Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Part 118

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 118

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When fifteen years old Asa Bennett went to Boston to begin life for himself as a clerk in a dry-goods store. After remaining there a number of years he engaged in a general mer- chandise business in Hubbardston. Later he went to the South, where he carried on busi- ness for some time. Then, after another period spent in keeping a general store in his native town, he went to Fort Smith, Ark., and was in business there during the Civil War. About the year 1866 he accepted the respon- sible position of buyer for the largest wholesale house in Arkansas. In this capacity during the succeeding four years he purchased goods in the different markets from Boston to New Orleans, holding a power of attorney for his employers and looking after their interests in such an able manner as to win their hearty approval. After resigning this position in 1870, he returned to Hubbardston; and, though he has since been interested in various enter- prises, he gave his chief attention to farming and cattle dealing until his retirement, which took place some time ago. His long and varied business career was financially success- ful, and he is the owner of some valuable real estate in this locality.

On September 30, 1845, Mr. Bennett mar- ried Mary R. Brigham, who was born in Hub- bardston, January 13, 1824, daughter of Joseph and Rebecca (Brown) Brigham. The latter was a descendant of one of the first settlers of this town. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett have one daughter, Mary E., who married Howard Mc- Allister, of Winnetka, Ill., and has seven children - Mary L., Alfred, Fannie, Bennett,

Howard, Lizzie, and Ethel McAllister. In politics Mr. Bennett is a Democrat. He has been an Assessor for several years and the chairman of the board for a part of the time. Religious services are attended by him at the Congregational church, while Mrs. Bennett is a member of the society.

OHN E. STOWELL, who carries on an extensive box manufactory at North Dana, was born in Winchester, N. H., March 29, 1849, son of Roswell and Phœbe G. (Ryder) Stowell. His grandfather was Roswell Stowell, an Englishman, who settled upon a farm in Chesterfield, N. H., where he resided for the rest of his life.

Roswell Stowell, the father, who was born in Chesterfield, spent the active period of his life as a farmer in Chesterfield, Winchester, and Swanzey, N. H. Industrious and capable, he made good use of his opportunities, and con- tinued active until his death, which occurred when he was sixty years old. His liberal opinions in religious matters identified him with the Universalist church. In politics he voted with the Republican party. His wife, Phœbe, who was a native of Wardsboro, Vt., became the mother of ten children, six of whom are living; namely, Elesie, John E., Elvin, Edes, Luella, and Carlon. Those deceased are : Elvina, Selene, Elvia, and Nelson. The mother is still living and resides in Win- chester.

John E. Stowell was educated in the schools of Winchester and Swanzey. When a boy he worked for some time in a box factory. At the age of eighteen he began an apprenticeship to the sash and blind maker's trade in Chester- field, which he subsequently followed as a journeyman for about eight years, during which time he worked in Rockford, Ill., and Athol and Fitchburg, Mass.

In 1876 he established himself in the box manufacturing business in Winchester. Two years later he moved to North Dana and en- gaged here in the manufacture of square wooden boxes of all sizes, starting with a force of six hands, which he increased as his business ex- panded. He now has a large factory, equipped

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with modern machinery propelled by steam- power, and furnishing employment to a force of twenty-five men. His products are shipped to packers in various States. The business is increasing at such a rate that more room will shortly be needed to keep pace with the de- mands for his output, and as the lumber supply in this vicinity is sufficient for many years to come his future prospects are very encouraging. Mr. Stowell owes to his own foresight, energy, and perseverance his present position as pro- prietor of one of North Dana's leading indus- tries; and his enterprise is greatly appreciated by his fellow-townsmen, who are benefited thereby. In politics he is a Republican, but has never aspired to public office, preferring to devote his whole time to his business. He and Mrs. Stowell attend the Universalist church, to the support of which they are liberal contributors.

B ENJAMIN FRANKLIN ALDRICH, formerly a prosperous farmer of Men- don, was born at the Aldrich home- stead in this town, May 2, 1828, son of Luke and Lucinda (Thayer) Aldrich. His grandfather, Naaman Aldrich, owned large tracts of land in Mendon, where he was an extensive farmer and cattle dealer. Luke Aldrich, his father, who was a native of Rhode Island, settled here when a young man, and followed agriculture for the rest of his active life. He attended the Unita- rian church.

The emigrant ancestor of the family was George Aldrich, an Englishman, who arrived from Derbyshire in 1631 or 1632, had land in Dorchester set off to him in 1636, and was one of the original members of the church in that town.

