USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Franklin County, Massachusetts .. > Part 44
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of the town of Colerain, and was in early days a noted tavern. When it fell into Mr. Ken- drick's hands, it was called the Adamsville Hotel, and he conducted it as such for ten years; but the large, low-ceilinged rooms are no longer open to the public, offering a wel- come to the transient guest, the house being now used by Mr. Kendrick as a private resi- dence. He has a farm of seventy-five acres, which is in a good state of cultivation.
In 1846 Mr. Kendrick was married to Ex- perience Read, who was born in Heath, Sep- tember 16, 1822, and died in August, 1851. His second wife, to whom he was united on October 12, 1853, was Wealthy Farley, a na- tive of Colerain, born February 11, 1832. Her parents were Joel and Phœbe (Bradford) Farley. Joel Farley was born in Colerain, and here passed his life. Living in a farming district, he conducted a farm with good re- sults, and was a prominent and popular man, filling many town offices, notably that of Se- lectman, and holding the rank of Colonel in the State militia. He was an active worker in the Methodist church, and was widely known and loved for his public spirit and benevolence, winning the hearts of the poor especially, whose larders he often replenished. He died in Colerain, at the age of forty-seven. His wife, who was a native of Conway, Mass., was also a practical Christian and an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church. She died in Iowa, at the age of fifty-eight. They had eight children, three of whom are now living, namely: Isaac and Joel Farley, in Kansas; and Mrs. Kendrick, at Adamsville.
Mr. and Mrs. Kendrick have five children : Fred L. conducts a saw-mill in Colerain, where planing is also done; Effie E. is the wife of Frank B. Child, and resides in Springfield; Edgar is engaged in farming in Colerain, and also has a grist-mill and box
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manufactory: Nora is the wife of Elwin J. Parker. a miller in Colerain: and Myra A. is the wife of Ernest C. Higgins, a farmer in Rowe. Mr. Kendrick held the office of Jus- tice of the Peace for five years, and has been Postmaster at Adamsville for thirty years. He is a capable business man, fulfilling his duties with promptness and good judgment. He and his wife, ranking among the oldest residents of Colerain. are widely known and highly esteemed.
EORGE HENRY WRIGHT, a dealer in ice and for the past ten years the efficient Chief of Greenfield's Fire Department, is a rising young business man of the city, wide-awake and active, and, if a resident of a Western city, would be termed a "hustler" in the best sense of the term. He was born April 15, 1863, in the town of Mon- tague, Franklin County, where his father, Charles Pomeroy Wright, was engaged in mercantile pursuits.
The name of Wright has long held a promi- nent and honored place in the annals of this county, George Wright, M.D., the paternal grandfather of the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this brief sketch, hav- ing been a practising physician of Montague for many years. and having a wide reputation for skill in his profession. His practice ex- tended for many miles around, but the good doctor was too kind-hearted and benevolent to accumulate any great fortune. He married Julia Billings, and they reared a family of four sons and two daughters, of whom but one is now living; namely, Julia G., the widow of J. H. Root, of Montague. In religion Dr. Wright held to the rational type of Christian- ity, and both he and his wife were members of the Unitarian church.
Charles Pomeroy Wright was born in the little village of Goshen, Hampshire County, in 1831, but removed with his parents when very young to Montague. Having received an excellent education, he established himself in business, opening a store in Montague for the sale of general merchandise, which he conducted until 1881, when he changed his place of residence to Turner's Falls. Five years later he removed to Greenfield, where his death occurred September 1, 1893. He was quite active in Masonic circles, being a Master Mason, and in politics was a Demo- cratic voter, but never held any public office save that of Town Clerk. He was reared in the broad faith of his parents, and did not depart from it, both he and his wife belong- ing to the Unitarian church. Her maiden name was Martha Jane Clark. She was a daughter of William Clark, a well-known and wealthy merchant of Exeter, N.H. Their union was solemnized in 1862, and was blessed by the birth of three children, namely: George H. and William Clark Wright, both of this city; and Julia Maria, a young lady residing with the former and her widowed mother at 10 Main Street.
