USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Franklin County, Massachusetts .. > Part 63
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In June, 1885, Mr. Amsden was united in marriage to Madeline M., daughter of H. A. Bowen, and their home has been brightened by three children, namely: Robert B., born May 13, 1886; Ruth, born September 20, 1889; and Howard L., born December 1, 1891. Mr. Amsden votes the Republican ticket. He is a member of the local Board of Trade and an active worker for village im-
provement. He and his family attend the Universalist church, to the support of which he liberally contributes. Socially, he is a member of Mountain Lodge, A. F. & A. M. His residence on Maple Street, which he built in 1889, is the handsomest in the vil- lage, with its beautiful grass-covered lawn and broad, smooth driveway.
RRAMEL MOORE, a wagon and car- riage manufacturer, whose place of business is at the corner of School and Ames Streets, Greenfield, Mass., his work being noted throughout Western Massachu- setts for its excellence and superiority, has been a resident of this village for the past thirty years, and is held in high respect. He was born in Rutland, Worcester County, Mass., July 5, 1836, and is a son of Enoch Moore, who was born in 1799.
Jonas Moore, the father of Enoch, was formerly a resident of Greenfield, having been for many years the proprietor of the Greenfield Poor Farm, which he owned, and sold for that purpose. He married a Miss Wheelock, who bore him five sons and three daughters, each of whom married and reared a family. Both the grandparents rounded out a long period of life, each living eighty- five years, dying in 1850, within a week of each other. They were people of high moral character and sincerely religious, although not worshipping at the same altar, he being a Universalist in belief and she a Congrega- tionalist.
Enoch Moore worked as a blacksmith dur- ing his earlier years, and, being industrious and prudent, accumulated enough money to buy in 1844 a farm in Bernardston, where he was thenceforth engaged in agricultural labor. His first wife, whom he married in 1822, was
EDWARD E. TODD.
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Almira Williams, of Rutland, Mass. She bore him eight children - three sons and five daughters -all of whom, with the exception of one son, grew to adult life, the following being yet alive: Mary C., widow of Henry Dunham, of Greenfield; Emily, wife of Will- iam Starks, of East Hartford, Conn .; and Orramel, whose history is here recorded. The mother died October 27, 1857, aged fifty- seven years; and the father, who was subse- quently married again. died in 1885, leaving his widow with a small property. The par- ents were Congregationalists in religion, and lived lives consistent with their faith.
Orramel Moore received a good common- school education; and, having inherited a taste for mechanical pursuits, he began at the age of sixteen years to learn blacksmithing from his father. Four years afterward he went to Springfield, where he worked at his trade, at one dollar and a half a day, for two years. Returning to the parental homestead, Mr. Moore engaged in business with his father for two years, going then to Killingly, and in 1860 locating at Danielsonville, Conn., being in business for himself the first year. The second year he worked by the day, and the following year again started for himself, remaining there until 1865. On the 14th of April, the very day of the assassination of President Lincoln, he removed to Greenfield, buying the property of Abner Pratt on Davis Street, where he carried on his trade for three years. In 1868, in company with Mr. Withey, he bought his present stand, and established the manufacture of carriages and wagons, in which he has since been engaged, the firm being the first few years known as Moore & Withey. In 1880 Mr. Moore sold out to his partner, for whom he worked the next ten years, and in addition thereto dealt extensively in horses. In 1890 Mr. Moore
bought out the interest of his employer, and has since conducted the enterprise alone. He employs from eight to twelve hands, keep- ing them all busy at manufacturing or repair- ing, his specialty being the fine and orna- mental work of sleighs, wagons, and all kinds of carriages; and he also handles sale work.
Mr. Moore was first married on January I, 1857, to Miss Esther Boswell, of Rhode Isl- and, who became the mother of four children -two sons and two daughters. The sons both died in infancy ; and one daughter, Gertie, lived but seven years. The other daughter, Nellie, resides with her husband, H. F. Skillings, in the vicinity of Boston, they having one child. Mrs. Esther B. Moore died in September, 1874, at thirty-four years of age; and six years later Mr. Moore was united in marriage with Mrs. Kate F. Allen Cobb, a widow. Mrs. Moore had one daughter by a former marriage, Eva May Cobb, who was graduated from the Greenfield High School and from the Springfield Busi- ness College, and is now book-keeper for her step-father. In this capacity she is of great assistance to Mr. Moore, being fully compe- tent to look after the interests of the business in his absence. Politically, Mr. Moore is a steadfast Republican, but he has thus far escaped office. He and his family are mem- bers of the Congregational society of Green- field.