Benjamin Franklin Aldrich began his edu- cation in the common schools of his native town, and completed his studies at the Ux- bridge High School. Learning the shoe- maker's trade, he followed it as a journeyman some six years; and thenceforward until the close of his life he tilled the soil. He was also a cattle dealer, and by his energy and thrift he realized a comfortable property.

Being of a retiring nature, he avoided rather than sought public office, and took no part in political matters beyond casting his vote. An honorable, upright citizen, he justly merited the esteem in which he was held. His neigh- bors speak of him as an accommodating, kind- hearted, whole-souled man.

In 1856 Mr. Aldrich was joined in marriage with Urana S. Mowry, daughter of George Mowry, a well-known farmer of this town. They became the parents of four children, namely : Charles Thornton, a graduate of the Worcester Commercial College, who was formerly in business in Providence, R.I., and is now managing the home farm ; Mary Louise, wife of William Harvey Woodbury, of Man- chester, N. H .; Emma E., wife of Howard Luther, of Providence; and Annie Belle Al- drich, who resides at home. Mary Louise and Emma E. were successful public-school teachers previous to their marriage.

Benjamin Franklin Aldrich died September 12, 1895 ; and his death was sincerely deplored by his fellow-townsmen, who regarded it as a severe loss to the community.

DWIGHT UNDERWOOD, an ener- getic farmer and business man of Stur- bridge, was born in Holland, Mass.,

May 16, 1845, son of Nehemiah and Deborah D. (Pease) Underwood. The father was born in Monson, June 1I, 1807. Begin- ning life for himself at the age of seventeen as a farm assistant, he followed agriculture until his death, which occurred October 23, 1880. He was a citizen of worth and served the com- munity with ability as Selectman and As- sessor. In politics he was a Republican. His wife, who was born in Monson, January 15, 1815, became the mother of five children, of whom three are now living: J. D., the subject of this sketch; Albert E., born December 17, 1849; and Charles L. Underwood, born De- cember 7, 1857. Ella M., born September 3, 1855, was the wife of Samuel Williams, of Southbridge. The other child was an infant that died unnamed. £ Nehemiah Underwood was a Baptist in his religious belief, and his wife was a Congregationalist.

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J. Dwight Underwood was educated in the schools of his native town. After his school days were over he engaged in farming in Hol- land, and remained thus occupied until 1868, when he came to Sturbridge and settled on the old Holbrook farm. Purchasing the Prouty farm of one hundred and twenty acres fourteen years later, in 1882, he made various improve- ments in the property, among other things re- modelling the residence. In 1895 his home was totally destroyed by fire, nothing being saved except a few articles of furniture; but in the following year he erected his present residence, which is one of the handsomest and most costly in the town. It also occupies a fine location, commanding a view of the Quin- nebaug valley. Besides farming Mr. Under- wood carries on quite an extensive business as a coal and wood dealer. On May 5, 1881, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Mont- gomery, who was born in Norwich, Conn., May 10, 1849, daughter of John and Susan C. (Prentiss) Montgomery. Mr. Underwood is at present serving the town as Selectman and Town Treasurer. As a public official he is both efficient and popular.

BRAHAM H. NEWTON, a retired auctioneer of Worcester and a veteran of the Civil War, was born in Princeton, this county, March 24, 1823, son of Ezra and Lucy (Howe) Newton. His father was born in Shrewsbury, Mass., November 22, 1774. His grandfather, Charles Newton, was born in Marlboro, Mass., August 28, 1742; and his great-grandfather, Elisha Newton, was born in the same place, June 2, 1701, son of Moses Newton. The children of Elisha Newton, who married Sarah Tomlin, of Westboro, Mass., December 26, 1728, were : Elisha, born in 1730; Ezekiel, born May 9, 1733; Sarah, born in 1734; Mercy, born in 1735; Timothy, born in 1737; Ithamer, born in 1739; Solomon, born in 1741; Charles, born August 28, 1742; Sarah, second, born in 1744; Persis, born in 1746; Mary, born in 1747; and Moses, born March 8, 1751. The great-grandfather died in 1791, aged ninety years, and his wife lived to about the same

age. Charles Newton, who was a prosperous farmer of Marlboro, died December 10, 1839. In 1765 he married Tabitha, daughter of Ephraim Bowker, of Westboro. They had a family of five children, namely : Dolly, born August 7, 1766; Azubah, born April 27, 1767; Ezra, A. H. Newton's father; Mary, who was baptized March 31, 1777; and Tabi- tha, born July 25, 1781. The mother died in March, 1826.

