Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume III, Part 117

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 117

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VAN LEEUWEN Matthew James Van Leeuwen, one of the most successful and best known nurserymen and landscape garden- ers of this state, is a citizen of Farnklin, Mas- sachusetts. He was born January 26, 1869, in the village of Watergraafsmeer, Holland, which at that time was famous for its Bo- tanical School, "Lineaus", where his father was employed as a practical instructor in ar- bor culture. At the age of two his parents moved to the city of Rotterdam to embark in the business of florist and nurseryman on a small scale on their own account, and it was there that young Matthew J., in company with his older brother Adrianus, now located at Worcester, Massachusetts, at an early age at- tended the common schools, making an envi- able record as a pupil. At the age of twelve years, having finished the studies of the com- mon school, he entered upon a higher course of education under the preceptorship of Pro- fessor E. Johnson, taking in at the same time an evening course for two years of drawing and moulding at the Academy of Arts and Technical Knowledge. When at fourteen years of age, as is the custom in Holland, he was to choose an occupation, he expressed the desire to continue his studies with a view of becoming a teacher, and consequently secured a position as assistant teacher in one of the public schools, which he filled with great cred- it to himself.

The accounts of golden opportunities in a new country induced him in the spring of 1888 to emigrate to America. Upon his ar- rival here he settled in the little village of Garfield, Bergen county, near Passaic, New Jersey, where, with his knowledge of plants and flowers and their culture, he soon secured a position in a floral establishment, which gave him an opportunity to acquire a ready ac- quaintance with the English language, and also fitted liim to start out soon in his first success- ful undertaking on his own account, the open- ing up of a commodious flower store in one of the principal buildings in the city of Pas- saic, where he built up a good and profitable trade as a florist, nurseryman and dealer in seeds, which he disposed of in the spring of 1902 to engage in the real estate and instr-

ance business as a broker, and agent for the Dundee Water Power and Land Company, which offices he occupied a number of years, while developing the eastern section of the city on the unimproved land owned by the com- pany. Gradually branching out and gaining the public confidence of the cosmopolitan pop- ulation of the town, buying and building on his own behalf, with a remarkable amount of suc- cess, he became largely instrumental in the de- velopment of the easterly section of Passaic, known as "Dundee", his popularity in that section causing him to be styled "The mayor of Dundee". While thus engaged, during the summer of 1896, Mr. Van Leeuwen entered upon the study of jurisprudence, taking a course in law at the University Law School of New York, where he made the acquaintance of Anna Marie Downs, daughter of Michael J. and Margaret L. (Joyce) Downs, to whom he became engaged and was married March 20, 1897. Continuing in the real estate busi- ness, he purchased at that time as a matter of recreation in part, and partly to satisfy his love for agriculture and things pertaining thereto, the Post farm at "Two Bridges", Mor- ris county, New Jersey, containing eighty acres. Here much of his spare time was de- voted toward tearing down and remodeling buildings, and in experimenting in agricul- ture and floriculture. The disastrous floods of 1903, which swept the beautiful valley of Passaic, became the undoing of this enterprise and left Mr. Van Leeuwen a heavy loser in real estate values in that section of the city of Passaic, which he had labored to build up. Dis- posing of much of his holdings in improved property during the summer of 1903 he moved with his family in the spring following to Franklin to take up his residence there, and the management of the Continental Nurseries, in which he had acquired an interest, and which then in its infancy needed a strong guid- ing hand. In the spring of 1905, by purchase,. he secured the entire interest in these nur- series, and with rapid strides started the de- velopment of the grounds, the improvement of the buildings, as well as the building up of an extensive business. He has met with marked. success, adding to the acreage by the pur- chase in the fall of 1907 of a ten acre plot lo- cated on Oak street, where improvements are. to be made in the near future and which will be in the main devoted to the culture of orna- mental evergreens, and will form the an- nex to the nurseries. Nineteen acres of the home grounds are now under a high state of

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cultivation and speak for the ability of Mr. Van Leeuwen and the men under him as nur- serymen.

As a man of minute detail, much of the working of this extensive business receives his personal attention or by systematical methods gives him the opportunity of a daily review of the work of the day. and the men in charge of each department. and thus by painstaking methods he guards the interest of his custom- ers and enjoys their confidence. From a large acquaintance with many of the old country nurserymen, he has become the representative of a number of these firms, who yearly send large shipments of ornamental stock to these nurseries, from which they find their way to many of the markets of the northern and east- ern states. From his sturdy Dutch ancestors he has inherited the many fine qualities they have in common with the New England peo- ple. and is esteemed for his benevolence and kindness in thought and deed. His political views are entirely those of the independent : he does not believe in being tied to any par- ticular party, and is in a measure independent in his support, although he has often taken an active interest in politics. The only public office he has ever accepted and held is that of tree warden of Franklin, believing that his ex- perience would be of benefit to the commun- ity. He is a member of the Independent Or- der of Odd Fellows, Amelia Lodge, No. 215, Passaic, and an enthusiastic Granger.

