Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Part 30

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 30

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Alden B. Plimpton was educated in the common schools and the academy, and at the age of seventeen he went to work for Jonas Ward, learning the cabinet-maker's trade. After serving an apprenticeship of three years he engaged with Partridge & Tabor, learning the finishing and upholstering busi- ness. The constant confinement indoors be- ginning to tell upon his health, he was obliged to give it up and secure outside carpentering work. Shortly after he associated himself with a Mr. Parker under the firm name of Plimpton & Parker, and engaged in the busi- ness of manufacturing sleighs, which he sub-, sequently carried on for two years. One of his sleighs took the first prize in .1848 at the first mechanics' fair ever held in Worcester, and Mr. Plimpton still preserves the diploma awarded him. The same sleigh was afterward sold by him to a Boston man for a hundred dollars in gold. Upon discontinuing his manufacturing business Mr. Plimpton went to work again at carpentering, and was for four years in Whitinsville. Coming then to Worcester, he entered the employ of Ruggles, Nourse & Co., which has since developed into the well-known Ames Plough Company. Shortly after this he settled in his present home; and, as there were no street cars run- ning then, and the distance to his place of business was too far to be reached easily by walking, he took a position at the Washburn & Moen works near his residence. He re- mained there down to 1865, when he returned to the Ames Plough Company's works, in which he has ever since been a trusted em- ployee.

On April 19, 1848, Mr. Plimpton was united in marriage with Lydia Eliza Pierce, daughter of Josiah G. and Lydia H. Pierce. The mother, who was a woman of great in- genuity and self-reliance, was a relative of the historian Bancroft. Both parents were well- read and intelligent people. They reared six of their seven children, three sons and three daughters. Those now living are: Mrs. Plimpton; Mrs. Fannie B. Gates, of this vil-

lage, who is now seventy-seven years old; and Lewis Thorp Pierce, who resides in Millbury. The father died at the age of forty-five, and the mother in 1881, at the age of eighty-one years and six months, after thirty years of widowhood. Both are buried in Millbury. Mrs. Plimpton was born in Athol on the last day of October, 1825. When about thirteen years of age she went with her parents to re- side in Worcester, and from there went to Millbury, where she finished her school days at the academy. At seventeen she learned the dressmaking trade, at which she has al- ways worked more or less. Mr. and Mrs. Plimpton have had two children: George Henry, who died aged about eighteen months; and Hattie Maira Brigham, who died aged four months. The loss of their little ones is the only great sorrow that has marred their long and happy wedded life.

When Mr. Plimpton built his house here, it was the only one on the street, and there were no other dwellings near it. His lot included about twenty thousand feet, and was valued at two hundred dollars. He began work on his house on the first day of August, 1856, and, though he had no assistance, had progressed so well that early in the following October he was able to move in, occupying three rooms, which were in partially completed con- dition. Through that winter he worked at his trade in the shop ten hours a day, and then came home to spend the rest of the day at work on his own house. Twice since it was built the house has been added to. He began without money, paying only a hundred dollars down, and going in debt to a loan association for four hundred dollars. Within eight years he had a full title to his property, and since that he has bought two acres of land adjoin- ing, and from this has sold to advantage sev- eral house lots.

Mr. and Mrs. Plimpton have for twenty-five years been members and active workers in Plymouth Church of Worcester, and for a long time have been interested in the mission work here. Both have done much successful per- sonal religious work, and Mr. Plimpton has developed into an excellent public speaker.

Mr. Plimpton and his wife had a silver

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wedding in 1873; and they have recently cele- brated in the same home their fiftieth anni- versary, the event being the occasion of warm- est congratulations from their many friends. The Worcester Gasette in speaking of it says : " A better preserved couple of their years than Mr. and Mrs. Plimpton it would be difficult to find. Mr. Plimpton can still do as hard work at the shop as ever, and is absent from his post of duty only on very rare occasions. In nearly forty years he has had but one seri- ous illness, and that kept him from work only ten weeks. His wife also enjoys excellent health, and is able to attend to all her house- hold duties without assistance. Both are great readers, and keep well informed as to the current events of the day. . .. Married life with them has been happy and successful. The way has been rough at times, but in the main smooth and pleasant. They still look upon the sunny side of life, and apparently have many happy and useful days before them."

