USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Hampshire County, Massachusetts > Part 40
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George F. Thomson, M.D., received a lib- eral education in the academies at New Salem, Easthampton, Hadley, and Monson. After teaching for some time in the schools at Monson and Brimfield, he commenced the study of medicine at the age of eighteen years, first with his father and later with Dr. Palmer, of Woodstock, Vt. He graduated from the University of New York in 1855, and soon after was appointed surgeon of the emigrant ship "New World," plying between New York and Liverpool. After holding this position for three years, he established himself at Belchertown. In 1862 he received the appointment of Assistant Surgeon of the Thirty-eighth Regiment, Massachusetts Vol- unteer Infantry, and for more than two years served in the Department of the Gulf, under Major-general N. P. Banks. He was subse- quently promoted to the rank of Surgeon, and assigned to the Eighteenth Massachusetts
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Volunteers; but ill health prevented him from undertaking the duties of that post. Early in the month of January, 1865, he was appointed by Governor Andrew and commissioned by Governor Fenton as Surgeon of the Twenty- sixth New York Volunteer Cavalry, which was stationed upon the Canadian frontier until July of that year. He was then honor- ably discharged, and returned to Belchertown. In the following January, having recovered his health, he resumed his practice, and has continued it without interruption to the pres- ent day. During this time Dr. Thomson has had practice in three different counties; but at one time he attended a large number of patients in seventeen different towns. At present he has an extensive practice in a sec- tion which includes eight towns.
In 1865 he wedded Miss Sophia M. Brown, daughter of Asa Brown, Esq., of Hadley. They have two children, Edmund S. and Lucy D. The former, a graduate of Harvard University and the New York College of Phy- sicians and Surgeons, is now practising at New Haven, Conn. Lucy D. is a graduate of Smith College, and will graduate in 1896 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Thomson is a member of Bethel Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and a comrade of E. J. Griggs Post, No. 97. Grand Army of the Republic.
RTHUR W. GIBBS, of Huntington, Mass., was born in Blandford, Mass., March 2, 1862, son and only child of John H. and Jane M. (Hubbard) Gibbs. He is a descendant of William Gibbs, a native of England, from the town of Lenharn, York- shire County.
About the year 1650 William Gibbs re- ceived from the king of England for signal service a grant of land, one mile square, in
the centre of the town. He had three sons, of whom the eldest remained at home, and inherited his father's property. The two younger sons learned the ship carpenter's trade; and, when they became of age, their elder brother gave them money, and they came to Boston. One of them settled on the Cape, the other in Newport, R.I. The one who settled on the Cape (first name not known) had three children : Isaac, Israel, and Sarah. Israel married Mary Hamilton, a lady of Irish descent; and because of this marriage he was disowned by his brother and sister. This induced Israel to join a Scotch-Irish company who were on the eve of starting to settle this region, then a wilderness. These hardy adventurers reached the centre of Glas- gow (now Blandford) in the latter part of April, 1735. On the day of their arrival a heavy snow storm set in, and continued three days, leaving snow on the ground to the depth of three or four feet. However, the snow soon began to thaw; and they were enabled to prosecute their pilgrimage. The first cart that entered the town was owned by Israel Gibbs, whose son Israel, Jr., was the first male child born in Blandford. Israel was the father of nine children, of whom Elijah was the oldest. They both served in the Revolu- tionary War, and were with General Gates at the surrender of General Burgoyne. Elijah had eleven children, of whom Bradner, Mr. Gibbs's grandfather, was the youngest. His mother in her maidenhood was Fannie Mor- ton, born November 15, 1769, daughter of John Morton, who was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. Mr. Morton was pastor of the Presbyterian church (now Congregational) in Blandford from 1749 to 1772.
Elijah Gibbs, born May 14, 1761, died November 7, 1840; and Fannie Morton Gibbs died March 31, 1838. They accumulated a
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very large property for those days. Although their education was imperfect, their sound judgment and natural good sense won for them a prominent position in society. A short time before the death of the husband and father he called upon a magistrate, and wished to add the following codicil to his will, having heard that some of his children were determined to break it after his decease: "Whercas many estates have been spent in law by children while endeavoring to obtain more of their father's property than he de- signed to give them, and whereas my children may be as likely as others to do the same, therefore, if any of my children shall attempt to break this, my last will and testament, after it shall have been read to them, it is my will and design that that child or those chil- dren who shall attempt to break this, my last will and testament, shall have no part of my property, and that the same shall be equally divided among my other children who shall be satisfied with their father's bounty." It is needless to say that it had the desired effect.
