Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Part 94

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 94

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Mr. Fisher married in February, 1860, Miss Annie A. Kendall, of Worcester, daughter of Colonel Peter and Rebecca W. (Bancroft) Kendall. Mrs. Fisher's father, who was born in Sterling in 1790, was a mason and builder of wide reputation in Worcester. He built

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the town hall in 1824, and during the early part of this century erected many of the more substantial business blocks in this city. He was a Colonel in the old Massachusetts militia. He was also Chief Engineer of the Fire De- partment and a leading member of the Worces- ter Agricultural Society, and stood high in business and social circles. Mr. and Mrs. Fisher have no children.

LIVER FOLLETT HARRIS, for- merly a leading dentist of Worcester, was born at Windham, Conn., October 5, 1822, son of Martin and Maria (Follett) Harris. The Harris family has been represented in Connecticut since the latter part of the eighteenth century, and its members have been prominent in commercial and social circles. Martin Harris, who resides at Wind- ham, was for many years an active business man of that place.

Oliver Follett Harris spent his boyhood in Windham, and began his school days there, subsequently attending an academy at Willi- mantic. Deciding upon dentistry as the occu- pation best suited to his tastes and talents, he secured admittance to the office of the leading dentist in Norwich, Conn., Dr. Allen, and at once took up the study of that profession under the most favorable auspices. By his quick- ness in grasping new ideas and by his dili- gence in his work he won the favor of his preceptor, who assisted him in every way pos- sible. At the end of his apprenticeship he opened an office in Connecticut, in which State he practised for a short time. But, de- siring a wider field, he came to Worcester in 1846, and formed a partnership with Dr. Bishop, with whom he remained connected for some years, their offices being located at the corner of Main and Walnut Streets; and their acknowledged skill and reliability soon secured for them a large clientèle. Upon the subse- quent dissolution of this partnership Dr. Har- ris continued the business alone, and became in time one of the leading dentists of Worces- ter County. Keeping constantly in touch with the latest developments of dental science, he retained to the last his prestige as a thoroughly

up-to-date practitioner. His close application to business seriously undermined his health; and in 1869 he went to Florida to recuperate, remaining there for several years. While in Florida he acquired an interest in a hotel at St. John's River, and there hung out the first United States flag displayed on the river after the war. Late in the seventies he returned to Worcester and opened an office in Taylor's Block, at 476 Main Street, where he soon re- gained his former patronage and built up a large and lucrative practice. He remained in active practice until a few weeks before his death, which occurred on April 22, 1892. As a man Dr. Harris was kind-hearted, generous, and sympathetic in high degree. He won friends wherever he went, and had ever a cord- ial word for all whom he met. His religious principles were broad and charitable, and he was thoroughly in touch with the most ad- vanced religious thought of the day. In 1852 he was a member of Colonel T. W. Higgin- son's Free Church in Worcester, and subse- quently he joined Unity Church in this city.

Dr. Harris was twice married, the second time in 1855 to Mary Cross, daughter of Ben- jamin C. and Susan Cross, of Worcester. One daughter, Olive Isabel, survives him.

J OSEPH F. REYNOLDS, superintend- ent of the farm and gardens of the State Lunatic Hospital at Worcester, was born in Birmingham, England, April 25, 1862, son of Henry T. and Elizabeth (Weston) Reynolds. His paternal ancestors for several generations were engaged in the manufacture of wire. His mother is a daugh- ter of Frederick Weston, also of Birmingham, England, and the family occupy a prominent place among the wealthy yeomanry of that lo- cality, one of them having been Mayor of the city.

Henry T. Reynolds, father of Joseph F., was born in 1820. Learning the trade of wire drawing, he followed it for a number of years in his native county. He subsequently emigrated with his family to America, buying a farm of nine hundred acres in Halifax County, Nova Scotia. But not finding this a profitable vent-

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ure, in 1880 he sold the property, and coming to Worcester engaged in market-gardening here. He has built up a profitable business, and is especially successful in the raising of celery, for which he has acquired a high repu- tation. He is one of the expert gardeners of this city, and has charge of the gardens belong- ing to Captain Winslow S. Lincoln, who is now commanding his company in Cuba. He and his wife, Elizabeth, have been the parents of eight children, one of whom died in infancy and another at the age of five years. The sur- vivors are all married except Joseph F., the subject of this sketch. One of the daughters has a son who fought for Cuban independence in the late war.

