USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Franklin County, Massachusetts .. > Part 36
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William Coombs was born in Colerain, July 17, 1810, and early took up the duties of agricultural life. He bought in 1852 the farm now tilled by his son. This farm, then called the Andrew and John Smith place, was laid out in 1736, and was one of the first established in the town. William Coombs was a well-read man, of broad views and good judgment. He voted the Republican ticket, and held office in the town at various times, serving as Selectman for several terms. He died at his homestead on July 2, 1880, at the age of seventy. His wife, who was born June 12, 1817, died on November 9, 1866. Mr. Coombs's religious views were strictly Ortho- dox, though he did not belong to any church. His wife was a member of the Congregational
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church. They had six children, two of whom died in childhood. Three are living to-day, namely: Jane E .. born May 4. 1848, wife of J. D. Purinton, of Seward, Neb .; Edwin W. and Robert M., both born March 5, 1853, farmers in Colerain. Henry W., who was born in September, 1849, died at the age of twenty-nine. Edwin W. Coombs lives on a farm adjacent to that of his twin brother. He married Flora, daughter of Allen and Olive (Underwood) Burrington, who live on a farm in Colerain, and has three children: Mabel, William, and Evelyn Coombs. Polit- ically. Edwin W. Coombs is a Republican. In religion he holds liberal views, and his wife is a Congregationalist.
Robert M. Coombs attended the district school at Colerain in boyhood, and put his hand to the plough early in life, helping about his father's farm. To-day he owns the homestead, which is one of the best farms in this part of the town, the extreme south end, the land being well adapted for raising crops, also affording fine pasture for the stock which make up Mr. Coombs's dairy. The house in which he resides, and which was built in 1875, is the fourth dwelling erected on the estate, the first having been made of round logs, and the second of logs hewed and fitted. This house is substantial and homelike; and the place, with its nearly two hundred acres of land, is one to be proud of.
On February 22, 1892, Mr. Coombs was married to Ella P., daughter of Reuben J. and Nancy (Thompson) Donelson, who reside on a neighboring farm in Colerain. Mr. and Mrs. Coombs have two children : Ruth Donel- son, born July 27, 1893 ; and John McClellan, born March 30, 1895.
Politically, Mr. Coombs is a Republican. In town affairs he takes a prominent part, and is now serving his sixth term as Selectman.
He is a worthy scion of the old families from whom he is descended - the McCrillis, the Coombs, and the McClellan - an interesting account of whom is found in the History of the Town of Colerain, by Charles Mcclellan, who now resides in Troy, N.Y. Mrs. Coombs, also, is of honorable descent; and the records of the Methodist church, to which she belongs, bear many names prominent in her family.
ALTER P. MAYNARD, an ice dealer in Greenfield, Mass., is an active and enterprising business man, devoting his time and energies to his work. Although young in years, he has had a varied experience in life, but has been uni- formly successful in the most of his undertak- ings. He is a native of the Granite State, having been born in 1866, at Keene, where his father, the late Prentice A. Maynard, was born in 1833. The latter was a son of Alonzo Maynard, who was for many years a resident of Keene, where he departed this life in 1850. His wife, whose maiden name was Crissana Britton, bore him four children -two sons and two daughters.
Prentice A. Maynard was a locomotive engineer, highly esteemed by his employers and associates, his early death, at the age of thirty-six years, being sincerely deplored. He married Martha Cook, a daughter of John Cook, of Ashburnham, Mass., but who moved to Missouri many years ago, and died at upward of fourscore years of age at St. Louis. Their union was solemnized in 1860, and they became the parents of two children: Walter P., the subject of this brief biographical sketch; and Jennie F., the wife of C. S. Bishop, of Fitchburg, and Secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association. The mother subsequently married again, becoming
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the wife of A. J. Williams, of Keenc, and has two children born of that union.
Walter P. Maynard has been essentially the architect of his own fortunc, having left school at fourtecn years of age to earn his liv- ing, beginning his career as a milk pedler in the town of his nativity. He subscquently engaged in the bakcry business for three years, and was afterward for a time an em- ployee of the American Express Company. His next employment was as a salesman in an agricultural implement, tool, and grain store, an occupation in which he continued until 1887, when he came to Greenfield to engage in the ice business with his brother-in-law, Arthur O. Wheeler. In 1889 Mr. Maynard bought out the interest of his partner, and has since carried on the business without financial help, putting up about five thousand tons per annum for himself, and an equal amount for other parties. During the summer season he keeps seven men in constant em- ployment, his trade being very large, and increasing each year. Mr. Maynard is also quite a property owner, being proprietor of a three-hundred-acre farm, and keeping from eight to ten horses and fifteen or twenty head of cattle.
