Biographical sketches of representative citizens of the commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1901, Part 61

Author:
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Boston, Graves & Steinbarger
Number of Pages: 924

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Yet we know, O angel mother, From your bright celestial sphere Love's magnetic cord will draw you Back to those you love so dear.

Dearest mother, priceless jewel, Ever given to mortals here ! Ring, oh, ring thy bells, O heaven, Send thy angels far and near.

Touch the sleeping soul of mortals. Till they see and hear and know That the angels walk among them, Ever passing to and fro.

They have only dropped the mortal, Entered through the pearly gate, And they come to cheer us onward : Patiently we watch and wait.

And we thank the blessed giver That immortal life is free

In that home of many mansions That's prepared for you and me.

There we'll meet with those that love us. Mingle with them as of yore. Life's eternal, death is victor, Praises sing for evermore.

Mrs. M. A. STONE.

Swampscott, Mass.

OHN PITMAN, for over fifty years a prominent grocery merchant of Marble- head, was born in that town, January II, 1817. He was a son of Captain John Pitman, in former days a well-known Marblehead ship-master; and his grandparents were Thomas and Elizabeth Pitman, also of this town. When a young man he shipped be- fore the mast on a merchant vessel engaged in the foreign trade, and, while in that service, visited numerous ports in the West Indies and other parts of the world, working his way up- ward to the position of mate. He also made several fishing trips to the Grand Banks; but at the age of twenty-four years he abandoned the sea, and engaged in the grocery business at Marblehead. For more than fifty-four years thereafter he carried on a prosperous trade, and not only realized a satisfactory financial success, but maintained throughout the entire period of his activity a reputation for honesty and integrity that was never impeached. He was a well-known figure in social circles and a member of Atlantic Lodge, I. O. O. F. Though not active in politics, he took consid- erable interest in local public affairs, serving for some time as Overseer of the Poor; and his death occurred suddenly at the polls on town-meeting day, April 16, 1896, just after he had deposited his vote. In his latter years he attended the Congregational church.

On February 16, 1841, Mr. Pitman was united in marriage with Miss Mary E. Bowler. Mrs. Pitman, who survives her husband, was born in Marblehead, November 12, 1819, a daughter of William and Mary (Caswell) Bowler, both her parents being natives of Marblehead. Her grandparents were James and Elizabeth Bowler, and she is a representa- tive of an old Marblehead family of repute. Of her union with Mr. Pitman there were six children, five sons and one daughter, as fol- lows: John Henry, born 1841, who died in

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infaney; William Bowler, who also died in infancy; John H., of whom see separate notice below; Thomas S., born January 23, 1851, who resides in Marblehead and is now the only survivor; Mary Collins, who died in 1870; and Luther Gilbert, who died in 1894.

John H. Pitman was born in Marblehead, January 21, 1843. Educated in the publie schools, he at an early age entered his father's store as a elerk, and was closely identified with the business until his death, which occurred January 1, 1898. He was a member of Atlantic Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Marblehead, and of the encampment at Salem, Mass. On September 20, 1883, he married Mrs. Antoinette Bailey, née Craig, daughter of the late Jonathan Craig and widow of John E. Bailey, late of Marble- head.

INTHROP MORSE CROSBY, chairman of the Board of Selectmen of Orleans for the year 1898, was born in this town, June 12, 1840, son of Joshua and Thankful (Baker) Crosby. The first Crosby ancestor in America was Simon, who was born in England, and who came to this country in 1635, accompanied by his wife and eight months' old son. Settling in Cam- bridge, Simon Crosby was made a freeman in 1636, and was Selectman in 1636 and 1638. He died in 1639, at the age of thirty years. His widow married the Rev. William Thomp- son, of Braintree. She reared three sons, born of her first marriage; namely, Thomas, Simon, and Joseph.

Thomas Crosby, the next in the line now being traced, was graduated at Harvard College in 1653. From 1655 to 1670 he was pastor of the church at Eastham. He then removed to that part of the town of Harwich, Mass., which is now included in the town of Brewster. He died in Boston on June 13, 1702, while visit- ing that city on business matters. He was the father of a family of twelve children that in- cluded twins and triplets.