Bradner, the youngest son of Elijah, was born December 1, 1814, and died August 19, 1888. He was married in Sandisfield, Mass., November 30, 1837, to Sarah C. Deming, who was born November 26, 1815, and died De- cember 10, 1890. They had seven children, of whom John H. Gibbs, the eldest, is the father of Arthur W., the subject of this sketch.
He (John) was born in Blandford, Decem- ber 14, 1839. He is successfully engaged in agriculture and in general farming and stock- raising. His wife was a native of Sandisfield, Mass .; and her people were farmers in that town. The old homestead has been owned by the Gibbs family for more than a century, passing successively from father to son, has never had any encumbrance, and always had a clear title.
Arthur W. Gibbs attended the Wilbraham Academy during the years 1881 and 1882, and then engaged as clerk in the general store of Timothy Keefe, of Chester, Mass., for sixteen months. On January 1, 1886, he came to Huntington for the purpose of taking a simi- lar position with E. Pease, of whose business he later purchased an interest. The firm is an enterprising one, and has a large and profit- able trade. Mr. Gibbs was appointed Post- master of Huntington in 1893, and conducts the affairs of the office to general satisfac- tion. He is a member of Huntington Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and is highly esteemed by his fellow-townsmen.
On January 1, 1888, Mr. Gibbs was united in marriage to Carrie E. Eames. She was born in Troy, N. Y., October 4, 1861, daugh- ter of Andrew and Janet (Lyman) Eames, the former of whom was a prosperous farmer. Mrs. Gibbs's parents raised a family of three children : Carrie E., Nellie, and Lizzie. Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs had three children, namely : Howard Arthur, born October 5, 1889, who died July 29, 1890; Isabelle Frances, born March 16, 1892; and Elizabeth May, born January 10, 1894. Both parents are members of the Congregational church, Mr. Gibbs being the treasurer of the society and a member of the choir.
ILLIAM S. CLARK, one of the foremost citizens of Granby, active in his profession, in business, and in social circles, is a worthy representative of the native residents of the town. Less than thirty years of age, the date of his birth being April 25, 1867, he is one of the younger gen- eration of men in public office. His father, the late Spencer Clark, was for many years one of the leading farmers of this locality,
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serving as Selectman in 1879 and 1880, be- sides holding other offices. He married Ar- villa Davis, a native of Royalston, Worcester County, Mass. Mrs. Davis is now living with her son, of whom we write, her husband having passed from earth in 1883.
William S. Clark was the only child born to his parents. He acquired his elementary education in the public schools, this being supplemented by a two years' attendance at Williston Seminary, from which he received his diploma in 1884. Subsequently entering Yale College, he was graduated from there in 1888, and the following year was engaged in agriculture. In 1889 Mr. Clark began read- ing law in the office of William H. Brooks, of Holyoke, remaining with him a few months after his admission to the bar, which was on December 21, 1891. Returning then to Granby, he has since been conspicuously identified with the best interests of the town, and, while attending to his professional duties, has also carried on farming to a con- siderable extent. He is the owner of a val- uable farnı of three hundred acres that he rents, in addition to the one on which he lives. In him the Democratic party finds one of its strongest supporters, and his towns- people one of their most valued officials. Mr. Clark has been a member of the School Com- mittee here ever since his first election, in 1889; and since 1893 he has been a member of the Board of Selectmen.
Mr. Clark has always been an active worker in Masonic circles, and has done much to promote the prosperity of the order in this State. He belongs to Vernon Lodge of Bel- chertown, and was Master of it in 1891, 1892, and 1893. He has also a membership in the Mount Holyoke Council, Royal and Select Masons, in the Springfield Commandery, Knights Templars, and in 1895 was appointed
District Deputy Grand Master of the Seven- teenth Masonic District. He joined the Evening Star Lodge of Perfection in Spring- field, and is likewise a member of the Massasoit Council, Princes of Jerusalem, of Springfield, of the Rose Croix Chapter, and of the Massachusetts Consistory, of Boston, having taken the thirty-second degree in that Lodge. Mr. Clark is also connected with the Granby Grange, which he joined in 1889, and was Master of it in 1893 and 1894. He takes a deep interest in the advancement of the cause of temperance, and is an active member of the Lodge of Good Templars. On the Ist of October, 1891, Mr. Clark was united in marriage with Miss Maude I. Davis, who was born September 27, 1871, in Somers, Conn., daughter of O. L. and Ellen S. (Washburn) Davis. Two children have been born of this union : Ruth, on May 29, 1893; and Donald Spencer, July 22, 1895.
