USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Plymouth County, Massachusetts > Part 14
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On December 25, 1830, Mr. Hewett mar-
ried Sarah T. Baker, who was born November 28, 1809, daughter of Samuel Baker, of Marsh- field. Of Mr. Hewett's children, all but two attained maturity. Lucius died in No- vember, 1859, aged twenty-seven; Herman died at Brockton in January, 1885, aged fifty- one years and two months; Ellen E. lives in Brockton; Edward A., a resident of Bridge- water is in business in Brockton; Abbie is the wife of Harvey O. Mitchell, of Brockton; S. Myron died in 1887; Nancy lives in Brock- ton ; Sarah A. died in September, 1857; and Justin resides in Brockton. The mother, who was a member of the Congregational church, died in January, 1886.
DMUND THURSTON DAMON, of Plymouth, the organizer and conductor of the Plymouth Band, and a well- known teacher of instrumental music, was born in Plymouth, September 7, 1858, son of Calvin S. Damon. The family descends from a Scotchman, who settled in Marshfield, this county. Lincoln Damon, Mr. Damon's grand- father, was born in Marshfield, and was one of a family of seven sons. He was a ship-car- penter, and followed his trade in Scituate and Cohasset, Mass., for a number of years. He finally bought the old homestead in Marsh- field, where he was engaged in general farm- ing for the rest of his life. With his wife, who in maidenhood was a Miss Sherman, of Marshfield, he reared a family of three sons and two daughters, of whom Calvin, Sr., Mr. Damon's father, was the fourth-born.
Calvin S. Damon passed his youth in Marsh- field. In young manhood he came to P'ly- mouth, where his natural business ability found a broader field of action. He became manager for the Plymouth Cordage Company, a position which he ably filled for twenty-five
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years. Fond of music from early boyhood, he devoted much time to the study of that art, and was afterward organist at the Unitarian and Baptist churches in Plymouth and at a church in Kingston. He continued to cultivate the art in his leisure hours until his death, which happened in the spring of 1884. His wife was a daughter of James Crossley, of Duxbury, Mass., a gentleman of English birth, and a son of the Earl of Crossley. On account of a mésalliance, he was disowned by his family, and came to America. It is said that a large fortune awaits his descendants. Mr. and Mrs. Calvin S. Damon were the parents of six chil- dren, four sons and two daughters, of whom three sons are now living.
Edmund Thurston Damon, the fifth born of his parents' children, acquired his education at a private school. At an early age he gave abundant evidence that he had inherited his father's talent for music. He subsequently became proficient in instrumental music, and while still a youth he joined Gilmore's famous band of Boston as a trombone player. His connection with this organization lasted until Mr. Gilmore removed to New York, when he joined the Boston Cadet Band. After playing with the Cadets for fifteen years he returned to Plymouth, and opened music rooms. Here he has since been giving instruction in instru- mental music, making a successful specialty of preparing pupils for bands and orchestras. Some time ago he organized the Plymouth Band, of which he is still the conductor. This body of instrumentalists, consisting of twenty-seven men, ranks among the best bands in the State. During the summer season, at the Casino, it gives a series of concerts that are highly enjoyed by the citizens, and all others who attend them. At different times he has played with "picked " orchestras on special occasions. Among these was that
which played at the farewell appearance of Madame Patti in Boston.
On September 19, 1886, Mr. Damon was united in marriage to Amy W. P'hinney, daughter of Leavitt and Rebecca Phinney, of Kingston, Mass. IIe belongs to the Plymouth Musical Club, and is a member of the Stand- ing Committee. He has also membership in Plymouth Lodge, A. F. & A. M .; and in Mayflower Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
IDEON STUDLEY, a manufacturer of the town of Rockland, was born here June 12, 1851, son of Gideon and Priscilla B. (Shaw) Studley. His father, who was a native of Hanover, this county, after following for a time the trade of a car- penter, established himself in the business of manufacturing boot and shoe boxes, box boards, and other similar articles. His fac- tory is the oldest of the kind in the vicinity. After the establishment of this business, how- ever, he resumed carpentering, and the town of Rockland contains many buildings after- ward put up under his supervision. His wife, Priscilla, now eighty-one years old, and resid- ing in Rockland, was born in East Abington. By her he became the father of six children, who all reached maturity. A public-spirited citizen, he was personally popular, not only from the keen interest he took in the general welfare of the community, but because of his ready sympathy and aid for the unfortunate. He died in his home at Rockland, at the age of seventy-two years, mourned by all who knew him.
