Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Part 104

Author: Biographical Review Publishing Company, Boston, pub
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Boston, Biographical review publishing company
Number of Pages: 1238

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Worcester County, Massachusetts > Part 104

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Dr. Woodbury was a large man with an attrac- tive face, expressive of good nature and kindly interest. People were unconsciously drawn to him as one in whom they could have implicit confidence, and with whom association would be a pleasure. He had what is termed a ' magnetic personality.' As an illustration of this was a most flattering call . .. which he received in November, 1885, to go to Leicester as the successor of the late Dr. Warner, a call signed by twenty-four of the most influential citizens and supplemented by urgent personal appeals. This feeling of confidence in him was not misplaced. He was magnetic because true. His sense of honor was exceedingly keen. He was a man who could be relied upon. In all his relations he was most particular to do the just and right thing. He observed to the letter the moral obligations of our profes- sion because it was natural for him to do so. He had, moreover, self-respect and dignity of character in a marked degree. He carried himself as a man. His personality commanded respect. There was nothing servile or menial in his nature. He recognized merit and paid his tribute to it, but he had no patience with pretence or arrogance. Most regardful of the rights of others, he was jealous of his own, and where others infringed on them he was not slow to express his condemnation; and yet he was a man of the finest feelings, charitable, kindly, and sympathetic. When he entered the sick-chamber, he carried beneficence there. The constant expression of his life was sunny, genial, and helpful. He was very conscien- tious in the discharge of all his duties. He realized fully the great responsibilities of his profession, and tried to do his full duty. Many are the testimonials to his faithfulness. " He had a good mind. His perceptive faculties were keen, memory good, and judg- ment sound. He was a natural physician, not so close a student of books as some, and with less technical knowledge, perhaps, and yet a close observer, a good diagnostician, and an excellent practitioner - well balanced, self-re- liant, prudent, tactful, and eminently practical. He was born for his work, and thoroughly en- joyed it, knew that he was in the right place, and made comparatively few mistakes.

" At the time of his death he had a large and rapidly increasing practice, fairly and honestly acquired. A disabled right hand pre- vented an extensive practice of surgery, for which he had a natural taste and in which he would undoubtedly have excelled. He was, moreover, a good citizen, discharging well his social, political, and religious duties. But it is as a physician that his work stands. It was a good work, honest, faithful, and skilful, commanding the respect of his fellow-practi- tioners. '

In June, 1883, Dr. Woodbury was married to Ellen F. Hastings, daughter of George and Lucy (Morse) Hastings, of Sutton.

OHN BOSWORTH, a well-known and highly esteemed resident of Warren, now retired from active pursuits, was born October 13, 1818, in Petersham, Worcester County. His parents, Daniel and Sallie (Crow1) Bosworth, died in Petersham, their native town, before reaching the prime of life. He was quite young when his mother died, and at his father's death he was but twelve years old. Soon after, being left in a large measure dependent upon his own re- sources, he began learning the blacksmith's trade in Ware, at the same time attending the common schools for a brief space. His ap- prenticeship was finished in New Braintree, where he was able to attend the district school for one or two winter terms. In 1837 he came to Warren as a journeyman blacksmith, and met with such success that a short time later he set up a smithy of his own, which he oper- ated profitably for a number of years. Then he closed his shop, and devoted himself exclu- sively to the wood and lumber business, in which he had been somewhat engaged for some time previously. At first his custom was to purchase tracts of standing timber. After- ward he often purchased entire farms on which were valuable wood lots. In this manner he acquired considerable real estate in Brookfield, Palmer, Sturbridge, Warren, and Russell: At Russell he operated a steam saw-mill for five years, and carried on an extensive business as a dealer in lumber and wood, employing from

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fifteen to twenty men. In all of his operations of this kind he sold largely to the Boston & Albany Railway Company. A thorough busi- ness man, wide-awake and far-seeing, he has made many profitable investments.

On his land he has erected many residences, including eleven dwelling-houses on Quaboag Street, Warren, where his own residence stands. He also built on Main Street the business block now owned by W. B. Ramsdell. In politics he is a stanch Republican and hear- tily in favor of all enterprises beneficial in any way to the town or county. He has been a member of the Warren Lodge, F. & A. M., for more than a quarter of a century.

