Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Part 9

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 9

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Mr. Smith is one of the leading politicians of Leicester, and exerts a good influence in town and county affairs. He has given effi- cient service as a member of the School Com- mittee, Overseer of the Poor, and Selectman,

BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW

and has been largely instrumental in having five miles of macadamized State road built in Leicester. In June, 1896, he represented the Third Congressional District of the Bay State in the national Republican convention, and had the honor of being the only Massa- chusetts delegate that voted for the nomina- tion of Mckinley as the Presidential candi- date. On September 10, 1867, Mr. Smith married Miss Anjeanette, daughter of John and Adaline (Smith) Kenney, of Douglas, Mass. Their children are: Channing, now the proprietor of the Valley Woollen Mills at Cherry Valley and the treasurer and manager of the Chapell Mills Manufacturing Company in the same place; and Edith K., the wife of Guy C. Whidden, of Worcester, Mass.

RGEL JACQUES, a successful con- tractor and builder and one of the most prominent French Canadian citizens of Worcester, was born in Contrecœur, P.Q., April 28, 1849, son of Colonel Oliver and Mary Emerance (Desma- rais) Jacques. His parents were natives of Canada and descendants of French pioneers. The father, born in August, 1815, who be- came a soldier in the British service and rose to the rank of Colonel, owned and cultivated a farm. The first death in the family, which occupied one house for fifty-two years, was that of the father, who passed away August 13, 1897. The mother, although eighty- three years old, is remarkably bright and active.

Urgel Jacques attended the common schools until he was thirteen years old, and assisted his father in farming until sixteen. He then entered upon his apprenticeship at the carpen- ter's trade, under an agreement by which he was to receive six dollars for his services in the first year, twelve dollars for those of the second, and twenty-four for those of the third. However, at the end of the second year he paid fifty dollars for his release, or eight dollars more than he would have got for the three years. On July 21, 1869, young Jacques arrived in Worcester, where all were strangers to him. For a time he was em-

ployed here by a man named Johnson, from whom he never received his pay. Then, after travelling about for a year, he worked for Norcross Brothers some two years, and for the succeeding ten years was in the employ of H. W. Eddy, acting as foreman for eight years of that period. In April, 1882, he engaged in business for himself. Having begun on a limited scale, the business now demands the employment of one hundred and twenty-five men. His first contract of importance was the railroad building on Front Street, five stories high. He also built the Swedish Lutheran Church, the Brideside Block on King Street, the Sugden business block in Spencer, the Winslow Skate Manu- factory, the Winslow residence, and several other dwellings, the Nikerson Block at Leo- minster Centre; and he has completed con- tracts in Boston and in the State of New Hampshire. Besides his residence at 4 Wall Street, which he erected in 1884, he owns four houses of three tenements each and a building on Grafton Street containing two stores.

On February 12, 1872, Mr. Jacques was united in marriage with Mary Eveline Chan- donnet, of St. John, Deschaillon, P.Q. Mrs. Jacques has been the mother of nineteen chil- dren, five of whom are living, namely : L. D. O. Jacques, M.D., now of Brattleboro, Vt., who completed his early education in Ottawa, and pursued his medical studies at the Laval University, Quebec; Mary Evelyn Corrinne, who acquired a convent and busi- ness education, kept her father's books for four years, and is now a member of a religious order, under the name of Sister Mary St. Adrien; Joseph H. U. Jacques, who pursued a commercial course at the Ottawa University, is a good mechanic and architect, and works for his father; Mary Erminie Anna, who was graduated from Hinman's Business College in stenography, typewriting, and book-keeping; and Mary Alexina, who was the sixteenth- born, and is now nine years old. Mr. Jacques is a member of the Board of Trade, and for eight years has been a director of the Equity Co-operative Bank. He is a member and a trustee of the Benevolent Order of Elks, and

BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW

belongs to the Agricultural Society, the Me- chanics' Association, the St. Jean Baptiste Society, the Ward Three French Naturaliza- tion Club, and several other organizations. The family attend St. Joseph's Roman Catho- lic Church.

