Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume IV, Part 3

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 3

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).

(VIII) Dr. Locero J., son of John (2) Gibbs, was born in Washington, Maine, July 16, 1844. He attended the public schools of his native town and the Westbrook Seminary. He enlisted in Company B, Eleventh Maine Regiment, at the begining of the civil war and was discharged on account of physical disabil- ity at the end of his first year of service, in April, 1862. But he enlisted again in August of that year in Company B, Eighth Regiment. and served for three years. He took part in many battles and skirmishes and was severely wounded at the battle of Cold Harbor, June 4, 1864, but he recovered in time to take part in the last campaign in front of Richmond and was present at Lee's surrender in 1865. He was mustered out with the rank of sergeant. After the war he entered the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1872-73, and gradu- ated in the class of 1874 at Dartmouth College as M. D. He then studied medicine at the Col- lege of Physicians and Surgeons, and at the New York Polyclinic, New York City. He paid his own way through college and the pro- fessional schools. He began to practice in the town of Epping, Rockingham county, New

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Hampshire. After seven years there he re- moved to Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, where he has since practiced. He ranks among the foremost physicians of the county and has been eminently successful in his professional life. His office is located at 31 Broadway in a house built by him for this purpose and for a residence. He has been a member of the United States examining board for pensions of Springfield since 1900, acting as secretary of the board. In politics he is a Republican and has taken an active part in the duties of citi- zenship. He was a member of the school com- mittee three years ; selectman of the town two terms; chairman of the local board of health for three years : four years member of board of aldermen and two years president of board. He is a member of Belcher Lodge, Free Ma- sons, of Chicopee Falls ; past master of North Star Lodge, of Ashland, Massachusetts ; member of Otis Chapman Post, No. 103, Grand Army of the Republic. In religion he is a Unitarian. Dr. Gibbs has devoted himself exclusively to his profession, but has invested from time to time in real estate in Chicopee Falls and owned houses on Southwick street and other valuable property.

Dr. Gibbs married (first) in 1879, Cora B. McClench, daughter of J. U. and Marian Mc- Clench, of Chicopee; she died at the age of thirty-one years, leaving one child, Omar J., who died aged seven years. Dr. Gibbs married (second), Belle B. Chapin, born at Chicopee, daughter of Caleb Strong Chapin, of Chicopee Falls and later of Tennessee and Indiana.

The ancestry of the Brew- BREWSTER ster family in America dates from the life and time of Elder William Brewster, the organ- izer and head of the Plymouth Pilgrims of 1620. The name of Brewster appears among the old families in the reign of Edward III, as ranking among the "English landed gen- try". John Brewster was witness to a deed in the parish of Henstead, in Suffolk, in the year 1375, and not long after, in the reign of Richard II, a John Brewster was presented to the rectory of Godwich, in the county of Norfolk. This Norfolk branch became con- nected by marriage with the distinguished houses of DeNarburgh, Spelman, Gleane, and Coke, of Nolkham ; and, in the county of Suf- folk, Robert Brewster, of Mutford, possessed also lands in Henstead, and it is stated that William Brewster, of Henstead, and Robert Brewster, of Rushmore, died possessed of

these estates prior to 1482. From this Suf- folk connection a branch became established at Castle Hedingham, in Essex, and formed connection with several knightly families. Our William Brewster was probably of this connection, but of his immediate ancestry and place of birth no record has been discov- ered. It is supposed that Scrooby, a Not- tinghamshire village, was his birthplace, whither he went after leaving a responsible position in the service of Mr. William Davi- son, who was one of Queen Elizabeth's am- bassadors, and afterwards one of her princi- pal secretaries of state.

(I) William Brewster was born about the year 1560, and was well educated at Cam- bridge, from whence he entered the public service as above mentioned. He lived at Scrooby some fifteen or twenty years, and held the office of post of Scrooby for about fourteen years, occupying the manor house pertaining to the Archbishop of York, and associating with "the good gentlemen of those parts." Here was gathered the little band that afterwards constituted the Plym- outh Pilgrims. Mr. Brewster became a non- conformist, and in 1607 was imprisoned at Boston, Lincolnshire. He was liberated with great expense and difficulty and went to Ley- den with a company of sympathizers, and sharing their troubles, after losing most of his possessions, including valuable and choice books, through the treachery of a ship's cap- tain who had engaged to transport the com- pany from England, he supported himself by teaching English, and in 1620 was with them on their pilgrimage in the "Mayflower" and continued with them as their elder, preach- ing frequently, but not administering the sac- raments. He was loyal to the home govern- ment, and reluctantly accepted the fact that his conscientious scruples required his sepa- ration from the established church. Until his death, April 16, 1644, he was the acknowl- edged leader of the Plymouth dispensation, and was greatly venerated. He had by his wife Mary three sons: Jonathan, Love and Wrestling ; and two daughters; Patience, married Thomas Prince, in 1624, afterwards governor of Plymouth; and Fear, married Isaac Allerton, first assistant to the governor.

