USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Franklin County, Massachusetts .. > Part 53
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Caleb was a son of an elder Caleb, who was born at Watertown on June 28, 1701, his father, John Benjamin, having been a native of Eng- land. Grandfather Joel Benjamin moved with his father to this region at the age of nine years, and was reared to agricultural pursuits. On reaching manhood he settled upon a por- tion of his father's large farm, erected a small house, which is still standing, brought his land to a high state of cultivation, and died after a life of useful toil, at the age of eighty years. He married Sarah Anderson, who became the mother of seven children, five of whom lived to reach maturity.
Ivers Benjamin, one of the five, attended the district schools and assisted his father upon the farm. At the age of twenty-one years he left home and travelled through the South selling books. Settling in this locality on his return, he conducted a saw-mill for sev- eral years, subsequently retiring to the old homestead, where he resided until reaching the age of seventy years, when he removed to the village of Miller's Falls. He died in 1876, aged eighty-two years. His wife, whose maiden name was Amoret Church, was born at Sunderland, daughter of Dr. Church, a grad- uate of Harvard College and an old practi-
tioner of this county. Mr. and Mrs. Ivers Benjamin were the parents of six children, five of whom attained their majority and two are still living. Of thesc, Fanny C. was twice married, her first husband having been Wallace Pritchard and the second George Ward, both being now deceased. Reuben Garfield resides at Athol, and Daniel W. at Miller's Falls, as mentioned above. Ivers Benjamin took an active part in the local gov- ernment, was Selectman, Overseer of the Poor, Assessor some fifteen or twenty years, and represented his district in the State legislature during the years 1837 and 1838, also acting as a Notary Public. Mr. Benjamin's mother, who was a member of the Congregational church, died at the age of sixty-two years.
Daniel W. Benjamin passed his boyhood and youth at Wendell, where he received a good education in the district schools. At the age of twenty-one he abandoned the parental roof and sought the great West, where for two years he engaged in the lumber business, subse- quently returning East, and for the succeeding two years operating a saw-mill at New Brain- tree, Worcester County. After this he resided at the old homestead for four years, and, sell- ing it at the expiration of that time, rented a farm in Wendell, which he conducted for one year, and from which he moved to the property situated opposite his present residence. For the succeeding fifteen years Mr. Benjamin was engaged in lumbering, having secured wood- lands, from which he cut the timber and manu- factured lumber for various markets, also selling fuel and railroad ties, employing twenty-eight teams and delivering at the rail- road station here alone more than three thou- sand cords of wood and over thirty thousand ties. He conducted a very successful busi- ness, being associated with a partner until 1880, when he sold his interest, and, after
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carrying on business with his brother for a time, has since operated alone with the most profitable results. The residence he now oc- cupies is delightfully situated upon the banks of Miller's River, a tributary of the majestic Connecticut, which can be seen winding its way toward the sea, while, in the distance, mountains rise heavenward in picturesque grandeur. ..
On May 29, 1866, Mr. Benjamin was united in marriage to Miss Edna J. Bemis, daughter of Theodore Bemis, of West Medway, a mason and an extensive contractor, who erected the State Insane Asylum at Worcester, and is now living in retirement at West Orange. Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin have had one adopted daughter, who is now deceased. He is a Republican in politics, and served as Assessor and Overseer of the Poor at Wendell. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge at Greenfield; and both himself and wife are members of the Con- gregational church, of which he has served upon the various committees, while Mrs. Ben- jamin is actively engaged in Sunday-school work.
EBARON DUTTON RUDDOCK, a late resident of Buckland, who was much estcemed as a large-hearted and public-spirited citizen, was born at North- field, Franklin County, Mass., November 30, 1831. His father, Dr. Asa Ruddock, was born either at Buckland or Hawley, September 15, 1798. He commenced to learn the trade of a carpenter, but abandoned that calling on account of impaired health, and turned his attention to the study of medicine. He began the practice of his profession at Northfield, and subsequently practised in Clinton, N. Y., and in Brooklyn. From Brooklyn he went West, and, purchasing a farm at Lyons, Ia., was engaged in agricultural pursuits for some
time. He finally sold his property and re- turned to Buckland, Mass., where he passed the remainder of his life in retirement. He died at the age of seventy-six years. His first wife, the mother of LeBaron D. Ruddock, was Mary Dutton, of Northfield, who died in young womanhood, at Clinton, N. Y.
