Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Part 62

Author: Biographical Review Publishing Company, Boston, pub
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Boston, Biographical review publishing company
Number of Pages: 1238

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trade and one of the pioneer manufacturers, beginning business on his own account in 1853, associated with Edwin Muzzey and J. H. Walker, of this city. He continued in active business until within two years of his death, which occurred January 10, 1892, at the age of eighty years. He was twice married; and by his union with his first wife, whose maiden name was Mary K. Hathaway, he had two children, neither of whom is living. Mrs. Caroline Bigelow Stowe, his second wife, died September 13, 1895, aged seventy-six. She was the mother of four children, namely : Charles H., who died at the age of seven years; Julia Maria, who died at the age of forty-four; Martin L. Stowe, of this city, who has charge of the estate left by his father; and Caroline R., who is now Mrs. Howland. Mr. and Mrs. Howland have had three sons : Roger S., who died at the age of nearly fifteen years ; George H. ; and Fred A. Howland.

Mr. and Mrs. Howland erected their present dwelling-house on Grafton Street in 1879, and in 1894 they opened their grocery store, which is well stocked with goods of a superior qual- ity, and is kept in first-class order. They have built up an excellent trade. Mrs. How- land, who began book-keeping for her father when she was nineteen years old, attends to that part of the business, and the sons are em- ployed as clerks. The Howlands are popular, and fully merit the success they have achieved. Mrs. Howland is a member of the Congrega- tional church.

|DWARD P. BARTLETT, Postmaster, Town Clerk, and Treasurer of Sterling, and dealer in general merchandise, was born at Sterling village on September 9, 1849, son of Perley and Persis (Weatherbee) Bartlett. His paternal grandfather, Jonas Bartlett, was a lifelong farmer.

Perley Bartlett was born in Northboro, and grew to manhood there. After his marriage he came to Sterling, and for a time was en- gaged in driving a produce wagon to Boston, employing from four to six horses. About fifty years ago he opened the general merchandise store where his son is now in business, and op-

erated it successfully for forty years. At his death in 1887 he was the oldest merchant in the county. For many years he held the office of Postmaster, and served also as Selectman, Assessor, and in various other public capaci- ties. He was known far and near, and was highly respected. Mr. Bartlett was a devoted member of the Unitarian church, as is his wife; and at different times he served in all the lay offices of the church. Mrs. Persis Bartlett, who is still living on the old home- stead in this town, was born at Chesterfield, N. H. She has been the mother of six chil- dren, of whom the only survivor is the subject of this sketch.

: Edward P. Bartlett grew to manhood in the village of Sterling, where he was born, and when a boy was sent to the public schools and later to Worcester Academy. His first expe- rience of life away from home was in New York City, where he was engaged, together with his brother, in the electrical business. He was subsequently connected with his father, and since his father's death in 1887 he has run the store. . He keeps a line of boots, shoes, dry goods, groceries, and sun- dries, and has an established patronage. With the exception of one term he has been Post- master for thirty years.

Mr. Bartlett and Fannie E. Davis, daughter of James Davis, a retired citizen of Northboro, were united in marriage in 1873. They have three children - Ernest Perley, Anna H., and Josephine L.

Mr. Bartlett's political affiliations are with the Republican party. He has been on the Re- publican Town Committee for many years, and takes an active interest in promoting the spread of Republican principles. Since 1887 he has been Clerk of the town and since 1893 Town Treasurer. He is also one of the trus- tees of the public library, and is secretary of the Town Committee. Fraternally, he is a member of Trinity Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of Clinton Chapter, and of the Com- mandery of Worcester. He is also a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and member and treasurer of the Farmers' Club. A Unitarian in his religious principles and affiliations, he has served for several years as

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parish clerk and treasurer of the First Con- gregational Society (Unitarian) of Sterling and a member of the Board of Trustees.

RTHUR HASTINGS, a prosperous dairyman and market gardener of South Berlin, son of Christopher S. and Cordelia (Bigelow) Hastings, was born on December 9, 1846, in the house where he now resides. The farm he occupies is the one on which his paternal grandfather, Ephraim Hastings, who was a native of Boyls- ton, settled in 1835. Ephraim Hastings re- sided here until his death, which occurred when he was seventy-four years old.

