USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Biographical review, containing life sketches of leading citizens of Essex County, Massachusetts > Part 21
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participated in the battle of White Plains and other engagements of the Revolutionary War, and died in Ipswich in 1842.
Rufus Kimball attended the public schools of his native town until fifteen years old, ob- taining a practical education. In 1844 he came to Lynn to serve an apprenticeship in the office of the Lynn News, then published by his brother, the late J. F. Kimball. After serving his time he was admitted to partner- ship with his brother, a connection that lasted until 1861. In that year, in company with Thomas P. Nichols and A. G. Courtis, he es- tablished the Lynn Transcript, which they conducted until it changed hands, several years later. Mr. Kimball then engaged in the job printing business, and was the city printer for two years. In 1886 he sold out his establishment, and has since been con- nected with the Lynn Item, a bright and newsy journal and one of the best conducted newspapers in the city.
For more than twoscore years Mr. Kimball has been prominently identified with the municipal life of the city, doing much by counsel and service. In 1855, 1888, and 1892 he was a member of the Common Council, being its president in 1888. From 1893 to 1895, inclusive, he was one of the Aldermen of the city, serving as president of the board during the last two years. He was elected General Assessor in 1863, a position which he held for twenty-four consecutive years, having been elected to eight successive terms. He was a Representative to the State legislature in 1866, 1867, 1889, and 1890. During those years he served on the Commit- tees on Printing, Constitutional Amendments, Mercantile Affairs, and Education; and he was chairman of the Constitutional Amend- ment Committee when, in 1889, the prohibi- tory amendment was submitted to the people,
RUFUS KIMBALL.
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In 1866 he was appointed by Speaker Stone on the Recess Committee, appointed to revise the salaries of the State officers; and in 1867 he was on the Recess Committee, to report all previous legislations on Charles River and Warren Bridges.
Mr. Kimball is now a trustee of the Lynn Five Cent Savings Bank and a member of its Investment Committee, a commissioner of Pine Grove Cemetery, and the president and treasurer of the Lynn Mutual Fire Insurance Company. A straightforward Republican, he is a member of the Massachusetts Republican Club ; and for two years, during two Presiden- tial campaigns, he was the secretary of the Lynn Republican City Committee. Frater- nally, he is a charter member and Past Grand of Providence Lodge, No. 171, I. O. O. F., of which for the past twelve years he has been secretary ; the vice-president of the Old Essex Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolu- tion ; and he is an original member of the Park Club of this city. On November 30, 1854, he married Miss Mary A. Woolley, of Lynn. Of the eight children born to him and Mrs. Kimball, four are now living, namely : Helen P., the wife of Charles H. Ingalls, shoe man- ufacturer ; James W., the clerk of the Massa- chusetts House of Representatives ; Lizzie B., the wife of Charles O. Blood, of the firm Blood & Co., grocers; and Alfred, a lumber dealer in Boston.
J OHN AUGUSTUS BURNHAM, an enterprising and progressive agricult- urist of Ipswich, was born October 23, 1840, in West Gloucester, Mass., on a home- stead that formed a portion of the original Burnham grant. A son of Augustus Burn- ham, he is a direct descendant of Deacon John Burnham, who emigrated from England in
1635, and settled in Chebacco, then a part of Ipswich. In 1637 this ancestor took part in the Pequod expedition, and two years later received a grant of land for his services therein. He was active and prominent in his town, being Deacon of the first church organ - ized in Chebacco; and he owned a large tract of land on the east side of what is now Has- kell's Creek, in Essex, where he settled, and resided for the rest of his life. A portion of the original farm is still in possession of the family, being now owned by Samuel M. Burn- ham, of West Gloucester. The succeeding ancestors of John A. Burnham were John, 2 John1, 3 Samuel,4 Ebenezer, 5 and John.6 The last named, born in 1784, who was the grand- father of the subject of this sketch, died in Andover, Mass.
Mr. Burnham's father, Augustus Burnham, was lost at sea when quite a young man, the vessel on which he was employed being wrecked on an incoming trip from the West Indies. His mother, who now resides in Essex, subsequently became the wife of the late John Noble. By her first marriage, be- sides John A., she had another son, Charles L. Burnham, of Beverly, Mass., the well- known excursion agent.