LeBaron D. Ruddock, having been educated in the public schools of Clinton, N. Y., went with his father to Brooklyn, where he was for seven years engaged in the drug business. Later he was associated with his father in the West ; and he accompanied him back to New England, purchasing a residence at Buckland Centre, which included a small tract of land. Although he devoted some of his time to the cultivation of small fruits, the greater portion of it was passed in attending to his business interests. He died at Buckland on March 21, 1889. He kept in touch with the progress of rural economy, being a member of the Deer- field Valley Agricultural Society and the Buckland Farmers' Club.
On June 5, 1877, Mr. Ruddock was married to Miss Mary Sherwin, daughter of Edmund and Nancy (Taylor) Sherwin, of Buckland. Mrs Ruddock, who survives her husband, is a grand-daughter of Nathaniel Sherwin, a farmer of South Buckland, where he was a lifelong resident. The maiden name of his wife was Mary Bement. Edmund Sherwin received a liberal education and intended to take a com- plete collegiate course, but was obliged to relinquish the idea on account of failing health ; and, returning to his home, he resided with his parents until their death. He suc- ceeded to the ownership of the ancestral farm, but later exchanged it for another in the same town, on which he died at the age of seventy- six years. His wife, Mrs. Ruddock's mother, who was before her marriage Nancy Taylor, was born February 4, 1806, She was a
LE BARON D. RUDDOCK.
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daughter of Samuel Taylor; and her grand- father, also named Samuel, was an early set- tler of Buckland. He followed agricultural pursuits, and died in that town at the age of ninety years. His wife, Sally Butler Taylor, died at the age of seventy-four years. Mrs. Nancy T. Sherwin was called to rest at the age of sixty-five years. She was the mother of four children, who were named as follows : Elizabeth, Abner, Mary, and Sarah.
In politics Mr. Ruddock was a Republican. He was originally an Episcopalian, but after his marriage he united with the Congrega- tional church, of which his wife was already a member. He was deeply interested in the general welfare and the intellectual and moral progress of the community in which he lived ; and at his decease he left a legacy of one thou- sand dollars, the interest of which is to be used to support a free church library. This thoughtful generosity stimulating others to aid the good cause of the advancement of learning, in 1890 a handsome brick structure was erected for the library. The building, including the land, cost two thousand five hundred dollars, and it contains twenty-two hundred volumes.
On a neighboring page will be seen a por- trait of this public benefactor, the perpetuity of whose gift will cause his name to be last- ingly held in grateful remembrance.
RA A. GUILFORD, a well-known busi- ness man of Northampton, Hampshire County, a member of the firm of Guil- ford & Wood, horse dealers, was born in Con- way, Franklin County, Mass., October 24, 1847, son of Walter and Minerva (Amsden) Guilford. Both his grandfather, Walter Guil- ford, Sr., and his father were natives of Ash- field, the latter born in 1818. The family name of his paternal grandmother was Bur-
nett. His father was a farmer by occupation. He died in 1872, at the age of fifty-four. His wife, Minerva Amsden Guilford, died in 1874, her span of life also embracing fifty- four years. They were the parents of seven children, six of whom reached maturity. The eldest, Manley Guilford, offered up his young life on the altar of his country, dying in the army of a disease contracted in camp at the age of twenty-two. The others may here be briefly designated as follows: Mi- nerva is the wife of Frank Warren, of Bos- ton; Ira A. is the subject of this sketch, further mentioned below; Julius S. died in Ashfield, leaving a wife and two children; Alice was drowned when a child a little over two years of age; Arthur is a hotel- keeper at Conway, Mass .; Ralph M. resides in Northampton.
Ira A. Guilford was reared to farm life. He attended the district schools, and ac- quired a fair education, working for his par- ents on the home farm until twenty-one years of age, when his father agreed to give him forty dollars a month. He was engaged in various work until November, 1886, when he formed a partnership with Frank J. Wood, of Shelburne Falls, and established a market for horses at Northampton Centre, under the firm name of Guilford & Wood. Their enterprise has prospered; and they are doing quite an extensive business, trading largely in Western and Canadian horses, buying principally in Michigan and Illinois, and bearing a wide reputation for fair dealing. They usually import in this way about thirty carloads per year, carefully selected, their average annual sales amounting to one thousand horses.