On the 5th of September, 1884, being then but eighteen years old, Mr. Maynard assumed the responsibilities of a married man, being united in bonds of matrimony with Gertrude A. Wheeler, of Northfield, a daughter of E. O. and Louisa (Brown) Wheeler, and a niece of John Wheeler, the prominent manu- facturer of the New Home sewing-machines. This cstimable woman, who is of the same age as himself, is a most devoted wife and an affectionate mother to the two bright children born of their union: Walter L., now in the eighth year of his age; and Beth L., two years younger. Politically, Mr. Maynard is
a strong advocate of the principles of the Democratic party; and, socially, he is a Mason, being a member of the Connecticut Valley Commandery, Knights Templars. Since his residence in Greenfield he has won an assured position in business circles, being a man of sterling worth and character, full of energy and determination, and possessing that stability of purpose that is bound to bring success. He is a typical specimen of the sturdy sons of New Hampshire's granite hills, standing full six feet in height, straight and well proportioned, and weighing two hundred and fifteen pounds.
OEL BURT, a prosperous farmer of Sunderland, was born in Westhampton, Hampshire County, Mass., August 3, 1824, son of Levi and Betsey (Hale) Burt. Mr. Burt's great-grandfather, David Burt, was born February 12, 1723, and died December 17, 1793. He reared a family of five chil- dren, of whom Grandfather Joel Burt was the fourth-born. The latter, who was a native of Northampton, born May 24, 1759, owned a farm in Westhampton, upon which he resided until his death, which occurred on November 21, 1841. For more extended information in regard to the early history of the family the reader is referred to the genealogy pub- lished by Mrs. Elizabeth Burt, of Warwick, Mass., in 1891.
Levi Burt, the father of our subject, was born in Northampton, May 18, 1791. He resided with his parents until his majority, and, after working out by the month for a time, purchased a farm in Westhampton, which he cultivated successfully, also operat- ing a saw-mill, an enterprise which was at- tended with profitable results. He was an active, energetic man, an extensive stock-
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raiser, and at one time owned over one thou- sand acres of land. He took an active part in local and State issues, was Representative from his district to the General Court upon the Republican ticket, and a Captain in the State militia. He died November 25, 1871, at the age of eighty years. Levi Burt mar- ried a daughter of the Rev. Enoch Hale, who was for fifty-six years pastor of the Congrega- tional church at Westhampton, where he died at an advanced age. Mrs. Levi Burt became the mother of seven children, three of whom are living, namely: Joel, the subject of this article; Susan T., who married R. W. Clapp; and George, a resident of Westhampton. Mr. Burt's parents were attendants of the Congre- gational church. His mother, who passed her declining years with him, died at the age of eighty years.
Joel Burt received his education in the dis- trict schools and at the Southampton Acad- emy. In early manhood he purchased a farm at Westhampton, which he cultivated with satisfactory results until 1873. He then sold his farm. and, after residing a year at Flor- ence, Mass., purchased his present home in Sunderland, where he has resided for the past twenty-one years.
On August II. 1853. he was united in mar- riage to Miss Sarah Edwards, of Westhamp- ton, daughter of Samuel and Betsey (Ludden) Edwards. Samuel Edwards, who was a native of Westhampton, was prominent in his local- ity, serving some time as a Selectman of the town, and was a Representative to the Gen- eral Court. He died at his own home, at the age of eighty-three. Mrs. Burt's mother was a daughter of Deacon Asa Ludden, of Will- iamsburg. She died at her home in West- hampton, at the age of sixty-nine. They were attendants of the Congregational church, of which the mother was a member.
Mr. and Mrs. Burt have had three children ; namely, Bessie R., Enoch Hale, and Francis Lyman. Bessie R. Burt died at the age of twenty-two years, two months, and twenty- three days. Enoch Hale Burt graduated from Amherst College in 1882, and, after pursuing a course at Yale Theological Seminary and a post-graduate course at Andover, Mass., en- tered on the active work of the ministry, preaching at Armada and Cadillac, Mich., and finally settling in West Winfield, N. Y. He married Emily Meekins Arms, of Sunder- land, daughter of the Rev. W. F. Arms, and grand-daughter of the Rev. Hiram Arms, D.D., a well-known clergyman, who was born in Connecticut. Mrs. Burt was born in Tur- key, where her father was engaged in mission- ary work. The Rcv. Enoch Hale Burt and his wife arc the parents of three children; namely, Emily Rose, Lillian Sarah, and Katharine Isabel. Francis Lyman, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Burt, wedded Emma F. Smith, of Sunderland, adopted daughter of N. A. Smith, and resides with his parents. He has one daughter, Frances Hale, born July 4, 1895.