Christopher S. Hastings, son of Ephraim, was born in Boylston. Accompanying his par- ents to Berlin, he assisted his father in farming until 1862. He then raised and organized for the Thirty-sixth Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteers, two companies, one of which he commanded, serving in the war of the Rebell- ion until his death, which resulted from in- termittent fever contracted upon the field. Captain Hastings was one of the prominent citizens of Berlin, and for a number of years he was Treasurer and Collector of the town. Mrs. Cordelia B. Hastings, who is still living, and resides in Berlin, is a daughter of Levi Bigelow, Esq., formerly a well-known farmer of Marlboro. He was the father of fourteen children, of whom six sons and six daughters grew to maturity, and three sons and three daughters are living. When her husband marched to the seat of war, Mrs. Hastings as- sumed his duties as Treasurer and Collector, keeping the town's books and collecting the taxes, and performing the work in a most creditable manner until the election of his successor. She has been the mother of four children, two of whom are living, namely : Ellen, wife of Daniel A. White; and Arthur, the subject of this sketch.

Arthur Hastings was reared to farm life at the homestead, and acquired his education in the common schools. Directly after his father's death he and his brother Ruthven took charge of the farm; and later they opened a general store at the village, where they con-

ducted an extensive business for twenty years. In 1893, just before his brother died, they sold the store. Ruthven Hastings was active in town affairs, and at the time of his death, which occurred at the age of forty-nine, was serving as Treasurer and Collector. In recent years Mr. Arthur Hastings has given his at- tention to cultivating the homestead farm. He raises general farm products, sells con- siderable milk, and makes a specialty of grow- ing asparagus, having four acres devoted to that vegetable, large quantities of which he sends to the Boston market.

For over twenty years Mr. Hastings has been actively concerned in local public affairs, serving with ability in different capacities. He has been chairman of the Board of Asses- sors, and in 1896 was chosen to preside over the Board of Selectmen. In 1894 he was a member of the legislature, and being assigned to the Committee on Drainage was concerned in forwarding the metropolitan sewerage

system.

In 1881 Mr. Hastings was united in mar- riage with Emma F. Boyce, a native of New Hampshire, daughter of Frank Boyce, a wood- turner, who followed his trade in connection with farming. Mrs. Hastings is the mother of one daughter, Florence. Mr. Hastings is a member of Doric Lodge, F. & A. M., of Hud- son, and is connected with the local grange. He attends the Unitarian church.

HARLES E. PHELPS, keeper of the livery and boarding stable in Sterling Centre, was born in the town of Sterling, Worcester County, Mass., August 10, 1843, son of Josiah and Alice D. (Gould) Phelps. His paternal grandfather, Josiah Phelps, Sr., was a native of Lancaster, Mass., whence he came to Sterling, and de- voted himself to farming. He lived to be fifty-six years of age.

Josiah Phelps, Jr., was born on his father's farm in Sterling eighty-one years ago. In his boyhood and youth during the winter seasons he worked at chair-making. On starting for himself he bought a farm near his son's place of residence, and remained there until he re-

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tired from active work. He now lives in the village. For a number of years he was on the Board of Selectmen, and chairman a part of the time. He has also served as Road Com- missioner and as Highway Surveyor. His wife, Alice, was born in Vermont, and was a hotel-keeper's daughter. Two children were the fruit of their marriage; namely, Charles E. and James L. The mother died at sixty- two years of age. She was a member of the Unitarian society, with which the father is still identified. For many years he was a member of its Parish Committee.

Charles E. Phelps was educated in the com- mon schools and the high school of Sterling. He remained at home until eighteen, then went into a store in Lancaster as clerk, and for two years was employed there and in a store in Sterling. Failing health compelling him to give up the work, he returned home for a time. He next entered the chair factory in Sterling, in which he was employed some nine years. Following that he worked on the highway six years, repairing the roads of the town and keeping them in good condition. He then embarked in his present business, purchasing a stable, which he conducted up to 1885, the year he bought his present place. He has here built a new stable that will accommo- date sixteen horses. Besides keeping horses to let he takes some to board. For seventeen years past he has also conducted an undertaking business.

On April 8, 1868, Mr. Phelps married Mary E. Allen, a native of West Boylston, Mass., and daughter of Daniel W. Allen. Mr. and Mrs. Phelps have one son, Eldred L., who is in the livery stable with his father. He mar- ried Elma Ramsey.

