USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of Boston and eastern Massachusetts > Part 43
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107
(V) John Dwinell, son of John Dwinell, was born in 1782 and baptized August 1, 1784. He resided on the farm where the family first settled in Topsfield, and where the cellar of the first house may still be seen. The present house was erected in 1762 and the contract is
230
BOSTON AND EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS.
still preserved at Topsfield. He married ( first ). April 26, 1810. Sarah Perkins, daugh- ter of David and Abigail (Conant ) Perkins, of Topsfield ; she died in 1813. He married (sec- ond ), March 11, 1818. Louisa Richards, daugh- ter of John and Hepsibah ( Amsden ) Richards, of Southborough. They were married at Dan- vers by Rev. Mr. Wadsworth. He died in 1864, and his wife in 1879, aged eighty-one. Children, all by second wife: 1. John, born September 9, 1819, died 1859. 2. David Holt, born December 5, 1820, died 1896. 3. Sarah Perkins, born November 17, 1822, died July 18, 1905. 4. Louisa Richards, born September 27. 1824, died September 27, 1896. 5. Hep- sibah Sophia, born August 24, 1826, married, 1875. James A. Henderson ; died March, 1897. 6. Esther Mehitable, born September 6, 1828. died September 26, 1906. 7. Willard Adolphus, born May 31, 1831, mentioned below. 8. George Winslow, born November 18, 1834. died 1890.
(VI) Willard Adolphus Dwinell, son of John Dwinell, was born at Topsfield, May 31, 1831. Ile was educated in the public schools of his native town, and has followed farming for his calling. He has prospered in his busi- ness affairs and, notwithstanding his age, is in excellent health. He is a useful citizen, held in the highest respect by his townsmen. After his marriage he lived in the old house on the homestead until 1881, when he built a new home on the opposite side of the street. In politics he is a Republican, in religion a Con- gregationalist and contributed generously to fund for organ and supporting the church. He married, in 1864. at her home in Salem, Ruth Ann Stickney, born December 30, 1845, daugh- ter of Charles and Lydia Ann ( Kehew) Stick- ney. Mrs. Dwinell was member of church choir for over twenty years. Children, born in Topsfield: 1. Annie Cole, born January 2. 1868. attended the Salem Normal School, taught school at Topsfield and New Braintree, Massachusetts ; married, September 1, 1892, Fred W. Barnes, has no children. 2. John Willard, born March 10, 1877, mentioned below.
(VII) John Willard Dwinell, son of Wil- lard Adolphus Dwinell, was born in Topsfield, March 10, 1877. He was brought up on the farm of his father in his native town. He was educated in the public and high schools. He was a clerk, engaged in the wholesale and re- tail grocery trade in Lynn. He resides in Topsfield at the present time, is one of the most enterprising and prosperous farmers of
that section, and is an auctioneer of promi- nence : also dealer in antique furniture. In poli- tics he is a Republican. and in religion a Con- gregationalist. He is a member of Topsfield Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, No. 184. He married, at Winthrop, Massachusetts, at St. John's Episcopal Church (Rev. Joseph Carden ). October 18, 1905. Susie Marion Kelley, born December 13, 1881, daughter of William E. and Annie E. ( Cole) Kelley, of Hyde Park, Massachusetts. They have no children. She graduated from Hyde Park grammar and high school class 1900, then attended Salem Normal School, class (gradu- ated ) [902; then taught in Wenham three years until she resigned, to marry. Both are very active in Grange work.
Edward Oakes and Thomas OAKES Oakes, brothers, were both born in England, and Edward married there. They were in Cambridge, Massachu- setts, in 1642. Edward, the elder brother, was conspicuously identified with the early his- tory of the colony. He was made freeman in 1642, was representative from Cambridge to the general court for fifteen years between 1659 and 1682, and in 1684 represented Con- cord, where he died October 13, 1689. His wife's name was Jane - ---- , and by her he had children: Uriah, born in England, who was president of Harvard College in 1649; Edward, born in England; Mary; Thomas, born June 18, 1644, graduated at Harvard college in 1662, and during King Philip's war was lieutenant of Captain Prentice's company, selectman twenty-six years, and representative to the general court fifteen years.
