USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Plymouth County, Massachusetts > Part 17
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ALLACE C. FLAGG, a prominent man of Brockton, was born in Braintree, Vt., June 26, 1851, son of Austin and Elvira (Howard) Flagg. The Flaggs are one of the old families of Worces- ter, Mass., that from there have scattered throughout New England. William Flagg, the grandfather of Wallace C., died in Old Orchard, Mc., at the age of thirty-five years, leaving four children to the care of his widow. Three of these were: William, Austin, and Lucina. Austin Flagg lost his eyesight in assisting to put out a conflagration. He, however, excelled in mental computations. Some seventy years ago he left Worcester, and was one of the early settlers in Braintree, Vt. For a number of years he was engaged in farming and lumbering, owned large tracts of timber land, and operated three saw-mills. A
stanch Republican, he was one of the active politicians of Braintree. He died in 1874, aged sixty-seven years. His wife, who is a daughter of Nathan Howard, of Braintree, Vt., is eighty years old, and resides in her native town. ' She did not ride on a railroad train until she was over sixty years of age. When she was over seventy years old, she travelled alone through California and the West. She is a member of the Congregational church, to which her husband also belonged. They had eleven children, four of whom, three sons and a daughter, are living. Two of their sons fought in the war of the Rebellion, George W. in the Second Vermont Regiment, and Watson O. in the Ninth Regiment Vermont Infantry. George, who is yet living, served four years, and held the rank of Captain when he was discharged. Watson O. was less than sixteen years of age when he enlisted. He served three years, and held the rank of Ser- geant when his term of service was ended. George W. and Persis are now living in Ver- mont. Waldo J., who is a drover, and man ages a general store, is in Miller, Custer County, Neb. Dayton W. is engaged in farming in the same county, in the township of Oconto.
Wallace C. Flagg received a limited educa- tion, attending school from thrce to six months in the year. He earned his first wages when eight years of age. The amount was eight dollars, part in postage stamps, for which he performed a month's work in the hayfield, under the hot sun of July. Hiring out at intervals as a farm hand, he remained with his parents until he was twenty years old. He then entered on a somewhat checkered career. For some time he was employed in Boston as horse-car conductor. Following that he was for five months brakeman on the pas- senger express of the Boston & Albany Rail-
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road between Boston and Springfield. He next entered the employ of the Boston Ice Company, with whom he remained eleven years. In that period he built ice-houses, cut, packed, and shipped ice, delivered ice to customers, collected bills, and at times acted as foreman. In March, 1882, he purchased the stock in trade, including the horses and wagons, of Mr. W. F. Cleveland, of Brockton, who had been in the ice business twenty years. During the first three months he met with the most deter- mined opposition ; but he eventually conquered it, and carried on a successful business until 1895. On April 15 of that year he disposed of his retail trade and his teams, and since then has been engaged in developing the wholesale business. He cuts his own ice from the reservoir, Factory Pond, and four or five other ponds. In connection with his ice busi- ness he has a blacksmith shop, which he has owned some twelve years. Mr. Flagg has largely invested in real estate. He owns twelve acres of land on East Union Street, on the east side of the railroad track. He has made arrangements with the railroad company to lay a private track, as he intends to erect business blocks there. He owns one thousand and four feet between Lawrence and Union Streets -all desirable land, unspoiled by grade crossings. The large lumber yard of H. S. Richmond on Court Street belongs to Mr. Flagg, also the stables occupied by the City Ice Company of Brockton, and a number of tenement houses. He was one of the first stockholders and directors of the East Side Street Railroad - one of the first electric rail- ways in the State - and acted as Director some five years.
Mr. Flagg was married in October, 1880, to Angie A., daughter of Rufus Newton Flint, of Braintree, Vt. Of the three children born to him, Lena, a little maid of ten, is living.
In politics he is a Republican, and he has been elected to the City Council from Ward 2. Made a Mason when twenty-one years of age, he belongs at present to Phoenix Lodge, West Randolph, Vt .; and for the past five years he has been a member of the Commercial Club. He attends the Universalist church. Mr. Flagg's success is largely due to his close attention to business. Since his marriage his wife has been an able and intelligent helper. They did all the book-keeping together eight years.
