Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume III, Part 112

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848-
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 986

USA > Massachusetts > Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume III > Part 112

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).

HOLMES

The surname Holmes is de- rived from the word Holm or Holms, meaning a flat land or

small island. The name has an ancient and honorable history in England, and many of this family in England as well as in America have been distinguished.

(I) John Holmes, immigrant ancestor, was born in England. He settled in Plymouth. New England, before 1632, when his name was on the list of taxpayers there. He is call- ed gentleman on the records, indicating some social standing, perhaps noble birth. He was admitted a freeman in 1634, and was messen- ger of the general court at Plymouth in 1638. His wife Sarah died at Plymouth, August 18, 1650. John Holmes died there October 13, 1667. Children : 1. John, born 1636, mention- ed below. 2. Josiah. 3. Nathaniel. 4. Sarah. He seems to be related to William Holmes, immigrant, of Scituate in 1636 and of Marsh- field ; also of George Holmes, of Roxbury, Massachusetts, and possibly of Robert Holmes, who was settled in Cambridge, Mas- sachusetts, before 1636. The names of their children were similar.

(II) John (2), probably son of John (I ) Holmes, was born about 1636. He married, at Duxbury. November 20, 1661. Patience Faunce, daughter of John Faunce, of Plym- outh, who came from England in 1623 and was admitted a freeman in 1633. He died in 1697. The children of John and Patience

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(Faunce) Holmes, born in Duxbury : John, March 22, 1663-64, Sarah, Richard, Patience, Mehitable, George, Nathaniel, Ebenezer, men- tioned below; Thomas, Joseph, Desire, mar- ried John Churchill.

(III) Ebenezer, son of John (2) Holmes, was born in Duxbury, about 1670. He mar- ried, in 1695, Phebe Blackmer. Children: I. Ebenezer, born 1696, mentioned below. 2. Elizabeth, 1699, married Quentin Crymble. Perhaps other children.

(IV) Ebenezer (2), son of Ebenezer (I) Holmes, was born in Duxbury or Plymouth in 1696. He married, at Bristol, Rhode Is- land, (intention dated July 25, 1719) Patience Phinney (or Finney). Children, born at Plym- outh : I. William, 1720, mentioned below. 2. Ebenezer, 1722, married, 1745, Susanna Holmes. 3. Patience, 1724. 4. Phebe, 1726, married Quentin Crymble. 5. Jeremiah, 1728, married Phebe Crymble. 6. Peter, 1729. 7. John, 1733, married, at Bristol, December 13, 1761, Abigail Phinney, of Bristol. 8. Eliza- beth, 1735. 9. Nathaniel, 1737. 10. Joseph, 1739, married Phebe Bartlett. II. Abigail, 1742. 12. Gilbert, 1745, married Mercy Holmes. 13. Esther, 1747, married Ichabod Bearse.

(V) Captain William, son of Ebenezer (2) Holmes, was born in Plymouth in 1720. He lived in Plymouth until 1753 or 1754, then set- tled at Bristol, Rhode Island. He married, at Plymouth, 1741, Ruth Morton, daughter of Thomas Morton. Children, born at Plymouth : I. William, 1744. 2. Joanna, 1750, married Joseph Burbank. 3. Lucy, 1753. Children, born at Bristol : 4. William, July 24, 1755, died July 16, 1759. 5. Thomas, July 23, 1757. 6. William, September 1, 1760. 7. Ebenezer, January 6, 1763. 8. Silas, mentioned below.

(VI) Dr. Silas, son of Captain William Holmes, was born in Bristol, Rhode Island, 1760-65. The records of Bristol do not give the names of his children, except that of Jabcz, mentioned below.