Joseph F. Reynolds received a common- school education. When quite young he dis- played a taste for gardening, which was care- fully fostered by his father, and he has since become very expert in that calling. In 1893 he was engaged to take charge of the gardens at the Lunatic Hospital, and since 1894 has occupied his present position of agricultural superintendent. The estate contains four hun- dred acres, forty of which are devoted to lawns and ornamental grounds, thirty to the raising of ensilage, fifteen to field crops, and the same amount to garden products. The stock con- sists of one hundred head of well-bred Hol- stein cattle, four hundred and fifty hogs, and sixteen draught and nine driving horses. The average milk product is two hundred gallons per day, and the barns have a capacity of four hundred tons of hay and from three hundred to four hundred tons of ensilage. The cash value of the total products amounts to twenty-five thousand dollars annually. It will thus be seen that the superintendency is an exacting and responsible position.

HARLES D. SAGE, one of the most prominent residents of New Brain- tree, was born in Sheffield, Berk- shire County, March 21, 1849, son of Charles and Mary (Thorp) Sage. His im- migrant ancestor, David Sage, a Welshman, who was born in 1639, arrived at Middletown, Conn., in 1652. His paternal grandfather,

Simeon Sage, born in Salisbury, Conn., in 1759, who spent the active period of his life upon a farm in Berkshire County, Massachu- setts, married Mary Holden, a native of Salis- bury, Conn.

Charles Sage, a native of Sheffield, born in April, 1800, was a lifelong resident of that town. He followed general farming very prosperously throughout his mature years. Having retired from active labor some time previously, he died on February 10, 1883. In politics he was a Republican, and he served the community in some of the town offices. He attended the Methodist Episcopal church. His wife, Mary, who was born in Sheffield in 1807, gave birth to five children, namely : Mary E., in 1832, who is unmarried and re- sides in Sheffield; Caroline M., in 1834, who is the wife of William Wilcox; of Sheffield; Eliza A., in 1844, who is single and resides in Ottawa, Ill .; Edwin, who died in infancy; and Charles D., the subject of this sketch. The mother died in 1872.

Charles D. Sage was educated in the schools of Sheffield and New Marlboro. When a young man he engaged in farming. Having purchased the homestead, he occupied it until he was twenty-seven years old. Selling the property in 1876, he went to Texas, bought a tract of six hundred acres of grazing land in Blanco County, and for the succeeding four years was engaged in planting cotton and rais- ing cattle. After the disposal of his Texas ranch he returned to New England, and re- sided in Spencer, Mass., until 1885. Since that time he has carried on an extensive dairy business in New Braintree. His farm proper, containing three hundred acres, augmented by outlying land, covers about seven hundred acres, and his hay crop averages two hundred and sixty tons annually. He keeps one hun- dred and fifty or more head of stock, mostly thoroughbred Jerseys, Ayrshires, and Hol- steins. In some parts of the year he ships eighty cans of milk daily. In 1892 he began to personally conduct a series of excursions to the Pacific coast. This was followed by a similar enterprise in 1894. In 1893 he piloted a party of five hundred and forty-four to the Columbian Exposition. Last year he took

CHARLES D. SAGE.

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a large party to Nashville, Tenn. He is now arranging another personally conducted trip to California.

In 1869 Mr. Sage first married Clara A. Dickson, a native of Middlefield, Mass., who died February 9, 1890. She left five chil- dren; namely, Edwin R., Julia A., Mary E., Kittie C., and Belle B. Sage. The present Mrs. Sage, formerly Belle I. Clark, is a na- tive of Connecticut. Mr. Sage is a charter member and he was the first Master of New Braintree Grange, No. 170, Patrons of Hus- bandry. He is also a member of both the Spencer Agricultural and the American Pomological Societies, of the Ayrshire Breeders' Association, and the Holstein Friesian Association of America. In politics he is a Republican. At the present time he is serving as Constable. As a farmer his en- terprise, practical knowledge, and sound judg- ment place him in the front rank of Worcester County agriculturists. Mr. Sage is a member of the Union Congregational church at North Brookfield.

