USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Franklin County, Massachusetts .. > Part 15
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Mr. Scott is a Republican, and has taken an active and prominent part in the affairs of his town, which he has faithfully and accept- ably served in various offices, having been Town Clerk and Treasurer, Tax Collector, and a member of the School Committee; and for twenty-five years he has acted as Justice of the Peace. He is a member of the Arthur Miller Post, No. 93, Grand Army of the Republic, of Shelburne Falls. In religious views Mr. Scott and his wife are members of the Baptist church.
B FRANK SEVERANCE, an active and prosperous agriculturist of the town of Shelburne, is a fine repre- ยท sentative of the native-born citizens of this . part of Franklin County, his birth having oc- curred March 2, 1841, on the farm where he now resides. His parents were Lorenzo and Amanda C. (Stewart) Severance, both natives of Shelburne, his father having been born March 25, 1813, and his mother, Novem- ber 17, 1809, on this same homestead. Mr.
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Severance is of substantial English and Scotch ancestry. John Severance, an early immigrant to Massachusetts, a freeman in 1637, was one of the original proprietors of the town of Salisbury, in Essex County. He died in 1682. One of his sons, who also bore the name John, was born in 1647. John Severance, Jr., removed from Salis- bury. Mass., some years after his marriage, to Suffield, Conn., and there, in October, 1682, was born his fourth child, Joseph. A few years later the family came to Franklin County, Mass., and for a few years made their home in Deerfield, where a daughter Abigail died in 1691. John Severance, Jr., did not remain permanently in Deerfield, but made another removal, leaving his land in that town to his son Joseph. This was about the year 1706.
Martin Severance, son of Joseph and Anna Severance and great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born September 10, 1718, in Deerfield. After his marriage with Pa- tience Fairfield, who was born in 1728, he settled in what is now Shelburne, being among the few white men to venture into the wilderness then known as Deerfield Pasture, or "North-west," coming here first in 1760, but being so harassed by the Indians that he went back to Deerfield, where he remained two years. He then returned to his land, and on it in 1775 built the house that is now owned and occupied by Samuel Bardwell. Martin Severance was a brave soldier of the French and Indian War, in which he was taken captive; and he also fought in the Rev- olution. He died at Shelburne Falls, April 10, 1810, nearly a year after the death of his wife, which occurred May 25, 1809. They had a family of twelve children, of whom Selah was the eleventh. Selah Severance was born September 26, 1771, at Shelburne Falls,
and was reared to a farmer's occupation. He formerly owned the farm now in the possession of O. and E. Bardwell; and on this farm he successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death, October 8, 1832. His wife, whose maiden name was Hannah Putnam, was born October 24, 1780, in the town of Heath, and died May 30, 1854. Both were faithful and much esteemed members of the Congrega- tional church, being people of sterling char- acter.
Lorenzo was the eighth child of a family of thirteen born to Selah and Hannah (Putnam) Severance. He learned the trade of stone- mason when a young man, and worked at that in connection with farming. In 1841 he settled on the farm now owned by his son, B. Frank, making it his abiding place until his decease, September 22, 1887. He was a man of good business ability, an untiring worker; and his labors were crowned with success. He was a strong Republican in politics, and, like his wife, a Congregationalist in religion. He married Amanda Charlotte Stewart, and they were the parents of six children, of whom two are now living, namely: B. Frank, of Shelburne; and his elder sister, Martha A., who was born May 3, 1839, and is the wife of Henry O. Draper, of Ware. The others may here be briefly named: Calvin C., born Octo- ber 10, 1835, died March 27, 1836; Mrs. Mary E. Field, born May 3, 1837, died March 10, 1890; James H., born September 4, 1844, died February 15, 1846; and Herman L., born November 4, 1854, died February 10, 1855.
Mrs. Amanda C. Severance now makes her home with her son on the farm where her pa- ternal grandfather, John Stewart, settled on October 19, 1773. Mrs. Severance is a lineal descendant of an earlier John Stewart (Stuart, as sometimes spelled), who was one of the first sixteen settlers of Londonderry, N.H.,
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in 1719. In Morrison's History of Windham, N.H., he is spoken of as Charter John, or one of the original grantees of Londonderry; and interesting particulars arc there given of the family history, from which we glcan the fol- lowing : -
"Robert Stewart (or Stuart) is said to have been of royal blood and a landed proprietor in Scotland. He is supposed to have been one of the Covenanters who took part in 1679 in the battle of Bothwell Bridge, subsequently fleeing to Londonderry, Ireland. At his death, about 1719, he left a widow and five children. His eldest son, John, the immi- grant above named, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1682. The land originally as- signed to him in New Hampshire consisted of sixty acres in what is now East Derry, near the meeting-house. In 1728 Charter John Stewart was one of the fourteen dissatisfied men to whom additional land was laid out in the Windham Rangc. This land furnished a home to his descendants for two generations. It was first occupied by his son John, who was born about 1715. John Stewart, the second of the name, became a prominent citizen of Windham, N.H., being invoice-taker in 1743, Selectman in 1745, surveyor in 1748, and tithing-man in 1747, 1758, 1759. He mar- ried Mrs. Rebecca Costa Patten, who was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and who after her husband's death moved with her son John, the third, to Shelburne, Mass., where she died, at the age of ninety-fivc ycars."
