USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Hampshire County, Massachusetts > Part 17
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LARK B. WRIGHT, well known in Middlefield, Mass., as an enterprising and progressive farmer and stock- raiser, is a native of that town, where his birth took place on July 20, 1842, being a son of Nathan and Asenath (Cone) Wright.
Nathan Wright, who was born in Chester, Mass., August 26, 1786, came with his par- ents to Middlefield about 1796, settling on the farm where Clark B. Wright now resides. He was brought up to farming, and continued to follow that occupation throughout his life on the old homestead. He died there on December 20, 1875, after an honorable and successful career, aged eighty-nine years. His wife, who was born in Peru, Mass., July 19, 1795, died September 2, 1879. The fruit of their union was eleven children, of whom two are now living, namely: Clark B .; and Louisa, now Mrs. L. Smith. Their birth record is as follows: Nathan, born February 27, 1818; Amos, December 5, 1819; Harri- ett A., December 12, 1821 ; Mary C., Sep- tember 20, 1823; Louisa, March 23, 1826; Emory, August 2, 1828; Charles, December 8, 1830; Fidelia, December 30, 1832; Ma- tilda, December 1, 1835; Olin, December 25, 1839; and Clark B., July 20, 1842. In addi- tion to the educational advantages offered by the common schools of the town, the children enjoyed the privilege of attending the high school of the county. Both parents were members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and were actively interested in the work of that body. In politics the father always sup- ported the Whig party. He filled several town offices most acceptably, and was popular with the people he met in his social and busi- ness relations.
Clark B. Wright, the youngest child, re- mained with his parents until their death. He then took charge of the home farm, on
which he has since resided. It is known as the Glendale Farm, and is situated about seven miles north of the village of Chester, in one of the best locations in the western part of the county. Besides his general farm- ing hc raises such staple New England prod- ucts as corn and potatoes. He is also quite successful in stock-raising, his stock being chiefly thoroughbred short-horn cattle, Chester White hogs, with some horses.
On March 1, 1864, he was united in mar- riage with Miss Ann L. Prentice. She was born February 6, 1844, a daughter of Syl- vester and Louisa (Williams) Prentice, both of whom were lifelong residents of Massachu- setts. Her father was a prosperous and enter- prising agriculturist. Mrs. Wright died on October 8, 1893, at forty-nine years of age, leaving no children.
Mr. Wright, though a stanch Republican, has no inclination for office. His home duties have required all his time and atten- tion. He is a member of the Baptist church of Middlefield, and so was his wife, who was a highly intelligent woman. Both were al- ways active and influential workers in the cause of Christianity.
AMUEL W. LEE, JR., whose por- trait accompanies the present sketch, is a member of the Nono- tuck Silk Company of Leeds, Mass., and a valued citizen of Northampton. He was born in Northampton, August 10, 1857, and is a son of Samuel W. Lee, Sr., who was born in Northampton Centre, April 14, 1835. His grandfather, Samuel William Lee, was born in Connecticut, and lived for some time in Middletown, but subsequently removed to Northampton. He married Electa Bacon, who bore him five children, of whom Samuel
SAMUEL W. LEE, Jr.,
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W. Lee, Sr., of Northampton, Electa Lee, of Newfield. N.J., and Cornelia, the widow of the Rev. William Bates, are now living.
Samuel W., son of Samuel William and Electa (Bacon) Lee, married Hepzibah Sev- erance, a native of Heath, Mass., who passed to the life eternal in November, 1891, leav- ing four children, namely: Samuel W., Jr .; Grace, who married John Robinson, and died in the prime of womanhood, leaving one son ; Arthur, who is married, and is in business with his father; and Philip, who died when young.