NDREW GALE, a well-known builder and building mover of Brockton, born in 1850 in Moriah, Franklin County, N. Y., is a son of Ezra and Salome (Pierce) Gale. The family originally came from New Hampshire. Eliphalet, the grand- father, who was a farmer in Franklin, N. H., married a Miss Cass, who bore him eleven children. One of these, Jerusha, is still liv- ing, being now ninety-two years old. Ezra, the youngest, who was born in Franklin, moved with his parents to New York State. He was a farmer, and he served the community as a Trustee of the district school. He was united in marriage with Salome, daughter of Hiram Pierce, of Moriah. By this union there were seven children, all of whom are now living. They are: Andrew, Roderick, Cyrus, Albert, Luetta, Cordelia, and Watson.
Andrew Gale was educated in the public schools of Moriah and at Franklin Academy. He worked on his father's farm for some time before he was nineteen years old. Then he was similarly employed on other farms for four years. Afterward, for one year, he worked as lineman for the Western Union Telegraph Company. Since then he has been engaged in building and moving. Coming to Brockton in 1874, he was first employed by
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E. H. Kingman. In 1882 he began in a small way to work for himself, and soon after found that he was fully capable of conducting the business. At the present time he employs from six to twelve men, besides six horses, doing work in Nantucket and other places, as well as Brockton. He is also profitably en- gaged in farming. In 1884 he married Lucy W., daughter of C. E. Kingman, of Brockton. In politics he is a Republican He acceptably served the town in the capacity of Overseer of the Poor for two years.
JDWIN W. WHITING, of Rockland, Mass., founder of the first clothing store in the town, is a successful business man who has carved his fortune with his own hands. He was born in Hanover, Mass., December 6, 1833, a son of Piam C. and Sarah (Brooks) Whiting, both of Hanover.
Piam C. Whiting, who was a shoemaker, died at the age of forty-five. His wife lived to be seventy-three years old. They were the parents of five children, as follows: one de- ceased; Edwin W., the subject of this sketch ; Angeline, living in Rockland; Piam A., de- ceased ; and Maria, residing in this town.
Edwin W. Whiting received a common- school education in his native town -a lim- ited education, for he was but eleven years old when his father died. As soon as he was able, he went to work at shoemaking, the leading industry of this part of the State, one of his employers being Joseph Studley. He was employed for some time in Mr. Studley's fac- tory in Hanover, stitching and cutting, and then for four years drove a dry-goods wagon- two years for Nahum Moore and two years for J. A. & C. W. Torrey. In September, 1862, he started in business in a small way with a stock of clothing and gentlemen's furnishing
goods. It was the first store of the kind opened here; and the prophets declared that there was not trade enough in the town to sup- port it, and that the venture would of necessity be a disastrous one. After being in business about a year, Mr. Whiting formed a copartner- ship with Mr. R. T. Eaton, continuing for twenty years. Mr. Eaton then retired, and Mr. Whiting again conducted the business alone. Thus the enterprise lived and thrived ; and the store founded by Mr. Whiting is now the largest and best equipped in the town.
On January 1, 1897, Mr. Whiting, having accumulated a competence, disposed of his business to Lucius W. Orcutt, of Boston, and retired from active cares. He is a Trustee of the Rockland Savings Bank.
In 1850 he was united in marriage with Jane B., daughter of Andrew Studley; and three children have blessed their union, two of whom are living: George C., in business in Rockland; and Grace N., wife of E. S. Ter- rell, of Spencer.
Mr. Whiting is a strong Republican, and is able to give good reasons for his fidelity to his party. He is a chapter Mason, a Knight Templar, a Knight of Pythias, an Odd Fellow, and a Knight of Honor; and he has been a member of the Rockland Commercial Club since its organization, and assisted materially in its good work. A permanent resident of Rockland, he is one of the substantial citizens of the place, widely known and highly re- spected.
A® LDEN S. BRADFORD, born August 4, 1815, is, on his father's side, the seventh in descent from William Bradford, the second governor of Plymouth Colony, in a branch of the family whose mem- bers, from the governor down, have lived con- tinuously in that part of the ancient township
EDWIN W. WHITING.
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of Plymouth now known as Kingston. On his mother's side he is the sixth in descent from John Faunce, who came in the ship "Ann " in 1623, with the latest company of colonists who are now recognized as "the Pilgrims." He is also, of record, a descendant of Elder William Brewster, and of twelve others of the "Mayflower's" company, and of Elder Thomas Cushman, and eleven others of the later companies.
