USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > The story of Essex County, Volume IV > Part 1
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GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01101 6547
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2019
https://archive.org/details/storyofessexcoun04fues
THE STORY
OF
ESSEX COUNTY
Alden P. White
THE STORY
OF
ESSEX COUNTY mass
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CLAUDE M. FUESS, PH. D., LITT. D. Headmaster, Phillips Academy, Andover
COMPILED BY SCOTT H. PARADISE, M. A., OXON. Instructor in English, Phillips Academy, Andover
VOLUME IV
THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC. NEW YORK
Copyright THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC. 1935
THE STORY OF ESSEX COUNTY
1140286 547
BOWDOIN BRADLEE CROWNIN- SHIELD has been so intimately identified with Marblehead life and affairs that it is often forgotten that as a naval architect his work and headquarters have been in other sections of Massachusetts. He was born in New York City, October 13, 1867, son of Benjamin W. and Katherine May (Bradlee) Crowninshield, and the grandson of Fran- cis B. Crowninshield, a native of Salem, Massachusetts, a prominent lawyer, former Speaker of the House of Representatives and president of the Old Colony Railroad. Benjamin W. Crowninshield was a director of the great and old Merrimac Manufactur- ing Company, of Lowell, and in later years he accumulated large realty holdings in Marblehead and elsewhere.
Bowdoin Bradlee Crowninshield prepared for college in St. Paul's at Concord, New Hampshire, and was graduated from Har- vard University with the degree of Bache- lor of Arts, with the class of 1890. He also studied engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and early made use of this knowledge when he went to Great Falls, Montana, to look after his father's properties. In 1892 the elder Mr. Crownin- shield died in Rome, Italy, and upon the shoulders of his son rested the burden of the management and settling of the estate. In 1893 he engaged in the real estate business with William Field Beal, and so continued for three years. In 1896 he became asso- ciated with John R. Purdon, naval architect of Boston, and it is in connection with this profession that Mr. Crowninshield attained wide repute. He established himself as an architect in 1897, with offices at No. 31 State Street, Boston. In 1917 he organized a ship- building company at Somerset, where he designed and built twelve sea-going tugs for the United States Shipping Board Emer- gency Fleet Corporation for use in World
War activities. Prior to this he was a mem- ber of the American Volunteer Motor Am- bulance Corps with the French military forces, better known in France as Dick Nor- ton's Ambulance Corps. This service en- gaged his attention from January to July, 1916. Mr. Crowninshield continued his Fall River connections until 1926, when he re- moved to Marblehead and lives at The Anchorage, at Peach's Point. On this same beautiful location he also owns some ten houses much in demand by summer visitors. He is a member of the Corinthian Yacht Club, and the American Legion.
In 1901 Bowdoin Bradlee Crowninshield married (first) Priscilla Janey McPhail, who died in 1915. On October 12, 1916, Mr. Crowninshield married (second) Laura L. Wilder, of Cleveland, Ohio, and they have an adopted son, William W. Crowninshield.
GORDON C. MARR-As superintendent of Riverside Cemetery, Saugus, Gordon C. Marr has performed a work that has won him much praise and esteem. The orderly and well kept appearance of the grounds in his charge has evoked the commendation of lot owners and officers of the cemetery asso- ciation, as well as of all who have the privi- lege of seeing the property. Though he has been in charge of the cemetery only since 1933, he has done much to bring it to a high stage of beauty and otherwise to serve its users.
Mr. Marr was born in Cambridge, son of Robert D. Marr. His family removed to Saugus to make their home when Gordon C. Marr was only two years of age, and it was in this town that he grew to maturity and was educated. Attending the town schools, he entered the employ of the Gen- eral Electric Company at an early age, being engaged in the production branch of that great organization from 1893 to 1913. He
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THE STORY OF ESSEX COUNTY
then resigned from the company, and entered the employ of Gray and Davis, widely known makers of electrical automobile appliances, remaining with them until 1920, when they disposed of their business by sale. Mr. Marr then took a position with the S. A. Wood Machine Company, continuing with them until in March, 1933, he was given the superintendency of Riverside Cemetery. In this work he has effectively and usefully served the Saugus community, performing what amounts to a public service through his efforts. Although there were several other applicants for the position, Mr. Marr was chosen by the cemetery commissioners because of his obvious fitness for the work.
