USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Boxborough > Boxborough: a New England town and its people > Part 9
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In 1855, a detachment of soldiers under Col. Pope,- who later had command of the Union army in the Rebellion,- was sent out to survey the Southern Pacific R. R., and his route at that time was nearly identical with the present trend of the road.
At the end of five years, with a longing in his heart for a sight of home and friends in his native town, he obtained his discharge and returned to Boxborough, bringing with him as the only souvenir of his eventful life at that time, a wound obtained in honorable service.
Mr. Cobleigh says : " On the way out to Fort Defiance, scarcely a human habitation was to be seen from Fort Leaven- worth to Santa Fe ; the Great West at that time was just being opened to civilization ; but on my return five years later, the country was full of emigrant trains and squatters, and dwell- ings were being erected all along the route."
Mr. Cobleigh had long been thought dead by his people, and no one recognized in the stalwart young man of twenty- two, the raw long-legged youth of sixteen, who went away six years before.
July 3, 1858, Mr. Cobleigh married Rosella Wetherbee, who died Jan. 8, 1864, aged 23 years, 6 months, 3 days. She
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was a daughter of Capt. Andrew, and Mary (Sargent ) Wetherbee. He married Salinda Holden of Shirley, for his second wife. He has no children.
Ephraim B. Cobleigh has served as town-clerk twelve years continuously, fifteen years as selectman, and has filled various positions of trust and responsibility. He has been connected with town business for twenty-nine years.
JOHN HOWARD COBLEIGH.
John and Caroline (Hayward) Cobleigh had two sons, Ephraim and Howard. Ephraim married Harriet Whitney, and they have eight children : Charles, Fred, Nelson, Melvin, Ora, Hattie, Alfred, and Herbert.
John Howard Cobleigh, born in Boxborough in 1826, married Lucy Ann Johnson. and resides in Fitchburg. They have two daughters. Mr. Cobleigh is a jobber, and probably the oldest in the business in Fitchburg. He went to that city in 1859, and having purchased a half interest in the firm of Brown and Houghton who were engaged in quite a prosperous jobbing business at that time, he remained in partnership for three years and then purchased the entire interest. He has con- tinued in the business ever since with the exception of a period of two years when he was prevented by illness. Before going to Fitchburg, he had charge of a milk car from West Acton to Boston for nine years. He was some years ago connected with the fire department in Fitchburg, and at one time was first assistant engineer and fireman of the hand fire-engine "Con- queror." This connection was severed about the year 1873. Mr. Cobleigh is one of Fitchburg's well-known and honored citizens.
FRANCIS CONANT.
Francis Conant, the eldest child of Benjamin and Sarah (Randall) Conant, was born in Stow, Mass., Nov. 14, 1814. He was of English ancestry, being a descendant of Roger Conant who led the pioneer colony that settled Salem in 1628.
He spent his early years on his father's farm in Stow, and in the district school, which afforded meagre advantages for
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Francis Conant
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Francis Conant.
education. After becoming of age, he attended a private school in Berlin, Mass., for a short time. In 1841 he married Sophia, daughter of John Goldsmith of Littleton, and having built a cottage in Acton, in the vicinity of his early home, he engaged in farming, the business in which he had been reared. Here five children were born to them, Albert F., Charles H., Nelson B., Julia S. and John G. In the winter of 1848 when only thirty-four years of age, a terrible accident occurred, which, with unskilful surgical treatment, left him with a lame- ness from which he suffered until the close of his life. In 1850 he removed with his family to Boxborough and settled upon the Wood farm which became his home for a quarter of a century. Here the five younger children, Edwin H., George F., Waldo E., Adelia M., and Lizzie S. were born.
As a citizen of Boxborough, he was active and interested in everything that pertained to the religious, educational, and business welfare of the town. He was elected to many town offices, having served as auditor, on the board of overseers, assessors, and selectmen -at one time as chairman -for a number of years. For several reasons he preferred to attend church in Littleton, and he was a consistent member of the Orthodox Congregational church in that town. By his thrift and enterprise he was able to give each of his ten children, more than a common school education. One son, Charles H., completed a college course, graduating at Dartmouth in 1871.