(II) Jonathan, eldest son of Elder William Brewster, was born at Scrooby in the county of Notts, on the road to Doncaster, in York- shire, from which it is only twelve or thirteen miles distant, in a manor belonging to the Archbishop of York, under which his grand-

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father was tenant under a long lease. His education was obtained only from his father, either in England or in the twelve years' residence in Holland, where he was left by his father to take care of two sisters with his own family. He came to Plymouth, Massa- chusetts. in 1621, without his sisters. In June, 1636, he had command of the Plym- outh trading house on the Connecticut river, and gave notice to John Winthrop, governor of the fort at Saybrook, of the evil designs of the Pequots. He removed to Duxbury, which in 1639 he represented in the general court, the earliest assembly of deputies in that col- ony. From Duxbury he removed to New London, Connecticut, before 1649, where he was selectman. In 1656 he formed the de- sign of returning with his family to England, but remained in New London, where he died before September, 1659. By his wife Lu- cretia he had William, Mary, Jonathan, Ben- jamin, Grace, Ruth, Hannah, and perhaps Elizabeth.

(III) Benjamin, third son of Jonathan and Lucretia (Oldham) Brewster, was born No- vember 17, 1633, in Duxbury, died September 14, 1710, in Norwich, Connecticut, and was buried on Brewster Plains. He settled upon the homestead of his father at Brewster's Neck, which he had acquired by purchase from his father and brother-in-law. Thi's farm was originally in the town of New Lon- don, but the various changes in town bound- aries placed it successively in Norwich, Pres- ton, Groton and Ledyard. He was much in the public service, and served as deputy to the general court of Connecticut in 1668-69, 1690, 1692-93-94-95-96-97, and was a lieuten- ant of the New London troop in 1673, and captain of the military company of Norwich twenty years later. He married, February 28, 1660, Anne Darte, who may have been the widow of Ambrose Darte, of Boston. Am- brose Darte's wife was Anne Adis, daughter of William Adis, of Cape Ann. Benjamin Brewster's wife died May 9, 1709. Children : Mary, Anne, Jonathan, Daniel, William, Ruth, Benjamin and Elizabeth.

(IV) Jonathan (2), eldest son of Benja- min (1) and Anne Brewster, was born No- vember 30, 1664, and resided at Brewster's Neck, where he died November 20, 1704. In 1699 his father deed to him eight hundred and ten acres of land, with house and other build- ings, comprising the homestead, as his portion of the estate, and in consideration of the main- tenance of his parents in their old age. How-

ever, both of them survived him. He mar- ried, December 18, 1690, Judith Stevens, of Norwhich, Connecticut; "Shee being then 20 yeres of age, wanting seven dayes," probably daughter of James and Sarah (Smith) Stevens, of Hingham, baptized there Decem- ber 22, 1670. Children: Lucretia, Jonathan, Joseph, Sarah and Mary.

(V) Jonathan (3), elder son of Jonathan (2) and Judith (Stevens) Brewster, was born April 21, 1694, in Preston, and lived in that town, where he died about 1754. He mar- ried (first) Ruth Morgan, who may have been the daughter of Captain John and Ruth (Shapley) Morgan, born at Groton, Connecti- cut, August 29, 1697. She was also a de- scendant of Elder William Brewster, through her grandmother, Ruth Brewster, daughter of Jonathan and granddaughter of William. He married (second) April 29, 1736, Lucy An- drews. The first wife was the mother of four children: Jonathan, Benjamin, Joanna and Simon. The second wife's children were, Sarah, Andrew, Judith, Joshua, Ezekiah, Lucy and Mary.

(VI) Jonathan (4), eldest child of Jona- than (3) and Ruth ( Morgan) Brewster, was born November 5, 1719, in Preston, and died at Worthington, Massachusetts, April 13, 1800. He removed to Worthington in 1777, and was a prominent citizen of that town through the remainder of his life. He served as selectman in 1778-79-80, in 1784-85-86-87- 88-89, in 1790-91-92-93-94-95-96, was town clerk in 1784-85, and representative to the gen- eral court in 1778-79, 1782-84-85-86-87, 1793- 94-95. He was also a deacon of the Congrega- tional church of Worthington. He married at Preston, Connecticut, August 26, 1754, Zipporah, daughter of Ephraim and Hannah (Witter) Smith, of Stonington, born July 10. 1735, in Preston, died in Worthington, Janu- ary 19, 1795. Children : Elisha, Esther, Jona- than, Zipporah, Sarah, Jonah, Moses, Lydia and Hannah. The eldest daughter married Dr. Ezra Starkweather, of Worthington. The second became the wife of Major Joseph Marsh.

