Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume II, Part 136

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848-
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 1008

USA > Massachusetts > Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume II > Part 136

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).

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the mourners cost half of the total bill, over two pounds. It may be interesting to note that the town of Woburn paid him a salary of eighty pounds a year. His wife Mary died March 28, 1687. Their children are mentioned in the will of James Carter, brother of Rev. Thomas, dated Hinderclay, county Suffolk, England, September 8, 1655. Children : I. Rev. Samuel, born August 8, 1640, mentioned below. 2. Judith, March 15, 1645: married, October 14, 1660, Samuel Somers ; ( second) Giles Fairfield. 3. Theophilus, July 24. 1646, died February 15, 1649-50. 4. Mary, July 24, 1648, married, 1671, John Wyman Jr .; (second) Nathaniel Bachelder. 5. Abi- gail, August 10, 1649, married, May 7, 1674, John Smith. 6. Deborah, September 17, 1651, died December 14, 1667. 7. Timothy, Woburn, June 12, 1653, married May 3, 1680, Anna Fiske : died July 8, 1727. 8. Thomas, June 8, 1668, married, 1682, Margaret Whitmore ; resided at Woburn.

(II) Rev. Samuel, son of Rev. Thomas Carter, was born at Watertown, August 8, 1640. He graduated at Harvard College in 1660. He was admitted an inhabitant and proprietor of the common lands of Woburn, January 4, 1665-66. He was selectman in 1679-81-82-83; commissioner 1680; town clerk 1690. He was also teacher of the school in 1685-86. He owned seventy-five acres of land on George Hill, Lancaster, which was occupied by his descendants for several generations. He preached at Lancaster between 1681 and 1688. In 1692 he was ordained minister at Groton and died there in the fall of 1693. He married, in 1672, Eunice Brooks, daughter of John and Eunice ( Mousall) Brooks. Chil- dren : I. Mary, born July 24, 1673. 2. Sam- uel, August 27, 1675, died September 10, 1676. 3. Samuel, January 7, 1677-78, mentioned below. 4. John, March 14, 1680-81, died 1705. 5. Thomas, April 3, 1682, married, 1707, Ruth -. 6. Nathaniel, April 7, 1685. 7. Eunice, March 29, 1687. 8. Abigail, May 30, 1690.

(III) Samuel (2), son of Rev. Samuel (I) Carter, was born at Woburn, January 7, 1677- 78, died at Lancaster, August 30, 1738. He lived on George Hill, Lancaster, and was assigned to a garrison there, with his brothers- in-law, Lieutenant Nathaniel and Ephraim Wilder, Thomas Ross and his brother, John Carter, and lost in an attack by the Indians, with two fires, a good dwelling house, two cows, two calves, and his swine. He was select- man in 1723 and served on various committees for the location of highways. He married, in

March, 1701, Dorothy Wilder, born 1686, daughter of Nathaniel and Mary (Sawyer) Wilder. Children: I. Samuel, born 1703, married, February 14, 1725, Jemima Hough- ton; resided at Lancaster. 2. Eunice, 1704, died 1789. 3. Nathaniel, 1706, married, Feb- ruary 9, 1731, Thankful Sawyer; resided at Lancaster. 4. Dorothy, baptized February 4, 17IO-II. 5. Anna, baptized 1708. 6. Jonathan, born 17II, married Damaris Whitcomb; resided in Lancaster ; died March 19, 1799. 7. Ephraim, 1713, mentioned below. 8. Oliver, 1715. 9. Mary, baptized February 1, 1716-17, died February 3, 1743. 10. Elizabeth, baptized October 30, 1720, died October 9, 1755. II. Prudence, born February 22, 1723, died April 6, 1789. 12. Josiah, born January 26, 1726, married, 1745, Tabitha Hough; died February .1.1, 1812.

