USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Historic homes and places and genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Volume III > Part 1
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Gc 974.401 M58c v. III 1136446
M. Wie
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01104 3475
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/historichomespla03cutt_0
Kw. Cuentan
HISTORIC HOMES and PLACES
. AND
GENEALOGICAL
and PERSONAL MEMOIRS
RELATING TO THE FAMILIS OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY MASSACHUSETTS
PREPAREN ! | 1 1101117. SUPERVISIA OI
WILLIAM RICHARD CUTTER, A. M.
Historian of the Ney Engiaod Historic Genealyle : Libr rian of Wobine Pour Luitry, Author of "The Color Family," "History of Arumrie Wwel'iography of Wood!" Hco -4
VOLUME III
SAUFSTRATED
HISTORIC HOMES and PLACES
AND
GENEALOGICAL
and PERSONAL MEMOIRS
RELATING TO THE FAMILIES OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS
PREPARED UNDER THE EDITORIAL SUPERVISION OF
WILLIAM RICHARD CUTTER, A. M.
Historian of the New England Historic Genealogical Society; Libra- rian of Woburn Public Library; Author of "The Cutter Family," "History of Arlington," "Bibliography of Woburn," etc., etc.
VOLUME III.
ILLUSTRATED
NEW YORK: LEWIS HISTORICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY
1908
Genealogical and Personal Memoirs. 1136446
(For first four generations see Ephraim Wood 4).
(V) Peter Wood, son of Ephraim
WOOD Wood (4), born in Concord, June 23, 1740; died March 5, 1820, aged seventy-nine; married there, No- vember 22, 1764, Sibyl Howe, daughter of Thomas Howe. She was born May I, 1740, and died July 23, 1822, aged eighty-one. He lived in Marlborough, Massachusetts, whither he moved when a young man. In 1766 he purchased land there of Joseph Williams and conducted a farm on it for many years. It is known as the late Ephraim Howe place. He was commissioned a magistrate in 1783 by Governor John Hancock, and for many years thereafter performed the duties of this impor- tant office, held many town offices, and was prominent in the church. Children : I. Aaron, born December 18, 1765, died young. 2. Dor- othy, born November 30, 1767, died July 6, 1854, aged eighty-seven ; married Abner Brig- ham. 3. Thomas, born March 27, 1770, mar- ried, 1792, Dorothy Sawin ; settled in Canada. 4. Martha, born February 14, 1772, married, 1796, James Henderson, of Northborough. 5. Anna, born November 8, 1773, married, 1791, Windsor Stratton. 6. Moses, born September 24, 1775, married Rebecca Turner. 7. Jede- diah, mentioned below.
(VI) Jedediah Wood, son of Peter Wood (5), was born in Marlborough, Massachusetts, May 16, 1777. He married, September 6, 1801, Betsey Wilkins, who died October 7, 1855, aged seventy-three or seventy-five years, daughter of Edward and Sarah Wilkins. He lived in that part of Marlborough then Felton- ville, now incorporated as the town of Hud- son. He became owner of the grist mill, saw mill, and also of a woolen mill in which full- ing and cloth dressing was carried on. He commanded a military company and was a prominent citizen. He died in 1866 or 1867. Children : I. William Henry, mentioned below. 2. Betsey, born January 25, 1804, married, March 8, 1822, Samuel Arnold. 3. Maria Louisa, born March 22, 1810, died July 13, 1813. 4. Sophronia, born May 17, 1812, died August 18, 1829. 5. Elbridge Gerry, born Sep- tember 2, 1814, married, 1839, Almira Rebecca Bush, who died in 1841; (second) Sarah Priest, who died February, 1848, daughter of Benjamin Priest, of Boxborough; (third), September 17, 1848, Ollie, daughter of Dea- con Henry and Ollie (Metcalf) Higgins, of
Hardwick, Massachusetts ; he studied medi- cine and practiced in Winchendon and Athol, Massachusetts, prior to 1848, removed to Iowa in 1850 but returned in 1860 and entered the drug business at Palmer, Massachusetts ; re- tired in 1875 and died October 6, 1880; chil- dren : i. Almira, born at Feltonville, 1840; ii. Arthur Gerry, born at Athol, February 22, 1845, married Ella Hapgood; iii. Elbridge Jedediah, born at Athol, February 18, 1850, married, October 13, 1875, Adelaide Elizabeth Moulton Hubbard, born at Wells, Maine, Oc- tober 27, 1853, daughter of John B. and Abi- gail (Storer) Hubbard; a wall paper mer- chant in business at 792 State street, Spring- field, Massachusetts; (children : Horace El- bridge, born at Palmer, March 15, 1879; Ed- mund Wendell, born December 30, 1882). 6. Alonzo, born August 17, 1817. 7. Franklin, born July I, 1821, died September 13, 1824.
