USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Boxborough > Boxborough: a New England town and its people > Part 7
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Simon Blanchard and Martha Shattuck, his wife, were the parents of two children, Simon and Martha.
SIMON BLANCHARD.
Simon Blanchard, son of Simon and Martha, was born in Boxborough, Jan. 29, 1808. Apr. 23, 1839, he married Eliz-
Simon Blanchvel
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The Blanchard Family.
abeth Dix Fletcher, daughter of Jonathan Fletcher, and their three children are as follows: William, born Apr. 3, 1840, married Nettie M. Stacy, of Stoddard, who, after his death, Feb. 15, 1877, with her two children, Arthur W., and Gracie M., returned to her former home : Ellen Ann, born Sept. 13, 1851, married Calvin N. Holbrook, Jan. 1, 1873, - they buried one little girl in childhood and with their three boys reside in Littleton ; - Elizabeth Fletcher, born Oet. 31, 1856, married Amasa Knowlton of Acton, and they, with their three children, reside in that place. Simon Blanchard, Apr. 15, 1877, married Susan Wheeler, daughter of Abner Wheeler, for his second wife.
Mr. Blanchard resides in the northwest part of the town of Acton, on the road from West Acton to Littleton, in a pleasant, substantial farm-house, where he has lived for more than half a century. For the past few years the infirmities of age have somewhat gained upon him, but he is still interested, as was ever his wont, in all that concerns the town, state, or national wel- fare. He never sought public positions, but has pressed forward in the footsteps of his father, and by steady industry and persever- ing labor throughout his early and later days has acquired for himself a competence. Though deprived of the privilege of going out among his relatives and friends as freely as in former years, he yet enjoys their company, and the hearty handelasp, genial smile and pleasant word await all who call upon him for a friendly chat.
Martha Blanchard (1810-1891) married Samuel Sawin of Stow, Apr. 3, 1834, and of their five children, one died in infancy ; Samuel Dexter, married Caroline Elizabeth Simons, and their only child, Charles Dexter, is a physician of note in Charlestown ; John Travis, married Sarah Whitney Sawyer. of Bolton, and they had four children of whom two are living ; Martha Maria, married Marcus Morton Raymond, of Boxborough. and of their three daughters, one. Nellie Morton, died young, and the other two, Carrie,- married Alonzo B. Cushing, June 18. 1890, - and Ella, reside in Somerville, the present residence of their father, and the place where
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their mother died : Simon Blanchard Sawin died at the age of twenty-seven.
Samuel Sawin, the father, died Mar.15, 1875, and is buried in Stow, where a few months ago his widow was also laid. Samuel Dexter died in Boston in 1890.
October 27, 1814. Simon Blanchard, the elder, married Mary Keyes, daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Boyden) Keyes, of Westford, and sister of Hon. John Keyes of Concord, for his second wife. Before her marriage, while a resident of her father's home, she wove cotton cloth for some years for the Paw- tucket Falls (now Lowell) factories, the yarn being sent her for that purpose. She also hatcheled, spun and wove flax for home use. She kept her spinning-wheel and loom, and after her mar- riage, spun and wove both cotton and woolen cloth for her large family. The flax and wool were raised upon the farm, and all of the work was done by hand. She also wove woolen blankets, towelling, and a better quality of frocking than could be bought at the dry-goods counter. She was a busy worker, and spun and wove a great deal, especially winters, making a business of it, and often kept her place at the loom long after the rest of the family had retired. She used her spinning- wheel as long as she lived, but gave up weaving sometime previous to her death. The dairy business also kept the house- wife busy, and Mrs. Blanchard often made one hundred pounds of butter a week, and always a large amount.