(IV) Captain Ephraim, son of Samuel (2) Carter, was born in 1713, and lived on the homestead at George Hill, Lancaster. He mar- ried (first) March 24, 1736, Mary Osgood, born 1718, died May 30, 1738. He married (second) in 1739, Abigail Wilder, daughter of James and Abigail (Gardner) Wilder. Children : I. Mary, born January 4, 1738, died 1777. Children of second wife: 2. Ephraim, May 27, 1740, died young. 3. Abi- gail, April 9, 1741. 4. Ephraim, June 15, 1743, died May 10, 1798. 5. Beulah, October 14, 1747, died October 22, 1769. 6. Dorothy, May 21, 1750, died 1790. 7. Relief, August IO, 1752, died September, 1756. 8. Oliver, September 12, 1757, mentioned below. 9. Relief, September 13, 1759. 10. Abel, Decem- ber 22, 1761, died unmarried 1790. II. Elijah, February 21. 1764, died at Keene, New Hamp- shire, February 2, 1835.

(V) Oliver, son of Captain Ephraim Carter, was born September 12, 1757, died in 1842. He resided in Lancaster, where he was a mer- chant opposite the old common. He was in Captain Timothy Boutwell's company, Colonel John Rand's regiment, in 1780. He married, January 15, 1795, Emily Harrington, who died March 27, 1835. Children: I. Horatio, born February 17, 1796, died September 21, 1832. 2. George, April 13, 1797, died January 15, 1860. 3. Timothy Harrington, December 23, 1798, mentioned below. 4. Charles, August 21, 1800, died April 24, 1880. 5. Emily, March 31, 1802, died December 7, 1883. 6. Nancy B., February 23, 1804, died February 14, 1865. 7. Catherine Prescott, February 14, 1806, died March 2, 1878, unmarried. 8. Richard, August 30, 1808, died January 7, 1852.

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(VI) Timothy Harrington, son of Oliver Carter, was born December 23, 1798, in Lan- caster, died July II, 1894, at Newtonville, Massachusetts. When he was eight years old he left home to live with an aunt, Mrs. Anna Bridge, of Petersham, a widow, who married soon afterward, November 4, 1807, Dr. Joshua Fisher, of Beverly, Massachusetts. After spending six months at his father's house he returned to the home of his aunt at Beverly. He attended the public schools in that town. He came to Boston in 1815 as an apprentice in the book-store of Cummings & Hilliard at the corner of Spring lane and Washington street, now called No. I Cornhill, his wages being fixed at forty dollars a year and board during the remainder of his minority, a usual arrangement at that time. He served out his time faithfully and learned the business thoroughly. Soon after he came of age, his ability and zeal were recognized by the firm and he became a partner, the name being changed to Cummings, Hilliard & Company. During his youth at Beverly he became expert in the use of tools and fashioned various useful articles to sell, such as bobbin-looms, knitting needles, teapot handles for silversmiths, wash- boards with rollers instead of corrugated sur- face. He also spent many of his winter even- ings sawing and splitting kindling wood for his neighbors. He used to tell how he had one contract to saw, split and pile six cords of wood at the rate of fifty cents a cord. But in this slow and laborious way he managed to save the sum of fifty dollars before he came to Boston, and incidentally he learned how to be thrifty and saving, as well as acquiring characteristic habits of industry and applica- tion. During his apprenticeship he continued to work outside the business at every oppor- tunity. He made writing blank-books, folded and stitched pamphlets for printers, manu- factured liquid blacking and red and black inks. Finally the interests of the store demanded every minute of his time. The business was prosperous. Once while still an apprentice he was sent to Baltimore, where he bought and sold books to the amount of $20,000, during one brief trip. The business was profitable and after nearly a score of years he was able to retire with a modest fortune. He was ambitious to acquire a liberal educa- tion and make up for the deficiencies in his early schooling. He resolved to begin his studies abroad, at Paris. He was nearly forty years old at the time, and he frankly writes : "I soon found it too late to study. The time