( 1) Thomas Oakes of Cambridge, Massa- chusetts, younger brother of Edward Oakes, with whom he came from England to America, was made freeman in Cambridge, May 18. 1642, but he does not appear to have taken such a prominent part in town and colonial affairs as his brother. He married after land- ing in New England, the first name of his wife being Elizabeth. She survived him many vears and married twice afterward, first Seth Sweetzer, and afterward Samuel Hayward, of Malden, to which place she took the young children of her first marriage. By his wife Elizabeth, Thomas Oakes had : Elizabeth, born November 3. 1646, died young : Thomas, born November 5, 1648, died at the age of two months: Elizabeth, born May 26, 1650; Han- nah, born May 4, 1657: Mary (probably a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth ) who died
231
BOSTON AND EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS.
in August, 1659: Thomas, baptized March 20, 1659. Thomas Oakes made his widow execu- trix of his will, he having left a fair property for his time.
(Il) Thomas Oakes, son of Thomas Oakes and his wife Elizabeth, was born after his father had died, and in the will he was given a double portion of the paternal estate. He was known as Thomas Oakes, of Malden, in which town the scene of his life was laid. He married May 22, 1689, Sarah Tufts, daughter of Peter Tufts, who was the ancestor of one of the most important branches of the Tufts family in America. In 1663 he became pro- prietor of two hundred acres of land on the Mystic side in Maklen, and also the owner of the Nowell grant. The children of Thomas Oakes and Sarah Tufts were: Thomas, born April 2, 1690; Sarah, May 23. 1604: Lydia, November 27. 1607: Uriah. June 22. 1700: Mary, May 24, 1702: Hannah, February 28. 1705 : Elizabeth, May 27, 1707 : Jonathan, Oc- tober 6, 1709: Abigail. December 24. 1714.
(111) Jonathan Oakes, youngest son of Thomas and Sarah ( Tufts) Oakes, was born in Malden, Massachusetts, October 6. 1709. and died there September 25, 1770. He mar- ried July 28, 1750, Esther Buckman, of Mal- den, and by her had eight children : Jonathan. born October 4. 1751: Phebe. August 17, 1753: David, June 8, 1755: Sarah, March 25. 1757: Hannah. August 1. 1759: Esther, No- vember 16, 1761 : Edward, November 6, 1763; Thomas, February 21, 1767.
( Ili) Uriah Oakes, son of Thomas and Sarah ( Tufts) Oakes, born in Malden, June 22, 1700, died August 23. 1752. He married Deborah - -, who died May 20, 1764. Chil- dren : Uriah, born November 1. 1733, died in infancy: Uriah (2d). born April 14, 1735: Nehemiah, born February 27. 1737-8, died in infancy: Deborah, born December 10, 1739; Nehemiah, born January 20, 1742-3.
(IV) Nehemiah Oakes, son of Uriah and Deborah - ( Oakes), was born in Malden, February 27, 1737-8, and died of consumption November 8. 1798. ( gravestone marked 1799). He married, November 27. 1768, Esther Buck- man, who died November 15, 1804. (grave- stone, 1805) aged fifty-six years. Their chil- dren were: Uriah, born February 22, 1771 ; Agnes, September 29. 1773; Nehemiah, Jan- uary 22, 1777: Deborah. December 22, 1780; Esther, March 31. 1785 : Lydia, July 27. 1788.