RRIN H. WESTON, who was identi- fied with the interests of Worcester for a number of years as a leading mer- chant and citizen, was born February 16, 1821, in Millington, Conn., a son of James Weston, a well-to-do farmer of that town. In his youth he worked on the home farm and attended the district school. Subsequently he learned the tanner's trade, and by industry and economy saved some money, with which he bought a tannery in Millington. In 1844 he enlarged his operations by the purchase of a tannery at Stafford Springs, Conn., which he conducted successfully for some time. Later he purchased still another tan yard and factory, buying out a firm in Orwell, N. Y .; and, con- solidating these two tanneries, he conducted business until 1859 in a profitable and satisfac- tory manner. Coming then to Worcester, he formed a partnership with James J. Warren, with whom he carried on an extensive whole- sale and retail trade in dressed leather and shoe finding's until 1879, when the firm was dis- solved by mutual consent. Mr. Weston sub-

sequently conducted the business alone on Front Street until his death, which occurred January 31, 1892. A man of undoubted abil- ity and integrity, with a thorough knowledge of his business, he achieved a high measure of success, and gained a firm position among the solid and respected citizens of Worcester. Actively interested in city, State, and national affairs, he served with credit to himself and to his constituents as a member of the Com- mon Council in 1876. His nature was gener- ous and charitable, and he gave freely to benev- olent organizations, in a quiet, unpretentious way practising the true Christianity. He be- longed to the Lincoln Square Baptist Church, and was treasurer for several years of the Bap- tist City Mission Board.

On November 25, 1847, Mr. Weston mar- ried Antoinette J. Baker, of Stafford Springs, Conn., who survives him. Five children were born of their union, two of whom are living; namely, Walter B. and Julia A. Walter B. Weston was educated in Worcester, and after learning the hardware business in the store of Kinnicult & Co., of this city, opened a hard- ware store of his own on Franklin Square. He afterward became associated with his father, and when the latter died he sold out the dressed leather business, but retained that of shoe findings, which he is still carrying on successfully, being one of the largest dealers of the kind in the city, and one of the most progressive and active young merchants. In 1890 he married Miss Bertha Smith, and they have one child, Orrin, born May 10, 1892. Julia Weston married. Andrew Hair, who was born and reared in Scotland, from whence he came to Worcester in 1871, establishing him- self in business here as a member of the well- known firm of Hair Brothers, plumbers. He died in 1892, leaving his wife and five chil- dren - Annie E., Arthur W., Florence M., Bessie B., and Alice M.

ITTS C. TYLER, a retired merchant of Athol, was born in Hinsdale, N. H., March 17, 1827, son of J. Warren and Eleanor (Thomas) Tyler. His paternal grandfather, Dr. Joshua Tyler,

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removed from Brookfield, Mass., to Chester- field, N. H., some time between the years 1776 and 1781 ; and his substantial residence, which is still standing, indicates that he was in prosperous circumstances. J. Warren Tyler, father of Pitts C., taught school during the winter, and in summer ran a freight boat on the Connecticut River from Hartford to Bel- lows Falls.

Pitts C. Tyler received a public-school edu- cation. Beginning industrial life as clerk in a store in Fitzwilliam, N. H., he later worked a short time in a similar capacity in Winches- ter, N. H. Subsequently, being seized with the Western fever like many other young men of that day, he went to Milwaukee, where for the next two years he was employed as a clerk. In 1849 he started for California, sailing from New Orleans November 7, making the journey by way of Cape Horn. He arrived at San Francisco in June, 1850. After staying at Marysville for a while, he tried his fortune in other parts of the State during the next three years. In 1854 he returned East and took the management of the Union Store in Athol, which was then owned by the neighboring farmers, whose shares he purchased as oppor- tunity was afforded him; and before long he became sole proprietor of the establishment. On the increase of the business he sent for his brother Charles to assist him. Charles Tyler enlisted for service in the Civil War, but upon his return became a member of the firm, the partnership continuing until Pitts C. Tyler's retirement in 1876.

Mr. Tyler married Mary E. Ide, daughter of Ivory S. Ide, of Hinsdale, N. H. They have two sons : Albert W., born in 1854, who mar- ried Harriet E. Howe, daughter of Abram Howe, of Shutesbury, Mass., and has two children; and Edwin P., born in 1855, who married Kate T. Crawford, daughter of W. J. Crawford, of Dana, Mass., in which town they reside.

Mr. Tyler belongs to Star Lodge, F. & A. M .; Union Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; and Athol Commandery, Knights Templar. In 1880, accompanied by his wife, he visited the scenes of his former experiences in Cali- fornia; and he has also spent two summers

with his son in Colorado. He now enjoys an honestly acquired competency, and occupies a prominent place among the well-to-do residents of Athol.

