Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Part 20

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 20

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tive in public affairs, and served as a member of the Board of Selectmen. The maiden name of his wife was Marcy Mckinstry. Harvey Clemence, son of Luther, was born in Southbridge in 1817. He learned the trade of a dyer, which he followed in connection with farming until his retirement some ten years ago. He is now residing with his son. Maryette, his wife, who was born in Pennsyl- vania, daughter of Perley and Hannah (Gerald) Marsh, came to Massachusetts with her parents when a child. She has had two children : Emily A., born in 1841, who died in 1859; and George L., the subject of this sketch.

George L. Clemence has resided in South- bridge since he was three years old. After acquiring his elementary education in the common schools he attended Nichols Acad- emy in Dudley and Dean Academy in Frank- lin, Mass. At the age of twenty years he took charge of the home farm on Clemence Hill, and has since given his attention to the raising of garden truck and dairying. He keeps about thirty cows, and sells his milk to regular customers in Southbridge. In 1894 he built a commodious stable, having all the modern improvements and especially de- signed for securing light, ventilation, and sanitary conveniences. He has made the treatment of tuberculosis a special study, is well informed upon all matters relating to the care of a dairy, and uses the standard cooler for aërating his milk. On December 3, 1872, he was joined in marriage with Emily Mc- Kinstry, a daughter of Prebostus and Jane (Carpenter) Mckinstry, of Southbridge. Mrs. Clemence is the mother of three chil- dren, namely : Emily J., born September 28, 1873, who is now the wife of Everett Carpen- ter, of Southbridge; George H., born July 2, 1879, who married Susa Alton, of Dudley, daughter of Erastus Dudley, and resides at home; and Elliot M. Clemence, born October 31, 1885, also at home.

During the years 1887 and 1888 Mr. Clem- ence was a member of the Board of Select- men, and he has been upon the Board of Sink- ing Fund Commissioners for the past five years. He was elected to the House of Rep-

ABEL S. WOLFE.

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resentatives in 1888, and served in the Com- mittee on Agriculture. For nine years he has been a member of the State Board of Agriculture; a member of the Dairy Bureau for seven years; and a member of the Execu- tive Committee of the State Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, for five years. In 1897 he was a prominent candidate at the Republican Sen- atorial Convention. He belongs to Quine- baug Lodge, F. & A. M. ; and Phoenix Coun- cil, Royal Arcanum; and he attends the Con- gregational church.

ON. HARRIS C. HARTWELL in his time was regarded as the lead- ing member of the Fitchburg bar. Born in Groton, Mass., December 28, 1847, he was a son of Benjamin F. and Emma (Whitman) Hartwell. His father, also a native of Groton, Mass., was a contrac- tor and builder.

After fitting for college at Lawrence Acad- emy, Groton, Harris C. Hartwell graduated from Harvard in the class of 1869. In the same year he began to study law in the office of the Hon. Amasa Norcross, of Fitchburg. He was admitted to the bar in 1872, and in 1874 he became Mr. Norcross's partner. He soon established a reputation for honorable and successful practice, became especially strong as a jury lawyer, and he had few equals in Worcester County. His cases were care- fully prepared, and he won the respect of op- posing counsel and the confidence of the court and jury by the fairness with which they were presented. Mr. Hartwell was a favorite with his confrères, and was always ready to encour- age and help a younger brother. As a mem- ber of society, too, he was very popular. With a fund of anecdote and being quick at repartee, he brightened many a dull hour in court, and was the life of many a social gathering. Outside of his legal business he was connected with a number of financial en- terprises. He was vice-president and a trus- tee of the Worcester North Savings Institu- tion, a director of the Fitchburg Shoe Tip Company and of the Fitchburg & Leominster Street Railway Company, and the vice-presi-

dent and a member of the Board of Managers of the Massachusetts Mutual Aid Society.