(VII) Dr. Jabez, son of Dr. Silas Holmes, was born in Bristol about 1790. He was a prominent physician and surgcon of Bristol for many years. He married, at Bristol, Feb- ruary 8, 1815, Ruth Gorham, daughter of Cap- tain Isaac and Sarah Gorham. Children, born at Bristol: 1. Silas, October 20, 1815, men- tioned below. 2. Thomas G., February 13, 1818. died January 10, 1819. 3. Thomas, Oc- tober 10, 1819. 4. Louisa, December 19, 1821, married Tully Bowen. 5. Catherine, January 13. 1824, married Charles Anthony. 6. John

G., May 21, 1826. 7. Gertrude R., December II, 1829, married Frank Hawkes. 8. Jabez, December 20, 1832, died July 25, 1836. 9. Richmond, October 18, 1835.

(VIII) Silas (2), son of Dr. Jabez Holmes, was born in Bristol, October 20, 1815, died May 21, 1849. He attended the public schools and graduated from Yale Medical School with the degree of M. D. He was surgeon on the ship "Peacock" on the famous Wilkes expe- dition around the world. When less than thir- ty-four years old, he was accidentally drowned in Mobile Bay, Alabama, while serving as sur- geon in the United States navy. He was an able and efficient surgeon and his career was promising when cut short by this accident. He married, October 2, 1837, Maria Parker Greene, born in Bristol, October 2, 1817, died November 16, 1874. She was a member of the Protestant Episcopal church. Children : I. Virginia D., born in Bristol, July 2, 1838, died 1901 ; married John M. Furman, a prom- inent business man of New York City, who died there in February, 1895 ; had eight chil- dren. 2. Jabez Silas, October 30, 1844, men- tioned below.

(IX) Jabez Silas, son of Silas (2) Holmes, was born at Bristol, Rhode Island, October 30, 1844, died at Franconia, New Hampshire, September 13, 1884. He attended the public schools and later entered Harvard College, graduating therefrom in the class of 1865 and afterward received the degree of Master of Arts. He then entered the employ of Levi P. Morton & Company of New York, where he remained but a short time, not liking the busi- ness. He studied for his profession in the law offices of Hutchins & Wheeler, of Boston, and also attended the Harvard Law School. He was admitted to the bar in May, 1867, and the following ycar was admitted to practice in the circuit court. Soon afterward he form- cd a partnership with Coster Browne under the firm name of Browne & Holmes. The firm took a prominent position at the bar and be- came well known and prosperous. Mr. Holmes was gifted with much natural ability and re- sourcefulness. He not only served his clients with zeal and faithfulness but won their per- sonal friendship. He was upright and honor- able in a profession in which those qualities arc particularly demanded. He was of sound judgment in law and rare common sense. He attended the Unitarian church with Mrs. Holmes, though as a child he was brought up an Episcopalian. In politics a Republican, not active. He was a member of college societies.

fritz . Homes .

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He married, in Jamaica Plain, February 8, 1872, Frances A. Whitney, born October 10, 1843, daughter of Edmund Burke and Lydia Augusta ( Bouve ) Whitney ( see Whitney be- low ).

The following tribute to the character of Mr. Holmes was printed in the Whitney Genealogy : "As a counselor he was known to his clients and to his antagonists by his assid- uous achieving industry, his concentrated de- votion, his hearty energy in attack, his steady courage under fire. To his professional brethren, he had strongly commended himself by his clearness of mental vision, his store of carefully selected and well digested learning and his scrupulous regard for his word. Cir- cumstances had decreed that the larger part of his legal work should be devoted to patents ; but very few either of the lawyers or laymen who met him in the United States courts could have guessed that he began his studies pro- foundly ignorant of every kind of machinery and with something like a native antipathy to investigation in the mechanical arts. With all his noble endowment in intellect Mr. Holmes's prime distinction was after all his moral quality, which was singularly high and fine. Hundreds of persons who had no ac- quaintance with Mr. Holmes, and perhaps did not know his name, have been struck by the singular distinction of his appearance and bearing, in which a certain swift, decisive grace of movement was well matched with the fineness of his sharply cut features, the deep brilliancy of his large gray eyes and the prema- ture beauty of his whitening hair. To his ac- quaintances he was most charming, with a charm, to which the easy elegance of his man- ners, the refinement of his tastes, the respon- sive vivacity and shrewdness of his talk alike contributed." Mrs. Holmes survives her hus- bands, residing in Jamaica Plain. They had no children.