John A. Burnham was but nine years old when he was left fatherless. Shortly after, he came to this locality to reside with the late John Lowe, of Essex, who soon settled on the Beach Road, on the farm now owned and occupied by Mr. Burnham. John Lowe, a son of John Lowe, was a brother of Martha Lowe, of North Essex, whose biography, to be found elsewhere in this volume, contains a more extended history of the Lowe family. Mr. Lowe bought this valuable estate from George Smith, whose only daughter is the wife of Judge Safford, of Salem. It is the old Smith homestead, having been the origi-
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nal homestead of Adam Smith, who had three sons - Asa, Joshua, and Bemsley, of whom the eldest was the next proprietor. Mr. Burnham has now in his possession an old powder-horn found in the attic of the house, inscribed "Adam Smith, 1763." John Lowe married Harriet N. Marshall, who died January 26, 1892, aged seventy-six years. His death oc- curred on September 2, 1887, at the age of seventy-eight. They had no children of their own, but reared two - John A. Burnham and Mary R. Hoyt. The latter lived with the Lowes from the time she was nine years old until her marriage, ten years later, to George Webb, of Swampscott. Mr. Burnham was made executor of Mr. Lowe's estate. After all legacies were paid, he received the residue, thus coming into possession of the farm.
Mr. Burnham first married Amanda Smith, who was reared on the adjoining farm. A daughter of Joshua Smith, she was a sister of Charles, Frank, Alfred, and Martha Smith. She passed to the higher life January 16, 1892, leaving no children. On April 16, 1892, Mr. Burnham married Miss Addie N. Dole, who was born and bred in Boston. They have no children. A man of high prin- ciple and upright in all of his dealings, Mr. Burnham is highly respected in the commu- nity.
TEPHEN SMITH MARSH, an Al- derman of Lynn and a well-known grocer, was born in this city, Sep- tember 18, 1843. A son of J. E. F. and Sarah C. (Smith) Marsh, he is directly de- scended from George Marsh, who came from England, and landed in Boston in 1635. One of his uncles, Shubal Marsh, was with Sam Houston in Texas. The father, born in New Gloucester, Me., August 22, 1816, was the first newspaper carrier in Lynn, which busi-
ness, commencing in 1837, he followed for twenty years. For another twenty years he was in the grocery business. A devoted mem- ber of the First Congregational Church of Lynn, he served it for twenty-one years in the capacities of Deacon and Treasurer. He is now eighty-two years old. His wife, who was a native of Lynn, born September 14, 1817, died in 1893, at the age of seventy-six.
Stephen S. Marsh left the public schools of Lynn at the age of seventeen years. He then learned the shoemaking trade, and afterward worked at it for about two years. At the end of that time he joined his father in the gro- cery business, and three years later, in 1865, started in business for himself at the corner of Summer and Pleasant Streets. Having spent twenty-four years in that location, he moved to his present stand, 73, 75, and 77 Summer Street, in 1889. Here he has since carried on a very successful trade, and has made many warm friends.
On June 13, 1866, Mr. Marsh was married to Sarah E. King, of Saco, Me., a descendant of the noted King family that produced Gov- ernor King, of Maine, Rufus King, who was United States Minister to England, and other well-known men. Seven children have been born of this union, five of whom are living. The latter are: Stephen E., William A., Alice M., Charles L., and Frank M. Alice is now the wife of T. C. Crowther, of Lynn. Mr. Marsh is a charter member and for five years was the treasurer of Sagamore Tribe of Red Men, No. 12. He is also a member of Providence Lodge, No. 171, 1. O. O. F., and of Palestine Encampment, No. 37. From 1887 to 1889 and from 1895 to 1896 he was a member of the Lynn Common Council. Upon the organization of the Board of Aldermen for this year he was assigned to the Committees on Water Supply, Street Lighting, and En-
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rolled Bills, and to that of State Aid, of which he is the chairman.
ENRY JAMES MILLS, the Post- master at East Saugus, was born in Bow, N.H., August 29, 1854, son of Thomas C. and Martha T. (Carter) Mills. The father, who is a native of Concord, N. H., has followed agriculture in Bow since he was a young man, and is still residing there. The mother was born in Bow, daughter of Nathaniel and Elizabeth (Robertson) Carter, of the same town. Colonel John Carter, great-grandfather of Henry James, served as an officer in the Revolution and in the War of 1812.
Henry James Mills has resided in East Saugus since 1865, and was educated in the public schools of this town. At the age of eighteen he took a position as clerk in a general store conducted by Mrs. Martha B. Hawkes, with whom he remained until her death in 1885. Then he purchased the busi - ness, and has since carried it on energetically and with success. Although a Republican in politics, he was appointed Postmaster by President Cleveland in 1885, and has since held office under the different administra- tions. He has been a member of the School Board for the past eight years, and is now its secretary. An attendant of the Methodist Episcopal church, he is one of its trustees.