Mr. Hartwell was married in 1877 to Effie M. F., daughter of Daniel Needham, of Gro- ton. Two children blessed their union: Nor- cross Needham, born in Fitchburg, Mass., in 1881; and Harold Hall, born in 1891. Mr. Hartwell was a leading member of the Repub- lican party in this section, and if he had lived he would probably have been the first member of Congress from the new Fourth District. He was a member of the Fitchburg School Board from 1874 to 1878; was City Solicitor from 1877 to 1887; was a Representative in the State legislature in 1883, 1884, and 1885; and a State Senator in 1887, 1888, and 1889. In 1889 he served with marked ability as president of the Senate. It has been said that "to each of these positions he brought the full measure of earnest, honest effort, and his services were of signal value to the city and the Commonwealth." He attended relig- ious worship at the Unitarian church. His death on December 9, 1891, evoked many tributes to his manly worth and ability.

A® BEL STOWEL WOLFE, a leading market-gardener of Auburn, Mass., was born at Saxton's River, Rock- ingham County, Vt., on the third day of October, 1853, son of Abel and Sarah (Miner) Wolfe. His grandfather, William Wolfe, a native of Germany, who was a farmer, came to this country in early life, and became one of the pioneer settlers of Rockingham County. William's wife was also born in Germany. They had five children, three sons and two daughters.

Abel Wolfe, who was born in Rockingham County, Vermont, died in Langdon, N. H., at the age of seventy-two. He was a cattle dealer and drover, buying fat cattle for the Boston market and driving them to that city, sometimes every week, sometimes not oftener than once a month. This was before railroad lines were as numerous as they now are. An energetic business man, he was very suc- cessful. During two sessions he occupied a seat in the State legislature. About 1832 he

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married Sarah Miner, of Vermont, who died in 1863, at the age of forty-nine, and was buried beside him in Saxton's River cemetery. Of their twelve children, Abel and William died at the ages, respectively, of eight and nine years. The others, all of whom reached ma- turity, were : Byron, now deceased; Sarah, who is the wife of George W. Read, a Kansas farmer; John C., also deceased, who was a Corporal of infantry in the Civil War, and was slightly wounded in the service; Sophronia, deceased, who married John Marble, of Nashua ; Lydia, who is the wife of George W. Ramsey, of Langdon, N. H. ; George W. Wolfe, who re- sides in Texas, on the Gulf coast; Edgar C., formerly a cavalryman in the Civil War, now a resident of Melrose and in business in Bos- ton; Abel S., subject of this sketch; Eleazer, who resides in Leicester, Mass. ; and Flora, who is the wife of Henry Noyes, of Malden, Mass.

Abel Stowel Wolfe received his education in the common schools. In his thirteenth year he was bound out on a farm. At the age of seventeen he bought his time for one hun- dred and fifty dollars, and subsequently hired out to a market-gardener near Boston, working at first by the month and later by the year. For thirteen years he was in the employ of S. R. Payson on the Cushing farm in Bel- mont, the most noted farm of the time in that locality. Three years after his marriage he came to Auburn and bought forty acres of land. To this he has since added fifty acres, and he has now one of the most successful and best appointed market-garden farms in the district. He has immense hot-beds. In all, his green- houses cover thirty-four thousand feet, or three-quarters of an acre, which is claimed to be the largest area under glass owned by an individual in this part of Massachusetts. The principal crops grown under glass are lettuce, cucumbers, and dandelions for midwinter. One greenhouse, two hundred and fifty-six by twenty-two feet, is devoted entirely to dande- lions, while another has seven thousand square feet entirely devoted to lettuce culture. Mr. Wolfe's market is chiefly in Worcester; but he also makes shipments to New York City, Washington, and Baltimore. The largest

market-gardener in Auburn, his annual busi- ness amounts to several thousands of dollars. The estate, now situated just outside the city limits, is undoubtedly destined to become a part of Worcester at no very distant day.