had past when my mind could rest in element- ary studies ; it was too active in planning and executing, and I gave it up. I set out to find another publishing house, thinking finally to retire from its active operations and become a silent partner." He took the lease for six years and six months of the estate at the corner of School and Washington streets, and at an expense of $7,000 fitted up a book store and printing office. His brother Richard, not then of age, was with him and C. I. Hendree was clerk. When the book store and publishing business had been built up and was in profit- able operation, he again retired, remaining a silent partner, as he had planned, in this new concern, which was called Carter, Hendree & Company, establishing what is now called the Old Corner Book-store. "The first type foundry established in Boston" Mr. Carter said in the account of his life from which we have already quoted, "was mine and in con- nection with it I also established the first stereotype foundry in New England." He placed his brother, Charles Carter, in charge of the type foundry, which was conducted under the firm name of T. H. & Charles Carter, and in a few years the business outgrew the build- ing Mr. Carter erected for it on Harvard place. It was located then in a larger building near the North Church, Salem street. Machine printing was added to the business of Mr. Carter in partnership with Nathan Hale, for whom Mr. Carter always expressed the great- est friendship and esteem. They bought the right to use the Treadwell power presses and in the same building in which the typefoundry was operated they started the first printing presses run by power in Boston, using at first horse power and soon afterward steam power. Mr. Hale also had a printing office and jointly Mr. Carter and Mr. Hale owned still another printing office, operated by water power on the mill dam. Subsequently the foundry and print- ing office was removed to the corner of Devon- shire street and Spring lane, where Mr. Carter built the third building erected for its accommo- dation. At this time he erected nine dwelling houses in Boston.

As the wholesale department of the firm of Carter, Hendree & Company grew very large, the retail department was sold to the firm of Allen & Ticknor, but neither of the purchasers would engage in the business unless Mr. Carter continued a silent partner. Later he sold to the other partners of the firm his share in it. He remained also a partner in the older firm, Carter, Hendree & Company. The estate

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where the business was located belonged to wealthy owners who had determined to build a more modern building on the lot as soon as certain expected changes took place, so that the longest lease Mr. Carter could get for the premises was but six years and a half. "But under that six-and-a half-years lease" he says "I put the estate into so profitable a condition, erecting brick buildings etc. in the yard that they have kept it as I left it half a century, putting out no expenditure of their own. When I took the lease, but $1,400 was received in rent and at the expiration of the lease it yielded $4,000. At the time of the failure of the firm, I owned what was then Phillips place, now covered by Houghton & Dutton's store. I purchased this estate with a view of building upon the upper part of it a chapel for the New Jerusalem Church, which I thought would prove just what their needs required for a dozen years, and so it proved. The United States Supreme Court wanted to have it and would have given a much higher price for it than I asked the New Jerusalem Church people, but it was not for a court of law or to make money that I built it and I therefore declined a profitable offer, before the court went to Tremont place. I will add that at the time of organizing the New Jerusalem Church I with another member became responsible for any deficiency of income to meet its expenses, and for a considerable time I paid very largely for my seat in that church. I also at that period owned 50,000 feet of land now occupied by the Boston postoffice on which I erected a building which was subsequently sold to an insurance company and by it sold for more than $100,000 more than I received. In each of these estates there was a fortune, if they could have been retained until the country recovered from the panic brought about by the closing of the United States bank, but both fell under foreclosures. I had also $12,000 to $19,000 invested in real estate in Lancaster, all of which was lost.'

In 1824 Mr. Carter was living on Beacon street, near Charles, with two sisters and a brother, and the family cow was pastured on Boston Common, after the practice of the thrifty families of that time and earlier days. The house was burned at mid-day, but most of the furniture was saved and carried to the common. Later in the day the furniture was taken to a house on Colonnade row, off Tre- mont street. In 1831, before the failure of Carter, Hendree & Company, Mr. Carter obtained an act of the legislature incorporat-