Samuel W. Lee, Jr., was educated in the district and high school of his native city, being well fitted for the responsibilities of life, and at the age of seventeen years began to be self-supporting. He first entered the insurance office of Peck & Pierce, remaining with them until 1878. Coming then to Leeds, Mr. Lee was employed as book-keeper for the Mill River Button Company three years; and in the spring of 1881 he accepted a similar position in the office of the Nono- tuck Silk Company, with which he has since been connected, this being the largest silk thread company in the world.
On the 20th of April, 1881, Mr. Lee was united in marriage with Miss Emma L. Di- mock, a daughter of Lucius and Electa (Jones) Dimock. Mrs. Dimock died in 1884, leaving her husband and two daughters : Emma L., Mrs. Lee; and Kittie, the wife of George Wright Clarke. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Lee has been brightened by the birth of one child, Harold Dimock Lee, a promising boy of thirteen years. Mr. Lee resides with his father-in-law, who is the Managing Director of the Nonotuck Silk Company.
In politics Mr. Lee is a strong Republican, and for two years served his fellow-townsmen as a member of the Common Council. He
also represents this ward on the Northampton Board of Education, and has been Secretary of the Forbes Library since its organization, being a most responsible and trustworthy official. Socially, he is a Knight Templar, and for three years was Commander of the Northampton Commandery. Mr. Lee is greatly interested in music, having a decided talent for the art, which he has cultivated, and for several years was organist in the First Church, and afterward sang in the choirs of that and of the Unitarian church.
ORACE HOLBROOK, the well- known dealer in meats and provi- sions at Northampton, residing at 228 State Street, was born in Buckland, Franklin County, Mass., on April 5, 1844, son of Amasa C. and Lucretia (Clemens) Holbrook.
His paternal grandfather, Isaac Holbrook, was born in Vermont, and was a farmer in humble circumstances. He married a Miss Saunders, who was also a native of the Green Mountain State; and she bore him four sons and two daughters. With the exception of one daughter who went to Ohio during the early settlement of that State, where she died, leaving some property, all were married, and reared families of their own. Grandfather Holbrook also went to Ohio; but, being taken ill with consumption, he returned East, and died about 1816. His widow died in Michigan in 1850 at a ripe old age.
Amasa C. Holbrook, who was born in Cole- rain, Mass., in 1812, married Miss Lucretia Clemens, of Charlemont, Mass., a daughter of Joseph Clemens. The latter was a machin- ist, and followed his trade for a considerable part of his life. He worked in iron and steel, and had a shop of his own on his farm, where
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he made dental tools and other implements; but he was also employed for a time in Green- field, Mass. His widow is now the wife of Harvey Churchill. She was born on Wash- ington's Birthday in 1813, and, though now in her eighty-third ycar, has retained a clear mind, and cnjoys a fair degree of health, not- withstanding injuries from a fall, which necessitate the use of crutches. She bore her husband two sons and three daughters, as follows: Elizabeth Thompson, a widow resid- ing at Shelburne Falls, Mass .; Horacc; George R., residing in Ontario, San Bernar- dino County, Cal .; Emily, who married Will- iam Hanks, of Ashfield, Mass., and died, leaving two children; and Mrs. Elvira A. Phillips, who died in Colerain, leaving two sons and a daughter.
Horace Holbrook attended Arms Academy two terms after completing his studies at the district school, and at home was reared to farm work. At eighteen years of age, in September, 1862, he enlisted in Company E of the Fifty-second Massachusetts Regiment, with which he served about a year, being a nine months' man. For two or three years after his father's death he was in Illinois, but since 1868 has engaged in his present busi- ness in Western Massachusetts. He first established himself in Montague, remaining there for several years, and about 1879 came to Northampton, where he is carrying on a thriving trade.
He was married on October 4, 1868, to Miss Maria R. Gloyd, of Plainfield, Mass., a daughter of Benjamin Gloyd, a Plainfield farmer. Mr. Gloyd dicd in 1876, at sixty- three years of age, leaving a widow and four children. Mrs. Gloyd dicd in 1884, also aged sixty-three years. Mr. and Mrs. Holbrook have four children, namely: Charles H., who is married, and lives in Northampton; Louis
Gcorgc, who married Miss Rose B. Abell, and is employed by his father; Nelson D., who is married, and lives at Everett, Mass., and Fred Amasa, a youth of fifteen years, who is attending school.