The Granby Co-operative Creamery Asso- ciation was chartered in January, 1889, and commenced the business of manufacturing butter on the Ist of March. William S. Clark was elected its first clerk and treasurer ; and its first Board of Directors consisted of Clinton W. Stebbins, Monroe Keith, C. W. Ferry, S. A. Taylor, and J. H. Barton. It was due chiefly to the enterprise and energy of these six men that the corporation was formed. They believed that it would be not only a boon to the tired housewife, but a financial success also; and the history of the association shows that they were right. Many of the farmers were slow to appreciate its advantages; but they have gradually joined the association until, from a beginning with only fifteen patrons, the factory now receives cream from fifty-eight farmers.
During the six years ending March 1, 1895, the association has received three million,
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three hundred and eighty-five thousand, nine hundred and three spaces of cream, for which it has paid to its patrons one hundred and twenty thousand, seven hundred and sixty- seven dollars and seventy-six cents. From this cream there have been sold directly five hundred and fifty-six gallons of cream; and there have been made and sold five hundred and twenty-nine thousand, nine hundred and one pounds of butter and two hundred and twenty thousand, two hundred and sixty-eight gallons of buttermilk, for which the associa- tion has received one hundred and forty-five thousand, six hundred and three dollars and seventy-two cents. The expenses of the asso- ciation for the six years, including dividends on its capital stock of thirty-five hundred dollars and a reserve for depreciation, have been twenty-four thousand, eight hundred and thirty-five dollars and ninety-six cents. Mr. Clark is still the clerk and treasurer, and the present Board of Directors consists of George L. Witt, president; Monroe Keith, H. S. Taylor, Charles E. Preston, of South Hadley, and A. L. Bennett, of Ludlow.
The accompanying portrait of Mr. Clark adds much to the interest of this brief sketch of his useful and varied activities to the pres- ent date.
HARLES B. LYMAN, who has been identified with the agricultural inter- ests of this section of Hampshire County for many years, is a native of Chester, Hampden County, born October 22, 1828, son of Colonel Samuel and Miriam S. (Tinker) Lyman.
Colonel Samuel Lyman was born in Ches- ter, May 21, 1787, and was there brought up on a farm. He was prominent in military affairs, and in the closing years of the War of 1812 spent some time encamped in South Bos-
ton, having been a member of the regiment commanded by Colonel Enos Foote. He was not engaged in any battle; but after his re- turn home, having continued his membership in the home militia, he was made Colonel of the Fourth Regiment, First Brigade, of the Fourth Division of the Massachusetts militia. He was a man of deep religious convictions and a Deacon in the Congregational church of his native town for a score of years. In 1842 the Colonel removed to Southampton, and was here closely connected with the active work of the church during his remaining years. He attained a venerable age, his death occurring December 8, 1876. He was twice married. His first wife, Miriam S. Tinker before mar- riage, whom he wedded October 26, 1809, was a native of Chester. After her death Colo- nel Lyman married Julia Barnes Marble, and the record of all the children, except Charles B. Lyman, is as follows: Harriet, born Octo- ber 10, 1810, died August 18, 1860. On November 6, 1833, she married Garry Mun- son, of Chester, by whom she had seven chil- dren : Myron, Edward, Wilson H. and Willard H. (twins), Samuel, Emma (deceased), and Cleora. Stephen Lyman, born December 24, 18II, was a grocer and railway agent in Southampton, where his death occurred in 1891. He married Julia S. Searle, of that town, and their children were: Martha L., born December 8, 1838; Harriet E., born December 14, 1843, who died September 3, 1844; Harriet B., born February 12, 1846; Stephen W., born October 10, 1850; and Frederic B., born December 3, 1853. Mir- iam B. Lyman, married November 27, 1845, to Francis A. Strong, now a miller and dealer in flour in Ripon, Wis., has four children: Eunice L., born March 14, 1849; Louis H., born April 25, 1852; Sarah E., born October 20, 1854, who died July 5,
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1865 ; and Abbie A., born June 22, 1856. Rufus Lyman, a carpenter by trade, was mar- ried October 9, 1849, to Sarah A. Bartlett, who bore him three children: an unnamed daughter, born March 26, 1854, who lived but two days; Clarence M., born March 2, 1859; and Herbert B., born March 15, 1863. Sam- uel T., for many years Postmaster, express agent, and merchant in Huntington, and married April 17, 1849, to Augusta N. Kirk- land, had six children, namely: Charles P., born December 29, 1851 ; Ella A. and Emma, twins, born March 19. 1854, who died in infancy; Eugene H., born February 1, 1857; Cassius S., born March 2, 1860; and Robert H., born March 3, 1864. Emma S. Lyman was married September 14. 1848, to Samuel N. Coleman, a farmer, and their children were: Frank B., born in September, 1849; Emerson N., born July 26, 1851 ; Carrie M., born June 30, 1853, who died September 16, 1885; and Ellen J., born August 16, 1855. Myra E. Lyman, born July 27, 1833, married Solomon Richards December 30, 1858, and their children were: George L .; and Solo- mon and Myra, born June 1, 1863.
