Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Part 5

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 5

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ERBERT H. CAPEN, a Selectman and a leading business man of Spen- cer, son of Alfred and Maria E. (Sibley) Capen, was born in the adjoining town of Charlton, July 8, 1856. His father, a farmer by occupation, born in Spencer, died in Charlton in December, 1876. Alfred spent the last thirty years of his life in Charlton, where his widow still resides in her seventy-third year. He was a Republican in politics. His father, Abraham Cooper, who was also a farmer, was a son of James Capen, who was a Captain in the Continental army during the war of the Revolution.

Herbert H. Capen spent the early years of his life in Charlton, attending the common schools and doing light work on the farm. Subsequently he attended a private school in Worcester for one year, and another, which was conducted by Professor C. C. Foster, for three years; and then he took a course of study in Howe's Commercial School, from which he duly graduated. Coming to Spencer

in 1875, when about twenty years of age, he entered the employ of his uncle, James Capen, a dealer in grain. After a time he and Robert Forsyth bought out his uncle, and con- tinued the business under the name of Forsyth & Co. At the end of two years the firm was succeeded by that of James & H. H. Capen, which after an equal length of time was suc- ceeded by H. H. Capen. Mr. Capen re- mained the sole proprietor for several years, and then retired. He resumed the business in October, 1895, and has since built up a most successful trade. He carries a heavy and first-class stock, comprising baled hay and straw, oats and corn, grain of every descrip- tion, meal and mill feed, besides the finest brands of flour from the best mills in the country. Having a large storage capacity, he is constantly in a position to fill orders, either large or small, with promptness and at the lowest prices. He employs three assistants, and keeps two teams busy.

Mr. Capen married Edith M. Parkhurst, of Charlton, who died on August 9, 1895, leav- ing one daughter, Ina F. He is a member of Goodwill Lodge, and the encampment at Spen- cer of the I. O. O. F., and of the Farmers' and Mechanics' Association. In politics he is a Republican, and at the present time is serving on the Republican Town Committee. Since April, 1897, he has been a Selectman. During his twenty-two years of residence in Spencer, Mr. Capen has earned a reputation for fair and honorable dealing, the confidence of the business public, and the friendship of many estimable persons.

ENRIE H. LEACH, the proprietor of Upland Dairy Farm, North Brook- field, son of Addison and Priscilla (Caswell) Leach, was born in

Wendell, Franklin County, November 15,

His 1853. He comes of English stock. grandfather, Artemas Leach, went to Wen- dell from Bridgewater, Mass. Addison

Leach, the father, having learned the carpen- ter's trade, followed it in Wendell, his native town, until 1855, when he came to North Brookfield. Here for many years he has

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followed the business of contractor and builder, in which he acquired a high reputa- tion throughout this section. He is now in his seventy-fifth year. Early in the fifties he represented Wendell in the legislature, and he has served as an Assessor in North Brook- field. In politics he is a Republican. Pris- cilla, his wife, has had several children, two of whom are living, namely: Henrie H., the subject of this sketch; and Lizzie J., the wife of Harrison Crawford, of Worcester, Mass.

Henrie H. Leach received his education in the common schools of North Brookfield, finishing in the high school. For a short time after he was employed as a clerk in a shoe store in Gardner, Mass. Since 1876 he has resided upon the Upland Dairy Farm, where he owns eighty-two acres of land, in- cluding tilled ground capable of producing large crops. He keeps an average of fifty head of cattle and several horses, employs two assistants the year around, and he has im- proved machinery for the manufacture of but- ter. It is not too much to say that he is one of the most successful dairymen in the town.

Mr. Leach married Mary Peers, who was born in Brooklyn, N. Y., daughter of Thomas Peers, late of North Brookfield. Born of the union were five children - Bertha, Hazel, Lester C., Eunice, and Roland Leach. In politics Mr. Leach is a Republican, with in- dependent proclivities; and he is highly es- teemed as a public-spirited citizen. He is a member of Woodbine Lodge, I. O. O. F., of this town.

AMUEL S. DENNIS, the chair- man of Hardwick's Board of Select- men, son of Adonijah and Julia A. (Collins) Dennis, was born on the farm where he now lives, March 12, 1833. His paternal great-grandfather, also named Samuel, who was a Baptist minister, pur- chased this farm in 1777 of a Mr. Sears, and lived here until his death. The Rev. Mr. Dennis's son, Adonijah (first), who was born in Sutton, Mass., from there went to Peters- ham, and later came to Hardwick, succeeding his father on the farm. Grandfather Dennis

was a Revolutionary soldier, entering the army when eighteen years old, and partici- pated in the battle of Stillwater. He died here, September 30, 1844. His wife, whose maiden name was Eunice Sibley, died on Sep- tember 15, 1842, at the age of eighty-two.