Gideon Studley, the youngest surviving child of his parents, received his education in the public schools. At the age of sixteen he went into his father's box factory. Here he soon acquired a mastery of the business, and
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continued to work at it until his father's death. The factory then came into his pos- session, and he has since successfully con- ducted it alone. Including the time spent with his father, he has manufactured boxes and sold lumber and real estate for about twenty-nine years.
On January 1, 1874, Mr. Studley married Hannah E., a daughter of Horace C. Totman, and they became the parents of eleven chil- dren, of whom five sons and five daughters are living. Mr. Studley generally affiliated with the Republican party, but of late years he has been independent in his political action. He is a man of keen intelligence and much gen- eral information, and his opinions on the leading questions of the day are respected by those who know his sincerity. He belongs to Standish Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The family occupy a pleasant resi- dence on Market Street, not far from Mr. Studley's factory and mill.
MASA S. GLOVER, of Brockton, is a veteran of the late war, who during his term of service became a close friend of General Sherman. He was born in Dorchester, Mass., July 25, 1817, a son of Alexander and Jemima (Tolman) Glover, and is of the ninth gencration of his family in this country. The immigrant progenitor, Mr. John Glover, son of Thomas and Margery (Deane) Glover, of Rainhill Parish, Prescot, England, came to America about 1630, and settled in Dorchester. He possessed large estates, and some of the land that he owned was held by the Glover family from 1628 to 1891, in all that time - two hundred and sixty-three years - being neither mortgaged nor sold. John Glover was a captain of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of
London. He was a Selectman of Dorchester, Representative to the General Court, and an Assistant in 1651. He was a Free Mason. Several generations of Glovers succeeding the Hon. John Glover lived and died in Dorches- ter. Alexander, the father of the direct sub- ject of this sketch, was the son of Alexander, Sr., and Hannah (Pope) Glover, of Dorches- ter. He died in 1846, and his wife in 1873. They were the parents of eleven children.
Amasa S. Glover, the youngest of his father's family, was born in the old house built by his remote ancestor, the Hon. John Glover. At the age of fifteen he entered the employ of Howard & Clark, furniture manu- facturers of Brockton. In their establishment he learned the trade of cabinet-making, and he was the only apprentice that they ever freed properly. In 1839 his health was so poor that he was obliged to give up his trade, and from 1840 till 1842 he remained at home with his parents. He then went to work in a shoe fac- tory, and in 1858 he began to manufacture shoes. The breaking out of the war ruined his business, as he had creditors in the South, and, closing up his establishment, he enlisted, being one of the first volunteers from Brock- ton. He was first enrolled as a musician in the Twelfth Massachusetts Regiment, under Colonel Fletcher Webster. Subsequently he re-enlisted in Company H, Thirty-third Massachusetts Regiment, and was requested to take a horse. This he at first declined to do, but afterward consented. He was with General Sherman during his entire campaign, and was offered an officer's commission, but refused to take it.
An incident, mentioned in the Rev. Minot J. Savage's sermon on "Trifles," illustrates the executive ability of Mr. Glover, and at the same time shows the utility of the "army of tradesmen," as it has been scornfully
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called. Sherman's men, while climbing the Tennessee Mountains after the battle of Chickamauga, became barefoot in their prog- ress over the rough roads; and the General was at his wit's end to supply their needs. Learning that Mr. Glover had been a shoe manufacturer. he said to him : "I cannot move the army. Can you help me? All that I can give you is plenty of raw hides." Mr. Glover set to work immediately and cut out patterns. Sherman placed a thousand men at his dis- posal, and the next afternoon the men were shod and ready to march. The acquaintance thus begun between Mr. Glover and General Sherman ripened into a warm friendship, and Mr. Glover cherishes as a memento a letter from him dated in 1888, couched in the most cordial terms. Among his other valued friends in the army were General Henry W. Slocum, of Brooklyn, N. Y., and the late Gen- eral William Cogswell. Mr. Glover received his discharge in June, 1865, after four years of service. On his return to Brockton, he resumed work in Howard & Clark's furniture manufactory, and remained some twelve years. His mind is always in a state of earnest activ- ity, and he is now elaborating a plan to dis- pose of sewerage, which has already become popular. At present his engineer, Mr. B. T. Wheeler, ex-Superintendent of Streets of Bos- ton, is putting in some plants.