ILAS H. BIGELOW, a leading farmer of North Brookfield, was born here, November 6, 1821. A son of John and Betsey (Maynard) Bigelow, he is of the fourth generation de- scended from Deacon Jason Bigelow, who was the founder of the family in this district. His earlier ancestors were English. Deacon Jason came here from Marlboro in 1737, settling on the farm which has ever since been owned in the family. One of the founders and a leading member of the First Congregational Church, he was widely known in the denomination as Deacon Bigelow. His son Jason was born after the family came to North Brookfield. John Bigelow, also born here, was a farmer and a highly re- spected man in the town. He served his fel- low-townsmen as Assessor, was Selectman for two years, and in the early thirties repre- sented the town in the General Court. His death occurred on October 34, 1872. His wife, Betsey, was a native of Hubbardston, Mass. Of the children born to them, three are living, namely: John S., who is in Marl- boro; Silas H., the subject of this sketch; and Sumner S., who resides in North Brook- field.

Silas H. Bigelow has always made his home in his native town, and has been a lifelong farmer. His estate embraces over a hundred acres of land, all in an excellent state of cul- tivation. For the last quarter of a century he has carried on a milk business, having a milk route in the village. Formerly he dealt in wood, buying the standing timber and cut- ting it for sales. Although he has been warmly interested in town affairs, he has not cared to be an office-holder, preferring a life free from public duties. However, for a num- ber of years he was Assessor for the town. In politics he is a Democrat. While he is

not a member of any church body, he contrib- utes liberally to the support of religious work.

Mr. Bigelow was married in 1845, April 29, to Clarissa A. Cole, who was born in Shutesbury, daughter of Reuben and Abigail Cole, of that town. Mrs. Bigelow, who was devoted to her home and family and a most lovable woman, died on June 15, 1897, after more than a half-century of wedded life. Of her eight children, four are living. These are: Mary A., who is the wife of George A. Jenks; Abbie H., the wife of Martin L. Crawford, of Spencer; Jane M. ; and Warren.

EORGE A. BROWN, M.D., super- intendent of the School for Feeble- minded Youth at Barre, Worcester County, Mass., was born in this town, April 18, 1858, son of Dr. George and Catherine (Wood) Brown. He is a descendant in the eighth generation of Thomas and Bridget Brown, who arrived from England and settled in Concord, Mass., in 1638. Thomas Brown died November 3, 1688. From him the line continues through Thomas, second, born in Concord in 1651, Ephraim, born April 21, 1689, Thomas, third, born December 26, 1720, and Jonas, born December 15, 1752, to Ephraim Brown, Dr. Brown's grandfather, born in Temple, N. H., July 13, 1790.

Ephraim Brown settled in Wilton, N. H., where he followed the carpenter's trade in connection with farming. He had much me- chanical ingenuity, and in 1838 he invented a threshing machine, which much resembles those-in use at the present time. He was one of the most prominent men of Wilton in his day, taking an active interest in all matters of public importance. He was a member of the Unitarian church. Politically, he was a Whig. He died in Wilton, December II, 1840. His wife, whose maiden name was Sarah King, was born in Wilton, November 9, 1797. She died in 1887, aged ninety years. Their children were: Sarah M., who was born November 7, 1817, and died Decem- ber 2, 1818; Ephraim, Jr., born October I, 1819, now living in Lowell, Mass. ; Abigail K., born December 9, 1821, who died Decem-

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GEORGE A. BROWN.

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ber 29, 1824; Dr. George Brown, above named, who was born in Wilton, N. H., Octo- ber II, 1823, and who died at Barre, May 6, 1892; Sumner, born September 5, 1825, who died October 30, 1827; Abigail M., born July 28, 1828, died July 17, 1852; Diantha B., born February 1, 1831, now residing in Barre; and Erastus, born March 5, 1834, who is no longer living.

Dr. George Brown, father of the present Dr. Brown of Barre, was fitted for college at Phillips Academy, Andover; was graduated from Burlington College, Vt .; began the study of medicine with Dr. Norman Smith, of Groton, Mass .; matriculated at the Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia; and was grad- uated from the medical department of the University of New York. In 1850 he located himself for practice in Barre, and the follow- ing year became so deeply interested in a pri- vate school for feeble-minded youth, then re- cently established by Dr. Hervey Wilbur, that he decided to take upon himself the pro- prietorship and superintendency, which from that time forward constituted his life work. New quarters were soon provided, a splendid estate of two hundred and fifty acres, situated at an altitude of one thousand feet above sea level, being utilized for the purpose; and by the inauguration of a system of manual and mental training, conceived by the philan- thropic physician and his intellectual wife, who became equally devoted to the cause, this retreat rose from a small beginning to be the largest private institution of its kind in the United States. Aside from the care of the school the Doctor was actively interested in the welfare and prosperity of the town and its public institutions, taking the necessary meas- ures for the planting of trees in the parks, and otherwise beautifying its surroundings.