(VII) Colonel William Henry Wood, son of Jedediah Wood (6), was born in Felton- ville, now Hudson, Massachusetts, March 3, 1802. He received an excellent common school education in his youth, and taught school in the vicinity of his home for a number of years. He followed in the footsteps of his father and became a successful business man. He had the leading general store of the town and vicinity and prospered. His home was on the site of the first house erected in Hudson, in which Robert Barnard and his son Joel re- sided and kept a public house for many years. It was at the fork of the roads in the very center of the village and had a commanding position. He erected a large building at this point for a dwelling and store, an engraving of which was published in Hudson's History of Marlborough (p. 477). He was active in the state militia, and rose to the rank of colo- nel in command of his regiment. He was prominent in town affairs and held many posi- tions of trust and responsibility ; was a mem- ber of the school committee for many years, assessor for several terms, often moderator of the town meetings, justice of the peace and magistrate. He died at Hudson in 1864.
He married Caroline Henderson, born in Boston, 1802, died 1879, daughter of James and Martha (Wood) Henderson. Children : I. Henry J., born 1827, died 1850. 2. Marshall, born 1832, died 1897. 3. Solon, born June 4, 1834, mentioned below.
(VIII) Solon Wood, son of Colonel Wil-
(859)
860
MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
liam Henry Wood (7), was born in Felton- ville, now Hudson, Massachusetts, June 4, 1834. He received his education in the public schools of his native town. After leaving school he became a clerk in his father's store, and in a practical way learned the business which he followed so many years with con- spicuous success. When his father died he suc- ceeded to the business. For a period of thirty- seven years Mr. Wood conducted the general store established by his father, and his trade grew year by year. He was perhaps the best known and most popular merchant in that sec- tion of the country and one of the most pros- perous. When the burden of years began to manifest itself, Mr. Wood decided to retire and in 1902 sold the business. Since then he has been living quietly at his home in Hudson, attending to his property, but engaging in no active business. He resides at 49 Washington- street. Mr. Wood has always been a man of public spirit, interested in the development and well-being of the town, and has assisted such public movements as seemed likely to benefit the community in which he lived. In politics he is independent. In 1877 he represented his district in the general court, serving on various important committees. In 1879 he served the town on the board of overseers of the poor. He became a member of the Odd Fellows in 1862. He married September 28, 1856, Anna T. Bigelow, of Marlborough, Massachusetts, daughter of Levi Bigelow. They have one child, Ada T., born January 4, 1861, married May II, 1887, Alfred C. Woods, and has one child, Harold Bigelow, born October 4, 1889.
Phineas Warren Sprague, a SPRAGUE well known Malden citizen, with office in Boston, home on Commonwealth avenue, identified with many important business enterprises, is a descendant of an old and honored English family. Most interesting and somewhat remarkable is the fact that Sprague and Winship, ancestors of Phineas W. Sprague, were in England first and second lieutenants in the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, and on coming to America held the same rank in the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Boston. The ties of friendship formed in England be- tween the Sprague and Winship families prior to 1629 have been strengthened by intermar- riage.