He was brought up a farmer, with such edu- cational opportunities as were afforded by the common schools of his period, supplemented, after attaining his majority, by a brief course of instruction at Pierce Academy in Middle- boro. For a number of terms he was em- ployed in teaching, and subsequently through active life in surveying, conveyancing, the set- tlement of estates as executor and administra- tor, the adjustment of controversies as referee, and in the discharge of other delegated duties, public and private.
He has been largely intrusted with the management of town affairs, having held vari- ous town offices for periods aggregating one hundred and twelve official years. He is one of four descendants of Governor Bradford who collectively have held the office of Selectman in Kingston seventy-six years, and one of four descendants of John Faunce who collectively have held the same office eighty-nine years. He has been chosen Moderator of more than fifty town meetings, and has presided, ex officio, as one of the Selectmen, at nearly an equal number of meetings for the election of State, district, and county officers. In the Civil War he was an enrolling officer for the government, and a recruiting officer for his town, which at the close of the contest was credited with thirty-three men in excess of all calls by the President.
For a series of years, and until failing
health compelled him to decline further ser- vice, he was a Trustee of the Plymouth Five Cents Savings Bank, a Trustee of the Stand- ish Monument Association, and Vice-Presi- dent and Supervisor of the Plymouth County Agricultural Society. Many of his reports to that society on agricultural topics have been republished by the Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture. For a number of terms he was Special Commissioner of Plymouth County, and in 1863 he represented the Fifth Plymouth District in the Massachusetts legis- lature. His commissions as Justice of the Peace have covered a period of more than forty years.
Denominationally, he is a Unitarian; politi- cally, a Republican, having been also an original Free Soiler. In recent years he has withdrawn from any participation in public affairs except through the ballot box. Him- self and three sisters, children of Spencer Bradford, have all long since outlived the allotted threescore years and ten. He has never married.
EV. HENRY EDWARD GODDARD, A. M., M.D., a New Church clergy- man of Brockton, who for some time had charge of the New Jerusalem Church, was born May 20, 1852, son of the Rev. Warren and Sarah (Eldridge) Goddard. The Goddard family was established in this coun- try by two brothers, Englishmen, who settled in Brookline, Mass. From one of these brothers the descent is traced through two Johns - the great-grandfather and the grand- father of Henry Edward -to Warren, his father. At the time of his death, William Goddard, a brother of Warren, was the oldest living graduate of Harvard College.
Warren Goddard was born in Portsmouth,
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N. H., September 12, 1800. He received his early education in that place and in Phillips (Exeter) Academy, and subsequently gradu- ated from Harvard in 1818. After leaving Harvard he taught school for a while in Princeton, at Sandwich Academy, and in other places. While so doing he studied law in his leisure time. At a later date, feeling that he was best adapted for the ministry, he studied theology with Thaddeus M. Harris, D.D., of Princeton. While pursuing his studies there he became interested in the New Church doc- trines through Samson Reed. In 1839 he was ordained in North Bridgewater, and he preached for some time in Abington, although not regularly installed, and attended the quarterly meeting on the Cape. He resigned his church in 1863. He served for some time on the Brockton School Board, and was much interested in establishing a high school in this city. His death occurred October 29, 1889, aged eighty-nine years. He was twice mar- ried. His first marriage was contracted Au- gust 6, 1829, with Mary Crowell Tobey, of Sandwich, Mass., who died in June, 1847. Born of this union were six children, of whom three are living - Benjamin, John, and James Frederick. By his second marriage which took place January 1, 1849, he was united to Sarah, daughter of John and Betty Eldridge, of Yarmouthport, Mass. She bore him four children, namely: Warren, now a well-known lawyer of Brockton; Sarah Eldridge, who re- sides in the old home; Henry Edward, the subject of this sketch; and Asa E., an assist- ant teacher in the Waltham (Mass.) High School.
Henry Edward Goddard graduated from the Brockton High School as valedictorian in 1871. Subsequently after attending Cornell Univer- sity for one year, he entered Brown University, from which he graduated in 1875, taking one
of the honorary positions, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He next studied at the New Church Theological School, then at Wal- tham, Mass., and after graduating was at Cin- cinnati for one year, assisting his brother, the Rev. John Goddard, who had charge of the New Church in that city. In June, 1876, he was invited to preach at the New Jerusalem Church in Brockton, and on September 24 of that year he was ordained. Regularly in- stalled as pastor of this society, he attended to the spiritual needs of his flock until No- vember, 1895, when he resigned in order to take a course of medical studies at Dartmouth College. Here he received the degree of Doctor of Medicine in November, 1896. It has been said that when a man devotes his life to a profession he gets into a rut which be- comes deeper and narrower as he grows older. Mr. Goddard has avoided this, recognizing no limit in the field of mental research. He took up the study of medicine to broaden his mind. In 1893 he travelled through Palestine, Greece, Italy, France, and other countries for study. From early boyhood he has been an enthusiastic student. While fitting himself for the ministry, he took courses of lectures in various lines.
