Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Part 81

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 81

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

widely circulated, one having been read on the occasion of an anniversary dinner at the Andover Theological Seminary, and the other written for the celebration of the class secre- tary's silver wedding in 1886.

In 1853 Mr. Hayward married Harriot El- vira, a daughter of Ziba and Jedidah (Wash- burn) Eaton and a lineal descendant of Francis Eaton, the "Mayflower" Pilgrim. Born in Middleboro, Mass., April 6, 1829, she died March 2, 1890. Their children were as follows: Arthur Jameson, born Sep- tember 14, 1854, died September 12, 1855; Bell, born July 1, 1856, resides at home; Grace, born August 27, 1858, graduated from Smith College in 1885, taught in the high school at Springfield, Mass., and died Febru- ary 23, 1891; Paul, born October 16, 1863, died August 28, 1873; and John Stark, born November 28, 1866, died August 18, 1873. December 17, 1891, Mr. Hayward married, second, Lucy Anna, daughter of Colo- nel Love and Hannah (Goodwin) Keays, the latter a sister of Governor Ichabod Goodwin, of New Hampshire.

In politics Mr. Hayward is a Republican. For more than ten years he served as chair- man of the Southbridge School Board, and while residing in Dunbarton, N.H., he was School Commissioner of Merrimac County for two years. For three years he occupied the Worshipful Master's chair of the Masonic lodge in South Berwick, was High Priest of the chapter four years, District Deputy Grand Master for one year, and delivered the dedi- catory address of the Blue Lodge at Lyman, Me., in 1872. He is also a member of the Sons of the American Revolution and of the New England Historic Genealogical Society.

2, 1808.

USSELL W. BARRY, who was for years foreman for J. C. French, builder, of Worcester, Mass., was born in Guildhall, Vt., September His parents were Woodward and Nancy (French) Barry. He learned the car- penter's trade in Worcester, and worked at it a while in Grafton and in Oxford. He then returned to Worcester, and here established

670

BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW

his home. He worked as a journeyman suc- cessively for Mr. Morse and Captain Lamb, and then entered the employ of J. C. French, whose foreman he became, as above noted. An honest and reliable man, his services were always in demand. He understood all points of the craft, and managed and directed the building and finishing with thoroughness and good taste. Unfailing in his fidelity to duty, he was highly esteemed by those in authority over him and respected by those under his charge. In 1880 he retired from business on account of ill health. Besides his residence on Chatham Street, built in 1847, he had ac- cumulated other property, all the result of his own earnings, the fruit of industry, so that he was enabled to pass his declining days in com- fort. For twelve years he was an invalid, bearing his suffering with patience and forti- tude. He died in 1891. Mr. Barry was a member of the Worcester County Mechanics' Association. For a great many years he was connected with the Old South Congregational Society.

In 1843 he was married to Harriet Gage, of Orford, N. H., a member of one of the oldest families in this country, domesticated here for two centuries. She is living in the Chatham Street house, where she has made her home for over fifty years.

OHN BURNS, late the senior partner of the firm of Burns, Loughlin & Crowley, contractors, and a well-known business man of Worcester, was a native of County Roscommon, Ireland. He was born in June, 1850, and was educated in the na- tional schools. He came to the United States when twenty years old, landing in New York, where he spent a year. On January 1, 1871, he arrived in Worcester.

Securing employment in the wire-mill, he learned the art of wire drawing, and later on he worked in the packing-room. In February, 1872, he left the mill to learn the stone-cut- ting trade, and during his apprenticeship under H. G. Roche he assisted in the construction of St. Paul's church. As a journeyman he was employed by Mann, Bigelow & Goslin, with

whom he remained until 1878, when the stone- cutters' strike occurred, and he with others stopped working for the time. He then deter- mined to go into business for himself, and became associated with the Worcester Granite Company, afterward forming the partnership of Burns, Loughlin & Crowley, with a yard lo- cated on Crescent Street.

Mr. Burns was a stanch Democrat, and was a member of the Democratic City Committee for twenty years. At the time of his death, which occurred on February 28, 1898, he was treasurer of the Democratic City Committee and a member of the Ward Committee from Ward Two. He received the Democratic nomination for Alderman in 1895 and 1896, but both times was unsuccessful at the polls, the reason being that he resided in a strong Republican ward. In 1895 he came within a small margin of being elected, the next ahead of him on the ticket being his friend, Daniel F. Fitzgerald. He was mentioned for license commissioner on the death of Francis Plunk- ett, and was considered the most formidable opponent of M. Lamb for the place.

