USA > Massachusetts > Biographical sketches of representative citizens of the commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1901 > Part 30
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George L. Metcalf attended the common schools of North Bellingham until fifteen years old. In May, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Company E, Second Regiment, Massachu- setts Volunteer Infantry, which was at first assigned to the Twelfth Corps, Army of the Potomac, and afterward transferred to the Twentieth Army Corps under General Sher- man. Besides being in several skirmishes, he participated in the second engagement at Winchester, the battles of Antietam, Resaca, Cedar Mountain, and Gettysburg. On the third day at Gettysburg he received a severe wound in the right knee, which confined him to the hospital until the following November, when he rejoined his regiment. He was mus- tered out as a Corporal at the expiration of his three years' term of enlistment. After leaving the army, he was for a time in the railway ser- vice in Massachusetts, and was subsequently employed in box factories at Lynn and Mar- blehead. Going thence to Rice County, Min- nesota, in 1873, he was engaged for the suc- ceeding two years in agricultural pursuits: but, not liking that occupation, he returned to New England, and for the next six years was employed in box factories in Marblehead, Cambridge, and Boston. From 1881 to the present time he has carried on the box manu- facturing business in Marblehead upon his own account with gratifying success, produc- ing both wooden and paper boxes exclusively for the shoe trade and employing an average force of twenty-two hands. His reliability and enterprise have gained the esteem and confidence of his business associates. He naturally looks with favor upon all measures conducive to public improvements. Politi- cally, he is a Republican, and has rendered valuable service to that party as a member of the town committee. As a Mason, Mr. Met- calf is a member of Philanthropic Lodge of Marblehead; Washington Royal Arch Chapter of Salem; and Winslow Lewis Commandery, K. T., also of Salem.
Mr. Metcalf and Miss Elizabeth Crownin- shield, of Marblehead, daughter of John and Annie Crowninshield, were married in 1882.
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They have two daughters, Alice Hastings and Annie Elizabeth Metcalf, both living at the parental home.
AMUEL LOOK, who is engaged in agriculture at Vinevard Haven, was born on a farm in the town of Tis- bury, July 15, 1825, son of Charles and Betsey (Smith) Look. His paternal grandfather was Samuel Look, a native of the same town, who followed the sea for a time, and later engaged in farming.
Charles Look, who was born in Tisbury on the farm which was the birthplace of the sub- ject of this sketch, was brought up to agricult- ural life and followed farming during his entire active period, inheriting the homestead on the death of his father. His wife, Betsey Smith Look, was a native of Edgartown, and a daughter of Nathan and Caroline Smith. Her father was an officer in the American army during the Revolutionary War.
Samuel Look (of the present generation) was, like his father, trained to agriculture, and followed farming until 1849. He then joined the throng of gold-seekers, sailing from Edgartown for California in the ship "Walter Scott" and, making the voyage around Cape Horn, they reached San Francisco in five months. Mr. Look remained in California for two years, and then returned home by the Isthmus of Panama. The journey overland frem the western shore to the Chagres River was made with pack-mules; and thence he went by boat to the eastern shore, where he took a vessel for the United States. After his return home he again took up farming, and in time succeeded to the ownership of the old homestead, which he occupied until 1870. He then removed to Vineyard Haven, where he has since resided, though he still superin- tends the farm.
Mr. Look was married July 1, 1850, to Miss Emeline W. Coffin, a daughter of George S. and Mary (Fisher) Coffin, and a lineal de- scendant of Tristram Coffin, the early settler of Nantucket. Mr. and Mrs. Look are the parents of four living children - Sarah, Annie, Lizzie, and Emma. Another daugh-
ter, Miriam, died at the age of eleven years. Mrs. Look is the proprietor of the Mansion House, a popular hotel at Vineyard Haven, which she established a number of years ago. A separate sketch of her, with further allusion to this enterprise, may be found below.
RS. EMELINE WYER LOOK, proprietor of the Mansion House at Vineyard Haven, Dukes County, one of the most popular hotels in Southern Massachusetts, is a native of Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard. Her parents were George Starbuck and Mary (Fisher) Coffin; and she is a lineal descend- ant of Tristram Coffin, one of the original proprietors of Nantucket, and his wife, Dionis (Stevens) Coffin. Her paternal grandfather was Charles Coffin, who was extensively en- gaged in farming at Polpis, and who was a lifelong resident of Nantucket. Charles mar- ried Miriam Chase, who also was a native and lifelong resident of the island.
