Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Part 53

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 53

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TEPHEN KIBBE EDWARDS, a successful real estate dealer of Southbridge, was born in this town, March 1, 1845, son of William and Catharine (Wardwell) Edwards. His first ancestor in this country emigrated from Wales at an early date in the Colonial period; and his great - grandfather, Captain Robert Ed- wards, served as an officer in the war for independence. Jacob Edwards, the grand- father, who was a native of Charlton, Mass., and a prosperous farmer, married a sister of the Hon. William L. Marcy. William Ed- wards, the father, born in Southbridge in 1810, was a general merchant in this town for many years, making a specialty of grain and feed. His death occurred in 1886. He served with ability as a Selectman, and was one of the prime movers in securing the con- struction of the railway to this town. Cath- arine, his wife, who was a daughter of Dr. Stephen K. Wardwell, of Hardwick, Mass., became the mother of seven children. Two of these are living : Stephen K., the subject of this sketch; and Kate L., who resides with her brother in Southbridge.

Stephen Kibbe Edwards obtained his edu- cation in the public schools, Williston Semi- nary, and Nichols Academy in Dudley, Mass. Entering his father's store as a clerk, he con- tinued in that capacity until the business was moved from the building now occupied by the P. H. Carpenter Corporation store on Main Street to a new building on Crane Street,

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where Weld & Beck are now located. Then he was admitted to partnership, forming the firm of William Edwards & Son, which con- ducted a wholesale flour, grain, and feed store until 1885. Afterward he engaged in the real estate business, which has since occupied his time. Since then he has erected upward of fifty buildings, which he offers for sale or rent. On November 30, 1871, he was united in marriage with Mary C. Dresser, a daugh- ter of Chester A. and Mary (Bartlett) Dresser. Mrs. Edwards is the mother of four sons, namely: William Dresser, born in 1876, who graduated from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and is now first assistant engineer upon United States ship "Newark"; Jacob Bartlett, born in 1879, who graduated from the Southbridge High School, and is now with the Page-Carpenter Corporation; Ward- well Marcy, born in 1881, who is now attend- ing the high school; and Richwood S. Ed- wards, who was born in 1889.

In the public service Mr. Edwards has won an honorable record. He served as a Select- man for the years 1877, 1878, and 1879, has been a member of the Board of Health, was for three years upon the Board of Registra- tion, and is now an Assessor and the chair- man of the Building Committee appointed to superintend the erection of the new grammar school-house, which is to cost the sum of forty thousand dollars. On two occasions he has been the Democratic candidate for the legis- Jature, and kept his Republican opponent's majority down to a narrow margin in each contest. He was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention held in Chicago in 1884, which first nominated Grover Cleveland for President; and he served as the chairman of the Democratic Town Committee through- out the ensuing campaign. He is a member of the Quinnebaug Lodge, F. & A. M., and of the Royal Arcanum.

OLON FRANCIS SMITH, a well- known contractor of Grafton and the superintendent and treasurer of the water-works, was born in Bristol, R. I., May 15, 1847, son of Solon Hamilton

and Sarah Munro Smith. He is descended from Peter Smith, of North Swansea, who built vessels at Barneysville in that town. Many years before, Mason Barney, an ances- tor of Mr. Smith's mother, began ship-build- ing there. Peter Smith's son, Constant Smith, who, born in 1746, died on February 7, 1835, was a weaver by occupation, and dur- ing the Revolution was engaged in weaving blankets for the soldiers. Constant married Martha Galushet, whose father, Jacob Galu- shet, had emigrated from France after the Massacre of Saint Bartholomew, and settled in Jersey. His son, the Rev. Eleazer Smith, grandfather of Solon F. Smith, was born in North Swansea on December 9, 1790, and died on January 29, 1866. His wife was a daughter of William and Anne (Wood) Bar- ney, and her ancestry goes back to Colonial days. Her paternal uncles were in the French and Indian War, volunteers from New Eng- land. Her mother, Anne, was a daughter of Job Wood, a Seekonk farmer and a soldier of the Revolution. He and his sons were at Valley Forge with Washington and in the American army throughout the seven years' war. They were paid off in continental money, worth just ten cents per dollar. It is stated that Farmer Wood gave all his money, a hat full, for a two-year-old heifer for his farm, many of his cattle having been killed off during the war. One of Job Wood's sons was with General Gates on the heights of Saratoga, when Burgoyne surrendered with seven thousand men. Solon Hamilton Smith, who was born at Seekonk, July 22, 1825, is a shipwright by trade. Besides his son, Solon F. Smith, he has two other children living. One, a son, H. E. Smith, is a promi- nent manufacturer at Providence, R.I. The other, a daughter, is the wife of Captain F. W. Wyman, a sea captain of Bristol, R.I.