(IV) Captain Jonathan Oakes, eldest son and child of Jonathan and Esther ( Buckman ) Oakes, was born in Malden, Massachusetts,
October 4. 1751, and died August 6, 1818. Be- fore he was twenty years old he was master of a vessel in the merchant service, and his skill as a navigator and sailor and his courage in time of danger made him a very valuable offi- cer in the naval service during the revolution. Late in 1776 he was captain of the private armed brigantine "Hawke." mounting ten guns, and having a crew of eighty men. Her owners were Uriah Oakes, cousin of Captain Cakes, and William Shattuck, of Boston. Her officers were Captain Jonathan Oakes, First Lieutenant John Smith, Second Lieutenant John Dexter, Smith Kent, master. In May, 1777. the "Hawke" was received into the ser- vice of Massachusetts and formed a part of the fleet which sailed under Commodore Manley and met with such disastrous results : but Cap- tain Oakes's ship escaped the capture which befell the more powerful vessels of the fleet. and soon afterward made several valuable prizes. Between the time she sailed out on the cruise of the year, in May, and the carly part of August following, the little "Hawke" took and sent into port the "Fanny." "Charm- ing Sally," "Jenny" and the "Devonshire." During the following winter the "Hawke" was overhauled and her armament increased to twelve carriage and eight swivel guns. Cap- tain Oakes again took command of her, and during the year 1778 he made prizes of the ship "Jenny" and the brigantine "Thomas." and in the same year, sailing with the brig "General Gates" as consort, took in the brig- antine "Nancy" and possibly others of the British naval vessels and privateers. In Feb- ruary. 1779. he bought an interest in the "Eliz- abeth. ' which then was lying in Salem harbor. changed her name to the "Thomas," manned her with six guns and a crew of eighteen men. In 1780 he was placed in command of the "Favorite," an armed ship of ten guns, intend- ed for both the merchant service and naval warfare, and made a cruise with her to the West Indies. In the same year he was com- mander of the brig "Patty," six guns, owning a share in her, his partners being John and William Shattuck, of Boston. The "Patty" was the last privateer ship of which Captain Cakes was in command. and during a voyage in her in April. 1781. from Martinique bound homeward, he made a prize of the British armed brig "Betsey." After the close of the war he continued in the merchant marine ser- vice, and in 1796 was the Paris agent for the wealthy Boston house of John and Richard Codman. Having returned home he soon
232
BOSTON AND EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS.
abandoned the sea and retired from active pur- suits, although he took considerable interest in politics, and was twelve times elected repre- sentative from Malden in the general court of Massachusetts. On July 22, 1774, Captain Jonathan Oakes married Sarah Nichols, who was born October 24, 1754, daughter of John Nichols of Malden, and by whom he had chil- dren: Sarah, born October 23, 1777; Jona- than, May 19, 1779; Betsey, August 12, 1780; Hannah, February 27, 1782 ; James, November 12, 1783: Nathan, February 12, 1786; Polly, November 9, 1787 ; Rachel, November 7. 1789.
(V) Captain Uriah Oakes, son of Nehe- miah and Esther ( Buckman ) Oakes, born in Malden, February 22, 1771, died in Everett, Massachusetts, February 22, 1748. He was a man of character and substance and the largest land owner in South Malden. He married Charlotte Stowell, of Revere, Massachusetts, and had children: Uriah, born December I, 1797: Ilannah. February 3, 1803: Charlotte, October 20, 1805.
(\'I) Deacon Uriah Oakes, eldest son of Captain Uriah and Charlotte (Stowell) Oakes, born in Revere. December 1, 1797, died Au- gust 1, 1885, aged almost eighty-eight years, having spent his entire lifetime in useful em- ployments, and until almost the day on which he died took his market produce to Boston. When only a young man he started a small shoe factory in South Malden, shipping his goods to the southern states; and soon after- ward opened the first grocery and produce store in that locality. At one time he carried on quite a business in making and selling combs. From his father's estate he received a considerable amount of land and gave careful attention to its improvement and also to farming pursuits and market gardening. Mr. Oakes was in all respects an industrious, thrifty and progres- sive citizen, a straightforward business man, and an earnest christian, a member of the Congregational church from early manhood, its deacon for many years, and superintendent of the Sunday school. The largest property owner in South Malden, he naturally took con- siderable part in public affairs, not. however, in the sense of being a political character or seeker after office, but by his influence and counsel moulded the affairs of the town in the public interest. Deacon Oakes married Betsey Richardson, who was born in Stone- ham, Massachusetts, January 26, 1802, and died in Everett. August 7, 1890. She was a daughter of Deacon Josiah Richardson and Betsey Vinton his wife, and a descendant of
an old colonial family of Massachusetts ; ( see Richardson family). Children of Deacon Uriah Oakes and Betsey Richardson, all born in South Malden : I. Uriah, born December 10, 1825, died -, 1892: married Olive Lewis, born in Gardiner, Maine, April 15, 1831, died February 14, 1897, daughter of Rev. Stephen Lewis, a clergyman of the Free Will Baptist church, and whose father, William Lewis, lived and died in Wales. Uriah (3d), was a shoemaker by trade, during his younger life, but afterward for many years had charge of Sawyer's Station, on the Boston & Maine railroad. Children: George Uriah Oakes, of Everett, married Susan Currier ; Olive Frances Cakes, born South Malden, April 13, 1861. 2. Josiah, born September 28, 1829; unmarried : lives with his sister in the old homestead in Everett. 3. Elizabeth, born April 28, 1831 ; unmarried, and lives with her brother Josiah in Everett. Miss Oakes was educated in the Charlestown Female Seminary, and is an un- tiring and successful church worker. She holds a prominent social position and takes a deep interest in the Young Woman's Christian Association, of Chelsea, and it was largely through her efforts that the attractive edifice of the First Church in Chelsea was erected on the county road. 4. Charlotte, born June 10. 183 -: died young. 5. Angelina. born 1835. died July 12, 1835. 6. Charlotte Augusta, born June 3. 1840; married October 21. 1868, Charles Long, of Belmont, Massa- chusetts ; has three children : Charles Long. Frederick Long and Ella Long. 7. Hannah, born June 26, 1843 : married William Warden ( now dead ) and lives now in Lawrence, Mass- achusetts. Children : William, Frank and Grace Warden, the last mentioned of whom is dead.