Simon and Mary (Keyes) Blanchard, were the parents of nine children, Calvin, who died when five years of age, Joseph K., Sarah, Mary Ann, Luke, Elizabeth, Caroline, John, and one little girl who died when two weeks old. Joseph K., (1815-1888) married Mary Culver, of Boston, Apr. 7, 1840, and they had eight children : Mary Eliza, Phoebe Ann, and Joseph Hermon, who died in childhood, Emily Frances, Caro- line Augusta, Calvin Herbert, and Willard and Warren, twins. Emily Frances married Ephraim Raymond and resides in Somerville. They have buried one child and have six living. The two oldest children are married. Augusta Raymond married William H. Furbush, and they, with their four
Leonard Chandler
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Leonard Chandler.
children, Joseph, Edith. Ralph and Gertrude, are settled on the old Phinehas Wetherbee place. The next daughter, Hattie, married Ernest Bezanson, and resides in Charlestown. Caroline Augusta Blanchard married Richard Y. Nelson, and resides in town. They have buried one little daughter, Alice. and have three children living, Mary. Amy and Arthur. Cal- vin Herbert married Sarah Lauder, and is settled on the old place where his father and grandfather lived before him. They have buried one child and have four living, Hermon, Carl, Clayton and Fanny. Willard Blanchard married Jennie Furbush of Maine, and they had three children, of whom one died in infancy. Mr. Blanchard died about ten years ago, and Jennie, his wife, about four years ago. Warren Blanchard married Nellie Webber, and of their five children only three are living. They reside in Southborough. Joseph K. Blanchard has been interested in both the church and the town. He served as Superintending School Committee, selectman, assessor and auditor for several years, and was an earnest and efficient member of the Congregational church for over fifty years. He died in 1888, aged seventy-three. His wife Mary (Culver) Blanchard died about ten years ago.
Sarah Blanchard, born Apr. 10, 1820, married Leonard Chandler, of Princeton, Oct. 12, 1842.
LEONARD CHANDLER.
He was a descendant of William (born in 1598) and Annie Chandler, who came to Roxbury, Mass. in 1637. William, son of William and Annie, married Bridget Hinchman and lived in Andover, Mass. Joseph, son of William and Bridget, married Mehitable Russell of Andover. John, son of Joseph and Mehitable, married Hannah Phelps of Andover. John, son of John and Hannah, born July 18, 1750, married Katy Holman of Lancaster, afterwards Mary Jackson, of Westminster. Ephraim, born June 9, 1783, son of John and Mary. (Jackson). married Mary Powers. Leonard, son of Ephraim and Mary (Powesr), born Mar. 3, 1817, married Sarah Blanchard as above.
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Leonard and Sarah (Blanchard ) Chandler, were the parents of six children : Sarah Frances, born Sept. 20. 1843, married Henry Hobbs of Princeton ; Ella Jane, born Nov. 21, 1846, resides in Cambridge : Martha Caroline, born June 7, 1849, died Apr. 9, 1865. Leonard Blanchard, born Aug. 29, 1851, married Hattie Stewart, and they, with their three children, reside in Somerville ; John, born Apr. 16, 1853, is unmarried and remains on the home farm ; Willard Smith. born Jan. 16, 1862, died Apr. 13, 1865. The children were all born in Princeton, and Martha C. and Willard S. died there.
Leonard Chandler was born and lived until twenty-one years of age on the farm where his father and grandfather lived and died. On coming of age, he went to East Princeton and learned the chair trade, at which he worked until his marriage. He then bought the farm which he owned at the time of his death, adjoining the old Chandler place where he was born. When he bought the farm, there were no fruit trees and he could keep but two cows and a horse. At the time of his death he had from fifty-five to sixty head of cattle, and fruits of all kinds were produced abundantly. It is one of the best farms in Princeton at the present time.
Mr. Chandler was always a resident of Princeton with the exception of years 1857 and '58 when he lived in Boxborough. He served his town as one of the overseers of the poor for a great many years, was one of the assessors, and filled other town offices. He was postmaster for four years.