(I) Edward Sprague lived in Upway, Dor- setshire, England, at the opening of the sev- enteenth century. He was the owner of a stone woolen mill, the ruins of which are still
to be seen. He died in Upway, in 1614. A exact copy of his will is in the work of H sea Sprague. His personal estate amounted £258 6s. His bequests included a gift to th church of Upway, also to his sons Ralph, E ward, Richard, Christopher and William, usin the terms "my eldest son," etc., and his daug ter Alice, closing with this: "Memorand :- that whereas, the living of the aforesaid E ward Sprague doth fall unto his son Ralp Sprague after his decease, the said Ralf Sprague doth upon his father's request pron ise that his mother Christian Sprague sha quietly enjoy the said living until he shall 1 one and twenty years of age," and made h wife, Christian Sprague, "my whole exec trix."
Among the children by his wife Christia were three sons, Ralph, Richard and Williar It has been commonly supposed that the thr brothers came over with Endicott, who arrive at Salem on September 6, 1628. But Pres dent Everett and Dr. Young are inclined to tl opinion that they were not of Endicott's cor pany. The latter suggests as more probab that they came the next year in the fleet whi brought Higginson, Graves and Bright. is said they came in their own vessel. Soule "Memorial of the Sprague Family" states th "Amongst others that arrived at Salem at the own cost were Ralph Sprague, with his bret ren, Richard and William, who with three four more, by joint consent and approbati of Mr. John Endicott, Governor, did, the san summer of 1629, undertake a journey fro Salem and travelled the woods above twel miles to the westward, and lighted off a pla situate and lying on the north side of Charl river, full of Indians, called Aberginians."
The inhabitants that first settled this pla were Ralph, Richard, William Sprague, ar seven others. It was jointly agreed that th place north of the river be called Charlestow and was confirmed by Mr. Endicott, Governo Ralph Sprague and others began to build the houses and to prepare fencing their lots, whi were afterwards set up almost in a semi-ci cular form on the northwest side of the Tow Hill. (From "Soule's Memorial").
In their journey from Salem to Charlestow they were attracted by a site suitable for town. The town of Charlestown, October I 1634, appointed a committee to divide the con mon land in the territory which now was fir known as Mystic Side and Mystic Field. T1 record of the completed allotment which w made two years later shows seventy-five pr prietors, and although it is a list of Charle
SPRAGUE COAT OF ARMS
861
MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
town inhabitants, it is of interest as being the roll of the first white landholders of the future town of Malden. Ralph and Richard Sprague both appear as holding five acres. In the great allotment, April 23, 1638, Ralph Sprague re- ceived one hundred and twenty-five and Rich- ard Sprague seventy-five acres. (D. P. Corey's "History of Malden"). On May 2, 1649, that part of Charlestown called Mystic Side was established, now the city of Malden, and Ralph Sprague was made a lieutenant of the train band organized to protect the inhabitants from unfriendly Indians, and the military history dated from that time. Ralph and his brother Richard were the earlier settlers of Malden. The settlers formed a part of the church of Charlestown, from which they received the ordinances and to which they carried their in- fants for baptism. Religious services may have been held on Mystic Side and some steps taken towards a church organization in 1648. (D. P. Corey's "History of Malden"). In 1649, "William Sprague, a godly christian but not an ordained minister, did preach the word to them."
Bell Rock was the centre of the town, and for more than eighty years was the centre of municipal life, and the first church was built upon that site. The church "teret" being too small for the bell, it was placed upon a rock, from which it derived its name. A bell was not general in New England during the sev- enteenth century; the call to public worship was by the roll of the drum or the blast of the conch shell. "Voted the town allow eigh- teen shillings for finesing the teret and hang- ing the Bell." "March 5, 17II, seventeen men among them the Spragues, were privileged to have stable near the meeting house for one hors." William Sprague and Dorothy his wife, gave the land on which was built in 1730 the First Parish Church (Universalist) of Malden. The present church was built in 1802.