Ezra Newton turned his attention to agri- culture when a young man. . After settling in Princeton he became the owner of a large farm, and carried it on successfully during the rest of his active years. The first of his four marriages was contracted in March, 1800, with Ruth Hastings, who became the mother of three children. Of the latter, only Sarah attained maturity, and she married late in life. Ezra's second wife, in maidenhood Lucy Howe, of Princeton, whom he married January 28, 1812, died in 1826. The children of that union were: Ezekiel, born August 16, 1812, who is now residing in Millbury, Mass. ; Charles, born March 3, 1814, who was a farmer, and died September 23, 1887, leaving one son and two daughters; Lydia, born July 28, 1816, who married Elbridge G. Clarke, and died in 1863 or 1864, leaving four chil- dren; the Rev. Ezra Newton, born in 1817, who became a minister, was settled over a church at the age of twenty-one, and died in Seattle, Wash., November 4, 1897, leaving two daughters and one son; Lucy, born Sep- tember 20, 1820, who married Charles Green- wood, of Worcester, and died October 27, 1854, aged thirty-four years; and Abraham H., the subject of this sketch. Ezra Newton married for his third wife Candace Allen, and for his fourth Esther Learnard, his first wife's sister. He died April 10, 1863.

Abraham H. Newton attended the district schools. When old enough to make himself useful he began to assist his father in carrying on the farm, residing at the homestead until his majority. Having learned wall-paper staining, he followed that business for forty- five years. His first license as an auctioneer was issued nearly a half-century ago. Some years ago he practically retired from active

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business pursuits. During the Rebellion he enlisted for nine months in Company F, Fifty- first Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteer In- fantry, under Captain John S. Baldwin, for nine months ; and for the past eighteen years he has received a pension on account of disability resulting from exposure while in the service. On April 21, 1846, he was joined in marriage with Sarah B. Kendrick, of Enfield, Mass., a daughter of Jacil and Hannah (Felton) Ken- drick. Her father, who was born in 1783, died May 5, 1874, aged ninety years and nine months; and her mother, whose birth took place October 1, 1794, died March 28, 1877. Of their nine children, four are living. Mr. and Mrs. Newton have two daughters: Lucy A., a professional nurse residing in Boston ; and Genevieve A., who is the wife of Clarence Gould, of Dorchester, Mass., and has one son and one daughter.

In politics Mr. Newton is a Democrat. In 1887 he completed a history of the local paper- hanging industry, covering a period of fifty- seven years, and his treatment of the subject shows that he is well acquainted with the business. For the past twenty-two years he has resided at 4 Maple Place. He is a comrade of George H. Ward Post, No. 10, Grand Army of the Republic, and takes a lively interest in the affairs of the organiza- tion. In religion Mrs. Newton is a Meth- odist.

LIJAH MARSH DICKINSON, the prominent shoe manufacturer of Fitch- burg, was born at West Northfield on August 1, 1816, his parents being Job Marsh and Rhoda (Holton) Dickinson. His first an- cestor in this country, who was one Nathaniel Dickinson, is known to have been in Boston as early as 1629. In 1630 he was in Watertown, in 1637 in Weathersfield, and in 1659 in Had- ley, where he died in 1676, seventeen years later. He had a family of nine sons and two daughters. Samuel, the eldest son, born in 1638, was in the meadow fight at Deerfield on February 29, 1704, where he lost a coat valued at sixteen shillings and captured a hatchet worth two shillings. At this same fight Oba-

diah, the second son, was taken prisoner. Na- thaniel, second, third son of the immigrant, was the father of a third Nathaniel, who was born in 1663, and died in 1757. Nathaniel Dickinson, third, was hoeing corn in Hatfield meadows on July 15, 1698, with his two sons, Nathaniel, Jr., and Samuel, when the Indians fired upon them, killed the elder son and took Samuel prisoner. The father escaped, al- though his horse was shot from under him. Four months later, on November 27, 1698, another son was born to him, who also was called Nathaniel, he being the fourth of the family to grow to maturity. He bought a lot of land in Northfield, and, building a "house which was brick-lined and had brick ends and was used as a fort," lived there about twenty .years. On April 15, 1747, while going at sunset to Pauchaug Meadow for his cows, he was scalped and killed by the Indians. The first intimation his wife received of the sad fact was when his lifeless body was brought home on horseback. The shock to her system was so great that a son to whom she gave birth a few months later, and whom she called Benoni, "child of my sorrow," bore through- out life the impress of his mother's grief. So great was his dread of firearms that he could never be induced to carry or use them, and he would never listen to any tale of Indian war- fare. When he was a soldier in the Revolu- tionary army, the officers, who were informed of his inability to bear arms, assigned him to a place in the commissary department. He was averse to taking the life of any creature, and even to old age was never known to volun- tarily speak of his father's death. For fifty years he lived on the farm where he was born. He died in 1839, leaving eight children.

