Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume IV, Part 28

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848-
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 886

USA > Massachusetts > Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume IV > Part 28

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).

(XII) Louis Draper, son of David Tay- lor Wright, was born at Feeding Hills, Mas- sachusetts, November 13, 1883, and educated in the public schools of Springfield, gradu- ating from the high school in the class of 1902. He was a clerk in the purchasing department of the Wason Car Manufacturing Company one year, and in the employ of the Holyoke Valve and Hydrant Company three years. In 1907 he organized the Holyoke Supply Com- pany, of which he owns a third interest and is secretary and treasurer. In politics he is a Republican, and in religion a Congregation- alist. He is a member of the Springfield Board of Trade. He married, January 15, 1906, Katherine Powers; child: Florence Marian, born January 14, 1909.

This family have dwelt so long FOSTER on the earth that somebody jocularly (not irreverently, it is to be hoped) said, "God made Adam and Eve, and then the Fosters". They trace their start to Flanders, in the ycar 837. where lived Anacher Great Forcster, who exercised the honorable calling of tree warden. In those days this was an important office, forestry protection and preservation being the con- stant thought of the old Flemish markgrafts. The early English home of the Flemings was in Northumberland, and Richard Forester was the first to cross the channel at the con- quest with the Conqueror. William married

the Flemish beauty Maud, sister to Richard. Sir John Forester went on one of the cru- sades and saved the precious life of King Richard at Acre, in IIOI, and his Flemish heart was made glad by royal tokens of re- gard and gratitude. The hereditary seat of the Foresters was at Bambough Castle, Farne Island, off the rugged eastern coast of Northumberland, which was the scene of the daring exploits of Grace Darling. They (Foresters) were lords of Blanchland, knights bannerets, lords warden of the Middle Marches, high sheriffs of Northumberland, and governors of Bambough Castle. They were connected by marriage with the North- umbrian stocks of Russell, Radclyff and Fen- wicks. There is a continuous line of twenty- three generations from Anacher Great For- ester to Reginald, who with his good wife Judith embarked for America in 1638. The Fosters are as numerous as the leaves of the forest after which they were named, and are everywhere found where the sun shineth. They have been credited with large families, and one Foster in particular had twenty-one sons and daughters gather around his ma- hogany to listen to grace and partake of meat. Four hundred eighty-three of the name were in our war for independence ; one hundred and fifty were graduated from New England colleges up to the year 1900; The arms of the family: An arm in armor em- bowered, holding in the hand a broken, tilt- ing spear, proper. Motto: "If broken, still strong."

The roll of fame includes Stephen C. Fos- ter, who wrote "My Old Kentucky Home"; Stephen Symonds Foster, the abolition leader ; Bishop Randolph S. Foster; Rufus Choate ; Horace Mann; Nathaniel Hawthorne; Wil- liam C. Endicott, secretary of war under Cleveland ; Gcorge Peabody, the philanthrop- ist : Hon. George S. Boutwell; and David Starr Jordan, president of Leland Stanford University.

(I) John Foster was born in England, in 1626, and was progenitor of the Salem branch. His exact relationship to the first American Foster Reginald who planted the Ipswich branch is not known. John came over with Roger Conant, and they landed at Plymouth in 1628. With him came Christopher Foster, who founded the Long Island line. John set- tled at Naumkcag. now Salem. Prior to the advent of thic Conant contingent, Cape Ann had been a rendezvous of European fishermen. A number of Devonshire men had established

