,  was  born  at  Holden,  December  5, 
1786.  He  resided  in  Shrewsbury,  whence 
he  removed  to  Worcester  and  later  to 
Bolyston,  Massachusetts.  He  married 
(first)  November  26,  1807,  Martha  God- 
dard,  born  July  1,  1789,  and  died  at  Boyl- 


■52 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ston,  August  26,  1842.  She  was  a  daugh- 
ter of  Elder  Luther  Goddard,  who  was 
born  in  1762,  married,  in  1784,  Elizabeth 
Dakin.  Daniel  Goddard,  father  of  Luther 
Goddard,  was  born  in  1734,  married,  in 
1756,  Mary  Willard.  Edward  Goddard, 
father  of  Daniel  Goddard,  was  born  in 
1697,  died  in  1777;  married  Hepsibah 
Hapgood.  Edward  Goddard,  father  of 
Edward  Goddard,  was  born  in  1675,  and 
died  in  1754;  married,  in  1697,  Susan 
Stone,  of  Framingham.  He  was  a  son  of 
the  immigrant,  William  Goddard,  of 
Watertown,  and  his  wife,  Elizabeth 
(Miles)  Goddard.  Elijah  Rice  married 
(second)  January  1,  1844,  Harriet  Hawes, 
and  afterward  removed  to  Northbridge, 
Massachusetts,  where  he  died  May  12, 
1853.  Children  by  first  wife,  born  at 
Shrewsbury:  1.  Luther  Goddard,  born 
September  18,  1808;  married  Elizabeth 
Coburn  and  lived  in  Boston.  2.  Charles 
Williams,  March  21,  1810;  lived  in  Wor- 
cester; married  Cornelia  A.  Smith  and 
had  three  children.  3.  Parley  G.,  born 
April  5,  1812,  died  in  Worcester,  Novem- 
ber, 1827.  4.  Emerson  Keyes,  born  April 
29,  1813;  married  Maria  Farnum ;  had 
Charles  E.  and  Willis  K.  and  two  daugh- 
ters. 5.  Elizabeth  G.,  born  May  12,  1815  ; 
married  Peregrine  B.  Gilbert  and  had 
three  children.  6.  Ebenezer  M.,  men- 
tioned below.  7.  Henry  J.,  born  Septem- 
ber 12,  1821,  died  in  Worcester,  June  24, 
1846.  8.  Calvin  H.,  born  November  23, 
1823 ;  married  Sarah  E.  Tarlton.  9.  Lo- 
renzo Elijah,  born  February  29,  1827; 
married  Sarah  Prentice ;  for  many  years 
he  was  employed  in  the  railroad  shops  at 
Norwich,  Connecticut;  children:  George 
Percy,  wholesale  fish  dealer,  New  York 
City ;  Frank  Goddard,  mason  and  con- 
tractor, Norwich,  Connecticut;  M.  Louise, 
housekeeper  for  George  M.  Rice,  men- 
tioned below;  William  E.,  dentist,  De- 
troit, Michigan.  10.  Martha  L.,  born 
June  6,  1829;   married  John  Watkins. 


(VII)  Ebenezer  M.  Rice,  son  of  Elijah 
(3)  Rice,  was  born  at  Shrewsbury,  July 
24,  1819  He  was  educated  in  the  district 
schools,  and  learned  the  trade  of  pattern 
maker  in  Worcester.  He  was  in  the 
employ  of  Woodworth,  the  inventor  of 
the  planing  machine,  and  in  1846  went 
with  Mr.  Woodworth  to  Concord,  New 
Hampshire.  When  gold  was  discovered 
in  California,  he  decided  to  go  thither  and 
made  the  voyage  around  Cape  Horn, 
sailing  from  Providence,  Rhode  Island, 
arriving  after  seven  months  in  San  Fran- 
cisco. He  spent  two  years  in  California, 
working  at  his  trade  most  of  the  time. 
Returning  by  way  of  the  Isthmus  of 
Panama,  he  had  to  wait  two  weeks  in 
Panama  for  the  steamship  and  was  in- 
fected with  the  now  called  yellow 
"Chagres"  fever,  surviving  but  two  weeks 
after  he  reached  home.  He  died  at  Wor- 
cester, February  9,  1851.  While  on  ship- 
board on  the  way  home  he  was  robbed  of 
nearly  ali  his  savings,  $2,000  in  gold.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Worcester  Light 
Infanlry.  He  married  Sarah  Ann  Lewis, 
daughter  of  Thomas  and  Sally  (Carroll) 
Lewis.  Thomas  Lewis,  Jr.,  of  Harvard, 
married,  October  14,  1823,  Sally  Carroll. 
Thomas  Lewis,  father  of  Thomas  Lewis, 
lived  at  Athol  and  died  there,  August  10, 
1814,  aged  fifty-one  years;  married  Olive 

;  children:     Timothy,  born  March 

13,  1788;  Hiram  Lewis,  December  22, 
1790;  Lovell  Lewis,  February  25,  1793; 
Thomas  Lewis,  June  12,  1795,  mentioned 
above;  Cheney,  November  27,  1798; 
Anna,  February  21,  1801,  all  born  at 
Athol.  Thomas  Lewis,  father  of  Thomas 
Lewis,  died  at  Athol,  March  20,  1814, 
aged  eighty  years.  Children  of  Ebenezer 
M.  Rice:  George  Maury,  mentioned 
below;  Alfred  Lewis,  born  July  18,  1845, 
died  at  Fall  River,  Massachusetts,  in 
1908,  superintendent  of  the  mills  of  Slack 
Brothers,  Springfield,  Vermont;  married 
Nellie  Webster ;  has  no  children. 


'53 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


(VIII)  George  Maury  Rice,  son  of 
Ebenezer  M.  and  Sarah  Ann  (Lewis) 
Rioe,  was  born  in  Worcester,  October  20, 
1843  He  received  his  early  education  in 
the  public  and  commercial  schools  of  his 
native  place.  In  the  employ  of  George 
Adams  he  learned  the  art  of  photography 
in  the  studio  on  Main  street,  opposite 
Elm  street.  In  May,  1864,  he  went  with 
Daniel  W.  Field  to  Nashville,  Tennessee, 
where  they  engaged  in  business  as  photo- 
graphers. They  were  occupied  during 
the  remainder  of  the  year  chiefly  in  tak- 
ing photographs  of  soldiers  and  of  army 
scenes.  Late  in  December  they  returned 
to  Worcester.  He  had  a  studio  in  West- 
borough  for  a  time  and  in  1868,  in  part- 
nership with  William  H.  Fitton,  opened 
a  photographic  studio  in  the  Piper  Block 
in  Worcester.  In  the  following  year  the 
business  was  sold,  but  a  few  months  later 
it  was  again  purchased  by  Mr.  Rice  and 
he  continued  in  business  until  1893  when 
he  retired.  For  many  years  he  was  the 
leading  photographer  of  Worcester  and 
one  of  the  best  known  in  the  State. 

Mr.  Rice  inherited  inventive  and  me- 
chanical skill  and  devoted  the  larger  part 
of  his  active  years  to  experimentation. 
He  was  granted  twenty  patents,  many  of 
which  were  of  great  value.  He  invented 
and  patented  the  process  for  removing 
cotton  from  woolen  stock  and  later  a 
process  for  removing  silk  from  woolen 
stock.  These  processes  are  now  in  use 
by  Slack  Brothers  of  Springfield,  Ver- 
mont, and  by  the  American  Woolen 
Company.  Mr.  Rice  had  a  factory  at 
Gardner,  Massachusetts,  for  three  years, 
and  made  use  of  his  patents  in  the  prepa- 
ration of  woolen  stock.  This  business 
was  sold  to  Slack  Brothers.  After  retir- 
ing from  business  Mr.  Rice  established 
an  experimental  chemical  labratory  at 
No.  152  Union  street,  where  he  spent 
much  of  his  leisure  time  in  experimenting 


on  chemical  processes  in  connection  with 
woolen  trade,  which  he  perfected  in 
many  details,  also  giving  particular  atten- 
tion to  humid  metallurgy  of  ores  bearing 
goid  and  silver,  being  often  consulted  by 
professional  men  from  all  parts  of  the 
United  States  who  were  interested  in  the 
subject. 

Mr.  Rice  is  one  of  the  most  promineni 
Free  Masons  of  Worcester.  He  is  a 
member  of  Montacute  Lodge,  of  which 
he  was  worshipful  master  in  1884-85  ;  of 
Worcester  Chapter,  Royal  Arch  Masons, 
of  which  he  was  most  excellent  high 
priest  in  1879-80;  of  Hiram  Council. 
Royal  and  Select  Masters,  of  which  he 
was  thrice  illustrious  master  in  1881-82; 
of  Worcester  County  Commandery, 
Knights  Templar ;  of  Aleppo  Temple, 
Mystic  Shrine:  of  Worcester  Lodge  ot 
Perfection,  fourteenth  degree;  of  God- 
dard  Council.  s'xtv_°nth  degree  Piincef 
of  Jerusalem,  of  which  he  was  sovereign 
prince  from  1887  to  1888;  of  Lawrence 
Chapter,  Rose  Croix,  eighteenth  degree, 
and  the  Massachusetts  Consistory,  thirty- 
second  degree,  and  he  took  the  thirty- 
third  degree  in  Boston,  September  21, 
1915.  He  was  grand  principal  conductor 
of  the  work  in  the  Grand  Council  in 
1884;  first  lieutenant  commander  in  the 
Massachusetts  Council  of  Deliberation  in 
1886-87;  delegate  to  the  session  of  the 
General  Grand  Chapter  of  the  United 
States  at  Atlanta  in  1889;  grand  king  in 
the  Grand  Chapter  in  1889;  grand 
steward  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Massa- 
chusetts in  1896.  At  the  last  session  of 
the  Supreme  Council,  Scottish  Rite,  at 
Chicago,  in  October,  1914,  he  was  pro- 
posed and  elected  to  the  thirty-third 
degree.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Aletheia 
Grotto,   of  Worcester. 

Mr.  Rice  is  a  member  and  for  three 
years  he  was  one  of  the  committee  of  three 
of  the  Worcester  County  Mechanics  Asso- 


154 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ciation.  He  was  formerly  captain  of 
Company  C  of  the  Worcester  Con- 
tinentals. When  a  young  man  he  served 
in  Company  A,  Second  Regiment  Massa- 
chusetts Volunteer  Militia,  known  as  the 
Worcester  City  Guards,  in  1866-67,  ar>d 
he  is  an  honorary  member  of  the  Wor- 
cester Light  Infantry.  He  has  been  vice- 
president  of  the  Veteran  Association  of 
the  Worcester  City  Guards.  He  has 
been  auditor  and  trustee  of  the  Worcester 
Agricultural  Society  and  is  a  member  of 
the  New  England  Agricultural  Society. 
He  is  an  associate  member  of  General 
George  H.  Ward  Post,  No.  10,  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic.  He  was  formerly 
a  member  of  the  Worcester  Board  of 
Trade.  He  is  a  member  of  the  National 
Society  Sons  of  the  American  Revolu- 
tion, and  has  served  two  terms  of  three 
years  each  on  the  board  of  managers  of 
the  Massachusetts  Society,  Sons  of  the 
American  Revolution,  and  is  vice-presi- 
dent of  the  Worcester  Chapter  of  this 
society.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Worces- 
ter Society  of  Antiquity  and  has  served 
several  years  on  the  committee  on  nomi- 
nations, and  other  committees. 

In  public  life  Mr.  Rice  has  taken  an 
active  and  prominent  part.  In  politics  he 
has  been  a  Republican  ever  since  he  was 
of  voting  age.  From  1891  to  1896  he  was 
a  member  of  the  Worcester  Common 
Council.  He  was  a  member  of  the  board 
of  trustees  of  the  City  Hospital,  1892-95. 
He  served  three  years  in  the  General 
Court,  1896-98.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  water  supply  committee  in  1896 ; 
clerk  of  the  committee  in  1897  and  house 
chairman  in  1898.  During  the  Spanish 
War  he  served  on  the  committee  on 
military  affairs  in  the  Legislature.  Mr. 
Rice  is  keenly  interested  in  local  and 
family  history.  He  is  vice-president  of 
the  Edmund  Rice  (1638)  Family  Asso- 
ciation.    He  was  prominent  in  arranging 


the  details  for  the  parade  of  the  Sons  of 
the  American  Revolution  over  the  route 
taken  by  Washington  in  his  journey  to 
Cambridge  to  take  command  of  the 
American  army.  This  parade  was  in 
1914.  At  the  time  of  the  celebration  of 
the  centennial  of  Montacute  Lodge,  Free 
and  Accepted  Masons,  Mr.  Rice  compiled 
a  history  of  the  lodge,  which  was  pub- 
lished in  the  "Worcester  Telegram."  He 
also  wrote  a  history  of  Worcester  Chap- 
ter, Royal  Arch  Masons,  published  in 
1898,  at  the  time  of  its  seventy-fifth 
anniversary. 

For  many  years  Mr.  Rice  resided  on 
Eden  terrace,  but  in  1914  he  purchased 
his  present  house,  No.  46  Midland  street. 
Mr.  Rice  has  never  married. 


FOWLER,  Rufus  B., 

Inventor,  Patent  Attorney. 

The  known  history  of  the  Fowler 
family  extends  backward  nearly  three 
hundred  years  from  the  present  time.  It 
was  founded  very  early  in  the  new  colony 
of  Massachusetts,  and  has  many  worthy 
descendants  scattered  over  the  United 
States  at  the  present  time.  In  days  when 
men  were  taking  surnames,  those  of 
many  were  indicated  by  their  occupation. 
The  fowler  or  huntsman  was  an  import- 
ant personage  in  the  suite  of  every 
gentleman  of  the  olden  times.  The  Fow- 
ler coat-of-arms  is  described :  Azure  on 
a  chevron  between  three  lions  passant 
guardant  or  as  many  crosses  formee 
sable.  Crest :  An  owl  argent  ducally 
gorged  or. 

(I)  Philip  Fowler,  a  cloth  worker,  was 
born  somewhere  between  1591  and  1598, 
in  England,  presumably  at  Marlborough, 
Wiltshire,  where  his  eldest  child  was  bap- 
tized in  1615.  He  sailed  from  Southamp- 
ton, England,  in  the  ship  "Mary  and 
John,"    after   having    subscribed    to    the 


155 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


oath  there  March  24,  1634.  Owing  to  the 
misrepresentation  of  the  activities  and 
intentions  of  the  colonists  in  New  Eng- 
land, ships  sailing  thither  were  subjected 
at  that  time  to  a  rigid  scrutiny.  The 
passengers  were  compelled  to  take  the 
"oathes  of  allegiance  and  supremacie" 
and  the  master  was  required  to  give  bond 
to  perform  the  services  of  the  Church  of 
England  during  the  voyage.  The  "Mary 
and  John"  arrived  in  New  England  in 
May,  and  Philip  Fowler  was  admitted  a 
freeman  September  3,  1634,  and  before  the 
close  of  that  year  was  settled  in  Ipswich, 
Massachusetts.  He  died  there  June  24, 
1679,  and  his  grandson,  Philip  Fowler, 
was  appointed  administrator  of  his  estate. 
He  married  (first)  Mary  Winsley,  who 
died  August  30,  1659,  in  Ipswich;  (sec- 
ond) February  27,  1660,  Mary,  widow  of 
George  Norton.  Children:  Margaret, 
baptized  May  25,  161 5,  at  Marlborough, 
Wiltshire,  England;  Mary,  married  Wil- 
liam Chandler,  of  Newbury,  and  died 
1666;  Samuel,  mentioned  below;  Hester, 
married  (first)  Jathnell  Bird,  (second) 
Ezra  Rolfe,  (third)  Robert  Collins;  Jo- 
seph, born  about  1622,  in  England ; 
Thomas,  about  1636,  in  Ipswich. 

(II)  Samuel  Fowler,  eldest  son  of 
Philip  and  Mary  (Winsley)  Fowler,  was 
born  about  1618,  in  England,  and  came 
to  this  country,  presumably  with  his 
father.  He  resided  in  Portsmouth  and 
Salisbury,  and  was  a  shipwright.  The 
fact  that  Samuel  Winsley  called  him 
cousin  makes  it  apparent  that  that  was 
the  maiden  name  of  his  mother.  He 
resided  in  Salisbury  in  1668  and  1680,  and 
in  1669  purchased  Louis  Hulett's  country 
right  in  Salisbury.  It  is  probable  that  he 
belonged  to  the  Society  of  Friends.  He 
was  brought  before  the  court  in  April, 
1675,  for  "Breach  of  the  Sabbath  in  travel- 
ing." He  died  January  17,  171 1,  in  Salis- 
bury.   The  name  of  his  first  wife  has  not 


been  discovered.  He  was  married,  after 
1673,  to  Margaret  (Norman)  Morgan. 
Children:  William,  resided  in  Ports- 
mouth, New  Hampshire;  Mary,  married 
Richard  Goodwin ;  Sarah,  living  in  1665 ; 
Samuel,  mentioned  below. 

(III)  Samuel  (2)  Fowler,  youngest 
child  of  Samuel  (1)  Fowler,  was  born 
probably  in  Salisbury,  and  died  in  that 
town,  December  24,  1737.  His  will  had 
been  made  almost  ten  years  previously, 
and  was  proven  six  days  after  his  death. 
He  married,  December  5,  1684,  in  Salis- 
bury, Hannah,  daughter  of  Ezekiel  and 
Hannah  (Martin)  Worthen,  born  April 
21,  1663,  in  Salisbury,  and  survived  her 
husband.  Children:  Samuel,  born  Octo- 
ber 23,  1685;  Hannah,  April  30,  1687; 
Susanna,  March  10,  1689;  Jacob,  Decem- 
ber 10,  1690;  Mary,  July  10,  1692;  Sarah, 
March  5,  1694;  Ann,  June  30,  1696; 
Ezekiel,  mentioned  below ;  Robert,  Janu- 
ary 11,  1700;  Abraham,  October  26,  1701 ; 
Thomas,  October  19,  1703;  Lydia,  April 
17,  1705  ;  Judith,  June  29,  1712. 

(IV)  Ezekiel  Fowler,  third  son  of 
Samuel  (2)  and  Hannah  (Worthen) 
Fowler,  was  born  January  26,  1698,  in 
Salisbury,  and  was  living  there  at  the 
time  his  father's  will  was  made  in  1727. 
Subsequently  he  resided  in  Salem,  Massa- 
chusetts, where  he  died  in  1735.  He  mar- 
ried, June  5,  1722,  Martha  Chase,  born 
February  24,  1702,  in  Swansea,  Massa- 
chusetts, second  daughter  and  second 
child  of  Samuel  and  Sarah  (Sherman) 
Chase,  formerly  of  Portsmouth,  Rhode 
Island.  She  was  a  descendant  of  Wil- 
liam Chase,  born  about  1595,  in  England, 
and  came  to  America  in  Governor  Win- 
throp's  fleet  in  1630,  accompanied  by  his 
wife  Mary  and  son  William.  He  settled 
at  Roxbury,  and  shortly  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  church  of  which  John  Eliot,  the 
famous  apostle  to  the  Indians,  was  pastor. 
He  was  propounded  for  freeman  in  1633, 

156 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  was  admitted  May  14,  1634.  About 
1637  he  removed  to  Yarmouth,  Massa- 
chusetts, where  he  died  in  May,  1659,  and 
was  survived  by  his  widow  about  five 
months.  Their  son,  William  Chase,  born 
about  1622,  died  in  Yarmouth,  February 
27,  1685.  His  youngest  son,  Samuel 
Chase,  resided  in  Portsmouth,  where  he 
married  Sarah,  daughter  of  Samuel  and 
Martha  (Tripp)  Sherman,  granddaughter 
of  Philip  and  Sarah  (Odding)  Sherman, 
of  Portsmouth.  About  1700  he  removed 
to  Swansea,  Massachusetts,  where  was 
born  his  daughter  Martha,  wife  of  Ezekiel 
Fowler,  as  above  noted.  After  the  early 
death  of  her  husband,  she  returned  to  her 
native  town,  accompanied  by  her  son, 
next  mentioned.  She  afterward  married, 
March  11,  1749,  Samuel  Bowen. 

(V)  Samuel  (3)  Fowler,  son  of  Ezekiel 
and  Martha  (Chase)  Fowler,  was  born 
about  1730,  and  was  a  cordwainer  by 
trade,  residing  in  Swansea,  Massachu- 
setts, until  1753.  In  the  following  year 
he  settled  in  Warren,  Rhode  Island,  and 
about  ten  years  later  removed  to  the 
easterly  part  of  Northbridge,  then  part  of 
Uxbridge,  Massachusetts.  Like  his  father 
and  grandfather,  he  was  a  Quaker,  and 
was  identified  with  the  Smithfield  month- 
ly meetings.  He  married,  September  20, 
1750,  Hannah  Bowen,  of  Swansea,  Rhode 
Island,  and  had  children,  of  whom  twelve 
were  living  at  his  death.  His  sons,  John 
and  Bernard,  were  the  principal  legatees. 
Children:  1.  Sarah,  born  at  Swansea 
(and  recorded  also  at  Smithfield  and 
Warren,  Rhode  Island,  where  the  family 
lived  afterward),  October  20,  1753;  mar- 
ried   Southwick.    2.  Ezekiel,  named 

for  his  grandfather,  born  at  Warren,  De- 
cember 23,  1754,  settled  at  Worcester; 
married  (first)  Sarah  Mowry,  daughter  of 
Ananias  Mowry,  of  Smithfield,  August  5, 
1784;  (second)  May  2,  1820,  Hannah  Col- 
burn,  daughter  of  Ebenezer  and  Anna  Col- 


burn,  of  Mendon.  3.  Mary,  born  at  War- 
ren, August  23,  1756;  married Fol- 

som.  4.  Isaac,  born  at  Warren,  August  3, 
1758.  5.  Olive,  born  at  Warren,  June  2^, 
1760;  married  there,  March  24,  1782; 
Gideon  Luther.  6.  Bernard,  mentioned  be- 
low. 7.  John,  born  at  Uxbridge,  April  2, 
1764.  8.  Martha,  born  at  Uxbridge,  March 
16,  1766;  married  Legg.  9.  Eliza- 
beth, born  at  Uxbridge,  February  2,  1768. 
10.   Hannah,   born   at   Uxbridge,   May   7, 

1771 ;  married  Baker.     11.  Peace, 

born  at  Northbridge,  May  12,  1773;  mar- 
ried    Watson.     12.  Phebe,  born  at 

Northbridge,  September  16,  1775,  married 

Baker. 

(VI)  Bernard  Fowler,  son  of  Samuel 
(3)  and  Hannah  (Bowen)  Fowler,  was 
born  April  3,  1762,  in  Warren,  Rhode 
Island,  and  died  in  Northbridge,  Massa- 
chusetts, April  4,  1843.  He  was  a  farmer 
and  a  member  of  the  Society  of  Friends, 
and  came  to  Northbridge  in  1763.  He 
married  (first)  March  4,  1790,  Rebecca 
Mowry,  of  Smithfield,  Rhode  Island,  born 
February  9,  1770,  daughter  of  Dr.  Jona- 
than and  Deborah  (Wing)  Mowry,  died 
February  6,  1805.  Deborah  Mowry  was 
born  at  Glocester,  Rhode  Island,  May  27, 
1750,  daughter  of  Jabez  and  Anna  Wing, 
of  Plymouth.  Jonathan  Mowry  was  born 
October  3,  1741,  died  March  25,  1814,  son 
of  Uriah  and  Orania  Mowry.  Bernard 
Fowler  married  (second)  December  5 
1810,  Abigail  Steere,  daughter  of  Enoch 
and  Serviah  Steere,  of  Glocester.  In  his 
will  he  mentions  land  that  he  owned  in 
Holden,  Massachusetts.  Children  by  first 
wife :  Mary,  married  Shadrach  Steere  ; 
Robert,  died  suddenly,  before  his  father; 
Willis  (non  compos  at  the  time  his 
father's  will  was  made);  Phebe,  married 
Timothy  McNamara ;  Caleb ;  Samuel, 
born  May  18,  1803,  married  Eliza 
Murphy,  of  Vermont;  by  second  wife: 
Thomas,  born  at  Northbridge,    October 


157 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


28,  i8ii,  died  at  Troy,  New  York,  Feb- 
ruary 9,  1856,  unmarried;  Rebecca,  born 
at  Northbridge,  December  3,  1812,  died 
at  Barre,  Vermont,  1864,  married  Obadiah 
Wood  ;  Charles,  mentioned  below ;  Nancy, 
born  at  Northbridge,  March  20,  181 7, 
died  at  Grafton,  April  29,  1901,  married 
Stephen  R.  White. 

(VII)  Charles  Fowler,  son  of  Bernard 
and  Abigail  (Steere)  Fowler,  was  born 
January  17,  1815,  at  Northbridge,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  died  in  Worcester,  Massa- 
chusetts, January  21,  1895.  He  was  a 
farmer,  and  of  Quaker  faith,  and  married, 
February  9,  1841,  Susan  Frost  Bennett, 
who  died  three  days  prior  to  the  death 
of  her  husband.  She  was  the  daughter 
of  Rufus  Bennett,  known  as  "Father" 
Bennett,  a  farmer  in  Northbridge,  and 
member  of  the  Legislature  from  that  town 
for  some  years.  He  was  ordained  a 
Methodist  minister  in  the  early  days  be- 
fore the  Methodists  settled  and  became 
salaried  preachers,  and  he  refused  to  ac- 
cept such  a  settlement.  He  continued  to 
minister  without  any  pay  to  all  who  re- 
quired his  services,  since,  as  he  said,  "The 
Grace  of  God  is  free."  All  the  country- 
side was  his  parish,  in  which  he  solemn- 
ized marriages,  and  attended  funerals, 
and  no  gathering  of  the  citizens  was 
complete  without  the  presence  and  advice 
of  "Father"  Bennett.  Charles  Fowler's 
children  were:  Rufus  Bennett,  of  fur- 
ther mention ;  Charles  Thomas,  born  Au- 
gust 29,  1847,  m  Northbridge,  died  in 
Kansas  City,  Missouri,  December  11, 
1889,  unmarried ;  Mary  Abby,  August  20, 
1855,  in  Northbridge,  died  in  Worcester, 
Massachusetts,  November  22,  1894,  un- 
married. 

(VIII)  Rufus  Bennett  Fowler,  son  of 
Charles  and  Susan  F.  (Bennett)  Fowler, 
was  born  December  5,  1841,  in  North- 
bridge,  Massachusetts.  He  was  gradu- 
ated at  the  Barre  Academy,  Barre,  Ver- 


mont, in  the  class  of  1861,  and  was  for  a 
time  assistant  superintendent  at  the  Ux- 
bridge  Woolen  Mill.  He  later  took  a 
course  in  the  Eastman  Business  College 
at  Poughkeepsie,  New  York,  the  first  to 
adopt  actual  business  methods  in  its 
course  of  instruction,  and  at  that  time  at 
the  height  of  its  popularity,  having  about 
fourteen  hundred  students.  At  the  close 
of  his  course,  Mr.  Fowler  accepted  the 
position  of  superintendent  and  instructor 
in  the  Banking  Department  of  Eastman 
College.  In  this  department  two  banks 
and  a  clearing  house  illustrated  in  a 
practical  manner  the  functions  of  banks 
in  business  life.  In  addition  to  his  duties 
as  superintendent  and  instructor  Mr. 
Fowler  also  studied  law.  In  1864-65  he 
became  lecturer  on  commercial  law  at 
the  United  States  College  of  Business  in 
New  Haven,  Connecticut.  This  college 
was  an  ambitious  undertaking  of  Mr. 
Thomas  H.  Stevens,  for  many  years 
teacher  in  the  Claverack  Institute,  New 
York,  to  broaden  the  instruction  in 
schools  of  this  class.  From  1865  to  the 
time  of  the  great  fire  in  Chicago,  Mr. 
Fowler  was  a  member  of  the  wholesale 
firm  of  Fowler,  Stewart  &  Wilson,  at  No. 
39  Lake  street,  Chicago.  From  that  time 
Mr.  Fowler  gradually  drifted  into  me- 
chanical pursuits  and  patent  law,  urged 
both  by  his  natural  ability  and  his  incli- 
nation in  that  direction.  His  services  as 
an  expert  in  such  matters  were  in  con- 
stant demand.  In  1872  he  went  to  Nor- 
wich, Connecticut,  and  was  for  some  time 
engaged  in  designing  special  machinery 
at  Worcester.  He  also  at  this  time  com- 
pleted an  invention  of  a  ribbon  loom. 
Other  inventions  related  to  wire  working 
machinery,  wool  carding  engines,  and  a 
mechanical  piano  player  of  unique  capa- 
bilities, to  which  he  gave  the  name  of 
Pianochord.  After  his  marriage  he  lived 
in  Stafford  Springs,  Connecticut,  where 
58 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


he  conducted  the  manufacture  of  narrow 
wares  by  means  of  looms  of  his  own  in- 
vention. In  1881  he  returned  to  Worces- 
ter, where  he  now  lives,  and  took  up  the 
profession  of  patent  attorney  and  expert 
in  patent  causes,  with  offices  on  the  top 
floor  of  the  Exchange  Building,  311  Main 
street.  On  May  1,  1915,  he  moved  his 
offices  to  the  beautiful  New  Park  Build- 
ing, corner  of  Main  and  Franklin  streets, 
Worcester,  where  he  is  associated  with 
Mr.  Kennedy,  under  the  firm  name  of 
Fowler  &  Kennedy,  patent  attorneys,  of 
which  Mr.  Fowler  is  senior  partner.  The 
nature  of  his  profesion  is  such  that  a 
comparatively  few  become  acquainted 
with  his  merits  and  ability,  and  although 
he  ranks  high  in  his  profession,  he  is 
better  known  through  his  connection  with 
various  organizations  devoted  to  public 
service.  He  was  president  of  the  Wor- 
cester Board  of  Trade  in  1900  and  1901, 
his  natural  fitness  and  ability  for  the  posi- 
tion and  his  public  spirit  and  interest  in 
the  public  welfare  of  Worcester  direct- 
ing attention  to  him,  and  he  was  recog- 
nized as  a  very  capable  and  efficient  presi- 
dent. While  at  the  head  of  the  Board  of 
Trade  there  was  spontaneous  movement 
to  run  Mr.  Fowler  for  the  office  of  mayor 
of  Worcester,  and  he  could  have  had  the 
Republican  nomination  with  the  support 
of  all  the  newspapers,  but  he  declined  the 
honor  on  account  of  the  pressure  of  his 
private  business.  The  only  public  office 
he  has  accepted  is  that  of  park  commis- 
sioner of  Worcester,  which  he  now  holds. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  commission 
appointed  by  Governor  Foss  to  consider 
the  preservation  of  Lake  Quinsigamond. 
He  is  a  trustee  of  the  Worcester  Acad- 
emy, of  the  Worcester  County  Institution 
for  Savings,  director  in  the  Wright  Wire 
Company,  the  Morgan  Spring  Company, 
and  other  corporations.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Worcester  Society  of  Antiquity, 


the  Worcester  Economic  Club,  the  Public 
Education  Association  of  Worcester,  the 
Worcester  County  Musical  Association, 
the  Massachusetts  Civic  League,  the 
Massachusetts  Forestry  Association,  the 
National  Conference  of  Charities  and 
Correction,  the  American  Civic  Associa- 
tion, the  National  Municipal  League,  and 
the  National  Geographic  Society.  Mr. 
Fowler  is  also  a  member  of  the  Engi- 
neers' Club  of  New  York  City.  He  is 
an  honorary  member  of  the  Worcester 
Continentals.  Although  Mr.  Fowler  was 
reared  a  Quaker,  he  and  his  family  are 
attendants  of  the  Central  Congregational 
Church,  and  he  was  active  in  the  build- 
ing committee,  the  board  of  assessors 
and  the  music  committee,  while  Mrs. 
Fowler  served  on  the  woman's  commit- 
tee. Mr.  Fowler  married,  November  17, 
1875,  Helen  Maria  Wood,  a  daughter  of 
Stillman  and  Harriet  (Clark)  Wood,  of 
Barre,  Vermont.  Children:  Henry  Wood, 
mentioned  below;  Susan  Bennett,  born 
in  Worcester,  Massachusetts,  January  1, 
1885,  died  in  that  city,  June  6,  1892. 

(IX)  Henry  Wood  Fowler,  only  son  of 
Rufus  Bennett  and  Helen  M.  (Wood) 
Fowler,  was  born  November  11,  1876,  at 
Stafford  Springs,  Connecticut,  and  died  at 
Boston,  February  17,  1912.  He  was  edu- 
cated in  the  public  schools  of  Worcester, 
at  Worcester  Academy,  graduating  in 
1894,  and  at  Harvard  College,  from  which 
he  was  graduated  in  1898  with  the  degree 
of  Bachelor  of  Arts,  magna  cum  laude, 
with  honorable  mention  in  Latin  and 
history.  He  continued  his  studies  at 
Harvard  and  received  the  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Laws  in  1901.  He  was  ad- 
mitted to  practice  in  the  Massachusetts 
Supreme  Judicial  Court  in  1901 ;  in  the 
United  States  Circuit  Court  in  1903,  and 
in  the  United  States  Supreme  Court  in 
1905.  For  two  years  after  graduation  he 
was  in  the  law  office  of  Charles  M. 
^59 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Thayer  and  Henry  F.  Harris,  in  Worces- 
ter, and  afterward  was  associated  with 
his  father  in  patent  practice.  He  had 
marked  literary  tastes  and  assisted  for 
about  a  year  in  the  editorial  management 
of  the  "Worcester  Magazine,"  published 
by  the  Board  of  Trade,  to  which  he  was 
a  frequent  contributor.  He  pursued  a 
wide  and  varied  range  of  reading,  and 
was  familiar  with  the  masterpieces  of 
English,  French  and  German  literature. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Harvard  Club, 
of  Worcester,  the  Worcester  Club,  the 
Quinsigamond  Boat  Club,  and  the  Winter 
Club.  He  married,  September  14,  1904, 
Mabel  Curtis  Price,  of  Worcester.  He 
resided  at  No.  3  Tuckerman  street,  Wor- 
cester, and  had  a  summer  home  at  Con- 
way, New  Hampshire.  Children :  Helen, 
born  February  24,  1906;  Margaret,  June 
7,  1909 ;  Anne,  September  9,  1910. 


CRISTY,  Austin  Phelps, 
Journalist. 

The  surname  Cristy  is  a  variation  in 
spelling  of  Christy  or  Christie,  a  very 
ancient  Scotch  surname,  derived  from  the 
personal  name  Christian  or  some  of  its 
variations.  As  a  baptismal  name  Christus, 
Christ,  Christian  was  in  use  from  the 
beginning  of  the  Christian  era.  Accord- 
ing to  an  old  tradition,  the  progenitor  of 
the  Christy  family  established  the  first 
Christian  church  in  Scotland.  A  branch 
of  the  family  went  from  Scotland  to  the 
north  of  Ireland  with  the  Covenanters 
and  in  the  counties  of  Ulster  province  the 
family  is  still  fairly  numerous,  as  shown 
by  the  census  of  1890.  Most  of  the 
Cristy  and  Christie  families  in  this 
country  are  from  this  branch  of  the 
family.  Pioneers  came  to  Massachusetts, 
Pennsylvania  and  the  South.  Rev. 
Thomas  Davidson  Christie,  born  at  Sion 
Mills,  County  Tyrone,  Ireland,  January 


21,  1843,  an  eminent  divine,  is  now  presi- 
dent of  St.  Paul's  Collegiate  Institute  at 
Tarsus  in  Asia  Minor.  There  is  a  family 
in  New  Jersey,  descended  from  James 
Christie,  a  native  of  Scotland,  who  mar- 
ried, September  8,  1703,  Magdalen  Dema- 
rest  at  Schraalenburgen,  New  Jersey,  and 
died  April  16,  1768,  aged  ninety-seven 
years.  He  was  doubtless  the  first  settler 
of  the  family  in  this  country.  The  New 
England  branches  descend  from  later 
immigrants. 

John  "Crisdee"  "a  strainjour  that  came 
from  Great  Brittaine"  published  his  inten- 
tion to  marry  Hannah  Burrill  at  Lynn, 
July  30,  1720.  Nothing  further  is  known 
of  him.  In  Essex  county  a  family  of  the 
name  of  Cressey  is  sometimes  taken  for 
Cristy  on  account  of  the  vagaries  in 
spelling,  but  the  various  branches  of  this 
family  have  been  traced,  showing  no  con- 
nection with  the  name  Cristy  or  Christie. 
Another  John  Christie  settled  in  Marble- 
head  ;  had  by  his  wife  Mary :  Margaret, 
baptized  July  31,  1768;  Sarah,  baptized 
December  11,  1770,  and  his  widow  Mary 
died  there,  October  27,  1814,  aged  seven- 
ty-three years,  six  months.  At  Marble- 
head  Mary  Cristey  married,  in  1773, 
Thomas  Meigs;  James  Cristey,  of 
Marblehead,  married,  January  22,  1789, 
Abigail  Balch,  at  Bradford.  Sarah 
"Chresdee"  married,  December  15,  1743, 
at  Haverhill,  Joseph  Attwood.  Sarah 
may  have  been  of  the  Londonderry 
family. 

Jesse  Cristey  was  the  pioneer  of  the 
family  at  Londonderry,  New  Hampshire 
He  was  unquestionably  one  of  the  Scotch- 
Irish  settlers  and  was  in  all  probability 
son  of  Peter  or  William  Christy,  both  of 
whom  lived  near  or  in  Londonderry, 
Ireland,  and  signed  the  memorial  to  Gov- 
ernor Shute,  of  Massachusetts,  dated 
March  26,  1718,  asking  preliminary  ques- 
tions relative  to  a  plan  of  emigration  and 


160 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


a  portion  of  unoccupied  land  on  which  to 
settle  their  families.  The  gravestone  01 
Jesse  Cristey  shows  that  he  died  August 
8,  1739.  aged  sixty-seven  years  (p.  339 
Old  Nuffield).  He  was  buried  in  the  old 
graveyard  in  what  is  now  Derry,  New 
Hampshire.  Alary,  his  wife,  died  De- 
cember 24,  1776,  aged  seventy-nine  years. 
The  land  records  show  that  he  had  a  lot 
laid  out  July  25,  1723,  on  the  north  side  of 
Leverett  Brook;  seventy-six  acres  more 
of  amendment  land,  January  23,  1729-30. 
In  1730  he  was  on  a  committee  to  defend 
the  town  boundaries  of  Londonderry. 
His  signature  shows  that  he  spelled  the 
name  Cristey.  In  1731  he  was  on  a  com- 
mittee to  consider  sending  a  call  to 
Ireland  for  a  new  minister.  He  was  high- 
way surveyor  in  1732-33.  His  will  was 
dated  August  4,  1739,  proved  October  31, 
1739.  He  bequeathed  to  wife  Mary  and 
children,  Peter,  James,  Margaret  McFar- 
land,  Agnes,  Jean,  George,  Mary,  Ann, 
Thomas.  Robert  Boyes  and  Thomas 
Cristey  were  executors.  The  son  Peter 
died  January  11,  1753,  aged  forty-three 
years  (gravestone);  was  highway  sur- 
veyor 1739-40-42-43,  and  selectman  of 
Londonderry  in  1749.  Thomas  Cristey 
also  died  at  Londonderry,  June  30,  1780 
(gravestone)  ;  his  first  wife  Sarah  died 
August  28,  1763,  aged  thirty-nine  years; 
his  second  wife  Martha  died  December 
11,  1780,  aged  forty-six  years.  No  further 
records  were  found  in  Londonderry  of 
the  first  settler.  Captain  George  Cristy, 
son  of  Jesse  Cristey,  settled  in  New  Bos- 
ton, New  Hampshire,  about  1750,  and 
died  there  April  22,  1790,  aged  fifty-eight 
years ;  married  Margaret  Kelso,  daughter 
of  Alexander  Kelso,  of  Londonderry,  and 
had  Anna,  Jesse,  Thomas,  John,  George, 
Mary,  Nancy,  Margaret.  About  the  same 
time  Deacon  Jesse  Cristy  came  from  Lon- 
donderry to  New  Boston ;  married  Mary 
Gregg,  daughter  of  Samuel  Gregg,  and 
MASS-Vol.  in — 11 


had  children:  Jeane,  Peter,  Samuel, 
John,  Mary,  Elizabeth,  James,  Mary 
Ann,  Jesse,  Robert,  Ann  and  William. 

(I)  Captain  John  Cristy  was  probably 
a  nephew  of  Jesse  Cristey,  of  London- 
derry. Neither  he  nor  Deacon  Jesse  of 
New  Boston  were  mentioned  in  the  will 
of  the  first  Jesse.  He  was  born  in  1714 
and  settled  in  Londonderry,  New  Hamp- 
shire, as  early  as  1746.  He  bought,  Feb- 
ruary 20,  1750,  some  fifty  acres  of  land 
of  Halbert  Morison  for  six  hundred 
pounds,  old  tenor.  This  farm  was  origin- 
ally laid  out  in  1728  to  William  Nickles, 
of  Londonderry,  and  though  the  old  land- 
marks are  now  gone,  it  was  a  part  of  what 
is  now  the  Senter  farm  in  the  town  of 
Windham.  He  is  said  to  have  been  a  sea 
captain.  He  became  a  large  land  owner. 
He  bought  land  of  Rev.  John  Kinkead 
and  of  David  Bailey.  He  lived  on  the 
swell  of  land  in  the  range  on  the  brow  of 
a  hill  on  what  is  now  the  Senter  place, 
an  ideal  site,  commanding  an  excellent 
view  of  Cobbett's  pond.  He  was  keeper 
of  an  inn  as  well  as  a  farmer  and  one  of 
the  foremost  citizens  of  the  town  of 
Windham;  selectman  in  1748,  1756,  1762, 
1763,  1765,  1766;  moderator  of  the  annual 
town  meetings  in  1753,  1754,  1757,  1764 
and  1765.  He  was  married  three  times. 
His  first  wife  was  Elizabeth ;  his  second 
wife  Jane,  who  died  January  9,  1761,  in 
her  forty-seventh  year,  and  his  third  wife 
Mary,  who  died  February  4,  1767,  in  her 
twenty-seventh  year.  He  and  his  wives 
are  buried  in  the  Hill  Cemetery  in  Wind- 
ham, and  their  gravestones  are  standing. 
He  died  December  18,  1766,  in  the  fifty- 
third  year  of  his  age.  Children,  born  in 
Windham:  1.  Elizabeth,  born  September 
13,  1747;  married  John  Morrow,  Jr.,  and 
David  Smiley.  2.  Moses,  mentioned  be- 
low. 

(II)  Moses  Cristy,  son  of  John  Cristy, 
was  born  at  Windham,  January  30,  1763. 


161 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


A  large  part  of  his  father's  property  was 
left  to  him  by  will,  but  the  estate  was 
largely  involved  and  but  little  was  ever 
realized.  His  guardian  was  Samuel  Barr, 
of  Londonderry.  Moses  Cristy  was  an 
early  settler  at  New  Boston,  New  Hamp- 
shire, where  others  of  the  Cristy  family 
located.  He  married  at  New  Boston, 
Rebecca  Clark,  daughter  of  William  and 
Ann  (Wallace)  Clark,  also  of  Scotch- 
Irish  stock.  She  was  born  in  New  Boston, 
July  22,  1772,  and  died  October  6,  1818. 
He  died  January  4,  1832.  Children,  born 
at  New  Boston:  1.  John,  mentioned  be- 
low. 2.  Ann,  born  August  28,  1790,  died 
at  Lowell,  Massachusetts,  August  17, 
1854;  married  (first)  Stephen  Durant,  of 
Goffstown ;  (second)  John  Cargill,  and 
lived  at  Lowell.  3.  William  C,  born  Au- 
gust 14,  1792,  died  in  Charlestown,  Mas- 
sachusetts ;  married,  May  16,  1820,  Han- 
nah Taylor.  4.  David,-  born  September 
22,  1794,  died  September  7,  1802.  5. 
Robert,  born  January  22,  1797,  died 
March  11,  1797.  6.  Infant,  died  young. 
7.  James,  born  February  6,  1800;  was  in 
the  provision  business  in  New  York  City 
and  in  the  confectionery  and  sugar  trade ; 
married,  June  3,  1830,  Eliza  Jane  Dodge  ; 
lived  in  Brooklyn,  New  York.  8.  Eliza- 
beth, born  January  18,  1802;  married 
Ezra  Harthan,  of  New  Boston,  and 
resided  at  Great  Falls,  New  Hampshire; 
died  April  24,  1835.  9.  Letitia,  born  May 
18,  1804,  died  September  24,  1826.  10. 
Sumner  J.,  born  May  26,  1807,  died  at 
Mount  Vernon,  New  Hampshire,  June  5, 
1873;  married  (first)  October  5,  1830, 
Sarah  Hooper,  who  died  May  4,  1854; 
married  (second)  June  14,  1855,  Emily 
Waiting,  of  New  Boston,  who  died  De- 
cember 9,  1867;  married  (third)  May  27, 
1868,  Mrs.  Theresa  Dickey;  he  died  June 
5,  1873.  11.  Mary,  born  June  18,  1809, 
died  June  11,  1836;  married  Ezra  Har- 
than.   12.  Moses,  born  April  21,  1815,  died 


June,  1815.  13.  Moses,  born  October  17, 
1817;  partner  of  his  brother  James,  1851 
to  1880;  then  sole  owner  of  the  business; 
married  (first)  October  28,  1844,  Harriet 

A.  Wooley,  of  Morristown,  New  Jersey, 
who  died  at  Brookside,  New  Jersey,  May 
30,  1874;  married  (second)  June  7,  1876, 
Mary  E.  Loomis,  of  Norwich,  Connec- 
ticut ;  he  resided  at  Greenwich,  Connecti- 
cut. 

(III)  John  (2)  Cristy,  son  of  Moses 
Cristy,  was  born  in  New  Boston,  January 
9,  1789.  He  removed  to  Johnson,  Ver- 
mont, where  he  died  April  9,  1867.  He 
married    (first)    August    20,    1812,    Polly 

B.  Dodge,  of  New  Boston.  She  died  in 
April,  1814,  and  he  married  (second) 
March  11,  1818,  Roxanna  Baker,  who  was 
born  at  Topsfield,  Massachusetts,  and 
died  at  Johnson,  Vermont,  July  22,  1866. 
Child  by  first  wife:  1.  Ephraim  D.,  t>orn 
October  24,  1813.  Children  by  second 
wife :  2.  John  Baker,  mentioned  below. 
3.  Rebecca  C,  born  March  2,  1821,  died 
January  19,  1824.  4.  Harriet  B.,  born 
December  10,  1823;  married,  March,  1855, 
Elmore  Johnson ;  resided  in  Winchester 
Massachusetts,  Waterbury,  Vermont,  and 
later  in  Burlington,  Vermont,  and  Tops 
field,  Massachusetts.  5.  Mary  Brown 
born  January  16,  1S25 ;  married,  Novem- 
ber, 1850,  Dr.  Horace  Poole  Wakefield 
lived  at  Monson,  Reading  and  Leicester, 
Massachusetts.  6.  Robert  C,  born  April 
24,  1827 ;  married,  in  March,  1856,  Mehit- 
able  Johnson.  7.  Joseph  Washington, 
born  September  28,  1829;  married,  No- 
vember 30,  1854,  Sarah  Whiting ;  resided 
at  Johnson,  Vermont,  at  Ringwood  and 
Kantegee,  Illinois.  8.  Francis  E.,  born 
August  3,  1831,  died  May,  1852. 

(IV)  John  Baker  Cristy,  son  of  John 
(2)  Cristy,  was  born  at  New  Boston,  New 
Hampshire,  August  5,  1819.  He  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools.  He  lived 
in  Charlestown,  Massachusetts,  at  Water- 


162 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


bury,   Vermont,   at  Woburn,   Massachu-     of  Central  Massachusetts  *nd  for  many- 


setts,  and  at  Butler,  Illinois,  where  he 
died  December  13,  1875.  He  married 
(first)  May  1,  1845,  Louisa  Lydia  Cook, 
who  was  born  at  Morristown,  Vermont, 
a  daughter  of  Jonathan  and (San- 
ford)  Cook.  He  married  (second)  Octo- 
ber, 1859,  Caroline  Johnson,  daughter  of 
Cephas  Johnson,  of  Winchester,  Massa- 
chusetts. Children  by  first  wife:  1. 
Justin,  born  November  26,  1846,  drowned 
at  Monson,  Massachusetts,  in  August, 
1872;  unmarried.  2.  Austin  Phelps,  men- 
tioned below.     Children  by  second  wife : 

3.  Walter,  born  July  28,  1861,  deceased. 

4.  Roxanna,  born  September  3,  1870.  5. 
Harriet  M.,  born  June  2,  1875. 

(V)  Austin  Phelps  Cristy,  son  of  John 
Baker  Cristy,  was  born  May  8,  1850,  at 
Morristown,  Vermont.  He  received  his 
early  education  in  the  public  schools  of 
Reading,  and  was  graduated  from  the 
Reading  High  School  in  1868.  He  com- 
pleted his  preparation  for  college  at  Mon- 
son Academy,  graduating  in  the  class  of 
1869,  and  entered  Dartmouth  College, 
from  which  he  was  graduated  with  the 
degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts  in  1873.  After- 
ward he  studied  law  in  the  office  of  Leon- 
ard &  Wells  of  Springfield  for  a  year  and 
a  half,  when  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
at  Springfield.  Immediately  afterward 
he  began  to  practice  his  profession  at 
Marblehead,  Massachusetts.  After  one 
year  he  removed  to  Worcester,  Massachu- 
setts, and  opened  a  law  office  in  the 
Taylor  Building,  No.  476  Main  street. 
In  1882  he  was  appointed  assistant  clerk 
of  the  Central  District  Court  of  Worces- 
ter county  and  he  filled  this  office  until 
September,  1884.  On  November  30,  1884, 
Mr.  Cristy  established  the  Worcester 
"Sunday  Telegram."  Two  years  later  the 
"Daily  Telegram"  was  established.  The 
growth  of  the  "Telegram"  was  rapid  and 
steady.    It  became  the  leading  newspaper 


years  has  been  one  of  the  most  influential 
and  prosperous  newspapers  of  New  Eng- 
land. In  politics  Mr.  Cristy  is  a  Repub- 
lican, and  his  newspaper  has  been  of  in- 
estimable value  to  the  party  in  many 
campaigns.  During  the  past  thirty  years 
Mr.  Cristy  has  devoted  himself  with  re- 
markable energy  and  brilliant  results  to 
his  newspaper.  In  July,  1899,  the  plant 
was  moved  from  No.  386  Main  street  to 
Franklin  Square  and  a  thoroughly  mod- 
ern equipment  added.  In  November, 
1910,  the  "Telegram"  moved  from  the 
location  in  Franklin  Square  to  a  hand- 
some new  building  on  Franklin  street, 
facing  the  Common,  built  by  Mr.  Cristy 
for  the  exclusive  purpose  of  publishing 
the  newspaper.  A  new  and  larger  press 
was  installed,  new  linotype  machines  and 
equipment  added.  Mr.  Cristy's  home  on 
Salisbury  street  is  an  imposing  and  very 
attractive  structure,  of  southern  colonial 
style  and  most  artistic,  both  the  exterior 
and  interior  as  well  as  the  grounds  sur- 
rounding it.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Worcester  Automobile  Club  and  of  the 
Worcester  Country  Club. 

Mr.  Cristy  married  (first)  in  March, 
1876,  Mary  Elizabeth  Bassett,  who  died 
in  November,  1913,  daughter  of  Henry 
and  Mary  (Paige)  Bassett,  of  Ware, 
Massachusetts.  He  married  (second) 
January  12,  1915,  Katherine  V.  Horan. 
Children,  born  in  Worcester:  1.  Horace, 
born  in  December,  1876;  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  Worcester,  the  Classical 
High  School  and  Dartmouth  College 
(Bachelor  of  Arts,  1900)  ;  associated  with 
his  father  in  the  publication  of  the  Wor- 
cester "Telegram ;"  married  Caro  Ells- 
worth, daughter  of  J.  Lewis  and  Lizzie 
(Richmond)  Ellsworth,  of  Worcester.  2. 
Austin  Phelps,  Jr.,  fitted  for  college  in 
the  Worcester  schools  and  entered  Dart- 
mouth College  from  which  he  graduated 


163 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


in  1902;  was  drowned  at  Chesterfield, 
New  Hampshire,  June  17,  1902.  3.  Mary 
Lavinia,  born  in  1882.  4.  Roger  Henry, 
born  in  1886;  educated  in  the  public 
schools  and  private  schools  in  Worcester 
and  at  the  Military  School,  Ossining, 
New  York.  5.  Edna  Virginia,  born  in 
1888;  graduate  of  the  Bennett  School, 
New  York. 


FOSTER,  Herbert  A., 

Prominent  Architect  and  Builder. 

Anarcher,  Great  Forester  of  Flanders, 
died  A.  D.  837,  leaving  a  son,  Baldwin  I. 
of  Flanders,  called  the  "Iron  Arm"  be- 
caused  of  his  great  strength ;  this  son 
married  Princess  Judith,  daughter  of 
Charles  the  Bald,  and  died  at  Arras,  A.  D. 
877,  being  succeeded  by  his  son  Baldwin 
II.  of  Flanders,  who  married  Princess 
Alfrith,  daughter  of  Alfred  the  Great, 
King  of  England,  and  died  in  919,  leaving 
a  son  Arnulf  of  Flanders,  the  Forester, 
who  succeeded  him  and  who  in  988  was 
succeeded  by  his  son,  Baldwin  III.  of 
Flanders,  called  "of  the  handsome  beard," 
a  famous  warrior  who  defended  his 
country  against  the  combined  forces  of 
Emperor  Henry,  King  Robert  of  France 
and  the  Duke  of  Normandy.  He  mar- 
ried the  daughter  of  Count  Luxemborg 
and  died  in  1034,  leaving  a  son  who  suc- 
ceeded him,  Baldwin  IV.  also  called  "Le 
Debonaire,"  who  married  Princess  Adella, 
daughter  of  King  Robert  of  France  and 
had  Sir  Richard,  Forester,  who  with  his 
father  and  William  the  Conqueror  (his 
brother-in-law  through  marriage  with  his 
sister  Matilda  or  Maud)  passed  over  into 
England  and  was  knighted  after  the 
battle  of  Hastings. 

Sir  Richard  was  succeeded  by  his  son 
Sir  Hugo,  also  Forester,  who  marched 
against  Magnus  of  Norway  A.  D.  1101, 
defeated  and  slew  him;  he  died  in  1121 


leaving  a  son  Sir  Reginald,  knighted  by 
King  Stephen  for  valiant  service  at  the 
battle  of  the  Standard  in  1138,  died  in 
1 1 56,  leaving  as  his  successor  his  son  Sir 
William,  Forester,  who  fought  with  great 
valor  in  Wales  in  1163  and  1165,  departed 
to  France  in  1166,  returned  to  England 
and  died  in  1176,  being  then  succeeded 
by  his  son,  Sir  John  Forester,  who  accom- 
panied Richard  I.  to  Palestine  in  the 
Crusades  and  was  knighted  there.  He 
died  in  1220  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
son,  Sir  Randolph  Forester,  who  died  in 
1256  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  Sir 
Alfred  Forester,  knighted  on  the  battle- 
field of  Eversham  in  1265  died  in  1284, 
being  succeeded  by  his  son,  Sir  Reginald 
Forester,  who  fought  at  Bannockburn  in 
1314  and  died  in  1328,  leaving  descendants 
who  were  great  chieftains  and  closely 
allied  to  royalty  in  Scotland,  Ireland, 
Wales  and  England.  Sir  Reginald's  suc- 
cessor was  Sir  Richard  Forester,  who 
fought  at  Crecy  in  1346,  at  Poitiers  in 
1356,  was  knighted  for  his  valor,  died  in 
1371.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  Sir 
William  Forester,  who  fought  with 
Henry  V.  against  the  French,  was 
knighted  by  his  sovereign.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  son,  Sir  Thomas  Forster  of 
Etherton  Castle,  baronet,  born  1397; 
married  Joan  Elwerden,  co-heiress  to  the 
Earldom  of  Angus,  and  by  her  had  Sir 
Thomas  Forster,  baronet,  who  married 
the  daughter  of  Featherstonbaugh  of 
Stanhope  Hall,  Durham,  chief  of  the  clan 
Featherston,  and  by  her  had  Sir  Thomas 
Forster,  third  son,  high  sheriff  of  North- 
umberland in  1564  and  1572;  married 
Dorothy,  daughter  of  Ralph,  Lord  Ogle 
of  Ogle  (a  family  of  great  antiquity)  and 
had  Sir  Thomas  Forster,  eldest  son,  of 
Featherston,  baronet.  The  latter  mar- 
ried the  daughter  of  Lord  Wharton  of 
Wharton  and  was  of  Adderstone,  high 
sheriff  of  Northumberland,  and  had  Cuth- 


164 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


bert  Forster,  who  by  wife  Elizabeth 
Bradford  had  Sir  Matthew  Forster,  baro- 
net, his  successor,  and  Thomas  Forster 
of  Brunton,  Esquire,  who  married  twice, 
and  by  second  wife,  Elizabeth  Carr,  had 
three  sons,  the  youngest  of  whom  Regi- 
nald Forster,  married  Judith  and 

with  her  and  their  seven  children  came 
to  America  in  1638.  The  foregoing 
account  is  abstracted  from  records  com- 
piled by  Joseph  Foster,  of  London,  Eng- 
land, half  a  century  ago,  and  shows  the 
origin  of  the  surname  in  the  office  of 
Forester,  its  use  as  a  surname  from 
about  A.  D.  1200  and  the  modification  in 
spelling. 

(I)  Reginald  Foster,  mentioned  above, 
the  American  pioneer  ancestor,  was  born 
in  Brunton,  England,  about  1595,  and 
came  with  his  wife  Judith  and  seven  chil- 
dren to  this  country  in  1638,  settling  in 
Ipswich,  Massachusetts,  where  he  re- 
ceived a  grant  of  land  in  1641  and  became 
a  leading  citizen.  He  held  various  town 
offices,  and  was  well-to-do  for  the  times. 
His  wife  Judith  died  in  October,  1664, 
and  he  married  (second)  Sarah,  widow  of 
John  Martin.  She  married  (third)  Wil- 
liam White,  of  Haverhill,  Massachusetts. 
His  will  was  dated  April  30,  1680,  proved 
June  9,  1681.  Children,  all  by  the  first 
wife,  born  in  England :  Mary,  about 
1618;  Sarah,  1620;  Abraham,  at  Exeter, 
England,  1622;  Isaac,  1630;  William, 
1633;  Jacob,  mentioned  below;  Reginald, 
1636. 

(II)  Deacon  Jacob  Foster,  son  of  Regi- 
nald Foster,  was  born  in  England  about 
1635,  and  died  at  Ipswich,  Massachusetts, 
July  9,  1710.  His  gravestone  at  Ipswich 
is  still  standing.  He  also  became  a  promi- 
nent citizen  in  Ipswich ;  was  deacon  of 
the  first  church  and  a  town  officer.  He 
lived  in  the  first  house  of  his  father  near 
the  stone  bridge  on  the  present  Heard 
estate  on  the  south  side  of  the  Ipswich 


river.  He  married  (first)  January,  1658, 
Martha  Kinsman,  who  died  October  15, 
1666,  daughter  of  Robert,  Jr.,  and  Martha 
(Wait)  Kinsman.  He  married  (second) 
February  26,  1667,  Abigail  Lord,  who 
died  June  4,  1729.  Children  by  first  wife, 
born  at  Ipswich :  Judith,  born  October 
20,  1659,  died  soon;  John,  born  and  died 
in  1660;  Jacob,  May  15,  1662,  died  young; 
Mary,  1664,  died  January  11,  1666-67; 
Sarah,  August  3,  1665.  Children  by  sec- 
ond wife:  Jacob,  March  25,  1670;  Abra- 
ham, mentioned  below  ;  Amos,  August  15, 
1672,  died  October  12,  1672;  Abigail,  July 

3,  1674;  Nathaniel,  October  7,  1676; 
Samuel,  September  10,  1678;  Joseph, 
September  14,  1680;  James,  November  12, 
1682 ;  Mary,  Deecmber  25,  1684. 

(III)  Abraham  Foster,  son  of  Jacob 
Foster,  was  born  at  Ipswich,  December 

4,  1671,  and  died  there  December  25,  1720. 
He  was  a  carpenter.  He  married,  July 
2,  1699,  Abigail  Parsons,  who  died  Octo- 
ber 8,  1732.  Children,  born  at  Ipswich: 
Jeremiah,  mentioned  below;  Abraham, 
born  April  11,  1702,  died  May  20,  1702; 
Nathaniel,  April  11,  1706,  died  young; 
Judith,  baptized  March  15,  1713;  Mary, 
May  15,  1715;  Abraham,  August  5,  1716; 
Nathaniel,  August  9,  1719 ;  Abigail,  mar- 
ried Daniel  Safford;  Sarah,  married 
(first)  John  Rust,  (second)  Jacob  Par- 
sons. 

(IV)  Jeremiah  Foster,  son  of  Abraham 
Foster,  was  born  at  Ipswich,  about  1700. 
He  and  Richard  Harris,  of  Ipswich,  bought 
of  Benjamin  Morse,  of  Harvard,  one  hun- 
dred and  twelve  acres  of  land  in  Stow, 
and  Foster  had  the  eastern  half.  In  1743 
he  was  among  the  first  settlers  of  Dor- 
chester, Canada  (Ashburnham),  Massa- 
chusetts. He  located  west  of  Lake 
Naukeag  on  Foster  Hill,  as  it  has  since 
been  called.  We  are  told  that  he  was  of 
exemplary  character,  reserved,  indus- 
trious,  honest,   a   kind   neighbor   and   an 


165 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


excellent  citizen.  He  died  at  Ashburn- 
ham,  December  12,  1788.  He  married 
(intention  dated  at  Ipswich,  June  21, 
1735)  Rebecca  Metcalf,  a  widow. 

(V)  Deacon  Samuel  Foster,  son  of 
Jeremiah  Foster,  was  born  at  Ipswich, 
January  8,  1741.  He  became  a  worthy 
and  influential  citizen  of  Ashburnham 
and  his  name  is  frequently  mentioned  in 
the  town  records  and  history.  He  played 
the  clarionet  for  many  years  in  the 
church.  He  was  a  member  of  the  com- 
mittee on  correspondence  and  inspection 
in  1777  and  this  service  entitles  his  de- 
scendants to  membership  in  the  patriotic 
Revolutionary  societies.  He  was  select- 
man in  1785-86-88-89-90-92-99.  He  was 
on  the  committe  on  new  meeting  house 
in  1789  and  1791,  and  was  deacon  of  the 
church.  He  married,  July  6,  1769,  Sus- 
anna Wood,  born  April  14,  1750,  died 
October  31,  1839,  daughter  of  Bennet  and 
Lydia  (Law)  Wood.  Children,  born  at 
Ashburnham:  Abraham,  born  April  8, 
1770;  Nathaniel,  December  26,  1771  ; 
Jeremiah  Bennet,  October  14,  1773; 
Samuel,  mentioned  below;  Hosea,  Au- 
gust 1,  1778;  Joel,  August  21,  1780; 
Amos,  November  16,  1782 ;  Obadiah,  Oc- 
tober 25,  1786;  Susanna,  April  25,  1789; 
Dorothy,  November  25,  1790. 

(VI)  Samuel  Foster,  son  of  Samuel 
Foster,  was  born  at  Ashburnham,  Feb- 
ruary 9,  1776.  He  settled  in  Stoddard, 
New  Hampshire,  in  1799,  and  his  name 
appears  on  the  tax-list  of  1800.  He  mar- 
ried, February  5,  1799,  Lydia  Stearns, 
who  was  born  March  24,  1780,  daughter 
of  William  and  Lydia  (Davis)  Stearns, 
and  granddaughter  of  Hon.  Isaac  Stearns, 
of  Billerica,  who  served  in  the  French 
and  Indian  War,  was  representative  to 
the  General  Court  and  State  Senator  (son 
of  John,  grandson  of  John,  great-grand- 
son of  Isaac  Stearns,  the  immigrant 
from    Wayland,     England,     settled     at 


Watertown,  Massachusetts).  Children  of 
Samuel  Foster:  Stearns,  born  Decem- 
ber 26,  1799;  Lydia,  August  22,  1801 ; 
Maria,  April  29,  1804;  Hosea,  mentioned 
below;  Selina,  July  5,  1809;  Emily,  De- 
cember 19,  181 1 ;  Samuel,  November  29, 
1815;  Electa,  November  10,  1817,  died 
young;  Electa,  June  10,  1825. 

(VII)  Hosea  Foster,  son  of  Samuel 
Foster,  was  born  at  Stoddard,  New 
Hampshire,  April  13,  1806.  He  lived  on 
the  homestead  on  Pinnacle  Hill  until  1868 
when  he  bought  a  farm  in  Keene,  west  of 
the  city.  He  was  a  man  of  steady,  indus- 
trious, habits,  sound  and  conservative 
judgment  and  always  held  the  respect 
and  confidence  of  his  neighbors  and 
townspeople.  He  and  his  father  before 
him  carried  on  a  blacksmith  shop  in  con- 
nection with  the  farm  and  manufactured 
much  of  the  hardware  used  in  the  build- 
ings erected  at  that  time.  He  was  killed 
on  West  Hill,  in  Keene,  New  Hampshire, 
February  7,  1872,  by  the  overturning  of 
a  load  of  wood  under  which  he  was 
crushed.  He  married,  November  7,  1833, 
Mary  G.  Rice,  who  was  born  in  Wor- 
cester, March  14,  1816,  and  died  July  2, 
1895,  daughter  of  Peter  and  Sally 
(Moore)  Rice.  Her  father  removed  from 
Worcester  to  Stoddard;  her  mother  was 
a  daughter  of  William  and  Polly  (Gates) 
Moore,  of  Worcester.  Jonathan  Rice, 
father  of  Peter,  married,  March  12,  1786, 
Mary  Stevens,  of  Auburn ;  he  died  May 
3,  1834,  aged  seventy;  his  wife  died  Feb- 
ruary 19,  1848.  Comfort  Rice,  father  of 
Jonathan,  married  Martha  Morris,  of 
Woodstock,  Connecticut;  he  died  in  Au- 
gust, 1818,  aged  eighty-seven  years ;  she 
died  at  Auburn,  in  June,  1812,  aged 
eighty-one.  Lieutenant  Gershom  Rice, 
father  of  Comfort,  died  at  Worcester, 
September  24,  1781,  aged  eighty-five 
years;  married  Esther  Haynes,  of  Sud- 
bury,  who  died   August    16,    1770,   aged 


166 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


seventy-three  years.  Gershom  Rice, 
father  of  Gershorri,  was  the  second  settler 
of  Worcester,  his  brother  Jonas  being 
first  in  the  third  and  permanent  settle- 
ment in  1715,  removing  from  Marlbor- 
ough. They  were  known  as  the  "fathers 
of  the  town"  of  Worcester  and  served  on 
the  committee  to  secure  incorporation. 
Gershom  married  Elizabeth  Balcom, 
daughter  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth.  He 
died  December  19,  1768,  aged  one  hun- 
dred years,  seven  months  and  ten  days. 
Thomas  Rice,  father  of  Gershom,  Sr., 
died  at  Marlborough,  November  16,  1681. 
He  was  a  son  of  Edmund  Rice,  one  of 
the  founders  of  Sudbury  and  a  leading 
citizen,  the  immigrant  ancestor  of  most 
of  the  Rice  families  of  Massachusetts. 

Children  of  Hosea  Foster:  Alvin  Rice, 
mentioned  below ;  Sarah  Moore,  born 
April  9,  1837,  died  November  23,  1858; 
Edwin  Stearns,  born  December  21,  1840, 
married  Ella  S.  Houghton  and  Clara  Fay ; 
Charles  Merrick,  born  November  16, 
1843.  married  Josephine  L.  Paige  ;  Horace 
Elmore,  born  August  22,  1846,  died  Janu- 
ary 9,  1853;  Ella  Francelia,  born  Febru- 
ary 20,  1856,  married  Ellery  E.  Rugg. 

(VIII)  Alvin  Rice  Foster,  son  of 
Hosea  Foster,  was  born  at  Stoddard,  Oc- 
tober 14,  1834.  He  was  educated  in  the 
district  schools  and  learned  the  carpen- 
ter's trade  at  Alstead,  New  Hampshire. 
When  a  young  man  he  engaged  in  busi- 
ness as  a  contractor  and  builder  in  Keene, 
in  partnership  with  Samuel  Crossfield. 
From  1868  to  1885  he  was  in  partnership 
in  the  same  line  of  business  with  his 
brother  Edwin  S.  Foster  under  the  name 
of  Foster  Brothers.  After  the  firm  was 
dissolved  each  of  the  partners  continued  in 
business  alone.  Alvin  R.  Foster  finally 
retired  from  business  and  spent  the  last 
five  years  of  his  life  on  a  farm  in  Swan- 
zey,  New  Hampshire,  near  the  Keene 
line.    Among  the  more  important  work  of 


the  firm  was  the  building  of  the  First 
Congregational  Church  of  Keene ;  the 
Cheshire  County  Jail  buildings;  the  first 
buildings  at  the  Mt.  Hermon  School,  and 
East  Hall  at  the  Northiield  School  for 
Girls.  They  remodelled  the  city  hall  of 
Keene  and  built  many  other  buildings 
and  residences  in  Keene  and  vicinity.  He 
died  July  7,  1905.  He  was  a  staunch 
Republican  and  a  member  of  St.  Paul' 
Masonic  Lodge  of  Alstead.  He  served 
two  years  in  the  Civil  War  and  was  must- 
ered out  on  account  of  ill  health.  He 
enlisted  in  1861  and  was  sergeant  of  Com- 
pany I,  Ninth  Regiment,  New  Hampshire 
Volunteer  Infantry.  He  married  (first) 
February  2,  1866,  Mary  J.  Sargent,  who 
died  June    15,    1877,   daughter   of   Daniel 

D.  and  Mary  (Chase)  Sargent.  He 
married  (second)  June  13,  1880,  Eliza 
A.  Scott,  widow.  Children,  by  first  wife, 
born  at  Stoddard :  Herbert  Alvin,  men- 
tioned below ;  Nellie  May,  born  in  Keene, 
New  Hampshire,  September  17,  1872, 
married  Edgar  Cook,  of  Springfield, 
Vermont,  and  has  one  child,  Lizzie  Cook. 

(IX)  Herbert  Alvin  Foster,  son  of 
Alvin  Rice  Foster,  was  born  at  Stoddard, 
March  27,  1867.  He  received  his  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools  of  Keene,  New 
Hampshire,  and  became  associated  in 
business  with  his  father,  remaining  with 
his  father's  firm  until  it  was  dissolved.  He 
was  afterward  in  business  for  himself  as 
an  architect  and  builder  in  Keene.  Since 
March,  1907,  he  has  been  a  director  of  the 

E.  J.  Cross  Company,  of  Worcester,  con- 
tractors and  builders.  This  is  one  of  the 
leading  concerns  of  New  England  and 
has  constructed  some  of  the  finest  struc- 
tures in  that  section.  Mr.  Cross  is  presi- 
dent and  treasurer  and  W.  E.  Holt  is  a 
director.  Mr.  Foster  is  a  member  of  the 
Lodge  of  the  Temple,  Free  Masons,  of 
Keene.  and  of  Cheshire  Chapter,  Royal 
Arch  Masons ;  of  Beaver  Brook  Lodge  of 


167 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Odd  Fellows,  of  Keene ;  of  the  Economic 
Club  of  Worcester  and  of  All  Saints' 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church.  In  politics 
he  is  a  Republican. 

He  married,  June  6,  1888,  Annie  Burke, 
of  East  Swanzey,  New  Hampshire, 
daughter  of  Patrick  and  Joanna  Burke. 
Children:  1.  Paul  Rice,  born  at  Keene, 
October  1,  1889,  graduate  of  the  Keene 
High  School,  1907,  and  of  the  Worces- 
ter Business  Institute ;  now  secretary  to 
the  superintendent  of  the  Reed-Prentice 
Company,  Worcester.  2.  Clifford  Alvin, 
born  July  26,  1893,  graduate  of  the  Eng- 
lish High  School,  Worcester,  now  student 
at  Norwich  University,  class  of  191 5.  3. 
Russell  Chase,  born  June  16,  1898,  at 
Keene,  student  in  the  Commercial  High 
School,  class  of  191 5.  4.  Emerson  Sar- 
gent, born  at  Worcester,  June  16,  1908. 


THE  LAVALLY  FAMILY. 

The  name  of  Lavally  is  undoubtedly  of 
French  origin,  and  has  probably  under- 
gone some  changes  in  spelling  down  to 
the  present  time.  It  is  supposed  to  have 
originated  in  the  Channel  Islands,  which 
were  inhabited  by  French  people,  though 
under  English  jurisdiction,  and  was 
brought  to  this  country  about  the  begin- 
ning of  the  eighteenth  century. 

(I)  Peter  Lavally  is  supposed  to  have 
been  born  in  the  Channel  Islands,  and 
died  in  Warwick,  Rhode  Island,  in  1757. 
He  was  a  fisherman  at  Marblehead,  Mas- 
sachusetts, where  he  is  first  found  of 
record,  and  in  November,  1727,  exchanged 
his  real  estate  in  that  town  with  Rev. 
George  Pigott,  an  Episcopal  clergyman 
of  Warwick,  Rhode  Island.  He  at  once 
removed  to  the  latter  town  where  he  was 
admitted  a  freeman,  March  4,  1728.  His 
wife  Sarah  probably  accompanied  him 
from  Europe,  as  nothing  is  known  of  her 
beyond  her  baptismal  name.     They  had 


children:     Peter;  John;  Michael;  Mary, 

married  King;  Margaret,  married 

October  30,  1726,  Christopher  Bulier  or 
Bubois  ;  Sarah,  married  Peleg  Cook. 

(II)  Michael  Lavally,  son  of  Peter  and 
Sarah  Lavally,  was  admitted  freeman  in 
Warwick,  June  5,  1741.  He  married,  Au- 
gust 26,  1757,  Almy  Bailey,  and  had  chil- 
dren :  Peter,  Benjamin,  Caleb,  Mary, 
Almy  or  Amy. 

(III)  Caleb  Lavally,  third  son  of 
Michael  and  Almy  (Bailey)  Lavally,  was 
born  about  1770,  and  lived  in  Warwick. 
He  married  Alice  Fenner,  born  September 

2,  1775,  daughter  of  Captain  Arthur  (3) 
Fenner,  of  Cranston  (see  Fenner  IV) 
died  October  16,  1858.  Children:  Uriah 
W.,  born  June  11,  1793;  Waity,  June  27, 
1795;  Sterry  B.,  July  26,  1797;  Joanna, 
October  18,  1799,  married  Caleb  Reming- 
ton, died  May  6,  1876;  Benjamin,  April 

3,  1801 ;  Warren,  mentioned  below ;  Chris- 
topher, May  6,  181 1. 

(IV)  Warren  Lavally,  son  of  Caleb 
and  Alice  (Fenner)  Lavally,  was  born 
August  15,  1805,  in  Warwick,  and  died 
in  California,  in  1852.  He  married,  July 
3,  1831,  Nancy  T.,  born  in  Westport, 
Massachusetts,  daughter  of  Daniel  (2) 
and  Sybil  (Rogers)  Whalen,  of  Dart- 
mouth, Massachusetts,  granddaughter  of 
Daniel  (1)  and  Abigail  (Collins)  Whalen, 
who  were  married  March  11,  1779,  in  that 
town.  Daniel  (2)  Whalen  was  born  April 
18,  1780,  in  Dartmouth,  and  there  married, 
October  7,  1804,  Sybil  Rogers,  born  June 
11,  1786,  eldest  child  of  Gideon  and  Sarah 
(Mosher)  Rogers,  of  Dartmouth  (see 
Rogers  V).  Mrs.  Nancy  T.  Lavally  died 
in  February,  1900,  in  Fall  River,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  was  buried  in  Oak  Grove 
Cemetery  of  that  city.  Children:  Alice, 
married  Henry  Brightman ;  Gideon,  died 
young;  Hannah,  deceased;  Daniel,  died 
young;  Rebecca,  died  young;  Francis, 
died  young;  Arthur,  died  young;  Benja- 


168 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


min,  served  in  the  Civil  War,  and  died  in 
1900;  Eliza  J.,  married  Elisha  Capen,  of 
Fall  River;  Nancy  M.,  mentioned  below. 
(V)  Nancy  M.  Lavally,  youngest  child 
of  Warren  and  Nancy  T.  (Whalen)  La- 
vally, was  born  February  26,  1852,  in  Fall 
River,  and  married,  March  12,  1874,  Julius 
Kay  Davol,  born  August  31,  1852,  in 
Westport,  Massachusetts,  son  of  George 
F.  and  Jane  (Kay)  Davol,  grandson  of 
Jeremiah  Davol,  and  great-grandson  of 
Abner  Davol,  who  was  a  well  known 
citizen  of  Westport,  a  member  of  the  So- 
ciety of  Friends,  and  a  prominent  minis- 
ter of  that  sect.  Jane  Kay,  wife  of  George 
F.  Davol,  was  born  on  the  Island  of  St. 
Helena,  in  the  West  Indies,  daughter  of 
Archibald  and  Jane  (Tracy)  Kay.  Julius 
Kay  Davol  is  a  well  known  citizen  of  Fall 
River,  where  he  has  been  an  officer  of 
the  police  department  for  the  past  twenty- 
seven  years.  Mrs.  Davol  is  a  member  of 
Quequechan  Chapter,  Daughters  of  the 
American  Revolution,  of  Fall  River. 
Children:  Maude  Alice,  died  young; 
Eugene  Warren,  married  Addie  Lincoln 
Wilbur,  of  Tiverton,  Rhode  Island,  and 
has  three  children:  Marion  Fenner, 
Dorothy  Lincoln  and  Dale  Franklin 
Davol. 

(The   Fenner  Line). 

(I)  Arthur  Fenner,  born  1622,  prob- 
ably a  son  of  Thomas  Fenner,  was  a 
very  prominent  citizen  of  Rhode  Island. 
Thomas  Fenner  died  at  Branford,  Con- 
necticut, May  15,  1647.  The  inventory  of 
his  estate  amounted  to  sixty  pounds, 
nineteen  shillings,  besides  sixteen  pieces 
of  Dutch  money,  a  boat,  beaver  skins,  etc., 
implements  of  his  trade  with  the  Indians. 
Arthur  Fenner  was  settled  in  Providence 
as  early  as  1650  and  purchased  sixty 
acres  of  upland  and  two  pieces  of  meadow 
and  other  land  there,  July  27,  1650,  and 
April  27,  1652.  He  also  had  a  lot  in  a 
division    made    February    19,    1665.      He 


was  appointed  by  the  assembly  chief 
commander  of  the  king's  garrison  at 
Providence,  and  all  of  the  garrisons  "not 
to  eclipse  Captain  Williams'  power  in  the 
exercise  of  the  trainband  there."  On  Au- 
gust 24,  1676,  he  was  appointed  a  member 
of  a  court  marshal  to  try  Indians  at  New- 
port and  was  discharged  with  his  men  at 
the  garrison,  October  26,  1676.  He  was 
appointed  on  a  committee  to  prepare  the 
laws  of  the  colony  for  printing,  May  5, 
1680,  and  on  September  10,  1683,  was 
appointed  with  Major  Peleg  Sanford  to 
go  to  England  on  business  of  the  colony. 
In  1687-88  he  was  a  justice  of  the  General 
Quarter  Session,  and  in  the  Superior 
Court  of  Common  Pleas.  With  his  two 
brothers,  William  and  John,  he  was 
chosen  to  run  the  north  line  of  the  colony. 
His  ratable  estate,  August  10,  1688,  was 
placed  at  three  hundred  and  thirty-eight 
acres,  including  pasture,  orchard  and 
meadow,  twenty-seven  neat  cattle,  five 
horses,  ten  sheep  and  three  swine.  To 
this  statement  he  added,  "This  is  a  just 
account.  I  pray  be  not  unmindful  of  the 
Golden  Rule."  He  built  and  lived  in  the 
old  Fenner  house  or  castle,  in  Cranston, 
Rhode  Island,  where  he  died  October  20, 
1703.  This  house  was  very  grand  for  the 
time,  the  windows  and  other  materials 
being  imported  from  England.  There  is 
a  family  tradition  that  he  was  a  lieutenant 
in  Oliver  Cromwell's  army  before  coming 
to  America.  He  must  have  been  a  very 
young  man  to  hold  such  a  position,  as  he 
appears  in  Rhode  Island  at  the  age  of 
twenty-eight  years.  He  was  very  active 
in  both  civil  and  military  service  in  Rhode 
Island,  where  he  was  made  a  freeman  in 
1655.  In  1653,  I655.  1659-60  and  1662-63 
he  was  a  commissioner;  was  assistant 
in  1657,  1665-66-67-68,  1672-73-74-75-76, 
1679-80-81-82-83-84-85-86  and  1690;  was 
deputy  to  the  General  Court  in  1664,  1670, 
1672,  1678-79,  1692  and  1699-1700;  was  a 


169 


EXCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


member  of  the  Town  Council,  1664-73, 
1677-78,  and  treasurer  1672-73.  He  married 
(first)  Mehitable  Waterman,  daughter  of 
Richard  and  Bethiah  Waterman,  died  1684. 
He  married  (second)  December  16,  1684, 
Howlong  Harris,  born  about  1641,  daugh- 
ter of  William  and  Susanna  Harris,  who 
survived  him,  and  died  November  19, 
1708.  Children,  all  born  of  first  marriage : 
Thomas,  October  27,  1652;  Arthur,  men- 
tioned below ;  Sarah,  buried  November  7, 
1676;  Freelove,  born  1656;  Bethiah,  mar- 
ried Robert  Kilton;  Phebe,  married  Jo- 
seph Latham. 

(II)  Arthur  (2)  Fenner,  second  son  of 
Arthur  (1)  and  Mehitable  (Waterman) 
Fenner,  lived  in  Providence,  where  he 
died  April  24,  1725.  He  was  taxed  five 
shillings  and  four  pence,  September  1, 
1687,  and  his  ratable  estate  in  the  next 
year  included  eight  neat  cattle,  six  horses, 
two  swine,  a  share  of  meadow,  and 
eighty-eight  acres  of  other  land.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Town  Council  in  1716-17, 
1722-23,  deputy  to  the  General  Court  in 
1707,  1710  and  1720.  He  married  Mary 
Smith,  daughter  of  John  (2)  and  Sarah 
(Whipple)  Smith,  of  Providence  (see 
Smith  II).  Children :  Mary,  died  October 
7,  1745  ;  Mercy,  married  Solomon  Ruten- 
burg;  Arthur;  John;  Edward,  mentioned 
below. 

(III)  Edward  Fenner,  youngest  child 
of  Arthur  (2)  and  Mary  (Smith)  Fenner, 
resided  in  Cranston,  where  he  was  a 
farmer.  He  married  (first)  Phebe  Bar- 
ton. He  married  (second)  April  11,  1728, 
Amy,  daughter  of  Richard  Borden.  Chil- 
dren :  Edward ;  Arthur,  mentioned  below ; 
John ;  Stephen ;  Sarah,  married  Colonel 
John  Waterman;  Alice,  second  wife  of 
Colonel  John  Waterman  ;  Esther,  married 
William  Harrington ;  Freelove,  married 
Andrew  Edmonds. 

(IV)  Captain  Arthur  (3)  Fenner,  sec- 
ond  son   of   Edward    Fenner,   was   born 


1740,  in  Cranston,  and  died  in  Fairfield, 
New  York,  August  2^,  1827.  He  was  a 
prominent  man  of  his  generation  and  a 
soldier  of  the  Revolution.  He  was  a  lieu- 
tenant and  afterwards  captain  in  Hitch- 
cock's and  Lippitt's  regiments,  and  par- 
ticipated in  the  battles  of  Trenton  and 
Princeton  in  1776.  He  had  previously 
served  in  Arnold's  unfortunate  expedition 
against  Quebec  in  the  winter  of  1775-76. 
For  some  twenty  years  preceding  his 
death  he  received  a  pension  of  twenty 
dollars  per  month  for  his  Revolutionary 
service. 

(V)  Alice  Fenner,  daughter  of  Captain 
Arthur  (3)  Fenner,  was  born  September 
2,  1775,  and  died  August  16,  1858.  She 
married  Caleb  Lavally,  of  Warwick, 
Rhode  Island  (see  Lavally  III). 

(The  Mosh«r  Line). 

(I)  Hugh  Mosher  came  to  Boston  in 
1636,  and  soon  settled  at  Salem.  He  was 
a  son  of  Stephen  Mosher,  of  Manchester, 
England,  and  was  a  friend  of  Roger  Wil- 
liams, with  whom  he  went  to  Rhode 
Island.  He  was  appointed  ensign  by  the 
General  Court  in  1669,  and  distinguished 
himself  in  King  Philip's  War.  Through 
the  influence  of  Roger  Williams  he  re- 
ceived title  to  one-fifth  of  the  town  of 
Westerly,  October  4,  1676,  and  died  at 
Newport  in  1694.  He  married  Lydia 
Mason,  and  they  had  children:  Hugh, 
John,  Nicholas,  Joseph,  Daniel  and 
James. 

(II)  Hugh  (2)  Mosher,  eldest  son  of 
Hugh  (1)  and  Lydia  (Mason)  Mosher, 
was  born  in  1633,  lived  in  Providence  and 
Portsmouth,  and  received  a  share  of 
Westerly,  but  probably  did  not  live  there. 
He  purchased  land  in  Portsmouth  as  early 
as  July  8,  1668,  and  was  a  member  of  the 
court  marshal  at  Newport,  August  24, 
1676,  to  try  Indians.  In  "1664  he  was 
made   a    freeman  of    the   Rhode    Island 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Colony,  and  in  1684  was  ordained  pastor 
of  the  baptist  church  at  Dartmouth,  Mas- 
sa- husetts,  where  he  died  in  1713.  He 
married  Rebecca,  daughter  of  John  Harn- 
del,  born  1633,  died  1713,  and  had  a  second 
wife  Sarah.  Children :  Nicholas,  born 
1666;  John,  1668;  Joseph,  1670:  James, 
1675;  Rebecca,  1677;  Daniel,  mentioned 
below ;  Mary,  1679. 

(III)  Daniel  Mosher,  fifth  son  of  Hugh 
(2)  and  Rebecca  (Harndel)  Mosher,  was 
born  in  1678  and  died  in  1751.  He  was  a 
man  of  considerable  property,  and  gave 
land  to  all  of  his  sons  in  his  will.  He 
married,  in  1704,  Elizabeth  Edwards,  and 
they  were  the  parents  of  the  following 
children:  Benjamin,  born  April  19.  1706; 
Daniel,  July  1,  1709;  Micah,  September 
27,  171 1  ;  Constant,  mentioned  below; 
Rachel,  June  14,  1715 ;  George,  May  9, 
1717;  Ephraim,  December  8,  1718;  Roger, 
March  30,  1720;  Hugh,  March  17,  1722; 
Patience,  June  29.  1724;  Mercy,  October 

12,  1726. 

(IV)  Constant  Mosher,  fourth  son  of 
Daniel  and  Elizabeth  (Edwards)  Mosher, 
was  born  September  11,  1713.  in  Dart- 
mouth, where  he  made  his  home,  and 
married  there,  October  5.  1737,  Sarah 
Sherman,  daughter  of  Timothy  and 
Deborah  (Russell)  Sherman. 

(V)  Sarah  Mosher,  youngest  of  the 
eleven  children  of  Constant  and  Sarah 
(Sherman)  Mosher,  was  born  in  1761  in 
Dartmouth,  and  was  married,  September 
25,  1778,  to  Gideon  Rogers,  of  Dartmouth 
^see  Rogers  V). 

(The  Rogers  Line). 

Among  the  earliest  immigrants  of  this 
name  was  Thomas  Rogers,  who  came  to 
Plymouth  in  the  "Mayflower"  in  1620, 
and  died  the  following  year.  According 
to  Bradford's  "History  of  Plymouth,"  all 
of  his  sons  were  married  in  1650,  and  had 
manv   children.      His   known    sons   were 


Joseph,  John,  William  and  Noah.  It  is 
believed  that  he  was  also  the  father  of 
Jjmes  Rogers,  the  next  mentioned. 

(I)  James  Rogers,  supposed  son  of 
Thomas  Rogers,  lived  in  Newport,  Rhode 
Island,  where  he  was  admitted  an  inhabi- 
tant before  May  20,  1638;  was  made  a 
freeman  9-14-1640,  and  died  in  1676.  He 
was  a  miller  by  occupation.  His  wife 
Mary  survived  him,  and  married  (second) 
in  1677  John  Peabody.  She  died  in  1678. 
Children  :  Sarah,  married  Richard  Knight ; 
Thomas,  mentioned  below ;  John,  born 
October  8,  1641. 

(II)  Thomas  Rogers,  eldest  son  of 
James  and  Mary  Rogers,  was  born  in 
1639  in  Newport,  where  he  made  his 
home  and  where  he  was  a  proprietor  of 
common  lands  as  late  as  1702.  He  was  a 
freeman  in  1668,  and  must  have  been 
possessed  of  considerable  property  as  his 
taxes  amounted  to  nineteen  shillings  and 
four  pence  in  1680.  In  1696  he  purchased 
lands  in  Dartmouth  for  one  hundred  and 
ten  pounds.  His  will  bequeathed  con- 
siderable parcels  of  land  and  large  sums 
of  money  for  that  day  to  his  children. 
He  died  November  23,  1719.  His  wife 
Sarah  died  after  1716.  Children:  James, 
Thomas,  Jonathan,  Sarah,  John,  Eliza- 
beth, Jeremiah,  Joseph,  Daniel,  Samuel 
and  Abigail. 

(III)  Daniel  Rogers,  son  of  Thomas 
and  Sarah  Rogers,  lived  in  Dartmouth. 
He  married,  December  14,  1749,  Hannah 
Fox,  of  Freetown,  Massachusetts.  Chil- 
dren: Jeremiah,  born  February  20,  1751 ; 
John,  March  14,  1762,  married  Sarah 
Wood ;  Susanna,  married  Silas  Kirby, 
Jr. ;  Gideon,  mentioned  below. 

(IV)  Gideon  Rogers,  youngest  child  of 
Daniel  and  Hannah  (Fox)  Rogers,  was 
in  Dartmouth  and  was  a  soldier  of  the 
Revolution  from  that  town.  He  served 
as  sergeant  in  Captain  Job  Cook's  (Six- 
teenth)    company,    Colonel    Hathaway's 


17. 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


(Second  Bristol  County)  regiment,  from 
August  4  to  August  8,  1780,  on  an  alarm 
at  Rhode  Island,  roll  sworn  to  at  Dart- 
mouth. He  married,  September  25,  1778, 
Sarah  Mosher,  daughter  of  Constant  and 
Sarah  (Sherman)  Mosher,  of  Dartmouth 
(see  Mosher  IV).  Children:  Hannah, 
born  November  1,  1779;  Rhoda,  Febru- 
ary 4,  1781,  married  Preserved  Chase, 
June  6,  1799;  Sarah,  August  17,  1782; 
Jeptha,  July  26,  1784,  married  Mercy 
Pool ;  Sybil,  mentioned  below ;  Mary, 
July  2,  1788;  John,  December  8,  1790, 
married,  November  7,  1813,  Mary  Reed; 
Phebe,  April  20,  1793;  Polly,  May  17, 
1795 ;  Gideon,  Sepetmber  4,  1797,  died 
October  14,  1797;  Gideon,  October  11, 
1798,  married  Azuba  Wordell ;  Phebe 
Lois,  December  10,  1801,  married,  March 
29,  1820,  Jacob  Reed;  Joel,  December  18, 
1805. 

(V)  Sybil  Rogers,  fourth  daughter  of 
Gideon  and  Sarah  (Mosher)  Rogers,  was 
born  June  II,  1786,  in  Dartmouth,  and 
was  married,  October  7,  1804,  to  Daniel 
(2)  Whalen,  of  Westport  (see  Lavally 
IV). 


BLAKE,  Fordyce  Turner, 

Enterprising  Business  Man. 

William  (2)  Blake,  son  of  William  (1) 
Blake,  of  Pitminster,  England,  was  bap- 
tized there,  July  10,  1594.  He  married 
there,  September  23,  1617,  Agnes  Band, 
widow,  whose  maiden  name  has  not  been 
ascertained.  Some  recent  investigations, 
however,  suggest  that  she  may  have  been 
the  widow  of  Richard  Band  and  daughter 
of  Hugh  Thorne,  of  Pitminster,  baptized 
January  12,  1594.  In  the  same  parish 
four  of  the  children  of  William  Blake 
were  baptized,  but  from  1624  to  1636  his 
place  of  residence  is  unknown.  It  is  be- 
lieved that  he  came  to  America  in  the  fall 
of  1635,  or  early  in  1636,  and  remained  at 


Dorchester  or  Roxbury,  making  the  ac- 
quaintance there  of  William  Pynchon  and 
others  who  were  considering  a  plan  of 
settlement  in  the  Connecticut  Valley.  At 
any  rate  he  was  with  Pynchon  and  his 
associates  on  May  14  and  16,  1636,  when 
they  drew  up  and  signed  the  Articles  of 
Association  at  Agawam,  now  Springfield, 
and  he  was  one  of  the  five  to  assign  the 
lots  and  manage  the  affairs  of  the  colony. 
He  drew  land  there,  but  apparently  de- 
cided to  return  to  Dorchester  and  settle. 
He  drew  land  in  South  Boston  in  March, 
1637-38.  He  was  made  a  freeman  in  the 
colony,  March  14,  1638-39.  He  was  a 
man  of  integrity  and  ability.  He  was 
constable  in  1641,  selectman  in  1645-47 
and  1651.  In  1656  he  was  elected  town 
clerk  and  "clerk  of  the  writs  for  the 
county  of  Suffolk,"  and  these  offices  he 
held  until  within  six  weeks  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  October  25,  1663.  He 
was  also  the  clerk  of  the  trainband.  In 
his  will  he  made  a  bequest  for  the  repair- 
ing of  the  burying  ground.  Soon  after 
his  death,  his  widow,  Agnes,  removed  to 
Boston,  probably  to  live  with  her  son 
John,  or  her  only  daughter,  Anne  Leager. 
She  died  in  Dorchester.  His  estate  was 
appraised  at  two  hundred  and  twenty- 
four  pounds.  His  children  were:  John, 
baptized  at  Pitminster,  September  6, 1620, 
died  at  Boston,  January  25,  1688-89; 
Anne,  baptized  at  Pitminster,  August  30, 
1618,  died  at  Boston,  July  12,  1681 ;  Wil- 
liam, baptized  at  Pitminster,  September 
6,  1620,  died  at  Milton,  Massachusetts, 
September  3,  1703;  James,  of  further 
mention;  Edward,  supposed  to  be  the 
youngest  child,  died  at  Milton,  Masschu- 
setts,  September  3,  1692. 

(II)  James  Blake,  son  of  William  (2) 
and  Agnes  (Band)  Blake,  was  born  in 
Pitminster,  England,  and  baptized  there, 
April  27,  1624.  He  came  to  New  Eng- 
land with  his   father.     He  lived  in   the 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


northern  part  of  Dorchester,  his  house, 
built  about  1650,  being  of  such  substan- 
tial character  that  the  town  voted  to 
model  the  parsonage  after  it  in  1669,  and 
it  remained  in  the  Blake  family  until 
1825.  In  1895  it  was  removed  from  the 
original  location  on  Cottage  street  to 
Richardsor:  Park  and  the  Dorchester  His- 
torical Society  secured  possession  of  it 
and  fitted  it  up  for  their  purposes.  From 
1658  to  1685  there  was  scarcely  a  year 
that  Mr.  Blake  did  not  serve  the  town 
in  some  official  capacity.  He  was  select- 
man thirteen  years,  later  constable,  depu- 
ty to  the  General  Court,  clerk  of  the 
writs,  recorder,  sergeant  of  the  militia 
company.  He  was  deacon  of  the  Dor- 
chester church  fourteen  years  and  ruling 
elder  for  the  same  period.  He  was  often 
called  upon  as  administrator  and  in  other 
capacities  in  the  settlement  of  estates.  He 
died  June  28,  1700,  leaving  a  will  dated 
two  days  prior  to  his  death.  His  estate 
was  appraised  at  four  hundred  and 
seventy-three  pounds.  He  and  his  wife 
are  buried  in  the  old  graveyard  in  Dor- 
chester, and  the  stones  that  mark  their 
graves  are  in  excellent  condition.  He 
married  (first)  about  165 1,  Elizabeth 
Clap,  daughter  of  Deacon  Edward  and 
Prudence  (Clap)  Clap,  born  in  1631-32, 
died  in  Dorchester,  January  16,  1693-94. 
He  married  (second)  in  Rehoboth,  Sep- 
tember 17,  1695,  Elizabeth  (Smith)  Hunt, 
widow  of  Peter  Hunt,  and  daughter  of 
Henry  and  Judith  Smith,  from  County 
Norfolk,  England.  Children:  James,  of 
further  mention ;  John,  born  March  16, 
1656-57,  inherited  property  of  his  Uncle 
John  in  Boston,  but  remained  in  Dor- 
chester, deacon  ;  married  Hannah , 

who  had  four  children,  and  died  May  16, 
1729,  his  death  occurring  March  2,  1718; 
Elizabeth,  born  October  3,  1658,  married 
Jeremiah  Fuller;  Jonathan,  born  July  12, 
died  November  10,  1660;  Sarah,  born 
February  28,   1665,  died  May  22,   1666; 


Joseph,  born  August  27,  1667,  died  Feb- 
ruary 1,  1738-39,  married  Mehitable  Bird, 
who  died  April  15,  1751,  lived  at  Dor- 
chester, and  had  eleven  children. 

(III)  James  (2)  Blake,  son  of  James 
(1)  and  Elizabeth  (Clap)  Blake,  was  born 
at  Dorchester,  August  15,  1652,  and  died 
October  22,  1732.  It  has  been  a  tradition 
in  the  family  that  the  first  house  built  on 
Dorchester  Neck,  now  South  Boston,  was 
erected  by  James  Blake.  Recent  investi- 
gation has  brought  evidence  that  Captain 
James  Foster  had  a  dwelling  there  in 
1676,  while  Blake's  house,  the  second 
built  there,  was  erected  in  1681.  The 
house  was  finely  located,  commanding  a 
view  of  the  harbor  and  shore.  It  was  on 
the  road  to  Castle  William,  later  Fort  In- 
dependence, and  became  a  sort  of  house 
of  entertainment  for  the  English  officers 
at  the  fort.  His  new  house  was  almost 
entirely  destroyed  by  the  British  troops, 
February  13,  1776.  He  was  a  farmer, 
and  he  served  as  deacon  of  the  Dorches- 
ter church  twenty-three  years.  He  mar- 
ried (first)  February  6,  1681,  Hannah 
Macey,  born  in  1660,  died  June  I,  1683, 
daughter  of  George  and  Susannah  Macey, 
of  Taunton;  he  married  (second)  July 
8,  1684,  Ruth  Bachellor,  born  in  Hamp- 
ton, New  Hampshire,  May  9,  1662,  died 
in  Dorchester,  January  II,  1752,  daughter 
of  Nathaniel  and  Deborah  (Smith)  Bach- 
ellor. Children:  1.  Hannah,  born  Sep- 
tember 16,  1685,  died  October  2,  1686.  2. 
James,  born  April  29,  1688,  died  at  Dor- 
chester, December  4,  1750;  he  was  town 
clerk  twenty-four  years,  and  the  author 
of  Blake's  Annals,  the  original  of  which 
is  deposited  with  the  New  England  His- 
toric-Genealogical Society ;  he  married 
Wait  Simpson,  born  in  Charlestown, 
March  30,  1685,  died  in  Dorchester,  May 
22,  1753,  daughter  of  Jonathan  and  Wayte 
(Clap)  Simpson.  3.  Increase,  of  further 
mention. 

(IV)  Increase  Blake,  son  of  James  (2) 
173 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  Ruth  (Bachellor)  Blake,  was  born  at 
Dorchester,  June  8,  1699,  and  he  died 
probably  in  1770.  He  shared  with  his 
only  brother,  James,  in  his  father's  estate, 
but  soon  sold  all  his  share  of  the  real 
estate.  He  resided  in  Boston,  where  his 
sixteen  children  were  born,  probably  in 
the  vicinity  of  Milk  and  Batterymarch 
streets.  He  was  a  tin  plate  worker,  and 
his  trade  was  followed  by  several  of  his 
sons  and  grandsons.  He  was  an  inn- 
holder  on  Merchants'  Row  in  1740.  From 
1734  to  1748  he  was  sealer  of  weights  and 
measures,  an  office  appropriately  con- 
nected with  one  of  his  trade.  In  1737 
he  leased  of  the  town  of  Boston  one  of 
the  shops  at  the  town  dock  at  an  annual 
rental  of  thirty  pounds,  and  in  1744  re- 
quested a  renewal.  He  married  in  Bos- 
ton, July  23,  1724,  Anne  Gray,  born  in 
Boston,  March  16,  1704-05,  died  there, 
June  20,  175 1,  a  daughter  of  Edward 
and  Susanna  (Harrison)  Gray.  Mr.  Gray 
was  a  rope  maker  and  became  wealthy. 
One  of  his  sons,  Harrison  Gray,  was 
prominent  in  public  life,  and  treasurer  of 
the  province.  Another,  Rev.  Ellis  Gray, 
was  pastor  of  the  Second  Church  of  Bos- 
ton, and  the  names  of  Ellis  Gray  and 
Harrison  Gray  have  been  retained  in  the 
Blake  family.  Children  :  1 .  Ann,  born  May 
8, 1725,  died  in  Boston,  June  2, 1752  (Gran- 
ary burying  ground  inscription)  ;  she 
married,  November  6,  1746,  Thomas  An- 
drews, housewright.  2.  Increase,  of  fur- 
ther mention.  3.  Edward,  born  July  9, 
1728;  married,  October  24,  1751,  Rebecca 
Hallowell.  4.  James,  born  March  20, 
1730,  was  living  in  1774.  5.  Harrison, 
born  September  10,  1731.  6.  William, 
born  September  14,  1732;  married,  in 
Boston,  March  26,  1770,  Dorcas  Ward. 
7.  Hannah,  born  September  9,  1733  ;  mar- 
ried, 1752,  Colonel  Thomas  Dawes.  8. 
Susannah,  born  October  14,  1734;  mar- 
ried, 1755,  Captain  Caleb  Prince.    9.  John, 


born  June  22,  1736,  was  a  tin  plate 
worker;  he  married  in  Boston,  June  28, 
1757,  Anne  Clarage.  10.  Thomas,  born 
January  14,  1737-38.  II.  Benjamin,  born 
May  9,  1739;  married,  August  17,  1763; 
Elizabeth  Harris.  12.  Joseph,  born  July 
5,  1740;  married,  December  3,  1761,  Sarah 
Dawes.  13.  Nathaniel,  born  September 
28,  1741,  died  October  15,  of  the  same 
year.  14.  Ellis  Gray,  born  September  9, 
1743;  married,  August  23,  1778,  Jane 
Cook.  15.  Mary,  born  August  17,  1745; 
married,  in  Boston,  March  1,  1770,  Simon 
Whipple,  and  had  three  children.  16. 
Sarah,  born  August  18,  1746;  married 
Joseph  Bachelder,  of  Chelsea. 

(V)  Increase  (2)  Blake,  son  of  In- 
crease (1)  and  Anne  (Gray)  Blake,  was 
born  in  Boston,  October  28,  1726,  and 
died  in  Worcester,  February  28,  1795.  He 
was  a  tin  plate  worker  in  Boston,  having 
a  shop  on  King  street,  now  State  street, 
near  the  old  State  House.  He  is  said  to 
have  supplied  the  Provincial  troops  with 
canteens,  cartridge  boxes,  and  the  like, 
but  refusing  to  make  them  for  the  British 
troops  he  was  driven  from  the  town.  His 
wife  was  equally  patriotic.  Her  Bible, 
which  is  in  the  possession  of  Mrs.  E.  A. 
Knowlton,  of  Rochester,  Minnesota,  gives 
evidence  of  an  encounter  she  had  with  a 
British  soldier.  One  day  when  sitting  in 
front  of  her  door  reading  her  Bible,  she 
was  asked  by  a  soldier  as  he  passed  what 
she  was  reading.  She  replied,  "the  story 
of  the  cross,"  upon  which  he  answered 
that  he  would  fix  her  Bible  so  she  would 
always  remember  the  cross,  and  with  his 
sword  he  made  a  deep  cut  across  the  page 
through  many  leaves.  The  story  has 
several  forms  as  it  has  been  handed  down, 
but  the  Bible,  the  cut  and  the  sword  of 
the  British  soldier  are  undoubted  real- 
ities. When  forced  to  leave  Boston,  just 
after  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  he  re- 
moved  his   wife  and   seven   children   to 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Worcester,  sacrificing  nearly  all  of  his 
Boston  property.  He  opened  a  shop  in 
Worcester  at  Lincoln  Square  and  worked 
at  his  trade.  In  1780  and  for  a  number  of 
years  he  was  jailer  or  goaler.  His  estate 
was  appraised  for  forty-two  pounds  and 
proved  to  be  insolvent.  Twelve  of  his 
children  were  born  in  Boston,  the  thir- 
teenth in  Worcester.  He  married  (first) 
April  18,  1754,  Anne  Crafts,  born  in  Bos- 
ton, January  10,  1734,  died  March  21, 
1762.  Recently  a  grave  stone  inscribed 
with  her  name  and  date  of  death  was 
found  on  Boston  Common.  He  married 
(second)  December  7,  1762,  Elizabeth 
Bridge,  born  in  1731,  died  of  smallpox, 
in  Worcester,  November  22,  1792,  per- 
haps a  daughter  of  Ebenezer  and  Mary 
Bridge,  of  Boston.  An  obituary  notice 
in  "The  Spy"  of  December.  1792,  refers 
to  her  as  "one  of  the  noblest  women  earth 
was  ever  blessed  with.  A  living  Chris- 
tian." Children  by  first  marriage  :  Anne, 
born  August  9,  1755,  died  December  6, 
1760;  Thomas,  born  December  20,  1756, 
died  in  infancy;  William,  born  March  12, 
1758,  died  September  7,  1759;  James,  died 
January  22,  1762;  James,  born  January 
29,  1762,  married,  July  14,  1784,  Rebecca 
Cunningham.  Children  by  second  mar- 
riage: Mary,  born  November  5,  1763, 
married,  September  15,  1797,  Andrew 
Tufts;  Persis,  born  March  31,  1765,  mar- 
ried, December  8,  1790,  Samuel  Case; 
Thomas  Dawes,  of  further  mention ; 
Ebenezer,  born  May  31,  1771,  supposed 
to  have  been  lost  at  sea ;  Sarah,  born  No- 
vember 25.  1772,  was  living  in  1795 ;  Su- 
sanna, born  April  4,  1774,  married,  Au- 
gust 3,  1800,  George  Anson  Howes ; 
Dorothy,  born  June  15,  1781,  in  Worces- 
ter. 

(VI)  Dr.  Thomas  Dawes  Blake,  son  of 
Increase  (2)  and  Elizabeth  (Bridge) 
Blake,  was  born  in  Boston,  October  23. 
1768,  and  died  in  Farmington,  Maine,  No- 


vember 20,  1849.  He  spent  his  early  days 
in  Worcester,  and  attended  Dr.  Payson's 
celebrated  school,  from  which  he  was 
graduated  with  the  highest  honors  of  his 
class.  He  practiced  for  a  short  time  as 
physician  at  Petersham,  Massachusetts, 
but  in  1799  settled  at  Farmington,  Maine. 
He  was  a  ripe  scholar,  and  to  quote  the 
history  of  Farmington,  "possessed  of 
those  strong  virtues  acquired  during  the 
troublous  times  in  which  his  early  life 
was  spent."  He  married,  January  3,  1802, 
Martha  Norton,  born  in  Vineyard  Haven, 
Massachusetts,  May  1,  1786,  died  in 
Farmington,  Maine,  September  30,  1873, 
a  daughter  of  Cornelius  and  Lydia  (Clag- 
horn)  Norton.  Children,  all  born  at 
Farmington :  Cordelia,  born  April  19, 
1804,  died  May  24,  1808;  Adeline,  born 
September  16,  1806,  married,  April  9, 
1835,  John  F.  W.  Gould;  Martha,  born 
November  12,  1808,  died  January  22, 1895, 
at  Farmington,  married,  April  27,  1828, 
David  C.  Morrill,  born  December  4,  1804, 
died  June  12,  1877,  a  son  of  David  and 
Lucinda  (Woods)  Morrill ;  Thomas 
Dawes,  born  February  4,  181 1,  married. 
May  13,  1841,  Hannah  D.  Norton ;  In- 
crease, born  December  8,  1812,  married, 
September  26,  1844,  Sarah  Farnsworth ; 
Cornelius  N.,  born  February  8,  1815,  died 
August  29,  1827;  Ebenezer  Norton,  born 
July  30,  181 7,  married,  February  16,  1843, 
Harriet  Cummings ;  George  Fordyce,  of 
further  mention ;  Jotham  Sewall,  born 
February  6,  1821,  died  March  5,  1881  ; 
Freeman  Norton,  born  June  1,  1822,  mar- 
ried Helen  S.  Baker. 

(VII)  George  Fordyce  Blake,  son  of 
Dr.  Thomas  Dawes  and  Martha  (Nor- 
ton) Blake,  was  born  at  Farmington, 
Maine,  May  20,  1819,  and  died  in  Bos- 
ton, July  22,  1905.  He  commenced  his 
business  career  at  an  early  age,  and  be- 
fore he  was  thirty  years  of  age  held  a 
responsible  position  as  mechanical  engi- 

75 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


neer  at  the  Cambridge  brick  yards.  His 
mechanical  skill  led  him  to  devise  several 
useful  inventions,  among  which  was  a 
water  meter  which  brought  his  name  into 
public  prominence.  His  greatest  achieve- 
ment, however,  was  the  Blake  steam  pump, 
which  he  devised  originally  for  use  in  his 
own  business.  This  pump  was  so  suc- 
cessful that  he  devoted  most  of  his  ener- 
gies to  its  manufacture  and  improvement. 
He  must  be  accounted  one  of  the  great 
inventors  of  the  nineteenth  century,  and 
unlike  many  of  them  he  reaped  richly  of 
the  fruit  of  his  invention.  The  Blake 
pump  is  now  manufactured  by  a  corpora- 
tion known  as  the  George  F.  Blake  Manu- 
facturing Company.  Mr.  Blake  made  his 
home  at  various  times  at  Cambridge, 
Medford,  Belmont,  and  lastly,  Boston. 
He  married  (first)  at  Lynnfield,  Massa- 
chusetts, January  i,  1845,  Sarah  Silver 
Skinner,  born  at  Lynnfield,  June  18,  1821, 
died  in  Boston,  October  14,  1856,  a  daugh- 
ter of  William  and  Lucy  (Aborn)  Skin- 
ner. He  married  (second)  at  North  Sand- 
wich, Massachusetts,  December  24,  1857, 
Martha  J.  Skinner,  born  June  24,  1835, 
died  in  Boston,  June  2,  1897,  a  sister  of 
his  first  wife.  The  children  by  the  first 
marriage :  Thomas  Dawes,  born  at  Cam- 
bridge, October  25,  1847,  married,  May 
18,  1870,  Susan  P.  Symonds,  four  chil- 
dren ;  Sara  Augusta,  born  December  6, 
1853,  at  Cambridge,  died  at  Belmont, 
February  27,  1891,  married,  October  21, 
1885,  Roland  H.  Boutwell,  son  of  Rodney 
C.  and  Nancy  J.  Boutwell.  Children  by 
second  marriage :  George  Fordyce,  of  fur- 
ther mention ;  Grace  Bertha,  born  August 
30,  1863,  at  Medford,  died  there,  Febru- 
ary 29,  1868  ;  Jennie  Maria,  born  April  29, 
1869,  at  Medford,  married,  at  Boston, 
April  17,  1895,  Arthur  Stoddard  Johnson, 
born  in  Boston,  June  4,  1863,  son  of 
Samuel  and  Mary  (Stoddard)  Johnson, 
has  three  children ;  Alice  Norton,  born  at 


Belmont,  July  6,  1872,  resided  at  Boston, 
married,  June  6,  1901,  James  M.  Newell, 
has  two  children. 

(VIII)  George  Fordyce  (2)  Blake,  son 
of  George  Fordyce  (1)  and  Martha  J. 
(Skinner)  Blake,  was  born  at  Medford, 
Massachusetts,  February  9,  1859.  He  at- 
tended the  public  schools  of  his  native 
town,  and  then  became  a  student  at  the 
Warren  Academy  at  Woburn,  where  he 
prepared  for  admission  to  the  Massachu- 
setts Institute  of  Technology,  and  entered 
in  the  class  of  1879.  He  made  a  trip 
around  the  world  in  1880.  During  the 
next  four  years  he  was  a  draughtsman  in 
the  office  of  the  Blake  Manufacturing 
Company,  of  which  his  father  was  the 
president.  He  was  also  connected  with 
the  Knowles  Pump  Works  as  draughts- 
man, his  father  being  president  of  this 
company  also.  He  engaged  in  business 
on  his  own  account,  February  28,  1884, 
when  he  formed  a  partnership  under  the 
firm  name  of  Blake,  Boutwell  &  Com- 
pany, to  deal  in  iron  and  steel  at  Worces- 
ter, Massachusetts.  In  October,  1891,  the 
firm  became  George  F.  Blake,  Jr.,  &  Com- 
pany. In  May,  1893,  the  business  of  the 
company  was  extended  by  the  addition  of 
an  iron  mill  at  Wareham,  Massachusetts, 
and  a  store  in  Boston.  Mr.  Blake  has 
numerous  other  interests  and  connec- 
tions. He  is  a  director  in  the  Worcester 
Trust  Company,  vice-president  and  di- 
rector of  the  State  Mutual  Life  Assur- 
ance Company,  and  was  also  a  director  of 
the  Callahan  Supply  Company.  He  was 
a  director  of  the  Central  National  Bank, 
which  was  absorbed  by  the  Worcester 
Trust  Company.  He  is  a  trustee  of  the 
Worcester  County  Institution  for  Sav- 
ings. He  was  for  three  years  a  director 
of  the  Providence  &  Worcester  Railroad, 
now  owned  by  the  New  York,  New 
Haven  &  Hartford  Railroad  Company. 
He  was  a  trustee  of  the  Worcester  In- 


176 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


sane  Asylum  and  Hospital,  appointed  by 
Governor  Bates  to  fill  the  unfinished  term 
of  Philip  W.  Moen.  Director  and  vice- 
president  of  the  Worcester  Cold  Storage 
Company.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Wor- 
cester Board  of  Trade  ;  the  Home  Market 
Club  ;  Worcester  Club  ;  Commonwealth 
Club ;  Ouinsigamond  Boat  Club,  of  which 
he  was  president  two  years ;  Tatnuck 
Country  Club ;  Exchange  Club,  of  Bos- 
ton ;  Calumet  Club,  of  New  York ;  and 
Grafton  Country  Club.  Mr.  Blake's  home 
is  on  Lincoln  street,  Worcester,  and  he 
has  a  beautiful  summer  place  on  Salis- 
bury street,  Worcester,  where  he  in- 
dulges a  taste  for  a  farm  life  at  its  best. 
He  has  traveled  extensively,  both  for 
business  and  pleasure.  Mr.  Blake  mar- 
ried, April  29,  1885,  at  Newton,  Massa- 
chusetts, Carrie  Howard  Turner,  born  in 
Boston,  April  19,  1861,  a  daughter  of  Job 
A.  Turner,  (treasurer  of  the  George  F. 
Blake  Manufacturing  Company  and  of 
the  Knowles  Pump  Works),  and  Vesta 
(Howard)  Turner.  Children:  Fordyce 
Turner,  of  further  mention ;  Vesta  Caro- 
lyn, born  March  31,  1896. 

(IX)  Fordyce  Turner  Blake,  only  son 
of  George  Fordyce  (2)  and  Carrie  Howard 
(Turner)  Blake,  was  born  February  10, 
18S9,  in  Worcester,  and  graduated  at  Mil- 
ton Academy  in  the  class  of  190S.  Im- 
mediately entering  Harvard  University 
he  graduated  with  the  degree  of  A.  B.  in 
1912.  During  college  life  he  was  quite 
active  in  athletics  of  the  varsity  foot  ball 
squad,  in  the  fall  of  1909,  but  was  pre- 
vented by  an  accident  to  his  shoulder 
from  further  participation  in  the  game  at 
that  time.  In  1914  and  1915  he  was  as- 
sistant coach  of  the  Harvard  foot  ball 
freshman  teams.  In  1912  he  was  assis- 
tant coach  at  the  Massachusetts  Institute 
of  Technology,  and  in  the  following  year 
at  Holy  Cross  College,  Worcester. 
Selected  as  head  coach  of  Worcester 
mass-Voi  111-12  177 


Polytechnic  Institute,  1916.  He  is  affili- 
ated with  various  Harvard  clubs,  includ- 
ing the  Weston,  Cosmopolitan  and  Har- 
vard Club  of  Boston,  and  is  a  member  of 
the  Milton  Academy  Club,  Quinsigamond 
Boat  Club,  Worcester  Country  Club,  and 
Worcester  Club.  He  attends  divine  wor- 
ship at  the  Episcopal  church  in  which  his 
wife  is  a  communicant.  In  the  summer 
of  1912,  immediately  after  graduation, 
he  became  messenger  in  the  banking 
office  of  Estabrook  &  Company,  State 
street,  Boston.  He  soon  after  became  as- 
sociated with  Rhoades  &  Company,  New 
York  bankers,  at  their  Boston  office  on 
Congress  street,  acting  first  as  a  traveling 
bond  salesman,  and  later  manager  of  the 
New  England  office.  This  he  continued 
until  February  8,  1915,  when  he  opened 
an  office  for  Jackson  &  Curtis  in  the  State 
Mutual  Building  at  Worcester,  and  was 
appointed  manager  in  October,  1915.  He 
is  also  assistant  manager  of  George  F. 
Blake,  Jr.  &  Company,  of  Worcester.  His 
residence  is  on  Military  road  in  that  city. 
He  married  Ethel  Kinney,  born  in  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio,  daughter  of  Charles  D.  and 
Sarah  Jeanett  (Gross)  Kinney,  of  that 
city.  They  have  one  son,  Fordyce  Turner 
Blake,  Jr.,  born  July  17,  1915. 


HARTWELL, Walter  A.  and  Nelson  W., 

Enterprising  Business  Men. 

In  the  chapter  of  Domesday  Book  as- 
signed to  a  description  of  military  tenures 
of  lands  allotted  in  Northamptonshire, 
England,  by  William  of  Normandy  to  his 
followers,  appears  the  designation  of  an 
allotment  bearing  the  name  of  "Herte- 
welle."  Similar  records  are  found  in  the 
descriptions  of  lands  in  Bucks  and  Wilts. 
Several  branches  of  these  early  families, 
including  three  or  four  baronies  and  with 
the  name  transmuted  amid  the  multifari- 
ous changes  of  orthography   incident  to 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


the  changes  and  growth  of  the  English 
language  to  plain  Hartwell,  have  spread 
over  England,  more  than  one  offshoot 
having  found  their  way  to  those  counties 
of  Ireland  within  the  pale,  notably  about 
the  time  of  the  wholesale  transplanting  of 
colonists  to  that  island  by  Cromwell. 

(I)  From  some  one  of  these  English 
families  came  William  Hartwell,  who 
appears  among  the  early  settlers  of  Con- 
cord, Massachusetts.  It  cannot  be  posi- 
tively stated  whether  or  not  William  Hart- 
well was  of  the  party  of  settlers  under  the 
lead  of  Major  Simon  Willard,  who  led  the 
way  in  cutting  loose  from  a  neighborhood 
of  their  friends  to  penetrate  the  wilderness 
in  search  of  homes,  and  which  "made 
their  pitch"  within  the  limits  of  the  his- 
toric town  of  Cambridge,  September  12, 
1635,  but  enough  is  known  to  make  it 
extremely  probable  that  he  must  have 
arrived  in  the  settlement  in  the  following 
year,  1636.  A  tract  of  land,  containing 
nine  acres,  "more  or  less"  was  allotted  to 
him  on  which  to  erect  a  dwelling,  situ- 
ated, as  near  as  can  be  judged,  nearly  a 
mile  eastward  of  the  Public  Square,  along 
the  Lexington  or  old  "Bay"  road,  very 
nearly  at  the  eastern  bound  of  the  prop- 
erty occupied  in  1887  by  E.  W.  Bull,  Na- 
thaniel Ball  and  Joshua  Wheeler.  If,  as 
is  assumed,  Mr.  Hartwell  arrived  in  Con- 
cord in  1636,  he  was  twenty-three  years 
old  at  that  time.  He  was  made  a  freeman 
of  the  colony  in  1642,  appears  as  one  of 
the  petitioners  for  a  grant  of  the  town  of 
Chelmsford,  adjoining  Concord  on  the 
north,  in  1653,  was  a  corporal  in  1671, 
was  one  of  the  committee  of  nine  citizens 
to  frame  rules  for  the  guidance  of  the 
selectmen  of  the  town  in  1672,  in  1673 
was  appointed  quartermaster  by  Vice 
Henry  Woodis,  appointed  cornet  in  the 
Second  (Captain  Thomas  Wheeler's) 
Troop  of  Horse  of  Middlesex  county. 
He   appears   as   one   of  the   large   land- 


holders, with  two  hundred  and  forty- 
seven  acres  of  land,  in  nineteen  separately 
described  tracts.  He  died  March  12,  1690, 
"in  ye  77th  year  of  his  age,"  having  made 
his  will  a  short  time  previous,  in  which  he 
mentions  his  daughters,  Sarah  and  Mary, 
and  his  sons,  John  and  Samuel.  His  wife, 
Jazan,  died  August  5,  1695.  The  resting 
place  of  their  remains  is  not  known,  but 
was  doubtless  in  the  old  graveyard  on 
the  hill  south  of  the  Public  Square  in 
Concord  Village,  where  several  of  his  de- 
scendants are  buried.  Children:  John, 
mentioned  below ;  Sarah,  married,  in 
1661,  Benjamin  Parker,  of  Billerica; 
Mary,  born  1643;  Samuel,  March  26. 
1645;  Martha,  February  25,  1650;  Jona- 
than ;   Nathaniel. 

(II)  John  Hartwell,  apparently  eldest 
child  of  William  and  Jazan  Hartwell,  was 
born  February  23,  1640,  in  Concord,  and 
died  there  January  12,  1703.  He  was 
made  a  freeman  of  the  colony,  March  21, 
1690,  and  was  a  soldier  in  King  Philip's 
War  under  Captain  Thomas  Wheeler, 
marching  to  the  defence  of  Quaboag,  now 
Brookfield.  He  married  (first)  January 
1,  1664,  Priscilla  Wright,  daughter  of 
Edward  and  Elizabeth  Wright,  who  died 
March  3,  1681.  He  married  (second) 
August  23,  1683,  her  sister,  Elizabeth 
Wright,  who  died  December  16,  1704. 
Children  of  first  marraige :  Ebenezer, 
mentioned  below;  John,  born  April  15, 
1669;  Samuel,  October  9,  1673;  Sarah, 
September  22,  1678;  Joseph,  January  24, 
1680;  William,  died  young. 

(III)  Ebenezer  Hartwell,  eldest  child 
of  John  and  Priscilla  (Wright)  Hartwell, 
was  born  April  5,  1666,  in  Concord,  and 
died  January  1,  1724,  probably  in  the 
neighboring  town  of  Carlisle.  He  re- 
ceived from  his  father-in-law,  June  3, 
1698,  a  deed  of  the  south  half  of  a  house 
and  lot  in  the  village  of  Concord,  also 
land  in  Carlisle,  on  which  he  seems  to 


178 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


have  lived.  He  married,  in  Concord, 
March  27,  1690,  Sarah  Smedley,  born 
about  1670,  died  November  13,  1715, 
daughter  of  John  and  Sarah  (Wheeler) 
Smedley,  of  Concord.  Children  recorded 
in  that  town:  John,  mentioned  below; 
Priscilla,  born  1692,  died  next  year; 
Sarah,  July  28,  1694;  Priscilla,  January 
rj,  1697;  Ebenezer,  March  22,  1699; 
Samuel,  April  30,  1702. 

(IV)  John  (2)  Hartwell,  eldest  child 
of  Ebenezer  and  Sarah  (Smedley)  Hart- 
well,  was  born  April  12,  1691,  in  Concord, 
and  died  there,  December  20,  1780.  He  is 
called  Ensign  John  Hartwell,  and  prob- 
ably spent  most  of  his  active  life  in  Car- 
lisle, as  only  one  child  is  recorded  in  Con- 
cord. There  is  evidence  that  he  had  two 
wives,  named  respectively  Dorothy  and 
Mary.  The  former  appears  in  the  Con- 
cord records  as  his  wife. 

(V)  Josiah  Hartwell,  son  of  John  (2) 
and  Dorothy  Hartwell,  was  born  March 

29,  1718,  in  Concord,  and  died  January 
20,  1790,  in  Littleton,  Massachusetts. 
He  married  (first)  February  16,  1742, 
Bethiah  Wood,  born  July  27,  1722,  in 
Bradford,    Massachusetts,   died    January 

30,  1776,  daughter  of  John  and  Sarah 
(Kimball)  Wood,  of  Bradford,  and  later 
of  Littleton,  where  they  located  in  1726. 
He  married  (second)  in  Littleton  (inten- 
tions published  January  15,  1777)  Han- 
nah Willard.  Children,  born  of  the  first 
marriage:  Joseph,  February  2,  1743; 
Sarah,  September  24,  1744;  John,  Janu- 
ary 23,  1746;  Bethiah,  January  25,  1748; 
Benjamin,  mentioned  below;  Elizabeth, 
September  24,  1752;   Samuel,  November 

25.  1754- 

(VI)  Benjamin  Hartwell,  third  son  of 
Josiah  and  Bethiah  (Wood)  Hartwell, 
was  born  November  4,  1750,  in  Littleton, 
and  was  a  minute-man  in  the  early  days 
of  the  Revolution.  He  was  a  pioneer 
settler    in    West    Fitchburg,    Massachu- 


setts, where  he  cleared  land  and  began 
farming.  Here  he  died  April  3,  1813. 
This  land  has  continued  in  the  family  to 
the  present  time  and  is  now  occupied 
by  his  great-great-grandson,  Nelson  W. 
Hartwell.  He  married,  November  26, 
1778,  in  Littleton,  Sarah  Sanderson,  born 
February  9,  1752,  in  that  town,  daughter 
of  Moses  and  Mary  Sanderson. 

(VII)  Benjamin  (2)  Hartwell,  son  of 
Benjamin  (1)  and  Sarah  (Sanderson) 
Hartwell,  was  born  April  n,  1792,  in 
West  Fitchburg,  and  died  there  Decem- 
ber 25,  1846.  He  was  a  farmer  and  spent 
his  whole  life  upon  the  land  where  his 
father  had  settled.  He  married,  Decem- 
ber 24,  1819,  Betsey  Baldwin,  born  Octo- 
ber, 1795,  in  Ashburnham,  Massachu- 
setts, died  February  17,  1888,  in  West 
Fitchburg.  They  had  two  daughters, 
Nancy  and  Sultina,  and  three  sons,  Leon- 
ard, Benjamin  and  Milo. 

(VIII)  Leonard  Hartwell,  son  of  Ben- 
jamin (2)  and  Betsey  (Baldwin)  Hart- 
well, was  born  February  9,  1823,  in  Fitch- 
burg, where  he  died  October  16,  1894. 
His  education  was  supplied  by  the  public 
schools  of  his  native  town,  and  he  re- 
mained on  the  paternal  farm,  sharing  in 
its  labors  until  he  attained  his  majority. 
After  one  year  in  the  service  of  neighbor- 
ing farmers,  he  bought  out  the  interests 
of  the  other  heirs,  and  became  sole  owner 
of  the  paternal  homestead,  on  which  he 
continued  to  engage  in  agriculture  until 
the  close  of  his  life.  He  had  a  natural 
mechanical  bent,  inherited  from  his  father 
and  grandfather,  and  did  much  carpenter 
work  during  his  most  active  years.  A 
Unitarian  in  religious  faith,  a  Republican 
in  politics,  he  enjoyed  the  esteem  and  re- 
spect of  his  contemporaries.  He  married 
Martha  Sophia  Adams,  born  October  18, 
1825,  in  Concord,  Vermont,  died  at  Fitch- 
burg, Massachusetts,  February  12,  1907. 
They  had  two  sons,  Emery  A.,  born  April 


179 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


24,  1850,  in  Fitchburg,  died  there  unmar- 
ried, April  1,  191 1,  he  was  a  graduate  of 
Amherst  College,  and  was  a  teacher  in 
the  Fitchburg  High  School  for  over  thirty 
years ;  Walter  Arvin,  mentioned  below. 

(IX)  Walter  Arvin  Hartwell,  second 
son  of  Leonard  and  Martha  Sophia 
(Adams)  Hartwell,  was  born  March  5, 
1854,  in  Fitchburg,  and  attended  the 
public  schools  of  that  city.  After  com- 
pleting the  grammar  school  course,  he 
engaged  actively  in  farming  on  the  old 
homestead,  until  he  was  twenty-two  years 
old.  During  this  time  he  had  acquired, 
through  practice  with  his  father,  a  thor- 
ough knowledge  of  carpenter  work,  and 
his  natural  mechanical  taste  and  ability 
led  him  to  engage  in  this  kind  of  work. 
He  was  able  to  begin,  on  leaving  home, 
as  a  journeyman,  and  was  very  soon 
promoted  to  foreman  and  placed  in  charge 
of  construction  work.  After  some  sixteen 
years  in  this  line  of  endeavor,  he  began 
taking  contracts  on  his  own  account,  and 
has  continued  down  to  the  present  time 
as  a  contracting  builder.  He  does  a  gen- 
eral business,  employing  stone  and  brick 
masons,  carpenters  and  painters,  beside 
unskilled  labor,  and  has  thus  aided  in  the 
development  and  progress  of  his  home 
town.  He  employs  a  large  force  of  men, 
and  handles  only  large  operations.  He 
also  deals  extensively  in  real  estate,  being 
connected  with  the  Lyon  Realty  Com- 
pany of  Fitchburg.  In  religion  a  Metho- 
dist, in  politics  a  Republican,  he  takes  an 
active  interest  in  the  public  welfare,  and 
has  served  three  years  as  a  member  of  the 
City  Council  from  Ward  Three.  He  is 
now  a  member  of  the  city  school  board, 
on  which  he  has  served  six  years,  and  is 
a  member  of  the  Fitchburg  Merchants' 
Association  and  Board  of  Trade.  The 
only  fraternal  organization  with  which  he 
affiliates  is  the  Ancient  Order  of  United 
Workmen.    He  married  (first)  December 


26,  1876,  Chloe  Maria  Stockwell,  born 
1852,  in  Royalston,  Massachusetts,  daugh- 
ter of  George  Stockwell,  died  in  Fitch- 
burg, October  13,  1893.  He  married 
(second)  September  30,  1896,  Annie 
Maria  Russell,  born  April  21,  1858,  in 
Devonshire,  England,  daughter  of  George 
M.  and  Elizabeth  (Dunsford)  Russell. 
Children  of  first  marriage:  1.  Edith  A., 
born  May  20,  1878;  now  living  in  Salis- 
bury, Connecticut.  2.  Nelson  Walter, 
mentioned  below.  3.  Elsie  Maria,  born 
August  13,  1883,  married  Charles  Pethy- 
bridge,  professor  in  Tabor  College,  at 
Marion,  Massachusetts,  and  resides  at 
Buzzard's  Bay,  Massachusetts;  they 
have  two  children:  Charles  Adams,  born 
January  16,  1912,  and  Lois  Carter,  born 
April  11,  1914. 

(X)  Nelson  Walter  Hartwell,  only  son 
of  Walter  Arvin  and  Chloe  Maria  (Stock- 
well)  Hartwell,  was  born  December  26, 
1879,  in  Fitchburg,  and  was  educated  in 
the  public  schools  of  that  city,  including 
the  high  school.  After  leaving  school  he 
engaged  in  farming  upon  the  paternal 
homestead,  which  has  been  in  the  family 
for  several  generations,  located  on  Ash- 
burnham  street  in  West  Fitchburg.  Be- 
sides general  farming,  he  conducts  a  milk 
and  dairy  business,  and  also  deals  in  wood 
and  lumber.  An  active  and  enterprising 
man,  he  is  keeping  up  the  well-known 
reputation  of  the  family  for  industry  and 
business  ability.  He  is  a  Unitarian  in 
religion,  and  a  Republican  in  politics,  and 
is  active  in  promoting  to  the  extent  of 
his  ability  those  moral  and  educational 
influences  which  bear  up  the  standards  of 
this  Republic.  He  is  now  (1915)  serv- 
ing as  a  member  of  the  City  Council  from 
Ward  Three.  He  married,  December  22, 
1913,  Fannie  Adeline  Robbins,  born  May 
25,  1890,  in  Dunstable,  Massachusetts, 
daughter  of  Freeman  Frederick  and  Ida 
E.  (McGrath)  Robbins. 


180 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


FLETCHER,  George  Aaron, 

Building  Contractor. 

This  name  has  been  known  in  the 
United  States  since  1630,  and  has  been 
borne  by  many  prominent  citizens.  The 
Fletchers  have  generally  been  leading 
people  in  the  communities  where  they 
have  dwelt.  The  name  was  originally 
written  Fledger,  and  was  the  name  of  the 
trade  of  a  maker  of  arrows,  or  as  some 
think,  of  affixing  the  feather  to  the  arrow 
— fledging  it.  The  French  word  Flechier 
has  precisely  the  same  meaning,  and  some 
have  inferred  a  French  extraction.  All 
the  traditions  concur,  however,  in  making 
the  early  ancestors  of  this  family  of  Eng- 
lish or  Welsh  stock,  and  Yorkshire,  one 
of  the  northern  countries  of  England,  is 
named  as  the  spot  whence  they  emigrated 
to  America.  The  name  has  been  and  still 
is  common  there.  Rev.  Elijah  Fletcher, 
of  Hopkinton,New  Hampshire,  born  1747, 
died  1786,  the  first  so  far  as  known  who 
made  genealogical  collections  of  the  fam- 
ily, believed  that  the  great  ancestor,  Rob- 
ert Fletcher,  came  from  Yorkshire,  and 
that  account  was  gathered  when  Robert's 
great-grandchildren  were  living. 

(I)  Robert  Fletcher  settled  at  Concord, 
Massachusetts,  in  1630,  in  which  year 
seventeen  ships  arrived  in  Massachusetts 
Bay  and  at  Plymouth.  He  had  three  sons, 
Luke,  William  and  Samuel,  and  was  him- 
self thirty-eight  years  of  age.  Concord, 
the  twentieth  town  incorporated  in  Mas- 
sachusetts, was  organized  in  1635,  and  his 
name  appears  in  the  earliest  records  of 
that  town.  In  the  court  files  of  Middle- 
sex county  his  name  frequently  occurs  as 
a  petitioner  for  bridges,  as  juryman,  etc. 
He  became  a  wealthy  and  influential  man, 
and  died  at  Concord,  April  3,  1677,  aged 
eighty-five.  Children :  Luke,  died  in  Con- 
cord, May  21,  1665,  probably  unmarried; 


William,  mentioned  below  ;  Cary,  a  daugh- 
ter ;  Samuel,  born  1632;  Francis,  1636. 

(II)  William  Fletcher,  second  son  of 
the  settler,  Robert  Fletcher,  was  born  in 
England,  in  1622,  came  when  eight  years 
of  age  to  Concord,  Massachusetts,  with 
his  father  and  his  older  brother,  and  was 
admitted  freeman,  May  10,  1643.  In  the 
year  1653  he  settled  in  Chelmsford,  Mas- 
sachusetts, of  which  he  was  one  of  the 
first  inhabitants,  and  here  he  was  chosen 
selectman.  November  22,  1654.  "This 
first  publick  meeting  was  holden  at  his 
house."  On  the  court  files  of  Middlesex 
county  his  name  frequently  appears ;  in 
1665,  as  a  petitioner  for  a  road;  the  same 
year  on  a  bill  of  costs  for  his  servant 
being  put  in  the  house  of  correction,  etc. 
The  birth  of  his  daughter  Lydia  on  the 
Concord  records  is  the  first  birth  of  a 
Fletcher  that  is  recorded  in  America.  His 
tract  of  land  embraced  what  is  now  the 
city  of  Lowell,  and  a  part  of  his  land,  a 
farm  near  the  meeting  house  in  Chelms- 
ford, remains  as  it  has  been  for  more  than 
two  hundred  years  in  possession  of  the 
family,  and  is  now  occupied  by  Gardner 
Fletcher.  He  married  Lydia  Bates,  in 
Concord,  October  7,  1645.  He  died  No- 
vember 6,  1677,  and  she  died  October  12, 
1704.  Children:  Lydia,  born  January  30, 
1647;  Joshua,  mentioned  below;  Paul; 
Sarah  ;  William,  February  21, 1657;  Mary, 
October  4,  1658;  Esther,  April  12,  1662; 
Samuel,  July  23,  1664. 

(III)  Joshua  Fletcher,  eldest  son  of 
William  and  Lydia  (Bates)  Fletcher,  was 
born  March  30,  1648,  in  Concord,  where 
he  was  admitted  freeman,  March  II,  1689, 
and  died  November  21,  1713.  He  mar- 
ried (first)  May  4,  1668,  Grissies  Jewell, 
who  died  January  16,  1682.  He  married 
(second)  July  18,  1682,  Sarah  Willy. 
Children:  Joshua,  born  about  1669;  Paul, 
about  1681  ;  Rachel,  June  27,  1683;  Timo- 


181 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


thy,  October,  1685;  John,  May  7,  1687; 
Joseph,  mentioned  below  ;  Sarah,  January 
21,  1690;  Jonathan,  1692;  Jonas,  1694; 
Elizabeth,  June  10,  1698. 

(IV)  Joseph  Fletcher,  fifth  son  of 
Joshua  and  Grissies  (Jewell)  Fletcher, 
was  born  June  10,  1689,  in  Concord,  re- 
sided in  Westford,  where  he  was  a  farmer, 
and  died  October  4,  1772.  He  married, 
November  17,  1712,  Sarah  Adams,  of  Con- 
cord, born  1691,  died  April  24,  1761.  Chil- 
dren: Joseph,  born  June  6,  1714;  Benja- 
min, August  8,  1716;  Timothy,  April  12, 
1719;  Thomas,  March  10,  1721 ;  Sarah; 
Edith,  April  8,  1725;  Peletiah,  mentioned 
below;  Joshua,  August  28,  1731 ;  Ruth, 
August  28,  1733;  Mary,  August  29,  1735. 

(V)  Peletiah  Fletcher,  fifth  son  of 
Joseph  and  Sarah  (Adams)  Fletcher,  was 
born  May  3,  1727,  in  Westford,  where  he 
lived,  and  was  a  delegate  to  the  conven- 
tion of  town  committees  at  Dracut,  No- 
vember 26,  1776.  He  died  February  23, 
1807.  He  married,  January  13,  1757,  Dor- 
othy, daughter  of  Joseph  Hildreth,  born 
August  26,  1736,  died  June  14,  1782.  Chil- 
dren: Betsey,  born  December  15,  1757; 
Dorothy,  December  21,  1759;  Joseph,  died 
four  years  old ;  Sarah,  born  August  12, 
1763  ;  Lucy,  November  14,  1765  ;  Peletiah, 
April  4,   1767;  Joseph,  mentioned  below. 

(VI)  Joseph  (2)  Fletcher,  youngest 
child  of  Peletiah  and  Dorothy  (Hildreth) 
Fletcher,  was  born  May  13,  1769,  in  West- 
ford, and  lived  in  that  town  and  in  Gro- 
ton,  Massachusetts,  where  he  died  Janu- 
ary 23,  1843.  He  married,  April  7,  1794, 
Frances  Grant,  daughter  of  Jonathan 
Keyes.  Children:  Joseph,  mentioned  be- 
low; Frances  Grant,  born  May  12,  1796; 
Walter,  November  13,  1797;  Louisa,  Oc- 
tober 28,  1799;  Charles  Hartwell,  Febru- 
ary 6,  1801  ;  Polly,  June  13,  1802 ;  Nancy, 
died  young;  Abijah,  born  January  28, 
1807 ;  Nancy,  January  22,  1808 ;  Jonathan 
Varnum,  February  28,  1812. 


(VII)  Joseph  (3)  Fletcher,  eldest  child 
of  Joseph  (2)  and  Frances  Grant  (Keyes) 
Fletcher,  was  born  December  25,  1794,  in 
Westford,  and  lived  in  Lancaster  and 
Hubbardston,  Massachusetts.  He  mar- 
ried in  the  latter  town  Eliza  Marean,  born 
there  August  12,  1802,  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam, Jr.,  and  Betsey  (Blood)  Marean, 
died  in  Townsend,  Massachusetts,  March 
6,  1878.  Children:  Walter  Dana,  men- 
tioned below ;  Frances  Eliza,  born  May 
13,  1828,  married  William  M.  Bennett; 
Aaron  Varnum,  February  8,  1831,  died 
in  Worcester,  Massachusetts. 

(VIII)  Walter  Dana  Fletcher,  son  of 
Joseph  (3)  and  Eliza  (Marean)  Fletcher, 
was  born  November  14,  1825,  in  Lancas- 
ter, Massachusetts,  recorded  in  Hub- 
bardston, and  died  in  Townsend,  Massa- 
chusetts, in  1900.  His  education  was 
supplied  by  the  public  schools  of  Hub- 
bardston, and  all  his  life  was  devoted  to 
farming.  For  a  time  he  lived  in  Belmont. 
Massachusetts,  and  spent  the  last  years 
of  his  life  in  Townsend.  He  was  a  Con- 
gregationalism and  a  Republican  from  the 
organization  of  the  party,  soon  after  he 
attained  his  majority.  He  married  Lo- 
vina  Bartlett  Frost,  probably  a  native  ci 
Belmont.  Children:  1.  J.  Willard,  horn 
in  Belmont;  married  (first)  Milleto  Wild- 
er, who  was  the  mother  of  two  daughters : 
Grace  and  Gladys ;  he  married  (second) 
Etta  Whidden,  who  was  the  mother  of 
four  children:  Walter,  Austin,  Marion 
and  Mildred.  2.  Frank,  born  in  Belmont, 
now  deceased.  3.  George  Aaron,  men- 
tioned below.  4.  Fanny  Lovina,  born  in 
Townsend,  is  now  deceased.  5.  Walter, 
born  in  Townsend ;  married  Cora  Perkins, 
and  has  five  children :  Ralph,  Bernice, 
Doris,  Fanny  and  Howard.  6.  Dana,  born 
in  Townsend;  married  Mabel  Parker;  no 
issue. 

(IX)  George  Aaron  Fletcher,  third  son 
of    Walter    Dana    and    Lovina    Bartlett 


182 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


(Frost)  Fletcher,  was  born  September  16, 
1860,  in  Belmont,  and  was  educated  in 
the  schools  of  Townsend.  His  early  life 
was  passed  upon  the  farm,  in  whose 
labors  he  bore  a  share  until  twenty-eight 
years  of  age,  when  he  removed  to  Fitch- 
burg,  Massachusetts,  where  he  learned 
the  mason's  trade,  and  was  employed  as 
an  apprentice  and  journeyman  about  thir- 
teen years.  In  1904  he  engaged  in  busi- 
ness on  his  own  account  as  a  general  con- 
tractor, operating  in  and  about  Fitchburg. 
He  has  met  with  success  and  gives  em- 
ployment to  several  men  during  the  build- 
ing season,  the  business  being  conducted 
under  the  style  of  G.  A.  Fletcher  &  Com- 
pany. Mr.  Fletcher  is  active  in  the  work  of 
the  Universalist  church,  and  is  a  stead- 
fast supporter  of  Republican  principles  in 
matters  of  public  policy.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Aurora  Lodge,  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons,  of  Fitchburg,  and  of  Mount 
Roulstone  Lodge,  No.  96,  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  of  that  town,  of 
which  he  is  past  grand.  He  is  also  a 
member  of  King  David  Encampment,  No. 
48,  and  Pearl  Hill  Lodge,  Daughters  of 
Rebekah,  of  the  latter  order.  He  married, 
June  13,  1886,  in  Townsend,  Massachu- 
setts, Frances  Eveline  Jackson,  born  Jan- 
uary 20,  1870,  in  Wabaunsee,  Kansas, 
daughter  of  John  H.  and  Sally  Eveline 
(Gilmore)  Jackson.  Children:  1.  Evie, 
born  February  7,  1888,  in  Townsend ; 
married,  June  12,  1915,  Marden  Hartwell 
Turner,  of  Gardner,  Massachusetts.  2. 
George  Jackson,  born  October  23,  1890, 
in  Mason,  New  Hampshire ;  he  is  a  gradu- 
ate of  Fitchburg  High  School,  and  is  now 
associated  with  his  father  in  business ;  he 
married  Jennie  Anderson,  and  they  have 
one  daughter,  Charlotte,  born  March  2, 
I9I5-  3-  John  Henry,  born  November  18, 
1894,  in  Fitchburg;  is  a  graduate  of  the 
Fitchburg  High  School,  and  also  engaged 
in  the  mason  contracting  business  with 
his  father. 


HATCH,  George, 

Head   of   Important   Business. 

The  surname  Hatch  is  of  ancient  Eng- 
lish origin  and  is  common  in  all  parts  of 
England.  No  less  than  six  pioneers  of 
this  family,  some  of  them  doubtless  re- 
lated, came  to  Massachusetts,  before  1650. 
John  Platch  was  at  Scituate  as  early  as 
January  3,  1636.  Jonathan  Hatch,  of 
Plymouth,  served  against  the  Narragan- 
sett  Indians  in  1645 !  settled  at  Barn- 
stable. William  Hatch,  who  came  from 
Sandwich,  England,  settled  at  Scituate, 
was  elder  of  the  church,  lieutenant  in  the 
military  company ;  left  sons,  Walter  and 
William,  who  have  many  descendants. 

(I)  Thomas  Hatch,  probably  a  brother 
of  William  Hatch,  was  a  proprietor  of 
Dorchester,  Massachusetts,  and  was  ad- 
mitted a  freeman  there,  May  14,  1634. 
He  appears  to  have  gone  to  Yarmouth, 
where  a  Thomas  Hatch  was  a  proprietor 
and  was  admitted  a  freeman,  January  7, 
1638-39.  He  was  at  Barnstable  in  1643. 
He  finally  settled  at  Scituate.  He  died 
before  June  14,  1646,  when  his  daughter 
Hannah  was  baptized.  According  to  the 
inventory  of  his  estate  he  had  the  unique 
distinction  of  owning  an  "instrument 
called  a  violin."  The  inventory  was  dated 
May  27,  1661,  long  after  his  death.  He 
married  Grace ,  who  married  (sec- 
ond) John  Spring,  of  Watertown.  A  rec- 
ord in  1659  states  that  she  had  been  liv- 
ing in  Scituate  for  four  or  five  years, 
though  married  to  John  Spring.  Chil- 
dren: Jonathan,  William,  Thomas,  Alice 
and  Hannah. 

(II)  Thomas  (2)  Hatch,  son  of  Thomas 
(1)  Hatch,  was  born  about  1640.  He 
married,  in  1662,  Sarah,  daughter  of  Rho- 
dolphus  Ellms.  They  lived  in  Scituate, 
though  many  of  the  family  lived  at  Barn- 
stable on  Cape  Cod.  He  died  in  1686, 
leaving  a  will  bequeathing  a  considerable 
estate.    Children,  born  at  Scituate  :  Lydia, 


183 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


December  9,  1666;  Mary,  January  19, 
1668,  baptized  June  25,  1682;  Keturah, 
April  9,  1672;  Rhodolphus,  mentioned  be- 
low; Margaret,  August  26,  1677;  Abigail, 
November  10,  1678;  Joseph,  May  6,  1680, 
settled  at  Truro;  Thomas,  baptized  June 
25,  1682;  Sarah,  baptized  May  20,  1683; 
Hannah,  baptized  June  24,  1683 ;  Jere- 
miah, born  March  2,  1684-85. 

(III)  Rhodolphus  Hatch,  son  of 
Thomas  (2)  Hatch,  was  born  at  Scituate, 
Massachusetts,  December  26,  1674,  bap- 
tized June  25,  1682.  He  married,  Decem- 
ber 16,  1701,  Elizabeth  Tilden.  He  had 
two  sons  born  at  Scituate:  John,  men- 
tioned below;  Joseph,  born  May  14,  1705, 
probably  also  lived  for  a  time  in  Truro, 
where  John  settled. 

(IV)  John  Hatch,  son  of  Rhodolphus 
Hatch,  was  born  in  Scituate,  March  16, 

1703.    He  married  Tabitha before 

coming  to  Truro  on  Cape  Cod  about  1727. 
She  was  a  member  of  the  Truro  church, 
joining  July  4,  1736,  and  late  in  life  was 
dismissed  to  Boston,  where  several  of  her 
sons  went  to  live.  Children,  born  at 
Truro:  1.  and  2.  John  and  Ezekiel,  bap- 
tized May  17,  1730.  3.  Nailor,  baptized 
February  21,  1731 ;  was  a  sea  captain,  cap- 
tain in  the  Revolution,  moved  to  Bos- 
ton and  about  1765  to  Maiden,  where  he 
died  July  14,  1804;  his  wife  Martha  died 
there  October  26,  181 1,  aged  seventy-eight 
years ;  children  :  Martha,  born  in  Boston, 
July  11,  1757;  Catherine,  at  Maiden,  De- 
cember 25,  1765;  Reuben,  July  3,  1770, 
was  lost  at  sea,  1796;  Nathaniel,  June  26, 
1772,  lived  at  Maiden;  Nailor,  August  25, 
J775-  4-  Margaret.  5.  Joseph,  baptized 
April  29,  1733.  6.  Elizabeth,  baptized  No- 
vember 9,  1735.  7.  Joseph,  born  October 
J6,  1737-  8.  Asa,  baptized  November  9, 
1740;  married  in  Boston,  December  18, 
1768,  Phebe  Sprague,  of  Maiden. 

(V)  Ezekiel  Hatch,  son  of  John  Hatch, 
was  born  at  Truro  on  Cape  Cod,  and  bap- 


tized there,  May  17,  1730.  With  his 
brothers,  Captain  Nailor  and  Asa,  and 
perhaps  others  of  the  family,  he  removed 
to  Boston.  All  of  the  brothers  followed 
the  sea.  He  married  Hannah  Smalley,  of 
an  old  Cape  Cod  family.  Children,  born 
in  Boston:  John,  born  March  19,  1756, 
died  young;  Elizabeth,  July  22,  1758; 
Sarah,  January  16,  1762;  Mary,  May  16, 
1764;  John,  mentioned  below;  Ruth,  Oc- 
tober 24,  1769. 

(VI)  Captain  John  (2)  Hatch,  son  of 
Ezekiel  Hatch,  was  born  in  Boston,  Au- 
gust 17,  1767,  and  like  his  ancestors  fol- 
lowed the  sea.  He  became  a  master 
mariner  and  sailed  to  all  parts  of  the 
world.  His  home  was  in  Cape  Elizabeth, 
Maine,  where  he  died.  He  married  Sarah 
Woodbury,  daughter  of  Ebenezer  Wood- 
bury, when  she  was  but  nineteen  years 
old.  Children:  1.  Joseph,  mentioned  be- 
low. 2.  Ezekiel,  killed  in  the  battle  of 
Lake  Erie  in  the  War  of  1812.  3.  John, 
a  mariner,  killed  in  New  York  harbor ; 
married  and  had  three  children:  Mary, 
married  Harvey  Lee  and  had  Sarah  and 
Ferdinand  Lee ;  Sarah,  married  William 
Dyer;  Woodbury,  married  Dorcas  Poole, 
and  had  no  children.  4.  Frederick,  a  ship 
blacksmith,  very  prominent  and  well 
known  citizen  of  Portland,  and  served 
many  years  in  Common  Council ;  married 
Emily  Harford,  and  had  five  children:  i. 
Frances  Ellen,  graduate  of  Portland  High 
School,  married  Henry  Andrew  Frost, 
and  they  had  two  children:  Susie  Emily, 
died  in  infancy,  and  Fannie  Hatch,  born 
at  Portland,  graduate  of  Cape  Elizabeth 
High  School,  class  of  1884.  ii.  Hosea 
Harford,  unmarried,  iii.  Sarah,  died  in 
infancy,  iv.  Louisa,  died  in  infancy,  v. 
Frederick,  Jr.,  died  in  infancy.  5.  Nathan- 
iel. 6.  Sarah.  7.  Elizabeth,  who  never 
married.    8.  William,  mentioned  below. 

(VII)  Joseph  Hatch,  son  of  John 
Hatch,  married  Abigail  Wallace.     Chil- 


184 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


dren,  born  at  Cape  Elizabeth:  I.  Pameli. 
married  Albion  Burbank  and  had  chil- 
dren: Frank  and  Carrie  Burbank.  2.  Al- 
mira,  married  Emery  Dyer  and  had  chil- 
dren :  Clara  (single),  died  aged  twenty 
years;  George,  who  married  Emma 
Smart ;  Hannah  Dyer,  who  never  mar- 
ried ;   Mattie   Dyer,  who  married  

Leonard ;  Elizabeth  Dyer,  who  married 
William  Eliot;  all  of  South  Portland, 
Maine,  formerly  Cape  Elizabeth.  3.  Eliz- 
abeth, married  Alfred  Russell,  of  Cumber- 
land, Maine;  children:  Joseph  Russell, 
married  Elmira  Haskell;  Alice  Russell, 
married  George  Doughty  and  has  a  son 
(grocer)  at  Cumberland,  Maine ;  Fred- 
erick Russell ;  Elizabeth  and  Ella  Rus- 
sell, unmarried.  4.  Harriet,  married 
(first)  Frank  Rice,  and  (second)  John 
Fogg,  of  Scarborough  ;  children  :  Edward 
and  Charles  Fogg.  5.  Eunice,  never  mar- 
ried.    6.   Anthony,   a   policeman,   then   a 

shoe  dealer  in  Portland,  married 

Fickett  and  has  a  large  family.  7.  Alfred, 
married  Ruth  Ann  Brazier ;  had  no  chil- 
dren. 

(VII)  Major  William  Hatch,  brother 
of  Joseph  Hatch,  was  born  at  Cape  Eliz- 
abeth, now  South  Portland,  Maine,  Au- 
gust 16,  1807,  and  died  there  September 
26,  1884.  He  received  his  education  in 
the  public  schools  of  his  native  town,  and 
early  in  life  engaged  in  business  as  a  car- 
penter and  builder.  He  became  one  of 
the  leading  contractors  of  the  vicinity 
and  built  a  great  number  of  the  resi- 
dences in  South  Portland  and  adjacent 
towns,  various  churches  and  public  build- 
ings. For  many  years  he  was  active  and 
prominent  in  the  State  militia  and  held 
commissions  as  captain  and  major.  He 
was  appointed  ensign  of  the  Fifth  Com- 
pany, First  Regiment,  Second  Brigade, 
Fifth  Division,  July  24,  1829,  tendered  his 
resignation,  which  was  accepted  April  14, 
1831,  but   was   appointed   captain   of  the 


same,  September  31,  1834.  He  was  elect- 
ed colonel  of  his  regiment,  but  declined 
to  accept  the  commission.  In  the  Metho- 
dist church,  of  which  he  was  a  member, 
he  was  active  for  many  years  and  served 
faithfully  as  a  teacher  in  the  Sunday 
school.  He  married,  April  5,  1832,  Me- 
hitable  W.  Mitchell,  born  August  26, 
1807,  and  died  March  10,  1891,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Robert  and  Lydia  (Wheeler) 
Mitchell,  of  Cape  Elizabeth.  Children 
born  at  Cape  Elizabeth :  Joseph,  March 
27,  1833,  died  October  29,  191 1  ;  John, 
April  6,  1835;  Ruth  M.,  July  16,  1837,  died 
unmarried,  September  4,  1862;  Moses  M., 
June  5,  1840,  married  Mary  Delano; 
George,  mentioned  below ;  Woodbury, 
November  11,  1846,  died  January  8,  1848; 
Mary,  June  7,  1850,  now  living  with  her 
brother  George  in  Worcester. 