From the old Bell Rock Cemetery, Malden, the entire line of Spragues and their wives, commencing with Ralph, have been removed to Forestdale Cemetery, Malden. Their head- stones are more or less legibly inscribed.
(II) Ralph Sprague was about twenty- nine years of age at the time of his arrival at Salem. According to the Massachusetts Col- ony Records he took the freeman's oath in May, 1630, and was appointed constable of Charlestown. His name, with that of his wife, Joanna, are in the list of those who were first members of the church in 1632. He is men-
tioned in the Charlestown Records, April 18, 1634, commissioned with two others to advo- cate certain interests in the town before the general court; in November, 1636, he was for the first time chosen representative to the gen- eral court, and he filled this important post seven different times. In 1649 he was one of a commission to settle the bounds between Mystic Side and Charlestown. "Ralph was," says Frothingham, in "History of Charles- town," "a prominent and valuable citizen, ac- tive in promoting the welfare of the town and colony." He died in 1650; his widow after- wards married Edward Converse.
Richard Sprague became a distinguished citizen of Charlestown. He died November 25, 1668. He bequeathed Harvard College thirty-one sheep and thirty lambs, and to the First Church, Charlestown, £30 in value. His wharf and warehouse, with other property, he bequeathed to his nephew Richard, son of Ralph. His estate was valued at £2,357 16s 8d. ("The Sprague Memorial," 1846, Richard Soule, Jr.).
William Sprague, the youngest of the three brothers, remained in Charlestown. He mar- ried Millicent Eames, in 1635. He removed to Hingham with his father-in-law, Anthony Eames, 1636.
It is to be regretted that so little record is left of their individual history. President Ev- erett, in his address commemorative of the bi- centennial of the arrival of Winthrop at Charlestown, in speaking of the three brothers Ralph, Richard and William, says they were "the founders of the settlement in this place," and were persons of character, substance and enterprise, excellent citizens and generous pub- lic benefactors, and the heads of a very large and respectable family of descendants. ("Memorial History of Boston," Justin Win- sor, Librarian of Harvard).
(III) Captain John Sprague, son of Lieu- tenant Ralph and Joanna (Warren) Sprague, was born in Upway, England, in 1624. He married Lydia Goffe, and died in Malden. Massachusetts, in 1692.
(IV) Phineas Sprague, son of Captain John and Lydia (Goffe) Sprague, was born in Malden, in 1665, and died in 1736. He mar- ried Mary Green.
(V) Phineas Sprague, son of Phineas and Mary (Green) Sprague, was born in Malden, in 1700. On the occasion of the Lexington alarm, in April, 1775, he, as a member of Cap- tain Hatch's company, although seventy-five years of age, marched with the company,
862
MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
which lay at Beecham's wharf until night, when the company started for Concord. A historian says of him, "Although advanced in years and very deaf, his heart was as imperv- ious to fear as were his ears to sound, and when the rest of the party were flying he was seen upon a rising place of ground, swinging his hat and shouting victory." He died the same year. He married Rebecca Lynde.
(VI) Phineas Sprague, son of Phineas and Rebecca (Lynde) Sprague, was born in Mal- den, 1725. He was a member of Captain Blaney's company, which was in the Rhode Island service. He was prevented from being present at the battle of Bunker Hill by a Brit- ish man-of-war, which would not allow him to cross the Mystic river. Persisting in the attempt, he was fired upon with nine-pound balls, and one of these, striking in the bank of the river, was secured by him as a trophy and was preserved in the family. He died in Mel- rose, December 29, 1805. He married (first) Hannah Gould; (second) Sarah Fowl.