ing a book publishing company. It was de- signed to have booksellers unite in the publi- cation of large standard works such as none were ready to undertake alone and to attract literary men to become interested as stock- holders, but the scheme aroused the fears of certain publishers and their opposition in the legislature caused an amendment to the charter forbidding the company publishing any work of less than five volumes and prevented the success of the enterprise, which was designed to benefit the entire country, and Boston in particular. The company was organized and $50,000 paid in, but the limitations of the charter and the contraction of the currency at that time led to the early abandonment of the enterprise. About this time Mr. Carter estab- lished the United States Gazette, which was edited the first year by Theophilus Parsons, Esq., and which published many of the early poems of Bryant and Longfellow. Subse- quently with Mr. Little as editor, Mr. Carter began the publication of Little's Living Age, which was a successful magazine from the start and continued until recently. In 1834-35 he engaged in the publication of books, mostly of the juvenile class, and about forty volumes from the pen of Jacob Abbott alone were published. In 1845 he took a fifteen year lease of the estate that he afterward owned on Water street, Boston, and some twenty years later he built new structures on the lot. In 1846 he bought a tract of land in Newton at what was then called Hull's Crossings. He developed the property, built houses and gave the village that sprang up in the vicinity the present name, Newtonville.

Though he suffered many reverses in his long and strenuous business career he always recovered without loss of prestige, and finally left a considerable fortune. He continued active until within a few months of his death at the great age of ninety-five years and six months. He was in bed but a few days during his last illness and his mind was clear and vigorous to the end. Much of the material for this sketch was drawn from a brief autobiography that he wrote and had printed to celebrate his ninetieth birthday. His most prominent char- acteristic, perhaps, was his ambition. He was energetic, enterprising and far-sighted and he marched in the front ranks of progress throughout his long career. He was courteous in manner and a gentleman always in speech and dress. He invariably wore a silk hat, it is said, and was scrupulously careful of his clothing. The story is told that in his later

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years he made a misstep and fell downstairs. When assistance reached him, he looked up and answered the question as to his injuries : "I'm all right, but how is my hat?" His last great business enterprise was the erection of the Carter building on the square bounded by Washington, Water and Congress streets, and Spring lane, though he died before its comple- tion. He was an earnest and practical Chris- tian, a firm believer and generous supporter of the Swedenborgian church. In politics he was originally a Whig later a Republican.

He married, July 30, 1833, Martha Clark, of Waltham, Massachusetts. She died Septem- ber 1, 1870. Children, born in Boston : I. Mary, November 26, 1836, died February 12, 1860. 2. William, May 30, 1838, died July 23, 1870. 3. Edward, December 25, 1839. 4. John, October 9, 1841. 5. Henry Harrington, December 24, 1844. 6. Thomas Worcester, February 4, 1847, mentioned below.

(VII) Thomas Worcester, son of Timothy Harrington Carter, was born in the west end of Boston, February 4, 1847. When he was a few months old the family removed to New- ton to live and he was educated there in the public schools. He began his business career as partner in the firm of Hamm & Carter, importers of drain pipe, tile and other build- ing material. After several years of prosper- ous business in this concern, Mr. Carter with- drew to engage in the manufacture of lime. His lime kilns were located in the timber districts in Maine and his business has grown to large proportions. He is well known and stands among the foremost in his line of business in New England. He is an active member of the Swedenborgian church. In politics he is a Republican. He is a member of Boston Commandery, F. and A. M. He mar- ried, December 23, 1886, Isabel May Dickson, born in. Jamaica Plain in 1850, daughter of Alexander and Susanna ( May ) Dickson. (See Dickson family). Since their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Carter have lived in the old May house on the Arbor-way, Jamaica Plain.

John Dickson, of an ancient Scotch family, came to this DICKSON country in 1766 with other Scotchmen intending to settle in the vicinity of Boston, but the port being closed on account of the revolutionary war, they were landed in Canada. Hc made his home in Onslow, Nova Scotia, near Truro, and from that time to the present the family has been prominent in that section. He married a Miss Moore, of Onslow.

Among their children was Alexander, men- tioned below.