Mr. Mills was made a Mason in William Sutton Lodge, of Saugus, in 1875. Since then he has advanced to the Thirty-second de- gree. He was Worshipful Master of the Blue Lodge in 1882 and 1883; was Most Excellent High Priest of Sutton Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, of Lynn, in 1889 and 1890; and is connected with Melrose Council, Royal and Select Masters, of Malden; Olivet Comman-
dery, Knights Templar, of Lynn; Boston Lodge of Perfection; Mount Olivet Chapter of the Rose Croix, Giles F. Yates Council, Princes of Jerusalem; and the Massachusetts Consistory. In 1887 he was appointed, by Grand Master Henry Endicott, Deputy Grand Master for the Seventh Masonic District, a position which he occupied for three years; and he served as Junior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts in 1895. He is also a trustee of the real estate and charity fund of William Sutton Lodge, and is secre- tary and treasurer of the District Deputy Grand Masters' Association of Massachusetts.
OHN F. GARDINER, ex-City Marshal of the city of Newburyport, was born in Francestown, Hillsboro County, N.H., April 15, 1829. The father, with two brothers, came from Charlestown, Mass., where they had been employed in the navy- yard ropewalk. The father bought a farm in Francestown, and lived there during the re- mainder of his life, dying at the age of fifty years. His wife died in 1873. She was Miriam, daughter of Stephen Davis, of West Amesbury, and a neighbor of Horace Greeley. Of their five children, John F. and Stephen D. are living. In 1861 Stephen D. enlisted as Sergeant for three months in Company A, Eighth Regiment, which went from Newbury- port at the first call. Upon his return he re- enlisted and was promoted to the rank of Captain of the same company, going through Baltimore with Butler just after the Sixth. Subsequently he was a patrolman for twenty- four years, during which period he refused promotion. He died June 25, 1894.
John F. Gardiner was educated in Newbury- port. For twelve years after leaving school he drove a hack for Moses Coleman. When
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Mr. Coleman left Newburyport to become the superintendent of the Metropolitan Railroad in Boston, young Gardiner went with him as driver, in which position he remained for nine years. On April 27, 1868, he became a pa- trolman, was rapidly promoted, holding the position of Sergeant for three years and that
of Lieutenant for twenty-seven years. In the fall of 1894 he returned to Newburyport, and was almost immediately elected City Marshal, in which capacity he served for two years. Mr. Gardiner married, and has a son in the West, another residing in Haverhill, and a daughter at home.
G ARDNER S. MORSE, an enter- prising general merchant of West Boxford and a Civil War veteran, was born in this town, October 14, 1837, son of Samuel and Mary (Parker) Morse. The grandfather, also named Samuel Morse, who was a native of Maine, followed the business of truckman in early life. Later he became a shoemaker, and passed his last years in Box- ford. The father was born in Industry, Me. During the active period of his life he was a shoemaker in this town and vicinity. Possess- ing considerable natural ability outside of his legitimate calling, he was elected to some of the important town offices, and rendered valu- able service to the community. He died at the age of seventy-two years. Mary Morse, his wife, who was a daughter of Jacob C. Parker, became the mother of eight children; namely, Charlotte N., Edwin C., Sylvester P., Henry M., Mary E., Gardner S., Herbert C., and Susan A. The living are : Charlotte N., who resides in Georgetown, Mass. ; Sylvester P., of Bradford, Mass .; Henry M., now in Colorado; and Gardner S., the subject of this sketch. It is much to the credit of this
family that the five sons served in the Civil War. Of these, two were wounded, and one died in Libby Prison.
Gardner S. Morse began his education in the district schools. After completing his studies at Atkinson Academy, he went to Haverhill, where he lived until the breaking out of the Civil War. In 1861 he enlisted in Company F, Seventeenth Regiment, Massa- chusetts Volunteer Infantry, of which he was appointed Sergeant. In the service he was struck in the shoulder by a piece of a shell. Having recovered from the wound, he rejoined his company, and thereafter remained with it until honorably discharged at the expiration of three years and three months. Afterward for about eight years he followed the business of photographer in the coal districts of Pennsyl- vania. Upon his return to Massachusetts he taught school two years. Since 1887 he has conducted a general store in West Boxford.
Mr. Morse married Mary E. Sager, a native of Pennsylvania. He has no children. He has served with ability as superintendent of schools and upon the School Committee, and was a member of the State legislature in 1893. An honorary membership connects him with the Junior Order of American Mechanics, and he was one of the organizers of Post No. 5, G. A. R., of Lynn, and was its third Com- mander. Mr. Morse is now a comrade of Post No. 108, of Georgetown. In politics he is a Republican. He cast his first Presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1860.