BILLS The Bill or Bills family of England
has an ancient and honorable rec- ord, extending back almost to the beginning of the use of surnames in that coun- try. The name means a kind of weapon and the progenitor doubtless took his surname from his occupation in war-a bill-man. A bill was a sort of battle ax. The family is from Denmark originally, according to the best authority. The family has been prominent in Shropshire for some five centuries and is num- erous also in Wiltshire, Kent, Hertfordshire, Yorkshire and Staffordshire. Dr. Thomas Bill, born about 1490, was a prominent physi- cian, an attendant of Princess Elizabeth in 1549. John Bill, born 1576, was a well known
Uriah Cakes
233
BOSTON AND EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS.
London publisher. He appears in London in 1613 as "Publisher to King James 1, Most Ex- cellent Majestie." One of the earliest works published by John Bill was by the King him- self. He brought out many editions of the Bible. He or his partner, Christopher Barker. published the first news sheet, called the English Mercuric, issued to contradict false reports conecrning the descent of the Spanish AArmada upon the coast of England. After he received the royal license his place of busi- ness became known as Printing House Square. its present name. John Bill married ( first ) Anne Mountford, daughter of Thomas Mount- ford, D. D. She was the author of a book entitled "Mirror of Modestie," published in London in 1621. A second and very rare edi- tion was published in 1719. She died May 3, 1621, aged thirty-three. He married ( sec- ond) Joan Franklin, of Throwley. Kent. Ile made his will in 1630, and was buried at St. Anne's Blackfriars, London. He left a be- quest to the parish of Much Wenlock, where he was born. Child of first wife: 1. John, mentioned below. Children of second wife: 2. Anne. 3. Charles, succeeded his father as publisher of Bibles and books. 4. Henry. 5. Mary. The Bill coat-of-arms: Ermine two wood-bills (battle axes) sable with long han- dles proper in saltire on a chief azure a pale or, charged with a rose gules, between two pelicans heads erased at the neck argent.
(I) John Bill or Bills, as the name is some- times written, the American immigrant, was born in England. The best authority indicates that he was the John mentioned above, son of the book publisher. John Bill. Little is known of him. He and his wife Dorothy came to this country before 1635. Their children, John, aged thirteen, and Marie, aged eleven, came to Boston in 1635, John in the ship "Hope- well," Marie in the ship "Planter." The father died in December, 1638, and a month later Richard Tuttle became responsible to the town of Boston for Dorothy Bill, widow. "A so- journer at his house" and "for anything about her." It is probable that Dorothy was a sister of Tuttle. The genealogy by Ledyard Bill gives this list of the children of John and Dorothy and states that all of the name with a few exceptions are descended from them : 1. James, born in England in 1615. 2. Thomas, born about 1618, mentioned below. 3. Philip. born about 1620, married Hannah : died July 8, 1689. 4. John, born 1622. 5. Mary, born 1624.