The line was continued successively through his son John, born in 1670 or 1671 ; Joshua, born in 1712; Joshua, second, born in 1737; Joshua, third, born in 1779; and Joshua,

fourth, who was the father of Winthrop M. Crosby. The third Joshua Crosby served in the United States navy in the War of 1812 with England. He was on board the "Consti- tution," under Commodore Hull, and assisted in the capture of the "Guerrière." He died in 1861, at the age of eighty-two years; and his wife, Sarah, who was a daughter of Deacon Abner and Sarah Freeman, died in 1866, at the age of eighty-three.

Joshua Crosby, fourth, became a sailor when but a boy, and was engaged for many years in the fishing service. He spent the latter part of his life on land, and died in 1888 at the age of seventy-nine. His first wife, in maidenhood Thankful Baker, was born in Orleans in 1811, a daughter of Abijah and Thankful (Young) Baker. She died in 1869; and he married for his second wife Mrs. Mary A. Baker, who was born in June, 1830, and died in March, 1890. Of the first union were born eleven children - Almond, Vickery N., Joshua W., Meroa, Al- mond Green, Winthrop M., Abbie B., Henry Thomas, Thankful E., Philander, and Philan- der A. Almond died at the age of six years, and Philander in infancy. Of the second mar- riage there was one child, Mary Charlotte. Slie was born March 15, 1872; and she mar- ried William M. Higgins in 1895.

Winthrop M. Crosby was brought up and educated in Orleans. At the age of fourteen he made a fishing voyage with his brother, Vickery N. ; and subsequently he made four similar voyages with his father. He then began to learn the trade of marble worker, serving an apprenticeship of two years with Thomas Arey Hopkins, whose business he subsequently purchased and conducted success- fully for twenty-eight years, being succeeded by his son, Orville Winthrop Crosby. He has since lived retired from active business life. Mr. Crosby has been a Republican in polities ever since he was old enough to cast a vote. As a town official he has served sixteen years on the Board of Selectmen. He was made a Mason in Pilgrim Lodge, A. F. & A. M., of Harwich, in 1867. He also belongs to Frater- nal Lodge, No. 132, I. O. O.F., of Orleans.

Mr. Crosby was married on November 8, 1865, to Marietta F. Ryder, a native of Chat-

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TIMOTHY SMITH.

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ham and daughter of Jabez and Marietta (Long) Ryder. Mr. and Mrs. Crosby are the parents of one child, Orville Winthrop, above named, born December 19, 1867. He married Celia H. Walker, of Eastham, daughter of John F. and Mary (Eldredge) Walker. Two children - Rollyn Walker and Gerard Ryder - were born of this union. The last named is still living. Rollyn died in his sixth year.

IMOTHY SMITH, a well-known mer- chant of Roxbury, was born in East- ham, Mass., May 28, 1835, a son of Timothy, second, and Ruth Freeman (Knowles) Smith. His paternal grandfather, also named Timothy, was a native of Eastham and a seafar- ing man.

Timothy Smith, first, died when his son and namesake was but three weeks old. Timothy Smith, second, was engaged in agricultural pur- suits in his native town during most of his ac- tive period. His wife was a daughter of Seth Knowles, a native of Eastham, who was a lineal descendant of the Rev. John Knowles, of Wal- tham, Lincolnshire, England. Richard Knowles, son of the Reverend John, came to Plymouth as early as 1638, and in the following year married Ruth Bower. He removed to Eastham in 1653. His son John, who married Apphia Bangs, De- cember 28, 1670, was killed near Taunton while he was engaged in serving against the Indians, April 3, 1675. Colonel John Knowles, son of John and Apphia, born July 10, 1673, was as- sociated with Samuel Treat, who was missionary to the Indians for forty-five years. Colonel John Knowles had a son, Colonel Willard Knowles, born in 1711, who married Bethiah Atwood. Their son Seth, who was born May 16, 1753, and who died July 6, 1821, married Hannah Crocker, who was born January 8, 1766, and died July 6, 1823. Their daughter Ruth, born September 30, 1801, married Timothy Smith, second, and died January 25, 1881.