(VII) Elisha, eldest child of Jonathan (4) and Zipporah (Smith) Brewster, was born February 25, 1755, in Preston, died in Worth- ington, September 25, 1833. He held various offices of trust in the town of Worthington, and was representative to the general court in 1806. He served as a soldier in the revolu- tionary army, enlisting first in Captain Abijah Powell's company of a regiment of Light

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Dragoons for and during the war, and served a period of seven years and six months. His regiment was exercised in cavalry tactics by Count Pulaski, the distinguished Polish dis- ciplinarian. At the time of Shay's insurrec- tion, he volunteered his services and was ap- pointed one of the aids to General Shephard, at Springfield in suppressing the uprising. He was subsequently employed by the government to administer the oath of allegiance to the late insurgents. During the revolutionary strug- gle, he participated in many fierce engage- ments, and led his men with an impetuosity and courage, which always brought victory. He is described as a handsome officer with great skill and daring in horsemanship. "As a civilian he retained that dignity and courtesy which so often marked the officer of the army and always bore with him in the intercourse with his fellowmen, that affability and gen- tlemanly feeling which so eminently charac- terized his younger brother, Mr. Jonah Brewster." He married, April 24, 1788, Sarah Huntington, of Windham, Connecticut, daugh- ter of Rev. Jonathan Huntington. She was born about 1768, died November 22, 1841. Children: Theodosia, Minerva, Sally, Han- nah (died young), Eliza, Zipporah, Hannah, Lucy and Elisha Huntington. The fifth daughter married Benjamin Mills, and the eighth became the wife of Elbridge Hazen, of Worthington.

(VIII) Elisha Huntington, only son of Elisha and Sarah (Huntington) Brewster, was born August 5, 1809, in Northampton, died in that town, November 27, 1878. His education was supplied by the common school and Hopkin's Academy, and he re- mained in early life upon the paternal farm. In his thirty-third year, in 1842, he removed to the centre village of the town, and located a little south of the church and town house, where for many years he conducted a most successful mercantile business, in which hi's son became associated with him under the firm name of E. H. Brewster & Son. Mr. Brewster was a man of strong mind and much force of character, and was easily a leader of the community. In 1848 he was elected as a Whig to represent his town in the state legislature, and was again elected in 1853. In 1852 he was chosen county com- missioner, and for sixteen years successfully filled that responsible position, being most of the time chairman of the board. He distin- guished himself in the performance of his duties by his excellent judgment, and at the

height of his popularity and usefulness, in 1868, he declined a renomination, although certain of election, much to the regret of the constituency he had so faithfully and impar- tially served. In 1856 the party machinery in the nominating convention was opposed to him, and the nomination fell to another. His old neighbors and friends in Worthington and influential people throughout the county, almost against his wishes, insisted upon mak- ing him an independent candidate, and he was elected by a handsome majority. At the close of his service as county commissioner, he was tendered a supper by his townsmen as a testimonial of their appreciation of his faithful official service. On this occasion his former official associates, with whom he had served without sign of disagreement, pre- sented him with a gold-headed cane. This was left as an heirloom to his son, and is now in the possession of his grandson, E. H. Brewster, of Springfield. In 1871 the senate district composed of Berkshire and Hamp- shire elected him as its representative in the legislature, and in 1873 he was chosen a member of the council under Governor Washburn from the eighth district, embrac- ing the counties of Hampshire, Hampden and Berkshire. While in this office he was a member of the committee of the council to receive General Grant, when the latter made an official visit to the state. He was also in council under Governor Talbott. Mr. Brew- ster was active in many ways in furthering the interests of his native state, and was a leader in the formation of the Worthington Agricultural Society, of which he was the first president. He was for many years a trustee of the Northampton Institute for Savings, and a director of the Hampshire Mutual Fire Insurance Company. Upon the organization of the Republican party, which was the natural successor of his former al- legiance, he was among its most active sup- porters. Though a strong partisan, he never permitted loyalty to his party to warp his judgment of measures and men, or to inter- fere with what he believed to be just and equitable. He was in some line of public ser- vice from a very early period in life. He was justice of the peace and long held and dis- charged the duties of trial justice with dig- nity and impartiality. He was often chosen as referee in matters of contest, both at home and abroad, and especially in important road cases, after his retirement from the office of county commissioner. Though not educated