Mr. Holbrook is an adherent of the Repub- lican party, and has been a member of the W. T. Baker Post, No. 81, Grand Army of the Republic, ever since its organization, He is also a Chapter Mason. His present residence, which he purchased about eleven years ago, is on a large corner lot and a very desirable property.
ARSHALL C. SMITH, a pros- perous and progressive farmer of Chesterfield, was born in Chester, Hampden County, Mass., December 25, 1855, son of Amok C. and Sarah L. (Beldin) Smith, both of Chester. His father was born No- vember 23, 1812, his mother November 24, 1819. In early life Amok Smith was a painter, and also was engaged in manufactur- ing paint. Later he took up farming as his occupation, making his home in Chester till 1880, when he came to his son's farm, where he lived till the time of his death, June 18, 1891. His wife now lives with her son, the subject of this sketch. They were the parents of seven children, namely: Henry H., a Con- gregational minister, who married Mary Sum- mers, and lives in Knightville, Mass .; Ellen W., wife of Robert A. Billings, of Provi- dence; Fitch G., who died March 8, 1847; Addie D., born April 4, 1849, who died March 15, 1861; Mary E., wife of Ptolemy Smith, of Worthington; Marshall C .; Jennie, born February 21, 1861, wife of A. E. Frce- man, of South Worthington village.
Marshall C. Smith received a good common- school education, attending school in Hamp-
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shire and Hampden Counties. He worked with his father till 1879, when he took pos- session of the farm that he now owns, which originally consisted of one hundred and eighty-five acres, but has been enlarged by subsequent purchase till it now comprises three hundred acres. He has made many im- provements on his place, and raises bountiful crops of corn, potatoes, and hay, besides large quantities of fruit, a patent evaporator for preparing the latter commodity for market being prominent among his agricultural ma- chines and appliances.
On December 25, 1875, Mr. Smith was united in marriage with Lizzie E., daughter of Samuel and Mary Beldin, who was born July 19, 1853, in Chester. Mrs. Lizzie E. Smith died about a year after marriage; and on September 29, 1886, Mr. Smith took to his home a second wife, Gertrude J. Knight, a daughter of O. E. and Anna M. (Smith) Knight, who was born in Norwich, Mass., May 23, 1868. Her parents are both living, her father being the present Postmaster in Norwich. Two children have their home with Mr. and Mrs. Smith, namely: Charles Pome- roy, who came to them when six years of age; and his sister, Hattie A. Pomeroy.
Mr. Smith is a stanch Republican. His wife is a member of the Congregational church at Huntington. They have a very pleasant home, the house, which is a hundred years old, being built with spacious rooms in the generous and substantial fashion of last century.
RA DANIEL JONES, an extensive farmer of Worthington and a veteran of the Civil War, was born in Becket, Mass., March 13, 1842, son of Riley and Nancy (Snow) Jones. His father was a na- tive of Becket, and was reared to agricultural
pursuits. He was a teamster in early man- hood, but relinquished that occupation for the trade of a stone mason, which he followed through life in connection with farming. He was a Republican in politics and a highly esteemed citizen. Riley Jones died in the spring of 1892.
His wife, who was a native of Becket, be- came the mother of twelve children, as fol- lows : George, who married Percy Oliver, and resides in Springfield, Mass .; Ira D., the subject of this sketch; Mary (deceased), who married Windsor Woodard; Washington (de- ceased), who married Adelia Prentice; War- ren, who married Anna Mackey, and is also deceased; Hattie (deceased); Henry, who married Augusta Allen, and resides in Worth- ington; Etta, widow of Philip Bosquet, who resides in Becket; Frank, who married Ella Burrows, and resides in Cummington, Mass .; Laura, who died young; and two others who died in infancy. The ntother died many years ago.