Mr. Burt is a Republican in politics. He served as Selectman in Westhampton three years, and acted in a similar capacity in Sun- derland for six years, also serving as Overseer of the Poor. Hc is a member of the Congre- gational church, as is Mrs. Burt also, who is prominent in the church societies, a teacher in the Sabbath-school, and a member of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union.
HILIP TRAVER, an esteemed resi- dent of Greenfield, who has been associated with the manufacturing interests of this place for more than twoscore years as a leading contractor and builder, and
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is now retired from active business, was born April 5, 1822, in the town of Schodack, Rensselaer County, N. Y., son of John and Mary (Pulse) Traver. He is of German an- cestry, his paternal grandfather, John Traver, Sr., having emigrated from Germany to New York, locating in Dutchess County, where he married a Miss Pulse. The Travers are connected with the Van Rensselaers, hav- ing intermarried with that family in several cases.
John Traver, Jr., the father of the subject of this brief sketch, was the only son and one of two children born to his parents, his birth occurring in Dutchess County in 1806. He served in the War of 1812, and subsequently settled in Rensselaer County, New York, buy- ing a farm in the town of Schodack, and taking as a life companion Miss Mary Pulse. He was a millwright and wheelwright by trade, hav- ing learned from his father, and during the last years of his life worked at the carpenter's trade. Mr. Traver was at one time quite well-to-do, but met with reverses, losing most of his property. Thirteen children were born into his household, of whom nine sons and two daughters grew to adult life. 'Three are now living, namely: James, who is probably living in the South; Catharine, the widow of B. Burnham, who resides in Schodack; and Philip, the subject of this sketch. The mother died in her seventieth year, at Green- bush, N. Y., and the father five years later, at the age of seventy-four years.
Philip Traver was the twelfth child born to his parents, and was early obliged to care for himself, leaving home, after a very meagre schooling, when but a boy of twelve years. He began to learn the carpenter's trade at Valatie, Columbia County, N.Y., five years later, and in 1850 removed to Holyoke, Mass., where he spent two years. In 1852
Mr. Traver located in Greenfield, and, being industrious, energetic, and of excellent judg- ment, soon found plenty of work at his trade. In fulfilling his contracts, he was always par- ticular as to the minutest details; and his work always stood the test of time. For some five years he was in company with H. C. Emburg, and for twelve years was a partner of Gilbert E. Jones. The remainder of the time Mr. Traver has been alone in business. Some of the principal buildings of Green- field have been built under his superintend- ence, notably the Newell Snow residence on Main Street, the Pond, Hollister, and Hovey Blocks, and the east extension of the Mansion House. The town hall, built in 1852 or 1853, soon after he came here, was one of the first important pieces of work of his construction.
In 1844 Mr. Traver married Matilda Vos- burgh, of Valatie, N. Y., a daughter of Everett Vosburgh, and a sister of Stephen Vosburgh, of Greenfield. She passed to the higher existence in 1880, in the fifty-seventh year of her age, joining their infant son in the spirit land, and leaving four children, of whom we record the following: William is a resident of Greenfield; Alice is the wife of A. W. Green, an undertaker and furniture dealer; Inez married Clayton L. Smith, and has two sons; and Edgar is a carpenter, mar- ried, and living in Boston.
In politics Mr. Traver affiliates with the Republican party. He and his estimable wife were formerly supporters of the Presby- terian church, though neither was connected with it by membership; and for the past fif- teen years he has been an investigator of the doctrine of the Spiritualists, being closely identified with the little band of that denomi- nation in this place. Mr. Traver has a pleas- ant home at 31 Congress Street.
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RS. FANNY A. FAIRCHILD, who resides at her pleasant home on Sunderland Street, in Sunder- land. was born at Shutesbury, an adjacent town in the southern part of Franklin County, and is the daughter of James B. Prouty, a native of Massachusetts. Her grandfather, Richard Prouty. who was born at Scituate, in this State. moved to New York, where he set- tled upon a tract of land in Queens County, and was there engaged for several years as a farmer. but finally returned to New England, and passed his declining years with a daugh- ter in North Leverett.
