USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Fitchburg > Fitchburg, Massachusetts, past and present > Part 7
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DAVID K. STEVENS was born in Fitchburg, August 12, 1860; son of Samuel and Sarah Stevens: educated in the public schools of Fitchburg, graduating from the high school in 1877 ; studied law in the office of Henry R. Start, Bakers- field, Vt., at the Boston University Law School and in the office of Bennett & Fuller, Taunton, Mass. : admitted to the Bristol county bar in April, 1882 : in 1884 formed a partner- ship with Charles H. Blood and took charge of the Boston office of the firm, where he has since continued. He mar- ried November 24, 1884, Jennie E. Waite, of Cambridge, Vt.
CHARLES H. BLOOD was born in Fitchburg, Dec. 10, 1857 : son of Hon. Hiram A. and Mary M. (Person) Blood ; educated in the Fitchburg public schools ; graduated at Fitch- burg High School in 1875, Harvard College 1879: read law with Attorney-General Marston, of New Bedford, and at- tended Boston University Law School during 1882-3 : admitted to the Bristol bar August. 1883; soon afterwards opened an office in Fitchburg : also had an office in Boston. In 1884 he formed a partnership with David K. Stevens, of Fitchburg.
MEDICAL ORGANIZATIONS.
FITCHBURG SOCIETY FOR MEDICAL IMPROVEMENT .- Or- ganized July, 1874. President-H. H. Lyons : Vice-Presi- dent-D. P. Richardson : Secretary and Treasurer-J. D. Kielty. Members-Levi Pillsbury, George Jewett, Ernest P. Miller, George D. Colony, Charles H. Rice, Frederick H. Thompson, Herbert H. Lyons, Austin W. Sidney, Atherton P. Mason, J. D. Kielty, C. W. Spring : D. P. Richardson and E. J. Cutter, Leominster : Dr. Stimson, Lunenburg.
WORCESTER NORTH DISTRICT MEDICAL SOCIETY .- Em- bracing Fitchburg and towns in the northern part of
ยท
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Worcester county. President-Levi Pillsbury : Vice-Presi- dent. C. H. Rice : Secretary-A. P. Mason : Treasurer, E. P. Miller : Librarian-F. II. Thompson.
WORCESTER NORTH ECLECTIC MEDICAL SOCIETY .- Or- ganized July, 1861. Meetings held on the last Tuesday of each month. Annual meeting on the last Tuesday in July : held in Fitchburg. President-Dr. Gleason, Townsend, Mass. : Secretary and Treasurer, Dr. N. Jewett, Ashburn- ham : Councillors-Drs. H. HI. Brigham and G. W. Garland.
WORCESTER COUNTY HOMEOPATHIC SOCIETY .- Meet- ings held quarterly at Worcester. Annual meeting the second Wednesday of November. President-O. W. Roberts, Ware : Librarian-E. L. Mellus, Worcester.
CHAPTER VI.
LITERARY AND ARTISTIC.
OMETHING akin to local pride may be considered pardonable in the people of Fitchburg while reviewing the list of workers in the field of literature and art, who are, or have been, closely identified with the place and in whom the city feels a peculiar ownership ; for there is scarcely a legend of all the region round that has not been woven into song, and there are very few of the many picturesque or fa- miliar haunts that have not been repro- duced by those who are pleased to be numbered among the sons and daughters of Fitchburg.
A reference to the life work of each, however unimportant it may seem in their own estimation, will be warmly wel- comed and cannot fail to be an inspiration and incentive to others.
LITERARY.
CAROLINE ATHERTON (BRIGGS) MASON, the subject of this sketch, though not a native of Fitchburg, has resided here over thirty years and has been identified, on many occa- sions, with the recent history of the place.
She was born in the patriotic old seaport town of Marble- head, and was the youngest daughter of Dr. Calvin and Rebecca ( Monroe) Briggs, and granddaughter of Rev. James Briggs of Cummington. Her grandfather on the maternal
7
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side was Dr. Ephraim Monroe, born and educated in Scot- land and a surgeon in the military service. Dr. Briggs was a graduate of Williams College and received the degrees of A. M. and M. B. from Harvard in 1807, and of M. D. in ISII, being one of the first to receive the degree of M. D. from Harvard. He was a physician of large practice and high standing in Marblehead and neighboring towns and cities. He died in 1852, and soon afterward Mrs. Briggs and her family removed to Fitchburg.