DWARD E. TODD, an extensive lum- ber dealer and farmer in Charlemont, was born in this town, May 23, 1840, son of Eli and Mary (Legate) Todd. His grandparents, Solomon and Lydia (Sack- ett) Todd, were both natives of North Haven, Conn., in which place Solomon started in life as a farmer, in 1811 buying the farm on which his grandson, Uriah Todd, now lives.
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This land was at that time in a wild state, and Grandfather Todd had before him a hercu- lean task when he attempted to clear a home- stead from the wilderness. But he had a strong constitution and an indomitable will, and prosperity smiled upon him. He was ex- tensively engaged in stock-raising, his wild land affording fine pasture for his flocks and herds, and at the end of his long life of ninety-nine years and eleven months left a comfortable property of two hundred acres of land, well stocked and fitted for farming pur- poses. He was a Democrat in politics, and he and his wife were communicants of the Episcopal church. They had a large family, Eli being the third in order of birth.
Eli Todd was born in 1793 at North Haven, Conn. At the age of twenty he made his first financial venture, purchasing a farm in Charlemont near his father's estate, which he sold in order to buy the James Mann place, covering five hundred acres, which his son now owns. He was extensively engaged in stock-raising, and also built a saw-mill, which had a large annual output of lumber. Like his father, he voted the Democratic ticket, and with his wife attended the Congregational church. He lived to be ninety-two years old, she having passed away at the age of seventy- seven. They had eight children.
Edward E., the fifth son of Eli Todd, at- tended school at the Shelburne Falls Acad- emy, and completed his education at Bernards- ton Academy. At the age of sixteen he took charge of a school, and taught successfully for two or three years, afterward keeping books a while for a railroad contractor. He bought the homestead shortly after attaining his ma- jority, and applied himself with energy to the task of cultivating the farm. He raises large flocks of sheep and choice stock. Five years ago he leased the Hawkes mills on Cold
River, and has since carried on an extensive lumbering business, employing a large force of men and several teams. Mr. Todd is a man of good business ability, and has achieved an enviable reputation for the quality of the commodities in which he deals and for his general reliability.
He was married in 1868 to Miss Mary Taintor, daughter of Josiah Taintor. Mrs. Todd's father met a tragic death on the rail- road in comparatively early life. Mr. and Mrs. Todd have welcomed to their home five children, namely: Ernest B., who lives with his parents; Rena, wife of J. D. Horton ; Effie and Ella, who are teaching school; and Walter, who died in childhood. Mr. Todd votes with the Republican party, and is a prominent man in his district, having served as Representative and in other official posi - tions. He is a member of the Orthodox Con - gregational church.
Mr. Todd's friends will be glad to greet his counterfeit presentment which accompanies this sketch.
LBERT WITHERELL, a prosperous farmer, owns a spacious and well-cul- tivated farm in the town of War- wick, where he has resided since 1854. His birth occurred at Foxboro, Norfolk County, Mass., on February 16, 1818; and he is a son of Benjamin Witherell, a native of the adjoin- ing town of Mansfield, Bristol County, Mass., a lifelong farmer. Benjamin Witherell mar- ried Ruth Seeley, of Easton; and they raised a large family of children, of whom Mr. Al- bert Witherell is now the only survivor. Mrs. Ruth S. Witherell died in Mansfield at the age of forty-three years.
The boyhood of Albert Witherell was passed in the above-named town, where he re- ceived his education at the district schools,
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and at an early age turned his attention to agriculture. Later he managed a boarding- house. He also peddled groceries and vari- ous notions, subsequently moving to Warwick, and purchasing his present farm of one hun- dred and forty acres, which he proceeded to clear and improve, and which he has since devoted to general farming with the most sat- isfactory results. On March 19, 1840, he married Rosemma Davis, a native of the State of Maine, and daughter of James Davis, a prosperous farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Wither- ell have been blessed with six children, as follows: Helen, who married Samuel Hast- ings, of Warwick, a Representative to the legislature from this district ; Henry, a travel- ling man in the West, who wedded Elizabeth Young, of Warwick, and has two children - Winifred and Benjamin; George E., an en- gineer of Hartford, Conn., who married Mary Hildreth, and has one child - George; Frank E. who married Rose Dudley, daugh- ter of George Dudley, a boat builder and a well-known resident of this town; Edward E., who married Mary Goodwin, of this town, and has one child, named Carl; and Ida C., wife of Frank P. Atkinson, a farmer and boarding-house keeper of Swansea, they hav- ing one child, named Mary.
