USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Biographical review, containing life sketches of leading citizens of Essex County, Massachusetts > Part 23
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John French Johnson is one of a family of ten children. He was educated in the public schools of Amesbury and Davis Academy. After leaving school he entered the employ of Scribner's Sons & Co. in New York City, with whom he remained ten years. Returning then to Amesbury, he bought out a small sta- tionery and book store on Main Street, a few doors from his present place of business. He had a constant and rapid increase in trade ; and four years ago, his old store being too small, he moved to his present commodious quarters in the Hamilton Block. He carries a large stock, and has one of the best equipped stores of the kind in Essex County, occupying two floors ninety by eighteen feet. Mr. Johnson is a man of literary tastes, and has devoted much of his leisure in the past ten years to tracing the history of his family.
Mr. Johnson was married in 1876 to Frances A, Keniston, who died in 1895. He is a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artil- lery Company of Boston, and enjoyed the
famous European tour in the summer of 1896. He is a thirty-second degree Mason and a member of Aleppo Temple of the Mystic Shrine, Boston, Mass. ; has been through the chairs in the subordinate lodges and the chap- ter; is Thrice Illustrious Master of the Ames- bury Council, Royal and Select Masters; sec- retary of Trinity R. A. Chapter; and for twelve or more years has been Past Com- mander of Newburyport Commandery, K. T., the oldest commandery in this section, if not in the country. He is a charter member of Attitash Lodge, Ancient Order of Red Men, and has been trustee since the lodge was or- ganized. He is also a member of the Society of Colonial Wars, eligible through twenty- eight distinct lines; of the New England His- torical and Genealogical Society; and of the Bureau of American Ancestry. Actively in- terested in the welfare and progress of the community, he was a charter member of the Village Improvement Society and its first secretary ; and he is now corresponding secre- tary of the society. He is also a member of the Wonnesquam Club, the leading and practi- cally the only business and professional men's social club in Amesbury.
J OHN C. M. BAYLEY, one of New- buryport's most prominent lawyers, was born in this city, July 8, 1850. He is a descendant of some of the earliest settlers of this part of Essex County. His great-grandfather Bayley and his grandfather Bayley both bore the name Robert. The for- mer was a sea captain and a ship-owner. In war time a brother of the elder Robert fitted out many privateersmen.
The younger Robert Bayley was a well- known man of his time, and there are family traditions of many strange incidents in his
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eventful life. In the prosecution of his busi- ness, which was the importation of West India goods, he made many voyages to the West Indies. Upon one occasion, with fourteen companions, he resorted to the extraordinary expedient of allowing himself to be buried in the ground up to his neck in order to escape the contagion of a terrible fever that was devastating the land. During the War of 1812, while on one of his voyages, the ship he was in was captured by a British frigate, and he was placed in irons and conveyed to Dartmouth Prison, where he was confined for six years. Starting in business alone, he afterward took his brother and son into the firm, which was then carried on under the style of Robert Bayley & Son. He was a Deacon in the Prospect Street Church, and was one of its most active and influential members. He married Abigail Chase.
Charles M. Bayley, son of Robert and Abi- gail (Chase) Bayley, went into the West India trade with his father, and made one hundred trips to the islands during the course of his life. He owned many vessels, and continued in business with his father until 1878. His death occurred in 1892. His wife, whose maiden name was Charlotte Clark, survives him. She is now eighty-four years of age. They had seven children, of whom four, in- cluding the subject of this sketch, are still living.
John C. M. Bayley was educated in the public schools of Newburyport and at Dummer Academy, Byfield, Mass. At the age of eigh- teen he went abroad, seeking to benefit his health, which had been poor for some time, and during his absence visited different parts of Europe, Calcutta, India, and other places. After his return, when twenty-five years of age, he began the study of law with Judge l'ike, of Newburyport. Later on he was for
one year the private secretary of Caleb Cush- ing, under whom he continued his legal studies. He had been admitted to the bar the year previous, 1878; and he was the law partner of Frank W. Hale for three years thereafter, or until Mr. Hale went to Colo- rado Springs. In 1886 Mr. Bayley became associated with General Benjamin F. Butler, with whom he was engaged in practice in Bos- ton, enjoying with him the most friendly relations until the General's death. Since his return to Newburyport Mr. Bayley's practice has consisted largely of mercantile ·and probate court work. He is also a mem - ber of the United States Court. A strong Republican, like the other members of his family, Mr. Bayley has been urgently re- quested to enter politics, but has declined. In earlier manhood, however, he was for three years a member of the Common Council, and he served as City Solicitor during the years 1882 and 1883.