Mr. Goddard was married December 31, 1877, to Mary E. Outcalt, of Cincinnati. She died June 28, 1887, leaving two children. These are: Samuel W., born February 5, 1881, who entered the Brockton High School in September, 1896; and Ruth, born Septem- ber 2, 1884. On May 7, 1889, the father contracted a second marriage with Miss Hat- tie Faxon, of Brockton, a sister of Mrs. Dr. E. A. Chase and Dr. Fred S. Faxon, of Brockton. Mr. Goddard has been a mem- ber of the Brockton School Committee for three years, and had charge of the high school.
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APTAIN MARTIN A. HUMPHREY, of Hingham, now living in retire- ment, was born here on October 16, 1837, son of Martin and Abigail S. (Whittier) Humphrey. His grandfather, Jonathan Hum- phrey, a native of Cohasset, Mass., was a farmer, and owned four hundred acres of land, comprising cranberry bogs, meadow, woodland, and a cleared farm of good land. He mar- ried, and became the father of twelve chil- dren.
His youngest son, Martin, who was born in Cohasset, became a sailor, and served in the capacities of mate and captain for many years, during which he made voyages to foreign ports. In politics he was a Republican, and he served on the School Committee for several years. He married Abigail Humphrey; and they had three children, of whom Captain Martin is the only survivor. At the age of forty-five he was lost in Boston Bay during a storm. His wife lived to be threescore years and ten. Both were highly respected mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Martin A. Humphrey acquired his education in Cohasset, where he removed with his father when he was quite young. After leaving school, he began a seafaring life, making for- eign voyages exclusively. He has been the commander of full-rigged ships, among which were "Camilla," "Alaska," "Golden Fleece," "Columbus," and the "Paramita," and has twice circumnavigated the globe. Captain Humphrey's last voyage was made in 1884, from San Francisco to Liverpool, in the ship "Paramita." Since that time he has resided on the old homestead in Hingham. In poli- tics he affiliates with the Republican party, and in religion he is a liberal. On New Year's Day, 1865, he was united in marriage with Mary V. Thomas, daughter of Joseph and Morilla (Bates) Thomas. They have two
children - Frederick M. and Mabel D. Hum- phrey. Captain Humphrey stands high in the community.
RED HERBERT PACKARD is a well-known citizen of Brockton, book-
keeper and salesman for Snell & Ather- ton, manufacturers of shoe tools, and for many years a member of Martland's Band. He was born in West Bridgewater, February 2, 1854, a son of Japhet B. and Lucretia P. (Dunbar) Packard. Japhet B. Packard, whose father was Isaac Packard, was born in that part of North Bridgewater now known as Jerusalem, September 7, 1819. He has lived in West Bridgewater, his present home, for many years, and has worked at shoemaking. He is now seventy-seven years old. His wife is a daughter of Silas Dunbar, of West Bridge- water. They reared a family of four sons and two daughters, of whom one son and one daughter have passed away.
Fred Herbert Packard acquired his educa- tion in the public schools of West Bridge- water. At the age of twenty he went to work in a Brockton shoe shop; and on February 18, 1880, he entered the employ of Snell & Ather- ton, for whom he has now been book-keeper and salesman some ten years. While attend- ing to his duties as an employee of this firm, he has conducted a successful real estate busi- ness of his own. In 1888-89 he opened up two plots of land on Herrod and Martland Avenues, and seventy house lots were disposed of ; and he owns plots on Howard and Montello Streets and valuable tracts in different parts of the city. Mr. Packard played first clarinet with Martland's Band for twelve years, and during four years of that time he was Secretary and Treasurer of the organization.
He was married in 1882 to Idella A.,
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daughter of Veranus Snell of the firm of Snell & Atherton, and has one son - Warren Bel- cher, nine years old. Mr. Packard was elected to the City Council in 1892 on the Republican ticket, and was also elected as Alderman in 1896-97. He is one of the Trus- tees of the People's Savings Bank. He has taken several degrees in Masonry, belonging to St. George Lodge, A. F. & A. M .; Sa- tucket Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Bay State Commandery, Knights Templars; and the Mystic Shrine; and he belongs to Massa- soit Lodge, No. 69, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and to the Brockton Commercial Club. He attends worship at the Waldo (Congregational) Chapel of Montello. .