Adonijah Dennis (second), the father of Samuel S., born on this farm, October 4, 1803, died here, March 24, 1881. His life was spent here, industriously occupied in farming. He served the town for one year as a member of the Board of Selectmen, and he also held the office of Assessor. In poli- tics he was a Republican, in religion a mem- ber of the Calvinistic church. His wife, Julia A. Collins before marriage, born in Charlestown, Mass., in 1807, died in 1858, aged fifty-one years. Of their ten children, two died in childhood: Samuel S., aged two; and Charles P., aged three. Five of the num- ber survive, namely : Samuel S., the subject of this biography; Ebenezer, residing in Staf- ford Springs, Conn .; Lewis H., in Spencer, Mass. ; Julius A., in Hardwick; and Frederick C., on Staten Island, N.Y. The others died after reaching maturity. They were: John G., a lawyer; Julia A. ; and Dahliette.

Samuel S. Dennis grew to manhood in Hardwick. The education he received here was supplemented by a term each at the Warren and New Salem Academies. . At first he en- gaged in teaching, which he followed at inter- vals for about eleven years. Since the end of that period he has given his attention prin- cipally to farming. In 1862 he enlisted in Company K, Forty-second Massachusetts Regiment, and was afterward in the pontoon service, detached. He was honorably dis- charged after spending eleven months in the Civil War. Then, returning to his native town, he took charge of the home farm. Hav- ing subsequently become the owner of the property, he has enlarged it by the purchase of adjoining land, so that there is now about five hundred acres. Another farm in the town, near the old furnace, also belongs to him. He conducts the home place as a dairy farm, keeping from thirty-seven to forty cows, and obtaining daily about twenty cans of milk, which he ships to Boston.

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On March 26, 1863, Mr. Dennis was united in marriage with Miss Julia M. Sibley, who was born in Hardwick, July 16, 1842, daugh- ter of Sardius and Mary Stone (Johnson) Sib- ley. Both of her parents were natives of Barre, Mass. Her father, having been a teacher in his early years, was later engaged in farming, and died at the age of forty-two. Mrs. Sibley lived to be sixty-seven. In re- ligion he was a Universalist and she a Con- gregationalist. They had six children, of whom three are living; namely, Betsy, Char- lotte E., and Julia M. The others were: Mary J., Leander S., and Emma L. By a previous marriage, which was contracted with Miss Betsy Johnson, he had two children - Huldah H. and Sardius J., both of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. Dennis have two chil- dren, who comprise the fifth generation of the Dennis family that has lived on the farm. They are: Jennie M. Dennis, born November 9, 1867, now a public-school teacher; and Samuel S. Dennis, Jr., born June 24, 1877, who is a student in the Vermont University at Burlington. Mr. Dennis has been Selectman of Hardwick for thirty-four consecutive years and the chairman of the board for all but one year of the period. He also served in the State legislature of 1866 .. Fraternally, he is a member of Samuel F. Woods Post, No. 179, G. A. R.

AMUEL I. RICE, a prominent cit- izen of Northboro, Mass., by occu- pation a farmer, also for a number of years in early manhood a suc- cessful schoolmaster, is the worthy represent- ative of a family that has been thoroughly identified with the history of this part of Worcester County for several generations. He was born in Northboro, September II, 1821, son of Benjamin Rice, and is a lineal descendant of Edmund Rice, who came from Old England to New England in 1639, and settled in that part of Sudbury, Mass., now widely known as Rice Springs.

As we learn from the Rice Family History, Edmund Rice, second, son of Samuel and grandson of the first Edmund, married Ruth

Parker, and was the father of twelve children. Seth Rice, one of his seven sons, became a substantial farmer of Westboro, where from 1738 until 1798 he was Deacon of the Ortho- dox church. He died at the venerable age of ninety-one years. Two of Seth's brothers, Timothy and Silas, were captured by the Ind- ians during one of their raids upon the town, and, being carried to Canada, were adopted into the tribe. They married Indian women, and one became chief of the Caughanawanga tribe. Their posterity, it is said, still wield much influence in that country. It is a mat- ter of history, we are told, that the influence of the "Rice boys " was largely instrumental in preventing the savage tribes from sweeping down upon the North during the Revolution and co-operating with the British.