The subject of this sketch was bred to mer- cantile business, assisting in his father's store several ' years. His first independent venture was the Franklin House livery stable, which he bought from Gerrett & Fowler, and, after conducting it successfully for a year, sold it at a good profit. In 1889 Mr. Wright formed a partnership with Thomas N. Bud- dington ; and under the firm name of Budding- ton & Wright they carried on a good business in teaming and draying for two years, when the senior member sold his interest to Fred R. Hollister, and the firm name became George H. Wright & Co. Two years later Mr. Wright bought his partner's share, and
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has since managed it all himself, having all the work of the kind that he can attend to, employing eleven horses. In 1890 Budding- ton & Wright purchased the ice business of Handforth Brothers; and, after the retire- ment of his partner, Mr. Wright retained this branch of his business himself. He has so increased his trade in that useful commodity that he now has to put up three thousand tons of ice each year, and this he delivers to con- sumers within Greenfield's limits. Mr. Wright is a man of good business principles, and very popular with all classes of people, his kind and obliging disposition and general trustworthiness winning him hosts of friends. He has been a member of the Masonic order for some time, and is now a Master Mason and highly esteemed in the organization. In politics he is an advocate of the principles of the Democratic party, although in local elections he votes independently.
HITNEY L. WARNER, for many years past a prominent merchant of Sunderland, was born in Williams- burg, Hampshire County, Mass., June 12, 1827, son of Ebenezer and Amelia (Hubbard) Warner. His grandfather on the paternal side, who was a native of Williamsburg, where he passed the greater portion of his life, was a wood-worker, carpenter, and gen- eral mechanic. He died at Northampton. Grandfather Warner reared five children, one of whom is now living - Mrs. Martha Strong, of Pittsfield.
Ebenezer Warner, the father of the subject of this sketch, followed agriculture as an occupation until his death, which occurred when he was thirty-three years of age. His wife, Amelia Hubbard, was a native of Will- iamsburg. She became the mother of four
children, all of whom are now dead except Whitney L. After the death of her first hus- band she married Lewis D. Cleveland, by whom she had one son. Her last years were passed in New York State, where she died at the age of fifty-seven years. She was a mem- ber of the Presbyterian church.
Whitney L. Warner passed his early boy- hood in Williamsburg, where he attended the district schools. He accompanied his mother when she removed to New York State, and resided there for some years. Purchasing a farm in Sunderland, he was engaged for three years in general farming; but, becom- ing dissatisfied with this kind of a life, he engaged as a clerk in a dry-goods store at Greenfield, where he remained for fifteen years. In 1870 he returned to Sunderland, where he purchased a store, and has since car- ried on a profitable business.
In 1849 Mr. Warner was united in marriage to Helen Lyman, of Sunderland, daughter of Horace Lyman. Her grandfather, Zadoc Lyman, was the proprietor of a hotel in Had- ley for many years. Horace Lyman was orig- inally a farmer, but was for some time engaged in mercantile pursuits in Sunderland, where he erected a house. He later removed to Greenfield, and, after conducting business there for five years, returned to Sunderland, where he lived until his death, which occurred at the age of eighty-one years. He was a member of the Congregational church, and superintendent of the Sabbath-school for sev- eral years. Mr. and Mrs. Warner have had three children, of whom but one is living - Lizzie H., who married Baxter A. Fish, a merchant, who is now in business with Mr. Warner.
Mr. Warner has voted the Republican ticket from the time of his majority. He has served as Selectman, Assessor, and Overseer
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of the Poor. and was Postmaster for sixteen years. He was for four years President of the Agricultural Society, six years member of the State Board of Agriculture, and has been officially interested in agricultural fairs for many years. He is a member of the Congre- gational church. and has been superintendent of the Sabbath-school for four years. Mrs. Warner also is a member of the Congrega- tional church.
ILLIAM W. CARY, of Colerain, the well-known bee-keeper and manufacturer of apiarian supplies, was born in this town, November 6, 1848, son of William W. and Harriet M. (Maxam) Cary. The pioneer of the family in this country was John Cary. who came from Eng- land to Plymouth Colony in 1634; and the first of the name to take up his abode in Cole- rain was Aaron Cary, who was born in Bridge- water, Mass .. April 6, 1751. He settled on Catamount Hill, and soon had a comfortable homestead established and a good farm in a flourishing condition. On May 31, 1781, he was married to Jennie Atwood; and on No- vember 26, 1782, a son was born to them, whom they called Zenas. Zenas Cary took up his father's work when the latter passed away, and became a prosperous farmer. He fought in the War of 1812, and in politics was a stanch Whig. In religious belief he was a Methodist. He lived to be ninety-two, and his wife also attained a ripe age. They had eight children: Charlotte, John, George, William W., David, Marietta, Levi, and Joseph.