Mr. Burns was always aggressive in the political arena, but every one considered him a manly antagonist. He was never known to say anything behind an opponent's back that he would not say to his face; and, though it was not possible for one so long a time in politics to get along without more or less fric- tion, the verdict of all when his death was announced was that the Democratic party had lost an honest man, one who never received any remuneration for his services, and whose purse strings were always open to aid the cause he believed in. He always said it was the right and duty of all good citizens to take an active part in politics.

Mr. Burns was president of the Worcester Co-operative Coal Company ; one of the direc- tors of the Co-operative Boot and Shoe Store; a trustee of the Bay State Savings Bank; a member of Division Three, Ancient Order of Hibernians; of Court Thomas E. Cunning- ham, F. of A .; and president of the O'Con- nell Associates. His death is a most serious loss to the Hibernians, as he was for fifteen years a tower of strength to the organization.

671

BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW

His counsel was always sought when questions of importance were to be decided; and to him perhaps more than to any other man belongs the credit of bringing the Worcester A. O. H. to its present high standing. £ He had held every office in the gift of the local body, was president of Division Three for six years, and served as county president from 1880 to 1884. He was for many years a member of the county board, and was always looked up to by the members of the order as its leader in Worces- ter. Three uniformed companies of the Hi- bernians attended the funeral, and delegates were also present from the Co-operative Coal Company, the Co-operative Boot and Shoe Store, and the various other organizations with which he was connected. Mr. Burns was noted among his business associates as a man of the most unquestioned honesty and integrity.

He was married on June 12, 1873, to Celia Beaty, of this city, and she with five daugh- ters survives him. The daughters are: Mary J., a graduate of the Normal School, now a teacher in the Elizabeth Street School of this city; Katie, a graduate of the English High School; Agnes, a pupil at the English High School; and Margaret and Georgianna, pupils at the Elizabeth Street School. The youngest is ten years old. Mr. Burns was a prominent worker in the interests of St. Anne's Parish.

AMUEL A. SMALL, who was a lifelong agriculturist of Millbury, was born in this town, February 13, 1821. He was of English origin. Among his ancestors were early settlers of Cape Cod and Salem, Mass. His great-grand- father, Stephen Small, the founder of the fam- ily in this section of Worcester County, and who bought the present homestead in 1748, was a soldier in the Colonial service during the French and Indian War. The two hun- dred acres of land which Stephen then pur- chased were in their primitive condition; but, with the courage that characterized the pio- neers, he converted it into a farm, and there spent his remaining days. On April 6, 1742,

in Salem, he married Ruth King. Of their children, Samuel, born on the farm in June, 1748, and the next in line of descent, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and one of the minute-men that marched to Lexington and Concord, April 19, 1775. After the war he resumed farming in West Millbury, where he continued his residence until his demise, Au- gust 1, 1814. His first wife, in maidenhood Molly Waters, died at an early age, leaving four children. He afterward married Deborah Pierce, who bore him five children.

Aaron Small, the second child of Samuel and Deborah Small, was born on the home farm in 1789, and here lived as a prosperous farmer until his death, December 7, 1857. Born of his marriage with Mary Stone, of Auburn, Mass., were eight children. One of these died in infancy. The others were: Sam- uel A., the subject of this sketch; Aaron, who married Louisa Slocum, whose second husband was Judge T. L. Nelson, of Worcester, and died at an early age; John N., who died in childhood; J. Nelson, who lived but a few years; Mary L., who became the wife of Albert Hovey; Sarah, who became the wife of Leonard Rice, and died young, leaving one child; and Herrick B., who died unmarried in 1858, aged twenty-two years. The mother died in 1859.

Having taken up the occupation in which he was reared, Samuel A. Small was one of the leading farmers of this locality during his years of activity. He first married Julia A. Waters, who died sixteen years later without issue. A second marriage, contracted on Feb- ruary 17, 1864, united him with Fidelia, daughter of Milo and Abigail (Walker) Porter, of Oxford, Chenango County, N. Y. Her father, who was born in Waterbury, Conn., June 1, 1808, is still living, hale and hearty for one of his advanced age. His wife died in August, 1888, aged seventy-two years. She bore him five children, namely: Fidelia, now Mrs. Small; Flora, who died in infancy ; Paulina Porter, a maiden lady, who cares for her father; Walker Porter, who owns a well- cultivated farm near his father's; and Theo- dore Lovell Porter, who died in January, 1864, aged fourteen years. Mr. and Mrs. Small had

672

BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW

three children born to them, namely : Samuel Edmund, unmarried, who now owns and man- ages the home farm; Mary W., who lost her first husband, John Rich, by accidental drown- ing six weeks after their marriage, and subse- quently became the wife of Merritt W. Havens, of Worcester; and Theodore Aaron, a grocer in Worcester. Mr. Small died on the home- stead in Millbury, March 31, 1887.