His wife, Anna Marie (Downs) Van Leeu- wen bore him four children. namely: Gerard William, Matthew James Jr., Harold Adri- anus and Annabelle Elizabeth.

(For preceding generations see Thomas Gates 1). (XVII) Dr. George Cushman GATES Coleman Gates, son of Aaron Gates, was born November 8. 1876, at Montgomery, Vermont. He was edu- cated in the public schools of his native town and in the high school at Gardner, Massachu -- setts. studying his profession in the Dart- mouth Medical School, from which he was graduated with the degree of M. D. in 1903. He was an interne for a vear and half in St. Vincent's Hospital, New York City; at Bos- ton Citv Hospital and for six months, and the Deer Island Hospital, Boston, at the Chil- dren's Hospital, Boston, and at the New York Lving-in Hospital. He began to practice med- icine in partnership with his brother, Dr. Ern- est A. Gates, at Springfield, Massachusetts. Since the fall of 1903 he has been established

in general practice at Chicopee, Massachu- settas. He is a member of the Massachusetts Medical Society, Hampden District Medical Society, Chicopee Medical Society and the Springfield Academy of Medicine. He is a member of St. John's Lodge of Free Masons, of Chicopee, and Chicopee Falls Chapter, Royal Arch Masons. He is a member of the First Congregational Church of Gardner, Massachusetts. In politics he is a Republican. Dr. Gates is devoted to his profession and enjoys an extensive practice. He married, January 9, 1907, Annie Armstrong, born No- vember 7, 1883, daughter of George W. and Ann (Smith) Armstrong, of Iroquois, On- tario, granddaughter of William and Louise (Brouse) Armstrong, great-grandmother of George Brouse, member of the Canadian parliament, representing a district in Ontario. Her father was a farmer and substantial citi- zen. They have one child, Philip Armstrong, born November 24, 1908.

GUILD This name is probably derived from the word meaning a society or lodge, and may have been Guilder at first, that is, one belonging to a guild, and was spelled Gyller, Gayler, Gyl- lard, Gildard, etc. As Guilder and Guildart the name was found among the Huguenots who emigrated to England and Scotland, and many of its bearers attained distinction in the various professions.

(I) John Guild was born in England about 1616, and died October 4, 1682. With his brother Samuel and sister Ann, who married James Allen of Medfield, he came to Ameri- ca in 1636. He was admitted to Dedham church July 17, 1640, that year buying twelve acres of upland on which he built the home- stead which was occupied by himself and descendants for more than two hundred years. He was made a freeman May 10, 1643. He owned land to a considerable extent in Ded- ham, Wrentham, Medfield and Natick, and was thoroughly honest and industrious in his habits. He never held public office, and the town records show his attendance at but one town meeting, and this was in relation to making alterations and additions to the meet- ing house. His will was made October 3, 1682, and his inventory shows a valuation of one hundred fifty-three pounds eleven shill- ings. He married, June 24, 1645, Elizabeth Crooke, of Roxbury, who transferred her re- lation from the church of that place to that in Dedham, July 4, 1649. Children : John,

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born August 22, 1646; Samuel, see forward ; John, born November 29, 1649; Eliezur, No- vember 20, 1653, died June 30, 1655; Eben- ezer, December 31, 1657, died April 21, 1661 ; Elizabeth, born January 18, 1660; , born May 25, 1664.

(II) Samuel, second son and child of John and Elizabeth (Crooke) Guild, was born in Dedham, Massachusetts, November 7, 1647, and died there January 1, 1730. He was a member of Captain Moseley's company in 1675, during King Philip's war, and was made a freeman in Salem, May, 1678. In 1703 he was one of a committee to invest and manage school funds; selectman of Dedham from 1693 to 1719: delegate to the general court in 1719. He married, November 29, 1676, Mary, born May 9, 1631-2, daughter of Samuel and Ann (Herring) Woodcock. Chil- dren: Samuel, born October 12, 1677; Na- than, January 12, 1678; Mary, May 9, 1681 ; John, June 18, 1683, died October 29, 1684; Deborah, born September 16, 1685; John, Oc- tober 2, 1687; Israel, June II, 1690; Ebene- zer, mentioned forward; Joseph, born Sep- tember 13, 1694; Elizabeth, April 14, 1697.

