USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Hampshire County, Massachusetts > Part 14
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Lorenzo H. Tower, who by the death of both his parents was left an orphan at the early age of four years, went to live with his cousin, Marshall Minor, with whom he re- mained until fourteen years of age. He then started out to earn his own livelihood, an uphill undertaking for a lad of his years under the most favorable circumstances. He found a place with Ezra Whitman, a farmer of Wind- sor, Mass. He was kept at farm work until eighteen years of age, when, with forty dollars in money, the amount of his wages during those four years, he went to Pittsfield, Mass. Here he worked for A. L. Clark for some time, and then went to the shops of Hunting- ton, Mass., where for two years he worked on basket and rim wood machinery. In this work he showed much aptitude, and was sent out to set up basket machinery in different places. Finally, having in this way started a basket factory at Oneida, N. Y., for E. J. Hatch, he was given full charge of it, and held that posi- tion for the next two years. After a brief visit to his Massachusetts home he returned to
Oneida and took charge of a sash, door, and blind factory for eight years. While there he owned two houses, one of which he built him- self. He then returned to Cummington ; and, after working one year for William Cullen Bryant as carpenter, he took charge of the Bryant property. Under his supervision the house and barn on the proprietor's birthplace were rebuilt, also the Bryant Library, which was erected in 1872, and the house and barn adjoining, where Mr. Tower lives. He owns a piece of land near by, which he cultivates. He is also the owner of a tenement-house in Holyoke and a house in East Hartford, Conn., and some land in Iowa. As already stated, after he had been in Oneida, N. Y., about two years, he returned to Massachusetts for a brief stay.
On returning to Oneida after his previous visit to his home he took back with him as his wife Miss Vesta A. Bartlett, to whom he had been married November 27, 1856. She was born in Cummington, October 16, 1830, and was a daughter of Ephraim and Betsey (Mar- shall) Bartlett, the former of whom was an en- terprising and progressive farmer of Cumming- ton Hill and a leading man in public affairs. Both were prominent members of the Presby- terian church. But one son of the three chil- dren born of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Tower is now living. This is Theodore P., whose birth occurred July 18, 1860. He is a civil engineer and has charge of the State road which is now being constructed in the towns of Goshen and Weymouth. The deceased are : Arthur, who was born March 1, 1858, and died October 8, 1859; and Bessie M., whose birth occurred April 9, 1867, and who died on September 22 of that same year.
Mr. Tower is a Republican. He has been active in town affairs, and in 1870 was elected as Selectman. From 1878 to 1880, and from
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1882 to 1886, he served as chairman of that board. He acted as Collector three years, and has also acceptably filled the office of Town Treasurer and Highway Surveyor. He is a believer in Spiritualism.
R EV. BENJAMIN V. STEVENSON, a retired clergyman and an esteemed resident of Ware, first opened his eyes on the world in Boston on Christmas morning, A. D. 1815, son of William and Abi- gail (Varney) Stevenson. Mr. Stevenson is of Scotch descent. His great-grandfather, James Stevenson, came to this country from Glasgow, Scotland. His grandfather, Thomas Stevenson, was a baker in Boston, doing a good business. The latter married Sarah Chadwell, of that city; and they had a family of thirteen children, seven of whom they reared.
William Stevenson, father of the Rev. Ben- jamin V. Stevenson, was born in Boston in 1785. A pump and block maker by trade, he was an intelligent and well-read man, who, though not wealthy, was fairly prosperous, lived well, gave his children a good education, and died in 1841. His wife, Abigail Varney, was the daughter of Benjamin Varney, who was also a pump and block maker, and taught William Stevenson his trade. Mrs. Stevenson lived to the age of seventy-five years, surviving her husband over thirty years. They were buried beside the grandparents in the old cemetery on Salem Street, Boston. Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson had a family of two boys and seven girls, and reared two sons and three daughters. But two are now living, the sub- ject of this sketch and his sister, Sarah Chad- well. The latter, widow of the late Robert W. Hall, who was once a prominent man in Boston and superintendent of public lands, is
now eighty-five years of age, and is still active and in full possession of her faculties. She reared two sons and two daughters.
Benjamin V. Stevenson finished his theolog- ical studies under Hosea Ballou, second, first President of Tufts College. At the age of twenty-nine he took charge of his first pasto- rate at Barre, Mass., where he remained six years. He was subsequently pastor at New Bedford, Chicopee, Shelburne Falls, South- bridge, and Ware. He came to the latter town in 1882, and in 1885 purchased his present home at SI Church Street. About six years ago Mr. Stevenson had a fall which dis- abled his lower limbs. This obliged him to retire from active pastoral work, but he is always ready to answer the calls of charity. He lives up to the teachings of the word which he was wont to preach, and is held in loving remembrance by his former parishioners.