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as a lawyer, he possessed the legal tempera- ment, and was especially fitted by nature for the adjudication of difficult disputes. His judgment was frequently sought and gener- ously given in matters of business, and it is probable that he settled more estates in his day than any other man in Hampshire coun- ty. Though not a professing Christian, he was a regular attendant upon Divine wor- ship, and a liberal supporter of church work. He had an abiding faith in the underlying principles of christianity, and for thirty years he sang in the church choir, of which he was chorister. In every thing that he did he was methodical and painstaking, and therefore accurate. His keen perception grasped at once the vital points of any issue, and he possessed great capacity for unravelling diffi- culties, and a diplomacy which easily recon- ciled differences among men. One who knew him well said: "He could not recall the time when he was otherwise than the perfect gen- tleman." With a fine physical presence and a kindly benevolent nature, he was born for a leader, and would be easily picked out as such in any gathering of men. When princi- ple required, he was a rock of firmness and was an excellent presiding officer, in which capacity his graces and virtues showed to best advantage. Despite his honors, he was modest and unassuming, and maintained the friendships which he formed in various ca- pacities, and when once one had been ac- cepted as his friend, he was always a friend. In him appeared in strong degree those quali- ties which distinguished his venerable and be- loved ancestor, Elder William Brewster.

He married, August 1, 1831, Sophronia Martha, daughter of Isaiah and Lucy (Dan- iels) Kingman. of Worthington. She died March 14, 1879, in Worthington, having sur- vived her husband less than four months. Chil- dren : Sarah Huntington, Elisha Kingman, Lucy Jane, Sophronia Kingman, Charles King- man, Helen Eugenia and Isabel Warner.

(IX) Charles Kingman, second son of Eli- sha H. and Sophronia M. (Kingman) Brew- ster, was born June II, 1843; in Worthington, where he resided, and died September 30, 1908. He was a prominent citizen of his na- tive town, following in the footsteps of his father, and served as county commissioner of Hampshire county. He began his business career as a clerk in his father's store, of which he subsequently became manager, and served as town clerk. He was the author of a revised edition of Rice's History of Worthington. He

was a member of the legislature in 1889, was trustee of the Northampton Institute for Sav- ings and a director of the Hampshire Mutual Fire Insurance Company. He married at Worthington, February 22, 1866, Selina So- phia, daughter of Chauncey Baldwin, of that town. Children: I. Sophronia, died in her fourth year. 2. Grace, died in her fifth year. 3. Elisha Hume, mentioned below. 4. Sarah Harriet, born March 6, 1874; wife of Leon Martin Conwell, of Somerville, Massachusetts, and mother of two children, Agnes and Charles Russell. 5. Charles Huntington, Feb- ruary 14, 1877 ; engaged in business at Middle- town, Connecticut. 6. Howard Chauncey, De- cember 24, 1880. 7. Kingman, December 24, 1883 ; graduated from Amherst in 1906, and is a member of the class of 1912, at Dane Law School.

(X) Elisha Hume, eldest son of Charles K. and Selina S. (Baldwin) Brewster, was born September 10, 1871, in Worthington, and fitted for college at Williston Seminary at East- hampton. He graduated in law from the Bos- ton University in 1896, and was admitted to the Massachusetts bar in Northampton in the same year. He immediately began the practice of his profession in Springfield, and in 1899 formed a partnership with Robert Knight, which relationship now exists. He was form- erly chairman of the city Republican commit- tee, and was a member of the state legislature in 1902-03-04. His club connections include the Winthrop, Springfield Country and Nayas- set. Mr. Brewster is a careful and conscien- tious adviser and is much employed by those who have recourse to the courts to redress their wrongs. No client ever lost any rights through his neglect of thorough preparation, skilful handling of witnesses in court, or the able presentation of the law and the facts. He married (first) June 20, 1900, Alice Thomp- son, of Springfield, who died June 6, 1904. Children : Alice, born May 12, 1902, Harriet and Elizabeth, (twins), June 5, 1904. Mr. Brewster married (second) Jessie Walden Cook, of Springfield.

(For first generation see Hugh Calkins 1).