He was one of the founders of the library and of the Glen Valley Cemetery Association, being president of the former until his death ; and all other movements instigated for the benefit of the general community were sure of receiving his hearty co-operation and support. He was especially devoted to educational mat- ters, and for a number of years rendered valu- able assistance to the town as a member of the

School Board. He was for years one of the leading members of the Congregational church, and contributed liberally toward its support. Originally a Whig in politics, he joined the ranks of the Republican party at its formation.

On November 1, 1850, he married Catharine Wood, born in Groton, June 13, 1827, daugh- ter of Artemas and Susan (Barber) Wood. Madam Catharine W. Brown, who for the past forty years has labored diligently for the wel- fare of the feeble-minded children under her charge, is a descendant of William Wood, an Englishman, who settled in Concord, Mass., in 1638, and died there in 1671. Her ances- try is traced through William's son Michael, who died in 1674, Michael's son John, who died January 3, 1729, John Wood, second, who was born September 13, 1680, and died July 12, 1746, and his son, Ensign John Wood, born March 1, 1716, who died in Mason, N. H., December 12, 1785, to Colonel James Wood, her grandfather, an officer in the New Hampshire militia, who was born No- vember 4, 1755, and died July 31, 1831. Artemas Wood, Madam Brown's father, was born in Mason, N. H., August 9, 1791. Set- tling in Groton, Mass., he was for many years engaged in mercantile business, and later be- came a trusted official of the Worcester & Nashua Railroad Company, acting as station agent for some time. He married Susan Barber, and became the father of seven chil- dren, namely: Artemas, Jr .; Emily; Eliza- beth; Samuel P .; Catharine, now Madam Brown; Jonathan A .; and Marcella. Mr. Artemas Wood died June 30, 1866. The late Dr. George Brown left one son, George A., the subject of this sketch.

George A. Brown pursued his preparatory studies at Phillips Academy, Andover, was graduated from Yale in the class of 1880 and from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York City, in 1883. He has also taken supplementary courses in nervous diseases. Since 1883 he has been closely identified with the School for Feeble-minded, becoming its official head after his father's death. He gives his entire time to its management, earn- estly striving to improve the system, which he

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has succeeded in a great measure in accom- plishing. There are at the present time seventy pupils under his charge. Dr. Brown is a member of the State and County Medical Societies, the Brookfield Medical Club, and the New England Psychological Club, and is president of the Association of Superintend- ents of Schools for Feeble-minded Youth. He is actively concerned in matters of public interest, being president of the Library Asso- ciation; vice-president and treasurer of the Glen Valley Cemetery Association; president of and the largest stockholder in the Barre Water Works, which he was mainly instru- mental in establishing; and the vice-president of the Village Improvement Society, organ- ized for increasing and maintaining the at- tractiveness of the town.

On May 18, 1887, Dr. Brown was united in marriage with Susan E. Barnum, born in Bethel, Conn., daughter of Edmund R. and Maria (Durant) Barnum. Dr. and Mrs. Brown have three children living, namely : George P., born April 17, 1888; Catharine D., born September 17, 1889; Donald R., born April 13, 1895. A daughter, Susan, born January 7, 1898, died same day.

In politics the Doctor is a Republican with independent proclivities. He has been chosen a delegate to several State and county conventions. He has been clerk of the Con- gregational society since 1886, and he and Mrs. Brown are members of that church.

JDWARD H. TAFT, a representative farmer and dairyman of Mendon, was born in this town, July 1, 1830, son of Leonard and Martha (Comstock) Taft. He is a descendant in the eighth generation of Robert Taft, said to have been of ancient Scotch lineage, who, with his wife, Sarah, and several children born in England, settled near Chipmuc Pond, Mendon, in 1679 or 1680. The descendants of Robert Taft were prolific, and reared large families.

Leonard Taft, the father, was a wheelwright by trade, which he followed in connection with farming, and was favorably known throughout this locality. In politics he was

a Democrat of the Jackson type, and he served as a Selectman, Overseer of the Poor, and in other town offices. He married Martha Com- stock, a native of Rhode Island, who became the mother of seven children, namely: Ebene- zer, who was a farmer of Mendon, and died some years since; Putnam W., who for more than a generation was a well-known school teacher; Hannah, who married Collins Gas- kill, and had two sons - Leonard and Edwin -- both of whom served in the Civil War, Edwin having died from wounds received in battle; Enos, who is a graduate of Yale Col- lege and Law School, and has been a lawyer in New York City for many years; Leonard A., who was a school teacher and a theologi- cal student, and died of consumption at an early age; Edward H., the subject of this sketch; and Martha A. Thayer, lately de- ceased, who was a widow in Auburn, Mass., and the mother of two sons, Andrew and Web- ster Thayer.