January 1, 1845, he was united in marriage to Maria A. Standish, of Boston, who died August 2, 1846. He was married a second time on March 30, 1848, to Huldah H. Sib- ley, of Barre, daughter of Sardius and Betsey (Johnson) Sibley. Mrs. Stevenson's great- grandfather on the paternal side was Samuel Sibley, one of the early settlers of Barre, where he was a successful farmer. Her grand- father was Captain Charles Sibley, of Barre, an officer in the State militia, who served for many years in both chambers of the Massa- chusetts legislature. On the maternal side Mrs. Stevenson is a grand-daughter of Perry Johnson, of Barre. Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson had three children, namely : Charles Sibley, who died in infancy ; Maria Augusta, wife of A. G. Carley, of Northampton, who has one son ; and William Henry, a prosperous grocer in Boston, who has three sons.
Mr. Stevenson is advanced in Masonry, hav- ing passed three of the chairs, and belongs to
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the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. An extended account of his family history would be very interesting, as his grandparents were residents of Boston during the stirring times of the Revolution. He has in his possession a heavy solid silver spoon, given to him by his grandmother sixty-three years ago, that was made by Paul Revere.
ILLIAM N. CLAPP, a member of one of the old families of New Eng- land, who lives on a farm in East- hampton, was born November 3, 1810, near his present home, on a farm owned by his grandfather. He is a son of Solomon and Paulina (Avery) Clapp, and is a descendant, in the seventh generation, of Roger Clapp, who was born in Devon, England, April 6, 1609, a member of "a godly family reared in Christian culture."
Roger Clapp came to this country in the ship "Mary and John," which bore a goodly company, including two magistrates and two ministers, and reached port May 30, 1630. He settled in Dorchester, Mass., where he held various public offices. In 1665 he was ap- pointed Captain of the fortifications on Castle Island in Boston Harbor, a position which he creditably filled for twenty years, resigning his commission when the tyrannical Andros was made governor of New England. Shortly after, in 1686, he removed to Boston, where he died in 1691, in his eighty-second year. Roger Clapp married Joanna, daughter of Thomas Ford, who, with her parents, came over in the same ship. Preserved Clapp, one of their fourteen children, born November 23, 1643, settled in Northampton. He was a prominent man in the town, a Captain of a military company, a Representative to the Gen- eral Court, and a ruling Elder in the church.
He died from the effects of a gunshot wound received from an Indian.
Preserved Clapp married Sarah Newberry, of Windsor, Conn., who bore seven children, one of whom, named Roger, was the father of Major Jonathan Clapp, who settled in East- hampton about 1730. Jonathan Clapp was reared by his uncle, Samuel Bartlett, and inherited from him the corn-mill which he had had an early permit to build in Easthampton. Major Clapp was one of the leading men in the early history of the town. During the Revolution he showed his patriotism and his humanity by always keeping two large kettles of food over the fire to supply the soldiers who passed his house, each kettle holding thirty gallons; and the fire was constantly burning, so that the soldier could get his meal by day or night. He was the father of three sons and eight daughters.
His youngest son, Benjamin Clapp, was born December 16, 1738. In 1766 he settled in Easthampton, taking up a large tract of land, which is now divided into some six farms, mostly in the possession of the family, the farm occupied by his grandson, William N., being a part of the original property. Benjamin Clapp, commonly called Quarter- master Clapp, served in the Revolutionary War. He died in 1815, at the age of seventy- seven. A journal which he started on March 9, 1767, is in the possession of his grandson, William N. Clapp, and is in a fair state of preservation. His wife, whose maiden name was Phebe Boynton, was a native of Coventry, Conn., born November 23, 1750. She was married in 1765, at fifteen, and lived to be ninety-seven, and died in December, 1847, retaining to the last activity of mind and body. Fifteen children were born to them, thirteen of whom reared families.
Solomon Clapp was the eighth child of Ben-
WILLIAM N. CLAPP.