Marblehead has been considered by some who have no correct means of judging, as altogether an illiterate town. Such is not the fact. At one time it was second only to Bos- ton in wealth and population ; but the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, with the embargo preceding it, depopu- lated and reduced it. There were still left, however, wealthy and aristocratic residents, who, together with the professional part of the community and other families of standing and education, made up a society equal to the best to be found in any of our cities and larger towns. It was under the ad- vantages of such intellectual and social surroundings that Mrs. Mason passed her early years. She, as well as her six older sisters, was educated at Bradford Academy.
Before reaching the age of twenty she had begun to de- velop her poetical talent. Under the signature of "Caro" she contributed regularly to the Salem Register, and it was under that signature and in that paper that appeared verses which were soon known throughout all English speaking countries-the words of the song "Do They Miss Me at Home?" These words were set to music, both in this country and in England, and a handsome sum was realized by certain parties in the operation ; but Mrs. Mason never received anything-not even the credit of the authorship. A few years ago, however, there appeared in The Literary World a sketch of Mrs. Mason in which her authorship of these words was affirmed and substantiated. This sketch was copied by numerous papers and one result was that she re- ceived letters from all parts of the country asking for her
CAROLINE A. MASON
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autograph together with a stanza or two of the song. Quo- tations from the sketch will be used later by the writer of the present article.
Besides the Salem Register she early contributed to the National Era, Anti-Slavery Standard and the Common- wealth ; and, just previous to her marriage, she published, through Phillips. Sampson & Co., Boston, a volume of verses to which much favor was accorded.
Soon after removing to Fitchburg she was married to Charles Mason, Esq. Since then they have resided here, and for the last thirty years in their present residence, Laurel Hill, one of the sightliest and best located situations in town. They have a son who is a practising physician in Fitchburg.
Mrs. Mason has been a welcome contributor to most of the leading magazines and many religious and secular papers. "Her work in prose has been slight, embracing an anony- mous Sunday-school story. 'Rose Hamilton,' published in 1859. a serial, 'Letty's Pathway ; or Following On,' which appeared in the Boston Recorder in 1866, and occasionally short stories and sketches appearing in leading periodicals. But her work in verse, which has been graceful and, in didactic elements, true and strong, has been considerable. Whatever she writes is inspiring. Her poem, 'Waking,' which begins with
'I have done at length with dreaming,'
was the means, early in its career of transforming at least one young woman from a butterfly to a thoughtful character. Of more recent productions, a touching bit' for mothers, called Only Me.' has received the widest editorial favor. Mrs. Mason has written some of the best hymns of this century, as recent Unitarian praise-books and other religious compila- tions show. The sonnet form is a favorite with her of late, and has been used to fine purpose, especially in her series of pieces on the months."
That her standing as a poet is fully appreciated is amply attested not only by occasional appreciative notices from the
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press, but also by letters written to her by individuals promi- nent in learning and literature. Among such voluntary evi- dences in her possession are two which she prizes highly,- one, a graceful note written by Alfred Tennyson, poet laureate of England, thanking her for her sonnet entitled "Tennyson and the Violets," (lines embellishing an incident related by James T. Fields) ; the second, a note from Charles Sumner, expressing his sincere appreciation of a poem written by Mrs. Mason. This poem was prompted by the reading of that grand speech which Mr. Sumner intended to deliver in Faneuil Hall, Sept. 3, 1872, but which, owing to his illness, was given to the public in print. In this speech he made a noble defence of his fearless, self-sacrificing atti- tude toward the great questions of the day, and re-affirmed that unswerving fidelity to the principles of justice, truth and right, for which he was ever distinguished,-a speech which effectually silenced the howling mob that was endeavoring to pull him down from his well-deserved pinnacle of honor and fame. Another poem written by Mrs. Mason on the occasion of his great Emancipation Speech delivered at Worcester in October, 1861, was so highly esteemed by Mr. Sumner that he caused it to be printed in connection with the speech, and it may be found in his published works.