Ira D. Jones resided with his parents until reaching the age of seventeen, when he en- gaged in farming, and was thereafter em- ployed by the month for several years. For a year previous to 1862 he worked in New Hart- ford, Conn. ; and in September of that year he enlisted as a private in Company F, Nine- teenth Connecticut Infantry, from which he was transferred to the Second Connecticut Heavy Artillery. He was present at the bat- tle of Cold Harbor, and took part in several minor engagements, receiving in his left arm at the battle of Winchester a gunshot wound, which necessitated his confinement in the hospital. After remaining in Frederick City for a short time, he was taken to the military hospital in New Haven, Conn., where he stayed for two months, and was discharged June 4, 1865. He returned to New Hartford,
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where he was employed as a teamster for several months; and after that he and his brother George rented a farm in Becket, which they conducted in connection with lumbering until April, 1869, when they divided their in- terests. Mr. Jones then came to Worthing- ton, and bought a farm. He has since added to his original acreage until he now possesses six hundred and fifty-five acres of land, and is one of the largest farmers in this region. He conducts an extensive dairy, keeps a large number of cattle and horses, and has made agriculture a success.
On March 9, 1868, Mr. Jones was united in marriage to Sophronia Tucker, who was born in New Hartford, Conn., June 20, 1842, daughter of Nelson and Maria (Rust) Tucker. Mrs. Jones's parents died in New Hartford. Her father was a prosperous farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have one son, named Edward Wesley, who was born December 12, 1870. He married Julia Griffin, resides in Worth- ington, and is in partnership with his father. In politics Mr. Jones has always supported the Republican party.
ANSOM COWLS, one of North Am- herst's prosperous farmers, was born in Amherst, August 18, 1818, son of Jonathan and Esther (Graves) Cowls. Mr. Cowls's ancestors came originally from Con- necticut to Hatfield, Mass .; and his grand- parents, David and Sarah (Eastman) Cowls, were natives of that town. David Cowls was born August 11, 1741. He moved from Hat- field to Amherst, where he was an early set- tler, and cleared the farm which is now owned by Walter Cowls. He was an indus- trious and an upright man. David Cowls died in Amherst, November 18, 1817. His wife, Sarah Eastman before marriage, who was
born January 28, 1744, daughter of John East- man, of Hatfield, became the mother of five children: David, Sally, Joseph, Silas, and Jonathan. She died August 14, 1815.
Jonathan Cowls, father of Mr. Cowls, was born in North Amherst, December 2, 1781. He succceded to the ownership of the home farm, and bought other real estate. He be- came a very prosperous farmer, and owned some three hundred acres of land. He was a man of sound judgment in all business mat- ters, and was active in public affairs, having been chairman of the Board of Selectmen for some time. Jonathan Cowls died January 18, 1866., He was a zealous member of the Con- gregational church. His wife, whose maiden name was Esther Graves, was born in Sunder- land, November 23, 1783, and became the mother of eight children, as follows: Justin, Erastus, Louis, Ira, and Esther, all deceased ; Sarah, wife of George Bridgman, a resident of Michigan; Jonathan, Jr., a prosperous farmer of North Amherst; and Ransom, the subject of this sketch. She died June 20, 1868.
Ransom Cowls was reared to agricultural life, and has always followed farming as an occupation. He resides upon a part of the original farm of David Cowls, his property consisting of one hundred and twenty-five acres. In his time he worked laboriously; but he has now retired from active occupation, leaving his sons to manage the farm. He is a Republican in politics.