His activities have transcended, in many instances, the necessary work of the super- intendent's office. For he has done much to ascertain the boundaries of lots and get corner stones in their proper places. He has laid out and resodded many lots and gen- erally added to the cemetery's loveliness. His work has been artistic in the fullest degree, making this cemetery one of the finest for its size in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Mr. Marr has vigilantly searched the cemetery records and brought them up to date, despite their apparent inde- cipherability, in a number of instances, at the time when he took his post. His newly conceived system tells at a glance the loca- tion of each of the 15,000 graves. The ceme- tery is situated on a thirty-acre tract of land, and dates back to April 14, 1858, the time of its official organization as a cemetery. Residents of the community had begun using individual lots in this vicinity, how- ever, as early as 1847. Many of the lots have been placed recently under perpetual care. Mr. Marr sees to it that all the graves, even the small single ones, are taken care of, the grass being cut and graded and cared for by a number of men employed for the
purpose. A Saugus paper had the following to say about Mr. Marr's work :
Justification for being proud of their work rightly belongs to the Saugus board of cemetery commis- sioners, whose efficient superintendent has just turned over the largest receipts in history to the town treas- urer. Gordon C. Marr, schooled for many years in business, has been in charge of the cemetery for the past two years, and has brought to the position a clean-cut, businesslike mind, which has concentrated in bringing the administration of the cemetery to a point of high efficiency.
Thousands of dollars were turned over to the treas- urer last year by Mr. Marr as a result of a campaign which he waged to secure perpetual care of old lots. Going back through records, he communicated with the heirs of all persons buried in the beautiful ceme- tery on the banks of the Saugus River whom he could locate and in personal letters stressed to them the virtues of investing in perpetual care funds. As a result hundreds came to Riverside Cemetery to make deposits of this nature. The result, of course, is a lessening of the cost of maintenance for the town, with possibilities for the superintendent to make Riverside a more beautiful cemetery than it is at present Riverside always has been known as one of Greater Lynn's most beautiful burial grounds. The policy of the new superintendent indicates that the board of commissioners made a wise choice when they suc- ceeded in securing his promise to take the position.
Mr. Marr is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, in which he is affiliated with Saugus Lodge, William Sutton Chap- ter of Royal Arch Masons, and De Leon Commandery at Malden.
JOSEPH DURSO-Wholly as the result of his own indomitable use of naturally fine talents, Joseph Durso, well known architect of Lawrence, has won a high place among his professional colleagues, and the citizens of his adopted city. He was born in San Antonia, Italy, September 28, 1902, son of Stephen and Antonia (Maugeri) Durso. He was brought to America at the age of three years, and in 1906 the family located in Law- rence, where his father, a stone mason by
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THE STORY OF ESSEX COUNTY
trade, became a contractor for construction work.
Joseph Durso attended the local schools, having to learn English while he studied other subjects. He was graduated from the Lawrence High School and a commercial school in 1919. He took courses of study in Boston trade schools, and is a graduate of Wentworth Institute. The Franklin Insti- tute provided his training in engineering, and he attended the Italian College of Brook- line.
In 1920 Joseph Durso established himself in the practice of his profession at Law- rence, continuing until 1926, when he opened an office in Boston. Both offices were oper- ated until 1929, since which time he has made Lawrence his headquarters and has engaged in general building construction in connection with his architectural work. His operations have covered New England, from Massachusetts to the Canadian border.
Mr. Durso had full charge of the construc- tion of the Tobey Building, State Hospital, Concord, New Hampshire; fire stations at Suncook, New Hampshire; Coos County Almshouse, at West Stewartstown, New Hampshire ; post office at Andover, Massa- chusetts; Saunders, Lawler, and Storrow schools, Lawrence; United States Coast Guard stations at Cape Elizabeth, Maine, and Truro, and Nantucket, Massachusetts; freight and passenger station at New State Pier, Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, and a number of other projects throughout the states. On all these works he prepared the estimates and had general supervision of their construction.
He was appointed instructor of Archi- tectural Drawing in Lawrence Industrial School in 1924. Fraternally, Mr. Durso is affiliated with the Lawrence Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and is vice-presi- dent of the Federation of Italian Societies
and Clubs of Lawrence; vice-president of the Santonese Society, vice-president of Italian College Club, trustee of the Order of Sons of Italy in America, Loggia Su- prema, No. 902. He is a member of Alpha Sigma Kappa Fraternity of Slaten College, member of the Italian Citizens' Club, Italy Grande. A candidate for mayor of Law- rence in November, 1933, he received a good vote. This was his first political activity.