( II) Thomas Bills, son of John Bills, was
born in England in 1618. He came to Massa- chusetts Bay with his father and settled at Pulling Point, Boston. He had various occu- pations. In 1666 he was called a lighterman. Later he was an innholder, mariner and planter. He removed to Black Horse lane, part of Prince street. He had a grant of Spec- tacle Island in Boston harbor ( so-called be- cause of the peculiar shape ), from James Bill or Bills, December, 1666. He also bought land on this island, of Nathaniel Reynolds. He owned and occupied half the island Jan- uary 25. 1681, when he deeded it to his son. This island is a mile northwest of Thompson Island. Bills was a member of the Boston Artillery Company in 1674: was admitted a freeman May 31, 1671. His will was dated October 2, 1696, and proved January 27, 1696- 97. He married ( first ), January 14. 1052, Elizabeth ( Sargent ) Nicholls, widow of David Nicholls, and daughter of William and Sarah Sargent. His wife died March 5. 1057-58. and he married ( second ) Abigail Willis, born 1633. died November 7, 1696, aged sixty-three, daughter of Michael and Mildred Willis. Her gravestone is in Copps Hill cemetery, Boston. Children of first wife: 1. Samuel, born 1654. mentioned below. 2. Sargent, February 26, 1657. Children of second wife: 3. Sarah, September 28. 1659. 4. Mary. August 15, 1661. 5. James. December 24, 1662. 6. Thomas. December 24, 1664. 7. Susanna, March 18. 1665-66, married Mungo Crawford. 8. Michael, December 27. 1667. 9. Jacob. Oc- tober 21, 1669, married Theodosia - IO. Benjamin, 1674.
( III ) Samuel Bills, son of Thomas Bills, born in 1654, died August 18, 1705. He was a butcher by trade, and resided in Black Horse lane in a house that was his father's. He in- herited part of Spectacle Island from his father, and in 1681 acquired the remainder of the island, which was covered with heavy tim- ber. In 1693 it was called Samuel Bills' Is- land. The title was confirmed in 1684-85, from an Indian. His will was dated August 13. 1705, and proved September 20, 1707. He married Elizabeth ( Welstead ), who married ( second) Eleazer Phillips, of Charlestown. Children: 1. Samuel, born September 22, 1683, mentioned below. 2. Richard, born March 25, 1685, married ( first ) Sarah Davis ; (second) Mehitable Minot. Perhaps others.
(IV) Samuel Bills, son of Samuel Bills, born September 22. 1683. died before Febru- ary 13, 1738-39. He was a provision dealer of Boston, and resided on the north corner
234
BOSTON AND EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS.
of State and Washington streets. He was an active and industrious citizen, and built up a prosperous business. On October 2. 1711, his house, together with those of one hundred and ten other families, was destroyed by fire. In 1714 he mortgaged his property and paid it March 4. 1720. On July 30, 1717, he sold land to provde a quarantine for the hospital, and March 18, 1729-30, he sold land to his brother. Richard Bills. In 1735 he removed to Rains- ford. He married, March 19, 1701-02, Sarah Shapley, daughter of John and Sarah Shapley. Children : 1. Samuel, born May 21, 1702. died young. 2. Joseph, born June 26, 1704. died July 22, 1705. 3. Joseph, born February 8, 1705-06. 4. Richard, born December 2, 1708. 5. Benjamin, born November 1. 1709. 6. Sarah, born February 12, 1710-JI, married James Farrar. 7. Ruth, born March 18, 17JI- 12, married Thomas Price. 8. Elizabeth, born June 2. 1713-14. 9. Mary, born June 7, 1715. married John Lester. 10. Samuel, born 1720, mentioned below.
( V) Samuel Bills, son of Samuel Bills, was born in Boston in July, 1720. He lived at Dedham and was a soldier in the Revolution on the Lexington alarm under Captain George Gould. He married ( first ) Mary Davis (in- tention dated June 8, 1740: (second ), July 12, 1769. Grace ( Norcross) ( Hyde ) Crawley. She was born March 27. 1724, daughter of Philip and Sarah (Jackson) Norcross, of Newton, Massachusetts; married (first), in 1744, Gershom Hyde, of Newton, who died prior to April 5, 1756. She had five children by her first husband. She married ( second ). 1756-57. Abraham Crawley, of Watertown, who died in 1768, and by this marriage she had five more. Children of Samuel and Mary ( Davis ) Bills: 1. Richard, a soldier in the Revolution. 2. Nathaniel, mentioned below. Possibly others.