James B. Prouty after attaining his major- ity worked upon farms in Sunderland by the month, later engaging in the manufacture of chairs, which he continued to follow for sev- eral years in conjunction with farming, and eventually settling down upon the old home- stead, where he died, at the age of eighty-five years. He married Florilla Graves, daughter of Elijah Graves, who was a farmer in this vicinity and an early settler in the town, and they became the parents of two children, namely : a son, Frederick A .; and a daugh- ter, Fanny A .. now Mrs. Fairchild. The mother passed her latter years with her daugh- ter, and died at the age of sixty-seven years, having been a member of the Congregational church, as was also her husband. Mrs. Fair- child's father was a Republican in politics, and served as Selectman, Overseer of the Poor. and Assessor for some years.
Fanny A. Prouty was united in marriage to Lewis W. Fairchild in 1856. She has lived in Sunderland since her infancy. Her hus- band's father, Curtis Fairchild, a native of Virginia and a tailor by trade, followed that occupation for some years in Sunderland, where he died, at the age of seventy. He wedded Miranda Clapp, a native of Deerfield,
who became the mother of eight children, namely: Edwin; Amanda, who married Den- nis Gage, of Athol; Lewis; Edward B., now of Stoneham, Mass .; John M., now a resident of California; William Henry: Edice M., deceased, who married John Ball, of Athol; and Charles A., who died in the army. The mother died at Sunderland, aged forty-seven years.
Lewis Fairchild passed his boyhood in Sun- derland, and at the age of sixteen or eighteen years commenced work as a painter, a calling which he followed until after his marriage, when he moved to Worcester, where he fol- lowed the employ of A. J. Johnson as a trav- elling agent in the map business, going South, and spending his first winter in visit- ing different sections and his second year in the city of New Orleans. He handled maps successfully for three years, and then became interested in the sale of an atlas, with which he was also very successful for a period of three years, at the termination of that time receiving from his employers the appointment of general agent, a position which placed him at the head of a large number of subagents. He also assisted in introducing many of Ap- pleton's standard publications through the interior of New York State, his headquarters being at Utica. He was in the employ of that well-known house for some twenty-five years, subsequently engaging in the buying and selling of leaf tobacco, a business which he carried on extensively and with the most satisfactory results financially during the remainder of his life, his long and varied career being brought to a close November 24, 1890, at the age of fifty-nine years. He was enterprising and progressive, and, aside from being well known among business men, at- tained a position of prominence in his own community, serving for some years as Select-
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man, and as a Trustce of the public library from the time of its organization. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity, and con- nected with the lodge at Greenfield for many years.
Mrs. Fairchild is the mother of seven chil- dren, who may be briefly mentioned as fol- Jows: Frederick L., a book-keeper for a boot and shoe firm, married Belle Chamberlain, and has two children, named Winifred B. and Dorothy ; James P., a commercial traveller, married Mabel Hill, and has two children - Robert H. and Marion; William C., a farmer, married Etta Graves, and resides in Sunderland; Rollin E. married Eloise Town, and resides with Mrs. Fairchild; Emma F. wedded A. D. Smith, a farmer of Sunderland, and has one child - Marjorie; Lewis, Jr., is a commercial traveller in Mainc; and Fanny, an assistant teacher in the Sunderland schools, resides at home. All in their child- hood and youth received the tender care and wise training of an intelligent and faithful mother, and were well educated in the schools of Wilbraham, Williston, and Prospect Hill. The family attend the Congregational church, but are all Unitarians in belief.
OSEPH PROCTOR FELTON, a prac- tical farmer and also a dealer in meats, long time resident in Green- field, is a man well known throughout a large part of the Connecticut valley. He was born August 19, 1824, in New Salem, Franklin County, Mass., which was the native place of his parents, Daniel and Fanny (Holden) Fel- ton, his father having been born March 9, 1787, and his mother on November 3 of the same year. Stephen Felton, the father of Daniel, was one of the early settlers of New Salem, where he owned about sixty acres of
land, and followed the calling› of farmer, being a hard worker. During the Revolu- tionary War he served as a soldicr. He re- sided in New Salem until his death, which occurred when he was about eighty-four years old. His wife also lived to advanced age. They had twelve children, all of whom reached maturity, eleven of them marrying and raising families; but all of the twelve are now deceased.