Mr. Bosworth first married Irene Copeland, a daughter of Alvin and Cynthia Copeland, of Warren. By that marriage he became the father of four children, of whom two are living, namely: Julia S., the widow of the late Almon Caswell; and Irene E., at home. After the death of his first wife he married Miss Ade- laide Copeland, a sister of the first wife. The surviving children are Morice and Abbie. Abbie is the wife of Henry Powers, of Worces- ter, Mass.

EORGE WINSLOW GALE, who was executive officer for the Board of Overseers of the Poor, of Worcester, for twenty-six consecutive years, was born in Salem, Mass., on April 20, 1817, his parents being George Gale and Joanna Ashby (born Glazier) Gale. He was a nephew of the late Dr. Stephen Gale, of Portland, Me., who served as surgeon in the United States navy during the War of 1812, and who later erected a mon- ument in the old burying-ground at Plymouth to the crew of the British ship " General Ar- nold," all of whom perished in Plymouth Harbor in December, 1778. Another relative is Samuel C. Gale, now of Minneapolis, Minn., who was for a short time a teacher in the Worcester High School, and who presented the Damon Memorial Building to the town of Holden. Mr. Gale spent a portion of his boy- hood in Plymouth with his grandmother, and for that place he ever manifested a great regard. His father dying in his childhood, his mother

married a second time a Mr. Benjamin Ashby. Through this marriage he had a half-brother, who subsequently went with him to Mexico, and there married a Mexican lady.

After leaving school Mr. Gale went to Mid- dleton. While there he learned the trade of paper-making, which he afterward worked at in Newton and elsewhere in the State until 1848. Then he went to Mexico just after the Mexican War, for the purpose of establishing there a large paper manufactory, in charge of which he remained some ten years. The factory in question was located about twelve miles from the city of Mexico. Across an intervening ravine was the battle-field of Contreras, from which he was able to collect many interesting relics. Shortly after his return to the United States he came to Worcester, and for a time during the Civil War was engaged in recruit- ing soldiers for the Union army. Taking much interest in public affairs, he was an active worker in the cause of advancement. Many of the improvements in certain sections of the city were directly due to his influence. From 1863 to 1875 he was a member of the School Board, and it was largely through his instru- mentality that the free evening drawing schools were first opened. He was also one of the pro- jectors of " The Worcester Training School for Teachers," which afterward became the pres- ent State Normal School.

In 1863 Mr. Gale became a member of the Board of Overseers of the Poor. Two years later, when a revision of the pauper laws made necessary a reorganization of the department, he was selected, as being possessed of especial qualifications for the work, to fill the position of executive officer, which was thereafter held by him up to the time of his death. Through all these years, extending over more than a quarter of a century, he identified himself thoroughly with the department, making its business a continual study and keeping in view the best interests of the city and the needy poor who applied to him for assistance. Though in that period the duties and responsi- bilities of his office were correspondingly mul- tiplied by an increase of fifty thousand in the population, yet, owing to the excellence of the system established, he was equal to all the de-

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mands made upon him. He prepared and kept on file a history of each person needing aid, all letters written and received relating to the case, and an accurate record of all the help given. So complete is this system that all the facts bearing on any case are easily referred to at any time. The same is true of the relations of the department with the city service, with other towns and cities, and with the Common- wealth in respect to the insane. The task of looking up any special case or incident is much facilitated by a complete index. To this sys- tem of doing the work Mr. Gale added a zeal and an interest seldom seen.

Mr. Gale died on November 27, 1890. At a special meeting of the Board of Overseers, held after the sad event, remarks were made by the Hon. Francis A. Harrington, the Hon. Charles B. Pratt, the Hon. Phineas Ball, the Hon. Clark Jillson, the Hon. Edward L. Davis, the Hon. E. B. Stoddard, the Hon. Samuel E. Hildreth, the Hon. Charles B. Reed, and the Hon. Samuel Winslow, ex- Mayors of Worcester. All spoke in eulogistic terms of Mr. Gale's high personal worth and of the efficiency of his work in the public ser- vice. Mr. Gale was a member and one of the founders of the Massachusetts Association of Relief Officers. In politics a Republican, he served for more than twenty years as the clerk of the party's caucuses in his ward. His do- mestic life was a particularly happy one, and he was most frequently to be found at home out of business hours. His wife in girlhood was Miss Susan Grafton Goodwin, of Kenne- bunkport, Me. She survives her husband, as do also two daughters and a son. The former are: Miss Susie G. Gale, who was for some time Mr. Gale's assistant at City Hall; and Miss Mary T., now a teacher in a Worcester school. The son, Captain George H. G. Gale, is in the Fourth Cavalry, United States Army. At the close of his school life in Worcester he entered the military academy at West Point, and was graduated from there in 1879. Subse- quently he was stationed there for a term of four years as instructor in mathematics. He married Miss Martha Wilson, of Denver, Col., and now has three little daughters. At the outbreak of the Spanish-American war he was

