Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume I, Part 37

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848-
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 924

USA > Massachusetts > Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume I > Part 37

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To all his associates at the bar, his memory will be an inspiration to industry, to faithful- ness, and to honorable professional conduct.

Our warmest sympathies go out towards the cherished companions of his life, whose comfort and happiness were always his first concern, and for whom his heart beat with the truest loyalty and the tenderest love.

In token of our regard for him, we desire these resolutions placed upon our records, pre- sented to the Supreme Judicial Court, and sent to Mrs. Stearns."

Among those who spoke on the occasion of the presentation of these resolutions was Mr. Wells, who spoke as follows: "When I came to Springfield, nearly thirty-seven years ago, Mr. Stearns had been admitted to the bar, some seven years; he had then been engaged in many important trials and was fairly launch- ed upon the career of a jury lawyer in which he achieved such distinguished success. From my admission to the bar until he left it last fall, we have been co-workers here, sometimes together, much oftener on opposite sides, and I esteem it a privilege to add my tribute of love and admiration to that of other members of this bar. We gratefully remember the kind

consideration and hearty friendliness with which he treated his brethren in the profession whether associated with or contending against him. We love to recall those delightful hours when, freed from the labors of the courtroom, he entertained us with anecdote and reminis- cence, illuminated with his inimitable wit and fancy. We also reflect thoughtfully on those occasions when in soberer mood he discussed with his shrewd philosophy and clear percep- tion those problems of life and destiny which are so close to the thought of every thinking man. It is, however, of his work in the pro- fession, that we would here speak. Liberally endowed by nature with the keenest faculty of observation, and a lively and most brilliant imagination supplemented by a broad and liberal culture, he was from the first spendidly equipped for the work of an advocate, wherein he won such an eminent and enviable position. As a lawyer, however, Mr. Stearns was more than a mere advocate. His faculty of close observation and his wide experience gave to him a wonderful insight into the characters of men, and accurate knowledge of their mo- tives and probable course of action which made him one of the wisest and safest advisers in those numerous and perplexing affairs of business which are brought so often to the lawyer, when no question of the law is in- volved, but when so much depends upon a wise conjecture and skillful forecast of the conduct and activities of others. Without being a remarkable student of books and of decided cases, his extensive and accurate knowledge of the legal principles, with his quick and ready faculty of applying them to the facts as developed in any case in which he was employed, enabled him always to seize upon and present every law question involved, which he stated and enforced with distinguish- ed power, clearness, and effectiveness both before the trial judge and the court of last resort. He never failed to find all the flaws and weak points in an opponents case. He would lose or omit nothing which could estab- lish or strengthen his own. It is, however, as a trier of jury cases that he appeared at his best, and by which he will be longest remem- bered. When it was known that he was going to argue a case, the court room would be crowded. It made little difference what the case was. His abounding fancy, brilliant and sparkling humor, biting sarcasm, quaint and grotesque forms of statement, made listening to him always pleasant and entertaining to every one not on the opposite side. This