' George Starbuck Coffin began at an early age to follow the sea in the whaling service. Possessed of industry and intelligence, he was not contented to remain a common sailor, but studied to improve himself and acquire a thorough knowledge of his calling, and in course of time was advanced to the position of captain, the last vessel he commanded be- ing the "Palestine," of Salem. He died at sea while in the prime of life. His wife, Mary (Fisher) Coffin, whom he married at Edgartown, was a daughter of Abraham and Betsey Fisher. They had two children : Emeline Wyer, the subject of this sketch; and Mary Ann, who married first Simon Cahoon, by whom she had two children, and second Josiah Wing, of Fair Haven.
Mrs. Look during her girlhood resided mostly at Nantucket. At the age of twenty she married Samuel Look (see separate sketch), and they settled upon a farm about one mile from Vineyard Haven. In 1870 Mrs. Look purchased a dwelling in the village and opened a public house, which soon became very popular. In 1883 she tore down the old
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structure and erected a new one, which, how- ever, was destroyed by fire after having been occupied but two months. She then erected the present commodious and substantial build- ing known as the Mansion House - an ad- vince upon her previous efforts, being pleasantly located, roomy, and well furnished. The table is bountifully supplied with fresh vegetables, eggs, and dairy products from Mr. Look's farm, which he still superintends, while Mrs. Look attends personally to the hotel, which is the only one in Vineyard Haven that is kept open the year around. By her excellent management she has made it known far and wide; and her guests remember with pleasure the time of their sojourn there.
Mr. and Mrs. Look have had five children, of whom one, Miriam, died at the age of eleven years. The survivors are: Sarah, Annie, Lizzie, and Emma Look.
ILLIAM F. BROWN, M.D., one of the leading physicians and sur- geons of the Roxbury District, Bos- ton, was born in Boston, Mass., June 6, 1856, a son of James and Elizabeth (Walsh) Brown. llis paternal grandfather was Patrick Brown, a native and lifelong resident of Ireland.
James Brown spent the days of his child- hood and early youth in the Emerald Isle, residing with his parents until fifteen years old. Ile then began life for himself as a miilor before the mast, and during the five subsequent years that he followed the sea he familiarized himself with all the work per- taining to the management of a vessel. Not satisfied with a sea-faring life, however, he came to America, and, locating in Boston, en- gaged in business in that city as a contractor tor stone-work. In that capacity he furnished the gravel for the improvement of Atlantic Avenue and many other prominent thorough- fires of the city, and supplied both the sand and the gravel for the rebuilding of Fort Winthrop un Governor's Island, and of Fort Warren, for several years doing a very extensive business. He also became interested in other enter- prises, at one time being the owner of sev-
eral lighters, vessels, and ships. Since his retirement from active labor he has retained part interest in many vessels engaged in the coal and wool trade, among them being the ship "Mcclellan," the barks "Harvard," "Cremlin," and "Auburndale," and the schooners "Nantasket," "H. W. Withington," "J. R. Teel," and "W. IT. Oler." He mar- ried Elizabeth Walsh, who was born in Kil- dare, Ireland, whence she came with her father, Patrick Walsh, to America, settling in Troy, N. Y. Of their union six children were born, namely: James, who succeeded his father in business; John, who died in in- fancy; Mary E .; Margaret A., who died in 1876; Catherine, who died in 1872, at the age of nineteen years; and William F., the subject of this brief biography. Mrs. Brown died in 1891 ; but Mr. Brown is living, retired from all business cares, enjoying a well-earned leisure.
William F. Brown received his preliminary education in the public schools of Boston, and, after his graduation from the English High School spent two years at the Boston Latin School and one year at Boston College. On leaving the latter institution, he entered the Harvard Medical School, at which he was graduated in the class of 1877. From Sep- tember, 1880, until July of the following year, Dr. Brown was house officer of Carney Hospital. In September, 1881, he went abroad to pursue more advanced studies, and while in Vienna made a special study of the eye under Professor Van Jegor. He attended the Soho Square Hospital in London from July 19, 1882, until October 19, 1882, and afterward studied for three months under Pro- fessor Carl Van Brunns Fernald. Subse- quently, returning to Boston, Dr. Brown began the practice of his profession in Rox- bury in 1883, and has since not only won an extensive patronage, but has gained the confi- dence and esteem of the community.