Mary Ann Blanchard, born July 27, 1822, married James Fisher Sawin, Nov. 28, 1844, and lives in Natick. Only four of their eight children are living ; Simon Blanchard, Phares N., Martha and Lizzie Ida. Simon Blanchard Sawin married Alice Leland of Sherburne, and they have four children. Phares, Martha and Ida, remain at home.
LUKE BLANCHARD.
Luke Blanchard, third son of Simon and Mary (Keyes) Blanchard was born in Boxborough, Jan. 17, 1826. Simon Blanchard, the father, taught his children how to work, and
Luke Blanchard
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Luke Blanchard.
this son was no exception to the rule. After he was seven years of age, he attended school only in the winter, being out two weeks of the short term of ten or twelve weeks annually for the purpose of driving the ox-team which drew the hop poles for the next seasons use. His only holidays were fourth of July and one half day at election. There were many things which even a child could do on a farm, such as riding horse, driving oxen, stripping and shaving hop poles, working in the hay-field, loading hay, etc., and carrying the hop piekers back and forth, many of whom came from Westford. Mrs. Cynthia (Reed) Sargent. a niece of Abigail (Reed) Blanchard, who now lives in the finest residence in Graniteville, was one of those same hop pickers. and Mr. Blanchard often carried her to and from her home in Westford. Notwithstanding the work, the boys and girls had merry times in those old hop-picking days. The large charcoal kilns, for drying the hops, were tended at night by one or two of the men, and here the young folks would gather in the evenings for the purpose of roasting corn, - common field corn as sweet corn was then unknown, -and enjoying themselves after their day's work; retiring at the evening's close, the girls to the house, the boys to the barn, for so they were accomodated, to prepare themselves by needed rest for the coming day's labor.
When eleven years of age, during the fall season, he began driving an ox team to Boston, loaded with heavy farm products, cider, hay, hops, potatoes etc., while his brother Joseph, with a one horse wagon, teamed butter, cheese and eggs to the same market. The elder brother disposed of the younger brother's load, but Luke was left behind at West Acton, and did not see Joseph again until he arrived in the city. He walked every step of the way making inquiry when necessary as to the route. One of his experiences clearly shows that it was no easy work for an eleven year old boy. One day as he was returning from his Boston trip, he was overtaken by a cold northeast storm. It began raining at noon, and he drove his team through the storm until midnight. He was thinly clad as was the custom with the farmer lads, and was completely chilled
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Boxborough : a New England Town and its People.
through, long before arriving at West Acton. Here he obtained an extra wrap from relatives, and with this added protection, pushed forward to his father's home. At the age of fifteen the ox team was enchanged for a two-horse wagon, and a year later, his brother Joseph having married, Luke took his place and ran the team for his father until twenty-one years of age, although the heavy produce of the farm was sent on cars after the Fitchburg Railroad went into operation in 1845. When he was twenty, he attended school at Nashua, N. H., one term. After becoming of age, having the commission business learned. but without capital, for his earnings previously had been turned over to his father, he continued the business, - which steadily increased although competion was sharp and lively, - over the railroad.
He is, if not the largest, one of the largest exporters of apples of any single individual in Boston. He commenced shipping among the earliest and has always followed it. He owns a refrigerator at West Littleton and thus has facilities for storage.
Mr. Blanchard is an extensive real estate owner in Middle- sex and Worcester counties. He also owns a large tract in New Brunswick, and another in Vermont near Hoosac Tunnel, on the Deerfield river.
Besides these private interests, he is still engaged in the produce and commission business at 20 Faneuil Hall Market, Boston, - which he has leased for the purpose, -under the firm name of L. Blanchard and Co., is interested in the Over- all Factory of A. F. Blanchard and Co., at West Acton, and is head of the firm of Blanchard and Chase, engaged in lumbering in N. H.
Mr. Blanchard held the office of constable and collector, assessor and auditor for five or six years in Boxborough, and has served on the school board three, and on the board of over- seers six years in Acton. He has remodelled his buildings and worked his lands about West Acton, and so has helped greatly to improve the village. He married Miss Jerusha Vose, Apr. 8, 1858. and they were the parents of four children, Mary
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Caroline and John Blanchard.