Deacon Seth Rice, Jr., son of Deacon Seth, Sr., and Dorothy (Robinson) Rice, was the owner of the largest homestead property in Westboro, the farm now known as the Sim- mons place. By his first wife, Rachel Cool- idge, who died in 1766, he had three chil- dren; and by his second, Sarah Brigham, he had seven. Samuel Rice, second, born in 1762, eldest son of Deacon Seth, Jr., and a resident successively of North Westboro, of Grafton, and of Princeton, was also twice married. His first wife was Rizpah Wilson, and his second, Mrs. Cobb, of Princeton, Mass.

Benjamin Rice, born March 30, 1787, son of Samuel and Rizpah, on attaining his major- ity bought a farm on the side of Sulphur Hill in Northboro, where he tilled the soil and earned a living for himself and family. He married on May 2, 1816, Lucy Fay, daugh- ter of Nahum and Lucy (Warren) Fay and grand-daughter of Paul and Rebecca (Rice) Fay. Mrs. Lucy F. Rice died in 1824, leav- ing three children, namely: Maria Fay, who became the wife of Columbus Eames, and died in early life, leaving one son, Warren F .; Rizpah Wilson, now an active woman of seventy-eight years; and Samuel I. Warren F. Eames at the age of nineteen enlisted in the late Civil War as a soldier, and was killed by a rebel bullet at the battle of Ball's Bluff.

Nahum Fay, Mr. Rice's maternal grand-

SAMUEL I. RICE.

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father, was a grandson of Gershom and Mary (Brigham) Fay. Mary Brigham is well known to the student of local history as the heroine of the day during one of the Indian massacres of early Colonial times. She, in company with Mary Goodenow, was gathering herbs outside of the garrison-house that de- fended the town, which was located in the easterly part of Northboro, on what is now the William A. Bartlett farm. Discovering the Indians in ambush, the two girls hastened forward to alarm the slender garrison; and Mary Brigham succeeded in reaching the fort, but her companion, who was lame, was over- taken by the redskins and brutally murdered. A monument recently erected marks the spot on which the deed was committed. Mary Brigham, with true pioneer grit, busied her- self throughout the attack in loading guns for the men in the fort; and the savages were finally driven back. She was a daughter of John Brigham, who, for his services as a sur- veyor, was given a large tract of land in this town, then known as the Coram farm, includ- ing what is now the William's farm, Hastings farm, Lewis Fay farm, the Nahum Fay farm, the Mentzer farm, and most of the farm now owned by Mr. Rice.

Samuel I. Rice received his advanced edu- cation in academies at Berlin and Monson, and at the age of nineteen years began his career as teacher in the public schools of Lancaster, in that part of the town now in- cluded in Clinton. The following three years he taught in Northboro, having charge in turn of the various district schools. He was later employed in the neighboring towns of Berlin, Shrewsbury, and Boylston, and for one year in the State of New York.

Few of the teachers of this day, even in re- mote country regions, realize what it meant to undertake the management of a district school of fifty years ago. The eighty or ninety pupils gathered in one small room, ranging in age from five years to twenty-one, equipped with text-books of all descriptions, the one teacher was expected faithfully to instruct in all branches of learning from the alphabet to algebra and philosophy. During the fifteen winters that Mr. Rice was thus engaged, he

was very successful in his vocation, and, having proved himself an able disciplina- rian, he was called upon to teach schools in which his predecessors had been literally "carried out " by the pupils, a no unusual ex- ploit for the boys of those days. Although their reputation was at stake, it is safe to say that they never undertook to play that game with him, the ringleaders soon finding out that the stalwart young master, six feet in height, could easily manage them without ap- parent effort.

During the greater part of his career as a teacher Mr. Rice was also engaged in carry- ing on the farm on which he now resides, and to whose improvement and cultivation he has devoted his energies with excellent results. When quite a young man he was elected as a member of the local School Committee, and for about twenty years he rendered the town valuable service in that capacity. He has also served as Assessor and as Selectman, being chairman of the latter board at the same time he was chairman of the School Commit- tee. In 1883 he represented the towns of Northboro, Boylston, and Shrewsbury at the General Court, where he was one of the House Committee on Elections. In his early days he was an anti-slavery man to the backbone and a prominent member of the old Liberty party when it cost something to espouse that cause, when "influential citizens " said, "No young hot-head holding such views shall ever enter a school-house as teacher of our chil- dren." A man of broad and liberal religious thought, he has been for many years an active member of the Second Congregational Society and one of its trustees.