Of these, Captain Job Marsh Dickinson, the father above named, born in the old fort on June 20, 1783, was the fourth. He became a highly respected and influential citizen, was a member of the legislature, Justice of the Peace, and Selectman for sixteen years. His death took place on September 7, 1870, at West Northfield, he being then eighty-seven years of age. Of the nine children born to him, seven lived to reach maturity.

Elijah Marsh Dickinson was the eldest son

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of his parents. He went to Marlboro in 1838, shortly afterward began to work at shoemak- ing, and in 1842 became a manufacturer of boots and shoes. He has now been in the business for over half a century, and the firm of E. M. Dickinson & Co., of which he is the senior partner, is one of the leading business houses of the city. Mr. Dickinson came to Fitchburg in 1854. He has never aspired to prominence as a politician, but has held vari- ous local offices, and in 1873 was Alderman.

The Dickinson Block, which stands on Main Street, extending deep on Laurel Street to Mill Street, and is one of the finest in the city, was built in 1890. It is of finished brick, and is four stories above the basement. The building at the corner of North and Main Streets, where the shoe manufacturing is car- ried on, was erected in 1881, and is four stories high. The basement covers four thou- sand feet, and the entire floorage of the build- ing is twenty thousand feet, in addition to which there is from three thousand to four thousand feet of storage and shed room ad- joining. About one hundred and fifty hands are employed here in the manufacture of misses' and children's shoes in medium grades for Western and North-western trade. In this building is located also the Sole Leather Tip Company, which, though a separate industry, is the property of the Messrs. Dickinson. This business, which was founded in 1879, has now the oldest and largest plant in the United States for the manufacture of sole leather tips and counters. It is the only one that manu- factures its own leather tips, and it controls patents of its own for skiving sole leather used in the manufacture of tips and counters. Its product is sold to manufacturers throughout the United States and in foreign countries. The selling house for this business, and also for the shoe manufactory, is at 83 Bedford Street, Boston.

Mr. Dickinson has been a director in the Safety Fund Bank since that institution was organized. Recently he has erected at a cost of about twenty-five thousand dollars a library at Northfield in memory of his ancestors. This stands on the site of the old fort, is built of stone quarried in the town, and is two

stories in height. It is called the Dickinson Memorial Library, and was dedicated the 9th of June, 1898. In the interior a slab, fit- tingly inscribed, will tell the story of the trials and losses caused by the Indians.

Mr. Dickinson has been twice married. By his first wife, Maria A. Belding, of Vernon, Vt., he has had four children, two sons and two daughters. He has lost one son. The elder daughter married Henry Allison, presi- dent of the Safety Fund National Bank, of Fitchburg, in 1870, and is the mother of the following named children : Fanny May, Edith, Ethel, and Ruth. Anna S., the other daugh- ter, was married in 1870 to F. F. Woodward. She died in 1877, having been the mother of a daughter, Stella Anna, and of a son that died in infancy. The son now living is Charles Porter, who has been associated with his father in business since 1877. Charles Porter Dickinson married Susan, daughter of the late Joseph Cushing, of Fitchburg, and has a fam- ily of four children - Anna S., Arnold Cush- ing, Hilda, and Edward Marsh.

After the death of his first wife Mr. Dickin- son was married, in 1894, to Ermina M. Spaulding, of Brooklyn, N. Y., a native of Jaffrey, N. H., and a daughter of Abel and Mary A. (Stoughton) Spaulding.

From " The Spalding Memorial," a volume of over twelve hundred pages, published in Chicago in 1897, we learn that Mrs. Dickin- son's father was of the seventh generation in descent from Edward Spalding, who was an early settler at Braintree, Mass., where he was made a freeman in 1640, and a few years later was one of the original proprietors of Chelms- ford, Mass. It is thought that he was the im- migrant of that name who came from England about the year 1619, and first settled in Vir- ginia, removing thence some time after the massacre of March, 1622, to Massachusetts. An Edmund Spalding, thought to have been a brother of the foregoing, was the founder of the Maryland branch of the family.

From Edward Spalding,' who died in Chelmsford in 1670, to Abel,7 father of Mrs. Dickinson, the line descended through An- drew,2 Andrew, 3 Isaac, 4 Benjamin, 5 Abel, Sr., 6 a native of Townsend, Mass,

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Besides the valuable record of the American Spauldings, the memorial contains in the in- troduction much interesting information in re- gard to the families and individuals bearing this surname in England and Scotland, also facsimiles of the family coat of arms, which is of blue and gold colors, and bears the Latin motto, "Hinc mihi Salus." In 1872, we are told, there had been about fifty members of this family who were college graduates, and about forty who were members of the bar, also numbers of noted divines and successful medi- cal practitioners.