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jamin. His life began September 2, 1782, Easthampton being his birthplace; and the confines of that town bounded the horizon of his existence. He was engaged in general farming on the land bequeathed him by his father up to the time of his death, which occurred when he was forty-five years old. His wife, Paulina Avery, was a daughter of Abner Avery, a native of Wallingford, Conn., who removed to Northampton in middle life, later removing to Easthampton, where he died in 1836, at the age of eighty-eight. He was a Lieutenant in the Revolutionary army. Mrs. Paulina A. Clapp lived to be seventy-six years of age. Her remains are resting with those of her husband in the fine new cemetery at Easthampton. She was the mother of ten children, of whom William N. and three sis- ters are living, and six brothers have passed away. The youngest, George C., removed to Kasota, Minn., and, joining the army, soon rose from the ranks to a position of authority, his first service being in fighting the Indians.
William N. Clapp was the second son of his parents. He acquired the rudiments of his education in the district schools, and was a student for a year at Hopkins Academy in Hadley, a noted school in those days. In his seventeenth year he was apprenticed to a jew- eller and watch-maker in Providence, with whom he remained but a few months, being called home in consequence of the death of his father. He succeeded to the possession of the home farm, and with the exception of three winters spent in teaching at South Amherst, Westhampton, and Grafton, his life has since been devoted to general farming. He has a roomy and homelike residence, which he built in 1836, and owns a fine estate.
Mr. Clapp has been married three times. His first wife, to whom he was united in 1833, was Tryphena Janes, the second daughter of
Parsons Janes, of Easthampton. Her grand- father, Jonathan Janes, was a soldier in the French and Indian War, and was present at the surrender of Louisburg. Mrs. Tryphena J. Clapp died July 29, 1847, leaving four children, namely: Sarah Eugenia, who was educated at Williston and South Hadley Semi- naries, for ten years was a successful teacher in the public schools of Ohio and Massachu- setts, and is now the wife of George W. Guil- ford, of Swift River, Mass. ; William Edgar, who served in the Fifty-second Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteers, taking part in the siege of Port Hudson, and now has a farm ad- joining his father's, and a wife and two chil- dren; Solomon Parsons, who died in 1872, leaving a widow and one daughter, Rosa Ward, now deceased, another daughter, Min- nie P., being born after her father's decease; and Eliza Tryphena, who was first wife of George Guilford, and died February 18, 1879, leaving one daughter, Ena.
On January 4, 1848, Mr. Clapp married Emily Janes, sister of his first wife. The two children born of this union, Emily Maria and Harriet Ellen, are both graduates of Mount Holyoke Seminary. Harriet Ellen, who also received a diploma for proficiency in music from Smith College, is now the wife of Fred E. Gates, of Springfield, Mo., and the mother of three children. Miss Emily M. Clapp was three years a teacher in Utah. Under the auspices of the New West Education Commis- sion she founded a school at Provo in 1883, and taught there two years. The school, which she left in a good condition, is now a large institution. She had peculiar difficulties to contend with, as Brigham Young Academy was at that time flourishing in Provo, which was the strongest Mormon town in Utah. Miss Clapp was three years connected with the American Missionary Association in the
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South, and has taught in Massachusetts and Vermont.
Mr. Clapp married in October, 1862, his present wife, Prudence T., daughter of Charles Wait, of Easthampton, formerly of Williams- burg. Her grandfather, Joseph Wait, of Will- iamsburg, was a Revolutionary soldier. Two children were born of this marriage, both now deceased. Mr. Clapp's grand-daughter, Caro- line T. Clapp, is a graduate of Mount Hol- yoke, has been a successful teacher in Waltham, and is now travelling in Europe. A grandson, William Clark Clapp, who was born on his grandfather's sixty-third birthday, is an enthusiastic market gardener with his father.
William N. Clapp is a Republican in poli- tics, and has served many years as Collector of Taxes. He was Collector and Treasurer of the town from 1839 to 1854, and was Justice of the Peace twenty-one years, declining a re- newal of his commission; and many other offices were at his command, but he refused to cater to the political tastes of the times. He has been Trustee of the savings-bank since its organization. He is active in church work, and was collector and treasurer of the First Parish from 1839 to 1853, ceasing to act in that capacity on the formation of the Payson Congregational Church of Easthampton, to which he now belongs. An unmistakable likeness of this well-known citizen will be seen on a preceding page.
ILLIAM W. ORCUTT, who is a prominent agriculturist of the town of Cummington, was born in the house where he now resides on March 17, 1834, son of John and Hannah (Richards) Orcutt, and grandson of Nathan and Eunice (Whitmarsh) Orcutt.
