USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Franklin County, Massachusetts .. > Part 68
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76
RS. JANE S. WILLIAMS, a resi- dent of Sunderland, Mass., born April 18, 1835, and for nearly a quarter of a century the beloved wife and help- mate of Franklin H. Williams, late a valued citizen of this town, is a daughter of Apollos and Roxanna (Bartlett) Sanderson, the former of whom was born in Sunderland, December II, 1797. Mrs. Williams's paternal grand- father was William Sanderson, a native and lifelong resident of Sunderland. Apollos Sanderson succeeded to the possession of his father's farm, and conducted it until his death, which occurred October 16, 1860, at the age of sixty-three years. His wife was born in North Hadley, November 17, 1795, where her father was a prosperous farmer. She became the mother of nine children, of whom five are still living, namely: John, a resident of Springfield, Mass. ; Roxanna, wife of Dexter Culver, of Huntington, Mass. ; Elizabeth, wife of Enoch C. Collins, of Springfield, Mass. ; Horace G. Sanderson, of Sunderland ; and Jane, Mrs. Williams. Mrs. Roxanna B. Sanderson died in Sunderland, July 24, 1869.
Jane Sanderson was educated in the public schools of her native town, and under the maternal guidance was doubtless early trained to those arts of housewifery and home-making in which so many New England wives and mothers, not neglecting mental cultivation, have shown themselves adept. On February 13, 1867, she became the wife of Franklin H. Williams, who was born in Sunderland, Feb- ruary 2, 1834, son of Oliver and Mariam (Hubbard) Williams. His grandfather was an early settler in Sunderland, and his father was a well-known farmer of this town. Franklin H. Williams passed his boyhood upon his father's farm, and acquired his edu- cation in the district schools and at Williston Academy in Easthampton. After completing
601
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
his studies, he travelled for two years in the South, and then returned to Sunderland, where he succeeded to the possession of his father's farm, and successfully followed agriculture dur- ing the remainder of his life. He was one of the most enterprising men of this vicinity, thoroughly upright and honorable in business transactions, a man of high moral principles, and one whose convictions, especially in re- gard to temperance, were put into strenuous action. His farm was a model of liberal and intelligent management and thorough cultiva- tion. Mr. Williams was a prominent member of the Congregational church, and in politics he was a Republican. He was much inter- ested in educational progress, and served upon the School Board of the town for some years. The death of Mr. Williams on July 6, 1891, in the fifty-eighth year of his age, was deeply mourned throughout the community, as well as by his wife and family, on whom the loss fell most heavily.
Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Williams, namely: Frank O., who married Kathleen I. Roberts; Arthur S., who died at the age of eighteen, during his Junior year at the Amherst Agricultural College; Milton Hubbard, D. V. S., a graduate of Harvard, who is now engaged in practice, as a veterinary sur- geon, at Lynn, Mass. ; and Jennie Maud, who was educated in the schools of Sunderland and Amherst and at the School of Expression in Boston. Mr. Frank O. Williams is a graduate of Amherst Agricultural College, and for a time he had charge of the Experiment Station ; but at his father's death he returned home, and now carries on the farm. He has one child, Arthur Franklin, who is of the fifth generation born on the old homestead, and in the same house built by his great-great-grandfather, Oliver Williams. The family are active and es- teemed members of the Congregational church.
EORGE E. WHITNEY, a prominent real estate dealer, of Orange, is a man of energy, ability, and enter- prise, and is well deserving of the prosperity that has marked his onward and upward prog- ress through life. A native of Gardner, Mass., his birth occurred May 19, 1854, at the home of his parents, Sumner P. and Eliza J. ( Peabody ) Whitney. His grandfather, Lewis J. Whitney, was also born in Orange, the son of an early settler of the place. He was a carpenter and joiner by trade, and worked at this calling in Orange and Athol, making a good living, and being one of the active citizens. In politics he was an adhe- rent of the Republican party, and, religiously, an earnest member of the Baptist church, of which he was sexton for a number of years.