On August 24, 1843, Mr. Cowls was united in marriage to Sarah B. Gunn. She was born in Sunderland, August 3, 1821, daughter of Stephen and Sarah (Baker) Gunn, both now deceased, who were old residents of North Sunderland, where Stephen Gunn was a farmer. Mrs. Cowls was the mother of the following children: Stephen G., who died
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March 4, 1894; Francis J., who married Sarah Wormwood, and died August 1, 1881, leaving two children, Esther and Sarah; Es- ther T., who married Frank M. Cushman, of Northampton, and has two children, Esther C. and Clara M .; Albert R., who resides at home; and Mellie A., an organ manufacturer of Detroit, Mich., who married Clara Nichols, and has a son, Emerson R. Mrs. Cowls died May 14, 1894. She was a member of the Congregational church. Mr. Cowls has been a member of the same society for fifty years, has been its treasurer, and is the superintend- ent of the Sabbath-school.
ARON AND LAFAYETTE STE- VENS, the well-known millers and manufacturers of Worthington, are natives of this town. Aaron was born Febru- ary 5, 1816; and Lafayette was born Novem- ber 30, 1824, both being sons of Aaron Ste- vens, Sr.
Their father was born in Brookfield, Mass., August 19, 1786. In 1811 he settled in Worthington, where he purchased a farm of seventy-five acres, upon which his son Lafay- ette now resides. He also engaged in operat- ing a saw and grist mill, which was at that time the only establishment of its kind in the neighborhood; and he conducted it with suc- cess until 1837, when it was destroyed by fire. He soon built another mill, and in 1840 erected a larger one, both of which were burned a few years later. Aaron Stevens, Sr., died July 2, 1859. On December 5, 18II, he married Sarah Spelman, who was born in Sandisfield, Mass., October 3, 1783, and died December 15, 1859. They were the parents of seven children, as follows: Nathan S., John M., Aaron, Jr., Corril B., Sarah R., Catherine M., and Lafayette.
Aaron Stevens, Jr., assisted his father in carrying on the two saw-mills; and after their destruction he, in company with his brother Nathan, erected another mill, and operated it for some time. He then purchased his part- ner's interest, and successfully conducted the enterprise for thirty-seven years. In 1894 that mill was also burned, and he at once started to rebuild. He is at present engaged in running a saw-mill and manufacturing hoops.
On March 17, 1842, Aaron Stevens, Jr., was united in marriage to Sophia P. Stone. She was born in Chester, Mass., April 23, 1816, daughter of Harvey Stone, a farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Stevens are the parents of three children, as follows: Anson F., who was born January 8, 1843, married Fidelia Cole, and resides in Rockford, Ill., where he follows the occupation of a merchant; Eugene Henry, born January 23, 1852, who married Alida Graves, and is engaged in business with his father in the mill; and Cullen Leroy, born January 26, 1854, who also is in company with his father, under the firm name of A. Stevens & Sons. Mr. and Mrs. Stevens have also an adopted child, Henrietta J. Cole, who was born February 14, 1858, daughter of Henry and Augusta V. (Packard) Cole. Mr. Aaron Stevens is a Republican in politics, and has served as a Selectman. Mr. and Mrs. Stevens are members of the Congregational church, of which he is Deacon.
Lafayette Stevens resided at home, and as- sisted his father in carrying on the farm. In the spring of 1858 he erected a grist-mill, which he operates with good results; and later he engaged in the manufacturing of embroid- ery hoops, which he ships to different parts of the country. He is a Republican in politics.
Lafayette Stevens was married on Septem- ber 10, 1846, to Laura S. Packard. She was
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born in Cummington, Mass., November 9, 1825, daughter of William and Sarah (Stod- dard) Packard, natives of Massachusetts, the former of whom was born October 25, 1791. William Packard was a well-known and highly esteemed man, who was a surveyor for more than fifty ycars, also a Justice of the Peace, and was Treasurer of Cummington for thirty- nine years. He died November 2, 1870; and his wife died March 1, 1873.