Florence, born Aug. 8, 1859, died when two years and four months of age, Anna Maria, born Oct. 7, 1862, Arthur F., born Jan. 21, 1864, and Mary Alice, born Dec. 21, 1867, died Feb. 2, 1889.
Elizabeth Blanchard married Benjamin S. Hager. For further history of this branch, see Hager family.
Caroline Blanchard married Simeon Wetherbee, of Box- borough, and they have eight children : M. Llewellyn, Allie V., Ellis, Burt L., Mary K., Arthur H., Ella F., and Carrie B. Llewellyn is married and living in Boston ; Allie V. married Morton Raymond, of Somerville, and they have one son, John Raymond ; Ellis married Annie R. Cowdrie of Boxborough, and they with their three children reside in Harvard ; Burt L. is in business in Boston ; Mary K., married George M. Whit- comb, of Charlestown, and resides in that place. Arthur. H married Miss Nellie Mentzer, of Harvard, Sept. 24, 1890, and is settled on the home farm in Boxborough ; Ella F. is teaching in Ayer, and Carrie B. remains at home.
John Blanchard married Anna M. Snow, and they are settled in Lawrence, Mass. They have buried one child, and the remaining daughter, Lillian, is at home preparing herself for a teacher.
Simon Blanchard, the father of the foregoing family, was a man of delicate health but good constitution, and by careful living, regular habits, and constant observance of the laws of health, his life and strength were preserved for many years. He was one of the board of assessors at one time, but he was a man who never sought the honors of town office.
Mary (Keyes) Blanchard died Oct. 23, 1863, aged 72 years, and is buried in the Blanchard tomb, - built by Simon Blanchard in 1359, - at Mt. Hope cemetery, West Acton.
In 1864, Simon Blanchard married Mrs. Hannah Preston, of Boxborough, for his third wife. He died July 1, 1867. aged 83 years, and is buried in the family tomb at West Acton.
Joseph, son of Calvin and Abigail (Reed) Blanchard, married Louisa Marshall, of Tewksbury, and settled on the Reed farm where the buildings were recently destroyed by
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Borborough : a New England Town and its People.
fire. Their seven children were, Joseph, Marshall, Henderson, Solon, Abby Ann, Mary Louisa and Calvin. Joseph, Hender- son and Mary L., are all married and living at the West. Joseph is a physician. Marshall married Charlotte Reed, of West Acton, and died in California. He left one child. Solon is married and living in Weymouth. Abby Ann married Eliab Reed, and died on the Reed farm, leaving one child. Calvin is unmarried, and lives near Weymouth.
Joseph Blanchard, Senior, was given to learning, a teacher and lecturer, and very talented for the times. He was Deputy Inspector of hops, and for a short time raised the most of any farmer in town. He died Mar. 20, 1835, aged 46 years.
Luey, daughter of Calvin and Abigail, married Amos Day of Shirley.
JOHN BLANCHARD.
John Blanchard, youngest son of Calvin and Abigail (Reed) Blanchard, was born on the old farm in Boxborough. Aug. 17, 1794. His father lived there before him, having moved from the Whitney place where he formerly resided ; and his mother, left a widow when her son John was but five and one half years of age, made her home there as long as she lived. After her death, Mr. Blanchard took the farm which he carried on as long as he lived. He erected the present buildings in 1844-45. He was a great hop-raiser, having carried on the business for more than half a century, from his eighteenth to his seventieth year. He was also sub-inspector of the product.
He was quite a fruit-raiser, peaches being his specialty. Ile had a large peach orchard at one time, - the trees of which he budded himself, -and raised and sold many bushels of the delicious fruit.
Mr. Blanchard has acted as road surveyor and once was unanimously chosen selectman, but naturally of a quiet retir- ing disposition, he declined the office. He took a great interest in the Anti-slavery cause, voting alone in town for several years. He was liberal in giving, especially in his younger days, yet doing it unpretendingly and without ostentation.