Mrs. Fidelia Small received her education in an academy, and is a woman of considerable business ability. After the death of her hus- band she settled his estate in a very satisfac- tory manner. The family residence after its destruction by fire in October, 1871, was at: once rebuilt by Mr. Small. In May, 1888, less than a year after Mr. Small's death, it was again burned, and Mrs. Small lost many valuable articles, including bric-à-brac, all of her silver, and papers and deeds of land bear- ing dates back in the seventeenth century. During the same year she rebuilt the house, which is now fitted with all the modern im- provements and supplied with water brought in pipes from a clear spring on high ground.

JDWIN HOWE, of Worcester, a prosper- ous dairy farmer and a contractor for teaming and grading, was born in Holden, Mass., March 28, 1834, son of Nathan and Abigail (Howe) Howe. The family to which he belongs is of English ori- gin, and its genealogy, we are told, can be traced in a direct line as far back as the year 1630. Hiram Howe, grandfather of Edwin, was born about the year 1774 in West Boyls- ton, and the active period of his life was there devoted to agricultural pursuits, in which he acquired a comfortable prosperity. He mar- ried Olive Hathorn, of the same town, and reared seven children; namely, Barney, Na- than, Sally, Harriet, Olive, Polly, and Joel. All married and had families, and Joel lived to be over seventy-five years old. Hiram Howe died in 1834, and his wife died at an advanced age in 1848. They were buried in West Boylston.

Nathan Howe, their second son, was born in West Boylston, May 8, 1803. Settling upon

a farm in Holden, he tilled the soil during the rest of his active years, and also ran a saw- mill. He took a prominent part in public affairs, serving as Selectman and Assessor, and representing his district in the State legis- lature. He possessed considerable natural ability, was a good business man, and accumu- lated a good estate. He died February 4, 1873. His wife, Abigail, whom he married April 17, 1833, was born in Holden, Septem- ber 7, 1810, daughter of Jasper and Nancy (Wilson) Howe. Jasper Howe was born April 24, 1791, and died November 2, 1826. His widow married for her second husband Joshua Bassett and for her third Moses Bullard, of Princeton. She was the mother of three sons and three daughters, all by her first marriage. She died January 4, 1861. Nathan and Abi- gail Howe reared seven children, namely : Edwin, the subject of this sketch; Hiram, a retired mechanic of Holden; Sarah, who mar- ried Emerson D. Wilson, and died in 1873; Adeline; Nathan, who is manager of the Glas- gow Thread Company; Hattie, a nurse; and Mattie, a school teacher. All of the surviv- ors except Hiram reside at Adams Square, Worcester. The mother, Mrs. Abigail Howe, died in 1858.

Edwin Howe was educated in the district schools of his native town. He remained on the home farm until he was twenty-one. When only twelve years old he began to work in a saw-mill, and this was his regular occupa- tion for about thirty years. He also operated a shoddy-mill some ten years. Coming to Worcester in 1889, he carried on a small farm for some time. Then selling that property, he removed to his present farm of one hundred and twenty-five acres, located on Richmond Avenue and known as the Marshall Flagg place. Here he carries on dairy farming, keeping an average of forty cows and raising some stock of a mixed breed. He has a large milk route in the city. For the past four or five years he has been hauling stone and earth, and grading by contract for this purpose, keep- ing eight pairs of heavy draft horses. He has gained a high reputation for integrity and re- liability.

On April 7, 1858, Mr. Howe was joined in

---------------

--- --------

your Respectfully 7. Kirby

675

BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW

marriage with Elizabeth Clarissa Brown, who was born in Holden in 1839, daughter of Allen and Mary Stearns Brown, of that town. Her father was an industrious farmer. His first wife died in 1841, leaving two daughters : Elizabeth C., who is now Mrs. Howe; and Mary, who is now Mrs. Hartwell. By his second wife he had two sons - Allen and Ed- ward Josiah Brown, both of whom are farmers, residing in Holden. Mr. and Mrs. Howe have had four children, namely : Edward Ells- worth Howe, a clerk in Holden; Mabel, who resides in Worcester; Abbie Grace, who acts as housekeeper for Willard Richmond; and Cora Blanche, who married Albert E. Wood- ward, and died at the age of twenty-five years.

Politically, Mr. Howe is a Republican, but has no desire to hold public office.