(VIII)  George  Hatch,  son  of  Major 
William  Hatch,  was  born  in  Cape  Eliza- 
beth, March  15,  1843.  He  was  educated 
in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  town. 
He  worked  for  various  contractors  in 
Portland,  and  in  1871  came  to  Worcester, 
where  he  worked  at  the  carpenter's  trade 
for  a  time.  For  twelve  years  he  was  em- 
ployed in  stair  building  business  in  the 
firm  of  Stratton  &  Johnson,  Worcester, 
and  had  charge  of  putting  in  stairs  for 
contractors  in  all  parts  of  New  Eng- 
land. In  1889  he  formed  a  partnership 
with  Fred  W.  Barnes  and  engaged  in  the 
business  of  stair  building  in  the  old  Merri- 
field  Building.  The  business  was  later 
moved  to  the  new  Merrifield  Building  and 
after  the  fire  in  1904  to  the  present  quar- 
ters on  Union  street.  The  business  pros- 
pered from  the  beginning.  Both  partners 
were  shrewd  and  practical  men  and  the 
firm  became  one  of  the  most  successful 
in  this  line  of  business  in  this  section  of 
the  State.  To  the  business  of  stair  build- 
ing, the  firm  added  all  kinds  of  interior 
finish  used  by  builders.  The  firm's  name 
185 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


became  a  synonym,  for  first-class  work, 
promptness  and  reliability.  In  1904  the 
business  was  incorporated  under  the 
name  of  Hatch  &  Barnes  Company  and 
Mr.  Hatch  was  president  and  Mr.  Barnes 
secretary  until  191 1,  when  Mr.  Hatch  re- 
tired from  business,  selling  his  interests 
to  his  partner.  Since  then  Mr.  Barnes 
has  been  the  sole  owner  of  the  business. 
Mr.  Hatch  lived  at  35  Lovell  street  from 
1908  to  1913,  then  built  a  residence  on 
Pleasant  street.  In  1914  he  moved  to  his 
present  home,  No.  19  South  Lenox  street, 
in  the  beautiful  residential  district  known 
as  Lenox  on  Hammond  Hill.  Both  houses 
were  beautiful  types  of  modern  architec- 
ture and  especially  attractive  in  the  de- 
tail of  interior  woodwork.  Mr.  Hatch  is 
a  member  of  Quinsigamond  Lodge,  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  of 
Worcester,  and  of  the  Worcester  County 
Mechanics'  Association.  He  was  formerly 
a  member  of  the  Worcester  Board  of 
Trade.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican  and 
has  always  supported  the  candidates  and 
principles  of  the  party,  though  he  has 
never  sought  or  held  public  office. 

He  married,  September  9,  1874,  at 
Worcester,  Nellie  Augusta  Knight,  born 
October  1,  1855,  daughter  of  Hezekiah 
and  Sarah  (Woodward)  Knight.  She  died 
April  22,  1905.  Children:  1.  Nellie  May, 
born  July  21,  1875;  married  William 
Thompson;  they  reside  in  Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania;  child,  George  Hatch 
Thompson,  horn  in  April,  191 1.  2.  Wil- 
liam, died  aged  three  years.  3.  Arthur 
Dean,  mentioned  below. 

(IX)  Arthur  Dean  Hatch,  son  of 
George  Hatch,  was  born  at  Worcester. 
He  was  educated  in  private  schools  at 
Powder  Point  and  was  for  several  years 
a  student  at  the  Worcester  Polytechnic 
Institute.  He  is  now  in  charge  of  the 
office  of  the  Hatch  &  Barnes  Company. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  local  lodge  of  Odd 


Fellows.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican. 
Mr.  Hatch  married  Annie  Hanson,  daugh- 
ter of  Andrew  Hanson,  who  was  a  native 
of  Norway.  They  have  one  child,  Jetta, 
born  May  11,  1912. 


BROWN,  Isaac  A., 

Representative  Citizen. 

John  Brown  was  an  English  ship- 
builder of  Plymouth,  England,  and  had 
an  acquaintance  with  the  Pilgrims  at  Ley- 
den,  before  1620.  The  date  of  his  com- 
ing to  America  is  not  known.  In  1636 
he  was  living  in  Duxbury,  and  in  1643 
was  of  Taunton,  Massachusetts.  He  was 
assistant  governor  for  seventeen  years 
from  1636,  and  served  as  commissioner 
of  the  United  Colonies  from  1644  for 
twelve  years.  He  died  in  Swansea,  near 
Rehoboth,  where  he  had  large  posses- 
sions, April  10,  1662,  his  will  being  made 
three  days  before.  His  wife  Dorothy  died 
in  Swansea,  January  27,  1674,  aged  ninety 
years.  Children  :  James,  married,  in  1655, 
Lydia  Howland ;  Mary,  married  in  1656, 
Captain  Thomas  Willet;  John,  mentioned 
below. 

(II)  John  (2)  Brown,  youngest  child 
of  John  (1)  and  Dorothy  Brown,  was  of 
Rehoboth  and  Swansea,  and  died  the  last 
of  March,  1662.  His  will  was  made  in 
October,  1661,  and  proved  March  31,  1662. 
He  married  Lydia  Buckland,  and  had 
Children  :  John,  mentioned  below  ;  Lydia, 
born  August  5,  1655;  Hannah,  January 
29,  1657;  Joseph,  April  9,  1658;  Nathaniel, 
June  9,  1661. 

(III)  Captain  John  (3)  Brown,  eldest 
child  of  John  (2)  and  Lydia  (Buckland) 
Brown,  was  born  September,  1650,  and 
died  November  24,  1709.  His  widow  and 
sons,  John  and  Samuel,  were  appointed 
administrators  of  his  estate,  December 
27,  1709.  He  married,  November  8,  1672, 
Ann   Mason,   born  June,    1650,   daughter 


186 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


of  Major  John  Mason.  Children :  Anne, 
born  September  19,  1673  >  John,  men- 
tioned below;  Samuel,  January  31,  1677; 
Lydia  and  Rachel  (twins),  May  16,  1679; 
Martha,  November  2,  1681  ;  Daniel,  Octo- 
ber 29,  1683;  Ebenezer,  June  15,  1685; 
Daniel,  September  26,  1686;  Stephen,  Jan- 
uary 29,  1688;  Joseph,  May  19,  1690;  Eliz- 
abeth, December  12,  1691. 

(IV)  Captain  John  (4)  Brown,  eldest 
son  of  Captain  John  (3)  and  Ann  (Ma- 
son) Brown,  was  born  April  28,  1675,  and 
died  April  23,  1752.  His  will  was  dated 
March  20,  1752,  and  proved  May  5,  1752. 
He  married  (first)  July  2,  1696,  Abigail 
Cole,  born  December  1,  1681,  died  in  her 
thirtieth  year,  daughter  of  Lieutenant 
James  and  Mary  Cole.  He  married  (sec- 
ond) Mary  (surname  said  to  be  Pierce). 
Children:  Mary,  born  November  21,  1697, 
married  Daniel  Gould;  Ann,  April  1, 
1700,  married  Walter  Chaloner ;  Eliza- 
beth, October  4,  1702,  married  John  Hud- 
son;  John,  March  19,  1705;  James,  Janu- 
ary 2,  1707,  married  Ruth  Pierce;  Jere- 
miah, mentioned  below ;  David,  Febru- 
ary 22,  1718;  Lydia,  April  28,  1720;  Seth, 
September  5,  1725;  Benjamin;  Martha 
and  Rachel,  confirmed  in  St.  Michael's 
Church,  1732. 

(V)  Jeremiah  Brown,  youngest  child 
of  Captain  John  (4)  and  Abigail  (Cole) 
Brown,  born  June  26,  1710,  was  a  com- 
municant of  St.  Michael's  Episcopal 
Church,  Bristol,  in  1732,  and  died  May  1, 
1776,  in  his  sixty-sixth  year.  He  mar- 
ried, January  10,  1731,  Elizabeth  Sisson. 
died  March  24,  1780,  and  both  she  and 
her  husband  are  buried  in  Touisset.  Chil- 
dren :  Jarvis,  mentioned  below ;  Rebecca, 
baptized  November  11,   1739. 

(VI)  Jarvis  Brown,  only  son  of  Jere- 
miah and  Elizabeth  (Sisson)  Brown,  was 
baptized  April  10,  1733,  at  St.  Michael's 
Church,  where  he  was  confirmed  April  1, 
1762,   and  where  his  children  were  also 


baptized.  He  died  August  26,  1809,  in  his 
seventy-fifth  year.  His  will  was  dated 
August  8,  1809,  and  proved  September  5, 
1809.  He  married,  December  5,  1754,  Ann 
Kinnicut,  who  died  November  10,  1809, 
aged  seventy-seven.  Children  :  John,  men- 
tioned below;  Seth,  baptized  May  15, 
1757,  married  Susanna  Gardner;  Abigail, 
May  2,  1762,  died  at  the  age  of  fifteen 
years;  Lydia,  June  19,  1768,  married 
Bowen. 

(VII)  John  (5)  Brown,  eldest  child  of 
Jarvis  and  Ann  (Kinnicut)  Brown,  was 
baptized  December  7,   1755,  died  August 

10,  1803,  aged  forty-nine  (per  tombstone), 
and  married,  May  21,  1778,  Abigail 
Brown,  daughter  of  Aaron  and  Catharine 
(Bell)  Brown,  born  December  9,  1757, 
died  May  1,  1824,  in  her  sixty-seventh 
year.  Children,  born  in  Swansea :  Jere- 
miah, mentioned  below ;  Abigail,  born 
April  29,  1787;  James  Kinnicut,  October 
28,    1789;    Matilda,    February    22,    1791  ; 

Czurina,  August  7,  1795,  married  

Pierce;  Charlotte,  June  28,  1798,  married 
Stephen  Wrightington ;  Ann  (Susanna), 
died  in  1826,  unmarried. 

(VIII)  Jeremiah  (2)  Brown,  eldest 
child  of  John  (5)  and  Abigail  (Brown) 
Brown,  born  July  16,  1785,  married,  Feb- 
ruary 4,  1804,  Hannah  Gardner,  born 
March  14,  1782,  died  August  18,  1828, 
daughter  of  Peleg  and  Lydia  (Simmons) 
Gardner,  of  Swansea.  Children  :  Rebecca 
L.  G.,  born  December  24,  1808  ;  Catharine, 
September  2,   1810;   Lydia  G.,   February 

11,  1813,  married  James  M.  Hathaway; 
John,  November  4,  1814;  Ruth  B.,  No- 
vember 19,  1816;  Ophelia,  mentioned  be- 
low; Jarvis,  September  27,  1819,  married 
Rachel  Ripley;  William  H.,  February  14, 
1821  ;  Jeremiah,  mentioned  below;  Han- 
nah G.,  July  29,  1824;  Abraham  G.,  July 
13,  1828. 

(IX)  Ophelia  Brown,  fifth  daughter  of 
Jeremiah     (2)     and    Hannah     (Gardner) 


187 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Brown,  was  born  February  5,   1818,  and 
became  the  wife  of  Edward  Anthony. 

(IX)  Jeremiah  (3)  Brown,  fourth  son 
of  Jeremiah  (2)  and  Hannah  (Gardner) 
Brown,  was  born  December  25,  1822,  in 
Swansea,  and  died  at  his  home  in  Fall 
River,  September  22,  1910,  where  he 
spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life.  He 
married  Emeline  E.  Almy,  who  died  in 
1908.  Their  children  were  Annie  E.  and 
Isaac  A. 

(X)  Isaac  A.  Brown,  only  son  of  Jere- 
miah (3)  and  Emeline  E.  (Almy)  Brown, 
was  born  in  Fall  River,  August  1,  1849. 
There  he  received  his  early  education,  and 
for  some  years  was  connected  with  a  re- 
tail grocery  business.  In  1872  he  became 
bookkeeper  at  the  Narragansett  Mills, 
holding  that  office  for  twenty-five  years 
continuously.  On  March  23,  1897,  he  was 
elected  treasurer  of  the  mills,  and  he  has 
since  served  in  that  capacity.  Mr.  Brown 
is  a  member  of  Mount  Hope  Lodge,  An- 
cient Free  and  Accepted  Masons.  He 
married,  January  22,  1873,  Lydia  A. 
Davis,  daughter  of  Jason  Davis,  of  Fall 
River,  and  they  have  had  one  son  and 
one  daughter:  George  Emery,  born  No- 
vember 5,  1873,  a  cotton  broker  in  Fall 
River,  married  Cora  Leeburn  Brown ;  and 
Helen,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty 
years. 

(The  Dean  Line). 

(I)  Walter  Dean  was  born  in  Chard, 
England,  between  161 5  and  1620,  was  a 
man  of  influence,  and  highly  esteemed 
among  his  English  neighbors  at  Taunton. 
He  married  Eleanor,  daughter  of  Richard 
Strong,  of  Taunton,  England,  who  came 
to  New  England  with  her  brother,  Elder 
John  Strong,  in  the  "Mary  and  John,"  in 
1630.  They  had  children:  Joseph,  was 
a  cordwainer  in  Taunton ;  Ezra,  men- 
tioned below ;  Benjamin,  settled  in  Taun- 
ton. 

(II)  Ezra    Dean,   son   of   Walter   and 


Eleanor  (Strong)  Dean,  settled  in  Taun- 
ton, and  died  between  October  28,  1727, 
and  February  15,  1732.  He  married,  De- 
cember 17,  1676,  Bethiah,  daughter  of 
Deacon  Samuel  and  Susanna  (Orcutt) 
Edson, of  Bridgewater.  Children:  Bethiah, 
born  October  14,  1677,  died  November  27, 
1679;  Ezra,  mentioned  below;  Samuel, 
April  11,  1682,  died  February  16,  1683; 
Seth,   June    3,    1683;    Margaret,    married 

Shaw ;    Ephraim,    married    Mary 

Allen,  of  Rehoboth,  Massachusetts. 

(Ill)  Dr.  Ezra  (2)  Dean,  eldest  son  of 
Ezra  (1)  and  Bethiah  (Edson)  Dean,  was 
born  October  14  or  19,  1680,  and  was  a 
physician,  residing  in  Taunton.  He  mar- 
ried (first)  Abigail  Leonard,  (second) 
Abigail,  daughter  of  Samuel  Brentnell,  of 
Bridgewater,  who  survived  him.  His 
family  was  remarkable  for  its  longevity. 
The  following  is  an  extract  from  a  com- 
munication published  in  the  "Columbian 
Reporter,"  a  newspaper  published  in 
Taunton  in  1825 : 

Dr.  Ezra  Deane's  children  were:  (1)  Ezra, 
died  at  the  age  of  eighty-nine  years.  (2)  Theo- 
dora,   died    at    the    age    of    one    hundred   years. 

(3)  Abigail,  died  at  the  age  of  ninety-five  years. 

(4)  Bethiah,  died  at  the  age  of  ninety-six  years. 

(5)  Nehemiah,  died  at  the  age  of  ninety  years. 

(6)  James,  died  at  the  age  of  ninety  years.  (7) 
Seth,  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-eight  years.  (8) 
Solomon,  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-one  years. 
(9)  Elkanah,  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven 
years.  (10)  William,  is  living  (1825)  aged 
ninety- four  years,  (n)  George,  died  at  the  age 
of  eighty-six  years.  (12)  Elisha,  died  at  the  age 
of  eighty-three  years.  (13)  Nathaniel,  died  at 
the  age  of  twenty-five  years.  (14)  Esther,  living 
1825,  aged  ninety-two  years.  (15)  Prudence,  died 
at  the  age  of  eighty  years.  (16)  Stephen,  died  at 
the  age  of  fifty-one  years.  United  ages  1307. 
Eleven  of  the  family  lived  more  than  1000  years, 
two  of  whom  are  now  (1825)  living. 

(IV)  Solomon  Dean,  son  of  Dr.  Ezra 
(2)  Dean,  was  born  in  i723»  ar>d  died  in 
1784,  in  Taunton.    He  married  Mary  Wil- 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


liams,  daughter  of  Richard  Williams  (3), 
and  had  children:  Abisha  ;  Richard,  men- 
tioned below  ;  Solomon  ;  Nathaniel ;  Brin- 
ton;  Sylvester;  Wealthy,  married  John 
Robinson,  of  Raynham. 

(V)  Richard  Dean,  son  of  Solomon  and 
Mary  (Williams)  Dean,  married  Deborah 
Crossman,  and  had  children :  Simeon ; 
Richard  ;  Apollos,  mentioned  below  ;  Deb- 
orah ;  James ;  Bethiah  ;  Calvin  ;  Dolly ; 
Abijah,  born  April  28,  1782. 

(VI)  Apollos  Dean,  fourth  son  of  Rich- 
ard and  Deborah  (Crossman)  Dean,  was 
born  April  18,  1770,  in  Tiverton,  and  set- 
tled in  Freetown,  Massachusetts,  where 
he  married,  February  10,  1803,  Caroline 
French,  born  August  10,  1779,  in  Berkley, 
Massachusetts.  Children  :  Apollos,  born 
November  25,  1803 ;  Samuel  F.,  February 
8,  1805,  died  September  20,  1887;  Caro- 
line, June  22,  1809,  married  James  Madi- 
son Deane;  Job,  September  2,  1812;  Ma- 
tilda, mentioned  below. 

(VII)  Matilda  Dean,  youngest  child  of 
Apollos  and  Caroline  (French)  Dean,  was 
born  May  2,  1816,  in  Freetown,  and  was 
married,  May  2,  1857,  to  Jason  Davis,  of 
Fall  River  (see  Davis  V). 


WHITTEMORE,  Eric  Hamblett, 

Manufacturer. 

The  form  of  Whitmore  is  chiefly  used 
in  England  and  by  many  of  the  descend- 
ants in  this  country.  Others  employ  the 
form  Whittemore,  and  by  some  descend- 
ants the  name  is  spelled  Wetmore.  It  has 
been  traced  back  in  England  to  the 
twelfth  century,  as  the  result  of  research 
made  by  T.  J.  Whittemore,  chief  engineer 
of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Louis 
Railroad.  This  labor  employed  several 
years  at  considerable  expense  and  infinite 
pains  to  secure  accuracy.  The  name  has 
been  conspicuous  in  this  country  through 
public  service  and  high  private  character 
of  many  who  bore  and  bear  it. 


(I)  The  Whitmores  of  Staffordshire, 
England,  were  originally  termed  de  Bot- 
rel.  The  name  of  the  father  of  William 
de  Botrel  and  his  brother,  Peter  de  Botrel, 
is  unknown.    William  had  a  son  William. 

(II)  Peter  de  Botrel,  of  Staffordshire, 
had  a  son  Radulph  or  Ralph. 

(III)  Ralph  de  Botrel  married  twice. 
His  son  William  by  the  first  wife  married 
Avisa  de  Whitmore.  William  (IV)  had 
a  son  Reginald  (V),  who  had  a  son  Rob- 
ert (VI),  who  had  a  son  Robert  (VII). 
This  is  not  the  American  line.  That  de- 
scends from  the  second  wife,  by  her  son 
Ralph  de  Botrel  and  not  by  Rad  Fitz 
Wetmore,  an  illegitimate  son.  Rad  had  a 
son  Will  le  Burgvyllon. 

(IV)  Ralph  de  Botrel  had  a  son,  Sir 
John. 

(V)  Sir   John    de    Whitmore    married 

Agnes and  had  at  least  three  sons : 

John,  Lord  of  Whitmore,  founder  of  what 
the  genealogists  call  the  Caunton  line ; 
William,  married  Alice  Fenners,  had  son 
Philip  (VII),  founded  what  is  called  the 
Claverly  branch ;  Ralph. 

(VI)  John  (2)  Whitmore,  son  of  Sir 
John  (1)  de  Whitmore,  married  Mar- 
gerie  . 

(VII)  Richard  Whitmore,  son  of  John 
(2)  Whitmore,  married  Susannah,  daugh- 
ter of  Sir  Philip  Draycote,  of  Painesley, 
Knight,  and  had:  Jane,  married  John 
Blunt ;  Mary,  married  John  Gifford ;  Bea- 
trix, married  John  Chetwind ;  Christina, 
married  Richard  Fleetwood ;  and  Philip. 

(VIII)  Philip  Whitmore,  son  of  Rich- 
ard Whitmore,  married  Thomasine, 
daughter  of  Richard  Oliver,  and  had  a 
son  Richard. 

(IX)  Richard  (2)  Whitmore,  son  of 
Philip  Whitmore,  married  (first)  a  daugh- 
ter of  Sir  Ralph  Bagot ;  married  (second) 
a  daughter  of  Richard  Deveraux;  married 
(third)  a  daughter  of  Simon  Harcourt, 
probably  of  Ellenhall,  Staffordshire,  and 
by  his  third  wife  had  son  Nicholas. 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


(X)  Nicholas  Whitmore,  son  of  Rich- 
ard (2)  Whitmore,  married  Annie,  daugh- 
ter of  Thomas  Aston,  of  Tixall,  Stafford- 
shire, and  had:  Mary,  married  William 
Lusone ;  Anthony. 

(XI)  Anthony  Whitmore,  son  of  Nich- 
olas Whitmore,  married  Christina,  daugh- 
ter and  heir  of  Nicholas  Vaux,  and  had : 
Joan,  William. 

(XII)  William  Whitmore,  son  of  An- 
thony Whitmore,  had  a  son  John. 

(XIII)  John  (3)  Whitmore,  second  son 
of  William  Whitmore,  in  the  reign  of 
Henry  VI.,  married  (first)  Alice,  daugh- 
ter and  heir  of  Robert  Blyton,  of  Caun- 
ton,  County  Notts;  married  (second) 
Katherine,  daughter  and  heir  of  Robert 
Compton,  of  Hawton  (Visitation  of  York, 
1563),  and  had  son  William,  the  heir,  who 
married  a  daughter  of  John  Ridley.  Wil- 
liam, of  Rottenham,  died  in  1568. 

(XIV)  Robert  Whitmore,  son  of  John 
(3)  Whitmore,  married  (second)  Alice 
Atwoode,  of  Harlington,  Bedfordshire. 
He  died  at  Caunton  in  1540.  By  this  mar- 
riage the  children  were :  Richard,  died 
without  issue,  1559;  John,  living  in  1545; 
Charles,  died  1568;  Thomas,  living  in 
1559;  Rowland,  living  in  1591 ;  James, 
Randall,  and  three  daughters.  Thomas 
Whitmore,  of  Hitchin,  was  the  son  of  Ed- 
mund, or  Rowland,  son  of  Robert. 
Hitchin  is  the  parish  where  the  immi- 
grant, Thomas  Whitmore,  was  born,  and 
he  was  the  son  of  another  Thomas  Whit- 
more, as  will  be  seen  later. 

(XV)  Charles  Whitmore,  son  of  Rob- 
ert Whitmore,  died  in  1568.  He  lived  in 
Tuxforth,  County  Notts.  His  children 
were:  William,  died  1582,  in  County 
Notts;  John,  supposed  to  have  lived  in 
Staffordshire  and  died  1571 ;  Robert,  died 
1608;  Richard,  died  1578;  James,  died 
1614;  Thomas,  the  elder,  died  1649; 
Roger,  of  Hitchin  ;  Christopher,  of  County 
Bedford,  died  1640;  four  daughters  and  a 


posthumous  child  supposed  to  be  George. 
Three  of  the  sons  spelled  the  name 
Whittamore,  three  spelled  it  Watmore, 
and  one  Whitmore,  the  spelling  that  has 
prevailed  in  England. 

(XVI)  Thomas  Whitmore,  son  of 
Charles  Whitmore,  lived  in  Hitchin, 
County  of  Hertford,  England.  He  had 
wife  Mary.  His  two  sons  immigrated  to 
New  England ;  Thomas  to  Maiden,  Mas- 
sachusetts, and  John  to  Stamford,  Con- 
necticut. Thomas,  of  Maiden,  is  the  an- 
cestor of  most  of  the  American  Whitte- 
mores.  John  Whitmore,  of  Stamford, 
had  a  daughter  Elizabeth  and  son,  John 
Whitmore,  who  was  of  age  in  1649,  lived 
at  Stamford  and  Middletown,  Connecti- 
cut. 

(The  American  Line). 

(I)  Thomas  (2)  Whittemore  (as  the 
name  appears  in  the  records  of  Cam- 
bridge, Watertown  and  other  Massachu- 
setts neighborhoods)  was  born  at  Hitchin 
and  came  to  New  England  in  1639  or  1640. 
He  had  a  child  born  in  England  in  the 
first  named  year,  and  in  the  latter  year 
he  signed  a  petition  at  Charlestown,  Mas- 
sachusetts. He  soon  removed  to  the 
"Mystick  Side,"  later  known  as  Maiden, 
in  that  part  of  the  town  which  is  now 
Everett.  He  bought  land  of  John  Cot- 
ton in  1645  which  adjoined  his  home  lot 
and  is  now  in  the  city  of  Everett,  and 
continued  in  the  family  until  May  1,  1845, 
a  period  of  two  hundred  years.  The  site 
of  his  first  dwelling  house  is  known.  He 
died  there  May  25,  1661,  and  his  will  was 
proved  one  month  later.  He  was  thrice 
married,  but  the  name  of  his  first  wife  is 
unknown.  He  married  (second)  April  14, 
1623,  in  England,  Sarah  Deardes,  who 
was  buried  November  17,  1628.  His  third 
wife,  Hannah,  was  born  1612,  and  after 
his  death  married  (second)  June  3,  1663, 
Benjamin  Butterfield,  of  Chelmsford, 
Massachusetts,  and  was  still  living  in 
190 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1680.  His  first  child,  Thomas,  received 
his  portion  of  his  father's  estate  in  Eng- 
land and  there  remained.  He  subse- 
quently gave  the  same  name  to  another 
son  in  this  country.  Children :  Sarah, 
Mary,  Thomas,  Daniel,  John,  died  young; 
Nathaniel,  John  (all  born  in  England), 
Elizabeth,  Benjamin,  Thomas,  Samuel, 
Pelatiah,  Abraham.  The  first,  baptized 
April  14,  1616,  was  a  child  of  the  first 
wife.  There  were  two  of  the  second  and 
the  others  were  children  of  the  third  wife. 

(II)  Daniel  Whittemore,  second  son  of 
Thomas  (2)  and  eldest  child  of  his  sec- 
ond wife,  Sarah  (Deardes)  Whittemore, 
was  born  July  31,  1633,  in  Hitchin,  died 
May  11,  1683,  on  the  paternal  homestead 
on  "Mystick  Side"  which  he  inherited, 
and  bequeathed  to  his  sons,  Daniel  and 
John.  His  will  was  nuncupative,  and  was 
not  proved  until  nearly  two  years  after 
his  death,  and  his  widow  was  made  ad- 
ministratrix. He  married,  March  7,  1662, 
Mary,  daughter  of  Richard  Mellins,  of 
Charlestown.  She  died  May  II,  1683. 
Richard  Mellins  removed  from  Charles- 
town  to  Weymouth,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  was  admitted  a  freeman,  Sep- 
tember 7,  1639.  Daniel  Whittemore's 
children:  1.  Daniel,  born  April  27,  1663; 
resided  in  Charlestown  and  Maiden ;  died 
September  21,  1756,  and  left  his  home- 
stead to  his  son  Daniel.  2.  John,  men- 
tioned below.  3.  Thomas,  born  March  5, 
1667.  4.  Mary,  born  February  15,  1669. 
5.  Nathaniel,  born  February  7,  1670. 

(III)  John  Whittemore,  second  son  of 
Daniel  and  Mary  (Mellins)  Whittemore, 
was  born  February  12,  1665,  died  in  Mai- 
den, March  4,  1730.  His  whole  estate  was 
valued  at  five  hundred  and  three  pounds, 
and  his  widow,  Ruth,  was  appointed  ad- 
ministratrix, April  3,  of  that  year.  He 
married,  in  1692,  Ruth,  daughter  of  Jo- 
seph and  Martha  (Hobart)  Bassett,  of 
Bridgewater,  Massachusetts.  Joseph  Bas- 


sett was  a  son  of  William  Bassett, 
who  came  over  in  the  ship  "Fortune," 
in  1621,  lived  in  Duxbury,  Massachu- 
setts, in  1637,  and  was  deputy  to  the 
general  court  in  1640-41-42-43-44.  He 
joined  Governor  Bradford  and  others  in 
the  purchase  of  Dartmouth,  Massachu- 
setts, and  removed  to  Bridgewater,  where 
he  died  in  1667.  Children  of  John  Whitte- 
more :  1.  John,  born  September  12,  1694, 
in  Maiden.  2.  Jeremiah,  mentioned  be- 
low. 3.  Joseph,  married  Ruth  Eustice. 
4.  Benjamin,  married  Sarah  Kendall.  5. 
Patience,  married  Timothy  Lamson.  6. 
David,  born  April  6,  1706;  resided  in  Bos- 
ton ;  married    (first)    Alice   Kendall,   and 

(second)  Sarah .    7.  Deborah,  born 

March  1,  1708;  married  Moses  Gleason. 
8.  Elias,  married  Rhoda  Holt.  9.  Pelatiah, 
born  October  30,  1710;  resided  in  Dun- 
stable ;  married  Deborah  Kendall. 

(IV)  Jeremiah  Whittemore,  second 
son  of  John  and  Ruth  (Bassett)  Whitte- 
more, was  born  1695-96,  in  Maiden,  and 
resided  in  Weston  and  Concord,  Massa- 
chusetts, dying  in  the  latter  town,  March 
31,  1783,  in  his  eighty-eighth  year.  He 
married  (first)  in  Boston,  March  15,  1722, 
Patience  Reed,  seventh  daughter  of  Israel 
and  Mary  (Kendall)  Reed,  of  Woburn, 
Massachusetts,  born  December  3,  1699. 
She  was  received  in  the  Weston  church 
by  letter  from  the  church  in  Chelsea,  Feb- 
ruary 26,  1727,  and  died  in  Weston,  Octo- 
ber 24,  1745.  He  married  (second)  May 
10,  1746,  Abigail  Wooley,  of  Concord. 
Children,  all  born  of  first  marriage:  1. 
Jeremiah,  mentioned  below.  2.  Isaac,  born 
in  Weston,  Massachusetts,  November  15, 
1726;  married  (first)  Ruth  Bullard,  and 
(second)  Elizabeth  Graves.  3.  Patience, 
born  January  20,  1729-30;  married,  May 
28,  1754,  John  Flagg.  4.  Israel,  born  July 
10,  1732;  married  Abigail  Brown.  5.  Asa, 
born  August  7,  1736,  died  April  12,  1746. 

(V)  Jeremiah    (2)   Whittemore,  eldest 


191 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


child  of  Jeremiah  (i )  and  Patience  (Reed) 
Whittemore,  was  born  August  16,  1723, 
in  Concord,  Massachusetts,  died  at  Spen- 
cer, same  State,  May  14,  1803.  He  re- 
moved from  Weston  to  Spencer  in  1760. 
Part  of  his  children  were  born  in  the  lat- 
ter town.  He  married,  June  2,  1748,  Mary 
Carter,  and  their  children  were:  1.  Asa, 
born  November  10,  1749.  2.  Amos,  born 
May  7,  1751.  3.  Reuben,  mentioned  be- 
low. 4.  Mary,  born  in  Weston,  married 
Nathan  Wright,  October  26,  1779.  5. 
Tamar,  born  June  18,  1756,  married  Rob- 
ert Watson.  6.  Sybil,  born  January  17, 
1758,  married  Reuben  Underwood,  Feb- 
ruary 1,  1779.  7.  Aaron,  born  in  Spencer, 
March  1,  1762.  8.  Esther,  born  Decem- 
ber 28,  1764,  died  unmarried.  9.  Jere- 
miah, born  February  21,  1766.  10.  Sarah, 
born  March  16,  1768,  married  Ebenezer 
Kingsbury. 

(VI)  Reuben  Whittemore,  third  son  of 
Jeremiah  (2)  and  Mary  (Carter)  Whitte- 
more, was  born  April  29,  1754,  in  Wes- 
ton, and  died  in  Spencer,  April  19,  1832. 
He  was  about  six  years  of  age  when  the 
family  removed  to  Spencer,  and  there  he 
passed  his  life.  He  married,  March  2, 
1774,  Abigail  Watson,  and  they  had  chil- 
dren: 1.  Betsey,  born  June  15,  1780,  mar- 
ried James  Browning.  2.  Amos,  born 
September  7,  1782,  resided  in  Hartford, 
Connecticut.  3.  Thankful,  born  February 
6,  1785,  died  August  22,  1838.  4.  Daniel, 
born  April  28,  1787.  5.  Roswell,  born 
October  3,  1789.  6.  Reuben,  born  Febru- 
ary 5,  1795.  7.  Oliver,  mentioned  below. 
8.  Caroline,  born  December  14,  1798,  mar- 
ried Samuel  M.  Hobbs.  9.  William,  born 
July  7,  1801,  died  April  4,  1841,  unmar- 
ried. 10.  Abigail,  born  November  20, 
1803,  married  Augustus  Rider,  of  Spen- 
cer, had  one  son,  Alfred. 

(VII)  Oliver  Whittemore,  fifth  son  of 
Reuben  and  Abigail  (Watson)  Whitte- 
more,   was    born    February    11,    1797,    in 


Spencer,  and  died  March  29,  1830,  at  the 
age  of  thirty-three  years.  He  was  a 
farmer  in  his  native  town.  He  married, 
June  26,  1823,  Lydia  Jones.  Children:  1. 
Eli  Jones,  mentioned  below.  2.  Harriet 
Susannah,  born  March  8,  1826;  married, 
April  19,  1853,  Phineas  Jones,  of  Spencer. 
3.  Oliver  Augustus,  born  March  2,  1828; 
married  Almedia  R.  Treadway,  of  Crown 
Point,  New  York. 

(VIII)  Eli  Jones  Whittemore,  eldest 
child  of  Oliver  and  Lydia  (Jones)  Whitte- 
more, was  born  April  30,  1824,  in  Spencer. 
He  received  his  education  in  the  district 
schools  of  his  native  town  and  Leicester 
Academy  at  Leicester,  Massachusetts. 
He  was  but  six  years  old  when  his  father 
died,  and  was  early  obliged  to  maintain 
himself.  He  continued  to  work  on  a  farm 
until  sixteen  years  old,  when  he  entered 
the  wheelwright  shop  of  S.  G.  Reed,  at 
Spencer.  He  was  industrious  and  faith- 
ful and  after  a  few  years  became  a  part- 
ner with  Mr.  Reed,  whom  he  succeeded 
in  business.  Mr.  Whittemore  developed 
a  substantial  business  in  the  manufacture 
of  carriage  and  wagon  wheels,  by  which 
he  acquired  a  competence.  In  1866  he 
removed  to  Newark,  New  Jersey,  where 
he  entered  partnership  with  Phineas 
Jones,  husband  of  his  sister,  Harriet  L. 
Whittemore.  The  establishment  in  the 
latter  city  was  conducted  under  the  name 
of  Phineas  Jones  &  Company,  doing  a 
general  wheelwright  business,  and  manu- 
facturing carriage  and  wagon  wheels. 
This  establishment  is  still  conducted,  but 
Mr.  Whittemore  sold  out  his  interest  to 
his  partner  in  1874  and  retired.  The 
establishment  is  now  in  possession  of  a 
son  of  Phineas  Jones,  he  being  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  automobile  wheels. 
On  his  retirement  from  business,  Mr. 
Whittemore  returned  to  his  native  coun- 
ty, and  settled  in  the  city  of  Worcester. 
In  1877  he  acquired  a  handsome  residence 
192 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


on  Main  street,  which  he  continued  to 
occupy  until  his  death,  February  I,  1914, 
near  the  close  of  his  ninetieth  year.  Dur- 
ing the  administration  of  President  Lin- 
coln, he  was  postmaster  at  Spencer,  and 
served  the  town  two  years  as  assessor,  and 
three  years  as  selectman.  In  early  life 
he  took  up  the  study  of  civil  engineering, 
and  for  years  was  the  only  civil  engineer 
in  Spencer  and  vicinity.  On  settling  in 
Worcester  he  became  one  of  the  ap- 
praisers of  the  Mechanics'  Savings  Bank 
of  that  city.  For  some  years  he  was  a 
member  of  the  Worcester  County  Me- 
chanics' Association  and  the  Agricultural 
Society.  In  political  matters  he  adhered 
to  the  Republican  party.  He  married 
(first)  April  13,  1858,  Maria  Isabella 
Pope,  of  Spencer,  who  died  there  in  1862, 
daughter  of  William  Pope.  He  married 
(second)  at  Manchester,  New  Hampshire, 
May  3,  1866,  Elizabeth  M.  Hamblett,  born 
in  Pelham,  New  Hampshire,  daughter  of 
David  and  Emma  (Aiken)  Hamblett.  She 
died  February  19,  1901,  in  Worcester, 
Massachusetts.  There  were  two  children 
of  the  second  marriage :  Eric  Hamblett, 
mentioned  below,  and  Emma  Lizzie,  born 
February  23,  1869,  now  residing  in  Wor- 
cester, unmarried. 

(IX)  Eric  Hamblett  Whittemore,  only 
son  of  Eli  Jones  and  Elizabeth  M.  (Ham- 
blett) Whittemore,  was  born  July  30, 
1867,  in  Manchester,  New  Hampshire. 
His  education  was  supplied  by  the  public 
schools  of  Manchester  and  of  Worcester, 
Massachusetts,  graduating  from  the  high 
school  in  the  latter  city.  He  began  his 
business  life  as  clerk  in  a  hardware  store 
in  Worcester,  and  later  in  Boston,  Mas- 
sachusetts, and  in  1891  engaged  in  busi- 
ness on  his  own  account  in  Worcester, 
manufacturing  paper  boxes.  In  1894  he 
established  himself  in  the  same  line  of 
business  in  Fitchburg,  where  he  now  has 
a  large  and  well  equipped  plant  and  is 
mass— vol  hi— 13  193 


transacting  a  growing  business.  Mr. 
Whittemore  is  a  man  of  quiet  tastes  and 
domestic  habits,  and  does  not  enter 
largely  into  the  social  or  public  life  of 
the  city.  He  is  a  Republican  in  political 
principle,  and  a  member  of  the  Knights 
of  Pythias.  He  married,  December  19, 
1895,  Jennie  R.  Black,  of  Medford,  Massa- 
chusetts, daughter  of  Almon  and  Betsey 
(Bailey)  Black,  granddaughter  of  Josiah 
and  Mary  (Libby)  Black.  Children: 
Elizabeth  Hamblett,  born  October  7, 
1897;  Ruth  Bailey,  July  2,  1904. 


THURSTON,  Edwin  Chace, 

Retired  Citizen. 

The  family  of  Thurston  has  been  a  very 
prolific  one,  and  descendants  of  various 
immigrants  bearing  the  name  are  found 
throughout  New  England  and  the  entire 
country.  The  family  is  still  represented 
in  Fall  River,  Massachusetts,  where  it 
shares  in  the  social  and  material  life  of 
the  community. 

(I)  Edward  Thurston  was  the  first  of 
the  name  in  the  colony  of  Rhode  Island, 
and  must  have  been  there  some  time  be- 
fore 1647,  at  least  l°ng  enough  to  attend 
to  the  preliminaries  of  his  marriage, 
which  took  place  in  June,  1647.  He  mar- 
ried Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Adam  Mott, 
who  came  from  Cambridge,  England, 
when  thirty-nine  years  of  age,  with  his 
wife,  Sarah,  aged  thirty-one,  four  chil- 
dren by  a  former  wife,  and  Mary  Lott, 
a  daughter  of  Sarah  by  a  former  husband. 
They  were  passengers  from  London  for 
New  England,  in  the  "Defence,"  in  July, 
1634.  Elizabeth,  born  1628,  married  Ed- 
ward Thurston,  and  in  the  Coddington 
burying  ground,  Newport,  stones  of  Eliza- 
beth and  their  sons,  Daniel.  Samuel  and 
others  are  still  standing.  Their  marriage 
was  the  third  on  the  record  of  the  Society 
of  Friends  at  Newport.     Edward  Thur- 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ston  is  mentioned  in  the  colonial  records 
as  a  freeman  in  1655.  He  was  also  com- 
missioner, assistant  and  deputy  from 
Newport  from  1663  to  1690.  On  August 
26,  1686,  he,  with  others,  signed  an  ad- 
dress from  the  Quakers  of  Rhode  Island 
to  the  king.  His  wife  died  September  2, 
1694,  aged  sixty-seven,  and  he  died  March 
1,  1707,  aged  about  ninety.  Children: 
Sarah,  born  March  10,  1648;  Elizabeth, 
February,  1650;  Edward,  April  1,  1652; 
Ellen,  March,  1655 ;  Mary,  February, 
"657;  Jonathan,  February  4,  1659;  Daniel, 
April,  1661 ;  Rebecca,  April,  1662;  John, 
December,  1664;  Content,  June,  1667; 
Samuel,  August  24,  1669 ;  Thomas,  men- 
tioned below. 

(II)  Thomas  Thurston,  youngest  child 
of  Edward  and  Elizabeth  (Mott)  Thur- 
ston, was  born  October  8,  1671,  in  New- 
port, where  he  made  his  home,  and  died 
March  22,  1730.  He  married  there,  July 
23>  '695.  Mehitable,  daughter  of  Peleg 
and  Anne  (Sisson)  Tripp.  She  survived 
him  and  was  living  in  Newport,  October 
21,  1736.  Children:  Edward,  mentioned 
below;  Thomas,  Peleg,  Jonathan,  Samuel, 
John,  Ruth,  Elizabeth,  Anne,  Mehitable, 
Mary,  Nathaniel. 

(III)  Edward  (2)  Thurston,  eldest 
child  of  Thomas  and  Mehitable  (Tripp) 
Thurston,  was  born  1696,  in  Newport, 
and  lived  in  Freetown,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  died  November  3,  1783.  He 
married,  about  1723,  Hannah  Dodson, 
born  1703,  daughter  of  Jonathan  and  Abi- 
gail (Gannett)  Dodson,  of  Freetown, 
granddaughter  of  Anthony  Dodson,  of 
Scituate,  Massachusetts,  died  September 
15,  1778.  Children:  Edward,  mentioned 
below;  Peleg,  born  October  24,  1726; 
Hannah,  February  24,  1729;  Thomas, 
December  25,  1730;  Sarah,  November  24, 
1732 ;  Elizabeth,  January  24,  1735 ;  Me- 
hitable, February  28,  1737;  Mary,  March 
9,  1740;   Samuel,  March  7,  1743. 


(IV)  Edward  (3)  Thurston,  eldest 
child  of  Edward  (2)  and  Hannah  (Dod- 
son) Thurston,  was  born  September  6, 
1724,  in  Freetown,  where  he  continued  to 
make  his  home.  He  married,  about  1759- 
60,  Parnold  Mott,  of  Dartmouth,  Massa- 
chusetts. Children:  Gardner,  born  Feb- 
ruary 15,  1761;  Parnold,  December  27, 
1764;  Deborah,  married  Elisha  Davis,  of 
Fall  River;  Nathaniel  Starbuck,  men- 
tioned below;  Hepzibah,  died  unmarried 
after  1830. 

(V)  Nathaniel  Starbuck  Thurston,  sec- 
ond son  of  Edward  (3)  and  Parnold 
(Mott)  Thurston,  was  born  May  10,  1771, 
in  that  portion  of  Freetown  which  is  now 
in  Fall  River,  where  he  engaged  through 
life  in  agriculture,  and  died  May  18,  1844. 
He  married  Lavina  Davis,  of  Fall  River, 
who  died  September  28,  1891.  Children: 
Betsey,  born  April  21,  1794;  Samuel,  De- 
cember 17,  1797;  James,  April  12,  1799; 
Lucy,  July  23,  1803  ;  Joanna,  December  2, 
1806;  William,  mentioned  below. 

(VI)  William  Thurston,  third  son  of 
Nathaniel  Starbuck  and  Lavina  (Davis) 
Thurston,  was  born  December  7,  1809,  in 
Freetown,  where  he  followed  farming, 
and  died  February  20,  1871.  He  mar- 
ried there,  December  10,  1833,  Elea- 
nor Chace,  born  June  10,  1810,  died  No- 
vember 24,  1883.  Children :  Edwin  Chace, 
mentioned  below;  George  Wilson,  born 
March  18,  1836;  Palmer  Chace,  Septem- 
ber 16,  1837;  Jason  Woodward,  January 
5,  1839;  Ruth,  February  16,  1841 ;  Caro- 
line, December  20,  1843 ;  Phebe  Jane,  De- 
cember 10, 1847;  John  and  James  (twins), 
June  22,  1850. 

(VII)  Edwin  Chace  Thurston,  eldest 
child  of  William  and  Eleanor  (Chace) 
Thurston,  was  born  October  7,  1834,  in 
Fall  River,  and  was  for  many  years  en- 
gaged as  a  moulder  in  the  foundry  busi- 
ness, and  is  now  retired  from  active  life, 
making  his  home  in  Fall  River.    He  mar- 


194 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ried,  August  17,  1864,  in  that  town,  Sarah 
Howland  Anthony,  born  there  January  4, 
1847,  daughter  of  Edward  and  Ophelia 
(Brown)  Anthony  (see  Anthony  XI). 
Mrs.  Thurston  is  a  member  of  Queque- 
chan  Chapter,  Daughters  of  the  Ameri- 
can Revolution,  of  Fall  River,  and  has 
served  as  charter  delegate  from  this  chap- 
ter to  the  National  Convention  at  Wash- 
ington. She  is  a  member  of  the  Fall 
River  Woman's  Club,  and  a  faithful  at- 
tendant of  the  Second  Congregational 
Church.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thurston  are  the 
parents  of  three  children:  1.  Cora  Belle, 
born  July  17,  1865,  now  the  widow  of  Dr. 
Charles  C.  Terry,  who  died  in  1894;  she 
is  a  teacher  and  resides  with  her  mother 
in  Fall  River ;  her  son,  Carl  Anthony 
Terry,  is  a  graduate  of  Brown  University. 
2.  Edward  Anthony,  born  June  26,  1871 ; 
is  a  well-known  attorney  of  Fall  River, 
member  of  the  legal  firm  of  Baker  & 
Thurston,  and  a  leader  in  the  councils  of 
the  Republican  party.  3.  Ralph  Emery, 
born  August  6,  1877;  is  a  graduate  of  the 
Massachusetts  Institute  of  Technology, 
and  resides  in  Putnam,  Connecticut. 

(The  Anthony  Line). 

(I)  Dr.  Francis  Anthony  was  born  in 
London,  England,  April  16,  1550.  He 
was  a  very  learned  physician  and  chemist, 
according  to  the  "Biographa  Britannica," 
and  was  son  of  an  eminent  goldsmith  of 
London,  who  had  had  a  responsible 
position  in  the  jewel  office  under  Queen 
Elizabeth.  About  1569  Francis  Anthony 
entered  Cambridge  University,  receiving 
the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts  in  1574.  He 
left  Cambridge  when  forty  years  of  age, 
and  soon  after  began  to  publish  to  the 
world  the  effects  of  his  chemical  studies. 
In  1598  he  sent  abroad  his  first  treatise 
concerning  the  excellency  of  a  medicine 
drawn  from  gold.  He  began  medical 
practice  in   London  without  a  certificate 


from  the  College  of  Physicians,  and  in 
1600,  after  a  half  year  of  practice,  was 
called  before  the  president  and  censors  of 
the  college.  For  disregarding  the  in- 
junction from  them  to  cease  practice,  he 
was  fined  five  pounds  and  sent  to  prison, 
being  released  by  a  warrant  of  the  Lord 
Chief  Justice.  He  continued  to  practice 
and  cured  several  distinguished  persons, 
so  that  he  was  no  longer  interfered  with, 
although  proceedings  were  threatened. 
His  practice  consisted  chiefly,  if  not  en- 
tirely, in  the  prescription  and  sale  of  a 
secret  remedy  called  Aurum  Potable,  or 
potable  gold,  and  he  made  a  fortune  from 
the  sale  of  this  remedy.  He  was  a  man 
of  fine  character,  very  liberal  to  the  poor, 
died  in  his  seventy-fourth  year,  and  was 
buried  in  the  Church  of  St.  Bartholomew, 
the  Great,  where  a  handsome  monument 
was  erected  to  his  memory.  No  record 
of  his  first  marriage  appears,  and  he  mar- 
ried (second)  September  23,  1609,  Eliza- 
beth Lante,  of  Trinity  Menaries,  London, 
widow  of  Thomas  Lante.  Children  of 
first  wife :  John,  mentioned  below ; 
Charles ;  Frances. 

(II)  John  Anthony,  son  of  Dr.  Francis 
Anthony,  was  born  in  1585,  and  died  in 
1655.  In  1613  he  was  graduated  from 
Pembroke  College,  Bachelor  of  Medicine  ; 
Doctor  of  Medicine,  1619;  was  admitted 
licentiate  of  the  College  of  Physicians  of 
London,  1625  ;  served  in  the  civil  war  on 
the  Parliamentary  side  as  surgeon  to 
Colonel  Sandays,  was  author  of  "The 
Comfort  of  the  Soul,  laid  down  by  way  of 
Meditation." 

(III)  John  (2)  Anthony,  son  of  John 
(1)  Anthony,  was  born  in  1607,  was  a 
resident  of  the  village  of  Hampstead,  near 
London,  and  came  to  New  England  in  the 
ship  "Hercules,"  April  16,  1634.  He  was 
in  Portsmouth,  Rhode  Island,  September 
14,  1640,  when  he  was  made  freeman.  He 
was  corporal  of  a  military  company,  and 


195 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


May  25,  1655,  was  authorized  to  keep  an 
ordinary  in  Portsmouth ;  commissioner 
1661 ;  deputy  in  1666-72.  He  married 
Susanna  Potter,  and  both  he  and  his  wife 
died  in  1675.  Children:  John,  born 
1642;  Susanna,  1644;  Elizabeth,  1646; 
Joseph,  1648;  Abraham,  mentioned  below. 

(IV)  Abraham  Anthony,  youngest 
child  of  John  (2)  and  Susanna  (Potter) 
Anthony,  was  born  in  1650,  and  died 
October  10,  1727.  He  was  made  freeman, 
1672;  deputy  much  of  the  time  from  1703 
to  171 1,  and  in  1709-10  was  speaker  of 
the  house.  He  married,  December  26, 
1671,  Alice  Woodell,  born  February  10, 
1650,  died  1734,  daughter  of  William  and 
Mary  Woodell,  of  Portsmouth.  Children : 
John,  born  November  7,  1672;  Susanna 
and  Mary  (twins),  August  29,  1674,  both 
died  young ;  William,  mentioned  below ; 
Susanna,  October  14,  1677 ;  Mary  and 
Amey  (twins,  Amey  died  young),  Janu- 
ary 2,  1680;  Abraham,  April  21,  1682; 
Thomas,  June  30,  1684;  Alice  and  James 
(twins),  January  22,  1686;  Amey,  June 
30,  1688;  Isaac,  April  10,  1690;  Jacob, 
November  15,  1693. 

(V)  William  Anthony,  second  son  of 
Abraham  and  Alice  (Woodell)  Anthony, 
was  born  October  31,  1675,  and  died  De- 
cember 28,  1744.  He  was  of  Portsmouth, 
Rhode  Island,  and  Swansea,  Massa- 
chusetts. He  married,  March  14,  1694, 
Mary  Coggeshall,  born  September  18, 
1675,  died  after  1739,  daughter  of  John 
and  Elizabeth  (Timberlake)  Coggeshall, 
granddaughter  of  Major  John  and  Eliza- 
beth (Baulstone)  Coggeshall,  and  great- 
granddaughter  of  John  Coggeshall,  who 
came  from  Essex,  England.  Children : 
William,  born  May  14,  1695;  Abraham, 
mentioned  below  ;  Elizabeth,  May  2,  1698; 
Mary,  December  8,  1699;  John,  Septem- 
ber 12,  1702,  died  young;  Alice,  May  22, 
1705,  married  James  Chase,  of  Swansea; 
Ann,    March    17,    1707;   John   and    Amy 


(twins),  November  16,  1708;  William, 
October  26,  1709;  James,  November  9, 
1712;  Job,  April  10,  1714;  Benjamin,  June 
10,  1716;  Daniel,  May  19,  1720. 

(VI)  Abraham  (2)  Anthony,  second 
son  of  William  and  Mary  (Coggeshall) 
Anthony,  was  born  September  25,  1696, 
and  lived  in  Swansea,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  married,  February  7,  1717, 
Elizabeth  Gray,  and  their  children,  the 
first  nine  born  in  Swansea  and  the  others 
in  Portsmouth,  were:  Abraham,  Decem- 
ber 9,  1717;  Mary,  February  9,  1719; 
Edward,  May  2,  1720,  died  February  6, 
1821 ;  Thomas,  October  19,  1721 ;  Philip, 
mentioned  below ;  Elizabeth,  April  24, 
1725;  Isaac,  March  7,  1727;  Sarah,  April 
7,  1730;  Elisha,  December  15,  1732; 
Jonathan,  January  12,  1734;  Peleg,  No- 
vember  30,    1735;    Daniel,    September    1, 

I738- 

(VII)  Philip  Anthony,  fourth  son  of 
Abraham  (2)  and  Elizabeth  (Gray)  An- 
thony, was  born  April  11,  1723,  in  Swan- 
sea, and  lived  in  Portsmouth,  Rhode 
Island,  where  he  died  September  8,  1777. 
He  married  Mary  Godard,  daughter  of 
Thomas  Godard,  and  they  had  the  follow- 
ing children  recorded  in  Portsmouth : 
Abraham,  mentioned  below;  Eunice,  died 
December  3,  1754;  Ann  and  Susannah, 
died  January  5,  1754;  triplets,  born  De- 
cember 14,  1753;  Philip,  January  19,  1755, 
died  in  February  of  the  same  year; 
Philip,  February  16,  1756,  died  Septem- 
ber 6,  1777;  Eunice,  August  3,  1759,  died 
October  16,  1777;  Susannah,  November 
21,  1761 ;  Beriah,  September  17,  1763; 
Gideon,  June  20,  1766. 

(VIII)  Abraham  (3)  Anthony,  eldest 
child  of  Philip  and  Mary  (Godard)  An- 
thony, was  born  August  19,  1751,  in 
Portsmouth,  where  he  lived,  and  died 
January  18,  1821.  He  married,  in  Dart- 
mouth, Massachusetts,  December  25, 
1782,     Lettice    Smith,    a    native   of    that 


196 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


town,  daughter  of  Benjamin  Smith.  Chil- 
dren :  Philip,  born  February  2,  1784; 
Mary,  March  28,  1785,  died  February  22, 
1787;  Susanna,  December  17,  1786,  mar- 
ried Henry  Knowles ;  Mary,  June  23, 
1788;  Benjamin,  mentioned  below; 
Eunice,  July  24,  1791  ;  Hannah,  Septem- 
ber 1,  1793;  Stephen,  December  24,  1795; 
Phebe,  March  19,  1798;  Abraham,  Octo- 
ber 1,  1800. 

(IX)  Benjamin  Anthony,  second  son 
of  Abraham  (3)  and  Lettice  (Smith)  An- 
thony, was  born  February  28,  1790,  in 
Portsmouth,  in  which  town  he  was  a 
farmer.  He  married  there,  May  1,  1812, 
Catherine  Almy,  born  October  17,  1790, 
in  Portsmouth,  daughter  of  Isaac  and 
Susanna  (Lawton)  Almy,  of  that  town 
(see  Almy  V). 

(X)  Edward  Anthony,  son  of  Benja- 
min and  Catherine  (Almy)  Anthony,  was 
born  in  Portsmouth,  and  grew  up  there 
on  the  paternal  farm.  Early  in  life  he 
entered  a  cotton  mill,  and  throughout  his 
career  was  identified  with  the  manufac- 
ture of  cotton,  in  and  around  Fall  River, 
where  he  was  for  many  years  superin- 
tendent of  a  cotton  mill,  until  his  death. 
He  was  a  well  known  and  respected 
citizen.  He  married  Ophelia  Brown,  born 
February  5,  1818,  daughter  of  Jeremiah 
and  Hannah  (Gardner)  Brown,  of  Fall 
River. 

(XI)  Sarah  Howland  Anthony,  daugh- 
ter of  Edward  and  Ophelia  (Brown)  An- 
thony, became  the  wife  of  Edwin  C. 
Thurston,  of  Fall  River  (see  Thurston 
VII). 

(The  Almy  Line). 

(I)  William  Almy,  born  1601,  in  Eng- 
land, came  to  Lynn,  Massachusetts,  as 
early  as  1631,  and  subsequently  returned 
to  England.  In  1635  he  came  again  to 
Massachusetts  in  the  ship  "Abigail," 
accompanied  by  his  wife  Audrey,  and 
two  children,  Ann,  aged  eight,  and  Chris- 


topher, three.  He  was  in  Sandwich,  Mas- 
sachusetts, April  3,  1637,  when  he  was 
accepted  as  an  inhabitant,  and  in  the  fol- 
lowing year  he  was  fined  there  for  allow- 
ing his  swine  to  run  at  large  unringed. 
He  received  a  grant  of  eight  and  one-half 
acres  there  in  1640,  and  about  1641  re- 
moved to  Portsmouth,  Rhode  Island, 
where  he  continued  to  reside  until  his 
death,  in  1676.  He  sold  lands  in  Sand- 
wich, June  22,  1642,  and  had  a  grant  at 
Wading  River,  in  Portsmouth,  November 
14,  1644.  In  J655  he  was  a  freeman, 
served  on  the  jury  in  1656,  was  commis- 
sioner in  that  year  and  the  following,  and 
again  in  1663.  By  his  will  he  gave  land 
to  each  of  his  three  sons.  His  wife  sur- 
vived him.  Children:  Ann,  born  1627, 
married  John  Green ;  Christopher,  born 
1632;  John,  died  October  1,  1676;  Job, 
mentioned  below. 

(II)  Job  Almy,  youngest  son  of  Wil- 
liam and  Audrey  Almy,  lived  in  Ports- 
mouth, in  Warwick,  Rhode  Island,  and 
again  in  Portsmouth,  where  he  died  in 
1684.  He  was  deputy  from  Warwick  in 
1670  and  1672,  and  assistant  in  1673-74- 
75.  He  was  one  of  the  seven  purchasers 
of  Pocasset  lands  from  the  Indians,  hold- 
ing three  and  one-half  of  the  thirty  shares, 
and  was  a  large  landholder,  bequeathing 
valuable  property  to  his  children.  The 
inventory  of  his  estate  amounted  to  two 
hundred  and  eighty-seven  pounds,  sixteen 
shillings,  including  many  farm  animals 
and  Negro  and  Indian  slaves.  He  served 
on  a  committee  to  treat  with  the  Indian 
sachems  in  the  effort  to  reduce  drunken- 
ness among  the  Indians.  He  married 
Mary,  daughter  of  Christopher  and  Sus- 
anna Unthank.  Children:  Christopher 
and  William  (twins),  born  January  20, 
1664  (latter  died  young) ;  William,  Sep- 
tember 5,  1665 ;  Susanna,  January  29, 
1667;  Audrey,  April  5,  1669;  Deborah, 
August  5,   1671 ;  Catherine,  January  22, 


197 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1674;   John,    January     25,    1676;     Mary, 
September  6,  1678 ;  Job,  mentioned  below. 

(III)  Job  (2)  Almy,  fourth  son  of  Job 
(1)  and  Mary  (Unthank)  Almy,  was  born 
March  3,  1681,  in  Portsmouth,  and  was  an 
extensive  owner  of  lands  and  houses  in 
that  town  and  Tiverton  and  Little  Comp- 
ton,  Rhode  Island,  as  well  as  in  Massa- 
chusetts. The  inventory  of  his  estate 
amounted  to  2377  pounds,  nineteen  shill- 
ings and  nine  pence,  including  a  large 
stock  of  farm  animals  and  two  Negro 
slaves,  to  whom  he  granted  their  freedom 
by  will,  to  date  from  January  1,  1770.  He 
died  January  25,  1767.  He  married,  De- 
cember 6,  1705,  Bridget,  daughter  of 
Peleg  and  Mary  (Coddington)  Sanford. 
Children,  of  Tiverton  town  record:  Job, 
died  young ;  Peleg,  born  October  25,  1709  ; 
Mary,  June  20,  171 1;  Elphal,  August  3, 
1713  ;  Bridget,  May  6,  1716;  Ann,  January 
8,  1718;  John,  April  18,  1720;  Job,  men- 
tioned below;  Deborah,  March  21,  1724. 

(IV)  Job  (3)  Almy,  youngest  son  of 
Job  (2)  and  Bridget  (Sanford)  Almy, 
was  born  May  16,  1722,  in  Portsmouth, 
and  married  there,  September  2,  1756, 
Katherine  Slocum„  daughter  of  Peleg 
Slocum,  of  Dartmouth.  Three  of  their 
children  are  recorded  in  Portsmouth : 
Alice,  born  July  2,  1757;  Rebecca,  Sep- 
tember 26,  1758;  William,  February  1, 
1761.  Other  records  show  that  they  also 
had  a  son,  Isaac. 

(V)  Isaac  Almy,  son  of  Job  (3)  and 
Katherine  (Slocum)  Almy,  was  born 
about  1765,  in  Portsmouth,  and  was  mar- 
ried there,  as  shown  by  the  Friends' 
records,  November  4,  1789,  to  Susanna 
Lawton,  born  about  1766-69,  daughter  of 
Isaac  and  Mary  Lawton,  of  Portsmouth 
(see  Lawton  V). 

(VI)  Catherine  Almy,  daughter  of 
Isaac  and  Susanna  (Lawton)  Almy,  was 
born  October  17,  1790,  in  Portsmouth, 
and  became  the  wife  of  Benjamin  An- 
thony, of  that  town  (see  Anthony  IX). 


(The  Lawton  Line). 

(I)  Thomas  Lawton,  founder  of  the 
Rhode  Island  family,  was  at  Portsmouth 
as  early  as  1639,  when  he  was  one  of  the 
twenty-nine  persons  who  signed  the  comr 
pact  for  government  of  the  settlement. 
His  second  wife  was  Grace,  widow  of 
William  Bailey,  and  daughter  of  Hugh 
and  Elizabeth  Parsons.  Their  children 
were :  Elizabeth,  Daniel,  Ann,  Sarah  and 
Isaac. 

(II)  Isaac  Lawton,  youngest  child  of 
Thomas  and  Grace  (Parsons-Bailey) 
Lawton,  was  born  December  11,  1650,  in 
Portsmouth,  and  died  there  February  25, 
1731.  He  married  there,  March  3,  1674, 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Peter  Tallman,  of 
that  town.  She  died  May  20,  1701.  Chil- 
dren :  Elizabeth,  born  February  16,  1675  ; 
Sarah,  October  25,  1676;  Ann,  April  25, 
1678;  Isaac,  mentioned  below;  Mary, 
April  3,  1683;  Isabel,  March  12,  1685; 
Thomas,  April  25,  1687;  Susanna,  April 
3,  1689;  Job,  April  28,  1691 ;  Ruth,  April 
9,  1694;  John,  September  2,  1696. 

(III)  Isaac  (2)  Lawton,  eldest  son  of 
Isaac  (1)  and  Elizabeth  (Tallman)  Law- 
ton,  was  born  May  26,  1681,  in  Ports- 
mouth, and  married,  December  25,  1705, 
Mary,  daughter  of  Jonathan  Hill.  Chil- 
dren: Elizabeth,  born  November  24, 
1706;  John,  mentioned  below;  Rebecca, 
April  24,  171 1  ;  Patience,  January  30,  1714; 
Mary,  January  2,  1727. 

(IV)  John  Lawton,  only  recorded  son 
of  Isaac  (2)  and  Mary  (Hill)  Lawton, 
was  born  November  10,  1708,  in  Ports- 
mouth, where  he  lived,  and  married,  Oc- 
tober 30,  1729,  Naomi  Lawton,  of  New- 
port. Their  children  on  Portsmouth 
records  were:  Isaac,  mentioned  below; 
Robert,  born  November  20,  1732;  Pris- 
cilla,  February  14,  1735;  Elizabeth,  April 
8,  1737 ;  George,  January  25,  1739. 

(V)  Isaac  (3)  Lawton,  eldest  child  of 
John  and  Naomi  (Lawton)  Lawton,  was 
born  March  3,  173 1,  in  Portsmouth,  where 


198 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


he  made  his  home,  and  had  wife  Mary. 
The  following  children  are  recorded  in 
that  town:  David,  born  April  7,  1754; 
Elizabeth,  December  2,  1755;  Isaac,  Sep- 
tember 7,  1757;  Hannah,  April  15,  1759; 
James,  February  27,  1761  ;  Mary,  No- 
vember 9,  1762;  Stephen,  August  15, 
1764.  They  also  had  a  daughter,  Sus- 
anna, born  about  1766-69.  as  shown  by 
Quaker  record  of  her  marriage. 

(VI)  Susanna  Lawton,  daughter  of 
Isaac  (3)  and  Mary  Lawton,  became  the 
wife  of  Isaac  Almy,  of  Portsmouth  (see 
Almy  V). 


BOUTWELL,  Edson  Stillman, 

Successful  Business  Man. 

The  surname  Boutwell  is  also  spelled 
in  early  records  Boutelle,  Boutell,  Boutle, 
Bowtell  and  otherwise,  and  some  of  these 
forms  are  still  in  use  by  American  fam- 
ilies. The  name  is  of  French  origin,  but 
whether  the  first  English  ancestor  went 
to  England  with  William  the  Conqueror 
or  several  centuries  later,  with  the  ex- 
patriated French  Huguenots,  is  a  mooted 
question.  Edward,  Leonard,  James, 
John  and  Thomas  Boutwell  came  to  the 
vicinity  of  Boston  before  1650,  but  only 
John  and  James  remained  in  Massachu- 
setts. John  Boutwell  was  in  Cambridge 
in  1638,  and  died  August  30,  1676,  aged 
sixty  years. 

(I)  James  Boutwell,  born  in  England, 
was  an  early  settler  of  Lynn,  Massachu- 
setts, of  which  town  he  was  a  proprietor, 
was  admitted  a  freeman  of  the  colony, 
March  14,  1639,  and  died  in  1651.  Mary 
Boutwell,  mentioned  in  the  court  records 
of  Lynn  in  1640,  was  doubtless  his  first 
wife.  His  will,  dated  August  22,  165 1, 
was  proved  four  days  later,  bequeathing 
to  wife,  Alice,  and  children  :  James,  John 
and  Sarah. 

(II)  John     Boutwell,     son     of    James 


Boutwell,  was  born  in  1645,  in  Lynn  or 
Salem,  and  died  December  3,  1719,  in 
Reading,  Massachusetts,  where  he  settled. 
He  married,  May  10,  1669,  Hannah, 
daughter  of  George  Davis,  born  May  31, 
1648,  in  Reading.  Children  :  John,  born 
February  26,  1670;  Hannah,  June  3,  1672; 
Sarah,  June  3,  1674,  died  young;  James, 
mentioned  below;  Mary,  January  20, 
1679;  Elizabeth,  March  2,  1683;  Sarah, 
August  20,  1686;  Susannah,  February  26, 
1689;  Thomas,  February  6,  1692. 

(III)  James  (2)  Boutwell,  second  son 
of  John  and  Hannah  (Davis)  Boutwell, 
was  born  February  6,  1677,  in  Reading, 
and  lived  in  Framingham,  Massachusetts. 
He  married,  in  Reading,  March  13,  1699, 
Abigail  Stimpson,  born  February  3,  1673, 
in  Reading,  daughter  of  James  and  Naomi 
(Leapinwell)  Stimpson.  of  that  town. 
Children,  recorded  in  Reading  and  Fram- 
ingham: Ebenezer,  mentioned  below; 
Susannah,  born  September  16,  1707; 
James,  March  15,  1709. 

(IV)  Ebenezer  Boutwell,  eldest  child 
of  James  (2)  and  Abigail  (Stimpson) 
Boutwell,  was  born  October  23,  1700,  in 
Reading,  and  was  a  tinsmith  by  occupa- 
tion. He  settled  in  Framingham,  in  1720, 
and  lived  near  the  present  railroad  cross- 
ing in  the  village  ;  was  living  in  1757.  His 
wife's  baptismal  name  was  Thankful,  and 
they  had  children  recorded  in  Framing- 
ham: Phebe,  born  June  3,  1733;  Ebe- 
nezer, mentioned  below ;  Margaret, 
adopted  child,  baptized  October  19,  1755. 

(V)  Ebenezer  (2)  Boutwell,  only  son 
of  Ebenezer  (1)  and  Thankful  Boutwell, 
was  born  September  10,  1735,  in  Fram- 
ingham, and  owned  the  covenant  in  the 
church  there  in  April,  1759;  was  dis- 
missed from  the  church  in  July,  1782,  and 
probably  moved  from  the  town  about 
that  time.  Some  of  his  sons  settled  in 
Fitzwilliam,  New  Hampshire,  and  it  is 
likely  that  he  passed  his  last  days  there. 

199 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


His  wife's  name  was  Ann,  and  they  had 
children:  Ebenezer  Calvin,  mentioned 
below;  James,  born  February  u,  1759; 
Jeremiah,  baptized  in  July,  1766;  Josiah, 
March  3,  1768;  Thankful,  July  1,  1770; 
Anna,  October  9,  1774;  Molly,  July  6, 
1777;  Enoch,  June  14,  1778. 

(VI)  Ebenezer  Calvin  Boutwell,  eldest 
child  of  Ebenezer  (2)  and  Ann  Boutwell, 
was  born  about  1757,  and  settled  before 
1779  in  Fitzwilliam,  New  Hampshire. 
He  resided  on  lot  seven,  range  nine,  of 
that  town,  and  was  one  of  the  petitioners 
for  leave  to  build  pews  in  the  church  in 
1779.  About  1798  he  moved  to  Leverett, 
Massachusetts.  His  wife's  name  was 
Polly  Hosmer,  and  they  had  children : 
Lucinda,  born  December  16,  1787;  Calvin 
S.,  mentioned  below ;  Elijah,  baptized 
September  28,  1793;  John,  at  same  time; 
Levi,  born  September  12,  1792;  Nancy, 
January    11,    1796;   Charles,   January   31, 

i/97- 

(VII)  Calvin  S.  Boutwell,  eldest  son  of 
Ebenezer  Calvin  and  Polly  ('Hosmer) 
Boutwell,  was  born  August  19,  1789,  in 
Fitzwilliam,  and  grew  up  in  Leverett. 
He  was  a  farmer,  living  for  some  time  in 
the  nearby  town  of  Montague,  and  died 
July  23,  1869.  His  wife,  Sarah  P.  Bout- 
well, born  August  15,  1790,  died  Novem- 
ber 17,  1859.  Children:  William,  born 
April  27,  1812,  died  in  infancy;  Phil- 
ander, February  16,  1814,  died  March  29, 
1879;  Lyman  A.,  March  8,  1816,  died  at 
Poultney,  Vermont,  in  1912;  Susan  M., 
April  29,  1818,  died  June  24,  1850;  Wil- 
liam Hosmer,  mentioned  below;  James 
M.,  December  31,  1822,  died  in  infancy; 
James,  March  19,  1825,  died  September 
13,  1850;  Otis  B.,  December  2,  1827; 
Sarah  S.,  January  13,  1830. 

(VIII)  William  Hosmer  Boutwell, 
fourth  son  of  Calvin  S.  and  Sarah  P. 
Boutwell,  was  born  June  19,  1820,  in 
Montague,   and   died   November  7,    1865, 


in  Montague.  He  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  Montague  and  began 
life  as  a  farmer.  He  subsequently  en- 
gaged in  the  lumber  business  and  oper- 
ated a  saw  mill  in  Montague.  From  this 
he  naturally  drifted  into  the  manufacture 
of  sash  and  blinds  and  wooden  pails.  For 
a  time  he  resided  in  Illinois,  but  soon 
returned  to  his  native  town.  He  married, 
June  1,  1842,  Mary  Walker  Graves,  born 
August  20,  1822,  in  Leverett,  daughter  of 
Kellogg  and  Eunice  (Willis)  Graves,  died 
June  24,  1896,  in  Holyoke,  Massachusetts. 
Kellogg  Graves  was  born  August  20, 
1793,  and  died  November  18,  1870. 
Eunice  Willis,  born  June  14,  1796,  died 
November  15,  1873.  Children  of  William 
H.  Boutwell :  1.  Mary  Jane,  born  August 
18,  1843,  at  Montague ;  married,  Septem- 
ber 15,  1869,  Frank  Wheelock,  and  had 
children :  Lena  E.,  born  May  9,  1871  ; 
Mabel  E.,  October  7,  1873 ;  George  F., 
October  15,  1875;  the  last-named  was 
adopted  by  Charles  A.  Fox,  of  Spring- 
field, Massachusetts,  and  takes  the  name 
of  George  W.  A.  Fox.  2.  Ella  F.,  born 
April  5,  1846,  in  Illinois,  died  November 

2,  1914;  she  married,  September  16,  1873, 
George  N.  Frizzell,  and  has  children: 
Ethel  L.,  born  June  25,  1876;  Lawrence 
E.,  October  9,  1880;  Bessie  I.,  January  25, 
1889.  3.  Fanny  E.,  born  June  27,  1850; 
married,  May  25,  1875,  Solon  E.  Frizzell, 
and  had  three  children:  Fred  B.,  born 
September  2,  1876;  Marion  E.,  September 

3,  1878,  died  November  3,  1878;  Florence 
B.,  September  15,  1887.  4.  Arthur  K, 
born  August  21,  1852,  died  January  25, 
1854.  5.  Hattie  E.,  born  February  26, 
1855 ;  married  Homer  Bartlett,  of  West 
Springfield,  Massachusetts,  and  has  two 
sons:  Homer  E.,  born  January  22,  1879, 
and  George  M.,  September  7,  1882.  6. 
Edson  Stillman,  mentioned  below.  7. 
Anna  M.,  born  December  13,  i860,  died 
October  12,  1866.    8.  Sarah  Louise,  born 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


July  30,  1863;  married  October  1,  1885, 
Charles  C.  Butler;  children:  William 
Allen,  born  November  18,  1889,  died  July 
21,  1890;  Mary  Clifford,  May  10,  1892; 
Mildred,  May  23,  1897;  Charles  C,  No- 
vember 10,  1903. 

(IX)  Edson  Stillman  Boutwell,  second 
son  of  William  Hosmer  and  Mary  Walker 
(Graves)  Boutwell,  was  born  May  7,  185S. 
in  Montague,  and  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  that  town  and  North- 
ampton, Massachusetts,  to  which  town  his 
widowed  mother  removed  upon  the  death 
of  her  husband,  and  here  our  subject  lived 
until  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age.  That 
he  might  benefit  by  the  provisions  of  the 
will  of  Oliver  Smith,  of  that  town,  he  was 
then  bound  out  to  Emerson  Frizzell  until 
he  had  reached  his  majority.  .He  then 
learned  the  trade  of  carpenter  with  Bart- 
lett  Brothers,  in  Northampton,  and  was 
employed  for  about  seven  years  by  Solon 
E.  Frizzell,  contracting  builder.  In  18S6 
he  removed  to  Fitchburg,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  continued  at  his  trade  until 
1907,  when  he  commenced  business  as  a 
building  contractor  on  his  own  account, 
and  has  continued  in  the  same  line  since, 
with  gratifying  success.  Mr.  Boutwell  is 
a  member  of  the  Calvanistic  Congrega- 
tional Church,  of  Fitchburg,  and  of 
Aurora  Lodge,  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons,  of  Fitchburg.  He  is  also  affiliated 
with  the  New  England  Order  of  Protec- 
tion. Politically,  he  endorses  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Republican  party,  but  takes 
no  part  in  the  scramble  for  office.  He 
married,  March  30,  1886,  Cora  B.,  widow 
of  Irwin  Field,  and  daughter  of  Edward 
W.  and  Ellen  L.  (Crittenden)  Hamilton, 
born  October  10,  1861,  in  Conway,  Massa- 
chusetts. She  is  the  mother  of  two  chil- 
dren by  her  first  marriage :  Albert  I. 
Field,  born  October  7,  1879,  married 
Nellie  Spofford ;  Louise  E.  Field,  born 
April  19,  1881,  married  Theodore  T.  Carl- 


son, and  has  a  daughter,  Doris,  born  July 
27,  1911.  Children  of  E.  S.  Boutwell: 
Bertha  May,  born  June  21,  1891,  in  Fitch- 
burg; Florence  Belle,  July  19,  1893;  both 
at  home  with  their  parents. 


DICKSON,  Henry  Augustus, 

Civil  War  Veteran,  Business  Mam. 

This  is  an  ancient  name  in  Scotland, 
where  it  is  found  with  a  great  variety  of 
spellings,  including  Duykison,  Dikeson, 
Dykyson,  Dicson,  Dixon,  Dixson.  The 
most  usual  form  in  present  use  in  that 
country  is  Dickson,  while  it  is  generally 
rendered  Dixon  in  this  country.  Thomas 
Dicson,  born  1247,  is  famed  in  historic 
and  romantic  annals  of  Scotland,  and  the 
family  was  numerously  represented  in  the 
shires  of  Berwick,  Lanark  and  Peebles. 
In  1489  it  owned  Winkston,  in  Peebeles- 
shire,  and  part  of  the  old  mansion  there 
is  still  in  use.  One  of  the  most  distin- 
guished men  bearing  the  name  was  Rev. 
David  Dickson,  D.  D.,  Professor  of 
Divinity  at  the  University  of  Edinburgh, 
born  1583,  died  1663. 

(I)  William  Dickson,  born  1614,  was 
very  early  at  Cambridge,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  was  made  a  freeman  in  1642,  in 
which  year  he  owned  an  estate  fronting 
on  Brattle  Square,  extending  from  Win- 
throp  street  to  Mt.  Auburn  street.  Later 
he  occupied  property  on  the  east  side  of 
Menotomy  river,  bordering  on  North 
avenue  and  Windsor  Hill  road.  Part  of 
this  estate  was  until  very  recently  owned 
by  his  descendants.  He  died  in  Cam- 
bridge, August  5,  1692,  aged  seventy- 
eight  years.  His  wife,  Jane,  born  1616, 
died  December  4,  1689,  aged  seventy- 
three.  Children  :  Mary,  born  October  10, 
1644,  died  1648;  Lydia,  died  young; 
Abigail,  born  March  10,  1648;  Mary, 
January  17,  1650;  Hannah,  married  Ste- 
phen Francis  ;  John,  mentioned  below. 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


(II)  John  Dickson,  youngest  child  of 
William  and  Jane  Dickson,  was  born 
March  21,  1655,  in  Cambridge,  and  died 
there  March  22,  1737.  He  married,  Ma) 
12,  1687,  Margery  or  Margaret,  daughter 
of  Edward  and  Jane  Winship,  born  De- 
cember 11,  1664,  died  October  6,  1734,  in 
Cambridge.  Children  :  Jane,  born  Octo- 
ber 4,  1688 ;  Elizabeth,  William  and  John, 
baptized  July  24,  1698;  Mary,  born  De- 
cember 4,  1698;  Edward,  January  16, 
1702. 

(III)  John  (2)  Dickson,  third  son  of 
John  (1)  and  Margery  or  Margaret  (Win- 
ship)  Dickson,  born  about  1697,  in  Cam- 
bridge, lived  in  that  town,  where  he  died 
July  26,  1775.  He  married,  August  4, 
1725,  Mary,  daughter  of  Walter  and 
Elizabeth  (Winship)  Russell,  born  Feb- 
ruary 8,  1707,  died  in  Cambridge,  July  4, 
1770.  Children:  John,  born  March  31, 
1726;  Walter,  mentioned  below;  Mary, 
baptized  December  5,  1731. 

(IV)  Walter  Dickson,  second  son  of 
John  (2)  and  Mary  (Russell)  Dickson, 
was  born  March  18,  1729,  in  Cambridge, 
and  made  his  home  there,  dying  in  1798. 
He  married,  May  3,  1750,  Anna  Cutter,  of 
Charlestown,  born  January  30,  1731,  died 
April  4,  1819,  in  Groton,  Massachusetts, 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Anne  (Harring- 
ton) Cutter,  whose  home  was  near  the 
Cambridge  border  in  Charlestown.  Chil- 
dren :  Anna,  born  October  1,  1752 ;  Mary, 
March  23,  1755 ;  Esther,  August  23,  1757; 
Rebecca,  October  16,  1759;  Lucy,  May  12, 
1764;  Walter,  mentioned  below. 

(V)  Walter  (2)  Dickson,  youngest 
child  of  Walter  (1)  and  Anna  (Cutter) 
Dickson,  was  born  December  9,  1767,  in 
Cambridge,  and  settled  in  Groton,  Massa- 
chusetts, soon  after  1795.  There  seems 
to  be  no  town  record  or  tombstone  in- 
scription to  show  the  time  of  his  death. 
He  was  a  farmer  in  Groton,  and  a  mem- 
ber  of   the    Congregational   church.      He 


married,  January  3,  1793,  Anna  Tufts, 
born  May  26,  1768,  in  Medford,  Massa- 
chusetts, daughter  of  Timothy  and  Anna 
(Adams)  Tufts.  Two  children  are  re- 
corded in  Cambridge,  namely:  Maria, 
baptized  November  3,  1793,  and  Anna, 
September  13,  1795. 

(VI)  Walter  (3)  Dickson,  son  of 
Walter  (2)  and  Anna  (Tufts)  Dickson, 
was  born  March  15,  1799,  in  Groton.  He 
attended  the  public  schools  in  early  youth 
and  also  prepared  for  college,  with  the 
intention  of  engaging  in  ministerial  and 
missionary  work.  Ill  health  compelled 
him  to  abandon  his  college  course  after  it 
was  begun,  and  he  purchased  a  farm 
which  he  tilled  until  about  fifty  years  of 
age.  This  he  sold,  and  in  1853  went  to 
Palestine,  intending  to  take  up  missionary 
work.  He  purchased  a  farm  near  Jaffa, 
and  began  raising  fruit,  making  a  special- 
ty of  oranges.  Here  he  was  subjected, 
with  others,  to  an  attack  by  Mohammedan 
fanatics,  was  robbed  of  his  crops,  and 
returned  to  America  at  the  end  of  five 
years.  He  settled  in  Harvard,  Massachu- 
setts, where  he  died  January  21,  i860. 
He  married  Sarah  Eldridge,  born  June  1, 
1800,  in  Dunstable,  Massachusetts,  daugh- 
ter of  Dr.  Micah  and  Sally  (Buttrick) 
Eldridge,  and  she  died  May  27,  1878,  in 
Harvard.  Children:  1.  Sarah  Augusta, 
born  September  13,  1825,  in  Groton,  mar- 
ried Walter  Keys,  and  died  January  9, 
1909,  in  Hollister,  California.  2.  Philip 
Dodridge,  born  March  21,  1827,  in 
Groton,  died  April  25,  1853,  at  Jerusalem, 
Palestine;  married  Susan  M.  Mason.  3. 
Almira  Ann,  born  October  2,  1828,  in 
Groton,  married,  June  1,  1856,  John  A. 
Steinbeck,  who  died  August  10,  1913,  in 
Hollister,  California;  they  had  six  chil- 
dren, three  of  whom  survive  and  now 
reside,  as  does  the  mother,  at  Hollister. 
4.  Walter  Eldridge,  born  July  13,  1831, 
died  July  20,   1872,   in  Ayer,   Massachu- 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


setts;  he  married,  December  22,  1853, 
Catherine  Holton,  and  resided  in  Har- 
vard ;  of  their  six  children,  two  sons  and 
a  daughter  survive  and  live  in  Harvard. 
5.  Mary  Elizabeth,  born  July  4,  1833; 
married  at  Jaffa,  Palestine,  Frederick  W. 
Steinbeck,  and  died  December  10,  1867,  in 
Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  leaving  two 
children  ;  her  body  was  taken  to  Groton 
for  burial.  6.  Henry  Augustus,  mentioned 
below.  7.  Caroline  S.,  born  April  27, 
1847,  'n  Groton,  married,  February  27, 
1883,  Joseph  C.  Danks,  of  Hollister, 
California,  who  died  there  October  10, 
1900;  she  now  resides  at  Hollister. 

(VII)  Henry  Augustus  Dickson,  third 
son  of  Walter  (3)  and  Sarah  (Eldridge) 
Dickson,  was  born  July  2,  1837,  in  Groton. 
He  was  early  experienced  in  farm  life, 
both  in  Groton  and  Palestine,  whither  he 
went  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years.  He  had 
attained  man's  estate  when  he  returned 
with  his  parents  to  America,  and  lived  at 
Ayer,  Massachusetts,  where  he  built  a 
house  for  a  home.  Very  shortly  after  the 
beginning  of  hostilities  in  the  Civil  War, 
May  20,  1861,  he  enlisted  as  a  soldier  in 
his  country's  defense,  becoming  a  member 
of  the  Sixth  Massachusetts  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, in  the  three  months'  service.  This 
regiment  was  known  as  "The  Old  Sixth," 
made  famous,  among  other  causes,  by  the 
attack  made  on  it  at  Baltimore  while  on 
the  way  to  Washington.  Mr.  Dickson's 
enlistment  expired  and  he  was  discharged 
August  2,  1861.  He  reenlisted  July  21, 
1862,  for  three  years'  service,  becoming  a 
member  of  Company  E,  Thirty-third 
Massachusetts  Infantry.  When  the  regi- 
ment was  organized  he  was  made  third 
sergeant,  and  was  promoted  first  ser- 
geant, June  1,  1863,  filling  that  position 
to  the  end  of  the  war.  He  was  appointed 
first  lieutenant,  November  3,  1864,  but 
did  not  receive  his  commission  until  the 
following  May,  after  war  had  ceased.    He 


was  discharged  June  11,  1865,  having 
participated  in  many  of  the  great  battles, 
including  Chancellorsville,  Beverly  Ford 
and  Gettysburg.  During  Sherman's 
southern  campaign,  he  was  in  all  the 
battles  from  Chattanooga  to  Savannah. 
At  the  battle  of  Resaca,  Georgia,  May  15, 
1864,  he  received  a  gunshot  wound  in  the 
shoulder,  which  confined  him  in  the  hos- 
pital several  months.  When  peace  was 
restored  he  returned  to  his  native  town, 
and  soon  removed  to  Fitchburg,  Massa- 
chusetts, where  he  has  since  continued  to 
reside.  For  three  years  he  was  employed 
in  a  piano  factory,  and  then  entered  the 
service  of  the  Boston,  Clinton  and  Fitch- 
burg Railroad  Company,  continuing  six 
years.  During  the  twelve  succeeding 
years  he  conducted  a  very  successful 
retail  fish  business,  selling  out  in  1886  and 
retiring  from  active  business.  He  became 
considerably  interested  in  real  estate  and 
built  several  houses,  and  his  time  is  now 
largely  taken  up  with  the  care  of  his  hold- 
ings. In  1903  he  attended  the  national 
encampment  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic,  at  San  Francisco,  and  visited 
other  western  coast  points,  including 
Seattle,  Washington,  Los  Angeles,  Cali- 
fornia, and  the  home  of  his  sisters  in 
Hollister,  in  the  latter  State.  In  1912  he 
again  visited  the  Pacific  coast,  accom- 
panied by  his  wife,  their  tour  occupying 
over  seven  months.  Mr.  Dickson  is  a 
regular  attendant  of  the  Rollstone  Con- 
gregational Church,  and  a  member  of  E. 
V.  Sumner  Post,  No.  19,  Grand  Army  of 
the  Republic,  and  has  served  as  post  com- 
mander of  the  latter  organization.  Polit- 
ically, he  adheres  to  Republican  prin- 
ciples, and  has  been  a  member  of  the 
Fitchburg  City  Council. 

He  married  (first)  September  II,  1859, 
Harriet  B.  Cushing,  born  June  19,  1839, 
in  South  Dedham  (now  Norwood),  Mas- 
sachusetts,  daughter   of    Joseph   A.    and 


203 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Prudence  N.  (Green)  Cushing,  and  she 
died  September  9,  1902,  in  Westboro, 
Massachusetts.  He  married  (second) 
August  2,  1904,  Mrs.  Ida  F.  Whitney, 
born  in  Groton,  Massachusetts,  daughter 
of  William  and  Elizabeth  (Keyser)  Gibbs. 
She  is  a  member  of  Relief  Corps,  No.  39, 
of  Charlestown,  Massachusetts,  auxiliary 
to  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  Post  No. 
11.  A  son  was  born  June  26,  i860,  of  the 
first  marriage,  christened  Melvin  Au- 
gustus, who  died  July  18,  1863. 


COOK,  Benjamin  Albert, 

Enterprising   Citizen,   Fnblie   Official. 

There  were  immigrants  of  this  name 
among  the  pioneers  of  several  of  the  New 
England  colonies,  and  the  name  has  been 
honored  in  the  history  of  various  States 
in  the  Union  down  to  the  present  time. 
Records  in  England  show  that  a  Richard 
Cook  embarked  in  the  "Globe"  of  London 
in  1635,  being  then  forty-six  years  old.  In 
July  of  the  same  year,  a  Richard  Cook 
sailed  on  the  "Alice"  for  Virginia,  being 
at  that  time  twenty-one  years  of  age. 
x'here  are  traces  of  a  Richard  Cook  in 
Connecticut  in  1648,  but  nothing  definite 
has  been  learned  concerning  him.  The 
first  definite  knowledge  of  the  ancestor  of 
this  line  is  given  below. 

(I)  Richard  Cook  appears  in  Norwich, 
Connecticut,  in  1680,  and  is  described  as 
of  Stonington.  He  must  have  been  only 
a  temporary  resident  at  the  latter  place, 
and  does  not  appear  in  its  records.  Green- 
field Larrabee,  of  Norwich,  gave  thirty 
acres  by  deed  of  gift,  July  21,  16S0,  to 
Richard  Cook,  of  Stonington,  on  con- 
dition (hat  he  settle  thereon  as  an  inhabi- 
tant. This  ground  was  in  the  present 
town  of  Preston,  and  he  was  admitted  as 
an  inhabitant  of  that  town  and  received 
other  grants  of  land,  including  a  home  lot 
in    1680.     He  died    there  in    1695.     No 


record  of  his  marriage  appears,  and  only 
one  child  is  recorded. 

(II)  Obed  Cook,  son  of  Richard  Cook, 
was  born  February  1,  1681,  in  Norwich, 
and  married  there,  July  12,  1704,  Phebe 
Clark.  The  following  children  are  re- 
corded in  Norwich :  Richard,  born  Au- 
gust 10,  1705;  James,  mentioned  below; 
Nathaniel,  December  17,  1712;  Priscilla, 
December  17,  1716.  The  last  named  was 
baptized  at  the  Preston  church,  March  3, 
1717,  at  which  time  Obed  Cook  was  de- 
scribed as  of  Norwich. 

(III)  James  Cook,  second  son  of  Obed 
and  Phebe  (Clark)  Cook,  was  born  May 
8,  1708,  in  Norwich,  where  he  married, 
March  6,  1732,  Elizabeth  Tracy,  who  was 
baptized  September  16,  1716,  in  Preston, 
daughter  of  Francis  and  Elizabeth  Tracy. 
Children,  recorded  in  Norwich  :  Priscilla, 
born  June  22,  1733  ;  Mabel,  June  20,  1735  ; 
Elizabeth,  June  24,  1736;  Reuben,  men- 
tioned below. 

(IV)  Reuben  Cook,  only  recorded  son 
of  James  and  Elizabeth  (Tracy)  Cook, 
was  born  June  10,  1738,  in  Norwich,  and 
lived  in  Hampshire  county,  Massachu- 
setts, at  the  time  of  the  Revolution.  The 
Revolutionary  Rolls  show  that  Richard 
Cook  enlisted,  December  23,  1776,  in 
Captain  John  Well's  company,  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel Timothy  Robinson's  Hamp- 
shire County  Militia.  The  muster  rolls 
are  dated  in  garrison  at  Ticonderoga, 
February  24,  1777,  enlistment  expiring 
March  23  of  that  year.  Reuben  Cook 
helped  to  construct  the  fort  at  Crown 
Point,  and  was  later  in  Western  New 
York,  near  Oswego,  where  he  endured 
great  hardships.  He  removed  to  Wethers- 
field,  Vermont,  where  he  died  in  1826. 
He  married  Sarah  Blakesly,  probably 
daughter  of  Jacob  and  Elizabeth  (Barnes) 
Blakesly,  born  August  19,  1743,  in  Water- 
bury,      Connecticut.       Family     tradition 


204 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


states  that  he  also  had  a  second  wife,  and 
had  in  all  twenty-four  children. 

(V)  Augustus  Cook,  son  of  Reuben 
and  Sarah  (Blakesly)  Cook,  was  born 
March  12,  1792,  in  Wethersfield,  Vermont, 
and  died  August  23,  1874,  his  body  being 
buried  at  East  Guilford,  Vermont.  He 
was  a  farmer  and  lived  in  Westminster, 
Vermont,  where  he  cleared  land  and  first 
built  a  pioneer  log  house.  From  West- 
minster he  went  to  Moriah,  Essex  county, 
New  York,  where  he  lived  several  years, 
and  where  he  was  the  first  resident  to 
own  a  cooking  stove,  removing  thence  to 
Maryland,  where  he  was  living  at  the  out- 
break of  the  Civil  War.  He  immediately 
returned  to  Vermont,  and  after  living  for 
a  time  in  Westminster,  settled  in  Guilford, 
where  he  continued  to  reside  until  his 
death.  He  married  in  Moriah,  June  17, 
1819,  Polly  Parsons,  born  April  II,  1797, 
in  Westminster,  died  November  24,  1876, 
in  Guilford,  daughter  of  Benjamin  and 
Miriam  (Winsjow)  Parsons.  Children: 
Unnamed  infant,  born  and  died  March  8, 
1821  ;  Augustus  Azro  and  Marcus  Cicero 
(twins),  born  March  26,  1823,  both  died 
in  infancy ;  Erastus  Holton,  mentioned 
below;  Ellen,  born  October  2,  1827,  mar- 
ried Dr.  William  Craig;  Achsah,  March 
28,  1830,  married  Dr.  Charles  Edward 
Kells;  John  Webb,  October  29,  1833,  a 
soldier  of  the  Confederate  army,  died  of 
yellow  fever ;  Mark  Henry,  mentioned 
below;  Benjamin  Parsons,  July  28,  1841, 
who  served  in  the  Civil  War  as  a  Union 
soldier. 

(VI)  Erastus  Holton  Cook,  son  of  Au- 
gustus and  Polly  (Parsons)  Cook,  was 
born  June  21,  1825,  in  Moriah,  New  York, 
and  died  in  Keene,  New  Hampshire,  aged 
fifty-six  years.  Educated  in  the  schools  of 
his  native  town,  he  taught  in  the  district 
schools  and  later  went  to  sea,  on  account 
of  ill  health,  following  the  life  of  a  sailor 
for  several  months,  visiting  Labrador  and 


the  southern  coast  of  Greenland,  during 
which  voyage  he  killed  a  white  bear.  On 
leaving  the  sea,  he  settled  in  Westminster, 
Vermont,  where  he  resided  until  1868,  and 
then  removed  to  Keene,  New  Hampshire. 
While  residing  in  Vermont,  he  held  the 
rank  of  lieutenant  in  the  State  militia. 
He  engaged  in  the  silver  plating  business 
in  Westminster,  the  first  manufacturing 
business  undertaken  in  the  town.  He  was 
subsequently  engaged  in  the  carriage 
business  at  Saxton's  River,  Vermont,  and 
thence  removed  to  Keene,  where  he  con- 
tinued in  the  same  business  for  some 
time.  He  was  employed  as  a  travelling 
salesman  in  handling  machinery  at  the 
time  of  his  death.  While  not  affiliated 
with  any  church  organization,  Mr.  Cook 
was  a  Congregationalist  in  religious 
faith ;  in  politics  a  Republican,  and  was 
affiliated  with  the  Masonic  fraternity.  He 
married  Mary  Emerson,  born  July  16, 
1829,  in  Royalston,  Massachusetts, 
daughter  of  Elias  and  Elizabeth  (Davis) 
Emerson.  Children :  Charles  Theodore, 
mentioned  below ;  Mary  Ellen,  born 
March  8,  1855;  a  school  teacher,  unmar- 
ried ;  Gertrude  Elizabeth,  November  18, 
1869,  married  Murray  K.  Keyes,  of  New 
Rochelle,  New  York. 

(VII)  Charles  Theodore  Cook,  only 
son  of  Erastus  Holton  and  Mary  (Emer- 
son) Cook,  was  born  June  12,  1853,  in 
Keene,  New  Hampshire,  and  received  his 
education  from  the  public  schools  of  that 
town  and  Westminster,  Vermont.  He 
was  fifteen  years  of  age  when  he  removed 
with  his  parents  to  Keene,  and  graduated 
from  the  high  school  of  that  city.  For 
two  years  he  was  employed  there  in 
marble  cutting,  and  removed  to  Fitch- 
burg,  Massachusetts,  in  1873,  continuing 
there  thirteen  years  in  the  same  occu- 
pation with  the  firm  of  Hartwell  &  Reed. 
Ill  health  compelled  him  to  abandon  this 
occupation,    and    for   two    years    he    was 


205 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


employed  in  the  grocery  business,  after 
which  he  went  with  the  Fitchburg  Hard- 
ware Company,  with  whom  he  has  re- 
mained down  to  the  present  time.  Mr. 
Cook  endeavors  to  keep  abreast  of  the 
times,  and  in  political  matters  is  now  iden- 
tified with  the  Republican  party.  For 
forty  years,  since  February  12,  1875,  he 
has  affiliated  with  Mount  Roulstone 
Lodge,  No.  98,  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows,  of  Fitchburg,  and  has  filled 
all  the  principal  offices  in  that  lodge,  of 
which  he  is  a  past  grand.  He  married, 
June  24,  1875,  Ella  Farmer,  of  Fitchburg, 
daughter  of  Sherburne  and  Anna  (Emer- 
son) Farmer.  Children:  1.  Helen  Eliza- 
beth, born  January  1,  1881 ;  married  Ches- 
ter C.  Lamb,  and  has  children  :  Emerson 
and  Chester  C.  (2).  2.  Nina  Gertrude, 
born  November  15,  1883;  married  Harry 
A.  Whitcomb,  and  has  a  daughter,  Dor- 
thea.  3.  Charles  Emerson,  born  Septem- 
ber 15,  1886,  died  1887.  4.  Carolyn  Emer- 
son, born  September  15,  1889,  died  in  1910. 
(VI)  Mark  Henry  Cook,  son  of  Au- 
gustus and  Polly  (Parsons)  Cook,  was 
born  June  27,  1836,  in  Moriah,  New  York. 
Early  in  life  he  removed  to  Brattleboro, 
Vermont,  where  he  was  engaged  in  agri- 
cultural pursuits.  Upon  the  breaking  out 
of  the  Civil  War,  he  offered  his  services 
to  his  country,  but  he  was  of  such  a  frail 
build  that  he  was  rejected.  He  was  a 
good  horseman,  however,  and  on  Septem- 
ber 17,  1861,  he  enlisted  from  Brattle- 
boro as  a  member  of  the  famous  First 
Vermont  Cavalry,  which  made  such  an 
enviable  record  and  achieved  such  fame 
for  efficiency  and  bravery  that  it  was 
equalled  by  but  few  other  cavalry  regi- 
ments in  the  service.  Mr.  Cook  saw  ex- 
tended service,  participating  in  every 
campaign  and  taking  an  active  part  in  all 
engagements  in  which  his  regiment  par- 
ticipated until  March  1,  1864,  during 
which  service  he  had  displayed  many 
feats    of   daring   and   bravery.      On    that 


date  he  was  selected  as  one  of  eight  hun- 
dred picked  men  from  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  to  participate  in  General  Kil- 
patrick's  attempt  to  release  the  Union 
prisoners  at  Richmond,  Virginia.  Mr. 
Cook,  with  eleven  others  of  his  company, 
were  then  taken  prisoners,  five  of  whom 
were  paroled  six  months  later.  Of  the 
six  remaining,  he  was  the  only  one  who 
survived  the  extreme  hardships  of  the 
Confederate  prisons,  in  which  he  was 
confined  for  over  a  year,  having  been  a 
prisoner  during  that  time  at  Richmond, 
Belle  Isle,  Andersonville,  and  Florence, 
Georgia.  On  March  28,  1865,  at  the  close 
of  the  war,  Mr.  Cook  was  paroled  and  he 
returned  to  his  home  in  Brattleboro,  his 
health,  which  had  never  been  of  the  most 
robust,  seriously  affected,  and  which  he 
never  fully  regained  during  the  remainder 
of  his  life.  After  returning  home  from 
the  war  and  partially  regaining  his  broken 
health,  Mr.  Cook  again  took  up  agricul- 
tural pursuits,  continuing  thus  engaged 
until  about  twenty  years  prior  to  his 
death,  when  he  removed  to  Fitchburg, 
Massachusetts,  where  he  continued  to 
make  his  home  until  his  demise,  which 
occurred  in  that  city,  July  21,  1912,  at  the 
age  of  seventy-six  years.  After  removing 
to  Fitchburg  he  did  not  engage  perma- 
nently in  any  business.  In  political  faith 
Mr.  Cook  was  a  stalwart  Republican,  and 
although  never  a  candidate  for  office,  he 
was  always  greatly  interested  in  public 
affairs  and  was  unusually  well  informed 
on  political  issues  of  the  day.  On  July  21, 
1866,  Mr.  Cook  married  Emily  Melissa 
Thayer,  who  was  born  July  17,  1842,  in 
Williamsburg,  Massachusetts,  daughter 
of  Roland  Sears  and  Almeda  (Barber) 
Thayer,  and  to  this  union  were  born  two 
children :  Benjamin  Albert,  mentioned 
below;  and  Ada  Louise,  born  February 
2,  1870,  the  wife  of  Frederick  H.  Colvin, 
of  Fitchburg,  Massachusetts. 

(VII)   Benjamin  Albert  Cook,  only  snn 


206 


t  =Z?.  S&cv 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


of  Mark  Henry  and  Emily  Melissa 
(Thayer)  Cook,  was  born  June  30,  1867. 
in  Guilford,  Vermont.  He  received  his 
earl)-  educational  training  in  the  schools 
of  his  native  town  and  in  the  high  school 
of  Brattleboro,  Vermont,  graduating  frrou 
the  latter  in  1887.  For  a  time  he  was 
engaged  in  travelling  through  the  South, 
representing  a  Southern  dealer  in  mill 
supplies,  with  headquarters  in  New 
Orleans.  In  1892,  Mr.  Cook  located  in 
Fitchburg,  Massachusetts,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  business  on  his  own  account,  as 
a  dealer  in  hardware,  paints  and  oils 
Since  1896  he  has  made  a  specialty  of  wall 
papers  and  interior  decorations  and  has 
one  of  the  best  equipped  establishments 
in  this  particular  line  in  the  State,  enj  >y 
ing  a  growing  and  prosperous  trade.  Mr. 
Cook  takes  an  active  and  earnest  interest 
in  the  welfare  and  progress  of  his  adopted 
city,  and  has  served  as  president  of  the 
Merchants'  Association  and  the  Board  of 
Trade,  and  is  also  one  of  the  trustees  of 
the  Fitchburg  Savings  Bank.  In  public 
matters  he  has  also  been  prominent  and 
has  been  called  to  various  offices  of  trust 
and  honor.  In  political  belief  he  is  a 
staunch  Republican,  and  has  represented 
Fitchburg  in  the  State  Legislature,  serv- 
ing in  that  body  as  a  member  of  the  com- 
mittee on  street  railways.  In  1913  he  was 
elected  mayor  of  the  city  of  Fitchburg,  in 
which  capacity  he  has  since  continued 
with  ability  and  to  the  satisfaction  of  his 
constituents.  Socially,  he  is  an  active  and 
prominent  member  of  various  clubs  and 
fraternal  organizations.  He  is  a  member 
of  Aurora  Lodge,  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons ;  Thomas  Chapter,  Royal  Arch 
Masons ;  and  Jerusalem  Commandery, 
Knights  Templar,  of  which  he  is  a  past 
commander,  all  of  Fitchburg.  He  is  also 
a  member  of  Mt.  Roulstone  Lodge,  No. 
98,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
of  Fitchburg,  of  which  he  is  past  grand  ; 


Fitchburg  Lodge,  No.  847,  Benevolent 
and  Protective  Order  of  Elks;  and  the 
Fay  Club,  of  Fitchburg,  which  is  the  lead- 
ing social  organization  of  that  city. 

On  April  9,  1892,  Mr.  Cook  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Minnie  Louise  Prouty,  of 
Fitchburg,  daughter  of  Herbert  C.  and 
Mary  (Phillips)  Prouty,  and  to  this  union 
has  been  born  one  son,  Russell  Phillips 
Cook,  born  March  16,  1900,  in  Fitchburg. 


WORTHY,  Justin  L., 

Substantial  Buainesa  Man. 

The  family  of  which  Justin  L.  Worthy 
was  an  honored  representative  is  of 
English  origin,  the  pioneer  ancestor  of  the 
line  herein  treated  having  left  his  native 
land  for  the  New  World  during  the  period 
of  the  Revolutionary  War,  residing  in 
this  country  for  the  remainder  of  his  days, 
his  death  occurring  when  his  son,  Orri- 
mill,  father  of  Justin  L.  Worthy,  was 
about  four  years  of  age. 

Orrimill  Worthy  was  born  in  Hillsdale, 
Columbia  county,  New  York,  died  in 
West  Springfield,  Massachusetts,  in  1S59. 
His  active  years  were  devoted  to  the 
running  of  a  grist  mill,  in  which  he  was 
successful.  During  the  progress  of  the 
War  of  1812  he  was  drafted  into  a  com- 
pany which  marched  to  Boston  by  way  of 
Northampton  and  Springfield,  and  being 
attracted  by  the  fertility  of  the  Connec- 
ticut Valley,  he  shortly  afterward  re- 
moved to  West  Springfield  and  there 
passed  the  remainder  of  his  days.  He  and 
his  wife,  Hannah  (Hackett)  Worthy, 
were  active  and  consistent  members  of  the 
Methodist  church. 

Justin  L.  Worthy  was  born  in  Hills- 
dale, New  York,  July  21,  1823.  The  pre- 
liminary education  obtained  in  the  schools 
of  his  native  town  was  supplemented  by 
attendance  at  an  academy  in  West  Stock- 
bridge,  Massachusetts.     At  the  early  age 


207 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


of  twelve  years,  the  time  when  the  ma- 
jority of  boys  are  busy  with  their  books 
and  play,  he  began  to  earn  a  livelihood, 
working  in  his  father's  grist  mill.  Later 
he  was  bound  out  by  his  father  to  learn 
the  blacksmith's  trade,  but  subsequently 
bought  his  time  from  his  father.  He  then 
engaged  in  milling  on  his  own  account, 
conducting  operations  in  Great  Barring- 
ton,  Egremont  and  Stockbridge,  Massa- 
chusetts ;  removing  to  Yates  county,  New 
York,  in  1850,  but  returning  to  Massa- 
chusetts the  following  year,  when  he 
settled  in  Springfield  and  there  purchased 
the  Ashley  Mill,  the  name  of  which  was 
later  changed  to  the  Worthy  Mill.  He 
made  many  improvements  in  this  plant, 
grinding  not  only  corn  but  wheat  and 
other  grains,  and  was  the  first  man  in  the 
section  to  import  oatmeal  from  Canada. 
The  property  gradually  increased  in  value, 
coming  in  1885  under  the  management  of 
his  son,  Frank  L.  Worthy,  and  he  turned 
it  into  an  ice  plant,  known  as  the  Rama- 
poque  Ice  Company,  which  is  the  largest 
in  the  section.  In  1872  the  Worthy  Paper 
Company  was  established  in  Agawam, 
Massachusetts,  which  used  the  same 
water  as  the  plants  above,  with  a  capital 
stock  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars, 
with  Justin  L.  Worthy  as  president,  and 
in  a  short  period  of  time  this  was  one  of 
the  leading  industries  of  that  place,  giving 
employment  to  many  people.  In  the  same 
year  Mr.  Worthy  erected,  for  the  Spring- 
field Printing  Company,  which  occupied  it 
for  sixteen  years,  a  five-story  brick  block, 
measuring  fifty  by  one  hundred  and  forty- 
two  feet,  on  the  corner  of  Main  and 
Worthington  streets,  Springfield,  and  in 
1889  this  building  was  transformed  into 
the  Glendower  Hotel,which  was  destroyed 
by  fire  in  1893.  1°  tne  following  year  work 
was  begun  on  a  fine  six-story  fireproof 
structure  of  buff  brick,  with  terra  cotta 
trimmings,  and  this  was  partly  occupied 


by  the  City  National  Bank,  the  main  body 
of  the  building  to  be  used  as  a  hotel, 
known  as  The  Worthy,  with  cafe,  offices, 
and  parlors,  and  later,  under  the  direction 
of  Frank  L.  Worthy,  an  addition  was 
made  to  it  and  now  it  has  over  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  chambers,  steam,  electricity, 
gas,  elevators,  and  floors  of  quartered  oak. 
It  is  one  of  the  finest  hotels  in  the  State. 
In  1913  the  twenty-year  lease  of  the  bank 
expired,  and  a  part  of  the  space  they  had 
occupied  was  taken  by  stores.  Justin 
L.  Worthy  was  always  a  staunch  adher- 
ent of  the  Republican  party,  believing  the 
principles  advocated  by  it  to  be  for  the 
best  form  of  government,  and  in  1S60 
was  elected  representative  from  West 
Springfield,  the  duties  of  which  office  he 
discharged  in  an  efficient  manner.  Di 
ing  the  existence  of  the  Housatonic 
Lodge,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows, Mr.  Worthy  was  an  active  member. 

Mr.  Worthy  married,  August  26,  1858, 
Mary  Jane  Spooner,  a  sister  of  Major 
Spooner,  of  Springfield,  and  their  family 
consisted  of  two  children :  Cora,  who  be- 
came the  wife  of  George  L.  Wright,  Jr., 
and  resides  in  Shoreham,  Long  Island; 
Frank  L.,  of  further  mention. 

Frank  L.  Worthy  was  born  in  West 
Springfield,  June  24,  1863.  He  has 
always  taken  a  very  active  part  in  the 
affairs  of  both  Springfield  and  West 
Springfield.  He  has  not  only  assumed  the 
great  responsibilities  of  his  father,  since 
the  death  of  the  latter,  but  he  has  added 
many  interests  to  these.  He  is  the  treas- 
urer of  the  William  Warren  Thread 
Works,  treasurer  of  the  Ramapoque  Ice 
Company,  of  the  Hotel  Worthy,  Incor- 
porated, and  many  other  enterprises.  He 
is  also  much  interested  in  real  estate,  be- 
ing the  largest  tax  payer  in  West  Spring- 
field. He  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  and 
has  always  exercised  a  very  potent  in- 
fluence   in   all   town    affairs   and   been   a 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


leader  in  West  Springfield.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Nyasset,  New  Colony, 
Country,  and  other  clubs.  Air.  Worthy 
married  Helen  Morgan,  daughter  of 
Elisha  Morgan  (whose  sketch  follows), 
and  they  have  one  son :    Morgan. 

Elisha  Morgan,  son  of  Elisha  and  Han- 
nah (Ruggles)  Morgan,  was  born  in 
Northfield,  Massachusetts,  September  7, 
1833,  and  died  in  Springfield,  Massachu- 
setts, February  1,  1903.  He  received  his 
education  in  the  schools  of  Springfield, 
and  became  general  ticket  agent  of  the 
Boston  &  Maine  Railroad  Company  at 
Springfield,  and  held  the  office  until  1864, 
when  he  resigned  to  establish  the  firm  of 
E.  Morgan  &  Company,  for  the  purpose 
of  manufacturing  envelopes.  The  paper 
and  stationery  world  knows  the  gigantic 
proportions  attained  by  the  business  thus 
begun.  The  other  member  of  the  firm  was 
Chester  W.  Chapin,  at  the  time  president 
of  the  Boston  &  Albany  Railroad,  who  re- 
mained in  the  firm  eight  years.  This  firm 
was  the  pioneer  manufacturer  of  station- 
ery put  up  in  fancy  boxes  containing  one 
quire  of  note  paper  and  accompanying 
envelopes,  the  first  known  as  papateries. 
They  were  also  the  first  to  contract  with 
the  United  States  government  for  the 
manufacture  of  postal  cards.  The  busi- 
ness was  incorporated  as  a  joint  stock 
company  in  March,  1872,  and  Mr.  Morgan 
held  the  office  of  treasurer  of  the  cor- 
poration, and  was  the  managing  head  of 
the  concern.  Besides  the  extensive  and  in 
many  ways  intricate  business,  Mr.  Mor- 
gan was  a  director  in  the  Massasoit  Paper 
Company  of  Holyoke ;  the  Chester  Paper 
Company  of  Huntington;  the  Hartford 
Manila  Company,  of  East  Hartford ;  the 
John  Hancock  National  Bank,  of  Spring- 
field, and  the  Springfield  Printing  &  Bind- 
ing Company.  He  was  president  of  the 
United  Electric  Light  Company,  and  act- 
ing president   of  the   American   Writing 


Paper  Company.  He  had  large  real  estate 
holdings  in  the  vicinity  of  Dwight  an. 
Hillman  streets,  in  Springfield,  and 
through  his  influence  and  liberality  that 
section  of  the  city  was  greatly  improved 
and  largely  increased  in  value.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  executive  council  of  the 
Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts  during 
the  administrations  of  Governors'  Russell 
and  Wolcott,  1887-90,  and  Republican 
elector  from  Massachusetts  in  the  Elec- 
toral College  in  1889,  voting  with  two 
hundred  and  thirty-two  other  Republican 
electors  for  Harrison  and  Morton,  who 
were  elected  President  and  Vice-Presi- 
dent. 

Mr.  Morgan  married,  June  18,  1862, 
Sara  G.,  daughter  of  Sidney  and  Mary 
(McKinney)  Grant,  of  Manchester,  Con- 
necticut. Children:  1.  Miles,  born  April 
25,  1864,  died  in  infancy.  2.  Helen,  who 
married  Frank  L.  Worthy  (see  Worthy 
sketch).  3.  Roger,  born  February  18, 
1867.  4.  Louise  Chapin,  born  February 
15,  1869,  married  Alfred  Leeds.  5.  Fanny, 
born  July  3,  1870,  died  in  infancy.  6. 
Rachel,  born  October  6,  1876,  died  in 
infancy.  7.  Daniel  Harris,  born  January 
14,  1879.  8.  Stewart  Chase,  born  August 
30,  1880,  died  May  15,  1888. 


LAMB,  Chester  Foster, 

Representative  Citizen. 

This  is  among  the  earliest  families  of 
the  Massachusetts  Bay  Colony,  having 
been  first  implanted  at  Roxbury,  and  has 
spread  out  over  the  State  and  adjoining 
States  until  it  occupies  a  desirable  posi- 
tion among  the  citizens  of  the  nation.  It 
has  been  identified  with  every  line  of 
worthy  endeavor,  and  has  participated  in 
the  development  of  the  social,  moral  and 
material  forces  of  the  nation. 

(I)  Thomas  Lamb,  the  ancestor  of  a 
numerous  and  potent  family,  in  early  life 


MASS- Vol.  Ill — 14 


209 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


was  a  merchant  in  London,  England. 
With  his  wife  and  two  children  he  came 
in  the  fleet  with  Governor  Winthrop  in 
1630,  and  settled  at  Roxbury,  Massachu- 
setts, where  he  was  made  a  freeman,  May 
18,  1631,  and  died  March  28,  1646.  Palmer 
says:  "He  died  April  3, 1645."  His  home- 
stead was  between  the  Roxbury  church 
(Apostle  John  Eliot)  and  Stony  Brook. 
He  was  one  of  the  six  individuals  who 
pledged  themselves  for  the  support  of  the 
first  free  school  in  America,  afterwards 
Roxbury  Latin  School.  His  wife  Eliza- 
beth died  in  1639,  being  buried  at  the 
same  time  with  her  youngest  child,  No- 
vember 28  of  that  year.  He  was  one  of 
the  original  members  of  the  church.  Of 
him  Rev.  John  Eliot  wrote  in  the  church 
record  of  Roxbury :  "Thomas  Lambe,  he 
came  into  this  land  in  the  yeare  1630,  1 
brought  his  wife  and  two  children, 
Thomas  and  John ;  Samuel  his  3d  son 
was  borne  about  the  8th  month  of  the 
same  yeare,  1630,  and  baptized  in  the 
church  at  Dorcester.  Abel  his  4th 
son  was  borne  about  the  6th  month  1633 
in  Rocksbury.  Decline  his  first  daugh- 
ter was  borne  in  the  2d  month  1637. 
Benjamin  his  6th  child  was  borne  about 
the  8th  month  1639  of  which  child  his 
wife  died  and  the  child  lived  but  few 
hours.  He  afterward  married  Dorothy 
Harbittle,  a  godly  maide  of  our  church. 
Caleb  his  first  borne  by  her  and  his 
7th  child  was  borne  about  the  middle 
of  the  second  month  1641."  Thomas 
Lamb  married  Dorothy  Harbittle,  July 
16,  1640.  Their  children  were:  Caleb, 
born  1641  ;  Joshua,  1642 ;  Mary,  1644,  and 
Abiel,  baptized  August  2,  1646,  "son  of 
Thomas  Lambe,  who  was  not  long  before 
deceased,  and  left  his  children  to  the 
Lord  that  He  might  be  theire  father." 

(II)  Abiel  Lamb,  youngest  child  of 
Thomas  Lamb  and  his  second  wife,  Doro- 
thy (Harbittle)  Lamb,  was  born  in  1646, 


in  Roxbury,  a  few  months  after  the  de- 
cease of  his  father,  and  resided  there  until 
1694,  when  he  removed  to  Framingham, 
Massachusetts,  residing  on  leased  land 
near  Doeskin  hill.  He  served  as  constable 
of  that  town,  was  a  selectman  in  1701,  and 
died  before  1710.  He  was  a  corporal  in 
Captain  Henchman's  company,  in  King 
Philip's  War,  from  November  2  to  No- 
vember 30,  1675,  and  a  sergeant  in  Brave 
Captain  Johnson's  company  at  the  Swamp 
Fight,  December  19,  1675.  In  the  distri- 
bution of  land  to  the  surviving  soldiers 
or  the  heirs  of  deceased  soldiers,  in  1738, 
a  portion  in  the  grant  of  Greenwich  was 
given  Abiel  Lamb,  Jr.,  in  the  right  of  his 
father,  deceased.  The  baptismal  name  of 
Abiel  (1)  Lamb's  wife  was  Elizabeth,  but 
no  record  of  his  marriage  is  found.  She 
was  admitted  to  the  church  in  Roxbury, 
December  3,  1676.  Children,  born  in  Rox- 
bury and  baptized  there  :  Harbittle,  Feb- 
ruary 28,  1675 :  Abiel,  January  4,  1680, 
resided  in  Oxford,  Massachusetts ;  Jona- 
than, November  11,  1682,  resided  in  Fram- 
ingham and  Spencer;  Samuel,  mentioned 
below. 

(III)  Samuel  Lamb,  youngest  child  of 
Abiel  and  Elizabeth  Lamb,  was  baptized 
April  2,  1685,  and  resided  north  of  Lamb's 
hill,  in  the  west  part  of  Framingham.  He 
married  (first)  in  Marlboro,  Massachu- 
setts, February  17,  1708,  Esther  Joslin, 
born  May  20,  1683,  daughter  of  Nathaniel 
and  Esther  (Morse)  Joslin,  died  in  Fram- 
ingham, March  23,  1729.  Children:  Mary, 
born  May  31,  1710,  married  Phineas 
Mixer,  of  Southboro;  Barzillai,  mentioned 
below;  Samuel,  March  10,  1722,  married 
Deborah  Atwood,  and  died  in  Framing- 
ham, March  25,  1793.  By  a  second  wife, 
Mary,  Samuel  Lamb  had  a  son  Joshua, 
born  August  15,  1733. 

(IV)  Barzillai  Lamb,  eldest  son  of 
Samuel  and  Esther  (Joslin)  Lamb,  was 
born  September  12,  1712,  in  Framingham, 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  lived  in  that  town  until  1740,  when 
he  removed  to  Hopkinton,  Massachusetts. 
He  married,  February  28,  1734,  Sarah 
Knowlton,  a  daughter  of  Daniel  Knowl- 
ton,  of  Hopkinton.  His  first  two  chil- 
dren were  born  in  Framingham,  and  the 
others  in  Hopkinton,  namely :  John,  born 
September  23,  1734;  Israel ;  Samuel,  April 
5,  1741,  settled  in  Phillipston  ;  Joshua,  No- 
vember 30,  1743;  Joseph,  September  10, 
1747,  lived  in  Templeton ;  Isaac,  Septem- 
ber 12,  1749,  died  in  Phillipston,  1829; 
Barzillai,  1752,  settled  in  Phillipston. 

(V)  Israel  Lamb,  second  son  of  Bar- 
zillai and  Sarah  (Knowlton)  Lamb,  was 
born  in  1737,  in  Framingham,  and  was  a 
soldier  of  the  Revolution.  He  married 
(first)  in  Templeton,  October  31,  1765, 
Lucy  Wheeler,  who  was  the  mother  of 
all  his  children.  She  was  probably  the 
daughter  of  John  and  Deborah  (Darby) 
Wheeler,  born  June  8,  1746,  in  Concord, 
Massachusetts.  He  married  (second)  in 
Templeton,  September  10,  1787,  Hannah 
(Piper)  Sawyer,  of  Gerry,  widow  of  Ab- 
ner  Sawyer,  of  Phillipston,  Massachus- 
etts. He  died  March  24,  1826,  in  Temple- 
ton, and  his  widow  Hannah,  born  1743- 
44,  died  February  5,  1836,  in  that  town. 
Children:  Jonas,  born  August  26,  1768; 
Asahel,  July  15,  1770;  Isaac,  baptized 
June  28,  1772;  Abel,  May  8,  1774;  Sally, 
July  7,  1776;  Levi,  mentioned  below; 
Anna,  November  27,  1782 ;  Lucy,  Novem- 
ber 28,  1784;  Deborah,  April  3,  1787. 

(VI)  Levi  Lamb,  fifth  son  of  Israel  and 
Lucy  (Wheeler)  Lamb,  was  born  in 
Templeton,  and  baptized  there  September 
27,  1778.  He  lived  in  Phillipston.  Chil- 
dren: Arad  ;  Dennis;  Louise,  married  Ly- 
man Thompson ;  Elmira,  married  

Preston  ;  and   Levi. 

(VII)  Levi  (2)  Lamb,  son  of  Levi  (1) 
Lamb,  was  born  in  April,  1805,  in  Phillips- 
ton, Massachusetts,  and  died  in  March, 
1887,  in  Readsboro,  Vermont.    He  settled 


in  Windham  county  when  a  young  man, 
and  there  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life, 
actively  engaged  in  business  up  to  the 
time  of  his  death.  He  was  a  carpenter  by 
trade,  and  owned  and  operated  a  saw  mill, 
dealing  extensively  in  lumber.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  State  militia,  an  attendant 
of  the  Baptist  church,  and  in  later  life  a 
Republican  in  politics.  He  married  Lucy 
Fairbanks,  born  June  11,  1810,  in  Whit- 
ingham,  Vermont,  died  1864,  daughter  of 
Asa  and  Lucy  (Saunders)  Fairbanks,  of 
that  town  (see  Fairbanks  VI).  Children: 
Henry,  now  deceased ;  Edwin  Brown ; 
Caroline,  married  Sewell  K.  Lovewell ; 
Maria,  married  Amos  Underwood,  of 
Rowe,  Massachusetts ;  Levi  Lysander,  a 
soldier  of  the  Civil  War,  now  residing  in 
Chicago;  Louis  A.;  Bertha  E. ;  Chester 
Foster,  and  Leafy,  died  in  infancy. 

(VIII)  Chester  Foster  Lamb,  youngest 
son  of  Levi  (2)  and  Lucy  (Fairbanks) 
Lamb,  was  born  November  30,  1844,  in 
Whitingham,  Windham  county,  Vermont, 
and  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  that 
town.  While  a  young  man,  he  went  to 
Fitchburg,  Massachusetts,  to  learn  the 
brass  moulder's  trade,  and  very  shortly 
thereafter  entered  the  Union  army.  He 
enlisted  July  21,  1862,  at  Fitchburg,  being 
then  in  his  eighteenth  year,  as  a  drummer 
boy,  and  was  attached  to  Company  A, 
Thirty-sixth  Massachusetts  Regiment, 
with  which  he  served  three  years,  being 
discharged  in  June,  1865.  He  was  with 
the  Ninth  Corps  in  the  Army  of  the  Po- 
tomac under  General  Burnside,  in  1862, 
and  participated  in  the  battles  of  Antie- 
tam,  Fredericksburg,  Jamestown,  Ken- 
tucky ;  Vicksburg,  Mississippi ;  Jackson, 
Mississippi ;  siege  of  Petersburg;  Weldon 
Road,  and  in  the  pursuit  and  capture  of 
General  Lee  at  Appomattox.  On  account 
of  an  epidemic  of  smallpox  he  was  out  of 
the  service  about  a  year,  during  which 
time  he  was  confined  at  the  hospital  at 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Indianapolis,  Indiana.  After  the  close  of 
the  war  he  took  a  course  at  Eastman's 
Business  College,  Poughkeepsie,  New 
York,  after  which  he  was  employed  as 
salesman  and  bookkeeper  in  the  stores  of 
Fitchburg  until  1869.  In  the  latter  named 
year,  he  went  to  Akron,  Ohio,  where  he 
was  employed  for  a  period  of  twenty-four 
years  as  bookkeeper  by  Whitman  & 
Barnes,  manufacturers  of  mowing  and 
reaping  knives  of  that  city.  After  one 
year  in  California,  he  returned  to  Fitch- 
burg, in  1893,  and  since  that  time  has  lived 
in  retirement.  While  in  Akron  he  served 
as  a  member  of  the  school  board  of  that 
city.  Politically  he  is  a  staunch  Repub- 
lican. He  is  a  member  of  Akron  Lodge, 
No.  83,  Free  and  Accepted  Masons ;  Wash- 
ington Chapter,  No.  25,  Royal  Arch  Ma- 
sons, and  Akron  Commandery,  No.  25, 
Knights  Templar,  all  of  Akron,  Ohio.  He 
is  also  affiliated  with  the  Knights  of 
Honor,  and  was  for  many  years  a  mem- 
ber of  Buckley  Post,  No.  12,  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic,  of  Akron,  and  is  now  a 
member  of  E.  V.  Sumner  Post,  No.  19,  of 
Fitchburg.  He  passed  through  all  the 
chairs  of  Buckley  Post  in  Akron,  and  was 
a  regular  attendant  of  the  Methodist 
church  of  that  city.  Mr.  Lamb  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Burnside  Association,  Thirty-sixth 
Regiment  Massachusetts  Volunteers,  of 
which  he  was  president  in  1914.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Fay  Club,  of  Fitch- 
burg. He  married,  July  18,  1870,  Ellen 
M.  Smith,  of  Fitchburg,  Massachusetts, 
daughter  of  Samuel  D.  and  Celia  F. 
(Arnold)  Smith. 

(The  Fairbanks  Line). 

Nearly  all  persons  in  the  United  States 
bearing  the  name  of  Fairbanks  or  Fair- 
bank,  except  by  marriage,  are  related  by 
direct  descent  from  Jonathan,  the  first, 
while  there  are  many  who  take  a  justifi- 
able pride  in  tracing  their  lineage  back  to 


mothers  born  to  the  inheritance.  The  im- 
migrant often  wrote  his  name  Fairbanke, 
and  occasionally  ffayerbanke.  In  his  will 
and  the  inventory  of  his  property  there 
appears  the  variations  ffarbanke,  ffare- 
banks,  Fairbancke.  Among  the  members 
of  this  ancient  family  are  many  who  have 
distinguished  themselves  in  the  profes- 
sions, in  business  and  in  politics,  and  one 
has  filled  the  office  of  vice-president  of  the 
United  States  ;  another  has  been  governor 
of  a  State,  and  many  have  been  notable  in 
the  arts  and  industries ;  among  the  latter 
those  of  the  later  generations  of  the  pres- 
ent line. 

(I)  Jonathan  Fairbanks  came  from 
Sowerby  in  the  West  Riding  of  York- 
shire, England,  to  Boston,  Massachusetts, 
in  the  year  1633,  and  in  1636  settled  in 
Dedham,  where  he  first  built  the  noted 
"Old  Fairbanks  House,"  which  is  still 
standing  as  an  ancient  landmark,  the  old- 
est dwelling  in  New  England  which,  for 
the  same  period  of  time,  has  been  con- 
tinuously owned  and  occupied  by  the 
builder  and  his  lineal  descendants.  He 
was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  Ded- 
ham, which  was  established  in  1636,  and 
signed  the  covenant,  March  23,  1637.  Be- 
fore 1637  Jonathan  Fairbanks  had  been 
granted  at  least  one  of  the  twelve-acre 
lots  into  which  the  first  allotment  was 
divided,  with  four  acres  of  swamp  land, 
for  the  same  year  he  received  as  his  pro- 
portion of  a  further  allotment  four  acres 
of  "Swamp"  land,  this  additional  grant 
being  made  on  account  of  the  swampy 
condition  of  a  portion  of  the  first  grant. 
In  1638  he  was  appointed  with  others  "to 
measure  out  those  polls  of  meadow  which 
adjoin  to  men's  lots,  and  to  mete  out  so 
much  meadow  in  several  parcels  as  is 
allotted  unto  every  man  according  to  the 
grant  made  unto  them."  In  1638  he  was 
allowed  six  acres  more,  which  was  later 
exchanged  for  other  land ;  and  at  other 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


times  following  he  received  various  small 
grants.  He  was  admitted  townsman  and 
signed  the  covenant  in  1654.  He  died  in 
Dedham,  December  5,  1668.  His  wife's 
name  was  Grace  Lee.  She  died  "28th  10 
Mo.  1673."  Children,  all  born  in  Eng- 
land: John,  George,  Mary,  Susan,  James, 
and  Jonathan. 

(II)  Captain  George  Fairbanks,  second 
son  of  Jonathan  and  Grace  (Lee)  Fair- 
banks, came  with  his  parents  from  Eng- 
land. He  resided  in  Dedham  until  about 
1657,  when  he  removed  to  the  southern 
part  of  Sherborn  (afterward  Medway  and 
now  Mills),  where  he  was  the  first  settler. 
In  1648  he  owned  some  land  and  a  dwell- 
ing house  in  Dedham.  In  that  year  he 
received  a  grant  of  a  small  parcel  of  land 
"as  it  lye  against  the  side  of  his  own  yard 
for  an  enlargement  and  to  set  a  Barne 
upon  it."  In  Medfield,  afterward  Med- 
way, he  established  a  homestead,  which 
remained  in  the  family  name  for  several 
generations.  His  dwelling  was  the  famous 
stone  house  near  the  northern  border  of 
Bogestow  pond  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
town,  which  is  now  included  within  the 
limits  of  the  town  of  Mills,  incorporated 
in  1885.  This  house  was  originally  a  gar- 
rison house,  built  by  the  residents  of 
Bogestow  farms  unitedly  as  a  place  of 
refuge  and  defence,  to  which  they  could 
flee  in  times  of  danger  from  the  attacks 
of  hostile  Indians.  It  was  sixty-five  or 
seventy  feet  long,  and  two  stories  high. 
The  walls  were  built  of  flat  stones  laid  in 
clay  mortar.  It  had  a  double  row  of  port 
holes  on  the  sides,  and  was  lined  with 
heavy  oak  plank.  The  stones  have  all 
been  carried  away,  and  the  spot  where 
the  building  stood  is  unmarked.  In  1662 
George  Fairbanks,  with  thirteen  of  his 
neighbors,  signed  the  first  petition  for  the 
incorporation  of  Sherborn.  Again  in  1674 
he  and  twelve  others  signed  a  second  peti- 
tion which  was  successful,  and  by  an  act 
of  the  general  court  the  petitioners  and 


twenty  more  of  such  as  they  might  con- 
sent to  receive  as  inhabitants,  were  con- 
stituted proprietors  of  lands  now  compris- 
ing Sherborn,  Holliston,  and  large  dis- 
tricts of  Framingham  and  Ashland.  After 
the  formation  of  the  town  he  seems  to 
have  been  an  active  citizen,  engaged  in 
public  affairs.  For  four  years  he  was 
selectman,  and  was  chosen  on  a  commit- 
tee to  engage  and  settle  a  minister.  He 
was  also  a  member  of  the  Ancient  and 
Honorable  Artillery  Company ;  a  man  of 
sterling  character,  and  a  model  pioneer. 
He  was  drowned  January  10,  1682.  His 
descendants  are  found  in  almost  every 
State  of  the  Union,  and  in  Canada  and 
Nova  Scotia.  George  Fairbanks  married, 
"the  26  of  the  8  mo.,  1646,"  Mary  Adams, 
of  Dedham,  who  died  August  11,  171 1,  in 
Mendon,  Massachusetts,  probably  at  the 
home  of  her  son-in-law,  William  Hol- 
brook.  Children,  born  in  Dedham  :  Mary, 
November  10,  1647;  George,  May  26, 
1650;  Samuel,  October  8,  1652;  Eliesur, 
June  8,  1655 ;  Jonas,  February  23,  1656. 
Born  in  Medway:  Jonathan,  mentioned 
below  :  Margaret,  June  27,  1664. 

(III)  Dr.  Jonathan  (2)  Fairbanks,  fifth 
son  of  George  and  Mary  (Adams)  Fair- 
banks, was  born  in  Medway,  May  1,  1662, 
and  lived  in  his  native  town,  probably  in 
the  old  stone  house  near  Bogestow  Pond, 
where  he  was  the  first  physician,  a  select- 
man for  several  years,  also  town  clerk.  He 
was  drowned  December  19,  1719,  by  fall- 
ing through  the  ice,  while  attempting  to 
cross  the  river  from  Medfield,  by  night. 

He  married  (first)  Sarah ,  who  died 

July    9,    1713;    (second)    Annie    . 

Children  of  first  wife:  George,  born  April 
14,  1685;  Jonathan,  mentioned  below; 
Comfort,  October  30,  1690;  Joseph,  April 
25,  1692,  died  young;  Samuel,  February 
27,  1693  ;  Jonas,  June  9,  1697,  died  young. 
Child  of  second  wife:  Benjamin,  August 
16,   1715. 

(IV)  Dr.  Jonathan  (3)  Fairbanks,  sec- 
13 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ond  son  of  Dr.  Jonathan  (2)  and  Sarah 
Fairbanks,  was  born  in  Medway,  March 
21,  1689.  He  followed  the  profession  of 
his  father,  a  physician,  and  was  a  soldier 
in  the  French  and  Indian  war,  1725.  He 
married  (first)  Lydia  Holbrook,  who  died 
in  1724;  (second)  June  2,  1726,  Hannah 
Coolidge,  born  January  8,  1692,  died  in 
1776.  Children  of  first  wife:  Jonathan, 
born  February  18,  1714;  Benjamin,  Au- 
gust 16,  1715,  died  young;  Mary,  Febru- 
ary 5,  1717;  Lydia,  October  1,  1718;  Com- 
fort, February  8,  1720;  Moses,  mentioned 
below;  Daniel,  November  5,  1723.  Chil- 
dren of  second  wife:  Joshua,  April  5, 
1727;  John,  August  12,  1729;  Hannah, 
Juty  3.  I731;  Grace,  June  16,  1734;  Ab- 
ner,  March  28,  1736. 

(V)  Moses  Fairbanks,  fourth  son  of 
Dr.  Jonathan  (3)  and  Lydia  (Holbrook) 
Fairbanks,  was  born  March  1,  1722,  in 
Sherborn,  Massachusetts,  and  was  a  pio- 
neer settler  in  that  part  of  Franklin  coun- 
ty, same  State,  which  was  incorporated 
as  the  town  of  Shutesbury,  in  1761.  He 
was  a  soldier  of  the  Colonial  wars  from 
Sherborn,  serving  as  a  private  in  Captain 
David  White's  company,  Colonel  Joseph 
William's  regiment,  enlisting  April  12, 
1758,  discharged  October  16,  same  year. 
He  was  credited  with  six  months  and 
twenty  days'  service,  including  twenty- 
three  days'  travel.  The  records  contain 
very  little  concerning  him,  but  show  that 
he  had  a  wife  Hannah,  and  five  sons : 
Moses,  born  August  9,  1768;  Daniel,  June 
1,  1770;  Jonathan,  April  3,  1772;  Asa, 
mentioned  below;  Joshua,  October  17, 
1775- 

(VI)  Asa  Fairbanks,  fourth  son  of 
Moses  and  Hannah  Fairbanks,  was  born 
May  1,  1774,  in  Shutesbury,  and  was  a 
resident  of  Whitingham,  Vermont,  as 
early  as  1802,  in  which  year  he  appears 
on  the  grand  list.  He  continued  to  reside 
in  that  town,  where  he  died  February  24, 


1828.  He  married,  about  1799,  Lucy  Saun- 
ders, born  1778-79,  died  July  20,  1843. 
Children:  Asa,  born  June  27,  1800;  Amos, 
February  18,  1802 ;  Ezra,  February  4, 
1804;  Phebe,  March  16,  1806;  Abraham, 
May  3,  1808;  Lucy,  mentioned  below. 

(VII)  Lucy  Fairbanks,  only  daughter 
of  Asa  and  Lucy  (Saunders)  Fairbanks, 
was  born  June  11,  1810,  in  Whitingham, 
Vermont,  and  became  the  wife  of  Levi 
(2)  Lamb,  of  Readsboro,  same  State  (see 
Lamb  VII). 


MARSHALL,  Alfred  Augustus, 

Agriculturist. 

This  surname  is  derived  from  the  name 
of  an  occupation  or  office.  The  word  has 
doubled  in  meaning  in  a  singular  fashion 
Cotgrave,  an  ancient  authority,  says:  "A 
marshal  of  a  kingdome  or  of  a  campe  (an 
honorable  place) ;  also  farrier  horse-shoer, 
blacksmith,  horse  leech,  horse-smith  ;  also 
harbinger."  The  word  comes  from  French 
Mares-Chal ;  Dutch  maer,  meaning  a 
horse  or  schalck,  meaning  servant;  and 
the  compound  word  meaning  literally 
"one  who  cares  for  horses,"  but  by  de- 
grees the  word  grew  in  dignity  until  it 
signified  "magister  equorum,"  or  master 
of  cavalry.  Hence,  under  the  ancient 
regime,  we  had  the  Grand  Marshals  of 
France,  governors  of  provinces,  as  well  as 
Earl-marshal  of  England  and  Lord  Mar- 
ischal  of  Scotland.  The  Earl  of  Pem- 
broke is  of  the  Marshal  family  of  Eng- 
land. Few  names  in  England  are  more 
generally  scattered  through  the  kingdom 
or  more  numerous.  There  are  no  less 
than  sixty-seven  coats-of-arms  of  the  Mar- 
shall family  in  Burke's  General  Armory. 
These  more  distinguished  branches  of  the 
family  are  located  in  the  counties  of 
Berks,  Derby,  Devon,  Durham,  Hunting- 
ton, Essex,  Hants,  Lincoln,  Middlesex, 
Notthingham,  York,  Northumberland  and 


214 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Surrey ;  also  in  Ireland.  The  coat-of- 
arms  in  general  use  (that  ilk)  is:  Argent 
a  bishop's  pall  sable  between  three  dock 
leaves  vert.  Among  the  early  settlers  in 
Massachusetts  of  this  name  were  two  who 
lived  in  Ipswich.  William  Marshall,  Sr., 
born  in  England,  1598,  residing  in  Salem 
in  1638,  according  to  Felt,  and  having  land 
granted  him  there,  was  doubtless  brother 
of  Edmund,  of  Salem  and  Ipswich.  He 
came  over  in  the  ship  "Abigail"  in  1635, 
from  London,  giving  his  age  as  forty. 
These  records  of  age  on  passenger  list 
were  almost  invariably  too  small.  Mar- 
shall may  have  been  five  years  older, 
judging  from  other  cases  where  the  facts 
are  known.  William  Marshall,  Sr.,  and 
John  Marshall,  according  to  Hammett, 
owned  shares  in  Plum  Island,  in  1664. 
Nothing  further  is  known  of  William 
Marshall. 

(I)  John  Marshall,  who  is  above  re- 
ferred to  as  having  a  share  in  Plum 
Island,  was  born  in  England,  and  came  to 
America  in  the  ship  "Hopewell"  in  com- 
pany with  his  brother  Christopher.  The 
latter  remained  only  a  few  years,  and  re- 
turned to  England.  They  were  descended 
from  John  Marshall,  of  Southark,  Eng- 
land, whose  son  founded  Christ  Church 
of  that  parish,  and  to  whom  was  given  the 
coat-of-arms  which  some  of  his  descend- 
ants still  bear.  For  a  time  after  his  arrival 
John  Marshall  was  in  the  service  of  Ed- 
ward Hutchinson.  He  was  admitted  an 
inhabitant  of  Boston,  February  24,  1640, 
was  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  town, 
and  a  husbandman.  He  died  in  Boston 
in  March,  171 5.  His  wife,  Sarah,  born 
1623,  died  September  28,  1689.  They  were 
married    in    Boston    in    1645.      Children: 

John ;    Joseph ;    Sarah,    married    

Royal ;  Samuel ;  Hannah,  married  

Parrot ;  Thomas ;  Benjamin  and  Chris- 
topher. 

(II)  Sergeant  John  (2)  Marshall,  son 
of  John  (1 )  and  Sarah  Marshall,  was  born 


December  10,  1645,  in  Boston,  and  died 
November  5,  1702,  in  Billerica,  same 
colony.  He  appears  in  that  town  in  1656- 
57  and  on  February  4,  of  the  latter  year, 
he  was  granted  a  six-acre  lot.  His  first 
allotment  of  common  lands  consisted  of 
twenty  acres,  lying  partly  on  the  town- 
ship and  partly  on  the  commons,  adjoin- 
ing a  parcel  of  land  reserved  for  "ye  min- 
istry." This  was  bounded  by  the  ancient 
Andover  road,  and  the  location  is  east  of 
Narrow  Gauge  Railroad  as  it  runs  south 
from  the  street.  When  the  road  was 
altered,  he  was  allowed  a  private  way 
across  John  Sheldon's  land  to  reach  his 
own.  After  receiving  later  grants  further 
east,  he  sold  his  first  grant,  and  the  road 
running  east  across  Loes'  Plain  was  early 
known  as  Marshall's  Lane.  A  house 
which  he  occupied  on  the  east  road,  near 
the  turn  of  this  lane,  was  standing  as  late 
as  1S83.  He  married  (first)  November  19, 
1662,  Hannah  Atkinson,  who  was  prob- 
ably a  daughter  of  Thomas  Atkinson,  of 
Concord,  Massachusetts,  born  March  5, 
1644.  She  died  September  7,  1665,  and 
he  married  (second)  November  27,  of 
that  year,  Mary  Burrage,  baptized  May 
8,  1641,  in  Charlestown,  Massachusetts, 
daughter  of  John  Burrage,  died  October 
30,  1680.  He  married  (third)  November 
30,  1681,  Damaris  Waite,  a  widow,  of 
Maiden,  Massachusetts.  After  his  death 
she  married  (third)  July  14,  1703,  Lieu- 
tenant Thomas  Johnson,  of  Andover, 
Massachusetts,  and  died  April  5,  1728. 
John  Marshall's  children,  all  born  of  the 
second  marriage,  were  :  John,  June  7,  1667, 
died  one  month  old ;  Mary,  October  2, 
1668,  died  1669;  Joanna,  April  1,  1670, 
married  Peter  Corneil,  died  1704;  John, 
mentioned  below  ;  Mary,  October  14,  1672, 
died  1673;  Hannah,  February  18,  1674, 
died  June  following;  Thomas,  November 
10,  1675,  died  ten  days  old;  Isaac,  Janu- 
ary 13,  1678,  died  April  following;  Mehit- 
able,  August  13,  1680,  died  two  days  old. 


215 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


(III)  John  (3)  Marshall,  second  son  of 
Sergeant  John  (2)  and  Mary  (Burrage) 
Marshall,  was  born  August  1,  1671,  in 
Billerica,  and  made  his  home  on  the  pa- 
ternal homestead  in  that  town,  where  he 
died  January  25,  1714.  He  married,  De- 
cember 8,  1695,  Eunice  Rogers,  born  Au- 
gust 27,  1675,  in  Billerica,  daughter  of 
John  (2)  and  Mary  (Shedd)  Rogers,  and 
granddaughter  of  John  Rogers,  of  Water- 
town  and  Billerica.  Children:  Mary, 
born  October  28,  1696,  married  Nathan 
Cross,  of  Nottingham,  New  Hampshire ; 
John,  January  19,  1699;  Daniel,  May  13, 
1701  ;  Eunice,  October  16,  1703;  Thomas, 
mentioned  below;  Samuel,  June  23,  1708; 
William,  July  28,  1710;  Isaac,  mentioned 
in  following  sketch. 

(IV)  Thomas  Marshall,  third  son  of 
John  (3)  and  Eunice  (Rogers)  Marshall, 
was  born  March  28,  1706,  in  Billerica,  and 
lived  in  that  part  of  Billerica  which  was 
set  off  to  the  town  of  Tewksbury,  incorpo- 
rated December  17,  1734.  He  was  one  of 
the  original  members  of  the  Tewksbury 
church,  and  prominent  in  the  affairs  of 
the  town,  serving  fourteen  years  as  select- 
man. His  first  wife,  Ruth,  surname  un- 
known, died  July  5,  1741,  and  he  had  a 
second  wife,  Mary  Tarbell,  daughter  of 
John  and  Hannah  (Flint)  Tarbell,  who 
died  July  7,  1770.  He  married  (third) 
Phebe,  widow  of  Francis  Phelps,  of  Pep- 
perell.  She  died  January  15,  1779.  Chil- 
dren of  first  marriage:  Thomas,  born  No- 
vember 23,  1729,  died  in  Chelmsford; 
Samuel,  May  10,  1732,  died  in  Chelms- 
ford ;  Joseph,  April  3,  1733,  died  in  Hills- 
borough, New  Hampshire;  John,  July  15, 
1735;  Abel,  December  3,  1736,  died  Octo- 
ber 28,  1753;  Jonas,  mentioned  below; 
Ruth,  May  8,  1739,  died  August  6,  1772. 
Children  of  second  marriage :  Joel,  born 
May  24,  1744,  lived  in  Tewksbury ;  Silas, 
February  20,  1746;  Rufus,  November  2, 
1747,  died  December  15,  1749;  Mary,  May 


23>  I75°;  Daniel,  November  9,  1752;  Wil- 
liam, May  20,  1757;  Hannah,  November 
29,  1759,  died  August  14,  1760;  Hannah, 
July  31,  1761 ;  Abel,  1763,  died  June  3, 
1764. 

(V)  Dr.  Jonas  Marshall,  sixth  son  of 
Thomas  and  Ruth  Marshall,  was  born 
February  14, 1738,  in  Tewksbury,  and  died 
November  13,  1825,  in  Fitchburg,  Massa- 
chusetts, at  the  age  of  eighty-seven  years. 
He  practiced  medicine  in  Chelmsford, 
Massachusetts,  until  1781,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Fitchburg,  and  settled  on  the 
place  now  owned  by  his  descendant, 
Alfred  A.  Marshall.  He  married  (first) 
in  Groton,  Massachusetts,  February  10, 
1768,  Mary  Parker,  of  that  town,  born 
September  17,  1739,  in  Chelmsford, 
daughter  of  Benjamin,  Jr.,  and  Elizabeth 
(Warren)  Parker.  She  died  in  Chelms- 
ford, February  17,  1776,  and  he  married 
(second)  Mrs.  Abigail  Adams,  widow  of 
Joseph  Adams,  and  daughter  of  George 
and  Elizabeth  (Hale)  Thurlow,  born 
April  2J,  1746,  in  Newbury,  Massachu- 
setts, died  in  Fitchburg,  January  17,  1836, 
in  her  ninetieth  year.  Children  of  first 
marriage:  Jonas,  born  November  21, 
1768;  Ruth,  March  24,  1770,  married 
Thomas  French ;  Benjamin,  December 
25,  1771,  was  a  physician  in  Fitchburg; 
Sybil,  September  29,  1775,  died  of  small- 
pox in  1776;  John,  November  20,  1776, 
died  Christmas  day  following  of  small- 
pox. Children  of  second  marriage  :  Joseph 
Adams,  born  January  29,  1781  ;  Phebe, 
April  30,  1782,  married  Henry  Haskell ; 
Simon,  mentioned  below.  All  except  the 
last  two  were  born  in  Chelmsford.  The 
first  wife  and  two  children  contracted 
smallpox  from  a  soldier  returning  from 
the  Revolutionary  War,  the  three  deaths 
occurring  within  nine  days. 

(VI)  Simon  Marshall,  fifth  son  of  Dr. 
Jonas  Marshall,  and  youngest  child  of  his 
second   wife,   Abigail    (Thurlow-Adams) 


216 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Marshall,  was  born  June  14,  1784,  in 
Fitchburg,  where  he  died  September  10, 
1819.  His  home  was  on  the  homestead 
formerly  occupied  by  his  father,  near  the 
close  of  the  Revolution.  He  married,  in 
1810,  Ruth  Batchellor,  born  July  18,  1785, 
in  Fitchburg,  died  there,  October  23, 
1825,  daughter  of  Timothy  and  Esther 
(Conant)  Batchellor,  a  descendant  of  John 
Batchellor  through  John  (2),  Jonathan, 
Jonathan  (2),  Timothy.  Children,  all 
born  in  Fitchburg:  Abel,  mentioned  be- 
low; George,  born  September  7,  1813; 
Moses,  January  30,  1815 ;  Abigail,  Octo- 
ber 26,  1816,  died  April  25,  1818;  Abigail, 
September  1,  1818. 

(VII)  Abel  Marshall,  second  son  of 
Simon  and  Ruth  (Batchellor)  Marshall, 
was  born  April  10,  1812,  in  Fitchburg, 
where  he  died  January  2,  1892.  He  lived 
and  died  on  the  farm  where  he  was  born, 
and  was  an  old  fashioned  New  England 
farmer.  He  acquired  the  trade  of  car- 
penter and  did  some  lumbering,  thus  util- 
izing the  period  between  farming  seasons. 
He  was  a  Unitarian,  in  early  life  a  Whig, 
and  affiliated  with  the  Republican  party 
from  its  organization.  He  married  Rosel- 
ma  Narramore,  born  January  9,  1814,  in 
Richmond,  New  Hampshire,  died  May  30, 
1883,  daughter  of  Nathaniel  and  Ann 
(Buffum)  Narramore.  Children:  George 
E.  and  Simon  F.,  killed  in  the  war  of  the 
Rebellion:  Charlotte  A.,  born  March  14, 
1840,  died  March  6,  1908,  married  Stephen 
V.  Ware ;  Laura  L.,  February  6,  1842, 
died  October  5,  1912,  married  William  E. 
Leathers ;  Harriet  R.,  May  9,  1843,  mar- 
ried Asa  S.  Jefts  ;  Alfred  Augustus,  men- 
tioned below;  Sarah  J.,  April  30,  1847, 
died  January  30,  1897,  married  Albert  A. 
Farnsworth  ;  Clara  E.,  July  24,  1853,  mar- 
ried William  J.  Wyeth. 

(VIII)  Alfred  Augustus  Marshall,  third 
son  of  Abel  and  Roselma  (Narramore) 
Marshall,   was    born    July   22,    1845,    in 


Fitchburg,  on  the  old  Marshall  home- 
stead, where  his  father  and  grandfather 
were  born  and  lived  and  died.  His  edu- 
cation was  supplied  by  the  town  schools, 
and  he  worked  on  his  father's  farm  until 
twenty-three  years  of  age,  after  which  he 
was  employed  for  a  period  of  five  years  in 
the  Fitchburg  post  office.  For  twelve 
years  he  was  traveling  representative  of 
the  Simonds  Manufacturing  Company  of 
Fitchburg,  makers  of  saws,  files  and  kin- 
dred wares.  For  a  subsequent  period  of 
fourteen  years  he  traveled  on  the  road  on 
his  own  account,  introducing  and  selling 
the  Marshall  paper  covered  pulley,  the 
patent  on  which  he  owned  and  controlled. 
In  1890  he  returned  to  the  old  homestead, 
which  had  then  been  in  the  family  more 
than  a  century,  and  which  consisted  of 
some  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres.  He 
made  great  improvements  in  the  farm, 
removing  many  rocks  which  had  encum- 
bered its  fields,  and  for  some  time  made 
a  specialty  of  strawberry  culture,  devot- 
ing several  acres  to  high  grade  straw- 
berries. They  were  known  as  the  Mar- 
shall Berry,  and  were  in  large  demand  at 
special  prices.  He  later  engaged  in  peach 
culture,  until  1903,  when  he  removed  all 
his  peach  trees  and  substituted  apple  trees 
in  their  place.  At  the  present  time  (1914) 
he  has  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of 
orchard,  to  which  he  is  steadily  adding 
each  year.  Mr.  Marshall  is  known  as  the 
Apple  King,  not  only  of  Massachusetts, 
but  of  New  England,  and  considers  his 
apple  land  as  valuable  as  the  famed 
orange  lands  of  California.  During  the 
past  season  several  films  were  made, 
showing  in  moving  pictures  the  spraying 
of  the  trees,  harvesting  of  the  crops,  the 
sorting  and  packing,  the  cold  storage 
plant,  and  other  features  of  his  business, 
for  exhibition  at  the  Panama  Pacific  Ex- 
position at  San  Francisco  in  1915,  thus 
conveying  to  the   Californians   a  knowl- 


217 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


edge  of  what  can  be  done  in  New  Eng- 
land in  the  line  of  apple  growing.  He 
has  exceeded  in  production  those  of  the 
famed  Hood  River  Valley  in  Oregon  and 
the  fruits  of  the  State  of  Washington  in 
value,  and  it  is  a  notable  fact  that  he  sells 
apples  in  that  section.  His  fruit  is  packed 
in  bushel  boxes  especially  made  for  him, 
each  box  bearing  his  name,  and  each 
apple  wrapped  separately,  in  which  form 
it  reaches  the  consumer;  many  of  these 
in  London  and  other  places  across  the 
water  receive  the  fruit  direct  from  Mr. 
Marshall's  orchard.  During  the  winters 
he  occupies  a  city  residence  in  Fitchburg, 
and  his  summers  are  spent  at  the  old 
homestead,  which  he  has  greatly  im- 
proved in  every  way.  Besides  improving 
the  residence  and  ordinary  farm  build- 
ings, he  has  erected  a  large  cold  storage 
plant  for  preserving  his  product,  and  has 
greatly  improved  the  roadway  through 
his  property,  building  at  his  own  expense 
a  macadam  road,  and  has  inclosed  the 
entire  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  with 
a  six-foot  fence.  The  output  of  the 
orchard  in  1914  was  about  seven  thou- 
sand bushel  boxes,  from  about  three 
thousand  bearing  trees,  out  of  seven  thou- 
sand on  the  place.  Twelve  hundred  of 
these  trees  bear  Baldwins,  and  the  others 
are  about  equally  divided  between  Sutton 
Beauties  and  Wealthies.  Thirty-five  hun- 
dred trees  bear  the  famous  Macintosh 
Reds,  the  best  table  apple  known  to  the 
trade.  To  the  one  hundred  and  five  acres 
now  occupied  by  his  orchards  will  be 
added  fifteen  more,  which  are  already  pre- 
pared for  the  setting  of  the  trees  in  the 
spring.  The  Fitchburg  "Daily  Sentinel" 
of  October  19,  1914,  said:  "In  the  buy- 
a-barrel-of-apples  movement,  which  is 
claiming  attention  in  newspapers  through- 
out New  England,  the  famous  Marshall 
orchard  in  this  city  and  its  great  apple 
crop  are  mentioned  quite  frequently.     In 


an  interview  recently  published  J.  Lewis 
Ellsworth,  formerly  secretary  of  the  state 
board  of  agriculture,  now  an  'agricultural 
booster'  for  Worcester  county,  said: 
'Never  in  the  history  of  Worcester  county 
has  there  been  shown  so  much  interest  in 
apple  raising  as  at  present.  The  produc- 
tion of  apples  this  season  has  been  a  good 
one  ,both  as  to  quality  and  quantity,  and, 
moreover,  apples  are  to  be  offered  for 
sale  at  reasonable  prices  to  the  consumer. 
Worcester  county  apples  have  a  distinc- 
tive flavor  that  makes  them  superior  to 
Western  apples.  Respecting  the  prices 
of  apples,  A.  A.  Marshall,  Fitchburg,  who 
may  not  only  be  called  the  apple  king  of 
Massachusetts,  but  the  apple  king  of  New 
England  as  well,  is  obtaining  anywhere 
from  $3  to  $3.50  a  bushel  box  for  his 
apples.  The  reason  he  is  able  to  obtain 
such  a  good  pric;  i^  that  he  has  a  trade- 
marked  apple.  His  apples  are  standard, 
always  the  same.  They  are  a  perfect 
apple.  Mr.  Marshall  has  about  7,000 
bushel  boxes.  There  is  going  to  be  a 
good  market  for  all  hand-picked  apples, 
and  the  buy-a-barrel-of-apples  movement 
is  progressing  rapidly.  Massachusetts  is 
not  asking  the  assistance  of  the  govern- 
ment as  are  the  Southern  cotton  planters, 
who  are  promoting  a  movement  for 
Southern  cotton  growers  to  secure  $250,- 
000,000,  so  that  the  cotton  men  can  hold 
the  crop.  No,  Massachusetts  doesn't 
need  anything  of  that  kind.'"  Mr.  Mar- 
shall is  a  Unitarian  in  religious  belief, 
and  while  interested  in  the  material  and 
moral  progress  of  the  nation,  refuses  to 
be  allied  with  any  political  party,  and  has 
steadfastly  refused  to  accept  any  official 
station. 

He  married,  December  22,  1875,  Etta 
E.  Peirce,  of  Fitchburg,  daughter  of 
James  and  Ellen  Lavina  (Weatherbee) 
Peirce.  Children:  1.  George  A.,  born 
June  30,  1877;   a  graduate  of  the  Fitch- 


218 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


burg  high  school,  and  has  always  been 
associated  with  his  father  in  fruit  raising, 
making  his  home  on  the  old  homestead ; 
he  married  Mary  Belle  Coburn,  and  has 
one  daughter,  Marietta,  born  May  19, 
1914,  of  the  seventh  generation  to  live  on 
the  same  farm.  2.  Joseph  P.,  born  Sep- 
tember 27,  1880;  was  educated  in  the 
Fitchburg  schools  and  Rensselaer  Poly- 
technic Institute  at  Troy,  New  York;  he 
is  a  structural  engineer,  and  has  erected 
many  mechanical  plants,  and  was  the 
builder  of  the  State  Savings  Bank  at 
Butte,  Montana;  has  done  work  in  Salt 
Lake  City,  and  for  three  years  has  been 
engaged  on  a  forty-two  story  building  in 
Seattle,  Washington,  the  fourth  highest 
building  in  the  world,  in  the  employ  of 
the  Whitney  Company  of  New  York ;  he 
married  Ethel  Felt,  of  Salt  Lake  City, 
Utah,  and  has  a  daughter,  Mary  Eliza- 
beth, born  December  3,  1912. 