Nathan Orcutt was a native of Abington, Mass. He came to this district, then almost a wilderness, in 1794, and purchased two hun- dred and twenty-five acres of land. This tract constitutes the farm now owned by William W. Orcutt. Grandfather Orcutt proceeded at once to clear the land and erect the necessary buildings. Later on he built a house, which in its day was one of the best in the town. As fast as he cleared his land he increased his stock of cattle, and in time became one of the largest stock-raisers in that vicinity. He sold his cattle in Boston, to which he drove them four times a year. These trips were made through an almost unsettled country, over a distance of one hundred and fifty miles. He served in the Revolutionary War as Lieu- tenant. In politics he was a Whig, while his religious belief was that of the Congregational church. His death occurred in 1820, at the age of sixty-five years. His wife, Eunice, died in 1818, fifty-eight years old. They reared five children : Sally, Joseph, Nathan, John, and Hulda.
John Orcutt, the youngest son of his par- ents, was born in the house first erected on the site of the one now occupied by his son. He worked with his father until manhood, and then he went into business as a wool buyer, purchasing largely throughout the surrounding towns. When at his father's death the farm was divided among the three sons, he received the homestead for his share. Besides his wool buying he dealt quite extensively in fat cattle and sheep, and made a specialty of raising and matching oxen, for which he often received fancy prices. He was considered one of the best judges of live stock in that locality. He bought the old academy in the village of Cum- mington, which he used as a storehouse for his wool; and later on he purchased one hun- dred and fifty acres of land adjoining his home-
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stead. His death occurred in 1871, when he was eighty-one years of age. His wife, Han- nah Richards before marriage, a daughter of Nehemiah and Hannah Richards, bore him five children : Clarinda, Mary A., Lysander, Vesta, and William W. He was a Whig in politics until the formation of the Republican party, of which thereafter he became a firm sup- porter. He took much interest in public af- fairs, but declined to serve in office. He was also interested in church work, and contributed largely toward the erection of the Congrega- tional church.
William W. Orcutt after attending the dis- trict school in his native town went to the seminary at Deerfield and to the Ashfield and Shelburne Falls Academies. At eighteen years of age he began teaching, and this dur- ing the winter season continued to be his employment for ten years. His summers were spent in farming. He conducted a select school in the village of Cummington for some time. At his father's death he gave up teach- ing and took charge of the old homestead, which he still owns, together with two hun- dred and fifty acres of land. He keeps a dairy of twenty cows, the cream from which he dis- poses of to the Cummington Creamery. He has also dealt in cattle to some extent, and raised some fine horses. His farm shows him to be a progressive agriculturist, one who believes that improvements pay.
On December 2, 1857, he was joined in marriage with Miss Mary Sprague, a daughter of Eli and Mary (Reed) Sprague, the former of whom was engaged in the tanning business in Ashfield, Mass. They had six children. Of the number two have died, namely : Charles, when four years old; and Fred A., at the age of twenty-three years. Those living are : Elli- ott, born January 22, 1860, residing in Den- ver, Col., who married Miss Carrie Macomber,
and has five children - Mabel, Mary, John, Vesta, and Brown; Willie M., born October 5, 1863, now in California, where he is en- gaged prospecting; Arthur, born July 5, 1875, living at home; and John, born May 1, 1877, also at home.
Mr. Orcutt is a stanch Republican. In 1887 he was sent as a Representative to the legislature from the Second Hampshire Dis- trict. For twenty years he has served as Moderator of his town, and as member of the School Committee for fifteen years. He is also active in church work, and for several years has acted as a teacher in the Sunday- school of the Congregational church. Mr. Orcutt is well known and highly esteemed, not alone in his own town, but wherever his busi- ness or social interests have called him.
ICHARD HARNEY, a well - to - do farmer of Worthington, was born in Blackburn, England, June 15, 1827, son of Richard and Jane (Tomlinson) Harney. Mr. Harney's father was engaged in different kinds of employment, and resided in England until his death. His mother had four other children : Thomas, William, Jane, and John. She also died in England.
Richard Harney commenced to work in a cotton factory at an early age. Having ac- quired a good knowledge of the business he was in time advanced to the position of over- seer. On September 30, 1863, he embarked for the United States, in company with his wife and seven children. After arriving in New York City he went to Cohoes, N. Y., where he found employment in a cotton factory for one year. He then moved to Easthamp- ton, Mass., and secured a position in another factory of the same kind. During the eigh- teen years that he spent there he earned the
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character of a capable and reliable workman. In 1883 he removed to Worthington and pur- chased the farm on which he now resides. The property included seventy acres of im- proved land, which he has since cultivated in- dustriously. He devotes himself chiefly to general farming and dairying.