Timothy Smith, the present representative of the name, was educated in the district schools of his native town, the academy at Orleans, and the academy at North Bridgewater, Mass. When seventeen years old he engaged as clerk

for Brett & Kingman, the leading mercantile firm in Plymouth County, remaining with them for five years. He then established himself in business at Harwich, from which town he came in 1862 to Roxbury. Here he began in a small way, in a store seventeen by sixty-five feet, with about thirty-six hundred dollars' worth of stock. and with the determination to apply himself diligently and by honorable means and methods win success. His business has since grown to such an extent that he now occupies what was formerly four buildings, ranging from three to five stories, and one hundred and fifty by one hundred and fifty feet ; and he employs from one hundred and seventy-five to two hundred and twenty-five people, carrying everything to be found in a fully-equipped department store. and having the largest trade of its kind in Rox- bury. The service in his store, it is hardly needful to say, is marked by promptness and unvarying courtesy, the poor meeting with as much attention as the rich.

Mr. Smith is president of the New England Dry-goods Association and a director of the People's National Bank. He is Senior Deacon of the Eliot Congregational Church and chair- man of the Prudential Committee, and he be- longs also to the Congregational Club.

Mr. Smith was married February 4, 1858, to Miss Mary Ellen Brett, a daughter of Zenas and Almira (Packard) Brett, of North Bridge- water. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith ; but none of them are now living. five having died in infancy, and one daughter. named Addie May, at the age of fourteen years.

Zenas Brett, Mrs. Smith's father, was of the sixth generation in descent from William Brett. who settled at Duxbury in 1645, and a few years later removed to West Bridgewater. The line was : William,' Nathaniel,2 Seth, Samuel.+ William,5 Zenas.6 Nathaniel Brett married in 1683 Sarah Hayward, daughter of John and Sarah (Mitchell) Hayward and grand-daughter of Experience and Jane (Cook) Mitchell, Jane being a daughter of Francis Cook, one of the Pilgrim Fathers. Nor is this the only line through which Mrs. Smith is a "Mayflower " descendant. Seth Brett, her ancestor in the third generation of the family in New England, married Sarah Alden, daughter of Isaac .Alden,

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who was a son of Joseph and grandson of John and Priscilla (Mullins) Alden.

Zenas Brett's first wife was Sibil French, who died in 1834. He married November 28, 18 36, Almira Packard, daughter of John and Martha (French) Packard. Her father was a lineal descendant in the sixth generation of Samuel Packard, who, with his wife and child, came over in 1638, and eventually. settled at West Bridge- water.

m FRANK EASTMAN, Deputy Sher- iff of Middlesex County, is a well- to-do and widely respected resident of Melrose. He was born at Salem, Mass., July 16, 1847, a son of Moses and Susan E. (Treadwell) Eastman. His grandfather Eastman, who was a native of Springfield, N.H., and a farmer, had seven children, all sons, of whom Moses was the fourth in order of birth. All are now deceased.

Moses Eastman was born in Springfield, N.H., and died in Melrose, Mass., in 1862, at the age of forty-eight years. He was the founder of Eastman's Express Company. His wife, Susan, a daughter of Nathaniel D. Tread- well, of Warner, N.H., is now a resident of Melrose, having reached her. eighty-first year. She is the mother of seven children, of whom three are now living - William H., a member of the Salem police force ; Caroline A., who re- sides in Melrose; and M. Frank. William H. Eastman enlisted in July, 1861, in Captain Nym's company, Second Battery, Light Artil- lery, for three years' service in the Civil War. He was at Vicksburg, New Orleans. Taken prisoner at Vicksburg, he was paroled, and he subsequently served until the expiration of his term of enlistment, August 16, 1864.