EORGE A. BARBER .- Owing to severe religious persecution, in 1718 a colony of Scotch emigrants came to this country and located in Worcester, where a settlement had been begun three years before. Robert Barber, one of the number, was married to Sarah Gray during the voyage; and on arriving here he at once proceeded to build him a house at Northville, at what is now known as Barber's Crossing, locating exactly opposite the family homestead of to-day. Soon after the little colony were established they began to look about for a suitable place to build a house for the worship of God. A rude structure was erected on what is now known as Lincoln Street, but was torn down a few years later. Matthew Barber settled upon the estate in Northville next to Robert's, since owned and occupied by Thomas Stowell, his son Sam- uel, and his grandson, Frederick S. Stowell. James Barber settled a little to the north upon what is known as the Brooks farm. He had a son, William C., the father of the wife of A. B. R. Sprague, the present Mayor of the city. This branch of the family changed the name of Barber to Barbour. Robert Barber 'was the father of fifteen children, three sets of twins included in the number. In 1742 Rob- ert Barber was elected juryman for the ensuing year, it being the custom of those days to elect jurymen for the period of one year. He was again elected in 1757, and held the office four years. The descendants of Robert Barber are widely scattered, many being in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, a large number also in Georgia, where Robert, his grandson, located. Among them are many prominent men, both in the clergy and in various industrial pursuits.

In 1778 severe distress was experienced by the colony, owing to depreciation of the cur- rency, the exorbitant prices of the necessaries of life, and the distrust of public credit. By the invitation of Boston, on July 14, a conven- tion, composed of delegates from all parts of

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the State, assembled at Concord for the pur- pose of consulting on measures to give effect to the recommendations of Congress for the relief of the people. Worcester was repre- sented by David Bigelow and by Joseph Barber, son of Robert Barber. As a result of the con- vention, prices were regulated by a moderate appraisal of the articles of produce and mer- chandise. Loans to government, provision for the support of the clergy, and attention to schools as the means of good education were most earnestly recommended.

Joseph Barber succeeded his father, Robert, in business as a clothier and dyer. In 1780 he was elected Selectman. He was made chairman of that body, and served in that capacity for several years. The old house was torn down by him, and the present house on the opposite side of the street was erected. By his first wife Joseph Barber had three sons - Robert, Rufus, and James; and a daughter Mary, whose birth the mother survived but a brief period. Mary Barber married John Dol- liver, of Grafton. Her brothers settled in New Hampshire.

To Joseph Barber and his second wife, Eliz- abeth McClanathan, were born five children - William, Silas, Robert, Elizabeth, and Asa, the two latter being twins. William and Silas succeeded their father on the old homestead. William, who died in 1854, aged sixty-nine years, was an agriculturist. He married Ruth Reed, and had five children - Sarah, Mary, Ruth, Isabella, and Alexander.

Silas Barber, who was a carpenter, died in 1869, aged eighty-one years. His wife was Hannah Stowell. They had five children - Stephen Albert, Elizabeth M., George A., Julia A., and William T. Julia A. became the wife of Joseph E. Bond. William T. Barber, son of Silas, succeeded to the old homestead. He married Augusta E. Frost, and had two children, namely: Josephine A., who married Gardner E. Adams, and now oc- cupies the old homestead; and Frederick W., who died in 1892 of heart disease. William T. Barber died of apoplexy in 1880.

George A. Barber was an older son of Silas. He worked for the Washburn & Moen Manu- facturing Company as expert wire temperer

and as a maker of organ reeds, remaining with them nine years all together; and he afterward worked for a time for A. H. Hammond. Sub- sequent to this he lived in retirement until his death, which occurred from heart disease in 1894, at the age of seventy-four years and six months. For a number of years he was a member of the old City Guards. He belonged also to the Temple of Honor.

Mr. Barber's first wife, whose maiden name was Lucy W. Clapp, died in 1859, leaving one son, Albert W., who is at present located at 7. Main Street as newsdealer and jeweller. In 1861 Mr. Barber was married to his second wife, Mrs. Lucy A. Dexter, who, with two children, born of their union, George W. and Martha B., survives him. Albert W. Barber, his elder son, married Mary J. Kelley, and has one daughter, Alberta May. George W., the younger son, is a milk dealer in Brookfield. He married Sarah L. Whitely, and has had seven children - George Walter, Bertie, Rob- ert C., Edward L., Chester F., Blanche L., and Glady's Flora. Only three of these are living - George Walter, Edward L., and Blanche L. Martha B. Barber married Charles D. Norwood.