On December 24, 1847, Mr. Harney was united in marriage to Ann Tempest. She was born in England, March 12, 1827, daughter of John and Mary Tempest, the former of whom was engineer of a large cotton-mill, an occupa- tion which he followed until his death. Both parents of Mrs. Harney died in England. Mr. and Mrs. Harney have had ten children. Six of them survive, and are as follows: John, married to Henrietta Comstock, and foreman of a cotton factory in New Bedford, Mass. ; Mary, wife of James Tetlow, a loom repairer of Adams, Mass. ; Jane, wife of Frederick White, a teamster of Holyoke, Mass. ; Rich- ard, married to Mary Lamprey, and residing in New Bedford, Mass. ; William, wedded to Dora Schroeder, and a mule spinner in Taun- ton, Mass. ; and Sarah, who resides at home. Those deceased were : Thomas, Hannah, Eliza- beth, and Joseph.
Mr. Harney was formerly a teacher of a Sabbath-school in England. Both he and his wife are members of the Congregational church in Worthington, and are actively interested in church work.
ARVEY RHOADES, a successful farmer of Chesterfield, was born in that town, December 26, 1831, son of Chapman and Cynthia (Cogswell) Rhoades.
Chapman Rhoades, also a native of Chester- field, followed farming as an occupation on the estate now held by his son Harvey. His death occurred July 8, 1856. His wife, Cyn- thia Cogswell, likewise born in Chesterfield,
became the mother of nine children. Of the number John, Mary Ann, Norman, and Joseph are deceased. Those surviving are : Horace, who married Sabrina Pomeroy, and resides in Chesterfield; Harvey, the subject of this sketch; Sarah, widow of Charles Thayer, who formerly lived in Williamsburg, and now re- sides in Somerville, Mass. ; Jane, who resides in Loudville, and is the widow of Medad Pom- eroy ; and Jeannette, who married G. Higgins, and resides in Springfield, Mass. The mother died July 6, 1870.
Harvey Rhoades attended the schools of his native town, and has always resided upon his farm. He succeeded to the ownership of the property after the death of his father, and has since followed agriculture with suc- cess. The land consists of two hundred acres, and is devoted to general farming. Mr. Rhoades is a Republican in politics, and has always supported the principles of that party.
On October 21, 1860, Mr. Rhoades was united in marriage to Sarah J. Damon. She was born in Goshen, Mass., December 10, 1843, daughter of Gershom C. and Sarah (Bird) Damon, the former of whom was a native of Chesterfield, where he died. Her mother, who was born in Williamsburg, Mass., still survives. Mr. and Mrs. Rhoades have had five children, namely : Frederick, born October 2, 1863, and married to Rebecca Valcourt, who is now deceased; William, born February 6, 1866, married to Eva Bisbee, and residing on a farm adjoining that of his par- ents; Nellie Bird, born November 5, 1871, who died November 29, 1878; Joseph, born November 18, 1878, residing at home; and Jennie Belle, born July 3, 1880, also residing at home. Mr. and Mrs. Rhoades are members of the Congregational church, of which Mr. Rhoades is a Deacon.
GEORGE E. FISHER.
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G EORGE W. COWING, a well-to-do farmer of Williamsburg, was born in that town April 22, 1842, son of William and Rebecca (Loomis) Cowing. His grandfather, Thomas Cowing, was probably born in Worthington, was a weaver by trade, and owned land in Worthington, where he died at an advanced age, having reared five chil- dren : Zalman, Emerson, William, Caroline, and Irene.
William Cowing, father of George W., when a young man, went to work in the Hay- denville manufactory at Williamsburg, and remained there many years. At the time of the war he enlisted in the army, and while in the service was taken sick with fever, and died at the age of forty-six years. His wife had died in 1845. They were the parents of four children : Emory, George W., Mary, and Nancy.
George W. Cowing received a fair education in the schools of Williamsburg. He worked as a farm hand for some time, saving his earn- ings until he had accumulated some money. Then he purchased a place in Whately, and for two years was engaged in general farming. He then entered the employ of the Connecticut River Railroad Company, and was section master for nine years. In 1890 he bought the Lawyer White farm in Williamsburg. This property had been in the hands of the White family for one hundred and ten years. It comprises thirty acres of good land, quite con- veniently located, being only half a mile from the post-office. There, in addition to the usual farming operations, he conducts a small dairy. He has made many improvements on the es- tate, which bear the stamp of his good man- agement.
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