On Christmas Day, 1871, Mr. Guilford was united in marriage with Ella Brown, of Con- way, daughter of L. T. and Martha (Shippie) Brown. The one son who blessed their union
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passed away in infancy. Mr. Guilford is independent in political matters, using his own judgment in voting for the best men and measures. Socially, he is an advanced member of the Masonic fraternity, being a prominent Sir Knight.
RANCIS J. CANEDY, M. D., the lead- ing physician and surgeon of Shel- burne Falls, was born in the town of Heath, July 9, 1846, son of Joel and Louisa (Canedy) Canedy, and grandson of John and Susan (Stowe) Canedy. His great-grand- father, John Canedy, Sr., who was born in Ireland, came to this country many years ago and settled in Colerain, Franklin County, pur- chasing there one hundred and sixty acres of new land, the greater part of which he cleared. He lived to be eighty years old, rearing a large family. John Cancdy, the younger, was born in Colerain and spent the greater part of his life in that town. In 1834 he bought one hundred and eighty acres of land in Heath ; and about one year later, in 1835, he died. He was an industrious and thrifty farmer, and at his death was worth over ten thousand dol- lars. His wife, whose maiden name was Susan Stowe, lived to be seventy-five years of age. They reared eight children.
Joel Canedy was a minor when his father died. He was bound out to John Burrington, of Heath, until twenty-one years of age, when he came into possession of his share of the home estate ; and since that time he has been prosperously engaged in farming, - tilling the ancestral acres. He has a strong constitution, and at seventy-two years (1895) is very active. Mrs. Canedy is sixty-nine years of age. Mr. Canedy votes the Republican ticket, and has been active in town affairs, serving as Select- man, School Committee, and in other offices.
He and his wife attend the Methodist church. They arc the parents of the following children : Francis J. ; Winfield S., a retired farmer in Shelburne Falls; Lucy, wife of James Stock- well ; George M., a farmer in Heath.
Francis J. Canedy attended the district schools of his native town, also studying at a select school and at Shelburne Falls Academy. He taught school during the winter terms for some years, and at one time he was assistant teacher at the academy at Shelburne Falls. He pursued his medical studies at the Uni- versity of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, Mich., graduating in 1870, and in May of that year opened an office at Whitingham, Vt., where he was in practice two years. At the end of that time he went to Greenfield as assistant to Dr. William Severance. He subsequently bought the practice of Dr. C. Puffer at Shelburne Falls, and in time purchased the beautiful residence on Bridge Street which he now occupies, having made several improvements on the estate. Dr. Canedy is a very success- ful and popular physician and has a large prac- tice. He is at present Medical Examiner of the Western Franklin County District, and also United States Examiner for Pensions for the same district. A man of foresight and financial ability, the Doctor has dealt some- what in real estate, and owns four double tene- ment-houses in a two-thirds share in the Union Block, and some property at Shat- tuckville.
Dr. Francis J. Canedy was married August 20, 1872, to Emma, daughter of Jacob and Caroline (Gore) Chase, of Whitingham, Vt. Mr. Chase was a teacher by profession in his early manhood, later a farmer. He died at the age of seventy-two. Mrs. Chase is still living, being now seventy years of age. Dr. Canedy and his wife are the parents of thrce children, namely : Grace E., born May 29,
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1873, now the wife of Professor Frederic A. Tupper, principal of the Quincy High School ; Charles F., born January 16, 1877, a student at Williams College; and Ruth B., born No- vember 17, 1880, who is with her parents.
In politics Dr. Canedy is a member of the Republican party. He is an Odd Fellow, belonging to Alethian Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Shelburne Falls. The Doctor and his wife are members of the Baptist church.
ENRY A. FIELD, a young man of extensive activity and influence, re- siding in South Deerfield, promi- nent in many a good word and work, occupies a very responsible position as Assistant Treas- urer of the Phillips Manufacturing Company at Springfield. He was born at Milford, Mass., on August 8, 1870, and is the son of John A. Field, a native of Ohio, whose father, Robert Field, was born in Deerfield, Mass., and there followed the business of carriage building for some years, or until his removal to Ohio. In that State he became the super- intendent of the penitentiary, a position which he very satisfactorily filled for a number of years, subsequently returning to Deerfield, resuming the manufacture of carriages. He died at the age of nearly ninety years.