Frank E. Witherell acquired the trade of a builder, his father having been engaged to a considerable extent in that work, and for the past twenty years has erected many houses both in this locality and at Orange. His brother Edward is in business with him, the firm being known as Witherell Brothers; and they have just completed a substantial town house for this village, a fine dwelling-house at Grand View Farm, and have a large num- ber of contracts for the present year. Mr. and Mrs. Frank E. Witherell have four children : George A., Edith R., Atta J., and
Grace. They reside on a part of the old homestead.
Mr. Witherell, Sr., voted for William H. Harrison in 1840, and has been a Republican since the formation of the party, having taken considerable interest in public affairs, serving both as a member of the School Board and Road Surveyor. His son, Frank E., is also a Republican in politics. Mr. Albert With- erell is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and of the Congregational church.
AMES DEAN AVERY, a prominent farmer of Buckland and President of the Franklin County Agricultural So- ciety, was born at East Charlemont, February 10, 1848. His father, David Avery, was born upon the same farm, January 19, 1805; and his grandfather, Amos Avery, was born at Montville, Conn., March 10, 1755. Amos Avery was a son of Abner and Elizabeth (Bill) Avery, an extended account of whose ancestors may be found in the genealogical works by Howe De Lois Sweet.
David Avery was reared to agricultural pursuits, and succeeded to the ownership of the homestead. He improved the excellent water-power on his premises by operating a saw and grist mill in connection with farm- ing. He has resided upon this farm nearly his entire life, is still hale and hearty, at- tending church regularly. His wife, Pru- dence Dean, whom he married on May 23, 1839, was born on December 20, 1817, daugh- ter of Christopher Dean, of Colerain. Mr. and Mrs. Avery have passed fifty-six years of married life, and their seven children are as follows: Adeline R., Francis D., Henry G., James D., Adelaide F., William B., and David Ellsworth.
James D. Avery attended the schools of his
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native town, and after a course of study at the Westfield Normal School completed his edu- cation at Williston Seminary, Easthampton. He resided with his parents until he attained his majority, when he went to Shelburne Falls, where for one year he was employed in a gimlet factory. The succeeding two years were occupied in tilling the soil on the farm which he now owns and successfully carrics on, his stock being always of the best breeds. He has a flock of two hundred sheep, eighteen of which are thoroughbred Southdowns; and he also owns a yoke of oxen which are claimed to be the finest in the world. These superb animals are of Holstein breed, per- fectly matched as to size and color, their com- bined weight being six thousand, one hundred pounds. Mr. Avery is also engaged in hand- ling wood and lumber.
He has filled the town offices of Selectman, Assessor, and Overseer of the Poor, and is now serving his second term as President of the Franklin County Agricultural Society. He was a member of the State Board of Agri- culture from 1890 to 1893. In politics he is a Republican. Mr. Avery was married on May 6, 1873, to Miss Emma J. Packard, daughter of Orrick and Sophia (Kendrick) Packard, of East Charlemont. They have one son, Francis Dean Avery. Mrs. Avery is a member of the Congregational church.
RANK J. WOOD, of Shelburne Falls, an extensive dealer in horses, was born in Buckland, July 3, 1856, son of The- odore and Lucy (Pratt) Wood. Mr. Wood's grandparents were Lyman and Elmira (Hook) Wood, who were early settlers in the town of Buckland, and lived to an advanced age. Theodore Wood was born in Buckland, June 2, 1826. For several years in early manhood
he engaged in the manufacture of wooden boxes, and then entered the employ of Will- iam Sherwood, of Shelburne Falls, with whom he acquired a knowledge of the jewelry trade. He travelled for a few years, selling jewelry and silverware, and later was successfully engaged in mercantile business at Shelburne Falls. He purchased the post-office block, which he remodelled and enlarged, and became the owner of other property. Later in life he was forced by failing health to seek out-of- door employment, and he turned his attention to cutting and manufacturing lumber. He was liberal in his religious views and a Re- publican in politics. Theodore Wood died in Shelburne Falls in 1890, aged sixty-four years, his wife, who was a daughter of Em- mons Pratt, of Buckland, having passed away at the age of thirty-four. She was the mother of four children, as follows: Juan C., Minnie E., Charles, and Frank J.