Sumner P. Whitney was born in Orange, and received his education here and at Athol. At the age of fifteen he was bound out to learn the trade of a foundryman, but, not being able to stand the excessive heat of the foundry, gave up the occupation at the expiration of his term of apprenticeship. He was next em- ployed for a while in the Goodspeed Chair Manufactory at Gardner, and later was in the trucking business. In 1861 he enlisted in the Twenty-eighth Massachusetts Volunteer Infan- try as a musician, and served for about a year. Then, returning to Orange, he worked for fourteen consecutive years for L. Kilbourn & Co., being afterward employed at the H. H. Whitney factory, finally becoming an em- ployee of the New Home Sewing Machine Company, with whom he remained until his death, June 16, 1878. He married Eliza J. Peabody, who was born November 16, 1835. She was a daughter of William Peabody, whose birth occurred in 1793 at Wendell, where he was afterward engaged as a tanner and a farmer.
602
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
George E. Whitney acquired a practical education in the public schools, and when but a boy exhibited those stirring business qualities that have ever been important factors of his suc- cessful career. Being obliged to depend upon his individual exertions for his spending money, he began earning it, first by driving his neigh- bor's cows to and from the pasture, and later by peddling pop-corn on the streets, making sometimes the snug little sum of two dollars per day. For the purpose of learning a trade young Whitney entered the factory of the Gold Medal Machine Company, receiving sixty-four cents a day for his work, and subse- quently became an employee at the chair fac- tory, where his skill was such that he was soon able to command good wages. He was next engaged as a workman for S. J. Howell, manufacturer of jeweller's tools, after which he served an apprenticeship with John F. Fisher in Orange, and later purchased the business, which he followed, sometimes alone and sometimes with a partner, here and in other places, until 1892.
At that time Mr. Whitney, in company with J. W. Wheeler, established a real estate busi- ness, and opened up that part of the town known as Orange Highlands. They first pur- chased, from A. F. Trim, the sixty-five acres of land, included in the birthplace of Mr. Wheeler. Then from C. C. Foster they bought twelve adjoining acres, on which was born Mr. Wheeler's grandfather; and to this they added a fifty-acre tract of heavily timbered land, which they purchased of Mrs. Mary A. Ewing. This entire tract they have platted, laying out streets and lots, and have it well improved. Many of the lots that they have already sold have handsome houses now upon them; and the company has also erected five commodious and conveniently arranged houses, which are for sale. The Highlands are in the
most beautiful and healthful part of the town, having the advantage of natural scenery not found elsewhere in the county. The view is most charming and extensive, and the place is easily accessible, being but ten minutes from the post-office.
On October 22, 1876, Mr. Whitney was united in marriage with Sara J. Flagg, a native of North Orange, born November 21, 1859. Her father is John B. Flagg, formerly a farmer, now an esteemed resident of Orange, where he and his wife, formerly Margaret M. Barber, are passing their declining years, re- tired from active labor. Mr. and Mrs. Whit- ney have two children, namely: Maud G., born July 18, 1877 ; and Ernest E., born June II, 1880. Mr. Whitney and his family have a most attractive home on High Street, and here they cordially welcome their many friends. He is a representative citizen of the town, and an uncompromising Republican in politics. Religiously, he is broad in his views of Christianity, and liberal in his beliefs.
HARLES M. WILSON, M.D., one of the leading physicians of Shelburne Falls, was born in this village Feb- ruary 19, 1852, son of Dr. Milo and Mary (Ranney) Wilson. He is of Scotch-Irish de- scent, tracing his lineage back to Deacon James and Mary (McGee) Wilson, natives of Ireland, who came to America, settling in Bos- ton in 1722, where they remained for a year or two, and then went to Londonderry, N. H., the name of this town being identical with that of the county of which they were residents in Ireland. In 1740 Deacon James Wilson re- moved with his family from Londonderry, N. H., to the town of Shelburne, Franklin County, Mass., buying four hundred acres of land at twenty-five cents per acre, and becoming
603
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
extensively engaged in farming and lumbering. He and his wife were the parents of nine chil- dren, seven sons and two daughters: Robert, John, Thomas, Jonathan, Samuel, William, David, Sarah, and Ann. Thomas and Will- iam went out on a scouting party, and were never afterward heard of, doubtless meeting their death at the hands of Indians; John was killed by the kick of a horse; and Samuel received a severe injury in helping to raise the first bridge over North River in Colerain, Mass.
David Wilson, seventh son of Deacon James Wilson, was one of the early settlers in East Colerain, where he became a well-to-do farmer, and died in his prime, leaving six children. One of these, whose name was David, married Sarah Long; and they had four sons - Sam- uel, Stephen, David, and Milo, and two daughters, Mary and Louisa. The latter, Louisa, now eighty-four years of age, wife of Lewis Ellis, resides in Belding, Mich.