ILSON SHAW, one of the oldest citizens of Carver, Mass., a repre- sentative of one of the long-settled families of Plymouth County, dating back almost to the time of the arrival of the Pil- grim Fathers, was born in this town, Decem- ber 14, 1813, son of Nathaniel and Lucy (Fuller) Shaw. He is of the fourth genera- tion of his race born in Carver, the first hav- ing been represented by his great-grandfather, Nathaniel Shaw.
Mr. Wilson Shaw, who has taken the pains to acquaint himself with the record of the fam- ily, thus traces his descent from the immi- grant progenitor : Jonathan Shaw came from England, and settled in Plymouth, Mass., where he and his son, Deacon John Shaw, died at about the same time, and their remains were laid to rest in one grave. Jonathan Shaw, son of Deacon Shaw, was born in 1663. His son, Lieutenant Jonathan Shaw, born in 1689, was one of the builders of Pope's Point Furnace in 1734. He served as an officer in the French War; and Captain
Nathaniel Shaw, born in 1718, son of said Lieutenant, served as an officer in the Revolu- tionary War, using the sword that had been his father's. Some time afterward Lieutenant Joseph Shaw, son of Captain Nathaniel, car- ried the same old sword while on duty, and had the misfortune to break it when leaping a fence.
The children of Captain Nathaniel Shaw and his wife Hannah -twelve in number - were: Mary; Elizabeth; Nathaniel, Jr. ; Jo- seph, born in 1749; Hannah; Ruth; Jona- than; Deliverance; James; Zilpha; and two that died in infancy.
Lieutenant Joseph Shaw and his wife Lydia also had twelve children, seven sons and five daughters, namely : Joseph, Jr., Oliver, Isaac, Cephas, and Elkanah, all moulders; Nathaniel and George, foremen; Lydia; Ruth; Wait- still; Betsey ; and Hannah.
Nathaniel Shaw, son of Lieutenant Joseph and father of Wilson Shaw, was born on the farm in Carver which was his son's birthplace ; and he there devoted much of his life to the pursuit of agriculture. He was killed by the falling of a tree. Seven children were born into his home, namely: Nathaniel; Gilbert ; Lydia; George; Wilson, the subject of this sketch ; Joseph; and Lucy. Three of these are living - Lydia, Wilson, and Joseph.
Wilson Shaw was born and reared on the homestead, and received a good practical educa- tion. When nineteen years of age, he went to work at the old Pope's Point Furnace in Carver, where he learned the moulder's trade; and this trade he followed for the greater part of forty years, finding employment in different places. He resided in Norton, Mass., for a few years, and then removed to Woodstock, Vt., where he bought a farm, and lived about fifteen years. At the end of that period, re- turning to his native town, he here purchased
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a farm, and engaged in the pursuit of agricult- ure until 1883, when, being seventy years of age, he sold his farm ; and since that time he has enjoyed the leisure befitting his years.
Mr. Shaw married a lady bearing the same surname, Miss Pamelia C. Shaw. He has no children. In political matters he favors the Republican side. Mr. Shaw's long life of eighty-three years has been a useful and hon- orable one, and he justly enjoys the respect and confidence of all who know him.
APTAIN JOSHUA JAMES, keeper of the United States Life-saving Sta- tion at Point Allerton, Mass., was born in Hull, Plymouth County, November 22, 1827, son of William and Esther (Dill) James. His father was a native of Holland and a soldier in the army, which he left when a young man to become a sailor. He subse- quently came to America, and, settling in Hull, was a sailor and fisherman the rest of his life. His wife, whose maiden name was Esther Dill, belonged to an old family here. Twelve children were born to them, and four sons are now living. In 1837 the mother with others of the family was drowned in Hull Gut, the sloop in which they had embarked having capsized. The father was on the boat, but was unable to save them. He lived to be eighty- six years of age.
Joshua James, after acquiring his education in the schools of his native town, engaged in coasting and fishing with his father until he was twenty-five years of age, thereafter contin- uing the business for himself. He has long been active in the work of the Massachusetts Humane Society, going in their boats since he was fifteen years of age, and has saved scores of lives from the sea. In 1889 he was appointed to his present position of keeper of
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