LFRED J. KIRBY, the genial and justly popular landlord of Hotel Kirby at Grafton and a checker player of wide repute, was born in Spencer, Mass., the eldest of the seven children of John and Mary (Brigham) Kirby. He was educated in the Oxford public schools, and at the age of seventeen years he began making boots and shoes. This trade he followed until 1861, when he enlisted in Company K of the Twenty-fifth Regiment of Massachusetts Vol- unteers as a musician. He was in service for three years, and took part in the battles at Roanoke, Newbern, and Little Washington, N.C. ; at Whitehall, Cold Harbor, Fort Dar- ling, and the six days' fight in front of Peters- burg. About a year after his return home, having recovered his health, which had be- come impaired, he began working in the woollen-mills of Hill & Chapman at Provi- dence, R.I., and subsequently found employ- ment in that of Thomas Harris at Putnam, Conn., and that of Benjamin James at James- ville, Mass. Later he was for a few years employed in setting up woollen-mill ma- chinery in different parts of New England and New York. In 1868 he bought the hotel at East Douglas, but not being satisfied with the location he afterward bought one in Ware, Mass. From Ware he removed to the village

of Eagleville in the town of Holden, where he kept a hotel two years. He was next engaged for four years as a travelling salesman for hard- ware. In 1876 he became proprietor of Hotel Kirby in Oxford, Mass. Two years later, forming the partnership of Kirby & Bristol, he engaged in the wholesale produce business with headquarters at Worcester. He dealt largely in hay, grain, potatoes, and so forth, doing the buying for firms in New England, Lower Canada, Michigan, New York, and other States. Although successful in this en- terprise, he decided to go back to the hotel business, and, buying the De Witt House at Webster, he conducted it for two years. He then started a real estate business with an of- fice in Tremont Row, Boston. Coming to Grafton in 1883, he bought the Hassanimisco House, which he remodelled and refurnished throughout, and which, as Hotel Kirby, has become one of the most popular hostelries in Worcester County.

Mr. Kirby is married to Mary, daughter of S. Davis Hall, of Grafton. The only child born to Mr. and Mrs. Kirby died in infancy. A few years since Mr. Kirby rebuilt his present residence, a sightly and substantial dwelling in Worcester Street, formerly the home of his wife's parents.

Mr. Kirby is well known among Grand Army men, and is a member of Post General Charles Devens, No. 27. One of the events that will be remembered long and pleasantly by the boys of the old Twenty-fifth Regiment is the reunion tendered them by Landlord Kirby in June, 1895. The interior of the hotel was filled with a display of flowers and potted plants, while the exterior was gay with flags and bunt- ing. On the square in front of the hotel were stacks of arms. Captain Stone, of Spencer, as he rode into the square, seeing the military display, doffed his hat, stood up, and shouted, "I'll never surrender." He did, however, as did the other guests, surrender to the hospital- ity and good cheer of Comrade Kirby.

Despite his diversified business interests, Mr. Kirby has found time to devote to his fa- vorite amusement, which is checker playing ; and he has long been known as one of the best players not only in New England, but in the

676

BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW

country. He has matched against all the strongest players, having played in many cities in New England, Iowa, Illinois, Kan- sas, and elsewhere. Those who are his equal in the craft of the game can be almost num- bered on one's fingers. He has played exhibi- tions of thirty games in Grafton against all players, ten games being in progress at a time, and out of the thirty won twenty-four and lost only one. He is a great analyzer, and has furnished many original games for checker magazines. The North American Checker Board, in its issue for August, 1896, gives a short biographical sketch of Mr. Kirby, in which it says: "He first began to play checkers at the age of thirteen, but not scien- tifically until 1872. Since then he has met and played such notables as C. F. Barker, C. H. Freeman, R. E. Bowen, A. R. Bow- dish, R. D. Yates, J. P. Reed, H. Z. Wright, J. Cairns, D. Dickinson, and many others. At Woonsocket, February, 1893, he tied W. H. Wales and J. Cairns, and had close scores with Fitzgerald and E. Mee; also at Boston, same year, he won the only game he played with E. A. Durgin, and defeated P. Kelly, Mr. Mack, and Lang; tied Bugbee and lost to Grover and Dean. It was the only sitting in which Dean ever won from Mr. Kirby. In

March, 1893, at Grafton, Kirby 4, W. H. Wales I, drawn 3; same month, at Woon- socket, he tied both Deeley and Ed Mee. His favorite game is formed from 11 15, 23 19, but he can play almost any opening with good results. He has played blindfold, also by correspondence ; composed problems, and won prizes."

Hotel Kirby is the headquarters of the Grafton Checker and Chess Club, which was organized by Mr. Kirby; and many are the tournaments played there.