Mrs. Mason has, for many years, promptly and willingly responded to the numerous calls made upon her talent to fur- nish poems for occasions, both public and private, in Fitch- burg ; and the poems she has written relating to Fitchburg and its citizens would almost make a volume.
She has published none of her poems in book form since the volume referred to earlier in this sketch, though repeat- edly urged to do so. A volume of selections from her later productions would certainly be appreciated, and it is to be hoped that such may appear ere long.
Among the best of her poems are: "The Lost Ring," an unpublished narrative poem of some length, "Eureka," "Heir- ship," "En Voyage," "Be Like the Sun," "Waking." "We Three," "Not Yet." "Dernier Ressort," "Nature and Poet," and "Sonnets of the Months."
FITCHBURG
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RESIDENCE OF CHARLES MASON, ESQ., Laurel Hill,
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Among the most popular have been: "A Memory," "Waking," "Sonnets of the Months," "En Voyage." "Only Me," "Do They Miss Me at Home?" and "Be Like the Sun."
MARY CAROLINE DICKINSON was born in Fitchburg. With no early advantages of education except what its common schools afforded, Mary C. Underwood began her life as a teacher as soon as she was fifteen years of age and continued it until her twenty-fourth year with no in- terruption except that of her marriage to George Preston Lowe, whose early loss, which occurred during his ab- sence abroad while she was vet in her teens, was the great shadow upon her early life. These years of teaching proved two things-one known to other people, and one to herself. The former was the fact that she possessed the true teacher's gift, which is born and not made : the latter the fact that her so-called education had furnished no proper training for the work of an educator ; hence those earlier years of imparting knowledge became also the time of real study. Without the advantages she resolved to have the acquirements which, or- dinarily, are won through the best schools and colleges, and from that day to this she has not ceased to be a student, keep- ing herself abreast of the most advanced movements in the education of women. From Fitchburg, where few teachers have been more warmly remembered by the boys and girls once under their care, she passed to the head assistantship of a grammar school in Boston, and thence to the Hartford Fe- male Seminary.
From the latter place she went abroad, hoping for oppor- tunities to continue her education, in which, however, she had already made such progress as to be favorably considered for assistant lady principal of Vassar College, which opened about this date. She went to Europe with the family of one of her pupils, supplementing her constant work by writing for the New York Tribune and other journals, con- tributing at one time regularly to no less than thirteen pe- riodicals, and, aside from this excessive labor, continuing
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her pursuit of studies denied her in her youth. At the end of one year, her pupil having married, she transferred her ser- vices as teacher to a family from Chicago, toward whom she has ever since retained rather the relation of daughter than a friend, and with whom she remained during their stay, return- ing with them to this country in the autumn of 1867. A few months later saw her installed as acting lady principal of the Van Norman Institute, at that time one of the most flourish- ing schools of New York city. Here she remained until her marriage with Mr. John B. Dickinson, a prominent banker of New York, whose failing health took them again abroad in the winter of 1871-2, on which occasion they re- mained away nearly three years, travelling in the summer, and living in Italy in the winter, with the exception of the winter of 1872-73, when they passed three months in their Dahabeah on the Nile. During this long absence the pen was not silent, but many a bright sketch and tender poem found its way to the public, almost invariably, however, with- out the author's name. A bit of verse called " If we had but a day," written on the Nile with an overturned soap box for a desk, drifted from Maine to Texas in the columns of numerous journals, but it was only one of many that had been coming all along through the years from the time when the teacher made amends for having accused her of borrowing her composition by having it printed in the columns of the Fitchburg Sentinel. Still, notwithstanding much fugitive work, the writing was largely dropped until after the death of Mr. Dickinson and the subsequent loss of fortune which followed within two years after this event.
All her life long Mrs. Dickinson had ranked herself among working women, only laying down the implements of one line of work to take another in social or philanthropic fields. Now she took them up again as a bread-winner, making no claim to genius or even to marked talent, and al- ways doubting if she had any unusual gifts. "Talent uses us," she used to say ; "If I had had a spark of it, I could not have waited for circumstances to force me to use it." Hence she never had any hope of literary reputation, but went to
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work resolved to accept no task, however great, that would not do good, and to turn away from nothing, however small that would, and never using her name except when necessary to insure publication. Yet, with this resolution rigidly kept, she soon drifted into regular lines of journalistic work. She wrote leaders for dailies, editorials for weeklies, serials, short travels, poems, articles on education and phil- anthropy, and Sunday School lessons, never free enough to work in any favorite line, but always shaping her work to suit the demand of the hour. A little collection of poems reprinted by Dodd, Mead & Co., of New York, from the various period- icals in which they first appeared, found much favor. The novel published by Carleton & Co., New York, called "Among the Thorns," is too well known to need comment here, and two stories. "The Amber Star" and " A Fair Half Dozen," first printed in England. have been re-issued in this country by Phillips & Hunt, of New York.