Mr. Wolfe was married on December 15, 1876, to Marietta Putnam, a native of Spring- field, Montpelier County, Vt., and daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Putnam) Putnam. Her parents, although having the same name, were not related. Mr. Putnam, who was a farmer, died on July 9, 1881, aged seventy-five years ; and his wife died on March 13, 1877, at the age of sixty-nine. They are buried in Spring- field, Vt. Their children were: Sarah Ann, Elvira, Morris, Elizabeth, Sylvester, Ben- jamin, Marietta, George Frank, Simon, and Vesty Ann. Elizabeth, who died at the age of twenty-eight, was the wife of Jackson Gould. Sylvester died on November 10, 1896, leaving a widow, Ellen Rollins. Ben- jamin died in 1875, leaving four children. George Frank, a resident of Springfield, Vt., married Lois Rice, and is the father of two children. Simon married Laura Gould, and has four children, all of whom reside with him in Springfield, Vt. Vesty Ann, now of Springfield, Vt., is the widow of Bryant Lock- wood, who was a volunteer soldier near the close of the war. Benjamin Putnam served in the Civil War for three years as a member of the Third Regiment of Vermont Infantry, and Sylvester was a nine months' man near the close of the war. Mr. and Mrs. Wolfe have been the parents of two sons - Walter Edgar and Harry P. Wolfe. The first of these, who was born on May 6, 1879, in Belmont, assists his father in business, and drives the market wagon. Harry P. was born January 20, 1889.

EANDER T. KIRBY, a progressive agriculturist of Paxton, widely and favorably known as the Town Treasurer, was born in the neigh- boring town of Spencer, February 25, 1841. His parents, John and Mary R. (Brigham) Kirby, both Canadians by birth, came to the States soon after their marriage. After spending several years in various towns in

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Worcester County, they removed to Vermont, where the father afterward died. The mother is now also deceased.

Leander T. Kirby was but a child when his parents became residents of the town of Ox- ford. Here from the age of nine years until he was sixteen he worked in a cotton factory for a large portion of each year, and attended the common schools of the place during the rest of those years. Then he learned the shoemaker's trade, and had followed it for some time, when the Civil War broke out. Having enlisted on July 12, 1861, he was mustered into Company E, Fifteenth Massa- chusetts Volunteer Infantry, which became a part of the Second Corps of the Army of the Potomac. With his regiment he was in the battles of Ball's Bluff, Fair Oaks, the seven days' battles before Richmond, at Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Bristoe Station, Va. On November 27, 1863, in a skirmish at either Mine Run or Locust Grove, he received a gunshot wound, and was captured by the Con - federates, who held him as a prisoner for five months in a Southern hospital and prison. In March, 1864, he was duly exchanged, and on the 12th of the following July he was mus- tered out of the service. Thereupon he re- turned to Oxford. In 1871 Mr. Kirby estab- lished himself in Paxton as a boot-maker. After carrying on that business for fifteen years, he engaged in farming, which he has since successfully followed. Since coming here he has been prominently identified with the leading interests of the town. For a num- ber of terms he was Selectman, being the chairman of the board for two years. He was Assessor for one year, and he is now serving his seventh consecutive year as Town Treas- urer. While a strong Republican in politics, he is conscientiously devoted to the interests of the town. He is a comrade of the George H. Marshall Post, No. 127, G. A. R., of Rutland, Mass.

On March 25, 1866, Mr. Kirby married Miss Isabella Lane. Born in New Bruns- wick, she is a daughter of Archibald and Jo- anna (Cowlden) Lane, the former of whom was born and reared in Scotland, and the latter in New Brunswick. Mr. and Mrs.

Kirby have four children, namely: Eva G., the wife of John A. Woodbury, of Worcester, Mass. ; Arthur L., also of Worcester; Myrtis I., who graduated from the Worcester Normal School, and is now teaching in the public schools of that city; and Cora K., who is at home.