Mr. Glover married Sophia, daughter of Samuel Packard, of North Bridgewater, and he has four children, namely: Sarah B., widow of A. M. Farrar, Gilmanton, N. H. ; Amanda, wife of D. P. Kenny, of Abington, now resid- ing in Brockton ; Hannah B., widow of Walter M. Holmes, of Brockton, who was a drummer in Sherman's army; and Walter S., a citizen of Boston. In politics Mr. Glover is a strong Republican. He was elected to the Common Council from Ward I, and served two years.
He keeps up his army associations by attend- ing the meetings of Fletcher Webster Post, No. 13, Grand Army of the Republic, of Brockton, of which he is a charter member.
ILLIAM H. THOMAS, the effi- cient superintendent of the Hing- ham Water Company, was born in Hingham, June 12, 1845, son of Benjamin and Sally L. (Leavitt) Thomas. His great- grandfather, Prince Thomas, came from Wey- mouth, Norfolk County, to Hingham, where he resided for several years. Prince was a blacksmith by trade, and died June 4, 1797, at the age of forty-six. His wife, in maidenhood Abigail Pratt, to whom he was married in Weymouth, died in Hingham, August 30, 1833, at the age of seventy-seven. Of their seven children, Benjamin, the eldest, born at Weymouth, January 18, 1776, was also a blacksmith. He first married, August 19, · 1798, Lydia Whiton, who was a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Marble) Whiton, and died May 24, 1837. On February 27, 1842, he entered a second marriage, contracted with Ann Webb, of Weymouth. Benjamin died September 13, 1848. He was a forcible pub- lic speaker, while uniformly courteous, and he was greatly missed in town meetings. By his first marriage there were five children - Benjamin, William, Reuben, Lydia, and David. Benjamin, the father of the subject of this article, was born in Hingham, Febru- ary 9, 1799. On April 22, 1827, he married Sally Lincoln Leavitt, who was born in Hing- ham, January 16, 1803, daughter of Jerome and Sally (Lincoln) Leavitt. Their children were George and William Henry.
After acquiring his education, William H. Thomas worked at farming, and at whatever else offered by which he could earn an honest
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living. In October, 1861, he enlisted for the Civil War, and in the following November was mustered into Company A, First Battal- ion of Massachusetts Infantry, recruited for garrison duty, and commenced service at Fort Warren in Boston Harbor. Six months later his company formed the nucleus of the Thirty- second Regiment, Masschusetts Volunteer In- fantry, which was then organized and assigned to the Army of the Potomac, Fifth Army Corps. Mr. Thomas was taken sick, and re- mained in the Emory Hospital, Washington, D.C., for eighteen months. While he was convalescent he served as nurse, and proved himself so helpful that he was detailed as ward master. At the end of his three years' enlistment he was honorably discharged, and returned to Hingham. He then learned the house painting trade, which he followed until 1880, when he was employed by the Hingham Water Company as Assistant Superintendent. In the fall of 1893 he became superintendent, which office he still creditably fills. He is also Auditor of the Hingham Co-operative Bank, and Trustee of the Hingham Institu- tion for Savings.
On October 30, 1867, Mr. Thomas was united in marriage with Mary W. Higgins, a native of this town, and a daughter of Ezra and Mary M. (Seymour) Higgins. By this marriage there were four children, of whom two, Willie L. and Theodore W., are de- ceased. The others are : Harry L., now assist - ant superintendent of the Hingham Water Company; and Helen A., who resides at home. Mr. Thomas is a man of liberal and progressive ideas, and stands high in the community. He is in communion with the old Unitarian First Parish Church (formerly Congregational), and is an esteemed member of the Parish Committee. He is the Secretary of the Hingham Agricultural Society, and he
has been Secretary of the Hingham Horticult- ural Society since 1875. In politics he is a loyal Republican. The office of Secretary of Old Colony Lodge, A. F. & A. M., has been filled by him since 1873. He has also mem- bership in John A. Andrew Lodge, Knights of Honor, and the Veteran Firemen's Associa- ton; in the Business Men's Club, of which he is the Treasurer; and the Edward Humphrey Post, No. 104, Grand Army of the Republic, of which he is Past Commander.
AMUEL PEARLY GATES, Treas- urer of the Eagle Cotton Gin Com- pany, of Bridgewater, and Treasurer also of the Bridgewater Savings Bank, is one of the foremost business men in a town noted for its able financiers. A son of Pearly and Mary (Burr) Gates, both natives of Ashby, Mass., he was born in that town, June 8, 1837. The Gates family and the Burr family are of Eng- lish origin. On the maternal side Mr. Gates is of Revolutionary stock, his mother's grand- father, Abijah Butler, having served in the Continental army.