M. Frank Eastman was educated in the pub- lic schools of Melrose. In 1862, on the death of his father, he assumed the directorship of the Eastman's Express. This business he carried on for twenty-three years, during which time it grew to large proportions, the company having offices in Melrose and Boston. Selling out the express business in 1885, Mr. Eastman engaged in the coal business, which he established in Melrose, continuing it, however, for but two

years, selling it at the end of that time to C. B. & F. H. Goss. In 1887 he became a real es- tate dealer, and, besides improving his then existing property at Melrose, he built a block on Main Street, now known as Eastman's Block. He continued in this business till 1893, in which year he was appointed by Sheriff Henry G. Cushing to his present position of Deputy Sheriff of Middlesex County. His office is at 12 Pemberton Square, Boston. Mr. Eastman was a member of the Republican Town Com- mittee for six years, and was Collector of Taxes in Melrose for threey ears. He is a member of the Standing Committee of the Universalist church at Melrose. He belongs to the Masonic order, being a member of Wyoming Lodge, F. & A. M. ; Waverly Chapter, R. A. M .; Mel- rose Council, R. & S. M .; and Hugh de Payens Commandery, K. T .; and is also a thirty-second degree Mason.

Mr. Eastman was married May 19, 1870, to Abbie E., daughter of John H. and Catherine (Stow) Maynard, of Marlboro, Mass. He has four children, namely: Harry M. B., born in 1874, who was educated in the Melrose schools, and is now a clerk in his father's office ; Ida M., born in 1876, a graduate of the Melrose schools, now the wife of H. C. Blackmer, clerk of the Municipal Court, Boston, residing in Melrose : Alice Whitney, born in 1878, who was educated in Melrose, and is now in the employ of her father as stenographer ; and William F., born in 1 883, who is attending school.

ASON PRESCOTT HARVEY, D.D.S., the leading dental surgeon of Everett, was born in Carmel, Penobscot County, Me., January IO, 1857, son of John and Martha A. (Prescott) Harvey. He is a descendant in the seventh generation of William Harvey, the immigrant ancestor of the family, who married in Boston, in 1650, Martha Copp, daughter of William Copp.

He had four children - William, Thomas, John, and Mary, the first three of whom were baptized in Boston. William Har- vey died August 15, 1658. His widow married November 10, 1659, Henry Tuxbury (Tewks- bury), and removed to Newbury.

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John Harvey, the third son and next in this line of descent, was born in Boston, February 5, 1654-5. He was a weaver or carpenter by occupation, perhaps both. He took the oath of allegiance at Amesbury in December, 1677, and was a member of the training-band in 1680. He married in 1685 or 1686 Mrs. Sarah Barnes Rowell, daughter of William Barnes and widow of Thomas Rowell. . His death took place in Amesbury, March 8, 1705-6. His son, John Harvey, Jr., born in Amesbury, December 3, 1690, "probably married Anne Davis, Novem- ber 13, 1714."

Jacob Harvey, son of John and Anne Harvey and great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born January 19, 1732. He mar- ried Hannah Hunt, who was born January 13, 1732, being a daughter of Nathaniel and Han- nah Hunt. - Their children were as follows : Dollie, born January 9, 1762 ; Hannah, born September 23, 1763; Jacob, born December 29, 1764, who died September 1, 1822 ; Han- nah, second, born July 4, 1766; John, born February 27, 1769 ; and Joseph, born April 21, 1773.

Joseph Harvey, the youngest son, whose birth took place at Amesbury, Mass., was graduated from Dartmouth College in the class of 1794, his diploma being still in the possession of the family. He was the third permanent settler in Carmel, Me., going there at the beginning of the nineteenth century, and was the first Town Clerk. He also served as a Justice of the Peace for many years, and was known as Squire Harvey. He married Polly Sargent, who was born in Amesbury, February 21, 1784, daughter of Christopher and Anna Sargent. Joseph Harvey died in Carmel, July 16, 1834, and his wife died in January, 1858. Their children, all born in Carmel, Me., were: Joseph, born Jan- uary 2, 1811, who died at Carmel in December, 1871 ; Sally, born May 26, 1813, who is still living ; Hannah, born December 2, 1815, who died in Lagrange, Me., January 24, 1883; Anna, born October 1, 1818, who died in Carmel, April 11, 1893 ; John, born March 3, 1 822 ; and Polly, born April 20, 1824.