Mr. Phelps is a Republican in political prin- ciples. He has served the town of Sterling fourteen years as Collector, has been Constable and a village trustee many years, and was pres- ident of the Village Improvement Society three years. Ever since he attained his majority he has been a member of the Farmers' Club; and he is likewise a member of the grange, in which he was a steward and trustee some years. He is a member of Lancaster Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Clinton; also of Rebecca

Lodge, I. O. O. F., of the same place. He attends the Unitarian church, and is one of the choir.

ILLIAM ELI STARR, actuary of the State Mutual Life Assurance Company, Worcester, was born in Thompson, Conn., March 1, 1812. A son of Darius and Sally (Wilson) Starr, he is a de- scendant in the sixth generation of Comfort Starr, who was a physician in Ashford, County of Kent, England. A document, described as his certificate of embarkation, states that this ancestor and his three children sailed on board the ship "Hercules," March 21, 1635, accompanied by three servants. He settled first in Newtown, now Cambridge. From there he moved to Duxbury and later to Bos- ton, where he died in 1660. He left a will in his own handwriting, a fac-simile copy of which is in the possession of Mr. Starr. Mr. Starr's paternal great-grandfather, also named Comfort, went from Dedham, Mass., to Thompson in 1723; and Ebenezer Starr, the grandfather, was born there, February 24, 1742. Ebenezer, who was very large in stat- ure, and weighed three hundred pounds, was an able farmer, and kept a hotel on his prem- ises. He died in 1804. His first wife bore him one daughter. By his second wife there were six sons and three daughters, all of whom grew to maturity, except a daughter who died in infancy.

Darius Starr, son of Ebenezer, born in Thompson, Conn., August 30, 1775, was a successful farmer and accumulated consider- able wealth. The latter he afterward lost through excessive sympathy for those whom he believed to be needy. He held a Captain's commission in the State militia, and was highly esteemed for his many commendable qualities. When he died he was ninety years old. His wife, Sally, whom he married November 25, 1802, became the mother of eight children. Of these, seven grew up, namely : Amelia Ann, who married Harris Palmer, and died at the age of sixty-five years, leaving one son and one daughter; Catherine, who married Edward Kellogg, and died at the

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CALVIN A. PAIGE.

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age of seventy-four, leaving three sons and one daughter; John Wilson Starr, who enlisted for service against the Seminole Indians, and died of cholera at the age of forty-three years ; William Eli, the subject of this sketch; Sarah, who successively married Daniel Edg- erton and William Edgerton, had four chil- dren, and died at the age of seventy-four ; Darius, who died at sixty-four, leaving one son and four daughters; and Laura Maria, who married Reuben Edgerton, and died at forty-eight, leaving one son and one daughter. The mother was seventy-seven years old when she died. Her husband's death occurred ten years later. Three of Sarah Edgerton's chil- dren are living.

William Eli Starr received his elementary education in the common schools. While a mere boy he sought and obtained employment in a factory for the purpose of defraying his expenses at the Monson (Mass. ) Academy ; and, although his father was opposed to his going to work so young, he gained his point, and acquired a good education through his own personal efforts. Afterward he taught school for several terms in different places. Coming to Worcester in 1846, he was a teacher in the Classical and English High School for the succeeding ten years. In 1857 he was ap- pointed superintendent of the State Reform School at Westboro, remaining there four years. Returning to this city, he was ap- pointed City Marshal in 1862, and held that office for a year. Then he was Assistant As- sessor for six years, at the end of which time he became the clerk and treasurer of the Bos- ton, Barre & Gardner Railroad Company. While filling these responsible positions for about sixteen years, he performed the duties of actuary for the State Mutual Life Assurance Company. Since he abandoned railroad work in 1885, he has devoted his entire time to the assurance company, of which he was made a director in 1875. He has acquired a high reputation as an actuary.

Politically, Mr. Starr is a Republican. Before coming to Worcester he served as Town Clerk and as a member of the School Committee in the place where he was then re- siding. During the year 1865 and 1866 he

was president of the Worcester Common Coun- cil. On June 26, 1837, he married Pamelia Porter Batcheller, of Warren, Mass., a daugh- ter of Daniel and Polly (Barton) Batcheller. She became the mother of three children, namely : William, who served in the Civil War and is now in New Orleans; Darius, who died in Andersonville Prison during the Re- bellion; and Daniel Batcheller Starr, who is unmarried and resides at home. Mrs. Starr died May 7, 1886, after a married life of nearly forty - nine years. Since her death Mary Louise, a daughter of William Starr, has kept house for the bereaved husband. Miss Starr, who has been here since 1885, is a music teacher. Mr. Starr was one of the organizers and is the senior member of the Actuarial Society of America. In religious belief he is a Congregationalist and a mem- ber of the Union Church. He is remarkably well preserved, and his mental and physical powers have lost none of their accustomed vigor. He resides at 83 Pleasant Street.