HARLES C. DAWLEY, one of the proprietors of the Westminster Bak- ery, was born in Willington,

Conn., March 8, 1847, son of George S. and Sarah (Leonard) Dawley .. His parents were natives of Willington; and his paternal grandfather was James Dawley, a resident of that town. He pursued his ele- mentary studies in the public schools, and his education was enlarged at a boarding-school in South Windham, Conn. Learning the blacksmith's trade in Hampden, Mass., he followed it as a journeyman until opening a shop on his own account in Brimfield, Mass. Later he added carriage building and repairing to his business. In 1870 he moved to South Westminster, where he continued to carry on a shop until 1897. Then, coming to West- minster Centre, he in company with F. H. Battles purchased the Westminster Bakery, which they have since carried on under the firm name of Battles & Dawley. They have already built up a good business, making a specialty of manufacturing crackers; and their factory is equipped with improved machinery.

Mr. Dawley married for his first wife Emma Dale, of Brimfield, who died in 1890. His present wife was in maidenhood Kate E. Mer- riam. He is the father of three children, all by his first union, namely: Alice, who mar- ried Monroe Towle, and has one son, Law- rence, born in 1897; C. Bertram, born June 10, 1877, who is a book-keeper at the bakery ; and George L. Dawley, born January 31, 1879, who is now employed by the North Packing Company of Boston. Mr. Dawley is a member of William Ellison Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Gardner.

ASON WATERS was born in Sutton, October 9, 1824, son of Stephen and Matilda (Carpenter) Waters. His ma- ternal grandparents were Simeon Car- penter, formerly of Attleboro, and Sally Blanchard Carpenter, of Sutton. Mr. Waters received education in the public schools of Sutton and at Smithville Seminary. After leaving school he was for several years en- gaged in teaching vocal culture; and, while preparing for this service in Boston, he inci- dentally fell into the society of the leaders of the anti-slavery movement, whose radical views and bold denunciation of a great evil had, doubtless, a great influence in shaping his subsequent career. From about this time up to the commencement of the war of seces- sion in 1861 his contributions to the public press on the political questions of the day at - tracted the attention of the thinking public.

Although not seeking or expecting office, Mr. Waters was elected Representative to the legislature from the district comprising the towns of Millbury, Sutton, and Oxford in the years of 1862-63 and 1863-64. As a legisla- tor he has a record of which his constituency could justly be proud. It would hardly be looked for that measures having an important bearing upon the war would be proposed or championed by a "rural member," but he be- lieved that new members had duties to per- form as well as those who had grown old in the public service. Accordingly, not being a stranger to parliamentary procedure, with characteristic earnestness he advocated those

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measures which, he believed, would best sub- serve the public interest.

During his first term of service the Military Committee unanimously reported to the House a bill appropriating five hundred thousand dollars, and authorizing Governor Andrew to expend the same in the purchase of small arms of the muzzle-loading pattern. Mr. Waters offered as an amendment that said arms "should be of such pattern as the Governor and Council should deem the best adapted to the service to which they are to be applied." The adoption of this amendment would permit the purchase of breech-loading arms, but otherwise such arms were ruled out of the pur- chase. Strange as it may seem in the light of to-day, the committee, consisting of five of the most talented men of the House, were op- posed to the amendment, and it was lost. The bill then went to the Senate, and in its passage through that body Mr. Waters's amendment was adopted verbatim. It came back to the House for concurrence, and a special assignment was made for its consid- eration. Now came the tug of forensic war. Speaker Bullock gave Mr. Waters permission to exhibit firearms on the floor of the House. Accordingly he obtained from time to time arms of various patterns, including the one to which the committee desired to confine the purchase, and stored them in the various lob- bies about the capitol.