John Blanchard. Margaret Balanchard
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Mrs. Margaret Blanchard.
He was formerly a member of the Unitarian church in Littleton (Rev. Mr. Foster, Pastor, ) of which his mother was also a member until she was seventy-eight years of age, when. her views changing, she united with the Baptist church in Littleton. Mr. John Blanchard subsequently united with the same church, where he helped to erect two buildings - one having been burned - and then with several others removed his connection to West Acton where they helped to build the first Baptist church in that village, Mr. Blanchard superintend- ing the work.
Subsequently, when this building was also burned, he was requested to oversee the erection of the present edifice, but he declined the position.
When forty-five years of age, Apr. 17, 1838, he married Miss Margaret Burbeek, the ceremony being performed in Westford by Rev. Oliver Ayer.
MRS. MARGARET BLANCHARD.
Mrs. Margaret (Burbeck ) Blanchard was born in Holder- ness, N. H., in 1813, but at the time of her marriage was living with her brother at Westford. Brought up in the Orthodox church from childhood, she yet favored the views of the Baptists, and refusing to unite with the Congregationalists. upon removing to Westford, became a member of the Baptist church at Chelmsford, afterwards removing her connection to Littleton, and finally, making her church home with her husband at West Acton.
The Blanchard family have in their possession a fine like- ness of Henry Burbeck, a great-uncle of Mrs. Blanchard. He is dressed in the style of "ye olden time," ruffled shirt front and high cravat, his regimental coat with wide lapels and broad collar, decorated with epaulets trimmed with heavy gold lace, and buttons, and the thick curling hair gathered into a queue behind.
I quote from Johnson's Universal Cyclopedia : " Henry Burbeck, an American officer, Born in Boston, June 8, 1754. He was a soldier in the Revolution and was appointed Captain
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Borborough : a New England Town and its People.
under the Confederation, May 1787. In 1789 he was con- missioned a Captain of Artillery, Major in 1791, Lieut. Col. in 1798. and Colonel in 1802.
He served with distinction in the Revolutionary war, that of 1812 with Great Britian, and in frontier service. He was brevetted brigadier-general in 1813. and retired from the army June 1815. He died at New London, Conn. Oct. 2. 1848."
Mr. and Mrs. Blanchard had eight children, Myron, who died in childhood, Abbie, Charles, Clara, Juliette, Lucy A .. George and Louisa M. Abbie married Mr. N. E. Whitcomb of Boxborough, and they have two sons, Arthur M. and Waldo E .; Clara is living with an uncle in Salem: Juliette is at home : Lucy A. married Mr. George H. Decosta, and they with their two children reside at West Acton; Charles is married, and settled in Eden, Dakota; George remains on the home farm, and Louisa M. married Mr. Charles A. Dudley and resides in East Cambridge, Mass.
Mr. and Mrs. Blanchard commemorated his ninetieth birth- day by a celebration at the old homestead, Monday, Aug. 18. 1884. Many relatives and friends took this opportunity of expressing by their presence and congratulations, the affection and esteem in which the worthy couple were held. The picture from which the portrait was engraved was taken at that time. Mr. Blanchard's autograph was written when he was ninety-two years of age. He died July 30, 1889, when within eighteen days of his ninety-fifth birthday, and is interred at Mount Hope cemetery, West Acton. His widow resides with her son at the old homestead.
Susannah, daughter of Calvin and Abigail, married Abner Wheeler of Acton. They had eight children. Mr. Wheeler died young, and his widow afterwards married Pelatiah Brooks, of Acton. They had one child. Mrs. Brooks died in Shirley.
The first Calvin Blanchard was in the whole Revolutionary
war. He was at the battle of Bunker Hill on the 17th of June 1775, and was in some other engagements during the war. He was one of those who helped to build the forts on Dorchester Heights, the building of which caused the British troops to leave Boston. He lived to return home and settle on a farm
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James Stacy Braman.
that is at the present time, and has always been, in the posession of the Blanchards. He was killed by the fall of a tree, Jan. 2. 1800.