Milo Wilson, who was father of the direct subject of this sketch, was born in Shelburne, November 3, 1807. Having completed his studies in the academy at Shelburne, he taught school for two or three years; and, on giving up that occupation, he bought a stock of goods, and started out on a tour through the Southern States, a number of which he visited as an itinerant merchant. He then returned North, and took up the study of medicine, receiving his diploma from the Pittsfield Medical Col- lege in 1838. Poor in pocket, but rich in intellect and ambition, he was well equipped for the practice of his profession when he opened his first office in Ashfield, Mass., in 1838, the year of his graduation. After seven years of successful practice in Ashfield he re- moved in 1845 to Shelburne Falls, where for thirty-five years he was busily engaged in attending to the duties of his calling, by
his courteous demeanor, genial manners, and manly independence of character winning the esteem of all. His wife, Mary Ranney, to whom he was united in 1838, when commenc- ing his professional career, was a daughter of Captain Roswell Ranney, of Ashfield, Mass. She was born October 9, 1814, and died in March, 1877. Both Doctor and Mrs. Milo Wilson were attendants at the Baptist church.
In politics Dr. Milo Wilson was succes- sively a Whig, a Republican, and a Democrat. Joining the Republican party on or soon after its formation, he voted for Abraham Lincoln for his first term. His next vote for President was for George B. McClellan, and he there- after was a firm supporter of the Democratic party. He was chosen to represent the town of Shelburne in the Constitutional Convention in 1854, and was elected a Representative to the legislature in the same year, serving his constituents with ability and fidelity. He took an active interest in all town affairs, and always kept well informed on matters pertain- ing to the State and National government. He was especially a friend of education, re- peatedly serving on the School Committee in the town of Shelburne, and was also a sincere advocate of the cause of temperance. He died, universally respected, on September 3, 1875, in his sixty-eighth year.
Charles M. Wilson, whose nativity is re- corded above, acquired his general education at Shelburne Falls Academy, and began the study of medicine with his father. He was grad- uated from Bellevue Medical College, New York, in 1875, and after a year's practice at Shelburne Falls went to Belding, Mich., but was shortly called home on account of the death of his mother. When the home affairs were settled, he went to Cawker City, Mitchell County, Kan., and there remained thirteen years, successfully meeting the demands of a
604
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
large practice, also holding the office of Pen- sion Examiner for four years, from 1884 to 1888. In 1891 he returned to his birthplace, where he has a constantly increasing practice, and bids fair to rival his father in the regards of his fellow-townsmen.
On April 30, 1877, Dr. Wilson was married to Lucy B., daughter of David Perry, of Shel- burne, Mass. ; and four children, all born in Kansas, have blessed their union: Charles P. was born May 21, 1880; Earl J., December 5, 1881 ; Harold D., May.10, 1884; and Min- nie E., July 5, 1886. Dr. Wilson has always been active in promoting the success of the Democratic ticket. He is a member of Spirit Spring Lodge, No. 159, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Cawker City, Kan., of which he was Vice-Grand when he removed to Shel- burne; and his wife was Past Grand of Re- becca Lodge of the same place. The Doctor is also a member of the Kansas branch of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and medi- cal examiner for the subordinate lodge of that order at Shelburne Falls. In religious mat- ters his views are liberal. His home office is the old home of Dr. Charles E. Severance, a convenient and pleasantly located residence.
ILAS TROWBRIDGE, for twenty- four years Deacon of the Congrega- tional church of Buckland, was born in this town, March 14, 1798, and lived to the advanced age of ninety years and four months, a useful and honored citizen. He was a son of Daniel and Mary (Taylor) Trow- bridge. His father was a native of Fairfield County, Connecticut ; and his grandfather, Seth Trowbridge, was a lifelong resident of Connecticut. From the Trowbridge genealogy, published in New Haven in 1872, we learn that Thomas Trowbridge came from Taunton,
England, about 1636, and a few years later, 1639 or 1641, settled with his three sons, Thomas, William, and James, in New Haven. The father afterward returned to England. William, his second son, was born in Eng- land, it is thought, about 1634. William Trowbridge's grandson, Samuel Trowbridge, was grandfather of Seth Trowbridge, of New Fairfield, Conn. It seems highly probable that the latter was identical with the Seth above named as the grandfather of the subject of the present sketch.