Samuel Pearly Gates was reared on his father's farm in Ashby, and acquired his edu- cation in the district school near his home. In his nineteenth year he entered the State Normal School at Bridgewater, where he studied for a year and a half; and he then obtained a clerkship in the office of Bates, Hyde & Co., now the Eagle Cotton Gin Com- pany. After serving for a number of years as clerk, learning thoroughly all the details of the business, he became a member of the company. Since 1877, when the Eagle Cotton Gin Com- pany was incorporated, Mr. Gates has ably discharged the duties of Treasurer. The Eagle Cotton Gin manufactory is in a flourish- ing condition, employing on an average fifty
SAMUEL P. GATES
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hands. Mr. Gates owns a controlling interest in the business. He has been Treasurer of the Bridgewater Savings Bank since 1872, the year of its incorporation. He is a Director in the Bridgewater Water Company; one of the directors in the Bridgewater Box Company ; and he is a Trustee of the Bridgewater Public Library and the Bridgewater Academy, and also of the Bridgewater Cemetery Association. He has also much business to transact in the settling of estates.
On October 26, 1871, he was united in mar- riage with Marcia E., daughter of Jacob and Joan (Holmes) Jackson, of Plymouth, Mass. Mrs. Gates died in January, 1873, and her little daughter also passed away in the July following, after a brief existence of six months.
In politics Mr. Gates favors the Republican side. When President Lincoln was calling for volunteers to meet the uprising in the South he responded, enlisting in April, 1863, in the regular army of the United States for five years. He was given a clerkship in the War Department at Washington, and after about one year's service, by special permission of the Secretary of War, he was discharged. Mr. Gates is a member of Bridgewater Post No. 205, Grand Army of the Republic, and of the Society of the Army of the Potomac, headquarters at New York ; also of the Sons of the American Revolution. A member of the New Jerusalem Church, he takes a deep inter- est in the welfare of the society, and has been for some time on the Finance Committee.
HILANDER J. HOLMES, a promi- nent manufacturer of Carver, was born in Lakeville, this county, Janu- ary 22, 1843, son of Jacob and Ann (McCom- ber) Holmes. Ann was Jacob's second wife.
He was married three times. By his first wife he became the father of William Holmes, who now lives at Taunton, Mass. With Ann he reared five children - Charles, Philander J., Gardner E., Achsah, and Fanny.
When he was quite young, Philander J. went with his parents to Middleboro, where his early boyhood was spent. At the age of twelve he came with his parents to Carver. He lived on the home farm until he was eighteen. Then, with the purpose of becom- ing a machinist, he went to New York, and for about three years applied himself dili- gently to the task of learning the trade. He was not yet twenty-one when he passed an examination as a marine engineer in the navy. He was at first appointed on special duty in New York. From there he was sent to New- burgh as assistant engineer, and subsequently to the Philadelphia Navy Yard to serve in a similar capacity. After ten months spent here, he was assigned to a war vessel, and subsequently took part in the marine blockade for a year. The man-of-war made a voyage to the West Indies before going back to New York. He then went aboard a vessel that cruised off the South American coast for about a year, having Aspinwall as its objective point. On returning to New York the ship went out of commission. Two years after, he returned to Carver, where he took possession of his father's manufacturing interests at the location he now occupies. For about twenty-two years he has been engaged in the manufacture of kegs, box boards, staves, and headings. He also owns about a hundred acres of land, where he carries on general farming.
In November, 1869, Mr. Holmes was mar- ried to Miss Helen F. Bent, daughter of Ira and Sally Ann Bent, of Carver. Two chil- dren have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Holmes
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- Mabel and Jessie. In politics Mr. Holmes takes an independent course. Besides filling other town offices he has been Fire Warden and Surveyor of Lumber. He is widely and favorably known in this district. In religious belief he is a Swedenborgian, and he is con- nected by membership with the order of United Workmen.
ENRY BRETT PACKARD, of Brockton, a prominent business man, and an ex-member of the Massa- chusetts legislature, was born here, January 21, 1823, son of Apollos and Sophia (Brett) Packard. Mr. Packard is a descendant of Samuel Packard, who came in the ship "Dili- gence " from Windham, near Hingham, Eng- land, and settled in Hingham, Mass., in 1638. His great-grandfather was Thomas Packard. Parmenus Packard, the grandfather, who was an invalid for many years, wedded Martha Reynolds.