Solon Francis Smith received a practical education in the schools of his native town. At the age of fifteen years he became a mem- ber of the Bristol Artillery, and before he had reached twenty-one he was made Lieutenant Colonel. This is one of the three surviving companies of those famous old-time organiza- tions. Mr. Smith, who was highly valued

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by the other members, retains the most pleas- ant recollections of his connection therewith. When he left Bristol he was presented by the officers and men with a handsome photograph album, that is now one of his most cherished possessions. At the age of seventeen Mr. Smith began learning the plumbing and tin- ware business with George Tilly, and three years later he was working for himself in Bristol. In 1871 he removed to Saunders- ville, Grafton; and in 1874 he came to the village. Since then he has carried on exten- sive operations as a contractor, and has erected many important structures. Among these may be mentioned the water-works of Grafton and North Grafton and those at Fisherville and Saundersville. He also extended the water-mains for William Knowlton & Sons at West Upton. His business lies chiefly in the towns of Massachusetts and Rhode Isl- and, including Upton, Whitinsville, and Prov- idence. Mr. Smith was one of the incorpora- tors of the Grafton Water Works. In 1886 and 1887 he was the superintendent of the company, and since that time he has been both superintendent and treasurer. He is also a trustee of the Grafton Savings Bank and a member of its Committee on Finance. In politics he is a Republican. For many years he was chief engineer of the Grafton fire de- partment. He is a Past Master of Franklin Lodge of Masons in Grafton; a member of Eureka Royal Arch Chapter, of Worcester, of Hiram Council, and of the Worcester Com- mander of Knights Templar.

On June 13, 1867, Mr. Smith was united in marriage with Annie Ralston Ferguson, of Glasgow, Scotland, daughter of John Fergu- son. Of this marriage four children have been born - Theodore Francis, Henry Eleazer, Grace Hamilton, and Raymond Ralston. On June 13, 1896, Theodore was united in mar- riage with Charlotte Taft Davenport, of Mendon, Mass. He has been in partnership with his father for the last thirteen years. Henry E. has been in Providence, R. I., dur- ing the last ten years, or since he was six- teen years of age, in company with his uncle. He married Mabel L. Perry, of Perryville, Webster, Mass., on October 2, 1895, and has

a little daughter, Mildred Perry Smith. Grace Hamilton Smith, who was educated in the Grafton schools, is now a teacher in this town. The youngest child, Raymond, is a student, class of 1898, in the department of electrical engineering of the Worcester Poly- technic Institute.

AMUEL N. GLEASON, a promi- nent and well-to-do farmer of War- ren, was born in this town, January 25, 1822, son of Artemas and Cla- rissa H. (Lane) Gleason. His father was a native of Warren, as was also his grand- father, Jason Gleason. The great-grandfather, Joseph Gleason, who fought at the battle of Lexington, came to Warren when a boy with his father, Isaac Gleason, who was the first member of the family to settle here. Previ- ous ancestors came from England, and it is thought that the family is of Scandinavian origin. Artemas Gleason, father of Samuel N., passed the greater part of his active period in Warren. After his marriage he settled upon the farm now occupied by his son, and resided here until his death, which occurred in 1859 at the age of nearly seventy years. His wife, Clarissa, was a native of Enfield, Mass.

Samuel N. Gleason acquired a public-school education in his native town. He gained a knowledge of agriculture on the old homestead, which he inherited after his father's death ; and he has since made general farming his principal occupation. His property consists of one hundred and forty acres of fertile land, comprising one of the best farms in this local- ity; and he is widely known as an able and successful agriculturist.

In 1851 Mr. Gleason was joined in marriage with Mary J. Allen, daughter of Samuel Allen, of Pomfret, Conn. Mrs. Gleason died in 1889 after a wedded life of thirty-eight years. Politically a Republican, Mr. Gleason has been his party's candidate for the legis- lature. He has served with ability as As- sessor, and was a Selectman for seventeen years, during the greater part of that time being chairman of the board. He was one of

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the founders and for three years was president of the Worcester South Agricultural Society, and was for a similar length of time a member of the State Board of Agriculture. He is one of the best informed men in town in regard to all local affairs, and enjoys the reputation of being a liberal-minded, public - spirited citizen. He attends the Congregational church.