When the day came for the consideration of the question, the House was packed, many military men being present. The moment the Speaker announced that the appointed hour had arrived, the messengers rushed for the lobbies, and, bringing up the guns stored there, stacked them in the area in front of the Speaker's desk. Mr. Waters moved that the House concur in the amendment, and in an earnest speech proceeded to show why it should do so. In the midst of his speech he walked to the front of the Speaker's desk and challenged the committee to come forward and take a gun which they had recommended as the only arm to purchase, while he would take a breech-loading gun, and exhibit to the House their relative merits. No member of the committee accepted the challenge, and he

proceeded to show the superiority of the breech - loading over the muzzle - loading weapon. Again and again did he reply to the objections urged by the different members of the committee, reading extracts from letters received from military men .* He stated to the House that he had witnessed the inspec- tion of breech-loading rifles by the inspectors of the British government months before, and that the State of Mississippi, through a New York house, had had breech-loading rifles made at the same armory before the war com- menced. The argumentative battle continued through the entire sitting, and at its close the aye and nay vote was doubted. A standing vote being ordered, it was found that the House had repudiated its former vote and adopted the amendment by an overwhelming majority.

The Governor immediately appointed a com - mission to examine and test the various kinds of breech-loading rifles, and they selected the Spencer rifle. Just at the time that the papers announced the delivery of the first few thousand, the Union army was hard pressed in the vicinity of Chickamauga, and the Sec- retary of War requested Governor Andrew to turn these rifles over to the United States government to be placed in the hands of troops in the field. This was promptly complied with; and, the guns being sent to the army under General Rosecrans, they rendered such efficient service that the Secretary of War ordered all that the armory could turn out.

Mr. Waters was returned to the House by his appreciative constituents, and to his sur- prise was placed upon one of the important committees of the legislature, that of Probate and Chancery. Petitions referred to that committee showed that abuses had grown up in the manner of giving notices to those in- terested in the final settlement of estates. After thoroughly investigating the matter he drafted, reported, and carried through a bill making it incumbent upon judges and regis- ters to require of all persons, having estates in their hands, to give prior to final settle- ment, where personal notice was not otherwise

* Mr. Waters has now in his possession autograph letters from Gen- erals Thomas, Burnside, Rosecrans, Pleasanton, Hooker, Grant, and others.

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ordered, a written or printed notice enclosed in a proper envelope, and mailed, postage prepaid, directed to each of the heirs, dev- isees, legatees, or their legal representatives, at their last known place of residence. This law saved thousands of dollars to the rightful possessors, who, by failure to get notice of court proceedings, lost their rights by the lapse of time limited by law to close settle- ments, and also saved much expensive litiga- tion.

Mr. Waters introduced an order, which was passed, directing the Committee on Federal Relations, of which Peter Harvey, of Boston, was chairman, to consider so much of the Governor's message as related to the abroga- tion of the word "white" in the militia laws of the State, and thus render it possible for negroes to be enrolled in the militia. He was the only white person who appeared be- fore the committee to advocate the measure. A bill that was reported striking out the word "white" from the militia laws passed to en- actment. The wisdom of this measure is now a matter of history, and the magnificent mon- ument to the Fifty-fourth regiment opposite the State House is a silent witness of its re- sults.

Mr. Waters introduced resolutions on the death of the venerable and brave Major- general Sumner, a native of Massachusetts. Upon these resolutions the learned and elo- quent Caleb Cushing made a masterly speech, in which he said: "It is a matter of deep re- gret to myself that I am unable to attend the sittings of the House constantly; and it is for this reason the more gratifying to me to happen to be here this afternoon, while the resolution in honor of the late Major-general Sumner, offered by the gentleman from Sutton [Mr. Waters], is under consideration. I thank him for introducing it. I most cord- ially concur in its object and opinion. It was due to General Sumner as an officer of the army of the United States. It was due to him as a native son of Massachusetts." The resolutions were unanimously passed by a ris- ing vote.

After the adjournment of the legislature, at the solicitation of the town he went to

Washington to see what could be done in en- listing freedmen to fill the quota of Sutton under the last call made by the government for troops. On arriving at Washington he found that the Provost Marshal had issued such stringent orders as to effectually bar the enlistment of freedmen. Not to be baffled in his undertaking, he proceeded down the Poto- mac to Camp Corcoran, outside the District of Columbia, and filled the quota of Sutton by enlisting a fine body of middle-aged men, whose term of service in the regular army was about to expire. (One of these men was sub- sequently drawn by lot to be the executioner of the conspirators who took the life of Presi- dent Lincoln and attempted the murder of Secretary Seward and others.) For this ser- vice he charged nothing, but the town voted him a small gratuity. Meantime patriotic young men enlisted at home, which more than filled the town's quota.