In 1874, feeling somewhat the infirmities of age, he disposed of his farm and removed to Littleton, and there, four years later, he died at the age of 63 years. His life was one of hardship and suffering, but the character and prosperity of his children were a constant scource of satisfaction to him in his declining years. Merchants sought his sons for desks, from which positions they naturally passed to be themselves proprietors. Four sons are merchants, Albert F. and Nelson B. in Littleton, and John G. and Edwin H. in Shirley. Charles H. has been a lawyer in Lowell for many years. George F. is a civil engineer in Columbia, Tenn., in the employ of the U. S. government. and Waldo E., of the firm of Conant,
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Houghton and Co., Littleton, is a suspender manufacturer. Of his three daughters, the eldest, Julia S., is unmarried and resides in Bridgeport, Conn. ; the second, Adelia M., a teacher since the death of her husband, George A. Parker, is at the present time located also in Bridgeport, Conn., where she is engaged in the Training School for teachers. The youngest daughter, Lizzie S., married Mr. E. B. Parker, of Littleton, and resides in that town.
Sophia G. Conant, the wife and mother, died Mar. 18, 1878, and both parents are laid in the new cemetery at Littleton.
STUART PARK DODGE.
Stuart Park Dodge is the son of Silas Parker and Catherine Park (Kendall) Dodge, of Waltham, Mass. Silas Parker is the son of Samuel, born in Ipswich, Mass., Mar. 26, 1766, and. Mary (Farnsworth) Dodge, born in Groton, Mass., May 9, 1768. Silas P. was also born in Groton, his mother's native town, Apr. 2, 1812, and resided in that place fifty-eight years, until 1870, when he removed to Waltham. His sight has been fail- ing him for some years, and he is now totally blind. Catherine Kendall, born in Harvard, Nov. 12, 1821, is the daughter of Enoch, born in Shirley, Aug. 7, 1795, and Fanny (Shurtleff) Kendall, born in Montpelier, Vt., Oct. 1800. Silas P. Dodge and Catherine P. Kendall were united in marriage, May 12, 1842. They were the parents of four children, Edwin Parker, who died in 1871, in Denver, Col., where he had gone to regain his health, Stuart P., George F., and Frances A. George F. was formerly a resident of this town, having lived upon the farm now occupied by his brother. Stuart P. was born in Groton,-as were all the other children, on the farm where his father was born, and where he lived for more than half a century,- and spent his early years in that town. He married Miss Sarah J. Farmer, of Harvard, Mass. Aug. 11, 1869.
Mrs. Dodge is the daughter of Deacon Emroy and Sophia (Raymond) Farmer, of Harvard. Mr. Farmer was the son of
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Stuart Park Dodge.
Thomas and Hannah Farmer, of Littleton Mass., and was born in that town, Jan. 10, 1816. Jan. 10, 1839, he married Sophia Raymond, daughter of Joseph and Rhoda Raymond, also of Littleton, where she was born, May 13, 1817. They made their home at first in Sterling, Mass .. where Sarah JJ. was born, Nov. 17, 1850, but removed to Harvard a year later, and there Deacon Farmer died, Aug. 12, 1877. He had been a deacon of the Baptist church at Still River for several years. Mr. and Mrs. Farmer were the parents of seven children, Elizabeth B., Warren A., who died in infancy, Nahum H., Luke W., Sarah J. and Almeda P. Elizabeth Bowers, married James Forrest Dadmun, of Harvard, Apr, 28, 1861, and they buried their only child in infancy. Mrs. Dadmun died May 20, 1866. Mrs. Dodge and two sons are the only surviving children. Nahum Harwood, married Miss Ella M. Whittemore, of Worcester, and they, with their two children, Grace Sophia and Walter Emroy, reside in that city, where he is engaged in the shoe business. He served his country three years in the Federal army, enlist- ing Aug. 14, 1862, in Co. G. 36 Reg't, Mass. Vols., and receiving his discharge June 8, 1865. He took part in twenty- two battles and skirmishes, among them those of Cold Harbor, Spottsylvania, Fredericksburg, Antietam, Bull Run and Vicks- burg. Luke W. Farmer married Miss Ella C. Whitney, of Harvard, and removed to Somerville. He was in the employ of Messrs. Adams, Chapman and Co., of Boston, from 1869 to 1883, when he became a member of the firm.