John Stewart, third, son of John and Re- becca (Costa) Stewart, was born September 22, 1743, at Windham, N.H., and came herc a young man, being one of the first white settlers of the vicinity. He built a log house, and during the first ycars of his life in this locality was largely dependent on the game to be found in the woods for his subsistence.
On December 31, 1765, hc was united in marriage with Rebecca Stewart, of Colerain; and they brought their houschold goods from Windham to Shelburne in an ox-tcam, travel- ling about eight miles a day, the wife riding on horseback. Hc was a man of prominence in the town, and served as Selectman in 1806 and in 1807. He dicd in 1815. John Stcw- art, fourth, was a babe of a few months old when his mother brought him in her arms on horseback to the home farm, where he after- ward spent his life, an independent farmer. He died here in 1843, aged seventy years. He married Charlotte Flagg, a native of Brookfield; and they reared five children, one of them being Amanda Charlotte, now the widow of Lorenzo Severance.
B. Frank Severance was reared on the homestead, and acquired a good common- school education in his native town. Being early initiated into the details of agricultural arts, he has given his attention to farming, residing here his entire life, with the excep- tion of three years spent in Colerain. The estate, which he now owns, contains eighty acres of productive land, and is well supplied with substantial and convenient buildings for carrying on his work. The farm is known as Spring Farm, being named from its springs of living water, eighteen in number. Mr. Sev- erance makes a specialty of dairying, keeping twelve head of sleek-looking grade Jerseys, and finds this a very profitable branch of in- dustry.
On Christmas Day, in the year 1875, Mr. Severance was united in marriage with Lizzie M. Kimball, who was born July 27, 1847, at Weathersfield, Vt., a daughter of Samuel and Electa (Morgan) Kimball. Her parents were natives of Weathersfield, and both born in the same year, 1804, the birthday of Mr. Kimball being June 6, and of Mrs. Kimball January
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20. They both spent their lives in the place of their nativity, and in death, in 1877, were not long separated, she passing away March 21, and he April 22. Both Mr. and Mrs. Kimball were liberal in their religious views, and he was a stanch Republican in politics. Six children - four sons and two daughters - were born to them, of whom two, John and Mary, are deceased. The three brothers of Mrs. Severance are: Chauncey M., born June 24, 1831, living at Weathersfield; Daniel, born January 1, 1833, residing in Claremont, N. H. ; Amos M., born February 27, 1836, living at Lake Geneva, Wis. Mr. and Mrs. Severance have no children. Their home is pleasant and attractive; and they are highly esteemed in the community, being faithful members of the Congregational church. In politics Mr. Severance is a steadfast Republi- can.
B ION N. PETERSON, an extensive land-owner and some time farmer of Heath, Franklin County, Mass., now occupying a position of responsibility in the United States Navy, was born in Colerain, October 19, 1857, and is a son of Jonathan and Chloe (Stratton) Peterson, former resi- dents of that town, which joins Heath on the east. Mr. Peterson's paternal grandfather, Sylvanus Peterson, was a son of Jonathan Peterson, a native of Middleboro, Mass., who became one of the first settlers in the town of Colerain, where he figured prominently in public affairs, and died at the advanced age of ninety-one years. Sylvanus Peterson was born in Colerain, and succeeded to the posses- sion of his father's farm, which he conducted for many years. He died at the age of sev- enty-nine years, having passed the latter por- tion of his life in retirement. He married Lavinia Call, who died, aged . seventy; and 1
their children were as follows: Olive, Mary, Cynthia, Fanny, Rhoda, Louis, Jane, Char- lotte, Nelson, John, George, Harlow, Jona- than, and another child, who died an infant.