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a fishing and trading place there, but it proved a failure. The first mention found of John at Salem is in 1657, when he was paid eight pounds for work on a bridge. He was made a freeman May 24, 1682. His name appears in the following real estate transaction: he deeded to Nathaniel Putnam, April 14, 1669, thirty acres on Ipswich river, which land was given him by the town; April 1, 1672, he gave to son John, for natural love and affection, a parcel of land near the river; September 9, 1670, he gave his deposition in a case of acci- dental shooting of Aaron Reed by Joseph Small, and testified that he heard Reed say, just before he died, that said Small was not at fault. He died in March, 1688. His will was made November 16, 1687, and proved March 14, 1688. The inventory of his estate was one hundred thirty-six pounds. He mar- ried Martha, daughter of Ralph and Kather- ine (Aborn) Tompkins. She was born about 1630, and survived her husband, marrying (second) Richard Adams. Children of John : Mary, baptized, March 29, 1649 ; Samuel, bap- tized, May 7, 1651; John, baptized, June 3, 1655; Benjamin, born July 3, 1658; Jonathan (deceased) ; Jonathan (deceased) ; Joseph, born 1664; David, October 16, 1665; Eliza- beth, November 22, 1667; Jonathan, baptized, June 12, 1670; Hannah, baptized, July 21, 1672; Martha, baptized, September, 1674; Ebenezer (see forward).

(II) Ebenezer, youngest child of John and Martha (Tompkins) Foster, was born in Sa- lem, August 5, 1677, and died there in 1718. He lived in what is now South Danvers. His will was dated March 23, 1717. He devised his property to his wife "during her widow- hood, and if she came to marry, then one-third part during her natural life of all the estate". She married (second) Isaac Wilkins and she accordingly did release to her children the lands aforesaid. Ebenezer married Annie, daughter of Benjamin and Priscilla (Baxter) Wilkins. Children : Abigail, born September IO, 1701 : Jonathan, September 9, 1703; Ste- phen, February 28, 1705; Ebenezer (see for- ward) ; Anna, April 3, 1715; Joshua, 1718.

(III) Ebenezer (2), fourth child of Eben- ezer (I) and Anna (Wilkins) Foster, was born in Salem. August 23, 1710; died there in 1769. He lived in that part of Salem now South Danvers, having lands also in the north field. His home was struck by lightning July II, 1734, and a horse and two oxen killed. He removed to Rutland, Massachusetts, and bought land of Jonas Clarke of Boston, being iv-31

lot No. 25 on Pine plain. He was a weaver and farmer. He died intestate and adminis- tration was granted to John Walton, February 6, 1793. He married December II, 1731, Lydia, daughter of Skelton and Hepsibah (Sheldon) Felton. She married (second) Stephen Lincoln, of Oakham, and she died in Salem in 1793. Children of Ebenezer : Eben- ezer, born 1733; Lydia, Skelton, Samuel, Ben- jamin, Deborah, John (see forward).

(IV) John (2), youngest child of Ebenezer and Lydia (Felton) Foster, was born in Rut- land, 1752, and died in Springfield, Massa- chusetts, February 13, 1829. He resided in Paxton and Springfield. He married (first) Sara Hair; (second) in 1803, in Springfield, Phebe Doan, of West Springfield. Children : John (see forward) ; William Hammond, April 5, 1784; Elizabeth Buckminster ; Polly Hudson, November 12, 1785; Sally, May 21, 1780; Edwin, August 14, 1804; Eliza; Har- riet.

(V) Captain John (3), eldest child of John (2) and Sara (Hair) Foster, was born in Rut- land, October 14, 1777, and died in Peter- sham, Massachusetts, March 8, 1828. He was a farmer in Petersham, where he owned and operated a saw mill and was engaged in trade. His mother died when he was young, and he went to reside with a relative. He was a man of marked ability, holding town offices, and was captain of the town military company. His will was probated at Worces- ter in 1828. He married November 8, 1807, Hannah, daughter of Enos and Sarah (Burt) Lincoln, of Petersham, who was from Thom- as Lincoln, the miller of Hingham, the emi- grant of 1630. This Hingham Lincoln was a brother to that Thomas who was the ancestor of Abraham Lincoln. Children : William Hammond, born January 15, 1809; John B., June 5, 1819; Emory Burt (see forward) ; Al- fred Nelson, April 14, 1812; Lucy Lincoln, March 4, 1814.