Rev. Peter Whitney, son of Rev. Peter Whitney (q. v.), was born in Northborough, Massachusetts, January 19, 1770, died in Quincy, April 3, 1843, suddenly. He gradu- ated at Harvard College in 1791. Soon after he went to Hingham and was appointed as- sistant preceptor in Derby Academy, July 25. 1791. He was elected April 21, 1813, one of the trustees, and was president of the board for twenty-four years, resigning in 1837. He began preaching as early as 1793 at Hull. He was ordained minister at Quincy, February 8, 1800. He was a member of the legislature in 1825. Many of his sermons were publish-

ed. He married, in Hingham, April 30, 1800, Jane Lambert Lincoln, born December 24, 1775, died November II, 1832. Children : I. Caroline Lambert, born 1801, married Cap- tain Charles Hill, of Salem. 2. George, July 2, 1804, married Anne Greenough Gray. 3. Mary Parsons, 1810, married Richard C. Greenleaf, of Quincy. 4. Frederick Augus- tus, September 13, 1812, married Elizabeth P. Matchett. 5. Edmund Burke, March 26, 1815, mentioned below.

Edmund Burke, son of Rev. Peter Whit- ney, was born in Quincy, March 26, 1815, died February 14, 1884. In early life he went to Boston and spent some years in the gun es- tablishment of William Read & Son, after- ward with George H. Gray, hardware dealer. He was subsequently secretary and then presi- dent of the Franklin Insurance Company. He was universally esteemed for his many ad- mirable qualities of mind and heart. He mar- ried, January 4, 1843, Lydia Augusta Bouvé, born in Boston, January 28, 1820, of French ancestry. He made his home in Jamaica Plain. Children: I. Frances A., born Octo- ber 10, 1843, married, February 8, 1872, Jabez Silas Holmes (see Holmes). 2. George Edmund, February 3, 1855, was drowned in Jamaica Pond, September 6, 1864.

CLARK There were a number of Clark families in Dorchester, Roxbury, Boston, Dedham, Watertown and other towns in the vicinity before 1700. From one of these the family of this sketch is de- scended but connection to the immigrant an- cestor is not known.

(I) John Clark, born about 1700, may have been the John Clark, born in Boston, Decem- ber 15, 1698, or John, son of Samuel and Sarah Clark, born October 19, 1699, in Bos- ton. John was a common name in these fam- ilies. He settled in Stoughton, formerly Dor- chester, Massachusetts, and married Mercy Wentworth, October 28, 1731. She was born May 8, 1713, died May 20, 1734, daughter of John and Eliza (Bailey) Wentworth, grand- daughter of John Wentworth, and great- granddaughter of Elder William Wentworth, the immigrant. Their only child was John, born April 15, 1734, mentioned below. Icha- bod Clark, perhaps a brother of John (1), married at Malden, March 30, 1741, Sarah Whittemore and lived at Stoughton.

(II) John (2), son of John (I) Clark, was born at Stoughton, April 15, 1734. He mar- ried there October 14, 1756, Abigail Pettin-

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gill, daughter of Daniel and Abigail (Leon- ard) Pettingill. Among their children was John, mentioned below.

(III) John (3), son of John (2) Clark, was born at Stoughton, about 1760, died Jan- uary 12, 1838. He was a revolutionary sol- dier. He came from Stoughton to Spencer and married (first) October 16, 1786, Sarah Swan. He married (second), (intentions dated March 15, 1793), married, April, 1793, Keziah Smith, born July 5, 1766, died Octo- ber 3, 1820, daughter of Seth and Mary (Tal- bot) Smith, of Stoughton. He married (third) March 27, 1821, Elizabeth Prouty, widow of Elisha Prouty, of Spencer. He was a soldier in the revolution from Stoughton in Captain Lyon's company, Colonel Benjamin Gill's regiment, in June, 1777, enlisting for three years in the Continental army. He was in the Major's company, in Colonel John Brooks's regiment, in 1777; also in Captain William Patrick's company, Colonel Ichabod Alden's regiment (the sixteenth) : also in Captain Luke Howell's company, Colonel Na- than Tyler's regiment, in 1779, in the Rhode Island campaign. Children of second wife, born at Spencer : I. Infant, born March 29, 1794, died young. 2. Salome, September 7, 1795, married, 1819, Reuben Whittemore. 3. Abigail, (twin) September 14, 1797.