Jonathan Peterson, son of Sylvanus and Lavinia, purchased in his early manhood one hundred acres of land in Colerain, which he later sold, and, moving to Heath, here bought a farm of two hundred and three acres. He followed agricultural pursuits successfully for several years, but finally retired from active labor, and is at present residing with his daughter in the State of Washington. He was a Republican in politics, and held the offices of Selectman, Assessor, and Overseer of the Poor for several terms. His wife, who died at the age of sixty years, was a daughter of Alvin and Loantha (Sherman) Stratton, her brothers and sisters being Philoe, Clark, Frank, Lydia, and Triphena. The parents were early settlers of Hardwick, Vt .; but somewhat late in life they removed to Cole- rain, Mass., and there passed the remainder of their days. They were in prosperous circum- stances, owning and occupying a large farm. Mr. Stratton died at the age of sixty-seven, and his wife at seventy-six. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Peterson were named as follows: Loantha, Lavinia, Bion N., Arthur J., Nettie, Frank, Josie E., and John A.
Bion N. Peterson attended the common schools, and after the completion of his studies, when he was eighteen years of age, engaged in agricultural pursuits in the State of Connecticut for a period of one year. He then entered the employ of Luce Brothers, who ran steamers that were engaged in the menhaden fisheries, and remained with them six years, during which time he rose to the position of mate of what was known as the "Quick-step" steamer. Tiring of sea life, he
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once more became engaged in farming; but two years later he received and accepted an appointment as pay clerk in the cadets' store at Annapolis, Md., which position he held for the succeeding three years. Returning to his native State in 1889, he settled at Heath, where he purchased the Clark farm, consisting of one hundred and seven acres. He also owns another farm, which lies in the immedi- ate vicinity of his last purchase; and these he has continued to operate together, devoting his attention to general farming and dairying interests, also raising sheep, and dealing in live stock. He is a Republican in politics, and has served as a Selectman and a member of the School Board, and is at the present time a Justice of the Peace. He has recently ob- tained another position in the United States navy, and is now (September, 1895) stationed at the New York Navy Yard, in charge of the government stores on the receiving ship, "Vermont."
On November 27, 1881, Mr. Peterson was united in marriage to Cornelia Reynolds, daughter of William and Delia (Guirley) Rey- nolds, of Connecticut, the former of whom was for many years connected with the iron manu- facturing industries. Mrs. Peterson's grand- parents, Thomas and Mary (Mitchell) Rey- nolds, emigrated from England, and settled at Birmingham, Conn., where her grandfather became an iron manufacturer, and resided there until his decease, which occurred at the age of eighty years. His children were: Lucy, Thomas, Henry, and William. Will- iam was born at Fall River, Conn., adopted his father's business, and also erected several prominent iron manufactories. He finally sold his enterprises in the East, and became superintendent of the St. Louis Iron Works at St. Louis, Mo., from which position he retired some time since. His wife died at
the age of fifty-six years, leaving three chil- dren - Augustus, Jessie, and Cornelia. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson have had three children : France, born August 13, 1888; Alice, born July 20, 1890; and Jonathan, born August 10, 1893.
ERBERT COLLINS PARSONS, as- sociate editor of the Greenfield Ga- zette and Courier, was born at Northfield, Mass., January 15, 1862, his father, Albert C. Parsons, having been born in the same town, July 31, 1812. The birth- place of both father and son was the dwelling- house built by the grandfather, Jabez Parsons, who was born at Enfield, Conn., in 1777, and settled at Northfield, Mass., about the year 1798. He was a currier by trade, and estab- lished a tannery, which he carried on for some years, being at length disabled through loss of eyesight, from which he never re- covered, his blindness extending over a period of forty years. He died in February, 1876, aged nearly ninety-four years. His wife, Lovicy Prior, of Enfield, was the mother of five children, four of whom grew to maturity.
Albert C. Parsons married for his first wife Hannah Stevens, of Warwick, who became the mother of four children, two of whom lived to reach maturity ; and one is now living, Albert Stevens Parsons, of Lexington, Mass., treas- urer of the Cambridgeport Diary Company. His first wife having died in 1855, Mr. A. C. Parsons wedded for his second wife, in 1858, Mrs. Susan E. Lane Beach, widow of Joseph Beach and daughter of James Lane, of Ala- bama, a circuit judge, who was a lineal de- scendant of Ralph Lane, one of the founders of the Jamestown Colony, Virginia, in 1609. Susan E. Lane was born in Greenville, Ala., August 1, 1822, and married her first husband, Joseph Beach, at Charleston, S.C., accom-
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panying him to his home in Northfield, Mass., where he died. Mr. Albert C. Parsons, at the age of eighty-three years a well-preserved and active old gentleman, now retired from mercantile business, which he followed for fifteen years previous to 1885, still resides at the farm in Northfield that he inherited from his father. He has been prominent in the local town government, and was conspicuous as an anti-slavery worker in the early days of the abolition movement. He became a Re- publican with the formation of that party, but in 1884 joined the Prohibition party. He has been a Selectman, a member of the legislature in 1861, of the Senate in 1865, and has been a candidate on the Prohibition ticket for the same position. He is one of the oldest mem- bers of the Unitarian church in Northfield, and was at one time President of the Connecti- cut Valley Conference of that denomination.