OSHUA BRAGDON, a well-known box manufacturer of Danversport, was born in Cornish, Me., March 21, 1818, son of Joshua and Lavinia (Brooks) Bragdon. When he was ten years old his father removed to Wells, Mc., the parents' native town,
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GARDNER S. MORSE.
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where young Joshua lived until he was six- teen. Then he went to Lynn and bound him- self to Mr. Buffum in the lumber and mill business for one year, for the sum of one hun- dred dollars and his board. At the end of the year his duties and responsibilities were in- ereased, and his salary raised. The running of the planing machine was in his charge, and he also kept the books. When Mr. Buffum sold out his business in Lynn, and started in Salem, Mr. Bragdon went with him, taking entire charge of the new enterprise. In 1853 he came to Danversport and engaged in the same business in company with his brother Nathaniel and James Staples. The firm lost Mr. Staples by his death in 1860. It had an extensive business in the manufacture of boxes. Finally it sold the lumber and plan- ing business, restricting itself thereafter to box-making, in which it was very successful. Mr. Bragdon also owned two vessels. He sold his box manufacturing interest in 1879 to Woodman Brothers & Ross, and has since lived retired.
Since 1879 Mr. Bragdon has served for twelve years on the Board of Seleetmen. During one term, in which was adopted the water-works system, the original cost of which was one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, he was chairman of the board. In that period, also, extensive road improvements were made by the Telford system, especially upon the Danversport turnpike, where a poor road was converted into a substantial one. Having been for sixteen years a Justice of the Peace, he is now holding his third commission. He has been a trustee of the Danvers Savings Bank for twenty-five years, was a vice-presi- dent of it for five years, and served for several years on its Investment Committee. Mr. Bragdon is a Republican in polities, and takes much interest in the welfare of his town.
In 1840 he married Isabel Littlefield, of Wells, Me., who died in Danvers in 1864. A second marriage in 1865 united him with Mary Franees Twiss, of Beverly, his present wife. Born of the first marriage were: Charles Edward, who died at the age of four and a half years; and Clara A., who died in her twelfth year. His second wife has adopted a daughter, Ida Twiss Bragdon, who is a musie teacher. Mrs. Bragdon is a teacher in the Congregational church Sunday-school and a regular attendant of the church. Mr. Bragdon is a member of the Mosaie Lodge, F. & A. M., of Danvers, and has been con - neeted with the fraternity for over thirty years.
AMES WEDGEWOOD DEARBORN, one of the foremost contractors and builders of Lynn, was born April 23, 1822, in Effingham, N.H., son of Alvah Dearborn. His grandfather, James Dearborn, who was a native of Greenland, N. H., fought for independence in the Revolution. The father, a native of Lee, N.H., born in Sep- tember, 1798, who died in Saugus, Mass., in 1869, served in the War of 1812. He mar- ried Sarah Leavitt, who was born and reared in Effingham, N.H. They became the par- ents of five children ; namely, Carr L., James W., Benjamin, Adoniram J., and Sarah L.
James W. Dearborn completed his school period at the age of sixteen years in North Hampton, N. H. In 1841 he came to Lynn in search of employment, and afterward worked at various occupations in this locality for three years. Going then to Salem, he was employed in a chemical factory for three years. The following year was similarly spent in Roxbury. He subsequently learned the trade of mason in Andover with Hiram Tuttle, and for two or three years after fol-
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lowcd it in Salcm and Saugus. Having settled permanently in Lynn in 1866, he and his brothers, Benjamin and Adoniram J., in the firm Dearborn Brothers, have since carricd on an extensive and flourishing business as con- tractors and builders. He has acquired a wide reputation for substantial and durable work, and is often called upon to superintend the erection of buildings in other cities. After the great firc in Portland, Mc., he put up seven large structures. Likewise he erceted many buildings in St. John, N.B., after that city had been devastated by fire. Among other public buildings of note erected by him is Kent's Hill College, in Augusta, Me.
In 1890 Mr. Dcarborn was a member of the Board of Aldermen, serving efficiently in the Committees on Street Lighting, Public Property, and Police, being the chairman of the second committee. In 1897 he was a member of the Common Council, in which he was assigned to the Committees on Sprinkling and Incidental Expenses. A straight Repub- lican in politics, he is a member of the West Lynn Republican Club. He is also a member of West Lynn Lodge, No. 65, I. O. O. F. In Masonry he has taken the thirty-second degrec, and belongs to William Sutton Lodge, of Saugus; Sutton Chapter, R. A. M., of Lynn; Mount Olivet Commandery, K. T., of Lynn; Lafayette Lodge of Perfection and Yates Council, Prinecs of Jerusalem, both of Boston; and to the Massachusetts Consistory. He supports all measures tending to advance the moral and material welfare of the com- munity. A faithful member of the South Street Methodist Church, he is one of its trus- tecs, and serves on its Board of Managers. In 1843 he married Miss Clara H. Estes, of Salem, Mass., who died in June, 1884. Of their cight children, but two arc living,
namely: Clara H., who is the wife of the late William T. Parker; and Benjamin A. Dcar- born. A sceond marriage on April 20, 1887, united Mr. Dearborn with Miss Mary E. Web- ster, of Lynn.