Mary, (twin) September 14, 1797. 5. Luther, August 6, 1799, died August 25. 1800. 6. Nathan, November 27, 1801. 7. John, men- tioned below.

(IV) John (4), son of John (3) Clark, was born in Spencer, September 7, 1804. He was educated in the public schools and learn- ed the trade of machinist. He worked at his trade for a number of years at Waterbury, Connecticut. He married, December 29. 1836, Mary Jones, born 1817, daughter of Enoch and Martha Belden Jones. Children : Martha Keziah ; John Wesley, died February 7, 1845 : Enoch Jones, Maria Cassandra. John Wesley, mentioned below : David Franklin, George Henry.

(V) John Wesley, son of John (4) Clark, was born November 1, 1849. He attended the public schools and Hopkins Academy and graduated from the Massachusetts Agricul- tural College at Amherst in the class of 1872. He was employed by various nursery owners and firms as a horticulturalist in New York, Kentucky and Texas. He then accepted the professorship of horticulture in the Missouri State University, in which he taught for three years. He then returned to North Hadley,

Massachusetts, and settled on his father's homestead. He has made a specialty of the culture of apples and other fruits, also ber- ries. He has been very successful as a prac- tical farmer. He has written much for agri- cultural papers and periodicals and is a dem- onstrator for the state board of agriculture. In politics he is a Republican, and was for many years a member of the Hadley school committee. He is a prominent member of the Congregational church and for many years superintendent of the Sunday school. He married, March 14, 1878, Mary Endicott Roberts, born February 3, 1853, daughter of Reuben and Lydia (Endicott) Roberts. Chil- dren : 1. John Maxwell, born September 25, 1879, graduate of Hopkins Academy, attended Williston Seminary and Amherst College ; now associated in business with his father as a fruit grower. 2. Elizabeth Roberts. August II, 1881, graduate of Hopkins Academy, at- tended Mount Holyoke College and gradu- ated at Bridgewater Normal School; teacher in Moses Brown School, Providence, Rhode Island.

Stephen Reynolds. the first REYNOLDS of the family of whom we have information, was born March 25, 1798. He learned the black- smith trade in Southbridge, Massachusetts, and subsequently carried on the same busi- ness in Wilbraham, Massachusetts. He mar- ried Sybil Vinton, born January 4, 1799. The following is an account of their golden wed- ding:

"Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Reynolds cele- brated their golden wedding in Wilbraham October 23d at the residence of their son-in- law Mr. George Edson with whom in life's decline they have a pleasant home. Thirty- one persons were present whose united ages amounted to 1372 years. Relatives respect- ing five generations were there from Massa- chusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Many valuable and delicate souvenirs of kindred and affectionate regard were pre- sented to them. The venerable pair re- plighted their early troth the bride of seventy one years perhaps never happier than now ; receiving again the wedding ring. A few remarks were made by the officiating clergy- man, the divine benediction was invoked. congratulations were offered, tears from loving eyes shed, and the wish expressed by the daughters that father and mother might live to enjoy their gifts, was seconded by all.

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It was a deeply interesting occasion and will furnish pleasing reminiscences for time to come. To Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds it was one of life's Indian summer days full of un- utterable content. Thirty-six years of their wedded life has been spent in Wilbraham. 'Twas a matter of regret that Mr. Reynolds' aged mother now in her ninety-fourth year was not able to be present. She resides in Charlton, Massachusetts. She is a venerable woman in more than one respect, her sight is good she is as spry as most people at sixty, her mental faculties are well preserved and she is the mother of eleven children. Very few have a similar record."

Children of Stephen and Sybil Reynolds : George, see forward, Henry, and Louise, who married George Edson.