MARSHALL,  William  Lincoln. 

Active  Citiien. 

(IV)  Isaac  Marshall,  youngest  child  of 
John  (3)  (q.  v.)  and  Eunice  (Rogers) 
Marshall,  was  born  December  18,  1712, 
in  Billerica,  on  the  homestead  where  his 
ancestors  had  so  long  lived,  and  died 
there  March  3,  1797.  He  was  an  industri- 
ous and  exemplary  citizen,  and  served  as 
selectman  of  the  town  in  1759.  He  mar- 
ried (first)  February  10,  1736,  Phebe 
Richardson,  born  March  4,  1717,  in  Bil- 
lerica, daughter  of  Andrew  and  Hannah 
(Jefts)  Richardson,  died  June  9,  1745.  He 
married  (second)  February  17,  1747,  Re- 
becca Hill,  born  October  12,  171 1,  in  Bil- 
lerica, died  December  13,  1789,  daughter 
of  Deacon  Samuel  Hill.  Children  of  first 
marriage:  Isaac,  born  January  31,  1737, 
died  May  14,  1813;  Phebe,  January 
12,  1739,  married  Benjamin  Jaquwith ; 
Samuel,  mentioned  below;   John,  May  3, 


1745,  died  two  days  old.  Children  of  sec- 
ond marriage:  Jacob,  born  April  1,  1748, 
died  October  29,  1830;  Rebecca,  married. 
May  28,  1789,  Benjamin  Dows. 

(V)  Samuel  Marshall,  second  son  of 
Isaac  and  Phebe  (Richardson)  Marshall, 
was  born  October  2,  1742,  in  Billerica, 
and  died  June  6,  1812,  in  Lunenburg, 
Massachusetts.  In  early  life  he  lived  in 
Tewksbury,  Massachusetts,  and  removed 
to  Lunenburg  in  1778-79,  where  he  lived 
on  the  farm  later  occupied  by  his  son 
David.  He  married  Sarah  French,  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Mary  (Kittredge)  French, 
of  Tewksbury,  baptized  April  28,  1745, 
in  that  town.  Children :  Sally,  born  Au- 
gust 7,  1766,  married  Seth  Lewis,  and 
died  November  7,  1834;  Samuel,  Septem- 
ber 27,  1768,  died  July  17,  1841 ;  David, 
mentioned  below;   Mary,  August  8,  1774, 

married Hart,  and  died  1854  ;  John, 

October  14,  1776,  died  March  15,  1854; 
Hannah,  married  James  Bicknell ;  Nancy, 
wife  of  James  Giddings. 

(VI)  David  Marshall,  second  son  of 
Samuel  and  Sarah  (French)  Marshall, 
was  born  March  27,  1771,  in  Tewksbury, 
and  died  June  13,  1831,  in  Lunenburg. 
He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade,  and  engaged 
in  farming,  occupying  a  farm  formerly 
owned  by  his  father,  about  two  and  one- 
half  miles  northwest  of  Lunenburg  vil- 
lage, on  the  old  Northfield  road,  now 
owned  by  Herbert  A.  Eaton.  He  mar- 
ried, January  7,  1794,  Sarah  Haskell,  born 
February  18,  1775,  in  Lunenburg,  daugh- 
ter of  Dr.  Abraham  and  Sarah  (Green) 
Haskell.  Dr.  Haskell  was  an  eminent 
physician  with  a  large  practice  in  Lunen- 
burg and  Leominster.  Children,  all  born 
in  Lunenburg:  Nancy,  August  23,  1795, 
died  July  7,  1869;  Sally  Green,  August 
8,  1796,  died  October  10,  1823;  Abigail. 
June  12,  1798,  died  November  4,  1871 ; 
Sophia,  February  18,  1800,  died  August  7, 
1853;  David,  April  3,  1802,  died  April  16, 

19 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1879;  Abraham,  July  11,  1804,  died  April 

21,  1875;  William,  mentioned  below; 
James  Haskell,  December  9,  1808,  died 
February  3,  1886;  Martha,  February  4, 
181 1,  died  February  5,  1892;  Joseph,  July 

22,  1813,  died  June  2,  1904;  Benjamin, 
July  20,  1816,  died  December  24,  1895. 

(VII)  Deacon  William  Marshall,  third 
son  of  David  and  Sarah  (Haskell)  Mar- 
shall, was  born  September  24,  1806,  in 
Lunenburg,  and  died  March  6,  1857,  in 
Fitchburg.  He  was  a  brick  mason,  and 
engaged  in  contracting  in  Fitchburg, 
among  his  most  notable  buildings  being 
the  Fitchburg  House,  still  a  prominent 
landmark  of  the  city,  the  First  Baptist 
Church,  Trinity  Unitarian  Church,  City 
Hall,  Dr.  Palmer's  residence,  and  he  was 
also  the  builder  of  many  other  substantial 
structures  of  Fitchburg.  He  had  many 
apprentices,  among  them  being  Myron 
W.  Whitney,  the  famous  singer.  He  was 
a  thoroughly  conscientious  and  upright 
man,  a  deacon  in  the  First  Baptist 
Church,  and  a  "conductor  on  the  under- 
ground railroad,"  which  aided  many 
slaves  to  escape  from  Southern  masters. 
In  1855  he  went  to  Kansas,  but  the  con- 
ditions of  his  business  compelled  his  re- 
turn in  the  autumn.  He  married  (first) 
in  Mason,  New  Hampshire,  December  30, 
1828,  Dorcas  Hill,  born  there  July  14,  1808, 
died  in  Lunenburg,  August  6,  1834.  He 
married  (second)  in  Fitchburg,  July  2, 
1835,  Fiorina  Weeks-Barrus,  born  Au- 
gust 3,  1810,  in  Warwick,  Massachusetts, 
died  May  7,  1891.  When  very  young  she 
was  adopted  by  a  family  named  Barrus, 
in  Richmond,  New  Hampshire,  after  the 
death  of  her  father  through  an  explosion. 
Her  mother  and  other  children  settled 
near  Schroon  Lake  in  New  York,  and  she 
knew  very  little  of  her  family  thereafter. 
Children  of  first  marriage :  William 
Alfred,  born  August  19,  1831,  died  July 
14,  1832;  Ellen  Dorcas,  June  3,  1833,  died 


September  29,  1852.  Children  of  second 
marriage:  William  Appleton,  April  2, 
1836,  died  March  18,  1838;  James  Apple- 
ton,  mentioned  below ;  William  Isaac, 
June  25,  1840,  died  October  30,  1906; 
Sarah  Harriet,  January  7,  1843,  died  June 
18,  1844;  Mary  Elizabeth,  May  15,  1846, 
died  August  19,  1847;  Edward  Tracy, 
January  22,  1848,  died  March  28,  191 1; 
Mary  Jane,  June  7,  1850,  died  April  3, 
185 1 ;  Emma  Fiorina,  April  9,  1852,  died 
February  12,  1864. 

(VIII)  James  Appleton  Marshall,  third 
son  of  Deacon  William  Marshall,  and 
second  child  of  his  second  wife,  Fiorina 
(Weeks-Barrus)  Marshall,  was  born  April 
28,  1838,  in  Fitchburg,  and  was  educated 
in  the  schools  of  that  city,  where  he 
learned  the  jewelers'  trade,  and  was  em- 
ployed several  years  by  Lowe  Brothers. 
Subsequently  he  became  interested  in 
photography,  and  with  Mr.  Moulton,  one 
of  the  oldest  photographers  of  the  State, 
he  afterwards  went  to  Boston  and  later 
to  Worcester,  conducting  photographic 
studios.  While  residing  at  Worcester,  he 
enlisted,  August  15,  1862,  as  a  Union 
soldier  in  Company  A,  Thirty-sixth  Mas- 
sachusetts Volunteer  Infantry,  and  was 
discharged  for  disability,  December  8, 
following.  Having  recovered  his  health, 
he  reenlisted  December  23,  1863,  in  Com- 
pany H,  Fifty-seventh  Massachusetts 
Volunteer  Infantry,  and  was  mustered 
out  July  30,  1865.  He  was  wounded  in 
the  battle  of  the  Wilderness,  losing  a 
finger,  thus  crippling  his  hand,  for  which 
disability  he  now  receives  a  pension. 
After  the  war  he  settled  in  North  Leo- 
minster, where  he  purchased  a  house,  and 
has  resided  to  the  present  time.  With 
eight  acres  of  land,  he  gives  some  time 
to  agriculture,  but  is  chiefly  occupied  in 
painting  and  paper  hanging.  While  al- 
ways active  in  political  affairs,  in  the  in- 
terest  of  the   Republican  party,  he  has 


i/rdt 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


never  sought  or  accepted  any  official  posi- 
tion for  himself.  He  is  a  Christian  Scien- 
tist in  religious  faith,  and  a  member  of 
E.  V.  Sumner  Post,  No.  19,  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic,  of  Fitchburg.  He  mar- 
ried, April  29,  i860,  Mary  Ann  Conant, 
born  March  25,  1837,  in  New  Ipswich, 
New  Hampshire,  daughter  of  Andrew  and 
Emily  (Farnsworth)  Conant.  Of  their 
ten  children,  seven  were  living  in  1910, 
when  the  parents  celebrated  their  golden 
wedding  in  North  Leominster,  where  they 
had  lived  for  forty-four  years.  Children: 
Mary  Jennie,  born  November  19,  i860, 
married  Farwell  N.  Thomas ;  Georgianna 
Judson,  June  23,  1862,  died  July  21,  1909, 
aged  forty-seven  years;  William  Lin- 
coln, mentioned  below;  Fiorina  Apple- 
ton,  October  2,  1866,  married  (first) 
George  S.  Conant,  (second)  James  Lewis  ; 
James  Edward,  March  5, 1868,  died  March 
23,  1870;  Clarkson  Russell,  April  8,  1871, 
living  in  Revere,  Massachusetts ;  Hattie 
Emma,  February  11,  1873,  married  Rich- 
ard E.  Daniels ;  Henrietta  Jewett,  Sep- 
tember 29,  1874;  Estella  Elizabeth  and 
Delia  Louisa  (twins),  January  2,  1880; 
the  latter  died  April  30,  1883. 

(IX)  William  Lincoln  Marshall,  eldest 
son  of  James  Appleton  and  Mary  Ann 
(Conant)  Marshall,  was  born  July  22, 
1864,  in  North  Leominster,  and  educated 
in  the  schools  of  his  native  town.  He  was 
early  accustomed  to  assist  his  father  in 
paper  hanging  and  interior  decorating,  in 
which  he  became  expert,  and  since  1887 
has  been  employed  in  this  line  of  en- 
deavor in  Fitchburg.  For  many  years  he 
has  been  on  the  staff  of  B.  A.  Cook  & 
Company,  one  of  the  largest  decorating 
firms  of  Western  Massachusetts.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  of 
the  Knights  of  Honor,  and  the  Royal 
Arcanum,  and  in  politics  a  steadfast  Re- 
publican. He  married,  April  18,  1888, 
Cora  Mabel  Fernald,  born  May  17,  1866, 


in  Shirley,  Massachusetts,  daughter  of 
Horace  Francis  and  Martha  (Jones)  Fer- 
nald. Children:  1.  Ralph  William,  born 
March  6,  1889;  is  a  draftsman,  and  was 
employed  many  years  by  the  Simonds 
Manufacturing  Company,  of  Fitchburg, 
later  with  the  Vermont  Marble  Company! 
of  Proctor,  Vermont,  and  now  with  the 
Sturtevant  Blower  Company,  at  Hyde 
Park,  Massachusetts ;  he  married  Etta 
Lorinda  Forbush,  of  Westboro,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  they  have  one  daughter, 
Evelyn  Loretta,  born  March  9,  1915.  2. 
Helen  Cora,  born  September  9,  1893.  3- 
Rachel  Martha,  born  March  16,  1897. 


DUNN,  William  John, 

Successful   Merchant. 

Daniel  Dunn  was  a  farmer  in  the  parish 
of  Aghaboe,  County  Queens,  province  of 
Leinster,  Ireland.  He  came  to  America 
in  1851  with  his  wife,  Margaret  (Bergan) 
Dunn,  and  their  eight  children,  including 
Michael  and  Daniel,  aged  respectively 
eighteen  and  sixteen  years.  The  Dunn 
family  landed  in  New  York  and  pro- 
ceeded at  once  to  Paterson,  New  Jersey, 
where  the  father  and  his  sons  found  work 
in  the  Morrow  Woolen  Mills,  where  a 
day's  work  was  twelve  hours  and  the  pay 
for  boys  twenty-five  cents  per  day  and 
for  men  of  age  and  experience,  relatively 
low. 

Michael  Dunn,  eldest  son  of  Daniel  and 
Margaret  (Bergan)  Dunn,  was  born  in 
the  parish  of  Aghaboe,  County  of  Queens, 
province  of  Leinster,  Ireland,  March  24, 
1833,  and  he  spent  his  early  years  on  the 
farm  of  his  father,  and  as  one  of  the 
family  of  eight  children  had  a  good  school 
training  which  he  supplemented  by  ex- 
tensive reading,  observation  and  travel. 
He  learned  the  business  of  manufacturing 
woolen  goods  and  was  made  an  overseer 
of  the  mill.     He  then  went  to  a  cotton 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


mill  in  the  same  place  where  he  remained 
several  years  and  became  thoroughly  con- 
versant with  the  manufacture  of  cotton 
goods.  He  then  learned  the  business  of 
dyeing  and  bleaching  cotton  cloth.  In 
1871  he  accompanied  a  friend,  John  An- 
derton,  to  Chicopee  Falls,  and  they  estab- 
lished there  the  Hampden  Bleachery.  In 
1875  he  became  associated  with  the 
Musgrave  Alapaca  Company  with  mills 
located  in  Chicopee,  as  a  partner  in 
charge  of  the  bleaching  business.  In 
1881  misfortune  overtook  the  company, 
and  by  the  peculations  and  treachery  of 
trusted  officers  Mr.  Dunn  lost  over  $250,- 
000.  He,  however,  kept  his  shoulder  to 
the  wheel  of  progress  and  once  more  won 
success  and  ranked  among  his  country- 
men as  probably  the  wealthiest  Irishman 
in  Western  Massachusetts.  On  the  death 
of  his  partner,  John  Anderton,  in  1887, 
Mr.  Dunn  purchased  his  interest  in  the 
Hampden  Bleachery  from  the  heirs  and 
carried  on  the  business  alone  as  sole 
owner  up  to  1891,  when  he  sold  the 
bleachery  to  his  nephew,  Daniel  John 
Dunn,  and  Edward  Foley,  both  of  Chico- 
pee Falls,  and  he  accepted  for  himself  the 
position  of  agent  and  treasurer  of  the 
company,  devoting  his  spare  time  to  safe 
financial  investments  through  which  he 
accumulated  a  large  fortune.  He  was  one 
of  the  original  incorporators  of  the  Chico- 
pee Falls  Savings  Bank,  and  he  held  the 
offices  of  trustee  and  vice-president  up  to 
the  time  of  his  resignation  in  1892.  In 
the  city  of  Chicopee  he  was  assistant 
engineer,  selectman  and  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Health.  He  declined  to  serve  in 
the  State  Legislature,  by  not  accepting 
nomination  as  representative  for  his  town. 
He  traveled  extensively  in  the  British 
Provinces  and  in  all  parts  of  the  United 
States.  He  was  a  man  of  broad  sympa- 
thies and  a  deep  student  of  human  nature. 
He  was  a  self-made  man  and  his  attain- 


ments made  him  a  man  of  mark.  He  died 
in  Springfield,  Massachusetts.  He  mar- 
ried, March  3,  1867,  Mary  E.  Norton,  of 
Somerville,  Massachusetts,  and  they  had 
five  children  as  follows :  Margaret  E., 
born  in  1868,  married  B.  J.  Griffin,  of 
Springfield ;  Katharine  L.,  born  in  1871 ; 
Joseph  J.,  born  in  1874,  graduated  at 
Fordham  College,  New  York;  Mary  H., 
born  in  1877;  Kieran,  born  in  1880. 

Daniel  Dunn,  second  son  of  Daniel  and 
Margaret  (Bergan)  Dunn,  was  born  in 
Aghaboe,  Ireland,  June  3,  1835.  His 
school  days  were  confined  to  the  earlier 
years  spent  at  the  Ireland  home  and  was 
extremely  elementary,  as  the  demands  of 
so  large  a  family  required  manual  labor 
for  the  boys,  which  took  precedence  over 
study  in  the  parish  school.  With  the  ex- 
cellent example  of  an  honest,  earnest  and 
hard  working  father  and  of  an  equally 
frugal  and  industrious  mother,  Daniel 
was  thoroughly  imbued  with  the  will  and 
wish  to  work  and  save  his  earnings, 
meagre  though  they  were.  In  1859  an 
agent  of  the  Cochran  and  McAllister  print 
works  of  Maiden,  Massachusetts,  visited 
Paterson  in  search  of  efficient  men  and 
Daniel  Dunn  accepted  the  offer  to  take 
the  position  of  overseer  of  the  finishing 
department  of  the  print  works.  In  1862 
he  went  to  Chicopee,  Hampden  county, 
Massachusetts,  as  overseer  of  the  Chico- 
pee Manufacturing  Company's  finishing 
department,  which  position  he  held  for 
twenty-eight  years.  He  also  established 
at  Chicopee  Falls  a  hardware  and  grocery 
business,  which  proved  to  be  a  profitable 
venture,  and  he  retired  from  active  busi- 
ness about  1890.  He  was  a  stockholder 
in  the  Chicopee  Manufacturing  Company 
and  in  other  industrial  concerns  of  the 
city,  and  he  became  a  large  real  estate 
owner  in  both  Chicopee  and  Springfield, 
his  holdings  exceeding  $100,000  in  value. 
He  was  one  of  the  incorporators  of  the 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Chicopee  Falls  Savings  Bank  and  a  trus- 
tee from  its  foundation.  He  was  instru- 
mental in  teaching  the  principle  of  saving 
among  the  wage-earning  community.  He 
was  a  Democrat  in  political  faith,  and  be- 
fore the  city  was  incorporated  he  was  a 
selectman  of  the  town.  He  was  among 
the  active  supporters  of  the  Irish  Na- 
tional cause.  About  1862  he  established 
his  residence  in  Chicopee  Falls,  and  be- 
came a  member  of  St.  Patrick's  Church 
on  its  organization,  and  took  a  lively  in- 
terest in  its  Sunday  school.  As  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Father  Mathew  Temperance 
Society  from  1868,  he  did  much  to  ad- 
vance the  cause  of  temperance  in  the  city 
and  he  was  president  of  St.  Patrick's  con- 
ference of  the  St.  Vincent  de  Paul  Society 
organized  in  1877,  and  treasurer  of  Par- 
ticular Council  of  St.  Vincent  de  Paul  So- 
ciety of  Springfield.  He  died  in  Chicopee 
Falls,  Massachusetts,  February  1,  191 1. 

He  married,  February  12,  1868,  Cather- 
ine E.,  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  (Sulli- 
van) Mahoney,  of  Boston.  She  was  born 
in  Boston,  and  removed  with  her  parents 
to  Chicopee,  Massachusetts,  where  her 
father  was  engaged  in  building  the  Bos- 
ton &  Albany  Railroad.  She  died  in 
Chicopee,  Massachusetts,  June  14,  1904, 
aged  sixty-seven  years.  Children  :  Daniel 
and  Mary,  died  young;  Margaret,  born 
about  1871,  graduated  at  Notre  Dame 
College,  Roxbury,  Massachusetts,  mar- 
ried Michael  Friary,  of  Norfolk,  Virginia  ; 
William  John,  of  whom  forward ;  Callis- 
tus,  was  graduated  at  Holy  Cross  Col- 
lege in  Worcester,  Massachusetts. 

William  John  Dunn,  second  son  of 
Daniel  and  Catherine  E.  (Mahoney) 
Dunn,  was  born  in  Chicopee,  Massachu- 
setts, September  1,  1872.  He  was  edu- 
cated in  the  public  and  parochial  schools 
of  his  native  place  and  was  graduated  at 
Holy  Cross  College  in  1892.  He  then 
engaged  in  the  clothing  business  in 
Chicopee  Falls,  in  copartnership  with  W. 


F.  O'Neill,  conducting  a  men's  clothing 
and  furnishing  business  for  a  period  of 
three  years.  He  was  next  a  partner  in 
the  firm  of  C.  J.  Brosnan  &  Company, 
manufacturers  of  paperteries  and  other 
novelties.  This  business  was  sold  out  in 
1898-99  and  Mr.  Dunn  removed  to  Nor- 
folk, Virginia,  where  he  resided  with  his 
sister,  Mrs.  Michael  Friary,  for  nine 
months,  and  on  his  return  to  Chicopee 
Falls  he  formed  a  partnership  with  his 
brother,  Callistus  Dunn,  in  the  manu- 
facture of  envelope  machines.  In  1904 
the  United  States  Envelope  Trust  pur- 
chased the  rights  and  patents  of  the  two 
brothers.  William  John  Dunn  in  1900 
began  a  general  real  estate  business  in 
Chicopee  Falls.  He  succeeded  his  father 
as  trustee  of  the  Chicopee  Falls  Savings 
Bank.  He  was  a  member  at  large  of  the 
Board  of  Aldermen  of  the  city  of  Chico- 
pee, 1908-1911,  and  in  191 1  he  was  elected 
president  of  the  same.  In  1912  he  was 
the  Democratic  candidate  for  mayor  of 
Chicopee ;  there  were  four  other  candi- 
dates on  the  field,  and  while  polling  a 
large  vote  he  failed  in  being  chosen  to  the 
office.  The  vote  was  so  evenly  divided 
that  the  difference  between  the  highest 
and  lowest  vote  received  by  any  candi- 
date was  forty-two  votes.  In  1914  he  was 
again  placed  in  nomination  by  his  party, 
and  he  was  elected  December  8,  1914. 
He  was  inaugurated  mayor  of  the  city  of 
Chicopee,  January  4,  1915.  President 
Dunn  is  a  member  of  the  Improved  Order 
of  Red  Men.  He  was  brought  up  in  the 
faith  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  and 
was  very  jealous  of  the  good  name  of 
Catholic,  and  followed  his  illustrious 
father  in  the  participation  of  the  good 
works  carried  on  by  the  church.  He  is 
a  man  of  splendid  address  and  of  affable 
manner  and  holds  a  high  place  in  the 
ranks  of  successful  men  of  business  affairs 
of  the  Connecticut  Valley. 

He  married,  October  28,  1902,  Ellen  A., 


223 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


daughter  of  Nicholas  R.  Fitzgerald,  of 
Springfield,  and  by  this  marriage  two  of 
the  prominent  families  of  the  ancient 
Irish  kingdom  of  Leinster,  Ireland,  was 
united,  which  kingdom  gives  the  title  of 
Duke  to  the  Fitzgerald  family,  whose 
head  is  the  sole  duke  and  primier  peer  of 
Ireland. 


PRATT,  Frederick  S.  and  Robert  G., 
RepresentatiTe   Citizens. 

Thomas  Pratt,  the  immigrant  ancestor, 
was  born  in  England  and  came  to  this 
country  as  early  as  1647.  He  was  ad- 
mitted a  freeman,  May  26,  1647,  and  was 
at  Watertown,  Massachusetts,  in  1652, 
when  he  took  the  oath  of  fidelity.  He 
was  probably  from  London.  About  1679 
he  purchased  of  Thomas  Eames  thirty 
acres  of  land  in  Framingham  and  located 
in  that  town.  By  his  wife  Susanna  he 
had  the  following  children :  Thomas ; 
Abial,  married  Daniel  Bigelow ;  Eben- 
ezer;  Joseph;  John;  Philip;  Ephraim; 
Nathaniel;  Jonathan;  David;  Jabez. 

(II)  Jonathan  Pratt,  son  of  Thomas 
Pratt,  was  born  about  1670.  He  resided 
on  part  of  his  father's  homestead  in  Fram- 
ingham, but  was  an  early  settler  of  Ox- 
ford, Worcester  county,  Massachusetts, 
and  was  selectman  of  that  town  in  1723. 
Administration  on  his  estate  was  granted 
in  1735.  He  married  Sarah  Gale,  daugh- 
ter of  John  Gale,  of  Framingham.  Chil- 
dren :  Jonathan,  mentioned  below  ;  Abra- 
ham ;  Sarah,  married  Oliver  Shumway ; 
Joseph  ;  Lydia,  married  Jedediah  Barton  ; 
Micah ;  Jonas ;  Susanna,  married  Jonas 
Coller. 

(III)  Jonathan  (2)  Pratt,  son  of  Jona- 
than (1)  Pratt,  was  born  at  Framingham, 
April  21,  1701.  He  went  to  Oxford  with 
his  father,  who  conveyed  to  him  in  1723 
sixty  acres  of  land.  He  built  the  house 
afterward   known   as   the    Deacon    Stone 


place  and  at  last  accounts  it  was  still 
standing  and  believed  to  be  the  oldest 
house  in  Oxford.  He  married  (first)  No- 
vember 18,  1725,  Lydia  Phillips,  daughter 
of  Theophilus  Phillips,  of  Watertown. 
She  died  in  May,  1729.  He  married  (sec- 
ond) May  28,  1730,  Ruth  Eddy,  who  died 
April  1,  1731.  He  married  (third)  De- 
cember 15, 1731,  Deborah  Coolidge,  daugh- 
ter of  Deacon  John  Coolidge,  of  Water- 
town.  He  died  July  25,  1788,  and  his 
widow,  February  9,  1793,  aged  eighty- 
three  years.  He  was  a  prominent  citizen 
of  Oxford,  selectman  in  1740-41-51-56  and 
held  other  offices  of  trust.  Children  by 
first  wife:  Keziah,  born  March  18,  1727; 
Lydia,  1728,  died  1729.  Child  by  second 
wife:  Ruth,  born  1731,  died  1746.  Chil- 
dren by  third  wife:  Mellison,  1733,  died 
1746;  Lydia,  1736,  died  1746;  Huldah, 
March  1,  1739,  married  Isaac  Towne ; 
Jonathan,  August  15,  1741 ;  Elias,  men- 
tioned below;  Elisha,  July  15,  1747; 
Esther,  June  6,  1752;  Deborah,  July  15, 
1754,  married  Jesse  Merriam. 

(IV)  Captain  Elias  Pratt,  son  of  Jona- 
than (2)  Pratt,  was  born  in  Oxford,  No- 
vember 7,  1743,  and  died  March  14,  1816, 
at  Oxford.  He  settled  on  the  Pratt  home- 
stead and  was  selectman  of  Oxford  from 
1785  to  1794.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Revolution.  He  was  in  Captain  John 
Towne's  company  on  the  Lexington 
Alarm,  April  19, 1775,  and  served  through- 
out the  war.  He  was  commissioned  cap- 
tain of  the  Fifteenth  Company,  Fifth 
Worcester  County  Regiment,  Colonel 
Jonathan  Holman,  September  25,  1778, 
and  again  served  as  captain  from  April, 
1779,  to  July  1,  1779,  stationed  at  Rut- 
land. He  married,  August  6,  1767,  Lydia 
Hill,  born  March  25,  1746,  daughter  of 
Jonathan  Hill,  of  Billerica.  She  died 
March  10,  1829,  in  Sutton.  Children: 
Lydia,  born  April  8,  1768,  died  July  8, 
1768;  Jerusha,  September   18,   1769,  died 


224 


<a^*7t-^ 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


March  20,  1832,  married  Thomas  Davis; 
Lydia,  September  25,  1771,  died  June  7, 
1810,  married  Ambrose  Stone  ;  Ruth,  twin 
of  Lydia,  married  William  Stone,  brother 
of  Ambrose  Stone  ;  Elias,  mentioned  be- 
low ;  Elijah,  March  4,  1773,  twin  of  Elias, 
died  January  2,  1843;  Zadock,  November 
17,  1775,  died  February  15,  1813;  Jere- 
miah, September  20,  1779,  died  November 
24,  1865;  Sylvanus,  August  20,  1781,  died 
January  31,  1831  ;  Sylvester,  twin  of  Syl- 
vanus, died  August  20,  1781  ;  Amasa,  born 
May  7,  1787,  died  May  27,  1830. 

(V)  Captain  Elias  (2)  Pratt,  son  of 
Captain  Elias  (1)  Pratt,  was  born  in  Ox- 
ford, March  4,  1773,  and  died  at  Worces- 
ter, September  2,  1854.  He  settled  first 
on  the  homestead  at  Oxford,  but  about 
1810  moved  to  the  adjacent  town  of  Sut- 
ton, where  in  1825  he  purchased  the  Hath- 
away place,  later  known  as  the  Pratt 
house  and  afterward  as  the  Rufus  King 
house.  After  some  years  he  removed  to 
Worcester,  where  he  spent  his  last  years. 
In  Oxford  he  served  on  the  Board  of 
Selectmen,  1808-09-17,  and  was  captain 
of  the  militia.  He  married,  November 
15,  1801,  Sally  Conant,  daughter  of  Dr. 
Ezra  Conant,  of  Oxford  (see  Conant  VI). 
She  died  at  Worcester,  December  4,  1852. 
Children:  Sally,  born  July  4,  1802,  died 
in  1804 ;  Ezra,  October  6,  1804,  died  Octo- 
ber 9,  1805  ;  Serena,  August  14,  1806,  died 
October  3,  1901,  married  Charles  King, 
of  Anoka,  Minnesota;  Sarah,  January 
29,  1808,  married  Joshua  O.  Lewis,  of 
Worcester,  died  July  4,  1868;  Sumner, 
mentioned  below  ;  Emeline,  December  14, 
1812,  died  December  8,  1837,  married 
Leonard  Woodbury,  of  Sutton ;  Amanda, 
August  11,  1815,  died  May  22,  1837. 

(VI)  Sumner  Pratt,  son  of  Captain 
Elias  (2)  Pratt,  was  born  at  Oxford,  Sep- 
tember 30,  1809,  on  the  farm  where  his 
ancestors  lived  for  three  generations,  and 
there  he  lived  during  his  youth.     He  re- 

mass-VoI  in— 15  225 


ceived  his  education  in  the  public  schools 
of  Oxford  and  Sutton,  whither  his  parents 
went  to  live  in  1817.  He  worked  on  a 
farm  until  he  came  of  age.  In  1831  he 
left  home  and  engaged  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  loom  shuttles  at  North  Grafton 
and  Wilkinsonville  until  1835  and  during 
the  eight  years  following  sold  loom  shut- 
tles and  cotton  yarn  on  commission.  In 
1843  ne  came  to  Worcester,  transferring 
the  machinery  from  Woonsocket,  Rhode 
Island,  to  a  mill  in  New  Worcester,  where 
for  two  years  he  manufactured  cotton 
thread.  In  1845  ne  sold  this  business  to 
Albert  Curtis.  In  1845  he  established  an 
agency  for  cotton  and  wool  machinery 
and  mill  supplies  in  Worcester  and  under 
the  well-known  name  of  Sumner  Pratt  & 
Company  continued  in  business  until  he 
retired  in  1883.  In  185 1  he  occupied  the 
building  at  22  Front  street.  His  business 
increased  rapidly  and  he  became  one  of 
the  most  prominent  and  successful  dealers 
in  his  line  in  New  England.  He  took  a 
keen  interest  in  municipal  affairs  and 
served  the  city  in  the  Common  Council  in 
1869-70-71-72  and  in  the  Board  of  Alder- 
men in  1876-77.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Trade  and  at  one  time  its  presi- 
dent. He  was  a  trustee  of  the  Worcester 
County  Institution  for  Savings ;  director 
of  the  Worcester  Safe  Deposit  and  Trust 
Company  (now  the  Worcester  Trust 
Company) ;  vice-president  of  the  People's 
Savings  Bank.  In  early  life  he  was  a 
Whig,  later  a  Republican  in  politics.  In 
religion  he  was  an  Episcopalian  and  for 
many  years  was  vestryman  and  warden 
of  All  Saints'  Church.  He  was  highly 
esteemed  in  the  community,  of  exemplary 
character,  the  highest  ideals,  sound  judg- 
ment and  sterling  common  sense.  In  his 
social  and  domestic  life  he  was  beloved 
for  his  kindliness  and  attractive  personal 
qualities.  He  died  at  Worcester,  January 
6,  1887. 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


He  married  (first)  May  19,  1836,  Serena 
Chase,  born  April  4,  181 5,  died  at  Worces- 
ter, June  19,  1848,  daughter  of  Caleb 
Chase,  of  Sutton  (see  Chase  XII).  He 
married  (second)  August  5,  1850,  at 
Worcester,  Abby  Curtis  Read,  born  April 
28,  1818,  died  April  29,  1896,  daughter  of 
Ebenezer  and  Sally  (Curtis)  Read.  Chil- 
dren by  first  wife :  Frederick  Sumner, 
mentioned  below ;  Emma  Amanda,  born 
May  8,  1848,  unmarried.  Child  by  second 
wife:  Edward  Read,  born  May  1,  1851, 
died  October  31,  1880. 

(VII)  Frederick  Sumner  Pratt,  son  of 
Sumner  Pratt,  was  born  in  Worcester, 
September  21,  1845.  He  attended  the 
public  schools  and  graduated  from  the 
Worcester  High  School  in  1862.  After 
four  years  of  service  in  the  Worcester 
National  Bank,  he  became  associated  in 
business  with  his  father  and  remained  a 
member  of  the  firm  of  Sumner  Pratt  & 
Company  until  1896,  when  he  retired. 
Since  then  he  has  devoted  much  time  to 
portrait  and  landscape  painting,  in  which 
he  had  some  training  in  early  life,  and 
many  of  his  works  are  highly  prized  by 
their  owners.  Mr.  Pratt  is  a  trustee  of 
the  Worcester  County  Institution  for 
Savings;  trustee  of  the  Worcester  Art 
Museum ;  member  of  various  local  clubs 
and  Salmagundi  Club,  New  York.  He  is 
senior  warden  of  All  Saints'  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church.  In  politics  he  is  a 
Republican. 

He  married,  January  19,  1871,  at 
Worcester,  Sarah  McKean  Hilliard,  born 
in  Boston  (Roxbury),  December  21,  1841, 
died  at  Worcester,  December  27,  1897, 
daughter  of  Judge  Francis  and  Catharine 
Dexter  (Haven)  Hilliard  (see  Hilliard 
and  Haven  families).  Children,  born  in 
Worcester:  1.  Francis  Hilliard,  born  No- 
vember 3,  1871,  died  November  4,  1871. 
2.  Frederick  Haven,  A.  M.,  M.  D.,  born 
July  19,  1873 ;  graduate  of  Harvard  Col- 


lege and  the  Harvard  Medical  School ; 
has  published  papers  on  scientific  and 
educational  subjects ;  Professor  of  Physi- 
ology, University  of  Buffalo,  and  mem- 
ber of  the  American  Association  for  the 
Advancement  of  Science,  and  the  St. 
Botolph  Club,  Boston ;  he  married,  June 
12,  1912,  Margery  Wilerd,  daughter  of 
George  D.  and  Leora  Davis,  of  West  New- 
ton, Massachusetts;  children,  born  in  Buf- 
falo: Frederick  Sumner,  June  15,  1913; 
Margery,  December  4,  1914.  3.  Kath- 
erine  Chase,  born  December  29,  1875; 
married,  June  2,  1896,  Dr.  Alfred  Lind- 
say Shapleigh,  of  Boston ;  both  went  to 
China  as  missionaries  in  1896  and  again 
in  1904 ;  in  February,  1905,  Dr.  Shapleigh 
and  two  of  their  children,  Samuel  Brooks 
and  Stephen,  died  of  smallpox  at  Ngan- 
kin ;  a  third  son,  Frederick  Gordon,  had 
died  in  1900,  in  Worcester;  Mrs.  Shap- 
leigh continued  her  work  in  China,  how- 
ever, and  was  located  at  Yang  Chow  until 
1907,  when  she  returned  for  a  period  of 
rest.  4.  Robert  Gage,  mentioned  below. 
5.  Elizabeth  Hilliard,  born  July  27,  1882; 
married,  June  23,  1906,  Dr.  William 
Irving  Clark,  Jr.,  of  New  York  City ;  set- 
tled in  Worcester;  children:  Katherine 
Irving,  born  January  14,  1908,  and  Wil- 
liam Irving,  born  July  3,  1910. 

(VIII)  Robert  Gage  Pratt,  son  of  Fred- 
erick Sumner  Pratt,  was  born  at  Worces- 
ter, October  17,  1877.  He  attended  the 
public  schools  of  his  native  city,  Fish's 
Private  School,  the  Dalzell  School  in 
Worcester  and  entered  Harvard  College 
in  the  class  of  1900.  After  three  years  as 
a  Harvard  student  he  left  college  to  en- 
gage in  business.  He  spent  a  year  in  the 
office  of  Earle  &  Fisher,  architects,  in 
Worcester.  He  then  entered  the  employ 
of  the  Crompton  &  Knowles  Loom 
Works,  starting  in  the  weave  room  and 
mastering  the  details  of  the  business.  For 
two  years  he  was  assistant  of  George  F. 


226 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Hutchins  in  the  office  of  the  company. 
In  1907  he  established  his  present  busi- 
ness in  Worcester,  engaging  in  the  manu- 
facture of  textile  machinery  for  narrow 
fabrics.  The  manufacturing  of  narrow 
fabrics  has  been  growing  rapidly  in  this 
country  in  late  years  and  Mr.  Pratt  has 
been  highly  successful  in  his  business. 
The  plant  had  been  enlarged  from  time 
to  time  and  the  business  has  grown 
steadily.  Mr.  Pratt  is  an  incorporator  of 
the  Worcester  County  Institution  for 
Savings;  member  of  the  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce, the  Worcester  Club,  the  Worces- 
ter Agricultural  Society,  the  Tatnuck 
Country  Club,  the  Worcester  Tennis 
Club,  the  Quinsigamond  Boat  Club,  the 
Worcester  Harvard  Club  and  All  Saints' 
Church.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican. 
He  is  interested  in  music  and  while  a 
student  was  leader  of  the  Harvard  Uni- 
versity Banjo  Club. 

He  married,  July  9,  1906,  Edythe  Mc- 
Cord  Coleman,  born  May  8,  1880,  at 
Toronto,  Canada,  daughter  of  Frederic 
G.  and  Edith  (McCord)  Coleman,  of 
Toronto,  Canada.  Her  Grandfather  Mc- 
Cord was  for  many  years  treasurer  of  the 
city  of  Toronto.  They  have  one  child, 
Sarah,  born  at  Worcester,  July  19,  1915. 

(The  Conant  Line). 

The  surname  Conant  has  been  known 
in  England  for  more  than  six  hundred 
years.  It  is  derived  from  a  Celtic  word 
Conan,  meaning  a  chief. 

(I)  John  Conant,  with  whom  the  au- 
thentic history  of  the  family  begins,  lived 
in  the  parish  of  East  Budleigh,  Devon- 
shire, England,  where  he  was  a  taxpayer 
in  1571  and  church  warden  in  1577.  He 
was  buried  March  30,  1596. 

(II)  Richard  Conant,  son  of  John 
Conant,  was  born  in  East  Budleigh  about 
1548.  In  1586  he  was  a  taxpayer  and  in 
1606  church  warden.    He  married,  Febru- 


ary 4,  1578,  Agnes  Clarke,  daughter  of 
John  Clarke,  of  Collyton,  and  Anne 
(Macy)  Clarke,  daughter  of  William 
Macy,  of  Collyton.  Richard  Conant  and 
his  wife  were  buried  September  22,  1630, 
and  his  will  was  proved  October  13,  1631. 
Children :  John,  baptized  January  20, 
1579-80;  Richard,  baptized  February  21, 
1581-82;  Robert;  Jane,  baptized  May  9, 
1584;  John,  baptized  March  18,  1586-87; 
Thomas,  baptized  April  30,  1587;  Christo- 
pher, baptized  June  13,  1588;  Roger,  men- 
tioned below. 

(III)  Roger  Conant,  son  of  Richard 
Conant,  was  the  American  immigrant. 
He  was  baptized  at  All  Saints',  East  Bud- 
leigh, April  9,  1592.  He  came  first  to 
Plymouth,  in  New  England,  but  followed 
Rev.  John  Lyford  and  others  to  Nan- 
tasket  (Hull),  where  he  made  use  of  Gov- 
ernor's Island,  which  for  a  time  was 
known  as  Conant's  Island.  In  1624-25  he 
was  chosen  by  the  Dorchester  company 
to  govern  the  colony  at  Cape  Ann,  and 
Lyford  was  chosen  minister.  After  a 
year  at  Cape  Ann,  Conant  removed  with 
the  colonists  who  did  not  return  to  Eng- 
land and  settled  at  Salem,  where  he  con- 
tinued as  Governor  until  superseded  by 
Endicott.  Conant  was  therefore  regarded 
as  the  first  Governor  of  Massachusetts 
Bay  Colony.  He  was  justice  of  the  Quar- 
terly Court  at  Salem  three  years ;  select- 
man, 1637-41  and  1651-54,  1657-58.  In 
1667  he  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
church  at  Beverly.  He  died  November 
19,  1679.  He  married  Sarah  Horton.  Chil- 
dren :  Sarah,  baptized  September  19, 
1619;  Caleb,  baptized  May  2~j,  1622,  came 
to  Massachusetts,  but  returned  to  Eng- 
land ;  Lot,  mentioned  below ;  Roger,  born 
1626;  Sarah,  1628;  Joshua;  Mary;  Eliza- 
beth ;  Exercise,  baptized  December  24, 
1637. 

(IV)  Lot  Conant,  son  of  Roger  Conant, 
was  born  about   1624,  at  Hull  or  Cape 


227 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Ann,  and  settled  as  early  as  1657  at 
Marblehead.  He  was  selectman  in  1662 
and  a  householder  in  1674.  About  1666 
he  removed  to  Beverly  and  built  a  house 
near  his  father's.  He  was  one  of  the  orig- 
inal members  of  the  Beverly  church.  He 
died  September  29,  1674.  He  married 
Elizabeth  Walton,  daughter  of  Rev.  Wil- 
liam Walton.  Children  :  Nathaniel,  born 
July  28,  1650;  John,  mentioned  below; 
Lot,  February  16,  1657-58;  Elizabeth, 
May  13,  1660;  Mary,  July  14,  1662;  Mar- 
tha, August  15,  1664;  Sarah,  twin,  Febru- 
ary 19,  1666-67;  William,  twin  of  Sarah; 
Roger,  March  10,  1668-69;  Rebecca,  Janu- 
ary 31,  1670-71. 

(V)  John  Conant,  son  of  Lot  Conant, 
was  born  December  15,  1652,  at  Beverly, 
and  settled  there  on  the  homestead  of  his 
father.  He  was  a  farmer  and  weaver. 
He  was  in  King  Philip's  War,  in  Captain 
Samuel  Appleton's  company  in  1675.  He 
died  September  30,  1724.  He  married, 
May  7,  1678,  Bethia  Mansfield,  daughter 
of  Andrew  Mansfield.  She  was  born 
April  7,  1658,  and  died  July  27,  1720.  Chil- 
dren:  Lot,  baptized  June  1,  1679;  Eliza- 
beth, born  January  14,  1681-82;  Bethia, 
1684;  John,  July  7,  1686;  Deborah,  Feb- 
ruary 20,  1687-88;  Mary,  October  20, 
1689;  Daniel,  November  19,  1694;  Re- 
becca, March  29,  1696;  Benjamin,  men- 
tioned below;  Jemima,  November  9,  1701. 

(VI)  Benjamin  Conant,  son  of  John 
Conant,  was  born  at  Beverly,  October  22, 
1698.  He  lived  on  Dodge  street.  In  1732 
he  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  town 
of  Dudley,  Massachusetts,  and  an  active 
and  leading  citizen;  town  clerk  from  1737 
to  1763;  chairman  of  the  selectmen,  1743 
to  1756.  In  his  old  age  he  removed  to 
Warwick,  Massachusetts,  where  he  died 
September  20,  1767.  He  married  (first) 
(intention,  December  4,  1720)  Martha 
Davids,  who  died  at  Dudley,  January  5, 
1745-46.     He  married   (second)   Septem- 


ber 17,  1746,  Lydia  Lamb.  Children: 
Lydia,  born  February  5,  1722;  Ezra,  men- 
tioned below ;  Abigail,  baptized  March 
12,  1726-27;  Benjamin,  June  6,  1729,  died 
young;  Ebenezer,  November  2,  1731,  died 
young;  John,  June  6,  1733,  died  January 
5.  1737 '•  Asa,  April  26,  1736,  died  1737; 
Martha,  January  8,  1738;  Benjamin,  Oc- 
tober 20,  1740.  By  second  wife:  Abijah, 
August  9,  1747;  Asa,  June  29,  1750;  Abi- 
gail, March  4,  1752;  Lucy,  January  26, 
1754;  Jemima,  December  20,  1755,  died 
I756- 

(VII)  Ezra  Conant,  son  of  Benjamin 
Conant,  was  baptized  at  Beverly,  March 
8,  1723-24.  He  removed  to  Dudley  with 
his  parents  and  later  to  Warwick,  where 
he  was  town  clerk  nine  years  and  select- 
man. He  died  December  7,  1804.  He 
married  (first)  at  Dudley,  January  1,  1745, 
Millicent  Newell,  born  December  19, 
1725,  died  July,  1769.  He  married  (sec- 
ond) at  Warwick  (intention,  January  16, 
1770)  Anna  Fiske.  Children  by  first 
wife:  Asa,  born  October  14,  1746;  John, 
July  21,  1748;  Ezra,  mentioned  below; 
Amos,  January  8,  1753;  Millicent,  August 
25,  1754;  Ebenezer,  April  12,  1756;  John, 
August  29,  1758;  Jemima,  October  1, 
1760;  Stephen,  June  19,  1762;  Benjamin, 
March  28,  1764.  By  second  wife:  Anna, 
May  26,  1771 ;  Clark,  June  23,  1773. 

(VIII)  Dr.  Ezra  (2)  Conant,  son  of 
Ezra  (1)  Conant,  was  born  at  Dudley, 
April  7,  175 1.  He  removed  to  Warwick 
and  was  town  clerk  there.  He  settled 
later  at  Oxford  and  died  there  May  9, 
1789.  He  married,  October  27,  1773,  Ruth 
Davis,  daughter  of  Samuel  Davis  (see 
Davis).  She  married  (second)  Joseph 
Healey,  of  Dudley.  Children,  born  at 
Warwick:  Ruth,  born  January  8,  1775; 
Sally,  May  15,  1777,  married,  November 
15,  1801,  Elias  Pratt  (see  Pratt);  Samuel, 
August  29,  1780,  drowned  August  5,  1805  ; 
Learned,  September  24,  1784. 


228 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


(The  Chase  Line). 
The  Chase  family  is  of  ancient  Eng- 
lish origin.  The  ancestral  seat  of  the 
branch  of  the  family  from  which  the 
American  line  is  descended  was  at  Ches- 
ham, Buckinghamshire,  through  which 
runs  a  rapidly  flowing  river,  the  Chess, 
which  gives  its  name  to  the  place. 

(I)  Thomas  Chase,  of  Chesham,  was 
descended  from  the  ancient  family  of  that 
town. 

(II)  John  Chase,  son  of  Thomas  Chase, 
was  also  of  Chesham. 

(III)  Matthew  Chase,  son  of  John 
Chase,  was  of  Chesham ;  married  Eliza- 
beth, daughter  of  Richard  Bould.  Chil- 
dren :  Richard,  married  Mary  Roberts ; 
Francis  ;  John  ;  Matthew  ;  Thomas,  men- 
tioned below  ;  Ralph  ;  William  ;  Bridget. 

(IV)  Thomas  (2)  Chase,  son  of  Mat- 
thew Chase,  was  of  Hundrich,  Parish 
Chesham.  Children,  born  at  Hundrich  : 
John,  baptized  November  30,  1540;  Rich- 
ard, mentioned  below;  Agnes,  baptized 
January  9,  1551 ;   William;  Christian. 

(V)  Richard  Chase,  son  of  Thomas  (2) 
Chase,  was  born  at  Hundrich,  England, 
and  baptized  there,  August  3,  1542.  He 
married,  April  16,  1564,  Joan  Bishop. 
Children,  born  at  Hundrich  :  Robert,  bap- 
tized September  2,  1565;  Henry,  August 
10,  1567;  Lydia,  October  4,  1573;  Ezekiel, 
April  2,  1575;  Aquila,  mentioned  below; 
Jason,  January  13,  1585;  Thomas,  July 
18,  1586;  Abigail,  January  12,  1588;  Mor- 
decai,  July  31,  1591. 

(VI)  Aquila  Chase,  son  of  Richard 
Chase,  was  baptized  at  Hundrich,  Eng- 
land, August  14,1580.  Children:  Thomas; 
Aquila,  mentioned  below. 

(VII)  Aquila  (2)  Chase,  son  of  Aquila 
(1)  Chase,  was  born  in  England  in  1618, 
and  came  early  to  New  England.  He  was 
a  mariner  and  probably  sailed  under  his 
uncle  or  brother,  Thomas  Chase,  who  in 
1626  was  part  owner  of  the  ship  "John 


and  Francis."  Aquila  Chase  was  of 
Hampton,  New  Hampshire,  as  early  as 
1640.  He  removed  to  Newbury,  Massa- 
chusetts, in  1646,  when  he  had  four  acres 
of  land  granted  him  there  for  a  house  lot 
and  six  acres  of  marsh.  He  was  a  ship- 
master. He  died  December  27,  1670,  aged 
fifty-two  years.  His  will  was  dated  Sep- 
tember 19,  1670.  He  married  Anne, 
daughter  of  John  Wheeler,  who  came 
from  Salisbury,  England.  She  died  April 
21,  1687.  Children:  Sarah,  married 
Charles  Annis ;  Anna,  born  July  6,  1647; 
Priscilla,  March  14,  1649;  Mary,  Febru- 
ary 3,  1651  ;  Thomas,  July  25,  1654;  John, 
November  2,  1655  ;  Elizabeth,  September 
13,  1657;  Ruth,  March  18,  1660;  Daniel, 
December  9,  1661  ;  Moses,  mentioned  be- 
low. 

(VIII)  Moses  Chase,  son  of  Aquila  (2) 
Chase,  was  born  in  Newbury,  Massachu- 
setts, December  24,  1663.  He  married 
(first)  November  10,  1684,  Ann  Follans- 
bee;  (second)  December  13,  1713,  Sarah 
Jacobs.  Children :  Moses,  born  Septem- 
ber 20,  1685,  died  young;  Daniel,  twin  of 
Moses,  mentioned  below  ;  Moses,  January 
20,  1688;  Samuel,  May  13,  1690;  Eliza- 
beth, September  25,  1693 ;  Stephen,  Au- 
gust 29,  1696;  Hannah,  September  13, 
1699;  Joseph,  September  9,  1703;  Benoni. 

(IX)  Daniel  Chase,  son  of  Moses 
Chase,  was  born  at  Newbury,  September 
20,  1685,  and  died  May  28,  1769.  He  set- 
tled in  Sutton,  Worcester  county,  Massa- 
chusetts, before  March  26,  1733,  when  his 
mill  is  mentioned  in  the  town  records  and 
he  is  said  to  have  built  the  first  grist  mill 
at  Pleasant  Falls.  He  was  usually  known 
as  Miller  Chase.  He  and  his  wife  were 
admitted  to  the  Sutton  church  in  1736. 
His  homestead  was  on  the  present  site  of 
the  plant  of  the  Sutton  Manufacturing 
Company.  He  married  Sarah  March,  who 
died  in  December,  1771,  aged  eighty-eight 
years.     Children:    Samuel,  born  Septem- 


229 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ber  28,  1707,  married  Mary  Dudley ;  Dan- 
iel, September  18,  1709;  Joshua,  Novem- 
ber 9,  171 1 ;  Ann,  November  13,  1713, 
married  David  Lilley;  Sarah,  April  22, 
1716;  Nehemiah,  June  27,  1718;  Judith, 
September  7,  1720;  Caleb,  mentioned  be- 
low; Moody,  September  3,  1723,  married 
Elizabeth  Hall;  Moses,  March,  1726,  mar- 
ried Hannah  Brown. 

(X)  Lieutenant  Caleb  Chase,  son  of 
Daniel  Chase,  was  born  November  29, 
1722,  and  died  October  2,  1808.  He  mar- 
ried Sarah  Prince,  who  died  February 
15,  1803.  He  was  ensign  and  later  lieu- 
tenant of  the  Sutton  company.  From 
1767  to  1776  inclusive  he  was  one  of  the 
selectmen  of  the  town  and  among  the 
leading  citizens.  Children,  born  in  Sut- 
ton :  Phebe,  born  April  7,  1747;  Mary, 
September  2,  1748;  Nehemiah,  mentioned 
below;  David  Prince,  January  15,  1753; 
Caleb,  March  19,  1755;  Joseph,  March  13, 
1757;  Sarah,  May  1,  1759;  John,  March 
2,  1761 ;  Stephen,  April  26,  1763;  Moses, 
November  1,  1765 ;  Daniel,  January  9, 
1768;  Israel,  March  21,  1770;  Rachel, 
October  18,  1772,  married  David  Dudley. 

(XI)  Corporal  Nehemiah  Chase,  son  of 
Lieutenant  Caleb  Chase,  was  born  at  Sut- 
ton, February  8,  1751,  died  October  5, 
1808.  He  was  a  corporal  in  the  Sutton 
company  in  the  Revolution.  He  married, 
December  17,  1778,  Vashti  Batcheller. 
Children,  born  at  Sutton  :  Abner,  married 
Sukey  Marble ;  Caleb,  mentioned  below ; 
Sarah,  married  Simon  Woodbury ;  Lavina, 
married  Captain  Nathaniel  Sibley ;  Abra- 
ham, died  October  29,  1857;  Nehemiah; 
Vashti. 

(XII)  Caleb  (2)  Chase,  son  of  Corporal 
Nehemiah  Chase,  was  born  at  Sutton 
about  1780,  and  died  there  in  1848.  He 
was  selectman  of  Sutton  in  1820.  He 
married  (first)  December  27,  1806,  Fannie 
Harris;  (second)  September  1,  1840,  Mrs. 
Almira   H.   Grover,   sister  of  first   wife. 


Children  by  first  wife :  Emily,  born  Feb- 
ruary 21,  1808,  married  Nathan  Garfield; 
Malinda,  September  23,  1810,  married 
Hymen  Barber ;  Amanda,  November  27, 
1812,  married  Silas  E.  Chase;  Serena, 
April  4,  1815,  married  Sumner  Pratt  (see 
Pratt  VI)  ;  Fanny  L.,  July  24,  1817,  mar- 
ried Charles  H.  Town ;  Vashti  A.,  No- 
vember 30,  1819,  married  Leroy  Litch- 
field; Achsah  A.,  April  13,  1822;  Caleb 
Harris,  March  26,  1824;  Abner  Hiram., 
November  25,  1829. 

(The  Hilllard  Line). 

(I)  Emanuel  Hilliard,  the  immigrant 
ancestor,  was  born  in  England  about 
1620.  He  settled  in  Hampton,  New 
Hampshire,  and,  October  10,  1657,  re- 
ceived by  deed  of  gift  from  Rev.  Timothy 
Dalton,  his  loving  kinsman,  a  hundred 
acres  of  meadow  and  upland,  part  of  the 
grantor's  farm.  Emanuel  Hilliard  was  a 
mariner  and  ten  days  later  he  was  lost 
at  sea,  October  20,  1657.  He  married 
Elizabeth  Parkhurst,  a  niece  of  Ruth  Dal- 
ton. She  married  (second)  Joseph  Merry. 
Children  of  Emanuel  Hilliard:  Timothy, 
mentioned  below;  John,  born  March  2, 
1651,  died  August  7,  1652;  Benjamin,  No- 
vember 2,  1652,  killed  by  Indians,  June 
13,  1677;  Elizabeth,  January  22,  1655. 

(II)  Timothy  Hilliard,  son  of  Emanuel 
Hilliard,  was  born  in  1646.  He  lived  at 
Hampton,  where  he  married  (first)  De- 
cember 3,  1673,  Apphia  Philbrick,  daugh- 
ter of  James  Philbrick ;  (second)  Septem- 
ber 20,  1712,  Mehitable .    Children 

by  first  wife :  Elizabeth,  born  September 
29,  1679;  Benjamin,  mentioned  below; 
Apphia,  August  29, 1686,  died  1699;  Mary, 
August  23,  1688 ;  daughter,  June  24,  1690. 

(III)  Benjamin  Hilliard,  son  of  Timo- 
thy Hilliard,  was  born  at  Hampton,  July 
19,  1681.  He  married  (first)  April  20, 
1703,  Mehitable  Weare,  daughter  of  Na- 
thaniel Weare;  (second)  April  3,  1706, 
Elizabeth    Chase,    daughter    of    Joseph 


230 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Chase.  Children,  born  at  Hampton  :  Ben- 
jamin, October  14,  1704;  Anne,  January 
7,  1708 ;  Jonathan,  married,  February  10, 
1732,  Hannah  Cooper;  Timothy,  born 
August  3,  1713;  Rachel,  September  23, 
1715;  Elizabeth,  January  12, 1718 ;  Joseph, 
mentioned  below. 

(IV)  Joseph  Hilliard  (Joseph  Chase 
Hilliard),  son  of  Benjamin  Hilliard,  was 
born  at  Hampton.  August  13,  1720.  His 
will  was  proved  February  29,  1796.     He 

married    Huldah   .     He   settled   in 

Kensington,  New  Hampshire,  and  was 
one  of  forty-seven  inhabitants  who  signed 
a  petition,  May  20,  1778,  for  a  grant  of 
land.  Children  :  Joseph  resided  in  Kens- 
ington ;  Timothy,  mentioned  below;  and 
other  children. 

(V)  Rev.  Timothy  (2)  Hilliard,  son  of 
Joseph  Chase  Hilliard,  was  born  at  Kens- 
ington in  1746.  He  graduated  from  Har- 
vard College  in  1764  and  was  a  tutor  in 
the  college,  1768-71  ;  chaplain  at  the  Castle 
William  in  1768.  He  was  ordained  at 
Barnstable,  April  10,  1771,  but  after  seven 
years  he  resigned  on  account  of  ill  health. 
He  became  colleague  of  Rev.  Dr.  Apple- 
ton  in  the  Cambridge  church,  October  27, 
1783,  succeeded  him  and  was  pastor  until 
his  death,  a  period  of  seven  years.  Presi- 
dent Williams,  of  Harvard,  said:  "There 
was  no  minister  among  us  of  his  standing 
who  perhaps  had  a  fairer  prospect  of  be- 
coming extensively  useful  to  the  churches 
of  Christ  in  this  Commonwealth.''  The 
"History  of  Barnstable"  (Swift)  says: 
"No  pastor  of  the  Barnstable  church  ever 
was  more  beloved  or  respected  by  his 
people."  He  died  May  9,  1790,  aged 
forty-three  years.  He  married  Mary  Fos- 
ter, daughter  of  Thomas  Foster,  of  Bos- 
ton. Children,  born  at  Barnstable:  Mary, 
baptized  October  16,  1772;  Joseph,  June 
26,  1774,  minister  of  Berwick,  Maine ; 
Timothy,  July  21,  1776,  rector  of  the 
Protestant    Episcopal    church.    Portland ; 


William,  mentioned  below  ;  Charles,  Feb- 
ruary 10,  1780.  At  Cambridge:  Francis, 
baptized  December  26,  1784,  elder  of  the 
church  at  Cambridge,  died  April  2,  1836. 

(VI)  William  Hilliard,  son  of  Rev. 
Timothy  Hilliard,  was  born  at  Barn- 
stable, July  12,  1778.  He  was  a  promi- 
nent publisher,  founder  of  the  firm  of 
Hilliard  &  Gray  (now  Little,  Brown  & 
Company).  He  was  deacon  of  the  First 
Church  of  Cambridge  from  April  5,  1804, 
to  April  27,  1836.  He  married  (intention 
dated  October  30,  1802)  Sarah  Lovering 
Hilliard,  his  cousin.  Children,  born  at 
Cambridge:  William,  born  October  15, 
1803;  Francis  Sales,  baptized  January  27, 
1805;  Francis,  mentioned  below;  Sarah 
Ann,  September  13,  1808;  Elizabeth,  Oc- 
tober 22,  1810;  Joseph  Foster,  May  13, 
1814;  James  Winthrop,  March  28,  1816; 
Edward  Augustus,  September  19,  1821. 

(VII)  Francis  Hilliard,  son  of  Wil- 
liam Hilliard,  was  born  at  Cambridge,  No- 
vember 1,  1806,  died  at  Worcester,  Octo- 
ber 9,  1878.  He  graduated  from  Harvard 
College  in  1823;  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
and  practiced  law  for  many  years.  He  was 
judge  of  the  Roxbury  police  court  and 
commissioner  of  insolvency  of  Norfolk 
county.  He  represented  his  town  in  the 
General  Court.  His  later  years  were  de- 
voted largely  to  the  writing  of  legal 
works,  and  from  1837  to  1866  he  pub- 
lished a  succession  of  notable  law  books. 
Among  them  were:  "Digest  of  Picker- 
ing's Reports"  (vii-xiv)  ;  "Law  of  Sales 
of  Personal  Property ;"  "American  Law 
of  Real  Property;"  "American  Jurispru- 
dence;" "Law  of  Mortgage  of  Real  and 
Personal  Property ;"  "Treatise  on  the 
Law  of  Vendor  and  Purchaser  of  Real 
Property ;"  "Treatise  on  Torts ;"  "The 
Law  of  Injunctions;"  "Law  of  New  Trials 
and  Other  Rehearings." 

He  married,  July  26,  1831,  Catharine 
Dexter  Haven,  born  January  4,   1802,  at 


231 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Dedham,  died  March  10,  1888,  at  Morris- 
town,  New  Jersey,  daughter  of  Hon.  Sam- 
uel and  Elizabeth  Craigie  (Foster)  Haven 
(see  Haven).  Children:  1.  Rev.  Francis 
William,  born  July  18,  1832,  died  at  Mem- 
phis, Tennessee,  July  24,  1910;  married 
Marie  Nash  Johnston,  May  12,  1857  ;  lived 
at  Edenton  and  Oxford,  North  Carolina ; 
had  ten  children.  2.  Elizabeth  Craigie 
Haven,  born  October  2,  1833,  died  un- 
married. 3.  Catharine  Lydia,  born  May 
I7>  J835;  married,  April,  1859,  Frederick 
G.  Burnham,  of  Morristown,  New  Jersey. 
4.  Samuel  Haven,  born  December  13, 
1838,  at  Cambridge ;  married,  May  19, 
1870,  Alice  Anne  Johnstone,  of  London, 
England ;  graduated  from  Harvard,  1859, 
the  General  Theological  Seminary,  1863 ; 
had  many  important  pastorates  and  was 
secretary  of  the  New  England  depart- 
ment of  the  Church  Temperance  Society 
from  1886  to  1916.  5.  Sarah  McKean, 
born  December  21,  1841,  at  Roxbury,  died 
December  27,  1897,  at  Worcester;  mar- 
ried Frederick  Sumner  Pratt  (see  Pratt). 

(The  Haven  Line). 

(I)  Sergeant  Richard  Haven,  the  immi- 
grant ancestor,  was  born  in  England  and 
came  in  1645  to  Lynn,  Massachusetts. 
His  farm  was  near  Flax  Pond.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  church  and  in  1692  was 
one  of  those  honored  with  seats  in  the 
pulpit.  He  married  Susanna  Newhall, 
daughter  of  Thomas  Newhall,  progenitor 
of  the  Newhalls  of  Essex  county.  Ser- 
geant Haven  stated  in  1691  in  a  deposi- 
tion that  his  age  was  seventy-four  years. 
His  wife  died  February  7,  1682.  His  will 
was  dated  May  21,  1701.  Children,  born 
at  Lynn :  Hannah,  born  February  22, 
1645;  Mary,  March  12,  1647;  Joseph, 
February  22,  1649;  Richard,  May  25, 
165 1 ;  Susanna,  April  24,  1653;  Sarah, 
June  4,  1655;  John,  December  10,  1656; 
Martha,  February  16,  1658 ;  Samuel,  May, 
1660 ;    Jonathan,  January   18,   1662 ;    Na- 


thaniel, June  30,  1664;  Moses,  mentioned 
below. 

(II)  Deacon  Moses  Haven,  son  of  Ser- 
geant Richard  Haven,  was  born  at  Lynn, 
May  20,  1667.  He  removed  to  Framing- 
ham  in  1705,  where  he  held  many  offices 
of  trust.  He  married  (first)  Mary  Bal- 
lard, of  Lynn,  (second)  May  27,  1735, 
Elizabeth  Bridges,  of  Framingham,  who 
died  November  1,  1747,  aged  eighty  years. 
Children,  born  in  Lynn:  Joseph,  born 
February  8,  1689;  Susanna,  October  20, 
1690;  Richard,  January  28,  1693;  Moses, 
mentioned  below;  Mary,  October  1,  1698; 
Mehitable,  January  30,  1702.  Born  at 
Framingham:  Sarah,  June  10,  1705; 
Daniel,  June  16,  1708. 

(III)  Moses  (2)  Haven,  son  of  Deacon 
Moses  (1)  Haven,  was  born  at  Lynn,  No- 
vember 11,  1695;  removed  to  Framing- 
ham with  his  parents  and  died  there.  He 
married  (first)  November  9,  1721,  Han- 
nah Walker,  who  died  February  22,  1749. 
His  second  wife,  Anna,  died  February  12, 
1778.  Children  by  first  wife,  born  at 
Framingham:  Abigail,  born  January  31, 
1724;  Isaac,  April  15,  1726;  Hannah, 
May  20,  1728;  David,  May  28,  1731  ; 
Jason,  mentioned  below ;  Abigail,  June 
9.  1739- 

(IV)  Rev.  Jason  Haven,  son  of  Moses 
(2)  Haven,  was  born  at  Framingham, 
March  2,  1733;  died  May  17,  1803.  He 
graduated  from  Harvard  College  in  1754 
and  was  ordained  minister  of  the  First 
Church  of  Dedham,  February  5,  1756. 
He  had  a  long  and  useful  pastorate.  He 
married,  October  12,  1756,  Catherine  Dex- 
ter, daughter  of  Rev.  Samuel  Dexter,  his 
predecessor.  She  died  August  30,  1814. 
Children:  William,  born  November  23, 
1759;  Jason,  January  29,  1763;  Catharine, 
October  8,  1769;  Samuel,  mentioned  be- 
low; Catherine,  August  28,  1774,  mar- 
ried Rev.  Stephen  Palmer. 

(V)  Samuel  Haven,  son  of  Rev.  Jason 


232 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Haven,  was  born  at  Dedham,  April  <;. 
1771 ;  died  at  Roxbury,  September  4, 
1847.  He  graduated  from  Harvard  in 
1789.  He  was  a  man  of  talent  and  influ- 
ence. He  was  judge  of  the  Court  of 
Common  Pleas  and  for  forty  years  reg- 
ister of  probate  of  Norfolk  county.  He 
married  at  Dedham,  March  6,  1799,  Eliza- 
beth Foster,  daughter  of  Bossenger  Fos- 
ter (see  Foster).  Children:  1.  Eliza- 
beth Craigie,  born  January  26,  1800,  died 
February  10,  1826.  2.  Catherine  Dexter, 
born  January  4,  1802,  married  Francis 
Hilliard  (see  Hilliard).  3.  Samuel  Fos- 
ter, born  May  28,  1806,  at  Dedham,  gradu- 
ated from  Harvard  in  1826:  admitted  to 
the  Middlesex  bar  and  practiced  at  Low- 
ell ;  was  appointed  librarian  of  the  Ameri- 
can Antiquarian  Society,  Worcester.  Sep- 
tember 23,  1837,  and  held  the  position  to 
the  time  of  death,  September  5,  1881  ;  re- 
ceived the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws  from 
Amherst  and  Master  of  Arts  from  Har- 
vard ;  author  of  "The  Archeology  of  the 
LTnited  States"  and  other  books ;  a  very 
scholarly  man  and  a  member  of  many 
scientific  and  historical  societies ;  mar- 
ried (first)  May  10,  1830,  Lydia  Gibbs 
Sears,  who  died  March  10,  1836;  married 
(second)  December  3,  1872,  Frances  W. 
Allen,  who  died  August  2,  1908.  Child : 
Samuel  F.  Haven,  Jr.,  M.  D.,  born  May 
20,  1831,  died  December  3,  1862,  at  Fred- 
ericksburg, Virginia;  Harvard  graduate; 
studied  at  London,  Paris.  Vienna  and 
Berlin  and  settled  in  Worcester;  he  was 
assistant  surgeon  of  the  Fifteenth  Mas- 
sachusetts Volunteer  Infantry  and  was 
killed  by  a  shell  while  performing  an 
operation  on  the  field. 

(The  Davis  Line). 

(I)  William  Davis,  the  immigrant  an- 
cestor, was  born  in  Wales  or  England, 
1617.  The  coat-of-arms  used  by  his  son, 
David,  in  sealing  his  will  is  the  same  as 
that  of  the  Davis  family  of  Carmarthen, 


South  Wales,  and  in  1623  a  William 
Davis  was  living  there.  William  Davis 
settled  in  Roxbury,  Massachusetts,  in 
1635 ;  was  admitted  a  freeman  in  1673. 
His  wife,  Elizabeth,  was  admitted  to  the 
church,  October  7,  1649,  and  tneir  threc 
children  baptized.  She  was  buried  May 
4,  1658.  He  married  (second)  October 
21,  1658,  Alice  Thorp,  who  died  soon. 
She  joined  the  church,  June  4,  1663.     He 

married   (third)  Jane  ,  who  joined 

the  church,  June  8,  1673,  and  died  May 
12,  1714,  at  Watertown.  He  died  Decem- 
ber 9,  1683,  at  Roxbury.  Children  by 
first  wife :  John,  mentioned  below ; 
Samuel,  born  February  21,  1645;  Joseph, 
October  12,  1649.  By  second  wife:  Wil- 
liam, baptized  June  14,  1663 ;  Elizabeth, 
baptized  June  14,  1663;  Matthew,  bap- 
tized January  24,  1664;  Jonathan,  Febru- 
ary 2,  1665.  By  third  wife:  Mary,  March 
28,  1669;  Jane,  December  21,  1670;  Ra- 
chel, August  26,  1672 ;  Benjamin,  May 
31,  1674;  Ichabod,  1676;  Ebenezer,  bap- 
tized April  9,  1678;  William,  1680;  Sarah, 
baptized  July  20,  1681 ;  Isaac,  baptized 
April  18,  1683. 

(II)  John  Davis,  son  of  William  Davis, 
was  born  October  1,  1643,  at  Roxbury, 
died  March  16,  1705.  He  married,  Febru- 
ary 5,  1767,  Mary  Devotion,  daughter  of 
Edward  Devotion.  She  joined  the  church. 
October  29,  1671,  and  died  February  15, 
1683.  Children,  born  at  Roxbury:  John, 
born  January  11,  1670;  William,  August 
11,  1673;  Mary,  April  6,  1676;  Elizabeth, 
April  18,  1678;  Samuel,  mentioned  below. 

(III)  Samuel  Davis,  son  of  John  Davis, 
was  born  at  Roxbury,  June  23,  1681.  He 
had  land  at  Oxford  in  1720  and  removed 
thither  in  1728-29.  He  was  moderator  of 
most  of  the  town  meetings ;  elected  dea- 
con in  1735;  was  deputy  to  the  General 
Court  in  1742  and  1747.  He  gave  his  land 
to  his  children  during  his  life.  He  mar- 
ried   (first)    June    23,    1709,   at    Roxbury, 


233 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Mary,  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Mary 
(Child)  Chamberlain.  She  was  born  Au- 
gust i,  1687,  died  February  11,  1730. 
Mary  Child  was  daughter  of  Benjamin 
and  Mary  Child,  born  October  28,  1660. 
He  married  (second)  at  Roxbury,  Octo- 
ber 13,  1731,  Mary  Weld,  born  April  10, 
1695,  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Sarah 
(Faxon)  Weld.  She  died  at  Oxford,  Au- 
gust 9,  1786.  Her  mother  was  a  daughter 
of  Thomas  and  Deborah  (Thayer)  Faxon. 
He  died  at  Oxford,  April  8,  1760.  Chil- 
dren by  first  wife:  Samuel,  born  Febru- 
ary 13,  171 1 ;  Thomas,  September  13, 
1712,  died  young;  Edward,  January  23, 
1714;  Thomas,  November  4,  1715;  Mary, 
July  8,  1717;  Daniel,  February  1,  1719; 
Jacob,  October  15,  1720;  Elisha,  Febru- 
ary 16,  1722;  John,  July  5,  1723;  Eliza- 
beth, January  16,  1725  ;  Hannah,  May  26, 
1726;  Sarah,  March  11,  1728.  By  second 
wife:  John,  November  30,  1732;  Sarah, 
December  31,  1734;  Rebecca,  January  10, 
1737;  Nathaniel,  November  7,  1738. 

(IV)  Captain  Samuel  (2)  Davis,  son  of 
Samuel  (1)  Davis,  was  born  at  Roxbury, 
February  13,  171 1,  and  died  at  Oxford  in 
1784.  His  father  gave  him  one  hundred 
and  eighty-nine  acres  in  the  eastern  part 
of  Oxford  in  1738.  He  was  captain  of  an 
Oxford  company  in  the  French  and  In- 
dian War  and  served  at  Forts  Edward 
and  William  Henry.  He  was  constable, 
1740-60;  selectman,  four  years,  and  was 
on  the  committee  to  build  the  church  of 
which  his  father  was  chairman.  He  mar- 
ried, April  15,  1735,  Ruth  Learned,  born 
April  5,  1717,  died  April  26.  1767,  daugh- 
ter of  Ebenezer  and  Deborah  Learned. 
Children,  born  at  Oxford :  Deborah,  born 
October  12,  1736;  Ruth,  September  16, 
1738,  died  1741 ;  Samuel,  September  16, 
1741 ;  Asa,  November  27,  1743;  Samuel, 
April  1,  1746;  Ruth,  August  2,  1748; 
Elijah,  October  8,  1750;  Ruth,  November 
25,  1752,  married  Dr.  Ezra  Conant  (see 
Conant)  ;    Learned,  November  7,  1755. 


(The  Foster  Line). 

(I)  Timothy  Foster  was  born,  it  is  be- 
lieved, in  Devonshire,  England.  He  mar- 
ried (first)  in  England,  and  his  wife  died 
there.  He  married  (second)  in  England, 
Mrs.  Eglin  (Hatherly)  Hanford.  She 
married  (third)  in  this  country,  Deacon 
Richard  Sealis,  who  died  at  Scituate, 
Massachusetts,  in  1656.  Eglin  Hatherly 
was  a  sister  of  the  honored  Timothy 
Hatherly,  who  arrived  at  Plymouth  in 
the  ship  "Ann"  in  1623.  After  the  death 
of  Timothy  Foster,  his  widow  came  in 
the  ship  "Planter"  with  her  three  chil- 
dren :  Eglin,  Lettice  and  Rev.  Thomas 
Hanford.  Deacon  Sealis,  her  third  hus- 
band, went  to  Scituate  in  1634.  Child 
of  Timothy  Foster  by  first  wife,  born  in 
England : 

(II)  Edward  Foster,  son  of  Timothy 
Foster,  was  born  in  County  Kent,  Eng- 
land, and  came  to  this  country  probably 
in  the  ship  "Ann"  with  Timothy  Hath- 
erly, his  uncle.  He  settled  on  Kent 
street,  Scituate,  near  Satuit  brook  in  1633 
and  was  taxed  the  same  year.  He  was  a 
lawyer  and  practiced  in  England  before 
emigrating,  but  in  the  colony  he  followed 
farming.  He  had  sixty  acres  on  the 
North  river  near  Humphrey  Turner's 
at  King's  Landing.  He  was  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  church,  January  8,  1635 ; 
deputy  to  the  General  Court,  1639-40,  and 
constantly  active  in  public  life.  He  was 
government  assistant  in  1637.  His  will 
was  dated  November  24,  1643,  bequeath- 
ing property  to  wife  Lettice,  and  son 
Timothy,  and  an  infant  unborn.  He  mar- 
ried at  Mr.  Cudworth's  house,  April  8, 
1635,  Lettice  Hanford,  daughter  of  his 
stepmother.  The  famous  Myles  Standish 
officiated  at  the  wedding.  The  inventory 
of  his  estate  was  taken  by  Timothy  Hath- 
erly and  Deacon  Sealis  and  they  with 
Edward  Edenden  were  trustees  of  the 
estate.  Children,  born  at  Scituate :  Timo- 
thy, baptized  March  7,  1636,  buried  De- 


234 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


cember  5,  1637;  Timothy,  baptized  April 
22,  1638,  died  young;  Timothy,  mentioned 
below  ;  Elizabeth,  born  1644. 

(III)  Sergeant  Timothy  (2)  Foster,  son 
of  Edward  Foster,  was  born  in  Scituate 
in  1640.  He  sold  part  of  his  house  lot  in 
Scituate  in  1662  to  Edward  Jenkins  and 
went  to  live  in  Dorchester,  but  later  re- 
turned to  his  farm  on  North  river.  He 
married  (first)  October  13,  1663,  Mrs. 
Ruth  (Tileston)  Denton.  Her  father  was 
a  freeman  in  1636  and  an  enterprising, 
useful  citizen.  She  died  December  5, 
1677,  and  Sergeant  Foster  married  (sec- 
ond) March  9,  1679,  Mrs.  Relief  (Hol- 
land) Dowse,  who  had  married  (first) 
October  31,  1672,  John  Dowse,  by  whom 
she  had  four  children.  Her  third  hus- 
band was  Henry  Leadbetter.  She  died 
July  7,  1743.  Sergeant  Foster  died  De- 
cember 16,  1688.  His  will  was  dated  De- 
cember 15  1688,  proved  February  11,  fol- 
lowing. Children  by  first  wife:  Ruth, 
born  at  Scituate,  September  4,  1664; 
Elizabeth,  October  8,  1667 ;  Naomi,  Feb- 
ruary 11,  1668;  Hatherly,  September  22, 
1671 ;  Rebecca,  September  12,  1675.  By 
second  wife:  Timothy,  January  8,  1681  ; 
Edward,  January  22,  1682;  Thomas, 
mentioned  below;  Elizabeth,  October  13, 
1688 ;    Prudence,  December  3,  1694. 

(IV)  Thomas  Foster,  son  of  Sergeant 
Timothy  (2)  Foster,  was  born  at  Dor- 
chester, November  3,  1686.  He  married 
(first)  June  1,  171 1,  Ann  Bossenger.  She 
died  and  he  married  (second)  (intention 
dated  July  14,  1748)  Zibiah  (Sumner) 
Neal,  who  died  in  1782.  He  was  a  mer- 
chant. He  died  in  1752  and  his  widow 
was  appointed  administratrix  and  son 
Thomas  administrator.  The  estate  was 
distributed  by  order  of  the  court,  January 
1,  1754.  Children,  born  in  Boston:  Thom- 
as, mentioned  below ;  Mary,  October  26, 
1715,  died  young;  Edward,  November 
16,   1717;    Bossenger,  January  21,   1719, 


died  young;  Ann,  December  19,  1720, 
died  young;  Timothy,  February  1,  1722, 
died  young;  Ann,  April  29  1724;  Timo- 
thy, November  8,  1725,  died  young; 
Joshua,  February  16,  1727,  died  young; 
William,  May  9,  1730,  died  young;  Pru- 
dence, June  28,  1731,  died  young;  Eliza- 
beth, October  1,  1732. 

(V)  Thomas  (2)  Foster,  son  of  Thom- 
as (1)  Foster,  was  born  at  Boston,  July 
15,  1713.  He  married  (first)  at  Boston, 
July  14,  1737,  Abigail  Howell,  daughter 
of  Henry  Howell,  of  Boston.  He  married 
(second)  January  8,  1740,  Sarah  Banks, 
daughter  of  John  Banks.  Child  of  first 
wife,  born  in  Boston:  Thomas,  born  July 
4.  1738.  By  second  wife:  John,  Novem- 
ber 28,  1740;  Bossenger,  mentioned  be- 
low; Joseph,  1745;  William,  September 
28,  1746;  Timothy,  1754;  Sarah;  Mary, 
married  Rev.  Timothy  Hilliard ;  Hannah; 
Elizabeth. 

(VI)  Bossenger  Foster,  son  of  Thomas 
(2)  Foster,  was  born  at  Boston,  June  3, 
1742.  He  married  (first)  (intention  dated 
November  6,  1766)  Elizabeth  Craigie ; 
(second)  (intention,  February  26,  1779) 
Mary  Craigie.  He  resided  on  what  is 
known  as  the  Batchelder  estate  on  the 
south  side  of  Brattle  street,  opposite  the 
Longfellow  mansion.  His  wife,  Mary, 
was  appointed  administratrix,  May  14, 
1805.  His  brother-in-law,  Andrew  Craigie, 
owned  and  occupied  what  is  now  known 
as  the  Longfellow  mansion,  built  by  Colo- 
nel Henry  Vassall  and  the  children  of 
Bossenger  Foster  were  his  heirs.  The 
Vassall  or  Craigie  homestead  fell  to  the 
daughter,  Elizabeth  Haven,  and  was  sold, 
December,  1841,  to  Samuel  Batchelder. 
(See  Gen.  Reg.  July,  1891.  Also  Gen. 
Reg.,  Vol.  XVII,  p.  114,  for  an  account  of 
the  home  of  Bossenger  Foster.)  Mr. 
Foster  died  April  23,  1805.  Children, 
born  at  Cambridge :  Bossenger,  born  De- 
cember 9,    1767;    Elizabeth,  January   23, 


235 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1770,  married  Hon.  Samuel  Haven  (see 
Haven);  Andrew,  September  7,  1780; 
John,  July  4,  1782;  Thomas,  November 
9,  1784;  James,  April  23,  1786;  George, 
May  6,  1790;  Mary  Craigie,  December  3, 
1795- 


WASHBURN,  John  E., 

Head  of  Important  Industry. 

The  surname  Washburn  is  identical 
with  Washborn,  Washburne  and  Wash- 
bourne,  the  name  being  derived  from  the 
name  of  two  small  villages,  Little  Wash- 
bourne  or  Knight's  Washbourne  in  Over- 
bury  in  southern  Worcestershire,  and 
Great  Washbourne,  in  the  same  locality 
in  Gloucestershire.  The  word  itself  is 
from  two  Saxon  words,  meaning  a  swift- 
flowing  brook.  The  authentic  history  of 
the  family  begins  before  the  adoption  of 
the  surname.  "Washbourne's  Book  of 
Family  Crests"  states  that  the  founder  of 
the  family  was  of  Norman  ancestry;  was 
knighted  on  the  field  of  battle  at  the  time 
of  the  Conquest ;  was  endowed  by  Wil- 
liam the  Conqueror  with  the  lands  and 
manors  of  Little  and  Great  Washbourne. 
counties  of  Gloucester  and  Worcester. 
That  statement  is  not  authenticated,  but 
practically  all  the  knights  and  nobles  of 
the  time  in  which  the  known  family  be- 
gins had  a  similar  origin.  As  early  as 
the  reign  of  Henry  II,  we  know  that  Wil- 
liam, son  of  Sampson,  was  Lord  of  Little 
Washbourne.  The  armorial  bearings  of 
the  family  indicate  descent  from  the 
houses  of  Zouche  and  Corbett. 

The  coat-of-arms  is  described :  Argent 
on  a  fesse  between  six  martlets  gules, 
three  quatrefoils  slipped  bendways  of  the 
first.  Later  the  family  at  Worcestershire 
modified  this  armorial  slightly,  viz. : 
Argent  on  a  fesse  between  six  martlets 
gules  three  cinquefoils  of  the  field.  Crest : 
A  coil  of  flax  surmounted  with  a  wreath 


argent  and  gules  thereon  flames  of  fire 
proper. 

(I)  Sir  Roger  de  Washburn,  the  first 
in  the  authenticated  line,  was  living  at 
the  time  surnames  came  into  general  use 
in  England.  He  is  mentioned  in  an  in- 
quisition in  1259  concerning  William  de 
Stutevil,  and  in  the  Lay  Subsidy  Roll  of 
1280  he  is  described  as  of  Little  Com- 
berton  and  of  Washbourne,  as  well  as  of 
Stanford,  a  town  twenty-five  miles  from 
Washbourne.  His  wife  was  Joan.  His 
son  and  heir  was  Sir  John,  mentioned  be- 
low. 

(II)  Sir  Roger  de  Washborne,  son  of 

Sir  John,   married   Margaret  ,  as 

early  as  1316.  He  had  the  property  of 
Washbourne  and  Stanford,  and  his  name 
is  on  the  rolls  of  both  places  in  1327 ;  also 
in  the  roll  of  1332-33  under  Stanford ;  and 
in  the  Nonarum  Inquisitiones  in  1340,  he 
joins  in  the  declaration  as  to  the  church 
at  Overbury  (Little  Washbourne).  He 
was  the  patron  of  the  living  at  Stanford, 
and  appointed  three  incumbents  to  the 
church — Thomas  de  Washborne,  May  30, 
1349;  John  Arches,  July  16,  1349;  and 
William  de  Edynghull,  July  2,  1353.  His 
mother,  Isabella  de  "Wasseborne,"  ap- 
pointed Petrus  de  Wasseborn,  September, 
1316,  to  the  same  living.  Sir  Roger  died 
after  1358.    He  had  two  sons  named  John. 

(III)  John  Washburn,  the  younger  son 
of  Roger,  succeeded  to  the  estates  as  heir 
of  his  elder  brother  of  the  same  name. 
This  custom  of  giving  the  same  name  to 
two  sons  in  the  same  family  was  not  un- 
common down  to  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury.    He  married  Isabelle  .     His 

son,  Peter,  is  mentioned  below. 

(IV)  Peter  Washborn,  son  of  John, 
married,  in  1355,  Isolde  Hanley,  daughter 
of  Haley  William,  according  to  both  Col- 
lege of  Arms  pedigrees,  but  other  good 
authority  gives  the  name  of  her  father  as 


236 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


John  Hanley.  They  had  sons:  John,  men- 
tioned below,  and  William. 

(V)  John  Washborn,  son  of  Peter, 
married  (first)  Jane  Musard,  daughter 
of  Sir  John  and  Katherine  (Thromwin) 
(Washborn)  Musard.  Her  mother  was 
the  widow  of  John,  the  elder  son  of  Sir 
Roger  (II).  He  married  (second)  Mar- 
ger  Poher  (Powre),  of  Winchenford. 
John  Washborn  held  various  offices  of 
trust  and  honor;  was  on  the  commission 
of  the  peace  for  Worcestershire  in  1404- 
05 ;  vice-comes  described  as  of  Wash- 
borne  in  Overbury ;  knight  of  the  shire 
in  1404;  escheator.  His  tomb  is  the 
oldest  of  the  four  which  were  formerly  in 
the  chancel  of  the  church  at  Winchen- 
ford, and  is  described  by  Thomas  Habing- 
don,  who  died  in  1633:  "In  the  northe  of 
the  Chauncell  is  an  auncient  Tombe  of 
Alabaster  on  the  ground.  A  man  all 
armed  savinge  his  heade,  vnder  which 
lyethe  hys  helmet  with  a  wreathe,  and 
thereon  a  flame  of  fyre  within  a  band, 
mantled  and  doubled,  at  hys  feete  a  Ly. 
On  his  ryght  hand  his  wyfe  with  a  lttell 
dog  at  her  feete.  Between  them  Wash- 
born armes  impalinge  a  cheueron."  Chil- 
dren :  Isolde,  married  John  Salwey,  and 
had  the  estate  at  Stanford  ;  Norman,  men- 
tioned below  ;  John  ;    Elynor. 

(VI)  Norman  Washborne,  son  of 
John,  was  involved  in  litigation  with 
Humphrey  Salwey,  his  nephew.  Salwey 
claimed  Little  Washborn,  and  Norman 
claimed  Stanford.  The  controversy  was 
finally  referred  to  George,  Duke  of  Clar- 
ence ("the  false,  fleeting,  perjured  Clar- 
ence" of  Shakespeare),  and  his  award  as- 
signing Stanford  to  Salwey  and  Little 
Washbourne,  subject  to  a  payment,  to 
John  Washbourne,  son  of  Norman,  was 
accepted  and  ratified  by  deeds  dated 
October  2,  19th  Edward  IV.  John  Wash- 
bourne also  had  the  Wichenford  property 
that    came    to    him    through    his    grand- 


mother, heiress  of  the  Pohers,  and  for  ten 
generations  Wichenford  was  the  home  of 
the  Washburns. 

Norman  Washborne  married  Elizabeth 
Knivton,  who  died  probably  in  1454.  He 
died  before  1479.  He  confirmed  his  prop- 
erty by  deed  in  the  eleventh  year  of 
Henry  VI ;  was  vice-comes  of  Worcester- 
shire in  17th  Henry  VI.  Children:  John, 
mentioned  below;  Eleanor,  married  Sir 
Richard  Scrope,  and  (second)  Sir  John 
Wyndham ;  Anne,  married  Thomas 
Gower;  daughter,  married  John  Vam- 
page ;  Elizabeth,  married  Nicholas  Foly- 
otte ;  daughter,  married  John  Hugford ; 
Thomas. 

(VII)  John  Washbourne,  son  and  heir 
of  Norman,  was  born  as  early  as  1454  and 
died  in  1517.  His  name  appears  on  the 
list  of  commissioners  appointed  under 
acts  for  raising  subsidies  of  the  years 
1486-87,  1513-14  and  1514-15.  He  mar- 
ried (first)  Joan  Mitton,  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam Mitton,  Lord  of  Weston,  Stafford- 
shire. Her  ancestry  is  recorded  in  the 
Visitation  of  Shropshire,  1623.  He  mar- 
ried (second)  Elizabeth  Monington,  of 
Butters,  Herefordshire.  His  will  was 
dated  May  3,  1517,  and  he  died  May  6, 
1517.  He  was  buried  in  the  Wichenford 
church,  and  the  inscription  has  been  pre- 
served, though  the  monument  has  dis- 
appeared. In  1640  his  tomb  was  in  the 
chancel  opposite  that  of  his  grandfather. 
Children  by  first  wife :  Robert,  married 
Eleanor  Staples,  and  has  descendants 
living  in  England ;  John,  mentioned  be- 
low;  Walter;  Francis.  By  second  wife  : 
Anthony,  married  Anne  Leyland,  died 
1570;  Richard. 

(VIII)  John  Washbourne,  son  of  John, 
settled  at  Bengeworth,  a  few  miles  from 
Little  Washbourne,  probably  at  the  time 
of  his  father's  death  in  1517.  His  wife's 
name  was  Emme.  His  will,  dated  De- 
cember 27,  1546,  bequeathed  to  two  sons 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  daughters  and  to  grandchildren.  The 
will  of  Emme,  his  wife,  dated  May  I, 
1547,  left  bequests  to  children,  grandchil- 
dren and  various  friends.  He  was  buried 
January  8,  1548;  his  wife  May  13,  1547. 
Children :  John,  mentioned  below ;  Wil- 
liam, married  Margaret  Harwood ;  Kather- 
ine,  married  Daniel  Hyde ;  Alice,  married 
Robert  Marten. 

(IX)  John  Washbourne,  son  of  John, 
also  lived  at  Bengeworth.  He  married 
(first)  April  21,  1542,  Joan  Busnell,  who 
was  buried  April  4,  1557.  He  married 
(second)  May  8,  1561,  Jone  Whithead, 
who  was  buried  April  23,  1567.  The 
three  younger  children  were  by  a  third 
wife.  He  died  intestate  in  1593,  and  was 
buried  October  13.  The  parish  register 
of  Bengeworth  begins  with  the  year 
1538.  Children,  born  at  Bengeworth: 
Margaret,  baptized  June  12,  1542;  Jo- 
hanne,  baptized  October  5,  1544;  Agnes, 
baptized  August  6,  1547;  John,  men- 
tioned below ;  William,  born  August, 
1556;  Radegonne,  a  daughter,  baptized 
February  21,  1579;  Daniel,  baptized  June 
17,  1582;  Mary,  baptized  December  7, 
1584. 

(X)  John  Washbourne,  son  of  John, 
was  born  about  1555.  A  son  was  bap- 
tized to  his  parents,  name  not  given  in 
the  record,  August  1,  1556.  He  was  one 
of  the  twelve  principal  burgesses  men- 
tioned in  the  charter  granted  by  King 
James  to  Evesham  and  Bengeworth  in 
1605,  constituting  them  a  borough.  He 
married,  July  6,  1596,  Martha  Stevens, 
who  died  in  1625-26.  Her  will  was  dated 
September  29,  1625,  and  proved  May  9, 
1626.  His  will  was  dated  August  4,  1624. 
His  inventory  was  dated  December  11, 
1624.  He  was  then  old  and,  as  stated  in 
his  will,  unable  to  sign  his  name  on 
account  of  blindness.  Children :  John, 
mentioned  below  ;  Jane,  baptized  Decem- 
ber 2,  1599  married  Isaac  Averill;   Wil- 


liam, baptized  November  9,  1601 ;   Jone, 
baptized  April  11,  1604. 

(XI)  John  Washburn,  son  of  John, 
was  baptized  in  Bengeworth,  England, 
July  2,  1597,  and  was  the  founder  of  the 
American  family.  He  was  church  warden 
at  Bengeworth  in  1625 ;  settled  in  Dux- 
bury,  Massachusetts,  in  1632.  Two  sons, 
Philip  and  John,  and  his  wife,  came  with 
him.  In  1632  he  had  a  case  in  court 
against  Edward  Doty ;  he  was  a  taxpayer 
in  1633.  In  1634  he  bought  of  Edward 
Bompasse  a  place  beyond  the  creek, 
called  Eagle's  Nest.  He  and  his  sons 
were  on  the  list  of  those  able  to  bear  arms 
in  1643.  He  and  his  son  John  were 
among  the  fifty-four  original  proprietors 
of  Bridgewater  in  1645.  He  died  at 
Bridgewater  in  1670.  He  married  Mar- 
gery Moore,  who  was  baptized  in  1588. 
Children:  Mary,  baptized  1619;  John, 
mentioned  below;  Philip,  baptized  and 
buried  in  June,  1622,  at  Bengeworth ; 
Philip. 

(XII)  John  Washburn,  son  of  John, 
was  baptized  at  Bengeworth,  England,  in 
1620,  and  came  to  New  England  with  his 
father.  In  1645  ne  married  Elizabeth 
Mitchell,  as  shown  by  a  letter  written  by 
her  nephew,  Thomas  Mitchell,  to  his 
uncle,  Experience,  dated  at  Amsterdam, 
July  24,  1662;  the  letter  is  preserved. 
She  was  a  daughter  of  Ephraim  and  Jane 
(Cook)  Mitchell,  and  granddaughter  of 
Francis  Cook,  who  came  to  Plymouth  in 
the  "Mayflower."  John  Washburn  sold 
his  house  at  Green's  Harbor  in  Duxbury 
in  1670.  His  will  was  made  in  1686. 
Children :  John ;  Joseph,  mentioned  be- 
low; Samuel,  born  1651 ;  Jonathan;  Ben- 
jamin; Mary,  1661 ;  Elizabeth;  Jane; 
James,  1672 ;  Sarah. 

(XIII)  Joseph  Washburn,  son  of  John, 
was  born  at  Bridgewater,  about  1650; 
married  Hannah  Latham,  daughter  of 
Robert.     Their  sons  settled  in  Kingston 


238 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  Plympton.  As  early  as  1728,  Joseph, 
Miles,  Edward,  Ephraim  and  Ebenezer 
lived  in  this  section,  and  Deacon  John 
and  Ichabod  about  the  same  time.  Chil- 
dren :  Joseph,  mentioned  below ;  Jona- 
than, Ebenezer,  Miles,  Ephraim,  Edward, 
Benjamin  and  Hannah,  who  married 
Zechariah  Whitmarsh. 

(XIV)  Joseph  Washburn,  son  of  Joseph, 
was  born  about  1690.  He  married  Hannah 
Johnson,  born  at  Hingham,  January  17, 
1694,  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Abigail  John- 
son, of  Hingham,  granddaughter  of  Hum- 
phrey Johnson,  great-granddaughter  of 
John  Johnson,  one  of  the  pioneers  of 
Hingham,  Massachusetts.  She  died  in 
1780.  He  died  in  1759.  They  removed 
to  Middletown,  Connecticut,  but  settled 
before  1745  in  Leicester.  He  was  a  black- 
smith by  trade.  His  house  was  on  the 
right  side  of  the  road  to  the  William  Sil- 
vester place,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the 
Great  Road.  His  brother,  Deacon  John, 
of  Kingston,  was  the  ancestor  of  Ichabod 
and  Charles  Washburn,  of  Worcester, 
wire  manufacturers.  Children :  Colonel 
Seth,  born  1724,  a  famous  citizen  of  Lei- 
cester during  the  Revolution;  Elijah, 
mentioned  below;  Ebenezer,  born  1734; 
Abiah,  married  Jacob  Wicker;  Sarah, 
married  Jacob  Cerley;  Mary,  married 
Clough. 

(XV)  Elijah  Washburn,  son  of  Joseph, 
was  born  in  Bridgewater  in  1714.  He 
settled  in  Leicester.  In  1760  he  bought 
a  farm  of  Sarah  Rumnamah,  an  Indian, 
of  Natick,  and  settled  in  that  town.  He 
married,  December  23,  1746,  at  Leicester, 
Hannah  Taylor.  Children  :  Joseph,  born 
1754,  married  Sarah  Gay;  Elijah,  men- 
tioned below ;   Sarah. 

(XVI)  Elijah  Washburn,  son  of  Eli- 
jah, was  born  at  Leicester,  October  8, 
1758,  and  died  June  7,  1836.  He  was  a 
soldier  in  the  Revolution,  in  Captain 
Ezekiel     Knowlton's    company,    Colonel 


Nicholas  Dike's  regiment,  December, 
1776,  to  February,  1777;  also  in  Captain 
Leviston's  company,  Colonel  Denny's 
regiment,  for  nine  months,  mustered  in 
June  25,  1779  (pp.  653,  662,  Mass.  Soldiers 
and  Sailors  in  the  Revolution,  vol.  xvi). 
He  lived  in  Leicester  until  1786,  then  re- 
moved to  Hancock,  New  Hampshire, 
where  he  lived  to  the  end  of  his  days. 
He  was  a  blacksmith.  He  married,  in 
1781,  Elizabeth  Watson,  born  May  20, 
1762,  at  Leicester,  daughter  of  John  and 
Mary  Watson,  grandson  of  Matthew 
Watson,  the  first  of  the  family  in  this 
country.  John  Watson  was  born  in  the 
north  of  Ireland  in  1761,  died  1795;  his 
wife,  Mary,  died  in  1795,  aged  seventy 
years.  Children,  born  at  Leicester:  1. 
John,  mentioned  below.  2.  James,  born 
March  13,  1784,  died  at  Richmond,  Michi- 
gan, August  4,  1837.  3.  William,  Decem- 
ber 24,  1785,  died  at  Enfield,  New  Hamp- 
shire, August  12,  1865.  Born  at  Han- 
cock: 4.  Samuel,  January  8,  1788,  died 
at  New  Haven,  Vermont,  June  29,  1843. 
5.  Asa,  May  5,  1790,  died  October  2,  1824, 
father  of  Hon.  William  B.  Washburn, 
Governor,  United  States  Senator,  Green- 
field, Massachusetts.  6.  Betsey,  March 
2,  1792;  died  Leroy,  Missouri,  August  12, 
1872.  7.  Elijah,  July  27,  1794;  father 
of  Charles  W.  Washburn,  of  Worcester, 
now  living  with  his  son,  Frederic  B. 
Washburn,  treasurer  of  the  Worcester 
Five  Cents  Savings  Bank.  8.  Watson, 
June  16,  1796,  died  March  3,  1884.  9. 
Hannah,  May  13,  1799,  married  Samuel 
Hills.  10.  Lydia,  November  28,  1801, 
married  Silas  Barber.  II.  Mary,  October 
21,  1804,  married  Reuben  Hills.  12.  Me- 
linda,  November  4,  1808,  died  at  Peter- 
borough, February  19,  1894. 

(XVII)  John  Washburn,  son  of  Eli- 
jah Washburn,  was  born  at  Leicester, 
March  25,  1782,  and  died  at  Pittsburgh, 
Pennsylvania,    December    16,    1857.     He 


239 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


was  a  blacksmith  by  trade.  He  settled 
in  Lempster,  New  Hampshire,  but  re- 
moved later  to  Hancock.  He  married, 
May  12,  1806,  Millicent  Stone,  who  died 
May  2,  1849,  daughter  of  Josiah  Stone. 
Children,  born  at  Lempster:  Elvira,  born 
January  31,  1807,  died  December  9,  1821 ; 
Arvilla,  married  Moses  Wood  ;  Permelia, 
January  28,  1810;  Adaline  Matilda,  Sep- 
tember 13,  1812,  married  Isaac  Whittier, 
removed  to  Pittsburgh.  Born  at  Han- 
cock: John  Earle,  mentioned  below; 
Hannah  Jacobs,  March  19,  1819,  married 
Curtis  Benjamin  Miner  Smith,  of  Pitts- 
burgh ;  Mary  Elvira,  March  18,  1823,  died 
May  25,  1839;  Albert  Cornelius,  August 
14,  1830,  married  Mary  T.  Wilkins. 

(XVIII)  John  Earle  Washburn,  son  of 
John,  was  born  at  Hancock,  April  8,  1815. 
He  attended  the  public  schools  of  his  na- 
tive town  and  learned  the  trade  of  steam 
fitter  in  Manchester,  New  Hampshire. 
He  started  in  business  as  junior  partner 
in  the  firm  of  Barrett  &  Washburn.  Each 
of  the  partners  afterward  became  the 
head  of  a  large  and  prosperous  concern 
in  the  same  line  of  business.  Mr.  Wash- 
burn founded  the  firm  of  Washburn  & 
Garfield.  Mr.  Barrett  formed  partnership 
with  Mr.  Braman,  who  became  the  head 
of  the  firm  of  Braman  &  Dow,  afterward 
Braman,  Dow  &  Company  of  Boston 
and  Worcester.  Mr.  Washburn  was  for 
a  few  years  master  mechanic  for  the 
Amoskeag  Manufacturing  Company  of 
Manchester,  New  Hampshire.  He  after- 
ward entered  the  employ  of  his  former 
partner's  firm,  Braman  &  Dow,  having 
charge  of  the  steam  fitting  department 
for  a  number  of  years.  In  1872  he  entered 
into  partnership  with  Silas  Garfield,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Washburn  &  Garfield. 
The  Barrett  &  Washburn  place  of  busi- 
ness was  on  Pearl  street.  The  firm  soon 
took  a  prominent  place  in  the  business 
world,  and  took  rank  among  the  leading 


concerns  in  its  line.  Beginning  as  steam 
fitters,  Washburn  &  Garfield  became 
jobbers  and  wholesalers  of  pipe,  steam 
fittings,  tools.  The  business  of  Wash- 
burn &  Garfield  was  founded  on  Fos- 
ter street.  The  present  quarters  at  No. 
52  Foster  street  were  occupied  December 
23,  1889.  In  the  same  year  the  firm  be- 
came a  Massachusetts  corporation  under 
the  name  of  the  Washburn  &  Garfield 
Manufacturing  Company.  Mr.  C.  S. 
Chapin,  who  had  been  bookkeeper  of  the 
firm  for  a  number  of  years,  became  a 
stockholder  and  was  elected  treasurer  and 
secretary  of  the  company.  Owing  to  ill 
health  he  retired  in  1907,  his  interests  be- 
ing bought  by  John  Henry  Washburn. 
Mr.  Washburn  was  active  in  business  until 
shortly  before  his  death,  at  Worcester, 
December  2t„  1890.  The  success  of  the 
business  was  due  chiefly  to  the  energy  and 
business  ability  of  Mr.  Washburn.  He 
not  only  knew  the  trade  of  steam  fitting 
in  a  practical  way,  but  he  possessed  the 
commercial  instinct  that  guides  a  man  to 
success  in  trade.  His  house  became  one 
of  the  largest  in  the  State  outside  of  Bos- 
ton. Many  of  the  great  manufacturing 
companies  of  Worcester  found  it  to  their 
advantage  to  purchase  supplies  of  his 
store.  Gradually  the  company  ceased  to 
do  construction  work  and  install  ma- 
chinery and  heating  plants,  and  devoted 
itself  to  the  jobbing  business,  doing  both 
a  wholesale  and  retail  business  in  the 
great  variety  of  materials,  supplies,  tools 
and  appliances  used  in  the  trade  by  steam- 
fitters  and  heaters,  gasfitters  and  similar 
trades.  Mr.  John  Henry  Washburn,  his 
son,  bought  the  stock  of  Mr.  Garfield  in 
1895,  and  a  few  years  later  Mr.  Garfield 
died. 

Mr.  Washburn  had  few  interests  out- 
side of  home  and  office.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Universalist  church.  He  mar- 
ried (first)  May  3,  1842,  Lovisa  Warren, 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


born  at  Dublin,  New  Hampshire,  April 

2,  1820,  died  October  24,  1862,  daughter 
of  John  Warren.  He  married  (second) 
September  23,  1863,  Elizabeth  L.  (Jones) 
Pierce,  widow  of  Marshall  Pierce,  of 
Spencer,  Massachusetts.  She  is  now  liv- 
ing on  Grove  street,  Worcester.  Chil- 
dren, born  at  Manchester:  1.  Elvira  G., 
born  September  22,  1843,  died  November 
29,  1843.     2.  John  H.,  mentioned  below. 

3.  Mary  M.,  born  June  6,  1850;  married, 
January  25,  1876,  William  H.  Seaver,  of 
Worcester ;  children :  Linda  W.,  born 
at  Boston,  November  8,  1878;  married 
Dr.  Hartley  W.  Thayer,  of  Newtonville ; 
a  son  died  young. 

(XIX)  John  H.  Washburn,  son  of  John 
E.  Washburn,  was  born  at  Manchester, 
New  Hampshire,  January  23,  1846.  He 
received  his  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  Manchester  and  Worcester. 
He  learned  the  trade  of  steamntter,  but 
early  in  life  he  developed  a  fondness  for 
horses  that  led  him  when  he  was  but 
nineteen  years  old  to  open  a  livery  stable. 
A  few  years  later  he  established  himself 
in  the  livery  business  at  42  Waldo  street, 
where  he  has  continued  in  business  to  the 
present  time.  He  succeeded  to  his  father's 
interests  in  the  Washburn  &  Garfield 
Manufacturing  Company,  and  since  then 
has  been  active  in  the  management  of  the 
company.  He  is  at  the  present  time  treas- 
urer of  the  corporation.  Mr.  Washburn 
is  a  member  of  Athelstan  Lodge,  Free 
Masons ;  Hiram  Council,  Royal  and 
Select  Masters;  Eureka  Chapter,  Royal 
Arch  Masons ;  Worcester  County  Com- 
mandery,  Knights  Templar ;  and  of  Aleppo 
Temple,  Nobles  of  the  Mystic  Shrine ; 
also  of  the  Royal  Arcanum.  In  politics 
he  is  an  Independent.  He  has  been  a 
member  of  the  Worcester  County  Agri- 
cultural Society  for  many  years. 

He  married,  June  8,  1871,  Loella  M. 
Harrington,  born  at  Shrewsbury,  Septem- 


ber 19,  1850,  died  September  14,  1883, 
daughter  of  Holloway,  Jr.,  and  Eliza  E. 
(Temple)  Harrington.  Her  parents  were 
married  at  Shrewsbury,  February  10, 
1848.  Her  father  was  a  son  of  Holloway 
and  Charlotte  Harrington.  Children,  born 
at  Worcester:  1.  Frank  Warren,  born 
June  9,  1872,  married,  now  living  at  Bar- 
nardsville,  Oklahoma.  2.  Arthur  H.,born 
April  6,  1876,  died  March  24,  1884.  3. 
John  E.,  mentioned  below.  4.  Mary  L., 
born  January  31,  1880;  died  March  21, 
1883. 

(XX)  John  E.  Washburn,  son  of  John 
H.  Washburn,  was  born  in  Worcester, 
March  15,  1878.  He  received  his  early 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  na- 
tive city  and  in  the  Worcester  Classical 
High  School.  He  entered  the  employ  of 
his  father's  company  and  served  his  time 
at  the  trade  of  steam  fitter.  He  was  soon 
given  positions  of  responsibility,  and 
since  1908  he  has  been  president  and 
manager  of  the  company.  For  nearly 
fifty  years  Mr.  Washburn,  his  father  and 
grandfather,  have  conducted  this  busi- 
ness. Few  business  houses  of  equal  or 
greater  age  exist  in  the  city,  and  still 
fewer  have  been  in  the  possession  of  the 
same  family  for  so  long  a  period.  Many 
of  the  customers  of  the  concern  have  been 
on  the  books  continuously  from  the  be- 
ginning. A  recent  examination  of  the 
books  of  the  Stevens  linen  works  at  Web- 
ster showed  that  for  thirty-five  years  the 
Washburn  &  Garfield  Manufacturing 
Company  and  Washburn  &  Garfield  have 
been  furnishing  its  steam  fittings.  Rice, 
Barton  &  Fales,  of  Worcester,  have  been 
customers  of  the  Washburn  house  for 
about  forty  years.  With  the  manufac- 
turers, the  house  had  also  had  long  and 
pleasant  relations.  The  Watson-Mc- 
Daniells  Company  of  Philadelphia  re- 
cently noted  the  fact  that  Mr.  Wash- 
burn's  firm    was   the   very   first   agency 


MASS-Vol  III — 16 


241 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


established  by  that  old  and  successful 
house.  The  Walworth  Manufacturing 
Company  of  Boston  is  another  prominent 
house  with  which  the  Washburn  firm  and 
company  has  had  long  years  of  harmoni- 
ous business  relations.  The  Washburn 
store  occupies  some  15,000  feet  of  space, 
besides  warehouses  near  the  Boston  & 
Albany  railroad  yards. 

Mr.  Washburn,  like  his  father  and 
grandfather,  devotes  his  attention  almost 
exclusively  to  business.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Commonwealth  Club,  of  the  Cham- 
ber of  Commerce  and  Quinsigamond 
Lodge,  Free  Masons.  In  politics  he  is  a 
Republican.  He  married,  June  14,  1904, 
Alice  Weatherhead,  born  October  4,  1879, 
daughter  of  Fred  C.  and  Abbie  (Kelly) 
Weatherhead,  of  Auburn,  Massachusetts. 
Their  home  is  at  734  Pleasant  street. 
Worcester.  Child :  Eloise,  born  March 
8,  1907. 


BROWN,  Joseph  C.  and  Benjamin  F., 
Active  Business  Men. 

In  the  United  States  there  are  several 
ancient  families  bearing  this  name,  and 
from  among  them  many  men  of  promi- 
nence have  arisen.  The  surname  is  of 
the  class  called  complexion  names,  and 
was  assumed  by  its  first  bearer  from  his 
complexion  or  the  color  of  his  hair.  The 
large  number  among  the  pioneer  settlers 
of  New  England  have  left  a  very  numer- 
ous progeny.  The  frequent  recurrence  of 
the  same  Christian  names  has  rendered  it 
extremely  difficult  to  trace  the  descent  of 
many.  Happily,  the  line  herein  covered  is 
fairly  complete  and  includes  some  promi- 
nent citizens  of  New  England,  who  have 
earned  distinction  by  their  own  merit  and 
ability. 

(I)  Joseph  Brown,  described  as  a 
Scotchman  or  Scotch-Irishman,  born 
about  1715-20,  was  among  the  early  set- 


tlers of  the  ancient  town  of  Chester,  New 
Hampshire,  which  was  largely  settled  by 
Scotch-Irish  people.  He  located  in  the 
extreme  northwestern  part  of  the  town, 
probably  in  what  is  now  Hookset,  where 
he  received  a  grant  of  lands  from  the 
proprietors  of  Chester.  This  was  prob- 
ably made  by  Suncook,  which  was  acting 
under  a  charter  granted  by  the  State  of 
Massachusetts  when  that  territory  was 
supposed  to  be  a  part  of  the  latter  colony. 
There  was  dispute  concerning  lands  of 
Brown  and  several  of  his  neighbors,  and 
after  much  litigation,  it  was  settled  by 
the  grantees  paying  the  town  of  Chester 
for  the  lands,  and  also  paying  the  expense 
of  litigation.  He  prepared  a  medicine 
which  was  recommended  for  fits,  and  was 
usually  called  Dr.  Brown.  He  died  in 
1796.  He  married  Ann  Otterson,  sister 
of  William  Otterson,  a  pioneer  of  Ches- 
ter, and  probably  daughter  of  Thomas 
Otterson,  of  Scotch-Irish  lineage.  Chil- 
dren :  Ann,  married  James  Knox,  of  Pem- 
broke ;  Joseph,  mentioned  below  ;  Jennie  ; 
Rachel,  married  a  Mr.  Patteson ;  James ; 
Lydia;   Mary,  and  Martha. 

(II)  Joseph  (2)  Brown,  son  of  Joseph 
(1)  and  Ann  (Otterson)  Brown,  was  born 
about  1755,  and  is  said  to  have  lived  in 
Pembroke,  New  Hampshire,  though  no 
mention  of  him  can  be  found  in  that 
town.  Some  time  before  1800  he  re- 
moved to  Peacham,  Vermont,  where  he 
died.  He  married  (first)  Betsey  Curry,  a 
sister  of  Thomas  Curry,  of  Concord,  New 
Hampshire,  and  (second)  Molly  Gay. 
Children :  Robert,  mentioned  below ; 
James,  went  West  with  the  Mormons ; 
Betsey,  married  (first)  a  Mr.  Jerrold,  and 
(second)  John  Towle,  by  whom  she  had 
two  daughters  :  Sarah,  who  married  Sabin 
Scott,  of  Craftsbury,  Vermont,  and  Eliza- 
beth, who  married  Park  Merriam,  who 
settled  in  Malone,  New  York;  Sarah, 
married  a  Mr.  Pease ;  Mary,  born  in  New 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Hampshire,  went  to  Vermont  with  her 
parents  when  nine  months  old,  and  died 
in  Sutton,  Province  of  Quebec ;  Joseph, 
died  in  the  West  Indies. 

(III)  Robert  Brown,  eldest  child  of 
Joseph  (2)  and  Betsey  (Curry)  Brown, 
was  born  about  1778  in  Pembroke  or 
Chichester,  New  Hampshire.  He  was  a 
farmer  in  Peacham,  Vermont,  where  he 
died,  September  31,  1836,  aged  fifty-eight 
years.  He  married  Sarah  Buzzell,  of 
Salisbury,  Massachusetts.  Children :  Wil- 
liam, born  after  1804 ;  Eliza,  September, 
1806,  married  Asaph  Towne;  Rial,  died 
in  infancy;  Joseph,  mentioned  below; 
John,  died  in  infancy. 

(IV)  Joseph  (3)  Brown,  third  son  of 
Robert  and  Sarah  (Buzzell)  Brown,  was 
born  December  9,  1815,  in  Peacham,  Ver- 
mont, where  he  died  July  10,  1876.  He 
continued  to  reside  on  the  homestead 
farm  until  the  death  of  his  father,  after 
which  he  disposed  of  the  farm  and  re- 
moved to  Lowell,  Vermont,  where  he 
engaged  in  business  as  a  merchant  in 
company  with  Sabin  Scott.  Later  he  re- 
moved to  Troy,  Vermont,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  the  blacksmithing  business  in 
company  with  James  Houston,  thus  con- 
tinuing until  1847.  He  then  returned  to 
Lowell,  where  he  became  foreman  in  the 
sash,  blind  and  door  factory  of  John  Dana 
Harding,  continuing  there  until  1851,  at 
which  time  he  removed  to  Craftsbury, 
Vermont,  where  he  again  engaged  in  the 
blacksmithing  business  in  company  with 
John  Towle.  In  1854  he  again  returned 
to  Lowell  where  he  spent  a  year  with 
John  Dana  Harding  in  the  sash,  blind  and 
door  factory.  The  following  year  he  re- 
moved to  Boston,  Massachusetts,  and 
there  entered  the  employ  of  John  L.  Ross, 
manufacturer  of  school  furniture,  where 
he  remained  until  1869,  when  he  retired 
from  active  business,  and  removed  to 
Peacham,  Vermont,  where  he  continued 
to  live  until  his  death.    He  was  a  natural 


born  mechanic  and  a  skilled  workman. 
He  married,  July  9,  1839,  Katharine 
Scott,  born  August  28,  181 9,  in  Crafts- 
bury,  Vermont,  died  January  25,  1857, 
daughter  of  Elijah  and  Mindwell  (Brig- 
ham)  Scott,  and  granddaughter  of  Bara- 
kiah  Scott.  Children:  1.  Elijah  Scott, 
born  November  5,  1840,  in  Craftsbury ; 
was  a  member  of  the  Second  Regiment. 
Vermont  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  died  in 
the  hospital  at  Point  Lookout,  Maryland, 
in  February,  1863,  as  a  result  of  illness 
contracted  in  the  service.  2.  Frances 
Laura,  born  August  26,  1842,  in  Lowell, 
Vermont ;  married  Orwell  D.  Towne,  of 
Saratoga,  New  York,  and  had  children : 
Arthur  Elisha,  born  February  1,  1871 ; 
George  Scott,  September  3,  1873;  Kath- 
arine, May  25,  1875;  Orwell  Bradley, 
July  26,  1878;  Agnes  Frances,  July  12, 
1881 ;  Zephirine  Ellen,  March  23,  1883; 
James  Blaine,  January  19,  1885.  3.  Joseph 
Clement,  mentioned  below.  4.  Sarah 
Eliza,  born  August  8,  1847;  married  Har- 
riman  Longley,  and  died  September  11, 
1895 ;  she  was  the  mother  of  one  son, 
Wade  Garrick  Longley,  born  September 
26,  1878.  5.  Benjamin  Franklin,  men- 
tioned below.  6.  Katharine,  born  March 
19,  1853,  in  Craftsbury;  married  William 
H.  H.  Kenfield,  of  Hyde  Park,  Vermont, 
and  is  now  a  widow,  residing  in  Fitch- 
burg. 

(V)  Joseph  Clement  Brown,  second 
son  of  Joseph  (3)  and  Katharine  (Scott) 
Brown,  was  born  January  4,  1845,  m 
South  Troy,  Vermont,  and  attended  the 
common  schools  of  his  native  town.  He 
was  but  twelve  years  old  when  the  death 
of  his  mother  resulted  in  the  breaking 
up  of  the  home,  and  he  went  to  South 
Woodbury,  Vermont,  to  live  with  an 
uncle,  Asaph  Towne,  with  whom,  in  i860 
he  was  apprenticed  as  carriage  manufac- 
turer, and  worked  at  that  industry  for  a 
a  period  of  twenty  years.  In  1880  he 
went   to   Burlington,   Vermont,   and   en- 


243 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


gaged  as  travelling  salesman,  and  spent 
more  than  five  years  on  the  road,  selling 
photographic  supplies  throughout  New 
England  for  L.  G.  Burnham  &  Company. 
In  1884  he  began  the  study  of  automatic 
machines  for  putting  seeds  and  powders 
in  flat  packets,  and  received  his  first 
patent  on  a  device  of  this  kind  in  1885. 
The  following  year  he  removed  to  Bos- 
ton, and  travelled  for  C.  H.  Codman  & 
Company  of  that  city,  and  their  succes- 
sors, which  eventually  became  the  East- 
man Kodak  Company,  continuing  with 
the  latter  company  until  1908.  Later,  in 
partnership  with  his  younger  brother, 
Benjamin  F.  Brown,  he  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  his  automatic  bag  filling 
machine,  upon  which  many  improve- 
ments were  made  and  new  patents 
secured,  with  the  result  that  to-day  this 
invention  stands  unrivaled  in  the  history 
of  automatic  machinery.  It  has  been 
adopted  by  the  United  States  Department 
of  Agriculture  and  leading  seedsmen  in 
the  United  States,  England,  Germany, 
Australia,  and  the  Dominion  of  Canada. 
In  1895  Mr.  Brown  lost  his  right  arm  in 
consequence  of  a  street  car  accident  in 
Boston,  and  the  following  year  his  left 
arm  was  broken.  He  seems  to  have  been 
pursued  by  misfortune  through  life,  for 
in  1905  he  was  in  a  railroad  wreck  on  the 
Maine  Central  Railroad,  from  the  effects 
of  which  he  was  confined  to  the  house  six 
months.  In  1908  he  resigned  his  position 
as  travelling  salesman  and  went  to  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  to  assist  in  executing  a  con- 
tract with  the  government  for  the  con- 
gressional free  seed  distribution.  In  1909 
he  settled  at  Fitchburg,  Massachusetts, 
the  home  office  of  the  Brown  Bag  Filling 
Machine  Company,  of  which  he  is  super- 
intendent and  a  director.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  First  Universalist  Church  of 
Fitchburg,  and  of  Green  Mountain  Lodge, 
No.  68,  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  of 


Cabot,  Vermont.  He  is  also  affiliated 
with  St.  Paul's  Chapter,  Royal  Arch  Ma- 
sons, and  Boston  Commandery,  Knights 
Templar,  of  Boston.  Politically  a  Re- 
publican, he  has  never  found  time  nor 
had  the  inclination  to  participate  in  the 
conduct  of  public  affairs,  but  supports 
his  principles  with  voice  and  vote.  He 
married,  October  10,  1871,  Percy  P. 
Towne,  of  South  Woodbury,  Vermont, 
daughter  of  Jason  W.  and  Laura  Ann 
(Putnam)  Towne.  They  have  one  son, 
Joseph  Robert  Brown,  born  June  18, 
1874,  in  South  Woodbury.  He  attended 
school  in  Woodbury  and  Burlington,  Ver- 
mont, and  Maiden  and  Dorchester,  Mas- 
sachusetts, graduating  from  the  Henry  L. 
Pierce  grammar  school  of  the  latter  town 
in  1890.  He  learned  the  trade  of  ma- 
chinist with  H.  H.  Cummings  &  Com- 
pany of  Boston,  and  was  subsequently 
employed  in  the  wholesale  department  of 
Dame,  Stoddard  &  Kendall,  fishing  tackle, 
etc.,  of  Boston.  He  was  afterward  em- 
ployed for  a  short  time  by  H.  H.  John- 
son &  Company,  dealers  in  wholesale 
bakers'  supplies,  of  Boston.  Later  he 
was  in  the  service  of  the  Commonwealth 
of  Massachusetts  as  Bertillion  examiner 
at  the  reformatory  institutions  and  coun- 
ty jails  for  eleven  years.  Following  this 
he  was  in  the  employ  of  the  Brown  Bag 
Filling  Machine  Company  at  Fitchburg, 
and  at  present  is  agent  for  the  Garford 
Auto  Truck,  with  headquarters  in  Bos- 
ton. He  is  a  member  of  Acacia  Lodge, 
Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  of  Washing- 
ton, D.  C.  He  married  (first)  Septem- 
ber 12,  1899,  Lottie  Leahy,  who  died  Jan- 
uary 12,  1905,  at  Acton,  Massachusetts, 
and  he  married  (second)  October  21, 
1905,  Lena  A.  Ring,  of  Concord  Junction, 
Massachusetts,  daughter  of  Francis  C. 
and  Annie  (Molyneux)  Ring.  There  is 
one  son  by  the  first  marriage,  Joseph  Wil- 
bur Brown,  born  April  16,  1900,  in  Acton, 


244 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Massachusetts;  and  one  son  by  the  sec- 
ond marriage,  namely :  Baracaiah  Robert, 
born  May  14,  1915. 

(V)  Benjamin  Franklin  Brown,  third 
son  of  Joseph  (3)  and  Katharine  (Scott) 
Brown,  was  born  December  8,  1849,  m 
Lowell,  Vermont.  His  early  educational 
training  was  acquired  in  the  public  schools 
of  his  native  town  and  in  the  schools  of 
Woodbury,  Craftsbury  and  Wolcott,  Ver- 
mont. On  April  28,  1866,  when  but  a 
little  over  sixteen  years  of  age,  he  re- 
moved to  Fitchburg,  Massachusetts, 
where  for  four  years  he  was  a  student  in 
the  high  school  of  the  latter  city.  In  1871 
he  entered  Amherst  College,  from  which 
he  was  graduated  in  1874,  with  the  degree 
of  Bachelor  of  Arts.  After  graduating 
from  college  Mr.  Brown  engaged  in  teach- 
ing, and  for  a  period  of  seven  years  was 
thus  engaged  in  the  schools  of  Fitchburg, 
and  for  the  following  two  years,  from 
1881  to  1883,  was  a  teacher  in  the  high 
school  of  Athol,  Massachusetts.  For  the 
succeeding  two  years  he  was  principal  of 
the  Washington  county  grammar  school 
at  Montpelier,  Vermont.  In  1885  he  be- 
came instructor  in  the  Gibson  School  in 
Boston,  filling  that  position  for  a  period 
of  five  years,  when  in  1890  he  resigned 
to  engage  in  the  manufacture  of  the 
Brown  Bag  Filling  Machine  at  Fitchburg, 
Massachusetts.  Two  years  later,  in  1892, 
Mr.  Brown  incorporated  the  company 
under  the  name  of  The  Brown  Bag  Fill- 
ing Machine  Company,  of  which  he  be- 
came the  first  president  and  general  man- 
ager, in  which  capacities  he  has  since  con- 
tinued. As  a  result  of  his  executive  abil- 
ity and  able  management,  the  business  of 
this  company  has  been  greatly  increased 
in  volume  as  well  as  in  importance,  and  it 
is  estimated  that  the  machines  manufac- 
tured by  this  concern  will,  in  1915,  fill 
over  four  hundred  million  packages.  Dur- 
ing the  sixteen  years  of  the  administra- 


tion of  James  Wilson  as  Secretary  of 
Agriculture,  this  company  held  the  con- 
tract for  ten  years  of  supplying  the  United 
States  government  with  its  packages  of 
seeds  for  congressional  free  distribution, 
this  company  maintaining  a  plant  in 
Washington,  D.  C,  where  their  machines 
are  in  operation  in  placing  the  seeds, 
which  are  furnished  by  the  Agricultural 
Department,  in  the  packages  ready  for 
free  distribution.  The  machines  manu- 
factured by  this  company  are  especially 
designed  for  filling  bags  with  any  article 
which  requires  counting  of  the  contents, 
and  are  in  universal  use  throughout  the 
civilized  world. 

Mr.  Brown  is  a  member  of  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  affiliated 
with  the  Lodge  and  Encampment,  having 
passed  through  the  principal  chairs  in 
both  bodies,  and  for  several  years  has 
been  chairman  of  the  board  of  trustees 
of  Mt.  Roulstone  Lodge,  of  Fitchburg. 
He  is  also  a  member  of  Alpine  Lodge,  No. 
35,  Knights  of  Pythias,  of  Fitchburg,  of 
which  he  is  past  chancellor  commander. 
He  is  also  an  active  member  of  the  Fitch- 
burg Historical  Society,  and  of  the  Fay 
Club,  of  Fitchburg,  which  is  the  leading 
social  club  of  that  city.  Since  1872  Mr. 
Brown,  with  others  of  the  Amherst  crew, 
has  held  the  college  record  in  a  six-oared 
racing  shell. 

Mr.  Brown  is  a  well  read  man,  and 
takes  an  intelligent  interest  in  the  prog- 
ress of  his  native  land.  Progressive,  up- 
to-date,  he  is  ever  ready  to  exert  his  in- 
fluence and  aid  in  all  movements  in  the 
interest  of  better  conditions,  good  govern- 
ment, the  promotion  of  the  city  and  the 
best  means  of  advancing  its  prosperity. 
Of  an  even  temperament,  genial  in  man- 
ner, he  is  sympathetic  and  warm  in  his 
impulses.  Public  life  has  never  appealed 
to  him,  and  while  he  is  a  staunch  sup- 
porter of  the  principles  of  the  Republican 


245 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


party,  and  has  been  a  delegate  to  numer- 
ous State  conventions  of  that  party,  he 
has  never  accepted  public  office.  His 
greatest  pleasure  may  be  said  to  be  found 
in  his  home  life  and  its  surroundings, 
where  are  displayed  a  devotion  and  in- 
dulgence rarely  witnessed.  He  is  chari- 
table and  benevolent,  and  his  wife  shared 
this  disposition  with  him  to  such  an  ex- 
tent that  their  pleasant  home  became  an 
abiding  place  of  hospitality. 

On  July  12,  1880,  Mr.  Brown  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Zephirine  Normandin,  who 
was  born  at  Slatersville,  Rhode  Island, 
daughter  of  Joseph  and  Ursula  (Beaure- 
gard) Normandin.  Mrs.  Brown  passed 
away  in  Fitchburg,  Massachusetts,  Sep- 
tember 26,  1907,  without  issue.  Prior  to 
her  marriage  Mrs.  Brown  was  also  en- 
gaged in  teaching,  and  after  her  marriage 
to  Mr.  Brown  she  was  most  heartily  one 
with  him  in  the  home,  and  took  a  deep 
interest  in  the  intellectual  and  moral  life 
of  the  community.  She  was  deeply  in- 
terested in  the  life  and  work  of  the  church, 
and  her  culture  and  charm  of  grace  won 
for  her  a  place  in  the  esteem  of  the  com- 
munity. 


MORTON,   Herbert  A., 

Bu  ainesi  Man. 

The  name  of  Morton,  Moreton  and 
Mortaigne  is  earliest  found  in  old  Dau- 
phine,  is  still  existent  in  France,  where 
it  is  represented  by  the  present  Comtes 
and  Marquises  Morton  de  Chabrillon,  and 
where  the  family  has  occupied  many  im- 
portant positions,  states  the  "Genealogy 
of  the  Morton  Family,"  from  which  this 
sketch  is  taken.  In  the  annals  of  the  fam- 
ily there  is  a  statement  repeatedly  met 
with,  that  as  a  result  of  a  quarrel  one  of 
the  name  migrated  from  Dauphine,  first 
to  Brittany  and  then  to  Normandy,  where 
he  joined  William  the  Conqueror.     Cer- 


tain it  is  that  among  the  names  of  the 
followers  of  William  painted  on  the  chan- 
cel ceiling  in  the  ancient  church  of  Dives 
in  old  Normandy,  is  that  of  Robert,  Comte 
de  Mortain.  It  also  figures  on  Battle  Ab- 
bey Roll,  the  Domesday  Book,  and  the 
Norman  Rolls,  and  it  is  conjectured  that 
this  Count  Robert,  who  was  also  half- 
brother  of  the  Conqueror  by  his  mother 
Harlotte,  was  the  founder  of  the  Eng- 
lish family  of  that  name.  In  the  Bayeux 
tapestry  he  is  represented  as  of  the  Coun- 
cil of  William,  the  result  of  which  was 
the  entrenchment  of  Hastings  and  the 
conquest  of  England.  Count  Robert  held 
manors  in  nearly  every  county  in  Eng- 
land, in  all  about  eight  hundred,  among 
which  was  Pevensea,  where  the  Con- 
queror landed,  and  where  in  1087  Robert 
and  his  brother  Odo,  Bishop  of  Bayeux, 
were  besieged  six  weeks  by  William 
Rufus.  Here  Camden  (1551-1628)  found 
"the  most  entire  remains  of  a  Roman 
building  to  be  seen  in  Britain."  When 
William,  Earl  of  Moriton  and  Cornwall, 
son  of  Robert,  rebelled  against  Henry  I., 
that  prince  seized  and  razed  his  castles, 
but  this  one  seems  to  have  escaped  demo- 
lition. In  early  Norman  times  this  Wil- 
liam built  a  castle  at  Tamerton,  Corn- 
wall, and  founded  a  college  of  canons,  as 
appeared  by  the  Domesday  Book,  where 
it  is  called  Lanstaveton.  On  the  north 
side  of  the  Gretna  in  Richmondshire 
stands  an  old  manor  house  called  More- 
ton  Tower,  from  a  lofty,  square  embattled 
tower  at  one  end  of  it.  Of  the  family  of 
Morton  were  the  Earls  of  Dulcie  and 
Cornwall ;  Robert  Morton,  Esquire,  of 
Bawtry ;  Thomas  Morton,  secretary  to 
Edward  III. ;  William  Morton,  bishop  of 
Meath  ;  Robert  Morton,  bishop  of  Worces- 
ter in  i486;  John  Morton,  the  celebrated 
cardinal  archbishop  of  Canterbury  and 
lord  chancellor  of  England,  1420-1500; 
Albert    Morton,    secretary    of    state    to 


246 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


James    I.;   Thomas    Morton    (1564-1659),      or,  what  is  more  probable,  he  remained  to 


bishop  of  Durham  and  chaplain  to  James 
II.  Prominent  among  the  English  Mor- 
tons who  early  came  to  America  were 
Thomas  Morton,  Esquire;  Rev.  Charles 
Morton ;  Landgrave  Joseph  Morton,  pro- 
prietary governor  of  South  Carolina  ;  and 
George  Morton. 

(I)  George  Morton,  the  first  of  the 
name  to  found  a  family  in  America,  and 
the  ancestor  of  former  Vice-President 
Levi  P.  Morton,  was  born  about  1585,  at 
Austerfield,  Yorkshire,  England,  and  it  is 
believed  was  of  the  ancient  Mortons,  who 
bore  for  arms :  Quarterly,  gules  and  er- 
mine ;  in  the  dexter  chief  and  sinister  base, 
each  a  goat's  head  erased  argent  attired 
or.  Crest:  A  goat's  head,  argent  attired 
or.  Hunter,  in  his  "Founders  of  New 
Plymouth,"  suggests  that  he  may  have 
been  the  George  Morton  hitherto  un- 
accounted for  in  the  family  of  Anthony 
Morton,  of  Bawtry,  one  of  the  historical 
families  of  England,  and  that  from 
Romanist  lineage  "he  so  far  departed 
from  the  spirit  and  principles  of  his  fam- 
ily as  to  have  fallen  into  the  ranks  of  the 
Protestant  Puritans  and  Separatists."  Of 
George  Morton's  early  life  no  record  has 
been  preserved,  and  his  religious  environ- 


promote  the  success  of  the  colony  by  en- 
couraging emigration  among  others.  That 
he  served  in  some  official  capacity  before 
coming  to  America,  is  undoubted.  One 
writer  states  that  he  was  "the  agent  of 
those  of  his  sect  in  London,"  and  another, 
that  he  acted  as  "the  financial  agent  in 
London  for  Plymouth  County."  The  work, 
however,  for  which  this  eminent  forefather 
is  most  noted,  and  which  will  forever  link 
his  name  with  American  history,  is  the 
publication  issued  by  him  in  London,  in 
1622,  of  what  has  since  been  known  as 
"Mourt's  Relation."  This  "Relation," 
may  justly  be  termed  the  first  history  of 
New  England,  and  is  composed  of  letters 
and  journals  from  the  chief  colonists  at 
Plymouth,  either  addressed  or  intrusted 
to  George  Morton,  whose  authorship  in 
the  work  is  possibly  limited  to  the  preface. 
The  "Relation"  itself  is  full  of  valuable 
information  and  still  continues  an  author- 
ity. Shortly  after  it  was  placed  before 
the  public,  George  Morton  prepared  to 
emigrate  to  America,  and  sailed  with  his 
wife  and  five  children  in  the  "Ann,"  the 
third  and  last  ship  to  carry  what  are  dis- 
tinctively known  as  the  Forefathers,  and 
reached  Plymouth  early  in  June,  1623. 
"New  England's  Memorial"  speaks  of  Mr. 


ments  and  the  causes  which  led  him  to  Timothy  Hatherly  and  Mr.  George  Mor- 
unite  with  the  Separatists  are  alike  un- 
known. His  home  in  Yorkshire  was  in 
the  vicinage  of  Scrooby  Manor,  and  possi- 
bly he  was  a  member  of  Brewster's  his- 
toric church ;  but  it  is  only  definitely 
known  that  he  early  joined  the  Pilgrims 
at  Leyden,  and  continued  of  their  com- 
pany until  his  death.  When  the  first  of 
the  colonists  departed  for  America,  Mr. 
Morton  remained  behind,  although  he 
"much  desired"  to  embark  then  and  in- 
tended soon  to  join  them.  His  reasons 
for  such  a  course  is  a  matter  of  conjec- 
ture. As  he  was  a  merchant,  possibly  his 
business   interests   caused   his   detention, 


ton  as  "two  of  the  principal  passengers 
that  came  in  this  ship,"  and  from  Mor- 
ton's activity  in  promoting  emigration  it 
may  be  inferred  that  the  "Ann's"  valuable 
addition  to  the  colony  was  in  a  measure 
due  to  his  efforts.  He  did  not  long  sur- 
vive his  arrival,  and  his  early  death  was 
a  serious  loss  to  the  infant  settlement. 
His  character  and  attainments  were  such 
as  to  suggest  the  thought  that,  had  he 
lived  to  the  age  reached  by  several  of  his 
distinguished  contemporaries,  he  would 
have  filled  as  conspicuous  a  place  in  the 
life  of  the  colony.  The  Memorial  thus 
chronicles  his  decease: 


247 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Mr.  George  Morton  was  a  pious,  gracious 
servant  of  God,  and  very  faithful  in  whatsoever 
public  employment  he  be  trusted  withal,  and  an 
unfeigned  well-wilier,  and  according  to  his 
sphere  and  condition  a  suitable  promoter  of  the 
common  good  and  growth  of  the  plantation  of 
New  Plymouth,  labouring  to  still  the  discon- 
tents that  sometimes  would  arise  amongst  some 
spirits,  by  occasion  of  the  difficulties  of  these 
new  beginnings;  but  it  pleased  God  to  put  a 
period  to  his  days  soon  after  his  arrival  in  New 
England,  not  surviving  a  full  year  after  his  com- 
ing ashore.  With  much  comfort  and  peace  he 
fell  asleep  in  the  Lord,  in  the  month  of  June 
anno  1624. 

He  married  Juliana  Carpenter,  as 
shown  by  the  entry  in  the  Leyden 
records:  "George  Morton,  merchant, 
from  York  in  England,  accompanied  by 
Thomas  Morton,  his  brother,  and  Roger 
Wilson,  his  acquaintance,  with  Juliana 
Carpenter,  maid  from  Baths  in  England, 
accompanied  by  Alexander  Carpenter,  her 
father,  and  Alice  Carpenter,  her  sister, 
and  Anna  Robinson,  her  acquaintance. 
The  banns  published  6-16  July,  1612;  the 
marriage  took  place  23  July-2  August, 
1612."  Mrs.  Morton  married  (second) 
Manasseh  Kempton,  Esquire,  a  member  of 
the  first  and  other  assemblies  of  the  colony. 
She  died  at  Plymouth,  February  18,  1665, 
in  the  eighty-first  year  of  her  age,  and  is 
mentioned  in  the  Town  Records  as  "a 
faithful  servant  of  God."  Children  of 
George  and  Juliana  (Carpenter)  Mor- 
ton: Nathaniel,  Patience,  John,  Sarah 
and  Ephraim. 

(II)  Lieutenant  Ephraim  Morton, 
youngest  child  of  George  and  Juliana 
(Carpenter)  Morton,  was  born  in  1623, 
on  the  ship  "Ann."  In  1648  he  became 
a  freeman  of  Plymouth,  and  in  the  same 
year  was  constable  ;  was  chosen  a  repre- 
sentative to  the  General  Court  at  Ply- 
mouth in  1657,  and  was  a  member  of  that 
body  for  twenty-eight  years.  He  was 
chosen  the  first  representative  to  the 
Massachusetts  General  Court  under  the 
charter  of  1691-92;  was  for  nearly  twenty- 


five  years  at  the  head  of  the  board  of 
selectmen  of  Plymouth,  and  in  1683  was 
chosen  a  magistrate  of  the  colony.  At  the 
time  of  his  death  he  was  a  justice  of  the 
Court  of  Common  Pleas,  and  also  served 
in  other  important  relations.  He  died 
September  7,  1693.  He  married  (first) 
November  18,  1644,  Ann  Cooper,  who 
died  September  1,  1691.  He  married 
(second)  in  1692,  Mary,  widow  of  Wil- 
liam Harlow,  and  daughter  of  Robert 
Shelly,  of  Scituate.  Children:  George, 
born  1645  ;  Ephraim,  1648;  Rebecca,  165 1 ; 
Josiah,  1653 ;  Nathaniel ;  Eleazer,  men- 
tioned below  ;  Thomas,  1667 ;  Patience. 

(III)  Eleazer,  fifth  son  of  Ephraim 
Morton,  married,  in  1693,  Rebecca  Dawes, 
daughter  of  Ambrose,  and  their  children 
were:  Eleazer,  born  1693;  Ann,  1694, 
married  Robert  Finney ;  Nathaniel,  men- 
tioned below;  Rebecca,  1703. 

(IV)  Nathaniel,  son  of  Eleazer  and 
Rebecca  (Dawes)  Morton,  was  born  1695, 
and  was  lost  at  sea  before  1730.  He  mar- 
ried, in  1720,  Rebecca  Ellis,  widow  of 
Mordecai  Ellis,  and  daughter  of  Thomas 
Clark.  Children:  Elizabeth,  born  1720; 
Nathaniel,  mentioned  below ;  Eleazer, 
1724; Ichabod, 1726. 

(V)  Major  Nathaniel  (2)  Morton, 
eldest  son  of  Nathaniel  (1)  and  Rebecca 
(Clark)  Morton,  born  February  1,  1723, 
was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  War, 
being  at  first  second  lieutenant  in  Captain 
Levi  Rounseville's  company  of  minute- 
men,  subsequently  commander  of  a  com- 
pany, and  then  promoted  to  major.  There 
were  many  members  of  the  Morton 
family  named  Nathaniel,  and  on  Decem- 
ber 8,  1776,  there  were  among  the  officers 
and  private  soldiers  of  the  local  militia 
of  East  Freetown  who  responded  to 
what  was  known  as  the  "Rhode  Island 
alarm,"  no  less  than  four  Nathaniel 
Mortons :  the  company  commander 
(later  major)  ;  his  son  Nathaniel  (then 
called  Nathaniel,  Jr.,  but  in  subsequent 


248 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


life  widely  known  as  Hon.  Nathaniel 
Morton),  who  was  one  of  the  four  ser- 
geants of  the  company ;  Nathaniel  Mor- 
ton, Sr.,  and  Nathaniel  Morton  (4th). 
Nathaniel  (2)  Morton  married,  in  1749, 
Martha  Tupper,  of  Sandwich,  daughter 
of  Eldad  Tupper,  and  granddaughter  of 
Thomas  Tupper,  and  their  children  were: 
Nathaniel,  born  1753  ;  Martha  ;  Elizabeth  ; 
Job,  mentioned  below. 

(VI)  Job,  youngest  child  of  Nathaniel 
(2)  and  Martha  (Tupper)  Morton,  was 
born  June  14,  1770,  at  East  Freetown,  and 
received  fine  educational  advantages. 
After  attending  the  common  schools  he 
took  a  collegiate  course,  and  was  gradu- 
ated at  Brown  University  in  1797.  He 
studied  medicine,  but  never  practiced. 
Like  his  forefathers  he  took  a  prominent 
part  in  the  affairs  of  the  town.  On  April 
1,  1805,  he  was  elected  a  selectman  of 
Freetown,  and  served  twenty-four  years 
as  such  ;  on  the  same  date  he  was  chosen 
assessor  of  Freetown,  in  which  office  he 
served  twenty-eight  years.  On  May  14, 
1814,  he  was  chosen  representative  of 
Freetown  in  the  General  Court,  and 
served  acceptably  for  eleven  years.  On 
February  9,  181 1,  he  was  commissioned 
a  justice  of  the  peace  for  the  county  of 
Bristol.  In  1812  he  was  appointed  clerk 
of  the  county  courts,  but  it  is  not  known 
that  he  accepted  this  position  ;  if  he  did, 
he  held  it  only  a  short  time.  He  was  also 
chairman  of  the  board  of  commissioners 
of  highways,  which  soon  came  to  be 
known  as  the  board  of  county  commis- 
sioners. After  his  marriage  he  resided  in 
an  old-fashioned  unpretentious  looking 
house  still  standing  in  East  Freetown, 
about  a  third  of  a  mile  from  the  line  that 
divides  Freetown  from  Lakeville,  in 
which  all  his  children  were  born.  He 
died  in  March,  1843,  in  the  house  men- 
tioned near  the  one  in  which  he  was  born. 
He  married,  in  1802,  Patience  Purring- 
ton   (or  Purington),  of  Middleboro,  who 


died  February  15,  1841.  Children:  1. 
James  Madison,  born  April  28,  1803; 
passed  the  years  of  his  earlier  manhood 
in  Fairhaven,  Massachusetts,  where  he 
was  treasurer  of  the  White  cotton  mill. 
In  the  winter  of  1840  he  moved  to  Fal! 
River,  where  he  passed  the  remainder  of 
his  life,  dying  there  March  2,  181 1.  On 
May  25,  1822,  he  was  commissioned 
ensign  of  the  local  militia  in  East  Free- 
town, promoted  to  lieutenant  August  20, 
1824;  honorably  discharged  July  5,  1827. 
He  married  Sarah  Maria  Ann  Tobey,  and 
they  had  four  children.  2.  Albert  Galla- 
tin, born  August  8,  1804,  lived  and  died 
in  Freetown  ;  he  was  a  clergyman  of  the 
Christian  denomination.  3.  Charles  Aus- 
tin, born  May  14,  1806,  died  in  a  house 
standing  only  a  few  rods  from  the  one 
in  which  he  was  born.  For  a  time  he  held 
a  position  in  the  Boston  custom  house  ; 
was  selectman  of  Freetown  nine  years ; 
assessor  eight  years ;  member  of  the 
school  committee  nine  years ;  representa- 
tive to  the  General  Court  one  year;  and 
was  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  the  county 
of  Bristol  from  April  n,  1839.  No  man 
in  East  Freetown  or  anywhere  was  better 
posted  regarding  the  local  affairs  of  that 
place  and  the  immediate  vicinity,  he  and 
his  neighbor,  Dr.  Bradford  Braley,  being 
"lively  oracles"  to  and  "walking  his- 
tories" of  East  Freetown,  and  the  adja- 
cent parts  of  Lakeville  and  Rochester.  4. 
Elbridge  Gerry,  born  March  8,  1808, 
moved  to  Fairhaven,  where  he  lived  for 
many  years.  He  was  a  leader  in  the 
public  life  of  that  place,  serving  five  years 
as  selectman ;  sixteen  years  as  moderator 
of  the  annual  town  meeting;  three  years 
as  representative  to  the  General  Court  in 
Boston ;  delegate  to  the  constitutional 
convention  of  1853;  and  was  elected  in 
1853  a  member  of  the  board  of  commis- 
sioners of  Bristol  county  (which  consisted 
of  three  commissioners  and  two  special 
commissioners),  of  which  board  he  was 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


immediately  chosen  chairman.  Toward 
the  close  of  his  life  he  was  postmaster  at 
Fairhaven.  5.  William  G.,  born  April  10, 
1810,  died  March  8,  181 1.  6.  Hannah  P., 
born  181 1,  married  Harrison  Staples,  of 
Lakeville,  Massachusetts,  where  she  died. 
7.  Andrew  Jackson,  mentioned  below.  8. 
William  A.,  born  March  20,  1817,  at  the 
old  place,  was  reared  there,  and  died  in 
1886,  in  the  house  in  which  he  was  born. 
The  sons  of  this  family  were  all  "six 
footers,"  and  were  of  marked  personality. 

(VII)  Andrew  Jackson,  sixth  son  of 
Job  and  Patience  (Purrington)  Morton, 
was  born  July  5,  1812,  in  Freetown,  and 
was  a  farmer  all  his  life,  dying  March 
10,  1893.  He  lived  in  East  Freetown, 
near  the  old  homestead,  his  farm  com- 
prising what  is  now  Lake  Side  Park.  In 
politics  he  was  a  Republican,  but  he  was 
not  active  in  party  affairs  or  public  mat- 
ters of  any  kind.  He  married  Abbie  Lawr- 
ence, born  September  18,  1817,  daughter 
of  Alden  and  Chloe  (Sherman)  Lawr- 
ence, of  Freetown,  died  March  25,  1906. 
Children:  William  Grey,  born  February 
6,  1838,  died  at  sea  January  18,  1878; 
George  Washington,  October  22,  1840, 
died  June  2,  1842;  Patience  Purrington, 
November  24,  1842,  married  George  H. 
Gerrish ;  Martha  Washington,  April  1, 
1845,  married  Charles  F.  Vaughn,  of  Mid- 
dleboro,  and  died  in  Rochester,  Massa- 
chusetts; George  Andrew,  January  31, 
1848,  died  August  2,  1850;  Myron  Lawr- 
ence, June  25,  1850,  is  living  in  Boston ; 
Frank  Pierce,  January  4,  1853,  lives  in 
New  Bedford ;  Thomas  J.,  March  2,  1856, 
living  in  Taunton,  married  Helen  Watts, 
of  Taunton,  she  died  in  Taunton,  May, 
1912  ;  Herbert  Andrew, mentioned  below; 
Anna  Cora,  February  28,  1862,  died  No- 
vember 14,  1888. 

(VIII)  Herbert  Andrew  Morton, 
youngest  son  of  Andrew  J.  and  Abbie 
(Lawrence)  Morton,  was  born  March  16, 


1858,  in  Lakeville,  Massachusetts,  near 
the  old  homestead  in  East  Freetown. 
His  early  training  was  obtained  in  the 
district  schools  in  East  Freetown  and 
was  limited,  but  he  later  had  two  terms 
in  a  graded  school  in  Middleboro,  when 
about  eighteen  or  nineteen  years  of  age. 
When  only  nine  years  of  age  he  went 
away  from  home  to  live  in  another 
family,  so  it  may  readily  be  seen  that 
whatever  he  has  has  been  acquired 
through  his  own  efforts.  In  1878  he  spent 
part  of  his  time  in  Taunton,  where  in 
November,  1882,  he  went  into  the  laundry 
business  with  his  brother.  He  had,  how- 
ever, been  working  a  few  years  for  Wil- 
liam Webster,  and  his  brother,  Myron 
Morton,  who  was  then  in  the  clothing 
business  in  Taunton.  The  success  of  the 
Morton  Brothers  and  the  remarkable 
growth  of  their  laundry  establishment  is 
due  to  the  fact  that  both  are  men  of 
energy  and  executive  ability,  and  by  har- 
monious cooperation  they  have  placed 
their  business  on  a  profitable  basis. 
Everything  is  carried  on  in  the  most 
modern  fashion  and  the  plant  is  a  credit 
to  the  community.  Herbert  A.  Morton 
is  well  known  socially,  being  a  member 
of  Ionic  Lodge,  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons  (of  which  he  is  a  past  master)  ; 
St.  Mark's  Chapter,  Royal  Arch  Masons ; 
Bristol  Commandery,  Knights  Templar, 
of  Attleboro ;  the  Eastern  Star,  and  Sab- 
batia  Lodge,  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows.  He  is  also  district  deputy  of 
the  Twenty-eighth  Masonic  District  ot 
Massachusetts.  In  politics  he  is  a  Repub- 
lican. He  married,  June  29,  1909,  Alice 
Shaw,  daughter  of  William  C.  and  Fannie 
B.  (Coffin)  Shaw,  the  former  of  Nan- 
tucket (see  Shaw  VIII). 

(The  Shaw  Line). 

(I)  Anthony  Shaw  was  early  in  Bos- 
ton, Massachusetts,  whence  he  removed 
to  Portsmouth,  Rhode  Island,  and  later 


250 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


to  Little  Compton,  same  colony,  where  he 
died  August  21,  1705.  The  inventory  of 
his  estate  footed  two  hundred  and  thir- 
teen pounds,  twelve  shilling,  two  pence, 
including  a  negro  man  valued  at  thirty 
pounds,  and  silver  money  amounting  to 
nine  pounds.  On  April  20,  1665,  he 
bought  ten  acres  of  land  in  Portsmouth, 
for  forty  pounds,  including  a  house  and 
three  hundred  good  boards.  He  married 
Alice,  daughter  of  John  Stonard,  of  Bos- 
ton, where  their  first  three  children  were 
born,  namely:  William,  January  21, 
1654,  died  March  10  following;  William, 
February  24,  1655;  Elizabeth,  May  21, 
1656.  The  others,  born  in  Rhode  Island, 
were:  Israel,  mentioned  below;  Ruth, 
married  John  Cook  ;  Grace,  wife  of  Joseph 
Church. 

(II)  Israel,  third  son  of  Anthony  and 
Alice  (Stonard)  Shaw,  lived  in  Little 
Compton,  and  married,  in  1689,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Peter  Tallman,  of  Portsmouth. 
Her  baptismal  name  is  not  preserved.  He 
sold  two  parcels  of  land  in  Portsmouth, 
February  11,  1707,  to  his  brother-in-law, 
John  Cook,  of  Tiverton,  and  in  the  bar- 
gain were  included  buildings  and 
orchards,  and  a  share  in  Hog  Island.  The 
consideration  was  two  hundred  ten 
pounds  and  ten  shillings.  Children : 
William,  born  November  7,  1690;  Mary, 
February  17,  1692;  Anthony,  mentioned 
below;  Alice,  November  17,  1695;  Israel, 
August  28,  1697;  Hannah,  March  7,  1699; 
Jeremiah,  June  6,  1700;  Ruth,  February 
10,  1702;  Peter,  October  6,  1704;  Eliza- 
beth, February  7,  1706;  Grace,  October 
20,  1707;  Comfort,  August  9,  1709; 
Deborah,  July  15,  171 1. 

(III)  Anthony,  second  son  of  Israel 
Shaw,  was  born  January  29,  1694,  in 
Little  Compton,  and  died  there  in  March, 
1759.  He  married,  August  14,  1718,  in 
Little  Compton,  by  Justice  Thomas 
Church,    Rebecca   Wood,  born   April    17, 


1696,  died  January,  1766,  daughter  of 
Thomas  Wood.  Children:  Benjamin, 
mentioned  below ;  Mary,  born  February 
24,  1722;  Ruth,  September  29,  1723; 
Anthony,  November  30,  1725  ;  Elizabeth, 
January  10,  1728,  died  January,  1804; 
Rebecca,  January  27,  1730;  Arnold,  No- 
vember 13,  1732;  Thomas,  January  26, 
1735  ;  John,  May  5,  1737. 

(IV)  Benjamin,  eldest  child  of  An- 
thony and  Rebecca  (Wood)  Shaw,  was 
born  October  5,  1720,  in  Little  Compton, 
and  died  there  in  September,  1794.  He 
married,  1749,  Elizabeth  Potter.  Chil- 
dren: Sylvanus,  born  May  4,  1750,  died 
October  22,  1777;  Nathaniel,  mentioned 
below ;  Rhoda,  October  2,  1753,  died 
young;  Rhoda,  January  1,  1756;  Noah, 
February  2,  1758;  Susanna,  March  25, 
1760;  Barnabus,  October  24,  1761  ;  Ben- 
jamin, July  24,  1763;  Elizabeth,  October 
5,  1764;  Asa,  March  1,  1766;  Renanuel, 
July  21,  1768. 

(V)  Nathaniel,  second  son  of  Benja- 
min and  Elizabeth  (Potter)  Shaw,  born 
February  24,  1752,  married  a  daughter  of 
Thomas  Cory.  It  is  family  history  that 
both  Nathaniel  and  his  father-in-law 
served  in  the  Revolutionary  War.  His 
children  were:  William,  Job,  Cory,  and 
perhaps  others. 

(VI)  Job,  son  of  Nathaniel  Shaw, 
born  about  1783,  in  Tiverton,  Rhode 
Island,  was  a  cooper  by  trade  and  occupa- 
tion, and  resided  in  Tiverton  and  New 
Bedford.  He  died  in  the  latter  town  in 
1862,  aged  seventy-nine  years  three 
months.  He  married  Amy  Macomber, 
and  had  children:  Humphrey;  Frederick 
P.,  mentioned  below;  Job  L. ;  Phebe  M., 
married  Charles  C.  Allen ;  Adaline,  mar- 
ried Benjamin  Brown,  of  New  Bedford. 

