USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Athol > Athol, Massachusetts, past and present > Part 26
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CHARLES A. BATES, son of Alonzo and Eliza Bates, was born in South Deerfield, Dec. 2, 1848. His educa-
CHARLES A. BATES.
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ARTHUR F. TYLER.
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tion was obtained in the schools of that village, and at Deerfield Academy. He learned the wallet business in South Deerfield and came to Athol with the Palmer & Bates Co .. in 1871. In 1879 he became a member of the firm of Bates Bros., successors to Palmer & Bates, and was the energetic superintendent of the works until his death ; his practical knowledge of the business, good judgment and tireless energy being of great value in the building up of this important industry of the town, Although of a quiet and genial nature, he was a man of strong convictions, and was especially tenacious in his political views. He was a member of the Democratic town committee for a number of years. and was an active worker for his party. He was a member of Acme Lodge Knights of Honor, and a charter member of the Poquaig Club in the prosperity of which he was deeply interested. He married Josephine Pratt, Nov. 23, 1875. They had three children. Mr. Bates died Dec 3. 1894.
ARTHUR F. TYLER, one of Athol's most successful manufacturers, was born in the historic town of Lexing- ton, March 12, 1852. His father died when Arthur was eleven years of age, and he went to New Hampshire on to a farm, where he remained a year, when he returned to Lexington and attended school. He first came to Athol in December, 1866, and remained until the following fall as clerk in the dry goods store of T. W. Savage at the Upper Village. When fifteen years of age he entered the works of Geo. F. Blake & Co., manufacturers of steam pumping machinery in Boston, as an apprentice, where he
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served an apprenticeship of three years, and continued in their employ another year. After leaving this company he went to work in the repair shops of the Fitchburg Railroad at Charlestown. At this time the Westinghouse air brakes were being introduced, and Mr Tyler had charge of putting these upon the engines running between Boston and Fitch- burg. He remained in this business four years, and came to Athol in April, 1876, and commenced the manufacture of window blinds with Wallace Cheney in the old Cheney Mill. At the expiration of a year he purchased his part- ner's interest in the business which he has continued to carry on to the present time. He continued to manufac- ture window blinds for seven years in the old mill, running by water power, and at the end of that time had increased the number of workmen in his employ from five or six which he had when he commenced business to sixteen. In January 1883 he bought the tract of land known as the Estabrook lot on Main street and commenced to build a new factory to run by steam power. He also commenced the manufacture of window sash. His business gradually increased, and in 1890 he bought out the window frame department of the Kennebec Framing & Lumber Co., of Fairfield, Me., and removed it to Athol. The original factory was thirty-two by seventy-two feet, but additions have been made until the capacity has more than doubled, and he has one of the best equipped factories of the kind in New England. He has employed upwards of eighty hands. He also has an office and store in Haymarket Square in Boston. Mr. Tyler, in addition to his manufac-
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C. FRED RICHARDSON.
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turing business, is interested in many of the business and financial enterprises of the town. He is a director of the Millers River National Bank, trustee of the Athol Savings Bank. and one of the owners of the Athol and Orange Street Railway. In 1895 he served as selectman, and is chief engineer of the fire department. He is a member of all the Odd Fellow and Masonic organizations of the town, of Acme Lodge Knights of Honor and of the Congregational church. He was married May 12, 1875, to Mary Baker Cheney, daughter of J. Munroe Cheney of Athol.
C. FRED RICHARDSON, son of Nathaniel Richardson, was born in Athol, Sept, 28, 1839. He attended the pub- lic schools of the town until about eighteen years of age, when he went into his father's shop and learned the machinist's trade. He was for four or five years in the sewing machine shops at Orange, and a year in the rattan shop at Fitchburg, and the rest of his life has been spent in Athol. In 1870 he succeeded to the business of his father, which was a general machine jobbing business, and has since added to it the manufacture of architects' and carpenters' levels and transits, and also deals extensively in bicycles, his son Fred R., being in company with him. Taking an active interest in the business and financial affairs of the town, he has been called upon to serve in various capacities. He has been a member of the board of selectmen eight years, represented this district in the Leg- islature of 1884, and on the resignation of John D. Hol- brook as town clerk in 1897, he was appointed to fill the
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vacancy, which position he now holds. He is a trustee of the Athol Savings Bank, secretary and treasurer of the Athol Co-Operative Bank, and secretary and treasurer of the Citizens Building Co. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and Knights of Honor, and has been Master of Orange Lodge of Masons. He married Celia C. Lamb, Sept. 21, 1862. They have two children, Fred R., who is in company with him, and Carl.