Herbert Collins Parsons is the younger of two children born to his parents, Albert C. and Susan E. (Lane) Parsons, and the only survivor, his sister, Mary Lane Parsons, a cul- tivated and accomplished young lady, a fine pianist, having died in 1890, at the age of thirty years, a short time after the death of their mother. After attending the public schools until reaching the age of nine years, young Parsons completed his education at a private school, and at the age of fifteen years became a salesman in his father's store, of which he became proprietor in 1885. He came to Greenfield in 1889, and entered the office of the Greenfield Gazette and Courier as associate editor.
On June 30, 1891, Mr. Herbert C. Parsons wedded Miss Charlotte C. Severance, daugh- ter of the late P. P. Severance, whose widow, Harriet (Converse) Severance, is a resident of Greenfield. Mr. Severance left four children -- three by his first wife -- his daughter Char-
lotte having been the only child of his second marriage. He was a farmer during his active years, and was a life-long resident of Green- field, where he took a prominent part in local public affairs.
Mr. Parsons has always been a Republican in politics, and while a resident of Northfield was chairman of the School Board. He is chairman of the Republican Committee of Greenfield, has several times served as dele- gate to the State Convention, and in 1888 he was a candidate for representative to the legis- lature, but was defeated, the district being strongly Democratic. He is Secretary of the Greenfield Club, a Master Mason, and a mem- ber of the Unitarian church. As well befits the editor of a local paper and a scion of an- cient and worthy stock, he is particularly in- terested in historical subjects, and is one of the counsellors of the Pocumtuck Valley Me- morial Association. Mr. and Mrs. Parsons have lost their only child, a son, who died in infancy.
EORGE C. ADAMS, who carries on a dairy and general farming business at Greenfield, Mass., was born in this town, January 16, 1829, on the farm where he now resides. He is the son of George Allen and his wife, Mary Wells Par- menter Allen, and a lineal descendant of William Adams, who was born in England, February 3, 1594, three full centuries ago, and came to Massachusetts early in the Colo- nial period. Andrew Adams, grandfather of George C., was of the sixth generation from William, the four intervening being repre- sented by Samuel, Nathaniel, Samuel, and John, in the order here given.
Andrew Adams, son of John, was born in Sutton, now Northbridge, Mass., November 7, 1759, and came to Franklin County when
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Greenfield and its surroundings was one vast wilderness, the abode of Indians and game, with here and there a white settler. Wild turkeys were abundant in those days, and many a bountiful feast did they furnish to the inmates of the little log house which Andrew Adams had constructed with the help of his good axe. He was a hard-working man and successful in what he undertook. His wife was a Congregationalist, and he an attendant of that church. In politics he was a Whig. He died in the house where George C. Adams now resides, June 30, 1822, at about sixty-two years of age; and his wife, Betsy (Chapin) Adams, died January 3, 1846, at the advanced age of eighty-three years. He had four chil- dren by his first wife: Nahum, a Major in the War of 1812; George, a farmer and lumber- man; Eliza, who became the wife of B. New- ton; and Peleg, a farmer.
George Adams was born in Pawtuxet, R.I., and his wife, Mary, in Gill, Franklin County. He grew to manhood and spent all the days of his active life in Greenfield. Like his father, he was a hard worker, and won a fair degree of success in his business of lumberman and stock dealer, and owned the farm which is now occupied by his son, George C. Adams. It was considered a very good farm, and con- tained two hundred and twenty-five acres, most of the buildings on which were constructed by him or his father. He was prominent in the affairs of his town, and at various times filled the offices of Selectman, Assessor, and Over- seer of the Poor, and also settled a large num- ber of estates. In religion he was liberal. In politics he was a Whig and Republican. He died on the old farm at the age of sixty- five years, but his wife lived to the age of eighty-five. They had three children, two of whom are now living: the eldest child, Mary Wells, died March 31, 1853, aged twenty-
scven; the next was George C. Adams; So- phia, the youngest, is the wife of John W. Thompson, of Greenfield.