(VII)  Frederick  P.,  second  son  of  Job 
and  Amy  (Macomber)  Shaw,  was  born 
July  17,  181 1,  in  New  Bedford,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  after  such  schooling  as  was 


251 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


then  usually  given  to  a  boy,  he  learned 
the  cooper's  trade  under  the  direction  of 
his  father,  who  carried  on  that  business 
in  New  Bedford.    In  due  time  he  changed 
his  occupation,  engaging  in  the  grocery 
business  in  his   native  city,  his  location 
being  on  Purchase  street,  near  North,  in 
time  moving  to  the  northwest  corner  of 
Purchase  and  Kempton  streets.    A  part- 
nership was  eventually  formed  with  his 
younger  brother,  the  late  Job  L.  Shaw, 
who  had  been  an  assistant  in  the  store 
with  him.    The  two  remained  together  in 
business  until  the  year   1844,  when  the 
partnership  was  dissolved  and  each  en- 
gaged   in    business    for   himself.      Some 
years  later  they  again  became  associated 
under  the  firm  name  of  Shaw  &  Brother, 
conducting  a  wholesale  grocery  business, 
their    location    being   on    Union    street, 
with  a  branch  house  in   East   Saginaw, 
Michigan,    in   which    was    interested    the 
son  of  Mr.  Frederick  P.  Shaw,  the  late 
Captain    Charles    Frederick  Shaw,    who 
was  for  many  years  in  active  life  in  New 
Bedford.     In  the  meantime,  in  1849,  Mr' 
Frederick    P.    Shaw    went    to    California, 
sailing  from   New   Bedford  in   the  bark 
"Sylph,"  and  after  his  return  he  was  for 
a  period   engaged  in  the  wholesale  gro- 
cery    business     in     Providence,     Rhode 
Island,  being  a   member  of  the  firm   of 
Work,   Shaw   &    Company.     Mr.    Shaw 
took  an  active  interest  in  the  public  affairs 
of  New  Bedford,  and  was  influential  and 
prominent  in  citizenship.    He  was  chosen 
a   member   of   the    Common    Council   in 
1852,  and  in  1875  represented  the  city  in 
the    General     Court    of    Massachusetts, 
elected    as   a    Democrat,   though    really 
independent   in   politics.      He   was   inter- 
ested   and    active     generally    in    politics 
regardless  or  independent  of  party  lines, 
and  his  election  on  the  Democratic  ticket 
to  the  General  Court  was  due  to  the  sup- 
port  received    from   both    of   the    great 
parties.    The  religious  faith  of  Mr.  Shaw 


was  that  of  the  Christian  denomination, 
he  being  a  member  of  the  North  Christian 
Church  at  New  Bedford,  and  for  several 
years  he  was  the  church  clerk.  Mr.  Shaw 
was  well  known  in  both  business  and 
social  circles.  He  was  a  very  agreeable 
gentleman,  methodical  and  systematic  in 
his  affairs,  and  had  the  reputation  of 
being  shrewd,  keen  and  capable.  Perhaps 
a  year  prior  to  his  death  he  was  stricken 
with  apoplexy,  from  which  he  never  fully 
recovered ;  and  a  recurrence  of  the  attack 
about  a  week  before  his  death  was  the 
cause  of  it.  This  event  occurred  at  his 
home  in  Purchase  street,  New  Bedford, 
December  1,  1883,  when  he  was  aged 
seventy-two  years  four  months.  He  mar- 
ried in  early  manhood,  Mary  Maxfield, 
born  April  10,  181 2,  died  January  25,  1905, 
daughter  of  David  and  Mary  (Soule) 
Maxfield  (see  Maxfield  VI).  Children: 
Charles  F.,  died  young ;  Charles  F.,  born 
November  28,  1840;  Marion,  May  II, 
1843,  married  (first)  January  25,  1869, 
Preserved  Bullock,  who  died  August  29, 
1875,  (second)  November  27,  1884,  Major 
Edwin  Dews,  who  died  June  11,  1904; 
Anna  V.,  May  13,  1846,  died  February 
14,  1907,  unmarried;  Florence  C,  Sep- 
tember, 1849,  married,  June  29,  1869, 
Arthur  R.  Brown,  and  resides  in  New 
Bedford ;  William  C,  mentioned  below. 

(VIII)  William  C,  youngest  child  of 
Frederick  P.  and  Mary  (Maxfield)  Shaw, 
was  born  June  30,  1855.  He  married, 
February  20,  1879,  Fannie  B.  Coffin,  and 
had  one  daughter,  Alice  Coffin,  mentioned 
below. 

(IX)  Alice  Coffin,  only  child  of  Wil- 
liam C.  and  Fannie  B.  (Coffin)  Shaw, 
was  born  November  9,  1879,  and  married, 
June  29,  1909,  Herbert  A.  Morton  of 
Taunton  (see  Morton  VIII). 

(The  Coffin  Line). 

In  Fallaise,  a  town  in  Normandy, 
stands    the   old    chateau   of    Courtitout, 


252 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


once  the  home  of  the  Norman  Coffins ; 
the  name  is  now  extinct  in  that  vicinage. 
The  chateau  is  now  owned  by  Monsieur 
Le  Clere,  who  is  the  grandson  of  the 
last  Mademoiselle  Coffin,  who  married  a 
Le  Clere  in  1796.  Until  her  marriage  the 
chateau  had  always  been  owned  by  a 
Coffin.  (The  above  information  came 
through  Admiral  Henry  E.  Coffin,  of  the 
English  navy,  who  is  the  nephew  of 
Admiral  Sir  Isaac  Coffin,  who  was  born 
in  Boston,  Massachusetts,  May  16,  1759, 
made  a  baronet  and  granted  a  coat-of- 
arms  in  1804).  The  family  traces  its 
ancestry  to  Sir  Richard  Coffin,  Knight, 
who  accompanied  William  the  Conqueror 
from  Normandy  to  England  in  the  year 
1066,  to  whom  the  manor  of  Alwington  in 
the  county  of  Devonshire  was  assigned. 
There  are  various  branches  of  the  family 
in  County  Devon.  The  English  records 
show  the  name  Covin,  whence  it  was 
changed  to  Cophin,  and  is  also  found  as 
Kophin,  Coffyn  and  Coffyne.  Before 
1254  the  family  was  flourishing  at  Port- 
ledge-near-the-sea,  in  the  parish  of 
Alwington,  five  miles  from  Biddeford, 
England.  For  a  period  of  two  hundred 
years  the  heir  always  received  the  name 
of  Richard,  and  so  the  family  was  per- 
petuated for  many  generations  through 
that  name.  The  name  was  early  brought 
to  the  Massachusetts  Bay  Colony  and 
has  been  borne  by  many  leading  men. 
The  Coffin  family  were  not  as  conspicu- 
ous during  the  Revolution  as  they  un- 
doubtedly would  have  been  if  their  loca- 
tion had  been  different.  The  island  was 
visited  by  the  British  warships  on  several 
occasions,  and  the  inhabitants  were  in- 
timidated, and  for  their  own  safety  were 
obliged  to  preserve  a  neutrality.  The 
Portledge  family  bore  these  arms :  Vert, 
five  cross-crosslets  argent,  between  four 
plates.  These  arms  were  also  used  by  the 
American  families. 


(I)  Tristram,  Coffin,  a  descendant  of 
Sir  Richard  Coffin,  married  and  lived  in 
Brixton,  County  of  Devonshire,  England. 
In  his  will  he  left  legacies  to  Anne  and 
John,  children  of  his  son  Nicholas  Coffin  ; 
Richard  and  Joan,  children  of  Lionel 
Coffin ;  Philip  Coffin  and  his  son  Tris- 
tram;  and  appointed  Nicholas  Coffin,  of 
whom  further,  as  his  executor. 

(II)  Nicholas,  son  of  Tristram  Coffin, 
lived  in  Butler's  parish,  Devonshire, 
England,  where  he  died  in  1603.  In  his 
will,  which  was  proved  at  Totnes,  in 
Devonshire,  November  3,  1603,  mention 
is  made  of  his  wife  and  five  children, 
namely  :  Peter,  mentioned  below  ;  Nicho- 
las, Tristram,  John  and  Anne. 

(III)  Peter,  eldest  son  of  Nicholas  and 
Joan  Coffin,  was  born  on  the  Coffin  estate 
at  Brixton,  Devonshire,  England,  about 
1580,  and  died  there  in  1627-28.  He  mar- 
ried Joan  or  Joanna  Thember,  and  their 
six  children  were  born  and  baptized  in  the 
parish  of  Brixton,  Devonshire,  England, 
in  the  order  following:  1.  Tristram,  men- 
tioned below.  2.  John,  born  about  1607; 
he  was  a  soldier  and  died  in  the  service 
from  a  mortal  wound  received  in  battle 
during  the  four  years'  siege  of  the  for- 
tified town  during  the  Civil  War,  and  died 
within  the  town  about  1642.  3.  Joan, 
born  about  1609,  in  England,  probably 
died  there.  4.  Deborah,  died  probably  in 
England.  5.  Eunice,  born  in  England ; 
came  to  Massachusetts  Bay  Colony  with 
her  parents ;  married  William  Butler,  and 
died  in  1648.  6.  Mary,  married  Alexander 
Adams,  and  had  children:  Mary,  Susan- 
nah, John  and  Samuel ;  she  died  in  1677  or 
thereabouts.  Widow  Joan,  with  her  chil- 
dren, Tristram,  Eunice  and  Mary;  her 
two  sons-in-law,  husbands  of  her  daugh- 
ters who  were  married  in  England ;  her 
daughter-in-law,  Dionis ;  and  five  grand- 
children, came  to  Salisbury  in  1642.  She 
died    in     Boston    in    May,     1661,    aged 


253 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


seventy-seven  years,  and  in  the  notice  of 
her  family  it  is  quaintly  stated  that  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Wilson  "embalmed  her 
memory." 

(IV)  Tristram  (2),  eldest  son  of  Peter 
and  Joan  (Thember)  Coffin,  was  born  in 
the  parish  of  Brixton,  Devonshire,  Eng- 
land, probably  in  1605.  He  was  one  of 
the  landed  gentry  of  England,  being  heir 
to  his  father's  estates  in  Brixton,  and  he 
was  probably  a  churchman  after  the  order 
of  the  time  of  Elizabeth.  He  died  at  his 
home  on  Nantucket  Island,  October  2, 
1681.  It  is  a  strange  fact  that  the  Chris- 
tian name  of  the  immigrant  forefather  of 
all  the  Coffins  in  America,  Tristram,  is 
repeated  and  multiplied  in  every  gener- 
ation, while  the  name  of  the  foremother, 
Dionis,  is  repeated  but  once  in  all  the 
generations,  and  that  was  when  it  was 
given  to  the  eldest  daughter  of  Stephen, 
but  when  she  married  Jacob  Norton  her 
name  appears  as  Dinah.  It  is  not  known 
on  which  of  the  early  ships  conveying 
immigrants  from  England  to  New  Eng- 
land the  Coffin  family  took  passage,  but 
it  is  generally  believed  that  it  was  the 
same  ship  that  brought  Robert  Clement, 
the  immigrant,  who  owned  the  ships 
"Hector,"  "Griffin,"  "Job  Clement,"  and 
"Mary  Clement,"  and  if  Robert  Clement, 
the  immigrant,  took  passage  on  one  of 
his  own  ships,  Tristram  Coffin,  the  im- 
migrant, was  a  passenger  in  the  same 
ship,  and  both  men  settled  in  Haverhill 
in  1642.  The  early  settlers  of  Salisbury, 
which  town  was  established  October  7, 
1640,  commenced  a  settlement  at  Pen- 
tucket  the  same  year,  and  the  Indian 
deed  for  this  land  was  witnessed  by  Tris- 
tram Coffin  in  1642,  and  in  1643  he  re- 
moved to  the  place  which  was  established 
as  the  town  of  Haverhill,  Norfolk  county, 
Massachusetts  Bay  Colony.  He  settled 
near  Robert  Clement.  Tradition  has  it 
that  Tristram  Coffin  was  the  first  man  to 


plow  land  in  the  town  of  Haverhill,  he 
constructing  his  own  plow.  He  changed 
his  residence  to  the  "Rocks"  in  the  fol- 
lowing year,  and  in  1648-49  removed  to 
Newbury  where  he  kept  an  ordinary  and 
sold  wine  and  liquors  and  kept  the  New- 
bury side  of  Carr's  Ferry.    In  September, 

1643,  his  wife  Dionis  was  prosecuted  for 
selling  beer  for  three-pence  per  quart, 
while  the  regular  price  was  but  two- 
pence, but  she  proved  that  she  had  put 
six  bushels  of  malt  into  the  hogshead 
while  the  law  only  required  the  use  of 
four  bushels,  and  she  was  discharged. 
He  returned  to  Salisbury  and  was  com- 
missioner of  the  town,  and  while  living 
there  purchased  or  planned  the  purchase 
of  the  island  of  Nantucket,  where  he  with 
his  associates  removed  on  account  of 
religious  persecution.  At  least  Thomas 
Macy,  who  was  the  pioneer  settler  on 
Nantucket  Island,  "fled  from  the  officers 
of  the  law  and  sold  his  property  and  home 
rather  than  submit  to  tyranny,  which 
punished  a  man  for  being  hospitable  to 
strangers  in  the  rainstorm  even  though 
the  strangers  be  Quakers."  Mr.  Macy  re- 
turned to  Salisbury  and  resided  there  in 

1644,  and  when  he  left  he  sold  his  house 
and  lands  and  so  the  story  of  his  fleeing 
from  persecution  would  seem  to  be 
spoiled  and  history  perhaps  gives  the  true 
reason  for  his  migration,  the  search  for  a 
milder  climate  and  better  opportunities 
for  cultivating  the  soil.  Early  in  1654 
Tristram  Coffin  took  Peter  Folger,  the 
grandfather  of  Benjamin  Franklin,  at  the 
time  living  in  Martha's  Vineyard,  as  an 
interpreter  of  the  Indian  language,  and 
proceeded  to  Nantucket  to  ascertain  the 
"temper  and  disposition  of  the  Indians 
and  the  capabilities  of  the  island,  that 
he  might  report  to  the  citizens  of  Salis- 
bury what  inducements  were  offered 
emigrants."  A  grant  of  the  island  had 
been  given  to  Thomas  Mayhew  by  Wil- 

254 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


liam  Earl,  of  Sterling,  and  recorded  in 
the  secretary's  office  of  the  State  of  New 
York,  July  2,  1659.  Thomas  Mayhew 
deeded  the  island  to  Tristram  Coffin, 
Richard  Swain,  Peter  Coffin,  Stephen 
Greenleaf,  William  Pike,  Thomas  Macy, 
Thomas  Barnard,  Christopher  Hussey, 
John  Swain,  retaining  an  interest  of  one- 
twentieth  for  himself,  the  consideration 
being  "thirty  pounds  and  two  beaver  hats, 
one  for  myself  and  one  for  my  wife." 
Later  the  same  parties  purchased  from 
one  Wanackmamak,  head  sachem  of 
Nantucket,  a  large  part  of  their  lands, 
consideration  forty  pounds.  James  Cof- 
fin accompanied  Thomas  Macy  and 
family,  Edward  Starbuck  and  Isaac  Cole- 
man to  the  island  later  the  same  year,  and 
they  all  took  up  their  residence  there. 
The  Coffin  family  that  settled  at  Nan- 
tucket included  Tristram,  Sr.,  James, 
Mary,  John  and  Stephen,  each  the  head 
of  a  family.  Tristram  Coffin  was  thirty- 
seven  years  old  when  he  arrived  in  Amer- 
ica, and  fifty-five  years  old  at  the  time 
of  his  removal  to  Nantucket,  and  during 
the  first  year  of  his  residence  he  was  the 
richest  proprietor.  The  property  of  his 
son  Peter  is  said  soon  after  to  have  ex- 
ceeded in  value  that  of  the  original  pro- 
prietor, the  family  together  owning 
about  one-fourth  of  the  island  and  the 
whole  of  Tuckernock.  On  June  29,  1671, 
Francis  Lovelace,  Governor  of  New 
York,  granted  a  commission  to  Tristram 
Coffin  to  be  chief  magistrate  on  and  over 
the  island  of  Nantucket  and  Tuck- 
anuckett  (Deeds  III,  secretary's  office, 
Albany,  New  York).  At  the  same  time 
Thomas  Mayhew  was  appointed  the  chief 
magistrate  of  Martha's  Vineyard  through 
commissions  signed  by  Governor  Love- 
lace, of  New  York,  bearing  date  June  29, 
1671,  and  the  two  chief  magistrates,  to- 
gether with  two  assistants  for  each  island, 
constituted  a  general  court,  with  appel- 


lative jurisdiction  over  both  islands.  The 
appointment  was  made  by  Governor 
Francis  Lovelace,  of  New  York,  and  his 
second  commission,  September  16,  1677, 
was  signed  by  Edward  Andros,  governor- 
general  of  the  province  of  New  York. 
Tristram,  when  he  died,  left  his  widow 
Dionis,  seven  children,  sixty  grandchil- 
dren, and  a  number  of  great-grandchil- 
dren, and  in  1728  there  had  been  born  to 
him  one  thousand  five  hundred  and 
eighty-two  descendants,  of  whom  one 
thousand  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight 
were  living.  He  married  Dionis  (the 
diminutive  for  Dionysia  and  afterwards 
written  Dionys),  daughter  of  Robert 
Stevens,  of  Brixton,  England.  Children, 
first  five  born  in  England:  Hon.  Peter, 
1631,  died  in  Exeter,  New  Hampshire, 
March  2,  1715;  Tristram,  1632,  died  in 
Newbury,  February  4,  1704;  Elizabeth, 
married  in  Newbury,  November  13,  165 1, 
Captain  Stephen  Greenleaf,  died  Novem- 
ber 29,  1678;  James,  mentioned  below; 
John,  died  in  Haverhill,  October  30,  1642; 
Deborah,  November  15,  1643,  in  Haver- 
hill, died  there  December  8,  1643;  Mary, 
February  20,  1645,  in  Haverhill,  married 
Nathaniel  Starbuck  and  was  the  mother 
of  the  first  white  child  born  in  Nantucket, 
died  there  September  13,  1717 ;  John, 
mentioned  below;  Stephen,  May  11,  1652, 
in  Newbury,  died  in  Nantucket,  May  18, 
1734- 

(V)  James,  third  son  of  Tristram  (2) 
and  Dionis  (Stevens)  Coffin,  was  born 
1640,  in  England,  and  died  at  Nantucket, 
July  28,  1720,  aged  eighty  years.  He 
came  to  Nantucket  with  the  first  settlers, 
but  subsequently  removed  to  Dover,  New 
Hampshire,  where  he  resided  in  1668, 
being  a  member  of  the  church  there  in 
1671  and  the  same  year,  May  31,  he  was 
there  made  a  freeman.  Soon  after  this 
date,  however,  he  returned  to  Nantucket 
and   resided   there    until   his   death.      He 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


filled  several  important  public  positions 
at  Nantucket,  among  them  judge  of  the 
probate  court.  The  first  records  of  the 
probate  office  are  under  his  administra- 
tion. He  was  the  father  of  fourteen 
children,  all  of  whom  except  two  grew 
to  maturity  and  married.  From  him 
have  descended  perhaps  the  most  remark- 
able representatives  of  the  Coffin  family, 
as  doubtless  the  most  numerous  and  gen- 
erally scattered.  This  branch  furnished 
the  family  that  remained  on  the  side  of 
Great  Britain  in  the  Revolution  and 
General  John  Coffin,  as  well,  rendered 
service  against  the  colonies.  Sir  Isaac 
Coffin,  brother  of  General  John  Coffin, 
did  not  take  an  active  part  in  the  War  of 
the  Revolution  against  the  colonies.  He 
was  in  the  British  navy  at  the  breaking 
out  of  the  war,  and  at  his  own  request 
was  assigned  to  service  in  the  Mediter- 
ranean, that  he  might  not  have  to  fight 
against  his  own  kindred.  Although  the 
highest  honors  had  been  conferred  on 
him  in  the  Spanish  navy,  and  he  had  been 
chosen  a  member  of  parliament,  he  cher- 
ished a  regard  for  the  land  of  his  nativity. 
In  1826  he  visited  Boston  and  Nantucket, 
and  was  honorably  and  hospitably  re- 
ceived. Harvard  University  conferred  on 
him  the  honorary  degree  of  Master  of 
Arts.  At  Nantucket  he  founded  a  school, 
chiefly  in  the  interest  of  the  Coffin  family. 
The  land  on  which  the  school  stands  was 
given  by  Gorham  Coffin,  who  was  one  of 
the  trustees,  and  had  been  the  site  of  the 
residence  of  his  father,  Abner  Coffin. 
The  school  is  still  in  existence,  and  at  the 
present  time  is  a  Mechanical  Training 
School  for  the  inhabitants  of  the  island. 
One  of  the  most  distinguished  women 
that  America  has  produced,  Lucretia 
Mott,  was  also  descended  from  this  line, 
her  father,  Thomas  Coffin,  being  the  sev- 
enteenth child  of  Benjamin,  and  not  the 
youngest   either.     James   Coffin  married, 


December  3,  1663,  Mary,  daughter  of 
John  and  Abigail  Severance,  of  Salisbury, 
Massachusetts.  Children :  Mary,  James, 
Nathaniel,  John,  Dinah,  Deborah,  Ebe- 
nezer,  Joseph,  Elizabeth,  Benjamin,  Ruth, 
Abigail,  Experience,  Jonathan. 

(VI)  Nathaniel,  son  of  James  and 
Mary  (Severance)  Coffin,  was  born  1671, 
in  Dover,  New  Hampshire,  and  died  Au- 
gust 29,  1721.  He  married,  October  17, 
1692,  Damaris,  born  October  24,  1673, 
died  September  6,  1764,  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam and  Dorcas  (Starbuck)  Gayer,  of 
Nantucket.  William  Gayer  was  a  master 
mariner.  He  was  many  times  selectman, 
magistrate  and  assessor,  and  his  penman- 
ship is  a  model.  He  came  from  the 
nobility  of  England,  and  was  one  of 
twenty-nine  families,  among  the  thou- 
sands that  came  from  Great  Britain  to 
New  England,  entitled  to  bring  armorial 
bearings  with  them.  In  his  will,  probated 
October  24,  1710,  he  gave  "To  his  house- 
keeper Patience  Foot,  a  house  and  land 
for  life,  and  to  Africa,  a  negro,  once  my 
servant,  the  last  chamber  of  my  now 
dwelling  house  and  one-half  of  the  leanto 
for  life."  The  estate  of  Damaris  Coffin 
amounted  to  nine  hundred  and  twelve 
pounds,  including  silver  tankard,  cup  and 
spoons,  that  were  given  to  her  children. 
Children,  born  at  Nantucket:  Dorcas, 
July  22,  1693 ;  Christian,  April  8,  1695 ; 
Lydia,  May  16,  1697 ;  William,  December 
1,  1699;  Charles,  January  1,  1702;  Ben- 
jamin, April  3,  1705;  Gayer,  May  24, 
1709;  Nathaniel,  mentioned  below;  Cath- 
erine, June  15,  1715. 

(VII)  Nathaniel  (2),  youngest  son  of 
Nathaniel  (1)  and  Damaris  (Gayer) 
Coffin,  was  born  July  6,  171 1,  died  June 
10,  1800.  He  married  Mary  Sheffield, 
daughter  of  James  and  Katherine  (Chap- 
man) Sheffield,  of  Newport,  Rhode 
Island,  born  1716,  died  1778.  Children: 
Catherine,   born   July   30,    1737,    married 


256 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Joshua,  son  of  James  Coffin,  died  May  16, 
1812;  Nathaniel,  about  1739,  married 
Phebe,  daughter  of  Tristram  Coffin,  died 
December  23,  1827;  Sheffield,  February 
24,  1741,  married  Elizabeth  Barnard, 
daughter  of  Matthew  Barnard,  died  at 
Hudson,  11  mo.,  1798;  James,  Septem- 
ber 13,  1743;  Samuel,  mentioned  be- 
low; Walter,  October  20,  1748,  married 
Polly  Gardner  in  Newport,  Rhode  Island, 
died  1785;  Matthew,  May  20,  1751,  mar- 
ried Matilda  Coffin,  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Judith  Coffin,  killed  by  a  whale  in 
1788;  Obadiah,  October  31,  1757,  married 
Mary  Rogers,  of  Cape  Cod,  died  Septem- 
ber 26,  1821 ;  Lettice,  November  18,  1766, 
married  Reuben,  son  of  Alexander  Ray, 
died  May  24,  1812;  Gayer,  Elihu  and 
George,  died  young. 

(VIII)  Samuel,  fourth  son  of  Na- 
thaniel (2)  and  Mary  (Sheffield)  Coffin, 
was  born  February  25,  1745,  in  Nan- 
tucket, where  he  spent  his  life,  was  a 
shoemaker,  and  died  February  5,  1809. 
He  married  Eunice  Folger,  born  June  4, 
1754,  died  May  7,  1838,  daughter  of 
Peter  and  Christian  (Swain)  Folger. 
The  date  of  their  marriage  is  not  given, 
but  it  was  probably  about  1774,  as  at 
that  time  he  was  disowned  from  the 
Quaker  church,  probably  for  marrying 
"out  of  meeting."  Children  :  Ariel,  born 
June  7,  1775,  married  Priscilla  Fosdick, 
daughter  of  Benjamin,  and  (second) 
Judith  Coffin,  daughter  of  Benjamin,  died 
May  27,  1861 ;  Mary,  died  unmarried ; 
Anna,  June  21,  1780,  married,  as  his 
second  wife,  Obed  Clark,  died  August  10, 
1854;  Eunice,  married,  as  his  first  wife, 
Obed  Clark;  Rebecca,  July  22,  1782,  mar- 
ried Barzillai,  son  of  Benjamin  Coffin, 
died  February  8,  1841  ;  Alexander,  Au- 
gust 22,  1790,  married  Lydia,  daughter  of 
Peter  Myrick,  died  at  Ravenna,  Ohio, 
December  7,  1870;  Reuben  F.,  mentioned 
below;    John    Gayer,    August    II,     1795, 


married  Rebecca,  daughter  of  Obed  Joy, 
died  at  sea,  July  15,  1831. 

(IX)  Reuben  F.,  third  son  of  Samuel 
and  Eunice  (Folger)  Coffin,  was  born 
March  iS,  1793,  in  Nantucket,  and  fol- 
lowed a  sea-faring  life,  becoming  master 
of  whaling  vessels  sailing  out  of  New 
Bedford  and  other  ports  on  the  Massa- 
chusetts coast.  He  made  his  home  in 
Nantucket,  and  died  there  August  1,  1856. 
He  married,  July  30,  1817,  Susan  Barnard, 
born  October  6,  1795,  died  in  Nantucket, 
January  24,  1874.  Children:  Sarah  B., 
born  September  18,  1820,  married  (first) 
Captain  Stephen  Arthur,  (second)  Cap- 
tain William  Wood,  and  died  in  Provi- 
dence, April  9,  1885;  Peter  F.,  November 
14,  1823,  died  in  San  Francisco,  Cali- 
fornia ;  John  G.,  mentioned  below. 

(X)  John  G.,  second  son  of  Reuben  F. 
and  Susan  (Barnard)  Coffin,  was  born 
November  10,  183 1,  in  Nantucket,  where 
he  was  educated,  and  where  he  remained 
until  sixteen  years  old.  He  then  went  to 
Manchester,  New  Hampshire,  where  he 
learned  the  trade  of  machinist,  and  con- 
tinued there  until  1849,  when  he  removed 
to  Taunton,  Massachusetts,  where  he  was 
employed  in  the  Mason  Machine  Works 
until  1854,  where  he  became  a  locomotive 
engineer  on  the  New  Bedford  &  Taunton 
railroad  in  the  Old  Colony  system.  Sub- 
sequently he  was  employed  on  the  Bos- 
ton, Fitchburg  &  Clinton  railroad,  and 
later  on  the  Boston  &  Providence  rail- 
road, all  now  a  part  of  the  New  York, 
New  Haven  &  Hartford  railroad  system. 
For  more  than  half  a  century  he  con- 
tinued in  the  active  service  of  this  great 
railroad  system,  and  in  1906  was  retired 
with  a  pension  for  faithful  service.  He  is 
a  man  of  strong  physique  and  his  temper- 
ate life  has  preserved  all  his  faculties. 
Mr.  Coffin  is  one  of  the  oldest  Masons  in 
Taunton,  having  joined  the  order  in  1853. 
He  is  now  tenderly  cared  for  by  a  niece 


MASS— Vol  111—17 


257 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  granddaughter,  to  whom  he  is  much 
devoted.  He  married,  December  21,  1854, 
Mehitable  S.  Hook,  born  in  Chichester, 
New  Hampshire,  a  daughter  of  Lovett 
and  Sally  (Prescott)  Hook.  She  died  at 
her  home  in  Taunton,  December  19,  1915, 
after  sixty-one  years  of  happy  married 
life,  and  was  buried  in  the  Mayflower  Hill 
Cemetery  at  Taunton. 

(XI)  Fannie  B.,  only  child  of  John  G. 
and  Mehitable  (Hook)  Coffin,  was  mar- 
ried, February  20,  1879,  to  William  C. 
Shaw,  of  New  Bedford,  and  died  Decem- 
ber 27,  1915,  at  her  home  in  Taunton,  a 
week  after  the  death  of  her  mother,  and 
is  buried  in  the  same  cemetery  (see  Shaw 
VIII). 

(V)  John,  fifth  son  of  Tristram  (2) 
and  Dionis  (Stevens)  Coffin,  was  born 
October  30,  1647,  m  Haverhill,  Massa- 
chusetts, resided  in  Nantucket,  and  died 
at  Edgartown,  Martha's  Vineyard,  Sep- 
tember 5,  171 1.  He  married  Deborah, 
daughter  of  Joseph  and  Sarah  (Starbuck) 
Austin,  who  died  February  4,  1718,  in 
Nantucket.  Children :  Lydia,  born  June 
1,  1669;  Peter,  August  5,  1671 ;  John 
February  10,  1674;  Love,  April  23,  1676 
Enoch,  1678;  Samuel,  mentioned  below 
Hannah,  married  Benjamin  Gardner 
Tristram,  died  January  29,  1763;  De- 
borah, married  Thomas  Macy ;  Elizabeth. 

(VI)  Samuel,  fourth  son  of  John  and 
Deborah  (Austin)  Coffin,  was  born  De- 
cember 12,  1680,  and  died  February  22, 
1764,  in  Nantucket.  He  married,  1705, 
Miriam,  daughter  of  Richard,  Jr.,  and 
Mary  (Austin)  Gardner. 

(VII)  David,  son  of  Samuel  and 
Miriam  (Gardner)  Coffin,  was  born  Au- 
gust 25,  1718,  and  died  May  5,  1804.  He 
married,  by  Friend's  service,  12  mo., 
1741,  Ruth  Coleman,  daughter  of  Elihu 
and  Jemima  Coleman. 

(VIII)  Elihu,  son  of  David  and  Ruth 
(Coleman)  Coffin,  was  born  December  8, 
1748,  and  died  July  2,  1818.    He  married 


Eunice  Folger,  daughter  of  Benjamin  and 
Judith  Folger. 

(IX)  Eunice,  daughter  of  Elihu  and 
Eunice  (Folger)  Coffin,  born  January  5, 
1791,  became  the  wife  of  Tristram  Cole- 
man (see  Coleman  VI). 

(The  Maxfield  Line). 

(I)  John  Maxfield  was  in  Salisbury, 
Massachusetts,  as  early  as  1652,  in  which 
year  he  was  taxed  there.  Two  years 
later  he  purchased  a  right  in  commonage 
and  in  1667  subscribed  to  the  oath  of 
fidelity.  He  was  in  Salisbury  as  late  as 
1675,  appeared  in  Amesbury  in  1669,  and 
may  have  been  in  Gloucester  in  1679. 

(II)  John  (2)  Maxfield,  undoubtedly  son 
of  John  (1),  resided  in  Salisbury,  where 
both  he  and  his  wife  Elizabeth  signed  the 
Bradbury  petition  in  1692.  He  died  sud- 
denly December  10,  1703.  Children: 
John,  born  October  23,  1680;  Timothy, 
mentioned  below ;  Mary,  January  10, 
1685;  Margery,  November  5,  1686;  Na- 
thaniel, March  1,  1689;  Joseph,  March  4, 
1692 ;  Elizabeth,  January  18,  1695 ;  Wil- 
liam, September  4,  1699. 

(III)  Timothy,  second  son  of  John 
(2)  and  Elizabeth  Maxfield,  was  born  in 
October,  1682,  in  Salisbury,  and  settled 
in  Dartmouth,  Massachusetts,  very  soon 
after  attaining  his  majority.  He  married 
there,  January  15,  1707,  Judith  Sherman. 
He  had  a  second  wife  Elizabeth.  Chil- 
dren: Edmund,  died  November  23,  1708; 
Timothy,  mentioned  below ;  Abiah,  born 
August  17,  1710;  Elizabeth,  August  23, 
1713,  married  Samuel  Potter,  Jr.;  Mary, 
August  22,  1716;  Dorcas,  August  30, 
1719;  Lydia,  October  27,  1721 ;  John, 
August  16,  1726. 

(IV)  Timothy  (2),  second  son  of  Tim- 
othy (1)  and  Judith  (Sherman)  Max- 
field, was  born  September  12,  1708,  in 
Dartmouth,  where  he  made  his  home. 
He  married  there  (first)  December  19, 
1734,  Patience  Drinkwater,  and  (second) 


258 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


January  8,  1740,  Elizabeth  Sherman. 
Children  of  first  marriage :  Elizabeth, 
born  January  6,  1736,  married  William 
Tripp ;  Edmund,  mentioned  below ; 
Lydia,  August  7,  1739,  married  Daniel 
Sherman  ;  of  second  marriage  :  Zadock, 
October  2y,  1740;  Patrick,  September  28, 
1741 ;  Timothy,  June  8,  1745 ;  Patience, 
July  12,  1752,  married  Jonathan  Sher- 
man ;  Thomas,  January  14,  1754. 

(V)  Edmund,  son  of  Timothy  (2)  and 
Patience  (Drinkwater)  Maxfield,  was 
born  January  1,  1737,  and  died  November 
27,  1821,  aged  eighty-five  years.  He  mar- 
ried, September  5,  1766,  Rachel  Russell, 
daughter  of  Abraham  and  Dianah  Rus- 
sell. Children :  Zadock,  born  March  23, 
1767;  David,  mentioned  below  ;  Jonathan, 
February  19,  1773;  Seth,  December  2, 
1775;  Abraham  R.,  July  7,  1778;  Abigail, 
March  26,  1782. 

(VI)  David,  second  son  of  Edmund 
and  Rachel  (Russell)  Maxfield,  was  born 
June  15,  1769,  and  died  December  29, 
1828,  at  New  Bedford,  aged  fifty-nine 
years.  He  married,  June  3,  1793,  Mary 
Soule,  born  in  Westport,  Massachusetts, 
died  April  18,  1815.  Children:  Ruth, 
born  March  29,  1795,  married  Abner 
Cornell;  Patience.  December  11,  1796; 
Silvia,  April  15,  1798;  Abigail,  December 
26,  1799;  Joseph,  August  15,  1803; 
Almira.  October  8,  1805;  William.  Feb- 
ruary 22,  1807;  Allen  Russell,  February 
20,  1810;  Mary,  mentioned  below;  Rachel 
and  Susan  (twins),  October  10.  1S14. 

(VII)  Mary,  sixth  daughter  of  David 
and  Mary  (Soule)  Maxfield,  was  born 
April  10,  1812,  in  New  Bedford,  and  mar- 
ried Frederick  P.  Shaw,  of  New  Bedford 
(see  Shaw  VII). 


NICHOLS,  Charles, 

Manufacturer, 

Richard  Nichols,  the  immigrant  ances- 
tor, was  born  in  England,  settled  first  at 


Ipswich,  Massachusetts,  was  admitted  a 
freeman  in  1638,  and  was  one  of  Major 
Denison's  subscribers  in  1648.  His  name 
appears  in  the  General  Court  records  as 
early  as  1640.  He  bought  of  Edward 
Bragg  an  acre  and  a  half  of  land,  March 
21,  1658,  on  the  south  side  of  the  river, 
on  the  highway  leading  to  Chebacco.  His 
farm,  in  the  south  part  of  Reading, 
whither  he  moved,  was  afterward  known 
as  Lambert  Place.  His  wife  Annis  was 
admitted  to  the  church  at  Reading  from 
the  Ipswich  church  in  1666.  He  died  at 
Reading,  November  22,  1674,  and  his 
wife  Annis  (Agnes)  in  1692.  His  will 
was  dated  November  19,  and  proved  De- 
cember 11,  1674.  He  bequeathed  to  wife 
Annis  (Agnes  or  Ann)  ;  sons  John,  Thom- 
as and  James,  and  daughters  Mary  and 
Hannah.  Children :  John,  his  father's 
executor,  born  about  165 1,  married 
Abigail  Kendall,  daughter  of  Thomas 
Kendall,  both  died  in  1721  ;  Thomas,  born 
about  1655 ;  James,  July  25,  1658,  at 
Ipswich,  married,  1682,  Mary  Poole ; 
Mary ;  Joanna  or  Hannah,  November  26, 
1660,  at  Ipswich;  Richard,  mentioned 
below. 

(II)  Richard  (2)  Nichols,  son  of 
Richard  (1)  and  Annis  Nichols,  was  born 
about  1675,  and  died  April  5,  1732,  in  the 
west  parish  of  Reading.  He  married, 
November  26,  1706,  Abigail  Damon,  born 
February  23,  1689,  in  Reading,  daughter 
of  Samuel  and  Mary  Damon.  They  had 
children:  Abigail,  born  1708;  John, 
mentioned  below;  Mary,  March  30,  1713; 
Richard,  April  10,  1715 ;  Joshua,  August 
7,  1718;  Hephzibah,  February  28,  1721  ; 
Mehitable,  March  23,  1723;  Jacob,  Au- 
gust 21,  1726. 

(III)  John  Nichols,  eldest  child  of 
Richard  (2)  and  Abigail  (Damon) 
Nichols,  was  born  March  22,  171 1,  in 
Reading,  and  lived  in  that  town,  where 
he  died  November  21,  1774.  He  married, 
May     24,     1733,     in     Reading,     Johanna 


259 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Nichols,  born  there  May  12,  1710,  daugh- 
ter of  James  and  Johanna  (Lamson) 
Nichols.  Their  children  were  :  Hannah, 
born  March  23,  1734;  John,  September  2, 
1736;  Abigail,  August  1,  1738;  David, 
mentioned  below;  Kendall,  May  17,  1743; 
Simon,  August  2,  1745 ;  William,  August 

15.  !747- 

(IV)  David  Nichols,  second  son  of 
John  and  Johanna  (Nichols)  Nichols,  was 
born  March  7,  1741,  in  Reading,  and 
lived  in  Westminster,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  died  at  the  age  of  fifty  years. 
He  married  (first)  in  Reading,  Novem- 
ber 23,  1763,  Rachel  Burnap,  born  June 
6,  1745,  in  that  down,  daughter  of  Isaac 
and  Susannah  (Emerson)  Burnap.  Chil- 
dren: David,  mentioned  below;  Kendall, 
born  July  5,  1768;  Rebecca,  July  4,  1770; 
Mary,  May  5,  1773 ;  Isaac,  September  20, 
1774;  Asa,  May  15,  1779;  Sarah,  June 
21,  1781 ;  Edmund,  March  16,  1784. 
David  Nichols  married  (second)  Rhoda 
Furbush,  who  bore  him  one  child,  John. 

(V)  David  (2)  Nichols,  eldest  child  of 
David  (1)  and  Rachel  (Burnap)  Nichols, 
was  born  February  2,  1766,  in  West- 
minster, and  lived  in  Gardner.  He  mar- 
ried, December  4,  1788,  Rachel  Howard, 
born  May  7,  1765,  in  that  town,  daughter 
of  Nathan  and  Lydia  (Lynde)  Howard, 
formerly  of  Maiden  Massachusetts.  Chil- 
dren :  Lydia,  born  April  26,  1790;  David, 
February  13,  1791 ;  Betsey,  February  10, 
1793 ;  Isaac,  July  29,  1795  ;  Nathan,  March 
11,  1797;  Rebecca,  July  7,  1799;  Edmund, 
mentioned  below;  Amos,  August  27, 
1804;  Elvira,  December  3,  1806;  Emily 
E.,  July  21,  1809;  Charles,  September  5, 
1811. 

(VI)  Edmund  Nichols,  fourth  son  of 
David  (2)  and  Rachel  (Howard)  Nichols, 
was  born  August  29,  1801,  in  Gardner, 
Massachusetts,  and  resided  in  West- 
minster, where,  in  middle  life,  he  pur- 
chased a  farm  in  the  western  part  of  the 


central  village,  subsequently  occupied  by 
his  son.  He  was  a  farmer  and  chair- 
maker,  and  dealt  largely  in  real  estate ;  an 
enterprising,  shrewd  and  successful  busi- 
ness man.  He  married,  July  29,  1823, 
Mary  Derby,  daughter  of  Ezra  and  Ruth 
(Puffer)  Derby,  who  was  born  January 
17,  1804,  in  Westminster,  and  died  there 
April  29,  1870.  Their  children  were: 
Augustus  E.,  born  February  19,  1824,  died 
in  Westminster;  Frederick,  born  October 
30,  1825,  died  in  Westminster;  Mary  A., 
born  March  3,  1827,  married  James  M. 
Clark,  and  died  in  Westminster;  Francis, 
born  September  11,  1829,  served  in  the 
Civil  War,  died  in  Westminster;  Caro- 
line, born  July  30,  1832,  married  Thomas 
Greenwood ;  Lucy,  born  September  20, 
1835,  became  the  second  wife  of  James 
M.  Clark;  Lyman,  born  January  29,  1839, 
died  in  East  Princeton,  Massachusetts ; 
George,  born  August  10,  1841,  served  in 
the  Civil  War,  and  died  in  Westminster; 
Clara  A.,  born  March  5,  1844,  married 
John  R.  Conant,  of  Gardner;  Charles, 
mentioned  below;  and  Marcus  M.,  born 
June  27,  1849,  now  living  in  Leominster, 
Massachusetts. 

(VII)  Charles  Nichols,  son  of  Edmund 
and  Mary  (Derby)  Nichols,  was  born 
July  4,  1847,  in  Westminster,  Massachu- 
setts, acquiring  his  early  education  in  the 
district  schools  of  his  native  town.  Early 
in  life  he  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
chairs,  and  for  a  number  of  years  was  en- 
gaged in  the  business  in  the  western  part 
of  the  central  village  of  his  native  town, 
in  partnership  with  his  younger  brother, 
Marcus  M.  Nichols,  under  the  firm  name 
of  Nichols  Brothers.  In  August,  1881, 
their  plant  was  destroyed  by  fire,  but  was 
rebuilt,  and  they  continued  engaged  in 
manufacturing  chairs  in  that  town  until 
1892,  when  they  removed  the  business  to 
Gardner,  Massachusetts.  In  1894,  Mr. 
Nichols   dissolved    partnership  with    his 


260 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


brother,  and  subsequently  became  the 
senior  partner  of  the  firm  of  Nichols  & 
Stone,  chair  manufacturers  of  Gardner. 
This  well-known  concern  employs  about 
two  hundred  persons,  and  is  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  chairs  of  all  kinds. 
In  1907,  this  firm's  plant  was  visited  by  a 
fire,  which  resulted  in  a  loss  of  $75,000, 
the  destroyed  plant  being  replaced  by  the 
present  up-to-date  and  enlarged  factory. 
While  residing  in  his  native  town,  Mr. 
Nichols  served  for  several  years  as  a 
member  of  the  board  of  selectmen,  and 
for  some  years  was  vice-president  of  the 
Westminster  Bank,  formerly  of  West- 
minster, but  now  of  Gardner.  Mr. 
Nichols  is  a  valued  and  active  member  of 
the  Masonic  brotherhood,  holding  mem- 
bership in  Charles  W.  Moore  Lodge,  of 
Fitchburg ;  Gardner  Chapter,  Royal  Arch 
Masons,  and  Ivanhoe  Commandery,  No. 
46,  Knights  Templar,  of  Gardner,  and 
Aleppo  Temple,  Order  of  the  Mystic 
Shrine,  of  Boston.  In  political  faith,  Mr. 
Nichols  has  always  been  a  stalwart 
adherent  of  the  principles  of  the  Repub- 
lican party.  He  affiliates  with  the 
Unitarian  church  in  religious  belief.  On 
December  10,  1871,  Mr.  Nichols  was 
nnited  in  marriage  to  Alice  A.,  daughter 
of  Timothy  and  Eunice  (Lord)  Brown, 
who  was  born  March  29,  1849,  in  West- 
minster, and  passed  away  in  Gardner, 
November  24,  1901,  and  is  buried  at  West- 
minster (see  Brown  VIII).  To  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Nichols  were  born  the  following 
children  :  1.  Mary  Alice,  born  August  26, 
1873,  died  in  Westminster;  she  married 
Frank  W.  Fenno,  of  Westminster,  and 
had  six  children,  namely:  Doris,  Thad- 
deus,  Alice,  Barbara,  Franklin  and 
Charles.  2.  Abbie  Brown,  born  Decem- 
ber 26,  1875,  married  Charles  A.  Ray- 
mond, and  they  reside  in  Melrose,  Massa- 
chusetts, the  parents  of  two  children, 
Dorothy  and  Lawrence.  3.  Louis  Charles, 


born  December  28,  1877,  residing  at  Wau- 
watosa,  a  suburb  of  Milwaukee,  Wiscon- 
sin ;  he  married  Marguerite  Whittaker,  of 
Cincinnati,  Ohio.  4.  Arthur  Eugene, 
born  May  28,  1880,  died  May  26,  1889. 
5.  Edmund  Lord,  born  February  11,  1890, 
residing  in  Gardner;  he  married  Maud 
Carlton,  and  they  have  two  children, 
Carlton  and  Alice  Nichols. 

(The  Brown  Line). 

(I)  Edward  Browne  was  a  resident  of 
Inkburrow,  Worcestershire,  England. 
His  wife  was  Jane  Side,  daughter  of 
Thomas  Side.  They  lived  and  died  in  the 
parish  of  Inkburrow,  and  there  is  no 
doubt  that  the  son  next  mentioned  was 
born  there. 

(II)  Nicholas  Brown,  son  of  Edward 
and  Jane  (Side)  Browne,  was  in  Lynn, 
Massachusetts,  before  1638,  and  the  name 
of  his  son  John  appears  in  the  Indian 
deed  of  Lynn  as  "ye  Worshipful  Mr. 
Brown."  The  latter  was  sent  to  England 
in  1660  by  his  father  to  look  after  the 
estate  of  Thomas  Side,  which  Nicholas 
Brown  had  inherited.  Nicholas  Brown 
was  a  mariner  in  early  life,  and  settled  at 
the  northwest  of  Sadler's  Rock,  in  what 
is  now  Saugus,  then  Lynn,  where  he  was 
granted  two  hundred  and  ten  acres  by 
the  town,  situated  on  the  river.  North  of 
his  land  was  the  Wigwam  Meadow.  He 
owned  two  hundred  acres  in  Reading  and 
three  hundred  and  twenty-seven  acres  on 
the  north  side  of  Ipswich  river.  He  was 
admitted  a  freeman  in  Lynn,  September 
7,  1638,  and  was  deputy  to  the  General 
Court  from  that  town  in  1641.  After  the 
town  of  Reading  was  set  off  from  Lynn, 
in  1644,  he  resided  in  the  former  town, 
where  he  was  a  leading  citizen,  and  was 
deputy  to  the  General  Court  in  1655-56 
and  1661,  during  which  years  he  was  also 
selectman.  In  1640  he  was  appointed 
commissioner  to  hear  small   causes,   the 


261 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


title  at  that  time  of  a  local  magistrate. 
With  his  wife  Elizabeth  and  children,  he 
was  dismissed  from  the  Lynn  church  to 
the  Reading  church,  February  6,  1663. 
He  died  April  5,  1673,  and  was  survived 
by  his  wife,  who  died  November  1  of  the 
following  year.  Children :  John ;  Ed- 
ward, born  August  15,  1640;  Joseph,  De- 
cember 10,  1647;  Cornelius;  Sarah,  June 

6,  1650;  Elizabeth;  Josiah,  mentioned 
below. 

(III)  Josiah  Brown,  son  of  Nicholas 
and  Elizabeth  Brown,  was  born  about 
1654,  in  Lynn,  and  resided  near  the  border 
of  Reading,  where  he  died  January  29, 
1691.  He  married,  February  23,  1667, 
Mary  Fellows.  Children:  John,  born 
January  11,  1668;  Josiah,  died  young; 
Elizabeth,  June  27,  1671  ;  Mary,  June  3, 
1673  ;  Josiah,  mentioned  below  ;  Ebenezer, 
June  26,  1682;  Jonathan,  March  1,  1684; 
Phebe,  May  13,  1688. 

(IV)  Josiah  (2)  Brown,  third  son  of 
Josiah  (1)  and  Mary  (Fellows)  Brown, 
was  born  November  19,  1675,  and  died 
August  14,  1754,  in  Reading.  He  mar- 
ried, December  19,  1700,  Susannah  Good- 
win, born  October  23,  1681,  daughter  of 
Nathaniel  and  Susannah  Goodwin,  of 
Reading.  Children,  recorded  in  Reading: 
Nathaniel,  born  April  19,  1706;  Jacob, 
May  6,  1708;  Ephraim,  May  23,  171 1; 
Susannah,  February  15,  1713;  Abiel,  July 

7,  1715;  Hannah  and  Huldah  (twins), 
June  3,  1717;  Jonathan,  mentioned  below. 

(V)  Jonathan  Brown,  youngest  son  of 
Josiah  (2)  and  Susannah  (Goodwin) 
Brown,  was  born  June  26,  1720,  in  Read- 
ing, in  which  town  he  lived,  removing 
elsewhere  in  old  age,  as  his  death  is  not 
recorded  there.  He  married,  September 
2,  1740,  in  Stoneham,  Mehitable  Hay, 
born  1718,  daughter  of  James  and  Mehit- 
able (Sprague)  Hay,  of  Charlestown, 
Massachusetts.  James  Hay  was  a  mer- 
chant   of    Charlestown,    where    he    was 


admitted  to  the  church,  December  21, 
1766,  in  old  age.  He  was  born  December 
3,  1690,  in  Lynn,  son  of  Patrick  and  Mary 
(Kibby)  Hay.  He  married  (first)  Janu- 
ary 22,  1713,  Mehitable  Sprague,  born 
1694,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Sarah 
Sprague,  of  Charlestown,  and  grand- 
daughter of  Samuel  Sprague,  of  Maiden. 

(VI)  Jonathan  (2)  Brown,  eldest  child 
of  Jonathan  (1)  and  Mehitable  (Hay) 
Brown,  was  born  July  23,  1741,  in  Read- 
ing, and  may  have  lived  for  a  short  time 
in  Leominster,  Massachusetts.  He  settled 
in  Westminster,  that  colony,  before  1764, 
in  which  year  he  first  appears  on  the  tax 
list.  In  1769  a  public  school  was  kept  in 
his  house.  He  purchased  lot  No.  105  of 
Westminster,  January  3,  1771,  which 
property  was  long  established  as  the 
Brown  Estate,  and  there  died  March  14, 
1821.  The  history  of  Westminster  states 
that  he  married  Huldah  Hawkes,  in  Leo- 
minster, but  the  marriage  is  not  recorded 
in  that  town  nor  her  birth.  According  to 
her  age  at  death,  she  was  born  1742  and 
died  January  1,  1818,  in  Westminster. 
Children:  Jonathan,  born  August  30, 
1765;  Benjamin,  mentioned  below;  Jo- 
seph, died  young;  Huldah,  October  18, 
1773;  Sally,  December  14,  1778;  Joseph, 
October  13,  1780;  John,  March  13,  1785. 

(VII)  Benjamin  Brown,  second  son  of 
Jonathan  (2)  and  Huldah  (Hawkes) 
Brown,  was  born  March  9,  1769,  in  West- 
minster, and  died  there  June  24,  1802,  at 
the  age  of  thirty-three  years.  The  records 
of  the  town  show  nothing  concerning 
him,  and  he  probably  resided  on  the 
paternal  farm.  He  married,  January  25, 
1796,  Jemima,  daughter  of  Edward  and 
Jemima  (Trowbridge)  Jackson,  born 
September  15,  1771,  in  Westminster,  died 
there  June  24,  1802,  in  her  thirty-third 
year.  Children:  Timothy,  died  young; 
Benjamin,  born  January  14,  1799;  Timo- 
thy, mentioned  below. 


262 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


(VIII)  Timothy  Brown,  third  son  of 
Benjamin  and  Jemima  (Jackson)  Brown, 
was  born  December  9,  1800,  in  West- 
minster, was  a  merchant  for  several  years 
in  Boston  and  Baltimore,  but  returned  to 
his  native  town  and  settled  on  a  farm  in 
the  eastern  part,  later  removing  to  the 
centre  of  the  town,  where  he  died  April 
4,  1878.  He  married  (first)  December  9, 
1S28,  Abigail  Hoar  Stearns,  born  April  17, 
1807,  in  Leominster,  daughter  of  Timo- 
thy and  Polly  (Kendall)  Stearns,  died 
January  10,  1S38,  leaving  two  sons,  Tim- 
othy Stearns  and  Theodore,  both  now  de- 
ceased. He  married  (second)  March  15, 
1842,  Eunice  Lord,  born  April  22,  1814, 
of  Westmoreland,  New  Hampshire,  who 
survived  him.  She  died  January  2,  1898, 
in  Gardner,  Massachusetts.  Children  of 
first  marriage:  1.  Timothy  Stearns,  born 
January  7,  1830.  2.  Theodore,  born  Au- 
gust 5,  1833.  Of  second  marriage:  3. 
Charles,  born  December  27,  1843,  died 
young,  in  Baltimore,  Maryland.  4. 
Eugene,  born  April  21,  1845,  died  in  Oak- 
land, California,  November  10,  1909.  5. 
Alice  A.,  mentioned  below.  6.  Abbie  S., 
born  April  21,  1852,  unmarried. 

(IX)  Alice  A.  Brown,  daughter  of 
Timothy  Brown  and  his  second  wife, 
Eunice  (Lord)  Brown,  was  born  March 
29,  1849,  m  Westminster,  and  became  the 
wife  of  Charles  Nichols,  of  Westminster 
(see  Nichols  VII). 


SHUMWAY,  Herbert  H., 

Prominent  Manufacturer. 

The  Shumways  are  a  French  family 
and  doubtless  of  the  Protestant  sect  of 
Huguenots.  Some  writers  have  said  that 
originally  the  name  was  Chamois  or 
Charmois.  In  the  ancient  records  of 
Essex  county,  Massachusetts,  the  name 
is  frequently  found  written  Shamway. 
Dr.  Baird  is  authority  for  the  statement 


that  a  "Protestant  family  named  Chamois 
is  mentioned  in  a  list  of  fugitives  from  the 
neighborhood  of  St.  Maixent  in  the  old 
province  of  Poitou,  France,  at  the  time 
of  the  revocation  of  the  edict  of  Nantes." 

(I)  Peter  Shumway  was  settled  in 
Topsfield,  Massachusetts,  as  early  as  the 
year  1660,  and  it  is  believed  that  he  was 
in  this  country  at  least  ten  years  previous 
to  that  time,  or  about  the  middle  of  the 
seventeenth  century.  He  was  a  soldier  of 
King  Philip's  War  and  is  said  to  have 
been  present  at  the  taking  of  the  fort  in 
the  memorable  swamp  fight  of  December 
19,  1675,  in  the  country  of  the  Narragan- 
setts.  On  account  of  his  services  in  that 
war  his  son  afterward  petitioned  for  a 
grant  of  land.  Peter  Shumway  came  into 
this  country  at  the  same  time  that  Peter 
Faneuil  and  other  French  Huguenots 
came,  and  he  lived  for  a  time  at  Salem 
Village  (now  Danvers),  Massachusetts, 
previous  to  his  removal  to  Oxford,  Mas- 
sachusetts, where  a  few  years  afterward 
his  son  was  a  settler.  The  baptismal 
name  of  his  wife  was  Frances,  and  by  her 
he  had  three  children :  Peter,  mentioned 
below;  Dorcas,  born  October  16,  1683,  at 
Topsfield,  married  Valentine  Butler;  Jo- 
seph, October  13,  1686,  at  Topsfield. 

(II)  Peter  (2),  son  of  Peter  (1)  and 
Frances  Shumway,  was  born  June  6,  167S, 
in  Topsfield,  settled  in  Oxford,  not  how- 
ever with  the  original  settlers  and  pro- 
prietors of  that  town,  but  on  the  land 
right  of  Joshua  Chandler,  which  he 
bought  January  13,  1713.  His  home  lot 
in  Oxford  included  that  now  or  quite  re- 
cently owned  by  Josiah  Russell.  His 
family  has  since  been  one  of  the  best 
known  and  most  highly  respected  in  that 
region.  He  married  (first)  February  11, 
1701,  then  of  Boxford,  Maria  Smith,  of 
that  town,  probably  daughter  of  Samuel 
and  Mary  Smith,  of  Boston,  born  July  29, 
1683,  who  died  January   17,   1739.     It  is 


263 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


said  that  her  father  built  the  third  house 
having  a  cellar  in  the  city  of  Boston. 
Peter  Shumway  married  (second)  Febru- 
ary 28,  1740,  Mary  Dana,  daughter  of  Jo- 
seph and  Mary  (Gobel)  Dana,  of  Con- 
cord, born  February  28,  1689.  Children, 
all  of  first  marriage :  Oliver,  born  June  8, 
1702,  in  Oxford;  Jeremiah,  baptized 
March  21,  1703,  at  Topsfield;  David,  men- 
tioned below;  Mary,  May  9,  1708,  at 
Topsfield;  Samuel,  born  March  6,  1711, 
at  Oxford;  John,  June  26,  1713,  at  Ox- 
ford; Jacob,  March  10,  1717,  at  Oxford; 
Hepzibah,  April  1,  1720;  Amos,  January 
31,  1722. 

(III)  David,  third  son  of  Peter  (2)  and 
Maria  (Smith)  Shumway,  was  baptized 
December  23,  1705,  at  Topsfield,  and  lived 
for  some  time  in  Oxford.  In  December, 
l7Z2»  ne  bought  one-fiftieth  part  of  the 
lands  of  Sturbridge  and  was  one  of  the 
pioneers  of  that  town  as  well  as  being  one 
of  the  foremost  men  of  that  region.  He 
died  May  10,  1796.  His  first  wife's  name 
was  Esther.  He  married  (second)  (inten- 
tions entered  at  Sturbridge,  September  20, 
1751)  Alice  Ainsworth,  of  Woodstock, 
Connecticut,  baptized  June  20,  1727, 
daughter  of  Edward  (2)  and  Joanna 
(Davis)  Ainsworth,  died  January  12, 
1810,  having  survived  her  husband  sev- 
eral years.  He  had  a  large  family  of  thir- 
teen children,  five  by  his  first  and  eight 
by  his  second  wife :  Esther,  born  April  3, 
1736;  Asa,  October  16,  1739;  Mary,  June 
25,  1741  ;  David,  mentioned  below;  Solo- 
mon, April  1,  1745;  Cyril,  May  4,  1752; 
Elijah,  July  24,  1753  ;  Alice,  December  14, 
1754;  Abigail,  July  8,  1756;  Lavinia,  Au- 
gust 26,  1759;  Chloe,  November  4,  1761 ; 
Jemima,  August  9,  1763;  Danforth,  July 
18,  1768. 

(IV)  David  (2),  second  son  of  David 
(1)  and  Esther  Shumway,  was  born  May 
12,  1742,  in  Sturbridge,  and  lived  in 
Belchertown,    Massachusetts,    where    he 


died  in  1818.  He  was  a  soldier  of  the 
Revolution,  serving  as  sergeant  in  a  com- 
pany commanded  by  Lieutenant  Aaron 
Phelps,  of  Colonel  Elisha  Porter's  regi- 
ment, from  July  9  to  August  12,  1777,  one 
month  and  nine  days,  in  the  northern  de- 
partment, including  one  hundred  and 
forty  miles  travel  home.  Another  record 
without  date  allows  him  one  hundred  and 
sixty-six  miles  to  and  from  camp,  in  Cap- 
tain Elijah  Dwight's  company,  probably 
of  minute-men.  He  married,  June  28, 
1770,  Rhoda  Eddy,  who  died  April  9,  1833, 
in  Belchertown.  Children :  Mary,  born 
May  27,  1771 ;  Rhoda,  April  5,  1773; 
David,  May  24,  1775 ;  Chester,  March  4, 
1778;  Anna,  April  27,  1780;  Duty,  Sep- 
tember 1,  1782;  Eddy,  October  11,  1784; 
Electa,  September  3,  1786;  Horatio,  Sep- 
tember 27,  1788;  Zebina,  mentioned  be- 
low; Samuel,  March  24,  1793;  Lucinda, 
August  30,  1795. 

(V)  Zebina,  sixth  son  of  David  (2)  and 
Rhoda  (Eddy)  Shumway,  was  born  Sep- 
tember 27,  1790,  in  Belchertown,  where 
he  made  his  home,  and  died  in  February, 
1837.  He  married,  in  1814,  Philena 
Squares,  born  February  22,  1795,  died  in 
November,  1850.  Children:  Rufus  Ly- 
man, born  April  7,  1815;  Lavinia  Anna- 
ble,  November  14,  1817 ;  Harrison  Hinck- 
ley, mentioned  below  ;  Thomas  Tracy,  De- 
cember 11,  1823. 

(VI)  Harrison  Hinckley,  second  son  of 
Zebina  and  Philena  (Squares)  Shumway, 
was  born  January  7,  1819,  in  Belcher- 
town, and  after  a  somewhat  adventurous 
career  died  December  16, 1902,  in  Dighton, 
Massachusetts.  He  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  and  Munson  and  Wilbra- 
ham  academies,  working  during  vacations 
as  a  weaver.  He  engaged  in  the  wagon 
business  at  Belchertown  for  a  short  time, 
and  joined  the  movement  to  California, 
in  1849,  going  by  wav  0I  Panama,  spend- 
ing four  months  and  sixteen  days  on  the 


264 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


water.  He  was  one  of  a  party  of  twelve 
which  sailed  from  Panama  to  Callao, 
Peru,  in  order  to  get  a  ship  to  San  Fran- 
cisco. After  arriving  there  he  proceeded 
by  sailboat  and  team  to  Mormon  Island, 
where  they  began  digging  gold.  This 
continued  for  some  time  with  varying  suc- 
cess, Mr.  Shumway's  first  day  being  his 
best,  when  he  dug  out  eighty-three  dol- 
lars' worth.  He  subsequently  bought  and 
sold  groceries  and  stores  in  San  Fran- 
cisco, when  he  was  compelled  to  abandon 
business  by  very  severe  illness.  During 
this  time  he  was  obliged  to  pay  thirty- 
two  dollars  per  day  for  the  care  of  a 
physician,  which  exhausted  his  means. 
A  friend  loaned  him  fifty  dollars,  and  he 
went  into  the  mountains  and  again  en- 
gaged in  gold  digging.  Subsequently  he 
was  for  some  time  cook  in  a  miners' 
boarding  house,  at  a  salary  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  dollars  per  month.  In 
1854  he  returned  to  Massachusetts,  and 
thereafter  resided  in  Dighton,  where  he 
was  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church.  He 
married  (first)  March  6,  1840,  Mary  L. 
Gates,  of  Ludlow,  Massachusetts,  born 
July  19,  1822,  died  April  27,  1842,  with- 
out issue.  He  married  (second)  Septem- 
ber 14,  1841,  Nancy  Wellman,  of  Dana, 
Massachusetts,  born  August  28,  1818,  died 
June  17,  i860.  He  married  (third)  No- 
vember 13,  i860,  Catherine  Nichols,  born 
October  11,  1827,  died  in  August,  1875. 
He  married  (fourth)  Mrs.  C.  A.  Cogswell, 
of  Hudson,  Michigan.  Children  of  sec- 
ond wife:  Henry,  born  May  6,  1845,  died 
young;  Henry  Wayland,  March  21,  1847, 
died  1849;  James  Myron,  July  30,  1849; 
Mary  Jane,  May  17,  1855;  Herbert  Hart- 
well,  mentioned  below.  Of  third  mar- 
riage: Frank,  March  15,  1862;  Adella 
Louise,  August  4,  1863 ;  Laura  Ann,  Feb- 
ruary 2,  1865  ;  Henrietta  Lavinia,  July  7, 
1867;  Harrison  Lincoln,  July  7,  1867. 
(VII)   Herbert  Hartwell,  fourth  son  of 


Harrison  II.  and  Nancy  (Wellman) 
Shumway,  was  born  March  23,  1857,  in 
Palmer,  Massachusetts,  and  is  now  a  resi- 
dent of  Taunton,  same  State.  Most  of 
his  active  life  has  been  in  connection  with 
the  operation  of  cotton  mills,  and  from 
1882  to  1905  he  was  superintendent  or 
general  manager  of  mills  in  New  Eng- 
land. In  1903-04  he  was  president  of  the 
Taunton  Board  of  Trade.  He  is  now 
president  of  the  Atlas  Buckram  Company, 
of  Taunton,  of  which  he  is  the  founder. 
He  has  been  very  active  in  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  in  which  he  has  attained  the 
thirty-second  degree.  He  married,  Sep- 
tember 19,  1882,  Flora  Frances  Palmer, 
born  October  17,  i860,  in  Norway,  Maine, 
daughter  of  Alonzo  S.  and  Philena  G. 
(Lane)  Palmer  (see  Palmer  VII).  Chil- 
dren :  Alonzo  Harrison,  born  October  20, 
1883,  in  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  mar- 
ried, September  2,  1914,  Mabel  Josephine 
Strange,  of  Taunton  ;  Herbert  Hartwell, 
May  11,  1888,  in  Milltown,  New  Bruns- 
wick, married,  July  10,  191 1,  Edna  Ger- 
trude Robinson,  and  they  have  one  daugh- 
ter, Rita  Hartwell  Shumway,  born  July  2, 
1912;  Walter  Palmer,  July  20,  1892,  in 
Fall  River,  Massachusetts,  married,  Octo- 
ber 16,  1913,  Edna  Jennie  Busiere. 

(The  Palmer  Line). 

The  English  Crusaders,  on  returning 
from  the  Holy  Land,  often  bore  a  palm 
branch,  and  from  this  fact  came  to  be 
called  "palmers."  The  presence  of  the 
palm  branch  denoted  zeal  in  the  cause  of 
the  Crusade,  and  often  meant  the  bearer 
had  shown  steadfastness  of  purpose  and 
unusual  courage  in  rescuing  from  the 
Saracens  the  Holy  Sepulchre.  When  the 
English  began  to  assume  surnames  many 
took  the  name  of  Palmer,  and  several  be- 
came members  of  the  nobility  of  England. 
It  is  recorded  that  one  Norman  soldier  of 
the  name  received  knighthood  for  his  high 


265 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


courage  in  single  combat  with  the  Sara- 
cens. In  America,  members  of  the  family 
have  continued  to  hold  some  of  the  most 
honorable  positions  in  private  and  public 
station,  and  have  been  found  in  all  walks 
of  life. 

(I)  Walter  Palmer  is  thought  to  have 
emigrated  from  Nottinghamshire,  Eng- 
land, and  manj'  authorities  have  stated  he 
was  a  brother  of  Abraham,  as  they  were 
found  in  Charlestown,  in  the  Massachu- 
setts Bay  Colony,  about  the  same  time, 
and  their  names  many  times  appeared  to- 
gether on  the  records.  Both  were  made 
freemen  there  May  14,  1634,  by  authority 
of  the  general  court  of  Massachusetts 
Bay.  His  possessions  were  listed  in  1638. 
in  what  was  called  a  true  record  of  the 
houses  and  lands  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Charlestown.  The  two  acres  containing 
his  dwelling  house  were  in  the  "East 
Field,"  butting  south  on  the  Back  street ; 
he  also  had  considerable  other  arable  land 
and  cows.  In  1637  he  and  his  son  John 
received  their  share  of  the  division  of  land 
on  the  Mystic  side,  in  which  some  land 
was  saved  for  the  accommodation  of 
"after  comers."  In  company  with  Wil- 
liam Cheeseborough,  his  lifelong  friend, 
he  agreed  to  prepare  for  a  settlement  to 
be  called  Seacuncke.  which  afterward  be- 
came Rehoboth  ;  this  was  thought  to  lie  in 
Plymouth  county,  but  was  afterwards 
found  to  be  in  Bristol  county.  In  1645 
the  name  was  changed  to  Rehoboth. 
About  1653  Walter  Palmer  bought  land 
in  the  vicinity  of  what  is  now  Stonington, 
Connecticut,  and  became  the  owner  of 
about  twelve  hundred  acres.  For  some 
time  they  attended  worship  in  New  Lon- 
don, but  finally  were  able  to  organize  a 
church  in  the  new  settlement,  and  on 
March  23,  1657,  the  first  meeting  was  held 
in  the  house  of  Walter  Palmer,  afterwards 
in  the  houses  of  various  others.  They 
had   supposed  the  settlement  lay  within 


Massachusetts,  but  it  afterwards  became 
part  of  Connecticut,  and  after  consider- 
able discussion  the  boundary  was  deter- 
mined, part  of  the  settlement  being  in 
Massachusetts  and  part  in  Connecticut. 
At  the  time  Walter  Palmer  made  his  will, 
Stonington  was  under  the  jurisdiction  of 
Suffolk  county,  Massachusetts,  from 
which  fact  his  will  is  now  to  be  found 
in  Boston.  He  died  in  Stonington,  No- 
vember 19,  1661.  After  long  search  for 
his  grave,  it  was  finally  located  by  his 
descendant,  John  Stanton  Palmer,  of 
Stonington,  where  a  rude  granite  mono- 
lith had  been  erected  in  the  remote  past. 
It  appears  to  have  been  transported  to 
the  site  by  oxen.  He  married  in  England, 
and  his  wife  Ann  was  called  Elizabeth  to 
distinguish  her  from  her  mother ;  she  died 
in  England.  He  married  (second)  prob- 
ably in  Roxbury,  Massachusetts,  Rebecca 
Short,  and  they  joined  the  First  Church 
of  Charlestown.  Children  by  first  mar- 
riage: Grace,  John,  William,  Jonas  and 
Elizabeth;  by  second  marriage:  Hannah, 
born  June  16,  1634;  Elihu,  January  24, 
1636;  Nehemiah,  November  27,  1637; 
Moses,  April  6,  1640;  Benjamin,  1642; 
Gershom,  mentioned  below ;  Rebecca. 

(II)  Gershom,  son  of  Walter  Palmer, 
and  child  of  his  second  wife,  Rebecca 
Short,  baptized  June  5,  1684,  in  Charles- 
town, received  from  his  brothers  Nehe- 
miah, Moses  and  Benjamin,  as  part  of 
their  parents'  estate,  five  hundred  acres 
of  land  in  Stonington.  There  was  laid 
out  to  Lieutenant  Gershom,  Palmer,  May 
3,  1693,  fifty  acres,  one  hundred  acres, 
and  again  fifty  acres  of  land.  On  Decem- 
ber 23,  1708,  he  gave  all  his  land  to  his 
sons  George  and  Walter,  they  to  allow 
him  one-third  the  produce  of  the  land, 
and  allow  him  to  dwell  in  the  east  end  of 
his  house,  and  to  fulfill  the  agreement  he 
had  made  with  his  "now  wife"  before 
marriage,  that  she  was  to  have  twenty 


266 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


pounds  before  his  decease,  but  he  stated 
that  since  he  had  been  boarding  his  wife's 
two  daughters,  Hannah  and  Elizabeth 
Mason,  for  some  time,  he  had  caused 
different  arrangements  to  be  made.  On 
November  20,  171 1,  four  hundred  acres 
of  land  in  the  purchase  of  Cottapeset 
were  laid  out  to  Gershom  Palmer.  He 
died  September  27,  1718.  He  married 
(first)  at  Stonington,  November  28,  1667, 
Ann,  daughter  of  Captain  George  and 
Ann  (Borodel)  Dennison ;  her  mother, 
Ann  Borodel,  was  of  a  distinguished  old 
English  family,  and  from  her  dignified 
and  gracious  manner  she  was  often 
called  "Lady  Ann;"  she  was  born  May 
20,  1649,  died  1694,  in  Stonington.  He 
married  (second)  Airs.  Elizabeth  Mason, 
widow  of  Sam.uel  Mason,  of  Stonington, 
whose  maiden  name  was  Peck,  member 
of  a  Rehoboth  family  of  that  name.  Chil- 
dren, all  by  first  marriage:  Mercy,  Ger- 
shom, Ichabod,  William,  George,  Re- 
becca, Ann,  Walter,  Elihu,  Mary  and  Re- 
becca. 

(III)  Gershom  (2),  son  of  Gershom 
(1)  and  Ann  (Dennison)  Palmer,  born 
1672,  was  baptized  September  3,  1679,  in 
the  First  Church  of  Stonington,  and  died 
in  Killingworth,  Connecticut,  in  1734. 
His  father  made  a  deed  giving  him  land 
in  Killingworth.  William,  brother  of 
Gershom  (1)  Palmer,  had  left  the  land  to 
his  brother  for  one  of  his  sons,  and  he 
ordered  his  son  Gershom  to  go  to  Kill- 
ingworth to  live  on  this  land  in  the  house 
of  William  Palmer,  which  he  accord- 
ingly did.  Gershom  (2)  Palmer,  married, 
it  is  supposed  in  Saybrook,  Sarah,  daugh- 
ter of  Captain  John  and  Sarah  Fenner. 
Children :  Gershom,  Elias,  Rebecca, 
Amos,  Mehitable,  Benjamin,  Abel  and 
Sally. 

(IV)  Gershom  (3),  eldest  child  of 
Gershom  (2)  and  Sarah  (Fenner)  Palmer, 
was  baptized   1701,  in  Killingworth,  and 


lived  in  Stafford,  Connecticut,  whence  he 
removed  to  Woodstock,  Vermont,  and 
there  died  before  1771.  He  married 
(first)  October  3,  1733,  Hannah  Wilcox, 
and  (second)  Lucy  Fields.  Children : 
Elizabeth,  married  Frederick  Meacham ; 
Oliver,  mentioned  below ;  Bethiah,  mar- 
ried (first)  Billy  Grey,  (second)  Joseph 
Wood  ;  Hannah,  married  Jesse  Williams  ; 
Mehitable,  married  Luther  Tillson ;  Ger- 
shom, married  Mercy  Bennett ;  Lucy, 
married  Billy  G.  Kingsley ;  Bennett,  mar- 
ried Betsey  Bailey ;  Walter,  married 
(first)  Hannah  Lovel,  (second)  Jerusha 
Lovel ;  Betsey,  married  Gaius  Cobb. 

(V)  Oliver,  son  of  Gershom  (3)  and 
Lucy  (Fields)  Palmer,  was  born  June 
25,  1763,  in  Stafford,  Connecticut,  and 
lived  in  Woodstock,  Vermont,  where  he 
was  a  member  of  "The  Troop,"  a  com- 
pany of  horse  militia,  in  1788.  He  mar- 
ried there,  December  28,  1786,  Asenath 
Barnes,  born  July  21,  1768,  in  Munson, 
Massachusetts.  Children :  Orpha,  born 
June  12,  1787,  at  Woodstock,  married, 
October  23,  1808,  Andrew  Nealey,  and 
(second)  Charles  Cotton;  Milly,  May  18, 
1791,  died  December  11,  1811,  at  Calais, 
Vermont;  Hannah,  February  9,  1793,  at 
East  Bethel,  Vermont ;  Alden,  mentioned 
below;  Walter,  December  15,  1805;  at 
Calais;   Laura,  October  23,  1810. 

(VI)  Alden,  eldest  son  of  Oliver  and 
Asenath  (Barnes)  Palmer,  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 16,  1795,  in  Woodstock,  and  lived 
for  a  time  in  East  Bethel,  Vermont,  whence 
he  removed  to  East  Montpelier.  He  mar- 
ried (first)  at  Royalton,  Vermont,  Decem- 
ber 14,  1817,  Anna  Richardson,  who  died 
in  Montpelier,  and  he  married  (second) 
December  19,  1828,  Eliza  H.  LeBaron, 
born  August  26,  1805,  daughter  of  Francis 
(2)  and  Jane  (Haskell)  LeBaron,  of  East 
Montpelier  (see  LeBaron  IV).  In  1837 
he  removed  to  Waterville,  Maine,  where 
he  continued    to  reside  until    December, 


267 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1852,  when  they  removed  to  Norway, 
same  State.  In  1871  they  went  to  Rayn- 
ham,  Massachusetts,  where  he  died  July 
21,  1872,  and  was  buried  in  the  Plain 
Cemetery  at  Taunton.  His  wife  survived 
him  nearly  eight  years,  and  died  May  18, 
1880,  at  Norway,  Maine.  Children  of 
first   marriage :     Mary    Ann,    March    6, 

1818,  at  Bethel;  Monroe,  September  14, 

1819,  at  Royalton;  Asenath,  January  28, 
1822,  at  Calais ;  Horace,  October  28,  1823, 
at  Montpelier;  Emeline,  August  2,  1825; 
of  second  marriage :  Mary  Ann,  Septem- 
ber 30,  1829,  at  Montpelier;  Catherine, 
December  23,  1831 ;  Alonzo  S.,  mentioned 
below;  Helen  Amanda,  July  28,  1838,  at 
Waterville,  Maine. 

(VII)  Alonzo  Sprague,  third  son  of 
Alden  Palmer,  and  third  child  of  his 
second  wife,  Eliza  H.  LeBaron,  was  born 
July  26,  1836,  in  Montpelier,  and  settled 
in  Raynham.  Massachusetts,  where  he 
was  a  carpenter  and  builder,  and  died 
September  5,  1913.  He  married  Philena 
Godfrey  Lane,  daughter  of  Ami  Ruhama 
and  Elizabeth  (Whitehouse)  Lane,  of 
Oxford,  Maine  (see  Lane  IX).  Children: 
Flora  Frances,  mentioned  below;  Ida 
May,  married  William  Y.  Wilcox,  and 
resides  in  Taunton,  Massachusetts ;  Dora 
Anthony,  married  Edwin  S.  Belcher, 
resides  in  Fall  River,  and  has  children : 
Stewart  Sprague  and  Carleton. 

(VIII)  Flora  Frances,  eldest  daughter 
of  Alonzo  S.  and  Philena  G.  (Lane) 
Palmer,  married  Herbert  H.  Shumway,  of 
Taunton  (see  Shumway  VII). 

(The  LeBaron  Line). 

(I)  Francis  LeBaron,  the  pioneer  an- 
cestor of  the  LeBaron  family  in  America, 
was  born  1668,  in  France,  and  the  first 
record  of  him  is  to  be  found  in  Plymouth, 
a  few  years  prior  to  his  marriage.  Ac- 
cording to  family  tradition  he  came  to 
New    England    in    a    French    privateer, 


which  was  fitted  out  at  Bordeaux,  and, 
cruising  on  the  American  coast,  was 
wrecked  in  Buzzard's  Bay ;  the  crew  were 
taken  prisoners  and  carried  to  Boston ;  in 
passing  through  Plymouth,  the  surgeon, 
Francis  LeBaron,  was  detained  by  sick- 
ness, and  on  his  recovery  performed  a 
surgical  operation  so  successfully  that  the 
inhabitants  of  the  town  petitioned  the 
executive,  Lieutenant-Governor  Stough- 
ton,  for  his  release,  that  he  might  settle 
among  them.  The  petition  was  granted, 
and  he  practiced  his  profession  in  that 
town  and  vicinity  until  the  time  of  his 
death.  Francis  LeBaron  died  August  8, 
1704,  in  Plymouth.  He  married,  Septem- 
ber 6,  1695,  Mary,  born  April  7,  1668, 
daughter  of  Edward  and  Elizabeth 
(Eames)  Wilder,  of  Hingham.  She  mar- 
ried (second)  December  10,  1707,  Return 
Waite,  born  1678,  in  Boston,  died  October 
3,  1 75 1,  in  Plymouth.  Children  of 
Francis  and  Mary  (Wilder)  LeBaron: 
James,  mentioned  below;  Lazarus,  born 
December  26,  1698;  Francis,  June  13, 
1701. 

(II)  James,  eldest  son  of  Francis  and 
Mary  (Wilder)  LeBaron,  born  May  23, 
1696,  in  Plymouth,  died  May  10,  1744, 
was  a  farmer,  and  resided  on  the  farm  in 
Middleboro,  which  had  been  bequeathed 
to  him  by  his  father,  in  his  will.  He  mar- 
ried, November  3,  1720,  Martha  Benson, 
of  Middleboro,  Massachusetts.  After  his 
death  she  married  (second)  May  15,  I74S» 
William  Parker.  Children  of  James  Le- 
Baron: James,  born  December  22,  1721, 
died  young;  John,  April  2,  1724;  James, 
mentioned  below ;  Joshua,  October  10, 
1729;  Martha,  April  9,  1732,  died  young; 
Francis,  December  20,  1734,  died  July  8, 
1761 ;  Mary,  August  9,  1737;  David,  April 
27,  1740;  Lydia,  January  26,  1743,  died 
young. 

(III)  James  (2),  third  son  of  James 
(1)  and  Martha  (Benson)  LeBaron,  was 

268 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


born  December  10,  1726,  resided  in  Mid- 
dleboro,  and  died  October  3,  1780.  He 
married,  February  4,  1747,  Hannah 
Turner,  of  Rochester,  Massachusetts, 
probably  a  daughter  of  Thomas  and 
Hannah  Turner.  Children  :  James,  born 
January  4,  1748,  died  young;  Japhet,  July 
20,  1750;  Elizabeth,  March  24,  1752,  died 
1825,  in  Shaftsbury,  Vermont;  Martha, 
January  3,  1755;  William;  James,  April 
30,  1759;  Francis,  mentioned  below; 
Isaac,  April  20,  1764;  Hannah,  Septem- 
ber 9,  1766,  married  Elkanah  Shaw;  Abi- 
gail, May  17,  1768;  Lazaru?,  February  7, 
1771. 

(IV)  Francis  (2),  son  of  James  (2) 
and  Hannah  (Turner)  LeBaron,  was 
born  April  30,  1762,  moved  to  Calais, 
Vermont,  and  died  July  3,  1S56,  being 
buried  in  Wolcott,  Vermont.  He  was  a 
soldier  of  the  Revolution,  serving  as  a 
private  in  Captain  Edward  Sparrow's 
Company,  Colonel  John  Jacob's  Regi- 
ment, enlisting  July  23,  discharged  Octo- 
ber 27,  1780,  service  three  months  and 
five  days.  He  then  served  an  additional 
three  months  with  his  regiment  which 
had  been  detached  to  reinforce  the  Con- 
tinental army.  He  married,  April  2,  1788, 
Jane  Haskell,  born  February  4,  1767,  died 
May  13,  1846,  daughter  of  Timothy  and 
Deliverance  (Hatch)  Haskell,  of  Roches- 
ter, Massachusetts  (see  Haskell  V). 
Children:  Ansel,  born  July  2,  1789; 
Cynthia,  September  15,  1792;  Ira,  March 
29,  1795;  Jane,  February  3,  1797;  Azuba, 
May  8,  1799;  Abigail,  October  18,  1801  ; 
Eliza  H.,  mentioned  below;  Francis, 
October  9,  1806;  Lorenzo,  February  11, 
1810. 

(V)  Eliza  H.,  daughter  of  Francis  (2) 
and  Jane  (Haskell)  LeBaron,  was  born 
August  26,  1805,  and  died  May  18,  1880. 
She  married  at  East  Montpelier,  Ver- 
mont, December  19,  1828,  Alden  Palmer, 
of  that  town  (see  Palmer  VI). 


(The  Lane  LJne). 

(I)  Robert  Lane  lived  in  Rickmans- 
worth,  Hertfordshire,  England.  His  will, 
made  July  4,  1542,  was  proved  June  11, 
1543.  Children:  Thomas,  mentioned  be- 
low ;  Annes,  married  William  Page ;  Mar- 
garet, married  Edward  Thorp. 

(II)  Thomas,  son  of  Robert  Lane, 
born  about  1515,  was  a  yeoman  of  Rick- 
mansworth,  and  his  will,  bearing  date 
December  9,  1586,  was  proved  June  14, 
1587.  His  wife  Alice  was  executrix  and 
residuary  legatee.  Children :  Elyne, 
George,  John,  Richard,  Elizabeth  and 
Dorothy. 

(III)  George,  son  of  Thomas  and  Alice 
Lane,  was  born  about  1550.  His  will, 
dated  November  6,  1627,  was  proved 
September  27,  1628.  Children:  Thomas, 
who  probably  died  in  England  before 
1646;  John,  who  became  the  ancestor  of 
one  branch  of  the  American  family ; 
Henry;  Symon,  who  died  in  England; 
Jerome;  James,  mentioned  below:  Isabel 
and  George. 

(IV)  James  Lane  was  living  in  Eng- 
land in  1654,  when  he  owned  real  estate, 
with  his  brother,  John  Lane,  at  Rick- 
mansworth,  County  Hertford.  This  land 
was  inherited  from  their  parents,  and 
their  brother  Job  also  claimed  a  share. 
James  had  paid  large  debts  on  the  prop- 
erty, and  was  a  poor  man,  and  on  June  6, 
1654,  Jeremiah  Gould  wrote  to  Job  Lane 
concerning  the  land  as  follows :  "You 
wonder  your  Brother  James  should  de- 
ceive me  to  make  away  your  estate  *  *  * 
I  find  a  surrender  of  premises  from  your 
father  and  mother  unto  James  and  John 
and  their  heirs  forever  *  *  *Your  brother 
James,  he  is  very  poor  and  I  hope  very 
honest."  James  Lane  was  a  craftsman, 
and  perhaps  a  member  of  the  guild  of 
turners  in  London,  1654.  He  cam<:  to 
this  country  about  1656,  with  his  brothers, 
Job  and  Edward,  and  settled  in  Maiden, 

269 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Massachusetts,  moving  soon  to  Casco 
Bay,  Maine.  Edward  went  to  Boston  and 
Job  to  Billerica,  about  1664.  In  1658 
James  Lane  was  living  in  Charlestown, 
Massachusetts,  and  November  19,  1660, 
he  appointed  Job  Lane  his  attorney,  he 
being  at  that  time  an  inhabitant  of 
Maiden.  John,  son  of  James,  deposed  in 
1733  that  his  father  settled  in  Casco  Bay 
"about  seventy-five  years  since."  James 
Lane  became  owner  of  much  real  estate 
there,  and  a  point  of  land  and  an  island 
still  bear  his  name.  He  was  in  Falmouth 
(now  Portland,  Maine),  in  1658,  and  was 
one  of  the  petitioners  to  be  joined  to  Mas- 
sachusetts Bay  government.  In  1665-66 
he  was  sergeant;  in  1666  he  bought  two 
islands,  Great  and  Little  Mosier,  from 
Hugh  Mosier's  estate.  At  a  court  in 
Casco,  July  26,  1666,  he  was  surety  under 
a  bond  of  £170,  for  Jam.es  Mosier  in  the 
settlement  of  his  father  Hugh's  estate, 
and  he  served  on  the  jury  at  the  same 
court  which  found  James  Robinson  not 
guilty  of  murdering  Christopher  Collins. 
In  1675  James  Lane  was  living  in  West- 
custigo,  Casco  Bay.  During  King 
Philip's  War  in  1675,  Falmouth  (Port- 
land) was  abandoned,  after  suffering 
much  loss,  and  Sergeant  James  Lane  was 
"killed  in  a  fight  with  the  Indians."  His 
estate  was  inventoried  in  1680.  The 
name  of  his  first  wife  is  supposed  to  have 
been  Ann,  and  he  married  (second)  Sarah 
(White)  Phips,  daughter  of  John  and 
Mary  White ;  Mary  was  widow  of  James 
Phips,  and  mother  of  twenty-six  children. 
Sarah  White  was  half-sister  of  Sir  Wil- 
liam Phipps,  royal  governor  of  Massa- 
chusetts. Children  of  James  Lane,  who 
died  intestate  :  Ann,  married  John  Bray  ; 
John,  mentioned  below ;  Samuel,  married 

Abigail  ;    Henry,  died  at  Boston, 

June  4,  1690;  Job,  married  Mary  Fassett ; 
James. 

(V)  John,   son    of  James    Lane,    was 


born  1652,  and  died  1738.  He  testified, 
July  2,  1733,  that  he  settled  at  Falmouth, 
Casco  Bay,  fifty-two  or  three  years  be- 
fore, living  there  until  the  second  Indian 
war,  which  broke  out  in  1686,  King  Wil- 
liam's War.  In  1680  Falmouth  was  de- 
stroyed a  second  time  by  the  French  and 
Indians.  Records  show  that  he  was  at 
Cape  Elizabeth  in  16S0,  and  in  1687  he 
was  living  near  his  father-in-law  at  Pur- 
pooduck  Point,  but  the  Indian  troubles 
forced  them  to  flee,  and  they  settled  at 
Gloucester,  Massachusetts.  Samuel  Lee, 
of  North  Yarmouth,  also  went  there,  and 
the  Lane  family  gave  the  name  of  Lanes- 
ville  to  a  village  of  Gloucester.  John 
Lane  inherited  much  land  in  Maine,  and 
owned  a  large  amount  of  property.  Be- 
fore 1703  he  was  a  member  of  the  First 
Church  at  Gloucester,  and  in  1728  was 
an  original  member  of  the  Third  Church, 
Annisquam.  He  died  January  24,  1738, 
aged  eighty-six  years,  and  his  son  James 
was  appointed  administrator  of  his  estate, 
March  29,  1738.  He  married,  at  Cape 
Elizabeth,  Dorcas  Wallis,  daughter  of 
John  and  Mary  (Shepard)  Wallis.  John 
Wallis  was  a  settler  at  Falmouth  (Port- 
land), and  died  at  Gloucester,  September 
23,  1690,  son  of  Nathaniel  Wallis,  who 
was  born  1632,  of  County  Cornwall,  Eng- 
land, immigrant  ancestor  to  Casco  Bay. 
Dorcas  (Wallis)  Lane  joined  the  church 
January  14,  1730,  and  died  February  2, 
1754.  Children,  five  born  at  Cape  Eliza- 
beth, six  at  Gloucester,  nine  being  bap- 
tized at  Gloucester  before  1703:  James, 
mentioned  below;  John,  born  1688;  Jo- 
siah,  married  Rachel  York;  Dorcas, 
married  William  Tucker;  Sarah,  married 
Thomas  Riggs ;  Hephzibah,  born  July  20, 
1694;  Mary,  August  8,  1696;  Joseph,  Oc- 
tober 15,  1698;  Benjamin,  July  25,  1700; 
Deborah,  February  19,  1703,  died  May  9, 
1729;  Job,  February  8,  1705. 

(VI)  James,   eldest   son   of  John   and 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Dorcas  (Wallis)  Lane,  born  1682,  died 
April  20,  175 1,  in  Lanesville,  Essex 
county,  Massachusetts.  He  was  a  deacon 
of  the  Third  Church  at  North  Yarmouth, 
a  large  real  estate  owner  and  farmer, 
owned  one-fourth  of  a  schooner  on  the 
seas,  and  two  negro  slaves.  He  married 
(first)  October  25,  1710,  Ruth  Riggs,  born 
1691,  died  August  18,  171 1.  He  married 
(second)  Judith,  widow  of  William 
Woodbury,  and  they  had  sons  :  William, 
Josiah,  John  and  James. 

(VII)  Josiah,  second  son  of  James  and 
Judith  Lane,  lived  in  North  Yarmouth, 
where  he  died  November  3,  1766.  He 
married  there,  March  20,  1743,  Abigail 
Norwood,  and  the  baptisms  of  the  follow- 
ing children  are  recorded  in  the  Third 
Church  of  North  Yarmouth :  Levi,  No- 
vember 10,  1754;  Francis,  mentioned  be- 
low; Abigail,  October  21,  1759;  Mark, 
January  10,  1762;   Ammi,  June  17,  1764. 

(VIII)  Francis,  second  son  of  Josiah 
and  Abigail  (Norwood)  Lane,  was  bap- 
tized December  12,  1756,  in  the  Third 
Church  of  North  Yarmouth,  and  died  No- 
vember 30,  1829,  in  Paris,  Maine.  He  was 
a  soldier  of  the  Revolution,  a  private  in 
Captain  John  Rowe's  company,  Colonel 
Ebenezer  Bridge's  (Twenty-seventh) 
regiment,  as  shown  by  receipt  for  pay 
signed  by  him,  dated  June  28,  1775,  at 
Cambridge.  Under  the  same  command- 
ers he  appears  on  a  muster  roll  dated  Au- 
gust 1,  1775,  enlisted  May  29  of  that  year, 
served  two  months  and  eight  days.  His 
name  appears  in  a  list  of  those  receiving 
pay  for  service  at  the  battles  of  Lexing- 
ton and  Bunker  Hill.  It  is  not  likely  that 
he  was  in  the  first  of  these  engagements. 
His  name  also  appears  in  a  list  of  men 
on  the  privateer  "Lion,"  commanded  by 
Captain  Wingate  Newman,  sworn  to  at 
Boston,  July  12,  1781.  His  description 
gives  his  age  as  twenty-eight  years, 
height  five  feet,    six  inches,    complexion 


light.  After  the  war  he  was  engaged  in 
East  and  West  India  trade,  sailing  from 
Boston,  and  at  one  time  was  wrecked  on 
the  coast  of  Greenland,  where  he  suffered 
much  hardship  in  protecting  a  cargo  of 
cotton.  About  1780  he  settled  in  North 
Yarmouth,  and  in  1818  removed  to  Paris, 
Maine,  where  he  died,  as  above  noted. 
He  married  (first)  at  North  Yarmouth, 
February  25,  1779,  Esther  Griffin,  daugh- 
ter of  Oliver  and  Mary  (York)  Griffin. 
She  died  in  1799,  of  yellow  fever  con- 
tracted while  caring  for  a  neighbor,  who 
recovered  from  the  disease.  Francis 
Lane  married  (second)  July  8,  1800,  Han- 
nah Wyman,  and  (third)  December  5, 
1822,  Mrs.  Betsey  Gammon,  of  South 
Paris.  Children :  Esther,  born  May  26, 
1782;  Francis,  died  young;  Mary,  Janu- 
ary 7,  1792;  Ammi  Ruhamah,  mentioned 
below;  Susan,  November  9,  1797;  Han- 
nah, June  14,  1799. 

(IX)  Ammi  Ruhamah,  second  son  of 
Francis  and  Esther  (Griffin)  Lane,  was 
born  March  7,  1794,  in  North  Yarmouth, 
and  lived  in  Oxford,  Maine,  where  he 
died  June  16,  1863.  He  was  a  soldier  of 
the  War  of  1S12,  and  also  participated  in 
what  was  known  as  the  Aroostook  War. 
He  married  Eliza  Whitehouse,  of  Oxford. 
Children:  Zenas,  born  November  10, 
1825;  Betsey,  July  4,  1827;  Gilman  G., 
December  26,  1829;  America,  November 
22,  1831  ;  Philena  Godfrey,  mentioned  be- 
low ;  Ammi  Franklin,  April  2,  1843  > 
Frances  Ann,  July  1,  1845;  Oscar  Griffin, 
October  11,  1855. 

(X)  Philena  Godfrey,  daughter  of 
Ammi  Ruhamah  and  Eliza  (Whitehouse) 
Lane,  born  December  26,  1836,  became 
the  wife  of  Alonzo  S.  Palmer  of  Oxford 
(see  Palmer  VII). 

(The  Haskell  Line). 

From  a  companion  of  William  the 
Conqueror,  of  Norman  French  stock,  the 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


family  of  Haskell  is  descended,  with  coat- 
of-arms.  The  escutcheon  itself  is  Nor- 
man. Its  field  is  sais,  or  fur,  derived 
from  the  fur  with  which  the  robes  of 
only  nobles  or  knights  were  lined.  The 
colors,  argent  and  sable,  are  those  which 
rendered  the  bearers  noteworthy,  the  com- 
bination indicating  unblemished  reputa- 
tion. Argent  compounded  with  sable 
means  the  yielding  up  of  pleasure,  and 
also  famous.  It  is  without  device  and 
such  were  in  ancient  opinion  of  the  high- 
est honor.  It  bears  the  fesse  or  waist- 
belt  of  honor,  one  of  the  insignia  of 
knighthood  and  its  being  of  gold  would 
imply  that  the  bearer  was  a  knight  of  no 
mean  power  or  wealth.  The  legend  or 
origin  of  the  crest  is  as  follows:  At  the 
battle  of  Hastings  William  the  Con- 
queror, being  faint  from  lack  of  food, 
saw  in  the  distance  near  the  lines  of 
Harold  an  apple  tree  in  fruit.  Express- 
ing the  belief  that  some  of  the  apples 
would  revive  him  until  the  fortunes  of  the 
day  should  be  decided,  one  of  his  attend- 
ant knights,  Roger  de  Haskell  by  name, 
dashed  forward  amid  a  shower  of  the 
enemy's  arrows  and  brought  to  his  sover- 
eign a  scarf  rilled  with  the  fruit,  where- 
upon the  Conqueror  bade  him  bear  as  his 
crest  a  fruit-bearing  apple  tree  pierced  by 
a  flying  arrow.  This  is  placed  at  the 
head  of  the  coat-of-arms. 

(I)  Roger  Haskell  came  with  others  of 
the  name  to  Massachusetts,  and  was  a 
resident  of  Salem  in  1637.  After  the 
incorporation  of  Beverly,  he  was  a  resi- 
dent of  that  town.  Born  about  1613,  he 
died  1667.  He  was  accompanied  by  his 
brothers,  William  and  Mark.  The  family 
traced  herein  is  descended  from  William. 
He  was  born  in  1617.  in  England,  and 
first  settled  in  that  part  of  Salem  known 
as  Beverly,  then  called  "Cape  Ann  side," 
and  soon  became  a  permanent  resident  of 
Gloucester,    where    he    died    August   20, 


1673,  leaving  an  estate  valued  at  £548  2s. 
He  was  in  Gloucester  in  1643,  and  prob- 
ably resided  at  Planters'  Neck  two  years 
later,  though  he  appears  to  have  been 
absent  from  the  town  later.  He  was  there 
in  1656,  however,  and  settled  on  the 
Westerly  side  of  Annisquam,  where  he 
had  several  parcels  of  land,  including  a 
lot  of  ten  acres  with  house  and  barn,  on 
the  westerly  side  of  Walker's  creek.  His 
sons  had  land  on  both  sides  of  this  creek 
still  held  by  descendants.  He  was  a 
mariner,  engaged  in  fishing,  but  found 
time  to  attend  to  much  of  the  town's 
business,  serving  as  selectman  several 
years,  and  was  representative  to  the  Gen- 
eral Court  six  times  in  twenty  years.  In 
1661  he  was  appointed  lieutenant  of  the 
"trayned  band"  and  was  later  captain. 
He  was  one  of  the  officers  who  refused 
in  1688  to  assess  the  taxes  levied  by  Sir 
Edmond  Andros,  and  was  fined  by  the 
superior  court  at  Salem.  The  repudiated 
Governor,  Andros,  was  finally  driven  out 
of  New  England  by  the  indignant  victims 
of  his  tyranny.  In  1681  William  Haskell 
joined  with  others  in  a  petition  to  the 
king,  praying  for  the  interposition  of  the 
crown  to  prevent  the  disturbance  of  title 
to  Gloucester  lands  by  Robert  Mason, 
who  made  claim  thereto.  He  was  one  of 
the  first  two  known  deacons  of  the  first 
church  at  Gloucester.  He  married,  No- 
vember 16,  1643,  Mary,  daughter  of 
Walter  Tybbot.  She  died  four  days  be- 
fore her  husband.  Children:  William, 
Joseph,  Benjamin,  John,  Ruth,  Mark, 
Sarah,  Elinor  and  Mary. 

(II)  Mark,  son  of  Roger  and  Mary 
(Tybbot)  Haskell,  born  1651,  in  Salem, 
settled  in  Rochester,  Massachusetts, 
about  1692,  and  died  there  May  17,  1699. 
He  was  a  large  land  owner  in  the  town 
of  Rochester,  where  he  also  followed  the 
trade  of  carpenter.  The  name  is  spelled 
Hascall   on   the   Rochester   records.      He 


272 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


married,  March  20,  1678,  Mary  Smith, 
daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Goodell) 
Smith,  of  Salem.  Children,  born  in 
Salem:  Roger,  October  17,  1680;  John, 
mentioned  below ;  Mark,  February  5, 
1684;  Elizabeth,  November  10,  1686; 
Mary,  April  23,  1689,  married  Scotaway 
Clark ;  Joseph,  November  3,  1692. 

(III)  John,  second  son  of  Mark  and 
Mary  (Smith)  Haskell,  was  born  Febru- 
ary 14,  1682,  in  Salem,  and  settled  in 
Rochester,  where  he  owned  land  near 
Mary's  pond,  and  died  in  1728.  He  mar- 
ried Mehitable  Clark.  Children:  Sarah, 
born  September  24,  1706;  Rebecca,  De- 
cember 14,  1707;  John,  mentioned  below; 
Roger  and  Andrew  (twins),  March  8, 
1711;  Mehitable,  January  3,  1713;  Mary, 
April  23,  1714;  Thomas,  January  12,  1716; 
Zachariah,  April  11,  1718;  Moses,  Sep- 
tember 18,  1719. 

(IV)  John  (2),  eldest  son  of  John  (1) 
and  Mehitable  Haskell,  was  born  May  13, 
1709,  and  resided  all  his  life  in  Rochester, 
where  he  died  December  27,  1791,  at  the 
age  of  eighty-three  years.  He  married, 
November  4,  1736,  Ruth  Sprague,  born 
August  30,  1714,  daughter  of  Samuel  and 
Ruth  Sprague,  of  Rochester.  Children: 
Timothy,  mentioned  below ;  David,  bap- 
tized December  19,  1742;  Ruth,  August 
24,     1745;    Deliverance,    September    27, 

1747- 

(V)  Timothy,  eldest  child  of  John  (2) 
and  Ruth  (Sprague)  Haskell,  was  born 
October  17,  1737,  and  resided  in  the  town 
of  Rochester,  Massachusetts.  He  was  a 
minute-man  of  the  Revolution,  marched 
April  19,  1775,  on  the  Lexington  Alarm, 
in  Captain  Seth  Briggs'  company,  serving 
four  days.  He  was  commissioned,  De- 
cember 5,  1776,  as  a  second  lieutenant  in 
Captain  Samuel  Briggs'  (Third  Roches- 
ter) company,  Colonel  Sprout's  regiment, 
serving  fifteen  days  on  an  alarm  at  Bris- 
tol, Rhode  Island,  December  8,  1776,  was 


allowed  seventy-four  miles'  travel.  He 
was  also  a  second  lieutenant  in  Captain 
Samuel  Briggs'  (Eighth)  company, 
Fourth  Plymouth  County  Regiment  of 
Massachusetts  militia.  He  served  with 
this  company  and  regiment  under  com- 
mand of  Lieutenant-Colonel  White,  from 
July  30  to  August  8,  1780,  nine  days,  on  a 
Rhode  Island  alarm,  roll  certified  at 
Rochester.  He  married,  November  19, 
1761,  Deliverance  Hatch,  who  died  in 
Rochester,  September  20,  1806,  aged 
sixty-four  years.  Children :  Moses,  born 
November  28,  1762;  Timothy,  September 
11,  1764;  Jane,  mentioned  below;  Ruth, 
March  11,  1769;  Deliverance,  February 
23,  1772;  Elizabeth,  August  5,  1774; 
Reuben,  May  25,  1778. 

(VI)  Jane,  eldest  daughter  of  Timothy 
and  Deliverance  (Hatch)  Haskell,  was 
born  February  4,  1767,  in  Rochester,  and 
married  Francis  LeBaron,  of  Middleboro 
(see  LeBaron  IV). 


DERBY,  Ashton  Philander, 

Head    of    Important    Manufacturing    Bu«i- 

This  name  appears  in  the  Massachu- 
setts records  as  Darby,  Daby  and  Derby, 
and  in  the  records  of  Canterbury,  Con- 
necticut, as  Darbe.  Many  prominent 
desce  1 '*its  have  used  the  firm  Derby 
and  others  Darby.  It  is  perhaps  an  An- 
glicized form  of  the  French  d'Arbe.  Ac- 
cording to  some  authorities  all  English 
names  ending  with  "by"  are  from  Lin- 
colnshire, England.  The  most  promi- 
nent pioneer  of  the  name  in  this  country 
was  Roger  Derby,  born  in  1643,  in  Devon- 
shire, England,  who  arrived  at  Boston, 
July  18,  1671,  settling  in  Salem,  Massa- 
chusetts. John  Derby  appears  about  the 
same  time  in  Marblehead,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  was  a  fisherman.  Roger  Derby 
was  also  interested  in  fisheries.     Thomas 


MASS-Vol.  Ill— 18 


273 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Darby  joined  the  first  church  of  Salem, 
October  15,  1663.  The  members  of  this 
family  were  Non-Conformists,  and  affili- 
ated with  the  Quakers,  hence  are  almost 
wholly  ignored  in  the  Puritan  records. 

(I)  John  Derby  was  born  in  England, 
of  an  ancient  and  distinguished  family. 
Roger  Derby,  who  is  from  all  accounts  a 
brother,  came  from  Topsham,  Devon- 
shire, England,  about  the  same  time, 
landed  at  Boston,  July  18,  1671,  and  set- 
tled in  Salem.  Topsham  was  the  home  of 
seafaring  men.  Both  Derbys  followed 
fishing  at  their  new  home  at  Marblehead 
and  Salem.  John  Derby  or  Darby,  as  the 
name  was  often  spelled,  was  a  fisherman 
at  Marblehead  in  1677,  and  owned  a  cot- 
tage and  house  lot  in  that  town.  His 
wife's  baptismal  name  was  Alice.  Chil- 
dren, born  in  Marblehead,  Massachusetts: 
Alice,  October  12,  1679;  John,  mentioned 
below;  Mary,  September  29, 1683  >  Joseph, 
baptized  October  18,  1685. 

(II)  John  (2)  Derby,  eldest  son  of  John 
(1)  and  Alice  Derby,  was  born  October 
8,  1681,  in  Marblehead,  and  died  at  Con- 
cord, Massachusetts,  March  7,  1743.  He 
was  reared  in  Marblehead,  where  he 
learned  the  trade  of  weaver,  settled  for  a 
time  in  Beverly,  Massachusetts,  removed 
to  Ipswich  about  1720,  and  to  Concord  in 
1731.  He  married  Deborah  Conant,  born 
February  20,  1687,  in  Beverly,  daughter 
of  John  and  Bethiah  (Mansfield)  Conant, 
a  descendant  of  Governor  Roger  Conant. 
Children:  John,  born  December  27,  1704; 
Andrew,  mentioned  below ;  Mary,  bap- 
tized March  18,  171 1,  died  March  28, 
1712;  Benjamin,  March  12,  171 1,  died 
young;  Ebenezer,  November  23,  1712; 
Deborah,  April  8,  1714;  Benjamin,  No- 
vember 28,  1715;  Joseph,  June  10,  1718; 
Mary,  June  12,  1720. 

(III)  Andrew  Derby,  son  of  John  (2) 
and  Deborah  (Conant)  Derby,  was  born 
January  26,  1707,  in  Beverly,  and,  like  his 


father,  was  a  weaver.  In  1733  he  pur- 
chased land  in  the  Concord  "New  Grant," 
now  the  town  of  Acton,  and  was  active  in 
the  organization  and  settlement  of  that 
town,  where  he  was  assessor  three  years, 
selectman  four  years,  and  constable  one 
year.  He  sold  his  lands  in  Acton  in  1746, 
and  removed  to  Westminster,  Massachu- 
setts, where  he  purchased  lot  No.  22,  May 
10,  1748,  including  a  house  and  grist  mill 
on  the  outlet  of  Westminster  pond.  He 
was  a  man  of  much  ability,  character  and 
influence,  and  soon  came  to  be  familiarly 
known  as  "Miller  Darby."  He  was  pro- 
prietor's clerk  of  Westminster  from  1750 
to  1754,  assessor  and  member  of  the  stand- 
ing committee,  and  was  assessor  of  the 
town  after  its  incorporation  for  a  period 
of  seven  years,  selectman  four  years,  and 
was  also  very  active  and  highly  esteemed 
in  the  church.  He  died  in  Westminster, 
March  23,  1783.  He  married,  in  1728, 
Elizabeth  Patch,  born  November  23,  1706, 
in  Wenham,  daughter  of  Timothy  and 
Elizabeth  (Poland)  Patch.  Children: 
Elizabeth,  born  March  13,  1729;  Sarah, 
died  young;  Sarah,  March  14,  1733; 
Eunice  and  Mary  (twins),  February  28, 
1735  ;  Nathan,  mentioned  below;  Andrew, 
November  19,  1739;  John,  July  4,  1742; 
Ruth,  August  20,  1745. 

(IV)  Nathan  Derby,  eldest  son  of  An- 
drew and  Elizabeth  (Patch)  Derby,  was 
born  August  2,  1737,  in  Acton,  and  re- 
sided in  Westminster,  where  he  pur- 
chased lot  No.  100  in  the  second  division 
of  the  town  lands,  November  16,  1759. 
This  was  near  the  Winchendon  road,  and 
Nathan  Derby  was  the  first  occupant  of 
the  land,  where  he  continued  engaged  in 
agriculture  until  his  death,  after  1818.  He 
married  in  Lexington,  March  30,  1762, 
Abigail  Pierce,  born  in  Watertown,  Mas- 
sachusetts, August  3,  1744,  daughter  of 
Jonas  and  Abigail  (Comee)  Pierce.  Chil- 
dren:   Jonas,  born  March  22,  1763;  Abi- 


274 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


gail,  November  26,  1764;  Ruth,  October 
30,  1766;  Annas,  December  19,  1768; 
Lucy,  May  9,  1770;  Ezra,  1772,  died 
young;  Rhoda,  January  1,  1774;  Ezra, 
June  24,  1776;  Joel,  June  19,  1778;  Abra- 
ham, August  30,  1780;  Polly,  October  12, 
1782;  Levi,  mentioned  below. 

(V)  Levi  Derby,  youngest  child  of  Na- 
than and  Abigail  (Pierce)  Derby,  was 
born  March  17,  1786,  in  Westminster,  and 
settled  in  Waterbury,  Vermont.  He  died 
September  12,  1873,  recorded  in  West- 
minster.    He  married  Sally  Stratton. 

(VI)  Philander  Derby,  son  of  Levi  and 
Sally  (Stratton)  Derby,  was  born  June 
8,  1816,  in  Somerset,  Vermont,  and  when 
a  young  man  was  employed  at  farm  work 
in  the  vicinity  of  his  home.  After  spend- 
ing some  time  at  Worcester,  Massachu- 
setts, he  went  to  Sutton,  and  from  there 
to  Templeton,  Massachusetts,  returning 
to  Vermont,  where  he  was  in  business  in 
the  town  of  Jamaica.  This  he  sold  out 
and  removed  to  Gardner,  Massachusetts, 
in  1844.  There,  in  association  with  S.  K. 
Pierce  and  H.  C.  Knowlton,  he  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  boxes,  barrel  covers 
and  similar  wooden  ware.  In  1863  he 
formed  an  association  with  H.  C.  Knowl- 
ton, under  the  firm  name  of  Derby  & 
Knowlton,  and  engaged  exclusively  in  the 
manufacture  of  chairs.  Under  their  skill- 
ful management  the  business  grew,  and 
they  were  obliged  to  make  large  additions 
to  their  plant.  In  1868  Mr.  Derby  pur- 
chased his  partner's  interest  and  alone 
continued  the  business,  which  continued 
to  prosper  and  assumed  large  dimensions. 
In  1880  he  admitted  several  partners,  in- 
cluding his  son,  Arthur  P.  Derby,  George 
Hodgman,  of  Gardner,  and  George  W. 
Cann,  of  Brooklyn,  New  York,  and  with 
added  capital  still  further  extended  the 
business.  Mr.  Derby  became  interested 
in  other  business  interests  of  the  town ; 
was  many  years  a  director  of  the  First 


National  Bank,  and  one  of  the  largest 
owners  of  the  syndicate  block  of  Gard- 
ner. An  active  and  public-spirited  citi- 
zen, he  was  influential  and  useful  in 
church  work,  and  in  all  that  promoted  the 
growth  and  welfare  of  his  home  city.  He 
married  Viola  Dunn,  born  August  13, 
1818,  in  Westminster,  daughter  of  John 
and  Abigail  (Jackson)   Dunn. 

(VII)  Arthur  Philander  Derby,  son  of 
Philander  and  Viola  (Dunn)  Derby,  was 
born  December  1,  1855,  in  Gardner,  where 
he  died  February  5,  1910.  He  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Gard- 
ner and  Wilbraham  Academy,  Massachu- 
setts, and  pursued  a  course  of  one  year 
at  Bryant  &  Stratton's  Business  Col- 
lege, in  Boston.  He  was  later  asso- 
ciated with  his  father  in  the  manufacture 
of  chairs  in  Gardner,  the  business  being 
carried  on  for  some  time  under  the  style 
of  P.  Derby  &  Company.  In  1907  the 
business  was  incorporated  under  the  same 
style,  and  in  191 1  reincorporated  under 
the  general  laws  of  Massachusetts,  the 
name  still  remaining  P.  Derby  &  Com- 
pany, Inc.  From  that  time  until  his  death, 
Arthur  P.  Derby  was  president  of  the 
company.  In  addition  to  the  cares  of  his 
large  business,  Mr.  Derby  found  time  to 
devote  to  many  matters  of  public  inter- 
est, and  filled  various  positions  of  respon- 
sibility and  trust.  He  was  especially  in- 
terested in  the  promotion  of  education, 
and  served  as  a  member  of  the  Gardner 
School  Board.  He  was  a  member  of  Hope 
Lodge,  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  of 
Gardner,  of  which  he  was  at  one  time 
master,  and  was  a  member,  and  in  due 
course  of  time  eminent  commander  of 
Ivanhoe  Commandery,  No.  46,  Knights 
Templar,  of  Gardner.  He  attained  the 
thirty-second  degree  of  Free  Masonry, 
and  was  a  member  of  Aleppo  Temple,  An- 
cient Arabic  Order  Nobles  of  the  Mystic 
Shrine  of  Boston.    He  was  vice-president 


275 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


of  the  Gardner  Savings  Bank,  and  of  the 
First  National  Bank  of  Gardner  at  the 
time  of  his  death,  and  an  ex-president  of 
the  Gardner  Boat  Club.  He  was  also  a 
member  of  the  Narragansett  Club  and  the 
Monomock  Sporting  Club.  He  married, 
May  i,  1877,  Lucy  A.  Brown,  born  Janu- 
ary 27,  1856,  in  Hubbardston,  Massachu- 
setts, daughter  of  Moses  and  Eliza  (Bix- 
by)  Brown.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Derby  were 
the  parents  of  two  sons :  Ashton  Philan- 
der, mentioned  below,  and  Howard 
Brown,  born  April  14,  1891,  in  Gardner, 
died  there  November  5,  1904. 

(VIII)  Ashton  Philander  Derby,  senior 
son  of  Arthur  Philander  and  Lucy  A. 
(Brown)  Derby,  was  born  February  5, 
1878,  in  Gardner.  He  attended  the  public 
schools  of  his  home  town,  graduating 
from  the  high  school  in  1895.  After  two 
years  at  Williams  College,  Williamstown, 
Massachusetts,  he  engaged  in  business, 
becoming  associated  with  his  father,  in 
1S97,  in  the  manufacture  of  chairs  at 
Gardner.  Since  that  time  his  entire  at- 
tention has  been  given  to  the  prosecution 
of  this  business,  and  he  became  president 
of  the  corporation,  succeeding  the  death 
of  his  father,  in  1910.  This  establishment 
is  one  of  the  largest  manufacturing  con- 
cerns in  Gardner,  employing  a  great  many 
people,  and,  like  his  father  and  grand- 
father, Mr.  Derby  manifests  a  proper  in- 
terest in  the  progress  and  welfare  of  the 
town.  He  is  a  Congregationalist  in  reli- 
gion, and  a  Republican  in  politics.  He  is  a 
member  of  Hope  Lodge,  Free  and  Ac- 
cepted Masons ;  Ivanhoe  Commandery, 
No.  46,  Knights  Templar,  of  Gardner; 
member  of  the  D.  K.  E.  of  Williams  Col- 
lege ;  vice-president  of  the  Gardner  Boat 
Club ;  member  of  the  Monomock  Sport- 
ing Club,  of  the  Ridgley  Club,  and  the 
Ridgley  Country  Club.  He  is  also  a 
member  of  the  Alpine  Golf  Club  of  Fitch- 
burg,  Massachusetts,  of  the  Boston  Ath- 


letic Club  of  Boston,  and  the  Williams 
College  Club  of  New  York  City.  He  mar- 
ried, September  26,  1900,  Eva  M.  Green- 
wood, born  August  9,  1881,  in  Gardner, 
daughter  of  Frederick  M.  and  Ida  (Wil- 
liams) Greenwood.  Children:  Stephen 
Arthur,  born  March  10,  1905 ;  Philander 
Greenwood,  July  13,  1907;  Virginia,  July 
13,  1910. 


HARRINGTON,  Francis  A.  and  Sons, 
Enterprising   Business   Men. 

Robert  Harrington,  the  pioneer  ances- 
tor of  all  the  early  families  of  this  sur- 
name in  this  country,  was  born  in  Eng- 
land and  came  to  New  England  in  the 
ship  "Elizabeth,"  sailing  April  10,  1634. 
He  settled  in  Watertown,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  was  given  a  "homestall"  by 
Deacon  Thomas  Hastings,  probably  a 
relative.  His  name  appears  as  early  as 
1642  on  the  list  of  proprietors  of  the 
town.  He  held  various  town  offices  and 
was  a  prominent  citizen.  He  was 
admitted  a  freeman  by  the  General  Court, 
May  27,  1663.  His  homestead  was 
bought,  December  24,  1694,  of  Jeremiah 
Dummer,  of  Boston,  and  comprised  two 
hundred  and  fifty  acres  on  Charles  river. 
He  died  May  11,  1707,  aged  ninety-one 
years.  His  will,  dated  January  1,  1704, 
bequeaths  to  sons  John,  Daniel,  Benjamin, 
Samuel,  Thomas  and  Edward.  To  Ed- 
ward he  gave  the  homestead.  He  also 
bequeathed  to  daughters  Susanna  Beers, 
Mary  Bemis,  Sarah  Winship ;  to  his 
grandson  Joseph,  son  of  Joseph  (de- 
ceased) and  to  daughter-in-law,  Joanna 
Ward,  late  wife  of  his  son  Joseph.  His 
inventory  mentions  sixteen  lots  of  land 
amounting  to  six  hundred  forty-seven  and 
a  half  acres,  appraised  at  seven  hundred 
and  seventeen  pounds.  The  estate  in- 
cluded house  and  mill  valued  at  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  pounds. 


276 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


He  married,  October  I,  1648,  Susanna 
George,  daughter  of  John  George,  of 
Watertown.  She  was  then  an  orphan, 
the  widow  of  Henry  Goldstone  being  her 
guardian.  She  died  July  6,  1694.  Chil- 
dren: Susanna,  born  August  18,  1649, 
married,  February  9,  1671,  John  Cutting; 
John,  August  24,  1651,  died  August  24, 
1741  ;  Robert,  August  31,  1653,  died 
young;  George,  November  24,  1655,  was 
in  Captain  Samuel  Wadsworth's  company 
and  was  killed  by  the  Indians,  February, 
1675;  Daniel,  November  1,  1657,  died 
April  19,  1728;  Joseph,  December  28, 
1659;  Benjamin,  January  26,  1661,  died 
1724;  Mary,  January  12.  1663,  married 
John  Bemis  ;  Thomas,  April  20,  1665,  died 
March  29,  1712;  Samuel,  December  18, 
1666;  Edward,  mentioned  below;  Sarah, 
March  10,  1670,  married  Joseph  Winship, 
Jr.;  David,  June  1,  1673,  died  March  11, 
i675- 

(II)  Edward  Harrington,  son  of 
Robert  Harrington,  was  born  at  Water- 
town,  in  March,  1668.  He  lived  on  the 
homestead  and  was  an  active  and  useful 
citizen,  selectman  of  the  town  in  1716, 
1730  and  1731.  He  married  (first)  March 
30,  1692,  Mary  Ockington ;  (second)  May 
24,  1727,  Anna,  widow  of  Jonathan  Bul- 
lard,  of  Weston.  Children  by  first  wife, 
born  at  Watertown :  Mary,  born  Janu- 
ary 2,  1693;  William,  November  11,  1694; 
Mindwell,  June  19,  1697;  Joanna,  August 
16,  1699;  Edward,  June  27,  1702;  Samuel, 
June  25,  1706;  Francis,  mentioned  below; 
Susanna,  September  9,  171 1,  married 
Samuel  Barnard  and  their  son,  Samuel 
Barnard,  took  part  in  the  Boston  Tea 
Party  and  was  a  major  in  the  Revolution. 

(III)  Francis  Harrington,  son  of  Ed- 
ward Harrington,  was  born  June  11,  1709, 
at  Watertown.  Before  his  marriage  he 
located  in  Grafton,  Massachusetts,  and 
thither  he  took  his  young  wife  and  estab- 
lished his  home.     In  the  spring  of  1741 


he  purchased  of  Joseph  Dana  and  his 
wife  Mary,  of  Pomfret,  Connecticut,  the 
farm  in  Worcester  which  was  afterward 
his  home  and  on  which  his  descendants 
have  lived  to  the  present  time.  He  was 
the  first  of  the  Harrington  family  to  settle 
in  Worcester,  where  the  descendants  of 
Robert  Harrington  have  since  been  both 
numerous  and  prominent  in  every  gener- 
ation. His  name  appears  on  the  Worces- 
ter jury  list,  dated  July  19,  1742,  and  at 
the  next  town  meeting  he  was  elected 
field  driver,  and  reelected  the  following 
year.  At  a  town  meeting  held  May  16, 
1743,  it  was  voted  that  in  consideration 
of  great  sickness  in  Francis  Harrington's 
family,  his  tax  for  the  last  year  be  repaid 
to  him,  amounting  to  one  pound,  three 
shillings,  for  "two  birds,  two  tails."  In 
March,  1748,  he  was  chosen  constable, 
and  from  1754  to  1777  he  served  on  the 
committee  to  provide  schoolmasters  for 
his  district.  He  was  surveyor  of  high- 
ways and  collector  of  taxes  in  1750,  1758, 
1763,  1768,  1772  and  1783.  He  married 
(first)  in  1736,  Prudence  Stearns,  of  an 
old  Watertown  family.  She  was  born 
April  27,  1713,  died  at  Worcester  in  Au- 
gust, 175 1.  He  married  (second)  Novem- 
ber 14,  1752,  at  Westborough,  Deborah 
Brigham,  who  died  at  Worcester,  April 
20,  1799,  aged  eighty-four  years.  He  died 
July  n,  1793,  aged  eighty-four.  Chil- 
dren, born  at  Grafton  and  Worcester: 
Francis,  born  1737,  died  in  Worcester, 
April  6,  1768;  Nathaniel,  mentioned 
below;  Mary,  December  16,  1753;  Prud- 
ence, April  20,  1755;  William,  November 
18,  1756. 

(IV)  Nathaniel  Harrington,  son  of 
Francis  Harrington,  was  born  in  Worces- 
ter in  1742.  He  spent  his  boyhood  on  the 
homestead.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revo- 
lution, going  on  the  Lexington  Alarm  as 
sergeant  in  Captain  Timothy  Rigelow's 
company  of  minute-men,  Colonel  Artemas 


277 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Ward's  regiment,  April  19,  1775.  He  was 
also  first  lieutenant  in  Captain  Joshua 
Whitney's  company,  Fifth  Worcester 
County  Regiment  of  Massachusetts 
militia.  He  was  chosen  hog-reeve,  an 
office  then  bestowed  according  to  custom 
on  some  newly  married  man  as  a  rule, 
March  11,  1777.  Two  years  later  his  name 
appears  on  the  jury  list,  in  1780  also  as 
assessor,  and  in  the  following  year  on  the 
school  committee.  In  1778  and  1794  he 
was  surveyor  of  highways  and  collector 
of  highway  taxes.  He  was  again  on  the 
school  committee  from  1790  to  1808,  and 
on  the  committee  to  build  public  school- 
houses  in  1797  and  1799.  In  1799  he  was 
a  fence  viewer,  and  from  1803  to  1809  he 
was  one  of  the  selectmen  of  the  town. 
He  served  on  various  other  town  com- 
mittees from  time  to  time.  In  1808  he 
and  others  signed  a  letter  to  the  select- 
men in  opposition  to  their  request  that  the 
citizens  of  Worcester  be  assembled  in 
town  meeting  to  approve  the  sentiments 
expressed  by  the  inhabitants  of  Boston  in 
a  petition  to  President  Jefferson  praying 
for  the  suspension  of  the  Embargo  Act. 
He  died  February  28,  1831,  aged  eighty- 
nine  years.  He  married,  July  2,  1776, 
Ruth  Stone,  who  was  born  in  1748,  and 
died  August  24,  1817,  aged  sixty-nine 
years.  After  his  death  the  original  home- 
stead of  four  hundred  acres  was  divided 
between  his  two  sons.  Children  :  Francis, 
mentioned  below  ;  Jonathan,  born  October 
31,  1779,  married  Mary  Flagg;  Sarah, 
August  14,  1786. 

(V)  Captain  Francis  (2)  Harrington, 
son  of  Nathaniel  Harrington,  was  born  in 
Worcester,  May  15,  1777,  died  there  Octo- 
ber 17,  1841.  He  inherited  half  of  the 
old  homestead  and  followed  farming  all 
his  active  life.  He  was  prominent  in 
public  affairs  and  captain  of  a  Worcester 
militia  company.  He  served  on  the 
school  committee,  held  the  offices  of  high- 


way surveyor  and  collector  of  highway 
taxes,  and  served  on  various  town  com- 
mittees. He  married  at  Worcester,  May 
13,  1801,  Lydia  Perry,  born  at  Worces- 
ter, February  20,  1778,  daughter  of  Josiah 
and  Lydia  Perry  and  granddaughter  of 
Nathan  Perry,  who  was  for  twenty-three 
years  deacon  of  the  Old  South  Church. 
The  Perry  family  also  came  early  to 
Worcester.  Children,  born  at  Worcester : 
Daniel,  mentioned  below;  Mary,  born 
March  20,  1804,  married  Deacon  Samuel 
Perry;  Hannah,  February  12,  1806;  Jo- 
seph, February  27,  1808 ;  Francis,  August 
11,  181 1,  alderman  of  Worcester  in  i860; 
Lydia,  December  12,  1814. 

(VI)  Captain  Daniel  Harrington,  son 
of  Captain  Francis  (2)  Harrington,  was 
born  October  4,  1802,  in  Worcester,  and 
died  September  II,  1863.  He  succeeded 
to  his  father's  homestead  and  followed 
farming.  He  built  the  large  barn  in  1841, 
and  the  present  house  on  the  farm  in 
1852.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Old  South 
Church  and  subsequently  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  present  Union  Church 
(Congregational).  He  was  captain  of  a 
militia  company.  His  name  was  on  the 
jury  list  in  1831,  and  he  was  subsequently 
fence  viewer,  member  of  the  school  com- 
mittee, highway  surveyor  of  the  town, 
member  of  the  Common  Council  of  the 
city  in  1849-50  and  of  the  board  of  alder- 
men in  185 1.  He  married,  March  27, 
1828,  Clarissa  Gray,  born  August  23,  1809, 
died  June  6,  1885,  daughter  of  Nathaniel 
and  Patty  (Dickerman)  Gray,  of  Wor- 
cester, and  granddaughter  of  John  Dicker- 
man,  who  took  part  in  the  Boston  Tea 
Party.  She  also  came  of  one  of  the  old 
Worcester  families.  Children,  born  in 
Worcester:  1.  Joseph  A.,  born  October 
26,  1829,  died  December  4,  1875 !  soldier 
in  the  Fifty-first  Regiment,  Massachu- 
setts Volunteer  Infantry,  in  the  Civil 
War;  married  Zelia  M.  Pierce.    2.  Emily 


278 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


A.,  born  October  23,  183 1,  died 


»3  ;      none.    In  addition  to  the  business,  Francis 


married  George  S.  Battelle.  3.  Charles 
A.,  born  May  20,  1834,  died  October  16, 
1905  ;  partner  in  the  firm  of  Garfield  & 
Harrington,  dealers  in  ice  and  coal; 
served  in  the  City  Council,  1882-83;  mar- 
ried (first)  Lucy  Goulding;  (second) 
Margaret  Patch;  had  sons:  Elmer  W. 
and  Herbert  H.  4.  Henry  M.,  born 
March  20,  1836,  died  August  6,  1837.  5. 
Delia  A.,  born  March  21,  1841  ;  married,  in 
1863,  George  B.  Andrews,  and  lives  in 
Clinton ;  no  issue.  6.  Maria  A.,  born 
September  2,  1843;  married  Edward  W. 
Wellington,  lieutenant  in  the  Civil  War ; 
children:  Delia  M.  and  Frank  E.  Well- 
ington. 7.  Francis  Alfred,  mentioned  be- 
low. 8.  George  A.,  born  July  8,  1849, 
died  in  1883.  9.  Daniel  A.,  mentioned 
below. 

(VII)  Hon.  Francis  Alfred  Harrington, 
son  of  Captain  Daniel  Harrington,  was 
born  in  Worcester,  November  17,  1846. 
He  received  his  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  his  native  city,  at  B.  C.  Howe's 
Business  College  and  Worcester  Acad- 
emy, each  of  which  he  attended  during 
two  winter  terms.  He  remained  with  his 
father  on  the  homestead  until  he  reached 
his  majority.  He  then  became  associated 
with  his  brother  Charles  A.,  who  estab- 
lished the  Bay  State  House  Livery  Stable 
in  1869,  and  in  1871  was  admitted  to 
partnership  under  the  firm  name  of  Har- 
rington Brothers.  About  five  years  later 
the  business  was  removed  to  more  com- 
modious quarters  on  Central  street  and  a 
carriage  shop  added  to  it.  The  business 
increased  with  the  growth  of  the  city  and 
the  firm  prospered.  In  May,  1882,  Charles 
A.  Harrington  retired  from  the  firm  and 
his  brother,  Daniel  A.,  took  his  place. 
Both  brothers  possessed  a  thorough  and 
expert  knowledge  of  horses  and  marked 
business  ability.  In  their  line  of  business 
Harrington  Brothers  took  rank  second  to 


A.  Harrington  was  a  successful  farmer  on 
the  old  homestead,  where  his  ancestors 
had  lived  since  1741 .  Owing  to  public 
duties  and  other  business  cares,  however, 
Mr.  Harrington  sold  his  interests  in  the 
firm  to  his  brother  in  October,  1895. 

Mr.  Harrington  and  the  late  Senator 
Frank  M.  Heath  organized  with  others  in 
1894  two  insurance  organizations,  the 
Masonic  Protective  Association,  the 
membership  of  which  is  exclusively  made 
up  of  Free  Masons,  and  the  Ridgely  Pro- 
tective Association,  made  up  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows. The  home  offices  were  at  No.  518 
Main  street  for  many  years.  Mr.  Har- 
rington was  president  and  Mr.  Heath 
treasurer  of  both  organizations.  Both 
corporations  were  wisely  planned  and 
managed  and  have  grown  to  large  pro- 
portions. At  the  beginning  but  one  clerk 
was  employed,  while  in  191 5  the  two 
organizations  employed  a  force  of  seventy 
clerks  and  stenographers  and  occupy 
handsome  suites  of  offices  on  the  two 
upper  floors  of  the  Worcester  Trust  Com- 
pany building  on  Franklin  street,  built 
and  occupied  in  1915.  Since  the  death  of 
Mr.  Heath  in  1914,  his  son,  Volney  L. 
Heath,  has  been  treasurer  of  the  Ridgely 
Protective  Association,  his  son,  Austin 
A.  Heath,  has  been  treasurer  of  the  Ma- 
sonic Protective  Association,  while  his 
son,  Melville  F.  Heath,  continued  as  gen- 
eral manager  of  the  Masonic  Protective 
Association.  Mr.  Harrington's  sons  have 
also  been  exclusively  occupied  in  the 
management  of  the  business  of  these 
organizations  for  the  past  ten  years  or 
more.  Charles  A.  Harrington  is  secre- 
tary of  the  Masonic  Protective  Associa- 
tion and  Frank  C.  Harrington  of  the 
Ridgely  Protective  Association. 

Mr.  Harrington  is  one  of  the  most  hon- 
ored and  distinguished  men  in  the  Ma- 
sonic organizations  of  the  State.     He  is 


279 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


past  master  of  Athelstan  Lodge;  mem- 
ber of  Eureka  Chapter,  Royal  Arch  Ma- 
sons ;  Hiram  Council,  Royal  and  Select 
Masters;  Worcester  County  Command- 
ery,  Knights  Templar ;  the  Massachusetts 
Consistory,  and  Aleppo  Temple,  Mystic 
Shrine.  In  190S  he  attained  the  rare  dis- 
tinction of  election  to  the  thirty-third  de- 
gree, which  he  received  at  Boston  in  the 
Supreme  Council.  In  1912  he  took  the 
degrees  of  the  Royal  Order  of  Scotland, 
the  diploma  of  which  comes  from  Scot- 
land. He  is  a  trustee  of  Aletheia  Grotto 
of  Worcester.  He  was  a  trustee  of  the 
Masonic  Fraternity  for  a  number  of  years, 
an  organization  which  made  the  begin- 
nings for  the  Masonic  Temple,  and  he 
was  a  member  of  the  finance  committee 
of  the  Worcester  Masonic  and  Educa- 
tional Association  which  procured  the 
funds  for  the  temple.  Mr.  Harrington 
was  very  active  in  the  work  of  raising 
funds  and  is  given  much  of  the  credit  for 
securing  the  magnificent  building  for  a 
home  for  the  various  Masonic  organiza- 
tions of  the  city.  The  temple  was  erected 
at  a  cost  of  nearly  $250,000  on  Ionic  ave- 
nue and  is  one  of  the  finest  architectural 
masterpiece  of  New  England.  He  is  at 
present  a  trustee.  He  is  past  patron  of 
Stella  Chapter,  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star, 
and  also  member  of  the  Worcester  Lodge 
of  Perfection ;  of  Goddard  Council, 
Princes  of  Jerusalem  ;  of  Lawrence  Chap- 
ter of  Rose  Croix,  and  of  Massachusetts 
Consistory.  He  is  past  commander  of 
Worcester  County  Commandery,  and  has 
been  treasurer  for  many  years.  Mr.  Har- 
rington is  a  member  of  Quinsigamond 
Lodge,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows ;  past  master  of  the  Worcester 
Grange,  Patrons  of  Husbandry,  and  of 
Central  Pomona  Grange,  and  is  now 
(1916)  serving  his  twenty-ninth  year  as 
treasurer  of  the  Massachusetts  State 
Grange.     He  is  a  trustee  of  the  Worces- 


ter County  Agricultural  Society.  For 
eight  years  he  served  in  the  City  Guards 
of  the  Massachusetts  State  Militia,  and 
for  two  years  held  a  commission  as  first 
lieutenant,  resigning  on  account  of  ill 
health.  He  was  one  of  the  first  honor- 
ary members  elected  to  George  H.  Ward 
Post,  No.  10,  Grand  Army  of  the  Re- 
public. He  is  a  trustee  of  the  Worcester 
County  Institution  of  Savings ;  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Worcester  County  Horticul- 
tural Society ;  the  Worcester  County  Me- 
chanics Association  ;  the  Worcester  Cham- 
ber of  Commerce,  the  Worcester  Coun- 
try Club,  and  the  Massachusetts  Repub- 
lican Club. 

In  public  life  Mr.  Harrington  has  had  a 
long  and  distinguished  career.  From 
early  manhood  he  has  been  a  Republican 
in  politics.  In  1887  he  was  elected  alder- 
man, defeating  Andrew  Athy,  Democrat, 
and  unanimously  reelected.  In  1889  he 
was  president  of  the  board.  He  served 
as  chairman  of  the  committee  on  finance 
and  chairman  of  the  committee  on  sewers 
when  the  disposal  works  were  planned 
and  the  construction  begun.  He  was  the 
Republican  candidate  for  mayor  in  De- 
cember, 1889,  and  was  elected.  His  op- 
ponent was  A.  George  Bullock,  candidate 
of  the  Citizen  and  Democratic  parties. 
He  was  reelected  in  1890  and  1891,  his 
opponents  at  the  polls  being  Benjamin  W. 
Childs  and  Joseph  S.  Perry.  In  1890  the 
sewage  disposal  system  was  put  into  suc- 
cessful operation.  In  1891  fire  engine 
houses  at  Lake  View  and  Quinsigamond 
were  erected;  the  office  of  superintendent 
of  street  lights  was  created  :  the  new  pub- 
lic library  building  erected  at  a  cost  of 
$108,000  exclusive  of  the  land  it  occupied. 
In  1892  the  Holden  dam,  was  raised,  in- 
creasing the  water  supply ;  the  English 
High  School  (now  occupied  by  the  Class- 
ical High)  was  completed;  new  school 
houses  erected  on  Millbury  and  Canter- 


280 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


bury  streets.  Notwithstanding  the  in- 
creased cost  of  government  and  the  addi- 
tion of  new  buildings,  the  tax  rate  during 
his  administration  was  lower  than  it  had 
been  for  many  years  previously.  This 
was  due,  it  is  conceded,  to  the  harmony 
and  excellent  team  work  in  the  various 
city  departments,  due  chiefly  to  the  good 
judgment  and  conciliatory  but  efficient 
policy  of  the  mayor  himself.  He  took  a 
keen  interest  in  the  public  schools  and  as 
cx-officio  chairman  of  the  school  commit- 
tee made  periodic  visits  to  every  school  in 
the  city,  visiting  the  class  rooms  and  in- 
specting the  buildings.  Mr.  Harrington 
was  one  of  the  few  mayors  who  were 
natives  of  the  city,  and  none  had  a  wider 
circle  of  personal  acquaintance  among  all 
classes  of  people.  Owing  to  his  activity 
in  fraternal  organizations,  his  extended 
business  dealings,  as  well  as  his  other 
associations  in  the  militia,  in  politics  and 
in  school,  he  not  only  knew  the  people  of 
the  city  but  its  needs,  its  capabilities  for 
progress  along  certain  lines  and  the  neces- 
sity of  planning  for  its  expansion  and 
growth.  He  steered  the  city  calmly 
through  three  trying  years,  two  of  which 
were  no-license,  securing  an  impartial  and 
proper  administration  of  the  law,  as  an 
alderman  in  granting  licenses  fairly  and 
as  mayor  in  preventing  violations  of  the 
laws.  As  mayor  he  takes  rank  among 
the  most  efficient,  both  from  a  political 
and  business  point  of  view.  He  was  an 
able  executive  and  wise  administrator, 
trusted  and  honored  by  the  people,  re- 
gardless of  party  lines  or  other  divisions. 
It  was  during  his  term  that  Curtis  Chapel 
was  dedicated.  His  father  was  on  the 
aldermanic  committee  that  purchased  the 
land  for  Hope  Cemetery  for  the  city. 
When  the  donor  made  his  presentation 
speech,  he  expressed  his  pleasure  in  the 
fact  that  the  mayor  who  was  to  receiv: 
the    gift    for   the    city    was    a    native    of 


Worcester,  that  he  had  not  only  known 
the  mayor  from  boyhood,  but  his  father, 
grandfather  and  gTeat-grandfather  as  well. 

During  the  years  1899,  1900  and  1901 
Mr.  Harrington  represented  his  district 
in  the  Massachusetts  Senate.  Against  his 
wishes,  he  was  made  chairman  of  the 
committee  on  liquor  laws  and  he  served 
three  years.  At  the  end  of  his  term  he 
had  the  satisfaction  of  receiving  letters 
both  from  the  supporters  and  opponents 
of  the  various  measures  presented  to  this 
committee  and  argued  with  great  zeal  and 
some  heat  at  times,  both  thanking  the 
chairman  and  committee  for  their  fair- 
ness and  good  judgment  in  the  considera- 
tion of  bills  and  for  their  consideration  at 
hearings.  He  was  also  chairman  of  the 
important  committee  on  manufactures 
and  among  other  difficult  duties  he  pre- 
sided over  the  committees  on  mercantile 
affairs  and  on  manufactures,  sitting 
jointly,  to  arrange  for  legislation  to  secure 
the  consolidation  of  the  public  lighting 
companies  of  Boston.  The  necessary 
legislation  was  finally  effected.  He  was 
also  a  member  of  the  committees  on  pub- 
lic health  and  agriculture.  As  a  legisla- 
tor he  proved  intelligent,  conservative, 
indefatigable  in  laboring  for  the  interests 
of  his  district  and  city  and  for  the  gen- 
eral welfare  of  the  Commonwealth,  re- 
markable for  his  tactfulness  and  consider- 
ation in  dealing  with  problems  and  in 
meeting  the  wishes  of  constituents  and 
petitioners  in  the  General  Court.  His  per- 
sonal qualities  made  for  him  a  career  of 
wide  influence  and  usefulness  in  the  Sen- 
ate. For  six  years  he  was  a  director  of 
the  Worcester  Free  Public  Library,  and 
for  about  twelve  years  he  was  a  trustee 
of  Hope  Cemetery  and  president  of  the 
board. 

Mr.  Harrington  married  (first)  No- 
vember 16,  1871,  Roxanna  M.  Grout,  born 
at   Spencer,   died    December  24,    1900,   a 


281 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


daughter  of  Silas  and  Eliza  (Draper) 
Grout.  Her  father  was  an  active  and 
prominent  citizen  of  Spencer,  where  he 
died  March  n,  1879;  her  mother  died 
there  October  18,  1869,  aged  fifty-nine 
years.  Mrs.  Harrington  was  a  past  ma- 
tron of  Stella  Chapter  and  past  grand 
matron  of  the  State.  Mr.  Harrington 
married  (second)  May  28,  1902,  Lillia 
(Dudley)  Leighton,  whose  only  daughter, 
Leora,  married  Mr.  Harrington's  second 
son,  Frank  Chester  Harrington  (VIII). 
Mrs.  Harrington  is  a  daughter  of  Joseph 
Smith  and  Sarah  Ann  (Lamson)  Dudley, 
of  Augusta,  Maine.  She  is  a  member  of 
Stella  Chapter,  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star, 
member  of  the  Worcester  Grange,  and 
of  the  Worcester  Woman's  Club,  and  a 
trustee  of  the  First  Spiritual  Church 
of  Worcester.  Children  by  first  wife, 
born  at  Worcester:  1.  Charles  Arthur, 
mentioned  below.  2.  Frank  Chester,  men- 
tioned below.  3.  May  Emily,  born  May 
6,  1878,  married  James  P.  Gray;  no  issue. 
(VII)  Daniel  A.  Harrington,  son  of 
Captain  Daniel  Harrington,  was  born 
May  8,  1851.  He  attended  the  public 
schools  and  then  completed  his  education 
at  Howe's  Business  College  and  at  the 
Worcester  Academy.  He  followed  farm- 
ing on  the  old  homestead  for  a  few  years 
and  engaged  in  contracting  and  in  the 
dairy  business.  In  1876  he  became  a  part- 
ner of  his  brother  in  the  firm  of  Harring- 
ton Brothers,  proprietors  of  a  livery  stable 
in  Worcester,  and  he  continued  in  this 
business  up  to  March  1,  1916.  He  did  a 
general  livery  business,  including  board- 
ing of  horses  and  renting  of  hacks  and 
other  vehicles.  He  always  kept  abreast 
of  the  times  in  methods  and  equipment. 
He  was  president  and  treasurer  of  the 
Harrington  Automobile  Station  for  a 
number  of  years,  and  did  an  extensive 
business  in  carriage  and  automobile  paint- 
ing, also  blacksmithing  in  connection 
with  his  other  duties. 


Mr.  Harrington  and  his  wife  are  char- 
ter members  of  the  Worcester  Grange, 
Patrons  of  Husbandry,  of  which  but  four 
charter  members  are  living.  He  is  past 
noble  grand  of  Quinsigamond  Lodge  of 
Odd  Fellows ;  past  chief  patriarch  of  Mt. 
Vernon  Encampment,  No.  53,  and  past 
commandant  of  Canton  Worcester,  No. 
3 ;  past  colonel  of  the  Third  Regiment  of 
Patriarchs  Militant  of  Massachusetts  and 
past  brigadier-general  of  the  Second  Bri- 
gade of  this  order.  He  is  also  a  member 
of  the  Worcester  Council,  Royal  Ar- 
canum, and  a  member  of  the  Veterans  of 
the  City  Guards,  in  which  he  served  three 
years.  He  was  formerly  a  member  of  the 
Worcester  County  Mechanics'  Associa- 
tion. He  and  his  wife  are  members  also 
of  Union  Church  (Congregational)  and 
charter  members  of  Utopia  Rebekah 
Lodge,  No.  107.  He  is  a  resident  trustee 
of  the  Odd  Fellows  Home  in  Worcester. 
He  was  chairman  of  the  committee  that 
induced  the  trustees  to  locate  the  home 
in  Worcester  and  was  chief  marshal  at 
the  exercises  when  the  cornerstone  was 
laid,  1892.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican. 
He  served  two  years  in  the  board  of 
aldermen  of  the  city,  and  was  a  member 
of  the  board  when  the  vote  was  passed  to 
build  the  new  City  Hall  in  1895.  He  was 
on  the  sewer  and  fire  committees  of  the 
board  of  aldermen  and  was  chairman  of 
the  sewer  committee  the  second  year. 

He  married,  June  19,  1873,  Jennie  A. 
Speirs,  daughter  of  John  and  Janet 
(Adams)  Speirs.  She  had  brothers:  John 
C.  and  Frederick  W.  Speirs  (now  de- 
ceased), of  Philadelphia;  sisters:  Mary 
E.,  widow  of  Iver  Johnson,  of  Fitchburg, 
she  died  October  4,  1915  ;  Mrs.  Charles  R. 
Moules,  of  Lancaster,  Massachusetts,  and 
Mrs.  Arthur  D.  Pratt,  of  Shrewsbury. 
Her  father  died  in  the  spring  of  1896;  her 
mother  died  September  14,  1903,  aged 
eighty-four  years,  one  month,  daughter  of 
James  and  Janet  C.  Adams,  both  natives 


282 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OE  BIOGRAPHY 


of  Paisley,  Scotland.  The  children  of 
James  and  Janet  C.  Adams  were :  Wil- 
liam Adams,  Joseph  Adams,  Mrs.  Wil- 
liam Maynard  (see  Maynard),  Mrs.  Eliz- 
abeth Burleigh,  and  Jane  Adams,  who 
died  in  1914.  Children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Harrington:  1.  Clara  A.,  born  March  24, 
1874;  graduate  of  the  Worcester  High 
School  and  of  the  State  Normal  School, 
Worcester,  in  1896;  teacher  in  the  old 
brick  school  house  at  Bloomingdale  in 
Worcester,  where  her  father  and  she,  as 
well  as  many  others  of  the  family,  had 
attended  school ;  for  eight  years  book- 
keeper for  her  father;  now  representing 
the  Massachusetts  Mutual  Life  Insur- 
ance Company  and  other  insurance  com- 
panies with  offices  in  the  Park  building. 
2.  Josie  A.;  born  December  8,  1875,  died 
May  1,  191 1,  in  the  Philippines;  married 
Herbert  P.  Linnell,  a  graduate  of  the 
Worcester  Polytechnic  Institute;  he  is 
an  officer  of  the  Atlantic  Gulf  &  Pacific 
Company,  a  corporation  engaged  in  con- 
tracting extensively;  children:  Herbert 
H.  Linnell,  born  1898;  Philip  W.  Linnell, 
born  1900;  Gladys  Janet  Linnell ;  the  sons 
are  students  in  Worcester  Academy.  3. 
John  S.,  born  August  1,  1880,  engaged  in 
the  automobile  business  in  Springfield, 
Massachusetts ;  has  for  a  number  of  years 
had  the  agency  of  the  Hudson  Automo- 
bile Company  for  western  Massachusetts, 
and  resides  in  Springfield ;  he  married, 
June  10,  1902,  Mabel  M.  Clarke,  born  Jan- 
uary 21,  1881,  daughter  of  William  Clarke; 
children:  John  S.,  Jr.,  born  October  27, 
1903,  and  William  Clarke,  born  June  28, 
1905.  4.  Daniel  A.,  Jr.,  born  January  7, 
1882;  graduate  of  Worcester  public  and 
high  (English  High)  and  Worcester 
Polytechnic  Institute,  graduating  in  class 
of  1906  with  degree  of  Mechanical  Engi- 
neer; now  engaged  in  the  automobile 
business  with  the  Hudson  Motor  Com- 
pany,   having    the    agency    at    Hartford, 


Connecticut ;   he   married    Edith   Thomp- 
son, of  Iowa  ;  no  issue. 

(VIII)  Charles  Arthur  Harrington,  son 
of  Hon.  Francis  Alfred  Harrington,  was 
born  at  Worcester,  January  26,  1874.  He 
attended  the  public  schools,  graduating 
from  the  high  school  in  1891  and  from  the 
Worcester  Polytechnic  Institute  in  1895 
with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Science. 
While  at  Worcester  "Tech"  he  was  prom- 
inent in  athletics,  serving  as  president  of 
the  Athletic  Association  ;  he  was  active  in 
football  and  on  the  track  excelled  in  the 
quarter  mile.  He  taught  in  the  evening 
schools  for  two  years  and  in  the  high 
school  for  five  years.  During  the  past 
fifteen  years  he  has  been  associated  with 
his  father  and  brother  in  the  management 
of  the  Masonic  Protective  Association 
and  the  Ridgely  Protective  Association 
and  at  the  present  time  is  secretary  of  the 
former.  He  is  past  master  of  Athelstan 
Lodge,  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  and 
past  commander  of  Worcester  County 
Commandery,  Knights  Tem.plar.  It  is  a 
fact,  perhaps  without  parallel,  that  his 
father  and  brother  have  also  filled  both 
these  offices  in  the  same  organizations. 
Like  his  father  also,  he  has  been  master 
of  the  Worcester  Grange.  He  has  been 
sovereign  prince  of  Goddard  Council, 
Princes  of  Jerusalem,  and  has  taken  the 
thirty-second  degree  of  Free  Masonry. 
He  is  a  member  of  Eureka  Chapter,  Royal 
Arch  Masons ;  of  Hiram  Council,  Royal 
and  Select  Masters ;  Worcester  Lodge  of 
Perfection ;  Lawrence  Chapter  of  Rose 
Croix,  and  Stella  Chapter,  Order  of  the 
Eastern  Star,  of  Worcester;  the  Massa- 
chusetts Consistory  and  Aleppo  Temple, 
Mystic  Shrine ;  past  monarch  of  Aletheia 
Grotto.  He  is  a  member  of  Quinsiga- 
mond  Lodge,  No.  43,  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows,  also  a  member  of  the 
Worcester  Chamber  of  Commerce,  the 
Sigma    Alpha     Epsilon     Fraternity,    the 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Worcester  Country  Club,  the  Worcester 
County  Agricultural  Society  and  the 
Worcester  County  Mechanics'  Associa- 
tion. He  is  president  of  the  Wells  Chem- 
ical Bronze  Works  of  Worcester.  Mr. 
Harrington  is  the  third  generation  of  the 
family  to  serve  in  the  city  government. 
From  1908  to  1914  he  was  a  member  of 
the  Common  Council,  a  period  of  five 
years,  during  which  he  was  for  two  years 
(1912-13)  president.  He  served  on  the 
committees  on  streets,  sewers  and  finance, 
and  for  three  years  on  the  board  of  over- 
seers of  the  poor.  In  politics  he  is  a  Re- 
publican. He  resides  on  the  old  home- 
stead, which  has  been  in  the  family  de- 
scending from  father  to  son  since  1741. 

He  married,  June  27,  1900,  Luella 
Blanche  Crook,  born  February  25,  1872, 
daughter  of  David  W.  R.  and  Frances  E. 
(Cushing)  Crook,  of  Columbus,  Ohio. 
Children  :  Ruth  Anna,  born  July  23,  1901 ; 
Mildred  Elizabeth,  March  4,  1903;  Fran- 
cis Alfred,  2d.,  August  28,  1909. 

(VIII)  Frank  Chester  Harrington,  son 
of  Hon.  Francis  Alfred  Harrington,  was 
born  at  Worcester,  February  6,  1876.  He 
was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  his 
native  city,  graduating  from  the  high 
school  in  1894  and  from  the  Worcester 
Polytechnic  Institute  with  the  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Science  in  1898,  and  was 
president  of  his  class.  He  was  prominent 
in  athletics  while  at  the  Worcester  Poly- 
technic Institute  and  was  fullback  on  the 
football  team  during  his  senior  year.  For 
two  years  afterward  he  was  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  special  machinery  at 
Ayer,  Massachusetts.  Subsequently  he 
became  secretary  of  the  Callahan  Supply 
Company  of  Worcester,  dealers  in  plum- 
bers' materials,  withdrawing  from  that 
concern  in  1904  to  become  associated 
with  his  father  and  brother  in  the  Ma- 
sonic Protective  Association  and  the 
Ridgely  Protective   Association,   and  he 


is  at  present  a  director  of  the  former  and 
secretary  of  the  latter.  He  is  also  treas- 
urer of  the  Wells  Chemical  Bronze  Works 
of  Worcester,  an  old  and  well  known  con- 
cern. Mr.  Harrington  is  a  thirty-second 
degree  Mason,  a  member  and  past  master 
of  Athelstan  Lodge ;  member  of  Eureka 
Chapter,  Royal  Arch  Masons ;  Hiram 
Council,  Royal  and  Select  Masters ; 
Worcester  Commandery,  Knights  Tem- 
plar, of  which  he  is  past  commander; 
Worcester  Lodge  of  Perfection;  God- 
dard  Council,  Princes  of  Jerusalem,  of 
which  he  is  sovereign  prince ;  Lawrence 
Chapter  of  Rose  Croix ;  Aletheia  Grotto 
of  Worcester;  Stella  Chapter,  Order  of 
the  Eastern  Star,  of  Worcester;  Aleppo 
•Temple,  Mystic  Shrine,  and  the  Massa- 
chusetts Consistory.  He  is  also  a  menv 
ber  of  Quinsigamond  Lodge  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows; of  Worcester  Grange,  Patrons  of 
Husbandry;  the  Commonwealth  Club; 
the  Tatassit  Canoe  Club ;  the  Chamber  of 
Commerce;  the  Worcester  County  Agri- 
cultural Society;  the  Worcester  County 
Mechanics  Association ;  the  Sigma  Alpha 
Epsilon  fraternity ;  of  the  Polytechnic  In- 
stitute and  the  Worcester  Country  Club, 
in  which  he  served  on  the  first  board  of 
governors. 

He  married,  June  17,  1900,  Leora 
Leighton,  born  at  Pepperell,  Massachu- 
setts, April  11,  1879,  daughter  of  Frank 
and  Lillia  (Dudley)  Leighton.  Children, 
born  in  Worcester :  Frank  Leighton,  born 
January  17,  1902;  Robert  Dudley,  Octo- 
ber 17,  1903;  Lillia  Leighton,  November 
4,  1904;  Anna  Grout,  March  6,  1906. 


WILLIAMS,  Lewis, 

Man  of  Affairs. 

In  the  ancient  town  of  Taunton  there 
are  still  representatives  of  the  famous 
Cromwell-Williams  line  of  the  family 
bearing  the   latter   name.     Reference   is 


284 


£V  k,  £■£  UW™,  3  En  JOT 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


made  to  some  of  the  posterity  of  Richard 
Williams,  who  with  Oliver  Cromwell, 
the  "Lord  Protector,"  sprang  from  the 
same  ancestor,  William  Cromwell,  a  son 
of  Robert  Cromwell,  of  Carleton  upon 
Trent,  a  Lancastrian  who  was  killed  at 
the  battle  of  Towton,  in  1461.  Many 
years  ago  the  statement  was  made,  and 
afterward  vehemently  doubted,  that  the 
family  of  Richard  Williams,  of  Taunton, 
was  connected  by  ties  of  blood  with  that 
of  Oliver  Cromwell.  This  fact  was  estab- 
lished by  the  wonderful  patience  and  per- 
severance, and  at  considerable  expense, 
of  the  late  Hon.  Joseph  Hartwell  Wil- 
liams, of  Augusta,  Maine,  a  former  gov- 
ernor of  Maine,  a  direct  descendant  of 
Richard  Williams,  of  Taunton.  The  fol- 
lowing is  an  account  of  this  connection 
taken  from  the  New  England  Historical 
and  Genealogical  Register  of  April,  1897, 
abridged  by  the  late  Josiah  H.  Drum- 
mond,  LL.  D.,  of  Portland,  Maine. 

The  Cromwell  line  dates  from  Alden 
de  Cromwell,  who  lived  in  the  time  of 
William  the  Conqueror.  His  son  was 
Hugh  de  Cromwell,  and  from  him  de- 
scended ten  Ralph  de  Cromwells  in  as 
many  successive  generations ;  but  the 
tenth  Ralph  died  without  issue.  The 
seventh  Ralph  de  Cromwell  married,  in 
1351,  Amicia,  daughter  of  Robert  Berer, 
M.  P.,  for  Notts ;  besides  the  eighth  Ralph, 
they  had  several  other  sons,  among  whom 
was  Ulker  Cromwell,  of  Hucknall  Tor- 
kard,  Notts.  Ulker  had  Richard;  and 
he,  John  of  Cromwell  House,  Carleton 
upon  Trent,  Notts ;  and  he,  Robert ;  the 
names  of  the  wives  are  not  given. 

(I)  Robert  Cromwell,  of  Carleton  upon 
Trent,  was  a  Lancastrian.  He  was  killed 
at  the  battle  of  Towton,  in  1461.  His 
lease  of  Cromwell  House  was  seized  by 
Sir  Humphrey  Bourchier,  Yorkist,  who 
was  the  husband  of  Joan  Stanhope,  the 
granddaughter  of  the  ninth  Ralph, 
through    his    daughter    Matilda,    wife    of 


Sir  Richard  Stanhope.  Ralph  left  a  son 
William,  the  ancestor  of  Robert  Crom- 
well, and  a  daughter  Margaret,  the  an- 
cestor of  both  Oliver  Cromwell  and  Rich- 
ard Williams,  of  Taunton. 

(II)  William  Cromwell,  of  the  prebend 
of  Palace  Hall,  Norwalk,  Notts,  settled 
in  Putney,  Surrey,  1452.  He  married 
Margaret  Smyth,  daughter  of  John 
Smyth,  of  Norwalk,  Notts,  and  had 
John.  Margaret  Cromwell  married  Wil- 
liam Smyth  (son  of  John).  They  had 
son  Richard  Smyth  and  daughter  Joan 
Smyth. 