Daniel Trowbridge, father of Silas, came from Connecticut to Massachusetts when a young man, and was married in Deerfield. From there he removed to Buckland, where he was one of the early settlers, purchasing a tract of land which he cultivated. He was a cooper by trade, and worked at cooperage to some extent. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary Taylor, was a native of Deerfield, daughter of the Rev. James Taylor, a Congre- gational preacher, who removed from Deer- field to Buckland, and whose remains were the first buried in the old cemetery. Daniel and Mary (Taylor) Trowbridge were the parents of twelve children, nine of whom reached ma- turity.
Silas Trowbridge learned the cooper's trade of his father, and worked at it during his ac- tive life. Succeeding to the ownership of the homestead, he added to it by purchase, erect- ing good buildings and greatly improving the farm. His wife, whose maiden name was Electa Pomeroy, was the daughter of Enos Pomeroy, a native of Hadley, for some years a resident of Buckland. He was a cloth fuller by trade, and, on removing to Buckland, bought land at Buckland Four Corners, and erected a fulling-mill, which he operated, at the same time superintending a farm. When sixty- seven years of age, he fell from a beam in his
605
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
barn, receiving injuries which caused his death. His wife was Lucy Smith, daughter of Major John Smith, of Hadley. Mrs. Trow- bridge was the eighth of eleven children, all of whom reached maturity ; and she lived to be seventy-one years of age. She and her hus- band reared seven children : Luther Pomeroy, James, Rufus, Mary, Lucy Smith, John, and Electa Pomeroy. Rufus died in Boston at the age of twenty-two. John removed to Sub- lette, Lee County, Ill., and, enlisting from there in the Forty-sixth Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry at the time of the Civil War, died in the service. Lucy Trowbridge, after attending the public schools, was succes- sively a pupil at Franklin Academy, Shel- burne Falls, and Conway Academy, and then for a number of years was engaged in teaching, seven years being thus occupied in Lee and Bureau Counties, Illinois. With that excep- tion she has been a continuous resident of Franklin County, Massachusetts. She mar- ried Colonel Roger Hooker Leavitt, a highly influential and valued citizen, now departed, a sketch of whose life will be found just be- low. Mrs. Lucy T. Leavitt resides on the old homestead.
Silas Trowbridge was an old-time Abolition- ist, and a stanch Republican from the forma- tion of the party. He was a strong advocate of the temperance cause, and lived up to his principles, never using tobacco or liquor in any form. He and his wife were members of the Congregational church.
OLONEL ROGER HOOKER LEAV- ITT, late one of the leading men in Franklin County, was a native of Heath, Mass., son of Roger and Priscilla (Maxwell) Leavitt, and grandson of the Rev. Jonathan Leavitt, the first settled minister of
Charlemont. He received an academic educa- tion, attending first the schools of his native town, later studying at Hopkins Academy at Hadley, and for some time thereafter engaged in teaching. The latter part of his life was devoted to agricultural pursuits, a farm in Charlemont occupying his time and attention. He was a man of advanced ideas and genuine public spirit, and probably no one man did more toward securing the building of the Hoosac Tunnel than he. He worked in the interest of that enterprise, not only in his own immediate neighborhood, but in the legislat- ure, where he was a prominent member of the lower branch two terms, 1868 and 1869, being elected once unanimously, and also served one term as State Senator. In educational mat- ters, too, he was actively interested, and served as Trustee of Mount Holyoke Seminary and College. Colonel Leavitt was for some time a Deacon of the Congregational church in East Charlemont.
He was four times married. His first wife was Keziah Hunt, daughter of William Hunt, of Heath; his second wife was her sister, Eliza Hunt; and the third was Mrs. Olive Longley Warriner. The fourth, who survives him, was Lucy S., daughter of Deacon Silas Trowbridge, of whom a sketch appears else- where in this work. Mrs. Leavitt resides in Buckland. Colonel Leavitt had three sons by his first marriage, two of whom are living: John H., a banker in Waterloo, Ia. ; and Will- iam H., who resides in Minneapolis, Minn. Henry, the youngest son, a graduate of Will- iams College, practised law in Chicago for a while, and died in Mississippi during the Civil War. Colonel Leavitt's maternal grand- father was Hugh Maxwell, who served in the French and Indian War, and also in the Revo- lution, being a Lieutenant at the battle of Bunker Hill, and later Lieutenant Colonel.