On October 31, 1888, Mr. Bayley married Sarah Frances, daughter of Benjamin F. and Sarah F. Colt, of Cohasset. He has three children, all girls, namely: Marion Hortense, who was born March 16, 1892; Charlotte Colt, born November 14, 1893; and Josephine Lawrence, born December 10, 1896.
HARLES F. YORK, the popular chairman of Rockport's Board of Se- lectmen, was born here, September
1, 1844. A son of Nathaniel F. S. and Frances A. (Hamilton) York, he is of Eng- lish extraction on the paternal side and of Scotch on the mother's side. The father, who was born in Yarmouth, Me., came in his earlier years to Rockport, where he served the community for periods of varying length in the capacities of Selectman, chairman of
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the Selectmen, a member of the School Board, and a Trial Justice. On the School Board he spent eighteen years, being the chairman for a part of that time. In politics he was a Republican, and took much interest in public affairs. A prominent member of Ashler Lodge, A. F. & A. M., at Rockport, he was its Master for several terms, and also served as chaplain for a time. By his death on March 7, 1888, Rockport lost a valued citizen. His wife, Frances A. York, was born on Chebeague Island, Cumberland County, Me., near Portland. Their other children are: Sumner D., who is at present Assistant District Attorney of Essex County, lives in Rockport, and has his law office in Gloucester; and Rebecca F., the widow of the late Howard Wheeler, of this place.
Charles F. York attended the public schools of Rockport, including the high school. Upon completing the course of the latter institution he entered French's Commercial College at Boston, Mass., from which he also graduated in due time. Subsequently for a period he studied law, which interested him as a sci- ence. In 1867 he engaged in the fishery business with the firm of John Low & Son, of Gloucester. Having spent several years with that firm, he was employed for three years by John Pew & Son, of that place, in the same line of business, for the greater part in the capacity of travelling salesman. Then he was a travelling salesman for Mar- shall & York; and later he was employed for several years by Parmenter & Co., both of which firms were fish dealers and packers in Gloucester. While still retaining an interest in the fishing business at Gloucester on a ommission basis, he afterward acquired a profitable connection as a local insurance agent, and represented a number of the stand- ard companies.
On November 1, 1871, Mr. York married Mariett, daughter of Amos and Martha Luf- kin, of Rockport. Two sons have been born to them, namely: Charles F. York, Jr., now a graduate of the Harvard Dental School and engaged in business here in Rockport; and Amos C., living at home. Mr. York is prac - tically a self-made man, having had to do for himself since he was about fourteen years of age. He is a Republican in politics. In 1894 he was first chosen a Selectman of Rock- port. Re-elected in 1895 to serve until March, 1898, he has since been the chairman of the board. He has been a Justice of the Peace for some time. For six years he served as a trustee of the Rockport Public Library. He attends religious services at the Congrega- tional Church of Rockport.
AMUEL NEWMAN CALDWELL is one of the old and respected resi- dents of Newbury, Mass. He was. born in Dunbarton, N.H., June 27, 1835, a son of David Story and Abigail (Newman) Caldwell. He traces his descent from Alex- ander Caldwell, who was born in Ireland in 1690, and died in Litchfield, N. H., January 5, 1766. Alexander's wife, Margaret, was born in Ireland in 1709, and died January 6, 1791.
Their eldest son, Thomas, the next in line of descent, was born in Ireland in 1733, and died at Dunbarton, N.H., February 20, 1816. Thomas married in 1759 Elizabeth Holmes, who died March 23, 1805. Their children were: Mary, who married Thomas Mills; Margaret, who married John Mills, of Dunbarton; Alexander, second, who married Mary Moore, of Bedford; William, who mar- ried Thankful Burnham; Betsey, who never married; and Thomas, Jr., who was born May
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3, 1766, and died at Dunbarton, April 4, 1835.
The younger Thomas Caldwell was married December 17, 1793, to Thankful Story, daugh- ter of David Story and a relative of the re- nowned Judge Story. She was born in Ips- wich, Mass., in 1773, and died in Newark, N.J., September 10, 1836.
Many members of the Caldwell and Story families served in the early Indian wars and in the Revolution. Mr. S. Newman Cald- well has in his possession an antique gun which was one of the best smooth-bore weap- ons of its day, and did good service as an offensive and defensive arm in the hands of Caldwells during the Colonial wars.