ALVIN AMMIDOWN PAIGE, a highly respected resident of South- bridge, son of Timothy Paige, Esq., was born in this town, June 7, 1820. His ancestors for many generations spent their lives in the neighboring town of Hardwick, where they were numbered among the most prominent and influential people. His great-grandfather, Timothy Paige (first), served the town in various official capacities, was Captain of a company of militia during the Revolutionary period, and at the alarm in 1777 led his men to Bennington and to West Point in 1780. Timothy Paige (sec- ond), the grandfather of Calvin A. Paige, was a lifelong resident of Hardwick. He also served in the war of the Revolution, having been one of the minute-men who responded to the Lexington alarm in 1775, and afterward serving for short periods on various occasions. Besides acting in the capacity of a Justice of the Peace many years, he represented the town in the State legislature from 1805 until 1821, and in 1820 was a delegate to the Constitu- tional Convention. Among the children he

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reared was the Rev. Lucius R. Paige, D. D., late of Cambridge, Mass., a man of scholarly attainments and the historian of Hardwick and Cambridge.

Timothy Paige, Esq., another son of the second Timothy, born in Hardwick, March 6, 1789, died in Southbridge, November 16, 1822. He was a lawyer by profession, and was the first Town Clerk of Southbridge. A man of much literary ability, he acquired con- siderable fame as the author of many poems published over the signature of " Jacques," the last one of which, entitled "Farewell to Sum- mer," appeared in the Massachusetts Spy of November 17, 1822. His wife, whose maiden name was Cynthia Ammidown, born Septem- ber 10, 1793, in Southbridge, died November 1, 1828. Her father, Calvin Ammidown, born June 21, 1768, was one of the early and prominent settlers of Southbridge, and owned much real estate. He erected both the Co- lumbian Manufacturing Building and the structure that formerly stood on the present site of the Y. M. C. A. Building, and he was one of the principal contributors to the First Congregational Church. He died December 30, 1826. On June 30, 1792, he married Deborah, daughter of Ebenezer Davis, of Charlton, Mass. They became the parents of four children, of whom the first-born was Cynthia. The children of Timothy and Cynthia Paige were: Cynthia A., who died in Southbridge, November 10, 1850; Juliet E., who became the wife of Merrick Mans- field, lived for a time successively in Ver- mont and Neponset, Mass., and died in the latter place, June 17, 1869; Timothy, born February 22, 1819, who died while serving in the Civil War, and was buried in the National Cemetery at Chattanooga, Tenn .; 'and Calvin A., the subject of this sketch.

Having been left an orphan at the age of eight years, Calvin A. Paige was reared in the family of his guardian, Dr. Samuel Hartwell. He was educated in the local schools of Southbridge and at Wilbraham Academy. When thirteen years old he entered the store of Plimpton & Lane as a clerk; and two years later he went to Northfield, Vt., where for the ensuing two years he was employed in the

store of Charles Paine, who was afterward the Governor of Vermont and the president of the Vermont Central Railroad Company. Re- turning then to Southbridge, he was a clerk until 1843 for John Seabury & Co., whose store, known as the "Factory Store," was lo- cated in the Columbian Building, on the site now occupied by that of the Y. M. C. A. In 1844 he accepted a position as clerk and book- keeper for the Dresser Manufacturing Com- pany, pioneer cotton manufacturers of this locality. Six years after he was appointed agent and treasurer of the company, and sub- sequently operated the mill until it was de- stroyed by fire in 1870. He was also one of the stockholders of the company, and after the disastrous conflagration sold the mill site and water-power to the Central Mills Company, but retained the land and tenements on Dresser Hill, which he now owns, and has not since engaged in any regular business. For forty-eight consecutive years he has been a di- rector of the Southbridge National Bank and a trustee of the Southbridge Savings Bank. He has also frequently served in the capaci- ties of guardian, assignee, and administrator.