Of his two children, John A., Mr. Henry A. Field's father, was the younger ; and, as he was eligible for service at the commencement of the Civil War, he enlisted in an Ohio Reg- iment, with which he served through its stipu- lated term, and, subsequently re-enlisting, continued in the ranks until the close of the war. After a short sojourn in his native place, he was engaged for a number of years as a book-keeper in Ex-Governor Claflin's furniture manufactory at Milford, later return-
ing to South Deerfield. He married Mary Phillips, daughter of Alonzo D. Phillips, a hotel-keeper of Athol, Mass., who passed his last years as proprietor of the Pocomtock House, and died in Greenfield at the age of about fifty-one years. Mr. Phillips and his wife, Henry A. Field's maternal grandmother, formerly Mary Robinson, of Springfield, reared six children, four of whom are still living; namely, Alonzo D., Henry M., Mary, and Emma, the latter being the wife of Cyrus Brown, of Deerfield. Mary, Mr. Field's mother, was educated at the Deerfield Acad- emy and the New England Conservatory of Music, and is a very successful music teacher.
Henry A. Field is the only child of his par- ents and has been a resident of Deerfield since he was three years of age. He first attended the public schools of the town, later entering the Dickinson Academy, from which he was graduated in 1887, at the age of seventeen years, as the valedictorian of his class. In the autumn of that year he began teaching in the grammar school at South Deerfield, where he continued for three terms, or one year. After filling for a year a situation as book- keeper he resumed teaching, and was for two terms principal of the Green River Grammar School, a position which he resigned in order to accept the assistant treasurership of the Phillips Manufacturing Company at Spring- field, which he has efficiently and satisfactorily filled for the past five years.
Mr. Field is a Republican in politics, and has been elected Town Auditor, a Trustee of the Town Library, and moderator of the town meeting for 1895, being also a member of the Republican Town Committee for 1896. He is a very popular man socially, both in this town and in Springfield, being a member of the most prominent clubs and societies in both places. He is secretary of the South Deer-
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field Club, and also a member of the Canoe Association, the Bicycle, the Winthrop, and Nayasset Clubs of Springfield (where he re- sided temporarily, from 1890 to 1894), and has a very large number of acquaintances in that city. While there he was identified with the First Congregational Church and Sunday- school, and is now a member of the South Deerfield church and superintendent of its Sunday-school.
Mr. Field has been prominently connected with the Christian Endeavor and the Young Men's Christian Association movements. He was on the Board of Directors of the State Christian Endeavor organization for six con- tinuous years, was its first State Secretary, which office he held for three years, and was subsequently State Treasurer for three years. He has also been Secretary and President of the local society, and has held the same offices in the county union. In 1889 he was elected Assistant Secretary of the International Con- vention at Philadelphia. For two years Mr. Field was Secretary of the eighth Young Men's Christian Association district, and is a member of the Springfield Young Men's Christian Association. Mr. Field is also a life member of the American Missionary As- sociation and the Home Missionary Society, and is a member of the Connecticut Valley Congregational Club and the Sons of the American Revolution.
UGH MAXWELL, the leading mer- chant in Heath, his native town, where he also conducts a large farm, was born on June 5, 1836, son of William M. and Eunice (Rugg) Maxwell, and grandson of Hugh and Olive (Newhall) Maxwell. His great-grandfather, Colonel Hugh Maxwell, a native of Ireland, settled in Bedford, Mass.,
carly in the eighteenth century, and there became a prominent farmer and land-owner, taking up arms in defence of the country at the time of the Revolutionary struggle. (See biographical notice of Charles T. Barber on a neighboring page of this volume.) The Colo- nel's son Hugh, the second of the name, pur- chased some two hundred acres of land in Heath, and established a good farm. He was a stanch Whig and filled various official posi- tions in the town ; and he was an active mem- ber of the Congregational church. He died at the age of seventy-eight, and his wife at eighty-four. They had five children, William M., above named, being the youngest.
William M. Maxwell was born in Heath, May 22, 1807. The duty of caring for his parents in their old age devolved upon him, and with this duty the charge of the homestead and the attendant labors of farm life. Indus- trious, enterprising, and prudent, he accumu- lated quite a fortune, raising a variety of stock and owning large flocks of sheep. He voted. in the ranks of the Whig party, and held vari- ous offices in the town, being Assessor for some time. Like his father, he was a member of the Congregational church. He lived to be eighty years old and was four times married.