Joseph Durso married, June 28, 1924, Josephine Norris, of Boston, and they are the parents of one son, Robert A., born May 2, 1925.
ERNEST A. JOHNSON --- The career of Ernest A. Johnson is of colorful interest be -- cause his entire business life has been in one field, textile manufacturing, in which he has risen from errand boy to the responsible position of manager of five thousand em- ployees. Mr. Johnson is a native of Law- rence, born December 26, 1879, son of Eric and Helen (Elfstrone) Johnson, natives of Sweden, who came to America in their youth and were married in Lawrence, where they have ever since made their home. Eric John- son, born in 1855, was a machinist and is now retired, living in Lawrence.
Mr. Johnson attended grammar school and while working as an errand boy in the Wash- ington Textile Mills, completed his educa- tion in the evening high school. He early recognized the value of knowledge and de- ciding upon textile manufacturing as a life work, enrolled in the Lowell Textile School, studying evenings, and after completing the course received a certificate in weaving, de- signing and yarn manufacturing. This con- stant application to furthering his knowl- edge and ability won the desired results and he was advanced from one position to an- other until, in 1923, he was appointed resi- dent manager of the Washington Mills,
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THE STORY OF ESSEX COUNTY
which position he holds today. Having five thousand employees under his supervision, Mr. Johnson is one of the largest employers in Lawrence, and in fact, in Essex County. Starting with the Washington Mills in 1894, he has completed over forty years of service with this company. It would be difficult to find an employer who is more respected and popular among his employees than he, for he possesses that understanding by experience and by nature that enables him to deal with them sympathetically.
Aside from his business interests and re- sponsibilities, Mr. Johnson is active in fra- ternal orders, being a member of the Ma- sonic Fraternity, the Benevolent and Protec- tive Order of Elks, and is also a member of the Lions' Club. The work of the Boy Scouts of America is one of his major activi- ties and he is vice-president of the North Essex Council of this organization. He is a member of the Young Men's Christian Asso- ciation, the Greater Lawrence Civic League, the Republican Club of Massachusetts, the Automobile Club, the Andover Country Club and the Megantic Fish and Game Corpora- tion. His favorite recreations are fishing and golf. He has always supported civic movements and has taken a share in munici- pal affairs, having served for many years as a member of the Andover school committee.
On October 10, 1906, Mr. Johnson married Mary Lamont, of Andover, and they have a son, Ernest A. Johnson, Jr., who is a student at Phillips Andover Academy. The family resides at No. 17 William Street, Andover.
GUSTAVE ADOLPH SCHAEFER The name of Gustave Adolph Schaefer is well and favorably known in Lynn, where he has been prominent in the plumbing and heating trade for many years. The roots of the Schaefer family trace back to Germany and Austria. The grandfather of the sub-
ject of this review was Joseph Schaefer, who was born and died in Germany. His son, Christian, was born in Mengerskirchen, Ger- many, February 13, 1818, and lived his long and useful life in that place. He married Elizabeth Burkhard, also a native of Men- gerskirchen, and they were the parents of Joseph C. Schaefer, who was born in Men- gerskirchen, March 23, 1841, and died in Lawrence, Massachusetts, November 23, 1913. He came to the United States in 1868 and settled in Lawrence, where he was con- nected with the dyeing industry until a few years before his death. He was a member of the German Catholic Church, a staunch Republican, and a substantial and useful citizen of his adopted city. Joseph C. Schaefer married Emma Plisch, daughter of Gustave and Emma Plisch, who, after the death of her husband, lived in Lynn until her death, in June, 1932. She was of the Protestant faith. Both were natives of Vienna, Austria, where Gustave died. He was a textile weaver abroad and was asso- ciated with the textile industry in this coun- try. His wife died in Lawrence.
Gustave Adolph Schaefer, son of Joseph C. and Emma (Plisch) Schaefer, was born in Lawrence, February II, 1885, and re- ceived his education in the schools of his birth city. He chose plumbing and heating as a vocation and served his apprenticeship with Charles L. Holt, of Lawrence, for five years. During two of these years he pur- sued studies in the Parmenter School of Plumbing, Boston. Leaving Mr. Holt, he worked with various Lawrence firms until 1908, when he removed to Lynn. After working for a number of firms there, he set himself up in business under his own name. For five years he had his establishment at No. 9 Oxford Street, later moving to No. 525 Washington Street, where he had his establishment for a number of years and re-
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cently moved to his present place of busi- ness, No. 114 Broad Street.