(VI) Emory Burt, third child of Captain John (3) and Hannah (Lincoln) Foster, was born in Petersham, January 3, 1811, and died in Hardwick, Massachusetts, December 13, 1892. In early life he went to Ohio, where he was storekeeper. Returning east to. Belcher- town, Massachusetts, he learned the carriage maker's trade. He moved to Hardwick and he married Adeline Littlefield. Children : George Emory (see forward) : Fred, born Au- gust 2, 1852, deceased, formerly in the flour and grain trade at Bangor, Maine : William, born March 1, 1858, a machinist and farmer

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in East Granby, Massachusetts, member of the legislature several times ; he married El- len Boynton, and has one child, Nellie Ade- line, married Clyde Clark, of Windsor, Con- necticut.

(VII) Dr. George Emory, eldest son of Emory Burt and Adeline (Littlefield) Foster, was born in Hardwick, October 27, 1850. He was educated at Monson Academy and Wil- braham Academy, where he fitted for college. He graduated from Amherst, A. B., class of 1867. He taught school as a boy to raise funds for his education. He went to Bowdoin Medical College one term, and graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, in 1871, coming to Springfield to practice, where he has been very success- ful. He was always a Jacksonian Democrat, and recently he has voted independently. He was a member of the city government under Mayor Bradford. He attends Christ Episco- pal Church. He is a lover of horse flesh, driv- ing some fast steppers. He married Flor- ence Ada Smith, of Hartford, Connecticut. No children.

GIBBS We find the name of Gibbs in this country as early as 1654, and dare say the ancestor of this family was here much earlier. They were from Len- ham, Yorkshire, England, and arrived here not far from 1654, as before stated. We find them in nearly every walk of life, and they have done much in settling and developing this country in whatever part they have taken residence.

(I) Matthew Gibbs, ancestor of this branch of the family, was a planter in Charlestown, Massachusetts, sold his house at Charles- town in 1654, in 1659 had a grant east of his house at Lundham, and 1661 bought of Thomas Reed, Senior, one third of a farm once of Rev. Edmund Brown, near Doeskin Hill, and in 1665 he was on a committee of the town of Sudbury. In 1673 and 1678 he bought other parts of the same farm at Doe- skin Hill, in 1670 had a grant east side of the brook near his house, and in 1681 bought of Samuel Howe ten acres at Lanham Plain. He died previous to 1697. He married Mary, daughter of Robert Bradish, of Cambridge, who died about 1659. Their children were: Matthew, John, Elizabeth, Hannah, Mary, Thomas (died young) and Thomas.

(II) John, second son of Matthew and Mary (Bradish) Gibbs, married (first) in 1688, Anna Gleason, of Sudbury, Massachusetts,

who died, and he married (second) Sarah Cut- ler, of Reading, Massachusetts. He died April 2, 1718, in Sudbury, his will proven the same month, the estate valued at six hundred and twenty-seven pounds three shillings. Children of first wife were: Thomas, Mercy and John, by second wife : Sarah, Nathaniel, Isaac, Jacob, Israel and Ephraim.

(III) Deacon Israel, son of John and Sarah (Cutler) Gibbs, was born July II, 1706, in Sudbury. He was disowned by his brothers and sisters, joined the "Scotch-Irish Com- pany," which was then on the eve of starting for a place in the wilderness, went with them and became a pioneer in the town of Glasgow, now Blandford, Massachusetts, in 1735. The settlers selected their farms by lot, and he was one of those who obtained farms on the west side of the town street. The team which drew the first cart that entered the town was driven by Widow Moses Carr, and it is said to have belonged to Israel Gibbs. The farni on which he settled was in the possession of a descendant in the male line one hundred years later. In those days farm tools were of a very rude and primitive type. The method of harvesting hay was curious, and tradition states that the laborers in the "North Mead- ow"-and especially Israel Gibbs-used a straight stick, which answered a three-fold purpose, that is, as swath, rake and fork, and it was so awkard that it was then, and even now anything that is coarse, is called a "Gibb- sey." He was a hard working man, and also a man of progress. In 1759 was the first year a school was taught by a female, as appears by the records: "Granted six pounds for schooling this year. Voted, Chosen Israel Gibbs, James Montgomery, William Michel, to be committee to Hiar a School Deame, and so Dispurs the money Granted by the town to Defra the charges of the schooling, and to employ a school master when they think it will be Best for the town for this year." From another entry in the records it appears that Israel Gibbs was a leader in the church and that those Scotch settlers were as fond of spirits as their Anglo Saxon neigh- bors. In 1756 it was voted, "That the town shall pay to Dea. Israel Gibbs and Samuel Carnahan the first cost for the Rum and su- gar the Council shall Need while they Seat Hear." He was married in 1727 to Mary Hambleton, of Hopkinton, Massachusetts. Their children were: Mary, John, Rebecca, Israel, Ephraim, Isaac, Elizabeth and Sarah. (IV) John (2), eldest son of Israel and