stationed at the Presidio, San Francisco, whence he was sent with the fourth expedition to the Philippine Islands.

ENRY JEROME, a well-known citi- zen of Worcester and the superintend- ent of the Reed carriage manufac- tory, was born in Palmer, Mass., on June 7, 1849, to Lewis and Margaret (Harper) Jerome. His father, born in 1821, who died in 1897, at Barre, Mass., was an industrious farmer in this county until stricken with the illness that finally proved fatal. The mother, who was an invalid for many years, did not walk a step during the eight years preceding her death. She fell from her chair in 1865, breaking her hip, which injury resulted in her death. Of her four sons and three daugh- ters, two daughters died in infancy. Of the others, all of whom grew to maturity, Lewis and Julius died on the same day, of consump- tion - the former at the age of thirty, and the latter at the age of twenty-four - each leaving a wife and daughter. The three living mem- bers of the family are: Edward, who is in Worcester; Mary, who is the wife of Charles Paquin, of Barre, Mass. ; and Henry, the sub- ject of this biography.

While still very young, Henry Jerome indi- cated his ability to overcome temptation and rise above his environment. At the early age of fourteen he was in the employ of a licensed distillery in Hardwick, and for nearly four years assisted in making and sealing alcoholic beverages. Upon the death of his mother, which occurred when he was about eighteen years of age, he was given his time; and he decided to withdraw forever from an occupa- tion that he abhorred. In the fall he left Hardwick, and was so fortunate as to secure three months more of schooling in Barre. He came to Worcester for employment in that winter, and at first experienced " hard times." During this period he often tramped all day long in search of work, and after meeting with disappointment and refusal started back to the country on his seven-mile tramp through the snow, with hunger gnawing at his stomach and discouragement in his

ANDREW FAIRBANK.

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heart. He would not give up, however, and decided to work for the merest pittance at any honest business rather than go back to the dis- tillery. At last he succeeded in finding em- ployment at one dollar a day. In the follow- ing February he met Charles G. Reed, then of the Old South Church, who at once took an interest in him. Mr. Reed had seen the young man in the Mission Church and other places, and had recognized that there were elements of solid worth and character in him. After watching him for a time and verifying his first opinions, Mr. Reed offered him employ- ment in his carriage-building establishment. From that day to this Mr. Jerome has been Mr. Reed's most trusted and valued assistant. During his first year there he received a dollar and a half a day and in the second year two dollars and a half a day. In five years he had reached the top round in the ladder of promo- tion, and had practically full charge of the es- tablishment, Mr. Reed being absent four days in the week.

Mr. Jerome was married in 1871, on his twenty-second birthday, to Fannie M. Holden, of Holden. Her parents were John and Mary J. (Stetson) Holden, the former a descendant in the seventh generation from Elder Brewster of the Mayflower colony, and the latter a de- scendant of John and Priscilla Alden. Elder Brewster's Bible, brought from England, was for many years in this family. Mr. Jerome has in his possession the old flintlock gun left him by Mr. Holden, and which was used in the Revolution by Mrs. Jerome's great-grand- father, Captain John Holden. Grateful for the aid extended to himself, Mr. Jerome has been a devoted missionary worker in the effort to help others. He took an active part in the building of the beautiful new stone edifice of the Plymouth Congregational Church, of which he and his wife are members. He and Mr. Reed are charter members and founders of this church. He is also a member of the Indepen- dent Order of Odd Fellows; a life member of Worcester County Mechanics' Association ; and a life member of Morning Star Lodge of Masons, of which he was chosen chaplain at the first election which took place just after he had been admitted.

Mr. Jerome has an interesting and valuable collection of copper and silver coins, many of which are rare ones. These are kept in a cabi- net of his own construction, which is novel and handsome as well as practically adapted to its purpose. He has also met with success as an amateur photographer, having made many in- teresting and unique experiments in this line.