EVI BADGER CHASE, of Stur- bridge, was born in Canterbury, N.H., October 24, 1833, and received his education at the public schools town and J. C. Nutting's private of that

school. He married October 24, 1858, Ma- tilda Fiske Plimpton, of Sturbridge, and has since resided there as a farmer. As a de- fender of the Union he served in Company F, Fifty-first Massachusetts Regiment ; is a mem- ber of Post No. 173, G. A. R .; has been Ad- jutant ten years and post historian; has been a member of the Public Library Committee twenty years; and is on the Board of School Committee. He is a life member of the Worcester Society of Antiquity and corre- sponding member of the Medfield Historical Society and the Quabaug Historical Society. He compiled and published "A Genealogy and Historical Notices of the Family of Plimpton or Plympton in America and of Plumpton in England." He wrote the articles on the history of Sturbridge (vol. i.) and Southbridge (vol. ii.) published in J. W. Lewis's History of Worcester County.

He made a map of the town of Sturbridge by plotting the lots in their relative position, as surveyed and described in the book of rec- ords by the original proprietors of the then unoccupied land. The map made available much historical matter hitherto unknown, the most important being the discovery of the lo- cation of a section of the earliest path between Boston and Springfield. He read a paper ("Tantousque in Nipnet ") before the Worces- ter Society of Antiquity, April 2, 1895, published in the society's proceedings of that year, in which it was argued that this is a re- discovery of a section of the route of the most ancient "Connecticut Path," and that it fol- lowed an important path of the Indians con-

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necting the converging long-distance-paths from points on the sea coast, all the way from Boston to New London, and those paths that diverged to various points in the valley of the Connecticut River. The location of Indian villages along the way was also described.

Subsequently he found a direct statement of the Rev. John Eliot in 1649 and, in the archives of the State, Woodward and Saffery's map of their route to Connecticut River and return in 1642, that prove clearly that he has discovered precisely a section of the route of all the parties passing and repassing overland between the Connecticut River and the settle- ments on Massachusetts Bay during the period from 1633 to 1648. To bring before the pub- lic the result of the last-mentioned discover- ies, he read a paper upon the subject before the Quabaug Historical Society at Warren, June 9, 1897. This is "The Bay Path " of Dr. J. G. Holland's historical novel bearing that title.

L. B. Chase had brothers and sisters : Charles, 1809-64, Meredith, N.H. ; the Rev. William P., 1812-74, South Vineland, N.J., Free Baptist denomination; Mary M., 1814-53, unmarried; Permelia W., 1818- 74, married in 1847 Sylvester F. Sargent ; the Rev. Uriah, 1820-88, Waterboro, Me., Free Baptist; Joanna S., 1823-67, married in 1850 Rufus Boynton, Canterbury, N.H. ; and Sarah E., 1825-88, married in 1857 Stephen Hadley, Belmont, N.H.

Son of Levi Chase, of Canterbury, N. H., farmer, born 1782, died 1854 (married in 1808 Sarah Page, 1789-1846, daughter of Reuben Page, 1763-1816, New Sharon, Me., wife Sarah Sanborn, son of John Page, 1729-, of Epping, N. H., wife Lydia Sanborn; son of David Page, 1703-85, of "Pagetown," North Hampton, N.H., wife Ruth Dearborn; son of Christopher Page, 1670-1751, of Hampton, N. H., wife Abigail Tilton; son of Thomas Page, 1639-86, of Hampton, wife Mary Hussey; son of Robert Page, born in Eng- land, 1604-79, settled at Hampton, N.H .; son of Robert Page, of Ormsby, Norfolk County, England) ; son of Edward Chase, 1754-1814, Canterbury, N. H., married Mary Moore, enlisted May 30, 1775, in Colonel

Enoch Poor's New Hampshire regiment, re- enlisted September 23, 1776, in Colonel Thomas Tash's regiment, New Hampshire Continentals (see Revolutionary Rolls, New Hampshire State papers) ; son of Jonathan, 1730-1808, Loudon, N.H., married Anne Taylor; son of Jonathan, 1707-44, Stratham, N.H., married Lydia Rollins ; son of Jonathan, 1683-1749, Stratham, married Joanna Palmer; son of Thomas, 1654-1733, Newbury, Mass., married Rebecca Follansbee; son of Aquila, 1618-1670, Newburyport, married Ann Wheeler; son of Aquila, 1580-, Chesham, England, married Martha Jelliman; son of Richard, baptized in 1542, married Joan Bishop; son of Thomas Chase, of Hundrick, parish of Chesham, England.