Charles B. Lyman received an excellent common-school education in the place of his nativity. As soon as he was old enough he began to assist in the manual labor of the farm, becoming thoroughly familiar with agri- culture in his early days. After reaching his majority, he continued on the home farm, to the ownership of which he finally succeeded. His mother having died in 1847, he cared for his father during his declining years. In addition to general farming, he has made a specialty of dairying and gardening, shipping butter, vegetables, chickens, and eggs to Springfield. Both he and his father have shipped their produce to that city for fifty- three years. Their goods are ever in demand,
and bring the highest market price, their superiority being well recognized. In local affairs Mr. Lyman has always taken an active and intelligent interest. He has been Select- man four years, and is at present chairman of the School Committee. He is a zealous advo- cate of Republican principles, and uniformly casts his vote with that party. He is a mem- ber of the Franklin Harvest Club, having united with it twelve years ago. He was President of the Hampshire, Franklin, and Hampden Agricultural Society, and is now a member of the Massachusetts Board of Agri- culture. He and his family are connected by membership with the Congregational church, in which he is a useful worker, and was superin- tendent of the Sunday-school for several years.
On May 8, 1851, Mr. Lyman was united in marriage with Angeline Avery, who was born October 29, 1829, a daughter of Richard Avery, of this town. Three children have been born to them, of whom one, Flora A., born June 10, 1863, died March 25, 1864. Their son Arthur W. is engaged in market gardening adjoining his father's farm. He married Anna S. Munson, and they have two children: Flora M., born on September 18, 1882; and Mary A., born on February 24, 1886. The other son, Charles L., born May II, 1865, a farmer, living with his parents, married Etta F. Ranger, December 1, 1890; and they are the parents of one child, Harold L., born October 17, 1893.
ILLIAM SMITH MILLER, whole- sale dealer in meats and provisions in Northampton, was born in South Hadley in 1860, son of Edward Curtis and Elizabeth White (Smith) Miller and grand- son of Joseph Miller, one of the pioneer farmers of Ludlow.
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Grandfather Miller dicd at the age of eighty-fivc, some years after his wife had passed away. They rcared two sons and three daughters, but only one son is now living. This is Edward Curtis Miller, who came to South Hadley in 1838. Then a strong young man of nineteen, he hircd with Ezra Allen as a farm hand, and worked for him six years. At the expiration of that time he bought fifty acres of land in South Hadley, upon which he established a homestead, and there resides to-day, engaged in general farming. In No- vember, 1845, he was united in marriage to Elizabeth W., daughter of Medad Smith, of Granby, who claims a long and honorable lineage. Mr. and Mrs. Miller had a large family of children. It comprised: Joseph Edward, who died in 1888, at the age of forty- two, leaving a widow and three children; Charles Herbert, in the meat business in Williamsburg; Martha Pamelia, wife of C. A. Gridley, a merchant in South Hadley; Frank, who died in infancy; Harriet E., who also passed away in childhood; Addie Elizabeth, at home with her parents; William Smith, the subject of this notice; and Carrie Irene, wife of F. H. Cook, draughtsinan in the office of the Holyoke Water Company.
William Smith Miller received a good edu- cation. After attending the common schools, he studied for one year at the Agricultural College of Massachusetts and for one year more at a business college in Springfield. At the age of twenty-one he entered the busi- ness world. His first venture was a market in Amherst, which he conducted for two years. He then bought a farm in Hadley, and cultivated it with profit. At the same time he took charge of an extensive butcher- ing establishment, succeeding Mr. Jackson in that line. In the fall of 1893 he sold his farm, and removed to Northampton, there en-
gaging in the wholesale meat business as one of the firm of F. C. Steele & Co. In the fol- lowing year the firm name was changed to Miller & Steelc; and in March, 1895, Mr. Miller took charge of the entire business. Hc handles the best of goods, averaging fifty head of cattle per week. The two-story brick building that he occupies was built by Armour & Co. in 1893. It has the latest improve- ments in cold storage, and is admirably fitted in every way for handling and preserving mcats.