Mrs. Sophia Farmer, who is now seventy-four years of age, makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Dodge. She is a sister of Mrs. Eliza Davis, of Acton Centre, who has entered upon her eighty-fifth year in quite good health for one so advanced in years. These two and a brother, Benjamin Ray- mond, of Charlestown, are the only representatives of their family now living.
For a time after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Dodge lived in Groton, and here they buried their oldest child, while still an infant. Florence C., the oldest daughter, was also born in Groton. Afterwards they removed to Harvard, and during
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their residence in that town, a son was born to them, Emroy P., who died Feb. 19, 1885, aged 9 years and 8 months. Mabel 1. and Frank W., the remaining children, were born in Boxborough, to which place the family came to reside in Nov. 1876. Their dwelling was erected by Mr. A. W. Wetherbee and his father, Mr. John Wetherbee, in 1866, on a portion of the old Phineas Wetherbee farm, and only a few rods from the ancestral homestead.
Mrs. Dodge is a kind and sympathetic neighbor, and an earnest worker in the church. Mr. Dodge has held the position of auditor, also of moderator at town meetings, and was elected chairman of the School Board of Boxborough in 1887, to which position he has been re-elected for four consecu- tive years.
THE DRAPER FAMILY.
The Draper family dates back more than a hundred years. Their ancestor, Boston Draper, helped to pay for the "old Harvard meeting-house " in 1775, and from time to time the Draper name appears on record in various responsible positions. Reuben Draper built the house where B. S. Mead now lives. He was a very ingenious man. Simon Whitney Draper built the house which J. F. Hayward now occupies.
Mr. David Veasie, of Boxborough, married Mrs. Tryphena Draper, who is connected with this family. Mr. Veasie was a native of N. H., but came from Boston to this town when a young man, to search for employment. He worked at farming several years, and then married Mrs. Draper, who was a Worster, and a cousin of her first husband. Mr. and Mrs. Veasie were the parents of four children : D. Boutwell, Grau- ville, Sarah J. and Charles H. Boutwell Veasie married Nellie Berry, and is a resident of Port Townsend, Washington. He graduated at a college in Ohio ; afterward studied law, and was admitted to the bar, but never praetised the profession. He is engaged at the present time in the store of the Nolton and Adams Hardware Co., Port Townsend, Washington. Granville married Miss Cornelia A. Hayward, of Boxborough,
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John Fletcher.
and they are settled in Elgin, Illinois, Sarah J. married Eugene Berry, and resides in Peabody, Mass. They have no children of their own, but have an adopted son and daughter, Thomas and Belle. Charles H. married Hannah Maria Cob- leigh, and settled in town. (See Cobleigh Family. ) He has filled the positions of school committee, selectman, assessor, and overseer of the poor, for several years
Mr. David Veasie owned a small farm, but followed the occupation of a carpenter. He died Jan. 2, 1886, aged 72 years, 10 months, and is buried in the lower cemetery.
His widow resides upon the Cephas Hartwell place, which was their home for many years.
JOHN FLETCHER.
I am indebted to one of the Fletcher family for the follow- ing sketch.