J ESSE A. TAFT, one of the best known and most respected citizens of Milford, was born in the adjoining town of Mendon, February 8, 1857. A son of Amariah Aulando and Thankful S. (Wilkin- son) Taft, he comes of Scotch lineage. His first ancestors in this country were Robert Taft and his wife, who, with several sons, all born in England, settled in Mendon, near Nipmuck Pond, in 1679 or 1680. The line of descent from Robert is traced through Daniel, Caleb, Jotham, and Amariah to Amariah A.

Amariah Aulando Taft, generally known as Esquire Taft, was a leading citizen of Mil- ford. In 1887 he was a member of the Board of Selectmen. With his associates of the board, Messrs. C. F. Claflin and E. L. Wires, he started a movement for good government that marked an epoch in the history of the town. He served for three years, during which time the community enjoyed an honest, dignified, and non-partisan administration of its public affairs. On January 10, 1893, shortly after he had returned from a trip to Boston, he died suddenly of heart failure. He was a man of great energy, activity, and force of character. Although he did a large business in executing mortgages and other legal papers, he never employed a clerk, pre- ferring to perform even the manual part of the

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work himself. He was a man generally liked and respected in the community.

Jesse A. Taft received his general educa- tion in the graded schools and high school of Milford. Subsequently he took a course in the Boston University Law School, and in 1883 was admitted to the bar in Worcester County. Shortly after he located in Milford, where he has since been engaged in a general law practice. While . well known in the courts, he confines himself largely to office work. For six years he has been Town Solic- itor for Milford and for the same length of time Town Counsel for the town of Hope- dale. He is a director of the Milford Na- tional Bank of Milford, a trustee of the Sav- ings Bank, and he belongs to the Worcester County Bar Association and to the Alumni Association of Boston University. In 1884 he married Ida F. Thompson, a daughter of Charles J. Thompson. His only son, Royal C. Taft, was born July 8, 1889.

UCIUS O. GIFFIN, the well-known musician of Barre, was born in this town, September 24, 1836, son of John W. and Achsa (Berry) Giffin. Abner Giffin, the paternal grandfather, came from Hardwick to Barre, where he resided for a time. Then he returned to Hardwick, and died there in 1836, aged nearly sixty-one years. He was twice married. His wife, Polly Stratton Giffin, died in 1811. She had three children - Lauriston, Samantha, and John W. Giffin. By his second wife, whose maiden name was Mary Wicker, there were five children; namely, Anna, Mary, James, Hosea, and Elbridge.

John W. Giffin, the father, was born in Hardwick, August 4, 1804. Soon after his marriage he settled in Barre upon a part of his son's present farm, and tilled the soil in- dustriously until his death, which occurred May 20, 1874. In politics he was a Demo- crat. Achsa, his wife, who was born in Pres- cott, Mass., December 29, 1811, had six chil- dren, of whom five grew to maturity and three are living. The latter are: Lucius O., the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Martha E. Flagg,

of West Fitchburg, Mass .; and William H. Giffin, of Greenwich Village. The others were: Lauriston, Mary H., and Julia. The mother died August 1, 1882.