Mr. and Mrs. Lafayette Stevens have had six children, namely: Julia S., who was born July 3, 1847, marricd Darwin E. Lyman, of Cummington, and has two children - Eugene William and Laura A .; Ella A., who was born April 28, 1850, and died aged four years; William A., who was born October II, 1852, for his first wife married Alice Daniels, and for his second Marie T. Young, and re- sides in Buffalo, N.Y., where he is employed as a travelling salesman ; Alfred C., who was born May 31, 1856, married Edith M. Tower, and has two children - Walter Leroy and Clara Louisa; Lester F., born May 1, 1859, who married Harriet Read, and resides near Boston, employed as a travelling salesman ; and Flora Belle, who was born December 25, 1863, and resides at home. Mr. and Mrs. Stevens are members of the Congregational church, of which Mr. Stevens is a Deacon.
DMUND HOBART, whose portrait is here given, is one of the leading citi- zens of North Ainherst, where for ycars he has been engaged in farming and lumbering. Hc was born in Leverett, Mass., May 7, 1822. His parents were Joshua and Sybil (Woodbury) Hobart, the former a native of Taunton, the latter of Leverett. The fam- ily is of English origin, the first of the name in this country being Edmund Hobart, who
came to America in 1633, landing at Charles- town, and who settled in Hingham, which was then called Bare Cove, in 1635. That town was the home of many succeeding generations of Hobarts, and the family is still represented there. Notable among the early Hobarts of Hingham, Mass., were two sons of the first Edmund, namely: the Rev. Peter Hobart, who was educated in Cambridge, England, came to Massachusetts with wife and four children in 1635, and was pastor of the church in Hingham nearly forty years; and Captain Joshua Hobart, an officer in King Philip's War, a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, and a very prominent man in public affairs, being a Deputy to the Gen- eral Court for twenty-four years. Joshua Ho- bart of a later day, the grandfather of Mr. Hobart of North Amherst, above named, was born in Hingham, Mass. He was a cooper by trade, being an industrious and thrifty man, who worked at farming in the growing season and at cooperage in the winter. He was one of the pioneers of Leverett, establish- ing a home, where he spent the remainder of his life. Grandfather Hobart was a member of the patriotic militia. He lived to be about eighty years of age. His wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Goddard, attained the age of ninety. They reared eight children - four sons and four daughters -the second child and eldest son bearing the name Joshua.
The early part of the life of Joshua Hobart, Jr., was spent in Leverett, he being nearly forty years of age when he moved to North Amherst and purchased land, some of which is still owned by the family. He was an in- dustrious and successful farmer. He died at the homestead in North Amherst in his eigh- tieth year. Mrs. Sybil W. Hobart also was nearly eighty at the time of her death. In politics Joshua Hobart, the younger, was a
EDMUND HOBART.
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Whig, and later a Free Soiler. In religious belief he and his wife were Congregationalists. They reared ten children, who were all pres- ent at the fiftieth anniversary of their mar- riage. Of these children four are now dead : George W., J. Woodbury, Stillman, and Mary. Fanny, who is the widow of Sylvester Roberts, lives in North Amherst. Sarah A., who is unmarried, resides at Clarendon Hills, Ill. Eliza H. is the wife of the Rev. Will- iam E. Dickinson, of Amherst. Isabella is the wife of Dr. Homer Ducep, of Philadel- phia. Ellen is the wife of Daniel Dickinson, of Clarendon Hills, Ill. Edmund, of North Amherst, is the only son living.
Edmund Hobart was seven years of age when his parents removed to this place. He attended the district school in the neighbor- hood, acquiring a fair education, at the same time, under the paternal direction, gradually becoming familiar with practical farming, and, when he attained his majority, left home in pursuit of a livelihood. Purchasing a farm of fifty acres, he made a small payment only, and at once set to work to clear the debt, his toilsome and well-directed labor bringing most profitable results. He has now for many years been engaged in farming and lumbering, and is one of the well-to-do men in North Amherst. He lived for some time on the old Hobart homestead; but thirty years ago he disposed of that property, and moved to his present place, where he has a very handsome residence.
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