Dr. Brown is prominently connected with several fraternal societies, including the A. L. of II. ; the United Order of the Golden Cross, of which he has been examiner; the Catholic organization of the United Order of Foresters; the A. O. U. W .; and the N. B. U.
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ILLIAM PICKERING LEAVITT, D. D.S., who has been engaged in the practice of dentistry in Boston since 1855, was born in Concord, N. H., Feb- ruary 5, 1827, a son of Jonathan and Sally (Robb) Leavitt. He is of the same family as Dudley Leavitt, who in 1796 originated the annual known as Leavitt's Farmers' Almanac, the publication of which has been continued up to the present day: Jonathan Leavitt was a mason by trade. He resided after his marriage in Concord, N. H., dying there at the age of fifty-six years. His wife, Sally Robb Leavitt, who was from Portsmouth, N. II., survived him many years, reaching the advanced age of eighty-seven. They had six children - Charles, Jennette, Ilenry, Susan, William P. (now the sole survivor of the family), and Franklin B.
William P. Leavitt at the age of twelve years went to Newport, N. H., where he at- tended school, and coming to Boston three years later, in 1842, he completed his educa- tion at the old Spring Lane School, then under Master Amos Baker. He then studied den- tistry in the office of Dr. William T. G. Mor- ton, the discoverer (September 30, 1846) of the value of sulphuric ether as a general anæs- thetic in connection with the practice of den- tistry, which led to its speedy adoption by the medical profession in cases of surgery. He remained with Dr. Morton three years, being with him at the time of the first use of sul- phuric ether in the dental practice; and he is probably the only man now living who has a personal recollection of the event, the experi- mental processes leading up to it, and the great interest it excited in medical and seien- tific circles throughout the civilized world. It preceded the discovery of chloroform by about a year, and has since proved more generally available than that agent.
After leaving Dr. Morton, Dr. Leavitt es- tablished a business for himself in Boston, and has since been actively engaged in the practice of his profession in this city, a period of nearly half a century. For thirty-three years he was located at 19 Tremont Row. In 1886 he removed to his present offices, 9 Hamilton Place.
Dr. Leavitt is a trustee of the Boston Den- tal College. He has served as a member : the Dorchester School Committee and of the Boston School Committee, this being after the annexation of Dorchester to Boston. for four years chairman of the Board of Tr .:-- tees of the Mount Hope Cemetery.
Dr. Leavitt was married by the Rev. S :::: King in 1854 to Miss Caroline Sabiah Fisker. of Dorchester, a daughter of the late I ses L. and Sabiah (Robinson) Fisher. Of :... union there are two children - Caroline S .:- biah and George Oscar. The latter is now :: selling agent of the Gilbert Manufacturir Company, Massachusetts, with headquarters in New York.
Dr. Leavitt is a member of the First Chur= of Dorchester. Politically, he is a Democrat. Dr. Leavitt has won a place in the front ranks of the practitioners of his profession, and is highly esteemed by all who know him. H= has been an extensive traveller, having : :::- neyed over Europe twice in company with his lifelong friend, the late William T. Allams. known the world over as "Oliver Optic."
OHN J. CORRIGAN, superintendent ci the East Boston post -office, was to :.. in East Boston, July 16, 1859, son ci Martin and Bridget (Quinlan , Corriza :. Martin Corrigan, born in Ireland in 1822. came to the United States when young. an ... became one of the early settlers of East P. s- ton, where he resided for the rest of his life. His occupation was that of a teamster: and == was known as an honest, industrious, and use- ful citizen. Ile died in 1869. His wit -. Bridget, whose birth took place in Ireland in 1830, became the mother of four children. two of whom are now living: Mary, wife c: Edward II. Beedo; and John J., the subice: of this sketch. Mrs. Bridget Corrigan diei in 1899.
John J. Corrigan was educated in the public schools, graduating from the Lyman Scho : and Boston Evening High School. Entering the employ of Messrs. Shepard. Norwell & Co., Boston, as cashier, he held that resye- sible position for twenty years, at the expir _.
WILLIAM P. LEAVITT, D.D.S.
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tion of which time he was appointed superin- tendent of the East Boston Post-office (Station 1.). With a man of Mr. Corrigan's well- known energy and ability at its head the postal service of the island wards has, as was expected, been greatly improved: and the in- creased facilities for collecting and delivering the mails are heartily appreciated by the en- tire community. The regular force now com- prises nineteen carriers, five clerks, and three substitutes, all of whom have excellent records for efficiency; and the business of the money order department now amounts to nearly two hundred thousand dollars annually.