Some years after the war Mr. Waters be- came editor of the Fall River Daily Times, and his trenchant editorials in the columns of that paper are yet remembered. He most earnestly defended the course of Governor Bullock in nominating Judge Thomas for a seat on the bench of the Supreme Court, to which there was strong objection in certain quarters. He was the first to call the atten- tion of the citizens of that city to the impor- tance and feasibility of bringing to the city the waters of Wautuppa Lake, a body of spring water miles in extent, lying a short distance from the city. The magnificent sys- tem of water supply now enjoyed by that city attests to the wise foresight of its first advo- cate.

His health becoming impaired by overwork, Mr. Waters left Fall River, and travelled as agent for several firms and as a correspondent of a prominent New England journal, writing under the nom de plume of "Observer." For three years he was general agent for the intro- duction and sale of the Lunatellus and Helio- tellus, new astronomical apparatus, being located at 17 Park Place, New York City. Subsequently he travelled somewhat exten- sively in the United States and Canada until the business depression became general, when

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he returned to his native town, in which he always claimed citizenship, never voting in any other place. Being a believer in purity of politics, he entered with zest into the discus- sion of political questions of the day, striving to suppress what he believed to be wrong and to elevate what he thought to be right. He is now serving the sixth consecutive year upon the School Board, of which he is chair- man. He introduced the novelty of an annual school festival, and is working assiduously to improve the scholarship of the pupils of the schools, in which his experience in his old profession becomes a great help.

Mr. Waters never married, and, although very social in his nature, never became a member of any secret organization, believing that all men were his brothers, and that human sympathy should go forth to the distressed of every clime.

HARLES S. COOLIDGE, a success- ful farmer of Petersham and a mem- ber of the Board of Selectmen, was born in this town, February 27, 1857, son of Orasa and Susan C. Coolidge. His paternal great-grandfather, John Coo- lidge, who resided in Natick, Mass., enlisted in the Continental army on April 25, 1775, and served as a Corporal in Captain Benjamin Bullard's company, which belonged to Colo- nel Jonathan Brewer's regiment. Asa Coo- lidge, the grandfather, who removed from Na- tick to New Salem, Mass., was also inter- ested in military affairs, and served as Lieu- tenant in the State militia. Orasa Coolidge, the father, settled in Petersham.

Charles S. Coolidge acquired his education in the public schools. Soon after the com- pletion of his studies he turned his attention to agriculture, working as a farm assistant in various places. When quite a young man he entered the employ of Walter W. Knight, whose farm he managed with ability for a number of years. At the age of twenty-nine he commenced operations on his own account; and he now owns a farm of one hundred and twenty-five acres, a considerable portion of which is covered with fruit trees, while the

rest is used for the usual crops grown in this locality. Mr. Coolidge married Dora E. Amidon, daughter of Josiah C. Amidon, of Petersham. He has two sons: Burt C., born in 1877; and Roger E., born in 1885. Mr. Coolidge was formerly Superintendent of Streets. He has been a member of the Board of Selectmen for three years, 1895, 1896, and 1898, and has served as Overseer of the Poor for three terms. His public services have been beneficial to the town, and he is both widely known and highly respected.

RTEMAS MAYNARD, who owned and cultivated the Maynard farm in Oakham for more than forty years, was born in this town, February 19, 1809. He was the youngest son of Amasa and Mary (Parmenter) Maynard. The farm was cleared from the wilderness by his paternal grandfather, Francis Maynard, who came here from Rutland previous to or about the time that the name of the locality was changed from Rutland West Wing to Oakham. The place acquired its identity as a town in 1762, and the Maynard property has since remained in the family's possession. Francis Maynard was an industrious pioneer, and, as one of the founders of the town, accomplished much toward developing a thriving agricultural community. He married for his first wife a Miss Hubbard, of Rutland; and the maiden name of his second wife was Surviah Wright. He was the father of three sons and three daughters.