The children of Thomas and Thankful (Story) Caldwell were: Thankful Story, born February 20, 1796, who died June 16, 1803; Sarah Story, born February 12, 1798, who was married to Thomas Mill on December 28, 1819; David Story, the father above men- tioned; Margaret Mills, born February 27, 1802, who was married on December 26, 1826, to Putnam Ingalls, of Merrimac, N.H., and died about two years ago in New- ark, N.J .; Thankful Story, born June 30, 1804, who was married June 21, 1841, to Frederick A. Morgan, of Hartford, Conn .; Eliza, born October 27, 1806, who died April 29, 1834, and is buried in Dunbarton, N.H .; Serene, born July 13, 1809, who died in Newark, N.J., about two years ago, the wife of Walter Harris, Jr .; and Mary Ann, born July 17, 1813, who died unmarried in Orange, N. J., February 15, 1872.
David Story Caldwell was born March 22, 1800. He was engaged for a number of years in farming and orcharding, making a specialty of apples; and he dealt some in real estate. For a number of years he was Selectman of Dunbarton, and he was Overseer of the Poor
for an extended period. He was married De- cember 5, 1827, to Abigail Newman, of New- buryport, Mass., who bore him eight children. Wallace, the eldest, was one of the forty- niners in California. He acquired a claim in Nevada, for which he was offered seventy-five thousand dollars. He died in Boston, No- vember 2, 1896, leaving one daughter, who is the wife of Herbert Newton, of Haverhill, Mass. John H., the second son, died in 1878, thirteen years after his marriage. Elizabeth, the third child, who died July 17, 1891, in Newbury, Mass., was the wife of Judge Addison C. Niles, of Nevada City, and left one son, who is in San Francisco. S. Newman is the subject of this sketch. Thomas Alexander, his twin brother, now residing on a farm in Newbury, was in Cali- fornia a number of years, and was engineer at Truckee and Wadsworth. David A., the sixth child, was one of the ablest teachers in the city of Boston, also in the Boston Reform School. He died February 7, 1886. His wife was Mary Anna Payson. Their only daughter, Anna Payson, was married August 2, 1885, to William L. Vinal, who was killed at the terrible explosion of the Boston Sub- way, March 4, 1897. They had a little girl, Molly, eleven years old. The seventh child, George, lived but four years and a half. The youngest, Charles, twin brother of George, graduated at Dartmouth and Harvard, and is now practising medicine in Chicago. He served in the army and navy during the war, entering the service as a member of the Dart- mouth College cavalry that fought at Gettys- burg. He married an Ohio lady, who had been engaged in teaching the Indians at Fort Arbuckle.
S. Newman Caldwell acquired his education in the common school and Dummer Academy. His early life was filled with change and ad-
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venture. After leaving school he went to sea, and he was subsequently engaged on the survey from Madison to Milwaukee, and was for a while in Iowa. Returning home, he was for some time at Deer Island, Boston Harbor, engaged as a boatman and in other capacities. His father's sickness made it necessary for him to return to the farm in Newbury, and there he has since resided.
He was married in 1878 to Mary Anna, daughter of Jonathan H. and Nancy (Mudgett) Johnson. Her family gave to the Union sev- eral brave defenders at the time of the war, her father, three of his brothers, and two of his sons being in the army. Her father, who was Captain of a company, was brought home to Deerfield, N.H., from New Orleans, and died shortly after his arrival; and one son, Mrs. Caldwell's eldest brother, who was in the Eleventh New Hampshire Regiment, was brought home dead within seven months. He was killed at Spottsylvania, and his body was shot three times while being carried from the field. An uncle was wounded at the same time. Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell have three children - Mary Newman, Annie Alden, and David Story.
OSEPH COLBY, an estcemed resident of Methuen and a salesman in the wholesale dry-goods house of Bradford, Thomas & Co., Boston, was born in Concord, N.H., October 18, 1840. His father, Timo- thy Colby, who was born and reared among the granite hills of New Hampshire, after attaining manhood settled in the city of Con- cord. Here the father was prosperously en- gaged as a builder and contractor until his death, which occurred in 1880. He married Sarah Kimball, also a native of New Hamp- shire, who is now living in Concord. They
became the parents of three children, as fol- lows: Joseph, the subject of this sketch; Annic, who is now the wife of A. P. Fitch, of Concord, N.H .; and George H., now a resident of Concord.
In 1858, after completing his education, Joseph Colby went to Boston as a clerk in a dry-goods store. He continued in that capac- ity until familiar with the details of the busi- ness, when he entered upon a mercantile career on his own account. A few years later he accepted a position with the firm with which he is now connected, and has since remained in their service as one of their most faithful and trustworthy employecs.