Mr. Miller was united in marriage on August 26, 1885, to Mary J. Howe, of Had- ley, daughter of Charles Howe, of Boston. Mrs. Miller is a graduate of the College for Girls at Bordentown, N.J., and is a lady of refinement, with an exceptional grace of man- ner. Mr. and Mrs. Miller have two daugh- ters : Mary Elizabeth and Grace Adele, respectively eight and five years of age. Mr. Miller is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and in politics he is a Re- publican. He occasionally attends the Con- gregational church at Hadley, of which Mrs. Miller is a member. He is regarded as a capable and experienced business man, one with whom it is pleasant to deal.
APTAIN TIMOTHY W. SLOAN, a prominent citizen and one of the leading boot and shoe dealers of Amherst, Mass., was born in the town of Prescott, January 23, 1827, son of John P. and Rachel (Upton) Sloan, who were both natives of that place.
The earliest ancestor of this family came from Ireland. Captain Sloan's great-grand- father was one of the first scttlers of Prescott, Mass .; and his grandfather, James Wilson Sloan, was born there. The latter, when he
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had grown to manhood, purchased a farm in the locality, and spent the rest of his life occupied in its cultivation. He held a high place in the esteem of his neighbors, and died when but a little past middle life. He married a Miss Pierce; and they became the parents of thirteen children, five sons and eight daughters, all of whom grew to adult life and married. Of all the only survivor now is Jonathan W. Sloan, who resides in Athol, Mass.
John P. Sloan grew to manhood and spent all his days in Prescott. He chose farming as his avocation, and followed it during the greater part of his life upon a small place owned by him. Besides attending to his agri- cultural duties, he also worked at the trade of stone mason. His religious views were lib- eral, and his political principles were Repub- lican. His death occurred in Greenwich, Mass., when he was fifty-one years of age. He and his wife reared a family of seven chil- dren, all of whom have since died, with the exception of Timothy W. Sloan, who was the eldest. The deceased were: Lorraine, Lucy, Laura, Abbie, Sardis, and George. Their mother died in Westfield, Mass., sixty-eight years of age.
Timothy W. Sloan received a good practi- cal education in the district schools of Pres- cott. He learned the trade of a shoemaker; and, when twenty-one years of age, he went to Shutesbury, Mass., and obtained a posi- tion in the boot and shoe factory of J. H. Winter. In 1856 he went to Amherst, where he was employed by Oliver Watson in the same line of business. Soon after the begin- ning of the Civil War, on September 20, 1861, he enlisted in Company D of the Twenty - seventh Massachusetts Regiment ; and, having been one of those most active in organizing the company, he was given the
captaincy. Among the battles in which he took part were those of Roanoke Island, Newbern, N.C., Beaufort, N.C., and Little Washington. After serving two years, he was honorably discharged on account of sick- ness and disability. He at once returned to Amherst; and, when he had regained his health sufficiently, he engaged in the boot and shoe business on his own account, and has continued in it since. His stock in trade, always one of the largest in the town, in- cludes a variety of makes, and qualities to suit all' tastes and purses. By his enterprise and fair dealing he has secured an excellent patronage.
In 1850, on November 26, he was joined in marriage with Miss Sarah T. Williams, who was born in Shutesbury, Mass., November 12, 1828, a daughter of Elijah and Lovisa (Pierce) Williams. Her father, who was born in Brooklyn, Conn., and was both a farmer and a wheelwright, died at the age of seventy- eight years; and her mother, who was a native of Shutesbury, Mass., lived to be seventy-one years of age. Both were members of the Bap- tist church, and he was an adherent of the Republican party. Twelve children were born to them, six sons and six daughters, of whom four are now living. These are: Har- riet, wife of William Thurber; Emily, widow of James Thompson; Clara, who married Apollos Howard; and Sarah T., who is Mrs. Sloan. Of those deceased Mary married Asa Spear, and died in Palatine, Ill .; and Ange- line married Samuel White, of Prescott, and died in Chicago, Ill. The others were: Shepard, Orrin, Charles, and George; with Asa and Joseph, who both died in infancy.
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