( III) Ebenezer, sixth son and eighth child of Samuel and Mary ( Woodcock) Guild, was born in Dedham. July 23, 1692, and died in Attleboro, Massachusetts, June 8, 1774. He resided in Attleboro, where he is set down as a cordwainer and yeoman. He married, Octo- ber 12, 1714, Abigail, born in 1701, died No- vember 20, 1798, daughter of Deacon John Daggett. Children: Joseph, see forward ; Benjamin, born August 28, 1718, died No- vember 2, 1802; married Jemima Morse; Naphtali. born July 5. 1719: Ebenezer, born August 22, 1722. married Phebe Day.

(IV) Joseph, eldest child of Ebenezer and Abigail (Daggett) Guild, was born in Attle- boro, Massachusetts, June 22, 1716, and died there. September 18, 1792. He was a man of prominence in the community, owned con- siderable tracts of land, his name appearing on several deeds as yeoman, and administered on the estate of Otis Whiting, of Wrentham. He was identified with the first Attleboro church, and served during the revolution in Captain Jabez Ellis' company of minute-men and as sergeant in Captain Enoch Robinson's com- pany, Colonel Dean's regiment. He married (first) Hannah -, died June 16, 1764, daughter of Rev. Ebenezer White. Chil- dren: Abigail, born 1743, married Daniel Cheever ; Hannah, born September 23, 1747, married Pentecost Walcott ; Joseph, born Oc-

tober 5, 1751, died December 18, 1829, mar- ried, May 21, 1778, Sarah Woodcock; Eliza- beth, born September 23, 1753; Samuel, see forward. He married (second) 1775. Eliza- beth Thayer. Children: Lydia, born Octo- ber 19, 1777; Nathan, April 22, 1782.

(V) Samuel (2), youngest child of Joseph and Hannah (White) Guild, was born in At- tleboro, October 22, 1755, and died in Wren- tham, Massachusetts, May 20, 1810. Shortly after his marriage he removed to Wrentham, where he established himself as a farmer and where all his children were born. During the revolution he served as a private from Attle- boro in Captain Abiel Clapp's company, Col- onel Carpenter's regiment, and marched to Rhode Island, July 24, 1777 ; also served as private in Captain Amos Ellis' company, Colonel Isaac Dean's regiment, also in Rhode Island. He married, at Attleboro, August 1, 1782, Mittee Parmenter, born June 22, 1756, died November 24, 1846. Children : I. Jason, born August II, 1783, died Sep- tember 2, 1808. 2. Samuel, see forward. 3. Sarah, born November 30, 1787, died July 31, 1854 ; married, December 24, 1822, Daniel Macpherson ; children: Lucy; Sarah; Al- bert, born April, 1825; Daniel, March, 1827 ; Nancy, December 6, 1829; Sarah, April 17, 1832; Susan, March 1, 1834. 4. Lucy, born May 28, 1790, died May 12, 1791. 5. Sea-

mens, born October 30, 1791, died Septem- ber 9, 1809. 6. Joseph, born April 13, 1794.

(VI) Samuel (3), second son and child of Samuel (2) and Mittee (Parmenter) Guild, was born in Wrentham, May 5, 1786, and died in Attleboro, Massachusetts, March 12, 1857. He received the ordinary school train- ing of that period, and at an early age de- voted himself to his chosen profession of farming, at Wrentham. Three of his chil- dren were born on this farm, which was later owned by William Ide. About 1829 he re- moved with his family to what is now North Attleboro, buying a farm of large area lo- cated in what is now the center of the town. He was progressive in his ideas and ready to adopt any improvement which seemed to be at all practicable, and made a specialty of dairy farming, which proved very profitable. He disposed of some portions of this land, among the parcels being the lots on which are now located the Episcopal and Univer- salist churches. He was a genial and kindly natured man, esteemed for a host of good qualities. At first a member of the Whig party, he later joined the Republicans, was