John Harvey, the younger son, Dr. Harvey's father, who is still residing in Carmel, is widely and favorably known throughout that section of

Penobscot County. Mrs. Harvey, his wife, was born in Moultonborough, N.H., May 6, 1835, daughter of Eliphalet A. and Rachel (Mason) Prescott. Her maternal grandfather was an officer in the Continental army during the Revo- lutionary War, and her mother's childhood was passed in Dover, N.H. John and Martha A. (Prescott) Harvey in the early years of their married life became the parents of eight chil- dren ; namely, Austin Irving, born June 14, 1853; Alice Arvilla, born October 18, 1854; Mason Prescott, the subject of this sketch ; Stella Evangeline, born August 16, 1860; Ernest Bartlett, born February 12, 1863; Bertha Agnes, born January 3, 1865 ; Lelia Mabelle, born April 4, 1866 ; and John Eries- son Harvey, born October 9, 1870. Alice A. died August 21, 1862 ; Stella E. died Septem- ber 12, 1862 ; Bertha A. died January 4, 1865 ; and Lelia M. died August 26, 1884.

Mason Prescott Harvey pursued his element- ary studies in the Carmel public schools, and advanced in learning by attending the Maine Central Institute at Pittsfield. His professional course was completed at the Pennsylvania Den- tal College, Philadelphia, where he took the de- gree of Doctor of Dental Surgery as a member of the class of 1885. Commencing the practice of his profession in Castine, Me., he made excellent progress considering the limited population of that locality ; but a desire for more rapid ad- vancement at length caused him to seek a wider field of operation, and in 1886 he established himself in Everett. Having obtained recog- nition as a skilful and reliable dentist, he soon found himself in possession of a lucrative practice, which still continues to increase ; and he is now regarded as the principal dental surgeon of that city. He is an advanced Mason, being a member of Palestine Commandery. He also belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is highly esteemed in social circles. He attends the Penticostal church, in which he takes an active interest, and is at the present time president of the Board of Trustees and assistant superintendent of the Sunday-school.

Dr. Harvey married Miss J. Edwina Corlis, daughter of James Edwin Corlis, of Carmel. Mrs. Harvey has an interesting genealogy. She is probably of old Norse ancestry. She is

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a descendant, through the Tracy family, of Eegbert, the first Saxon king of all England, of Alfred the Great, the Emperor Charlemagne, and the Scottish kings and nobles, including twenty-seven of the kings and queens of Eng- land. Her genealogy has been traced through thirty-four generations, and, admitting the de- scent of King Eegbert from Odin (see Appen- dix to Walworth's Hyde Genealogy), where the ancestry of the Saxon kings is traced from Odin to Cerdic and from him to Ecgbert, or Egbert, seventeenth king of the West Saxons and first king of England, and hence down to the present day, there would be fifty-four generations, ex- tending over a period of fifteen hundred years. Dr. and Mrs. Harvey have five children - Stella, Earl, Helen, Celia, and Elsie Harvey. Stella, Earl, Helen, and Celia are attending the public schools of Everett.

EMAN SPARKS COOK, ex-member of the Legislature from the Third Barnstable District, was born in Provincetown, where he now resides, May 13, 1840, son of James Tilton and Louisa (Sparks) Cook. His paternal grandfather was Samuel Cook, a lineal descendant of Francis Cook, one of the original " Mayflower " Pilgrims, who, it is said, "expended a considerable es- tate" in promoting the interests of Plymouth Colony. Samuel Cook was a seafaring man. He was wrecked while on his way from Boston to his home in Provincetown.