(III)  John  Cromwell,  son  of  William 
Cromwell,  married  his  cousin,  Joan 
Smyth.  He  was  a  Lancastrian,  and  his 
lands  at  Putney  were  seized  by  Arch- 
bishop Bourchier,  Lord  of  the  Manor  of 
Wimbledon,  and  his  lease  of  Palace  Hall, 
Norwalk,  Notts,  remised  by  Lord  Chan- 
cellor Bourchier.  They  had,  among  other 
children,  Walter  Cromwell.  Richard 
Smyth,  of  Rockhampton,  Putney,  by 
wife,  Isabella,  had  daughter  Margaret 
Smyth,  who  married  John  Williams, 
fourth  in  descent  from  Howell  Williams, 
the  head  of  the  Williams  line. 

(IV)  Walter  Cromwell,  married,  in 
1474,  the  daughter  of  Glossop,  of  Wirks- 
worth,  Derbyshire;  in  1472  he  claimed 
and  was  admitted  to  two  virgates  (thirty 
acres)  of  land  at  Putney ;  in  1499  Arch- 
bishop Morton,  Lord  of  Wimbledon 
Manor,  gave  him  six  virgates  (ninety 
acres)  of  land  in  Putney  as  a  solatium 
for  the  property  taken  from  his  father 
by  the  Bourchier  Yorkists.  He  died  in 
1516,  leaving  among  other  children 
Katherine  Cromwell. 

(V)  Katherine  Cromwell  married  Mor- 
gan Williams,  fifth  in  descent  from  How- 
ell Williams,  and  had  a  son  Richard  Wil- 
liams, born  about  1495. 

(VI)  Sir  Richard  Williams,  alias  Crom- 
well, married,  in  15 18,  Frances  Murfyn. 
He    died   at    Stepney    in    1547,   and    was 


285 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


buried  in  Gt.  St.  Helen's  Church,  Lon- 
don. He  left  son  Henry  Cromwell,  alias 
Williams. 

(VII)  Sir  Henry  Cromwell,  alias  Wil- 
liams (called  "The  Golden  Knight"),  of 
Hinchenbrook,  married  Joan,  daughter  of 
Sir  Ralph  Warren,  Lord  Mayor  of  Lon- 
don, and  they  had:  Sir  Oliver,  Robert, 
Henry,  Richard,  Philip,  Joan,  Elizabeth 
and  Frances. 

(VIII)  Robert  Cromwell,  of  Hunting- 
don, brewer,  married  Elizabeth  Stewart, 
widow  of  William  Lynn,  of  Bassingbourn, 
and  their  fifth  child  was  Oliver  Cromwell, 
the  "Lord  Protector."  Robert's  sister, 
Elizabeth  Cromwell,  married  William 
Hampden,  of  Great  Hampden,  Bucks,  and 
among  their  children  were  John  Hamp- 
den, "The  Patriot,"  and  Richard  Hamp- 
den. 

Governor  Williams,  through  his  assis- 
tants, traced  the  Williams  line  back  to 
Howell  Williams,  Lord  of  Ribour. 

Howell  Williams,  the  Lord  of  Ribour, 
married  Wenlion,  daughter  and  heiress  of 
Llyne  ap  Jevan,  of  Rady,  and  had  son 
Morgan  Williams. 

Morgan  Williams  was  of  Lanishen, 
Glamorgan,  married  Joan  Batton,  daugh- 
ter of  Thomas  Batton,  of  Glamorgan,  and 
they  had  Thomas  and  Jevan.  Jevan  Wil- 
liams married  Margaret,  daughter  of  Jen- 
kin  Kemeys,  of  Bagwye  Man.  They  had 
son  William  Williams,  of  Lanishen, 
bailiff  for  Henry  VIII.,  who  (wife  not 
known)  was  the  father  of  Morgan  Wil- 
liams, of  Lanisben,  Glamorgan,  and  later 
of  Putney,  Surrey,  ale  brewer  at  Putney, 
Wansworth,  and  Greenwich,  for  Henry 
VII.  and  Henry  VIII.,  and  the  husband 
in  1494  of  Katherine  Cromwell — see  ante 
Cromwell,  No.  5,  et  scq. 

Thomas  Williams  was  of  Lanishen, 
Glamorgan,  died  at  St.  Helen's,  Bishop- 
gate,  London ;  was  buried  in  the  church 
there,  "with  his  brass  on  stone." 

John  Williams  was  steward  of  Wim- 


bledon Manor,  Surrey,  married  Margaret 
Smyth,  daughter  of  Richard  Smyth,  and 
granddaughter  of  Margaret  Cromwell 
(see  ante  Cromwell,  Nos.  1,  2).  He  died 
at  Mortlake  in  1502,  and  she  in  1501. 
They  had  two  sons,  John  and  Richard. 
John  Williams,  born  in  1485,  married 
Joan  Wykys,  daughter  of  Henry  Wykys, 
of  Bolleys  Park  Chertney,  and  sister  of 
Elizabeth  Wykys,  who  married  Thomas 
Cromwell  (brother  of  Katherine),  secre- 
tary to  Henry  VIII.,  Lord  Cromwell  of 
Oakham,  Earl  of  Essex. 

Richard  Williams  was  born  in  Rock- 
hampton  in  1487.  He  settled  at  Mon- 
mouth and  Dixton,  Mon.,  where  he  died 
in  1559.  He  was  twice  married.  The 
name  of  his  first  wife  is  not  known. 
She  is  credited  with  one  daughter,  Joan. 
His  second  wife,  Christian,  had  two 
daughters,  Reece  and  Ruth,  and  one  son, 
John. 

John  Williams  was  of  Huntingdon, 
near  Wotton  under  Edge,  Gloucester, 
died  in  1579,  leaving  son  William.  No 
other  particulars  of  this  family  are  given. 

William  Williams  was  of  Hunting- 
don, married,  November  15,  1585,  Jane 
Shepherd.  She  died  about  1600,  a  child 
of  hers  having  been  baptized  December 
2,  1599.  He  married,  December  4,  1603, 
Jane  Woodward.  She  died  February  2. 
1614,  and  he  in  1618.  The  first  child  by 
his  second  marriage,  born  in  January, 
1606,  was  Richard  Williams,  of  Taunton. 
Of  the  change  of  his  name  by  Sir  Rich- 
ard Williams,  Governor  Williams  said: 
"Oliver  Cromwell  in  the  male  line  of  Mor- 
gan Williams  of  Glamorganshire.  His 
great-grandfather,  Sir  Richard  Williams, 
assumed  the  name  of  'Cromwell,'  it  is 
true,  but  not  until  in  mature  years  he  had 
distinguished  himself  in  the  public  service 
(temp.  Henry  VIII.) ,  under  the  patron- 
age of  his  uncle,  Thomas  Cromwell 
(Vicar  General,  1535),  whom  he  pro- 
posed to  honor  by  the  adoption  of  his 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


name.  In  fact,  ever  afterwards,  Sir  Rich- 
ard used  to  sign  himself,  'Richard  Crom- 
well, alias  Williams;'  and  his  sons  and 
grandsons,  and  Oliver  Cromwell  him- 
self, in  his  youth  (1620),  used  to  sign  in 
the  same  manner.  In  important  grants 
from  the  crown  to  Sir  Richard  (29  and 
31,  Henry  VIII.),  the  grantees  name  ap- 
pears in  both  forms,  'Cromwell,  alias  Wil- 
liams' and  'Williams,  alias  Cromwell.' " 
It  is  not  believed  that,  in  the  light  of 
Governor  Williams'  researches,  the  rela- 
tionship of  Richard  Williams,  of  Taun- 
ton, and  the  Cromwell  family  will  again 
be  questioned. 

(I)  Richard  Williams,  son  of  William 
Williams,  of  Huntingdon,  and  his  wife, 
Jane  (Woodward)  Williams,  born  in  Jan- 
uary, 1606,  married  in  Gloucester,  Eng- 
land, February  II,  1632,  Frances  Dighton, 
daughter  of  Dr.  John  Dighton,  and  for 
whom  the  town  of  Dighton,  Massachu- 
setts, was  named.  Richard  Williams  came 
to  America  and  was  among  the  first  pur- 
chasers of  Taunton.  He  was  a  man  of 
good  abilities ;  was  deputy  to  the  General 
Court  of  Plymouth  Colony  from  1645  to 
1665;  selectman  in  1666  and  1667,  ar,d 
was  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  "New 
Purchase,"  now  Dighton.  He  was  a 
member  and  deacon  of  the  First  Church, 
and  died  in  the  year  1693,  aged  eighty- 
seven.  Children  (eldest  two  born  while 
the  parents  were  living  in  Gloucester,  in 
the  parish  of  Whitcombe  Magna,  both 
died  young)  :  John,  baptized  March  27, 
1634;  Elizabeth,  February  7,  1636;  Sam- 
uel, mentioned  below;  Joseph,  married 
(first)  November  28,  1667,  Elizabeth 
Watson,  (second)  Abigail  Newland, 
mentioned  elsewhere ;  Nathaniel,  mar- 
ried, 1668,  Elizabeth  Rogers ;  Thomas, 
married  Mary  ;  Benjamin,  mar- 
ried, March  18,  1690,  Rebecca  Macy ; 
Elizabeth,  born  about  1647,  married  John 
Bird,  of  Dorchester ;  Hannah,  married 
John  Parmenter,  of  Boston. 


(II)  Samuel  Williams,  second  son  of 
Richard  and  Frances  (Dighton)  Wil- 
liams, lived  in  Taunton  and  married  Jane 
Gilbert.  Children:  Seth,  Samuel,  Daniel, 
Mary,  Sarah  and  Hannah. 

(III)  Seth  Williams,  eldest  child  of 
Samuel  and  Jane  (Gilbert)  Williams, 
born  1675,  was  chief  justice  of  the  County 
Court  of  Common  Pleas  from  1754  until 

1761,  the  time  of  his  death.  His  children 
were:  James,  mentioned  below;  David, 
Abiel,  Benjamin,  mentioned  below  ;  Mary, 
Elizabeth,  Susanna,  Rachel,  Jemima. 

(IV)  James  Williams,  eldest  child  of 
Seth  Williams,  was  born  July  10,  1797, 
and  married  Sarah  Barney. 

(V)  Brigadier-General  James  Williams, 
son  of  James  and  Sarah  (Barney)  Wil- 
liams, was  born  July,  1741,  and  died 
February  5,  1826.     He  married,  May   18, 

1762,  Susanna,  daughter  of  James  and 
Susanna  Shaw. 

(VI)  Fanny  Williams,  daughter  of 
Brigadier-General  James  and  Susanna 
(Shaw)  Williams,  was  born  September 
27,  1769,  and  died  1841.  She  married, 
April  5,  1791,  Joshua  Williams,  who  was 
born  March  11,  1759,  and  died  March  5, 
1827,  son  of  Benjamin  Williams,  of  Taun- 
ton (see  Williams  IV,  below).  Children 
of  Joshua  Williams:  Fanny,  mentioned 
below;  Deborah,  born  April  4,  1795,  mar- 
ried, May  12,  1818,  Davis  Washburn; 
David,  January  11,  1797,  married,  Octo- 
ber 23,  1819,  Polly  Stevens ;  Horatio, 
November  20,  1798,  married.  May  2,  1824, 
Phebe  S.  Carter;  Francis  D.,  August  11, 
1800,  married,  December  22,  1824,  Salome 
P.  Stevens;  James  M.,  November  15, 1802, 
married,  October  31,  1826,  Floretta  A.  Bar- 
ker ;  Elizabeth  A.,  February  5,  1805,  mar- 
ried, September,  1824,  William  H.  Britton  ; 
Virgil,  October  30,  1807,  died  young; 
Sarah  B.,  July  4,  1810,  married,  May, 
1829,  Charles  L.  Eustis;  Susan  S.,  Au- 
gust 21,  1812,  married,  November  27, 
1894,  Artemas  Briggs. 


287 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


(VII)  Fanny,  eldest  daughter  of  Joshua 
and  Fanny  (Williams)  Williams,  was 
born  September  i6,  1793,  and  was  mar- 
ried, December  27,  1812,  to  Nathaniel 
Landon  Hood  (see  Hood  VII). 

(IV)  Benjamin  Williams,  fourth  son 
of  Seth  Williams,  born  February  25,  1721, 
was  appointed  judge  of  probate  for  the 
county  in  1778,  and  held  the  office  until 
his  death,  March  18,  1784.  He  married, 
September  20,  1745,  Annie  Pope,  of  Taun- 
ton, daughter  of  Samuel  and  Elizabeth 
(Hunt)  Pope,  formerly  of  Duxbury,  Mas- 
sachusetts. Children  :  Lemuel,  who  be- 
came a  member  of  Congress;  Benjamin, 
mentioned  below ;  Joshua,  previously 
mentioned ;  Elisha ;  Ann,  married  a 
Tubbs;  Mary,  married  Rev.  Mr.  Spauld- 
ing. 

(V)  Benjamin  (2)  Williams,  second 
son  of  Benjamin  (1)  Williams,  was  born 
July  17,  1757,  and  died  January  29,  1830. 
He  married,  November  28,  1793,  Lydia 
Williams,  born  January  24,  1774,  died 
September  11,  1845,  youngest  daughter 
of  James  Williams,  and  sister  of  Judge 
John  M.  Williams.  Children:  Ann,  born 
February  8,  1795,  died  July,  1797;  Myra, 
August  11,  1796,  married  Rev.  Samuel 
Presbrey;  Benjamin  F.,  July  5,  1798; 
George  W.,  mentioned  below ;  Sydney, 
February  13,  1803;  Henry,  November  30, 
1805;  Edgar,  1807,  died  April  6,  1808; 
Lydia,  January  27,  1809,  died  September 
7,  1830;  Anna  Augusta,  August  24,  181 1, 
died  December  2,  1838. 

(VI)  George  W.  Williams,  second  son 
of  Benjamin  (2)  and  Lydia  (Williams) 
Williams,  was  born  July  13,  1800,  and 
married  Emma  Willis.  Children  :  Emma 
Augusta,  born  March  11,  1827;  George 
Edgar,  August  16,  1829;  Julius,  January 
11,  1834;  Andrew,  August  28,  1837; 
Lewis,  mentioned  below;  Felix,  October 
17,  1843;  Arthur  Herbert,  February  23, 
1846. 

(VII)  Lewis  Williams,  fourth  son  of 


George  W.  and  Emma  (Willis)  Williams, 
was  born  April  25,  1840,  in  Taunton,  and 
died  there  December  23,  1902.  He  was 
brought  up  in  Weir  village,  and  attended 
Bristol  Academy.  After  his  school  days 
he  promptly  entered  upon  business  life 
and  in  the  early  seventies  was  busy  in  the 
old  firm  of  Staples  &  Phillips,  who  were 
the  leading  shippers,  vessel  owners,  and 
coal  movers  and  sellers  in  southeastern 
New  England  for  a  long  term  of  years. 
On  the  dissolution  of  that  firm  he  became 
connected  with  the  Staples  Coal  Com- 
pany, and  vigorously  assisted  in  develop- 
ing the  business  of  that  corporation  until 
it  became  one  of  the  leaders  in  New  Eng- 
land in  moving  and  selling  coal,  and  con- 
stantly enlarged  its  sphere  of  operations 
until  they  covered  a  great  portion  of  this 
territory,  both  coast  and  interior.  A 
public-spirited  and  openhanded  citizen, 
Mr.  Williams  was  among  the  foremost  in 
various  enterprises  to  increase  the  com- 
mercial facilities  of  the  city,  add  to  its 
manufactories,  and  give  employment  to 
workers.  His  advice  was  always  sound 
and  his  foresight  good.  He  was  inter- 
ested as  a  part  owner  in  the  West  Silver 
Works,  the  Dighton  Furnace,  the  Taun- 
ton Crucible  Works,  and  he  owned  stock 
in  the  Carr  and  Winthrop  Mills,  of  Taun- 
ton, and  was  also  interested  as  a  heavy 
stockholder  in  a  number  of  Fall  River 
mills.  He  never  shirked  his  obligation  to 
do  his  part  in  charitable  work,  and  no  one 
who  was  really  needy,  no  deserving  pub- 
lic benefaction,  ever  called  upon  him  in 
vain.  He  was  brought  up  in  the  old  First 
Unitarian  Church,  believed  in  it  and 
stood  by  it  always,  both  by  his  presence  at 
its  services  and  in  every  other  way  to 
strengthen  its  growth  and  its  power  as 
an  element  of  good  in  the  city  and  the 
denomination.  Mr.  Williams'  wide  family 
and  personal  connections  made  the  termi- 
nation of  his  useful  and  busy  life  and  the 
loss  of  his  kindly  and  courteous  person- 


288 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ality  far-reaching,  his  high  citizenship 
touched  and  influenced  so  many  sides  of 
the  community's  social,  religious  and 
business  life.  He  married,  September  22, 
1870,  Adelaide  N.  Staples,  daughter  of 
Sylvanus  N.  and  D.  Adeline  (Hood)  Sta- 
ples (see  Staples  VII).  They  had  one 
daughter,  Hattie  Staples,  who  married 
Frederick  Ludlam,  of  Oyster  Bay,  New 
York,  now  of  Taunton,  Massachusetts, 
who  is  connected  with  the  Staples  Coal 
Company. 

(The  Hood  Line). 

(I)  John  Hood,  of  Halstead,  Essex 
county,  England,  was  a  weaver  by  trade, 
and  died  there,  leaving  his  real  estate  to 
his  son  John.  His  will,  dated  November 
6,  1622,  proved  November  20,  same  year, 
was  executed  by  his  wife,  Anne.  She 
married  (second)  Thomas  Beard.  Chil- 
dren of  John  Hood:  John,  mentioned  be- 
low; Anne,  James,  Avese,  Catherine, 
Grace,  Mary,  Rose. 

(II)  John  (2)  Hood,  eldest  child  of 
John  (1)  and  Anne  Hood,  was  born  about 
1600,  in  England,  and  came  to  America 
about  1638.  He  was  a  weaver  and 
planter;  settled  at  Cambridge  as  early  as 
October  20,  1638,  and  leased  his  property 
at  Halstead.  He  then  removed  to  Lynn, 
where  he  was  living  in  1650.  While  there 
he  took  an  apprentice  named  Abraham 
Tilton,  son  of  Widow  Tilton,  of  Lynn, 
December  6,  1653.  He  returned  to  Eng- 
land and  sent  word  to  his  wife,  Elizabeth, 
to  deliver  the  apprentice  to  his  mother, 
who  had  married  a  second  time  to  Roger 
Shaw,  of  Hampton,  Massachusetts,  and 
had  died.  Accordingly  the  boy  was  sent 
to  his  brother,  Peter  Tilton,  of  Connecti- 
cut, but  Mrs.  Hood  revoked  this  act  on 
learning  that  the  Hampton  court  had 
assigned  the  lad  to  his  stepfather,  Roger 
Shaw.  (Norfolk  Deeds,  I.  103.)  John 
Hood  leased  his  property  at  Halstead  in 
possession  of  his  mother,  Anne,  and  her 
second   husband,   Thomas   Beard.     John 


Hood  was  living  in  Kittery,  Maine,  about 
1652.  On  August  14,  1654,  he  sold  to 
William  Crofts,  of  Lynn,  yeoman,  three 
tenements  in  Halstead,  forty  shillings  to 
be  paid  to  each  of  John  Hood's  sisters, 
according  to  the  will  of  their  father. 
Mary  Truesdale  in  her  will  in  1672  men- 
tions John  Hood's  two  children.  One  of 
them,  according  to  all  evidence  in  hand, 
was  Richard,  mentioned  below. 

(III)  Richard  Hood,  son  of  John  (2) 
Hood,  was  born  about  1625,  in  England, 
and  is  said  to  have  come  from  Lynn 
Regis,  County  Norfolk.  He  was  in  Lynn 
as  early  as  1650  and  settled  in  what  is 
now  Nahant,  Massachusetts,  then  in 
Lynn.  In  1800  there  were  but  three  fam- 
ilies in  Nahant  —  Breed,  Johnson  and 
Hood.  His  house  was  on  Nahant  street, 
Little  Nahant.  He  was  admitted  a  free- 
man in  1691  ;  was  allowed  by  the  church, 
together  with  seven  other  old  men,  prob- 
ably all  on  account  of  defective  hearing, 
to  sit  in  the  pulpit.  He  died  September 
12,  1695.  He  married  Mary,  daughter  of 
Anthony  Newhall,  who  survived  him,  and 
died  February  14,  1728.  He  was  the 
father  of  seventeen  children,  among  whom 
were  the  following,  recorded  at  Lynn : 
Richard,  born  November  18,  1655,  died 
October  4,  1762;  Sarah,  August  2,  1657, 
married,  October  25,  1675,  William  Bas- 
sett,  she  was  accused  of  witchcraft  and 
imprisoned  at  Boston  seven  months  be- 
fore her  release  came,  having  an  infant 
with  her;  Rebecca,  February  7,  1662,  died 
December  4,  1730;  John,  mentioned  be- 
low; Hannah,  October  21,  1665;  Samuel, 
May  13,  1667,  died  March  9,  1750;  Na- 
thaniel, June  9,  1669;  Ann,  February  13, 
l673 ;  Joseph,  July  8,  1674,  died  Decem- 
ber 14,  1729;  Benjamin,  January  3,  1678. 

(IV)  John  (3)  Hood,  second  son  of 
Richard  and  Mary  (Newhall)  Hood,  was 
born  May  7,  1664,  in  Lynn,  and  before 
1690  united  with  the  Quakers,  to  which 
sect  he  adhered  through  life.     In  1696  he 


MASS-Vol  HI-19 


289 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


was  in  prison  one  month  in  Salem  jail 
for  refusing  to  pay  the  ministerial  tax. 
For  thirty  years  his  name  appeared  with 
others  on  a  petition  asking  to  be  released 
from  this  tax.  He  died  December  4,  1730, 
and  his  will  mentions  wife  Sarah,  who 
died  May  6,  1747.  Children:  Barbara, 
born  June  10,  1694;  Huldah,  November 
28,  1697;  Benjamin,  mentioned  below; 
Content,  July  25,  1703;  Breed,  July  22, 
1706;  Sarah,  married  John  Andrews,  of 
Marblehead;   Lydia,  April  17,  1714. 

(V)  Benjamin  Hood,  eldest  son  of 
John  (3)  and  Sarah  Hood,  was  born  June 
14,  1700,  in  Lynn,  and  was  a  housewright 
and  farmer,  inheriting  his  father's  home- 
stead at  Nahant.  The  records  of  Lynn 
show  that  he  married,  December  16,  1729, 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  William  Bassett, 
of  that  town,  and  five  children  are  re- 
corded there.  It  is  probable  that  there 
was  a  former  marriage  not  recorded,  and 
that  the  next  mentioned  was  his  son. 

(VI)  Benjamin  (2)  Hood,  born  about 
1725-28,  appears  in  the  town  of  Taunton, 
Massachusetts,  as  early  as  1750,  and  was 
a  land  owner  and  farmer  in  that  town, 
where  he  died  1806.  His  wife,  Mehitable, 
died  in  Taunton,  December  26,  1775,  aged 
forty  years.  He  married  (second)  Su- 
sanna (Hodges)  Smith,  widow  of  John 
Smith,  and  daughter  of  Thomas  and 
Catherine  (Danforth)  Hodges.  His  will 
mentions  the  following  children :  Benja- 
min Landon,  Joseph,  Samuel,  John,  Wil- 
liam, David  and  Henry. 

(VII)  Benjamin  Landon  Hood,  son  of 
Benjamin  (2)  Hood,  was  born  1750,  died 
in  Taunton,  March  8,  1839.  He  was  a 
farmer  and  land  holder  in  Taunton,  and 
also  kept  a  tool  shop.  He  was  a  very 
well  read  man,  had  a  well  stocked  library 
for  his  day  and  generation.  He  was  a 
soldier  of  the  Revolution,  serving  as  a 
private  in  Captain  James  Macomber's 
(Third)  company,  Colonel  Mitchell's 
regiment  of  Bristol  county,  commanded 


by  Lieutenant-Colonel  James  Williams, 
in  Brigadier-General  Godfrey's  brigade, 
served  eight  days,  marching  to  Tiverton, 
Rhode  Island,  August  2,  1780,  on  an 
alarm,  roll  sworn  to  at  Taunton.  He 
married  (first)  in  Taunton,  April  26, 1773, 
Desire  Liscome,  and  (second)  October 
11,  1835,  Caroline  Crane,  born  1810,  died 
July  23,  1847.  Children:  Nathaniel  Lan- 
don, mentioned  below ;  Charles,  who 
made  his  home  in  Boston ;  Desire,  died  un- 
married ;  Rachel  Clapp,  died  unmarried, 
January  4,  1839,  aged  fifty-nine  years. 

(VIII)  Nathaniel  Landon  Hood,  eldest 
child  of  Benjamin  Landon  and  Desire 
(Liscome)  Hood,  was  born  1789,  and 
died  in  Taunton,  December  1,  1871.  He 
married,  December  27,  1812,  Fanny  Wil- 
liams, born  September  16,  1793,  in  Taun- 
ton, daughter  of  Joshua  and  Fanny  (Wil- 
liams) Williams,  died  April  23,  1873  (see 
Williams  VII).  Children:  Benjamin  Lan- 
don, born  December  5,  1813,  who  died 
July  23,  1846;  Desire  Adeline,  mentioned 
below. 

(IX)  Desire  Adeline  Hood,  daughter 
of  Nathaniel  Landon  and  Fanny  (Wil- 
liams) Hood,  was  born  October  14,  1815, 
and  was  married,  May  22,  1835,  to  Syl- 
vanus  N.  Staples,  of  Taunton  (see  Staples 
VII). 


CHURCH,  Joseph  H., 

Representative  Business  Man. 

The  name  of  Church  is  among  the 
earliest  in  America,  and  has  been  identi- 
fied with  the  history  of  Rhode  Island 
from  a  very  early  period.  From  that 
State  its  representatives  have  gone  out  to 
adjoining  States,  and  they  have  every- 
where supported  the  high  standards  of 
morality  and  culture.  Members  of  the 
family  have  been  conspicuous  as  pioneers, 
Indian  fighters,  diplomats  and  in  the  vari- 
ous professions. 

(I)  Richard  Church,  born  in  1608,  came 


290 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


to  New  England  in  1630  with  the  fleet  of 
Governor  Winthrop,  removed  from  Wey- 
mouth to  Plymouth,  Massachusetts,  in 
which  latter  place  he  was  made  a  free- 
man in  1632.  In  1649  he  was  in  Easton, 
in  1653  at  Charlestown,  and  in  1657  at 
Hingham,  Massachusetts.  He  was  a  ser- 
geant in  the  Pequot  War,  was  a  carpenter 
by  trade,  and  in  association  with  John 
Thompson  was  engaged  to  build  the  first 
meeting  house  and  the  first  gun  carriage 
in  Plymouth  in  1637.  He  died  in  Ded- 
ham,  Massachusetts,  December  27,  1668, 
and  was  buried  in  Hingham,  in  which 
town  his  widow,  Elizabeth,  died  in  1670. 
She  was  a  daughter  of  Richard  Warren, 
of  the  Mayflower  Colony.  They  had  chil- 
dren: Elizabeth,  Joseph,  Benjamin,  Na- 
thaniel, Caleb,  Charles,  Richard,  Abigail, 
Hannah,  Sarah,  Lydia,  Priscilla  and  De- 
borah. 

(II)  Colonel  Benjamin  Church,  second 
son  of  Richard  and  Elizabeth  (Warren) 
Church,  was  born  in  1639,  in  Duxbury, 
and  was  bred  to  the  trade  of  carpenter 
by  his  father,  continuing  to  work  at  this 
when  opportunity  offered.  For  some 
years  after  his  marriage  he  resided  in 
Duxbury,  and  before  the  commencement 
of  King  Philip's  War,  he  visited  what  is 
now  Little  Compton,  Rhode  Island,  and 
purchased  a  farm  near  the  "East  Pass- 
age," on  which  he  erected  two  buildings. 
He  was  the  first  Englishman  to  settle  in 
that  territory,  but  was  not  permitted  to 
remain  long,  as  the  outbreak  of  King 
Philip's  War  compelled  him  to  abandon 
his  purchase.  For  a  year  he  had  resided 
among  the  Indians,  and  gained  a  thor- 
ough knowledge  of  their  character  and  also 
acquired  great  influence  among  them.  As 
a  young  man  he  was  exceedingly  active 
and  vigorous,  and  his  athletic  character 
gained  him  favor  with  his  Indian  neigh- 
bors. He  engaged  in  the  war  against 
Philip,  and  was  a  conspicuous  actor  in 
the  Great  Swamp  Fight  in  South  Kings 


Town,  Rhode  Island,  December  19,  1675, 
where  he  was  severely  wounded.  On 
July  10,  of  the  following  year,  he  was 
commissioned  captain  by  the  Plymouth 
Colony,  and  marched  to  capture  the  Non- 
pansets.  Serving  under  an  enlarged  com- 
mission, he  captured  prisoners  at  Acush- 
net.  On  July  30  he  chased  Philip  into 
the  swamps  of  Norton  and  Rehoboth.and 
captured  many  of  his  followers.  August 
10  he  marched  to  Pocasset,  and  finally 
meeting  Philip  at  Mount  Hope  slew  him, 
August  12,  1676.  On  September  11,  fol- 
lowing, he  captured  Annawon,  and  Sep- 
tember 6,  1689,  he  was  commissioned  ma- 
jor and  commander-in-chief  of  the  Plym- 
outh forces  for  the  eastern  expedition. 
Immediately  thereafter  he  started  for 
Casco,  Maine,  and  had  an  engagement 
with  the  enemy  on  the  21st  of  Septem- 
ber, in  which  he  lost  eleven  killed  and  ten 
wounded.  He  received  a  commission  for 
the  second  expedition,  September  2,  1690, 

and  August  3,  ,  was  chosen  for  the 

fourth  expedition.  In  January,  1703,  he 
appeared  as  lieutenant-colonel,  and  was 
commissioned  for  the  fifth  expedition, 
March  18,  of  the  following  year.  At  the 
age  of  sixty-five  he  retired  from  military 
service.  In  civil  affairs  he  was  equally 
active  and  conspicuous,  and  it  was  his 
hand  which  sealed  and  signed  the  "grand 
articles"  for  the  settlement  of  Bristol, 
Rhode  Island,  September  14,  1680,  soon 
after  removing  to  that  place.  He  was 
present  at  the  first  town  meeting  of  the 
settlers  on  Mount  Hope  land,  held  Sep- 
tember 1,  1681,  when  it  was  decided  that 
the  name  of  the  new  town  should  be 
Bristol.  "It  was  in  the  fullnes  of  his  fame, 
when  his  praises  were  on  the  lips  of  every 
man,  that  the  gallant  leader  came  to 
dwell  in  the  lands  which  had  belonged  to 
his  dead  foe ;  a  lasting  peace  seemed  to 
have  been  secured  to  the  colonists  by  his 
achievements,  and  in  the  heritage  of 
Philip  it  seemed  fitting  that  Philip's  Con- 


291 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


queror  should  have  his  home.  He  built 
a  house  on  the  north  side  of  Constitution 
street,  near  the  corner  of  Thames  street." 
He  was  elected  to  many  offices  by  the 
people  of  Bristol,  and  discharged  the 
duties  of  them  all  with  the  honesty  of 
purpose  and  hearty  zeal  which  character- 
ized his  early  actions.  Professor  Wil- 
fred H.  Munro,  of  Providence,  said  of 
him:  "Few  men  ever  served  their  coun- 
try more  devotedly  or  more  illustriously 
than  he ;  few  were  treated  with  greater 
injustice  and  ingratitude  when  living,  and 
few  were  more  sincerely  mourned  when 
dead."  For  many  years  he  lived  in 
Bristol,  and  was  one  of  the  original  eight 
members  of  the  First  Congregational 
Church  there,  in  1687.  In  1682  he  repre- 
sented the  town  at  the  General  Court  of 
Plymouth,  and  was  a  deputy  in  the  two 
succeeding  years.  From  Bristol  he  re- 
moved to  what  is  now  Fall  River,  and 
finally  located  in  Little  Compton,  where 
he  aided  in  forming  a  Congregational 
church  in  1704,  remaining  a  consistent 
and  valued  member  of  that  organization 
until  his  death,  January  17,  1718,  as  the 
result  of  a  fall  from  his  horse.  He  was 
first  selectman  of  Bristol,  and  was  com- 
missioned a  magistrate  July  7,  1682. 
Many  marriages  were  performed  by  him 
and  are  on  the  records  of  Bristol  and 
Little  Compton.  About  1696-97,  he 
erected  a  sawmill,  fulling  mill  and  grist 
mill,  in  Freetown,  now  Fall  River,  which 
property  he  sold  in  1714  to  Richard  Bor- 
den, of  Tiverton,  and  Joseph  Borden,  of 
Freetown.  In  1706  he  represented  Little 
Compton  in  the  General  Court,  and  was 
often  moderator  at  town  meetings,  not 
only  in  that  town,  but  during  his  previ- 
ous residence  in  Bristol.  He  was  a  large 
owner  of  land  and  bought  and  sold  mills 
and  water  privileges  in  Bristol,  Fall 
River,  Tiverton  and  Little  Compton.  He 
was  often  trial  justice  and  referee.  He 
married,  December  26,  1667,  Alice,  daugh- 


ter of  Constant  and  Elizabeth  (Collier) 
Southworth,  of  Duxbury,  and  grand- 
daughter of  the  wife  of  William  Brad- 
ford. Constant  Southworth  was  com- 
missary general  during  King  Philip's 
War.  She  was  born  in  1646,  at  Duxbury, 
and  died  at  Little  Compton,  March  5, 
1719.  Children:  Thomas,  born  1673,  at 
Duxbury;  Constant,  May  12,  1676,  at 
Plymouth;  Benjamin,  1678;  Edward, 
mentioned  below ;  Charles,  May  9,  1682 ; 
Elizabeth,  March  26,  1684;  Nathaniel, 
July  1,  1686;    Martha. 

(III)  Captain  Edward  Church,  fourth 
son  of  Colonel  Benjamin  and  Alice 
(Southworth)  Church,  born  1680,  died 
1707,  and  served  as  a  captain  under  his 
father  in  the  fifth  expedition  against  the 
French  and  Indians  in  1704.  He  became 
a  resident  of  Boston,  and  was  occupied  as 
a  venduemaster  (auctioneer),  his  place  of 
business  being  on  Newbury  street,  "two 
doors  south  of  the  Sign  of  the  Lamb." 
He  married  Martha  Brenton,  born  1678, 
daughter  of  William  and  Hannah  (Davis) 
Brenton,  of  Newport,  Rhode  Island,  died 
April  14,  1750,  and  is  buried  in  the  Clifton 
burying  ground  at  Newport.  Children : 
Abigail,  born  March  4,  1703 ;  Benjamin, 
mentioned  below. 

(IV)  Benjamin  (2)  Church,  only  son 
of  Captain  Edward  and  Martha  (Bren- 
ton) Church,  was  born  October  8,  1704, 
and  it  is  thought  he  followed  the  same 
occupation  as  did  his  father — that  of  a 
venduemaster.  There  seems  to  be  but 
little  known  of  his  family.  He  married, 
October  20,  1727,  Elizabeth  Viall,  daugh- 
ter of  Samuel  Viall.  Children :  Dr.  Ben- 
jamin, who  was  a  man  of  considerable 
literary  culture  and  composed  the  "Ode 
Heroica ;"  Samuel,  mentioned  below; 
Edward;  and  a  daughter,  who  married  a 
Mr.  Fleming. 

(V)  Samuel  Church,  second  son  of 
Benjamin  (2)  and  Elizabeth  (Viall) 
Church,  was  born  in  1730,  and  married, 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


January  5,  1755,  Mary  Ann  Davis,  of 
Newport.  Their  children,  of  Bristol  town 
record,  were :  Hannah,  born  December 
J4>  l755>  Samuel,  June  4,  1757;  Benja- 
min, March  28,  1759;  Thomas,  mentioned 
below;  Hezekiah,  October  14,  1764; 
Elizabeth,  August  16,  1766;  Dorothy, 
May  4,  1770;  Captain  Edward,  July  6, 
1776  (grandfather  of  Seth  Paull). 

(VI)  Thomas  Church,  third  son  of 
Samuel  and  Mary  Ann  (Davis)  Church, 
was  born  February  15,  1761,  and  died 
May  16,  1843.  He  was  but  a  lad  at  the 
commencement  of  the  Revolution,  but  as 
the  war  advanced  he  enlisted  in  the  de- 
fense of  the  Colonies  and  served  from  his 
native  town  in  a  company  in  Colonel 
Miller's  regiment.  For  this  military  serv- 
ice in  after  years  he  was  granted  a  pen- 
sion which  on  his  death  was  transferred 
to  his  widow.  After  the  war,  resuming 
agricultural  pursuits,  he  became  one  of 
the  most  skillful  and  thorough  farmers  in 
the  State.  He  cleared  up  a  farm  on  a 
famous  neck  of  land  in  Bristol  known  as 
Pappoosesquaw,  and  upon  it  lived  for 
sixty  years,  his  sons  after  him  occupying 
the  place.  He  farmed  extensively  and 
kept  his  improvements,  fences  and  build- 
ings, in  such  perfect  order  that  the  place 
became  styled  the  "Model  Farm  of  Rhode 
Island."  He  was  also  engaged  exten- 
sively in  the  West  Indian  trade,  owning 
a  number  of  vessels,  exporting  farm 
products  and  importing  sugar  and  mo- 
lasses, for  many  years  importing  not  less 
than  two  thousand  hogsheads  of  the  latter 
product  per  year.  Thomas  Church  for 
many  years  served  efficiently  in  the  town 
council  of  Bristol,  and  shared  the  esteem 
of  the  citizens  to  such  an  extent  that  he 
was  often  urged  to  accept  higher  official 
honors,  but  always  declined.  He  mar- 
ried, October  26,  1794,  Mary  Tripp, 
daughter  of  Stephen  Tripp,  of  Newport. 
Children:  Benjamin. born  August  7.  1795. 
and    Polly,   October    31,    1796,   both    of 


whom  died  in  infancy;  Benjamin,  No- 
vember 13,  1798;  Thomas,  November  11, 
1801 ;  Samuel  Wardwell,  February  13, 
1803;  Sarah  Ann,  May  6,  1805,  married 
Thomas  J.  Coggeshall ;  Stephen  Tripp, 
January  14,  1808;  William  Howe,  June 
23,  1810;  Mary  Tripp,  April  23,  1813, 
married  Martin  Bennett ;  Hezekiah  Ward- 
well,  mentioned  below ;  Betsey  (Mrs. 
Wardwell),  August  26,  1818  (the  oldest 
"Daughter  of  the  Revolution"). 

(VII)  Hezekiah  Wardwell  Church, 
seventh  son  of  Thomas  and  Mary 
(Tripp)  Church,  was  born  August  27, 
1815,  in  Bristol,  and  died  in  Taunton, 
Massachusetts,  May  27,  1887.  Until 
fourteen  years  of  age  he  lived  in  Bristol, 
and  there  received  his  schooling.  He 
was  early  taught  the  principles  of  indus- 
try and  uprightness,  and  these  were  qual- 
ities which  distinguished  his  entire  life. 
At  the  age  of  fourteen  he  went  to  Taun- 
ton, in  1829,  and  became  a  clerk  for  his 
brother,  Samuel  Wardwell  Church,  and 
Thomas  J.  Coggeshall,  who  were  en- 
gaged in  business.  After  seven  years  of 
employment  with  the  firm  of  Church  & 
Coggeshall,  he  engaged  in  business  on  his 
own  account,  as  a  dealer  in  hay,  grain 
and  feed,  in  1836.  Soon  after  this  time 
he  erected  in  what  was  then  known  as 
Weir  Village,  the  new  store,  and  in  a 
short  time  built  up  a  large  business,  prin- 
cipally wholesale.  In  1845  he  associ- 
ated with  himself  his  nephew,  Lebaron 
B.  Church,  and  the  firm  became  known 
as  H.  W.  Church  &  Company,  continuing 
as  such  without  change  in  the  personnel 
for  forty-two  years,  or  until  the  death  of 
Hezekiah  W.,  in  1887.  The  business  was 
continued  nine  years  longer  by  his  part- 
ner, and  thus  the  name  of  this  firm  was 
known  to  the  people  of  Taunton  and 
vicinity  for  a  period  of  fifty-one  years. 
Mr.  Church  was  a  director  of  the  Bristol 
County  National  Bank  from  1849  to  his 
death  in  1887,  and  was  president  during 


203 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


the  last  two  years.  He  was  also  a  direc- 
tor of  the  Britannia  Works  of  Taunton. 
He  was  well-known  as  Deacon  Church, 
having  served  as  deacon  of  the  Broadway- 
Congregational  Church  for  many  years. 
To  this  church  and  the  cause  of  religion 
he  was  a  liberal  contributor.  His  busi- 
ness life  was  characterized  by  high  re- 
gard for  honesty  and  he  never  cast  a 
shadow  upon  the  name  which  he  inherited 
from  worthy  ancestors.  Of  the  record  of 
his  forebears  he  was  justly  proud,  and  he 
ever  sought  to  sustain  the  high  reputa- 
tion of  the  Church  name.  He  married 
Elizabeth  H.  Hawes,  daughter  of  General 
Joseph  Hawes,  of  Providence.  Children  : 
Hezekiah  W.,  born  April  13,  1842,  resides 
in  Bridgewater,  Massachusetts ;  Sarah, 
September  12,  1845,  married  William  D. 
Marvel ;  Joseph  Hawes,  mentioned  be- 
low; Eliza  A.,  July  24,  1849;  Harriet, 
January  20,  1858. 

(VII)  Joseph  Hawes  Church,  second 
son  of  Hezekiah  Wardwell  and  Elizabeth 
H.  (Hawes)  Church,  was  born  October 
3,  1847,  m  Taunton,  where  he  grew  up, 
and  attended  the  public  schools  in  early 
life,  finishing  his  literary  training  at  Bris- 
tol Academy.  At  the  early  age  of  sixteen 
years  he  laid  aside  his  books  to  engage 
in  business.  At  this  time  he  associated 
himself  with  his  cousin,  Thomas  Lebaron 
Church,  in  establishing  a  coal  business  in 
the  southern  part  of  Taunton.  From  this 
time  until  his  death,  August  13,  191 1,  the 
firm  of  T.  L.  &  J.  H.  Church  continued  in 
business  with  great  success.  In  time  the 
business  was  incorporated  under  the  style 
T.  L,  &  J.  H.  Church  Co.,  and  the  business 
grew  to  large  dimensions.  They  handled 
immense  quantities  of  coal  at  both  whole- 
sale and  retail,  and  at  the  time  of  Mr. 
Church's  death  constituted  one  of  the 
oldest  coal  firms  in  the  city  of  Taunton. 
Joseph  Hawes  Church  was  interested  in 
sailing  vessels,  chiefly  used  in  the  coal 
plying  trade   from   Newport  to   Boston, 


and  other  nearby  ports.  His  chief  in- 
terest was  in  the  coal  business,  to  which 
he  gave  industrious  attention,  and  in 
which  he  won  remarkable  success.  The 
"Taunton  Gazette,"  of  Monday  evening, 
August  14,  191 1,  said  of  him: 

Joseph  H.  Church,  one  of  the  active  business 
men  of  this  city,  is  dead  at  his  home  on  Somerset 
avenue,  the  end  coming  hardly  without  warning 
yesterday.  Mr.  Church  had  suffered  for  a  year 
or  more  from  an  affection  of  the  heart  and  for 
the  latter  part  of  last  week  had  remained  away 
from  the  office,  owing  to  another  attack  of  the 
old  affliction.  His  condition  however  was  not  by 
any  means  thought  to  be  serious  and  yesterday 
morning  when  he  awoke  and  dressed,  his  health 
was  apparently  as  good  as  ever.  A  short  while 
later,  however,  he  was  stricken  with  another  at- 
tack more  serious  than  before.  Physicians  were 
summoned  and  everything  possible  done  to  re- 
lieve his  condition,  but  he  grew  gradually  worse 
and  passed  peacefully  away  at  about  noon. 

Deceased  was  64  years  of  age  and  the 
son  of  the  late  Hezekiah  W.  and  Elizabeth  H. 
Church.  His  mother  was  a  descendant  of  Com- 
modore Hopkins  and  his  father  of  Col.  Benjamin 
Church.  They  removed  from  Rhode  Island  to 
this  city,  where  deceased  was  born  and  where  he 
has  made  his  home  ever  since.  He  was  gradu- 
ated from  the  local  schools  and  afterward  at- 
tended the  Pierce  Academy  at  Middleboro.  In 
1864  together  with  his  cousin,  Thomas  L.  Church, 
he  founded  the  coal  business  of  T.  L.  &  J.  H. 
Church  Co.,  which  enterprise  has  been  carried  on 
successfully  at  the  south  end  of  the  city  ever 
since.  In  addition  to  the  coal  business,  deceased 
was  also  interested  in  sailing  vessels  to  some  ex- 
tent but  his  interests  for  the  most  part  were  con- 
fined to  his  extensive  coal  business,  which  was 
one  of  the  earliest  enterprises  of  its  kind  in  this 
vicinity. 

As  a  man  devoted  to  his  business  affairs  and  to 
the  welfare  of  his  home  and  family,  deceased 
never  entered  politics.  He  never  aspired  for 
public  office,  even  when  prevailed  upon  to  do  so, 
preferring  to  spend  his  time  in  the  seclusion  of 
his  home  and  his  hours  of  activity  in  the  coal 
offices  with  which  so  many  of  the  older  residents 
of  the  city  are  familiar. 

Neither  did  he  affiliate  himself  with  any  social 
orders  and  in  this  respect  he  consistently  fol- 
lowed out  his  course  in  life,  which  stood  for  all 
that  was  noble  and  good,  the  path  in  life  of  a 
man  who  lived  for  his  home  and  family,  unosten- 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


tatiously  and  without  pretensions.  He  was  one 
of  the  old  school  of  successful  business  men  who 
have  accomplished  much  for  their  home  city,  and 
in  business  affairs  as  in  minor  transactions  he 
displayed  an  integrity  and  fearless  honesty  which 
won  him  friends  by  the  score. 

There  are  many  in  this  city  who  have  reason 
to  remember  the  generous  nature  of  the  man  and 
this,  combined  with  other  traits  of  character,  all 
of  the  highest  and  most  sterling  worth,  served  to 
win  him  a  place  in  the  community  such  as  few 
men  have  attained.  His  departure  from  this 
sphere  will  occasion  universal  regret,  for  by  it 
the  city  suffers  the  irreparable  loss  of  a  worthy 
citizen  and  his  family  a  dear  and  beloved  husband 
and  father. 

Joseph  H.  Church  married,  January  20, 
1876,  Charlotte  Frances  Pratt,  born  in 
Nantucket,  Massachusetts,  daughter  of 
Charles  King  and  Cordelia  (Williams) 
Pratt,  of  that  town  (see  Pratt  VIII). 
They  have  a  son,  Charles  William 
Church,  born  May  31,  1880,  in  Taunton. 
He  was  educated  in  the  public  and  high 
schools  of  Taunton,  after  which  he  en- 
tered the  office  of  T.  L.  &  J.  H.  Church, 
where  he  is  still  employed.  He  married 
Mary  Rowley,  of  Colebrook,  Connecticut. 
They  have  one  son,  Joseph  Church. 

(The  Williams  Line). 

This  is  a  very  ancient  Welsh  family, 
and  the  origin  and  history  of  the  family 
are  given  at  great  length  elsewhere  in  this 
work,  including  the  history  of  Richard 
Williams,  the  founder  of  the  line  in 
America. 

(IX)  Joseph  Williams,  son  of  Richard 
and  Frances  (Dighton)  Williams  (q.  v.), 
married  (first)  Elizabeth  Watson,  (sec- 
ond) Abigail  Newland.  He  had  children  : 
Elizabeth,  Richard,  Mehitable,  Joseph, 
Benjamin,  Ebenezer,  Phebe  and  Richard. 

(X)  Richard  Williams,  son  of  Joseph 
and  Elizabeth  (Watson)  Williams,  born 
March  26.  1689,  died  in  1727.  He  mar- 
ried (first)  Anna  Wilbore,  (second)  Janu- 


ary 1,  1740,  Elizabeth  Merick.     Children: 
George,  Richard  and  Ebenezer. 

(XI)  Colonel  George  Williams,  son  of 
Richard  and  Anna  (Wilbore)  Williams, 
was  born  1717,  in  Taunton,  died  1803.  He 
lived  in  that  town  on  the  east  side  of  the 
Taunton  river,  on  what  is  now  Williams 
street.  He  was  a  man  of  property,  own- 
ing a  large  landed  estate.  From  the  sol- 
dierly qualities  which  he  evidently  pos- 
sessed it  seems  that  he  served  in  the  war 
with  the  French  in  1744-45;  and  perhaps 
in  the  first  year  of  the  French  and  Indian 
war.  But  the  record  thus  far  found  of 
his  military  service  begins  in  1757.  He 
was  then  ensign  of  a  company  stationed 
at  Fort  William  Henry,  when  the  French 
and  Indians  under  Montcalm  invested  the 
place,  August  3,  1757.  He  was  sent  out 
at  the  beginning  of  the  siege  under  Cap- 
tain Saltonstall,  but  his  party  was  driven 
back,  and  he  himself  taken  prisoner.  He 
was  released  not  long  after,  and  returned 
to  Taunton.  He  rose  to  the  rank  of  cap- 
tain of  the  Third  Taunton  Company,  and 
in  1772  was  major  of  the  Third  Bristol 
County  Regiment.  On  February  2,  1776, 
he  was  elected  colonel  of  this  regiment 
by  the  legislature,  and  commissioned  Feb- 
ruary 7,  and  did  good  service  during  the 
Revolution.  His  principal  military  oper- 
ations were  in  Rhode  Island,  which  State 
was  constantly  harried  and  threatened  by 
the  British  navy.  He  was  a  prominent 
member  of  the  Taunton  committee  of  cor- 
respondence, inspection  and  safety  for 
several  years,  beginning  in  1775,  and  was 
selectman  of  Taunton  in  1780.  His  son, 
Richard  Williams,  was  one  of  the  minute- 
men  of  the  company  of  Captain  James 
Williams,  Jr.,  who  marched  to  Roxbury  at 
the  news  of  the  battle  of  Lexington.  Dur- 
ing the  last  six  months  of  1776  he  was 
serving  at  the  defense  of  Boston,  being 
sergeant  under  Captain  Joshua  Wilbore. 
He  very  likely  served  at  other  times,  but 


295 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


the  Revolutionary  rolls  are  not  suffi- 
ciently explicit  for  his  identification 
among  the  many  soldiers  of  this  name. 
He  married  (first)  January  6,  1737,  Sarah 
Hodges,  born  1715,  in  Taunton,  daugh- 
ter of  Henry  and  Sarah  (Leonard) 
Hodges,  of  Taunton.  He  married  (sec- 
ond) Mrs.  Nancy  Dean,  who  died  in  1797. 
Children,  all  born  in  Taunton:  1.  Phebe, 
1737,  died  1813,  in  Taunton;  married 
(first)  John  Hart,  of  Taunton,  son  of 
Lawrence  and  Elizabeth  Hart,  (second) 
February  15,  1759,  Simeon  Tisdale,  of 
Taunton,  son  of  Joseph  and  Ruth  (Reed) 
Tisdale,  (third)  April  27,  1763,  Eliphaz 
Harlow,  of  Taunton,  son  of  Eleazer  and 
Hannah  (Delano)  Harlow.  2.  Sarah, 
born  1739,  died  1820;  married,  April  14, 
1757,  Richard  Godfrey,  of  Taunton,  son 
of  Richard  and  Theodora  (Dean)  God- 
frey. 3.  A  child,  born  1741,  died  May  5, 
1750,  in  Taunton.  4.  George,  mentioned 
below.  5.  Anna,  born  1747,  died  Novem- 
ber 2,  1833,  at  Taunton ;  married  (first) 
September  16,  1763,  Elisha  Codding, 
(second)  July  19,  1788,  Jonathan  French, 
of  Berkley,  Massachusetts,  son  of  Eben- 
ezer  and  Keziah  French,  of  Berkley.  6. 
Ebenezer,  born  175 1,  died  April  30,  1814; 
married.  March  7,  1769,  at  Raynham, 
Sarah  Ellis,  of  that  town,  daughter  of 
Philip  Ellis.  7.  Lydia,  born  1753,  died 
March  5,  1773;  married,  August  6,  1772, 
Isaac  Tobey,  of  Berkley,  son  of  Rev. 
Samuel  and  Bathsheba  (Crocker)  Tobey, 
of  that  town.  8.  Richard,  born  1755  or 
1757,  died  in  Taunton,  1814;  married 
Hannah  Padelford,  of  that  town,  daugh- 
ter of  Edward  and  Sarah  (Briggs)  Padel- 
ford. 9.  Abiather,  born  June  4,  1759,  died 
October  4,  1760,  at  Taunton. 

(XII)  George  (2)  Williams,  son  of 
Colonel  George  (1)  and  Sarah  (Hodges) 
Williams,  was  born  August  18,  1745,  in 
Taunton,  and  died  February  23,  1814,  in 
Raynham.    He  was  a  man  of  fine  personal 


appearance,  according  to  the  accounts 
handed  down  in  the  family,  was  a  farmer, 
and  owned  a  fine  property.  While  it  is 
certain  he  served  in  the  Revolution,  it  is 
difficult  to  pick  out  his  record  from  the 
many  of  the  same  name.  Possibly  he 
served  in  New  York  State  from  about  the 
beginning  of  1776  until  December,  being 
or  becoming  a  sergeant  in  Captain  James 
Allen's  company,  Colonel  Simeon  Carey's 
regiment.  He  certainly  was  quartermas- 
ter of  his  father's  regiment  in  Rhode 
Island,  December,  1776,  and  January, 
1777.  He  married,  October  2,  1766,  Bath- 
sheba King,  born  March  31,  1744,  in 
Raynham,  daughter  of  Philip  and  Abigail 
King,  died  May  26,  1839,  m  Taunton. 
Children,  all  born  in  Raynham :  Sarah, 
July  2j,  1767;  George,  February  26,  1769; 
a  son,  May  6,  1771  ;  Abiathar,  January  8, 
1773;  Bathsheba,  January  25,  1775;  Mel- 
ancy,  February  28,  1777;  Francis,  Octo- 
ber 13,  1779;  Narcissus,  mentioned  be- 
low; Enoch,  December  29,  1783;  Samuel 
K.,  November  17,  1785. 

(XIII)  Narcissus  Williams,  fourth  son 
of  George  (2)  and  Bathsheba  (King) 
Williams,  was  born  September  13,  1781, 
in  Raynham,  and  married  Hasekiah  (?) 
Haskell,  of  New  Bedford.  They  had  chil- 
dren :  Elisha  ;  William  ;  George  ;  Bath- 
sheba, married  Horace  Howard  ;  Cordelia, 
married  Charles  King  Pratt  (see  Pratt 
VIII). 

(The  Pratt  Line). 

The  surname  Pratt  occurs  among  the 
earliest  English  family  records,  before  the 
year  1200,  and  indicates  that  the  family 
came  with  the  Normans  to  England.  John 
Pratt  or  de  Pratellis  or  de  Pratis,  as  then 
generally  spelled,  held  the  Manor  of  Pat- 
rickborne  (Merton  Bridge  and  Pelham 
Hundred)  in  1200.  Four  brothers,  John, 
William,  Engebraw  and  Peter  de  Pratel- 
lis, figured  prominently  in  the  reign  of 
Richard  I.  and  John,  all  living  in   1201. 


296 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OP  BIOGRAPHY 


John  was  a  favorite  minister.  In  1 191 
William  and  Peter  both  made  a  gallant 
record  in  the  Crusade.  John  Pratt  was 
in  parliament  from  Beverly  in  1298  and 
1305.  Before  the  year  1300  the  family 
was  well  known  and  widely  scattered 
through  England,  and  the  shortened  form 
of  the  name  Prat  was  the  common  spell- 
ing. The  other  forms,  Pratte,  Pradt, 
Praed,  Prete,  Prate,  Praer,  and  Prayers 
are  also  found.  The  surname  means 
meadow  and  was  a  place  name  before  it 
became  a  surname. 

(I)  Matthew  Pratt  was  born  in  Eng- 
land about  1600,  and  probably  came  to 
New  England  with  the  Gorges  company 
in  1623,  though  genealogists  fail  to  find 
positive  evidence.  Joshua  and  Phinehas 
Pratt,  brothers,  came  in  the  ship  "Anne" 
to  Plymouth  in  1623.  Phinehas  Pratt  went 
to  Weymouth  later  and  our  first  record  of 
Matthew  Pratt  was  at  Weymouth.  The 
family  tradition  of  descendants  of  Mat- 
thew Pratt  says  they  were  related.  He 
may  have  been  a  younger  brother  or 
nephew.  Matthew  Pratt's  name  appears 
on  the  list  of  "old  residents"  about  1643. 
His  name  was  spelled  Macute  and  in 
similar  ways,  but  the  weight  of  evidence 
proves  that  Matthew  was  the  correct 
form.  He  received  a  grant  from  the  Gen- 
eral Court,  December  7,  1636,  of  twenty 
acres,  and  became  one  of  the  prominent 
citizens  of  Weymouth,  and  was  often 
townsman  or  selectman.  He  had  other 
grants  of  land  from  time  to  time  and  be- 
came a  large  landed  proprietor.  His  will, 
dated  March  25,  1672,  and  proved  April 
30,  1673,  mentions  wife  Elizabeth,  his 
children  and  grandchildren.  He  died  Au- 
gust 26,  1672.  He  married  Elizabeth 
Bate,  and  had  children :  Thomas,  born 
before  1628,  died  April  19,  1676;  Mat- 
thew, 1628,  died  January  12,  1713;  John, 
died  October  3,  1716;  Samuel,  born  about 
io33 ;  Joseph,  mentioned  below ;  Eliza- 
beth, died  February  26,  1726;  Mary. 


(II)  Joseph  Pratt,  youngest  son  of 
Matthew  and  Elizabeth  (Bate)  Pratt,  was 
born  June  10,  1637,  probably  in  Wey- 
mouth, and  died  there  December  24,  1720. 
He  was  an  active  citizen  of.  the  town, 
serving  in  1666  and  1673  as  fence  viewer; 
in  1685  as  hay  warden;  in  16S8  and  1706 
as  surveyor  of  highways.  In  1693  he  was 
a  freeholder;  in  1681  was  appointed  to 
cut  five  cords  of  wood  per  year  for  the 
pastor  of  the  church,  and  in  1709  to  lay 
out  lands.  He  married,  May  7,  1662, 
Sarah  Judkins,  born  1638,  died  January 
14,  1726.  Children:  Sarah,  born  May  31, 
1664;  Joseph,  mentioned  below;  John, 
May  17,  1668;  William;  Ephraim ;  Ex- 
perience, married Battle  ;  Hannah, 

married  Heins;  and  Samuel. 

(III)  Joseph  (2)  Pratt,  eldest  son  of 
Joseph  (0  and  Sarah  (Judkins)  Pratt, 
was  born  February  2,  1665,  in  Weymouth, 
and  resided  there  until  1704-05,  when  he 
removed  to  Bridgewater.  He  held  impor- 
tant offices  in  both  towns,  being  select- 
man in  Bridgewater  in  1739.  He  appears 
to  have  been  interested  in  business  with 
his  cousin,  Matthew,  and  sold  a  mill  in 
Abington  in  1704.  He  died  January  14, 
1765,  near  the  close  of  his  one  hundredth 
year.  The  "Boston  News  Letter"  said  of 
him :  "A  man  of  good  character  and  re- 
ligious profession.  He  had  20  children  by 
his  first  wife,  but  none  by  his  second,  who 
still  survives  him,  about  90  years  of  age." 
On  account  of  one  leg  being  a  little  short, 
he  was  called  "Little-leg  Joe."  He  mar- 
ried (first)  Sarah  Benson,  of  Hull;  (sec- 
ond) December  14,  1721,  Ann  Richards, 
of  Weymouth,  born  1673-74,  died  March 
21,  1766.  Children  named  in  will:  Joseph, 
died  1753;  Benjamin,  mentioned  below; 
Nathaniel,  born  November  23,  1701 ;  Solo- 
mon ;  David,  1708;  Samuel;  Sarah,  mar- 
ried Ebenezer  Snow. 

(IV)  Benjamin  Pratt,  son  of  Joseph 
(2)  and  Sarah  (Benson)  Pratt,  was  born 
1693,  and  died   1762.     He  married,  June 

297 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


24,  1719,  Sarah,  daughter  of  Henry  King- 
man, born  1696,  died  December  20,  1767. 
Children  :  Benjamin,  mentioned  below  ; 
Nathan,  died  1750;  John;  Bethia,  mar- 
ried Joseph  Mehuren ;  Susanna,  born 
1738;  Silence,  married  John  Maxum; 
Ann,  married  Azariah  Hayward. 

(V)  Benjamin  (2)  Pratt,  eldest  child 
of  Benjamin  (1)  and  Sarah  (Kingman) 
Pratt,  was  born  in  1719,  and  died  about 
1765.  He  was  a  man  of  good  character 
and  much  enterprise.  He  bought  Cedar 
Swamp  in  North  Carolina,  and  sold  tim- 
ber in  New  England  and  traded  in  the 
West  Indies.  He  lived  near  Woodward's 
bridge,  on  Titicut  river,  in  Bridgewater, 
where  he  built  vessels  to  carry  lumber, 
he  commanding  one  of  the  vessels,  and 
his  son,  Benjamin,  another.  He  died  with 
three  of  his  sons  in  North  Carolina,  sup- 
posedly of  yellow  fever.  He  married,  De- 
cember 22,  1741,  Lydia  Harlow,  of  Mid- 
dleboro,  born  1722,  died  August  4,  1807. 
Children:  Benjamin,  born  April  25,  1745; 
William,,  mentioned  below;  Calvin,  April 
29,  1749;  Nathan,  April  3,  1751 ;  Lydia, 
January  29,  1753;  Hannah,  April  3,  1757; 
Sally,  December  20,  1759;  Betty,  October 
19,  1761 ;  Luther,  September  29,  1763; 
Nathaniel. 

(VI)  William  Pratt,  second  son  of 
Benjamin  (2)  and  Lydia  (Harlow)  Pratt, 
was  born  April  6,  1747,  and  died  June  4, 
1808.  He  was  twenty  years  of  age  when 
his  father  and  brothers  died,  and  he  went 
to  North  Carolina,  where  he  sold  vessels 
and  swamp  land,  and  there  settled  in  busi- 
ness. He  resided  in  Titicut  parish,  North 
Middleboro,  where  he  purchased  a  farm 
from  the  Indians,  and  about  1782  built  a 
large  house,  adding  to  his  farm  from  time 
to  time  until  he  was  the  owner  of  nearly 
four  hundred  acres.  He  built  vessels  and 
commanded  one  a  few  years.  In  associa- 
tion with  Captain  Edson  he  built  a  dam 
across  the  river,  and  built  grist,  saw  and 


linseed  mills  on  one  side,  while  Edson 
built  on  the  other.  He  turned  his  atten- 
tion to  mercantile  pursuits,  and  was  the 
proprietor  of  a  store,  in  addition  to  this 
having  a  blacksmith  and  shoe  shop.  He 
was  a  captain  in  the  North  Middleboro 
militia,  and  marched  to  the  defense  of 
New  Bedford  in  the  Revolution.  During 
the  Revolution  he  was  active  in  the  de- 
fense of  his  country.  At  the  time  of  his 
death  his  estate  was  valued  at  $18,410.99. 
He  married  Mary  King,  of  Raynham, 
born  1744,  died  1816.  Children:  Calvin, 
born  April  18,  1774;  Isaac,  March  6,  1776; 
Sally,  December  26,  1778;  Enoch,  July  31, 
1781 ;  Greenleaf,  mentioned  below;  Ben- 
jamin, May  11,  1785;  William,  June  8, 
1788;  Zebulon  King,  February  4,  1791. 

(VII)  Greenleaf  Pratt,  fourth  son  of 
William  and  Mary  (King)  Pratt,  was 
born  May  13,  1783,  in  North  Middleboro, 
and  died  May  8,  1824.  He  was  a  man  of 
great  physical  strength  and  decision  of 
character,  active  and  enterprising,  public- 
spirited,  and  a  leader  among  men.  His 
life  was  devoted  chiefly  to  the  pursuit  of 
agriculture.  He  was  large  hearted  and 
hospitable,  and  a  favorite  son  of  his 
father,  to  whose  estate  he  succeeded.  He 
built  stone  walls,  cleared  the  lands  and 
greatly  improved  the  farm,  and  assisted 
with  his  hands  in  building  the  new  church 
in  1808.  He  joined  the  Congregational 
church  and  was  active  in  its  good  works. 
In  the  War  of  1812  he  commanded  a  com- 
pany of  militia  stationed  at  Plymouth. 
He  married  Lucy  Edson,  born  February 
25,  1788,  died  June  12,  1828,  daughter  of 
Polycarpus  and  Lucy  (Eaton)  Edson,  of 
Bridgewater.  Children:  Maria  Edson, 
born  July  29,  1810;  Louisa  Maria,  Feb- 
ruary 7,  1812;  Charles  King,  mentioned 
below ;  a  son,  died  one  day  old ;  Lucy  Ed- 
son, born  June  30,  1818;  Francis  Green- 
leaf, January  30,  1821. 

(VIII)  Charles  King  Pratt,  eldest  son 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


of  Greenleaf  and  Lucy  (Edson)  Pratt, 
was  born  August  i,  1814,  in  East  Middle- 
boro,  and  received  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  and  Pierce  Academy,  Mid- 
dleboro.  He  became  engaged  in  mercan- 
tile business  at  Nantucket,  Massachu- 
setts, and  later  at  Fall  River,  where  he 
continued  for  some  years.  He  then  sold 
out  this  business  and  settled  in  Bridge- 
water,  near  the  home  of  his  ancestors, 
where  he  continued  to  reside  the  remain- 
der of  his  life.  He  died  in  Bridgewater, 
April,  1901,  aged  eighty-seven  years,  and 
was  buried  there.  He  married,  June  1, 
1841,  Cordelia  Williams,  daughter  of  Nar- 
cissus and  Hasekiah  (?)  (Haskell)  Wil- 
liams (see  Williams  XIII).  She  died  in 
Bridgewater  at  the  age  of  seventy-nine 
years.  Children  :  Cordelia  Williams,  mar- 
ried Frank  P.  Keene,  of  Nantucket ;  Char- 
lotte Frances,  mentioned  below ;  Charles 
Greenleaf,  born  November  1,  1852,  mar- 
ried Emma  Hawley,  of  Bath,  Maine  ;  Her- 
bert, March  9,  1854,  married  Alice  Cope- 
land ;  Wallace,  June,  1856,  married  Ellen 
Keith. 

(IX)  Charlotte  Frances  Pratt,  second 
daughter  of  Charles  King  and  Cordelia 
(Williams)  Pratt,  was  born  July  26,  1847, 
in  Nantucket,  and  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  that  town  and  Bridge- 
water  State  Normal  School.  Prior  to  her 
marriage  she  taught  school  at  Nantucket. 
She  married,  January  20,  1876,  Joseph  H. 
Church,  of  Taunton  (see  Church  VII). 
Mrs.  Church  is  a  member  of  Lydia  Cobb 
Chapter,  Daughters  of  the  American  Rev- 
olution, of  Taunton,  through  her  ancestor, 
Colonel  George  Williams. 


LAKE,  Edward  Bennett, 

Man  of  Enterprise. 

The  family  of  Lake  is  an  ancient  one 
in  the  vicinity  of  Southeastern  Massachu- 
setts, where  its  representatives  have  re- 


sided continuously  through  many  genera- 
tions. They  have  been  noted  as  good  citi- 
zens, active  in  promoting  the  moral, 
social,  and  physical  welfare  of  the  com- 
munities in  which  they  have  lived,  and 
have  left  their  imprint  as  worthy  repre- 
sentatives of  a  time-honored  family.  Wil- 
liam Lake,  born  about  1780,  was  a  resi- 
dent of  Tiverton,  Rhode  Island,  formerly 
a  part  of  Massachusetts,  where  his  son, 
Edward  Lake,  was  also  born.  The  latter 
lived  in  Fall  River,  Massachusetts,  where 
he  passed  away.  He  married  Mary  Sher- 
man, who  was  also  descended  from  one 
of  New  England's  oldest  settled  families, 
and  they  were  the  parents  of  Edward 
Bennett  Lake,  mentioned  below. 

Edward  Bennett  Lake,  son  of  Edward 
and  Mary  (Sherman)  Lake,  was  born  Oc- 
tober 20,  1835,  in  Fall  River,  Massachu- 
setts, where  his  boyhood  days  were  spent. 
His  educational  training  was  acquired  in 
the  schools  of  his  native  city.  After  lay- 
ing aside  his  books  he  became  apprenticed 
to  the  trade  of  wheelwright  and  mill- 
wright with  Samuel  Thurston,  with 
whom  he  spent  about  seven  years,  during 
which  time  he  worked  on  the  water 
wheels  in  the  various  Fall  River  cotton 
mills,  and  in  sections  of  Rhode  Island 
adjacent.  Following  this  he  was  for  a 
time  employed  in  the  cooperage  shop  of 
David  Brayton  at  Fall  River.  In  1867  he 
entered  the  employ  of  Chase,  Allen  & 
Slade,  wholesale  grocers  of  Fall  River,  as 
a  salesman,  in  which  capacity  he  con- 
tinued until  1872,  during  which  service  he 
had  acquired  a  thorough  and  comprehen- 
sive knowledge  of  the  details  of  the  busi- 
ness. In  the  latter  named  year,  in  asso- 
ciation with  B.  S.  C.  Gifford,  he  pur- 
chased the  interests  of  Nathan  Chase,  the 
senior  member  of  the  firm,  and  the  firm 
name  was  then  changed  to  Allen,  Slade  & 
Company,  under  which  name  the  business 
has   since   been   continued.     At  the   tim  : 


299 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Mr.  Lake  entered  the  employ  of  this  con-      of  his  native  city,  private  schools  of  Bos- 


cern  it  was  then  in  its  infancy,  but  its 
growth  has  been  steady  and  continuous, 
and  to-day  it  is  one  of  the  largest  estab- 
lishments of  its  kind  in  New  England.  To 
the  interests  of  this  business  Mr.  Lake 
gave  his  undivided  and  untiring  energy, 
and  continued  an  active  member  of  the 
same  until  the  time  of  his  death  in  1913. 
Mr.  Lake  was  a  very  active  business  man, 
successful  and  well  known,  and  noted  for 
his  honorable  and  upright  methods  of 
doing  business.  He  was  also  always 
active  in  promoting  the  best  interests  of 
his  native  city,  and  every  project  which 
had  for  its  object  the  best  interests  of  the 
city  and  its  people  and  institutions  had 
his  best  support.  He  was  for  a  number  of 
years  a  member  of  the  old  Volunteer  Fire 
Department,  and  was  also  a  member  of 
the  first  Steamer  Fire  Company  in  the 
city  of  Fall  River.  He  was  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  old  Fall  River  Artillery  Com- 
pany, commanded  by  John  Sanford.  The 
broad  mind  and  Christian  fraternal  char- 
acter of  Mr.  Lake  are  shown  by  his  active 
membership  in  Fall  River  Lodge,  No.  219, 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  In 
political  faith  he  was  a  staunch  supporter 
of  the  principles  of  the  Republican  party, 
but  never  sought  public  office,  preferring 
to  give  his  undivided  attention  to  his  busi- 
ness and  its  growth,  and  to  the  surround- 
ings of  his  home  and  family,  to  which  he 
was  much  devoted. 

Mr.  Lake  was  twice  married,  his  first 
wife,  who  was  Elizabeth  Lang,  passed 
away  within  a  few  years  after  their  mar- 
riage, without  issue.  He  married  (sec- 
ond) January  22,  1878,  Emma  Frances 
Gulliver,  who  was  born  in  East  Corinth, 
Maine,  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Abigail 
(Chase)  Gulliver.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lake 
were  born  two  children,  namely:  Eva  M. 
A.,  and  Russell  Brackett  Lake,  who  ac- 
quired his  early  schooling  in  the  schools 


ton,  and  is  now  a  student  at  the  Washing- 
ton University  Law  School,  of  Washing- 
ton, D.  C.  Mrs.  Lake,  who  survives  her 
husband,  still  occupies  the  handsome  resi- 
dence on  French  street,  Fall  River,  to 
which  she  is  much  attached  and  over 
which  a  gracious  hospitality  always  pre- 
vails, is  charitable  and  benevolent,  and 
prominent  in  the  social  activities  of  the 
city.  She  is  an  active  and  valued  mem- 
ber of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Fall 
River. 

Mr.  Lake  was  a  self-made  man  in  the 
truest  sense  of  the  word,  his  success  in 
life  being  due  to  his  untiring  energy,  keen 
foresight  and  recognized  executive  abil- 
ity, and  his  position  as  a  business  man, 
citizen  and  individual  was  the  result  of 
these  qualities  combined  with  an  intelli- 
gent application  of  purpose.  He  pos- 
sessed a  genial,  even  temperament,  was 
sympathetic,  charitable  and  warm  in  his 
impulses,  polite  to  all,  and  the  friends  he 
made  continued  ever  staunch  ones.  From 
his  early  years  his  integrity,  his  energy, 
his  business  capacity,  had  made  him  a 
conspicuous  man  in  the  community  in 
which  his  long  and  active  business  career 
had  been  passed,  and  he  gave  freely  of  his 
ability,  his  means  and  his  time  to  all 
worthy  enterprises.  Mr.  Lake  passed 
away  at  his  home  on  French  street,  Fall 
River,  June  11,  1913,  honored  and  re- 
spected by  all  who  knew  him  for  his  ster- 
ling traits  of  character.  His  remains  were 
laid  to  rest  in  Oak  Grove  Cemetery,  Fall 
River.  Some  years  preceding  his  demise 
Mr.  Lake  built  his  handsome  residence 
on  French  street,  in  the  planning  and  de- 
signing of  which  he  was  ably  aided  by  his 
devoted  wife,  and  which  stands  as  a 
monument  to  his  good  taste  and  excellent 
executive  ability. 

The  Gulliver  family,  from  which  Mrs. 
Lake  is  descended,  is  of  English  extrac- 


300 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


tion.  Thomas  Marshall  Gulliver  came 
from  England  and  settled  in  Bangor, 
Maine.  His  son,  Thomas  Marshall  Gulli- 
ver, Jr.,  born  in  that  city,  was  a  carriage 
manufacturer  for  many  years  in  East 
Corinth,  where  he  was  well  and  favorably 
known,  and  where  he  passed  away  in 
1886.  He  married  Abigail  Chase,  a  native 
of  Bangor,  Maine,  and  a  descendant  of 
one  of  New  England's  earliest  settled 
families.  Mrs.  Gulliver  died  in  1892,  in 
East  Corinth,  the  mother  of  four  chil- 
dren, namely:  1.  A  daughter,  who  died 
in  infancy.  2.  Sidney  W.,  now  living  in 
Swansea,  Massachusetts.  3.  Emma  Fran- 
ces, who  is  the  widow  of  Edward  Bennett 
Lake,  of  Fall  River,  Massachusetts.  4. 
George  Emerson,  who  died  at  Lynn,  Mas- 
sachusetts, aged  thirty  years. 


DAY,  John  Eddy, 

Lawyer,  Real  Estate  Expert. 

Ralph  Day,  the  immigrant  ancestor, 
was  born  in  England.  He  settled  in  Ded- 
ham,  Massachusetts,  about  1640;  was  ad- 
mitted a  townsman  there,  February  1, 
1644-45,  and  a  freeman  in  May,  1645.  He 
was  ensign  of  the  Dedham  military  com- 
pany, and  used  to  beat  the  drum  for  meet- 
ings before  the  days  of  church  bells.  He 
was  selectman  of  the  town  in  1661  and 
1662.  He  died  October  28,  1677.  His 
will  was  dated  September  12,  1677,  and 
proved  February  1,  1678,  mentioning  his 
wife  Abigail  and  children,  John,  Ralph, 
Mary  and  Abigail.  He  left  his  tools  and 
drum  to  his  son  Ralph,  a  citterne  to  Abi- 
gail and  one  of  his  swords  to  his  son-in- 
law,  John  Ruggles.  He  married  (first) 
Susan,  daughter  of  Jonathan  Fairbanks, 
whose  house  is  still  standing,  one  of  the 
finest  landmarks  of  Dedham.  Jonathan 
Fairbanks  (Fairbank  or  Fayerbank)  was 
born  in  England  before  1600  at  Sowerby 
in  Halifax,  county  of  York,  and  came  to 


New  England  with  his  wife  and  six  chil- 
dren in  1633,  becoming  one  of  the  found- 
ers of  Dedham ;  he  died  December  26, 
1669;  his  wife,  Grace  (Lee)  Fairbanks, 
died  about  1673.  Ralph  Day  married 
(second)  Abigail  Pond,  daughter  of  Dan- 
iel Pond,  another  pioneer  of  Dedham. 
Children  of  Ralph  Day:  Elizabeth,  bap- 
tized July  3,  1648,  died  young;  Mary,  No- 
vember 9,  1649;  Susan,  1652;  John,  April 
15,  1654;  Ralph,  mentioned  below;  Abi- 
gail, April  22,  1661  ;  all  born  in  Dedham. 

(II)  Ralph  (2)  Day,  son  of  Ralph  (1) 
Day,  was  born  in  Dedham,  Massachu- 
setts, and  baptized  there  February  11, 
1657.  He  was  admitted  a  freeman  of  Ded- 
ham in  1690,  and  was  a  life-long  resident 
of  that  town.  He  died  there  October  21, 
1694.  He  married  Sarah  Fuller,  daugh- 
ter of  Thomas  and  Hannah  (Fowler)  Ful- 
ler. Children  :  Ralph,  mentioned  below  ; 
Thomas,  born  June  19,  1686;  Sarah; 
Mary;  Jeremiah,  September  28,  1692; 
Abiel. 

(III)  Ralph  (3)  Day.  son  of  Ralph  (2) 
Day,  was  born  in  Dedham,  October  28, 
16S3.  He  married  (first)  June  30,  1708, 
Elizabeth  Ellis,  who  died  July  26,  1715. 
He  married  (second)  June  20,  1716,  Mar- 
tha Battle.  He  lived  in  what  is  now  the 
town  of  Wrentham.  Two  children  are 
recorded  at  Dedham :  Jonathan,  men- 
tioned below;  Martha,  born  May  26,  1732. 

(IV)  Jonathan  Day,  son  of  Ralph  (3) 
Day,  was  born  at  Dedham,  December  22, 
1719.  He  lived  for  some  years  in  Need- 
ham,  Massachusetts,  formerly  part  of 
Dedham.  In  1763  he  was  of  Needham, 
when  he  bought  the  home  lot  of  Joseph 
Chamberlain  at  Oxford,  Massachusetts, 
on  Doudet  Hill.  In  1784  he  sold  half  of 
this  farm  to  his  son  David.  He  died  at 
Oxford,  January  4,  1802.  He  married 
(first)  July  4,  1743,  Hannah  Battle,  of 
Dedham;  (second)  August  7,  1784,  Pru- 
dence Whiting,  of  Dedham.    His  will  was 


301 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OE  BIOGRAPHY 


dated  December  29,  1801,  and  proved 
June  1,  1802.  He  bequeathed  to  Jonathan, 
his  son,  and  three  daughters.  Children : 
Jonathan,  mentioned  below ;  Sarah,  mar- 
ried John  Mayo;  Rebecca,  married  Peleg 
Corbin;  Hannah  Dix  (deceased),  of  New- 
town. The  history  of  Oxford  mentions 
also  a  son  David,  born  about  1759. 

(V)  Colonel  Jonathan  (2)  Day,  son  of 
Jonathan  (1)  Day,  was  born  at  Needham, 
May  4,  1744,  and  died  May  10,  1819,  aged 
seventy-four  years  (gravestone).  He  was 
a  soldier  in  the  Revolution,  a  cornet  in 
Captain  Ebenezer  Crafts's  company,  Colo- 
nel Larned's  regiment  at  the  time  of  the 
battle  of  Lexington.  After  the  war  he 
was  colonel  of  a  regiment  of  militia.  He 
settled  in  Dudley,  in  what  is  now  the 
town  of  Webster,  Worcester  county,  Mas- 
sachusetts, October  2,  1776,  and  was  a 
leading  citizen,  able  and  honorable,  as 
stated  by  the  historian  of  Oxford  and 
evidenced  by  the  records  of  the  town  of 
Dudley.  He  held  the  office  of  coroner. 
He  was  a  farmer.  He  married,  May  21. 
1767,  Mary  Mayo,  who  died  at  Dudley, 
January  24,  1819,  aged  seventy-four  years. 

John  Mayo,  father  of  Mary  (Mayo) 
Day,  was  born  September  17,  1709.  H( 
married  (first)  February  15,  1733,  Mary, 
daughter  of  Isaac  Larned,  and  she  died 
September  26,  1742;  married  (second) 
November  9,  1743,  Elizabeth,  daughter 
of  Samuel  Davis,  who  married  (second) 
December  12,  1754,  Major  William 
Larned,  of  Killingly,  Connecticut,  and 
died  February  26,  1810.  John  Mayo  was 
the  first  of  the  name  to  settle  in  Oxford 
and  lived  on  Bernon  land,  near  the  old 
fort.  He  died  July  27,  1752.  Children  of 
John  Mayo  by  first  wife:  Mary,  born 
March  7,  1734;  Thomas,  1735,  died  1736; 
Thomas,  1737,  died  1742;  Elizabeth,  1738, 
died  1740;  John,  born  and  died  1740; 
Thomas,  April  15,  1742.  Children  of  John 
Mayo  by  second  wife :  Mary,  October  10, 


1744,  married  Jonathan  Day,  mentioned 
above;  John,  December  16,  1746,  married 
Sarah  Day,  sister  of  Jonathan  Day ;  Eliz- 
abeth, September  14,  1748,  married  Salem 
Towne,  of  Charlton ;  Sarah,  November 
12,  1750,  married,  May  19,  1777,  Joseph 
Keith,  of  Dudley ;  Harmon,  December  7, 
1752,  married  William  Carter. 

Thomas  Mayo,  father  of  John  Mayo, 
was  baptized  November  16,  1673 ;  mar- 
ried, May  4,  1699,  at  Roxbury,  Elizabeth 
Davis,  sister  of  Deacon  Samuel  Davis. 
She  was  born  April,  1678;  he  died  May 
26,  1750.  Thomas  Mayo,  Samuel  Davis 
and  others  bought  the  Bernon  land  in 
Oxford.  Children  of  Thomas  Mayo: 
Hannah,  born  April  4,  1700;  Mary,  May 
22,  1702;  Sarah,  May  30,  1705;  Elizabeth, 
September  22,  1707;  John,  mentioned 
above,  born  September  17,  1709;  Thomas, 
September  23,  1713 ;  Abigail,  September, 
1715 ;  Joseph,  born  and  died  in  1717; 
Mary,  February  20,  1719;  Joseph,  Febru- 
ary 28,  1721  ;  Mehitable,  April  12,  1724. 

John  Mayo,  the  pioneer  in  this  country, 
father  of  Thomas  Mayo,  came  with  his 
mother,  then  the  wife  of  Robert  Gamlin, 
Jr.,  from  England.  He  married  Hannah 
■ ,  and  lived  in  Roxbury. 

Children  of  Jonathan  Day:  Jonathan, 
born  July  21,  1768,  died  young;  Mary, 
April  29,  1770,  died  September  30,  1772; 
Jabez,  April  2,  1772,  married  Sally  Eddy 
and  had  John  Eddy  Day,  a  lieutenant, 
General  Jonathan  Day  and  other  chil- 
dren ;  Jonathan,  April  3,  1774,  died  young ; 
Dolly,  April  8,  1776,  married  Asa  Harris; 
Hannah,  September  6,  1778,  married  Au- 
gustus Eddy;  Rebecca,  July  15,  1781, mar- 
ried Parker  Palmer;  Elizabeth,  May  7, 
1784,  married  Rufus  Larned;  John  Han- 
cock, mentioned  below. 

(VI)  John  Hancock  Day,  son  of  Colo- 
nel Jonathan  (2)  Day,  was  born  at  Dud- 
ley, October  12,  1787.  He  was  educated 
in  the  district  schools  of  Dudley  and  be- 


302 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


came  a  prominent  citizen  in  the  new 
town  of  Webster,  the  incorporation  of 
which  was  caused  by  the  growth  due  to 
the  mills  established  by  the  Slaters.  He 
was  a  selectman  for  several  years.  He  died 
at  Webster,  October  2j,  1865.  He  mar- 
ried, September  9,  1821,  Martha  A.  Kid- 
der, who  was  born  April  2,  1795,  ac- 
cording to  the  record  on  her  gravestone. 
She  was  a  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Zilpha 
(Bacon)  Kidder,  and  was  born  at  Wards- 
boro,  Vermont.  She  died  in  1864.  Chil- 
dren: 1.  John,  born  1823,  baptized  at 
Webster,  August  23,  1830;  lived  at  Em- 
porium, Pennsylvania ;  left  a  large  fam- 
ily. 2.  Samuel  Kidder,  born  December 
17,  1824,  died  aged  eight  years.  3.  .'. 
gustus  Eddy,  mentioned  below.  4.  Mar- 
tha, born  January  8,  1829;  married,  Oc- 
tober 27,  1870,  W.  L.  Burleson,  a  native 
of  Jewett  City,  Connecticut,  son  of  Ed 
ward  Burleson ;  he  died  December  20, 
1890,  leaving  no  children  by  this  mar- 
riage ;  she  resides  at  Webster.  5.  Lucian 
H.,  born  January  29,  1831.  6.  Larned,  de- 
ceased. 

(VII)  Augustus  Eddy  Day,  son  of 
John  Hancock  Day,  was  born  in  1827,  at 
Webster,  was  baptized  there  July  22, 
1827,  and  died  in  Webster.  He  resided  at 
Killingly,  Connecticut,  and  Webster, 
Massachusetts.  For  twenty  years  he  was 
postmaster  at  Webster.  He  married 
Lucy  Ann  Short.  Children:  1.  Eben,  died 
aged  twenty-five  years.  2.  John  Eddy, 
mentioned  below.  3.  Emma  Augusta, 
died  in  1883 ;  married  George  Frank 
Keith,  son  of  Parmenus  Keith,  of  Web- 
ster, and  had  one  son,  Franklin  Day 
Keith,  now  general  manager  of  the  Day 
Trust,  250  Day  Building,  Worcester; 
Franklin  D.  Keith  married  Winnifred 
Prentiss,  of  Washington,  D.  C.  and  has 
one  son,  Barker  Day  Keith. 

(VIII)  John  Eddy  Day,  son  of  Au- 
gustus   Eddy    Day,    was   born    at    South 


Killingly,  Connecticut,  March  26,  1S51, 
died  November  12,  1907.  He  attended 
the  public  schools  of  his  native  town  and 
of  Webster,  and  prepared  for  college  at 
Phillips  Academy,  Andover,  Massachu- 
setts. He  entered  Amherst  College,  from 
which  he  was  graduated  with  the  degree 
of  Bachelor  of  Arts  in  the  class  of  1S71. 
In  the  autumn  of  that  year  he  became 
principal  of  the  Westborough  High 
School  and  he  continued  in  this  position 
until  1874,  when  he  was  elected  superin- 
tendent of  the  Westborough  schools.  At 
the  end  of  the  year  he  became  a  student 
in  the  Boston  University  Law  School, 
from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1876. 
He  had  begun  the  study  of  law  in  the 
office  of  Hon.  George  Frisbie  Hoar.  Soon 
after  graduation  he  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  of  Suffolk  county.  He  immediately 
opened  an  office  and  began  to  practice 
law  in  Worcester,  in  the  old  post  office 
building  on  Pearl  street.  He  made  a  spe- 
cialty of  real  estate  law,  and  early  in  his 
career  came  to  be  recognized  as  an  au- 
thority in  the  subject  and  an  expert  judge 
of  values.  He  also  had  an  extensive  prac- 
tice in  the  probate  court.  He  was  also 
trustee  for  many  estates.  Gradually  he 
came  to  devote  considerable  of  his  time 
to  real  estate,  in  which  he  invested  largely 
and  wisely.  He  built  a  number  of  large 
business  buildings  and  in  some  cases  was 
his  own  architect  and  builder.  When  the 
State  Mutual  Building  was  to  be  erected, 
his  instinct,  together  with  his  ability  to 
judge  real  estate  values,  prompted  him 
to  buy  the  site  of  the  Brinley  estate  and 
from  other  owners,  and  he  later  showed 
similar  commendable  ability  in  his  pur- 
chase of  lands  and  buildings  which  he 
profitably  sold  to  the  Slater  estate  when 
that  new  office  building  was  projected. 
He  owned  the  Day  Building,  one  of  th 
largest  office  buildings  of  the  city,  at  the 
time  of  its  construction,  extending  from 


303 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


No.  252  Main  street  to  Walnut,  west  tc 
Eden  street,  excepting  the  building  of 
the  Worcester  Five  Cents  Savings  Bank 
Building  on  the  corner.  He  was  the 
owner  of  the  adjoining  blocks  on  Main 
street,  known  as  the  Flagg  Building,  and 
the  Spy  Building,  including  two  spacious 
buildings  in  the  rear  occupied  by  manu- 
facturers. He  also  owned  considerable 
residential  property.  Mr.  Day  had  tin. 
confidence  of  everybody  with  whom  he 
ever  dealt,  owing  to  his  unquestionable 
honesty,  whether  in  small  or  large  mat- 
ters, this  splendid  trait  showing  clearly  in 
every  transaction.  At  the  time  of  his 
death  he  was  assessed  for  $725,400  on  real 
estate,  of  which  $389,000  was  on  land. 
Under  the  terms  of  his  will  his  property 
was  placed  in  trust  for  the  benefit  of  his 
wife  and  children,  the  Worcester  Trust 
Company,  trustee,  and  his  nephew,  Frank- 
lin D.  Keith,  who  was  associated  with 
Mr.  Day  for  a  number  of  years,  is  the 
general  manager  of  the  properties.  Mr. 
Day's  residence  was  for  many  years  at 
No.  179  Pleasant  street. 

Mr.  Day  was  keenly  interested  in  the 
welfare  of  the  city.  He  assisted  many  a 
business  through  difficulties,  and  saved 
various  industries  in  their  days  of  weak- 
ness from  disaster.  His  contribution  to 
the  prosperity  and  growth  of  the  city  can 
never  be  accurately  measured,  for  he 
worked  ceaselessly,  but  in  a  quiet  way. 
He  possessed  wonderful  ability  in 
straightening  out  tangled  business  affairs 
and  in  giving  timely  aid,  advice  and  finan- 
cial help.  In  politics  he  was  a  steadfast 
Republican  and  his  influence  was  often 
used  to  induce  men  of  high  standing  and 
importance  to  consent  to  become  candi- 
dates for  municipal  office,  yet  in  no  sense 
was  he  a  politician.  He  had  neither  time 
nor  inclination  to  serve  in  public  office, 
neither  the  desire  for  the  same,  though 
often  urged  to  become  a  candidate.     In 


church  matters  he  was  earnest  and  active 
from  early  manhood.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Salem  Street  Congregational 
Church,  which  later  united  with  the 
Union  Congregational  Church,  in  which 
he  became  one  of  the  most  prominent 
members  of  the  congregation.  He  was 
chairman  of  the  building  committee  and 
a  liberal  contributor  to  the  building  fund 
when  the  Union  Congregational  Church 
was  built.  He  afterward  served  for  many 
years  in  important  offices  in  the  church 
and  society.  He  contributed  handsomely 
to  the  building  fund  of  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association,  and  gave  to  many 
of  the  leading  charities  and  beneficent  in- 
stitutions of  the  city  in  his  customary 
modest  way.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Congregational  Club,  the  Tatnuck  Coun- 
try Club,  the  Union  Church  Club,  the 
Amherst  Club  of  Worcester,  and  the 
Worcester  Bar  Association. 

Mr.  Day  married,  December  8,  1876, 
Abbie  Fay,  born  March  26,  1855,  daugh- 
ter of  Hamilton  Baxter  and  Hannah 
(Fairbanks)  Fay.  Mrs.  Day  is  a  member 
of  the  Daughters  of  the  American  Revo- 
lution, Colonel  Timothy  E.  Bigelow  Chap- 
ter ;  Tatnuck  Country  Club ;  Worcester 
Woman's  Club ;  Worcester  Art  Club,  and 
Worcester  Club  House  Association.  Chil- 
dren, born  in  Worcester:  1.  Edith  Hamil- 
ton, died  aged  three  years.  2.  Edna 
Frances,  graduate  of  Smith  College,  class 
of  1905;  married  Professor  George  H. 
Blakeslee,  of  Clark  University,  depart- 
ment of  history;  children:  George  Day 
Blakeslee  and  Francis  Hubbard  Blakes- 
lee ;  they  reside  at  No.  21  Downing  street, 
Worcester.  3.  Alice  Fairbanks,  graduate 
of  Smith  College,  1910;  member  of  Col. 
Timothy  E.  Bigelow  Chapter,  Daughters 
of  the  American  Revolution  ;  Descendants 
of  Colonial  Governors ;  Woman's  Club ; 
Worcester  Tennis  Club,  and  Leicester 
Country  Club.    4.  Lucia  Abbie,  graduate 


304 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


of  Dana  Hall,  Wellesley  College,  Massa- 
chusetts, class  of  1910;  member  of  Colo- 
nel Timothy  E.  Bigelow  Chapter,  Daugh- 
ters of  the  American  Revolution.  5.  John 
Augustus,  student  at  the  Bancroft  School 
and  under  private  tutors ;  has  traveled  ex- 
tensively ;  now  studying  law ;  member  of 
Tatnuck  Country  Club,  Worcester  Tennis 
Club,  and  Leicester  Country  Club.  6. 
Mildred  Whitney,  student  at  Rosemary 
Hall,  Greenwich,  Rhode  Island;  member 
of  the  Worcester  Tennis  Club. 


BRIGHTMAN,   Bradford, 

Agriculturist,    Surveyor. 

The  family  of  this  name  has  flourished 
in  the  bordering  sections  of  Rhode  Island 
and  Massachusetts  from  the  earliest  set- 
tlement of  that  region.  It  has  been  con- 
spicuously identified  with  the  social, 
moral  and  industrial  development  of  the 
section,  and  is  still  prominent  in  many 
ways. 

(I)  Henry  Brightman,  of  Plymouth, 
Newport  and  Freetown,  is  of  record  at 
Portsmouth,  Rhode  Island,  as  early  as 
June  6,  1670,  in  which  year  he  became  a 
freeman  and  was  juryman.  He  and  his 
wife  Joan  sold  property  lying  on  the  east 
side  of  Taunton  river  in  March,  1677.  He 
was  one  of  the  grantees  of  the  five  thou- 
sand acres  of  land  which  became  the  town 
of  East  Greenwich,  Rhode  Island,  though 
he  never  went  there  to  settle.  He  became 
prominent  in  public  life,  serving  as 
deputy  from  Portsmouth  in  1682,  1685, 
1690  and  1691,  was  constable  in  1687  and 
on  the  grand  jury  in  1688.  In  1674  he 
bought  lot  No.  4  in  Freeman's  Purchase, 
now  Fall  River,  another  lot,  No.  5,  in 
1678,  and  a  third  lot,  No.  6,  in  1691,  all 
in  Freeman's  Purchase,  on  the  west  side 
of  the  Taunton  river.  The  ferry,  which 
he  bought  in  1674,  was  included  with  lot 
No.  5  of  the  Freeman's  Purchase.  The 
Indian  Caucorbitent  established  this  ferry 
MASS-Voi.  in— 20  305 


across  the  river,  using  a  canoe,  and  his 
daughter,  Weetamoe,  used  a  raft  for  the 
purpose.  Henry  Brightman  was  deputy 
from  Newport  in  1705-06-07-08-09.  His 
wife  Joan  died  in  1716,  and  he  died  in 
1728.  His  children  were:  Henry,  mar- 
ried Elizabeth  Lawton,  lived  in  Ports- 
mouth, and  died  in  1716,  without  issue; 
Hester,  married  John  Chandler;  William, 
married,  January  22,  1708,  Mercy  Spurr, 
and  was  of  Newport  and  Portsmouth, 
Rhode  Island ;  Thomas,  mentioned  be- 
low; Sarah,  married,  November  10,  1678, 
Hezekiah  Hoar;  Joseph,  mentioned  be- 
low. 

(II)  Thomas  Brightman,  third  son  of 
Henry  and  Joan  Brightman,  married  and 
was  of  Dartmouth,  where  he  deeded  six 
acres  of  land  to  his  son  Thomas  for 
thirty-six  pounds,  this  land  being  a  part 
of  his  homestead.  Children  :  Henry,  men- 
tioned below;  Mary,  born  March  15,  171 1, 
married,  July  3,  1735,  Benjamin  Potter; 
Esther,  November  7,  1712;  Sarah,  No- 
vember 29,  1715;  Thomas,  November  20, 
1718;  William,  September  20,  1720;  Jo- 
seph; Penelope;  Jane,  April  20,  1730. 

(III)  Henry  (2)  Brightman,  eldest 
child  of  Thomas  Brightman,  was  born 
November  4,  1709,  and  married  Hannah 
Potter. 

(IV)  Israel  Brightman,  son  of  Henry 
(2)  and  Hannah  (Potter)  Brightman,  was 
a  Revolutionary  soldier,  serving  on  an 
alarm  at  Rhode  Island.  He  enlisted  Au- 
gust 1,  1780,  in  Captain  William  Hicks' 
company,  Colonel  John  Hathaway 's  (Sec- 
ond Bristol  County)  regiment,  and  was 
discharged  August  7,  1780.  He  married, 
October  15,  1772,  in  Little  Compton, 
Bethana  Palmer,  daughter  of  Sylvester 
and  Amey  (Wait)  Palmer. 

(V)  Cornelius  Brightman,  son  of  Israel 
and  Bethana  (Palmer)  Brightman,  mar- 
ried Rachel  Allen,  daughter  of  Humphrey 
Allen,  a  Revolutionary  soldier. 

(VI)  Bethana  Brightman,  daughter  of 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Cornelius  and  Rachel  (Allen)  Brightman, 
married  Nathaniel  Pearce,  of  Fall  River, 
Massachusetts  (see  Pearce  VII). 

(VII)  Bethana  Brightman  Pearce, 
daughter  of  Nathaniel  and  Bethana 
(Brightman)  Pearce,  became  the  wife  of 
Philip  H.  Borden,  of  Fall  River  (see  Bor- 
den VIII). 

(II)  Joseph  Brightman,  youngest  child 
of  Henry  and  Joan  Brightman,  born  1691, 
died  March  3,  1753.  He  located  in  Free- 
town, Massachusetts,  where  in  1717  he 
was  assessor  of  taxes,  and  in  1721  on  the 
grand  jury.  The  first  school  house  in  Fall 
River  was  located  on  land  given  by  Jo- 
seph Brightman.  He  seems  to  have  been 
a  farmer,  but  also  to  have  operated  a 
ferry.  This  was  what  was  known  as 
Slade's  Ferry,  and  was  operated  by  the 
Brightmans  and  Slades.  A  deed  of  trans- 
fer dated  July  8,  1794,  "in  consideration 
of  thirty  pounds,  conveyed  to  Joseph 
Brightman,  Jr.,  of  Taunton,  a  fourth  part 
of  the  Ferry  with  its  privileges,  com- 
monly called  Brightman  &  Slade's  Ferry, 
which  fell  to  our  honored  mother  Susanna 
Tompkins,  deceased,  and  also  the  Beach 
of  the  northward  of  said  Ferry  as  far  as 
to  take  in  a  small  wharf  called  the  Horse 
Wharf."  He  married  Susannah  Turner, 
daughter  of  Dr.  Turner,  died  December 
26,  1782.  Children:  Henry,  born  Septem- 
ber 19,  1716;  Joseph,  mentioned  else- 
where; George,  mentioned  below;  Mary, 
born  August  13,  1727,  died  November  20, 
1774;  Elizabeth,  July  9,  1730;  James,  May 
22,  1734,  died  August  27,  1762;  Susanna, 
May  14,  1736. 

(Ill)  George  Brightman,  third  son  of 
Joseph  and  Susannah  (Turner)  Bright- 
man,  born  September  16,  1721,  married,, 
October  18,  1744,  at  Newport,  Hannah 
Peckham,  born  October  13,  1728,  in  Little 
Compton,  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Eliza- 
beth (Wilbur)  Peckham,  of  that  town 
(see  Peckham  V). 


(IV)  George  (2)  Brightman,  son  of 
George  (1)  and  Hannah  (Peckham) 
Brightman,  was  born  before  1750,  in 
Freetown,  and  lived  in  that  town  in  what 
is  now  Fall  River,  where  he  was  a  farmer, 
and  an  extensive  landowner.  By  trade 
he  was  a  tailor,  and  he  followed  this  occu- 
pation in  connection  with  agriculture. 
He  made  his  home  there  until  his  death. 
He  married  Hannah  Daggett.  Children: 
Elizabeth  (Betsey),  born  March  9,  1785, 
married  Henry  Gibb;  Edmund,  July  10, 
1786,  married  Betsey  Southwick;  Han- 
nah, April  1,  1788,  married  Gardner 
Brightman ;  Susannah,  December  2,  1789, 
married  Joseph  Brightman  ;  Nathan,  Jan- 
uary 20,  1792,  married  (first)  Hannah 
Elsbree,  (second)  Sally  Davis;  Henry, 
December  13,  1793,  died  unmarried; 
Lydia,  October  10,  1796,  married  Mr. 
Pierce;  George,  March  11,  1799,  died  un- 
married; Bradford,  mentioned  below; 
Lucy,  February  21,  1805,  married  a  Mr. 
Paine. 

(V)  Bradford  Brightman,  fifth  son  of 
George  (2)  and  Hannah  (Daggett) 
Brightman,  born  May  1,  1801,  in  what 
is  now  Fall  River,  grew  to  manhood  upon 
the  farm,  and  became  one  of  the  largest 
landowners  of  the  neighborhood.  He  was 
also  a  surveyor,  and  was  one  of  the  best 
known  agriculturists  of  that  section, 
where  he  passed  his  life  and  died.  His 
body  was  deposited  in  Oak  Grove  Ceme- 
tery at  Fall  River.  He  married  (first) 
Roda  Wardell,  daughter  of  Benjamin 
Wardell,  of  Westport.  He  married  (sec- 
ond) in  1840,  Temperance  LeBaron 
Thomas,  born  December  9,  1824,  in 
Middleboro,  Massachusetts.  She  is  now 
living  in  Fall  River,  in  the  full  possession 
of  her  faculties,  and  very  active  in  the 
work  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
of  which  she  has  been  a  member  for 
nearly  three-quarters  of  a  century.  She 
still  retains  the  Brightman  farm  in  Free- 


306 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


town,  but  since  1S94  has  lived  in  the  city 
of  Fall  River.  Children  of  first  marriage  : 
Henry,  deceased  ;  Richmond  ;  Lydia,  de- 
ceased ;  Jane,  deceased;  Leander,  de- 
ceased. The  children  of  Bradford  and 
Temperance  LeBaron  (Thomas)  Bright- 
man  were:  1.  Phebe  Augusta,  now  de- 
ceased. 2.  Abraham  Shadrach,  who  died 
in  the  Civil  War.  3.  Ellen  Minerva,  born 
March  16,  1847,  who  married  (first)  Mar- 
cus H.  Gurney,  and  they  had  three  chil- 
dren, namely:  (a)  Leonard  Bradford, 
born  October  24,  1865,  who  died  March 
15,  1888;  (b)  Abraham  Shadrach  Le- 
Baron, born  February  24,  1867,  married 
Etta  Stanton,  and  they  had  three  chil- 
dren, namely :  Abraham  LeBaron  Gur- 
ney, born  January  20,  1899,  and  two  who 
died  in  infancy;  and  (c)  Nellie  Prince, 
born  March  1,  1871,  who  died  May  9, 
1887.  She  married  (second)  William 
Jeff,  and  to  this  union  were  born  two 
sons,  namely :  (d)  Harry  Wolcott,  born 
August  6,  1879,  married,  June  5  1906, 
Bessie  Briggs,  and  they  have  one  daugh- 
ter, Helen  LeBaron  Jeff,  born  May  27, 
1907;  and  (e)  Gordon  Peter,  born  Janu- 
ary 12,  1885,  married,  January  17,  1906, 
Elizabeth  Munroe,  and  to  this  union  was 
born  one  son,  Bradford  W.  Jeff,  who  died 
in  infancy.  4.  Temperance  Henrietta, 
born  June  30,  1849,  died  April  13,  1896; 
married  Gustavus  Leroy  Barrows,  and 
they  had  one  daughter,  Phebe  Lillian, 
born  December  22,  1868,  who  married, 
September  22,  1887,  Gardner  Leslie  Brad- 
ford, and  they  have  two  children,  namely : 
Nellie  Alvaro,  born  January  9,  1888,  and 
Leroy  LeBaron  Bradford,  born  May  21, 
1898.     5.  Elizabeth,  who  died  in  infancy. 

(The  Peckham  Line). 

(I)  John  Peckham  is  first  found  in 
Newport,  Rhode  Island,  in  1638.  As  he 
was  associated  with  several  who  sup- 
ported Anne  Hutchinson,  it  is  thought 
that  he  may  have  come  with  the  Hutchin- 


son party  on  the  ship  "Griffin,"  but  his 
name  has  not  been  found  on  any  passen- 
ger list  or  on  the  Boston  records.  In 
religion  he  was  a  Baptist.  His  lands 
were  allotted  along  with  those  of  William 
Freeborn,  John  Coggeshall  and  other  first 
settlers  of  the  Island  of  Aquidneck  in 
1638.  On  May  20,  1638,  he  was  admitted 
an  inhabitant  of  Newport,  and  in  1640  the 
bounds  of  his  lands  were  established  in 
the  part  of  Newport  which  later  became 
Middletown.  Before  1700  he  and  hfs 
sons  owned  much  land;  in  1660  they 
were  among  the  proprietors  of  the  Petta- 
quamscot  purchase;  in  1661  they  were 
proprietors  in  the  Westerly  purchase; 
and  in  1677  they  were  proprietors  in  the 
East  Greenwich  purchase.  They  also  had 
a  tract  one  mile  square  in  Little  Compton, 
where  they  built  a  house  in  1640  which 
stood  for  two  hundred  years ;  six  genera- 
tions of  the  family  were  born  in  this 
house.  They  also  owned  land  in  Dart- 
mouth, Massachusetts.  He  was  made 
freeman,  March  16,  1641,  and  in  1648  he 
was  one  of  the  ten  male  members  in  full 
communion  in  the  first  Baptist  church  of 
Newport.  His  second  wife,  Eleanor,  was 
baptized  in  1648.  "Mary  Clarke,  now  de- 
ceased, sometime  the  wife  of  John  Peck- 
ham," is  mentioned  in  the  deed  of  May 
30,  165 1,  which  mentioned  land  given  her 
before  1644;  she  was  born  in  1607.  The 
date  of  the  second  marriage  and  of  his 
death  are  unknown,  as  well  as  the  last 
name  of  his  second  wife.  It  is  thought 
that  John,  Thomas  and  William  were  by 
the  first  wife,  the  others  by  the  second 
wife.  Children  :  John,  mentioned  below  ; 
Thomas,  lived  in  Newport,  Rhode  Island  ; 
William,  born  1647;  Rebecca:  Stephen; 
James  ;  Clement ;  Deborah  ;  Phebe,  1666 ; 
Elizabeth  ;   Susannah  ;   Sarah. 

(II)  John  (2)  Peckham,  eldest  child  of 
John  (1)  and  Mary  (Clarke)  Peckham, 
was  born  about  1645,  and  resided  on  the 
paternal  estate  in  Little  Compton,  where 


307 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


he  died  before  1712,  was  one  of  the  origi- 
nal proprietors  of  Greenwich,  Rhode 
Island,  in  1677.  He  married,  in  1667, 
Sarah  Newport.  Children :  Elizabeth, 
born  September  17,  1668;  John,  men- 
tioned below;  Mary,  September  30,  1674; 
Reuben,  February  3,  1676;  Peleg,  De- 
cember 11,  1677;  Joseph,  March  8,  1679; 
Sarah,  died  young;  Timothy,  born  Au- 
gust 5,  1681 ;  Benjamin,  June  9,  1684; 
Isaac,  April  11,  1688;  Sarah,  June  26, 
1690. 

(III)  John  (3)  Peckham,  eldest  son 
of  John  (2)  and  Sarah  (Newport)  Peck- 
ham,  was  born  June  9,  1673,  m  Little 
Compton,  inherited  the  paternal  farm 
there,  on  which  he  lived,  and  died  De- 
cember 4,  1722.  He  married,  in  1695, 
Mary,  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Margaret 
Bennett,  of  Newport,  who  died  in  1756. 
Children:  John,  born  July  27,  1696; 
Lydia,  May  8,  1698;  Joseph,  mentioned 
below;  Mary,  October  3,  1704;  Mary, 
June  30,  1707;  Ruth,  1710;  Reuben,  died 
1736. 

(IV)  Joseph  Peckham,  second  son  of 
John  (3)  and  Mary  (Bennett)  Peckham, 
was  born  February  18,  1701,  in  Little 
Compton,  and  lived  on  the  paternal  farm 
there,  where  he  died  October  8,  1780.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Society  of  Friends. 
He  married  (first)  November  5,  1723, 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Mary 
(Potter)  Wilbur,  born  December  23, 1702. 
He  married  (second)  December  7,  1752. 
Anne,  widow  of  Jacob  Gould,  daughter 
of  John  and  Barbara  Slocum.  Children : 
Mary,  born  November  28,  1724;  Eliza- 
beth, August  20,  1726 ;  Hannah,  men- 
tioned below;  John,  September  30,  1733; 
Samuel,  November  20,  1735;  Ruth,  1737; 
Sarah,  1739;   Rhode,  1741  ;  Reuben,  1743. 

(V)  Hannah  Peckham,  third  daughter 
of  Joseph  and  Elizabeth  (Wilbur)  Peck- 
ham, was  born  October  13,  1728,  in  Little 
Compton,  and  became  the  wife  of  George 


Brightman,  of  Freetown  (see  Brightman 
III). 

(The  LeBaron  Line). 

(I)  Francis  LeBaron,  of  whom  the 
first  record  evidence  in  this  country  is  in 
the  records  of  Plymouth  at  the  time  of 
his  marriage,  according  to  family  tradi- 
tion came  to  New  England  in  this  wise: 
A  French  privateer,  fitted  out  at  Bor- 
deaux and  cruising  on  the  American  coast, 
was  wrecked  in  Buzzards  Bay;  the  crew 
were  taken  prisoners  and  carried  to  Bos- 
ton ;  in  passing  through  Plymouth,  the 
surgeon,  Francis  LeBaron,  was  detained 
by  sickness,  and  on  his  recovery  per- 
formed a  surgical  operation  so  success- 
fully that  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  pe- 
titioned the  executive,  Lieutenant  Gov- 
ernor Stoughton,  for  his  release,  that  he 
might  settle  among  them.  The  petition 
was  granted,  and  he  practiced  his  pro- 
fession in  that  town  and  vicinity  until  the 
time  of  his  death. 

Dr.  Francis  LeBaron  was  born  in  1668, 
in  France,  and  died  August  8,  1704,  in 
Plymouth,  Massachusetts.  He  came  to 
New  England  as  above  narrated  and  mar- 
ried, September  6,  1695,  Mary  Wilder, 
born  April  7,  1668,  daughter  of  Edward 
and  Elizabeth  (Eames)  Wilder,  of  Hing- 
ham.  Edward  Wilder,  of  Hingham,  was 
the  son  of  Thomas  and  Martha  Wilder, 
of  Shiplake,  Oxfordshire,  England.  He 
was  in  Hingham,  Massachusetts  Bay,  in 
November,  1638,  on  the  arrival  of  his 
mother  from  England  in  the  ship  "Con- 
fidence," from  the  port  of  Southampton. 
After  the  death  of  Francis  LeBaron  his 
widow  married  (second)  Return  Waite, 
born  1678,  in  Boston,  died  in  Plymouth, 
October  3,  1751.  Children  of  Dr.  Francis 
LeBaron:  James,  mentioned  below  ;  Laza- 
rus, born  December  26,  1698;  Francis, 
June  13,  1701. 

(II)  James,  eldest  child  of  Francis  and 
Mary  (Wilder)   LeBaron,  born  May  23, 


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ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1696,  in  Plymouth,  Massachusetts,  died 
May  10,  1744.  He  was  a  farmer,  and  re- 
sided on  the  farm  in  Middleboro,  which 
had  been  bequeathed  to  him  by  his  father, 
Francis,  in  his  will.  He  married,  No- 
vember 3,  1720,  Martha  Benson,  of 
Middleboro,  Massachusetts,  who  married 
(second)  May  15,  1745,  William  Parker. 
Children:  James,  born  December  22, 
1721,  died  September  16,  1725;  John, 
mentioned  below;  James,  December  10, 
1726;  Joshua,  October  10,  1729;  Martha, 
April  9,  1732,  died  young;  Francis,  De- 
cember 20,  1732,  died  July  8,  1761  ;  Mary, 
August  9,  1737;  David,  April  27,  1740; 
Lydia,  January  26,  1743,  died  young. 

(III)  John,  second  son  of  James  and 
Martha  (Benson)  LeBarcn,  was  born 
April  2,  1724,  died  August  1,  1801,  and 
held  a  part  of  his  father's  farm  in  Middle- 
boro, Massachusetts,  where  he  resided. 
He  married,  February  23,  1748,  Mary 
Raymond,  of  Middleboro,  who  died 
March  23,  1791.  Children:  Abiezer,  born 
July  4,  1749,  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution; 
John,  April  10,  1750;  Zebulon,  December 
6,  1752;  Eunice,  November  4,  1761  ; 
Joshua,  November  6,  1763,  died  August 
4,  1793;  Levi,  mentioned  below;  Chloe, 
August  8,  1773;   Mary,  July  9,  1775. 

(IV)  Levi,  son  of  John  and  Mary 
(Raymond)  LeBaron,  born  October  14, 
1765,  lived  in  Middleboro,  and  died  July 
20,  1820.  He  married,  August  12,  1787, 
Temperance  Morse,  born  August  12,  1767, 
died  August  28,  1829.  Children:  John, 
born  October  18,  1788;  Ziba,  December 
27,  1789;  Waitstill,  January  30,  1792; 
Joshua,  March  1,  1794;  Temperance, 
April  17,  1796,  died  June  16,  1801  ;  Eliza- 
beth Clark,  mentioned  below ;  Temper- 
ance, March  21,  1801 ;  Levi,  June  2,  1803, 
died  young;  Mary,  April  26,  1806,  died 
unmarried,  November  27,  1833;  Lucy, 
July  20,  1807,  died  unmarried,  July  23, 
1832. 

(V)  Elizabeth  Clark,  daughter  of  Levi 


and  Temperance  (Morse)  LeBaron,  was 
born  September  21,  1798,  and  married, 
January  27,  1820,  Abraham  (2)  Thomas, 
of  Middleboro  (see  Thomas  VII). 

(The  Thomas  Line). 

(I)  William  Thomas,  said  to  have  been 
of  Welsh  descent,  and  one  of  the  mer- 
chant adventurers  of  London,  came  from 
Yarmouth,  England,  in  the  "Marye  and 
Ann"  in  1637,  and  settled  in  Marshfield, 
Massachusetts,  with  his  son  Nathaniel. 
He  was  assistant  deputy  governor  in 
1642-50;  member  of  the  council  of  war 
in  1643;  and  died  August,  1651,  aged 
seventy-eight  years. 

(II)  Nathaniel  Thomas,  son  of  Wil- 
liam Thomas,  born  in  1606,  came  over 
with  his  father,  bringing  with  him  his 
wife  and  son  William.  He  commanded 
one  of  the  watches  against  the  Indians  in 
1643;  was  one  of  the  volunteers  of  the 
Pequot  expedition  in  1643 !  was  com- 
missioned ensign  of  the  Marshfield  com- 
pany of  the  Colonial  troops  and  later 
captain,  and  in  1654  succeeded  Miles 
Standish  in  command.  He  had  children 
besides  William :  Nathaniel,  mentioned 
below ;  Mary,  married  Captain  Symon 
Ray  ;  Elizabeth  ;  Dorothy ;  Jeremiah  ; 
Dorothy. 

(III)  Nathaniel  (2)  Thomas,  son  of 
Nathaniel  (1)  Thomas,  was  born  in  1643. 
He  married  (first)  in  Hingham,  Massa- 
chusetts, February  n,  1664,  Deborah, 
daughter  of  Nicholas  and  Mary  Jacob, 
baptized  November  26,  1643,  m  Hing- 
ham. He  married  (second)  Elizabeth, 
widow  of  William  Condy,  whose  maiden 
name  was  Dolbery.  The  only  child  re- 
corded in  Hingham  is  the  next  mentioned. 

(IV)  William  Thomas,  son  of  Na- 
thaniel (2)  and  Deborah  (Jacob)  Thomas, 
was  baptized  October  3,  1675,  in  Hing- 
ham, and  was  one  of  the  proprietors  of 
Middleboro,  Massachusetts,  in   1695. 

(V)  Deacon  Benjamin  Thomas,  son  of 


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ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


William  Thomas,  was  many  years  deacon 
of  the  First  Congregational  Church  of 
Middleboro.  He  married  Elizabeth 
Churchill,  born  November  15,  1725, 
daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Mary 
(Shaw)  Churchill,  granddaughter  of 
William  Churchill,  whose  father  was 
John  Churchill  (see  early  generations  of 
Churchill  family,  elsewhere  in  this  work). 

(VI)  Abraham  Thomas,  son  of  Dea- 
con Benjamin  and  Elizabeth  (Churchill) 
Thomas,  born  in  Middleboro,  was  a 
farmer  and  carpenter,  making  his  home 
at  Fall  Brook,  in  the  town  of  Middleboro, 
where  he  died.  His  body  reposes  in  the 
Cemetery  at  the  Green,  in  Middleboro. 
He  married  Nancy  Dunham,  and  had 
children :  Nancy  Jane,  who  married 
Joseph  Standish,  a  direct  descendant  of 
Myles  Standish ;  Abraham ;  Betsey ; 
Eveline,  who  married  Ivery  Sears;  Al- 
mira ;  Watson ;  Davis ;  and  Jane,  who 
married  Stephen  Thomas. 

(VII)  Abraham  (2)  Thomas,  son  of 
Abraham  (1)  and  Nancy  (Dunham) 
Thomas,  was  born  in  1798,  in  Middle- 
boro, and  died  May  16,  1880,  aged  eighty- 
two  years.  He  was  educated  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  and  Pierce  Academy  of  Mid- 
dleboro. During  the  War  of  1812  he  en- 
listed as  a  substitute  soldier,  and  was  sta- 
tioned at  the  Gurnet  at  Plymouth.  He 
saw  no  service,  as  peace  was  declared 
within  a  short  time  after  he  entered  the 
army.  For  many  years  his  widow  re- 
ceived a  pension  on  account  of  his  enlist- 
ment. He  lived  on  a  part  of  the  paternal 
homestead,  but  was  chiefly  occupied  as  a 
carpenter.  He  built  a  house  and  made 
other  improvements  on  the  land,  where 
he  died  at  the  age  of  ninety-eight  years. 
His  body  reposes  in  the  Cemetery  at  the 
Green  at  Middleboro.  He  was  a  well- 
read  man,  of  very  temperate  habits,  a 
good  citizen ;  an  active  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  of  which  he 
was  a  trustee  and  teacher  in  the  Sunday 


school.  He  married,  January  27,  1820, 
Elizabeth  Clark  LeBaron,  born  Septem- 
ber 2,  1799,  died  May  27,  1892,  aged 
ninety-two  years,  and  was  buried  in  the 
family  lot  at  the  Green.  She  was  a 
daughter  of  Levi  and  Temperance 
(Morse)  LeBaron.  She  was  a  member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  a 
faithful  Christian  woman  and  devoted 
mother.  Children:  1.  Elizabeth  Augusta, 
born  September  8  1820,  married  Loring 
Thomas,  of  Middeboro.  2.  Abraham 
Foster,  born  September  14,  1821,  died 
in  California.  3.  Temperance  LeBaron, 
mentioned  below.  4.  Cephas,  born  Sep- 
tember 16,  1827,  died  at  sea.  5.  Lucinda 
Wood,  born  March  1,  1830,  died  in  in- 
fancy. 6.  Leander  Lord,  born  October 
4.  1832,  died  young.  7.  Lucinda  Maria, 
born  April  10,  1836,  married  Franklin 
Sherman.  8.  Angela  Georgianna,  born 
March  15,  1838,  died  in  Taunton,  Massa- 
chusetts, while  on  a  visit,  January  19, 
1916;  married  (first)  Sumner  Smith, 
(second)  William  E.  Petty.  9.  Franklin 
Hallett,  born  October  9,  1839,  died  young. 
10.  George  Brightman,  born  October  10, 
1840.  11.  Benjamin  Franklin  Hallet.born 
March    18,    1844,   died  young. 

(VIII)  Temperance  LeBaron  Thomas, 
second  daughter  of  Abraham  (2)  and 
Elizabeth  C.  (LeBaron)  Thomas,  was 
born  December  9,  1824,  in  Middleboro, 
and  was  married,  in  1840,  to  Bradford 
Brightman,  of  Fall  River  (see  Brightman 
V). 


MANCHESTER  Family, 

The  family  of  Manchester  has  been  long 
identified  with  Rhode  Island  and  South- 
eastern Massachusetts,  furnishing  pio- 
neers in  the  former  State,  and  is  still  as- 
sociated with  both  in  a  worthy  manner. 

(I)  Thomas  Manchester  was  in  Ports- 
mouth, Rhode  Island,  as  early  as  1654, 
and  died  there  after  July  9,  1691.    He  had 


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ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


a  grant  of  eight  acres,  December  10,  1657, 
and  owned  land  in  the  town  of  Tiverton, 
where  one  or  more  of  his  sons  settled. 
He  owned  one  three-hundredth  part  of 
Cononicut  and  Dutch  islands,  which  he 
sold  July  6,  1658,  and  deeded  his  home- 
stead in  Portsmouth  to  his  son  John,  July 
9,  1691.  He  married  Margaret  Wood, 
daughter  of  John  Wood,  who  died  in  1655, 
in  Portsmouth,  and  they  had  children : 
Thomas,  who  settled  in  Portsmouth ; 
William  ;  John ;  George  ;  Stephen  ;  Job, 
settled  in  Dartmouth,  Massachusetts; 
Mary;   Elizabeth. 

(II)  William  Manchester,  son  of  Thom- 
as and  Margaret  (Wood)  Manchester, 
was  born  in  1654,  in  Portsmouth,  was 
made  freeman  in  1675,  and  was  one  of 
the  first  settlers  in  Tiverton,  in  1692, 
when  the  town  was  organized.  There  he 
died  in  1718.  He  had  five  of  the  thirty 
shares  in  lands  at  Pocasset,  purchased  by 
eight  individuals  for  £1,100,  and  figured 
often  in  land  transfers.  The  inventory 
of  his  estate  amounted  to  £1,586,  includ- 
ing much  live  stock,  and  realty  valued  at 
£1,200.  He  married  Mary,  daughter  of 
John  and  Mary  (Borden)  Cook,  and  they 
had  children  :  John,  William.  Mary,  Sarah, 
Deborah,  Elizabeth,  Margaret,  Amey,  Su- 
sannah, Rebecca,  and  Thomas. 

(III)  John  Manchester,  eldest  child  of 
William  and  Mary  (Cook)  Manchester, 
lived  in  Tiverton,  where  he  received 
lands,  housing  and  other  property  by  his 
father's  will.  He  married,  July  22,  1719, 
Phebe  Gray,  born  September  6,  1699,  in 
Tiverton,  daughter  of  Edward  (2)  and 
Mary  (Smith)  Gray,  granddaughter  of 
Edward  (1)  and  Dorothy  (Lettice)  Gray, 
pioneers  of  Rhode  Island.  Children: 
William,  mentioned  below :  Philip,  born 
February  11,  1722;  John,  February  12, 
1724;  Mary,  January  23,  1726;  John, 
April  17,  1728;  Peleg.  about  1730;  Isaac, 
June  27,  1 73 1. 

(IV)  William  (2)  Manchester.eldest  child 


of  John  and  Phebe  (Gray)  Manchester, 
was  born  September  9,  1720,  in  Tiverton, 
and  married  there,  October  7,  1742,  Re- 
becca Cook,  born  March  21,  1722,  in 
Newport,  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Han- 
nah (Peabody)  Cook.  Children:  Phebe, 
born  July  21,  1743;  Gilbert,  mentioned 
below;  Godfrey,  September  19,  1746; 
Rhody,  May  11,  1748;  John,  mentioned 
below;  Alice,  May  21,  1753;  Thaddeus, 
January  1,  1756;  Priscilla,  November  28, 
1761. 

(V)  Gilbert  Manchester,  eldest  son  of 
William  and  Rebecca  (Cook)  Manches- 
ter, was  born  April  9,  1745,  in  Tiverton, 
and  made  his  home  in  that  town.  He 
was  a  lieutenant  in  a  regiment  from  New- 
port and  Bristol  counties  in  1775.  He 
married  in  Tiverton,  about  1767,  Mercy 
Durfee,  born  March  II,  1745,  in  Tiverton, 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Mercy  (Durfee) 
Durfee,  of  that  town.  Children  :  Eliphal, 
born  December  13,  1768;  James,  men- 
tioned below. 

(VI)  Captain  James  Manchester,  sec- 
ond son  of  Gilbert  and  Mercy  (Durfee) 
Manchester,  was  born  June  6,  1781,  in 
Tiverton,  and  married  there,  July  20, 
1803,  Hannah  Almy,  of  Little  Compton, 
born  March  20,  1785,  in  that  town,  daugh- 
ter of  Lieutenant  Sanford  and  Lydia 
(Brown)  Almy.  Children:  Almira,  men- 
tioned below;  Diana,  born  June  19,  1806; 
Lavinia,  January  29,  1808;  Emeline,  June 
26,  1809. 

(VII)  Almira  Manchester,  eldest  child 
of  Captain  James  and  Hannah  (Almy) 
Manchester,  was  born  January  13.  1804, 
and  was  married,  December  29,  1822,  to 
Abraham  (3)  Brown,  of  Tiverton,  Rhode 
Island. 

(V)  John  Manchester,  third  son  of 
William  and  Rebecca  (Cook)  Manches- 
ter, was  born  November  7.  1749,  in  Tiver- 
ton, and  probably  removed  from  the  town 
after  his  second  marriage.  He  married 
(first)  in  Tiverton,  in  March,  1771,  Sarah 


3ii 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Bailey,  and  they  had  children :  George, 
born  May  28,  1772;  Cornelius,  1773; 
William  Cook,  January  10,  1775  ;  Loring, 
December,  1781.  He  married  (second) 
Mary  Brayton,  of  Tiverton,  born  there, 
December  28,  1757,  daughter  of  David 
and  Deborah  (Borden)  Brayton,  of  that 
town.  David  Brayton,  born  August  1, 
1720,  was  a  son  of  Benjamin  and  Mary 
(Butts)  Brayton,  and  grandson  of  Fran- 
cis (2)  and  Mary  (Irish)  Brayton.  Fran- 
cis (2)  Brayton,  who  died  in  1718,  was  a 
son  of  Francis  (1)  Brayton,  whose  his- 
tory is  given  at  length  elsewhere  in  this 
work. 

(VI)  Benjamin  Manchester,  son  of 
John  and  Mary  (Brayton)  Manchester, 
was  born  about  1788-89,  in  Tiverton,  and 
was  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812.  He 
probably  resided  in  that  part  of  Tiverton 
which  is  now  Fall  River,  and  for  some 
time  followed  seafaring  life,  engaged  in 
the  coast-wise  trade.  Subsequently  he 
became  a  land  owner  in  the  town  of  Fall 
River.  By  trade  he  was  a  mason,  and 
helped  to  erect  the  fort  at  Newport.  His 
home  was  on  South  Main  street,  Fall 
River,  where  he  died  January  10,  1864, 
and  was  buried  in  Oak  Grove  Cemetery, 
Fall  River.  He  married  Lusanna  Cook, 
born  September  7,  1792,  in  Tiverton, 
daughter  of  Abner  and  Elizabeth  Frances 
Cook,  of  that  town.  She  died  at  her  home 
in  Fall  River,  August  28,  1854,  and  was 
buried  in  Oak  Grove  Cemetery,  beside 
her  husband.  Children :  Silas ;  Andrew ; 
Abram  ;  Delany,  married  James  W.  Dun- 
lap  ;  Almira,  married  Lemuel  Terry; 
Rhoda,  married  John  F.  Cook ;  Nancy, 
married  Reuben  H.  Downing ;  Benjamin 
Franklin;  Alexander;  Mary  Ann,  died 
unmarried;  Stephen;  Lusanna,  mentioned 
below ;  James  Andrew,  mentioned  below. 

(VII)  James  Andrew  Manchester, 
youngest  child  of  Benjamin  and  Lusanna 
(Cook)  Manchester,  resided  in  Fall  River, 
where  he  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Eli- 


sha  Davis,  of  that  town.  Children:  An- 
drew ;  Norman ;  Charles ;  Arthur ;  Ed- 
ward Everett;  Abram;  Frank;  Jessie, 
married  Joseph  M.  Darling;  Hattie,  mar- 
ried Charles  Norton;  Emma,  married 
Theodore  Haskell ;  Lillian,  married  Harry 
Casey. 

(VII)  Lusanna  Manchester,  daughter 
of  Benjamin  and  Lusanna  (Cook)  Man- 
chester, is  the  only  member  of  the  family 
now  living,  and  resides  on  the  old  home- 
stead on  South  Main  street,  Fall  River. 
She  is  an  esteemed  and  respected  mem- 
ber of  society,  and  is  much  devoted  to 
the  cherishing  of  ancient  standards  and 
memory.  She  may  be  justly  proud  of  a 
line  of  worthy  ancestors. 


BAKER,  Charles  F., 

Manufacturer,  Esteemed  Citizen. 

On  account  of  the  large  number  of 
early  immigrants  named  Baker  and  the 
similarity  of  their  children's  baptismal 
names,  no  family  is  more  difficult  to  trace. 
But  little  has  been  discovered  about  the 
relationship  of  the  immigrants.  Before 
1650  Alexander  Baker  settled  at  Glouces- 
ter, Massachusetts;  Edward  Baker,  at 
Lynn ;  Francis  Baker,  at  Boston ;  John 
Baker,  of  Charleston ;  Launcelot  Baker, 
of  Boston  ;  Nathaniel  Baker,  of  Water- 
town  ;  Rev.  Nicholas  Baker,  of  Hing- 
ham ;  Richard  Baker,  of  Dorchester ; 
Robert  Baker,  of  Salem ;  Thomas  Baker, 
of  Roxbury ;  Walter  Baker,  of  Salem ; 
William  Baker,  of  Plymouth ;  and  Wil- 
liam Baker,  of  Charlestown.  Doubtless 
there  were  others,  and  John  Baker  ap- 
pears in  the  list  of  children  in  many  of 
the  families.  The  coat-of-arms  of  this 
family  is  given  as  follows:  Azure  on  a 
fesse  between  three  swans'  heads  erased 
or,  and  ducally  gorged  gules,  as  many 
cinquefoils  of  the  last.  Crest:  An  arm 
embowed  habited  with  green  leaves,  in 
the  hand  proper  a  swan's  head  erased  or. 


312 


&furfj  $*Jjs> 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


(I)  John  Baker,  the  progenitor  of  this 
family,  lived  at  Swansea  and  Rehoboth, 
Massachusetts,  part  of  which  was  after- 
wards Barrington,  Rhode  Island.  Swan- 
sea was  set  off  from  Rehoboth  in  1667 
and  Barrington  from  Swansea  in  1717. 
He  or  his  son  of  the  same  name,  John 
Baker,  was  one  of  the  proprietors  of  Bar- 
rington in  1719-20,  when  he  appears  in 
a  list  of  proprietors.  He  was  a  soldier  in 
King  Philip's  War  as  shown  by  a  deed 
from  his  son,  John,  to  his  eldest  son,  Wil- 
liam, October  13,  1745.  As  a  veteran  of 
the  Narrangansett  War  he  became  an 
owner  of  a  right  in  the  township  called 
Narragansett  No.  4.  He  probably  died 
before  the  grant  was  made,  however. 
This  grant  became  Greenwich,  formerly 
Ouabaug,  Massachusetts,  and  the  name 
of  his  son  John  as  his  heir  to  the  right  ap- 
pears in  the  list  of  the  early  proprietors. 
John  (2)  Baker,  son  of  the  soldier,  deeded 
to  his  eldest  son  William,  his  right  in 
Township  No.  4,  given  to  his  father  for 
service  in  1675  in  the  Narragansett  War, 
"being  the  eldest  son  of  and  only  sur- 
viving male  heir  the  right  fell  to  me." 

(II)  John  (2)  Baker,  only  surviving 
son  of  John  (1)  Baker,  was  born  about 
1685,  in  Swansea,  now  Barrington,  Rhode 
Island,  and  died  in  1767.  He  married, 
June  17,  1714,  Susanna  Wood,  daughter 
of  Henry  and  Abigail  Wood.  They  re- 
sided in  Barrington  (Massachusetts  and 
Rhode  Island)  then  part  of  Rehoboth. 
Their  children,  the  first  two  recorded  in 
Barrington  and  the  others  in  Rehoboth, 
were:  William,  born  August  18,  1715 ; 
Susanna,  February  3,  1718;  John,  August 
26,  1720;  Hannah,  December  18,  1722; 
Nathaniel,  mentioned  below;  Bathsheba, 
February  16,  1729;  Penelope,  September 
9.  T73x :  Joseph,  October  14,  1734;  Ben- 
jamin, February  1,  1737;  and  Rebecca, 
March  12,  1740. 

(III)  Nathaniel  Baker,  son  of  John  (2) 
and  Susanna    (Wood)    Baker,  was  born 


July  9,  1725,  in  Rehoboth,  and  died  there 
September  23.  1807,  where  he  made  his 
home.  He  married,  September  13,  1750, 
Experience  Hix,  who  died  in  1823.  Their 
children,  all  born  in  Rehoboth,  were: 
Sarah,  born  March  8.  1752;  Joseph,  men- 
tioned below;  Samuel,  December  13, 
1754;  Nathaniel, October 29, 1756;  James, 
March  25,  1759;  Experience,  July  26, 
1761,  and  Susanna,  May  5,  1763. 

(IV)  Joseph  Baker,  eldest  son  of  Na- 
thaniel and  Experience  (Hix)  Baker,  was 
born  December  10,  1753,  in  Rehoboth, 
and  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier.  He 
was  a  private  in  Captain  Stephen  Bul- 
lock's company,  of  Colonel  Thomas  Car- 
penter's regiment,  which  marched  to 
Bristol  on  an  alarm,  December  8,  1776, 
service  fourteen  days.  Joseph  Baker  was 
also  a  private  in  Captain  Peleg  Peck's 
company,  of  Swansea,  Colonel  George 
Williams'  regiment,  which  marched  on  a 
secret  expedition  to  Rhode  Island,  Sep- 
tember 29,  1777,  under  Major-General 
Spencer,  discharged  December  30,  of  the 
same  year,  service  one  month  and  one 
day  in  Tiverton ;  also  a  corporal  in  Cap- 
tain Josiah  Keith's  company.  Colonel 
John  Daggett's  regiment,  which  marched 
on  an  alarm  at  Rhode  Island  August  25, 
and  was  discharged  September  3,  1778. 
Joseph  Baker  died  October  24,  1840.  He 
married,  in  Rehoboth,  July  14,  1776,  Ro- 
sanna  Mason,  daughter  of  John  and 
Sarah  (Gardiner)  Mason,  of  Swansea 
(see  Mason  IV).  She  died  March  10, 
1795,  and  he  married  (second)  November 
T9>  l797-  Nancy  Luther,  who  was  born 
in  1762,  in  Warren,  Rhode  Island,  daugh- 
ter of  Ebenezer  Luther.  She  died  Sep- 
tember 21,  1809.  Children  of  first  mar- 
riage: Joseph,  born  November  24,  1778: 
Susannah,  March  14,  1781  ;  Levi,  men- 
tioned below;  Nathan,  January  22,  1786; 
Hale,  November  24,  1787 ;  Rosanna,  April 
1,  1790;  Sarah,  July  19,  1792;  Hannah, 
February  2,  1795.  Children  of  second 
3 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


marriage:    Betsey,  born   March  8,   1801  ; 
and  Julian,  April  1,  1802. 

(V)  Levi  Baker,  second  son  of  Joseph 
and  Rosanna  (Mason)  Baker,  was  horn 
February  9,  1783,  and  died  October  27, 
1867.  He  married  in  Rehoboth,  March 
25,  1803,  Anna  Mace,  daughter  of  John 
Mace.  She  was  born  September  25,  1780, 
in  Swansea,  and  died  December  8,  1836. 
Their  children  were :  Caleb  W.,  born 
June  14,  1804;  Eliza,  January  31,  1806; 
Anna  Mace,  May  31,  1808,  married  James 
G.  West;  Charlotte  White,  June  13,  1811, 
married  James  Davis  ;  Lovice  Mace,  May 
11,  1814,  married  Ezra  Luther;  Emeline. 
April  13,  1817,  married  Asa  K.  Lilly; 
Cynthia  A.  B.,  October  7,  1820,  married 
James  H.  Brown  ;  and  Levi,  April  7,  1826. 
All  these  children  were  born  in  Swansea, 
excepting  the  first  three,  and  they  in 
Rehoboth,  Massachusetts. 

(VI)  Caleb  W.  Baker,  eldest  child  of 
Levi  and  Anna  (Mace)  Baker,  was  born 
June  14,  1804,  in  Rehoboth.  Massachu- 
setts, and  married,  October  27,  1826, 
Mary  Pike,  who  was  born  January  19, 
1804,  in  Swansea,  Massachusetts,  daugh- 
ter of  James  Pike.  Their  children,  all 
born  in  Swansea,  were:  Caleb  W.,  Jr., 
born  in  1827.  died  August  1, 1843;  George, 
July  17.  1829,  served  in  the  Civil  War, 
and  died  May,  1864;  William  S.,  June  17, 
183 1,  was  a  teacher  and  bookkeeper,  and 
died  June  1,  1906,  in  Taunton;  Maryette, 
September  19,  1834,  died  in  September, 
1895,  married  Edwin  Haskins.  of  Dighton, 
Massachusetts :  and  Charles  F.,  men- 
tioned below. 

(VII)  Charles  F.  Baker,  youngest 
child  of  Caleb  W.  and  Mary  (Pike) 
Baker,  was  born  January  10.  1837,  in 
Swansea,  Massachusetts,  and  as  a  boy 
had  only  limited  school  advantages,  as 
was  the  case  with  the  majority  of  the 
boys  of  his  day.  Removing  to  Dighton, 
Massachusetts,  with  his  parents  when 
but  a  mere  lad.  and  having  to  contribute 


to  the  support  of  the  family,  he  went  to 
work  in  the  cotton  mills  of  that  place 
when  but  seven  years  of  age.  Being  of 
an  ambitious  nature,  he  was  determined 
to  obtain  an  education,  and  attended  the 
evening  schools,  in  which  his  schooling 
was  largely  acquired.  He  was,  however, 
possessed  of  a  keen  intellect,  and  as  he 
grew  to  manhood  he  developed  a  wide 
observation  and  varied  experience,  gained 
through  a  long  and  very  successful  busi- 
ness career,  and  was  recognized  as  one 
of  the  best  informed  and  self-made  men 
of  Taunton,  in  which  city  he  was  so  well 
and  favorably  known  among  all  classes. 
As  a  young  man  he  learned  the  trade  of 
iron  molder,  and  for  a  number  of  years 
worked  at  his  trade  in  the  Taunton  Iron 
Works.  He  then  became  employed  at 
the  LTnion  Furnace,  operated  by  Wright 
&  Thomas,  later  becoming  a  partner  in 
this  concern.  In  a  few  years,  however, 
he  severed  his  connections  with  this  com- 
pany, and  became  the  senior  partner  of 
the  firm  of  Baker  &  Evans,  grocers,  at 
Weir  Village.  Following  this,  in  Janu- 
ary. 1879,  he  became  associated  with 
George  E.Wilbur  and  William  E.Walker, 
in  the  establishing  of  the  Weir  Stove 
Company,  and  all  being  practical  and  ex- 
perienced men  the  venture  proved  a  sur- 
prising success  from  the  start.  The  hard 
work  incident  to  the  developing  of  this 
business  was  equally  shared  by  the  part- 
ners, as  at  the  beginning  their  means 
were  limited  and  their  credit  yet  to  be 
established.  In  the  first  days  but  five 
men  were  employed,  but  to-day,  as  the 
largest  stove  foundry  in  New  England, 
over  five  hundred  practical  and  experi- 
enced mechanics  are  given  employment. 
Mr.  Baker  continued  actively  interested 
in  this  growing  and  successful  concern 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  at  his 
home  in  Taunton,  Massachusetts,  Octo- 
ber 8,  1899,  in  the  sixty-third  year  of  his 
age. 


314 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Mr.  Baker  was  a  man  respected  and 
esteemed  by  all  who  knew  him.  Of  few 
words,  modest  and  unassuming  in  de- 
meanor, but  ever  genial  and  courteous 
to  all  without  distinction,  he  was  a  man 
whom  it  was  a  genuine  pleasure  to  meet 
and  to  have  his  friendship.  His  sincere 
love  and  affection  for  his  home  and  his 
family  was  one  of  the  strong  and  most 
prominent  traits  of  his  splendid  character, 
but  perhaps  in  his  workshops  was  the 
most  solid  foundation  laid  for  tender 
memories  and  sincere  affection  among 
his  men.  In  him  his  workmen  felt  they 
always  had  a  lasting  friend,  and  to  them 
he  was  ever  the  same  thoughtful,  kind 
and  considerate  employer,  who  knew 
himself  what  it  was  to  labor  as  they  did. 
Environment  is  said  to  be  the  making  of 
a  man's  character  for  good  or  evil.  So 
is  reflected  upon  a  community,  be  it  large 
or  small,  the  life  of  an  individual.  If  the 
man  is  broadminded,  progressive  and 
energetic  there  must  follow  an  upbuild- 
ing that  will  outlast  the  mortal  career. 
Mr.  Baker's  life  was  full  of  effort,  and  no 
mean  proportion  of  his  means  was  de- 
voted to  the  poor.  His  careful  observ- 
ance of  the  rights  of  others  made  him 
beloved  not  only  by  those  who  immedi- 
ately surrounded  him  but  by  those  to 
whom  he  was  less  familiarly  known.  He 
was  a  plain,  matter-of-fact  business  man, 
but  in  his  business  and  social  life  were 
reflected  those  qualities  which  adorn 
character  and  enrich  citizenship.  Mr. 
Baker  left  behind  him  a  record  of  having 
lived  an  ideal  life  as  husband  and  father, 
citizen  and  employer,  which  may  well  be 
envied  and  which  has  left  its  impress 
upon  the  community.  In  political  faith 
he  was  a  Republican.  Mr.  Baker  was  an 
active  and  valued  member  of  the  Ma- 
sonic organization,  holding  membership 
in   Alfred   Baylies   Lodge,   Ancient   Free 


and  Accepted  Masons,  and  St.  Mark's 
Chapter,  Royal  Arch  Masons,  both  of 
Taunton,  and  of  St.  John's  Commandery, 
Knights  Templar,  of  Providence,  Rhode 
Island. 

Mr.  Baker  was  married  on  July  i,  1859, 
to  Abby  Oliver  Applegate,  who  was  born 
April  1,  1839,  and  died  August  26,  1893, 
daughter  of  Asher  and  Fannie  Maria 
(Presbrey)  Applegate  (see  Presbrey  V). 
Asher  Applegate  came  to  Taunton  from 
New  Jersey  when  a  young  man  and 
worked  in  the  Phoenix  Crucible  Works. 
The  Applegate  family  is  one  of  the  oldest 
settled  families  in  New  Jersey,  and  has 
been  prominently  identified  with  the  his- 
tory of  Monmouth  county  in  that  State 
from  the  earliest  period  of  its  settlement. 
There  were  many  in  this  family  bearing 
the  baptismal  name  of  Asher,  but  the 
most  diligent  search  by  various  members 
of  the  family  has  failed  to  discover  the 
parentage  of  the  Asher  Applegate  who 
came  from  Monmouth  county  to  Taun- 
ton. Mrs.  Baker  was  a  sincere  and  de- 
vout worshipper  with  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church.  Both  she  and  her 
husband  are  buried  in  Mt.  Pleasant 
Cemetery  at  Taunton.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Baker  were  born  four  daughters,  as  fol- 
lows: 1.  Clara  Maria,  born  November  6, 
1861,  who  married  William  Clarence 
Townsend,  a  well-known  business  man 
and  citizen  of  Taunton.  2.  Hattie  Moore, 
born  July  20,  1867,  married  Albert  Ed- 
wards Wilbur,  son  of  Joseph  E.  Wilbur, 
they  are  the  parents  of  two  sons,  namely: 
Wadsworth,  born  February  18,  1894,  and 
Charles  Baker  Wilbur,  born  September 
17,  1898.  3.  Fannie  Pike,  born  March 
24.  1870,  resides  in  Taunton,  unmarried. 
4.  Ethel  Grosvenor,  born  October  7, 1878, 
married  Russell  Colby  Paige,  of  Taunton, 
and  they  are  the  parents  of  one  son, 
Samuel  Colby  Paige,  born  October  5, 
1909. 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


(The  Presbrey  Line). 

(III)  Captain  John  Presbrey,  son  of 
William  (2)  (q.  v.)  and  Mary  (White) 
Presbrey,  was  born  about  1756,  and  was 
a  resident  of  Taunton,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  died,  and  from  which  town  he 
served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary 
War.  He  bore  the  title  of  captain.  He 
married  Prudence  Pratt,  who  died  June 
6,  1826.  Their  children  were:  John,  born 
July  14,  1785 ;  Prudence,  born  in  1788, 
died  June  5,  1828;  George,  who  died 
young. 

(IV)  John  (2)  Presbrey,  son  of  Cap- 
tain John  (1)  and  Prudence  (Pratt)  Pres- 
brey, was  born  in  Taunton,  July  14,  1785. 
He  married  (first)  February  17,  1805, 
Fannie  Soper,  and  (second)  March  25, 
1846,  Betsey  Fuller  Lothrop.  His  chil- 
dren were :  Fannie  Maria,  mentioned  be- 
low ;  Susan  Soper,  born  June  29,  1807, 
married  Benjamin  Cooper;  Eliza  Ann, 
February  9,  1809,  died  in  1824;  John  O., 
January  9,  181 1,  married  Abby  L.  God- 
frey ;  Caroline  Soper,  October  8,  1812, 
married  (first)  Silas  Dean  Presbrey,  and 
(second)  James  P.  Ellis;  Alexander 
Soper,  February  21,  1814,  died  young; 
Mary  Drake,  November  16,  1815,  married 
George  W.  Price ;  Alexander  Soper,  2d, 
September  24,  1817,  married  Amelia  A. 
Rounds ;  Emeline  Soper,  February  8, 
1820,  died  young;  Calvin  C,  July  1,  1821 ; 
Hannah,  October  11,  1822;  Ellen  Ann, 
October  11,  1824;  Edwin  Francis,  Octo- 
ber 23,  1825,  died  August  8,  1848;  Lydia 
Emeline,  October  12,  1827,  married  Wil- 
liam Gay  Hodges ;  James  Leonard,  Au- 
gust 29,  1829,  married  Joanna  Manter; 
Eliza  Ann,  October  13,  1831,  married 
John  Macomber,  and  died  August  8, 1848 ; 
and  Juliette,  June  11,  1833,  died  young. 

(V)  Fannie  Maria  Presbrey,  daughter 
of  John  (2)  and  Fannie  (Soper)  Pres- 
brey, was  born  November  4,  1805,  mar- 
ried (first)  October  11,  1827,  Edward 
Burt,   and    (second)    February   10,   1833, 


Asher  Applegate.  She  died  March  2, 
1854.  To  the  marriage  of  Asher  Apple- 
gate  and  his  wife,  Fannie  Maria  Pres- 
brey, were  born  several  children,  all  of 
whom  died  young,  excepting:  Alexander, 
born  March  24,  1837,  married  Mary  Jane 
Leonard  ;  he  died  April  26,  1896,  in  Taun- 
ton ;  Abby  Oliver,  born  April  1,  1839, 
who  became  the  wife  of  Charles  F.  Baker, 
of  Taunton  (see  Baker  VII). 


GOODRICH,  Levi, 

Valued  and  Honored  Citizen. 

The  first  of  the  name  Goodrich  in 
America  were  the  brothers,  John  and 
William  Goodrich.  William  Goodrich, 
the  settler,  was  baptized  at  St.  James, 
Bury  St.  Edmunds,  Suffolk,  England,  in 
1616;  held  land  in  Hartford,  Connecti- 
cut; settled  in  Wethersfield  in  1636;  was 
known  after  King  Philip's  War  as  "En- 
sign Will."  He  married  Sarah  Marvin, 
of  Hartford,  in  1648. 

(II)  John  Goodrich,  son  of  William 
Goodrich,  born  in  1653,  married  Rebecca 
Allen,  of  Charlestown,  in  1678. 

(III)  Allyn  Goodrich,  son  of  John 
Goodrich,  born  in  1690,  was  a  lieutenant- 
colonel  in  the  old  French  wars.  He  mar- 
ried (first)  his  cousin,  Elizabeth,  in  1709; 
married  (second)   Hannah  Seymour. 

(IV)  Elisha  Goodrich,  son  of  Allyn 
and  Elizabeth  Goodrich,  born  in  171 2, 
was  an  ensign  in  the  Revolution.  He 
married  Rebecca  Seymore  in  1734,  and 
lived  in  Berlin  and  Farmington. 

(V)  Lieutenant  Josiah  Goodrich,  son 
of  Elisha  Goodrich,  born  in  1740,  was  a 
lieutenant  in  the  Revolution.  He  mar- 
ried (first)  Ruth  Gilbert  in  1767,  and  they 
were  the  parents  of  one  child,  Lydia,  who 
married  Samuel  Root.  He  married  (sec- 
ond) Abigail  (Wolcott)  Wright  in  1779, 
widow  of  Levi  Wright,  and  mother  of 
one  daughter  by  her  first  marriage,  Abby 
Wright,  who  married  Peter  Allen.    Chil- 

316 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


dren  of  Lieutenant  Josiah  and  Abigail 
Goodrich :  Ruth,  who  died  in  early  life ; 
Elizur,  born  1781,  married  Hannah  Bar- 
bar  in  1802;  Josiah,  Jr.,  born  1783,  mar- 
ried Rebecca  Ripley  in  1802 ;  Levi,  men- 
tioned below  ;  Sophie,  born  1789,  married 
William  Niles  in  1S18;  Harriet,  born 
1793,  married  William  Bowdoin  in  1815; 
Horace,  born  1795,  entered  Yale  College 
at  age  of  fifteen,  graduated  with  honor, 
was  a  physician  at  Ware  for  thirty-two 
years,  married  Elizabeth  Dickenson.  It 
is  interesting  to  note  that  one  daughter 
was  named  after  Josiah's  first  wife  and 
one  son  after  Abigail's  first  husband. 
Lieutenant  Josiah  Goodrich  came  from 
Wethersfield  to  Pittsfield  in  1793.  He 
and  his  wife  united  with  the  church  in 
Pittsfield  in  1794.  He  died  leaving  widow 
and  children,  Levi  being  the  oldest  son 
left  at  home. 

(VI)  Levi  Goodrich,  son  of  Lieuten- 
ant Josiah  and  Abigail  Goodrich,  was 
born  in  1785.  At  the  age  of  fourteen 
years  he  took  charge  of  the  farm  and 
from  that  time  seemed  capable  of  taking 
charge  of  whatever  life  brought  him.  The 
early  farm  was  at  the  north  of  the  town, 
on  a  high  point  of  land  on  Benedict  road 
looking  toward  Dalton.  Later  he  owned 
a  large  farm  at  the  eastern  end  of  the  vil- 
lage. While  on  this  farm  Levi  Goodrich 
and  his  eldest  son,  Noah,  carried  off  the 
cattle  show  premiums  for  the  ploughing 
matches  until  they  were  no  longer  al- 
lowed to  compete.  It  was  on  one  of  these 
occasions  that  Oliver  Wendell  Holmes 
was  one  of  the  judges,  and  read  his  poem 
of  the  "Ploughing  Match."  At  one  time 
Mr.  Goodrich  had  the  largest  sheep  farm 
in  New  England,  or  as  it  was  called  "the 
largest  sheep  farm  east  of  the  Rockies." 
This  was  after  the  introduction  of  the 
Spanish  Merino  Sheep  by  his  friend,  Mr. 
Watson.  The  Goodrich  farm  was  cut 
up  and  the  house  torn   down  when   the 


Western  Railroad  was  built.  The  present 
cobblestone  house  stands  on  a  part  of  the 
old  farm.  Moving  into  the  village,  Mr. 
Goodrich  bought  a  house  on  the  corner  of 
South  street  and  East  Housatonic  street, 
extending  from  South  street  to  Learned's 
lane  and  from  Housatonic  street  to  the 
Dr.  Child's  house  which  stood  where  Ta- 
conic  street  is  now.  The  growth  of  the 
town  may  be  estimated  by  the  fact  that 
about  twenty-five  houses  now  stand  on 
the  ground  that  then  held  one.  At  this 
time  Goodrich  and  Hoadley  were  in  part- 
nership as  contractors  and  builders.  Their 
most  important  building  was  the  Congre- 
gational church,  now  called  the  "First 
Church  of  Christ."  The  stones  on  which 
the  specifications  were  made,  proving  too 
soft  to  be  durable,  a  much  harder  stone 
was  used,  which  resulted  in  a  loss  to  the 
contractors.  At  a  parish  meeting  it  was 
voted  to  repay  the  loss,  one  man  only 
objecting  that  as  the  building  was  origi- 
nally agreed  upon  for  a  certain  sum  no 
more  should  be  paid.  The  vote  for  re- 
payment not  being  unanimous  Mr.  Good- 
rich, who  had  his  share  of  New  England 
spunk  as  well  as  of  New  England  pluck, 
refused  to  accept  the  money.  (Of  Mr. 
Hoadley  the  interesting  story  is  told  that 
he  had  read  through  the  New  Testament 
before  he  was  four  years  old.)  Mr.  Good- 
rich built  Goodrich  Block,  for  a  long  time 
the  largest  block  in  town,  recently  mod- 
ernized by  Mr.  Newman.  During  the 
building  of  the  church  many  of  the  serv- 
ices were  held  in  Goodrich  Hall  in  this 
block.  There  the  Sanitary  Commission 
held  its  fair  for  the  soldiers  of  the  Civil 
War,  and  there  were  held  the  public  and 
social  functions  of  the  town.  Mr.  Good- 
rich had  contracts  on  the  Harlem,  Housa- 
tonic &  Western  railroads.  In  1842  he 
had  the  first  coal  brought  to  Pittsfield. 
No  one  was  interested  in  it,  and  after 
lying  a  long  time  by  the  depot  it  was 


317 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


carted  away.  Five  years  later,  regular 
trade  in  coal  commenced  and  fifty  tons 
were  sold  in   Pittsfield. 

Mr.  Goodrich  was  among  those  who 
greeted  Lafayette  on  his  visit  to  Pitts- 
field  in  1825.  In  1844  Levi  Goodrich  was 
the  first  chief  of  the  newly  organized  fire 
department.  It  is  interesting  to  read  the 
names  of  the  men  who  were  the  assis- 
tants of  the  chief,  ready  at  any  time  to 
devote  their  services  to  the  village.  Dr. 
Robert  Campbell,  George  J.  Willis,  Jason 
Clapp,  Henry  Callendar,  Captain  Jared 
Ingersoll,  William  G.  Bachus  and  En- 
sign Kellogg,  Quoting  from  old  records 
"Levi  Goodrich  was  one  of  the  most 
valued  and  honored  citizens.  Many  times 
called  to  public  office  and  wielded  a  great 
influence  in  public  affairs."  "So  closely 
linked  with  the  history  of  Pittsfield  is  the 
history  of  the  family,  than  one  can  hardly 
mention  an  event  of  importance  in  which 
they  did  not  have  an  important  part." 
An  old  record  also  says  "The  family  was 
noted  for  its  personal  beauty." 

Mr.  Goodrich  married,  in  1806,  Wealthy 
Whitney,  of  Pittsfield.  Children :  Mary 
Wright,  born  1808,  married  Frank  Hins- 
dale, of  Hinsdale,  in  1837;  Noah  Whit- 
ney, born  181 1,  married  Abby  Goodrich, 
of  Pittfield,  in  1832;  Horace  Porter,  born 
1813,  married  Mary  Mills,  of  Cortland, 
New  York,  in  1843  ;  Milton  Graham,  born 
1815,  married  Catherine  Bradford,  of 
Pittsfield,  in  1836;  Harriet  Elizabeth, 
born  1817,  married  George  Foxcroft,  of 
Boston,  in  1837;  Anna  Wealthy,  born 
1820,  married  Edwin  Saunders,  of  New 
York,  in  1846,  mentioned  below;  Caro- 
line Whitney,  born  1822,  married  Charles 
Bailey,  M.  D.,  of  Medford,  in  1845  ;  Abby 
Maria,  died  at  the  age  of  thirteen  in  1841. 
Josiah,  nephew  and  adopted  son,  married 
Harriet  Elliott,  of  Washington.  Levi 
Goodrich  died  in  1868.  Always  included 
in  his  petition  at  family  prayers  was  the 


prayer  of  Agur:  "Give  me  neither  pov- 
erty nor  riches." 