On Bullock

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a strong supporter of the anti-slavery meas- ures, and at one time collector of the taxes for his town. He was an active member of the Baptist church. He married, December 31, 1812, Huldah, daughter of Elkanah and Dorcas Whiting. Children: 1. Julia Ann, born September 13, 1813, died July 11, 1875 ; married, August, 1837, William P. Grover, and has : Helen Stanley, born June 19, 1838, married, July 23, 1868, Hector McLeod, and has: Minnie and Emma. 2. Samuel Sim- mons, born July 6, 1818, died October 29, 1873; married (first) January 1, 1845, Mary Ann Foster, died September 6, 1849; (sec- ond), June 2, 1851, Elizabeth N. Shackley ; children : Walter Elmwood, born November 26, 1846, married, September 28, 1876, Ada Byron, of Barrington, Rhode Island. 3. Jason Ferdinand, see forward. 4. Emily Parmenter, born November 9, 1826, died April 19, 1866. 5. Charles Lyman, born May 1, 1829, died June 4, 1883; married, January 16, 1852, Nancy Macpherson; chil- dren : i. Alice Minerva, born May 13, 1857, married, June 15, 1874, Elton E. Whiting ; children : Frank, Harry and Nettie; ii. Nellie Frances, born August 3, 1862.

(VII) Jason Ferdinand, second son and third child of Samuel (2) and Huldah (Whit- ing) Guild, was born in Wrentham, January 16, 1824, and died in North Attleboro, Mas- sachusetts, January 2, 1907. When four years of age he removed with his parents to North Attleboro, and his educational training was received in the common schools of that town and the Attleboro Academy, which he at- tended until he was sixteen years of age. He was then apprenticed to H. M. Richards to learn the jeweler's trade, and worked as a journeyman for two years for Tifft & Whit- ing, manufacturers of gold jewelry. He was also employed by them as a stone setter, and later was a colorer of jewelry for H. M. Bar- rows. For a number of years he did con- tract work for F. G. Whiting & Company, employing his own men, and later contracted with Bennett & Young to manufacture swiv- els used in the jewelry trade, his shop being located for a number of years at his home in High street. Subsequently he made these swivels for many other firms. During his later years he retired from the jewelry busi- ness and devoted his time and attention to the cultivation of his homestead. He was a strong advocate of temperance principles, and did a great deal to further the interests of that movement. In his younger days he

affiliated with the Adventists, and was always active in the cause of religion, at one time furnishing the necessary financial means for carrying on missionary work in the West Indies. At seventeen, when he first made a profession of religion, he became a member of the old First Baptist Church, in the north- ern part of town, and helped organize the só- ciety that met in Barden's Hall, and later bought the property on which the "White Church of the Free" was erected, this being of the Evangelical creed. Owing to dissen- sions Mr. Guild withdrew from this society, and, with many followers, founded the Em- manuel Church Mission (undenominational), which was established in Guild's block in Washington street. He was deacon of this new society and furnished a great part of the funds needed in its work. In politics he was identified with the Republican party, though he never held public office. Mr. Guild mar- ried at Attleboro, May 19, 1846, Adelaide Charlotte, born November 27, 1826, daugh- ter of Harvey and Charlotte (Richards) Blackington, the former a farmer of Attle- boro. Mr. and Mrs. Guild adopted a boy, Martin Wood, who is now a missionary in India, having been trained for that calling by Mr. Guild.

From our northern neighbor, BULLOCK Canada, the United States has borrowed some of its leading citizens. James J. Hill, the empire builder of the great northwest, was a Cana- dian; so was the Hon. Jacob H. Galinger, United States senator from New Hampshire. The Bullock stock was from over the Cana- dian border and it has made a good mark for itself in the states.

(I) Lewis Bullock was born in Stanstead, Province of Quebec, 1809, lived in Yamaska Mountain, Canada, and came to Milton, Ver- mont, about 1835. He married, March 20, 1832, Mary Jackman, born in Washington, New Hampshire, January 15, 1812.

(II) Orvis Woods, son of Lewis and Mary (Jackman ) Bullock, was born at Yam- aska Mountain, Canada, December 29, 1834, died in Springfield, Massachusetts, July 31, 1905. He was taken to Milton by his parents when a few months old, and educated in the public and high schools of that place. At the age of nineteen he went to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, as a teacher, and remained there two years. Returning to Milton he entered the general merchandise business, first as a clerk