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Mary (Hambleton) Gibbs, accompanied his parents to their wilderness home when an in- fant, spent his life in Blandford, and lived to be over eighty years of age, as did all of his father's children except Elizabeth. His brother Israel was said to be the first white child born in the town. He was the father of four chil- dren namely : Israel, Samuel, Mary and Ellen.

(V) Samuel, the second son of John (2) Gibbs, was born in Blandford, and resided there all his life. He was the owner of a good farm in the northern part of the town, which he cultivated, and upon which he spent his last years. In the seating of a church in 1797, in Blandford, Massachusetts, we find the names of Samuel, Levi, Ephraim Israel, Isaac Silas and Abner Gibbs, and in the same account we find that in 1791. Isaac G. Gibbs bought the first single wagon in the town, which was a great curiosity to his neighbors, and when he went to church it frightened horses. The name of his wife is not known. He had the follow- ing children : Lyman E., Olive, Foster E. and Jane.

(VI) Lyman Elam, eldest son of Samuel Gibbs, was born in Blandford, was reared on a farm, and died there aged fifty-eight years. He chose agriculture as his life occupation, and was a large dealer in horses. He married Polly Boies, daughter of David Boies. a farm- er of Blandford. Their children were: Julia, Jarvis W., Samuel, David, Isabella, Maria, Russell, Edward and Edson.

(VII) Jarvis Watson, eldest son of Lyman Elam and Polly (Boies) Gibbs, was born De- cember 9, 1820, in Blandford, died March 18, 1895, and was buried in the cemetery at Rus- sell, Massachusetts. He was educated in the public schools, and at the age of twenty began teaching in Blandford, where he received a salary of fifteen dollars a month and "boarded around." Subsequently he taught in Chester. In each of these places only the winter months were occupied in teaching. At a later date he took charge of a school in New Jersey, to which he devoted a full year of his time. At twenty-four years of age he returned to Mas- sachusetts and engaged in mercantile business at Russell, conducting a general store with success for several years. Later he sold out and was idle for some years, but tiring of an unprofitable life he bought another store and again carried on business, this time about a year. He then sold out and lived retired till the time of his death. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, to which his widow also belongs. He was a Republican in

politics, and served as a member of the town committee, and for four years, 1889-1893, was postmaster at Russell. Fraternally he was connected with Mount Mesiah Lodge, An- cient Free and Accepted Masons. He mar- ried (first) April, 1845, Tryphena, daughter of Ashley and Janet (Cannon) Mann, born in Chester, died in 1854, leaving one child, How- ard A. He married (second) in 1857, Olive C., daughter of Roland and Marcy (Culver) Parks, born in Blandford, died in June, 1887, leaving one child, Mary T. He married (third) June 27, 1889, Sarah Sophronia, daughter of Ebenezer and Jane (Hazelton) Combs, born in Middlefield, Massachusetts, who survives him.