NDREW FAIRBANK, a member of one of the oldest families of Harvard and one of the most prominent citi- zens of the town, was born on Au- gust 13, 1823, on the farm where he now makes his home.

His parents were Artemas and Rachel (Houghton) Fairbank. The Fairbank farm was cleared by his great-great-grandfather, Joseph Fairbank, Sr., who was one of the pio- neers of Harvard, and received the land as a grant. Joseph Fairbank, Jr., the next in the ancestral line, tilled the soil, and lived in the old house after the death of his father. He was a member of the State militia. His son, Jonathan Fairbank, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born on this farm, and was the third owner. He died here in 1840, at the age of eighty-two. Jonathan Fairbank was a member of the Congregational church. His wife, Hannah Hale, belonged to one of the old and leading families of Stow, Mass., her native place.

Artemas Fairbank, one of the three children of Jonathan and Hannah Fairbank, was born on this farm and educated in the common schools of Harvard. He succeeded his father as manager and owner of the estate, and died here at the age of eighty-seven. In politics he was a Democrat, in religious belief a Unita- rian. His wife was a daughter of Jonathan Houghton, of Waterford, Me. She, too, was a member of the Unitarian church. She died at the age of seventy-five. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Artemas Fairbank, and these three are living: John H., Sid- ney, and Andrew.

Andrew Fairbank, after acquiring a common- school education in his native town, worked in Winchendon some three years, making wooden-

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ware. He then returned to the homestead, and from the time of his father's death until 1877 he carried on the farm, which is now managed by his son, Warren H. In 1849 Mr. Fairbank was married to Ann A., daughter of Obed Houghton. She was born in Boxboro, Mass., where her father, who was a native of Harvard, was a farmer. She died at the age of sixty- five, leaving one son, Warren H., above named. On May 20, 1891, Mr. Fairbank was married to Mrs. Alice Parsons Poole, of Waldoboro, Me.

In politics Mr. Fairbank is a Democrat. He was first elected Selectman in 1862, and has been re-elected several times since, serving on the board in all some sixteen years, much of the time as chairman. He has also served for nearly the same number of years as Over- seer of the Poor, and he has held other town offices. He has been treasurer of the Unita- rian society for a great many years.

Warren H. Fairbank has served as Select- man, Assessor, and a member of the School Committee of Harvard. He is an Odd Fel- low, belonging to Harvard Lodge, No. 60; and he is a member of the Harvard Grange. He married Miss Catherine Houghton, a native of Bolton, Mass., and has two children - Alice A. and Mildred E. The Fairbank homestead has never been out of the possession of the family. Few farms in the State have such a record. One room and a porch of the first frame house remain, built nearly two hundred years ago. Many additions have been made in the years that have passed, and the dwelling is now a roomy and substantial one.

ILLIAM A. RICHARDSON, who was formerly vice-president and the treasurer of the Harrington & Richardson Arms Company, Worcester, was born in Athol, Mass., December 20, 1833. A son of Wyman and Arethusa (Lee) Richard- son, he was a descendant in the eighth gener- ation of Samuel Richardson, who emigrated from England in 1633 or 1634, settling in Woburn, Mass. From Samuel the line is traced through Stephen, William, and John to Wyman Richardson, first, the great-grand- father of William A. Both the grandfather

and father served an apprenticeship at the blacksmith's trade. The latter, who became an expert machinist, worked in Athol, Barre, Petersham, Boston, and other places.

William A. Richardson was educated in the schools of his native town and those of Barre and Petersham. He learned the machinist's trade under his father's direction in John Smith's mill at Smithville. Accompanying his parents to Boston in 1850, he secured work as a job hand at the Boston Locomotive Works. Two years later he went to Fitchburg, Mass., where he worked with his father in building and repairing machinery for the American Rattan Company until 1860, and for the next two years he was employed at the American Watch Factory in Waltham. The succeeding year was spent in the manufacture of rattan seating and reeds. Moving to Worcester in 1863, he engaged in making gun tools for Ball & Williams, who were then manufacturing the Ballard gun, a noted weapon of that day. In