RANCIS WRIGHT, one of the best known business men of Southboro, was born in Barre, this county, February 14, 1841. He is a son of Luther and Caroline (Nichols) Wright. Luther Wright, who was a well-known manufacturer of cotton and woollen goods, conducted an extensive busi- ness for some time in Barre, was afterward a member of the firm of Wright & Morse, of Grafton, Mass., and in the latter part of his life was extensively engaged in manufacturing in Holden, Mass.

Francis Wright attended school in Carlisle, N. Y., and Warnerville, N. Y., and was a stu- dent in the Hudson River Institute, Claverack, N. Y., and in the Hampton Academy at East- · hampton, Mass. After finishing his studies he was engaged as clerk for a short time in a general store in Holden, Mass. In 1861, when he was twenty years of age, he enlisted in Company A, Twenty-fifth Regiment, Mas- sachusetts Volunteer Infantry, under command of Colonel Edwin Upton. This regiment be- longed to the famous Star Brigade, under Gen- eral Heckman. It lost a greater percentage of men and officers in killed and wounded than any other regiment in any one battle of the war. At Cold Harbor on that terrible 3d of June, 1864, of three hundred men and eigh- teen officers who went into the fight, one hun- dred men and two officers returned. In this battle Mr. Wright received in the side a severe flesh wound that sent him to the rear and later home on a furlough. The bullet passed through his haversack and canteen,

which probably deflected it, as it did not pass through his body. The regiment was in Burn- side's expedition, and its first battle was at Roanoke Island. It participated in the en- gagement at Newbern and in all those fol- lowing, was at Kingston, White Hall, and Goldsboro, in scores of skirmishes in North Carolina, and in the battles about Drury's Bluff under General Butler. After recovering from the wound received at Cold Harbor, Mr. Wright rejoined his regiment at Newbern, and served with it in clearing the way for Sher- man's army to Goldsboro. After meeting Sherman the regiment went on to Charlotte, N.C. Early in 1864 Mr. Wright was pro- moted to the rank of Sergeant, and in Octo- ber, 1864, he was made Orderly Sergeant. He received his final discharge July 13, 1865. On his return home he formed a partnership with his brother, John F., who also had en- listed at the beginning of the war and had served for more than three years. Under the firm name of Wright Brothers they established a general store in Cordaville, Mass., and they had control of a very successful business there until 1872. In that year they moved to Fay- ville, purchasing the historic old Colonel Fay stand. In 1880 John F. Wright, obliged to retire on account of failing health, sold his in- terest to his brother. Mr. Wright's store is practically the only one in the village. He carries merchandise amounting to about thir- teen thousand dollars.

In 1871 Mr. Wright was married to Miss Clara Stevens, of Southboro. She died about three years ago, leaving two children - Au- gustus Edward and Elsie May. Augustus Edward is in his third year in the scientific department of Harvard College. Mr. Wright is Past Commander of G. Wesley Nichols Post, No. 44, G. A. R., and a member of St. Bernard Lodge, F. & A. M., of Southboro.

HEODORE MANNING, formerly of the Manning Shoe and Rubber Company and for over forty years a resident of Worcester, was born in Paxton, Mass., Octo- ber 18, 1844, a son of David Manning, of Worcester, His parents reared a family of

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FRANCIS WRIGHT.

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six children ; namely, J. A. Manning, George G., Theodore, David, C. Walter, and Bertha. David Manning is a lawyer. C. Walter re- sides in Boston. Bertha, who married a Mr. Titus, is no longer living.

Theodore Manning came to Worcester at the age of twelve years in 1856, and completed his education in the public schools. He ac- quired his business training with E. A. Good- now, a wholesale boot and shoe dealer of this city, and started in business as a member of the firm of S. R. Heywood & Co., manufact- urers. In 1870 he became associated with his brother, George G., and B. W. Childs, under the firm name of Childs & Manning Brothers. After the retirement of Mr. Childs the Man- ning brothers conducted the business in Worcester until 1896, when it was transferred to Boston and consolidated with that of J. A. Manning, thus forming the Manning Shoe and Rubber Company. About a year after the es- tablishment of the new concern Mr. Man- ning's health began to fail. He continued to perform his regular duties for several months, but was at length compelled to take his bed, and died at his home, 5 Ashland Street, April 28, 1898.

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Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Part 118

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