On September 5, 1871, Mr. Colby marricd Miss Mary Ada, daughter of Kimball and Mary Esther (Neal) Gleason, of Methuen, and has since resided at 147 Broadway, the Glea- son homestead. Kimball Gleason, born in Haverhill, Mass., April 30, 1819, died May 21, 1870. A member of the Gleason family, who were known far and wide as most success- ful manufacturers of hats, he learned the trade of hatter in early life, and afterward carricd on a thriving business. Possessing good busi- ness ability, notwithstanding some reverses, he met with success in his operations, acquired considerable property, and at his death left a good cstatc. A largc-hearted, generous man, and kind to the poor, hc had the sincere cstccm of the community in which he lived. In religious belief he was a strong Universal- ist. Although not an aspirant to political office, he served in the State legislature for one term. His widow, who survived him fifteen years, died at her home in Methuen on January 12, 1885, agcd sixty-six years. They rearcd three children, namely: Georgiana, who became the wife of the late M. W. Hodg- don, and died January 31, 1889, lcaving one daughter, Mary; Mary Ada, now Mrs. Colby ;
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and Florence May, the wife of William Os- wald, of Lawrence. Mary Hodgdon first mar- ried Ilarry F. Foss. After his death she be- came the wife of Henry G. Powning. Mrs. Colby was educated in the public schools of Methuen, at the Abbott Academy in Andover, and at Doctor Gannett's School in Boston. She is much interested in literature. Kim- ball Gleason Colby, the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Colby, has had excellent educational advantages. After receiving a diploma at Phillips Academy in Andover he went to Amherst College, from which he was gradu- ated in 1895.
OHN DWINELL, who resided all his lifetime on the old Dwinell home- stead in Topsfield, was born in 1782. A son of John Dwinell, Sr., he was a lineal descendant of one of the earliest settlers of this part of Essex County. The emigrant ancestor of the family, Michael Dwinell, was probably a French Huguenot, the name hav- ing been originally spelled Du Ennicl. He located in Topsfield in 1660, receiving a large tract of land, on which he built a dwelling- house not far from the present home of Charles Peabody. He reared nine children, and died about the year 1713, his will having been proved in 1717. His son Michael, born in - 1670, became a physician, and died in 1762. Dr. Dwinell had seven wives and twelve children. His son, Jacob, by his wife Han- nah, born in 1715, died September 16, 1784. Jacob succeeded to the original home- stead, the whole of which has always been kept in the family, and built the present house on a part of the land granted to his grand- father, erecting it in 1761. He married Kezia Gould, of Boxford, who bore him seven children. His son Israel was a soldier in the
French and Indian War, and died while on the march to Crown Point in 1760. A letter written by Israel to his parents, dated June I, 1760, is still preserved by his niece, Miss Sarah P. Dwinell.
John Dwinell, Sr., another son of Jacob, born on the old home farm in 1747, died in 1818. He inherited the family estate, on which he made substantial improvements, each year clearing some part of the land. He served in the Revolution, as did his brother Jacob. He married Esther Richards, who, born in Southboro, Mass., was reared on the Pierce farm, which adjoins the Dwinell homestead. She lived to the remarkable age of one hundred and one years, eight months, and ten days, passing away on the homestead in 1847. Many articles of value left by her are preserved by her grandchildren. She was one of those strong, heroic women of olden times, who shared their husband's daily toil, and with them received the respect of the community. Her husband, broad-minded and liberal, was especially noted for his benevo- lence to the needy, and usually had several women without natural protectors under his care. Of his children, John Dwinell, Jr., and Esther reached maturity. The latter married Moses Wilds, whose son, Moses, re- cently died in Topsfield.
John Dwinell, the subject of this biography, inherited the old homestead of his forefathers. A practical and progressive farmer, he kept well abreast of the times in general matters. Though modest and unassuming in manner, he was highly esteemed by his neighbors and friends for his brotherly spirit, sound judg- ment, and strict integrity. The first of his two marriages was contracted in 1810 with Sarah Perkins. She died in 1813, leaving no children. The second marriage, in 1818, united him to Louisa Richards, who, born in
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Southboro, Mass., in 1798, died in 1879 on the home farm. She was a member of the Congregational church, of which he was a regular attendant. They had eight children, the following being their record: John, born in 1819, died in 1859; David Holt, who always lived on the homestead, remained un- married, and died in 1896; Sarah Perkins, born in 1822, is unmarried, and resides on the home farm; Louisa Richards, born in 1824, died in 1896, unmarried; Hepsibah Sophia, who was born in 1826, and died in 1897, mar- ried James Henderson, of Topsfield, but had no children; Esther Mehitabel, born in 1828, is unmarried, and also lives on the homestead ; Willard Adolphus, born in 1831, now carrying on the old homestead, where he resides, mar- ried in May, 1864, Ruth Ann Stickney, of Salem, and has two children (Annie Cole, the wife of Fred W. Barnes, of North Brookfield, Mass. ; and John Willard Dwinell, living at home) ; and George Winslow, born in IS34, lived on that part of the old Dwinell tract now occupied by Loren Rust, and died there, unmarried, in 1890. The father died on the homestead in 1864.