(II) John Calkins, son of CALKINS Hugh Calkins, was born in 1634 and died in January, 1723. He lived at New London and in 1652 helped to build the first mill dam there. He married at New London Sarah Royce, daugh- ter of Robert Royce. She died May I, 17II. He was later in Norwich where he served as

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selectman in 1671 and as a juror as late as 1691. Children : 1. Hugh, born at New Lon- don. 2. Sarah, married Thomas Baldwin. 3. Mary, married Samuel Gifford. 4. Elizabeth, married Samuel Hyde. 5. Hugh, born June, 1659. 6. John, married Abigail Burchard. 7. Samuel, mentioned below.

(III) Samuel, son of John Calkins, was a farmer at Lebanon, Connecticut. He married Hannah - Children : Samuel, born Octo- ber 17, 1699. 2. Nathaniel, August 17, 1703. 3. Stephen, April 4, 1706, mentioned below. 4. Aquila. June 4, 1711.

(IV) Stephen, son of Samuel Calkins, was born in Lebanon, April 4, 1706. He removed from Lebanon to Sharon, of which he was an original proprietor, having lot No. 31, where Abraham Weed lately lived. Children: Ste- phen, Joseph. Elijah, Timothy, Amos, Justis, Daniel, mentioned below.

(V) Daniel, son of Stephen Calkins, was born in Lebanon or Sharon about 1720. He married at Sharon, April 25, 1745, Ellen Way. Children, born at Sharon: 1. Asa, January 8. 1746-47, mentioned below. 2. Daniel, October 2. 1749. 3. Lydia, October 12, 1751. 4. Eliz- abeth, October 6, 1753. 5. Amos, July 12, 1755 (mother given as Lucy). 6. Jonathan, 1760 (mother as Ellen).

(VI) Asa, son of Daniel Calkins, was born January 8, 1746-47. He and Ezekiel Calkins, a relative, settled at Wilbraham, Massachu- setts. According to the first federal census in 1790 Asa had three sons under sixteen and two females in his family. Older sons may have left home.

(VII) Asa (2), son of Asa (I) Calkins, lived at Wilbraham. He married and among his children was George, mentioned below.

(VIII) George, son of Asa (2) Calkins, was born at Massachusetts. He came to Palmer about 1848. He married at Palmer (intention dated August 6, 1840) Lucy

Ann Brown. According to the census

of 1790 James and Ezekiel Calkins were heads of families in Wilbraham. They were brothers. Asa Calkins (Corkins) was of the same family. He had three sons un- der sixteen and two females in his family at that time. Most of the Palmer family of this surname trace their ancestry to Ezekiel, though some are descended from James. Chil- dren: 1. Romaro, born at Palmer, January 20, 1848. 2. Frank. 3. James W., mentioned below. 4. Herbert. 5. Richard. 6. Jerome. 7. Abel. 8. Frederick.

(IX) James W., son of George Calkins,

was born at Palmer, Massachusetts. He was educated in the schools of Wilbraham, Mas- sachusetts, and when a young man learned the trade of stone mason ; later he followed con- tracting and building and was also engaged in the real estate business. He was a Baptist in religion and a Republican in politics. He enlisted during the civil war for the state of Maine and is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. He married Lucia Burleigh, a native of Palmer, daughter of and Hannah (Cook) Burleigh. Children : I. Lucia, died aged sixteen years. 2. James, died in infancy. 3. Frank, died in infancy. 4. Irving R., mentioned below.

(X) Irving R., son of James W. Calkins, was born at Palmer, October 31, 1875. He attended the public schools and the Palmer high school. He was a student in Harvard College in the academic course, but did not graduate. He studied also at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Ver- mont. He began the study of medicine under Dr. John Morgan, of Boston. He graduated in 1896 from the Baltimore Medical College with the degree of M. D., and was an in- terne in the Maryland General Hospital one year. He began to practice in 1896 in Spring- field, making a specialty of surgery, and has taken high rank in his profession. He is a member of the Massachusetts Medical So- ciety. Springfield Academy of Medicine, American Medical Association and Eastern Hampden Medical Association. He is on the surgical staff of Mercy Hospital, Springfield. He is a member of Springfield Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; Sons of the Revolu- tion ; Smith & Wesson Revolver Club ; United States Revolver Association, in which he has held championship honors and was one of the four to be selected to represent the Olympic in 1908 for America and was high man in the qualification for America; Nayasset Club ; Springfield Aero Club. In politics he is a Re- publican. He married. June 25, 1898, Lena May Watters, born June 20, 1877.

.This is a name found early

BIGELOW in the New England records with a great variety of spell-

ings. In some places it is written Boglo. An- other wide variation is Beguley, and various forms are given by various writers of the colonial days. The name has been well rep- resented, both as to numbers and in the char- acter of citizenship throughout the country. It is from the Anglo-Saxon biggan (big) and

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Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume IV, Part 3

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