JAMES STACY BRAMAN.
Benjamin and Charlotte (Crossman) Braman, the grand- parents of James Stacy, of Boxborough, were born in Brighton, Mass., and spent their days there. They were the parents of seven children, Benjamin M., William L., Lorenzo H., Elias G., James F., Curtis W. and Charlotte A. James Freeman Braman married Miss Mary E. Stacy, of Concord, a niece of John Stacy, the bookseller and printer. Nathaniel Stacy, of Harvard, was also an uncle of Mrs. Braman. Mr. and Mrs. James F. Braman had six children, William H., George S., James S., Lizzie M., Abbie J. and Lydia A., only three of whom are now living ; Abbie J., who married Frederic O. Grout, of Ashland, and with her husband, and son, Frank, resides in that place : Lydia A., the wife of Mr. William Withington, of Boxborough, son of John Withington, of Stow,- they have two daughters, Effie M. and Eva I. - and James Stacy, who married Fannie E., eldest daughter of George and Mary E. (Ahern) Knight, of Ludlow, Mass .. and resides on the farm which has been in possession of the Braman family about twenty-three years. The house was built by Simeon Wetherbee, Norman Wetherbee's father. Mr. and Mrs. James S. Braman have six children whose names are as follows : Willie H. and Ada M., twins, George S., Clarence F., J. Waldo and Benjamin E.
Mr. James S. Braman is a farmer, but works also at the carpenter's trade. He was a member of the school board for three years. His father, James Freeman Braman, served the town as selectman, assessor, and overseer of the poor, four years. Mrs. Mary E. (Stacy) Braman died Mar. 27, 1858, at the age of forty-one, and was buried in Malden. Mr. Braman married for his second wife, Mrs. R. L. (Lowell) Bingham, of Washington, N. H., who died Aug. 5, 1877, at the age of sixty-five, and is buried in Boxborough. Mr. Braman died
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Apr. 25, 1886, aged 71 years, 22 days. His funeral was attended by Boxborough Grange, No. 131, of which organiza- tion he was a charter member, -- his place seldom being vacant,- and the Grange burial service was used. He lies in the hill cemetery.
CHARLES H. BURROUGHS.
Some thirty-five years ago, Charles H. Burroughs, born in Alstead, N. H., Mar. 9, 1832, settled upon the farm which he now occupies in the southeast part of the town. He received the estate from his father, Zabine Curtis Burroughs (1800-1885), who had occupied it before him. Samuel Burroughs, born Mar. 25, 1843, a brother of Charles H., served in the late Civil War four years, but though in several battles, that of Winchester among them, he was never wounded. He is now living at West Acton. An uncle of these brothers, Samuel Burroughs, has three sons, Samuel, Edward and Walter, who are noted physicians in the state of Illinois. The second son, Edward, is a very skilful surgeon.
May 21, 1857, Charles H. Burroughs married Miss Mary E. Brown, daughter of Hermon and Sophronia Brown, of New Ipswich, N. H. May 22, 1882, they celebrated their silver wedding. The marriage anniversary was also the anniversary of their daughter Lizzie's death. Mrs. Brown has made her home with her daughter, Mrs. Burroughs, for the past sixteen years, since her husband's death, and although ninety years of age, seems to be in excellent health, for one so advanced in years, at the present time. We quote from the " Vermont Phoenix," - of which paper Mr. Addison Brown was editor for a great many years, - an article published in 1867 regarding a reunion of the Brown family, at New Ipswich. "Just before the Revolutionary war broke out, two brothers, John and Josiah Brown, then young men, removed with their families from Concord, Mass., to New Ipswich, N. H., and settled near each other on new land situated on a high elevation called, " Flat Mountain.' They carried with them, strength, energy, patriotism, and a strong religious faith. Here in this new
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