HERBERT L. HAPGOOD, son of Lyman W. Hapgood, was born in Athol, Feb 5, 1850. His education was obtained in the public schools of the town and at New Salem Acad- emy. After leaving the Academy he went to Winchendon and spent about two years in the shops of Baxter D. Whit- ney, learning the machinist's trade. He returned to Athol and in 1874 formed a partnership with his brother-in-law, Almond Smith, to carry on the match business, established by his father. The firm was known as Hapgood & Smith, and did an extensive business until 1882, when they sold the plant to the Diamond Match Co. They conducted the business for that company four years, and then bought the plant and continued the business until 1892, when they sold again to the same company. While engaged in the match business Mr. Hapgood's inventive genius added much to its value and prosperity, through his improvements in machinery and methods of handling. Among his inven- tions was a sand papering machine that has been used quite extensively. Since retiring from manufacturing, Mr. Hap- good has been engaged to some extent in the lumber busi- ness, and has also devoted much time to town affairs. He
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HERBERT L. HAPGOOD.
ALMOND SMITH.
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has served on the board of selectmen five years, has been one of the assessors for the same length of time, and super- intendent of streets three years. He is also one of the sewer commissioners, having been a member of the first board elected, under whose direction the system of sewerage was constructed. He is a member of all the Masonic and Odd Fellow organizations of the town, the Highland Fire- men's Association and the Poquaig Club. In politics he has always been a Republican, and has been an active worker in the party, serving as chairman of the town committee several years. He was married Feb. 25, 1875, to Mary Josephine Proctor, daughter of Joseph Proctor, and granddaughter of one of Athol's first lawyers. They have had five children, three of whom are now living, Lyman P., Edith and Frederic H.
ALMOND SMITH was born on a farm in Petersham, Oct. 23, 1845. When he was nine years old his father died, and three years later the death of his mother broke up the home and caused the separation of the nine chil- dren then living out of the original family of eleven. He found a home in Athol first under the guardianship of Calvin Kelton. After that he lived in several families, doing chores and general work, while receiving his educa- tion, which was completed in the Athol High School. He then worked at the shoe business for ten years. Novem- ber 21, 1874 he went into the match splint business in company with H. L. Hapgood, under the firm name of Hapgood & Smith. This was continued for eight years, when they sold their plant, mill and entire interest to the
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Diamond Match Company. They carried on the business for the company for three years and a half when they re- purchased it and continued the business for themselves for six and a half years, when they sold out again to the same company. Mr. Smith has since continued in the em- ploy of the company, and is engaged most of the time in looking after the lumber supply. He was for about twenty-four years a member of the fire department, during a number of years of which time he was the clerk and treasurer of the board of engineers. He was also superin- tendent of the First Unitarian Sunday School ten years. He has been an active worker in politics, and has been a mem- ber of the Republican town committee for several years. He married Miss Sarah L. Hapgood, daughter of Lyman W. Hapgood, Dec. 29, 1870. They have one child, Miss Arline Smith, a teacher in the Hyannis High school.
HENRY R. STOWELL was born in Petersham, June 19, 1832. He received a common school education, and left home at sixteen years of age to make his way in the world. For three years he worked on farms in Amherst, Deer- field and Greenfield and then went to Indiana and Illinois, where he spent a year or two and then returned to Green- field and engaged in the grocery business. While in Greenfield he was married in 1854 to Miss Lucina Hough- ton of Petersham. He carried on the grocery business for a year when he sold out and went to Tully, in Orange, where he obtained employment in the furniture factory of Pierce & Mayo. In 1860 he engaged in the manufacture of furniture with Joseph Pierce at Tully, but soon pur-
HENRY R. STOWELL.