After the Salem fire in 1915, he did plumb- ing and heating installation for about thirty dwellings and apartment houses in Salem. He has been plumbing and heating con- tractor for a number of residences and apart- ment houses, and business houses in Lynn, and at the present time (May, 1935) was awarded the plumbing, heating and ventila- tion work for the city of Lynn in the new Highland Elementary School. About 1927 Mr. Schaefer branched out as a builder and owner, erecting The Branden and The Ra- leigh apartment houses, at Nos. 34 and 40 Broad Street. The Branden, with its thirty apartments, was sold after a few years, but The Raleigh, with thirty-six apartments, has been retained and operated.
Fraternally, Mr. Schaefer is affiliated with Mount Carmel Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; Sutton Chapter, Royal Arch Ma- sons; Zebulon Council, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite ; Olivet Commandery, Knights Templar, and Aleppo Temple, Ancient Ara- bic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Boston. He is also a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows and the Lynn Encampment.
On April 6, 1910, Gustave Adolph Schaefer married Hattie Tichmeier, a native of Law- rence, daughter of Herman and Marie Tich- meier, both natives of Saxony, Germany, who reside in Lawrence. Mr. and Mrs. Schaefer are the parents of two children : I. Raymond Herman Schaefer, born April 13, 19II, graduate of Lynn Classical High School, and a student at Massachusetts In- stitute of Technology for two years. He then matriculated at Carnegie School of Technology, and was graduated in metal- lurgy, class of 1934. After working at Car- negie Tech in the research department some months, he was offered a position in the
research laboratory division of the Inter- national Nickel Company, at Bayonne, New Jersey, where he now is located. In Octo- ber, 1934, he was married to Amy Dodge, of Pelham Manor, New York, and they reside in Jersey City, New Jersey. 2. Gertrude Marie Schaefer, born October 6, 1914, gradu- ate of Lynn English High School; in 1934 a student in journalism at Simmons College, Boston.
KATHARINE PEABODY LORING- Member of one of America's old families, Katharine Peabody Loring, of Beverly, has interested herself in history and genealogy. She is widely and favorably known for her activities in Beverly, Essex County, and the whole Boston area.
The Lorings have traced their ancestry back to the founder of the American line, Deacon Thomas Loring, who was born at Axminster, Devonshire, England, and came to the New World, December 23, 1634, set- tling in Hingham, Massachusetts, and re- maining here for the rest of his life, which ended April 4, 1661 ; he married, while still in England, Jane Newton, and brought her to America with him.
Their son, John Loring, born December 22, 1630, at Axminster, England, died Sep- tember 19, 1714; he married (first), Decem- ber 16, 1657, Mary Baker, and (second), September 22, 1679, Mrs. Rachel Buckland.
His son, Caleb Loring, born January 2, 1688-89, at Hull, died September 15, 1756; he married (first), June 24, 1714, Elizabeth Baker, and (second), January 15, 1718-19, Susanna Cocks, or Cox, according to vary- ing spellings of the name.
His son, also named Caleb Loring, was born March 29, 1726, at Hull, and died in December, 1787. He married (first), April 30, 1760, Sarah Bradford, and (second), in 1770, Margaret Tidmarsh.
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His son, a third Caleb Loring, in direct line of descent, was born January 13, 1764, at Boston, Massachusetts, and died October 31, 1850. He married (first), February 22, 1789, Ann Greely, and (second), in 1821, Jane Tyler Lothrop.
His son, Charles G. Loring, was born May 2, 1794, and died October 8, 1867. He married (first) Anna P. Brace; (second), in 1840, Mary Ann Putnam; (third), July 15, 1850, Mrs. Cornelia (Amory) Goddard. She died in Florence, Italy, May 13, 1875.
His son, Caleb William Loring, was born July 31, 1819, and died January 29, 1807. He married, January 15, 1846, Elizabeth Smith Peabody. He was a prominent law- yer by profession and a leader in the affairs of the Boston area of Massachusetts.