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sparkling and wonderful brilliancy, however, was only a part and the least important part of the wise and carefully studied method which he used in the trial cases. He tried cases to win them and to this he subordinated every other consideration, even himself. To this single end, he shaped everything from the opening to the closing argument; he studied with the utmost care the effect upon the jury of every movement, word, and action of his opponent as well as his own. Just how much to say, just what had best be left unsaid, what profitable turn could be given to an expression or an omission of the other side, what sugges- tions would help what would harm; he knew when and what to magnify, when and what to minimize. If at times he appeared less bril- liant than was his wont, those who understood him and appreciated the situation could see that there was a deep and wise method in his seeming dullness. In the trial of a case he managed his facts, his arguments, and his illustrations with the care and skill with which a great general manages and disposes his forces. In the preparation of his cases, Mr. Stearns was broad and general rather than minute, not studious of small detail. While at times his method of examining and cross- examining witnesses appeared careless and in- different, it was really studied, methodical and most carefully considered. It was, however, his own way and adopted to his presentation of the case. He relied much upon himself and experience justified him in so doing, that he cared to offer in testimony or draw out of the other side only so much as he wanted to use, and only in such connection as would best serve his purpose. When so much was ob- tained the rest was of no importance and he preferred that it should be left out, though to another it might seem of great importance. He could unfold or elaborate a chance word or phrase, which a witness dropped, into a most convincing statement. He could, how- ever, when the occasion seemed to call for it, handle a witness with wonderful skill and brilliancy. The abundance of his success proved the wisdom of his methods and his eminent ability in his profession. Fully con- scious of his powers in this respect, and it was impossible that he should not be, he was wholly without any trace of conceit or arro- gance, and in all things over-modest, rather distrusting his own judgment, glad to defer to others, inclined to make suggestions rather than give an opinion. In all the relations of life he was a man to be esteemed and loved ;

as a lawyer, to be honored and admired. He served his clients with a mind single to the advancement of their best interests with no thought for his own. To the cases committed to his care, he gave the best fruit of all that genius, study, and labor had brought him. To us who were his contemporaries, he has left the memory of a most genial, complacent, kind, courteous, and friendly associate; to those who are to follow him and take up the burden which he has laid down, an example of fruitful, sincere, hard and untiring labor, rewarded with the largest honors which our profession can give."

CRAWFORD While the Crawford family was well established in Scotland before 1200, we are told that it is of Anglo-Norman origin some two centuries earlier, and the Craw- fords of Scotland trace their ancestry to a Norman noble of the days of William the Con- queror. The name is spelled sometimes Craw- futt in the early Scotch records, while Crau- ford was the ordinary spelling until later date. A list of the heads of important Scotch fami- lies in 1291 has been preserved. It is known to historians as the Ragman's Roll. On this list are five Crawfords: John de Crauford of Ayrshire ; John de Cranford, tenant le Roi, Ayrshire ; Renaud de Crawford of Ayrshire ; Roger de Crauford and William de Crauford. The records show families in Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire and Stirlingshire, as well as Ayr- shire, before the year 1200. The titles held in Scotland by this family were: The viscountcy of Mount Crawford and Garnock : the earldom of Crawford belonged to the Lindsey family. A number of Crawfords were among the Scotch who were given grants of land in the province of Ulster, Ireland, in 1610, and later by King James I. Some of the American families trace their descent from the first set- tler in Tyrone, Ireland, George Crawford. Nicholas Pynnar, who made a survey of the Scotch Irish settlements in 1619, reported that in the precinct of Mountjoy, county Tyrone, George Crawford had transferred his thous- and acre grant to Alexander Sanderson. The name is common in the Protestant districts of Antrim, Down, Londonderry and Tyrone at the present time.

(I) Deacon John Crawford, immigrant an- cestor, was born in Scotland, in 1717. He was one of the settlers procured through the efforts of General Waldo at the same time that his son was in Germany seeking settlers for