ON. CHARLES CHASE DAME, a prominent lawycr and an esteemcd resident of Newburyport, was born June 5, 1819, at Kittcry Point, then in the Mainc District of the Commonwealth of Mas- sachusetts, son of Joseph and Statira (Chase) Dame. On the father's side he belongs to the eighth generation descended from John Dame, who came from England with Captain Thomas Wiggin in 1633, and settled on terri- tory now within the limits of the town of Dover, N.H.
This John Dame took a leading part in the affairs of the early colony on the Piscataqua,
was one of the first Deacons of the first church organized in Dover, and one of the signers of the celebrated protest of 1641. Among his descendants were Judge Dame, of Rochester, N. H; Jonathan Dame, for many ycars a bank cashier in Dover; and Harriet F. Dame, who received the thanks of the New Hamp- shire legislature for heroic services rendered to the sick and wounded in the field through- out the late war. The line of descent from the founder of the family was continued to Charles C. Dame by John Dame (second,) John (third), Richard, Benjamin, Samucl, and Joseph.
Samucl Dame, the grandfather of the sub- ject of this sketch, resided in Wakefield, N.H. His eldest son, Joseph, by his wife, Olive Tuttle Dame, was born in Wakefield, May 1, 1784. Joseph followed the profes- sion of schoolmaster for scvcral years in New Castle, N.H. He was the first man from his native town to enlist for service in the War of 1812, during which he was sta- tioned at Fort McCleary on Kittery Point. His wife, Statira, whom he married Decem- ber 2, 1814, was a daughter of Joshua Tufts Chase, of Kittery. The latter was a man of note, and had the confidence of the community. He was a member of the General Court at Boston for the seven years preceding the scv- erancc of his district from Massachusetts, and of the Mainc House of Representatives for the nine years succeeding that event. Joshua Tufts Chase was a direct descendant of Aquila Chase, who was onc of the scttlers that located in Hampton in 1639, and who removed in 1646 to Newbury, where he received several grants of land. Aquila was the first pilot of the Merrimac River, and subsequently fol- lowcd the calling of ship-master. Thomas Chasc, son of Aquila and Annc (Whceler) Chase, resided in Newbury, and was the father
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of the Rev. Josiah Chasc, born November 30, 1713. The Rev. Mr. Chase was ordained Sep- tember 19, 1750, as the first minister over Spencer Creek Parish in Kittery, where he labored for thirty-eight years. In 1743 he married Sarah Tufts, a great-grand-daughter of Governor Bradstreet, and afterward had a son who was the father of Joshua Tufts Chase. The children of Joseph and Statira (Chase) Dame wcre: Mary Ann, born April 10, 1817; Charles C., the subject of this sketch; Loammi B., born November 17, 1821; Joseph Calvin, born March 19, 1824; Luther, born March 3, 1826; Marshall Morrill, born July 9, 1828; Statira A., born December 20, 1830; and Anna Chase, born May 14, 1833. Both par- ents were members of the Baptist church. The father died September 23, 1873, and the mother's death occurred in her eighty-third year.
Charles Chase Dame was seven years of age when his parents removed to New Castle, N.H. Upon the return of the family to Kit- tery four years later, he began to work for his living as a farm hand, clerk, or at whatever honorable employment offcred in the summer season, while he attended school throughout the winter months. At the age of fourtcen he became a pupil of the high school at Ports- mouth, N.H., and thereafter attended it for one year. In the winter of his seventeenth year he took up his father's profession, that of tcacher, and followed it throughout that sca- son in Kittery. Then, to further qualify him- self for this calling, he took a coursc at the South New Market Academy. After this he taught for some time in Brentwood, N.H. In June, 1839, complying with a request for his services, he came to Newbury, the home of his maternal ancestors, and took charge of the school at the "Upper Grecn." He had spent nearly two years in this position when,
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