Apollos Packard was born in North Bridge- water, the former name of Brockton, and the active period of his life was spent in shoemak- ing and farming. An upright, conscientious man, and a worthy citizen, he took a deep in- terest in religious work, was a member of the Porter Congregational Church, and died at the age of seventy-four years. His first wife, Sophia, became the mother of three children, of whom Henry B., the subject of this sketch, is the only one now living. His second wife, before marriage Betsey Packard, became the mother of three children - Davis S., Freder- ick W., and Apollos Moulton. His third marriage was contracted with Mrs. Salome Bradford, whose first husband, William Brad- ford, was a descendant of the famous Governor Bradford.
Henry Brett Packard acquired a good practi-
cal education. When a young man he became connected with the shoemaking industry, and worked in the factories of this locality until he was forty years old. He then formed a partnership with Darius Howard, for the pur- pose of engaging in the manufacture of boots and shoes. The firm of Howard & Packard was the first to introduce what is known as the gang system. They continued in business for nine years, at the expiration of which time Mr. Packard withdrew from the business, and has since devoted his attention to real estate. On October 27, 1844, Mr. Packard was united in marriage to Lucinda Hayward, who was born in Kingston, Mass., in 1824, daughter of Ira Hayward. By him she became the mother of six children, as follows: Davis H., a business man of Rochester, N. Y .; Abbott Winslow, of Boston; Elliott Sampson, who died in 1865; Lucy Sophia, who successively married George Storey, of Manchester, Mass., and Charles W. Hayden, of Brockton; Edith Scott, who mar- ried Salmon Tirrell, a native of Maine, but now a resident of Brockton; and Susan Brad- ford, who married Wallace E. Faxon, a native of Abington, who now resides in this city.
In politics Mr. Packard was formerly a Democrat. He represented Brockton in the legislature during the year 1877-78, and was a member of the State House Com- mittee. In 1878 he was a member of the Board of Selectmen of North Bridgewater; was elected Superintendent of Streets in 1882, in which capacity he served with ability for three years; and he acted as Chairman of the Board of Health for two years. Both as a busi- ness man and a public servant, he has gained the respect of all with whom he has come in contact. He is a member of the Porter Con- gregational Church. He has always resided in his native town, and his daughters are liv- ing within a short distance of his homestead.
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G EORGE M. KEITH is the Vice- President of the East Bridgewater Savings Bank and the Superintend- ent of the Bridgewater Water Company. He was born November 1, 1830, in East Bridge- water, the birthplace also of his parents, George and Fidelma (Clift) Keith. By both father and mother he is of Scotch descent. The founder of the family was a Scotch clergyman, the Rev. James Keith, who was the pioneer preacher of this part of Massachu- setts. George Keith, a son of Eleazer Keith, was born in 1790, and died in 1873. Besides conducting a farm he worked at mechanical occupations during a large part of his life. He also served as a soldier in the War of 1812 and subsequently drew a pension from the government. His wife was a daughter of Anthony Winslow Clift, who fought for inde- pendence in the Revolution. His surviving children are: Bethiah, the wife of Stephen Harlow, a retired business man of East Bridgewater; and George M., the subject of this article.
George M. Keith acquired his education in the common schools and at East Bridgewater Academy. He began to learn to make shoes when he was thirteen years old, and subse- quently followed the trade until 1886. For seventeen years he was foreman for J. S. Allen, a shoe manufacturer of Brockton. In the fall of 1862 he enlisted for service in the Civil War, joining Company K, Third Massa- chusetts Volunteer Infantry, for nine months. For some time he was stationed at New Berne, N.C., and he participated in the battles of Kingston, Whitehall, and Goldsboro. At New Berne Mr. Keith superintended the car- penters who were employed in the erection of a military hospital. After receiving his dis- charge in May, 1863, he returned to his em- ployment in East Bridgewater. A man of
character and ability, he naturally takes a leading part in the community. He was a member of the Investment Committee of the East Bridgewater Savings Bank for a number of years. He has held his present office, that of Vice-President, for several years. He has been the superintendent of the Bridgewater Water Company since 1892. Mr. Keith, who is a Republican in politics, served sev- eral years as Selectman of East Bridgewater. By his marriage with Miss Julia Howard, of West Bridgewater, Mr. Keith had five chil- dren, all of whom have passed away. One grandchild is living. This is Miriam K., the child of their daughter, Ada F. and her husband, Zenas A. Jenkins, of East Bridge- water. Mr. Keith is one of the Deacons of the Union Congregational Church in this town.
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