606
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
EV. MARK E. PURCELL, pastor of the Roman Catholic church at Greenfield, was born at Weymouth, Mass., near Boston, January 8, 1850. His father, Thomas Purcell, was born in Ireland in 1834, son of John and Mary (Quan) Purcell, whose family consisted of four sons and one daughter, all of whom reached maturity. Their eldest son John, a shoemaker by trade, was the first of them to emigrate to the United States, arriving here some time during the year 1840, accompanied by his wife and fam- ily. He settled at Randolph, Mass., where he followed that occupation for many years, becoming well known in the town as a man of more than ordinary intelligence, and possess- ing the esteem and respect of his fellow- townsmen. His death occurred at the advanced age of eighty-eight years.
Thomas Purcell was probably the first Irish- man to establish his residence at Weymouth, where he followed the trade of shoemaking. He married Mary Quan, who, though of Irish ancestry, was American born, and the daughter of James and Mary (Lynch) Quan. They had a family of four sons and two daughters who grew to adult life, and of whom two sons and one daughter now survive, namely : Mark E., the subject of this sketch; Thomas, a physi- cian of Holyoke; and Mary.
The Rev. Father Purcell seems to have been specially endowed by nature with many traits of character which adapt him for the service of the church and the saving of souls. His the- ological studies were pursued at Ottawa, Can. ; and in 1879 he was first settled in his holy office as pastor of a church at Thorndike, Mass., later being called to labor at Holyoke and Indian Orchard. In 1880 he came to Greenfield, where he has since continued to labor with the persistent zeal and faith of a true Christian worker. The Greenfield parish
was established in 1848, it having been previ- ously supplied for a time from the Chicopee parish, and later by priests from Holyoke and Northampton. It consists of about fourteen hundred souls; and the mission at South Deerfield, which numbers four hundred, is supplied from the Greenfield church.
Father Purcell is assisted by the Rev. Will- iam T. Sherry, who has occupied his present position for the past six years. He is a native of North Adams, was educated at Alleghany College, New York, and is a young clergyman of much promise. The church at Greenfield is one of the few that still adhere to the good old custom of pealing forth the Angelus three times a day. Father Purcell is a kind- hearted, courteous, and genial gentleman, ever thoughtful of the needs of others. His noble Christian character has gained for him the respect and esteem of all classes, irrespective of creed ; and it may be truthfully said that his friends are composed of nearly the entire com- munity. Father Purcell occupies the paro- chial residence, which, together with the church, was erected in 1859.
OEL THAYER, one of the oldest mer- chants of Shelburne Falls, was born in Chesterfield, Mass., March 24, 1822, son of Orin and Orilla (Pearl) Thayer. Mr. Thayer's grandfather, Captain Joel Thayer, of the State militia, a well-known man in his day, was a native of Chesterfield, where he followed the trade of a mason, and contributed largely toward building the stage road from Chesterfield to Worthington. He purchased one hundred acres of land in Slab City, where he erected a house, and resided there for the remainder of his life. Captain Joel Thayer died in 1831, aged sixty-two, leaving two children; namely, Orin and Daniel.
607
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
Orin Thayer was born in Chesterfield, and in young manhood acquired the trade of a wheelwright. He later engaged in building mills, and in course of time bought a saw-mill with a small tract of land in Worthington, where he carried on business for a while, but finally sold the mill, and moved to Chester, then to South Worthington, and there spent the remainder of his life. He died aged fifty-six years. His wife, who died at the age of sixty-six, became the mother of seven children, as follows: Lydia, Joel, Amanda, Cranson, Amasa W., Alford M., Cranson (second).
Joel Thayer, the subject of this sketch, received his education in the district school. At the age of fifteen he bought his time, and entered the employ of E. T. Ring, a manu- facturer of baby carriages and window shades in Worthington, where he remained for five years. He then came to Shelburne Falls, and with a team went upon the road, selling goods for Lamson & Co. After travelling through the New England States for thirteen years, he was engaged in adjusting lightning rods for one year in Philadelphia, and then worked as a mechanic in the cutlery business until 1859. He took charge of the Union Company's store for a year, at the expiration of which time he purchased the business, including the building, and during the Civil War conducted a large and profitable trade. He carried a full line of general merchandise for twenty-five years, when he disposed of all but the grocery trade, and in 1891 rented a part of his store to a druggist. Mr. Thayer is an extensive real estate owner, possessing property in Shelburne Falls, Buckland, and Charlemont, and besides his fine residence, which is situated at the corner of Bridge and Mechanics Streets, has one hundred and fifty acres of land near the village. He is inde-
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.