Charming as all this journalistic work is, showing in its wide range unusual versatility and strength that gives the writer an undoubted rank in fiction, it is as a critical and biographical essayist that Mrs. Dickinson's strongest power lies. Her reviews of the life and work of Harriet Martineau, Madame George Sand, Madame de la Rochefoucauld, Charles Kingsley and many others. are a valuable addition to literature and show a power of analytical discrimination that has met with cordial recognition from most critical minds. But busy as has been this "working woman's" pen, she has never been weaned from her real work as an educator. Soon after the death of her husband she took charge of the depart- ment of literature and composition in a school in Brooklyn, resigning in order to give herself more fully to private stu- dents, young and old, who desired to place themselves under her guidance. The simple little home opposite Central Park is not only a favorite spot with busy workers in every field, but during the morning hours of every winter it is a studio for women who come to be helped to a finer culture, a wider knowledge, or larger possibilities of life. Having known the double experience of both how to abound and how to suffer
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need, few women have been better prepared to be a strength to other women, and especially to those who suffer and those who toil. Earnestly interested in every problem for their ad- vancement or prosperity, when she could no longer give money, she has unsparingly given herself. Ample use has been found for her best powers from time to time, as the secretary of the Female Bible Society, the oldest charity of New York city ; one of the vice-presidents of the W. F. Missionary Society ; National Superintendent of the Depart- ment of Temperance in colleges and schools of higher educa- tion of the W. C. T. U. While in this post she originated the "Student's League," which binds not only to Temper- ance, but to Purity, and Chivalry, and Truth. Her interest in the cause of temperance made her for two years one of the editors of the National Reformer.
In the interest of the Shut-In Society, she edits their mag- azine for invalids, called The Open Window, and in the in- terest of general philanthropy she has been associated with Edward Everett Hale in the editorship of his magazine. The exactions of such a life, of which a sketch like this affords only the faintest outline, have left their marks upon health and vigor, causing the abandonment of much work in which the worker would gladly remain : but she still retains enough to rob literature quite too largely of her time.
As the general secretary of the new order called the King's Daughters, so rapidly spreading over the country, an organization that binds every woman to do some work for others, she finds ample opportunity to reach and inspire thousands of women, rich and poor, to join the ranks of workers and make their lives a ministry of good; while as the president of the Women's National Indian Association, now organized and at work in two-thirds of the States in the Union, she is enabled to widen her circle of service until it includes also the women and children of the plains. In a life like this, literature must necessarily be an incident, but her literary work is of a style so pure and a character so vig- orous as to make one wish it might have made the life itself. Such as it is, it keeps the flavor of the winds that blow over
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the pine woods and the granite hills of New England and is not unworthy of the Fitchburg that is to be.
MARTHA DOWNE TOLMAN, is a native of Fitchburg, daughter of Deacon Nathan and Mary Downe Tolman. Both parents were of English ancestry traced to colonial days. Miss Tolman was educated in the public and private schools of Fitchburg. Her first published verses appeared in the Well Spring, a Sunday School paper published in Boston, for which little rhyme, entitled "Sabbath Bells," the editor sent her three dollars, the first money received for any literary work, and consequently magnifying its value a hundred fold. Her first book, entitled "Fabrics," was pub- lished in 1871, by Messrs. A. D. F. Randolph & Co., New York. Miss Tolman was exceedingly unfortunate in the printing of this book. Owing to the inability of the publish- ers to attend to the proof reading personally at that time, it was left, with three similar books, in the hands of the printers. Each book shared a common fate, receiving a generous sprinkling of typographical and other errors. Two years later a second book, "Finished or Not." was published in Boston by Messrs. D. Lothrop & Co. Other editions of "Fabrics" were also published by this house, and the book was reprinted in London by Messrs. Ward, Lock & Tyler. Aside from these books, Miss Tolman has from time to time written verses and articles in prose for papers and magazines. In all of her writings the style is pure and racy, at the same time instructive and profitable ; it touches the finer sensibili- ties, appeals to one's better nature, and inculcates the lesson of loving and living for others.