APTAIN JOHN M. ANDERSON, a former Harbor Master of Glouces- ter, was born in Bergen, Norway, on September 27, 1825, son of Andrew and Caroline (Dahll) Anderson. His father was taken prisoner by the English during the trouble between England and Denmark, and was held by them for five years in Dartmouth Prison.
Captain Anderson received his early educa- tion in the common schools of Norway. When his father died he was obliged to leave school and become self-supporting, being then about fifteen years old. Naturally his thoughts turned to the sea as a means of live- lihood; and hc secured a berth as cabin boy on the "Olaf Cyre," which was bound to New York with passengers. After two years spent as cabin boy and ordinary seaman he came to Gloucester. Hcre he attended the public schools, and at the same time studied naviga- tion. Some time later lack of funds obliged him to discontinue his studies for a space and take a fishing trip. After a short time he had saved sufficient money, not only to continue his studies, but to purchase an intcrest in a fishing-vessel. Disliking this business, hc eventually sold his interest and made a pres- ent of the procceds to his present wife. He then embarked for Surinam as second mate. Thereafter, until he became the master of a vessel, he sailed in the trades. When first officer of the "Manton," a bark owned by Edward Babson, of Gloucester, the vessel took firc while lying in the harbor of Surinani, and
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was burned to the water's edge. In 1858 he was given command of the brig "Nereus," owned by George B. Rogers, of Gloucester. With this vessel he made trips back and forth to Surinam until the slaves were freed in that country, when trade there became no longer profitable. As a consequence the "Nereus " was sold by her owners. During the Rebellion, Captain Anderson found opportunity to sail under the flag of Holland, making voyages to Liverpool, London, and other points, but not in command of the vessel. After the war he secured an appointment as first mate on the "R. A. Allen," hailing from Boston, and at the end of his first trip in her he was made captain by the owners. When starting on his first voyage as captain in this craft, he loaded with ice at Boston for New Orleans, and upon reaching that place reloaded with cotton for Providence. From Providence he was sent to Bangor, thence to Matanzas, from which he returned northward to Boston with sugar. After this trip he was given command of the "Mary E. Dana," which was chartered for a coasting voyage to Philadelphia. Subse- quently he made several trips to Cuba in the "O. C. Clara," after which he had com- mand of the "Poincett." On one of the return trips in the last named vessel, while the captain was ill of yellow fever, and the vessel was navigated by the mate, he suffered shipwreck on Nantucket Shoals, when the vessel and cargo were a total loss. The cap- tain and crew escaped with their lives. The owners did not blame Captain Anderson for the disaster. After about three weeks of con- finement on account of his illness, he received command of the "Acacia," which was owned by the same parties, he having a quarter in- terest. For the next ten years he visited in this vessel nearly every port in the North At- lantic. In 1883, he met with a severe accident
that incapacitated him from further active ser- vice at sea. Accordingly he gave up his ves- - sel and settled in Gloucester, engaging in the fishing trade. This, however, proving uncon- genial to him, he soon sold out. Since then he has been very successfully engaged in the ship brokerage business. Captain Anderson served fifteen years as Harbor Master, and during the administration of Governor Rus- sell he was appointed Port Warden of Gloucester.
Captain Anderson was married to Clara Prentice Saville, a daughter of Fritz and Lydia Ann (Stanwood) Saville. Of this union three children have been born - Clara, John E., and Oline. Clara, born in 1859, married Preston Friend, who is a book-keeper in Gloucester. She has one child, Louisa, who was born in 1877. John E. Anderson, born in 1862, is in business with Davis Brothers in this city. Oline, who was born in 1869, is the wife of Albert Maddoeks, a druggist of Gloucester. She is the mother of three children, namely: Harold, who was born in 1889; Albert S., who was born in 1893; and Lelia P., who was born in 1894. Captain Anderson is a member of Tyrian Lodge, A. F. & A. M .; of Martha Washington Lodge, Or- der of the Eastern Star; of the Boston Marine Society; and of the Gloucester His- torieal Society.
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