William W. Cary, the third son of Zenas, was born on February 24, 1815. He was a wood-worker by trade, manufacturing wagons, sleighs, and articles of wooden-ware. At the
age of fifteen he became interested in bee culture, not being strong enough to do much about the farm; and later in life he made a business of raising bees for breeding purposes, also manufacturing the supplies necessary in the business. In 1835 he settled on the estate where his son now resides, and there spent his life. He was an energetic and ambitious man and one of the largest dealers in bees at that time, being the first to intro- duce the Italian bee in America (in 1860). Politically, William W. Cary, Sr., was a Republican. He was a citizen of good stand- ing in his native town, and was Collector of Taxes for some time. In religious belief he was a Baptist. His last years were spent at the home of his son and namesake, where he died on December 9, 1884. His wife, who was born in Colerain on May 25, 1822, is still living, and makes her home with her son William. They had six children, three of whom reached adult age; and two are now living, William W. being the elder. His sister, Sarah E., born July 3, 1850, is the wife of George E. Brown; and their home is in Vermont. The deceased are: William H., Viola E., Charles F., and an infant who was not named.
William W. Cary, the younger, grew to manhood on the home farm, acquiring the rudiments of his education at the district school. At the age of eleven he took up the study of bee culture, which he still pur- sues with interest, making improvements in methods, and manufacturing the very best of apiarian supplies. He is an authority on the subject of breeding bees imported from for- eign countries, and is undoubtedly the fore- most man in his business in New England. Keeping on hand from one hundred and fifty to two hundred stands of bees, he receives orders from all parts of the United States and
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Canada, and makes a specialty of Italian bees. Mr. Cary seems to know every feature of the business, but says he is continually learning. Besides trading in apiarian supplies, he sells bees by the colony and by the pound; and his queens are said to be the best in the market. His extensive business is advertised through- out the United States, an annual illustrated catalogue giving prices and description. Mr. Cary also manufactures cider and cider vine- gar, his brand of vinegar ranking among the best and purest in the trade. He averages from three thousand to four thousand barrels annually, and has the latest machinery in his mill, which is run by water-power. Mr. Cary is an observing and ingenious man, and has invented much of the machinery used in both branches of his business. He has recently engaged in poultry-raising, and his appliances · and buildings indicate that this also will be a success.
Mr. Cary and Mary F. Tripp, of Hoosick, N. Y., were married on February 22, 1871; and they have four children: Lillian E., Minnie L., Herbert F., and Ethel L. Her- bert assists his father, and is an intelligent and active young man, with a store of knowl- edge on apiarian subjects. Politically, Mr. Cary is a Republican. He and his wife are members of the Baptist church. They have a fine estate and a handsome residence, and are very pleasant people to meet, treating their many visitors with uniform courtesy and kindness.
ATHAN O. NEWHALL, whose por- trait appears on the next page, is one of the oldest native-born residents of Shelburne, his birth having occurred in the Fox Town District, March 17, 1815. He has lived here through boyhood and middle life and in old age, witnessing the wonderful
achievements of three-quarters of a century. Eighty years ago neither railways nor tele- graph and telephone lines spanned the broad continent, so large a part of which was yet a trackless wild. In the growing progress and prosperity of this part of the county Mr. New- hall has been an important factor, materially aiding various enterprises for the public benefit. He is a son of Nathan Newhall, who was born June 4, 1783, in Conway, in the house built by his father, Samuel Newhall, who was an early pioneer of that town.
Samuel Newhall moved to Conway when a young man, and, taking up a tract of heavy- timbered land, endured without murmur the hardships of life in a thinly settled country, and succeeded by dint of energetic and long- continued efforts in establishing a homestead. He was one of the foremost citizens of his day, and both he and his wife lived to a good old age. The seven children born to them --- Samuel, James, Phineas, Nathan, David, Sally, and Esther -all grew to adult life.
During the days of his youth and early manhood Nathan Newhall assisted his father in clearing and improving the home farm in Conway. On leaving home, he located in West Deerfield, living there a year, then moving to Shelburne. Here he bought twenty-one acres in the Fox Town District, to which he added from time to time more land, eventually owning a good farm, six times the size of the original purchase. He was well educated, and, when a young man, taught several terms of school. In politics he was identified with the Whigs, and, relig- iously, was a firm believer in the doctrines of the Baptist church. He was an esteemed citizen of the town, and attained a good age, living until March 25, 1857. He married Greaty Bardwell, a native of Shelburne, born
NATHAN O. NEWHALL.