ON. CHARLES FIELD, of Athol, Judge of the District Court and an ex - member of the Massachusetts Senate, was born in this town, June 9, 1815, son of Zachariah and Abigail (Mat- toon) Field. He is a representative of the sixth generation in descent from Zachariah

Field, who was born in England in the year 1600, settled in Dorchester, Mass., in 1630, removed to Hartford, Conn., about 1639, thence to Northampton, Mass., in 1659, and a few years later to Hatfield, where his death occurred in 1666.

Among this immigrant ancestor's descend- ants who have acquired distinction may be mentioned Cyrus W., David Dudley, Stephen J., and Eugene Field. Samuel Field, son of Zachariah, first, was the father of Captain Zachariah Field, who was the third in the line now being considered. Judge Field's grandfather was Captain Zachariah's son, Paul Field, who resided in Northfield, Mass. He was the father of the third Zachariah, who married Abigail Mattoon, daughter of Dr. Samuel Mattoon, of the same town, and was the father of the subject of this sketch, as mentioned above.

Charles Field began his education in the public schools of Athol, and attained high rank as a scholar, especially in mathematics and the languages, in the educational institu- tion from which he graduated. He read law in the office of the Hon. Daniel Wells, of Greenfield, Mass., afterward Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas; and on the com- pletion of a three years' course of study he spent several years in the West and South- west, most of the time in Kentucky and Illi- nois, in the latter State taking an active interest in favor of the election of General William Henry Harrison in the famous log cabin and hard cider campaign of 1840. Re- turning to New England after an absence of four years, he settled in Athol, his native town, where he conducted a profitable general law business until 1884, when he was ap- pointed Judge of the District Court. In 1857 he represented his town in the House of Rep- resentatives, that being the last year before the State was divided into districts; and in the two years following he was a member of the State Senate. For a limited term he served on the Athol School Board. Politically, he is a Republican, and was chosen a Presiden- tial elector in 1860, after which he left the field of politics altogether and confined him- self to the duties of his profession.

----

677

BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW

Judge Field was admitted to the bar in 1843. He is one of the vice-presidents of the Worcester County Bar Association. He is a pronounced Unitarian of the Channing type and one of the original members of the Second Unitarian Society in Athol. He was presi- dent of the Worcester County Unitarian Asso- ciation for two consecutive terms, declining a re-election for any further term; and for many years he served on the Executive Com- mittee.

In 1856 Judge Field married Caroline C. Alden, whose first American ancestors on both sides were "Mayflower " Pilgrims. She is a descendant in the eighth generation of John Alden. Her father was Emery Alden, of Greenwich, Mass., which was the birthplace of her grandfather and great-grandfather, both of whom were named Ezra. Ezra Alden, first, was born in 1734, and was chosen a Deacon of the Congregational church in 1775. He was the son of Eleazar Alden, who was born in 1694 in Bridgewater, Mass., and was a farmer. Eleazar was a son of Joseph, Jr., who was a son of Joseph, Sr., and the latter was the second son of John and Priscilla Alden, of Duxbury. Captain John Alden, the eldest son of the Pilgrim, was one of the original members of the Old South Church, Boston. On the maternal side Mrs. Field is a great-grand-daughter of Major John White, who is supposed to have been a direct descend- ant of Peregrine White, born on board the "Mayflower " in Cape Cod Harbor. Mrs. Field is the author of the popular novel, "Two Gentlemen of Boston," and mother of one son, Charles Field, Jr., a graduate of Williams College, class of 1881, and a mem- ber of the legal profession.

ULLIVAN CLARK SUMNER, one of Milford's public-spirited and in- fluential men, was born here on February 9, 1836. A son of Major Clark and Mary (Murdock) Thayer Sumner, he descends from William Sumner, who was born in Bicester, England, son of William Sumner. The son emigrated to America and settled in Dorchester, where he was made a

freeman in 1637. He married Mary West, who bore him seven children. His son, George, who was for many years Deacon of the church in Milton, became the father of eight children by his wife, Mary Baker Sumner. The next in line, Ebenezer, married Abigail Lovett, and had four children. He and his brother Joseph were the first of the family to come to Milford, and were the first settlers of the town. They became large landholders, owning much of their property in partnership. Ebenezer's son, Daniel, who was a black- smith by trade and also carried on farming, married Beriah Clark, of Medway, and had a family of four children. His son Ebenezer, who married Elizabeth Ellis, of Medway, had four children, of whom Ebenezer, second, suc- cessively married Keziah Albee and Lydia (Underwood) Unthank, and was the father of eight children by his first wife.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Part 81

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