George C. Adams attended the schools of Greenfield, and later the high school and acad- emy of Bernardston. Arriving at man's es- tate, he chose for himself the line of business at which his father and grandfather had been so successful - that of farmer. In addition to his general farming, he has until recently carried on a dairy, and sold milk at Turner's Falls and Greenfield. On November 24, 1859, he was united in the bonds of wedlock to Mary Aurelia Parmenter, who was born in West Troy, N. Y., June 1, 1838, daughter of Flaviel and Betsey (Davis) Parmenter.
Mr. Parmenter was born in the town of Gill, Franklin County, Mass., and his wife in Savoy, Berkshire County. He was a machin- ist and a good business man. At Troy he was engaged in the manufacture of gun-carriages for the United States government, and also in iron roofing and other government work. His first wife having died, he was again married to Angeline Davis, who was a sister of his first wife, and who died at the age of seventy-two years. Mr. Parmenter had seven children - two by his first wife and five by his second - and three are now living : Mary A., the eldest, is the wife of George C. Adams; Miss Florie Isabella now resides in Orange, Mass .; and Angeline Roxana married Mr. Lowe Cary, and resides in Indianapolis, Ind. William H. and two others died in infancy, and George T. died at two and one-half years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Parmenter were active members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in poli- tics he was a Republican.
George C. Adams and wife still reside on the old farm, which must be fruitful of many pleasant and tender recollections to Mr. Adams as he thinks of the days of his boy-
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hood, and remembers that here his father and grandfather spent the greater part of their lives. Mr. and Mrs. Adams have reared four children. Frederick G., the only son, mar- ried Ellen Hartney. They live in Greenfield, and have two children - Francis Parmenter and Charles Frederick. Angeline E., the eldest daughter, resides with her parents. Nellie S. became the wife of Dana E. Wis- wall, and resides in Turner's Falls. They have had two children, of whom Ethel May, the elder, died at three years of age; and Elsie E. is the only living child. Carrie M. Adams, the youngest daughter, resides with her parents at the old homestead. George C. Adams and his wife are members of the Con- gregational church at Turner's Falls, and are highly respected and esteemed by their many acquaintances. Mr. Adams has always be- longed to the Republican party in politics.
A LFRED A. PARKER, a loyal Ameri- can citizen, who fought for the Union in the Civil War, now a retired merchant living at Orange, Franklin County, is a native of Massachusetts, having been born in New Boston, then a part of the town of Winchendon, and is a worthy descendant of honored Revolutionary patriots, the family being of substantial English stock. Its earli- est representative in America was Thomas Parker, who, with his wife, Amy, came from London in the "Susan and Ellen" in 1635, and settled in the town of Reading, Middle- sex County, Mass., where he became one of the influential citizens, holding the office of Selectman and Deacon of- the church, and as- sisting in the pioneer labor of building up the now thriving town.
Amos Parker, the great-grandfather of the subject of this brief record, was a son of An-
drew, grandson of John, and great-grandson of Hananiah, who was the second son of Dcacon Thomas Parker, the immigrant. Amos was for some years a farmer in Lexington, but sub- sequently removed to Holden, Mass., in 1745, and later to Shrewsbury, where hc and his wife passed their remaining years. They were noted for charity and picty, and bc- longed to the Congregational church. They reared seven sons and one or two daughters; and six of the sons, it is said, served in the Revolution.
Nahum, the sixth son of Amos, was born March 4, 1760, at Shrewsbury, and when a youth of sixteen years enlisted in the Conti- nental Army, and served throughout the war, being present at the surrender of General Bur- goyne at Saratoga in 1777, and late in life drawing a pension. He settled at Gerry, now Phillipston, Worcester County, where he lived until 1786, when he removed to Fitzwilliam, N. H. Although his early educational advan- tages were very limited, he became interested in reading instructive books through his mother's influence, and gradually obtained a superior education by his own efforts. He had great native ability, with much force of character, and, being very public-spirited, was kept almost continuously in town or county office, being Selectman and Moderator many years, Representative for two years, likewisc a Counsellor and a member of the State Sen- ate, of which he was chosen President; and for a score of years he served as judge of the Court of Common Pleas. In 1806 he was chosen by the legislature United States Sena- tor. Both he and his wife, whose maiden name was Mary Deeth, rounded out a full pe- riod of years, and were the parents of nine children : Hannah, Austin, Maria, Amos, Ephraim, Nahum, Selina, Almon, and Sid- ney.
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