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March 5, 1790. She survived him many long years, dying in May, 1881. They reared eleven children, four of whom are now living, namely: Nathan O., of whom we write; Al- bert, born in 1827, a resident of Springfield, Mass .: Sarah A., born in 1831, the wife of D. R. Bardwell, of Shelburne; and Greaty O., born in 1835, the widow of M. Fellows, of Shelburne.
Nathan O. Newhall was the recipient of better educational advantages than were usu- ally given the farmers' sons; as, after leaving the district schools, he attended a select school in Conway, studying under John Clary, a noted educator in that day. Having a nat- ural aptitude for mechanical work, at the age of eighteen he began to learn the carpenter's trade with Ira Barnard, and subsequently worked at that occupation for over forty years. He built many of the houses that are to-day standing in this locality, his workmanship being noted for its durability and superior finish. In 1840 Mr. Newhall bought the place where he now resides, and, moving on to it in 1843, began to carry on farming to some extent. In 1875 he gave up carpentering entirely, and the following year took a trip for the benefit of his health, visiting Cali- fornia and other parts of the Pacific Coast. Mr. Newhall has since devoted his atten- tion to agricultural pursuits, owning now a fine and highly improved farm of one hun- dred and fifty-five acres, and being numbered among the most progressive farmers of the day.
On May 4, 1843, Mr. Newhall was united in marriage with Dolly H. Andrews, daughter of John and Content (Hawks) Andrews and a native of Deerfield, born May 22, 1821. She was a woman of more than ordinary abil- ity, a true helpmeet to her husband and a judicious mother, attending closely to the
education and training of her children, and fitting them for useful members of the com- munity ; and her death, September 8, 1893, was deeply deplored by all who knew her. Five children were born into the home circle of Mr. and Mrs. Newhall: Alfred A., a carpenter, resides in Shelburne; Byron N., also a resident of this town, is a farmer and carpenter; Corilla J. is the wife of T. H. Dodge, now of Shelburne; Dumont O., a farmer, is likewise a resident of this place; and Ellen M. is the wife of A. L. Peck, sec- ond, of Shelburne.
Mr. Newhall is an uncompromising Repub- lican in politics, and liberal in his religious views. He has always taken an active and leading part in local public affairs, serving his fellow-citizens as Selectman, Assessor, and Overseer of the Poor. In 1875 he was appointed census-taker, and during the exist- ence of the Shelburne Mutual Fire Insurance Company he was its President. He has also been a valued member of the Franklin County Agricultural Society, and for the past seven- teen years has served as Justice of the Peace. Mr. Newhall is eminently worthy of the re- spect accorded him by his friends and neighbors as an enterprising and useful fellow-townsman, living at peace with all and faithful to the duties of citizenship.
EACON RICHARD CLAPP, a well- to-do farmer of Montague and a rep- resentative of one of New England's oldest families, was born upon the farm he now owns and occupies, November 29, 1819. He is a son of Eliphaz and Charlotte (Gunn) Clapp, both natives of Montague, the former also born on the Clapp farm, which has been in the. possession of the family since 1754. Deacon Clapp's first ancestor in this country
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was Captain Roger Clapp, who was born in England, and joined the Massachusetts Colony in 1630. He was Commander of Castle Will- iam (now Fort Independence) in Boston Har- bor, and was a very prominent man in the colony. His home was in Dorchester. Roger Clapp and his wife were buried in Boston in King's Chapel burial-ground. The succeeding generations of the family were farmers, and closely identified with the devel- opment of the colony and the Revolutionary struggle. Captain Roger Clapp's son Pre- served was a native of Dorchester, Mass .; and his son Preserved was born in Northampton. The latter had a son John, who also was a native of Northampton. John Clapp was the great-grandfather of our subject. He settled in Montague in 1754, on the land which is now known as the Clapp homestead. At that time it was the site of an Indian fort, sit- uated in the heart of an almost trackless wilderness. John Clapp was one of the origi- nal settlers who organized the town, and was moderator of the first town meeting, which, according to the records, occurred on Decem- ber 1, 1755. The following is an extract from the town records: "Voted, first, that Lieutenant John Clapp lead said meeting; also, voted, that we will have a shell blown at Lieutenant Clapp's for a signal on the Sab- bath Day." It was also voted in 1759 to buy the shell of Lieutenant Clapp for one pound, ten shillings, to be used in signalling. After the use of the shell had been discon- tinued, it was returned to Lieutenant Clapp; and it is now in the possession of Deacon Clapp, his great-grandson. It is blown like an ordinary horn, and has been heard for a distance of nine miles. Solomon Clapp, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Sunderland in 1751. He succeeded to the ownership of the homestead, residing there
until his decease. He also was a prominent man and a Captain in the militia.