Devoting much of his leisure time to the interests of Southbridge, Mr. Paige has ren- dered efficient service in various local offices. He was Overseer of the Poor for twenty-five years, Selectman for ten years, Assessor for two years, and the chairman and clerk of each of said boards during much of the time he spent in them. In 1854 he was a member of the Town Committee that appeared before the legislature to oppose the division of the town, which project was defeated. In 1850 he was commissioned a Notary Public by Governor Briggs, and has since served in that capacity. During the late Rebellion he was appointed United States enrolling officer for South- bridge, and in 1883 he was commissioned by Governor Long to qualify civil officers. In 1863 Mr. Paige served in the State legislature as one of the Committee on Manufactures. Public-spirited and generous, he has always been active in promoting town enterprises and improvements. He aided in establishing the public library, in laying out and building new streets, in introducing the electric light sys-

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tem, and in erecting the town hall. A strong Republican in politics, he was an admirer of the late James G. Blaine. He is a member of the Baptist society and a regular attendant at its services.

On May 9, 1843, Mr. Paige married Mercy, daughter of Harvey Dresser. She died in 1852, having borne him two children, namely : Mary E., on April 7, 1846, who died Septem- ber 2, 1848; and Calvin D., on May 20, 1848. A second marriage, performed February 20, 1856, united Mr. Paige with Ellen Jane Scho- field, of Dudley, Mass. Their only child, Frank S. Paige, born May 18, 1857, was in business with his brother, Calvin D. Paige, when he died on April 9, 1891.

J OSEPH STONE PERRY, one of Worcester's most prominent men of affairs, residing on Vernon Hill, at 166 Vernon Street, on the estate where he was born, formerly his father's farm, is of the sixth generation from John Perry, who was born in England in 1613, and was in Water- town in 1674. John Perry, Jr., son of this John, was born in London, England, in 1644, and emigrated in 1666 to America, settling in Watertown. He died there in 1724, prior to December 23. In 1701 he was in North Brookfield, where he spent one year. Perry's Pond of that place was named for him. (See American Ancestry, vol. x., 1895.) He had one brother and one sister. His wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Clarey, and whom he married in 1667, was born in October, 1649. They had nine children.

Josiah Perry, of the third generation, was born in Watertown, where he was an active member of the Orthodox church. He married for his first wife Bethiah Cutter, who was born on November 26, 1684, and died on September 16, 1767; and for his second wife, Elizabeth Harrington. By the two marriages he had four sons and six daughters. One of these sons, Nathan, great-grandfather of Joseph Stone Perry, was born in Watertown on May 2, 1718, and died in Worcester on February 14, 1806. It was he who bought the home- stead in Worcester in 1751. He was County

Treasurer for many years, as were subsequently his son and grandson. He married in 1746 Hannah Fisk, who was born in 1719, and died in 1813, at the advanced age of ninety-four. She was a daughter of Deacon Nathan Fisk. Of the five sons and five daughters born of this union, several died young. There were two or three Hannahs, two Nathans, and two by the name of Moses among them.

Deacon Moses Perry, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born on February 16, 1762, and died on March 12, 1842. He was a Deacon in the Old South Congregational Church for thirty-five years and in the Union Church for six years. He married on Decem- ber 28, 1785, Mercy Clarke, who bore him one daughter, Mercy by name. In 1791 he married Hannah Hall, who was born on March 19, 1768, and died on November 26, 1861, after nearly twenty years of widowhood. She

was the mother of eight sons and one daugh- ter; and three of her sons - Baxter, David, and Clarke - were clergymen in the Congrega- tional church. Baxter Perry, who was born on April 16, 1792, and died in January, 1830, was a graduate of Harvard University and of the Theological School at Andover, and for nine years was pastor of a church at Lyme, N. H. David, who was born on July 26, 1798, and died on August 7, 1876, was graduated at Dartmouth College, and subsequently studied theology at Andover. The Rev. Clarke Perry, who was born on April 21, 1800, died in Gor- ham, Me., on July 22, 1843, having been set- tled over a number of churches. He was graduated at Harvard and at the Theological School at Andover.

Captain Samuel Perry was born on Novem- ber 26, 1796, on the farm which has now been in the Perry family for about a hundred and fifty years. On December 8, 1823, he was united in marriage with Mary Harrington, who was born on March 20, 1804, daughter of Francis and Lydia (Perry) Harrington. She was a woman of great charm of character and of great tact in the sick-room. Her great- grandfather Harrington, whose name also was Francis, settled on the Harrington homestead in 1740. Of this union ten children were born; and all of these are living except Na-

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Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Part 62

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