RED L. BRYANT, a prominent busi- ness man of Holden, engaged in the manufacture of boxes, son of Lyman and Mary (Merrifield) Bryant, was born here, August 27, 1838. The father, who was born in Leicester, now Paxton, was a mechanic by trade. After his marriage in 1827 he came to Holden, settling where his son now resides. He built the first mill on the site of the pres- ent one, and during the remainder of his life was employed at carpentering and wood-work. For forty years he was the village sexton. He was also Selectman for a time. In poli- tics he was a Whig and later a Republican. An earnest believer in Christianity, he was a member of the Baptist church. His death occurred at the age of ninety years. His wife, who was born in West Boylston, died at the age of eighty-four years. Of their four children, all of whom attained maturity, Fred L. and Mandana are living. The latter re- sides with her brother. The deceased chil- dren were : Mary J. and Arnold.

Fred L. Bryant grew to maturity in Holden, and received his education in the public schools of the town. When a young man he learned the shoemaker's trade. Later he was engaged in business with his father until the death of the latter, when he assumed the man- agement of the mill. The mill is supplied with excellent machinery, and is operated by steam power. In addition to his wood-work and box-making he conducts a cider-mill, which is in operation for a part of the year, and an ice business, of which he makes a feature. His establishment is one of the busiest spots in Holden, and he is one of the most active men to be found in the town. He gives his personal attention to the work,

which fact, in large measure, accounts for the constantly increasing prosperity of the busi- ness. He also does some farming.

Mr. Bryant was first married on May 10, 1868, when about thirty years of age, to Angie Holmes, who died on June 7, 1877. By a subsequent marriage he was wedded to Eliza Jane Newell, who was born in Holden. Of his five children Edward E. and Luella are deceased. The others are: Henry A., who resides in Holden; Maud I., now residing in Worcester; and Walter L., who is a child of the second marriage. Both Mr. and Mrs. Bryant are members of the Baptist church. Mr. Bryant has always voted the Republican ticket. His industry has been rewarded with a large measure of success in business.

ANIEL M. PARKER, an enterpris- ing manufacturer of Oakham, was born in Lyman, N. H., November 3, 1817, son of Moody and Milicent (Moulton) Parker. The grandfathers on both sides, who were Massachusetts men, became early settlers in Lyman, and resided there for the rest of their lives. One located upon an eminence which was afterward known as Parker's Hill; while the other established himself on a neighboring elevation, which took the name of Moulton's Hill. Owing to a discovery of gold upon the Moulton farm, it was sold to a syndicate, which expended considerable money in a futile endeavor to find a paying deposit; but, like all other mining ventures in New England, the enter- prise proved unsuccessful.

Moody Parker, the father, was a native of Lyman. After residing there until 1821, he moved to Wilcott, Vt. Besides farming he followed the carpenter's and shoemaker's trades. Skilful in all kinds of handicraft, he furnished the neighborhood with chairs, spinning-wheels, and other useful articles. The loss of a leg in early life seemed of little or no impediment to his powers of locomotion, as he was able to climb to the roofs of houses with about as much agility as his more fort- unate associates. When the War of 1812 broke out, he volunteered his services, and

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was commissioned a Captain. His wife, who was also a native of Lyman, became the mother of seven children, namely : Fannie, who died in 1848; Daniel M., the subject of this sketch; S. Ransell Parker, who is no longer living; Charles G., of Worcester, Mass. ; Clark M., a resident of California; Ephraim L., who died at the age of ten years ; and Ellen B., who is residing in Wilcott. Both parents lived to be nearly ninety years old. They attended the Universalist church.

Daniel M. Parker was educated in Wilcott, first attending school in a log house. When about nineteen years old he located in Holden, Mass., where for the succeeding ten years he was employed as a millman at twenty dollars per month. Coming to Oakham in 1846, he hired the mill privilege which he now owns. Having purchased the property in 1853 or 1854, he continued to manufacture lumber In 1863 he erected and building material.

a new mill. This he has since enlarged, to accommodate his increasing business. For many years he has made a specialty of shin- gles, powder kegs, cheese boxes, sleds, wagon bodies, and general jobbing work. The founder and proprietor of one of Oakham's leading industries, he has been largely instru- mental in maintaining the prosperity of the town.

On January 10, 1849, Mr. Parker married Mary A. Brigham, who was born in Rutland, Mass., June 12, 1829. Her parents, Henry and Sally (Sibley) Brigham, were natives of Barre, this county. Mr. and Mrs. Parker have five children, namely : Clarence H., born in October, 1849, now a merchant at Cold- brook Springs, who is married and has one son - Harry B. ; Evander L., born August 28, 1851, who is married and has two children - Maud E. and Winfield S. ; Floyd R., born August 30, 1853, who is married and has two children - Virgil R. and Mary A. ; Daniel M., born July 18, 1855, who is the father of two children - Milicent A. and Verlie E. ; and Maida A., born April 5, 1857, who is the wife of F. E. Stevens, of Cumberland Hill, R. I. All but the last named reside in Oakham. In politics Mr. Parker is a Republican. He has served with ability as a Selectman for several

years, and he has rendered valuable assistance to the town in educational matters. Although he is over eighty years old, he is still giving personal attention to his business affairs; and the lively interest he has manifested for many years in the general welfare of the town con- tinues unabated.