The  father  of  Levi  Goodrich  and  the 
father  of  Wealthy,  his  wife,  were  both 
lieutenants  in  the  Revolutionary  War; 
both  came  to  Pittsfield  in  the  same  year, 
1793;  both  settled  in  the  north  part  of 
the  town ;  both  were  fifth  in  descent  from 
the  original  settlers,  both  of  whom  came 
from  England  at  about  the  same  time. 
Both  families  trace  their  lines  back  to 
Wales,  to  the  banks  of  the  River  Wye  in 
Herefordshire.  There  coincidences  cease, 
as  the  Whitneys  were  Norman  and  the 
Goodriches  Saxon,  the  name  still  being 
retained  in  the  castle  and  court,  four 
miles  from  Ross.  The  map  of  Pittsfield 
of  1794  shows  Whitney's  forge  near  Ta- 
conic,  where  the  family  settled  when  they 
came  to  Pittsfield.  This  forge  was  oper- 
ated at  one  time  by  Charles  Goodrich,  the 
first  settler  and  the  "most  picturesque 
figure"  of  early  Pittsfield,  who  came  from 
Wethersfield  forty-one  years  before  his 
kinsman,  Josiah  Goodrich,  but  was  active 
in  town  affairs  for  twenty  years  after- 
wards. Members  of  the  Goodrich  family 
settled  and  named  Goodrich,  New  York ; 
Pittsfield,  Vermont,  and  Pittsfield,  Illi- 
nois. The  Whitneys  named  Pittsfield, 
Ohio.  Wethersfield  sent  twenty-seven 
Goodriches  to  the  Revolutionary  War. 

Edwin  Saunders  who  married  Anna 
Wealthy,  daughter  of  Levi  Goodrich,  in 
1846,  was  born  in  Bristol,  England,  in 
1815,  of  Quaker  stock.  The  family  came 
from  Holland  in  the  sixteenth  century 
and  brought  with  them  the  process  of 
manufacturing  copper.  One  branch  of 
the  family  is  still  engaged  in  that  busi- 
ness. John  Saunders,  father  of  Edwin 
Saunders,  was  a  manufacturer  in  London, 
and  being  a  member  of  one  of  the  old 
City  Guilds  his  drays  were  permitted  to 
pass  Temple  Bar  without  paying  toll. 
According  to  the  custom  of  the  day,  Ed- 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


win  Saunders  was  sent  to  a  Quaker  board- 
ing school  when  only  four  years  old  and 
distinctly  remembered  seeing  at  one  time 
from  the  top  of  the  coach  that  was  taking 
him  to  school  the  decorated  streets  and 
procession  in  honor  of  the  coronation  of 
George  the  Fourth.  When  Edwin  Saun- 
ders was  nineteen  years  of  age  he  was  in 
his  father's  office,  but  in  a  spirit  of  adven- 
ture left  London  and  came  to  America  on 
the  "Barque  Gentoo."  The  ship  took  six 
weeks  to  make  the  crossing,  under  a  cap- 
tain who  was  afterwards  the  first  captain 
of  the  Cunard  Line.  Mr.  Saunders,  then 
at  the  age  when  one  wishes  to  be  entirely 
independent,  never  presented  the  letters 
that  he  brought  to  Quakers  of  promi- 
nence in  this  country.  After  a  trip  to 
Niagara,  and  Chicago,  which  was  then  a 
small  place  in  the  West,  Mr.  Saunders 
went  into  the  office  of  Asa  Whitney  in 
New  York.  Later  in  New  Orleans,  he 
had  an  importing  house  for  French  em- 
broideries, laces  and  ribbons.  About  1853, 
he  was  in  partnership  with  the  Dim- 
mocks  in  Connecticut  and  they  were 
among  the  earliest  silk  manufacturers  in 
the  country.  Moving  to  Paterson,  New 
Jersey,  he  carried  on  the  silk  business 
successfully  for  many  years.  A  very 
severe  illness  compelled  him  to  give  it 
up,  but  he  brought  a  part  of  the  ma- 
chinery and  some  of  the  silk  finishers  and 
started  the  industry  in  Pittsfield.  Mr. 
Saunders  died  in  1899,  having  lived  in  this 
country  for  sixty-five  years.  An  adopted 
daughter,  Caroline  Sutherland  Saunders, 
lives  in  Pittsfield  ;  a  daughter,  Mary,  mar- 
ried Thomas  Campbell  Oakman,  men- 
tioned below. 

Thomas  Campbell  Oakman  was  born 
on  Walnut  street,  Philadelphia,  Pennsyl- 
vania, son  of  John  Oakman,  grandson  of 
George  Oakman,  who  died  young,  leav- 
ing an  estate,  and  a  young  son,  a  ward  in 
chancery,  and  great-grandson  of  John 
Oakman,  who  was  a  linen  manufacturer 


of  Belfast.  John  Oakman  (father)  was 
born  in  181 1.  Later  he  travelled  in 
Canada  and  the  United  States,  and  he 
so  much  liked  the  latter  country  that  he 
returned  and  settled  in  Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania,  and  married  the  daughter 
of  Thomas  McElrath  and  Mary  Gill 
Campbell.  Thomas  Campbell  Oakman 
was  educated  at  Professor  Fairres'  School 
and  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  First  City  Troop 
of  Philadelphia,  and  went  out  with  them 
when  General  Lee  invaded  Pennsylvania. 
He  studied  military  tactics  under  General 
Di  Cesnola  and  later  was  captain  in  the 
Sixth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry.  After  the 
war  he  was  in  the  cotton  business  with 
his  father  in  Paterson,  New  Jersey,  and 
was  prominent  in  business  and  social 
affairs.  In  1872  he  moved  the  cotton 
machinery  south,  having  bought  a  tract 
of  land  and  a  mill  village  in  North  Caro- 
lina, where  General  Sherman  on  his 
"march  to  the  sea"  had  burned  down  the 
mills.  Large  brick  mills  were  built, 
ground  given  for  the  Episcopal  church, 
library  and  night  school  established,  and 
there  Mr.  Oakman  lived  for  many  years. 
During  his  later  years  he  was  interested 
in  inventions  for  which  he  held  patents 
and  in  the  development  of  property  in 
the  south.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Delta  Chapter,  Delta  Psi,  and  of  the 
Loyal  Legion.  He  died  in  1909,  leaving 
three  children:  1.  John,  a  graduate  of 
Williams,  Massachusetts,  and  Beaux  Arts, 
Paris,  and  is  an  architect  in  New  York; 
married  Margaret  Marquand,  widow  of 
Herbert  Hale ;  they  have  one  daughter, 
Renee.  2.  Constance,  widow  of  Albert 
Bullus,  of  New  York.  3.  Dorothy,  who 
lives  with  her  mother. 

(The  Whitney  Line). 

(I)  The  first  of  the  Whitney  family  in 
America,  of  which  Wealthy  (Whitney) 
Goodrich  was  a  representative,  was  John 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Whitney,  born  in   1589,  married    Elinor 
Bray,  and  came  to  America  in  1635. 

(II)  Joshua  Whitney,  son  of  John 
Whitney,  served  in  King  Philip's  War, 
and  was  known  as  Deacon  Joshua,  of 
Groton.  He  married  for  his  third  wife 
Abigail  Tarball  in  1672. 

(III)  David  Whitney,  son  of  Joshua 
and  Abigail  Whitney,  married  (first) 
Mrs.  Prudence  Merrill  Sedgwick,  and 
(second)  Elizabeth  Warren. 

(IV)  Joshua  (2)  Whitney,  son  of  David 
Whitney,  served  in  the  French  and  In- 
dian wars.     He  married  Ann  Blodgett. 

(V)  Joshua  (3)  Whitney,  son  of  Joshua 
(2)  Whitney,  was  a  lieutenant  in  the 
Revolution.  He  married  Anna  Ashley,  of 
Salisbury,  in  1770.  Children:  Noah  Ash- 
ley, married  (first)  Olive  Dorwin,  and 
(second)  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Rose;  Anna, 
married  Samuel  Hyde;  Joshua,  married 
Eunice  Clark ;  Huldah,  married  William 
Williams,  son  of  James  Denison  Colt; 
Porter,  died  of  "ye  small-pox;"  Asa,  mar- 
ried Betsey  Childs;  Wealthy,  mentioned 
below. 

(VI)  Wealthy  Whitney,  daughter  of 
Joshua  Whitney,  born  1788,  married  Levi 
Goodrich,  of  Pittsfield,  in  1806  (see  Good- 
rich VI). 


DAVIS  Family, 

The  surname  Davis  is  usually  given  as 
being  Welsh  in  origin  from  the  frequent 
recurrence  of  the  personal  name  of  David 
in  Wales,  where  the  custom  was  to  make 
surnames  by  putting  the  prefix  "Ap" 
meaning  "son"  before  the  father's  name, 
as  Ap-David,  the  son  of  David,  and  to 
Anglicise  the  name  by  changing  the 
prefix  "Ap"  to  the  affixes  "s"  or  "son." 
Davis  is  therefore  usually  a  contraction 
of  Davidson,  which  in  Wales  is  usually 
a  transmutation  from  Ap-David,  but  in 
England  is  often  English  in  origin.  The 
surname  Davis  is,  however,  common  also 


in  both  Ireland  and  Scotland,  and  in  these 
countries  the  name  is  neither  English 
nor  Welsh  in  origin.  There  it  is  usually 
a  translation  from  the  Gaelic  name  Mac- 
David  or  MacDavitt,  which  corresponds 
to  the  Welsh  Ap-David  and  the  English 
Davidson,  "Ap,"  "Mac"  and  "son"  having 
all  a  like  meaning.  The  family,  or  rather 
some  of  the  families,  bearing  the  name 
had  distinction  in  the  various  parts  of  the 
United  Kingdom  as  well  as  in  America. 
Thomas  Davis,  the  poet,  belonged  to  a 
distinguished  Irish  family  of  the  name. 
In  the  case  of  William  Davis,  who  was 
born  about  1617,  and  settled  in  Rox- 
bury  in  1635,  the  tradition  that  he  came 
from  Wales  is  corroborated  by  the  coat- 
of-arms  used  by  his  son,  Ichabod,  in  seal- 
ing his  will,  which  is  the  same  as  that  of 
the  Davis  family  of  Caermarthen,  South 
Wales.  The  arms  are  described  herald- 
ically:  Gules  a  griffin  segeant,  or. 

(I)  William  Davis  was  a  resident  of 
Freetown,  Massachusetts,  where  he 
served  as  a  member  of  the  grand  jury  in 
1697.  He  married,  March  1,  1686,  Mary, 
daughter  of  William  and  Ann  (Johnson) 
Makepeace,  of  Freetown,  Massachusetts, 
and  granddaughter  of  Thomas  Make- 
peace, of  Dartmouth,  and  his  wife,  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  Mellows.  Children :  William, 
born  June  11,  1688;  Thomas,  married 
Lydia,  surname  unknown ;  John ;  Jona- 
than, mentioned  below ;  Remembrance, 
married  (first)  Sarah  Soul,  of  Tiverton, 
(second)  Sarah  Fox,  of  Freetown;  Jo- 
seph ;  Rebecca,  married  William  Cole ; 
Abigail,  married  Ephraim  Hathaway,  of 
Freetown,  December  19,  1717;  Anne, 
married,  January  29,  1723,  Robert  Evans; 
Hannah,  married  William  Gage,  of  Free- 
town ;  Ruth. 

(II)  Jonathan  Davis,  fourth  son  of 
William  and  Mary  (Makepeace)  Davis, 
was  a  resident  of  Freetown,  where  he 
married,  December  24,  1730,  Sarah 
Perry,  of  that  town.    They  had  children : 


320 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Silas,  mentioned  below ;  Jonathan,  born 
May  26,  1736;  Joseph,  September  26, 
1738;  Richard,  February  1,  1741 ;  Cor- 
nelius, January  24,  1744. 

(III)  Silas  Davis,  eldest  child  of  Jona- 
than and  Sarah  (Perry)  Davis,  was  born 
January  1,  1732,  in  Freetown,  or  Reho- 
both.  He  is  not  recorded  in  the  latter 
town. 

(IV)  James  Davis,  son  of  Silas  Davis, 
was  born  about  1740,  and  was  a  soldier 
of  the  Revolution.  He  enlisted  as  a 
private  in  Captain  Nathaniel  Carpenter's 
company,  Colonel  Josiah  Whitney's  regi- 
ment, May  13,  1777,  and  served  until  July 
5  of  that  year,  including  travel  from 
Point  Judith  to  Rehoboth.  He  was  also 
a  member  of  Captain  Israel  Hick's  com- 
pany, Colonel  Thomas  Carpenter's  regi- 
ment, from  August  1  to  August  9,  1780, 
on  an  alarm  at  Tiverton.  He  married 
Lydia  Brown,  of  Rehoboth,  born  there 
March  1,  1743,  daughter  of  John  and 
Martha  Brown.  No  children  are  recorded 
in  Rehoboth. 

(V)  John  Davis,  son  of  James  and 
Lydia  (Brown)  Davis,  was  born  in  Octo- 
ber, 1785,  and  married  Lydia  Sisson,  of 
Rehoboth  or  Swansea. 

(VI)  James  (2)  Davis,  son  of  John 
and  Lydia  (Sisson)  Davis,  was  born  June 
3,  1813,  in  Swansea,  and  died  March  14, 
1888,  in  Fall  River.  He  acquired  a  meat 
market  in  Fall  River,  which  had  been 
established  before  1847  by  William  Fales, 
and  was  later  conducted  by  James  Eddy. 
Mr.  Davis  became  a  partner  of  the  last 
named,  and  continued  in  business  under 
the  name  of  Eddy  &  Davis  until  1856, 
when  the  latter  purchased  the  interest  of 
his  partner,  and  subsequently  conducted 
the  business  in  association  with  his  son, 
John  Murray  Davis,  until  1875,  when 
James  Davis  retired.  He  married,  De- 
cember 13,  1835,  in  Swansea,  Charlotte 
White  Baker,  born  June  13,  181 1,  died 
|uly  19,  1897,  daughter  of  Levi  and  Anna 


(Mace)  Baker,  of  Swansea  (see  Baker 
VI).  To  this  union  were  born  the  fol- 
lowing children:  Lydia,  who  died  in 
childhood ;  James  Francis,  now  of  Fall 
River;  John  Murray,  mentioned  below; 
Georgianna,  who  married  C.  F.  Sylvester; 
Arabella  S.,  who  married  (first)  William 
Borden,  (second)  Abner  Wing. 

(VII)  John  Murray  Davis,  son  of 
James  (2)  and  Charlotte  White  (Baker) 
Davis,  was  born  December  11,  1844,  in 
Swansea,  and  settled  in  Fall  River  when 
a  young  man,  becoming  associated  with 
his  father  in  the  market  business.  When 
the  father  retired  from  business  in  1875, 
John  M.  Davis  formed  a  partnership  with 
Asa  Fish,  under  the  firm  name  of  Davis 
&  Fish,  and  the  business  was  continued 
by  this  firm  until  1899,  when  the  partner- 
ship was  dissolved.  Soon  after  this  Mr. 
Davis  retired  from  business,  and  con- 
tinued to  make  his  home  on  High  street, 
Fall  River,  where  he  died  March  19,  1912, 
at  the  age  of  sixty-seven  years.  He  was 
buried  in  Oak  Grove  Cemetery.  When 
the  Civil  War  broke  out  he  was  but  six- 
teen years  of  age.  Unknown  to  his  father 
he  enlisted  for  service  at  Providence  in  a 
Rhode  Island  battery,  but  as  soon  as  the 
father  learned  of  it  he  secured  his  release 
on  account  of  his  youth.  Later  he  secured 
the  consent  of  his  father,  and  enlisted  in 
Company  D,  Sixtieth  Regiment,  Massa- 
chusetts Volunteer  Infantry,  under  Cap- 
tain Joseph  O.  Neill,  for  one  hundred 
days.  During  this  time  he  was  employed 
in  guarding  prisoners  in  Indiana.  He  was 
a  member  of  King  Philip  Lodge,  Free 
and  Accepted  Masons,  of  Fall  River,  and 
also  of  the  Chapter,  Council,  and  Godfrey 
de  Bouillon  Commandery,  Knights 
Templar,  having  been  eminent  com- 
mander of  the  latter.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Columbian  Club  of  Fall  River,  and 
was  respected  as  a  citizen  for  his  upright 
character  and  honest  dealing.  He  was 
much   devoted   to   his   home   and   family, 


MASS— Vol.  Ill— 21 


321 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  did  not  attempt  to  mingle  in  public 
affairs.  He  married,  May  8,  1869,  Julia 
Ellen  Brown,  born  May  30,  1848,  in 
Tiverton,  Rhode  Island,  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam and  Lydia  Ann  (Gifford)  Brown, 
died  at  Fall  River,  December  22,  1913,  and 
was  buried  in  Oak  Grove  Cemetery  (see 
Brown  VII). 

(VIII)  Amelia  Sophia  Davis,  only 
child  of  John  Murray  and  Julia  Ellen 
(Brown)  Davis,  was  born  March  2,  1870, 
in  Fall  River,  in  the  same  house  and  room 
where  her  mother  was  born,  and  was 
married,  May  12,  1904,  to  Elmer  Blake 
Young,  of  that  city,  a  son  of  John  M.  and 
Margaret  (Blake)  Young.  There  is  no 
issue  of  this  marriage.  Mrs.  Young  is  a 
member  of  Quequechan  Chapter,  Daugh- 
ters of  the  American  Revolution  of  Fall 
River,  of  which  she  was  vice-regent  one 
year  and  regent  two  years,  and  seven 
years  treasurer  of  the  chapter.  She  has 
also  served  several  terms  as  delegate  to 
the  national  congress  of  this  society  at 
Washington,  D.  C.  She  is  a  member  of 
the  Fall  River  Hospital  Board,  and  of  the 
Congregational  church.  Several  of  her 
ancestors  were  soldiers  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, and  she  has  been  very  active  in 
promoting  the  interests  of  the  local 
chapter  of  the  Daughters  of  the  American 
Revolution.  She  is  a  popular  member  of 
this  organization,  and  of  the  society  of 
her  home  city. 

(The  Baker  Line). 

On  account  of  the  large  number  of 
early  immigrants  named  Baker  and  the 
similarity  of  their  children's  baptismal 
names,  no  family  is  more  difficult  to 
trace.  But  little  has  been  discovered 
about  the  relationship  of  the  immigrants. 
Before  1650  Alexander  Baker  settled  in 
Gloucester,  Massachusetts ;  Edward 
Baker  at  Lynn ;  Francis  Baker  at  Boston  ; 
John  Baker  at  Charlestown;  John  Baker 
of   Boston   and    Maine;   John    Baker   of 


Charlestown ;  Launcelot  Baker  of  Bos- 
ton ;  Nathaniel  Baker  of  Watertown ; 
Rev.  Nicholas  Baker  of  Hingham ;  Rich- 
ard Baker  of  Dorchester;  Robert  Baker 
of  Salem ;  Thomas  Baker  of  Roxbury ; 
Walter  Baker  of  Salem ;  William  Baker 
of  Plymouth ;  and  William  Baker  of 
Charlestown.  Doubtless  there  were 
others,  and  John  Baker  appears  in  the  list 
of  children  in  many  of  the  families. 

(I)  John  Baker,  the  progenitor  of  this 
family,  lived  at  Swansea  and  Rehoboth, 
Massachusetts,  part  of  which  was  after- 
ward Barrington,  Rhode  Island.  Swan- 
sea was  set  off  from  Rehoboth  in  1667  and 
Barrington  from  Swansea  in  1717.  He 
or  his  son  of  the  same  name,  John  Baker, 
was  one  of  the  proprietors  of  Barrington 
in  1719-20,  when  he  appears  in  a  list  of 
proprietors.  He  was  a  soldier  in  King 
Philip's  War  as  shown  by  a  deed  from 
his  son,  John,  to  his  eldest  son,  William, 
October  13,  1745.  As  a  veteran  of  the 
Narragansett  War  he  became  an  owner 
of  a  right  in  the  township  called  Narra- 
gansett No.  4.  He  probably  died  before 
the  grant  was  made,  however.  This  grant 
became  Greenwich,  formerly  Quabaug, 
Massachusetts,  and  the  name  of  his  son 
John  as  his  heir  to  the  right  appears  in 
the  list  of  early  proprietors.  John  Baker 
(2),  son  of  the  soldier,  deeded  to  his 
eldest  son,  William  Baker,  his  right  in 
Township  No.  4,  given  to  his  father  for 
service  in  1675  in  the  Narragansett  War, 
"being  the  eldest  son  of  and  only  sur- 
viving male  heir  the  right  fell  to  me." 

(II)  John  (2)  Baker,  only  surviving 
son  of  John  (1)  Baker,  was  born  about 
16S5,  in  Swansea,  now  Barrington,  Rhode 
Island,  and  died  in  1767.  He  married, 
June  17,  1714,  Susanna  Wood,  daughter 
of  Henry  and  Abigail  Wood.  They  re- 
sided in  Barrington  (Massachusetts  and 
Rhode  Island)  then  part  of  Rehoboth. 
Children,  first  two  recorded  in  Barring- 
ton, others  in  Rehoboth :     William,  born 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


August  18,  1715;  Susanna,  February  3, 
1718;  John,  August  26,  1720;  Hannah, 
December  18,  1722;  Nathaniel,  mentioned 
below;  Bathsheba,  February  16,  1729; 
Penelope,  September  9,  1731  ;  Joseph, 
October  14,  1734;  Benjamin,  February  1, 
1737;  Rebecca,  March  12,  1740. 

(III)  Nathaniel  Baker,  son  of  John 
(2)  and  Susanna  (Wood)  Baker,  was 
born  July  9,  1725,  at  Rehoboth,  and  died 
there  December  23,  1807,  where  he  made 
his  home.  He  married,  September  13, 
1750,  Experience  Hix,  who  died  in  1823. 
Children,  born  in  Rehoboth :  Sarah, 
March  8,  1752;  Joseph,  mentioned  be- 
low; Samuel,  December  13,  1754;  Na- 
thaniel, October  29,  1756;  James,  March 
25>  I759>  Experience,  July  26,  1761 ; 
Susanna,  May  5,  1763. 

(IV)  Joseph  Baker,  eldest  son  of  Na- 
thaniel and  Experience  (Hix)  Baker,  was 
born  December  10,  1753,  in  Rehoboth, 
and  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier.  He 
was  a  private  in  Captain  Stephen  Bul- 
lock's company,  of  Colonel  Thomas  Car- 
penter's regiment,  which  marched  to 
Bristol  on  an  alarm,  December  8,  1776, 
service  fourteen  days.  Joseph  Baker  was 
a  private  in  Captain  Peleg  Peck's  com- 
pany, of  Swansea,  Colonel  George  Wil- 
liams' regiment,  which  marched  on  a 
secret  expedition  to  Rhode  Island,  Sep- 
tember 29,  1777,  under  Major-General 
Spencer,  discharged  December  30  of  the 
same  year,  service  one  month  and  one 
day  in  Tiverton,  also  a  corporal  in  Cap- 
tain Josiah  Keith's  company,  Colonel 
John  Daggett's  regiment,  which  marched 
on  an  alarm  at  Rhode  Island,  August  25, 
and  was  discharged  September  3,  1778. 
Joseph  Baker  died  October  24,  1840.  He 
married  (first)  in  Rehoboth,  July  14, 
1776,  Rosanna  Mason,  daughter  of  John 
and  Sarah  (Gardner)  Mason,  of  Swan- 
sea (see  Mason  IV).  She  died  March 
10,  1795,  and  he  married  (second)  No- 
vember 19,  1797,  Nancy  Luther,  born  in 


1762,  in  Warren,  Rhode  Island,  daughter 
of  Ebenezer  Luther,  died  September  21, 
1809.  Children  of  first  marriage:  Jo- 
seph, born  November  24,  1778;  Susannah, 
March  14,  1781 ;  Levi,  mentioned  below; 
Nathan,  January  22,  1786;  Hale,  Novem- 
ber 24,  1787;  Rosanna,  April  1,  1790; 
Sarah,  July  19,  1792;  Hannah,  February 
2,  1795.  Children  of  second  marriage: 
Betsey,  born  March  8,  1801 ;  Julian,  April 
1,  1802. 

(V)  Levi  Baker,  second  son  of  Joseph 
and  Rosanna  (Mason)  Baker,  was  born 
February  9,  1783,  and  died  October  27, 
1867.  He  married  in  Rehoboth,  March 
25,  1803,  Anna,  daughter  of  John  Mace, 
born  September  25,  1780,  in  Swansea, 
died  December  8,  1836.  Children:  Caleb 
W.,  born  June  14,  1804;  Eliza,  January 
31,  1806;  Anna  Mace,  May  31,  1808,  mar- 
ried James  G.  West;  Charlotte  White, 
mentioned  below;  Lovice  Mace,  May  11, 
1814,  married  Ezra  Luther;  Emeline, 
April  13,  1817,  married  Asa  K.  Lilly; 
Cynthia  A.  B.,  October  7,  1820,  married 
James  H.  Brown ;  Levi,  April  7,  1826. 
All  were  born  in  Swansea,  excepting  the 
first  three,  and  they  in  Rehoboth,  Massa- 
chusetts. 

(VI)  Charlotte  White  Baker,  third 
daughter  of  Levi  and  Anna  (Mace) 
Baker,  was  born  June  13,  181 1,  and  be- 
came the  wife  of  James  Davis,  of  Fall 
River  (see  Davis  VI). 

(The   Mason   Line). 

(I)  Sampson  Mason  was  a  soldier  or 
"dragoon"  in  Cromwell's  army,  and  came 
to  America  about  1650.  The  earliest 
record  found  of  him  in  America  is  in  the 
Suffolk  county  record  of  the  settlement 
of  the  estate  of  Edward  Bullock,  of  Dor- 
chester, Massachusetts.  His  will  was 
dated  July  25,  1640,  and  a  debt  is  men- 
tioned as  due  to  Sampson  Mason  for  his 
wife's  shoes.  In  1651  Sampson  Mason 
purchased  a  house  and  land  in  Dorchester 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


of  William  Botts,  and  afterward  sold  it 
to  Jacob  Hewins.  He  removed  to  Reho- 
both,  Massachusetts,  where  by  vote  of 
the  town,  December  9,  1657,  he  was  given 
permission  to  buy  land  and  settle  there. 
He  was  a  Baptist,  and  the  records  show 
that  he  and  other  Baptists  became  promi- 
nent in  the  town  in  spite  of  the  fact  that 
they  were  only  allowed  to  live  there, 
without  the  privilege  of  being  made  free- 
men, by  the  Puritan  inhabitants.  He 
obtained  grants  of  land  south  of  Reho- 
both,  from  the  Indians,  in  the  town  of 
Swansea,  and  his  name  is  among  the 
original  associates  and  founders  of  the 
town,  and  one  of  the  original  proprietors 
of  the  "'North  Purchase,"  later  Attle- 
borough,  Massachusetts.  He  died  in 
1676,  in  the  midst  of  Indian  wars,  and 
his  widow  settled  that  of  the  estate  which 
was  left  after  the  ravages  of  the  Indians. 
He  married  Mary  Butterworth,  of  Wey- 
mouth, Massachusetts,  died  1714.  Chil- 
dren :  Noah,  born  probably  in  Dorches- 
ter; Sampson,  in  Dorchester;  Samuel, 
mentioned  below;  Sarah,  February  15, 
1658;  John,  in  Dorchester;  Mary,  Feb- 
ruary 7,  1660;  James,  October  30,  1661 ; 
Joseph,  March  6,  1664;  Bethia,  October 
15,  1665;  Isaac,  July  15,  1667;  Peletiah, 
April  1,  1669,  in  Rehoboth ;  Benjamin, 
October  20,  1670;  Thankful,  October  27, 
1672. 

(II)  Samuel  Mason,  third  son  of  Samp- 
son and  Mary  (Butterworth)  Mason, 
born  February  12,  1657,  probably  in  Re- 
hoboth, died  January  25,  1744,  and  was 
buried  in  the  old  Kickemuit  Cemetery,  in 
what  is  now  Warren,  Rhode  Island.  He 
was  a  resident  of  Rehoboth,  Massachu- 
setts, and  also  probably  of  both  Seekonk 
and  Swansea.  He  married  (first)  March 
2,  1682,  Elizabeth  Miller,  of  Rehoboth, 
born  October,  1659,  died  March  3,  1718. 
He  married  (second)  November  4,  1718, 
Mrs.  Lydia  Tillinghast,  probably  widow 
of  Rev.    Pardon    Tillinghast,  of    Provi- 


dence, and  daughter  of  Philip  and  Lydia 
(Masters)  Tabor,  died  in  1720.  Children, 
all  born  in  Rehoboth :  Samuel,  June  9, 
1683;  James,  mentioned  below;  Eliza- 
beth, May  5,  1689;  Amos,  February  18, 
1699. 

(III)  James  Mason,  second  son  of 
Samuel  and  Elizabeth  (Miller)  Mason, 
was  born  March  18,  1685,  in  Rehoboth, 
and  lived  in  Swansea,  in  the  Massachu- 
setts Bay  Colony ;  but  some  years  before 
his  death  the  section  of  the  town  in  which 
he  resided  was  given  to  Rhode  Island. 
His  will  is  dated  in  Warren,  Rhode 
Island,  where  he  died  in  1755.  He  mar- 
ried (first)  July  30,  1713,  Rose,  born  May 

30,  1692,  in  Swansea,  daughter  of  Rich- 
ard and  Mary  (Bullock)  Hale,  died 
March  7,  1748.  He  married  (second) 
January  11,  1750,  Mrs.  Hannah  Holden, 
of  Warwick,  Rhode  Island,  probably 
widow  of  John  Holden,  and  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Mary  (Green)  Fry.  Chil- 
dren, all  by  first  wife,  all  born  in  Swan- 
sea :    Nathaniel,  April  6,  1714,  died  March 

31,  1716;  Elizabeth,  March  4,  1716,  died 
in  infancy  ;  Ann,  March  4,  1716,  died  June 
29,  1748;  Elizabeth,  July  25,  1718;  James, 
March  13,  1720;  Hannah,  September  22, 
1721 ;  John,  mentioned  below;  Rose,  Feb- 
ruary 19,  1726;  Mary,  March  5,  1730. 

(IV)  John  Mason,  third  son  of  James 
and  Rose  (Hale)  Mason,  was  born  Sep- 
tember 28,  1723,  in  Swansea,  lived  at 
Touisset  Neck,  in  that  town,  but  now  in 
Warren,  Rhode  Island,  and  died  Novem- 
ber 27,  1805.  He  married,  April  19,  1743, 
Sarah  Gardner,  born  about  1726,  in  Swan- 
sea, died  February  29,  1808,  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Sarah  (Smith)  Gardner,  the 
latter  a  daughter  of  Philip  Smith.  Chil- 
dren:  Gardner,  born  August  28,  1744; 
Edward,  June  22,  1746,  died  November 
27,  1768;  Haile,  November  12,  1748,  died 
in  Calcutta  aged  forty ;  Holden,  February 
18,  1750;  Rose,  mentioned  below;  Han- 
nah, February  9,  1755,  died  December  28, 

4 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1826;  Samuel,  October  2,  1757;  Sarah, 
June  1,  1759;  Mary,  about  1762,  died  Jan- 
uary 16,  1803;  Patience,  about  1765,  died 
February  18,  1847. 

(V)  Rose  or  Rosanna  Mason,  eldest 
daughter  of  John  and  Sarah  (Gardner) 
Mason,  born  October  2,  1752,  became  the 
wife  of  Joseph  Baker,  of  Rehoboth  (see 
Baker  IV). 

(The    Brown    Line). 

(I)  Beriah  Brown  resided  in  North 
Kingstown,  Rhode  Island,  where  he  died 
in  February,  1717.  He  was  taxed  three 
shillings  and  ten  and  one-half  pence  there, 
September  6,  1687,  was  appointed  to  lay 
out  highways,  July  12,  1703,  and  was  one 
of  six  persons  who  received  a  grant  of 
vacant  land  in  Narragansett,  May  27, 
1709.  He  deeded  a  part  of  his  land  in 
Kingstown  to  his  son  Alexander,  April 
1,  1710.  He  married  (first)  1683,  Abigail 
Phenix,  daughter  of  Alexander  and 
Abigail  (Sewall)  Phenix.  His  second 
wife,  Eleanor,  survived  him.  Children: 
Alexander,  mentioned  below ;  Charles, 
died  1 75 1 ;  Mary,  married  Joseph  Car- 
penter; Sarah. 

(II)  Alexander  Brown,  eldest  child  of 
Beriah  and  Abigail  (Phenix)  Brown, 
lived  in  North  Kingstown,  where  he  died 
in  1758.  He  married  (first)  1709,  Honour 
Huling,  daughter  of  Alexander  and  Eliza- 
beth (Wightman)  Huling.  His  second 
wife,  Lydia,  survived  him.  Children : 
Honour,  born  April  16,  171 1  ;  Abigail,  No- 
vember, 1713;  Beriah,  mentioned  below; 
Sarah,  July,  1717;  Anna  and  Mary. 

(III)  Beriah  (2)  Brown,  eldest  son  of 
Alexander  and  Honour  (Huling)  Brown, 
was  born  January  16,  1715,  in  North 
Kingstown,  and  undoubtedly  resided 
there.  The  records  of  that  town  are  very 
defective,  and  give  no  continuous  history 
of  the  family,  though  there  are  casual 
mentions  here  and  there.  It  is  probable 
that  the  Beriah  Brown,  next  mentioned, 


was  a  grandson  of  this  Beriah  Brown,  son 
of  Alexander. 

(V)  Beriah  Brown,  born  February  29, 
1776,  in  North  Kingstown,  Rhode  Island, 
as  shown  by  record  of  his  death  else- 
where, lived  in  that  part  of  Freetown, 
which  is  now  Fall  River,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  died  March  22,  1850.  He  mar- 
ried Rhobe  Durfee,  born  September  23, 
1779,  in  Tiverton,  died  April  9,  1866, 
daughter  of  Colonel  Joseph  and  Elizabeth 
(Turner)  Durfee,  of  Tiverton  (see  Dur- 
fee IV).  Children:  Julia  A.  Durfee, 
born  September  4,  1804;  Joseph  Durfee, 
February  27,  1808;  William,  mentioned 
below;  Nathan  S.,  April  6,  1813;  Sarah, 
January  6,  1816;  James  H.,  April  24,  1818; 
Gardner  D.,  October  4,  1820;  Benjamin 
B.,  April  25,  1822. 

(VI)  William  Brown,  second  son  of 
Beriah  and  Rhobe  (Durfee)  Brown,  was 
born  March  30,  181 1,  in  Tiverton,  Rhode 
Island,  and  lived  in  Fall  River,  where  he 
died  February  8,  1898.  He  married.  Oc- 
tober 28,  1838,  Lydia  Ann  Gifford,  of 
Westport,  Massachusetts,  daughter  of 
Stephen  Barker  and  Pamelia  (Tripp) 
Gifford.  Stephen  Barker  Gifford,  was 
born  June  20,  1795,  and  died  December 
12,  1836,  in  Westport.  His  wife,  Pamelia 
(Tripp)  Gifford,  was  born  October  14, 
1794,  and  died  October  15,  1859. 

(VII)  Julia  Ellen  Brown,  daughter  of 
William  and  Lydia  Ann  (Gifford) 
Brown,  was  born  May  30,  1848,  and  died 
December  22,  1913.  She  married,  May  8, 
1869,  John  Murray  Davis,  of  Fall  River 
(see  Davis  VII). 


LUTHER,  Charles  Bateman, 
Manufacturer. 

The  surname  Luther  is  derived  from 
the  baptismal  name  in  common  use  in  all 
Christian  countries.  The  American  fam- 
ily is  of  German  origin,  and  according  to 


325 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


tradition  of  the  same  family  as  the  im- 
mortal Martin  Luther,  descending  from 
his  brother,  Johannes,  who  settled  in 
County  Sussex,  England.  The  family 
has  been  numerous  in  the  towns  created 
out  of  ancient  Rehoboth  and  in  territory 
nearby  since  the  early  settlements  here — 
since  the  coming  to  Taunton  of  John 
Luther.  According  to  notes  left  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Root,  of  Providence,  who  had  col- 
lected much  matter  pertaining  to  the 
early  families  of  the  part  of  Massachu- 
setts alluded  to  and  of  Rhode  Island,  a 
family  record  set  forth  that  John  Luther 
was  a  native  of  Germany  and  came  to 
Boston  in  1635.  Another  record  says  he 
was  a  native  of  Dorset,  England,  and 
came  to  America  in  1636.  Through 
Samuel  and  Hezekiah  Luther,  sons  of 
Captain  John  Luther,  have  descended  the 
Luthers  of  the  territory  alluded  to.  Of 
these  Samuel  was  born  in  1638,  probably 
in  Boston  or  vicinity.  He  is  referred  to 
as  of  Rehoboth.  On  October  19,  1672, 
he  made  a  claim  or  demand  for  his 
father's  purchase  in  Taunton.  In  the  year 
1685  Samuel  Luther  succeeded  Rev.  John 
Miles  as  elder  of  the  Baptist  church  in 
Swansea,  Mr.  Miles  having  died  in  1683. 
Mr.  Luther  is  referred  to  as  Rev.  Captain 
Samuel  Luther.  He  continued  in  charge 
of  the  Swansea  church  for  thirty-two 
years,  died  December  20,  1716,  and  was 
buried  in  the  Kickemuit  Cemetery,  in 
what  is  now  Warren,  Rhode  Island, 
where,  too,  rest  the  remains  of  his  brother 
Hezekiah. 

(I)  Captain  John  Luther,  the  ancestor 
of  this  family  in  this  country,  came  to 
Boston  in  1635,  and  in  1637  was  one  of  the 
first  forty-six  ancient  or  original  pur- 
chasers of  Taunton,  Massachusetts.  He 
soon  sold  his  share  there,  and  in  1642 
became  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Glou- 
cester, Massachusetts.  He  was  a  mariner, 
and  was  employed  by  Boston  merchants 
as  captain  of  a  vessel  to  go  to  Delaware 


Bay  on  a  trading  voyage,  and  while  there 
was  killed  by  the  Indians,  in  1644.  Evi- 
dently his  son  was  captured  at  the  same 
time,  for  on  May  2,  1646,  the  General 
Court  of  Massachusetts  decreed  that  the 
Widow  Luther  should  have  the  balance 
of  her  husband's  wages,  according  to  sea 
custom,  after  allowing  to  the  merchants 
what  they  had  paid  for  the  redemption  of 
her  son.  It  seems  unlikely,  however,  that 
the  sons,  Samuel  and  Hezekiah  Luther, 
could  have  been  old  enough  to  accompany 
the  father,  and  it  is  likely  that  he  had  an 
older  son,  John,  who  was  doubtless  the 
John  Luther,  of  Attleboro,  in  1658,  who 
sold  land  to  Samuel  Millitt,  and  in  1667, 
with  Millitt  and  others,  was  one  of  the 
purchasers  of  Swansea,  and  captain  of 
the  militia  there  in  1682. 

(II)  Elder  Samuel  Luther,  son  of  Cap- 
tain John  Luther,  was  born  1638,  in  Yo- 
cumtown.  Captain  Luther,  as  he  was  at 
one  time  styled,  was  one  of  the  most 
influential  townsmen  of  Swansea.  He 
was  deputy  from  Swansea  to  the  General 
Court  of  Plymouth  Colony  in  1677,  1678 
and  1679,  and  his  brother  Hezekiah  was 
representative  from  Swansea  to  the  Great 
and  General  Court  of  Massachusetts  Bay 
Colony  in  1706.  Rev.  John  Myles,  pastor 
of  the  Baptist  church  in  Swansea,  died  in 
February,  1683,  and  Elder  Samuel  Luther 
became  his  successor  in  1685.  Luther,  it 
is  said,  was  wanting  in  the  scholarship  of 
the  first  pastor  as  well  as  in  his  broadly 
catholic  spirit.  "The  Congregational 
element  found  the  new  minister  less 
ready  to  grant  the  same  liberal  privileges 
as  to  church  fellowship,  infant  baptism, 
etc.  The  new  version  of  Baptism  and 
Christian  Communion,  as  given  by  Elder 
Luther,  was  not  acceptable  to  the  Pedo- 
baptists  of  the  town,  and,  whether  in- 
tended or  not,  helped  to  establish  the 
dividing  line  of  denominationalism  be- 
tween the  hitherto  united  parties."  These 
changes    in   the    church    covenant    with 


326 


//. 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


reference  to  baptism  and  communion 
instituted  by  Elder  Luther  destroyed  the 
fellowship  between  Anabaptists  and 
Pedobaptists  enjoyed  by  Mr.  Myles  and 
his  associates,  and  made  the  church  dis- 
tinctly Baptist.  This  change,  so  distaste- 
ful to  the  Congregationalists,  opened  a 
religious  controversy  which  twenty-five 
years  later  split  Swansea,  on  sectarian 
lines,  into  two  townships.  Samuel 
Luther  married,  in  1662,  Mary  Abell, 
daughter  of  Robert  Abell,  of  Weymouth 
and  Rehoboth.  Children :  Samuel,  men- 
tioned below ;  Theophilus,  born  October 
9,  1665,  died  1721,  married,  November  24, 

1686,  Lydia  Kinnicutt ;  Mary,  July  20, 
1668;  Joshua,  November  25,  1670,  died 
December  18,  1747,  married,  January  1, 
1700,  Experience  Brooman ;  Elizabeth, 
February  7,  1672;  Experience,  March  3, 
1674;  Mehitabel,  August  26,  1676,  died 
1764,  married  Ebenezer  Cole;  Ebenezer, 
December  27,  1678,  died  November  19, 
1734,  married,  April  26,  1716,  Bethia 
Cole;  Martha,  December  9,  1681,  died 
January  14,  1753,  married,  December  13, 
1705,  Hugh  Cole,  who  died  1765 ;  Su- 
sanna, married,  March  27,  1717,  David 
Hillyard  ;  Joannah,  died  May  31,  1706,  in 
Rehoboth,  married,  May  27,  1704,  Robert 
Nathaniel  Willmarth. 

(Ill)  Samuel  (2)  Luther,  eldest  child 
of  Elder  Samuel  (1)  and  Mary  (Abell) 
Luther,  was  born  October  25,  1663,  and 
went  on  the  expedition  in  1690  against 
Quebec,  under  Phipps.   He  married,  about 

1687,  Sarah  (family  name  unknown),  and 
had  children,  all  born  in  Swansea: 
Samuel,  Jr.,  born  November  20,  1689, 
married,  March  26,  1713,  Sarah  Chafee ; 
James,  born  March  8,  1693,  married 
Martha  Slade ;  Caleb,  mentioned  below ; 
Consider,  married,  April  23,  1719,  Mar- 
garet Jewett,  of  Johnson,  Rhode  Island ; 
Eleazer,  born  February  28,  1704,  married 
November  28,  1728,  Hannah  Easterbrook  ; 
Sarah,  born  December  25,  1707,  married. 


June  15,  1727,  Robert  Easterbrook;  Ben- 
jamin ;  Jabez ;  Elizabeth,  born  June  25, 
1712,  married,  November  9,  1730,  Thomas 
McKoon. 

(IV)  Caleb  Luther,  second  son  of 
Samuel  (2)  and  Sarah  Luther,  married 
March  18,  1714,  Mary  Cole,  of  Swansea. 
Children :  Freelove,  born  January  15, 
1715;  Susanna,  August  20,  1717 ;  Han- 
nah, September  22,  1720;  Caleb,  April  22, 
1723;  Jabez,  July  8,  1725;  Samuel,  1727; 
Frederick,  mentioned  below. 

(V)  Frederick  Luther,  youngest  child 
of  Caleb  and  Mary  (Cole)  Luther,  born 
February  15,  1730,  was  a  farmer,  and 
lived  and  died  in  Warren,  Rhode  Island, 
reaching  advanced  age.  He  married, 
February  16,  175 1 ,  in  Swansea,  Joanna 
Luther,  and  their  children,  the  first  five 
born  in  Swansea,  Massachusetts,  and  the 
others  in  Warren,  Rhode  Island,  were: 
Freelove,  September  26,  1752  ;  Lydia,  July 
31,  1754;  Hannah,  December  10,  1756; 
Sarah,  December  7,  1758;  Martin,  April 
19,  1761 ;  Frederick,  June  8,  1763;  Re- 
becca, April  17,  1765;  Samuel,  mentioned 
below. 

(VI)  Samuel  (3)  Luther,  youngest 
child  of  Frederick  and  Joanna  (Luther) 
Luther,  was  born  April  II,  1768,  in  War- 
ren, and  died  in  1843.  He  located  in  the 
town  of  Swansea,  Massachusetts,  where 
he  was  occupied  in  farming  and  as  a 
carpenter.  He  married  Abigail  Beers, 
who  died  in  1858  or  1859.  Children : 
Rebecca,  married  James  Bowen ;  Polly, 
married  Willard  Barney ;  Abbey,  married 
James  Richards ;  Daniel  B.,  was  a  sea- 
faring man ;  Priscilla,  married  John 
Bushee ;  Samuel  Martin,  mentioned  be- 
low ;  Nancy,  married  John  Baker. 

(VII)  Samuel  Martin  Luther,  second 
son  of  Samuel  (3)  and  Abigail  (Beers) 
Luther,  born  November  15,  1806,  in 
Swansea,  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm, 
having  such  school  privileges  as  it  was  in 
those  days  the  custom  to  give  farmers' 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


sons — attendance  at  the  neighborhood 
school  in  the  winter,  and  working  in 
season  on  the  farm.  Quitting  the  farm 
before  he  was  of  age,  he  went  to  Provi- 
dence, Rhode  Island,  where  he  com- 
menced to  learn  the  mason's  trade.  But 
he  was  dissatisfied,  and  in  1826  went  to 
Fall  River,  where  he  served  an  appren- 
ticeship of  three  years  at  the  mason's 
trade  under  Mr.  John  Phinney,  one  of 
the  contractors  and  builders  of  that  day 
in  the  town.  He  continued  to  work  for 
this  employer  after  the  expiration  of  the 
term  of  his  apprenticeship  as  a  journey- 
man workman  until  the  year  183 1.  In 
the  last  named  year  he  began  the  business 
of  contracting  and  building  on  his  own 
account,  an  occupation  he  continued  in, 
and  most  successfully,  throughout  the 
remainder  of  his  active  business  life. 
After  beginning  for  himself  the  first  work 
of  any  considerable  size  that  he  did  was 
the  building  of  the  substantial  edifice  of 
the  Congregational  church,  which  stood 
on  the  corner  of  Main  and  Elm  streets, 
Fall  River,  and  which  was  sold  to  the 
Masonic  Association  in  1915 ;  and  many 
are  the  substantial  buildings  in  and 
about  Fall  River  of  to-day  that  stand  as 
monuments  to  his  skill  and  workman- 
ship. A  practical  mechanic  himself,  he 
knew  how  a  building  should  go  up  and 
saw  to  it  that  it  was  constructed  well. 
Beginning  life  a  poor  boy,  Mr.  Luther 
through  his  own  efforts  and  force  of  char- 
acter rose  to  position  and  wealth.  Be- 
sides looking  after  the  business  in  which 
he  made  his  principal  reputation,  he  be- 
came interested  in  and  a  director  of  a 
number  of  Fall  River  enterprises,  among 
them  the  Robeson  Mills.  Mr.  Luther 
died  May  14,  1887.  He  married  (first) 
Abby  M.  Bosworth,  of  Warren,  born 
February  21,  1809,  died  May  11,  1854.  He 
married  (second)  November  18,  1857, 
Harriet  Bateman,  born  July  8,  1817,  in 
Newport,  Rhode  Island,  daughter  of  Wil- 


liam and  Susanna  (Spencer)  Bateman, 
died  February  21,  1892.  Three  of  his 
four  children  were  born  to  the  first  mar- 
riage and  died  when  young;  the  fourth, 
born  to  the  second  marriage,  is  Charles 
Bateman  Luther,  mentioned  below. 

(VIII)  Charles  Bateman  Luther,  son 
of  Samuel  Martin  Luther,  and  only  child 
of  his  second  wife,  Harriet  (Bateman) 
Luther,  was  born  November  15,  i860,  in 
Fall  River,  and  received  his  early  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools  of  that  city. 
Graduating  from  the  high  school  in  1879, 
he  entered  Brown  University,  from  which 
institution  he  was  graduated  in  1883,  with 
the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Philosophy,  and 
was  a  member  of  the  D.  K.  E.  fraternity. 
Following  his  school  life  Mr.  Luther  was 
in  the  employ  of  the  Edison  Electric 
Illuminating  Company  at  Fall  River  until 
September,  1887,  after  which  he  was  out 
of  business  for  a  number  of  years.  He 
became  president  of  the  Robeson  Mills 
upon  the  death  of  Lloyd  S.  Earle  in  Au- 
gust, 1895,  and  continued  as  such  until 
1903;  he  was  treasurer  pro  ton.  from 
March,  1898,  to  January,  1899.  In  1903 
he  started  the  Luther  Manufacturing 
Company,  named  for  his  father,  and  or- 
ganized for  the  purpose  of  purchasing 
the  property  of  the  Robeson  Mills  and 
enlarging  and  developing  same  by  the 
addition  of  new  buildings  and  machinery 
for  the  manufacture  of  a  higher  grade 
of  cloth.  Mr.  Luther  organized  this  com- 
pany and  became  treasurer  thereof,  which 
position  he  has  since  held ;  Mr.  Leon- 
tine  Lincoln  is  president  of  the  company 
and  Mr.  John  H.  Estes  vice-president. 
Under  the  financial  guidance  of  Mr.  Lu- 
ther the  plant  has  been  most  successful 
and  its  product  has  attained  a  high  repu- 
tation. In  addition  to  his  connection  with 
this  concern  he  is  interested  in  the  Staf- 
ford and  Flint  Mills,  having  been  presi- 
dent and  a  director  of  the  first  named 
until   May,    1914,   when   he   was    elected 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


treasurer  of  the  same,  and  is  also  a  direc- 
tor of  the  latter.  He  is  vice-president 
and  director  of  the  new  Charlton  Mills. 
He  is  a  man  of  broad  capabilities,  as  he 
has  proved  in  the  management  and  wisely- 
planned  development  of  his  properties, 
and  ranks  well  among  mill  interests  for 
the  skill  he  has  displayed  in  their  promo- 
tion and  evolution.  Mr.  Luther  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Quequechan  Club  of  Fall 
River,  Squantum  Club  of  Providence,  Fall 
River  Cotton  Manufacturers'  Association 
and  the  Rhode  Island  Country  Club.  He 
married,  March  19,  1890,  Lottie  (Char- 
lotte) Humphrey  Robinson,  daughter  of 
John  H.  and  Charlotte  (Brownell)  Rob- 
inson, of  Fall  River  (see  Robinson  VII). 
They  have  no  children. 

(The  Robinson  Line). 

The  Robinson  family  is  an  ancient  and 
numerous  one,  both  in  England  and 
America.  There  are  several  coats-of- 
arms  belonging  to  different  branches  of 
the  name,  but  in  all  of  them  an  antlered 
stag  or  buck  is  prominent.  The  one 
which  is  borne  by  the  Robinsons  of  the 
north,  from  whom  the  early  American 
immigrants  are  descended,  consists  of  a 
gold  field  crossed  by  a  green  chevron 
with  three  gold  cinquefoils  set  between 
three  bucks  tripping  (an  heraldic  expres- 
sion signifying  that  one  forefoot  is 
raised).  The  crest  is  a  green  buck  trip- 
ping, with  gold  antlers  and  gold  spots 
on  his  hide.  There  were  several  immi- 
grants bearing  this  name  early  in  New 
England,  including  two  with  the  bap- 
tismal name  of  John.  One  of  these  was 
the  Rev.  John  Robinson,  founder  of  the 
Plymouth  Colony. 

(I)  George  Robinson  was  among  the 
early  proprietors  of  Rehoboth,  Massa- 
chusetts, where  he  was  living  in  1643. 
The  frame  house  which  he  built  in  1660 
remained  in  the  hands  of  his  descendants 
for  one   hundred   and   fifty  years   in   the 


male  line,  and  was  still  standing  in  1901. 
He  died  November  9,  1699,  in  Rehoboth. 
He  married,  June  18,  1651,  Joanna  Ingra- 
ham,  who  died  July  20,  1699.  Children: 
Mary,  born  May  30,  1652 ;  Samuel,  Octo- 
ber 3,  1654;  George,  February  21,  1656; 
Elizabeth,  April  3,  1657;  William,  March 
29,  1663,  died  1690;  Benjamin,  January  8, 
1665;  John,  November  29,  1669;  Nathan- 
iel, November  1,  1673. 

(II)  The  records  of  Rehoboth  show 
that  Benjamin,  son  of  George  Robinson, 
married,  July  30,  1693,  Rebecca  Ingra- 
ham,  and  had  children  recorded  from  1694 
to  1709.  Also  that  Samuel,  another  son, 
had  a  wife  Mehitabel,  and  four  children 
are  recorded  from  1689  to  1697.  It  is 
reasonably  certain  that  the  next  men- 
tioned was  the  son  of  one  or  the  other 
of  these,  not  recorded  in  Rehoboth. 

(III)  William  Robinson  is  recorded  in 
the  Quaker  records  of  Swansea,  Massa- 
chusetts, as  having  a  wife  Martha  and 
being  the  father  of  the  next  mentioned. 
Nothing  further  concerning  him  has  been 
discovered. 

(IV)  John  Robinson,  son  of  William 
and  Martha  Robinson,  was  born  May  16, 
1730,  and  lived  in  Swansea.  There  he 
married,  January  29,  1754,  Phebe,  daugh- 
ter of  Elisha  and  Elizabeth  Chase,  born 
October  11,  1727,  died  November  4,  1797, 
and  was  buried  in  the  Friends'  yard  at 
Somerset,  Massachusetts.  Children  :  Eliz- 
abeth, born  January  27,  1756;  Martha, 
May  29,  1757,  died  young;  Rebeckah, 
May  8,  1759;  Martha,  April  25,  1760; 
Samuel,  August  31,  1762;  Charity,  Febru- 
ary 26,  1765;  Phebe,  June  14,  1767;  Sibel, 
March  22,  1769;  John,  mentioned  below. 

(V)  John  (2)  Robinson,  youngest  child 
of  John  (1)  and  Phebe  (Chase)  Robin- 
son, was  born  October  3,  1773,  in  Swan- 
sea, and  resided  in  Rehoboth,  Somerset, 
Massachusetts,  and  Burrillville,  Rhode 
Island.  He  married,  September  22,  1796, 
Hannah  Chase,  of  Somerset,  daughter  of 


329 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Daniel  and  Phebe  (Snead)  Chase,  died 
February  24,  1838.  Children:  Daniel, 
born  November  8,  1797,  in  Rehoboth ; 
Samuel,  September  22,  1799;  Phebe,  April 
2,  1801 ;  Nathan,  mentioned  below ;  Simp- 
son, December  25,  1804;  Content,  July  28, 
1807;  Ruth  Bowers,  May  5,  1809;  Wil- 
liam, May  28,  1812,  died  1816;  Stephen, 
March  6,  1814;  Elizabeth,  September  12, 
1815;  William,  May  4,  1816;  Samuel. 

(VI)  Nathan  Robinson,  third  son  of 
John  (2)  and  Hannah  (Chase)  Robinson, 
was  born  November  17,  1802,  in  Swansea, 
and  resided  in  Little  Compton,  Rhode 
Island,  where  he  died  May  9,  1851.  He 
married,  November  23,  1828,  Julia  Ann 
Brownell,  born  January  21,  1810,  daugh- 
ter of  Humphrey  and  Sarah  (Head) 
Brownell,  of  Little  Compton  (see  Brown- 
ell VI).  Children:  Malvina  A.,  born 
April  9,  1831  ;  John  H.,  mentioned  below  ; 
Maria  E.,  August  10,  1835 ;  William  F., 
April  8,  1841  ;  Sarah  H.,  November  15, 
1844. 

(VII)  John  H.  Robinson,  eldest  son 
of  Nathan  and  Julia  Ann  (Brownell) 
Robinson,  was  born  March  18,  1833,  in 
Little  Compton,  where  he  grew  up  on  the 
paternal  farm,  and  received  his  education 
in  the  public  schools.  As  a  young  man 
he  went  to  Providence,  Rhode  Island, 
where  he  learned  the  trade  of  carriage 
maker,  and  where  he  was  engaged  until 
1868,  in  which  year  he  settled  in  Fall 
River,  Massachusetts,  and  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  carriages  upon  his  own 
account,  with  a  partner.  Here  he  con- 
tinued with  great  success,  actively  en- 
gaged in  business  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  June  14,  1901,  at  his  home  on 
Prospect  street,  Fall  River.  His  body 
was  laid  to  rest  in  Oak  Grove  Cemetery. 
Mr.  Robinson  was  a  man  of  excellent 
business  capacity,  was  highly  respected 
and  widely  known  as  a  man  of  honor, 
industry  and  integrity.  He  married,  De- 
cember 8,  1857,  in  Little  Compton,  Char- 


lotte Brownell,  born  in  that  town,  daugh- 
ter of  James  and  Lydia  (Church)  Brown- 
ell. She  survives  him,  and  now  resides 
in  Fall  River,  with  her  two  daughters, 
Charlotte  Humphrey,  wife  of  Charles  B. 
Luther,  and  Lola  Edwards  (see  Luther 
VIII). 

(The  Brownell  Line). 

Much  of  the  history  of  the  Brownell 
family  is  given  elsewhere  in  these  vol- 
umes, beginning  with  Thomas  Brownell, 
born  1618-19,  who  came  from  Devon- 
shire, England,  and  settled  in  Ports- 
mouth, Rhode  Island.  He  was  the  father 
of  Thomas  (2)  Brownell,  born  1650,  and 
lived  in  Little  Compton,  Rhode  Island. 
His  son,  Captain  George  Brownell,  was 
born  January  19,  1685,  in  Little  Comp- 
ton, and  lived  in  the  adjoining  town  of 
Westport,  Massachusetts.  He  was  a  sol- 
dier in  the  Colonial  army.  Stephen 
Brownell,  youngest  child  of  Captain 
George  Brownell,  was  born  November 
29,  1726,  in  Little  Compton,  and  proba- 
bly lived  in  Westport.  He  was  the  father 
of  William  Brownell,  born  July  17,  1749. 
recorded  in  Little  Compton.  Humphrey 
Brownell,  son  of  the  last  named,  was 
born  July  19,  1785,  recorded  in  Little 
Compton,  and  died  in  1824.  He  married 
Sarah  Head,  born  November  30,  1789,  in 
Little  Compton,  daughter  of  Daniel  and 
Hannah  (Davenport)  Head,  of  that  town. 
Through  the  intermarriages  of  ancestors 
the  descendants  of  Sarah  Head  inherit 
the  blood  of  Richard  Warren  of  the 
"Mayflower,"  and  of  John  Alden  and 
Priscilla  Mullins.  She  was  descended 
from  Henry  Head,  who  was  born  1647, 
and  died  in  Little  Compton,  July  1,  1716. 
He  represented  that  town  in  1683,  at  the 
Plymouth  General  Court,  and  in  1692  at 
the  General  Court  of  the  United  Colonies 
in  Boston.  He  married,  in  1677,  Eliza- 
beth, whose  surname  is  unknown,  born 
1654,  died  June,  1748,  according  to  the 
records  of  Little  Compton.    Their  second 


330 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


son,  Henry  (2)  Head,  born  1680,  died 
March  4,  1755,  in  Little  Compton.  He 
married,  June  29,  1709,  Elizabeth  Palmer, 
born  November  12,  1687,  daughter  of 
William  and  Mary  (Richmond)  Palmer. 
Their  eldest  child  was  Henry  Head,  born 
November  7,  1709,  in  Little  Compton, 
married,  in  June,  1730,  Anna  Paddock, 
of  Swansea,  Massachusetts.  Their  eldest 
child  was  Jonathan  Head,  born  May  31, 
1 73 1,  resided  in  Dartmouth,  Massachu- 
setts; married,  October  21,  1760,  Ruth 
Little.  Their  son,  Daniel  Head,  married, 
January  1,  1787,  Hannah  Davenport, 
born  April  26,  1764,  daughter  of  Thomas 
and  Deborah  (Simmons)  Davenport,  died 
March  17,  1844.  They  were  the  parents 
of  Sarah  Head,  wife  of  Humphrey  Brown- 
ell.  The  children  of  Humphrey  Brown- 
ell  and  Sarah  Head  were:  Maria,  born 
March  9,  1812;  Julia  Ann,  married  (first) 
Nathan  Robinson  (see  Robinson  VI), 
(second)  Philip  S.  Brown;  Fenner,  born 
April  13,  1816;  Hannah  Elizabeth,  mar- 
ried Moses  Deane. 

(The   Church   Line). 

Elsewhere  in  this  work  appears  the  his- 
tory of  Richard  Church,  founder  of  the 
family  in  this  country,  who  came  with 
Governor  Winthrop  to  New  England  in 
1630.  His  wife,  Elizabeth,  was  a  daugh- 
ter of  Richard  Warren,  of  the  Mayflower 
Colony,  who  died  within  a  very  short 
time  after  his  arrival.  He  was  a  man  of 
very  high  character  and  a  true  Puritan. 

(II)  Joseph  Church,  eldest  son  of  Rich- 
ard and  Elizabeth  (Warren)  Church,  was 
born  in  1636,  and  was  an  early  resident  of 
Little  Compton,  Rhode  Island,  where  he 
died  in  171 1.  He  was  a  carpenter  by 
trade,  active  in  developing  the  settle- 
ment, and  always  a  leader  in  town  affairs. 
The  Plymouth  records,  June  6,  1682, 
show  that  "on  the  petition  of  Joseph 
Church  and  the  rest  of  the  proprietors  of 


Saconet,  it  was  ordered  that  it  shall  be 
from  this  time  a  township  and  be  called 
Little  Compton."  By  the  original  grant 
of  1674  Governor  Winslow  was  allotted  a 
section  of  land  in  Little  Compton,  which 
he  immediately  conveyed  to  Joseph 
Church.  This  land  has  been  the  site  of 
the  Church  family  homestead  to  the  pres- 
ent time.  The  estate  is  now  appropriately 
known  as  "Oldacre."  He  married,  in  1658, 
Mary  Tucker,  born  1641,  died  March  21, 
1710,  in  Little  Compton.  Children:  Jo- 
seph, mentioned  below;  John,  born  1666; 
Mary,  1668;  Elizabeth,  1670;  Deborah, 
1672;  Abigail,  1680. 

(III)  Joseph  (2)  Church,  eldest  child 
of  Joseph  (i)and  Mary  (Tucker)  Church, 
was  born  1663,  and  died  December  19, 
171 5,  in  Little  Compton,  where  he  was  a 
landowner  and  farmer.  He  married,  in 
1688,  Grace,  daughter  of  Anthony  and 
Alice  (Stonard)  Shaw,  born  1666,  died 
March  1,  1737.  Children:  Joseph,  born 
June  17,  1689;  Sarah,  March  31,  1691  ; 
Nathaniel  and  Alice  (twins),  February  8, 
1693;  Deborah,  January,  1697;  Elizabeth, 
February,  1699;  Caleb,  mentioned  below; 
Richard,  November  21,   1703. 

(IV)  Caleb  Church,  third  son  of  Jo- 
seph (2)  and  Grace  (Shaw)  Church,  was 
born  October  II,  1701,  in  Little  Compton, 
and  passed  his  life  in  that  town,  where  he 
owned  and  cultivated  a  farm,  and  died 
May  1,  1769.  He  married  (first)  Decem- 
ber 6,  1 72 1,  Deborah  Woodworth,  born 
November  17,  1703,  died  August  28,  1733, 
daughter  of  Hezekiah  and  Hannah  Wood- 
worth.  He  married  (second)  August  14, 
1735,  Margaret  Torrey,  born  1702,  died 
January  29,  1792.  Children  of  first  mar- 
riage:  Thomas,  born  September  10,  1722; 
William,  March  10,  1724;  Ebenezer,  men- 
tioned below;  Mary,  January  6,  1728; 
Priscilla,  October  12,  1730;  Nathaniel, 
October  22,  1732.  Children  of  second 
marriage :     Deborah,    born    August     10, 


33' 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1736;  Abigail,  September  29,  1737;  Eliza- 
beth, April  12,  1739;  Sarah,  August  27, 
1742;  Comfort,  June  1,  1745. 

(V)  Ebenezer  Church,  third  son  of  Caleb 
and  Deborah  (Woodworth)  Church,  was 
born  January  24,  1726,  in  Little  Compton, 
and  died  February  10,  1825.  Like  the 
rest  of  his  family  he  engaged  in  agricul- 
ture, and  during  the  Revolutionary  War 
he  commanded  a  company  of  militia.  In 
1771  he  built  the  house  which  is  still 
standing  on  "The  Common  Road,"  west 
of  "Little  Compton  Commons."  On  Feb- 
ruary 6,  1825,  Rev.  Emerson  Paine  deliv- 
ered a  "Century  Discourse"  in  the  village 
church,  in  honor  of  Ebenezer  Church. 
This  was  published  in  an  octavo  pam- 
phlet of  twenty-eight  pages.  The  whole 
number  of  Ebenezer  Church's  descend- 
ants at  that  time  was  one  hundred  and 
forty-two,  of  whom  one  hundred  and  ten 
were  then  living.  He  married,  March  7, 
1754,  Hannah  Wood,  born  December  22, 
1734,  died  February  3,  181 5,  daughter  of 
Joseph  and  Mary  (Brownell)  Wood. 
Children :  Mary,  born  December  30, 
1754;  Joseph,  died  young;  Elizabeth, 
born  May  30,  1761 ;  Joseph,  mentioned 
below;  Hannah,  July  18,  1766;  Nathaniel, 
December  12,  1769;  Abigail,  September 
30,  1771 ;  Sarah,  March  28,  1774;  William, 
November  8,  1776. 

(VI)  Joseph  (3)  Church,  second  son  of 
Ebenezer  and  Hannah  (Wood)  Church, 
was  born  February  27,  1764,  in  Little 
Compton,  and  lived  in  the  house  built 
there  by  his  father.  He  was  a  soldier  of 
the  Revolution.  He  married  in  Little 
Compton  (first)  September  15,  1792, 
Elizabeth  Taylor,  born  January  17,  1763, 
daughter  of  William  and  Deborah  (Gray) 
Taylor,  died  before  1832.  He  married 
(second)  September  6,  1832,  a  widow, 
Lydia  Dring,  daughter  of  Job  and  Abigail 
(Simmons)  Palmer,  of  Little  Compton. 
Children  of  first  marriage :  John,  born 
March  16,  1794;  Lydia,  mentioned  below; 


Susanna  Taylor,  October  13,  1796;  Peter, 
March  16,  1799;  Nathaniel,  December  17, 
1801 ;  Benjamin  Taylor,  May  2,  1804. 
Child  of  second  marriage:  Elizabeth, born 
August  20,  1834. 

(VII)  Lydia  Church,  eldest  daughter 
of  Joseph  (3)  and  Elizabeth  (Taylor) 
Church,  was  born  May  9,  1795,  in  Little 
Compton,  and  was  married,  June  6,  1821, 
in  Newport,  Rhode  Island,  to  James 
Brownell,  of  Little  Compton. 


LEACH  Family. 

An  extended  history  of  the  early  gen- 
erations of  the  Leach  family  appears  on 
other  pages  of  this  work.  It  is  among 
the  oldest  families  of  Massachusetts  and 
was  founded  in  America  by  Lawrence 
Leach,  born  in  1589,  in  England,  and 
came  to  New  England  with  Rev.  Francis 
Higginson  in  1629.  He  was  a  farmer  and 
miller  in  what  is  now  Beverly,  Massachu- 
setts, was  active  in  public  affairs,  and 
assisted  in  the  formation  of  the  first 
church  at  Salem.  His  son,  Giles  Leach, 
born  in  this  country,  was  a  founder  of 
Bridgewater,  Massachusetts.  In  1656  he 
was  living  in  Weymouth,  and  removed  to 
Bridgewater  before  1665.  His  son,  John 
Leach,  lived  in  Bridgewater,  where  he 
died  in  1714. 

(IV)  Solomon  Leach,  seventh  son  of 
John  and  Alice  Leach,  was  born  Febru- 
ary 19,  1712,  in  Bridgewater,  where  he 
made  his  home.  He  married  (first)  in 
1736,  Tabitha,  daughter  of  Samuel  Wash- 
burn. She  died  in  1736.  He  married 
(second)  in  1739,  Jerusha  Bryant,  of 
Plympton.  She  died  in  1743,  and  he  mar- 
ried (third)  before  the  close  of  that  year, 
Hannah  Leach,  probably  a  daughter  of 
Benjamin  Leach,  of  Bridgewater. 

(V)  Joseph  Leach,  son  of  Solomon  and 
Hannah  (Leach)  Leach,  was  born  No- 
vember 8,  1760,  in  Bridgewater,  and  spent 
most  of  his  life  in  Middleboro,  Massachu- 


332 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


setts.  He  married,  June  4,  1801,  in  Hali- 
fax, Massachusetts,  Susanna  Sturtevant, 
born  1777-78,  died  September  28,  1845, 
in  Plympton,  daughter  of  Jabez  and  Azu- 
bah  (Wood)  Sturtevant,  of  Plympton, 
Massachusetts  (see  Sturtevant  VI).  Chil- 
dren :  Cephas,  died  in  infancy ;  Erastus, 
born  May,  1804;  Josephus,  died  in  in- 
fancy; Martin  L.,  August,  1809,  died  at 
the  age  of  twenty-nine  years ;  Zenas,  Jan- 
uary, 181 1,  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-five 
years;  Orrin  M.,  mentioned  below;  Ad- 
miral, December,  1815,  supposed  to  have 
died  in  the  Mexican  War;  Henry  L.,  May, 
1823. 

(VI)  Orrin  M.  Leach,  sixth  son  of  Jo- 
seph and  Susanna  (Sturtevant)  Leach, 
was  born  December,  1813,  in  Middleboro, 
and  there  grew  to  manhood,  receiving  his 
education  in  the  local  schools,  and 
learned  the  trade  of  cabinet-maker. 
Through  out  his  active  life  he  resided  in 
New  Bedford,  following  his  trade,  and 
was  a  well  known  citizen,  died  at  his 
home  there  in  1898.  He  was  much  inter- 
ested in  historical  matters  and  especially 
in  family  history.  He  was  devoted  to  his 
home  and  family,  and  also  to  the  best  in- 
terests of  the  community  in  which  he 
dwelt.  In  his  old  age  he  was  tenderly 
cared  for  by  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Seth  H. 
Ingalls,  of  New  Bedford,  and  after  his 
death  was  buried  in  Oak  Grove  Ceme- 
tery. He  was  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
church,  and  esteemed  for  his  many  Chris- 
tian and  manly  virtues.  He  married  Mary 
Burgess,  daughter  of  Cornelius  and  Ann 
(Bailey)  Burgess.  She  was  an  active 
member  of  the  Congregational  church, 
died  in  New  Bedford,  February  17,  1895, 
and  was  buried  in  Oak  Grove  Cemetery. 
They  were  the  parents  of  two  children : 
1.  William  Henry  Harrison,  was  a  sol- 
dier of  the  Civil  War,  a  bookkeeper  and 
later  a  salesman  for  Cobb,  Bates  &  Yerxa, 
a  well  known  citizen  of  New  Bedford, 
where  he  died  in  1915.     2.  Susan  A.,  be- 


came the  wife  of  Seth  H.  Ingalls,  and 
resides  in  New  Bedford.  She  cherishes 
with  reverence  the  memory  of  her  hon- 
ored father,  is  devoted  to  good  and  chari- 
table works,  and  is  highly  esteemed 
among  the  people  of  New  Bedford. 


(I)  The  surname  Sturtevant  is  vari- 
ously spelled  Sturdevant,  Studevant,  etc. 
The  immigrant  ancestor,  Samuel  Sturte- 
vant, was  of  Dutch  ancestry,  and  came 
from  Holland  or  England  to  Plymouth, 
Massachusetts,  where  he  planted  land  on 
shares  as  early  as  1641,  and  was  the  pro- 
genitor of  all  the  Colonial  families  of  this 
surname.  His  name  was  on  the  list  of 
those  able  to  bear  arms  in  1(143.  He 
bought  land  at  Plymouth  in  1647,  and 
held  various  town  offices  there.  His 
home  was  on  the  "Cotton  Farm"  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  village  of  Plymouth. 
His  will  was  dated  August  1,  1669,  and 
proved  October  29  following.  He  made 
bequests  to  his  wife,  Ann  ;  to  son-in-law, 
John  Waterman ;  to  sons,  Samuel,  James, 
John,  Joseph,  and  a  child  unborn.  Chil- 
dren of  Samuel  and  Ann  Sturtevant :  Ann, 
born  June  4,  1647 ;  John,  born  and  died  in 
1650;  Mary,  born  December  7,  1651  ;  Sam- 
uel, mentioned  below ;  Hannah,  Septem- 
ber 4,  1656;  John,  September  6,  1658; 
Lydia,  December  13,  1660;  James,  Febru- 
ary  11,   1663;  Joseph,  July   16,   1666. 

(II)  Samuel  (2)  Sturtevant,  second 
son  of  Samuel  (1)  and  Ann  Sturtevant, 
was  born  April  19,  1654,  in  Plymouth, 
and  resided  in  that  part  of  Plympton 
which  is  now  Halifax,  was  deacon  of  the 
Plympton  church,  and  represented  that 
town  several  times  in  the  General  Court 
at  Boston.  His  will  made  March  18  was 
proved  May  21,  1736,  and  he  died  April 
21  of  that  year.  His  tombstone  is  in  the 
old  burying  ground  near  Neponset  Pond, 
Halifax.  His  first  wife  Mary  died  Au- 
gust 4,   1 7 14,  at  the  age  of  sixty  years, 


333 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  was  buried  in  the  old  burying  place 
near  Plympton  church.  His  second  wife 
Elizabeth  is  also  buried  there.  His  chil- 
dren, all  of  the  first  wife,  were:  James, 
mentioned  below ;  Moses ;  Josiah  ;  Wil- 
liam ;  Nehemiah ;  Hannah,  married,  in 
1697,  Ebenezer  Standish ;  Mary,  married 
Deacon  David  Bosworth ;  Samuel  and 
John. 

(III)  James  Sturtevant,  eldest  child  of 
Samuel  (2)  and  Mary  Sturtevant,  resided 
in  Plympton,  where  he  married,  Feb- 
ruary 15,  171 1,  Susanna  Cooke,  daugh- 
ter of  Francis  (2)  and  Elizabeth  (Lath- 
am) Cooke,  of  Kingston,  granddaugh- 
ter of  James  and  Damaris  (Hopkins) 
Cooke  (the  last  named  a  daughter  of  Ste- 
phen Hopkins,  of  the  "Mayflower"), 
granddaughter  of  Francis  Cooke,  who 
came  to  Plymouth  in  the  "Mayflower." 
Francis  Cooke,  an  Englishman,  was  with 
the  Pilgrims  at  Leyden,  and  married  in 
Holland,  his  wife  Hester  being  a  Waloon, 
a  member  of  the  Pilgrim  Church.  He  was 
one  of  the  signers  of  the  Mayflower  com- 
pact in  1620,  and  settled  in  Plymouth, 
where  his  name  is  of  frequent  mention 
in  connection  with  the  affairs  of  the 
colony.  He  died  April  7,  1663.  His  son, 
Jacob  Cooke,  born  about  1618,  in  Hol- 
land, married  (first)  after  June  20,  1645, 
Damaris  Hopkins,  daughter  of  Stephen 
Hopkins,  who  came  in  the  "Mayflower" 
and  was  one  of  the  signers  of  the  com- 
pact. Their  son,  Francis  (2)  Cooke,  born 
January  5,  1663,  resided  in  Kingston,  and 
married  Elizabeth  Latham.  They  were 
the  parents  of  Susanna  Cooke,  wife  of 
James  Sturtevant.  She  died  August  29, 
1726.  Children:  Francis,  born  January 
15,  1712;  Caleb,  mentioned  below;  James, 
September  15,  1718;  Susanna,  February 
4,  1 72 1 ;  Lydia,  March  2,  1724. 

(IV)  Caleb  Sturtevant,  second  son  of 
James  and  Susanna  (Cooke)  Sturtevant, 
was  born  March  16,  1716,  in  Plympton. 
He  married  (first)  July  23,  1739,  Patience 


Cushman,  born  April  8,  1721,  daughter 
of  Ichabod  Cushman  and  his  second  wife, 
Patience  (Holmes)  Cushman.  He  mar- 
ried (second)  May  31,  1770,  Abigail 
Bearse.  Children  of  first  marriage  :  Jabez, 
mentioned  below ;  Rebecca,  born  Janu- 
ary 21,  1742;  Jane,  November  18,  1743; 
Susanna,  March  3,  1746;  Betty,  October 
27,  1748;  Joanna;  Fear;  Sarah;  Patience, 
May  12,  1758.  Children  of  second  wife: 
Caleb  and  Abigail  (twins),  born  Febru- 
ary 14,  1771  ;  Winslow,  June  26,  1773. 

(V)  Jabez,  eldest  child  of  Caleb  and 
Patience  (Cushman)  Sturtevant,  was 
born  February  12,  1740,  in  Plympton,  and 
married,  March  8,  1764,  Azubah  Wood. 
Children:  Sylvanus ;  Zenas ;  Samuel, 
born  May  25,  1772;  Caleb;  Josiah;  Sus- 
anna, mentioned  below ;  Bela,  August  24, 
1780,  married  Hannah  Chandler. 

(VI)  Susanna  Sturtevant,  only  daugh- 
ter of  Jabez  and  Azubah  (Wood)  Sturte- 
vant, was  born  1777-78,  and  became  the 
wife  of  Joseph  Leach,  of  Middleboro  (see 
Leach  V). 


MORGAN,  Paul  B., 

Manufacturer,  Financier. 

It  is  not  every  American  family  whose 
pioneer  ancestor  is  honored  by  a  noble 
statue  like  that  erected  to  Miles  Morgan 
in  Court  Square,  in  the  beautiful  city  of 
Springfield,  Massachusetts.  This  statue 
was  unveiled  in  1879,  just  two  hundred 
and  ten  years  after  the  death  of  the  man 
whose  virtues  it  commemorates.  The 
Morgan  name  has  been  notable  in  Amer- 
ica in  many  ways,  especially  in  military 
records.  Major-General  Daniel  Morgan 
was  one  of  the  famous  officers  of  the 
Revolution.  He  was  voted  a  gold  medal 
by  the  Continental  Congress  for  his  vic- 
tory at  the  Cowpens,  where  he  met  and 
defeated  General  Tarleton.  His  corps  of 
riflemen  with  which  he  marched  to  join 
Washington  before  Cambridge  were  the 


334 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


first  skirmishers  known  to  military 
science.  When  the  British  troops  re- 
turned to  England  they  carried  with  them 
the  tradition  of  "Morgan's  buckskin 
devils."  Dr.  John  Morgan,  of  "Philadel- 
phia, was  another  distinguished  officer  of 
the  Revolution.  At  the  age  of  twenty- 
five  he  volunteered  his  services  in  the 
French  and  Indian  wars.  In  1760  he  went 
to  Europe,  where  he  remained  for  five 
years,  studying  his  profession  at  Edin- 
boro,  Paris  and  Padua.  In  1776  he  be- 
came surgeon-general  of  the  American 
army  by  appointment  of  the  first  Conti- 
nental Congress,  resigning  in  1780  to  re- 
sume practice  in  Philadelphia.  Brigade 
Major  Abner  Morgan  was  another  Revo- 
lutionary patriot.  His  home  was  at  Brim- 
field,  Massachusetts,  and  he  was  a  warm 
friend  of  General  John  Sullivan,  of  New 
Hampshire,  in  whose  command  he  served. 
In  1783  he  built  the  largest  house  in 
Brimfield  from  timbers  cut  in  his  own 
saw  mills,  and  he  introduced  through  the 
heavy  masonry  a  rivulet  to  lave  a  hol- 
lowed-out  rock  in  which  to  cool  his  wine. 
In  1916  this  house  was  still  standing  in 
perfect  condition,  and  the  rivulet  was 
still  running.  During  the  second  war  with 
England,  Brigadier  General  David  Ban- 
ister Morgan,  born  at  West  Springfield, 
Massachusetts,  was  second  in  command 
with  Jackson's  army  at  the  battle  of  New 
Orleans.  Commodore  Charles  William 
Morgan,  United  States  Navy,  of  Vir- 
ginia, was  in  the  engagement  between 
the  "Guerriere"  and  the  "Java"  in  1812. 
The  family  was  represented  in  the  Mexi- 
can War  by  Colonel  Edwin  Wright  Mor- 
gan, United  States  Army.  During  the 
Civil  War  Brigadier  General  John  H. 
Morgan,  of  Lexington,  Kentucky,  was 
one  of  the  most  daring  officers  of  the 
Confederate  side.  He  organized  a  band 
of  guerillas,  and  "Morgan's  raid"  struck 
terror  to  Indiana  and  Kentucky.  There 
were  several  generals  on  the  Union  side. 


General  Thomas  J.  Morgan,  born  in 
Franklin,  Indiana,  was  but  twenty-five 
years  of  age  when  the  Civil  War  closed, 
and  was  one  of  the  youngest  men  on  the 
Union  side  to  be  made  a  brigadier  gen- 
eral for  gallantry  and  meritorious  serv- 
ices. Another  Morgan  who  became  illus- 
trious during  the  Civil  War  was  Edwin 
Denison  Morgan,  the  great  war  governor 
of  New  York.  He  later  became  United 
States  Senator,  and  twice  declined  the 
secretaryship  of  the  treasury.  During 
his  lifetime  and  by  his  will  he  gave  more 
than  a  million  dollars  to  philanthropic 
and  educational  work.  The  Morgans  are 
scarcely  less  illustrious  as  financiers  than 
soldiers.  Daniel  Nash  Morgan,  of  Bridge- 
port, Connecticut,  was  treasurer  of  the 
United  States  from  1893  to  1897.  The 
history  of  J.  Pierpont  Morgan  and  his 
father,  Junius  Spencer  Morgan,  both  emi- 
nent bankers,  is  too  well  known  to  need 
further  recital  here. 

The  word  Morgan  is  a  Cymric  deriva- 
tive, meaning  one  born  by  the  sea  (muir, 
sea;  gin,  begotten).  The  little  town  of 
Caermathen  in  Wales  is  the  place  where 
this  famous  name  originated.  The  town 
itself  is  supposed  to  be  the  Maridunum 
mentioned  by  Caesar  in  his  Commen- 
taries. It  may  have  been  the  place  that 
Shakespeare  had  in  mind  as  the  scene  of 
those  parts  of  Cymbcline  that  are  located 
in  Wales.  It  will  be  remembered  that 
Belarius,  in  the  third  scene  of  the  third 
act  of  that  play,  speaks  thus :  "Myself, 
Belarius,  that  am  Morgan  called."  Prior 
to  the  Roman  invasion  this  district  was 
inhabited  by  a  warlike  tribe  called  by  the 
Romans  the  Demetae.  A  chieftain  of  this 
tribe,  Cadivorfawr,  died  in  the  year  1089. 
His  wife  was  Elen,  daughter  and  heiress 
of  another  chieftain,  Llwch  Llawan.  The 
names  of  the  two  oldest  sons  are  un- 
known, but  the  Morgan  line  finds  its  first 
ancestor  with  the  third  son,  Bleddri.  Mr. 
George  T.  Clark,  the  antiquary,  has  pre- 


335 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


pared  a  table  tracing  the  lineage  of  the 
Morgan  family  in  England  and  Wales  to 
this  Bleddri.  In  the  sixteenth  generation 
from  Bleddri  we  find  Sir  William  Mor- 
gan, of  Tredegar,  knighted  in  1633,  mem- 
ber of  parliament  from  his  county,  1623- 
25.  He  died  at  the  age  of  ninety-three. 
His  first  wife  was  Elizabeth,  daughter  of 
Sir  William  Winter,  of  Sidney.  Their 
daughter  Elizabeth,  the  youngest  of  the 
ten  children,  married  William  Morgan, 
a  merchant  of  Dderw.  They  went  to 
Bristol,  England,  in  1616.  Their  son, 
Miles  Morgan,  born  in  1616,  is  the  ances- 
tor of  the  Morgan  family  in  America. 

(I)  Cadivor-Fawr  married  Elen,  daugh- 
ter and  heir  to  Llwch  Llawan  and  had : 

(II)  Bleddri,  third  son,  witnessed  a 
Berkerolles  grant  of  Blassalleg  to  Glas- 
tonbury and  was  probably  a  landowner 
in  those  parts.  He  bore  "Argent,  3  bulls' 
heads  cabossed  sable."  The  ordinary 
coat  of  the  Morgans  has  long  been,  "Or, 
a  griffin  segreant  sable,"  but  some 
branches  have  used  Cadivor  and  others 
Bleddri.  Morgans  of  Pencoyd  bore  "Ar- 
gent, a  lion  rampant  gardant  sable  be- 
tween two  cantons ;  the  dexter,  'Or,  a 
griffin  segreant  sable;'  the  sinister,  'Bled- 
dri'." The  Llantarnam  Morgans  bore  the 
griffin  on  a  field  argent.  The  descend- 
ants of  Ivor  Howel  used  Bleddri,  but  in- 
serted a  chevron  between  the  bulls'  heads. 
The  Lewises  of  St.  Pierre  used  the  Cadi- 
vor lion,  and  the  griffin  for  a  crest.  Bled- 
dri is  said  to  have  married  Clydwen, 
daughter  of  Griffith  ap  Cydrich  ap 
Gwaethfoedfawr,  and  had 

(III)  Ivor,  who  married  Nest,  daugh- 
ter of  Caradoc  ap  Modoc  ap  Idnerth  ap 
Cadwgan  ap  Elystan  Gloddrydd,  and  had 

(IV)  Llewelyn,  who  married  Lleici, 
daughter  of  Griffith  ap  Beli,  and  had 

(V)  Ivor,  who  married  Tanglwst, 
daughter  of  Howel  Sais  ap  Arglwydd 
Rhys.     They  had 

(VI)  Llewelyn   Lleia,   married   Susan, 


daughter  of  Howel  ap  Howel  Sais,  a  first 
cousin.    They  had 

(VII)  Ivor,  father  of 

(VIII)  Llewelyn  ap  Ivor  of  Tredegar, 
Lord  of  St.  Clear,  married  Angharad, 
daughter  of  Sir  Morgan  ap  Meredith, 
from  the  Welsh  lords  of  Caerleon,  ap 
Griffith  ap  Meredith  ap  Rhys,  who  bore 
"Argent,  a  lion  rampant  sable."  Sir  Mor- 
gan died  1332,  when  Angharad  was  aged 
thirty-two  years.  They  had  :  Morgan  ; 
Ivor  Hael,  whence  Morgan  of  Gwern-y- 
Cleppa ;  Philip,  whence  Lewis  of  St. 
Pierre. 

(IX)  Morgan,  of  Tredegar  and  St. 
Clear,  married  Maud,  daughter  of  Rhun 
ap  Grono  ap  Llwarch,  Lord  of  Cibwr. 
He  died  before  1384.  Children:  Llew- 
elyn ;  Philip,  whence  Morgan  of  Lang- 
stone;  John,  father  of  Gwenllian,  mar- 
ried David  Goch  ap  David;  Christian, 
married  Jevan  ap  Jenkin  Kemeys;  Ann, 
married  David  Gwilim,  of  Rhiwperra; 
Margaret,  married  Traherne  ap  Meyric 
of  Merthyr ;  a  daughter,  married  Thomas 
ap  Gwillim  of  Carnllwyd ;  Elenor,  mar- 
ried Grono  ap  Howel  Bennet. 

(X)  Llewelyn  ap  Morgan  of  Tredegar 
and  St.  Clear,  living  1387,  married  Jenet, 
daughter  and  heir  of  David-vychan  ap 
David  of  Rhydodyn,  1384-87.  Children: 
Jevan ;  Christy,  married  Madoc  ap  Jevan 
of  Gelligaer ;  a  daughter,  married  Roger 
ap  Adam  of  St.  Mellon's ;  a  daughter, 
married  Madoc  of  Bassalleg;  a  daughter, 
married  Thomas  Llewelyn ;  Ann,  mar- 
ried   John    ap    Jenkin ;    ,    married 

,  of  Raglan  ; ,  married 

Builth. 

(XI)  Jevan  Morgan,  1415-48,  married 
Denise  or  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Thomas 
ap  Llewelyn-vychan  of  Llan  gattog-on- 
Usk.  Children  :  John  ;  David,  1442-48 ; 
Jenkin,  1454. 

(XII)  Sir  John  Morgan,  Knight  of  the 
Sepulchre,  1448,  steward  of  Gwentlloog, 
married   Jenet,   daughter   and   co-heir   of 


336 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


John  ap  David  Mathew  of  Llandaff.  Chil- 
dren :  Morgan ;  Thomas,  whence  Morgan 
of  Machen  and  Tredegar ;  John,  whence 
a  branch ;  Lewis,  1491 ;  William  Morgan, 
coroner,  1501,  father  of  John  of  Newport, 
died  1541,  father  of  William,  1541-1559; 
Philip,  1491  ;  Elizabeth,  married  John 
Fiennes,  Lord  Clinton  and  Say ;  Jane, 
married  William  David  Powel ;  Mary, 
married  Thomas  Llewelyn-vychan  of 
Rhiwperra ;  Isabella,  married  James 
Kemeys  of  Began,  died  1591. 

(XIII)  Thomas  Morgan,  second  son  of 
Sir  John  Morgan,  was  of  Machen  ;  esquire 
of  the  body  to  Henry  VII.;  living  1538; 
married  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Roger 
Vaughan,  of  Porthaml.  Issue :  Row- 
land Reynold,  whence  Morgan  of  Llan- 
vedw ;  John,  whence  Morgan  of  Bassal- 
leg;  Edmond,  whence  Morgan  of  Pen- 
llwyn-Sarth ;  Margaret,  married  (first) 
John  Kemeys,  (second)  William  Ed- 
munds ;  Barbara,  married  Sir  Henry  Sey- 
mout;  Maud,  married  John  ap  Rosser; 
Jane,  married  (first)  William  Gunter, 
(second)  Richard  ap  Jenkins,  (third) 
William  Vaughan,  of  Magor;  Constance, 
married  William  Jones,  of  Treowen ; 
Mary,  married  (first)  Edward  Williams, 
(second)  Richard  Herbert;  Elizabeth, 
married  Edward  James. 

(XIV;  Rowland  Morgan,  of  Machen, 
I5I7"77»  married  Blanch,  daughter  of 
John  Thomas,  of  Llanarth.  Settlement, 
November  11,  1517 ;  sheriff,  1557.  Chil- 
dren :  Thomas ;  Henry,  whence  Morgan 
of  St.  Mellon's  ;  Catherine,  married  (first) 
Thomas  Mathew,  (second)  Miles  Mor- 
gan, (third)  Henry  Jones ;  Ann,  married 
Philip  Morgan,  of  Gwern-y-Cleppa ; 
Mary,  married  Thomas  Lewis,  of  Rhiw- 
perra; Elizabeth,  married  Edward  Kem- 
eys, of  Cefn  Mably. 

(XV)  Thomas  Morgan,  of  Machen  and 

Tredegar    and    of    the    Middle    Temple, 

1 567"77 ;  sheriff,  1581 ;  M.  P.  for  county 

in    1589;   will,    1603;   married    Elizabeth 

MASS-Vol  in— 22  3 


Bodenham,  daughter  Roger  Bodenham. 
Children:  Sir  William;  Edward,  1586, 
married  Elizabeth  Thomas,  daughter  of 
Richard  Thomas,  of  Bertholley  ;  Sir  John, 
died  before  1610,  married  Florence  Mor- 
gan, daughter  and  eventual  heir  of  Wil- 
liam Morgan  of  the  Friars.  They  had 
William  Morgan  of  the  Friars,  1663, 
mayor  of  Newport,  1667,  father  of  Lewis 
Morgan,  died  about  1690,  father  of  Lewis 
died  1729,  who  sold  to  the  Friars.  He 
was  father  of  Blanch  and  Catherine. 
David  Morgan,  whence  a  branch  ;  Blanch, 
married  Edward  Lewis,  of  Van,  settle- 
ment, 1585;  Catherine,  married  William 
Herbert,  of  Coldbrook;  Elizabeth,  mar- 
ried William  Jones,  of  Abergavenny; 
Jane,  married  Rowland  Morgan,  of  Bas- 
salleg;  Elizabeth,  married  William 
Blethyn,  of  Dynham ;  Ann ;  Margaret, 
married  Henry  Williams,  of  Mathern. 

(XVI)  Sir  William  Morgan,  of  Trede- 
gar, knighted  1633 ;  M.  P.  for  the  county, 
1623-25;  will  made  1650,  proved  1653; 
sheriff,  1612;  aged  ninety-three  at  death; 
he  received  Charles  I.  at  Tredegar,  July 
16  and  17,  1645;  married  (first)  Elizabeth 
Winter,  daughter  of  Sir  William  Winter, 
of  Lidney,  (second)  Bridget  Morgan, 
daughter  of  Anthony  Morgan,  of  Hey- 
ford,  county  Northampton,  widow  of  An- 
thony Morgan,  of  Llanvihangel  Crucor- 
ney.  Children  by  first  wife:  Thomas. 
Edward,  of  Kilfengan,  will  dated  April 
4,  1660,  proved  February,  1661,  married 
Elizabeth  James,  daughter  and  heir  of 
Charles  James,  of  Llandewi  Rhydderch, 
had  Elizabeth,  daughter  and  heir,  mar- 
ried Henry  Chambre,  of  Court  Morgan. 
William,  whence  Morgan  of  Rhymny. 
Rowland  of  Risca,  will  dated  December 
19,  1660,  proved  February,  1661,  married 

Honora ,  and  had  Colonel  William 

Morgan,  buried  at  Bassalleg,  October  27, 
1679.  John  of  the  Temple  in  1652,  coel. 
Mary,  married  George  Lewis,  of  St. 
Pierre.  Blanch,  married  John  Carne,  ot 
?7 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Ewenny.  Frances,  married  Charles  Wil- 
liams, of  Llangibby.  Mary,  single,  will 
1687.  Elizabeth,  married  William  Mor- 
gan, of  Dderw;  she  died  1638,  he  died 
1649.  By  Sir  William's  second  wife:  Sir 
Anthony  of  Kilfengan,  without  issue.  His 
widow  was  alive  in  1673.  Mary,  married 
Peter  Farmer,  of  London,  who  died  1691. 
They  had  Margaret,  daughter  and  heir, 
married  John  More,  who  sold  Kilfengan 
in  1707. 

(XVII)  Elizabeth  Morgan,  daughter 
of  Sir  William  of  Tredegar,  married  Wil- 
liam Morgan,  merchant  of  Diveru;  went 
to  Bristol,  England,  in  1616.  Elizabeth 
died  1638,  William  died  1648;  both  buried 
in  Bristol  (see  Great  Orphan  Book  and 
Book  of  Wills  of  Bristol).  Child:  Miles 
Morgan,  born  1616,  named  perhaps  after 
Miles  Morgan,  captain  British  army,  who 
perished  with  Sir  Humphrey  Gilbert,  half 
brother  of  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  who  sailed 
1576  under  a  patent  "to  occupy  any 
heathen  lands  not  actually  possessed  of 
any  Christian  prince  or  people." 

(I)  Miles  Morgan  emigrated  from  Bris- 
tol, England,  to  Boston,  Massachusetts, 
in  January,  1636.  Soon  after  reaching 
this  country,  in  company  with  a  number 
of  other  colonists,  under  command  of 
Colonel  William  Pynchon,  he  set  out  for 
western  Massachusetts.  They  were  at- 
tracted by  the  reports  they  had  heard  of 
the  exceedingly  fertile  meadows  in  the 
"ox-bows  of  the  long  river"  (the  Con- 
necticut). Of  this  company  Miles  Mor- 
gan, though  the  youngest  and  the  only 
one  under  twenty-one  years  of  age,  soon 
became  second  in  command.  The  party 
settled  in  what  is  now  the  city  of  Spring- 
field, Massachusetts.  They  gave  it  the 
name  of  Agawam,  which  it  bore  until 
1640,  when  for  some  unexplained  reason 
the  name  of  Springfield  was  bestowed. 
Miles  Morgan  speedily  became  one  of  the 
most  valued  men  in  the  colony,  an  in- 
trepid Indian  fighter,  a  sturdy  husband- 


man, and  a  wise  counsellor  in  the  govern- 
ment. In  the  practical  division  of  the 
sumptuary  duties  of  the  colony  he  be- 
came the  butcher,  while  Colonel  Pynchon 
was  the  grocer  and  justice  of  the  peace. 
Miles  Morgan's  allotment  comprised  the 
lands  now  occupied  by  the  car  and  repair 
shops  of  the  Boston  &  Maine  railroad, 
and  they  remained  in  the  family  at  least 
two  hundred  years  before  the  alienation. 
In  the  early  days  of  our  country  it  was 
customary  to  seat  persons  in  the  meeting 
house  according  to  their  rank ;  so  when 
we  find  that  in  1663  Sergeant  Miles  Mor- 
gan was  given  the  third  seat  from  the 
pulpit  in  the  Springfield  meeting  house, 
that  fact  sufficiently  attests  his  dignity 
in  the  infant  colony.  There  is  a  pretty 
romance  connected  with  Miles  Morgan's 
marriage.  Captain  Morgan,  as  he  soon 
began  to  be  called,  came  over  in  the  same 
ship  with  Prudence  Gilbert.  In  fact, 
there  is  a  tradition  to  the  effect  that  it 
was  on  her  account  that  he  embarked.  It 
is  said  that  he  first  saw  the  fair  Prudence 
while  he  was  wandering  about  the 
wharves  at  Bristol,  and  that  he  decided 
at  short  notice  to  sail  with  the  ship  on 
which  she  was  going,  that  he  did  not 
even  have  time  to  send  word  to  his  par- 
ents. Her  people  settled  in  Beverly,  now 
a  suburb  of  Boston.  As  soon  as  Captain 
Morgan  had  received  his  allotment  of 
land  in  Springfield  he  started  back  to 
Boston  on  foot  with  an  Indian  guide  to 
claim  his  bride.  After  the  wedding  the 
return  trip  was  made,  also  on  foot,  but, 
in  addition  to  the  bridal  pair  and  the 
Indian,  a  horse,  bought  in  Beverly,  was 
brought  along,  which,  like  the  Indian, 
was  loaded  down  with  the  household 
goods  of  the  newly  married  couple.  The 
two  burden-bearers  walked  in  front  while 
Captain  Morgan,  matchlock  in  hand,  fol- 
lowed with  his  bride.  The  town  of 
Springfield  was  sacked  and  burned  by 
Indians  in  King  Philip's  war,  in  1675. 
338 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Colonel  Pynchon  being  absent,  the  com- 
mand devolved  upon  Captain  Morgan. 
Among  the  killed  was  his  own  son, 
Peletiah,  only  fifteen  years  of  age.  The 
houseless  colony  took  refuge  in  the 
stockade  about  Morgan's  house.  A 
friendly  Indian  in  Captain  Morgan's  em- 
ploy made  his  escape  to  Hadley,  where 
Major  Samuel  Appleton,  commander-in- 
chief  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  troops, 
happened  to  be  stationed  at  the  time. 
Major  Appleton  was  able  to  spare  four- 
teen men,  who  returned  to  Springfield, 
and  dispersed  the  Indians.  Miles  Mor- 
gan died  May  28,  1699,  aged  eighty-four 
years.  Prudence  (Gilbert)  Morgan  died 
November  14,  1660,  and  he  married  (sec- 
ond) February  15,  1669,  Elizabeth  Bliss. 
Children  by  first  marriage:  Mary,  born 
December  14,  1644;  Jonathan,  September 
16,  1646;  David,  mentioned  below; 
Peletiah,  May  17,  1650,  killed  by  the  In- 
dians, 1675,  was  unmarried;  Isaac,  March 
12,  1652;  Lydia,  February  8,  1654;  Han- 
nah, February  11,  1656;  Mercy,  May  18, 
1658.  Child  by  second  marriage :  Na- 
thaniel, June  14,  1671. 

(II)  David  Morgan,  second  son  of 
Miles  and  Prudence  (Gilbert)  Morgan, 
was  born  July  23,  1648,  in  Springfield, 
where  he  made  his  home.  He  married, 
January  16,  1672,  Mary  Clark,  of  Spring- 
field, and  they  had  children :  Peletiah, 
born  March,  1676;  David,  mentioned  be- 
low; John,  October  7,  1682;  Jonathan, 
September  13,  1685;  Mary,  December  24, 
1686;  Benjamin,  May  2,  1695,  married, 
June  4,  1718,  Mary  Graves. 

(III)  Deacon  David  (2)  Morgan,  sec- 
ond son  of  David  (1)  and  Mary  (Clark) 
Morgan,  was  born  February  18,  1679,  in 
Springfield,  and  was  among  the  original 
proprietors  of  Brimfield,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  drew  lot  No.  46  in  the  first  dis- 
tribution to  settlers,  in  1732.  He  was 
town  clerk  of  Brimfield  in  1731,  and  died 
there  September  11,  1760.     His  descend- 


ants are  still  living  in  that  town.  He 
married,  in  1703,  Deborah  Colton,  daugh- 
ter of  Isaac  and  Mary  (Cooper)  Colton, 
granddaughter  of  George  Colton,  the  im- 
migrant, who  settled  at  Springfield  be- 
fore 1644,  and  later  removed  to  Hartford, 
where  he  was  prominent  in  both  civil  and 
military  affairs.  His  wife  was  Deborah 
Gardner.  Children:  David  ;  Joseph,  men- 
tioned below;  Mary,  born  1706,  married, 
May  6,  1736,  Leonard  Hoar,  Jr.;  Eliza- 
beth, married,  December  12, 1738,  Phineas 
Sherman;  Jonathan,  born  1740;  Deborah, 
married,  1763,  Nathaniel  Collins;  Mercy, 
born  1744,  died  1745;  Isaac,  1747. 

(IV)  Sergeant  Joseph  Morgan,  second 
son  of  Deacon  David  (2)  and  Deborah 
(Colton)  Morgan,  was  born  August  19, 
1705,  in  Springfield,  and  died  January  28, 
1798,  in  Brimfield.  With  his  father  he 
was  among  the  grantees  of  the  latter 
town,  where  he  drew  lot  No.  25  in  the  dis- 
tribution of  lands.  By  trade  he  was  a 
cabinet-maker,  and  his  business  was  con- 
tinued by  his  son  Joseph  after  his  death. 
He  was  among  the  most  patriotic  citi- 
zens, and  was  a  sergeant  in  the  troops 
sent  from  New  England  to  participate  in 
the  second  siege  of  Louisburg  in  1758, 
and  at  the  age  of  seventy  years  responded 
to  the  call,  April  19,  1775,  marching  to 
Lexington  in  Captain  Sherman's  com- 
pany of  Colonel  Pynchon's  regiment.  He 
married,  December  25,  1729,  Margaret 
Cooley,  born  January  30,  1710,  in  Brim- 
field, daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Margaret 
(Bliss)  Cooley,  a  descendant  of  Benjamin 
Cooley,  a  native  of  England,  who  was  a 
proprietor  of  Springfield,  in  1645.  The 
latter's  wife  was  named  Sarah,  and  they 
were  the  parents  of  Daniel  Cooley,  born 
May  2,  1651,  in  Springfield,  died  Febru- 
ary^ 1727.  He  married,  December  8, 1680, 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Simon  and  Martha 
(Pitkin)  Wolcott.  Martha  Pitkin  was  a 
sister  of  William  Pitkin,  father  of  Gov- 
ernor Roger  Pitkin.    Simon  Wolcott  was 


339 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


a  son  of  Henry  Wolcott,  born  in  1577, 
son  of  John  Wolcott,  of  Tolland,  Somer- 
setshire, England.  He  married  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  Thomas  Saunders,  of  Tol- 
land, and  died  in  1655.  Their  son,  Simon 
Wolcott,  was  born  September  11,  1624, 
and  married,  as  his  second  wife,  Martha 
Pitkin,  as  above  noted.  She  married 
(second)  Daniel  Clark,  and  died  October 
13,  1719.  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Simon 
and  Martha  (Pitkin)  Wolcott,  married 
Daniel  Cooley,  as  above  noted.  Benja- 
min Cooley,  son  of  Daniel  and  Elizabeth 
(Wolcott)  Cooley,  was  born  October  28, 
1681,  and  settled  in  Brimfield.  He  mar- 
ried, January  31,  1701,  Margaret,  daugh- 
ter of  Samuel  (2)  and  Sarah  (Benjamin) 
Bliss.  Their  daughter,  Margaret,  wife 
of  Joseph  Morgan,  died  July  17,  1754, 
and  he  married  (second)  August  11,  1759, 
Rachel  Dada,  died  March  27,  1810.  Chil- 
dren: Margaret,  born  April  20,  1731,  mar- 
ried, February  2,  1749,  John  Mighell ;  Jo- 
seph, April  17,  1733;  Mary,  February  28, 
1735,  died  1736;  Mary,  June  15,  1737, 
married,  May  7,  1761,  Captain  Ebenezer 
Hitchcock;  Benjamin,  July  24,  1739; 
Miriam,  May  7,  1742;  David,  January 
25,  1745;  Keziah,  January  26,  1747,  mar- 
ried, December  31,  1767,  Benjamin  Cady ; 
Aaron,  mentioned  below;  Elijah,  May  31, 
1754;  Enoch,  August  3,  1763. 

(V)  Sergeant  Aaron  Morgan,  fourth 
son  of  Joseph  and  Margaret  (Cooley) 
Morgan,  was  born  March  16,  1749,  in 
Brimfield,  and  was  a  prominent  man  in 
the  affairs  of  that  town,  where  he  was 
moderator  in  1807,  1810-11-12-13-14-15. 
From  1784  to  1797  he  was  town  clerk, 
was  selectman  in  1798-99- 1800-0 1-02-03- 
04,  and  assessor,  1775-76,  1780-81,  1783-85 
to  1793,  1795-96,  and  1798  to  1804  inclusive. 
Like  his  father,  he  was  a  patriot,  engaged 
in  defence  of  his  country,  serving  first  as 
a  member  of  Captain  Thompson's  com- 
pany, Colonel  Danielson's  regiment  of 
minute-men,    responding    to    the    alarm, 


April  19,  1775.  He  also  served  at  other 
times,  including  a  period  in  Gates'  Army 
of  the  North,  in  1777,  under  command 
of  Captain  Capen  and  Colonel  Wood- 
bridge.  He  married,  November  26,  1772, 
Abigail  Sherman,  born  January  11,  1752, 
died  October  3,  1828.  She  was  a  descend- 
ant of  Thomas  Sherman,  who  lived  in 
Diss,  on  the  River  Waveney,  between  the 
counties  of  Norfolk  and  Suffolk,  Eng- 
land, and  died  in  1550.  His  wife,  Jane, 
was  a  daughter  of  John  Waller,  of 
Wortham,  Suffolk.  Their  fourth  son, 
Henry  Sherman,  born  about  1530,  in  Yax- 
ley, lived  at  Colchester,  where  his  first 
wife  Agnes  was  buried  October  14,  1580. 
Their  eldest  child,  Henry  Sherman,  born 
about  1555,  in  Colchester,  lived  in  Ded- 
ham,  County  Essex,  where  his  will  was 
proved  September  8,  1610.  He  married 
Susan  Hills,  and  had  six  sons  living  at 
the  time  of  his  death.  Of  these,  Edmund, 
born  in  Dedham,  married,  in  161 1,  Judith 
Angier.  About  1632  they  came  to  Water- 
town,  Massachusetts,  whence  they  re- 
moved to  Wethersfield,  Connecticut,  and 
later  to  New  Haven,  where  both  died.  At 
least  two  of  his  sons  came  with  him  to 
Watertown.  One  of  these,  Rev.  John 
Sherman,  was  baptized  December  26, 
1613,  in  Dedham,  and  graduated  Bachelor 
of  Arts  from  Trinity  College,  Cambridge, 
in  1629,  Master  of  Arts,  1633.  In  1635  he 
came  to  Watertown,  Massachusetts,  and 
removed  soon  after  to  New  Haven,  Con- 
necticut, where  for  many  years  he  was  a 
magistrate.  Between  1644  and  1648  he 
returned  to  Watertown,  where  he  was 
third  minister  of  the  church,  and  died 
August  8,  1685.  His  first  wife's  name 
was  Abigail.  He  married  (second)  Mary 
Launce,  who  survived  him,  and  died  at 
Watertown,  March  9,  1710.  He  had  a 
large  family  of  children,  including  a 
daughter,  Mary,  by  each  wife,  both  liv- 
ing at  the  same  time.  One  of  the  sons, 
John  Sherman,  was  born  1645,  became  a 


340 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


physician,  and  was  the  second  minister 
of  Sudbury  church  from  1677  until  he 
was  deposed  in  1705.  After  living  a  short 
time  in  Elizabethtown,  New  Jersey,  he 
went  to  Salem,  Massachusetts,  where  he 
was  living  in  1709,  practicing  medicine, 
and  sold  land  in  Sudbury.  He  married 
in  that  town,  May  13,  1680,  Mary  Walker. 
They  were  the  parents  of  Dr.  John  Sher- 
man, who  was  also  a  captain  of  militia, 
born  November  20,  1683,  settled  in  the 
practice  of  medicine  at  Springfield,  Mas- 
sachusetts, where  he  died  March  9,  1772. 
He  married  Abigail  Stone,  born  February 
13,  1680,  daughter  of  Deacon  Daniel  and 
Mary  (Ward)  Stone.  The  ancestor  of 
the  American  Stone  family  was  Rev. 
Timothy  Stone,  a  non-conformist  minis- 
ter, in  the  West  of  England.  Three  of 
his  sons,  Simon,  Gregory  and  Samuel, 
came  to  America.  Gregory  Stone  sailed 
from  Ipswich,  England,  April  15,  1635, 
in  company  with  his  brother,  Simon,  and 
settled  in  Cambridge,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  was  admitted  a  freeman,  May 
25,  1636,  and  became  a  deacon  of  the 
church.  He  died  November  30,  1672,  at 
his  residence  in  Cambridge,  near  the  pres- 
ent Mount  Auburn  Cemetery.  He  mar- 
ried in  England,  Lydia  Cooper,  who  came 
with  him,  and  died  in  Cambridge,  June 
24,  1674.  Their  eldest  child,  Deacon  John 
Stone,  was  born  about  1619,  in  England, 
and  resided  in  Cambridge  with  his  father 
until  his  majority,  when  he  became  one 
of  the  original  proprietors  of  Sudbury, 
Massachusetts,  and  later  removed  to 
Framingham.  After  the  death  of  his 
father  he  returned  to  Cambridge.  In 
1654  he  was  town  clerk  of  Framingham, 
was  both  elder  and  deacon  of  the  church, 
representative  from  Cambridge  to  the 
General  Court  in  1682-83,  and  died  May  5, 
of  the  latter  year.  He  married  Anne 
How,  probably  a  daughter  of  Elder  Ed- 
ward How,  of  Watertown,  and  they  had 


ten  children,  namely :  Hannah,  Mary, 
Daniel,  David,  Elizabeth,  Margaret,  Ta- 
bitha,  Sarah,  Nathaniel  and  John.  Daniel 
Stone,  eldest  son  of  John  and  Anne 
(How)  Stone,  was  born  August  31,  1644, 
in  Sudbury,  where  he  lived,  and  married 
(first)  November  22,  1667,  Mary  Ward, 
born  1646-47,  died  June  10,  1703,  daugh- 
ter of  William  Ward,  who  came  from 
England,  and  was  in  Sudbury  as  early 
as  1639.  Their  sixth  daughter,  Abigail 
Stone,  born  February  13,  1680,  became 
the  wife  of  Dr.  John  Sherman,  of  Spring- 
field, Massachusetts,  as  above  noted. 
Thomas  Sherman,  son  of  Dr.  John  and 
Abigail  (Stone)  Sherman,  was  born  Sep- 
tember 6,  1722,  in  Springfield,  was  a  sol- 
dier of  the  Revolution,  and  died  Novem- 
ber 22,  1803.  He  married,  September  12, 
1751,  Anna  Blodgett,  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Sarah  (Stone)  Blodgett,  born  April 
10,  1724,  descended  from  Thomas  Blod- 
gett, who  came  from  England  in  1635, 
and  settled  at  Cambridge,  Massachusetts, 
with  his  wife  Susanna.  Their  son,  Samuel 
Blodgett,  born  1633,  died  July  3, 1687,  mar- 
ried, December  13,  1655.  Ruth  Ingleden. 
They  were  the  parents  of  Thomas  Blodgett, 
born  1660,  who  settled  in  Lexington,  Mas- 
sachusetts, about  1699,  married,  Novem- 
ber 1,  1685,  Rebecca  Tidd.  She  was  a  de- 
scendant of  John  Tidd,  who  embarked 
from  Yarmouth,  England,  May  12,  1637, 
and  was  a  resident  of  Charlestown,  Mas- 
sachusetts, in  1644,  dying  there  April  24, 
1657.  His  wife,  Margaret,  died  in  1651. 
They  were  the  parents  of  John  Tidd,  who 
was  born  in  England,  and  resided  in  Wo- 
burn,  Massachusetts,  where  he  married, 
April  14,  1650,  Rebecca  Wood.  Their 
third  daughter,  Rebecca  Tidd,  married 
Thomas  Blodgett,  as  above  noted.  Joseph 
Blodgett,  son  of  Thomas  and  Rebecca 
(Tidd)  Blodgett,  was  born  September  17, 
1696,  and  married  Sarah  Stone,  born  No- 
vember 7,  1700,  in  Lexington,  died  May  6, 


34i 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1755.  They  were  the  parents  of  Anna 
Blodgett,  above  referred  to  as  the  wife  of 
Thomas  Sherman.  Her  daughter,  Abi- 
gail Sherman,  born  January  11,  1752,  was 
married,  November  26,  1772,  to  Aaron 
Morgan,  of  Brimfield.  Her  children 
were:  Lucy,  born  January  20,  1774,  mar- 
ried, December  19,  1793,  James  Moore; 
Justin,  March  8,  1777;  Aaron,  Decem- 
ber 6,  1779;  Calvin,  mentioned  below; 
Thomas,  April  7,   1788,  married  October 

27,  1816,  Orra  Morgan ;  Sally,  June  30, 
1790,  married,  April  28,  1814,  Harris  Sher- 
man. 

(VI)  Calvin  Morgan,  third  son  of 
Aaron  and  Abigail  (Sherman)  Morgan, 
was  born  May  27,  1782,  in  Brimfield,  and 
died  there  June  13,  1832.  He  married, 
March  10,  1802,  Polly  Forbush,  probably 
a  daughter  of  Ephraim  and  Mary  For- 
bush, of  Acton,  born  October  17,  1787. 
She  died  January  12,  1868.  Children : 
Hiram,  mentioned  below ;  Dexter,  born 
June  2,  1805,  died  March  17,  1818;  Mar- 
garet F.,  September  23,  1806,  married, 
September  23,  1829,  G.  W.  Dinsmore; 
Calvin,  April  4,  1808,  married  Susannah 
P.  Lane,  died  October  31,  1835;  Mary 
Ann,  December  28,  1809,  married,  Octo- 
ber 15,  1833,  Joseph  B.  Parker;  Abigail 
T.,  June  13,  181 1,  married,  May  29,  1859, 
Heman  S.  Jackson;  Enoch  Melvin,  June 
2,  1813,  died  December  9,  1813;  Sarah  B., 
March  26,  181 5,  married,  June  11,  1835, 
Luther  Bigelow,  died  September  17,  1840; 
Malvina  F.,  April  12,  1817,  married,  July 
2,  1839,  Andrew  J.  Copp,  died  June  27, 
1841 ;  Francis  Dexter,  April  24,  1819,  mar- 
ried, November  25,  1841,  Elizabeth 
Phelps,  died  1846;  Harriet  N.,  September 

28,  1821  ;  Cordelia,  October  20,  1825,  died 
February  14,  1842. 

(VII)  Hiram  Morgan,  eldest  child  of 
Calvin  and  Polly  (Forbush)  Morgan,  was 
born  August  1,  1803,  in  Brimfield,  and 
was  a  mechanic,  skillful  in  wood  turning. 


For  a  time  he  lived  in  Rochester,  New 
York,  and  removed,  about  1832,  to  Clin- 
ton, Massachusetts,  where  he  died  June 
29,  1866.  He  married  Clarissa  Lucina, 
daughter  of  Dr.  Noah  Rich,  of  South 
Egremont,  Massachusetts.  Children : 
Charles  Hill,  mentioned  below;  Francis 
Henry,  born  September  23,  1833 ;  Hiram 
Dexter,  July  27,  1836,  died  in  infancy ; 
Cyrus  Rich,  July  4,  1838,  married  Ade- 
laide Fisher;  Harriet  Eaton,  March  27, 
1845,  died  in  infancy. 

(VIII)  Charles  Hill  Morgan,  eldest 
child  of  Hiram  and  Clarissa  Lucina 
(Rich)  Morgan,  was  born  January  8,  1831, 
in  Rochester,  New  York,  and  was  young 
when  his  parents  removed  to  Clinton, 
Massachusetts.  He  died  in  Worcester, 
Massachusetts,  January  10,  191 1,  aged 
eighty  years.  In  the  schools  of  that  town 
and  Lancaster  Academy  he  received  in- 
struction until  the  age  of  fifteen  years, 
when  he  went  into  the  shop  of  his  uncle 
to  learn  the  machinist's  trade.  Here  he 
acquired  a  thorough  knowledge  of  me- 
chanics, and  became  especially  skilled  in 
mechanical  drawing,  and  on  attaining  his 
majority,  in  1852,  he  was  placed  in  charge 
of  the  dye  house  of  the  Clinton  mills,  for 
which  position  he  had  fitted  himself  by 
studies  in  chemistry.  For  some  time  he 
was  draftsman  in  the  employ  of  the  Law- 
rence Machine  Company,  and  later  of 
Erastus  P.  Bigelow.  In  i860  he  went  to 
Philadelphia  and  was  there  associated  for 
a  short  time  in  business  with  his  brother. 
In  1864  he  returned  to  Worcester  county, 
Massachusetts,  and  became  general  super- 
intendent of  the  wire  mills  of  Washburn 
&  Moen,  at  Worcester.  Here  he  con- 
tinued twenty-three  years,  and  during  the 
last  eleven  years  of  this  time  was  a  direc- 
tor of  the  corporation.  During  this  period 
he  designed  the  first  hydraulic  elevator  in- 
troduced in  New  England.  He  made 
many  trips  to  Europe  to  visit  the  steel 
342 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  wire  mills  of  England,  Belgium,  Ger- 
many, France  and  Sweden,  studying  the 
methods  of  operation  there  in  use.  By 
diligent  reading  of  trade  journals  and  the 
study  of  all  inventions,  he  kept  the  Wash- 
burn &  Aloen  mill  in  the  forefront  of  de- 
velopment. An  advance  step  made  at  this 
time  in  the  wire  business  was  an  impor- 
tant improvement  of  the  continuous  roll- 
ing mill  designed  and  constructed  in  Man- 
chester, England.  Its  methods  of  produc- 
tion were  limited,  however,  by  the  imper- 
fection of  the  ordinary  hand  reel,  and  Mr. 
Morgan  designed  and  placed  in  operation 
a  reel  operated  by  steam  power,  and  sub- 
sequently a  continuous  train  of  rolls,  hav- 
ing only  horizontal  axes.  This  method 
was  found  to  be  far  superior  to  the  former 
process,  which  used  alternating,  vertical 
and  horizontal  rolls.  Mr.  Morgan  de- 
signed a  new  mill,  which  was  constructed 
to  supersede  the  Bedson  mill,  embodying 
the  Belgium  and  continuous  plan,  which 
was  known  as  the  Combination  mill.  In 
1886  he  received  patents  on  automatic 
reels  with  vertically  moving  platform. 
The  great  advancement  made  under  his 
direction  naturally  attracted  the  attention 
of  mill  owners  and  operators,  and  in  1887 
he  was  made  consulting  engineer  of  the 
American  Wire  Company  of  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  and  there  introduced  further  new 
and  valuable  inventions.  In  1889  he  com- 
pleted and  placed  in  operation  at  Dollar 
Bay,  Michigan,  a  large  copper  mill  for 
handling  the  product  of  the  Tamarack 
Mine,  which  produces  the  famous  lake 
copper.  In  1888  Mr.  Morgan  began  the 
manufacture  of  rolling  mill  machinery  at 
Worcester,  and  three  years  later  the  busi- 
ness was  incorporated  under  the  name  of 
the  Morgan  Construction  Company,  with 
a  capital  stock  of  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars.  The  executive  offices  are  located 
on  Lincoln  street,  Worcester,  and  an 
European    agency    is    maintained.      The 


company  manufactures  rolling  mill  ma- 
chinery for  steel  billets,  merchant  bars, 
rods,  cotton  ties  and  barrel  hoops,  as  well 
as  wire  drawing  and  hydraulic  machinery. 
A  specialty  is  the  equipment  of  entire 
plants  and  special  devices  made  to  order. 
The  company  controls  valuable  patents 
for  machinery  used  in  modern  mills,  and 
has  built  up  an  extensive  export  trade. 
Mr.  Morgan  was  also  interested  in  other 
business  and  industries  of  Worcester.  He 
was  a  director  of  the  First  National  Bank, 
and  president  and  a  principal  owner  of 
the  Morgan  Spring  Company,  which  was 
incorporated  in  1881,  capitalized  at  seven 
hundred  thousand  dollars.  This  establish- 
ment has  enjoyed  a  very  rapid  and  healthy 
growth.  He  began  the  manufacture  of 
springs  at  the  Morgan  mills  on  Lincoln 
street,  and  in  1896  the  company  con- 
structed an  extensive  plant  at  Barber's 
Crossing,  which  has  required  subsequent 
enlargement.  Mr.  Morgan  was  associated 
with  the  Washburn  shops  of  the  Worces- 
ter Polytechnic  Institute,  and  was  among 
the  largest  benefactors  of  that  institu- 
tion. To  Mr.  Morgan  more  than  any 
other  one  man  is  due  credit  for  the  suc- 
cessful development  of  the  plan  made  by 
Ichabod  Washburn,  whose  gift  estab- 
lished this  machine  shop  in  March,  1886. 
It  is  both  a  laboratory  and  trade  school 
for  the  institute,  and  is  self-supporting 
as  a  business  concern.  Mr.  Washburn 
died  before  the  shop  was  completed,  but 
he  had  recommended  Mr.  Morgan  as  a 
trustee,  having  faith  in  his  great  mechani- 
cal skill  and  experience.  The  latter  was 
elected  to  this  position,  March  2.7,  1887, 
and  at  the  request  of  the  dying  founder, 
took  charge  of  the  construction  and  equip- 
ment of  the  shops.  Through  his  efficient 
superintendence  and  cooperation,  the  suc- 
cess of  this  experiment  in  technical  edu- 
cation has  made  the  Worcester  Polytech- 
nic   Institute    famous,    and    its    shops    a 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


model  for  the  whole  country.  Mr.  Mor- 
gan was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Plym- 
outh Congregational  Church  of  Worces- 
ter, in  which  he  was  one  of  the  first  dea- 
cons. He  was  a  director  of  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association,  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Congregational  Club  of  Worces- 
ter. He  married  (first)  June  8,  1852,  Har- 
riet C.  Plympton,  of  Shrewsbury,  Massa- 
chusetts, born  November  8,  1831,  died 
July  28,  1862.  He  married  (second)  Au- 
gust 4,  1863,  Rebecca  Ann  Beagary,  of 
Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania.  Children  by 
first  wife:  C.  Henry,  born  February  1, 
1854,  married  Jessie  Bradbury,  resides  in 
Worcester;  Hiram  Plympton,  1862,  died 
in  infancy.  Children  by  second  wife: 
Harriet  L.,  born  June  9,  1864,  married  Dr. 
Winthrop  D.  Mitchell,  of  East  Orange, 
New  Jersey,  and  they  have  one  child, 
Beatrice  Mitchell,  born  June  6,  1891 ; 
Charlotte,  July  10,  1866,  married  Fred- 
erick M.  McFadden,  of  Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania ;  Paul  Beagary,  mentioned 
below ;  Ralph  Landers,  September  5,  1872, 
married  Alice  Sawyer,  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam H.  Sawyer,  of  Worcester,  Massachu- 
setts. 

(IX)  Paul  Beagary  Morgan,  third  son 
of  Charles  Hill  Morgan,  and  third  child 
of  his  second  wife,  Rebecca  Ann  (Beag- 
ary) Morgan,  was  born  May  7,  1869,  in 
Worcester.  After  an  attendance  at  the 
public  schools  he  entered  Worcester 
Academy,  from  which  he  was  graduated 
in  1887,  and  three  years  later  graduated 
from  the  Worcester  Polytechnic  Insti- 
tute. His  education  was  completed 
abroad,  with  a  year  in  Sweden,  studying 
the  iron  industry,  and  taking  a  special 
course  in  metallurgy  and  chemistry,  in 
the  Royal  School  of  Mines  at  Stockholm. 
Here  he  gained  practical  experience  in  the 
celebrated  Munkfors  Works  of  the  Udde- 
holm  Company.  Returning  to  his  native 
city,    he    engaged    in    business    with    his 


father.  He  is  president  of  the  Morgan 
Spring  Company  and  of  the  Morgan  Con- 
struction Company,  and  president  of  the 
Heald  Machine  Company.  His  unblem- 
ished integrity,  prudence  and  common 
sense  have  been  demonstrated,  and  he 
enjoys  a  high  reputation  among  the  busi- 
ness men  of  Worcester.  In  1904  he  was 
elected  a  director  of  the  Worcester  Na- 
tional Bank,  and  is  a  trustee  of  the  Peo- 
ple's Savings  Bank  and  of  the  Memorial 
Hospital.  As  president  of  the  Worcester 
County  Musical  Association,  he  has  been 
active  in  promoting  the  advancement  of 
culture  in  his  home  city,  where  this  organ- 
ization gives  the  annual  musical  festival 
celebrated  throughout  the  world.  Mr. 
Morgan  is  a  member  of  the  Plymouth 
Congregational  Church,  the  Worcester 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  and 
the  Congregational  Club,  and  a  trustee  of 
Worcester  Academy  and  president  of  that 
board  since  1910.  He  has  served  as  presi- 
dent of  the  Alumni  Association  of 
Worcester  Polytechnic  Institute,  and  as 
vice-president  of  the  Alumni  of  Worces- 
ter Academy.  His  interest  in  all  that 
makes  for  the  welfare  and  progress  of  his 
native  city  is  well  known.  He  is  an  hon- 
orary member  of  George  H.  Ward  Post, 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Sons  of  the  American  Revolu- 
tion ;  also  of  the  Worcester  Club,  the 
Quinsigamond  Boat  Club,  the  Tatnuck 
Country  Club,  and  the  Engineers'  Club 
of  New  York.  Politically  he  has  always 
acted  with  the  Republican  party,  but  is 
not  a  seeker  of  official  honors. 

He  married,  June  15,  1893,  at  Worces- 
ter, Lessie  Louise,  daughter  of  William 
and  Mary  (Adams)  Maynard,  of  Worces- 
ter (see  Maynard  VII).  Children:  Philip 
Maynard,  born  April  13,  1896;  Charles 
Hill,  September  19,  1902;  Paul  Beagary, 
Jr.,  June  11,  1904;  Vincent,  February  2, 
1906;  Elizabeth,  July  2,  1909. 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


MAYNARD,  William, 

Manufacturer. 

This  family  was  founded  in  America  by 
John  Maynard,  who  was  in  Sudbury, 
Massachusetts,  as  early  as  1638,  one  of 
the  forty-seven  who  shared  in  the  division 
of  Sudbury  Meadows  in  1639,  and  was 
selectman  of  that  town.  He  was  one  of 
the  petitioners  for  the  grant  of  Marl- 
borough, Massachusetts,  whither  he  re- 
moved soon  after  the  grant  was  received, 
in  1657,  and  died  there  December  22,  171 1. 
He  married,  in  Sudbury,  April  5,  1648, 
Mary  Gates,  born  probably  in  England, 
daughter  of  Stephen  and  Ann  (Hill) 
Gates,  who  came  from  Hingham,  Eng- 
land, to  Hingham,  Massachusetts,  in  1638, 
and  were  among  the  first  settlers  of  Lan- 
caster, Massachusetts.  Stephen  Gates 
died  at  Cambridge,  in  1662.  Children: 
Elizabeth,  born  May  26,  1649,  died 
young;  Hannah,  September  30,  1653; 
Mary,  August  3,  1656;  John,  January  7, 
1661,  married  Lydia  Ward;  Elizabeth, 
April  2,  1664;  Simon,  mentioned  below; 
David,  December  21,  1669,  had  wife  Han- 
nah;  Zachariah,  October  27,  1672;  Sarah, 
May  15,  1680,  married,  June  9,  1705,  Jo- 
seph Johnson ;  Lydia,  August  29,  1682, 
married,  April  7,  1703,  Thomas  Haggate  ; 
Joseph,  August  27,  1685,  married  Eliza- 
beth Prue,  and  had  Benjamin,  born  May 
7,  1721. 

(II)  Simon  Maynard,  second  son  of 
John  and  Mary  (Gates)  Maynard,  was 
born  June  15,  1666,  in  Marlborough, 
where  he  died  January  19,  1748.  His  wife 
Hannah  died  April  5,  following.  Children  : 
Hannah,  born  June  9,  1694,  married  April 
21,  1714,  Joseph  Crosby;  Simon,  March 
4,  1696,  married,  November  18,  1718, 
Sarah  Church ;  Elizabeth,  September  26, 
1698,  married,  1723,  Robert  Horn;  Ta- 
bitha,  February  2,  1701,  died  April  7, 1724; 
Elisha,  March  20,  1703;  Eunice,  Novem- 


ber 17,  1705,  married  Nathaniel  Falkner ; 
Ephraim,  mentioned  below;  Benjamin, 
December  1,  1709,  died  171 1. 

(III)  Ephraim  Maynard,  third  son  of 
Simon  and  Hannah  Maynard,  was  born 
October  17,  1707,  in  Marlborough.  He 
marched  to  Cambridge,  April  19,  1775,  in 
Captain  Howe's  company.  His  first  wife, 
Sarah,  died  May  24,  1742,  and  he  married 
(second)  January  3,  1743,  Mary  Balcom. 
Children  of  first  marriage  :  Tabitha,  born 
July  21,  1738,  died  May  24,  1742;  Eph- 
raim, March  7,  1740,  died  May  10,  1742. 
Children  of  second  marriage  :  Sarah,  born 
November  6,  1743  ;  Ephraim,  August  29, 
[745,  married,  September  14,  1773,  Eunice 
Jewell ;  Simon,  mentioned  below  ;  Joseph, 
December  31,  1750,  married,  November 
14,  1777,  Lovina  Barnes;  Benjamin, 
March  10,  1753;  Eunice,  February  7,  1757. 

(IV)  Simon  (2)  Maynard,  third  son  of 
Ephraim  Maynard,  and  third  child  of  his 
second  wife,  Mary  (Balcom)  Maynard, 
was  born  June  5,  1748,  in  Marlborough, 
and  died  there  November  15,  1818.  He 
also  marched  to  Cambridge,  April  19, 
1775,  in  Captain  Howe's  company.  He 
married  Silence  Priest,  born  February  9, 
1750,  in  Marlborough,  daughter  of  John 
and  Hannah  (Livermore)  Priest,  died 
November  19,  1837.  Children:  Isaac, 
mentioned  below ;  Hannah,  born  Decem- 
ber 28,  1782,  married,  January  31,  1802, 
Peace  Peters;  John  Priest,  June  2,  1791, 
married,  1812,  Betsey  Weeks,  daughter 
of  John  Weeks. 

(V)  Isaac  Maynard,  son  of  Simon  May- 
nard, was  born  at  Marlborough,  Decem- 
ber 3,  1779,  and  died  there  September  12, 
1820.  He  married,  September  29,  1802, 
Lydia  Howe,  born  December  19,  1779,  at 
Marlborough,  daughter  of  John  and  Sus- 
anna (Fairbanks)  Howe.  She  survived 
him  and  married  (second)  April  9,  1828, 
Abraham  Dow.  Children  of  Isaac  May- 
nard :  Amory,  mentioned  below ;   Lydia, 


345 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


born   November    16,    1805,   married   Joel 
Wilkins. 

(VI)  Amory  Maynard,  son  of  Isaac 
Maynard,  was  born  at  Marlborough,  Feb- 
ruary 28,  1804.  His  early  education  was 
limited.  He  attended  the  public  schools 
until  he  was  fourteen  years  old,  work- 
ing during  the  summer  months  on  his 
father's  farm  and  in  a  saw  mill  that  his 
father  owned  in  Marlborough.  His  father 
died  when  he  was  sixteen  and  the  man- 
agement of  the  estate  devolved  upon  him. 
He  continued  to  operate  the  saw  mill  for 
a  period  of  twenty-five  years,  during 
which  he  engaged  in  business  as  a  carpen- 
ter and  builder,  and  at  times  had  as  many 
as  sixty  men  in  his  employ,  erecting  mills, 
dwelling  houses  and  other  buildings  in 
Marlborough,  Concord,  Framingham  and 
neighboring  towns,  among  them  the  pres- 
ent residence  of  Judge  Hoar,  of  Concord. 
In  1846  the  city  of  Boston  purchased  the 
water  privilege  of  his  mill  and  spent  $60,- 
000  in  the  construction  of  a  reservoir. 
About  1859  Mr.  Maynard  repurchased  the 
property,  which  is  known  as  the  Fort 
Meadow  Reservoir,  and  it  is  used  as  a 
reserve  water  supply  for  the  woolen  mills 
of  the  mills  at  Maynard.  As  early  as 
1845  Mr-  Maynard  began  purchasing  land 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  reservoir,  acquiring 
several  hundred  acres.  Early  in  life  he 
manifested  a  preference  for  mechanical 
work  and  often  studied  the  possibilities  of 
water  powers  in  various  places.  In  1822 
he  drove  in  a  wagon  from  his  native  town 
to  Littleton,  New  Hampshire,  a  distance 
of  two  hundred  males,  spending  four  days 
for  the  purpose  of  studying  the  uses  and 
possibilities  of  water  power.  He  bought 
the  water  privilege  at  the  little  village  of 
Assabet  in  Sudbury,  July  2,  1846,  and 
formed  a  partnership  with  W.  H.  Knight, 
of  Saxonville,  in  the  same  year.  A  woolen 
mill,  fifty  by  one  hundred  feet,  was  erect- 
ed  and   there   the   firm   began   to   manu- 


facture carpets  and  carpet  yarns  for  the 
Boston  market.  At  that  time  there  were 
no  good  roads  and  but  fourteen  houses  in 
the  village  of  Assabet.  The  business 
gradually  developed  and  in  1861-62  the 
first  of  the  present  group  of  large  and  sub- 
stantial mill  buildings  was  erected,  and 
the  firm  began  to  make  blankets  on  a 
large  scale.  Subsequently  the  manufac- 
ture of  woolen  goods  was  developed  to  a 
high  degree  of  art.  At  the  time  of  Mr. 
Maynard's  death,  the  corporation  that  he 
formed  and  of  which  he  was  agent  ranked 
among  the  foremost  in  the  country  in  the 
making  of  strictly  woolen  goods  and  its 
goods  found  a  market  throughout  the 
United  States,  in  South  America  and  the 
West  Indies.  Offices  were  established  in 
Boston,  Chicago  and  New  York.  More 
than  five  hundred  wholesale  houses  dealt 
directly  with  the  company.  Under  Mr. 
Maynard's  management  the  business  grew 
constantly ;  a  floor  space  of  ten  acres  was 
afforded  by  the  mill  buildings,  and  about 
1,200  operatives  employed.  In  1847  trie 
value  of  the  property  was  $150,000,  which 
had  been  increased  tenfold.  In  the  mean- 
time the  little  village  had  grown  to  a 
thriving  town  and  it  was  incorporated  by 
the  Legislature,  April  19,  1871,  as  the 
town  of  Maynard,  named  in  honor  of  the 
one  man  whose  foresight,  energy  and  busi- 
ness ability  had  created  the  enterprise 
upon  which  the  existence  of  the  town  de- 
pended. The  new  town  had  a  population 
of  two  thousand.  More  than  twelve  hun- 
dred were  in  line  in  the  procession  when 
the  birth  of  the  new  corporation  was  for- 
mally celebrated  April  27,  1871.  Mr.  May- 
nard's son,  Lorenzo,  was  elected  the  first 
town  treasurer. 

The  history  of  the  business  would  re- 
quire a  volume  by  itself.  At  the  begin- 
ning Mr.  Maynard  had  a  capital  of  but 
$25,000,  the  savings  of  his  years  of  early 
industry,  and  he  was  without  experience 


346 


Ct^t^KLjCcA^t^1 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


in  the  manufacture  of  woolens.  But  he 
understood  mills  and  machinery,  and  he 
was  a  genius  for  getting  business  and  in 
disposing  of  his  products.  His  partner 
retired  in  1853,  before  the  magnitude  of 
the  enterprise  had  been  realized.  Mr. 
Maynard  shared  in  the  general  financial 
difficulties  before  and  at  the  beginning  of 
the  Civil  War,  but  surmounted  his  trou- 
bles. The  Assabet  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany was  incorporated  to  operate  his 
mills,  May  23,  1861,  J.  A.  Goddard,  presi- 
dent, T.  Quincy  Brown,  treasurer,  and 
Mr.  Maynard  agent  and  manager.  The 
demand  of  the  government  for  clothing 
and  blankets  for  the  soldiers  in  the  Civil 
War  brought  back  prosperity  to  the  mills 
at  Maynard.  New  buildings  were  built 
in  1861  and  1862.  One  important  fac- 
tor in  the  development  of  the  business 
was  the  building  of  the  Fitchburg  rail- 
road in  1849.  Mr.  Maynard  was  instru- 
mental in  having  the  line  of  this  railroad 
pass  through  Maynard.  His  own  me- 
chanical skill  was  another  important 
factor  at  a  time  when  mill  machinery 
was  in  its  first  period  of  development. 
He  had  a  shrewd  eye  for  new  processes 
and  labor-saving  devices.  He  took  pride 
in  the  quality  of  goods  manufactured  and 
his  mills  enjoyed  a  reputation  second  to 
none.  He  maintained  the  highest  stand- 
ards. In  later  years  his  sons  assumed 
the  burden  of  the  manufacturing  and  his 
energy  was  largely  devoted  to  procuring 
the  business,  making  the  contracts  and 
selling  the  output,  a  field  in  which  he  had 
no  superior.  At  the  time  of  his  death  the 
annual  product  of  the  mills  was  nine 
million  yards. 

In  the  village  his  work  of  creating  a 
town  was  also  arduous.  He  erected 
houses,  took  a  keen  interest  in  municipal 
houses,  founded  the  church  (Congrega- 
tional) and  shared  his  fortune  freely  with 
his   fellow-townsmen.     In    1879  he  went 


on  the  first  vacation  he  had  taken  in  fifty 
years.  He  was  strong  physically  and 
mentally  and  he  kept  in  the  harness  to  an 
advanced  age.  For  twenty  years  he 
lived  in  a  house  opposite  the  main  en- 
trance of  the  mill.  He  then  removed  to 
a  house  on  the  old  Puffer  place  at  the 
foot  of  Sumner  Hill,  returning  three 
years  later  to  the  large  house  opposite 
the  mill.  In  1862  he  moved  to  Worces- 
ter street,  Boston,  but  eight  years  later 
came  back  to  his  old  home,  where  he 
lived  until  the  mansion  on  the  hill  was 
completed  in  1873.  One  of  his  few  recre- 
ations was  music.  He  led  the  choir  in 
the  church  and  played  the  bass  viol  and 
cello  skillfully.  His  cello  is  now  owned 
by  his  great-grandson,  Philip  Morgan. 
Owing  to  his  age  and  failing  health  he 
retired  from  business  trips  to  New  York 
and  Boston  in  1885.  His  mental  faculties 
gradually  failed  from  that  time,  though 
his  physical  vigor  was  retained.  In  his 
eightieth  year  he  suffered  a  stroke  of 
paralysis.  His  death  was  caused  directly 
by  a  fall  while  he  was  going  upstairs  in 
his  home.    He  died  March  5,  1890. 

At  the  time  of  his  death,  the  Boston 
"Herald"  said :  "In  every  sense  of  the  word, 
Amory  Maynard  was  a  self-made  man. 
He  was  for  many  years  well-known 
among  the  business  men  of  Boston,  New 
York  and  elsewhere,  as  well  as  among  the 
leading  woolen  goods  manufacturers  of 
the  country."  The  Hudson  "Enterprise," 
December  1,  1883,  in  descriptive  article 
on  the  town  of  Maynard  said:  "His  influ- 
ence has  always  been  felt  on  the  side  of 
religion,  temperance  and  industry,  while 
by  the  practice  of  these  virtues  he  has 
accumulated  wealth  and  won  the  respect 
of  his  fellow  men  he  has  also  provided  the 
opportunity  by  which  others  have  been 
enabled  to  earn  a  comfortable  living  — 
some  of  whom  have  acquired  a  com- 
petency— raise  and  educate  families  and 


347 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


individually  and  in  the  aggregate  become     afterward  superintendent  until  1887,  when 


a  power  in  the  State.  Best  of  all  he  has 
survived  to  a  ripe  old  age,  and  in  the  ful- 
ness of  his  years  and  in  possession  of  his 
faculties  surrounded  by  the  grand  results 
of  a  correct  life  and  a  family  in  which 
he  and  the  worthy  companion  of  his 
domestic  life  are  the  chief  objects  of  re- 
gard and  love,  he  can  gaze  serenely  down 
and  around  and  feel  a  justifiable  pride  in 
these  results."  Another  writer,  after  his 
death,  said :  "While  a  man  of  the  strong- 
est determination,  Mr.  Maynard  was  not 
at  all  unkindly  and  was  never  unjust.  His 
will  power,  confidence  and  self-reliance 
were  remarkable  and  his  devotion  to  busi- 
ness almost  unparalleled." 

He  married,  January  26,  1826,  Mary 
Priest,  born  at  Marlborough,  July  8,  1805, 
died  at  Maynard,  January  22,  1886, 
daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Phebe  Priest. 
"She  was  a  woman  of  sterling  worth,  full 
of  the  kindliest  feelings  of  human  nature, 
unassuming,  pleasant  to  everybody  whom 
she  met  and  might  well  have  been  called 
the  matron  of  the  town.  Our  older  resi- 
dents can  testify  to  her  bright  qualities 
as  a  neighbor  and  friend,  as  she  was  ever 
willing  and  ready  to  give  assistance  in 
time  of  need.  The  first  religious  services 
in  Maynard  were  held  in  her  house  on 
Main  street.  She  was  untiring  in  the 
work  of  the  church."  She  left  two 
brothers,  Silas  and  Gilman  Priest.  She 
was  a  member  of  the  Evangelical  church 
of  Maynard.  Children:  Lorenzo,  men- 
tioned below  ;  William,  mentioned  below  ; 
Harlan  P.,  born  October  16,  1844  (family 
Bible),  died  in  1861,  aged  eighteen  years. 

(VII)  Lorenzo  Maynard,  son  of 
Amory  Maynard,  was  born  at  Marlbor- 
ough, June  22,  1829,  died  at  Winchester, 
aged  seventy-four  years,  nine  months. 
He  became  associated  with  his  father  in 
business,  and  in  1880  was  overseer  of  the 
spinning  in  the  worsted  mills.     He  was 


he  succeeded  his  father  as  agent.  He 
retired  in  1898,  when  the  mills  were  taken 
over  by  the  present  owners,  the  Amer- 
ican Woolen  Company.  He  lived  for 
many  years  in  Maynard,  removing  after- 
ward to  California,  finally  to  Winchester. 
He  married,  October  2,  1850,  Lucy  Ann 
Davidson,  born  in  Stow,  July  25,  1833. 
Children  :  Mary  Lucy ;  Fannie  L.,  mar- 
ried John  W.  Flood;  Hattie ;  Victoria; 
William  H.,  now  living  in  Winchester. 
The  daughters  are  all  deceased. 

(VII)  William  Maynard,  son  of  Amory 
Maynard,  was  born  at  Marlborough,  May 
6,  1833,  and  died  at  Worcester,  Massa- 
chusetts, November  9,  1906.  He  was 
twelve  years  old  when  the  family  re- 
moved to  Assabet  village  in  Sudbury.  He 
received  his  education  in  the  public 
schools  and  began  early  in  life  to  learn 
the  business  which  his  father  had  created. 
He  continued  in  association  with  his 
father  and  brother  in  the  manufacturing 
business  at  Maynard  for  a  period  of  forty 
years.  For  many  years  he  was  in  charge 
of  the  stock.  He  took  an  active  part  in 
the  management  until  1884,  when  his 
health  failed  and  he  went  to  California, 
spending  four  years  at  Los  Angeles  and 
Pasadena.  Returning  in  1888,  he  made 
his  home  in  Worcester,  where  he  con- 
tinued to  live  to  the  end  of  his  life.  He 
eventually  sold  his  real  estate  and  other 
interests  in  Maynard.  Mr.  Maynard  and 
his  brother  shared  in  no  small  degree  the 
credit  for  developing  the  business  of  the 
Assabet  Manufacturing  Company.  Mr. 
Maynard  was  gifted  with  great  mechan- 
ical skill  and  business  ability.  He  had 
few  interests  outside  of  his  business  and 
home.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Evan- 
gelical (Congregational)  Church  of  May- 
nard, and  later  of  the  Plymouth  Congre- 
gational Church  of  Worcester.  He  joined 
no  clubs  or  secret  societies.     In  politics 


348 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


he  was  a  Republican,  but  he  had  no  taste 
or  desire  for  public  honors. 

He  married,  July  14,  1852,  Mary- 
Adams,  born  May  4,  1831,  in  New  York 
City,  a  daughter  of  James  and  Janet 
(Cherry)  Adams.  Her  parents  were 
natives  of  Scotland.  She  had  three 
brothers :  William,  Joseph  and  John 
Adams;  and  sisters:  Janet  Speirs,  Eliza- 
beth Burleigh,  and  Jane  Adams,  who 
died  in  1914.  Her  sister,  Janet  (Adams) 
Speirs,  born  September  14,  1823,  died 
aged  eighty-four  years,  one  month ;  had 
children :  John  C.  and  Frederick  W. 
Speirs;  Mary  E.,  who  married  Iver  John- 
son, of  Fitchburg,  and  died  there  October 
12,  1915;  Mrs.  Daniel  A.  Harrington,  of 
Worcester  (see  Harrington)  ;  Mrs. 
Charles  R.  Moules,  of  Lancaster,  and 
Mrs.  Arthur  D.  Pratt,  of  Shrewsbury. 
Dr.  Frederick  W.  Speirs,  another  brother, 
was  a  graduate  of  the  Worcester  Poly- 
technic Institute,  1888,  died  at  Lansdowne, 
Pennsylvania,  at  the  age  of  thirty-seven 
years,  eight  months  and  twenty-three 
days ;  he  received  the  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Philosophy  at  Johns  Hopkins  in  1897; 
was  editor  of  the  Book  Lovers  Magazine 
at  the  time  of  his  death ;  left  a  son, 
Harold  Speirs.  Mrs.  Maynard  is  living 
at  the  old  home,  No.  87  Elm  street,  Wor- 
cester. Children  of  William  Maynard:  1. 
Mary  Susan,  born  at  Maynard,  then  As- 
sabet,  October  15,  1853;  married,  May  22, 
1873,  Warren  S.  Peters,  formerly  of  May- 
nard;  children:  i.  Mary  Augusta  Peters, 
born  March  15,  1874,  married  Frank  E. 
Sanderson,  of  Maynard.  ii.  Irene  Abigail 
Peters,  born  July  24,  1876,  married 
Leonard  W.  Henderson,  of  Somerville. 
iii.  Nettie  Belle  Peters,  born  January  6, 
1 881.  iv.  Bertha  Louise  Peters,  born 
September  9,  1885.  2.  Amory,  born  Feb- 
ruary 28,  1855 ;  was  agent  of  the  Assabet 
Manufacturing  Company,  and  is  still 
living  at   Maynard;   married    (first)    Au- 


gust 5,  1880,  Ida  Adams,  who  died  Sep- 
tember 19,  1881 ;  (second)  July  16,  1885, 
Clara  S.  Mornenburg.  3.  Jeanette 
Cherry,  born  April  25,  i860;  married 
Veranus  C.  Van  Etten  (deceased) ;  her 
only  child  died  young;  she  resides  with 
her  mother  in  Worcester.  4.  Lessie  Louise, 
born  June  23,  1868 ;  married  Paul  B.  Mor- 
gan of  Worcester  (see  Morgan  VII).  5. 
Harlan  James,  born  February  12,  1870; 
graduated  at  the  head  of  his  class  at  the 
Philadelphia  Textile  School,  receiving  the 
Theodore  C.  Search  gold  medal ;  had 
charge  for  a  number  of  years  of  the  silk 
department  of  John  C.  Stetson  Company, 
Philadelphia ;  now  living  at  Newton 
Highlands,  Massachusetts;  married  Flor- 
ence E.  Smith;  children:  Harlan  J.,  Jr., 
John  and  William.  6.  George  Elmer,  born 
December  4,  1873,  died  October  21,  1901, 
at  the  home  of  his  brother  at  Oak  Lane, 
Pennsylvania ;  was  a  graduate  of  the 
Textile  School  of  Philadelphia  and  after- 
ward with  the  John  B.  Stetson  Company 
of  that  city.  7.  Grace  Ella,  twin  of 
George  Elmer,  resides  with  her  mother  at 
No.  87  Elm  street,  Worcester. 


FARNSWORTH,  Calvin, 

Founder   of   Public    Utility    Service. 

The  Farnsworth  family  in  this  country 
is  descended  from  two  pioneer  ancestors, 
Joseph  and  Matthias.  Joseph  settled  be- 
fore 1638  in  Dorchester,  Massachusetts, 
and  followed  his  trade  as  cooper  in  that 
town  and  died  there  in  1659.  His  pos- 
terity is  numerous.  It  is  not  known  that 
he  was  related  to  Matthias.  Both  were 
from  England. 

(I)  Matthias  Farnsworth,  the  immi- 
grant ancestor,  was  born  in  England  and 
settled  soon  after  1650  in  Lynn,  Massa- 
chusetts. It  is  believed  that  he  was  born 
at  or  near  the  town  of  Farnsworth  in 
Lancashire,  England,  in   1612.     He  mar- 


349 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ried  Mary  Farr,  daughter  of  George  Fair, 
who  also  settled  in  Lynn.  She  was  prob- 
ably his  second  wife.  Matthias  Farns- 
worth  was  a  weaver  by  trade,  but  also 
followed  farming.  He  was  admitted  a 
freeman  of  Lynn  by  the  General  Court, 
May  16,  1670,  and  died  January  21,  1688- 
89.  His  widow  died  in  1717.  His  three 
eldest  children  were  probably  by  his  first 
wife.  Children:  1.  Elizabeth,  born  1647 
in  England  or  Lynn ;  married,  January 
16,  1667,  James  Robertson.  2.  Matthias, 
born  1649,  married  Sarah  Nutting.  3. 
John,  born  about  1651-52,  married,  De- 
cember 8,  1686,  Hannah  Aldis,  of  Ded- 
ham.  4.  Joseph,  born  November  16,  1657, 
at  Lynn,  died  October  31,  1674,  unmar- 
ried. 5.  Mary,  born  October  11,  1660,  at 
Lynn,  married,  April  11,  1676,  Samuel 
Thatcher,  of  Watertown.  6.  Sarah,  born 
about  1663,  married  Simon  Stone,  of 
Watertown.  7.  Benjamin,  born  1667, 
married  Mary  Prescott.  8.  Samuel,  born 
October,  1669,  married,  December  12, 
1706,  Mary  (Whitcomb)  Willard,  widow 
of  Simon  Willard.  9.  Abigail,  born 
January  17,  1671,  married  John  Hart- 
shorn. 10.  Jonathan,  mentioned  below. 
11.  Joseph,  born  1677,  died  February  20, 
1687. 

(II)  Jonathan  Farnsworth,  son  of  Mat- 
thias Farnsworth,  was  born  at  Groton, 
June  1,  1675,  where  the  family  lived  for  a 
time  before  the  outbreak  of  King  Philip's 
War,  and  died  at  Harvard,  Massachu- 
setts, June  16,  1748.  When  the  Indians 
attacked  Groton  and  burned  the  town, 
March  2,  1676,  the  family  fled  for  refuge 
to  Concord,  but  later  returned  to  Groton. 
He  had  a  farm  in  the  south  part  of  the 
town,  in  the  section  that  was  subse- 
quently incorporated  as  the  town  of  Har- 
vard in  1732.  He  owned  the  covenant  in 
the  Groton  Church,  September  21,  1707,. 
and  his  wife  joined  the  church  there,  Oc- 
tober 14,  1715.     They  were  dismissed  to 


the  Harvard  church,  September  14,  1733. 
He  married,  in  1698,  Ruth  Shattuck,  born 
June  24,  1678,  daughter  of  John  and  Ruth 
(Whitney)  Shattuck,  granddaughter  of 
two  well-known  pioneers  of  Watertown, 
William  Shattuck  and  John  Whitney. 
Children,  born  at  Groton :  Ruth,  born 
April  2,  1699;  Jonathan,  mentioned  be- 
low; Ephraim,  January  2,  1703;  Reuben, 
April  28,  1705;  Phineas,  September  15, 
1707;  Priscilla,  September  9,  1709;  Na- 
thaniel, September  1,  171 1;  John,  Feb- 
ruary 8,  1714;  Hannah,  August  10,  1717; 
Simeon,  July  12,  1718;  Susanna,  April 
28,  1720;  Elias,  May  30,  1723  ;  John,  April 
25,  1725  ;  Silas,  November  22,  1727;  Betty, 
October  13,  1729. 

(III)  Jonathan  (2)  Farnsworth,  son  of 
Jonathan  (1)  Farnsworth,  was  born  at 
Groton,  March  27,  1701,  and  died  at  Har- 
vard, August  1,  1775.  He  was  a  farmer, 
a  lifelong  resident  of  Harvard.  He  mar- 
ried (first)  June  20,  1725,  Mary  Burt,  who 
died  June  9,  1765,  aged  sixty-four  years. 
He  married  (second)  May  5,  1767,  Han- 
nah Farwell.  The  births  of  the  first  four 
children  were  recorded  at  Groton,  the 
others  at  Harvard.  Children:  Mary, 
born  June  18,  1726,  died  March,  1728; 
Jonathan,  November  22,  1727;  Betty, 
October  13,  1729;  Joseph,  mentioned  be- 
low; Abel,  May  12,  1734;  child,  1734,  died 
young;  Elias,  October  28,  1737;  Lemuel, 
August  3,  1740;  Rachel,  1742. 

(IV)  Joseph  Farnsworth,  son  of  Jona- 
than (2)  Farnsworth,  was  born  at  Groton, 
January  31,  1731-32.  He  was  a  farmer 
and  prominent  citizen,  selectman  in  1777. 
He  married  Hannah  Flynt.  Children, 
born  at  Harvard,  except  the  eldest: 
Samuel,  born  at  Reading,  Massachusetts, 
where  his  parents  lived  for  a  time,  Au- 
gust 29,  1755,  baptized  at  Harvard,  Au- 
gust 14,  1757;  Levi,  born  February  27, 
1758,  baptized  June  25,  1758 ;  Joseph,  born 
April  27,   1760;  Hannah,  September  26, 


350 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1762;  Jesse,  mentioned  below;  Jonathan, 
born  August  20,  1767;  Nathaniel  Flynt, 
born  January  2,  1770;  John,  February  4, 
1772;  Eunice,  May  15,  1774;  Nancy,  1775; 
Betsey,  1777. 

(V)  Jesse  Farnsworth,  son  of  Joseph 
Farnsworth,  was  born  March  1,  1765,  at 
Harvard,  and  died  there  February  21, 
1848.  He  married,  March  4,  1788,  Sarah 
Sawtell,  born  April  2,  1764,  died  May  12, 
1845,  daughter  of  Obadiah  and  May 
(Gould)  Sawtell.  Her  parents  were  mar- 
ried in  1756  (intention  dated  May  26th). 
Obadiah  Sawtell  was  son  of  Henry  and 
Margaret  Sawtell,  grandson  of  Hezekiah 
and  Joanna  (Wilson)  Sawtell,  and  was 
born  at  Groton,  October  11,  1732;  he  kept 
the  hotel  and  during  the  Revolution  was  in 
the  front  rank  of  patriots ;  was  town  clerk 
ten  years,  selectman  eight  years,  delegate 
to  Provincial  Congress  and  to  the  First 
Constitutional  Convention  of  Massachu- 
setts; first  representative  to  the  Central 
Court  under  the  constitution.  His  de- 
scendants are  eligible  to  the  Sons  and 
Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution. 
Children,  born  at  Shirley :  Obadiah,  born 
June  18,  1789,  married,  March  31,  181 1, 
Abigail  Fairbanks ;  Rufus,  born  Decem- 
ber 15,  1791,  married,  July  7,  1821, 
Lovina  Blanchard ;  Daniel,  born  October 
19-  J795>  married  Rebecca  (Carlton) 
Garfield;  Minot,  born  October  19,  1795, 
twin,  died  August  6,  1798;  Calvin,  men- 
tioned below;  Sarah,  born  1806,  died 
March,  1839,  married  Asher  Parker. 