James Tilton Cook followed the sea from his youth to the age of forty-two years, and was master of several different vessels engaged in the fishing industry and the coastwise trade. After abandoning the sea he was connected with a wrecking company for fifteen years, and he subsequently kept a boarding-house in Prov- incetown. He died at the age of seventy-four years. James Tilton Cook was widely and favorably known, both as a master mariner and a wrecker, and for a number of years he served with ability as Road Surveyor. He was three times married. By his first wife, Phebe, daugh- ter of Seth Nickerson, he had two children - James and Clarinda; and by his second wife, Louisa Sparks, daughter of James and Abby

Sparks, he had four children - Harvey, Horace, Heman S., and Phebe. His second wife died September 13, 1845, at the age of thirty-six years ; and for his third wife he married Bethiah, daughter of John and Bethiah Grozier. She became the mother of three children - Wallace, Norman, and Samuel.

Heman Sparks Cook was educated in the public schools of Provincetown. At the age of thirteen he became a sailor, but after follow- ing the sea for a few years he decided to adopt some occupation on shore. In 1873 he em- barked in the paper stock, junk, and wrecking business, which he carried on for fifteen years, and for ten years was local agent of the Boston Marine Underwriters. He was also an auction- eer for several years, and is now in the real estate business. Mr. Cook is president of the Maritime Exchange, a member of the Board of Investment, and a trustee of the Seamen's Savings Bank. Politically, he is a Republican, and takes a lively interest in local, State, and national public affairs, having cast his first Presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln. He has been chairman of the Board of Regis- tration for a number of years, and is frequently called upon to act as moderator at town meet- ings. As Representative to the Legislature for the years 1894 and 1895 he was assigned to the Committee on Fisheries and Game, and rendered valuable service in that direction.

On October 9, 1862, Mr. Cook was joined in marriage with Hannah C. Freeman, of Orleans, daughter of Franklin and Lucy (Cummings) Freeman, the former of whom was a seafaring man.

Fraternal, benevolent, and religious societies have found in him a liberal contributor toward their support and a willing worker in carrying out their aims. He has held all of the impor- tant chairs of Marine Lodge, I. O. O. F., of which he has been Noble Grand two years and treasurer for forty consecutive terms, is a di- rector of the Seamen's Aid Society, and a member of the Cape Cod Yacht Club. He is a member of the Universalist church, and has been chairman of the Board of Trustees for sev- eral years. Mr. and Mrs. Cook belong to the Daughters of Rebecca and to the Patterson Club.

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RANCIS WEBSTER GOSS, M.D., a physician of Roxbury, located at 217 Warren Street, has been actively identi- fied with the leading interests of this section of the city for more than a quarter of a cen- tury. He was born July 3, 1842, in Salem, Mass., a son of Ezekiel Goss. He comes of Revolutionary stock, his great-grandfather, Joshua Goss, having served as a Corporal in Colonel John Glover's regiment. William Goss, the Doctor's paternal grandfather, was born in Marblehead, Mass. His wife, whose maiden name was Abigail Hammond, was born and brought up in Salem, Mass.

Ezekiel Goss, above named, son of William and Abigail, was born in Mendon, Mass., No- vember 18, 1814. He was a cabinet-maker by trade, and after settling in Salem was engaged in furniture manufacturing and dealing. He died August 27, 1884. He was for many years a member of the-Salem Charitable Me- chanic Association. He married Almira Dwel- ley Hatch, daughter of Gamaliel Hatch, of Beverly, Mass. Her father was a lineal de- scendant in the sixth generation of William Hatch, who emigrated from Sandwich, Eng- land, prior to 1633, and settled in Scituate, Mass. The succeeding ancestors were : Walter,2 Israel,3 Israel,+ John,s who was born in Han- over, whither his parents removed from Scituate. John 5 Hatch, father of Gamaliel,6 was Lieuten- ant in a company during the Revolutionary War. Almira Dwelley 7 Hatch, daughter of Gamaliel,6 survived her husband, Ezekiel Goss, a few years, passing away November 9, 1891, at the age of seventy-three.

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Biographical sketches of representative citizens of the commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1901, Part 61

Author: Publication date: 1901 Publisher: Boston, Graves & Steinbarger Number of Pages: 924

Author:
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Boston, Graves & Steinbarger
Number of Pages: 924