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chased the interest of his partner. In 1862, while in the midst of a good and profitable business he eulisted as a private in Co. F, 52d Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers with seven of his employees. This furnishes one of those striking exhibitions of patriotism which abounded in the
required of the town of Orange was lacking eight men, Northern States in the early days of the war. The quota
and unless that number would volunteer a draft must be ordered. At this crisis in affairs Mr. Stowell and his em- ployees present themselves and make up the required num- ber. The gate of the factory is shut down and the work- ing jackets of the men are hung upon the walls of the shop, some of them never to be donned again, their owners lay- ing down their lives in the far South lands. Mr. Stowell had promised his men that he would carry a musket with them. and this he did through their term of service, al-
though he might have served in higher positions, having
been for several weeks General Banks private secretary which position he might have retained. At the close of his term of service. with his surviving comrades, he returned to Tully, and resumed business at the factory where it had
been left the year before. In 1865 fire destroyed his fac- tory and all his stock of lumber, on which there was no insurance, leaving him hundreds of dollars in debt. He immediately bargained for part of another factory and re-
sumed business, which he has continued to the present time. In 1883 he removed to Athol and purchased a fine estate on School Street. which has since been his home. He has become prominently identified with the business
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and social affairs of the town, is a director of the Millers River National Bank, vice president of the Athol Savings Bank, and one of its board of investment, and has been chairman of the executive committee of the Poquaig Club since its formation. He was married the second time July 10, 1856 to Miss Ellen A. Davis of Royalston. They have three children.
ABIJAH HILL, oldest son of John C. Hill was born in Athol, Feb. 16, 1847. He attended the public schools of the town and a business college at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., for a year. His first business was running a blanket mill in Swanzey, N. H. He then was engaged in building the Eagleville and Tully blanket mills, and a blanket shop on Canal Street. He run a mill at Otter River for a year or two, and then carried on the Eagleville mill most of the time until about ten years ago. He is now engaged in farming and real estate business. He was made a Knight Templar in the Connecticut Valley Commandery at Green- field, and was one of the organizers of the Athol Com- mandery. He was married Feb. 6, 1895 to Isabel Vaughn.
CHARLES L. MORSE was born in Rochester, Vt., March 26, 1849, where he lived until fourteen years of age. His grandfather, Charles Morse, and his father, Charles Morse, Jr., both served their country, the former in the war of 1812 and the latter in the war of the Rebellion, his father being killed in the battle of Gettysburg. His early life was spent in farming during the summer and lumbering in the winter season until about twenty-one years of age, when he went to Canton, Mass., where he learned the car-
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ABIJAH HILL.
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penter's and joiner's trade. While there he married Mari- ella F. Howes of that town, Nov. 30, 1873. He continued to work at his trade in Canton, until the spring of 1877, when he went to Topeka, Kansas, to work for the Atkin- son, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad Co. The next winter he accepted a position on the Kansas Pacific Railroad, where he had charge of the wood work on the Eastern Division of that road. until he lost a foot in the employ of that com- pany. After a season spent in travelling among the Rocky Mountains he came East and worked for the Eureka Silk Co .. until the fall of 1881 when he came to Athol as master mechanic for the Athol Silk Co., and is now super- intendent of the silk business of D. E. Adams. He is the inventor of the Morse valve reseating machine, is promi- nently identified with the Masonic, Odd Fellows and other organizations of the town and is an earnest worker in the temperance cause.
FRANK EDWARD WING, son of Edward E. and Helen Newman Wing was born in Conway, Mass, June 27, 1865, where four generations of Wings had lived before him. He attended the public schools of Conway; was graduated from Smith Academy, Hatfield in 1882, and entered Yale College in the fall of the same year, from which he gradu- ated in 1886. While in college he was Fence Orator, Class Historian and chairman of the "Courant" editorial board. In April 1887 he came to Athol and was em- ployed in the office of L. S. Starrett, where he has remained ever since In 1887 he composed the entire office and shipping force of the establishment, where now nine per-
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sons are required to do the work. Mr. Wing's attention now is confined mainly to the finances and advertising of the company He was married Sept. 28, 1892, to Miss Edith May Smith of Athol. He has been a member of the Republican town committee and president of the Athol Republican Club, and is a Justice of the Peace and Notary Public, and clerk of of the Second Unitarian society. He is a prominent member of the Masonic organizations of the town, is past High Priest of Union Royal Arch Chapter, present District Deputy Grand High Priest of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Massachusetts and Eminent Com- mander of Athol Commandery, Knights Templars.