John Fletcher, son of Peter Fletcher and Lucy Wood, of Littleton, who settled in Phillipston, Mass., was born July 11, 1800. He married Feb. 28. 1831, Hulda T. Fletcher, daughter of Eleazer Fletcher, a resident of Boxborough, and a soldier of the Revolution. Her sister, Rhoda F., married Stedman Hartwell, of Natick, brother of Squire Cephas Hartwell, who was a respected citizen of Boxborough, and held office in that town as superintending school committee, selectman, assessor, treasurer, and town clerk, for seventeen years. Stedman Hart- well had two daughters, Almeda and Martha, and two sons who became generals in the War of the Rebellion, Alfred and Charles. After the close of the war, Alfred became Assistant Consul at Honolulu, Sandwich Islands, and also practised law there for a time. Charles entered the regular U. S. army and died in the service, from disease contracted therein. Almeda became the wife of E. Dix Fletcher, of Lowell, Mass. She was a fine teacher, having taught in Woburn for many years. She had charge at one time of No. 4. school in Boxborough. Martha, who has been as a mother to her sister and brothers, resides on the home place in Natick.
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Borborough : a New England Town and its People.
Edmund Fletcher, brother of Hulda T., married Lucy, sister of John Fletcher, who resided for several years in Box- borough. Their sons now live in Lowell. E. Dix has been a prominent merchant in that eity for over forty years, and has been a member of the City Council. Isaac A., born in Box- borough, was City Assessor for some years. He is in the mercantile business. Maria Fletcher, sister of Hulda, married Samuel Wetherbee, a resident of Boxborough.
E. Dix Fletcher married Mary A. Lovejoy, of N. H., for his first wife, and they have one daughter, Mary E. Isaac A., married Mary E. Rand, of Barnstead, N. H., and they have one daughter, Anna Dix.
Eleazer Fletcher, brother of Hulda, married Rebecca Kim- ball of Littleton, who is now living, in her ninety- first year, with her daughter, Mrs. Peter Whitcomb, of Littleton.
John Fletcher's wife, Hulda, died June 3, 1838, leaving one daughter, Hulda A., who died in 1844. July. 4, 1839, he married Matilda Bowker, of Sudbury, whose ancestors came of a patriotie race, having taken part in the war of the Revolution, and that of 1812. The names of their children are as follows : Josephine M., John H., Augustine A., Edwin Dix, who died when three years of age, and Elwin B. Josephine M. was a teacher in the public schools in Boxborough, and adjoining towns, for a dozen years, six years in her home distriet. Since the death of her parents, she resides in West Acton, where she is active in church work, and social and literary pursuits. John H., who was in the War of the Rebellion, enlisting, Oct. 1861, re-enlisting in 1864, was Corporal in Co. E., 26th Reg't. Mass. Vols. He was killed in battle at Winchester, Va., Sept. 19, 1864. His comrades all speak of him tenderly, as one who was always ready to do his duty .as a soldier, and was loved by them for his manly virtues. Augustine A. was also a volun- teer in the War of the Rebellion, having been a lieutenant in the 97th U. S. C. Inft. This regiment was stationed in the Gulf Department He was in several severe skirmishes, where men by his side were shot down, but he escaped uninjured. This regiment did guard duty at the forts, for several months after
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John Fletcher.
the Rebellion was crushed. Since the war he has resided in Georgia. where his father's brother, Dix Fletcher, also lived long before the war. Mr. Dix Fletcher and his son-in-law, Hon. Henry Cole, had property destroyed by the rebels, because of their union sentiments, just before Sherman came over Kennesaw, to Marietta, Ga., on his way to the sea. Mr. Cole was also taken as a prisoner to Charleston, S. C., and was not released for more than six months. During this time his health became impaired, and he lived only a few years. Jan. 10, 1870,
Augustine married Margaret S. Boyd, only daughter of Colonel William and Tenie Boyd, of Nashville, Tenn. Their residence is now at Atlanta, Ga. He is actively engaged in the Georgia pine lumber business. They have two daughters, Mary Louisa and Maggie B. Elwyn B. resides at Fort Scott, Kansas, where he is a prominent druggist. Jan. 10, 1877, he married Sarah H. Redding, of Plain View, Minn. At this time he was in his cousin's, Mr. Woodward's, drug store, at Lawrence, Kansas. Miss Redding was an accomplished teacher and elocutionist in one of the Lawrence schools. They have two sons living, John Herbert and Freddie Dix.