"A" MASA G. STONE, a painting contrac- tor of North Brookfield, son of Lib- erty and Charlotte (Hamilton) Stone, was born in Charlton, Mass., July 22, 1847. The paternal grandfather, Amasa Stone, removed to Charlton with his parents when about thirteen years old, and there spent nearly all of the remainder of his life. The last few years were passed in North Brookfield, where he died at the age of ninety- six. In Charlton he served as a Representa- tive from that district to the General Court.

Liberty Stone, son of Amasa and a native of Charlton, first engaged in agriculture, and for years was a well-known farmer of Charl- ton. Coming to North Brookfield in 1872, he resided here continuously until his death, on July 15, 1897. In Charlton he served accept- ably in the offices. of Selectman and Assessor. He was one of the original directors of the North Brookfield Railroad, running from North Brookfield to East Brookfield, which is oper- ated by the Boston & Albany Railroad Com- pany. His wife, Charlotte, was also a native of Charlton. Her father was a soldier in the War of 1812, and died in service. Of their children five survive, namely: Henry A., a resident of Sturbridge, Mass. ; Seraph A., the wife of N. H. DeLane, of North Brookfield; Rebecca E., the wife of A. O. Blood, of Den- ver, Col. ; and Amasa G. and Ella J., both of whom live in North Brookfield.

The boyhood of Amasa G. Stone was passed in his native town. He availed himself of the educational privileges afforded by the public schools. At the age of twenty-three he came to North Brookfield, and for several years was employed in the Batcheller boot and shoe factory. Afterward he conducted a gro- cery business here for ten years. Finally he drifted into the painting business, in which

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JAMES DALEY.

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he has since become the leading contractor of North Brookfield. By his marriage with Fannie L. Nichols, of Charlton, he is the father of one son, Amasa E., who, having graduated at the North Brookfield High School, is now studying music. In politics Mr. Stone is a stanch Republican, and he has served on the North Brookfield Republican Committee. Fraternally, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of this place. Soon after coming here he united with the First Congregational Church, and is now a member of its Board of Deacons.

J® AMES DALEY, a prominent resident of Uxbridge and an ex-member of the legislature, was born in Dunmanway, County Cork, Ireland, April 28, 1842, son of Dennis and Eliza (Dean) Daley. His parents emigrated from Ireland in 1848. The father, who was a railroad employee for a number of years, settled upon a farm in Ux- bridge, where he resided for the rest of his life. He died in 1874, and his wife died in December, 1897.

When he arrived in the United States, James Daley was about six years old. His education, which was begun in Ireland, was completed in the public schools of the various towns in which his boyhood was passed. After July, 1853, when the family located in Uxbridge, having previously resided in Ash- land, N.H., Buckfield, Me., and other places, young Daley worked at farming, shoemaking, and other occupations for a time. From 1860 to 1863 he was employed in a woollen-mill at Ashland, and during the succeeding four years he was an operative in what is now the Hecla Mill in Uxbridge. Then he entered the gro- cery business as a clerk for Richard Mason, and was so employed for almost two years. Since 1871 he has conducted a thriving general mercantile business at Wheelockville, and also carries on a livery stable. On July 6, 1867, Mr. Daley married for his first wife Catharine Cunningham, who was a daughter of Michael and Ellen Cunningham, of Uxbridge, and who died in 1874. His present wife, whom he wedded in 1876, was before marriage Mary,

daughter of Morris Fitzgerald, of this town. Mrs. Daley has had two children: Denis A., born in 1877, who was a graduate of the Ux- bridge High School, and died in 1895; and Benjamin, born in 1879, who has also gradu- ated at the high school.

Politically, Mr. Daley is a Democrat. He was the first Registrar of Voters under the present law. From 1892 to 1895 he served the town in the capacity of Selectman, and was instrumental in securing for Uxbridge the right to take water from Mendon Pond after a controversy lasting three years. He was also one of a committee appointed to solicit funds for the erection of the soldiers' monu- ment in 1898 and of one to negotiate the sale of water bonds when the town purchased its present water-works. At present he is upon the committee appointed to obtain from the General Court an extension of the time al- lowed the town to utilize the water of Mendon Pond. In the legislature of 1886 he was as- signed to the Committee on Drainage; and to him, largely, belongs the credit of the passage of the act relieving Uxbridge from the evils resulting from the pollution of the Blackstone River by sewage from the city of Worcester. Also he served upon the committee appointed to defend the town against the proposed act to add a portion of its territory to the neigh- boring town of Northbridge, which act was finally defeated. He is a trustee of the Ux- bridge Savings Bank. All measures designed for public improvement are sure of his sup- port. He attends St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, in which he served as an altar boy under its first pastor, the Rev. E. J. Sheridan.