(VIII) Howard Ashley, only son of Jar- vis Watson and Tryphena (Mann) Gibbs, was born in Huntington, December 19, 1843, died July 19, 1899. He spent his early life in Russell, and at the age of sixteen went to Springfield, Massachusetts, where he became a clerk in the employ of N. G. Gibbs, and later became proprietor of the business, which was carried on under the name of Howard A. Gibbs. He dealt in shoes twenty-five years, and then, six years before his death, bought out B. F. Nichols, of Holyoke, manufacturer of belting, and carried on that industry under the name of the Holyoke Belting Company, as long as he lived. He was an active and suc- cessful business man, was interested in good government and public affairs generally, voted the Republican ticket, and was a member of the Springfield city council during the years 1894-95. He was a member of the Masonic Order in which he had attained the rank of Knight Templar. He married, October 23, 1872, Kate Chapin, daughter of Stephen C. and Julia Emeline (Skeele) Bemis. (See Bemis VII), who was born in Springfield, May 30, 1846. Their children are: Ralph Bemis and Edith.

(IX) Ralph Bemis, only son of Howard Ashley and Kate Chapin ( Bemis) Gibbs, was born December 26, 1875. He was educated in the public schools of Springfield, Massa- chusetts, and Amherst College, and is now in New York City. He married, December I, 1907, Harriet Belle, daughter of Hiram B. and Maria ( Hitchcock) Lane.

(IX) Edith, only daughter of Howard Ashley and Kate Chapin ( Bemis) Gibbs, was born December 14, 1879, married, September 18, 1902, Walter Cockrill, son of James A. H. and Mary (Pierce) Carroll, of Baltimore, Maryland. They now reside in Pittsburgh,

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Pennsylvania, where Mr. Carroll has a place with the United States Steel Company. They are the parents of the . following children : Walter Cockrill and Katherine, twins, born June 19, 1903, and Mary, born June 16, 1906.

DEAN It is said by antiquarians and oth- ers who have made careful study of the origin and signification of our English patronymics that the surname Dean or Deane is derived originally from the Latin word decanus, which was the title of a Roman military officers of minor rank com- manding a force of ten men, and its English equivalent Dean was long ago adopted as an ecclesiastical title, next in dignity to that of bishop. In Spanish the name is written Dean ; in old French it is written both Dean and Dien; and in both Norman and English it is nearly always written Dean. In England the name doubtless has existed from the time of Alfred the Great ( 10th century), who was the first English sovereign to encourage the adoption of surnames.

In New England the first of the name of whom history gives an account were Rachel Dean, widow, and Stephen Dean, both of whom came over in the "Fortune" in 1621 and arrived at Plymouth in November of that year. Stephen Dean built and operated the first grist mill in the Plymouth colony. In 1637 two other immigrants of the Dean sur- name-John and Walter-brothers, came over from Chard, a place of some importance about twelve miles from Taunton in Somersetshire ; and it said by some authorities that these brothers were sons of William Dean, of Chard. They landed at Boston and after spending a winter in Dorchester went to Taunton, Massachusetts, where they were admitted freemen December 4, 1638. John Dean, who was born about the year 1600 and died 1660, directed in his will that "in case there be no settled ministry in Taunton, my administrators shall have full power to sell either the whole or a part of these my hous- ings and lands, so as my children and posteri- tic may remove elsewhere, where they may enjoy God and His Ordnances".

(I) Walter Dean, immigrant, son of Wil- liam Dean, of Chard, was born between the years 1615 and 1617. He came with liis brother to New England, as is mentioned, set- tled in Taunton, Massachusetts, and died there about the year 1693. He appears to have been somewhat prominently identified

with the affairs of the town and church, and in the latter fulfilled the office of deacon for many years. He was selectman for eight years, held various other town offices, and in business occupation was a tanner. His wife was Eleanor, daughter of Richard Strong, of Taunton, England, and sister of Elder John Strong, whom she accompanied to New Eng- land in the "Mary and John" in 1630. The children of Deacon Walter and Eleanor (Strong) Dean whose names are found in the Taunton records were, Joseph, Ezra, Benja- min and Abigail.