(II) Alexander, son of John Dickson, was born in Onslow, Nova Scotia, November II, 1813, died June 25, 1878. He attended the public schools of his native town, and learned the trade of carpenter there. He came to Jamaica Plain, Boston, when a young man and established himself in the wheelwright and blacksmith business, and carriage making. His business grew to considerable proportions and was prosperous. He was collector of taxes in the town of West Roxbury before it was annexed to Boston. He was brought up in the Presbyterian church, but later joined the Unitarian church at Jamaica Plain. In politics he was a Republican. He married Susanna May, born on the homestead of the May family at West Roxbury, now called Jamaica Plain, lived there all her life and died there August 11, 1893. Children: 1. John Benja- min, died in childhood. 2. Walter, died at the age of twenty years. 3. Isabel May, married Thomas Worcester Carter (see Carter family ). 4. Flora, died in 1901, unmarried. 5. Ada, married George Edward Brigham, lives at Jamaica Plain, and has one child, Ada Mar- garetta Brigham. 6. Minnie Etta, resides with her sister, Mrs. Thomas Worcester Carter, Jamaica Plain, in the ancient May home.

Mrs. Dickson was descended from John May, the immigrant, who was born in county Sussex, England, 1631, came to New England in 1640, and died at Roxbury, September II, 1671. His son, John May . (2), was born at Roxbury, May 19, 1663, died on the old May homestead at Jamaica Plain, West Roxbury, February 24, 1730. Ebenezer May (3), son of John May (2), was born July 9, 1695, died February 19, 1783. Captain Lemuel May (4), son of Ebenezer May (3), was born Febru- ary 20, 1738, died November 19, 1805; led his company to Concord on the Lexington alarm, carrying his old flint-lock musket. Benjamin May (5), son of Captain Lemuel May (4), was born December 14, 1781, died August 5, 1833. Lemuel May (6), son of Benjamin May (5), was born March 6, 1814, died Feb- ruary 9, 1868; married Lucy Kent, of Kent's Hill, Maine. Benjamin's daughter Susanna was the wife of Alexander Dickson.

MILLER William Miller, immigrant an- cestor, was a tanner and planter of Ipswich, Massachusetts, in 1638. In 1643 and 1646 he served as a soldier against the Indians. He resided in Ipswich

Alexander Dickson

Susannah May Dickson

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in 1648 and in 1654 was one of the twenty- three original settlers of Northampton, Massa- chusetts. He resided on King street in that

town, and died there July 15, 1690. He acquired a plantation at Northfield in 1672 and settled there, but returned to Northampton probably on account of. the Indian war. He married Patience - -, who died, very aged, at Northampton, March 16, 1716. The North- ampton records say that she was a skilled physician and surgeon. Children: I. John, married, March 24, 1670, Mary Alvord; was killed by Indians, October 5. 1675. 2. Mary, married (first) December 18, 1672, Obadiah Williams : ( second ) November 28, 1677, God- frey Nims ; died April 27, 1688. 3. Rebecca, died August, 1657. The following born at Northampton : 4. Patience, September 15, 1657, married, March 28, 1683, John Nott. 5. William, November 30, 1659, married, April 19, 1693, Mary Bushnell; died August 22, 1705. 6. Mercy, February 8, 1662, married, 1687, John Fowler. 7. Ebenezer, June 7, 1664, mentioned below. 8. Mehitable, July 10, 1666, married, January 15, 1690, Josiah Dewey Jr. 9. Thankful. April 25, 1669, married, Jan- uary 12, 1693, Jonathan Alvord. 10. Abraham, January 20, 1671, married, January 1, 1698, Hannah Clap: died February 7, 1726-27.