LARENDON WILLARD PUTNAM, the superintendent of mails in the Worcester post-office, was born in the city of Worcester on November 29, 1847, son of Jason and Catherine (Pratt) Putnam. His genealogy goes back to an early period in the seventeenth century, when three brothers named Putnam came from England and landed in Salem, Mass. From one of these he is descended in a direct line and through the famous General Israel Putnam. His grandfather, Aaron Putnam, who was a farmer of Sutton, born in 1776, died in 1822. Aaron's first wife bore him five sons and three daughters; and the second, one son and one daughter.

Jason Putnam, born in Sutton on September 6, 1807, and who died on December 14, 1887, in Concord, N. H., was a skilled mechanic and a man of considerable inventive genius. He learned his trade in Worcester with a Mr.

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Stowell, and, beginning in 1853, was subse- quently in business for himself for over a quar- ter of a century. He came here when a young man, and eventually became a prosperous man- ufacturer of loom harness frames. His wife, whose maiden name was Catherine Pratt, was a native of Shrewsbury. Her parents, Shepard and Catherine (Walker) Pratt, were born re- spectively in Shrewsbury and Worcester. The latter was a daughter of Dr. William Walker, who enlisted as a private in the Continental army, was subsequently promoted to the post of surgeon, and served in that capacity during the remainder of the Revolutionary War. The grandfather, who was a retired English officer, fell in love with a beautiful Welsh lady of noble birth, whose family was far above his own in social position. They came to Amer- ica, were married, and settled in Worcester, where their son, Dr. Walker, was born, and where the mother subsequently died. Mrs. Catherine Putnam, who was born on March 19, 1814, now eighty-five years old, retains full possession of her faculties, and is as entertain- ing in conversation as many a younger woman. She resides with her son Clarendon. Of the two sons and four daughters born to her, the survivors are Clarendon and Lilla W. The latter is now the wife of Obadiah Morrell, of Concord, N. H. The other son, James H., died in infancy. Katie died at the age of six- teen, of consumption; Maria, at the age of eighteen; and Rosalie Lucia, who was the wife of John D. Andrews, died in 1892, at the age of fifty-seven, leaving one daughter.

After attending the Worcester public schools for the usual period, Clarendon Willard Put- nam entered Worcester Academy. Upon the breaking out of the Civil War he enlisted in Company K, Twenty-fifth Regiment of Massa- chusetts Infantry, under Captain J. Waldo Denney. After two years of valiant service at the front he was disabled for life in the attack on Petersburg, and afterward was honorably discharged. In 1867, at the instance of his former Colonel, Josiah Pickett, who was at that time Postmaster, he entered the post-office as a general delivery clerk. During the next six years he was gradually promoted through the various grades to the position of the high-

est clerk, of which the salary is a thousand dollars a year, an increase of seven hundred over that of his first year. He was subse- quently appointed to the railway mail ser- vice, in which important branch he continued for twelve years as relief route agent, succes- sively on the Worcester & Norwich, Worcester & Nashua, and Worcester Providence roads. In 1885, to his own great surprise, since the office had been solicited neither by himself nor his friends, he was appointed superintendent of mails in the Worcester office, which position he has since held. This gives him at the present time a record of thirty-one years in the postal service, a remarkably long term con- sidering the various changes of administration the country has. undergone.

Mr. Putnam is a Republican in politics. In the Masonic fraternity he is a Master Mason. He has been a member of George H. Ward Post, No. 10, G. A. R., almost since it was organized, and in 1888 was its Commander. At the present time he is serving as Assistant Quartermaster-general of the Grand Army, Department of Massachusetts. He is also a member of General William S. Lincoln's com- mand, No. 18, Union Veterans' Union; was its Colonel in 1896; and in 1897 was Adju- tant-general of the National Command. He is the secretary and treasurer of the Twenty- fifth Massachusetts Regiment Association, and has been for many years the president of the Company K Association. For a number of years also he has been the chairman of the local board of United States Civil Service Commissioners. The Post No. 10, G. A. R., war library, which is one of the best of its kind in the State, was founded by him. He is a member of the Piedmont Congregational Church.

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Biographical review containing life sketches of leading citizens of Worcester County, Massachusetts, Part 94

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