Amasa Maynard, father of Artemas, was the youngest son. He was born at the home- stead, September 16, 1769. His entire life was spent upon this farm; and his active years were devoted to its cultivation, which he pursued diligently and with prosperous re- sults. He died March 26, 1831. Mary Par- menter Maynard, his wife, was born in either Concord or Sudbury, Mass., on January 24, 1767. They had six children, namely : Francis W., born October 21, 1794; Abigail, born March 23, 1796; Ruth, born January 18, 1798; Samuel, born November 15, 1799; Ezra, born November 23, 1804; and Artemas,

FREDERICK W. RUSSELL.

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the subject of this sketch. The mother at- tended the Congregational church. She died February 4. 1838.

Artemas Maynard was educated in the dis- trict schools. The year after he attained his majority, the death of his father placed him in possession of the farm; and as a result of his energy many notable improvements were made. including the addition of more land and the erection of new buildings, the present residence having been completed about the year 1843. Like his father's, his whole life was passed at the homestead. He ably man- aged the property until his death, which oc- curred December 21, 1877, and was caused by an accident. He was an upright, conscien- tious man and a citizen of much worth to the community. Politically, he acted with the Democratic party.

On December 26, 1836, Artemas Maynard was united in marriage with Caroline M. Taylor, who was born in Spencer, January 21, 1818, daughter of Roswell and Isabella (Hammond) Taylor. Her father was a native of Hadley, Mass., and her mother was born in Oakham. Roswell Taylor was a currier by trade, and followed his calling in various places, principally in Hadley and Northamp- ton. He died in 1867, having survived his wife, who died in 1830. They were the par- ents of five children : Caroline M., now Mrs. Maynard; Isabella; Ann Jane; Elizabeth, who resides in Illinois; and Mary. Mrs. Maynard has had three children, of whom the only one living is Laura Hunt Maynard, who resides with her mother. The others were: John Hammond, the first-born son, who died at the age of two years; and William Henry, who died May 26, 1891. William Henry Maynard was a successful business man of Worcester, of the firm of Maynard, Gough & Co., publishers and printers, who made a specialty of hotel registers. He married Dora M. Perham. She died August 18, 1891, leaving two children, namely: William Henry, who died December 25, 1891, aged four months; and Marion, who died February 25, 1896, aged nearly six years.

The late Mr. Artemas Maynard left a farm of one hundred and thirty acres, the tillage

portion of which is in a good state of cultiva- tion; and Mrs. Maynard and her daughter are now managing the property. They are both capable women, and are highly esteemed. They are members of the Congregational church, of which Mr. Maynard was an at- tendant.

REDERICK WILLIAM RUSSELL, M. D., proprietor of the Highlands Hospital, Winchendon, Mass., was born in this town, January 27, 1845, son of Dr. Ira and Rowena (Greenwood) Russell. His father was born in Rindge, N.H., No- vember 9, 1814; and his mother was born in Winchendon, November 28, 1821, daughter of Henry and Sally (Woodbury) Greenwood, also of this town.

His earliest paternal ancestor in America was William Russell, an Englishman, who settled in Cambridge, Mass., about the year 1645. William Russell and his wife, Martha, had a family of nine children. Philip, their fourth son, was born in Cambridge in 1650, and he died February 7, 1730. He was a prominent citizen of that town in his day, serving as a Selectman in 1700 and 1701. He married Joanna Cutter; and she bore him six children, of whom William, second, the next in line, was the fourth son. The second William Russell and his wife, Elizabeth, set- tled in Lexington, and reared two children. Nathaniel, the younger of the two, was born in Lexington, and baptized February 23, 1707. He settled at Littleton, Mass., in 1728, and died there about the year 1763. He reared three sons, Nathaniel, second, being the eldest.

Nathaniel Russell, second, Dr. Frederick W. Russell's great-grandfather, was born in Littleton, December 27, 1733. In 1762 he settled in Rindge, N.H., and took an impor- tant part in organizing the town government, serving as a member of its first Board of Se- lectmen and as its first Town Clerk. He was also the first regular schoolmaster there and a member of Captain Hale's company, which marched to Cambridge on April 19, 1775. For his first wife he married Abigail Gold-

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smith, a native of Littleton, Mass .; and of that union there were nine children. He was married a second time to Anna Worcester Thayer, who was born in Littleton, August 16, 1736. She died September 23, 1825, sur- viving her husband, who died January I, 1812. They were the parents of five children, and Eliakim was the eldest.

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Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Part 30

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