(VI)  Calvin  Farnsworth,  son  of  Jesse 
Farnsworth,  was  born  at  Shirley,  Sep- 
tember 14,  1799,  died  in  1879.  For  many 
years  he  manufactured  wooden  band 
boxes,  before  the  era  of  pasteboard.  He 
prepared  the  wood  by  machinery  of  his 
own  invention.  The  boxes  were  papered 
with  wall  paper  of  appropriate  design  and 
doubtless  in  some  garrets  may  be  found 
samples  of  his  handiwork  containing  the 


bonnets  of  a  past  generation.  He  mar- 
ried, August  4,  1822,  Pluma  Adams,  of 
Lunenburg.  She  died  in  1876.  They 
lived  for  a  time  in  Shirley,  but  during 
most  of  their  married  life  in  Lunenburg. 
Children :  Pluma,  born  1824,  married 
Jacob  M.  Boutelle;  Sarah,  1826,  married 
Chauncey  Bartlett ;  Charlotte,  1829,  mar- 
ried Micah  M.  Boutelle;  Calvin,  men- 
tioned below;  Stephen,  1833,  died  1837; 
Ellen,  1836,  married  James  H.  Smith,  and 
had  three  children,  Nellie,  Orren  and 
Charles  Smith ;  Caroline,  1840,  married 
Moses  Mclntyre,  and  had  a  daughter, 
Alma  Mclntyre;  Stephen,  1842,  married 
(first)  Fanny  Thompson,  (second)  Flora 
Bailey. 

(VII)  Calvin  (2)  Farnsworth,  son  of 
Calvin  (1)  Farnsworth,  was  born  at 
Lunenburg,  November  20,  1831.  He  at- 
tended the  district  schools  of  his  native 
town.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  began 
his  career  as  driver  of  a  stage  plying 
between  the  Lunenburg  railroad  station 
and  the  village.  Soon  afterward  he  went 
to  Fitchburg  where  he  worked  for  one 
year  in  a  restaurant.  In  spite  of  his  youth, 
he  persuaded  President  Phillips  of  the 
Fitchburg  railroad  to  give  him  a  trial  as 
baggage  man  in  the  train  between  Fitch- 
burg and  Worcester,  and  he  demonstrated 
his  ability  in  that  position  and  afterward 
was  made  conductor.  After  four  years  in 
charge  of  the  train  he  resigned.  When 
he  left  the  service  of  the  road  the  presi- 
dent made  him  a  present  of  a  silver 
pitcher  and  salver  and  celebrated  his  de- 
parture by  giving  him  a  dinner.  For  a 
few  years  he  had  the  contract  for  carry- 
ing the  mail  between  the  Worcester  post 
office  and  railroad  station.  Then  he 
started  again  in  the  railroad  business  as 
brakeman  on  the  Boston  &  Worcester 
railroad  and  soon  became  conductor 
again.  After  six  years  he  resigned  to  take 
charge  of  a  drawing-room  car  line  run- 


351 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ning  from  Fall  River  to  the  White  Moun- 
tains, but  the  line  proved  unprofitable 
and  the  service  was  discontinued.  What 
seemed  to  be  a  misfortune  proved  to  be 
a  boon  to  Mr.  Farnsworth.  Instead  of 
returning  to  the  railroad  business,  he 
evolved  the  idea  of  a  parcel  room  where 
packages  could  be  safely  left  at  the  rail- 
road station  for  a  small  fee.  When  he 
proposed  the  scheme  to  President  Lin- 
coln it  was  rejected,  but  his  death  soon 
afterward  brought  a  new  president  into 
office.  To  the  new  president  Mr.  Farns- 
worth went  and  explained  his  plan,  and 
he  saw  the  possibilities  in  the  scheme  and 
referred  Mr.  Farnsworth  to  Superintend- 
ent Russell.  It  was  arranged  that  the 
railroad  would  allow  Mr.  Farnsworth  the 
use  of  a  room  on  trial,  the  rental  to  be 
fixed  on  the  basis  of  business  done  in  the 
first  three  months.  At  the  end  of  that 
time  Mr.  Farnsworth  had  demonstrated 
that  the  parcel  checking  scheme  was 
profitable  and  his  rent  was  fixed  at  $300 
a  year.  He  was  the  pioneer  in  this  busi- 
ness. At  first  the  public  was  somewhat 
opposed  to  the  payment  of  a  dime  for 
checking  parcels  and  an  appeal  was  made 
to  the  Legislature  to  compel  the  rail- 
roads to  care  for  parcels  without  charge, 
but  the  petitioners  were  given  leave  to 
withdraw  the  bill.  Afterward  the  various 
railroads  in  New  England  opened  similar 
parcel  rooms  in  the  larger  towns  and 
cities,  retaining  the  ownership.  The  con- 
cession was  never  taken  away  from  Mr. 
Farnsworth  in  Worcester,  however,  and 
the  service  given  by  him  has  been  a  model 
for  all  the  others.  From  time  to  time,  as 
his  business  increased,  his  rent  advanced. 
He  paid  $1,500  a  year  in  the  old  Union 
Station  and  now  pays  $4,000  for  his  rooms 
and  privileges.  Soon  after  he  established 
the  parcel  room,  he  began  the  baggage 
express  business  with  one  horse  and  one 
man.  At  first  the  experiment  did  not  pay, 
but  year  by  year  the  business  grew  until 


it  became  one  of  the  most  important 
parts.  He  added  a  hack  service  and  be- 
fore the  era  of  taxicabs  employed  forty 
horses  in  this  work.  He  now  uses  taxi- 
cabs,  keeping  but  a  single  hack  in  the 
service.  At  the  present  time  his  business 
aggregates  $60,000  a  year.  At  the  end  of 
twenty-eight  years  Mr.  Farnsworth  con- 
tinues in  active  business,  though  eighty- 
four  years  of  age.  He  has  been  fortunate 
in  retaining  his  health  and  strength.  His 
stables  are  at  No.  9  Piedmont  street ;  his 
residence  for  many  years  has  been  at  No. 
32  Benefit  street.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Chamber  of  Commerce,  and  of  the  Old 
South  Congregational  Church,  of  which 
he  was  formerly  a  member  of  the  music 
committee.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican, 
but  he  has  never  been  active  in  public 
affairs. 

He  married,  April  12,  1854,  Martha  A. 
Hayward,  who  was  born  in  Bedford, 
Massachusetts,  April  16,  1834,  daughter 
of  Elebezer  and  Ann  T.  (Bingham)  Hay- 
ward.  Her  father  was  a  railroad  man. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Farnsworth  lived  in  happy 
wedlock  for  more  than  sixty-one  years. 
Mrs.  Farnsworth  died  October  23,  1915. 
Children:  1.  Caroline  H.,  resides  with  her 
father.  2.  Josephine  M.,  resides  with  her 
father.  3.  George  B.,  educated  in  the 
Worcester  schools;  was  associated  in 
business  with  his  father  for  many  years; 
now  proprietor  of  the  School  Street 
Storage  Warehouse  and  member  of  the 
Chamber  of  Commerce,  the  Congrega- 
tional Club  and  the  Economic  Club  of 
Worcester;  married,  October  5,  1899,  at 
Keswick  Bridge,  New  Brunswick, 
Canada,  Phebe  Sykes,  born  August  17, 
1871,  daughter  of  Rev.  Simeon  and  Han- 
nah Sykes,  both  natives  of  England;  her 
father  was  a  Congregational  minister  at 
Economy,  Pleasant  River  and  Keswick 
Bridge  ;  children :  Calvin,  born  March 
16,  1901 ;  Thornton  A.,  born  November  19, 
1902. 


352 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


COGSWELL,  George  Samuel, 

Active  Bniineu  Man,  Public  Official. 

Tradition  and  probability  identify  the 
name  of  Cogswell  with  the  old  English 
town  of  Coggeshall,  the  ancient  canon- 
ium  of  the  Romans,  which  is  located 
fifty-four  miles  from  London,  in  the 
county  of  Essex.  It  is  the  family  tradi- 
tion of  the  Cogswells  now  holding  the 
ancient  possessions  of  Cogswell  in  West- 
bury,  county  of  Wilts,  England,  that 
their  ancestors  came  from  the  county  of 
Essex,  and  were  known  as  Coggeshall, 
with  the  various  spellings.  These  were 
many,  including:  Cogshal,  Coggeshale, 
Cogesholl,  Cogeshole,  Coggashael,  Cog- 
shol,  Coxhall,  Cockshal,  and  Coggshale. 
Besides  the  family  tradition,  it  is  the 
opinion  of  experts  in  such  matters  that 
Cogswell  and  Coggeshall  in  England 
have  the  same  origin.  While  this  is  true, 
the  names  are  distinct  in  America.  There 
is  a  large  family  of  Coggeshall  in  this 
country,  descended  from  John  Cogge- 
shall, first  Governor  of  Rhode  Island. 
Robert  Cogswell,  a  manufacturer  of 
woolen  cloths,  lived  in  Westbury,  Leigh, 
county  of  Wilts,  England,  and  was  buried 
June  7,  1581.  He  was  succeeded  by  a 
son  who  continued  the  ancient  cloth 
business.  The  family  introduced  below 
is  of  comparatively  recent  arrival  in  this 
country,  but  its  connection  with  the  an- 
cient business  indicates  a  common  origin 
with  John  Cogswell,  the  immigrant  who 
planted  the  name  in  Essex  county,  Mas- 
sachusetts, in  1635. 

(I)  John  Cogswell,  born  in  Trow- 
bridge, England,  resided  there  and  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  of  woolen 
cloth,  woven  in  hand  looms.  He  married 
Susan  Bartlett,  a  native  of  the  same  place, 
where  both  died.  Children :  Sarah,  Wil- 
liam, James,  Moses,  Martha  and  Hannah. 

(II)  Moses  Cogswell,  third  son  of  John 

MASS-Vol.  HI-23  353 


and  Susan  (Bartlett)  Cogswell,  was  born 
August  12,  1822,  in  Trowbridge,  England, 
where  he  went  to  school,  and  learned  the 
trade  of  weaver,  which  he  followed.  At 
the  age  of  thirty  years,  in  1852,  he  came 
to  America  on  the  sailing  vessel,  "Isabella 
Wright,"  and  went  to  Pascoag,  Rhode 
Island,  where  his  elder  brother,  William 
Cogswell;  was  then  living.  In  the  follow- 
ing year,  Moses  Cogswell  was  joined  by 
his  family,  which  had  remained  in  Eng- 
land. They  sailed  from  London  Dock  on 
the  "Ocean  Queen,"  April  15,  1853,  and 
arrived  in  New  York,  June  7,  after  a 
long  and  uncomfortable  voyage.  From 
New  York,  they  proceeded  by  steamer 
to  Providence,  whence  the  journey  to 
Pascoag  was  made  by  wagon.  No  doubt 
the  family  was  doubly  rejoiced  on  arrival 
at  the  home  prepared  for  them  by  the 
husband  and  father.  He  continued  to 
work  at  his  trade  there  and  at  Westerly, 
Rhode  Island,  until  about  1872,  when  he 
removed  to  Fitchburg,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  continued  to  follow  his  trade, 
and  where  he  died  March  12,  1880.  All 
his  active  years  were  devoted  to  the  manu- 
facture of  woolen  goods,  like  many  gener- 
ations of  his  ancestors.  An  active  mem- 
ber of  the  West  Fitchburg  Methodist 
Church,  he  was  the  prime  mover  in  the 
erection  of  that  society's  present  house  of 
worship,  on  the  corner  of  Westminster 
and  Sanborn  streets,  West  Fitchburg. 
After  becoming  a  citizen  of  this  country, 
he  staunchly  supported  the  Republican 
party  in  matters  of  public  concern.  He 
married,  in  England,  Hannah  Maria 
Stevens,  who  died  in  Fitchburg.  Their 
children  were:  1.  Martha  L„  born  in 
Trowbridge,  England ;  married  James 
Pearce,  and  they  had  four  children;  she 
died  in  Fitchburg.  2.  William  A.,  born 
in  Trowbridge ;  now  superintendent  of 
the  Bellevue  mills  at  Clinton,  Massachu- 
setts ;  married  and  has  eight  children.    3. 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Elizabeth,  born  in  Trowbridge,  now  re- 
sides unmarried  in  North  Leominster, 
Massachusetts.  4.  Emily,  born  in  Trow- 
bridge ;  married  Bela  W.  Blood,  and  has 
a  son  and  daughter ;  resides  at  Ashburn- 
ham,  Massachusetts.  5.  Edward,  born  in 
Trowbridge,  died  in  Fitchburg;  married 
and  has  two  daughters.  6.  George 
Samuel,  mentioned  below. 

(Ill)  George  Samuel  Cogswell,  young- 
est child  of  Moses  and  Hannah  Maria 
(Stevens)  Cogswell,  was  born  July  12, 
1857,  in  Pascoag,  Rhode  Island.  He  at- 
tended the  public  schools  at  Harrisville 
and  Westerly,  that  State,  afterward  re- 
ceiving private  instruction  at  Fitchburg, 
where  he  now  resides.  He  learned  weav- 
ing in  the  mills  at  Westerly,  and  thor- 
oughly mastered  the  production  of  wor- 
steds and  woolens.  Removing  to  Fitch- 
burg, he  started  in  operation,  under  his 
father,  in  the  weaving  department  of  the 
Beoli  mills  of  that  city,  with  which  he 
was  connected  fifteen  years.  He  then  be- 
came boss  weaver  at  the  Fitchburg  Wor- 
sted Mills,  later  known  as  the  Cambridge 
Mills,  now  the  Arden  Mills,  owned  and 
operated  £>y  the  American  Woolen  Com- 
pany. After  continuing  in  that  capacity 
for  a  number  of  years  he  was  made 
superintendent  of  the  mill,  continuing  to 
fill  that  position  for  about  a  year,  when 
he  became  superintendent  of  the  Beoli 
mills,  filling  that  position  for  about  two 
years,  when  in  1909,  he  was  made  agent 
of  the  Arden  mills  and  has  continued  in 
that  position  to  the  present  time.  This 
establishment  employs  some  four  hun- 
dred and  fifty  hands  in  the  production  of 
ladies'  worsted  dress  goods,  and  is  pros- 
pering under  the  capable  management  of 
Mr.  Cogswell.  All  his  active  life  has 
been  devoted  to  this  industry,  to  which 
he  has  given  intelligent  attention  and 
study,  to  the  mutual  advantage  of  him- 
self and  his  employers.     His  ability  has 


naturally  attracted  the  attention  of  his 
contemporaries,  and  he  has  often  been 
called  to  the  public  service,  serving  in 
various  minor  city  offices,  five  years  as  a 
member  of  the  City  Council  and  three 
years  as  alderman;  he  has  been  president 
of  both  these  bodies,  and  discharged  his 
duties  in  the  same  efficient  manner  which 
characterizes  the  conduct  of  his  own 
business,  and  to  the  satisfaction  of  his 
constituents.  He  is  a  member  of  Mt. 
Roulstone  Lodge,  No.  98,  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  of  the  Ancient 
Order  of  United  Workmen.  Politically, 
he  is  a  Republican,  from  principle. 
Throughout  his  life  Mr.  Cogswell  has 
taken  an  active  and  earnest  interest  in  the 
work  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  since 
living  in  Fitchburg  has  been  prominently 
identified  with  the  affairs  of  the  West 
Fitchburg  Methodist  Church,  of  which  he 
is  a  valued  member,  and  of  which  for  a 
number  of  years  he  has  been  a  member 
of  the  board  of  trustees  and  secretary 
and  treasurer  of  the  board.  He  has  also 
taken  a  very  active  part  in  the  work  of 
the  Sunday  school  in  connection  with  the 
church,  and  has  served  continuously  as 
superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school  since 
April  14,  1878,  when  he  was  first  elected 
to  that  office,  covering  a  period  of  over 
thirty-six  years.  He  was  a  charter  mem- 
ber of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation of  Fitchburg,  of  which  he  has 
served  for  several  years  as  a  director. 

He  married,  December  7,  1881,  Lillian 
A.  Churchill,  born  October  13,  i860, 
daughter  of  Jesse  F.  and  Sabra  D.  (Car- 
ter) Churchill,  of  Fitchburg  (see  Churchill 
VII).  Children:  1.  Ada  Churchill,  born 
July  7,  1884;  now  the  wife  of  Nelson  J. 
Wilcox,  of  Fitchburg,  and  they  now  re- 
side at  Albany,  New  York,  having  two 
children :  Donald  Glenn,  born  November 
2,  1910,  and  Dorothea  Helen,  August  5, 
1914.    2.  George  Harold,  born  August  24, 


354 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  UK  BIOGRAPHY 


18S6,  in  Fitchburg;  resides  at  Maynard, 
Massachusetts ;  a  designer  in  the  Assa- 
beth  mills ;  he  married  Lillian  Kenneally, 
and  has  a  son,  Frederick  William,  born 
April  ii,  1913.  3.  Jessie  Frances,  born 
February  7,  1891,  in  Fitchburg,  resides 
with  her  parents.  4.  Edward  Stevens, 
born  November  6,  1894;  resides  at  home 
and  is  employed  in  the  Safety  Fund  Na- 
tional Bank  of  Fitchburg. 


Like  the  majority  of  English  families 
of  renown  the  Churchills  trace  their  line- 
age to  a  follower  of  the  Norman  Con- 
queror, and  in  France  their  ancestral  line 
goes  to  a  much  more  remote  period. 
During  the  eleventh  century  Wandril  de 
Leon,  a  scion  of  a  noble  family  and  a  son 
of  Giles  de  Leon,  became  Lord  of  Coureil 
(now  Courcelles)  in  the  province  of  Lor- 
raine. He  adopted  Corcil  as  his  family 
name ;  married  Isabella  de  Tuya  and  had 
two  sons  :  Roger  and  Rouland.  Roger  de 
Coureil  accompanied  William  Duke  of 
Normandy  to  England ;  participated  in 
the  conquest,  and  for  his  services  was 
granted  lands  in  Dorset,  Somerset,  Wilts 
and  Shropshire.  He  married  Gertrude, 
daughter  of  Sir  Guy  de  Toray,  and  had 
three  sons :  John,  Hugh  Fitz-Roger  and 
Roger  Fitz-Roger.  John  de  Coureil,  son 
of  Roger  and  Gertrude  (de  Toray)  de 
Coureil,  married  Joane  de  Kilrington,  and 
their  son  Bartholomew  was  knighted  dur- 
ing the  reign  of  King  Stephen  (1135-1154) 
as  Sir  Bartholomew  de  Cherchile.  Wil- 
liam Churchill,  the  seventh  in  line  of  de- 
scent from  Roger  de  Coureil,  of  France, 
was  the  first  to  adopt  this  form  of  spell- 
ing the  name.  These  gleanings  will  serve 
as  a  brief  summary  of  the  early  history  of 
the  Churchills  in  England. 

(I)  John  Churchill  belonged  to  one  of 
the  branches  of  the  family  constituting 
the    posterity    of    the    above    mentioned 


Roger,  but  his  immediate  ancestors  are 
as  yet  unknown,  as  are  also  the  place  and 
date  of  his  birth.  According  to  a  list  of 
the  male  inhabitants  of  Plymouth,  Massa- 
chusetts, between  the  ages  of  sixteen  and 
sixty  years,  made  in  1643,  he  was  then  re- 
siding there,  but  there  is  no  record  of  his 
arrival.  He  purchased  a  farm  of  one 
Richard  Higgins  in  1645;  was  admitted 
a  freeman  of  the  colony  in  1651 ;  bought 
another  tract  of  land  in  1652  lying  in  that 
part  of  Plymouth  then  called  Willingly 
and  in  the  deed  of  conveyance  he  is  styled 
"Planter."  His  death  occurred  in  Plym- 
outh, January  1,  1662-63.  December  18, 
1644,  he  married  Hannah  Pontus,  who 
was  born  in  either  Holland  or  England  in 
1623,  daughter  of  William  and  Wybra 
(Hanson)  Pontus,  who  arrived  in  Plym- 
outh as  early  as  1633.  The  children  of 
John  and  Hannah  (Pontus)  Churchill 
were:  Joseph,  mentioned  below;  Hannah, 
born  November  12,  1649;  Eliezer,  April 
20,  1652;  Mary,  August  1,  1654;  William, 
1656;  John,  1657.  Mrs.  Churchill  was 
married  a  second  time,  June  25,  1669,  to 
Giles  Richard,  and  she  died  December  12, 
1690. 

(II)  Joseph  Churchill,  eldest  son  and 
child  of  John  and  Hannah  (Pontus) 
Churchill,  was  born  at  Plymouth  in  1647. 
But  little  is  known  of  him  beyond  the  fact 
that  he  occupied  the  farm  originally  pur- 
chased by  his  father,  and  prior  to  1700  he 
erected  a  dwelling  house,  which  is  still 
standing.  June  13,  1672,  he  was  married 
in  Plymouth  to  Sarah  Hicks,  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Lydia  (Doane)  Hicks,  and 
granddaughter  of  Robert  Hicks,  the  first 
settler  of  the  name.  Their  children  were  : 
John,  born  July  3,  1678;  Margaret,  Octo- 
ber, 1684;  Barnabas,  mentioned  below; 
Mercy,  1689;  Joseph,  January,  1692. 

(III)  Barnabas  Churchill,  second  son 
and  third  child  of  Joseph  and  Sarah 
(Hicks)    Churchill,    was    born    in    Plym- 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


outh,  July  3,  1687.  He  married,  February 
5,  1714,  Lydia  Harlow,  who  was  born  in 
1688,  daughter  of  William  and  Lydia 
(Cushman)  Harlow,  and  granddaughter 
of  Rev.  Thomas  Cushman.  Children : 
Barnabas,  born  October  19,  1714;  Wil- 
liam, December  25,  1716;  Ichabod,  Janu- 
ary 12,  1719;  Joseph,  mentioned  below; 
Lemuel,  July  12,  1723;  Isaac,  May  3, 
1726;  Thomas,  April  30,  1730;  Ebenezer, 
November  9,  1732;  Lydia,  March  9,  1735. 

(IV)  Joseph  (2)  Churchill,  fourth  son 
of  Barnabas  and  Lydia  (Harlow)  Church- 
ill, was  born  May  19,  1721,  in  Plymouth, 
and  resided  in  Middleboro,  Massachu- 
setts, where  he  died  about  1751.  He 
married,  September  23,  1745,  Mariah 
Rider,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Mary 
(Sylvester)  Rider,  of  Plymouth.  She 
married  (second)  Archippus  Fuller,  with 
whom  she  removed  to  Woodstock,  Ver- 
mont, accompanied  by  her  children.  They 
were:  Ichabod, mentioned  below ;  Joseph, 
born  July  14,  1748;  Lucy,  August  22, 
I750 

(V)  Ichabod  Churchill,  elder  son  of 
Joseph  (2)  and  Mariah  (Rider)  Churchill, 
was  born  August  9,  1746,  in  Middleboro, 
and  resided  there  until  the  time  of  the 
Revolution.  In  1777  he  visited  Wood- 
stock, Vermont,  on  an  exploring  expedi- 
tion, and  in  the  following  year  removed 
thither  with  his  family.  He  resided  on 
what  was  known  as  the  road  to  Rutland, 
where  he  built  a  house  known  as  the  Red 
House,  which  was  still  standing  in  1888, 
and  died  there  August  7,  1826.  He  was  a 
sergeant  in  Captain  Amos  Wade's  (Third 
Middleboro)  company  of  minute-men, 
which  marched  on  the  Lexington  Alarm, 
April  19,  1775,  going  as  far  as  Marshfield, 
with  three  days'  service.  Later  he  served 
three  months  with  the  same  company. 
He  was  a  prominent  member  of  the  Bap- 
tist church  when  organized  in  Wood- 
stock,   and    later    joined    the    Christian 


church.  He  married  (first)  November  7, 
1771,  Sarah  Tinkham,  born  June  2,  1753, 
in  Halifax,  Massachusetts,  daughter  of 
Ephraim  and  Sarah  (Standish)  Tinkham, 
died  October  1,  1800,  in  Woodstock.  Chil- 
dren: Ichabod,  born  January  21,  1773; 
Noah,  May  29,  1774;  William,  November 
12,  1776;  Joseph,  December  25,  1777; 
Eunice,  October  10,  1779;  Sarah,  August 
10,  1781 ;  Ruth,  March  24,  1783;  Mary, 
December  1,  1784;  Ellen,  December  19, 
1786;  Salome,  March  28,  1788;  Asa, 
March  14,  1790;  Jesse,  mentioned  below; 
Nathan  Tinkhan,  May  17,  1795.  He  mar- 
ried (second)  September  13,  1803,  Han- 
nah Bennett,  of  Woodstock,  who  died 
May  19,  1825. 

(VI)  Jesse  Churchill,  sixth  son  of  Icha- 
bod and  Sarah  (Tinkham)  Churchill,  was 
born  May  8,  1792,  in  Woodstock,  and  was 
reared  there  upon  his  father's  farm,  at- 
tending the  district  schools  of  the  town. 
He  learned  the  wheelwright's  trade, 
which  occupied  his  active  years,  and  was 
a  soldier  of  the  War  of  1812.  He  married, 
in  Plymouth,  Vermont,  March  1,  1819, 
Mary  Washburn,  of  Woodstock,  born 
March  22,  1792,  in  Brookfield,  Massachu- 
setts, died  March  14,  1859,  in  Woodstock, 
daughter  of  Peter  and  Sarah  (Ayres) 
Washburn.  Children:  Alden  P.,  born 
July  8,  1822;  Horace  M.,  August  8,  1824; 
Jesse  F.,  mentioned  below. 

(VII)  Jesse  F.  Churchill,  youngest 
child  of  Jesse  and  Mary  (Washburn) 
Churchill,  was  born  December  16,  1826, 
in  Woodstock.  He  was  a  machinist  by 
trade,  and  lived  in  Fitchburg,  Massachu- 
setts, where  he  died  July  6,  1889.  He 
married,  August  2,  1854,  in  Bellows  Falls, 
Vermont,  Sabra  D.  Carter,  daughter  of 
Peter  S.  and  Elizabeth  (Manning)  Carter. 
Children :  Charles,  born  May  2,  1857,  died 
in  1874;  Lillian  A.,  mentioned  below; 
Julia  E.,  born  December  24,  1862,  married 
George    A.    Pethybridge,    of    Fitchburg; 

356 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Sarah  G.,  May  5,  1866,  died  in  infancy  ; 
Ada  W.,  December  5,  1867,  died  in  in- 
fancy. 

(VIII)  Lillian  A.  Churchill,  eldest 
daughter  of  Jesse  F.  and  Sabra  D.  (Car- 
ter) Churchill,  was  born  October  13,  i860, 
in  Fitchburg,  and  became  the  wife  of 
George  Samuel  Cogswell,  of  that  city  (see 
Cogswell  III). 


WOODWORTH,  Charles  E., 

Manufacturing    Jeweler,    Retired. 

The  first  mention  of  the  name  of  Wood- 
worth  in  this  country  is  found  in  the 
records  of  the  town  of  Scituate,  Massa- 
chusetts. It  is  believed  that  the  original 
form  of  the  name  was  Woodward,  and 
that  through  some  process  of  evolution 
it  became  Woodworth.  This  belief  is 
strengthened  by  the  fact  that  in  Kent, 
England,  the  original  home  of  the  immi- 
grant, Walter  Woodworth,  there  were, 
at  the  time  of  his  coming  over,  no  Wood- 
worths,  but  a  number  of  Woodwards. 
His  descendants  in  this  country  have 
spelled  the  name  variously  Woodworth, 
WToodward,  Woodard  and  Woodart. 
Among  them  were  many  persons  of 
prominent  worth.  In  the  time  of  the 
Colonial  wars  they  were  well  represented 
among  the  fighters.  In  later  years  there 
have  appeared  among  them  several  who 
have  been  made  famous  by  their  poetry, 
notably  Samuel  Woodworth,  who  wrote 
the  exquisite  poem  "The  Old  Oaken 
Bucket;"  Francis  Chandler  Woodworth, 
who  wrote  the  bird  song  "Chick-a-dee- 
dee;"  and  Nancy  Adelia  Woodworth. 
who  composed  the  feeling  poem  entitled 
"The  Old  Homestead."  Among  those  of 
recent  generations  who  are  well-known 
in  commercial  circles  are  William  Wood- 
worth,  inventor  of  the  Woodworth  cylin- 
der planing  machine  ;  Chauncey  C.  Wood- 
worth,  of  Rochester,  New  York ;  Artemus 
B.    Woodworth,    of    Lowell,    Massachu- 


setts ;   Edward  B.  and  Albert  B.  Wood- 
worth,  of  Concord,  New  Hampshire. 

(I)  Walter  Woodworth  came  from 
Kent,  England,  and  settled  in  Scituate, 
Massachusetts.  The  first  mention  of  him 
in  that  town  occurs  in  1633,  when  he  was 
taxed,  and  again  in  1635,  when  he  was 
assigned  the  third  lot  on  Kent  street,  at 
the  corner  of  Meetinghouse  lane.  Here 
he  built  his  house.  In  the  same  year 
he  appears  to  have  owned  other  lands, 
notably  a  tract  on  the  First  Herring 
brook,  where  afterwards  stood  the  resi- 
dence of  Samuel  Woodworth,  the  poet, 
also  another  tract  on  Walnut  Tree  Hill, 
then  called  Walter  Woodworth's  Hill.  In 
1666  he  bought,  besides,  sixty  acres  in 
Weymouth.  March  2,  1641,  he  was  ad- 
mitted as  a  freeman,  and  June  4,  1645,  he 
was  appointed  surveyor  of  highways,  and 
again  in  1646  and  1656.  His  name  occurs 
often  on  the  town  records  as  juror,  wit- 
ness and  in  the  performance  of  other 
duties.  In  1654  he  was  a  member  of  the 
First  Church.  His  children  all  became 
successful  and  respected  citizens.  His 
young  daughter,  Mehitabel,  was  afflicted 
with  some  nervous  disorder,  and  was 
at  one  time  supposed  to  be  under  the 
influence  of  witchcraft.  Mary  Ingham 
was  charged  with  being  the  witch,  and  on 
March  6,  1676,  was  formally  accused  by 
the  authorities,  but  was  afterwards  tried 
and  acquitted.  There  is  no  record  of  the 
wife  of  Walter  Woodworth.  His  will  was 
made  November  26,  1685,  and  proved 
March  2,  1686.  In  it  he  mentioned  his 
son  Thomas,  his  eldest  son,  to  whom  he 
gave  land  in  Scituate  and  Little  Comp- 
ton ;  Joseph,  to  whom  he  also  gave  land 
in  Scituate  and  Little  Compton ;  Benja- 
min and  Isaac,  to  whom  he  gave  two- 
thirds  of  his  land  in  Seaconnet,  now  Little 
Compton,  Rhode  Island ;  also  six  daugh- 
ters, Sarah,  Elizabeth,  Mary,  Martha, 
Mehitabel  and  Abigail.  He  left  also  to 
Benjamin   his   dwelling  house,   with   the 


357 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


barns  and  other  outbuildings,  in  Scituate,  (IV)    Ebenezer,   son  of  Benjamin   and 


and  made  him  sole  executor.  The  inven- 
tory of  his  estate  amounted  to  £355,  10s. 
Children:  Thomas,  born  about  1636; 
Sarah,  1637;  Benjamin,  about  1639;  Wal- 
ter, mentioned  below  ;  Joseph,  about  1648; 
Mary,  March  10,  1650;  Martha,  about 
1656;  Isaac,  about  1659;  Mehitabel,  Au- 
gust 15,  1662;  Abigail,,  about  1664. 

(II)  Walter  (2),  son  of  Walter  (1) 
Woodworth,  was  born  in  1645,  at  Scitu- 
ate, and  was  owner  of  lands  in  Little 
Compton.  The  early  records  of  that 
town  are  worn.  They  state  that  Walter 
Woodworth  married  in  1669,  but  do  not 
show  the  name  of  his  wife.  Children  of 
Walter  Woodworth,  recorded  in  Little 
Compton:  Joseph,  1670;  Hezekiah,  1672; 
Catherine,  married,  July  20,  1704,  Thom- 
as Davenport,  died  June  1,  1729;  Benja- 
min, mentioned  below;  Isaac,  1676;  Eliza- 
beth, 1678,  died  June  18,  1713,  married, 
December  18,  1701,  Benjamin  South- 
worth  ;    Thomas,  1680. 

(III)  Benjamin,  son  of  Walter  (2) 
Woodworth,  was  born  1674,  according  to 
the  Little  Compton  records,  possibly  in 
Scituate.  In  1704  he  bought  two  hundred 
and  fifty  acres  of  land  in  Lebanon,  Con- 
necticut, where  many  of  his  relatives  and 
friends  from  Scituate  had  settled.  Soon 
after  he  removed  to  the  former  town  with 
his  family,  and  lived  there  until  his  death, 
April  22,  1729.  He  was  admitted  as  an 
inhabitant,  December  22,  1704.  His  farm 
was  situated  in  the  northeast  part  of  the 
town,  and  on  account  of  its  remoteness 
from  the  church,  he,  with  others,  petitioned 
in  1714  for  a  new  church.  In  I7i6this  new 
church  was  formed,  called  Lebanon  par- 
ish, later  the  town  of  Columbia.  His  first 
wife,  Deborah,  was  the  mother  of  three 
daughters:  Elizabeth,  Deborah  and 
Mary.  The  second  wife,  Hannah,  was 
the  mother  of  Benjamin,  Ichabod,  Eben- 
ezer, Amos,  Ezekiel,  Caleb,  Hannah,  Ruth, 
Julia,  Margaret  and  Priscilla. 


Hannah  Woodworth,  was  born  March  12, 
1691,  in  Little  Compton,  and  married,  De- 
cember 27,  1717,  at  Lebanon,  Rebecca 
Smalley.  Children,  born  at  Lebanon : 
Ebenezer,  September  26,  1718;  Zeruiah, 
November  14,  1720;  Eliphalet,  Septem- 
ber 24,  1722;  Joseph,  October  19,  1724; 
Amasa,  mentioned  below ;  Rebecca,  July 
25,  1729;  John,  January  24,  1735;  Phebe, 
August  9,  1737 

(V)  Amasa,  fourth  son  of  Ebenezer 
and  Rebecca  (Smalley)  Woodworth,  was 
born  April  4,  1727,  in  Lebanon,  and  about 
the  time  of  the  Revolutionary  War  went 
to  Cornwallis,  Nova  Scotia,  where  he  pur- 
chased land.  In  his  old  age  he  went 
to  Essex,  Chittenden  county,  Vermont, 
where  several  of  his  sons  had  settled, 
and  died  there.  His  first  wife  was  Sarah, 
and  he  married  (second)  in  Lebanon, 
Elizabeth  Wright,  a  native  of  that  town. 

(VI)  John,  son  of  Amasa  Woodworth, 
was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Essex, 
Vermont,  where  several  of  the  name  were 
located  very  early.  In  1786  Joel  Wood- 
worth  settled  in  Essex,  was  selectman  in 
that  year,  and  in  1787  treasurer  of  the 
town.  His  settlement  was  on  Brown's 
river,  and  he  kept  the  first  tavern  in  the 
town  at  Essex  Center.  Jabez,  Ezra  and 
Nathan  Woodworth  were  also  early  resi- 
dents, the  latter  serving  as  constable  in 
1799.  Jonathan,  perhaps  a  son  of  one  of 
these,  was  constable  in  1814-16.  John 
Woodworth  married  Elizabeth  Morey. 

(VII)  John  Morey,  son  of  John  and 
Elizabeth  (Morey)  Woodworth,  was  born 
1781,  in  Essex,  and  settled  early  in  Berk- 
shire, Franklin  county,  Vermont,  where 
he  was  a  carpenter  and  farmer,  served 
many  years  as  magistrate,  and  died  July 
12,  1843.  He  married,  December  17,  1804, 
Charlotte  Eliza  Thompson,  born  1782,  in 
Essex,  died  May  11,  1871,  in  Berkshire. 
Children :  James  Harlow,  born  June  22, 
1805,  in   Essex,  died   February  20,   1873, 


358 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


married  Chastina  A.  Austin ;  Charlotte 
Eliza,  born  in  1806,  in  Essex,  died  No- 
vember 2,  1833,  married  John  Kidder; 
Harmon  R.,  married  Marcia  Chaplin ; 
George  Washington  and  Alexander  Ham- 
ilton, twins,  born  February  10,  1812,  in 
Berkshire,  the  former  died  July  11,  18S5, 
married  Persis  Wilson  Crosby,  the  latter 
son  died  June  19,  1875,  married  Lucy  F. 
Chaffee  ;  John  Bushrod,  mentioned  below. 

(VIII)  John  Bushrod,  son  of  John  M. 
and  Charlotte  Eliza  (Thompson)  Wood- 
worth,  was  born  July  8,  1814,  in  Berk- 
shire, where  his  life  was  spent,  and  where 
he  died  October  15,  1865.  He  married 
(first)  October  31,  1839,  Gracia  Weld, 
and  to  them  were  born  children  as  fol- 
lows :  Noel  Byron,  born  July  24,  1840,  a 
farmer,  living  in  Sheldon,  Vermont ;  Car- 
los Coldridge,  born  June  2^,  1846,  died 
August  5,  1878,  was  a  physician,  mar- 
ried Helen  Hart.  He  married  (second) 
February  12,  185 1,  Almira  Charlotte  Fer- 
nald,  daughter  of  John  Fernald,  and  they 
were  the  parents  of  two  children :  Gracia 
Almira,  born  January  1,  1852,  who  died 
February  19,  i860;  and  Charles  Edgar, 
mentioned   below. 

(IX)  Charles  Edgar  Woodworth,  son 
of  John  B.  and  Almira  C.  (Fernald) 
Woodworth,  was  born  June  10,  1857,  in 
Berkshire,  and  attended  the  public  schools 
of  that  town  until  he  was  fifteen  years 
of  age.  At  that  time  his  father  was  de- 
ceased, and  with  his  mother  he  removed 
to  Ripon,  Wisconsin,  where  he  attended 
school  three  years.  Returning  to  his  na- 
tive State,  he  entered  a  general  store  at 
Berkshire,  where  he  was  a  clerk  for  two 
years,  and  removed  to  Richmond,  Ver- 
mont. There  he  engaged  in  general  mer- 
cantile business,  in  association  with  one 
Jacobs,  under  the  firm  name  of  Jacobs  & 
Woodworth,  continuing  five  years.  He 
then  sold  out  his  interests  there  and  re- 
moved to  Attleboro,  Massachusetts,  be- 
coming a  member  of  the  firm  of  Wheaton, 


Richards  &  Company,  manufacturing 
jewelers.  Three  years  later  he  removed 
to  New  Bedford,  Massachusetts,  and  en- 
gaged in  the  retail  jewelry  business  on 
Purchase  street,  in  that  city,  where,  for 
nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century,  he  con- 
ducted a  very  successful  business.  This 
he  disposed  of  and  is  now  living  retired 
in  his  home  on  Cottage  street,  that  city. 
His  sterling  character  and  sound  and  up- 
right business  methods  gained  him  many 
friends,  and  he  is  enjoying  in  happy  con- 
tentment the  fruits  of  an  industrious  life. 
He  married,  March  18,  1885,  Ida  Grandi- 
son  Thomas,  born  in  New  Bedford, 
daughter  of  Sylvanus  and  Agnes  J.  (Mar- 
tin) Thomas,  of  New  Bedford  (see 
Thomas  VII).  Mrs.  Woodworth  is  a 
member  of  Fort  Phoenix  Chapter,  Daugh- 
ters of  the  American  Revolution,  of  New 
Bedford  ;  is  a  member  and  has  been  presi- 
dent of  the  New  Bedford  Woman's  Club, 
and  also  an  active  member  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church,  of  New  Bedford. 

(The  Jackson  Line). 

(I)  Abraham  Jackson  was  an  apprentice 
to  Nathaniel  Morton,  secretary  of  the 
Plymouth  Colony,  and  lived  in  Plymouth, 
Massachusetts,  where  he  died  October  4, 
1714.  He  married,  November  18,  1657, 
Remember  Morton,  born  1637,  died  July 
24,  1707,  daughter  of  Nathaniel  and  Lydia 
(Cooper)  Morton,  granddaughter  of 
George  and  Julia  Anna  (Carpenter)  Mor- 
ton, great-granddaughter  of  Alexander 
Carpenter,  of  Wrentham,  England.  Chil- 
dren :  Lydia,  born  November  19,  1658 ; 
Abraham;  Nathaniel,  mentioned  below; 
Eleazer,  October,   1669 ;   John. 

(II)  Nathaniel,  son  of  Abraham  and 
Remember  (Morton)  Jackson,  born  in 
Plymouth,  lived  in  that  town,  and  there 
married,  December  20,  1686,  Ruth  Jenney, 
a  native  of  Plymouth,  daughter  of  Samuel 
and  Ann  (Lettice)  Jenney,  granddaugh- 
ter of  John  and  Sarah   (Carey)    Jenney, 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  of  Thomas  and  Ann  Lettice,  all  of 
whom  were  natives  of  England  and  lived 
in  Plymouth,  Massachusetts. 

(III)  Thomas,  son  of  Nathaniel  and 
Ruth  (Jenney)  Jackson,  was  born  1703, 
in  Plymouth,  where  he  made  his  home. 
He  married,  October  15,  1724,  Hannah 
Woodward  or  Woodworth,  of  Little 
Compton,  Rhode  Island,  born  March  19, 
1706,  daughter  of  Hezekiah  and  Hannah 
(Clapp)  Woodworth,  granddaughter  of 
Walter  (2)  Woodworth,  of  Little  Comp- 
ton (see  Woodworth  II).  Children: 
Hezekiah,  born  1725,  died  young;  Thom- 
as, February  15,  1729;  Samuel,  mentioned 
below;  Ruth,  January  8,  1733;  Hezekiah, 
April  15,  1738;  Nathaniel,  February  2, 
1742;  William  Hall,  March  9,  1744;  Han- 
nah, July  12,  1747;  Molly,  November  29, 
1749- 

(IV)  Samuel,  third  son  of  Thomas  and 
Hannah  (Woodworth)  Jackson,  was  born 
January  3,  1731,  in  Plymouth,  and  there 
made  his  home.  He  married  there  (in- 
tentions recorded  November  3,  1753)  Ex- 
perience Atwood,  born  1734,  in  Plym- 
outh, daughter  of  John  and  Experience 
(Pierce)  Atwood,  granddaughter  of  Na- 
thaniel Atwood,  and  great-granddaugh- 
ter of  John  and  Sarah  (Masterson)  At- 
wood. The  name  Atwood  has  been  usu- 
ally changed  to  Wood,  and  there  are  de- 
secendants  of  this  family  bearing  both 
forms  of  the  name. 

(V)  Samuel  (2),  son  of  Samuel  (1) 
and  Experience  (Atwood)  Jackson,  was 
born  1755-56,  in  Plymouth,  where  he  died 
September  12,  1829.  He  married  there, 
July  25,  1781,  Hannah  Southworth, 
daughter  of  Nathaniel  and  Susan  (Smith) 
Southworth,  born  1762-63,  died  July  9, 
1821. 

(VI)  Hannah,  daughter  of  Samuel  (2) 
and  Hannah  (Southworth)  Jackson,  was 
born  in  Plymouth,  and  became  the  wife 
of  Ephraim  Martin,  of  Rehoboth,  Massa- 
chusetts (see  Martin  VI). 


(The  Martin  Line). 
Robert  Martin,  of  Badcombe,  England, 
aged  forty-four  years,  with  wife  Joane, 
same  age,  embarked  from  Weymouth, 
England,  before  March  20,  1635,  and  set- 
tled in  Weymouth,  Massachusetts.  He 
was  admitted  a  freeman,  May  13,  1640. 
In  1645  he  was  in  Plymouth  Colony, 
where  he  was  selectman  in  1643,  an^  later 
removed  to  Rehoboth.  His  will  was 
dated  May  6,  1660,  bequeathing  to  wife 
Joane  and  children ;  to  brother,  Richard 
Martin,  and  his  children  in  England ; 
brother  Abraham  and  cousin  Roger  Clap, 
of  Dorchester.  The  widow  Joane's  will, 
in  1668,  mentions  "sister  Smith,  cousin 
Clap  and  the  children  he  had  by  my  kins- 
woman, Jane  Clap ;"  kinsman,  John 
Ormsby ;  cousins  Grace,  Thomas  and 
Jacob  Ormsby  ;  brother  Upham's  children 
at  Maiden,  and  others. 

(I)  Richard  Martin,  brother  of  Robert 
Martin  and  of  Abraham  Martin,  was  born 
in  England,  and  came  to  New  England 
about  1663.  He  also  settled  in  Rehoboth, 
coming  thither  from  England  to  accept 
the  bequest  of  his  brother,  Robert.  He 
made  his  will  when  very  aged.  It  was 
proved  May  7,  1695.  He  bequeathed  to 
sons  Richard  and  Francis,  and  Richard's 
eldest  son,  John,  "who  are  in  old  Eng- 
land; to  son  John,  now  with  me;"  to 
John  Ormsby,  the  eldest  son  of  his  daugh- 
ter Grace,  and  to  daughters,  Grace  Orms- 
by and  Annis  Chaffee.  Abraham  Mar- 
tin also  bequeathed  to  the  children  of 
brother  Richard  and  of  John  Ormsby. 
Richard  Martin  was  surveyor  of  high- 
ways in  Rehoboth  in  1669. 

(II)  John,  son  of  Richard  Martin,  was 
born  in  England,  and  came  to  this  coun- 
try with  his  father  about  1663,  settling  in 
Rehoboth,  in  that  part  afterward  Swan- 
sea, and  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
Baptist  church  at  Swansea.  He  was  a 
weaver  by  trade  and  a  farmer,  was  ap- 
pointed constable,  June  6,  1671,  surveyor 


360 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


of  highways,  June  3,  1673,  and  June  2, 
1685.  In  1673  ne  bought  land  on  New 
Meadow  Neck,  near  Hundred  Acre  Cove, 
and  built  a  house  north  of  Central  bridge. 
He  died  March  21,  1713-14,  aged  eighty- 
years.  He  married,  April  26,  1671,  Joan- 
na Esten,  born  June  1,  1645,  in  Hereford- 
shire, England,  daughter  of  Thomas 
Esten,  who  came  with  Rev.  John  Myles 
from  England  to  Rehoboth,  and  settled  at 
North  Providence.  Children  of  John  and 
Joanna  (Esten)  Martin:  Jemima,  born 
May  29,  1672;  Melatiah,  April  30,  1673; 
John,  March  15,  1674;  Ephraim,  men- 
tioned below;  Ann,  November  14,  1678; 
Manasseh,  February  2,  1681 ;  Johanna, 
February  15,  1683;  Ebenezer,  February 
16,  1684;  Judith,  November  13,  1686. 

(III)  Ephraim,  third  son  of  John  and 
Joanna  (Esten)  Martin,  was  born  Febru- 
ary 7,  1676,  in  Rehoboth,  and  settled  on  a 
farm  in  that  town,  north  of  the  burying 
ground,  where  he  died  June  25,  1735.  He 
married,  October  18,  1699,  Thankful  Bul- 
lock, born  June  27,  1681,  died  July  22, 
1762,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Thankful 
(Reneff)  Bullock.  Children:  Edward, 
born  October  22,  1700;  Thomas,  May  18, 
1702;  Ephraim,  April  19,  1704;  Deliver- 
ance, September  3,  1706;  Experience, 
1707;  Hopestill,  January  16,  1710,  Judith, 
March  28,  1714;  Seth,  February  24,  1716; 
Lydia,  July  17,  1718;  Benjamin,  men- 
tioned below;    Elizabeth. 

(IV)  Benjamin,  youngest  son  of  Eph- 
raim and  Thankful  (Bullock)  Martin, 
was  born  about  1720,  in  Rehoboth,  where 
he  lived,  and  died  before  December  5, 
1795,  when  his  widow  made  her  will.  His 
will  was  dated  April  30,  1791.  He  mar- 
ried, April  4,  1745,  in  Providence,  Lucy 
Perry,  born  May  26,  1725,  in  Rehoboth, 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Patience  (Wood) 
Perry.  Children :  Constant,  born  Febru- 
ary 4,  1746;  Freelove,  February  25,  1749; 
Benjamin,  mentioned  below;  Luce,  No- 
vember 20,  1755  ;  Samuel  Perry,  March  1, 


36] 


1758;    Asa,   April,    1760;    Abi,   May    17, 
1764,  in  Cumberland. 

(V)  Benjamin  (2),  second  son  of  Ben- 
jamin (1)  and  Lucy  (Perry)  Martin,  was 
born  April  3,  1751,  in  Rehoboth,  where 
his  will  was  filed  October  2,  1802.  His 
first  wife,  Lucretia,  was  the  mother  of  his 
children,  and  he  had  a  second  wife,  Sarah. 
In  his  will  are  mentioned  sons  James, 
Sylvester  and  Philip,  not  on  Rehoboth 
records.  He  was  probably  a  mechanic, 
and  resided  in  various  places,  having  chil- 
dren born  in  Providence,  Danbury,  North 
Providence,  Westfield  and  Rehoboth,  as 
indicated  by  the  Rehoboth  records,  as  fol- 
lows: Lucretia,  July  19,  1777,  in  Provi- 
dence; Leonard,  August  24,  1779,  in  Dan- 
bury;  Benjamin,  August  26,  1781,  in  Dan- 
bury  ;  Ephraim,  mentioned  below ;  Boham, 
May  5,  1786,  in  Westfield;  Appleton, 
April  27,  1790,  in  Rehoboth  ;  Abbi  Apple- 
ton,  April  30,  1793. 

(VI)  Ephraim  (2),  son  of  Benjamin 
(2)  and  Lucretia  Martin,  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 26,  1784,  in  North  Providence,  and 
lived  in  Rehoboth.  He  married  Hannah 
Jackson,  daughter  of  Samuel  (2)  and 
Hannah  (Southworth)  Jackson,  of  Plym- 
outh (see  Jackson  VI),  and  had  children: 
Catherine  Southworth,  born  January  29. 
1818;  Agnes  Jackson,  mentioned  below; 
Sabina  Ann,  August  25,  1821 ;  John  Jack- 
son, September  22,  1824. 

(VII)  Agnes  Jackson,  second  daughter 
of  Ephraim  (2)  and  Hannah  (Jackson) 
Martin,  was  born  April  2,  1819,  in  Reho- 
both, died  November  15,  1906,  in  New 
Bedford,  and  was  buried  in  Rural  Ceme- 
tey  of  that  city.  She  married,  in  1840, 
in  Attleboro,  Sylvanus  Thomas,  of  Mid- 
dleboro  (see  Thomas  VII). 

(The  Thomas  Line). 

(I)  William  Thomas,  said  to  have  been 
of  Welsh  descent,  and  one  of  the  mer- 
chant adventurers  of  London,  came  from 
Yarmouth,  England,  in  the  "Marye  and 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Ann"  in  1637,  and  settled  in  Marshfield, 
Massachusetts,  with  his  son,  Nathaniel. 
He  was  assistant  deputy  governor  in 
1642-5C ;  member  of  the  council  of  war 
in  1643,  and  died  in  August,  1651,  aged 
seventy-eight  years. 

(II)  Nathaniel,  son  of  William  Thom- 
as, born  in  1606,  came  over  with  his 
father,  bringing  with  him  his  wife  and 
son  William.  He  commanded  one  of  the 
watches  against  the  Indians  in  1643;  was 
one  of  the  volunteers  of  the  Pequot  ex- 
pedition in  1643  i  was  commissioned  en- 
sign of  the  Marshfield  company  of  the 
Colonial  troops  and  later  captain,  and  in 
1654  succeeded  Miles  Standish  in  com- 
mand. He  had  children  besides  William : 
Nathaniel,  born  in  1643;  Mary,  who  mar- 
ried Captain  Symon  Ray ;  Elizabeth ; 
Dorothy,  died  young ;  Jeremiah  and 
Dorothy. 

(III)  Jeremiah,  son  of  Nathaniel  Thom- 
as, born  1658-59,  died  February  2,  1736, 
He  married,  February  25,  1684,  Lydia 
Howland,  born  1665,  granddaughter  of 
John  Howland,  of  the  Plymouth  Colony. 
Elsewhere  in  this  work  is  an  extended 
history  of  John  Howland,  the  son  of 
Humphrey  Howland,  a  draper  of  London. 
John  Howland's  son,  Joseph  Howland, 
was  born  in  Plymouth,  and  made  his 
home  in  that  town.  In  1679  he  was  lieu- 
tenant of  militia,  continued  in  that  office 
many  years ;  filled  various  civil  offices  ; 
was  a  large  landholder,  his  possessions 
including  the  present  site  of  Pilgrim's 
Hall,  in  Plymouth,  which  descended  to 
his  great-great-grandson,  Thomas  How- 
land. He  married,  September  12,  1664, 
Elizabeth,  only  daughter  of  Thomas  and 
Elizabeth  (Raynor)  Southworth,  grand- 
daughter of  Edward  and  Alice  (Carpen- 
ter) Southworth,  great-granddaughter  of 
Thomas  and  Jane  (Lynn)  Southworth,  of 
Wells,  Somersetshire,  England.  The 
eldest  child  of  this  marriage  was  Lydia 
Howland,    who    married,    February    25, 


1684,  Jeremiah  Thomas,  and  died  August 

7,  1717.  They  lived  in  Middleboro,  Mas- 
sachusetts. Children :  Nathaniel,  born 
January  2,  1686;  Sarah,  December  25, 
1687;  Jeremiah,  mentioned  below;  Eliza- 
beth, November  19,  1690;  Mary,  June  5, 
1692;  Lydia,  March  26,  1694;  Thankful, 
June  30,  1695;  Jedediah,  August  17,  1698, 
Bethiah,  March  i-j,  1701  ;  Ebenezer,  No- 
vember 1,  1703;  Priscilla,  October  13, 
1705;  Sophia,  1707. 

(IV)  Jeremiah  (2),  son  of  Jeremiah  (1) 
and  Lydia  (Howland)  Thomas,  was  born 
February  14,  1688,  and  lived  in  Middle- 
boro. He  was  married  by  Rev.  Peter 
Thatcher,  in  Middleboro,  December  12, 
1 718,  to  Miriam  Thomas,  who  died  Janu- 
ary 10,  1758,  at  the  age  of  sixty-three 
years,  in  Middleboro.    He  died  there  June 

8,  1763.  Children:  Mary,  born  October 
10,  1719;  Miriam,  August  5,  1721  ;  Lem- 
uel, July  16,  1723;  Lydia,  November 
17,  1725;  Martha,  September  17,  1727 
Charles,  December  6,  1729;  Jeremiah 
mentioned  below;  Sarah,  February  6 
1736;  Deborah,  February  10,  1737. 

(V)  Jeremiah  (3),  third  son  of  Jere 
miah  (2)  and  Miriam  (Thomas)  Thomas 
was  born  December  5,  1731,  in  Middle 
boro,  and  died  there  December  12,  1778. 
He  married,  January  15,  1761,  Susanna 
surname  unknown.  Children :  Ransom 
born  March  12,  1762;  Jeremiah,  January 
12,  1764;  Silas,  1765,  died  August  i&, 
1834;  Abraham,  March  7,  1770;  Eliza- 
beth, August  30,  1771 ;  Jacob,  mentioned 
below. 

(VI)  Jacob,  youngest  child  of  Jere- 
miah (3)  and  Susanna  Thomas,  was  born 
November  21,  1774,  in  Middleboro,  where 
he  made  his  home,  and  died  March  27, 
1851.  He  married  (first)  in  1799,  Lucy 
Thomas,  born  1775,  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Deborah  (Thomas)  Thomas.  She 
died  July  10,  1815,  at  the  age  of  forty 
years,  and  he  married  (second)  Cynthia 
Thomas,  born  1774,  in  Middleboro,  daugh- 


362 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ter  of  Sylvanus  and  Susanna  (Thomp- 
son) Thomas.  She  died  March  22,  185 1, 
at  the  age  of  seventy-seven  years.  Chil- 
dren of  first  wife :  Lurena,  born  April  7, 
1800;  Clarinda,  March  8,  1802;  Jacob 
Allen,  March  1,  1805;  Eliphalet,  June  2S, 
1809;  of  second  wife:  Sylvanus,  men- 
tioned below.  Cynthia  Thomas,  wife  of 
Jacob,  descended  from  the  same  immi- 
grant ancestor  through  William  Thomas, 
son  of  Nathaniel,  brother  of  the  first  Jert- 
miah.  William  Thomas,  son  of  Wil- 
liam, born  171 1,  married  Mary  Thomas, 
before  1733.  She  died  August  4,  1768, 
aged  fifty-eight  years,  and  he  died  June 
7,  1764,  aged  fifty-three. 

Sylvanus  Thomas,  son  of  William  and 
Mary  (Thomas)  Thomas,  was  born  1744, 
and  died  August  30,  1814.  He  served 
through  several  enlistments  in  the  Revo- 
lution. He  was  first  a  private  in  the 
Fifth  Middlesex  company  under  Lieuten- 
ant Consider  Benson,  which  marched  to 
Howland's  Ferry  on  the  Alarm  of  De- 
cember 8,  1776,  serving  five  days.  He 
was  a  sergeant  in  Captain  Elisha  Has- 
kell's company,  Colonel  Benjamin  Hawes' 
regiment,  from  July  29  to  September  11, 
1778,  one  month  and  fourteen  days,  at 
Rhode  Island.  He  was  a  private  in  Cap- 
tain Perry  Churchill's  company,  Colonel 
Ebenezer  Sproutt's  regiment,  from  May 
6  to  May  9,  1778,  three  days,  on  an  alarm 
at  Dartmouth.  In  September,  of  the  same 
year,  he  served  a  like  period  under  the 
same  commanders  at  a  similar  alarm.  Also 
under  the  same  commanders  on  an  alarm 
at  Rhode  Island,  August  1,  1780,  marched 
on  that  day  and  served  until  the  9th.  He 
married  Susanna  Thompson,  born  1743, 
died  September  4,  1822,  aged  seventy- 
nine  years,  daughter  of  John  Thompson, 
granddaughter  of  Shubael  Thompson. 
Children:  Molly,  born  July  29,  1762; 
William,  July  10,  1764:  Sylvanus.  Feb- 
ruary 20,  1768:  John,  March  31,  1771  ; 
Cynthia,     mentioned      below ;      Shubael, 


January  26,  1777;  Sally.  August  19,  1779; 
Susan,  May  7,  1783.  The  second  daugh- 
ter, Cynthia  Thomas,  born  April  2,  1773, 
became  the  wife  of  Jacob  Thomas,  as 
previously  related  . 

(VII)  Sylvanus,  son  of  Jacob  Thomas, 
and  child  of  his  second  wife,  Cynthia 
Thomas,  was  born  January  28,  1818,  in 
Middleboro,  where  he  grew  up,  availing 
himself  of  the  limited  educational  advan- 
tages of  his  native  place.  His  business 
life  began  in  the  store  of  Hon.  Peter  H. 
Pierce,  of  Middleboro,  but  about  1838  he 
removed  to  New  Bedford,  Massachu- 
setts, where  his  long  business  career  was 
a  marked  success.  Beginning  trade  in  a 
small  way  in  domestic  goods,  he  gradu- 
ally expanded  and  became  interested  in 
the  West  India  trade ;  later  engaged  in 
the  whaling  business  and  manufacture  of 
oil.  With  him  were  associated  Mr. 
Pierce,  his  former  employer,  and  Elisha 
Tucker,  of  Middleboro,  both  of  whom 
had  implicit  confidence  in  his  capacity 
and  integrity.  The  greater  share  of  the 
burden  of  the  extensive  operations  of  the 
firm  fell  on  Mr.  Thomas.  He  was  emi- 
nently capable  of  fulfilling  his  trust,  and 
his  success  was  well  earned  and  merited. 
After  his  death,  a  New  Bedford  gentle- 
man who  knew  him  well,  wrote  of  him  as 
follows : 

No  merchant  of  this  city  ever  devoted  himself 
more  assiduously  to  business  than  Mr.  Thomas, 
and  none  can  leave  behind  a  more  unspotted  repu- 
tation. No  man  could  be  more  missed  by  the 
mercantile  community,  especially  by  the  dealers 
in  its  great  staple ;  for  no  one  was  ever  more 
active,  bold,  or  successful  in  the  purchase  and 
sale  of  oil.  For  many  years  his  annual  trans- 
actions in  that  article  were  immense  and  the  im- 
porters were,  of  course,  greatly  benefited  by  his 
energy  and  enterprise.  His  death  is  a  severe  loss 
to  our  city— the  loss  of  a  man  of  extraordinary 
perseverance,  of  public  spirit,  of  great  probity, 
and  of  most  estimable  character  in  all  the  rela- 
tions he  bore  to  his  fellows.  He  was  a  good  man, 
ever  ready  to  aid  in  maintaining  every  good  cause 
and  recognizing  and  discharging  the  obligations 
which  increasing  wealth  create. 


363 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


The  formation  of  many  of  the  earliest 
manufacturing  enterprises  of  New  Bed- 
ford was  due  in  a  large  measure  to  his 
influence  and  energy,  even  when  his 
means  were  not  directly  invested,  while 
in  all  matters  pertaining  to  the  prosperity 
of  the  city  he  was  among  the  foremost. 
His  career  was  based  upon  the  principles 
of  Christianity,  and  he  was  long  a  mem- 
ber of  the  First  Baptist  Church.  Mr. 
Thomas  died  November  20,  1866.  He 
married,  in  1840,  Agnes  J.  Merton,  of 
Rehoboth,  who  died  November  15,  1906, 
and  was  buried  beside  her  husband  in 
Rural  Cemetery.  Children :  Cynthia 
Maria,  born  February  15,  1842,  died  Oc- 
tober 5,  1843 ;  Agnes  Jackson,  born  No- 
vember 22,  1843,  married  James  A. 
Roberts,  and  they  reside  in  Dayton, 
Ohio ;  Sylvanus  Grandison,  born  Septem- 
ber 22,  1848,  died  February  14,  1849; 
Sylvanus  Martin,  born  March  23,  1850, 
was  a  lawyer  in  Taunton,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  died  November  20,  1898,  he 
married  Emily  H.  Hayman,  and  they  had 
children — Sylvanus  M.,  Jr.,  Elizabeth  A., 
and  Sydney  Bartlett,  who  died  young; 
Ida  Grandison,  born  June  22,  1858,  men- 
tioned below. 

(VIII)  Ida  Grandison,  daughter  of 
Sylvanus  and  Agnes  J.  (Martin)  Thomas, 
became  the  wife  of  Charles  E.  Wood- 
worth,  of  New  Bedford  (see  Woodworth 
IX). 


GARDNER-MILNE  Families. 

Elsewhere  in  this  work  will  be  found 
an  extended  account  of  George  Gardner, 
pioneer  ancestor  of  this  family  in  Amer- 
ica, together  with  his  son  Samuel,  grand- 
son Samuel  (2)  and  great-grandson 
Samuel  (3)  Gardner. 

(V)  Samuel  (4)  Gardner,  son  of 
Samuel  (3)  and  Content  (Brayton) 
Gardner,  was  born  March  5,  1745,  and 
died   September  20,   1822.     He  married, 


December  17,  1767,  Elizabeth  Anthony, 
daughter  of  John  and  Lydia  (Luther) 
Anthony,  died  in  Swansea,  Massachu- 
setts, February  14,  1816.  Children : 
Bessie,  born  April  10,  1768,  married,  No- 
vember 11,  1787,  Charles  Chase;  Samuel, 
mentioned  below ;  Cynthia,  March  9, 
1771,  married,  November  11,  1787,  Aaron 
Baker;  Anna,  October  5,  1772,  married, 
November  22,  1792,  Peleg  Gardner;  An- 
thony, June  23,  1774,  married,  November 
11,  1803,  Elizabeth  Wilbur,  daughter  of 
Daniel  Wilbur;  Avis,  March,  1776,  mar- 
ried, October  29,  1795,  Preserved  Sher- 
man, son  of  Gideon  and  Abby  (Eddy) 
Sherman;  Mason,  April  10,  1781,  married 
Ruth  Anthony ;  Ebenezer  and  Winslow 
(twins),  April  22,  1783;  Patience,  May  23, 
1785,  married  Philip  Munro;  Israel,  Au- 
gust 9,  1787,  married  Hannah  Anthony, 
daughter  of  Gardner  and  Sarah  (Slade) 
Anthony;  Elizabeth,  March  9,  1790,  mar- 
ried, March  1,  1816,  Hale  Mason;  Heze- 
kiah,  April  29,  1792,  married,  June  26, 
1817,  Almira  Mason. 

(VI)  Samuel  (5),  eldest  son  of  Samuel 
(4)  and  Elizabeth  (Anthony)  Gardner, 
was  born  September  2,  1769,  in  Swansea, 
Massachusetts,  and  there  grew  to  man- 
hood. When  a  young  man,  in  1795,  he 
removed  to  the  town  of  Tiverton,  Rhode 
Island,  where  he  settled  on  the  old  Bor- 
den farm,  and  ever  after  made  his  home. 
Here  he  was  engaged  in  farming,  and 
died  July  18,  1830,  aged  sixty-one  years. 
He  married,  1795,  in  Tiverton,  Catharine 
Borden,  born  June  15,  1773,  in  Tiverton, 
Rhode  Island,  daughter  of  Benjamin  and 
Rachel  (Cobb)  Borden,  granddaughter  of 
Samuel  Borden,  and  great-granddaughter 
of  Richard  Borden.  She  died  in  1813. 
Children:  Rachel,  born  April  14,  1796, 
married,  September  3,  1815,  Abraham 
Allen,  died  1883  '<  Samuel  Borden,  men- 
tioned below;  Joseph,  August  12,  1800; 
Catharine,    November  7,   1802,    married, 


364 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


September  6,  1841,  Lemuel  Harrison; 
Eliza,  October  22,  1804,  married  Judge 
Joseph  Osborne,  of  Tiverton,  and  died 
April  19,  1866;  Julia  Ann,  January  25, 
1807,  married  Obadiah  Chase,  of  Fall 
River,  and  died  1880;  Emma,  January  25, 
1809,  married  John  Russell  Hicks,  and 
died  in  Tiverton ;  Benjamin,  February 
21,  181 1,  died  in  Tiverton,  April  7,  1875. 

(VII)  Samuel  Borden,  eldest  son  of 
Samuel  (5)  and  Catharine  (Borden) 
Gardner,  was  born  February  25,  1798,  in 
Tiverton,  and  was  a  carpenter,  which 
trade  he  followed  in  Tiverton  and  Fall 
River.  He  died  in  the  latter  city  Decem- 
ber 21,  1861,  aged  sixty-three  years.  The 
maiden  name  of  his  first  wife  was  Lake, 
and  he  married  (second)  November  23, 
1841,  Emma  Sturtevant,  of  Plymouth. 

(VIII)  Samuel  Borden  (2),  son  of 
Samuel  Borden  (1)  Gardner,  was  born  in 
Tiverton.  In  early  life  he  was  extensively 
engaged  in  the  wholesale  grain  and  pro- 
vision business  in  Wareham,  Massachu- 
setts. His  latter  life  was  spent  in  Mid- 
dleboro  and  New  Bedford,  Massachu- 
setts, his  death  occurring  in  the  latter 
city.  He  married  Louise  P.  Keith,  born 
1825,  in  Middleboro,  daughter  of  Foster 
A.  and  Elizabeth  (Briggs)  Keith.  She 
died  in  New  Bedford,  April  15,  1887,  aged 
sixty-two  years  (see  Keith  V).  Children: 
Samuel  Foster,  died  November  8,  1868; 
Sarah,  married  Isaac  Tompkins,  both 
now  deceased;  Luella,  died  in  infancy; 
Luella  G.,  married  Charles  Tripp,  living 
in  New  Bedford,  Massachusetts ;  Mattie 
James,  mentioned  below;  Mary  Louise, 
married  Henry  Thompson,  living  in  Port- 
land, Maine;  Nellie,  now  deceased,  mar- 
ried Lieutenant  William  Barry,  of  New 
Bedford  ;  Abby,  died  in  infancy. 

(IX)  Mattie  James,  daughter  of  Samuel 
Borden  (2)  and  Louise  P.  (Keith)  Gard- 
ner, born  in  New  Bedford,  was  educated 
in  that  city,  and  is  a  well-known  vocalist, 


an  artist  in  that  line.  She  married  James 
Thomas  Milne,  born  October  26,  1846,  in 
Schodack,  New  York,  and  they  now  re- 
side on  French  street,  Fall  River.  They 
were  the  parents  of  one  son,  Keith  Alex- 
ander Milne,  who  died  in  infancy.  Mr. 
Milne  is  a  grandson  of  John  and  Janette 
Milne,  of  Scotland,  whose  son,  Rev.  Alex- 
ander Milne,  born  there  June  4,  181 1,  was 
a  Baptist  clergyman  who  officiated  at 
various  churches  in  America,  was  for 
some  years  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church 
at  Macedon,  Wayne  county,  New  York 
and  died  at  Fall  River,  September  15 
1866.  He  married,  January  4,  1837,  in 
Tiverton,  Rhode  Island,  Eliza  Ann  Os 
born,  born  May  25,  1810,  died  August  18 
1887,  in  Tiverton,  daughter  of  Thomas 
and  Ann  (Durfee)  Osborn,  of  that  town 
granddaughter  of  William  and  Elizabeth 
(Shrieve)  Osborn.  Their  children:  John 
Osborn,  born  July  1,  1837,  served  in  the 
Civil  War,  and  died  in  1907,  in  Duluth, 
Minnesota;  Ann  Janette,  born  June  27, 
1841,  married  Rev.  Orin  Munger,  and  she 
died  in  1864,  in  Alden,  New  York;  Eliza 
Jane,  born  September  30,  1843,  married 
Elias  A.  Tuttle,  of  Medina,  New  York, 
and  she  died  in  Tiverton,  Rhode  Island, 
in  1876;  Abby,  died  in  infancy;  James 
Thomas,  mentioned  below;  Mary  Dun- 
can, born  November.  22,  1848,  married 
Marcus  G.  B.  Swift,  of  Fall  River,  where 
she  now  lives,  a  widow;  Hattie,  died  in 
infancy;  and  George  Alexander,  born 
May  23,  1853,  married  Lizzie  Swift,  of 
Northville,  Michigan,  and  he  died  in  1910, 
in  Brooklyn,  New  York. 

James  Thomas  Milne,  son  of  Rev.  Alex- 
ander and  Eliza  Ann  (Osborn)  Milne, 
was  born  October  26,  1846,  in  Schodack, 
New  York.  His  early  schooling  was  ob- 
tained in  the  various  cities  where  his 
father  was  engaged  in  preaching.  In 
October,  1863,  he  located  in  Fall  River, 
Massachusetts,  and  on  January  1,   1864, 


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ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


became  a  clerk  in  the  Pocasset  Bank, 
which  was  later  merged  into  the  Massa- 
soit-Pocasset  National  Bank.  Mr.  Milne 
was  connected  with  this  bank  for  several 
years.  Later  he  became  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  Tuttle,  Milne  &  Company,  cotton 
and  cotton  cloth  dealers,  and  continued  a 
member  of  this  firm  until  1900,  when  he 
retired.  In  1908,  Mr.  Milne  accepted  the 
position  of  treasurer  of  the  Osborn  Mills, 
of  Fall  River,  in  which  capacity  he  has 
since  continued.  He  is  a  member  of  King 
Philip  Lodge,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Baptist  church.  In  political 
faith  he  is  a  Republican,  and  has  served 
as  a  member  of  the  common  council  and 
of  the  board  of  aldermen. 

(The   Borden  Line). 

The  Borden  family  is  one  of  the  oldest 
and  most  conspicuous  of  Southeastern 
Massachusetts,  and  the  early  generations 
are  described  at  length  elsewhere  in  this 
work,  including  Richard  Borden,  founder, 
his  son  John  Borden,  grandson  Richard 
(2)  Borden,  who  was  father  of  Samuel 
Borden. 

(V)  Benjamin,  third  son  of  Samuel  and 
Peace  (Mumford)  Borden,  was  born  1 741, 
in  Tiverton,  where  he  was  a  farmer  and 
land  owner,  his  farm  being  still  known  as 
the  Richard  Borden  farm.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Society  of  Friends.  He 
married,  January  18,  1772,  Rachel  Cobb. 
Children:  Catharine,  mentioned  below; 
Samuel,  born  February  17,  1780,  was  a 
military  officer,  and  died  on  the  Missis- 
sippi river,  while  in  the  United  States 
service. 

(VI)  Catharine,  only  daughter  of  Ben- 
jamin and  Rachel  (Cobb)  Gardner,  was 
born  June  15,  1773,  in  Tiverton,  married 
Samuel  (5)  Gardner,  of  Swansea,  Massa- 
chusetts (see  Gardner  V),  and  died  April 
9,  1813,  in  Tiverton. 


(The  Keith  Line). 

Across  the  sea  the  Keiths  were  among 
the  most  ancient  families  in  Europe. 
While  some  of  the  nobility  of  Scotland 
were  originally  Scots,  others  at  different 
times  came  to  that  country  from  foreign 
lands.  To  the  latter  class  belonged  the 
Keiths,  it  being  the  supposition  that  the 
ancient  family  derived  its  origin  from  one 
Robert,  a  chieftain  among  the  Catti,  who 
was  of  German  origin,  from  which  it  is 
said  came  the  surname  Keith.  At  the 
battle  of  Panbridge,  in  1006,  he  slew  with 
his  own  hands  Camus,  general  of  the 
Danes,  and  King  Malcomb,  perceiving 
this  achievement,  dipped  his  fingers  in 
Camus's  blood  and  drew  red  strokes,  or 
pales,  on  the  top  of  Robert's  shield,  which 
have  since  been  included  in  the  armorial 
bearings  of  his  descendants.  As  a  reward 
for  this  signal  bravery  King  Malcomb 
bestowed  upon  him  several  lands,  particu- 
larly the  Barony  of  Keith,  in  East  Lothi- 
an, after  his  own  name  and  from  which 
his  posterity  assumed  their  surname.  The 
king  also  appointed  him  hereditary  great 
marischal-  of  Scotland,  which  high  office 
continued  in  the  family  until  the  year 
1715,  when  the  last  earl  engaged  in  the 
rebellion  and  forfeited  his  estate  and 
honors,  and  this  ended  the  family's  tenure 
of  the  office  of  marshal,  after  serving  their 
country  in  a  direct  capacity  upward  of 
seven  hundred  years.  The  last  and  tenth 
Earl  was  colonel  of  the  guards  under 
Queen  Anne,  but  during  the  rebellion  in 
1715  he  joined  the  service  of  the  king  of 
Prussia,  and  died  unmarried  near  Pots- 
dam, May  28, 1778,  in  his  eighty-sixth  year. 
His  brother  James  became  a  field  marshal 
in  the  service  of  Peter  the  Great  of  Russia, 
afterward  served  with  the  same  rank  in 
the  Prussian  army,  and  after  many  signal 
services  was  killed  at  Hochkirch  in  a 
battle  with  the  Austrians,  in  1758;  a 
superb  monument  erected  to  his  memory 


366 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


at  Berlin,  by  order  of  the  king  of  Prussia, 
testifies  to  the  estimation  in  which  he 
was  held  by  that  illustrious  monarch.-  As 
will  be  noted  in  the  foregoing,  a  family 
dating  back  to  the  tenth  century,  enroll- 
ing among  its  members  the  names  of 
many  noted  and  famous  characters  in  the 
history  of  the  Old  World,  has  good 
claims  to  the  consideration  of  its  descend- 
ants. The  ancestral  line  of  this  branch  of 
the  family  from  the  American  progenitor, 
which  follows,  is  given  in  chronological 
order. 

(I)  Rev.  James  Keith  was  born  in  1644, 
and  was  educated  at  Aberdeen,  Scotland, 
where  he  was  graduated,  likely,  from 
Marischal  College,  his  name  appearing 
upon  the  roll  of  that  college  in  1657,  said 
college  having  been  founded  by  George, 
the  fifth  Earl  of  Keith  Marischal,  in  1593. 
Rev.  James  Keith,  as  tradition  says,  was 
educated  at  the  expense  of  a  maiden  aunt. 
At  the  age  of  eighteen  years  he  emigrated 
to  this  country,  arriving  in  Boston  in 
1662.  He  was  introduced  to  the  church 
at  Bridgewater  by  Dr.  Increase  Mather, 
whom  he  always  esteemed  as  his  patron 
and  best  friend.  Rev.  Mr.  Keith  is  re- 
fered  to  in  the  records  of  the  church  as 
"a  student  of  divinity,  having  some  com- 
petent time  improved  his  gifts  amongst 
them,  in  the  work  of  the  ministry,  and 
having  also  due  approbation,  by  the  testi- 
mony of  the  Reverend  Elders  of  other 
churches  of  Christ,  to  whom  he  was 
known."  His  settlement  in  Bridgewater 
took  place  February  18,  1664,  upon  the 
following  terms:  "A  double  house  lot  of 
twelve  acres,  with  a  home  built  thereon ; 
a  purchase  right,  so  called,  being  a  fifty- 
sixth  part  of  the  original  grant ;  and  forty 
pounds  annual  salary,  twenty  pounds  in 
Boston  money  and  the  other  half  at 
home."  The  house  in  which  he  lived  and 
died  is  still  standing,  and  is  situated  on 
the  north  side  of  River  street,  near  the 
intersection  of  Forest  street.  It  was  origi- 


nally built  in  1662,  in  1678  enlarged,  in 
1837  remodeled,  and  remains  substan- 
tially the  same  at  the  present  time.  The 
text  selected  for  his  first  sermon  was  from 
Jeremiah  1;  6:  "Behold  I  cannot  speak, 
for  I  am  a  child,"  and  it  was  said  to  have 
been  delivered  from  a  rock  in  the  "mill 
pasture,"  near  the  river.  His  advice  and 
influence  with  the  civil  authorities  of  the 
colony  seem  to  have  been  considerable, 
instanced  in  the  case  of  the  Indian  chief, 
King  Philip's  wife  and  son ;  when  the 
question  as  to  what  should  be  done  with 
the  son  was  in  agitation  he  stated  in  a 
letter  to  Rev.  Mr.  Cotton  that  he  was  "in 
favor  of  mercy,"  and  though  differing 
from  most  others  his  opinion  had  great 
weight,  if  indeed  it  was  not  decisive  in 
sparing  the  boy's  life.  Rev.  Mr.  Keith 
preached  the  sermon  at  the  dedication  of 
the  new  meeting  house  in  South  Bridge- 
water,  in  1717,  two  years  only  before  his 
death,  which  was  printed  in  the  Bridge- 
water  "Monitor,"  and  contained  some 
pertinent  and  impressive  remarks  on  the 
subject  of  intemperance.  Rev.  Mr.  Keith 
died  July  23,  1719,  aged  seventy-six  years, 
in  West  Bridgewater,  having  labored  in 
the  ministry  of  the  town  for  fifty-six 
years  and  proved  himself  a  worthy  man 
and  a  faithful  shepherd  over  his  infant 
and  feeble  flock.  He  married  (first)  May  3, 
1668,  Susanna  Edson,  daughter  of  Dea- 
con Samuel  and  Susanna  (Orcutt)  Edson, 
the  former  of  whom  was  born  in  England 
in  1612,  and  emigrated  to  this  country, 
settling  first  at  Salem,  whence  he  re- 
moved to  Bridgewater,  where  he  erected 
the  first  mill  in  the  old  town,  and  was 
deacon  of  the  church  presided  over  by 
Rev.  Mr.  Keith.  His  first  wife  died  Octo- 
ber 16,  1705,  and  he  married  (second)  in 
1707,  Mary,  widow  of  Thomas  Williams, 
of  Taunton.  Children  of  first  marriage: 
James,  Joseph,  Samuel,  Timothy,  John. 
Hosiah,  Margaret,  Mary  and  Susanna. 
(II)   John,  fifth  son  of  Rev.  James  and 


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ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Susanna  (Edson)  Keith,  married,  in  171 1, 
Hannah  Washburn,  daughter  of  Samuel 
Washburn,  and  they  lived  in  Bridge- 
water.  He  died  there  in  1761,  and  his 
wife  in  1766.  Children:  John,  born  1712; 
James,  1716;  Israel,  1719;  Hannah,  1721 ; 
Keziah,  1723;  Daniel,  1725;  Susanna, 
1727;  Zephaniah,  1730;  Joseph,  mentioned 
below ;  Mary,  married,  1761,  Solomon 
Pratt. 

(III)  Joseph,  sixth  son  of  John  and 
Hannah  (Washburn)  Keith,  born  in 
Bridgewater,  settled  in  Middleboro,  Mas- 
sachusetts. He  was  known  as  Joseph 
Keith  3d,  and  served  as  a  soldier  of  the 
Revolution.  He  was  captain  of  the 
Eleventh  Company,  Third  Plymouth 
Regiment  of  Massachusetts  Militia,  com- 
missioned by  order  of  council  March  23, 
1776.  With  a  detachment  of  his  company 
under  Colonel  Edward  Mitchell,  he 
marched  to  Bristol,  Rhode  Island,  De- 
cember 8,  1776,  on  an  alarm.  He  com- 
manded a  company  in  Colonel  Aaron 
Willey's  regiment,  travel  to  No.  4 
(Charlestown,  New  Hampshire)  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  miles,  and  two  hundred 
and  fifty-eight  miles  home  from  Fort 
Edward,  where  he  was  discharged  Janu- 
ary 24,  1777,  ordered  in  June,  1776,  to  re- 
inforce the  Northern  army.  He  was  a 
captain  in  Colonel  Cotton's  regiment  from 
September  25  to  October  30,  1777,  in  a 
secret  expedition  to  Tiverton,  Rhode 
Island,  and  was  also  in  Colonel  Theop- 
hilus  Cotton's  regiment,  Brigadier-Gen- 
eral Palmer's  brigade,  return  made  at 
Germantown,  December  11,  1777.  He 
married,  in  1759,  Chloe  Packard,  born  in 
Bridgewater,  daughter  of  Samuel  and 
Anne  Packard.  Children :  Aberdeen, 
born  1760,  died  1778;  Lurania,  1763; 
John,  1765;  Timothy,  1767;  Joseph, 
1769;  Martin,  mentioned  below. 

(IV)  Martin,  youngest  child  of  Joseph 
and  Chloe  (Packard)  Keith,  was  born 
1771,    in    Middleboro,    or    Bridgewater, 


Massachusetts,  and  lived  with  his  wife, 
Hope,  in  Middleboro.  Children:  Aber- 
deen, born  August  8,  1792;  Lurena, 
March  27,  1795  ;  Foster  Alexander,  men- 
tioned below ;  Martin,  June  17,  1799. 

(V)  Foster  Alexander,  second  son  of 
Martin  and  Hope  Keith,  was  born  July 
29,  1797,  in  Middleboro,  where  he  lived, 
and  married,  January  9,  1824,  Elizabeth 
Briggs.  He  died  in  New  Bedford,  Mas- 
sachusetts, August  25,  1882. 

(VI)  Louise  P.,  daughter  of  Foster 
A.  and  Elizabeth  (Briggs)  Keith,  was 
born  in  Middleboro,  and  became  the  wife 
of  Samuel  Borden  Gardner,  Jr.,  of  New 
Bedford,  where  they  resided,  and  where 
she  died  April  15,  1887  (see  Gardner 
VIII). 


LATHROP,  Edward  H., 

Lawyer,  Public  Official. 

The  State  of  Massachusetts  has  been 
signally  favored  in  the  class  of  men  who 
have  represented  her  judiciary,  and 
prominent  among  these  was  the  late  Ed- 
ward H.  Lathrop,  who  performed  splen- 
did service  in  behalf  of  law,  order  and 
justice.  He  believed  that  the  real  work 
of  the  court  was  not  to  bring  punishment 
for  crime,  but  to  assist  the  individual  to 
become  a  good,  law-abiding  citizen,  and 
he  regarded  punishment  merely  as  a 
means  to  this  end.  He  awakened  wide 
attention  by  his  policies,  and  splendid 
success  attended  his  efforts.  In  addition 
to  a  thorough  understanding  of  the  law 
he  was,  moreover,  familiar  with  human 
nature  and  the  springs  of  human  conduct, 
and  was  guided  in  all  his  professional 
work  by  a  genuine  desire  to  assist  his  fel- 
low men  to  lead  lives  in  conformity  with 
those  rules  which  have  found  place  on 
the  statutes  of  the  State  as  a  safeguard 
to  human  rights  and  liberties.  He  was 
a  son  of  Belia  and  Lucinda  (Russell) 
Lathrop,  and  a  descendant  of  the  Rev. 


368 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


John  Lathrop,  of  Boston,  who  was  or- 
dained minister  of  the  Second  Church  in 
Boston  in  1768,  and  he  was  of  that  branch 
of  the  Lathrop  family  of  which  Mr.  Jus- 
tice Lathrop,  of  the  Massachusetts  Su- 
preme Court,  is  also  a  member. 

Edward  H.  Lathrop  was  born  in 
Springfield,  Massachusetts,  December  2, 
1837.  The  public  schools  of  that  town 
furnished  his  earlier  education,  and  he 
then  attended  the  English  and  Classical 
Institute,  of  Springfield.  He  commenced 
the  study  of  the  law  in  1856  in  the  office 
of  Merrill  &  Willard,  at  Montpelier,  Ver- 
mont. He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
December,  1859.  He  first  established 
himself  at  Chester,  Massachusetts,  later 
removed  to  Huntington  and  still  later  to 
Chicopee  where  he  was  associated  with 
the  well-known  and  eminent  attorney, 
George  Knapp.  Coming  from  there  to 
Springfield,  he  rose  to  a  commanding 
place  at  the  bar,  which  he  retained  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death,  a  period  of  over 
forty  years.  His  public  life  began  as  a 
member  of  the  Legislature  from  Hunt- 
ington in  1868.  In  1874  he  was  a  member 
of  the  State  Senate  from  Springfield,  rep- 
resenting the  first  Hampden  district,  and 
he  also  served  on  the  committee  on  in- 
surance. He  was  three  times  nominated 
for  Congress  by  the  Democratic  party, 
but  the  last  time  declined  the  honor. 
During  the  following  three  years,  1875- 
76-77,  he  was  district  attorney  for  the 
Western  District  of  Massachusetts,  made 
up  of  the  counties  of  Hampden  and  Berk- 
shire, in  which  office  he  maintained  the 
high  standard  which  had  been  set  by  his 
predecessor.  In  1881  he  was  reelected  to 
the  House  of  Representatives  for  the  term 
of  1882,  and  four  years  later  was  elected 
for  the  term  of  1886,  in  each  case  being  a 
member  of  the  committee  on  the  judici- 
ary. In  1878  he  was  the  Democratic  can- 
didate for  Congress  in  his  district.     He 


had  a  reputation  for  independence,  and 
his  expression  of  his  views  won  the  ad- 
miration of  his  opponents,  but  the  district 
being  strongly  Republican  he  was  de- 
feated. As  a  campaign  orator  he  was  a 
favorite,  and  at  banquets  and  other  public 
occasions  he  was  in  great  demand.  He 
was  elected  to  the  office  of  mayor  in  De- 
cember, 1909,  serving  in  1910.  When  the 
term  of  office  was  extended  to  two  years, 
he  was  again  elected,  discharging  the 
duties  of  this  responsible  office  with  abil- 
ity, dignity  and  credit.  He  was  a  charter 
member  of  the  Winthrop  Club,  was  the 
first  president  of  this  association,  and 
served  for  eight  successive  years.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Nayasset  Club ;  Spring- 
field Lodge,  Benevolent  and  Protective 
Order  of  Elks ;  the  Order  of  the  Moose  ; 
Springfield  Automobile  Club  and  the  Gen- 
eral Masonic  Club.  He  was  a  charter 
member  of  Springfield  Lodge,  Free  and 
Accepted  Masons ;  Springfield  Chapter, 
Royal  Arch  Masons ;  Springfield  Com- 
mandery,  Knights  Templar. 

Mr.  Lathrop  married,  November  26, 
1867,  Susan  T.  Little,  of  Huntington. 
Children:  Maud,  deceased;  Edward  H., 
Jr.,  also  deceased ;  Paul  H.,  was  engaged 
in  the  automobile  business,  but  since  the 
death  of  his  father  has  assisted  his  mother 
in  looking  after  the  estate ;  married  Hazel 
Decker,  of  Detroit,  Michigan,  had  three 
children,  all  now  deceased. 


BRIGHTMAN  Family. 

This  name  is  of  English  origin,  and  is 
mentioned  in  "Domesday  Book"  as  land 
owners  in  the  South  of  England  and  in 
the  midlands  among  the  Hundred  Rolls. 
Those  bearing  it  were  numerous  in  Suf- 
folk and  Norfolk  counties,  England.  In 
New  England  this  family  has  flourished 
in  the  bordering  sections  of  Rhode  Island 
and  Massachusetts  from  the  earliest  set- 
tlement of  that  region. 


MASS-Vol  111-24 


369 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


(I)  Henry  Brightman,  of  Plymouth, 
Newport  and  Freetown,  is  of  record  at 
Portsmouth,  Rhode  Island,  as  early  as 
June  6,  1670,  in  which  year  he  became  a 
freeman  and  was  juryman.  He  became 
prominent  in  public  life,  serving  as 
deputy  from  Portsmouth  in  1672,  1682, 
1685,  1690  and  1691 ;  was  constable  in 
1687  and  on  the  grand  jury  in  1688.  In 
1674  he  bought  lot  No.  4  in  Freeman's 
Purchase,  now  Fall  River,  Massachusetts, 
another  lot,  No.  5,  in  1678,  and  a  third, 
No.  6,  in  1 691,  on  the  east  side  of  the 
Taunton  river.  The  ferry,  which  he 
bought  in  1674,  was  included  with  lot 
No.  5,  of  the  Freeman's  Purchase.  The 
Indian  chief,  Corbitant,  established  this 
ferry  across  the  river,  using  a  canoe,  and 
his  daughter,  Weetamoe,  used  a  raft  for 
the  purpose.  Henry  Brightman  was 
deputy  from  Newport  in  1705-06-07-08- 
09.  His  wife,  Joan,  died  in  1716,  and 
he  died  in  1728.  His  children  were: 
Henry,  married  Elizabeth  Lawton ;  Hes- 
ter, married  John  Chandler;  William, 
married  Mercy  Spurr;  Thomas,  men- 
tioned elsewhere ;  Sarah,  married  Heze- 
kiah  Hoar;  and  Joseph,  mentioned  below. 

(II)  Joseph  Brightman,  youngest  child 
of  Henry  and  Joan  Brightman,  born  in 
1691,  located  in  Freetown,  Massachusetts, 
where  in  1717  he  was  assessor  of  taxes, 
and  in  1721  on  the  grand  jury.  He  died 
March  3,  1753.  The  first  schoolhouse  in 
Fall  River  was  located  on  land  given  by 
Joseph  Brightman.  He  seems  to  have 
been  a  farmer,  but  also  to  have  operated 
a  ferry.  This  was  what  was  known  as 
Brightman  and  Slade's  ferry.  A  deed  of 
transfer  dated  July  8,  1794,  "in  considera- 
tion of  thirty  pounds,  conveyed  to  Joseph 
Brightman,  Jr.,  of  Taunton,  a  fourth  part 
of  the  Ferry  with  its  privileges,  com- 
monly called  Brightman  &  Slade's  Ferry, 
which  fell  to  our  honored  mother  Susan- 
na Tompkins,  deceased,  and  also  the 
Beach   of  the   northward   of  said   Ferry 


as  far  as  to  take  in  a  small  wharf  called 
Horse  Wharf."  He  married  Susanna 
Turner,  daughter  of  Dr.  Turner,  and  she 
died  July  7,  1783.  His  children  were: 
Henry,  born  September  19,  1716;  Joseph, 
mentioned  below ;  George,  mentioned 
elsewhere;  Mary,  born  August  13,  1727; 
Elizabeth,  born  July  9,  1730;  James,  born 
May  22,  1734;  and  Susanna,  born  May 
14,  I736- 

(III)  Joseph  Brightman,  Jr.,  second  son 
of  Joseph  and  Susanna  (Turner)  Bright- 
man,  was  born  April  26,  1718.  He  mar- 
ried (intentions  published  December  11, 
1741)  Rebecca  Hill,  of  Swansea,  who  was 
born  in  1690,  and  their  children  were: 
Joseph,  Henry,  Peleg,  Nathan,  Jonathan, 
Prudence,  Sarah,  Rebecca  and  Nancy. 

(IV)  Joseph  Brightman,  eldest  son  of 
Joseph,  Jr.,  and  Rebecca  (Hill)  Bright- 
man,  lived  in  Troy,  now  Fall  River,  Mas- 
sachusetts. He  married  August  24,  1777, 
Elizabeth  Hill,  of  Swansea,  Massachu- 
setts, daughter  of  Jonathan  and  Elizabeth 
(Slade)  Hill,  and  their  children  were: 
James,  mentioned  below;  William;  Gard- 
ner, born  July  15,  1787,  died  April  19, 
1872;  Daniel;   Robert;  and  Joseph. 

(V)  James  Brightman,  eldest  son  of 
Joseph  and  Elizabeth  (Hill)  Brightman, 
was  born  July  7,  1778,  and  died  Novem- 
ber 20,  1863,  in  Fall  River.  He  married, 
August  25,  1804,  Sarah  Hathaway,  who 
was  born  August  20,  1783,  and  died  Sep- 
tember 30,  i860,  daughter  of  Elisha  and 
Martha  Hathaway,  of  Freetown,  Massa- 
chusetts. Their  children  were :  Hatha- 
way, mentioned  below;  Cory  Durfee, 
born  January  11,  1808;  Martha  Ann,  born 
May  10,  1810;  Susannah,  born  March  13, 
1812,  died  December  23,  1837,  unmar- 
ried ;  Catharine  Lawton,  born  February 
10,  1815;  James  Munroe,  born  May  2, 
1818;  Amanda  Maria,  born  April  26, 
1821 ;  Hanan  Wilbur,  born  May  2,  1824; 
Alonza  Norcross,  born  December  28, 
1827.     Of  these  children,  Hathaway  and 


370 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Cory  D.  Brightman  owned  and  operated 
the  ferry  in  conjunction  with  the  Slades, 
and  they  sold  out  to  the  Slades  just  be- 
fore the  bridge  was  built.  The  first  ferry 
was  a  canoe,  later  a  raft  was  used,  then  a 
sail  boat,  then  the  horse  boat  propelled 
by  horses,  and  then  it  was  manipulated 
by  steam.  Hathaway  Brightman  also 
owned  a  large  farm  which  he  operated, 
adjacent  to  the  ferry. 

(VI)  Hathaway  Brightman,  eldest  son 
of  James  and  Sarah  (Hathaway)  Bright- 
man,  was  born  December  8,  1805,  in  what 
was  then  Troy,  now  Fall  River,  Massa- 
chusetts, where  he  died  April  10,  1868. 
He  married  in  New  York  City,  November 
2,  1847,  Abby  Slade,  who  was  born  March 
23,  1822,  in  Somerset,  Massachusetts,  and 
died  March  28,  1892,  in  Fall  River,  daugh- 
ter of  Caleb  and  Polly  (Lewin)  Slade,  of 
Swansea  (see  Slade  IV).  To  Hathaway 
and  Abby  (Slade)  Brightman  were  born 
the  following  children:  Helen  Maretta, 
born  August  6,  1849,  died  July  23,  1854; 
a  child,  born  and  died  in  February,  1856; 
Eva  St.  Clair,  mentioned  below;  George 
Slade,  born  June  30,  i860,  unmarried  ;  and 
Alonzo  Hathaway,  born  October  15,  1863, 
died  March  23,  1900,  unmarried. 

(VII)  Eva  St.  Clair  Brightman,  daugh- 
ter of  Hathaway  and  Abby  (Slade) 
Brightman,  was  born  February  24,  1858, 
on  the  Brightman  homestead,  in  what 
was  formerly  Freetown,  Massachusetts, 
and  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  Fall 
River.  She  pursued  a  course  at  the  New 
England  Conservatory  of  Music  in  Bos- 
ton, from  which  she  was  graduated  in 
1881,  and  since  that  time  she  has  been 
a  teacher  of  piano,  violin  and  harmony. 
During  the  closing  years  of  her  parents 
she  devoted  herself  to  them,  making 
smooth  their  last  journey  and  providing 
in  every  way  possible  for  their  comfort. 
She  is  a  lady  of  artistic  temperament  and 
refined  tastes,  and  enjoys  her  labors  in 
promoting  musical  culture.    Her  home  is 


with  her  brother,  George  Slade  Bright- 
man,  on  the  Brightman  homestead,  which 
has  been  in  the  family  name  for  nearly 
two  hundred  and  fifty  years,  and  she  is 
deeply  interested  in  historical  matters, 
especially  family  history.  She  has  spent 
much  time  in  genealogical  research,  and 
has  accumulated  a  great  deal  of  valuable 
data  on  many  branches  of  her  own  and 
other  families.  In  her  possession  is  an 
authentic  copy  of  the  Brightman  coat-of- 
arms,  which  dates  back  many  centuries 
in  England. 

(The   Slade  Line). 

An  extended  history  of  the  early  gen- 
erations of  this  family  in  America,  to- 
gether with  an  interesting  account  of  the 
origin  of  the  name,  is  a  feature  of  this 
work  on  another  page. 

(I)  William  Slade,  the  first  of  the 
name  in  this  line  in  this  country,  mar- 
ried Sarah  Holmes,  daughter  of  Rev. 
Obadiah  Holmes,  of  Rehoboth,  Massa- 
chusetts. 

(II)  Edward  Slade,  son  of  William  and 
Sarah  (Holmes)  Slade,  was  born  June  14, 
1694,  and  married  (first)  Elizabeth  An- 
thony, (second)  Phebe  Chase,  and  (third) 
Deborah  Buffum. 

(III)  Samuel  Slade,  son  of  Edward  and 
Phebe  (Chase)  Slade,  was  born  26th  of 
9th  month,  1721,  and  married  Mercy  Buf- 
fum. 

(IV)  Caleb  Slade,  sixth  son  of  Samuel 
and  Mercy  (Buffum)  Slade,  was  born 
January  24,  1755,  in  Swansea,  Massachu- 
setts, where  he  lived.  He  died  January 
22,  1816,  in  New  Bedford,  Massachusetts. 
He  married,  October  25,  1778,  Abigail 
Sherman,  daughter  of  Salisbury  and  Abi- 
gail (Tisdale)  Sherman,  of  Westport, 
Massachusetts.  She  died  July  25,  1831, 
in  New  Galloway,  New  York. 

(V)  Caleb  Slade,  son  of  Caleb  and  Abi- 
gail (Sherman)  Slade,  was  born  Septem- 
ber 23,  1784,  on  the  homestead  in  Swan- 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


sea,  and  died  there  February  9,  1863.  He 
married,  November  12,  1808,  Polly  Lewin, 
who  was  born  December  21,  1789,  in 
Swansea,  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Phebe 
(Slade)  Lewin,  granddaughter  of  Edward 
and  Lydia  (Baker)  Slade,  and  a  direct 
descentant  of  Prince  Llewellyn  of  Wales. 
The  children  of  Caleb  and  Polly  (Lewin) 
Slade  were:  1.  Levi,  born  June  13,  1809, 
died  January  8,  1892;  married  (first) 
June  6,  1833,  Mary  Buffum  Anthony,  and 
(second)  September  30,  1856,  Abby  A. 
Peckham,  widow  of  Richard  French ; 
children  by  the  first  wife  were:  George 
French,  born  May  17,  1838,  died  April  11, 
1858;  and  Perry,  born  May  II,  1844,  mar- 
ried Harriet  A.  Kershaw;  he  died  Janu- 
ary 26,  1903,  she  died  March  10,  1914, 
having  had  children :  Mary  A.,  born  Jan- 
uary 19,  1880;  and  George  L.,  born  June 
18,  1881.  2.  Alvah  Paine,  born  January 
1,  1811,  married  October  8,  1834,  Eliza- 
beth Walker,  daughter  of  William  and 
Kazeah  Walker,  they  died  without  issue, 
he  on  February  27,  1872,  and  she  March 

9,  1883.    3.  Rufus  Smith,  born  December 

10,  1812,  and  died  March  24,  1884,  mar- 
ried, March  22,  1843,  Merc}'  Sisson,  who 
was  born  July  10,  1810,  daughter  of  Isaac 
and  Martha  (Luther)  Sisson,  and  their 
children  were:  Mary  S.,  born  March  21, 
1844,  died  April  17,  191 1;  Ella  A.,  born 
August  31,  1849;  married ,  January  13, 
1 881,  Thomas  J.  Jones,  of  New  York.  4. 
Polly  (Mary),  born  July  23,  1816,  died 
July  10,  1875,  married  June  25,  1843,  Wil- 
liam H.  Chace,  of  Swansea,  son  of  Slade 
and  Martha  (Martin)  Chace,  and  they 
were  the  parents  of  one  daughter,  Joseph- 
ine, born  August  20,  1853,  and  died  July 
15,  1905,  married  Walter  Chace,  of  New 
Bedford.  5.  Phebe  Lewin,  born  June  27, 
1819,  died  at  New  Bedford,  March  23, 
1873,  married  (first)  July  4,  1838,  Rufus 
M.  Chace,  by  whom  she  had  one  son,  Ira 
M.,  born  April  9,  1839,  died  June  17,  1904, 
married  Minerva  H.  Smith ;  she  married 


(second)  November  29,  1849,  Benajah 
L.  Berry,  by  whom  she  had  one  son,  Le- 
land  H.,  born  October  18,  1850,  who  mar- 
ried Ida  R.  Nelson ;  he  died  January  27, 
1892,  in  New  Bedford.  6.  Abby,  men- 
tioned below.  7.  Enoch  Borden,  born 
May  11,  1824,  died  June  25,  1852,  unmar- 
ried. 8.  Caroline  Matilda,  born  Decem- 
ber 18,  1827,  died  November  17,  1901, 
married,  June  4,  1848,  Warren  H. 
Weatherhead,  of  Guilford,  Vermont;  no 
issue.  9.  Sarah  Jane,  born  August  31, 
1832,  died  November  30,  1902,  unmarried. 
(VI)  Abby  Slade,  third  daughter  of 
Caleb  (2)  and  Polly  (Lewin)  Slade,  was 
born  March  23,  1822,  in  Somerset,  Mas- 
sachusetts, and  died  in  Fall  River,  March 
28,  1892.  She  was  married,  November  2, 
1847,  'n  New  York  City,  to  Hathaway 
Brightman,  of  Fall  River  (see  Brightman 
VI). 


DANIELS,  Ernest  Thomas, 
Prominent  Citizen. 

The  name  of  Daniell  or  Daniels,  some- 
times written  Daniel,  Danil  and  Danell, 
was  early  planted  in  Massachusetts,  and 
is  still  worthily  represented  in  that  State. 
Descendants  of  the  immigrant  are  now 
found  in  many  States,  and  their  preserva- 
tion of  the  honor  of  the  name  has  been 
general. 

(I)  William  Daniels,  a  native  of  Eng- 
land, settled  in  Dorchester,  Massachu- 
setts, before  1646,  when  he  was  one  of 
the  proprietors  of  the  town  and  an  inn 
keeper.  Two  years  later  he  was  admitted 
a  freeman.  His  residence  was  in  that 
part  of  the  town  which  is  now  Milton,  on 
an  estate  deeded  to  him  by  his  wife's 
father.  This  farm  was  on  Milton  Hill, 
and  here  William  Daniels  died  August 
26,  1678.  It  is  apparent  that  he  was  a 
blacksmith  by  trade,  as  his  will  be- 
queathes his  shop  and  blacksmith  tools 
to  his  son  Samuel.     He  married  Cather- 


372 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ine,  daughter  of  John  Greenway,  a 
pioneer  of  Dorchester,  who  survived  him 
and  died  November  14,  1680.  She  was 
engaged  for  some  years  following  1650  in 
teaching  the  Indians,  and  was  publicly 
thanked  by  the  commissioners  of  the 
United  Colonies  for  her  good  work,  Sep- 
tember 24,  1653,  at  which  time  she  was 
voted  twelve  pounds  for  reward  of  merit, 
and  three  pounds  to  encourage  her  to 
teach  during  the  succeeding  year.  Chil- 
dren:  Susanna,  baptized  October  8, 
1646;  John,  mentioned  below;  Mary, 
July  7,  1650,  died  young;  Mary,  May  10, 
1653;  Hannah,  April  22,  1655;  Samuel, 
April  24,  1659;  William. 

(II)  John  Daniels,  eldest  son  of  Wil- 
liam and  Catherine  (Greenway)  Daniels, 
was  born  in  Dorchester,  and  baptized 
there,  August  6,  1648,  and  died  October 
6,  1718,  in  Milton.  He  married,  at  Milton, 
March  29,  1672,  Dorothy  Babcock,  born 
about  1650,  daughter  of  George  and  Mary 
Babcock,  of  Dorchester,  now  Milton,  who 
was  the  mother  of  all  his  children,  except 
one.  He  had  a  second  wife  Abigail,  who 
died  November  9,  1717.  Children  of  first 
marriage :  Elizabeth,  born  August  22, 
1673;  William,  January  23,  1675;  Doro- 
thy and  Mary  (twins),  October  21,  1676; 
Mary  and  William  (twins),  May  31,  1678; 
John,  1680,  died  1685;  Hannah,  Novem- 
ber 5,  1681  ;  John,  mentioned  below; 
Zebediah,  June  24,  1686.  Child  of  second 
marriage:    Hannah,  born  March  17,  1695. 

(III)  John  (2)  Daniels,  fourth  son  of 
John  (1)  and  Dorothy  (Babcock) 
Daniels,  was  born  March  9,  1685,  in  Mil- 
ton, and  spent  his  life  in  that  town,  where 
he  died  February  19,  1765.  He  resided 
in  Milton  until  1742,  when  he  purchased, 
for  twenty-four  hundred  pounds,  Howe's 
mills  in  Pomfret,  Connecticut,  with  land 
adjoining,  including  house,  barn,  malt 
shop,  and  the  whole  manufacturing  stock 
of  the  Quinebaugh  Valley  Company, 
comprising  "ye  conveniences  of  3  coppers, 


2  presses,  2  screws,  2  pair  shears,  2  iron 
bars,  glue  pot,  paper  for  press  and  sear 
cloth  for  malting."  He  was  called  cap- 
tain on  the  records,  was  moderator  of  the 
Pomfret  town  meeting  in  1753,  and  was 
on  the  committee  locating  the  meeting 
house  in  Killingly.  He  returned  to  Mil- 
ton before  his  death.  He  married,  Au- 
gust 5,  1707,  Eleanor  Verin,  a  descend- 
ant of  Joshua  Verin,  of  Salem,  a  roper  by 
trade,  who  came  with  Philip  Verin 
(Veren,  Verein  or  Vereing)  in  the  ship 
"James,"  sailing  from  England,  April  5, 
1635 ;  Joshua  and  his  wife,  Jane  Verin, 
were  admitted  to  the  Salem  church,  June 
21,  1640;  his  son  Hilliard,  born  in  1621, 
in  England,  was  admitted  to  the  church, 
November  1,  1648.  Eleanor  was  prob- 
ably Hilliard's  granddaughter.  Philip 
Verin,  who  came  over  with  Joshua  Verin, 
settled  also  at  Salem  but  soon  removed 
to  Rhode  Island  and  was  disciplined 
there  because  he  would  not  let  his  wife 
attend  the  meetings  of  Mr.  Roger  Wil- 
liams as  often  as  she  wished.  Children 
of  John  (2)  Daniels:  Dorothy,  born 
July  12,  1709;  John,  mentioned  below; 
Eleanor,  April  25,  1713 ;  Nathaniel,  Au- 
gust 2T,,  1719;  Susanna,  January  17,  1723. 
(IV)  John  (3)  Daniels,  eldest  son  of 
John  (2)  and  Eleanor  (Verin)  Daniels, 
was  born  April  16,  1711,  in  Milton,  Mas- 
sachusetts, where  he  was  a  farmer  until 
about  1753,  when  he  removed  to  Pom- 
fret, Connecticut.  He  returned  to  Mil- 
ton before  his  death,  which  occurred  Feb- 
ruary 19,  1765,  in  that  town.  He  mar- 
ried, December  2,  1731,  Hannah  Miller, 
born  March  10,  1713,  in  Milton,  daughter 
of  Samuel  and  Rebecca  Miller,  of  that 
town.  Children,  all  born  in  Milton  :  John, 
February  2,  1733;  Hannah,  January  26, 
1734;  Rebecca,  February  15,  1737; 
"Vearen"  (Verin),  twin  of  Rebecca,  men- 
tioned below;  Samuel,  June  15,  1739;  Na- 
thaniel, July  17,  1741  ;  Ebenezer,  January 
16,   1743;  Mary,  May  29,   1744;  Joseph, 


373 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


November  29,  1747;  Rebecca,  April  27, 
1749;  Dorothy,  August  i,  1750;  Eliza- 
beth, July  22,  1752. 

(V)  Verin  Daniels,  second  son  of  John 
(3)  and  Hannah  (Miller)  Daniels,  was 
born  February  15,  1737,  in  Milton,  and 
died  in  that  town,  February  1,  1776.  He 
was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution,  serving 
in  Captain  Ebenezer  Tucker's  company 
on  the  Lexington  Alarm,  April  19,  1775. 
He  married,  in  1760,  in  Milton,  Ruth  Bill- 
ings, born  August  11,  1742,  in  that  town, 
daughter  of  Joseph  and  Mehitable  Bill- 
ings. Children  :  Rebecca,  born  August 
2,  1761  ;  Ruth,  February  5,  1764,  married 
Lazarus  Bowler,  of  Scituate,  Massachu- 
setts; Joseph,  died  November  5,  1785; 
Verin,  mentioned  below. 

(VI)  Verin  (2)  Daniels,  youngest 
child  of  Verin  (1)  and  Ruth  (Billings) 
Daniels,  was  born  September  9,  1769, 
in  Milton,  and  died  June,  1839,  in  Illinois. 
He  was  a  carpenter  and  builder  and  spent 
a  portion  of  his  life  in  Fitchburg,  Mas- 
sachusetts, where  he  was  among  the  first 
to  build  dams  across  the  Nashua  river. 
He  conducted  a  general  construction  and 
contract  business,  and  at  the  time  of  the 
division  in  the  Congregational  church  of 
Fitchburg,  he  built  what  is  known  as  the 
Hopkins  church.  He  was  a  Congrega- 
tionalist  in  religion,  and  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity.  He  married,  in 
Fitchburg,  April  21,  1796,  Polly,  daugh- 
ter of  Thomas  Eaton,  of  that  town,  born 
March  26,  1774,  died  February  23,  1853. 
To1  observe  the  custom  of  the  time  the 
fellow  citizens  of  Mr.  Daniels  at  the  next 
town  meeting  celebrated  his  marriage  by 
electing  him  hogreeve.  Most  of  the  lead- 
ing citizens  of  early  days  began  their 
public  life  in  this  humble  but  at  that  time 
quite  important  office.  He  bought  a  place 
of  Amos  Taylor,  of  Fitchburg,  in  the 
west  part  of  the  town,  with  buildings  and 
twenty-five  acres  of  land,  April  1,  1795. 
With  Seth  Phillips  he  bought  half  a  saw 


mill,  March  25,  1806,  and  the  other  half 
was  owned  by  Blaney  Phillips  and  Mr. 
Daniels  later  bought  that  half.  He 
erected  a  number  of  saw  mills.  In  1823 
he  was  in  the  manufacturing  business 
under  the  firm  name  of  Taylor,  Daniels 
&  Company.  Mr.  Daniels  served  the 
town  often  on  important  committees. 
He  was  tithingman  in  1805  and  on  the 
school  committee  in  1808.  One  interest- 
ing item  relating  to  the  customs  of 
former  days  was  his  purchase  of  Mary 
Ware  at  a  sale  of  paupers.  For  Mary 
Ware  he  paid  the  sum  of  three  cents  a 
week  at  the  public  auction.  The  children 
of  Verin  and  Polly  (Eaton)  Daniels  were: 
Polly  (Mary),  born  at  Fitchburg,  March 
12,  1797,  died  October  28,  1872;  Verin, 
November  7,  1798,  removed  to  Jackson- 
ville, Illinois ;  Thomas  Eaton,  mentioned 
below;  William,  February  10,  1803,  died 
at  Fitchburg,  February  22,  1803;  Reuben, 
January  23,  1804,  died  1876;  David,  May 
31,  1806,  married,  November  19,  1831, 
Lorinda  C.  Carter,  he  died  July  10,  1876; 
Samuel,  November  15,  1808,  settled  also 
in  Jacksonville,  Illinois ;  Ann  Eliza,  May 
30,  181 1 ;  John,  March  4,  1814,  died  1833. 
(VII)  Thomas  Eaton  Daniels,  second 
son  of  Verin  (2)  and  Polly  (Eaton) 
Daniels,  was  born  December  19,  1800,  in 
Fitchburg,  and  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  there,  going  subsequently  to 
Troy,  New  York,  where  he  learned  the 
trade  of  carpenter.  He  located  at  Wood- 
stock, Vermont,  and  while  there  invented 
a  wood  planing  machine,  known  as  the 
Daniels'  Planer,  and  this  he  manufactured 
for  some  years  in  Worcester  The  prin- 
ciple of  this  machine  is  still  in  use  in  the 
improved  patterns  and  wood  planers. 
He  remained  in  Worcester  until  1848, 
carrying  on  a  very  successful  business 
there,  and  sold  out  to  Richard  Ball.  At 
this  time  he  retired  from  active  labor 
and  returned  to  his  native  town,  where 
he    died   in   April,     1884,   in    his    eighty- 


374 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


fourth  year.  He  invested  quite  extensive- 
ly in  Fitchburg  real  estate,  and  enjoyed 
in  his  declining  years  the  proceeds  of  his 
early  industry  and  business  thrift.  He 
was  a  Baptist  in  religion,  and  politically 
a  Republican  from  the  time  of  the  organi- 
zation of  that  party.     He  married,  April 

23,  1829,   Lucy   Sherwin,  born   February 

24,  1803-04,  in  Townsend,  Massachusetts, 
daughter  of  Zimri  Sherwin.  The  last 
named  was  born  February  7,  1754,  and 
married,  June  3,  1791,  Polly  Kimball,  born 
October  31,  1777,  in  Lunenburg,  Massa- 
chusetts. Children,  born  in  Woodstock, 
Vermont :  Lucy  and  Charles,  died  in 
infancy ;  born  in  Worcester :  George 
Thomas,  August  5,  1834,  married  Mrs. 
Mary  F.  Towne,  and  is  now  deceased ; 
Charles  Samuel,  August  2,  1836;  Mary 
Linda,  November  8,  1838,  married,  Janu- 
ary 1,  i860,  Oliver  P.  Conklin,  and  now 
resides  in  Wisconsin,  having  a  son  Har- 
vey Raymond  Conklin,  born  September 
12,  1867;  Abbie  Lucy,  May  31,  1842,  mar- 
ried (first)  Franklin  Moses,  (second) 
Edwin  S.  Cleaves,  and  has  two  children 
of  the  first  marriage,  Chester  D.  and 
Lucy  Louise ;  John  Herbert,  mentioned 
below. 

(VIII)  John  Herbert  Daniels,  young- 
est child  of  Thomas  Eaton  and  Lucy 
(Sherwin)  Daniels,  was  born  January  27, 
1845,  in  Worcester,  and  attended  the 
public  schools  of  Fitchburg,  graduating 
from  the  high  school  in  1863,  after  which 
he  was  a  student  at  the  Fitchburg  Busi- 
ness College.  He  spent  two  years  in  the 
provost  marshal's  office  at  Greenfield, 
Massachusetts,  beginning  at  the  age  of 
seventeen  years.  On  the  close  of  the 
Civil  War  he  entered  the  employ  of  the 
Fitchburg  railroad,  first  as  a  clerk  in  the 
freight  office  at  Fitchburg,  where  he  re- 
mained seven  years,  was  four  years  ticket 
agent  at  the  Union  Station,  and  for 
about  ten  years  station  agent.  Upon  the 
death    of   his    father   he   came    into    pos- 


session of  a  tract  of  about  ninety  acres  of 
real  estate  in  Fitchburg,  which  he  de- 
veloped, and  to  which  he  added  exten- 
sively. This  had  been  known  as  the 
Daniels'  farm,  lying  beside  the  railroad 
between  Fitchburg  and  West  Fitchburg. 
To  induce  the  location  of  manufacturers 
on  this  tract  he  gave  several  mill  sites 
and  himself  engaged  in  the  wholesale 
lumber  business.  It  was  his  enterprise 
which  secured  the  Cleghorn  Gingham 
Mills,  which  were  succeeded  by  the  Park- 
hill  Mills  Company,  now  occupying  the 
site  which  he  donated.  He  opened  streets 
and  encouraged  the  establishment  of 
stores,  schools  and  residences,  and  that 
section  of  the  city  now  known  as  Cleg- 
horn,  has  a  population  of  about  eight 
thousand,  which  has  grown  up  during  the 
past  thirty  years.  Mr.  Daniels  still  owns 
a  considerable  amount  of  real  estate  in 
the  district,  and  is  engaged  in  its  improve- 
ment, and  still  continues  the  wholesale 
lumber  business.  The  tract  includes 
several  mills,  factories,  many  homes,  a 
parochial  school,  French  Catholic  church, 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  not  less 
than  seventy  stores.  Mr.  Daniels  has 
been  active  and  useful  in  promoting  the 
progress  of  the  whole  city  of  Fitchburg, 
and  for  fifteen  years  following  its  re- 
organization in  1891,  served  as  secretary 
of  the  Board  of  Trade.  He  is  a  trustee 
of  the  Fitchburg  Savings  Bank,  and  has 
been  a  director  of  the  Fidelity  Cooper- 
ative Bank  since  its  establishment.  He 
served  as  vice-president  of  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association,  of  which  he 
is  now  a  director,  and  treasurer  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church  of  Fitchburg,  of 
which  he  is  now  deacon.  For  twenty- 
two  years  he  was  a  member  of  the  city 
school  board,  and  for  several  years  has 
been  a  member  of  the  Park  Commission. 
In  political  matters  Mr.  Daniels  acts  with 
the  Republican  party.  In  1S84-85  he  was 
a  member  of  the  City  Council.     He  mar- 


375 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ried  (first)  in  1872,  Abbie  F.  Lane,  born 
in  1852,  in  Fitchburg,  daughter  of  James 
B.  Lane.  He  married  (second)  June  29, 
1892,  Florence  Russell  Dwinnell,  daugh- 
ter of  Major  Benjamin  D.  and  Nelly 
(Shepard)  Dwinnell,  of  Fitchburg.  Chil- 
dren of  the  first  marriage :  Ernest 
Thomas,  mentioned  below;  and  Herbert 
Lane,  born  1875,  in  Fitchburg,  and  died 
in  Colorado  in  1912;  was  for  two  years 
a  student  at  the  Worcester  School  of 
Technology,  and  later  was  graduated  at 
Cornell  University,  and  was  employed  in 
engineering  work  by  the  United  States 
government,  being  superintendent  of  the 
eastern  portal  of  the  Gunnison  Tunnel  at 
River  Portal  in  Colorado ;  he  married  Dora 
G.  Streeter,  and  left  one  son,  Chester 
Daniels.  Children  of  second  marriage : 
Ellen  Shepard,  born  in  Fitchburg,  now  a 
student  in  Simmons  College ;  George 
Eaton,  graduated  at  the  Fitchburg  High 
School  in  1914,  and  is  now  a  student  at 
Dartmouth  College;  Florence  Dwinnell, 
born  November  14,  1900,  in  Fitchburg, 
is  now  a  student  of  the  high  school  in 
that  city. 

(IX)  Ernest  Thomas  Daniels,  eldest 
child  of  John  Herbert  and  Abbie  F. 
(Lane)  Daniels,  was  born  July  1,  1873, 
in  Fitchburg,  where  he  was  educated, 
graduating  from  the  high  school  in  1893. 
For  two  years  after  leaving  school  he  was 
employed  in  the  office  of  the  Fitchburg 
city  engineer.  Following  this  he  entered 
the  service  of  the  Cummings  &  Shedd 
Hardware  Company  of  Fitchburg,  and 
was  later  with  the  Damon  &  Gould  Hard- 
ware Company  of  that  city,  for  a  period 
of  thirteen  years.  He  was  then  with 
Silas  Peirce  &  Company,  wholesale 
grocers  of  Fitchburg,  until  1914,  since 
which  time  he  has  been  connected  with 
the  Fitchburg  Park  Commission.  Like 
his  ancestors,  he  retains  membership  in 
the  Baptist  church  ;  is  a  member  of  Wan- 
woosnoc  Tribe,  No.  124,  Improved  Order 


of  Red  Men,  of  Fitchburg,  and  of  Mt. 
Roulstone  Lodge,  No.  98,  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  of  Fitchburg. 
Politically  he  is  a  Republican.  He  mar- 
ried, March  23,  1897,  Helen  Maria  Hitch- 
cock, born  June  28,  1874,  in  Fitchburg, 
daughter  of  Henry  S.  and  Mary  M. 
(Chamberlin)  Hitchcock.  Children: 
Marian  Frances,  born  June  21,  1900; 
Charlotte  Helen,  June  21,  1903;  John 
Hitchcock,  March  24,  1908,  died  March 
20,  1910. 


GIBBS,  Henry  Wilson, 

Representative    Citizen. 

The  name  of  Gibbs  was  well  known  in 
England  before  the  emigration  of  the 
Puritans  to  America.  William  Gibbs,  of 
Lenham,  Yorkshire,  England,  for  signal 
service  received  a  grant  from  the  King  of 
England,  embracing  a  tract  of  land  four 
miles  square  in  the  centre  of  the  town. 
Tradition  says  he  had  three  sons,  the 
eldest  of  whom  inherited  the  paternal 
estate  and  remained  thereon  ;  the  younger 
sons  learned  the  ship  carpenter's  trade, 
and  on  arriving  at  majority  received 
funds  from  their  elder  brother,  with 
which  they  came  to  Boston,  Massachu- 
setts, to  establish  themselves  in  life.  One 
tradition  says  that  one  settled  on  the 
Cape,  and  the  other  at  Newport,  Rhode 
Island.  We  find  members  of  this  family 
in  nearly  every  walk  of  life,  and  they 
have  done  much  in  settling  and  develop- 
ing this  country  in  whatever  part  they 
have  taken  residence. 

(I)  Giles  Gibbs,  supposed  to  have 
come  from  County  Devon,  England,  was 
a  freeman,  and  had  lands  granted  at  Dor- 
chester, Massachusetts,  in  1633.  In  the 
following  year  he  was  a  selectman  there, 
and  soon  after  removed  to  Windsor,  Con- 
necticut, where  he  was  buried  May  21, 
1641.  His  will  provided  that  his  eldest 
son  should  be  apprenticed  for  five  years 


376 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


to  some  God-fearing  man,  and  then  have 
his  lot  on  the  east  side  of  the  river.  To  his 
sons  Samuel  and  Benjamin  and  daugh- 
ter Sarah  he  gave  twenty  pounds  each, 
and  to  his  son  Jacob  the  homestead  and 
lots  on  the  west  side  of  the  river.  His 
estate  was  valued  at  seventy-six  pounds, 
eighteen  shillings  and  eight  pence.  His 
widow,  Catherine,  died  October  24,  1660. 
Children :  Gregory,  born  1639,  in  Wind- 
sor; Jacob,  Samuel,  Benjamin  and  Sarah. 

(II)  Samuel  Gibbs,  son  of  Giles  and 
Catherine  Gibbs,  was  evidently  an  ap- 
prentice, as  it  was  ordered  by  the  court 
in  1 65 1  that  he  be  corrected  by  his  master. 
He  contributed  to  the  Connecticut  relief 
fund  for  the  poor  of  other  colonies  in 
1676  the  sum  of  three  shillings.  He  pur- 
chased a  farm,  later  known  as  the  Win- 
chell  Place,  the  first  south  of  the  ferry 
road.  He  owned  the  half-way  covenant 
in  the  Windsor  church,  March  12,  1664. 
He  married,  April  15  of  that  year,  Hep- 
sibah  Dibble,  baptized  December  25, 
1642,  in  Windsor,  daughter  of  Thomas 
Dibble.  She  was  admitted  to  the  Wind- 
sor church  in  September,  1666.  He  died 
February  22,  1698.  Children :  Hepsibah, 
born  June  12,  1665;  Patience,  December 
2,  1666;  Elizabeth,  January  30,  1668; 
Joanna,  March  26,  1671 ;  Experience, 
April  4,  1673 ;  Catherine  and  Benjamin 
(twins),  April  29,  1675;  Samuel,  April 
16,  1677;  Jonathan,  February  16,  1679; 
Miriam,  December  2,  1681. 

(III)  Benjamin  Gibbs,  eldest  son  of 
Samuel  and  Hepsibah  (Dibble)  Gibbs, 
was  born  April  29,  1675,  and  settled  in 
Litchfield,  Connecticut,  between  1718 
and  1721.  He  married,  September  16, 
1708,  in  Windsor,  Abigail  Marshall,  born 
there  January  9,  1687,  daughter  of  David 
and  Abigail  (Phelps)  Marshall.  She  died 
January  11,  1767,  in  Litchfield.  Their 
first  seven  children  were  born  in  Wind- 
sor, and  the  eighth  was  the  first  white 
male    born    in    Litchfield.     They    were: 


Benjamin,  born  April  23,  1710;  Zebulon, 
mentioned  below ;  Henry,  August  5,  1713 ; 
Abigail,  March  16,  1715 ;  Hannah,  No- 
vember 2,  1716;  William,  June  10,  1718; 
Gershom,  July  28,  1721 ;  Zadock,  April 
9,  1723;  Elizabeth,  February  3,  1725; 
Sarah,  January  28,  1727;  Caleb,  Novem- 
ber 13,  1729;  Justice,  July  10,  1731  ;  Re- 
membrance, February  4,  1734. 

(IV)  Zebulon  Gibbs,  second  son  of 
Benjamin  and  Abigail  (Marshall)  Gibbs, 
was  born  August  10,  171 1,  in  Windsor, 
and  died  in  Litchfield,  January  8,  1803. 
He  married,  January  22,  1734,  in  the 
latter  town,  Eunice  Woodruff,  born  1710, 
died  December  29,  1793,  eldest  child  of 
Nathaniel  and  Thankful  (Wright)  Wood- 
ruff. Children :  Wareham,  born  May  4, 
1734;  Aaron,  March  1,  1736;  Zebulon, 
mentioned  below;  Eunice,  November  2, 
1739,  married  Abner  Landon ;  Eliakim, 
March  29,  1745;  Ruth,  May  9,  1751. 

(V)  Zebulon  (2)  Gibbs,  third  son  of 
Zebulon  (1)  and  Eunice  (Woodruff) 
Gibbs,  was  born  October  10,  1737,  in 
Litchfield,  and  lived  in  that  town  with  his 
wife  Lydia.  Children :  Olive,  born  March 
2,  1761,  married  Orange  Barnes;  Friend, 
mentioned  below ;  Warren,  August  10, 
1767. 

(VI)  Friend  Gibbs,  senior  son  of  Zebu- 
lon (2)  and  Lydia  Gibbs,  was  born  1763, 
and  lived  in  Litchfield,  where  he  married, 
March  5,  1783,  Lucy  Archer.  He  prob- 
ably removed  elsewhere  soon  after  his 
marriage,  as  only  one  child  is  recorded  in 
Litchfield.  He  moved  to  some  town  in 
the  western  part  of  Vermont,  probably 
Middlebury.  His  descendants  lived  in 
that  town  and  vicinity  and  the  last  known 
of  them,  some  lived  in  Burlington,  Ver- 
mont, and  a  number  in  New  York  State. 

(VII)  Zebulon  (3)  Gibbs,  son  of 
Friend  and  Lucy  (Archer)  Gibbs,  was 
born  April  7,  1783,  in  Litchfield,  died  at 
Jericho,  March  3,  1856.  He  settled  early 
in  life  at  Sandgate,  Bennington  county, 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Vermont.  Subsequently  he  removed  to 
Berkshire,  Vermont,  in  Franklin  county, 
near  the  Canadian  line.  On  the  outbreak  of 
the  War  of  1812,  he  again  moved,  settling 
in  Jericho,  Chittenden  county,  Vermont. 
He  married  (first)  December  20,  1806, 
at  Berkshire,  Vermont,  Ruth  Rice,  born 
at  Derby,  Vermont,  died  at  Berkshire, 
December  20,  1812.  He  married  (second) 
January  31,  1814,  at  Jericho,  Vermont, 
Marcia  Skinner,  born  at  Sandgate,  Ver- 
mont, September  7,  1785,  died  at  Pitts- 
field,  Vermont,  October  13,  1867.  Chil- 
dren :  Nelson,  born  at  Berkshire,  Ver- 
mont, July  9,  1808;  Harriet,  born  at  Berk- 
shire, August  21,  1810;  Heman  R.,  born 
at  Jericho,  March  16,  1815;  Charlotte  B., 
born  at  Jericho,  March  23,  1817 ;  Henry 
O.,  mentioned  below ;  Sophronia,  born  at 
Jericho,  November  28,  1820;  Sheridan, 
born  at  Jericho,  December  5,  1822;  Oscar, 
born  at  Jericho,  October  25,  1827. 

(VIII)  Henry  O.  Gibbs,  third  son  of 
Zebulon  (3)  and  Marcia  (Skinner)  Gibbs, 
was  born  March  8,  1819,  in  Jericho,  Ver- 
mont, where  he  lived  until  manhood.  He 
married,  November  14,  1843,  Narcissa 
Isbell,  born  January  27,  1820,  who  was 
also  a  native  of  Jericho.  After  living  ten 
years  in  Wisconsin,  where  he  took  up  a 
tract  of  government  land,  he  returned 
to  Jericho,  remained  in  that  town  until 
1859,  when  he  removed  to  Pittsfield,  Ver- 
mont. He  held  various  town  offices  in 
Jericho  and  represented  the  town  in  the 
Legislature,  and  was  also  representative 
from  Pittsfield,  trial  justice  of  the  peace, 
and  held  other  town  offices.  He  was  a 
deacon  of  the  Congregational  church.  In 
1884  he  removed  to  Sterling,  Massachu- 
setts, where  he  died  in  1890.  One  of  his 
sons,  Frank  Alston,  born  September  29, 
1844,  died  October  16,  1864,  in  a  rebel 
prison  in  Florence,  South  Carolina,  dur- 
ing the  Civil  War.  His  daughter,  Alice 
C,  born  October  30,  1848,  lives  with  her 
brother,  Henry  W.  Gibbs.  in  Leominster. 


She  is  a  graduate  of  the  State  Normal 
School  at  Randolph,  Vermont,  and  for 
several  years  engaged  in  teaching,  after 
which  she  took  up  nursing  in  special  cases. 
Another  son,  Sidney  Emmons,  born  Janu- 
ary 27,  1854,  now  resides  in  Minnesota. 
A  third  son,  Sheridan  C,  born  October 
3,  1855,  died  September  4,  1883,  in  Pitts- 
field, Vermont.  Henry  Wilson,  men- 
tioned below. 

(IX)  Henry  Wilson  Gibbs,  son  of 
Henry  O.  and  Narcissa  (Isbell)  Gibbs, 
was  born  June  12,  1858.  In  1859  his 
parents  removed  to  Pittsfield,  Vermont, 
where  he  grew  up,  receiving  his  educa- 
tion in  the  common  schools  of  the  town 
and  Vermont  State  Normal  School. 
Early  in  life  he  became  an  apprentice  to 
the  carpenter's  trade.  This  he  followed 
for  a  time,  and  was  later  employed  by  the 
Clinton  Wall  Trunk  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany as  salesman.  After  seven  years  of 
busy  life  in  this  capacity  he  became  con- 
nected with  the  Richardson  Piano  Case 
Company,  of  Leominster,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  is  still  employed.  Mr.  Gibbs 
is  actively  identified  with  several  of  the 
leading  interests  of  Leominster,  is  presi- 
dent of  the  Leominster  Historical  Society, 
and  a  deacon  of  the  Pilgrim  Congrega- 
tional Church  of  that  city.  He  is  also  a 
member  of  the  United  Order  of  the 
Golden  Cross,  and  his  voice  and  influence 
are  ever  found  contributing  to  those 
movements  which  are  calculated  to 
develop  the  higher  instincts  of  mankind. 
He  married,  October  31,  1883,  Ada 
Marian  Howard,  daughter  of  Alphonso 
and  Jane  (Fessenden)  Howard,  of 
Jamaica,  Vermont.  Mr.  Howard  was  a 
native  of  Jamaica,  born  April  8,  1826,  died 
in  the  spring  of  1885;  he  was  a  farmer. 
Jane  Fessenden  was  born  in  Townsend, 
Vermont,  in  1837,  and  died  in  Hinsdale, 
New  Hampshire,  December  6,  1909. 

(X)  Dr.  Howard  Winslow  Gibbs,  only 
child  of  Henry  Wilson  and  Ada  Marian 


378 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


(Howard)  Gibbs,  was  born  April  27, 
1887,  in  Sterling,  Massachusetts,  and  at- 
tended the  schools  of  that  town  and  Leo- 
minster, graduating  from  the  Leominster 
High  School  in  1906.  For  a  time  he  was 
a  student  at  Middlebury  College,  Ver- 
mont, and  subsequently  at  McGill  Uni- 
versity, Montreal,  Canada.  Having  de- 
cided to  engage  in  the  practice  of  medi- 
cine he  entered  Baltimore  Medical  Col- 
lege, from  which  he  received  the  degree 
of  Doctor  of  Medicine.  After  two  years' 
practice  in  a  Baltimore  hospital  he  began 
practice  in  Scranton,  Pennsylvania,  June 
20,  1914,  where  he  has  continued  with 
gratifying  success  to  the  present  time. 
He  married,  May  28,  1914,  Mary  Eliza- 
beth Birch,  of  Baltimore,  Maryland.  They 
have  one  son,  Howard  Winslow  Gibbs, 
Jr.,  born  April  6,  191 5. 


PIKE,  Herbert  Allen, 

Successful    Business    Man. 

The  history  of  the  Pike  family  in  Eng- 
land begins  soon  after  the  Norman  Con- 
quest. The  surname  is  found  in  the 
records  of  the  twelfth  century.  Robert 
Pike  was  Bishop  of  Litchfield  in  1127, 
and  Richard  Pike  was  Bishop  of  Cov- 
entry in  1 162.  The  coat-of-arms,  to  which 
the  American  branch  of  the  family  is  enti- 
tled by  inheritance,  is  described  :  Argent 
a  chevron  gules  between  three  cres- 
cents vert.  Crest :  Three  pikes  proper 
one  erect,  the  two  slantwise.  Motto: 
L' Amour,  La  Vertu  ct  La  Pair.  The  an- 
cestry of  the  American  immigrant  has 
been  traced  for  seven  generations. 

(I)  Sir  Richard  Pike,  of  Pike's  Ash, 
Moorlinch  Parish,  West  Bridgewater, 
County  Somerset,  England,  living  in  1385, 
was  the  first  of  this  line. 

(II)  Thomas  Pike,  son  of  Sir  Richard 
Pike. 

(III)  Hugh  Pike,  son  of  Thomas  Pike. 


(IV)  Thomas  (2)  Pike,  son  of  Hugh 
Pike. 

(V)  John  Pike,  son  of  Thomas  (2) 
Pike. 

(VI)  William  Pike,  son  of  John  Pike. 

(VII)  Stephen  Pike,  son  of  William 
Pike. 

(VIII)  John  (2)  Pike,  son  of  Stephen 
Pike,  was  baptized  November  1,  1572,  at 
Bridgewater,  Somersetshire,  England 
(parish  register).  He  came  from  Lang- 
ford,  England,  in  the  ship  "James"  in 
1635,  and  after  a  short  stay  at  Ipswich, 
Massachusetts,  settled  at  Newbury. 
While  at  Ipswich  he  held  the  office  of 
constable.  He  was  well  educated,  and  in 
1636-37  acted  as  attorney  in  the  courts  for 
Mr.  Easton.  In  1635  he  and  his  sons 
John  and  Robert  were  proprietors  of 
Newbury.  He  settled  finally  at  Salisbury, 
where  he  died  May  26,  1654.  His  will 
was  dated  May  24,  1654,  and  proved  Octo- 
ber 3  following.  He  married  Sarah  Wash- 
ington, whose  grandfather,  Robert 
Washington,  was  ancestor  of  George 
Washington.  (See  Records  of  the  Pike 
Family  Association,  pages  20-22).  Chil- 
dren :  John,  mentioned  below ;  Major 
Robert,  commander  of  the  Colonial 
forces  and  one  of  the  leading  military  men 
of  Colonial  days,  assistant,  1682-92,  mem- 
ber of  the  council,  lauded  by  the  Poet 
Whittier  for  his  stand  against  the  per- 
secution of  witches,  "the  power  which 
squelched  the  witchcraft  delusion,"  "the 
Great  American  Commoner,"  "the  first 
and  strongest  representative  of  the  right 
of  petition,"  "the  moral  and  fearless  hero 
of  New  England,"  and  one  of  the  most 
prominent  men  in  early  Colonial  history 
of  Massachusetts.  Children :  Dorothy, 
Israel  and  Ann. 

(IX)  Captain  John  (3)  Pike,  son  of 
John  (2)  Pike,  lived  in  Newbury,  and  in 
Woodbridge,  New  Jersey.  He  was  deputy 
to   the   Massachusetts   General   Court   in 


379 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1657  and  1658.  In  1661  he  was  living  in 
Haverhill  in  that  colony,  but  about  1669 
removed  to  New  Jersey  and  was  among 
the  first  settlers  of  Woodbridge  and  in 
1671  its  first  "president."  He  was  for 
many  years  a  magistrate  and  is  called  in 
history  "the  prominent  man  of  the  town." 
He  died  in  January,  1688-89.    He  married 

(first)   Mary  ;    (second)   June   30, 

1685,  Elizabeth  Fitz-Randolph,  of  New 
Jersey.  Children  by  first  wife :  Joseph, 
mentioned  below;  John,  born  January  12, 
1640-41 ;  Hannah,  April  26,  1643  5  son> 
died  September  6,  1645  i  Mary,  born  No- 
vember 1,  1647;  John,  March  30,  1650; 
Ruth,  July  17,  1653,  at  Newbury;  Sarah, 
September  13,  1655;  Thomas,  December 
7,  1657;  Samuel. 

Captain  John  Pike  was  the  ancestor  of 
Colonel  Zebulon  Pike,  an  officer  in  the 
Revolution,  and  of  his  son,  General  Zebu- 
lon Montgomery  Pike,  the  explorer,  who 
discovered  Pike's  Peak,  and  who  was 
killed  in  the  battle  of  Sackett's  Harbor 
in  the  War  of  1812.  His  fame  has  been 
perpetuated  in  the  names  of  many 
counties  and  towns  throughout  the  coun- 
try. He  was  born  in  Lamberton,  New 
Jersey,  January  5,  1779,  and  died  at  York 
(now  Toronto),  Canada,  April  27,  1813. 
His  father,  Zebulon  Pike,  was  born  in 
New  Jersey  in  1751,  and  died  at  Lawr- 
enceburg,  Indiana,  July  27,  1834;  served 
as  captain  under  General  Arthur  St.  Clair 
in  the  Revolution ;  was  breveted  lieuten- 
ant-colonel in  the  regular  army,  July  10, 
1812;  removed  to  Bucks  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, and  after  a  few  years  to  Easton 
in  that  State.  Zebulon  Montgomery  Pike 
was  appointed  ensign  in  his  father's  com- 
mand, March  3,  1799;  commissioned  first 
lieutenant  in  November  following  and 
captain  in  August,  1806.  After  the  Louis- 
iana Purchase,  he  was  appointed  to  con- 
duct an  expedition  to  the  source  of  the 
Mississippi  river  and  he  left  St.  Louis 
in  August,   1805,  returning  nine  months 


later.  In  1806  and  1807  he  made  further 
explorations  in  the  Louisiana  Purchase; 
discovered  Pike's  Peak  and  eventually 
reached  the  Rio  Grande  river,  which  was 
then  in  Spanish  territory.  He  and  his 
party  were  made  prisoners  by  the  Span- 
iards and  taken  to  Santa  Fe.  In  1810  he 
published  a  narrative  of  the  explorations. 
He  was  commissioned  major  in  1808,  lieu- 
tenant-colonel in  1809,  deputy  quarter- 
master-general, April  3,  1812,  colonel  of 
the  Fifth  Cavalry,  July  3,  1812,  brigadier- 
general,  March  12,  1813.  Early  in  1813 
he  was  assigned  to  the  principal  army  as 
adjutant  and  inspector-general  and  ap- 
pointed to  command  an  expedition 
against  York,  Canada.  He  was  killed  by 
the  explosion  of  a  magazine.  See  "Trails 
of  the  Pathfinders"  by  George  Bird 
Grinell  (pages  207-252) ;  "Library  of 
American  Biography,"  Volume  V,  pp.  216 
to  314;  "Explorers  and  Travellers"  by 
General  A.  W.  Greely,  pp.  163  to  193; 
"The  Expeditions  of  Zebulon  Montgom- 
ery Pike"  (New  York,  1895). 

(X)  Joseph  Pike,  son  of  Captain  John 
(3)  Pike,  was  born  at  Newbury,  Decem- 
ber 26,  1638.  He  lived  at  Rowley,  1668- 
70,  and  served  in  King  Philip's  War  in 
1676.  He  and  his  wife  were  members 
of  the  Newbury  church  in  1674.  He  took 
the  oath  of  allegiance  in  Newbury  in 
1678.  He  was  deputy  sheriff.  He  was 
killed  by  Indians  in  Amesbury  while  on 
his  way  to  Haverhill,  September  4,  1694. 
His  estate  was  divided  in  1699.  He  mar- 
ried, January  29,  1661-62,  Susanna  Kings- 
bury, who  died  at  Newbury,  December 
5,  1718.  Children:  Sarah,  born  October 
12,  1666;  John,  September  1,  1668;  Mary, 
April  17,  1670;  John,  December  28,  1671 ; 
Joseph,  mentioned  below;  Benjamin,  Sep- 
tember 21,  1676;  Hannah,  March  24, 
1678-79;  Thomas,  August  4,  1681. 

(XI)  Joseph  (2)  Pike,  son  of  Joseph 
(1)  Pike,  was  born  at  Newbury,  April 
17,  1674,  and  died  there  October  17,  1757. 


380 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


He  was  a  lieutenant  and  a  prominent 
citizen  of  Newbury.  He  married  (inten- 
tion dated  December  4,  1695)  Hannah 
Smith,  daughter  of  Lieutenant  James 
Smith.  Children,  born  at  Newbury:  Jo- 
seph, mentioned  below ;  John,  February 
24,  169S-99;  Thomas,  September  25,  1700; 
James,  March  1,  1702-03;  Sarah,  June  20, 
1705  ;  Sarah,  July  2,  1706. 

(XII)  Joseph  (3)  Pike,  son  of  Joseph 

(2)  Pike,  was  born  at  Newbury,  Novem- 
ber 4,  1696.  He  lived  at  Dunstable,  Mas- 
sachusetts, and  Amherst,  New  Hamp- 
shire. He  married,  December  5,  1722, 
Lydia  Drury,  of  Framingham,  Massachu- 
setts, daughter  of  Captain  Thomas  and 
Rachel  (Rice)  Drury,  who  were  mar- 
ried December  15,  1687,  granddaughter 
of  Lieutenant  John  and  Mary  Drury, 
of  Boston,  and  of  Henry  Rice,  son  of 
Edmund  Rice,  of  Sudbury.  Hugh  Drury, 
father  of  Lieutenant  John  Drury,  came 
from  England,  settled  in  Sudbury  in 
1641,  was  member  of  the  Boston  Artil- 
lery Company  in  1654;  Lydia  (Drury) 
Pike,  died  at  Amherst,  February  15,  1781. 
Children,  born  at  Newbury :  Benjamin, 
mentioned  below;  Daniel,  born  February 
23,  1725;  perhaps  other  children. 

(XIII)  Benjamin  Pike,  son  of  Joseph 

(3)  Pike,  was  born  in  Newbury,  Septem- 
ber 28,  1723.  He  settled  in  Dunstable, 
Massachusetts,  and  later  in  Amherst, 
New  Hampshire.  He  was  a  minute-man 
at  the  battle  of  Lexington.     He  married 

Elizabeth     .       Children,     born     in 

Dunstable :  Rachel,  born  August  12, 
1747,  died  December  26,  1754;  Elizabeth, 
November  12,  1751 ;  Lydia,  June  26,  1753, 
died  December  12,  1754;  Zachariah,  men- 
tioned below;  Rachel,  January  3,  1757; 
Benjamin,  February  3,  1759,  died  Septem- 
ber 4,  1759;  Enoch,  September  10,  1762. 

(XIV)  Zachariah  Pike,  son  of  Benja- 
min Pike,  was  born  at  Dunstable,  Feb- 
ruary 12,  1755.  He  lived  at  Dunstable, 
but  removed  to   Lafayette,   Maine.     He 


married  (intention  dated  February  9, 
1778,  at  Dunstable)  Hannah  Lovejoy, 
born  December  26,  1758,  daughter  of 
Captain  Hezekiah  and  Hannah  (Phelps) 
Lovejoy.  Her  father  was  a  captain  in 
the  Continental  army  in  the  Revolution, 
born  in  Andover,  Massachusetts,  Septem- 
bre  29,  1729,  died  at  Amherst  in  April, 
1793,  son  of  Hezekiah  and  Hannah 
(Austen)  Lovejoy.  His  mother  lived  to 
the  age  of  one  hundred  and  one  years. 
Christopher  Lovejoy,  father  of  Hezekiah 
Lovejoy,  Sr.,  was  born  March  1,  1661,  son 
of  John  Lovejoy,  of  Andover,  the  immi- 
grant. Children  of  Zachariah  Pike,  born 
at  Dunstable:  Zeri,  December  5,  1778; 
Hannah  Lovejoy,  August  28,  1780;  Heze- 
kiah, mentioned  below  ;  and  others. 

(XV)  Hezekiah  Pike,  son  of  Zachariah 
Pike,  was  born  November  4,  1786,  died  at 
Paris,  Maine,  September  12,  1834.  He 
was  a  farmer  in  Paris,  Maine,  where  he 
owned  about  a  thousand  acres  overlook- 
ing the  river,  also  had  holdings  in  Jay 
and  is  buried  there.  He  married  Anna 
Jeffers  Craft,  daughter  of  Nathan  Craft, 
October  18,  181 1  (see  Craft  VI).  His 
widow  married  (second)  November  14, 
1849,  John  Axtell,  a  farmer  of  Jay,  born 
August  8,  1778,  died  October  28,  1858. 
She  died  at  North  Paris,  December  22, 
1882.  Children  of  Hezekiah  Pike:  Ann, 
born  March  1,  1813;  Elmira,  August  8, 
1814;  Sarah,  November  4,  1816;  Eliza 
Jane,  February  11,  1819;  Catherine  Crafts, 
November  14,  1820;  Nelson,  January  1, 
1823;  Ann  C,  August  27,  1825;  Jeanette, 
May  24,  1827;  Nathan  Crafts,  mentioned 
below;  Adelia  Wetherbee,  October  21, 
1832. 

(XVI)  Nathan  Crafts  Pike,  son  of  Hez- 
ekiah Pike,  was  born  in  Paris,  August 
4,  1830,  died  at  West  Newton,  Massachu- 
setts, February,  1906.  He  was  a  pioneer 
in  the  cold  storage  business  in  Boston 
and  vicinity.  In  1868  he  established  the 
Cambridge     Preserving    Company,    and 


381 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


later  transferred  the  business  to  Boston, 
under  the  name  of  the  Boston  Cold  Stor- 
age Company.  He  was  for  many  years 
superintendent  of  the  Quincy  Market 
Cold  Storage  Company,  one  of  the  largest 
concerns  in  this  line  of  business  in  the 
world.  For  some  years  he  was  in  the 
provision  business  in  the  old  Boylston 
market.  While  living  in  Boston  he  was 
a  member  of  the  old  volunteer  fire  depart- 
ment. During  his  later  years,  while  living 
at  West  Newton,  he  was  deacon  of  the 
Lincoln  Park  Baptist  Church.  He  was 
active  in  the  temperance  movement  and  a 
consistent  Prohibitionist  in  politics.  He 
married,  January  10,  1859,  Anna  Wood- 
cock, born  at  Ashland,  Massachusetts, 
November,  1830,  died  September  21,  1864, 
daughter  of  Timothy  and  Adaline 
(Newell)  Woodcock,  of  Dover,  Massa- 
chusetts. Children:  Herbert  Allen, 
mentioned  below ;  Walter  Crafts,  born 
October  21,  1862,  died  October  30,  1869. 

(XVII)  Herbert  Allen  Pike,  son  of 
Nathan  Crafts  Pike,  was  born  in  Boston, 
December  25,  1859.  In  1864  he  removed 
to  Newton  with  the  family  and  attended 
the  public  schools  there.  He  preferred 
business  and  with  his  father's  consent 
secured  employment  in  Boston  with  the 
large  wholesale  shoe  concern,  the  A.  W. 
Clapp  Company.  As  boy,  clerk  and  sales- 
man, he  was  with  this  company  for  seven 
years  and  during  the  last  three  years 
traveled  in  New  York  and  Pennsylvania. 
Afterward,  he  was  traveling  salesman  for 
Pillsbury  Brothers,  shoe  manufacturers 
of  Northwood,  New  Hampshire,  in  the 
west,  covering  territory  in  Colorado,  Mis- 
souri, Nebraska,  Kansas  and  Ohio.  He 
was  for  some  time  in  the  factory  and 
subsequently  had  charge  of  the  Boston 
office  of  the  firm.  He  resigned  to  engage 
in  business  as  one  of  the  corporation 
under  the  name  of  E.  B.  Warren  &  Com- 
pany, shoe  jobbers,  succeeding  the  old 
house  of  Henry  L.  Daggett  &  Company, 


Boston.  He  was  secretary  of  the  com- 
pany. He  became  treasurer  of  the  Farm- 
ington  Shoe  Company,  having  its  factory 
at  Farmington,  New  Hampshire,  employ- 
ing about  four  hundred  hands,  and  its 
office  in  Boston.  Upon  the  death  of  the 
president  of  the  company,  this  business 
was  wound  up.  Since  1906  he  has  been 
president  and  treasurer  of  the  Boston 
Pressed  Metal  Company,  171-173  Union 
street,  Worcester,  Massachusetts.  This 
company  has  a  floor  space  of  35,000  feet, 
employs  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
hands  and  has  a  capital  of  $100,000. 
Douglas  P.  Cook,  of  Worcester,  is  vice- 
president.  All  kinds  of  stampings  are 
manufactured.  The  business  has  pros- 
pered and  shown  a  constant  and  gratify- 
ing growth. 

While  living  at  West  Newton,  Mr.  Pike 
was  treasurer  of  the  Lincoln  Park  Bap- 
tist Church  several  years,  and  since  living 
in  Worcester  he  has  served  on  the 
finance  committee  of  the  First  Baptist 
Church  and  as  deacon  for  one  term.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Worcester  Chamber 
of  Commerce  and  of  the  National  Metal 
Trades  Association,  of  the  Common- 
wealth Club,  the  Economic  Club,  the 
Worcester  Society  of  Antiquity  and  the 
Massachusetts  Society  Sons  of  the  Amer- 
ican Revolution.  He  has  always  taken 
an  interest  in  history  and  genealogy  and 
has  for  several  years  been  president  of  the 
Pike  Family  Association,  which  has  in 
preparation  a  genealogy  and  is  about  to 
erect  a  memorial  library  at  Salisbury  in 
honor  of  Major  Robert  Pike.  In  politics 
he  is  an  independent  Republican. 

He  married  (first)  September  28,  1886, 
Julia  Maria  Stone,  born  in  1862,  died  No- 
vember 22,  1888,  daughter  of  Joseph  W. 
Stone.  He  married  (second)  October  6, 
1891,  Mary  Elizabeth  Kimball,  born  in 
Boston,  October  2,  1871,  daughter  of 
Oliver  Dennett  and  Mary  Elizabeth 
(Jones)  Kimball.    Her  father  was  born  in 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Tamworth,  June  6,  1847,  married,  Octo- 
ber 5,  1870,  Mary  Elizabeth  Jones.  Oliver 
Dennett  Kimball,  St.,  his  father,  was  born 
at  Tamworth,  May  20,  1820,  died  in  Bos- 
ton, November  7,  1867 ;  married  Emeline 
Safford  Whipple,  born  March  27,  1814, 
died  February  22,  1868.  Richard  Kimball, 
father  of  Oliver  Dennett  Kimball,  Sr.,  was 
born  in  Wells,  Maine,  May  24,  1793,  died 
March  27,  1848,  lived  in  Tamworth,  mar- 
ried Olive  Lary.  Israel  Kimball,  father 
of  Richard  Kimball,  was  baptized  at 
Wells,  April  29,  1750,  died  at  Kennebunk, 
1822,  married  (intention  October  12, 
1771)  Eleanor  Dennett.  Richard  Kimball, 
father  of  Israel  Kimball,  was  baptized 
March  25,  1707,  died  1781,  shipowner  and 
builder  at  Kennebunk,  Maine,  and  mer- 
chant; contributed  clothing  to  the  Con- 
tinental army;  married  (first)  (intention 
September  1,  1733)  Catherine  Couzens ; 
(second)  August  6,  1740,  Hannah  Lord, 
of  Berwick.  Caleb  Kimball,  father  of 
Richard  Kimball,  married  in  Wells,  June 
15,  1704,  Susanna  Cloyes.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Pike  have  on  child,  Rachel  Bond,  born 
December  20,  1902. 

(The  Craft  Line). 

(I)  Lieutenant  Griffin  Craft,  Crafts  or 
Croft,  as  variously  spelled  by  different 
branches  of  the  family,  was  the  immigrant 
ancestor,  coming  with  Winthrop  to  Rox- 
bury  in  1630.  He  was  admitted  a  free- 
man, May  18,  1631 ;  was  deputy  to  the 
General  Court  in  1638  and  1663-68;  and 
selectman  in  1650.  His  first  wife  Alice, 
who  died  March  25,  1673,  had  six  chil- 
dren, among  whom  was  Samuel,  men- 
tioned below.  He  married  (second) 
Ursula,  widow  of  William  Robinson ; 
(third)  Dorcas  Ruggles,  daughter  of 
John  and  Barbara  Ruggles. 

(II)  Lieutenant  Samuel  Craft,  son  of 
Lieutenant  Griffin  Craft,  was  born  De- 
cember 12,  1637,  died  in  December,  1691  ; 
married,    October     16,     1661,     Elizabeth 


Seaver,  daughter  of  Robert  and  Eliza- 
beth (Ballard)  Seaver.  He  was  select- 
man of  Roxbury  for  many  years. 

(III)  Samuel  (2)  Craft,  son  of  Lieu- 
tenant Samuel  (1)  Craft,  was  born  in 
Roxbury,  June  16,  1667,  died  December 
9,  1709;  married,  December  25,  1693, 
Elizabeth  Sharp,  daughter  of  Lieutenant 
John  Sharp.  He  was  also  a  prominent 
citizen  of  Roxbury. 

(IV)  Lieutenant  Moses  Craft,  son  of 
Samuel  (2)  Craft,  was  born  in  Roxbury, 
September  29,  1703,  died  December  3, 
1768.  He  settled  in  Newton  and  was 
selectman  there  1741-45;  was  lieutenant 
of  his  company  at  the  siege  of  Louisburg. 
By  his  wife  Esther,  daughter  of  Daniel 
and  Elizabeth  (Greeley)  Woodward,  he 
had  nine  children.  Her  father  was  born 
September  24,  1671,  died  in  1749;  mar- 
ried (first)  January  27,  1704,  Elizabeth 
Greeley.  John  Woodward,  father  of 
Daniel  Woodward,  was  born  in  Water- 
town,  March  28,  1649,  died  November  3, 
1732,  married  (first)  Rebecca  Robbins, 
daughter  of  Richard  Robbins.  George 
Woodward,  father  of  John  Woodward, 
was  born  in  England  in  1621,  married 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Eliza- 
beth (Cason)  Hammond.  Richard  Wood- 
ward, father  of  George  Woodward,  was 
the  immigrant,  born  in  England  in  1589, 
settled  with  his  wife  Rose  in  Watertown, 
Massachusetts. 

(V)  Ensign  Samuel  (3)  Craft,  son  of 
Lieutenant  Moses  Craft,  was  born  in 
Newton,  November  23,  1729,  died  April 
1,  1803;  was  selectman  of  Newton,  1773- 
76,  private  in  Captain  Azariah  Fuller's 
company  in  the  battle  of  Lexington  and 
later  ensign  of  his  company  in  the  Revo- 
lution ;  spent  his  last  years  at  Jay,  Maine. 
He  married,  November  8,  1753,  Rebecca 
Parker,  daughter  of  Ebenezer  and  Sarah 
(Severns)  Parker,  of  Newton. 

(VI)  Nathan  Craft,  son  of  Ensign 
Samuel    (3)    Craft,  was  born  August  6, 


383 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1770,  died  December  19,  1848.  He  settled 
in  Jay  and  became  a  well-to-do  farmer. 
He  was  gifted  musically  and  for  many 
years  was  chorister  in  the  church.  He 
married,  April  2,  1793,  in  Newton,  Anna, 
daughter  of  William  and  Lydia  (Bruce) 
Hyde  (see  Hyde  V).  Anna  Jeffers  Craft, 
one  of  their  nine  children,  married  Heze- 
kiah  Pike  (see  Pike  XV). 

(The  Hyde  Line). 

(I)  Jonathan  Hyde,  the  immigrant 
ancestor,  was  born  in  England  in  1626, 
died  October  6,  171 1.  In  1647  he  settled 
in  Newton,  Massachusetts,  and  in  1652 
with  his  brother  Samuel  bought  two 
hundred  and  forty  acres  there.  He  was 
selectman  in  1691.  He  married  (first) 
Mary  French,  daughter  of  William 
French,  of  Billerica ;  (second)  Mary, 
daughter  of  John  Rediat,  of  Marlboro. 