(VII) Dr. John Sprague, son of Phineas and Hannah (Gould) Sprague, was born in Malden, 1754. He enlisted during the revolu- tionary war as surgeon, and served until cap- tured on board of the American merchant ves- sel, "Thomas." He was carried to England and held as a prisoner of war until November 22, 1781, when he was released among other sick and wounded seamen by order of the commissioners for exchange of prisoners.
"These are to certify that John Sprague, an American prisoner of war, late surgeon on board the 'Thomas,' merchant vessel, is set at liberty pursuant to a order from the Honora- ble Commissioners for sick and wounded sea- men, and for exchanging prisoners of war. Dated their office, Tower Hill, London, the twenty-second day of November. Given under my hand this thirtieth day of November, 1781. "JNO. HOWE,
"Agent for prisoners of war at Hinsdale."
The original copy of this release is now in the possession of Mrs. C. H. Sprague. He died at his home in Malden, 1803. He mar- ried (first) Elizabeth Pool; (second) Susanna Fowl.
(VIII) John Sprague, son of Dr. John and Elizabeth (Pool) Sprague, was born in Mal- den, in 1781. He was treasurer of the town of Malden for a period of eighteen years, and died there October 10, 1852. (The town of Malden derived its name from Malden, Eng- land). John Sprague married Sally Hill, daughter of Charles and Mary Waite. Charles
Hill was the owner and landlord of Hill's Tav- ern, a man of much natural shrewdness and wit, active in town affairs, holding several offices and serving on important committees. Hill's Tavern continued to be known as that -principal tavern, Malden-until after the be- ginning of the present century. (D. P. Corey's "History of Malden"). The children of John and Sally (Hill) Sprague were: I. Sally. 2. John. 3. Mary. 4. Andrew. 5. Susan. 6. Abigail. 7. Phineas, was for many years treasurer of Malden. 8. Charles Hill.
(IX) Charles Hill Sprague, youngest child of John and Sally (Hill) Sprague, was born in Malden, Massachusetts, April 29, 1827, in the old Sprague House, corner Salem and Sprague streets. His preparatory education was acquired in the public schools of Malden, a private school in Lynn, Wilbraham Academy and the Springfield Scientific School. He then entered the Lawrence Scientific School of Hartford University in 1848, but has no record in the Quinquennial Catalogue of the Univer- sity, as the degree of Bachelor of Science was not conferred by that institution until 1851. He, however, completed the full course of study required at that time. He was appoint- ed to the editorial staff of the "American Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac," to make the astronomical calculations of the important government of the moon's rays and the fixed stars, his appointment being made through the Naval Department at Washington, District of Columbia. He held this government office for fifteen years, when he resigned to accept a po- sition in the Lake Superior copper mines, a position he held for four years. He was the North American agent of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Company for a number of years, and he spent some twelve years in travel in America and Europe. His home was in the old Sprague homestead at the corner of Sprague and Salem streets, Malden. Mr Sprague was a Republican, and represented his ward in the common council in 1882-3. For fifty-one years he was a member of the American Scientific Association. Professor Charles Girard, of Paris, in a scientific month- ly published in Paris in 1873, named a rare in- sect "Cerebratulus Spraguei," and says: "We dedicate this to our excellent friend, Charles H. Sprague, of Malden, Massachusetts, in token of our old friendship." He was also a member of the Old Planters' Society, and a Thirty-second Degree Mason, being one of the oldest of Mount Vernon Lodge, of the city. He was a member of the First Univer-
٦
MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
863
salist Church, and of the Men's Club connected therewith. His death, which was deeply and sincerely deplored, occurred June 29, 1904.