Hugh Maxwell, son of William M. by his first wife, acquired a fair education in the schools of Heath, and was early initiated in the principles and methods of agriculture. He had charge of the homestead farm for twelve years and gradually acquired more prop- erty, buying first the farm on which he re- sides, covering twenty-five acres, and afterward adding to it until he is now the owner of one hundred and sixty acres. He carries on an extensive dairy business and is largely engaged in raising stock, besides conducting a thriving trade in merchandise. His estate is a fine one, and the house roomy and substantial.
HUGH MAXWELL.
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In March, 1$59, Mr. Maxwell was united in marriage with Louisa E., daughter of Captain David and Sarah (Greene) Gould. Captain Gould was a progressive farmer in easy eir- cumstanees. A Demoerat in political views, he represented his district at the General Court in 1851, and was Selectman of the town for several terms. Both he and his wife lived to an advanced age, rearing a family of twelve ehildren.
Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell have been blessed by three children, namely: Cora E., born April 18, 1861, who died on December 25, 1885 ; Ella L., born November 27, 1863, who mar- ried Frank A. Ward, and has three children - Gladys L., Madeline E., and Frank H. ; and Mary E., born Mareh 1, 1867, who is Postmistress at Heath and also serves in her father's store. Mr. Maxwell votes the Repub- liean tieket and is prominent in town affairs, having served as Selectman, Assessor, and Town Clerk. In 1880 he represented his dis- triet in the State legislature. The family attend the Union chureh, and are of high social standing in the town.
This brief biography is happily supple- mented by a faithful portrait of Mr. Maxwell.
ORTER FARWELL, the able super- intendent of the Montague Paper Company, established at Turner's Falls, Franklin County, Mass., was born in Isehua, Cattaraugus County, N. Y., May 8, 1848. His father, John H. Farwell, was born in Fitchburg, Mass., from which town his grandfather, Abraham Farwell, who was a native of Massachusetts, removed to Western New York, settling in Ischua as early as 1814. Taking up a traet of land in that locality, he built a saw-mill, and conducted a successful lumber business many years; later he engaged
in farming, remaining there till the elose of his life.
John H. Farwell, son of Abraham, was one of a large family. He spent his boyhood and youth at the new home on the frontier, where he assisted his father in running lumber down the Alleghany River. He also carried on farming for many years, making his home in that loeality, where he died at the age of eighty-three years. His wife, Catherine Put- nam, was born near Shirley, Mass. Of their nine children, eight are still living, as fol- lows : John H. ; Samuel P. ; Marie C., widow of Ira J. Gleason, of Fitchburg; Mary F., wife of J. C. Loekwood, of Greene, Ia. ; Dan- iel G. (deceased) ; Lydia M., wife of George Marshall, founder of the Montague Paper Mill of Turner's Falls; Abraham M. ; Martha A., wife of Lowell E. Fales, of New York; and Porter. Mrs. Catherine P. Farwell died at the old homestead, at the age of sixty-four years. Both parents were members of the Baptist church.
Porter Farwell remained at home during his early years, attending the public schools and the academy in Franklinville, N. Y. In 1870 he went to Iowa, where during his stay of eighteen months he cleared a farm and built a house for his brother. Going then to Laurel, Ind., in company with his brother-in-law, George E. Marshall, he found employment in a paper-mill established in that town. At the end of a year they removed to Turner's Falls, Mass., and, after Mr. Marshall had established the present mill, Mr. Farwell took the posi- tion of assistant foreman, which he held two years. He then beeame foreman of the works ; and eight years later he was made superintend- ent, which office he has continued to fill up to the present time. The mill is devoted to the manufacture of news and book paper. The company conducting it was one of the first to
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use successfully ground wood in the manufact- ure of printing paper ; and the paper now sent out by them, under Mr. Farwell's supervision, is considered of a very superior quality.
In September, 1874, Mr. Farwell was mar- ried to Miss Alice F. Burlingame, who was born in Franklinville, N. Y., daughter of John Burlingame. Her father, now deceased, was a native of the same town, where he resided and carried on the insurance business. Her mother, Mrs. Burlingame, is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Farwell have three children, namely : Catherine, a graduate of the high school and now studying at Smith College, Northampton, Mass. ; Raymond A., a student at Cushing Academy, Ashburnham, Mass .; and Eliza- beth R.
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