(II) Ebenezer, son of William Miller, was born at Northampton, June 7, 1664, died there December 23. 1737. He was called a husband- man. He married, in 1688, Sarah Allen, born July 28, 1668, died August 24. 1748, daughter of Samuel and Hannah (Woodford) Allen, of Northampton. Children, born at Northamp- ton : I. Sarah, born 1689. died unmarried June 4. 1724. 2. Mary, 1690, married, February 27, 1722, Daniel King; died November 22, 1773. 3. John, January 12, 1692, died Octo- ber 23, 1696. 4. Ebenezer, August 15, 1696, married, May 8, 1725, Hannah Burt ; married (second) November 15, 1764, Mrs. Elizabeth (Denning) Norton; died February 26, 1777. 5. Captain Jonathan, married (first) January I, 1727, Sarah Ann Allen; (second) June 12, 1777, Mrs. Johanna Cogswell; died November 14, 1787. 6. Hannah, August 20, 1700, died unmarried. 7. Patience, married, August 30, 1727, Samuel Fairfield ; died October 28, 1733. 8. Joseph, June 4, 1705, married, November 4, 1734, Sarah Allis; died December 15, 1737. 9. Aaron, November 6, 1707-08, died unmar- ried February 7, 1779. 10. John, mentioned below.

(III) John, son of Ebenezer Miller, was born in 1711-12, died at Williamsburg, April

7, 1792. He lived with his father at Northamp- ton and about 1735 took up a tract of land of nine hundred acres, paying a dollar and a quarter an acre, eight miles north of Northampton on the west side of the Mill river, in what is now Williamsburg, Massachusetts. It was wild land, heavily timbered, and he and one other man built a log cabin, and lived there alone for a year. John was fond of hunting and trapping. and enjoyed the wild life. The log cabin was the first in the new settlement, and a year or two later he built the first frame house in the village, which remained standing until 1879. At the present time this farm is considered one of the finest properties for the growing of fruit, especially apples in the state. (See history of Williamsburg in History of Connecticut Valley, 1879). The second to settle in Williamsburg was Samuel Fairfield. who had married Patience Miller, sister of John, and John's brother, Aaron, a cordwainer and sadler, came late in life to settle there. John Miller married, April 18, 1754, Martha Root, born 1718, died November 24, 1805. Children, born in Northampton, afterwards Williamsburg : I. Stephen, May 30, 1755, mar- ried Priscilla Wolcott and removed to New York state; died there. 2. Cyrus, July II, 1757, mentioned below. 3. John, 1760, mar- ried, November 29, 1787, Hannah Root ; died May 30, 1838. 4. Martha, 1762, married Asa Wight and died in New York state.

(IV) Cyrus, son of John Miller, was born in Northampton, July 11, 1757, died June 17, 1825. He resided on the homestead, and in personal appearance was like his father, with dark, piercing eyes. He married, at Whately, Massachusetts, in 1780, Sarah Phinney, born at Cape Cod, November 15, 1760, died March 24, 1859, daughter of Isaac and ( Mc- Kinney ) Phinney. Her father came from Cape Cod to Williamsburg in 1772, trading a side saddle for sixty acres of land east of the old Haydenville church. Sarah joined the Williamsburg church during the pastorate of Rev. Joseph Strong, and when the Hayden- ville church was formed, she was transferred to the new church, at the advanced age of ninety-one. Children, born at Williamsburg : I. Hadassah, July 3, 1781, died unmarried July 8, 1846. 2. Electa, April 25, 1783, married, May, 1811, Benjamin Jackson ; died April 24, 1857. 3. Elizabeth, July 5, 1785, married Samuel Fairfield; died March 20, 1888. 4. Sarah, September II, 1787, married (first) Jonathan Hoyt; (second) Phineas Graves ; died August 10, 1885. 5. Zenas, August 31,

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1789, married, March 16, 1813, Nancy Part- ridge ; died August 2, 1872. 6. William, August 25, 1791, died September 7, 1794. 7. Martha (Patty), January 8, 1794, married, January 8, 1821, Leonard Fisk; died April 12, 1877. 8. Polly, June 15, 1795, married, April 17, 1822, Quartus Kingsley ; died April 25, 1872. 9. Cyrus, June 5, 1797, mentioned below. IO. Nathan, November 23, 1798, died young. II. John, June 16, 1800, married, October, 1827, Electa Clapp ; died April 16, 1890. 12. Edwin, August 22, 1802, died November 12, 1814.

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Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume II, Part 136

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848- Publication date: 1910 Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company Number of Pages: 1008

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848-
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 1008