A LBERT W. CURTIS, attorney-at-law and chairman of the Board of Select- men of Spencer, was born in Worcester, Mass., May 26, 1849, son of Benjamin F. and Hannah S. (Wake- field) Curtis. His first American ancestor was Ephraim Curtis, an early settler in Worcester. Samuel Curtis (first), the great- grandfather, was a member of the Board of Selectmen during the Revolutionary War. His son, Samuel (second), grandfather of

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Albert, was a lifelong resident of Worcester, as was also the father, Benjamin F. Curtis, the latter being a prosperous farmer. Mr. Curtis's mother was a native of Vermont.

Albert W. Curtis attended the common and high schools of Worcester, and was subse- quently graduated at Yale College in the class of 1871. His legal studies were pursued under the direction of Judge Thomas L. Nel- son and at the Harvard University Law School, and he was admitted to the Worces- ter County bar in 1874. Locating in Spencer two years later, in 1876, he has since con- ducted a profitable general law business here, besides acting as a Justice of the Peace and Notary Public. He is also a trustee of the public library and the savings-bank. Polit- ically a Republican, he has served as Town Clerk since 1877, and has been a member of the Board of Selectmen for a number of years, during the past three of which he has been its chairman. He has done good service, both as a private citizen and public official, in promot- ing the best interests of the community; and his views on public questions are sound and progressive. He is a member and Past Grand Master of Good Will Lodge, I. O. O. F.

Mr. Curtis married Mary R. Morse, of Spencer. She died, leaving five children ; namely, Anna S., L. Edith, Alice W., Charles, and Helen M.

AMUEL CURTIS FLAGG, for- merly an enterprising shoe manu- facturer of Grafton, was born in Worcester, October 19, 1813. A son of Aaron Flagg, he was a direct descendant of Thomas Flagg, who was born in England in 1615. The earliest English ancestor known was Sir Alger De Flegg, who was living in 1160. It is stated that his son, Sir John De Flegg, sold the family estate in order to join in a crusade. Thomas Flagg, who arrived in New England with Sir Richard Carver in 1637, reared a family of eleven children, of whom Benjamin, the tenth child, who was born in 1662, settled in Worcester in 1741. His son, Captain Benjamin Flagg, who was born in 1690, was the second Sheriff of

Worcester County; and he held office at the time of his death, which occurred in 1751.

Colonel Benjamin Flagg, the grandfather of Samuel Curtis, was born August 23, 1724. In command of a militia company, he marched to Lexington with Colonel Timothy Bigelow on April 19, 1775; and he afterward served as a Colonel in the American army during the war for independence. He was a mem- ber of the Worcester Board of Selectmen from 1766 to 1777. He died in Worcester, Octo- ber 8, 1818. . According to the Worcester Spy, dated October 14 of that year, he had at the time of his death four living children, forty - one grandchildren, and eighty - three great-grandchildren. His son, Aaron, who was born in Worcester in 1769, having suc- ceeded to the Flagg homestead, resided there throughout his entire life. During his active years Aaron was a well-to-do farmer. He died in 1836.

Samuel Curtis Flagg was educated in the schools of Worcester. At the age of twenty- one he started out in the world to seek his fortune, with a homespun suit of clothes care- fully packed in his painted wooden chest. At first, locating in North Grafton, he entered upon an apprenticeship at the shoemaker's trade. In 1846 he came to Grafton Centre ; and, forming a partnership with Luke F. Allen, under the firm name of Allen & Flagg, he engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes in a small shop. This shop was after- ward enlarged to meet the demands of an increasing business, which he continued to conduct for the next thirty years, during which time it was the principal industry in Grafton. Selling his interest in 1876, he retired with a comfortable competency, leaving the factory to be carried on by Allen & Newton and later by Gibbs & Allen. For several years he was a member of the Board of Selectmen, serving for a part of the time as its chairman. He also held other town offices, and was a Repre- sentative to the legislature in 1855. Strong both physically and mentally, he occupied during his business career a prominent posi- tion among the leading men of the town. By his many praiseworthy characteristics he gained the sincere respect of all who knew

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Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Part 53

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