After completing his studies at the Shel- burne Falls Academy, Frank J. Wood com- menced to learn the jewelry business with his father. He had a natural fancy for horses ; and, as soon as circumstances permitted and an opportunity presented itself, he went into the livery business on a small scale. He first leased the N. Lamson barn, and opened a liv- ery and baiting stable, which he managed for six years, and then purchased the Toby barn, situated on the Buckland side of the river, where he carried on business for three years, and since 1885 has been associated with I. A. Guilford in carrying on sale stables both in Shelburne Falls and Northampton, the firm dealing in both Western and Canadian horses, and selling about one thousand per year. He is considered an excellent judge of horse flesh, and is a thoroughly reliable man.
On December 31, 1889, Mr. Wood married Lizzie M. Fellows, daughter of Robert and
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Huldah S. (Woodard) Fellows, and has four sons: Robert F., Frank S., Howard H., and Donald G. Mr. Wood is a Republican in politics and a liberal in religion, Mrs. Wood being a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
AVID NEWHALL, of Conway, was born at Shelburne, Mass., May 30, 1848. His father, Ormand David Newhall, was born at Deerfield; but the birth- place of his grandfather, Nathan Newhall, is unknown. He, however, moved from Deer- field to Shelburne, and purchased a farm in the vicinity of Bardwell's Ferry, upon which he resided for the remainder of his life. He married Gratia Bardwell, and they had a family of five children.
Ormand D. Newhall followed agricultural pursuits in the town of Shelburne until his death, which occurred at the age of forty-two years. His wife, whose maiden name was Abigail Wells, was a daughter of Captain Walter Wells, of Shelburne, who for many years kept a tavern, which was located upon the road leading from that town to Greenfield. Mrs. Ormand D. Newhall passed onward to her rest at the age of seventy-two years. Her children were: Walter W., Jane, David, and Emily.
David Newhall acquired his education in the public schools of Shelburne and at East- man's Business College at Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Adopting farming as an occupation, he resided in his native town until after his marriage, when he moved to Conway, and set- tled upon the farm where he now resides. The property, which is situated upon high ground in the north-west part of the town, is exceedingly valuable on account of its healthy location and the fertility of the soil. The residence is substantially built; and the
barn is spacious, being three stories high. Mr. Newhall is a Republican in politics. He has served as Selectman for seven years, during the past four of which he has been chairman of the board. He is a member of the Franklin County Agricultural Society.
In 1876 Mr. Newhall was united in mar- riage to Mrs. Jennie Frances (Totman) Boy- den, daughter of Joshua and Hannah Totman, of Conway. At the age of eighteen Mrs. Newhall commenced teaching school; and one year later she was married to her first hus- band, Israel G. Boyden, who was a native of Conway, son of Josiah and Emily (Stearns) Boyden. He followed agriculture successfully until his death, which occurred when he was thirty-eight years of age. He left two chil- dren; namely, Hattie S. Boyden and Israel G. Boyden, Jr. The three children of Mr. and Mrs. Newhall are: Emily, Lorrin David, and Alice Frances.
"ORACE A. SMITH, a well-known and prosperous citizen of Rowe, in the north-west corner of Franklin County, Mass., was born in Amherst, Hamp- shire County, October 19, 1825, son of Rufus and Elizabeth (Browning) Smith. The former, who was a son of Ebenezer Smith, was a shoemaker by trade, and was also proprietor of the hotel at Welmington, adding still more to his income by taking care of the estate of a sea captain during the owner's absence. He was in comfortable circumstances, and lived to be eighty-three years old. Rufus Smith was twice married, and had five chil- dren by his first wife, Achsah Ingraham, and by his second wife, Elizabeth Browning, two: Elizabeth; and Horace A., the subject of this biography.
Horace A. Smith when five years of age
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was taken by his uncle, Hanson Browning, who cared for him until he was twenty-one. He worked at farming until twenty-four years old, then learned the carpenter's trade, and afterward went to work in a saw-mill, finally buying a mill, which he managed himself. This he at length sold at a good profit, and bought the business of a painter in Montague, which he finally disposed of, in order to buy the farm of twenty acres in Rowe on which he now resides. Mr. Smith ran the stage from Rowe to Zoar for thirteen years, carrying the mail; and his varied experience in different lines of business has given him a wide knowl- edge of men and things, and made him a man of many resources.