Lucius O. Giffin was educated in the dis- trict schools of Barre. After completing his studies he turned his attention to agricult- ure. Succeeding to the possession of the home farm, he has increased it to one hundred and forty acres, which he devotes to the rais- ing of staple products. He is best known, however, as a violinist. For years he has been the leading musician in this section, playing for dances, concerts, receptions, etc., work that has been remunerative to him, as well as a source of pleasure both to him and the public. In politics he is a Republican. On March 29, 1871, he was united in mar- riage with Rosepha Paige. Born in Spencer, Mass., November 15, 1841, she is a daughter of Abram and Thankful B. (Hawkins) Paige. Mr. Paige was born in Oxford, N. H., in 1815, and his wife in Winchester, N.H., in 1809. In his younger days he was a minister and later an eclectic physician. He died in 1865, aged fifty years. His wife died in March, 1889. They were the parents of three chil- dren, of whom Rosepha, now Mrs. Giffin, is the only one living. The others were: Sabra, born November 5, 1840, who died March 22, 1841; and Eletta, born July 4, 1844, who died September 1I, 1849. Mrs. Giffin re- ceived a good musical education; and, being a fine pianist, she has assisted her husband for many years in his entertainments. She has two children : Charles H., born December 21, 1871, who married Bessie Lemon, and re- sides in Barre; and Marion I. Giffin, born December 24, 1882. On religious topics Mr. Giffin's opinions are inclined to be liberal, while Mrs. Giffin is an Episcopalian.

AVID BRAINARD WIGHT, who is closely identified with the agri- cultural and industrial resources of Sturbridge, was born in this town, April 4, 1849, son of David and Eunice F. (Drake) Wight. The paternal grandfather, also named David, was born in Sturbridge,

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November 5, 1786. He was a civil engineer and a farmer, and he served as a Representa- tive to the General Court. His death oc- curred on March 28, 1861. He married Lu- cinda Marsh, who, born May 22, 1785, died December 17, 1860.

David Wight, who was born in Sturbridge, September II, 18II, completed his education at the Nichols Academy, Dudley, Mass., and afterward for several years was engaged in teaching school. Then, turning his attention to farming, he followed it for the rest of his active period. In 1861 he purchased the old Wight homestead of six hundred acres, situ- ated in the part of Sturbridge that was set off as the town of Southbridge in 1816. He also carried on an extensive lumber business. In his later years he was a Republican. He served with ability as a Selectman, Assessor, Town Treasurer, and Overseer of the Poor. In religious belief he was a Congregationalist. He died in 1876. His wife, Eunice, a native of Easton, Mass., born February 1, 1810, whom he married on September 14, 1836, gave birth to five children, namely: Emily F., on July 10, 1837, who died August 14, 1846; Mary L., September 14, 1839, who died November 8 of the same year; Ellen S., September 27, 1843, who is now Mrs. Witter; Mary A., March 15, 1847, who is now Mrs. Corey; and David B., the subject of this sketch. The mother died May 5, 1875.

After commencing his education in the public schools, David Brainard Wight gradu- ated from the Nichols Academy. Then for some time he was employed in a sash, door, and blind factory in Millbury, Mass. In 1867 he purchased one hundred and twenty- four acres of his present farm, and later added twenty acres. The various improvements he has since made upon the land and buildings have rendered his place one of the best ap- pointed farms in this locality. In 1870 be built a grist-mill and two years later a plan- ing-mill. Besides general farming he con- ducts a thriving lumber business. His pres- ent dwelling occupies the site of the old Wight residence built one hundred years ago, which was moved to a position on the opposite side of the road. The old house is in a good

state of preservation, and is still used as a dwelling.

On June 1, 1870, Mr. Wight was united in marriage with Emily F. James, a daughter of Lyman and Harriet (Towne) James. Mrs. James was a native of Brimfield, and his wife was born in Southbridge, Mass. Mrs. Wight has had one son, David E., who, born August 9, 1873, died August 21, 1878. Mr. Wight has been a Selectman and an Assessor. In 1885 he ably represented his district in the legislature. Taking a lively interest in all matters relative to farming, he is vice-presi- dent of the Worcester South Agricultural So- ciety.

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Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Part 20

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