Mr. Corrigan is a member of the New Eng- land Postmasters', the Station Superintend- ents', and the Boston Postal Clerks' Associa- tions. He is a life member of the Young Men's Christian Union; Past Grand Knight of Excelsior Council, Knights of Columbus : secretary of the New England Amateur Row- ing Association, and a member of the Colum- bia Rowing Association; and trustee and director of the Sumner Savings Bank of East Boston.
EV. HORACE WEBSTER MORSE was born in North Haverhill, N. H .. May 2, 1810. His father, Daniel Morse, was a respectable farmer of that town in the Connecticut River valley.
Sarah Morse, his mother, was born in Bos- cawen, N. H. He was the fourth of a family of nine children, of whom, besides himself, but two survive: Hon. Asa P. Morse, of Cam- bridgeport: and Lafayette Morse, of North Haverhill, N. H., who resides on the paternal homestead. He is a lineal descendant of Anthony Morse, who came from Marlboro, England, landed in Boston in 1635, and settled in Newbury, Mass. Mr. Morse received his carly instruction in the common schools of Haverhill. At the age of fourteen he worked in the printing-office of Sylvester T. Goss, at the centre of the town, in company with Moses Dow, who afterward . became the publisher of the Waverley Magasinc. At the age of eighteen he assisted John R. Redding in es- tablishing a new paper there. Mr. Redding
represented that district in Congress, after which he removed to his native place, Ports- mouth, where he was elected Mayor of the city.
Mr. Morse, however, soon left the printing- office, and worked on his father's farm in the summer season and taught district school in the winter to obtain the means to pursue his studies. He attended the academies of Haver- hill and Lancaster, N. H., and of Peacham and Bradford, Vt .; and in the fall of 1833 he attended the seminary at Stanstead Plain, I. C., under the instruction of Reuben Spauld- ing, a friend of his and a graduate of Dart- mouth College. Here Mr. Morse completed the reading of the twelve books of Virgil's Eneid. He had read the Bucolics and such other Latin books as were used in the schools of that time. From Stanstead he went to Yamaska Mountain, near Montreal, to teach the winter school. He had been engaged by the supervisor, the Rev. Mr. Johnson, the Episcopal minister of the place, who was born and educated in England. The school was attended by some fifty scholars of different nationalities, most of whom could speak Canadian French as well as the English lan- guage. While here, Mr. Morse received the intelligence of the loss of his mother, who died January 22, 1834. At the close of the four months' term he returned to his old home. After spending two weeks in setting out trees around the buildings (some of which exist at the present time) and visiting the new-made grave of his mother, he left for Boston.
He passed two days with Daniel P. Morse, his brother two years younger than himself, who was teaching a private school in South Boston, and then went to Malden, where he obtained temporary employment.
In September he took charge of the Orleans Academy at Orleans, Mass. The academy was attended by some fifty or more of the larger and more advanced scholars of the place and vicinity. After the close of the second term he returned to Boston in the spring of 1835, and took up his residence with the Rev. Sylvanus Cobb, of Malden, in order to avail himself of Mr. Cobb's instruction and his library with a view to entering the ministry.
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Mr. Morse preached his first sermon in New Rowley (now Georgetown ) May 22, 1835. The following winter he taught the Centre School in Reading. While there, he made the ac- quaintance of friends at the north part of the town, and was engaged by the committee of the Universalist society to supply their desk on alternate Sundays for the coming year. The rest of his time he preached in the adjoin- ing town of Middleton and in South Reading (now Wakefield). He received his letter of fellowship in 1835, and was ordained in Wrentham, Mass., June 2, 1836, at the meet- ing of the Boston Association of Universal- ists. In 1827 he took charge of the Univer- salist Society at Milford, Mass., and founded the first Sunday-school of the society, which continues to the present time. While at Milford, he delivered the 4th of July oration, which was well spoken of and commended by the Boston Journal, there being at that time considerable political excitement. The re- membrance of his labors there and the ac- quaintances formed has been to him a source of much pleasure. . The meeting-house in which he preached was soon vacated, and a new one built, in which Mr. Morse preached a few times by way of exchange. He has re- cently been invited to assist in the dedication of a third church, more modern and better adapted to the interests of the society and place.