Mr. John Fletcher's occupation was farming. His theory was to have a fine dairy and fruit farm, and as he had an energetic, thrifty helpmeet, their dairy products commanded the highest price in the market. He raised calves, colts, and fine porkers, and having rich hill pasturing, it was profitable also to fat oxen : so by wise planning and careful industry, farm- ing was made to pay. His townsmen seemed to appreciate his good judgment and careful forethought, by putting him in town office twelve years as selectman, assessor, and overseer of the poor, and, in 1851. paid him a high compliment by sending him as Representative to the 'General Court. In 1870, his sons being in other business, and John, the one who intended to take the farm, having been killed in the army, Mr. Fletcher, who was now seventy years old, felt that the care was too much for him, and sold his farm, (where J. W. Hayward now resides), though loth to leave the home where he had lived forty years, and moved to Stow, to be near his brother,
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Boxborough : a New England Town and its People.
Mr. Peter Fletcher, whose companionship was very pleasant to him in his declining years. His wife died in 1871, and his daughter resided with and cared for him until his death in 1881, when she made it her home in West Acton.
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CHAPTER X.
THE HAGER FAMILY.
IN a volume entitled "Genealogies of the Families and De- scendants of the Early Settlers of Watertown, Mass., including Waltham and Weston," is found the following : "Hagar : In the church records Rev. Mr. Angier wrote the name Agar. Perhaps it will be ascertained that William Hagar, of Watertown, was a son of that William Hagar that was admitted freeman, May 18, 1631. Both names are found in England, and their arms may indicate some early affinity, a lion being their chief charac- teristic." Mr. Daniel B. Hagar, of the Salem Normal School, who is a great-grandson of Isaac Hagar, of Weston, says : " The two names are probably the same, as they are in the Bible. As the family was among the very earliest settlers of Watertown, it is undoubtedly of English origin. I noticed in London a street named 'Agar.' I do not understand why the different branches of the family should spell the name differ- ently. As a scripture name it is always spelled in one way, so far as the last syllable is concerned." The genealogy in the volume referred to runs thus : William Hagar (Hager), married, Mar. 20, 1644-45, died, Jan. 10, 1683-84. He had ten children. The third one, Samuel, was born Nov. 20, 1647, died, Feb. 13, 1703-1704. His fourth and last child was Isaac, of Weston, who was born April 24, 1701. He married Prudence Allen, July 16, 1724. He had twelve children, the first of whom was Isaac, who was born May 5, 1725. This Isaac had four children, - Phinehas, Elizabeth, Abigail and Zilpah. Phinehas - the ancestor of the Hagers of Boxborough ---- married Susanna Leadbetter. He died in Weston, August,
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Boxborough : a New England Town and its People.
1817. He had nine children,- Daniel, Nabby. Phinehas, born July 21, 1788, Charles, Helena. Darius, Maria, George, who died in infancy, and George Otis. Daniel died when about seventeen years of age. Charles lived to manhood, and died at the West, Helena married Mr. Hersey, and Darius married Lucy Wright, and had eight children, of whom four died young, and the youngest daughter, Esther, married a Burnham, and died several years ago. Of three who are living, George is married and resides in . California, and Augustus P. and Baron Stowe are both married and settled in Littleton, Mass.
Maria Hager married William Nottage, of Boston. George Otis married Sarah Day, of the same city, and they had five children, of whom only one lived to mature years. He,- George Otis,- was killed in one of the last battles of the War of the Rebellion.