On May 29, 1849, Mr. Rice married Eliza A. Brigham, who died a few years later, leav- ing two children, namely: Chandler T., who lives on the home farm; and Samuel Wilson, who died suddenly of heart disease at the age of thirty-four years, leaving five children - Anna Eliza, Carrie Louise, Gertrude Alice, Edith Mabel, and Bessie Wilson. Mr. Rice was married the second time, on June 18, 1863, to Sarah Aurora Heath, of Northboro, who died April 7, 1873. Mr. Rice and Miss Julia A. Andrews, of Boylston, were married

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on April 2, 1874. They have one son, Ben- jamin Willard Rice.

SHLEY W. RICE, who was formerly a business man of Grafton and a mem- ber of the Massachusetts legislat- ure, is now living in retirement. He was born in Wardsboro, Vt., May 27, 1824, son of Ephraim and Betsey (Maynard) Rice. The paternal grandfather, also named Ephraim Rice, moved from Petersham, Mass., to Wardsboro, and died there at the age of ninety-three years. He was a Revolutionary soldier, and witnessed the surrender of Gen- eral Burgoyne.

Ephraim Rice, the father, was a prosperous farmer and stock dealer of Wardsboro, and drove cattle to the Brighton market. He served as steward of the Methodist Episcopal church for fifty years, and was an earnest ad- vocate of temperance. At his death he was ninety-one years old. He married Betsey Maynard, who died after a wedded life of sixty-five years. Of her seven children, Seneca, who was a farmer of Wardsboro, died in 1891; Truman died in Geneseo, Ill., at the age of forty years; Charles is living in re- tirement in Wardsboro; Emma died in Wards- boro in 1880; and Jeanette B. is the wife of Edward Plympton, the Postmaster of Wards- boro.

Ashley W. Rice was reared and educated in his native town. Coming to Grafton in 1844, he was for the succeeding eleven years engaged in the livery business; and from 1855 to the date of his retirement, in 1893, he car- ried on general farming, was an extensive dealer in timber land and a manufacturer of lumber. After relinquishing active business pursuits he sold his farm to his son, and, moving to his present comfortable residence at North Grafton, he is now enjoying a well- earned rest.

In 1848 Mr. Rice was united in marriage with Caroline Barrett, of Grafton. The chil- dren of this union are: Lilla M., now the widow of Charles L. Ware, an attorney and United States Commissioner, who died at Fort Scott, Kan., in 1887; Lyman M., the

chairman of the Grafton Board of Assessors and the Moderator at town meetings; and Earl L. Rice, who is in the straw business in Mansfield, Mass. Lilla M. Ware has one daughter, Carrie A. Ware. Lyman M., who married Mary Church, of Worcester, has three sons - Bertrand L., a machinist in Worces- ter; Ashley W .; and Harold W. Rice. Earl L. Rice married Mary Fisher, of Westboro, Mass., and has one daughter living, Mar- garet E.

Mr. Rice voted for Martin Van Buren when that statesman was the Free Soil candidate for President, and he has acted with the Republi- can party since its formation. For three years he was a member of the Board of Select- men, an Overseer of the Poor for two years, an Assessor for fifteen years, and he also served for a time on the School Board. In 1883 he was a Representative to the State legislature, where he was assigned to the Committee on Labor, whose duty was to in- vestigate and report upon the eight-hour ques- tion, the weekly payment act, and other per- plexing problems. For some years past he has been the vice-president of the Grafton Savings Bank. He attends the Baptist church. His business undertakings were prosecuted with energy, ability, and persever- ance. To these essential qualities, together with a strict integrity, is due the success he has achieved.

OHN SLADE, a prominent resident and agriculturist of Paxton, the young- est of the five children of John and Lu- cretia (Howard) Slade, was born in this town, February 3, 1827. His paternal grandfather, Henry Slade, a Massachusetts man by birth, who came of English ancestry, was one of the early settlers of Paxton. The father, who was a lifelong resident and farmer in Paxton, died here on November 23, 1865. His wife, Lucretia, was born in Holden. Their son Henry, who resided during his whole life in Paxton, was for two years a member of the Board of Selectmen.

The farm upon which Mr. Slade was born lies about a mile and a half from the village

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of Paxton. He is the only one now living of the family of five that grew up there. His attendance at the district school ended when he was about nineteen years of age. In the summer of each year during the latter part of that period he helped his father on the farm. Since then he has spent his life chiefly in agriculture. At the present time he owns a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, and he carries on general farming. Besides carefully attending to his own business, he has found time to render good service to his townspeo- ple, in the capacities of Selectman and As- sessor of Taxes for three years each. In pol- itics he is a Republican.