LEWIS SANDERS was born in Townsend, Mass., March 15, 1842. He attended the public schools of his native town and several terms at Lawrence Academy, Groton, where he was preparing for a college course, when, his father having lost his sight, Lewis was called home to take charge of the business when seventeen years of age. In 1865, with others, he purchased the Stevens mill in Town- send and engaged extensively in lumbering. At the end . of three years he had bought out his partners, and then engaged in the manufacture of kegs and barrels. His business continued to increase, and in March 1882, he moved it to Athol, employing at that time about twenty- five hands. After coming to Athol the business increased rapidly, outgrowing the buildings in which he first located, and a larger plant was erected south of the village, which at one time in its various departments gave employment to upwards of seventy-five men, the manufacture of boxes
FRANK E. WING.
CHARLES L. MORSE.
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LEWIS SANDERS.
FRED R. DAVIS.
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and match blocks having been added to the original busi- ness. This was discontinued in 1897, and Mr. Sanders went to Seattle, Washington, where he is engaged in the wood business. He is an Odd Fellow of long standing, and on the organization of Tully Lodge was elected its first Noble Grand, and was also the District Deputy Grand Master of this district in 1889 and 1890. He is also a member of several Masonic organizations, and was for five years one of the engineers of the fire department. He married Ellen M. Gilchrist, a native of Lunenburg. They have one daughter, Jennie I.
FRED R. DAVIS was born in Waltham, July 4, 1856. He went through the public schools of his native town, and after graduating from the High school learned the iron founders trade and was for twelve years engaged in the construction of gas and water works. He came to Athol Jan. 1, 1883 and took the position of superintendent of the gas and water companies. He has been for several years superintendent and treasurer of the Athol Gas and Electric Company. He was married Nov. 24, 1875 to Miss Jennie M. Emerson. They have one son, Forest Davis. Mr. Davis is a member of the various Masonic organizations.
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CHAPTER XXI.
COMMERCIAL.
"Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall hot stand before mean men."
OST of those connected with the commer- cial interests of Athol, from the early days through all the years of its history, have been men of integrity and worthy business principles, and the town has been fortunate in the character of its merchants and those engaged in kindred occupations or business. Sketches of many of these have already been given in connection with other departments of this work, and this chapter will be devoted more especially to those doing business at the present day.
OSCAR T. BROOKS was born in Petersham, June 6, 1839. When two years of age his parents moved to Well- dell, Mass., which was henceforth his home during his youth and early manhood. His education was obtained in the common schools of Wendell, the Winchester, N. H., High school and the New Salem Academy. In 1859 he
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engaged in mercantile business in Wendell in company with his father and was the postmaster there several years. In the fall of 1862 he came to Athol and with the late J. M. King bought out the general country store busi- ness of P. C. Tyler, and carried on business in the store now occupied by Chas. H. Tyler for about a year and a half. In the fall of 1864 in company with J. M. King and Franklin R. Haskell he engaged in business in the store now occupied by A. R. Tower, and in 1869 in com- pany with J. F. Packard he commenced business in the store which he has occupied to the present time. This partnership was continued for about a year when Mr. Brooks purchased the interest of his partner, and in 1870 in company with Chas. M. Sears established the firm of Brooks & Sears, which was continued until the death of Mr. Sears. Sept. 28, 1885, since which time Mr. Brooks has continued the business alone. In 1881 he served the town as Selectman, Assessor and Overseer of the Poor. He is a trustee of the Athol Savings Bank, director of the Athol Co-Operative Bank and a member of the executive committee of the Board of Trade, and at the 1897 election was elected Representative to the Legislature from the First Worcester district. He is a member of the Second Advent church. and has been superintendent of its Sunday school for fifteen years or more, and is also president of the Young Men's Christian Association. On Jan. 3, 1866 he married Cornelia R. Smith, daughter of the late Abner Smith. They have had five children, only two of whom are now living, Annie and Ralph.