Having been educated in the schools of Mendon, Edward H. Taft worked in the shoe factories of this town and Northbridge for a few years. He then turned his atten- tion to agriculture, and later bought the Gibbs Davenport place, on which he has since re- sided. Besides raising the usual crops, he keeps a dairy, from which a large number of regular customers in Milford are supplied with milk. His farm is said to be one of the best equipped in this section. He is also quite extensively engaged in the wood and lumber business. Politically, he has sup- ported the Prohibition party since its organi- zation, and has been its candidate for both the State Senate and House of Representatives.

Mr. Taft first married Joanna W. Bennett, of Northbridge. She had eight children, namely : Robert B., who died at the age of ten years; Martha, who died aged two years; Mary L., who married Frank Haywood, of Northbridge; George L., who married Annie Woodward, and lives in Mendon; Leonard E., who married Minnie Wilson, of Milford, and has five children; Robert B., second, who lives in Rhode Island; Florence, who is the wife of Frank M. Aldrich, of Mendon; and Jomna Grace, who married Freeman Lowell,

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of Mendon. A second marriage in 1891 united Mr. Taft with Serena E. Eames, of Upton, who gave birth to Edward Eames Taft on September 5, 1892, and died March 25, 1894. On June 28, 1896, he contracted third marriage with Mrs. Helen E. Deland. Mr. Taft is personally identified with the In- dependent Order of Good Templars; is chap- lain of the Mendon Grange, Patrons of Hus- bandry; is a member of the Historical Fra- ternity, a society of considerable antiquity ; and of an organization which has for its aim the detection of horse thieves. He is an active member of the Unitarian church, and has served upon the Parish Committee for many years.

ENRY C. BATCHELLER, Town Clerk of Sutton and an ex-member the Massachusetts legislature, was born here, September 5, 1828, son of Lewis and Sophia (Newton) Batcheller. His immigrant ancestor was Joseph Batchel- ler, who settled in Salem, Mass .; and the first of the family to locate in Sutton was his great-grandfather, Abraham Batcheller, who marched to Concord as the Corporal of a com- pany of minute-men from this locality. The grandfather, Benjamin Batcheller, who was in early life a school teacher and later a well-to- do farmer, served with ability as a member of the Board of Selectmen and in other town offices. Lewis Batcheller, the father, a life- long resident of Sutton, died a comparatively young man.

After completing the course of the public schools in his native town, Henry C. Batch- eller attended the academies at Warren and Groton, paying for his tuition in both with funds he had earned by working in a machine shop. When a young man he entered into partnership with his brother for the purpose of engaging in the manufacture of shoes at the time when Sutton was noted for the ex- cellence of its hand-made footwear. For some years H. C. Batcheller & Co. made a specialty of heavy goods, which were placed upon the market through Boston and New York com- mission houses. He subsequently removed to

Wayland, Mass., and was there in the same business for seven years. In 1862 he and a partner contracted with the authorities of Baltimore, Md., for the labor of the inmates of the House of Refuge in that city, a trans- action that proved so successful as to induce him to remain there for the next ten years. Returning then to Sutton Centre, he engaged in the manufacture of slippers, and has since conducted a profitable business in that line.

Mr. Batcheller contracted the first of his two marriages with Theresa D. Little, a daughter of Luther and Fanny H. (Dunbar) Little. His children by this union are: William H. Batcheller, a resident of Mill- bury, who is married and has two children - Floyd N. and Caryl L. ; and Alice Theresa, who is the wife of Charles E. Lowe, and re- sides in Wilkinsonville. His second mar- riage was made with Mary A. Holmes. A daughter of Warren and Ann (Gay) Holmes, she is a great-grand-daughter of Deborah Samp- son, who acquired notoriety by assuming male attire, and serving as a soldier in the Ameri- can army during the Revolutionary War. In politics Mr. Batcheller is a Democrat, but not a partisan. He rendered efficient service to the town as a Selectman during the years 1884, 1885, and 1886; was a member of the legislative Committee on Labor while serving in the lower house in 1891 ; and of the Agri- cultural Committee in 1892. For the past eight years he has been Town Clerk. He belongs to Maryland Commandery, Knights Templar; and to Sutton Grange, No. 109, Patrons of Husbandry; and he attends the Congregational church.