1866 he entered the employ of the well-known pistol manufacturer, Francis Wesson, who was then making revolvers under patents taken out by Gilbert H. Harrington; and in 1875, when the contract expired, Mr. Harrington, who became the sole proprietor of the business, admitted Mr. Richardson to partnership. This firm continued to occupy rooms at 18 Manchester Street until 1876, when it moved to the second floor of 31 Hermon Street. Its constantly increasing business, however, soon demanded more room, and a factory was erected upon adjoining land, having connec- tion by a bridge with the old quarters. The new addition enabled the concern to meet promptly the demands made upon them for some years. From 1880 to 1885 Messrs. Harrington & Richardson held the exclusive American right to manufacture the celebrated Anson & Deeley hammerless gun, an Eng- lish invention, which sold upon the market at prices ranging from eighty-five to three hun- dred dollars. In January, 1888, the concern was reorganized and incorporated as the Har- rington & Richardson Arms Company, with a capital stock of seventy-five thousand dollars. Gilbert H. Harrington was the president, William A. Richardson the treasurer, and

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George F. Brooks the secretary. The volume of business, continuing to increase, outgrew the Hermon Street factory; and in consequence, on land situated at the corner of Park Avenue and Chandler Street, containing about forty- two thousand, eight hundred and forty-seven feet, they erected a four-story brick factory at a cost of fifty thousand dollars, where they gave their attention wholly to the manufacture of revolving firearms in various styles. Mr. Richardson was regarded as one of the most expert machinists in Massachusetts, and the arms manufactured under his supervision had high reputation for quality, beauty, and a reliability. After Mr. Harrington's death, which occurred June 22, 1897, Mr. Richardson attended to the duties of the late president until he was himself stricken with the fatal disease. He died at his home, 109 Austin Street, on November 21, 1897.

On May 31, 1855, while residing in Fitch- burg, Mr. Richardson married Mary Ann Cowen, who survives him. She is a daughter of Captain Robert Cowen, a shipmaster hailing from Plymouth, Mass. Mr. Richardson also left a brother, Seneca M., of the firm of With- erby Rugg & Richardson. Politically, he acted with the Republican party. For many years he attended the First Universalist Church.

BENEZER W. NICHOLS, who was for a long period connected with the manu- facturing interests of Worcester, was born February 11, 1815, in Charlton, Worces- ter County. A son of Amasa and Polly (White) Nichols, he came of substantial Eng- lish stock. He took pride in the fact that his ancestors generally were plain farmers. His grandfather, William Nichols, removed from Oxford to the western part of Charlton, which was still a wilderness, and took up a tract of land. On the part of the property now owned by Lewis Capen there was a wolf den. Will- iam was numbered among the successful agri- culturists of the town. His sons followed the independent vocation to which they were reared.

Ebenezer W. Nichols was brought up on

the home farm. When not in school he did his full share of the farm work. Gifted with an aptitude for mechanics and being handy in using tools, he learned the wheelwright's trade, and subsequently followed it in Charlton until he was twenty-two years old. The ensuing year he spent in New Haven, Conn. Then he worked as a wheelwright in a shop at Spencer, Worcester County, for two years. After this he started in business on his own account. In 1845 he came to Worcester, and spent the fol- lowing seven years in the factory of Phelps & Bickford, engaged in making by hand the fine wooden parts of looms. Subsequently, in company with a Mr. Burgess, he began the manufacture of wooden forms at Leicester. After a year's experience of that place he returned to Worcester, and resumed work with his former employers. In the following year he became a member of the firm of T. Smith & Co., manufacturers of machinists' tools, me- chanics' tools, agricultural implements, mow- ing machines, scythes. etc. Taking the su- pervision of the cold punching part of the business in the factory, which was located on Cypress Street, he developed it remarkably, making it equally profitable with the other de- partments. He remained a member of this firm for seventeen years, giving his time and attention to the work unstintedly, and utiliz- ing his mechanical genius to the fullest extent. After selling his interest and retiring from the firm, he contracted with Edwin Wood, of Worcester, to make the wooden parts of loom feeders. Being an expert machinist, he could execute in metal whatever he designed for any mechanical purpose. He continued with Mr. Wood some years, and then retired permanently from manufacturing.

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Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Part 104

Author: Biographical Review Publishing Company, Boston, pub Publication date: 1899 Publisher: Boston, Biographical review publishing company Number of Pages: 1238

Author: Biographical Review Publishing Company, Boston, pub
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Boston, Biographical review publishing company
Number of Pages: 1238