On May 6, 1857, he was married to Martha A., daughter of Silas and Emily (Thayer) Logan, of Deerfield , and grand-daughter of James and Lucy (Ward) Logan. James Logan was born in Ireland, and at the time of the French and Indian War was impressed by the English, and brought to Canada to fight in the ranks of the British army. At the end of the war he escaped from Canada, and came to New England, settling in Paxton, Mass., and later moving to Greenfield. Having broken away from British rule, he severed all con- nection with his native land, and formed last- ing affiliations in the new country, becoming "an American of the Americans." He and his wife, Emily, whose maiden name was Thayer, lived to a good age, rearing four chil- dren : William, Catherine, Silas, and Anna. Silas Logan, Mrs. Smith's father, was born in Paxton, Mass., March 14, 1782. He was a cooper by trade, and travelled a great deal both in Canada and the United States, but finally settled on a farm in Vernon, Vt., liv- ing to be over eighty-three. His wife died at the age of eighty-one. Of their union four children were born: Martha A., Emma E.,
Manning, and Silas M. Mr. and Mrs. Hor- ace Smith have had two children, the elder of whom, a son, Harry M., born July 6, 1858, passed away on September 3, 1860; the younger, a daughter, Mattie L., born October 20, 1871, is living at home.
Mr. Smith has practically retired from active business. He is a prudent and thoughtful man, who knows how to care for the fruit of his labor; and his comfortable home, with its neat surroundings, makes a pleasant picture. He and his wife are mem- bers of the Unitarian church, and he is a Republican in politics.
ONATHAN G. DAVENPORT, one of the leading farmers and business men of the town of Rowe, Franklin County, Mass., was born in Heath, September 24, 1840, son of John and Hannah (Hall) Daven- port, and grandson of Edward Davenport. John Davenport was born in Colerain, Febru- ary 22, 1800. At the time of his marriage he bought the Day farm of eighty acres in Heath, and built a saw-mill, and also a house and barn to take the place of the old buildings. The land was in a rough and neglected condi- tion ; and he cleared up part of it, burning off the underbrush, and sawing many of the trees into marketable shape at his mill, finding a ready sale for his lumber. He also rented other land near the North River Bridge in East Charlemont. Here he lived for six years, moving at the end of that time to a place owned by his son Jonathan in Buckland. Mr. John Davenport died in Rowe, at the age of eighty-one. His wife, who was born in the same year that marked his own entrance on the stage of life, also passed from earth the same year that he did. They had six chil- dren. In polities the father was a Republi-
JONATHAN G. DAVENPORT.
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can, and in religion he was a member of the Baptist church.
Jonathan G., the third child of John and Hannah Davenport, attended school in Heath and Charlemont until fourteen years of age, when he went to work on a farm for four dol- lars per month, giving his wages to his father. In two years his monthly stipend was raised to thirteen dollars; and at that rate he worked until nineteen years of age, when he obtained a position as clerk in a hotel at Shelburne Falls. He was a prudent and thrifty young man, and shortly saved enough from his earn- ings to make a good first payment on a farm of fifty acres which he bought in Buckland, and which his father lived upon and culti- vated, he himself meanwhile making subse- quent payments from his salary as hotel clerk. In 1861 he enlisted in the Seventh New York Cavalry, under command of A. J. Morrison, and after eight months of hard service in the war for the Union returned to his position in the hotel. Shortly after his marriage he sold his Buckland place, and bought the Warner home of one hundred and seven acres, which he now cultivates. He likewise purchased over two hundred acres of land in other parts of the town, which he sold in 1887, when he built his present residence. Within the past year he has erected a handsome three-story barn, sixty by sixty; and he has a fine lot of live stock, comprising sheep, full-blooded Jer- seys, and some handsome horses. When the sulphur mines were opened here, Mr. Davis, the projector, selected Mr. Davenport to su- perintend the work, depending upon his sound judgment and reliability to make it success- ful. For seven years Mr. Davenport was em- ployed in attending to the sinking of the shafts and to all of the business above ground ; and, though now he has practically retired from active work in that line, he is often con-
sulted and requested to look after important points in the Davis Mining Works; and he has laid out and overseen the building of all their new roads. His own land contains rich veins of copper, which as yet he has not attempted to work.
In 1863, Mr. Davenport was married to Mary C., daughter of Daniel and Lucinda (Towne) Warner. Daniel Warner in his boy- hood was in very humble circumstances, but he had a strong constitution and a healthy ambition; and by dint of hard work and econ- omy he laid up money enough to purchase a small tract of wild land near where his son- in-law now lives. Here he built a small log cabin, which became the nucleus of a vast estate, as he gradually bought and cleared more land; and at the time of his death, at ninety-seven years of age, in 1876, he was an extensive real estate owner, having also been largely engaged in stock-raising. He was a stanch Republican and a member of the Metho- dist Episcopal church. The mother of Mrs. Davenport was his third wife.
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