Daniel Felton grew to manhood in New Salem, and became a merchant of that town, and was also a farmer and a pioneer school- teacher, having taught forty-five terms during his life. A man well informed and promni- nently identified with the affairs of his town, he served as Selectman for fifteen consecutive years, and as chairman of the Board of Select- men for nine years. He owned a good farm in New Salem, but in 1839 he moved to Deer- field, where he also owned a farm; and here he remained till his death, which took place in 1868, at the age of eighty-one years. His wife, to whom he was married in New Salem, died three years later than he, at the age of eighty-four. They reared six children, three of whom are now living, namely: Myra, the widow of Charles Hagar, and Lucetta, widow of Austin Foot, both residing in South Deer- field; and Joseph Proctor, who is the youngest of the family and the immediate subject of this sketch. The deceased are: Alvin, Franklin, and Fanny.
Joseph Proctor Felton, having received his education in the schools of New Salem, taught school for nine winter terms, and worked out at farming for two years, receiving thirteen dollars per month for six months of the year. He purchased his first farm of sixty acres in South Deerfield, it being one-half of his father's old farm. He occupied the place seven years, but sold out in 1855, and moved
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JOSEPH P. FELTON.
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to Greenfield, where he bought a farm of two hundred acres in the north part of the town, and carried on a general farming business for about ten years. Selling that land in 1865, he then purchased the property where he now resides, at first a nice little farm of twenty- five acres, to which he has since added twenty acres. He has been a hard-working man in his day, successful in his business, and an active member of the Franklin Harvest Club for the last twenty years. He has also taken an active part in matters pertaining to the welfare of his town, serving eighteen years as a member of the School Board and three years as Deputy Sheriff of the county. In addition to his homestead of forty-five acres Mr. Fel- ton has a second farm nearer the village, which contains one hundred acres. Besides his farming, he carries on what is probably the largest business of the kind in the county. He is a dealer in meats, and has killed as many as from eleven hundred to twelve hun- dred head of stock to supply the demands of his own market for one year, his estab- lishment being the oldest of its kind in Greenfield.
April 28, 1847, Joseph P. Felton was mar- ried to Harriet Amanda Bridges, who was born in Deerfield, November 6, 1824, daugh- ter of Jonas and Harriet (Ross) Bridges, both natives of Massachusetts. Mr. Jonas Bridges was born in Oakham in August, 1777. He married Harriet Ross, of Deerfield; and they lived on a farm in that town. Their children were: Antes Cleora, born in 1807, who mar- ried Jeduthan Eaton; Marianne, born in 1809, died in 1811; Frederick A., born in 1815, died in Boston in 1834; and Harriet Amanda, Mrs. Felton, the only one now liv- ing. Mrs. Harriet Ross Bridges was a daugh- ter of Thomas and Eunice (Gunn) Ross, and grand-daughter of Samuel Ross, of Sterling,
and his wife, Katy Geary, of Lancaster, Mass. Mrs. Thomas Ross was a native of Montague. She and her husband had but two children, Harriet and Lauretta.
Mr. and Mrs. Felton have had six children, two of whom are now living, namely: Jennie Louisa, born in South Deerfield, June 13, 1850, now wife of Albert J. Smead, who car- ries on a meat market in Greenfield for Mr. Felton; and Frederick Bridges Felton, born at Greenfield, August 25, 1856, who is book- keeper in the market. The others were: Fannie E. Felton, born at South Deerfield, December 19, 1852, who died in 1868; Mary Ross Felton, born at Greenfield in October, 1859, died in September, 1865; George Franklin Felton, born in Greenfield in April, 1862, died December 25, 1892; Harriet May Felton, born in Greenfield in October, 1866, died in August, 1868.
Joseph Proctor Felton was formerly a mem- ber of the Guiding Star Grange of Greenfield, Mass., which was the first grange organized in the State. He was the first Master of this grange, and also the first Master of the State Grange. He and his wife were also actively identified with the National Grange. An ex- cellent portrait of Mr. Felton will be recog- nized on another page of the "Review."
OSES COOK, a retired farmer of Ashfield, spending the sunset of his life in the enjoyment of a lei- sure earned by years of persevering toil, was born in Ashfield, December 29, 1816. He is a son of Levi Cook, who was born at Hadley, Mass., in 1761, and traces his descent from Aaron and Sarah (Westwood) Cook, the for- mer of whom emigrated from Dorchester, England, in 1630 to America, settling in Northampton, Mass., where he lived to the
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