EWIS F. STRATTON, a general mer- chant of Northboro, Mass., was born January 5, 1845, in South Lan- caster, Worcester County, son of George and Lucinda (Bailey) Stratton. The father was a well-known business man of Lan- caster, where he was for many years engaged in the manufacture of copper pumps.

When he was sixteen years old, L. F. Stratton had obtained in the public schools of Lancaster a practical education that well

BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW

fitted him for his future career in the busi- ness world. On November 16, 1861, he went to Boston to learn the hardware business, and for the ensuing ten years was in the em- ploy of Carter, Stratton & Co. Returning then to the home of his boyhood, he remained a short time, and then bought out a grocery store in Concord, N.H., where he stayed two years. Removing then to Boston, he was engaged for four years in the hardware busi- ness in that city in company with his brother, H. O. Stratton. During that time he was also the manager of his father's pump manu- facturing interests. In 1886 he retired from the hardware trade, and, coming to North- boro, purchased his present store, which is the old Samuel Wood stand. Here by his enterprise and business tact he has built up an extensive and constantly increasing trade in general merchandise, of which he carries a complete stock, employing a force of five men.

Mr. Stratton is an Independent in politics, voting according to his convictions, regardless of party restrictions. He uniformly declines town office, preferring to devote his time to his business affairs, although he has served four years on the School Committee, and is one of the trustees of the Gale fund. On June 25, 1890, he married Miss Harriet Valentine, daughter of George Valentine, of Northboro.

ILLIAM E. HAYWARD, an en. terprising woollen manufacturer in Uxbridge and an ex-member of the legislature, was born in Mendon, Mass., July 19, 1839. A son of Ebenezer W. and Susan H. (Burbeck) Hayward, he is of English origin, his immigrant ancestor having arrived in Massachusetts at an early date. The grandfather, Eben Hayward, who was a native of Braintree, Mass., married Deborah White. Hayward Place in Boston was so named in honor of one of Eben's sons, who was a phy- sician of note in that city.

Ebenezer W. Hayward was born in Brain- tree in 1798. In early life he engaged in the dry-goods business in Boston. Later he be-

came officially connected with a bank in Men- don. After coming to Uxbridge in 1836 as chief official of what was then a State bank, he continued in that capacity until his death, which occurred in 1875. He was an influen- tial member of the Unitarian church. His wife, Susan H., was a daughter of Thomas Burbeck, of Boston, who served as an officer in the American army during the Revolution- ary War, and a niece of George Henry Bur- beck, who was in command at the fort in New London, Conn., for some time. Eben- ezer and Susan H. Hayward were the parents of six children, four of whom are living, namely: Lucinda, a resident of Uxbridge; Eben B., who resides here, and is engaged in the boot and shoe business in Worcester; Ellen M., who married the Rev. Charles B. Ferry, late of Northampton, Mass., and is now residing in Newton, Mass .; and William E., the subject of this sketch.

William E. Hayward was educated in the common schools of Uxbridge, including the high school. At the age of eighteen he en- tered the Blackstone Bank as a clerk, and afterward remained there in that capacity for ten years. He next acquired an interest in the Capron Woollen Mills, which for the suc- ceeding thirteen years were operated by the firm Capron & Hayward, chiefly producing satinet. In 1872 he became interested in an enterprise at Proctorsville, Vt., under the style of Hayward, Taft & Co., who manufact - ured woollen goods for men's wear. This con - nection had lasted about twelve years when he sold out to his partners. In 1881 he pur- chased a mill at East Douglas, Mass., and afterward conducted it in association with Moses Taft until 1890. Then he bought the interests of his partner, and, admitting W. S. Schuster to partnership, formed the present firm W. E. Hayward & Co., which has largely increased the facilities for production. He has been the president of the Blackstone Na- tional Bank since 1892, and he is a director of both the Uxbridge Savings Bank and the Blackstone Valley Co-operative Creamery.

In 1864 Mr. Hayward contracted the first of his three marriages with Susan H. Taft, a daughter of Moses and Sylvia (Wheelock)

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WILLIAM E. HAYWARD.

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Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Part 9

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