Eliphaz Clapp, the father of Deacon Rich- ard Clapp, was born in 1788. He succeeded to the ownership of the farm on the death of his father, and continued to improve the prop- erty. A mason by trade, he was a natural mechanic, and acquired a wide reputation for constructing chimneys that would not smoke. He attained a position of prominence in the town, and served as Selectman, Assessor, and Overseer of the Poor. He died at the home- stead in 1876. His wife was Charlotte Gunn, of Montague, daughter of Solomon Gunn, a farmer of that town, who was a veteran of the Revolution. She was one of four children. Mrs. Clapp died at the old homestead in her sixty-fourth year. Mr. and Mrs. Clapp were the parents of eight children, two of whom are still living, namely: Richard, the subject of this sketch; and DeWitt Clinton Clapp, of Chicago.
Deacon Richard Clapp passed his boyhood and youth upon the ancestral farm, which he succeeded to the possession of at the death of his father. In 1869 he went to New York City, where he engaged in the hardware busi- ness; and four years later he returned to the farm, which has since been his home. He has three hundred acres of desirable land, a portion of which is devoted to dairy interests ; and the remainder is a valuable wood lot. The farm buildings are substantially built ; and the dwelling-house, which was erected by his father, is a handsome and comfortable residence.
In 1847 he was united in marriage to Miss Eunice A. Slate, daughter of Captain Joseph Slate, a farmer of Bernardston. Captain Slate's grandfather, who was a prominent citi- zen of Bernardston and a patriot of the Revo- lution, cleared and improved the farm upon
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which he resided; and the property is still in the possession of the family, being now occu- pied by a great-grandson of the original owner. Mrs. Clapp was one of ten children, six of whom are now living, namely: Henry, who is Town Clerk of Bernardston, and re- sides at the homestead; Eunice A .; Cather- ine; Harriet. who married Daniel Snow, of Chicago; Mary, wife of Edward Kirkland, of Brattleboro, Vt .; and Lewis, who also resides at the Slate homestead. The family are noted for their longevity, the grandfather having attained the ripe age of ninety-seven years and six months, and Mrs. Clapp's mother living to be ninety years of age. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Clapp, five of whom are living, namely: Cornelia M., a graduate of Mount Holyoke College, and for twenty years a teacher of science at that institution, who is still engaged in edu- cational work; Richard Leighton, who mar- ried Jennie Clapp, of Montague, and has two children - Richard Harold and John Theo- dore; Harriet; Mary; and Charles Wel- lington, a graduate of the Massachusetts Agricultural College, who is a civil engineer by profession. He has been engaged for some time in railroad and irrigating work, and in laying out the public highways in Texas, Colorado, and Kansas. He married Evelyn Metcalf, and they have one son - Alfred Met- calf Clapp.
Deacon Richard Clapp is a Republican in politics. He has served as a Selectman, Assessor, and Overseer of the Poor. He has been a member of the Congregational church since he was sixteen years old, and is a mov- ing spirit in the parish, having been a Deacon for the past forty-three years and actively con- nected with the Sunday-school for a long period. His entire family, with one exception, are also members of the Congregational church.
J OSEPH C. PERRY, a practising den- tist of Shelburne Falls, was born in Ferrisburg, Vt., May 1, 1856, son of David and Emily (Legro) Perry. Dr. Perry's paternal grandfather was John Perry, a native of France, who emigrated to Canada, where he followed the trade of a carpenter.
David Perry was born in St. John's, Canada, in 1823, and in his young manhood acquired the carpenter's trade. He later purchased a saw-mill, which he operated for some years, but finally relinquished it for the purpose of engaging as a contractor. In 1867 he came to Shelburne Falls, where he took contracts for the building of roads, and also did consid- erable lumbering during the winter seasons. He was a member of Alethian Lodge, Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, of Shelburne Falls, a Democrat in politics, and liberal in his religious views. David Perry died De- cember 16, 1890, aged sixty-seven, leaving a wife and seven children, namely: Mary J. Clement, of St. Boniface, Manitoba; David T., West Brattleboro, Vt .; Joseph C., Shel- burne Falls; Lucy B. Wilson, of Shelburne Falls; Minnie A. Goodner, of Pierre, S. Dak. ; Ernest J., of Shelburne Falls; and Francis E., of West Brattleboro, Vt.
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