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the extensive Waldo lands in Maine. A party of settlers was formed from Stirling and Glas- gow, Scotland. Most of them were poor but ambitious. Some agreed to work out their passage money by four years of labor, while most of them agreed to pay their passage money after they had cleared their farms and raised their first crops. They came in the brig "Dolphin," Captain Cooters, embarking at Greenock in the summer of 1753. After touching at Piscataqua and remaining there a week or more, they were landed on the west side of the George's river, in the lower part of what is now the town of Warren, Maine. Dr. Robinson had contracted to build a house to shelter them during the first season, and had commenced work upon it before they arrived, but it was unfinished and the Scotch- men had to find homes among the older set- tlers until they could build their own houses. General Waldo provided provisions for his settlers, many of whom came from city life, ignorant of the essential knowledge of pioneer life. They were promised farms within two miles of tidewater, being afraid of Indian hostilities and of wild beasts in the forests of the interior. Among the fellow-settlers of Crawford were Archibald Anderson, a weaver ; John Dickey, or Dicke, a malster ; Andrew Malcolm, a weaver ; John Miller, delftware maker: Thomas Johnston, John Mucklevee, John Brison, Andrew Bird, John Kirkpatrick, a cooper, John Hodgins, a book binder, John Carswell, John Brown, Robert Kye, Greenlaw, - Wilke, Beverage, -Auchmuty, slate maker, and Anderson. In 1754 Crawford and the others took possession of their half-acre house lots and built log huts in a continuous street be- tween the house lately occupied by Gilbert Anderson and school-house No. 13, naming the village Stirling, from the former home of many of them. They had even to learn the art of cutting down trees. Mrs. Dickey was daughter of Laird and others had been deli- cately reared, suffering much from the rude conditions they found in this country. Craw- ford was a shepherd in Scotland, a pious and devout man. While tending his flocks he had committed to memory the greater part of the Bible, and was accustomed every Sunday to recite portions of the Scriptures at the house of one or another of the Scotch settlers, accom- panying his words with exposition, exhorta- tion and prayer. "Their spirits were cast down with disappointment," their superstitious fears were aroused by the new country, and

they "groaned under a load of bodily and mental suffering. Strange sights and strange sounds assailed them ; fireflies gleamed in the woods, frogs croaked in the ponds, and loons uttered their unearthly cries in the evening twilight. They contended with hunger and cold, witches and warlocks, till in the fall the Indian war compelled them to enter the fort for protection." But they became contented and useful citizens in time, and their descend- ants have taken high rank in business and professional life. Crawford was deacon of the church. He died November 10, 1797, aged eighty years. He married, in Scotland, Sarah Fisher, who died March 22, 1800, aged eighty- eight years, at Warren, Maine. Children: I. John, born in Scotland, 1751 ; married Doro- thy Parsons ; resided in Warren, at the French and Mathews corner ; died January 9, 1818; had nine children. 2. Ann, born in Scotland ; married John Nelson; removed to Reading, Massachusetts. 3. Captain James, born 1758; mentioned below. 4. Deacon Archibald, born 1760; died June 9, 1828; resided at Warren ; had his father's homestead; married Eleanor Parsons; had ten children. 5. Alexander, mar- ried Daggett; removed to Northport.

(II) Captain James, son of Deacon John Crawford, was born in Warren, in 1758, and died there August 16, 1825. He served in the revolution, it appears from the records, in the employ of the East Indian department, under Colonel John Allen, from July, 1777, to March 15, 1778, at Machias, Maine; was taken pris- oner, but escaped March 19, 1778; was also landsman on the sloop "Providence," Captain John Paul Jones, and received his share of prize money in the ship "Alexander," cap- tured September 20, 1777. He lived at War- ren, on the old Mero place. He married Mar- garet Rivers. Children: I. James, removed to New Brunswick, thence to Little Rock, Arkansas. 2. Joseph, died January 22, 1820. 3. Mary, born 1798; resided at Warren ; died July 30, 1838. 4. Charles, born May 6, 1800; mentioned below. 5. Captain George, born April 3, 1802; married November 3, 1833, Mary B. Leeds; removed to Thomaston, thence to Illinois, returned to Thomaston, and had iron foundry there; died May 4, 1860. 6. John, born about 1804 ; married, November 28, 1830, Mahala Russell; resided in North War- ren, and died there September 2, 1870.