(II) George, son of Stephen and Sybil (Vinton) Reynolds, was born in Southbridge, September 18, 1822, died in Springfield, May 16, 1902. He came to Springfield in 1841 and established the business of landscape gardening in which he was later associated with the late Justin Sackett, and together they laid out many of the parks and lawns here. He employed many men when in ac- tive life, and none knew him so well and so pleasantly as those who were in his employ. He was an attendant at the Ashby Methodist Church. He married, April 13, 1848, Har- riet Angeline, daughter of Haman Colton. She was born in Longmeadow, Massachu- setts, in 1822. She was highly esteemed in the community and took an active interest in its affairs. She lived to be an octogenarian. Their children: Howard S., see forward; Louise M., married Herbert A. Hastings.

(III) Howard S., only son of George and Harriet Angeline (Colton) Reynolds, was born in Springfield, 1855. He attended the public schools and was otherwise privately educated at Broad Brook, Connecticut. In 1872 he became clerk for Henry K. Baker in the sadlery business, where he remained for about nine years. At the conclusion of this service he entered the employment of his father, landscape gardener, and was event- ually made a member of the firm. Thi's busi- ness is now conducted by him and Herbert A. Hastings under the name of Reynolds & Company. He has been a life long Republi- can and attends the Florence Methodist Church. He married, August 21, 1877, Martha Josephine, daughter of Horace G. and Clarissa (Cook) Davis. One child, George Harold, born August 3, 1879: mar-

ried Edna Jene, daughter of George D. and Leonie Matson, of Matson Hill, Connecti- cut. He attended the public and high schools of Springfield and the Springfield Business School. After finishing his school days he went with his father in the contracting busi- ness. He is an expert taxidermist, has done considerable museum work, and has a splen- did private collection of birds.

BLY George Washington Bly, the first member of the family of whom we have definite information, was a resident of Smithfield, Rhode Island, where he followed the occupation of farming. He married Freelove Tucker, and later removed to Springfield, Massachusetts, locating on a farm, where their deaths occurred.

(II) George Washington (2), son of George Washington (I) and Freelove (Tuck- er) Bly, was born in Smithfield, Rhode Isl- and, July 1, 1805, died July 18, 1861, aged fif- ty-six years. About 1832 he entered into partnership with Major Lorenzo Rice and a Mr. Goodrich under the firm name of Rice, Bly & Company, and they located in North Adams, Massachusetts, then a wilderness, and built a small cotton mill, thus becoming the pioneer cotton manufacturers in that section. The business was successful, and they built a larger factory known as the Beaver Mill. He married, June 5, 1827, Maria Sage, daughter of Russell Sage, of Chicopee, Massachusetts. Children: 1. George R., deceased. 2. Ed- ward Hamor. 3. Henry, deceased. 4. Fran- ces, deceased. 5. John, died young. 6. Charles Augustus, see forward. 7. Merritt, deceased; served in the civil war in a Massa- chusetts regiment, last call. 8. Frank, de- ceased.

(III) Charles Augustus, son of George Washington (2) and Maria (Sage) Bly, was born in North Adams, Massachusetts, No- vember 1, 1842. He lived there until he was sixteen years of age, when he went to Wil- liamstown and became a clerk in a country store. In 1863 he entered the employ of Smith & Wesson, arms manufacturers, at Springfield, and remained with them about two years. He was later employed in the United States armory and then became a clerk for his uncle, Erastus Bly, who con- ducted a grocery store on the site of the pres- ent post office. In 1871 he bought out this business and carried it on for ten years, at the expiration of which time he sold out and became bookkeeper and financial manager