(II)  William  Hyde,  son  of  Jonathan 
Hyde,  was  born  at  Newton,  September 
12,  1662,  died  December,  1725;  married 
his  second  cousin,  Elizabeth  Hyde, 
daughter  of  Job  and  Elizabeth  (Fuller) 
Hyde.  Her  father  was  born  in  1643,  died 
1685,  married  in  1663  Elizabeth  Fuller, 
who  died  April  13,  1700,  daughter  of  John 
Sr.,  and  Elizabeth  Fuller,  of  Newton, 
pioneers  from  England.  Deacon  Samuel 
Hyde,  father  of  Job  Hyde,  was  brother 
of  Jonathan  (1)  Hyde,  was  born  in  Eng- 
land in    1610,  died   September   12,    1689, 

married  Temperance and  had  five 

children. 

(III)  Lieutenant  William  (2)  Hyde, 
son  of  William  (1)  Hyde,  was  born  Octo- 
ber 30,  1690,  died  February  9,  1764;  was 
selectman  in  1740;  served  in  the  Port 
Royal  expedition.  He  married,  March  26, 
1713,  Deliverance  Hyde,  daughter  of  En- 
sign Samuel  and  Deliverance  (Hyde) 
Hyde,  granddaughter  of  Job  Hyde,  men- 
tioned above. 

(IV)  Lieutenant  Noah  Hyde,  son  of 
Lieutenant  William  (2)  Hyde,  was  born 


at  Newton,  September  26,  1717,  died  No- 
vember 9,  1786.  He  was  a  selectman  of 
Newton  two  years.  He  married,  in  1739, 
Ruth  Seger,  daughter  of  Henry  Seger, 
Jr. 

(V)  William  (3)  Hyde,  son  of  Lieu- 
tenant Noah  Hyde,  was  born  in  Newton, 
February  24,  1743,  died  in  1802;  married 
Lydia  Bruce,  of  Framingham,  Massachu- 
setts, in  1767,  and  they  had  nine  children, 
among  whom  was  Anna,  born  at  Newton, 
May  31,  1774,  died  December  19,  1848, 
married  Nathan  Craft  (see  Craft  VI). 


DAVIS,  Albert  J., 

Business  Man. 

William  Davis,  the  first  known  ancestor 
of  this  line,  was  a  resident  of  Freetown, 
Massachusetts,  where  he  served  as  a 
member  of  the  grand  jury  in  1697.  He 
married,  March  I,  1686,  Mary,  daughter 
of  William  and  Ann  (Johnson)  Make- 
peace, of  Freetown,  Massachusetts,  and 
granddaughter  of  Thomas  Makepeace,  of 
Dartmouth,  and  his  wife,  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
(Mellows)  Makepeace.  Children:  Wil- 
liam, born  June  11,  1688;  Thomas,  mar- 
ried Lydia,  surname  unknown ;  John ; 
Jonathan,  mentioned  below;  Remem- 
brance, married  (first)  Sarah  Soul,  of 
Tiverton,  (second)  Sarah  Fox,  of  Free- 
town ;  Joseph ;  Rebecca,  married  William 
Cole;  Abigail,  married  Ephraim  Hath- 
away, of  Freetown,  December  19,  1717; 
Anne,  married,  January  29,  1723,  Robert 
Evans;  Hannah,  married  William  Gage, 
of  Freetown ;  Ruth. 

(II)  Jonathan  Davis,  fourth  son  of 
William  and  Mary  (Makepeace)  Davis, 
was  a  resident  of  Freetown,  where  he 
married,  December  24,  1730,  Sarah  Perry, 
of  that  town.  They  had  children :  Silas, 
born  January  1,  1732;  Jonathan,  May  26, 
1736;  Joseph,  mentioned  below;  Richard, 
February  1,  1741 ;  Cornelius,  January  24, 
1744. 


EN-CYCLOPEDIA  OE  BIOGRAPHY 


(III)  Joseph  Davis,  third  son  of  Jona- 
than and  Sarah  (Perry)  Davis,  was  born 
September  26,  1738,  in  Freetown,  and 
married  there,  February  5,  1767,  Susannah 
Davis,  born  April  10,  1747,  in  Freetown, 
daughter  of  James  and  Susannah  Davis. 

(IV)  Joseph  (2)  Davis,  son  of  Joseph 

(1)  and  Susannah  (Davis)  Davis,  was 
born  July  6,  1783,  in  Freetown.  He 
learned  the  trade  of  ship  carpenter,  and 
made  his  home  in  Fall  River,  Massachu- 
setts, where  he  followed  this  occupation 
and  was  a  well  known  citizen.  He  died 
August  12,  1861.  He  married,  January 
22,  1S09,  Lydia  Hathaway,  and  they  had 
children :  Sally,  born  July  25,  1810,  died 
August  8,  1826;  Jason,  mentioned  below; 
Harriet,  April  22,  1817;  Anson,  Septem- 
ber 17,  1820,  died  in  infancy ;  Anson,  Oc- 
tober 21,  1821 ;  Susan,  March  18,  1824; 
Adolphus  F.,  December  26,  1826;  Joseph, 
February  28,  1828;  George  H.,  August  19, 
1830 ;  Welcome,  January  6,  1834. 

(V)  Jason  Davis,  eldest  son  of  Joseph 

(2)  and  Lydia  (Hathaway)  Davis,  was 
born  March  1,  1813,  in  Fall  River,  where 
he  resided  throughout  his  life,  and  was 
a  respected  citizen,  dying  there  July  20, 
1874.  He  was  buried  in  the  North  End 
Cemetery,  Fall  River.  He  married,  May 
2,  1837,  Matilda  Dean,  born  May  2,  1816, 
in  Fall  River,  daughter  of  Apollos  and 
Caroline  (French)  Dean,  died  June  13, 
1877,  buried  in  Oak  Grove  Cemetery. 
Children,  mentioned  below: 

(VI)  Albert  Jason  Davis,  eldest  son  of 
Jason  and  Matilda  (Dean)  Davis,  was 
born  July  17,  1839,  in  Fall  River,  where 
he  was  educated,  and  was  engaged  for 
several  years  in  the  meat  packing  busi- 
ness, in  partnership  with  his  brother, 
Henry  W.  Davis.  They  continued  very 
successfully  until  the  death  of  the  senior 
partner,  December  1,  1893,  in  Fall  River. 
He  was  buried  in  Old  North  Cemetery. 
He  married  Annie  Sarah  Brownell  (see 
Brownell  VIII). 


(VI)  Henry  Willard  Davis,  second  son 
of  Jason  and  Matilda  (Dean)  Davis,  was 
born  September  7,  1842,  in  Fall  River, 
where  he  grew  to  manhood,  and  was  as- 
sociated with  his  brother,  as  above  noted, 
in  business.  He  married  Maria  Cars- 
caden,  of  Providence,  Rhode  Island,  and 
they  had  two  children:  1.  Florence  E., 
now  the  wife  of  Dana  Dwight  Brayton,  of 
Fall  River,  with  two  children.  2.  Charles 
Henry,  who  married  Ruth  Church,  daugh- 
ter of  Captain  Nathaniel  Church,  of  Tiver- 
ton ;  she  is  the  mother  of  four  children. 

(VI)  Charles  Franklin  Davis,  third 
son  of  Jason  and  Matilda  (Dean)  Davis, 
was  born  January  14,  1847,  >n  FaU  River, 
is  now  a  resident  of  Brooklyn,  New  York. 
He  married  Clara  Brady,  and  they  have 
two  children :  Mabel  Irene,  wife  of  Jay 
Baker,  and  Albert  Delma ;  all  reside  in 
Brooklyn. 

(VI)  Lydia  Anna  Davis,  eldest  daugh- 
ter of  Jason  and  Matilda  (Dean)  Davis, 
was  born  in  Fall  River,  where  she  was 
married,  January  22,  1873,  to  Isaac  Almy 
Brown. 

(VI)  Sabina  Matilda  Davis,  youngest 
daughter  of  Jason  and  Matilda  (Dean) 
Davis,  is  a  native  of  Fall  River,  and  was 
married  there,  November  18,  1880,  to 
Charles  Darius  Buffington.  They  have 
two  children :  Mary  Deane,  wife  of  Dr. 
Fenner  Chase ;  and  Harold  Samuel  Rob- 
inson, a  lawyer,  practicing  in  Fall  River. 


This  family  is  one  of  long  and  honor- 
able standing  in  New  England,  its  com- 
ing to  this  country  reaching  back  two 
hundred  and  fifty  and  more  years,  to  the 
infancy  of  the  colonies.  It  has  also  allied 
itself  by  marriage  to  the  first  families  of 
New  England,  and  in  several  lines  its 
posterity  traces  ancestry  to  the  Pil- 
grims of  the  "Mayflower,"  and  others 
who  arrived  soon  after.  The  early  his- 
tory    of     this     family,     in     its     various 


MASS-Vol.  IH-25 


385 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


branches,  is  treated  at  length  elsewhere  in 
this  work. 

(I)  Thomas  Brownell,  born  in  1619, 
came  from  Derbyshire,  England,  to  this 
country,  and  in  1638,  the  year  he  married, 
he  was  of  record  at  Portsmouth,  Rhode 
Island.  In  1655,  1661,  1662  and  1663  he 
was  commissioner,  and  in  1664  was 
deputy  from  that  town.  Both  he  and  his 
wife  Ann  died  in  1665.  Their  children 
were :  Mary  ;  Sarah  ;  Martha,  born  in 
1644,  died  February  15,  1743;  George,  in 
1646,  died  April  20,  1718;  William,  in 
1648,  died  in  1715 ;  Thomas,  mentioned 
below ;  Robert,  in  1652,  died  July  12,  1728 ; 
and  Ann,  in  1654,  died  April  2,  1747. 

(II)  Thomas  (2)  Brownell,  son  of 
Thomas  (1)  and  Ann  Brownell,  born  in 
1650,  lived  at  Little  Compton,  Rhode 
Island,  where  he  died  May  18,  1732.  He 
married,  in  1678,  Mary  Pearce,  born  May 
6,  1654,  daughter  of  Richard  and  Susan- 
nah (Wright)  Pearce.  Mrs.  Brownell 
died  May  4,  1736.  Their  children  were: 
Thomas,  born  February  16,  1679,  died  in 
January,  1752;  John,  February  21,  1682, 
died  in  March,  1759;  George,  mentioned 
below ;  Jeremiah,  October  10,  1689,  died 
in  June,  1756;  Mary,  March  22,  1692,  died 
July  31,  1717;  and  Charles,  December  23, 
1694,  died  in  February,  1774. 

(III)  Captain  George  Brownell,  son  of 
Thomas  and  Mary  (Pearce)  Brownell, 
born  January  19,  1685,  married  (first) 
July  6,  1706,  Mary  Thurston,  who  was 
born  March  20,  1685,  daughter  of  Jona- 
than Thurston.  Captain  Brownell  served 
as  such  officer  on  an  expedition  to 
Canada.  He  resided  at  Westport,  Mas- 
sachusetts, where  he  died  September  22, 
1756.  His  wife  died  February  23,  1740. 
Their  children  were:  Giles,  born  March 
1,  1707;  Phebe,  June  19,  1708;  Mary, 
November  9,  1709;  George,  June  27,  171 1 ; 
Thomas,  February  11,  171 3;  Elizabeth, 
September  13,  1717;  Jonathan,  March  19, 
1719;  Paul,  June  12,  1721 ;  and  Stephen, 


mentioned  below.  Captain  Brownell 
married  (second)  April  18,  1745,  Comfort 
Taylor.  She  was  born  March  2,  1703,  and 
by  her  marriage  to  Mr.  Brownell  became 
the  mother  of  a  daughter,  Mary,  born 
March  3,  1747. 

(IV)  Stephen  Brownell,  son  of  Captain 
George  Brownell  and  his  wife,  Mary 
(Thurston)  Brownell,  was  born  Novem- 
ber 29,  1726.  He  married,  January  5, 
1747,  Edith  Wilbor,  who  was  born  April 
22,  1727.  The  children  of  Stephen  and 
Edith  Brownell  were :  Phebe,  born  Sep- 
tember 4,  1747;  William,  July  17,  1749; 
Abigail,  March  15,  1751  ;  Edith,  Novem- 
ber 2,  1752;  Mary,  in  April  or  July,  1754; 
and  George  and  Stephen,  Jr.,  (twins), 
October  29,  1756. 

(V)  William  Brownell,  eldest  son  of 
Stephen  and  Edith  (Wilbor)  Brownell, 
was  born  July  17,  1749.  He  married 
(first)  February  14,  1771,  Elizabeth 
Pearce,  who  was  born  October  19,  1751, 
daughter  of  Giles  and  Mary  Pearce.  To 
this  union  were  born  the  following  chil- 
dren:  Edith,  born  March  1,  1772;  and 
Isaac,  born  July  1,  1774.  He  married 
(second)  January  8,  1778,  Eunice  Palmer; 
and  (third)  November  19,  1786,  Betsey 
Grinnell.  The  children  of  William  and 
Eunice  (Palmer)  Brownell  were:  Eliza- 
beth, born  February  13,  1779;  Sylvester, 
born  July  31,  1782;  and  Humphrey,  born 
July  19,  1785.  The  children  born  to  Wil- 
liam and  Betsey  (Grinnell)  Brownell 
were:  Eunice,  born  September  1,  1787; 
William,  born  March  23,  1789;  Walter, 
born  September  3,  1790;  Clarke,  men- 
tioned below;  Betsey,  December  16,  1795; 
and  Stephen,  January  2,  1798.  William 
Brownell,  the  father  of  the  above  chil- 
dren, died  in  May,  1810,  aged  sixty-one 
years. 

(VI)  Clarke  Brownell,  fifth  son  of 
William  Brownell,  and  child  of  his  third 
wife,  Betsey  (Grinnell)  Brownell,  was 
born  October  16,  1793,  in  Little  Compton. 


386 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


He  married  there  (first)  November  5, 
1S12,  Hannah  Hillard,  daughter  of  Samuel 
and  Elizabeth  (Pearce)  Hillard,  grand- 
daughter of  James  and  Deborah  Hillard. 
He  married  (second)  Sarah  Tompkins, 
born  October  9,  1797,  daughter  of  Ben- 
jamin and  Deborah  Tompkins.  Children, 
all  born  of  first  marriage :  Warren,  Oc- 
tober 25,  1815;  Oliver  Clarke,  mentioned 
below;  Benjamin  P.,  February  17,  1823; 
Isaac  P.,  December  25,  1826;  Deborah 
Ann,  October  20,  1829;  Evans,  September 
28,  1S34;  William,  March  14,  1837;  Rich- 
mond, June  13,  1840. 

(VII)  Oliver  Clarke  Brownell,  second 
son  of  Clarke  and  Hannah  (Hillard) 
Brownell,  was  born  October  27,  1819,  in 
Little  Compton,  where  he  was  educated, 
and  was  engaged  in  farming  and  stock 
raising.  He  also  dealt  extensively  in 
cattle,  and  was  associated  with  Judge 
Joseph  Osborn,  of  Tiverton,  for  many 
years,  in  that  business.  A  man  of  excel- 
lent business  capacity,  he  was  successful, 
and  took  a  very  active  part  in  the  public 
life  of  Rhode  Island.  For  several  years 
he  represented  his  town  in  the  Legisla- 
ture and  was  also  a  member  of  the  State 
Senate.  He  served  in  the  lower  house 
from  1850  to  1864,  and  again  in  1880-81. 
In  1865  he  was  elected  to  the  State 
Senate,  and  again  in  1868  and  in  1886. 
In  these  various  bodies  he  served  on 
many  important  committees  in  both 
branches.  He  was  noted  for  his  honesty 
and  impartial  consideration  of  every 
public  question  ;  was  highly  respected  as 
a  citizen  and  as  an  officer.  He  died  in 
Little  Compton,  July  II,  1898,  and  was 
buried  in  the  cemetery  on  the  common 
in  that  town.  He  married,  January  1, 
1840,  in  Little  Compton,  Ann  Bailey 
Brownell,  born  January  28,  1821,  daugh- 
ter of  Pardon  and  Ann  (Bailey)  Brownell, 
of  Little  Compton  (see  Brownell  VI,  be- 
low). She  survived  her  husband  more 
than  five  years,  and  died  at  the  home  of 


her  daughter,  in  Fall  River,  in  August, 
1903.  Her  body  was  laid  to  rest  beside 
that  of  her  husband  in  Little  Compton. 
They  were  the  parents  of  three  children  : 
1.  Pardon  Clarke,  born  December  14, 
1841  ;  married  Mary  Willis,  and  resides  in 
Little  Compton.  2.  Annie  Sarah,  men- 
tioned below.  3.  Frank  A.,  born  March 
28,  185 1  ;  was  associated  with  Belcher  & 
Loomis,  hardware  merchants,  in  Provi- 
dence, Rhode  Island,  where  he  died  May 
30,  1914.  He  was  buried  in  Oak  Grove 
Cemetery  in  Fall  River.  He  married 
Mary  J.  Simmons,  a  native  of  Little 
Compton,  daughter  of  Alexander  C.  and 
Clarinda  Bailey  (Burgess)  Simmons,  of 
that  town. 

(VIII)  Annie  Sarah  Brownell,  only 
daughter  of  Oliver  Clarke  and  Ann 
Bailey  (Brownell)  Brownell,  was  born 
February  11,  1846,  and  became  the  wife 
of  Albert  Jason  Davis,  of  Fall  River, 
Massachusetts,  where  she  now  resides 
(see  Davis  VI).  Her  mother  was  a  de- 
scendant of  the  immigrant,  Thomas  B. 
Brownell,  through  his  grandson,  George 
Brownell,  above  described. 

(IV)  Giles  Brownell,  eldest  son  of 
Captain  George  and  Mary  (Thurston) 
Brownell,  was  born  March  1,  1707,  in 
Little  Compton,  and  there  married,  May 
19,  1725,  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Israel 
Shaw,  born  October  7,  1706.  Children 
Isaac,  born  October  15,  1726;  Charles 
March  8,  1728;  Giles,  August  4,  1729 
William,  mentioned  below;  Alice,  Octo 
ber  28,  1733;  Phebe,  June  10,  1735 
George,  April  27,  1737;  Mary,  December 
1,  1741  ;  James,  March  1,  1743;  Joseph, 
mentioned  below. 

(V)  William  Brownell,  fourth  son  of 
Giles  and  Elizabeth  (Shaw)  Brownell, 
was  born  February  11,  1731,  in  Little 
Compton,  and  lived  in  Dartmouth,  Mas- 
sachusetts. He  married  in  Little  Comp- 
ton, February  15,  1750,  Phillis  Pearce,  of 
that  town. 

387 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


(VI)  Jonathan  Brownell,  son  of  Wil- 
liam and  Phillis  (Pearce)  Brownell,  lived 
in  Little  Compton,  where  he  married, 
January  30,  1783,  Dorcas,  daughter  of 
Thomas  Manchester,  of  Dartmouth. 
Children:  Lydia,  born  March  8,  1784; 
Thomas  Manchester,  October  20,  1786; 
Jonathan,  December  9,  1788;  James,  men- 
tioned below;  Alice,  March  3,  1794;  Wil- 
liam, February  23,  1797. 

(VII)  James  Brownell,  third  son  of 
Jonathan  and  Dorcas  (Manchester) 
Brownell,  was  born  August  15,  1792,  in 
Little  Compton,  and  married  in  New- 
port, Rhode  Island,  June  6,  182 1,  Lydia 
Church,  daughter  of  Joseph  (3)  and 
Elizabeth  (Taylor)  Church,  of  Little 
Compton. 

(VIII)  Charlotte  Brownell,  daughter 
of  James  and  Lydia  (Church)  Brownell, 
was  born  in  Little  Compton,  and  married, 
December  8,  1857,  John  H.  Robinson,  of 
Fall  River. 

(V)  Joseph  Brownell,  youngest  child 
of  Giles  and  Elizabeth  (Shaw)  Brownell, 
was  born  July  15,  1744,  died  February  24, 
1824.  He  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revo- 
lution, and  his  widow  received  a  pension 
on  account  of  this  service.  He  married 
Deborah  Briggs,  born  September  23,  1748, 
died  September  23,  1840,  daughter  of  Jo- 
seph and  Ruth  (Coe)  Briggs,  grand- 
daughter of  Job  and  Mary  Briggs.  Chil- 
dren :  Cynthia,  born  December  14,  1769, 
died  November  1,  1828;  Isaac,  April  17, 
1772;  Roby,  April  1,  1774,  died  February 
22,  1824;  Elizabeth,  December  7,  1776, 
died  young;  Elizabeth,  February  25, 
1779;  Joseph,  March  6,  1781 ;  Deborah, 
June  19,  1783,  died  June  23,  1848;  Pardon, 
mentioned  below;  Lydia,  March  15,  1787; 
James,  March  3,  1789;  Mary,  January  10, 
1792,  died  September  19,  1826. 

(VI)  Pardon  Brownell,  third  son  of 
Joseph  and  Deborah  (Briggs)  Brownell, 
was  born  February  11,  1786,  and  died 
May  i,  1876.  He  married,  March  22,  1820, 


Ann   Bailey,  daughter  of  Deacon   Abra- 
ham and  Ann  Bailey. 

(VII)  Ann  Bailey  Brownell,  daughter 
of  Pardon  and  Ann  (Bailey)  Brownell, 
was  born  January  28,  1821,  and  married 
Oliver  Clarke  Brownell,  of  Little  Comp- 
ton (see  Brownell  VII,  above). 

(The  Bailey  Line). 

(I)  William  Bailey,  the  progenitor  of 
the  Baileys  of  Rhode  Island,  an  English- 
man probably,  became  an  inhabitant  of 
Newport  soon  after  the  settlement  of  the 
town.  The  partial  destruction  of  the 
records  during  the  War  of  the  Revolution 
leaves  but  meager  gleanings  concerning 
the  lives  of  the  early  settlers  of  Newport. 
It  is  a  matter  of  record,  however,  that 
William  Bailey  was  at  Newport  as  early 
as  June  14,  1655,  when  he  bought  prop- 
erty there  ;  and  one  year  later  he  is  styled 
in  the  records  as  William  Bailey,  Sr.  Fam- 
ily tradition  has  it  that  he  was  a  resident 
of  London,  England,  and  a  weaver  of  silk 
ribbons  by  occupation.  Mr.  Bailey  died 
some  time  before  1676.  He  married  Grace 
Parsons,  of  Portsmouth,  Rhode  Island, 
daughter  of  Hugh  and  Elizabeth  Parsons. 
After  the  death  of  her  husband  she  mar- 
ried (second)  Thomas  Lawton.  Chil- 
dren of  William  and  Grace  (Parsons) 
Bailey:  1.  John,  who  died  January  13, 
1736,  married  a  Sutton,  and  resided  at 
Portsmouth  and  Newport;  his  children 
were :  Sarah,  William,  John,  Thomas, 
Abigail,  Samuel,  Mary  and  Ruth.  2.  Jo- 
seph, married  and  was  a  resident  of  New- 
port. 3.  Edward  and  his  wife  Frances 
were  residents  of  Newport  and  Tiver- 
ton ;  their  children  were  :  Edward,  Eliza- 
beth, John  and  Sarah.  4.  Hugh,  was  twice 
married,  his  first  wife,  Anna,  died  in  1721, 
and  he  married  (second)  in  1724,  Abigail 
Williams,  of  Voluntown,  Connecticut. 
Mr.  Bailey  was  a  resident  of  Newport 
and  of  East  Greenwich,  Rhode  Island, 
was  a  freeman  of  the  latter  town  in  1702, 


-Ed-chcoo  J,   /3rzlcmsru& 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


died  in  1724,  and  his  wife  Abigail  passed 
away  about  that  year.  His  first  child  was 
born  in  Newport,  and  the  others  in  East 
Greenwich,  Rhode  Island:  William,  born 
April  29,  1696;  Samuel,  July  II,  1703;  Jo- 
seph, March  2,  1705;  Hannah,  January 
9,  1708;  Sarah,  January  27,  1710;  John, 
January  6,  1712;  Jeremiah,  September  21, 
1714  ;  Anna,  January  21,  1717.  5.  Stephen, 
mentioned  below. 

(II)  Stephen  Bailey,  son  of  William 
and  Grace  (Parsons)  Bailey,  was  born  in 
1665,  and  resided  in  Newport,  with  his 
wife  Susanna,  where  are  recorded  two 
children,  Thomas  and  Rebecca. 

(III)  Thomas  Bailey,  son  of  Stephen 
and  Susanna  Bailey,  was  born  1690,  and 
lived  in  Little  Compton,  Rhode  Island, 
where  he  died  February  4,  1741.  He  mar- 
ried, July  10,  1712,  Mary  Wood,  born 
March  14,  1691,  in  Little  Compton,  died 
October  7,  1745,  daughter  of  John  and 
Mary  Wood.  Children  :  John,  mentioned 
below ;  Thomas,  born  March  1,  1715  ;  Con- 
stant, April  10,  1717;  Joseph,  November 
2,  1719;  Oliver,  September  25,  1721  ;  Bar- 
zillai,  October  20,  1724;  James,  April  12, 
1728;  William,  March  12,  1730;  Lemuel, 
June  22,  1732;  Martha,  October  14,  1733. 

(IV)  John  Bailey,  eldest  child  of 
Thomas  and  Mary  (Wood)  Bailey,  was 
born  June  16,  1713,  in  Little  Compton, 
where  he  made  his  home,  and  died  May 
x5>  1777-  He  married  in  August,  1740 
(intentions  published  August  2),  Mary 
Wheaton,  of  Swansea,  Massachusetts, 
born  1 72 1,  died  January  26,  1778.  Chil- 
dren: Isaac,  mentioned  below;  Deborah, 
born  July  28,  1751 ;  John,  October  12, 
1758. 

(V)  Isaac  Bailey,  eldest  child  of  John 
and  Mary  (Wheaton)  Bailey,  was  born 
June  15,  1742,  in  Little  Compton,  and 
lived  in  that  town,  where  he  died  Sep- 
tember 11,  1813.  He  married,  June  21, 
1770,  Sarah  Manchester,  born  October  1, 
1753,  in  Tiverton,  died  August   1,   1828, 


daughter  of  Isaac  and  Abigail  (Brown) 
Manchester.  Children :  Abraham,  men- 
tioned below ;  Abigail,  born  December  6, 
1774;  Mary,  March  4,  1778;  Deborah, 
April  20,  17S0;  Tillinghast,  May  5,  1783; 
Sarah,  June  25,  1786;  Peleg,  February  10, 
1788. 

(VI)  Deacon  Abraham  Bailey,  eldest 
child  of  Isaac  and  Sarah  (Manchester) 
Bailey,  was  born  August  7,  1772,  in  Little 
Compton,  and  died  December  6,  1835.  He 
married,  January  1,  1795,  Anna  Chase, 
daughter  of  Ezra  and  Elizabeth  (Briggs) 
Chase,  born  March  1,  1777,  died  January 
18,  1841.  Children:  Pardon,  born  April 
4,  1796;  Ezra,  March  12,  1797;  Betsey, 
November  4,  1798;  Ann,  mentioned  above 
as  the  wife  of  Pardon  Brownell  (see 
Brownell  VI). 


BROWNELL,  Isaac  T., 

Successful    Business    Man. 

Isaac  T.  Brownell,  son  of  Clarke  (q. 
v.)  and  Hannah  (Hillard)  Brownell,  was 
born  December  25,  1826  (Christmas 
Day),  in  Little  Compton,  Rhode  Island. 
His  early  educational  training  was  ac- 
quired in  the  district  schools  of  the  neigh- 
borhood, as  was  the  custom  with  coun- 
try lads  of  his  day.  Early  in  life  he  be- 
came apprenticed  to  the  carpenter's  trade, 
acquiring  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the 
various  branches  of  that  business,  which 
proved  of  great  value  to  him  in  after 
years.  The  discovery  of  gold  in  Cali- 
fornia, in  1849,  lured  many  young  men 
to  the  Pacific  coast,  and  Mr.  Brownell 
joined  the  rush  to  the  gold  fields,  where 
he  remained  for  about  two  years,  he  with 
several  others  equipping  and  manning 
the  vessel  upon  which  they  made  the  voy- 
age to  California.  His  experience  there, 
however,  did  not  appeal  to  him,  and  in 
185 1  he  returned  East,  where  he  again 
took  up  his  trade,  locating  and  establish- 
ing  himself   in    that   occupation    in    Fall 


389 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


River,  Massachusetts,  where  in  time  he 
developed  a  large  and  successful  business 
in  contracting  and  building,  and  by  his 
untiring  industry  together  with  his  honor- 
able course  of  dealing  with  his  fellow- 
men,  and  the  care  and  personal  atten- 
tion he  gave  to  every  detail  of  his  ex- 
tensive business  affairs,  he  became  a  man 
of  large  means  and  one  of  the  most 
substantial  business  men  of  Fall  River. 
He  gave  employment  to  a  large  force 
of  skilled  mechanics,  and  had  charge 
of  the  carpenter  work  for  the  Union 
Mills,  the  Durfee  Mills,  the  Richard 
Borden  Mills,  the  Chace  Mill,  the  Mer- 
chant Mill  No.  i,  the  Globe  Mill  No.  2, 
and  others,  at  the  time  of  their  con- 
struction, his  long  experience  in  this  line 
of  construction  giving  him  an  enviable 
reputation  along  these  lines.  Many  of 
the  substantial  buildings  of  Fall  River 
and  vicinity  stand  as  monuments  to  his 
skill  and  ability  as  a  builder.  Mr.  Brow- 
nell  continued  active  in  business  until 
within  a  few  years  prior  to  his  demise, 
preferring  an  active  and  busy  life  to  one 
of  leisure  and  indolence,  although  he  was 
in  a  position  of  affluence  many  years  be- 
fore his  death  and  possessed  of  a  suffi- 
cient competency  to  have  enabled  him  to 
retire  from  active  business  cares.  For  a 
number  of  years  Mr.  Brownell  was  also 
active  in  the  public  affairs  of  Fall  River. 
He  was  always  deeply  interested  in  the 
fire  department  of  the  city,  and  in  1877, 
1878,  1879  and  1880,  served  as  assistant 
chief  of  the  fire  department,  and  in  1881 
was  superintendent  of  public  buildings 
of  the  city. 

Mr.  Brownell  was  possessed  of  an  un- 
tiring energy  and  retained  his  faculties 
to  a  marked  degree,  even  in  his  old  age, 
which  was  due  to  his  temperate  habits 
which  he  followed  in  all  phases  of  life, 
never  having  used  tobacco  or  liquor  of  any 
kind  in  any  form.  He  was  of  a  generous 
and  charitable  nature,  his  charity,  however. 


being  of  the  unostentatious  order,  many 
poor  women  and  suffering  children  and 
those  less  fortunate  than  he  being  able  to 
bear  testimony  as  to  his  benevolence. 
His  charities,  however,  were  always  given 
in  a  quiet  and  modest  manner,  and  were 
never  known  unless  told  of  by  the  re- 
cipients. Mr.  Brownell  was  a  man  who 
enjoyed  the  esteem  and  respect  of  all 
who  knew  him,  and  his  memory  will  long 
be  cherished  by  the  community  at  large, 
where  his  long  and  active  life  was  spent. 

Mr.  Brownell  was  twice  married,  his 
first  marriage  being  to  Roby  Pierce,  who 
died  in  Fall  River.  On  December  14, 
1899,  he  married  (second)  Anna  Hersey, 
who  was  born  in  Fair  Haven,  Massachu- 
setts, daughter  of  Jeremiah  Sprague  and 
Mary  Ann  (Brown)  Hersey,  who  sur- 
vives him,  and  resides  in  Fall  River.  Mr. 
Brownell  passed  away  at  his  home  in  Fall 
River,  Massachusetts,  February  8,  191 1, 
at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-four  years. 
Some  few  years  prior  to  his  death,  he 
made  a  second  trip  to  the  Pacific  coast, 
this  time,  however,  making  it  one  of 
pleasure  rather  than  business,  and  for  the 
purpose  of  observing  the  great  growth 
and  development  of  the  great  West  since 
he  had  visited  that  country  in  1849,  cov- 
ering a  period  of  over  fifty  years,  he 
being  nearly  eighty  years  of  age  at  the 
time  of  his  second  visit,  upon  which  occa- 
sion he  was  accompanied  by  his  wife. 

Environment  is  said  to  be  the  making 
of  a  man's  character  for  good  or  evil.  So 
is  reflected  upon  a  community,  be  it  large 
or  small,  the  life  of  an  individual.  If  the 
man  is  broadminded,  progressive  and 
energetic  there  must  follow  an  upbuild- 
ing that  will  outlast  the  mortal  career. 
Mr.  Brownell's  life  was  full  of  effort,  and 
no  mean  proportion  of  his  means  was  de- 
voted to  the  poor.  His  genial  ways  and 
careful  observance  of  the  rights  of  others 
made  him  beloved  not  only  by  those  who 
immediately     surrounded     him,    but     by 


390 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


those  to  whom  he  was  less  familiarly 
known.  He  was  a  plain,  matter-of-fact 
business  man ;  but  in  his  business  and 
social  life  were  reflected  those  qualities 
which  adorn  character  and  enrich  citizen- 
ship. 

(The    Hersey    Line). 

(I)  William  Hersey  was  the  progeni- 
tor of  all  who  have  borne  this  surname  in 
Hingham.     He  came  to  New  England  in 

1635,  was  made  a  freeman  in  163S,  located 
that  year  in  Hingham,  although  he  owned 
property  on  what  is  now  South  street  in 

1636.  He  died  in  March,  1658.  His  wife 
Elizabeth  died  October  8,  1671.  Chil- 
dren :  William,  Frances,  Elizabeth,  Ju- 
dith, John. 

(II)  John  Hersey,  youngest  child  of 
William  and  Elizabeth  Hersey,  born  Au- 
gust 9,  1640,  in  Hingham,  was  a  tailor  by 
trade,  and  held  the  office  of  constable  in 
1701.  He  died  August  7,  1726.  He  mar- 
ried at  Dedham,  May  18,  1669,  Sarah, 
who  died  January  17,  1732.  Children: 
Sarah,  Judith,  Nehemiah,  Abigail,  Maria, 
Jael,  Daniel,  Peter,  Hannah,  Betsey, 
Jeremiah. 

(III)  Jeremiah  Hersey,  youngest  child 
of  John  and  Sarah  Hersey,  born  June  18, 
1697,  in  Hingham,  died  February  9,  1790, 
was  a  cooper  by  trade,  and  resided  on 
South  street.  He  married,  December  8, 
1726,  Elizabeth,  probably  daughter  of 
Nathaniel  and  Judith  Gilbert.  She  died 
January  21,  1765,  aged  sixty-four  years. 
Children,  born  in  Hingham:  Elizabeth, 
Hannah,  Rebecca,  John,  Abigail,  Zerub- 
babel,  Abijah,  Jeremiah,  Hitte,  Gilbert. 

(IV)  Jeremiah  (2)  Hersey,  son  of  Jere- 
miah (1)  and  Elizabeth  (Gilbert)  Hersey, 
born  October  18,  1741,  was  a  trader,  and 
died  October  7,  1796  He  married,  De- 
cember 31,  1772,  Mary,  daughter  of  Isaiah 
and  Margaret  (Sprague)  Hersey.  She 
was  born  October  9.  1745,  in  Hingham, 
died  August  13,  1833.  Children:  Mary, 
born  1774;   Jeremiah,  mentioned  below: 


Isaac,  1777;  Sally,  1780;  Rebecca,  1782, 
married  Gideon  Jenkins;  Edmund,  1785; 
George,  1787;  Chrissa,  1790;  Peggy 
Sprague,  1792;   Zadock,  1794. 

(V)  Jeremiah  (3)  Hersey,  eldest  son 
of  Jeremiah  (2)  and  Mary  (Hersey) 
Hersey,  was  born  September  9,  1775, 
in  Hingham,  where  he  was  a  carpenter 
in  early  life,  and  later  a  farmer,  and 
died  August  5,  1846.  His  residence 
was  on  South  street  until  late  in  life, 
when  he  removed  to  North  street.  He 
married  (first)  August  31,  1799,  De- 
borah Fearing,  born  June  29,  1777,  in 
Hingham,  died  January  27,  1829,  daugh- 
ter of  Nathaniel  and  Deborah  (Hobart) 
Fearing.  He  married  (second)  Novem- 
ber 11,  1838,  Rebecca,  daughter  of  Isaac 
and  Sally  (Fearing)  Lane,  who  survived 
him  and  married  (second)  Henry  Wilder, 
as  his  second  wife.  Children :  Lydia, 
born  December  15,  1800;  Eunice,  Sep- 
tember 7,  1802;  James  H.,  October  8, 
1804;  Deborah,  December  11,  1806;  Jere- 
miah, mentioned  below;  Rufus,  March 
10,  181 1  ;  Allie,  May  18,  1813;  Charles, 
September  17,  1815  ;  of  second  marriage: 
Mary  Ann,  1839,  married,  November  12, 
1862,  George  H.  Waters. 

(VI)  Jeremiah  (4)  Hersey,  second  son 
of  Jeremiah  (3)  and  Deborah  (Fearing) 
Hersey,  was  born  February  10,  1809,  in 
Hingham,  and  resided  at  Lakeville,  Mas- 
sachusetts. He  married,  November  11, 
1838,  in  Hingham,  Rebecca  Lane,  born 
there  in  1810,  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Sarah 
(Fearing)  Lane.  She  survived  him,  and 
married  (second)  January  21,  1850,  as 
his  second  wife,  Henry  Wilder,  and  died 
November  20,  1867. 

(VII)  Jeremiah  Sprague  Hersey,  son 
of  Jeremiah  (4)  and  Rebecca  (Lane) 
Hersey,  was  born  in  1839,  in  Hingham, 
and  was  for  several  years  a  successful 
merchant  at  Fair  Haven,  Massachusetts, 
owner  of  various  vessels  engaged  in  the 
whaling    trade.      He    died    February    27, 


391 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1884,  in  Lakeville,  aged  fifty-two  years. 
He  married  Mary  Ann,  daughter  of  Eldad 
and  Hannah  (Gooch)  Brown,  natives  of 
Boston.  She  died  in  Lakeville,  Decem- 
ber 24,  1899.  Their  children  were:  Emily 
Augusta,  died  August  30, 1895,  in  Charles- 
town,  Massachusetts;  Anna,  who  became 
the  wife  of  Isaac  T.  Brownell  (see 
Brownell  VII),  and  two  daughters  who 
died   in   infancy. 


PUTNAM,  Everett  Levi, 

Superintendent  of  Street  Railways. 

Everett  Levi  Putnam  is  a  scion  of  the 
ancient  Putnam  family  which  has  been 
traced  for  many  generations  in  England 
to  Simon  de  Putenham,  undoubtedly  a 
lineal  descendant  of  Roger  Putenham, 
who  lived  in  1199,  and  held  the  Manor 
of  Putenham  under  the  Bishop  of  Baieux. 
The  family  name  is  taken  from  the  place, 
which  is  mentioned  in  the  "Domesday 
Book,"  1066.  It  was  a  part  of  the  great 
fief  known  as  the  Honor  of  Leicester. 
The  parish  of  Putenham  is  in  Hertford- 
shire, near  Bedfordshire  and  Bucking- 
hamshire. The  family  bore  coat  armor. 
From  Simon  de  Putenham  the  line  is 
traced  to  Nicholas  Putnam,  who  was 
born  about  1540,  and  lived  at  Wingrave, 
whence  he  removed  to  Stewkeley  He  in- 
herited property  from  his  father  and  both 
his  brothers,  and  died  before  September 
27,  1598.  He  married  at  Wingrave,  Jan- 
uary 30,  1577,  Margaret,  daughter  of 
John  and  Elizabeth  Goodspeed.  They 
were  the  parents  of  John  Putnam,  who 
founded  the  family  in  this  country.  He 
was  baptized  January  17,  1579,  at  Win- 
grave, County  Bucks,  and  inherited  the 
Putnam  estate,  which  had  been  held  for 
many  generations,  at  Aston  Abbotts.  He 
lived  with  his  parents  at  Stewkeley  until 
the  father's  death,  when  he  took  posses- 
sion of  the  estate  at  Aston  Abbotts,  and 
thence,  in  1634,  removed  to  Salem,  Mas- 


sachusetts. His  wife  is  supposed  to  have 
been  Priscilla  Deacon,  and  they  appear 
of  record  at  Salem,  March  21,  1641,  when 
they  were  admitted  to  the  church,  and 
in  the  same  year  he  received  a  grant  of 
land.  His  hand  writing  indicates  a  good 
education,  and  he  was  wealthy  as  com- 
pared with  his  neighbors.  To  each  of  his 
sons  he  gave  a  farm,  and  died  at  Salem 
Village,  now  Danvers,  December  30, 
1662.  John  Putnam's  eldest  son,  Lieu- 
tenant Thomas  Putnam,  was  baptized 
March  7,  1615,  in  England,  and  in  1640 
was  an  inhabitant  of  Lynn,  Massachu- 
setts, where  he  was  admitted  a  freeman 
two  years  later.  The  following  year  he 
was  a  selectman  of  that  town,  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  Salem  church  April  3  of 
that  year,  and  also  received  a  grant  of 
land  there.  From  1645  t0  I(M8  he  was 
a  commissioner  to  try  small  causes  in 
Lynn,  served  on  the  grand  jury,  and  was 
the  first  parish  clerk  of  Salem  Village. 
He  also  served  on  many  important  com- 
mittees, was  lieutenant  of  the  troop  of 
horse,  and  his  name  headed  the  tax  list. 
His  homestead,  now  known  as  the  Gen- 
eral Israel  Putnam  house,  is  still  stand- 
ing, a  little  east  of  Hathorne's  Hill,  in  the 
northern  part  of  Danvers,  where  his 
widow  was  living  in  1692.  He  died  May 
5,  1686.  He  married  at  Lynn,  October 
17,  1643,  Ann,  daughter  of  Edward  and 
Prudence  (Stockton)  Holyoke.  She  died 
September  1,  1665.  Her  youngest  son, 
Joseph  Putnam,  was  the  father  of  Gen- 
eral Israel  Putnam  of  Revolutionary 
fame.  Joseph  Putnam  was  as  strong  in 
opposition  to  the  witchcraft  folly  as  his 
brother  was  in  its  advocacy.  Lieutenant 
Thomas  Putnam's  eldest  son  and  fourth 
child,  Thomas  Putnam,  was  born  March 
12,  1652,  in  Salem,  baptized  February  26, 
following,  and  died  May  24,  1699.  He 
was  well  educated  for  his  time,  but  his 
activity  in  the  witchcraft  persecutions  of 
his  day  indicated  a  great  credulity.    His 


39- 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


daughter  was  among  the  children  who 
brought  the  first  witchcraft  accusations, 
and  both  he  and  his  wife  were  wholly 
absorbed  in  the  belief  in  witchcraft  and 
the  necessity  of  prosecuting  those  guilty 
of  it.  He  married,  September  25,  1678, 
Ann,  daughter  of  George  and  Elizabeth 
Carr,  of  Salisbury,  born  June  15,  1661, 
died  June  8,  1699,  in  Salem  Village,  sur- 
viving her  husband  by  only  a  few  days. 
Their  youngest  child  was  Seth  Putnam, 
born  in  May,  1695,  m  Salem  Village,  died 
at  Charlestown,  New  Hampshire,  May 
30,  1775.  For  twenty-five  years  he  re- 
sided in  Billerica,  Massachusetts,  and 
was  among  the  original  grantees  of 
Charlestown,  and  a  constituent  member 
of  the  first  church  organized  there.  He 
married,  September  16,  1718,  Ruth  Whip- 
ple, born  1692,  died  February  1,  1785,  in 
Charlestown.  Their  eldest  child,  Eben- 
ezer  Putnam,  was  born  August  8,  1719, 
in  Billerica,  and  died  in  Charlestown, 
February  2,  1782.  He  was  one  of  the 
original  grantees  of  Charlestown,  New 
Hampshire,  where  he  was  a  prominent 
and  useful  citizen,  and  was  a  soldier  in 
the  Colonial  wars,  serving  under  Colonel 
Josiah  Willard  at  Fort  Dummer,  in  1746. 
In  1748  and  afterward  he  served  under 
Captain  Phineas  Stevens  ;  was  selectman 
in  1755-56,  1 761,  1765,  and  was  one  of  the 
ten  original  members  of  the  first  church 
in  Charlestown,  of  which  he  was  a 
deacon.  He  married  Mary  Parker,  and 
their  fourth  son,  Levi  Putnam,  born  Feb- 
ruary 11,  1757,  in  Charlestown,  lived  in 
that  town,  where  he  died  in  1835.  He 
marched  in  June,  1777,  for  the  reinforce- 
ment of  Ticonderoga,  under  Captain  Abel 
Walker  and  Colonel  Bellows.  This  regi- 
ment served  twelve  days.  Levi  Putnam 
married  in  Charlestown,  March  29,  1784, 
Rebecca,  daughter  of  Richard  and  Dolly 
Holden,  born  October  20,  1765,  in 
Charlestown.  Their  youngest  child  was 
Levi  Putnam,  born  in  March,  1805,  settled 


in  Wardsboro,  Vermont,  where  he  died. 
His  wife  was  a  Miss  Wentworth.  They 
were  the  parents  of  George  W.  Putnam. 

George  W.  Putnam  was  born  in  Wards- 
boro about  1839.  He  was  a  farmer  and 
cattle  raiser,  spending  nearly  all  his  life 
in  Wardsboro.  For  a  few  years,  when  a 
young  man,  he  was  engaged  in  the  tin 
business  with  a  brother,  in  Troy,  New 
York.  He  died  in  Wardsboro  in  1879,  at 
the  age  of  about  forty  years.  He  was  a 
soldier  of  the  Civil  War,  serving  in  the 
Eighth  Vermont  Infantry,  was  never  a 
member  of  any  lodge  or  society,  or  a 
seeker  for  public  office.  He  married 
Selina  C.  Plympton,  born  in  South 
Wardsboro,  daughter  of  Amasa  Plymp- 
ton, a  farmer  of  that  town.  She  died  No- 
vember 8,  191 1,  while  at  the  home  of  her 
son  in  Springfield,  Massachusetts,  and 
was  buried  in  the  family  lot  at  West 
Wardsboro.  Both  she  and  her  husband 
were  exemplary  members  of  the  Metho- 
dist church.  Children:  1.  Everett  Levi, 
of  whom  further.  2.  A  daughter,  died 
soon  after  birth.  3.  Minnie  S.,  now  re- 
sides in  Burlington,  Vermont,  unmarried. 
4.  Ellen  R.,  also  unmarried,  resides  in 
Troy,  New  York. 

Everett  Levi  Putnam,  first  child  of 
George  W.  and  Selina  C.  (Plympton) 
Putnam,  was  born  August  16,  1869,  in 
West  Wardsboro,  Vermont,  and  had  the 
privileges  of  the  public  schools  of  that 
town  and  of  Wilmington,  Vermont, 
where  he  continued  during  the  winter 
terms,  until  eighteen  years  of  age.  At  an 
early  period  he  began  devoting  his  sum- 
mers to  farm  labor,  and  after  leaving 
school  he  took  charge  of  the  paternal 
farm,  and  gave  some  time  in  intervals  to 
carpenter  work.  He  continued  in  this 
until  his  removal  to  Springfield,  Massa- 
chusetts, in  June,  1895,  when  he  joined 
the  force  of  the  Metropolitan  Life  Insur- 
ance Company  as  a  solicitor.  After  spend- 
ing two  years  in  this  occupation,  he  be- 


393 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


came  a  motorman  on  the  local  street 
railway,  in  whose  service  he  has  worked 
his  way  up  through  the  various  grades, 
until  he  was  made  superintendent  in  1914. 
Mr.  Putnam  has  entire  charge  of  the  oper- 
ation of  an  immense  trolley  system, 
second  in  New  England  only  to  that  of 
Boston,  which  operates  three  hundred 
miles  of  trackage,  using  three  hundred 
and  fifty  cars,  and  employing  eight  hun- 
dred men.  This  covers  all  the  principal 
streets  of  Springfield,  with  branches  ex- 
tending to  many  outlying  towns.  Mr. 
Putnam  has  risen  to  his  present  position 
by  force  of  his  personality,  and  is  not  only 
popular  with  the  people  of  the  city,  but 
with  the  employees  of  the  street  car  sys- 
tem, and  its  proprietors.  He  is  a  gentle- 
man of  the  highest  type,  ever  courteous, 
always  anxious  to  do  all  in  his  power  to 
promote  the  welfare  of  the  human  race. 
While  he  is  interested  in  the  progress  of 
his  home  city  and  of  his  native  land,  he 
shuns  any  official  connection  with  public 
affairs,  and  is  seldom  found  away,  except 
in  the  discharge  of  his  duties.  His  only 
social  affiliation  is  with  the  Blue  Lodge 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity. 

Mr.  Putnam  married  (first)  Mamie 
McCarthy,  of  Boston.  She  had  one 
daughter,  Hazel,  born  August  1,  1902. 
He  married  (second)  Mary  Holland, 
born  in  Middlefield,  but  up  to  her  mar- 
riage spent  her  life  in  West  Springfield, 
Massachusetts.  Mrs.  Putnam  is  one  of 
six  daughters,  namely:  Margaret;  Jo- 
sephine, wife  of  Ralph  Nooney;  Bessie, 
Mrs.  John  Burke;  Nellie  and  Elizabeth, 
unmarried ;  and  Mary,  wife  of  E.  L.  Put- 
nam. Mr.  Putnam  is  a  great  lover  of  his 
home. 


WOODWARD,  William, 

Manufacturer,    Antiquarian,    Litterateur. 

Nathaniel    Woodward,    immigrant    an- 


cestor, was  born  in   England,  settled 


Boston  before  1636,  when  he  was  an 
owner  of  land  there,  and  was  admitted 
a  freeman  March  21,  1636.  He  was  a  sur- 
veyor employed  by  the  colonies  to  survey 
the  line  between  Massachusetts  Bay  and 
Plymouth  in  1638  and  later  in  the  Merri- 
mac  survey.  He  was  called  a  mathema- 
tician, surveyor,  carpenter  and  sailor  in 
various  documents.  He  was  granted  a 
lot  October  28,  1639,  in  Muddy  River 
(now  Brookline),  Massachusetts,  for  three 
heads.  He  surveyed  the  town  line  be- 
tween Charlestown  and  Lynn.  His  house 
was  at  the  northeast  corner  of  Summer 
and  Washington  streets,  Boston,  in  1646. 
His  wife  Mary  was  admitted  to  the  Bos- 
ton church,  January  23,  1640.  She  had  a 
bequest  from  her  brother,  Samuel  Jack- 
son, of  Boston,  England,  in  his  will  dated 
August  7,  1642.  Nathaniel  and  his  wife 
were  dismissed  to  Taunton,  October  8, 
1648,  and  presented  letters  of  recom- 
mendation to  the  Taunton  church,  August 
!5»  ID53.  (Pope's  "Pioneers  of  Massa- 
chusetts"). Children:  1.  John,  had  house 
lot  in  Boston,  December  18,  1637.  2.  Rob- 
ert, had  house  lot  in  Boston,  December 
18,  1637.  3.  Nathaniel,  mentioned  below. 
4.  Elisha,  born  April  21,  1644.  5.  Pru- 
dence, married,  1661,  Christopher  Mosse. 
(Gen.  in  Reg.  li.,  169). 

(II)  Nathaniel  (2)  Woodward,  son  of 
Nathaniel  (1),  was  born  in  England.  Pie 
owned  a  house  lot  in  Boston,  December 
18,  1637.  He  sold  land  in  Boston,  Octo- 
ber 16,  1648,  and  went  to  Taunton,  but 
returned  before  February  25,  1655.  He 
was  dismissed  to  the  Taunton  church, 
August  14,  1653,  and  served  on  jury  in- 
quests there  in  1650,  1651  and  1652.  He 
was  interested  in  the  Taunton  iron  works. 
He   died  before   February  6,    1694.     He 

married  Katherine  .     Children:    1. 

Elisha,  baptized  in  Boston,  April  21,  1644. 
2.  Nathaniel,  baptized  in  Boston,  April  12, 
1645.    3-  Israel,  died  in  Taunton,  June  15, 
394 


^//^ffa-^o&^sa^&f 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1674.      4.    John,    mentioned    below.       5. 
James,  died  in  Taunton,  October,  1732. 

(III)  John  Woodward,  son  of  Nathan- 
iel (2),  was  born  about  1650,  in  Taunton 
or  Boston.  He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade. 
He  lived  in  Taunton,  Massachusetts,  and 
belonged  to  the  first  military  company 
there,  April  9,  1682.  He  and  wife  Sarah 
sold  land,  October  30,  1684,  to  Shadrach 
Wilbore,  in  Taunton.  He  married,  at 
Rehoboth,  November  11,  1675,  Sarah 
Crossman,  daughter  of  Robert  (see  Cross- 
man).  Children:  1.  John,  born  June  3, 
1676.  2.  Robert,  born  March  2,  1678.  3. 
Nathaniel,  born  July  31,  1679.  4-  Israel, 
mentioned  below.  5.  Ebenezer,  born  Feb- 
ruary 13,  1683.  6.  Joseph,  born  Febru- 
ary 22,  1685.  7.  Ezekiel,  born  February 
26,  1687 ;  weaver  in  Taunton ;  removed 
to  Providence  (see  report  previously  made 
of  other  families  in  Westmoreland).  8. 
Mary,  twin  of  Ezekiel. 

(IV)  Israel  Woodward,  son  of  John 
Woodward,  was  born  at  Taunton,  July 
30,  1681,  and  died  there  December  19, 
1766.  His  wife  Elizabeth  died  at  Taun- 
ton in  March,  1765.  Israel  sold  land  in 
Taunton  to  son  Benajah,  April  26,  1755. 
He  sold  all  his  rights  in  the  estate  of  his 
grandfather  Robert  Crossman's  estate  to 
Jonathan  Woodward,  March  12,  1749-50. 
He  owned  land  in  Taunton  near  Prospect 
Hill  pond  on  the  east  side.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  first  military  company  of 
Taunton,  May  30,  1700,  detached  from  the 
company,  July  2,  1705,  for  service  in 
Queen  Anne's  War,  and  was  ordered  into 
Her  Majesty's  service,  May  21, 1706.  Chil- 
dren, born  in  Taunton:  1.  Abigail,  born 
April  1,  1710,  died  August  4,  1793;  mar- 
ried, July  3,  1733,  David  Harvey,  who 
died  in  1735;  she  was  a  Quaker.  2.  Dor- 
cas, also  a  Quaker ;  married  Josiah  Har- 
vey. 3.  Israel,  mentioned  below.  4.  Ben- 
ajah,  lived  at  Taunton  and   Petersham, 


Massachusetts.    5.  Samuel,  probably  died 
young. 

(V)  Israel  (2),  son  of  Israel  (1)  Wood- 
ward, was  born  at  Taunton,  April  29, 
1711,  and  died  March  14,  1792.  He 
settled  in  Easton,  Massachusetts,  as  carin- 
as 1749.  He  served  in  1757  in  the  French 
and  Indian  War  in  Captain  Eliphalet 
Leonard's  company.  He  became  a  Quak- 
er, and  was  fined  for  driving  on  Sunday 
and  for  refusing  to  qualify  as  a  constable. 
He  owned  a  quarter  of  the  old  grist  mill 
located  near  the  present  site  of  the  Ames 
Company  offices  at  North  Easton.  His 
homestead  was  on  Lincoln  street.  He 
married,  in  May,  1742,  Hannah  Keizer,  of 
Easton,  a  Quaker ;  she  died  January  26, 
1804.  Children,  born  at  Taunton  or  Eas- 
ton :  1.  George,  mentioned  below.  2. 
Elizabeth,  born  June  9,  1747.  3.  Han- 
nah, born  February  24,  1750.  4.  Seth, 
born  January  31,  1756;  settled  at  Raby, 
now  Brookline,  New  Hampshire,  and  in 
1 781  bought  land  there  of  his  brother 
George;  died  at  Raby  in  1793. 

(VI )  George,  son  of  Israel  (2)  Wood- 
ward, was  born  at  Easton,  September  22, 
1744,  baptized  April  2,  1745.  He  was  in 
Mason,  New  Hampshire,  in  1772,  when 
he  bought  a  farm  at  Raby,  and  in  1775 
when  he  bought  land  adjoining;  part  of 
this  farm  he  sold  to  his  brother  Seth  and 
the  rest  to  Samuel  Russell  in  1781.  He 
bought  another  farm  on  the  old  Town- 
send  and  Mason  town  lines  in  1777,  sell- 
ing it  in  1781  to  John  Aldrich.  He  re- 
moved to  Greenfield,  New  Hampshire, 
where  he  bought  land  of  his  brother-in- 
law,  Jonas  Wallace,  in  1791.  He  returned 
to  Easton  soon  afterward,  was  living 
there  in  1793,  when  his  brother  died,  and 
in  1794,  when  he  sold  his  brother's  farm; 
but  in  1796  he  was  living  in  Greenfield 
again.  He  served  five  months  in  the  Rev- 
olution, and  was  a  signer  of  the  Associa- 


395 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


tion  Test  in  Raby  (Brookline).  His  sons — 
Israel,  of  Westmoreland ;  Seth,  of  Spring- 
field, Vermont,  and  Isaac,  of  Brookline — 
quitclaimed  their  rights  in  his  real  and 
personal  estate  in  Greenfield  to  Jonas 
Wallace,  their  uncle,  who  owned  half  the 
farm,  having  sold  one-half  to  George 
previously ;  this  deed  was  dated  January 
17,  1816.  George  Woodward  married,  at 
Townsend,  Massachusetts,  March  7,  1782, 
Jane  Wallace,  daughter  of  Matthew  Wal- 
lace, granddaughter  of  John  Wallace,  of 
Stowe  and  Townsend.  Children:  1.  Israel, 
mentioned  below.  2.  Seth,  born  March 
17,  1785 ;  lived  at  Springfield ;  married, 
August  22,  1819,  Edna  Brown.  3.  Isaac, 
lived  in  Brookline. 

(VII)  Israel  (3),  son  of  George  Wood- 
ward, was  born  at  Raby,  now  Brookline, 
October  15,  1783,  and  died  at  Keene,  New 
Hampshire,  October  2  or  26,  1843.  He 
went  to  Westmoreland,  New  Hampshire, 
as  early  as  1807.  He  and  Seth  Hall,  Jr., 
whose  sister  he  married,  were  both  cloth- 
iers by  trade,  and  together  they  bought  a 
mill  privilege  in  Fitzwilliam,  New  Hamp- 
shire, in  1807  and  sold  it  two  years  later. 
For  a  year  or  two  he  lived  at  Thetford, 
Vermont,  then  bought  a  farm  at  West- 
moreland, where  he  lived  until  about  1825, 
when  he  removed  to  Swanzey  and  finally 
to  Keene.  He  married,  March  1,  1810,  at 
Westmoreland,  Deidama  Hall,  who  was 
born  at  Raynham,  Massachusetts,  Febru- 
ary 15,  1791,  died  at  Swanzey,  New  Hamp- 
shire, July  23,  1863.  Children,  born  in 
Westmoreland:  1.  Harmon,  born  Febru- 
ary 27,  1811;  died  August  8,  1812.  2. 
Diadema,  born  June  26,  1813;  died  at 
Swanzey,  October  15,  1830.  3.  Francis 
Gardner,  mentioned  below.  4.  Roswell 
Shurtleff,  born  October  23,  1817;  married, 
November  18,  1845,  m  Canandaigua,  New 
York,  Electa  Truesdell ;  died  there  No- 
vember 22,  1887 ;  for  many  years  he  con- 
ducted a  custom  tailor  and  men's  furnish- 


ing business  in  Canandaigua.  5.  Gilman, 
born  at  Swanzey,  September  23,  1825 ; 
date  and  place  of  death  unknown  to  fam- 
ily. 6.  George  Frederick,  born  in  Swan- 
zey, September  3,  1827 ;  died  there  Au- 
gust 8,  1830.  7.  Franklin,  born  in  Swan- 
zey, May  18,  1837;  died  in  Keene,  Decem- 
ber 19,  1839. 

(VIII)  Francis  Gardner  Woodward, 
son  of  Israel  (3)  Woodward,  was  born  in 
Westmoreland,  New  Hampshire,  August 
1,  1815,  and  died  in  Worcester,  Massa- 
chusetts, January  12,  1890.  When  he  was 
ten  years  old  the  family  removed  to  Swan- 
zey, New  Hampshire,  to  what  was  known 
as  the  "factory  village."  He  attended  the 
public  schools  of  his  native  town  and  in 
Swanzey,  and  was  graduated  from  the 
Rensselaer  Polytechnic  Institute,  Troy, 
New  York,  class  of  1839,  receiving  the 
Mechanical  Engineer  degree.  He  served 
apprenticeship  to  the  gunsmith  trade  in 
the  shop  of  John  C.  Mason,  of  Keene,  New 
Hampshire,  which  business  he  afterwards 
acquired  and  conducted  on  his  own  ac- 
count for  several  years  previous  to  his  re- 
moval to  the  city  of  Worcester,  Massa- 
chusetts. In  Worcester  he  was  for  a 
number  of  years  superintendent  of  the 
William  A.  Wheeler  Engine  Company, 
located  on  Thomas  street — one  of  the 
largest  establishments  for  the  manufac- 
ture of  locomotive  and  stationary  engines 
in  New  England  at  that  time.  He  en- 
gaged in  business  on  his  own  account 
somewhat  later  as  a  manufacturer  of  iron- 
working  machinery,  and  was  located  for 
the  full  period  of  his  active  business 
career,  first  on  Beacon  street,  near  Jack- 
son, and  later  in  the  Merrifield  building 
on  Cypress  street. 

Mr.  Woodward  had  quite  unusual  me- 
chanical skill,  with  inventive  genius  of  a 
high  order.  He  secured  letters  patent  for 
a  railroad  switch  (1849)  which  was  in  use 
for  many  years  on  the  Norwich  &  Worces- 


396 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ter  road,  as  well  as  on  other  railroads  in 
the  western  and  southern  sections  of  the 
country.  In  1859  he  received  patents  for 
a  sewing  machine.  He  invented  one  of 
the  first  breech-loading  rifles  (1862),  and 
was  especially  prolific  in  his  improve- 
ments for  steam  engines.  He  retired  from 
active  business  twenty  years  before  his 
death,  and  it  was  during  this  period  of 
comparative  leisure  that  his  inventive 
skill  and  literary  tastes  found  their  most 
practical  expression.  He  was  a  regular 
contributor  to  the  "Scientific  American" 
and  other  mechanical  and  scientific  period- 
icals. He  had  collected  the  only  complete 
set  of  the  "Scientific  American"  known  to 
any  private  library ;  these  he  had  sub- 
stantially bound  and  late  in  life  presented 
them  to  the  Worcester  County  Mechanics' 
Association,  for  which  service  he  was 
made  a  life  member  of  that  association. 

Outside  of  business  and  professional 
relations,  Mr.  Woodward's  chief  interest 
was  in  his  home  and  its  social  connec- 
tions. He  belonged  to  no  clubs  or  social 
organizations.  In  politics  he  was  always 
a  staunch  Republican.  He  attended  the 
Salem  Street  Congregational  Church  dur- 
ing the  whole  period  of  his  life  in  Worces- 
ter. He  married,  December  12,  1843,  at 
Keene,  New  Hampshire,  Mary  Phillips 
(see  Phillips).  Children:  1.  Frank,  born 
September  5,  1844;  died  July  14,  1849.  2. 
Infant,  born  May  21,  1848;  died  May  22, 
1848.  3.  Frederick,  born  October  30,  1849; 
died  November  6,  1850.  4.  George,  born 
November  13,  1851 ;  died  September  26, 
1875.     5.  William,  mentioned  below. 

(IX)  William  Woodward,  son  of  Fran- 
cis Gardner  Woodward,  was  born  in 
Worcester,  October  23, 1856,  and  was  edu- 
cated in  its  public  schools,  graduating 
from  the  high  school  in  1874.  The  same 
year  he  began  his  business  career  as  clerk 
in  the  Central  National  Bank  of  Worces- 
ter.    He  was  rapidly  promoted  to  posi- 


tions of  larger  responsibility,  and  in  Janu- 
ary, 1892,  became  cashier,  filling  that 
office  until  the  bank  was  absorbed  by  the 
Worcester  Trust  Company  in  1903.  As 
an  officer  of  the  Trust  Company,  in  1905 
he  took  charge  of  the  business  of  the 
Allen-Higgins  Company,  manufacturers 
of  wall  paper  in  Worcester,  the  owner- 
ship of  which  came  to  the  Trust  Company 
when  the  Citizens'  National  Bank  was 
absorbed  by  it.  He  served  as  president 
and  general  manager  of  the  paper  com- 
pany until  its  reorganization  in  1907.  This 
business  was  subsequently  taken  over  by 
those  active  in  its  management,  and  Mr. 
Woodward  became  treasurer  of  the  new 
organization,  the  Allen-Higgins  Wall 
Paper  Company.  Associated  with  Mr. 
Woodward  at  the  outset  were  the  late 
John  C.  Maclnnes,  Albert  E.  Lyons  and 
Frederick  Staib.  The  capital  stock  of  the 
company  was  $100,000.  In  1916  the  offi- 
cers were  :  President,  Albert  E.  Lyons  ; 
vice-president,  Frederick  Staib  ;  treasurer, 
William  Woodward  ;  secretary,  Albert  H. 
Anderson. 

Upon  entering  the  manufacturing  busi- 
ness Mr.  Woodward  retired  from  bank- 
ing, to  which  he  had  devoted  more  than 
thirty  years  of  his  life.  Under  his  man- 
agement the  wall  paper  company  pros- 
pered, showing  a  steady  increase  in  its 
business.  The  output  more  than  doubled 
during  the  two  years  following  the  re- 
organization. A  hundred  hands  are 
usually  employed  at  the  factory  in  Green- 
dale,  and  the  product  of  the  company  is 
distributed  throughout  the  United  States 
and  the  Canadian  provinces. 

Mr.  Woodward's  success  as  a  manufac- 
turer is  accounted  for  not  alone  by  natural 
ability,  but  by  years  of  general  business 
training,  study  and  investigation.  When 
he  entered  the  banking  business  he  be- 
came a  close  student  of  financial  and  eco- 
nomic subjects.     For  many  years  he  was 


397 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


a  regular  contributor  to  the  "Bankers' 
Magazine"  and  other  financial  journals. 
In  1886  he  published  a  monograph  en- 
titled "Our  Future  Money,"  in  which  he 
considered  the  question  of  a  proper  basis 
for  paper  money  and  for  the  gold  and 
silver  currency.  "A  History  of  Massa- 
chusetts Savings  Banks,"  published  in 
1889,  was  an  important  work  both  from  a 
financial  and  historical  point  of  view.  He 
contributed  much  to  public  information 
on  the  subject  of  banking  and  finance  in 
lectures,  from  time  to  time,  before  various 
societies  and  organizations.  In  February, 
1902,  he  delivered  a  lecture  on  "The 
Theory  and  Practice  of  Banking"  in  the 
course  of  the  Worcester  County  Me- 
chanics' Association,  and  later  before  the 
Unitarian  Club  and  elsewhere.  His  pub- 
lic addresses,  however,  have  not  been  lim- 
ited to  subjects  related  to  banking  and 
finance.  He  made  a  study  of  certain 
phases  of  contemporaneous  history,  and 
spoke  from  time  to  time  on  the  South 
African  policy,  the  Armenian  problem, 
and  other  kindred  and  timely  issues.  For 
many  years  he  took  an  active  part  in  the 
Piedmont  Literary  and  Social  Union  of 
Piedmont  Church. 

Mr.  Woodward  has  held  many  posi- 
tions of  private  responsibility  in  the  ad- 
ministration of  estates,  and  in  charge  of 
special  trusts.  He  is  trustee  and  treas- 
urer of  the  Home  for  Aged  Women ;  direc- 
tor and  treasurer  of  the  Memorial  Home 
for  the  Blind,  of  which  he  was  also  one 
of  the  founders ;  trustee  of  the  People's 
Savings  Bank;  incorporator  of  the  Home 
for  Aged  Men ;  a  charter  member  of  the 
Worcester  Economic  Club,  and  an  active 
member  of  the  Congregational  Club,  of 
which  he  was  also  vice-president  and 
treasurer.  For  ten  years  and  more  he 
has  served  the  city  of  Worcester  as  a 
commissioner  of  Hope  Cemetery.  In  re- 
ligious   and    charitable    organizations    he 


has  been  prominent  for  many  years.  For 
twenty  years  he  was  a  director  of  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  and 
for  two  years  its  president  and  for  three 
years  its  treasurer.  To  the  initiative  of 
Mr.  Woodward  and  the  secretary  asso- 
ciated with  him  were  due  the  association 
building  on  Elm  street,  the  land  for  which 
was  purchased  during  his  administration 
and  the  building  project  started.  At  the 
laying  of  the  cornerstone  he  had  the  honor 
of  delivering  the  historical  address.  He 
was  for  a  number  of  years  president  of  the 
Worcester  City  Missionary  Society,  and 
has  served  Piedmont  church  as  deacon 
and  as  a  member  of  its  standing  commit- 
tee for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century. 
For  several  years  he  was  a  director  of  the 
Children's  Friend  Society. 

Mr.  Woodward  has  made  a  number  of 
unique  collections  of  historical  matter  of 
more  than  transient  value.  On  the  occa- 
sion of  the  reunion  of  the  early  workers 
of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tion in  1908,  he  prepared  a  typewritten 
memorial  of  the  event,  containing  much 
valuable  historical  data  relating  to  the 
early  years  of  the  organization,  and  pro- 
fusely illustrated  with  portraits.  It  is  a 
veritable  work  of  art,  and  is  one  of  the 
most  treasured  possessions  of  the  associa- 
tion. A  similar  and  even  more  significant 
volume  was  prepared  and  presented  to  the 
association  on  the  occasion  of  its  fiftieth 
anniversary  in  1913.  He  compiled  and 
presented  to  Piedmont  church  a  series  of 
twenty-five  volumes  containing  very  com- 
plete record  of  all  important  events  in  the 
church  and  among  its  membership,  dur- 
ing forty  years  of  its  history.  Here  are  to 
be  found,  fully  indexed  so  as  to  be  readily 
accessible,  newspaper  clippings  and  other 
printed  matter  relating  to  the  various 
activities  of  the  societies  of  the  church,  to- 
gether with  obituaries,  personal  sketches 
and  social  items — in  short,  a  chronological 
98 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


history  of  the  society  and  of  its  member- 
ship. These  volumes  are  in  possession  of 
the  church  and  are  accessible  to  the  pub- 
lic. 

Mr.  Woodward  compiled  three  memo- 
rial volumes  relating  to  the  life  and  work 
of  Senator  George  Frisbie  Hoar,  and  most 
elaborately  illustrated.  These  volumes 
were  prepared  immediately  after  the  Sen- 
ator's death,  and  contain  most  of  the 
eulogies  delivered  in  the  city,  State  and 
nation,  a  full  account  of  the  obsequies  in 
Worcester  and  Concord,  and  a  large  col- 
lection of  unusual  material  relating  to  his 
library,  his  collection  of  pictures  and  his 
valuable  antiques.  These  volumes  were 
later  presented  to  Clark  University,  of 
which  Senator  Hoar  was  president  of  the 
board  of  trustees  for  many  years.  Alto- 
gether it  may  be  said  without  exaggera- 
tion that  Mr.  Woodward  has  made  ex- 
tremely valuable  collections  of  historical 
material  arranged  in  a  characteristically 
artistic  and  permanent  form. 

Mr.  Woodward  is  a  member  of  the 
Worcester  Society  of  Antiquity,  of  the 
Worcester  Chamber  of  Commerce,  of  the 
National  Association  of  Credit  Men,  of 
the  Sons  of  the  American  Revolution,  and 
is  a  trustee  of  Doane  College,  Crete,  Ne- 
braska. He  was  formerly  a  director  of 
the  Wall  Paper  Manufacturers'  Associa- 
tion of  the  United  States.  In  politics  Mr. 
Woodward  has  always  been  a  Republican. 

He  married,  September  6,  1883,  Caro- 
line Isabel  Stone,  of  Auburn,  Massachu- 
setts, born  June  30,  1S60,  daughter  of 
Elisha"  and  Hannah  H.  (Perry)  Stone. 
Her  father  was  descended  from  Simon 
Stone,  the  immigrant  at  Watertown,  Mas- 
sachusetts (Elisha*,  Nathaniel',  Nathaniel,' 
Jonathan',  Jonathan',  Jonathan',  Simon', 
Simon').  Her  parents  were  married  No- 
vember 2,  1848,  and  had  four  children:  1. 
William  Frederick  Stone,  born  February 
16,  185 1  ;  married  Alary  D.  Shute,  August 


26,  1878.  2.  Emma  Cornelia  Stone,  born 
April  12,  1855;  married,  September  6, 
1883,  Wallace  A.  Kendall,  of  Framing- 
ham,  Massachusetts.  3.  Charles  Arthur 
Stone,  born  April  2,  1858,  died  September 
15,  1915,  in  Worcester,  Massachusetts.  4. 
Caroline  Isabel,  mentioned  above.  The 
daughters  had  a  double  wedding. 

Mrs.  Woodward  is  a  member  of  the 
Timothy  Bigelow  Chapter,  Daughters  of 
the  American  Revolution,  of  the  Worces- 
ter Home  Club,  and  of  Piedmont  Congre- 
gational Church. 

Children  of  William  and  Caroline  Isa- 
bel Woodward:  1.  George  William,  born 
May  25,  1885 ;  graduate  of  Worcester 
South  High  School ;  student  for  two  years 
at  the  Worcester  Polytechnic  Institute, 
and  three  years  at  Cornell  University, 
from  which  he  graduated  in  1809  with 
first  honors  in  the  scientific  department, 
with  Mechanical  Engineer  degree.  After 
graduating  he  connected  himself  with  the 
Rockwood  Sprinkler  Company  of  Worces- 
ter, living  in  Wethersfield,  Connecticut. 
Married  Lylian  Weisner,  of  Hartford, 
Connecticut,  January  15,  1913.  Has 
daughter,  Dorothy  Stone,  born  May  2, 
1916.  2.  Walter  Francis,  born  Septem- 
ber 8,  1887 ;  graduated  at  the  Worcester 
South  High  School;  student  at  the  Am- 
herst Agricultural  College ;  associated  in 
business  with  his  father;  married,  June 
26,  1912,  Helen  L.  Walden,  of  Northboro, 
Massachusetts  ;  resides  in  Worcester.  Has 
son,  Walden  Francis,  born  October  26, 
1915.  3.  Ruth  Phillips,  born  September 
17,  1889;  graduate  of  Worcester  South 
High  School;  married,  September  1,  1914, 
Alfred  H.  Wyman,  of  Worcester,  gradu- 
ate of  South  High  School  and  of  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association  Train- 
ing School  at  Springfield  ;  now  superin- 
tendent of  welfare  work  in  the  Carnegie 
Steel  Works  at  Homestead,  Pennsylvania; 
resides    at    Munhall,     Pennsylvania.      4. 


3W 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Gladys  Mary,  born  December  20,  1892; 
graduate  of  South  High  School  and  of 
Mt.  Holyoke  College  in  1915  (Bachelor  of 
Arts  degree).  5.  Harold  Stone,  born  July 
15,  1899;  student  at  South  High  School, 
class  of  1916;  entered  Worcester  Poly- 
technic Institute  in  1916. 

(The  Phillips  Line). 

(I)  Michael  Phillips,  the  immigrant  an- 
cestor of  the  Rhode  Island  family,  settled 
in  Newport,  Rhode  Island,  where  he  was 
living  in  1668,  when  admitted  a  freeman. 
He  died  in  1689.  His  widow,  Barbara, 
married  Edward  Inman.  She  and  her  sec- 
ond husband  joined  in  a  deed,  dated  May 
22,  1689,  giving  certain  lands  on  the  Paw- 
tucket  river  to  her  sons  John,  James  and 
Richard  Phillips.  She  declined  adminis- 
tration on  the  estate  of  her  second  hus- 
band, August  26,  1706;  she  died  the  same 
year.  Children :  John,  William,  James 
(mentioned  below),  Richard,  born  1667; 
Joseph,  died  September  3,  1719;  Alice, 
died  in  1702. 

(II)  James  Phillips,  son  of  Michael, 
born  about  1665-70,  died  December  12, 
1746.  He  married  (first)  Mary  Mowry, 
daughter  of  John  and  Mary  Mowry  ;  (sec- 
ond) in  November,  1728,  Elizabeth  Fos- 
ter; she  died  in  1747.  His  name  was  on 
the  list  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-two 
persons  over  sixteen  and  taxable,  August, 
1688.  His  son  John  died  September  8, 
1688,  and  his  estate  was  administered  by 
his  brother  Michael.  James  was  of  Smith- 
field,  September  7,  1733,  when  he  deeded 
to  his  son  Jeremiah  thirty  acres  which 
had  been  given  to  him  by  his  wife's  father, 
John  Mowry.  James  deeded  to  his  son 
Joshua,  August  19,  1743,  a  quarter  of  the 
land  on  which  his  house  stood.  The  ad- 
ministration of  the  estate  of  James  was 
declined  by  his  widow  and  given  to  his 
son  Michael,  who  presented  receipts  to 
the  town  council,  August  15,  1748,  from 


his  brothers  and  sisters — Mary  Stafford, 
Samuel  Phillips,  Joshua  Phillips,  Jere- 
miah Phillips,  John  Ballou,  Jr.,  Phebe 
Thornton,  and  from  the  widow  Elizabeth 
and  her  son,  Charles  Phillips.  Children: 
Michael;  John;  Jeremiah;  Joshua,  men- 
tioned below ;  Samuel ;  Mary ;  Phebe  ; 
Elizabeth.  Child  by  second  wife:  Charles. 

(III)  Joshua  Phillips,  son  of  James, 
was  born  about  1700.  He  lived  at  Smith- 
field,  as  shown  by  wills  and  deeds,  but 
there  are  no  records  of  his  family  in  the 
town  vital  records.  He  was  living  in 
1748,  but  his  name  does  not  appear  in  the 
census  of  1774  at  Smithfield.  There  is 
every  reason  to  believe,  however,  that 
Joshua  had  a  son  of  the  same  name. 

( I V )  Joshua  (2) ,  son  of  Joshua  ( 1 )  Phil- 
lips, was  doubtless  born  at  Smithfield,  and 
lived  there  until  he  removed  to  Hubbards- 
ton,  Massachusetts,  where  he  was  living 
when  the  town  was  organized  in  1767.  He 
was  living  in  Smithfield  as  late  as  1764, 
with  wife  Freelove  and  seven  children, 
and  in  the  same  year  bought  land  at  Hub- 
bardston.  Four  of  his  sons — Joshua, 
Richard,  Paine  and  Gideon — served  in  the 
Revolution.  Children:  1.  Freelove,  born 
1749;  married  Nathan  Stone.  2.  Joshua, 
mentioned  below.  3.  James,  twin  of 
Joshua ;  married  Sarah  Nourse,  of  Rut- 
land. 4.  Eseck,  born  1752,  killed  at  a 
"framing"  at  Hubbardston,  March  25, 
1776.  5,  Richard,  born  September  4,  1754, 
lived  at  Dublin,  New  Hampshire.  6. 
Paine,  born  November  7,  1763.  7.  Gideon, 
twin  of  Paine,  lived  at  Roxbury,  New 
Hampshire. 

(V)  Joshua  (3),  son  of  Joshua  (2)  Phil- 
lips, was  born  at  Smithfield,  about  1750. 
He  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution,  in 
Captain  Jotham  Houghton's  company, 
Colonel  Josiah  Whitney's  regiment,  July 
31  to  September  13,  1778,  on  a  Rhode 
Island  expedition ;  roll  dated  at  Peter- 
sham.    He  married  Anna ,  and  the 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


following  children  were  recorded  at  Rut- 
land, Massachusetts:  Esek,  born  May  19, 
1777;  Sarah,  December  7,  1779;  Leavitt, 
mentioned  below;  Phebe,  April  12,  1784; 
Rhoda,  January  15,  1786;  Deborah,  Sep- 
tember 25,  1788. 

(VI)  Leavitt,  son  of  Joshua  (3)  Phil- 
lips, was  born  at  Rutland,  October  22, 
1781,  died  September  13,  1827.  He  mar- 
ried, June  12,  1803  (family  record)  (in- 
tention dated  April  6,  1803,  at  Rutland), 
Mary  Hinds,  born  July  15,  1783  (Corlis 
(4) ,  John  (3) ,  John  (2) ,  James  ( 1 )  Hinds) . 
(See  Hinds  genealogy).  Children:  1.  Al- 
mira,  born  March  16,  1804,  at  Rutland ; 
died  September  10,  1863 ;  married,  Sep- 
tember 2,  1823,  Artemas  Nye ;  lived  in 
Northfield,  Massachusetts.  2.  Anna  Hill, 
born  February  19,  1806,  at  Rutland,  died 
November  13,  1900;  married,  February 
26,  1828,  Henry  Nims.  3.  James,  born 
July  27,  1807,  at  Rutland ;  died  in  the 
West;  married,  November  23,  1830, 
Louisa  Hinds.  4.  Deborah,  born  April  27, 
1809;  died  April  28,  1809.  5.  Harvey, 
April  26,  1810;  died  August  19,  1813.  6. 
Leavitt,  born  October  2-j,  181 1  ;  died  Au- 
gust 21,  1813.  7.  Leavitt,  born  December 
4,  1813  ;  died  September  13, 1827.  8.  Sally, 
born  July  9,  1816,  died  December  n,  1846; 
married,  October,  1844.  9.  Infant,  March 
19, 1818 ;  died  March  21, 1818.  10.  Harvey, 
born  March  21,  1819;  died  October  26, 
1905.  11.  Hiram,  born  September  9.  1821  ; 
died  August  22,  1840.  12.  Mary  Hinds, 
born  September  29,  1823 ;  died  October 
7,  1893;  married,  December  12,  1843, 
Francis  G.  Woodward  (see  Woodward). 
13.  Samuel,  born  August  11,  1826;  died 
September  12,  1828. 


WILCOX,  Marshall,  LL.  D., 

Lawyer,   Legislator. 


Williams  College  graduated  in  1844  the 
largest  class  in  its  history  up  to  that 
year.      Thirty-three    graduates    received 

MASS-V.I  HI-26  4OI 


their  diplomas,  representing  nearly  every 
State  in  the  Union,  as  then  composed. 
One  of  this  class,  numbering  in  its  mem- 
bership many  eminent  men  who  longest 
survived,  was  Marshall  Wilcox,  Nestor  of 
the  Berkshire  county  bar,  a  pillar  of 
strength  in  his  profession,  a  man  beloved 
and  honored  by  all  who  knew  him.  At  a 
reunion  of  the  class  of  '44  called  to  meet 
at  the  residence  of  Mr.  Wilcox  in  Pitts- 
field  in  June,  1905,  but  three  members 
could  respond  to  the  call — Rev.  T.  H. 
Hawkes,  of  Springfield ;  Dr.  Calvin  C. 
Halsey,  of  Montrose,  Pennsylvania,  and 
William  B.  Rice,  former  superintendent 
of  schools.  These  three,  with  their  vener- 
able host,  Mr.  Wilcox,  were  the  survivors 
of  the  class  who  sixty-one  years  earlier 
had  gone  forth  from  Williams  eager  to 
begin  the  battle  of  life,  that  as  octo- 
genarians in  1905  they  lived  again  in 
retrospect. 

Wilcox  is  an  ancient  name  in  New 
England  and  has  been  borne  with  honor 
by  many  sons  of  the  past  and  present,  but 
by  none  more  worthily  than  by  Marshall 
Wilcox.  Son  of  a  merchant,  he  had  every 
opportunity  to  engage  in  mercantile  life, 
but  his  ambition  was  for  the  profession  of 
law  and  to  that  end  his  youthful  energies 
were  bent.  He  achieved  high  reputation 
in  his  chosen  profession,  the  law  annals 
of  Western  Massachusetts  proving  his 
connection  with  many  of  the  most  impor- 
tant cases  tried  in  the  courts  of  that  sec- 
tion during  his  career  as  a  trial  lawyer. 
He  never  sought  public  office,  but  con- 
fined himself  closely  to  the  duties  of  his 
profession,  his  service  as  a  legislator  in 
both  houses  of  the  Massachusetts  Legis- 
lature, however,  proving  that  what  the 
bar  of  his  native  State  gained  by  his  devo- 
tion, the  public  service  lost.  He  was 
learned  in  the  law,  skillful  in  its  applica- 
tion, and  a  tower  of  strength  to  any  cause 
needing  an  advocate.  He  died  at  the  age 
of  eighty-five  years,   full  of  honors   and 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


generally  recognized  as  one  of  the  strong 
men  of  his  times. 

Marshall  Wilcox  was  born  in  Stock- 
bridge,  Massachusetts,  March  19,  1821, 
and  died  at  Pittsfield,  October  12,  1906, 
son  of  Loring  Wilcox,  who  was  born  in 
Cromwell,  Connecticut,  spent  a  portion  of 
his  life  in  Stockbridge,  eventually  becom- 
ing a  merchant  of  Lanesboro.  After  due 
preparation  in  public  and  private  schools, 
Marshall  Wilcox  entered  Williams  Col- 
lege, of  which  institution  he  was  one  of 
the  thirty-three  graduates,  class  of  '44. 
Immediately  after  graduation  he  began 
the  real  business  of  life  to  which  his  pre- 
paratory and  college  education  was  but 
introductory.  For  three  years  he  pursued 
a  course  of  legal  study  under  the  precep- 
torship  of  Lester  Filley,  of  Otis,  Massa- 
chusetts. As  a  student  he  was  diligent 
and  attentive,  not  confining  himself  to  the 
mere  routine  of  office  duties  and  of  study, 
but  adding  a  study  of  logic,  political  econ- 
omy, and  other  matters  kindred  to  his 
calling,  thus  more  thoroughly  fitting  him- 
self for  success  in  his  chosen  profession. 
In  1847  ne  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and 
for  the  two  succeeding  years  practiced  in 
Otis.  He  then  spent  two  years  at  Ches- 
ter, Massachusetts,  locating  in  Lee,  Mas- 
sachusetts, in  1853,  and  there  continu- 
ing in  successful  lucrative  practice  for 
eighteen  years.  In  1871  he  moved  to 
Pittsfield,  until  the  burden  of  years  com- 
pelled him  to  retire,  but  it  was  with  men- 
tal vigor  unimpaired. 

Mr.  Wilcox  thoroughly  understood  the 
law  and  loved  to  elucidate  its  principles. 
He  believed  that  justice  being  the  su- 
preme interest  of  mankind,  the  law  estab- 
lished to  enforce  it  was  a  most  worthy 
object  of  study  and  labor.  As  a  speaker 
he  was  clear,  logical  and  forcible,  using 
nice  distinctions  and  strong  illustrations. 
His  love  of  justice  and  fair  dealing  be- 
tween man  and  man,  his  own  honesty  of 
purpose,  was  so  clear,  his  judgment  so  de- 


liberate, he  was  so  accustomed  to  weigh 
what  he  said  and  to  wait  until  his  mind 
saw  what  was  right,  that  no  man  doubted 
that  when  he  held  the  scales  evenhanded 
justice  would  be  weighed  out.  Conceal- 
ment, subterfuges  and  chicanery  formed 
no  part  of  his  character.  There  was  a  cer- 
tain openness  of  mind  and  heart  in  all 
that  he  did  and  said,  that  was  as  beauti- 
ful as  it  is  rare.  Modest  in  bearing  toward 
all,  simple  and  unaffected  in  manner  and 
speech,  he  never  attudinized  or  acted  for 
effect.  Yet  he  had  shining  through  his 
simplicity  a  positive  force  of  character 
which  gave  assurance  of  a  strong  well 
balanced  and  developed  power  behind  it. 
He  possessed  a  character  art  had  not 
spoiled,  and  culture  wide  and  varied  but 
added  to  the  charm  of  a  personality  which 
united  the  naturalness  of  youth  with  the 
wisdom  of  age.  He  won  for  himself  a 
place  in  the  warm  regard  of  his  commun- 
ity that  any  man  might  envy,  and  the  in- 
fluence of  his  stainless  life  was  too  genu- 
ine to  pass  easily  from  the  minds  of  his 
contemporaries. 

He  was  not  a  bitter  partisan.  Origi- 
nally a  Whig,  he  acted  with  the  Repub- 
licans as  a  whole,  but  was  independent  in 
national  affairs.  He  represented  his  dis- 
trict in  the  Massachusetts  Assembly  in 
1866  and  in  the  State  Senate  in  1868.  He 
was  a  wise  counselor  both  in  his  profes- 
sion and  in  party  councils,  to  which  he 
was  often  called.  In  1891  he  received 
from  his  alma  mater  the  honorary  degree 
of  Doctor  of  Laws.  He  belonged  to  the 
various  bar  associations  and  to  organiza- 
tions social  and  benevolent  in  their  aims. 
In  all  these  he  took  an  active  interest. 

Mr.  Wilcox  married,  January  7,  1857, 
Nancy  B.  Bradley,  born  in  Lee,  Massa- 
chusetts, died  in  Pittsfield,  November  11, 
1909. 

Charles  M.  Wilcox,  son  of  Marshall 
and  Nancy  B.  (Bradley)  Wilcox,  was  born 
at  Lee,  Massachusetts,  August  13,  1861. 


FOSTER,  Marcus  L., 

Man  of  Affairs. 


EXCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 

He  studied  law  under  his  honored  father  Jonathan,  April  2,  1677;  David,  mentioned 

and  at  Boston  University,  and  was  ad-  below;   William,   April   2,    1681 ;    Phebe, 

mitted  to  the   bar,   March  6,    1886.     He  April  1,  1683;  Abigail,  February,  1685. 

located    in    and    has    since    continuously  (III)    David   Foster,  son  of  John,  was 

practiced  his  profession  in  Pittsfield.     He  born  at  Southampton,  Long  Island,  March 

was  a  member  of  the  State  Legislature  in  15,    1679.     He   removed   to   Middletown, 

1889,   and   fills   an   honored   place   in  the      Connecticut.      He    married    Ann   . 

regard  of  his  townsmen.  He  married,  Children,  born  at  Middletown:  David, 
May  2,  1892,  Katherine,  daughter  of  Al-  mentioned  below;  John,  born  November 
bert  Thompson,  of  New  York,  and  has  14,  1707;  Abigail,  May  30,  1709.  died  No- 
two  children:    Minerva  and  Evelyn  B.  vember  7,  1709 ;  Abigail,  March  8,  1710-11, 

died    March   3,    1712;   Rachel,   April    16, 

1713;  Hackaliah,  August  6,  1715,  married 
Hannah  Washburn ;  Silence,  January  7, 
1717-18;  Sarah,  August  27,  1719;  Phebe, 
Christopher  Foster,  immigrant  ances-  December  20,  1721. 
tor,  was  born  in  England.  He  sailed  in  (IV)  David  (2)  Foster,  son  of  David 
the  ship  "Abigail"  from  England  in  July,  (1),  was  born  at  Middletown,  October  4, 
1635,  when  he  gave  his  age  as  thirty-two  1706.  He  married,  November  2,  1727, 
years,  with  wife  Frances,  aged  twenty-  Elizabeth  Markham,  and  they  lived  in 
five  years,  and  children  Rebecca,  aged  his  native  town.  Children,  born  at  Mid- 
five ;  Nathaniel,  aged  two ;  and  John,  aged  dletown:  Elizabeth,  born  July  31,  1728; 
one  year.  He  settled  at  Lynn,  Massa-  David,  July  27,  1730;  Jonathan,  mentioned 
chusetts,  of  which  he  was  a  proprietor  in  below;  Abigail,  September  4,  1734;  Fen- 
1638.  He  had  a  law  suit  at  Lynn  in  1637.  ner,  November  9,  1736,  went  with  his 
He  gave  letters  of  attorney,  March  9,  brothers  to  Ballston,  Saratoga  county, 
1645-46,  to  Daniel  King,  of  Lynn,  woolen  New  York,  soldier  in  the  Revolution,  and 
draper,  to  collect  a  legacy  due  his  wife  was  head  of  a  family  there  in  1790,  ac- 
Frances  from  her  mother,  Alice  Stevens,  cording  to  the  first  federal  census  ;  Hack- 
late  of  Ewill,  in  County  Surrey,  England,  aliah,  February  29,  1739-40,  also  went  to 
He  sold  his  house  and  land  at  Lynn,  New  York  and  lived  near  Fenner  and 
March  10,  1645-46,  and  soon  afterward  Jonathan  at  Ballston,  was  reported  also 
removed  to  Long  Island.  He  had  an  in  the  census  of  1790,  sergeant  in  the  Rev- 
allotment  of  land  at  Southampton,  Long  olution  from  New  York,  a  prisoner  of  the 
Island,  in  1651.  Children:  Rebecca,  born  British,  a  pensioner;  James,  July  3,  1743, 
1630;  Nathaniel,  1633;  John,  1634;  George;  also    of    Ballston.    and    he    and    his    son, 

Benjamin,   married    Lydia  ;   Han-  James,  Jr.,  were  reported  in  the  census  of 

nah,  married  Daniel  Sayre ;  Joseph,  1638;  1790;  Ann,  January  31,  1746.     It  is  likely 

Sarah,  married  Samuel  Johnson.  that   the   entire   family   moved    to   Balls- 

(II)   John   Foster,  son  of  Christopher,  ton,    except    perhaps    David,    of    whom 

was  born  in  England  in  1634.     He  lived  nothing  further  is  known, 

at  Southampton,  Long  Island.     Children,  (V)   Jonathan    Foster,    son    of    David 

born  at  Southampton:   John,  February  8,  (2),  was  born  in  Middletown,  Connecti- 

1662;  Sarah,  January  29,   1664;  Hannah,  cut,  July  15,  1732.     He  and  his  brothers 

January  2,  1667  ;  Jeremiah,  March  2,  1671  ;  settled    at     Ballston,    New    York,    when 

Patience,  March  7,   1673,   married  Abra-  young  men.    They  served  in  the  Revolu- 

ham  Howell ;  Rachel,  February  2,   1675  ;  tion  from  that  town  and  they  were  heads 

403 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


of  families  there  in  1790.  Josiah,  Lebeus 
and  Erastus,  probably  sons  of  these 
brothers,  were  also  heads  of  families  there 
in  1790. 

(VI)  Eli  Foster  was  of  this  family.  A 
careful  search  of  the  deeds,  probate  rec- 
ords and  other  evidences  indicates  that 
he  was  a  son  of  Jonathan  or  James,  but  in 
the  absence  of  documentary  proof  it  must 
be  stated  that  there  is  a  possibility  that 
he  was  a  son  of  Vincent  Foster,  of  Malta, 
by  his  first  wife.  Vincent  Foster  was  also 
a  descendant  of  Christopher  Foster  (1), 
mentioned  above  and  an  early  settler  at 
Malta,  New  York.  Eli  lived  on  a  farm 
at  Malta,  New  York.  He  bought  the  farm 
in  1823,  and  lived  there  until  his  death  in 
1840.  His  gravestone  shows  that  he  died 
February  6,  1840,  aged  sixty  years.  His 
death  was  caused  by  an  accident  while 
lumbering.  His  wife  Deborah  was  born 
September  6,  1782,  and  died  September 
28,  1870,  aged  eighty-eight  years  twenty- 
two  days,  according  to  her  gravestone. 
The  widow  was  appointed  administratrix, 
December  29,  1841.  The  graves  are  in  the 
old  Malta  Ridge  Cemetery.  Children: 
Maria,  died  1840,  married  Barker  Colla- 
more,  Jr. ;  Harmon  S.,  mentioned  below  ; 
James;  Alvira,  married  Henry  C.  Swift, 
daughter,  Charlotte  Goodfellow,  is  now 
living  at  Fort  Edward,  New  York,  and  a 
son,  S.  O.  Swift,  at  West  Brookfield,  Mas- 
sachusetts ;  Gilbert  N. ;  John  E. ;  Aurelia 
(or  Rilly),  married  Barker  Collamore,  Jr. 
(fourth  wife)  ;  Rosamond,  married  Robert 
Simpson,  of  Oswego,  New  York. 

(VII)  Harmon  S.  Foster,  son  of  Eli, 
was  born  in  1803,  at  Malta  or  Saratoga, 
New  York.  He  was  educated  in  the  pub- 
lic schools,  and  when  a  young  man  located 
in  Hannibal,  New  York,  afterwards  in 
Oswego,  New  York.  He  was  a  success- 
ful contractor  and  builder.  He  enlisted 
for  the  Civil  War  in  the  Eighty-first  New 
York  Regiment.  In  politics  he  was  a  Re- 
publican,   in    religion    a    Methodist.      He 


died  in  Oswego,  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
three,  and  was  buried  in  that  city.  He 
married  Elizabeth,  a  daughter  of  Valen- 
tine Campbell  of  Stillwater,  Saratoga 
county,  New  York,  who  was  a  soldier  at 
Saratoga  and  the  battle  of  Bemis  Heights. 
She  died  January  3,  1873,  aged  sixty- 
seven,  and  was  buried  at  Granby,  Oswego 
county,  New  York.  Children:  Melvin, 
Jane,  Sarah,  Hartwell  Stedman,  Llew- 
ellyn (mentioned  below)  and  Mary.  Mel- 
vin moved  to  Akron,  Ohio ;  had  three  chil- 
dren, Fletcher,  Eugene  and  Mary.  Jane 
married  James  A.  Stewart,  of  Louisville, 
Kentucky.  Mary  married  Robert  M. 
Peak,  and  resides  at  800  South  Thirty- 
sixth  street,   Louisville,  Kentucky. 

(VIII)  Llewellyn  Foster,  son  of  Har- 
mon S.,  was  born  October  11,  1844,  at 
Hannibal,  Oswego  county,  New  York, 
died  at  Oswego,  New  York,  September 
17,  1890,  in  his  forty-fifth  year.  He  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  and  learned 
the  trade  of  millwright.  He  followed  his 
trade  installing  machinery  in  mills.  He 
was  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  War  in  the 
One  Hundred  and  Eighty-fourth  New 
York  Volunteer  Infantry  Regiment,  Sixth 
Corps,  enlisting  at  the  age  of  eighteen. 
He  served  in  the  Shenandoah  campaign, 
took  part  in  the  battles  of  Cedar  Creek, 
Petersburg  and  many  others.  His  health 
was  shattered  by  his  army  service  and  his 
death  was  due  primarily  to  that  cause. 
He  was  a  Republican.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  lodge  of  Oswego.  He  mar- 
ried Marion  Carpenter,  the  adopted 
daughter  of  Marcus  Fenton  and  Elizabeth 
Ann  (Worden)  Carpenter.  She  was  a 
daughter  of  Katharine  Stanley,  who  mar- 
ried an  English  army  officer,  Edward 
Stanley,  who  left  the  country  when  she 
was  an  infant.  Children:  1.  Frederick, 
born  October  25,  1868,  died  April  28,  1882, 
jit  Louisville,  Kentucky,  a  student,  at  the 
age  of  fourteen.  2.  Marcus  Llewellyn, 
mentioned  below.    3.  Grace  Jennie,  born 


404 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


August  24,  1873;  married  Charles  A. 
Keiser,  of  Schenectady,  New  York,  for- 
merly of  York,  Pennsylvania,  and  has  two 
children — Marion  and  Grace  Keiser.  4. 
Nina  died  in  infancy.  5.  Edward  Clark, 
died  in  infancy.  6.  Bessie,  born  June  12, 
died  August  11,  1882.  7.  James  Arthur, 
born  July  28,  1884,  married  Helen  Louise 
Mosher,  of  Schenectady,  New  York.  8. 
Garrett  Hartwell,  born  January  20,  1889, 
married  Florence  Maion  Boldes,  of  Pough- 
keepsie,  New  York ;  resides  at  San  Fran- 
cisco, California. 

(IX)  Marcus  Llewellyn  Foster,  son  of 
Llewellyn,  was  born  at  Oswego,  New 
York,  December  8,  1871.  He  attended 
the  public  schools  of  his  native  city.  He 
came  to  Worcester  when  he  was  sixteen, 
and  was  in  the  employment  of  W.  H. 
Sawyer,  the  lumber  dealer  for  nine  years. 
He  was  treasurer  of  the  Howe  Lumber 
Company  of  Lowell,  Massachusetts,  one 
year.  In  the  spring  of  1898  he  established 
the  firm  of  Stone  &  Foster  Lumber  Com- 
pany, having  its  place  of  business  at  the 
corner  of  Central  and  Union  streets, 
Worcester.  Mr.  Foster  bought  out  his 
partner  in  1906  and  has  since  continued 
the  business  under  the  old  corporate  name, 
being  president  and  treasurer  of  the  com- 
pany. 

Mr.  Foster  is  also  connected  with  other 
large  interests.  He  is  president  of  the 
Ravenel  Company,  owning  six  thousand 
acres  of  pine  timber  in  South  Carolina, 
with  a  capital  of  $100,000;  this  company 
was  organized  in  191 1.  He  is  also  treas- 
urer of  the  Highland  Spruce  Company, 
owning  nine  thousand  acres  of  spruce 
timber  land  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the 
Black  mountains,  in  North  Carolina,  in- 
cluding Mount  Mitchell.  The  capital  is 
$350,000.  Mr.  Foster  is  treasurer  of  the 
Dickey  &  Campbell  Company,  Inc.,  a  cor- 
poration owning  eighteen  thousand  acres 
of  spruce  timber  land  in  the  Black  moun- 
tains of  North  Carolina  ;  the  capitalization 


is  $600,000.  This  is  an  operating  com- 
pany having  twenty-five  miles  of  its  own 
railroads  for  transporting  lumber.  Mr. 
Foster  is  president  of  a  real  estate  cor- 
poration of  Worcester  known  as  the  Fos- 
ter Associates,  the  capital  of  which  is 
$125,000.  He  is  also  treasurer  of  the  W. 
L.  Dines  Jr.  Company,  a  Worcester  cor- 
poration engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
machinery  for  export  for  coffee,  sugar, 
rice  and  cocoa  plantations,  with  a  plant 
at  172  Union  street;  capital  $10,000.  Mr. 
Foster  is  vice-president  of  the  Park  Build- 
ing Company,  which  has  just  erected  the 
Park  building  at  the  corner  of  Park  and 
Main  streets,  Worcester;  capital  $350,000. 
This  building  is  of  modern  fireproof  con- 
struction, eleven  stories  high,  containing 
six  stores  and  two  hundred  offices,  and  is 
the  finest  building  of  the  kind  in  Worces- 
ter. Mr.  Foster  is  a  director  of  the 
Worcester  National  Bank  and  a  trustee 
of  the  Mechanics'  Savings  Bank ;  a  direc- 
tor of  the  Massachusetts  Retail  Lumber 
Dealers'  Association ;  a  member  of  the 
Worcester  Chamber  of  Commerce.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Worcester  Club,  the 
Worcester  Country  Club,  and  one  of  its 
board  of  governors ;  the  Tatnuck  Coun- 
try Club ;  and  the  Quinsigamond  Boat 
Club,  of  which  he  is  president.  In  poli- 
tics he  is  a  Republican. 

He  married  at  Worcester,  March  2, 
1897,  Alice  Hathaway  Baldwin,  daughter 
of  John  Stanton  Baldwin,  former  pub- 
lisher of  the  "Worcester  Spy."  Children  : 
1.  Marcella  Hathaway,  born  December  8, 
1897.  2.  Alicia,  December  21,  1898.  3. 
Ellen  Frances,  August  9,  1900.  4.  Marcus 
Llewellyn,  Jr.,  March  8,  1910. 


WHITING,  and  Allied  Families. 

Nathaniel  Whiting,  the  immigrant  an- 
cestor, was  born  in  England  in  1609.  He 
is  mentioned  in  the  will  of  his  grand- 
father, John    Smith,   who   bequeathed   to 


405 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


his  mother,  Sarah  (Smith)  Whiting,  lands 
at  Hoxden,  County  Middlesex,  England. 
He  had  a  brother,  Samuel  Whiting,  also 
mentioned  in  this  will.  Nathaniel  came 
first  to  Lynn,  Massachusetts,  as  early  as 
1638,  when  he  was  one  of  the  proprietors 
of  that  town.  In  the  early  records  his 
name  is  spelled  sometimes  Whyting  and 
Whytinge.  Most  of  the  descendants  use 
the  spelling  Whiting,  but  the  Whitins  of 
Whitinsville  are  descendants.  Nathaniel 
moved  to  Dedham  a  few  years  after  he 
came  to  this  country,  and  was  a  proprie- 
tor there  in  1640;  was  admitted  to  the 
Dedham  church  July  30,  1641,  and  made 
a  freeman  May  18,  1642.  He  died  at 
Dedham,  January  15,  1682-83.  His  will 
was  dated  May  15,  1677,  and  proved  April 
19,  1683.  He  gave  his  whole  estate  to  his 
wife  Hannah,  to  distribute  at  her  dis- 
cretion. She  died  November  4,  1714,  aged 
eighty-nine  years.  He  married,  Novem- 
ber 4,  1643,  Hannah  Dwight,  daughter  of 
John  and  Hannah  Dwight  of  Dedham, 
progenitors  of  a  famous  old  family.  She 
came  to  Dedham  from  England  with  her 
parents  and  brothers,  John  and  Timothy. 
Her  father  was  at  Watertown  in  1635,  re- 
moved to  Dedham,  was  admitted  a  free- 
man March  13,  1638-39,  and  became 
owner  of  half  of  the  water  mill.  Whiting 
was  also  a  miller.  Children  of  Nathaniel 
Whiting:  Nathaniel,  born  September  26, 
1644;  John,  September  28,  1646,  died 
young;  John,  November  3,  1647;  Samuel, 
December  20,  1649;  Hannah,  February 
17,  1651;  Timothy,  mentioned  below; 
Mary,  twin,  January  5,  1653;  John,  twin 
of  Mary;  Mary,  October  12,  1658;  Sarah, 
December  3,  1660;  Abigail,  June  7,  1663; 
John,  July  19,  1665 ;  Jonathan,  October 
9,  1667;  Judith,  March  30,  1670;  Anna, 
January  25,  1672. 

(II)  Timothy  Whiting,  son  of  Na- 
thaniel, was  born  at  Dedham,  January  5, 
1653,  and  died  there  December  26,  1728. 
He   was   selectman   of   Dedham   in    1707. 


He  owned  a  corn  mill,  which  was  burned 
in  1700,  but  rebuilt,  the  town  lending 
money  from  the  school  funds  for  the  pur- 
pose. His  will  was  dated  December  18, 
1728,  proved  January  9,  1728-29,  in  it  he 
is  called  a  fuller.  He  bequeathed  to  wife, 
sons  Timothy,  Nathaniel  and  Joseph,  and 
daughters  Sarah,  Elizabeth  and  Mehit- 
able.  He  married  Sarah  Bullard,  who 
was  born  at  Dedham,  January  7,  1658, 
died  in  1732.  Her  will  dated  June  15, 
1732,  proved  September  1,  1732,  mentions 
the  same  children  as  those  in  his  will. 
Children,  born  at  Dedham:  Hannah,  born 
April  9,  1680;  Sarah,  September  15,  1682; 
Mary,  February  4,  1684;  Timothy,  De- 
cember 15,  1685;  Nathaniel,  mentioned 
below;  Joseph;  Elizabeth,  May  21,  1694; 
Mehitable,  May  30,  1696 ;  Isaac,  July  26, 
1698. 

(III)  Nathaniel  (2)  Whiting,  son  of 
Timothy,  was  born  at  Dedham,  Septem- 
ber 23,  1688;  died  there  August  17,  1771. 
He  purchased  the  grist  mill  in  Dedham, 
April  25,  1732,  of  Zachariah  Whiting,  and 
sold  it  February  10,  1756,  to  his  son 
Joseph.  His  will  was  dated  February  6, 
1760,  proved  September  13,  1771.  He 
married,  at  Dedham,  April  6,  1712,  Joanna 
Ellis,  born  at  Dedham,  September  18, 
1689,  died  there  September  3,  1773, 
daughter  of  Joseph  and  Mary  (Graves) 
Ellis.  Children,  born  at  Dedham  :  Mary, 
February  22,  1713-14;  John,  May  17, 
1716;  Hannah,  July  3,  1718;  Sarah,  Au- 
gust 22,  1720;  Isaac,  mentioned  below; 
Rebeckah,  April  2,  1725;  Margaret,  May 
1,  1727;  Joseph,  June  14,  1729. 

(IV)  Isaac  Whiting,  son  of  Nathaniel 
(2),  was  born  at  Dedham,  February  12, 
1722-23,  and  died  there  July  18,  1785.  He 
married  there,  April  5,  1744,  Rebecca 
Fisher,  born  at  Dedham,  April  19,  1722, 
died  April  13,  1787.  Both  are  buried  in 
the  First  Parish  Cemetery.  His  will, 
dated  October  20,  1784,  proved  August 
9,    1785,    mentions   wife    Rebecca;    sons 


406 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Calvin,  Nathaniel  and  Fisher;  grand- 
daughter Rebecca  Gay  and  grandson 
Jesse  Draper.  Children,  born  in  Dedham  : 
Rebecca,  February  2,  1744-45;  Hannah, 
July  26,  1747;  Mary,  July  6,  1750;  Na- 
thaniel, mentioned  below ;  Fisher,  May 
IO>  1757;  Calvin,  June  20,  1762;  Sarah, 
November  11,  1764. 

(V)  Nathaniel  (3)  Whiting,  son  of 
Isaac,  was  born  at  Dedham,  February  19, 
1753,  and  died  there  September  2,  1821. 
He  married  there,  March  23,  1775,  Eliza- 
beth Eaton,  born  at  Dedham,  January  14, 
1756,  died  there  November  15,  1841, 
daughter  of  John  and  Desire  (Smith) 
Eaton.  His  will  was  dated  August  24, 
1821,  proved  October  2,  1821,  bequeath- 
ing to  wife  Elizabeth ;  daughter  Sarah 
Richards,  of  Pompton,  New  Jersey; 
daughter  Molly  Ellis,  of  Medfield  ;  daugh- 
ter Hannah  Smith,  of  Walpole  ;  sons  Na- 
thaniel and  Ira  Whiting,  of  Amherst, 
New  Hampshire  ;  son  Eaton,  of  Dedham  ; 
son  Luther,  of  New  York  City ;  daughter 
Rebecca  Eades,  of  Vernon,  Sussex  county, 
New  Jersey  ;  and  daughter  Abigail  Whit- 
ing, of  Dedham.  Children,  born  at  Ded- 
ham: Sarah,  born  June  22,  1776;  Molly, 
February  19,  1778;  Nathaniel,  mentioned 
below;  Hannah,  May  8,  1781 ;  Eaton, 
November  8,  1782;  Rebecca,  October  31, 
1784;  Ira,  April  9,  1787;  Luther,  Decem- 
ber 1,  1789;  Elizabeth,  January  3,  1793; 
Abigail,  March  15,  1794. 

(VI)  Nathaniel  (4)  Whiting,  son  of 
Nathaniel  (3),  was  born  at  Dedham,  No- 
vember 7,  1779.  He  resided  in  Dedham 
until  181 1,  when  he  located  at  Washing- 
ton, New  Hampshire,  on  a  farm  later 
owned  by  Joseph  Snow,  situated  two 
miles  southwest  of  the  village.  He  mar- 
ried Nancy  Richards,  April  1,  1804;  she 
died  April  14,  1858.  They  removed  to 
Amherst.  New  Hampshire,  in  1818,  and 
he  died  there  October  3,  1843.  Children: 
Clarissa,  born  at  Dedham,  April  28,  1806, 
married    Asa    Clark;     Benjamin    B.,    at 


Washington,  October  1,  1813,  married 
Lucy  J.  Noyes;  Nancy,  October  4,  1815, 
married  Jeremiah  Hawes ;  Alfred,  men- 
tioned below;  John  F.,  at  Amherst, 
March  19,  1822;  married  (first)  Eliza  J. 
Wiley,  May  18,  1848;  (second)  Helen  M. 
Putnam,  November  28,  1861  ;  (third) 
Louella  M.  Boutelle,  January  19,  1871 ; 
resided  at  Wakefield,  New  Hampshire. 

(VII)  Alfred  Whiting,  son  of  Na- 
thaniel (4),  was  born  at  Washington, 
New  Hampshire,  September  18,  1817. 
He  was  apprenticed  at  the  age  of 
twelve  and  learned  the  trade  of  bob- 
bin maker.  He  worked  for  a  time  at 
Woonsocket,  Rhode  Island.  In  1845  he 
became  associated  in  business  with  his 
brothers-in-law,  Charles  Morris  Har- 
ris, Linus  M.  Harris  and  Gideon  Harris, 
under  the  firm  name  of  L.  M.  Harris  & 
Company  at  Oakdale,  Massachusetts.  He 
had  previously  bought  the  Holt  mill  at 
what  was  then  called  Holt's  village,  in 
West  Boylston,  later  known  as  Harris- 
ville.  The  firm  built  up  a  flourishing 
business  in  the  manufacture  of  cotton 
goods.  About  1851  the  mill  was  destroyed 
by  fire,  but  within  a  year  business  was 
resumed  in  a  new  structure.  The  busi- 
ness was  discontinued  when  the  water 
power  and  all  the  real  estate  was  taken 
by  the  metropolitan  water  board  in  the 
nineties  for  a  water  supply.  The  entire 
village  of  West  Boylston  was  taken  at 
the  same  time,  and  the  site  is  now  sub- 
merged under  the  great  metropolitan 
water  basin  formed  by  the  dam  at  Clin- 
ton. In  early  life  he  served  in  the  State 
militia.  In  religion  he  was  a  Universalist. 
He  was  well-known  in  Masonic  circles, 
a  member  of  Montacute  Lodge,  the  coun- 
cil and  chapter  in  Worcester,  and  Wor- 
cester County  Commandery,  Knights 
Templar.  But  his  life  work,  his  interests 
and  endeavors  were  mainly  devoted  to 
his  business.  For  fifty  years  he  was  en- 
gaged in  manufacturing.  He  was  earnest. 


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ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


industrious  and  straightforward,  winning 
success  by  dint  of  hard  work  and  upright- 
ness and  commanding  the  esteem  and  re- 
spect of  his  fellow  men.  He  died  January 
14,  1890,  at  Oakdale. 

Mr.  Whiting  married,  October  21,  1841, 
Mary  Smith  Harris,  who  was  born  March 
14,  1820,  and  died  April  16,  1904,  at  Wor- 
cester, a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Waty 
(Smith)  Harris  (see  Harris).  Children: 
1.  John  Henry,  born  August  9,  1842,  at 
Woonsocket ;  died  January  17,  1843.  2. 
Alfred  Nathaniel,  mentioned  below.  3. 
George  Edwin,  born  at  Oakdale,  June  4, 
1847;  died  January  27,  1850.  4.  Mary 
Eliza,  September  16,  1850,  resides  with 
her  nephew  at  167  Pleasant  street,  Wor- 
cester ;  active  in  church  and  social  work ; 
member  of  the  Worcester  Woman's  Club, 
Timothy  Bigelow  Chapter,  Daughters  of 
the  Revolution ;  and  of  the  Church  of  the 
Unity,  Worcester.  5.  Clara  Waty,  born 
February  2,  1857,  died  February  22,  1859. 

(VIII)  Alfred  Nathaniel  Whiting,  son 
of  Alfred,  was  born  at  Woonsocket, 
Rhode  Island,  December  10,  1844,  died  at 
Worcester,  February  26,  1916.  He  re- 
ceived his  early  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  West  Boylston,  the  East 
Douglas  Academy  and  Woodstock  Acad- 
emy, Woodstock,  Vermont.  He  gradu- 
ated in  1865  from  the  Eastman  Business 
College  at  Poughkeepsie,  New  York.  In 
1870  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  the 
Bell  cotton  mills  at  Peterborough,  New 
Hampshire,  but  he  returned  a  year  later 
to  become  superintendent  of  the  L.  M. 
Harris  Company  at  West  Boylston.  Sub- 
sequently he  became  treasurer  and  gen- 
eral manager,  and  continued  in  these 
offices  until  the  dissolution  of  the  corpo- 
ration in  1902.  He  did  not  again  engage 
in  active  business.  From  1900  until  his 
death  he  was  a  resident  of  Worcester. 
In  politics  Mr.  Whiting  was  a  Republi- 
can, and  though  he  took  a  keen  interest 
in    public    affairs    he    never    held    public 


office.  Like  his  father,  he  devoted  him- 
self unreservedly  to  business  and  allowed 
no  other  interests  to  interfere.  He  was 
but  twelve  years  old  when  he  began  to 
work  in  a  cotton  mill,  and  about  forty 
years  of  his  life  were  passed  in  that  busi- 
ness. As  a  manufacturer  he  mastered 
every  detail  of  the  cotton  industry  and 
took  high  rank  among  his  business  asso- 
ciates. After  his  retirement  he  made 
many  friends  in  Worcester  and  especially 
in  the  Church  of  the  Unity,  of  which  he 
was  a  faithful  member. 

He  married,  June  5,  1867,  Mary  C. 
Holt,  of  West  Boylston.  His  wife  died 
January  22,  1898.  They  had  two  children, 
one  of  whom  died  in  infancy  and  Win- 
fred  Holt,  mentioned  below. 

(IX)  Winfred  Holt  Whiting,  son  of 
Alfred  Nathaniel,  was  born  at  Oakdale, 
West  Boylston,  July  26,  1881.  He  at- 
tended the  public  and  high  schools  of  his 
native  town  and  entered  Brown  Univer- 
versity,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in 
1901  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts. 
Three  years  later  he  graduated  from  Har- 
vard Law  School.  He  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  February,  1904,  and  immedi- 
ately afterward  engaged  in  practice  in 
Worcester.  For  a  short  time  he  was  in 
the  office  of  Charles  M.  Thayer.  He  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  of  the  United  States 
Circuit  Court  in  August,  1905.  He  was 
appointed  Associate  Justice  of  the  Central 
District  Court  of  Worcester  in  Novem- 
ber, 1910,  and  has  continued  to  the 
present  time  in  this  position.  In  politics 
he  is  a  Republican.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Republican  city  committee  from 
1908  to  191 1,  inclusive,  and  chairman  of 
Ward  Ten  Republican  committee  in  1909- 
10-11.  He  was  elected  to  the  Common 
Council  in  191 1,  reelected  in  1913  and  1915, 
and  in  1916  was  elected  president  of  that 
body.  Mr.  Whiting  is  treasurer  of  the 
Church  of  the  Unity,  and  has  taken  an 
active  part  in  the  work  of  the  church.    He 


408 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


is   a   member   of   the   Tatnuck    Country 
Club. 

(The   Richards  Lino). 

(I)  Edward  Richards,  the  immigrant 
ancestor,  probably  came  to  this  country 
in  1632  in  the  ship  "Lyon,"  with  his 
brother  Nathaniel,  with  whom  he  lived  at 
Cambridge  until  1636.  He  removed  to 
Dedham  and  was  received  as  one  of  the 
proprietors  in  1636-37,  and  admitted  to 
the  church,  July  17,  1640.  He  was  ad- 
mitted a  freeman  in  1641,  and  in  1646 
was  selectman,  an  office  he  held  for  nine 
years.  He  was  a  man  of  means  and  owned 
a  large  amount  of  real  estate.  He  was 
one  of  those  who  planned  to  establish  a 
manor  at  Dedham.  In  May,  1684,  he 
dictated  his  will,  but  died  before  he  had 
an  opportunity  to  sign  it.  He  died  Au- 
gust 25,  1684.  He  married,  September 
10,  1638,  Susan  Hunting,  who  died  Sep- 
tember 9,  1684.  Children,  born  at  Ded- 
ham: Mary,  September  29,  1639;  John, 
July  1,  1641  ;  Dorcas,  September  25,  1643; 
Nathaniel,  mentioned  below ;  Sarah,  May 
25,  1651. 

(II)  Nathaniel  Richards,  son  of  Ed- 
ward, was  born  at  Dedham,  February  25, 
1648,  died  February  15,  1726.  He  inher- 
ited the  homestead  and  a  double  share  of 
his  father's  real  estate.  He  was  a  man 
of  character  and  substance,  and  was  dig- 
nified with  the  title  of  "Mr."  in  the  rec- 
ords. He  married,  February  28,  1678, 
Mary  Aldis,  born  November  29,  1657, 
daughter  of  Deacon  John  and  Sarah  (Elli- 
ott) Aldis.  Children:  Nathaniel,  born 
January  2,  1679;  Jeremiah,  May  30,  1681  ; 
James,  April  24,  1683  ;  Edward,  mentioned 
below;  William,  December  16,  1687; 
Mary,  February  28,  1690-91  ;  Dorcas, 
April  21,  1696;  Elizabeth,  December  3, 
1699. 

(III)  Lieutenant  Edward  (2)  Richards, 
son  of  Nathaniel,  was  born  at  Dedham, 
September  17,  1684,  died  December  3, 
1771.     He  was  well-to-do  and  prominent 


in  town  and  church.  He  married  (first) 
at  Newton,  in  1709,  Sarah  Wheeler,  born 
October  28,  1689,  died  February  22,  1732, 
daughter  of  Ephraim  and  Sarah  Wheeler ; 
(second)  January  19,  1736,  Hannah  Lyon, 
of  Roxbury,  who  died  January  4,  1755, 
aged  fifty-five  years;  (third)  January  9, 
1760,  Zipporah  Battelle,  of  Dedham,  born 
March  14,  1708-09,  died  September  27, 
1791,  daughter  of  Barikah  and  Judith 
Lewis,  widow  of  Captain  Ebenezer  Bat- 
telle, and  previously  widow  of  Lieutenant 
Aaron  Ellis.  Her  will  was  dated  Sep- 
tember 20,  1776,  and  proved  October  25, 
1791.  Children:  Edward,  born  May  2, 
1771  ;  Josiah,  mentioned  below;  Edward, 
September  5,  1715  ;  Thomas,  October  3, 
1718;  Sarah,  July  28,  1720;  Ephraim,  June 
16,  1723;  Elizabeth,  baptized  July  17, 
1726;  Edward,  April  18,  1738;  Thaddeus, 
June  17,  1741. 

(IV)  Josiah  Richards,  son  of  Edward, 
was  born  at  Dedham,  September  22,  1713, 
died  October  24,  1771.  He  married,  Sep- 
tember 22,  1737,  Hannah  Whiting,  born 
July  3,  1718,  daughter  of  Nathaniel  and 
Joanna  Whiting.  She  married  (second) 
April  6,  1774,  Nathaniel  Whiting,  of  Rox- 
bury, and  died  there  April  1,  1788.  Chil- 
dren: Lemuel,  born  January  22,  1737-38; 
Moses,  December  11,  1739;  Hannah,  No- 
vember 1,  1741  ;  Asa,  baptized  October  9, 
1743;  Sarah,  baptized  December  22,  1745; 
Thaddeus,  November  14,  1747;  Josiah, 
mentioned  below;  Solomon,  October  21, 
1751  ;  Mary,  January  11,  1754;  Lucy,  May 
21,  1756;  Abijah,  July  2,  1758;  Lydia, 
June  1,  1760;  Jesse,  September  28,  1762; 
Betsey. 

(V)  Josiah  (2)  Richards,  son  of  Josiah 
(1),  was  born  at  Dedham,  November  15, 
1749;  died  aged  eighty-four  years.  He 
was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution,  and  took 
part  in  the  battles  of  Bunker  Hill  and 
Monmouth.  In  the  former  battle  he  fired 
twenty-four  rounds,  knocked  down  a 
British  officer  with  the  butt  of  his  musket, 


409 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  in  retreating  passed  over  the  body  of 
General  Warren.  It  is  related  that  when 
he  was  on  guard,  Washington  attempted 
to  pass  him,  giving  the  wrong  password, 
but  Richards  declined  to  allow  him  to 
pass.  The  next  day  Washington  sent  for 
him  and  commended  him  for  doing  his 
duty.  He  married,  May  n,  1778,  Sarah 
Shuttleworth,  who  was  born  at  Dedham, 
July  25,  1754.  They  moved  to  Washing- 
ton, New  Hampshire,  but  later  returned 
to  Dedham,  where  he  died.  During  his 
last  years  he  drew  a  pension  for  his  Revo- 
lutionary service.  Children  :  Peyton,  born 
February  21,  1779;  Nancy,  born  Septem- 
ber 19,  1780,  at  Dedham ;  married  Na- 
thaniel Whiting  (see  Whiting). 

(The   Harris   Line). 

(I)  Thomas  Harris,  immigrant  ances- 
tor, came  with  Roger  Williams  and  was 
imprisoned  during  the  religious  persecu- 
tions of  1658.  He  settled  at  Lynn,  Mas- 
sachusetts. 

(II)  Thomas  (2)  Harris,  son  of  Thomas 
(1),  married  Elnactrau  Tew. 

(III)  Thomas  (3)  Harris,  son  of 
Thomas  (2),  was  born  in  1665,  died  in 
1741 ;  married  Phebe  Brown. 

(IV)  Charles  Harris,  son  of  Thomas 
(2),  was  born  in  1709;  married,  March  19, 
1748,  at  North  Scituate,  Rhode  Island, 
Mary  Hopkins. 

(V)  Gideon  Harris,  son  of  Charles, 
married  Rhoda  (Smith)  Harris,  widow  of 
his  brother  Henry. 

(VI)  Henry  Harris,  son  of  Gideon,  was 
born  August  2,  1787;  married  Bernice 
Randall ;  (second)  Waty  Smith,  daugh- 
ter of  Captain  Jonathan  Smith,  a  Revolu- 
tionary soldier.  Children :  Alsaide ;  Linus 
Monroe ;  Gideon ;  Mary  Smith,  married 
Alfred  Whiting  (see  Whiting);  Charles 
Morris,  father  of  the  late  Henry  F.  Har- 
ris, of  Worcester;  Thomas  Henry;  Otis 
Braddock;  Whipple  Burlingame. 


(The    Fisher  Line). 

(I)  Anthony  Fisher  lived  at  Wignotte, 
parish  of  Syleham,  County  Suffolk,  Eng- 
land ;  married  Mary  Fiske,  daughter  of 
William  and  Anne  Fiske,  of  St.  James, 
South  Elmsham,  County  Suffolk ;  was 
buried  at  Syleham,  April  11,  1640.  Chil- 
dren :  Joshua,  Mary,  Anthony,  Amos  and 
Cornelius. 

(II)  Joshua  Fisher,  son  of  Anthony, 
was  baptized  at  Syleham,  February  24, 
1585  ;  married  (second)  February  7,  1638, 
Anne  Luson ;  came  to  New  England  in 
1640;  was  first  deacon  of  the  Medfield 
church ;  selectman  of  Medfield  in  1653 
and  1655.  Children  by  first  wife:  Eliza- 
beth, Joshua  and  John. 

(III)  Joshua  (2)  Fisher,  son  of  Joshua 
(1),  was  baptized  at  Syleham,  April  2, 
1621 ;  member  of  the  Boston  Artillery 
Company ;  town  clerk,  selectman,  clerk  of 
the  writs,  surveyor  of  the  province,  deputy 
to  the  General  Court,  tavern  keeper.  Chil- 
dren, born  at  Dedham:  Mary,  Joshua, 
Hannah,  Abigail,  Joshua,  John,  Hannah, 
Vigilance  and  James. 

(IV)  Vigilance  Fisher,  son  of  Joshua 
(2),  was  born  November  21,  1654;  mar- 
ried (first)  November  27,  1678,  Rebecca 
Partridge,  who  died  August  15,  1694; 
(second)  at  Dorchester,  Hannah  Lyon. 
He  died  April  10,  1713.  Children,  born 
at  Dedham:  Lydia,  Samuel,  James,  Re- 
becca, David,  Abigail,  Benjamin,  Joseph, 
Mary,  Hannah  and  Ebenezer. 

(V)  James  Fisher,  son  of  Vigilance, 
was  born  April  4,  1686;  married  at  Ded- 
ham, April  6,  1721,  Hannah  Onion,  born 
January  21,  1698,  daughter  of  Benjamin 
and  Deborah  (Woodcock)  Onion,  grand- 
daughter of  Robert  and  Sarah  Onion,  and 
of  John  and  Sarah  Woodcock.  Fisher 
lived  on  the  homestead  of  his  father  at 
Clapboard  Tress,  Dedham.  He  died  there 
April  23,  1734.  Children:  Rebecca,  born 
April  19,  1722,  married  Isaac  Whiting 
(see  Whiting)  ;  Mary,  Hannah  and  James. 


INDEX 


INDEX 


Albro,  Gideon,  97 

James,  97 

John,  96,  97 

Samuel,  97 
Allen,  Charles,  29 
Almy,  Isaac,  198 

Job,  197,  198 

William,  197 
Anthony,  Abraham,  195 

Benjamin,   197 

Edward,  197 

Francis,  195 

John,   195 

Philip,  196 

William,  196 

Bailey,  Abraham,  388 

Anna,  390 

Isaac,  389 

Isaac  T.,  389 

John,  389 

Roby,  390 

Stephen,  389 

Thomas,  William,  388 
Baker  ancestry,  312,  322 

Abby  O.,  315 

Caleb  W.,  314 

Charles  F.,  314 

Clara  M.,  315 

Fannie  P.,  315 

Hattie  M.,  315 

John,  313.  322 

Joseph,  313,  323 

Levi,  314,  323 

Nathaniel,  313,  323 
Ball,  Thomas,  9 
Barrett  ancestry,  137 

Calvin,  139 

Daniel,  138 

Horace,  139 

John  B.,  140 

Leon  J.,  137,  140 


Martha  S.,  141 

Moses,  138 

Smith,  138,  139 

Thomas,  137,  138 
Bennett,  Nathan,  46 

Samuel,  45,  46 

Thomas,  46 
Bickford  ancestry,  147 

Effie  I..  148 

John,  147 

Jonathan,  147 

Orlando  E.,  147,  148 

Thomas,  147 
Blake  ancestry,  172 

Ethel,  177 

Fordyce  T.,  172,   177 

George  F.,  175,  176 

Increase,  173,  174 

James,  172 
Thomas  D.,  Dr.,  175 

William,  172,  173 
Bliss,  Daniel,  50 

Jonathan,  49 

Noah,  50 

Thomas,  48,  49 
Borden  ancestry,  64,  71,  366 

Benjamin,  366 

Bertha  F.,  -jz 

Charles  F.,  70,  71,  72 

Edward,  72 

Joseph,  71 

Joseph  F.,  -J2 

Joshua,  65 

Joshua  W„  65 

Mathew,  64 

Perry,  65 

Richard,  64 

Robert  R.,  72 

Samuel,  64,  366 
Boutwell  ancestry,  199 

Calvin  S.,  200 

Cora  B.,  201 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OE  BIOGRAPHY 


Ebenezer,  199 

Ebenezer  C,  200 

Edson  S.,  199,  201 

James,  199 

William  H.,  200 
Bowen  ancestry,  38 

Abraham,  39 

Edward  H.,  41 

Fanny  C,  40 

Harold  C,  41 

John,  38 

Joseph  A.,  38,  40 

Joseph  H.,  41 

Joseph  W.,  41 

Mary  S.,  41 

Nathan,  38 
Bridges  ancestry,  60 

Benjamin,  61 

Caleb,  60 

Edmund,  60 

Hackaliah,  61 

Martin,  61 

Sumner,  61 
Briggs,  Francis,  51 

John, 58 

Richard,  51 

William,  51 
Brightman  ancestry,  305,  369 

Bradford,  305,  306 

Cornelius,  305 

Eva  S.  C,  371 

George,  306 

George  S.,  371 

Hathaway,  371 

Henry,  305,  370 

Israel,  305 

James,  370 

Joseph,  306,  370 

Temperance  L.  B.,  306 

Thomas,  305 
Brown  ancestry,  186,  242,  261,  325 

Alexander,  325 

Benjamin,  262 

Benjamin  F.,  245 

Beriah,  325 

Edward,  261 


Isaac  A.,  186,  188 
Jarvis,  187 
Jeremiah,  187,  188 
John,  186,  187 
Jonathan,  262 
Joseph,  242 
Joseph  C,  243 
Josiah,  262 
Lydia  A.,  188 
Nicholas,  261 
Robert,  243 
Timothy,  263 
William,  325 
Zepherine,  246 
Brownell  ancestry,  95,  330,  385 
Anna,  390 
Clarke,  386 
Fenner,  96 
George,  95,  330,  386 
Giles,  387 
Humphrey,  96 
Isaac  T.,  389 
James,  388 
Jonathan,  388 
Joseph,  388 
Oliver  C,  387 
Pardon,  388 
Stephen,  95,  330,  386 
Thomas,  95,  330,  386 
William,  95,  386,  387 

Capen  ancestry,  20 

Elmer  H.,  20 

Helen  M.,  23 

Samuel,  20 

Samuel  B.,  23 

Samuel  C,  23 
Chace  ancestry,  91 

Albert  G.,  93 

Benjamin,  92 

Fenner  A.,  94 

George,  92 

George  A.,  91,  93 

Joseph,  92 

Robert,  92 

Sarah  A.,  94 

William,  92 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Chamberlain,  Alice,  19 

Daniel  H.,  18 

Eli,  18 
Chase  ancestry,  114,  229 

Aquila,  229 

Caleb,  230 

Daniel,  229 

Holder,  114 

Leander  F.,  115 

Moses,  229 

Nathan,  114 

Nehemiah,  230 

Obediah,  114 
Church  ancestry,  292,  331 

Benjamin,  292 

Benjamin,  Col.,  291 

Caleb,  331 

Charles  W.,  295 

Charlotte  F.,  295,  299 

Ebenezer,  332 

Edward,  292 

Hezekiah  W.,  293 

Joseph,  331,  332 

Joseph  H.,  290,  294 

Richard,  290 

Samuel,  292 

Thomas,  293 
Churchill  ancestry,  77,  355 

Barnabas,  355 

David,  77,  91 

Eliezer,  80 

Ichabod,  356 

Jesse,  356 

Jesse  F.,  356 

John,  76,  80,  90,  355 

Joseph,  80,  355,  356 

Levi,  77 

Tobias,  81 

William,  77,  90,  91 
Claflin,  William,  8 
Clarke,  Samuel,  16 

Susan  H.,  17 

Thomas  C,  16 
Clough,  Jefferson  M.,  142 

John,  141,  142 

Jonathan,  141,  142 

Timothy,  142 


Codding,  Charles  B.,  121 

Mary  E.,  121 
Coffin  ancestry,  252 

David,  258 

Elihu,  258 

James,  255 

John,  258 

John  G.,  257 

Nathaniel,  256 

Peter,  253 

Reuben  F.,  257 

Samuel,  257,  258 

Tristram,  254 
Cogswell  ancestry,  353 

Ada  C, 354 

George  H.,  354 

George  S.,  353,  354 

Jessie  F.,  355 

John,  353 

Lillian  A.,  354 

Edward  S.,  355 
Conant  ancestry,  227 

Benjamin,  228 

Ezra,  228 

Ezra,  Dr.,  228 

John,  227,  228 

Lot,  227 

Richard,  227 

Roger,  227 
Cook  ancestry,  204 

Augustus,  205 

Benjamin  A.,  204,  206 

Charles  T.,  205 

Erastus  H.,  205 

James,  204 

John,  42,  43 

Mark  H.,  206 

Minnie  L.,  207 

Obed,  204 

Reuben,  204 

Richard,  204 

Thomas,  42,  43 
Cooper,  Caleb,  101 

Jesse,  101 

John, 101 
Corey  ancestry,  44,  87 

Benjamin,  45 


415 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Giles,  87 

Isaac,  88 

John,  45,  89 

Jonathan,  45 

Leonard,  89 

Thomas,  45,  88 

William,  44 
Cox,  Garland,  63 

Garland  P.,  63 

Harry,  Capt.,  63 

John,  61,  62 

William,  61 
Craft,  Griffin,  383 

Moses,  383 

Nathan,  383 

Samuel,  383 
Cristy  ancestry,  160 

Austin  P.,  163 

Austin  P.,  Jr.,  163 

Edna  V.,  164 

Horace,  163 

Jesse,  160 

John,  160,  162 

John  B.,  162 

John,  Capt.,  161 

Katherine  V.,  163 

Mary  E.,  163 

Mary  L.,   164 

Moses,  161 

Roger  H.,  164 
Cromwell  ancestry,  285 

Henry,  286 

John,  285 

Robert,  286 

Walter,  285 

William,  285 

Daniels  ancestry,  372 
Abbie  F.,  376 
Ernest  T.,  372,  376 
Helen  M.,  376 
John,  373 
John  H.,  375 
Thomas  E.,  374 
Verin,  374 
William,  372 


Davis  ancestry,  320,  384 

Albert  J.,  384,  385 

Annie  S.,  385 

Charles  F.,  385 

Henry  W.,  385 

James,  321 

Jason,  385 

John,  233,  321 

John  M.,  321 

Jonathan,  320,  384 

Joseph,  385 

Samuel,  233,  234 

Silas,  321 

William,  233,  320 
Davol,  Julius  K.,  169 

Nancy  M.,  169 
Dawes,  Anna  L.,  4 

Electa  A.,  4 

Henry  L.,  3 

Mitchell,  3 
Day  ancestry,  301 

Abbie  F.,  304 

Alice  F.,  304 

Augustus  E.,  303 

Edna  F.,  304 

John  E.,  301,  303 

John  H.,  302 

Jonathan,  301,  302 

Lucia  A.,  304 

Ralph,  301 
Dean  ancestry,  188 

Apollos,  189 

Ezra,  188 

Ezra,  Dr.,  188 

Richard,  188 

Solomon,  188 

Walter,  188 
Denison  ancestry,  102 

David,  103 

George,   102 

Henry  W.,  103 

John,  102,  103 

John  P.,  103 

Robert,  103 

Thomas,  103 

William,  102 
416 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Derby  ancestry,  273 

Andrew,  274 

Arthur  P.,  275 

Ashton  P.,  273,  276 

Eva  M.,  276 

John,  274 

Levi,  275 

Lucy  A.,  276 

Nathan,  274 

Philander,  275 
Dickson  ancestry,  201 

Harriet  B.,  203 

Henry  A.,  201,  203 

Ida  F.,  204 

John, 202 

Walter,  202 

William,  201 
Dodge,  Grenville  M.,  Gen.,  4 

Sylvanus,  4 

Thomas  H.,  13 
Draper,  George  O.,  132 

Lily,  133 

William  F.,  Gen.,  132 
Dunn  ancestry,  221 

Catherine  E.,  223 

Daniel,  221,  222 

Ellen  A.,  223 

Michael,  221 

William  J.,  221,  223 
Dwinnell  ancestry,  122 

Bartholomew,  123 

Benjamin  D.,  Maj.,  122 

Clifton  H.,  123 

Ellen  A.,  124 

Florence  R.,  124 

Francis,  123 

Irving  F.,  124 

Josephine  H.,  124 

Michael,  122,  123 

Michael,  Dr.,  122,  123 

Eddy  ancestry,  65 
Francis,  67 
Francis  W.,  67 
Job,  67 
Joshua,  67 

MASS-Vol  HI-27 


Mary  B.  G.,  10 

Obediah,  66 

Samuel,  66 

William,  65 

Zachariah,  66 
Ellis  ancestry,  148 

George  W.,  150 

Henry,  149 

Ivory  W.,  150 

John,  148,  149 

Joseph,  149 

Samuel,  150 
Emmens,  Nathaniel  H.,  21 

Samuel  F.,  21 

Sophie  D.,  23 
Endicott,  Ellen,  16 

William  C,  15 

William  P.,  15 

Fairbanks,  Asa,  214 

George,  Capt.,  213 

Jonathan,  212 

Jonathan,  Dr.,  213 

Moses,  214 
Farnsworth  ancestry,  349 

Calvin,  349,  351 

Caroline  H.,  352 

George  B.,  352 

Jesse,  351 

Jonathan,  350 

Joseph,  350 

Martha  A.,  352 

Matthias,  349 
Fenner,  Arthur,  169,  170 

Arthur,  Capt.,  170 

Edward,  170 
Fisher,  Anthony,  410 

James.  410 

Joshua,  410 

Vigilance,  410 
Fletcher  ancestry,  181 

Evie,  183 

Frances  E.,  183 

George  A.,  181,  182 

George  J.,  183 

John  H.,  183 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Joseph,  182 

Joshua,  181 

Peletiah,  182 

Robert,  181 

Walter  D,  182 

William,  181 
Foster  ancestry,  164,  234,  403 

Abraham,  165 

Alice  A.,  405 

Alvin  R.,  167 

Annie,  168 

Bossenger,  234 

Christopher,  403 

Clifford  A.,  168 

David,  403 

Edward,  234 

Eli,  404 

Harmon  S.,  404 

Herbert  A.,  164,  167 

Hosea,  166 

Jacob,   165 

Jeremiah,  165 

John,  403 

Jonathan,  403 

Llewellyn,  404 

Marcus  L.,  403,  405 

Paul  R.,  168 

Reginald,  165 

Russell  C,  168 

Samuel,  166 

Thomas,  235 

Timothy,  234,  235 
Fowler  ancestry,  155 

Bernard,  157 

Charles,  158 

Ezekiel,  156 

Henry  W.,  159 

Mabel  C,  160 

Philip,  155 

Ruf'us  B.,  155,  158 

Samuel,  156,  157 
Fuller  ancestry,  82 

Isaac,  84 

Jabez,  84 

John,  83 


Jonathan,  84 
Mary,  87 
Mary  C,  87 
Robert,  83 
William  E.,  82,  85,  87 

Gardner,  Bela,  52 

Eugene  C,  52,  53 

Harriet  B.,  54 

Samuel,  364,  366 

Samuel  B.,  367 
Gibbs  ancestry,  376 

Ada  M.,  378 

Benjamin,  2,77 

Friend,  377 

Giles,  376 

Henry  O.,  378 

Henry  W.,  376 

Howard  W.,  Dr.,  378 

Mary  E.,  379 

Samuel,  377 

Zebulon,  377 
Goodrich  ancestry,  316 

Allyn,  316 

Elisha,  316 

John, 316 

Josiah,  316 

Levi,  316,  317 

Wealthy,  318 

William,  316 
Gordon  ancestry,  55 

Albert  A.,  57,  59 

Alexander,  55 

Charles  S.,  Dr.,  60 

Ebenezer,  56 

Forrest,  59 

George  C,  60 

Lyman  F.,  54,  57 

Prue  L.,  59 

Thomas,  55 

Timothy,  55,  56 

Winfield,  59 
Green,  Joshua,  133 

Samuel  A.,  133 

Samuel  S.,  127 


418 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Hall,  Gershom,  112,  113 

John, 112 

Jonathan,  112 

Seth,  113 
Hammond  ancestry,  143 

Andrew  H.,  144 

Benjamin,  143 

Ezra,  Rev.,  144 

John,   143 

Richard  H.,  143,  145 

William,  143,  144 
Harrington  ancestry,  276,  284 

Charles  A.,  283 

Clara  A.,  283 

Daniel  A.,  282 

Daniel,  Capt.,  278 

Daniel  A.,  Jr.,  283 

Edward,  277 

Francis,  277 

Francis  A.,  279 

Francis,  Capt.,  278 

Frank  C,  284 

Jennie  A.,  282 

John  S.,  283 

Josie  A.,  283 

Leora  L.,  284 

Lillia,  282 

Luella  B.,  284 

Nathaniel,  277 

Robert,  276 

Roxanna  M.,  281 
Harris  ancestry,  82,  116 

Charles,  118,  410 

Charles  M.,  118 

Dorothy,  121 

Emma  F.,  120 

Gideon,  118,  410 

Henry,  118,  410 

Henry  F.,  116,  119 

Jacob  W.,  82 

John,  81 

Rachel,  120 

Samuel,  81 

Silas.  82 

Thomas,  81,  117,  410 

William,  82 


Hartwell  ancestry,  177 

Annie  M.,  180 

Benjamin,  179 

Chloe  M.,  180 

Ebenezer,   178 

Fannie  A.,  180 

John,  178,  179 

Josiah,  179 

Leonard,  179 

Nelson  \V.,  180 

Walter  A.,  180 

William,  178 
Haskell,  John,  273 

Mark,  272 

Roger,  272 

Timothy,  273 
Hatch  ancestry,  183 

Annie  H..  186 

Arthur  D.,  186 

Ezekiel,  184 

George,  185 

John, 184 

Joseph,  184 

Nellie  A.,  186 

Rhodolphus,  184 

Thomas,  183 

William,  185 
Haven,  Jason,  Rev.,  232 

Moses,  232 

Richard,  232 

Samuel,  232 
Hersey,  Jeremiah,  391 

Jeremiah  S.,  391 

John, 391 

William,  391 
Higginson,  Francis,  Rev.,  34 

Mary,  36 

Stephen,  34 

Thomas  W.,  34 
Hill,  Andrew  W.,  147 
Hilliard  ancestry,  230 

Benjamin,  230 

Emanuel,  230 

Francis,  231 

Joseph,  231 

Timothy,  230,  231 


419 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


William,  231 
Hitchcock,  Edward,  17 

Mary,  17 
Hood  ancestry,  289 

Benjamin,  290 

Benjamin  L.,  290 

John,  289 

Nathaniel  L.,  290 

Richard,  289 
Hosmer,  Harriet  G.,  17 

Hiram,  Dr.,  17 
Howard,  Mercy  A.,  112 

Oliver  H.  P.,  112 
Hudson,  Eunice  W.,  21 

John,  21 

John  E.,  21 
Hyde,  Jonathan,  384 

Noah,  384 

William,  384 

Ingalls,  Seth  H.,  333 
Susan  A.,  333 

Jackson,  Abraham,  359 

Nathaniel,  359 

Samuel,  360 

Thomas,  360 
Jacobs,  Charles  J.,  99 

Fernando  C,  97,  98 

Henry  F.,  99 

Julia  Anna,  99 

Justin,  98 

Nicholas,  98 

Keith  ancestry,  366 

Foster  A.,  368 

James,  Rev.,  367 

John, 367 

Joseph,  368 

Martin,  368 
Knowles,  Adelbert  H.,  79 

Edwin  H.,  78 

Frank  E.,  79 

Henry  A.,  80 

Hiram,  79 

Jennie  A.,  79 


Lamb  ancestry,  209 

Abiel,  210 

Barzillai,  210 

Chester  F.,  209,  211 

Ellen  M.,  212 

Israel,  211 

Levi,  211 

Samuel,  210 

Thomas,  209 
Lane  ancestry,  69,  269 

Ammi  R.,  271 

Ephraim,  70 

Francis,  271 

George,  69,  269 

James,  269,  270 

John,  69,  270 

Josiah,  271 

Robert,  269 

Thomas,  269 
Lathrop,  Edward  H.,  368 

Paul  H.,  369 

Susan  T.,  369 
Lavally,  Caleb,  168 

Michael,  168 

Nancy  M.,  169 

Peter,  168 

Warren,  168 
Lawrence,  Amos,  31 

Amos  A.,  31 

Sarah  E.,  32 
Lawton,  Isaac,  198 

John, 198 

Thomas,  198 
Leach  ancestry,  332 

John, 332 

Joseph,  332 

Mary,  333 

Orrin  M.,  333 

Solomon,  332 

Susan  A.,  333 

William  H.  H.,  333 
Le  Baron,  Francis,  268,  269, 

James,  268,  308 

John,  309 

Levi,  309 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Long,  Agnes,  126 

John  D.,  125 

Mary,   126 
Loomis  ancestry,  108 

Frederick  B.,  109 

Harrison,  108,  109 

John, 108 

Jonathan,  108 

Joseph,  108 

Julia  M.,  no 

Noadiah,  108 

Rowland,  108 
Lowell,  John,  14 

John  A.,  14 

Lucy  B.,  14 
Luther  ancestry,  325 

Caleb,  327 

Charles  B.,  325,  328 

Frederick,  327 

John,  326 

Lottie  H.,  329 

Samuel,  326,  327 

Samuel  M.,  327 

Manchester  ancestry,  310 

Benjamin,  312 

Gilbert,  311 

James,  311 

John, 311 

Lusanna  M.,  312 

Thomas,  310 

William,  311 
Marshall  ancestry,  214,  219 

Abel,  217 

Alfred  A.,  214,  217 

Cora  M.,  221 

David,  219 

Etta  E.,  218 

George  A.,  218 

Isaac,  219 

James  A.,  220 

John,  215,  216 

Jonas,  Dr.,  216 

Joseph  P.,  219 

Ralph  W.,  221 


Simon,  216 

Thomas,  216 

William,  220,  221 

William  L.,  219,  221 
Martin,  Benjamin,  361 

Ephraim,  361 

John,  360 

Richard,  360 
Mason,  James,  324 

John, 324 

Samuel,  324 

Sampson,  323 
Maxfield,  David,  259 

Edmund,  259 

John, 258 

Timothy,  258 
Maynard  ancestry,  345 

Amory,  346 

Grace  E.,  349 

Isaac,  345 

John, 345 

Lorenzo,  348 

Mary,  349 

Simon,  345 

William,  348 
Mayo,  John,  302 

Thomas,  302 
Meyer,  Alice,  127 

George  A.,  126 

George  L.,  126 
Milne,  Alexander,  Rev.,  3 

James  T.,  365 

Mattie  J.,  365 
Morgan  ancestry,  209,  334 

Aaron,  340 

Calvin,  342 

Charles  H.,  342 

Daniel,  Gen.,  334 

David,  339 

Elisha,  209 

Harriet  C,  344 

Hiram,  342 

Joseph,  339 

Lessie  L.,  344 

Miles,  338 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Paul  B.,  334,  344 

Rebecca  A.,  344 

Sara  G.,  209 
Morton  ancestry,  246 

Alice,  250 

Andrew  J.,  250 

Eleazer,  248 

Ephraim,  248 

George,  247 

Herbert  A.,  246,  250 

Job,  249 

Nathaniel,  248 
Mosher,  Constant,  170 

Daniel,  170 

Hugh,  170 

Nichols  ancestry,  259 

Abbie  B.,  261 

Alice  A.,  261 

Charles,  259,  260 

David,  260 

Edmund,  260 

Edmund  L.,  261 

John, 259 

Louis  C,  261 

Mary  A.,  261 

Richard,  259 
Nickerson  ancestry,  no 

Alexander,  112 

Israel,  in 

James,  in 

Jephtha,  in 

Robert,  in 

William,  no,  in 

Oakman,  Thomas  C,  319 

Palmer,  Alden,  267 

Alonzo  S.,  268 

Gershom,  266,  267 

Oliver,  267 

Walter,  266 
Payne,  Henry  C,  23 

Lydia,  25 

Orrin  P.,  23 
Peckham,  John,  307,  308 

Joseph,  308 


Phillips  ancestry,  400 

James,  400 

Joshua,  400 

Leavitt,  401 

Michael,  400 
Pike  ancestry,  379 

Benjamin,  381 

Herbert  A.,  379,  382 

Hezekiah,  381 

John, 379 

Joseph,  380,  381 

Julia  M.,  382 

Mary  E.,  382 

Nathan  C,  381 

Zachariah,  381 

Zebulon,  380 
Pratt  ancestry,  224,  296 

Benjamin,  297,  298 

Charles  K.,  298 

Edythe  M.,  227 

Elias,  Capt.,  224,  225 

Frederick  S.,  226 

Greenleaf,  298 

Jonathan,  224 

Joseph,  297 

Matthew,  297 

Robert  G.,  226 

Sumner,  225 

Thomas,  224 

William,  298 
Presbrey,  John,  316 

John,  Capt.,  316 
Prescorr,  James,  146 

Jedediah,  146 

John,  146 
Putnam  ancestry,  107,  392 

Edward,  107 

Everett  L.,  392,  393 

George  W.,  393 

Henry,  106 

John,  106,  392 

Joseph,  392 

Levi,  393 

Mamie,  394 

Mary,  394 

Seth,  393 

Solomon,  108 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Stephen,   107 
Thomas,  107,  392 

Read,  John,  43 
Joseph,  43 
Joseph  E.,  44 
William,  43 
Rhodes,  Eleazer,  89 
Henry,  89 
Josiah,  89 
Stephen,  89,  90 
Rice  ancestry,  150 
Ebenezer  M.,  153 
Edmund,  150 
Elijah,  152 
Elisha,  152 
George  M.,  154 
Thomas,  151 
Richards,  Edward,  409 
Josiah,  409 
Nathaniel,  409 
Robinson,  George,  329 
John, 329 
John  H.,  330 
Nathan,  330 
William,  329 
Roche,  Edward,  26 

James  J.,  26 
Rogers,  Daniel,  171 
Gideon,  171 
James,  171 
Thomas,  171 

Sanger  ancestry,  33 
Charles  R.,  34 
Elizabeth  S.,  34 
George  P.,  33,  34 
John  W.,  34 
Ralph,  33 
Richard,  33 
William  T.,  34 

Sargent,  Jacob,  100 
Moses,  100 
Thomas,  100 
William,  99 


Saunders,  Edwin,  318 
Scudder,  Charles,  19 
Jeannie,  20 
Samuel  H.,  19 
Shaw  ancestry,  250 
Anthony,  250,  251 
Benjamin,  251 
Frederick  P.,  251 
Israel,  251 
Job,  251 
Nathaniel,  251 
William  C,  252 
Shumway  ancestry,  263 
David,  264 
Flora  F.,  265 
Harrison  H.,  264 
Herbert  H.,  263,  265 
Peter,  263 
Zebina,  264 
Slade,  Caleb,  371 
Edward,  371 
Samuel,  371 
William,  371 
Soule  ancestry,  74 
Barnabas,  75 
Enoch,  76 
George,  74 
John,  75 
Moses,  75 
William,  76 
Stearns,  Samuel,  Rev.,  30 

William  A.,  Rev.,  30 
Stowe,  Calvin  E.,  Rev.,  29 

Harriet  E.,  30 
Sturtevant,  Caleb,  334 
Jabez,  334 
James,  334 
Samuel,  333 
Sumner,  Edwin  V.,  Gen.,  27 

Elisha,  27 
Sweet,  Henry,  52 
John,  51,  52 
Joseph,  52 
Timothy,  52 

423 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Talbot,  Charles,  32 

Isabella  W.,  33 

Thomas,  32 
Thomas,  Abraham,  310,  31 

Benjamin,  309 

Benjamin  F.,  310 

Jacob,  362 

Jeremiah,  362 

Nathaniel,  309,  362 

Sylvanus,  363 

William,  309,  361 
Thurston  ancestry,  193 

Cora  B.,  195 

Edward,  193,  194 

Edward  A.,  195 

Edwin  C,  193,  194 

Nathaniel  S.,  194 

Ralph  E.,  195 

Sarah  H.,  195 

Thomas,  194 

William,  194 
Townsend,  Clara  M.,  315 

William  C,  315 
Trowbridge,  Ada,  37 

Daniel,  36 

John  T.,  36 

Thomas,  36 

Windsor  S.,  36 
Tyler,  Amelia  A.,  7 

Joab,  7 

William  S.,  7 

Valentine,  John,  46 

Samuel,  47 

William,  47 
Villa,  Joseph  F.,  72 

Nicholas,  72    . 

Walker,  James,  Rev.,  26 
Washburn  ancestry,  236 

Alice,  242 

Elijah,  239 

Elizabeth  L.,  241 

John,  238,  239 

John  E.,  236,  240,  241 


John  H.,  241 

Joseph,  238,  239 

Lovisa,  240 
Wesson,  Cynthia  M.,  15 

Daniel  B.,  14 

Rufus,  14 
Westgate,  Caroline  E.,  67 

Jerome  B.,  67 
Whiting  ancestry,  405 

Alfred,  407 

Alfred  N.,  408 

Isaac,  406 

Mary  C,  408 

Mary  E.,  408 

Nathaniel,  405,  406,  407 

Timothy,  406 

Winfred  H.,  408 
Whitney,  David,  319 

John, 319 

Joshua,  319 
Whittemore  ancestry,  189 

Daniel,  191 

Eli  J.,  192 

Eric  H.,  189,  193 

Jennie  R.,  193 

Jeremiah,  191 

John,  191 

Oliver,  192 

Reuben,  192 

Thomas,  190 
Wilcox,  Charles  M.,  402 

Katherine,  403 

Marshall,  401 

Nancy  B.,  401 
Williams  ancestry,  286 

Adelaide  N.,  289 

Benjamin,  288 

George,  296 

George,  Col.,  295 

George  W.,  288 

James,  287 

Joseph,  295 

Joshua,  287 

Lewis,  284,  288 

Narcissus,  296 

Richard,  287,  295 


424 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Samuel,  287 

Seth,  287 
Wilmarth,  Daniel,  69 

Jonathan,  68 

Learned,  69 

Nathan,  68 
Wolcott,  Joshua  H.,  25 

Roger,  25 
Woodward  ancestry,  394 

Caroline  I.,  399 

Francis  G.,  396 

George,  395 

George  W.,  399 

Gladys  M.,  400 

Harold  S.,  400 

Israel,  395,  396 

John,  395 

Mary,  397 

Nathaniel,  394 

Ruth  F.,  399 

Walter  F.,  399 

William,  394,  397 
Woodworth  ancestry,  357 


Amasa,  358 

Benjamin,  358 

Charles  E.,  357,  359 

Ebenezer,  358 

Ida  G.,  359 

John, 358 

John  B.,  359 

John  M.,  358 

Walter,  357,  358 
Worthy,  Frank  L.,  208 

Justin  L.,  207 

Mary  J.,  208 

Orrimill,  207 
Wright  ancestry,  135 

Asa,  136 

Blanche,  137 

Edgar  F.,  135,  137 

Jacob,  136 

John,  135 

Joseph,  136 

Young,  Amelia  S.,  322 
Elmer  B.,  322 


425 


ECKMAN       ' 

INDERY  INC. 

APR  94