(III) Charles, son of James Crawford, was born in Warren, May 6, 1800. He settled in Searsmont, Maine, and was a prominent citi- zen, holding various town offices and repre-

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senting his district in the legislature in 1862. He returned to Warren to live in 1876, and made his home at Southwest Harbor. He married Me- hitable Cobb; (second) Jane T. Daggett of Unity, Maine. Children : I. Margaret, married Dr. Ambrose Woodcock ; they lived and died in Levant, Maine. 2. Captain Rufus, mentioned below. 3. Joseph, born December 16, 1823; married, May 30, 1855, Amanda M. Frost ; he bought the D. & A. Andrews farm in War- ren, and lived there. 4. John, married Eliza- beth Cunningham; lived and died at Belmont, Maine. 5. Miles S., married Celesta Vaughan, of Unity ; lived and died in Boston. 6. Charles A., only one now living; married Mary E. Cushing, of Cohasset. Children of second wife: 7. Edwin W., resided at Medford, Massachusetts. 8. James Weston, lived at Searsmont, Maine. 9. Arthur, lives at Natick, Massachusetts. IO. Rev. William H., married Emma Foy, of Wiscasset, Maine; lives at Tremont. II. Horatio H., resided at Boston. 12. Mehitable S., lives in Maine.

(IV) Captain Rufus, son of Charles Craw- ford, was born at Searsmont, Maine, about 1821, and was buried at sea when twenty-seven years old. He was educated in his native town in the public schools, and when a youth began to follow the sea, rose to the command of a ship, and was a master mariner of good repute. He married, August 7, 1849, Isabella P. Edgerton, born at Thomaston, died Sep- tember 2, 1892. Children : I. Charles E., born April 29, 1850. 2. Alfred O., mentioned below.

(V) Alfred O., son of Captain Rufus Craw- ford, was born at Thomaston, Maine, June 6, 1853. He was educated in the public schools of his native town. He became a clerk in a drygoods store at Wcymouth, Massachusetts, when he was sixteen years old. He established himself in the business of making paper boxes, and was one of the pioneers in the box industry of the country, of the very useful and popular folding designs. The business has grown to very large proportions and the printing busi- ness connected with it is also extensive. He has a large factory at South Weymouth, cm- ploying a large number of hands, and well equipped for its purpose. The firm name is the A. O. Crawford Company. Hc is highly respected, not only by his associates and com- petitors in business, but by his employecs, and townsmen in general.

Mr. Crawford is interested in the welfare and growth of Weymouth, and always lends his aid to cvcry project for the good of the

town. In politics he is a Republican. He is a member of the Old South Church of Wey- mouth and of the Order of the Golden Star.

He married, September 22, 1875, Mary Niles Wade, born at South Weymouth, Octo- ber 5, 1846, daughter of David Niles Wade (see Wade). Children: I. David Niles, born April 20, 1877, in Holbrook, Massachusetts; engaged in the printing business at Weymouth ; married Louise Clifford Rockwood, of South Weymouth ; child: Allen Francis, born May 23, 1908. 2. George Otis, born May 15, 1879; associated in company with his father in man- u facturing paper boxes ; he is also an inventor, invented several machines, one for the use of strips of pasteboard formerly thrown away, but now used in egg crates; married, June, 1892, Mary Chubbuck, of North Weymouth ; child : Charles Niles. 3. Frank W., born No- vember 14, 1883; graduated from Tufts Col- lege Medical School, class of 1909.

(The Wade Line).

(I) Nicholas Wade, the immigrant ancestor, was born in England, and settled early in Scituate, Massachusetts. He took the oath of fidelity and allegiance in 1638. His house was on the west side of Brushy Hill, northeast of the road where Shadrach Wade resided a gen- eration ago. In 1657 he was licensed to keep an inn in Scituate. Jonathan and Richard Wade, pioneers to Massachusetts, were prob- ably his brothers. He died in 1683 at an advanced age. Children : I. John. 2. Thomas, settled in Bridgewater; married Elizabeth Curtis. 3. Nathaniel. 4. Elizabeth, married Marmaduke Stevens. 5. Joseph, killed in the Rehoboth battle, in King Phillip's war. 6. Hannah. 7. Nicholas, .mentioned below. 8. Jacob, lived in Scituate ; left no family.