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and later as owner. In 1873 he sold his bus- iness, came to Springfield, and with his cou -. sin, the late H. W. Bullock, bought the old English key business in Central street. This partnership continued four years, Mr. Bul- lock then purchasing his cousin's interest in the business. Later, when his health began to fail, he associated with him the late J. A. Rob- bins, this connection continuing for five years. From the small beginning of the key business, Mr. Bullock developed the extensive business known as the Bullock Manufacturing Com- pany, and later as the Bullock Manufacturing Association, which is now owned solely by his widow, who continues this extensive enter- prise. She is a highly capable woman and un- der the supervision of her brother, Wallace B. Fish, who acts as president, E. C. Watson as treasurer, and E. W. Beattie as secretary, the business is in a flourishing condition. They give employment to more than one hundred hands and send goods to foreign countries, as well as furnishing a large domestic trade. Mr. Bullock was an invalid the last few years of his life and traveled extensively for health and pleasure, spending much time in his winter home in Pasadena, California. He was a mem- ber of Seneca Lodge, No. 127, Free and Ac- cepted Masons, of Milton, Vermont, and of the Winthrop Club of Springfield, Massachu- setts. He was an attendant of the Church of the Unity. He married, August 11, 1875. Fan- nie Maria, daughter of Judge David and Bet- sey (Hutchins) Fish.

(I) The Fish line runs back to John Fish, who came over from England and settled in Vermont.

(IT) Master David was the son of John Fish and was one of the early settlers of Jeri- co, Vermont, dying there in 1844, a septuge- marian. He was one of the "masters". His authority was based on the rod which he neith- er spared, nor spoiled the child. He carried the ensign of office into school at the start and appealed to it powerfully, though of course not frequently. After he had resigned his voca- tion as "superannuated," he was repeatedly urged to "take the school" after some teacher had been "carried out" by the scholars. Many incidents are still remembered of his bringing unruly scholars to order after they had re- volted. In one of these a large band of raw- boned youngsters had conspired to "carry out" Master Fish, putting forward their "bully" and pledging to sustain him with "their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honors". The leader trangressed the "rules", was ordered to

"take the floor", doff his coat and "stand up to the mark". So far he obeyed. That was part of the plan. For the rest he was to give blow for blow, and if necessary his comrades were to "pitch in". The blow came with a "twig of the wilderness" fit for an ox-whip, and he attempted to return it with his "fists and feet, tooth and nail", but he dashed his jaw against Master Fish's fist and "was laid out". As he lay gasping and his comrades, who were all standing "eager for fight", looked on aghast, the order came like thunder, "sit down!" and order was restored for that school. The plan in another school was to put forward the largest girl. She rose and very politely asked, "Mr. Trout, may I go out?" 'Sit down", and business proceeded; but, at the close of school for the day, the polite miss was served with the beech like a refractory horse. The "boys did not try it". Mr. Fish married Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph Brown. The following is an account of Mr. Brown's adventure with the Indians :

In 1780 the party which sacked Royalton, passing up the Winooski river, found a hunter named Gibson skinning his game, and took him prisoner. Mr. Brown's people were in the habit of entertaining hunters hospitably, and but a short time before this, Gibson had spent several days with them, while sick. Not wishing the prospect of captivity, he told the Indians that if they would let him go he would lead them to a white family. A number of Indians were detached for the purpose. Mr. Brown, with his two sons, Charles and Jo- seph, were employed in making a fence around his cornfield. Indians suddenly sur- round them, and with demoniac yells an- nounced that they were prisoners. The tra- ditions of their manners are illustrative of notions generally prevailing. After entering the house, one savage ran towards Mrs. Brown brandishing his knife, not seeking her life, as she supposed, but only her gold beads, which he cut from her. The Indians compelled the family to start immediately on the march. The second night they were encamped at Mallet's Bay, where they compelled Mrs. Brown and two children to stand in the water all night. The prisoners were taken to Isle Aux Noix, where they met General Burgoyne, who or- dered them discharged upon their accepting submission to the crown. They were then taken to St. John's, C. E., where the Indians received a bounty of eight dollars a head from the British authorities. After their discharge they were set on the western shore of Lake

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Champlain. Here they were obliged to work some time before sufficient money was se- cured to cross the lake, and nearly three months elapsed before they were able to return to their home, which they found desolate, the remainder of the family having accompanied the party which retreated from the block- house, after the incursion of the Indians. Mr. Brown was therefore obliged to go to the southern part of the state to collect his scat- tered family. The two boys were left in the vicinity of St. Johns. Charles, the elder of the boys, enlisted in the British service as a scout. In this capacity he repeatedly traversed the northern frontier in many directions, visiting the ruins of Royalton, as also a post-office kept in a hollow tree in Peacham. By mails carried through by scouts and hunters some limited communication was kept up between Canada and the frontier settlements. Joseph, the younger son, remained with the Indians until reaching manhood when he returned to the states, but later went back to the tribe and so fas as is known, never left them. Mr. Brown returned to his farm and for many years was the only settler in the vicinity, his only neighbors being hunters and trappers scattered through the forests.

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Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume III, Part 117

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