Mr. Slade's marriage took place on Novem- ber 28, 1855. His wife, whose maiden name was Jane E. Wheeler, born in South Royals- ton, is a daughter of Colonel Josiah and Martha (Foristall) Wheeler. Colonel Wheeler, of English descent, who was born in South Royalston, was an officer in the militia in his earlier years. His wife, who was a na- tive of Fitzwilliam, N.H., was of Scotch de- scent. Mr. and Mrs. Slade have been the parents of two children, as follows: Edgar O., who is a resident of Orange, Mass. ; and Ada I., who is the wife of Ira Maynard, of Holden. Both of the parents attend the Con- gregational church. With the exception of thirteen years spent in Rutland, they have been constant residents of Paxton, where they are well known and highly esteemed.

EORGE F. CURLEY, M.D., one of the youngest of Milford's physi- cians, and also one of the most popu- lar, was born in the town of Upton on the first day of June, 1872, one of the nine children of Walter and Mary Curley. His father is a well-to-do farmer in that town. The Doctor graduated at Boston University in 1893 and at Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia three years later. His medical course was distinguished by thorough and accurate scholarship and a marked analytical faculty as shown in his logical diagnosis of disease. At graduation he gained the Forbes anatomical prize of one hundred and fifty dollars and

through a competitive examination the ap- pointment of house surgeon for a year in Elizabeth General Hospital. The man tak- ing second rank below him was a graduate of Columbia College.

At the expiration of his year's service in the hospital the Doctor opened an office in Milford, much against the advice of his friends and in spite of the fact that Milford already had fifteen established physicians within its borders. Contrary to almost uni- versal experience, the genial, yet dignified, young physician stepped at once into popular favor. So rapidly did his practice increase that he is now kept constantly busy. His skill as a medical practitioner is recognized and acknowledged, not only by the many per- sons who have had occasion to personally test it, but by his fellow-physicians and the com- munity at large. Dr. Curley is a member of the Thurber Medical Society and its librarian. He is examining physician of the Ancient Order of Hibernians.

OHN W. LIVERMORE, Selectman of Brookfield, an undertaker and a dealer in furniture, was born in South

Royalston, Mass., on March 23, 1840. His parents, Winthrop and Louisa (Bemis) Livermore, were natives respectively of Leices- ter and Spencer, Mass. The father, a son of David and a grandson of David Livermore, Sr., was a carpenter and box-maker by trade. Residing for many years in Spencer, he was a Selectman of that town for a number of terms, and he died there in 1876. The mother was a daughter of Jonas Bemis, who was a soldier in the war of the Revolution.

John W. Livermore obtained his education in the public schools of Spencer, to which his parents took him when he was three years old. Coming to Brookfield in 1867, he formed a partnership with C. H. Giffin, and was subsequently engaged in the livery busi- ness, under the firm name of Giffin & Liver- more, for four years. Then he started in the undertaking and furniture business, which he has since carried on successfully. His goods in stock, which may be inspected at any time,

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will be found exactly as represented - of good workmanship and on sale at reasonable prices. All deliveries are promptly made, and satisfaction is guaranteed. As an under- taker Mr. Livermore's services to the towns- people have been important. His discretion in making arrangements for funeral exercises cannot be overestimated. Nothing needful is left undone by him on such occasions.

Mr. Livermore married Mary M. Giffin, of Spencer, who has borne him three children. These were: Lucy G., who is now the wife of Walter B. Mellen, of Brookfield; Robert G., who is a student at St. John's Military School at Manlius, N. Y .; and a child that died in in- fancy. For a number of years Mr. Livermore has been the town sexton, and he is now serv- ing his third term as a member of the Board of . Selectmen. He attends the Unitarian Congregational church. Fraternally, he is a member of Hayden Lodge, F. & A. M .; and of the Royal Arcanum at Brookfield. In Brookfield he has the full confidence of his townsmen, and is valued both as a business man and as a citizen.

EORGE H. FALES, Town Treasurer of West Brookfield, was born here, March 7, 1834, son of John M. and Mary S. (Trask) Fales. His grandfather, Daniel Fales, who resided in Shrewsbury, Mass., was approaching his one hundredth birthday at the time of his death. John M. Fales, one of the eight children of Daniel and a native of Shrewsbury, died in his sixty- third year. A shoemaker by trade, he came to West Brookfield early in the thirties. After turning out hand-made work for a time, he engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes by machinery, building the factory which is now owned by his son. A public- spirited citizen as well as an able business man, he was actively concerned in promoting the general welfare of the community. For two terms he represented his district with ability in the legislature. He was an es- teemed member of the Congregational church. His death occurred in October, 1867. Of his children there are three survivors, namely :

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Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Part 5

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