Phinehas Hager and Ruth Stowe, daughter of Manasseh and Mary (Whitcomb) Stowe, of Hillsborough, N. H., were married Nov. 1811, in Harvard, by Rev. Isaac Bonney, Methodist minister. Ruth Stowe was born in Hillsborough, Dec. 8, 1788, and died at West Acton, May 9, 1880, aged ninety-one years and five months. Zion's Herald, date Nov: 4, 1880, gives the following : -
" Sister Hagar, when 16 years of age, upon the death of her parents, came to Harvard, Mass., to reside with relatives. Here she became acquainted with the Methodists, and united with the church, to whose doctrines and usages she became strongly attached. At the age of 23 she married Phinehas Hagar. of Weston, a man of deep and ardent piety. Her husband died when she was but 41, leaving her with seven children, the oldest being but 16 years old. She was a woman of strong character, never yielding a point where she considered herself morally right. Her cheerfulness throughout her entire life was very marked. About five years previous to her death, she resided with a son at West Acton ; here she was near the church and was a constant attendant, being present morning and afternoon in all weathers. The last five months of her life she was partially paralyzed, but so kindly cared for by her
GEORGE HAGER.
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George Hager.
daughter and son, that she was never known to make a complaint : all her wants were anticipated, and she had only to answer with a smile. Thus ended ' the long life of this Christian woman, and affectionate mother."
Phinehas Hager died Jan. 11, 1830, at the early age of forty-one. He was a member of the Methodist church referred to in the history of the town, and was a class-leader many years. He owned a small farm in the southwest part of Box- borough, but worked at the business of a shoemaker, having learned that trade of Nathan Hagar, of Lincoln. The home- stead was burned some years ago, but the estate is still in the hands of George Hager, of West Acton, one of the sons. Phinehas Hager and his wife Ruth (Stowe) Hager, are buried in the cemetery on the hill. They were the parents of seven children,- Solomon, George, Sarah, Phinehas, Mary, Ben- jamin Stowe and Daniel.
Solomon Hager, born Mar. 28, 1813, married Luey Ann Fuller, of Vermont, Mar. 14, 1837, and they had three daughters, of whom one died young. Helen R. married George W. Kimball and went to St. Louis, where he was connected with Simmons Hardware Company. Mr. KimbaH died very suddenly in 1889, while boarding in Swampscott, Mass. Lucy Ann married John H. White, of Chicago. Mr. Solomon Hager served as superintending school committee in 1839, and was chosen representative. from Boxborough, in 1840, and 1841. He died July 3, 1875.
GEORGE HAGER.
George Hager, second son of Phinehas and Ruth, was born in Boxborough, Mar. 29, 1815, and resided on the home farm until his father's death in 1830. For four years afterwards he lived with Joel Whitcomb upon the Burroughs farm, and most of the time until his marriage worked in his native town. with the exception of two years, spent in Weston, Mass. Apr. 9, 1850, he married Sally Mead, of Boxborough, and settled in West Acton, where he remained one year. Return- ing to Boxborough, he occupied the old homestead until about
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Boxborough : a New England Town and its People.
sixteen years ago, when he again removed to West Acton, and purchased the place where he now resides. He is still in possession of the home farm. Mr. Hager was selectman and assessor of Boxborough for a number of years, and performed the duties of his office with marked ability. Although without offspring of his own, he is very fond of little children, and always has a kind word for them.
Sarah Hager, born Aug. 16, 1817, is unmarried and lives in town.
Phinehas Hager, born July 8, 1820, took the name of Phinehas A., and went to Oberlin, Ohio, to attend school. He, with a number of others, went out from Oberlin to found Olivet College, Michigan. He married Polly J. Edsell, of Olivet, for his first wife, and they had five children, all of whom died in childhood. His second wife was Mrs. Sabra White, of Otsego, Michigan. He enlisted from Otsego, and entered Company B, Nineteenth Regiment, Michigan Infantry, in August, 1862. He was first sergeant of his company, and acted as captain for quite a long time ; was in Libby Prison at one time. but was released on parole. He was killed Aug. 7, 1864, during the siege of Atlanta.
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