In 1838 he took charge of the society in West Scituate, now West Nowell, Mass., es- tablished a Sunday-school, and taught the dis- trict school the following winter. In West Scituate he formed the acquaintance of Lydia S. Jacobs, the daughter of the Hon. Edward F. Jacobs, to whom he was married June 18, 1839. Not wishing to remain there, he then took charge of the society in Exeter, N. H. ; and in that and other places in New Hampshire he preached until 1844, when he returned to North Reading, where he had preached before, and where he had purchased a cottage with ample grounds and fruit-trees. As the means of the society were limited, he spent some of his time in preaching to the society at Middle- ton. While at North Reading, he set out many ornamental trees, improved his prop-
erty, and took a general interest in the affairs of the place.
In October, 1853, he spent a short time in East Medway (now Millis), where he had pre- viously preached for a short time. In 1854 he moved to Wrentham, Mass., and, occupying a small farm that he bought near the centre of the town, still continued to preach at East Medway and to the Universalist society at West Wrentham, where he preached for six years. While in Wrentham, he was chairman of the School Committee for two years.
His son, Horace Edward Morse, and daugh- ter, Francena J. Morse, attended the Wren- tham Academy. As his son wished to com- plete his fitting for college, Mr. Morse re- moved to Medford, Mass. Here his son at- tended the Hathaway Private School, and his daughter attended the high school. His son entered Tufts College in 1860, graduating in 1864, studied law in the office of Sweetser & Gardner, of Boston, and is now practising his profession in that city.
In 1860 Mr. Morse removed to Chelmsford. Mass., near Lowell, and took charge of the Unitarian society, which was mostly com- posed of the original families of the place. He preached there for seven years. While in Chelmsford, he was for six years superin- tendent of the twelve schools of the town. writing the reports and purchasing the books. Mr. Morse, removing to Lowell in 1868. remained there twelve years. In that period he supplied the Unitarian society at East Marshfield two years and the Unitarian soci- ety at Hubbardston one year, and much of the rest of the time was spent in preaching to destitute societies, as occasion and opportunity occurred. Mrs. Morse died in Lowell, April 22, 1880; and Mr. Morse with his daughter removed to Malden, Mass., where his daugh- ter was married to Joseph M. Gilman, June I. 1884, and removed to Greenwood, Mass .. where Mr. Morse now resides with his daugh- ter and son-in-law.
Mr. Morse has published many sermons. both in the religious and secular papers, and has written many other articles for the relig- ious and secular press. While in New Hamp- shire, he was assistant editor of the Balm of
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Gilead, a weekly paper published in Concord. In 1888 Mr. Morse published a volume of poems, written, as he says, "not for praise or profit," but to while away leisure hours of life's declining day. In this book, under the head of "The Voyage of Life," may be found the following verses :
Upon the surging sea of time For fourscore years and four I've sailed along the compass line, Nor yet have reached the shore.
I've seen the changes of life's day, Its light, shades, good, and ill, And miss the friends who've passed away. "Of sacred memory still."
With many words of kindly cheer, With rich gathered flowers, They cherished hope and banished fear Along the darker hours.
And now, methinks, hastening full soon Behind the western hill, The brighter sun of sultry noon Will soon be set and still.
Then will come the final sleep, The world move as before, The ocean still its motion keep, And life forevermore.
His sermons were well written. out, as he considered the pulpit a place of responsibility, and aiways desired to know beforehand what he would say to his people. He studied the Scriptures to ascertain their original import, regardless of denominational interests. He was a rapid, energetic preacher, had a good flow of language, and had no difficulty in keeping the attention of his hearers. He has been retiring in his nature, has never sought for place or denominational honors, content to labor where his services were desired.
Mr. Morse has been a busy man. When he began preaching, four hundred dollars per annum was considered a large salary. Ho hence considered it necessary for a minister to take care of himself, and has done consider- able business outside of his ministerial duties. Mr. Morse has bought and sold real estate bonds and other securities, and has been fre- 'ilently consulted in regard to business matters.
.Although Mr. Morse has passed his nineti-
eth birthday, and in consequence of an acci- dent in 1899 is now partially confined to his house, he is well preserved physically and also mentally, as he has dictated this sketch from his unfailing memory. Mr. Morse is re- spected and trusted in all the communities where he has preached and where he has hosts of friends.
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