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for R. B. Currier, by whom he was employed two years. He then accepted a similar posi- tion with Rice & Lockwood, with whom he remained four years, and on the formation of the Rice & Lockwood Lumber Company he became its first treasurer. In 1888 he devel- oped lung disease; he then went to Colorado and was employed in the lumber business five years, associated with the Sayre, Newton Lumber Company and the Halleck, Sayre, Newton Lumber Company. In 1893 he re- turned to Springfield, Massachusetts, and the following year became treasurer of Springfield Lumber Company and financial manager and bookkeeper for the R. B. Cur- rier, wholesale lumber dealer, which positions he is now (1909) still filling. Mr. Bly is a member of Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church and for many years has served on its official board. He is a member of Hampden Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, joining in 1864; Morning Star Chapter, Springfield Council, Springfield Commandery, Spring- field Lodge of Perfection, Rose Croix. He is also a member of Hampden Lodge, Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, of Spring- field. Charles A. Bly married (first) June 18, 1868, Adelaine Luvan Greene, who died in 1869. He married (second) November 14, 1871, Mary Ladd, born in Chicopee, Massa- chusetts, July 15, 1844, daughter of Lucius Egbert and Delia Stiles (Van Horn) Ladd, of Springfield. Children: I. George Lucius, died at the age of four years. 2. Randolph Egbert, born in Springfield, October 9, 1879; he is a graduate of the Springfield high school and since May, 1906, has been cashier at Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania, of the agency of the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company at that place. He married Emma Wood and has one child, Jeanne Elizabeth, born in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, August 28, 1907.

George Burton was born in

BURTON 1766, died at Hopkinton, Rhode Island, November 5, 1846. He was engaged in farming and the raising of horses and cattle, and his farm, comprising about fifty acres, compared favor- ably with all others in that section. That he was a man of influence in his day is evidenced by the fact that he held town office. He was a member of the Baptist Church, and a Whig in politics. He married Tryphena Place, who (lied at Hopkinton, February 10, 1849. Chil- dren: Ira; Elliott Lee, see forward; Potter

C .; George; William; Thomas; Nancy; Ce- linda.

(II) Elliott Lee, son of George and Try- phena (Place) Burton, was born at "Hopkin- ton City," Hopkinton, Rhode Island, Octo- ber 20, 1803, died at East Killingly, Connect- icut, July 7, 1887. He had the usual common school education of that period, and assisted his father in the cultivation of the farm. In early manhood he commenced to peddle laces, notions, etc., for a few years, and later removed to Foster, Rhode Island, where he kept a general store, selling West Indian and dry goods. Subsequently, after his marriage, he removed with his family to Killingly, Con- necticut, where he found employment in the cotton factories of that town. He was also engaged there in farming for a short time, then entered into the manufacturing and fin- ishing of boots and shoes for various firms. After ten years he again farmed in a small way, and added to his homestead land pur- chased from James Simmons, and which was sold to his son Stephen R., after his death. He was a road surveyor while residing at Fos- ter, and a member of the Foster militia. He and his wife joined the Free Will Baptist church at Foster, Rhode Island, November 6, 1852. He was a stanch Whig, opposed to slavery, and later became a strong supporter of Lincoln and his policies. He married, at Foster, June II, 1828, Bernice, born Novem- ber 8, 1806, died October 14, 1889, daughter of Sheldon and Naomi (Randall) Williams, and a direct descendant in the sixth genera- tion of Roger Williams. Children: I. Albert Williams, see forward. 2. Louisa. 3. Laura Ann, born December 24, 1833, died Septem- ber 20, 1883. 4. Harris Olney, born March 19, 1836, died October 12, 1897; married, April 19, 1856, Olive S. Oatley; children: i. Walter Franklin, born August II, 1858; mar- ried, February 16, 1874, Ellen Kies; children: Jennie, born July 19, 1875; Harris Kies, Oc- tober 4, 1881; William Elliott, December 19, 1885: Albert Franklin, July 18, 1887; Ernest Walter, June 21, 1892; Eva Ellen, June 24, 1894: ii. Elizabeth Atlie, born July 3, 1865, died February 24, 1866. 5. Stephen Randall, born July 17, 1839, died August 13, 1907; married, November 26, 1884, Mary (Crowell) Williams. 6. James Elliott, born May 6, 1841. 7. Elliott Franklin, born December, 1842; married, January 3, 1865, Julia A. Hopkins ; children : Henry, and Grace Burton, married Louis C. Sheffield.

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Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume III, Part 112

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848- Publication date: 1910 Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company Number of Pages: 986

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848-
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 986