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CHARLES M. SEARS was born in New Salem, April 4, 1842. When fifteen years of age he went to Hartford, Conn., where he was employed in a grocery store. He returned to New Salem in 1862 and engaged in the palm- leaf business until he came to Athol in May, 1866, and opened a small grocery store. In 1870 in company with O. T. Brooks, he established the firm of Brooks & Sears, which was continued without change until the death of Mr. Sears Sept. 28, 1885. Mr. Sears never held political or town office, but was for several years one of the trustees of the Methodist church of which he was one of the most loved and efficient members. He married Annie F. Chapin of Hartford, Conn., Sept 15, 1863. They had two children. Mrs. Sears died April 12, 1868, and he was married a second time to Mrs. Annis J. Smith, Nov. 10, 1870. By this marriage he had two children, a daughter and son. The daughter died in infancy, and the son, Mortimer A. Sears, is a mining engineer.
CHARLES A. CROSMAN was born in Athol, Dec. 27, 1839. He received a common school education in his native town, and attended New Salem Academy two terms. In 1860 he removed to Barre, Mass., and was a resident of that town until 1874, being engaged most of the time in the market business. In 1874 he returned to Athol and engaged in the grocery business at Athol Center with George W. Stevens in which he continued until his death, Aug. 7, 1896. He represented this district in the Legis- lature of 1892, and served the town as assessor two years. He was made a Mason in 1868 in Mt. Sinai Lodge of
OSCAR T. BROOKS.
CHARLES M. SEARS.
NELSON WHITCOMB.
CHARLES A. CROSMAN.
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Barre, became a Chapter Mason in 1886 and was made a Sir Knight in 1889. In 1895 he was Eminent Commander of Athol Commandery Knights Templars.
NELSON WHITCOMB was born in Bolton, Mass., Feb. 1, 1814. He lived in his native town on a farm until twenty- one years of age, attending school ten weeks in the winter and the same in the summer. After leaving home he went to work in Jaffrey, N. H., and later at Harvard and Bolton. He went to Worcester and learned the trade of making plows, and then returned to Bolton and engaged in the manufacture of plows and farming, which he continued for eleven years. when he went to Clinton where he was in the livery business for ten years, and also started a passen- ger and express team from Clinton to Northboro. He then went to Fitchburg and was express messenger from Fitchburg to Boston for the United States and Canada Ex- press Co .. for five years, commencing in 1867. He was proprietor of the Leominster Hotel for two years and a half and came to Athol in 1874 and engaged in the coal business which he carried on until his death, April 6, 1895. He married Elvira Holman of Bolton in October, 1837. and their golden wedding was happily observed in 1887. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity and of the Second Unitarian church.
HARDING R. BARBER was born in Warwick, Mass., Dec. 20, 1839. He was educated in the public schools of his native town, and at the age of seventeen years com- menced his commercial life as clerk in a country store at Erving. He came to Athol in 1857 and entered the em-
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ploy of Alvin Houghton, who had stores where the City Hotel now is. He was also clerk in stores at Greenfield and South Royalston, and in August, 1862, enlisted in Co. E, 53d Regiment, Mass. Volunteers and participated in the various battles and engagements of his regiment until it was discharged. Soon after leaving the army he returned to Athol and purchased a harness business which he has continued to the present time. He also at one time did quite an extensive business in the manufacture of horse blanket straps and other leather goods. In addition to his store for the sale of goods, he has for many years em- ployed several skilled workmen in his manufacturing de- partment. He has always taken an active interest in political affairs, and for a number of years served on the Republican town committee. He represented this district in the State Legislature for the years 1895 and 1896, and was also State Senator for 1897 and 1898. In the Senate he was chairman of the agricultural committee for both years, and served on other important committees. In Jan- uary 1899, the question of who should be postmaster of the Athol office having been given by Congressman Gillett to the Republican patrons of the office to decide by a cau- cus, he was elected by a large vote for that position. He has been prominently identified with the Grand Army and Masonic organizations of the town, having been master of Star Lodge two terms, and is one of the executive commit- tee of the Second Unitarian Church, of which he has been a member since its formation. In 1859 he married Josie M. Knowlton, daughter of Stillman Knowlton a prominent
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