Katharine Peabody Loring, daughter of Caleb William and Elizabeth Smith (Pea- body) Loring, was born May 21, 1849, in Boston. She studied at several private schools in the Massachusetts capital-those of Mrs. Brown, No. 50 Mount Vernon Street ; Miss Harriet Brown, Walnut Street; and Miss Caroline I. Wilby, No. 32 Bowdoin Street. Since completing formal schooling, she has been more than ordinarily active in the affairs of her community and State. Re- siding in Beverly, she has been a trustee of the Beverly Public Library since 1897. Politically, she holds to the views of the Republican party and is a supporter of its policies and principles. Many years ago she became one of the founders of the Society to Encourage Studies at Home, as well as one of its most active teachers. She has been an officer of the Women's Education Association and president of the Massachu- setts Library Club, as well as a prominent Red Cross worker. Along with her other activities, she was president of the May- flower Club at one time and has long con- tinued among its most active members. She
is a member of the Boston Woman's City Club, the Boston Club, and the different organizations of the Republican party, in- cluding the Massachusetts Woman's Re- publican Club, the Essex County Repub- lican Club and the Beverly Republican Club. She is a member of the First Unitarian Church of Beverly.
LOUISA PUTNAM LORING was born in Boston, January 15, 1854, daughter of Caleb William and Elizabeth Smith (Pea- body) Loring. She was educated in the Boston schools of Madame Maltchisé. Pinck- ney Street, and Miss Caroline I. Wilby, at No. 32 Bowdoin Street. She was a remark- able musician, the piano being her instru- ment, and she was taught by Joseph Keller, a German exile, Ernest Fenollosa, of Salem, and Carl Baerman, celebrated pianist and composer from Munich.
In 1906 she organized the Essex County Chapter of the Red Cross, for which she worked hard during the rest of her life as secretary. During the first years of the war, she was also secretary of the Emergency Red Cross Relief in Boston. Miss Loring was very active in hospital work and one of the principal persons reorganizing the Bev- erly Hospital, founding the Beverly Health Center and Hospital Aid. She established a small sanatorium for curable cases of tuber- culosis in Aiken, South Carolina, in 1897. This was an experiment approved by Dr. Trudeau. During the first eight years, the men who were cured and returned to work earned wages enough to have paid for the buildings and carrying on of the work at that time. This sanatorium was closed in 1934, as the treatment was changed and patients were not sent to a milder climate. She was an officer of the Beverly Improve- ment Society.
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She died May 18, 1924. After her death George Edward Woodberry published a book containing poems written by her, and French translations of poems written by him.
WILLIAM CALET LORING-Late Jus- tice of the Supreme Judicial Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, William Calet Loring was born in Beverly, in Au- gust, 1851. He attended the schools of Fette and Dixwell in Boston and subse- quently entered Harvard College, from which he was graduated in 1872. He was elected to the honorary scholastic society of Phi Beta Kappa and was chosen captain of the university crew. Following his gradu- tion from college, Justice Loring prepared for his professional career at Harvard Law School, where he took the degree of Bach- elor of Laws, summa cum laude, in 1874.
Admitted to the bar of the Common- wealth in the same year, he entered active practice, and in 1876 was appointed assistant to the Attorney-General of Massachusetts. From 1881 to 1885 he served as solicitor of the New York, New England Railroad. Meanwhile, in 1878, he joined the firm of Ropes, Gray and Loring, with which he was associated until his appointment as Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of the Com- monwealth in 1899.
Justice Loring was vice-president of the Massachusetts Humane Society, a member of the New England Historic Genealogical, Society, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Saturday Club and the Club of Odd Volumes. He was a citizen of Boston, but had estates at Bartletts Island, Maine, and Prides Crossing.
Justice Loring married, in September, 1883, Susan Mason Lawrence, who died in March, 1923, at Rome. He survived her seven years, passing away in September, 1930, in his eightieth year.
AUGUSTUS PEABODY LORING, SR. -- A member of the Massachusetts bar for more than half a century, Augustus Pea- body Loring, Sr., was born at Boston in December, 1857. He was educated in the schools of Fette, Dixwell and Noble and at Harvard College, from which he was grad- uated in 1878. In 1881, he took the degree of Bachelor of laws, cum laude, at Harvard Law School, and upon his admission to the bar in the same year, entered the firm of Brooks, Ball and Story, with whom he be- gan his professional career. In 1882, he be- came an associate in his father's office and after the death of the elder man formed the firm of Loring, Coolidge, Noble and Boyd, in which he continued as senior member.
In 1893, Mr. Loring published a "Trustees Handbook," which is in general use among trustees. In 1897, he became president of the Plymouth Cordage Company. He has given much of his time to the management of manufacturing, real estate and banking companies, and has extensive interests in these fields. In memory of his father, he presented the Plymouth Cordage Company with a library, which was the beginning of many social welfare projects carried out in that plant.
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