(II) Ezra, son of Deacon Walter Dean, settled at Taunton and died there between Oc- tober 28, 1727, and February 15, 1732. He married, December 17, 1676, Bethiah, daugh- ter of Deacon Samuel and Susanna (Orcutt) Edson. Deacon Edson was one of the first settlers in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, and built and owned the first mill in that town. He died in 1692, aged eighty years, and his wife Susanna died in 1699, aged eighty-one years. Ezra and Bethiah (Edson) Dean had six children: 1. Bethiah, born October 14, 1677, died November 27, 1679. 2. Ezra, October 14, 1680, see forward. 3. Samuel, April II, 1681, died February 16, 1682-83. 4. Seth, June 3, 1683 ; lived at Taunton; from him de- scended Rev. Paul Dean, formerly of Boston and afterward of Easton, Massachusetts, who published a course of lectures on the "Final Restoration of All Men" and various occa- sional sermons; also of Amos Dean, of Al- bany, New York, who was author of "Phil- osophy of Human Life" and other notable works. 5. Margaret, married Shaw. 6. Ephraim, married Mary Allen, of Reho- both.

(III) Ezra (2), eldest son of Ezra (1) and Bethiah (Edson) Dean, was born in Taunton, October 14, 1680, died there July 1, 1727. He was a physician and practiced in Taunton. The Rev. Samuel Danforth, of Taunton, who died November 14, 1727, is said to have prac- ticed the healing art in that town, and if so he and Dr. Dean were contemporaries in their labors. Dr. Dean married (first) Abi- gail, daughter of Captain James Leonard, and (second) Abigail Bretnell. He had in all six- teen children, whose united ages reached one thousand three hundred and seven years. Eleven of the family lived more than one thousand years, and one of them. Theo- dora, lived to see hier descendants to the fifth generation. Dr. Ezra Dean's chil- dren: 1. Ezra, born October 30, 1706; at-

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tained the age of eighty-nine years ; married Silence Danforth. 2. Stephen, September 29, 1708, died October 19, 1749. 3. Theo- dora, December 31, 1712, died January 14, 1813, aged one hundred years and fourteen days ; married, February 5, 1734, Major Rich- ard Godfrey, of Taunton. 4. Abigail, at- tained the age of ninety-five years; married Caleb Walker. 5. Bethiah, attained the age of ninety-six years ; married Stephen French, of Rehoboth. 6. Nehemiah, attained the age of ninety years. 7. James, 1717, died 1803. 8. Solomon, died aged sixty years. 9. Nathan- iel. Io. Seth. II. Elkanah, died aged eigh- ty-seven years. 12. Prudence, died aged eighty years ; married Hayward. 13. Elisha, died aged eighty-three years ; mar- ried (first) Molly Wood, (second) Molly Dur- fee. 14. William, 1731 ; married Lydia Leon- ard. 15. George, see forward. 16. Esther, 1733; married (first) - Higgins, ( sec- ond ) Robert Crossman.

(IV) George, second child of Dr. Ezra (2) Dean, was born in Taunton, about 1728, died February 20, 1814, in Taunton, at the age of eighty-six years. He married Tabitha Cross- man ; had two sons, George, married Wealthy Dean, and Abiathar, see forward.

(V) Abiathar, son of George and Tabitha (Crossman) Dean, was born September 30, 1768, in Taunton, Massachusetts, died at Keene, New Hampshire, at the home of his son, George Crossman Dean, October 2, 1832. He was a physician of the old school, and used to ride on horseback and carry his medicines in saddle-bags. He married Free- love, of Winchester, New Hampshire, daugh- ter of Daniel and Thankful (Bennett) Haw- kins, born June 4, 1773, died April 16, 1829, at the home of her son, Daniel H. Dean, in Lowell, Massachusetts. Children: I. Wil- liam Augustus, born March 25, 1793, in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. 2. Stephen Hawkins, April 23, 1796, St. Johnsbury. 3. Frinda, Au- gust 22, 1798, St. Johnsbury. 4. George Crossman, see forward. 5. Thurza Maria, May 4, 1802, in Winchester, New Hampshire. 6. Daniel, died young. 7. Daniel Hawkins, June 16, 1805. 8. Weltha Crossman, January 27, 1807. 9. Horace Comstock, October 18, 1808.

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Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume IV, Part 28

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848- Publication date: 1910 Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company Number of Pages: 886

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848-
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 886