(\1) Nathaniel Bills, son of Samuel Bills, was born in Dedham. He was a soldier in the Revolution, a private in Captain Aaron Fuller's company. April 19. 1775, on the Lexington alarm. This company belonged to the first parish of Dedham. He was also in Colonel Crane's regiment, enlisting in 1775 for three years or during the war in Captain Bussey's company. He was also a matross in Captain Benjamin Frothingham's company, Colonel John Crane's regiment ( Third Artillery ) ; and also in the Continental army in 1780 at Morris- town, New Jersey, and elsewhere. He mar- ried Jane Damon. Both he and his wife died in 1837. They had three children, among
whom was Jonathan Damon, mentioned below.
(VII) Jonathan Damon Bills, son of Na- thaniel Bills, was born in Dedham, June 22. 1790. He married Eliza Colburn, September 12, 1822, of Dedham. He settled in Dover, Massa- chusetts, where he was a farmer. He died at Waltham, June 7, 1864, and was buried at Dedham by the side of his wife, who (lied November 21, 1851. In politics he was a Democrat. Children, born in Dover and Ded- ham: 1. Lewis Augustus, born July 3, 1824, married Fannie Louise Hutchins. 2. Mary Anne, born September 2, 1826, at Dedham. 3. George Damon, born September 30, 1829, died October 11, 1840. 4. Charles Colburn, born April 28, 1833, mentioned below. 5. Sarah Eliza. born November 16, 1836, at Dover. 6. Susan Bradford, born October 20, 1841, at Dedham.
(VIII) Charles Colburn Bills, son of Jona- than Damon Bills, born at Dover, April 28. 1833, died in Waltham, Massachusetts, Janu- ary 16, 1889. He was educated in the public schools of Dedham where he lived in early youth. Ile worked on his father's farm dur- ing his boyhood. When a young man he went to the adjacent town of Natick to work. In 1879 he went to Boston from Natick, and en- gaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes in the building which stood on the present site of the Parmenter block, Waltham. Afterward he was interested in a shoe factory or shop, as the early home of the shoe business was called, on Bacon street, of L. S. Jones, in Boston, and in a short time entered partnership with his employer under the firm name of L. S. Jones & Company. Later he organized the firm of Stowe. Bills & Hawley, dealers in boots and shoes, on High street, Boston, and his sound judgment and great sagacity in business gave him the highest standing among his associates. He was industrious and enterprising ; shrewd in guaging the public taste, careful in fulfilling the wants of his customers; he had business foresight and prudence ; was fair-minded and honorable, withal, and his integrity was re- spected most among those with whom he had dealings often. He was prominent in the financial world for many years. He was a director of the Shawmut National Bank of Boston and of the Bureau of Credits also of that city. His judgment was valued highly by banking men and merchants interested in the matter of credits in various lines of trade. He was a director of the old National Bank of Boston.
Mr. Bills was strong and earnest in his relig- ious faith. He was a member of the First
235
BOSTON AND EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS.
Baptist church of Boston and joined the Bap- tist Society soon after coming to Boston, and his loyalty to church and society from that time to his death was firm and unfaltering. He was of exemplary character, generous in support of the church and its benevolences. He be- came superintendent of the Baptist Sunday- school, May 18. 1874. at Waltham, and filled that honorable but arduous position as long as he lived. The children who grew up under his moral guidance held him in the highest esteem, even reverence, and were his loyal and life- long friends. Few laymen have accomplished as much as he in the spiritual education of the young. in fine and effective religious activity. He was fitted by natural ability and tempera- ment for this duty and he performed it with the zeal and enthusiasm of youth after a score of years. He was a prominent and useful member of the Masonic fraternity, joining Monitor Lodge in 1867. Hle was a member of Waltham Chapter, Royal Arch Masons. He served for many years on the charity com- mittee of the lodge. Not only in and through the church and other regular channels did he give in charity, but he was generous with his wealth in supporting measures and objects of public usefulness, and in helping those in need. The extent of his giving will never be known, for he was reserved and modest in making known the deeds of benevolence that he prac- tieed constantly. His home in Waltham was at 33 Lyman street, and here he frequently bestowed upon his friends unstinted and lib- cral hospitality.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.