In "Fabrics" we have her thoughts on great themes em- bodied in the form of a story. It impresses one in a solemn yet pleasant manner with the great aim and end of life and inculcates those excellent moral precepts which all would do well to imitate.
In "Finished or Not" the author portrays most truly and touchingly what benevolence and culture may accomplish for helpless humanity.
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The writer is never feeble or doubtful in her moral teach- ing, her evident aim being to do good to every reader; and for thoughtful, reflective and appreciative young people, these books must have a special charm and value. In addi- tion to her literary work Miss Tolman has devoted a portion of her time to local philanthropic work as a member of the Fitchburg Benevolent Union and secretary of the corporation of the Old Ladies' Home.
COLONEL AUGUSTINE J. H. DUGANNE was born in 1823. His father was Assistant Charge de Affairs at Constantinople, Turkey. His mother was the only daughter of wealthy par- ents residing in France, where she met this dashing young officer, who obtained her consent to a secret bethrothal and clandestine marriage. By this act she so wounded the pride of her parents, that she was disowned both as daughter and heiress.
Finding the parents unrelenting, and seeing no prospect of being recognized by them, she accompanied her husband to Quebec, in Canada, he for some unexplained reason not wishing to return to Constantinople. As a result of this union two children were born to them-one a daughter, the other a son, Augustine Joseph Hickey, the subject of this sketch. In 1823, the parents removed to Boston, and it is supposed that Augustine was born on board ship during the passage. Being reduced to poverty, the mercenary motives of the husband became apparent, a separation took place, followed soon after by the death of the mother. The children were then placed in an orphan asylum, of which Alvan Simonds, a native of Fitchburg and cashier of the Merchants' National Bank, in South Boston, was a trustee. At the age of fifteen he was taken from this institution by John Garfield, of Fitchburg, then proprietor of the Sentinel, and was duly installed in his office to learn the printing business.
It was soon discovered by Mr. Garfield that his protege had a fondness for books, which sadly interfered with the progress of type-setting, it being no uncommon occurrence to find him on a cold winter's day snugly wrapped in a buf-
/f. 19 Duganing
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falo robe and completely absorbed in a book or in some out- of-the-way corner remote from the case engaged in scribbling verses. After the first year in the printing office he began to write for the Sentinel. These contributions in the early numbers, beginning in 1839, were all anonymous, and so completely did he surround his articles with mystery that not more than three or four persons, and those his most trusted friends, knew who wrote them.
The first of his articles that attracted public attention was " An Acrostic to Education." This was followed soon after by a poem entitled "Slander." which was prefixed by a Latin quotation and signed " Julian." This article had the appear- ance of having been written by a person of education. and from certain significant allusions the authorship was accred- ited to a teacher in the academy. About this time one Pat- terson, an employe in the woolen mill, under the signature of "Syphax," criticised "Conrad." another local literary light, for misquoting Byron : whereupon "Julian" took a hand in the discussion, creating an unusual interest for several weeks. (It is exceedingly unfortunate that the papers con- taining these early efforts are not preserved. )
All these communications were written by young Hickey and copied by his intimate friend, the late Goldsmith F. Bailey, who took charge of them, and, awaiting his op- portunity, dropped them in the postoffice unobserved. In this way no one in the Sentinel office, not even the proprietor. suspected the real author. The late Charles H. B. Snow also took a warm interest in him and appreciated his genius. From Fitchburg he removed to Boston, hired an office where he made a business of proof-reading, and such literary work as came to hand. His hand-book of patriotic poems and songs, entitled " Hand Poems." was published at that time- 1844, he being about twenty-one years of age. About this time it is related of him that on a cold winter's day he chanced to come across a little negro boy on the street who was crying piteously from cold and hunger. Without hesitating to con- sider how he should provide for the little waif in addition to his own maintenance, he took him to his office and fed.
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