(II) Nicholas (2), son of Nicholas (I) Wade, was born about 1690. He settled in East Bridgewater, and married, in 1715, Anne Latham, daughter of James. She died in 1770, aged seventy-seven years, his widow. Children: I. John, marricd, 1751, Hannah Kingman; went to Penobscot, Maine. 2. James, mentioned below. 3. Thomas, born 1721; married Susanna Latham; lived in Bridgewater. 4. Amasa, went to Wcymouth. 5. Samuel, settled in Hanson, and had Samuel, Isaac, Levi, and other children. 6. Nicholas, born 1731 ; married Betty Tomson, of Hali- fax, had John, Betty, James, Ruth, Betty and Hannah; dicd in 1780. 7. Elizabeth, mar- ried, 1739, Samuel Harden. 8. Mary, mar- ried, 1760, Scth Mitchell.

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(III) James, son of Nicholas (2) Wade, was born in East Bridgewater, about 1720-25. He married, 1754, Ann Clark, of Plymouth. He died in 1802, aged seventy-three years. He was a soldier in the revolution, in Captain James Keith's company in 1775, and Captain James Ward's company in 1780. His age was then given as forty-nine years; height six feet. Children : I. Abigail, born 1755, died young. 2. Anne, born 1757; married 1783, Reuben Mitchell. 3. Hannah, born 1759; married, 1784, Thomas Osborne. 4. James, born 1761 ; mentioned below. 5. Abigail, born 1765 ; married, 1784, Spencer Forest. 6. Re- becca, born 1766; married, 1786, Israel Cow- ing, of Scituate.

(IV) James (2), son of James (1) Wade, was born in Bridgewater, probably in 1761. He settled in the adjacent town of Halifax, and was a soldier from that town in the revo- lution, a private in Captain Samuel Nelson's company, Colonel Aaron Willard's regiment, and traveled to Skeensborough, New Hamp- shire, via Charlestown, in 1777. He was also in the Continental army at West Point in 1780, five months and fourteen days.

(V) James (3), son of James (2) Wade, was born April 1, 1783, at Halifax, Massachu- setts. Melvin Wade, probably a brother, also lived in Halifax. James Wade married, April 15, 1803, (intention dated May 3, 1802) Sabrina Lyon, born March 28, 1785, at Hali- fax, daughter of Obadiah and Lydia Lyon. He died at Halifax in 1866. Children, born at Halifax: I. Elvira C., December 27, 1805. 2. Sophia L., December 31, 1807. 3. Sabrina L., December 21, 1810; married, February I, 1836, Abel Cushing. 4. Cynthia, August 10, 1813. 5. James Jr., June 16, 1816. 6. David Niles, July 2, 1819; mentioned below. 7. Martha L., November 28, 1820. 8. Henry Lyon, September 16, 1824. 9. Henrietta M., February 18, 1830.

(VI) David Niles, son of James (3) Wade, was born in Halifax, July 2, 1819, and died at South Weymouth, in 1907. He married Mary E. Hudson (intention dated September 22, 1844 at Halifax), daughter of Isaac Hud- son, of Halifax. She was born in 1822, at South Hanson, and died at South Weymouth in 1892. He was a carpenter in South Weymouth. Chil- dren : I. Isaac W., born 1845. 2. Mary Niles, born 1846; married Alfred O. Crawford ( see Craw- ford). 3. David O., born 1849. 4. Charles F., born 1858; married (first) Annie G. Hall ; (second) Sarah Macelveen; children: Doris H., John W.