Mr. Sprague married, November 2, 1858, Emeline Martha Winship, a descendant of an old colonial family, a sketch of whom will be found elsewhere. Mrs. Sprague was one of the founders of the Deliverance Munroe Chapter, Daughters of the Revolution, of Malden, named in honor of her paternal grandmother, Deliverance (Munroe) Winship, daughter of Marrett Munroe, a niece of Captain John Parker, of the minute-men of Concord and Lexington fame. Mrs. Sprague is a member of the First Parish Universalist Church of Malden, active in charitable organizations ; was one of the committee to select a site or building for the Soldiers' Home of Chelsea, Massachusetts, and for many years active in the interest of the Home; was on the commit- tee in aid of a fund for building the Intem- perate Woman's Home of Boston; on build- ing committee of Malden Hospital ; on build- ing committee of the New Century Building of Boston ; charter member of George Washing- ton Memorial Association of Washington. She is a member of the New England Woman's Club, Charity Club, Wednesday Morning Club, Business League, and Civil Service Reform Auxiliary of Boston. Mr. and Mrs. Sprague had children: I. Phineas Warren. 2. Elizabeth Williams, born in Mal- den, July 7, 1867, died there January 10, 1874.
On the occasion of the one hundredth anni- versary of the birth of John Sprague, father of Charles Hill Sprague, in 1891, Mr. and Mrs. Sprague gathered a family party to which young and old were invited. Each aged person was asked to relate some reminis- cence of the life of the hero of the hour, and as many of these incidents of his wit and humor were recalled, so frequently displayed throughout his life, the halls of the Sprague homestead rang with laughter, while other stories brought silence as they related to inci- dents precious to memory. An enlarged pic- ture of the patriarch, seated in his large sleigh, was given to each grandchild. This old sleigh was in the possession of the host of the occa- sion, and it became a common sight on bright winter days to see it on the boulevard. The memorial cards distributed on the occasion of this anniversary represent immortality-the butterfly ; and in the morning of the festivi- ties a beautiful butterfly, with gorgeous blue wings, was found between the double windows that protected the assembly room from the
wintry blasts, and a venerable aunt was made happy in considering the incident an omen of good will and of the presence in the spirit of John Sprague, expressing his pleasure at the gathering. It is a profitable way to preserve individual history.
(X) Phineas Warren Sprague, only son of Charles Hill and Emeline Martha (Winship) Sprague, was born in Malden, Middlesex county, Massachusetts, August 4, 1860. He was educated in the grammar and high schools of Malden, afterwards for two years he was in laboratory work. He became a partner with his father in 1882 in the wholesale coal busi- ness, with offices at No. 70 Kilby street, Bos- ton, and upon the retirement of his father from the firm of C. H. Sprague & Son he assumed the sole management of the busi- ness. The Coal Trade Journal, of July 9, 1902, speaks of his rapid rise in business. He was one of the founders of the Malden Trust Company, and a member of the board of direc- tors. He was a director of the Winthrop National Bank; of the Boston and Worcester Electric Railroad Company ; vice-president of the White Oak Transportation Company ; founder and director of the New River Com- pany of West Virginia ; founder of the mining town of Sprague, West Virginia, in 1906; a director of the Merrimack Valley Electric Company ; and a director of the Columbia Life Insurance Company. He is a member of the following organizations: The General Society of Colonial Wars, duly elected by the right of his descent from Lieutenant Ralph Sprague ( 1603-1650) of Charlestown, Massa- chusetts, and twenty-five other names ; a mem- ber of the Sons of the Revolution, organized in New York, in 1875, by John Austin Ste- vens and other direct descendants of Revolu- tionary ancestry; Boston Society of Boston ; Old Planter Society of Salem, Massachusetts ; Old Town Club of Newburyport; Terratine of Bangor, Maine ; Prospect Country, Exchange, Temple, Cumberland, Portland Barge, Massa- chusetts Automobile, Kernwood of Malden, Country of Brookline, Algonquin of Boston. He was on the staff of General B. F. Peach, Jr., Second Brigade, Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, for three years, and one of ten on the executive committee of the two hundredth and fiftieth anniversary celebration of Malden, May, 1899. The Spragues were among the original members of the Universalist church in America.
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