Christopher Wadsworth,

WADSWORTH immigrant ancestor, was born in England and from the records in a Bible which he brought with him to New England, and which is now owned by the Cowles family in Hartford, Con- necticut, he is believed to be the son of Thomas Wadsworth. He is thought to have come in the same ship with William Wads- worth, who may have been his brother. Will- iam came in the ship "Lion," which sailed Sunday, September 16, 1832, with one hun- dred and twenty-three passengers, of which fifty were children. After a twelve weeks voyage the ship touched at Cape Ann and five days later landed at Boston. William settled in Cambridge and in 1630 removed to Hart- ford, Connecticut. Christopher lived and died at Duxbury, Massachusetts. He was a promi- nent citizen in a town where such prominent men as Miles Standish, Elder Brewster and John Alden lived. He married Grace Cole. He was the first constable, elected January I, 1633-34, and serving again in 1638. He was admitted a freeman in 1633. He served as selectman, deputy to the general court many years, and as highway surveyor at various times. In 1638 he drew land at Holly Swamp, and the site of his house is west of Captain's Hill, near the new road to Kingston. His lands ran clear to the bay, on what was for- merly known as Morton's Hole. The home- stead remained in the family until 1855, when it was sold. His will, dated July 31, 1677, was filed in September, 1678. His widow Grace made a will dated January, 1687-88, in old age and infirmities, which was proved June 13, 1688. Children: I. Mary, married Andrews. 2. Samuel, mentioned be- low. 3. Joseph, born 1636, died 1689; married, 1655, Abigail Wait; (second) Mary 4. John, born 1638, died 1700; married, 1667, Abigail Andrews ; lived on the homestead and was deacon of the Duxbury church many years; eleven children.

(II) Captain Samuel, son of Christopher Wadsworth, was born probably in 1630 in England, the eldest son. He came to New England with his father and settled in Bridge- water, then Duxbury plantation, where he was a taxpayer from 1655 to 1665. He occupied the land at Bridgewater owned by his father, and had a sixty-fourth interest in the town- ship. His son Timothy succeeded his grand- father as owner in 1686. Captain Samuel and his brother, Joseph Wadsworth, owned land at Bridgewater longer than any other of the early

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settlers after they moved away from the town. Captain Samuel bought a beautiful tract of land in Dorchester in what is now Milton, about 1660. The farm was between the Blue Hills, Milton and Boston. Some of this prop- erty is still owned by descendants, having been in the family ever since the first settlement. Captain Samuel was a man of means and influ- ence, active in church and state. His descend- ants of the name of Wadsworth are more numerous than those of any of his brothers. He was a soldier in King Philip's war in com- mand of the Milton company. In April, 1676, he was ordered to Marlborough with fifty men to strengthen the garrison in that town. On the way thither his command passed through Sudbury, where the Indians were in hiding. After Captain Wadsworth reached Marl- borough he learned.that the Indians had attack- ed the settlement at Sudbury and burned the houses on the east side of the Sudbury river. The Watertown soldiers under Captain Hugh Mason checked the enemy, but Wadsworth hurried to his relief without waiting for his men to rest, though they had marched all day and the night before. Captain Brocklebank went with the company and some of the Marl- borough garrison. Captain Wadsworth and his men were ambushed by about five hun- dred Indians, with the usual savage attack. After a desperate struggle for five hours Wadsworth had lost five men; the Indians had lost more than a hundred. But as night approached the Indians set fire to the dry grass, the smoke blinding the colonists, and they were obliged to abandon their sheltered position and were literally cut to pieces. Cap- tain Wadsworth, covered with wounds, it is said, was one of the last to fall. Thirty men, including Captain Brocklebank, Captain Wads- worth, and two other officers, were slain, and were buried in one grave. The twenty who escaped found refuge in a mill that had been fortified, and were rescued by Captain Pren- tice and Captain Crowell. Five or six were taken prisoners and tortured to death by fire. The date of this fight was April, 1676, some authorities giving the 18th, others the 21st. Captain Wadsworth is described as "that reso- lute stout-hearted soldier, one worthy to live in our history under the name of a good man." The first monument to him and his contrades- in-arms buried in the battle field at Sudbury was erected by his son, President Wadsworth, of Harvard College. On November 27, 1852, a monument built by the joint action of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the town

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Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume I, Part 37

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848- Publication date: 1910 Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company Number of Pages: 924

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848-
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 924